Hehe he... Okay so it took longer than I said it would... The thing is, I rewrote some of the scenes for this like 10 times and still wasn't really happy with them. I think the dialogue is awkward and corny. Not at all the impression that I want to get across most of the time... I've decided that's the best I can do, because I've lost almost all sense of perspective, having rewritten the same lines over and over without making any real headway. So I hope this works. If not, tell me and I'll edit it better in a few weeks. Go ahead:

Sophia couldn't sleep a wink. And as she usually did when she couldn't sleep, she cleaned. She washed her dishes. Then sorted her laundry. She vacuumed and then dusted every surface that never needed dusting in the first place. Still the middle of the paper strewn living room loomed. She sighed and started picking up papers sorting them into hers and Gaara's. She picked up her tank top from behind the couch and threw it in the laundry. Gaara's T-shirt lay under the coffee table and when she grabbed it, she couldn't put it away. She slipped it on, trying to calm herself down by catching his scent.

She finished her own homework quickly enough. After sighing for a few minutes, she decided to do his too, knowing that he didn't have the chance to do them himself. She still couldn't sleep. So she just curled up on the couch, snuggled in his shirt and closed her eyes. Her alarm blared on and she opened her eyes, disappointed that she hadn't slept a single second. She went to her room to put on her clothes for the day. But when it came to taking off the t-shirt, she couldn't bring herself to. She pulled a sweatshirt on over it, hiding her talisman from everyone but herself. After breakfast which consisted of about three bites of toast, she left for class, bringing with her, not only her own homework but Gaara's as well, hoping to be able to apologize when she returned it to him. But when she got to class that day, he wasn't there.

The day sort of passed in a blur for Sophia. She didn't really notice the whispers. Or if she did, she didn't act like it. She just kept going over and over in her mind what happened. Trying to come up with a way to fix it, but not really going anywhere. It was cyclical, her thoughts. She'd say, well sort of huff, about how she needed to know what to say to him later. But here mind would inevitably go back to last night and she'd just flood with guilt and anxiety. It was enough to make her want to curl up into a ball and cover her hands over her head. Which is what she used to do when she was younger and brain seemed to be screaming at her, but she was in school and couldn't.

She thought about going into the bathroom and cutting. The thought was so tempting. The glint of the blade as it dug in, the first few balls of blood eeking out of the incision, and that wonderful silence afterwards. She was halfway to a bathroom in between classes before she stopped herself. She couldn't. What would Gaara think when he saw them there? When he wouldn't have sex with her because he didn't think he could control himself, when he couldn't bring himself to touch her because he was afraid he would hurt her. To see that there as proof that she had been hurt. He would think it his fault. She couldn't be the victim here. She had to make sure he was okay. She had to be strong for him. To make him better. And that thought, that she couldn't feel self-pity, that she couldn't let herself wallow, got her to calm down. More than any razor ever could.

"Sophia? What's going on? You seem really out of it today…" asked Sakura, knowing the rumors circulating.

Sophia sighed, then took a deep breath, just facing it head on. "I know what people have been saying. I didn't cheat on Gaara. If anything I did something worse, but it's between Gaara and me and I really can't talk about it right now." They rest of them all looked a bit hurt. She'd been fairly curt, and it was upsetting that she wouldn't trust them.

Ino accepted it first, not having divulged the particulars of her spat with Shikamaru. She understood. "Okay. If you ever do want to talk about it though." Sophia nodded. The rest of them also showed their support. The conversation never really took off from there, but more awkwardly stumbled around things like homework and school gossip, avoiding of course the biggest story of the moment.

Japanese that day was interesting at least. Now Itachi was not much older than them having only graduated a few years previously himself. So he knew about the rumors going on. He knew very well that half the school would swear that the new American girl was caught cheating on Gaara, some claiming to have seen Gaara slam the door in her face. Others said Sasuke did it, and judging from Gaara's absence and the fact that Sasuke glared Sophia from time to time and completely ignored Sakura for once, he felt inclined to believe Sasuke did it. Right temper his brother had. As for whether the transfer student cheated or not, he didn't know. He didn't really care if she had or not, but just to spite his brother, he decided to take her side. "Sasuke can you tell me the date of the first I-novel?"

"Uh.. There were in the Meiji period, weren't they? Right after the turn of the century right?"

