*New cover for the story. Special thanks to, Nightish for deeming Caged Birds worthy of their talent! Link in profile
Warning: Readers 18+,YAOI (Rough sex), rimming, self service, a pinch of fluff, a dash of humor
-o0o-
"I understand that you are upset," Tokuma stood with his arms folded. "But you will apologize for your mistreatment of Tenten, and your cousins." He stared at the man who had been purposely ignoring him all day. He had heard from Hoheto about Neji's new position of Branch delegator; a position that was supposed to had been granted to him.
"Tokuma," Neji said without looking up from the book that he was reading. "Get out." He was in the middle of reading over what was expected of him as a formal delegator. Actually, he had been searching for loopholes in arranged marriages. Once Tokuma walked in the library demanding he apologize for his recent behavior, he had to pretend as if he wasn't secretly trying to defy the clan head.
"I'm not leaving until you put the book down and acknowledge me, Neji. Aren't we friends? We should be able to talk to each other."
Slamming the book close, Neji finally looked up at the man. "There isn't really anything to talk about. My uncle put his foot down, end of story."
"You know that was supposed to be my job." Tokuma walked over to the table, placed his palms on the surface and leaned in. "I had been promised that position since I was 16. Do you know how important that is for someone like me? The Branch delegator is the voice of the branch; I wanted that role more than anything."
Sighing, Neji raked his fingers through his hair. "Look, Tokuma I didn't know that the position was promised to you. Trust me, if it were up to me, you could have it. But I am only following my uncle's orders just like everyone else does in this clan. If you want to be pissed off at someone, take it out on him not me!"
"Actually," Tokuma pulled out a chair and took a seat. "I don't think I'm mad at anyone. Maybe a little disappointed, but not upset. I am a tool; if Hiashi-sama decides to keep me as one of his guards, so be it."
"You're not a tool, Tokuma." Neji looked him dead in the eye to show how sincere he was being. "None of the branch members are tools. We are the foundation of this clan, you know that. And yeah I know that I was luckier than most being raised in the Main House, but I'll try my best to make sure that the needs of the Branch are taken care of."
"Then why are you searching for a loophole out of your engagement?" Tokuma had read the spines of the books that the man was trying to hide. It was his job to pay attention to detail.
"Okay, I lied." Neji admitted, and then smirked. "You will make sure that the Branch is well taken care of. I'm going to get you your job back."
Glancing around the library, Tokuma made sure that there wasn't any guards nearby. He would have sensed them long ago if there were. Then he lowered his voice, "Neji, please don't do this. The punishment could be severe; you could be branded, labeled as an outcast."
"Isn't there an invisible brand on all of us anyway?"
"I think Hiashi-sama made a mistake by giving you a taste of freedom, now it is as if you don't want to let it go. Which is understandable." Tokuma smiled wistfully. "This morning, I escorted Tenten to see the Koi ponds around the compound. She mentioned that she would be leaving in a few days to return to her campus. I wanted to promise to visit her but; well you know why that can't be."
Tokuma couldn't make such a promise because he wouldn't be allowed to make the trip. Neji started to feel like crap, especially since Tenten prolonged her stay in Konoha so she could make sure that he was doing fine. Biggest Jackass of the Year goes to - none other than himself. Neji hadn't necessarily lashed out at anyone; he'd just been very dry and curt.
"Where is Tenten now?" Neji asked.
"Tenten and Hinata-sama are at the mall looking for something "cute" to wear this evening." Tokuma's smile vanished and his fist clenched. "I will be driving them to a double date tonight. To think that I'll have to stand by and watch some scoundrel with his hands all over Tenten."
Neji laughed and Tokuma shot him glare. "No, you have the wrong idea, Tokuma." He covered his mouth and continued to laugh at the expression on the man's face. "It's a ploy to set you and Tenten up. If Hiashi thinks that you are escorting the Hyuga heiress and a friend out on the town, he's not going to think much of it. That way Hinata can meet up with Kiba while you and TenTen can hang out."
Tokuma thought the man's words over before he nodded his head in understanding. "Women are truly clever."
"Indeed. I must say that I enjoy this cunning side of Hinata. It's one of those useful traits that she picked up from Kiba."
"Someone is coming." Quickly, Tokuma stood up and walked over to the bookcase. He picked up a random book and flipped through the pages. While Neji opened his own book again and started to "read".
Moments later, Hoheto walked in the library. "Neji, Hiashi-sama requests your presence in the Wisteria gardens."
A change of scenery, how nice. Neji thought sarcastically. "Tokuma, thank you for your assistance." He made eye contact with the man conveying a message for him to get rid of the books on clan marriages.
Catching the hint, Tokuma returned his book to the shelf. "No problem, I will return the books to their proper place."
The world needed more competent people like Tokuma.
...
The Wisteria Gardens were where Hinata's mother would spend majority of her time before she passed away. Hiashi continued to visit the gardens weekly; Neji had always thought that it was proof of his uncle's humanity. Sometimes he would have tea there or read; but no matter what he would sit in the garden at least once every week.
When they arrived at the low iron gate that lead to the garden, Hoheto left him to continue down the cobbled path on his own. Up ahead he could hear someone...laughing. Wait, Neji stopped in his tracks and listened to the sound of his uncle actually laughing and joking with someone. Maybe he was having a one sided conversation with his deceased wife.
Neji mentally chastised himself for the morbid thought. Shaking his head, he continued down the path and came to the clearing. Sitting at the Bistro table was his uncle and a person that he had never seen before.
"Neji," Hiashi greeted him. "I would like for you to meet Hatake Kakashi." He motioned to the man that was sitting across from him. When he turned his head to look at Neji, he winked at him before standing up.
"Hyuga-san."
"Hatake-san." He shook the man's hand, careful not to stare too hard at the scar that was on his eye or the strange mask that was covering his nose and mouth.
"Captain Hatake is here on direct orders from the Hokage. Evidently, there is a matter that she needs your assistance with." His words were laced with skepticism.
"What would that be exactly?" Neji noticed the way that his uncle was watching him suspiciously.
"I'm only the messenger." Kakashi smiled - well Neji thought that he was smiling. It was hard to tell with that blasted cloth covering his mouth.
"I would like to accompany my nephew to see the Hokage."
"No can do."
Hiashi didn't like the sound of that, not one bit. "Well, I will send one of my guards." He knew that if the Hokage wanted to summon any civilian for questioning she could do so. The Clan Act only protected him from being reprimanded for any crimes that he'd committed within his own clan. Yes, Neji was a part of his clan, but if the Hokage wanted to meet with him - Hiashi couldn't do anything about that. If Tsunade went as far as trying to enlist Neji in ANBU or anything like that, only then could he interfere.
"You know I can't allow that, Hiashi-sama." Kakashi said. "Hokage-sama's orders were clear. She only wants to speak with your nephew, Neji."
Neji was standing there looking more confused than anything. He'd never even met the Hokage; he'd never met any of the Hokages. They always seemed untouchable in his eyes.
"Very well," Hiashi reluctantly relented. "Neji remember your etiquette when you are in the presence of Hokage-sama. Every action is a reflection of the Hyuga clan."
"Yes, Hiashi-sama." Neji bowed his head, but before he did he caught the way that Kakashi rolled his eyes.
Kakashi was beyond ready to get out the compound, it was far too uppity for him. "Well that's settled. We shouldn't keep Tsunade-sama waiting." He all but ran out of the colorful garden.
-o0o-
"So Hyuga-san," Kakashi said as he drove them out of the Hyuga Compound. "Tell me a little bit about yourself." He'd attempted to learn about Neji from Itachi but the man had been in a sour mood since they arrived in Konoha. Though who could blame him? Itachi had suffered hell during his two days in Otogakure, and then when he finally made it back he learned that his brother was taken.
