What Can I Do For You?

I don’t own Naruto



Summary: Neji has always had a close relationship with death. He’s about to find out just how close of a relationship it actually is. Commissioned by annieme



Warnings: supernatural themes, cursing, sexual situations.



A Date With Death



Death. The end or the beginning. The direction a soul takes at the end of its life is up to debate by various religious institutions. Some believe in heaven. Some believe in nothing. For Neji Hyuuga, death seemed more of an old friend than a dreaded adversary. Death was the one constant in his life. Since he was a child, death had been his constant companion. Having been diagnosed with a weak heart at a young age, he wasn’t expected to survive past childhood--to be turning twenty-one was what some might say a miracle. Since birth he’d known he was living on borrowed time, he just didn’t realize just how much was borrowed.



“Neji…are you feeling okay?” Hinata placed her hand on the pale brow in concern. Even a slight cold could be detrimental to his heath.



“I’m fine.” Neji continued to stare out of his bedroom window over looking the horse stables where his cousin Hanabi was riding the horses his family was known for. The sight caused a small trickle of envy to rush through him. Had his heart permitted, he would have spent most of his days on horseback.



“I have an appointment in town today. Will you be alright alone or should I call Naruto to come spend the afternoon with you?” Hinata stroked her hand over the thick waist length hair atop Neji’s head.



“Don’t bother him. He gets little enough time with Sasuke as is. Let them have their time together. I’m not going anywhere today.” Neji wanted to tell her to call Naruto. He wanted the warm joy his friend brought to his life. What he wanted, he pushed aside. Naruto needed what little time he could have with his boyfriend. After so long apart, they deserved a little time to each other before Naruto went back to school in the fall.



Hinata hesitated before giving in. “Fine. Hit your medic alert button if you feel even the slightest twinge.”



“I’m dying, Hinata. One day it’s going to happen and there is nothing that can be done.” Neji turned from the window to stare determinedly at his beloved cousin as she strolled around the room.



“I just want to keep you with us as long as possible so sue me.” Hinata slammed down the figurine she’d picked up moments before. “I’m not giving you up without a fight.”



Neji shook his head as his cousin exited the room. He’d had a feeling for the last few weeks--the wind whispering his end was near. He’d spent the time since the first inkling of his death preparing things for his family. He’d been prepared since he was thirteen. He’d known that because of a rare enzyme in his body, he was ineligible for a transplant. Ironically enough, it had been the rambunctious and rather loud Naruto who’d helped him come to terms with his life and death. He’d met Naruto by chance and been pulled from his depression. Meeting Naruto had helped him confirm when he left this world, it would be on his own terms.



Deciding to ignore the house rules of staying inside his completely hypoallergenic home, he exited the house. The day was warm--warmer than he’d thought, causing sweat broke out on his brow. Walking to the stable, he felt his heart lurch in his chest moments before pain followed.



His heart lost its somewhat normal rhythm to take on an irregular, thready beat. His hand reached for his chest as he stumbled against the wooden fence. Hanabi had already taken her mount for a ride along the northern pasture. There was no one to help him even if he possessed the breath to call out for help.



His knees gave way and he looked at the useless button dangling from a chain around his neck. Once out of the house, the medic alert button was useless--being too far from its receiver to set off the alarm. The dirt felt warm against his cheek and he sent up a prayer to whatever being was out there--a small thanks for not having died in a pile of horse shit. That would be a sight he would want to save his family from. The wealth and power of the Hyuuga family was wide known. A death in the family would be given front page notice, especially when it was the heir of the empire. If he was found dead in a pile of horseshit, that would most definitely be reported on.



He’d been ready for weeks. As spots began dancing behind his closed lids, he hoped the best for his uncle and two cousins who cared for him throughout the entirety of his life. He hoped they would not morn him too long. He would finally be at peace with whatever lay beyond this life. Heaving a sigh, his last thought was it was a shame he hadn’t gotten to give Naruto the check in person.



~*~



“Neji! T-Thank heavens. The d-doctor told us this was probably the end but I k-knew you wouldn‘t leave us.” Hinata exclaimed as Neji’s eyes fluttered open.



