Note from the Author: I am proud to say … that readers are starting to sympathize with Sasuke again. I'm glad we're out of the homicidal phase.
I felt like making Neji an asshole in this chapter.
GaaIno-ness!
Endless Snow: :gives you cookies: Please don't cry:frets:
Scooperchan: … I found it humorous too. :giggle:
So sing about love.
Hinata smiled as she opened the door. "Naruto-kun! How're you feeling?"
The boy in question sighed, surprising her with an exhausted hug. "I just came to thank you. You've been really nice and didn't have to be – and Neji's been really patient, and I appreciate that because I know he doesn't like me."
She embraced him for a moment before stepping back. "Come in! You look a little pale. Are you eating enough? Can I get you anything?" As she clucked over his condition and health, she ushered him into the kitchen. "Neji-nii-san, Naruto's here!"
"I see that, Hinata-sama." He said, although in all technicality, he didn't, since he didn't look up from the book he was reading. "Hi, Naruto."
Hinata forced her guest into a stool and bustled about the kitchen, making the two boys sandwiches and talking animatedly, like she was trying to keep the mood light, to keep Naruto's thoughts from things that would bring the frown back to his face.
Just as she was setting their plates down, the phone rang and she hurriedly excused herself to answer it.
The kitchen echoed with the silence her absence brought, broken only by the sound of Neji turning the pages of his book and Naruto's foot tapping at the tile. White eyes met blue. "I take it you know Sasuke's gone?"
The blonde boy nodded slowly.
"And you know Itachi's back?"
Another affirmation.
Neji pushed an envelope across the counter toward him. "He asked me to give you this." He shrugged at his questioningly look. "He said you'd know what it was."
Naruto gripped the small package. "You saw him before he left?"
"Yes."
"Did-did he say anything?" he swallowed. "Anything I should know?"
"Nothing I have the right to repeat." Neji said simply, sipping at the coffee sitting beside him.
Naruto nodded again, sliding his fingers under the flap and opening the envelope. A necklace fell into his hand.
"Sasuke?"
"Yeah?"
His fingers ran over the pendant.
"Why do you always wear that necklace?"
The dark-haired boy cuddled into his arms. "It was my dad's." He murmured, holding it up to glint in the florescent light. "It's the Uchiha family crest."
The chain was cool on his skin as he slipped it around his neck.
"It means a lot to you?"
"Yeah." A content sigh. "It's all I've got left of my parents. It means the world to me."
Naruto wrapped his arms tighter around him, his chin on his shoulder. "It's that important to you, huh?"
"Yeah, but someday, I want to give it away." He whispered. "I want to give it to the person that means the world to me."
The words had been punctuated with a kiss, Naruto remembered. Now he sat in the Hyuuga kitchen with tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. "Thank you, Neji." He said softly, wiping at his face with the back of his hand, and smiled at the older boy. "You have no idea what this means to me."
"Sorry, boys, I -" Hinata paused in the doorway, taking in Naruto's wet face and Neji's almost-proud look. "Is everything alright?"
"Perfect, Hinata!" The blonde boy grinned, genuinely happy, hopping to his feet and pecking her on the cheek. "I actually came over to ask if you two were still in for the road trip."
"Sure!" the small girl smiled brightly, a blush still on her skin from the friendly kiss. "Well, I am anyway."
Neji huffed when she glanced at him expectantly. "Like I'm leaving you alone in the company of eight guys – especially Kiba."
His cousin giggled. "Kiba-kun is like my brother, Neji-nii-san."
He crossed his arms over his chest, muttering under his breath. "These days, that doesn't mean much."
Hinata missed it, but Naruto understood the implication. Clasping his hand around the pendant, he forced himself to let the comment go. Sasuke loves me. What's done is done. "Great! So – we're leaving on Sunday. I guess we're taking Shikamaru's dad's car and your car, Neji."
He shrugged. "Whatever. Where are we meeting?"
"Lee's."
"Alright. It sounds like it'll be fun." Hinata offered sweetly.
"Great." Naruto repeated. "I'll see you guys then." He hugged the younger Hyuuga and nodded at the elder. "I've still got packing to do, so I should get going."
"Are you sure you're alright, Naruto-kun?"
He laughed. "I'm better than alright, Hinata. In fact, I don't think I've felt this good in a long time." He lifted the pendant to the light, watching the red and white of the miniature fan flash. "I have no doubt anymore, Hinata, that you were right when you said I know how it feels." He smiled affectionately. "Thank you both. Later!"
When they heard the front door click shut, Neji asked, "What was he talking about?" at the same time Hinata did.
0
Ino picked up her purse, throwing the door open and coming close to running into Gaara, whose fist was lifted as if ready to knock. Startled, she stepped back. "Hi!"
He blinked slowly at her, letting his arm fall. "Hi."
She shifted from foot to foot nervously, blushing under his silent scrutiny. "Did-did you need something?"
"I wanted to know if you wanted to have lunch with me."
Her face flushed further. "I was actually on my way to Sakura's. She … I don't know if you heard – Sasuke-kun disappeared. She's taking it kind of hard."
His face screwed up in an almost-confusion. "I thought she was dating Lee."
"Well, she is." Ino was taken aback by the bluntness and kicked herself for not seeing how odd it was. "It-it is kind of weird, isn't it? For her to be dating someone and pining after someone else." She stood, quietly thoughtful for a moment, then beamed suddenly. "You know, let her sulk. I'd much rather get something to eat."
A faint smile crossed his lips. "Alright. Where to?"
"How about that coffee shop down the street?"
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"What does Kankurou look like without the Kabuki face-paint?" Ino asked, blowing on her coffee.
"He does the word a service by wearing it." Gaara's face remained completely straight.
She giggled, ripping open a sugar packet. Watching the contents disappear into the dark depths of the caffeinated drink, her eyebrows furrowed. "Tell me something, Gaara."
His gaze lifted to her face over the rim of his mug.
"You went out with Sasuke-kun once, right?"
He tensed, reluctantly nodded.
She smiled reassuringly, waving her hand in dismissal. "Don't worry. I'm not judging you. I just" – her expression became serious – "I'm worried about our group falling apart. You're new to this so I don't expect you to understand, but I've known these people all my life, and have been friends with them for most of it. So now all this stuff is happening – Sasuke-kun's disappeared, Naruto doesn't hang out with us anymore. I was just wondering if Sasuke-kun maybe told you anything about what's going on – I want to know how I can help."
His blue eyes met hers. "He didn't tell me anything. He doesn't really talk." – Ino successfully resisted the urge to laugh at the irony of the statement. – "But he did end up leaving our date early because he got back together with Naruto that night." His shoulder lifted in a shrug. "I was kind of surprised" – though the emotion didn't show on his face – "to hear he broke up with him a few days later." He fell quiet, having spoken the most at one time he ever had before, a disturbed shadow tainting his face. "I think Naruto was the only one who could really make him happy."
Without thinking about it, Ino covered his pale hand with her own, a gentle smile on her face. "They were always meant to be together, Gaara." She said quietly. "It's got no reflection on you." Her fingers tugged a lock of his red hair as a silent demand to come closer, their lips met over their coffee cups, steam heating their faces – or maybe it was something else.
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Additional A/N:groan: It's so short. And Ino's so OOC. :considers jumping off a cliff: