Zero Hour!

(A:N) I wrote like 50 AN’s for this chapter…but….here’s my fav…For the whole Cameraman experiment you guys call it. We have two popular suspects and two not so popular suspects that show great involvement.
In order by votes:
1. 50 percent- Rock Lee-Apparently the salute was a big clue.
2. 25 percent-Orochimaru-He’s already playing dirty.
3. 15 percent-Zabuza-maybe he’s got some strong feelings for Haku.
4. 10 percent-(And newest) Kawaii! Deidara!- I don’t know how “SilenceToBeBroken” figured that much out but I’m not going to say anything further. Also…(Sigh) Cameraman reveal-ing has been postponed…lol (Evil laugh) Wait until the end my pretties!
((Gives brownies to the people who reviewed)) Annieme-Please email me and I’ll answer all your questions okay sweetheart.


Disclaimer: I’m disclaiming this thing….I do not own any Naruto characters!
Warning: ((This chapter has 4 heavy Flashbacks)) I was extremely bored when I wrote this, it might seem crack-ish. No rules of writing involved, maybe even nothing with the plot…I don’t know, don’t care!


Chapter VIII
Pandora’s Waiting Radio


Does anyone even like high school parties? Actually it was technically a college party that was allowing high school students to attend, but the fact is that nobody really likes these types of parties. There are corners for people who wanted to come and look cool. Corners for people who apparently didn’t smoke enough on school campus, and lastly, tables for stupid high school cheerleaders to go and practice their future job; striping.

It was already half passed ten when Gaara finally walked in the house designated for the events. This time it was Gaara’s turn to hide under his hooded jacket. He kept his head low and reframed from making contact or conversation with anyone. He was alone tonight since Sasuke and Naruto were probably looking for him.

-----

((Flashback))

Gaara left the house before Naruto could see him. He jumped on the city bus and rode all the way to the other side of town without so much as a word to anyone. Of course this was hours ago. He had to make a few errands before he went to the damn party.

Unnoticed by anyone he knew, Gaara stopped at the city’s biggest post office. With him he carried a small box the he had wanted to mail personally but failed to see how that would benefit him.

“Hi there sweetheart. What can I do for you today?” The lady behind the counter at the post office was older with salt and pepper hair. Gaara didn’t want to seem rude but he always came across that way.

“I don’t need anything.” He said and looked away without a second care- “Thank you.”-make that a third care. He stood near the window to write all over the paper he was going to glue to the box. He scribbled a false address and made sure it couldn’t be traced back to him. (A:N, Isn’t that illegal? Oh well, this is Gaara.) Then from his pocket he grabbed another paper and put it on the ‘desk’ he was using. He copied down Haku’s address and with a glue stick-yes a glue stick-he stuck the paper to the box and walked back over to the counter where the woman was.

Gaara knew that Haku was going to know that it was from him but he decided he wanted to play a little more.

He didn’t smile as he handed the lady the small package. He just set it on the counter, drop a ten-dollar bill down and then proceeded to walk out. He had a few other places to be before Naruto and Sasuke found him.

Gaara didn’t wait for the bus this time, he could accomplish a lot more in fifteen minutes then waiting for public transportation. He looked down as he left the post office, his cell phone was vibrating in his pocket. Gaara ignored it and kept walking, he could just hear Naruto’s voice on the other end. They hung out way too much.

He walked into a store on the corner of the street. He'd never been inside before but he knew exactly what kind of place it was and what kinda of merchandise it carried. The store itself was a dark place. Black lights were on and the floors were of black carpet. At first glance, it looked like a harmless hardware store, but Gaara stepped into the back and pushed open a door that was ‘assigned’ to employees only.

The door led him down a small darkened hallway that he had to lean against the wall to navigate through. When he came to the end of the hall another door was in front of him. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

A dangerous man was standing behind a counter. Gaara wasn't the only ‘customer’ in there but everyone else was definitely older than he was. The man at the counter was shirtless and his entire torso was covered with artwork. He had two fairly good-sized plugs in his ear lobes and his lip was pierced twice on the left bottom lip. He seemed to welcome Gaara more then push him away.

The boy walked up to the desk that was made of glass so you could see what he was selling. Gaara stood in front of him and the man smirked hard.

"Hey kid, I'm not supposed to let minors in here." The man said with a gruff, but he still sounded friendly. Gaara never took his eye off the glass case in front of him.

"That one." Gaara pointed to a butterfly knife with a 3-inch blade. The man looked at the knife and then back at Gaara, who hadn't made eye contact yet. He was still trying to hide all his cuts from the world.

"What's a kid like you need with a fancy knife like that?" He tapped the glass and finally Gaara looked up. The man smirked and nodded when he saw the cut above Gaara's eyes. It was scabbing up but it remained pink and fleshy.

"He stole something from me." Gaara gritted his teeth. "I want it back. With or without his tongue to say so."

The man barked out a laugh and wiped one of his eyes dry. "Kid, I like you." He slid the door of the glass open and pulled the knife out, placing it gently on the counter. “I’ll tell you what, you do some lethal damage to this kid and keep my name out if it, you come back, the next knife is on me.” He nodded to Gaara and the boy nodded back.

His trip from the hidden shop led him to another store where he was going to do some last minute shopping. He blindly walked through the local Wal-Mart and played a few corners to end up in the electronics department. He walked through the few isles of CD’s and then challenged down the video game isle.

His phone vibrated again and this time he pulled it out. Of course Naruto was calling again.

“Hello.” Gaara said softly, touching the glass that held the games he wasn’t even going to play if he purchased one.

“GAARA! Where the hell are you?! Why haven’t you been answering your phone?! I was scared shitless and thought Neji had gotten a hold of you! Don’t you ever scare me like that again! Do you hear me?! I’ll kill-“

Gaara closed the phone and put it back in his pocket. Naruto knew he was alive now so he didn’t have to worry anymore. He shook out his hair and continued through the isle. He had no idea what he was looking for but he would know when he found it. He knew that Naruto had an xbox 360 and that he liked first person shooters, he would have bought the boy a game if he hadn’t just called screaming.

He left the section of games and walked to why he’d come in the first place…the camera isle. Gaara scouted through the cameras and located a nice simple digital camera with night vision and no flash. He picked it up and stared at it for a really long time.

“Can I help you?”

