As Neji entered the room he heard Gaara speaking to a figure laying in bed.

"-ow your place Uchiha."

Was the last part of the one-sided conversation he caught. The red head looked towards the door and his eyes lit up when he saw it was Neji. The hyuuga smiled at the sand nin and walked further into the room, he saw Sasuke laying in a bed bandaged up and unconscious. His heart sank a little, he was hoping he would be able to talk to his friend. Oh well, the important thing was he was safe, that made the leaf nin feel more at ease when he took a seat next to Gaara.

"How long will he be out for?"

He asked laying his head against the sand nin's shoulder.

"All of tonight at least and prolly into tomorrow evening."

The other responded into Neji's soft hair, taking a small breath of it.

The older boy nuzzled closer to his comrade, he felt something begin to nag at him. It wasn't about Sasuke…he was out of harm's way for now. He remembered now, it was what Shikamaru told him.

"Gaara, are you moving back to the sand cou-"

He felt a finger press to his lips and silence him.

"Shhh, I want to talk to you about that tonight. Not here."

He stood up and held his hand out for the hyuuga to take it.

"Let's go back to your house to discuss it."

Neji paused wondering why they had to leave first then decided Sasuke prolly needed a peaceful rest and took the other's hand.

When they arrived at the Hyuuga estate Neji was surprised to see he had a door. Well a door in its proper place. He walked in to find Kankuro fixing his closet, who turned and nodded back.

"That little twerp can sure dish out a lot of damage, huh? By the way, your Uncle thinks I'm a carpenter now. Have fun explaining that one."

Neji continued staring.

"Gaara why is h-"

"He's fixing your room for you."

"And done."

Kankuro concluded, picking up some tools and leaving the house. Gaara motioned for his boyfriend to sit on the bed, he was nervous about what he had to say. Neji complied and sat, noticing he now had new sheets. He ran his hand over them, they were high quality too, Kankuro did good work. His attention was brought back to the red head as he spoke.

"As you heard from Shikamaru, the rest and I will be leaving back to the sand country."

The hyuuga's heart sank, so it was true. He sighed, he felt to connected to Gaara, even though they had only known each other a short time, he felt love growing for the sand nin. Even when the red head was so close to ending Sasuke's life, he still fluttered at his touch. But now, he'd be alone again just like the nara boy did to him. Right when he starts to fall for them, they leave. Was he doing something wrong?

Gaara stared at the crest-fallen expression the hyuuga was wearing and seated himself next to the boy, bringing an arm around him to hold him close.

"I really want you to come with me." He whispered in a confident tone.

"I don't want you to lea-wait, you want me to come?" the taller nin glanced up, a wave of feeling needed hit him and he never felt so happy.

However moving to a different country, could he do that? He didn't have to think about his decision long, one look at Gaara's racoon-like eyes would make him say yes to anything, but that wasn't the hard part. The hard part would be convincing his Uncle and cousin he'd be fine, which he believed he could pull off but it would take a lot of persuading. He ran his fingers through the hair above Gaara's ears and gently kissed his cheek.

"I'd love to go...if it's okay with my Uncle."

Neji was nervous about leaving, but he completely intended of coming back.

"I'll at least try it." He smiled, ecstatic that he was wanted.

Almost instantly the other boy's lips crushed against his own in a breath-taking kiss. Neji felt two hands swim eagerly up his shirt and massage his shoulders as Gaara deepened the kiss. Sliding his tongue in slowly and brushing into his taller counterpart's own. Neji smiled into the kiss and pulled away teasingly, hearing the other moan in protest against the loss of warm against his lips and force the hyuuga back against them. Neji gasped as the hands once caressing his shoulders made their way over the lump growing in his shorts. Gaara grinned and worked his palm over the tender area lightly, before it turned into a full-fledged grope. Instinctively Neji moved his legs apart to allow further access, he wrapped his arms around the others neck and nipped at the exposed skin, how did it go from a kiss to this that fast? He didn't want to bother thinking about it, each push sent a sensation over the leaf nin's body and he didn't want it to stop.

The taller nin panted as his shirt was unzipped and his felt a tongue flicker by his belly button. His heartbeat quickened rapidly as Gaara's tongue slid in and out in an agonizingly slow motion. He felt beads of sweat begin to form on his face and gripped onto his boyfriend's shirt about to tear it right off his body when he heard a knock.

