Gomen nasai, minna-san. I'm here now. Meh, my life is so freakin' busy. –shrug- Not only have the last two months been pure and utter hell, but this has been one of the hardest chapters to write ever. I've written this stinking thing about seven times. And I'm still not perfectly happy. Oh well. Here are some reviewer shoutouts:

To all reviewers: Domo arigato to all of you. The story has almost 130 reviews in 12 chapters. Wow. Thank you all very much. My apologies, but because I have a lot of reviewers now, I'm only going to answer the ones that require answers. Sumimasen. If you want a shoutout, say something in your review that I have to answer. How's that for motivation?
Kawaii kitsune-kun: My most avid reviewer always gets a review. Don't worry…all will be well. Now, it's just up to you to decide what I think "well" means. –is very evil tonight-
c-tesshin: Well, the story is primarily NejiSasu…you've seen hints of NaruHina (the first and last time you'll see them in a fic of mine, most likely). I won't extensively cover other pairings here, but I will in other fics.
Sylver rain: First reviewer always gets a shoutout. –grin- Anyway, glad you enjoyed them. Yeah, I figured out the end of the Uchiha line a while back. It really bugs me, but you can't argue with genetics.
Kaze of the Sand: Wow, yes, that was a few thousand years ago. I'm glad you were able to read this as a fic, and not define it by its pairing. That was my goal for my stories: I usually call my fics shounen-ai, because yaoi is a slang term that is basically a plot only so two hot boys can make out. While that's nice (I enjoy a good yaoi for entertainment), I set out to write shounen-ai: a well-written, engaging love story in which both lovers happen to be boys.

Well, I've got another chapter for you all. I started some college classes. Meh. Anyway, it's taken up a bit of my time. Although for some reason, I wrote more in school than I did in summer. Oh well, I'll keep working at it. I want this story to finish well. Besides, I want to get on to my AU NejiSasu. I must resist starting that until this is done. Anyway, here is a major plot chapter…this is not filler. Heheh, you know you're all drooling with curiosity now. We'll just say the subtitle of this chapter is "In Which Sasuke Makes a Choice."

Chapter 13- "Star-Crossed Twilight"

The morning light filtered through Sasuke's thin, rice paper shades, casting abstract shadows across the floor. One particular shadow blurred and shifted with the sunrise, stretching longer and longer until it crept up Sasuke's sleeping face, inserting its tendrils beneath his eyelashes. The Uchiha groaned, his eyes forced to open blearily. He blinked away the night's haze from his dark eyes. He started to sit up and found he couldn't. Still fogged from sleep, he tried again. There was still no movement from his body. Trying to force his thoughts into line, he looked down at his figure. Heavy sections of cloth, sheets and blankets alike, were twisted around his body, practically immobilizing it. He sighed and started to twist in the opposite direction to free himself. I must have rolled about in my sleep; the sheets are tightly wound around me. After some serious disentangling efforts, Sasuke was able to sit up fully. He brushed his ebony locks from his eyes, feeling dried salt crusting his eyelashes. He flicked it away, trying to forget exactly how it got there.

His floor creaked as he pushed himself up onto his feet. He slid the door open, leaving it so as he descended the stairs slowly. His motions were labored and leaden, like he had to consciously remember which muscle moved what part of his anatomy. The brisk air met his face, significantly reducing his fatigue, as he slid the front door open. Slipping his feet into sandals, he thumped down the steps to the well. He grasped the wooden handle of the crack, feeling the smooth grain against his palm. With a supreme effort of will, he turned it until the bucket appeared. Sasuke poured the water into the porcelain bowl, splashing some onto his face. Taking a bit of sand, he scrubbed at his face. When he felt he had sufficiently removed all trace of dirt and grime, he lowered the bucket back into the well and poured the bowl out on the ground.

As he turned to re-enter the house, his hand lifted to slide the door back open.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke," said the smooth Hyuuga voice.

Sasuke battled the rising heat he felt, "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"About what?"

"This morning. I was surprised you didn't see me coming. But once you retaliated, I thought we'd stay on the ground forever," the white eyes had a hint of amusement in them.

Sasuke made as if to move past him towards the house. Neji sidestepped so that Sasuke's shoulder ran into his own. His arm moved out to the doorpost, keeping Sasuke from entering.

"So, why did you end it so quickly?" Neji whispered.

Sasuke froze. He was so close he could feel the Hyuuga's breath right beneath his ear. It was clogging his mind and preventing him from speaking. What's going on? Is Neji…hitting on me?

"I think you were enjoying it too much to continue it," Neji whispered, his breath getting closer.

Sasuke felt the faintest feather-touch of lips on his jawline, before the Hyuuga chuckled beneath his breath.

