Disclaimer: You know the routine. Don't own anything.

((I felt the extreme need to write something creative while torturing Neji and Shikamaru as much as possible. This is what that created. Enjoy. Lemme know if you like it, would like to see something different…anything! Critique me! Comments make me feel all fuzzy inside.))

Chapter 1: Labor Force Liaison

Neji stared at the computer screen in frustration. This was his big break. Finally, he had the chance to get out of this stupid, smelly, cramped, cubicle next to some guy who likes to hum Beatles' songs off-key. He could get that office next to the window. The one with the perfect view of that expensive fountain with the statue that looked a lot like a naked man. It would be great. The only problem was that he needed to finish this presentation first. His head dropped to the keyboard.

"I have to do this." Neji muttered into the 'L' key, reaching for his half-filled energy drink can.

He pulled the can to his mouth, drinking the contents. As soon as he brought his hands down to continue, his project was gone.

"Blue Screen! What the hell is error 230?" Neji screamed in rage.

With his fist clenched, the Hyuuga was seconds away from breaking his hand on that computer screen. Luckily the Beatles' hummer saved the computer's life.

"Help? You need somebody? Take it to Tech Support."

Neji froze in mid-blow, rational thinking flushing through his mind. He could still save his data. All wasn't lost. The Hyuuga grabbed his tower and headed to the elevator. He looked at the buttons for a while realizing one thing. He had no idea where their Tech center was. He hadn't had many computer problems…hell…he barely used that computer. Where the hell were all the people that walked around gossiping? Of course they wouldn't be there when he needed to ask for directions. After a bit of inaudible swearing, Neji entered the elevator and went for the first floor. There was a directory there.

"Third floor, room 36. Third floor, 36." Neji repeated to himself as he hauled the computer tower.

He reached the room with little trouble. Neji knocked on the door and waited. He got no response. The Hyuuga knocked again much louder, getting a little pissed that no one was there yet. Weren't these people paid to help? That anger from before started to surface as Neji planned just how to pummel the door so someone would decide it a better idea to let him in. Thankfully, he was saved the time.

"I said, Come in!" A voice called out, sounding irritated.

"I'm holding a tower. Open the door for me!" Neji called back through gritted teeth.

The door opened revealing a guy about his height with a ponytail, and lazy brown eyes.

Neji stared at him for a second, waiting for him to help with the tower. He never did.

"Well, c'mon. I'm not holding the door for my health." The guy said, giving the Hyuuga a smug look.

Neji, with his cold glare in tact, strode past the guy putting his tower down.

"I'm having a computer problem." Neji said, staring down the ponytail-wearing technician.

"Obviously. What's the problem?" he replied, taking a seat in his rolling computer chair.

Neji couldn't help, but notice that this guy wasn't even working. He was playing some…game. He had some ninja attacking some helpless wolf in a field somewhere. The Hyuuga didn't know what it was, but he knew what it wasn't. Not only was that guy an asshole, he was a lazy asshole.

"I don't know. It just shut off after giving me a weird error message." Neji explained.

"So you don't remember the error message? Of course. Let me see it." The technician requested, patting a spot on his desk.

Neji looked confused and offended. Did this guy really think he was going to do that?

"That's not really my job, and it's just right there." Neji said, pointing to it.

The guy stared back at the guy before rolling his eyes.

"Troublesome…" he muttered, lifting up the tower, placing it on the desk.

He hooked it up and tested a few things.

"Come back tomorrow." The ponytail-having asshole said, not even looking at Neji.

"I have a presentation due soon. Really soon. Like two days soon. Do you think you'll have it ready in time? Should I work on some other computer?" Neji barraged the guy with questions, desperation in his voice.

"Dunno. Just take the loaner and come back tomorrow."

He wrote Neji's name down then handed the Hyuuga a laptop. He then started back playing his video game as if Neji wasn't there.

"See ya." He said, seeing Neji was still there.

