Cold, ne?

Alright. Chapter five. I promise something interesting will happen in this chapter (Hence, it might be long, just a warning) ...

Sai: I’m still mad at you

Alii-Chan: Good, you need emotion!

Sai: Bet you wished you could’ve done a sex scene ...

Alii-Chan: *Raises some ‘brow* orly? *laughs*

Sai: Oh shit ...

Alii-Chan: Divided by zero, did we?

Sai: Shut up ........

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Sai now sat in the middle of a net, glaring up at Sasuke. The same frown was plastered on his face as that ... omigawd. He noticed the eyes. Why had he never noticed Sasuke’s eyes before? Because Sai was trained to never make eye contact. He mentally facepalmed Duh, how’d I not notice that they were blood red? Sai thought to himself. He couldn’t do it in real life at the moment because he was pretty positive his arm was stuck.

But they had the same eyes. Sai had looked into Itachi’s eyes in the end. And they were blood red. Just like Sasuke’s. “Ita … Ita … “ He stammered.

“Ita? Ita what?” Naruto asked, leaning over Sasuke and frowning at Sai. “What’s he talking about, Sasuke teme?” Naruto turned then to look at the others. Lee shrugged, Gaara kept shivering, and Chouji looked uninterested.

Shika rolled his eyes. “Itachi, Naruto. He’s trying to say ‘Itachi’ … obviously, Sasuke reminds Sai of his brother. And I don’t see why not.” Naruto raised an eyebrow, and looked at Sasuke.

“Oh yeaaah … right. I knew that.” Everyone facepalmed. Even Sai managed to pull out the other arm - the one that wasn’t stuck - to slap his forehead in annoyance.
“So are you going to let me go?” Sai asked, finally finding his voice. He got it. Wonderful. This boy was Itachi’s brother. Whoop dee freaking doo. He wanted out. Sasuke and Shikamaru looked down at him and then at each other.

Shika shrugged. “What’s the point?” He asked Sasuke. “We have the other scroll. If Itachi wants it, he’ll come to us. Sai isn’t a threat. There are six of us and only one of him.”

Sasuke nodded. “Alright, you’re the leader. We really don’t need to hold onto such worthless crap anyway.” Sai protested hotly, but at least he was getting out. Naruto knelt in front of Sai and started working on the ropes. After a few minutes, Sai was free and standing in front of the group, rather red.

“D - Don’t think for a second that I owe you one for letting me go, ‘cause I don’t!” He yelled, flushing redder as Lee and Naruto started laughing. Sai turned on his heel and started off in the direction that Itachi disappeared.

“So, what do we do now? We have something Itachi wants. Do you think that he will come for it?” Lee asked - to no one in particular. He received a response anyway.

“He’ll be back, I promise you. He isn’t the type who would like to leave things unfinished. As soon as he realises that he has one scroll and he needs two, he will waste no time turning around and seeking us out.” Sasuke replied, glaring off into the distance. “We should relax and wait for him.”

Naruto looked at him, a little shocked. Never before had Sasuke passed up a chance to chase after his brother. Until now. Sasuke noticed his face, and smiled wearily at the blonde. “I’m a little tired. Am I not allowed that? I don’t want to do anything unnecessary.”

Lee laughed at him, and even Gaara managed a small chuckle. “You … you sound like this one.” Gaara managed to explain through shivers, pointing to Shika. Realization dawned on Chouji and he laughed, too. Naruto put his arm around Sasuke’s shoulders.

“Now, Sasuke, I don’t think I fell for Shika. And don’t become Shika, or I’ll leave you.” He laughed, sticking his tounge out between his teeth and nuzzling Sasuke’s neck.
“And what’s wrong with me?” Shika asked, sulking. Chouji laughed again, this time at Shika, and poked the pouting ninja in the side.

“I am quite sure there is nothing wrong with you, Shikamaru sama. However, I must ask. Would we be able to do something? Gaara will turn into a sand nin-cicle if he does not move around. We should occupy our time for now.” Lee’s laughing face turned to one full of concern for the Kazekage.

Naruto’s face brightened suddenly. “I got it!” He cried. He took off his pack and rummaged in it until he found what he was looking for. It was the aforementioned (in chapter 2) board. For ‘just in case’. “Well, we don’t have anything else to do. How about we find a nice big hill and have at ‘er?!” He looked hopefully around the group. Everyone made a murmur of assent, and Naruto punched the air. “Alrighty! Let’s go!”

