Chapter 2

"Aw yeah! That's the spot!"

"God! It's so hot! It's so amazing!"

"I feel my youth surge through my body like some beautiful dance of glorious Nature!"

"Would you three shut up and enjoy it in silence!?" snapped Sasuke at Kiba, Naruto, and Lee, who were for the past five minutes extolling praise to the magic waters of the hot springs. "But Sasuke-kun," Naruto pouted, "it feels so good! That kink in my back Ero-sennin gave me for using his research notebook to play hangman has disappeared completely! It's magic I tell you!"

"I don't care. Constantly groaning and moaning like a nauseous frog is not relaxing to the rest of us. Now be quiet."

With that, silence reigned in the pool the eight ninja sat in the chest deep waters. Surrounding half the pool was a rocky outcropping, to obscure view into the women's side probably. A smooth rock and gravel path led to their pool between tall pines with lanterns placed in the lower braches for light. There were a few other pools in sight, but small boulders in between them sort of blocked out prying eyes. Minutes floated off with the steam. Naruto started making little boats out of pines needles and pushed them towards Lee, who would push them back. Shino sat with his shades still on, staring into the dark trees. Neji and Shikamaru laid back with their heads against on the rock, gazing at the bloody clouds in the dusky sky. Gaara sat nose deep in the water with a soaked cloth on his red hair, occasionally blowing bubbles with his mouth. Sasuke sat meditating with his arms thrown onto the rim. Kiba twitched until he growled. "Can we please talk or something? I'm going crazy!"

"How about a game?" suggested Shino. Sasuke flicked one eye open, before closing it again with a nod.

"Truth Or Dare." Came a dark voice from the water. Everyone turned their shocked faces to the speaker. Gaara blinked, "Why not?"

No one could come up with a good enough answer for the redhead, so they all agreed to play. Kiba growled with excitement, finally something fun to do! "All right! I'll go first! Neji," Kiba paused dramatically as the pale eyed boy stonily gazed at him, "Truth, or Dare?"

"Truth."

"How many times a day you wash your hair?"

"The hell kind of question is that?"

Naruto piped in, "Yeah. What's with that, Kiba?"

"Naruto shut up. Neji, answer or take a Dare."

Neji grumbled, "Three times, ok?"

Kiba howled with laughter, while everyone smiled or chuckled. Neji threw death glares all around the pool, deciding on his victim. "Lee. Truth or Dare."

Lee gulped visibly, but pushed his cheery bravado through to compensate. "Truth, my youthful teammate!"

"Who was your first crush?"

"Sakura-san, of course!" Lee exclaimed with a wink and grin.

Everyone around the pool groaned. Naruto again added his two bits to the embarrassing levels of this game. "Dude! Can't you think of something better?"

"Fine," growled Neji "first kiss then."

"But Neji-kun, surely you remember. It was when we were training as genin and you tripped and fell on me."

The pool exploded in outright laughter and snickers. Neji was seriously hating himself for ever going along with this game. "That didn't count you idiot!"

"I thought it did." Lee was so innocent, he just kept on digging his grave with every sentence. "I mean, our mouths were open, and you didn't move for a bit. And—"

"OKAY! LEE IT'S YOUR TURN!" Neji shouted, trying to shut the naïve ninja up. Shikamaru leaned into Neji's ear to whisper something, which caused the long-haired teen to blush.

Lee pursed his lips, trying to think whom to ask. Kiba shot his hand up, bouncing up and down in the water. "Ooh! Ooh! Me!" Lee pointed to Kiba. "Kiba-kun! Truth or Dare of Youth!"

Kiba immediately folded his hands behind his head, leaning back against the rocky surface, trying to look cool after his childish display of eagerness. "I think'" he said languidly, "Dare."

"Yosh! I dare you to hide Asuma-sensei's cigarettes from him!"

Kiba twitched, "Um, Lee? I said dare, not death wish."

Lee's mouth formed a small "o". He splashed back against the wall. "Well. I'm out of ideas." He said cheerfully.

Everyone groaned. Naruto was really getting into this, he was full of ideas for dares. He spoke up, "I take this for you, Lee-kun!"

Lee gave him a thumbs-up. "Go for it, Naruto-kun!"

Naruto grinned wickedly. Kiba gulped down a whimper. "Kiba, I dare you to you to steal Kakashi-sensei's mask by the end of the night."

Kiba winced. He had his pride to look after. He needed to take this one or be forever a wuss. He now wished he had taken the first dare. Stupid pride. "Fine. By bedtime, I'll have it."

"Been nice knowing you, Inuzuka." Scoffed Neji.

"Neji! Truth Or Dare!"

"Again, dog-breath? Fine."

"What's the hottest thing you've seen with Byakugan on?"

"Your sister undressing." Neji said flatly, his eyes twinkling maliciously. Laughter rose around the hot springs. Kiba's face was red with anger. He roared, "Alright! Most embarrassing thing with Byakugan!"

"You undressing." The laughter raised a few decibels. "Seriously Kiba, just because your family isn't home doesn't give you right to walk around naked."

Kiba tried to find his voice through the choking mortification. "H-how did you—"

"I paid a visit one day for the clan, and no one answered. I used Byakugan, since I felt a chakra signature inside. And found you, to my utter scarring."

