What Can I Do For You?

Summary: Neji has to go undercover unwillingly as a woman in order to unearth information on Shikamaru Nara, the owner of one of the most popular clubs in Konoha. Shikamaru is more than he thought, drawing Neji into a dangerous world where he might lose more than his heart.



The Games We Play



Warnings: cross-dressing, cursing, violence



There were things Neji Hyuuga did well. He was listed as one of the top marksmen in the country. He was fairly well off due to his intelligent investing of the insurance money left to him at his father’s death. Then, there were things he should never have to do, be it for God or country. Cross dressing to catch a drug dealer was one of those things.



“No,” he stated, his arms crossing his chest. There was no way in hell he was going to dress as a woman when there were more than enough women employed by the DEA to play the roll of girlfriend to some club owner.



“I’m not giving you an option, Hyuuga.” Tsunade crossed her arms across her considerable bosom, her stance matching Neji’s own akimbo arms.



“The last time I checked, the Drug Enforcement Agency was an equal opportunity employer. Go use one of those women as the girlfriend of this guy.” He was not going to do it. Just because his hair fell halfway down his back did not make him feminine in any shape or form. In fact, he was pretty damn sure he was more masculine than several of his fellow agents.



Tsunade sighed, leveling a glare on one of her best agents. Neji met it head on. He refused to back down on this. He was not a woman. What the hell was the woman thinking?



“It will never work. I don’t even look like a woman other than my hair. Can you imagine me in drag? Seriously? I’d blow my cover in five minutes,” he argued, hoping his superior would see the folly of such a horrible idea.



“You are the only field agent I trust to go in and get this information on short notice. The requirements for this case force us to select a woman of Asian decent. That significantly narrows our parameters. There are no Asian women available to play this roll on short notice and I don’t want to send a rookie in on such an important case. If we had more time, I’d gladly train one of the female agents to do it but we don’t have time. We have a week to get what we need and plan the operation. Besides, you are very attractive. You have an elegant facial structure that can be seen as male or female. It will allow you to succeed at this where other men might come off as too masculine.” Tsunade rubbed her brow with fingers, appearing to be warding off an impending headache.



Neji stared at the woman. Did she say what he thought she said? “Are you saying I have androgynous looks?”



“No, not at all. But put you in a dress with some make up and I’d be willing to bet no one would be able to tell the difference,” she smiled almost apologetically. Almost.



There was no use fighting this. Tsunade had made her choice and no matter how much yelling or fighting he did, she had dug her teeth in. It was just better to give her what she wanted in the end. He might as well just chop off his dick and be fitted for a bra. This of course did not mean he would make it easy for her.



“Fine, but I want two weeks off after this.” Neji directed his scowl towards his superior.



“Are you bargaining with me, Hyuuga?” Tsunade slammed her fist to the table, creating a resonating echo in the room. He was almost surprised the wooden desk didn’t crack beneath the blow.



Biting the inside of his jaw, he maintained eye contact. He knew better than to answer the question. Instead, he held his ground, waiting for her to either agree to his demands or shoot him down. Nothing ventured, nothing gained after all.



Her eyes narrowed before she answered. “Fine.”



“With pay,” he added, a small smirk quirking his mouth. She must really be at the bottom of the barrel. He offhandedly wondered how much he could get out of her.



“Don’t push your luck,” she hissed, “But…if you pull this off. I’ll sign the paperwork myself.”



Yes, ma’am,” he acknowledged, standing to leave the office.



“Also, go see Haku to get you fitted for a week’s worth of clothes. If you want androgynous, that’s who you need. If he was a field agent, I’d have sure as hell sent him instead of you. At least he shows me some respect,” She growled, eyes flashing beneath her blonde bangs as she handed Neji a thick folder containing the mission objectives. “Remember Hyuuga, you have a time table. If you don’t have the information by the twelfth, the operation will be considered a failure.”



Neji nodded, accepting the packet and exited the room before she could say anything else. There was no doubting the snickering coming from Naruto and Sasuke’s desk as he passed by on his way towards the elevator. Haku’s department was located three floors down.



“You don’t have to feel bad, Neji. They considered the bastard here before you. He would have had to wear a wig though. They decided natural hair would be better,” Naruto chuckled, patting Neji’s back good naturedly.



“Women can have short hair, you know,” he groused. It still burned, the thought of dressing in drag because of his hair and good looks



Naruto chuckled at the much suffering look plastered on Neji’s face. “Yeah, but have you ever seen a woman with hair like a chicken’s butt?”



Sasuke chose that moment to slap his partner’s head with the palm of his hand, earning a loud yell of indignation from the blond. “Stop being a moron.”



“It’s true, you arrogant asshole. I’ve never seen a woman with hair like that…or a man for that matter.” Naruto rubbed his head with a pout.



