Hi. I'm sorry. So very sorry. I haven't updated in like four months now, and I promised myself that I wouldn't do that. I always get mad at other writers because they haven't updated their fic and now, I haven't updated and you're all probably pissed.

Now, I realise I have made a mistake because I updated Going Away, instead of this.

Anyways, on with the story!


Leaving Me

Naruto sighed as he raked a hand through his hair in distress. His hand hesitated on the doorknob of his room door, because when it eventually opens, he will be faced with his friends, as concerned with his emotional state and…..thinking about his…..manly parts. Naruto snorted as he remembered the faces that his friends made when they saw him naked.

'Serves them right for barging into my room with no permission'

After a few more minutes of internal debate, he opened the door and stepped out of it, closing the door behind him. He sighed very subtly and looked at his friends who had pity in their eyes.

Suddenly, anger overcame him and he placed a hand up to stop any of them from speaking.

"No. Stop right there. I don't want your pity. I don't want your condolences. I don't want your fake reassurances. So stop. Just stop" he said, looking at each of them with coldness in his eyes.

Surprisingly, Ino was the only one without pity in her eyes and he was grateful for that and decided to smile at her. The other blonde smiled back at him and he turned back to his friends feeling slightly better. The rest of Konoha 12 had their faces devoid of emotion and he looked at each and every one of them, this time stopping at Neji who never had any emotion on his face from the moment he walked in.

As the two looked at each other, Neji's face still held no emotion and Naruto's face hardened as he wanted to glare at the boy, but he didn't want Tenten to get hate because of him being selfish.

"Naruto" Sakura said, trailing off before she sighed.

Kiba, deciding to be the spokesperson, stepped forward and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder.

"We're here for you man. Hard times come and go but if you have friends, then you can get through them. So we're here for you, you can confide in us" he said suddenly showing maturity.

Naruto stared at Kiba in surprise due to his hidden wisdom. Ino coughed and walked forward and pushed Kiba's hand off of Naruto's shoulder.

"He practiced that before we got here" she said, glaring at Kiba.

Naruto stood silent for a while and they wondered if he was okay. Suddenly, he smiled and started laughing, so much that he had to bend over and hold his stomach. He laughed so much that tears formed in little pools in the corner of his eyes. He wasn't laughing and crying because of his pent-up emotions about his break-up with Tenten. He was crying due to the idiocy of it all.

Just the sheer, utter idiocy of everything.


Later on in the day, most of his friends had left but only two people had stayed. Ino and Neji. Ino because she felt he needed support and Neji because he needed to speak to him.

When Ino went to change, Neji and Naruto were left in a heated silence as the two men stared at each other in concealed distaste.

Naruto could remember years ago, back to the Chunin Exams when he had just met Hyuuga Neji and Rock Lee. Not Tenten, because he knew Tenten way before that. He vividly recalled beating Neji's ass and teaching him a lesson. He practically ripped him a new one and beat the stick out of his ass and made him change his mindset and see the world as he does now.

But, this is how he repays him. By hurting him in the worst way possible way by taking his girlfriend. He supposed it was only fair. Naruto took away his 'fate', Neji took away his life purpose.

"Sorry"

Naruto was brought out his trance by that one word. That one word. And it was that one word that made him snap. In an instant, he was in Neji's face, his own face showing so much hate and fury. He gripped his shirt with one hand and had his nails digging into his right bicep with the other hand.

"Are you serious Neji? Sorry? That's all your sorry ass can say to me? Even a "Didn't mean to" would have been less of a punch in the face. I practically made you who you are today and you are now making me question whether or not I should have saved you!" Naruto hissed in his face, his words going deep into Neji as he contemplated if he shouldn't be doing this.

"Naru-" the Hyuuga tried to speak, but Naruto just let go of him and pushed him towards the door, making him stumble a bit before catching himself.

"Just-just go Neji. Outside of occasional glances and missions, I don't feel like being associated with you anymore. But just because of this Hyuuga-san, I don't want you to treat Tenten any differently. Treat her with respect and don't judge her harshly if she does something wrong. Love her, you asshole and don't be cold to her, because I will cut you if you do and if you hurt her, just be ready to meet your father again" Naruto said before walking away from the stunned Hyuuga in his living room.

Slowly, Neji walked out of Naruto's apartment, shutting the door softly. It was then Ino stepped out from the room, in shorts and a baggy t-shirt. Her eyes were half wide, and half narrowed, yet shock was shown in them clearly. She looked towards Naruto was sat in a chair in the kitchen, his chin in his hands.

Ino sighed before walking towards him and standing in front of him with her arms crossed. He looked at her for a while before he raised an eyebrow. She uncrossed her arms and placed one on her hip before pointing to his living room.

"Go sit there" she said bluntly.

He just looked at her before smiling and breaking into a low chuckle. Ino watched him get up from his chair and go to sit on one of the couches in his living room. She then turned around and started to open his cupboards, taking out all of his sake bottles and putting them on a tray before walking into the living room and sitting next to Naruto and placing the tray on the table in front of them.

She opened two bottles then passed one to Naruto who looked at her weirdly. She clinked her bottle with Naruto's and started to chug down the alcohol, not even waiting for Naruto to start his. After a few minutes, the male blonde sighed and started to pour the bitter sake down his throat.

And from there, they were in a drunken haze.


Woo! Finally I have updated this story and I'm really sorry it has taken ages. It's short and I know and I'm sorry. This was supposed to come out yesterday, but I got confused and put out Going Away chapter 3 instead. It was purely incidental. It is currently 1:04am on Wednesday and I will update this at 4:35pm on Thursday because I have school : )

Thanks, Love and Kisses, R&R

Ja ne!