Recap: With that final thought, Naruto let the darkness engulf him and everything went black.

Neji rolled over in his bed to grab his water his butler placed there. He always placed a glass of water on the nightstand for Neji, it was his mothers request. She always did things she thought he would like. He took a giant gulp and then laid back, staring at the darkness above him. His conversation with Tenten rolled through his head.

"How old are you?" Neji asked, coolly.

"17..." She answered softly. She'd been speaking that way since the incident in the bathroom.

"So am I." He nodded.

"I thought you had to be 18 to buy a slave." She said quickly. It caught Neji by surprise, but he didn't show it. Little of his emotions showed.

"Then you are wrong. You shouldn't think so much." He got off of his bed and walked towards her. She looked up at him with worried eyes. "What do you think your purpose is here?" He asked. It seemed like he was leaving her position up to her.

"What…do you mean?" She looked away from him. He put his hand under her chin and made her look in his eyes. Her nervousness got the best of her and she was near completely shutting down.

"Well…"

"I'm a slave. I will do what slaves do," She thought a bit. "…whatever you wish." She kept thinking, but Neji stopped her from speaking anymore.

"I have the control over what you can be. We already have enough slaves to do work." He couldn't hold a smirk back. His mind was running wild all of a sudden. "What do you want to be?" He asked.

"Free." She answered honestly.

"And if I free you, where will you go?" He asked. She didn't answer. He could feel her frustration as her cheeks flushed. "Do you have a family?"

"I don't know where they would be…" She said, her voice breaking.

I highly doubt that if my daughter was sold into slavery that I would move, making it harder for her to find me. Neji thought, but didn't tell her that.

He removed his hand from her face.

"That's all I needed to know." He walked back to his bed and sat down, ignoring her presence.

"…what am I going to be?" She asked. Neji was yet again surprised at the fact that she didn't leave, and that she still asked questions. It didn't upset him, it wasn't such a big deal. It just…surprised him. He looked back at her, examining deeply. Finally, he shrugged.

"I'll probably just use you for sexual pleasures." He went back to not minding her and started to take his shoes off. Tenten's shoulders dropped. "Goodnight." He said, tossing one of his shoes near his closet doors. Tenten turned and left the room, slowly walking down the hall to her room.

Neji sighed and sat up, finally getting out of his bed. It was 4 a.m., but the time didn't matter to him. He walked over to his infamous black jacket and put it on over his pajamas, and then slipped his feet in some shoes. He walked down the steps, and out of the door.

It was said that it wasn't a smart idea for a noble son to leave the house alone, but Neji wasn't as hated as the others. He had a certain charm to him that everyone loved. He didn't have that much on his shoulders, small rumors circled their life, but never got that far due to the calmness of the household. Neji's mother was a problem, like all women were to him. She overreacted highly to the simplest things, and shun others for things that were clearly not true. Neji, personally, didn't like her. But it was his mother. His gorgeous mother. She has no power, only his father does, and she knows, but won't act like it. But Neji throws this stuff under the bus and keeps on with his life.

In no time, Neji was in front of Sasuke's household, the only other noble son he knew had as many problems as him, but kept them well underway. Sasuke's only problem was his temper, which on several occasions, got the boys into a scuffle or two. But they could always put the problems aside, because whether they'd admit it or not, they needed each other.

Neji rung the doorbell and waited. He knew it was late and it would be a while before anyone got up, but to his surprise, the door opened right away. Before him stood Sasuke, who looked half dead.

"Neji. It's late…or very early." Sasuke said in a deep voice. Neji nodded in a understanding way, staring at the boy. Sasuke moved out of the way to let him in. Neji entered the house and slightly shivered at the crisp air that hit him. "So, what brings you here so late…or early?" Sasuke asked, signaling him to come to the living room. Neji followed and looked around. The house had gotten redecorated. Neji hated change.

"I hate this living room." Neji said out loud, meaning to only keep it in his head. He still showed no true concern about the comment, and neither did Sasuke and he laid down on the short couch, letting Neji sit on the long one. Sasuke stretched out.

