The Way Things Are

So, some of you caught it, some of you didn't. Basically, the theme is "Breaking Neji In". XD I know, kind of stupid, but it works, right? I'd hope so. Hopefully you'll like the way I do this! :D

REVIEW REPLIES

qwerty: ^_^ I'm so glad that you liked it! :)

D.A. Maxwell: I'm sorry, none of your guesses were right. You get a cookie for trying though! Thanks for the correction on the spelling. I'm terrible sometimes and miss the details. >_< Yay for kisses! ^_^ (a hundred works. XD)

superwhore: Ah, I'm glad. ^_^ Thank you for the compliments as well!!

AngelicChaos: Yes, I love the name I made up for Ino. XD lol Anyhow, you didn't guess the theme right, so you get a cookie for trying! Yay! And thanks!

Moya: It wasn't supposed to, so I guess that's a good thing. ^_^ Yes, Shikamaru is a smug bastard, but we wouldn't love him if he wasn't! XD lol

Serenity: There'll be some lemon before the wedding night. :X I didn't tell you nothing! lol

Nickles: ^_^; Thanks! Your compliments mean so much! *hugs you* I'm glad to know that I'm loved again. hee hee

XoXgaaraXoX: I hope you'll like this update!

charmpit: They should be canon! They're so awesome together! XD We should demand that it happen. Oh, and here's a toothbrush and floss. Don't want your teeth to fall out. ^_^ I think he's one of the hottest too.

Anemone: w00t! More cookies! *nibbles*

Anaheyla: Well, they're engaged. Not married yet. ^_^

Drivven Labyrinth: Yay! You gets a cake! *hands it over* I hope you'll like it!! Both the chapter and the cake I mean. XD lol Thanks for the compliments and not batting my cliffhangers. lol

Dying Dreams: Yes, the staring was...creepy. lol I'm glad that you liked the chapter though. :D I hope you'll like this one as well!

PossessedMuse: Hmm...Nice guess, but it wasn't the right one, so you get a cookie instead. ^_^ At least you tried, right? lol

Lady Laran: If I wasn't so focused on this story, I'd do that. XD lol I'm glad that you like how I'm doing this. :D

Lonelydove: Okies, here's more! lol

Ino-chan: Neji does blush a bit...I should fix that. XD lol Hopefully you'll like this chapter as well.

Im The Dobe: ^_^; I hate to disappoint you, but the sex won't be coming for a little while. I'm sorry. :( Although I promise that I'll be building up to that. XD

Syake: A white chocolate Neji? They should seriously market that. Do you know how many girls would buy one? lol I probably would have laughed out loud as well, so you're not alone on that one.

SGOU: You're first guess was right on the money. XD *gives you a cake* Yay for you! :D lol

SG21: Aw, I'm sorry. I wish you would have guessed! lol Chaste kisses are WAY too cute for the good of human kind, but I couldn't resist writing them in! lol When I was trying to think of how to dress Neji up for this, I was 'putting on' different colors and red just seemed to work REALLY well. I'm glad you thought so too. :) And now I want to try that! *drools*

ShikaChouFan4Life: I'm glad you liked them. ^_^ And manly tears are the only way to explain Lee's tears! lol Your guess wasn't right, but it was a good one! *hands you a cookie* :D

luxeflex: Ahahahahaha! Another Shika/Neji fan! They're the best! :) I'm glad that you liked the chapter though!

Bree: I'm so glad that you took the time to read this! It makes me happy! :D I'm also glad that you like the pace I've set for this. As nice as the romance is, I like a little build up as well. ^_^ Thank you!

Lavinia: Your brain must have been tired when you mixed the languages. ^_^ I really don't mind it. It just caught me off guard. :D Any review is a good one. Thanks!!!

Telpei: Well...your guess was KIND of on the mark so you get a piece of cake, not the whole thing. *hands you a piece* :D I'm also glad that you like the chapter! Thank you!

Kat: That entertaining? Glad to hear it! I hope you'll like the update!

jess249: Yes, I was feeling rather proud when I thought up of that little pet name for Ino. lol Aw, your guesses were off, but you get a cookie for trying! *gives you a cookie*

j.s.: Thank you so much! No, it wasn't to blunt, but it's a little off the mark. XD *gives you a cookie* At least you tried, right?

pen_name: Yes, that was my thought. A VERY hot Neji in red. lol Your guesses weren't right (although they'll probably happen), so you get TWO cookies! lol *blushes* I'm so glad that you think so! Thanks!

