Naruto stood before the boy whom he had beaten in the chunin exams. Neji had grown quite a bit in the three years that Naruto had been training. Of course the same could be said about Naruto. Both boys stood at five feet ten inches tall. Naruto looked at Neji with a wicked smirk on his face. Neji wasn't as arrogant now. Naruto could read it all over the older boys body. He actually seemed quite laid back. His long dark brown hair seemed to flow from his head like a waterfall, and those beautiful opalescent white eyes gazed at Naruto inquisitively.
"Why did you ask me here Naruto-san?" Neji asked without breaking formality.
"Why do ninja usually go to bars together?" Naruto asked rhetorically.
"I would imagine to drink but I've never been inside of a bar." Neji said eying Naruto contemplatively.
Naruto gave a feral smirk, and said. "Well usually they do, yeah."
Neji looked at him and had to quickly squish a blush. It didn't matter if it was Naruto or not, Hyuuga's didn't blush! Well at least none but Hinata. However Neji didn't! He however could, and would, admit that smirking like that with his birthmarks gave Naruto an otherworldly sexiness. He followed Naruto in feeling a bit reluctant. He frowned as he followed the blonde into the bar. He frowned even harder at the name. Honestly who named a bar the rainbow kunai? He brushed it off and followed Naruto to a booth in the far back. He wasn't really paying attention to what was going on around him, obviously these people came here to wind down from their missions why would what their doing be any of his business?
Naruto waved over a waitress. Neji noticed that she was small and willowy with quite a few facial piercings and short spiky hair. She was pretty but not his cup of tea. He smiled politely, but turned back to Naruto. As Naruto order a bottle of top shelf hot saki, Neji took the time to look over Naruto's appearance. He wore a pair of black slacks, a baby blue button up shirt, and a pair of shined black shoes. When the waitress had gone to retrieve the order Naruto grinned.
"Like what you see Neji?" He asked playfully. Neji flushed at being caught at such a casual glance.
"You look very...dignified." Neji said slowly like he was afraid to say anything more.
Naruto sighed in exasperation. Neji looked at him inquisitively. "Do you not want to be here, with me Neji?" Naruto asked looking a tab bit hurt. Neji quickly shook his head.
"No that's not it I just don't know what it is you want. Why did you ask me to meet you at a bar? " Neji asked trying to convoy that he just didn't understand.
Naruto looked at Neji with a deadpanned expression. "Wow and people say I am dense." he muttered. "Neji I asked you here...as a date."
Neji shook back like he had been struck. Naruto wanted him to go on a date? Really? He tried his hardest to figure out why. It made no sense. Sure he had thought about the blonde constantly since Naruto had handed him his ass in the chunin exams, but Naruto wanted to go on a date with him? It made no sense. Naruto had been trying to get Naruto to date him for years. So why Neji? Why now? In his thought process he never noticed Naruto smile sadly, and get up from the booth. When next Neji looked up the waitress was standing over him looking slightly confused. She handed him the bottle of saki and left. Neji quickly activated his Byakugan to try to find Naruto, but it was to late the mischievous blonde was gone. Neji walked out of the bar, carrying the bottle of saki with him. He was dead set on going to Naruto's house to make things right only to realize he had no idea where the enigmatic blonde lived.
Neji plodded forlornly back to the Hyuuga clan compound. He walked passed the guards, and into the house. He passed the dining room where the main branch of the family was enjoying dinner. He was going to go straight to his room. However his plan was derailed when he heard.
"Nephew how was your meeting with Uzumaki?"
Neji sighed. Only his uncle would call that out in front of the entire main branch of the clan. He turned and opened the door. He bowed low on the floor, then told his tale.
"And when I came out of my musings he was gone." Neji concluded not daring to look at his cousin. He knew she would be crushed by the revelation that her crush was apparently gay.
"And just how did you feel about this 'date'?" Hiashi asked in a commanding tone.
