This chapter…was so freaking hard to write, simply because I haven't updated this fic in probably a year…and I can't remember what I had planned *sighs*

But I haven't given up on the fic.

It is probably my favourite Naruto fic so ^o^

I'll try to recapture the plot, ne? So work with me, danke schon.

OOOOOOOOOO

Chapter Seven

OOOOOOOOOO

Sasuke flushed slightly as he stared at himself in the Hyuuga's full length mirror. The length of his body was fitted in a silky black material, and most of his arm and legs were draped with leather contraptions.

Neji came behind him, wrapping his pale arms around his neck and burying his face into his shoulder.

"I'm soooo fucking nervous, Sasu," he whispered, "I mean it's a friggin date…with Gaara…"

Sasuke laughed and leaned back to kiss sloppily at the pretty raven's pink cheeks. "You really have to stop thinking about it, Neji-kun. You're allowed a date. Just relax and let the presence of your master flow through you."

The Hyuuga's cheeks flashed a dull pink as he elbowed his friend in the side at his simpering smirk.

"Fucking ass," he hissed, before biting the exposed skin by his shoulder. Sasuke let out one of his evil little giggles and moved from in front of the mirror, grabbing the brush Neji had left on the bed to tackle his soft, barely tangled locks.

"But really," he continued, "Enjoy yourself tonight. Don't think about Mr. Sabaku hating me, please Neji-kun. I want things between you to blossom, not be stifled because of something so trivial."

"Sasuke..." Neji laughed, "You really are a sweetheart, even when you try to be all cold hearted."

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed, raising and creasing his smooth pale forehead.

"Me? What about you, Hyuuga?"

Neji clutched at his stomach and stifled back a snicker, running his hand through his hair to push back his bangs.

"It's been a while since we've acted like our old selves, ne, Sasu-chan?"

"I know....I almost miss it. Well...it hasn't changed. It still is the same."

Neji nodded, biting at the hair tie wrapped around his hand to unloose it. The black velvet of the ribbon was soft in his mouth, and the blatant contrast was harsh as it fell to the feel of between his fingers.

"It just feels weird if you think back to high school. We were 'asshole no.1' and 'asshole no.2'."

"Mmm…we shouldn't be recalling this now," Sasuke murmured, finishing with his hair and replacing everything to where it originally was. "Ready?"

Neji had just finished tying the ribbon loosely to sweep back his hair, and he nodded with his hands clasping in exasperation.

"Let's go."

OoOoOoOo

Naruto swirled the liquid in his champagne glass, tongue swiping at the rim before raising his head at the red head posed on the opposite side. He looked relaxed, and oddly happy…

The blonde smiled to himself and licked at his lips. His Gaa-chan was in love…and it was oh – so – freaking – cute…

"What are you smirking at, Naruto?"

He steeled his face tight.

"Oh nothing…nothing Gaa-ra."

The Sabaku's eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, arms and elbow pressing on the table.

"You…are…an idiot," he whispered.

"Yeah, yeah, I know Gaa-chan," he beamed, "I knoooww…"

"Sabaku?" trailed a voice behind them. "This way please."

"You invited your lover and the Uchiha?" Naruto questioned, when the two maids were still out of sight.

"I had to. Neji would have refused otherwise. The Uchiha is his best friend."

"Eh…a Hyuuga and a Uchiha. I can't believe you snatched a Hyuuga dude…"

"Baka!" Gaara hissed.

"The place still looks the same…"

"I think…I think I came here before…"

Gaara and Naruto waited in silence till the two came, and they turned, facing the dark haired maids. Naruto swept them in with his gaze, studying the long haired beauty first.

He was definitely the Hyuuga, with his pale milky eyes and lustrous locks, and it was easy to see why Gaa-chan fell for him – a soft body and a determined look. His eyes veered to his companion, the Uchiha – shorter hair delicately spiked with thick strands falling haphazardly to frame his face; dark orbs that were smouldering; and a red mouth that was pursed.

"This is my good friend, Naruto Uzumaki," Gaara introduced, as he motioned for them to sit.

Neji slipped in next to the red head, and Sasuke silently shifted near the blonde.

"Uzumaki? Your company is building quite highly now..." stated Neji.

"Ah yes it is," laughed Naruto. "But wait…I know I've seen you two before. Hmm…" He tapped his fingers to his chin before jerking up and smirking. "Now I remember. You guys were those two hot shots from my sister's high school."

Neji and Sasuke stared at each other and Gaara's eyes narrowed as he said, "Ino?"

"Yeah I remember you two," he continued. "Ino and her friend–"

Sasuke buried his head in his hands and Neji groaned.

"The blonde was your sister?"

"Well not by blood but–"

"The pink haired stalker girl…" Sasuke shuddered.

"Hey not you alone had a stalker. I had that girl…Tenten, remember you bitch? Freaked the hell out of me."