“What?” He should be dead. He’d felt it, the familiar cold grip of death. It was nearly a physical touch and unlike any he’d ever known. He was sure he was dead. How was he lying in his bed with his family surrounding him?



“One of the new stable hands found you. He’s new here so I don’t know much about him. He looks rather strange but he carried you to the house and hit your medic alert button,” Hanabi explained at Neji’s confused face.



“You’re very lucky.” Hiashi rose from his chair in the corner before exiting the room.



Lucky. Lucky to spend a few more hours or days in this nightmare. He was a prisoner of his fate, trapped in a germ-free clean house while his cousins and uncle enjoyed his money.



“That stable hand…he gives me the creeps. He seems to see right into your soul as if he’s the judge, jury, and executioner. I felt sick to my stomach just being in the same room as the man. It’s a wonder he didn’t leave you there to die, Neji,” Hanabi whispered nervously as if the man would hear her and murder her on the spot.



“I’m sure he’s not that bad.” Neji offered, though he hoped they would leave soon so he could at least sleep in peace if they weren’t going to leave him to die in peace.



“H-He didn’t seem t-that bad, Hanabi.” Hinata smiled weakly at her cousin. “He had very vibrant hair. Very red.”



“Yeah, the color of blood.” Hanabi stood and wrapped her arms around herself as if to ward off some imagined chill. “I’m going downstairs to get something to eat.”



“Where is my rescuer?”



Hinata shrugged. “It’s late, so I would imagine he’s in the bunk house with the other s-stable hands. I’m sure you can t-thank him when you are s-stronger.”



“I’ll do that.” Neji settled down into the soft hypo-allergenic bed to stare about the dimly lit room. He was even more curious about his savior. Who was the man who just happened to come along as he was about to die and why did he feel better than he had in years? They said he was at Death’s door? It was strange, but he felt more like running about in excitement rather than keeling over at any moment. His heart beat with a surprisingly easy beat.



Tomorrow he would speak to the stable hand. Tomorrow he would do what he’d been about to do when his heart so unkindly stepped in.



~*~



Neji awoke feeling much stronger. His heart was a bit rapid and his chest ached slightly--both pains within normal limits. He felt relatively good. His heart seemed to be withstanding the mishap better than expected. He still uncertain if it was a good or bad thing. He wanted to live, yet he didn’t want to continue on as he was--a prisoner.



He needed to escape the house. A walk to clear his head and perhaps a visit with his mysterious rescuer were in order. Dressing in an old pair of jeans, tee-shirt, and tennis shoes; he carefully made his way downstairs. The sound of talk in the dining room drew his attention.



“I wish he would go ahead and die.” It was Hanabi’s voice. The statement sent a shock of pain through Neji’s heart having nothing to do with his condition. He’d never been close to the girl but her opinion of him still hurt.



“D-Don’t say that.” Hinata. Kind hearted Hinata. She was his favorite person in the entire family even if she was the one who smothered him the most.



“Don’t say I want him to die? I’m tired of being called away so I can sit at his death bed. Just because his father was like the richest man in the state doesn’t mean I have to keep kissing his ass just to make sure he doesn’t leave us out of his will,” mumbled Hanabi at her sister.



“It’s by my nephew’s graces we are allowed to remain here. Neji came into full control of his assets at age eighteen. You should both treat him kindly. I would imagine it won’t be long until he passes away. Then you won’t have to worry about taking hand outs. I was with him when he made up his most current will. With the exception of some monetary bequeaths to a few friends, the estate and company will go into my care.” Those words hurt the most. They weren’t particularly siding one way or the other. They were just that--neutrally cold. It was the best way to describe his uncle--neutral, cold, and very unlike Neji’s father.



Unable to face his family after overhearing such words, he edged past the dining room and towards the front door. His feet took him quickly to the stable--wanting to pet and stroke the horses he’d never been allowed near. The first stall he approached contained a lovely bay dame and her small foal. He felt he could stare at the small horse forever. It brought him the peace he couldn’t seem to gain from his family.



“New life has that affect on humans.”



