The Definition of Piety

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! They were wonderful.
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Eavesdropping

Hyuuga Neji was very apt at picking up on other people’s conversations. It would have been better to refer to it as something more polite than eavesdropping, but Neji saw no point in making things out to be other than what they were. So, yes, Neji occasionally found himself eavesdropping. It wasn’t hard to see the benefits of such an act, considering the type of information one could obtain by overhearing something that was originally supposed to be private. Neji was always eager to gain more knowledge, so he felt his actions were completely justified.

So, of course, he felt no amount of guilt when he found himself listening in on a particular interaction between Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.

“What in the hell is your problem, Sasuke-teme?” Naruto’s voice held that same edge of fury that Neji had heard so many times before, and as Neji activated his Bloodline Limit in order to peer through the brick wall that separated himself from the other two shinobi, and into the abandon alley outside of the Hokage building, which Naruto had drug Sasuke rather forcefully into, he noticed that the blonde had the other boy pressed against the wall, his tan hand fisted in the taller boy’s collar.

“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about.” Sasuke’s voice, on the other hand, was the complete opposite from his teammate‘s, it bore the same tone of disinterest that it always did and his face showed cold detachment as his black eyes connected with the blues ones that were currently demanding his attention. “Now, if you don’t mine, let go of me, dobe.”

The Jinchuuriki’s fist only closed tighter around the fabric he held in between his fingers. “Don’t give me that shit, bastard! You know exactly what I’m talking about!” Neji wasn’t sure what exactly had started this little tryst, but by this point Naruto was all but yelling at the Uchiha.

“You might want to quiet down, idiot, I’m sure you wouldn’t want someone to hear you and listen in.” There was something in the way Sasuke said this that made Neji wonder if possibly the youngest Uchiha knew that he was there…or perhaps it was the fact that he chose to look directly in Neji’s direction right at that very moment. Neji stood his ground anyway. He wasn’t even sure if the other really knew and even if he did, there was no way he was going to be intimidated by the likes of Uchiha Sasuke.

Naruto made a low growling sound in the back of his throat and murmured his typical insult of “teme” but quieted down nevertheless. “I’m talking about the fact that ever since I brought you back, you’ve had a kunai permanently implanted in that tight-laced ass of yours and I’m sick of it! I’m sick of the way you treat Sakura-chan and Kakashi-sensei. I’m sick of you never talking to anybody unless you’re proving what an asshole you are, and I’m sick of…” Naruto trailed off, his eyes suddenly breaking contact as they cast themselves downwards.

“What? What are you sick of, Naruto?” Sasuke’s voice was soft, but Neji noticed the slight edge that hadn’t been there before.

Naruto seemed to struggle with his next words, his cheeks taking on a slightly pink tint. For someone who always felt the need to babble and express every thought that he had, he was sure having trouble doing it now. “I…more than anything am sick of the way you treat me. It’s like you can’t even stand to be around me or something, Sasuke-teme. I mean, you were like that before, but this time it somehow feels worse. It’s like now you really do hate me.” Naruto finished, his voice wavering slightly by the end.

Sasuke’s cold demeanor seemed to falter at Naruto’s words, and there was almost a look of pain there as Naruto refused to meet the older boy’s eyes. “Naruto, I…I don’t…” Sasuke didn’t finish what he was saying as he noticed the way that Naruto was suddenly leaning in closer to him. Neji watched as Sasuke’s eyes widen in shock as it registered that the blonde haired boy’s lips were mere inches from his own and they were steadily moving closer. Neji held his breath as he saw that Sasuke was not moving away. They were so close, so close…and then it all came crashing down as Sasuke turned his head to the side at the last moment.

