Date
Author's note: Neji and Kankuro go on a date of sorts. Then feelings come up and things get a bit messy. Also: short chapter is short. Again.
Rated M for sexy scenes between males, swearing, and some blood and guts.
I don't own the characters but I am taking liberties with them and their universe.
WARNING: NAKED MALES DOING IT AHEAD
Neji settled into the corner stool at Ichiraku Ramen ten minutes early. Kankuro was not there yet but Choji was three seats down with Kiba four seats down, and Shino beside Kiba. They all looked at him when he sat away from them.
"Hey-ya Neji," Choji said with a grin.
"Hello," Neji said.
"Someone else joining you?" Kiba asked.
Neji flushed but nodded. Kiba smirked. Choji chuckled but Shino said nothing. Neji let out a breath and refrained from running a hand through his hair. Teuchi gave him water and Neji thanked him, telling the man he would wait until his friend came before taking his regular order. Teuchi nodded happily and strode off.
Neji hoped he did not look too obvious with his outfit, not that it differed much from his regular attire. He still wore all black but his pants were actual leather, fitted tightly, with openings on the sides of his legs from ankle all the way up to the low riding sides. The mesh shirt he wore was the smallest one he had, a finger width of material for the shoulders and ending at the button where his leather vest did up. The back of this vest had mock-corset strings at the back and was not as long at the back, fitting a bit tighter than his other ones.
He still wore the bandana but had taken off his hitai-ate and bandages. His arm wraps were back at home as were his gloves. Neji had brushed out his hair until it glowed; fixed up his eyebrows, made sure he had no unwanted hair anywhere, and had even forgone his thong, evident by there being no line of black fabric in the side-slits of his pants.
His sandals were the typical affair, black and to his mid-calves. He had even trimmed and filed his nails and gone so far as to apply chap-stick with a bit of a pink tinge to his lips to give them a bit of color and shine. Hell, he had even made sure his eyelashes were neat with a bit of water and had been tempted to steal some mascara from Hinata-sama or Hanabi-sama. He would never hear the end of it though so decided against it.
Neji refrained from fiddling with anything. It was Kankuro for crying out loud, a friendly meeting between two friends at the ramen stand with other friends. Neji wanted to bash his head off the counter and run off. He should have suggested anywhere else. Damn Naruto in having everyone meet at this place and getting Neji addicted.
Neji almost fell off the stool when someone sat beside him but quickly regained his balance (he was a shinobi after all) and looked to his right. The man sitting next to him was not someone Neji instantly recognized and would not have clued into the identity of if not for recent events. Neji flushed.
Kankuro had taken his war paint off as well as the hooded shirt he wore. His hair was thick, spiky, and dark brown. Neji wanted to run his hands through it but refrained. Kankuro's eyelashes were dark enough it looked like he wore eyeliner which emphasized his dark eyes. He wore black pants, typical of his regular attire as well as the black sandals but instead of the regular tunic shirt and gloves, he wore a long sleeved deep gray shirt that rode up a bit to expose a swatch of skin when he sat.
Neji saw Choji and Kiba staring in interest, trying to figure out who Kankuro was but Kankuro kept his head turned from the other three leaf shinobi and smiled at Neji who had not be able to get his brain back online. Kankuro chuckled at him and winked.
"Hey," Kankuro said lightly.
"Hello," Neji said and felt heat rise to his cheeks.
Oh this would be in the rumor mill tomorrow. Neji found he did not care. Let Shikamaru hear about Neji going to Ichiraku Ramen with some random person and leaving with him. It would let the bastard know Neji wasn't fazed by Shikamaru's idiocy which might make Shikamaru panic. Neji grinned.
"I know what Neji here wants but what can I get you young man?" Teuchi asked Kankuro.
"Whatever he's having," Kankuro said.
Neji almost laughed. Kankuro (like all of them) had a specific ramen flavor he ate. He was completely avoiding any defining characteristics so Choji, Kiba, and Shino would not guess who he was. Kiba started sniffing though and Neji shifted in his stool. Kankuro turned back to him and winked.
