Training Sasuke and Meeting Sako

Author's note: Kankuro and Neji go out on a date with Sakura and Sasuke trailing behind so Sasuke can learn how to treat Sakura. Told you he would change...eventually. The group runs into Sako, Kuma's sister and gets some bad news.

Rated M for sexy scenes between characters, swearing, drinking, and gore.

Don't own, borrowing.

"Freaking stupid,"

Kankuro ran a hand through his hair and kicked at the grass at his feet. His hands were shoved deep in the pockets of his loose pants and he had a scowl on his war paint free face. His shirt was a plain black tee-shirt a bit tight across the chest but Neji had no qualms about the tightness of the shirt. In fact, he sort of wished it was tight across Kankuro's abs.

"Dumb Uchiha,"

Kankuro kicked more at the ground. Neji said nothing but did agree with Kankuro. The night had been pleasant. They had watched a movie in Kankuro's hotel room, making out lightly, and fallen asleep curled up together in bed after whispering about whatever came to mind.

Neji almost felt bad about spending every night for two weeks with Kankuro but no one seemed to mind or care. It did mean he had to swap out a lot of clothes and visit the compound every few days so he wasn't a complete mess. Kankuro had come with him on this morning's visit. The chunin guards had grinned but said nothing.

"Why can't Sakura tell Sasuke to ask Kiba?"

"Even if she did he wouldn't,"

Neji chuckled when Kankuro went back to muttering. Neji knew his Uncle would be returning within the week. Neji had been hoping it would have taken longer than two weeks for Gaara-sama, Tsunade-sama, and Hiashi-sama to think of a plan but he would enjoy the next seven days.

"It's two minutes to," Kankuro said. "If they're not here by five after ten then we're leaving."

"We have to give them more time than that,"

Kankuro huffed and shook his head. Neji wrapped an arm through one of Kankuro's and cuddled into him. The puppeteer tried to stay tense but failed and tugged Neji closer, kissing the top of Neji's head and squeezing him tight.

"Fine, quarter after ten," Kankuro muttered.

Neji chuckled but closed his eyes as he nuzzled into Kankuro's chest. Kankuro's hands had come to rest on Neji's lower back and Neji smiled as he was cuddled. If someone had told him eight years ago he would love being hugged like this he would have slaughtered them.

Kankuro kissed the top of his head again and Neji had no problem being average in height when most of his friends were taller than average. He inhaled Kankuro's scent, a mix of oils, grass, soap, and something uniquely Kankuro and grinned.

"Is this how we're supposed to act?"

Neji lifted his head out of Kankuro's chest and glanced over his shoulder. Sasuke stood a few yards away holding Sakura's hand. Neji felt Kankuro tense and saw him scowl out of the corner of his eye. Neji pulled out of Kankuro's embrace and ran a hand through his hair to neaten it.

"I can't help it if we're both cuddly people," Kankuro said.

"Hn, I never pictured Neji as the cuddle type," Sasuke muttered.

Neji sighed. He said nothing as Kankuro wrapped an arm around his waist. Neji immediately shoved the hand against Kankuro's side into Kankuro's back pocket. Kankuro grinned.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" Kankuro asked.

Sakura had finally stopped giggling and blushing. She perked up and smiled.

"Whatever you guys want," Sakura said.

Neji kept his laugh back as Kankuro blinked. Sasuke sighed and Neji could tell the Uchiha did not want to be here as much as Kankuro didn't want to be here. Hell, Neji didn't want to be doing this either but he owed Sakura much more than four or five more months of sleep-overs. Sakura had done a lot for him.

"So, what, you two are going to follow us around as we go couple things?" Kankuro questioned.

"Yep, that's the plan," Sakura answered. "Sasuke's a visual learner."

Neji snorted. Kankuro smirked. Sasuke huffed but Sakura beamed. Kankuro sighed and ran a hand through his hair. Neji met his lover's eyes and smiled.

"So, what do you want to do?" Kankuro enquired.

Neji hummed. It was a damned good question. The day was completely open to them and Neji realized he had not had such a free day in a long time. Neji kissed Kankuro's cheek and noticed Sasuke watching intently.