"See you tomorrow, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke's hand fell helplessly back to his side. It seemed like years ago Neji had stood here, making the first advances on him. Sasuke felt what could have been a smile tug at his lips; he had so hated Neji for tormenting him like that. Now all he wanted was for Neji to be back here, making those same advances.

He shook his head firmly, No, that's not all you want. You want a clan, a family, a legacy. You want your father's house restored, you want a wife, you want a child.

He slid the door open forcefully, hearing the wood slam into the doorpost. He removed his sandals and stepped inside. Sliding the door closed, Sasuke took a deep breath and headed for the stairs. I must make a decision. Today. It has to be today. Right. Today.

The streets of Konoha were bustling as usual, as Sasuke walked down the street towards the ninja section of town. His hands were stuffed in his pockets (also as usual), and his shoulders were almost slumped. Almost. After all, Sasuke never slumped.

"Sasuke-kuuuun!"

Stiffening suddenly, Sasuke only relaxed when he recognized it was Sakura's voice that had called him. Several girls had taken to hiding in the oddest places only to spring out and tackle him when he wasn't looking. He was almost tempted to use the Sharingan to avoid them. Almost. By now, Sakura had caught up with him and was walking alongside him.

"Ohayo, Sakura," Sasuke muttered out of politeness.

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun. Do you know what day this is?"

Sasuke blinked, Today? May 27th. Not her birthday. Or anyone else's I know for that matter. Why is today important? He grunted a negative.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shoulders droop a bit, "Naruto didn't remember either. It's our five-year anniversary!"

The Uchiha stopped walking instantly, shooting Sakura a witheringly piercing look. She shook her hands rapidly between Sasuke and her.

"No, no. Not our five-year anniversary. I mean, it's been five years since we graduated the ninja academy and became real ninja."

An involuntary breath of relief almost escaped Sasuke's mouth. He had had a moment of panic that Sakura's days of obsessing over him had returned. He shrugged and started walking again. Sakura's energy and happiness seemed to go out of her.

"Don't you think today is kind of important?" she asked, a tinge of hope in her voice.

Relenting a bit, Sasuke grunted, "Yes, I suppose it is."

Sakura instantly straightened, clapping her hands together, "So you wouldn't mind if we had a big party tonight?"

Sasuke's steps froze again, as he blinked impassively at Sakura, "A party?"

She nodded excitedly.

"I hate parties."

It was as if Sakura was a balloon and someone united the knot at her feet. All of her energy and joy just melted out of her, leaving her deflated.

"You…you do? Oh…well…I guess…we don't have to have a party."

Seeing her so crestfallen, Sasuke muttered, "I suppose I could live through one night."

A squeal erupted from the kunoichi as she threw her arms around Sasuke and hugged him tight. Sasuke stiffened, surprised, and didn't have a chance to move until she pulled away and hopped up and down like a child at her first New Years' celebration.

"Domo arigato gozaimasu, Sasuke-kun. You'll have fun, I promise. It'll be at the southwest hall of the ninja academy at sunset. Can you come an hour early to make sure you like the decorations and everything? Please, promise you'll come!"

He waved a hand, trying to calm her down, "Hai, hai. I'll come."

She squealed again before turning and flying off, yelling over her shoulder, "Arigato, Sasuke-kun!"

He shook his head, almost amused before he saw that all motion on the street had stopped. All eyes were boring into him, especially the girls, since Sakura had hugged him. With one of his infamous glares, Sasuke soon set the street in motion again. He sighed briefly, shaking his head and continuing on towards the training ground.

Training that day was boring. Sakura had been excused from team practice by Kakashi and from private lessons with Tsunade to work on the party that night. Naruto was hyperactive as always, always talking about the party, who'd be there, what they'd do, and all the things that had happened since they graduated to genin. Sasuke entered the conversation only long enough to first, point out that Naruto hadn't graduated with them (sparking a furious "training" session), and second, to glare at Naruto heavily when the blond mentioned Orochimaru, Itachi, and the Sound. Naruto skipped over that portion of history a little faster than he had planned to.

During a lull in training, Sasuke wandered over to the shade of a tree, sitting down and drawing out a canteen of water. Naruto soon appeared next to him, flopping down.

"Sasuke-teme, you haven't said anything about the party tonight? Aren't you excited?"

The look the blond received was completely bland, "Thrilled."

Naruto rolled his eyes, "Stop being such a grouch, teme. Come on, it can't be that bad. After all, Neji will be there."

The canteen froze halfway to Sasuke's mouth. Neji? Oh, shit. He forced his hand to continue moving and soon felt the cool water slide down his suddenly sandblasted throat. Naruto, of course, had seen the motion.

"What's wrong with you? I thought Neji would cheer you up. Are you still 'on break' or whatever the hell you called it?"