“I wasn’t chosen because I have tattoos,” Sasuke explained, “I was in deep cover for three years with the Orochimaru gang before transferring to this division. It covers a large portion of my back and arm. It’s much more than they were comfortable with for this role.”



Naruto gaped at the other. “I didn’t know you had a tattoo.”



“You never asked,” Sasuke smirked.



“At least it’s a short operation. I don’t think I could have stood being a woman for so long.” Neji released a deep sigh, a headache beginning to form at the thought of being in women’s clothes for a week.



A distant look crossed Sasuke’s face before he spoke. “Don’t say you would never be able to do something when it comes to undercover. There were a lot of things I never thought I would do until Orochimaru. When you are in that type of situations, you have to become a monster to catch a monster.”



Neji schooled his features into a neutral mask. It was obvious Sasuke was scarred deeply from the case. It was a risk all undercover DEA agents took to catch the monsters roaming the streets. Only the strong willed survived situations such as those Sasuke had been in. Some might say the end justified the means.



“So, are you going to take me for lunch, bastard?” Naruto asked, seeming to break Sasuke from his dark musings.



“Who said anything about lunch? Any time I take you to lunch, I end up paying for both of us,” Sasuke griped.



“Come on! Please,” he whined, almost like a puppy.



Neji watched as Sasuke’s face softened and the distant look fled his eyes as he looked towards his partner. Now he understood why Tsunade paired the two. Sasuke was still recovering from his deep cover mission. He knew Naruto had a degree in psychology. The blond agent wasn’t as idiotic as he sometimes played. Smart move Tsunade, thought Neji as he nodded goodbye to the two partners.



Hopefully he would never be assigned such a case as Sasuke. He wasn’t so sure he would escape his demons as easily as Sasuke, even if Naruto was his partner. Sighing, he glanced over the file before making his way to the elevator. Time to see Haku about some clothes.



~*~



Standing before the entrance of Club Pulse, Neji fought the urge to race back to head quarters. If he was any less of a man, he might have followed through with the impulse. Any less of a man…he sighed before glancing down at his shaved legs, short skirt, padded bra, and halter top shirt.



“It’s now or never. Just think of two weeks paid vacation.” Taking a few deep breaths, he walked slowly towards the crowded club. The big wigs at the DEA seemed to think the owner of Club Pulse was involved in a drug ring. Shikamaru Nara had been under investigation for months with nothing to show for it. Nothing pointed towards him except that he owned the biggest and most popular club in Konoha. There was little they could do about the small time drug dealers running small operations in his clubs. His employees and permits were all up to date. That’s why Neji was here.



Nara had to be involved. Neji’s job was to infiltrate in Nara’s good graces in order to find out the place and time of the next shipment of drugs. If they could bust Nara, they could use him in order to catch bigger fish. A man known only as Danzou. He was practically a drug god on the streets. Taking him down would be a huge blow to drug trafficking in the city.



He rolled his eyes as the bouncer waved him in. Perhaps it was the short skirt or the nearly waist length hair. Either way, he was in. Now to find his mark. His eyes scanned the club, looking for anyone resembling the fuzzy picture given him in the information file. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Bodies pressed tight as the pulsing beat of the music vibrated less in his ears and more throughout his entire body.



Making his way to the bar, he decided a drink wasn’t a bad idea. He wasn’t expecting to locate or even meet Nara tonight. At most, he might gather some Intel on Nara, where, and with whom he hung out. The club owner might not even frequent the club.



“What can I get you?”



Neji glanced at the portly bartender asking for the first chick drink that popped in his head. At least in this noise, he didn‘t have to worry about something in his voice giving away his gender. “Cosmopolitan.”



A minute later, a red colored liquid was pushed towards him. He tossed a few bills on the bar, his eyes scanning the crowds. This was getting him no where. There seriously had to be five hundred people in the club. Maybe more. As the minutes ticked by, more and more crowded into the space.



“Hey baby, can I buy you a drink?” It was a little early to be drunk but the man speaking to him had obviously ignored that general assumption as he was pretty well plastered.



“No thanks,” he said, moving away when a hand grabbed his arm.



“I said let me by you a drink.” The drunkard was obviously very intent on Neji’s compliance.



Neji shoved his hands against the wall of chest. He was not in the mood to be manhandled, especially by a drunk idiot. “And I said no.”



Neji’s eyes widened as a hand cupped his ass, barely hidden in the short blue skirt. Instinct took over. His fist reared back, plowing into the chin of his groper. No one groped his ass unless he wanted them to. Of course, he wasn’t expecting the molester to retaliate.



