He glanced at the clock again as his aunt led Hinata down the hall for bed.
Neji watched the four year old walk after her mother, and once again felt restlessness in his legs
. He kicked them absently catching his uncle in the knee. Neji smiled to himself when Hiashi shot him a look.
Serves him right for giving Neji that huge owie, he should kick him again.
"Neji-chan, stop looking at the clock, your father said he wouldn't be back tonight…" Hiashi said, brows furrowed softly, he was rubbing his knee discreetly under the table.
Neji caught the action, he knew he had a strong kick.
"Tousan, promised he'd take me to the beach again this weekend. Today is his day off," Neji responded. Hiashi was looking at him kind of like how his father did when he had one of his "sad spells."
Neji found the similar expression strange, they were identical…twinks..(that sounded about right)..His father said that because of that they sometimes copied each other on accident.
Identical twinks were still a weird concept to the five year old
.
They were brothers, but his father was younger by a few seconds, so he…looked like his brother completely? But Hima-sama and Hikaru-sama were also brothers and they didn't look completely alike, they also weren't identical…twinks… The five year old bit his lip, face scrunching up a bit as he followed the line of his own thoughts, a lot of people in the clan looked alike. He looked a lot like Tokuma, now that he thought about it. He'd heard his father laugh once about something being selective when he eavesdropped on him and his brother late on night.
He'd gotten caught, both twins calling him out, reprimanding him for staying up past bed time.
His father got up from the table as Hiashi swept something white and a wad of cash to the side.
His father kneeled in front of him asking him why he was up. Neji was silent for a moment, eyes warily sliding to his uncle. He was the problem. Why was he here? He was staring at Neji, a frown marring his features; Neji grabbed his father's hand, pulling him a little further down the hall. His father shuffled after him, still able to maintain his crouched position, and Neji wondered how his father could do that. His father was cooler than Hiashi-ojisama, his father was young still and he was prettier, unlike his uncle. Neji made sure to point that out after Hiashi finished hurting the back of his neck with the needle.
"Neji-chan what's the matter?"Hizashi asked, making the boy stop.
Neji rocked side to side trying to figure out what to say before deciding to be honest like his tousan told him he should be.
"Why is Meany-sama here after he hurt me and yelled at you? I don't want him here he's mean. It still hurts and he didn't even apologize. And since you came home so late… I haven't eaten," Neji grumbled, feeling bad when his father lowered his eyes.
"…I'm really sorry Neji-chan," Hizashi responded after a long pause. He was still looking down, that sad look crossing his features. Neji had made him sad again. Neji was mad at himself. He always made his father sad it seemed. Neji reached out small hands cupping his father's face, trying to push his cheeks up into a smile with his thumbs. Hizashi caught on to the gesture after a moment and he laughed.
His father smiled at him through his chuckling and Neji blushed a little, feeling warm. His father's laughter was something he hadn't heard lately and he'd missed it.
His father had led him to the kitchen after that, blocking his view of the table and fixed him something to eat. Afterwards, even though Neji protested halfheartedly, his father had laid beside him until he fell back asleep.
"Your father's not coming back …Neji-chan…" Hiashi whispered. His voice sounded wet, and Neji frowned, confused, when there was a sharp knock at the door. Neji immediately perked up, a smile splitting his face, Hiashi looked up with wide eyes.
"Tousan!" he shouted excitedly jumping down from the chair, dodging Hiashi's hand that darted for him.
"Neji!" Hiashi shouted after him.
"Hiashi?.." he heard his aunt call to his uncle voice laden with concern. Whatever, he was a big boy. He could answer the door.
His father might scold him later, he didn't like for Neji to answer the door. Neji was a big boy now though, he understood his father's concerns when he'd run to the door when he was three. Hinata was weak and small when she was three, she was still that at four. But Neji was five, which was half way to ten, which was halfway to twenty. He was practically an adult like his father.
He was excited to see him, little legs carrying him down the hall.
It was extending, its tan hues melting to red.
Red. He couldn't breathe.
"Don't…" the voice was a whisper, it always was.
His heart was pounding in his chest
He ignored it. He was determined to reach the end of that hall.
"Neji-chan…" it was his father's voice, fingers swept through his hair.