Itachi shook his head, pretending to be incredibly disappointed. "1906 was the year that "Futon" and "Hakai" were published. They are believed to be the first books of that style. Can anyone tell me what qualities an I-novel has?" A few people raised their hands. Sasuke was not one of them. "Sasuke. Why don't you tell us?"

Sasuke clenched his teeth, clearly irritated, but said, "They're supposed to be confessionals. Autobiographical stories that are usually glanced over or not thought about at all from a realistic perspective."

"Autobiographical huh? Well then, "I am a Cat" wasn't written by Natsume Soseki then, but by his pet?"

"Most of them were autobiographical then," Sasuke snipped.

Itachi paid little attention; he delighted in baiting his little brother. "It does seem odd that you would forget one of the more famous I-novels. Either you haven't been studying enough or something today must be distracting you. So you'll stay with me after school, little brother. That way you can study free of distraction." He gave an insipid little smile, but the curl at the corners of his mouth betrayed that he was really enjoying himself.

I think by now, you've probably thought to yourself, everybody's going through really dramatic issues right now. Sasuke and Sakura just can't trust each other. Neji and Tenten are just too handsy for their own good. Shikamaru maybe good at battle plans, but is just too socially unaware for Ino. Now Sophia and Gaara are screwed up. Next thing you know, Naruto and Hinata will be screaming obscenities at each other. Well… I'll just let you keep reading.

"Hey," said Naruto easily after their last class finished.

"Hello," replied Hinata ironically, as if they hadn't just been in class together.

Naruto's eyes flitted away from hers to the floor, and then back up. He bit his lip. "I just wanted to ask… Um…" Naruto was usually pretty easy going and didn't get nervous like this. She was the one stuttering, throwing ums around, so hearing him speak so anxiously got her worried. But she didn't say anything so as not to make him more nervous. She just looked politely curious. Then in one burst, Naruto blurted, "Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?"

Hinata nearly heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Yes. Of course I would. I'd love to." She almost started laughing, because they'd had dinner together almost every night since they started dating. It was so odd for him to ask all formally. But she really didn't think about it until….

"Great! My mom can't wait to meet—" Hinata's brain shut down. "—you! Do you think you can—" He wanted her to come over to meet his mom? "—come over about 7? Only she needs to get—" His big scary mom who just happened to be her principal? "—home first. You know, to cook dinner." Yeah. She'd love to come over…

Sophia practically ran out of English once it was over. She didn't even stop to say goodbye to anyone. Even if Sasuke did have to stay after school, Sophia would need as much time as possible to talk to Gaara before Sasuke came back and kicked her out. She dropped by her apartment. Her bookbag slid to the floor and she ran to the dresser drawer second from the top. She shuffled through socks and a stray bra until she found a key, one that Gaara had given her to open his apartment. Her own door swung shut behind her as she started running again.

When she came to his apartment door, she braced herself before unlocking it. All the different things she'd planned to say to him swam to the surface of her thoughts, not one of them helpful. She sighed. She'd have to wing it. She unlocked the door and found the kitchen and living room empty. He must have been in his room. Without pausing a second she opened his door.

Of course he wouldn't have needed to lock the door. Sasuke didn't bother to check on him. Otherwise Gaara would have gotten pissed, kicked Sasuke out and locked the door after him. She got so irrationally angry at that. Not at the bullshit he said to her, not to the fact that he slammed a fucking door in her face. Not even the fact that he rennegged on a promise to her, but that he couldn't take care of his own friend. And she could have given Sasuke the worst tonguelashing if he'd been there, she was so angry. But the second she saw Gaara lying there, studying the ceiling, everything else went away but him. She couldn't be angry. That could wait. She had to fix it.

"Gaara?" she asked tentatively.

He didn't move, and if she hadn't been paying very close attention, she wouldn't have noticed. His breathing became forcibly slowed, forcibly calm, like he could barely stop himself from running out the door. She walked in and his entire body tensed at the sound of her first step.

"Gaara? Please talk to me. Are you okay?" She bit her lip. "It's okay if you aren't." He took a deep breath as if preparing to speak, before exhaling back into silence.

She knew why. She knew why he wouldn't say anything. Why he wouldn't do anything but try desperately to control himself. Why he thought that if he spoke now, he couldn't stop himself from saying anything and everything. And she wanted to scream that it was okay. But she couldn't. She didn't have the right to yell. She was at fault here. She was supposed to whisper various platitudes while stroking his hair. No confrontation. She bit her lip and waited, kneeling by his bed. A moment passed and he turned his back towards her.

