Author's Rant: Here's Chapter 11 ^_^. Shame on me. I apologize for missing last week. I won't give you guys a half page excuse why, since it'll steal chapter space. So I'm sorry is all I can say and enjoy the chapter.

Just A While

The evening had ended less than what one would call a cozy atmosphere. The atmosphere wasn't exactly tension filled unless you counted the red haired child with his arms folded, protectively settled between his brothers, as if someone would come and snatch them away. Enlarged cobalt eyes narrowly evil eyed the older man sitting in the opposite couch watching his every move.

Kyuubi wanted Sasuke gone. Long gone; over a cliff, but with him being a child, the strongest curse he could image was a disappearing act down the hall and out of sight.

Sasuke met the child's glare dead on with one of his own, though not holding as much lethal poison as what he kept reserved for those of higher power. Recognition of instant dislike was relevant, that much Uchiha knew. Since wrapping Naruto's arm from the kitchen burn a few minutes back, Kyuubi's kept a steady focus on Sasuke and Gaara's every motion, from the slightest nose twitch to finger flex; and naturally he'd react with a scoot closer to his brothers or baby growl under his breathe about "stupee ugly poop faces." His physical crunch made his disinterests quite clear that he wasn't up for sharing his family with anyone; especially the likes of these two newcomers.

"So err," Naruto scratched the back of his head, feeling awkwardly uncomfortable, being in someone else's home or rather mansion. It wasn't every day you got to see spectacles as magnificent as this get up; nicely designed, wonderfully decorated, exquisite taste actually. But he'd damn himself to hell before he ever admitted that to the asshole of course. "How's work?"

Shifting to the side of his couch, Sasuke lifted his eyebrow at the question and chuckled, humorlessly. "You have to be bored to be talking about work on your off day. You don't get out much do you?"

"Yes I do—"

"Without the children," Sasuke cut in, smoothly aware of the faint blush he'd put on the blonde's cheeks. "Dumb, social skills lacking and awful grammar." Sasuke's digit stroked his cheek of a mild itch. "You're pretty sad."

"You're one to talk," Snorted Naruto. "When's the last time you went out and had fun?"

"I've—"

"Without your suitcase, index files, cell phone, or scheduled appointments in the same day?"

Sasuke lowered his brow and—Naruto caught that brief eye aversion, tweaking Sasuke's facial before it returned back to its creaseless scowl.

Score one for Naruto Uzumaki. "That's what I thought." He lean forward, elbows straddled his knees as he smiled proud to have yet again gotten Sasuke to shut his mouth. Not much of a triumphed victory for many but it was a huge win for him.

"When are you going home?" Came the sudden evil Uchiha question.

Naruto blinked, caught offhanded with the inquiry. "Whattdaya mean?"

"Walk, ride a bike, take a stroll, jog a block, kick rocks—" Sasuke's index stroked under his chin as he deep in thought. "Whatever phrase you want to use, take it as is because I want you out of my house."

"Where the hell is that comin' from?" Not that it was hard for the blonde to catch on, but to be told to up and get out like a cheap paid whore? Didn't the man just wrap his arm like a nurse a couple of minutes ago? Talk about giving service ice cold. "How are we s'ppose to get home? You're the one who drove us here." And here he thought the chill frost ass had a heart. Bastard's gonna need to walk the yellow brick road to make him think otherwise in the near future.

"Language dobe," Sasuke said, completely uninterested in his guest's dilemma. "Unfortunately, I forgot you're hard of memory. I said you will walk. Singular, no plural. The children will be taken home."

Looks like he thought wrong. Dead wrong. "You can't be serious." Naruto looped an arm around each twin. "I ain't lettin' my brothers ride with some stranger. I dunno what you're into. You might be a pedo or somethin'."

"I don't have the time or patience to go about molesting children," Uchiha grumbled flat and bored as ever, but Naruto noticed the tilted lift of his lips curl over a dark smirk. "As if I can't get much action on my own."