“Bitch!” A fist was plowed directly into Neji’s jaw, sending him to the ground in a surprisingly lady-like sprawl. Perhaps it was self preservation keeping his knees together. It certainly wasn’t his brain, seeing as it was spinning from the force behind the punch. His jaw was hurting pretty good too.



“Don’t you know it’s impolite to hit a lady? People like you are too troublesome.” Neji’s eyes lifted to the new voice, barely heard in the noise of the club.



“Who the fuck do you think you are, messing with me and my woman?” His woman? Since when did refusing a drink make him some man’s woman? He was going to kick that guy’s ass.



“I don’t think the lady reciprocates your advances. I think you had better leave.” The stranger had barely gotten the words from his mouth when a fist was shot in his direction. It missed. Lucky bastard. Neji knew from experience the power behind the drunken man’s swings.



“Tch. What a drag.” The stranger braced his legs before plowing his own fist into the drunkard’s jaw. Neji could have sworn he heard bone crack as the blow landed. Two bouncers were on the fallen man in an instant, dragging his unconscious frame from the club. Neji winced as opened his mouth the think the stranger, his eyes widening as his features were brought into focus. Shikamaru Nara.



“Troublesome women.” Nara said, offering a hand to Neji. Who would have thought all it took to get an introduction to Shikamaru Nara was to let a drunken man slap him around a bit?



“Come on, let’s get you some ice for your jaw.” Gentle hands pulled him towards the employee section of the rooms.



Neji wasn’t stupid. If fate was with him, he would be a fool not to go with its flow. He decided to take this time to analyze his target. Shikamaru was actually an inch or two shorter than him if his hair was pulled down from its high place on his head. His build wasn’t overly muscular but he wasn’t reed thin either. His face was fairly average in looks, offset by several piercings in his ears and one on his lower lip.



“Thanks, Chouji.” Shikamaru accepted a cloth wrapped bag of ice from the portly bartender, placing it on Neji’s jaw.



He winced at the first touch of the cooled cloth, his pale eyes missing nothing about Nara. If he didn’t want to blow this chance, he needed to say something. His mind however was completely blank.



“What’s your name?” Shikamaru asked, using a damp cloth to dab at the dried blood on Neji’s chin.



“N-Nyla.” Neji bit his lip. He’d almost blown his cover right then. Idiot.



“Nice to meet you. Listen, you aren’t in any shape to be partying anymore. How about I take you home?” Shikamaru smiled as he pulled back the reddened cloth.



Neji blinked. Was he asking to take him home? The agency had set up an identity for him as a girl on vacation. He was staying in a mid-priced hotel off of Main Street.



“I don’t usually accept rides from strangers.” He needed to keep his cool or he would blow this operation all to hell. He had to play things slow.



“My name is Shikamaru Nara. Now we aren’t strangers. You women are so troublesome. I promise not to rape, beat, or rob you,” he said as he popped a cigarette in his mouth.



“Alright.” Thank God he didn’t have a naturally deep voice. He supposed he wouldn’t have been chosen if he had. There was only so much one could do to alter the timbre of their voice.



Shikamaru’s hand settled at the base of his spine as he led him through the employee exit. Neji shivered at the touch. It felt strange and yet comfortable to allow him to touch him in such a way. Not that he needed a knight in shining armor but Nara could definitely fit the bill if he ever did.



A beeping brought Neji’s mind back into focus as Shikamaru led him to a rather large red Escalade. Assisting him into the passenger seat, he walked around to the driver’s side. He moved like a predator was all Neji could think of. Whoever wrote in the report of him being lazy had read him completely wrong. Sure he didn’t seem the type to jump around and party all the time but such a personality didn’t make for laziness. He’d have to relay the message to Tsunade later of one of her underlings being a bit too quick the analysis.



“Your jaw is probably going to hurt like a motherfucker for a couple of days,” Shikamaru said.



Neji would have smiled at the understatement if his jaw hadn‘t been hurting like a bitch. Who ever heard of slugging a woman like that when you were trying to pick them up? “Thank you for coming to help.”



“Whatever. Where do you live?” He pulled the Escalade into the traffic, heading out of downtown.



“I’m staying at the Crystal Palace,” he answered, “I’m here on vacation.”



Shikamaru grunted, taking a turn down one of the streets. “Ah, how do you like Konoha?”



“Well, for a first night here, I have to say it could have been better.” Neji reached to poke at his swelling jaw. Fuck it hurt.



Shikamaru chuckled. The sound rumbled through the interior of the vehicle. It was a rich, deep sound. He found he liked it more than he should have. Forcing his mind back to his mission, he tamped down the desire he was feeling. He couldn’t actually fall for Nara. For one reason, he thought he was a woman. He might be bisexual, a small part of his mind whispered before he clamped down on the thought. He was under investigation by the DEA. What the fuck was he thinking?



