Author's Note: This couple doesn't really interest me but I could see how people would pair them together. I'm just trying out new things. If I didn't get Neji's characterization right, I'm sorry, I'm not an expert on writing him. But I tried! :P Also sorry if the story doesn't make sense. I was just writing whatever came to mind. I feel like it doesn't flow as smoothly as I want it to. But I don't know. Let me know in reviews!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plotline.

Title: Similarities
Genre: Romance
Rating: T
Pairing(s): NejiSaku
Summary: Neji and Sasuke had great similarities. Both were calm, collected, of a prestige clan and proud. A main difference? One was greatly missed by Sakura, yet Neji's presence was enough to make her smile. So she decided, similarities were just enough.

Sakura stood up straight, using the back of her hand to wipe the damp sweat from her brow. She sighed and stretched out her arms before untying and removing the surgical mask from her face and letting her hair down. She shook her head a couple times to let her long hair fall gracefully along her shoulders.

Once outside the operating room, she looked to her right and smiled when she spotted Ino beside her. The blonde was stretching out her limbs as well before she yawned.

"What a long operation that was, huh billboard brow?" said Ino, darting her sky blue eyes towards Sakura before another yawn escaped her throat.

"Yeah. I can't believe we never left that room for a full 12 hours," replied Sakura. Her eyes became somber as a frown marred her face. "I can't believe the extent of his injuries, though. I've never seen anything like it. I'm surprise he was able to stay alive the whole time we were operating."

Ino nodded. "I know. It was pretty bad. But at least he'll be able to recover, thanks to us."

"Yeah, but what a long recovery process that will be. And we weren't even able to find anyone to contact for him, what if he doesn't have anybody? With injuries like his, he's going to need someone to help him during his recovery."

"There you go again, getting too personally involved in your patients' cases. I'm sure when he wakes up he'll be able to supply us with the information we need. And if he doesn't have anyone, then we have nurses who are trained to help. He'll be okay."

"I suppose…" mumbled Sakura, her voice trailing off, staring out of one of the windows in the hospital, her expression seeming distant.

Ino frowned, putting a hand on her hip. "Sakura…" The pink-haired kunoichi glanced at her childhood friend. "You're thinking about him again, aren't you?"

Sakura avoided the blonde's gaze. "What are you talking about, Ino-pig?"

"You know who I mean, Sakura. You're thinking about Sasuke."

Inwardly, Sakura sighed. Sometimes Ino knew her a little too well.

"Why do you still think about him?" asked Ino. "He's not the same guy we grew up with. He's changed. He's a ruthless killer, you know this." Ino pointed her head towards the emergency operating room. "And if you need more proof that the old Sasuke is gone, just look at the patient we just saved. His village was attacked, and the injuries he sustained were from Sasuke's minions."

"I know, Ino, you don't need to remind me—"

"Then why are you still thinking about him, Sakura? Why can't you just get over him, like I did—?"

Sakura sighed heavily, looking at Ino with an exhausted face. "Look, Ino, it's been a long day. We just finished operating for twelve hours. I don't even know how long I've been awake for. My mind just wandered off on it's own. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

Ino raised an eyebrow, pursing her lips before they creased in a flat line. "If you say so…" she mused.

Sakura ignored the doubt in her tone and gathered her things. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ino," she said before she left out the door.

The following day at the hospital had been a slow one. Considering the tiring day Sakura had yesterday, she welcomed the quiet day with open arms. At least when she finished her shift she would be able to go home and take a nice, long nap and relax.

However her thoughts were soon shattered when she saw the red light of the emergency room go off, the alarm blaring throughout the hospital. The double doors swung open as a young man on a gurney was rushed by. Several nurses and doctors who were muttering various statements and questions all at once crowded him.

"BP's 120—"

"Vitals stable—"

"Sir? Sir, are you awake? Do you know where you are?"

"He's crashing—let's get him to the O.R., quick!"

