Terribly sorry about the no insect warning. I didn't know I had to put it up for a kiss, since they're not going to end up together anyways, but I realize now. WARNING: VERY SLIGHT INSECT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER ONLY (maybe).


Naruto slammed his locker shut, turning away from it slowly so his head wouldn't hurt as much. He was glad the class was over, though he was sure it had been interesting. "You were struggling today." Neji said, eyeing him curiously. Naruto put his hand to his forehead. "You noticed?" he asked self consciously.

"Well you were only falling asleep a little bit." Neji teased. Naruto could feel Neji's hand sliding into his, and he didn't have enough energy to protest as usual. "It shows in the note's I took, which come up to none." He sighed.

Neji ran his thumb and forefinger over Naruto's hand, trying to make eye contact, flirting like a junior high school boy.

"I got you some though." He said, sliding them into Naruto's hand.

"Thank you." Naruto leaned his head against the metal locker. "I have no idea where I got this cold from. You might want to let go of me, I'm pretty sure it's contagious."

Neji's face was getting pretty close to his, and a few stray strands of his long hair were brushing against Naruto's cheek.

"Nothing about you can hurt me." He whispered. Naruto's face went red.

"I told you, Neji, I have a boyfriend. I don't cheat."

"I'll wait." Neji continued, his breath ticking Naruto's sensitive skin.

"Why don't you move on? Find someone else?" Naruto said, looking up with actual curiosity.

"I only take the best." Neji smiled.

Naruto blushed harder. "Stop." He said. "These lines would be a lot better if I hadn't heard you practicing them in the bathroom."

"Then why are you blushing so hard?"

"Cause…cause…" Naruto fumbled. The hand Neji was holding felt exceptionally warm.

"You're so freaking innocent, that's why. 16 and a virgin, am I right?" Neji teased.

"I gotta go." Naruto whispered. He dragged his hand away from Neji, feeling embarrassed. When people hit that close to home, he got exceptionally nervous.

'So what if I'm a virgin?' he thought as he walked. 'I'm sure almost everyone is at this age.'


Sasuke went from the counter to the fridge then back again in anxiety. There wasn't much that could worry him, but he had never thought that his brother and his best friend would ever be sitting in the same room with as much tension as there was now. The timer went off. He rushed over to the oven and grabbed the spaghetti casserole, putting it unto the counter to cool then took a deep breath, pushing a strand of his hair behind his ear.

It was completely silent in the dining room. "Umm…it's almost ready guys." He called. "Sure." Itachi yelled back. Naruto was silent, playing with his fork and looking at his napkin. He looked up at Itachi for a split second then looked right back down.

Sasuke took the rice balls to the table and put them down before going back to the kitchen. "Go on guys. Talk. Get acquainted." He said nervously. Itachi smiled comfortably at Naruto who continued looking intently at his napkin.

"So," he said. "It's been a while huh Naruto? You've really changed since I last say you. Such an awkward kid."

Naruto stared at Itachi. "Why are you here?" he blurted out. "I'm confused."

Itachi waved a hand. "Its complicated and a long story. I've already told it once for today so either ask Sasuke or wait till tomorrow for me to tell you."

He smiled again and Naruto shrunk back into his seat with embarrassment.

Sasuke came back with the steaming pot of casserole. "Ok, sorry for the wait, but we can eat now."

Itachi immediately began serving himself while Naruto was content with chewing on his lip nervously.

"You ok Naru?" Sasuke said, looking at Naruto with concern. Itachi's eyebrow raised. He'd never heard Sasuke use that tone with anyone before.

"Hm? Oh me?" Naruto said. "Fine? No no, yeah I'm good, yeah." He nodded furiously, dumping huge amounts of salad into his plate.

Sasuke nodded slowly. Naruto gave a forced smiled. "Alright, if you're sure." Sasuke said.

"You know, when I think about it, I don't feel all that good. I'm going to go to sleep about now. Goodnight guys." Naruto said suddenly, pushing back the chair and practically running away. Sasuke could hear his screaming all the way from his room.

Sasuke closed Itachi's door after saying goodnight to him and walked to his own room. "Where have you been?" Naruto said sharply. "…I haven't left the house." Sasuke said slowly. "Oh…" Naruto looked embarrassed, playing with a loose string from the bedspread.

