Authoress: I am back again with chapter four of Hensou/smiles/ I know, last chapter kinda was…random and a lot of time passed, but we're going to be going into more detail now that the Hyuuga-problem is over with…I was waiting to do that pairing for months…anyways…

Neji/walks around in a daze/

Authoress: Yep, he's a happy guy now…so, on to the fourth chapter of Hensou…and I promise, the plot is going to come into play this chapter…even if it means there's fifty pages to type…anyways…on we go!

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto…do you know what I could do to the series if I owned it? Oh, Kakashi would be…/imagines the jounin in the shower (quite in the nude), who is then joined by an oddly enough horny Iruka/ ah, pure bliss…I'll leave you guys with that image…now I have to put that in this story somewhere…cuz' Kakashi all wet…/shivers/ ooh…oh, and by the end of the chapter, you will understand this chapter's title!

Chapter Four

(Sasuke's POV)

I couldn't help but sigh in relief when I finally got my front door unlocked and opened. Slipping into the quiet apartment, I closed the door behind myself as softly as I could, then smirked when I realized that there would be no one sitting in the living room or kitchen, getting ready to yell at me for being out late, then driving home drunk. With a quick glance at my watch, I noticed it was already past three in the morning-far past the latest I had ever stayed out while living with my family. I leaned against the wooden door before sighing again.

It had been difficult for me to get used to living with the couple who were legally my guardians, but the endless supply of money and status I received from them helped quite a bit. My 'parents' had given me everything I could have asked for, even the solitude I needed. My 'mother' was very kind to me and never asked any questions in all the times I returned home past curfew, half the time with a police officer escorting me, but I always knew she worried about me. She didn't match her husband at all. He only loved one thing-money. I snickered at that thought and pushed away from the door. It wasn't totally true that he loved just money, he also loved to be in power-to have someone below him. The two ways that that could be taken were both true. I had always been…accepting of the man, simply because he made my adopted mother smile, but the first time he looked at me like that, I decided that there was no more forgiving him for being such an evil bastard.

Gripping a nearby doorframe, I remembered the first time he approached me, he discovered that I wasn't as innocent as I should have been for a child of seven. After all, the bite marks I got from my brother a week before were still visible under the baggy clothing I preferred to wear. I gave my father enough scratches and bites in my attempts to free myself so that he learned his lesson. It seemed to happen almost once a month, he would come after me in some new way, but each time, I had given him marks that were sure to hurt for some time, if not permanently scar. And, somehow during the years I lived with them, my perfect mother didn't notice a thing. After the only time I was hospitalized for one of my father's attempts to…'discipline' me, as he put it a few times, my mother didn't ask a question. It was at that moment, lying in a bed with two broken ribs, a pierced lung, and a concussion, that I realized she always knew, but she did nothing to protect me…to destroy the perfect world she lived in.

I inwardly smiled when I remembered that, while in that hospital bed, I had met a boy only a year my senior. After an initial cautiousness near the silent boy, I was overcome by curiosity, like most children are, and continued to ask the boy any question I could think of. If he didn't answer me, I only repeated my question a tad louder. It took me a few days, but I finally had gotten that this boy had been in a car accident with his mother, who died from the impact, but he had been saved because it was his 'fate.' Neji's belief in everything being predetermined interested me, but the sadness I could see in the boy's pale eyes were what truly made me continue to ask questions.

When I finally got out of that hospital, I had immediately looked up Neji's address and visited the mansion the day I got home. It had taken three buses, a train, a taxi, nearly five hours, and all of my allowance for the past few weeks, but I had reached his house. Now that I was older, I knew that the majority of my travels that day just wasted my time and money, but I found the trip the most exciting thing I had ever done in my life…it was the first time I did something without my parents knowing.

