Well hello there, after thinking that my fanfiction had fallen off of the face of this very Earth, I was surprised to get an email to my blackberry Saturday! And to my surprise it was a person asking me to continue this very story. So here we are.

I present to you the sixth part of:

"Amor caecus est"

Sasuke walked the streets of Konoha, his chin on his chest, feet dragging, He did not understand what Neji had said, had he really hurt the golden man that much. Well he did suppose that leaving Naruto, and then attempting to kill him had been wrong, and had hurt the man but not to this extent.

The words Naruto had said ran around his head, was he a coward, was he selfish? Well he supposed so, he had hidden away from the world in his pit of sorrow after facing Itachi and winning. So what was he to do now, he had come back for Naruto, but Naruto wasn't there. Well he was but he wasn't there, wasn't the Naruto Sasuke thought would be here when he came home. He was cold, and bitter. Sasuke knew it was mostly his doing, he had killed the Naruto he loved. The guilt rested on his shoulders, but Sasuke was determined to win the love of the other back.

He hadn't come back to this hell hole to live alone.

~x~

Neji watched Naruto, he had been training non-stop and the raven thought that it was time for his friend to take a rest. So stepping forward he called out to the other.

"Naruto, come it is time to rest." The white eyed man stood still, and watched as Naruto slowed him punches and looked at him. Neji's heart skipped a beat but he kept his cool exterior. "You've been training too hard, you will wear yourself down at this rate."

The golden man gave a nod and shook out his hands, the tension was still humming in every nerve of his body. Sasuke was a knot of confusion in his gut, while the warm presence of Neji gave him the feeling he had once had for Sasuke. But this warmth was stronger it seemed, more complete. Naruto was sure that his childhood crush was that and nothing more, while this love he had for Neji seemed firm and solid like the stone faces of the Hokages.

It was then Naruto looked up at the worn stone faces that gazed over Konoha, he would be up there, beside Tsunade and his father. He knew of course who his father was, Kyuubi wouldn't shut up about him. But he was worried, was he worthy to be up there, to be honored as the strongest ninja of the city. He wasn't sure, but if Tsunade thought so he would surely believe her confidence in him.

Turning Naruto gave a weak half-smile to the dark haired man who was now beside him. Neji was kind and funny, no matter if he looked like a stone faced ass. Underneath there was a man Naruto had come to love.

"Hey, Neji?" Naurto looked at the other from the corner of his eye.

"Yes?"

"Want to go get sushi with me?" Naruto smiled as Neji smiled and nodded.

"But first let us go home and shower. We don't need to stink up the restaurant." Neji smiled lightly and the two went their separate ways, after promising to meet up at the sushi place.

~x~

Naruto shuffled his way back to the house, even though he was happy to be going out with Neji for the first time, something inside of him was hurting. It was the old, old wound that Sasuke had left the he had believed was closed. So heaving a sigh he took a shower and changed into one of his nicer training clothes.

When he was done dressing he felt much better, he was different and Sasuke didn't rule him anymore. So with a grin he attempted to smooth his hair and then jumped out of his bedroom window. When he got to the sushi place, Neji was already there.

"Sorry! I lost track of time." he apologized.

"That's fine, I was only here a minute or so." Neji smiled, and grabbed Naruto's hand to pull him into the restaurant and to a table.

Naruto felt the heat rise in his cheek at the warmth of Neji's hand. Although he was a hard ninja and future Hokage, he was totally unexperienced in the whole dating, and other things. Of course Kyuubi thought it was his fatherly duty to teach him all about everything and how it worked. But that particular lesson, and the the ones that coincided with it were being permanently blocked out of his mind for the rest of his life, it had been horrifying.

When they were sitting and had placed their orders, a silence reigned.

"So, Naruto. What did yo do while you were away?" Neji said trying to get to know this new Naruto better. The pale man knew that the other had changed beyond anything he already knew.

"Well, I hunted" Naruto took a nervous gulp from his drink. "And well I really didn't do anything. I hunted and I looked for Sasuke." Naruto shrugged.

"And the Kyuubi?" Neji said it nicely, he had no problem with it.

"Well, he trained me." Naruto waited for Neji to blow up and storm out.

"Well that explains why you're so powerful then, to have the nine tail train you." Neji smiled, he was glad that Naruto was honest with him.

When their food showed up, they ate in silence. But it was not heavy it was a pleasant. Then they paid and stood outside under the overhang of the restaurant, since it had begun to rain.

Neji smiled at Naruto and was surprised when he felt the other's lips press to his cheek.

"I had a great time, Neji" Naruto paused and looked uncertian.

"We can go out again, Naruto." Neji smiled at the other man.

"Ok!" Naruto said cheerfully. "How about Wednesday? Is that good?" When Neji nodded Naruto crowed happily inside.

"Same place and same time." Neji smiled and soon the two parted ways.

Sasuke stood in the shadow of the opposite overhang, a grim look upon his features.

"Damn that Hyuuga." Sasuke seethed, had sharingan acting up, spinning in his anger. "Damn him." and Sasuke flitted away. Naruto was his.