Kiba clamped his mouth shut. Neji, thoroughly satisfied in humiliating the dog-lover, looked around for fresh meat. Seeing the loudest audience member, he zeroed in. "Naruto, Truth Or Dare."

"Truth! Bring it on!"

Neji smirked, "First crush," Naruto opened his mouth, "on a guy."

Naruto's mouth froze midway through Sakura's name, and Sasuke turned his head round to the blonde. Naruto bent back, scratching his head, now blushing furiously.

"What's wrong, Uzumaki? Kyuubi got your tongue?" Neji prodded. This was too good.

"Please clarify the question."

Neji felt a vein pop on his forehead, and it wasn't Byakugan. "The first guy you wanted to jump."

"Oh. Sasuke." Came the simple reply. Neji's face paled even further, Shikamaru's genius brain short-circuited, Gaara blew an explosion of bubbles onto the pool's surface, Kiba yipped, Shino's glasses cracked, and Lee screamed "Yosh! Naruto's Youthful Honesty is so inspiring!"

And Sasuke sat. He sat quietly next to Naruto, his face turned to the grinning taller blonde, hidden excitement lighting his eyes.

"Yep. Ever since I met him I wanted to jump him and punch his lights out. Especially when he was a particularly angsty bastard." Naruto folded his muscular arms, nodding his assurance. All of a sudden, several splashes came from multiple ninja trying to jump Naruto and pound HIS face into the ground. Struggling with a writhing Kiba, Shino spoke over the foul string of curses directed from the dog-lover. "What Neji-kun meant…was your first romantic… interest in a man."

Naruto blushed and scratched his nose in a perfect imitation of Iruka. "Ah well, then it'd be…"

"PUNISHMENT IS YOU'VE GOT TO KISS SASUKE!" Neji and Kiba were yelling at the top of their lungs, ignoring the backpedaling blonde. Naruto stiffened straight, fear shot through his spine. "WHA--!?"

Before he finished Sasuke's soft lips were pressed against his, smothering any more shouts. Naruto's eyes widened, not noticing how quiet the pool got. He only felt his lower lip being nibbled at softly, Sasuke's tongue brushing over the reddened flesh. Before he had enough time and functioning brain cells to react, Sasuke pulled back as quickly as he had started. Sasuke smirked to the group. "Happy now?"

Getting no response, he threw his head over to the path to see Kakashi and Gai walk up. "Chaperones are coming."

The two chaperones walked to the edge of the sunken pool, Kakashi slouching and Gai threw his trademark Nice Guy Pose as he bellowed, "Yosh! My youthful wards of this vacation! It is now the to enjoy the sumptuous meal that our hosts have gloriously prepared for us! To the dining room!"

Lee hopped up, saluting to his teacher enthusiastically. Unfortunately, his youthful exuberance had removed his towels from around his middle, leaving him in his glorious youth. He turned around to see everyone's blushes. But Gaara was extremely peculiar to the taijutsu master. "Gaara-kun, you're nose is bleeding. Are you all right?"

Lee's attention was pulled to the cough Kakashi was repeating. Kakashi pointed, and Lee looked down. A large blush exploded across his face as he tried to cover up his "youth" while Gaara handed him his towel, a finger stemming the flow from his nose. Gai covered his eyes with one and struck a Nice Guy pose with the other, "Yosh, after Lee's, um, enthuthiastic attempt to leave the hot springs, let us all follow his example with a stronger focus on our surroundings!"

After some blinks and confused stares, Kakashi explained, "Get out or you get no food. And keep a hand on your towels."

"Can we help others keep on their towels?"

"Let's hope that highly trained ninja such as yourselves, Gaara, can manage a towel on their own. Lee, put that back on before you give anyone else any ideas."

Lee fidgeted with his towel, making sure it stayed on, while the others went on to the awaiting dinner. Only Gaara stayed behind to "help". Lee's eyes met Gaara's stare, and burned a more furious red than before. Gaara inched closer, his eye's never leaving the other's, a small predatory smile on his lips. Closer, and then—

"Lee, my pupil! Hurry before the glory of our dinner is diminished by your famished friends!"

"H-hai, Gai-sensei!"

Lee raced off, one hand clutching his small towel as he threw his yukata on. Gaara followed him, his thoughts entirely unreadable to anyone, except that Lee hadn't escaped for long.

Hello, my esteemed readers! I'm so glad you're excited about this story, I am as well. I'd like to thank those wonderful people who've already read, reviewed, and faved this story! It's makes me so happy! The more you tell what you liked and disliked, the better I get!

We have a little fighting between Kiba and Neji in this chapter. Canon-wise, I don't think have much reason to like or dislike each other, but here's my line of thought. One, Neji is cool and collected, while Kiba is brash and rough around the edges; being polar opposites gives a nice feel to the dialogue. Two, of all the other characters I have I this, these two would speak and fight. Lee was out because he's too nice (hugs Lee), Shino and Gaara don't talk much, and Shika wouldn't bother replying more than two syllables. And I love these two.

I'd like to apologize for any offense anyone might take in this chapter, specifically for the sister comment. I do not condone peeping on people's siblings and then commenting on it in front others. Not good manners!

I forgot to say this last post, but the reason I made Naruto tall is that he deserved something nice. And I think he's smexier this way. Poor Naruto-kun isn't the sharpest scissors in the drawer, but that just adds to his charm.

And I think my favorite character to write for is Lee. Youth!

Review please! Tell what you liked! I want to know!