Author's Note:

Okay so, I have been swamped with things lately, and I have been meaning to update more quickly, but it's been hard. As I've mentioned earlier, Marley has family and friends over from Europe and Africa and she's been busy, and I've barely talked to her in the last few days. I've had a lot of family drama and people drama, so I've been completely swamped lately. I hope that you like this chapter lately, I haven't written Neji in forever, so I'm trying to get back into the swing.

Disclaimer:

I don't own Naruto or any ATC lyrics.

Dedication:

Him. He inspires me every day and doesn't even know it...

Neji

The kisses of the sun
were sweet I didn't blink
I let it in my eyes
Like an exotic dream
The radio playin' songs
That I have never heard
I don't know what to say
Oh, not another word

"I want waffles, Neji. Do you think you could make me waffles? I really want waffles, and I want them crispy, but not burned! Ooh! Do you think you can get me some of that really, really, really sweet syrup, Neji? Oh, please?" If the girl standing before the lazy boy that was sprawled out on the couch, remote in one hand and a glass of iced fizzy pop in the other, flipping through the channels, was not his sister…she would probably be on the floor, on her butt.

Neji grumbled something that was barely audible under his breath and sighed, standing up. After since his sister had been diagnosed as pregnant and her husband off on a three month long business trip to the states and with Neji's parents both on different business trips, it left Neji to baby sit his sister. Waffles. What a request. As ridiculous as it sounded to ask Neji Huyuuga to make waffles was, there were even stupider things that she had come up with.

The other day she had asked Neji if he would drive to the store and buy her some magazines because she was "bored" or maybe how she had asked that Neji go to around and pick up her friends because she was also bored and wanted company. Neji had done all of the tasks, gritting his teeth and holding back any comments. He wanted to make his sister happy and as soon as this was all over he'd get extra brownie points for being the good little brother from his sister and brother-in-law and parents.

Neji sighed, gritting his teeth and stripping off the blanket, standing up and passing the still full glass of pop to his sister along with the remote and the blanket. "Thanks, Neji!" His sister called out after him as she snuggled up on the couch, relaxing on the spot that Neji was supposed to be on right now. Neji let out a sigh as he hussled around the kitchen, pulling out the waffle maker and the ingredients to make the decadent waffle that this sister had so "kindly" requested.

For some reason, Tenten came to mind as he began whipping up the batter for his sister's treat. If Tenten were here, Neji suspected that she would insist on making the waffles and have Neji sit around while Tenten made the waffles just to his sister's taste, if not better. Neji sighed, resting his hand on the burning, sizzling waffle maker and muttering some curse words under his breath as he washed off his hand under the water.

This was driving him insane, not speaking to his best friend. He had only been trying to help, really. He had saved Tenten from getting raped by his cousin and her ex-boyfriend, and it should've stopped there. But, Neji had chosen that time to express his love to Tenten by leaning in and leaving her with a more than friendly good night kiss. Of course she'd be mad, I'd be mad, wouldn't you?

Neji had to get out of this house. He loved his sister, but if she made him sit through one more Lifetime television marathon or gave him another order like he was some short order cook, he was probably going to lose his mind. His thoughts were shaken as a burning aroma filled his nostrils and he pursed his lips and disgust, realizing that his sister's "crisp waffle" was burnt to a crisp now.

"Fuck." The boy cursed under his breath, opening the waffle maker and a thick, heavy fog-like air rose from the waffle maker, setting off the fire alarm. He heard his sister panicking from the couch, the worst part that the couch had a visible view of the kitchen, so she could see exactly what he was doing. Neji ignored his sister for a few moments, throwing open the pantry and searching for the fire extinguisher.

Between his sister's oh-so-annoying cries and the fact that there was a burning waffle and a fire alarm going off and since the windows were open, the neighbor kids had been gathering around to see what he was doing. He grumbled something under his breath and then finally snatched the fire extinguisher and speed-read the directions, beginning to blow the white, thick substance onto the waffle maker.

That was it. That was fucking it. Neji heaved a deep sigh, opening the white foam encrusted waffle maker to see a burnt-black waffle. So much for that just crispy texture his sister was craving, yeah? Whatever. Neji sighed, remembering that he had promised his sister a waffle. She wanted a waffle? A waffle she would get. Getting two oven mitts and slipping them on his hands, he took a pair of tongs and a plate, throwing the burnt waffle onto a plate and smothering it in the syrup that she had requested.

Taking the plate and stuffing it in her hands, he grabbed his keys and stuffed it in his pocket. "Neji!" She said, aghast. He stopped, turning around to hear what she said, one hand on the front door knob. "What is this? I asked for it to be crisp not burned to a crisp!" Neji could see tears filling her eyes and shook her head. He had known Sakura when she was as pregnant as his sister, and she hadn't even been as emotional as that.

Neji slammed the door, getting into his car and driving to the corner, stopping at a stop sign and sighing. Where was he going to go? There was no one's house that he could go to, all of his friends were all dealing with their own grief, and Naruto, his only other friend, was probably with Hinata and he didn't feel like being the third wheel in their sunggle-fest.

Wait. He knew what he had to do. He had to get something for Tenten. Something…special. Something that she'd really like, something she'd really enjoy. He could get her something that she'd like, and she'd be impressed, and then if it was really expensive, he could show her that he'd be willing to spend everything down to his last dime on her.

Anxiously, he began to speed off, well not literally. If he was going to spend everything up to his last dime on Tenten, then he probably wouldn't be able to afford a speeding ticket from a cop. As he began to head in the direction of the mall, he instantly regretted leaving things the way he did with his sister. He felt bad that she had to be going through this with out her husband, these first few months of pregnancy, and Neji should've been more calm with her, but he couldn't handle it. He made sure to pick up some fresh waffles for her on the way home. So much for brownie points, I guess.

As he pulled into a parking spot in the mall, he slipped out, locked the doors and slid his keys into his pocket. As he entered the mall and grabbed a map, he sighed. What to get Tenten? Being rich and a model and everything, she had everything. He would just have to get her something sentimental then. As his eyes fixated on the map and he walked towards the elevator, he bumped into someone. Looking up, he recognized the pink-haired girl, Sakura.

Turning, he saw Sasuke too and blinked. "Hey guys." He said, his voice quiet.