A few men were still pissed off because Itachi roughed them up a bit when they tried to hold him back. Kakashi had to hand it to the Akatsuki members; they really knew how to handle Itachi. Still he was surprised that only Kisame knew about Sasuke's existence.
"What would you like to know, Hatake-san?" Neji would be as polite as he needed to be. It wasn't as if minimal conversation was going to kill him.
"Well, let's start with the easy stuff. How old are you?" Kakashi asked.
"19."
"That's kinda young." He saw the sidelong glance Neji gave him and he chuckled. "Relax. I'm not hitting on you. I'm actually engaged."
"That's good to know. Congratulations by the way." He continued to look straight ahead at the road. "A classmate - friend of mine was married recently."
"One of my friend's students was recently married."
With a contemplative look, Neji glanced at the man before he decided to ask his question. "Would you be referring to Might Guy?"
"So you're the other student that Guy always brags about." Kakashi chuckled. "He mentioned you maybe once or twice."
"Small world."
The drive was silent for a while after that. Neji was trying to figure out what the Hokage could possibly want with him. Per usual his mind supplied him with a million possibilities; none of them made any logical sense. If the radio was turned on then that could give him something to keep his mind on. It was too silent in the car, conversation wouldn't be so bad, but his ability to successfully start a conversation - especially with a stranger - was piss poor.
"I have a confession to make, Hyuga-san."
"Confess? About what exactly?" Neji asked while he made sure that his door was unlocked just in case he needed to escape. It was about a fifteen minute walk back to the Hyuga compound; six minutes if he ran the entire way.
"We're not going to see the Hokage." Kakashi admitted.
Placing his hand on the door handle, Neji prepared himself for the man to reveal that he was actually an axe murderer or something along those lines.
"I'm taking you to see Itachi."
Neji's hand dropped from the door handle and he stared blankly at his lap. "Itachi?" He mumbled to himself. "How do you know Itachi?" He asked the man warily.
"We're friends. He's at ANBU Headquarters. A lot has happened and I'm going to let him explain it to you. I just wanted to give you a heads up before we got there." Kakashi watched the man out of the corner of his eye. Neji's skin looked paler than it did when he first saw him. He hoped that the boy wasn't going to faint.
"I...We..." Neji opted to just keeping his mouth closed because it was obvious that he couldn't manage anything coherent at the moment. Absentmindedly, he touched his neck. The bruises were fully healed, but that was the only thing that was healed. He was still bruised emotionally.
"Are you alright, Neji?" It was more than likely a stupid question; he was aware of that. Iruka was the one that knew how to comfort people and knew all of the right things to say in situations like this. Kakashi smiled, he couldn't wait to see his fiancé so they could -
Stay focused! Now was not the time to fantasize about his amazing soon to be husband. He needed to meddle in Itachi's love life first.
"My uncle told me that Itachi was a murderer." Neji's voice sounded hollow. "That he's an assassin who kills for a living. Why would he be at headquarters?"
Frowning, Kakashi tried to think about how Hiashi Hyuga could have come across information like that on Itachi. Especially since it took them years to find any evidence of his involvement in the Akatsuki. It was just as Tsunade said - Hiashi Hyuga was someone that they needed to watch.
They pulled up to the gate of the compound and Kakashi used his identification card to open the first gate. A few miles up ahead was a second gate that was patrolled by liveried guards. With a flash of his ID, the gate was opened and he continued his drive to headquarters. The Hokage Tower was smack in the middle while smaller buildings surrounded it.
"Look, Neji before you pass any judgment on Itachi. Hear him out." Kakashi parked at his designated parking spot and climbed out. He could see that Neji hesitated before he got out of the car as well.
Neji stared at the building; it wasn't as big as he had imagined it to be. It was kinda plain looking in his opinion, nothing like the stories he'd heard in his younger years. He followed Kakashi up the short steps and they entered the building. Even the inside was bland, there was only a single receptionist seated at a desk.
"This way." Kakashi veered off to the right and walked over to the elevators.
"Why are there elevators?" Neji glanced around the building. "There's only one floor."
Instead of answering, Kakashi stepped on the elevator and waited for him to get on as well. "Neji it took a lot of convincing for the Hokage to allow you to come here. So don't go blabbering off at the mouth to your friends." He pulled out his identification card and swiped it. Convincing the Hokage wasn't that difficult at all really. When she learned that it was Hiashi's nephew she was all too eager to sign the visitor's pass. Apparently the clan head had really ticked Tsunade off recently.
Scoffing, Neji crossed his arms over his chest. "This place is hardly anything to brag about."
Kakashi smiled under his mask. That was everyone's initial reaction when they first saw the building. Once the elevator started its descent he saw the confused look on Neji's face. A few minutes later the elevator stopped and opened. Kakashi stood back and allowed Neji to go first.
Taking one step out of the elevator, Neji eyebrows rose in shock. "It's completely underground?" He said to himself as he looked out at the real ANBU headquarters. There were people bustling around; some were dressed in civilian clothes while others donned full ANBU gear.
"You can tour the place later if you want." He escorted Neji down a flight of stairs in the direction of the living quarters. If he wanted his plan to work he needed to get there before Itachi's appointment with Inoichi and Ibiki was over. Glancing at his watch he realized that he had about ten minutes.
Neji tried to admire the large underground base and keep from tripping over his feet as he followed the man down another flight of stairs. He had been so enthralled in the building that he had almost forgot about his true purpose of being there - almost. Trepidation settled in the pit of his stomach again and he had to shake his hands to get the blood flowing. Neji exhaled shakily; aware that he was breathing fast, close to hyperventilating.
"Neji." Kakashi placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Look at me." He demanded softly.
Doing as he was told, Neji looked at the man. He continued to stare at Kakashi and he could feel his breathing calming. It was as if the man telepathically gave him strength.
When Kakashi saw that he was relaxed he crinkled his eyes. "Jedi mind trick that I picked up from Iruka." He scratched the back of his head.
"Jedi mind trick?" Neji just stared at him for a few more moments before he chuckled. It wasn't a real laugh but it helped ease some of the tension in his stomach. "Well thank you Obi-Wan." He joked.
"I knew that I was going to like you!" Kakashi said as they continued to walk down the hallway to Itachi's assigned room. When they turned the corner they ran into a group of people.
Neji was about to ask Kakashi if the Iruka that he was referring to was the doctor that treated him, but he saw a group of people. One in particular was looking at him as though they were familiars but he had never seen the blond man before.
"Captain Hatake." A petite redheaded man greeted. His brown eyes landed on Neji and lingered. "And who do we have here?"
A woman with violet hair and a labret piercing leaned over and smiled at him. "Who's your friend Kakashi? He's gorgeous."
"He?" A large man standing behind the woman scrunched his face in confusion." That's a guy? Dammit and I actually thought she...he was hot!" He growled and crossed his arms over his chest.
Neji didn't know if he should have felt offended or angered by the man's words but he was too busy thinking about Itachi to really care. There was also the fact that the blond was openly gaping at him. He stared back; gave the man a taste of his own medicine. Their gazes locked before the man finally looked away.
"This is Hyuga Neji." Kakashi said. If anyone was paying attention closely they would've saw the sneaky glance that he gave them. "He's a friend of Itachi's." He said casually. He relished in the looks on everyone's faces. Itachi was going to murder him but he couldn't help himself.
They all knew that friend was code for lover.
"Screw?" Konan whispered to herself quietly. Her eyes widened when she realized that it was the name that Itachi wrote on the wall in Otogakure. Damn Itachi has great taste. Konan thought to herself. She was about to steal Neji away so she could gush over him but Kakashi interrupted her plotting.