Father….
His throat was closing up, he didn't understand why. Why? Why? There was banging on the door.
"…Neji…"
"Come here…" it was the ghost of Hizashi's voice, light pushing in around his figure, blinding-
Somebody was screaming, splitting his head in two, a croaking sound rattling-
"Neji."
Neji's eyes opened in a startle, mind slamming a door on the nightmare. His heart was pounding, and he was sweating. His nightmares always felt so real sometimes. Through the curtain of his tangled bed head he stared up at Tokuma, already wishing the man would leave so he could compose himself.
Compose…?
His pulse was still fluttering in his throat. Why? Neji swallowed the wad in his throat.
He was thankful his hair and the blanket covered his face well enough to hide him from Tokuma.
The man stared down at him, face blank despite the fact that he had invited himself into Neji's locked room.
Well, Tokuma thought his face was blank, but Neji read the worried lines in the set of his brows.
"Hiashi-sama has summoned you," Tokuma informed him, moving to sit. Neji was curled in a ball on his right side, reluctant to make any room. Tokuma noticed the movement, or rather the lack thereof, and scooped what felt like a leg back far enough so he could sit.
Neji thought about kneeing him in the back.
"Hiashi-sama has requested you, get up," Tokuma announced again, authority pushing in his voice. Neji didn't move, looking at Tokuma, blinking slowly like he was about to fall asleep. Tokuma sighed "Hiashi-sama wants-"
"I don't care about what Hiashi wants" Neji bit out, adding the sama as an afterthought as he always did.
"Funny that you say that now," Tokuma spat out. Neji, felt the bite in that. He sat up, throat feeling a little tighter. Tokuma didn't say anything, turning his head away from Neji, letting his bangs hide his features away. He stood moving to the door, "Don't be late" he called out, shutting the door with a little more force than necessary.
Neji stared after him, listening to the faint creek of the stairs as the man made his way down.
He swallowed the little fist of emotion, smoothing his hair as best he could with his hands.
He dropped them, feeling a little sick. They had been doing so well, they had been back to normal these past few months. He had been back to normal. Well at least normal for Neji; he mused.
He wasn't sure what he'd done yet, he'd done a lot of things as of late. It could be anything. Neji felt jittery just thinking about what the man possibly knew. The man saw himself almost like a guardian to Neji, lecturing him in Hiashi's absence, keeping tabs on him, it felt suffocating.
Neji sighed to himself, sliding the reject button on his phone when it started buzzing.
"Here" Neji tossed the stack of cash to Hiashi, not bothering to acknowledge or greet the man.
It landed with a heavy thud on Hiashi's desk. Hiashi didn't even look at it, instead typing something up on his computer.
"And the rest," Hiashi sighed. His voice a pitch Neji couldn't determine. Demand or question, it could be one of those things.
Withholding an irritated sigh, Neji reached into his other pocket, pulling out the left over bills and the small baggie of cocaine.
Neji held his breath as he set it on Hiashi's desk.
That caused Hiashi to pause. He tilted his head to the side as he reclined back in his chair, regarding Neji with an unreadable expression.
"Do you think I'm a fool?" Hiashi started, regarding Neji as if he were just a kid.
No… just a prick…
Neji's jaw tightened to keep from saying the thought out loud. His tongue swept along his back molars.
"No Hiashi-sama, I do not think you are a fool," Neji replied. It sounded honest, but Hiashi knew better, as he could taste the sarcasm in his nephews voice. Neji knew, and hoped it tasted sour to his uncle.
"You must, if you think you can play me like this," Hiashi states flatly. "I know you didn't go on your last run." Neji's mouth flattened to a line.
He'd been caught, well almost.
"Where were you?"
Neji didn't know why Hiashi was asking him. Hiashi knew where he had been the greater part of last night. He'd sent Tokuma to tail after him, after he'd informed Hiashi of a deal almost gone wrong.
"I was at Lee's," Neji said nothing more.
