Neji groaned at the sound of his alarm going off and groggily pushed himself out of bed. 'Why am I so tired?' he wondered as he rubbed his neck and stood up. He tried to remember the events of last night, but they seemed kind of blurry. The hyuuga remembered going to the park with Gaara…and kissing him. Neji blushed and smiled upon remembering his encounter with him on the slide. 'But how did I end up back here?' Neji was a little concerned, he decided he would question Gaara at school today. Although he felt exhausted, he still managed to prepare himself on time. He selected a low-cut white t-shirt and blue jeans. He was too tired to check if his nicer clothes were done in the wash so he headed to school. He'll be damned if he was late this time.

Just to be certain he went to his locker early, when the hyuuga was determined, nothing could stop him…well almost nothing. As Neji closed his locker door he was greeted by a loud voice, scaring him so bad it almost threw his breakfast into an early digestion.

"HI NEJI!" Lee yelled with a grin plastered across his face.

The white-eyed boy clutched his heart and glared up at his rival who had successfully shaken him.

"Hey Lee, what's up?" he said after finally calming down.

Lee's eyes filled with excitement. "I have a new admiration for you Neji, you have finally found happiness and are expressing your joy with everyone."

Neji stared back, he usually didn't understand what came out of his sensei's mouth, but now Lee had totally lost him as well. "What?" he questioned back, utterly confused.

"Your special someone of course!" Lee giggled back, hands on both his cheeks.

"Eh?" the hyuuga wasn't getting any of this. 'Unless…he saw me and Gaara in the park!' His eyes widened in realization as Lee's grew with amusement.

"You are finally taking sensei's advice and embracing your youth Neji!" he gave an exaggerated thumbs up and his teeth gleamed. "Someday I hope to woo the cherry blossom Sakura as such." His eyes became stars and he was temporarily lost in fantasy.

Neji smiled softly, he knew Sakura wouldn't sway from her quest for Sasuke, even though that was a lost cause. He still wished his teammate to be happy even if he needed to realize his first love wasn't for him.

"Lee…" the leaf nin said gently and continued when his saw his friend look up. "I don't know…I don't think Sakura is…right for you." Lee's face fell. "It's just that, she seems hell-bent on another guy. You shouldn't settle for being a second choice. You should love someone who will love you back the same way so you'll never have any emptiness left inside you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

His friend looked up and saluted. "Os! Neji, you have always given me good advice in the past, so I will consider what you are saying. I will begin scanning the school for any other people eligible for my love, but remain a place in my heart for Sakura in case my search comes up empty!"

"Wait! Lee, that's not what I meant!" But Lee was gone, he had taken of before Neji could correct himself. "Love doesn't work like that…it won't just come to you." He sighed. He knew Lee didn't hear him but someone else had.

"Sometimes it does." An unfamiliar voice responded as the bell for school to begin rang.

Great, he had just unintentionally gotten himself into a conversation with a stranger. He turned around to see another boy dressed in head to toe in a black jumpsuit. He had red paint all over his face in an interesting arrangement and carried something wrapped up on his back. At first Neji thought it was his book-bag, but it was much too long and covered in bandages, plus it looked like it was wearing a wig. Neji wondered why he never noticed this boy in school before, until he saw the forehead protector clearly marked him as a sand nin. 'He must be one of Gaara's brother's' he mused before speaking.

"I don't believe in love at first sight." Neji stated coolly hoping to end the conversation before it started so he could get to class on time. The other folded his arms,

"Well my little brother does, and it seems you helped him do it." So he was Gaara's brother.

"You must be Gaara's older brother then." Neji regarded him, he couldn't see the resemblance.

"Yes, Kankuro." He introduced himself and held out his hand for Neji to shake it.

"Look, it's nothing against you or Gaara, I just believe that love needs to develop first. It can't just magically appear for a person. By the way, I'm Neji." He shook the other's hand as Kankuro nodded but not convinced.

"Well it can, at least in Gaara's case." Neji tried not to laugh but couldn't mask the amusement in his voice.

"Look, I'm just saying that I have yet to see it for myself." The other nin must have sensed the amusement in Neji's voice because he seemed to take offense to that statement and leaned in close.

"Then you need to open your eyes!" he growled and the second bell rang. Neji scowled, all that work to get here early was wasted and now he was late and pissed.

"Great, I'm late, thanks a lot." He said angrily as got ready to run to class, until he felt a strong hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into the locker, causing his vision to blur somewhat. Kankuro looked furious but managed to keep his voice calm.

"Look, I'm just looking out for my kid brother okay? He's a….special case."

