Sign Me Yours

Thanks you guys for the reviews! Here's a little more progress~. 8D

--

Shikamaru hid under his blankets, wrapped up like in a cocoon, trying to his best to block out his mother's screeching and pounding. He just didn't feel like moving today, was that such a crime?

After a while, Yoshino's screaming stopped, and some conversational sounds could be heard downstairs. Three minutes later, the door to Shikamaru's room slammed open before Ino strode in, having no sense of privacy. Not when her best friend's happiness was on the line.

Shikamaru jerked awake, having nodded off again during the three-minute lull in noise, and peeked his head out from under the covers, sleepily glaring at Ino.

"What?" he asked, voice still scratchy from sleep.

"Get up!" Ino ordered, smiling brightly and sweetly at her friend. "We're going to have lunch with Chouji at Yakiniku Q. So get dressed and proper and we'll go," she told him almost chirping before she pulled the blankets off him.

Shikamaru groaned, rolling onto his stomach and putting the pillow over his head before saying something, voice muffled completely.

"I didn't hear you!" Ino pulled the pillow away from him as well.

"It's a lovely day out, so you better get up. Can't stand Chouji up, now can we? Come on... for god’s sake, Shika, have some decency and get dressed. It's not decent to be dressed in only your boxers in front of a woman!" she half-scolded.

Shikamaru heaved a sigh and rolled back over, sitting up and slumping over. He scratched the back of his head, glaring at the girl.

"I don't see any women around here; just an annoying, troublesome girl," he said, obviously cranky from sleep still.

"Well, then girls," Ino rolled her eyes, yet refused to let Shikamaru's crankiness affect her mood (not that she wasn't used to it, Yoshino had her wake her son quite a few times through the years). Hopefully everything would go according to plan, and she was just too excited to snap back at him and be childish like she had used to do.

"Just get dressed," she told him, throwing his clothes at him, hoping they were clean. You never knew in the young Nara's room.

Shikamaru just sat there, a shirt over his head before he decided he really didn't want to be hit. And if Chouji really was waiting for them, he couldn't just stand up his best friend.

He sighed and pulled the shirt off, looking at Ino. "Fine, fine. Just wait out there."

"Good!" Ino beamed at him. Oh yeah, she had learned a thing or two about getting her best friend up from bed over the years. Walking out of the room, she let him have the privacy to get changed.

Tempted to once again just go back to sleep, Shikamaru just sat there for a couple minutes before sliding off the bed and getting dressed.

About twenty minutes from when Ino had left, he came out of his room, covering his mouth in a yawn.

"You sure know how to take your sweet time," Ino teased him lightly from where she was standing.

"It's not very nice to let your friend wait that long, you know," she gave him a small wink, before looking him over. Proper clothes that were clean and wouldn't make Neji wrinkle his nose in disgust? Check. Hair set up like usual, not messy? Check. Acceptable deodorant? She leaned in a little to smell him. Check that too.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, looking at her suspiciously. He scowled a little and shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever. Let's just get going."

Nodding as he seemed ready to go, Ino grabbed his wrist and pulled him with her towards their usual place. Obviously, Chouji was not waiting for them, and she wouldn't be staying. Looking over at Shikamaru, she found herself thinking that he actually looked better with his hair down. Hmm, but that something could be done about that later. Looking at her watch, she was glad to see that they still had ten minutes before Neji would show up.

Shikamaru stumbled at first before catching his footing and following after her. He inwardly sighed, feeling more like his father than ever; at least he knew that he and Ino would never actually be together, but it was a small comfort.

Walking into the barbecue, Ino sat down at table three like planned, looking around surprised. Well, she wasn't really, but she was damn good at pretending to be. At least she thought so.

"Chouji's not here yet?" she asked, pouting. "Gee, I wonder if he's sick or something, Cho never misses a chance to eat." Looking around, she sighed.

"Wait here, I'll go look for him." And with that, she got up and yanked the hair-tie out of Shikamaru's hair before she ran to supposedly look for their friend and teammate.

Shikamaru blinked as his hair fell to frame his face, sitting up straight and turning around. "H-hey, Ino! You--" he cut off, knowing she wasn't going to just come back, and made a disgruntled noise. He slumped back in the seat, crossing his arms over his chest.

If she wasn't back in five minutes, he was leaving.

About three minutes later, Neji walked into the barbecue, looking around. He'd never been to this place before, even though he’d heard it was nice. He supposed he just wasn't used to barbecue food; his clan would certainly never do something as lowly as hold a barbecue. Sighing when he didn't catch a glimpse of his friends, he walked over to the table that Tenten had mentioned, startled when he saw someone sitting there already. Oh well, must be someone else Tenten or Lee had invited.

