Adult-FanFiction.org : Naruto

MayaNara's Fandom Fresh Blood: 2	By : ClaireBear Category: Naruto AU/AR > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 1134 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this fic are from the anime/manga Naruto and owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I do not own the characters or the Naruto universe. I am making no money from writing this. Inspiration for this fic idea from wakasensei.

Chapter List
- 1-MayaNara's Fandom Fresh Blood: 2
- 1
Note: This fic was written for MayaNara's 'My Fandom Needs Fresh Blood' contest on Y!Gallery. It was inspired by a prompt from wakasensei via PM. The fic is hosted on Y!Gal but I'm uploading this chapter here so a mod can review it and see if it is against the ToS. If I need to host the first Chapter and other subsequent chapters here as well then that is fine.
Note: Also this is a final draft and was not proof-read or beta-read.
___
"Ugh! I think I over-ate," Neji whined and rubbed his arguably flat tummy.

"Che! I'm pretty sure your discomfort is from the three cocktails you practically swallowed in one gulp."

"They were really good cocktails though," the social-drinker smiled somewhat dreamily.

Shikamaru was glad to see at least that he was in a much better mood than he'd found him in this afternoon. There was nothing quite like sitting around a plate of nachos and talking to Neji about any and everything. Even when he tried to keep the status of his failed relationship private, he couldn't prevent himself from opening up to his long-time and trusted friend. Neji had always been supportive in the past but he would be dense if he didn't pick up the Hyuuga's subtle hints to dump the nag and move on. Something that had always created an eerie chill on the back of his neck was the number of similar characteristics Temari shared with his mother.

And he knew how well the twenty-six year old marriage between his parents turned out!

Shikamaru was a logical thinker and he predicted, nay, <knew that if he married Temari that it would never last. It was better for him if he ended this now while they were in one of their down-times, at least, this way, she would still be in a confrontational state of mind to want to salvage their dying engagement.

"Ohyougottabeshittingme."

Shikamaru snapped out of his wayward thoughts at Neji's sigh of frustration.

"Really? This city isn't big enough?"

Shikamaru followed his friend's heated glare to see a bouncy, young woman waving madly in their direction. It was too late for the Hyuuga to pretend he hadn't them and, even if he hadn't, then she was approaching too quickly for them to outrun her. He should have brought the Nara up to speed just so he'd be prepared for the awkward confrontation that was imminent but, when he spat on a curse:
<"Der verdammte Dreckssack," Shikamaru put two and two together and construed that the young woman with unnaturally pink hair was the one Neji had been tossed aside for, and the man that she was dragging reluctantly behind her was none other than the infamous Sauske Uchiha.

"Neji, it's been forever!"

'Not nearly long enough,' Neji groused inwardly. "Ah, Sakura, <Frau Zicke," he took her hand to place a gallant kiss upon it but Shikamaru knew enough to tell that the derogatory term betrayed the refined gesture.

The clueless girl tittered and curtseyed in an exaggerated, lady-like fashion. "Oh, Neji. You're such a gentleman."

The Hyuuga turned to face the dark-haired man standing next to her. "Sasuke," was his curt, acerbic greeting. He ignored him, or hadn't heard him, his focus trained with obvious distaste to the shorter stranger standing beside his ex-lover. Shikamaru was wise enough to avoid making eye-contact. He didn't need to look to tell; he could <feel the scorching hatred emanating from that glare.

"Umm, Neji, aren't you going to introduce us to your friend?" probed an equally curious Sakura.

"<Verzeihen mir. Where are my manners? Sakura, this is my very close and special friend, Shikamaru Nara," and, as he said that, he slipped his arm in the crook of the other man's.

"Pleased to meet you," Shikamaru used his free hand to take hers and give it two quick pumps. He wasn't reckless enough to kiss her the way Neji had, not with her fiancée practically boring a hole through his skull but, somehow, he got the impression that Sasuke was less offended by the handshake than the intimate way in which Neji touched him.

Sasuke extended his hand next to introduce himself since Neji purposely omitted to and Shikamaru tensed, loathe to take it and regretted it almost instantly when the Uchiha trapped it in a punishing grip. The significantly weaker Nara winced and did his utmost best to keep the pained cry lodged in his throat and his deflated gaze trained on anything else besides that domineering one. Sasuke grinned when he realized how pathetically frail and impotently limp this man's hold was, too cowardly to even attempt squeezing back and salvage some semblance of his manhood. But Shikamaru already knew he was the stronger male, could tell just by looking at him, and getting into a 'dick fight' would only end up with him ultimately losing.

"We've known each other since childhood," the Hyuuga added.

