Look at that, I'm not dead nor done. I did promise to finish this, as long as it takes!

As always nothing belongs to me but this!

Neji shut the door firmly behind Tenten, relieved that she had finally agreed to leave after what felt like hours of his not so subtle insistence. Talking about his emotions was not something Neji was particularly well versed in; not that he had any desire to talk about them at all if he could avoid it. But he really hadn't responded well to Lee's surprise that morning, and so he was well beyond keeping his emotions in check. He had been so blinded by his rage and hurt that he hadn't even been conscious of making the decision to run. It was only when Tenten of all people had grabbed his hand, forcing him to slow his pace, that he had snapped out of the mental fog that had overcome him. That's not to say that his anger had diminished, because it hadn't in the slightest, but he was no longer blinded by his fury. After a moment of the two standing with nothing but heavy breathing between then, Neji had clued in to the fact that they were less than a block away from his house. He had turned on his heel and made for home, uncaring wether the other brunette followed him or not. The remainder of their trek was tense. Tenten had tried just once to broach the subject of the fight, but Neji's incandescent scowl was enough to shut her up. Once they had safely secured themselves in his room, Neji had finally snapped. He immediately set about upending whatever was within reach, starting with his desk. He violently swept the papers and books from their spot, and even went so far as to kick the desk and chair over. Tenten had clearly been shocked by his actions, but had wisely allowed his tantrum to run its course. By the time he was finished his room was unrecognizable, but the outburst had successfully calmed him down enough for rational thought to return.

Their conversation following his breakdown had been brief and stilted, with Tenten doing most of the talking. Not that Neji was paying much attention to her in the first place. Her voice seemed to exist purely as a background hum; almost like white noise that buzzed along his mind but never fully took root. She had meant well, Neji knew of course, but it didn't stop his mounting irritation at her coddling. Every part of her had screamed pity; it dripped from every word that passed her lips, sitting heavy in the space between them. Neji detested it. He had never taken kindly to such a loathsome sentiment. He knew how he must look, and Tenten's haunted eyes only reassured him of how pathetic he was being, but he didn't need anyone else to see such a disgusting part of himself. Especially not the girl whom Neji knew placed him on a pedestal. It was more burdensome then flattering. Not even someone as prideful as himself could appreciate the false standards a hopeless crush created.

Neji allowed himself a moment to rest his head on his front door, letting the stillness wash over him and calm his nerves. He took several deep breaths, mentally sorting through his chaotic thoughts as he willed him mind to return to some semblance of order. Feeling less raw, but no less drained, Neji slowly made his way back to his room intent on burying himself under his covers and sleeping the day away. What he hadn't expected to find upon his return was Sasuke standing amongst the aftermath of his childish rage.

"Funny," Sasuke's low timber drawled, "I always assumed your room would be as rigid as your personality."

"I'm not in the mood for your underhanded jokes Sasuke," Neji sighed, his voice exhausted and devoid of the bite he had intended for his words to have. He couldn't even muster the energy to demand an answer to the other male's presence. Instead, Neji watched as Sasuke turned around and observed him with narrowed eyes. He found himself breaking eye contact quickly, forgoing his usual defiance in the face of Sasuke's searching gaze. He had had enough of being observed and picked apart for one day. He looked at his room instead, sneering at the results of his lack of control.

"No, I suppose neither of us are in the joking mood," Sasuke acquiesced once he saw that Neji would not be rising to his barb.

Neji ignored the blue haired teen's statement and instead made his way to his bed. He sat down heavily, uncaring of the harsh action, and leaned back until his head was resting against the wall. He closed his eyes and let the silence fill the room. Far too soon for Neji's liking, the calming moment was interrupted by Sasuke's movements. Neji recognized the distinct sounds of a chair being pulled up as the other male took it upon himself to right the desk chair that had been toppled in Neji's ire.

"Lee continues to surprise," Sasuke mused idly.

A choked laugh escaped Neji, but the sound was bitter and harsh.

"Yes, yes he does," the brunette concurred.

Opening his eyes, Neji stared unseeing at his ceiling.

"What fools we are," Neji whispered, his hands fisting tightly where they sat.

"Fools indeed," Sasuke agreed.

Forcing himself to relax, Neji brought his head down so he could look at the other male. Sasuke had turned the chair around so he was sitting with the back to his front. He had his arms folded across the top, his head resting on them. Neji noted with a sick glee that Sasuke looked as hollow as Neji felt. Misery truly did love company.

"Say it."

Neji startled at the other male's sudden demand. Sasuke's eyes were insistent as he stared Neji down, visually pinning him in place. Sasuke and him had never been exceptionally close, despite their years of friendship, yet they had formed an unlikely bond amongst their small group. Whether that was from their mutual desires, Neji was unsure, but they both seemed to understand the other well beyond anyone else. Even their arguments tended to be more light teasing or heated debates rather than petty disputes. It was strange, considering how little they interacted, but Neji found he was reluctantly grateful for their odd relationship. So it was highly unusual that Sasuke was so clearly batting him into an argument. However, despite the blatant goading, a spark of Neji's usual defiance flared to life in him at Sasuke's malicious tone.