"Well, we have to go now." Kakashi grabbed Neji by the shoulders and steered him away from the Akatsuki members. "See you all at the meeting later." He threw over his shoulder.
When they walked off three out of the four Akatsuki members watched them leave. Kisame was having mid-life crises, while Sasori was trying to figure out if he were truly asexual; maybe he just hadn't met the right person. Konan was thinking about who topped, but then shoved the thought aside, the answer was obvious. Deidara was inwardly seething; he didn't see what all of the hype was about.
...
"Well this is it." Kakashi stopped in front of a white door. "I'll leave the rest up to you two." He opened it and motioned for Neji to enter.
Neji stared into the dark room as if it were a gateway to Tartarus. As if the darkness would swallow him whole and keep him there forever. But he'd come this far, a few more steps couldn't hurt. Right?
Itachi stood straight, his expression that of a mask, hiding the torrent of emotion that burned through him - still bluffing. Placing his hand on the doorknob, he hesitated for a split second before he turned the knob and opened the door.
It didn't take long for his mask to crumble when he locked eyes with those pale orbs that he loved. Itachi's voice was thick with emotion. "Neji." He whispered. Somehow his body moved on its own accord and he crossed the distance to get to the man that was standing in the middle of the room. Without warning or care of formal decorum, Itachi embraced Neji. Savoring the man's warmth and smell of his hair as he nuzzled him.
"Itachi?" Neji wasn't expecting that kind of reaction from him. But he returned the hug just as eagerly. He didn't know how much he had truly missed Itachi until now.
There was still so much that they needed to discuss, yet right now, nothing else mattered more than just being in the arms of the man that he was madly in love with.
Sighing contentedly, Neji closed his eyes and allowed himself to live in the moment. If only for a brief moment. Itachi was really there; not the fading apparition that he'd conjured during restless nights. Itachi was here now in the flesh.
"Neji." Itachi breathed in his scent. Just a few days ago he'd been willing to throw in the towel and give up. It was an absurd notion. Neji's hold on him slackened, and he tightened his own hold in fear of letting go. "No," Itachi whispered in his ear. "Don't let go, not yet."
And Neji didn't. How could he even think about letting go after hearing the earnest request? He had never heard Itachi sound so...desperate. Neji allowed the embrace to last another minute or so before he pulled back. His eyes fluttered opened and locked with the onyx orbs that had been haunting his dreams.
"Neji, I..." Itachi couldn't finish his sentence because he was too occupied with the pain in his groin.
"You strangled me." Neji looked down at the man's bent over form. "So I returned the favor by punching you in the nuts. Fair don't you think?"
Cupping his heirlooms, Itachi glared at the smirk on the man's face. He wanted to be mad, but he knew that a hit to the balls was only half of what he deserved for what he did to Neji. Still, he really didn't hold back with that punch. With a shaky breath, he straightened up and grimaced when he released himself.
"I'm sorry, Neji." Itachi said sincerely.
Nodding his head, Neji crossed his arms. "I got your phone call. You've already apologized but that isn't enough. How about you start by telling me why you choked the shit out of me and left me on my sofa."
"I didn't necessarily choke you -"
"You didn't choke me?" Neji motioned to his neck, his eyes pierced Itachi. "There was actual proof of your handy work. I had bruises on my neck asshole!" Itachi opened his mouth to speak but he cut him off again. "Do you have any idea what I've had to go through because of that? If you think that a simple apology is going to make everything alright between us you're sadly mistaken!"
Of course Itachi was aware that an apology wasn't going to fix things. He just didn't know where to begin, there was so much that needed to be said. He couldn't find the right words and it infuriated him. Over the years, he carried out difficult assignments without even breaking a sweat. Opening up to the man that he wanted to be with should be just as easy. At least that was what he thought.
Neji could tell that he was having trouble; it was written all over his face. Which was rare because he'd never been able to read Itachi so easily until now. Glancing around the small room, he saw a full size bed pushed against the wall. He walked over to it and sat down.
Itachi was pulled from his musings; he noticed that Neji was motioning for him to sit next to him on the bed. At that moment, his mind supplied him with images of Neji writhing under him, eyes shut tight, mouth partially open with euphonious mewls spilling out. He dispelled the memory and walked over to the bed. After sitting down, he put distance between them; only to keep himself from pouncing on the man.
"Why did you do it?" Neji watched his face closely. "And if you say that, 'It's complicated'." He did a poor impression of Itachi's dull drawl. "I swear I'm going to flay you."
"Before I can tell you why, there are other things that I need to tell you, Neji." Itachi pursed his lips and rubbed his sweaty palms on his thighs. "It's just that I don't know where to begin." He looked over at Neji for some sort of guidance.
Neji was debating on bringing up the fact that he was already aware of the Akatsuki. At least to a certain extent. If he wanted Itachi to be completely honest with him he needed to return the favor. So he decided to cut the bullshit. "Itachi, I know about the Akatsuki." He saw the man's eyes widen then narrow suspiciously. "A lot happened after...you left. Long story short, my uncle found out about us and did some digging on you."
"What did he tell you?" Itachi watched Neji fiddle with the hem of his shirt nervously. It reminded him of that night that they'd first met in the club. He would've never thought in a million years that things would turn out like this. "You can tell me, Neji." He assured him.
Scowling, Neji thought about that night in his uncle's office. "He didn't tell me anything; he showed me a file on you. There were reports and photos of people that you've..."
"Murdered."
"Yes."
Itachi wasn't upset because Neji found out about the Akatsuki, but he never wanted him to actually see what he was capable of. Seeing and hearing were two totally different things. He could tell Neji that he slaughtered tons of people, but to have Neji actually see evidence of the carnage was different. It was a game changer.
"What do you think about all of that, Neji?"
"Honestly, I don't know what to think, Itachi." Neji turned his body so that he was facing him. "I saw you kneeling over a corpse in a dark alley with blood all over your face. The next day we fucked." He chuckled - it was a dry and humorless sound. "My desire for you transcended that of my own self-preservation. I knew that you were dangerous yet I still allowed myself to..." Afraid that he might reveal too much prematurely, he didn't finish the sentence.
Scooting over, Itachi picked up Neji's hand and traced circles in his palm. "Ask me anything and I'll tell you the truth." He promised. Though he felt sort of uneasy about being so willing to open up to Neji when he'd never felt the need to do so with his own brother. Then again, that was one of the reasons why he made the arrangement with Madara.
"How long have you been a member of the Akatsuki?"
"After my parents were murdered." He continued to stare at the lines in Neji's palm. "I was 13."
"But you didn't kill anybody then, right? Surely there was," Neji struggled for the proper word. He didn't want to come off as judgmental about Itachi's lifestyle. "A trial period maybe?" Fuck, he ended up sounding like an imbecile anyway.
"My first assignment was a week after I joined. I've been a member of the Akatsuki for 10 years." Itachi decided to steer the conversation. He wasn't ready to go into detail about the first mission and he more than likely never would. "I didn't want to be separated from Sasuke. So in order to stay out of foster care, I went to my uncle for help." He assumed that Neji could feel in the blanks from there and he was right.
"Fucking uncles." Neji commented under his breath. Well, in his case, he was actually grateful that Hiashi wasn't that cruel. His uncle did things that made Neji despise him, but he did take him in after his father died. Despite a few screw ups he could honestly say that his uncle wasn't that bad.
"You didn't really have a choice in the matter, Itachi." He could understand that Itachi did it in order to look out for his younger brother. That was a noble thing to do. Take out the blood and death and you have yourself a good ol' Disney film. But instead of Itachi having ice powers - he murdered people.
Yeah, not so bad.
