Author's Note:

Hello readers. I hope so far the story is enjoyable. You probably wouldn't have read this far if it weren't...

So yeah… Enjoy.

Chapter Ten: The Siblings Arrive.

Sasuke was not sure what to expect when Gaara's brother and sister arrived. Sure, he was Gaara's friend but he'd never met any of the red-head's family, and visa versa. There was no way Sasuke would ever introduce anyone to his family. His family were… for lack of a better word, strange. Their Uchiha ways were completely exclusive to other peoples, and Sasuke had a deep hatred for those ways. His brother, Uchiha Itachi, and he didn't have a bad relationship exactly… but there was no way you could call it good; so yes, Sasuke had no idea of what to expect from Gaara's siblings, his own being somewhat of an asshole.

Temari and Kankuru had quite the opposite relationship with Gaara than Itachi had with Sasuke, and Sasuke found himself glowing green with envy at the obvious love between the three.

"You look thin, Gar. Have you been eating enough?" Temari fussed over her little brother as he stood staring un-amused at Kankuru.

"Leave him alone, Tem. He just has a small build," Gaara cringed as Kankuru pulled him into a big bear hug, lifting him off the ground completely. "Isn't that right, little bro." Kankuru put his brother down, messing the red mop on top of Gaara's hair as he did so.

"Ugh, you two are so weird." Gaara frowned and straightened his already immaculate clothes, which although they were holiday clothes still managed to look gothic.

Temari ignored his comment. "Honey perhaps you should think about leaving the heavy eyeliner off while you're here." She said "You look depressed." The blonde licked one of her thumbs and proceeded to try and wipe off some of the black from around Gaara's eye.

"Ew get away!" I can see the rest of this week is going to be tedious, Gaara thought to himself.

"Kankuru, the bus looks even cooler than last summer!" Kiba's excited voice blasted out the bus doors as he searched through the vehicle for any changes. "Aw man! You guys have a TV?!"

Kankuru was beginning to set up a shade which attached to one side of the bus. "It doesn't work most of the time!" Kankuru called out to Kiba, dragging a small couch from out of the baggage compartment under the bus. With the help of Kiba, he pulled two more out and set them up under the shade. The two flopped down onto one of them, satisfied that their work was done, and looked over at the group swarming around Temari.

Temari went to a different University to everyone else, so seeing her was a rarity. Also her school seemed to have much more gossip-worthy stuff going on, so when she came on summer vacation everyone wanted to hear what had happened during the year.

"… so everyone was already super drunk, and this one guy was like 'let's play **Possum', and of course we all think it's a brilliant idea. So we all go outside, some people can't even stand up properly they're so pissed, and people start clambering up trees and…" Temari trailed off, catching sight of Shikamaru skulking back from the river with Chouji, obviously trying to avoid her.

"What happened next, Tem?!" Naruto yelled unable stand the suspense any longer. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the childish antics of the blonde, but secretly wanted to hear the rest of the story too. There was a chorus of 'Yeah's and 'C'mon Tem's, but Temari's attention was on Shika now. She barged through the group surrounding her and stormed towards him.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered, seeing her coming. This is exactly what he didn't want to happen. Why couldn't she just ignore him like she used to?

Chouji sensed the conflict approaching and slinked away, deciding that now was the time for some food. He heard a hissed "Traitor." From Shikamaru as he disappeared.

"Oh Heh-Hey Temari…" Shika said as the dangerous blonde stalked over. He only had time to notice her loose-fitting summer clothes and her signature hairstyle of four bunches of spiked hair tied up before he heard a sound like a whip cracking. He stood stunned for a moment, not entirely sure what had happened. Then he felt it; a stinging pain spread across his left cheek and slowly he raised his hand to it. Tears pricked his eyes.

"What the heck was that for?!" He yelled.

Temari folded her arms across her chest, disguising her now red hand that hurt from slapping him. "You never called." She said as if he was an idiot not to know something so obvious. Satisfied, Temari swirled around and made her way back to the group of friends who were obviously enjoying the show. Far too much, in Shikamaru's opinion.

"Troublesome." Shikamaru muttered, rubbing his red cheek as he watched Temari saunter across the clearing. "So very troublesome."

Sasuke leaned back and felt the sun bathe him in warmth. Beside him Naruto stood, skimming stones across the river.

"Seven! Seven that time, Sasuke! Did you see?!" the boisterous blonde yelled. Sasuke rolled his eyes but smiled.

