Chapter 11: Strange

Neji searched and searched, unwilling to waste chakra to locate Naruto. Just when he was thinking it would be easier and faster to use his Byakugan, he found him.

He didn't know what Naruto had done to Kiba, or how, but he was going to find out. He would proceed with caution and asked Naruto some questions. Neji was usually pretty direct, but maybe, to avoid suspicion, he should go about this a different way. He could beat around the bush a little, then be forward. Either that or he could threaten Naruto. That sounded pretty good to him. Put Naruto against a wall and order him to explain himself and Kiba's state.

Seeing the tuft of blond hair, Neji approached.

Then he stopped. A new feeling had come over him. He no longer felt annoyed or suspicious. He didn't even feel angry.

He felt… good. He felt as if his whole body was being tickled. So warm and pleasant.

Neji shut his eyes and tried to shake off the feeling. The feeling subsided and he called out to Naruto before he could leave.

"Hey, Naruto."

He turned around. "Yeah?"

Neji took one look at him and started giggling.

Naruto blinked.

Neji covered his mouth with his hand and looked away.

Naruto remembered. "Whenever he looks at me, he will feel as if his whole body is being tickled. That's why he's laughing."

Neji tried to calm himself down. He started to collect himself and tried again. "Naruto, I… Heh." He started snickering. He tried to stop it but he ended up snorting instead which wasn't much better.

Why was this happening? Why did he feel this way whenever he looked at Naruto? He wasn't that funny-looking. Yet, why couldn't he stop himself from laughing? Was it because of this tickling feeling? Tickling and laughter went hand in hand so it made perfect sense. But why? Why was this happening? Why did he feel as if he were being tickled every time he saw Naruto?

Taking pity on Neji, Naruto walked over. "Neji?"

Neji tried to shove him away, unsure of what was happening to him. "Shoo, go away."

"You're the one who called me, remember?"

Neji covered his mouth to keep from laughing. He wished it would stop.

"Look at me."

He didn't want to for fear it would make his giggle fit worse. But he couldn't resist either. He wanted to look at him.

He looked and found Naruto's blue eyes staring back at him. Neji instantly calmed down and relaxed. Those eyes. So big and blue. So comforting. Such a nice blue color.

"Feel better?"

"Huh?"

"Do you feel better, Neji?"

"Oh. Yeah. I do. Thanks."

Why was he getting so lost in his eyes? Was it because he had never really looked at them before? Just glances and polite eye-contact. Now he was really looking into them. Really looking. In such detail. So deeply.

"Neji?"

"Huh?" He blinked. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm ok."

"Good." Naruto patted him on the back. "You're feeling much better, right?"

He agreed completely. "Yes. I do."

"Why don't you go and get something to eat, ok? You look a little hungry."

Neji nodded numbly. "Yes. I will do that."

Naruto shoved him off in the right direction and watched him leave. Hopefully this would keep him distracted for a little bit.

Neji went and got a snack at a small stand in the shopping area. He didn't feel hungry, but he didn't know what else to do. He chewed on the cabob, lost in thought.

Why did he blindly do as Naruto said? Why did he feel the way he did when he saw him? It didn't make any sense. Those blue eyes…

Neji shook his head. Something weird was going on. He had to make sense of it.

"Hi, Neji."

He looked up. "Hey, Tenten. I thought you had things to do."

"Just passing through. You looked troubled so I figured I'd see what's up."

Neji looked away. "I don't know what's wrong. I'm trying to figure it out."

"Sort your feelings?"

"I don't know."

Tenten sat next to him on the bench. "Well, what's wrong? What's going on with you? Let's start there."

Neji sighed. "I'm not sure. I mean…" He sighed again.

"Go on."

He decided not to use any names.

"Well, recently… I've noticed that whenever I see this person, I get this strange sensation. It doesn't happen when I think about them. Only when I see them. And it just started happening out of the blue."

Those blue eyes.

Neji shook his head.

