Author's notes: Whoo, this has been in my mind for a while. Feels great to finally put it out on paper -grins- Hope you all like this. I'll mention it again at the end but I want to say that Red Jumpsuit's Apparatus 'Your Guardian Angel' was what inspired me to write this fic. It's lyrics aren't very happy, but they're very beautiful.

Also for the ages, Gaara is 26 but looks younger than he really is, Neji died when he was 27 and so his spirit will appear as his 27 year old self but Neji is really 5 years older than Gaara but he just can't age any longer. If there are any other important characters who ages you need to know, I'll inform you all.

Title: Midnight Requiem

Chapter One

Warnings: YAOI, possible OOC-ness, a little bit of character death, slightttttt Naruto/Gaara but it's still a Neji/Gaara story and a ghost!Neji (in future chapters)

Disclaimer:...I'm afraid not. Don't own Linkin Park either.

Dedicated to...Lazuline, who changes her name far too much but is a pretty cool person. This isn't the oneshot I promised her but yeah, it's dedicated to her and my friend who is also a hardcore NejiGaara fan.

...sometimes I remember the darkness of my past

bringing back these memories I wish I didn't have

sometimes I think of letting go and never looking back

and never moving forward so there'd never be a past...

(Easier to Run - Linkin Park)

The wind rustled the dry red autumn leaves beneath the worn out soles of the young man's - probably aged somewhere between 18 and 24 - presumably very old, tattered red converse sneakers as the breeze nipped at his pale skin. The slightly skinny man immediately pulled his dark, maroon coat over his slight body, before groping the confines of his pockets for any source of warmth to protect himself against the cold weather that was starting to show signs of the beginning of what would be a harsh winter. Upon finding none, he settled on rubbing his hands together as he walked. It kept his hands from turning numb, at the very least.

As he walked past, he noted the shallow puddles that had appeared overnight most probably due to the heavy downpour of rain that had struck Konoha the night before. He shook his head. It was stupid of him to think of something as trivial as a mere puddle on the ground. Nobody really cared whether the puddle was there or not, unless one had the misfortune of slipping into one or being splashed by dirty rain water by a passing vechicle that ran through the water. Again, another shake of his head. What was it with him and puddles on that day? He chastised himself upon wasting his time upon his strange musings.

He passed through the park near his apartment to cut across to the train station where he caught the 8.10 train to commute to his job in the city everyday except weekends. The leaves of the park's trees had all turned a lovely auburn colour that was almost identical to the shade of Gaara's hair. Gaara glanced at the wristwatch on his left hand and quickened his pace. He had no time to take in the beautiful trees in all of its fall splendour.

As he exited the park, he soon found himself in front of a traffic light where he was forced to stop, as means of transport probably driven by people getting to work or going somewhere, whizzed by. He was running slightly later than usual, having slept in a bit but Gaara never forced himself to exert himself beyond his means and was never rash in his actions and stopped, leaning against the traffic light.

Soon, he was joined by several other pedestrians. Two schoolgirls giggling to themselves over a suspicious book held in both of their hands, an elderly lady carrying two bags full of groceries bought fresh from the nearby marketplace, a few other people who looked like they were going to work judging by the formal work attire - a crisp suit and the optional tie - and the briefcase in hand and a mother carrying a baby in one hand who stopped her older son - a boy who could be no older than three - from walking into the heavy traffic with a panicky cry.

Whoever chose to walk right into the speedy mess of cars, motorcycles, vans, buses etcetera probably had a death wish or was suffering from suicidal thoughts or in this case was too young to realize the danger of walking into a busy road. Fortunately, Gaara neither had a death wish nor was he suicidal or too young to comprehend the concept of pain and danger so he just stood there patiently waiting for the green light to turn on and read: 'WALK'

It wouldn't be incorrect though, to say that thoughts on killing himself had passed through Gaara's mind at one point of his life which he honestly wanted to forget and move on with. Alas, it is never easy trying to forget something. People forget without trying, but trying to forget is a different thing altogether.

Y-y-you killed him. You really killed him...YOU KILLED HIM!!!

I did it to protect you. He would have hurt you in the end. Just like the rest of them. It was for your own good, Gaara-sama.

YOU KILLED HIM!!!! I loved him! And you shot him! Why? - a fist collided with a hard chest - Why! -again the thumping sound of a hand striking the upper body of a man hard- WHY!!! -then the sound of uncontrollable sobbing-


Don't worry, Gaara-sama. I'll be here to love you.


G-get away from me...

"Onii-san (1), you can walk now."

Gaara got startled out of his morbid thoughts as he saw one of the schoolgirls tugging on his sleeve, gesturing to the light which now said: WALK in neon green. Gaara flushed, mumbled a thanks and proceeded on. He could have sworn he could hear the girls giggling even more and words like 'how cute' and random Japanese words like 'kawaii' following after the high-pitched laughter.

Schoolgirls these days only cared about boys. He never remembered his sister being as boy-crazy back in middle school, or high school. But then again, his sister was happily engaged to a guy he and his brother had actually approved of as compared to the junkies, rock star-wannabes, gang members his sister had previously courted before coming across one of Japan's youngest Go champions during a press conference, in which she was one of the reporters representing a local newspaper.