"Lee…hmf." Hiashi found Lee to be classless and distasteful for always wearing anything green under the sun. He thought Lee was classless and yet, here he was, one of the biggest coke dealers in Konoha. Hiashi always preferred for his members who dealt for him personally to keep a low profile and remain in the compound. There was less of a risk to him by association, and less of a connection to his lines. Also easier to make sure no one squealed. Either that or make acquaintances with those who also had too much to lose, such as the Uchiha. However, within the last decade or so, a lot of bad blood had been collecting between the two clans.
Neji frowned.
I wont let him keep me locked up…
But his hands were tied. He sold for Hiashi, as well as the rest of the clan. He, like the other branch members, were the main family's errand boys. Their lackeys, the ones who did the dirty work behind the scenes, manufacturing and selling the purest cocaine Konohagakure had ever received. They were the ones who ran the most risk, while the main family sucked up all the profit.
The large accumulation of their wealth had been steadily rising for over a century. Granted, back in the older days the game had been opiates. They were still sold, but only at the client's request. To cover it all up, the main family had created an excellent ruse to hide the tracks of the large incomings of money for the clan. Financial Banking. And the main family was very good at it. Operations were based in a location far from the main compound and the main banking high-rise here.
The Hyuga had ensured that all profit and the secrets of the family remained inside of the clan only. Secrets kept the family in power and surrounded by wealth. Loyalty was a must, and the main family had created a system long ago to keep the branch family under their control, and it had worked for over a century.
Neji remembered looking into the clan's history, and seeing talks of a curse mark that could destroy a branch member's brain until it was merely a mush that their skulls encased. He shuddered and felt sick even trying to imagine something of the sort. The stress of knowing that the main house members had that much power over him would surely drive him insane. Granted, while the brand on the back of his neck was similar insurance of obedience to the clan, at least they couldn't kill him like that on a whim. The branch family was branded with tattoos on the back of their necks as soon as the heir to the Hyuga fortune turned three.
The mark insured that branch members knew their status and whom they belonged to. The four bars on the left and the four digit code on the back of their necks not only marked them as Hyuga property, but also provided a record for who's branch spawn they were. Branch members weren't really considered real people under clan law, and those whom naively thought they could be their own person, or even attempt to leave the business were swiftly dealt with, with little interference from outside forces. Konoha was modern, but it still allowed clans to enforce their own clan law.
A folly of the third leader of the country.
Disobedience and the idea of being disloyal to the clan, and possibly exposing their drug business was swiftly dealt with. Murder, further branding, and even mutilation were only a few of the consequences. They were kept in line and silent by fear. The branch family knew not to upset the power over them in fear of punishment. Although there were a few who would speak up against the main family when they could, they were often silenced by other branch members before the main house even caught wind of the anarchist.
All were silent about the terror they lived under, except for Neji. He had a spiteful mouth and the privilege of being direct family to the head.
Neji didn't know how to bite his tongue even when speaking to Hiashi. He argued and fought with Hiashi endlessly over the servitude of the branch. He wanted out. Hiashi had reminded him he belonged to the clan wholly, and that the only reason he drew breath was because Hiashi allowed it. Because he belonged to Hiashi, completely in mind and in body. He even occasionally fought with main members whom were under the assumption if they beat him enough when he ran his mouth he would shut up.
He did not.
Snarling, he'd informed all of them he'd never stop fighting, and Hiashi had knocked his tooth out. Neji had been fourteen at the time. Fourteen and a little terrified his uncle would not get off of him until he was dead.
His grandfather had stepped in, reminding Hiashi he needed to get to an appointment now or he'd be late. He'd stepped over the bloody and bruised teen on his way out, not even glancing back. Hoheto had taken him to the hospital and helped forge accident papers with Ko.
When he'd recovered weeks later, Tokuma had taken him to get a new back molar. The process of acquiring the new tooth had been long and painful. Hiashi had almost broken his jaw, but he'd paid for the best oral surgeons to "Fix him up." Doped up on some of the best pain meds money could buy, and tooth finally completely in place, he'd watch through blurry eyes as Hiashi sat on the edge of his bed and brushed his hair for him. Seated there by his nephew, Hiashi had told him he'd cut out his tongue if he ever told anyone what had actually happened to him. He lightly stroked Neji's swollen cheek before leaving.
Neji's eyes pinched as he listened to his uncle berate him for making a faithful client leave with no product.
That guy is a piece of shit…
The man had already tried to roofie him twice.
