Confessional

He'd always detested confessional. Sitting accross from the old priest who would listen patiently to what they have to say then tell them that to repent for their sins they had to pray and go to church, was incredibly boring. But worst was that there was never anything to say. They were expected to sit on the uncomfortable wooden seat for at least a minute while they told the priest their sins, but at eleven there were only so many sins that they could have committed.

Most of his fellow students invented something to tell the priest, and he didn't have a choice but to follow suit most of the time. What else could be done? They had to say something. If they said they hadn't sinned the priest would surely scold them, and they didn't want that. The day they were told they would be going to confessional -they had been getting ready for their confirmation- they all started thinking ahead of what they were going to say. They racked their brains and thought hard. They payed more attention to everything they did until the moment came to slip into the dark booth, trying to figure out something truthful to tell him. Because lying to a priest was certainly a sin.

Neji searched for something to say, anything really, before making a choice. He listed over the things that the Church considered sins, the things society considered sins, and managed to find a thing he'd done that he could get properly reprimanded for, be told not to do it again, and leave there having done what was expected of him.

He didn't think kissing the boy next door was a sin, he didn't understand how it possibly could be one, but he knew that many others thought differently.

When he sat down in the small booth ready to confess, he couldn't stop himself from making a face of obvious miscontent and was very glad that nobody could see him then. He didn't like it at all. The booth was too enclosed and dark, the air was too thick, and it wasn't comfortable whatsoever. There was some doubt in his mind that told him not to confess to having kissed another boy, but he ignored that part of him. It was the only thing he had to say and it would be enough, he hoped, to satisfy the priest.

He listened with half-interest as the man droned on how God would forgive him for his sins if he asked it of Him, and if he was truly sorry for it. When asked to confess, he started off by naming a couple things he knew three-quarters of his class had also said, knowing he had to fill up some of the time he was stuck spending in that booth. He finished his short list, and waited a moment, unsure if he should go on or not.

"What else, child?"

"Well...I also kissed the boy who lives next door to me." He admitted uncertainly.

There was silence for a short while, where Neji just waited for the priest to say something, anything. He'd never felt so frightened before, neither so anxious. He hadn't even told his two best friends about his kissing his neighbour, and now he'd just admitted it to a stranger. One who wouldn't be pleased by the news. It had been for fun, both an experiment to see if they'd like it. It didn't necessarily mean that it determined their interest for the future.

"Telling me this means you are open to repenting for your sin, and the only way to do so is by ignoring those impure wants and choosing the correct path. When you are of age, if you marry a nice woman and have children with her, pray to God for fogrgiveness, and he will give it to you. It happens for young boys to have urges that are wrong, but those are feelings brought onto you by the devil."

"But..." He hadn't intended to argue, but he couldn't resist defending himself, "What if I don't want to marry a woman? I don't even like children!"

"You're too young to know what you want, but you'll see. Once you're older you'll find the right path. Follow the words of the Good Book and pray, and everything will fall in its rightful place."

"But I likedkissing him!" He objected.

"The devil creates hormones in our youth, and it's normal for you to be a victim to those feelings You're at the age where kissing anybody is nice. But don't let lust guide your mind. Kissing other boys is wrong, and impure, and it hurts God when his children do such naughty things."

"But how do you know it hurts God? It didn't feel wrong to me, and I think that's what matters." He continued stubbornly, fiery hatred towards the man who told him he was wrong burning in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't wrong and he knew it!

"Such selfishness! Satan's spawn, that's what you are! How dare you doubt the words of the Good Book? For it says in it that same-sex couples cannot be. It is unnatural and against what God intended for His people."

"Well I say you're wrong." His uncle would be furious to know he was speaking so boldly to a priest, but at the moment he didn't care. He couldn't contain his anger, far too frustrated by the world's ignorance.

"You're quite an insolent child! You don't know the difference between right and wrong yet, and I assure you I'm not the one who's wrong. If you wish to earn forgiveness-"

The priest could not finish, for Neji stormed out of his side of the booth, slamming the door behind himself.

He returned to his class, brooding for the rest of the school day. His friends did question why he was in such an awful mood, but he ignored their queries. He'd become too afraid to speak honestly. Shame, anger, and fear were far more present in his mind now than ever before, and though he'd known it was wrong, he'd never been told so plainly before and with such hurtful words. He was young, and any words spoken to him by any superior went straight to his heart and stayed there stubbornly. They were the adults and what they said was the truth. He didn't know otherwise.