Shikamaru didn't think his grasp could get any more excruciating but he was introduced to a whole new level of pain.

"Ooh, just like me and Sasuke," the girl squealed and hugged her fiancée's arm in a similar manner.

"Yes," Neji agreed with a malicious smile directed at the Uchiha. "<Exactly like you and Sasuke."

Sasuke did relinquish the handshake then and looked away to meet the furious intensity of those pale, lavender orbs. Hurt and betrayal brimming within their depths; the situation far too reminiscent for the Uchiha's comfort.

<"Sasuke, who was she?"

"Just a friend. That's all."

"Really? That's not the impression I got when you let her fawn all over you."

"We're just really close, Neji. I've known her since childhood and she's very special to me. Now stop being so paranoid and just drop it."<

"Aww, Neji, we hardly see you anymore," the girl reiterated with a sad pout.

"I know, I've just been rather busy," the over-worked man sighed and he didn't have to lie about that. The celebrity chef was preparing for one of his biggest challenges yet: The International Professional Culinary Chef Competition.

Neji had entered many cooking contests before. He'd represented his school at inter-college cook-offs, had participated in state and nation-wide competitions and had even helped one of his cousins cheat when he made five-alarm chilli for his annual fireman's picnic. The naturally talented cuisinier had never placed below second in his entire portfolio so he had no reason to be pessimistic, but this time he was facing only the most brilliant culinary masters from around the globe, not the callow rubbish that was unfit to even set-foot in the same kitchen as him and couldn't tell the difference between a leek and a green onion.

It wasn't that he needed to prove anything. Neji already knew he was the greatest! But the restauranteur of L'maisson Cuisson insisted he compete. Actually, the shareholders of the restaurant bullied him into 'persuading' Neji to participate since, if he won, it would positively affect their bottom line. He didn't have to do it. It wasn't as if he would lose his job if he said 'No'. They needed him more than he needed them.

With all the other responsibilities on his plate, a commitment of this magnitude was just an additional stressor he could do without. He was already happy with what he had and where he was in his life that he didn't need to feel fulfilled by shaming these Masters with his culinary prowess and, honestly, the only reason Neji was doing this was because Alphonse gave him the next few weeks off to plan, prepare and rest. He'd already narrowed down a selection of fifteen recipes for his final three choices and had reserved only the best distributors for the highest-quality produce. Neji had been confident he was going to place for certain, but this break-up came at the most inopportune time. The professional knew enough to keep his work and private life separate but, as an artist, he was feeling very inadequate and self-conscious right now and, if he didn't get out of this funk soon, his performance was going to suffer.

"You and your cousin <have to come play tennis with us this weekend Neji. Daddy managed to reserve a spot this Saturday at the club and it's couples half-off," she sang enticingly.

Neji bit down on his tongue to fight back the loud groan that bubbled at the back of his throat. The last thing he needed right now was to endure an entire afternoon of Sakura cooing all over his ex-lover. "I'd love to Sakura but Hinata's been called away on a nurses convention and won't be back until Tuesday, and Hanabi's still much too young for us to pass as a couple," he quickly added when she opened her mouth to ask if his younger cousin was available. "But, I know," and a light flickered mischievously in his eyes and he turned to scrutinize the man next to him with great potential. "I can just go with Shikamaru instead."

Neji would have sooner turned the offer down, but he'd found an opportunity to really get under the Uchiha's skin, and it worked. The vein that pounded at the side of his temple from clenching his jaw so tightly looked like it was about to burst.

"Oh that's great!" Sakura squealed, nearly deafening her fiancée and the mother and son that walked by her.

"I know, right. It'll be like a double-date."

Neji sure was making fast enemies between Sasuke and Shikamaru and, if looks could kill, then Shikamaru would have engulfed in flames before he'd even finished that sentence.

"Oh, Neji. I'm so happy for you." Her voice was so high now it could shatter glass. Sakura already knew Neji was gay. He'd told her that much when she admired his fashion sense and he made a stereotypical comment that all homosexuals had fabulous taste. At that time, he didn't know there was anything serious between his lover and the young woman and assumed that she thought Sasuke was one as well. But, as far as she knew, Sasuke was straight and she had no idea he kept his alternate lifestyle on the down-low.

He wanted to come right out and tell her, describing in scandalous detail all the nasty things they'd done together, but he still held onto the vain hope that their engagement would fizzle or that Sasuke would finally come out and return to him. That wouldn't happen if he sought retribution for being slighted by destroying their relationship and making Sasuke's secret public. All he could do was at least try to make the Uchiha jealous of Shikamaru. It was by no means fair to drag his good friend into this and Neji hated that he was reduced to such childishness, but he still wanted him; still loved him.

