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(teamwork) chapter 6, scene ...4? I think.
Might need to smooth it out a bit... describe the action a bit more or something. But for some reason i'm getting all jittery (might need sugar) so i'mma gonna stop poking here. Plz to be telling me if you see something that sounds weird, or typos, or think an action or dialogue lacks setting/padding.
"'Make yourself useful', he says. 'Stop disturbing me', he says." Naruto kicked a rock out of his path and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Just 'cause I asked what he wanted to do about the stupid house. Bastard." He fingered the folded slip of paper in his pocket, tempted to crumple it in frustration. But no -- Sasuke's handwriting was tiny enough; if he damaged the list...
Sasuke had been brooding obsessively on his scrolls and things since they had gotten back from their mission. Sakura-chan was with Tsunade for an exam, or maybe training with Shizune, he wasn't sure. Kakashi-sensei... not a clue; he'd trained them in the morning, but then he'd given them the rest of the day off and disappeared. And Iruka-sensei was teaching, of course.
So now Naruto had nothing better to do than play errand-boy. Oh well; if Sasuke needed those scrolls for their plan, Naruto would get them. Still...
"Stupid cranky bastard."
"Naruto. It's been a while."
Naruto couldn't help but yelp and jump in surprise. Neji was emerging from another street, looking just as cool and composed as always. Since there was no way to pretend he hadn't been startled, Naruto made a show of clenching his hand over his heart. "Oi! You like creeping up on people, I see." How strange; speak of the cranky bastard and a cranky bastard appeared. The wrong one, granted, and not much of a bastard anymore at that, but still, it was pretty funny. He grinned as Neji arched an eyebrow at him. "Long time no see. Where are you going?"
Right now, Neji wasn't going anywhere; he was just watching him. Naruto scratched his neck, and tried to dismiss the unsettling impression that he was staring right through his brain.
"... Administrative building," the Hyuuga finally answered.
"Oh, cool, I'm going that way too." Naruto started walking, and Neji fell into step with him. "You picking up a new mission?"
"No. My latest report needs clarification." Neji looked quite disgruntled by that. Naruto snickered.
"What, YOU, writing confusing reports? No way."
Neji's scowl grew more pronounced. "It was too succinct, apparently."
"Suc-what?"
"Terse?" Neji retorted, arching an eyebrow at him.
Naruto chuckled and crossed his arms behind his head. "Oh, stop being a big-worded jerk. You can just say you didn't pad it enough."
"I said--"
"--exactly what needed to be said, no more, no less," Naruto finished for him. "Yeah, yeah. You know, that's exactly what they tell me to write down. Maybe I should do your reports and you should do mine."
He was expecting a 'and maybe not' and a mildly haughty look, perhaps with a smirk if Neji was in a good mood. Instead, he got silence, and -- when glancing at Neji in askance -- a long, searching, narrow-eyed look.
"... What?"
"You seem to be feeling much better," Neji finally replied noncommittally.
Naruto blinked at him. "Better? What do you mean, I'm fine -- oh." Oh. Last time Neji had seen him was during the retrieval mission, about two months ago. As in, when they'd been racing back to Konoha and its hospital, after he had gone half-Kyuubi and forced Neji to check on Sasuke's internal trauma.
"...Oh, shit. I'm sorry. I forgot -- I mean, so much stuff happened and I--"
"Naruto--"
"--No, no, listen, I should have found you to apologize, but then life got crazy for a little while and then when it calmed down I totally forgot." He gave Neji a dismayed look.
The Hyuuga's face was about as expressive as a blank wall. "Huh. I'll believe you on that life going crazy bit."
Naruto wilted, shoulders slumping, and wished he could say more; but they were in the middle of the street. "I really am sorry, you know. I was just so stressed out--"
"He was dying. I understand."
Naruto flinched a little, at the reminder and at his detached tone. Neji was one of those people who could say they understood and yet make it perfectly clear that understanding and forgiveness were really not synonymous at all.
"Who already knows?" Neji asked.
"Uhh. Mostly adults -- the teachers -- and Sakura-chan and Sasuke, now. And Kiba and Shika. I don't know if they told their teams. Everyone our age and under..." he shrugged.
Neji arched an eyebrow at him, aristocratic as always. "... You didn't tell your team?"