I could remember that visit with perfect clarity. Arriving at the mansion's main gate, praying it was his house, I had gotten more than one questioning look, but all looks were quickly erased when the people ushering me into the house had seen Neji's soft smile. He had been listening to the butler's and security's interrogation with interest as he hobbled on his crutches from a side room to meet us. I had been amazed that these people quickly left us with a wave of his hand, but I knew it was the fact he had smiled that had gotten them to trust me around the older boy more. Neji had found it amusing that I had gone through all the trouble to visit him the day I had been released, but what made him chuckle was that I had snuck out of my room and my parents didn't know where I would have been going. After retelling my adventure of public transportation, I was introduced to his aunt, uncle, and two cousins. The four people were like every one else I had ever met-polite and kind to me, but I could also see that their actions were out of sincerity, not necessity. Neji hadn't told them who I was or that my family didn't know where I was, so we spent the entire day together, with only a few restrictions. Neji, who had only gotten out of the hospital a few days before myself, and I were forced to remain under his uncle's supervision, but we still had fun just talking and I found that his uncle, even though Neji obviously hated him, was a man I could talk to. He, unlike all of my parents' friends, treated me like an adult and looked at me with respect when I challenged him to a game of shougi and nearly won (since then, he and I played every time we had the chance and kept a tally…and are currently even in our wins). I had never been respected by an adult before, so I had quickly found myself recognizing this Hyuuga as more of a father figure than any other man I knew. It was only after dinner that Neji's family discovered that I was the Uchiha Sasuke. I had accidentally let a few pieces about my family slip and Hiashi put it together and, after a few questions, I had told him that my parents didn't know where I was, which ended Neji and my play-date abruptly. Neji's uncle had the three of us driven back to my house, which took only about half an hour (which confused me at the time) and, with glares at the two of us, made us walk up to my front door and, while we waited for someone to answer after Hiashi knocked on the door, Neji and I remained silent in fear of what Hiashi would do to us. He seemed very angry at both of us, but I knew it was only out of fatherly concern. He had only to imagine how afraid he would be if he found out Hinata or Hanabi were missing for an entire day to become so angered.

I couldn't forget that when the door was finally opened, my mother had been surprised to see me, but quickly masked her amazement with concern and fear. It was only later that I found out-after another disciplining from my father-that they didn't even know I was gone. Even though I had gotten a beating that still made me shiver sometimes, I didn't think going to Neji's that day was a mistake. Since then, I ran away more than once to his house, as well as actually asking to go visit, and as we got older, I came home even later and got more severe punishment for my actions, but even to this day, I knew Neji-along with Gaara-was the best thing that had ever happened to me.

Sliding into my room and landing on the bed as my legs gave out, I chuckled. I remembered that I had almost danced with joy when Neji asked if it would be possible for me to go to school with Hinata and him. To get away from my family…to leave it all and be closer to my true family, it was as if I was dreaming. Even if for the first few months, I had to deal with living with Itachi, it was the first time I knew true happiness. It wasn't bad to live with Itachi, except for his boyfriends, since he had long lost interest in me, but now, being truly alone, I could do anything I wanted. Covering my closed eyes with a hand, I sighed. My sigh was the only sound in the entire apartment, which was almost unsettling. Every day it seemed that my home was filled with Aoi's unceasing screams and whines, which seemed to still echo even after she left for the day. But now, she doesn't need to come over anymore…I thought to myself, blinking underneath my hand. My contacts had already begun to hurt my eyes, but I didn't want to get up at the moment, so I endured it as I turned onto my stomach. When I first met her, I didn't think that it would be like this to end our time together…I thought I would be glad, but I found myself biting my lip in attempts to forget how lively my apartment seemed just the day before.

(still Sasuke's POV)

"So…what's wrong with you tonight?" Gaara asked as he sat down next to me before waving Sakura over to our table and asking for a beer. The pink-haired girl nodded, but I didn't answer him until we were as alone as we would be in the packed club.

"Why do you think something is wrong?" I retorted with as little emotion as I could at that moment. Glaring at Gaara's upturned…lack of an eyebrow, I glanced back down at my drink. The liquid hadn't done much for me tonight, nor had the cigarettes box I emptied nearly ten minutes prior.

"You don't usually drink scotch unless you had a fight with your father," Gaara commented as he pulled the empty box of cigarettes away from me. "And I thought you quit…"

"…smoking what you give me is good for me then?" I snapped, immediately regretting what I had said when I saw Gaara look away. "Gomen…I'm not in a very good mood right now…"

"I guessed that…so, what happened?" Gaara asked as he glanced up at Sakura, who had returned with his drink and another glass for me. She smiled softly as she set the drinks down, then left again. I sighed before raising my new drink to my lips, but sighed and placed the cold glass back down before drinking any.