*******************************************************************************

Chapter 13

“How on earth do you live through that?”

“You’re alive, aren’t you?” Neji smirked as Gaara escorted both green-clad shinobis away.

“Ha ha,” Shikamaru said, shaking his head.

The two were immediately bombarded by attention now that Gai was gone and Neji was loosing track of who to pay attention to. Tenten had been the next person to greet him, and although she was upset that Neji was being 'forced' into a marriage, she was simply glad that she was going to get to ogle the Hyuuga the entire night. She kept telling him how good he looked in red, even as people came and went. Wouldn’t shut up about it actually. Shikamaru would roll his eyes at almost everything the girl was saying. Although whenever Shikamaru would say something, Tenten’s reply was always curt and her attention would jump right back to the Hyuuga.

It wasn’t until she was walking away that Neji let out a heavy sigh and rubbed his forehead. “Gods, she can be so infuriating.”

Shikamaru smirked. “Now you know why I don’t associate with woman more than I have to.”

Neji shook his head. “Do they hang off of you like that?”

Shikamaru chuckled. “No. I don’t give them a reason to. You’re hair alone attracts any woman’s gaze.”

Neji snorted. “I’m not cutting it.”

“I wouldn’t want you to,” Shikamaru replied as the pair walked over to the refreshment table. “I like it the way it is.”

Neji blushed slightly as he grabbed a small cup and filled it with the punch before he offered it to the Nara. Shikamaru grinned and took the cup, nodding his thanks as Neji turned to fill his own cup. Neji had barely gotten a drink when the pair was bombarded by another, both of who were grinning at them, one subdued and smug, the other happy and bright. Neji bowed respectfully to Sasuke and Naruto, while Shikamaru merely gave them a nod of the head.

“Wow, I can’t believe you’re actually going to be tying the knot!” Naruto grinned. “I was sure that it would be you and Hinata, Shikamaru.”

“I’m more surprised that Neji isn’t throwing a tantrum about actually having to go through with this,” Sasuke smirked.

“Teme,” Naruto growled before Neji could respond. “Be nice!”

“Hinata’s nice and all, but she doesn’t have the same genius that Neji and I share,” Shikamaru stated blandly. “Besides, he looks better.”

Neji blushed a deep red and snapped his eyes over towards the Nara, ignoring the Uchiha’s blatant snickering. Naruto started laughing as Shikamaru simply stared back, forcing the Hyuuga to turn to his drink and quietly take a sip.

“You’re as red as your outfit, Neji,” Naruto snickered.

“So I’ve gathered,” he mumbled, ignoring the looks from those around him.

“Although with that blush on his cheeks, I can see why Shikamaru said that,” Sasuke teased.

“Eyes and hands off, Uchiha,” Shikamaru warned.

“Defensive,” Sasuke mocked, his smirk growing.

“You dress Naruto up like this, get a blush on his cheeks, and you’ll react the same way,” Shikamaru stated, shifting closer to the Hyuuga. “Or are you confident enough that I couldn’t steal your little lover for a night?”

Sasuke glared at the other while Naruto blushed at the comment, his shade easily matching Neji’s. “Back off, Nara.”

“Battle of the semes,” Naruto grumbled, folding his arms over his chest.

“Took the words right from my mouth, Naruto,” Neji murmured, taking another sip of his drink. He could feel Shikamaru wanting to make a comment, but obviously was resisting the urge. He was thankful for that. Reaching over, he pulled one of the Nara’s hands from out of his pockets and intertwined his fingers, grinning gently. He squeezed the others hand appreciatively and pulled him slightly closer. He saw the grin spread across the Nara’s features and he couldn’t stop the butterflies from rolling in his stomach.

“You two have moved on quickly,” Sasuke stated.

“You two aren’t moving quickly enough,” Neji responded. “When do you plan on coming out?”

Sasuke frowned as Naruto looked to the floor. “We…we’re not sure.”

“What’s the big problem?” Shikamaru asked.

As if the world had decided to answer the question for him, Sakura came running over to them, beaming. “Congrats you two!”

“Thank you, Sakura,” Neji smiled, looking over at the Nara. “We appreciate your support.”

Shikamaru nodded his head knowingly and sent the two other males an apologetic look. Naruto gave him a sad smile while Sasuke merely gave him a shrug, although his eyes showed how gloomy he really was. Sakura simply giggled before she turned her attention to the Uchiha. Blushing, she asked him softly how he was doing, her fingers fidgeting behind her back. Naruto resisted the urge to growl, and glared slightly instead. Whether it was him being protective or over the fact that his teammate was completely ignoring him, no one really knew.