Gaara turned around to a sweet voice that was definitely belonging to a man. He growled to himself, it was just his luck that his brother would be working today. “You can’t help me with anything.” Gaara said, some of his anger gone. What’d he have to be mad about so late in the afternoon?

Kankurou just waved that off. “You’ve been avoiding me all week. How’s everything going?” Kankurou stared him down but Gaara didn’t say anything. “So then, if you won’t answer, I’m doing pretty good. Considering I live with a drunk and my little brother is dating an Uchiha. I’m doing really good.” He frowned but he wasn’t fooling Gaara.

“I don’t care Kankurou.” Gaara knelt down in front of the shelf and picked up a small box of the camera he wanted. Kankurou noticed the little shiny knife hanging out of Gaara back pocket.

“I hope you got that for some protection against a carnivorous beast.” He swiped the knife from Gaara and twisted it in his hands as he looked at it. “Seems new.” He looked at Gaara who was now staring at him, angrily. “Look, I don’t know what you’re planning but I know you don’t resort to sheer violence. If this is about Neji then you should just give up now.” Kankurou seemed concerned.

“It’s not.” He tucked the box under his arm. “As you can plainly see, I’m well over the Hyuuga.” He took the knife from Kankurou and stuck it back in his pocket. “I have things to take care of.” He started walking off but he stopped and turned back around. His brother was still watching him leave.

“I’ll see you later.” Gaara said in an even tone. He got a smile from Kankurou and a wave. He honestly did miss his brother, like he missed Temari but he wasn’t going back to that house. Someone had saved him once, but he wouldn’t be back to save him again.

((End Flashback))

-----

The party was quiet for the beginning. Gaara didn’t see anyone he wanted to have a conversation with so he played out in the corner of the living room that belonged to Ino. He was only making a small appearance for his sister, then he was going to leave. Unless he accidentally ran into the boy that stole his Neji, then he might need to stay for a while.

Gaara was sitting in the corner of the room on a stool he stole from the bar in the kitchen. He had his head down for the most part and a cup of whatever looked like coke or Pepsi, he was hoping for Dr. Pepper. He waited like that for about 15 minutes. People started coming in by the groups at about that time. The house filled quickly, and he waited…for her.

((Flashback))

“Gaara leave! Go on now!” His sister was yelling at him to get out of the house. He moved towards the door like he was told him to. He was limping and sporting a very nasty cut across his cheek. Gaara grabbed the handle to the door and turned it. There was rain outside. Thick rain, not the kind from a spring shower, but the kinda from a winter drag storm. Thunder rang outside and lightening blinded after it. Gaara walked on his probably fractured calf. He was waiting, hoping Neji would get there faster than he’d said he could.

A scream is what brought him back to the realization. He turned around so fast he could barely see for a second. Temari lay on the floor, cowering in front of their father. Gaara shook with nothing but fear. There was no one in the world that frightened him more than this man. He made the firm and strong Gaara look like a bowl of play-doh.

Gaara sucked up his fear and went back across the living room. He father smacked Temari across the face and she sat there crying, begging her father to leave Gaara alone. All she got in reply was another hit. Gaara shuddered as he moved closer. Their father had been in a traumatizing car accident several years earlier. As a result, he lost half his memory and saw Gaara as the punching bag for his frustrations.

The boy made it back to where his sister laid on the carpet holding her head. She cried pitifully as she begged for the man to stop. Gaara touched her shoulder and helped her up. He dragged her back away from their father and he watched, laughing.

“Are you trying to save her, brat? You’re no good to her. She’s begging for help because you’ve yet again pissed me off with your presence.” The man walked forward slowly, knowing Gaara couldn’t make it to the door with Temari and his bad leg.

In the back of the teens head he could still see his father, the way he had been a long time ago, but he wasn’t there anymore. Now Gaara had to worry about saving himself and his sister. Kankurou was away at work, which meant Gaara had to protect her, like she was trying to protect him.

Their father reached them in no time at all. He picked up Temari by her blouse and stood her up. “You’re being disobedient Temari. As the oldest I would expect you to listen.” He raised his hand-

“Let her go.” Gaara frowned, his head down but his eyes looking up like he was a lioness(not that Gaara’s a woman) getting ready to kill an antelope. The man looked at him then back at Temari and threw her across the room. She landed with her side hitting the edge of the coffee table. She groaned and held her hip, trying to get back to her brother.

“Gaara! Don’t do this for me, just go!”

Gaara’s father cracked his neck and then cracked his knuckles. The boy had no means of self-defense, he was positive he couldn’t take his dad on. Gaara shook as the man approached him. He could hear Temari screaming for him to leave, that the door was right behind him but Gaara couldn’t move by now.

Without enough time to think he was suspended in the air by a hand around his throat. Gaara grabbed at the hand and tried to pry it away. He couldn’t breath and he struggled to touch the ground with his feet. Temari was still screaming like it was going to magically make her father disappear.

Tears pained Gaara’s face. He wasn’t afraid to cry anymore, he was just too afraid not to. He just wanted piece of mind, he just wanted the man to let him go. He didn’t know why he was set off and cast aside from his siblings. He didn’t know why his father hated him so much. He wasn’t sobbing, wasn’t making any sounds, just letting a few tears race down his face as he tried with everything he had to breathe. Was this the end?

His father swung at him and caught him across his bottom lips with his ring. Gaara’s lip bleed but that was nothing compared to the fist that connected with his stomach. Gaara coughed, blood escaping his mouth. The man laughed and smacked Gaara for the fun of it. The boy brought his head up, still unable to breath enough for his body not to rattle.

He did the only thing that he could think of at the time. He coughed again and made sure he spit a mouth full of blood over his father’s face.

“You wanted blood didn’t you?” Gaara smirked as the red substance slid down his chin. His body broke down as he was tossed on the floor like a rag doll. He tried to get up but his father stepped on his right shoulder and put a great amount of pressure on the boy. Gaara screamed in pain as his shoulder popped out of place and cracked.

The pain was great and he reached up with his other hand to grab his arm but his father only pressed harder, almost as if he were bouncing on Gaara’s already broken shoulder.

“Stop it! Please!” Temari used her own broken body to pull her father away from her beloved brother. Gaara writhed and pulled his body from under his father’s foot but as he got away his father kicked him promptly in the ribs. Gaara rolled away and hit his head against the wall, knocking himself unconscious.