The voice was rich like the most decadent desert, yet strangely emotionless. Turning, he found himself staring at the most intriguing man he’d ever met. Dark shades partially concealed his face but the uncovered lips and pale alabaster skin let more than enough beauty be seen. The color of his crimson hair brought back the memory of Hanabi’s comments concerning his rescuer. Hair similar to blood.



“Who?” Neji found his voice not wanting to vocalize the words his mind had formulated. It was rather embarrassing especially when the he’d spent his life knowing words as his weakened body wouldn’t allow much else.



There was a tilting of lips. “You may call me Gaara.”



“Gaara? Were you the one who rescued me?” Neji leaned against the gate to keep from collapsing from the weakness in his stomach. Surprisingly, his heart felt stronger than it ever had. In this man’s presence, he felt both closer and further away from Death’s familiar touch.



“I did. You were pretty far gone. If I’d been even a moment later, you wouldn’t have lived.” Gaara reached out to touch the mare only to have her bare her teeth with a shrill cry while edging her foal away. He heaved a sigh, turning to face Neji. “It’s polite to introduce one’s self when another introduces themselves.”



“Oh. I assumed you knew. My name is Neji Hyuuga. I suppose you could say I own all this but really I’m only borrowing it. I’ll probably be dead in days. I’ve felt him coming.” Neji held out his hand, smiling a little at the surprised look crossing the pale face.



A pale calloused hand enveloped his own in more of a caress than a hand shake. “Who have you felt coming?”



“You’ll probably laugh but well, Death.” Neji expected Gaara to look on him the same look of pity every other person did. He might be crazy or just hopeful of a sentient being out there but he’d always felt a connection to death. Each stint in the hospital. Each painful throb in his chest. They all felt like calling cards of the most feared event in the history of man.



“You speak of death as if he’s a man.” Gaara tilted his head quizzically.



“I’ve always thought so. It’s a feeling I’ve had. He’s felt more real to me than most of the things in my life.” Neji chuckled lightly at the expression crossing what he could see of Gaara’s face.



As unexpected as he’d become used to, Neji began coughing harshly. Fluid in the lungs was a common side effect of heart failure. He’d grown used to the oxygen and the breathing treatments. Doubling over in an attempt to bring more oxygen into his lungs, he felt Gaara’s arms holding him aloft as he lungs forced out the built up fluid. He should have known better than to think he was actually better. It was the calm before the storm. Time was not on his side.



“You don’t seem afraid to die. Why?” Gaara guided Neji from the stable and towards the main house.



“I’ve been on very close terms with him since I was a child. He used to scare me just as he does everyone else. After a while, I began to look forward to feeling him close. He was always just beyond my reach.” Neji paused to catch his breath and reached to open the carved wood and glass door his mother had especially designed upon her marriage to his father.



“You should take it easy for a few days.” Gaara’s voice purred over him.



“I might not have a few days. I’d like to experience everything I can before I’m off onto the next adventure.”



“No one is going to die today. You have today to do as you wish.” Gaara spoke with such affirmation, Neji actually wanted to believe his words that he could do as he wished today.



“I wish it was as easy as you say.” Neji shook his head. He knew better than to trust such words.



“It is. Just believe it and it is so.” Gaara’s lips tilted up again, giving Neji the idea that the other was in on some secret he wasn’t privy to.



“You’re laughing at me!” Neji frowned at the thought of being laughed at by anyone.



“Why do you say that?”



“I just have this feeling.” Neji stood in the ornate doorway while continuing to stare at his employee. “Would you like to come in?”



Gaara shook his head. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I still have some chores to complete.”



“Dinner then. You’ll have to deal with my family but they aren’t normally too bad. Hinata is pleasant enough.” He hoped Gaara would agree. The pull he felt between them was so sharp, he wanted to explore what it meant. If he only had a short time left on earth, he wanted to spend it with the intriguing Gaara.



“As you wish.” The smiled returned, causing a little place inside Neji to light up in excitement. For the first time in his entire life, he had something to look forward to.



~*~



“Neji…are you sure you feel up to coming down to dinner t-tonight. I can have s-something brought up to you if you want.” Hinata nibbled delicately on her lower lip in worry for Neji, a gesture he found both endearing and annoying.



