Neji woke up much later and sat up with a sigh. As he pinched the bridge of his nose he noticed that he couldn't find Ginji anywhere, which was completely fine considering he already knew where the back door was. He was hoping the general wouldn't realize he left and come looking for him before he could find a hiding place. He stood up and made his way to the door as quiet as he could. He slipped out after grabbing the nearest cloak he could and pulling it over himself.
He walked around the back and looked around noticing that the general was gone, 'What a waste, acting like you care about if I run away or not and you aren't even here to notice?' Neji scoffed. He stopped trying to hide, deciding it would be easier to pull the hood over his head. He didn't like how worn out the cloak was be he didn't want to take any chances coming back to find a new one. He turned to start walking out in broad daylight when he caught sight of the general and made a slight gasp. He turned back into the alley he was hiding in and decided it would be an easier getaway if he just went out the other way so he turned around and ran out.
Neji kept looking back and didn't see the general for a few blocks until he turned a corner and almost ran smack into an out of breath general. Unfortunetly, Izuro recognized him and tried to grab him to make sure he didn't run away but missed and grabbed nothing as Neji turned and ran. He kept looking back and noticed the general took his time getting up, 'He must think it will be easy to catch me, how egotistical of him.' He turned a corner into another alleyway and ran smack into someone.
"Watch where you're going!" a man shouted at him. Neji looked up but decided to keep his face hidden, he didn't want to be recognized and turned in.
"Please hide me..." Neji mumbled, he also didn't want his voice to be recognized but he then wondered how anyone would recognize a voice they've never heard. He barely saw the man's confused face and sighed as he tried to get up as fast he could. If this guy wasn't going to hide him then he had to get moving. But before he could run away the guy grabbed his wrist and pushed him behind him,
"Hide behind me." Neji aligned his heels with the guy and kept his hands to his chest and his eyes closed. He heard the general run up moments later and say, "Have you seen someone run through here? It's a guy with really long brown hair and he looks thin for his age. He might be hiding his looks under a torn up brown cloak?"
"Nope, haven't seen anyone like that. I haven't noticed anyone around me really. To busy thinking hard..." Neji could hear the smirk in the other guy's voice and he imagined the general must be fuming.
"Well," the general ground out, patience lost, "If you do, come and find me. It's important." The general left after that, running in a new direction and Neji let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He stepped away from the man and turned around to see what he looked like. He found that it wasn't a fully grown man like he pictured but a younger man or a teen. He had jet-black hair that stuck up and Neji pondered for a moment how he was able to get it to do that. The guy just stared back awkwardly, not knowing what to do or say.
"Er, my name is Sasuke. Yours?"
"Neji."
"Ah."
Sasuke kind of awkwardly waved bye and turned to leave before Neji finally came back from zoning out and said, "Wait!" Sasuke froze. He didn't know what this Neji was planning.
"Can I come with you? Wherever it is you are going?"
"Uh, sure?" Sasuke sounded like he didn't want Neji to come but Neji didn't notice. He just wanted to latch on to someone like Sasuke who was able to lie to someone who could kill him on the spot.
Neji really began to think this was a bad idea when he realized Sasuke had been walking in no general direction for a really long time now. He began to get thoughts of running off with some lame excuse, until Sasuke started down towards the river. He decided to keep following him because he had nothing better to do- it wasn't like he wanted to know where Sasuke was going or anything.
After a while of walking he saw someone sitting near the edge in the distance. 'Sasuke must know him or something...' Neji thought because Sasuke was walking straight for this guy. The guy -a red head- waved when they neared him. Neji didn't wave but Sasuke did, Neji just didn't think it would be right since he didn't know this man.
"Hey Sasuke, what's up?" The red-head looked over Sasuke's shoulder and noticed Neji with a raise of his eyebrows. "Whose this?"
"Oh nothing much. Itachi is really bearing down on me lately with annoying questions..." the red-head stood and smirked when he heard the name, "oh and this is Neji..." he pointed to Neji and the red-head nodded.
"My name is Gaara, Neji." He smirked at Neji and Neji felt a little heat come to his cheeks. But he willed it away because he didn't want to embaress himself.
"Hello Gaara..."
"Hello? Isn't that a little formal? Oh well...so how did you meet Sasuke?" Sasuke scoffed at this and Gaara eyed him.
"We didn't meet. Some guy was looking for him and I hid him. Afterwards he asked to hang out with me..." Gaara then looked over at Neji and opened his mouth as if to say something but then closed it. He smirked and finally asked, "Why was some guy looking for you?"
"Well about that..." Neji began but didn't get to finish as he saw Sasuke go a little wide-eyed and he felt a firm hand grasp his shoulder and jerk him around.
"Where the hell have you been Neji? I have been looking everywhere for you! Your father is pissed!" Izuro (sorry if this isn't his name, I seem to have forgotten it and I don't feel like looking back) yelled at him. Neji scowled at him and calmy replied,
"I don't care. In fact, I hope you finally get fired. Now leave me alone..."
"Hinata is looking for you too...and your father wouldn't just fire me he would have my head! Please come back you have worried everyone!" Neji looked back at Sasuke and Gaara and then back at Izuro. He nodded his head with a huff of annoyance and then said,
"As long as I have permission to do this tomorrow and whenever I want." Izuro gawked at him and shook his head furiously.
"Hell no! Your father is very strict about this kind of thing! Besides, you have suitors to look at tommorow." Neji looked at Sasuke and Gaara and smiled at their mixed confusion.
"Do you guys mind if I hang out tomorrow?" The boys looked at each other and nodded slightly. They really didn't know what to say, think, or do anymore.
"Perfect! I'm coming back tomorrow~!" He smiled at them warmly and turned to leave. "Come on general Izuro...as much as I hate you I need you there when I tell father of what I want to do tomorrow."
The boys eyes went wide and Sasuke's mouth went dry when it donned on them. That was GENERAL Izuro. Meaning he could have not only killed Sasuke but Gaara as well if they crossed him and no one would think twice. But the fact that Neji could command the general like that and not get killed meant the general either had a massive crush on Neji or Neji was of royal decent.
They decided it was the royal decent choice and Sasuke promptly fainted.
