An Indecent Affair

Chapter 2
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Neji lay on his side on the cold, wet tiles of his shower floor and let the weak spray of water wash the blood, sweat and semen from his decrepit body. His tears mingled with the streams of water that raced across his face and while it removed all traces of his abused and tormented state it did nothing to wash away his shame.

His pale eyes focused on the abstract pattern of the plastic shower curtain but he didn't see it. The gaudy design that he had come to hate over the past few years no longer repulsed him but it was a welcoming change that he found it to be just as grotesque as he was.

The water's temperature gradually increased as the old heater finally kicked in and although the piercing shower was made even more hazardous by the droplets that were now scalding the tender layer of skin he had scrubbed raw, Neji made no move to get up or shut off the tap. He continued to lay there and suffer in silence even though the tiny part of his conscience that pitied him said he'd suffered enough.

He didn't believe that voice, nor did he listen to it.

What he did believe was that he deserved the abuse and the only voice he listened to was the one that said he'd brought it on himself.

He winced as he was mercilessly pelted by scorching drops of water and he felt the blood rise to the surface of his skin on the side of his body that lay exposed to the assault. It was torturous but it felt good and any kind of pain was glorious to him than reliving that man's hands or mouth on his body.

Neji bit hard on his bottom lip as the memories of being raped in his office and the back seat of his limousine came flooding back to him in a malevolent tidal wave. The intimate places he fondled, the feel of his lips and tongue against his naked flesh, the way the stronger man played with him, toyed with him and made him feel vulnerable and weak like it amused him whenever he tried to deny him, tried to refuse him and tried to fight him.

The water became unbearable now and Neji was forced to shut off the shower or be boiled alive, and he morbidly wondered if that would be such a bad thing.

Neji hated his life right now but not as much as he hated himself.

He didn't have any friends and most of his family were either dead or had a life of their own, the only person who would probably miss him or probably even notice he was gone would be his fiancee, Ten Ten but as much as he loved her and as much as he looked forward to one day, making her his wife, he knew, deep down inside his heart, that she deserved so much better.

But as much as he wanted to, and as strong as the temptation was, he too cowardly to end his own life and that knowledge made him feel even more pathetic.

Neji staggered to his feet, the movement made even more difficult by the dull pain throbbing throughout his body and the sudden spinning of his equilibrium. He hobbled out of the stall and gripped the rim of the sink for added support and his eyes rested on the contemptible boy in the mirror. It was purely by accident, he'd went to such great lengths to avoid looking at his reflection when he first came in but gazing at himself now, he knew why he had made the extra effort.

Eyes, red from crying, stared into an expressionless face. A face devoid of any emotion save loathing and disgust. His skin was an unhealthy pink from the damaged capillaries just beneath its first layer caused by the hot water and tiny scratches marred his arms, neck and chest where his nails grated against the flesh in a desperate attempt to remove invisible fingerprints. He saw the dark bruise on the gentle curve between his neck and shoulder blade and the images of Orochimaru sinking his teeth against that spot, first in his office and then again in the car flashed before him.

Neji closed his eyes against the disturbing illusions but that only made them more defined. He suddenly felt sick and his head swam and he tasted the bile at the back of his throat. He swallowed once in an attempt to force it down but there was a foul taste at the back of his tongue and Neji could no longer hold it back.

His stomach convulsed and his knees buckled beneath him as he leaned over the sink and retched loudly. He gripped the ceramic rim tightly until his knuckles shone against the over head light and his body felt as if were being pulled inside out. He coughed up the remains lodged near the back of his throat and they grated against the already tender flesh, sore from all the screaming he'd done in just this day alone.

He washed what used to be his breakfast down the drain before brushing his teeth and rinsing his mouth with mouthwash to prevent the sickly taste from making him throw up again.

Neji dressed slowly, without first drying off himself and his cotton boxers and T-shirt soaked up the condensation and clung to his damp skin and the moisture in his hair seeped into any available dry patches while the excess dripped to the floor. He left a long, wet trail as he limped into the living room and large spots of water on the rough upholstery as he stretched out on his sofa, but he didn't care. Whatever mess was made was nothing compared to the mess he'd made of his life.