“I’m here for a week,” he said in an attempt to get his mind back on track. “Any ideas of things to do while I’m here?”



“Hmm.” Shikamaru tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “The park is nice. They have chess boards set up. There are also several restaurants worth visiting.”



Neji snickered, willing to bear the pain. Maybe Shikamaru was lazy if all he knew was the park and restaurants.



“There is a museum and the aquarium is quite nice so they say.” Shikamaru turned down the street leading towards Neji’s temporary home.



Neji arched a brow. “You seem quite knowledgeable of Konoha.”



“I’ve lived here all my life. Here you are.” Shikamaru pulled his vehicle at the entrance to the hotel.



Neji gave a half smile as he slid from the seat. “Thanks for the ride.”



“Hey, Nyla. How about lunch tomorrow?” Shikamaru called.



“Are you sure you want to be seen in public with me? I’m pretty sure I’ll look like an abused wife.” Neji tapped lightly at his jaw.



“I think I can handle it,” Shikamaru answered, “What room are you in?”



Neji frowned. “Why do you want to know?”



Shikamaru began chuckling that low deep rumble again, sending shivers through him. It had been a while since he’d been with a man, his last two relationships having been short but with women. “What’s so funny?”



“I can’t call you if I don’t know your room.”



“Oh…it’s 406” Neji could feel the blush rising on his cheeks. Since when did he blush?



“I’ll call you tomorrow around two. We’ll get a late lunch.” Shikamaru threw up his hand as he pulled away, not waiting for Neji’s response.



Neji shook himself before going up to the hotel room. He couldn’t figure out if the excitement curling in his stomach was from knowing he was one step closer to completing his objective or because he was going to see Shikamaru again. It was a very dangerous line he was treading. If he fell off, more than just himself could be hurt in the crossfire. What was it Sasuke had said? Don’t say you would never do something when it comes to undercover. How right Sasuke was and how empty his bed felt now.



~*~



Neji’s alarm blared at noon. He had a lot to get done before Shikamaru called. First of all, a shower was in order. Normally a shower was one of his favorite things. It was the perfect time to think over the events of the day, maybe masturbate so the cum would wash away immediately. Since he’d become a woman, so to speak, showers consisted of ridding his body of nearly every bit of hair. He was required to shave his legs, underneath his arms, and the arms themselves. The only place he was thankful of being hair free was his face. By some freak of nature, his face was always smooth. Too much estrogen in his body? He certainly hoped not. It would only give fuel to Tsunade’s impression of him being androgynous.



Stepping from the shower thirty minutes later, he cringed as he rubbed the floral scented lotion over his body. Haku told him if he wanted to pretend to be a woman, he had to take on the habits of a woman. He would kill the man when he met him again. God, this was a nightmare he wouldn’t wake up from for a week.



Sprawling on the bed to mourn the annoyance of showering plus his normal routine of hair care, he figured he deserved some time off after this. Fucking Tsunade. He should have milked her for a month. Did she know how much it was going to itch when all the hair grew back?



Tapping the remote on his knee while surfing, he found himself glancing at the clock every few minutes. It was nearly three when the telephone rang. His stomach grumbled in response, knowing it must be Shikamaru and his promise of food.



“Hello?”



“Nyla?”



“Yes?” Neji recognized the deep voice.



“Sorry, I have to cancel lunch. Something came up but come to the club tonight. I promise it will be a better experience. I told Juugo to let you in,” Shikamaru said.



“It’s alright. Thanks for telling me.” Neji felt a bit of disappointment work through him.



“Will you be there tonight?”



“Yes,” he breathed. He was doing this for his job. He kept repeating it in his head but the excitement in him didn’t feel like the kind that came with his job.



“I’ll see you tonight.” There were a few moments of silence before the line went dead. Neji shivered in excitement before racing towards the travel bag to pick out his clothes for tonight…purely for work related reasons of course.



~*~



Neji stepped from the cab, fighting the urge to pull at the skirt. It constantly felt as if it was riding up though he knew it wasn’t. Haku had made sure ever piece of clothes fit him perfectly. Everything, even down to the women’s underwear he was wearing fit him perfectly. He wasn’t even allowed the comfort of his own underwear. Something about men’s underwear messing up the lines of the clothes. Neji was sure it was just some joke at his expense.



“Ms. Nyla?” Neji glanced up to see the large, rather imposing door bouncer. Juugo, wasn’t it?



“Yes?” he answered, a bit nervous.



“You can go in. Shika said to wait by the bar for him.” Juugo nodded towards the entrance of the club.



Neji nodded in thanks before walking through the doors. He cringed internally at the catcall whistle sent in his direction. It was so damn tempting to go and slug whoever it was whistling at him. Act like a woman was the mantra recited in his head.