Sasuke shrugged noncommittally, laying aside the canteen and leaning back against the tree. Naruto looked peeved by his refusal to say anything.

"Come on, I'm the first one you told about Neji. You can't leave me hanging here. Stop being so damn self-centered!"

Sasuke lifted his head, "We didn't tell you; you walked in on us."

"That makes no difference, teme. I have a right, both as your friend and Neji's, to know what's going on."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "If I tell you, will you shut up about it?"

"Of course not."

There was a brief bit of silence, as Sasuke closed his eyes and ignored the blond. He could feel the rage and frustration slowly increase in waves rolling off Naruto. He stifled his smile. Suddenly, it was still. Too still. Sasuke cracked his eye just a bit…

…to see Naruto's face planted less than a centimeter away. Sasuke jerked back against the tree, slamming his head. He glared at Naruto while rubbing the growing bump on his head.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "I'm not moving until you tell me."

Another growl, "Fine. Yes, we're still on break. No, I don't want to see him tonight."

Naruto nodded, pulling away and going back to his seat, "Well, you can't not come now. Sakura was so excited that you were coming."

Sasuke waved a hand in a slightly depressed way, "Hai, hai. I know."

There was a brief moment of silence before, "So…why don't you want to see Neji, huh? Don't you like him anymore? Huh?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "You'll never stop now, will you?"

Naruto shook his head happily, "Never. Only for lunch breaks and dates with Hinata."

With a slight sigh, Sasuke stopped resisting, "It's…complicated."

"…what's complicated? I have to eat, and I'm certainly not dumping Hinata just to hear you emote."

A vein pulsed on Sasuke's forehead, and he brought a crashing fist down on Naruto's head, "Neji and I are complicated, dobe!"

Naruto rubbed his head, "…ow. DON'T CALL ME DOBE, TEME!"

"Fine. But listen this time."

"Hn."

"Do you remember our first team meeting? When Kakashi made us say what we liked, what we hated, and what our goals were?"

"Yeah. Heheh, I hated you for your oh-so-superior answers then."

"They were superior answers, dobe."

"Teme. Anyway…"

"Right. Do you remember what my goal was?"

"To kill Itachi."

"And…?"

"…and…"

Sasuke shot him a flat, superior look. Naruto scratched his head.

"OH! Your clan's revival."

Sasuke nodded, "Hn."

"…so, what's that got to do with anything?"

Another vein joined in the pulsing, "I can't be with Neji and revive my clan, dobe."

"DON'T CALL ME DOBE. …why not?"

The look this time was sheer pity for the blond's stupidity. It finally dawned on Naruto.

"OH! Because he's a guy!"

Sasuke sighed in relief and nodded, "Hn."

"…oh. Right."

Sasuke sighed, "Hai."

They lapsed into silence, ignoring the sounds of the forest around them. Neither one said anything else. Apparently, neither had anything to say.

Sasuke was trudging along the streets toward the ninja academy. Trudging was really the only word for it, considering his attitude and general posture. His shoulders were stiff, his hands were in his pockets, and each step seemed like it took a degree of willpower to pull off. It probably did. He was dressed formally, in a deep blue shirt with a goldthread uchiwa on the back. His pants were pants this time, long and black. He had taken the time to clean up after practice, and he looked ready for the party. Inside, however, he was dreading each passing second.

I hate parties. And now my possibly-soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend will be there as well. This is just wonderful. I hate parties. And now my possibly-soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend will be there as well. This is just…

"Sasuke-kuuun!"

He raised his head to see Sakura waiting for him on the corner. She had a strip of cloth in her hand, which she was waving frantically. He raised a lazy hand in acknowledgement, crossing the street and coming near her. Before he had a chance to speak, she had grabbed his arm and was dragging him with her.

"Okay, Sasuke-kun, we have a lot to do and only an hour before the party starts. First of all, I need your opinion on these streamers. Are they the right color? I mean, I know you might not like them, which is fine. But do you think you can live with them for just one night? After all, there's really nothing wrong with pink…"

And it continued from there. By the time Sakura had finished lecturing him on the different foods being served, Sasuke's head was spinning. She asked his opinion on everything she could. Naruto was lounging in the back of the room, nibbling on a small bowl of ramen. When asked why he wasn't being dragged around, Sakura replied he and Hinata had been here with her since lunch and had contributed to most of the set-up. Sasuke resisted the urge to bolt.

It was finally over ten minutes before the party was scheduled to start. Sasuke allowed his weakened legs to collapse, sending him flopping into a seat. Sakura stood over him tapping her foot impatiently.

"It's not like you worked hard at all. You just had to say 'yes' or 'no' to what we've done. You've no call to be so tired."

Sasuke stared up at her with a bland look, "You don't consider fifty minutes of being dragged around like a sack of flour enough to make a person tired?"

