Riko (Neji/Naruto):

There are certain things Naruto has always had difficulty with, and forgiveness is one of them. He's not the type to let grudges go. Ever.

If he were the insightful type, he might decide that this is due to 13 years of accumulated abuse, but he isn't the insightful type, so he's never really though about it. All he knows, is that when someone says "sorry" it doesn't carry much weight with him.

Unlike Sasuke, however, Hyuuga flushes and looks away when the awkward lip contact is over. "Sorry," he says.

And, Naruto decides, he might have to think about accepting that apology. Right after he's finished kicking Hyuuga's ass.

Lianda (Gai/Naruto):

Naruto rushed into the room, pushing Lee out of the doorway. Lee frowned. "Hey, watch it, Naruto--"

"Shut up, thick-brows!" Naruto threw over his shoulder, before turning back and looking ahead at the grinning man standing there. "Gai-sensei! Look! I'm wearing your ugly green-tight-jumpsuit-that's-supposed-to-make-me-strong-enough -to-be-Sasuke!"

Davis blushed. "What?!"

Gai looked Naruto up and down. Then he grinned.

“It works!”

Naruto looked up excitedly. “Really? I’m stronger! Haha! I knew it! I’m gonna–“

“No...” interrupted Gai.

“Then what?” asked a confused Naruto. “What works? Isn’t that why you gave it to me?”

“...to make your butt look sexier. And it does!” Gai grinned. “I have a very nice view from here.”

Riko (Ino/Hinata):

"It's really not that bad," Ino said, trying to be reassuring around a mouthful of hairpins. She pulled a clump of thick black hair up and pinned it securely.

In the mirror, Hinata's reflection flinched uncertainly. "Really?"

"Oh, sure." Ino pinned another clump in place and started looking for the scissors. "Just even the ends out and make your bangs a little shorter. You'll look great!"

Hinata still looked unsure, nibbling on her lower lip. "Are you certain, Ino-kun?"

Ino laughed and gave Hinata's shoulders a quick, tight hug. "Certain, babe. Certain."

Lianda (Lee/Sakura):

A late afternoon breeze blew gently, making the leaves in the forest sway lazily back and forth. The sun glinted through the leaves and created shadows that dances along the dusty path. Lee, smiling slightly, walking up to a lone figure sitting against a large oak. "It was you, wasn't it..."

The girl turned her head immediately, pink hair flying. "Lee!" Then she smiled. "You're walking without your crutches! I’m so pleased...”

At this, Lee grinned. “Yeah. I’m healing. I’ll be ok. But, Sakura...” His face turned serious as he looked into her eyes. “It was you...”

“Was me?”

“When I slept...when I couldn’t sleep...when my nightmares and my depression were overwhelming. Someone was there. Next to me...but I couldn’t see. But it was warm. And it took my nightmares away. It had to have been you.”

Sakura looked back. And then smiled. “I’m not strong. Not like Sasuke or Naruto. But I’ll always be here for you Lee. Just like you were there for me. I’ll always watch over you.”

Riko (Lee/Sasuke):

"I'm still going to fight you for real some day," Lee declared, hobbling along the path, his crutches making a sharp click with every step. "I will.".

Sasuke glanced at him and then away. "You shouldn't push yourself. You're injured."

"If I don't push myself I'll never get anywhere!"

"Hn."

"Haven't you ever had something you'd sacrifice everything to get?"

They both knew he had, so instead of replying, Sasuke stopped and let Lee walk ahead for a few steps until he too stopped and turned.

"It's like that, is it?" Sasuke asked.

Lee shrugged. "It's kind of like that."

Lianda (Kakashi/Jiraiya):

Kakashi groaned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he made his way to the town centre one bright morning. He was supposed to meet Naruto at that ramen place he was so obsessed with to ask him about his training.

Now, to get to this ramen place, Kakashi had to pass the infamous women’s bathing area. As he was doing so, he happened to spy a lone figure croaching to get a closer view of the hot naked family members of the ninjas of the village. Kakashi frowned. “No one spies on hot naked women on MY watch!” He screamed, and gathered up his chakra. To the crouching man, he said, “Face me! Oh molester of hot naked women!”

The man turned around and growled. “Who dares to challenge the super-cool-toad-man Jiraiya?!”

Kakashi’s mouth popped open. “Jiraiya!!!” He rushed forward and took the toad-man’s hand.

“Uh...what?” asked Jiraiya, confused.

“I’m your BIGGEST fan! Will you sign my copy of Come Come Paradise?! And maybe afterwards, we can go for some ramen!”

Jiraiya raised his eyebrow and nudged to the hot naked women. “Uh..OBVIOUSLY, I don’t lean that way. Moron.”

-and then Riko forgot to save, AGAIN-