As Long as it Feels OK

/*AN: Sorry about the wait on the update guys, I became a little daunted after watching the latest episode of Naruto. BUT! I became inspired again, as yet ANOTHER twist in the story line made itself plausible. ^^ Anyway, here's Chapter7! Enjoy! Don't forget to review! */

*DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters in Naruto. If you have a problem with male/male content then you probably shouldn't read this story as it will eventually be coming to that.*

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LEXICON:
Ano: The same as "Um."
Hai: Yes
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After a short break, Naruto and Neji set off down the road towards the Sand village. They waved and said their goodbyes, all agreeing to meet back at the base camp shortly after dark. They walked quietly side by side, Naruto with his arms resting against the back of his head and Neji with his hands buried deep in his pockets. Both boys appeared lost in thought, but were well aware of everything going on around them.

Naruto's own thought traveled to Sasuke, and what he must be up to with Tenten, he'd never even seen them talk before, at least Neji and himself had come to an awkward truce when Naruto beat him at the first Chuunin exam. He glanced over at his partner, the pale eyes were looking straight ahead, apparently focused on nothing but his own thoughts, "Ne, Neji?"

"Hn?" The Hyuuga gave a noncommittal noise.

"What's new?" Naruto smiled to his companion, he might as well try and pass some of the time. It was only midday after all and they didn't need to be back for a while yet.

"Nothing with me, I've been tutoring Hinata in the ways of Byakugan. She seems to be making progress."

"That's good, she needs to know she's stronger then she thinks." Naruto lowered his arms thinking once again about Sasuke. 'If she could boost her confidence she'd be the smart match for Sasuke. Her own abilities would compliment his own, as well as the fact that a merging of Byakugan and Sharingan would be highly beneficial to Konoha, it could create an entire new set of abilities.' He sighed dejectedly, the thought that he had nothing to offer the Uchiha was worming his way deeper into his heart every moment he thought about him.

"What about you, Naruto? Have you continued to surprise everyone?" Neji gave the blond a small smile.

"Nah, I've just been training, but nothing spectacular. Sasuke and I have been more focused on trying to find Akatsuki. Sasuke needs to get over his brother, and I'd like to bring down the people constantly trying to capture me."

"Why are they after you anyway? Sure, you're powerful and you have great stamina, but there are many more important abilities and Blood Line Limits in Konoha than simply what you have to offer."

Naruto was silent for a few moments thinking on how he should answer, "I don't think I should talk about it. Tsunade Sama doesn't really want anyone to know."

Neji blinked in surprise, it must be something big if Tsunade-sama wanted to try and keep it a secret, "That's fine, but what's up with you anyway? You were sick so you guys weren't able to start the mission on time, and now you seem a little... off. Different then usual anyway..." Neji's voice trailed off, and they continued to walk down the road.

"I used up all of my chakra the night before trying to perfect a new jutsu... It worked but I've learned my limit."

"Hnn." Silence reigned again, the boys walking comfortably side by side without saying a word.

A wagon rolled into view at the bend in the road. "We should escort them to the other end of the highway." Neji started a quick trot towards the small supply caravan.

"Ohayo!" The man in the drivers seat called to them with a smile while he waved.

"Ohayo. Are you aware that this section of the road has been under attack for the past month or so, sir?" Neji, always the diplomat, started talking before Naruto even got to say hello.

"Oh, has it?" The grey haired man suddenly looked worried, as though Neji and Naruto were about to ambush him.

"Ano... We're not going to hurt you, we're Konoha ninja, we'll escort you to the cross roads at the end of the track." Naruto smiled warmly.

The old man returned the smile, "Okay then, hop in the back, we can make better time if we aren't walking." He gestured over his shoulder.

Neji turned to Naruto, "We'll take turns off our feet. Do you want first watch?"

"You bet!" Naruto was already up in the tree branches before Neji was even turning to the back of the wagon. He looked down at the old man, "Don't worry sir! I'll keep a look out for any bad guys!!" He waved and smiled.

"Thank you boys! I don't know what I would have done if this shipment had to have been stolen!" He snapped the reigns on the donkey pulling the wagon and it started of at a brisk walk, Naruto following easily in the trees.

He was able to scan much further from up here, He could sense what was on the ground, as well as what was above him, in front and behind him. Nothing was going to be able to ambush him on his watch. He kept his chakra flow low so as not to attract attention but to allow him the wider vision he needed to keep the old man and his wagon safe.

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He was so focused on his task that his mind didn't wander for the full hour he was following the wagon. After that though, he seemed to hit a wall, tiredness catching up with him. The chakra flow slowing down. He called down to Neji, "Ne, Neji-kun!"

The Hyuuga looked up at Naruto, "Need a break?"

"Hai! My eyes are getting droopy!" He laughed as Neji rolled his eyes, "Come on then, I'll take over for an hour or so. You can take a nap if you want."

"Thanks!" Naruto jumped down from the branch and landed silently in the back of the wagon behind the boxes of supplies. He handed off the flares he had been carrying and sat himself down just as Neji leapt up into the trees.

Naruto sighed contentedly as he lay back letting the sun warm him. His eyes slipped shut and he allowed himself to take a quick nap sine Neji was still fresh on the watch.

It was that dream again, the pale hands on his chest leaving red trails behind fingernails. This time when he looked down, the owner of the hands looked back up at him. Naruto gasped as his blue eyes met the black depths belonging to his team mate, Sasuke.

"What are you doing Sasuke?" Color flushed across his cheeks, up his neck and down his chest as he realized they were both naked.

"What do you think I'm doing Dobe?" The Uchiha's fingers played with dusty curls making Naruto aware of how painfully hard he was, "I'm pleasuring the man I love." Lips met lips tenderly and Naruto could do nothing more then enjoy and attempt to overcome his surprise.

Crack! Naruto bolted upright, looking about himself for the source of the noise. As he looked up he heard the loud bird call before red filled the sky. He was in the trees with a kunai in hand at once.

"What's going on Neji!" Naruto stopped next to the Hyuuga.

"Ambush in the tree-" Naruto didn't hear anymore, he was tackled from behind and knocked to the ground. He grunted as the weight of the other man landed on top of himself, he felt a few ribs crack under the weight.

He wasted no time in getting the ambusher off of himself. He jabbed his kunai into the man's shoulder before punching him in the face to get him up off of his legs.

"You little shit!" The man scrambled to his feet and drew his own kunai. His forehead protector denoted him a missing-nin from the Sand village. He charged at Naruto as there was a call of "Byakugan" from the trees.

Naruto dodged the man easily, he was reckless in his anger, and Naruto sunk his kunai into the man's spine, crippling him from the waste down. As he fell, the man pulled out several shurikan and threw them towards the blond.

Naruto wasn't able to avoid all of them, one sunk into his thigh and another cut through his calf as he jumped out of the way. He fell to the ground and threw his own shurikan at the an, nailing him in the head, killing him instantly.

There was still noise coming from the trees above him. Neji must still be fighting. He glanced around, the man with the wagon was long gone, having taking off at the sound of the flare. He looked up again before climbing to his feet, grunting at the weight on his injured leg, and leaping up into the trees.

Neji was face to face with another missing sand-nin, he glanced over his shoulder at the sound of Naruto arriving, "What the hell!" He eyes widened, but was quickly knocked off the current branch by a clean punch to his cheek.

"Neji!!" Naruto bolted forward and caught the Hyuuga before he could fall from the tree completely. The missing-nin was on them in a second, it was all Naruto could do to just keep out of his way from the gashes bleeding on his legs.

Neji shook Naruto off and sprung forward sinking a kunai deep into the enemy's gut. The man grunted at the pain and the force as Neji straightened, dragging the kunai with him upwards to cut the man from belly button to breastbone. He then slammed his palm into the man's forehead effecting cutting off the chakra flow to the man's brain. He fell to the forest
floor, dead before he hit the ground.

There were several thumps of people landing in a circle around them. Neji drew another kunai, Naruto drew his own from the crouched position he held in the tree on one foot, letting his injured leg hang to keep the blades from causing more damage.

“Show yourselves cowards!!” Neji called out. One of them jumped towards Naruto, a kunai narrowly missing the man's head.

“Kakashi!” To say Naruto was surprised was an understatement.

“What happened?” Gai appeared at Kakashi's side.

“There are two down missing-nins down there. You guys did good!”

Naruto was starting to look pale. “We need to get you out of here Naruto.” Kakashi scooped Naruto up and turned to the others, “Sweep the area, take care of anymore that may be around. Try and catch up with the caravan and see that the man is okay as well.”

Kakashi turned and leap off towards camp, Sakura and Neji close on his heals. Once they established their camp was safe, they put the unconscious blond on the ground next to the fire. “What happened, Neji?” Kakashi was getting out bandages even as he asked the question.

“We were ambushed. We were taking turns at escorting and breaking in the back of the man's wagon. Naruto was sleeping in the back when I caught sight of the ambushers and I set off the flare to catch their attention and to wake Naruto up. Naruto came to see what happened and was jumped from behind. I'm not sure what happened after that since I was fighting someone completely different.”

A frown creased Kakashi's brow, “Dammit. They cut the calf almost in two and they got the artery in his thigh. Sakura, can you do anything to stem the blood flow?”

“Yes Sensei!” She knelt on the other side of Naruto and focused the chakra in her palms, doing exactly as Tsunade-sama had been teaching her, she managed to close of the artery and mend some of the muscle before her own chakra ran out. “Sensei we have to get him to a doctor, I can't fix this anymore...” She was flushed, sweating and out of breath.

“It's okay, help me wrap them and I'll get him back to Konoha.” They worked on binding the wounds with Neji looking on worried.

“Sensei, there's something else...”

Kakashi turned to look over his shoulder at the Hyuuga. “Something else?”

“Hai... There was a red chakra swirling just below his belly button, that's what distracted me long enough to get hit. That isn't normal. I've seen him use red chakra before, but I've never seen it so focused on one place in him before. I'm worried.”

Kakashi's frown deepened. “Tell everyone I've taken him back to Tsunade Sama, she's probably the only one to deal with this. That was probably all that was out here for the ambush team but it might not hurt to stay a couple more days before reporting back to the Hokage. Make sure everything is taken care of.” Kakashi scooped the blond up again and leap into the trees to run towards Konoha.

Kakashi wasn't so worried about the wounds as he was about the fact that Naruto normally heals faster then he was, something was tying up the Kyuubi's chakra, and Neji's comments about Naruto's abdomen worried Kakashi beyond all else. He had to get to Tsunade-sama as soon as possible.

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/* That's it for today kiddies! Sorry again that it took so long to get out, but I should be at it more becuase the story's finally starting to flesh out. Let me know what you think! Reviews make the world go 'round!!! /*