Disclaimer: I still don't own Naruto, for it belongs to Masashi Kishimoto. (I'm jealous.) Only the plot is mine, minus some ideas from Cinderella.

Summary: Sasuke and Neji are both princes adopted to the head Hyuuga family. Naruto and Shikamaru are both servants to the said family. What will happen when they decide to sneak into the princes' birthday ball in disguises? Slash, NaruSasu, ShikaNeji.

A/N: Ok, so here is the fic I've wanted to finish for months and still haven't... Anyways, the idea is basically the one from Cinderella, though with some differences. And 'cause I think the one and only real Cinderella is the one where she goes to the ball three times, so it will be in this fic. This is just a prologue, no way are all chapters of this fic gonna be this short.

So, more A/N at the end. Enjoy.

Announcement

"Excuse me, Neji-san, Sasuke-san."

Pearl eyes shoot up to look at the lady standing in the doorway. "What now, Tenten?"

The lady, apparently a servant some kind, bows shortly. "Hyuuga-sama would like to meet you in his room as soon as possible."

The owner of the pearl eyes - Neji-san, as he was being called by the servant – looks to his right on the bed. There sits a boy, quite beautiful in his own way, black eyes only half-showing under thick eyelashes.

"Tell uncle we will be there right away."

The servant bows again and closes the door behind her.

For a while the two boys sit in a comfortable silence. That is, until the black-eyed one turns his cold gaze towards Neji next to him. "What do you think uncle wants to talk to us about?"

Neji keeps his gaze locked to the painting on the wall. "Sasuke, you surely do know you cannot be the rightful ruler of your kingdom until you are married."

It was no question. Sasuke stands lightly up, his pale feet making only the slightest of sounds while touching the soft carpet. He then steps forward, a step, another, until stopping. His hand on the knob of the door, long fingers wrapping themselves around it, he stops and turns around to face the pearl-eyed boy still on the bed.

"Neji."

A slight rustle as the covers move. Silently Neji follows Sasuke to the door, through it, both of them thinking about the future they were to have.

"Shikamaru!"

Short silence. Then, again…

"Shikamaru!"

A silent grunt. Apparently the boy – it was a boy's voice, no doubt about that – shouting for someone called 'Shikamaru' heard the grunt, for steps could be heard changing their way and going towards where the noise was made.

"Damn you, Shikamaru, why didn't you say anything!" In comes a blonde boy, his blue eyes shining with happiness. "I was looking all over for you, and here you are, SLEEPING, while I had to do your work too and cover up for you and…"

"How troublesome", mumbles the 'Shikamaru' to the table. Though looking like a brown pineapple been left to the table it is kind of obvious that this 'Shikamaru' is not a fruit but a man. "What do you want, Naruto?"

"Oh yeah, y'know what I found? A way to get free ramen!" The blonde starts to jump around the large kitchen, hitting his fists in the air and shouting: "Ramen, ramen, ramen..!" so on and on, until Shikamaru stops him with a command.

"Shut up."

The jumping stops, but the noise doesn't. "Blee-eh, Shikamaru, you're no fun." Naruto crosses his arms and turns around, pouting, showing the backside of his britghtly orange outfit to his lazy friend. Then he turns again, big grin on his face as if he had just remembered something. "Oh yeah, almost forgot. Look what I found!" From a bright orange pocket of his trousers Naruto digs up a wrinkled paper and gives it to Shikamaru.

"An announcement about prince Neji and Sasuke's birthday ball?" reads Shikamaru and looks questionly at Naruto. "Where did you get this?"

Naruto grins widely. "There were many on the walls, I just took one."

As Shikamaru continues to read, his eyes widen slightly. '…blahblah… feast… blah… males need an invite… all ladies welcome…' Shikamaru lifts his head and with slightly irritated look stares at Naruto.

"Eheh… Wanna come with me?" Naruto laughs and rubs the back of his head.

"Males need an invitecard, remember", grunts Shikamaru, his head on the table as if sleeping. But his brains are working just fine. 'He can't be serious. No, he can't be thinking about that…'

"But all ladies welcome even without."

'Damn it, he was.'

A/N: The name Suki Suki Daisuki (like like love) is a name from one of Youko Kamio's manga, which I haven't read myself. I think it fits this story perfectly, for three times Naruto and Shikamaru will go to the ball and each time the relationship between them and the princes' deepens. So there, the story behind the name.

Feel free to comment on my typos and such. There may be some, for my only beta was my computer...