“I’m sure. If I’m going to die, I’ll very much try not to do so during dinner,” joked Neji.



“Don’t joke like that.” Tears welled up in her eyes, making him feel a bit guilty for making such a tasteless joke.



Neji pulled her into a hug. “I’m sorry. The reason I want to come down to dinner is because I have a guest coming tonight.”



“A guest? Who? Naruto?” It wasn’t a secret Hinata held a long standing crush for his friend. If Naruto wasn’t in an utterly devoted relationship with Sasuke, he might have pushed for a relationship between the two.



“You’ll see.” Neji secretly couldn’t wait to see the look on Hanabi’s face when his guest was shown in. He hadn’t invited Gaara for the sake of revenge--that little addition was merely icing on the cake.



The two entered in the dining room just in time to see a familiar redhead escorted in by the butler. Hiashi scowled and Hanabi paled to a considerable degree.



“What’s he doing here!” Hanabi practically screeched, rushing to hide behind her father.



“Hanabi, manners,” Hiashi growled, though it was obvious he didn’t want Gaara at their dinner table anymore than Hanabi did.



“Uncle Hiashi, cousins, may I introduce Gaara. I invited him to dinner as sort of a thank you for saving my life.” Neji approached Gaara, ushering him to the dinner table.



“It appears I’m not welcome. It’s not an uncommon reaction,” Gaara chuckled.



“Why? You seem perfectly normal to me.” Neji settled in his chair beside Gaara. The others filed in to take their seats as well. Hanabi’s color remained deathly pale. She appeared more ill than Neji.



“My eyes tend to frighten people. They are sensitive to light and are the reason I wear the glasses even inside.” Gaara smirk returned and again, Neji was left feeling as if he’d once more been left on the outside of an inside joke.



The meal began in uncomfortable silence. Hanabi spent more time staring at Gaara than eating--uncontrolled fear easily readable in her features. Hiashi’s glare alternated between Neji and Gaara though he never offered a word in conversation throughout the entirety of the meal. Hinata offered what little small talk she dared. Gaara’s presence seemed to have startled her. Other than the unnatural silence through most of the meal, the evening moved along pleasantly for Neji.



“Would you like to go for a walk?” Neji offered to Gaara as the last of the plates were taken away.



“Neji! You shouldn’t be up and about. You nearly died this morning.” Hiashi spoke his first words since reprimanding Hanabi.



“Uncle, if I die, it will be when it’s my time to go. No amount of hypoallergenic walls will keep me in this world. I would rather spend my last days or even hours enjoying good company.” The room was silent. These were the first words he’d ever spoken out against his uncle. For nearly his entire life, his uncle had been the commanding force and he’d gone alone with the flow. Now, in Gaara’s presence, he was gaining his own confidence to do what he wished.



“If that’s the way y-you feel, Neji,” offered Hinata with a smile.



“Thank you, Hinata.” Neji took Gaara’s arm, leading him from the room and out towards the extensive gardens encompassing the rear of the manor house.



“Your family breathed a sigh of relief when I exited the room.” There was a definite chuckle in his voice.



Neji joined in the shared amusement. “They are snobs. Hinata is the only one I truly like. I feel bad she never married Naruto. If she’d only spoke up before he fell in love with Sasuke, there might have been hope for the relationship.”



“I see. I’m sure she will find someone appropriate.” Gaara stopped to touch a flower as if he’d never done such a thing--a wistful expression dotting his face.



“I know she will. I just worry about her, especially since I’m living on borrowed time,” said Neji.



“I’ve always found that term amusing--living on borrowed time. I’d always assumed all living creatures possessed a finite timer. To me, there is no such thing as borrowed time.” Gaara chuckled smugly at his statement.



“Why does it always seem as if you know something the rest of us don’t?”



Gaara smiled enigmatically. “Perhaps I do.”



“Why did you take the job here? You don’t seem to get on with the animals.” Neji had found it odd that a person would who seemed to frighten the animals chose to work with them.



“They sense the truth in me and it scares them.” Gaara answered mysteriously.



Neji arched a brow. He hadn’t had this much fun speaking with another person in ages. “And what is the truth.”