----
((Still Flashback))

Darkness. All he could see was darkness and his body was in pain. He felt like he was moving but he couldn’t tell if it was up, down, left, or right. He felt his body rumbl every few seconds as the black seemed to be fading. He could hear crying in the distance and a soft voice trying to settle someone down.

Gaara sat up and grabbed the side of his head. He could see but just barely and his shoulder felt like is was burning from the inside out. Pain ached everywhere around him and he could vaguely remember someone finally saving him from that man.

“Neji.” Gaara said, swaying back and forth in the backseat of a car. Temari snapped around from her seat in the front and jumped into the back. She pulled Gaara’s fragile body into her embrace and he let her warmth surround him.

Neji was in just as much shock as Temari and he pulled the car over in the parking lot of a gas station. He got out as fast as he could and opened the back door. He got in the back as well and helped Temari lay the boy out. Gaara squeezed his eyes shut as the pain from moving shot up in his shoulder. He felt like it was cold against his skin and he looked over to see Temari with a bloody rag in her hand, pressing it over shoulder.

“What’s wrong with my arm?” He asked since he couldn’t quite see what she was doing. His head was laying in her lap and she was stroking his hair with one hand while the other kept him from seeing what was causing so much hurt.

“Shh, Gaara. It’s okay now, we’re safe.” She began crying again. “We’re going to be okay. We’re on our way to the hospital.” She shook at the sound of the words and her sobbing got worse. That’s what scared Gaara. He jerked his body and tried to get up, startled now by the need to have a doctor look at him. What exactly was wrong?

He managed to get up but he didn’t get very far when Neji pushed him back down. He held Gaara there as gently as he could. His hand laid lightly over Gaara’s chest. His eyes shot from the wounded shoulder to Gaara’s eyes.

“Stay still.” Neji warned, he seemed to have a lot of concern in his eyes. “We don’t know what you moving around could do.” He tried to sound like he wasn’t worried but it was written all of his face. Gaara was about to say something but Temari hushed him. He could tell she wasn’t taking this very well and that was upsetting him.

“Shh, Gaara. It’s-it’s not that bad.” She broke down after that. Her tears wouldn’t stop and she shivered as she touched his arm. Temari leaned down and kissed his forehead. “We won’t be okay. Oh God.” She cried. Neji left his side of the car and walked around to her. He pulled her reluctant body out of the car while she screamed she wanted to stay with Gaara. Neji got her out and closed the door. He pulled her over to the convenient store and stuck her against the wall.

“You’re only making it worse. Stop scaring the hell out of him. He’s had enough to scare him tonight. Temari I know you’re afraid for his well being but he’s going to be okay. I won’t let him go back to that house. I’ll let him stay with me if I have to. Now you’re just going to need to calm down.”

She threw her arms around him and cried into the crook of his neck. He held her and rocked her back and forth. He kept whispering that she was going to alright and that they would protect Gaara. He consoled her as much as he could but he was afraid to leave Gaara alone for too long.

In the car Gaara was too afraid to look at what all the fuss was about. He couldn’t even get up to see what Neji and Temari were doing. He shook from the night air that was getting to him. He wasn’t covered up but he wasn’t really concerned about being cold. He somehow sat himself up and pulled away the bloody rag. It was half dripping with his contents and something kept telling him not to look and see why.

So instead of looking Gaara decided touching his arm would be better-not a very good decision on his part. He slowly felt up his arm until he got to his shoulder. First he felt drying blood…then flesh…then-

Neji slammed Temari against the wall. “Stay there!” He raised his voice and turned around to run back to the car. The scream that had come from the car was not something he would have imagined could come from Gaara. It was bloodcurdling, unnerving…terrifying. Neji wasn’t afraid of much in life but-

“Gaara.” He threw the door open and found his boyfriend’s hand covered in the red stuff that had been seeping from his shoulder. Gaara was wide-eyed and shaking. His lips were moving but he wasn’t saying anything. Neji crawled over him and picked up the rag, placing it back over the open wound.

“Gaara, listen to me-“ He leaned over the redhead and let their torso’s rest against each other as he stroked the boy’s face. “-you’re going to be just fine. It’s not as bad as you think it is.” He nodded as if it was helping.

“A…bone-” Gaara shuddered. “-out-“ His eyes fell low. “-shoulder.” He wasn’t even making sense but Neji knew what he was trying to say. He put a hand over Gaara’s mouth and shook his head.

“Don’t think about it, just look at me.” Neji didn’t know what else to do but Gaara did look at him. He looked at him and then looked away again. He didn’t want to cry but everything hurt from the inside out.

“He’ll just come looking for me.” Gaara said, looking back at the other. “He always does, and I always go back.” His nose grew red and he held back every emotion he thought was trying to show, it wasn’t working. Neji could see right through him like an empty glass.

“No, Gaara. He won’t ever touch you again. Do you hear me?” The anger blazed passed his teeth. He hated the man for doing this. If Temari wouldn’t have stopped him, Neji would have killed him for even laying a finger on ‘his’ Gaara.

‘I almost lost him.’ Neji thought. He really felt weak now. He didn’t know how to handle the situation at all. He was just as clueless as Temari. They didn’t even know if the hospital was the right place to go. The nurses and doctors would see all of Gaara’s scars and they would take him away from Temari and Kankurou. Gaara would try to kill himself if that happened.

“Neji…” Gaara turned his head and looked towards the front seat, away from those piercing eyes. Neji felt like he was lost again. Gaara’s eyes were heavy with tears but Neji knew he wouldn’t cry in front of him.

“Just stay quiet for awhile. You’re body’s in no position to be making conversation.” He noticed that Gaara wasn’t shaking anymore, but had warmed his body up to match with Neji’s soft touch.

“…I love you.”

Neji’s body went stiff at the softness of Gaara’s voice. His mind couldn’t register the words he’d heard. Gaara had never, Neji had never….They’d never-

“Gaara!” Temari broke back in the car before Neji could say anything. “I couldn’t wait, I had to see him.” She whined, wiping her red nose. Neji moved slowly, lifting his shocked body off of Gaara. Temari glared at him when he finally moved away. She pulled Gaara’s body to her and held him close, whispering things to him.

Gaara loved her, he really did. He appreciated her love in return. He appreciated her touch and her embrace and her need to protect him. He loved her for all that, for being a mother to him. For being the only one to ever show him compassion as a child. Gaara loved Temari…but right now he loved another.

