Simple Choices

I remember falling / I remember marching / Like a one man army / Through the blaze / I know I'm coughing / I believe in something / I don't want to remember falling / For their lies – Our Lady Peace

Chapter Three

"Alright Neji, I'm required by law to fill out a report if I feel a patient of mine has suffered a violent crime," Itachi began calmly but seriously as he sat by Neji's bedside and looked over Neji's complete diagnostics' sheet once more before raising his coal-colored gaze to his patient's, "So, I need you to tell me what happened."

Neji Hyuuga had been moved into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after a few hours of being worked on in the ER; this particular wing of the hospital dedicated to those who need exclusive monitoring for at least twenty-three hours before being released.

It had actually worked in the doctors' favor that the young Hyuuga had passed out on account of seeing Itachi since they had to put four stitches on the inside of his left cheek; the flesh having been cut open from his teeth upon being struck so many times; x-ray his ribs that were thankfully only bruised; and also examine his rectum which had sustained a few shallow but uncomfortable tears.

Nothing was permanent; as one particular orange-haired doctor with a staggering number of facial piercings had tried to tell him to raise his spirits back in the ER; but that information alone did absolutely nothing to heal the boy's heavy shame that he could not escape as he could only lay there and gingerly touch the outside of his swollen cheek.

Now, as Neji could hear the steady, regular beeping of his vital signs as he rested against the back of the bed that had been put into an angled, upright position under the dimmed-down lights of the room since it was quite late in the night; Neji's worst fear was made real as he was being asked to recall the details of what had happened to him.

Neji wanted to do anything but; desperate in his own mind to not relive any of those events ever again.

Itachi knew that this was probably a difficult thing for Neji to talk about; that fact by itself making the doctor's chest hurt; so a tanned hand rose up from behind his clipboard to deliver a quick tug to his blue dress shirt underneath his medical coat in an automatic response to the unusual, prickly feeling.

Neji just looked so utterly broken and feeble at the moment – his half-lidded eyes staring off into space out in front of him as he just appeared so very hollow and devoid of any kind of feeling whatsoever…even as Itachi had spoken to him; there had not been even any signs that the Hyuuga was listening.

Without truly knowing why, it was positively killing Itachi to see him like this as he remained by Neji's side to try to get some solid information from him…not only as per his duties, but also because he could not help but be genuinely concerned for the lovely, defeated young man in his medical care.

No one should have to look so depressed; just as no one had the right to make anyone else so depressed; especially one so beautiful and captivating as Neji – Itachi quickly taking note within himself that he wanted nothing more at the moment than to see the Hyuuga boy smile…how wonderful a sight that would be to him and his relief.

Still not allowing his mind to fully accept the task of remembering the horrific details of which Itachi was asking, with a shaky, quiet voice, Neji replied lamely, "He…he told me not to talk about it to anyone."

At this information, Itachi could not help but frown further; his ring finger on his right hand twitching quickly against his clipboard before the understanding doctor stretched out all of his fingers in an attempt to play off his evident upset gesture regarding Neji's situation.

The things that man must have said to him; done to him; for poor Neji to be acting this way and respond to him as he did. Itachi's already stinging chest hurt a little more upon letting such thoughts and realizations touch base with him.

Sighing, Itachi decided he needed to get Neji to trust him. If this was going to happen, Neji needed to know that Itachi was there for him and that whatever he had to say to him would not fall on deaf ears.

Placing his clipboard on the white, well-illuminated counter next to him with a careful reach of his arm, Itachi then scooted the slightly unbalanced, cushioned stool he was sitting on even closer to Neji's bedside; his face nothing but serious as he gained the Hyuuga's attention as he leaned forward a bit and delicately, apathetically touched Neji's upper arm with firm fingers.

Neji, in turn had his eyes glued to Itachi's soothing, intense gaze that made him relax as well as gain back some of his lost and forgone mentality; the returning weight of his senses making his nerves tingle again and physical feeling slowly trickle in.

…all from one, kind and gentle touch…

"Neji," Itachi began solemnly as he gave Neji's shoulder a light, encouraging squeeze, "I want to help you. But, in order for me to do that, I need to know what happened to you. Please tell me…I'm here for you."

Itachi's own words shocked him; he had never said something so compassionate towards a patient before, if anything particularly additional at all. Nothing more than what was needed for the patient to hear concerning his or her health was ever exchanged; but then Itachi knew that this was a special case where kind words would probably work better than any medicine right now – he had a traumatized rape victim to take care of.

Neji deserved a different, more sensitive approach – one in which kindness and empathy should be exemplified so Neji could finally start believing in other people again; start believing in himself again...and hopefully pick back up the pieces that had been shattered. Besides, as it were, Itachi knew he wanted to do nothing but try to comfort the distraught man sitting up in his bed right next to him – not a whole lot else mattered at the moment to the equally distraught, worried Uchiha.

Almost like some kind of divine mission or charge that had all but fell into his lap, Itachi just…really wanted to know that he helped the Hyuuga just feel better.

