FREYA: I had a certain fan who left a review email me. You know who you are. This certain fan asked about me writing another Naruto fan fic but to do the pairing with Sakura and Neji. Now, at first I didn't think I liked the idea because both characters have widely varying ideals and it's hard for me to see them together. I managed to come up with a basic outline and from there I developed a story so I think many will like it. Many probably won't. I don't really give a damn but read. Freya has spoken.

PS I don't own any Naruto characters, if I did I'd be in the series and I'd own Gaara. My KazeKage…Growl…

Chapter 1: A Rocky Start

Sakura breathed a heavy sigh as she shifted her weight to carry the stack of papers better. Thank Kami that Naruto's found someone else to dog everyday. While the attention he was always giving her wasn't unflattering, it was getting bothersome. Hopefully Hinata could put up with it better than she.

"Where did Tsunade-sama say to take these? Room 4 on the first floor or room 1 on the forth floor?" As she was about to turn the corner someone orange ran into her. Speak of the devil. Papers were everywhere and now Sakura had a new reason to be angry.

"Naruto!" She shouted.

"Sorry Sakura-chan," He stood up quickly, "but I'm in a hurry!" And with that he left her there with the mess of papers every where and no one to help her pick them up. He called out another apology and disappeared from her sight. She let out an exasperated sigh. Dammit. Of course he'd leave without helping me out. Sakura began picking them up.

"Good thing they're numbered. I can put them back in order. Stupid Naruto! He never looks where he's-"

"You always talk to yourself?" It was a very flat, monotone voice but not unrecognizable. It was Neji. Sakura rolled her eyes in annoyance. It's just him. Doesn't he have anything better to do than make fun of people?

"Maybe I do, not that it would be any of your business, Neji-san. What do you need?" She began rifling through some of the papers to put them back into their original state. It was obvious she was having trouble finding what she was looking for but Neji offered no assistance.

"Not that it's any of your business," he mocked with a straight face. He was silent for a few moments while she looked for the appropriate pages. After the long quiet he finally spoke again. "I am looking for the Hokage."

Sakura found the next few pages. Yatta! Only about 100 or so to go she thought mournfully. This is going to take all day. "Tsunade-sama is," Sakura had to think of how to phrase her sentence, "indisposed. She's not going to be able to talk with you for a few hours; even then she's going to have a major headache. I could help, what do you need?"

Neji glared down at her on the ground shifting through her papers. Haruno is in no position to be helping anyone, especially me. She's just as clumsy as Uzumaki, dropping her papers all over the place. He sneered at the idea of accepting help from someone as inept as her.

"It does not concern you, Haruno." With that he turned and walked away. Sakura stared as he strutted in the direction he came from. He's not going to help me pick these up? What a jerk! No wonder nobody likes him! Sakura's face turned red with anger as she continued to pick up papers.

"Ow!" She'd gotten a paper cut. Sakura grumbled in annoyance as she used her medical ninja training to heal the wound. No big deal just a paper cut. A green chakra light flooded from her other hand to the small cut and it quickly closed up. When she was finished there was still a mark but it was no longer hurting. "Jeez. It would've been so much faster if he'd just used his Byakugan to find the numbers in their correct order but no. Hyuuga Neji never helps anyone but himself!"

She hadn't realized but there was someone behind her. Sakura wasn't really scared because the presence felt familiar and friendly. She craned her head to look behind her and smiled. "Hey, Lee-kun. Do you need something?"

He shook his head but got down on the floor to help her pick up the scattered papers. She thanked him as they put together the report. Lee-kun is so nice, not like Neji-san at all.

"Neji-san isn't as bad as you think." Lee found three pages and handed them to her.

"Yeah, I'll bet he's just full of sunshine and butterflies. Why's he such a jerk all the time?" She took the papers and put them in with the stack she'd already started. He's always so cold to everyone.

"Neji-san is just more complicated then most ninjas. He really isn't a bad person, just busy." He found another and added it to the pile.

"Sure, complicated. That's for sure. He doesn't even seem human sometimes," she exclaimed. The paper stack was almost done. Thank Kami that Lee-kun decided to help her or else she would've been stuck there all day. "He's such a punk, he didn't even offer to help me pick up these papers."

"Did you ask him to?" He reached over to hand her the papers.

Sakura thought about it before finally taking them. "Well, no, but…it would've been the polite thing to do. It's what anybody else would've done." Except Naruto…what a brat! She added the last papers to the stack and straightened it up. Finally! I can take these to, uh, what room was it again? Damn…

"I bet if you gave him a chance you'd see that you're a lot alike."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Tch. If you say so. But just so you know, I'll never walk around with a scowl like he does all day. Does he ever smile?" she joked.

"Sure he does. Just not…often…" Lee admitted with half a grin.

Sakura picked up the stack and thanked Lee for helping her out. He blushed in embarrassment but told her it wasn't a problem. Sakura got onto her tip toes and gave him a peck on the cheek and thanked him again as she sprinted for the stairs. Lee brought a hand to his cheek and smiled. He then went in the opposite direction in a daze to go speak with whomever it was he came to see.