“I’m entitled to my secrets, aren’t I’?”



“Give a dying man a break.” It had become almost second nature to talk about his impending death as if it was nothing. It put some people off but Neji found it empowered him.



Mysterious smirk in place, Gaara lifted a pale hand to stroke across Neji’s equally pale cheeks. “I told you. No one is dying tonight.”



Leaning in, Gaara brushed his lips across Neji’s in a kiss softer than the touch of a feather. While Neji might have wanted it to continue deeper, Gaara pulled away. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”



Neji remained stunned. He’d never considered implementing a relationship with anyone be they male or female. He’d always been too ill to even want to try. Being so close to death, any potential partner would be a risk to the family fortune. Fortune hunters seemed to crawl out of the woodwork when a sick multi millionaire was involved.



“Neji…are you alright?” Hinata approached cautiously.



“I just received my first kiss.” Neji continued to stare in the direction Gaara had disappeared.



“That’s wonderful, Neji…isn’t it?”



Neji settled on one of the many stone benches dotting the path through the garden. “I’m not sure. What do you think of Gaara?”



“He’s…strange,” offered Hinata nervously.



“Yes…but I feel like I’ve known him forever. I’m not sure what to make of it.” Neji patted the seat next to him. “I just don’t know how much time I can offer him. I don’t have much time left, no matter how much you want to keep me here.”



“I’m sure things will work out.” Hinata wrapped her arms around Neji. No amount of comfort could stop the doubt roaming through his mind. There was only one end to this fairy tale.



~*~



“It’s been three days! He should have been dead by now.” Hanabi hissed to her father. “He keeps spending time with that…man.”



“I told you not to speak of it, Hanabi. He has a weak heart. It doesn’t matter if we have to wait a few more days. He’ll be dead soon and then the money will be officially ours.” Hiashi lifted the business section of the paper to eye level.



“Father! Neji looks better. If he continues at this rate, he could go on for another couple of years.” Hinabi continued to argue her point.



“What would you have me do? Kill him and risk loosing everything. Just be patient.” Hiashi sighed and reached for the remote control to the large television--flipping to a news channel.



And in other news, Jonathon Myers--the thirty year old man who plunged from the thirteenth story of his apartment building two days ago--is still alive in Tomason General. Reports state he has broken every bone in his body and is suffering multiple organ failure yet, is still alive despite all life support measures having been ceased. His case is the third locally reported case of survival of massively injured individuals. It appears to this reporter as if the Grim Reaper has taken a holiday.



“See! Even the news has reported something is wrong. People aren’t dying.” Hanabi glanced frantically at her father. “I think that man, Gaara, has something to do with it.”



Hiashi glared at his daughter. “Hanabi, just calm down. That person in the hospital is a fluke. It happens and as soon as Neji passes, I’ll fire Gaara. Will that make you happy?”



Hanabi said no more but continued to pout before finally leaving her father to his morning ritual of the paper and news after breakfast. She’d been awaiting Neji’s death for several years, she could wait a few days more.



~*~



Gaara stared at the ceiling of the small room he inhabited while in his currant form. He could feel the multitude of souls screaming out at him to be taken. It was a constant buzz in his head, one he was unable to dismiss completely. “A little longer.”



The buzzing didn’t stop at his plea but eased a little, allowing him to think. He’d never met or spoken to his supposed creator. He was just as much in the dark as all the humans who scurried like ants trying to escape his grasp. He had come into being one day with the knowledge of his purpose. There were times he wondered just what was beyond the deep void he sent the souls to after he collected them. A particularly loud buzz cried out to him, desperate for relief. It wouldn’t be denied his attention yet in his current form there was nothing he could do for it. He wasn’t in a position to assist the pain ridden soul.



He shouldn’t have come to earth. He shouldn’t have allowed the soul of one human to pull him from his eternal existence as Ferrier of souls. Since his birth, Neji’s soul had intrigued him. Its light always seemed to flicker before his mind’s eye. From birth he was weak, yet he held onto life with a tenacity most would find admirable.