"No," Neji practically spat in response.

"I never took you to be so weak," Sasuke jibbed, his voice smug and superior.

"Come off your high horse Uchiha, I don't hear you coming clean of your secrets," Neji sneered.

"Deflection doesn't become you," the blue haired teen retorted, "Or are you merely incapable? Afraid, perhaps?"

"What would you have me say!?" Neji could feel himself slipping back into his anger, but he tried desperately to cling to what little tranquility he had left.

"How did it feel Neji," Sasuke's voice was downright vile, his tone thick with condescension, "The moment you knew he would never. be. yours."

Neji could see the challenge in Sasuke's eyes —he could see the fight Sasuke was hoping to instigate— but he could also see his anguish reflected in the hunched form of the teen before him. With more calm then he had thought he possessed, Neji responded with more honestly then he had ever afforded himself.

"It felt like I had all the air ripped from my body and that I would never breath again."

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock, clearly not expecting Neji's response. His gaze became searching once more, as if waiting for Neji to take back his words. When only silence remained between them Sasuke reluctantly broke eye contact.

"And here I came for a fight," Sasuke admitted, his tone lacklustre, "Who knew you would find the emotionally maturity to be so…."

"Honest?" Neji suggested weakly.

"Open."

Neji let Sasuke's words sink in. He had always been a highly private person, especially in regards to his own emotions. He could understand that a majority of his internal conflicts were born from his strained family relationship. However, that, and his own erroneous assumption that feelings made him weak, did little to help Neji feel secure with opening up emotionally. Ironically, it was in this moment he could understand Lee the best. It was hard to change. But to an extent it was necessary. Perhaps he should follow his own advice more often.

"If not with you, then who?" Neji asked sincerely, his voice nearly a whisper. "At least you…understand."

It was Sasuke's turn to sigh as he buried his head more firmly in his arms.

"I never thought it would feel this way," came the blue haired teen's muffled voice, "I never thought I would feel anything."

"It's almost worse that I know exactly what you mean," Neji confessed.

"What a pair we make," Sasuke chuckled.

The two teens sat in companionable silence for a short while, allowing the tension to dissipate, before Neji reluctantly got out of bed and began the arduous task of setting his room right. Sasuke remained seated, idly watching Neji as he moved about the space.

"So Tenten…?" Sasuke drawled, his voice suspiciously void of emotion.

Neji paused briefly at the other teen's question, before he continued to reorganize the papers he had foolishly thrown from his desk.

"No."

"No?"

Neji groaned while he hit the stack of papers lightly against the desk to create an even pile. Neji scrunched up his face in irritation, but quickly resigned himself to having yet another unpleasant conversation. He put the now neat stack on his desk and turned to face Sasuke once more.

"I have no interest—"

"In her…or women in general?" Sasuke interrupted.

"Both, if you must know," Neji answered cooly. "I have very little patience for anyone who spends most of their time trying to appease me."

Sasuke's face twisted into a brief grimace, clearly recalling his own relationship with unwanted crushes haunting his every moment. Neji recalled Sasuke's worst offender, a pink haired girl by the name of Sakura. She had started pursuing Sasuke in middle school after her best friend Ino had insisted on them playing the lead roles in their school's production of Romeo and Juliette. Every day Sakura had trailed after Sasuke, hoping eventually her persistence would wear the male down. After a particularly scathing refusal, she had backed off—at least for awhile. Sakura continued to pop up every now and then just to try another go at getting Sasuke to agree to her advances. As burdensome as it was, Sasuke had resigned himself to her persistence, but he still adamantly rebuked her ploys.

"Granted she has calmed down significantly," Neji clarified, drawing a clear distinction between the likes of Sakura and Tenten, "but I can still tell she wants something more."

"Annoying, to say the least," Sasuke agreed.

"It would be much easier if she could just see me for who I was," Neji admitted in another rare bout of openness.

"Hmm, I wonder how it is she sees you. All I see is an uptight, prideful ass," Sasuke smirked as he jibed the other teen.

"A bold statement coming from an arrogant bastard," Neji shot back.

"What is your type then?"

Neji narrowed his eyes.

"Why do you ask?"

"Curious, I suppose," was Sasuke's vague reply.

"Cute," Neji stated, his voice flat, before turning around to continue cleaning his room.

"He is, isn't he?"

"I didn't take you as the wistful type Sasuke," Neji snorted as he assed the remaining damage from his outburst.

"Hng."

Neji absentmindedly listened as Sasuke stood and began to wander around his room. He was more focused on righting the last of his scattered possessions to pay much attention to the other teen's movements, and so he quickly tuned the other out. When he placed the last of his textbooks back on his desk, he finally turned to locate the male. The last thing he had expected was for said teen to be holding the one item Neji was ashamed of possessing. His body reacted instinctually as he lunged for the small journal in Sasuke's hands. But it was too late, Sasuke had noticed his frantic movements and was already holding the journal out of his reach.

"You bastard, give it back!" Neji hissed furiously as he yanked Sasuke's arm.