“I’m doing fine, Sakura,” Sasuke said bluntly, although if one looked closely enough they could see the clear distaste in his eyes.

“So, um, wh-what were you guys talking about?” she asked bashfully, to which both Neji and Shikamaru rolled their eyes. When was the girl going to grow out of these stages? Weren’t girls supposed to mature faster than boys?

“How Shikamaru and Neji have moved on pretty quick,” Naruto answered, clearly annoyed.

Sakura turned to Naruto with a glare. “You don’t have to be so angry about it.”

Naruto let out a heavy sigh. “Who said I was angry?”

“You’re sure acting like it!” Sakura snarled.

“Forgive me,” Naruto said sarcastically, and Neji couldn’t help the amused expression that covered his face.

“Naruto, you idiot! I don’t care how special you think yo-“

“Enough, Sakura,” Sasuke snapped, his eyes staring at the floor. “You too, dobe. Gods, so infuriating. And people wondered why I left.”

Sakura looked stung by the words, while the blonde shifted his attention to the floor once again, hurt and pain filling up his eyes.

“Sakura, I think Ino’s calling you,” Shikamaru said quietly, looking over at Neji for help.

“Hmm,” Neji hummed. “Naruto, will you come with me for a moment? I’d like to ask you something.” When Sasuke’s eyes glared at him, he glared right back. “Nothing like that, Uchiha,” he hissed sharply. The blonde merely nodded his head as followed Neji away from the group, Sakura looking once more at Sasuke before she walked away as well, leaving the Nara alone with him, a stern, almost angry look on his face.

“You shouldn’t take what he says to heart, Naruto,” Neji said softly as they sat down on one of the far couches. Neji was sure that they wouldn’t be disturbed.

“I know,” Naruto said quietly, “but I can’t stop the hurt sometimes.”

After a momentary pause, Neji let out a sharp breath. “Who’s the one who doesn’t want to come out?”

“We both have our reasons,” Naruto stated. “I don’t want to hurt Sakura and Sasuke doesn’t want me to be hated for yet another reason, but he’s more willing about it than I am. Says that as long as he has me, he’s happy.”

Neji smirked. “Then you two need to find a way to tell Sakura, and soon. I’m sure Lee and I wouldn’t mind having another homosexual couple to converse with.”

Naruto sighed. “I’ll try and work something out. Anyhow, how did you and the Nara move on so quickly?”

Neji blushed slightly and shrugged. “I’m…not really sure. But…I realized that I’d fallen for him as soon as Hinata came back.”

“Was that the reason you locked yourself in your room?” Naruto asked. “Bushy-brows was freaking worried about you, you know.”

Neji sighed softly. “Yes, I’ve already apologized to him and yes, that’s why I was…staying in my room. The thought of losing him to Hinata was…almost unbearable.”

Naruto let a true smile cross his face. “Damn. You really do love him, don’t you?”

Blushing slightly, Neji nodded. “I am…afraid to say the actual words though.”

“Why?” Naruto asked. “You’ve got him for eternity right?”

“He can still avoid me,” Neji stated.

“If you’re talking about me, why would I do that?”

Neji’s gaze snapped to the side to find Shikamaru and Sasuke standing there, the Uchiha looking like he had gotten the most brutal lecture of his life. He quietly asked Naruto if he could speak with him, to which the blonde agreed, sending a wary look at the Nara as he left. Shikamaru sighed and plopped right next to Neji, letting his head rest against the back of the couch. With a smirk he turned to the Hyuuga and raised an eyebrow.

“So, why would I avoid you?” Shikamaru asked, leaning closer.

Neji blushed a little. “It’s not important.”

“Oh? Well, if it wasn’t important, why would you not want to tell me?”

Damn, Neji cursed. I can’t get past him. “Really, it’s nothing,” Neji replied, glad that there were many people leaving from the party. It was getting late after all.

Shikamaru sighed and sat up straight, only to push himself closer to the other. “Why don’t you let me decide that?”

Neji bit his lip. “I…”

When it was apparent that the Hyuuga wasn’t going to reply, Shikamaru sighed and pulled the other’s face towards him. Neji made a sound of protest when the Nara’s lips were pressed against his own, but a quickly surveillance of the area let him calm down slightly. No one was watching. He was still resistant to the pressure until Shikamaru pulled back and stared at him, his eyes glinting with something Neji was sure he didn’t want to know about.