"Gaara." She didn't whisper this time. "Gaara, you don't have to shut yourself off." No going back now, she thought. "You can tell me what you're feeling. You can show me. You don't have to stop yourself." She got to her feet. "Gaara, just trust yourself and do something!"

He snapped his head back to stare at her, confusion and a bit of anger swirling in his eyes. She stopped herself from stepping back at the sudden movement. "How am I supposed to trust myself?" he asked, disgust trailing on each syllable.

Her eyes softened at the pitiable question and she wished so desperately that she had just whispered those useless platitudes, like she should have. But she smiled in spite of her frustration at her own rashness. "By knowing two things. One: that everyone around you, from me to Sasuke and Neji and everyone else, we're so much stronger than you give us credit for." She sat down on the bed facing him. "And Two: there is only so much damage one person can do. And it is so much less than you are afraid of. You are so wonderful and caring. No matter how much you hide it, behind that beautiful sarcasm of yours. Even on purpose, you couldn't hurt me or anyone else. I promise you. If you can't trust yourself, then trust me on that. Please?" He didn't respond. She hated that she was going to ask this. She hated that when she had nearly… nearly… that she would next ask him such a thing. "Do you trust me?"

"I trust you, but—"

"Then that's all there is to it. You don't have to live a life of asceticism anymore. You can let go."

He asked, like a child about to go on stage for the first time, scared and embarrassed, "But what if I can't do it? What if I hurt someone?"

She smiled indulgently, and guiltily brushed back a few strand of hair from his face. "You won't."

"How can I stop myself from going off the deep end, if I let go now?"

"Because that's an imperfect metaphor, love. You're not even in the water now. All I'm asking is to dip your feet in the pool. And in any case, you'll know how deep is too deep."

"But what if—"

"Then I'll just have to stop you myself, won't I?" She kissed him on the forehead and put her head down next to his.

"I don't know how to do this."

"Hmm… Well let's start small. What do you want to do right now?"

"Tell you how amazing you are." Her stomach churned from the guilt. They could have that conversation another day. She didn't deserve absolution, not right that moment anyway.

She smiled anyway and looked away, ashamed enough to look modest. God, how she disgusted herself at that moment. "Thanks… But I guess I meant something a little more active. Like eating a family sized pack of flaming hot funions, (Those really exist, and they're amazing. Even if you feel awful after eating them) or maybe going out for a run or baking a giant cake or—"

He cut her off with a kiss. She blushed. "Oh. Well. Um." It seemed all her plans for this day were going awry. "Gaara, I can't do this."

Gaara looked wounded. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—"

"NO! No, that's not what I meant at all. Love, I trust you completely. I just need to say something, before I can trust myself here." He looked puzzled at the phrasing, but waited for her to continue. "Um. Listen, yesterday, I was way out of line. I shouldn't have just" She looked away, blushing, "You know, took off your pants." She looked back at him, guilty and uncomfortable. "Not without asking if it was okay first, and getting a clear yes. I'm so sorry."

"I don't get it. What are you apologizing for?"

"I totally overstepped my bounds. And clearly it freaked you out enough to leave before we could talk this through. I'm so sorry for that." He still looked puzzled. "Okay, what if I was a guy and you were a girl. Okay, I had you pinned down and started shimmying off your jeans, without asking if it was okay."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Gaara seemed to think about it for a minute. "I forgive you." She could have cried on the spot. He didn't say it was okay. He didn't say that it wasn't wrong for her to have done that, but he told her that they could move on.

"Thank you." And she gave him a kiss on the cheek. He wrapped his arms around her, and she snuggled her face in his shoulder.

It was heels of her lilac flats clinked together in a half-hearted attempt to mimic Dorothy going home. She pressed the doorbell and heard the chimes echo eerily about the walls of the foyer through the door. She marveled at how the last time she'd heard them, she'd thought they sounded pleasant. Her fingers hit a clip as she ran them nervously through her hair. She quickly readjusted it in the glass of the door just as Naruto came to let her in. "Hinata!" She beamed, maybe a little too energetically. But Naruto seemed much more preoccupied with his own worries. Tsunade must have been a force to be reckoned with.

