Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ The Hyuuga Swap ❯ Hinata's Seclusion ( Chapter 8 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: selena281 
Neji atttempts to deal with Hinata's newfound behavior in the best way he knows how.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.19.2008 | Pages: 8 | Words: 8.4K | Visits: 665 | Status: Work In Progress
Neji atttempts to deal with Hinata's newfound behavior in the best way he knows how.
Anime/Manga: Naruto Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai / Drama / Comedy | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.19.2008 | Pages: 8 | Words: 8.4K | Visits: 665 | Status: Work In Progress
The Hyuuga Swap
(Chapter 8)
Neji x Naruto
______________
Temari agreed to come over and see if she could coax Hinata out of her room, and into a rational state of mind. It seemed unlikely to Neji that anyone would succeed at that particular task, but Temari had a better chance at working that miracle than anyone else did. If nothing else, she'd strong arm the other girl into cooperating. She was good at that.
Neji met her at the door and she swept into the apartment, looking around and nodding at some of the new additions. She turned to him and ushered him out saying, "Alright hun, get your lovesick behind out of here and let me see what I can do."
Neji paused, his eyes sweeping the walls listlessly, seeing nothing. "I hope she doesn't hate me," he said almost to himself.
Temari let that be. She didn't think he meant to say that aloud. "I'll call and give you an update later," she promised, closing the door behind him.
Temari straightened her belted mac jacket with a sharp tug. Down one Hyuuga, she went down the hall to ferret out the other.
She knocked firmly on Hinata's door, then waited for a response.
"Go away. Please."
"Hinata, it's Temari. Open up."
"No," came the hesitant, if petulant reply.
Temari took a deep breath and counted to twenty. "Neji isn't here. It's just me. Please open your door." It took effort to have patience like this. Patience was not her forte. She marveled at Neji's seemingly limitless composure, and wasn't surprised he was at his limit dealing with this. She wasn't good with kids, never wanted any and Hinata was reminding her very strongly why.
"Please leave. I don't want to see anyone."
That's it. "Baby, we can do this the easy way or the hard way," she threatened in a no-nonsense tone. "Either you open up that door, or I will kick it down." She thought she heard a muffled squeek. "Neji may tolerate you acting like this, but I won't. You have five seconds to comply."
"One."
Silence.
"Two."
Still no movement could be heard. Temari shook her head. She really was going to kick the door down. She didn't make idle threats.
"THREE."
Now she could detect some restless movement.
"FOUR."
She heard a gasp and some scrabbling.
"FI-"
"Wait! I'll unlock it!"
The door's bolt slid back hastily, and Hinata flung the door open, almost falling over in her haste.
Temari breezed by her into the room, patting her on the head. "Okay, talk to me." She sat on the girl's bed, crossing her legs at the ankle as she leaned back on her hands and gave her an expectant look.
Hinata was staring at her with a mixture of fear and awe, her mouth hanging open slightly. Her hand was still on the doorknob.
"Come on, I won't bite." Temari called to her, patting the bed next to her. "Unless you take too long," she added.
Hinata was flustered, her face flushed a little, but she made her way over to the bed and sat down. The room looked like it had suffered a small explosion. Clothes and assorted things were scattered everywhere.
"I see you had a tantrum or two," Temari observed. "How old are you now?"
Hinata opened her mouth to reply, but Temari held up a hand and shook her head. "It was rhetorical, dear." She sighed. All this for a boy she'd been dating for only a month. "But why don't you tell me what happened? Tell me what exactly reduced you to acting like a vengeful 5 year old."
Hinata hiccuped and looked at the floor. "T-Temari, y-you don't h-have to be so - so mean."
Mean? This girl obviously didn't know the meaning of the word if she thought this was mean. "Come here," she said in a milder voice, reaching out to pet the back of the dark girl's hair.
Hinata let herself be pulled closer, and rested her head on Temari's leg. Her eyes closed as her hair was smoothed with a gentle hand and she calmed down.
"Let's try this again," Temari said, trying to keep her voice soothing. "What was so special about Naruto, that you would react like this? He wasn't your boyfriend for very long, was he?"
"N-No. It wasn't very long... I just... it isn't just about Naruto."
"Well, what is it then?"
"I feel like... I always come in second to Neji. I love him to d-death, and I think he's wonderful... but I c-can't help feeling jealous. No one has ever looked at the two of us and thought more highly of me."
"Is that his fault?"
"No... He isn't doing anything to bring that about."
"Yet you'll hold it against him?"
"Not on p-purpose. But when anyone I try to date ends up f-falling f-for him, it's h-hard to h-handle." She started to cry.
Temari idly wondered how soon the tears would soak through her denim pants, and you know wet jeans in air conditioning do not dry for an age. Horrible. She was horrible at comforting people. Usually she was just called in to knock sense into someone's head. Though she supposed that was necessary here, too. "You know he stopped dating partly for that reason alone?"
Hinata shook her head.
"You have to give him credit. Four years without companionship for a boy his age? I'm amazed he's still sane."
"But why Naruto? I mean, I really... like him a lot, and..."
Spiffy. Now she could feel the dampness reach her skin. "Neji fought that attraction tooth and nail. It just finally got the better of him."
"But, we'd only just kissed for the first time... and almost right after, they... they..."
"Shhh," Temari consoled her, rubbing her back. "Things like this happen all the time. At least in your case, you know it wasn't on purpose... they just have an affinity for each other. It's something you'll have with the person that's right for you."
"H-Have you f-found the right guy yet?"
"No, I haven't found the right person yet. But I'm not gonna cry about it not happening. I just have to be happy with myself, and that other stuff will come in time. You can't expect someone to swoop in, save you and make you happy. It's a selfish way of thinking. If all their energy goes into making you happy, what about them? Who is swooping in to save them?"
"I- n-never thought about it that way..."
"It's only fair that you stand on your own two feet, then look for someone that you can share your life with. Anything else will just place a huge burden on your relationship, and everyone will suffer for it."
"Y-You sound like you know w-what you're talking about..."
Temari felt her gaze unfocus as memories caught up with her. She did know, first hand. She only wished she could've understood then what she knew now. How different things might have been. But that's life. You win some, you lose some. She wouldn't undo any of it. She was stronger now for having gone through what she did, and more sure of herself and who she was. She had changed. No longer was she prone to being weak-willed or indecisive; now she possessed a confidence in herself, an ease existing in her skin that could not be bought with any amount of money.
Temari met Hinata's hopeful, cornflower blue eyes and said, "Yeah, I do. And let me tell you - if things don't work out with someone, just move along. When you find the right person, they'll be hard to get rid of."
***
"If she's that broken up about it, she just needs to get back on the ol' horse and try again."
Neji fanned a puff of smoke out of his face with a listless wave of his hand. "I don't see how that's going to happen if she stays holed up in her room for the rest of her life."
"I'll date her," Kankuro offered lazily.
Neji made a face at him. "Your bad habits would decimate her moral fiber. I don't need my cousin to become a nympho-pothead."
Kankuro was a schmoozer, and his laid back personality and good looks got him a ton of romantic attention. He also slept around more than a little bit. Bad habits all around. He was in a different league altogether from Hinata. Like alternate realities.
Kankuro shrugged with a wide, easy smile. "Just offerin'." His spiky brown hair was an unruly mess, but it looked sort of intentional. It fell messily into his eyes which didn't seem to bother him in the least. "She's not completely my type - a bit high strung and nervous, but maybe a toke is just what she needs to straighten her out?"
My point exactly, Neji thought. A sudden movement from the far end of the room caught his eye. He looked up just in time to see narrowed aqua eyes and a shock of dark crimson hair disappear around the edge of the doorway. Odd. I guess Gaara is home.
"... so what I'm saying is if we do go down to..."
Neji tried to tune back into what Kankuro was telling him about some of his west side buddies. But when his focus shifted back to the brunette, he could swear he felt eyes boring into the side of his head. He tried to ignore it. "So why don't you just wait, and do the thing later?" The feeling intensified. Neji pretended to rub his eyes with his hand, and got a good view of the doorway, where the red terror was lurking. His black rimmed eyes were just short of murderous. Nothing new, but they were more intent than usual. His trick only bought him an additional second or two. Gaara noticed and disappeared from the doorway.
"You alright, man? You seem distracted."
"Yeah... I'm uh... just going to get something to drink. Coke for you?"