Naruto wilted. "No. I should have, but..."
"But?"
Naruto clenched his fists in his pockets and kicked at a rock. "Thinking that they might be afraid or hate me -- it scared the shit out of me." And now Neji...
"I see." They were silent a few more steps, then Neji turned toward him and smirked, just a little. "Well, that explains a lot of things, anyway. Like how you were able to beat me at all."
"Oh hey, what's that mean? That I had an unfair advantage?"
"Perhaps."
"Oh, and you being born a Hyuuga isn't unfair at all for the poor bastards you face. 'sides, it isn't so easy to control, you know!"
Neji's faint smirk disappeared, and he nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I guess I can imagine that. How... difficult is it, exactly?"
Naruto blinked, startled. Under the 'couldn't care less' attitude, he'd heard -- "Hee! Are you worried?"
He grinned; Neji managed somehow to give off the impression that he was rolling his eyes without moving them at all. "Vaguely concerned, maybe."
Naruto's grin softened, even though he knew that it wasn't what Neji meant. "Thanks for the trust, then."
Neji frowned a little, but didn't correct him.
"Most of the time there's no problem at all. Just pops up sometimes when I'm real flaming pissed. Got a few weird moments because of instincts and all, but old hag Tsunade promised to make Kiba's family teach me. So I'm fine. It was just a freak accident; it won't happen again."
Neji stared directly at him. "You are sure of that?"
Naruto hesitated. He was, of course, but everyone told him he was too optimistic and nothing said the old fox didn't have more tricks up his sleeve. "Reasonably so."
They walked in silence once again, Naruto desperately trying not to fret.
"I can live with that," Neji finally replied with a little smirk.
"Oh, good."
They passed a corner, and had to navigate past a gaggle of people. Apparently, stuff was on sale; Naruto glanced at it, but found nothing all that interesting.
"You wouldn't have found me anyway."
Naruto blinked at Neji quizzically.
"After things settled down," the Hyuuga explained. "My team and I were sent on a mission for several weeks, and then as soon as we came back, we left again."
"Oh, okay. Um, did you tell Lee and Tenten?"
Neji speared him with an affronted glare. "It was classified."
"All right, all right. I guess... I should tell them. How'd you think they'll react?"
Neji shook his head. "You don't have to. You aren't close to Tenten, as far as I know, and Lee," he added with a weary sigh, "would probably take to proclaiming from the rooftops that he's going to nobly seek justice for you."
Naruto chuckled. "Hah, it wouldn't bother me if he did that. I mean, so long as everyone who matters is alright with it, I really can't be bothered to care about what the rest thinks. Though it means I gotta tell Hinata," he finished with a wince. "Uh, how do you think she'd react?"
Neji looked up at the sky, as if searching for an answer up there. "...She will not reject you. She might be shocked for a while. She will be sad. She'll empathize." He shrugged. "It is not in her nature to be cruel or judgmental."
Naruto sighed, and relaxed. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks." They were almost at the Administrative building; Naruto paused, grinning at him. "Okay, I gotta go this way."
"The library?" Neji replied, arching his eyebrow again, in that utterly aristocratic-and-sarcastic way that even Sasuke didn't manage.
"Hey, don't look as if you think I can't read!"
Neji kept staring at him, his damn eyebrow still up. Naruto couldn't do that -- arch just the one and not both. Maybe it was a skill reserved to sarcastic assholes.
"... Okay, it's not for me." A pause. "Don't smirk at me."
Neji's expression was smooth once again. "I wouldn't dare."
"What's that you say? You want another beating?"
Ahaha, how easy it was to rile him up. Now he looked all offended and bristly.
"You wouldn't beat me twice."
"Oh yeah?" Naruto drawled, grinning impishly.
Neji straightened up, looking down his nose at him. "Yes. But I'll prove it to you another time," he added, turning away to leave.
Naruto hummed under his breath. "Scaaredy-caat..."
"What was that?"
"What? I didn't say anything. Are you hearing voices?"
Neji's eyes narrowed; though it didn't hide the corners of his mouth tilting up. "Go and borrow your books, Naruto. And make sure that all the letters in the titles match the ones on your list. I'm sure the librarian will be willing to assist you in case the big words get too complicated. I'll find you later."
Laughing, Naruto waved at Neji as he disappeared in the building, then went to the library.