In all his lengthy existence, he’d never had such an interest in a soul. The last twenty-one years were more memorable than the millennia before. When he’d felt Neji’s soul call to him, this time with its final voice, he’d made a decision. He should have done what he would have done in any other case. He should have taken the soul and ferried it to what lay beyond. He had no knowledge of what was beyond that void, only that he must send each and every soul to it.



Instead of doing his duty, he’d taken human form and carried the human to his home. Death had taken a vacation of sorts, giving Neji a few extra days of life.



“Gaara?”



Closing his eyes, he fought Neji’s siren call but was unable to do so. Lumbering from the bed, he opened the door to see the object of his obsession standing calmly before him.



No words were spoken as he pulled Neji into his arms, lips covering his in a kiss. He was addicted to him. There was no other excuse. He would alter the heavens to be with him. He wanted and needed only him. He would savor these moments for soon the dying would no longer be denied. If he refused his duty, he would cease to exist and a replacement created.



“Gaara.” It was as good a name as any. He who before had been nameless, given only such names as Death or the Grim Reaper. Gaara suited him more than those others when in Neji’s arms. The moaning voice. The warm arms. Everything was perfect and he would savor it.



“What’s wrong?”



“Nothing.” Only that his time was very short--maybe another day.



“Something’s wrong.”



“Nothing’s wrong.” Gaara lifted a hand to stroke over pale features. He would miss the feeling of touch.



“Fine. You’re as closed mouthed as my uncle sometimes.” Neji sighed deeply before smiling deviously. “Will I see you tonight?”



Gaara arched a practically nonexistent brow. “Are you sure? Your family seems to find me repulsive, perhaps you should do the same.”



“I don‘t care what my family says. I‘m dying. I don‘t think it matters if they care or not.” Neji’s lips turned upward.



“As you wish.” Tonight would be the end. He’d been away from his duties for far to long. He would give himself one last memory of his obsession before returning.



~*~



The rain pounded heavily upon the rooftop of the buildings in an almost musical tandem. Lightning flashed brightly on the horizon, silhouetting the landscape with each flash. Neji raced across the yard. His heart pounded irregularly in his chest as he stepped soaked beneath the stable entrance. Desperation sent him into the night in search of the only person who could ease the feeling of loneliness.



“You’ll catch Death like that.”



He whirled around to see familiar reflective glasses. “Don’t you ever take those glasses off?”



A slender hand reached up to pluck off the black glasses, revealing pale green eyes. “Better?”



Neji stared into the pale eyes. They were a bit unusual but no more so than his pale lavender colored ones. It wasn’t the eyes themselves that were so frightening. It was the knowledge behind them. There was power in those pale eyes. There was a promise of death hidden in them. “They’re beautiful.”



Gaara smiled taking Neji by the hand and leading him into the tiny series of rooms that served as living quarters--stopping only to grab a fluffy white towel. Draping the towel over Neji’s head, Gaara proceeded to blot the dripping water from him.



“Thanks.” Neji pulled the towel away from his damp and mussed hair.



“I wouldn’t want you dying on me.” Gaara took the towel and tossed it over a chair before pulling Neji in his arms. It was a far more romantic gesture than Neji was used to.



He wasn’t sure if he should embrace Gaara or let the other lead him. “What should I do?”



“What do you want to do?”



Neji flushed red. There was a lot he wanted to do, namely get very naked with the redhead. “Kiss you.”



“Then kiss me.” Gaara settled on the bed Neji hadn’t even noticed in the room’s corner, pulling him to straddle his lap. “Well?”



Neji swallowed, lowering his lips to brush against Gaara’s. The touch was just as soft as their first kiss, holding all the innocence Neji possessed. It was shameful to him that he had no experience in the physical aspects of a relationship. He knew what he should do, yet he lacked the practical experience to put it into action.



Reaching with his hands, he furrowed his fingers through the short cap of red hair. His tongue flicked at Gaara’s closed lips while his hands memorized the feel of the short silky locks. Warmth worked through him as Gaara’s mouth opened to receive his tongue.



He flicked his tongue lightly inside, tasting the faint flavor of chocolate. “Chocolate?”



“I’ve developed a taste for it.” Gaara took the initiative sucking gently on Neji’s lower lip.