The club was just as crowded tonight as it was the previous night. In fact, he would even say it was more so. He wove in and out of the crowd, reaching the bar with more than his fair share of shoving. The same portly bartender was behind the bar, placing drinks to the waiting customers.



“Cosmo again?” he yelled over the pulsing beat of never-ending music.



Neji shook his head. He needed something stronger tonight; something to take his mind off a certain pierced club owner until he could find some semblance of control. “A shot of Jack.”



The bartender’s eyes rose as he set about procuring the shot glass. Golden whisky filled the small glass as he pushed it towards Neji. It was swallowed in one gulp. Fire burned unrelenting down his throat, making him close his eyes at the warmth settling in his stomach. He was tempted to ask for another. It was so tempting but he couldn’t risk inebriating himself when he finally had a door into Shikamaru Nara’s private life.



Pulling money from his hidden spot in his bra, he offered it to the bartender who shook his head. “Shika said you can have what you want.”



Neji arched a brow. That was interesting. If he wasn’t on the clock, he definitely would have taken another shot. Fate must not want him to have much for free. Such was that fickle bitch’s way. A new song started and a tap on his shoulder drew his attention. An attractive man smiled invitingly, gesturing for him to follow him to the dance floor.



What the hell, he thought as he allowed the stranger to lead him to the floor. He hadn’t been dancing in ages. Shikamaru obviously hadn’t come down from his office yet. There was no harm in enjoying a dance. It was better than standing bored at the bar. With the option of liquor taken from him, all he had was dancing left to entertain him.



The man pushed against his back, hands stroking down his smooth arms to settle on his waist. It was a bold move on his part but Neji didn’t care. As long as he didn’t blow his cover, he could touch him anywhere he wanted. Maybe it would help get his mind from the thoughts of Nara.



He closed his eyes, letting his body move to the rhythm of the music. He felt the hands move from his waist to his abdomen. It was fine. His blood was warm from the alcohol and his mind from the music. It felt nice to have human contact, even if it was from a stranger.



When the warm left his back, he opened his eyes to the flashing dark ones of Shikamaru Nara as he shoved the man away. Jealousy? What the hell? He was about to protest when Shikamaru immediately took the stranger’s place, pulling his back tightly against his chest. “You are far too troublesome.”



“You don’t have to get involved.” Neji felt the hands tighten on his hips before one hand slid up over his abdomen, inching beneath the shirt to splay on the naked skin of his stomach. Lips ghosted along the shell of his ear before the rim was taken between teeth. Oh, heaven help him. He could feel blood pooling southward. Oh Christ! He was getting hard.



“Normally I wouldn’t. Normally I would just let you go on your merry way but you are too tempting for me not to get involved. You’re lucky I didn’t do more to that man you let touch you. You let him touch you here…” His hand ran over his hips and waist before settling on his abdomen. “…and here.”



“It was just a dance.” Neji bit his lip as the nibbling lips sucked on the lobe of his ear before nibbling down his jaw.



“It looked like a lot more than a dance. If you could have seen your face… You looked almost as if you were having sex. You are a puzzle. I like puzzles.” Shikamaru pressed his hips into Neji’s ass, making his arousal evident. A little moan escaped from Neji’s lips. This was getting too far out of hand. It wasn’t like he could have sex with him without breaking his cover.



“Come upstairs with me,” he murmured, his hands pulling Neji’s head so that their lips met in a clash of flesh and teeth. Their tongues dueled, causing Neji to moan even louder into the other’s mouth. The taste of Shikamaru was of cigarettes and whiskey, a warm, dry taste. He wanted more. Needed it.



Biting on Shikamaru’s lower lip, he sucked it into his mouth. He was aching almost unbearably. He felt Shikamaru’s hands drift lower, stroking the dip of his hips. It had the identical effect of tossing cold water on him. What the hell was he doing? As soon as this case was closed, he was going to get laid over the course of his two weeks paid vacation. He’d been too long without a male lover. His body was screaming out to be taken. A female lover wasn’t going to satisfy him this time.



Neji pushed back, breathing hard. He’d let it go too far. “I can’t…”



Shikamaru’s eyes softened. “I won’t ravish you unless you want me to.”



Neji was about to answer with a rather witty retort when the large bouncer approached him. “Danzou and Sai are here.”



The names flushed every bit of lust from Neji’s body. Danzou and Sai. Those were the two the DEA really wanted. Those were the two they wanted Shikamaru to turn on. Maybe they wouldn’t need to go through Shikamaru to get the big fish after all.



“Take them to the VIP lounge.” Shikamaru cast a frustrated glance towards the entrance of the club. “I need to go. Wait in my office. Ask anyone where it is.”