The rest was pretty self-explanatory. Temari hit it off with him, even though he was younger and actually Gaara's age and they were doing great.

Not that I can say the same for myself...

A sad apathetic smile appeared on his face as he turned around the corner as the train station came into view.

Six years, huh...

Six Years Ago

"Where are you bringing me, Neji?" The tall, muscular brunette laughed and looked over his shoulder, holding onto Gaara's hand tightly.

"Do you trust me?" Gaara rolled his pastel green eyes at the corny line that Neji had so obviously stolen from the Disney movie Aladdin that they had just watched the day before and allowed himself to be dragged by the wrist to wherever it was Neji intended to bring him.

"Of course I trust you, just let me remind you that if you rape me my sister and brother will see to it that you are casrated slowly and painfully before killing you with their bare hands."

Again, the same airy laugh as Neji brought Gaara closer to him, so that their faces was mere centimetres apart. He pressed into the middle of Gaara's spine, one of his sensitive spots and smiled as Gaara gasped inaudibly.

"Do you seriously think I would force myself on you?"

Gaara eyed Neji suspiciously, eyes narrowed warily.

"...I don't think. I know." He answered simply. Again, Neji laughed and released Gaara.

"Haha, don't worry about your innocence, my dear Gaara. I already said that when I turn 26, when you're 21 and legal I'll do all those NC-17 things I wish so much to do to you..." A soft, swift kiss on Gaara's lips. "...and your body." A slightly wet kiss was planted on Gaara's collarbone. Neji leaned back to admire the hickey that now displayed itself proudly on Gaara's pale skin.

"So you have plenty of time to treasure your virginity. A whole year actually...Before you give it to me, of course."

Gaara blushed as he inspected the red spot on his neck

"Idiot...I told you not to do this in public. My sister will feed you to my neighbour's dog if you keep doing this to me." Neji smirked.

"How can I resist?" He took Gaara's smaller hand into his bigger one. "Now, come on, I really want to show you this place." He smiled that smile that could make any beating heart melt upon looking at it. Gaara gulped. Bastard...Neji was not oblivious to his charms and he was obviously using it to convince Gaara to continue uphill even though Gaara's frail body was not made for walking great distances or climbing up high mountains. Neji noticed how tired Gaara had already been and gave a sympathetic look. He got down on his knees in front of Gaara, his back to Gaara.

Gaara stared at Neji's broad back for a while, looking uncertainly at his friend.

"Get up, I'll carry you to the top." Gaara continued staring blankly, looking in all directions for sign of anybody else in the vicinity. He didn't really want to be seen getting a piggy-back from Neji. He had far too much dignity for that. He shook his head.

"I'm fine, Neji. It's embarassing for me to ride on you like some three year old kid." Neji looked at Gaara curiously, then tilted his head upwards slightly eyes fixed on the sky before a look of enlightenment appeared out of his handsome features.

"Fine..."

He got up, approached Gaara and scooped him into his hands. Gaara almost choked as he saw the position they were in. Neji was carrying him...bridal-style. A mischievous glint in Neji's eyes told Gaara that Neji would not put him down even if he protested.

"N-neji! You can't carry me like this! We're climbing up a mountain! There has to be some safety rule that says you're not allowed to do this! Put me down!" Ah. It didn't hurt to try, though.

Neji said nothing but continued on his way, up the trail. Gaara stopped squirming and laid in his hands, arms crossed, bottom lip jutting out adorably. Neji smiled, completely satisfied.

An hour later they had finally reached the top of the mountain, Neji breathing heavily as he let Gaara down. Gaara bent down so that he was level to Neji, who was bent over regaining his breath.

"Are you okay? Geez, you idiot. I told you you shouldn't have carried me!" Neji waved Gaara's scoldings off.

"-pant- I'll be alright. -pant- Come...I want to show you what I brought you here for." Neji took Gaara by the shoulders from behind and pushed him towards whatever it was he wanted to show him. He brought him to the edge of the mountain top which was covered with stray plants and trees.

Neji pushed away a few branches and Gaara covered his eyes, a light shining brightly, directly on his face.

The view of the whole town could clearly be seen from where he stood. In the then setting sun, the town was dipped in the orangey red glow almost as if the town was shining, or on fire. It was a truly breathtaking sight to behold and Gaara felt himself mouth 'wow'. Neji smiled and squeezed Gaara's shoulder tenderly.

"...It's beautiful." Gaara muttered finally. "Thank you for bringing me up here, Neji. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem Gaara." A pause, his eyes looking at Gaara and he added. "No problem at all."

-

Present-time

"...and thus, Mr. Hatake, I assure you my company will raise your sales profits more than any other magazine can. Which is why I think it would be a good - no great - decision on your behalf to sign up with our magazine. According to my information, your customers aged from their 50s to 60s are the ones that you are generally lacking in. The main source of profit of the magazine I represent however, are the customers aged in the 50s to 60s area. Therefore, it would help you to increase the business in that area.