Cautious hands slipped beneath Neji’s loose shirt to tease along his slender waist. Fingers traced each rib as they slipped the shirt over his head. Neji found himself unable to think as Gaara’s thumbs flicked across his chill hardened nipples.



“Feels good?” Gaara’s voice rippled over his skin, almost a physical touch.



“Yes.” Neji groaned deep with pleasure, unused to such sensations.



Gaara shifted his hands to dip into the hollows of Neji’s hips, teasing the sensitive skin just above where the dark curls of pubic hair began. He seemed to know just were to touch to bring Neji the most pleasure. Gaara’s hands dipped below to rub teasingly against the now very hard erection incased in Neji’s pants. It felt amazingly different from when he touched himself. Neji wasn’t unknown to solitary physical pleasure. He was human after all.



“Tell me how it feels.” Gaara pressed his palm even more firmly against Neji’s crotch to elicit another groan of pleasure.



Shivers created a wave of chill bumps across Neji’s arms and chest. “Good.” His hands left their neutral positions in Gaara’s hair, trailing along the almost unnaturally soft skin until they reached the base of his shirt.



“I’m going to make sure you don’t forget me,” whispered Gaara into Neji’s bare shoulder, distracting Neji from any action than moaning at whispered breath touching his skin.



Before he could reply, Neji found himself pressed face first into the bed with Gaara sliding his trousers easily from his hips in a singular motion. Fear and excitement mingled to produce a supremely erotic swirl of pleasure. He gasped out a question to which he already knew the answer. “What are you doing?”



“Easy. Just relax. I’ll make it feel good.” A cool finger probed gently at the clenched opening. Neji’s body tensed at the touch before relaxing as the finger did nothing more than stroke the skin in teasingly circular movements. A feeling of slickness overcame Neji as the finger slipped easily inside. It wasn’t exactly pleasurable, but it didn’t hurt either. On an off thought, he wondered when Gaara had procured the lubricant.



The second finger was a tighter fit and accompanied a feeling of slight discomfort. He fought the natural urge to pull away. Trust was all that was keeping him from pushing Gaara aside. He trusted Gaara to make it good for him. He trusted Naruto stories of his and Sasuke’s sexual encounters.



“I have to prepare you or it will hurt your first time.” Gaara’s voice appeared behind his ear. Slick sweat dampened skin brushed his back, sticking their skin together in an erotic way. When had Gaara stripped? The feeling of skin against skin returned his mind to the pleasure fogged state, allowing Gaara to finish his chore of preparation.



“How…did you…know?” Neji gasped at the intrusion of the third finger spreading him and creating a stinging sensation.



Gaara didn’t answer and Neji forgot the question. The third finger burned slightly as his muscles struggled to relax around the additional digit. His heart sped up, loosing its formally steady beat. Neji began to panic as his heart struggled to regulate itself. Would his body finally give out tonight? “Stop--”



“Shh…relax. Your heart will be fine. Don’t panic.” Gaara adjusted his hands in a stroking motion down the tense muscles surrounding Neji’s spine. The touch sent waves of relaxation through him. A hand left his back to catch Neji’s clenched one in a stroking grip--linking their fingers together



Neji’s heart stuttered once before regulating itself into a steadier beat struggling to match the strong one he felt through Gaara‘s chest. He moaned as the fingers left his back and slid around to cup his lagging shaft--bringing it to full life once more. “G-Gaara--”



“Shh, allow me.” Gaara kept his hand cupping Neji while his body took its position at his rear.



Neji closed his eyes, expecting intense pain. It wasn’t comfortable as Gaara slid inside but it wasn’t the mind shattering pain he’d expected. Gaara’s stroking hand on his erection continued to send sparks of pleasure shooting through him with each gentle rocking motion of the pale hips against him. “Alright?”



Neji felt his body clench around Gaara as he gradually relaxed around the feeling of fullness stemming from his anus. “O-Okay--”



Gaara withdrew until only the head remained inside the rings of muscle surrounding Neji’s anus. He paused for a moment before sliding back inside--repeating the action slowly. It started off slow but a gradual heat began to build inside. Neji had known prostate stimulation felt good but he wasn’t prepared for the intensity beginning to build inside him.