She opened her mouth for a retort when the door slid open, as Kiba and Shino walked in. Instantly, Sakura's face transformed to pure smiles, as she scurried over. Bowing before them, she uttered a formal welcome and some thanks for their presence. They returned the bow, expressing gratitude for being invited. As soon as the formalities were over, Kiba bolted straight for the food at the other end of the hall. Shino strolled casually over, following him slowly. Sasuke raised a hand in lazy greeting to both. They returned the gesture with similar energy. Hinata stopped talking to Naruto and hurried over to the table to greet her two teammates. Sasuke yawned; this party was exciting beyond belief.

Within the next several minutes, the door slid open repeatedly, admitting several more ninja. Of course, Ino arrived with Shikamaru, in his jounin vest, and Chouji. The latter went straight for the food buffet as expected, while the former looked bored as always and sat himself down next to Naruto. The blonde latched onto Sakura, and the two began alternately greeting the newcomers and chattering excited about the last five years of ninjahood. Sasuke stood and bowed to the instructors that entered, but he only offered slight waves to his fellow graduates.

It was at this moment that Gai chose to make his appearance. The flashy jounin appeared in the room with a flash-bang (reminiscent of Kakashi, perhaps?).

"So! My Illustrious Rival! We meet again on the anniversary of your cherished pupils' graduation. Out of respect for them, I shall not challenge you and embarrass you before their youthful eyes!"

Kakashi blinked a bit, turning from his conversation with Kurenai to comment blandly, "Oy, Gai…did you say something?"

Gai burned with passion, "OH! That was very suave of you, Kakashi! You showed your true savvy nature!"

Lee appeared in another flash-bang next to his sensei. In his hands was a bouquet of red roses.

"For the graceful, elegant, and ravishing hostess," he announced, handing them to Sakura with a flourish.

The door slid open, and Neji and Tenten entered the room. The two looked unaffected by their teammates' actions, entering the room with quiet steps and only a murmured greeting to Sakura and the gathered group. Sasuke's throat went dry. He had praying whatever kami loved him to prevent Neji from coming tonight. And now that the Hyuuga was here…it was even worse than he thought. Not only was the white-eyed not looking at him at all, but Tenten was also practically dragging him with her as she wandered around speaking with people. Sasuke felt a cold rage in the pit of his stomach, as all his eyes could see was her gloved hand gripping the white of Neji's sleeve. Black on white…white under black…

Sasuke shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He stood up abruptly, edging his way through the crowd of well-wishers outside. He slid the door shut behind him and breathed in deep breaths of cool night air. Take it slowly, Uchiha. You must get a grip on yourself. Go back inside and have a good time. Or whatever you were having before he arrived.

He took another breath and stepped back inside to the party. For the most part, people were merely walking around and talking with the background music playing softly. Sakura had gone through great trouble to get Tsunade to allow her to use the village's only speaker system with Tsunade's collection of music from the big city. It was only because of the pink-haired kunoichi's apprenticeship to the Hokage that it was allowed. Now, the speakers were the cause of much interest and more than a little confusion. After all, what did one do with music playing in the background from little black boxes?

Leave it to Naruto to think of something.

"MINNA-SAN!" he thundered, standing on a chair and waving his arms.

The crowd's low hum died off as everyone turned to see the hyperactive blond perched precariously on a chair with Hinata standing below him. She looked torn between fear for him and apprehension about his next words. Had Sasuke known what they were, he would have been slightly unnerved as well.

"EVERYONE! Sakura went through a lot of trouble to borrow these speakers. I think it's only fair we use them!"

There was a moment of silence as everyone tried to figure out what exactly the blond had planned. Shikamaru, ever the genius, was heard to mutter "troublesome" right before the blond continued.

"We need to dance!"

There was a sharp intake of breath, mostly from the boys in the party. The girls gasped as well, but that was followed shortly by a squeal that rivaled the feedback the speakers were currently producing. Naruto hopped off his chair and walked over to the speakers, pulling out a disc and inserting another one.

A fast-paced dance rhythm started to pound throughout the room…and through Sasuke's head. The Uchiha half-closed his eyes, imagining several ways of killing the blond and simultaneously destroying the speaker system. He opened them again to see Hinata standing before him, practically cowering. He raised an eyebrow and stared at her levelly.

"Uh…excuse me, Sasuke-kun, but Naruto-kun asked me to bring you out to the dance floor."

Sasuke's eye began to twitch slightly, "He did what?"

Hinata was virtually shaking.

Sasuke sighed, "Fine. I can hit him myself."

