Forgetting Sasuke

Disclaimer: Not mine. Simple as that.

This chapter got lost in the AFF glitch, so I'm reposting. I'll get the next chapter up in just a few days.

This contains spoilers of the manga up to chapter 270. If you don't want to be spoiled, DON'T READ.

That said, enjoy! ^__^

~~~~~


Naruto was chatting animatedly with Iruka when Neji and Sakura arrived, no doubt trying to coerce Iruka into treating to ramen after the competition.

“Sakura-chan!” he shouted happily, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. He was about to whisper something into her ear when he noticed Neji. “Neji, what are you doing here?” he asked bluntly.

“Same as you, Naruto, I’m here to help out,” he replied, noticing the serious look on the blond’s face. “I trust you and Hinata-sama had fun this morning?”

“Eh, yes, we did,” Naruto said, trying to hide an obvious blush as he gave Sakura a telling look. She immediately realized what was going on and broke into a wicked grin.
Neji raised his eyebrows, knowing there was some inside joke he was not privy to. He felt a pang of jealousy, but knew that Naruto and Sakura were really close and he had no reason to feel threatened. ‘She’s kissing you, not him.’

“You’ll have to tell me all about it later,” Sakura said, nudging Naruto in the ribs.

“Yep, I will,” Naruto said with a wink.

They both turned their attention back to Iruka who looked ready to have kittens. “What else am I forgetting?” he asked no one in particular.

“Well, it’s two-fifteen now,” Neji announced, “so shouldn’t we be getting the students ready?”

Iruka’s face fell. “Of course! I left them with Shikamaru for the last two hours… I hope they haven’t completely infuriated him yet.”

Sakura and Naruto exchanged a look. Shikamaru infuriated was just a factual impossibility. Getting furious would require caring, and Shikamaru was way too lazy to.

Iruka dashed off without telling any of them what else needed to be done, leaving the trio standing clueless in the training grounds.

“Well I guess we should get to the stands then, right?” Sakura suggested. Naruto nodded, grabbing Sakura’s hand to pull her off, leaving Neji to follow. The gesture was not unnoticed by him.

Neji eyed the boy’s hand in Sakura’s, and once more he chastised himself on being foolish. This gesture was something no different than Tenten had done to him millions of times before, and still continued to do even now that she and Lee were a couple. It was meaningless. “Isn’t Hinata-sama coming?” he asked.

“Mm. She wanted to wish Hanabi luck before it started. She’s meeting us there. She’ll be happy you’re here. Hanabi was a little upset that Hyuuga-san couldn’t make it.”

“Yes, I know,” he replied. Just as quickly as he’d grabbed it, Naruto released Sakura’s hand as though it were nothing at all. Neji felt foolish.

The stands near the track were getting crowded with parents and family of the academy students. They looked up and saw Hinata waving at them from the top. Naruto grabbed Sakura’s wrist, dragging her with him up the stairs as he took off to meet his girlfriend.

Neji felt a smile creeping up despite himself. Naruto had to be one of those people that loved to share and mix all aspects of his life. He remembered even when Naruto and Hinata first started dating how important it was to Naruto that Hinata and Sakura get along. He felt even more foolish for getting jealous and possessive earlier. Sakura herself had said that Naruto was her best friend, and of course they’d be open with each other.

Suddenly he wondered how open. ‘Did she tell Naruto about last night? What does he know about us?’

He continued up the steps, watching as Naruto gave Hinata a big hug and kiss and then got bumped to the side by Sakura’s hip so she could hug the girl. Hinata hid a blush as Sakura hugged her, and Neji suddenly realized that the inside joke Sakura and Naruto shared earlier must’ve had something to do with his cousin. He burned with curiosity as to what it might be.

Naruto sat between Hinata and Sakura, leaving Neji to choose where to go. He wanted Hanabi to be able to see him and Hinata both, so decided he would forfeit his nearness of Sakura. “Hinata-sama,” he nodded, sitting next to her.

“Neji-san, she’s nervous,” Hinata informed him. “She’s usually so fearless, but today…”

“She’ll be fine,” Neji said, patting her arm to reassure her. He looked past her to Sakura, whose eyes were transfixed on the students pooling together below on the sidelines.

“I think this is going to be the relay event,” she said. The students lined up at various parts of the track. “There’s Shikamaru,” she pointed to the jounin with his hands shoved in his pockets and slouched over, not even bothering to direct people to their places.

“HA!” Naruto laughed.

“He doesn’t get excited about anything, does he?” Neji asked.

“Nope,” Naruto replied. “He’s the laziest bastard in the world.”

“He’s brilliant though,” Hinata said quietly.

“No one’s arguing,” Naruto replied, “but it doesn’t change the fact that he’s lazy.”

