Fugaku opened his eyes and found himself alone in bed. The side where his wife usually slept was cold and neat. It was proof that Mikoto had yet to come to bed. Drowsy, dark eyes glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. 2:28am. The clan head closed his eyes, placing a hand over his face in an attempt to clear his head.

After all of those months, he could still see his elder boy's naked body submerged in bloody water. He had made a suggestion to hire a contractor to renovate Itachi's bathroom, but Mikoto wouldn't allow it. She wanted to keep Itachi's room exactly how it had been before that night.

With a resigned sigh, Fugaku threw the covers back and climbed out of bed. He didn't bother calling out for his wife because he knew exactly where she was. Everyone suffered in their own way. Fugaku worked extra hours and stayed away from home as much as he could. Often times, he took the hour and a half drive to Kamakura to talk to Hizashi.

The man's ashes were with his family in the Hyuuga mausoleum, despite Hizashi's request to have his ashes spread at Sagami Bay. Such a pity, even in death, the man was trapped in the confines of the Hyuuga compound. Still, Fugaku treated the beach as their safe haven.

The sounds of Mikoto's nightly activity reached his ears as soon as he opened the door to their bedroom. Thankfully, Sasuke had decided to move into the downstairs guestroom. He wanted to be as far away from Itachi's bedroom as possible. It was the teen's way of running from the truth. They all behaved as if Itachi had actually died. And, sometimes, that was what it felt like.

Fugaku didn't even know his sons anymore. He blamed himself, Mikoto blamed him, and Sasuke blamed everyone. The family was falling apart, and maybe Fugaku was to blame. He didn't really know.

The clan head stood in the doorway of his first son's bathroom and watched his wife frantically scrub the tub. Blood was hard to clean up. A rust colored ring still stained the porcelain tub, and Mikoto spent most of her nights scrubbing away fruitlessly to make it go away. Fugaku was just happy that she didn't resort to alcohol to cope with her problems.

Their marriage had been built on trust and understanding. It was never a secret that they were married out of duty rather than love. At the start of their marriage, Fugaku had been honest with her about Hizashi. He had wanted her to understand that he had been in love with another man—he was in love with another man. Despite how things had ended between them, Fugaku was still in love with Hizashi.

Mikoto had accepted that she would never hold the only position in Fugaku's heart, but that had never deterred her from being a great wife. With time, he had grown to love and respect her. They had been happy. After the birth of Itachi, their love for each other had blossomed and, from that love, Sasuke was born. Everything had seemed so perfect.

Even now, Fugaku couldn't pinpoint where they had went wrong.

Moving to the tub, Fugaku knelt down next to his wife and gently grabbed her hand. "Mikoto, it's time for bed."

"You know Itachi is very particular about his room. I can't allow him to come home to a filthy bathtub." Mikoto snatched her hand away and continued to scrub. "What kind of mother would I be?" She paused and glanced over at her husband with tears in her eyes. "I failed him once...Not again."

There was no way Fugaku was going to allow Itachi to return home to see his mother like this. His decision to have Itachi recuperate away from the compound was in his son's best interest. If he saw how broken his mother was, and, if he had to wake up in the middle of the night to hear Sasuke's screams, Itachi would never truly recover. That guilt would be too much for him to bear.

Fugaku often thought about moving in with Itachi so he could be there every step of the way, but he was needed at home with his wife and other son.

Sasuke had constant nightmares about that night. He had been the one to first see Itachi in the tub. Whenever the screaming would start, Fugaku would get out of bed, walk to his youngest son's room, and climb in bed with him. He would hold Sasuke until the boy went back to sleep.

Maybe he had screwed up in the past, but, now, he would do whatever was necessary to get his family back. The goal wasn't for everything to go back to how it used to be. Obviously, there had been a major flaw in his parenting. He was past the phase of living in denial and trying to see if there was simply something wrong with Itachi fundamentally. Each and every one one of them, Fugaku, Mikoto, and Sasuke, had played a role in the deterioration of Itachi's mental health.

The only thing he could do was rebuild. Of course, he couldn't do that alone. Without Mikoto, he wouldn't have his two beautiful sons that meant the world to him, despite how he acted towards them at times. She was one of the most important people in his life.

Mikoto was a strong woman. He believed that she could pull through this. All she needed was a reminder that she wasn't alone.

