Persepolis130
Notes: After the Gai-creepiness of last chapter, this installment's a lot more serious. Nonconsensual/rape/torture warning, but (as with other chapters) nothing terribly graphic. I'm a bit nervous people won't like the plot twist, but I'm really happy with it, myself. I might actually rewrite this chapter a bit, extend it and whatnot, and publish it as a stand-alone. What do you think? And for the record, most sake has about the same amount of alcohol as wine.
CHAPTER 9
Neji sat across the table from Hiashi, zabuton pillow soft against his shins, as his uncle poured a cup of sake. Setting it in front of Neji, he nodded, motioning for him to drink as he lifted his own cup.
After a moment's hesitation, Neji followed suit. Of course he wasn't twenty yet and shouldn't, especially since he only had an hour before he was supposed to meet Tenten. But he felt very adult with the cup in his hand, and as the chilled, undoubtedly expensive sake filled his mouth, he decided Tenten wouldn't mind.
"I have received favorable reports of your progress," Hiashi told him, hint of a smile on his lips. "I trust it hasn't been overly tedious."
"I've done as asked, nothing more, nothing less," Neji replied expressionlessly, taking another sip of the semi-sweet, entirely delicious liquid.
Hiashi looked about to say something, but he smiled instead and raised his cup to his lips, and the two drank in companionable silence.
Sitting in the tranquil evening stillness, knees warm under the short-legged kotatsu, Neji felt irrefutably relaxed. His cup refilled whenever low, the far-away sound of wind chimes and busy servants soothing his senses, he felt for the first time at home in his uncle's presence. It raised a sense of pride within him.
Why he had no indication at this point of his fate was something he'd later ponder at length.
Perhaps it was solely due to the fact that, with Hiashi's wrist almost continually tipping the decanter over his cup, the liquor overtook Neji much more quickly than he'd expected. Maybe he felt that he'd now truly become an adult, Hiashi's equal. Or maybe he was just an innocent fool.
But in any case, his eyelids eventually started to droop and his hands became clumsy, and he swore as he tipped his cup too soon, liquid trickling down his chin. Looking down at his soiled shirt, he cursed again, attempting to set the cup down safely on the table, but succeeding only in dumping the rest of its flavorful contents across the fine inlaid wood top in his haste.
Hiashi laughed, and the sound made Neji pause. "Were you planning on passing out before admitting you'd had enough?" he asked. Neji's head reeled as he focused on his uncle, who had risen from his place and was approaching him.
Neji frowned. "I spilled it..."
His uncle laughed again, the unfamiliar sound pleasant to Neji's hazy senses. "The point wasn't to get you utterly plastered," he said, wiping Neji's wet chin with his thumb, "just a bit more relaxed."
Looking hazily at his face, Neji could see a light flush spread across his uncle's cheeks. He seemed to have had a bit too much as well. Settling in beside him, Hiashi wrapped his arm around Neji's shoulder, ducking his head in like a friend telling a secret. "Tell me about it. Did you like her? She was proper to you?"
Neji frowned. He was annoyed and wanted to tell him how disagreeable she'd been this afternoon. Oddly enough, what came out was, "She wasn't very naked today..."
At this, Hiashi threw back his head in laughter, pulling Neji closer to him. Their cheeks pressed together, Hiashi sighed. "Well, this is my fault, now isn't it? Ah, but it'll have to do."
Neji blinked vacantly, wondering exactly how much alcohol he'd had. "Do what?" He thought he was more tipsy than drunk, but he wasn't sure what this strange, disconnected sensation meant.
Feeling himself being pulled into his uncle's lap, Neji closed his eyes, his head heavier than usual, though not uncomfortably so. When he opened his eyes, Hiashi seemed to be evaluating him, the man's elegantly squared fingers on his cheek.
"You'll take care of my Hinata, won't you Neji?" he asked, almost hesitantly. "Any of us who... you'll take care of the Main House, Neji? When we ask it of you?"
Flustered, Neji murmured something about duty and Hinata's legs which could only be taken as an affirmative. Warm and comfortable, he wrapped his arms around Hiashi, bringing his head down to rest on his uncle's shoulder. He could definitely sleep just like this. Was he drunk?
"Ah, I've done badly tonight. This is not at all fitting, Neji. Not at all," he heard, accompanied by the sensation of something moving against his chest. Looking down, he saw Hiashi's hand at the closure of his shirt, tugging it gently open.