"Sure."
"Be right back."
Neji made his way to the kitchen, expecting to find the twin's younger brother blocking the way and glaring confrontationally. But he was nowhere to be found. It was probably for the best. Neji had no idea what the little demon might be obsessing over. And, frankly, he didn't care. For all he knew, the evil little beast was afraid someone would drink the last Mr. Pibb and replace it with Pibb Xtra. Like no one knew his particulars about which version of the damn soda he just HAD to have. Though, Neji admitted the latter had a more caustic, chemical taste.
Neji opened the fridge, grabbing a gingerale and a coke, marveling at the special order 24 pack of regular Mr. Pibb that had been wedged into the bottom so insistently that the shelf above it had been unseated and lay balanced at a crazy angle. Glass condiment jars on that shelf now clung rather precariously to life. The grape jelly would be the first victim after any minor vibration, closely followed by the pickles. The bread was holding them back right now, but for how long?
He closed the door as carefully as possible, hearing only a slight clink of jostled glass.
He headed back to the den, and after turning the corner from the kitchen, found himself face to face with a redheaded obstruction. Said obstruction stared up at him with eyes like twin chips of ice. It was supposed to be intimidating, but today it just hit Neji as a bit unnerving. He was too drained to feel intimidated by an aura of homicide. Plus, Gaara was rather short. It dimmed the effect somewhat.
"Move," Neji said. The bottles in his hands were making his fingers cold and a little numb. He really didn't feel up to playing games.
"No."
Gaara was reminiscent of one of those troll dolls with the bright hair and the jeweled belly button. Not in a direct way, but in how they had the cute but sort of sinister creepy thing going on. Some days, the similarities amused him. Today? Not so much.
"Why not?" Oh, he did not have the patience for this right now. But having Gaara stalking around corners sending evil looks at him all day was not likely going to help his mood.
Gaara shrugged and he glared more emphatically.
"Fine." Neji moved into his personal space, towering over him. "Move," he bit out. "Or I'll stick this bottle so far up your ass you won't be able to see straight."
Gaara looked up at him, his face loosing the edge of maliciousness, his mouth going slack. He didn't exactly look intimidated. More worshipful, if Neji had to put a word to it. But the redhead did assent his passing. The slight dusting of color on his pale cheeks did not even bear thinking about.
"Kank," he said as he handed the other boy the coke, feeling a bit weirded out. "What's up with Gaara? He's acting stranger than usual."
Kankuro twisted the cap off his drink and shrugged. "Who knows?" He took a swig. "Maybe he heard Tem blab out about you and your new boy toy? God knows that squeal cut right through my wall. Either that or the little demon seed was eavesdropping."
"Which would matter why? Please don't tell me he-"
"Gar seems ta like you, Neji. Sorry, man."
Oh, brilliant. Just what he needed. "I'm not sleeping on the couch when I stay over anymore."
***
Neji was crashed on Kankuro's bed when he heard the faint ding from his cell phone. He cracked open an eye as his sleep-deadened arm reached for his it. He had to pat several pockets before locating the right one. Rolling onto his back, he held the phone aloft and pressed several buttons. It was a text from Naruto.
I wasn't sure when would be a good time 2 call u
Neji frowned. These last few days hadn't gone as planned. He'd promised to come by and see Naruto, but he'd never gotten the chance. He hadn't even been able to call him, really. Besides the fact that he hadn't wanted Hinata to be able to overhear anything, he didn't actually have Naruto's number. Though he did now.
He texted back: There wasn't a good time before. Can you talk now?
While waiting for the response, he saved Naruto's number in his phone.
Naruto's next text came quickly: Yes
Ok. Give me 5 mins, Neji typed out. He hit 'send' and looked to see what the puppet master was up to. Kankuro had his large headphones on, and was sitting at his computer, his head keeping time to whatever he was listening to as played a racing game, chatted, and downed a shot of what looked to be rum. The classic multi-tasker. Unreal. Just watching him could wear you out. Neji flicked him upside the head to get his attention. Kankuro swatted at him without pausing from his other activities. Neji waved his cell phone in front of the other boy's face, garnering a brief glance from the brunette, and gestured outside.
Kankuro lifted one side of the headphones off his ear and grinned at him. "Booty call?" he asked innocently.
"Idiot."
"Takes one to know one," Kankuro laughed and poured himself another shot.
Neji leaned over and looked at the screen. IM windows were flashing with new messages all over the place. "You have A.D.D. or what?" Neji asked, shaking his head. "How do you talk to so many people, have e-sex with half of them, and still manage to kill in your racing game all at the same time?"
"Talent, my man, talent." Kankuro inclined his head. "You know I won't be able to hear you if you take the call in here, right?"
"I know, but you aren't the problem."
"Oh, gotcha. Don't need Red dropping eaves."
"Right."
"Because his jealousy might spiral out of control," Kankuro teased. "And who knows what he'd do?"
Neji gave him a sour look. "Thank you, for that, you ass."
"Anytime, man."
***
Neji stepped out into the chilly night air and walked down the street aways before calling Naruto. His brows drew up in puzzlement as a disembodied voice picked up.
"The number you have dialed is not in service. Please hang up, and try again. The number you-"
"Hello?"
Neji blinked as a new voice appeared on the line. "Naruto?"
"Yup, it's me." His voice held a smile.
"Your phone was saying your number was disconnected or something?"
"No, no, that's just my voice mail greeting," the blonde laughed. "Sorry I didn't warn you. I wasn't sure how to explain that in a text."
"What possessed you to make that your greeting?"
"My friend Kiba. He changed it while I was asleep staying over at his house. I meant to change it, but after hearing Sasuke rant about how annoying it was, I decided to keep it."
Sasuke again. Neji wondered what it was like to have a friend that had been around for most of your life. One that actually stuck by you even if you intentionally did stuff to harass them. Could you have that kind of bond with someone and label it nothing more than friends? Most people would leave you with no effort on your part.
"He's OCD and kind of an ass, so I get him where I can," Naruto explained.
"I see." That sounds a little like how he and Kankuro were. Sometimes they just tried to annoy the piss out of each other. He hadn't known Kank or Temari for as many years, but perhaps if time went on, Neji might discover he had a friend or two that were happy staying constant. What a relief it would be to finally have people around him that weren't just Jonesing for something new, but actually valued the relationships they'd built and the time they'd invested with someone. People that realized that individuals were not replaceable commodities - unless you truly don't care about the person themselves, merely their function and what they can provide you.
"So, where are you?" Naruto asked.
Neji shook free of his thoughts. They clung to him like misty cobwebs. "At a friend's." Which category do you fall into, Naruto? Are people replaceable to you? Or is every lost or broken bond a source of sadness? Would your eyes become cold, dispassionate blue, or would they fill themselves like oceans?
"Staying the night?" The blonde's voice was softer, as if sensing the tone of Neji's thoughts.
"Yeah... His sister, also a friend, is at my place right now trying to talk to Hinata..."
Naruto was silent a few moments. "How is she?"
That depth of feeling Neji always sensed brimming beneath the surface of Naruto, strapped down tightly so it couldn't escape, was resonating. The blonde hid it so well, and yet in some ways it infused his being. Flooded and pooled within those sincere eyes, giving them such dimension and depth that they were startling just to behold, and so full - as if they would empty in silent torrents were his control ever to crack apart at any moment. The pain behind the smiles. The reality behind the mask. The utter fear he had of hurting others... what torment did he endure that shaped him this way?
"I don't really know. She refused to come out of her room, or eat." How harshly is Naruto blaming himself for this? As much as I am? More? "I think it's more of a tantrum than anything serious. But still, I didn't feel I could leave her alone. So, Temari went over there, and I'm hanging out here with Kankuro."
"I see," Naruto said softly. Pensive. "You know..." he continued, changing tracks. "It's kind of strange that I feel I know you so well, and yet I don't know anything about you. That's the first time I've heard you talk about any friends of yours."
True. Already, Neji had heard several names of people involved in Naruto's life fall from the blonde's lips, and on several occasions. "They're my best friends."
It came out rather abrupt. Unfettered by details. Neji realized he was still holding out, still cultivating distance by not really sharing anything of himself. It was a subconscious reaction. Unintentional, but deeply seated.
"And they're siblings?" Naruto prodded, undaunted by his succinct answer. If nothing else, he was more determined to pry information out of him because of it.