"Pfft, yea right . . .I doubt that." Naruto mumbled into the side of the couch. The closest thing to a vagina this guy's seen was his mother's. And he'd be lucky if he had his eyes open than.

"The same can be implied to you. When was the last time you had a chance to—"

"La, la, la, la, la," Naruto cupped his hands over the immature ears, shoving their faces in his sweater as he sung loudly and off key, much to the annoyance and terrified fear of Sasuke and Gaara. "La, la, la, la." Naruto, snarled. "There are kids in here you pervert."

"You've just answered my question then." Sasuke says and it would've almost sounded like a bold accusation coming from anyone else, but with him that had a laced declaration woven all in there. "Pity for you. Never to know the joys of tension release. You'll die a forty year old woman." Sasuke impassively shrugged a shoulder, uncaring that fast with his sympathy.

Remember the twins. Don't scar their baby ears for life about the Uchiha's eternal damnation as the devil's bitch. Keep it together. Please keep it steady Naruto Uzumaki, relax. Several eye twitches and tremble revolts grasping his throat later, Naruto sat back on the couch, calmer, and better man with a lower blood pressure. "Doubt you'd know anything about stress release anyway," Naruto pointedly stated careful of his words, sassiness in full swing. "It's been, what? Ten years, twenty since you discovered you weren't gonna be laid? Bet 'cha don't even remember how it works."

Firstly why on earth were they having this conversation? In front of the children no less. Naruto shook his head, absolutely ashamed of himself.

"Care to test that theory?" Sasuke mumbled darkly.

It took a long few moments before Naruto registered the sentence, and all he could manage was a dumbfounded, "Huh?"

Silence stretches long enough where Naruto wonders if he'd heard correctly. There was little for him to think over before Sasuke's voice sliced through his mental block like an icicle pick.

". . . I'll have the driver around front in five minutes," he said standing.

Gaara stayed back on the couch quietly watching the twins stand off the couch with their guardian. He'd assumed his normal routine of being less fearful when it was just him and Sasuke until one of Uzumaki twins stopped, mid hop off the seat, staring directly right at him. Gaara paused. He was nervous, more than a little fearful as that child walked over and stood in front of him.

Minato toppled his head over, blinking his curious examination of the little quiet red head until a satisfied smile spread on his button lips. A piece of his medicated smirk, inherited from his father and Naruto turned into a full blown toothy grin until a meeked smile appeared on Gaara's lips. With that ice breaker settled, Minato boldly reached his hand out, and patted the ruffle of brick colored hair. "Pwetty."

Gaara's eyes rolled to the nubby fingers tangled in his hair until he flopped back on the couch. Minato giggled and ran off to join his brothers by the door.

Sasuke grabbed their coats, helping the twins in theirs and lastly snatching the coat from Naruto after seeing the difficulty he was having easing his sore arm through the sleeve. "Honestly," he grumbled irritated, "You make the dead weary." The damned fool couldn't do anything thing right.

"Shut up," Naruto countered, slipping his arms in when Sasuke held it out for him. First his right, then his left eased through the woolly sleeves, then he felt something.

Warmth grazed the back of his neck, sizzling across the spread of baby hairs on his neck. Naruto chanced a glimpse over his shoulder, brushing his hair over Sasuke's cheek and locking eyes. The fresh splash of hot breathe fanned his jawline due to their close promixty, Sasuke having to be careful of the scorch burn. But it lessened his concern when he fell inside himself, staring at the deep richness those blue eyes manifested within themselves. Up close, no sort of personal space what so ever he could see flickers of ice silver dancing through inside. Like the shine of a gemstone, huddle amongst the nesting of oceanic pebbles.

Naruto gapped his lips, then thinned them into a frown, "What you gonna kiss me or somethin'?"

That broke the interlocked spell. Sasuke opened the front door, shoving the big mouth outside. "Don't flatter yourself. That mouth of yours is too tart. Bad breath poisoning isn't on my agenda. I'll have the driver drop you off at the clinic for evaluation."