Normally he walked home from school, but he didn't want to that day. He didn't want to face his uncle, who like the priest would surely be ashamed of him, or his cousins because he valued their respect of him, though he never said it, and he didn't want to see his neighbour. The boy was nice, but he was naive. Neji would feel terrible for passing his fear onto him. Especially since the boy wasn't even sure wether or not he'd liked the kiss at all.

When school was over he remained at the large building, choosing rather to spend some time by himself. There was too much going on in his mind, and he didn't like it. The thoughts were too complicated and adult for him to really grasp and deal with, but he tried. He was persistent in trying to get some results. Whatever they may be. Wether he decided that it was wrong and wouldn't do it again, or that the priest - and society - were wrong and he would continue to live the life that would make him happy, what was important to him was knowing how to form his own future.

At that age he wasn't yet aware that if he tried to fight who he truly was, and be with girls like the priest wanted, he would be miserable for the rest of his days. Being somebody he wasn't, just to please the people whose opinion didn't really matter to him, would only lead him into a life of darkness, sorrow, and loneliness. For the company of a woman would never be enough because his heart would constantly be yearning to be with somebody whom he could love with all his being.

He went to the school's park, sitting down on one of the swings, and he used his feet to rock it in a pendulum motion. Some cars from the teachers parking lot began to disappear, and the sound of the engines running was clear in the air. Also heard was the sound of steps as some of the other students walked home, to their friend's home, or to one of the stores in the town. But despite the noise, he never looked up. He knew from experience that if he gave somebody his attention it apparently gave them the right to talk to him, and he obviously wasn't in the mood.

"Hello."

He tried to ignore the person, but couldn't for fear of seeming rude. He stared at the boy's shoes, saw that he wasn't leaving, and so raised his eyes. "Hello." He couldn't keep his gaze up for long though, becoming immediately shy upon seeing how intense the other's eyes were, and how handsome he was.

"You look thoughtful."

He continued to stare at the ground beneath his feet, wondering who the boy was. He'd wanted another person's opinion on the topic, and without thinking, spoke up bluntly, "Do you think kissing other boys is wrong?" His eyes, wide and innocent, searched the boy's face for an answer, not realizing that some would be insulted by the question.

"No." He spoke smoothly and quickly, surprising Neji with his obvious ease, "Why would you think such a thing?"

He averted his gaze, hesitant to go on, but knew that the boy had answered his question and he had the right to his own answers, "I went to confessional today and I told the priest that I kissed a boy and...He said it was wrong. I know people think it's wrong, but I don't see why..."

"Did it feel wrong?"

"No...Well, I don't know. He said it was normal for boys not to know better and maybe that's it..." He trailed off, unsure of himself and of his answer. It had felt good, but weren't all kisses good?

When he received no answer he looked up to see his reaction. The boy was simply standing still, appearing to be deep in thought. Suddenly he stepped forward, placing both of his hands over Neji's, which gripped the chains holding up the swing tightly. He stared at him, clearly startled by the sudden action, and he felt his face heat up at their close proximity. His heart started beating wildly as the distance between them became non-existent, and he found himself kissing the boy.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the gentle pressure of other lips on top of his own. It was nice, he thought to himself. There wasn't even a small part of him that thought the kiss was wrong, or felt wrong. He was lost in the softness and happiness fluttering in his heart and stomach. It was right, it was really, really right. How could anybody possibly think otherwise?

The boy pulled back, and Neji stared at him blankly, his mind still too far gone to take in the current situation. Their eyes locked, and Neji couldn't help but smile, the rightness of it all taking over every doubt in his mind.

"Did it feel wrong?" He just shook his head, unable to conjure up some words. "And that's what matters." The boy straightened up, removing his hands from the chains. "Later, kid." He started walking away, but halted when Neji spoke to him.

"Neji. My name. It's Neji." He offered the other boy a smile when he looked over his shoulder at him and was happy to earn a small one in return.

"Itachi." He said shortly in return, returning his attention forward and continuing on his way.

Neji held a hand over his heart, the blush remaining on his cheeks. At the time it wasn't even a thought in his mind that the boy he'd just kissed would become the man who would become his husband, but he did know that there was some spark between them that would never burn out.

AN: Hello! This is a one-shot that's kind of like the prequel to my other one-shot Easter. I wrote this because once again it's the day against homophobia here in good ol' Canada! (Or only where I come from...) I did the same thing last year and I'm proud to do it again this year! I hope you enjoyed this

I'd like to dedicate this to NejiKikyoAnimeRose who mentioned a prequel to me and the idea stuck to me until I just had to do it! Thanks, hun and I hope I didn't disappoint!

Thank you for reading!
-MewMew