Itachi needed to make this stunning, gorgeous young man regain the life that he had lost…or possibly never even had in the first place as the older Uchiha administered another soft squeeze to Neji's shoulder to emphasize how he had meant whole-heartedly what he had said.

He would not accept anything less.

Reasons explaining why Itachi had these types of growing, consuming aspirations towards Neji were fleeting as they were rather liquid and hard to grasp to the Uchiha, however. Itachi Uchiha knew that he had immediately thought that the boy was extremely attractive upon seeing him for the first time, when Neji had approached him and his friends after they had left that downtown bar.

Itachi lightly, briefly chewed on the inside of his cheek as he contritely recalled how Deidara had had his way with Neji right there in that alley way that night; how he could not do anything except watch Neji's striking eyes as they had been turned towards him the entire time, almost as if in apology as he let the obnoxious blonde fuck him roughly in the dark, cold place that they were all in.

Concerned obsidian eyes slowly swept over his patient's unmoving form as Itachi remembered how frightened and confused Neji had looked that night, and how Itachi had not been able to help but try to offer some kind of comfort to the Hyuuga upon seeing exactly that. One hand to move some of that silky-soft hair of those lovely eyes while the other one pressed money into his palm – money that was meant to try to save Neji from having to do what he had just done again.

Itachi's gentle hand on the Hyuuga's shoulder moved down his slender, robed arm until his fingers rested carefully on Neji's wrist – the need to maintain a constant level of physical contact ever present inside the Uchiha's strategic, logical mind as he noticed Neji starting to come of out his daze as his eyes focused and breathing intensify slightly.

Neji swallowed hard upon hearing Itachi's gentle words and seeing nothing but the gripping sincerity and concern present in his smooth, silky voice; a sigh leaving him as he decided to talk about his grievance with the handsome, caring doctor by his side after all – Dr. Uchiha's soft, dark gaze and even softer touches convincing Neji to be relaxed, obedient, and reassured in proceeding.

"Well, I don't know where to begin," Neji started as he tried to organize his thoughts; his pale gaze dropping to his blanketed lap so he could concentrate better; "…we had dinner. Everything was going great; he…he had been so…just so good to me…"

Itachi felt his stomach clench a little bit upon hearing Neji recollect about how 'wonderful' this man had been before…a few different feelings briefly nagging at the back of the Uchiha's brilliant mind – all of which were quite strange, such as jealousy, sorrow, even a bit of malice towards the deranged bastard they were talking about.

"What happened after that, Neji?" Itachi pressed; pushing his own perplexing feelings aside so he may hear more of Neji's story – the fact that Itachi should be writing down what Neji was telling him down in his notes more than evading the good doctor at the moment as he was only centering his attention to hearing more words come from those quivering, pale lips.

Dark eyebrows furrowed together as Neji scrunched up his bruised, cherub face in anger as well as painful remorse; fresh tears already welling inside his entrancing, downcast eyes; as he said through tightly grit teeth, "We went back to a hotel room…and he just…he…he raped me."

Shaking fingers lightly felt his own sides, where bandages had been applied, as Neji continued with his painful memory of earlier; those furious, sorrowful tears finally making wet trails down his face; "…he kicked me in the ribs…hit me in the face a few times…and then just…just raped me…calling me names…calling me horrible names the entire time."

Itachi's eyes were wide at Neji's strained, excruciating words – words that left the Hyuuga trembling with overflowing emotions and fears as he wrapped his robed arms around himself to try to ward off the feeling of being just so utterly alone and beaten down. Itachi could barely think straight as he watched Neji cry quietly and hold himself – the Uchiha standing up immediately, thoughtlessly before he bent over the bedside and encircled his own arms around the huddled, sobbing form.

Neji stopped his crying with a sharp sniffle; his intentions were to steady his voice so he may ask Itachi what he was doing; but the words were quick to die prematurely in his throat as he realized that no matter the reason Itachi had for hugging him as he was, it felt nice.

So much warmth was in Itachi's long, strong arms; not just from his own body heat, but because of the urgency, such tenderness but with an urgent emotion behind them as Itachi had pulled Neji's into a kind, comforting embrace upon hearing Neji's full story.

Neji's arms tentatively found their way around Itachi's back as he automatically desired to hold the Uchiha close to him as well and return the precious, welcomed embrace; Neji's tears drying on his cheeks somewhat as he lightly gripped the back of Itachi's medical coat and hid his face in Itachi's shoulder – the message as clear as day that Neji just wanted to bury himself completely in Itachi's dear warmth and presence.

Itachi had had no words at first; no clear registering thoughts; until he had felt Neji return his swift, out-of-nowhere hug…the only true thing that had caused the move initially was when the dull pain Itachi had been feeling inside his chest since he had first laid eyes on the angelic-looking Hyuuga, suddenly turned into a sharp, stabbing sensation that had flooded him even deeper.

Now, as Itachi turned his head towards Neji's face ever-so slightly; just enough to see more of that long, coffee-brown hair pressed against his white coat, Itachi knew that he had had that pain because he had felt what Neji had felt – Neji's words had aggrieved him so much that he could literally translate Neji's distress into physical pain inside himself.

