Hello again! This is the first part of Fateful Nights, the promised sequel to Fateful Days. It has taken me some while to get this under way since I've been totally consumed by school work but now I'm back and I hope you will all like the continuation as much as Fateful Days. I've planned a total of eight chapters. From chapter 3 on each one will have a lime or lemon scene in it that will mark Neji's healing progress. I hope I can portray them the way I want to… I'm still not quite sure about my writing ability but since so many of you left me encouraging reviews, asking for the continuation, I at least want to give it try. Please tell me if anything bothers you or you think something doesn't fit into the story. I'm always grateful for any help I can get! Now, this is enough blabbing on my account. Let's dive right into the first chapter, shall we?
Oh, and this takes part about six weeks after the last chapter of Fateful Days! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I still do not own any of the characters mentioned…if I did, I wouldn't let them out of the house and they were my personal pleasure slaves ^_^ And I don't get paid for this of course!
'blabla' thinking
"blabla" speaking
Fateful Nights
by yaoilovergirl
First Night – Nightmare
Bolting upright in his bed, Neji could still hear the faint echo of his own scream. Cold sweat ran down his torso, dampening the sheets that were pooling around his waist. Small tremors raced through his whole body while he tried to get his breathing back under control. After a short while his body seemed to have calmed down a bit and Neji stood up on shaky legs to go to the bathroom to get a sip of water. Looking up he caught his reflection in the mirror above the sink and was quite shocked about it. Sickly pale skin over sunken in cheeks, dark cicles under eyes that had a haunted look in them and his hair was a tangled mass around his head. In short, Neji looked like death warmed up. Hastely he averted his gaze and left the bathroom.
Upon his return to his bedroom he discovered that he wasn't alone. Hinata sat on the edge of his bed, fussing with the covers. As soon as he stepped into the room, pale eyes so much like his own turned to him and regarded him silently. The worry in them was plan to see and Neji wasn't surprised when he remembered how he looked. With a quiet sigh he padded over to his cousin and sat down next to her. A few minutes apssed in total silence before the shy Hyuuga heiress started to speak in a hushed tone.
"Was it another nightmare?"
Neji blinked.
"You know about them?"
The same minute the question left him he mentally berated himself. Of course she knew. Her room was only a few metres away – right across the small yard – and they both slept with their windows open.
"I heard you. Not only this night but all the other times too."
Neji looked away from her.
"I'm sorry to keep you awake , Hinata-san. I'll shut the window from now on so.. "
He didn't get to finish his sentence. A warm hand had settled over his and Hinata interrupted him in a stern voice he recognized as the one she used when she talked to a stubborn Kiba.
"Now listen to me Neji, I might not be the brightest person in Konoha but even I understand that you can do absolutely nothing to stop yourself from having these nightmares. There are just some things that you cannot control through sheer will. And…," here her tone gentled, "…I do know that there is somenone who can at least keep an eye on you and wake you before they get completely out of hand, who wants to be there for you and hold you when you wake up in the middle of the night and who loves you."
Forlornly Neji looked at Hinata. She was right, of course. But…it was so damn hard for him to depend on someone. Even someone he loved and who loved him in return. He had never done so before and now he felt like a weakling if he ran to someone else for support.
Hinata, knowing her cousin her entire life, knew what was going through that dark haired head and it almost made her swear. Almost. She was a Hyuuga after all. Sighing nearly inaudible she lifted a hand to gently cup Neji's cheek in it, feeling the cheekbone much to clearly for comfort.
"Neji, nobody would think you are weak just because you took the help someone offered you. We all need someone from time to time to support us. Neither of us would be as strong today as we are if it weren't for the help of our friends and comrades."
Still sceptical, Neji frowned at his hands. True, if it wasn't for Naruto and his friends, he would still be the selfrighteous, cold and bitter bastard from a few years back. But… could it really be that easy?
"Neji? One more thing before I leave. Try to see it from his point of view. Would you think him weak if he came to you and ask for your help? Especially after what happened? Think about it, Neji-niisan."
And with that Hinata was gone from his room, leaving behind the slight scent of lavender and jasmine – and a very thoughtfull Neji Hyuuga.