He was going to check out some basic titles, and then he was going to use his marvelous pranking skills and slip in the restricted section for the ones that would make too many people raise eyebrows. He didn't want to bother making a formal request, and especially not on Sasuke's behalf; it would already look weird for Naruto to want stuff he wasn't even expected to understand, but for Sasuke to start researching that kind of arcane stuff... heh.
And if the Hokage was still with Sakura...
It was a good thing the ANBU weren't watching him today. And it was even better that he still remembered how he'd slipped past the Sandaime's security to get that forbidden scroll, five years ago.
"'Make yourself useful', he says. 'Stop disturbing me', he says." Naruto kicked a rock out of his path and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Just 'cause I asked what he wanted to do about the stupid house. Bastard." He fingered the folded slip of paper in his pocket, tempted to crumple it in frustration. But no -- Sasuke's handwriting was tiny enough; if he damaged the list...
Sasuke had been brooding obsessively on his scrolls and things since they had gotten back from their mission. Sakura-chan was with Tsunade for an exam, or maybe training with Shizune, he wasn't sure. Kakashi-sensei... not a clue; he'd trained them in the morning, but then he'd given them the rest of the day off and disappeared. And Iruka-sensei was teaching, of course.
So now Naruto had nothing better to do than play errand-boy. Oh well; if Sasuke needed those scrolls for their plan, Naruto would get them. Still...
"Stupid cranky bastard."
"Naruto. It's been a while."
Naruto couldn't help but yelp and jump in surprise. Neji was emerging from another street, looking just as cool and composed as always. Since there was no way to pretend he hadn't been startled, Naruto made a show of clenching his hand over his heart. "Oi! You like creeping up on people, I see." How strange; speak of the cranky bastard and a cranky bastard appeared. The wrong one, granted, and not much of a bastard anymore at that, but still, it was pretty funny. He grinned as Neji arched an eyebrow at him. "Long time no see. Where are you going?"
Right now, Neji wasn't going anywhere; he was just watching him. Naruto scratched his neck, and tried to dismiss the unsettling impression that he was staring right through his brain.
"... Administrative building," the Hyuuga finally answered.
"Oh, cool, I'm going that way too." Naruto started walking, and Neji fell into step with him. "You picking up a new mission?"
"No. My latest report needs clarification." Neji looked quite disgruntled by that. Naruto snickered.
"What, YOU, writing confusing reports? No way."
Neji's scowl grew more pronounced. "It was too succinct, apparently."
"Suc-what?"
"Terse?" Neji retorted, arching an eyebrow at him.
Naruto chuckled and crossed his arms behind his head. "Oh, stop being a big-worded jerk. You can just say you didn't pad it enough."
"I said--"
"--exactly what needed to be said, no more, no less," Naruto finished for him. "Yeah, yeah. You know, that's exactly what they tell me to write down. Maybe I should do your reports and you should do mine."
He was expecting a 'and maybe not' and a mildly haughty look, perhaps with a smirk if Neji was in a good mood. Instead, he got silence, and -- when glancing at Neji in askance -- a long, searching, narrow-eyed look.
"... What?"
"You seem to be feeling much better," Neji finally replied noncommittally.
Naruto blinked at him. "Better? What do you mean, I'm fine -- oh." Oh. Last time Neji had seen him was during the retrieval mission, about two months ago. As in, when they'd been racing back to Konoha and its hospital, after he had gone half-Kyuubi and forced Neji to check on Sasuke's internal trauma.
"...Oh, shit. I'm sorry. I forgot -- I mean, so much stuff happened and I--"
"Naruto--"
"--No, no, listen, I should have found you to apologize, but then life got crazy for a little while and then when it calmed down I totally forgot." He gave Neji a dismayed look.
The Hyuuga's face was about as expressive as a blank wall. "Huh. I'll believe you on that life going crazy bit."
Naruto wilted, shoulders slumping, and wished he could say more; but they were in the middle of the street. "I really am sorry, you know. I was just so stressed out--"
"He was dying. I understand."
Naruto flinched a little, at the reminder and at his detached tone. Neji was one of those people who could say they understood and yet make it perfectly clear that understanding and forgiveness were really not synonymous at all.
"Who already knows?" Neji asked.