"Go to hell," Naruto shot back, cupping a hand over his mouth—he blew in; his eyes rolled to the back of his head, terror scribbled all over his face. Good God he'd almost killed himself. Damn when did his breath become a killer?

"Bye bye Gaawa!" Minato waved excitedly. Gaara shyly looked up to Sasuke before returning the wave with a timid flip of his hand.

Kyuubi stuck his tongue out at Gaara. That was enough to halt any further departure gestures and then gave Sasuke a once over, despite the fact he was barely three feet tall, "Me no like you stupee poop face," then huffed under his breathe, dragging his twin down the walkway.

Sasuke lifted an eyebrow, amused and if he honestly wanted to care, shocked.

The eldest blonde ignored the transaction since his mind was publishing inward information. Naruto took a step back to look at the house, "Got a quick question before we go."

Sasuke leaned against the frame, "Be fast. Gaara's got a nap."

Naruto looked from side to side, "How many acres?"

"One hundred and ninety seven."

"How many bedrooms?"

"Sixteen."

"Kitchens?"

"Two."

"Cars?"

"Five not including the limo." Sasuke pushed a hand in his pocket, almost curious to ask why the interrogation.

Naruto shrugged as if answering the silent question. "All this stuff, the big building, cars, land, it's all big. Huge even."

He lifted his signature brow. "Your point?"

Here comes the year old punch line, "Just wondering if you're compensating for something you ain't got downstairs." Naruto cued the suspicious scowl when he was met with an endless glare.

Sasuke stared at him for the longest. Naruto blinked back, unmoved and starting to believe his theory of small dicks on rich pretty boys. Looks like he owed Kiba a twenty. Nothing really occurred to him to move until he saw a tiny smirk grace Uchiha's face—and the front door slamming shut.

But not before he could've sworn he'd heard Sasuke mumbled, "You'd be lucky to find out, Dobe."

Did or had he heard right?. . . "Nah," Naruto deduced after standing there like a star struck idiot. That was definitely a trick in the wind. He hadn't heard what he thought he heard. Nope ain't no way.

Period.

"Dammit."

For the umpteen round on Monday morning, Naruto scratched over the scorch mark bandaged under his orange long sleeve turtle, mentally going through an all-out claw war against the blasted coverings. It itched like nobody's business. And dammit for the life of him he couldn't figure out why. The urge to just keep scratching burdened him every thirty minutes, set precisely by the clock. At nine thirty he was in the bathroom groping his elbow. By ten o'clock he was discreetly rubbing his arm along the wall for some rough friction. Near ten thirty, he'd slithered a plastic fork under the under layers—he was tear bright by the time he returned to his desk. A new plan commenced at eleven that involved a trip to the highest window and an splattered drop to the ground below—Naruto peeked over the company edge at the roaring rushing of ant sized citizens and tiny box cars, slipping past. Well. . .he'll save this one for later.

Eleven thirty was too embarrassing to recollect. Something about hand sanitizer, a napkin, a prayer ritual and some alcohol wipes. He'd passed out from the acidic fumes. Stupid Kiba; listening to him and his dumbass ideas.

Around twelve o'clock he had it in his right mind to cut the bloody limb off and start fresh with a prosthetic. Very tempting but he had to remember the adventurous imaginations Kyuubi would have from seeing a fake arm. Thoughts of mutilation came to mind but for personal reasons he settled that in the back burner with the tower jump. Naruto was beyond desperate for some relief at this rate. Pencils, pens, paper clips, anything with a sharp head, he willed in the cracks of his bandage but to no avail.

Again as he stood by Neji's desk his fingers looped one by one over the concealed injury, wishing that the tingle left from a certain someone's lips would just vanish so he could get back to work. Naruto was in his right mind to believe Sasuke kissed his arm with salt on his lips or something.

Mildly irritated from the constant repetitions of sliding crunches, Neji looked up in time to witness another timid trace of nails scaling over his assistant's arm. He'd been counting the attempts—both failed and successful—this time would be number seventeen. "Do you need to see the company nurse, Naruto?" he questioned, eyeing the flexing fingers then their owner.

