Disclaimer: I do not own. At all. Except Koji. He IS mine. Don't touch.

A/N: this one defiantly won out on which would people like me to update more. So here you go!

The Level

Neji arrived home a bit wearily and disappointed. That date had gone not at all like he had planned. To start off with any show of material wealth either hadn't affected Uzumaki or he'd been upset about it.

He'd taken him to one of the classiest and most expensive restaurants in the city and Naruto had glanced at the menu and then frowned. He'd frowned and looked up at Neji and masked it. He'd ordered something and when it came he looked at the meal with curiosity and after one bite merely moved the bits around.

When Neji had suggested they go back to his place subtly the blond had burst. He'd become still and stared at him and then his gaze had become sharp and he had said in a very no questions sort of way that Neji would take him home. As soon as they had pulled up Uzumaki had been out of the car and bent down to stare at Neji in the driver's seat. He'd never felt so small under that gaze. He'd half wanted to just drive away under that sharp blue gaze. "Thank you for dinner," he'd said with a biting lash of his tongue.

Neji had flinched when the door slammed shut and he watched the enigmatic blond walk up to his building and disappear inside. Neji had sat for a long time in his car just staring at the door before driving away. He'd never had problems like this before. His money and his prestige generally got him everything he wanted. If it had been any other person he would have been inside of them just then.

He stared at his reflection in his hallway mirror. He looked impeccable. There was not a single hair out of place or a wrinkle in his Armani suit but he felt somehow inadequate. He schooled himself into blankness and made a phone call to his favorite escort service.

He'd asked for a blond.

As soon as he had gotten home Naruto had gotten home Haku had begun to pounce. He'd opened his mouth to spout any number of questions but his jaw had snapped shut and then he'd said, "Koji fell asleep a while ago." He patted Naruto on the shoulder and then headed to bed without another word.

Naruto wasn't sure what made Haku stop his questions mid breath but he was glad. He snuck into Koji's room and looked fondly down on the little pink head. He kneeled at his son's bedside and ran a hand over his hair. He may have lost a given up a good portion of his life for this kid but he would never regret it. Never ever regret this precious gift.

Koji opened his eyes and blinked at him blearily. "Daddy," he questioned.

Naruto forced a smile and little hands came out to touch his face. Tiny fingers traced over lips and cheeks and held there.

"How about you sleep in my room tonight," Naruto said and those hands shifted to wrap around his neck. Naruto scooped Koji up and moved back towards his bedroom. When Koji was a little younger he'd always slept in Naruto's room. Naruto had broken him of that when he realized it was better to do that sooner than later. It was a rare treat Naruto only gave Koji when he'd had a particularly terrifying dream or when there was a particularly heavy rain. Naruto couldn't stand the rain and Koji then became his comfort.

Naruto Laid Koji in bed and changed out of his expensive date clothing and into something more suited to bedtime. Orange plaid flannel pajama pants and no shirt. He climbed into bed with his son and Koji, half asleep, nuzzled into him. Feather soft hair brushed Naruto's chin. He heaved a great relieved sigh and let himself drift off to sleep.

Neji was left unsatisfied by the escort. He had long pale blond hair and any other night he probably would have been satisfied. He wanted the blond who didn't fall into his bed with abandon. He wanted the man who didn't like his money.

He'd kicked the escort out with a pile of cash and a handful of clothing. He didn't care if it got him blacklisted from that company. He paced through his house black Egyptian boxers low on his hips. There were no lights on in his house. He didn't want lights on. Somehow the darkness was soothing his temper and his embarrassment.

He hesitated and then strode to his cell phone with purposeful steps. He flipped it open and regardless of the time he dialed. The phone rang and rang and then a sleep husked voice answered. "This better be important," it said into the phone.

"Uzumaki?"

There was a pause on the other end and then voice asked hesitantly, "Hyuga?"

"Yes," he breathed.

"I don't know what you did to Naruto but I don't think you should call here anymore," the voice said. "Especially not at 3am. You'll wake up Koji."

"I-," he paused. It wasn't Naruto on the other line. It had to be the model. "I want to talk to him."

"Yeah well," there was a sigh. "Are you serious about this?"

Neji paused. Was he really? Did he really want something with the struggling father? "Yes."

There was some rustling and then some muffled voices.

Another sleepy voice answered, "Neji?"

Neji sighed.

"It's 3," he mumbled as a question and there was a yawn.

"Sorry," he said into the phone, and he meant sorry for so much more than waking him up.

There was a long pause where Neji held his breath and Naruto did not. He could hear the puffs of breath over the phone. "Why did you call?"