Fugaku looked around the bathroom. When he found what he needed, he picked up an extra sponge and began to scrub alongside Mikoto.

Nervously, Hizashi fiddled with the ends of his hair. Normally, he wore it in a low ponytail, but, today, he decided to wear it loose with a single braid hidden in the thick tresses. He'd braided his hair in an attempt to calm his nerves while he waited for Fugaku to arrive. He had spent all last night trying to find the perfect outfit for his first date. Hizashi still couldn't believe that he was actually going on a date. Well, if Fugaku ever showed up.

"If he isn't here in five minutes..." Hizashi was going to walk to the huge house at the end of the strip and curse Fugaku out for standing him up. The boy was six minutes late. And, while that didn't seem like a big deal, to Hizashi, a person that was accustomed to being let down, it was a very big deal.

Hiashi had hounded him all night about going to the mall with him so they could spend quality time together. The older twin acted as if everything was just peachy between them and that infuriated Hizashi to no end. What would it take for Hiashi to get it? Not only were they brothers, but they were identical twins. They were practically the same person. There was something so wrong with that picture.

Hiashi felt no shame or remorse over what he did to his younger brother. Hizashi was convinced that he was deranged. If there was anyone to blame for Hiashi's twisted personality, all of the blame would fall on their father's shoulders. He'd created that monster at a young age by constantly telling him that everyone within the walls of the Hyuuga compound belonged to him. Taiyou basically encouraged him to use Hizashi however he saw fit. Like a house pet.

His mood had instantly plummeted as he thought about his dysfunctional family. To make matters worse, Fugaku was still nowhere in sight and five minutes had passed. After checking his wrist watch for the tenth time, Hizashi let out a defeated sigh. Knots formed in his stomach, and he chewed the inside of his mouth to keep the tears at bay.

He had gotten his hopes up for nothing. Why had he put so much trust in Fugaku anyway? The Uchiha teen probably realized that he could find someone much better to take to the movies.

The next time Hizashi saw the boy, he was going to knee him in the ba—

A powder blue Corvette pulled up. When the window rolled down, Hizashi was met with a bouquet of sunflowers. "I had to bribe my dad to lend me his baby. Isn't this car beautiful? Oh, and these are for you!" Fugaku pulled the flowers back and eyed Hizashi sheepishly.

Arms crossed, Hizashi watched the boy get out of the car. "You're fifteen minutes late." He attempted to hide the relief he felt behind a slight pout.

"I didn't think finding sunflowers would be so hard." He handed the bouquet to the Hyuuga. "Your name means rays of the sun. So I thought these would be perfect for you. And I know, I know, flowers are for girls, but I—"

"I love flowers." Hizashi smiled at the sunflowers. His mother enjoyed flower pressing and, when he was younger, he used to assist her. Of course, Taiyou hadn't allowed that to last long. "Thank you."

Fugaku quickly kissed him on the cheek. He glanced around nervously to make sure no one had seen that. "We should get going." He opened the door to the passenger's side and waved his hand. "Your chariot awaits!"

"You're such a dork." Shaking his head, Hizashi got in the car. Once his door was closed, he pretended to sniff the bouquet to hide the slight blush on his cheeks. He would give Fugaku a second chance. But the boy had one more chance to prove that he wasn't like everyone else. "Can you even drive this thing?"

"Do you think Sarani would have gave me the keys if I couldn't?"

"Is that your dad?"

"Yes."

"He seems nice. I mean, my dad would never hand over the keys to his car." His dad didn't even drive his own car. Hell, Hizashi was convinced that Taiyou had no idea how to operate a vehicle. The clan head was chauffeured around town for the most tedious of things.

Keeping his eyes on the road, Fugaku nodded his head in agreement. "My dad is pretty cool, though, it's my mom that acts more like the father. Don't get me wrong, my dad isn't a wuss," he quickly countered. "My mom is just tough as nails."

Tough wasn't a word that Hizashi would ever use to describe his mother. Hikari was Hyuuga Taiyou's personal doormat. And the woman seemed to wear the title with pride. He didn't think his father had ever hit his mother. Taiyou did not need to use physical abuse to keep anyone in control. But there was no doubt in his mind that the poor woman was terrified of her husband. Then again, Hikari also seemed frightened by her own shadow at times.

"What about your parents?" Fugaku asked. "Your mom is really hot."