"Let's take a walk through the village and go from there," Neji said.

"Good plan," Kankuro agreed.

Sasuke frowned but said nothing as Neji and Kankuro passed him. Kankuro kept Neji close to his side as they began their walk. Neji looked over his shoulder once to make sure Sasuke and Sakura were a few steps behind then smirked. He would pretend the other couple wasn't there. It would be the way to get through today.

They strode through the village at a relaxed place, stopping here and there to study items on display in store windows or out in the street. It took an hour for Neji to completely forget he and Kankuro were being tailed and he enjoyed chatting to Kankuro as they walked from store to store.

Neji spotted a barber shop up ahead and raised his eyebrows. The bangs at his temples brushed against his vest, a little below his nipples and Neji could see the tips of his hair flitting around his mid-thighs.

"There," Neji said and pointed.

Kankuro hummed then frowned when he saw Neji pointed towards a barber shop.

"That's not lunch," Kankuro said.

Neji rolled his eyes and swatted Kankuro in the arm before pulling Kankuro towards the barber shop. Kankuro pouted but Neji kept moving. The barber shop had one customer, a male, getting a razor shave. The owner was in his middle ages with neat brown hair turning gray at the temples. Neji shifted out of Kankuro's embrace but smoothly took Kankuro's hand in his before walking into the barber shop.

"Do you really have to cut your hair?" Kankuro asked.

Neji chuckled when it came out in a whine but nodded. He settled in one of the little black plastic chairs and saw the barber glance up. A smile came to the man's face and Neji nodded to him as the man went back to working on his client. Kankuro sighed as he sat beside Neji and Neji looked up to see Sakura pulling Sasuke into the store.

She sat beside Neji with a smile and Neji inclined his head to her. He shifted and felt a pull on his scalp. Neji huffed. He had sat on his hair again. Neji gathered it into a loose tail and lifted himself half-way up to pull it out from under his ass before sitting.

Sakura giggled at him. Neji huffed and let go of his hair so it pooled on the chair rather than him sitting on it. He raised an eyebrow at Kankuro who began fiddling with the tips.

"I'm not cutting it all off," Neji said.

"Good. I'd be really sad if you did," Kankuro said.

Neji snorted. The barber finished with his client and the man paid. Neji waited until "next" was called out before standing and making his way to the red chair. He had to gather his hair over his shoulder before sitting and half-jolted when the barber was the one to pull it back so it fell over the chair.

Neji saw Kankuro had followed him and was leaning against the counter in front of the wall length mirror. The barber didn't seem to mind and Neji said nothing as the man put the black cape-thing on him and began brushing out Neji's hair.

"I'm guessing you're in for a trim?" the barber said with a grin.

Neji smirked.

"I'd like it to stop at my waist again," Neji said.

"So about twelve inches," the barber told him.

Neji inclined his head then held a section of his bangs out. The barber glanced at it and smiled.

"And about six inches off these," Neji said.

"Not a problem," the barber said.

Neji allowed the man to arrange his head to his liking and said nothing as the scissors came out. He saw Sakura watching out of the corner of the eye and was privy to seeing Kankuro nibbling his lower lip in front of him. Neji rolled his eyes at Kankuro and Neji heard the scissors snipping. He kept his mouth shut as the barber worked.

The man came to stand in front of him but Neji kept his eyes forward, shifting them to watch as the barber brushed the sides of Neji's hair to get all of the bangs. The man carefully cut the right side first so the bang brushed his collarbones again then went to the left side and repeated the process so both sides matched. When he was done, he brushed out Neji's hair again and took off the black cape.

"There you go," the barber said.

Neji stood and shifted in the mirror. He smiled when he saw his hair was cut perfectly straight at the bottom to tickle along his waist, well, an inch above. Neji didn't mind the extra inch and ignored the hair on the ground. It had been a full twelve inches. Damn.

"Thank you," Neji said.