Naruto stiffened. "Nope, no I'm fine." He cackled unevenly.

Unconvinced and for obvious reasons, Hyuuga had been worried ever since he caught Naruto staring out the company window. The expression of forsaking life in those blue eyes, alarmed him until the blonde shook his head and stepped back. It wasn't up for debate yet but Neji hoped the lad wasn't going through suicidal flashes. "If you should need anything, all you need to do is tell me."

"Yea I know," Naruto fingered over his arm. "Thanks. I'm fine really. I just got an itch."

"An itch?" Neji recited, slowly. "Obviously, but from what?"

"Its nothin'. I got burned Saturday when cooking lunch."

Neji sat back in his chair, pushing back the key broad as he locked stern eyes with the blonde. "Was it treated properly? Wrapped? Medicated for infection?"

"Yep all taken care of," He cheesed, proudly.

That smile didn't convince Neji in the least. "Show me." No room for optional argument or otherwise. Neji just wanted to be sure this wouldn't affect his cohort's time in the office, should it need additional watch beside his own. Knowing this young man, he'd likely blow off the pain and continue on his duty as if nothing were obstructing his duties.

Neji despised taking the role of mother hen or anything remotely similar to being a caregiver for adults but for this moment, he could make an exception.

Naruto took the seat nearby and pulled it up to sit alongside his employer.

Neji closed the space between them. "Give me your arm."

Obediently and shockingly so, Naruto did as requested, stretching his arm out for Neji's inspection. Finger tips hooked in the single sleeve of his sweater and carefully tugged it back over the bulging wraps.

Tender shades of faded scarlet lined slightly around the rim of the band, disappearing underneath the rest. These weren't too badly done. First aid kit precisions were taken to mend the damaged flesh and the fresh smell of scaring ointment waved a heightened force in their senses. This was done well; clearly not by that of an amateur, but Neji was still curious about the wound's condition. "May I?"

Naruto nodded.

Neji unclamped the bronze clamp, holding the dressing in place, and uncoiled its few roundabouts until hues of uneven pink contrasted in wrinkles across the once even tanned skin. Newly healing flesh, shined a faint coral where sheets of old crust once resided, now becoming whole again. The gauze used over the injury would soak up the remaining blemishes and leave barely noticeable memory of what it looked like. The scar would be nothing more than a darkened tone on Naruto's skin.

Neji lowly sighed through his nose, sweeping his index over the jagged raise of knotted lines and unbalanced knits, marring Naruto's arm like a treasure map.

Silence settled over as Naruto sat there and watched Neji's paleness follow some of the rippled creases to his elbow and return back to another beginning. Neji appeared lost in a trance, trailing some if not all of each ruptured path on his arm.

"I'm fine Neji." Naruto whispered assuredly, unsure if it was the time to even speak.

Neji blinked, and settled back in his chair, keeping a gentle grip on Naruto's elbow, "I know." His silver eyes fogged for the briefest instant into an unrecognizable hue, Uzumaki had never seen before; and somehow as if the deer caught by the moon's spotlighted prey, he couldn't look away.

Nor could Neji. His fingers tightened just as his gaze returned back to their pearl stone shine. "Be sure to keep a firm watch over this until it returns to normal. No stressful jobs or heavy duty work until I deem otherwise. Do you understand?"

A flipped switch. That's how Naruto took it then, confused, not able to perform any reinforced acknowledgement pass a feeble nod. Neji's attitude just took a rocket cartwheel from quiet and concerned to firmly in control and cold. A monumental difference.

All of this Naruto curiously thought over as he redressed his arm and slide the sleeve back in place.

"By the way Naruto isn't it past your lunch time?" Neji mentioned. His chair rolled back under the desk, as he moved his mouse to activate the screen from its dimmed slumber.

"I have another fifteen minutes till one."