"Hn."

"Sasuke, not everyone speaks 'cryptic Uchiha'! What's 'Hn' supposed to mean?!" Ino called from the water. "And Naruto, stop skimming the stones so close to me!"

"They aren't close at all!" Naruto yelled back. He and Ino then began to have a competition, and from what Sasuke concluded, the winner would be the one to yell the loudest and most offensive comment. Strange people, Sasuke thought as he ran his eyes down Naruto's bare back. Strange, yes. But also extremely sexy.

Sasuke wondered if Naruto was feeling weird about last night. He didn't seem it, but Sasuke of all people knew that what someone appeared to be on the outside weren't always their true feelings. Perhaps I should talk to him about it… Or maybe he'll bring it up…

"Let's go for a walk."

Neji looked up in surprise. A hand extended to him and he took it. Gaara pulled him up from where he was sitting. "A walk?" Neji questioned.

"Yes. A walk." Gaara looked over to the left where a path led away from the river.

"Okay."

Temari sat down beside Sasuke, gathering her skirt beneath her as she did so.

"We haven't actually met before…" She began.

"I'm Sasuke." The raven said, staring straight ahead at Naruto drowning in the water. He'd dived in, only to be attacked by a savage Ino.

"I'm Temari." She smiled. Sasuke was a lot like Gaara. "You must think I'm some kind of psycho, slapping Shika like that and then–"

"I'll reserve judgement till I know you better." Sasuke interrupted. They sat in silence for a few moments. "I am curious to know why you slapped him…"

"Ah yes…" Temari smiled bitterly. "So is everyone else."

Gaara grabbed Neji's hand and laced their fingers together. They said nothing to each other, just walked, both liking the soft moss on the path cushioning their bare feet.

The path wasn't the one that lead back to the clearing, and they walked along it for an hour. Neither said a word, nor made a move to unlatch from the other's hand. Birds chattered and hopped about above them in the branches of the trees.

"Um… So…" Neji started but he lost his train of thought as the path curved to the left and they found themselves facing a little valley with a river flowing through the middle. There was a small waterfall falling steeply onto several levels of rock and then into a clear, sparkling pool beneath.

"That's really pretty." Neji said. Gaara squeezed his hand a little.

"You thirsty?" The red-head asked, his usually impassive eyes glinting with mischief.

"I'm parched." Neji replied.

"I can't believe he'd do something like that, Sakura." Tenten rubbed the pink-haired girl's back, trying to comfort her.

"Well he did!" Sakura exclaimed. "And that pale," Sakura sobbed "exceedingly handsome slimeball is being a smug bastard about it! Who even invited him?!"

"S-Sakura…" Hinata placed her hand on Sakura's. "Y-you and Naruto w-weren't actually t-together…"

Tenten gasped. "Hinata! You can't just say th–"

"No, she's right. We weren't." Sakura sighed. Tenten brushed Sakura's hair that was hanging in front of her face behind her ear.

"You two were still… involved." Tenten spoke softly.

"Yeah that's what gets me. He led me on. Pretended to like me…"

"Sakura!" Hinata cried out. "It wasn't pretend!" The shy girl blushed at her sudden outburst. She fiddled with her dark hair, unsure of how to proceed. "Its j-just… you know… H-he didn't have a-any obligation to you…"

"Cause we weren't together. Yeah I know." Sakura hugged her arms around her knees. I know.

Temari lay back, folding her arms under her head to rest on them. "Yeah so, it made me pretty mad that he didn't call… I mean, you'd be mad too, right?"

"Can't say I've ever been in such a position as that, but sure." Sasuke said.

"Don't tell anyone about this, kay? I mean, everyone's gonna find out eventually, but yeah… I'm not ready for them. They're like vultures, you know. When there's gossip around I can guarantee they'll be there… circling above, and swooping down to pick at all the juicy details."

"Hn." Sasuke nodded. He was perfectly happy keeping it to himself. Someone had entrusted something to him and it gave him a glowing feeling inside. The raven smiled. I guess this is what friendship is…

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Umm... Yeah so, tell me what you're thinking, 'cause I don't know what I am...

**Possum is a student drinking game, in which you sit in a tree and drink alcohol until you fall out. It was invented in Dunedin (the town where I was born 3), New Zealand (my beautiful country) Oh what geniuses we all are in NZ *sarcasm*.