((End Flashback))
-----

“You look sad.” A voice startled him. “Are you missing someone?” Her sweet voice was a jolt the erased all his hurt and fears. Gaara looked up to see her smiling face in front of him. This was what he’d wanted. He needed to see her so she couldn’t protect him again.

“Temari.” He stood and dropped his empty cup on the floor. He walked to her, slowly. He wanted to reach his arms out and fall into her. He wanted to cry and beg her to take him back with her, but he couldn’t. They had separate lives now. She…loved someone else.

“Look at you.” She hugged him tight and then backed up to look at him. She was smiling until she saw all the cuts on his face. “Look at you.” She said again. She raised her eyebrow, she wasn’t going to freak out just yet, she needed an explanation first.

“I’m fine.” He half smiled but she saw passed it. She removed his hood and grabbed his chin, looking him over. She shook her head but didn’t overreact like he thought she was going.

“You seem to be holding up pretty well without me. I’ll just pretend those are from school fights.” She smiled. Gaara didn’t know why she wasn’t flipping out and smothering him. He didn’t like this new Temari. She’d begun to grow up and trust him more, letting him have his space. He didn’t want space, everyone was trying to give him space…He. Did. Not. Want. Space.

Temari could feel Gaara tensing and untensing in her arms. She kissed his forehead. “I’ve missed you.” She rocked him for a second and then let go to look at him again-for the millionth time.

‘Come back’ He tried to ignore the burning in his eyes. ‘Neji’s gone, Sasuke’s gone…you’re gone. I have no one else Temari.’ He spoke to himself. Not wanting to upset her and take away her smile.

“Kankurou tells me you’ve been ignoring him. Don’t be like that to him Gaara. He’s all you have out here right now. He’s your only protection from that man. You need to pay more attention to him. He loves you too.” She ruffled his hair. He didn’t know why everyone kept doing that.

“Temari!” Someone shouted from across the room. She looked at Gaara with her loving smile.

“Don’t go off too far, we have a lot to catch up on. I’ll be right back.” She strolled off to the other side of the room. Leaving Gaara all by himself…again.

Damn those nosy people who wanted to take over his sister and claim her for themselves. Didn’t they know that Gaara needed her? That he wasn’t safe without her? That he’d been having a horrible life since she’d left him to melt in this rat hole place?

Meanwhile, on the other side of town in his own car, driving by himself, Neji was in silence. He hadn’t seen Haku for the entire day and he had no clue where his other so-called best friend was. The femi was what concerned Neji more though. He hadn’t taken the whole ‘picture’ incident very well.

He only wanted a drive to forget the whole thing but he couldn’t. He couldn’t forget that look in his lover’s eyes. And he couldn’t forget how much it hurt when Haku broke down in front of him and cried. Apparently Haku didn’t like being the ‘School Slut.’-Not that Neji thought he was. Haku hadn’t been with anyone, but everyone had been with Haku. That was nowhere near his fault.

Neji felt bad about it. No matter how popular Haku was, he would always remain the ‘slut’ and now the ‘home wrecker’. Neji couldn’t rescue him from everything. Much like he couldn’t do anything about the pictures Haku had found-not belonging to him. He didn’t even have time to explain why he had the pictures before Haku started chewing him out.

((Flashback number3))-Sorry about this guys…There are four flashbacks for this chapter. I need to clear up some loose out ends.)

Neji stood in the doorway of Haku’s room. The boy had never let him come this far but he was sure he wasn’t going to be staying very long. Neji swallowed his fear and stepped forward, approaching his lover with the greatest of carefulness. He had no idea how Haku was taking this. In fact, Neji had no idea what Haku was holding.

“What are you talking about? What are those?” Neji asked, curiously looking at the objects in Haku’s hand as he walked closer. Haku stood a step back when Neji was close enough to extend his arm and touch him.

“Don’t you dare do that. Don’t play dumb with me. I just asked you the same question, Neji. Now I want an answer.” Haku actually didn’t seem mad, he just seemed uncertain about a lot of things. Neji decided to attempt the situation from a different angle. He didn’t know what was on the pictures but it couldn’t have been that bad, right?

Neji grabbed his pants off the bed and stepped into them. Hell if he was gonna go toe to toe with the femi while he was dressed in a towel. He slid into his shirt while Haku stood impatiently and watched. He turned to Haku just as the boy was tying his hair in a low ponytail. Neji hated to wonder why he was pulling his hair back like that-not that it took away from his beauty.

Neji put his hand out and silently asked for the pictures. Haku upper lip tweaked with anger. He held onto the pictures as tight as he could. He didn’t take a step forward or a step back, he just waited, half of himself not knowing how to deal with this. He wanted to just fall on the floor and curl up in a little ball.

“So that’s it?” He breathed. “You’re getting dressed to leave? You’re just going to leave and not explain these to me? What do you take me for?” He finally moved, only to smash the pictures against Neji’s chest and stock off towards the bathroom. Neji ignored his exit and looked down at the captured scenes.

His breathing picked up and he looked from the pictures to the door that Haku had just walked through, then back to the pictures. What were those small words printed at the bottom?

-I want to remember you Haku-
-I’m keeping you with me, always-

Huh? Neji didn’t write that. If the picture itself wasn’t a shot against Haku then surely the writing was. And Neji had no clue who's writing it was in the first place. And for that matter he didn’t know where the hell these fucking pictures had come from. Neji left the room and pounded on the bathroom door.

“Haku, would you come out of there. Are you seriously blaming me for this? Give me a break.” Here he was again talking to a door. He knocked again and jiggled the handle. “This is really childish Haku. I don’t know what you’re doing in there but you need to come out so I can explain this. I refuse to do it with this door between us.” He heard the sink turn on and apparently Haku was rinsing his face off-or drowning himself.

“That still doesn’t explain why you have them!” Haku kicked the door after several silent minutes when Neji had finally gone quiet. “What am I to you?!” Haku pulled the door open so swiftly Neji almost fell in but Haku pushed him away and he kept pushing him until they were back in the bedroom. Neji grabbed his wrists and held him still. The boy was crying by now and Neji didn’t know what to do.

“Could you just calm down for a second. I don’t even know what’s going on here. Where’d you find the pictures?” He asked, still trying to seem innocent, though Haku had other reason to believe the boy was a liar.

