Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

AN: This is a little overdue, I know. But with the tests that are coning my way every week now, please note that updates will probably come later.

Spoilers: until about manga chapter…um 180 something…the one where Sasuke goes bye bye.

Optimism

Chapter Four

By: Poison Ivy

~

Neji sped through the treetops on his way.

/Home/ {1} supplied a helpful part of his mind. Yet he couldn't really think of it that way. Home? It was just a concept, an abstract concept thought up by people that belonged.

There was a house. There was a home. To Neji, there was no difference.

It was like saying 'small' or 'little' to him. No difference at all.

Yet he knew it was there. And sometimes he wondered what that difference _was_.

He jumped from a treetop to a house roof and tried to turn his mind away from his encounter with the rest of the members of Team 7 to…normal things.

But he couldn't get Sasuke's face out of his mind. Or, more specifically, his eyes.

Sharingan eyes.

Sparkling with anger…and hatred. It was just a flash, but it was there.

As was…well most people would have missed it. But Hyruga Neji was not most people. Not even close. And he saw the intent to kill.

He saw it perhaps clearer than Sasuke himself did.

Neji doubted that the other even realized it was there.

He tried to shut it out again, not to dwell on it.

After all, what Uchiha Sasuke did/felt was his own damn business right?

And yet…every time he removed Sasuke's eyes from his mind, another image would pop in.

Sakura.

The girl still loved him, she had said so herself…and Sasuke would never hurt her…

Would he?

He tried to tell himself that he didn't care. After all, Sakura was just a girl he had escorted a couple of places.

Once, cause he pity (and because it was pretty damn funny) and twice, because TenTen was clinging. Tightly.

Sakura was just—

/The girl that you had kissed/ There was that voice again. That damn voce that insisted that yeah, there was a difference between a house and a home. Maybe not where _he_ was going, but there _was_.

The same damn voice that made him listen to his uncle apologize. The same damn voice that told him not to _hate_ his cousin. The same damn voice that _now_ was insisting—

"That was the fucking—" he growled back, only to be interrupted by—

/That's not true, and you know it. Mistletoe is an overused plot device used by authors of hopeless romance novels {2} (you may not have been, but _I_/ -here there was a touch of smug superiority that Neji was used to hearing _himself_ have, not some voice in his head- /was listening to TenTen blab.) and if you try to tell me that it was the mistletoe I'll—/

You'll what? Neji returned, slightly amused despite the fact that the was arguing as if the voice was an actual _person_ as opposed to an extension of himself, You'll leave me alone?

/You kissed her because you wanted to/ the voice hissed back, apparently annoyed.

Yeah. Neji was unruffled. I did. That dress really did wonders for her figure. You really can't tell normally.

/_Please_. You like her and you know it/

… Silence. Neji decided not to dignify that with an answer.

/Well _I_ know it/

I don't have time for this.

/Well hurry up Neji. After all, you have to go back to your _house_/

Don't you think that that was rather below the belt?

/If you don't get her fast, Uchiha will really—/

What? Now Neji was interested.

/I don't know. But it will be bad/

There was no answer but silent agreement.

*

Naruto sighed. He was only on his third bowl of ramen, but he was already full.

The thing about ramen, he thought forlornly, dejectedly chewing, is that it's great comfort food, warm after training, comfy after fights, exciting at parties, and when you cry in it, it just generates more soup.

But the thing is, is that you can't _think_ around it.

And I _really_ need to think.

And so, for the first time, Naruto stood up and paid the old man at Ichiraku (who gave him a perplexed look, having kicked out a bunch of kids so Naruto could have his peace-slyly of course, Naruto wouldn't have wanted that-because, after all, the kid was half his revenue each year, easy) and walked away from a half full ramen bowl.

Stranger things have probably happened. Note the key word: _probably_

Naruto wandered away slowly, ignoring the bright lights and bustling activity of the village.

Oh Sakura-chan, please don't do anything stupid without me, Kakashi or Neji. _Please_.
*

Sakura was over at Hinata's that night, eating dinner with the Hyruga's.

She hadn't done so for awhile, but at Hinata's birthday party, she realized just how lonely the girl was.

So after she got home, she called her up, and rather invited herself over. Because Hinata was too polite to say no.

And she _really_ didn't want to be alone with her own thoughts, and the nagging suspicion that maybe, just _maybe_ Naruto was right. And she had a feeling that having Ino around would only be worse. Because, for all of her best friend's inclinations to hate Naruto for his loudness and messiness alone, she had a tendency to agree with him. Especially on important matters.

It was rather a quiet affair, with the entire family around the table.

Hinata's mother {3} asked Sakura standard questions ("When are your parents expected back from their mission?" and the like) and Hanabi filled in the awkward moments with bright chatter.

But Sakura had a feeling that it was all fake.

Underneath the chatter, there was strain, and in the darting glances, there was tension.

The glances always seemed to rest on an empty seat across from Hanabi.

Neji's spot.

After waiting for him to come home for awhile, Hiashi had said gruffly, that they really couldn't wait any longer, with a guest and all.

Sakura dimly remembered Hinata mentioning that after the fateful chuunin exam, Neji was invited to eat with the main family, a tremendous honor for a member of the branch family.

She didn't much understand the need of such things as 'branch family' and 'main family' but tactfully didn't voice those opinions out loud.