He led her to the dining room, where they'd eaten together before. Usually dishes of ramen. It looked more menacing now. The table was set with a table cloth and everything. It reminded her of all those formal dinners with her father, his investors, and other bigwigs where she sat there, mute, pouring tea. She shook herself out of staring. It really wouldn't be so bad. Tsunade liked her. She was nearly top of her class and never got into any trouble. They've even spoke since she and Naruto started dating. And it was always pleasant, right?

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! Soccer season didn't start for another few months, but Tenten went out practicing anyway. The chill was invigorating. And it got her mind off of—

"Hey, Tenten! You about done yet?" Neji called out to her from the edge of the field.

She huffed and sent in one more soccer ball flying into the goal. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." She put away the equipment and jogged up to Neji who was all set to walk her home. They got about two blocks, just talking (well arguing) and having a wholesome (as wholesome as those two can get anyway) time. When Neji caught Tenten's eye full on and they pulled each other into a nearby alleyway. A resounding crash from their bodies smashing into a trashcan sent birds flying from the nearby rooftops. They emerged, flushed, a full fifteen minutes later, and then briskly walked to Neji's apartment where they hoped that Shikamaru was not.

Shikamaru was indeed not at his apartment but rather at his parents house, having a very terse discussion with his mother. "But I don't understand why she didn't come for dinner on Sunday!"

"I told you mom, she was busy."

"She's busy all the time, but she's never not come over for dinner before. Did you two have a fight? Because honestly, if I have to force you two in a room together to work it out, then I will."

"We didn't have a fight mom, she just didn't want to come."

Mrs. Nara was a shrewd woman, she could read between the lines. She knew the facial expressions on her son's face as he worked out his game plan. She knew them as she worked out her own. Where did Shikamaru think he got his strategic mind from anyway? So she simpered, "She's not angry at me is she? I really would hate to think that it was something I did." And she continued in that vein for a while, until finally settling on asking him to fish around with Ino and try to make sure she wasn't upset with her.

"I'll try, Mom. But you know it might be because Ino's on another one her diets and she didn't want to offend you by not eating much."

She pretended to be relieved by this. "You really think so? The silly goose, she looks beautiful already, don't you think Shikamaru, dear?"

Shikamaru had practiced for this. In fact his mother had posed the question before and he had answered before with a very convincing half-hearted shrug. Like a brother who really couldn't care less how his sister looked. Instead he said, "She's beautiful," before swallowing very hard.

His mother abated, satisfied with her intelligence gathering. "Well alright dear. How's school going then?"

Tsunade greeted Hinata, if not enthusiastically, then pleasantly. They all sat down to a nice warm stew pot, and began conversing. It was all so light hearted that Hinata almost forgot how worried she'd been earlier, but whenever she glanced at Tsunade, her anxiety returned. Oh Tsunade, laughed and talked happily enough, she even had a slight pink in her cheeks from her sake, but a faint crease in her forehead told Hinata that there was something else on her mind. And when even Naruto had eaten his full, Hinata's suspicions were confirmed.

"Well, I have a small announcement to make. There are some very delicate negotiations going on at the moment, and I have to leave tomorrow to help sort everything out."

Naruto wasn't fazed. "Okay, so I'll just stay at the dorms for the weekend, and I'll see you on Monday, at school."

"Ah well, the thing is, I don't think I'm going to be back on Monday. The negotiation are in Germany, I'm afraid. I might not be back for a few weeks or a month or two. So I'll have Jiraiya look in on you of course, but Hinata, this is sort of where you come in." Hinata nearly jumped at the sound of her name. She'd spent the conversation wondering why on earth she was there, and felt very much like she was intruding. So being called out was unnerving at the least.

"Yes?"

"Well, It's not that I don't trust Naruto's father, but I don't really. Could you just make sure Naruto's taking care of himself while I'm gone? I'd say make sure he's eating, but that's not really a problem. As you know, my son's a vacuum. I really couldn't be happier that he's seeing you. It's not that I don't trust him. But he rather does need someone looking after him."

"Hey!"

Tsunade kept talking like Naruto hadn't interrupted. "And I really wouldn't ask, because it's not your responsibility of course, but I feel like you would do it even if you weren't asked. So, can I entrust him to you while I'm gone?"

Hinata nodded, and stammered, "Of course."