"You'll deliver it to him tonight, I've already contacted him and insured him that you'd be at Red Clouds." Hiashi paused, setting a stone look on Neji. "…And you will be there. Do not shame me again. It's bad business. Do you understand?" Hiashi finished, turning back to his paperwork.
Neji bit his lip, wanting to inform Hiashi of his garbage client but, he had promised Lee he'd meet with him later.
He didn't want to have to cover bruises when he met with his friend or worse, have to cancel completely. The client paid well, and Neji was unsure if his uncle would even listen to how uncomfortable the man made him, so he opted to not waste his time this once.
"I understand…"
Fugaku set aside the files he had been reading through with an irritated sigh, rubbing his temple with his free hand. Sales were down, and Sasuke had apparently been running amuck again. He swore the child had some sort of complex, but he had yet to figure out what it was.
I need to reign him in before…
"You summoned me?"
Fugaku looked up from under his lashes at his eldest, Itachi. They boy's voice pitched at the end, and Fugaku couldn't make out whether he was asking a question or simply stating the obvious. He could never tell anything with the boy, and it unnerved him that he couldn't see through his own child.
"Your brother…"Fugaku started, just barely catching an imperceptible ripple in Itachi's countenance. "Do you know what he is trying to do?" Fugaku asked.
"Trying to do?" Itachi questioned him, brows furrowing a little.
"Yes, he's been running all over Konoha, damn near terrorizing the few clients we have still. Are you aware of his intentions?" Fugaku inquired, leaning on his propped hand.
"No, father," Itachi answered. Fugaku looked up, studying him from under his lashes. There was something going on, but Itachi wasn't giving anything up. Itachi was very protective of his younger brother, even when he did wrong. Fugaku didn't really understand their bond, having been an only child. Still, bond between brothers aside, Itachi had always been a mystery, even when he was younger. He had an uncanny eye and could hide anything, including himself from Fugaku's perceptive eye. Sometimes he swore that Itachi wasn't actually his son, as the boy was so strange, and seemed to know information he shouldn't all the time. Fugaku knew he had to have some idea of what Sasuke was doing, and was protecting him.
What is he protecting him from…?
"Very well." Fugaku conceded after a few seconds, and he leaned back, fishing around his desk for a moment. "That's not what I called you for, I need you to do something for me," he said, locating the photograph. He handed it over to Itachi.
"This is-" Itachi began, surprise written on his face, peaking in his voice along with the confusion slowly etching itself in his brows.
"Yes, I need you to gather some information for me. Danzo has been stirring things up again, and our sales are in the toilet. I need to know if the Hyuga have anything to do with Shisui's disappearance." At the mention of his friend's name, Itachi's mouth thinned to a line.
"Ever since that deal, Danzo has kept a close eye on the clan," Fugaku stated, folding his arms across the desk.
" He doesn't trust us, and frankly, with the way things have been lately, I don't trust him no more than I trust that snake," Fugaku spat, a sneer pulling at the corner of his mouth.
"The Hyuga have been out for blood ever since what happened all those years ago, I wouldn't put it past Hiashi to align himself with Danzo to get back at us." Fugaku continued, taking in Itachi's stone face.
"Follow them, get whatever information you can out, I want to know everything they are doing. But do it quietly, the Hyuga have eyes all around, it won't be easy." Fugaku finished, waiting for Itachi to ask any questions.
He didn't, he never did.
"Yes, father," at that, Itachi exited the office.
Fugaku leaned back watching him go. He needed him to gather something useful. Nobody was really buying from them anymore, no one was interested in the hallucinogens, more interested in the ease of coke, and the Hyuga's branch of influence was spreading. The Uchiha were carrying too much risk and not enough reward, especially with the rise of Akatsuki, the police force were playing both sides, and it was getting muddy out there.
Fugaku closed his eyes a moment, it had been a mistake teaming up with Danzo all those years ago. His alliance with the crooked FBI director had been a huge mistake, with a high cost, but it had prolonged the life of his clan by allowing them to seize control of the police. The reward had been a safety net but the cost was catching up.
He needed to know what was going on, who was taking what side, and he needed to know quickly.