"Twins, actually." Neji frowned at himself. Why was he finding it so hard to do this simple thing? Was he afraid that by admitting his attachment to the twins, that the friendship they had would dissolve like smoke? He could see that for the unfounded paranoia that it was, but the feeling was hard to shake. Opening up was going to be more difficult than he thought. Did Naruto have what it would take to break into his shell?
"Weird. Do they have any other brothers or sisters?"
Well, Naruto did have dogged determination on his side, Neji would give him that. And a seemingly endless supply of questions. How promising. "Just one..."
"Er - not a friend?"
"No. He's their brother." Oh, how to describe The Red Terror? "And possibly a stalker, if what I gathered tonight was correct, but I'd rather not dwell on that. He's the black sheep of the family, in a deranged psychotic sort of way."
"And he lives with them?"
"Yes, but he usually keeps to himself." Neji started to lose himself in the flow of their words, everything but their communication fading out of his mind. He sunk into it, the soft darkness of their shared thoughts with a feeling of rightness. This is how your brain feels when it relaxes like a muscle...
"I don't know what to say..." Naruto sounded cutely perturbed. He was likely wondering how sane people could harbor a psychopath, and be ok with it. Good question.
"It's a... difficult situation. Their parents are no longer alive so they are the legal guardians, and he's underage so it would be a bit messed up to just kick him out. He generally isn't violent to any of us - he just glares and mutters a lot."
"Remind me never to come over there," the blonde remarked dubiously.
"Oh, but the twins want to meet you. Especially Temari."
"They do?"
"Why do you sound so surprised?"
"I..." Naruto shrugged, even though he knew the gesture wouldn't carry over the phone. "It's nothing." How could he not be surprised? Most people didn't want anything to do with him. Of course, that was usually after they'd met him. His stomach knotted at the thought. Would he inspire hate in Neji's friends? Or was it possible they might tolerate him, or even grow to like him a little?
"What are you thinking about?" Neji asked him quietly.
"Noth- " Naruto almost said 'it's nothing' again but stopped himself. Neji was too astute for a brushoff like that to work, and there wasn't really any need for it. "Um, actually I was just thinking about what your friends might be like..."
"If I like you, they'll like you."
"But aren't they Hinata's friends too? I mean..." He'd hurt her and inspired her to try living life as a hermit. Those were hate-inducing practices, were they not? Naruto chewed his lip worriedly. Friends of hers would be obligated to despise him, wouldn't they?
"They like her," Neji said. "But just so you know, they were rooting for you and me almost from the beginning."
"You mentioned me to them? When?" The beginning?
"Soon after I first met you."
"What, the first time?"
"Yes."
Way back then? Naruto was reeling. Another surprise. But... "But why..." That day standing on the Hyuuga's doorstep for the first time was emblazoned in his memory. The tall and forbidding, dark-haired boy that barred his way. The silver blue eyes that had burned through him from that aristocratic face. The embarrassment he'd felt under their steady gaze, and the anger at the boy's playful rudeness. Above all, the gravitational pull that had them in its grip from that first unshakable moment.
"I was being tormented by the desire to kiss you and have you. I barely knew you, and yet you were all I could think of."
Naruto felt his ears turn red. Neji's emotion roughened voice saying those things right into his ear, like they were in the same room together, in the same space. His body flushed as his imagination took that thought further. He remembered the feel of hands on his naked hips, the sweep of silken hair across his chest, of lips tasting his...
A soft noise escaped him, bringing him back to himself. Bad, Naruto. Mind out of the gutter!
"I haven't felt like this about anyone before," Neji pressed forward, his voice taking on a quality that Naruto couldn't describe except that it made his insides melt. "I've never wanted to be close to someone as badly as I want to be close to you."
"If you keep talking to me like that," Naruto murmured hazily, Neji's voice still rippling over his skin like unseen fingers. "I'm going to have to come find you and have my way with you."
Neji replied in that smooth, heavy tone that was making his body ache, one sweet pulse at a time, "Are you an exhibitionist then? Because right now I'm outside."
"No, but I may become one... How do I get to you?"
"Don't, Naruto, it's cold out." Neji's smile threaded through his words. Ha. As if cold could ever deter the blonde. "I'll come to you." Already, his feet had been taking him towards Naruto's unaware. Usually he just paced. And, it wasn't far. Somehow, the lot of them: himself, the twins and Naruto, lived in a rather tight circle.
"Chivalrous of you," Naruto said saucily.
"I could go back to being inconsiderate," Neji said with amusement.
"You were never inconsiderate, just... well, on second thought, I shouldn't really go into that, should I?"
Though they had talked about this before, Neji recalled. It was just amusing that Naruto was concerned about that now. Naruto had had no compunctions about calling him out for acting like an asshole upon their meeting, and subsequent occasions. Of course, that was right after their first time together... It seemed the blonde either gained loose lips after such activities, or his memory got shot to hell. It was cute. He really did like when Naruto didn't hold back and just said what was on his mind without fear. It put him in mind of a wild, petulant little animal. Naruto hadn't seemed overly concerned about anything, just free within their open dialogue. It had been so refreshing.
"Afraid you're going to offend me?" Neji asked loftily, barely hiding a teasing tone. Not that he would be. He could openly admit that his behavior had been difficult and out of line. He was just giving the blonde a bit of a hard time.
"Maybe. Who wouldn't be offended if they were told they'd acted like a jerk?"
Neji was close. He could see the blonde now, leaning against the wall outside his apartment. The feeble yellow light in the hallway shining weakly upon him, washing everything about the scene in monochromatic warmth wrapped in the surrounding coolness of night. The velveteen dark of the sky, sprinkled with glittering stars was dampened the closer he got to the blanched illumination and the enrapturing soul at its center. Neji crept up on Naruto, who was frowning distractedly with his phone held up to his ear. "Jerk?" Neji crooned. "Is that the best you can do?" The blonde hadn't noticed his voice was not just coming from the phone.
Naruto huffed, opening his mouth for a scathing retort and Neji leaned in covering his eyes with one hand and kissed him. The blonde's hand flew up to push him away instinctively before he recognized the feel of the kiss and realized who it was.
Naruto's hand fisted in Neji's shirt, a wave of familiarity, desire and completeness washing over him. God, he'd missed him. It was ridiculous. They'd barely just gotten involved and yet the world seemed so much dimmer without the dark-haired boy's presence. So tame without his sharp wit. So cold without the warmth of his slender frame. Naruto wrapped his arms around Neji and held him crushingly close.
"I told you you'd be cold," Neji murmured into his hair, embracing him back.
"Stupid. I'm not that delicate."
Neji snickered. "I know. I missed you, too."
"Though it is pretty damn cold out here. Wanna come inside?"
"Was that double meaning intended?"
Naruto flushed with indignation, pushing him back. "No, I was trying to have clean thoughts for once, unlike you apparently."
"Sorry, must be Kankuro's influence." Neji kissed his nose.
"Do I have to worry about this guy?" Naruto said suspiciously.
"Do I have to worry about Sasuke?"
"No," the blonde said without hesitation.
"Doubly so for Kank then."
"Hmm." Naruto pondered. "You ever think about it though?"
"Not once."
"Me either. So, do you want to meet the source of my non-attraction?"
"You mean the fabled Sasuke?"
Naruto nodded.
"Ok."
He followed Naruto into the apartment, removing his shoes at the door just like the blonde. Egad, it WAS orange shag carpeting. Whatever had possessed the person who made that decision?
Naruto spoke, "Neji, this is Sasuke. Sasuke, Neji."
Neji looked up to see a black haired, pale, storm cloud of a boy scrutinizing him with dark eyes. He was exceptionally good looking with an almost perceivable layer of frost edging his countenance.
"Nice carpet," Neji said in greeting, wondering why he wasn't always capable of social platitudes when the situation called for it. Not only that, the carpet remark could be taken as a bit of a jab. For shame, Neji.
The ice thickened. "Nice hair," the other boy replied with an edge that could be perceived as sarcasm.
Neji raised an eyebrow, contemplating the comment's desired effect. Insult or not an insult? He picked apart every nuance that comprised 'Sasuke' in a long, steely-gazed moment, and decided the boy was just naturally standoffish. "Thanks." He allowed an almost smile to curve his lips.
