Disclaimer: I do not, will not, have never, and shall never own Naruto. Nuff said.

Fair WARNING: Rated M. (Meaning mature content. Like- sex, drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and bad language.) Yaoi. (Meaning men sleeping with men) Possibly Yuri and good ol' hetero too.

Pairings: Neji/Gaara

Chapter 1 Note: No sex in this chapter.

A/N: Well, time for a new pet-project then. On you go.

The clouds were hazy in the darkness, illuminated against the night skies like slivers of dark blue silk. He stared at them, the smoke from his cigarette slowly wafting past his hand and into the summer breeze. Quiet. The sort of stillness that only appeared in the deep night and the wee hours of morning, when all human presences were gone, slumbering at the edges of his mind, safe in their beds, in their homes and in the soft lull of their ordinary lives.

He had always loved the tranquillity of the night, even as a child when he was not allowed out any later than pre-evening he'd grab any opportunity to be embraced by the soothing darkness, the void of human buzz. In summer, like now, he made a habit of nocturnal wanderings, speculating life, pondering his own. Mid-June, when the sun was nearly ever-present, disappearing from the skies only an hour or two at midnight, and the sunrise lasted from the middle of the night to the time when families woke, made coffee and toast and went off to work. This was the time of year he spent in the depths of his mind.

Still, even a thinker like himself must sleep- albeit very little, and he put out his cigarette and headed home through the silent neighbourhood. He was still locked in thought, reoccurring questions assaulting his mind. 'Who am I really?' The question, the one he'd believed he'd found the answer to time and time again, and yet it was unanswered each time he questioned himself on it again.

The facts were simple. He was Sabaku Gaara. He was 19 years of age. His parents were dead- his mother at his birth, his father a few years back. He lived with his older siblings Temari and Kankurou in a medium-sized house in the city of Konohagakure. He had just finished highschool –not even two weeks ago –and had decided to take a year off before university. He had no idea what he wanted to study, but he was fairly intelligent. He had friends…

His steps faltered in front of his house. The lights were off, Temari and Kankurou surely asleep in their beds. Temari had work in the morning and Kankurou –home for summer break –was an early sleeper.

'Still no answer I suppose…'

It wasn't a question he pondered consequently, but rather one that appeared in the lonely hours of the night when his otherwise preoccupied mind was free to bring forth and analyse whatever it pleased. He sighed, pulling the stray threads of his conscious into organized slots in his head, and pulled himself back into the role of the normal teenager –which he in all honesty actually was. He had to get some sleep –he'd promised Naruto to meet up tomorrow. And his room still needed cleaning…

Uzumaki Naruto was a social tornado with a personality as colourful as his clothing. He was the centre of attention at every party, gathering or accidental chat at the bus-stop, the main prankster in their old school and known to have the loudest mouth north of the equator. He was also Gaara's best friend.

Many had questioned their friendship over the years, finding it humorous that such opposites would form an unyielding combo. The bright, energetic Naruto with his blonde hair, blue eyes and athletic body next to the dark Gaara, always dressed in blacks or greys with pale skin and eyes rimmed with kohl. He wasn't the athletic type either, or the sociable type. He was slightly on the thin side, and whereas Naruto's eyes were warm and full of laughter his own were a cold aquamarine colour, constantly on watchful guard against anyone he met.

He did have striking looks, not the naturally appealing ones that Naruto had, but an exotic oddness that derived from his scarlet hair –accented by his light skin and the blood-red tattoo on his forehead –his heavy eyeliner and the piercing in his nearly non-existent left eyebrow. But it was usually overlooked after first introductions since by then, Naruto's natural charm had everyone captured.

Point Place was their favourite café, located in the crossing of Leaf Lane and Shimmer Street. It was nestled in the arms of small second-hand stores and unique boutiques, each leading onto the cobbled streets of east end -the old university district. It was perfect for charismatic students with limited funds. He entered, easily spotting his blonde friend by one of the street-view windows on the left. Naruto was deeply in conversation with the table's other occupant, laughing and making wide hand-gestures, surely telling another one of his incredulous stories. The blonde had changed a lot during the last three years, Gaara observed. He'd grown from a slightly obnoxious boy to a secure nearly-man. But then again, Gaara had probably changed a lot more since their fated first encounter.

"He went to my middle-school", the brunette girl confided to the table. Everyone was listening with rapt attention, any kind of information on the other students were highly sought-after when trying to make a place for themselves at this new school. Gaara felt slightly lost, he had no idea what-so-ever of how he had ended up eating lunch with these people. Normally he would eat alone, walk alone, be alone. He figured it was one of those mistakes people do in environments with only new people –inviting him. "He's really annoying!", the girl continued, "everyone thought so. I don't think he had any friends. He's really loud and stupid, and he actually got into a fistfight…"

Gaara looked over to where the subject of the conversation was sitting. He did seem loud and annoying. His brilliantly blonde hair clashed terribly with his orange T-shirt and he was talking constantly to the boy opposite him while trying to eat his large serving of what looked like ramen simultaneously. The result wasn't pretty.

