Kindred

A/N: Hot-diggity, we’re into double-digit chapters now! Thank you faithful readers!

Party on, Tyra, Jade Rose and jordash00!

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Neji led Shikamaru down the hallway past the bathroom to his bedroom. The hand he held within his own was trembling. Neji wouldn’t say anything. He could relate. As badly as he wanted this, and he did, he was terrified he’d screw it up. He’d never been the pursuer before now. He’d spent an inordinate amount of his life pushing people away. Neji was totally shooting from the hip.

They entered his bedroom, and the lights came up. The Nara looked around. While the bedroom wasn’t as big as the living room, it was pretty spacious in its own right. The bed was larger than California King size—much larger. It sat in a part of the bedroom where nothing touched it on either side. The bed was made of hand-carved wood, the dark wood, and its linen was camel colored. Deep purple accent pillows mixed with the camel colored pillowcases at the head of the bed. It was the liveliest thing in an otherwise luxe but austere setting.

Neji gave his guest a moment to adjust, then turned to him and kissed him briefly.

“Are you cold?” Neji asked, playing with his nipples again.

“I—no. I’m…” Shikamaru couldn’t find the words. He was still trying to wrap his brain around the fact that he was standing shirtless with his hair unbound in Neji’s home—in Neji’s bedroom—about to take their ‘thing’ to another level. Damn the beastly erection that had been twitching in his pants the past ten minutes. It was like a damned dowsing rod, and now it was going nuts.

“What is it? You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” Was it fair of Neji to ask that question while his hand was busy rubbing the Nara’s twitching erection?

“Neji—“ There was frustration and anxiety in the way Shikamaru spoke his name.

Neji stayed the hand that had been rubbing Shikamaru’s crotch and pulled it away. Shikamaru’s cock twitched again and he moaned a little at the loss of warm contact. “Look at me, Shikamaru Nara.” The Nara’s eyes were pinned to Neji’s then. Oh, how he loved to hear him say his name that way. “What do you want to say to me?” he asked in that sexy voice.

Shikamaru didn’t know what he wanted to say. He only knew that the man he wanted also wanted him, and was now holding him in his arms. He wanted Neji to kiss him again. He wanted Neji’s hands roaming his body again. He wanted Neji’s hair loose and flowing freely around the two of them.

But he couldn’t say it. He was still too thunderstruck by it all.

So he lifted his head and kissed Neji. Then, as he was kissing him, took Neji’s hand and replaced it on his much happier cock. He took Neji’s other hand and replaced it in his wavy hair. He moaned as the hand in his hair began to tug gently again, and pressed his bulge into the other hand. If he couldn’t articulate how turned on Neji was making him, then he’d show Neji that, at that moment, they both wanted the same thing.

Nagging thoughts plagued the Nara. He’d never done this--not with a man. He certainly hadn’t planned on doing it tonight. He was cognizant of the mechanics, but preparation was another matter. He wasn’t ready. He wasn’t—

“Neji”, he finally spoke, breaking the kiss, “wait.”

“I don’t want to wait. I told you I wouldn’t stop.”

“Please Neji…I’m—I just need a minute.” The Hyuuga grabbed the Nara’s hand and placed it against the Hyuuga’s own twitching erection.

“A minute is all you’re getting.” Neji placed a peck on the Nara’s lips before moving away from that hand. “I’ll be right back”, he told the Nara.

Neji walked into a room the Nara guessed must have been the en suite bathroom. The lights came up. There was some rummaging, and then the sound of running water. Neji came out a short time later. The water was still running. Wordlessly, he took the Nara’s hand and led him back inside the bathroom.

The room in which they stood was nearly the size of the bedroom, which was simply ridiculous. It was another chrome-and-marble monstrosity, only this one came equipped not only with a shower, but with a tub that could easily accommodate three couples. It was from that tub that the sound of running water generated.

Neji turned to face his sexy guest.

“I believe I’ve covered the basics.” He placed another peck on the Nara’s mouth. “Come out when you’re ready.” Neji headed back toward the bedroom, but stopped short and looked back over his shoulder. “Don’t make me wait too long.” He turned and left, closing the doors behind him.

Shikamaru released a long sigh. He scanned the room. The lighting in the room was on a dimmer switch, which was good. It was currently too harsh for the Nara, who was still operating under a sake buzz.

He strolled over to the counter where Neji had set out some things. There was a fluffy white terry robe, and matching slippers (seriously?). There was a fluffy bath sheet. A washcloth. A brand-new bar of soap. Organic soap. There was a hand towel. On top of the hand towel was a brand-new toothbrush and a brand-new razor. There was toothpaste. Organic toothpaste (is that how he keeps his teeth so bright?). Cotton balls. Bandages (?). Shave cream. And a dou—

Shikamaru picked up the plastic bottle with the nozzle on it, still sealed in cellophane. It resembled a feminine hygiene product. Wait a second. It was a feminine hygiene product. Massengill. What the fuck?!

He was probably better off not knowing.

Shikamaru set the bottle back on the counter and picked up the green box that sat next to it. Oh, Gods. Fleet.