The silver haired man seated across from Gaara who stood in front of everyone present at the meeting looked thoughtful and after a few crucial moments of dead silence, he stood up and seemed to smile behind his mask as he shook hands with Gaara.

"You know what? I think I will sign up with your magazine. You may inform your boss, Gaara-kun, that from today onwards Hatake and Co. will be one of Icha Icha's advertising sponsors." Gaara nodded and bowed his head humbly.

"Thank you very much sir."

Kakashi smiled, and gave Gaara pat on the shoulder, before leaving the room.

As the people filed out of the meeting room, Gaara took his presentation charts off the board as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around and found himself staring at a cheerful looking blonde with bright blue eyes.

"...Er, hi. You're Gaara right?" Gaara blinked.

"Yes...? Is there anything you want?" Gaara looked up at the slightly taller man, innocently.

"Erm, I just wanted to say that you did a good job just now. My name's Naruto, Kakashi's assistant and he's very hard to impress but he seemed pretty blown away by you."

Gaara looked at his feet. His converse sneakers had been kept under his work desk, and he was now wearing more suitable work shoes. Plain brown leather ones. He didn't feel comfortable in it. He wanted the red sneakers back on his feet where he felt they belonged.

"Oh. Thanks. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

Gaara never felt particularly at ease when talking to anyone about anything other than work or business. Unless that person was someone especially close to him, Temari and Kankurou - his two older siblings - one of the only ones who fell under that category. He also didn't trust it when compliments and praise were given to him.

He just wanted to go back to his office, put on his 'comfy' shoes, call it day and head home, ring up his sister for the weekly phone call his sister demanded from him and maybe try to get some sleep. He also had to get ready for tomorrow. Gaara walked towards the exit.

He felt the same hand grab his arm this time.

"Ah! Wait, Gaara!"

Gaara stopped and looked at the blonde who wasn't meeting his gaze and unknowingly, his face scrunched up into a confused expression, green eyes doeful and pure, lips pouting without realizing it.

"Well...I was thinking that maybe...if you were free...maybe you'd like to get a few drinks with me...My friend owns this bar downtown and-"

"I'm taken (2)" There was no coldness in Gaara's voice, there wasn't any presence or a hint of any emotion in his voice. He was merely stating something, in a monotone he was used to using. Naruto's aqua eyes widened at Gaara's bluntness at first and he stumbled in his words.

"Heh, I should have known. A guy like you...I'm sorry for wasting your time." Gaara watched as the blonde walked by him with an almost - pained? expression on his face. Gaara shook it off and went out of the meeting room, still feeling a bit at a loss for words. If he didn't know any better, he'd have thought that Naruto, Hatake Kakashi's PA just asked him out, so he just went and blurted out that he was taken.

What if he wasn't asking him out and just wanted to have drinks as friends? Gaara inwardly groaned. This was the reason why his sister called him socially retarded. He was socially incompetent, another thing Temari once nicknamed him. He was tempted to bang his head on the wall but being Gaara, he had more pride than to be caught doing something like that.

Gaara sighed and walked out of the room, feeling a bit down.

I could never betray Neji...Never...

In the small, plot of land in the local cemetery, which is landscaped with well-taken care of flowers and plants a small girl and her older sister squat down in the heavy rain in front of one of the few tombstones.

The smaller girl places a bouquet of wisterias in front of the grave, before clapping her hands together while silently praying. The older girl follows suit.

Engraved on the tombstone, it reads:

HERE LIES HYUUGA NEJI,

1975 - 2002

BELOVED NEPHEW AND COUSIN

Whoo! The end of the first chapter! I don't think it came out as very well-written but ah well, I tried. So first...

1) Translation: Big brother, doesn't have to be big brother literally though. The schoolgirls were just being polite to Gaara and addressed him using polite language.

2) All you hardcore NejiGaa fans, don't worry about Naruto. He was just there to prove a point that I was stressing on. Even though Neji died, Gaara is still loyal towards him and does not want to date anyone else. The only part Naruto plays in this story is as Gaara's friend and main confidante. Hence, the 'I'm taken' line.

3) I'm not sure when I'm going to update, but I'll only update if I get at least 10 reviews. That's my fanfiction policy.

4) SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION AND OTHER THINGS: If you have time, check out my other fic too -smiles sweetly- and on a side note, I would like to say for the second that the Red Jumpsuit's Apparatus song 'Your Guardian Angel' is my main source of inspiration for this story. It's such a beautiful song too. If you haven't listened to it, get on YouTube or Limewire or iTunes or whatever and listen to it. Now. It has lovely lyrics.

5) The summary said five years, so the flashback was a year before Neji died. It's not a mistake, I swear.

5) If you have any questions regarding anything. I'll be happy to answer. Leave your question in a review or a PM. Also if I had any mistakes or errors, please don't hesitate to inform me.

Well...

Review or like my threat in my other fic, I'll pair Jiraiya and Kankurou together. -shifty eyes- You don't want that now do you?