Itachi lifted his gaze, and looked at Neji. "There is always a choice and I chose this life. Do not be mistaken Neji. I am a killer; I have killed countless people without batting an eye."
"Do you enjoy it?" Neji stared at him; his eyes boring into Itachi's with a blank expression on his face. "Do you enjoy killing people, Itachi?" He bluntly asked. There was no point in beating around the bush anymore.
Frowning, he thought about the question. "I would prefer not to." He was surprised that Neji was handling everything so calmly. "You're handling this far better than I expected. I've always wanted to know why you were still attracted to me even after you knew that I murdered someone. That night, I brought a gun to your condo; I was going to kill you and yet..." Itachi shook his head in confusion.
"Yet, you didn't" Neji moved closer and placed his other hand on Itachi's knee. "Why didn't you kill me that night, Itachi?" He wanted Itachi to come to the same realization that he had days ago.
There was a gleam in Neji's eyes; it made Itachi aware that the air in the room was near stifling. "I think you know the answer to that." He didn't like how uncomfortable he felt under the heat of the man's gaze.
"I wouldn't have asked if I already knew the answer." He continued to goad Itachi, trying to get the evasive man to be more straightforward with his responses. "You told me that you would answer my questions truthfully. When you choked me," Neji leaned closer until their lips were mere inches apart. "You could've ended it all then and there." He watched Itachi's eyelids drop to half-mast.
Why lie? Neji had been his obsession since he'd first laid eyes on him. Itachi could have had any other man that night, but every single person he'd encountered paled in comparison to Neji. Countless nights were spent on deep cogitation surrounding Neji. From the way he called his name either on an annoyed drawl or a salacious moan; both managed to make his heart flutter. His infatuation with Neji was borderline lunacy. Itachi came to the conclusion that he would do anything for Neji, he'd need only ask.
And that is what love truly is.
Itachi breathed against Neji's parted lips, "You once said that you couldn't picture a world without me. Is that still difficult for you to imagine?"
Neji felt dizzy. "Yes." He breathed; his heart ached at the mere thought of a world without Itachi. "Yes, Itachi." His voice cracked under the weight of so many emotions, but he didn't care. He pictured himself on a roller coaster, at the very top. The tracks had stopped ticking, everything quiet for a moment...
"I know what that means now." Itachi's voice was thick and guttural. "I'm in love with you too, Neji."
...and then in a blink of an eye, Neji was hurtling towards the ground - at 100 miles per hour.
Itachi smiled against his mouth, and then captured his lips in a searing kiss. If Neji had any doubts, Itachi wiped them all away with that one kiss. At first, Neji wasn't moving his mouth; he was still in shock, playing Itachi's words over and over in his mind. It wasn't until he heard a throaty moan erupt from his own mouth that he returned the kiss just as eagerly. Possessively, Neji laced his arms around Itachi's neck; he reached for the binding in his hair and removed it, freeing the dark tresses. Itachi's hands were under his shirt, lightly scraping his nails up and down his spine.
Pulling back, Itachi gazed at Neji's swollen lips and tousled hair; and it was his undoing. "Neji, I need you. Now." With a hungry murmur, he pushed him down onto the bed. After nudging his shoes off, he removed Neji's as well and straddled him. His hand wiggled between them, his knuckles sliding down Neji's t-shirt, enjoying the flat muscles of his stomach.
"Wait," Neji's breath sawed out of him. "We can't do this, Itachi." Though the erection forming in his pants strongly disagreed.
Slightly puzzled, Itachi removed his hands from the man's belt buckle. "Do...you not return my feelings?"
Vehemently, Neji shook his head. "No that's not it, Itachi. I feel the same way, you know that." It's just that there was more that they needed to discuss. Like the fact that he was practically engaged to a woman he'd never even met.
Itachi sat up and yanked his shirt off and haphazardly tossed on the floor. That was all he needed to hear; Neji shared his feelings so nothing, absolutely nothing was going to stop him from having him. "Neji," He mumbled seductively, moving his hands back to man's belt buckle. "There's something that I've always wanted to see you do."
Raking his eyes over Itachi's bare chest, all rational thinking went straight out the window. "What's that?" Hiashi and his betrothed could kick rocks for all he cared.
"Undress yourself." Itachi smirked at the bewildered expression on the man's face. "That's only part of it."
"I'm not going to spank myself, Itachi!" Neji warned as he removed his shirt. "Or anything else degrading!" Unlike Itachi, he simple dropped his shirt instead of throwing it halfway across the room.
Chuckling, Itachi sat further back in order to give him enough room to remove his pants. "You're so fucking sexy, Neji." He watched him get off the bed and take off his pants. "Boxers too." He ordered gently.
Complying, Neji removed his boxers as well. "Who knew you'd get so turned on by me taking my clothes off?" Once his boxers were off, he glanced at the door. "Is the door locked? Can't believe we're actually doing this -" His breath hitched when he felt Itachi's warm body pressed against him from behind. He hadn't heard the bed shift or anything.
"Touch yourself." Itachi whispered in his ear. Swiping his tongue against the shell of his ear, he relished in the way Neji shivered. "Close your eyes and touch yourself." He kissed him on the temple and reached for his right hand. "Think only of me." He guided Neji's hand to his erection and left it there.
Involuntarily, Neji's eyes fluttered close when he felt Itachi kiss him lightly on the shoulder. The culmination of weeks of desire distilled down to that moment. He'd touched himself before on lonely nights and even during sex, but never quite like this. Never with Itachi's full attention solely on him. It was as if he was putting on a show for him. Getting himself off as he thought about the very person that was in the same room as him. For some reason the very thought only made him harder.
A low hiss escaped his parted lips when he fisted himself, languidly at first, taking his time to revel in the moment. He did as he was instructed; he thought about Itachi and only Itachi. Thoughts of Itachi touching him, running his strong hands all over his heated skin. Sloppy kisses on his stomach and the small nips to his inner thighs that always drove him insane.
Over the man's shoulder Itachi watched him slowly pump his cock. He licked his bottom lip when he saw the gossamer of precum that had formed at the tip. Neji would start his strokes at the base, and tightened his grip right under the head before descending back down. His arousal was spilling out in a light rivulet. "Don't waste it, Neji." Itachi husked against his ear. "Use it."
With a slight nod of his head, Neji ran his palm over his slit, coating his dick with the viscous substance and used it to pump himself faster and harder. "Itachi..." He whimpered as his hips jerked. God, he wanted nothing more than to be completely filled by Itachi. With his face shoved into the pillows as he was fucked hard from behind. Muffled moans filling the room and the loud smack of their sweaty flesh.
Faintly, he noticed the loss of heat from behind him as Itachi changed positions. But he was too caught up in the immense pleasure to open his eyes and look. Shamelessly, he continued to jerk off all the while thinking about the things he wanted Itachi to do to him.
"So beautiful." Neji heard him say, it sounded like it was coming from in front of him. Was Itachi kneeling? The thought of Itachi kneeling in front of him, gazing at him with those dark eyes made something inside of him snap. He moaned Itachi's name over and over like a broken hymn.
"Neji," Itachi whispered. "Come for me."
Neji happily obliged. Opening his eyes, he groaned at the sight of Itachi on his knees, mouth sealed over his cock. "Fuck!" His body convulsed, his inner muscles clenched when Itachi took him deeper; onyx eyes never leaving his as he swallowed every last drop. He felt the last bit of his vigor seep out with the hollowing of Itachi's cheeks.
Feeling satisfied, Itachi fluidly stood up, removing his sweat pants in one swift movement. He leaned over and kissed Neji, deeply, allowing the man to taste himself on his tongue. Reminding him, in his own warped way that they were bonded.
