The Choices Between Friends

Chapter: Plots, Ploys, and Plans

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The early morning light filtered through the tinted floor to ceiling windows. Hiashi Hyuuga looked up from the proposal in front of him to frown at the man entering through his private door. The man bowed deferentially. The Hyuuga Corp CEO simply nodded for the man to get on with it.



"The reports are.. 'conflicting'. We can't be sure which is true as of yet. It is possible that both are."



Hiashi's scowl deepened. "How would you like us to proceed?" his employee asked.



"We need more information. Explore all leads. I want to know everything there is to be known. And, I want it quickly."



His Security Chief nodded and left the same way he'd arrived. The meeting had never happened. These meetings never happened.

 

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"Um, Neji....?"  Naruto had been a little disappointed when Neji had insisted that they shower separately. Neji was out to prove a point, but that didn't make it any easier to resist the blond's sweetly pouting face. Naruto still pouting as he pulled a bright orange T-shirt over his wet head. "Are you sure you don't have anything to do today?"

 

"Of course I do," Neji chided his lover stealing up behind the blond and wrapping his arms around Nar's muscled chest. "I have to keep my Tesoro company."

 

"Ha! So what? That means you're at my beck and call all day?" Nar was grinning now and cuddling back against his beautiful boyfriend.

 

"So long as it isn't against 'The Rules', then your wish is my command my love."

 

'Corny Neji...' Nar thought to himself while refusing to admit just how good his 'corny' lover had just made him feel. "So, if I wanted to introduce you to someone... important to me... would that be okay?" The blond held his breath.

 

"You honor me Tesoro. Please, make the arrangements." Naruto could have done flips, if Neji hadn't still been holding him so sweetly.

 

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Sasuke sneered as he watched the girl leave the building. He couldn't believe the bitch's audacity. That woman had actually come to him to form an alliance. She wanted to be Mrs. Neji Hyuuga. Apparently she knew that he wanted Neji as his lover. She had proposed that they share the man. 



Part of her argument had been sound. Both he and Neji would have to marry women and maintain the appearance of normal businessmen. She had actually offered to use her connections with the Hyuuga family to help him win Neji. 



'As if I needed her help for that!' The young raven was seething, more at the fact that she had lied to him. She claimed to have met Neji's new boyfriend. She claimed that he was an adorable blond with a history of questionable behavior.



Sasuke had it from a good authority that Neji's boyfriend had been to the man's suite last night. He was neither blond nor adorable. Sasuke had already been stewing over that bit of information before the stupid little nouveau-riche* gold digging bitch had arrived and demanded to speak with him. He had thrown her out. He didn't know what her real game was, but he definitely didn't have time for the likes of her.

 

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BANG BANG BANG

'I am going to kill him this time!' Shino drug himself out of bed and headed for the door. He tripped over a stack of research books and actually managed not to squeal like a girl when pain shot from a stubbed toe straight up his spine to explode in his brain. Kankurou was a dead man, the moron just didn't know it yet.



He yanked the door back and his jaw fell open just as wide. Standing in front of him was a goofily grinning Kiba. Shino's gut clenched then and he was stumbling toward the sink and vomiting into it. When his muscles unlocked, he slumped there for a moment before reaching to turn on the water and the disposal. A large tan hand reached from behind him as another held his waist supportively.



"Relax. I got it," Kiba's voice rumbled through his chest where it pressed against Shino's trembling back. "Sorry. Didn't know you were sick."



A shudder ran through Shino and as that strong arm wrapped around his slender waist. "Let's get you back in bed. C'mon."



Shino was half lifted as he stumbled back to his bed. He cringed when he looked at the bowl next to his bed. If he had felt better, he would have been mortified. The larger man helped him get settled and then tucked him in gently. "Be back in a min. Stay put," Kiba said quietly as he gathered up the bowl and the soiled towel and left the room.



Shino lay there trying to will his stomach to settle. It wasn't as if there was still anything in there. Kiba returned with the bowl, cleaned. He set that and two fresh towels on the floor within easy reach. A cool wash cloth was laid against Shino's forehead and he sighed. It felt so good. He relaxed and another wave of nausea washed over him. He tried to get up. Kiba held him down and gently rolled him onto his side while holding the bowl under his face. 