"If you weren't driving I would punch you. Don't say that about my mother again." Hizashi wondered why he still loved that woman as much as he did.

"Touchy, touchy. Someone appears to be a mama's boy."

"I'm warning you."

"I never took you for the sensitive type," he glanced over and smiled at the boy.

Remaining silent, Hizashi waited until Fugaku was done turning the corner. Then he slapped him in the back of the head. "I warned you."

"Dammit, Hizashi, wait until I park! I'm going to return the favor!"

. . .

It was funny how things had turned out. They had arrived at the movie theater fifteen minutes before showtime. Still, they had managed to miss the movie. Fugaku had kept his promise and returned the favor.

Except he hadn't expected for a small exchange of blows to end with steamy kisses and, eventually, sex in the backseat of his father's car. Hizashi had instructed him to drive behind an abandoned warehouse where no one would see them. How the teen even knew of that building was lost on Fugaku.

During the entire drive, Fugaku knew what would happen once he parked, and he could barely contain his nervousness. He worried if he would be good enough. He also worried that he wouldn't know what to do. In the end, every worry melted away when their lips touched. Instinct took over, and he finally kissed Hizashi how he'd only dreamed of doing. The new outfit that he'd begged his mother to up his allowance for had been quickly discarded.

Hizashi looked even more beautiful naked, with the crepuscular rays of the sunset dancing on his skin. It was obvious that it wasn't his first time. The way he shoved Fugaku on that back seat and straddled him with such finesse was proof enough.

"Don't focus on me," said Hizashi while he teased his own entrance with the head of Fugaku's erection. "If you do, it'll be over too soon." He slowly lowered himself with a slight roll of his hips. Maintaining eye contact, he bit his lower lip once he was fully impaled.

Fugaku almost came right then and there. Glancing down, his eyes bulged at the thick organ between the Hyuuga's legs. "God," he breathed. Man, was he lucky that their roles weren't reversed. There was no way he could handle that inside of him.

He leaned forward with a sly smirk on his face. His long hair shielded them from the outside world like a dark curtain. "How many times must I remind you?" He rocked his hips, earning himself a low throaty moan from the boy under him. "My name is Hizashi."

For the next two minutes and eighteen seconds, the only coherent word that Fugaku managed to say was Hizashi's name. As much as he wanted to last, his inexperienced body just couldn't handle that much pleasure. Long after he came, Hizashi continued to roll his hips and stroke himself to reach his own climax. Fugaku felt like a useless sack of potatoes, so he gave the boy a hand. Literally.

Even the face Hizashi made when he ejaculated was beautiful. Fugaku could only imagine how cross-eyed he looked when he'd released. He was really starting to wonder why he was so lucky to even be breathing the same air as Hizashi.

"Sorry," he looked away in embarrassment. "I tried to go longer, but you were moving your hips so much and I—"

"It's fine. I didn't expect you to last any longer than you did."

'Ouch,' Fugaku inwardly winced.

"This was your first time, right?"

"...Yeah."

"It's only natural." Shrugging his shoulders, Hizashi sat up and moved to the front seat. "Lucky for us these seats are leather. Do you have any tissues? I need to clean this out."

There was something that had been bothering Fugaku since he first met Hizashi. After what had just happened and the teen's nonchalant attitude, it was really eating him up inside. "Check the glove compartment." He didn't want to ask and risk offending Hizashi, but he also really wanted to know.

Hizashi pulled out a napkin that had come from a fast food restaurant. "I need something softer. I'm still kind of sensitive..."

"Huh?"

"Your jizz is in my ass and I need to clean it out," he stated bluntly.

Fugaku stared at Hizashi with a blank expression on his face. He had heard the boy loud and clear, yet his mind was taking its time processing the information. Obviously, it had to have gone somewhere. They hadn't used a condom. Something that he was also mentally scolding himself for. His mother had drilled that into his head. Long before he even knew what a condom was.

"Do you do this a lot?"

Hizashi was looking for some tissue in the glove compartment when he was asked the question.

Instead of turning around to face Fugaku, he lowered his head and sighed. He knew where this was going. "What do you think?"

"This obviously wasn't your first time..."

Hizashi snorted. "Are you disappointed?" Absently, he noted that his clothes were in the front seat, just in case he needed to leave. He was used to situations like this. After sex, he lost all of his appeal. Men no longer wanted anything to do with him after they'd had their way with his body. Hell, he wished that worked on Hiashi.