"Could you go ahead and leave a bit early? I'll need you back here by two thirty for a conference call. The records and documents for the Washu Firm need copies and files for decoding files A8-K35 and written instructions for the proper function on operating the new Nano product. I need seven full folders for the new hires on the fourth and ninth floors." All spoken crisp and in full employer/employee mode, Neji's work's stance took over his entire frame, stiff and narrow eyed. "Or did you have anything planned with the children this afternoon?"

"I sort've did but it can wait. I'll take 'em another time."

"If that's the case, I'll see you at two thirty sharp. Don't be late now. This is critical."

"Right I got cha." Tossing a two fingered salute, Naruto turned on his heel and hurried out the doorway, missing the slow smirk ease on Neji's face.

Naruto rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet as he waited for the elevator to finish escorting a number of coworkers from each floor. Not much really to be hyped up over on a Monday so he stayed laxed, chilled, and at ease.

So he only had about an hour and fifteen minutes instead of his privileged hour and thirty. No biggie. He could take the twins to Ichiraku's tomorrow than. That'll be less trouble for him to deal with anyway. But he could pay a visit to the little brats on his way down to the Day Care Floor. Even if he had a shorter break, no sense in breaking his daily routine right? Every chance he got, he hobbled down stairs or rode the slow ass elevator to have a sneak peek inside to check on the twin's welfares.

As soon as the steel doors opened, anxiety pumped Naruto's feet all the way to the glass panel view point. Inside as always he could see Kyuubi leading a pack of tiny tots across a forest image carpet on some wondrous world he could only invent. Same ole' little robust brat trying to be the number one popular kid of the crowd. That's Kyuubi; always daring to stick out like the strawberry head he was.

Strangely, there was a bit of a difference today—Naruto pressed his face against the glass and frowned—He couldn't see Minato . . . anywhere. Not near the color blocks, the jigjaw illustration center, the Teddy Mountains, or the napping quarters. Naruto swiveled throughout the entire arena, carefully distinguishing out each child that carried a tiny resemblance to his youngest brother and none of them proved to be him.

A bit worried, perplexity ruled forth as he reached in his pocket for the entry card and slide it through the electrical decoder, letting himself in.

"S'cuse me," he pulled one of the instructors over. "Where's Minato Uzumaki?"

"Minato?" The male instructor repeated thoughtfully. Tapping his chin, memory of a small pile of blonde spikes popped to mind, as he studied the man requesting. Their alikeness was uncanny. "Ah you must beMr. Uzumaki. Yes, yes your brother's here. He's inside the theme room."

"Theme room?"

"Yes, the drama set theater for costume and puppet play." The teacher lead Naruto to the front counter and flopped out a wide set binder, flipping past the first ink splattered pages until he reached a cleaner sheet with less than twenty names. "If you could sign your name here please, I'll take you to the back to show you."

Now this he had to see. Naruto scribbled his signature down on number twenty one, "Lead the way." He smiled, already getting giddy at seeing the tiny Uzumaki in play. Imagine seeing the tender, shy little Minato showcasing himself in a bright orange Gamabunta suit—Naruto choked back a chuckle. Damn and he forgot his phone back upstairs. He could've used the pictures for future black mail.

"Bwo Bwo!"

Naruto turned in time to catch a weighty bundle latched on his left leg, courtesy of little Kyuubi. Legs and arms, hardly long enough to wrap around twice, hugged tight, squeezing all of the loving goodness out of seeing his big brother. "Bwo Bwo, me pway good. Me make pwetty blocks. Come see."

"In a minute," Naruto unwrapped the kid off his leg, patting his head. "I need to find your brother." Then a thought struck him. "Wait, how come you're not playing together?"

Hearing his counterpart's name caused a less than pleased reaction. Kyuubi folded his pudgy arms across his chest, chin jutted downward, lips poked out. "Mina dum dum. Mina no pway with me 'cause, he stupee poop face." He gurgled pitifully, lips raspberrying out.

Naruto knew that look. Each pout had its own identified reason. This one was classified as Kyuubi pout number two: Jealousy. "Did you two fight?"