As he stood, he followed Hinata out to the dance floor, where Naruto had organized the teenage ninja into a circle. Sasuke pushed his way in, trying to find the blond to chew his ear off for involving him in this insanity. As his gaze flickered around the jumping circle, he spotted a flash of spiky blond hair. He edged his way forward, ready to bolt across the hole in the center, when he saw what (or who, rather) Naruto was dragging. It was Neji. A pure electric shock ran up his spine at the sight of the quiet Hyuuga who was allowing himself to be pulled into the bouncing mass of teenage adrenaline. In that brief moment of shock, the dance music charged to blaring mix of pop and techno sound effects. The crowd closed in around Sasuke, and he was trapped.

Damn. It.

As soon as the beat changed, Naruto had dropped Neji's arm and catapulted into the center of the circle. With a few poses and flashy smiles, he began to dance to the music, swaying back and forth to beat, throwing in some flashy spins and twists to spice things up. People were calling and cheering; Sasuke felt like killing something. Naruto flashed another bright grin and held his arms out, motioning for Hinata to join him in the circle. She was blushing furiously and shaking her head no, but Ino gave her a gentle shove from behind, sending the pale-eyed girl directly into the circle. Naruto grabbed her arms to keep her from leaving and started to show her how to dance. The crowd, particularly Kiba and Sakura, kept calling out encouragement to her, and soon the Hyuuga girl was dancing away with Naruto in the middle. The blond was grinning and cheering her on, as they danced side-by-side, arms locked. Sasuke, as disturbed as he was by the atmosphere, couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. Naruto could dance with the one he loved; Sasuke didn't have that luxury.

The dance beat changed again, and Naruto hopped out, pulling a surprisingly reluctant Hinata with him. With one smooth motion, the blond shoved Kiba into the center ring. The boy looked shocked for only a second, before a devilish grin came on his face, and he dropped to the ground. Before anyone had a chance to react, the ninja started to spin like a top on the floor, sending his body into spasms and convulsions that made it walk across the floor. He spun onto his shoulder, holding his body upright for a time. People were cheering frantically, yelling for more from him. Kiba went up on one hand, spinning rapidly, going from spinning on his palm to spinning on his elbow to back to his palm. The speed and grace of his movements had even Sasuke bouncing his head with the beat.

Perhaps this isn't so bad, he thought to himself as he watched Kiba spin. Taking a break from life isn't all that rough.

He found himself starting to smile and applaud whenever Kiba did something spectacular. It was at this unfortunate moment that the music changed again. Sasuke looked around for who would be the next participant in the center ring. He spotted Naruto's blond hair in a flash before it disappeared…

…and Neji stumbled into the center ring. The entire crowd raised a yell that could have lifted off the roof. Had it not been for that, Naruto would have died from a severe Hyuuga-pounding. As it was, he should have been melting from the heat in the Hyuuga's white-hot gaze. Sasuke felt a tiny smile quirk his lips as he saw the other boy out there. That would be unbearable to…

UMPH!

…be pushed out into the center. Sasuke shot a look over his shoulder. Sakura and Ino were convulsing in laughter on the inner track of the circle, giggling hysterically at seeing both Neji and Sasuke in the center. Sasuke flamed almost bright red, trying to look anywhere but at Neji. He sure as hell was not going to dance here at all…much less with the Hyuuga right there. He turned around to leave, but the circle closed. No one planned to let him out. It was then his senses tingled. He threw his head far to the right, avoiding the fist that came out of nowhere. He spun to see Neji pull his arm back and raise his eyebrows.

What the hell are you doing! Sasuke's eyes clearly demanded.

In response, Neji's eyes went flaming white with the Byakugan. Sasuke looked confused for only a moment, before he understood. Neji shifted into the Jyuken stance before him, a smile quirking at his lips.

"Dance with me, Sasuke," he whispered.

Sasuke's eyes flared with the Sharingan, and he launched a powerful kick at Neji. The two shinobi began a fast-paced dance around and towards each other. Each move was calculated not to damage but to match the rhythm of the music. Sasuke kept his movements controlled.

We learned the rhythm of fighting in training. This is simply fighting to the rhythm of the music. Dodge, sweep, punch, spin, drop, lift, kick.

The "dance" was ornate and elegant, fast-paced and highly engaging to watch. The whole crowd of shinobi was yelling their lungs out, watching the two prodigies of Konoha engaged in a choreographed fight to the steady beat of techno-pop. Neji would rotate Sasuke's movement away from his torso, creating the rapid techno shifts of the dance. Sasuke would send rapid, straight punches and kicks at Neji, accentuating the steady, pulsing beats of the music. Both shinobi were intent; sweat dripped from their foreheads as they expended all their power just to keep the pace going for the length of one song. As the song neared a conclusion, Sasuke threw a straight punch at Neji's head. Instead of rotating this one away, Neji simply moved his head, allowing the punch to flying past him. The Hyuuga's arm came up and placed the punching arm in a lock. Sasuke used his right to punch. Neji used an inside-to-outside block, pushing the arm outwards and down, trapping it against his waist. Sasuke retaliated by locking Neji's legs with own. Their movements culminated in a stalemate at the exact time the music ceased.