Kankuro's eyes looked down at hyuuga's neck and then back up. Neji tensed a little before relaxing even while Kankuro had a deathgrip on his shoulder. He could feel Kankuro suppressing his rage against him, he seemed like the kind of guy that got into scuffle's a lot. The hyuuga even wondered if that could be the reason they had switched schools halfway through the year. Yet he could understand what Kankuro was saying, at least to some degree. He was just concerned, and Neji didn't need to make an enemy by being snotty to this guy, especially since his was interested in dating his brother. He sighed, he was about to tear a piece from Lee's book.

"Hey, I'll give it some thought, okay? Maybe it's possible…I doubted. But…maybe." He answered and Kankuro relaxed and smiled.

"Thanks. We better get to class then since we're both late."

'Dammit!' Neji thought, being reminded of his tardiness.

He ran to the door top speed, expecting it to open like all good little door's do. However this was a bad little door and Neji found himself crashing into it and falling backwards on his ass. Laughter could be heard from inside as the teacher, brandishing a smug look on his face, opened the door.

"Good Morning Neji." He said to the boy sitting on the floor. "It seems you are late for a third time, is my class not that important to you? I do expect a reason this time, or you won't be let in."

Neji grumbled as he stood up, he didn't have one once again and looked up at the teacher without saying a thing, expecting to be told he wouldn't be attending class. 'Oh well, it's probably just a review.' He thought. Instead his teacher stared at him and cleared his throat.

"I see, well don't be late because of this again." Not that Neji was complaining as he walked into class, but why had the teacher let him in? What was the reason?

As he walked to his chair, he noticed Shikamaru wasn't in class and a pang of guilt twisted at him. 'Maybe he was too lazy to get out of bed?' he tried to reassure himself but the feeling didn't subside. He also heard a few giggles erupt as he took his seat, was crashing into the door that funny? Yeah, it probably was. He gazed back at the class, noticing Naruto was giving him a nasty glare back. What was that all about?

He inwardly sighed as review week continued and glanced as Sasuke to begin the game. The shorter haired boy grinned and started mouthing words 'Interesting choice of clothing, you must be proud.' The Uchiha knew Neji wouldn't keep silent at that remark, and was surprised to find he did. Neji just stared at him, confusion evident in his eyes. Sasuke's eyes widen, the hyuuga didn't even know. Gaara also wore a satisfied expression on his face for some unknown reason.

At last there was the usual recess bell, signaling they have some free time and to go use it. Neji stood up and headed for the bathroom, curious to know what the teacher saw that made him forgive his tardiness. He pushed the door to the men's room open, relieved to find it empty and examined himself in the mirror. Nothing on his face, his eyes shifted their gaze lower and widened. A hickey! His right hand instinctively came up to cover it, Sasuke purposely had left a hickey on him! Neji's cheeks grew red with embarrassment upon realizing why the teacher had let him in and why the class was laughing at him. No wonder Naruto had given him that awful glare.

The hyuuga's stare was torn from his reflection when he heard another boy enter and the unmistakable sound of the door being locked, before he could turn around to see who it was he felt someone press their body against his. Neji looked up at the mirror to find Sasuke staring back at him through it. Neji pressed his free hand, that wasn't covering the hickey, onto the sink in front of him to brace himself.

"Sasuke, why did you leave that on me?" his cheeks were clearly red and his voice filled with embarrassment.

Sasuke just smiled and moved the hand on Neji's shoulder away with his own. "I didn't expect you not to notice it, it seems you enjoy flaunting my little present to you around."

"No, I just didn't know I had one!" the taller boy tried to defend himself.

The Uchiha laughed and pressed his lips against the mark he left on Neji's skin. Neji just stared at their reflection as this happened, finding the sight in the glass oddly pleasing. Why was the Uchiha acting so friendly to him now? Neji swallowed hard as his friend continued to kiss his neck, slowly moving to the back to gain access to the other side. Neji leaned his head forward and murmured a soft 'no' which the other clearly ignored and proceeded to nip at the hyuuga's throat before abruptly coming to a halt. He felt Sasuke pull his hair causing Neji to lift his head up. Sasuke wanted a better view to see what he thought he did. Neji felt Sasuke stroke a sore spot on the left side of his neck.

"I don't remember leaving this mark." His tone was mixed with inquisitiveness and jealousy.

"You didn't." Neji found himself saying as the shorter nin caressed the discoloration.

Without warning, Neji felt his body being turned roughly around to face Sasuke.

"Who?" Sasuke glowered at Neji, not bothering to hide the fury in his voice.