"He's disgusting, look at how he eats", another of the girls said in a hushed voice, which was completely unnecessary since the boy was well outside hearing-distance. Gaara's interest waned away from the discussion and the boy and he settled for staring out the window while absently poking the lonely potato on his plate with the tip of his fork.

"…than that?" it took him a moment to realise he was being addressed, and that the teens around the table had stopped badmouthing the blonde and were now all looking expectantly at him.

"Hm?", he said absent-mindedly. Two of the boys exchanged a look.

"I asked if you weren't going to eat any more than that?", it was the talkative brunette girl and she was pointing at his rather lonesome potato. He raised his two nearly-invisible eyebrows.

"No."

They hadn't invited Gaara to lunch again.

He slid down on the empty seat and placed his steaming cup on the table. He didn't greet them, but simply took a careful sip of coffee and waited for Naruto's over-excessive hello's to come to an end. They did, and Naruto continued talking where he left off with the third member of the table, the girl nodding along politely.

Haruno Sakura had been Naruto's first crush, before he realised he wasn't quite inclined towards the opposite sex. It had all taken place in middle-school so Gaara didn't know the specific details but it wasn't until last year that the two had become friends, and in Gaara's case she was still an acquaintance at best. She had attended a different school than them and was known for her academic brilliance; however she wasn't interesting enough to keep Gaara's attention for long.

'I hope he hasn't invited everyone he knows… but knowing Naruto, he probably has'

As much as he loved his best friend, it still bothered him that the blonde was such a people-person. Time alone was a rarity to be cherished, and perhaps something that he'd gotten too used to during their time in highschool. When they first met Naruto had had scarce friends, all of whom went to different schools than theirs. Oh, how thing change with time… and still, it was nothing short of a miracle that the two of them had become friends in the first place. A very specific miracle that he'd nicknamed 'the unnatural stubbornness of Uzumaki Naruto'.

"Hello." The voice drifted down on him from somewhere above, but he didn't react. Two weeks into term the rest of the class had already discovered that he was not approachable –helped out by the rumours seeping from 'anonymous' sources whom had attended his middleschool. No-one ever made the effort to speak to him anymore and hence, he didn't have to bother with listening to greetings. They were never directed at him.

"Can I sit here?" Gaara's senses told him the voice was too close to be coming from a nearby table, strange.

"I'll just take that as a yes then", the chair opposite him… moved. He raised his gaze for the first time and found two orbs of bright blue staring back at him, "I'm Naruto, I don't think we've ever been introduced. You're Gaara right?" Naruto looked at Gaara. Gaara looked at Naruto. Gaara went back to his food. Naruto kept talking.

Naruto sat at his table every day after that.

If it was something that truly had amazed Gaara back then, it was that Naruto had seemingly no problem keeping a conversation running all by himself. As the weeks went by, he even started interpreting Gaara's occasional grunt as actual speech, as if talking to a dog where you answer questions that were never asked since they're not posed in an understandable language.

The door to the café opened and another five of Naruto's jolly gang entered, making their way over to them. Another table was pulled up to join the first and chairs were found for each of the arrivals. Soon, Gaara was in middle of a small social circus of talk, jokes, gossip and bickering –and in the middle of it all was Naruto. Like the sun surrounded by six little rays he participated in every part of the social game. He quarrelled with Kiba, mock-flirted with Ino, made fun of Shikamaru's lazy nature, gave Chouji recommendations on a new restaurant and listened attentively when Shino told them about the cockroach-infestation that had struck his family's house –though in all fairness: even Gaara listened intently to that since the main problem for Shino wasn't that bugs lived in house –and in his food cabinets –but that his family wanted to get rid of them. Apparently he'd formed some sort of affection for the creatures.

Seeing Naruto in his element was always intriguing, but –even though it was hard for him to admit –it also made him a little bit jealous. Since it was always Naruto; he was the one who got invited to things, he was the one people asked for and talked to, he was the one people missed when he wasn't there, whilst Gaara was always the tag-along or at best the replacement. Not that he wanted the kind of attention that Naruto had –he'd probably combust into absolute autism if he was ever subjected to it –but sometimes he felt as if his only real friend was Naruto, and that he was completely dependent on him alone. It was a very unsettling feeling.

However, Naruto being the most sought-after by his friends wasn't the big issue. The real reason why his annoyance had increased towards the blonde lately –a reason that he felt so ashamed of he barely admitted it to himself –was that Naruto was just too damn attractive. He'd felt a twinge of jealousy ever since the first time Naruto pointed out one of his ex-boyfriends in their first year. And it had grown whilst he was being pointedly ignorant about it. Naruto was always surrounded by boys making passes at him, and –naturally –he always talked to and confided in his best friend on the matter. It had bothered him before, but after that incident it had finally become too great a feeling for him to ignore any longer.