"My parents called this morning…" A soft 'ah' of understanding came from Gaara, but I shook my head. "That's not it…not all of it…my mother is sick, so they want me to go back…" I sighed again and bowed my head. I hated both of them, but they could force me to return and I didn't want that embarrassment.

"Don't you have a play or something in a few weeks?" Gaara pointed out questioningly before taking a long drink from his amber bottle. I nodded, wondering what the play had to do with this. My father hated the arts-one of the reasons I had never even told them about the play in the first place, so I raised an eyebrow when Gaara smirked. "Tell them you're in it…lead role from what Neji's told me…"

"You know him…he won't care…" I replied, staring down at the wooden table. Gaara shook his head before pointing the neck of his beer bottle at me.

"Not if you tell him who else is in the play…most of their parents are very rich…and hearing that the entire play is cancelled because he pulls you out at the last minute…" Gaara smirked as I shook my head in amusement. "See…that bastard is so easy to manipulate…"

"Is that why he still thinks you're the son of some Irish mob boss?" I joked, making Gaara chuckle before he nodded. Ever since my father met Gaara, he had wanted to know who the boy was, so Gaara (with the most sincere face I had ever seen on him) had fabricated this whole story about coming to Japan with his siblings in order to escape some don or something their father had offended. It was quite amusing to watch Gaara convince my father of that, especially since Neji and I were trying not to snort too loudly. "I'll tell him…how can you be so good at reading people?"

"Comes with the profession," Gaara replied seriously, then shook his head. "Now, tell me who this girl is…"

"Girl?"

"Even if Neji didn't tell me you got rejected, it's kind of obvious…" Gaara replied, making me glare at him before I finished my scotch in one gulp. "From what I've gotten from him and Hinata…blonde, loud, annoying, nice body, a bit violent, and an absolute idiot…not exactly what I thought your type was…"

"Urusai," I replied before looking down at my empty glass. "Her name's Aoi…and I don't like her…" I turned my head to the side so Gaara couldn't see my face, but from the chuckle I heard come from him, I had to turn to look at him. I don't like her…I'm just going to…miss having her around…I sighed at that pathetic thought.

"Denial…"

"…" I couldn't think of a quick retort, so I merely sighed. He's right…I stared at the bar's table for a moment, then propped my head up on one hand while I held my glass with the other. "I just miss having her around…"

A soft 'ah' from Gaara made my eye twitch. He was being unusually sympathetic tonight, which was making me all the more suspicious. "Tell her that…I'm sure she has feelings for you too…" He smirked-one of those things that made peoples' blood run cold, but merely made me shake my head in preparation for his sarcastic comment. "No person, male or female, can deny you…"

"Oh? You and Neji haven't jumped me yet…neither has Hinata…" I retorted, good-naturedly as I felt my earlier depression weaken its hold on me. "Arigatou, Kami-sama…" Gaara raised his lack of an eyebrow, then shook his head, mumbling 'baka' under his breath. If I hadn't learned to read lips, I wouldn't have even caught it, but I somehow knew Gaara had wanted me to know what he said. "Nani?"

"Neji and Hinata are too caught up in each other to even notice you…" Gaara replied, quickly glancing at a nearby dancing couple. My eye twitched when I recognized the Hyuuga heiress and her 'bodyguard'. With a snort, I glanced back at Gaara. "What?" He asked, immediately wanting to know what I was thinking about.

"He's certainly guarding her body…" I smirked as Gaara chucked in reply. We had the same sense of humor-slightly perverse to the point anything someone said could be dirty in our minds. "…what about you?" I asked, returning to our earlier topic.

"…do you really want to know?" he replied questioningly as he flagged Sakura down and asked her for a beer. The pink-haired girl, as much as a busybody as she was, was ignoring our conversation and quickly gave Gaara his order.