His eyes widened when he sat down opposite of the other, getting a better look of him, and saw who it was. It was all he could not to splutter or curse, so he wisely held his tongue until he actually could speak.

Shikamaru's eyes widened as Neji sat down, wondering what he was doing there and chose to sit... here.

He flushed lightly and stiffened, feeling his insides twist a little when the other boy had no different of a reaction. He swallowed in nervousness, glancing away, not sure if he should say something or if he should just leave.

...Oh, he was going to kill Ino.

Before either of the party could leave, or say anything, one of the waitresses came over to them, smiling cheerfully.

"Ready to order?" she asked sweetly, eyeing them both as if they were eye-candy. Of course, Ino was one of her friends, not a close one, but still a friend, and she had explained that it would be only those two boys there to her, but the two boys were still pretty hot in the waitress' eyes.

Shikamaru looked over at the waitress, panic crossing his features for a second before he forced himself to calm down. He was a ninja and that meant, if anything, he could control his emotions.

"We'll, uh," he glanced shortly at Neji, hoping he wouldn't attack him too much later, "we'll share the family beef platter. And just ice water is fine for my drink." If only he could order sake...

"...Ice water, please," Neji said rather stiffly, a bit put out that Shikamaru had dared order for him, but he played indifferent as usual. It really was not a big deal, other then it made them seem closer than they really were. There was an awkward silence as the waitress jotted their orders down and departed, going to fetch their food and drinks.

Looking out the window, Neji was starting to see through his teammate's plan. Lee had obviously told Tenten everything he had said yesterday, and Tenten must have conjured up some plan to embarrass him further. Oh, they were so dead...

"So..." he started, still not looking at his companion, and his voice made it clear he was a bit grumpy after yesterday. “What was the big idea of that prank you pulled?"

Shikamaru glanced up, having been completely engrossed in studying the woodwork's patterns in the table (read: doing anything but looking at Neji).

"Prank? I didn't..." He paused, realizing what he meant. "Oh, um... I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... I mean, I-I hadn't... planned... to do that," he said, stumbling awkwardly over his words.

Eyes narrowing, Neji was about to say something when the waitress returned with their drinks and raw barbecue meat for them to grill. Waiting for her to leave, Neji was glaring at the other, feeling a slight blush taint his cheeks, which made his mood even worse.

"If it wasn't a prank, what was it?" he asked, putting the meat on the grill, using his chopsticks elegantly.

"Why did you kiss me?" he asked, lowering his voice, not wanting the people around to hear what he was saying.

Shikamaru blushed, fiddling slightly with his chopsticks as the meat started cooking with a sizzle.

"...I don't know," he said, looking back down at the table. He sighed, shaking his head. "No, I do," he murmured. "I guess... I didn't know it, but I've started to... really like you, Neji."

Obviously the Hyuuga deserved to know, but he still didn't think that telling him was the best idea. But he also knew that if Ino found out he'd missed this chance, she'd never leave him alone. Ever.

Feeling his blush deepen slightly, Neji just increased his glare, not letting up just yet. The Nara actually... liked him? It was impossible. Unheard of. Neji just couldn't believe it yet.

"...If this is some kind of sick joke, I swear you'll never regain the full use of your tenketsu!" he said coldly, not even taking a moment to consider why he was getting so riled up about this, or why he found it worth getting angry over.

Shikamaru shook his head, finally looking up again at the Hyuuga. "Do you think I'd really do that? This is as humiliating for me too, you know," he said, reaching out as calmly as he could to turn over the meat.

He didn't want to get any closer in case he followed through with his threat despite his admission.

Neji twitched slightly, looking embarrassed out of the window, hearing the uncooked side of the meat sizzle, readying the treat for them.

"So..." he coughed as he felt a bit awkward. "So you... like me?" he asked, trying to wrap his mind around that idea. He didn't know how to feel if that was true. How did you react if you found out another guy was... well, crushing on you?

Shikamaru's blush flared up again and he nodded.

"Y-yeah. I mean, you're a good ninja and, well, you're not that troublesome. I've had a good time hanging out with you. And the only other people I could say that about, I've known since we were in diapers."

"Oh..." Neji looked down, feeling a bit more embarrassed by his outbursts and threats earlier, which was reflected in a nice deepening of his blush. Reaching out with his chopsticks, he grabbed a piece of meat that looked ready and started chewing, pointedly not looking at his companion as another awkward silence settled between them.

Shikamaru relaxed a little when it didn't look like Neji was going to yell or attack him, waiting a little longer before gathering up a small portion of the food.

After eating four pieces of beef, he started chuckling to himself, shaking his head.