A perplexed look came over Kiba's face and the Inuzuka turned towards Shino. Shino shook his head in the negative and Kiba sagged. Choji shrugged but did not allow Kiba to ask who Neji sat with. Neji would thank Choji later.
"So, what did you want to speak about?" Neji questioned softly.
Kankuro tilted his body enough he could face Neji but not completely face away from the counter. Kankuro smiled, a gentle expression, and Neji quashed the urge to kiss him.
"I wanted to know if you were okay," Kankuro said lightly.
Their words would not reach Choji, not with the hustle and bustle on the street behind them and the sounds of cooking ramen in front of them. Kankuro's body blocked Neji's lips and he kept his face turned away so no one could read his lips.
"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" Neji asked.
Teuchi gave them their order and they gave thanks. Neji let out a little moan at the taste of the delicious ramen and heard Kankuro chuckle. Neji smirked.
"Well, he was there and you looked ready to toss him out the window," Kankuro said.
Neji hummed but nodded.
"I was thinking of doing that, yes," Neji said.
Kankuro nodded. Neji saw Kiba staring at them around Choji's body. Choji kept moving so Kiba could not get a good view. Shino smacked his teammate and Kiba whined. Akamaru yipped. Kiba muttered something and faced forward.
"I would've help toss him, you know," Kankuro said.
"Oh?"
Kankuro nodded. They ate in silence for a few minutes.
"The whole situation is messed up because of lack of communication. He should have said something to both of you instead of going behind your backs like that. Hell, if he had mentioned it to you before that become serious then things would be completely different."
Kankuro scowled and poked at his ramen. Neji took a breath and let it out slowly. Kankuro was right. If Shikamaru had told Neji three months (almost three and a half now) that Temari was interested in dating Shikamaru then Neji would have confessed his feelings and would be dating the Shadow-Nin now.
Neji knew Shikamaru had not told Neji deliberately so he could avoid the conversation of breaking off the friend-with-benefits or perhaps more talk. Bastard. Neji did not feel hungry anymore but this was Ichiraku's. You did not leave leftovers.
"I wanna tell on him but don't want to mess things up because of feelings," Kankuro said.
Temari liked Shikamaru and would be pissed if she found out Shikamaru had avoided Neji instead of being honest. Neji did not want to make Temari upset, she was a victim in this as much as he was, but did not think starting a relationship based on half-truths was good.
"But at the same time she has to know what she's getting into," Kankuro said.
Neji found it odd how much they agreed about the situation. There was more silence in which Choji ordered more ramen. Shino said his good nights and told Kiba to stop being so nosy. Kiba grumbled something Neji did not catch which got him a glare from Shino. Kiba winced but nodded. Neji nodded to Shino when the bug-Nin raised a hand at him. Kankuro did not turn to acknowledge Shino. Neji kept back his smirk.
"I wanna kill him but I don't because of her feelings. God, I didn't even tell him because of how he might freak," Kankuro said.
Kankuro had not told Gaara about the Shikamaru, Neji, and Temari issue. Neji let out a breath and wanted it to be finished. Shikamaru did not know Neji had feelings but the whole point of the matter was the bastard should have said something about being with Temari instead of leaving Neji pining. They had been friends for almost five years. Neji had though the friendship had meant more.
"Let's just, I don't know," Neji said.
"Not talk about it anymore," Kankuro said.
Neji agreed with a smile. They finished their ramen and Neji flushed when Kankuro paid before Neji could. Neji felt Kiba's stare as Kankuro placed a hand gently on Neji's lower back as Neji got off the stool, as if to guide Neji. Neji felt the heat coming back to his cheeks as Kankuro kept his hand there and led Neji away.
"You okay?" Kankuro asked.
He was making sure Neji was okay with the contact. Neji took a breath and let it out slowly. People were looking over and whispering. Enough had seen the contact so it did not matter now. Hiashi-sama would be speaking to him in the morning. Neji found he did not care. He smirked before leaning into Kankuro.
He saw Kankuro grin and the puppet master put a bit more pressure on his hand so Neji (and anyone else) could not be mistaken about feeling the contact. They walked the streets for an hour, not speaking, simply enjoying the others company. Neji began to recognize where they were but kept following Kankuro into the hotel assigned to visiting dignitaries. He stopped outside the doors and Kankuro blinked at him.