The troupe set out in search for a nice hill. Soon, one that suited was found, just on the outskirts of town. The snow was packed tightly; it seemed that there were regulars that came to this hill to sled. Naruto took one look at it and whistled through his teeth. “Whoo! That’s what I call a HILL! Let’s GO!” He cried, and not waiting for anyone to answer him, he squeezed the board tightly with both hands, infusing it with chakra for balance and maximum skillage, and set it down, hopping on it and whooshing down the hill with the speed that a pro boarder would envy.

Lee turned to Gaara. “Would you be able to make us a sled? It looks like a shallow bowl, and it is really smooth on the bottom.” Gaara thought for a moment, and made two to the specifications that Lee presented. He sheepishly handed one over to Chouji.

“Here … Chouji. I apologize for not saying your name earlier.” He blushed. “Actually, I really didn’t know what it was.” Chouji smiled and thanked him. Turning to Shika, he smiled, and they were the next to go.

Shika sat in the front, and Chouji sat in the back, holding tightly on to Shika’s waist. His legs wrapped around Shika’s, but he protested. “Why do I have to be in the back?” He moaned.

Shika laughed. “Because, I can only think that your steering would be atrocious. I can only imagine where in the world we would end up if you took the front.” He looked to the trees on either side of them as if to emphasize his point.

“Like your steering would be any better?” Chouji scolded. “Have you ever even sledded before?” He asked. Shika nodded, and Chouji poked him again, in both sides this time. “Fine, whatever, you steer. Just go already.”

“That was my intention.” Shika said smugly, pushing off.

Chouji had to admit later, that Shika’s steering was rather good. They never fell off, and didn’t veer into the trees at all. At the time, however, Chouji buried himself into Shika’s back and tried not to scream. They were going fast. And Chouji didn’t want to admit it.

Lee laughed at Chouji and Shika as they went down. “See, Gaara, that is what you do. Just hold on to me, and you will be fine, alright?” Lee asked, hugging Gaara (Whose shivering had subsided somewhat).

“Alright.” Gaara replied, climbing into the back behind Lee and leaning into the bigger - very warm - ninja. Gaara would not admit that he was snuggling. Never in a million years. No type of torture would ever get him to admit how much he enjoyed cuddling into Lee’s back. They left Gaara’s gourd safely at the top of the hill, and flew down at lightning speed.

Naruto, meanwhile, had reached the top again, and was trying to convince Sasuke to go down the hill with him. “Come on, Sasukeeee. The board’s big enough for both of us. Please?” He asked, looking up at Sasuke cutely.

“No.” Sasuke replied curtly. “I do not do things like this. It’s not proper.”

Naruto rolled his eyes. “You’re not proper.” He snipped back, imitating Sasuke’s attempt at eloquence. Shocked, Sasuke was taken slightly aback. But instead of getting mad, he laughed.

“Alright, I’ll go.” And they flew down together, Sasuke insistently taking the front.

When Chou and Shikamaru reached the top again, Chouji took the sled. “Shika? May I lead now?” He asked, smiling. Shika looked wary, but he couldn’t really see any harm. How hard could it be? Shika did it. And he had never gone sledding before in his life.

“Sure, Chou, you can sit in the front.” Chouji grinned, eagerly taking the front, sitting cross-legged and clutching the sides. Shika sighed and climbed in behind Chouji. Shika grabbed his waist just in time, as Chouji pushed off as soon as Shika was in.

Shika was right. Chouji shouldn’t have taken the front. Not three seconds in to their journey down, they veered to the left. “Pull up Chouji! Turn right!”

“I’m TRYING!” Chouji cried.

Shika tried to put his weight to the right, but it wasn’t enough. “Shift your weight!” Shika called now.

“I AM!” Chouji yelled back.

They barely missed Gaara as he and Lee were on their way back up. But they did, however, hit a very large snow covered boulder that doubled as a rather impressive jump. They crashed headlong into the trees and rolled a number of feet before Chouji stopped. Shika was right behind him and landed on Chou. Looking rather flustered, he blushed and turned his face away.

Chouji laughed at him. Shika’s ponytail was coming loose, and there were pine needles in his hair. Chou giggled as he reached up and brushed them from his hair. “Silly. That was fun, why did you think I couldn’t steer?”

“Uh, it’s because you can’t. We crashed, for your information.” Shika said lamely, rolling his eyes.

“But this was fun! We would’ve never ended up like this if we hadn’t crashed!” Chouji said, laughing.

“Like what? Wet? Cold? Full of snow? Full of pine needles? Full o-“ But what else they were full of, he never got the chance to complain about. Chouji leaned up and gently brushed his lips against Shika’s.