Neji didn't look pleased. He wasn't going to take this laying down. He stormed out with the loaner laptop, giving that guy one last icy stare. His manager would hear about this blatant disrespect.

Neji put the laptop down on his desk and picked up his phone. He dialed the extension for the head of Technical Support. As the phone rang, Neji started to think. How could he complain…when he never got that asshole's name?

"Fuck." He muttered into the receiver.

"Excuse me?"

Neji's eyes widened. When did that guy answer?

"S-sorry. I dialed the wrong number."

The Hyuuga promptly hung up, one hand on his forehead. He could handle this. He would just talk to the guy tomorrow. If he was still an asshole, he'd report him.

Neji went back to work on his report. Once again he ended up with his head buried in the keyboard.

The next day, Neji wasted no time getting back to Technical support. Still, he received the same treatment as before. He ended up waiting for almost ten minutes before someone came to the door. Of course it was the asshole from before. Neji looked the guy over this time, initially checking to see if he had a nametag. He had on a pair of faded jeans with a t-shirt with some random letters on it. Neji had no idea what 'STFU' stood for, but it was probably some computer thing. More importantly, no nametag.

"What?" the asshole said, standing at the door with his arms crossed.

"My computer?" Neji said, looking equally as irritated as the technician.

"Not done."

The Tech asshole turned away, attempting to let the door closed. Neji wasn't letting that happen. He stepped inside quickly.

"What have you done so far? Can it be fixed?" Neji questioned, taking a seat at the asshole's desk.

The asshole looked surprised, then pissed.

"I said I wasn't done. I'll fix it. Just go." The asshole grumbled, taking a seat on his desk.

"So you're going to play video games first, then do your job later?" Neji said casually, a cool, daring look on his face.

"Are you questioning my work?" the asshole replied, keeping his same bored, irritated expression.

"Yes."

"I've always completed my assignments."

"You haven't finished mine."

"I said today. Today just began."

Neji glared at the asshole for a moment.

"Fine. I'll come back at the end of the day…what's your name?"

"Shikamaru."

"Neji."

"Neji?"

"Yes?"

"Can you leave so I can work?"

The Hyuuga stood from his spot, his eyes never leaving Shikamaru.

"I'll see you at the end of the day." Neji said, gliding out the door.

Neji's head dropped to the desk as the Beatles' hummer went into his third encore. Even with that huge distraction and annoyance, he managed to pump out a chuck of his presentation. If Shikamaru got the rest of his work, he'd be in business. Neji glanced up at the clock.

Speaking of Shikamaru, about fifteen minutes left till he was going down there. He took off to the Tech Center. Before he could even knock on the door, Shikamaru had it opened. That was surprising say the least. He had a smug smirk on his face so Neji knew he'd hear good news.

"Figured. Yes. It's done." Shikamaru said, stepping aside to allow Neji to enter.

Neji stepped through looking at the other hopefully.

"You saved--"

"The presentation? Yes." Shikamaru finished, holding a dvd case out to Neji.

The Hyuuga took it quickly, holding it tightly.

"I had someone take your tower to your desk. It should be installed by now." Shikamaru added, taking a seat at his desk.

Neji was in awe. He really felt like an idiot. There had to be a reason for this guy working here.

"Thanks for your help. I'll leave you to your work." Neji replied, standing up. He headed for the door.

"Yeah. Try not to come back, Neji."

He got back to his desk and quickly popped in the dvd to get that work off. A grin appeared on his face for the first time that day, seeing all his hard work was safe. Neji clicked on the folder, opening up the contents. That grin was gone.

"You've got to be kidding me." The Hyuuga muttered to himself, searching through various folders. That idiotic, lazy asshole! He saved the wrong presentation.

Neji surged back to Shikamaru's desk.

"W-wrong presentation! You saved the wrong one! Please…please tell me you still have my information."

Shikamaru looked over at Neji, paling by the end of the Hyuuga's pleading. The lazy technician scratched his nose, glancing at the clouds screen saver as it popped up.

"I don't."

"Fuck!"