Kyuubi's ponytail smacked the side of his face as he shook the rapidity of any young child, tasseling some of the red strains free from his braid.

He wasn't going to get much out of the crabby fox lover when he was like this. "Hold on." Naruto needed to get to the bottom of this. Since when was Minato ever brave enough to venture out on his own with other children without Kyuubi there to encourage him? Not that it wasn't a welcomed improvement; it's just that the situation seemed kind of sudden for him to be this way. If it was anything to go by, Minato practically worshiped the ground his twin walked on, never wanting to be tore apart from him.

Strange, peculiar, odd, whichever way to describe it was just bizarre.

They arrived to the outside of a bright yellow glass door, decorated with artistic labels of feudal samurai, medieval cultivations of knights in heavy armor and flashes of childish princesses dancing in depictions of rainbow meadows. Tinted far too deep in soiled gold sunshine, Naruto could barely make out the several figures moving around inside. Two he could make out easily, one larger crouched down beside a smaller shadow; the other moving from side to side in front of them.

"Can I go in?"

The teacher nodded. "I'll just leave you here. Please call if you should need anything."

"Got it. 'Preciate it." With Kyuubi close behind, Naruto walked in.

First on the list of visual objects was a sage colored triangle bucket overfilled with sock puppets, of every known creature and mythical villain or hero, folded lazily over another. Next in gear was a carpet world of plush towns, grassy valleys, soft haunted forests and swirls of castles. Sitting on top of the gentle greenery was a fat bottom, clapping his hands and giggling, like the magical glee of any young baby. Sprouted red hair connected and instantly recognized the toddler as being the same little guy with the Teme.

Minato had two puppets on his hands, one a blue stripped cat and the other a green frog, bouncing them together, making animated noises for effect. "Grr grr you be bad fiwend. Me no like you now." He voiced for the frog.

"No no," he high pitched for the cat's sadness. "Me be nice. Me no like you mad. Me have candy. Me weally s'wwy."

"Hm," grunted the frog's baby deep voice. "Let me tink about it. . . Otay me happy now. We be fwiends. Yum, yum, yum tank you for the candy. Me like."

Naruto shook his head, leaning against the door. If that wasn't the cutest—what the hell?

If that wasn't shocking enough, low and behold, who should Naruto find calmly sitting next to him at a round table, steel faced and cool as a cucumber? "What the hell are you doing?" His little brother was already a forgotten sheet in the wind when those charcoal eyes coolly slide his way.

"Language Dobe." Sasuke reminded softly. "We have kids present."

Naruto closed the door and picked up a still brooding Kyuubi. "Whatever, just answer the question. Why aren't you in the office?"

"The last I checked the last name said why." Sasuke mumbled, eyes uncaring of the extra occupants in the playroom.

Minato gasped, "Nawo!" Both puppets found a new home on the floor as he rushed over to give his big brother a warm huge.

"Hey Kiddo, hear ya making movies." Naruto mused.

Minato bobbled his head up and down, "Uh-huh, Mistew S'suke show me how. He nice like Nawo."

"Is that right?" Lies. All lies. Pure unadulterated lies. How dare this egotistic bastard sit here like he's god's angel or something.

Naruto plopped Kyuubi on the floor, going over to investigate this disturbing scene. And Sasuke just looked at him, a taunt ready to pulse off his thinned lips, "Problem?" he grunted.

"Shut up," Naruto shot back, quick and fast as he took a seat across the table. "Freak, sittin in here watchin' kids, puppets and shit. . ." This rant fest was inaudible for Sasuke's ears or simply ignored.

"Talking to yourself again I see," This time Sasuke choose that moment to look at him. "You keep this up, I'm going to recommend you back to the institute."

"Same ole' BS ready to spit out." Grumbled an eye rolling blonde. "Can't go a single minute without talking shit can ya?"

"Language Dobe," Sasuke repeated, slow and dangerously low. "Learn to keep that mouth clean, or get out."