Mafia style work had been on the decline for years, and with interest waning steadily in the clan with money only trickling in from the police force, times would be tight soon. The sell of the hallucinogens kept their clan's compound afloat, with it gone, Danzo could easily begin isolating them from spheres of influence, and that was death.
It had happened to the Uzumaki already
.
They had been top notch, but were squeezed out steadily from the underground with raid after raid, after that, their political stronghold in the capital waned until it was none existent. The fourth leader of Konoha had tried to make amends, for his son and his wife's sake, but trust was thin with him. The streets were dangerous without some kind of political protection. He'd been mysteriously assassinated by an extremist only a few days before signing into law a clan protection act.
Afterwards, numerous "accidents" had lead to the diminishment of the clan, until the tragedy of a member murdering everyone within the compound.
Danzo had appeared on television, addressing the country of the tragedy. Fugaku knew he was lying, when he called what happened unfortunate.
Word on the street was that Kushina, had threatened to expose "Danzo's schemes". What schemes she meant were anybody's guess, she'd died in her sleep taking it to her grave. The whole clan had been killed, except for a little boy, Naruto, who had been under the protection of the third, and now the fifth leader of Konoha. He was safe for now, anything that happened to him would be under direct scrutiny. Some members of the main city, Konoha, gossiped that the little boy had somehow put the poisonous gas in the air ducts of the compound as a prank gone wrong. Danzo had tried to underhandedly mount a case against him, but it seemed so unlikely that it had been thrown out in the end.
Many suspected that Danzo worked in the underbellies of Konoha, but even Fugaku was unsure of his influences even after seeking his help to deal with the Hyuuga. As the head FBI director and member of the board of Konoha, the man's record was spotless. It had to be forged, the incident had proved how ruthless the man was, an even showed Fugaku how far he himself would go for his clan. There was no way the man didn't have underground entities under his control, but Fugaku could never find anything other than the ANBU investigative team.
After the Hyuga incident, he'd stopped looking for dirt on the man. Fugaku had enough blood and dirt on his hands that trying to expose Danzo would inevitably expose himself and the corruption of the police force as well.
And he couldn't risk that. He'd go down for his clan, for his boys and his wife. But there was no way on hell he'd pull them under with him, should he have gone after Danzo.
Fugaku loosened a heavy sigh. The man was an undercover tyrant. He ran the ANBU team with an iron fist, and his power even with that faction unnerved some of the heads of other clans within Konoha itself. The man had been delegated power in ways Fugaku couldn't help but be wary of. The third in his ignorance had given board members powers to oversee investigative and policing forces when the Lightning country had been caught at the border, smuggling in Hallucinogens. Danzo had tightened his leash on the police force, and raids had shut down many Uchiha processing sites.
Danzo was plotting something, but he was unsure of what. He's confronted the man and he had feigned ignorance, stating simply that someone had tipped him off and under the law he was inclined to stop any illegal activities. He had then asked Fugaku if his officers had known anything about the plants.
Fugaku had responded no.
The bastard was toying with him, why, Fugaku didn't know. Added to that disappearance of Shisui was taking its toll on the force, making it clear that Danzo was plotting something, and Fugaku knew in his gut there was a storm brewing.
Neji breathed a sigh of relief as he recounted the bills in his hands.
He had just finished his run and had stopped in the bathroom to recount the bills he acquired. He knew the amount was correct, but the drug business was shady. Hiashi would have his blood if he had been shorted even a nickel, the fact that he hadn't exploded from Neji's incomplete run had been luck. Hanabi was to thank for that. Her dance recital was tonight, and Hiashi had promised her he'd be in attendance with her sister.
Hence Neji's bruise free face.
He swiped his tongue acrosss his back bottom teeth again, before recounting the money a fourth time.
He couldn't focus on the bills in his hand, the memory of his encounter with the man still fresh on his mind.
The man's hand had felt like spiders crawling on his skin. He had ushered Neji back toward his private lounge with a hand firmly on his shoulder. Neji had knocked it off with a glare.
The man had only laughed, saying how he'd enjoy this game with him.
Neji itched to wipe the smirk off his face.