The barber nodded with a smile on his face and they went to the front counter where a register sat. Neji paid what he thought was nothing and left the man the same amount as a tip. Neji smiled softly when Kankuro came up beside him and wrapped an arm around Neji's waist.

"Not a problem, Hyuuga-sama. You would be surprised how many Hyuuga come into my shop to get a trim," the barber said.

Neji smirked and heard Sasuke snort. Sakura swatted her boyfriend and Neji kept from turning even though he did want to see the look on the Uchiha's face.

"I really don't mind at all, it is my job. Plus the Hyuuga have the best hair I've ever cut," the barber said.

Neji flushed at the comment and wrapped the arm stuck between his and Kankuro's bodies around Kankuro's waist.

"Thank you," Neji said.

The barber nodded and Neji turned to leave. He memorized the location of the shop as they walked out with Sakura and Sasuke trailing behind. Neji noticed Kankuro pouting and raised an eyebrow.

"You cut your hair," Kankuro said.

Neji rolled his eyes.

"It's still long," Neji told him.

Kankuro kissed the side of his head and Neji chuckled.

"Yeah but I liked when it covered my arm when we walk like this. See, I could put my hand on your lower back like this,"

Neji shivered when Kankuro moved his hand to Neji's lower back.

"And touch you with no one noticing. Now people can notice," Kankuro said.

Neji felt his cheeks heat as Kankuro ran a finger along the waist band of Neji's pants before Kankuro put his hand back on Neji's hip, under Neji's vest this time. Neji smirked when Kankuro kept lightly brushing the skin under the vest.

"Pervert," Neji said.

"You like it," Kankuro told him.

"Hn,"

The non-committal response made Kankuro chuckle. Neji checked on their shadows and spotted Sasuke frowning. He still held Sakura's hand and they walked about half a yard apart. Sakura had a frown on her face and her eyes were downcast as she fiddled with the hem of her light pink fitted tee-shirt. Neji turned back around and leaned his head against Kankuro's shoulder.

"This teach Sasuke thing isn't working," Neji whispered.

Kankuro sighed. He tightened his hand on Neji's hip, squeezing lightly and a scowl came to his face. Neji activated Byakugan and watched as Sasuke followed along behind them. The only way Neji could tell Sasuke and Sakura were a couple was from their clasped hands. If not for their hands they could be two friends taking a stroll.

Sakura had a thick aura of disappointment surrounding her while Sasuke looked entirely uninterested. Neji de-activated Byakugan and wondered if the Uchiha even liked Sakura or if he dated her because she was a powerful shinobi with no blood-line limit to pass on. Sakura would also stay with Sasuke no matter what as proven when he left the village to kill Itachi.

"Can I beat it into him?" Kankuro asked.

As tempting as it would be to see Kankuro punching Sasuke in the face, Neji shook his head. He did chuckle. Kankuro winked at him. Neji let out a breath and tapped Kankuro's hip in thought.

"Let's get lunch," Neji said.

"I thought you'd never ask," Kankuro said.

Neji smirked as Kankuro steered them towards a different area of the Village. He spotted a casual dining establishment and smiled when Kankuro held the door open for him. Neji stepped through the door and Kankuro easily slipped in behind, holding the door open so Sasuke could grab it.

The Uchiha caught the door but walked through it before Sakura, pulling her in behind him and making her keep the door from whacking her. Neji rolled his eyes. The sign told them to seat themselves so they did. Neji grinned when Kankuro pulled the chair out for him, going even so far as to tuck it in.

Uchiha did no such thing and sat in his chair, making Sakura pull out her own chair and settle with a sigh. Sakura sat beside Neji at the same table, Uchiha beside Kankuro. Neji caught Kankuro shaking his head as he sat.

"If you were dating my sister then I'd be kicking your ass right now," Kankuro said.

A waitress came up to them and Kankuro ordered a pitcher of water, a plain tea for him and green tea for Neji. Sasuke ordered milk for himself and Sakura said she would be fine with water. The waitress deposited menus and left.

"Why would you kick my ass?" Sasuke said.

Kankuro opened his menu and looked at Sasuke side-long. Kankuro snorted.