"A sore spot huh? I wonder what is hidden in here that has you so frantic," Sasuke mused as he ripped his arm from Neji's grasp.

Sasuke moved quickly, and in one fluid motion he managed to grab Neji by the collar shoving him on the bed behind him while he quickly leapt to the other side of the room. Neji frantically scrabbled at his blanket, trying to right himself as quickly as possible, but by the time he had reoriented himself Sasuke had the offending item opened and was staring at the contents with a slack jaw. Neji turned a furious shade of red as Sasuke's dark eyes caught his own.

"When—?" Sasuke's voice trailed off as he returned his eyes to the images in his hands.

Neji felt his legs give out beneath him as he slumped heavily on his bed. He covered his face with one hand and took calming breaths as he tried to reign in his embarrassment. He heard Sasuke flipping through the photographs he had hidden away in the journal, but he couldn't bring himself to move from his position. He had never been so humiliated in his young life.

"Oh…oh," Sasuke exclaimed in a breathy voice.

"You. can. not. say. a. word. to. anyone," Neji seethed from between clenched teeth.

Sasuke let out a dark chuckle, his low voice pitched even lower than usual. He made his way over to Neji's hunched form and placed the stack of photo's beside the brunette's lap.

"How devious," Sasuke said in an amused tone.

Neji glanced at the pile beside him. The first image he saw was of Lee from when they had gone to the beach the previous summer. Neji had managed to capture a picture of the teen walking out of the water back towards their small group. His creamy skin was a golden brown having darkened from the sun, and his cheeks were a light red from the heat. He was smiling at the camera, both of his hands raised in peace signs, and his eyes were scrunched up cutely. The picture could have been innocent, if it wasn't for Lee's soaking wet body on display. His lean torso was dabbled with water droplets, and his dusky nipples were full and lush. Lee had chosen to wear a pair of short, pink swim trunks that clung to his exposed thighs. His legs were long and shapely in the image, showing off his trim yet curvy figure. Overall, the image was highly sensual, not that Lee was aware of how unintentionally sexy he came off. The other photos in Neji's collection were much the same. Candid shots of Lee in various poses, most of which were accidentally suggestive. Sasuke plucked one of the photos from the loose pile, and admired it for a moment.

"God he doesn't even know," Sasuke breathed heavily as he traced the image with heavily lidded eyes.

Without thinking, Neji raised his head to look at the image Sasuke had selected, his own embarrassment overcome by his curiosity. The brunette flushed once more when he saw the picture. The image was from the same day, but this time Lee was facing away from the camera. It was a candid shot of Lee's back as he sat on his knees admiring the sunset. Lee's spine curved erotically drawing attention to his lush ass. The plump flesh was covered by his swim trunks once more, the material straining to stretch across the round globes. As an added bonus Lee's swimsuit had ridden down low enough to display the cute dimples in his lower back. His long hair was thrown over on shoulder, leaving his skin on full display. Neji choked back a moan at the familiar sight, but Sasuke was quick to pick up on the muffled noise.

"Excited?" Sasuke teased, his voice husky.

Neji was about to deny his state, when he noticed that Sasuke was as similarly affected as he was. If Neji had ever doubted Sasuke's interest in Lee before, he now had undeniable proof of the other teen's feelings. Sasuke's pupils were blown and his usually pale face was darkly flushed. Neji dared a quick glance down the other teen's body and was taken aback by the very prominent erection tenting Sasuke's jeans. Sasuke noticed Neji's staring, but instead of covering himself up, he let his thighs fall open to accommodate his situation.

"Don't pretend like you're not in the same position," Sasuke snarked at Neji's indignant expression, sending a pointed glance at the other's lap.

Neji was indeed hard himself, and had been since the images had been placed on his bed, but that didn't explain what Sasuke was doing now. Any other person would have excused themselves, Neji included, but Sasuke seemed to be content to sit, perusing the other images, without an ounce of shame at his state. Before Sasuke could grab another picture, Neji grabbed his wrist.

"What are you doing!?" Neji hissed.

"I thought it was rather obvious," Sasuke said as he raised one of his eyebrows and eased his wrist from Neji's grip.

"No, absolutely not," Neji felt heat travelling up the nape of his neck as his flush renewed.

"And why not?" Sasuke challenged.

Neji was taken aback at his friend's lacklustre approach to the mounting situation.

"W…why not!? Are you seriously—"

"Are you attracted to me?"

Sasuke's question halted Neji's sputtering rebuttal. His face must have twisted in obvious disgust at the implications of Sasuke's statement, because soon enough the dark haired teen was laughing.

"Good," Sasuke continued to chuckle lightly as he spoke, amusement obvious in his tone, "because the feeling is mutual."

"Then why ask?" Neji's confusion was plain in his voice.

"Neither of us can have what we want, but why shouldn't we take this last moment to…indulge?"

Yes, I am leaving you with a cliff hanger after seven thousand years of not updating. The next chapter is going to be explicit (finally the rating will take effect!) so please either look forward to it or avoid it like the plague!

Thanks again for all the continued support and comments even though my update schedule is very unreliable!