It would have been great to be Hizashi's first time. But, at the same time, Fugaku didn't have a right to feel that way. It wouldn't be fair to be upset with Hizashi because he wasn't the first one to have sex with him. "It's your body. So I can't fault you for having sex with someone before me. It's not like we were together or anything."

"So, it doesn't bother you?"

"Not really. I mean, it was just one time, right?"

He almost burst out laughing. If he weren't so nervous, he would have. The truth was, Hizashi had no idea how many people he'd slept with. He sure as hell didn't know how many times he'd had sex. Recently, he had slowed down, only because of the recent HIV scare. If it had not been for the fact that he was close friends with Nara Shikaku, he would've had to ask his mother to take him to the clinic. Shikaku's mother had tested him and promised not to say a word to his parents.

When he had received the news that he was clear, he visited the Shinto shrine down the street from the hospital and emptied his wallet to show his gratitude. That had been two months ago. Since then, Hiashi had been the only person. Unfortunately.

"You don't have to answer that," Fugaku blurted out. "I don't really want to know!"

"You wouldn't have brought it up if you didn't want to know."

"Well, I do want to know, but, it's not important." He would prefer not to have Hizashi upset with him for prying. "I mean, it's in the past. Since we're together now—"

Hizashi's head jerked in the boy's direction. "Together?"

"Yes." He sat up with a smile on his face, until he glanced down and saw the semen on his stomach. "Can you hand me a napkin?"

Hizashi handed Fugaku the napkin he had yet to use. There was still a look of confusion on his face while he did so. When had they established that they were an item? Had he somehow missed that conversation? "Are you saying that you still want to see me after this?"

"Why wouldn't I? Besides, I still want to take you to the movies. I think there was another showing a little later. We can go eat and then come back. How does that sound? Remember, it's my treat so you can get whatever you want..."

While Fugaku continued to chat happily about how they could spend the remainder of the evening together, Hizashi watched him closely for any signs of deceit. The Uchiha teen was probably just selling him a dream because he was too chicken shit to openly say that he never wanted to see him again. There had been an older, married man that had told Hizashi that he loved him. He'd always treated Hizashi so kind and was always gentle.

But it had all been a lie. When Hizashi had told him that he didn't want to have sex one night, the man broke his nose and had his way regardless. It hadn't taken much to convince his parents that he got into a fight with an older teen. Hiashi had even threatened to kill whoever dared to hurt his twin. Of course, Hizashi had rolled his eyes at that and snidely asked why Hiashi hadn't killed himself already. Since he was the main source of his pain.

Now dressed in his boxers, Fugaku leaned over the seat. "And you were wrong. This is the best day of my life." Not the best "night" of his life like Hizashi had told him. Still, he knew it was a moment that he would never forget.

When Fugaku kissed him, Hizashi was surprised at how tender it was. Hizashi did not feel, reluctance, disgust, or even pity in that kiss. The teen kissed him the same way he had kissed him that night on the beach. He kissed him like he still wanted him. As much as Hizashi wanted to keep himself guarded, he couldn't deny that he enjoyed the way Fugaku made him feel.

"I think I love you," Fugaku breathlessly admitted once the kiss ended.

That ruined the mood. But not entirely. Laughing, Hizashi playfully shoved Fugaku away. "Don't make a confession like that unless you're certain. Besides, it's just the endorphins or some shit like that."

It wasn't endorphins or "some shit like that". However, Fugaku made no comment. Hizashi was right. He didn't need to confess his love if he wasn't certain. Although, he actually knew, without a doubt, that he was in love with Hizashi.

"You're probably right," Fugaku laughed as well. "Anyway, let's get dressed. I'm starving!"

-o0o-

Hizashi didn't get back home until an hour past curfew. He had contemplated not going back at all for the night, but Fugaku said that he would call him and he didn't want to miss that. The day had been perfect. That was the best way to describe it. They were officially a couple, and Hizashi honestly had no idea how to contain his giddiness. For obvious reasons, their relationship would have to be kept under wraps.

At first, he'd thought about letting Fugaku down easy and just ending things. The Uchiha teen had no idea what he was getting himself into. If Hiashi ever found out, the boy would do anything to tear them apart. Hiashi was the reason why Hizashi no longer had any of his old friends from elementary. Now, he was only friends with Shikaku, whom was three years younger than him.