“Well, if you’re not going to tell me, I might as well as take something to recompense, hm?” Shikamaru whispered as his hands came to rest on Neji’s cheeks.

“What d-do you mean by that?” Neji asked eyes wide.

Shikamaru chuckled before he grabbed the Hyuuga’s wrist and pulled him from his spot on the couch. Neji went pale. Did…Did Shikamaru mean sex? He started to panic. He wasn’t ready for that! After all, he had just barely come to terms with the fact that he was in love with the other male. He wasn’t ready to commit such a huge step in his life. He wasn’t ready for this. When Shikamaru stopped walking, now that they were outside in the Hyuuga gardens, Neji paled even more.

“Shikamaru, I-I’m not ready for this!” Neji whimpered. It was a sound he was sure he never wanted to hear coming from him ever again.

Shikamaru sighed and pulled the other towards the bench. “I wanted to go somewhere where we wouldn’t be interrupted or that would make you nervous. Stop thinking so much again.”

“But…What…” Neji hadn’t ever been so confused in his life.

The Nara sat down on the bench and pulled Neji on top of him, so the Hyuuga was straddling his legs. Had it not been dark out, Shikamaru was sure he would have seen Neji blushing like his life depended on it. The other opened his mouth to protest their position, but quickly shut it when a finger pressed gently against his lips. They were lucky that the bench was fairly large, to the point of where there wasn’t any threat of Neji falling off should he want to relax in his position.

Neji could have sworn he saw a smirk on the other’s lips, but he wasn’t given time to really contemplate that as the Nara’s hands slid to his cheeks again and Neji felt lips brush softly against his own. He relaxed a little when Shikamaru’s lips pressed harder, trying to coax Neji into reacting. Letting his eyes fall shut, Neji did just that and pressed back gently, his hands coming to fist in the Nara’s shirt once again. Gods, this man was a good kisser! Had they been standing, he was sure he knees would have been shaking with how good this felt.

When the other’s tongue traced against his bottom lip, Neji opened his eyes slightly and was going to question what the other was doing when the slick muscle was thrust into his mouth. Neji made a noise of protest, but Shikamaru had been prepared for this, having slipped his hand up to Neji’s head. He pressed back when Neji tried to back away, his half lidded eyes trying to get the other to focus. Man, who would have thought that Hyuuga Neji was this much of a virgin?

Relaxing again, Neji tried to concentrate on what the other was doing. He closed his eyes as the muscle traced over his teeth and gums, the sensation more than anything he could have ever hoped for. He moaned softly and he could feel the other smirk. When Shikamaru’s tongue rubbed against his own, Neji wasn’t sure as to what to do. But with a little silent coaxing, he hesitantly moved his own tongue towards the other’s orifice, butterflies flying around when he heard the other groan pleasantly. A little more daring, Neji pushed forward, forcing the Nara to lean back into the bench as the kiss continued. Neji liked this kind of kiss.

When the burn for air was too much, Neji pulled back, gasping for breath and slowly opening his eyes. Shikamaru was panting as well, although his were more subdued and silent. Neji felt (not heard for his heart was beating too loudly) the other chuckle and he closed his gaping mouth and blushed again, moving to get off of the others lap. He wasn’t expecting to have two arms wrap around him and pull him close, helping him shift so he was sitting more comfortably…on the other’s lap.

“That’s one down,” Shikamaru grinned, spreading his legs so Neji could sit in between them.

“One what?” Neji asked softly, turning to look at the other.

“I’ll let you try and figure that out on your own,” Shikamaru smirked. “You’re a good kisser, Neji.”

The evil blush returned. How many more times would it take before Neji was permanently that color? “You’re better.”

“I don’t know about that,” Shikamaru stated, “but I guess I can’t ever find out seeing as I can’t really kiss myself. I think I stole a little too much oxygen from your brain.”

Neji playfully hit the other on the chest, making Shikamaru snicker as he moved to grab the Hyuuga’s hands before he could do it again. “Jerk.”

“Hmm,” Shikamaru hummed. “You’ll think that’s true even more so later.”

Neji sent the Nara a suspicious look. “Why?”

“Wait and see,” Shikamaru whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the Hyuuga’s cheek. “Wait and see.”
*******************************************************************************

Aw, more cuteness, right? ^_^ I love writing these two as a couple! Too much fun!

Your reviews totally make my day!!!