Shelly's Note: I own nothing, enjoy and please review

This may have been out sooner, but I was trying to sleep in...I'm trying to get my mind off some stuff right now sleeping and writing seems to do that best, so either I may have some oneshots out or I may finish the last two chapters I have left to write on this story...not sure...

If anyone has any happy fluff pieces that they could recommend reading please do...I could use some fluff right now...or just any really good pieces that don't have to do with addiction in any way shape or form

Also for this story, this is a long chapter so be happy :)

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Chapter 36: Just Friends

"All love that has not friendship for its base is like a mansion built upon sand." ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Naruto POV:

"I'm going for him," I declared to Kiba as we sat on my couch. We were watching sports, though I was only half-paying attention because I was so wrapped up in my thoughts of Sasuke.

"What does his girlfriend think about that?" he asked.

"She seemed like she was going to kill me, seriously if looks could kill, I'd be dead," I sighed.

"You really met her?" he laughed.

"We were making out, when the stupid woman at the front desk buzzed in, I could kill her," I shook my head.

"It's probably for the better, you wouldn't want to be the other woman," Kiba laughed.

"I'm not the woman," I smirked.

"Too much information," he rolled his eyes as he stretched his feet out onto my coffee table.

"You set yourself up for that," I shrugged.

"Look what you need is a new strategy," he suggested.

"What do you mean?" I asked as I turned toward him, turning down the volume on the television. He looked annoyed as the sound got quieter, but continued to tell me anyway.

"It's like a game, if you're losing, you wouldn't continue with the same strategy right?" he said.

"I don't know, you always lose," I shrugged.

"Do you want my help or not?" he punched me in the arm.

"Yes, I'm sorry," I said as I held my arm,

"Okay, now what do you think you did wrong in your pursuit of Sasuke?" he asked.

"I don't know, please, enlighten me," I sighed.

"You went from avoiding him to jumping the guy, he had no time to adjust, you skipped a step," Kiba said as if he were brilliant.

"What are you suggesting that I do?" I asked.

"Try to be friends with him, let him get comfortable around you as friends first," he said as if it were obvious. "You keep saying that it's all based on you guys ten years ago, well become friends and make your attraction based on the now."

"I can't believe I'm taking love advice from you," I shook my head.

"Just call me the love master," he smirked.

"Don't push it," I rolled my eyes. "What if he doesn't go for it?"

"Look, just invite him to drinks, I'll come along so it won't seem like a date," Kiba reassured me.

"Okay, I hope this works," I said.

Sasuke POV:

They day after the Aimi incident, it was rather quite in the conference room. It was almost as if Naruto didn't know what else to say to me. There was no flirting or kissing, and oddly enough, I actually missed it.

"Look, I'm sorry about how I acted," he said once our meeting was over.

"You are?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I mean, just because I'm still attracted to you, doesn't mean you should come back to me," he sighed. "I know you're with her and I respect that."

"Oh," I said, slightly disappointed.

"But I want us to be friends," he smiled, seeming genuine enough. "What do you say?"

"Naruto, I don't know," I responded, as I looked away.

"Look, just try, that's all I'm asking. Me and Kiba are having a guys night out tonight, just join us as a friend, no strings attached," he said.

"No strings attached, you promise, right?" I asked, looking in his eyes, wanting to believe that it would work, but knowing that ultimately it wouldn't.

"No strings, what's so ever," he smiled.

"Fine," I said, probably for the mere reason to be close to him again, to get to know him again.

"Great, we're meeting at eight, I'll give you directions later," he said happily, as if he were glad he finally had a reason to call the number I gave him at one of our meetings in case he had a question and couldn't contact me through the office.

"Okay," I said part of me just happy to see him outside the work place, even though I knew it'd probably be dangerous for me. Getting to know him better and probably alcohol didn't seem like it would be the best combination for resisting him, even if he wasn't making a move.

Aimi POV:

I called Sasuke to see if he would like to go out to dinner that night, as it was something we hadn't done in a while. It was good for us to make a public appearance every now and then. I mean we wouldn't want people thinking that Sasuke was single or to just forget about us. As I waited for him to answer, I thought of all the places I wanted to go that night. "Hello," his voice said which made me have a small smile.

"Hey Sasuke baby," I said with a smiled on my face, though I knew he couldn't see it.

"What is it Aimi?" he asked. He didn't seem excited to hear from me, it sounded more like a hassle, which confirmed to me that we needed a night out.

"I was thinking that you need to take me out to dinner tonight, it's been a while since you have," I explained why I was calling; thinking he'd agree and we'd be done with the conversation.

"I'm busy tonight," was all he said. It was certainly not enough of an explanation for me.

"Excuse me?" I demanded more of an answer; he was not going to blow me off without good reason.

"Naruto..." that was when I cut him off.

"The blonde?" I wanted to break something. How dare that blonde move in on my territory. Did I have to put a sign on him that said I'd already claimed him or something?

"Yeah, he's an old friend, we're going out with another friend to catch up," he explained, I knew there was no arguing when Sasuke had made up his mind.

"So, he's just a friend?" I asked.

"What?" his voice sounded surprised. I wasn't sure if it was surprise that I'd caught on or surprise that I thought it was more.

"I just saw how he looked at you," I explained. "If he looks at you like that don't you think you shouldn't go out with him?"

"He's just a friend, besides you should be used to people looking at me," he said with a sigh. However, his words weren't very comforting. They probably would have settled my fears; had not Sasuke gave the blonde the same look back.

Naruto POV:

It was eight ten when we all got to the bar. I figured a bar was the best place; we could have drinks and relax rather than worry about our attraction for each other. I also thought Kiba would be there to keep me in line and he was for the first half an hour.

"So," Sasuke said, awkwardly.

"This is great, just the three of us," Kiba smiled before he took a drink of his beer.

Sasuke didn't seem to want anything to drink as he just let the drink sit idly in front of him. "Are you not a big drinker?" I asked.

"No," he said, looking as if there was more to it.

"Why not?" Kiba asked.

"I get a little stupid when I drink," he shrugged.

"Like?" I asked.

"Suigetsu tells me I'm more forgiving when I'm drunk and open," he said, leaving it at that.

"So is he your best friend now?" I asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Sasuke shrugged. "You guys seem to be good friends now."

"Yeah, this moron is my best friend, ever since Hinata broke up with me," Kiba explained.

"She told me about that," Sasuke said.

"You still talk to her?" Kiba's eyes went large.

"Yeah, she does work for the Hyuuga's company, we catch up every time our company's work together on something," he shrugged.

"How is she doing?" Kiba asked. "Does she still look as good as she did?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself, she's right over there," Sasuke said, causing Kiba to turn toward the Hyuuga heiress. Within ten seconds, I lost my wingman. He didn't even say goodbye, he just left to go try to talk to the girl who broke his heart.

"So, what now?" I asked, awkwardly as Sasuke took small sip from his drink.

"I don't know," he said looking down at the bar.

"Let's catch up," I suggested. "I mean, there's a lot we don't know about each other from ten years, just in how we have changed."

He nodded, "Yeah, what do you want to know?"

"Let's start off small, what's your favorite color?" I asked.

"It's still the same, blue," he shrugged.

"Mine too," I smiled. "Somehow, orange never gets old."

"Yeah it does," he said with a small smile. From there it got easy. We started talking about things that had changed in our lives, what had stayed the same, and I realized I did rush into things. I should have done this before kissing him, although after hearing all of it, I wanted to kiss him even more. I fell more in love with him that night. He hardly drank anything and I still made him laugh and smile just like when we were younger. We didn't need to talk about the past at all and we still had a good time. We talked about everything that we could think of while we sat at that bar and it was as if no one else in the world mattered.

Kiba POV:

I walked up to Hinata, nervously, though I tried not to show how nervous I was. She was with some friends, though she was sitting there quietly, as usual. "Hinata?" I said when I was close enough. She turned to me, her light eyes widened as she looked at me.

"Kiba?" she said when our eyes met.

"Hey, long time no see," I said as I walked the rest of the way to her. "Mind if I sit down?"

"No, please do," she smiled.

"How have you been?" I asked.

"Okay," she said. "What about you?"

"Pretty good," I shrugged. "So you got rid of your stutter?"

"I don't think even after this time there would be with you," she said. "But I did go to classes to get rid of it."

"That's great," I smiled.

There was a pause of awkward silence as she said, "I've really missed you."

"Me too," I said as I looked at her.

"We should catch up, I mean it's been awhile," she said.

I looked back at Naruto and Sasuke, who seemed to be doing fine, "Yeah, sounds great." We started talking and I forgot all about Naruto and Sasuke. Hinata took up all my thoughts. I knew I shouldn't let that happen because her parents made it clear we couldn't be together, but looking at her again, I just couldn't help it.

TBC....

Originally the Aimi part wasn't there...I just felt like adding more of her in....she's not in the story much...though I may change that