“What?! Where did I find them?! Were you trying to hide them from me? What kind of sick game is this?! Neji, something’s gotten into you.” Haku whined as he tried to free himself from the Hyuuga’s grasp but Neji wasn’t going to let go until he found out just what the hell was going on.

“There you go again, blaming me when you don’t even know what’s going on. I don’t even know what’s going on for that matter.” Neji put Haku’s hands down at his sides. “Now we can be civil about this. I’ll ask you one more time. Where’d you find the pictures?” He took a deep breath and thought about where the hell they might have come from.

“Where’d I find them…” Haku’s voice was calm. “Where’d I find them?!” Not anymore. “You stupidly left them in your jacket pocket! I can’t believe I gave myself to you!” The hand rule wasn’t working. “You’re supposed to be the one protecting me!” Haku pushed Neji yet again and the Hyuuga staggered back to meet the bed with the back of his legs. He remained standing as Haku continued to beat him in the chest without his closed fists.

“Well I can’t! I can’t keep taking care of you! I’m tired!” Neji finally forced Haku off him. Fresh tears weld up in Haku’s eyes and then they came crashing down. He wiped them away but they kept coming. Neji tired to step forward and touch him but he wasn’t having it. Haku turned away and covered his eyes, shielding his hurt.

“This is all just a big mistake. How do you even know they’re mine?” Neji asked, since he had nothing else to say at that moment. First Haku wanted him at the game so Neji gave him what he wanted and now he was deliberately trying to piss Neji off, which was working fairly quickly.

“You’ve yet to tell me they aren’t.” Haku pointed out. Neji stood still and went through the entire fight since he’d taken the pictures in his hand. Haku was right, Neji hadn’t said they weren’t his or he didn’t know where they’d come from, not even once.

“I-I don’t…th-ey aren’t…” Neji voice was caught in his throat. He’d been defeat when the problem wasn’t even his to start with. No matter what he said now Haku wasn’t going to believe him. He should have just told the boy he didn’t know where the pictures had come from, from the start. Then maybe he would have had a chance.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Haku turned around, eyes dry, nose bright red. He wanted to cry, he needed to. He couldn’t imagine why Neji would do something like this. He knew the boy inside and out, but this? You’d think Haku would have been proud that Neji wanted to keep ‘watch’ over him but he wasn’t. This wasn’t the love he wanted, this was…too far off in the other direction.

“I’m not leaving, not until you listen to me.” Neji stated firmly. He really wanted Haku to listen but the boy didn’t really seem like he was in the mood for caring about excuses now.

“I’m done listening, Neji.” Somewhere in between the time he’d turned around and now his voice had gone hoarse and it cracked as he talked. He sounded like he was going through a great deal of suffering.

“I am not leaving this house until you let me explain. I’m not driving home with this guilt, not this time.” He was slowly becoming very angry. Haku could hear it in his voice but he didn’t care, he was angry too. Angry that they’d come this far to be ship wrecked on an island of lies and misleading.

“You’re tired remember. Tired of taking care of me and protecting me. You never loved me, so at least we know you’re not tired of that.” A few strands of his hair fell loose as he walked passed Neji and kissed him lightly on the cheek. “Don’t…don’t come back.”

“…Haku I-“

“Just leave…please.” He fell on his bed and sobbed into his pillow. The sadness emitting in his room was so heavy that Neji felt like he was physically being pushed out. What could he do now as the boy cried to himself? All he wanted to do right then was hold Haku and console him. Tell him he loved him and he would never do such a thing. Haku’s mind was a terrible place and it was one tracked. You couldn’t convince him of anything he’d already convinced himself.

Neji picked up his jacket off the floor. “I don’t know why I’m leaving. I should stay here with you.” He slid his arms into the sleeves. “I don’t care what you think is true and I don’t care what you think is a lie. They’re not my pictures. I didn’t take them, I didn’t ask for them, I don’t know how the arrived in my possession. You know better than anyone that people are out to get me, out to get you perhaps.” He threw on his hood and kept talking since he could find every word in his mind to say now.

“You’re right.” He nodded even though Haku couldn’t see him. “Something has gotten into me.” He took a long pause but the other never looked up. “I’m falling in love, Haku.”

((End Flashback))-Nasty Cliffie huh?!

------

Neji hated the way he was feeling. He hated the way he’d just left Haku’s house while they were still on bad terms. It seemed like history was repeating itself and Neji just wanted to leave town and never come back. He would have too, if he didn’t want to apologize to Haku. He would have left, but he needed to find a certain redhead and make him pay for sticking those pictures in his pocket. Oh yeah, he knew.

He got to the party late. A little after midnight late to be exact. He didn’t really care, he was only coming for one reason. No matter how upset Haku was he’d always come out for a party to get his mind off of things. Neji needed to find him. He didn’t know why he felt such a sharp pain for ‘hurting’ Haku but he needed to clean things up.

When he got inside the party was a mess. People were falling all over each other, there was extra loud music that sounded bohemian for the potheads, and there was…Gaara. It was just Neji’s luck that Gaara would be the first person that was even partly interesting to him. He stared for a second, heart beating fast. Their parking lot blues the night before had left him with chills the size of mini marshmallows. (That’s actually kinda freaky)

And what did Neji see after he saw Gaara when he walked in? Wait for it…Now…Gaara holding a knife to Haku’s throat. Neji didn’t move for a minute. He didn’t know how to take in the scene. On one hand he had Gaara, usually helpless and now defending himself. On the other hand he usual instigator Haku who was now defenseless. Unfortunately neither of these two were on his side at the time. Who was he going to save and who was he going to bark at?

He had no idea, so he waited and let it play out on its own. Haku wouldn’t have been in this position had he come to the party with Neji and Gaara wouldn’t be in this position via Haku’s mouth which wouldn’t have happened if Haku had come to the party with Neji. Are we all clear on that?

((Over to Gaara and Haku while Neji’s watches within earshot))

“Are you really planning to cut my pretty little throat, Gaara?” Haku giggled and put his fingers in Gaara’s hair, twisting his locks. “Go on, you’d be doing me a favor.” He tilted his head back and gave the boy access to his Adam’s Apple. “Oh? What’s wrong, are you afraid to kill me?” Haku laughed.