The Hyuuga was shocked to put it simply, he wasn't expecting a reaction like this from his friend.

"Why do you wa-"

"Who!" Sasuke interrupted him and growled louder.

Neji couldn't help but smirk, he placed his hand up to cover the bruise Gaara had left, now he could get his revenge on Sasuke for using him. "What's wrong Sasuke? This…this doesn't bother you does it?"

He quoted Sasuke from yesterday, making the boy's eye's both widen then narrow. He didn't seem to like that answer at all and Neji found the Uchiha's right hand cupping his chin powerfully causing the hyuuga to wince. "S-sasuke, what are you-" his words were cut short as Sasuke forced down his lips onto Neji's, who proceeded to squirm.

Neji became nervous, Sasuke was starting to freak him out a little, and as scared as he was a moan managed to escape him went he felt Sasuke's tongue slide into his mouth. Did he like this? He couldn't tell, but his body certainly seemed too. He was about to wrap his arms around the shorter boy when a picture of Gaara flashed through his head causing him to re-direct them onto Sasuke's shoulders, successfully pushing his friend off of him since he no longer was enjoying the moment.

As much as he was attracted to Sasuke, he much rather have the attention of the red-head who sat next to him in class, but he didn't know why. His neck burned as Sasuke forced himself back onto Neji, this time grinding his hips into the longer haired boy's own. Neji tried to push Sasuke off him again, but the other latched onto his wrists and pulled them off his shoulder's. Neji then tried to verbally stop him as he struggled against Sasuke's grip. He pleaded several times for Sasuke to quit it, but the other nin still didn't take him seriously, he was obviously too caught up in the moment. Neji would have been too, everything the other nin was doing to him felt so good that part of him didn't want it to stop. However, he found himself wishing for Gaara to be there and the burning in his neck seemed to flare up.

Neji made one more plea but it was muffled underneath Sasuke's mouth, until he felt the Uchiha's lips tear off his own and he could breathe again. He opened his eyes to see his friend on the floor covered in sand. Sasuke snarled and struggled against it wildly, a long stream of curses left his mouth as he did so. The sand hissed as it wound itself around the smaller boy's frame, tightening and hardening without any compassion. Sasuke glared daggers at the cause of the sand attack who was standing at the other end of the bathroom. Neji naturally followed his gaze and his own eyes laid upon Gaara. 'How did he get in? I could have sworn Sasuke locked the door.' Neji wondered, but didn't care because he was just too relieved to see his new friend. Gaara smiled and walked over to Neji.

"You had something on your face."

Recess ended and the students piled back into class, Neji now no longer felt at ease with the current situation. The hyuuga sat in-between what felt like a war-zone, he could feel the Uchiha's stare lingering on him and the smugness that radiated off Gaara after he saved him. In addition to that, he had no idea what kind of talk the Uchiha had with Naruto, but the blue-eyed fox child hadn't given up on sending Neji the glare of death. He wanted to question Naruto but those eyes looked like a force not to be reckoned with, at least not yet. Neji groaned as the teacher began reciting notes from the beginning of the year, will this review ever end?

As the bell rang for school to end, Neji felt a hand grip his wrist. He looked up at Sasuke who held onto him firmly. "We need to talk." Neji nodded and looked back at Gaara, who's sand was already swirling at his feet and motioned to the boy that it was alright.

"I'll see you around." Neji gave a quick smile to reassure the red-head and followed Sasuke out of the classroom.

Sasuke lead him to a quiet undisturbed area of the school before speaking "So, you and that sand boy?"

Neji paused a moment before nodding back a response. "Yeah".

Sasuke glared at him, distaste obvious in his eyes, his grip on the other boy's wrist tightened painfully. Neji tried not to wince, he knew he was stronger then that instead he settled for a glare back.

"How did your talk go with Naruto?" he spat back, "I noticed he didn't seem as cheerful today, since he was focusing all his anger on me."

The hyuuga felt the all to familiar sting of the shorter boy's rough hands gripping his chin again.

"Don't try to change the subject, I want to know why you've been leading me on Hyuuga!" Sasuke spat back just as angrily.

"Leading you on Uchiha? What are you talking about? I've always minded my own business when it came to your affairs. If I remember correctly you asked me to play your little 'get-back' game on Naruto. If anything you we-"

"You agreed!" Sasuke hissed and cut him off. "You agreed to it, Hyuuga, and when you did you were agreeing to so much more."

Neji was now staring at his friend completely lost but still furious. "What was I agreeing to Sasuke? To be your little rebound buddy? Maybe a little pet to have when Naruto wasn't around? Or was I merely the silver metal you couldn't help but have on your trophy case? Please tell me Sasuke, I'm dying to know."