The group of people rushed by Sakura so quick her hair and medical coat blew in the breeze created when they passed by. However the glimpse she caught of the patient made her heart race in anticipation and twist in agony.

She had only caught a flash of whoever was lying on the gurney, but what she saw was enough to make her emerald eyes widen incredibly. Pale skin, dark hair—there was only one person she knew with those features.

It couldn't be, could it…? thought Sakura. She couldn't deny that at the back of her mind she was hoping, praying that it was whom she thought it was.

She was nineteen years old. It had been seven years since Sasuke had betrayed Konoha and left the village. However she couldn't help that her feelings had not died down when he left—instead they seemed to grow even stronger. He wouldn't constantly be in her thoughts, but she would commonly think about him, wondering where he is and if he is all right. And quietly hoping, naively, in the back of her mind that he would find the error in his ways and come home.

"Sakura! Hurry up, we need you!"

Hearing her colleague call her brought the medic nin out of her thoughts. "Right, got it." She shook her head and immediately went towards the operating room. When she got there, she gently shoved the nurses away from the gurney, making room for herself to look down at the young man resting against the white cloth.

Her heart skipped a beat when her eyes fell on his face.

It wasn't Sasuke. She was correct in what she had seen—the young man before her did have pale skin and dark hair. However his hair was longer than Sasuke's, and his facial features were different.

It didn't take Sakura long to recognize that the young man on the gurney was none other than Hyuuga Neji.

His eyes were closed as he lay unconscious. There was a large gash in the side of his body as blood pooled out against the white cloth he rested against. Many red scratches marred his chest and arms and some of the scratches were deep, drawing dark red blood from the cuts.

Immediately Sakura sent her chakra to her hands, a soft green glow emanating from her fingertips as she hovered over each of Neji's injuries.

"Get Ino in here too, I'm going to need her help," commanded Sakura as a nurse nodded at the instruction and went to fetch the blonde kunoichi.

The next day…

Slowly, Neji's pale, lavender eyes opened. He was met with blurred vision that soon cleared within moments. He began to move, hearing the sheets beneath him crinkle at his movements, but soon stopped when he felt a sharp pain at his side. He hissed and leaned his head back further against the cushion of the pillow.

"Good morning."

Hearing a female voice beside him, Neji turned his head. The first thing that met his sight was pink hair, and he instantly recognized who it was.

"Sakura," he greeted simply, his voice quiet and hoarse.

"Hello, Neji," replied Sakura, giving him a gentle smile. She was flipping through his charts, having been checking on him when he woke up. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than yesterday," he answered concisely. He tried to sit up but searing pain rushed back to his side. Sakura approached his bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder, gently coaxing him back down against the hospital bed.

"Try not to move too much," Sakura advised. "You had some major injuries yesterday. Even though we did the best we could do, you're still going to have to take it easy for the next couple days." When she felt him settle against the bed, she removed her hand from his shoulder. "Can you tell me what happened?"

When Neji didn't answer her, Sakura crossed her arms and tapped her foot a couple times.

"I know it may hurt your pride, Neji, but I need to know what happened to you as your primary doctor."

He glanced at her for a moment before he returned his stare to the pale walls of the hospital room.

"Surprise attack," he muttered. "An ambush."

"I see. And you were outnumbered."

Neji fell silent. Sakura could see his fists clenching tight, wrinkling the fabric of the white blanket over him. She could tell him losing the battle was affecting his pride.

"Was it a solo mission?" she asked him.

"No. Tenten and Shikamaru were with me. I was the team leader."

"In that case, you did what a team leader is supposed to do. Make sure everyone survives. And considering Tenten and Shikamaru aren't in the same condition you're in, you did just that. So don't beat yourself up too much, okay?"

Neji glanced at her. Sakura gave him a gentle smile before she turned around and left the room. He watched her leave until she was out of sight.

"I can do it on my own, Sakura."

"All right, if you say so. But I'm here if you need support."

Neji steadied himself on the arms on the treadmill. His arms wobbled as he slowly shifted his weight to his legs. He winced and let out a quiet hiss, but he still added more weight as he balanced himself on both legs.