They weren't necessarily close, but Shikaku was the only person he considered a friend. If he ever needed a break from Hiashi, the random strangers, and life in general, he holed out at the Nara compound. He enjoyed feeding the deer that occupied the clan's forest. Animals were far better than people. Hizashi wished he could live in the Nara forest, away from his screwed up life.

At least he had Fugaku now. The thought brought a smile to his face. Opening the front door, he tried to close the door quietly.

"Hizashi." Hikari stepped out of the kitchen with a worried expression on her face. "Where have you been?"

Since when did she give a damn? Thankfully, it wasn't his father that had greeted him. From the looks of it, Taiyou wasn't even home. Hizashi opened his mouth to lie. Hikari was, for lack of a better word, a pushover. Giving her some lame lie about where he'd been all night would be a piece of cake.

"Are those sunflowers?" His mother took a step closer. "They're lovely. Were they a gift?"

Sighing, Hizashi removed his shoes. "Yes," he answered curtly. If she were trying to hold a conversation with him, he was not interested.

He wanted to hate her for how she turned a blind eye to what Hiashi did to him. She had been the only person he'd told. At the time, he hadn't known how to explain what his brother had done to him. He'd thought she would be able to tell him why it had been too painful to sit, or why his big brother would do something like that to him. Unfortunately, the only thing Hikari had done was tell Taiyou. So basically, she'd done nothing.

"I have an extra vase in the kitchen. Would you like to put them in water?" She saw the hesitance on his face and couldn't blame him. "I could show you how to help them live longer..."

Glancing at the bouquet, Hizashi was reminded of how great his first date had been. The flowers had been a gift from his...boyfriend. God, even thinking that had his cheeks tingling in embarrassment.

"I want them to live forever," he whispered.

Hearing him, she noticed the deep longing in his voice. Now, she knew where he had been and why he'd been out so late. Her son was in love. She could see it all over his face. Smiling, she nodded her head. "I can help with that too." She did not need to know who the person was or what exactly they had been doing. Hikari was just happy that Hizashi finally had at least one, small measure of peace. "I can just use a single stem. Your father doesn't have to know."

Hizashi beamed at that because he knew exactly what his mother had in mind. "Thank you!"

'It's the least I can do, Hizashi. I'm so sorry that I'm not strong enough to do much more.'

Lightly, Neji traced the sunflower's petals. The flower had been pressed on a blank page in the front of his father's journal. Time had left the flower's color dull, yet it somehow managed to maintain its overall beauty. He was stalling. The journal had been in his possession for a little over a week now, and he had yet to read it.

Neji wasn't ready to learn more about Hizashi. His father had always been a sore topic for him. With the circumstances of his death and what Hiashi had planted in his head all of those years ago, Neji wanted nothing to do with him.

That wasn't totally the truth. Neji did want to read the journal. He wanted to know more about the man who had made the first eight years of his life near perfect. He just did not think he was ready. Closing the leather book, he returned it to his overnight bag.

On a brighter note, Hiashi was away on business. The man had been gone for a few days and wasn't scheduled to return until a day after graduation. Three weeks without Hiashi was the best graduation gift ever. Neji wished he could have spent every night with Itachi, but the man wouldn't allow it. Even when Neji had explained that his uncle was away on business so no one would know. Itachi had still put his foot down, and Neji had been secretly proud of him for doing so.

But, he was allowed to stay most nights. Like tonight. Itachi was in the shower while Neji was lounging in his bedroom. A place where absolutely no magic happened. They only kissed, and cuddled. As much as Neji understood why Itachi wanted to take things slow, he was also frustrated. They had already established that they were into each other and that time was not on their side. What was the point of waiting? He wanted them to screw around as much as possible.

Although, Neji would admit that whenever he was with Itachi, there was never a dull moment. They were like close friends. Reading comics, watching movies, and the occasional walk in the park, pretty much summed up how they spent their days and nights together. It wasn't what Neji was accustomed to and, perhaps, that was a good thing.

Neji still yearned to be filled. There was an ache inside of him that was just begging for Itachi to bend him over and fuck him senseless. He could easily call up a reliable source of good dick and minimal conversation, but, lately, he hadn't been interested in one night stands.