The teenagers around them were silent for a moment, before erupting in violent, thunderous cheers, whistles, and applause. They clapped, stomped their feet, and yelled to show their enthusiasm. While all the commotion surrounded them, Sasuke found it hard to focus on anyone by Neji's face, trapped only two inches from his own. His breathing was hard and fast from the fight, his chest rising and falling quickly. Neji's was as well, and the two pressed up against each other as they held the lock. A single sweatdrop coursed down Sasuke's head, falling across the bridge of his nose, and gathering on the top of his upper lip. He saw Neji's eyes fixed to that drop as if it were a lifeline. With a jolt, Sasuke realized although it seemed like forever since they stopped, their fellow shinobi were still cheering thunderously. If they stayed locked together, someone might notice something. With a supreme effort of will, Sasuke released his grip on Neji. Almost instantly, the Hyuuga responded, releasing both arms from imprisonment.

The two stepped back almost in unison, turning to wipe sweat from their face and step back into the circle of teenagers. Naruto and Kiba jumped over to Sasuke, clapping him on the back and telling him how awesome that was. Sasuke just grunted, pushing his way out and getting a cup of water from the drink table. He noticed Neji was similarly inundated with Lee, Tenten, and Hinata. Their eyes met briefly, but Sasuke looked away almost instantly.

He didn't want to admit to himself how close he had come to kissing Neji right in front of everyone.

The party ended when the moon was descending from the sky. Shinobi and jounin alike stumbled out of the messy hall, making their way towards their various homes. Sakura was asleep on a chair, her head resting on Lee's shoulder. Hinata took over the role of hostess for her, wishing everyone good night and a safe journey home. Kiba and Shino made their way out the door, after telling Hinata about team practice later that day. Shikamaru muttered about how troublesome it was to carry the sleeping Ino home, but Chouji just munched on leftovers and thanked Hinata for stocking such a delicious table. Gai gently talked Lee into leaving, assuring him that Sakura would be taken care of. Tenten walked out first, trying to fix her hair back into buns as best as possible. Neji paused on the doorstep, thanking Hinata while his eyes were on Sasuke across the room. The Uchiha watched him as well, ignoring Naruto's sleepy babble next to him. With a brief nod, the Hyuuga stepped out of the door and closed it behind him.

Sasuke turned to see Naruto pick up Sakura, "Oy, dobe. What are you doing?"

Naruto grumbled, "Sasuke-teme. We just talked about it. I said I'd take Sakura home if you stayed and cleaned up the room."

Before Sasuke could protest, Naruto, Sakura, and Hinata were out the door, leaving him alone in the room.

"Damn it," he growled out, grabbing a broom and starting to sweep the loose debris into a pile.

Cleanup took a long time, as Sasuke spent time sweeping the floor, clearing off the floor mats of dishes and assorted other things, as well as closing down the speakers. It was a good thirty minutes later when he heard the door slide open again.

"Oy, good, Naruto. Come help with this. It's your party; you should be helping me clean up."

"It's not my party," the smooth, definitely-not-Naruto voice said.

Sasuke turned, broom still in hand, to see Neji standing framed in the flickering light of the candles. He was struck almost speechless, both by shock and by discomfort. He saw Neji shift his eyes up and down. It suddenly struck him how…homey he must look with a broom and dustpan in hand, sweeping up garbage. He dropped the two implements like exploding notes, crossing his arms casually over his chest.

"Did you forget something?" he heard himself ask.

Neji nodded, "You might say that."

Sasuke felt his breath catch as Neji appeared right in front of him. How did he move so fast? The Hyuuga raised a hand and lightly brushed some still sweaty strands of hair off Sasuke's forehead.

"I know you hate compliments," Neji said quietly. "But tonight…you were beautiful."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort about "beautiful" when he found he couldn't speak. Being kissed tended to cut down on your verbal communication skills. He tried to mumble something through Neji's lips, but he gave up halfway through. Why bother? His arms lifted and wrapped around Neji's neck, pulling the taller boy closer. His mind went almost blank, shoving aside everything but the kiss that was going on. He pushed closer to Neji, pressing against him with his whole body. He felt Neji's arms wrap around, pressing into his lower back, forcing him closer. The kiss became more forceful, more passionate as the boys struggled against each other, drinking in each other as if they were the air itself. Sasuke pulled back suddenly, gasping for air, having no time to breathe before pushing himself back onto Neji's lips. This time, Sasuke initiated the kiss and took dominance. He forced Neji's lips apart, running his tongue over them briefly. The Hyuuga pulled Sasuke tighter again.

Some part of Sasuke's brain disengaged for a moment, No!