He didn't know. He wasn't sure. He just felt like he had to. He had to do something. "I couldn't sleep."

There was a light chuckle on the other line. "Do you realize how ridiculous that is?"

He was startled by the response and as such remained in a startled silence.

Naruto's voice was significantly more awake and sounded amused. "What do you want?"

Neji didn't have to think about that one. "You."

"I thought I made it clear-"

"No," Neji cut off.

"What," he seemed startled.

Neji struggled for a moment. He was always so collected but Naruto made him different. He anxiously ran a hand through his hair. "I- how about coffee?"

"You want to take me to get coffee?"

"I want to start over," Neji said. "In the morning?" He had meetings. He didn't care.

There was a silence in which the blond was obviously considering the offer. There was a small voice in the background. He couldn't hear what it said but it was obviously the man's child. "Neji," Naruto said to his son. There was more speaking. "Go back to bed." Another comment from the other voice and a sound of a kiss being given. "Love you too."

Naruto's voice became more distinct. "Ok. But you only get once chance."

"Understood," Neji confirmed.

"Where?"

Neji rattled off the address of a small privately owned café and bakery.

"I'll be there at 10. G'night Neji."

"Goodnight Naruto."

There was a chuckle on the other end and then the line went dead.

Naruto waited happily at the café. The people here seemed genuinely nice and the whole room was so sunny. He'd ordered frothy sweet caramel chocolate creation. He sipped it from a homey cup the color of robin's eggs. A small smile formed on his lips as he heard the pleasant jingle of the bell over the door.

Naruto looked over to see Neji dressed for the first time in casual clothing. Naruto had shoved off Haku when he was getting dressed and instead had worn a comfortable navy cotton shirt and his favorite pair of jeans. Neji still managed to look stunning in his clothing. The tight heather gray shirt he wore complimented his eyes his jeans were tight in all the right places and loose in all the others. He looked stunning. His hair was down and hung over one shoulder like a silky black sheet. His face was impassive but he sat down and the young woman behind the counter smiled at him.

She brought over a cup of what looked like black coffee and a corn muffin. "Neji-san," she said in greeting with a smile and then flitted off to return behind the counter.

"You come here a lot," Naruto asked a bit curious.

"They make the best coffee," he offered.

Naruto smiled over his cup. "It doesn't seem like your kind of place?"

Neji raised an eyebrow.

Naruto set his cup down and licked his lips. He gave him a considering look. "I have some questions for you."

"Oh," Neji steepled his fingers and waited.

"I want you to answer them honestly and depending on the answers I may agree to see you again. Do you understand?"

Neji's face was unreadable but he nodded and took a sip of coffee.

Naruto went over what he had planned in his head and rubbed a finger over the edge of his mug. He decided to start off simple. "Do you like what you do?"

Neji was startled by this if the few out of place blinks could be anything to go by. "I inherited the company. No one else wanted the position."

"But do you like it," Naruto considered.

There was a pause and he seemed to consider, "It's alright."

Naruto accepted this answer. He didn't really like it or hate it he supposed. "Haku told me about what you do. He was very interested in getting an interview. I told him that it wouldn't be fair to all the other models."

Neji nodded. "It would be unprofessional of me to give precedence to a model simply because he was attached to someone I was romantically interested in."

Naruto blushed. Romantically interested in him? "So…do you like kids?"

Neji sighed. "I don't know."

"You don't know," Naruto asked with a questioning look. "How do you not know?"

Neji rubbed at his cup and took another sip. "I've never been around them."

Naruto nodded. "Well then would you want to be?"

"I would try, yes."

Naruto nodded. That was a good answer. He took a deep breath. "What do you want out of this?" He motioned between the two of them.

Neji picked at his muffin and dropped a piece into his mouth. Naruto watched the long fingers wrap around his cup. "I don't know," he answered.

Naruto's eyes locked on Neji's. "You don't know?" He looked back to his cup and pushed his chair back. That wasn't a good answer.

A pale hand grabbed his. "I wasn't finished."

Naruto looked up at him expectantly.

"I've never met anyone more interesting than you. I've never wanted to get to know someone more than you. I've never," he paused. "My intentions are honorable."

Naruto searched Neji's face carefully. He didn't know what he was looking for there but that had been a good answer. Defiantly a flattering answer. "Ok," he said and pulled his chair back towards the table with a smile.

"So you would," Neji paused and seemed a bit embarrassed. "be my boyfriend?"

"No," Naruto smiled at him. "But I'll let you try and convince me."

Neji gave him a small smile and Naruto was sincerely looking forward to seeing him try.

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