Konohagakure's nightlife was in full swing. It was Friday night; the clubs were full, youngsters from all over the city milling about in the streets in various stages of drunkenness and Gaara, Naruto and their friends were out celebrating that they'd passed the second of three chemistry exams in their senior year. Their club for the evening, Hachibi, was packed, and the group was fairly tipsy after one drink too many.

He had gone outside at the same time as Gaara to have a smoke, and had asked to borrow his lighter. He was tall and lean; his shoulder-length hair bleached white and pulled back slightly from his face. With one word: he looked good.

It was rare for someone to catch Gaara's interest, and even rarer for them to be gay, single, and willing to chat with him. He found himself thinking that maybe tonight wouldn't be a waste after all… They'd moved to one of the tables inside. Talking was nearly impossible with the music blaring from enormous speakers, but they tried. Everything was… better than expected. The man –Kimimaro –was 21 and a nice mix of sarcasm and humor. Gaara, finishing his drink, was just about to suggest that they'd go dance when Kimimaro's eyes flickered from Gaara's face to something past his right shoulder. Turning around, the redhead got an armful of his best friend.

Naruto was drunk, happy and more flirtatious than usual. Needless to say, it took about 30 seconds for Kimimaro's attention to stray completely from the thin Gaara to the increasingly sexy Naruto. Soon enough the two of them disappeared through the sea of people, leaving Gaara all alone.

The evening had ended badly –for Gaara. And Naruto pestering him the following weeks about how Kimimaro wouldn't stop texting didn't help the slightest. And so the feeling of jealousy, which in itself somehow sprung from his own insecurities, had become a constant sharp edge in his relationship with Naruto.

It took them two hours to finish at the café, and when the large group parted ways it was with promises of meeting up later and hit the clubs. On the bus home, Gaara thought about bailing on a night out and spend the evening at home instead. But then he realised he hadn't really done anything worthwhile since graduation and decided to brave up and go.

"Can't we try to get into Jinchuuriki tonight?" It was late evening early night and the small troop was perched on different chairs and sofas in Ino's huge living room, discussing where to go for the night.

"Come on Ino, there's just no way we'll get in there", Sakura sighed, twirling a cider bottle in her dainty little hand, "can't we just go to Yondaime or something?"

"Nah, I think Ino has a point, let's at least try to go somewhere new, right Naruto?" Kiba intervened, already a bit hazy in the eyes from one beer to many. Naruto scratched the back of his head, an old habit.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I'll have to agree with the mad mutt." Kiba bristled.

"Hey! What did you call me, shit-for-brains?"

"Dogman."

"Idiot."

"Moron."

"That's enough", Sakura chided, "everyone alright with going to Jinchuuriki?" everyone nodded. Ino smiled triumphantly.

"Jinchuuriki it is."

"There is no way we're ever getting in…"

Gaara had heard Naruto's sullen comment even from a distance as he walked away. He'd left the rest of the crowd to have a smoke, leaning against the shadowy wall opposite of the wide street from the club. The sidewalk on the other side was cramped, but his side was quite empty since the cars stopped people from passing in larger quantities. He took another long drag from his cigarette, why were they even here? He could think of a million places he'd rather be at half past twelve on a Friday evening than waiting in a line that only grew outside the most exclusive club in town.

Speaking of exclusive, a sleek, black Shukaku111 –the latest model –had just pulled up on his side of the street. He watched in half-interest as it emitted three figures into the night. His eyes widened a fraction when they were illuminated below one of the streetlamps. Three exquisite examples of perfection. He might not have been an artist, but he appreciated the fine arts and he was quite certain that these three men were the wet dream of any painter, photographer, writer, poet, musician, dancer… or just any human on the planet. Two of them –at first he though they were twins but at closer inspection he found they must be brothers –had jet-black hair and eyes, the older wore a red button-down shirt and black slacks –he looked too formal for a club and yet it suited him perfectly –while the younger wore sinfully tight black jeans and a long-sleeved grey shirt. The third man's hair flowed past his shoulder and down his back –it was lighter, a rich brown that was accentuated by the lamplight, and his eyes –from a distance they seemed colourless but Gaara supposed they must be very light. He too, was wearing jeans, but the material of his cream-coloured shirt seemed nearly translucent. For his life, Gaara couldn't have named the fabric. All of them shared the same kind of finely chiselled, aristocratic faces; unblemished and strikingly handsome.

They turned and walked in his direction, searching for a suitable place to cross the road. He avoided looking at them, simply staring straight ahead and focusing on his cigarette –he'd be damned if he was found gawking at strangers on the street. It wasn't until he'd let them pass that he realised they hadn't. Three images of perfection stood only a few metres away from him and against better judgement he glanced their way.

And met the gaze of swirling mercury eyes.

