Obsession | By : Infek Category: Naruto > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1874 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. Note: ANBU Core is not an existing branch of ANBU but only used to benefit this story. |
every finger in the room is pointing at me
I wanna spit in their faces
then I get afraid of what that could bring
I got a bowling ball in my stomach
I got a desert in my mouth
figures that my COURAGE would choose to sell out now
I’ve been raising up my hands
drive another nail in
just what GOD needs one more victim
every day I crucify myself
nothing I do is good enough for you
and my HEART is sick of being in chains
you’re just an empty cage kid if you kill the bird
please be save me I CRY
Crucify – Tori Amos [Adapted]
Chapter I There Is No Life Without Emotion
He ran as fast as his legs allowed him to. Glancing up at the sky, he was glad for the nocturnal darkness that hid the tears in his nacre eyes and the streams they made in rigid lines across his reddened cheeks. He could still feel Hiashi-sama’s hand brutally coming into contact with first the left, then the right. No doubt that there was an imprint visible. The touch had been hard enough. Hurrying his way across the training grounds, he barely took any notice of his surroundings. His mind was already swarmed with thoughts although none of them were clear or coherent. Why did it have to be this way, why was he destined to a fate that was cruel in every aspect? Ever since he could think independently, these same notions would plague him and yet, at sixteen, he still hadn’t found an answer. He had merely become more desperate.
People that he regularly conversed with knew of his tendency to lay blame on fate, even teasing him for it. Everyone had been quick to assume that after the infamous first Chūnin-exams he had changed somewhat in this aspect, that he had acknowledged that he still had a chance for freedom if he just reached for it. And indeed he had but it had been as useful as treating wounds with salt. He wanted to believe that he wasn’t a caged bird, that he was free to make his own choices. But his cage’s bars only pressed down on him harder, at times like these when Hiashi brutally reminded him making it hard to think or even breathe. He desired for his life to change and yet it only ever would be a desire.
Hiashi made sure to take away his nephew’s grasp for liberty, occasionally dangling it before him as if to say that he could still reach it, have it. But it was always taken away again. Nothing more than a cruel game.
He spotted the river and hastily checked the surroundings for unwanted spectators but to be truthful; his patience was wearing thin and he feared that he might explode in a fit of rage then and there. But that just wouldn’t do, he could never allow such a thing. What he was about to do was already a great weakness on his part. And yet he kept coming back, kept following this pattern. Seeing no one in the range of his Byakugan, he plunged into the stream, not caring about the cold that momentarily froze his heart or his clothes getting soaked.
When he was in until his waist, he kneeled until he was completely surrounded with water, his waist-length dark hair floating around him, almost forming a shell. And then he screamed. His eyes were clenched shut and his fingers gripped his scalp as if trying to rip his hair out as he urgently tried to get all of his fear, anger and frustrations out.
His efforts never proved to be enough. Two years ago, shortly after turning fourteen, he had first done this. Around the same time that Hiashi-sama had started comparing him with his deceased father, his uncle’s long-lost twin brother. He was continuously reminded of his duty to the main family, one which he would never be able to fulfil in a satisfactory manner. Weak, a disgrace… Being alone in a room with the Hyūga’s clan leader had become unbearable, for then the taunts would begin, insults being thrown at him. What is the use of being called a prodigy if you are called pathetic by the person that holds your fate in his hands? And he was weak. He still needed this outlet, still felt. Needed to indulge in this weakness if only to keep up appearances in everyday life.
The lack of oxygen started to constrict his lungs, successfully making him light-headed and blissfully unaware. A short reprieve of his overactive and thought-filled mind. This was why he did it. If only it were longer.
“Byakugan,” he mouthed. His Kekkei Genkai helped him to see his inner-self, literally. But he would be the last person in his clan to claim that the dōjutsu was worth all the pain and constrictions. He could see his lungs pulsing, desperately trying to get air in. It was a clear sign that their host had been in the water a substantial amount of time. Deactivating his Byakugan, he closed his eyes again and clenched his hands around his knees, trying to ignore his primal survivor instinct. A few more seconds…Just a few more seconds.