His fingers twitched and suddenly the stall he was in seemed too small. He bolted out of the restroom quickly, making a beeline for the exist before trying his luck at getting a free drink at the bar. At 19 he could get in the door no problem now, but Hiashi had never allowed him to get a fake I.D. It honestly hadn't been that big of a deal, Neji didn't really like to drink anyway, but something about the whole encounter had irritated him. Childishly, he'd argued over the fact that Tokuma had a fake I.D when he had been his age. Hiashi of course had come right down to his childish level that day.
Taking a seat at the bar, Neji smiled a little at the memory. It was one of few arguments that had not ended with bruised egos, blood, or scabs being pulled back with such force that new wounds were made.
Lighthearted…
Something his uncle was not.
He definitely wasn't the following week after.
Neji frowned, and caught the eye of the bartender. The man took in his appearance slowly. He was dressed a little more casually than the other club goers in black jeans, a black and grey hoodie and black shoes.
The man's eyes trailed upwards, gaze lingering on his full lips and the dark tresses that framed his face, and Neji barely stopped himself from smirking.
Sucker…
Neji flipped his hair over his shoulder, sending what he hoped was a sexy gaze. From the man's reaction, it was clearly not. Confusion crossed the man's features before he turned to attend to the other patrons. Neji frowned, tempted to reach for the man's bottle on his right and chuck it at the bartenders head. When he tried it never worked, and he honestly didn't know what people saw in him. He didn't have a sexy bone in his body, and yet whenever he wasn't trying men and women would approach him for hookups and after sex gave him their numbers.
He never called them. It was too risky.
Sighing at the lost opportunity for a free shot, Neji crossed his arms in front of him. He needed….something. He felt so antsy being in the club after the moment in the bathroom. Sometimes he got a quickie with someone before meeting Kidomaru so he'd be relaxed when meeting the bastard.
He hadn't needed to seek the distraction of anyone last week since he didn't go on that run, and the week before, the guy's dick had been so weak that Neji had left in the middle of it.
Sighing heavily, he stared across at the bottles in front of him, milky gaze taking in all the alcohol on the shelves. It was unlike him, he noted dully. Tokuma had mentioned he hadn't been his normal self as of late, but Neji wasn't sure what his normal self was anymore. He hadn't known since his father's death all those years ago. He remembered that despite his branding he'd been happy, he guessed, but after the tragedy he changed. He had bouts of anger and fury he didn't understand. Then he'd go through times of crushing hopelessness for his situation as a servant, before jumping back to anger, although there were times when he was neither of those. Neji guessed that was the usual self Tokuma had fallen for.
Neji shook his head to himself.
Foolish…
Neji had never been good at maintaining healthy relationships even when he tried. It'd gone downhill and Hiashi had later found out.
"What are you doing here at a night club, Hyuga?" Neji's brow ticked at the use of his surname, feeling a few eyes turn toward him.
The gun against his hip felt a little heavier as he turned to his left to address the boy who'd spoken to him, and was surprised to see Shikamaru lazily leaning against the counter.
"Same as you apparently," Neji replied. Shikamaru smirked, looking off to the side, in contrast to Neji, Shikamaru was dressed for the club scene.
Shocking actually…
For a guy renowned for his laziness he cleaned up well. His hair was down, and he dressed in black pants, shining shoes, and an expensive jacket, Neji still couldn't help but think the boy looked a little ridiculous in the ensemble.
"I'm just out having some fun," Shikamaru started and his voice was so flat that Neji could've sworn the man had been bored to tears.
Neji leaned in close enough that his words wouldn't be heard
.
"Hmm, something tells me the head of the DEA's son wouldn't hang at a sleazy night club for shits and giggles." He hadn't meant for it to come out so coldly, as he leaned away from Shikamaru then. He hadn't meant to come off as aggressive either, only to state facts. He frowned, and Shikamaru looked at him, eyes scrutinizing his features. Neji propped his arm up on the counter, hand subtly brushing the front of his hoodie. Then Shikamaru did the last thing he expected.
He smiled, eyes crinkling. Neji was thoroughly confused by the reaction. Shikamaru continued to smile.