"Good. Well done, Neji," said Sakura with a kind smile. "That's significant improvement from last week."

"Turn it on," he said quietly.

Sakura crossed her arms across her chest and pursed her lips. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea. Your legs still need to get used to—"

"I'm fine. Turn it on."

"Neji, there are countless studies I can list that will side with what I am telling you. It's too soon—"

"Sakura." Said girl looked at him expectantly. "Turn it on, please."

The medic nin's face softened. His persistence reminded her of her former teammate who was just as stubborn.

"All right," she sighed, turning on the treadmill at the lowest possible speed.

Neji pushed himself up with his arms, then slowly lowered his feet to the moving ground below him. He lowered one foot, then the other, and just as he was about to take the first time, a sharp pain struck both his legs. He staggered backwards off of the treadmill.

Sakura placed both her hands on his back, helping him steady himself as he stood upright. Once he was stable, she walked in front of him and wagged her finger at him.

"I told you," she said in a singsong voice before she smiled. "You're making significant improvement, but these things can't be rushed. Trust me, okay?"

She smiled wider at him, her genuine kindness reflecting in her bright green eyes. Neji stared at her for few moments before he nodded.

"Where are you taking me?" asked Neji as Sakura pulled him along gently by the hand.

"I told you, you've been doing so well with your physical therapy I thought I'd take you out for a little treat!" she beamed widely at him.

The pair soon arrived at the small restaurant of Ichiraku. Teuchi, the ramen shop's owner, smiled kindly at the two as they took seats.

"Sakura, so nice to see you!" he greeted. "What will you be having today?"

"Miso soup for me, please," she said as she smiled back at him. "And for Neji…" she glanced at the shinobi. "Order whatever you want, it's on me!"

"This isn't necessary, Sakura."

"Nonsense! Now hurry up and order before I order something for you!"

Neji rolled his eyes at her childish antics, yet complied nonetheless. "Herring soba, please."

Teuchi nodded and went to prepare the meals. Sakura looked at Neji questioningly.

"I didn't know you like fish."

Neji gave her a side-glance. "Herring is my favorite."

The food soon arrived and the pair began to eat. Sakura began talking about her long work shifts at the hospital and although she was exhausted, she hadn't been falling to sleep well the past few weeks.

As she continued her monologue, Neji listened silently, quietly contributing to the conversation here or there, but hardly at all. He didn't understand why Sakura was so open with him and would tell him so much about her day or her thoughts, but he never found himself asking her to stop.

"…I've tried every remedy I could think of, but nothing. I still can't sleep. Any advice?" she blinked her eyes and took a breath when she finished.

"Have you tried meditation?"

Sakura looked up and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "No. I hadn't considered that."

"I can show you," he offered nonchalantly.

She raised an eyebrow. "You meditate?"

Neji shrugged. "It's a hobby."

She looked at him for a few moments before returning to finish the last of her miso soup. "Thank you," she said as she dabbed her face with her napkin. He nodded. Sakura took another napkin and lightly wiped the side of his face. Neji looked at her questioningly and the pink-haired kunoichi smiled in return. "You had a little something there," she mumbled.

Neji nodded once more before returning to his herring. He wondered if Sakura's cheeks had sudden gotten very rosy or if it was only his imagination.

"Good news, Neji! You may be able to leave here soon," Sakura said cheerily as she entered the room. "For good, too!"

Neji laid in the hospital bed, his eyes groggily opening as he looked at the pink-haired medic nin. He opened his eyes slightly wider when he saw her, and watched her take his pulse as she glanced at her watch and held his wrist against her fingers.

"Isn't that great?" Sakura prodded. Neji remained silent. Once Sakura finished taking his pulse, she placed his wrist down. "Not in the mood for talking, huh? That's fine." She walked towards the window and opened the streams as the sun's rays freely flowed into the room, giving it a bright, almost heavenly glow.

"…Why are you doing this?"