As focused as he was, he failed to notice the other presence jumping in the water until he felt arms encircling his waist and he was being pulled to the surface. His lungs immediately filled with oxygen, expanding at an alarming rate, making him faint as he went limp in the arms that still had a firm grip on him.
[-]
Neji forced himself to open his eyes, even though the numbing blackness still held a tempting effect on him. They slowly fluttered open but as he glimpsed around the room, his eyes went wide in alarm. He was sure he had never been in the room but seeing the Uchiha clan-symbol on the wall in front of him helped to explain this. But why was he here now, in a room of a rivalling clan’s member? He remembered being in the river, the panicked need to breathe. But what had happened after that?
“Are you feeling well?” a deep voice suddenly spoke behind him. How could he have let someone sneak up to him like that? Wasn’t he a trained shinobi, among Konoha’s finest? Or merely a failure, exactly as his uncle said and how he had started to perceive himself?
His head whipped around as these thoughts attacked him, some strands of hair sticking to his face since it hadn’t completely dried yet. Neji had to suppress a gasp from tumbling from his lips. Uchiha Itachi, the undisputed prodigy of his clan, if not all of Konoha. He simply sat there, long black hair draped loosely over his shoulder, legs encased in loose cotton pants, the lack of a shirt making his ANBU Core tattoo stand out more against his pale skin. And without his Sharingan activated. Neji knew enough of the stories in the village to realise what a rarity he was witnessing.
Every shinobi either envied or looked up to him for his talent. Graduating from the Academy at age eight and ANBU-captain at thirteen. He now worked as a Jounin and in ANBU Core. It was common knowledge since his family was only too glad to boast about the man’s accomplishments every chance they got. He was a skilled fighter, strategist, assassin. All of the things in which other shinobi and kunoichi hoped to excel, but few accomplished to.
The few times Neji had seen him, the emotionless gaze is what struck him most. It was what a ninja should attain in order to reach perfection, something that made Neji feel envious for numbness is what he so longed for these days. He had once heard Naruto speak to others about Team 7’s first mission to Nami no Kuni, where they had encountered the missing-nin Zabuza and his apprentice of sorts Haku. During the fight with Haku, the effeminate boy had explained Naruto of his duty towards Zabuza and that a shinobi was nothing more than a tool.
To kill, to sever, to mutilate but without emotions. At the time, Neji had kept his personal opinion to himself because he had seen the pained expression with which Naruto spoke of the deceased boy but Neji still firmly believed that Haku had been right. Weaknesses were not allowed and children were trained to kill. Simply a tool to be shaped but still desperately wanting to make its own choices and have a taste of freedom. What a paradox.
Those times Neji had caught Itachi’s emotionless gaze, his heart had clenched though. Even with his beliefs and the near impenetrable wall of his own making around his heart, he was aware what a lonely existence it led to. And being confronted with someone who had truly mastered the art still filled him with apprehension. At last he wouldn’t have to make those trips to the river anymore and be rid of this flaw of his but he would be at his loneliest, for the rest of his existence. The only hope of freedom that still laid before him. It is quite cruel, life.
Neji looked back at Itachi with an unspoken question in his eyes.
“I won’t tell.” Neji simply nodded in response, slightly bowing his head in respect. “I haven’t in the past.”
This made him jerk up in surprise. Instead of voicing the most logical question, he simply said, “My apologies, Uchiha-san. It was not my intent to cause you any trouble.” Itachi curved his lips bitterly. How could he say that time and time again it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen? That it was far from trouble to save someone as mesmerizing as him? He had been watching Neji since a little over a year now, quickly discovering a pattern and routine in his night-time visits to the river. Every time he was awed at the raw emotion that could flow over the boy’s lips, perhaps even jealous. Maybe things would seem more bearable for him if he had an outlet such as his. Maybe.