The Nara opened the twin pack of saline enemas. The nozzle on these things was kind of scary. But it was what he needed. In fact, all of it, on some level, was necessary to appease Shikamaru’s anxiety. He had dreamt of this day more times than he wanted to admit to. He practically beat off to the fantasy every night. He wanted tonight to be…perfect. Flawless. Neji had understood the specifics of the Nara’s anxiety without being told, and handed him an opportunity to make things right for himself.

Shikamaru walked over to the giant tub and shut off the water. It was time to get started. He didn’t want to make Neji wait any longer than necessary.

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Neji milled about the bedroom gathering things for his shower. He figured he’d take the opportunity to freshen up himself. It couldn’t hurt and it would give him a chance to take the edge off his own anxiety.

Neji hoped he hadn’t forgotten anything important. He wanted this night to be good for them both. He had every intention of staking his claim on the Nara.

Neji considered what this might do to their careers, perhaps for the first time since the possibility of their becoming a couple had presented itself. In truth, he wasn’t worried; Neji didn’t work because he needed the money. He was a public servant, sort of like his Uncle Hiashi who, although he earned loads of it, didn’t need to work for money either. Win, lose or draw, the Hyuugas were set for their conceivable futures--every last one of them.

But it wasn’t fair to Shikamaru, who didn’t have a wealthy family that Neji knew of to fall back on. If this thing went haywire, it could mean the end of his career as a special investigator. Would a man like Shikamaru Nara be content being kept? Neji couldn’t be sure. But he did know one thing—once he got hold of the Nara he wouldn’t let him go.

So possessive. He had told the Nara the he belonged to the Hyuuga. The Nara didn’t seem to mind. Neji never got round to asking the Nara how long he’d been harboring feelings for him. But then Neji had to ask himself what the true nature of his own feelings for the Nara had been. He’d never needed anyone or anything the way he’d needed the Nara. He liked him, he trusted him, and he nurtured him (the Nara made it easy). But was it love? Neji didn’t know. In truth, he had nothing to compare it to.

The pair was amusing. Two years of working together, and neither knew the other was harboring secret feelings. One slip of the tongue during a telephone conversation 24 hours ago had changed everything.

Neji took his things with him into the other bathroom and closed the door. He’d best get started. He didn’t want either of them to be kept waiting.

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Shikamaru blinked. He couldn’t believe his good fortune! The tub with its jets was perfect. He relaxed in the warm bubbly water.

Shikamaru had first undressed, taking great care to remove his kanji necklace, and then used the enema. It was awkward being bent over in that position until he had to go number two. Thank goodness the bathroom was so spacious; he was able to do it on the floor right in front of the commode and the bidet. It was painful, as well; other than general sex play when he dated the girls and routine medical examinations, the Nara never introduced anything into his anal region. Shikamaru had to work to get the nozzle in there far enough for it to do some good.

He eventually figured out what to do with the douche. He would have to swear the Hyuuga to silence for that one.

After all of that was done, the Nara took the razor, shave cream, soap and washcloth with him into the bathtub. He had very little in terms of facial hair, so that wasn’t a big issue. He elected to groom himself in other areas, areas he’d never considered grooming himself in when he dated the girls. He still remembered the arguments between the girls when one of them got slack on grooming her body hair.

The soap had a simple, masculine, woodsy scent, nothing overpowering. It lathered up very well. Shikamaru thought he could have been a commercial for soap, standing there covered in the rich suds. He used it in his hair as well. The Nara guessed this soap was available for guests. He could not recall the Hyuuga ever smelling like this.

When he got out of the tub, he felt very clean. His bum was a bit sore, but the pain was negligible. He slipped his feet into the terry slippers and padded over to the sink to brush his teeth. There he stood, naked except for the slippers on his feet, brushing his teeth, his hair a mass of wet, jet-black shoulder-length waves. While he brushed, he surveyed: Shikamaru was always fit. It came easy for him. He’d always been athletic. He eyed his physique, which was lean and toned. A few scars, but no blemishes. Great. His pecs were defined. His abdominals were defined. No gut there. He looked lower. There was that damnable dowsing rod. It had always been a ‘thing’ with him. For an average-sized man, he managed to wind up with longer-than-average genitalia, ostensibly a gift from his father, who was taller, leaner, and by all accounts even longer than Shikamaru. It hadn’t been a problem thus far; the girls loved it. They kept him awake and moving for days sometimes because they couldn’t get enough of it. He wondered if it would be a help or a hindrance in this new scenario. There were so many unknown variables.

Shikamaru’s teeth were sparkling. He rinsed the brush, and then set it aside. He rinsed his mouth, then grabbed the hand towel and wiped his face. Using the bath sheet, he dried any part of him that still dripped. He liked the faint scent of the soap that came off his skin. Not overpowering at all. Very pleasant.

Shikamaru eyed his kanji necklace. Should he put it back on? He wasn’t used to going without it. But tonight was different, he decided. He didn’t want anything to get in the way. Besides, it was safer here, in Neji’s ‘throne room’.

Shikamaru donned the fluffy white robe, tying it tightly. He took a deep breath and turned toward the bathroom’s double doors. Okay. He was ready.

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A/N: We’re closer. The lemon is epic; it takes up two chapters, so stay tuned and please review!