This is a continuation from Chapter 6, I repeat, this is an alternate ending, a new chapter 7. Neji just found out where Sasuke lived and this is the following day. Sasuke is still alive and nothing happened.

A/N: I returned, like I promised I would. I have to say, I think my writing style and image of the characters has changed. I've read and written a lot more, even if it's not in this fandom or on this particular story…more rambling on the bottom…and excuses too.

Summary: the others remark on the relationship between the Hyuuga and the Uchiha.

Warnings: umm…slight OOC since I haven't watched Naruto more than a couple of episodes. Ideas and characters come from fanfics, twisted, I know. Slight yaoi.

Disclaimer: If I owned this, the publishers would have pulled the plug on this story for leaving it to gather dust for so long.

Strained Silence

The day had dawned bright and clear, contradictory to the previous night's downpour. The dew lay sparkling on the ground. In a sunlit clearing near the border of Konoha, two genin cells were practicing together. The sound that filled the air was of thwacks and crashes, occasionally punctuated by swear words.

Ten-Ten threw the kunai at the targets, Sakura stopping them with her chakra before they hit. They exchanged looks before glancing to their left.

Kakashi squatted down, his Icha-Icha Paradise book out of sight. Gai stood beside him, arms crossed and a frown on his face while his 'eternal rival' maintained his blank look. Both were gazing at their respective protégées.

Naruto snarled in frustration, rapidly forming hand seals as he dodged. In a matter of seconds, fifty stood where one had been. Just as fast as they appeared, they vanished, the clones easily snuffed out by the flames that burnt and blackened the grass.

Lee held back a whimper as an unforgiving hand slammed sown at the junction between neck and shoulder. Instead of resisting, he dropped down and rolled away, narrowly missing the foot that would have rushed his breastbone.

Naruto and Lee panted heavily as the watched the geniuses of their respective cells. They had sparred all around the clearing, miraculously missing each other and the girls. Currently, Naruto was at the South side while Lee was across on the North. The two exchanges glances. Confusion, concern and frustration clear in their eyes.

It was a mistake to look away.

Sasuke and Neji WERE hailed as the best in their respective years. The two shinobi had trained so much and so long that they could fight on autopilot. As soon as they say that their prey – sorry – opponent was distracted, they pounced.

Naruto went flying up into the air as Sasuke kicked him under the chin. Lee slammed backwards into a tree from Neji's punch. Sasuke straddled Naruto, keeping him pinned down with his body as Neji similarly immobilized Lee. Both boys froze as kunai were pressed to their necks.

Blue and black eyes widened as they met blood-red and veined white.

"Oi, teme! What's with your eyes?"

"Neji! Why is your Byakugen activated?"

"Enough!" roared Gai. They should know better than to use blood limits during light practice!

The bulky man strode forward quickly, grabbing Neji's shoulder and pulling him away from the taller boy. Wires wrapped around Sasuke's wrists and torso, yanking him off the blonde. Sasuke instinctively cut the wires as he vaulted to his feet. Both boys stared at their sensei as Naruto and Lee rose shakily. The girls watched anxiously from the sidelines. The tense silence was finally broken by Kakashi.

"Well then, let's have Lunch!" he exclaimed cheerily.. Lee, Neji and Ten-Ten blinked in surprise. Naruto, Sakura and Gai relaxed while Sasuke huffed, used to Kakashi's idiosyncrasies. The Uchiha walked to the trees and grabbed his bento before disappearing into the trees.

"Be back in an hour!" Kakashi called after him. the others began slowly moving to their own bentos – with the (obvious exception of Naruto, who let out a whoop and sprinted towards his food. Everyone relaxed and smiled at his behaviour, glad that the tense atmosphere had cleared up.

They sat together in a group, except for Neji who moved away from them to eat his meal in solitude. Everyone exchanged concerned glances, and with a nudge from Ten-Ten, Lee called out to the Hyuuga.

"Neji! Come sit with us! Tell us what you did yesterday!"

That was the wrong thing to say.

Neji whipped round, pinning everyone with a glare so murderous even Kakashi flinched.

"Nothing happened last night Lee," he growled out, "I went home, ate dinner, then went to bed. That's it."

"I thought you left with Sasuke last night?" Gai asked in confusion. Kakashi winced at his rival's lack of tact when Neji's glare intensified.

"You went home with Sasuke?!" Naruto exclaimed amazed. "Did you see where he lives? Can you tell us – or better yet, show us?" The blonde whimpered as he received the full force of the Hyuuga's fierce glare.

"No," Neji ground out. "We parted ways at a cross-roads."

"Wh-where?" Naruto stuttered out. Neji's eyes narrowed and he gulped audibly.

"I can't remember." His tone suggested they didn't pursue this conversation unless they wanted to get ripped to shreds. Figuratively and literally.

What a pity Kakashi never listened. To anyone.

"So, what happened between you and Sasuke?" the white-haired man queried nonchalantly. " You guys hit it off pretty well too." Neji slammed the lid on his bento and grabbed it with white-knuckled fists. "It was amazing how close the two of you got in such a short time," the copy-nin continued mercilessly. Their audience watched with bated breath. "But today you guys haven't even so much as looked at each other." Neji leapt to his feet, shaking uncontrollably. "So, Hyuuga," Kakashi finished, almost absentmindedly, "care to tell us what really happened?"

"Nothing. Happened." Neji hissed venomously. Suddenly, he whirled around, his pony-tail whipping the air. He stormed off into the forest – in the opposite direction from Sasuke.

There was silence until the sounds of Neji crashing through bushes and trees had faded away.

"Well," chirped Kakashi, his visible eye forming an upside-down 'u', "that went well."