Neji watched him move away towards the roped off VIP section. He wasn’t about to let this chance slip away. If Shikamaru was any type of club owner, he had special areas videoed and bugged.



He only had a few minutes. Rushing towards Shikamaru’s office, he prayed his hunch wasn’t wrong. Closing the door to the office, His eyes latched onto the series of security monitors. His eyes scanned each one until he found the one he wanted. Pressing buttons, he was thankful Tsunade forced all field agents to take courses in electronic operation.



Sound filled the room as Neji’s eyes latched onto the screen as an older man accompanied by a much younger man joined Shikamaru.



“Shikamaru, have you considered my offer? I’m willing to give you five percent of the take from use of your club.” Danzou brought a hand up to stroke the cross shaped scare on his chin. The dark haired younger man left the room to leave the two alone.



“You know my stand on that. I’m not stupid enough to think I can keep drugs out of my club but I’m not going to assist in their distribution.” Shikamaru stood his ground.



“Don’t be a fool. The exchange will bee on the fifteenth. I’ll have a whole new shipment ready for distribution. If you want a prime deal, now is your chance. In fact, I’ll make things even sweeter for you. Sai is at this very moment fetching that lovely young lady you were dancing with when we arrived,” Danzou chuckled.



Neji jerked as a hand flattened over his mouth and a gun was pressed into his ribs. “Don’t move. I would hate to shoot you.”



Neji froze. His only weapon was a knife slid into a special holster in his knee high boots. He hadn’t even heard the man. He was a shadow who appeared behind him.



“You shouldn’t listen on other people’s conversations.” A nudge forced Neji to move towards the exit. The armed man guided him towards the VIP area. The area was muffled. Music continued to play but a much more comfortable volume.



“Nyla!” Shikamaru turned as Neji was escorted into the room.



“Your girlfriend was listening in on our conversation,” The second man murmured. Neji knew his name was Sai. He was one of Danzou’s most trusted men.



“I think we have an interesting dilemma here Shikamaru. The exchange is on the fourteenth at ten p.m. I suggest you be there or something might happen to this little girl here.” Danzou reached a hand to stroke it down Neji’s cheek before turning to leave the room. “Bring the girl.”



Neji struggled against the hand around his bicep. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”



“Sai!”



Sai raised his gun, slamming it across Neji’s head before throwing him over his shoulder. “Fuck, she’s heavy.”



“Put her down.” Shikamaru stepped forward, only pausing when Sai brandished his weapon.



“You show up, ready to deal with Danzou and your girl will be sitting there waiting on you.” Sai said, walking out of the lounge.



~*~



Neji awoke to a pounding ache in his head. His hands were tied to a chair, as were his feet. The gag in his mouth prevented little more than grunts and groans to escape. How had he ended up in this mess and how long had he been out for? He had to check in with HQ at one p.m. If they didn’t hear from him, emergency actions would be taken that might blow up the chance of getting these guys.



He closed his eyes when the door to the room opened. “I know you’re awake.”



Neji’s pearly eyes opened to stare at the man, Sai. “You know, I don’t really approve of using others but Danzou took me in. My loyalties are with him. I’ll make sure you are let go but you have to sit quietly until the exchange when Danzou will seal Shikamaru’s loyalty. He’s been after Nara for months. His club is a perfect font for the merchandise.”



Neji tried to relay the message that he didn’t care. His heart lightened at the news Shikamaru wasn’t involved. Danzou’s attempts at recruiting him must have been seen as meetings to discuss business. It was shoddy research on the DEA’s part. He only hoped they could make up for it before everyone was in over their head.



Watching as Sai left, he glanced at his boot, surprised they hadn’t frisked him. They probably assumed he was just some nosy girl. Biting hard on the gag, he began pulling his hand through the tight rope. The skin was shredded as it pulled through the course material. Tears pricked his eyes as he fought from screaming out. He gasped out a whimper as his hand finally slid free, blood dripping down his fingers to splash on the carpeting. It was a good thing they’d left the rope slightly loose.



Reaching to his boot, he grabbed the knife before sawing through the rope holding his left hand in place. He was quick to cut the ropes binding his legs. Once free, he carefully opened the door. He wasn’t surprised no one was there. He was an assumed girl tied to a chair. What would she need guards for?



Slinking through the house, he ducked into a bedroom. A phone sat undisturbed on the bedside table. This was almost too easy. Dialing his handler, he prayed for swiftness on their parts.



“Neji? Where the fuck have you been? Tsunade is on the rampage. You‘re almost six hours late checking in,” Naruto hissed into the phone.



“I’m at Danzou’s mansion. The fucker had me knocked over the head,” Neji hissed into the phone.



“Did he make you?”