“Shut up!” Gaara took the end of the knife and dug it into Haku’s shoulder. He boy cried out in pain but it wasn’t as if anyone cared. I bet you’re wonder why nobody cared that Gaara; the murderess psychopathic high school student was about to stab Haku; the feminine all-star of the gays. There are two good reasons for that.

One: Gaara and Haku were surrounded by at least a hundred drunken people.
Two: Haku and Gaara were surrounded by at least a hundred drunken people.

“You’re not gonna do anything. You would have by now.” Haku didn’t move as he looked up to the ceiling. “You know, you and I aren’t that different.” He got serious and stopped his girlish laughter.

“Don’t compare me to you.” Gaara said softly. “I’m nothing like you.” He flipped the knife around and let the blade stick a few inches away from Haku’s neck.

“Oh? We’re not? You could have fooled me.” Haku shrugged. “We were both used by him and tricked. He may have loved you but he left didn’t he? Ended up with me just like it should have been.” He smirked. Gaara gritted his teeth but he couldn’t find the guts to stab the boy.

“You think that’s bad? You don’t believe me?” Haku’s hysterical laugh scared Gaara but he didn’t back up. “He’s doing the same thing to me.” He got really quiet and stared at the redhead. He didn’t know what to say, he felt like he’d been causing trouble himself. He’d talked about Gaara everyday, pestered him, and hated him. Now in his own way, he felt the same.

“See? The same.” Haku was breathing calmly and staring at his eyelids He didn’t know what Gaara was planning but he didn’t really care anymore. He was alone now, no Neji no peace of mind. He really just wanted to go back home and not leave the safe space of his room.

“What are you talking about?” Gaara eased away from him. He no longer had the courage or the anger to deal out any lethal damage. He still had good reason to hate Haku but did he really feel like blaming someone who’d fallen for Neji? He himself had fallen and that had been a mistake all its own.

“Neji loved both of us once. At the same time, at different times. Try as I might I could never get him to stop loving you. You can only imagine how stressful this has all been. I never did it because I didn’t like you. I did it because I wanted him to get over you. You messed him up and he’s never been the same. I thought I could fix that.” He grew silent.

“He loves you now, so why do you care?” Gaara said, like it was hard for him to admit. And it was. He didn’t want to believe that Neji could ever love anyone else after everything they’d be through together.

“That’s what he says.” Haku sighed. “That doesn’t mean it’s true.”

-----

((Haku remembers))-This is the only POV I will ever do for this story and it belongs to Haku-

That night…

That night you loved me. You didn’t care who I was, what I was. You wanted me…finally. I also wanted you.

My Neji had been hurt and i just wanted to erase it from his memory. I just wanted to show him that love didn’t have to be so hard.

So you laid with me, touched me and kissed me all night. You were mine then and I wanted you to know you were mine.

I was weak though. I climbed into your bed and made love to you but you had plans to use me all along. I thought if I gave myself to you then you would see that I was the one you should have been with from the beginning. I really wanted nothing more than for us to be together. I adored the way you kissed me and left me speechless.

You said to me, “Haku, you’re beautiful.” I blushed so much. I remember because you were laying on top of me and I suddenly couldn’t breathe. No one had ever said that to me before. I’ll never forget it.

I’ll never forget how your body was heavy above mine but I wanted it to be so. How when your lips touched mine, I wanted to do things I’d been running from my whole life. I wanted you to replace all those horrible memories. I wanted you to really be my first time.

I was going to let you be my everything and rescue me from this horrible prison of battered shame those disgusting men let me walk around with. I knew you could erase those imagines. I wanted you to. I wanted you to be the only one I ever wanted to lay eyes on again.

You were gentle with me and I appreciated every minute of it. I loved you so much and you never knew. I’d never told one single soul that I was in love with the greatest Hyuuga there was. Whether you were in love with Gaara or not, I still wanted you. I couldn’t convince myself otherwise.

I seemed a little tense that night. The night where you took a hold of my waist and kissed my stomach. I giggled and curled my toes as you took your tongue across body and up to my chest. You kissed my shoulders and neck. I kept my body still but I wanted to move. I wanted to hold you and kiss you too.

You moved away so quickly after that. I sat up to look at you and the grin I saw while you took off your pants made the butterflies in my stomach evolve into little sparrows. I tried not to smile too much when I knew what was about to happen.

I was finally about to feel you and be apart of you. It’s what I wanted forever. For as long as I could remember seeing your face. Maybe I was finally receiving your love in return.

My body lie naked under you as we kissed. My lips ached for yours and I begged you never to let go of me with my soft moans. I swear my back arched on its own as you wrapped your slender fingers under my chin and invoked a taste upon me that I couldn’t deny.

My legs spread purely by instinct and I wrapped them around your lower back. I wanted you closer. I needed you to know I was allowing you to have me and do whatever you wanted.

When you broke the kiss and moved down my body I knew where you were going, I stopped you as quickly as I could.

You put a finger to you lips and laid me back down. “Shh, it’s alright.” You pressed a hand against my chest and I didn’t moved for fear of upsetting you. My eyes closed tight at the first sign of your lips burning kisses of the tip of what was my precious place.

At first I pleaded for you to stop and told you it wasn’t necessary. Then I demanded you continue. I had never been on the receiving end before and it felt like I’d been placed in another dimension designed specifically for pleasure.

You worked fast, but your tongue was a monster that will always haunt me. I could remember breaking my nails on the sheets as I grabbed them and tried not to scream when I released all of myself. You didn’t move and swallowed every bit.

I laid back down after having sat up to stop you, but to no avail. In seconds you were back above me crushing your lips against mine to make me taste what I’d done to you purely by accident. I didn’t care, whatever kiss of passion I could receive from you was too good.

I breathed hard when you let me go. You backed away from me and leaned down to my ear. I bit my lip as you whispered all kinds of things…but one thing stuck out more than anything.

You said, “Make love to me, Haku.”

I choked on your words for you. My eyes were bigger than they’d ever been in my entire life. I was in awe at you straightforwardness. The Neji I knew had never been so blunt. I didn’t care though. You wanted something from me this time. Just like I’d wanted something from you.