'Shit'

He'd been caught glancing. But- didn't that mean the brunette had looked at him too? This wasn't the time to think about such things though; their eye-contact was yet to be broken. With all the cold indifference he could muster, he raised a single, not-really-there eyebrow at the man. Mercury eyes gleamed in the neon lights from the club, and the brunette's lips twisted upwards in a smirk.

"Are you coming Neji?", the younger of the ravens drawled at Mercury. Gaara paid him no heed; he couldn't tear his eyes away from the pale orbs. Mercury –Neji apparently –didn't answer. And then suddenly, he was right in front of the redhead, towering above him. Gaara cursed whatever god was up there for being so short and stared defiantly up into the stranger's perfect face. Neji cocked his head ever so slightly to the side –as if he was summarizing him –and then finally spoke, in a melodious slightly deep voice that sent shivers up and down Gaara's spine.

"What's your name, Scarlet?" Gaara weighed his options, he could either tell Neji to shove the nickname 'Scarlet' –one he'd had to put up with for many years –where it belonged; or…

"Gaara." The pale eyes –with a streak of violet in them –looked humoured.

"Well then, Gaara, are you planning to stay here…. or are you coming inside?" it was an invitation, if ever Gaara heard one, and one he wouldn't miss out on. Tossing the end of his cigarette he pushed himself off the wall, his face as cold and expressionless as he could make it. Neji simply turned to his companions, nodding once.

"I'm Neji", he said, "that's Itachi and Sasuke." As they crossed the street, Gaara glanced down the queue but couldn't spot his friends anywhere. The odds that they'd gotten in were… dismal. So, either they were further down the line or they had left. He checked his phone right as they reached the guards.

New message From: Naruto.
Gaara. Couldn't find U. heading off to Hachibi, come there when U get my mssg k?

New message From: Naruto.
Change of plans; Yondaime.

New message From: Naruto.
Gaara?

Busy with reading the messages from Naruto he didn't pay any attention to the word-exchange between the guards and his newly found companions, but suddenly they were showed into the club, free of charge. He typed a quick message on his phone before putting it away in his back pocket where it wouldn't bother him more for the night.

New message To: Naruto.
I'm fine. Won't be coming to Yondaime. See you tomorrow.

The music was insanely loud, the bodies of the Konoha elite and a few lucky commoners filling the space to the point where you couldn't move without grinding against one another. As they made their way over to the bar the brothers disappeared, the younger sending Neji a glance and a smirk as he vanished in to the mass of bodies. It made Gaara uncomfortable, as if he was a joke between the two of them –which, thinking about it, he probably was.

He couldn't care less though –he was in the most sought-after club in the city with a man who was easily the most beautiful and graceful creature he'd ever seen. Something in the way the elbow-long hair swayed and gleamed in the multi-coloured lights, and how he moved through the masses miraculously not touching any of the passing people drew Gaara in, as a moth to a flame.

They reached the bar, Neji leaning over and ordering for them both. As the bartender handed them their drinks –surprisingly giving Gaara his favourite drink Gin & Tonic –the redhead leaned close enough to be heard and scathingly told his new… acquaintance:

"I can buy my own drinks." Neji's eyes –so very close now that he had leaned in –glimmered in the foggy darkness of the club.

"Can is not equivalent to should- or will", the brunette answered smugly. Gaara glowered at him. They were still close –neither of them had moved from the close position even though they weren't speaking, just quietly drinking the alcohol. Neji never broke eye-contact, sensing a challenge, Gaara didn't either. He regarded the older man –for Neji seemed to be twenty-something –trying to find the reason he felt slightly uncomfortable in the man's presence.

Neji was tall, athletic –though his muscles were lean rather than pumped up –and incredibly beautiful. But that wasn't what drew him in. Neji had a lure- some sort of natural pull which could never have been imitated –his very movements seemed to draw Gaara closer. A tip of a finger moving against the glass now empty of whisky –a husky voice telling the bartender to refill their drinks –a never-ceasing stare. And still there was something underneath. The charm, the pull, the voice and actions were all simply the first layer. In the back of Gaara's mind, a small bell went off –a bell he only ever heard when he was in real trouble and which had never –ever –been wrong.

This man was dangerous. Not homicidal-maniac dangerous. Simply… a powerful, intelligent man with a very limited conscience. He narrowed his eyes, assessing the brunette closely to make sure he had it right. Neji smirked confidently.

'Yes. He's dangerous. The question is –does it bother me?'

He searched himself, knowing full well that this man was the kind his sister would have warned him not to get close to. However, he felt no apprehension, instead a thrill passed through his mind and body, sending shivers down his limbs. Playing with fire was oh-so enthralling. Neji leaned even closer, until warm breath encircled his ear and seductively hushed words fell from perfectly shaped lips:

"Dance with me Scarlet."

Before he had the chance to protest his detested nickname, nimble fingers had closed around his arm, pulling him through the crowd to the dancefloor.