"So do I, but you know how my mother likes changing things." He yawned. Neji kicked his shoes off and propped his feet up on the couch and looked around. "You never told me what brings you here." Sasuke looked at his friend. "Last time you came at this time, you found out about your mother abortion." Neji glared at him.

"I told you never to bring that up!" Neji half yelled. Sasuke chuckled.

"There's no one here, and you didn't want a sibling anyways." Sasuke shrugged. Neji loved/hated how brutally honest Sasuke was. He was always right, that's what got him the most. Neji didn't want a sibling, and it was better to lose it than to have it around and probably resent it. Either that, or he'd fall in love with it, and it would change him for good. But no one will ever know, and that's the part that Neji hated his mother for. His father even hated her, because he found out the same time Neji did. Neji looked away from Sasuke and shrugged.

"I just woke up and suddenly didn't want to be near that house." He answered honestly.

"Was it your mother?" Sasuke asked. Neji shook his head. "Father?" He asked. Neji shook his head again.

"How have you been since you got your slave?" Neji looked back at him, and noticed a strange look.

"The same." Sasuke shrugged. "Why?"

"I don't want mine. I just don't need her, I have no idea what to do with her. She's just…there. I would love to make her a citizen and get the burden off of my mind." He sighed loudly. Sasuke laughed.

"You don't need her for any sexually reasons?" Sasuke asked.

"That silly. I could get anyone I want, why would I need a slave to have sex with me?" Neji scoffed. Sasuke winced, he knew it was true. He had women throwing themselves at him all the time. Neji had been very modest about it up until this moment.

"Then give her away, like you said." Sasuke shrugged, looking at the ceiling. Neji sighed.

"You're no help." He said.

"Well what do you want me to say?" Sasuke replied calmly. Neji didn't answer for a while.

"What is your slave used for?" Neji finally said. Sasuke didn't answer too quickly. Neji wasn't stupid, he knew exactly what he was used for. "You fucked him?" He asked so bluntly with a devilish grin. Sasuke quickly sat up, his face completely red. "You don't have to lie Sasuke, I don't judge you, and you know I don't." Neji kept the grin. Sasuke didn't quite believe that, but then again, he's never had Neji lie to him, or it's just that he's never caught him in a lie. "It's your life. We all know you like it in the ass." Neji couldn't hold back his laugh. Sasuke's face was as red a tomato, now. "Why are you so shamed? Everyone knows!"

"It's a sensitive subject!" Sasuke shouted. Neji's laughter slowly calmed down.

"Why? You've decided this. My opinion didn't change of you." Neji shrugged. "I could care less. Actually, I couldn't care less." He said "matter-o-factly". Sasuke calmed down.

"You're not the only person who matters." He said softly. "I don't like it…I hate it. Having feelings for…men…it's disgusting. I feel dirty, and it doesn't feel right."

"Then maybe you don't like men…" Neji said so nonchalantly.

"BUT I DO!" Sasuke shouted. "I…crave them! Girls aren't as appealing to me as they are! Fuck, I wish this disease would go away!" Sasuke tried to hold back tears. Neji gave Sasuke a blank look.

"It's not a disease, you like who you like, and that can't be helped. It doesn't need to be helped" He said in his normal voice. Sasuke couldn't look at him, he was too embarrassed from the mini breakdown he had. It wasn't like it was the first one he had around Neji, but it was the first one dealing with his sexuality. He knew Neji didn't care, he was just born to not care. It was a good thing, but deep down inside, Sasuke wish that Neji had agreed that it was a disease and not normal. He wanted him to be disgusted, and maybe that would change him. But Neji, being the nonchalant person he is, didn't really mind. Nothing changed when Sasuke revealed his sexual fantasies to Neji. Neji listened and gave tips on how to make it better.

Sasuke got even more calm thinking of that night.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now. It's…a fantasy. But with a twist…" Sasuke looked up at his friend without him noticing.

"And that is?" Neji asked, flipping the channel, looking as uninterested as usual.

"It's with…a…man." Sasuke braced for the worse, but didn't get that.