~*~
When dawn came and the first few birds in the vast gardens of the Hyuuga mansion began to sing, Neji was still mulling over Hinata's words.
Without coming to a conclusion he stood up and started his day as usual with a meditation and a few exercises to loosen his muscles. Afterwards he spend a few minutes talking to Hiashi while drinking a cup of tea before he left the Hyuuga compound in the direction of the sparring grounds. He knew that if he went to the mission rrom he would receive nothing but a stern "you are still out of comission, Hyuuga-san, Hokages' order". It was well meant but since his injuries had completely healed by now, Neji grew restless. He wasn't crippled, damnit.
Uppon arriving at the training grounds, where he used to spar with Lee on a fairly regular basis, he stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes widened and a faint blush began to cover his cheeks. Hastily he turned around before either Lee or Sakura became aware of him and marched back to the main road.
'Oh my… now this is new. I'm just glad Sakura didn't see me. I just had a run-in with death, thank you very much. Now, what to do? Hmm, maybe I go to the mission room after all.'
But just as all the days before he was politely yet irrevocably send away. Sighing, Neji left and stood at the foot of the staircase, pondering what to do now, when a familiar voice spoke up from behind.
"Hello, Neji-kun. What are you doing here? Except staring holes into the ground, that is."
Shikaku, flanked by two other Jounin, smiled slightly at Neji surprised look. You didn't get to see that often. He had come to accept the silent and sometimes a tad bit snobbish and stuck up Hyuuga boy as his son's significant other and the more the two of them saw and talked to each other the more the stoic dark-haired young man started to relax aroung him and his wife. When Neji had been brought back from that horrible mission a few weeks back, he almost had lost his son because Shikamaru had been completely and utterly destroyed at that time. Now that Neji was back to good health, Shikamaru also returned to his normal, bored self. And he was already back to taking on missions, albeit simple ones. Neji must be lonely.
The thought struck Shikaku out of the blue and he spoke without thinking about it.
"If you have nothing else to do at the moment, why don't you accompany me and help me with a few tasks. I could certainly use a pair of extra hands."
Blinking, Neji nodded.
"Sure, why not. That's definitely better than sulking around Konoha without anything to do."
Shikaku slapped him on the back, making the young Hyuuga stumble, before turning to his comrades.
"Well, since I now have a willing victim you two are off the hook for now. See ya later."
Laughing the other men left in another direction.
"Willing victim?"
Sheepishly Shikaku scratched the back of his head, a gesture Neji had also seen Shikamaru do, when he was – well, not embarrassed but – something. Like someone had caught on to a game the Naras had played.
"Yeah, well…you see it's like this… ." And with that Shikaku proceeded to tell Neji what he had planned to do.
~*~
It was late that afternoon when Neji finally streched his aching back and wiped the sweat from his forehead. They had been working almost non-stop, only pausing for a quick lunch, brought to them by Yoshino, and a cool glass of self-made lemonade.
Now, the sun was already touching the crowns of the trees in the Nara forest but they had made good ground. Neji was satisfied.
A snort behind him made him turn around to face the older Nara with a questioning look in his pale eyes.
"Something off, Nara-san?"
The other had a smile on his face that nobody his age should still have. A boyish, impish kind of grin.
"Nah, nothing much. Except that I have never seen a Hyuuga so disheveld. It suits you. No wonder my son is so completely smitten with you, you look good all sweaty and rumpled."
Neji's mouth hung open and Shikaku laughted.
Neji flushed scarlet and Shikaku laughted even harder.
Until two shadow-hands threaded themselves around his neck.
"Dad, I would really appreciate it if you don't flirt with my boyfriend or talk about how good he looks when he's all sweaty and stuff. Do we understand each other?"
At the last question the shadow-hands tightened their hold a fraction.
"Urgh, right, right. I promise. No more comments on Neji's looks."
The hands vanished and left a coughing Shikaku and a smug Shikamaru in their wake. And an embarrassed Neji Hyuuga who could not believe that Shikamaru of all people had just threatened his father because of some off-colored joke.
Shikaku looked at his son, rubbing his sore throat.
"Sheesh, jealous, aren't we? And here you should thank me that I am such a great father for allowing you two to be happy and all that crap."
