For your amusement and mine Takashi and Hiashi have their own story titled "Old Friends" up and running:)

Also Ri-kat- I have yet to thank you for your consistent comments. I'm glad to know you're reading! Let me know if you have any requests:)


Takashi smiled at Hiashi as they walked, "I really do wish you would reconsider and let us have our lunch outside. It's truly a stunning day." Hiashi glanced over his shoulder briefly and Takashi held his loyal smile.

"She is very much like you. I wouldn't doubt if she suggested they eat outside as well."

Takashi chuckled, "With such a nice day I hope she did. Sunshine is good for young people, and it makes old people feel younger." He gave Hiashi a mischievous grin and Hiashi gave him a small smirk.

"Ah, I see. That must be why you look so young despite being the same age as me," he said with a mocking tone as he opened the door to the room they would be dining in, subtly but officially denying Takashi's request.

"Well, I don't like to give away my secrets." Takashi made no argument and continued the playful banter as he entered the room. "Your own daughters seem to be very different. One much like you and the other taking after her mother."

Hiashi nodded in agreement, "Yes, she does look just like her… your daughter looks like you but inherited your wife's stubborn streak." He pointed out before changing the subject, two widowers dwelling on their dead spouses wasn't the smartest of plans for the meal. "I didn't know that Hinata and Asuka were friends." He said next, genuinely interested in the subject as he sat at the table.

Takashi sat across from him with a wide smile. "Yes, if I recall correctly she even came over here to study once or twice. Asuka was quiet upset when they moved her classes until learning that Neji was in her new class…" Takashi chuckled at the memory of Asuka coming home from school in a huff.

He always encouraged her to be totally herself at home, he had no staff so there were never any on lookers and she was simply allowed to be her instead of playing the roll of a smiling Ehime. As soon as she walked in the door she threw down her bento box and kicked it, her wild curls spinning around her face. He quickly asked the small pink monster what was wrong and she turned to him with her lips pursed in frustration.

"Even though Neji's a Hyuuga he's not nice at all! I sat next to him every day this week and he hasn't said a single word to me! Even though Hinata's shy she introduced herself to me the first day! When we went to the house they were all nice too! Neji must be the only Hyuuga that didn't learn any manners!"

At the time Takashi had struggled not to burst into hysterical laughter as he explained that the people she met at the house were probably serving Hinata so they had to be nice, and that everyone had their own personalities despite being in the same family. As soon as Asuka had left the room though he had doubled over in laughter as he pictured Hyuuga Hiashi being overly friendly and smiling shyly, even when they were young Hiashi had been a tough nut to crack. They very subtly hated each other for a good while in the academy, and though they were often forced to spend time together through their families, they didn't get along until being forced to fight together on a small mission gone wrong. It had of course been more high end mission; a subtle protection detail for a very high class lady who was insanely attractive. The assassin used that as her cover and disguised herself as the lady to slip through the protection detail. Takashi had caught on pretty quickly that she wasn't the real deal and Hiashi was mortified (and nearly had a bloody nose) when Takashi made a move on the "lady" though he caught on soon enough. The fight was won rather quickly and afterwards Takashi had laughed so hard he was crying. Hiashi was soon laughing as well and after that they had agreed to become friends.

That was long before the nasty business of family names had come into play though. At least the way they did today.

"Though, she was admittedly not as taken with Neji. She was under the impression that all Hyuuga's were friendly the way Hinata was and she was… openly disappointed when Neji did not wish to become her friend. Her biggest complaint was that he didn't smile enough." Takashi couldn't keep himself from laughing at the memory and Hyuuga seemed mildly amused as well.

"I imagine she was very shocked by the differences. Perhaps I should have smiled at her." Hiashi's teasing comment made Takashi laugh openly.

"Perhaps you should try smiling at everyone. They might like you a little better." Takashi teased back.

"You are meant to be the life of the party, not me."

Takashi grinned from ear to ear, "Only by name, my friend. If I recall you have been the life of the party more than a few times while we were out on missions."

Hiashi frowned slightly at this comment, "Yes…" he replied sourly.

Takashi mentally cursed; he had ruined the environment by not thinking his statement though. He quickly changed the subject, hoping Hiashi would see his attempt to back track and play along. "Do you think our father's had meetings like this? Deciding if missions were acceptable for our name sakes?"