"Cool, tell me about it." Neji said. Sasuke looked at his friend with the biggest eyes. He thought there would be some resentment, he thought Neji would leave, and tell Gaara all about it, and they'd all shame him. Then he got angry on the thought of thinking that about his best friend. Sasuke tried not to look so vulnerable in his vulnerable state. He gave a small chuckle and proceeded to tell Neji his fantasy.

Neji stared at Sasuke for a while. "You okay?" He asked, not sounded too concerned. But he couldn't help that, it was how he always sounded. Sasuke looked at him and nodded. Neji slowly nodded too and looked back at the ceiling. "Stop worrying about what people think. This is who you are, this is who you're gonna be…at least until you decide you don't want to be that way." Neji shrugged. "I sure as hell don't care about your sexuality." He laughed. Sasuke looked back at the ceiling too and smiled. It's times like these where Neji was the best person in the world.

"…Master…?" A soft voice called out. Sasuke shot up, his eyes wide as he looked at the doorway in front of him, where a young, handsome blonde stood. Fear was all over his face, even his body language showed it. Neji slowly sat up to see the scene. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"What do you want?" Sasuke said calmly, too calm. It gave Neji chills, and he actually feared for the poor boys life.

"I…wanted to know if you wanted me to do anything…I was assigned to get up when you were up…and I heard you, so I was wondering-"

"I've been up for a while now. You're a little too late." Sasuke said through his teeth. Neji could've sworn that Sasuke's hostility was so high because of his presence. He wasn't sure though.

"I'm…sorry, Master." The boy fell to his knees and bowed his head. Neji looked over the couch to get a better look. Sasuke looked at Neji, mostly for his reaction. He didn't have one, he just looked at the stupid boy on the floor.

"Naruto, go away." Sasuke sighed. Naruto slowly got off of the ground, his body trembling in fear. His eyes met Neji's, they seemed to be set on him, like he was looking for someone to save him. Neji kept the blank look on his face as he stared at the blonde. "Naruto!" Sasuke snarled. Naruto jumped, breaking the eye contact, and he disappeared behind the wall. Neji kept his eyes on the doorway.

One thing became clear: he wasn't going to treat Tenten that way.

"Neji…" Sasuke said. Neji looked at his worried face, then he went back to his same position on the couch. "Why don't you take your jacket off?" Sasuke asked. Neji shook his head.

"I'm not going to be here that long."

"You've been here for a while already." Sasuke chuckled, pointing at the big clock hanging on the wall, over the fireplace. Neji glanced at it and saw 5:47. Oh how time flies. "Why don't you just stay and I can get you a ride home when the sun comes up?" He asked. Neji looked back at him and slowly nodded. It was quiet for a moment.

"When I rung the doorbell, why'd you open the door so early. I thought you'd be sleeping." Neji asked.

"Well, I was on my way to get myself some water." Sasuke said. Neji remembered how Sasuke always woke up with a dry mouth after having a nightmare.

"What did you dream about?" Neji asked.

"I dreamed that you were murdered by someone in black. You were killed in front of Gaara and I. It happened so sudden, we didn't see it coming." Sasuke shook his head, slumping more into the couch. Neji continued to stare at the ceiling.

"How was I killed?" Neji asked.

"A knife, or some sort of sharp object, slit your throat. You fell to your knees, and instantly died." He said. Neji laughed.

"Boring…" He said. Sasuke laughed at his friend. Time seemed to fly by as the two boys sat in the living room, talked and dozed off. Soon the sun was up, and it was 7 when Neji was sent on his way in the Uchiha's limo. Sasuke didn't tag along, he was extremely tired. When Neji got in front of his house, he sighed, bracing himself to see his slave again. He didn't know what to do with her, and he wasn't just going to kick her out. It was the fact that she was a girl, and she was so naïve. If he threw her out, she'd be kidnapped in no time, and as much as he didn't want to admit it, it would be on his conscious for the rest of his existence.

When he walked in, the sight in front of him got his adrenaline up, and anger rushed through him.

"You filthy slave! No one told you to leave your room!" His mother cracked her whip against Tenten again. "YOU" -whip- "WILL" -whip- "LEARN!" -whip-. He watched as the blood ran down Tenten's back, and she screamed helplessly on the ground. He couldn't act upon this, because he knew he would probably end up hurting his mother physically.