Pants tightening, he blew out a frustrated sigh. Something had to give. An idea hit him when the water in the shower stopped running. Standing up, quickly removing his shirt, Neji decided to take matters into his own hands. Itachi had already made it clear that he wasn't ready for sex. Still, that did not mean that they couldn't do other things. The first time Itachi appeared uncomfortable, Neji would back off. No matter what he did in life, he would never be like Hiashi.

Removing his pants as well, he tossed his clothes in his overnight bag. Now only in his boxers, Neji laid on his stomach and stretched out on the bed. His clan's special salve had worked wonders on the bruises he'd had on his back and thighs. After tousling his hair a little, he picked up his phone and pretended to be engaged in whatever social media app he opened first. When the door to the bathroom opened, he kept his gaze on his phone.

The first thing Itachi saw when he stepped out of the bathroom had his dark eyes widening fractionally. Neji was half-naked, lounging on the bed, his bed, and it was positively tantalizing. Slowly, his eyes roamed over Neji's body, taking in everything, from the way his hair framed his face, to the curve of his splendid rear. His face bled crimson when Neji glanced over to catch him ogling him.

Feeling like a pervert, Itachi looked away and walked to his closet. He was starting to regret his decision to walk out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist. How was he going to hide his growing arousal?

The protein bars Shisui had given him had been working wonders for him. He'd already gained seven pounds and was starting to get more definition to his arms and stomach. He still wasn't where he wanted to be, but the improvement had him feeling a little better about his physical appearance.

"Itachi." Did he just purr his name? Itachi turned his head to see that Neji was now standing behind him. The teen was up to something. Itachi could see the predatory gleam in his pale eyes. The towel around his waist was starting to feel really uncomfortable so he faced forward. Though, he was curious to know what Neji had up his sleeves.

Neji moved closer, wrapping his arms around the man's waist. Without a word, he started placing soft kisses on Itachi's back, while his hands caressed the older male's flat stomach. He felt Itachi relax against him as though he were silently giving his consent for things to continue. Gladly taking the offer, Neji's hand lowered, brushing against Itachi's erection.

Giving it a light squeeze, he hummed in appreciation. A handjob was great and all, but he wanted to give Itachi something to really remember. He moved to stand in front of Itachi. While he moved to sit on his knees, he maintained eye contact.

When he went to reach for the towel to remove it, Itachi grabbed his wrist. "...Do you not want me to?" He wouldn't force it.

"I do. It's just that..."

"Is there something that you don't want me to see?" Neji could relate to that. His tone softened, and he caressed Itachi's thigh in order to coax him. "It's okay. I only want to make you feel good. I'm not here to judge you."

Itachi believed him. Neji had improved a great deal since their first encounter. At least towards him. The teen still had a mean streak. Regardless, he felt like he could trust Neji enough to show him his scars. He removed the towel and was surprised to see that he was still very much aroused. Physically, and even emotionally, he was ready to be intimate with Neji. But he wasn't quite mentally prepared.

The scars were the second thing Neji noticed when Itachi took his towel off. His interest was more in the organ between the man's legs. When his eyes did land on the scars, he immediately noted how neat they were. There were six horizontal scars on the man's upper thigh. The scars were a part of Itachi, so Neji would want to know about every single one. Though, now, he only had his mind on one thing.

Lifting his gaze, his eyes locked with Itachi's. The look let the man know that he had acknowledged the scars and they did not bother him. They had no effect on how badly he wanted to pleasure Itachi.

Maintaining that eye contact, Neji teasingly suckled the head of Itachi's cock. He didn't want to toot his own horn—Actually, he did want to toot his own horn. If he wanted, he could finish Itachi off in under three minutes, but he wanted it to last. He wanted the man to experience a fraction of the pleasure that he could give him. That way, he would always seek more. And, when the blowjobs were no longer enough, Itachi would be begging to be inside of him.

That was how Neji's mind operated. Even when he genuinely cared for a person, he continued to manipulate them. He had done the same thing to Tokuma. It was something that he seriously needed to work on. However, now, he had more important things to focus on. He placed his hands on Itachi's hips and started off with slow, deep bobs of his head. If he used his hands, it would only intensify the pleasure causing his partner to release too soon. Of course, he did not want that.

Closing his eyes, Neji reveled in the way his jaws were stretched by the hardened member. Neji imagined how it would feel to have that same length inside of him. His own fantasies drove him to pick up the pace, suck harder, and take the man as deep as he could.