The taller boy glared down at his friend, he was so upset he felt his Byuken starting to activate on its own. He felt the harsh grip on his chin begin to shake, Sasuke looked absolutely livid.

"How can someone with such beautiful eyes be so damn blind!"

Neji started to struggle against the hold, it was becoming too much, he needed air but his friend wouldn't relaxed his grip, he was too enraged. Even when the long haired boy let out a small gasp and whispered for him to stop. The other didn't seem to hear it and pushed Neji into a nearby locker and leaned close.

"You were never silver to my heart Neji." He hissed close to the other's lips, never had Neji been so confused as to whether to clobber his friend or bring him close and kiss him fiercely.

However Neji couldn't let go of his rage yet, he was still much too upset at his friend. For shoving him, for tricking him, using him, that one pressed a button and doing it all while being so damn sexy that Neji was too stupid to notice. He didn't know if this boy was even his friend anymore, would a friend confuse him like this? No. Neji regarded his friend, an eerie calm in his eyes as if he just realized the truth. Before he could accuse his friend, the other spoke softly.

"Hyuuga…Neji…" A sincerity was sensed in his voice, or was it deception? After all the Uchiha had played him this far. "I…I'm worried about you. I don't trust the sand nin, there's something about him that jus-"

"I don't trust you!" Neji found himself confessing before he was even aware the words left his mouth. Sasuke stared back.

"You don't trust me?" he whispered, barely audible to even himself.

Neji shook his head, convinced that the Uchiha was not his friend…until his looked up at the other boy's eyes. Never in his left had Neji, or anyone seen so much emotion in the Uchiha's eyes before. There was shock, disbelief, hurt and misery all swirling around at once and suddenly the taller boy felt that maybe his realization turned out to be false after all.

Sasuke's hand when limp and fell to his side, releasing Neji from the stone-cold grip he had him in, causing him to fall to his knees and choke out a few brief coughs. With his hands on his newly-freed neck he managed to look up to catch those eyes again, to reassure himself that those emotions weren't really there. He had to know. But as he gazed up hoping to meet the Uchiha's face, he was instead met with his back.

"Uchiha, turn around and look at me!" He demanded as he slowly brought himself to his knees, shakily leaning one hand against the locker he was previously up against for balance.

Sasuke took a loud deep breath, as if he was trying to calm himself before he faced his friend. Slowly he turned, hair shadowing his eyes and face as cold as it could appear. Neji took a step closer, he had to know, he had to see. He reached his free hand forward to brush the hair out of the Uchiha's eyes when the other boy snatched it and pulled it down. Neji hissed at the pain his poor wrist had gone through recently and glared up. And froze. Sasuke gazed up, face fully visible so the tears had nowhere to hide on any inch of his perfect face. Neji barely had a chance to catch it because Sasuke's right fist connected with his jaw with a sickening accuracy. He would have found himself on the cold floor but on his way down he felt two warm arms embrace him. Sasuke held him tightly for a moment, while Neji felt himself losing consciousness. He heard Sasuke talking to himself, he only heard the last bit before he blacked out.

"-never let anyone see me cry."

He felt himself slipping out of his friend's hands and onto the floor. And then there was darkness.

Kowaikage- Yay! I felt so bad for Sasuke when I wrote this chapter, I made him cry. Sniffle And poor Neji being left unconscious on the floor. It might take me a while to update again, I need to write more on my other fic so I can finally add another chapter to 'Drunken conflict' and I still have to make a few spelling corrections in the next chapter of this fic. But I'll try to hurry so you won't have to wait long.

And a special thanks to the reviewers:

Atsuki-chan1- Heehee thanks for the review, I hope you liked this chapter as much as you did the others.

BlacKat- Glad your enjoying it so far and yes Gaara is like a super-vampire in this fic, I thought I mentioned it in an earlier Author's note but maybe I forgot. Oh well, no harm mentioning it again if I did.

Flclinutri- Yup the main pairing in this fic is still Neji/Gaara but I am working on other fics too. One is with Neji/Shika I just haven't written enough to it to post it yet. That and I'm lazy. Lol.

Burning tree- Hee thanks I love crack pairings. Yeah I feel bad for Shikamaru too, he sorta gets the short end of the stick huh?

HikAri Aki- Gaara bite him and the message is the mark on his neck…well I guess it's already explained in this chapter. Lol. Most questions that I get asked are usually explained in the next chapter. I don't know if that is a good thing or not but at least there's an answer.