"You two were friends since then?" asked Naruto, directing the question to both ravens. He met Gaara's hard eyes and gave him a soft smile that sent him a message. They both hated the Uchiha, but they could do nothing once Neji was around.

"No."

"Eh?"

Even Gaara was surprised.

"We hated each other."

"You were a stuck up prick," said Sasuke.

"And you were a total bitchy cold emo prince," shot back Neji. "I wanted to beat the shit outta your pretty little ass anytime I saw your face."

"Same," Sasuke replied.

Naruto chuckled. "I would have never thought that you two hated each other. You're quite close. You two then haven't known each other for a long time?"

"Not exactly," replied Neji, "A couple of years."

They stopped the conversation as the waiter came for their orders, and then settled into an unnerving tension when she left.

"So Neji-kun, do you know you've captured my Gaa-chan's heart?"

Gaara growled and kicked the blonde under the table, causing Naruto to grin even wider.

"Oh such violence Gaara my love!!" he exclaimed, earning a stifled laugh from Neji.

"You two are close," he redirected the same statement at Naruto.

Gaara nodded and answered, "Yes, we've been friends sadly since we were little."

"Sadly? What the hell you damn shit," Naruto sulked. "Since I'm your friend sadly then I should leave."

The blonde pushed out his lower lip and moped in the corner with fake cries.

"Ignore the idiot," Gaara sighed quietly.

Neji smiled and then stood.

"I'll be back," he told them, "Bathroom."

"Want me to come with you?" Sasuke asked him.

He shook his head.

"I won't be long," he said, leaning to press a kiss to Sasuke's cheek as he left.

As the Hyuuga disappeared from sight, silence hung over the table again. Sasuke was nervously stuck in the middle of a heavy atmosphere, trying to block out the deadly glares from his boss, and the quiet look from the normally loud mouthed blonde.

"Don't worry, we wouldn't do shit 'cause Neji's still here."

Sasuke looked up when Naruto spoke. It was colder now than he remembered. He knew the reason why he didn't want to come in the first place – he was unwanted in this setting…

He opened his mouth to speak, wincing as the permanent gaze on him increased.

"Why is it that–"

"What is that you are planning?" Gaara demanded coldly.

"Wha…"

"Your brother, Itachi, what is that–"

He trailed off as he saw the Uchiha blanch, his face taking on a deadly pale colour.

"I see, so it is true that you're working for Itachi," he continued.

"Don't mention his name," Sasuke whispered.

"It was a horrible set up to work as a maid," Naruto was saying, "I can't believe that Itachi would send his–"

"Stop it. Stop saying his name!" He was shouting now clutching at his head and shivering.

Naruto shut up immediately and looked back at Gaara.

"What…"

"Why don't you want to hear the name Itachi," the red head said purposely. "Is it because you feel ashamed that you were used to spy–"

Sasuke whimpered and his grip on his head tightened, sinking lower into his seat as his body slumped.

"Stop…please…"

OoOoOoOo

Neji turned on the tap to allow the water to gush over his hands. The bathroom was tiled in a lime green colour, and at the moment he was the sole occupant in the clean compartment.

As he turned off the tap and made to grab for a paper towel from the dispenser, the bathroom door opened. He didn't bother to turn around, busying himself with drying his hands. He looked back up in the mirror, eyes widening as he saw the man's reflection in the glass.

He was tall, and beautiful – not in the feminine way that he and Sasuke were always noticeable for, but for a dark beauty that made air hitch in one's throat. He was the handsome, sexy type, toned and fit and sleekly suited in all black; the only other colour was a red silk shirt under his jacket – a match to his crimson eyes.

The man nodded to his blatant interest, and he flushed as the man saw his expression from the mirror. The taller figure swept back his dark hair that was tied and now currently draped on his left shoulder.

"Sorry," he said quickly, tossing his used paper towel into the bin.

"It is fine," the man said, his tenor deep and flowed in trickles of rich silk.

Neji nodded and uncomfortably stood still for a while, only remembering that Sasuke and the others were waiting for him as he glanced at the clock hung in the middle of the row of cubicles.

"Um, goodbye," he said.

"Wait."

His hand was momentarily frozen around the handle.

"Your companions," the man said, "Are Gaara Sabaku and Naruto Uzumaki, no?"

Neji eyes narrowed as he nodded, finally closing his fingers around the gold painted knob.

"Yes."

The man was smirking, leading to a slight tightening in the Hyuuga's chest as he berated himself for turning around to glance at the other.

"Do you mind if I join you?

TBC

…………………………….Yeah I'll continue in the next chapter. Trying to edit my book so I blame laziness on wanting to stop here xP

Reviews are 3, Criticism is heavenly, and flames shall warm my icy heart ^^

(btw, I wrote the majority of this since January…..so…..the writing style from the first part, and the last part somehow differs….)