I was honored that you chose me. I was honored that you wanted to accept my love and finally return it. You would finally see that we’re perfect for each other. We were perfect for each other…

((End little thinking/remembering-ness))

-----

“He’s not mine anymore.” Haku said to Gaara. The boy had moved away and closed his knife. He folded his arms and stared at Haku like he didn’t believe him. How could he anyway? Haku was the Queen of all liars and tricksters. However, he didn’t joke too much when it came to Neji. In any way, Haku genuinely looked heartsick. The boy dropped his head.

“He’s not what you think Gaara. You’re fighting for him and all he’s trying to do is get away form you and use me. He’s not worth your time.” Haku shrugged. “If you never hear another word I say, then that’s fine but remember that.” Haku shook his head and stepped of the wall he was up against.

A shadow cast over them and they simultaneously looked at him. Neji didn’t look confused or angry. He just looked like he was at least trying to come up with something to say.

“Can I talk to you?” He directed that at Haku but didn’t ignore Gaara’s presence-not that he could do that anyway.

“Save it.” Haku exhaled. “You talked all you wanted last night. I don’t have anything left to say to you.” Haku looked from him to Gaara and then to the floor. He sighed. “I’m heading home, goodnight Gaara.” He walked away and Neji tried to grab him but Gaara pushed him up against the same wall Haku had been up against. Haku looked back and almost laughed, then he disappeared into the loads of people.

“You want next?” Gaara asked. “Cause I’m about ready to put a few holes in you.” He growled but Neji’s expression didn’t change from cool and calm.

“So you two are best friend now?” Neji smirked. “You’re sick.” He chuckled. “What’s wrong with you?” He asked, even though he hadn’t meant to sound like such a dick.

“Nothing, I’m just finally starting to see what everyone else saw in you from the beginning. What I was too blind to notice. You’re a horrible person. I should hate you.” He snarled. “I should, I want to…but I can’t.” He backed away. “Stay away from me Neji.” Gaara went off in the opposite direction Haku had gone.

“You’re upset because I don’t love you anymore. I can understand that.” Neji massaged his neck since that’s where Gaara had been holding. Gaara stopped walking and was on him again in the next second.

“Admit whatever you want to yourself.” Gaara twirled the knife slightly into Neji’s skin and pricked a small hole. Neji’s eye twitched. He couldn’t believe Gaara had just done that.

“You love me and you know I love you. You’re just afraid I’ll love Sasuke more. Like I was afraid you’d love Haku more.” Gaara grinned. “But look at you now, Neji. You’re all alone while everyone else has someone to love them. Does it feel good?” He let the Hyuuga go and Neji tapped the spot of blood on his neck.

“I’m only alone because of you. I know it was you.” Neji said, getting irritated by the turn of events. Gaara frowned-he would have raised an eyebrow but he doesn’t have any. Neji slyly slipped a hand onto Gaara’s shoulder and stared.

“You know…what was me?” Gaara smirked, knowing that the Hyuuga was smart and probably figured out everything that was supposed to be falling into play in a couple days. Gaara mentally laughed.

“Don’t play with me Gaara. You put those pictures in my pocket last night. You put me in a very awkward situation. You framed me and Haku left me for it.” Neji narrowed his eyes and applied pressure to the shoulder he was holding.

“I was warning you.” Gaara said smoothly. That was partly true. He was warning Neji and trying to I piss him off at the same time. Score: Gaara four, Neji zero.

“Warning me? You don’t even know who took them. I don’t even want to know how they got in your possession.” Neji backed up as he started to think about it. He was blaming Gaara for the mess with Haku but that still didn’t help him figure out whose fault it really was. Gaara couldn’t have known Haku would have gone through Neji’s jacket. Was he really trying to help?

“How do you figure I don’t know who took them?” Gaara asked. He hadn’t said anything to that effect. There was no way Neji could have known that unless someone had said something-

“Naruto.” Neji leaned against the wall. “By accident of course. I overheard him and Sasuke talking last night right before we had our encounter. You’re suspicion of Lee was way over thought. You know he’d never do it.”

“I’m not talking to you about this. You probably hired someone.” Gaara laughed. “Isn’t that what Haku thinks you did?” Gaara crossed his arms. “I hope to God you did, and I hope he finds out and pulls your dick off. God knows you deserve it.” Gaara started to turn away but it was Neji’s turn to inflict some kind of pain on someone.

“Haku wasn’t the only one.” Neji said. “There were others, dozens maybe. I could have anybody I want. You weren’t even at the top of my list.” Neji had a smug look on his face. Gaara kicked him and pushed him against the wall. He didn’t pull his knife back out, he only needed his hands to squeeze the boy to death.

“Go ahead and say that to me one more time. I don’t think I heard you when you said ‘Gaara please kill me.’ Or are you just trying to rattle my nerves. You’d better be careful Neji. I might love you but I’ll cut your throat open if I have to.”

“Gaara stop!”

He turned around to see his sister with a not so happy smile anymore. She was standing with Naruto and Sasuke who were equally shocked. Temari pulled Gaara off Neji and held him by the arm but he snatched himself away from her.

“What do you care Temari? You left me! Twice! He left me, everyone did! Dammit!” He walked between Naruto and Sasuke and hurried to the front door. He couldn’t stay anymore, he couldn’t be around her or him. They brought back to many memories. He just wanted to sleep, he finally wanted to get some sleep. He could hear Temari calling him back but he didn’t stop. This time Sasuke didn’t stop Naruto when he followed. Gaara needed someone to talk to after Neji had just threw the I cheated 500 times card at him.

Neji watched Gaara leave. He wanted to go after him and try to resolve all of this but was it worth it. Haku had broken up with him and Gaara hated his guts-apparently. Sure he had nothing to lose by chasing the redhead but he was being pulled in another direction. He’d lied about cheating, he’d only been with Haku but Gaara was pissing him off and Neji had nothing else to say. He just wanted someone else to be mad too.

He wanted to wait for Gaara to come back to him. He wanted the boy to realize he wasn’t a bad person, was he? Neji thought about what Gaara had said and what Haku had said the night before. So many people were telling him he was a bad person. It had to be true. It just had to…but Neji was going to accept that. Whether he loved Gaara or Haku or whoever he was a damn good person and he had everyone’s best interest at heart. He just needed some peace. That’s all that would solve this. Neji remembered the peace he’d had when he and Gaara were close. All the plans they’d made in the safety of Neji’s closet, all the time they’d spent NOT arguing. Every time they’d kissed after a long fight, every time anything happened, it was always peaceful.