Waiting until she had moved out of hearing range, I looked at Gaara as my stomach began to tighten. He…likes me! I was dumbfounded, but that didn't stop my mouth from forming an idiotic response to his answer. "What do you think?" Baka…baka…baka! I mentally cursed myself. As much as I loved Gaara-in a brotherly sort of way- I never had imagined him to feel any differently towards me. But, then again, he was gay…and I knew I had a male-based fan-club at school…so why did I suddenly feel so…afraid? Simple…you don't want to have to tell your best friend 'no' to something…just because you're…scared. Gaara had done so much for me in the years I had known him, so I had always felt like I owed him…but going against my principles…my…fears…was just too much.

Gaara simply snorted as he watched me mentally berate myself, then answered me, "…any gay or bi guy would want you, dumbass…but I know you can't ever like me like that…" The pitiful sound of longing in his voice made me immediately wish I wasn't homophobic, but I bit my lip from saying anything that would get me in more trouble with my beliefs and values. "Anyways…I had a boyfriend…I don't want that again…"

Had? "What happened?" I couldn't help myself from asking what had gotten that seemingly passionate couple to break up.

"He wanted someone else…someone I couldn't be…" Gaara replied as he stared at his long-necked bottle. "I…I thought I did love him…I figured out that I was only trying to make up for not being with you…"

As much as that statement should have surprised…and disturbed me, I was surprised it didn't. Instead, I only felt sympathy for the redhead-and amazement…that was the longest speech Gaara had ever made, I think. "Gomen…for-"

"Don't apologize…it's not your fault…it's those assholes who should be apologizing to you…" From that predatory glint in his green eyes, I knew Gaara meant my brother and adopted father by 'assholes.' Sometimes I believed he would kill them if he could get away with it…and not have the police look at me as a suspect. His comment surprised me, simply because I didn't know he had guessed what exactly my father had done to me-except be a total bastard-but from the acidic tone of his voice, I knew he had a good idea.

"How long did you know?"

"…ever since I first met that bastard…just the way he looks at you…" Gaara replied while tightening his grip on the beer bottle. I was slightly surprised that he knew, without even having to ask, what I was talking about. "So…tell me more about this girl…" he stated in attempts to brighten our moods.

"What do you want to know?" I answered softly, hoping that he wouldn't go on one of his missions in order to get her go out with me…he had done that too many times, which only ended up in girls' hearts broken. Knowing now that he had always liked me, I thought it was strange that he was continuously trying to find me a girlfriend, but then again, Gaara hated to see me being alone.

"Age? Single? Size? Pick a feature…" Gaara replied, smirking. I didn't even want to know which feature he meant by 'size,' so I merely shook my head. "So…our age…and currently seeing someone, I'm guessing…"

"That's sometimes creepy…" His amazing ability to read body language had caught me off guard more than once, but I was expecting it this time. "And you're right…she has a lover…" Gaara slowly nodded his head, as if assessing all the options he had to get rid of her boyfriend, but then he took a deep breath. This meant, in my years of studying him, that he had thought up of a perfectly devious plan. "What now?"

"Do you know how much you owe me?" he asked curiously, an emotion he hardly ever showed, which meant something was going through that twisted mind of his. I glared at him, giving him my 'I have a good idea, why?' answer through the gaze. "I'll forget your debt if you can get her to go out with you…for at least two months…and I'll give you a month to ask her…" Gaara…always so direct…

"I'm not going to make her break up with her boyfriend…just to pay you back…" I replied, glaring at Gaara. I knew I could be heartless…but I had already found out how much she loved this mysterious guy, so I wouldn't do anything to ruin her happiness.

"One month…anything could happen…" Gaara commented softly-hinting at something…but I didn't truly want to know what he knew that I didn't. Sometimes it was better just not to question Gaara…or his information.

"What's the catch?"

"No catch…just date her for two months…and that means making it public that you're with her…and if you can't do it for two whole months…then the deal's off…" he replied, smirking in such a way, I shivered. He definitely knew something I didn't.

"Anything specific I have to do with her?" I asked, knowing that Gaara could as easily say 'sleep with her' as 'kiss her.'

"Bring her on a couple dates…I don't care…just as long as I don't have to hear from Neji that you two were found naked in a bathroom…"

"You have something against bathrooms?" I retorted, smirking at him. He knew that such a thing would never happen-one of the perks of still being a virgin at sixteen-nearing seventeen. I chuckled when he mirrored my entertained expression.