“What did you expect? I never asked you to bring me home. In fact, I told you not to. So, what? Is everything supposed to just go back to the way it was? Well, it doesn’t work like that.” Sasuke finished the last line with slight malice, his cold demeanor already back in place. “Now get off me, dobe.” Sasuke easily pried the other boy’s hand from his collar and both he and Neji watched as Naruto stood there in shock, his mouth opening as if he wanted to say something, before he closed it and his features fell into emotional vacancy. Without a single word he took off, leaving the Uchiha to lean heavily against the wall, his face cast downwards and his long bangs obstructing any view that Neji might have had of his eyes.

“I didn’t think you would be one to spy in on private conversations, Hyuuga.” Sasuke said quietly, not even looking up.

Neji was not surprised.

He emerged into the alley, his own features set in stone, despite the fact that his fists were shaking at his sides. “Well, you know very little about me, Uchiha.”

“Hn.” Was the only reply he got before the Uchiha turned on heel, attempting to exit the alley, but he was stopped by Neji's form standing directly in front of him.

“What do you want, Hyuuga?” Sasuke had begun to show his irritation at this point.

“How can he choose you?” Normally Neji would have not even attempted to talk to the stubborn man, but now he felt it was necessary to confront the Uchiha. The look on Naruto’s face had compelled him to.

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t give me that.” Neji snapped. “It’s not hard to figure out.”

Sasuke stood in silence for a moment, before peering directly into Neji’s lilac eyes. “I don’t see why it’s any of your business.”

“You’re probably right, but that doesn’t mean that I’m going to back off.” Neji stated lowly, never breaking the staring match that had been initiated. “I’ll make this quick, so listen closely, Uchiha. I don’t know why he’s chosen you but he has, no matter how much you don’t deserve someone like him. So, jump for joy, realize what you’ve gotten without having to work for it, and count yourself a lucky bastard. Do whatever it takes for someone as thick headed as you to realize it, but in the mean time stop hurting him. He’s done more than anybody for the people of this village and he doesn’t need this type of shit, especially from you.” Neji finished, inwardly congratulating himself for keeping his voice under control. Sasuke, on the other hand, seemed to be reaching his breaking point. His own fists began to clench at his sides, his knuckles turning white from the pressure, and his body was shaking slightly with repressed anger.

“Get out of my way, Hyuuga, or I swear I’ll make you regret it.” Sasuke stated dangerously, his Sharingan beginning seep red into his eyes.

Neji merely smirked as he felt the other boy’s chakra fluctuate. “I know you’ve got it in your head, Uchiha, that you are unbeatable and that you have everyone in this village cowering in fear of your power, but trust me when I say that I would be more than happy to help you test your theory.”

“I could kill you right now, Hyuuga.” Sasuke sneered.

“If you say so.” And with that, he stepped out of the way, opening up the path to let the Uchiha pass, and right before Sasuke jumped out of sight Neji stated quietly, “He loves you. Many would kill to have what you do. Don’t waste it, Uchiha.”

He turned from the other boy, not even glancing back as he stepped into the brighter light of the street. He wondered if that had really been a good idea. He began to ponder on perhaps going to the training grounds to clear his head when he heard a smooth voice from behind him.

“I would have done the same thing.”

Neji whipped around quickly to see Subaku no Gaara leaning against the wall, probably just having emerged from a meeting with the Godaime Hokage. Neji chastised himself for not noticing the other’s presence before.

However, he wasn’t the Kazekage for nothing.

“I doubt I really got through to him anyways.” Neji admitted softly, walking back to stand next to Gaara.

“I wouldn’t say that.”

For awhile they just stood in silence, both their minds racing from the previous incident. Neji still felt bothered by it all, and Gaara had no problem picking up on that.

“Would you like to talk about it?” The younger man asked, the words sounding strange coming from the usually antisocial boy. Neji had to fight the urge to look at the Kazekage as if he had sprouted tulips out his ass.

Neji thought for a moment before mentally shrugging. It might be nice to talk to someone. Especially if that someone would be able to understand fully how he felt.

“Alright, I’ll treat you to dinner, Kazekage-sama.”