-----

((Yet another Flashback))-picks up where Gaara’s Flashback left off…with the car, bone…etc.

Three hours and 17 minutes:

He was never a fan of the smell of antiseptic. He hated the way his shoes slid across the floor. He needed to get away from all the people that walked around the halls in depression. He wasn’t tired but he kept yawning. Temari was sleeping next to him but not peacefully. The waiting room that held them was for the most part, empty.

Across the room a pregnant woman was sitting alone. She had been crying and kept looking up at Neji but he tried not to bring any attention to himself. A few chairs away from her sat a man who appeared to be in some kind of traumatic state. Neji shivered every time the man would rock back and forth and bite his nails.

Yes, the hospital was a depressing place. Neji stood up and let Temari’s head lay gently in his seat. He couldn’t take it anymore. He’d be prone to taking up cigarettes if he had to stay in there any longer.

Four hours:

He walked through the automatic sliding doors and sat on the stairs that led into the building of death and illness. He inhaled the fresh night air that surrounded him and then sighed. What was he going to do? He had no way of protecting Gaara all the time. He couldn’t be with the boy every second of the day.

He rested his face in his hands. This was all just a huge mess he had no way of cleaning up. He had so much to think about with no time to think.

Neji resided outside for a total of 56 minutes. That brought his grand total to five hours and 56 minutes. Not a minute had gone by with him not checking his watch. It was like a million years waiting for someone you cared about to come out of surgery. It was like the doctors were taking forever on purpose, just to make Neji have to sit, wait and die.

Hour five Minute 57 was different though. He could hear running, panting, someone trying to get to him or the door. He didn’t know which and he had no strength to turn around and find out.

“Neji!” Temari busted out of the doors. Neji turned around to see her eyes as big as saucers. She had a definite sad smile on her face and she was saying something but he couldn’t hear her. She released a stream of words but all he got was-

“He’s awake!”

-----

Neji sat in the chair next to the window in Gaara’s room while Temari smothered him. She wouldn’t let Neji within five feet of the boy while she transferred all her worries to him. She just kept crying and crying and whining and repeating herself. Try as he may Neji couldn’t even get a glimpse of those jade eyes. Then finally-

“Temari.” Gaara voice raspy and it was really clear that he was struggling to talk. “Could you…give us a minute?” He wasn’t moving at all, not even his eyes left the ceiling where they’d been since Neji and Temari had entered the room. The girl backed up to look at her bother and then Neji. She stood in disbelief but she said nothing as she kissed his forehead and left, glaring at her brother’s boyfriend.

Neji stayed where he was for awhile. If he wanted to move he showed no sign of it. His body was aching and it compared none to the pain Gaara was in but none the less Neji was hurting.

Hour six minute 13:

The chair Neji was sitting in slid back across the floor. Gaara knew he was standing but he couldn’t look, he didn’t want to. He couldn’t remember much of what had happened that night but he remembered-

-“…I love you.”-

It took Neji forever to get to the side of Gaara’s bed. He waited where he was, waited for Gaara to look at him. He never did but he said something.

“You waited.” Gaara tightened his eyes and swallowed, his throat burning like he was catching a cold, but that was the least of his problems. Neji leaned over and stroked his hair. He tried to see those eyes but Gaara wouldn’t show him.

“Six hours. Six hours and 17 long agonizing minutes. I did wait, was I not supposed to?” He frowned when Gaara still didn’t look at him. He felt like the boy was pushing him away by not acknowledging him. “Gaara, look at me.” He begged but the boy remained silent. Was Gaara upset because Neji hadn’t said it…hadn’t said it back to him?

“I’m glad you stayed.” Gaara coughed. “I just don’t know why.” He finally opened his eyes and slowly turned them to Neji. Didn’t he know? Didn’t Gaara know why the boy had stayed, waiting for so long? Gaara’s eyes were red and very heavy. His face was awfully pale and his wounds seemed to glow in the dim room.

“You don’t know why I’m still here?” The question was more for himself since he couldn’t really answer it. There wasn’t just one answer, there were thousands. He didn’t even know where to start.

“You’re in the hospital. I-I couldn’t just leave you here. You’re sister’s a wreck. I couldn’t leave her alone either. You’re hurt, I’m impatient, you were unconscious, you were bleeding, I’m worried. I don’t know why you would even have the thought that I would just abandon you like that. There’s too much going on for me to just sit at home and wait to hear if you’re okay. So what I spent six hours in here waiting, what else could I have been doing? Worry, waiting at home, stressing myself out. If I hadn’t come you could have-“

“Neji…”

“Gaara I love you!” He shouted, chest heaving. “I just love you. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I waited. I never got a chance to tell you. I was afraid I would lose you in here. I could save you a hundred times but if you had died tonight, I would have never been able to tell you. I would have regretted that my entire life.” He could feel all his emotions falling on the floor. All the work he’d done to hide them after his father had died wasn't working. They were spilling out everywhere.

Gaara moved his left arm and touched Neji’s face. “You love me.” He said it like the words were foreign to him. No one had ever loved him before, not like this. Gaara smiled. “I love you.” He said quietly, closing his eyes. Neji frowned, he couldn’t think of anything else to do.

“Look at me.” Neji instructed Gaara. He searched Gaara’s eyes when they opened back up. “Don’t ever close your eyes.” He leaned down and kissed his love, held him. Careful not to crush him but love him as closely as he could.

There it was. There was that peace he was looking for. The peace that told him everything was going to be fine. He just needed it to be like this. He just needed to stay in those arms.

((End Flashback))
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Things were about to get very hard for Neji. Things would probably be getting worse for Gaara. And Haku…he was stuck in the middle. Nothing good could out weigh the bad that had already come. They were all in a dilemma with no way out.

-----
((End chapter))
Sorry for all the flashbacks…they were more of a hassle to write than they were for you to read…trust me.
(AN) Okay…so as a reward for the people that have been sending me reviews-…I have officially ended this story…(in my head that is) I guess it will role out to anywhere between 15 and 20 chapters….*sigh* -and for the people who have been reviewing I have decided as a token of my appreciation, I’m writing an extra chapter! Only! For! Your! Eyes!

How you ask? Well I haven’t figured that out yet…but probably a link you to my preferred private list on Live Journal, or an email. This is strictly for you guys who make my writing such a lovely hardship. I do it more for me but you all help me get passed the hard days.

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