"What's so funny?" Neji narrowed his eyes, his gaze snapping up to the younger boy's face, feeling slightly suspicious again. Neji did not enjoy being made fun of. Ever. However, he had had time to think about this whole... thing... while they had been silent, and he had concluded that this thing about Shikamaru liking him... well, he didn't mind it, surprisingly enough.

Shikamaru stopped, blinking and looking at the other. He put his chopsticks down and smiled slightly.

"Nothing really. I was just thinking how different it is eating with Chouji. He grabs as much food as he can, as quickly as he can. And, well, you know me. Too much work to be quick and fight for food," he said, shrugging. "It's just nice."

"Oh..." Neji visibly relaxed a little, putting another piece of meat into his mouth. "I... see." Come to think of it, this was pretty nice and quiet. Nothing compared to going out with his own team; he shuddered at the thought. Both Lee and Gai, and especially together, made him want to go home and stay there for the rest of his life, claiming a permanent headache. At least when they weren't training; then those two could be a little silent and serious.

Shikamaru grew quiet again, just watching and observing Neji. He really was good looking; pale skin, dark, silky hair, and his eyes just blew him away sometimes. He blushed faintly when he realized he was staring and picked up his chopsticks again, reaching for more food as he silently berated himself for acting like just such a girl.

Noticing the other was staring at him, Neji smirked slightly to himself, several cheesy lines coming to mind, but he didn't voice any of them: it was far below his dignity, not to mention he doubted he could say any of those with a straight face. Instead he just settled for watching the other boy silently when he wasn't looking at him, making sure the other didn't know he was looking.

--

About an hour later, they finished their meal and Shikamaru silently wondered where the waitress was. Why did they never show up when you wanted them to?

"So... Uhm..." Neji fumbled a bit with his words, which he just didn't do! Neji just didn't fumble with his words; ever! "Are you coming to cloud-gaze today?" he asked, looking away from the other, knowing that if he looked at him, his faint blush would deepen a lot.

Shikamaru looked back at him at the question. He smirked slowly, leaning forward a little so he could prop up his head on his hand.

"...Do you want me to?"

Looking at him from the corner of his eyes, Neji could feel his blush increase; damnit. It wasn't fair how that smirk seemed to mock him so.

"...Just wondering," he replied, sounding a little too defensive for his own liking.

"Mm, if you want me to, I will. I've really got nothing else planned today," he said, making it seem like an offhand comment. Well, he really wanted to strangle Ino, but that could wait until later.

Nodding, Neji was too embarrassed to say it out loud, but actually... he had missed the other's presence when he was training. It was much easier to admit it without voicing it, though.

Now where was that waitress? Neji needed a distraction from all this thinking and these strange thoughts that seemed to heap up in his head lately.

Shikamaru's smirk widened a little, glancing around after a bit. He sighed then scooted out of the booth, motioning for Neji to follow him. He wandered up to the front, looking for anyone that worked in the place.

Following him, Neji didn't know why he did. Well, they had finished eating, and talking he supposed, so it was only logical. But still, he didn't like doing what others told him to do.

"Yes?" The waitress that had served them came out from the staff-only room, cleaning her hands with a towel.

Shikamaru stopped and looked to the girl. "Put the bill on Yamanaka Ino's tab, will you?" he asked, trying his hardest to keep his face straight. It was the least the girl could do after putting him through this, despite that it had turned out well. At least... he hoped it had; they really hadn't concluded anything yet about where they stood.

Raising an eyebrow at him, the waitress hesitated a bit before doing as he said. Ino had never specified who was paying for all this, and she had been the one to order the table... The waitress smirked, Ino wasn't that close of a friend that she wouldn't do something like this to her.

"Come again," she smiled after them, silently checking out Neji's butt as the boys left.

Shikamaru nodded his thanks before they left, heading down the street towards the usual field. He ignored the stares he got-- no one but his family, the Yamanaka's, the Akimichi's, Neji, and Tenten for a brief minute had ever seen his hair down before, after all-- and glanced behind him before looking over to Neji and commented, "You know she was checking you out, right?"

"Wha--?" Neji's eyes widened slightly. No, he hadn't actually noticed that, not that he cared what the waitress was doing. However, he was soon showing a small smirk.

"Jealous?" he asked. Neji was considered a genius. Yes, it would take a while before he got comfortable and used to these new ideas that had been presented to him, but that didn't mean he would be slow learning the game.

Shikamaru faultered for a second before nonchalantly giving a shrug. "And if I was?" he asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

Ah, he supposed he had more to learn before managing to catch Shikamaru totally off guard, but he was satisfied with the reaction. At least... he thought he was.

"Nothing," Neji just shrugged, looking back at the younger boy with an even stare.