"I want you Itachi." Neji gasped. He could see nothing outside of Itachi; he had tunnel vision. It had always been like that, since the moment they met. All he could see, smell and taste was Itachi.
And who was he to deny his lover of what he desired? "Go to the bed," Itachi kissed him chastely. "In the position that you thought about while you touched yourself." He noticed the apprehension in Neji's eyes and he reassured him with a playful slap on the ass.
Scowling, Neji walked over to the bed and climbed on it. With another glance to the man that was waiting expectantly, he bent over and rested his head on the mattress. He wanted to face the headboard, but from this angle he could give Itachi a nice view of - well everything. His uncle told him to remember his etiquette in front of the Hokage, but this wasn't the Hokage tower so fuck it.
"Even though I love to watch your face as I enter you," Itachi walked over to the bed and looked down at the delectable vision before him. "This is just as good." It was the perfect opportunity for him to fully claim Neji. Placing his hands on the man's narrow hips, a slow sinister smile appeared on his face. "Unfortunately, there is no lube and as tight as you are." He rubbed his thumb over Neji's entrance and groaned at the accuracy of his statement. "We're going to need something."
"Just use whatever you have!" Oh how he wished that he would've just kept his mouth closed instead of sealing his own demise.
"Hmm." Itachi didn't give Neji a chance to form another coherent thought before he spread him and swiped his tongue over his entrance. He used the man's own shock against him. Taking advantage of Neji's outrage, he licked again; this time licking and sucking at the tight entrance with a lewd slurp.
"What kind of depraved man are you to debase yourself..." Neji moaned when Itachi added his thumb, stretching him as he continued to lick. All of the negative comments were snatched from his mouth. It wasn't long before he was pushing his ass further into Itachi's greedy mouth. He shuddered when Itachi chuckled, sending vibrations all through his body.
There's no coming back from this. The thought floated across Neji's tattered conscious while Itachi ravished his taut hole as though he'd just emerged from the desert starving and dehydrated and it was the only source of nourishment. The sheets were wet from a mixture of his saliva and tears; Neji was utterly appalled at how much he was enjoying it.
While one hand kept him partially spread, Itachi sucked on two of his finger before prodding Neji's entrance with the digits. He would've preferred more time to savor the moment, but they'd wasted enough time. While he continued scissoring and stretching with the two fingers, he added the third.
"Just fuck me already!" Neji's voice was a mix of a broken cry and a growl.
Demanding little bottom. Itachi smirked to himself and removed his fingers slowly. Sitting up, he coated his dick with his own saliva and precum - Au naturel lube. "Neji," Itachi aligned himself at his entrance. "I'm going to show you how much I've missed you." With one hard thrust, he fully sheathed himself.
Neji felt like he just had the wind knocked out of him. Thankfully, his face was shoved into the sheets so his moan was muffled. He had expected Itachi to give him enough time to adjust but he was sadly mistaken. With a hard bruising grip on his hips, Itachi pulled out halfway then slammed into him again. Neji's teeth rattled with the force of the man's thrusts.
"So fucking tight." Itachi was blinded by the astronomical pleasure of being inside of Neji again. "Fuck...I've missed this...missed you." Mercilessly, he continued his onslaught.
If this is how he is after two weeks... Neji mewled when he felt his hair being pulled, yanking his head back in the process. Imagine him after months. He didn't even want to think about it. Gently, Itachi rubbed his thumb over his lips as though he were seeking permission - always the gentleman. Opening his mouth, Neji sucked on the thumb; swirling his tongue around the digit as he moaned. It was terribly slutty. But at the rate his prostate was being slammed into, Itachi could abase him as much as he pleased.
Neji wore a euphoric smile on his face as his lover whispered the most obscene things in his ear. One hand was gripping him tightly by the hip, the other rubbing his face tenderly, and thumb still in his wet cavern muffling his wanton moans.
Removing his thumb, Itachi reached down and grabbed Neji's hardened cock. Pumping in time with his strokes, he worked on pushing them both over the edge. When Neji started to meet his thrusts just as violently he had to add more force to his own ministrations. Although, he loved the man and didn't view him as being inferior to him in anyway, he was still a Dom at heart. The brief battle for dominance ended with him as the victor but it didn't matter because by that point he could feel his hand being coated. It wasn't long before he was filling Neji with his own essence; still pumping, drawing out every last ounce of pleasure.
Seconds after Itachi pulled out of him, guilt weighed him down. Not over what had just transpired. Heavens no. The cause of Neji's remorse was the fact that he needed to tell Itachi the truth. Regardless of their mutual feelings, they couldn't have anything past this. Lying on his back now, he closed his eyes when he felt Itachi placing kisses all over his chest.
"I hate to have to cut our reunion short," Itachi murmured as he kissed him on the collarbone, lightly nipping it in an endearing fashion. "But I need to meet with my team and take care of a few things. I'll be leaving again the day after tomorrow."
"Leave again?" That's right; they'd only covered half of what needed to be discussed. Neji scolded himself for allowing his dick to do the thinking. Well, this time it was his heart that distracted him.
"We can discuss everything else later. Tomorrow night actually." Itachi sat up and looked down at the mess they'd made. "I would like to see you again before I leave." He would've preferred to just lay there for the remainder of the day with Neji in his arms. However, he couldn't rest easy until Sasuke was safe and Madara was six feet under.
"Itachi there's something that I need to tell you." Neji bit his lip nervously. The contended look in Itachi's eyes made him want to flog himself for not telling him the truth from the very start. He'd allowed Itachi to open up to him, something that he was positive that the man didn't easily do.
Noticing the urgency in his tone, Itachi pulled his eyes away from the stained sheets and looked at Neji. "Tell me." He watched the way the man chewed on his bottom lip and knitted his brows together. "Did you sleep with someone else? If you did I don't care." He jumped to the first conclusion that his mind conjured up. "But if you're still seeing him I advise you end it. I don't share, Neji."
"I didn't sleep with anyone, Itachi." Neji glowered at the man's assumption. "I'm trying to tell you that I'm engaged." He shouldn't have worded it like that. That was not the right way to word that, he could tell by the way Itachi's face went completely blank.
"Was this your uncle's doing?"
"Yes. It's partially my fault as well, but we met with the council a few days ago. My bride is still unknown to me, but regardless the ceremony is scheduled for October." It was hard to read the man's face now. No longer were his onyx eyes warm and readable but were instead cold and impenetrable.
"Hn." Itachi sat up and got off the bed.
"Hn?" Pursing his lips, Neji sat up as well. He watched Itachi walk into the adjoined bathroom and close the door behind him. "Rude." He mumbled to himself and looked around the room for his clothes. Glancing down at his lap he inwardly groaned; a shower was mandatory. From the looks of things, the least he could do was wash up before hitching a ride back to the compound.
The door to the bathroom opened and Itachi walked out, still naked, holding a damp towel. "You'll need this when you stand up." He handed the towel to him.
Taking the towel, Neji frowned. "Thanks." He was still thinking about the man's reaction to hearing about his engagement. Standing up, he was about to ask him about his thoughts on the matter, but then his eyes widened. Suddenly, he was beyond grateful to Itachi for being so considerate.
Giving Neji some mild privacy, he went around the room and collected his clothes. They'd only had sex without a condom when they were in Tengoku; Neji was mortified when he stood up and felt something warm trickling down his leg.
Neji slipped his boxers back on. A shower would more than likely have to wait, but he knew that he looked and smelled like he'd just had his brains fucked out. "Itachi, could you be a tad more verbal with your opinion on the matter?" He didn't like how calm Itachi was being, it was clear that he was upset.
"What do you want me to say, Neji?" Itachi asked without bothering to turn around to face him. Frankly, he was trying to keep himself busy to control his building anger. It wasn't targeted it towards Neji; he just didn't like the idea of having to give him up. Not after everything that had happened.
