Standard disclaimer applies.

Introduction

Sakura remembers the moment she first walked into her Shishou's office, blinking when she came face to face with the village's top strategist and the infamously brutal ANBU captain Neji. She wiped her hands on her scrubs nervously and looked to the Hokage.

"This is your new team." Tsunade announced, and for the life of her Sakura didn't know what to say. The other two faced her with faces masked in calm and calculating gazes and the silence consumed them until finally it was broken by the Hokage again, a deceptively-pleasant smile on her face.

"And your recon mission begins tomorrow morning, 6 am sharp."

Love

Neji tries to focus on the slow breathing of his girlfriend beside him, but at night his thoughts tend to wander to far off places where he contemplates. During the waking hours he is constantly focused, so in the comfort of his bed with his lovers, he allows his mind to drift.

Shikamaru thinks too, but he is always thinking. He rolls over onto his side, and props his head up in his hand, gently brushing a strand of pink hair away.

"Can't sleep either?" He whispers to his boyfriend, eyes soft and sleepy.

The white eyed male sighs and shakes his head. "Just thinking."

Shikamaru reaches for a strand of long chocolate hair and runs it through his fingers in thought. He is gentle, always so gentle, Neji thinks. "What are you thinking about?"

"You and Sakura." He closes his eyes and sighs again, a long exhalation. "Whenever I'm thinking now a days, it's about you two."

Sakura stirs between them, grabbing onto Neji's shirt and pulling him closer and Shikamaru chuckles at Neji's unexpectedly soft side and leans over to kiss him on the forehead.

"That's because you love us."