It wasn't the outside door. 'Oh shit, that means…' Neji tried to focus on the real world, but it seemed too far away. However his Uncles voice from behind the wooden frame brought it clear into view.

"Neji? Could I speak with you for a moment? May I come in?"

The doorknob turned and stopped when the taller nin yelled.

"NO!" he cleared his voice. "I'll be there in a second."

Gaara pouted, wiping away his own sweat that was forming on his face and removed his hand from the other's lower regions.

"I'll go so you can talk to your Uncle."

He kissed his cheek and zipped up Neji's shirt for him, which earned both a blush and a pouty glare. Before Gaara had made it to the door, Hiashi had opened the one he was standing behind.

"Neji there's a few things I wanted to ask."

"I can explain!"

Neji shouted looking back to where he expected to see Gaara's presence, however the red head had completely vanished and the front door hadn't even been opened. Neji smiled back to his Uncle with a nervous chuckle.

"Go on…"

They had a long conversation that night.

Gaara reappeared back in his room, tossing a spiteful grin to the sleeping form of the Uchiha. Once Neji was out of this place he knew he'd be able to convince him to stay, especially if the hyuuga didn't remember Sasuke. The red head snickered to himself, everything was coming into place perfectly. The moon phase which he hoped to turn Neji will begin tomorrow night and if he was lucky the Uchiha would be out cold during all of it. He needn't worry about the threat the boy would pose after Neji becomes like himself. Then they could finally be together. Happy. The sand nin closed his eyes, thinking about the word. He hadn't be happy in so long, now was finally his chance. He glared down at Sasuke's body and gave it a firm slap across the cheek. He'd be damned if some little pest would mess things up when he was so close now. Sasuke cheek turned bright red from the impact of Gaara's palm and the boy seemed to wince in his sleep, but aside from that the leaf nin was completely unaware of his surroundings. Gaara sneered and left the room, locking the door behind him.

"Temari, Kankuro, Shikamaru!"

He shouted atop the stairs and continued when the other three looked up.

"See that if the Uchiha wakes up early, he does not disturb me and Neji tomorrow night."

The others all nodded in unison as Gaara left the house for his nightly stroll, the boy rarely slept.

Neji woke up late the next day, he had stayed up late talking to his Uncle. Apparently Hinata grew worried about him when Dr. Reese stopped by the house to give Neji a new prescription. She had asked Hiashi to talk to the boy about it and that was when the older hyuuga ran into Kankuro fixing two broken doors in his nephews room. He instantly grew suspicious at the boy claiming to be a professional carpenter and listened to the boy with red paint on his face ramble on about the importance of hammers. Hiashi, not wanting to seem rude, sat and listened to the long rant, mentally going through the conversation he would be having with Neji later that night.

Neji moaned and rolled over on his new sheets, his hair splashed over the bed in a soft wave of brown and black. He wasn't sure how he pulled it off, but he had successfully gotten permission to go to the sand country with Gaara. Of course Hiashi demand he at least meet this boy first, but he knew if he was a friend of Neji's, he would like him. He had much confidence in his nephews judgement, he knew the hyuuga had a good head on his shoulders. The older man also had one last requirement, that Neji return to visit at least once a month to be sure everything's alright, which the younger leaf nin promptly agreed too.

Neji smiled into his sheets, everything was working out perfectly. Hinata's mind was put to ease, Hiashi was letting him go to another country with his boyfriend, however he left the boyfriend part out of the explanation. Shikamaru was also coming with him so he already had a friend, Temari and Kankuro seemed nice enough, he knew he'd get along fine with them. Sasuke…well, he would be alright. He should heal up and be fine. Neji confirmed, trying to focus more on the boy's condition then his feelings.

He lazily got dressed and thanked fate that it was Saturday, he wouldn't be able to face the teacher if he was late again. He paused, he wouldn't have to face the teacher ever again. The nin pouted to himself, he liked being bored during review week, he liked the word game with Sasuke. He sighed, he didn't realize how many things he was actually going to miss. Naruto's pranks, the annoying fangirls, the stuck-up reputation he worked so hard on. He even felt a pain in his heart when he remembered that Lee wouldn't be there to sneak up and scare the shit out of him. How was he going to get along without his rival? They had helped each other out of a lot of tough situations, not to mention aid in each other's training. Could he just up and leave it all behind?