Sasuke blinked at him, nodded his head, and scuttled back over to the kitchen table where he was building something out of hundreds of tiny plastic pieces. He seemed a little flustered.
Naruto was then tugging on his arm, leading him towards the blonde's room, leaving 'Sasuke' to his repression-induced OCD behavior (because that's obviously what it was). Neji contemplated mentioning how unhealthy such things were, and how they always got worse with time, but he refrained. The raven-haired boy looked too deep in concentration to be bothered and he'd likely only have a surly attitude towards the truth anyway.
Neji stepped into the world of Naruto and almost had to sit down as the sensory overload hit him like a sucker punch. Clothes were everywhere, things were everywhere... bright colors rioted EVERYWHERE. Posters littered the walls. Shoes, books, manga and cds had the run of the floor along with what looked like entire outfits, as if the people wearing them had collapsed on each other then disappeared.
Yes, he definitely needed to sit down. But where?
"Sorry the place is a bit of a mess."
Neji picked his way across the room, past the bed with a blue comforter sporting large yellow stars, over a mess of loose papers and a few notebooks, to stand in front of the white slat-door closet. He slid one of the doors open then looked at Naruto.
"Can you explain this?"
Naruto came over, moving though treacherous paths like an expert and looked into the depths of his closet. Peering around Neji's shoulder, he said, "What is it?"
The closet, housing what was left of the clean portion of Naruto's wardrobe was otherwise quite empty. There were a ton of shelves and cubby holes in which most of the items strewn about Naruto's floor surely once belonged.
"Why don't you put some of this stuff," Neji gestured to the room, "in there??"
Naruto blinked innocently at him. "I do... but every time I put stuff in there, I need it again, so I started to wonder what the point of it all was."
"Sanity," Neji said succinctly, staring fixedly at the empty shelves.
Naruto let a grin spread across his face. "So this is what OCD looks like," he teased, reaching up to poke Neji in the cheek. "You are totally battling the urge to make this place clean, right now, aren't you?"
Neji scanned the room. "No, actually I'm fighting the urge to run screaming."
"Come on, it isn't that bad," Naruto cajoled, wrapping his arms around the taller boy and teasing him with light, kisses that flitted over and around his sensuous mouth. "You'll get used to it."
"It is that bad," Neji insisted, though he was getting distracted by those butterfly kisses that kept playing at his lips. "It's all that and worse. No normal person could live in a place like this-"
"They could if they had the right incentive," Naruto said, pressing his body up against Neji and kissing him deeply. His mouth was hot and quick to respond with an intensity that was making his toes curl. He smirked as Neji's hands ran shakily up his back.
Naruto began walking them back to the bed.
"I can't even see the floor," Neji protested, slightly out of breath.
"Don't worry about the floor." Naruto shed his shirt slowly, locking gazes with him as his skin was exposed.
Neji let Naruto pull his shirt off of him as well, watching his lightly muscled tawny skin flex from the movement. The top curves of his hipbones were visible just above the line of his pants. His hands traced the flat plane of the blonde's enticing stomach, his pulse quickening at the catch he heard in the other's breath. He tasted the blonde's skin along his shoulder, his neck, desire beating through his veins. Naruto's fingertips were dancing across his skin, coaxing, pleading, demanding. Oh, why was this craving for him so intense?
They fell upon the bed in a tangle of limbs and fevered kisses, and Neji could almost ignore the random jackets and t-shirts beneath them and the stuffed penguin that was wedged under Naruto's lean arm.
---
Sasuke pretended to be absorbed in the mecha model until he heard Naruto's door close. For some reason, Neji struck him in equal parts awe-inspiring and infuriating. Why couldn't he have issued a normal greeting like 'hello'? Why did he act like this wretched carpet, the bane of his existence, was hand picked by Sasuke himself? And to mock him with it as the first thing out of his mouth!
Sasuke tried to get the jump on him by scoffing at his appearance, hoping that the other boy might be incurably vain and thus cowed, but to no avail. Neji's strangely pale eyes analyzed him like a scanner, deciphered something imperceptible, then the arrogant bastard had to look all cool while choosing to take Sasuke's mocking comment as a compliment. Though Sasuke did think Neji's hair was nice. Secretly. Hell, the whole package was nice. Sasuke looked at Naruto's closed door, wondering what might be going on on the other side.
Sasuke shook his head to dispel the thought. There was absolutely no reason to dwell on that. No reason at all. So stop it.
He grabbed up the model, gluing and assembling with distraction. Stupid little finger missile cannons. Must they be SO small? The tiniest shift caused them to go crooked RIGHT before the glue cemented. He muttered as he worked.
Would Naruto be busily resisting Neji's abundant sex appeal? Or was he busily indulging?
His brain supplied a scandalous scene that was slightly more involved than making out.
No, Naruto wouldn't do that... not right under his nose...
Not that he shouldn't... it was his apartment, too, after all, and being locked away in his room wasn't exactly 'under his nose', if he was being reasonable about it.
Crrrack!
Shit. He bent one of the pieces right in two.
Still, if they were... it would be quite a sight. If the way clothes graced Neji's frame were any indication, the long haired boy had a killer body.
Sasuke'd never been actively attracted to Naruto, but he had to admit the two of them made a striking couple that many people would lay down good money to see them getting friendly with each other. Naruto, like the embodiment of the sun with his tan skin and golden hair; Neji his dark opposite with moon pale skin and rich dark hair. Yin and Yang in their appearance, yet there was a synergy between them that was uncanny. And they'd only been together what, like 2 days? Not only that, they'd already slept together in such a short time. Gotten naked and...
Sasuke flushed, frowned, and then frowned some more.
Why am I...
"My god," he breathed in horror as the truth dawned on him. "I get it now. These models... my OCD with these freaking models that drive me up the wall.... these compulsions... I'm..."
---
"Naruto, did you hear something?" Neji sat up, cocking his head to the side with a slight frown on his face.
"You mean just a second ago, that sounded like, 'Noooooo! Why, god, why?'?"
"Yes, that."
"Nope, didn't hear a thing." Naruto stretched to reach Neji's now distant lips, murmuring against them, "So please don't stop doing what you were just doing."
---
Sasuke gripped the tabletop in shock. I'm... sexually repressed?!
Somehow, he'd developed hormones without noticing, and they had launched a massive ambush as their opening attack. He reeled from the realization that his entire body had flushed just picturing two guys getting it on. This was bad. The ambush had been so sneaky... so overwhelmingly thorough... that now even his whole sexual identity was at risk. He'd put off physicality and relationships for so long, knowing the headache and heartache that went along with it, and now, suddenly his brain was overrun with those lost years, lost opportunities. His brain was like a car that'd lost a wheel and was careening recklessly towards the brink of the unknown.
SEX. A three letter word that could spell doom or bliss, depending on its arrangement.
And here he was, thinking he'd escaped it all, never realizing that his day would come.
He heard a muffled noise. Faint. Almost past the range of human hearing, and yet he detected it. Recognized it. A moan, bit back to reduce the volume, but not enough to keep from being audible.
Sasuke jumped up and cursed as his body responded. Shit!
What if it's like with baby birds, where they imprint on the first creature they see? What if he imprinted on boy sex and was ruined for being straight forever? What would he do? He'd never identified as anything but straight his entire life!
Sasuke ran into his room, and dove for the computer. Time was of the essence. He could not see or hear anything else from the blonde's room, but his imagination was gaining momentum. He frantically started pulling up pictures, het porn, anything he could that did not involve two hot boys giving into desire.
Girls and guys, girls and guys, girls and guys...
Unfortunately the sites he stumbled across in his sporadic clicking had flash pop-ups, and image-intensive side bars that boasted more than what he was looking for. (The open minded bastards!)
Girls with girls...
Guys with guys...
Vanilla, non-con, bondage, and other words emblazoned the screens and drop down menus, along with things he'd never even heard of.
Only $24.95 for a three month membership.
Goddammit. Did they have to make it such a deal?
He hissed through clenched teeth and typed in his credit card number, cursing the site the entire time.
Who wouldn't want unrestricted access to erotic stories and hundreds of uncensored videos with new additions being made almost every day?
---
Neji nudged Naruto's legs wider and lay between them, feeling the heat of the blonde's body wrap around him as he nipped kiss-bruised lips. He swallowed Naruto's moan as he moved within him, shuddering as pleasure wound up his spine and coiled tighter in his belly. Good god, if it was always like this, he was going to become a nymphomaniac. Naruto's face was flushed, his skin glistening. His chest rose and fell quickly as he dragged in breath, his lips parted sexily.