"Troublesome, but you got me," Shikamaru confessed, reaching one hand up to rub at the back of his neck. "I'd definitely rather be anywhere else, but…" Canting his weight to the side, he trailed his eyes up Neji's jean clad leg to his hoodie, "Duty calls." He stared at the hoodie pocket, and Neji smiled bitterly.
He was staring at where Neji's hand had brushed, where not only an hour before he'd had enough coke stashed to end his life forever. Except now crisp bills lined the pocket instead. He'd been caught, kind of.
Neji hummed, sliding out of his seat, before turning to leave. Shikamaru followed him as he suspected.
Exiting the night club, Shikamaru was almost stopped by the bouncer who whispered something in his ear. He narrowed his eyes and nodded quickly, hand flying to his hip.
Neji clocked the action, as Shikamaru followed him away from the door to the corner.
He watched him from under his lashes as Shikamaru regarded him with just his profile. Neji titled his head up rocking his weight to one side.
"Who's the rat in there?" Neji asked plainly. "Don't lie, even if I didn't see you brush your badge anybody in the game with eyes could tell you work for the DEA," Neji said.
Shikamaru smirked, irritation pulling at his lips. He reached for his pocket and Neji contemplated how quickly he could exit the scene.
"You know they usually commend me for my eyes and intelligence down at the office," Shikamaru started, pulling out a cigarette and a lighter. Taking a drag from it, he watched the smoke. He sounded like he didn't really understand why. Neji snorted, going to cross his arms but choosing to to step in front of Shikamaru instead.
"Hmm you may be book smart, but you're lacking in street smarts." Neji said, mirth playing on his lips, eyes cold. "I always thought you were captain obvious even in school, however."
Shikamaru laughed at that, a smile once gain gracing his features, and Neji felt his own soften.
"If you're finished analyzing me now, two can play that game," Shikamaru said, a smile still on his lips as he brought the cigarette up to his mouth again. Exhaling, "Besides, in a room full of people who want to ignore what's right in front of them, stating the obvious is often necessary."
What is he getting at…?
Neji, made a show of feigning like he was taking in the information as real food for thought.
"And what do you see right now?" Neji asked.
Toe twitching as he saw in his periphery an unmarked car slowly creeping up down the street. Its lights were off. His pulse jumped a little. He kept his pokerface and eyes on Shikamaru.
Shikamaru was quiet a moment, pulling the cigarette from his mouth, eye sliding to the black car stopped just in front of the club entrance.
"…a challenge." He said quietly. He made no move to signal for the car.
Neji stepped up closer, lips parting and chin tilting a little. Shikamaru placed the cigarette between his lips, and Neji turned his back to the car, taking a drag from it. He looped his hair behind his ear and his eyes lowered to half moons, tongue swiping across his lips. He missed
Shikamaru's pupils dilate slightly and the gesture.
Anxiety ran up and down his spine.
"What do you want…" Neji finally asked him, eyes ahead. He was slowly shifting his weight to the balls of his feet, ready to make a run.
"You."
Neji turned his head sharply at that and Shikamaru put his hands up in a placating gesture.
"Not that way Hyuga" he rushed out. "Shogi, you seem like you'd be a formidable opponent."
"Are you 200 years old?" Neji retorted, annoyance pushing into his voice. "Or do you think I'm foolish enough to spend my free time playing games with the DEA's son?" Neji asked, pulling the cigarette from Shikamaru to his lips.
"You were foolish enough to chat him up outside of the nightclub, in front of all those paying customers."
Neji smirked, before tucking his lips into a line.
Touché…
He'd hear Hiashi's mouth later when word got around.
What's a little more…?
Neji nodded, turning to face Shikamaru fully, tracing his features, the sharpness of his eye and the stud in his ear.
"Ok"
"Ok?"
"Yeah, I think there's a parlor in the north-side"
Neji didn't miss the smile he smothered, it pulled at his cheeks and Neji found himself a little disappointed it didn't reach to the other man's lips.
"Meet me there," Neji said, crushing the cigarette then.
"When?" Shikamaru inquired, turning to walk back toward the night club, and the car turned it's lights on rolling toward them.
"You'll know," Neji said tucking his hands in his pocket. Shikamaru turned and looked back at him mouthing something at him.
Neji turned, walking calmly around the corner, before breaking into a sprint down the adjacent alley.