If you didn't read Lies or Denial, here's the brief synopsis of both at the conclusion of each:

Lies detailed Suigetsu and Sasuke's relationship. Sasuke always thought that he was Suigetsu's first love. Suigetsu cheats on Sasuke with his actual first love Itachi. Drama ensues. Itachi knows Sasuke would go so far as to kill Suigetsu to maintain his pride. It ends on the note that Itachi is going to "tell" someone that Sasuke is about to take away the life of someone that Itachi cares about, i.e. Suigetsu. He doesn't want to interfere himself as that would make the situation even more problematic.

Denial details the life of Sasuke before he ran away from Konoha and became the annoying leader of Taka that he is now (sorry, Sasuke fans, I don't fancy Sasuke much, as we can see…). In this fanfic, Neji is Sasuke's first boyfriend. Then Sasuke runs away and that ends the story. Neji, of course, didn't know. Guess how he felt when he was part of the save Sasuke team?


Neji woke up with a thin coat of sweat on his forehead.

His first reaction was to turn around on his side and lapse back into sleep, or at least try to, but this time it was different. He got up and walked down the stairs, headed for the kitchen. He needed a drink of water.

He was halfway down the stairs when he sensed something shift down below. Instinctively, his senses became doubly acute and every muscle tensed, ready to move on demand with zero setbacks. He considered for a moment the use of his Byakugan, but rejected the idea. It would be foolish to, especially in his own house.

He made as little noise as possible walking down the stairs, his arm outstretched, palm facing out in the distinct Hyuuga way. He stopped advancing down the hallways when he saw a flash of red—two flashes of red—in the distance, where the kitchen was. They looked strangely familiar.

"Neji Hyuuga,"

Neji relaxed his arms, realizing that the person meant no harm. That is, if it was who he thought it was.

"Itachi?"

"That's right," the man blinked, and for a moment, the two flashes of red—the Sharingan—disappeared. "I see you've relaxed, too. Why do you trust me so?"

Neji hesitated before answering. "Because you told me once," he said unsurely. "If you ever came to me, it would be in regards to Sasuke,"

"That was...a fairly long time ago, no?"

Neji nodded, his heart twisting, the same way it did every time he recalled Sasuke's all-too-sudden flee from Konoha. Without telling him.

"Anyway, you are correct. I have come to tell you something about Sasuke…," he left the sentence unfinished, hanging in the already tense air.

"What is it?" Neji began. He was about to say more but bit his lip. So hard it almost bled. He wanted to ask if Sasuke was dead, alive, seriously hurt—but ever since that moment when Sasuke left the night after telling Neji he—gulp—loved him he didn't want to care about Sasuke too much. Of course, inside, he still did. Even after two years, he still thought about his first—and so far, only—boyfriend and wondered how he was doing. Who he was with. People like Sasuke didn't last long: he was just…irresistible. You just didn't hold back when it came to Sasuke.

Neji knew.

He often stayed wide awake, wondering if Sasuke was wide awake thinking about him. He'd always ended those thoughts with the conclusion that no, he has someone better to think about now. It was the main cause of Neji's frequent forlorn periods, which everyone noticed. They just didn't notice that he had been like that only ever since Sasuke left. Everyone just assumed he was still going through the humiliation he apparently felt at not being a main branch member.

"He—,"

Itachi stopped, uncertain of how to detail the awkward situation he had managed to get himself entangled in. At least he knew that Hiashi, Hinata and Hanabi were still asleep in their individual rooms. His skill allowed him to know this. But even so, it felt supremely uncomfortable telling Neji in the Hyuuga household when other ears were around.

Sensing Itachi's sudden discomfort, Neji suggested they step outside.

"I have to be quick," Itachi said as soon as they stepped onto the street outside the gate of the household. "You have to be quick,"

Neji didn't say anything. His face was expressionless.

"Why?"

"This is a difficult situation," Itachi said in a low voice, speaking quicker than he had ever spoken before. "In which there is limited time. I can only stall for so long,"

"I know," Neji said. "You've stalled once before—when you, the Akatsuki, kidnapped Gaara,"

Itachi nodded. "I'm afraid Sasuke…Sasuke has another boyfriend,"

Had he thought in his head. After such a predicament, he doubted his dignified little brother, no matter how much he knew he loved Suigetsu, was not going to forgive his two perpetrators.

Neji winced inwardly despite the fact that he should've expected this. He felt his heart constrict itself. Sasuke…at least now it was confirmed and he didn't have to imagine anymore. At least now he could—

What? Neji's conscience snapped. Shed even more tears over Sasuke? Is that what you want?

"That's understandable," he said, trying to keep his voice level. He knew it was trembling a bit, but was overall relieved at its generally neutral tone.

"And…that boyfriend just cheated on him,"

"Oh,"

"With…me,"

Neji said nothing. Just stood there and absorbed the information without a word.

Itachi felt absolutely awkward. Not to mention now that he was relaying the information onto someone else he felt like a total dick.

"And you want me to go stop Sasuke before he does anything he may regret?"

"Correct…again,"

"And how do you suppose I do that?" Neji said, his chest heaving in a sign that he was truly moved by the situation. "You made this mess. You clean it up, Itachi Uchiha,"

Itachi's heart froze at the backlash. He hadn't actually expected it to this extent. He was actually being addressed…criticised directly by Neji Hyuuga?

"Do you not think I've already tried to think that way?" Itachi didn't mean to sound so emotional, but when it came to anything to do with Suigetsu and his defence he had to sound emotional. He wondered why this emotion didn't show up when he was actually with the mist Nin: when he was with Suigetsu, he was rock solid and, as always, showed little emotion. He just went for it.

"It's just too problematic," Itachi said. "I'm the one who came between them. I'm not coming between them in this fight too,"

"They're fighting already?" Neji asked in disbelief.

"No," Itachi said after a pause. "They're about to,"

"Then what are they doing now?"

"Stop questioning me," Itachi snarled. This time, he didn't mean to sound so nasty, but he couldn't help it. They were running out of time. Couldn't Neji see that? And why was Suigetsu turning Itachi into an emotional roller coaster? "Just follow me and we will solve this,"

Neji crossed his arms defensively. "You think I want to see Sasuke and his new boyfriend?"

"They've been out for three months,"
"Wow," Neji entoned, uninterested. "Then you want me to see Sasuke and his latest boyfriend?"

"If this will make you feel better and make you come with me, then I'll tell you: Sasuke has never had a boyfriend until now. After he left you, he was never with anyone until now,"

Neji paused in thought. He only felt slightly better at this new revelation. He still had another boyfriend anyway. It still made him feel shit. And it didn't mean that Sasuke didn't have multiple sex partners.

"Whatever,"

"Cut the act," Itachi said. "You're coming with me,"

Neji looked back towards his house. He was contemplating it, Itachi could tell. He'd softened him a bit.

"Give me a minute," the Hyuuga said. He returned to the house.