Neji‘s eyes kept darting back and forth throughout the room. “I don’t think so. I think he wants to use me to force Shikamaru’s hand.”



“We’ll get you…” Naruto trailed off as someone began speaking to him. The voices were too muffled for Neji to make out and he was assuming Naruto was updating the others on his whereabouts. A crash came from down the hall.



“Fuck, Naruto…I can’t stay here. Send a team now!” he hissed, slamming the phone to its hook and taking up his knife.



The door of the room he was hidden in slammed open. One of who he assumed as a man working for Danzou barreled in. Neji took a defensive stance as what looked like a 9mm was pointed at his chest.



“You stirred up quite the ruckus. Danzou said to take care of you. I’m glad I’m the first to find you. I don’t like sloppy seconds.” The man leered, sending a disgusting crawling feeling through Neji.



He wasn’t a commando. He was trained in hand to hand combat but no more than any other field agent. When a gun was leveled at your chest, you didn’t turn into Rambo. You stood still and prayed they wouldn’t pull the trigger.



The man approached, pressing the gun to his temple as he shoved him to the bed. He was forced to drop the knife to the floor. The man obviously had rape on the mind. He was likely to get a nasty surprise in a minute. That would be Neji’s only chance to turn the tables before he was dead…or actually raped. Some men didn’t care. A hole was a hole. He would have to use the man’s initial surprise against him.



He cringed at the hand working up his leg. The touch was revolting against his smooth skin. He had to focus. The other’s shock would be short. He needed to be ready for it.



There was a bit of commotion outside the door but his assaulter didn’t seem to be paying any attention to it. His hand was nearly to his crotch when the door flew open. The light from the hallway hid his face from view in the darkened room



“Wait your turn, asshole. I found her first,” growled his attacker.



The shadow approached, slamming something into his attacker’s skull. He went flying off of him, unconscious. Neji sat up, his hand snatching the knife from it‘s discarded position, ready to defend himself.



“You are probably the most troublesome person I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet.”



Neji’s eyes widened almost comically. “Shikamaru?”



“Tch…come on, lets get out of here.” Shikamaru pulled Neji to his feet, leading him through the house.



“How did you get in here? I would imagine Danzou would be the type to keep this place boarded up tighter than Fort Knox.” Neji gaped at a few men unconscious on the floor.



“He’s not here. He left a skeleton crew in charge while he and Sai went out. They seemed to be in a hurry. Things like that, don‘t bode well. Danzou is normally a creature of habit.” Shikamaru pulled him out from the house just as the gates were bust through.



“Freeze!” Jacketed agents and police officers trained their guns on Shikamaru and Neji.



“Ah…that’s why he left,” Shikamaru mumbled, rolling his eyes towards the sky.



“Hyuuga! Christ you gave us a scare.” Tsunade barreled towards the two as an officer moved to yank Shikamaru’s hands behind his back.



“Let him go!” growled Neji, a bit offended at the treatment Shikamaru was having.



“You know the protocol, Neji. If he’s not involved, he’ll be released in a couple of hours.” Neji watched as Shikamaru was pulled towards a car.



“I thought I told you, you had a week to complete this mission. What an annoying kid.” Tsunade crossed her arms as she escorted Neji to the ambulance just pulling up.



“I didn’t intend to get taken.” Neji hissed as they began cleaning his lacerated hand. It hurt like a bitch now that his adrenaline had worn off.



“I know. This was a dangerous mission, even for an experienced agent. That’s why my initial choice was Uchiha. We just couldn’t get around the fucking tattoos. The cover nearly half of his body from shoulder to knee.” Tsunade rubbed her temple with a finger.



“Sasuke’s not ready for undercover work yet.” Neji mumbled, remembering to look in the other’s eyes when they’d last talked.



“Hmph, so you say,” she chuckled. “This isn’t exactly what I had planned when I wanted a way to bust Danzou.”



“Hey, he kidnapped a federal undercover agent. It gets you access to anything in his home he didn’t already take with him. That’s better than nothing. I’m pretty sure he didn’t have time to take everything. It’s probably not as good as having him in custody, but it’s not a complete loss.” Neji eyed his bandaged hand. He was full of regrets after this mission, most of them revolving around Shikamaru. He couldn’t stop thinking of him. The other was probably as straight as an arrow.



“No, not a complete loss. Just a question, though. What happened with you and Nara?” Tsunade smirked at him.



“Nothing. The woman he thinks he knew doesn’t exist,” Neji stated, staring off towards the mansion.



“So…does this mean during the last three days, you were a woman?”



“Don’t even start that crap. I’m taking my vacation starting now. With pay.” Neji moved away from her towards one of the agents, ordering him to take him home. He just wanted to drown his memories of this weekend and forget everything, including one surprisingly sexy Shikamaru Nara.