He placed his hands on Neji's chest, pushing forcefully. The power of the push sent both boys backwards, putting a few feet in between them. After the kiss, that few feet seemed like an abyss.

Sasuke shook his head, "No, I can't. Not now. I haven't…I mean, I don't know…"

Neji's face retreated from pain to impassivity, "You haven't…decided yet. I had hoped…the dance tonight…but I was mistaken. Forgive me."

"No!"

The moment of silence stretched into a minute. A thousand thoughts whirled and collided in Sasuke's head, each bouncing off of the others and careening into his skull. He raised his hands, placing them over his ears. His knees collapsed beneath him, and he fell to the ground. Neji was there in a moment, but Sasuke shied away from his touch. The Uchiha shook his head again, trying to get a grip on his mind.

I have to choose. My family…or my love? I have to choose. Choose. "I want to resurrect my clan." "Neji, I don't hate you." "Resurrect my clan." "Don't hate you." "Resurrect." "Hate you." Choose.

Sasuke closed his eyes tight, Father…please forgive me.

He pulled his hands away from his ears, and blinked away the stars that sprung from his tightly closed eyes. He placed two hands on Neji's shoulders, pulling himself up and leaned into Neji's embrace. He was almost curled against the Hyuuga's chest, as the other boy encircled him in comforting arms.

"Neji…I…made my choice."

He could feel the stiffening in the other's body, as he tilted back his head and looked up at the pale-white gaze.

"Neji, I…want…I mean. Neji. I choose…"

There was a loud crack, as one of the windows in the room bounced off its framing. A shadow vanished from behind it, disappearing into the darkness.

"Someone was watching!" Neji said urgently.

Sasuke nodded quickly, "We'd better go."

Without another word, he grabbed his jacket and ran out of the door, heading back towards his house. As he ran, his feet pounded a rhythm into his heart. Coward. You still didn't tell him. Why? Do you regret your choice already?

He yelled back firmly, "No!"

As he reached his house, he slid open the door, closing it behind him breathlessly. He leaned up against the wood support. His mind traveled back to the deserted hall…to Neji…

"Neji, I…want…I mean…Neji. I choose…"

His breath came in one short gasp as he finished his sentence, …you.

Sasuke tossed and turned all night, torn by his inability to tell Neji what he had chosen. The night was interminable, stretching longer than any night ever had before. The sun traveled a thousand times slower than usual, taking several centuries to climb above the horizon and signal the beginning of the day. As soon as the rays peaked over the rice-paper window in Sasuke's room, the Uchiha threw off the covers, bolting from the room to the bathroom. He completed his daily ritual faster than he ever had before. Running back to his room, he grabbed a set of training clothes, throwing them on without thinking. He leapt down the stairs, throwing open his door and hurtling across the rooftops towards the Hyuuga manor.

As he landed in front, he stopped suddenly. The manor should have been awake and bustling by daybreak. It was silent…unnaturally silent. An inexplicable feeling of dread sprouted in Sasuke's stomach as he took leaden steps to the door. It seemed to take an eternity for someone to answer the door. When the door did open, it was no servant but Hinata herself. Her face was pale and drawn. Upon seeing him, she jumped as though shocked by a lightning jutsu. Peering behind her (fearfully?), Hinata hurriedly stepped out, closing the door behind her.

"Please, Sasuke-kun. Go now and don't be seen here."

The dread in Sasuke's stomach exploded, "Why, Hinata-san?"

Hinata shot another look over her shoulder, "One of the servants went to the hall last night to get Neji-nii-san. He…saw you both. He told my father. Please, go immediately."

"No! What did your father say?"

Hinata trembled, "He's speaking with Neji right now. Please, Sasuke-kun…"

"Let me in, Hinata."

The girl shook her head, begging, "No. Father is furious. Neji is under house confinement. Seeing you will only make it worse. Please."

Sasuke looked away, trying to stem the flow of tears, "Please, Hinata-san. I…won't let him see me. I just have to see for myself."

Hinata opened her mouth but instead saw the tears on Sasuke's cheeks. She peered over his shoulder again, before sliding the door open.

"This way, Sasuke-kun."

As they neared the main study, where Hyuuga-sama worked, Sasuke could hear a combination of angry voices and strangled gasps. He almost burst into the room, had Hinata not placed a hand on him. She slid open the door, entering the study and sliding the door almost closed behind her. She left an inch for Sasuke to see through.

Sasuke watched as Hinata scurried over to stand beside her father.

"Who was at the door, Hinata?"

"Just a servant from next door, otou-san."

Sasuke peered around the room, seeing Neji standing against a wall. The boy's forehead was drenched in sweat, as were his clothes. He seemed weak, sick almost, swaying slightly in his standing position. Sasuke's heart ached.