Neji stopped and calmed himself down. No, he wasn't going to second guess himself now, he'll go and if he misses Kohana too much, Gaara would understand. The hyuuga nodded to himself, now fully convinced and excited about his new beginning. He decided he'd pack a few things but leave enough so that if he came back it still felt like home, then he'd go around and say goodbye to a few friends.

After packing a bit Neji left the house, he was about to visit Naruto first but he new the fox-child would question Sasuke's whereabouts, and he didn't want to worry the blonde. But he couldn't just leave without saying goodbye either. Hesitantly he knocked on Naruto's door and waited for it to open. Sure enough it opened and a bright blue eyes stared back.

"Oh, Hi Neji. Come on in, did you bring ramen?"

The other smiled back, much friendlier since their last talk. The hyuuga chuckled and help up a packet, of course he wouldn't forget the noodles. He sat down with the prankster and smirked as Naruto started munching, before he could break the news that he was leaving, Naruto spoke up.

"So…"

Blues eyes stared into a half-empty noodle bag.

"Did Sasuke talk to you?"

The blonde saw the smile fade from the other's face and concern stirred onto his face.

"Did it go okay?" he continued.

At first, he wanted Sasuke to suffer cause of his idiocy, hey, he was a jerk. But now, he realized how much his comrade could actually care for someone, he had feelings that weren't just skin-deep. And he wouldn't wish a lifetime of loneliness on anyone, not even an enemy. He knew what that was like. He swallowed some noodles stuck behind his teeth and looked down. Sasuke never expressed himself, something that Naruto thought Neji and the dark haired nin shared. But if his friend finally found someone that helped him realize who he is, then he genuinely wished the best for him. He couldn't pinpoint exactly when it was he lost most of his detestation for the Uchiha. Maybe it was when he saw his partner could feel something in his black little heart, or maybe it was seeing him smile whole-heartily when his spoke to Neji…

Or maybe it was when he finally convinced Sakura to go on a date with him. It was a pity date because she needed an escort to get in to a fancy shin-dig and Sasuke told her no before she could even finish asking. But it was a date none-the-less which meant he didn't lose the bet and he didn't have to give up something precious. He had finally won in something against his rival...So why didn't he feel as great as he dreamed it would be?

It was the tense look on Neji's face that told him the talk didn't go over so well which made Naruto suspect the worst.

"…No." The hyuuga scratched at his arm "He told me how he felt, he..it…" his voice faded away before he could finish.

The whiskered boy in front of him tilted his head, confused and astounded. Sasuke could have anything he wanted. He came from a proud albeit destroyed clan, had bundles of girls and probably some guys swooning after him, and his was drop-dead gorgeous. How could he lose the only thing he wanted and could possible save him from himself? The blonde slammed his hand down on his table, startling Neji.

"How could you do that to him? He finally listens to that little voice that tells him to do the right thing and you crush it back down? Do you have any idea how hard it must be for him to face you now and everyday after his confession?"

Naruto was notorious for his outbursts so the taller nin tried his best not to get defensive.

"Well he won't have too."

He retorted quietly as he stood up from the table now wanting to leave.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the fox demon exclaimed.

"I'm leaving to the sand country soon, I just came here to say my goodbyes."

His voice wavered and he forced himself to remain calm when Naruto grabbed his arm and hauled him back, pushing him back to meet angry sky-blue eyes.

"That's it? You're leaving! You're running away to the fucking sand country!"

The blonde spat back, staring into the taller boy's seemingly empty eyes. 'Running away' Neji thought he must have misheard him, he ran from nothing! Neji struggled to maintain self-control but the irritation in his voice wasn't masked well.

"I am running from nothing!"

"Bullshit! You're running away from Sasuke and you know it Hyuuga!"

Neji paused for a moment, he didn't think of it like that, he tried not to think of it like that. The taller nin's silence allowed the other nin to go on.

"Answer me this one question Hyuuga. Does Sasuke know you're even leaving?"

Neji hesitated, he couldn't tell the Uchiha because he was unconscious, right? No, he didn't want to tell his friend because he knew it would kill him. He looked away from those accusing cobalt eyes.

"…No." he whispered.

What Naruto did next, was so fast Neji almost wouldn't believe anything happened until the pain in his left cheek burned. The blonde had slapped him right across the face so roughly the hyuuga had to grasp the stair railing for support.

"You are a coward, how could someone as self-respecting as Sasuke fall head over heals for the likes of you?"

