The way back to Konoha was long and difficult. It had been bitterly cold in Snow, and being from Fire Country Neji hadn’t been able to get used to it. He still thought snow was everywhere—down his shirt, frozen in his hair, impacted in his shoes—and now it was raining, and he was shivering under his damp cloak, miserable. Tenten’s hair was looking less perky than normal, and even Lee looked a little depressed, though he couldn’t say for sure. All Neji cared about right now was getting warm again.
Five days after leaving Snow, they trudged back into the village. The rain had lightened into a mist, but it was still dreary and gray, and their movements were sluggish as they made their report and split to go home. Looking forward to nothing more than drying off and crawling into bed, Neji leapt over puddle-strewn, empty streets to the Hyuuga compound, passing through the great gates and making his way swiftly to the Branch house.
“You’ve got a visitor.”
Neji paused, his hand on the screen ready to push it back and go into his room. Hinata was kneeling on the porch.
“What?”
She rose and started to walk away, her kimono whispering around her. “I won’t tell anyone. I like seeing you happy, my Cousin. You’re excused from the Solstice party, too.”
Scowling, Neji pushed open the door and kicked off his shoes. Another cloak was already hanging up, looking innocent and as though it, the symbol of a band of hated men, was completely at home there. One lamp was lit.“I didn’t expect you tonight.”
“I heard the mission in Snow was hard on you. I thought you would like some company.”
“You let Hinata-sama see you.”
“She was remarkably understanding of our situation.”
Peeling his sodden shirt off, Neji dropped it in with his other dirty clothes. The cloaked man sitting on the bed held out a towel, and Neji took it gratefully, rubbing his hair and damp skin. Finding the warmest pair of pajamas he had, Neji pulled on the shirt and raised an eyebrow at Itachi. “Do you mind?”
Itachi shrugged. “I’ve seen you naked before.”
Neji scowled, but stripped off his pants without hesitation and slid first one leg, then the other into the warm silk. Finally a pair of clean socks, and he was ready. Itachi was sitting crosslegged, and Neji crawled into his lap looking for warmth. There was the usual awkward pause as they both let everything sink in, and then their arms curled around each other tightly. Itachi was warm, and Neji pressed his cheek against the missing-nin’s shoulder. He felt the other’s hand rubbing his back and arms to warm him. “Didn’t you take anything warmer than those robes you always wear?”
“We didn’t think we’d be in Snow that long—the mission turned out to be more complicated than we thought. We were there a week when it should have taken three days. And it rained on the way back.”
“You still should have taken warmer clothes. A sick shinobi does no one any good.” He sounded uncaring, but the Hyuuga knew this was Itachi’s way of expressing concern.
“I wouldn’t have gotten sick.”
“You didn’t even have a medic-nin with you who would know basic herbology.”
“TenTen is—“
“A weapons specialist with a love of fortune-telling doesn’t make a healer. You should get one—that pink-haired apprentice of the Hokage’s.”
Leaving Itachi’s lap, Neji pulled back the blankets and burrowed under them. “Whatever. Either stay here and keep me warm or—“
“Don’t you want your gift?”
Poking his head out warily, Neji glared at his lover. “Gift?”
“It’s nearly Solstice, isn’t it?”
“Yes, but—“
“People are supposed to get gifts for others.”
“I didn’t get you anything.”
“That doesn’t matter. I do not require anything—although if you insist, let me stay tonight. It is cold and I do not wish to make the journey back in the dark. And don’t use your byakugan on that, either.”
Taking the small box, Neji examined it carefully before setting it with the other presents he would open the next morning. “That would be cheating.”
“You haven’t let that advantage go in other fights.”
“In some fights it wasn’t an advantage.”
The Uchiha pulled off his shirt and the mesh undershirt and got under the blankets as well. “I suppose you have a point there.” He yawned and propped himself up on an elbow, dark eyes flickering with a hint of amusement. “Are you going to go to sleep or argue with me all night?”
Scowling, Neji settled back down on the pillow and didn’t object when Itachi put an arm over him possessively. Warm and content, they were asleep within minutes.
In the morning, when Itachi was pulling on his shirt and shoes in the predawn half-light, his eyes were not focused outward as they had been when he had left Konoha the first time, but at the sleeping Hyuuga. He ran his fingers through Neji’s hair and left.
In his sleep, Neji smiled. Itachi hadn’t noticed the little gift he’d slipped into the other’s pocket after all.
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Chapter notes: Like the summary said, obligatory holiday fic. 'cause everyone needs some holiday lovin'.
Usual disclaimers apply. I don't own Naruto, etc., etc.