"Nope…just…" He shivered, unable to finish his sentence while I smirked. Very few people knew Gaara had automysophobia, something that I found hysterical, considering what a 'bad-ass' he was. I snorted at his response, then decided to annoy him a little more.

/A/N: automysophobia-a fear of dirt…isn't it great?…yep…Gaara hates dirt…but loves sand…what an odd combination…/

"What about doing it in the rain…on the ground?" I asked, being filled with a sadistic pleasure when I saw Gaara squirm. "Ah, all that mudeverywhere…" He began twitching at this…which only added to my entertainment-I loved doing this to him, especially when he deserved it. "…then…of course, I'd have to-"

"Gah! Stop that!" Gaara exclaimed, glaring at me. His cheeks were already turning pink when he realized that people had stopped dancing to stare at him-and wonder what had gotten him to shake so much, not to mention yell. I shook my head, trying not to laugh too hard as he snorted and went back to his drink. Once the deathly silence was replaced by the sound of the club in full swing-loud-he mumbled something; "At least I'm not afraid of the dark…"

"Oi, that was a long time ago!" I retorted, trying not to remember the first time I slept over at Gaara's and cried almost the entire night-until Temari turned on a nightlight-which woke Gaara up from his nap. Since he hardly ever slept, especially at night, his moments of unconsciousness were called 'naps' for lack of a better term. "I'm not an insomniac…"

"No, you're a hemophobic," Gaara retorted, hitting a soft spot, which made me wince. I couldn't help but retort 'so are you' before I remembered what had given both of us that odd fear of blood. At least it was self defense in Gaara's case…but I just came home at the wrong time…if I hadn't gone off on my own to target practice…they might have never… Gaara clasped a hand on my shivering shoulder in attempts to calm me down, but the reoccurring thought made me freeze. They would still be alive…I could have done something "You couldn't have done anything, Sasuke…you would have just died with them…"

Damn him and knowing me so well…Gaara had been one of the first people I had ever voluntarily told my past to-except my psychiatrist and Neji-…actually…those three were the only people I had ever told…others just merely figured it out for themselves. Smiling softly, I realized what had made going to school with Neji so different…people didn't look at me differently…they didn't know I was the sole witness to the murder of my family…they didn't know I had their blood on my hands…they didn't know how much medication…how much time I spent in the asylum…how I was prone to snapping and going through violent attacks…they didn't know me at all…

"Oi, I'll buy you another round…" Gaara said softly as he flagged Sakura back over to us. I couldn't help but smile softly at my last thought before I made up my mind for Gaara's bet.

She doesn't know me either… "I'll do it…"

/ A/N: yep…okay…now…hmmm…how about we do a lil' Hyuugacest…I like that idea…have a problem, well…sucks to be you/smiles evilly/

(Neji's POV)

"Neji…" Hinata moaned softly as I gently raked my fingers through her soft hair and placed a kiss on her exposed neck. If it hadn't been for the fact I was too spent, I would have already been quite happy to please her again (a fourth time, I am proud to say), but I felt as if I was going to fall asleep right on top of her…which wouldn't be the best of things to do. I was about to get up, but froze when I heard the distinctive jingle 'Secret Garden' by Gackt coming from the pocket of my jeans, which were flung across a chair about ten feet from the bed.

"yasashisa no kakera mo mienai

kurikaesareru shingou ga

kuchimoto ni dake ai o kataritsuzuke

boku wa karadajuu ni meguru puragu o hazushi

kono ashi de mou ichido dake

kono sora o mita"

I mentally cursed as I jumped up and flew towards the evil cell phone, cursing my own idea to put the song on it instead of something less…out of place. If it had been classical music or a normal ring, then no one would wonder if they heard the sound come from Hinata's bedroom…but being the only Gackt fan in the house had its disadvantages…I was the only person with the song on his phone.

By the time I reached the chair, the song was already on its chorus. Knowing how nosy people could be in this house, I prayed no one was nearby, since they obviously would have to come in and ask Hinata why my phone was in her room…and that would lead to a whole mess of problems. Most likely starting with "why is Neji standing in the middle of Hinata's room naked?" and ending with "should we use a butcher's knife, katana, or blunt butter knife to castrate Neji?." Sometimes my sense of humor scared even me.