"Mother." He said deeply. His mother turned around lightning fast, and Tenten weakly looked up at him.

"Neji, I thought you were in your room."

"What the hell are you doing to her?" His voice was too calm, striking fear in everyone.

"You didn't come down, so I thought you didn't mind. I thought you knew-"

"Listen to me," He walked to her. "she's mine," He got closer. "and I swear to God that if you EVER put your filthy whip on her again, I will be sure to see that it's YOU on that floor!" He shouted, grabbing Tenten's upper arm. "You disgust me." He snarled at his mother before helping the girl up the stairs. Her breathing was very heavy, upsetting Neji more.

"How long has she been doing this?" He asked through his teeth.

"…about…a minute…before you got here…" Her voice was so strained from screaming, she could barely speak.

"So much fucking blood…" He mumbled. "MARY!" He shouted down the hall, and an elderly lady came walking down the hall.

"Mr. Hyuga?" She couldn't keep her eyes off of the girl.

"Please, clean her and bandage her. Be careful, she doesn't need more pain than she already is." Neji sighed. Mary looked confused. "I'm not responsible for this. That woman is, I just got here." He explained. Mary nodded, her long red hair falling over her shoulder. "I'll be there in a while." He called after the lady and the girl walking down the hall. Neji ran back down the stairs, and to the back of the house to his fathers office. He walked through the door, despite being told not to.

"…Neji…" His father looked up from a sheet of paper.

"Did you allow your wife to whip my slave?" He asked. Neji's father leaned back in his seat and shook his head.

"I didn't. Why, did she?" He asked.

"You didn't hear her yelling, and my slave screaming?" Neji asked.

"Soundproof walls, son." He put his hands in the air. "And she shouldn't have done that, that's not her slave. These are noble men and sons slaves, not noble men's wives slaves." He chuckled.

"I can't do anything to her, so I want you to banish her!" Neji shouted, slightly hoping his mother would hear. Neji's father nodded.

"Alright." He said simply. Neji knew that his father wouldn't banish his wife. His father didn't even have the power to banish anyone, and no one banishes anyone anymore, but just saying it and hearing his father agree made him feel slightly better. Neji turned and left the office, no more words being said. He went back to the front to see someone cleaning the blood up. He shook his head in disgust.

"Mr. Hyuga," Mary said as he entered the room to see Tenten sprawled across the bed, all patched up. "She's so small…these whips are just…oh my…" Mary put her hand on her lip. Neji nodded, walking closer to see her face. Her eyes were red, and she looked genuinely tired.

"She wasn't supposed to be a slave like this…" Neji sighed, thinking out loud again. Tenten looked in his eyes. "I don't know what to do with her. I don't need her to do anything here, I don't even know why I have her." His voice was barely audible. "When I first got her, I thought she'd be funny to pick with because she seemed so feisty…but this isn't fun." His thoughts continued to pour out. "But when she heals, I'll just send her back…maybe someone else will have use for her." Her eyes got wider, and that's when Neji noticed he basically just said everything on his head.

"Please don't send me back!" She cried. Neji gave her the blank look.

"But you were just whipped, don't you think it would be better to send you back. No telling what that crazy lady will do." He said. Tenten shook her head to her best ability.

"It was a mistake! She didn't know, and now that she does, it'll be okay!" She cried more. Her tears didn't seem to move Neji on the outside as he kept the blank look.

She's a slave, how can she think that things will be okay? Neji thought, actually not saying it out loud.

"Please find something for me to do! There has to be something!" Her voice got weaker. Neji looked up at Mary, who was already looking at him. He shrugged at her, and she returned it. Neji sighed and stood up, leaving the room. Her silent cries vanished when he entered the hall and back to his room. Suddenly he stopped, and turned back around, standing at the door for a minute.

"I've always wanted a garden…" He said, knowing the girl would take the hint. Mary looked at him with a smile. He turned back around and left the room, for good this time.

I know the ending is a little sappy, but this is going somewhere.

Review please! ^_^