"Anyway… I also noticed that when I look into their eyes, I calm down, no matter how worked up I am. I calm down instantly. I even started getting lost in their eyes which has never happened before. I don't know if it's becauseI never looked at them until now or what. And I've found myself agreeing with them for some reason. Even if it's something I would never agree to. I don't know why I agree with them but I do. It's strange."

Tenten grinned.

"And when I see them, I just…" Neji sighed again. "I just about had a giggle fit in front of them this last time. I don't know what happened or why this is happening to me."

Tenten chuckled. "Isn't it obvious?"

Neji looked at her.

"Sounds to me like you have a crush."

Neji's eyes went wide and he jumped off the bench. "No way! That can't be it! There's no way that's true!"

"It sounds it to me."

"But… But I can't. I mean… I can't!" Neji shook his head from side to side, trying to shake away the disgusting image. "I never had these feelings before. Why now?"

"A crush can happen at any time, Neji. Some happen at first sight, others develop over time. That's just how it is." She got off the bench and gave him a pat on the back. "I will keep this just between us. If Lee or Gai-sensei found out about this, there would be no end to it."

"It would just make things worse, that's for certain," Neji said, thinking of the humiliation he would have to endure.

"It's our little secret then." Tenten winked.

Neji flinched, forgetting about the macho clones and remembering what Tenten deduced. "I really don't think that's it, though!"

"Figure it out. See ya!" Tenten left him alone.

Neji felt panicked. It couldn't be what she thought. It made no sense. A crush? On Naruto? Of all people, him? If he did, what would he do about Hinata? No, never mind that! There was no way it was true. He couldn't have a crush on Naruto. It wasn't possible.

But these feelings. What else could they be?

Ino finished her magazine and gave Sakura her undivided attention. "Just what do you think Naruto's up to anyway?"

"I don't know. But I know he's up to something."

"Then why don't you go tattle on him? Or figure out what he's doing?"

"Because I'd rather not get involved."

"But it's enough to warrant complaints, I see."

Sakura turned around. "Sai could barely stand up and he told Naruto he was tired. At first, I figured it was Naruto trying to help him home and found the whole thing embarrassing. After I thought about it a little more, I realized it couldn't have been that simple. I was giving him the benefit of the doubt."

"So… What do you think that whole thing was about, then?" Ino was also curious because it involved Sai.

"I don't know. Sai might have been drunk, but he's not of age."

"You think Naruto could have slipped him some without him knowing?"

Sakura thought about it. "That could be why he was trying to cover it up. He didn't want to get in trouble. I can so see Naruto doing something like that just to see what would happen."

"There you go. He got Sai drunk and was trying to cover it up so no one would know." Ino tucked the magazine under the counter. "Mystery solved."

"Yeah, I guess." Sakura still wasn't sure. A lot of strange things have been going on lately now that she thought about it.

"Oh, guess what?" Ino leaned over the counter. Judging from the look on her face, she had a juicy secret to tell.

Sakura moved closer. "Yeah?"

"I heard that the Kazekage is paying a visit to the Leaf Village tomorrow."

"Gaara's coming? Naruto will be excited about that. How'd you find out?"

"I got an order for flowers to be delivered to the hotel where he'll be staying. Part of the hospitality. The order was a welcome arrangement with the message in Gaara's name. 'Welcome, Kazekage', it reads. I put two and two together."

"It must be very hush-hush," said Sakura. "Only a few people are being told."

"Only the people it concerns. The villagers don't know yet. He's here for a meeting so I don't think they need to know. They'll make a big fuss over it. The last thing he needs are people crowding around him when he has places to be. Know what I'm saying?"

Sakura nodded. "I better hold off on tell Naruto, then. I bet Lady Tsunade will fill me in either tonight or tomorrow about the event."

"Why? Just because you're her student? Does it really concern you that much?"

Sakura heard the snooty undertone to her voice implying that Ino thought she was more important than Sakura which was why she knew about Gaara's visit before she did.

"You only know because you were commissioned for flowers. I'll probably get an official briefing about this visit," Sakura told her smugly.

"Even so, you still heard it from me first."

Sakura was too busy glaring at Ino to notice Akamaru carrying an exhausted Kiba on his back while Lee danced around begging to throw the stick again.

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