The Movies
He liked dark theatres, although they always made him nervous. Darkness brought enemies and danger; even here, in the heart of Konoha, there was a threat. But it was another Friday night date, he was out with Neji, and Itachi was determined to enjoy himself.
The movie they were seeing was some action movie; it had been the most interesting one on the listing, so they'd had dinner beforehand and come here. It was just a boring, normal date, and Neji was still as untouchable as ever. His hands were folded neatly in his lap, back flat against the backrest—of course, Itachi wasn't much better. If anyone had looked at them, no one would have suspected they were on a date, much less doing anything together.
This is…awkward, Neji thought. His peripheral vision caught the strange expression on Itachi's face. Perhaps I'm being too formal?
This is awkward, Itachi mused. What's a good way to get him to loosen up? What's a good way to get myself to loosen up, for that matter…?
Unfolding his hands, Neji hesitated a moment before putting them on the wide armrests of the seat. He saw Itachi tense up and thought maybe he should remove them—but then the other relaxed, and so did Neji. Good, I didn't do something inappropriate. Relationships are so complicated.
Itachi eyed the Hyuuga's pale, slender hand. The dim light hid it, but he knew that for all its delicate appearance, Neji's hands were calloused, thick pads of muscle at the palms from his fighting style. They wouldn't be the soft hands of a maiden, but the hands of a shinobi.
Suddenly, he had to touch them, had to feel the calluses with his own. Sliding his hand across the polished wood, he got barely close enough to feel Neji's skin with the tip of his pinkie—then drew back quickly. His mind was full of what-ifs and possibilities; Itachi hated himself for a moment for having such an analytical mind, and then calmed again, his hand moving over and meeting the skin, resting there.
The first brush of contact was so small and uncertain that Neji didn't notice it until after the fact. Then he felt it again, a gentle warmth against his hand that didn't go away. Immediately Neji came up with a half-dozen motives for the Uchiha to want to touch his hand, and then came up with a further list of why each of those half-dozen motives was totally shot.
If the two could have heard each other's thoughts at that moment, they might have thought they were hearing echoes.
What does he…
What is he…
…I don't know what this—it feels so strange, I—
…this is strange, but, I—
I kind of…
It's rather…I…
…like it.
Swallowing, Neji edged his hand over a little more. All the long lectures about relationships only being for procreation and the continuance of the shinobi class, all those times when he was scolded for "admiring men too much," slowly started to fade into the background noise of his mind.
Finally figuring out the Hyuuga wasn't going to shy away from his touch, Itachi moved his hand over more, covering Neji's fingers. His own seemed ultrasensitive right now.
Slowly, their hands curled around each other, shyly, and they didn't let go until it was time for them to say goodbye at night.