Hiashi quirked an eyebrow at this question, "Probably, though this is more to keep from putting them in a dangerous situation then to protect our name."

Takashi snorted playfully, "Speak for yourself! Ehime's don't have enemies, I'm just trying to make sure the Ehime name isn't sullied."

Hiashi's face grew a little more serious. "No enemies? Not even Hiwatari?"

Takashi's eyes suddenly grew dark, "That man wouldn't dare request a mission in the Ehime name."

Hiashi's expression remained serious. "He has. In both our names."

Takashi tensed, his jaw clenched shut, "And?"

"I told the Hokage that we would take care of it." Hiashi stated simply, "but by refusing one mission for them we now will have to sort through all that they are assigned." It seemed almost a question, or rather a warning as to what they were doing.

"Hiashi, I will not put my daughter in the same room as that man," Takashi's voice had a warning of it's own and Hiashi nodded in understanding, a silent agreement among father's and old friends.


Neji watched her furiously, white eyes stressed into Byakugan out of habit but intent only on her. He could tell it was making her uncomfortable but he didn't much care. He couldn't believe that Asuka would be so stupid.

The way she spoke to his uncle, a blatant insult to the branch and head family separation, comparing him to Hinata, all with a polite smile on her face. She was lucky that he was seemingly amused by her behavior.

Asuka then took a surprisingly low blow. "Wouldn't you have run for your father?"

Neji's eyes widened slightly and then narrowed in anger. How dare she ask that! He gritted his teeth, thinking of how to respond in front of Lee. He pushed her harder against the wall. She was so small compared to him, though he could tell she had gained a lot of muscle in the last few weeks. Asuka felt as though she could snap under his grip.

Her eyes flashed over to a very tense Lee who stepped forward slightly, intending to intervene and Asuka simply smiled at him, "It's alright Lee." She said his name without an honorific and for some reason that familiarity only made him angrier, the same kind of angry as the way his cousin made her blush.

"It's not alright." He said lowly.

A familiar determined spark lit in her eyes as she looked back at him. "Why? Because of something I said? I handled the situation, nothing I said was untrue," Neji tensed at that statement. "Why do you think my father is here? I will bet you that Guy-sensei will be here later, and that they are currently discussing what missions we can go on. Why? Because the Hyuuga and the Ehime name are going to be attached. Our family's names are tied to everything we do, even yours despite the fact that your family seems to think they can separate you."

Asuka stared him down, and Neji gritted his teeth a little harder. He wanted to throw her into the courtyard, start a fight, and yet… something wanted to keep her between him and the wall. Her long brown curls were loose around her face and spilling over her shoulders with one stray curl sweeping over her cheek bone. She was still blushing some, and that pulled him back to angry.

Why did his cousin make her blush? Was she that weak that a simple wink made her face turn red? A flirtatious compliment and her cheeks were tinged red? His cousin's laid back nature was infuriating, ever since he arrived he neglected all aspects of social class and simply flitted about the house and around the village however he pleased. He gave no regards to the name he bore, or the fact that though he was allowed on the Hyuuga compound he wasn't accepted by the others and his behavior only further alienated him. Admittedly he was in a worse place then Neji was.

Neji didn't talk to Satoshi much though Satoshi often spoke to Neji, and until now he had tolerated it. Now he felt an almost consuming hatred for the man.

"You're uncle isn't mad, I don't understand why you are!" Asuka's voice was on edge, his silence making her nervous. Neji watched the way that determined light flickered in her eyes and realized he was angry for all the wrong the reasons. He should be angry about what she did, how she ran off without asking, spoke to his uncle rudely, got their clumsy teammate involved, and then had the nerve to bring his father into it… Only that was all a side note in his mind.

He stepped back, and Asuka's weight landed on the floor with a soft thud as Neji released his Byakugan.

"Go home." He stated.

For a moment Asuka look like she might argue, but she didn't, she brushed the stray curl from her face and Neji followed the action intently. He had rather enjoyed that stray curl right where it was.

"Fine!" She finally snapped before stomping away. Lee's eyes frantically went from Neji to Asuka a few times and with one lingering look at Neji he fled to follow Asuka.

Neji went straight to his room, not bothering to go pick up the food they had brought out into the courtyard. He quickly closed the door behind him and sank to the floor in silent frustration. He had no reason to be angry the way he was. No not angry. He knew how to handle angry. Neji was jealous, and that was something he was not accustomed to dealing with.