"yume no naka de hirogaru sekai wa

the last secret gard--

I quickly picked up the phone and, as soon as I heard the voice on the other side, I cursed softly. "Sasuke!" I yelled as quietly as I could before turning to Hinata and noticed she was staring at her door. My head swung around and watched the door and heard what had gotten Hinata's attention…a soft knock. Shimatta… "Sasuke…I have to call you back…"

"Bad time?" he asked, obviously understanding what I was doing that had gotten me to whisper with such fear in my voice.

"Very," I answered almost immediately, then added, "I'm never letting you pick out what song to put on my phone again…" If it hadn't been such a serious statement, he probably would have laughed, but instead, I heard an apology, then a click as he hung up.

"Hinata…" Hanabi…my eyes widened when I heard my annoying cousin's voice…that little brat probably would tell her father exactly what she knew…and knowing her and her information-retrieving skills, that would be a lot. "Father is looking for Neji…"

"Anou…he's not in here…" Hinata replied as she slid out from underneath the crumpled sheets and quickly began to put her clothes back on. I followed her example, then realized that, besides her door and window, there was no way out. The door wasn't an option at the moment, but the three story drop from her window wasn't too appealing either. I'm screwed…please let the butter knife be a little sharp…

"I heard his phone…"

"He accidentally left it in he-" Hinata's voice faltered when we both heard a new set of footsteps stop outside the door. Heavier than my cousin's, I immediately knew exactly what was on the other side of the door.

"Go downstairs, Hanabi…" Hiashi commented softly before I felt his gaze, somehow, land on me…as if he could see me through the door. I prayed that Sasuke had a very good reason to call me, since he would be the one paying for the surgery to get my manhood reattached…if I was still alive to find it…

"But-"

"NOW!" He said firmly before the girl had a chance to protest in that annoying voice of hers. I looked at Hinata and couldn't help but smile when I saw her. Every time I laid my eyes on her, I was immediately filled with love for her…even now when I knew my fate was sealed.

"F-Father…" Hinata whispered, her voice almost drowned out by the thundering of my heart. He's going to kill me…forget about castration…I thought to myself as I walked toward the door. With a gulp, I slowly opened the door, but nearly fell over when Hinata pushed me up against the wall before her father got a glimpse of me. Thankfully, the door was hiding me as her father walked in and took a quick survey of the room.

"Where's Neji?" Hiashi's voice was cold…enough to make me freeze and wish that he would just close the door and find me, then kill me quickly. Even though I couldn't see past the door, I knew Hinata had turned her charm on. I could imagine her cocking her head to the side and giving her father a completely innocent look.

"I'm not sure…I was cleaning my room when I heard his phone go off…he must have accidentally left it in here yesterday when he was helping me with homework…" Hinata replied smoothly, without stuttering once-which was a feat for her, especially when speaking to her father.

"We have maids for cleaning," Hiashi replied as I felt his gaze land on the door. Shit…death will be painful…I thought to myself as I said a mental prayer…hoping that some deity would hear me.

"I know, Father…but I didn't want to bother them…" Hinata replied softly. She was so cute sometimes, that I couldn't help but partially believe her-even knowing that she was lying. I could hear Hiashi's heavy footsteps move around…and guessed he was turning to leave. I let out a soft sigh in relief, knowing the man wouldn't hear it (the wonders of getting older), but then realized he wasn't leaving…he was standing still in the middle of the room and, from the hairs standing up on the back of my neck, staring directly at Hinata's bed. Kami-sama…

"Neji…get out from behind that door and explain yourself." My legs moved themselves as I complied to his command. I could hear him take a deep breath as he continued to stare at Hinata's bed, praying he wouldn't turn around to seem me half naked and slightly trembling. His temper was legendary…and he already was hard enough on me.

"Sir…" I said softly as I stared at Hinata and smiled softly. As long as I could see her once more, I would die happy…such a melodramatic thought, but I knew it to be true. Hiashi turned around and I watched as his pupil-less eyes studied me.