“Must be fun for Iruka-senpai,” Sakura mused, “I mean he looks ready to have kittens, and Shikamaru-“

“Is absolutely useless!” a voice said.

“Ino!” Sakura said, jumping up to hug her friend.

“Did you hear he actually fell asleep during an exam he was giving the other day?” she informed the group.

Hinata’s eyes widened and Naruto snorted. “Well he fell asleep during all our exams back in academy, why not when he’s supposed to proctor them?”

“When Asuma-sensei found out, he yelled at him for two hours, saying he was setting a bad example for the students.”

The group laughed. Neji had only worked with Shikamaru once, and while he’d seen him in action and respected him as a shinobi, he didn’t know him very well personally and felt very out of the loop.

“Damn it!” Sakura shouted as four large men sat down right in front of her and Ino.

“So rude,” Ino said, equally perturbed. “Now we can’t see a damn thing. Is there any room down by you, Neji?” He nodded. “Come on, Sakura.”

The two girls stood and stepped over Naruto, Hinata and Neji to take the seats on his other side. Sakura sat down next to Neji and Ino next to her.

“Push over, forehead-girl, my ass is hanging off the bench.” Ino shoved Sakura with her hip, sending her right in to Neji. He caught her before she hit her head on his shoulder.

Neji and Sakura exchanged a look, each caught in the other’s eyes for a brief moment. The exchange was lost on their companions.

“There she is!” Hinata shouted, pointing down to Hanabi at the three-quarter marker of the track. “She’s last leg of the relay!” They all shouted her name and waved when she looked up. She smiled and waved back, giving them a thumbs up. When Sakura glanced back at Neji, she saw he and Hinata both had byakugan activated. She smiled.

“Welcome everyone to the…”

* * * * *

Hanabi had won first place, exactly as she’d wanted to. After the competition was over, everyone went down to talk with Shikamaru and mingle for a bit before going their separate ways.

The streets of Konoha were rather crowded, so the group kept close together. Naruto has his arm around Hinata’s waist, and Hanabi was walking just slightly in front of them. Neji and Sakura were just off to Hinata’s right.

“I’m so tired,” Hanabi muttered, trying to stifle a yawn.

“You should be, Hanabi-sama,” Neji smiled, “it’s been a long day for you.”

“Are you hungry?” Hinata asked. She nodded.

“Ichiraku’s!” Naruto said happily. He patted Hanabi on the head. “My treat.” The girl perked up. It was evident she was fond of her sister’s noisy boyfriend. Naruto gave her the attention she sometimes lacked and never talked down to her.

Sakura’s head peered out from around Neji’s shoulder. “All of us?” she asked devilishly, an eyebrow raised.

Naruto looked panicked. “I… uh…” He whipped out his coin purse and began counting.

“I was joking, Naruto,” Sakura told him, watching relief wash over him.

“Oh, good, because I didn’t have enough for everyone.”

Neji was acutely aware of Sakura’s fingers gently brushing against his every few steps. He wanted nothing more than to grab her hand and never let it go, but to do so would be obvious, a statement, one he wasn’t sure she was ready for.

They were about to walk through the curtains when there was a loud poof and a pink pig appeared.

“Tonton!” Sakura exclaimed, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

The pig stepped forward, letting Sakura grab the note tucked under the pearl necklace. She opened it to find Tsunade’s familiar handwriting scrawled. ‘Sakura, urgent business. Report immediately.’

“I’m sorry everyone, I have to go.”

“Is everything okay, Sakura-chan?” Naruto asked.

“I’ll let you know when I can.” She gave Neji one last fleeting look before picking up Tonton and disappearing.

* * * * *

“Shishou, what’s wrong?” Sakura demanded, entering the Hokage’s office to find Tsunade sitting behind her desk, looking grave.

“I’m sending you to Suna. The Kazekage has been afflicted with some sort of unknown disease and they don’t have the medical capabilities to assess what’s wrong. Shizune’s in rock country on a separate mission and you’re the only one I trust to look after Gaara.”

“I understand. We don’t have any idea of what it could be?”

Tsunade lowered her voice, staring hard at Sakura, “I suspect it might have something to do with the jutsu performed on him by the old woman. After having Shukaku extracted from him, he died. The old woman-“

“Chiyobaa.”

“-used a mysterious jutsu to save his life. Of course, due to the delicate nature of this, discretion is needed.” Sakura nodded. Tsunade continued, “I want you to find out everything you can regarding both Gaara’s current condition as well as the jutsu that Chiyoba performed that saved his life.”

Sakura noted the pointed look Tsunade gave her. She nodded. ‘She wants to find out everything she can in case they get Naruto and do the same thing.’