Itachi had felt an excessively powerful urge to touch him more to make that horrible pain go away; though this hug was anything but selfish on Itachi's part…he knew that Neji needed it too.

Neji's sobs had calmed down until they were nothing but adorable, small sniffles made somewhere against Itachi's shoulder; the act making Itachi give the tiniest of smiles; as the medical doctor knew that now was the time that he needed to say something to his patient.

Not just anything could be said either, Itachi recognized seriously. Neji needed to be told something solid, meaningful; possibly even something all-knowing and profound so he may at last regain that hopeful twinkle in his hurting eyes right now.

Neji needed to see some resilience at the moment, and Itachi knew that he was more than capable of providing it for him.

"Neji," Itachi began as he mindfully pulled back from his and Neji's embrace so he may look him in the eye as he spoke; his hands shifting from around Neji's lithe body to either side of his small, flushed face, "I want you to stay with me for awhile after you are released from the ICU. I'll be able to monitor your progress and recovery as well as help you…in any way that you need."

Neji's eyes widened briefly before slowly closing as he felt the soft pads of Itachi's thumbs lightly brush away the dried tears from his cheekbones; his lips parted in disbelief and gratuitous shock as he involuntarily leaned into Itachi's fingers on his cheeks. Too many questions and concerns were already trying to invade the Hyuuga's unstable and rapidly melting mind as he tried desperately to make sense of what his doctor had just requested of him.

"But…he barely knows me," Neji mentally struggled haplessly and uncertainty with himself, "I don't deserve any kind of special treatment. I…don't deserve anything from…from him…"

Sensing his insecurity and overall doubt, Itachi kept holding the bottom of Neji's jaw as he bowed his head down to him and pressed the softest of kisses to the Hyuuga's forehead – again, the rare and unplanned gesture coming from the Uchiha out of nothing but sheer, blind concern for the young, needful man right in front of him.

"Please, Neji…let me take care of you...at least for a little while," Itachi whispered against the smooth skin of Neji's forehead; the breath that had left his mouth upon speaking causing a few strands of rich brown hair to move as Neji kept his pleasantly sleepy eyes closed and found that all of his previous concerns and qualms about the proposition were vastly leaving him; making him already forget them and only focus on how safe he felt in Itachi's arms…and how better he already felt from that one kiss.

Keeping his eyes closed as heavy, serene sleep began to pull relentlessly at the emotionally drained and complacent Hyuuga; Neji simply whispered back, "…okay."

Itachi smiled contently; relieved and satisfied with Neji's dreamy, positive answer to his idea; and blinked his beautiful eyes down at him as he carefully lowered Neji back against his large, overstuffed hospital pillows as the young man already looked fast asleep; the Uchiha only having to stretch out his arms until Neji was snuggled against the sheets once more before slowly taking his tingling fingers away from Neji's peaceful, virtuous face.

Itachi watched Neji sleep for only a second more before closing his eyes and turning on his heel; his small smile still gracing his tanned, luscious lips; as he began to walk out of Neji's room and back out into the emergency room where he knew he would be more than needed at the moment.

As Itachi pulled open the large, glass door to exit Neji's room, the Uchiha realized with a bit of haughty anticipation that he had not yet been allowed to see Neji's smile that he was one hundred per cent sure had to be absolutely breathtaking in its regal and almost artistic beauty.

However, Itachi's smile grew substantially; his chest having completely stopped hurting ages ago and was now only filled with a light, fluttering feeling that tickled his stomach; as he made the transition from the darkened room and into the blindingly illuminated ER – the notion dawning on the doctor that now he had plenty of time to see his new treasure in all its marvel and unrestrained glory.

Now that Neji had agreed to spend some time with only him, Itachi felt excited as well as hugely humbled that the young man trusted him that much so soon, and knew that he would make his time with him as comfortable and happy as possible - he now would have that kind of time to truly take care of Neji wholly and fully…the way he should be treated.

Itachi Uchiha quickly released his now raw bottom lip that he had unconsciously been nibbling on ever since leaving Neji's room; his jumbling thoughts repeating over and over inside his brain and reminding him that he had just mentally recognized that Neji Hyuuga deserved to be treated like a valuable, precious prince where his complete happiness needed to be affirmed at every chance and opportunity…and that he was too good to ever settle for anything less.

Itachi brought up a tired hand to the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and gave it a good squeeze between his thumb and middle finger to shoo away the onslaught of self-reprimanding thoughts and mental comments at his more than far-fetched imaginings of the Hyuuga - the realization also striking him that he would also now have plenty of time to get his own priorities in order as to why he even came up with this idea to have the Hyuuga live with him in the first place.

Author's Note: Oh man, okay. This took forever, and I really have no excuse why – just lazy. lol. All in all, I hope my faithful readers liked this chapter and it only gets better from here as Neji is now on his road to salvation and happiness….aw. This one, however, needed to stress Itachi's manifesting feelings, as well as Neji's need for Itachi's love. Thoughts? Drop me a line. XD