His greatest dilemma while watching the boy this night was if he even wanted to be saved. Maybe he should have let him make the choice himself. Not force him. But he knew he would have come to regret it if he had let Neji die. A selfish decision but contrary to popular belief, he wasn’t a stranger to personal indulgence from time to time. Seeing him, pale skin a stark contrast to the dark sheets pooling around his waist, hair a messy fall of near black, making quirky patterns over his skin, made his hands want to reach out and touch it but he had an iron self-control. Eyes a beautiful opposite of his own looking at him, with doubt but still a certain confidence. Oh, he had made the right decision after all if only for these moments.
“I had to remove your wet clothes or you would have gotten sick.” It was a simple statement, no underlying apology as there would be had it been said by anyone else. Neji had registered the absence of his clothes already but only now understood the full implication. He couldn’t prevent the distinct blush from spreading across his cheeks, but was grateful to still feel his boxers on his lower body albeit a little damp. He did reach for his forehead and looked downwards as he felt his fingers touching skin. His curse-seal was uncovered. A hand holding a cloth was held before him and he quickly grabbed it, hiding the much-hated mark. Itachi luckily didn’t ask him about it, but what he did ask was about an equally difficult subject for Neji.
“Who hit you?” Neji tried to not let anything betray him as he searched for a decent enough lie. Itachi knew that the handprints left on his cheeks were not usual marks of training or something he could have gotten on a mission. No nin would slap his opponent in such a way but only if it was to humiliate him. Letting yourself be touched intimately enough to make such marks was a clear sign of the other’s overpowering strength and your own failing. But the marks were recent and Neji hadn’t come from a mission, he was sure of that.
“It’s nothing,” Neji only said coldly since Itachi would probably see through every lie he could come up with. Itachi didn’t press any further but was determined to find out who was tormenting Neji.
“Could I have my clothes back, Uchiha-san? I have to return to the compound.” Neji was quick to change the topic of conversation, knowing this technique of diversion would only work for so long.
After what seemed to be minutes where Itachi simply stared at Neji he responded, “No.” Neji’s bodily reaction slightly amused him and he let a small smirk show on his lips. The boy looked up to him, eyes narrowed and angry but his quirking lips hiding his anxiety, his body immediately taking on a defensive position. So innocent and highly deadly at the same time. He had never seen anything remotely as arousing.
“Why not and why are you laughing!?” Neji hissed. He had never thought he would see the day Uchiha Itachi smiled but he resented that he apparently was the source of his amusement.
“It’s the middle of the night. Returning now would seem highly suspicious, even more so in a compound that is filled with people with Byakugan.”
“That still doesn’t answer my second question.” As much as he had been overwhelmed by the man’s presence a mere five minutes ago, he refused to let himself be visibly intimidated. He highly respected Itachi’s talents and superiority but he suffered enough with Hiashi’s constant coercions to let others in his life talk him down.
“You intrigue me, Hyūga Neji.” Neji inwardly groaned. He should have expected such an answer from the living enigma. “Go to sleep.” Itachi got up and rolled out an extra futon. Neji remained seated, hesitating on what to do but ultimately lay down and pulled the thick blanket up to his chin, secretly glad for the heat. His body still felt icily cold and now that his attention wasn’t diverted, he had to focus to keep his body from shaking. Itachi, ever so perceptive, noticed and took an extra blanket, placing it over Neji in a way that resembled tucking a child in. Neji just lay still, astutely noticing Itachi’s every movement, trying to make sense of what on earth was going on.
[-]
Sasuke walked up to his brother’s room; he knew he had come from a mission last night. As usual, he slid open the door as he always did, hoping to surprise his brother just once – at all his previous attempts, his brother had turned his head to him while lifting an eyebrow that could convey an entire message.
This time, it was his brother who surprised him. Itachi immediately walked over to him but Sasuke had already seen a person lying on a futon, long hair spread over the pillow. He stared at his brother unbelievingly as he was pushed out of the room.