Sakura glanced at him. "Doing what?"

Neji looked at her for a moment before he averted his gaze to a corner. "Why are you unconditionally kind? Given what you see every day, as a medic. It doesn't make sense to me."

Sakura walked to his bedside. She reached behind him and fluffed the pillow behind his head. "Not everything has a rational explanation, Neji," Sakura replied sweetly. "Everyone deserves kindness." She held the back of her hand against Neji's forehead. She pursed her lips slightly. "You feel a little warm. You should rest."

And with that, the pink-haired kunoichi left the room, unaware of the lavender eyes that followed her as she left.

Hearing a knock on the door, Sakura lifted her eyes from her clipboard and looked to see who the person was. She smiled when her eyes fell upon Neji's pale face.

"Hey, look who it is! Looks like you're feeling all better," she said as she smiled widely at him.

Neji nodded. "Tsunade-sama says I'm ready to get assigned another mission."

Sakura laughed and looked back down on her clipboard. "I'm glad. I know you've been wanting to get back into action for the past two months."

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

Sakura immediately looked at him. "Really? So soon?" Neji nodded. "Oh, well… don't come back in the same condition I found you in."

"I won't," he said. "I know I won't."

Sakura looked at him inquisitively. "How can you be so sure?"

"You're coming with me," he answered simply.

"What?" Sakura replied instantaneously. "What about my shifts here?"

"Tsunade-sama already assigned others to take care of it. She wants to speak to you before we leave, though. She wanted me to come get you."

Sakura's gaze faltered for a moment from Neji's face to the clipboard she was holding in her hand. She glanced at the paper once before she placed it beside the hospital bed. She followed Neji outside the room to Tsunade's office.

Neji knocked on the door. "Come in," a voice said from the other side. The two entered and found the blonde Hokage furiously writing on a series of scrolls. She moved her almond colored eyes up once before she took a double take seeing who her visitors were.

"Neji. Good, you brought Sakura," said the Godaime as she pushed the scrolls she had been writing on aside.

"Why the short notice about the mission, Tsunade-shishou?" asked Sakura with a puzzled expression.

Tsunade laced her fingers together and propped her elbows on her mahogany desk. She rested her hands in front of her mouth.

"Sakura… I'm worried about how you feel personally about the nature of the mission."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "What is it about?"

Tsunade paused for a moment before she spoke again. "We've gotten a lead on where Sasuke's whereabouts may be. I'm sending Neji with a team to retrieve him. You're the attending doctor."

Sakura frowned. "You're worried I won't be able to be impartial because it has to do with Sasuke."

"I'm sure you know why I have my concerns."

Sakura glanced from Tsunade's face to Neji's who merely looked at her. She knew both of them were studying her face for a reaction.

"I can't lie and say I'm completely impartial about the mission," Sakura finally spoke. "But I can say I am impartial enough that I know it won't affect my duties as a medic."

"You're sure?" asked Tsunade. "I can assign another medic. I merely assigned you because Neji requested you."

Sakura looked at the dark-haired shinobi. His gaze was fixed on the floor. The pink-haired kunoichi looked at her mentor. "It won't be a problem, Tsunade-shishou."

"I hope so," said Tsunade. She waved the two off. "You may leave now."

The pair nodded before they took their leave.

"Are you sure you're fine, Sakura?" asked Neji, his expression blasé.

"Ask me that a few months ago, I would have said no," the girl replied honestly. "But as of right now… I'm getting better."

"What changed?" he asked quietly.

Sakura laced her fingers behind her back. A knowing smile slowly spread across her lips. "I don't know," she mused playfully. "Maybe a certain prodigy changed my mind."

Neji watched her face for a few moments. He tucked an idle strand of hair behind Sakura's ear.

"I can't replace him, Sakura."

The pink-haired kunoichi smiled. "I know."

"We're not the same person."

She nodded. "I know." She reached up on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips against his. After a moment, she pulled away, and smiled even wider. "…And that's okay."