"Uhh. Mostly adults -- the teachers -- and Sakura-chan and Sasuke, now. And Kiba and Shika. I don't know if they told their teams. Everyone our age and under..." he shrugged.
Neji arched an eyebrow at him, aristocratic as always. "... You didn't tell your team?"
Naruto wilted. "No. I should have, but..."
"But?"
Naruto clenched his fists in his pockets and kicked at a rock. "Thinking that they might be afraid or hate me -- it scared the shit out of me." And now Neji...
"I see." They were silent a few more steps, then Neji turned toward him and smirked, just a little. "Well, that explains a lot of things, anyway. Like how you were able to beat me at all."
"Oh hey, what's that mean? That I had an unfair advantage?"
"Perhaps."
"Oh, and you being born a Hyuuga isn't unfair at all for the poor bastards you face. 'sides, it isn't so easy to control, you know!"
Neji's faint smirk disappeared, and he nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, I guess I can imagine that. How... difficult is it, exactly?"
Naruto blinked, startled. Under the 'couldn't care less' attitude, he'd heard -- "Hee! Are you worried?"
He grinned; Neji managed somehow to give off the impression that he was rolling his eyes without moving them at all. "Vaguely concerned, maybe."
Naruto's grin softened, even though he knew that it wasn't what Neji meant. "Thanks for the trust, then."
Neji frowned a little, but didn't correct him.
"Most of the time there's no problem at all. Just pops up sometimes when I'm real flaming pissed. Got a few weird moments because of instincts and all, but old hag Tsunade promised to make Kiba's family teach me. So I'm fine. It was just a freak accident; it won't happen again."
Neji stared directly at him. "You are sure of that?"
Naruto hesitated. He was, of course, but everyone told him he was too optimistic and nothing said the old fox didn't have more tricks up his sleeve. "Reasonably so."
They walked in silence once again, Naruto desperately trying not to fret.
"I can live with that," Neji finally replied with a little smirk.
"Oh, good."
They passed a corner, and had to navigate past a gaggle of people. Apparently, stuff was on sale; Naruto glanced at it, but found nothing all that interesting.
"You wouldn't have found me anyway."
Naruto blinked at Neji quizzically.
"After things settled down," the Hyuuga explained. "My team and I were sent on a mission for several weeks, and then as soon as we came back, we left again."
"Oh, okay. Um, did you tell Lee and Tenten?"
Neji speared him with an affronted glare. "It was classified."
"All right, all right. I guess... I should tell them. How'd you think they'll react?"
Neji shook his head. "You don't have to. You aren't close to Tenten, as far as I know, and Lee," he added with a weary sigh, "would probably take to proclaiming from the rooftops that he's going to nobly seek justice for you."
Naruto chuckled. "Hah, it wouldn't bother me if he did that. I mean, so long as everyone who matters is alright with it, I really can't be bothered to care about what the rest thinks. Though it means I gotta tell Hinata," he finished with a wince. "Uh, how do you think she'd react?"
Neji looked up at the sky, as if searching for an answer up there. "...She will not reject you. She might be shocked for a while. She will be sad. She'll empathize." He shrugged. "It is not in her nature to be cruel or judgmental."
Naruto sighed, and relaxed. "Yeah, you're right. Thanks." They were almost at the Administrative building; Naruto paused, grinning at him. "Okay, I gotta go this way."
"The library?" Neji replied, arching his eyebrow again, in that utterly aristocratic-and-sarcastic way that even Sasuke didn't manage.
"Hey, don't look as if you think I can't read!"
Neji kept staring at him, his damn eyebrow still up. Naruto couldn't do that -- arch just the one and not both. Maybe it was a skill reserved to sarcastic assholes.
"... Okay, it's not for me." A pause. "Don't smirk at me."
Neji's expression was smooth once again. "I wouldn't dare."
"What's that you say? You want another beating?"
Ahaha, how easy it was to rile him up. Now he looked all offended and bristly.
"You wouldn't beat me twice."
"Oh yeah?" Naruto drawled, grinning impishly.
Neji straightened up, looking down his nose at him. "Yes. But I'll prove it to you another time," he added, turning away to leave.
Naruto hummed under his breath. "Scaaredy-caat..."
"What was that?"
"What? I didn't say anything. Are you hearing voices?"