"Its ok, jealousy looks cute on you." Sasuke teased, going into the bathroom. Naruto threw a pillow at him, missing by an inch "I'm not jealous!" he yelled. "Why would I be jealous? You're allowed to do whatever you want to cause I don't even care. I have a boyfriend."

"Then why are you yelling so much?" Sasuke asked innocently, poking his head through the door, a toothbrush sticking out of his mouth. This time the pillow did hit him.

"I was calling you and you didn't come." Naruto said childishly. Sasuke looked serious now. "Naruto you're not worried about me forgetting you or anything like that are you?"

Naruto didn't look at him. Sasuke finished brushing then came back, crawling unto the bed. "Don't ever think that. No one can replace you Naruto."

"Not even Mr. devastatingly attractive, the guy you've had a crush on from when you were in the womb?" Naruto said softly.

"I don't like you because you look good." Sasuke said, leaning over Naruto. "It's a perk I'll admit, but that's not at all why."

Naruto fell silent and Sasuke couldn't think of anything else to say.

It took all of Sasuke's will power to pull back, but after staring at Naruto for the longest time he could without completely freaking him out he did. 'We really need to stop doing that.' He thought. 'He has a boyfriend, and I can't have him.'


"Hey, wake up Naruto." Sasuke said shaking him. "Com'n we're going to go have breakfast at the Mitzu café."

"Ooh, yum." Naruto whispered, pulling the covers back over his head. Sauske smiled affectionately, ruffling his hair. He loved when Naruto was sleepy. "Com'n, you gotta wake up."

Naruto mumbled something incoherent. "Alright then. Itachi's already dressed so I guess I'll just go with him." Sasuke said, but before he was finished Naruto was gone and he could hear the shower running. A minute later he was out. Sasuke arched his eyebrows.

"I'll go…wait for you downstairs." He said in embarrassment, trying to avoid looking at Naruto in the nude. Strangely, it was a tough feat.

He walked down to where Itachi was curiously looking at the pictures of him and Naruto on the mantle. The very, very…very many pictures. Sasuke blushed. "They accumulate." He said weakly.

Naruto tore down the stairs, nearly bouncing into Sasuke. "Lets' go." He said, pushing himself between Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi smiled. "Don't worry Naruto, I'm not going to steal Sasuke." He said.

"I don't care if you do." Naruto said stiffly.

"Oh then good, cause I am." Itachi continued.

He walked unto the other side of Sasuke, so Sasuke was between both him and Naruto. Naruto tried keeping a straight face.

They walked outside through the back door and into the parking lot. Sasuke got into the driver's seat of the car as Itachi and Naruto fought over the seat next to it.

"Alright!" he yelled. "Both of you sit in the back!"

"But I always sit beside you." Naruto whimpered.

"BACK!" Sasuke barked, shifting the car into gear. He knew when to be tough with Naruto.

After hearing the click of their seatbelts, Sasuke backed out of the parking lot and unto the road. "So Itachi, do you remember anything?" he asked.

Itachi gazed out the window. "Nope, everything looks completely different since I left it. Way more like America."

After a few minutes Sasuke pulled into the parking lot of Mitzu. "Here we are." He said, stepping out of the car. The 9am sunlight was already high over the horizon and dreadfully hot. They walked into the store.

"Sasuke I knew I'd find you here! Every single Sunday you come to this store don't you?" Sakura said, running towards Sasuke. Sasuke smiled stiffly. "You know me so well." He said, glaring at Naruto angrily, who smiled apologetically.

"So this is your girlfriend." Itachi said, looking at Sakura in scrutiny. "I didn't think this would be your type."

Sakura looked at him and Sasuke could practically see the wheels turning in her head. "H-hi." She said, turning away from him almost immediately. "I'm Sakura."

"Cherry blossom. Lovely."

"Com'n." Sasuke said, grabbing Naruto's hand. "Lets go get a table as far away from her as possible."

"Why don't you like Sakura? She's a really nice girl." Naruto said.

"Everyone seems nice to you." Sasuke said. "But I don't recall her treating you nicely I couple years back."

Naruto sat down and shrugged. "I don't remember that." He said. Sasuke smiled. "How sweet."

Naruto began making the napkin in front of him into a swan. Suddenly, his face brightened. "Hey, look its David!" he smiled, jumping out of his seat. "Be right back okay?"