Shikamaru just gave a smirk in response, falling back into silence until they arrived at the training field.

"Are you still going to train?" he asked. "Or actually relax for once?"

"I do relax in my breaks!" Neji protested, turning to face the younger boy. And he wasn't going to slack just because Shikamaru had admitted being attracted to him, if he did that every time he received a confession... well, he'd not be in the shape he currently was. Only… most of his confessions he had either ignored or bluntly turned down. And they were from girls. However, Neji didn't want to think about that right now.

Shikamaru held up his hands in a placating gesture, giving a small chuckle. "Calm down, I didn't expect you to just lie down and do nothing."

"Hn," Neji just replied before jumping off to do his daily training, knowing that Shikamaru would probably just lie down and alternate between watching the clouds and him. Now that he knew that Shikamaru liked him, why didn't he have a problem with him watching? He shrugged off the question. He was a ninja, he couldn't be bothered with people watching him, interested in him or not.

Shikamaru rolled his eyes before lying down on the grass. He probably should train, too, but he really didn't want to bother with it unless he had to.

About an hour later, a slightly out of breath Neji sat down beside him, plopping down in a way that wasn't as rigid as usual, indicating that he was more comfortable around the Nara now than in the beginning, even though he wasn't aware of it himself. Having trained himself hard this time (it wasn't his morning-training), he grimaced as his shirt stuck to his skin because of the sweat he had worked up.

Shikamaru opened one eye and glanced over at him, sensing the movement despite that he had been dozing lightly. He wrinkled his nose a little as the other's slight stench wafted over him but didn't make a comment.

"Break time already?"

"It's been an hour," Neji confirmed, sitting a bit further away from him, not pleased with the look he was getting. What? Had Shikamaru never trained until he was sweating? Perhaps he hadn't seeing how little he did train.

"Ah," he muttered, eyeing him weirdly as he scooted away. Did the Hyuuga think he was weird now, after having some more time to think over the confession?

Shikamaru quickly shot that thought down. He wouldn't be trying to act nice if he didn't want to be around him.

Right?

Neji almost felt the need to glare at the other as he was given a weird look. What was it now? The Nara seemed to be complaining without even uttering a word, and it was starting to get on Neji's nerves.

Shikamaru resisted to the urge to roll his eyes at the look he was given in return. He glanced away, back up at the sky.

"So..." Okay, he was going to hit himself later for sounding so girly, but he had to know. "Uh, you... never really gave much of a response earlier..."

"Ah... well..." Neji didn't look at the other, knowing he was already blushing faintly as his response was... well... warranted. And he knew very well what Shikamaru was talking about.

"About that... I don't really know... I..." he took a deep breath. A Hyuuga didn't stutter like that, he just didn't. "I didn't know two men could have a relationship like that," he replied finally, a little stiffly, this time sounding like himself. "I am a little confused."

Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly and he looked back over, sitting up slightly, supporting his upper body by his arms. Homosexuality wasn't something that was talked about, but it wasn't exactly kept a secret by those who were. He just... assumed that everyone knew about it; after all, he'd known what it was since he was two years old.

"Well, ah..." He inwardly scowled, blushing a little at his next words. "I-if you... picture me as a female, would you have given it a chance?"

Neji frowned a little at Shikamaru's words. While he wasn't a sexist and knew clearly that many kunoichi surpassed many of their male colleagues, there was something that just screamed wrong in his mind as he tried picturing the Nara as a female.

"Don't degrade yourself," he huffed slightly, not able to picture Shikamaru with, well, breasts. "And I don't know. I have never been interested in having a relationship before," he replied, the last word slipping out before it hit him with what he had just implied.

Shikamaru sighed, a bit relieved at his response but not sure exactly why. He tried not to fidget as he asked his next question.

"...Would you be interested in one now?"

"...I don't know." Neji looked at him, sighing softly before running a hand through his hair. However, his mind couldn't help shooting in helpfully, you haven't turned him down yet, and you're still wanting to be around him, that’s got to count for something. Great, now he was taking advice from himself.

"...Maybe..." he added after a moment’s hesitation. Oh, fuck this. Okay, he was still confused as hell, but he hadn't disliked the kiss or anything, and he had to admit he was curious, if only a bit. Perhaps having a relationship for once wouldn't be such a bad thing?

Shikamaru smiled a little, scratching the back of his head as he leaned forward so he was sitting up straight.

"Well, then..." He pushed himself to his feet, pausing for a second before starting to walk. "Just... let me know what you decide, okay?"

Watching the younger boy walk away, Neji didn't get back to training as he just sat there, watching the clouds.

A few hours later though, he was on his way home, having forced himself through a little more practice before he counted himself as finished. Besides, it would be dinner time soon.