Neji looked up surprised to see who he did. "Gaara?" the boy looked down at Neji and nodded.
"What are you doing here?" The red head questioned.
"Oh, I was helping a friend out. You?"
"Examining the school a little more." his voice had an eeriness to it and he held his hand out to Neji who gratefully accepted it.
"Thanks." he noticed Gaara's expression turn to a small grimace. "Something wrong?"
"Hm. You don't smell like you did yesterday. You smell like that boy who sits next to you, his scent doesn't belong on you."
Neji redden at this, what was the new kid implying? That he didn't smell good or that Sasuke didn't belong with him? Not that he felt the Uchiha should be with him, but he couldn't shake the recent fondness growing inside him for the Sharingan-user.
Gaara stared at Neji as if he could sense what the other boy was feeling for his classmate. "Is that so?" Neji glowered. "And what scent would be fitting?"
"Your own was much nicer before it was tainted. Or perhaps mine would be more appropriate, it's much more dominating." Gaara grinned, Neji's shocked expression had pleased him.
The Hyuuga was getting tired of always being caught off-guard, he was better then this. 'Show some confidence' Neji smiled and let out a small chuckle,
"Look, I don't know how sensitive your nose is but I think I'll continue to have whoever's scent on me that I deem worthy."
Finally, he was attaining some of his authority back. The other boy simply tilted his head to the side and gazed at him, his eyes almost glowed. Neji never noticed before that the boy had a tattoo of some Japanese character on his forehead, he shook his head, had he really become that oblivious?
"Love." Gaara said quietly snapping Neji out of his trance.
"Excuse me?"
"Love. It means love." Gaara noticed him staring and pointed to the character on his head.
"Oh..Ooooh", His white-eyes widened in realization.
The sand nin took a step closer, still staring up at Neji, who stood almost a foot taller then him. "I really don't know what it means, but people seem to enjoy it." the smaller boy confessed. Neji placed a hand on Gaara's shoulder to both comfort and distance himself from him.
"That's ok, a lot of people don't." he no longer knew where this conversation was headed, but he knew he didn't have control of it so he took that as a hint to leave. He proceeded to back away as politely as he could, but before he managed two steps backwards the other boy spoke.
"Could I see you tonight?"
Neji stared at him, transfixed on his eyes.
"Your the only person I've gotten to know." Gaara added quickly.
"It's hard to meet new people, where would you like to meet?" the leaf nin had found himself agreeing without even knowing it. 'Why do I care if he can or can't make friends?' Neji continued to stare blankly at the smaller boy and felt his heart flutter a bit. 'Oh my gods…I have a crush on him!' he concluded as his cheeks tainted pink, why couldn't he get his hormones in check? First Shikamaru, then Sasuke, and now the new kid. Who was next?
"I'll come by your house."
Neji shrugged, good enough, although he didn't mind walking if he had to meet the distance halfway.
"My house is-"
"I know where you live. I'll be by your place around 7. See you then." Gaara reached up and petted Neji's cheek before turning away and leaving the school. The long haired nin touched his cheek before his blush deepened. There was something different about this one. He was a little creepy, but he was different in a nice way.
Gaara pushed through the doors and sneered at the sun, thank goodness for a partly cloudy day. Sand began leaking through his gourd and shaded the young boy somewhat from the blazing ball of fire as he began talking to himself. "Yes mother, I like him too."
Neji returned home and plugged in his cloak, he was not going to be late for school again. He had questioned Hinata earlier about why she hadn't woken him up, turns out she did knock but he was fast asleep. She assumed he had already left. He sighed, he used to be a light sleeper, was he loosing his touch all of a sudden? No, that couldn't be it but nevertheless he headed to the backyard to train for a few hours.
He returned later sweaty and exhausted and a little reassured, he could still pull off all his moves and even improved a little on his speed. He looked at the time, Gaara wouldn't be here for a little bit yet he better shower. 'Don't want him to still smell Sasuke on me.' he paused at the thought. Why should he care if he smelled like his friend, why was he suddenly concerned about offending the red head? Neji shook his head and smelled his shirt to see if the Uchiha's scent was still covering it. Sweat. Ew. That's right, he trained and was now sweat-ridden, no one would be able to smell Sasuke on his shirt over the stink. He sighed and headed towards the shower.
He rummaged around his whole walk-in closet looking for something nice to wear, blatantly ignoring the fact all his clothes were nice. Finally settling on a sleeveless dark red turtleneck, that clung to his chest and a pair of black jeans, he also decided to wear his hair down which seemed to add to the outfit. Simple, but sexy. He smiled at the mirror, not knowing why he was so concerned about his look, but dismissed the thought when he heard the door.
He opened the door to reveal Garra standing there. He also was wearing red, but his was a normal t-shirt and blue jeans. The small boy looked up and grinned, he seemed taller, no he just wasn't hunched over anymore and he didn't seem as pale for some reason. Neji dismissed the thought and walked out to meet him.
"So, where did you want to go?"
"The park, it's calm there."
They walked there relatively fast, most of Kohana was probably eating because the streets were pretty much empty.
Neji sat on the edge of a kiddy slide and Gaara perched himself on a swing. The Hyuuga noticed Sasuke off in the distance walking in the direction of Naruto's house. Gaara also noticed this when he saw Neji's head facing the direction Sasuke was.
"Do you have any feelings for the Uchiha boy?" Gaara couldn't mask the curiosity in his voice. His voice snapped Neji's attention off Sasuke and refocused on Gaara.