"May I ask what you were doing with my daughter!" With each word, Hiashi's voice rose a full decibel, making the final word of his demand crack as his voice echoed through the house. I winced, but kept my eyes locked on his-one should never show fear to its predator…especially when that predator is your father's brother, in my case.

"I don't think that is any of your business," I replied as calmly as I could. Guessing from the veins that began to pop out of my uncle's temples, that was the wrong thing to say at the moment, but I wanted to save Hinata's honor, if I could…and not admit to anything. There's a lot of reasons I'm half naked in her room…and why the bed is messed up…she was giving me a massage…that won't work…I just won't confirm that we are lovers… With that thought, I stood perfectly straight, which allowed me to stare directly into my uncle's eyes and prove to him I wasn't afraid of him.

"None of my business…" Hiashi said with a calm tone, which made me step back a step…he never hid his emotions so well before…he wasn't pissed at me…he was far beyond the point of mere anger. He was thinking of a way to kill me while calculating how to be rid of my body.

"Hai, none of your business," I repeated, equaling his tranquil tone with my own. I kept my eyes trained on him as he looked to Hinata. I could see in his eyes that he confirmed something as he looked at his oldest child and that evidence made his eyes harden before he looked back at me.

"How dare you seduce a child…" he commented softly as he took a step towards me. Instead of backing up, like my mind was screaming for me to do, I held my ground and looked at him with determination-or at least what I hoped was determination and not the fear I was trying to hide. Not fear for myself, since I knew nothing I said would save me now, but fear for Hinata.

"She isn't a child and it is time you finally noticed that," I replied before I took a deep breath and prepared myself for the screaming that I was expecting, but it never came. I then realized that Hiashi was too angry to even form words, let alone yell at me.

"Get…out of my…house…" he said as I heard him grind his teeth between words. For a moment, I was amazed at the restrain the man was showing…he was really holding himself back from strangling me here and now. I glanced at Hinata and smiled forlornly, imprinting her beautiful face and equally saddened expression in my mind before turning to leave.

"Sayonara, Hinata," I stated softly before walking calmly to my room to get dressed before leaving. I couldn't help but feel as if I was doing something terribly wrong as I left Hiashi alone with Hinata, but I also knew he would never hurt her…or blame her for what I did…

(Sasuke's POV)

"Oi…stop banging…" I commented as I shuffled towards the door. Six o'clock…who the hell is up this early besides Neji? With a smirk, I answered that question-myself. I had woken up early in order to catch Neji before he went on his daily fifteen mile jog-I sometimes wondered if he was human-which would place him outside his house (without his cell phone) for nearly an hour and a half. As I began to open the door, I realized my mistake. "Neji…gomen…about this morning…" Shimatta…I forgot… Somehow, I had conveniently forgot that I had…interrupted him this morning…and he had sounded quite…afraid when answering his phone.

"Don't apologize…" Neji replied as I moved to the side and let him walk in. Without my asking, he continued, "my uncle found out…kicked me out…" I closed the door before following the Hyuuga into the kitchen, where I immediately put on a pot of water for tea. "He accused me of seducing her…calling her a child…"

"You know you didn't seduce Hinata, so why do you care what he says?" I asked as I went in search of two mugs, finally finding them-for some odd reason-in with the cereal. I then remembered that Aoi had begun to reorganize my kitchen…and she must have a strange sense of logic to think of mugs, cereal, and rice all went together, but it kept her quiet for a few hours.

"What did you want this morning?" Neji glanced up at me as I set the blue mugs down on the table, then sat down opposite him. I took a deep breath then explained Gaara and my bet and, as soon as I finished, Neji shook his head. "That couldn't wait until school?"

"…guess it could have…" I replied sheepishly as I got up to get the now boiling water. "Do you have any ideas?…" Turning to look at Neji, I saw him smirk, despite the shit he had gotten himself into-or what I got him into.

"Does she like you?" Neji asked unemotionally, just to mock me, before pulling one of the now steaming cups of tea near himself. I sat back down and stared at my cup of instant coffee-I was a caffeine junkie. "Ask her out on a date, start being nice to her…I don't know…I had to get Hinata drunk to finally figure out she liked me…"

"Do you want to see Aoi drunk?" He and I both smirked at that thought-she was unusual as it was…and only something hilarious would come out of her being intoxicated. "…And if she says no when I ask her out?"