She made a vague comment about how good the food was, and Hinata's mother gave her a grateful look. They chatted about recipes for a few minutes, until—

The front door clicked open quietly. Everyone paused, and the level of tension in the room rose dramatically.

A few seconds later, Neji appeared in the doorway of the dining room.

It seemed everyone let out breaths that they didn't know they were holding.

"Gomen nasai." Said Neji politely, his voice even and expressionless. "But I don't feel hungry. I'll just have my meal in my room."

He turned to leave, until Hiashi's voice stopped him.

"Neji! You should stay!"

"No thank you. You have already begun. It would be rude of me to—"

"It would be even ruder," interrupted Hinata's mother good-naturedly, "to not eat with us since we have a guest."

She gestured toward Sakura, who squirmed slightly.

Neji's eyes seemed to focus on her for the first time.

"Sakura." He nodded.

She smiled back. "We seem to meet everywhere." She said lightly.

"Hn."

Hinata's eyes roved from one to the other, wondering what exactly had happened.

Neji took his seat, and dinner resumed as if nothing had happened.

Sakura turned to the girl beside her. "So Hanabi," she asked, "what are you learning these days?" Even though Hiashi loosened considerably 3 years ago, he still insisted that his daughter have a tutor.

As the girl filed her in eagerly about battle arcs, Sakura realized just how grown up she was. It makes me feel old.

"Tell you what," she smiled, "I'll help you with it a bit after dinner."

Hanabi's white eyes seemed to sparkle. "You would? Thanks! Neji-nee-kun said that you were the smartest in your graduating class!" {4}

Sakura blushed. "Well not as smart as Shikamaru-san" she mumbled.

After dinner, Neji stood up and abruptly began to collect the dishes.

He had said all of five words to her, the first of which had been her name, and the last four which consisted of, "Please pass the salt."

"I'll help!" Sakura said brightly, standing up as well.

"Neji," Hiashi scolded. "Don't do that. We have servants for it."

"Isn't that what I am?" Neji said softly, picking up a plate.

Silence seemed to fall over the room.

"Don't worry!" Sakura said brightly, "I'm sure that the servants are busy doing…something else. Besides, it's a guest's job to help clean up!"

The family lingered in the room a bit longer.

"If you're sure Sakura-san…" Hinata said, staying the longest.

She smiled a mega-watt smile. "Don't worry!" she repeated.

And then the other girl was gone.

And then they were alone, surrounded by silence broken only by the clinking plates.

Sakura paused. "Neji…"

"Don't." he said harshly, pausing as well. He still hadn't met her eyes properly.

"I don't understand much about main families and branch families," she began tentatively, "but…"

"…"

"They _did_ seem to be trying…"

Neji slammed a plate down with unnecessary force. "It's a bit too late for that, now isn't it?" he said lightly, his tone a stark contrast to his actions.

Sakura's eyes softened. "Neji…"

"I'm fine." They began to carry dishes into the kitchen.

"Ano…"

He looked up and met her eyes, a small smile hovering around his lips. "See? I'm fine."

"If you're sure…" Sakura said uncomfortably, not sure how to comfort him.

"Look." He said, placing dishes in the sink, "You have an appointment with Hanabi-sama. I shouldn't keep you."

"Ano…"

He smiled again. Briefly. A smile of reassurance. "I'll see you before I go. Besides, we're done here."

"Ok."

They left the dishes, and went their separate ways.

~

Notes:

{1} I know that Neji doesn't have an Inner Neji or anything…and even though in my stories I don't think I'll be adding an Inner Sakura…well every dark brooding protagonist deserves an inner voice right? And of course, knowing Neji (though I wish I really did) he won't appreciate someone telling him what to say or what to ask. Or even just stating the obvious. Even if that voice is _him_. Just stands to reason.

{2} Ok. This one is a little harder to complain. But I just remember one reviewer (though I can't remember the name) telling me that mistletoe was an overused plot device, and I was thinking about it, but this was the only way I could justify my uhm…actions…but! But I don't have anything against any authors that have used, are using, or will use, mistletoe. It's just the reviewer and the part of me that wants to please everyone talking.

{3} Ok. Here's the deal. I don't _know_ the name of Hinata's mother. I don't even know if she is still alive. And I am too lazy to look for my answers in my manga…so in my story (this is only if she's dead) she'll exist. But if someone can tell me her name (dead or no) I would appreciate it.

{4} And I messed up again. I know. Hanabi is OOC it makes one want to cry right? But I do have slight poetic license here, and the Hyruga's are a little somber. So we all need a little Hanabi cheer. Or maybe just me…yah I can't really justify this one.

{5}Yes, I _know_ there's no fifth note in the story, but this is just me telling you that I messed up. Yet again. I finally found the site where they had the birthdays (unfortunately, I can't for the life of me remember it…and people, when they ask why I have my name written on my hand, receiving the answer "In case I black-out and can't remember my name" give me strange looks…poor poor people) and I screwed up. Royally. Yeah, Hinata's birthday is sometime in December…late December. Which is far too cold to trekking around in someone's backyard (woods…?) dressed in a little black dress. So please forgive me! But Hinata's birthday will have to moved to somewhere in the summer or early fall…and now I might as well just change her last name because I'm really screwing with their family…

~

AN: Well here yah go Merodi. You see? Reminders do work for me! (As do sticky notes on my head…but ah well) enjoy everyone!