Neji leapt out of the way just in time: Sasuke's katana swiped past him and just grazed his shoulder. Is he really trying to attack me?

The Hyuuga assumed a defensive stance quickly as Sasuke kicked off the tree and took another swipe.

Eight Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin! Rotation!

Sasuke flew off despite the basicness of the defensive move. Of course, its effectiveness had increased now that Neji was stronger, but—

"Sasuke!" Neji panted. "What are you…?"

Sasuke pointed his sword at Neji. "It's because of you," he said softly. He licked his lips slowly, threateningly. "You come and you let me get a taste of you…and then you leave. You're no different from that bastard, Suigetsu,"
"Sasuke?" Neji couldn't help but say. Who was he? And…

"Come now," the Uchiha continued. "You don't think you can actually defeat me, do you?"

Neji said nothing, because quite frankly, he knew he would not win. What powers Sasuke had obtained from Orochimaru, Neji did not know, but he didn't want to know. The stench of foul power reeked from Sasuke's body.

"What…what do you want?"

Maybe if he stalled it out long enough, people would start noticing that Sasuke was here and then—

"Come with me, Neji," Sasuke said. "It's that simple,"

The Uchiha had had enough of crying and weeping and all that shit. He'd had this feeling consume him when he realized Neji was well and truly gone, the only trace of his existence left there in the gazebo was a single leaf from the orchid plant. Sasuke had picked it up and crushed it.

"Sasu—,"

Sasuke threw a punch at Neji, who blocked it with his forearm and ducked as Sasuke tried another one. Neji was about to fight back when Sasuke's fist darted out of nowhere and connected with his chin. Neji cried out and flew even deeper into the bushes. Through his half-closed eyes, he saw the Sharingan.

Dammit, he thought.

Sasuke crouched over him. "Come with me," he said again. "I don't have to do this,"

Suigetsu woke up. Itachi jumped up a little as the mist nin moaned and rubbed the side of his head.

"Itachi?"

Suigetsu stopped mid-rub and grinned at him. "Hey," he said softly.

Itachi smiled. "What's wrong with your…your head?" he asked.

"Ohmygod," Suigetsu rolled his eyes and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "That Hidan guy knocked me out and brought me here. He said…um…Pein, is it? Pein would kill him if he revealed to me the location of the Akatsuki Lair…so…,"

Itachi nodded. At least Hidan was a bit smart.

"Stop talking," Itachi said. He patted Suigetsu's head and leaned forward, kissing him. "Let's go get something in us,"

"Besides each other?" Suigetsu laughed and slid off the bed, following Itachi to the kitchen. Neither of them noticed Hidan, who was standing down the hallway, watching them.

Neji followed Sasuke wordlessly. They were out of Konoha again.

"Sasuke," Neji caught up with the Uchiha. "You…,"

At first, Sasuke glared at him, but then his gaze softened. "What is it?"

Neji swallowed hard. He didn't know what to say, exactly. He just felt like a complete mess, and didn't know whether or not to try and escape Sasuke again and flee to the Hokage, Lady Tsunade. But that would make him seem terribly cowardly, and that would just bring destruction to both the Leaf and Sasuke himself. Neji shook his head.

"Nothing,"

Sasuke stopped walking and faced Neji. His face was difficult to read.

"You know why I bought you that orchid?"

"What?"

"The orchid lily," Sasuke said.

Neji shook his head.

"Valentine's Day is tomorrow," the Uchiha explained, a little mournfully, but there was a spot of color in his cheeks and a glimmer in his eye. "I…I was hoping you would spend it with me,"

Neji's brow wrinkled. He was starting to really consider that Sasuke had bipolar. Seriously, the guy was trying to kill him and now he was just trying to be nice? What was this?

"Um…,"Neji said. Sasuke stared him down. The Hyuuga grew uncomfortable. Then the Uchiha wrapped him in his arms and hugged. Tightly. So tightly that Neji's breath almost got cut off.

"Just this once," Sasuke said softly. "Spend it with me, then I'll leave,"

"Sasuke," Neji exclaimed in confusion. "You just tried to have me killed for leaving you!"

Sasuke released him and looked him in the eyes. "There was no other way to have you come with me like this," he said seriously.

Neji rolled his eyes.

"You could have asked very, very politely," Neji chided. Sasuke pushed him away.

"That would not have worked, Neji, and you know it," he answered coldly. Then he coughed and resumed his softer state. "Please. This is all I'm asking,"

Neji eyed him critically. He didn't want to spend another Valentine's Day alone either, but he'd just left Konoha without a word, and without having his name jotted down…he could be in shitloads of trouble. But—

"Alright, Sasuke," he said. "Just this once,"

Time: 7:00 am.

"It's too fuckin' early for this shit!" Hidan slammed his fist on the table. Kakuzu next to him growled.

"Shut up Hidan,"

"Shut up, Hidan," the Jashinist mimicked Kakuzu, who glared at him. "I don't want to go on another mission. Can't I just go out and kill anyone I want?"

"No," was Kakuzu's answer. Hidan sniffed and looked at Suigetsu, who had been drinking massive amounts of water and was onto his eleventh cup.

"Do you want to piss heaps or someshit?" Hidan asked him. All his previous excitement at having found Itachi's lover had faded away to be replaced by what seemed to be a morning grumpiness, even though he seemed perfectly chipper before.

Suigetsu looked at him strangely. "Uh, what?"

"Then why are you drinking so much water?"

Suigetsu frowned. Hidan was getting more and more ridiculous by the second. He was glad that his partner—Kakuzu—was taking him away soon.

"Leave him be," Kakuzu growled. "And hurry up and finish your bacon, we need to leave if you want to come back ASAP,"

Hidan huffed and picked up the plate, shoveling everything down into his mouth in one go. Suigetsu grimaced.

"Okay. Let's just fucking go,"

Hidan couldn't wait for Valentine's.