"Is, I mean," Neji tried.
Kankuro hummed and smirked.
"Temari's out with Tenten, Sakura, Ino, and Hinata tonight. She won't be back this early. Besides, I doubt she'd ask about anything. We also have our own rooms and I took the floor above her so it's okay," Kankuro said.
Neji let out a breath and followed Kankuro into the building. They were in the room within moments and Neji hardly got two steps in before Kankuro spun him around and slammed his body into the door to close it. Neji groaned into the heated kiss as Kankuro's hand immediately went to the back of Neji's neck.
Neji closed his eyes and thrust against Kankuro's body. It was easy to remove the thin layer of clothing keeping them covered. Kankuro's surprise when he saw Neji wore nothing under the pants made Neji chuckle. Kankuro's kiss made Neji moan a moment later. Neji was being pounded into the floor within minutes, enjoying every heated thrust and gasping for breath as Kankuro moved.
Between the thrusting, the kissing, their talented hands, and the fact they had been celibate for a few days, neither lasted long. Neji gasped out his release and Kankuro followed within two thrusts. They shivered together, Kankuro shifting his weight so he was not crushing Neji and Neji clutching onto Kankuro's biceps.
Neji closed his eyes as he caught his breath and felt Kankuro kiss his cheek. Neji grinned and opened his eyes to see Kankuro staring down at him, a little smile on his face and his mouth opened. The high points of Kankuro's cheeks were flushed and sweat decorated his brow. Neji kissed the tip of Kankuro's nose and shuddered when Kankuro's chuckle vibrated through Neji's body.
"You don't know how hard it's been to wait to do that," Kankuro said.
"I can guess," Neji returned.
"Then you show up in extra tight pants with those slits and a mesh shirt that doesn't even go past that damned button. I know you were wearing something on your lips too and damn it I could almost see your nipples with how tight that vest was. Tease," Kankuro said.
Neji laughed and ran his hands through Kankuro's hair. Kankuro grinned and began playing with the tips of some of the shorter hairs that framed Neji's face. Neji let out a breath and hated to break the comfortable mood but this had to be asked.
"What are we doing?"
Neji waited while Kankuro blinked at him. The little smile was replaced by a frown and Kankuro became serious.
"Lying on the floor after hot sex," Kankuro said.
Neji swatted his shoulder. Kankuro shrugged.
"You know what I mean," Neji said. "What is this? I mean, we're friends yes, is this purely spur of the moment lets have sex, sex or is this, more, or what?"
Kankuro sighed and rolled off. Neji sat up, feeling the urge to cover up but it didn't matter, not really. Kankuro sat beside Neji, legs stretched out and supporting his upper body on his hands. He stared at Neji and Neji stared back.
"Do we have to label it so soon?" Kankuro asked.
Neji shrugged. He ran a hand through his hair and Kankuro caught his hand, holding it. Neji huffed and pulled his hand away.
"That, that is what is confusing the Hell out of me," Neji said.
Kankuro blinked. Neji rubbed his forehead and looked towards the door, bringing his knees up and clenching his hands into fists. God damn Kankuro and playing with his feelings like this especially since Kankuro knew Neji had liked Shikamaru and been rudely put aside by the asshole.
"The whole hand on my lower back, paying for my meal, holding my hand, sleeping next to me on the way here, worrying about my feelings, and that little grin you get whenever you look at me. What is that? Do you like me as more than a potential friend with benefits or what?" Neji demanded.
Kankuro sighed. Neji met his eyes and saw Kankuro staring ahead with a pensive look on his face. Kankuro shifted until he sat cross-legged facing Neji. Neji glared at him. Kankuro smirked and placed his hands atop Neji's knees. Neji decided at the last moment not to flinch away.
"Think back before tonight to all the trips you've taken to Suna and, just, think about what I said and how I acted around you," Kankuro said.
Neji frowned but did as he was told. Neji's last mission to Suna had been five months ago. Kankuro had greeted him at the gates and his eyes had focused on Neji's navel ring. Neji had not paid it much attention at the time but remembered Kankuro had started raising a hand as if to put it on Neji's lower back to guide him into the village.