~*~



Neji rolled out of bed at the banging on his apartment door. Pulling on a yukata his uncle sent him from Japan, he trudged towards the door. The two weeks paid vacation were not going as he’d imagined them. Instead of actually enjoying his vacation, he was holing himself in his apartment. When he was hungry, he ordered take out. When he was bored, he watched television. When he was tired, he slept. He wasn’t expecting any visitors.



Half asleep, he yawned as he opened the door to reveal bored looking Shikamaru Nara. “Shikamaru? How did you find my apartment?”



“Your friend Naruto seems to think you and I need to talk.” Shikamaru blinked lazily as he took in the silk clad body before him.



Neji frowned, remembering a strange conversation he had with Naruto at the beginning of his vacation. “We don’t need to talk. The DEA was investigating you in your dealings with Danzou. I’m assuming since you are here, they released you. We don’t have anything else to say. I was undercover. Nyla wasn’t real. Hell, I‘m not even a woman.”



“I knew you weren’t a woman almost from the minute you walked into the club.” Shikamaru’s lips turned up in a smirk.



“Huh?” Neji blinked at the other. Everyone else seemed to think he was a woman.



“Your Adam’s apple. I noticed it the first time we talked. Most people don’t notice them unless they are extremely prominent.” Neji just continued to blink at him. He’d known he wasn’t a man.



Now Neji was a bit annoyed. “Were you playing me?”



“Playing you? Actually, I was trying to woo you,” he said, scratching his head.



Neji was floored. He’d been pretending to be a woman. He’d been attracted to his target, going so far as practically making out with him on the dance floor under the assumption Shikamaru thought him a female and now he was standing half naked before the man in his apartment being told he knew he was a man all along. His lower regions tingled alive with the thought that had been sifting through his mind since the moment he’d met Shikamaru Nara. “Why are you here?”



“You are nearly as bad as a woman. I want to continue my wooing.” Neji’s brows disappeared into his brow at the statement.



“You don’t even know me,” he said, reaching to close the door. This was madness.



Shikamaru reached a hand to grab the door. “I want to. I’ve been thinking about you since I last saw you.”



“You are thinking about an illusion. My name is Neji Hyuuga. Nyla isn't real,” Neji argued, growing frustrated with Shikamaru’s presence.



Shikamaru’s hand shot out, grabbing Neji’s bicep as he shoved him against the wall. Their bodies were plastered from chest to groin. “You’re real.”



His head lowered and lips devoured his as Shikamaru’s free hand plowed through thick hair. Neji’s mind began to short-circuit at the taste. He recalled their kiss on the dance floor. This one was even more potent because there were no costumes or fake identities between them. He could feel the brush of the gold lip ring as their lips meshed. It wasn‘t until Shikamaru pulled back. “You are so troublesome. This is real and I‘ll prove it to you.”



With those words, he left the apartment. Neji slumped against his wall, his lips still tingling from the kiss. What was he going to do?



~*~



Neji had dreaded this day. His first day returning to work after his two weeks of paid vacation. Not that he used the vacation for anything but sleep. He ignored the snickering from the desks he passed. One would think they’d never had to go undercover as a woman.



“Hyuuga!” Neji froze at the shout. Only Tsunade could put that much power into her voice.



“Yes, ma’am?” He turned to face her.



Her lips twitched a little before moving past him. “Stop taking all the romantic ones.”



Neji frowned. What did she mean by that? Shaking his head in confusion, he made his way towards his desk. Blood infused his cheeks as his desk came into view. Two very large vases, containing at least two dozen roses each were placed on his desk.



A hand slapped onto his shoulder, drawing him from his embarrassment. “You’ve got every woman in the building jealous. Good job.”



Neji pushed Naruto’s hand from his shoulder. “One would think you people had something better to do.”



Naruto threw up his hands, chuckling as he made his way back to his smirking partner.



Settling at his desk, he snatched the card from one of the vases.



An arrangement a day until you go out with me.



Neji smirked a little, hiding it behind the large flower arrangements on his desk. Maybe he would have to go to that lunch after all. After all, Shikamaru had gone to the trouble of announcing to his entire department his intentions. He’d spent the week thinking about the kiss and Shikamaru in general. He’d come to a decision the previous day. He wasn’t sure if the two would work out but he thought he’d give fate a chance but after this stunt, well, maybe he’d let him stew a little for a couple more days just to see how serious he was. Neji wasn’t going to just fall in some man’s arms. Shikamaru might be a bit on the lazy side but he would have to work for it to get in his pants and Neji wasn't about to give away for free. Oh, it was going to be fun letting Shikamaru get to know the real Neji Hyuuga.



The end