"What!" exploded Ten-Ten. "How did that go well?" Sakura nodded in agreement.

"Both Sasuke-kun and Neji-san are now so mad that they won't speak to us, never mind each other!"

"Uh, yeah, what they said." Added Naruto. "I think you should leave them alone Kaka-sensei. You'd only make it worse…again…"

"But we must help them!" Exclaimed Lee, juping up and striking his pose.

"I agree!" Gai also jumped up and struck a pose next to his student. "We must reconcile their youthful spirits!" Everyone was temporarily blinded by their dazzling smiles.

"Gai-sensei! That is exactly how I feel!" cried Lee – literally.

"Lee!" Gai yelled back, tears running down his face as he embraced his student.

"And how exactly do you propose we do that?" snapped Ten-Ten.

"Especially after what happened this morning," mumbled Naruto. Everyone thought back to what happened when they had assembled.

flashback

"Where is he?" Naruto moaned. "He should have been here ages ago!"

"Who?" interjected Ten-Ten, he eyes glued to the curve of the path. "Sasuke or Kakashi?"

"Both!"

"Neji's late too," mused Lee. "And he's usually here early."

"Same with Sasuke," added Sakura. "He's usually the first one here. I wonder what happened…"

"And where's Kaka-sensei? Gai-sensei! Shouldn't you know since you live with him?"

"No clue!" Gai shrugged expressively. "He always disappears in the morning and doesn't come back 'til after dark."

"Argh!" this is so frustrating!"

"Hey there's Neji!" Lee yelled suddenly. "Neji! Neji!"

"Why are you so late?" Ten-Ten asked in concern. "Did something happen?"

"Didn't get enough sleep last night." muttered the Hyuuga. And it showed. His pristine clothes were slightly rumpled while his eyes were bleary and tinged pink instead of the normal black white.

"Ah! That is terrible!" Gai moaned theatrically. "Tell me my student, what caused this unrest to your youthful sleep?"

"The weather." the white-eyes boy answered shortly. Before Gai or Lee could continue, Sakura's shout interrupted them.

"Sasuke-kun! Sasuke-kun!"

"Oi, teme! Where've you been?"

"Shut up dobe!" Sasuke snapped. He was in just as bad shape as Neji. His clothes were also rumpled as if he had slept in them and his hair was less spiky than usual. His normally bright eyes were shadowed by drooping eyelids and he moved rather sluggishly.

"Teme?" asked Naruto tentatively, "what happened?"

"Over-slept." Sasuke grumbled.

Both Sasuke and Neji were saved further interrogation by the arrival of Kakashi, who appeared in a puff of smoke. The Copy-nin smiled brightly and cheerfully suggested that they make their way to the training grounds.

3 hours later, Sasuke and Neji were beating the stuffing out of their respective team-mates.

end flashback

"And they haven't even looked each other's way since!"

"Hmm…" hummed Kakashi.

"I know that expression!" Gai announced, striking a pose. Kakashi merely stared at him, as did the four teens.

"How could you…all he said was 'hmm'." Ten-Ten asked in puzzlement.

"Because," Gai exclaimed, striking yet another pose, "Kakashi is my eternal rival and I know all his tricks!"

"I never doubted you Gai-sensei!" Gai took a moment to offer his protégé a dazzling grin before turning to the younger man and pointing dramatically.

"You have a plan!" The four genin looked between the two me, then finally settled for staring at Kakashi.

"Is it true Kakashi?" Lee cried, "Do you have a plan to revive the flower of their friendship?"

"Uh…yeah, sure." Kakashi replied. "Training is cancelled for the rest of today and tomorrow. So all of you, leave."

"WHAT?"

"Gai and I have something to work out," Kakashi explained. "Now go!"

"But what about-"

"We have to tell-"

"Sasuke-kun and Neji-"

"The teme is still-"

"We'll tell them," Kakashi interrupted them, already anticipating their words.

The four left together, muttering darkly and throwing many suspicious glances at the two men. When they had finally gone, Gai turned to the white-haired ninja.

"Well, oh rival of mine, what is this ingenious plan of yours?" Kakashi's single eye gleamed mischeviously.

"Here's what we do."

A/N: Yeah…so…the seventh chapter…did I spell anything wrong? I'm sure I did…Since I found the outline, I felt like I should write and post the sequel. I was reluctant to do this since it doesn't really involve anything about where Sasuke lives, except one part in the future…yeah, I know where this is going, I just need to fill in the blanks.

Okay…I probably shouldn't say this…but I will…deep breathe…

I HATE THIS STORY! MY WRITINGS ARE ATROCIOUS AND I THINK THE CHARACTERS ARE TOO OOC! AFTER READING THIS STORY OVER AGAIN, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE OUTLINE FOR THE SEQUEL, I REALLY DON'T LIKE IT!

Yeah…my writings and plot ideas have changed drastically. After having said all that and probably preventing all of you from continuing reading (after all, what good is it if the author thinks it's bad…) I WILL CONTINUE. Have no fear, the writing and descriptions and etc will be the best I can do following the plot (I can't think of another way to end this and would probably hate myself if I didn't write this end…) I couldn't write badly, that just…I can't. So I will continue and it will be to the best of my abilities.

If you reviewed and told me that you still read and are interested I this story (or not, either one) it will help. I want to know what you people think of this plot/fic/characters. If it's really bad, I'll stop. I don't want anyone else to be contaminated by bad writing.

Oh, don't expect updates too often, I'm back in college and I have six classes. Yeah. Bio, Chem, Eng (night), Math and 2 Geo. That's right. I won't be able to update that often, but hang in there,