"It's common courtesy to hold doors open for your significant other, pull out their chairs, and yeah, order a drink for them when they want, especially when you're a guy and your significant other happens to be a girl. Don't you know girls like being treated like princesses, even kunoichi?" Kankuro asked.

Sasuke scowled. Neji said nothing as he read over the menu. He did notice Sakura grinning behind her menu.

"So what, Neji's the female in your relationship?" Sasuke questioned.

Neji glared. The Uchiha flinched and Neji inwardly smirked. Kankuro sighed and shook his head. The waitress deposited their drinks and said she would give them a few minutes. Kankuro thanked her before looking at Sasuke with a frown.

"No, Neji's not the female in the relationship," Kankuro said. "We're both guys, that's kind of the point. But I'm still going to treat him like I'd treat anyone I want to be in a relationship with unless Neji tells me he's uncomfortable with it. I've had no complaints so I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing."

Neji grinned as Sasuke scowled. Sasuke hadn't touched his menu yet. Neji said nothing as Sasuke met Sakura's eyes from across the table. She raised her eyebrows at him in question.

"Do you want me to open doors for you, pull out your chair, push in your chair, and hold you close?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura turned pink but nodded. Sasuke frowned. Kankuro repressed a laugh with a cough and Neji hid his smirk behind the menu.

"I mean, it'd be nice to be acknowledged as your girlfriend, you know?" Sakura questioned. "Some people are even asking if we're really together because you show no signs of affection towards me."

Sasuke's frown deepened. He put a hand on his menu and kept his gaze locked with Sakura's. She put her menu down, crossing her arms over it and waited.

"So the little surprise kisses Kankuro gives Neji, you want that?" Sasuke enquired.

Sakura nodded. Sasuke hummed.

"The mundane conversations?" Sasuke went on.

Kankuro snorted and Neji bit his lip to keep from chuckling. Again, Sakura nodded.

"Mundane conversation is how you get to know a person," Kankuro mentioned. "Not everything has to be about jutsu, missions, weapons, and politics. Sometimes talking about a tea shop or your thoughts on an item of clothing is more important."

"How?" Sasuke asked.

Kankuro rolled his eyes but shook his head at the waitress who was coming towards them. She detoured.

"From the "mundane" conversation I had with Neji today, I learned he doesn't like anything frilly on clothing," Kankuro answered. "His tastes in accessories are simple and he doesn't like gold or anything too flowery or feminine looking. He sees everything even when you think he's not looking. He prefers book stores over clothing stores and gets distracted by birds sometimes. "Oh and he likes places with few people when we go out because if there's too many people in a place he feels they're staring at him since he's a Hyuuga and all. He doesn't like people staring. He also really hates the color green but I don't blame him."

Neji raised an eyebrow at Kankuro, impressed. Sakura's eyes had gone wide and she had a grin on her face. Sasuke blinked. Neji had the urge to whack him with the menu but didn't follow through. It would have been funny though.

"How does that help you?" Sasuke questioned.

Kankuro groaned and rubbed his forehead. He put the menu down and turned to face the Uchiha. Neji caught Sakura biting her lip.

"If I ever want to buy him an item of clothing then I know what he likes," Kankuro said. "I know he'll see any surprise I intend to get him and I know not to take him down busy streets or he'll be uncomfortable. I figure one of these days we'll go out bird-watching because he'd like it. In other words: I know what will make him happy. His happiness is important to me since we're together."

Neji felt the heat coming across his cheeks but didn't hide it behind his menu. He licked his lips and smiled when Kankuro turned back to sit properly in his chair and met Neji's eyes.

"And knowing what kind of accessories he likes?" Sasuke asked.

Kankuro flushed. He cleared his throat and Neji decided to sip his tea before it got too cold. Kankuro muttered something under his breath then stared at Sasuke.

"If I ever want to give him a ring to show our undying love for each other then I'll know what he likes," Kankuro said.

Neji swallowed his tea a bit harder than needed as Sakura giggled. Sasuke frowned. Kankuro opened his menu and studiously ignored the Uchiha. Neji put his tea down and cleared his throat.

