Finding You

AN: I know I know, I promised a one-shot.....but are you all going to complain b/c i turned it into a two-shot?? Nice hot smex int he next chapter, promise!! I hope you Enjoy!! And please forgive me for some of OOC'ness..i really hope i could get them......hardly doubt it....=____=;;

*It's not required to read the other story, but it is suggested b/c there are snippets of the growth of Neji and Shikamaru's relationships throughout it*


__________


Summary: Neji is still dealing with the after affects of almost losing Naruto, a friend and once lover. He has grown close to Shikamaru, but can they make the final plunge?
____________________________________________________________________________________


The cool breeze traveled over his body, his eyes lowered as he stared out across to the Hokage Monuments, his eyes fixated at the familiar face of the blond man that had almost died. He’s spent a lot of time up here thinking of what had happened during and after the fight. He drew himself in deeper, he didn’t want someone seeing the vulnerability that flitted so easily across his face at the thought of losing Naruto. A soft sigh escaped past his lips, before he finally tore his eyes away from the golden light covered monuments. Taking one step back his body stiffened at the sudden realization he was already caught.

“Can’t let something go can you” A voice said behind him. Neji’s eyebrows twitched downward, feeling the presence shift from behind to beside him, lilac eyes took in the other jounin next to him.

“No.” Came Neji’s answer. Black eyes looked him over warily,

“Stop living in the past when things are happening now.” The pony-tail wearing jounin said, before taking one step back and slowly turning around. Neji blinked in surprise as he stared at the other mans retreating back something in his chest clenched a bit painfully at seeing Shikamaru walking away from him.

“Shikamaru…” He called out. The man stopped walking, slowly turning to raise a quizzical eyebrow at him.

“I…you’re right.” He continued. The lazy nins eyebrow shot up to his hairline, before his expression turned a bit amused,

“OK.” He said with a slight shrug turning back around. Neji swallowed stepping forward,

“Wait….don’t go.” He finally got out. Shikamaru stopped once more and turned back around to face the long haired brunette, his hands in his pocket. He was looking at him as if he could look through Neji. Mentally. Stripping him of his cold exterior. It unnerved the Hyuuga but he held the others gaze.

“You’re right.” He repeated, “Can we talk?” He concluded trying to pull his walls back up, the dark eyes flickered over his face before Shikamaru nodded. The Hyuuga didn’t know why, but he felt a well of relief wash through his body and as the Nara clan member stepped forward he relaxed.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

That was two months ago. Neji passed one worried glance at the stats of the Hokage. He was getting better, but his healing was slow.

“Don’t you have genins to train?” He mused out loud, feeling someone’s presence behind him. He heard a snort, and felt a tentative brush of a hand against his own.

“Nope. Sent them home.” Came the reply. Neji turned, leaning forward. He didn’t know where their relationship was going, but something about the lazy nin, drew him close.

“Lazy ass.” He muttered under his breath brushing their lips. Shikamaru let a smirk curl at his mouth and he slowly hooked his fingers in the other mans belt pulling him closer.

“And?” He inquired cocking an eyebrow. Neji was about to reply when they both heard a bit of giggling. The cool reserved Hyuuga felt a blush creep up his face and he drew away, both turning to see Sakura, a clipboard in one hand.

“I didn’t know you two hit it off!” She said with a bit of exclamation. Shikamaru huffed lightly in annoyance,

“Then keep your trap shut about it.” He grunted, more irritated they had had been interrupted then by the fact she had exclaimed out loud about their relationship. He hadn’t been able to get this close to Neji for at least a week. The man easily shut himself off; it was very trying on Shikamaru’s mind to get to him. He could be a patient person, but Neji was hard work. It was troublesome at best. He glanced to Neji and could already see he had closed himself off once more. He sighed softly, his fingers still hooked in the belt, he tugged the man back forward,

“Come have dinner with me.” He stated his mouth nearing Neji’s. He pulled away slowly and strolled down the hospital hallway.

Neji felt his mouth drop a bit, flushing slightly he snapped his jaw close and turned as graceful as he could and followed the same path Shikamaru had taken, hearing the quiet giggling from the medical nin, this time he ignored it.
_____________________________________________________________________

Standing in front of the shadow-manipulators door, Neji went to knock on the door, but it swung open soundlessly, a half-amused Shikamaru staring at him.

“Took you long enough.” He commented dryly, opening his home up to the other. Neji bristled slightly, he had been stopped by several of their own comrades….A touch to his hand brought him back to reality and a smirking Nara greeted his face,

“Relax, food just got done” Shikamaru said twining his fingers loosely with Neji’s and pulling him towards the kitchen. Neji let a small inaudible sigh escape; he hated how defensive he could get. How uptight and tense his body was during the day. He walked into the dining room, surprise coming over his face, though they had been…what you can call “going out” the last two months, he didn’t think Shikamaru could pull a meal out like this. He too could cook if need be, it wasn’t his favorite thing to do, but he could manage a decent meal.

“How long have you been cooking like this?” he asked clearing his throat.

“If I didn’t learn I would have died by my moms cooking.” Came the amused reply. Neji let a chuckle escape, smiling.