“Get out, otouto,” Itachi commanded.
“I just want to know who she is. I promise I won’t tell anyone,” he whined.
Itachi bent forward until he could look straight in Sasuke’s eyes. “It’s none of your business.” He walked back into his room and closed the door behind him.
Sasuke grinned. He couldn’t believe his brother had actually brought a girl into the house. Even though he was already twenty, it was hard to imagine him romantically involved and it couldn’t be anything less. He knew his brother well enough to know that he wouldn’t let someone spend the entire night with him if it was simply for sex.
Activating his Sharingan, he smirked. His Kekkei Genkai would at least allow him to perhaps see a recognizable chakra-signature. He gazed at the closed door in front of him and could distinguish his brother’s signature easily but he stumbled as he saw the other’s. He blinked, thinking and hoping that he was seeing wrong but he wasn’t. There, in his brother’s room was Hyūga Neji, no doubt about it. He remembered his distinctive chakra-pattern well enough after their small rivalry during the first Chūnin-exams but now he wished he didn’t. His fists clenched as he thought of that stuck-up fatalist that apparently had ensnared his brother. Ever since meeting the boy, he had wanted to beat him, the other Rookie but Neji had already surpassed him. He was a Jounin since two months now, while Sasuke was still only a Chūnin. And now he would steal his brother away from him. He angrily stalked downstairs, determined to make Neji pay for this move.
Neji opened his eyes as he heard talking nearby. He activated his Byakugan and saw Itachi talking to Sasuke who was occasionally glancing to the room and froze at what was being said. Itachi then came back into the room and closed the door behind him but Neji still had his eyes on Sasuke. Itachi saw what he was doing and stepped further into the room until he was leaning against the window-sill, his eyes never leaving Neji.
“He recognized me, my chakra-signature,” Neji finally said. He turned his eyes to Itachi but quickly averted them again as his eyes saw Itachi’s chest which was chiselled to perfection. His mind swiftly supplied him with memories of when he was pulled against that chest, the warmth so comfortable that he hadn’t even protested and laid his head on it. He forced his eyes to go upwards and as he saw black eyes, he could have sworn he saw a hint of amusement there, if just for a split second.
“I’ll deal with Sasuke.”
Neji shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Sasuke is stubborn and won’t listens to you. Here are your clothes. I’ll let you get dressed while I go to the bathroom and then I’ll take you out of the district undetected.” And with that, Itachi walked out, leaving a groaning Neji behind. Why had he practically snuggled against Uchiha Itachi’s chest? Why had he stayed the night only to now have Sasuke know that he had done so? The entire night, from when he had woken up in this room was so bewildering and the thoughts running through his head only helped to exhaust him mentally. Yet one question remained in the forefront of his mind; why would Itachi go so far for someone he didn’t know?
He got up and dressed, his clothes luckily not too dirty and raked his fingers through his hair, hoping to get the biggest knots out. Itachi entered the room again, he himself now clothed in his trademark mesh shirt with a black sleeveless top over it and black pants.
Neji nodded at him, signalling that he was ready. Itachi climbed out of the window and jumped down to a small alley between houses. Neji followed him and then his hand was grabbed as he was led through several alleys. It would do no good to see the prodigy of a rivalling clan in the other’s district. Itachi would occasionally push him against the wall, covering Neji’s white clothes with his body. Neji, who was always called ‘the epitome of elegance’ and accused of being too cold would then nervously hold his hands next to his body and try to keep his eyes away from Itachi’s perceptive gaze as he felt his body pressing against his.
Itachi however had to stop himself from smiling. Every time he was in contact with Neji, he would notice the anxious glancing and he knew he had gotten to Neji, had affected him.
“We’re here,” Itachi said. He let go of Neji’s hand and looked at him.
Neji honestly didn’t know what to say, his mind finally settling on ‘thank you’, hoping that it would encompass all the trouble Itachi had been through because of him.