"So, the Sesame Udon looks good," Neji said.

Kankuro smirked. Sakura laughed a bit louder and Sasuke finally opened his menu. Neji didn't mind the fact they didn't speak for several moments. He sipped his tea and the waitress came back over to check if they were ready. Kankuro checked and got positives from the other couple so ordered chicken udon with brown rice and steamed vegetables. Neji ordered the sesame udon with white rice and steamed vegetables. Sakura copied him and Sasuke ordered beef udon.

Neji rested his right hand on the table as he sipped tea with the left. Within seconds, Kankuro's hand was atop his and Neji grinned as he set his tea cup down. Neji watched as Sakura put her left hand on the table with a blush on her cheeks and biting her lip. Sasuke did nothing for several seconds. He did glare when Kankuro swatted him in the back.

Sasuke huffed at Kankuro, noticed Neji's light smile then gently placed his hand atop Sakura's. Sakura grinned in encouragement and Sasuke hummed. Kankuro snorted and shook his head.

"We have success," Kankuro said.

Sasuke glared at him but stopped when Sakura giggled and held Sasuke's hand. Neji raised his eyebrows when Sasuke blushed. He had not thought the Uchiha had it in him. Their orders came and Sasuke watched as Kankuro broke the chopsticks, gave thanks then put his hand back on Neji's content to eat one handed. Neji ate one handed as well, gently rubbing Kankuro's thumb with his.

He heard Sakura giggling and saw Sasuke did the same with her. Neji almost choked on his udon when Sasuke smiled lightly, the highpoints of his cheeks a pale pink. Kankuro snorted but said nothing. The meal went by well enough and Neji chuckled when Kankuro paid for him. Sasuke immediately paid for Sakura and she went red but thanked him with a kiss on the cheek.

Neji coughed to hide his laugh at the look of shock on Sasuke's face. Kankuro didn't bother and chuckled at the Uchiha. Neji sunk into Kankuro's side as they left the restaurant. Again, Kankuro held the door open for him and Neji saw Sasuke holding the door open for Sakura. Sasuke even went so far as to stand much closer to Sakura as they walked. He didn't wrap an arm around her waist but it was damned close.

Sakura kept up a steady blush, giggling lightly as Sasuke held her hand looking content. Neji shook his head at the two before snuggling into Kankuro. They turned down a not-busy street and began their mundane conversation again. Neji was surprised to hear Sasuke asking Sakura questions and grinned when Kankuro met his eyes.

"I think Sakura knew I'd say something eventually," Kankuro said.

"No doubt," Neji said.

"She's smarter than she lets on," Kankuro said.

Neji hummed in agreement as they continued their walk. Neji spotted a flash of red and glanced towards it. He stopped which made Kankuro pause and glance over. Sako, Kuma's younger sister, was running through the village. Normally Neji could not pay a running child much heed as even Hanabi-sama ran around to get somewhere quickly.

He paid Sako heed. The girl was crying, biting her lip as she ran, and headed in the direction of the Konoha hospital. Neji felt his stomach drop and knew he would not like the news.

"Sako," Neji called out.

The little girl almost tripped but like her sister, caught herself and spun towards Neji. Neji stepped away from Kankuro as Sako bolted towards him, tears still running down her cheeks and a bit of blood on her lip from biting it too hard. Neji caught her in his arms as she couldn't stop quickly enough and squatted to her level. She wrapped her slender arms around his neck and began crying into his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Neji asked.

Too many situations tumbled through Neji's head. The girls' father could have found the new place and hurt them. The girls' mother could have collapsed or hurt herself trying to do the rehabilitation on her hands. They could have run into the father while shopping and Sako could be running away from any ensuing argument. Neji would have never expected Sako's words:

"It's Kuma, she went to train alone and, and," Sako tried.

Neji felt his heart skip a few beats, Hell he was sure it froze for several seconds. His heart raced when his heart started pumping again, as if he were running from enemy shinobi in the middle of an S-rank mission. His entire body stiffened and his mouth went dry. Neji hadn't realized he had activated Byakugan until he noticed everything was in inverted black and white.