Naruto clamped his mouth shut, itching for a thesaurus to find similar words to insult the Uchiha with. "Why are you in here?" The question came asked again.

Tilting his head back, Sasuke keep full visual of the blonde before him letting silence be his interpreter that he answered to no one, daring to interrogate him like a criminal.

"Mistew S'suke?"

Said CEO turned down to see Minato standing by his chair, holding Gaara's hand in his.

"Can I pway with Gaawa?"

Sasuke looked over in a corner where a solitary Kyuubi sat on his bottom, fuming. Honestly, and here he though the dobe was a difficult one. "Don't take him out of the theme room," he murmured. "But not for too long. We'll be leaving soon."

"Tank you. Come on Gaawa, let's pway with K'uubi." And that was they needed before hurrying over toward the pout faced Uzumaki.

"You like kids." Naruto suspected out of the blue. "Never would've seen that coming. 'Specially from someone like you."

"Someone like me." Sasuke repeated as if stating the weather's forecast. "Never would've taken you for being a—never mind." Strike two. That was far too easy to take and uncalled for.

Naruto braced his elbows on the table, leaning forward to ask, "All jokes aside, why are you in here? Don't you have some work to do?"

"I'm privileged to take a lunch break whenever I please." Said Sasuke.

"You never take a lunch break. You're always stuck in that office, working too hard, stressing yourself out." Naruto rubbed his knuckles against his cheek. "Keep it up, you're gonna get a heart attack."

"You're concerned about my health." Sasuke stated in a tone of uncaring reign.

"As if," Snorted Naruto. "I'm just giving you a heads up that your family's going to have one less Uchiha running around if you keep pulling these long shifts."

"Your sympathy's touching but unwanted. I do what I need to keep this company running."

"Tsk, please. I don't care what you do. Besides, if that's the case, than answer my question."

"Which one? Specify the question you want answered and I'll consider giving one."

Arrogant, pale faced prick. "Why are you in here?"

"This again," Sasuke grumbled, edged on a sigh. "If I told you your brother asked me to come here, you wouldn't believe me."

"Damn right I wouldn't." When Sasuke shot him a warning glare, Naruto settled back in his seat. "S'rry." He whispered, immediately.

Sasuke shrugged, "Minato asked me to come here when I came to visit Gaara." He explained, much to Naruto's shock.

"He asked you to stay? Why?"

Another shrug, "Wanted to show me the puppet show. He thought the one in the car Saturday was fun, so he wanted to do the same for me." Sasuke thought a moment, then. "By the way it's fortunate you came in here."

"Why's that?"

Sasuke nodded at the children playing, "I planned to take Gaara to the park for a few minutes to get some fresh air but. . ." he trailed off the rest of the sentence, letting Naruto finish the rest from there.

But sadly Naruto wasn't following, "So what? You can still go."

Slow, stupid and incredibly slow. Did Sasuke have to literally spell it out for him? "Gaara's taken an interest in your brother. He's going to want him to come along."

"So. . ."

". . . ." Black eyes narrowed.

"Oh." Naruto blinked. "Meaning Minato's gotta go to huh?"

Sasuke gave a short nod.

"That means I gotta go with 'em."

Another nod confirmed it.

And Naruto wouldn't dare tear apart the new found friendship between the tiny tikes. From what he remembered on his first encounter with Gaara, the little guy was painfully shy around strangers. Minato was just as timid but here he was already warmed up to Sasuke and treating Gaara like a third twin, helping him waddle from block to block, holding his hand everywhere they went. It's too bad for Kyuubi that his twin had found another playmate and no longer worshipped the earth he walked on.

"Hmm" But maybe he'd like a few minutes out too. . .

It'd just be for a little while.

"Alright let's go." Sure it's just a quick trip to the park. He'd be back before Neji noticed.

TBC: Ohhh Naruto. You better make sure you're back in time. Hope the Sasu/Naru moments are keeping you guys near. I even added some Neji/Naru too. So everyone's happy. Yahh and we get more Sasu/Naru time next chap. ^_^