Itachi kept gazing at him and Neji saw that he had his Sharingan activated this time. “Beautiful,” he stated before teleporting himself away. Neji kept staring at where he previously stood, fearing and hoping that his ears had deceived him.
[-]
“Neji, what’s wrong with you? That’s the third time I’ve managed to hit you and I’m a Chūnin,” Tenten yelled frustrated from across the training-field. Neji kept lying on the grass and recovered from the blow but his mind really wasn’t into training with his old team-mates. There were too many conflicting thoughts and possible scenarios running through his conscious.
“Neji, my rival! Your springtime of youth seems to have momentarily left you! Let us amend this by a glorious meal worthy of my rival.”
Neji let himself be pulled to his feet and simply followed, not even knowing where he was led to. Tenten suddenly slid up next to him. “Say Neji, I was thinking maybe the two of us could… you know, go on a date?” She gazed up at him expectantly but Neji, who felt someone’s eyes on him looked back.
“Did you say something?” Tenten hung her head and walked dejectedly further. After so many years she should have become accustomed to her old teammate’s rejections but her feelings for him never wavered and she hated herself for it. Glancing at him, noting his graceful beauty –handsome just not the right word to describe him- she pondered enviously just who would be good enough for him.
“Ah, the Rookie Nine have gathered here, it seems,” Lee called out as he indeed spotted the nine well-known shinobi and kunoichi gathered around a long table on the terrace of a barbecue-restaurant, a very rare occurrence since usually at least a few people were missing from these get-togethers. Sakura motioned her boyfriend to come sit next to her, which he happily did, Tenten and Neji being pulled into two quickly added seats.
Neji finally seemed to come to his senses and looked up slightly confused until he met eyes with the person sitting across from him. Uchiha Sasuke.
“You don’t look too good, Hyūga. Didn’t sleep well?” Neji glared at the smirking boy. Even before this night, Sasuke always seemed to have had it out for him and he honestly didn’t know why. While it is true that he had wanted to fight Sasuke during the first Chūnin exams, the other seemed to have made their respective careers a bitter competition, one which he was firmly winning. He rubbed his nape, knowing that after this morning Sasuke would be especially motivated to bring him down.
“I don’t recall my sleep being your concern,” Neji lightly said, idly hoping to be able to end this conversation; he already felt everyone’s gaze on them, all probably listening attentively.
“Oh, it’s not. Just with you not sleeping in your own bed…” Neji jerked his head up and glared at the other before he realised that it would only pique everyone’s interest even more.
“W-weren’t you with Lee?” Hinata asked, trying to control her stutter. It had gotten a lot better over the years but if a lot of people were around, she couldn’t always help it.
“I didn’t see my dear rival last night,” Lee stated proudly. Neji covered his eyes with his hand and groaned.
“Did you sleep with Sasuke, Neji?” Shikamaru lazily but curiously asked. The moment the conversation between them began, he had thought something along those lines, although it had only a twelve-percent chance...
Neji gave him a look as if he was crazy while Sasuke loudly yelled, “No!”.
Now it was Sakura’s turn to make the situation even worse for Neji. “But then how does Sasuke know you didn’t sleep in your own- Oh god, you were with Itachi!?” Curse Sakura and her deducting abilities.
Everyone dropped their food, even Chōji to look at Neji. “I didn’t sleep with Uchiha Itachi, you morons. I fell asleep at the training grounds.”
“You fucking liar. I recognized your chakra-signature!” Sasuke pointed an accusing finger at him.
“Maybe you need some extra training then because I wasn’t even near your compound last night,” Neji snarled out and he walked off.
Everyone stared after him. “What do you think?” Chōji asked while slightly bumping his elbow against his best friend.