"I went to bring her a snack and maybe try to get her to come home from dinner. She's lying in the middle of the field. She won't wake up," Sako got out.

Oh Hell. Fuck. Shit. Neji stood briskly and pulled Sako into his arms in a bridal carry. He leaped onto the closets roof top and took off, not caring that Sako yelped in fear and he was leaving behind his lover. He did spot Kankuro, Sasuke, and Sakura follow after a moment.

Neji soon lost them as his specific training with Guy-sensei had made him much faster than a typical shinobi, especially when he was alone and panicked about someone he cared about. Tenten, Lee, and Guy-sensei would be the people who could keep pace with him now and perhaps Kuma herself without her leg weights.

Neji hit the training fields and pushed his Byakugan to its limits to scan for Kuma. He found her a minute later, lying in the middle of training field twenty-seven at an awkward angle. Neji felt his feet moving quicker and didn't bother to calm his racing heart. He saw a fallen bento box near Kuma, likely the one Sako meant to give her sister and noticed something critical.

Kuma lay on the ground as if she had fallen from the sky. She had been trying a kick and failed: something she rarely did even when attempting a new move. Kuma had barely any chakra flowing through her system. Neji pulled back from her chakra system to scan her skeletal system.

Neji almost went down, tripping on his feet but maintained his vertical base because of Sako yelping. He didn't want to fall forward with her in his arms. Neji blinked away his tears and skidded to a stop near Kuma, putting Sako down and kneeling beside his fire-headed genin. He lifted a hand to touch her but didn't put it down. He didn't know medical ninjutsu and moving her would make this worse.

"Did you try to move her?" Neji asked.

"No, I tapped her arm a few times cuz I didn't like the way she was lying there but she didn't answer. I ran as fast as I could," Sako said.

She was sobbing. Neji didn't blame her. He didn't like the way Kuma laid on the grass either but he could see the damage. Thankfully Sako couldn't.

"Neji,"

Sakura. Thank god for Sakura. Neji saw her running towards them and turned. Sakura didn't have a med-kit on her but she knew the Mystical Palm Technique. Neji waited until Sakura knelt beside him.

"Skull fracture in the parietal and, she, her spine," Neji tried.

He couldn't say the words. Sako cried harder and Neji said nothing as Kankuro lifted the little red-head into his arms and carried her away. Sasuke followed Kankuro and Neji met Sakura's eyes.

"What bones?" Sakura asked.

"C4 and C5," Neji answered.

Sakura didn't wince. She nodded and gently, so gently, moved Kuma so she lay out on her back. Neji watched the bones but they didn't shift. He kept his eyes on Sakura and Kuma as Sakura placed a hand at the back of Kuma's neck and the other at the front. The Mystical Palm Technique started up.

Neji watched as the bones came back together. The severed nerves knitted itself into a whole again. The healing continued and Neji watched as the fracture on the top of Kuma's head began to mend. The blood leaking into Kuma's brain slowed then stopped, absorbing back into Kuma's body. Sakura finished moments later and sat back.

She had sweat gathered at her brow and took deeper breaths than normal. Neji scanned Kuma's frame from any other breaks but saw nothing. Neji de-activated Byakugan and let out a long breath.

"She's almost depleted all her chakra as well," Sakura said.

"I noticed," Neji said.

Sakura wiped her brow with the back of one hand and shook her head. Kuma breathed lightly on the ground in front of them unaware she had taken a major injury, career ending even, and been healed from it. Neji would kill her when she woke up.

"Let's get her to the hospital," Sakura said.

Neji nodded and lifted Kuma's petite form into his arms. He hadn't realized how tiny she really was until he pulled her into his arms. Neji swallowed down tears as he stood and she hung limply in a bridal carry.

She had gained weight yes, but her arms were still slender, legs slim, chest and waist slight, and her entire frame was willowy. Her personality made her seem larger and now that she was quiet she looked like the twelve-year old child she was.