"Neji-kun…do you still hold to your disgrace?"

The Hyuuga raised his chin, "I love him, Hiashi-sama. I cannot do anything otherwise."

Tears erupted in Sasuke's eyes, as he shut them tightly. He heard another strangled gasp, an almost animal cry, and he opened his eyes. Neji was on his knees on the floor, holding his head and trying to keep from screaming in pain. Hiashi was standing, two fingers raised before his eyes. Sasuke's eyes widened, He's using Neji's Caged Bird seal to hurt him. Because of me. All because of me.

Hiashi lowered his head, and Neji's breath slowly returned to normal.

"Boy, do you realize if you do not reject the Uchiha, you will be a disgrace to this family, to this House, to all of us? I will give you a day to consider."

"…I cannot help it. Hiashi-sama," Neji's breath was shallow, almost painful to witness.

"Then you will not be allowed to live…"

Unable to take anymore, Sasuke turned and bolted from the house, flying through the open door and launching off into the village. Sheer pain drove him, sending him flying from rooftop to rooftop. Before he realized it, he was at the training ground. He collapsed to the ground, sobbing frantically. His head was a litany of cries, all condemning him for Neji's pain.

It's all your fault. You're poison. You kill everything you touch. Your family died. You betrayed your village. You ruined your friendships time and again. You fell in love with a boy. You denied your clan the chance at life, and now you've killed your love as well. Monster. Beast. Poison. You're a demon.

"No, no, no…"

Sasuke's sobs repeated themselves over and over, trying to deny the voices that screamed at him for vengeance. He shook his head back and forth, trying to shut them up. But they wouldn't go away.

Because they're true.

This was a new voice. It did not scream or yell or try to dramatize. It simply was. It was quiet, mild, meek…resigned, despairing.

They're all true. You can't help it. If you truly want to set things right, you have got to give up Neji. Now.

Sasuke's sobs subsided slowly, as he raised his head. The tear streaks on his cheeks dried into rivers of crusted salt. He took ragged breaths, trying to gather any vestiges of strength. He looked up. The sun was past the midpoint. It was the afternoon. He pulled himself to his feet, ragged and worn. He started walking, one step at a time, down into the village.

As he reached his home, he slid the gate open with a leaden hand.

"Sasuke!"

His entire body felt electrocuted. Neji was sitting on the step in front of his house. The Hyuuga stood up, wincing as he did so. Sasuke looked away, feeling a fresh flood of tears brimming.

"I've been waiting for you…Sasuke? Look at me," Neji's voice was almost pleading…like Sasuke had never heard it before.

The Uchiha forced his eyes to be flat and emotionless. He turned his head to meet Neji's gaze with an indifferent, cold stare.

"Why?" he demanded, hating his own soul for the words he spoke.

Neji's face instantly flinched, betraying his hurt and pain. Sasuke ached to run forward, to bury his face in the boy's shirt, and sob out an apology for all the pain. But that wouldn't keep Neji from being hurt.

"I…wanted to talk about last night," the Hyuuga said quietly.

"Oh, last night," Sasuke shrugged, crossing his arms. "I meant to tell you then. I don't want you."

Neji swayed as if physically struck. His legs shook, and he caught a beam in the doorpost to hold himself upright.

"You…have chosen then?"

Sasuke nodded, uncaring on the outside, screaming on the inside, "My clan is more important than some passing crush or fancy I have. I have to think of my family and my honor."

Neji flinched again, "I…understand, Sasuke."

Three tears fell from those pale white eyes, as Neji released the doorpost and almost staggered towards the door. As he passed Sasuke, their shoulders almost touched, but Sasuke sidestepped, avoiding all contact. More tears struck the dirt of the courtyard.

"You should go," Sasuke said coolly. "I don't want anyone seeing you."

Neji nodded wordlessly, continuing to walk out of the courtyard, until he vanished around the gate. Sasuke's knees unlocked, sending him pitching into the ground. He began to sob uncontrollably. He pulled himself across the ground, dirt staining his clothes, until he reached his door. Sliding it open, he pulled himself inside, shutting it again. Now protected from the outside world, Sasuke let his sobs erupt, as he curled into a ball and rocked himself back and forth.

Oh kami, Neji…please forgive me. I love you, but it's the only way to keep you alive. Please…please…oh kami, please…

…forgive me…

…I love you…

Oh. My. God. I swear, I am a sadist. I feel like killing myself right now. How could I torture these boys like this? I don't deserve to live.

Anyway, coming at a phenomenal (for me) 6,930 words, this is the single largest chapter I have ever written. Again, I'm sorry for making you all wait so long. I hope this mega-chapter with its plot developments makes up for it. I promise to try and update more regularly. If you want progress reports, check out my new LiveJournal. The link is on my profile page.

Until next time, everyone.