“Meh, troublesome.” Shikamaru was staring after Neji with an inquisitive glance in his eyes and Chōji grinned, knowing what was meant. After all these years of spending days and days with Shikamaru, he knew the boy’s quirks and habits as well as his own and he knew that was the answer he gave when he didn’t want to participate in town-gossip but did conclude something. So Neji did spend the night with Uchiha Itachi, huh? He wasn’t one to gossip himself but it was always amusing to hear certain things about fellow shinobi, alleviating some of the harshness of their lives.
Neji angrily walked away, still hearing the excited gossiping. He had always considered Sasuke a spoiled brat and this was merely a confirmation. Why was he so intent on letting the rest of the world know that he spent the night with Itachi? A blush crept up his cheeks as he thought of their close proximity while sleeping and the oddly comforting night he’d had, a rarity for him.
Someone dropped down from the roofs and landed next to him and Neji immediately took a defensive stand, but lowered his hands as he saw who it was.
“It seems I have to apologise for my brother’s behaviour. Sasuke went against my orders and I will punish him for it,” Itachi softly said, his eyes staring straight at Neji.
“Damage has been done already but thank you regardless.” Neji immediately guessed that Itachi must have watched the entire ordeal to respond so quickly and was grateful that he hadn’t stepped in to stop his brother since it would only have made things worse. “He’s apparently very protective of you.”
Itachi lifted his eye-corners slightly. Neji wanted to pinch himself to prove that he wasn’t seeing wrong. First he sees Itachi without his Sharingan activated and now he smiled at him again, albeit very little. It was tempting to lash out at him in anger for confusing him so much.
“Would you like to go training? A fight against the Hyūga-prodigy interests me.”
Neji quirked an eyebrow and took a deep breath. “Well, I’ve been told I’m quite distracted today but… I would like that.” Truthfully he was exhilarated at the idea of them sparring. Everyone knew Uchiha Itachi was very selective in his training-partners since few could pose a real challenge but if he chose Neji, that must mean that he considered him to be one. And with Itachi generally fighting at mid to long-distance and Neji in close combat, it would be interesting for both.
“Follow me. There is an open field outside of Konoha where rarely anyone ever comes.” Itachi leaped up to the roofs again and Neji followed. They soon reached the gates of Konoha.
As they jumped from tree to tree, Neji tried to stop thinking about the last twelve hours, preparing his mind for the battle that was to come.
Itachi jumped to the ground and soon felt Neji next to him. They both looked at the open expanse, assessing the area before the fight. It was different from the usual training-grounds because of the many rocks and cracks in the ground. This should be interesting.
“Ready?” Itachi asked as he looked next to him. Neji was redressing the bandages around his wrist and Itachi could clearly see finger-marks on his pale wrist that couldn’t have been older than a few hours. What was going on? He now was even more adamant about figuring this out.
“Ready.” They went to stand a good twenty metres from each other, both taking on a fighting stance.
“Let’s go.” Neji immediately came to him, his Byakugan activated but careful to avoid Itachi’s Sharingan-eyes. Itachi easily deflected the attack but his heart started pumping faster as the attacks kept coming at such an incredible speed that even he had to take a more than usual effort to avoid being hit, close combat unusual for him. Then, he saw his chance as Neji spun towards him and Itachi grabbed his arms. In that split second that they were facing each other, he trapped him in an illusion. Neji escaped from his grasp but fell down on his knees as his mind was somewhere else, in a universe controlled by Itachi.
Itachi was careful to create one that wouldn’t leave him damaged mentally and laid him on the ground and sat down cross-legged next to him.
Neji’s mouth fell open and he gasped as his eyes flew open. “That…that is unbelievable,” he whispered to himself.
“Are you alright?” Neji turned his head towards that voice and saw Itachi sitting next to him.
“Your Kekkei Genkai, it’s beyond words. I’ve heard what it can do but to actually feel it… I am tempted to say that I am jealous.” Neji didn’t say the last jokingly, he meant every word. He realised that what he had experienced was a pleasant use of the Sharingan, yet he could imagine what it could do to an enemy.
