The Choices Between Friends

A/N: First off, PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!!! Sorry, but my beta (FairyNiamh) says I'm dead meat after this chapter.

Her exact words: "They are gonna kill you for this one you know? They really really are! I would have if I didn't already have an insight to where this monster was headed!"

She wouldn't say it if it weren't the truth. So please stick with us! I promise happy fun smutty stuff! Really, it's close now I swear! (ducking behind my chair and praying now)

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Chapter 16 

Cowardice, Confession, and Confusion

Neji had no where to be, so he just drove around for a bit.  He tried not to think much.  He really didn't want to.  After awhile he ended up where he always did when the feeling that his life was not his own to control got to be too much.  He sighed as he shut off the engine.  I should have brought flowers with me.  He would have, if he'd consciously thought about his destination.



The grass was soft under his feet, spongy.  The pale eyed man solemnly made his way up the hill.  His passing disturbed nothing. It was as if a ghost picked it's way among the stones.

 

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Nar was fuming.  He paced the roof of Nara's apartment building.  Kiba sat crouched by the access door, watching his irate friend.  He understood Nar's side, but he also saw some truth in what Nara had said.  Kiba also understood the things that Nara hadn't said.  He didn't believe that this could ruin their friendship, it was just too strong for that.  If they were anyone else, maybe, but they weren't.  Nara was scared, but not of losing his friends.  It bothered Kiba. 



Kiba wanted to see both Nar and Nara happy and he was just open minded enough to believe that Neji, Nar, and Nara could make things work and have something special.  Nara was afraid of change.  They wouldn't fall apart because of this, but it would change them. 



Kiba knew that if they did this, he would fall away at some point.  He just didn't see Neji the way the other two did and Neji felt the same about him.  What bothered Kiba was that when he fell away, he would lose that little something extra he had with Nara.  He was currently berating himself for considering letting his own selfish, lustful needs come between the other three.  He'd almost agreed with Nara in there, almost out voted Nar.



Kiba shook his head.  I'm a real Bastard!  He sighed and raked his hand through his hair.  He hadn't done it, but the fact that he'd come close bugged him.  He had stepped in when Nara had slipped into name calling.  The blond was prone to that.  Kiba convinced them both to agree to disagree for now.  Nothing had to be decided this moment.  He even suggested that they all talk to Cho about it, get his take on things.  Now, he sat up here on the roof, watching his best friend pace and fume.



Cho should be here soon.  Kiba figured it would be best to let Cho talk to Nara first.  Nar needs a chance to calm the hell down anyway.



This was the mess poor Cho stepped into when he walked into his oldest friends apartment.  Nara had his head down on his kitchen table.  He hadn't moved since he and Nar had gotten into it.  Sad brown eyes rose up to meet Cho's own.  "I fucked up." was all the brunette said.



Chouji's heart skipped a beat.  "It's okay man.  We'll fix it."  He sat down across from Nara and waited for the man to spill his guts.

 

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The stone mausoleum was locked, as usual.  Neji always had his key.  He opened the well tended gate and then the large ornate steel doors.  Lighting a candle and some incense, he walked to the small alcove that held his parent's crypt.



"Hello Mother, Father.  It's been over a week since I spoke to you last.  I apologize for that.  I will bring some orchids next time Mother, and the incense you liked so much dad."  He didn't say anything else.  He just let the cold of the crypt seep into his body, freezing and numbing his soul.  Things were so much easier to bear when he was numb.

 

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Nara didn't cry.  He seldom did.  But, the feeling of pent up emotions was thick in the room when Cho left the apartment.  Nara opened all his windows in an attempt to air it out.  He started lunch for them all.  Cho would bring the other two down with him after he'd spoken with each of them alone.  Then they would talk it out together.  Nara already knew what the decision would be.  He could already see it.  He really wasn't any happier about it than before, but he'd admitted the truth.  He wanted to try.  It was dumb, the dumbest thing ever, but it was what he wanted.

 

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Neji left the cemetery two hours later.  He'd spent half that time sitting in his car trying to decide where to go.  He couldn't go to the manor and he didn't want to anyway. He knew that he should go back to his suite.  He needed a shower and a shave. Clean clothes....  He just didn't feel like being watched and evaluated by the other students.  It was tiring and he already felt drained.



Finally he put the car in drive left the graveyard behind.  Neji took the long way to the school, but still arrived sooner than he would have liked.  He parked the car, grabbed his satchel from the passenger seat and headed into the building.  There were a few people loitering in the lobby and of course he was the center of attention, but he bore it easier than he'd expected.  The trek down the hall to his suite was tolerable as well.  There were only a few onlookers standing in their doorways, watching his progress.  Shino wasn't in the living are and his friends were no where to be seen.  Neji breathed a grateful sigh of relief. 



The shower had helped.  He felt more like himself than he had before it.  Neji slipped on a pair of dark blue boxers, tan khaki slacks, and a dark blue button up dress shirt.  It was warm in the suite, so he started rolling up the sleeves.  That's when he heard Shino and his friends enter the suite.  Kankurou was ranting about something.  Neji could just hear Itachi's soft voice egging the excitable man on.  He didn't hear Gaara or Shino, but he was certain that they were with the other two. 