Kankuro always made sure Neji was comfortable and had been sitting closer than needed for longer than Neji cared to reflect on for too long. During birthday celebrations, Kankuro always made a point to talk with Neji for lengths of time, to the point where Shikamaru had started to get annoyed. The little grin Neji had mentioned had been on Kankuro's face long before the past few days. Neji flushed and gulped.
"You've had a crush on me for a while," Neji said.
Kankuro chuckled but nodded. He cupped Neji's chin in his hand and Neji let out a breath as their lips met chastely. Kankuro pulled back and began rubbing Neji's jaw.
"How long?" Neji asked.
"Mm, about a year, maybe a year and a half,"
"Why didn't you say anything?"
Neji wasn't particularly surprised. Hinata-sama still harboured a crush on Naruto and that was going on six or more years. This was Kankuro though. The Sand Siblings were known for being bolder than most.
"Well, you live in Konoha and I live in Suna," Kankuro said. "We come from predominate families and if we ever got really serious, neither of us would be able to move permanently. Temari's had a crush on Shikamaru for about as long but she managed to talk to Gaara before me about the whole moving thing.
"The look on Gaara's face when Temari said she would be willing to move if she and Shikamaru got married nearly killed me. God, I've never seen him so upset. I can't do that to him. He'd be all alone. And I know your family won't let you go. You're one of the few Hyuuga jonin right now until others get recommended and pass the jonin exams.
"Plus the whole marrying outside the clan is still in effect and they definitely wouldn't want you hooking up with a guy because they want your eye strength in the family. I guess I kind of figured it was doomed from the start but then you turned up on our doorstep, burned, injured, and half-dead from running for so long and I just said fuck it.
"I mean, even if I only get to be with you for a little while at least I won't regret never trying, you know? So, yeah, I'd want this to be more. But it's up to you."
Kankuro smiled at him and Neji swallowed down the tears in his throat. He blinked away the ones that made it to his eyes and pulled his knees in closer to his chest before wrapping his arms around them and hiding his face behind his hair. Kankuro said nothing and Neji simply thought.
Kankuro was right. Any relationship between them was doomed from the start for all the reasons Kankuro listed and probably some they were both forgetting. Kankuro was also right about trying. Neji let out a breath and looked at him.
"I, just listen for a minute before anything, okay?" Neji asked.
Kankuro nodded. Neji let out a breath.
"I never saw you as more than a friend or even someone I would be interested in physically."
Kankuro winced and Neji had to ignore it for now.
"These past few days though,"
Neji hated he was blushing and Kankuro smirked.
"You are right about all the reasons we should not be together but you're also right about living with no regrets."
Kankuro looked like he had won a prize but didn't move.
"But I've only ever had feelings for Shikamaru and it's been a little over a week since I found out I have no chance with him. I don't want to use you like some kind of rebound thing especially since you have liked me for so long."
Kankuro sighed but nodded. He licked his lips and Neji let out a breath. He shifted until he was kneeling in front of Kankuro and took the puppet master's hands in his. Their eyes met and Neji kept the gaze, freaky white-eyes in the dark or not. Kankuro did not drop his eyes.
"I want to know if what I feel for you is more than some kind of sick revenge on Shikamaru before anything more happens. I think the best thing for us to do is, well, do nothing. I need some time to get over my feelings for Shikamaru before I can even consider being with anyone. Can, are you willing to wait for me a bit longer?"
Neji waited as Kankuro considered. A sad little smile came to Kankuro's face but he nodded. He pulled his hands out of Neji's grip, one running through Kankuro's hair and the other resting on Neji's cheek.
"I can wait as long as you need," Kankuro said.
Neji kissed him softly on the forehead and was surprised when Kankuro reciprocated. They got to their feet and Kankuro said nothing as Neji cleaned himself up with some tissue before getting dressed. Kankuro tugged on his pants but nothing more.
Neji met Kankuro's eye as he put his hand on the door knob. Kankuro smiled at him and Neji returned the smile. They could have had something wonderful. Neji left the room and closed the door gently behind him. DAMN Shikamaru.
Reviews and comments, etc, next chapter sooner than you think. ;)