"Me? No. I just hope everything works out for him."
Gaara laughed, it wasn't a nice laugh it seemed like a twisted howl was caught in his throat. Neji shivered and looked up at the moon, clearly the boy didn't believe him.
"I don't believe you."
'No shit, didn't see that one coming.' Neji continued looking up. "Gaara, there's nothing between Sasuke and I. Why are you even curious?"
"He had his scent all over you, he was clearly marking you." Now it was Neji's turn to laugh.
"Marking me? That's ridiculous Gaara, what gave you that idea?"
Gaara narrowed his eyes at the memory of Sasuke clutching Neji's hand and dragging him away. The Uchiha knew the sand nin was interested in Neji, ever since they stared each other down the first day. Gaara knew Neji wouldn't buy an answer like that though.
"That's what it seemed like, is all."
"Well, it was nothing. Nothing happened." Neji lied, and began rubbing his neck. He could faintly feel Sasuke's lips on his throat when he closed his eyes.
Gaara stood up, he could smell a lie more then he could Sasuke on Neji, he walked over and squeezed a space next to Neji on the edge of the slide.
"Why are you lying to me?"
"I-I'm not." He stammered back, scooting over as much as he could so he could grant Gaara a comfortable sitting place.
"Neji." Gaara said sternly. Neji looked down. How did Gaara know he was lying, and why did he feel so guilty about it?
"Sorry." He eventually muttered back. "He may have…kissed me."
The red head smiled, he was finally getting somewhere, although jealousy welled inside him. He gazed up at the moon and licked his lips.
"It's okay, nevermind that now." He leaned his head on the taller boy's shoulder. "I have you to myself now."
"Hm?" Neji looked down surprised at both his actions and his words.
"I like you." Gaara said calmly back.
The Hyuuga smiled to himself, he felt better about coming clean about his lie and now one of his crushes was leaning against him. Neji wrapped an arm around the shorter boy, "I like you too." Turning pink as the words left his mouth.
"Good." Gaara nuzzled closer. "Because I wasn't going to take no for an answer."
The white-eyed boy quirked an eyebrow. 'What was that supposed to mean?' oh well, he didn't feel like questioning it, he was enjoying this moment too much.
"Neji…" Gaara broke the silence with an inquisitive yet evil tone.
"What?" Neji retorted, knowing some type of odd question was coming up.
"Sasuke kissed you didn't he?"
"Yeah, why?"
Gaara grinned and breathed in Neji's fresh scent, his front canines began to lengthen.
"I'd like to get a chance to send a message back to him, if you don't mind?"
Neji let out a small laugh. "Gaara, he isn't even here, he wouldn't see the 'message' you would be trying to give him."
The red head returned the laugh and leaned closer to Neji's lips. "Let's practice then." He spoke quietly before completely closing the distance between them.
Neji's eyes slid shut as the other nin kissed him, his lips felt like petals. He moaned and used his arm around the sand nin to pull him closer. He began to tug at the younger boys lips until Gaara parted them, granting Neji's tongue entrance. It didn't take long for things to heat up. Neji found himself making out with Gaara who's back was pressed against the slide. Gaara flipped Neji under him and proceeded to kiss down his neck, tugging the turtleneck down. Now was his chance to send that Uchiha a message, this boy was going to be his and no one else's. Gaara sucked on the leaf nin's neck for a moment before sinking his fangs into it. Neji gasped at the sudden prickling feeling before moaning at the sensation it gave. He wasn't sure what Gaara was doing, but he sure enjoyed it.
Gaara began drinking and purred at the flavor. This was the right one, he could tell by the taste. The tattoo on his forehead gave off a dim glow.
'Do it' a voice within him commanded, urging Gaara to drink more.
'No, not yet. It's too soon.'
'Do it!' an irritated voice inside growled back.
'No, I want to win him over first, it'll be all the sweeter then.' He mentally answered back while eating.
"Do it!"
"No!" Gaara retorted aloud firmly, then looked down at Neji's unmoving body. "I drank too much."
Gaara pressed his head against the other boy's chest. A heartbeat. Good, he wouldn't have to turn him yet, he still wanted time to connect with his predestined soulmate. Although he would need to explain a little more to Neji now, since he assumed the boy would be curious as to why he passed out on their date. No matter, he smirked down at the mark left on Neji's neck. The Uchiha would get the message to back off for sure. He held the Hyuuga in his arms gently.
"Better take him home."
Kowaikage: HI! Hope you liked the chapter. I'm having so much fun updating it. In this chapter it's obvious that Gaara isn't human but I already mentioned that so…..Skips off Tra-la-la-la-la
Thanks to the reviewers:
Atsuki-chan1- Teehee, you've made me want to update faster now. You're lucky this story is done or else it would take me a long time to update. Heehee. Thanks for the review
Nya-chan- Yup, there's plenty of Gaara in this chapter. Thanks for the review!
Kokuryuuha018- Thank you for the tip, I find it easier to read the story like this too. And I am a giant fan of Shika/Neji Sasu/Neji and Gaara/Neji too! They're my top fave pairings in Naruto so far.
Flclinutri- Thanks for the review! I do really like Neji/Shika too but keep reading, Shika doesn't leave the fic and I still think you'll enjoy it. doesn't want to say more for fear of giving too much away
HikAri Aki- I love yaoi too! and I will update soon. I think I'll do it right now.