After Neji left Sakura to pick up her own mess he ran into a few people worth talking to. He spoke with Shizune regarding what he was going to talk to Tsunade about. It was on the subject of getting harder missions so that one day he could join ANBU. Only the best ninja in the village could join and the only way to become the best was to complete harder missions without any difficulty. And the Hyuuga clan was the best. Neji would become ANBU one day and bring honor to the Hyuuga name. Unfortunately it wasn't Shizune's place to talk about those sorts of things.

"Sorry Neji-san, but you'll have to talk with Tsunade-sama about that. I don't influence who gets into ANBU or not. We did get a few new missions in but not any that would warrant a jounin or even a chunin. Again, sorry Neji-san, but I have a few errands to run." And she was gone with her pig following close behind.

Damn. What am I going to do for a few hours while waiting for the Hokage to sober up? He looked at the red top of the Hokage tower and decided that it wasn't a bad place to meditate.

"There, I'm sorry the report is late. I ran into some baka and he made me drop all the papers," she smiled. Then another baka didn't offer to help me pick them up! Jerk! They told her it was fine and that they shouldn't need Sakura to run any more errands. She could go home for the day. "Thanks but I'm going to go to the roof for some sun. I'll come back in a bit; you may still have something for me to do later."

Sakura took the stairs slowly. She let out a heavy sigh. Tomorrow I'll do some work at the hospital. I'm sure there are some patients that need an expert medic nin like me. Sakura grinned confidently and quickened her pace but it gradually turned into a frown so she slowed to match her mood. I know I've gotten stronger but…she stopped and clenched her hands tight. I need to be much stronger; I can't be letting anyone down again. I wish there was a way…Sakura pushed the door to the roof open.

"Good to know it's still vacant up here," no sooner were the words out of her mouth did she spot Neji. He had his back to her but from the way he was sitting she guessed he could be meditating. Sakura let out an exasperated sigh; she seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Figures, the one time I want to be alone there'd be someone up here and the aggravating Hyuuga prince at that. Why me?

It was strange though. She'd been standing there for a few minutes already and he didn't say anything to her. Usually something sarcastic would pass his lips before you could ready yourself for the verbal onslaught. Sakura walked forward closer and closer. He can't be that deep in thought, can he? By now she was right next to him and brought herself to kneel. Sakura looked at his face, it was serene. For the first time she could see his very porcelain features. He's actually really handsome. He couldn't possibly be sleeping?

"Neji-san are you…?" Sakura was about to shake his shoulder when he spoke up. She was so surprised she fell backwards onto her rump.

"…trying to tune you out? Yes, I am." He turned his head to face her and opened his cold silvery eyes. "Did you want something? Or are you just here to interrupt my meditation?"

Sakura could feel her embarrassment change to fury. What…a…jerk! I was thinking that he didn't look so haughty when he's sleeping but…he just makes me so mad! "I was just curious, is that so bad? And who the hell meditates on the Hokage Tower?!" He's such an arrogant, spoiled, ugh, I hate that smug punk! Forget thinking he was handsome at all.

"Your shrieking is quite annoying. It isn't any wonder women are good at nothing except yelling…"

The pink-haired girl kept her mouth shut this time. Jerk! Jerk! Idiot! She had worse obscenities lined up but held them in and counted to ten. 1-2-3-4…

"Women actually do a great deal of whining when it comes to doing work too. I am willing to wager you are just like my cousin…"

5-6-7-8…

"All she ever does is complain about how weak she is but she by no means takes the time or effort to actually work to get stronger. Even when I offer my valuable time to train her she spends all her time with Uzumaki. You are all pathetic…"

SMACK! Neji couldn't tell she was getting angrier by the comments so he wasn't prepared for the stinging slap he got across the face. Normally he would've been able to stop it or dodge it but he was caught off guard. She hit me? He never thought that Sakura, that any girl, would have the courage to do anything that bold.

"Sorry for being a woman!" The glare Sakura gave him could burn villages. "But I'm not pathetic!" She brought her hand back to slap him again but stopped herself. She clenched her hand tight. What gives him the right to sit there and insult…UGH! Hate him! He and I are nothing alike!

She stood up and walked back towards the door to go back downstairs. She's different from most girls. Most girls run off in fear if I just glare at them. I can't believe she landed a hit on my face.

"You know what, Neji-san? It's too bad you're so good-looking; and you're selfish too. I'll bet a lot of girls swoon when they see you. But you know what I see when I look at you?" Sakura pulled open the door and was about to go inside. "You're just royal trash. Glorified garbage." And she was gone, letting the door slam close behind her.

Neji continued to sit there, his face stinging and his pride more than bruised. I cannot believe she insulted my lineage. Haruno thinks I'm rude but listen to the things that come out of her own mouth. Neji sat longer and touched his face where she left her mark, literally. If he didn't put ice on it soon it would get swollen and be visible for the next few days.

Both seemed to be thinking at the same time:

How could anyone like that person?

FREYA: Well, they can't all start out nice and cute can they? I remember a couple who were a lot like this. When they first met all they could do was argue and hate each other, it's really amusing but they get along really well now. Funny how things work.

Anyway, the story will progress as I want it to. This is just a side project that I started for whenever I have writers block for other stories. It will get updated whenever I feel like it. You can leave a review or whatever. Don't care. Toodles. FREYA HAS SPOKEN!