“I apologise for the short fight.” Neji guessed it had lasted twenty minutes at most.
Itachi shook his head, making the shorter bangs framing his face fall in front of his eyes. “It was a good close-combat training. I can see why you are called one of the best short-range fighting shinobi in Konoha. Are you ready for a second round?”
Neji stretched his muscles, unaware of Itachi’s fierce gaze and stood up. “Ready.”
They both fought intensely and Itachi was pleasantly surprised to see the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō used against him, finding himself even unable to deflect all strikes.
After four hours of near non-stop fighting, Itachi decided to end it as both he and Nei’s movements had lost their initial intensity and speed. “Come on.” Itachi beckoned him over and led him to a nearby stream. Both drank the cool water as they let their bodies momentarily rest and gazed out at their surroundings, an unsettlingly calm moment for the young and hardened shinobi.
[-]
“Are you free for training?” Neji followed Itachi without even giving an answer. He didn’t see the use since in these past two months, Itachi had asked him on numerous occasions to train together. Every time they would go to that same spot and as if by luck, no one ever disturbed them. And while Neji no longer made trips to the river to vent out his frustration and anger, he did keep coming because he knew Itachi would be there. He hardly could believe how much had changed in such a short time but he was grateful for their time spent in each other’s company.
These moments they spent together had a gradually more comfortable atmosphere, both getting used to the other in training as well as in their conversations. Neji could still remember how shocked he had been when Itachi started talking to him after one of their matches, not about his training but about him. Although he wasn’t one to give out every small detail, he did show his human side. That was how he found out that Itachi was troubled by the heavy burden people placed on his shoulders, not at all happy with how he had been trained relentlessly since they had discovered he was a genius. By seeing Itachi being so open and trusting towards him, Neji felt that he could trust him in turn. Perhaps they could even consider each other friends. If he based himself on how calm he was when around Itachi, he gladly called him that.
The only true annoyance about spending a vast amount of time with Itachi was Sasuke. Neji heard him still rave on about what he had seen that morning, now two months ago. And he wasn’t stupid either. He must know that he and Itachi still met between missions since his brother rarely was home. At least in Itachi’s leisure time, Sasuke usually would train with him but now he didn’t even have that and so he pointed an accusing finger at Neji. Sasuke’s continued ranting also made the others of Konoha Twelve wonder if there was any truth to it although Neji was never directly approached about it. Apparently, the suspicious glances they sometimes gave him, would briefly give Sasuke a sense of victory because he would smirk smugly. Neji didn’t care if it had only been that. But Sasuke started taking it one step further a month ago.
Every time he passed him, he would glare at Neji and whisper insults at him. Although Neji tried to not let it get to him by seemingly not listening, it resembled his uncle’s treatment too well. He wasn’t one to be easily hurt but being called a slut or a whore was not something he could easily discard. Neji never told Itachi any of this. It would only make things unnecessarily complicated. Just like he didn’t tell him about the bruises Itachi would comment on and ask about, always claiming that it was nothin. He knew Itachi never believed him but he was thankful when he let it slide.
“Ready?”
Neji looked across from him to see Itachi and he faltered slightly. He cursed his pale skin as he felt blood rushing to his cheeks. Lately, whenever he glanced up at the man, his eyes would glue themselves to that body that was perfect in his eyes but he would always shake those thoughts away. It wasn’t going to happen, not now, not ever. Friends at most. Given their families’ expectations to marry and produce heirs, he tried to suppress any of these unbidden thoughts as quickly as they came. He’d had enough disappointments in his life. He didn’t need another.
He finally nodded. “Ready.”
Preview Chapter II
“I know what the seal on your forehead means. But what do you, Hyūga Neji want? If nothing else, you still have two more years before you will be forced into a marriage,” Itachi pointedly said, placing his hand under Neji’s chin and letting their eyes meet.
“Why would you put yourself in a relationship that you know will have to end eventually?” Neji voiced his doubts, his head still close to the other’s.
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