When that bout was done, Kiba wiped Shino's face and mouth with the wash cloth and even helped him hold his water glass while he rinsed his mouth. Shino really couldn't remember being this sick in a very very long time. He slumped back against his pillows and closed his eyes against the harsh day light filtering passed his blinds. He hadn't had the strength to get up and draw the dark curtains down. 

 

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Shikamaru sat in class trying not to worry about Naruto. Kiba and Cho had tried to distract him the night before. Chouji had met them at Kiba’s place armed with movies and extra pillows. Nara hadn’t cooperated. Eventually the other two gave up and let him be. He’d cuddled with Akamaru and brooded most of the night. He was paying for that now. He was still too wound up to sleep and he’d never had a problem sleeping in class before. It was something of a gift under normal circumstances.



Neji’s text message that morning should have made him feel better. It didn’t. All he wanted to do was drop everything and join them. He felt insecure and jittery and he wasn’t certain why. Every class drug by at the speed of death. He could not wait for it to be over.



‘Thank Kami!’ Nara thought as he wove through the crowd of students and headed for the bus. There was some commotion in front of the building. Shikamaru’s heart skipped a beat and he caught himself hoping it was Nar and Neji in Neji’s flashy car waiting for him. Disappointment was swiftly followed by a debilitating kind of mortification. There was a flashy car, and a long haired beauty, and there was no doubt that both were there waiting for him. ‘This is not happening.’

“Nara-kun!” Long dark hair with wild pink streaks danced on the breeze. There was Haku in all his unconventional splendor waving his arm in the air and smiling broadly in front of a hot pink mustang convertible with dark purple flames painted along the sides. He was wearing a long sleeved shirt with rings of purple and green circling his arms. The body of the shirt was a pale lavender. The material was so thin, you could easily see his pale skin beneath it. He was wearing a small black tank top beneath it. A pair of loose black slave pants rode very low on his narrow hips, revealing more pale flesh between the hem of the shirt and his waist band. 'Troublesome...'

 

He had no choice. He made his way quickly to the weirdo's car and got in. Haku turned to regard him. The look on his face was one of sadistic amusement. The idiot took his time making his way around to the driver's side of the outlandish mustang. Haku was openly giggling as he slowly buckled his seat belt and adjusted his rear view mirror imperceptibly. Nara fumed beside him, trying to sink into that deep purple crush velvet seat cover. 

 

As they pulled out of the driveway and onto the street, Nara glared at the colorfully embroidered floor mat and grumbled an observation. "You have a thing for butterflies..."  

 

Haku smiled. "And pink." The lunatic said while twirling a strand of pink hair between two fingers. Nara closed his eyes and tried to pretend he was somewhere else. Haku glanced at him and smiled. It was such a sweet smile, had Shikamaru seen it, he surely would have been worried.

 

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Shino opened his eyes and he realized that he must have fallen asleep. His curtains were down, blocking out more light than the blinds had. He slipped his glasses on and glanced down to the floor and saw another fresh towel. The bowl was clean again too. 'He must have done that before he left.' Shino mused. He was feeling a bit better now and he could think clearly enough to be amazed that Kiba had spent so much time helping someone he barely knew. 'Kami! He held me up while I vomited!' That's when the mortification kicked in. He closed his eyes and groaned miserably. The door creaked and he cracked an eye open to see who it was. 



Kiba managed to shock him for the second time. "Sorry, just got back from the store," The shaggy brunette ducked his head in apology. Kiba looked over at the empty bowl and smiled. "Can't believe you two didn't even have any acetaminophen."



"I don't get sick often, and Neji didn't spend much time here until recently," Shino managed to croak. His throat was really dry. Kiba winced sympathetically and handed him a fresh glass of water and two little pills. 



Shino blushed softly as he accepted both. "Thank you."



"Why aren't you home getting mothered?" Kiba asked unable to stop himself.



The smaller man sighed as he set the glass on the nightstand. "The servants have better things to do than wait on me and get sick as well." It came out harsher than he'd meant it to. "Not to mean that you don't also, it's just that... I..." He sighed again in defeat. Shino was not good with people and he knew it. 'Machines yes, people no.'



