The Choices Between Friends

Chapter 28

 

Wounds and Words

 

Neji pulled in behind Kiba. This was his first time going to Nar's apartment. Despite the fact that his bubbly blond was having a less than happy day, Neji felt a little thrill of happiness as he approached the door. He wanted to see his darling's home. He wanted to get to know every part of his lovers' lives. 

 

Kiba opened the door and ushered him inside. Naruto looked up from the television and swallowed hard before a slightly chipped mask fell into place. "Hi Neji!" His sweet voice rang out like a little bell.

 

"You hungry?" Nar didn't wait for an answer. He hopped up from the pillow he'd been sitting on and bolted into the kitchen like a rabbit.

 

Nara was biting the inside of his cheek, leaning against the far wall, contemplating his shoes. Neji looked over his shoulder at Kiba. The other brunette was avoiding his eyes. The air was thick with their shared pain. It pulled at Neji's heart. They were each on the verge of breaking down because their dear sweet Nar was in pain. 

 

His Tesoro and Teufel were openly avoiding him, so he took a step towards his Beleza. Nara didn't move away. He didn't move at all. It was almost as if the pretty genius was unaware of Neji's presence at all.

 

Nara started when a pale hand gently caressed his cheek. Troubled dark brown eyes blinked up at him. "Neji...." Shikamaru whispered before Neji pulled him into a tender hug.  

 

"Beleza, do you trust me?" Nara nodded against his shoulder. "Do you trust me enough to leave him with me for tonight?"

 

"Neji... he'll think..." Nara looked away.

 

"No, he won't. I will convince him that what I want is more than just his body." Neji placed two fingers under Nara's chin and gently forced the other to meet his gaze. "I can not do this if you are here."

 

Shikamaru's eyes hardened. He was not about to walk off and leave Nar with some guy they barely... 'Kami... what the hell am I thinking... this is Neji...' Shame forced his eyes closed. He couldn't pull away and he was almost certain Neji had seen what he'd been thinking. The other man pulled him into another tender hug and there was no doubt. He almost sobbed as he nodded into Neji's shoulder a second time. 

 

Neji kissed his cheek. "Go to Kiba's tonight. I do not want you to be alone." Nara just nodded again.

 

When Nara told Kiba that they were leaving, he gave them both a hard look, but didn't argue.  Nara went into the little kitchen to tell Naruto goodbye and Neji placed a comforting hand on Kiba's shoulder. "Please make sure Nara stays with you tonight. I do not think he should be alone..."

 

Kiba bit his lip with one of his fang-like teeth. "I'll call Chouji over. We'll make a night of it." Neji smiled in thanks.

 

Kiba grinned over Neji's shoulder. "Don't pout brat. We're only bailing on you for tonight." He spun Neji around and gently shoved him at the blond. "Take care of pretty boy for us." His other hand grabbed Shikamaru's arm. The blond looked almost as panic stricken as Shikmaru felt being drug out the door to Kiba's car.

 

Naruto looked ready to bolt again, until Neji's voice nailed his feet to the floor. "I am sorry if you would rather not be alone with me...  Kiba needed to go home and check on his 'puppy'. I thought it would be good if Nara kept him company.."

 

 

Nar tried to laugh it off. "Neji, Akamaru isn't a puppy, he's a damn horse with canines."

 

It was easy to tell that the blond's heart wasn't in it. "Would you rather go with them?"

 

Tears welled up in those beautiful blue eyes, but Nar didn't speak. Neji took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I will take you there if you ask me to," he said gently. Nar just bit his lip and looked away. Something hardened inside Neji and it showed in his tone. "I will only take you if you ask. I will not leave you alone. Otherwise, you will be stuck here with me." Again the blond was silent. Neji's resolve hardened a bit more.

 

"Very well, is there anything you would like to do? Are you hungry?” Neji asked quietly. His lover shook his head. "Shall we sit down on the couch?" the brunette asked turning that direction.

 

“Why do you want to be with me?” Nar whispered brokenly. ‘I get why he’d want Nara… who wouldn’t want that sexy genius. Even Kiba has that raw animal magnetism thing going on… but why me?'

 

Neji took hold of Nar's arm much as Kiba had done earlier with Nara and guided the blond toward the couch. “Do you remember the sketches I did of you that first night?” he asked rather than answering straight out.

 

Nar didn’t respond as he was pulled down onto the sofa. He wasn’t sure if he could drag that much air into his lungs. Neji reached for his bag and pulled out his sketchbook. It wasn’t the same one, he had filled that one some time ago. This one was also filled with multiple pictures of his three lovers.

 

Flip-Flip Neji turned the pages carefully until he found the one he sought. He placed it on the floor in front of Nar. “Please look.”

 

The blond bit his lip and swallowed hard before opening his eyes. On the page before him was a radiant young man sleeping peacefully. Neji’s drawing seemed to almost glow with a soft inner light. Naruto was bare from the shoulders to waist with only a wisp of the sheet covering his ample behind.

 

It took a moment for the dazzled young man to even register that the person he was looking at was himself. The second shock was realizing that his sleeping self was nestled in another person’s lap. He could just make out the shape of crossed legs beneath his messy golden head.

 

“Who’s that?” he breathed, awe tinged his words.

 

Neji’s strong arms wrapped around his shoulders and the regal chin moved to rest on his golden head. Neji smiled as he looked down at the image of his sleeping angel. “I could have stayed like that forever.”

 

Nar blushed violently. “S..sorry.”

 

The artist sighed. “It’s not supposed to make you feel badly.”

 

The indignant tone and exasperated sigh actually drew a chuckle from the imp in his arms. Neji hugged him again. The block of ice around Nar’s heart was starting to melt. He picked up the book hesitantly. “Can I?”

 

“If you wish.” ‘If you wish it, I will make it yours. I will give you everything, please ask me, ask me…’ Neji hugged Naruto tighter this time. It hurt to know his Tesoro was hurting and he couldn’t just make it all disappear with his miserable if pretty words. Naruto began to flip through the book and his awe and his blush deepened together.

 

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The morning dawned bright and clear. Neji's neck was stiff from falling asleep sitting up. They'd talked about inconsequential things for hours. Nar had fallen asleep in his lap on the couch the night before and Neji hadn't had the heart to move him. He had one class he really shouldn't miss today, but some things were just more important. He sent a text message to Nara, hoping that the other man could convince Nar's boss to give their lover the day off so that the two of them could spend the entire day together.

~TBC...