Naruto's hands fisted in the sheets above his head as his hips met Neji's. His entire body was hot like it was going to catch on fire, and the core of his being was being compressed into a demanding pressure just behind his groin, leaving his head to drift unaware of its surroundings. Hot, sweet flashes sizzled through him every time his hips canted up, adding to the need thundering and building inside of him. He could taste Neji's desire on his tongue, feel it so solidly within him, and he was going to explode. He needed to... needed more... harder...
He felt fingertips trail over his hip, spiking the pleasure as he was consumed with the desire to be touched. Teasing fingers. Traitorous, teasing - "Ahhh," he moaned as they slid around him, drawing bittersweet electric pangs from deep within him as his orgasm was sucked ever closer. The pressure was almost unbearable, but felt so unbelievably good... his body opened wider to receive the thrusts that were making his insides curl, taking Neji more intimately than before.
Neji's skin sliding against his inner thighs, his hand working aching flesh, his voice in Naruto's ear. There were too many sensations to focus on... it was spiraling out of control... Naruto's body tightened and stretched as orgasm surged up through him, escalating with every movement within him. He wrapped his legs around Neji's waist, pulling him in as deeply as possible as it crashed over him, his hips moving of their own accord as he shuddered, drawing it out. Neji gasped against his neck as he reached his release, every muscle in him seeming to go rigid as it struck him.
"It's a good thing we don't live together," Naruto panted. "This could become a nasty habit."
"I was thinking that earlier."
"Really? You think nymphomania might be a likely scenario for us?"
Neji nuzzled Naruto's neck. "We may never see the outside of a bed again."
"We would as long as neither of us is prone to anorexia. I don't know about you, but food is a good motivator for me."
"I could always strap you down."
"You into that?"
"Don't know till I try it."
"What makes you think I'm up for that?"
"You promised to wear leather for me, in exchange for my teaching you to not suck at video games, remember?"
"Pft! I do NOT suck at video games," Naruto said indignantly. Neji lifted an eyebrow, a smirk flitting at the corner of his mouth.
Naruto rolled onto Neji and pinned him down with hard fingers. "Take that back. That's a gross exaggeration of the truth, and I agreed to leather pants."
"Pants, straps, why split hairs?" Neji smiled up at him enigmatically.
Naruto flushed. "You lech."
Neji hooked a hand around the back of Naruto's neck and pulled him down, protesting, into a kiss. The blonde melted into it reluctantly, a worry line between his brows was the only indication he was fighting not to react. His lips were soft and pliable.
"You'd love it," Neji breathed into his ear, causing him to shudder. The blonde shook his head in denial even though it was obvious that his body had quickened at the thought. Bodies don't lie, and it's hard to keep secrets when you're naked.
Neji laughed and kissed him again soundly. "Maybe later then." He sat up, taking Naruto with him. "What time is it?"
"Er..." Naruto looked around for the glow of his clock. "Ten till eleven." He looked at Neji. "You have to go?"
"I left without saying anything to anyone..." But a phone call could fix that.
"Do you want to stay?" Naruto's blue eyes were hopeful. "I can lend you stuff."
Hmm, stay with Naruto, or go back to the twins and be tormented by Kankuro's intermittent snoring as well as being kept awake by thoughts of the sick workings of Gaara's twisted little mind. Who's to say what the red terror had in store for him? The real question was, would he be safe from evil plots in Kankuro's room or could the little beast pick locks?
"I'd love to stay." Ah, it was probably rude to Kankuro that he'd bailed, but his friend was pretty understanding. Besides, it was so warm and calming here. He could think of no place he'd rather be. Minus the stuffed penguin that was somehow half lodged under his back. "As long as we can find a new home for this damn penguin."
"... so what I'm saying is if we do go down to..."
Neji tried to tune back into what Kankuro was telling him about some of his west side buddies. But when his focus shifted back to the brunette, he could swear he felt eyes boring into the side of his head. He tried to ignore it. "So why don't you just wait, and do the thing later?" The feeling intensified. Neji pretended to rub his eyes with his hand, and got a good view of the doorway, where the red terror was lurking. His black rimmed eyes were just short of murderous. Nothing new, but they were more intent than usual. His trick only bought him an additional second or two. Gaara noticed and disappeared from the doorway.
"You alright, man? You seem distracted."
"Yeah... I'm uh... just going to get something to drink. Coke for you?"
"Sure."
"Be right back."
Neji made his way to the kitchen, expecting to find the twin's younger brother blocking the way and glaring confrontationally. But he was nowhere to be found. It was probably for the best. Neji had no idea what the little demon might be obsessing over. And, frankly, he didn't care. For all he knew, the evil little beast was afraid someone would drink the last Mr. Pibb and replace it with Pibb Xtra. Like no one knew his particulars about which version of the damn soda he just HAD to have. Though, Neji admitted the latter had a more caustic, chemical taste.
Neji opened the fridge, grabbing a gingerale and a coke, marveling at the special order 24 pack of regular Mr. Pibb that had been wedged into the bottom so insistently that the shelf above it had been unseated and lay balanced at a crazy angle. Glass condiment jars on that shelf now clung rather precariously to life. The grape jelly would be the first victim after any minor vibration, closely followed by the pickles. The bread was holding them back right now, but for how long?
He closed the door as carefully as possible, hearing only a slight clink of jostled glass.
He headed back to the den, and after turning the corner from the kitchen, found himself face to face with a redheaded obstruction. Said obstruction stared up at him with eyes like twin chips of ice. It was supposed to be intimidating, but today it just hit Neji as a bit unnerving. He was too drained to feel intimidated by an aura of homicide. Plus, Gaara was rather short. It dimmed the effect somewhat.
"Move," Neji said. The bottles in his hands were making his fingers cold and a little numb. He really didn't feel up to playing games.
"No."
Gaara was reminiscent of one of those troll dolls with the bright hair and the jeweled belly button. Not in a direct way, but in how they had the cute but sort of sinister creepy thing going on. Some days, the similarities amused him. Today? Not so much.
"Why not?" Oh, he did not have the patience for this right now. But having Gaara stalking around corners sending evil looks at him all day was not likely going to help his mood.
Gaara shrugged and he glared more emphatically.
"Fine." Neji moved into his personal space, towering over him. "Move," he bit out. "Or I'll stick this bottle so far up your ass you won't be able to see straight."
Gaara looked up at him, his face loosing the edge of maliciousness, his mouth going slack. He didn't exactly look intimidated. More worshipful, if Neji had to put a word to it. But the redhead did assent his passing. The slight dusting of color on his pale cheeks did not even bear thinking about.
"Kank," he said as he handed the other boy the coke, feeling a bit weirded out. "What's up with Gaara? He's acting stranger than usual."
Kankuro twisted the cap off his drink and shrugged. "Who knows?" He took a swig. "Maybe he heard Tem blab out about you and your new boy toy? God knows that squeal cut right through my wall. Either that or the little demon seed was eavesdropping."
"Which would matter why? Please don't tell me he-"
"Gar seems ta like you, Neji. Sorry, man."
Oh, brilliant. Just what he needed. "I'm not sleeping on the couch when I stay over anymore."
***
Neji was crashed on Kankuro's bed when he heard the faint ding from his cell phone. He cracked open an eye as his sleep-deadened arm reached for his it. He had to pat several pockets before locating the right one. Rolling onto his back, he held the phone aloft and pressed several buttons. It was a text from Naruto.
I wasn't sure when would be a good time 2 call u
Neji frowned. These last few days hadn't gone as planned. He'd promised to come by and see Naruto, but he'd never gotten the chance. He hadn't even been able to call him, really. Besides the fact that he hadn't wanted Hinata to be able to overhear anything, he didn't actually have Naruto's number. Though he did now.
He texted back: There wasn't a good time before. Can you talk now?
While waiting for the response, he saved Naruto's number in his phone.
Naruto's next text came quickly: Yes
Ok. Give me 5 mins, Neji typed out. He hit 'send' and looked to see what the puppet master was up to. Kankuro had his large headphones on, and was sitting at his computer, his head keeping time to whatever he was listening to as played a racing game, chatted, and downed a shot of what looked to be rum. The classic multi-tasker. Unreal. Just watching him could wear you out. Neji flicked him upside the head to get his attention. Kankuro swatted at him without pausing from his other activities. Neji waved his cell phone in front of the other boy's face, garnering a brief glance from the brunette, and gestured outside.