For a moment, Neji might have been upset, but he soon found he didn't particularly care and slid his chin down Hiashi's neck, coming to a stop at the aperture of his uncle's kimono. Warm, strong hands under his shirt coaxing him, Neji's own hands clutched clumsily at the finely woven fabric, managing it pull it open enough to slide his mouth across a well-muscled chest. Neji dimly felt his tongue flick out against the hard, salty skin, and it made him feel warm inside.
Failing to see any reason not to, he edged closer, somehow managing to drag his right leg around his uncle's knees to straddle him. Now of equal height, Neji drew the pads of his fingers across Hiashi's cheek, gaze re-affirming his belief that Hyuuga eyes were the most beautiful. Lost in the pearly white depths, Neji let himself be guided in by a powerful hand on the back of his neck.
"Good... very good..." Hiashi murmured, sweet, humid breath puffing against Neji's skin as he brought their lips together.
And suddenly Neji realized what he was doing.
"Ah!" he shouted, pushing Hiashi back with such misestimated force that the man had to let go of Neji to break his fall.
Scrambling to his feet, Neji caught his toe against something. He felt himself pitch forward, uncoordinated arms flailing, and he barely managed to catch himself before his head hit the table.
"Calm down now," Neji heard as he felt himself being raised by a strong grasp. "Too much too soon, that's all. You're just not used to it. And you haven't have dinner, have you? That's my fault."
Neji's head swam, and for a moment, he thought he might be sick, but the feeling quickly passed. What the hell had he done? He was definitely drunk.
"I don't know why..." he started.
"Nothing to be concerned with," Hiashi told him, releasing his grip on Neji's shoulders. "I just thought it might be easier, that's all. She said this wasn't something you'd been entirely pleased with."
Neji frowned as he tried to interpret his uncle's words about his trainer. There was only one thing he'd ever resisted. Why would the woman have told Hiashi about it? And why was his brain so distressingly slow?
"Come here," Neji suddenly heard, and he looked toward his uncle, vision focusing only after his head had finished its rotation.
He didn't know immediately what was going on.
Hiashi was standing beside a newly-unfolded futon, evidently pulled down from a nearby cabinet. As Neji watched, he untied his obi, dropping each belt beside him as he went. His kimono now sliding open, the vividly pale skin was in brilliant contrast to his dark garment. Bringing his right hand to his chest, Hiashi slid it along the edge of the kimono, pulling it open to reveal even more to Neji's blank gaze.
Neji had never been one for relaxation, and that included public baths and hot springs. He couldn't remember ever having seen a full-grown man naked before. And now, with Hiashi sliding his kimono off his well-built shoulders, Neji was rather in awe of the sight. His eyes swept over the muscular plains of his uncle's chest, across his well-toned abdomen, with the type of admiration he had for a well-executed jutsu. Trailing further downward, Neji's keen eyes took in the sight of something else he'd never seen before.
It was then that he realized exactly what was happening.
"No," he said, his head spinning as he shook it. "No, No, NO!"
"Undress."
Neji backed blindly away, eyes unable to leave his uncle's form. "No, I won't! I WON'T!"
Hiashi's jaw clenched. "You WILL. It's your responsibility."
His mouth refusing to form words, Neji's eyes widened in panic, hands raising before him. He stumbled as he inched away.
"Do it, or I will MAKE you do it," Neji heard, but he wouldn't, couldn't. Not here, not like this.
"Then you leave me no choice."
The feeling started with a light twinge, almost like the twitching of an overused muscle. But then the sensation took hold, rippling through him like a muscle spasm, gripping tightly at his flesh. Neji's hands flew to his forehead, fingers ripping off the headband, and he heard himself scream in agony. He felt as if his skin were on fire, a scalding hot iron pressed against his seal, and no matter what he did, no matter how loudly his own anguished voice rang through his ears, it wouldn't seem to ease.
Neji was only vaguely aware when strong arms took hold of him, pulling him up from the heap he'd collapsed into and dragging him to the bed, divesting him of his clothes on the way.
The pain stopped just in time for Neji to feel himself hit the cushion, but his hands still clutched at his forehead in memory even as he felt himself flipped onto his stomach, hips pulled into the air. He didn't make a sound as his uncle entered him, his body relaxed and unresponsive. Lying in a daze, the only thought that entered his mind was how grateful he was that the unbearable, searing pain had stopped; the present discomfort was nothing in comparison, a mere afterthought.
It ended more quickly than Neji would have thought, but then in his current state, he couldn't really be sure how long that was. He only knew that he was relieved it was over when bruising fingers gripped his hips, mouth muffling a cry against his neck.
The last thing Neji remembered of that night as the welcome darkness overtook him was a warm blanket being pulled over him and soft lips against his.