Neji's eyes narrowed; though it didn't hide the corners of his mouth tilting up. "Go and borrow your books, Naruto. And make sure that all the letters in the titles match the ones on your list. I'm sure the librarian will be willing to assist you in case the big words get too complicated. I'll find you later."
Laughing, Naruto waved at Neji as he disappeared in the building, then went to the library.
He was going to check out some basic titles, and then he was going to use his marvelous pranking skills and slip in the restricted section for the ones that would make too many people raise eyebrows. He didn't want to bother making a formal request, and especially not on Sasuke's behalf; it would already look weird for Naruto to want stuff he wasn't even expected to understand, but for Sasuke to start researching that kind of arcane stuff... heh.
And if the Hokage was still with Sakura...
It was a good thing the ANBU weren't watching him today. And it was even better that he still remembered how he'd slipped past the Sandaime's security to get that forbidden scroll, five years ago.
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Uh oh, Naruto's stealing scrolls again! That's not good... ^^;;; Hopefully they won't get into big-ass trouble for it. Oh, and the idea that Neji doesn't write long enough reports amuses the hell outta me. I can totally see that too. I can't help but wonder if Sasuke has the same problem... *snickers* Eh, pro'lly not. Anyway, nice job on the latest bit! ^^
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I think Sasuke makes Sakura write his reports. XD as for the other question, no can answer. :x
Thanks for your comment, dear!
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maybe you could add what he's supposed to be looking up, too? ?_? i don't understand what Naruto's sneaking around for, precisely. *goes back and reads the Library part again* nnnope. if he doesn't understand what Sasuke needs, (not sure if he really gets it or not) then what's he looking for? prank material?
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Same thing Sasuke was researching when he was poking around Naruto's seal I'd imagine. :)
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*snort* Hello, Neji, that's you all over.
Neji slips character a wee bit a couple of times; I don't know if I'd classify him as cranky bastard so much as fatalistic sardonic bastard, and he seems to be showing a bit too much overt annoyance at the start, perhaps. But once they get onto the Kyuubi subject, yeah, that's 110% Neji. Particularly his cold, clean assessments of how people will react (and he's probalby on the money). I like Naruto in this too, open, honest, prone to speaking without thinking through entirely but no idiot, able to hold his own against Neji, and yes, prankster Naruto of the slippery scroll-stealing fingers ^_^
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And the subtle reminders that Naruto is still not totally accepted were nice too. Plus that he can still be sneaky :p
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Oh Neji, the love! He was snappy and cold and IC but in a 'I can still have a civil conversation way'. Loved Naruto goading him toward the end! Wheee!
*uses the only icon I have with Neji and Naruto on it*
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However, the wonderful
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(Asuka) Thanks for the update, very amusing! Loving the Neji-ness :D
"...arch just the one and not both," I'm pretty sure you don't need the 'the'.
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I am an icon-makers worst nightmare. I have SO MANY and I can't keep track.
So yeah, credit ofr that one to kagome, but go love kookyz too cause she's makes awesome stuff. XD
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'then' should be 'them'
and..
"Go and borrow your books, Naruto. And make sure that all the letters in the titles match the ones on your list. I'm sure the librarian will be willing to assist you in case the big words get too complicated. I'll find you later."
Just forgot the 'on'
Only mistakes I could find.
Whee, Naruto and Neji interaction! Hooray! Omg, I'm just like Naruto; I canNOT raise just one eyebrow ;_; - I did it on accident once though!
*waits patiently for more* =)
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I dont know what made me a Neji fan all of a sudden... but I'm not complaining :D
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I can't see him saying that for some reason. It's as if he's above saying words like cool. *Shrug*
The ending of that was excellent, as was the banter. ^_^
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♥
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And Naruto's thinking of making Kyuubi common knowledge? Oh, I think that the Council et all might have some complaints about that. Even if it WAS only amongst the other former Rookies. On the other hand, good for Naruto. Looks like not being abandoned by his team has given him a bit more confidence, in the one area that he seemed to be lacking a bit in that.
By the by... Sasuke had been obsessing broodingly on his scrolls... just sounds a little bit weird. It's not WRONG, just odd phrasing. It seems more natural to say "brooding obsessively" or "obsessively brooding" - obsess is a verb, yes, but I think that it defaults to adverb better than 'brooding' does... Could just be me, though.
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