Kankuro lifted one side of the headphones off his ear and grinned at him. "Booty call?" he asked innocently.
"Idiot."
"Takes one to know one," Kankuro laughed and poured himself another shot.
Neji leaned over and looked at the screen. IM windows were flashing with new messages all over the place. "You have A.D.D. or what?" Neji asked, shaking his head. "How do you talk to so many people, have e-sex with half of them, and still manage to kill in your racing game all at the same time?"
"Talent, my man, talent." Kankuro inclined his head. "You know I won't be able to hear you if you take the call in here, right?"
"I know, but you aren't the problem."
"Oh, gotcha. Don't need Red dropping eaves."
"Right."
"Because his jealousy might spiral out of control," Kankuro teased. "And who knows what he'd do?"
Neji gave him a sour look. "Thank you, for that, you ass."
"Anytime, man."
***
Neji stepped out into the chilly night air and walked down the street aways before calling Naruto. His brows drew up in puzzlement as a disembodied voice picked up.
"The number you have dialed is not in service. Please hang up, and try again. The number you-"
"Hello?"
Neji blinked as a new voice appeared on the line. "Naruto?"
"Yup, it's me." His voice held a smile.
"Your phone was saying your number was disconnected or something?"
"No, no, that's just my voice mail greeting," the blonde laughed. "Sorry I didn't warn you. I wasn't sure how to explain that in a text."
"What possessed you to make that your greeting?"
"My friend Kiba. He changed it while I was asleep staying over at his house. I meant to change it, but after hearing Sasuke rant about how annoying it was, I decided to keep it."
Sasuke again. Neji wondered what it was like to have a friend that had been around for most of your life. One that actually stuck by you even if you intentionally did stuff to harass them. Could you have that kind of bond with someone and label it nothing more than friends? Most people would leave you with no effort on your part.
"He's OCD and kind of an ass, so I get him where I can," Naruto explained.
"I see." That sounds a little like how he and Kankuro were. Sometimes they just tried to annoy the piss out of each other. He hadn't known Kank or Temari for as many years, but perhaps if time went on, Neji might discover he had a friend or two that were happy staying constant. What a relief it would be to finally have people around him that weren't just Jonesing for something new, but actually valued the relationships they'd built and the time they'd invested with someone. People that realized that individuals were not replaceable commodities - unless you truly don't care about the person themselves, merely their function and what they can provide you.
"So, where are you?" Naruto asked.
Neji shook free of his thoughts. They clung to him like misty cobwebs. "At a friend's." Which category do you fall into, Naruto? Are people replaceable to you? Or is every lost or broken bond a source of sadness? Would your eyes become cold, dispassionate blue, or would they fill themselves like oceans?
"Staying the night?" The blonde's voice was softer, as if sensing the tone of Neji's thoughts.
"Yeah... His sister, also a friend, is at my place right now trying to talk to Hinata..."
Naruto was silent a few moments. "How is she?"
That depth of feeling Neji always sensed brimming beneath the surface of Naruto, strapped down tightly so it couldn't escape, was resonating. The blonde hid it so well, and yet in some ways it infused his being. Flooded and pooled within those sincere eyes, giving them such dimension and depth that they were startling just to behold, and so full - as if they would empty in silent torrents were his control ever to crack apart at any moment. The pain behind the smiles. The reality behind the mask. The utter fear he had of hurting others... what torment did he endure that shaped him this way?
"I don't really know. She refused to come out of her room, or eat." How harshly is Naruto blaming himself for this? As much as I am? More? "I think it's more of a tantrum than anything serious. But still, I didn't feel I could leave her alone. So, Temari went over there, and I'm hanging out here with Kankuro."
"I see," Naruto said softly. Pensive. "You know..." he continued, changing tracks. "It's kind of strange that I feel I know you so well, and yet I don't know anything about you. That's the first time I've heard you talk about any friends of yours."
True. Already, Neji had heard several names of people involved in Naruto's life fall from the blonde's lips, and on several occasions. "They're my best friends."
It came out rather abrupt. Unfettered by details. Neji realized he was still holding out, still cultivating distance by not really sharing anything of himself. It was a subconscious reaction. Unintentional, but deeply seated.
"And they're siblings?" Naruto prodded, undaunted by his succinct answer. If nothing else, he was more determined to pry information out of him because of it.
"Twins, actually." Neji frowned at himself. Why was he finding it so hard to do this simple thing? Was he afraid that by admitting his attachment to the twins, that the friendship they had would dissolve like smoke? He could see that for the unfounded paranoia that it was, but the feeling was hard to shake. Opening up was going to be more difficult than he thought. Did Naruto have what it would take to break into his shell?
"Weird. Do they have any other brothers or sisters?"
Well, Naruto did have dogged determination on his side, Neji would give him that. And a seemingly endless supply of questions. How promising. "Just one..."
"Er - not a friend?"
"No. He's their brother." Oh, how to describe The Red Terror? "And possibly a stalker, if what I gathered tonight was correct, but I'd rather not dwell on that. He's the black sheep of the family, in a deranged psychotic sort of way."
"And he lives with them?"
"Yes, but he usually keeps to himself." Neji started to lose himself in the flow of their words, everything but their communication fading out of his mind. He sunk into it, the soft darkness of their shared thoughts with a feeling of rightness. This is how your brain feels when it relaxes like a muscle...
"I don't know what to say..." Naruto sounded cutely perturbed. He was likely wondering how sane people could harbor a psychopath, and be ok with it. Good question.
"It's a... difficult situation. Their parents are no longer alive so they are the legal guardians, and he's underage so it would be a bit messed up to just kick him out. He generally isn't violent to any of us - he just glares and mutters a lot."
"Remind me never to come over there," the blonde remarked dubiously.
"Oh, but the twins want to meet you. Especially Temari."
"They do?"
"Why do you sound so surprised?"
"I..." Naruto shrugged, even though he knew the gesture wouldn't carry over the phone. "It's nothing." How could he not be surprised? Most people didn't want anything to do with him. Of course, that was usually after they'd met him. His stomach knotted at the thought. Would he inspire hate in Neji's friends? Or was it possible they might tolerate him, or even grow to like him a little?
"What are you thinking about?" Neji asked him quietly.
"Noth- " Naruto almost said 'it's nothing' again but stopped himself. Neji was too astute for a brushoff like that to work, and there wasn't really any need for it. "Um, actually I was just thinking about what your friends might be like..."
"If I like you, they'll like you."
"But aren't they Hinata's friends too? I mean..." He'd hurt her and inspired her to try living life as a hermit. Those were hate-inducing practices, were they not? Naruto chewed his lip worriedly. Friends of hers would be obligated to despise him, wouldn't they?
"They like her," Neji said. "But just so you know, they were rooting for you and me almost from the beginning."
"You mentioned me to them? When?" The beginning?
"Soon after I first met you."
"What, the first time?"
"Yes."
Way back then? Naruto was reeling. Another surprise. But... "But why..." That day standing on the Hyuuga's doorstep for the first time was emblazoned in his memory. The tall and forbidding, dark-haired boy that barred his way. The silver blue eyes that had burned through him from that aristocratic face. The embarrassment he'd felt under their steady gaze, and the anger at the boy's playful rudeness. Above all, the gravitational pull that had them in its grip from that first unshakable moment.
"I was being tormented by the desire to kiss you and have you. I barely knew you, and yet you were all I could think of."
Naruto felt his ears turn red. Neji's emotion roughened voice saying those things right into his ear, like they were in the same room together, in the same space. His body flushed as his imagination took that thought further. He remembered the feel of hands on his naked hips, the sweep of silken hair across his chest, of lips tasting his...
A soft noise escaped him, bringing him back to himself. Bad, Naruto. Mind out of the gutter!
"I haven't felt like this about anyone before," Neji pressed forward, his voice taking on a quality that Naruto couldn't describe except that it made his insides melt. "I've never wanted to be close to someone as badly as I want to be close to you."
"If you keep talking to me like that," Naruto murmured hazily, Neji's voice still rippling over his skin like unseen fingers. "I'm going to have to come find you and have my way with you."