His unruly guest laughed and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Gave me an excuse to skip out on a project that I didn't want to do anyway. Plus, I never get the flu," Shino blushed again. Kiba had the easiest manner. He had been so tender while caring for Shino. 

 

It took Kiba's words a moment to sink in. Shino sat bolt upright when he realized what the other had said. "OH NO! You missed work for me?!?!"



Kiba laughed again and patted a slender leg through the blanket. "It's no big deal. Really." 



Shino just shook his head vehemently. His father had never missed a day of work in his life, not even for Shino's birth. The man had gone right back to the lab after seeing his son come into the world. Missing work was bad. If he could have stood without vomiting, Shino would not have missed a single class that morning.



"We aren't family. Your employer won't excuse your absence." Horror filled his voice scratching his throat more and he started coughing. Kiba pulled the smaller man to his chest and held him there tightly as the coughing subsided. 



"Shino," Kiba's voice was firm, but gentle, much like he would use on the puppies at Hana's clinic. "Relax. I called my boss and told him something came up and I wouldn't be back from lunch. It's really NO BIG DEAL."



"He can't be alright with that Kiba, he just can't be." Shino could picture his father's response to such a call from one of their employees.



"He laughed and called me a 'sly bastard' Shino. He even said he'd skip out too if he had a good reason.” Kiba gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

 

"I don't believe you," Shino said flatly, too bewildered to realize that he was still in the other man's arms. Being around Kiba seemed to have the same calming affect on him that being close to Gaara did.



Kiba chuckled and it sounded so suggestive it was almost erotic. 'Okay, maybe not the exact same affect.' Shino quietly admitted to himself. 



"He even teased me about it. It's okay, really." 'He sure is stubborn for such a cute little thing.' An image of Nar with his arms crossed over his chest flashed through Kiba's head. 'Okay, maybe cute and stubborn go hand in hand.'



Shino looked up at him, confused. "Teased you? How?"



The grinning face broke out in a playful leer. "He thinks I skipped out so I could get laid." Kiba could just see the outline of Shino's eyes through the tinted lenses. They had grown large in shock.



"Wha.., Wha.... you... of course you told him that it wasn't true!" Shino sputtered. 



Kiba held him tighter out of reflex as he tried not to laugh so hard he'd piss himself. Shino in his own way was just as cute as Nar. "Of course I didn't. I have a reputation ya' know."



The pale young man's perplexed face was priceless. Kiba gave up. He let go of Shino and grabbed his stomach as he guffawed. Tears were streaming down his face when he was finally able to look at Shino again. Shino did not look amused. He did however look adorable. Kiba wanted to pinch his cheeks and tell him so, but the death glare warned him not to. 



"Aw, come on. Don't be pissed. I'm sorry, it's just... well, I've kinda got a reputation for stuff like that. I know you don't know that, but it was just so funny... and you looked so confused..." Kiba was babbling. It was a strategy that had gotten him out of many messes before. He had on his best 'innocent' face. "And you looked so cute and confused and.... I'm really sorry, okay?"

'Cute?' Shino was even more confused than before. No one had called him cute since grammar school. He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. "I am NOT cute, Kiba." The brute just blinked at him for a moment, then laughed so hard he fell off the edge of the bed onto the floor. Shino couldn't have known how absolutely adorable he looked in his over-sized T-shirt that made him look so much smaller than he was, with his arms crossed and a scowl that more resembled a sulky pout than anything else.



Shino's scowl/pout deepened as he glared down at the guffawing lunatic on his floor. "You are a very strange man," he said in a very flat tone.



The other smiled at him, it was a warm and friendly smile. "I try." Shino couldn't help himself; he smiled back at the idiot.

~TBC...





nouveau-riche:  person who has suddenly risen to a higher economic status but has not gained social acceptance of others in that class;  The term can also be used in a derogatory fashion, for the purposes of social class distinction, to describe persons with new found wealth and who are viewed as lacking the experience, finesse, or taste to use wealth in the same manner as old money - persons from families who have been wealthy for multiple generations. The implication is that, despite their wealth, they are still of lower- or middle-class origin, and therefore culturally inferior.