Arching his hips, he sought a different angle. Instinct spoke to him--guided him. Gaara seemed to understand and altered his penetration. Now instead of brushing against his prostate, Gaara hit it almost dead on. Neji gasped out at the sensation. It was beyond anything he’d ever experienced and the feeling shot down his erection to bring dribbles of cum from the tip. “Ah--again.”



Gaara smirked against his back while beginning a slightly more taxing rhythm. Both bodies were coated with a sheen of sweat as they thrust and gyrated on the bed. The harder rhythm had Neji’s hands fisting in the sheets. The bed rocked against the wall--providing an erotic music to accompany the actions taking place. Grunts and pants were the sounds of accompaniment to the pounding noise of the bed.



A tightening in his balls was the only warning given Neji. His body jerked taunt and a blinding orgasm forced his mind white. He was sure his heart would choose this moment to give out yet it remained steady--just as Gaara promised. Gaara’s name was whispered on his lips and his body went limp.



Gaara moaned, a sound even more amazing than his voice. It alone caused his body to tighten up--extending his orgasm beyond what he thought was humanly possible. Just as quickly as it came upon them, the moment passed. Sweat coated bodies collapsed in each other’s arms, the sound of rain loud on the tin roof. Neither spoke, only basked in the fading heat of each other.



Drowsy from the activities along with relaxing sound of rain, Neji drifted easily into sleep only to be startled awake in what seemed like moments later. The sun had yet to peak over the horizon and the rain long since stopped. “Gaara?”



There was a sigh. “I’d hoped you wouldn’t wake before I left.”



“Left?”



“I can’t stay. This was only temporary but I’ve made sure your heart is strong and you will live a long life.” Gaara stepped back as Neji reached for him. “Don’t touch me. You’ll die if you touch me.”



“What are you talking about?” Neji frowned, now even more determined to get to Gaara.



“I’ve given up the mortal form I took while with you. My attention was drawn to you from the moment of your birth. As your life drew to a close, I found myself disregarding my duties to come to you. When the moment came to take your soul, I faltered. I found myself unable to do what I was created to do but time has run out for me. I can not leave my duties unfulfilled any longer.” Gaara stepped back as Neji stood.



Confusion was the first emotion to make itself known. Gaara was talking nonsense. “What are you talking about?”



“Have you ever understood why you always thought of Death as actual being instead of an idea? I’ve never been far from your side. I’ve been addicted to your very being. I am the being created to pass souls from earth into what lays beyond.” A wave of energy erupted from Gaara, sending Neji tumbling back onto the bed. Understanding replaced confusion. Gaara was no ordinary human.



“You’re Death?” Neji’s eyes widened almost comically. “But--”



“I have to leave now. When your time comes, I will not usher you into the beyond. Some other will have that pleasure. If I had you in my hands, I would be unable to release you. I would keep you close to me, even against your will.” Gaara bowed his head, the darkness around him growing thicker by the moment. Neji wasn’t sure why he did what he did. His body moved on instinct as he launched himself into Gaara’s arms, wrapping his own around the trim waist. Instead of feeling cold or pain, he felt only warmth as he embraced him.



“Why?” It was Gaara’s turn to widen his eyes. “You can’t come where I go. There is nothing but darkness and loneliness for an eternity.”



“You will be there so I won’t be lonely.” Neji released his grip to stare into pale green eyes. “I’ve always loved you, I just didn’t know it.”



Gaara smiled--not a smirk but an actual smile. “Are you sure?”



“I’m sure. Perhaps the powers that be made me to keep you happy. You have an important job after all.”



“Perhaps so. And your family?”



“They will move on as they always have. I think it’s better this way. I’ll miss Hinata but this is my existence and I want to stay with you forever.” Neji made his decision. Nothing would waver his determination.



“Forever.” Gaara’s arms enveloped him. The touch was so much more than any physical touch. Gaara seemed to embrace his entire soul.



The air grew thick around them, energy sparked before both were enveloped in the darkness but for Gaara for he had found his light in Neji. The darkness no longer seemed so bleak for either of them.



The End.