Neji replied in that smooth, heavy tone that was making his body ache, one sweet pulse at a time, "Are you an exhibitionist then? Because right now I'm outside."
"No, but I may become one... How do I get to you?"
"Don't, Naruto, it's cold out." Neji's smile threaded through his words. Ha. As if cold could ever deter the blonde. "I'll come to you." Already, his feet had been taking him towards Naruto's unaware. Usually he just paced. And, it wasn't far. Somehow, the lot of them: himself, the twins and Naruto, lived in a rather tight circle.
"Chivalrous of you," Naruto said saucily.
"I could go back to being inconsiderate," Neji said with amusement.
"You were never inconsiderate, just... well, on second thought, I shouldn't really go into that, should I?"
Though they had talked about this before, Neji recalled. It was just amusing that Naruto was concerned about that now. Naruto had had no compunctions about calling him out for acting like an asshole upon their meeting, and subsequent occasions. Of course, that was right after their first time together... It seemed the blonde either gained loose lips after such activities, or his memory got shot to hell. It was cute. He really did like when Naruto didn't hold back and just said what was on his mind without fear. It put him in mind of a wild, petulant little animal. Naruto hadn't seemed overly concerned about anything, just free within their open dialogue. It had been so refreshing.
"Afraid you're going to offend me?" Neji asked loftily, barely hiding a teasing tone. Not that he would be. He could openly admit that his behavior had been difficult and out of line. He was just giving the blonde a bit of a hard time.
"Maybe. Who wouldn't be offended if they were told they'd acted like a jerk?"
Neji was close. He could see the blonde now, leaning against the wall outside his apartment. The feeble yellow light in the hallway shining weakly upon him, washing everything about the scene in monochromatic warmth wrapped in the surrounding coolness of night. The velveteen dark of the sky, sprinkled with glittering stars was dampened the closer he got to the blanched illumination and the enrapturing soul at its center. Neji crept up on Naruto, who was frowning distractedly with his phone held up to his ear. "Jerk?" Neji crooned. "Is that the best you can do?" The blonde hadn't noticed his voice was not just coming from the phone.
Naruto huffed, opening his mouth for a scathing retort and Neji leaned in covering his eyes with one hand and kissed him. The blonde's hand flew up to push him away instinctively before he recognized the feel of the kiss and realized who it was.
Naruto's hand fisted in Neji's shirt, a wave of familiarity, desire and completeness washing over him. God, he'd missed him. It was ridiculous. They'd barely just gotten involved and yet the world seemed so much dimmer without the dark-haired boy's presence. So tame without his sharp wit. So cold without the warmth of his slender frame. Naruto wrapped his arms around Neji and held him crushingly close.
"I told you you'd be cold," Neji murmured into his hair, embracing him back.
"Stupid. I'm not that delicate."
Neji snickered. "I know. I missed you, too."
"Though it is pretty damn cold out here. Wanna come inside?"
"Was that double meaning intended?"
Naruto flushed with indignation, pushing him back. "No, I was trying to have clean thoughts for once, unlike you apparently."
"Sorry, must be Kankuro's influence." Neji kissed his nose.
"Do I have to worry about this guy?" Naruto said suspiciously.
"Do I have to worry about Sasuke?"
"No," the blonde said without hesitation.
"Doubly so for Kank then."
"Hmm." Naruto pondered. "You ever think about it though?"
"Not once."
"Me either. So, do you want to meet the source of my non-attraction?"
"You mean the fabled Sasuke?"
Naruto nodded.
"Ok."
He followed Naruto into the apartment, removing his shoes at the door just like the blonde. Egad, it WAS orange shag carpeting. Whatever had possessed the person who made that decision?
Naruto spoke, "Neji, this is Sasuke. Sasuke, Neji."
Neji looked up to see a black haired, pale, storm cloud of a boy scrutinizing him with dark eyes. He was exceptionally good looking with an almost perceivable layer of frost edging his countenance.
"Nice carpet," Neji said in greeting, wondering why he wasn't always capable of social platitudes when the situation called for it. Not only that, the carpet remark could be taken as a bit of a jab. For shame, Neji.
The ice thickened. "Nice hair," the other boy replied with an edge that could be perceived as sarcasm.
Neji raised an eyebrow, contemplating the comment's desired effect. Insult or not an insult? He picked apart every nuance that comprised 'Sasuke' in a long, steely-gazed moment, and decided the boy was just naturally standoffish. "Thanks." He allowed an almost smile to curve his lips.
Sasuke blinked at him, nodded his head, and scuttled back over to the kitchen table where he was building something out of hundreds of tiny plastic pieces. He seemed a little flustered.
Naruto was then tugging on his arm, leading him towards the blonde's room, leaving 'Sasuke' to his repression-induced OCD behavior (because that's obviously what it was). Neji contemplated mentioning how unhealthy such things were, and how they always got worse with time, but he refrained. The raven-haired boy looked too deep in concentration to be bothered and he'd likely only have a surly attitude towards the truth anyway.
Neji stepped into the world of Naruto and almost had to sit down as the sensory overload hit him like a sucker punch. Clothes were everywhere, things were everywhere... bright colors rioted EVERYWHERE. Posters littered the walls. Shoes, books, manga and cds had the run of the floor along with what looked like entire outfits, as if the people wearing them had collapsed on each other then disappeared.
Yes, he definitely needed to sit down. But where?
"Sorry the place is a bit of a mess."
Neji picked his way across the room, past the bed with a blue comforter sporting large yellow stars, over a mess of loose papers and a few notebooks, to stand in front of the white slat-door closet. He slid one of the doors open then looked at Naruto.
"Can you explain this?"
Naruto came over, moving though treacherous paths like an expert and looked into the depths of his closet. Peering around Neji's shoulder, he said, "What is it?"
The closet, housing what was left of the clean portion of Naruto's wardrobe was otherwise quite empty. There were a ton of shelves and cubby holes in which most of the items strewn about Naruto's floor surely once belonged.
"Why don't you put some of this stuff," Neji gestured to the room, "in there??"
Naruto blinked innocently at him. "I do... but every time I put stuff in there, I need it again, so I started to wonder what the point of it all was."
"Sanity," Neji said succinctly, staring fixedly at the empty shelves.
Naruto let a grin spread across his face. "So this is what OCD looks like," he teased, reaching up to poke Neji in the cheek. "You are totally battling the urge to make this place clean, right now, aren't you?"
Neji scanned the room. "No, actually I'm fighting the urge to run screaming."
"Come on, it isn't that bad," Naruto cajoled, wrapping his arms around the taller boy and teasing him with light, kisses that flitted over and around his sensuous mouth. "You'll get used to it."
"It is that bad," Neji insisted, though he was getting distracted by those butterfly kisses that kept playing at his lips. "It's all that and worse. No normal person could live in a place like this-"
"They could if they had the right incentive," Naruto said, pressing his body up against Neji and kissing him deeply. His mouth was hot and quick to respond with an intensity that was making his toes curl. He smirked as Neji's hands ran shakily up his back.
Naruto began walking them back to the bed.
"I can't even see the floor," Neji protested, slightly out of breath.
"Don't worry about the floor." Naruto shed his shirt slowly, locking gazes with him as his skin was exposed.
Neji let Naruto pull his shirt off of him as well, watching his lightly muscled tawny skin flex from the movement. The top curves of his hipbones were visible just above the line of his pants. His hands traced the flat plane of the blonde's enticing stomach, his pulse quickening at the catch he heard in the other's breath. He tasted the blonde's skin along his shoulder, his neck, desire beating through his veins. Naruto's fingertips were dancing across his skin, coaxing, pleading, demanding. Oh, why was this craving for him so intense?
They fell upon the bed in a tangle of limbs and fevered kisses, and Neji could almost ignore the random jackets and t-shirts beneath them and the stuffed penguin that was wedged under Naruto's lean arm.
---
Sasuke pretended to be absorbed in the mecha model until he heard Naruto's door close. For some reason, Neji struck him in equal parts awe-inspiring and infuriating. Why couldn't he have issued a normal greeting like 'hello'? Why did he act like this wretched carpet, the bane of his existence, was hand picked by Sasuke himself? And to mock him with it as the first thing out of his mouth!