"I feel that it could have gone a lot better if I wasn't so confused." Neji said without actually thinking through what he said. Then it dawned on him when he heard the sharp inhalation of a collective breath. He paled drastically upon realizing that he had just let the fact that he wasn't quite as straight as they wanted in this clan of homophobes. He cringed as he waited to feel the pain of his seal activate, but it never came. He dared to look up and saw exactly what he expected on all the faces but two. One was Hiashi, who had a look of amusement in his eyes. He gave Neji his superior smirk. The other was strangely enough Hinata. She wore a knowing smile and a generally happy mood, something that cause Neji to go for a loop.
"May I retire for the night Hiashi-sama?" Neji asked hurriedly.
"Of course nephew. I imagine you have had a trying day." Hiashi said with a smile.
Neji bowed out of the room and beat a dignified, but hasty retreat. When he got into his room he laid down on his bed trying to calm his still ferociously beating heart. It took him three hours of meditation to finally calm down enough to get some sleep.
The next three days caused Neji the utmost discomfort. Between Hinata not leaving him alone and most of the main branch treating him like trash. He got no rest at home. So he spent most of his free time out in the village, or more specifically at his old team training grounds. Since the three of them had all made chunin the rarely got to practice together anymore. They were often sent on separate missions and rarely got to do much together. Granted they still got sent on missions with Gai-sensei, but they were few and far between as Gai-sensei was an elite jonin and was called for a lot of high priority missions. It wasn't like they needed him to hold their hands anymore. He was currently working through a new kata that had a few kinks in it when Gai-sensei showed up at the training grounds.
"There you are Neji I've been looking all over for you." He said as he stood to the side to allow Neji to finish his kata. Neji finished the last three moves and finished the kata with a rising palm strike, and a loud HYA! Then he frowned. He had done it wrong again.
"Your feet are to far apart at the finishing sequence you need to bring you right foot in about three inches to regain fluidity." Gai-sensei said just loud enough for him to here. Neji thought about what Gai-sensei had just said and nodded his thanks, only to freeze up. It hit him like a ton of bricks. Even when he was a bratty fate focused little genin Gai-sensei had always tried to help him. Whether it was Neji trying to reverse engineer the gentle fist fighting style or his attitude or even when he passed out from training to hard.
"Do you have a few moments to talk Gai-sensei?" Neji asked giving the green clad jonin his full attention. Gai looked at his student, he noted the absolute serious look on Neji's face and gave a shallow nod. Neji opened his mouth and began to explain slowly, but by the time he was done it had turned into a full blown therapy session. He finally broke out of the rant and looked at his sensei begging for a person who honestly cared for him as a person and not as a political pawn. He conveniently didn't think about Hinata in this.
"Neji I would advise the first thing that you do be to find out just what your feelings are for young Naruto-kun. He like you has had a very hard life, and I would hope you can have your answer soon. The reason I was looking for you was because we have a mission to back up team seven rescuing the Kazekage from the Akatsuki. Also I want you to know Neji. As long as I am physically able to I will be here for you. The same goes for Lee and Tenten. You are the closest I'll probably ever have to children. And I am proud of you regardless of what you choose."
"Thank you sensei. For everything." Neji said with a small smile. Gai gave him a smile of his own.
"Now get ready for a mission we'll be leaving in half an hour." Gai said before he left the training ground.
Neji stood before Naruto. They had completed the mission and where about to set out to return to Konoha. The rest of the group stood off to the side on the main road, but Neji had pulled Naruto off to the side. He looked deep into the cerulean eyes that were currently studying his own.
"Naruto I would like to go on a date with you. I wasn't upset at the bar I was confused. When I looked up you were gone." Neji said quickly.
Naruto looked at Neji for a moment before nodding. He leaned in slowly, watching to see if Neji would pull away, but the white eyed boy didn't. In fact he leaned in. their lips met in a slow chaste kiss. That quickly evolved into Neji pushing Naruto up against the wall of a building, and pressing as much of his body into the blondes own as possible. The kiss was savage and feral. And oh so satisfying. They pulled apart reluctantly and looked deep into each others eyes. The heard a thump and turned to see Tenten laying on the ground, beside the rest of the two teams and the sand siblings. Most were shocked, the noted exceptions were Gai-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, and Gaara. They each wore a smile. Neji smiled and wrapped an arm around Naruto's waist. The rest of the world could burn for all he care it was his turn to be happy.