Itachi had no idea what to do with his hands. It seemed rude to place them on Neji's head and he felt awkward with them hanging uselessly at his sides. When he felt Neji's nose brush against his stomach, his mind went blank. His earlier fleeting thought to place his hands on the sides of Neji's face resurfaced. Instinctively, his hips rocked forward in search of more. He did not hear a whine of protest or any indication that his actions were bringing the younger male discomfort. So he allowed himself to get lost in the pleasure.

Of course, Neji had no problem with that. He had never expected Itachi to be a vocal person. He definitely did not expect him to be so vulgar. In between throaty moans, Itachi cursed like a sailor. Neji even opened his eyes to peek up at him to make sure that this was the same man that had scolded him for saying the word pussy out loud when they were walking in the park earlier that week.

'Gentlemen in the streets but a beast in the sheets!' Neji would make sure to tease him about it later.

A single 'fuck' was the only warning Neji had before his mouth was filled with a warm substance that he knew all too well. Itachi's grip on his hair tightened as he rode out the intense wave of his orgasm. By that point, Neji was so hard that it was painful. While he waited for Itachi to catch his breath, he slowly stroked himself. Handjobs and blowjobs wouldn't be enough to ease the ache inside of him.

Neji needed to be fucked. It wasn't a want but a serious need. At least that was what he told himself. It wasn't like they were exclusive. He could still have sex with other people, he just chose not to. But he was seriously contemplating it.

Finally opening his eyes, Itachi hurriedly released his hold on Neji. "I'm so sorry. I...in your mouth." He was so embarrassed by his rude behavior.

"It's fine." Neji opened his mouth wide and showed him that he'd swallowed it all.

Itachi blinked slowly in mild astonishment. He also made a small note of how the thought of Neji swallowing his semen made him feel good. Everyday, he learned something new about himself. "Would you like some juice or perhaps some mouthwash?" Anything to get the taste out of his mouth.

Disregarding the question, Neji stood up and slid his boxers off. "Itachi," he pleaded. "Please..."

He thought the teen wanted him to return the favor so he quickly agreed. It was only fair for him to take care of Neji as well. Mirroring the Hyuuga's earlier actions, he eased down to his knees.

"You can skip that," Neji said impatiently. "Just hurry up and fuck me," he demanded.

Anyone else would have probably found the situation to be sexy. However, Itachi was not like most people. An attractive naked person was demanding him to "hurry up and fuck them", and Itachi was immediately turned off. He found nothing appealing about it. "I've already told you that I wasn't ready for us to take it that far. Is there any other way that I can make you feel good too?" They could try something else. He was open to anything except penetration.

When it came to sex, Neji always got his way with the exception of Hiashi. The young male could not understand why Itachi would not have sex with him. Yeah, he knew very well about the man's mental illness, self-esteem issues, and things like that, but it was just sex. It wasn't that serious, right?

"Is sex that important to you?" Itachi stood up and moved to sit at the edge of his bed.

Neji wanted to say that it wasn't a big deal, but it was a huge deal. Sex had been introduced to him at a young age. Now, it was as if he needed it to survive. As much as he hated what Hiashi did to him, a primal part of him couldn't deny that it felt good. He'd hated himself for years because of that, and he still did.

"Yes," he admitted quietly.

"I never said that I didn't want to have sex with you. Neji, I am really attracted to you."

"Then why won't you have sex with me?" If he was attracted to him, he should want to sleep with him. It was how the world worked. Well, it was how Neji's world operated. "You told me that you wanted me, but, now, you're acting as if I disgust you!"

Frowning, Itachi tried to think of a point in time when he'd ever made Neji feel that way. And he couldn't think of a single instance. "You don't disgust me. Why would you think that? I think the world of you."

"If that were true, you wouldn't be able to keep your hands off of me. You would want to be more intimate with me. But the only thing you seem interested in is not sleeping alone! You don't want me. You never did. It's because I'm the only one you have right now. Isn't it?!" Neji felt so unwanted in that moment. Everyone else wanted him. No one had ever turned him down for sex. Men who had everything to lose risked it all just for one night with Neji. So why couldn't Itachi do the same?

Itachi moved to comfort Neji once tears started to fall. He knew that the teen was guilt tripping him. Mikoto used to play him like a violin whenever she wanted him to do something that she knew he really did not want to do. Still, Itachi would do whatever was necessary to keep Neji happy. He couldn't lose him. Not when things had been going so good for him. "We can try..."

