A/n: Oh, hey. Um... I'm not dead?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, any of the characters named within, and i am not making any money from this story.


Hinata Hyuuga's scream of abject horror pierced the air as cell phone cameras clicked and flashed. A low whoop was heard from some lucky person who had captured the entire scene on video. Calm, collected business mogul Hiashi Hyuuga punching someone! And not only did Hiashi punch someone, it happened to be his wayward nephew's boyfriend! And Neji...the unattainable Neji Hyuuga had a male lover! Hurried, whispered conversations erupted all over the grand ballroom. This was big news; countless people began to calculate how to use the new information as leverage in their deals and plans with the Hyuuga family. The Hyuuga's concerns, however, were of the more immediate sort.

Hiashi cursed his sore hand, shaking it to rid himself of the tingle that shot through his knuckles and vibrated up the length of his arm. Neji cried, "LEE!" then rounded on his elder. "UNCLE! How dare you strike him? How dare you?"

Lee had been pushed backward by the blow, but managed to stay on his feet. He wobbled a bit drunkenly as he touched his fingertips to the warm, trickling liquid that appeared on his upper lip. He sniffed. "I am fine, Neji. It will take more than that to rid yourself of me, Hiashi Hyuuga. My youth will trump your attacks, in the end."

Hiashi narrowed his eyes and growled at the impertinent pup. "You would dare defy me?" He took a threatening step forward; Neji blocked his path. He sneered down at his nephew. "You would protect him?"

"I love him," Neji said, nary a waver in his voice.

"You are no Hyuuga," Hiashi declared. Gasps were heard around the room. "I deny you, disown you, loathe you. Remove the rest of your things from the mansion, hand over your bank cards and your keys, and stay out of my sight."

"Hiashi," Sasuke cut in smoothly. "Is that wise, at a time such as this?" He waited for the Hyuuga elder's pale eyes to train on him, then waved a hand at the crowd. "This discussion is best left for another time. Not to mention, you are ruining Naruto's party."

Hiashi deflated, but grit his teeth in anger and embarrassment. He jabbed a finger at his brother's child. "This is not over. You have not won. You will get nothing from me."

"I have Lee," Neji declared. "He is enough." Turning his back on his uncle, he wrestled the handkerchief from his jacket pocket and pressed it gently to Lee's face. "I am so sorry," he whispered to the other male.

"It is not your fault. Not completely." Lee chuckled dryly and leaned closer, placing his lips close to Neji's ear. "Your fans are watching. Better give them a show," he whispered, noting the instant clench of Neji's jaw. He pressed light kisses to that pained face, and withdrew, wincing at the pain in his face. Louder, he said, "I need to see to my injury. If you would accompany me, my love?"

Neji, not trusting his voice, merely nodded, and led Lee from the room.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a look. Naruto, visibly upset, cleared his throat and forced a smile. "Nay, Sasuke...it's time to serve dinner isn't it? I sure hope you remembered to put ramen on the menu."

Sasuke smirked indulgently and snaked his arm around his boyfriend's waist. "Just for you." His glare turned cold as he looked at Hiashi again. "You have two choices at the moment, Hyuuga. You sit down and enjoy the feast I've prepared for my boyfriend's birthday, without harassing Neji and Lee, or you can be escorted from the premises. Permanently."

Hiashi worked his jaw. "We will discuss this further, Uchiha."

"Hn."

Gaara stared at the spot Neji and Lee had stood on in disbelief, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. The red-haired male was silent, but his anger radiated off of him like steam. Dimly, he requested the Uchiha telling people to take their seats as dinner was about to be served. He flinched when a strong hand clapped his shoulder.

"Gaara," Naruto crooned. "You don't want the food to get cold, right? C'mon, I think your table's this way."

"Unhand me," Gaara said, his voice dangerously low.

Naruto reeled, yanking his hand away as if he had been burned. "I just-"

"Don't."

The blond male sighed. "Right."

Neji wrung out the the bloodied cloth into the gleaming, black marble sink. He avoided looking into the mirror at his own still visible bruises as he ran the cloth under the gushing, cold water. Squeezing out the excess water, he twisted the tap into the off position, and crossed the tile floor to the male resting on the bathroom couch with his head tilted back to stanch the flow of blood from his nose. Neji folded the soiled, damp cloth into a smallish square and laid it gently upon Lee's face.

Lee chuckled mirthlessly. "What a pair we make," he commented.

Neji grunted in response, afraid to speak. "Hn."

"I read the beautiful letter you left for me, my friend, and I want to say, I understand." Lee cracked open one eye. "I want to say that I understand," he stressed, "but, alas, I cannot." He looked away from the crestfallen look on Neji's beautiful face, directing his gaze to the ceiling tiles. "I will, however, grant your request. I will pretend to be your lover, and I will give you a chance to prove yourself. I do have conditions," Lee warned, "and they are not to be taken lightly. If you fail the tasks I set for you, then you must do 200 jumping jacks with one leg."

Neji, heart thumping painfully hard, sat down next to Lee and took his hand. "Anything, Lee. Just, please…"

"You will return to my apartment, but you will not sleep in my bed."

Neji swallowed. "I understand."

"You must work at the clinic with me, showing the people the power of perseverance and youth."

"I...what? Yes," Neji corrected himself. "Yes, I will. Anything else?"

"You must apologize to your uncle for shaming him and besmirching your family name."

Neji dropped Lee's hand like it was one fire. "You want me to what?" he hissed. "Are you insane?"

Lee flicked a cold gaze to his would-be lover. "Do we have a deal, my oldest and dearest friend? I will allow you to parade me about and give you a chance to prove...what you said in the letter...if you do these things."

Neji did not know how he had lost control of the situation so easily. He cared for Lee, and was truly apologetic for what he had done after graduation, but this was too much, too soon. Apologize to the man that publicly disowned him? "Lee-"

"Do we have a deal, Neji?"

Neji ground his teeth together so hard that he thought they would crack. "Deal," he hissed, then took a deep breath. This was he had wanted; so why did it feel so bitter on tongue? "Lee-"

"Shh." Lee inhaled sharply, testing his nose. "It is extremely luck that your uncle did not break it," he said, waving a hand at his bruised face. He turned to Neji, and lifted a slightly shaking hand. He traced the Hyuuga male's regal features and sighed. "I did love you once," he whispered, letting the pale gaze bore into him. "And maybe I still do. You have no idea what you are doing to me."

"Tell me," Neji said, placing his hand over Lee's. "I want to understand."

But Lee only shook his head and stood, gently removing his hand from Neji's face. "We have a dinner to attend." He held out his hand; Neji stared at it, as if expecting it to bite. "We are lovers; we must act the part."

Neji bit his lip to stop the words "but I don't want to act!" from spilling out. Instead, he placed his hand in Lee's, allowing the other male to pull him up. Arranging his face into a secretive smirk, he smoothed his hair and clothes, and followed the man he loved back into the ballroom for dinner.