"You're screwed," Neji stated quickly, ducking as I flung a spoon at him. I shook my head before returning to my lovely black coffee. "I say stop calling her an idiot all the time and see if she actually treats you like a human too…"

"…" I blinked, inwardly wondering if that would work. It was so natural to call the blonde an idiot and be yelled at in return…it was natural to me now. "Fine…but if that doesn't work?"

"Start saving up your money," Neji suggested, but this time I had nothing to throw at him, so I merely glared. "Now you have to help me think of a way to get back in my uncle's 'good graces.'"

"I never thought I'd hear you say that…" I said while smirking. "What about sucking up?"

"I'm in too deep to just beg myself back into the house…only a miracle would save me…" Neji replied as he leaned back in his chair and sighed. "The weird thing was that my uncle wasn't really mad that…it was Hinata and me…he found together…more that Hinata was still a 'child' to him…like I should have asked his permission first…"

"Your uncle's into incest…that's too convenient…" I commented jokingly, forgetting Neji still had his spoon. The offensive utensil hit my forehead with a soft thwack-satisfying to Neji's ears-before clattering to the table. "If you throw something else at me, you're going to have to go live with Gaara…" I stated as I picked up the spoon and studied it.

"At least he wouldn't make incest jokes…" Neji replied, pouting mockingly. "But you're kind of right…" I saw a soft smile grace Neji's lips as he glanced at me. "Maybe if I can prove to him…I love Hinata…he'd accept us…"

"And maybe I'll turn gay and somehow Lee finds a boyfriend," I replied, smirking. The image of Lee and anyone-male, female, or asexual-was too much for either of us to take (I only said boyfriend because I wasn't too sure he was into girls…he liked Gai far too much for it to be idolization). Neji twitched as he stared at me for a moment, biting his lip to stop himself from laughing.

"And his boyfriend isn't Gai?" Neji added, making me spit out the black coffee I had been trying to enjoy.

"Nope…it's some hot guy…" I replied while wiping the coffee off of my face, for once having fun while talking about such a (in my mind) disturbing subject.

"As long as his eyebrows don't rival Lee's, I don't care…" Neji answered, making my hopes of getting a cup of coffee in myself flutter away as I burnt my nose as the liquid went flying. "and he doesn't wear spandex…"

"As long as I never seen Lee in something like Shino wears at the club, I could deal with his boyfriend in spandex," I commented, finally getting Neji to spray his green tea across the table. Shino's outfit was notorious…and just imagining Lee in such a…revealing outfit would just be plain wrong.

"It'd be a little less tight around his privates," Neji pointed out optimistically.

"Because it's a loincloth…" I retorted, making Neji nearly choke. "But then, what about the back?" This sent Neji into a whole new fit of laughter-and coughing.

"Oh, Kami-sama, that's too much…" Neji replied. "I don't even want to imagine Lee's…ah! You made me think about it!"

Just to get Neji's mind even farther into the image, I whispered, "thong" across the table. Neji screeched as he covered his eyes. For the moment, I was happy enough to get Neji's mind away from being banished from his own home-even if it meant having to imagine Lee in the smallest piece of material I had ever seen cover up lower body parts.

Authoress: yep…that is all I have to say to that…Lee in a loincloth/thong thing…/stares in wonder/ oh my…anyways…that would be our master plot right there…and in only eleven pages this time!…I'm sorry for taking so long…but I'm sure to have some good smut in the next chapter…if nothing else, it will be Neji and Hinata…or perhaps Gaara and somebody…(I can't tell you who he will end up with…it will ruin the surprise…)…but…thank all of you for your support so far on my first AU story…/smiles/ and my first Naruto…and FOR ALL NARUTO FANFIC FANS…I currently am writing two new stories, a Naruto/Sasuke one that is actually set in the right timeframe…and the other will be a Iruka/Kakashi…just because you know there is something between those two…

Iruka/blushes/

Kakashi/does that creepy eye-smiling trick of his/

Authoress: Until next time, my loyal reviewers, in which we will explore more of Sasuke's homophopic tendencies and Lee's ventures in fashion! SAYONARA!