"Gaara hasn't been himself lately", Naruto said worriedly to the boy on his right while checking the text he'd gotten earlier, "he's more closed in, like he used to be."

"Maybe he just needs some space", Kiba replied, sipping beer from the bottle in his right hand while waving the left at Naruto in an off-handed manned, "even I get tired of you sometimes and Gaara isn't exactly the sociable type."

"Still though…" Naruto was worried. His friend could be antisocial at times but lately he'd grown more distant.

'Oh well.' He shook himself, physically trying to get rid of the gloomy feeling, 'I'll talk to him tomorrow'. He caught Kiba's not-too-subtle nudge in the ribs and looked up and across to the other side of the bar. The man looked to be in his twenties, well-toned and fairly good-looking. He smiled. 'For now, I'll just enjoy the evening. I'll worry about Gaara tomorrow…'

Fast beat –throbbing through his limbs –sweaty bodies –pressed up against him from every angle –the music was coursing like liquid fire through his veins, eyes closed and mouth slightly parted. Gaara had never danced like this in his entire life. The alcohol made lines fade in his vision and the only thing he could see clearly, standing out against the blurry background, was Neji.

He felt the brunette's hands run down his sides, Neji danced so sensually it had to be illegal in several countries. Perfect lips touched the shell of his ear but he barely heard the words:

"Your phone"

Suddenly aware of the vibration in his back-pocket –and that the reason Neji had felt it was that the brunette's hands had moved to cover his ass –he fished it up. The caller ID flashed across the screen:

Kiba

One of his drunken calls –he tended to call anyone not present when he had enough alcohol in his system.

"Anything important?" the voice was soft as silk yet rough as raw skin, the mix was intoxicating. He shook his head and moved to cancel the call only to have his phone taken from his hands by swift fingers. Startled even in his elated state, he watched as Neji's nimble fingers worked his phone shortly before handing it back, turned off. Before he had time to consider it, arms encircled his waist and drew him close.

His breath hitched, heat spreading in his body. Dark chocolate strands fell across his shoulders and fierce lips claimed his own. A talented tongue slipped into his mouth, exploring every inch, tracing his tongue. It became an intense battle, teeth clashing, tongues wrestling. Hands in his hair, flesh beneath his palms, flashing lights, blaring music.

Neji's hand slipped from his hair to settle on his backside once more, his wicked tongue working Gaara to a mindless mess. Then suddenly the mouth had moved to his neck, sucking and biting. He let his head fall to the side to give the brunette better access, meanwhile running his own hand higher to grip Neji's hair by the root and pull him closer. The man finished marking him and Gaara caught a smug smirk on his face right before his lips were assaulted once more.

The beat wasn't the music of a club anymore –it was the beat of his heart –and the heat wasn't sweat and hot June weather –it was the heat of his arousal –and the lights weren't multi-coloured anymore –they were mercury…

It felt like someone had banged his head in the wall.

'I'm never drinking alcohol again in my life.'(1)

He rolled out of bed, violently silencing his alarm clock, and shuffled into the bathroom to take a shower. Standing under the spray of heated water he let his hands run across the bruised flesh of his neck. The pain sent a flash of memories from the night before to the front of his brain. God only knew how long the two of them had been on the dancefloor, but in the end the man named Sasuke had turned up and whispered something in Neji's ear. After a quick nod from the brunette all of them had been heading for the exit.

His memories were a bit fuzzy from too much alcohol and lack of sleep, but he remembered being led to the sleek car by Neji's hands on his hips. He might have fallen asleep in the car, but he must have told Neji his address for they had let dropped him outside his house and he'd stumbled in through the front door at 4-something AM.

He entered the kitchen for a quick glass of water and some aspirin before he had to leave to meet his friends. Temari had left him a note on the fridge, he read it absently while gulfing down two glasses of ice-cold water.

Gaara

Hope you had fun last night.
Kankurou is taking his friend's shift over at Hashirama. He'll be back late.
There's food in the fridge.

Temari

So both of them were out of the house, maybe he could even get some sleep. But first he had to head off to Point Place for the regular morning-after breakfast.

When he entered the small café shortly after nine o'clock in the morning, he found that all of the others had already gathered around one of the larger tables in the left corner. He ordered his coffee and walked over, intent to occupy the last empty chair and stay nauseous and quiet for at least half an hour. But to his surprise, the entire table –even Shikamaru –turned to stare at him as he arrived. No greetings, just wide-eyes stares. He cocked a thin eyebrow and plopped down on the seat. Ino cracked, like a piñata. Her face went from shocked to livid and excited in a heartbeat and she flew up from her own chair, banging her hands palm-first on the table.

"You got in to Jinchuuriki?" her voice was unusually loud even for her, yet what bothered him was…

"How do you know that?" the answer came flying to him across the table. It was a copy of Shinobi –Konoha's daily paper. It was flung open on the entertainment section –a section that today was completely dominated by a huge photo of Neji and himself –tightly wound together in a heated making-out session on the dancefloor.