"Sure." Said Sasuke, amusing himself with watching his girlfriend trying to unsuccessfully flirt with his brother. He knew that to her it had always been about looks and wondered what in the world Naruto had ever seen in her. She was a conceited air head and he couldn't wait for the moment that she found someone that she deemed more attractive than him and ran off with them instead. He just hoped it wasn't his brother. Apart from not wanting her near him, he wouldn't wish her on even his worst of enemies as a girlfriend.

He watched Naruto and David talking, saw Gaara eating by himself at one of the stools by the bar. He walked over to him. "Hey Gaara." He smiled. Gaara always proved an excellent source of conversation, much more deep and insightful than people thought him to be.

"Hello." Gaara said solemnly, blowing at his coffee.

"Hoe many times do we have to go over this Gaara? You have friends remember? You can go out with any of them at any time, or ask any of them to go places with you. You don't have to be alone anymore. Are you that used to it?"

Gaara smiled slightly. "I do as you say most of the time, but there are still times when I want to be alone."

"Are you ok right now?" Sasuke asked.

"Quite fine actually." Said Gaara, taking a sip of his coffee. Sasuke took his hands and inspected the upper and lower part of his arms. "Good." He said, kissing Gaara's cheek. "Remember if there's anything you want just call me okay?"

Gaara nodded and Sasuke turned to walk away. "Oh Sasuke, there is one thing." He said quickly. "Yes?" Said Sasuke eagerly. He'd been telling Gaara the same thing every time they had a conversation, and never before had the other boy actually asked something of him. Ever since he'd taken him to his first physiology class and they'd become close friends he'd been telling Gaara to come for him for anything and there had been nothing that he'd needed.

"I want a boyfriend." Gaara said self-assuredly, as if he'd been telling it to himself in the mirror for the longest of times and was finally coming out with it.

Sasuke arched his eyebrow. Never had he thought that Gaara would ask him something like that. "A boyfriend? He repeated.

Gaara nodded.

"Well why don't you go get one?" He asked curiously.

"Well, umm." Gaara said shyly. "I would like if you could put in a good word for me to Neji, remind him of my existence? I'm a bit shy in that department."

It was all that Sasuke could do to stop himself from laughing as the aqua blue eyed boy gazed at him solemnly.

"You like Neji?" he said. It was hardly believable, that down to earth, smart and no-nonsense Gaara could like someone as fickle as Neji. Gaara nodded. "He's captured my heart." He said, with no emotion in his voice or face. Sasuke would have to help him a bit on that. But at least he was opening up. "He's taken my heart and I'd like you to either tell him I want it back or tell him I'm madly in love with him and wonder if it at all returns my feelings."

Sasuke couldn't stop the smile from tugging at him lips. Gaara was just too comical, pouring out his heart with an emotionless, unblinking face and upright posture. He hugged him, not being able to resist. He didn't care what anyone else saod, but every single time he saw Gaara, the boy looked like he needed a hug. Gaara hugged back awkwardly, something he'd only just started doing.

"I'll make sure to get the message to him." He said. He was happy for Gaara, finally coming out of his shell. After years of physical and mental abuse doing that wasn tan easy thing. Gaara was one tough kid.

Naruto was waiting alone for him at the table, as Itachi was still fruitlessly trying to get away from Sakura. He didn't have to know Naruto inside out as he already did to know something was wrong with him. His eyes were red and his cheeks flaming with embarrassment.

Sasuke didn't even ask. He walked around from his booth to Naruto's and sat beside him, holding him tightly. Naruto's whole body was trembling in that all too familiar way. "Conrad dumped me." He whispered. It sent chills to Sasuke's bones for never had he heard such a hollow voice from Naruto. Usually he'd be crying as he said something like that, but this time he just was gazing with a far off expression in his eyes, as if he;d just given up all hope on the world, and it didn't even matter any more.

Sasuke knew it wasn't time to say 'I told you so.'


Thank you:

YaoiFanGirl (thanks, it means alot to me that you always review. All of them?? wow thats a real compliment!!)

GossipGalMishi (Thanks for the pointer -)

Haran Herutsu (lol, sorry for the lack of incest in the one, but I may do an Itahci/Sasuke if you like it so much)

bookworm51485 (really sorry about that. Hope you continued reading. There was no incest in this chapter and there won't be any at all after the next and the next is very brief. Basically I'm REALLY SORRY for forgetting lol. This si a Sasu/ Naru but I do have tendancys to throw in other parings along the way to spice things up. Hope I haven't lost you.)