Pairing ficlets? Hm. How about Neji/Ino? Or Neji and Sai rivals in love for Ino? :P Whatever you're in the mood for.
"I have a proposition," Sai hovered behind him like a lanky gremlin, sketchbook in one hand and that disarming, unsettling smile on his face.
It's not that Neji thinks he's creepy, he's just off-putting. Odd. Weird. It's hard to describe but Neji knows for certain Sai's smile always leaves him feeling a little uncomfortable, though he tries not to blame Sai for that.
It wasn't his fault he ended up with the worst parental figure in the history of parental figures.
"A proposition?" he narrowed his eyes, unsure if this was something he wanted to hear. "About?"
"Ino"
Oh, now he was interested.
"And what is it?" he inquired, sitting up a little straighter.
"A competition," just the word had him cringing. When Neji thought of 'Competitions' he thought of Gai-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, and that was something he wanted nothing to do with. "We both want to ask Ino out, correct?"
"Yes." and he wasn't about to lose his shot to the pretty new boy.
"Well, a healthy competition will allow Ino an opportunity to choose who is better for her, without us going at each other's throats like...well." The names didn't need to be said. Neji's memory worked well enough to recall how poorly things had turned out when someone had attempted to swoop in and steal Kakashi-sensei's affections from Gai-sensei. The fact there wasn't a blood bath had been a testament to his Sensei's kindness.
Had anyone tried half the shit that guy had with him, he would have murdered them.
"So, a competition?" he clarified. "Rules?"
"Nothing below the belt. Our focus is Ino, not each other. We don't bad mouth each other and sabotage each other's shots." that sounded fair. "oh, and the loser can't be bitter."
Now that was a little harder to make a promise for, but Neji would try his best. It wouldn't be his problem anyway.
He wasn't going to lose.
"You're on."
"I thought you might agree," Sai offered him another smile, this time a little less creepy than the last. "You are Maito Gai's student after all."
He's not sure if that's an insult or a compliment. It could be either, but he chooses to take it as a compliment for the sake of fair, equal competition for Ino's heart.
a competition he was going to win.