The blonde hissed as Neji held his sore cheek. For once, the hyuuga was absolutely speechless, he stared up at the fox-child in astonishment then down at the floor.

Silence.

It was obvious Naruto was waiting for Neji to speak.

"I'll tell him." He whispered quietly, clenching his eyes shut.

"Damn straight you will."

The younger boy sneered and forced Neji to look him in the eyes again.

"Why are you doing this to Sasuke, Hyuuga? Do you realize how vulnerable he is now? How anything you say could destroy him?"

The dark haired boy looked down and hid watering eyes while Naruto continued to lecture him.

"You're supposed to be a genius! Do you even think? I can't imagine what mental turmoil Sasuke must be going through. He even let it slip that he loved you? Do you know that? Or are you to wrapped up in yourself that you can't see past it? Just tell me why Hyuuga? That's all I want to know. Why? Why? WHY?"

he grabbed onto Neji's shoulders and shook him violently.

That was all Neji could take, he finally broke.

"Because I love him too!" he screamed back.

Naruto stared in shock as the boy in his arms began to sob uncontrollably. He held Neji tightly not realising how much had been building up inside the poor boy.

Naruto just petted his friends hair soothingly, feeling guilty for scolding him so harshly.

"It'll be okay Neji, I'm sorry I yelled."

He tried to comfort the hyuuga, who just buried his face deeper into the blonde's chest, sobbing louder. Naruto felt his chest dampen as the tears leaked through his shirt, he decided it was best not to say anything and held the boy closer. They both sat at the bottom of the stairs for a good hour, one crying and one consoling.

Neji finally pulled himself together and wiped his face as he removed it away from Naruto's chest. The blonde stood up and lifted the other to his feet.

"Will you be okay?"

He whispered and brushed a few stray hairs away from the hyuuga's tear stained cheeks. The other nodded and mumbled a 'thank you' before turning to the door, he was far to embarrassed to remain in the house any longer. Although he knew the blonde wouldn't make anything about his break-down, he still felt the urge to hid his face. He was half-way out the door and already looking as if he never cried a day in his life when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. A gentle hand.

"Tell him, okay?"

He heard the soft words leave Naruto and Neji nodded back before closing the door.

Kowaikage- Yay! And that's the end of that chapter. What will happen next? I guess I'll just have to get off my lazy butt and edit the next chapter so I can post it. The site has been giving me a rough time when I tried to post lately, so that's why some of the updates have been taking so long. Sorry about that, but I'm not exactly great with computers, if they were living things, they'd prolly attack me. I also feel the urge to apologize for how much changed in this chapter, I didn't realise what a jump it was when I was re-reading it, but meh, a story's a story, right:P

Shalanar- Heehee Rabid Shika is hot…and I just wanted to grab Neji and Sasuke's head and cram them together to make them kiss. Alas, Neji has to be difficult so there was no juicy yaoi.

Neko-chan- Yeah I thought Neji would be all creeped out too, but Gaara did stop when he saw how serious Neji was. That and Neji's really in love with Gaara. At least that's my crappy-ass explanation. Or I could just say I'm not that good a writer yet and blame that, lol. Whichever explanation you like better can be used. :)

Blackat- Thank you! And I couldn't kill Shikamaru…he's just so fun and lazy /Huggles Shika plushie/ although he is sorta dead…in an undead way I guess…but that doesn't count :P Lol, I think it's awesome you wanted more Naruto and this chapter happens to be filled with him. Well, not filled, but more then usual. :) enjoy!

Blackat- I got your review, heehee thanks again. Sorry to hear about your computer, mine's giving me similar problems.

diongmyoji sirius- I've been trying to upload this chapter for a few days now, hope it goes through soon, thanks for the review! Mind-reading shika was so cute I just couldn't resist.

assassin- Bother me with the question? lol, I'm happy you noticed it, I was wondering if anyone would so it shows you were paying extra-close attention. So I'm flattered heehee. /hands you another cookie for being so nice/

Kokuryuuha018- Awww thankies! Yeah...I kinda left out Shika's parents, I was gonna hint that he lived alone, but I finished the fic before I remembered, so I might squeeze that in there somewhere if I stop being lazy. Which I prolly won't, lol. You have no idea how happy I am that you like it. Iwas so nervous about this fic when I first started posting./huggles all her reviewers/