"I'm sorry; I should've told you before things escalated."
Itachi put his sweat pants back on, took the few short steps and stood in front of Neji. "Do you want to marry her?" He knew the answer but asked anyway.
"No!" Neji scowled at the idiotic question. Of course he didn't want to marry the mystery girl. "You should know that more than anyone, Itachi."
"What do you want, Neji?" Itachi moved his hands to cup his jaw, tilting Neji's face up to his. "What is it that you really want?" He asked. All he needed was a fraction of an inch; if Neji wanted him, he'd try his damnedest to make it happen.
"I want you, Itachi." Neji said, crestfallen. "But there's nothing that we can do now. It's only August, the most I could give you was another month before we'd have to completely end things."
Itachi was already formulating a plan. "Will you be free tomorrow night? We can discuss it then."
"I'm living in the compound again. It'll be better if we met somewhere instead of you picking me up." He thought about how strict his uncle had been acting lately. If he even suspected that he was meeting with Itachi there was no telling how far he'd go this time.
"Okay," He raked his fingers through Neji's hair. "We'll continue this discussion tomorrow."
Thank all of the deities in creation that Hiashi was not at the compound when he finally made it back. Though, Kakashi had made enough sly remarks about his appearance during the drive there. He was surprised to learn that Dr. Umino was his fiancé. Then again, Kakashi would need someone like Iruka to keep him grounded because that man was a serious lecher.
Neji was in his room now, looking at the bruises that were on his hips. During his shower, he thought about everything that Itachi said, but more importantly the confession. Itachi was in love with him too. Thinking about it made every cell in his body warm. Being in love was different when the feeling was reciprocated; the change was instantaneous.
However, he didn't want to get ahead of himself. There were still a shitload of other things that he needed to focus on. Like tomorrow night; Itachi had told him that he was going to take him somewhere special and tell him everything that he needed to know. Learning that the man had been a member of the Akatsuki for ten years unsettled him. Madara was a fucking asshole for lack of a better term. Now it all made sense, Itachi's personality was a reflection of the turbulence of his childhood. And here he'd thought he had it rough with his uncle. Hiashi was like a sugar plum fairy compared to Madara.
Neji was anxious about seeing Itachi again tomorrow. Hopefully, they could talk and have a serious conversation without it ending in him being fucked into the mattress. Well, that could still happen but after the important stuff was out of the way. Once, he had pondered on the possibility of him being a masochist. There had to be some kind of abnormality that could explain why he was unfazed by Itachi's true profession. Maybe the idea of his life being in danger excited him or maybe it was just the fact that life was so dull that sleeping with a killer seemed more fulfilling.
The idea of it being plain and simple love didn't sit well with him. It couldn't be that simple. Could it? Even during sex, he didn't mind Itachi being rough. In fact that was what he enjoyed so much about sex with him; Itachi never treated him like he was breakable and that was what he wanted.
After dressing, he walked into his room. Then something else hit him like a stack of bricks. That arrogant Uchiha had the audacity to do such a vile act without his permission and he loved every second of it. Rimming was one of those things that he would only enjoy with the lights off in the room. But Itachi didn't like to fuck with the lights off. He derived his sadistic pleasure from seeing every expression on Neji's face; he wanted to see ever flicker of emotion in his eyes. That was why he preferred the missionary position or Neji straddling him, but Neji really got off by being bent over and -
"Is this a bad time?" Tenten asked cautiously. She wanted to slap herself for not knocking on the door. "Sorry."
Glancing at the tent forming in his pants, Neji stared at it, willing it to go down. Then he thought about having to have sex with his future bride on their wedding night.
Instant depletion.
Clearing his throat, he looked at the flustered woman. It wasn't as if she hadn't seen it before, but that was years ago and now it was highly inappropriate. "It's safe now, Tenten." He reassured her.
"Shit I should've knocked my bad." Tenten moved to the door. "I'll be going now! Sorry again."
"Tenten, stop apologizing. It's so unlike you." He walked over to his bed and sat down. "It's fine. Besides I wanted to talk to you anyway."
Closing the door, Tenten walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. "Look, I didn't mean to rat you out. I was just trying to be a good friend. Well I thought I was being a good friend." She pouted her lips. "Didn't know your uncle was going take things that far, geesh."
"Hiashi has a tendency of blowing things out of proportion. But I don't blame you."
"Why have you been acting like an asshole lately?"
"I just wanted time to myself so I wouldn't lash out at anyone."
Trying to lighten the mood, Tenten jabbed him lightly in the ribs. "So who's the lucky girl?" She joked.
Neji smirked. "I don't know yet. More than likely a granddaughter of one of the crones on the council." His smile faltered when he thought about what his uncle hinted at. "Hiashi thinks that I need experience...to make sure that we consummate our marriage properly."
Gasping, Tenten's eyes widened. "Neji, you can't be serious. Does he not understand how uncomfortable that will be for you?"
"It'll more than likely be with a courtesan. And besides it doesn't matter."
"It does matter?!" She couldn't believe her ears. "That's bullshit, Neji."
Neji debated on telling her about his talk with Itachi. It wasn't as if he didn't trust Tenten, he just wasn't sure how she'd handle it. There was a knock on his door that made him change his mind about telling her - if only for right now.
"Oh that's probably Hinata." Tenten stood up. "We have to leave in a few minutes for our dates."
He had almost forgotten about the double date scheme. Hinata walked in the door and smiled at him, but was careful not to take another step into the room
"Hello Neji, how are you?" She asked.
"I'm fine Hinata." He returned the smile. "Enjoy yourselves tonight. We can catch up later."
Nodding her head excitedly, Hinata's smiled brightened. "I'll hold you to that. Are you ready Tenten?"
"Yeah, I'm ready. See you later, Neji!"
Neji gave a final wave before the two girls left his room. Once they were gone he got up and locked his door to avoid any more embarrassing encounters. After waking up way before dawn to train and the workout he just received from Itachi, he was spent. Neji climbed in his bed and dived under the covers. Tomorrow was going to be just as draining, he was sure of it.
The darkening sky was filled with lavender and indigo clouds, covering up the first stars of the night. As the light receded, so did the warmth of the day, until all that was left was the chill of twilight and the promise of a cold night to come. Neji sat alone, at a small circular table in a local cafe and waited for Itachi. They had agreed to meet after sunset and Neji couldn't help but snicker at how corny that sounded. Sometimes Itachi reminded him of a Victorian antihero; a dashing gent who moonlighted as a sexual deviant.
That really sounded like one of those cheesy summaries on the back of an erotic novel.
Glancing out the window, Neji noted that it was dusk now, the darker stage of twilight. He felt as if he was in high school all over again, except he never had to sneak out of the compound in high school. He had a feeling that Tokuma could literally sense when he was even thinking about leaving. Before he could make it to the front gate the man had intercepted him.
Luckily, his date with Tenten had been successful because Neji was able to use that to his advantage. Tenten made sure that he knew that whenever he came back he was going to have to tell her why he used her to distract Tokuma. He would've never seen that coming; Tenten and Tokuma. If Tokuma was as inexperienced as he acted; he was going to be in a world of trouble with Tenten. Not inferring that she was a promiscuous woman, she was just very hands on and straightforward.
Suddenly, Itachi seemed to materialize next to the table. "Are you ready?" He asked.
For some reason, the question sounded off. As though Itachi wasn't just asking him if he were ready to leave with him, but something else altogether. Maybe he was thinking too much into it.
"Yeah." Neji stood up from his seat and fell into step next to the man out of the cafe. "I didn't hear you walk up. Honestly, I never hear you unless you make your presence known." He knew how to be light on his feet; it was mandatory with the Hyuga's fighting style. But Itachi practically floated around the room.