"Really?"

"If that will make you happy."

As much as Neji wanted to jump for joy, he could tell that Itachi was only agreeing in order to please him. It was wrong to manipulate Itachi into giving him what he wanted. The man had been through enough. Briefly, he wondered if he were actually toxic for Itachi. Because of his constant scheming, they were in this situation now.

Neji wrapped his arms around Itachi and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm sorry. We can just wait. I know that you're not ready. Can you forgive me?"

Relief flooded him. Itachi visibly relaxed. "I forgive you," he returned the kiss, but placed it on the teen's forehead. "I want to show you how much you mean to me. Just give me time."

"Okay," he nodded his head. "But I need to go clear my head. I'm going to step outside. Is that fine?"

"Do you want me to accompany you?"

"No. I won't be gone long."

Itachi watched Neji put his clothes back on. He would honor the boy's request and wait for him to get back.

Half an hour passed, and Itachi had begun to worry about Neji. After making a call to the front desk, he made his way downstairs. Taiko told him that he saw Neji walk out of the front door about twenty minutes ago. He knew that he promised to give Neji some space, but it was dark out and downtown Konoha was no place for a teenage boy to be wandering around on his own.

Itachi regretted not insisting that he go with him. He just didn't want to come off as clingy. Neji had seemed to be on edge before he left. Again, he blamed himself for his lack of self-esteem. If he had just given Neji what he had wanted, they wouldn't be in this predicament. When he called Neji's phone and received no answer, he started to panic.

What if something had happened to Neji? He tried not think like that, but the more his phone calls went unanswered, his anxiety skyrocketed. There were several diners and bars in the area. Neji could have been anywhere. Itachi decided to try the park. The teen had mentioned that it was a place that he enjoyed to frequent with one of his close relatives. Thankfully, the park was across the crosswalk from his penthouse.

There weren't that many cars out with it being so late. Itachi made it to the other side without any trouble. There were no cars parked. The lot was empty except for a sleek, red motorcycle. He barely glanced at the bike as he made his way to the back of the park. The three times that they'd visited the park, Neji always sat at the same bench. By that point, Itachi could pick the bench out of the countless others that were strategically placed around the park.

Hearing muffled voices, he slowed his steps. Itachi's instincts were going haywire. His gut was telling him to turn around and walk back to his penthouse. But curiosity had him taking every step forward. The muffled voices morphed into heated moans. The erotic sound of skin slapping against moist skin mingled with the nocturnal tune of nature. Itachi knew all too well what was going on. However, he took that final step anyway. And that one step had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

Neji's eyes were clenched shut, his head was thrown back, and a look of pure euphoria was on his face as he bounced up and down on the platinum haired man. It was intense. So intense that Itachi felt sick to his stomach. The man was treating Neji as though he were a rag doll. Thrusting inside of almost viciously while he kept the boy spread, revealing everything. From the looks of it, Neji sure as hell wasn't complaining. Is that what he'd wanted from Itachi? To be fucked hard in some public park?

Itachi wanted to make his presence known. Not hide behind the tree like some Peeping Tom. But he was too choked up to utter a word. He couldn't watch another second of it, so he turned around and walked away. When he reached the front of the park, he felt dizzy and had to wrap his arms around his stomach to keep himself from falling apart. It was futile. Bending over, he emptied his stomach on the pavement.

The walk back to the penthouse was done in a daze. A car had almost hit him. For a brief moment, Itachi wished that it had. His entire body was trembling, he had trouble opening the door to his building. He had to fight back tears and quell another wave of nausea. Once he was in the lobby, Taiko walked up to him with a concerned expression on his face.

"Did you find him?"

Slowly, Itachi nodded his head. "Yes. And I really wish that I hadn't." He brushed past the man and walked towards the elevator so he wouldn't see the tears streaming down his face.

But Taiko had seen them anyway.

TBC

AN: I pretty much have the entire story outlined. Holy shit! I am excited about all of the upcoming chapters and "wtf" moments(like that last scene) Also, the flashbacks will continue up until Hizashi's last moments. I am actually surprised by the positive response of the FugaHiza pairing. I had been worried initially. But thank you to everyone that has reviewed or messaged me. It makes my day. Until next time!