Shikamaru looked.
Shikaku grinned.
Shikamaru shook his head.
"Why me?"
"Why not you, son? Now, go over to your boyfriend. I think he missed you."
And with one last teasing wink in Neji's direction he left the two young men to their devices.
"Damn meddling pervert," grumbled Shikamaru under his breath before he looked over to Neji and studied him. He had to admit that his lover was beautiful, standing there, the setting sun bathing him in a soft golden glow and the breeze playing with a few loose strands of his long hair. A light smudge of dirt streaked his left cheebone and the eyes beckoned him. So who was he to deny himself the pleasure. Shikamaru went over to his Hyuuga and stood right in front of him, waiting for a signal to touch him.
A sigh and the slight opening of soft, full lips was all the invitation he needed before Shikamaru captured Neji's lips in a gentle kiss. No tongue yet. Neji didn't like it when he kissed him more deeply in public.
After a few moments of the tender touch Shikamaru drew back. Sitting down on a tree-stump he looked up to Neji.
"Did you really miss me?"
Neji frowned.
"Of course not. I… it's just driving me up the walls to sit around with nothing to do. No mission, nothing more than light sparring. And that only when Lee is not busy playing tonsil hockey with Sakura."
Shikamaru's eyes widened a fraction.
'Since when are Lee and Sakura… hn, doesn't matter. There is something off here. This is not about his forced downtime. It's something else.'
"Neji, may I ask you a question?"
Silence answered him and he took it as a sign to continue.
"How are you sleeping these days?"
A miniscule flinch confirmed his suspicions.
"You still have nightmares, don't you?"
An angry frown appeared on the handsome face and Shikamaru knew he had to treat carefully here. Slowly straightening from his seat, he embraced his lover from behind, borrowing his face in the heavy silk of Neji's hair.
"Don't do this. Don't shut me out. Talk to me."
A snort, sharp and derisive and Neji's whole body tensed.
'Here it comes. Finally.'
"And, pray tell, what shall I talk about? How horrible it was? How it is still haunting me, keeping me from sleeping, from eating? Or how I still feel her hands on me? And the pain of every bone she crushed? How it felt to be lying there, totally at her mercy, waiting for you, hoping for you to come and rescue me? Or should I tell about the nights when I lay awake after another nightmare that feels completely real and wish I had just died back then just to avoid having another one? I'm afraid to go to bed each and every night. I'm afraid to close my eyes because I know I'll live through it again and again and again. I… I can't take it anymore, Shikamaru. I… oh God, please make it stop. I don't want to… I just… I can't… not anymore."
During the outburst Shikamaru and all of them had desperately waited for, the young Nara had turned Neji around to face him and when finally the tears came he had brushed them away and held Neji. When his lovers knees gave out under the onslaught of his despair he slowly guided them to the ground and still held him in his arms. When the heaving sobs turned to occasional hitchings in Neji's chest, Shikamaru gently stroked his back, whispering soothing words in his ear and when Neji finally calmed down completely he kissed him softly.
By now the first stars were in the sky and the temperatures had cooled down considerably.
Taking Neji's hand in his own, Shikamaru stood up, pulling the older shinobi with him. Together, without saying a word and yet understanding each other, they walked back to the city. Once they arrived at Shikamaru's small appartment, Neji followed his lover without a question. Just as silently they changed into more comfortable clothes – Neji borrowed some from Shika – and settled into the younger man's bed. Neji was lying on his side with the other spooning him from behind. Soft breathing soon indicated that the long-haired shinobi had fallen asleep, the days events seemed to have completely worn him out. Shikamaru buried his nose in the long soft locks, still smelling like fresh grass and earth and with a few tangled nests in them from the wind. Without really noticing it he fell asleep, Neji tucked safely in his arms.
~*~
It was very early the next morning when Shikamaru was awoken by his lovers thrashing. Small whimpering sounds fell from twisted lips and sweat beaded on the dark brows. Immediately Shikamaru knew that Neji was having one of the dreaded nightmares. Gently he called out to his lover.
"Neji? Oi, Neji wake up. Come on love it's just a dream."