"Stealth is important in my line of work." Itachi commented offhandedly.
Duh Neji. "So where are we going?" He opted for a change of subject, at least until they arrived at their destination. Outside, Itachi's car was paralleled parked. Neji shot the man a glare that could freeze hell over when he tried to open his door for him.
Sneering, Itachi relented and went to the driver's side and climbed in. Once Neji got in as well, he started the car and drove off. "You'll see when we get there."
Neji didn't even know why he was surprised by that response; Itachi was the master of vagueness. During the drive he rid his mind of all perverted thoughts and tried to think about different topics that they needed to touch on. Even if he thought it was pointless seeing that in a few months he would have to end all contact with Itachi. He would not engage in an affair with him while he was married. It would be too messy and only serve to complicate things further.
"What kind of music do you listen to?" Itachi asked after a few minutes of silence. He spoke with Konan earlier that day and she offered her own advice. Even though he didn't ask for it. It would seem that thanks to Kakashi the other Akatsuki members were aware of Neji.
"Classical music." He looked over at Itachi and smirked. "I listen to it on my IPod when I'm alone in my room." He joked.
"That's depressing. But you're a Hyuga so I can picture that."
"Funny." Neji contemplated on it for a moment before answering. "I guess I like different genres. Except cheesy pop, screamo, and vulgar rap music. What about you? You seem like the alternative rock type, post-punk revival or something along those lines."
"I don't really listen to music, so there isn't a specific genre that I prefer."
They were no longer in the city. Neji looked out of the window at all of the suburban homes. "Well what do you usually listen to?" The houses were bigger and more elaborate the further they went into the neighborhood.
Instead of answering, Itachi continued to play the album that he was listening to on the way to meet Neji. They were almost at his house, just a few blocks away. He had been up since dawn making arrangements. Then he came home to see the mess that Naruto and Sasuke left in his room. He hoped that they learned their lesson and would never snoop around in his room. Naruto told him about the dildo incident and even he couldn't help but to laugh at that. Obito being hit with a rubber dick was something that he would've paid to see.
"Gorillaz?" Neji nodded his head in appreciation at the music. "Not what I was expecting."
"What were you expecting?"
"Something darker honestly." Neji raised an elegant brow at the crest that was engraved on the iron gates. "This is the Uchiha estate?" He watched the gates open slowly, granting them entrance. Not a hotel, or any other clandestine location, they were going to Itachi's home.
Bringing Neji to his home was on a whole different level of intimacy for Itachi. Especially after listening to Obito's interrogation tape. His mother had always been kind to him and countless of other people that she'd encountered. Knowing that the same person that she'd opened her home to stabbed her in the back - literally- set his teeth on edge. If it wasn't for the fact that the man was vital in their plan to retrieve Sasuke he would have gladly avenged his parents and his other clansmen.
"Itachi?" Neji stared at how tightly his hands gripped the steering wheel. "Itachi are you alright?"
He relaxed his grip on the steering wheel and pulled into the garage. After turning the music off, he just sat there. "Neji, I've never brought anyone over to my house. Only two people that I have a strictly platonic relationship with have been welcomed inside of my home."
Neji realized that it was the closest thing to having Itachi's trust. Frankly, he felt honored. Above anyone else, he was the person that Itachi deemed worthy enough to bring home. His earlier decision to ends things with the man for good seemed farcical now. How was he supposed to break it off with Itachi now?
He leaned over and kissed Itachi; he just couldn't help himself. "Thank you for bringing me here."
...
After a brief tour, they ended up in the kitchen. Neji sat at the bar while Itachi moved around the kitchen effortlessly. As he cooked he caught Neji up on everything that happened during their two weeks apart. Apparently, Neji had been living in a snow globe for majority of his life because there was so much going on around him that he never even noticed. Well sometimes, the Hyuga compound did make him feel as if he were a hamster in a cage.
The group of people that he bumped into at headquarters was members of the Akatsuki. They were nothing like the cutthroat individuals that he had envisioned, but he knew better than anyone not to judge a book by its cover. There were certain things that Itachi skimmed over; like what happened in Otogakure. Nonetheless, Neji was just grateful that he was no longer in the dark about the things that mattered. He knew of Itachi's occupation, and his exoneration by the Hokage. Though, he couldn't help but wonder how Itachi was still mentally stable after everything that he'd been through. So he asked him.
"I'm not completely stable, Neji." Itachi leaned against the bar while the food cooked on the stove. "According to my therapist, I suffer from PTSD...among other things. Do you understand what that means?"
"Yes. But if you were truly unstable, I don't think the Hokage would still want to enlist you or allow you to roam the city." Neji believed that anyone would be at least remotely unstable if they'd been killing since they were thirteen. "After you get your brother back, do you plan on walking away from the Akatsuki?"
"After I tie up a few loose ends, yes."
"What do you plan on doing once it all blows over?" Neji asked. "Have a hobby in mind? Maybe go to school, Billy Madison." He smiled at the thought of Itachi sitting in a classroom full of kids.
Itachi walked back to the stove and turned the eye down. "I haven't really thought about furthering my education." He'd never really thought about his life after the Akatsuki until Neji came along.
"There is something else that I wanted to ask you about." Neji had been contemplating over the topic all night. It was an extremely touchy subject, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. "Who is Danzo?" He flinched when the wooden spoon Itachi was holding snapped.
"Was that also in the file?" Itachi asked his voice was duplicitous in its calmness. He kept his back facing Neji and his eyes on the bubbling pot on the stove.
"No, you said his name in your sleep once. You were having a nightmare."
"He was the first person that I ever killed." His tone was terse - dismissive. He discarded the broken spoon and grabbed another one. After that, Neji didn't say anything else on the matter.
Again, Neji had to reproach himself. In truth, he should've never agreed to meet with Itachi; it was only making it harder to end things. The more he learned about Itachi only made him want the man more. Deciding to just live in the moment for at least one more night, Neji slid off the bar stool and walked over to Itachi.
Itachi was in the middle of sorting through possible conversation topics that Konan suggested when he felt Neji hug him from behind. Looking down, he watched pale hands snake up his shirt. Slightly, he leaned his head back and sighed when those hands start to roam all over his chest. When he felt his nipple being twisted, he removed the man's hands and turned around.
Neji was pressed against the island, eyes blinking rapidly as he tried to figure out how he ended up there in the first place. He had a feeling that Itachi had used one of his "assassin" moves on his ass. "Fuck, Itachi try moving in slow motion for once!"
"It's not safe to sneak up on me." Itachi sneered at him and pecked him on the lips tenderly. "We agreed to talk. Not fool around, Neji." He playfully chided him. In order to follow through on his own promise he moved away from him. "Dinner is ready. We'll eat in the dining room."
Sitting up, Neji straightened his shirt and tried to gather any remnant of his dignity. Why was he such a sex crazed heathen around Itachi? It had to be a side effect of being rimmed. Allowing and enjoying such an act was detrimental to a person's decorum. He'd dreamed about that wicked tongue, claiming him wholeheartedly. Itachi had truly ruined him the moment he spread him and -
"Neji?" There was a faraway look in his pale eyes and..."Are you drooling?" Itachi leaned closer, but Neji lifted his head haughtily and headed in the direction of the den.
"I'll be in the dining room." Neji's cheeks bled crimson as his hair curtained his face.
"You're going the wrong way."
Quickly, Neji swiped his mouth and turned around. "I knew that." He headed in the right direction all the while ignoring the maniacal laughing coming from Itachi.