“Ah….I see.” He said after the laugh died out, “Your mothers cooking, was inedible?” He asked, lightening his tone. Shikamaru let a bark like laugh out,

“Inedible? Akamaru wouldn’t even touch it.” He replied grinning slightly, Neji joined in with the laugh, they both knew the Inuzuka’s damn dog would eat anything and everything.

“Lets eat before it gets cold; it was a pain to make.” Shikamaru said offering one of the chairs. Passing him a grateful smile Neji took a seat and gazed at the simple, but delicious smelling meal. He relaxed as the man took a seat next to him and both took the chance to fill their plates. Neji took the chance to observe Shikamaru; he liked watching the other man. Especially when he slept, which was a lot. Intelligent, laid back, calm. Sarcastic. Neji found himself holding back a slight smile, Shikamaru’s sarcasm and quick tongue about certain situations was quite amusing. His thoughts zeroed on the idea of Shikamaru’s quick tongue, and what it could do to him. Lazily lapping down his throat, taking to his nipples, that mouth swallowing down his length…..

“What’s on your mind, Hyuuga?” Shikamaru asked calmly quirking an eyebrow at Neji. Getting caught in the daydream the brunette looked away, calming his facial features,

“Just…thinking.” He said slowly, the look the other man told him to keep talking, but Neji wasn’t sure if he wanted to disclose the fact he was thinking about the infuriately funny, lazy shadow manipulator….and much more dirtier things. A hand landed on his upper thigh. His fingers tightened around the chopsticks.

“About what?” Shikamaru inquired out loud, dropping his own chopsticks on the plate, his full attention on Neji. The hand sent Neji’s body warring with himself, he tensed, but tried to relax. He wanted the touch to move….somewhere else. But he didn’t know how far he wanted this relationship to go in general.

“I…” He started, the fingers began to withdraw, and instantly Neji wanted them back.

“You.” He blurted out so quickly, that actually seemed to surprise the shadow manipulator. Raising both eyebrows, Shika gently eased his hand back on Neji’s thigh,

“Me?” he asked, leaning forward, his food seemingly forgotten. The hand crept a bit more up the Hyuuga’s leg. Neji swallowed slightly, trying to keep the façade up that he wasn’t thinking perverted thoughts. He had grown close with the Shikamaru, or, Shikamaru’s lazy ‘I don’t give a shit’ attitude had forced him to get closer to him.

“It…was nothing!” Was what rushed passed his lips. And then Shikamaru gave him that look. That look that meant he was going to get an answer, no matter how long it took. Even if it took him all night (with random nap intervals) for one like Neji to explain what he doesn’t want to explain. He will. Neji did not want to see that look. Tching to himself Shikamaru’s hand suddenly ran up right against the slight bulge Neji had started to sport. The Hyuug’as eyes widened considerably, a choked sound of surprise barely escaping his throat.

“Nothing, is this?” The shadow manipulator asked, slowly smirking, quite pleased with himself. Neji tried to push away but his lower body refused to move, in fact his hips pushed a bit more into the hand. The perfect, controlled Hyuuga clan genius…blushing like a little girl. Neji should have been disgusted with himself.

“So…thinking about me…” Shikamaru prompted, rubbing over the growing tightening hardness now under Neji’s pants.

“Shikaa…maru.” Neji swallowed hard, his fingers clutching the table top like a life line. The shadow manipulator started pulling his hand away,

“Do you want to stop this now?” He asked carefully, leaning forward a bit towards the other man, slowly letting his eyes roam the Hyuuga’s face. Neji took the chance to breathe properly before shaking his head. No. He defiantly didn’t want to stop this. Shikamaru slowly stood, urging Neji up by his elbow, the other glared at him twisting out of his grip,

“And the food?” Neji asked as calmly as he could,

“It’ll still be there when we’re done. I promise.” He replied smoothly, his mouth running behind Neji’s ear. The hot breath caressed his skin and the paler man shivered. One hand lowered to the small of his back, a propelled him forward. Neji took a slightly unsteady step forward, but caught himself.

He turned, planning on glaring at the other, but instead their mouths brushed.It sent a slight jolt of electricity through his system. Like it alwas did. He wanted to feel more. Neji reached up with on hand; landing on a cheek he pulled the mouth to his a bit tighter to his own. Opening his mouth a bit he enticed the lazy nin, and entice he did, the wet appendage slowly slid into his mouth, equally idly hands moved down Neji’s clothed chest, reaching the tie at the middle and tugging once. Neji moaned slightly feeling the cool wash of air on his bare chest and that witty tongue causing the most delightful feeling through his mouth. Urging away slowly the dark eyed brunette pressed him back towards his bedroom with goading kisses. Neji’s jacket dropped to the ground soundlessly as soon as they entered the room and Shikamaru pulled away completely settling on the bed and leaning back on his hands.

“Strip for me.” He demanded with the slow drawl of his, the black, analyzing eyes flickering up and down the slightly taller man. The Hyuuga genius stared at him, his body tingling with arousal with just the way he was looking at him,

“And you do what?” He asked skeptically trying to hide the slight trepidation from his voice,

“I want to watch.” Came Shika’s answer, the voice low and husky, a smirk pulling across his face.
_________________________________________________________________________________________

TBC (Two-shot)

AN:......well.....? I hope that was good for those who have been wanting to read the Shika/Neji (see I flipped it on you!!) Please, please PLEASE let me know what you think!!!!