“You won’t be going alone.” Sakura was startled at this. Her puzzled expression was not lost on Tsunade. “Sand has been the target of various attacks and many skirmishes. Our own intelligence has not found anything out as of yet, so while you are there to aid Gaara, your team members will be doing reconissance. Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuuga Neji will be accompanying you. Be ready to leave in the morning.”

Sakura nodded. Tsunade stood and crossed the room, wrapping her arms around her apprentice in an unusual display of affection. “We have to find out as much as we can. I can’t lose him,” she whispered.

“I know.”

* * * * *

Neji stuffed his backpack full of clothing, scrolls, and weapons. He heard a gentle knock as the door slid open. “Neji-san?”

“Hinata-sama,” Neji said, turning to greet her briefly before finishing his packing, “I’ve been called for a mission to Suna. Unfortunately, I don’t know how long I’ll be away.”

Hinata nodded. “I’ll tell Otou-san when he returns.”

“I don’t need to tell you to look after Hanabi-sama.”

“Are Tenten and Lee going with you?”

“No. Kiba and I are going on this mission.”

“Watch out for Akamaru,” Hinata said softly. “If you get too close while he’s sleeping, he bites.”

Neji smiled to himself. Of course Hinata would give him such a simple warning, caring for him and wishing him to avoid harm. Neji had no intention of going anywhere near Inuzuka’s beast.

“Have Naruto stay with you if you need,” he said, zipping his bag up and pulling it onto his shoulders. He stopped and gave her a kiss on her cheek before slipping past her out the door.

* * * * *

Sakura finished gathering a few medical journals and scrolls, shoving them into her satchel. She double checked to make sure she had a blank journal with her for recording her findings with Gaara.

She felt mild apprehension about doing such intimate work with the Kazekage. He was no longer a psychopathic killer, but he was a man of few words and not much was known about him.

Yet she knew he and Naruto shared a bond she could never understand, the bond of the Jinchuriki. She planned on stopping by Naruto’s apartment anyway to say a quick goodbye, and figured if he had any tips for helping her deal with the Kazekage, she’d be grateful.

Throwing her bag over her shoulder, she switched off the light and slipped out the door.

* * * * *

Sakura knocked on the door a third time, realizing Naruto was probably still sound asleep. Rather than waking him so early in the morning, she tore a piece of paper out of a journal, scribbled a note and slipped it under the door for him to find. She knew Kakashi would’ve been informed of her mission already, so there was no need for her to worry about him.

She sighed and left.

* * * * *

“Yo, Neji!” Kiba waved as the Hyuuga approached. A giant Akamaru stood next to him, chomping on something Neji didn’t care to know about. “Some mission, huh?”

Neji merely grunted in reply. He saw Kiba’s bag slung over his shoulder, sizing up the younger man before turning and staring out into the distance. He was quickly losing patience. “What are we waiting for?”

“Sakura,” Kiba replied before straightning up. “Here she comes now.”

‘Sakura!’ Neji’s mind reeled, ‘She’s coming too?’

“Good morning,” she said cheerfully before stifling a yawn. “Sorry I’m a few minutes late.”

“No problem,” Kiba replied easily. “All set?”

“Mm,” she nodded, looking to Neji. Neji simply stared at her.

“Then let’s go!”

* * * * *

The three traveled in silence for a while, single file with Kiba in front, Sakura in the middle, and Neji in the rear. Not that they expected to find any trouble.

After an hour of stewing over the current situation, Neji finally lost patience and caught up to Sakura. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m part of this mission,” she replied, looking both surprised and hurt at his question.

“It’s dangerous.”

“And I’m more than capable,” Sakura replied, her voice rising in anger. “What exactly are you saying, Neji?”

Neji was startled by her anger, and realized he was probably sounding a bit chauvinistic. “I apologize. I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just surprised. I was given to believe this mission involved reconissance work for the attacks on Sand and that’s not exactly your forte. I didn’t mean to insinuate that you aren’t capable, I just meant that… Sakura, I don’t want to see you hurt.”

Her face softened. “I’ll be fine. I’m actually on a separate mission from you two. I’m here to aid the Kazekage in a medical inquest. Tsunade-shishou wanted to send us all as a team in the event of trouble.”

‘You’re an ass,’ Neji’s inner self chided. The reminder of Sakura being Tsunade’s apprentice made him feel even more foolish. Sakura was easily the most powerful kunoichi in Konoha excepting only the Hokage.

“I see,” he replied simply.

“I’m glad you’re here,” she whispered, “so I don’t have to miss you.” Her fingers slipped between his, squeezing gently.

“Come on, kiddies,” Kiba called from over his shoulder, “keep up.”