Hyuuga Neji –Off the Market and Into the Red Zone?

Hyuuga Neji, rating in the top-ten most sought-after bachelors in the country, was seen being very intimate with an unknown redheaded youngster at Jinchuuriki nightclub yesterday evening. Reports say they arrived together and after quite the kissing frenzy on the dance floor they were also seen leaving the club in each-other's company. Hyuuga is known to be quite keen on one-night stands but very discreet at all times. Speculations has therefore risen about whether or not this pale young man is actually Hyuuga's special someone… continuing on Page 14, 17 and 18.

Gaara was speechless. Hyuuga Neji. Heir of the international multi-billion Hyuuga Corp. distant relation to Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke –heirs to the equally loaded and prestigious Uchiha Corp. it all made sense. And still –it was completely unbelievable.

"You went home with Hyuuga Neji?"

His memory couldn't identify the owner of the voice, even though he knew it well. There was a buzzing in his ears and it seemed his thoughts had suddenly sped up and was racing around in his mind, bumping every wall and yet coming to no conclusions. 'I'm having a shutdown', he realised, 'I have too many thoughts and emotions… Focus.' He focused on the headline of the paper, reading it instead of staring apathetically at it. His mind seemed to have reached its breaking point and moved from unhinged panic to a chilly calm that spread through his limbs. He looked up to face his friends –his mind now perfectly clear and distanced from the terror that was raining down on him –and shook his head.

"I didn't. He- they dropped me off at home."

"They?" He'd never seen Ino so… he couldn't quite pinpoint what mood she was in –exalted or despairing.

"Him and his friends…" he glanced at the newspaper again, "the Uchiha's I suppose."

More than one hour had passed since Gaara set foot in the café and yet, the questions would never cease. Everyone, it seemed, was interested in his magical night. Even the waitress. He rubbed his temples; he just wanted to go home!

"Hey guys", He glanced up at Naruto, who had been unusually quiet until then, "leave him alone would you? He had one hell of a night and deserved some sleep." Gaara nodded and smiled thankfully at his blonde friend. Naruto had seemed… low all morning. Almost depressed. 'I should probably talk to him…'

He extricated himself and his best friend from the gossipmongers and left the café. They started towards the bus-stop on the next block in silence. Naruto stared at his feet, hands shoved deep in his pockets. Gaara decided, for once, that he should begin the conversation:

"Thank you."

"No prob." The answer came instantly, like Naruto had been waiting to say it. They fell silent again for a few minutes.

"I mean," Naruto said, staring ahead at nothing, "It's not like you got married without telling us. You got lucky 's all." Gaara was starting to get irritated; Naruto sounded… arrogant. Condescending. His friend suddenly stopped, turning to face him:

"'Cuz you don't think it's any more than that do you? It was a one-time snog and he's a rich bastard. He's forgotten you already." Gaara knew it was the truth, but having it thrown in his face with harsh words wasn't what he expected from his best friend. To Hyuuga and his friends he was fun game for one night, and the Hyuuga genius was in the paper constantly, he wouldn't care about that.

"I know that." He answered curtly, staring into the usually warm blue eyes.

"I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I won't"

Gaara, Naruto and their friends had all attended West Konoha High, and lived in the same area –a wide number of blocks with everything from large houses for the wealthy to tall buildings filled with identical, small apartments for the less fortunate. Naruto lived with his adoptive father, Iruka, in an apartment over at Kage Columns. The neighbourhood was nice and they had a view of the monument from their kitchen window. Still, Naruto often complained that he would rather live in a real house –Gaara usually then reminded him that it took the redhead 20 more minutes to get into the city since his block lay on the outskirts of the city. Gaara's entire block was filled with middleclass businessmen and women with small children they had no time for. It was 30 minutes to central Konoha by bus and 20 by car and an 'ideal place to raise children' what with its lush gardens and safe playgrounds. Of course, more desirable areas existed. On the northern side of the Kage Columns' Hill the houses and apartment complexes gave way to large manors with enough rooms to accommodate a small circus. Here lived both Ino and Chouji with credit to the good business of Akimichi Kitchen (Restaurant, server and take-away!) and Yamanaka Flowers (Weddings, Dates, Funerals and Table-decorations. We have flowers for every occasion!). North Hill was the most prestigious quarter in West Konoha. More expensive lodging only existed on Kage Mountain itself –exclusive villas and the occasional castle for the ludicrously wealthy climbed the slopes all the way to the infamous monument, reserving North Konoha and the North high school for the most prominent in the city. The prices of these mansions were topped only by a few selected penthouses in downtown Konoha.