Tsunade's shoulders visibly relaxed and the worry line on her forehead disappeared. Hinata smiled, gratified and added, "I am truly honored that you would trust me." The corner of Tsunade's mouth twitched upwards and she inclined her head slightly.

Naruto watched the exchange and smiled. He'd been rather worried about their encounter. Tsunade was harsh. And while he couldn't think of a single thing to criticize about Hinata, he was rather afraid Tsunade might come up with something.

Tsunade brought up a new subject and they talked until Tsunade said she had to get packing, her flight left in a few hours, and she hadn't quite gotten ready. Hinata and Naruto stayed downstairs and watched a movie, staying up to wish Tsunade off. When it was finally time, they waved her into a black limo and collapsed onto Naruto's bed.

Sasuke came home to find Sophia explaining that day's homework to Gaara. He just rolled his eyes and moved towards his room. Sophia whispered something to Gaara before getting up and following him to his room.

"Can I come in?" she asked, rather coldly.

Sasuke was very much in the mood to tell her to fuck off, but he just waved her in. She stepped in and closed the door behind her. "See you're back in Gaara's good graces."

"Listen. I didn't cheat on Gaara. I don't care whether you believe me or not, but Gaara is not to know that you ever thought I did. Not to know that you were anything but polite to me. He is not to know about the rumors. Got it?"

"What?"

"You're his friend," she frowned slightly at that, like it annoyed her. "So you should know how much something like that would bother him." Sasuke nodded. He wasn't really sure why she was asking that. Surely she'd rather just complain about mean old Sasuke. Gaara would swoop in and that'd be that.

"I don't get it. Why should you care if he and I got into a fight?"

Her eyes widened. "Okay, I don't like you. I don't hate you either. I think you're actually a shit friend. But when you and Gaara fight, he gets so upset. He's angry and irritable and unhappy. You're his best friend and how on earth could I want to push you away from him. But don't get me wrong, I am so pissed at you for not looking after him. The ONE thing I—"

"Hey! I did look in on him. What was I supposed to do force him to go to school? Force him to see you? Fuck no. I checked on him every couple hours and made sure he was breathing all right? And I offered him breakfast. He didn't say a word and I left him the fuck alone. Like he wanted to be. You don't get to judge how I take care of people. Just because I don't butt into everyone's affairs and just let people be doesn't mean that I'm a shit friend."

Her mouth opened slightly then closed. "I'm sorry. I thought you hadn't… I shouldn't have assumed that you didn't. You won't tell him though?"

"Do I look like I want Gaara's wrath?" She smiled at that.

"Thank you." And the door closed, leaving Sasuke feeling rather pleased with himself. Something that hadn't happened in any serious conversation with that girl, ever. Just have to keep proving her wrong, he thought to himself.

Hinata crouched on her knees studying Naruto.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking after you like I promised Tsunade."

"I didn't realize it was that literal."

"Oh yes. I have to make sure every inch of you is perfect." She could feel herself blush as she said it, but was satisfied at the effect it produced on Naruto.

"And is it? I mean, am I?"

"Let me see." She leaned down to his lips and kissed them. "Mhm. Good here." Then his nose and his jaw, mumbling more affirmations.

"What about here?" He pointed at his whisker marks. She gave them a quick peck and pronounced them excellent. "What about the right side?" She obliged. "I think you need to check my lips again."

"Do I?"

"They feel all cold. Probably need some warming up," he said, completely unabashed. Hinata started giggling. "What?"

"Oh Naruto."

"What?"

She shook her head, smiling. "Nothing, love. Let me check on those lips of yours."

I can sense your disappointment. It really wasn't that good. It was a filler chapter to be sure. I feel like nothing happened. And yet it took me forever to write. Sasuke isn't a total asshole! YAY! And vaguely adorable Naruto and Hinata scenes? Maybe? I was sort of nervous writing it, because I can't really visualize them in any sort of sexually romantic situations. Like in my brain, they'd fall asleep holding hands and eat each other's food, but I can't see them making out. Is that weird? Very little Sakura or Ino this chapter, but they were basically just watching movies and doing homework together. Okay, the Tsunade thing, I pulled out of my ass, but I'm getting ideas for this. Jiraiya will appear in the next Chapter. I feel like I can't promise the next chapter at any point in time. It might be a month. It might be March... 2015... Okay that's exaggeration, but basically yeah. I'm blabbering. Hope to post soon. Please review!

~MorwenKazul