Neji followed after Sakura, not paying attention to where he was going because of his unconscious student. He did notice Kankuro had lifted Sako in his arms. Sasuke looked as if he would faint in a few seconds and Neji realized the Uchiha had no idea how to handle crying children.

"Sako, let's go get your mom, okay?" Kankuro suggested.

Sako nodded, wiping her eyes with a fist. Neji stood by as Sakura told Sako Kuma would be okay. She was healed but would have to stay in the hospital for a day or two because she used up a lot of chakra. Sako sniffled but the tears stopped.

Kankuro kissed Neji's cheek before adjusting Sako in his arms and striding off. Neji followed Sakura through Konoha as they took to the rooftops with Sasuke following behind. By the time they got to the hospital Neji felt less panicked and more angered. He wanted Kuma to wake up now so he could yell at her for being so stupid.

Neji knew what Guy-sensei felt like when Lee injured himself during training all alone. He knew why Guy-sensei punched Lee in the face when Lee did something idiotic. He would have to ask Guy-sensei how the Hell to deal with it.

"Takenaka Kuma, I'm admitting her," Sakura's voice broke Neji out of his thoughts.

The med-nin at the front desk nodded. Sakura went around the desk and began looking through the filing system behind the desk. She found what she was looking for as the med-nin smiled and turned to her.

"Room 415 is open," the med-nin said.

"Thanks," Sakura said.

Neji watched as Sakura grabbed another stack of papers and began walking down the hallway. Neji followed as did Sasuke but Neji did not care about the Uchiha. All he cared about was getting Kuma set up in a bed so she could regain her chakra. They headed up four flights of stairs and Neji followed Sakura into room 415.

He placed Kuma onto the bed when instructed and huffed when Sakura told him to leave. She gave him a look and Neji glared at her. He wouldn't let Kuma out of his sight until she was set up.

"I'm about to strip her,"

Ah. Maybe he could make an exception. Neji turned on his heel and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him. He stayed next to the door and ignored Sasuke when the Uchiha came to stand beside him. Sasuke stared at him but Neji did not meet the other man's eyes.

"So, you tell your students to train like that?"

Neji gave him a heated look but Sasuke did not flinch this time. Neji snorted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Did you see Akino and Tora there?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Kuma has always done extra training because in the Academy she was considered dead last. She has to work harder than Tora and Akino at least she thinks she does. I just wish she would have told me she would be trying something new."

Neji sighed. Sasuke frowned.

"She reminds me a lot of Naruto," Sasuke said.

Neji chuckled and nodded when the Uchiha looked to him.

"She is a lot like Naruto and Lee for that matter: excitable, enthusiastic, quick, unpredictable, loud, friendly, full of energy, emotional, and she wears bright orange. She also works hard like both of them and never complains about tough training, embracing it a lot like Lee would. Seeing her so still," Neji said.

He couldn't continue. Sasuke hummed as if understanding. Neji almost asked him how he would understand but realized Sasuke would. He had been on a team with Naruto and constantly hung out with the blond even now. Neji had never thought he and Uchiha would have something in common.

"She's set up now, you can come in,"

Sakura's voice made him turn so quickly she gaped. Neji strode into the room but stopped half-way to the bed. Never mind seeing Kuma still. Seeing her lying in a hospital bed with an IV tube stuck in one arm and a monitor set up beside her rattling off her vitals made Neji's breath catch and his eyes water.

Neji took a deep breath and forced down his tears before striding across the room and sitting in the chair left by Kuma's bedside. The bed seemed to engulf her for how small she was. Neji gritted his teeth. The need to shake her awake and demand to know what she had been thinking was powerful but he pushed this down.

"She'll be in until at least Tuesday for major chakra depletion. She likely won't wake up till then and when she does I want to make sure she still has motor function. She'll be off training and I mean off as in not even wearing the leg weights until at least Saturday," Sakura told him.

Neji inclined his head but kept his gaze on Kuma. He felt a hand on his shoulder and saw it was Sakura. Neji let out a long breath and ran a hand through his hair. The week would be a difficult one.

I know I'm mean. It's what I do.

Reviews welcome, next chapter coming soon.