So when Naruto had jumped off at his stop Gaara still had twenty minutes to go before reaching his. Usually he cherished the extra time to think but today he simply felt… empty. His little adventure the night before had gone severely out of hand and it wasn't all due to the picture in the papers. Naruto seemed distant and unfriendly and –well downright mean. Sighing, he leaned his head against the window, watching the trees and houses outside flash by without really seeing them. 'Perhaps Naruto's just upset I didn't tell him yesterday? That he had to find out from a paper… but that's hardly my fault! It's not like I wanted to have my face printed in the daily news.'

A slight buzzing alerted him to his phone –securely stuffed in the right front pocket of his jeans. He dug it out, staring at the name flashing on the screen.

New message From: H. Neji

Coffee today at 16:00? Akatsuki café.
- Neji.

It was one of those moments when time slows down and then speeds up –Gaara couldn't stop gawking at the message, somehow believing that if he looked away it would disappear.

'How the hell did he get my number? And… why do I have his? And… why would he want to have coffee with me?'

It was 15:47 and Gaara stood outside Akatsuki Café by the river in south-east Konoha. His palms were sweating; his entire body on high-tension alert and his eyes scanned the door for the seventh time –wondering whether he should go in or not.

He'd thought things through all day –weighed all possibilities against one another and arrived at the most logical conclusion for this –this get-together. Obviously Hyuuga wanted to discuss the article –get the facts straight –and make sure Gaara didn't get any ideas. This was the most plausible explanation. And yet, Gaara had taken another shower, dressed in well-fitted grey jeans and his favourite loose, wide-necked black t-shirt, fixed his hair and the slightly-smeared kohl around his eyes and brushed his teeth before leaving. Why? The answer was simple and still it made him uncomfortable.

He wanted to look good. He was madly attracted to the other male and some part of him wished that he had the looks to make the brunette want him the same way. Still, his heart and structured mind warned him of disappointment, loneliness and danger. 'Really. Only my primal instincts actually attracts me to him…' though that wasn't entirely true. His mind, the wicked, sly part, enjoyed the challenge, the mind game. The hunt and the dance.

He arranged his facial expression to a cold mask and entered the café. Finding Hyuuga wasn't hard, but during the time it took for his eyes to scan the room and identify the brunette sitting at a window facing the river was enough for his heart rate to double. 'Fuck I'm nervous.'

Mercury eyes settled on him as he nodded in greeting and slid down on the plush sofa on the opposite side of Hyuuga, careful to keep his movements collected. The cup of tea in front of the other was already half-empty, a sign that he'd been there a while. 'What does that mean? Did he get here early just to see me?' Gaara quickly dispelled the thought, he often found himself over-analysing during pressured moments. This, undoubtedly, being one of them. Neji Hyuuga looked even more stunning when sober, his rich dark hair collected in a low pony-tail and his body wrapped in a loose shirt and jeans tight-as-sin. Everything he wore looked casual and still Gaara knew the ensemble probably cost more than his sister made in a month. They stayed quiet, watching one another. Gaara expressionless and the Hyuuga with a small, polite smile that pissed the hell out of the redhead. They'd been down each-other's throats not 24 hours ago, wasn't that enough incentive to skip the pleasantries?

A waitress came sauntering over to their table, taking his order for a coffee –Black. No sugar. No milk. No cream. –and then left them both in –to Gaara –uncomfortable silence. They didn't utter a word even as she returned with the coffee and refilled the brunette's cup with steaming tea. Finally, Gaara had enough and let a scowl replace his impassive look.

"Why did you want to meet me?", he asked impatiently, growing even more agitated as the plastic polite smile only grew.

"Gaara-san, thank you for coming on such short notice", Hyuuga Neji's voice was deep and pleasant and much too nice. Gaara had seen a flash of the danger lurking in this man and yet there was no trace of it in his behaviour today. It could mean only one thing: yet another mask. Had he been less perceptive, and less experienced in the field of manipulation and mind-games, he might've wrote it off as the brunette being drunk the night before. But he wasn't less perceptive, or less experienced, and he didn't take bullshit like this laying down.

"It's Gaara. And drop the nice-guy act would you? It's giving me a headache." He felt a certain twinge of satisfaction as the pleasant, polite mask fell away to reveal cunning eyes and an arrogant –and oh so seductive –smirk.

"Gaara then."

And that was when Gaara realised that he wasn't flirting with danger –he was playing with fire while drenched in gasoline. The brunette shifted slightly in his seat and took another sip from his cup. He seemed content to leave the discussion there and spend the rest of the awkward meeting in silence. Gaara grew more annoyed, and at the same time more excited and more wary. He had never met a man so well-versed in games of the mind. All he did was perfectly calculated –which meant that the silence, the false polite behaviour, the immediate change to arrogance when caught, it was all part of his game. All meant to make Gaara uncomfortable and give him the upper-hand. 'Well.' He thought viciously, 'Your game.'

"If that's all," he said with the tone of someone finishing a business meeting. He stood up to leave. There was a flash in mercury eyes, but what kind he couldn't tell. But he got what he had played for; the brunette spoke again.

"Not finishing your coffee Scarlet?"