God! He was such an idiot.

"How long have you two been together now?"

"Sakura, let's go," Sasuke cut-in, not wanting to hear the rest of the conversation. "We're going to be late for our appointment with the wedding planner."

"Oh, you're right," she gasped, taking a quick glance at her watch and barely missing the vehement scowl that soured the Hyuuga's pulchritudinous features. By the time she looked back up to wave goodbye, he was smiling sweetly again, but the long fingernails that bit into Shikamaru's bicep let him know that he was still very pissed.

'So... the asshole's still going through with this,' Neji fumed, grinding his teeth together as he glared at the couple's retreating backs.

"So... that was Sasuke," Shikamaru said after they disappeared from sight behind a building. "He's not bad-looking. You have great taste."

Sasuke was much taller than Neji, who was pretty tall already, and the Uchiha towered over Nara like a cypress would an evergreen. He was broad-shouldered and sturdy, the snug material of his shirt contoured the lean musculature of his rippling torso and well-sculpted arms. His pants, while not as close as Neji's, but nowhere near as loose as Shikamaru's, left a taut behind and hard legs to the vivid imagination and he could see how Neji was easily attracted to this man... physically at least. He had the personality of an untamed Rottweiler.

Neji said nothing. Hating himself for pining after the arrogant bastard. He'd hoped that after seeing how well he was doing without him and how quickly he'd moved on would have him kicking that whore to the curb where she belonged and come crawling on his hands and knees, begging for forgiveness and licking his feet like the dog that he was. Well, if Sasuke wanted to play this game then Neji would <fucking play this game.

"I need a drink," the Hyuuga huffed and spun around on his heel, back to the place they'd just exited and Shikamaru sighed, rubbing the welts left in his arm by Neji's fingernails and easing the throbbing in his tender hand caused by Sasuke's death-grip. He wasn't sure if he should count this as a favour, but a part of him wanted to mess with the Uchiha just as badly as Neji did.

***

"Life sucks!" Neji yelled his frustrations at the top of his lungs and Shikamaru hoped the noise wouldn't disturb his persnickety neighbours.

"You're being over-dramatic," Shikamaru mumbled, fishing his keys from his pocket and unlocking the door to his fourth-floor condominium.

"No, I don't think so," he argued and shook his head, but the slight inebriation made the floor shift beneath his feet and he stumbled backwards. With the quick reflexes he never exercised very often, Shikamaru reached out to grab his arm and steel him upright, leading him inside and locking the door behind them. "Wow, Shika. Your place is clean!"

He'd take that as a compliment since Neji was merely being observant as opposed to sarcastic. Shikamaru lived with his father, or more accurately, his father lived with him, and the hen-pecked house-husband spent the majority of his free time dusting, scrubbing and washing. Not that Shikamaru minded. Between work and his new project he hardly had time to clean up after himself, still, he couldn't stand to see his father so domesticated, even after the divorce.

Shikamaru walked with him into the spare room and helped the slightly sloshed Hyuuga onto the neatly-made bed. "Here, get some rest," he removed his shoes, wallet and keys before pulling the covers over his body. "I'm going to get your car."

"Why bother," Neji grumbled and turned onto his stomach, his next words muffled against the pillow. "I don't deserve nice things. Just let some degenerate gang strip it for parts to buy whores and support their drug habit."

Shikamaru chuckled even though he knew the other man was dead serious. Still, melodramatic Neji was always a source of angst-ridden humor. "Get some rest, Neji. You'll feel better after your hang-over."

His only reply was a stifled growl.

It was going to be a hassle to take a cab back into town then drive Neji's vehicle all the way back here and the Hyuuga already stated he didn't give one royal crap about it so it wasn't as if he was obligated to. Still, he just felt it was the right thing to do, even if Neji couldn't spare an ounce of consideration for his material possessions.

"Shikamaru, is that you?"

"In here, dad."

Shikaku Nara followed the sound of his son's voice into the living-room where he was giving directions to the dispatch, and the sound of the washing machine churning clued him in that he'd been doing the laundry. "You're heading out again?" the older man asked curiously after patiently waiting for the telephone conversation to end.

"Yeah, I need to collect Neji's car," the boy explained. "I don't want to leave it in the city over-night."

"Good idea."

An awkward silence hung between them and Shikamaru asked: "Since I'm going that way is there anything you'd like me to pick up?" 'Anything <besides cleaning supplies?' he prayed.

"Well, we're running low on Pine Sol and lemon-scented Pledge."

Shikamru had a hard time fighting the urge to roll his eyes. "I can pick up a pizza on my way home."