He looked away, blushing. “Do you know how much I wanted to do that?” He asked.

Shika blinked in disbelief. Did Chouji just … ? And did he just confess that … ? Shika’s mind reeled. He blushed himself then, and sat up on Chouji’s stomach.
“Silly. I can’t see why you would want to do that. It’s not something that I would have thought of.” It really wasn’t. Physical pleasure wasn’t very high on his list of priorities. Right now, actually, his top priority was getting warm and dry.

“Why not, Shika kun? You don’t like me?” He asked, feigning extreme sadness (at least that’s what Shika hoped).

Shika flushed again and grumbled. Taking a handful of snow, he rubbed it in Chouji’s face. “That’s not what I meant you weirdo. I meant I haven’t thought of it at all.”

Chouji realized then what Shika meant. He smiled and sat up - as best he could with Shika sitting on him. He wiped the melting snow off with his sleeve and wrapped his arms around Shika’s waist. He leaned in and kissed Shika gently. “Cold, isn’t it?” He said, in reference to the snow.

“No, you’re quite warm, Chou kun.” Shika said, smiling softly. He leaned over Chouji and kissed him back, letting himself enjoy it. Chouji was stunned momentarily, before he felt a small amount of pressure on his lips. Shika sought entry. Chouji complied, greeting him gently with his own advances. Shika leaned closer to Chouji, neither noticing their little audience.

“Ahem.” Sasuke broke the silence that existed within the four boys watching.

“Sasuke!” Naruto cried, catching the attention of Chouji and Shika. Naruto blushed red. Apparently Sasuke’s throat clearing hadn’t been heard. “Whoops.” He muttered.

“Uh … ah … I mean … this isn’t what it …“ Shika stammered out, for once in his life at a complete and utter loss for words.

Lee laughed at Shika, hard. “Do you realize whom you are talking to? I am with Gaara, and if I am not mistaken, Naruto and Sasuke have a bit of a relationship. Do not feel ashamed of being in love!”

Shika stood up, still a little red, and pulled Chouji up with him. They picked their way out of the trees and watched as Gaara pulled the sand from their sled back into his gourd.

“Ah well, ya caught us.” Chouji said sheepishly. Shika blushed again.

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“What was that?” Sasuke asked, looking around and hearing something … but he wasn’t sure quite what. In a few seconds, the sound got louder. It sounded like … laughing … ? “Itachi.” Sasuke growled.

But the laughter didn’t sound malicious or angered. It was light, like he had just heard a good joke, or witnessed something really funny. That unnerved Sasuke.
In a minute or two, Itachi was standing on a branch high above their heads. A pervert could just look up and …

He looked down at the six of them and laughed again. He threw the scroll down at their feet. “This is useless to me. Deidaria told me the wrong clan. He meant the Keikuchki tribe, not the Katsuya. Oh well.”

They all sweatdropped. Naruto picked up the scroll. Out of curiosity as to what the older ninja had found so amusing, he opened it. Inside was instructions on how to make … “Hey, Chouji, it’s those red pill thingys you took. Lookie” Chouji examined it, and sure enough, it described how to make the ninja pills that Chouji had took.
“Shika looked at the other scroll in interest. “I wonder what’s in this one, then.” He looked inside. For a second he didn’t believe what he was reading. “Chou … ji … look at this, would you?”

Chouji peeked over his shoulder and read the heading. “How to counteract any negative side effects caused from the red pills.” The subheading read “Including - but not limited to: Weight loss/gain, loss of limb, unusual limb growth, mutation, loss of physical or mental abilities, etc. ”

Chouji stammered, tears threatening to well up and overflow. “The Katsuya tribe, I should’ve known. They trade with the Akimichi’s all the time. I’m sure father
mentioned them before. Oh wow. Shika, thank you, you have no idea how much this means to me.”

“I hope I do.” Shika replied. “I think - because this means a lot to me too.”

End

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Alii-Chan : Who else hated the ending?

Sai : I did.

Alii-Chan : I wasn’t asking you. So, for that girl who wanted Chouji chubby again, here ya go. I thought of you immediately. (Can’t remember your screen name, but you’re on ff.net … you know who you are.)

Yeah, I got my fluff in =3 … originally, it was going to be a really big orgy, all raping Sai. But then I remembered that this is a WAFF. So … yeah. Sai’s relieved, at least.

Wahoo! Go ShikaChou! Hurray for the sparklies of youth and Lee’s openness!