It was a game, a game, he couldn't get riled up. Instead he just shrugged and turned towards the door. Hyuuga Neji's voice hit him in the movement, hushed and sharp as a blade:

"Sit", it was a command. He had to bring up every ounce of pride he had to not obey it. 'We're still playing', he reminded himself. So he turned back to face the brunette, one eyebrow arrogantly cocked and a look of polite interest on his features. His mind was split in two, one part yelling and screaming at him for acting up in front of a dangerous man, wanting him to run, or else beg for forgiveness. The other part was cold as ice, calculating his every move and running at ten times the speed it usually did. Adrenaline coursed through his veins –he hadn't played for a long time.

"You had something else you wanted to talk to me about, Hyuuga-san?", he said smoothly. He enjoyed this far too much, to the extent where he couldn't tell if the high came from talking to a beautiful man like Hyuuga, or from riling him up with mind-games of his own. The only thing he knew for sure was that these were his waters, his field, and he wouldn't go down without a fight.

Hyuuga's eyes glittered threateningly and still he saw in them something akin to his own excitement. All players loved the game.

"I did. Sit", Gaara obeyed this time, sliding back into his seat and watching the Hyuuga heir with mock-expectation on his face. The brunette laid his hand to rest, curled up around the teacup, and stared back.

"I assume you have noticed the paper's sudden interest in you by now?", he deadpanned, suddenly straight to business. It felt like a victory, but a small and empty one. He'd been right all along. Hyuuga wanted to talk to him about the articles, the media, the mistake of last night. He had been right, and still, he couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"I have.", he made sure to keep his voice level, even though his insides had taken a deep plunge. This was it, the last time he would see the man. When he had acted like he'd walk away he'd known Hyuuga wouldn't let him, but when the man had said what he wanted, that would be the end of this brief acquaintance. He wasn't even sure what he had been expecting- or rather what he'd been hoping for. He had been afraid to search himself out to find the answer. But he did know now how he felt. As if a huge bucked of ice and crushed dreams had been tipped over his head. 'If it had been Naruto', he found himself thinking, 'then things would be different.' Bitterness crept up his throat, and then shame for hating his best friend for something that was really his own fault.

"They shouldn't have been able to get in to Jinchuuriki." Gaara only nodded, not meeting the other's eyes. His will to fight had died, the excitement from a moment ago washed away. He felt his icy insides grow heavy –he had to get out.

"Well", he spoke rapidly, wanting to leave. Naruto had warned him, told him he shouldn't put too much into it. Not to get hurt. Naruto who could have anyone he wanted. He felt nauseous. "I won't add to the scandal. If they ask me I'll tell them not to read anything into it and that we have nothing to do with one another." He looked up, refusing to leave without meeting Hyuuga's gaze –he was no bloody rejected school-girl –and finished: "Will that be all Hyuuga-san?"

He had already risen from his seat when the brunette answered.

"No. And the media is of no real consequence. I wouldn't meet with you in person over such small a matter." Gaara froze in the movement. Eyes wide, features wide-open and readable, he stared into the smirking face of Hyuuga Neji. It had been a trick, a diversion to make him weaken his defences. A trap. It hit him like a train, the chill inside him turning colder by terror.

'I lost.'

"Dinner tomorrow, I'll pick you up at seven." Hyuuga rose from his seat, ignoring the redhead still rooted to the same spot, he nodded his head in farewell with a smirk on his face. Gaara stared back, unable to make even the slightest movement even as the brunette walked away.

"Oh, and Gaara?", The redhead turned his head to see Hyuuga looking back at him halfway to the door, "My name is Neji."

He walked away, leaving Gaara behind. Neji.

'I lost.'

A/N: Nee, how's that for a first chapter? I have some serious plotbunnies in this one, and they keep mating with one another too…

Now, I know some of you are mighty confused by now, so I'll explain. I've tried to make Gaara as In-C as possible in this story, without ruining the plot. He just strikes me as the type of person who'd be brilliant at mindgames y'know? And that gives him a weapon to use against Neji too- cuz I hate writing about useless girlyboys who gets swept off their feet. A lot of Neji-interaction will be manipulative so if that bothers you- sorry.

As for Gaara's personality –no. he's not depressed. This won't be a angst-angstityangst fic.

In regards to Naruto and Gaara… well you'll just have to see won't cha? *kukuku* but they do have a deep but complex friendship and it will play a fairly big part in the story.

Other pairings will come along eventually. Some are decided already, others aren't.

(1) Every time I wake up past noon with a hangover that can only be a punishment from the heavens, I call my best friend. The conversation always starts the same way:
Me: I'm never drinking alcohol again in my life.
My friend: Meh, we'll see come Thursday.

REVIEW DAMMIT! (Or Chibi Neji show up on your doorstep looking all Fate-gave-me-the-right-to-call-you-all-losers-and-I'm-arrogant-as-fuck-ish.)