When talking alone didn't have the desired result, Shikamaru started to softly shake the shivering body next to him. This time Neji did wake up. With a start and a short, choked sound he sat up in bed, almost hitting Shikamaru in the face.
Sitting up next to him and running a calming hand down the rigid back, Shikamaru soothed his lover.
"Shh, it's alright. Everything's okay now. You're safe. I'm here. Nothing can harm you."
It took a few minutes before Neji turned his head and leaned it against the bronze-colored shoulder of the young Nara.
"I'm sorry, Shikamaru." His voice sounded drained and tired and a tad bit scratchy. Shikamaru reached for his nightstand where a glass of water stood and offered it to the shaken Hyuuga who took it with a grateful little smile before drinking a few sips.
"Thank you."
Taking the glass back, Shikamaru looked at his lover.
"Better?"
"Yes and I'm really sorry for waking you. I'm… ."
A finger over his lips silenced Neji and he looked up into the dark eyes of his beloved.
"You have nothing to be sorry about. I'm glad I could wake you up before it got worse. Now, stop worrying and try to get back to sleep. I'll wait till you are sleeping, okay?"
The protest died on Neji's lips when he saw the determined look in Shika's eyes and the gentle smile. Lying back down into the cool sheets he already felt his eyelids going heavy. The last few weeks of restless sleep were now coming back to him and he soon fell asleep again and this time he didn't wake up until it was well after dawn.
~*~
The next evening, Neji found himself back at Shikamaru's door. The Nara didn't say a word, just smiled and let him in. That night he woke to Shikamaru kissing away a few stray tears. The soothing presence of his lover caused him to almost immediately fall back asleep.
~*~
The evening after that Neji found an extra set of pillow and blanket on 'his' side of the bed. This night Neji woke to his lover humming a slow tune not unlike a lullaby he had heard one of his cousines sing to her child. He was asleep before he could question his lover about it.
~*~
The following days he didn't return to the Hyuuga compound after he worked with Shikaku during the day. Curiously Hiashi-san never mentioned his absence when they met in the few moments Neji went home to get a fresh clothes.
~*~
Four weeks after Neji almost-but-not-quite-complete moved in with Shikamaru, he woke up in the morning to the twittering of birds and a gentle late-summer breeze coming in through the opened window, billowing the curtains and playing with a few loose strands of his hair.
It took a few minutes for him to understand what had happened. He had slept through the whole night! Not one nightmare, not even the slightest disturbance. Nothing, just a long, deep sleep.
'Finally!
Slowly Neji turned his head to gaze at Shikamaru who was still softly snoring away next to him. His ponytail was half out of the tie, a few dark strands tickling his nose. The younger shinobi scrunched said nose up in such a manner that Neji had to fight not to laugh out loud.
Studying Shikamaru, Neji felt his heart constrict painfully in his chest. This man loved him. This clever, handsome, sexy, awesome man loved him. It was almost too much to take in. But it didn't stop him from loving said man just as much if not more.
Carefully Neji completely turned around in the loose embrace that Shikamaru held him in and snuggled closer to the warmth the other emitted. Closing his eyes he sighed contendly. This, here, now, was were he wanted to stay for as long as he could. He was finally starting to heal and maybe, just maybe, there would be something akin to a normal life in the future for them.
With these thoughts, Neji difted back to sleep, dreaming of nothing.
~*~
Shikamaru had been awake as soon as Neji had shifted. He quickly realized that it wasn't a nightmare that had awoken his lover and when the long-haired beauty in his arms settled more comfortably against him, he couldn't quite contain his joy. His heartbeat seemed to tripple in his chest and in his stomach a whole swarm of butterflies semed to find a new home.
Everything would be okay now, he was sure of it. The beginning was made. Now came the next step.
'Hn, seems like I have to talk to dad tomorrow.'
And with that last, cryptic thought, he followed his lover into a restfull slumber.
-tbc-
Okay, that was the first chapter. Not much happened but it got the story started. I get the feeling I have waited too long for this continuation…I've totally lost any feeling for writing that I may have managed to achieve T_T Anyway, I hope that you'll stay with me and support me just as much as you did with Fateful Days.
R & R PLEASE!!!