"There's no need." He knew he was going to say that. "I already took down the salmon to defrost and I want to use the spinach before it completely spoils."

"Right, dad," Shikamaru sighed. "Could you make enough for three? Neji's going to be spending the night and he might get hungry later."

"Sure, I'd be glad to," and he auto-mouthed the words at the same pace he said them. Shikaku saw this and Shikamaru immediately regretted his attitude, but the man had been the victim of verbal, psychological and physical abuse for so many years now that it didn't phase him. Still Shikamaru hadn't meant to be rude, it was just that his father's pussy-whipped behaviour aggravated him to no end.

He loved his father, he wouldn't have taken him in if he didn't, Shikamaru just found it hard to respect him... especially after <that night.

<"She hit me."

" Oh my God, Shika, are you serious?"

"I just snapped. I told her where she could get off and she just hit me."

"Come in, let me get some ice for the swelling."

"And the worst part about all this, Neji... is that he just stood there and watched! He didn't say anything, he didn't do anything... he just let it happen!"

"Well, you're not going back there, Shika. I won't let you."

"Don't worry. I don't intend to."<

"Look, dad, just..." he sighed. He really didn't know what to do with him. He wanted him to regain some semblance of independence and realize that he didn't need her to feel complete, and Shikamaru feared that, if he turned his back on him for even a second, that he'd go crawling back to her. He wanted to fix him but he just seemed broken beyond all repair. Shikamaru couldn't remember ever seeing his father genuinely happy... Oh, he smiled... that plastic smile, with eyes completely devoid of any mirth. That artificial smile that fooled anyone on the outside that everything was perfect while he was stuck in a mire of constant despair and perpetual cruelty. Shikamaru had no idea what his father was like before he met that woman. His parents never spoke of their past, but he liked to imagine his father was once a strapping, young man who was the very epitome of masculinity.

He didn't want to believe that he'd always been like this.

He wanted to believe that, after earning those scars, that he'd lost his confidence, that he felt so unattractive that he latched on to the first woman that showed the slightest bit of interest in him. He wanted to believe that the reason he stayed was because he thought that no other woman would want him, and Shikamaru had to make himself believe these things because he didn't want to believe otherwise.

He also didn't want to believe it was that woman who gave him those scars.

Looking at his father was like taking a glimpse into the mirror of his alternate future. A future where he married Temari.

She'd never hit him; had never laid a hand on him in anger, but the verbal abuse was there, along with the belittling, the name-calling and the swearing. Unlike his mother, Temari was raised surrounded by men. She had two brothers: one twin and a younger one, and her single-parent father. Her mother died when they were still very young so she had no maternal guidance or lessons in femininity in those impressionable years growing up. So she developed into a tough tom-boy who could scrap with the best of them and give as good as she got, approaching all men like a stray wolf infiltrating the pack to take out the leader so she could be the new Alpha male. His mother, on the other hand, saw all members of the opposite sex as her servants, to do with and order about as she pleased. He believed this was because she was an only child, spoiled to the core and given whatever she asked for on a diamond-encrusted gold platter. He had no aunts and uncles on her side and his wealthy grand-parents provided their family with a generous allowance so she would have no reason to return home.

Temari had no family wealth to fall back on and had to work hard to get what she wanted and harder still because it was a 'man's world'. A fact every male in her family never let her forget. They were only trying to protect her, they didn't want her to be exploited or taken advantage of, but they'd made her too 'hard', to the point where she never realized that her words sometimes were more painful than a blow to the face.

And that was how it started. An insult here, a callous comment there, and before either of them knew it, she'd be using her hands instead of her voice to hurt him.

Yes, breaking this off would be best and he raised sad, omniscient eyes to the genetically similar pair that stared back at him with a vacant expression.

He didn't want to become his father.

"You don't have to cook tonight. You've done enough. I'll bring home a pizza."

"But, what about the salmon?"

Shikamaru pressed his fingers against his temple and breathed deeply. Patience. He needed to have patience. He wouldn't yell. She yelled. He wouldn't yell.

He wouldn't become his mother.

"Don't worry about the salmon, dad," he said in the most calm and composed voice he could muster. "Just put it back in the freezer. I'm bringing home a pizza and that's that."

Shikaku nodded. "I guess I can do some vacuuming."

"You vacuumed yesterday. Besides, Neji's sleeping and I don't want him disturbed."

"Oh, that's right. Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay, dad. Why don't you watch TV in your room or something. I'll call you when I get to Dominos."

"No need, whatever you get is fine."

"... Right, dad. It doesn't matter," he muttered penitently under his breath before leaving the apartment. "Your needs never matter."

***
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