The dining room table was big enough to seat twenty people. Itachi sat at the head and Neji sat to his right. Neji had been purposely giving his full attention to his pasta. His cheeks were still flustered from his early behavior. It was not a shocker that Itachi could cook, but he wasn't ready to compliment the man on his culinary skills because he was still laughing that insane laugh.
"Would you like a napkin, Neji?" Itachi hadn't touched his food yet. He was too busy making fun of the man to eat. "There's still a little saliva right there." He pointed to the corner of his mouth.
"Fuck you." Neji wanted to wipe that smile clean off of his face.
"Is that what you were thinking about?" Itachi finally picked up his chopstick. "Fucking me? You're insatiable Neji."
Ignoring him, Neji continued to eat. It would appear that Itachi's sadism didn't just pertain to the bedroom; he was really getting a kick out of him being humiliated. Neji concluded that no matter what, that would always be a part of Itachi's personality. He didn't think the man was even aware that he was being sadistic.
"Forgive me for saying this, but you're incredibly endearing when you're upset."
"Next you're going to want me to curl my hair and wear a gown." Neji remarked snidely.
"If I wanted a woman, I would have one." He placed his finger under Neji's chin and tilted his face up. Leaning over, he kissed him, softly at first, and then deepened the kiss. Before things could escalate he pulled away. "How's the pasta?" Itachi asked.
"Really good." Neji took a sip of water to quench his thirst. After sitting his glass down he smiled. "Honestly is there anything that you can't do? You have so many roles: eligible bachelor, assassin, and now chef." He joked.
"How about we add another to the list?"
"What's that?"
Smirking, Itachi leaned over and held his gaze. "Husband." He stared into those pale lavender orbs intently.
"Pardon me?" Neji strained his ears to make sure that he wasn't just hearing things. He didn't just hear that. Nope. Not a snow ball's chance in hell. He did not just hear the word, "husband."
"You can't get married if you're already married, Neji."
"You can't be serious. Are you aware how absurd that sounds? My uncle wouldn't allow that."
"He doesn't have to know. Not yet anyway." Itachi had spent majority of his day planning this out, even Sasori assisted him with the legal aspects. "All you'll have to do is sign your name. No ceremony - just cut and dry."
"Marriage isn't cut and dry, Itachi." Neji informed him. "Plus we -". What was he going to say that they didn't know each other well enough? That was rich. His betrothed was a woman that he didn't know and had no interest in knowing. But he wanted to be with Itachi; he wanted to know everything there was to know about the man.
"I understand that. I'm only referring to the procedure. It'll be legally binding; nobody will be able to override it. Unless either party - you or me - requests an annulment. We'll have to be married for a year before we can even divorce."
"So we would only be married on paper. I'll be married to you but still living in the compound. Then when the time comes and my uncle finds out...the punishment would be severe, Itachi."
"No, you won't be living in the compound." Itachi scooted his chair back and stood up. "I need to show you something."
Standing up as well, Neji followed him out of the dining room and up the stairs. Just yesterday he had been searching for any way out of the marriage, now here was an opportunity. Yet he was hesitant to take Itachi up on his offer, his main fear was his uncle finding out. Being in the man's house now was proof that Itachi was serious about them, but he still had his doubts. What if Itachi abandoned him? Or grew tired of him?
They walked into a large bedroom; Neji assumed that it was Itachi's. The room looked as if it had never been slept in it was so clean. Itachi's neatness put his to shame. There was a briefcase on the bed; he watched Itachi open and retrieve a sheet of paper.
"Read over this." Itachi handed the contract to Neji who took it cautiously. He stood back and waited until he finished reading. Hiashi must have really pissed Tsunade off, once she caught wind of his plan she was more than happy to help - albeit discreetly. The Hokage couldn't interfere in clan procedures, but even the clan head had to abide by the laws of the land. As of now, Neji wasn't married - he was a free agent.
"You're serious about this?" Neji stared blankly at the paper; he stared so hard that his eyes began to burn. "This isn't a game Itachi."
Itachi's hand clasped his, soft and warm, his fingers threaded through his tenderly. With his free hand, he grabbed the paper and placed it on the ottoman that sat at the end of his bed. Then Itachi wrapped his arm around him and pulled him in tight, his scent and warmth enveloping Neji like a blanket.
"Look at me." Itachi demanded his voice dark and sultry. "Look at me, Neji."
Neji kept his eyes closed; like this was his last chance to keep himself together, keep pieces of himself just for him. Itachi would take everything he could see and, if he could see into his eyes, he'd take his soul too. So he squeezed them tight.
"Neji."
There was urgency in his voice as if he was pleading but he knew that Itachi didn't beg. Finally, he opened his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't. Twin pools of midnight resembling autumn nights and starless skies gazed at him. For the briefest of moments, Itachi dropped all of his barriers, bearing himself fully to him.
"You should know by now that I don't play games. Have I not made myself clear already?" Itachi's tongue met his, lightly, gently. He kissed him with such slow, sweet passion that Neji couldn't think about denying him anything in that instance. But he fought it; fought the urge to fully succumb to Itachi's whims. Breaking away from the kiss, Neji stepped away, but Itachi followed him, not letting him go. Never letting him go.
Itachi placed his hands at the nape of Neji's neck; tenderly yet possessively. "Do you think I'll stand by and let you marry another? Don't you understand that you're in me now, Neji? I can't let you go."
"What are you getting out of all of this Itachi?" Neji's resolve was crumbling, but he couldn't allow himself to submit so easily. "The contract didn't mention anything about your benefits. Not only are you giving me the option to keep my last name, but also full benefits as your spouse. What are you getting out of all of this?"
"You." Itachi smiled; it was honest and sincere. "I get you Neji, that's more than enough for me."
Neji was speechless; he could only manage to nod his head ardently. Eagerly, he kissed Itachi, attempting to express all of the things that he was too floored to say. Itachi made a sound deep in his chest, as though he could clearly understand Neji's unspoken words. Neji understood now, why he accepted all of Itachi's flaws and his dark past. They were too far gone to turn back now. Pandora's Box was opened; there was no return to Eden.
Reluctantly, Itachi pulled back, he chuckled at Neji's annoyed growl. He walked over to the ottoman and picked up the paper. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a pen and handed it to Neji.
"And here I thought that I would be married in front of all of my friends and family." He smirked derisively as he glanced at the paper again. This was the ultimate act of defiance towards his uncle. It was the equivalent of him telling Hiashi to kiss his ass. He'd never felt so daring or disobedient before; it was invigorating. And other than him wanting to defy his uncle, he truly loved Itachi. Neji couldn't help but to think that he was being rash, but he also couldn't find a single fuck to give.
"We could have a ceremony if you want. "Itachi suggested though he would prefer if they didn't. He kind of figured that Neji would feel the same way and he was right.
"Spare me." Neji drawled as he walked over to the ottoman and squatted. With only a few strokes of the pen he was officially married to Itachi. Neji let the information sink in. He didn't have to marry "whatsherface" and he was now married to the man that he was in love with. There was only one thing left to do.
"Now we need to consummate the marriage." Apparently, Itachi had read his mind. "Uchiha Neji. I think I like the sound of that." In fact he loved the sound of that.
"Don't get ahead of yourself, Itachi. I'm keeping my last name." Neji stood up then moved the briefcase off of the bed. With a coy glance to Itachi he removed his shirt and waited by the side of the bed.
Accepting the invitation, Itachi walked over to the opposite side of the bed. "You know, I've never broke this bed in." His eyes darkened when Neji - no - his husband, climbed on the bed and crawled towards him. Itachi was astonished at how even when Neji was in a submissive position; he still managed to control him.
By the end of the night he was going to make sure that the bed was broken in, if not broken completely, and Neji was going to reconsider keeping his last name.
TBC