Neji refused to hide in his room.  He felt like a coward for considering it for a brief moment when he heard them enter the suite.  Besides, he needed to let Shino know that he was there.  It would be wrong to let the group of friends think that they were alone when they weren't, an invasion of privacy...  He opened the door to his bedroom and was slightly pleased by the look of complete shock on Kankurou's painted face.  Itachi regarded Neji quizzically.  Gaara's face was blank as usual. 



Shino greeted Neji softly and it almost didn't sound forced.  "Hello Neji.  It's good to see you."



Neji gave Shino a soft smile.  "Thank you Shino."  He crossed to the sink, pretending that he needed a drink of water.  He would return to his room in a moment.  He'd let them know he was here and would not intrude further.



"Do you have plans today Neji?"  Itachi's cultured voice slid through the air.



"No."



"Oh goody, then you can join us."  Kankurou's grin was malicious.  Shino looked a little shocked, but covered it quickly.  He just hoped Kanky behaved himself.



"Yes.  Join us."  Gaara's voice was rough and Neji had to wonder if it was from lack of use or if he always sounded that way.



Neji didn't get to answer.  His phone rang and saved him from it.  It was a number he didn't recognize, but he answered it anyway.  He needed a moment to think about the offer or demands the group had made.  "Hello." 



The voice on the other end was unexpected.  "So, you get those 'errands done?"



"Kiba?"



"Uh, duh..."



"Yes.  I finished what I needed to do."



"Good, get a pen."



"Kiba, what are you up to?"



"Get the damn pen pretty boy, 'cause I am not repeating this."



"Give me a moment to find a pen Kiba."  Kankurou, not wanting to miss what was going on.  Grabbed a pen and a piece of paper and took it to Neji.  There was no way he was letting Neji disappear into his room now.



"Thank you, Kankurou."



"Who the hell is Kankurou?"



"A friend of my roommate."



"Better be, you've already got three boyfriends Neji.  I don't think you can handle anymore.  And I know we'd kill you if we caught you cheating on us."  And that is how Neji found out.  He actually dropped the pen and paper in his shock.



"Are you playing with me Teufel?"



Kiba just laughed and started rattling of driving directions.



Neji was completely unaware of the attention the other four men were paying to his conversation.  Kiba finished giving Neji the directions to his mom's house.  "Kiba, what should I bring?"



"Huh?"



"It's rude to show up to a meal at another person's house empty handed."  Neji explained patiently.



"Huh....I don't know. What would you normally bring?"



"Wine....Champange....something like that."  Neji heard Kiba snort. 



"It's not really a wine kinda thing."  Neji could almost hear Kiba thinking.  "Mom and Shikaku like Sake, but it's Sunday Neji.  You can't buy alcohol on Sunday anyway."



"I don't have to.  We have our own storage facility.  I'll bring a bottle of Sake for the elders.  What would you and the other two like?  Is there anything I can bring for you?"



"Just that gorgeous body of yours.  Hope you don't have an early class tomorrow college boy."  Kiba's laugh was purely lecherous.  "We'll start the food at four and eat around five.  Don't be late.  Oh, and park in the back, you'll see us from there.  Bye pretty boy."  Click



Neji took the phone away from his ear, too surprised to realize the spectacle he presented to Shino and his friends.  He looked thoughtfully at his phone before putting it back into his pocket.  He had a few hours to take care of things.



Boyfriends.....  They had claimed him.  With one word, he belonged to them now.  Neji had been hoping for a chance to see where this could go.  That was all he'd hoped for, but they had gone further, faster than he had expected and caimed him as their mutual boyfriend....boyfriend....  A true smile broke out across his face.  It was breathtakingly beautiful.  Neji hadn't felt this good in years. 



When he looked up, it was into the face of a very shocked Kankurou.  The man had never seen a real smile on Neji's face before and was shocked for the second time since hearing Neji's bedroom door open.  Neji couldn't stop himself.  The happiness infusing and warming him had his barriers down, he laughed out loud at Kankurou's confused face.  The look of perplexed amazement was infectious, all four of the other young men had that look. 



Neji got control of himself quickly.  "Thank you for your invitation, but it seems I have a prior commitment.  I had thought things had fallen through.  It appears that I was wrong."  Neji walked around Kanky, who's mouth was opening and closing like a landed fish.

 

Itachi recovered quicker than Kankurou.  "So, who is Kiba?" he asked quietly.  Neji hesitated.  He wouldn't lie.  He refused to appear ashamed of Kiba. He would not be ashamed of any of them. They were perfect as they were, he was certain of it. But Neji preferred to keep his private life to himself.  There was no helping it.

 

Neji Hyuuga turned to meet Itachi Uchiha's eyes.  "He is my boyfriend." 

You could have heard a pin drop as Neji returned to his room to get his wallet and jacket.  He left the dorm and headed to the Hyuuga's family storehouse at the edge of the Manor grounds.  If he was lucky, he wouldn't run into any of the family while he was there.

~TBC...