Sasuke tried to get the jump on him by scoffing at his appearance, hoping that the other boy might be incurably vain and thus cowed, but to no avail. Neji's strangely pale eyes analyzed him like a scanner, deciphered something imperceptible, then the arrogant bastard had to look all cool while choosing to take Sasuke's mocking comment as a compliment. Though Sasuke did think Neji's hair was nice. Secretly. Hell, the whole package was nice. Sasuke looked at Naruto's closed door, wondering what might be going on on the other side.
Sasuke shook his head to dispel the thought. There was absolutely no reason to dwell on that. No reason at all. So stop it.
He grabbed up the model, gluing and assembling with distraction. Stupid little finger missile cannons. Must they be SO small? The tiniest shift caused them to go crooked RIGHT before the glue cemented. He muttered as he worked.
Would Naruto be busily resisting Neji's abundant sex appeal? Or was he busily indulging?
His brain supplied a scandalous scene that was slightly more involved than making out.
No, Naruto wouldn't do that... not right under his nose...
Not that he shouldn't... it was his apartment, too, after all, and being locked away in his room wasn't exactly 'under his nose', if he was being reasonable about it.
Crrrack!
Shit. He bent one of the pieces right in two.
Still, if they were... it would be quite a sight. If the way clothes graced Neji's frame were any indication, the long haired boy had a killer body.
Sasuke'd never been actively attracted to Naruto, but he had to admit the two of them made a striking couple that many people would lay down good money to see them getting friendly with each other. Naruto, like the embodiment of the sun with his tan skin and golden hair; Neji his dark opposite with moon pale skin and rich dark hair. Yin and Yang in their appearance, yet there was a synergy between them that was uncanny. And they'd only been together what, like 2 days? Not only that, they'd already slept together in such a short time. Gotten naked and...
Sasuke flushed, frowned, and then frowned some more.
Why am I...
"My god," he breathed in horror as the truth dawned on him. "I get it now. These models... my OCD with these freaking models that drive me up the wall.... these compulsions... I'm..."
---
"Naruto, did you hear something?" Neji sat up, cocking his head to the side with a slight frown on his face.
"You mean just a second ago, that sounded like, 'Noooooo! Why, god, why?'?"
"Yes, that."
"Nope, didn't hear a thing." Naruto stretched to reach Neji's now distant lips, murmuring against them, "So please don't stop doing what you were just doing."
---
Sasuke gripped the tabletop in shock. I'm... sexually repressed?!
Somehow, he'd developed hormones without noticing, and they had launched a massive ambush as their opening attack. He reeled from the realization that his entire body had flushed just picturing two guys getting it on. This was bad. The ambush had been so sneaky... so overwhelmingly thorough... that now even his whole sexual identity was at risk. He'd put off physicality and relationships for so long, knowing the headache and heartache that went along with it, and now, suddenly his brain was overrun with those lost years, lost opportunities. His brain was like a car that'd lost a wheel and was careening recklessly towards the brink of the unknown.
SEX. A three letter word that could spell doom or bliss, depending on its arrangement.
And here he was, thinking he'd escaped it all, never realizing that his day would come.
He heard a muffled noise. Faint. Almost past the range of human hearing, and yet he detected it. Recognized it. A moan, bit back to reduce the volume, but not enough to keep from being audible.
Sasuke jumped up and cursed as his body responded. Shit!
What if it's like with baby birds, where they imprint on the first creature they see? What if he imprinted on boy sex and was ruined for being straight forever? What would he do? He'd never identified as anything but straight his entire life!
Sasuke ran into his room, and dove for the computer. Time was of the essence. He could not see or hear anything else from the blonde's room, but his imagination was gaining momentum. He frantically started pulling up pictures, het porn, anything he could that did not involve two hot boys giving into desire.
Girls and guys, girls and guys, girls and guys...
Unfortunately the sites he stumbled across in his sporadic clicking had flash pop-ups, and image-intensive side bars that boasted more than what he was looking for. (The open minded bastards!)
Girls with girls...
Guys with guys...
Vanilla, non-con, bondage, and other words emblazoned the screens and drop down menus, along with things he'd never even heard of.
Only $24.95 for a three month membership.
Goddammit. Did they have to make it such a deal?
He hissed through clenched teeth and typed in his credit card number, cursing the site the entire time.
Who wouldn't want unrestricted access to erotic stories and hundreds of uncensored videos with new additions being made almost every day?
---
Neji nudged Naruto's legs wider and lay between them, feeling the heat of the blonde's body wrap around him as he nipped kiss-bruised lips. He swallowed Naruto's moan as he moved within him, shuddering as pleasure wound up his spine and coiled tighter in his belly. Good god, if it was always like this, he was going to become a nymphomaniac. Naruto's face was flushed, his skin glistening. His chest rose and fell quickly as he dragged in breath, his lips parted sexily.
Naruto's hands fisted in the sheets above his head as his hips met Neji's. His entire body was hot like it was going to catch on fire, and the core of his being was being compressed into a demanding pressure just behind his groin, leaving his head to drift unaware of its surroundings. Hot, sweet flashes sizzled through him every time his hips canted up, adding to the need thundering and building inside of him. He could taste Neji's desire on his tongue, feel it so solidly within him, and he was going to explode. He needed to... needed more... harder...
He felt fingertips trail over his hip, spiking the pleasure as he was consumed with the desire to be touched. Teasing fingers. Traitorous, teasing - "Ahhh," he moaned as they slid around him, drawing bittersweet electric pangs from deep within him as his orgasm was sucked ever closer. The pressure was almost unbearable, but felt so unbelievably good... his body opened wider to receive the thrusts that were making his insides curl, taking Neji more intimately than before.
Neji's skin sliding against his inner thighs, his hand working aching flesh, his voice in Naruto's ear. There were too many sensations to focus on... it was spiraling out of control... Naruto's body tightened and stretched as orgasm surged up through him, escalating with every movement within him. He wrapped his legs around Neji's waist, pulling him in as deeply as possible as it crashed over him, his hips moving of their own accord as he shuddered, drawing it out. Neji gasped against his neck as he reached his release, every muscle in him seeming to go rigid as it struck him.
"It's a good thing we don't live together," Naruto panted. "This could become a nasty habit."
"I was thinking that earlier."
"Really? You think nymphomania might be a likely scenario for us?"
Neji nuzzled Naruto's neck. "We may never see the outside of a bed again."
"We would as long as neither of us is prone to anorexia. I don't know about you, but food is a good motivator for me."
"I could always strap you down."
"You into that?"
"Don't know till I try it."
"What makes you think I'm up for that?"
"You promised to wear leather for me, in exchange for my teaching you to not suck at video games, remember?"
"Pft! I do NOT suck at video games," Naruto said indignantly. Neji lifted an eyebrow, a smirk flitting at the corner of his mouth.
Naruto rolled onto Neji and pinned him down with hard fingers. "Take that back. That's a gross exaggeration of the truth, and I agreed to leather pants."
"Pants, straps, why split hairs?" Neji smiled up at him enigmatically.
Naruto flushed. "You lech."
Neji hooked a hand around the back of Naruto's neck and pulled him down, protesting, into a kiss. The blonde melted into it reluctantly, a worry line between his brows was the only indication he was fighting not to react. His lips were soft and pliable.
"You'd love it," Neji breathed into his ear, causing him to shudder. The blonde shook his head in denial even though it was obvious that his body had quickened at the thought. Bodies don't lie, and it's hard to keep secrets when you're naked.
Neji laughed and kissed him again soundly. "Maybe later then." He sat up, taking Naruto with him. "What time is it?"
"Er..." Naruto looked around for the glow of his clock. "Ten till eleven." He looked at Neji. "You have to go?"
"I left without saying anything to anyone..." But a phone call could fix that.
"Do you want to stay?" Naruto's blue eyes were hopeful. "I can lend you stuff."
Hmm, stay with Naruto, or go back to the twins and be tormented by Kankuro's intermittent snoring as well as being kept awake by thoughts of the sick workings of Gaara's twisted little mind. Who's to say what the red terror had in store for him? The real question was, would he be safe from evil plots in Kankuro's room or could the little beast pick locks?
"I'd love to stay." Ah, it was probably rude to Kankuro that he'd bailed, but his friend was pretty understanding. Besides, it was so warm and calming here. He could think of no place he'd rather be. Minus the stuffed penguin that was somehow half lodged under his back. "As long as we can find a new home for this damn penguin."
________________________
TBC