The young man sighed and flicked on the television by way of the remote but not for the purpose of watching it, he just needed something, anything to dispel the eerie silence of his apartment and the condescending voices in his head.

The phone rang, and he appreciated its intrusion.

"Hello?" he rasped into the off-white receiver.

"Oh, did I wake you? I'm so sorry."

It was Ten-Ten. He was always glad to hear her chipper voice and always looked forward to her calls, and tonight, he'd hoped that talking to her would help him forget his problems for just a little while but he really didn't feel like talking to her at all.

"No, I just got in from work," he replied.

"Did my baby have a bad day?"

She had no idea.

"Yeah."

"You sound awful Neji, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just a sore throat," he lied and forcefully cleared his throat for good measure before wincing at the grainy sensation.

"I warned you not to work too hard," she scolded. "Now you've gone and made yourself sick."

Usually he would have laughed and made fun of her mother-hen syndrome but laughter and humor were concepts that seemed foreign to him right now. "I'm fine, Ten-Ten," he said simply.

The woman on the other end sighed and he imagined she had just rolled her eyes. "No Neji, you're not fine, you're ill. Will you please stop trying to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and for once in your life stop pretending to be Superman?"

He remained silent and the girl sighed again when she realized she'd lost her temper.

"I'm sorry Neji," was her sincere apology. "But I'm just worried about you, you know. I know you've been taking the loss of your past few jobs really badly and you try so hard, but if you just relax and take one day at a time you'll see that there's no reason for you be wound up so tightly." She smiled then and he could hear it in her voice. "I know that this job is the one for you, I can feel it."

He wanted to scoff at her remark since he found it to be quite amusing in a sarcastic kind of way but he'd forgotten how to laugh so he just remained quiet.

Ten-Ten tried to encourage him into many different conversations but he either replied with a grunt or vague two-word phrases and she eventually got the hint that her beloved just wasn't very talkative tonight.

"Make sure you take something for your throat and try to get some rest, okay," prescribed the young woman.

"Yeah, okay."

"And by rest I mean sleep, not those two hour power naps you used to take during college."

"Hmm."

The girl sighed again and made a sound as if she wanted to say something but thought better of it and closed her mouth again. He knew his cold attitude towards her was unwarranted and he felt terribly guilty for treating her this way and it only increased his self-loathing because he had no right to take this out on her.

She really deserved so much better.

"Neji, I'm gonna go now, so take care and don't push yourself too hard, okay?"

"Okay," he rasped weakly.

"I love you, baby."

"I love you too."

He could imagine her smiling into the receiver as she soaked in those precious words she loved to hear him say.

"G'night Neji. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Yeah," he grunted in response before she hung up and the line clicked, leaving him alone with nothing but the television to distract his meandering thoughts .

Tomorrow? He was dreading tomorrow.

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By the way. I don't own Superman and if I did I'd be ruling Japan right about now.

W00t! I've got two fans for this story idea so far and the rating's good so I assume other people like it as well so I'll try to continue.


Tyra: I like this story, too. Hell, I like all SasuNeji stories..
xD I hope Sasuke will show up in the next chapter. Soo, Uchiha Oro.. Interesting.
Is it wrong if I like that Neji got raped by Orochimaru? :X
Update soon.
You like the pairing too, huh? This is your second fic correct? I LOVE BOTH !

ClaireBear: Yeah, Neji / Sasuke is one of my favourite pairings, I don't know why and I've already got two other AU story ideas focusing on those two. Aye Caramba! Yep, Orochimaru is an Uchiha in this story (1.) Because I don't know what his last name is and (2.) He's Sasuke's and Itachi's step-father. How is that possible...well the reason's pretty...stupid I guess...well I guess you'll have to be the judge.

Sasuke should show up in the chapter after this because I don't want this fic to become another 40+ paged novel.

I like it when Neji suffers too, (is a rabid Neji fan-person) but I guess it's true what they say. You throw stones at the one you love.

Yeah! This is my second fic but hopefully it won't be as long as the previous one. Oi!

Yersi Fanel: I was cheking your profile when I saw this story, I was wondering why I didn't read it, then I saw that you just publish it, so that was why! I started to read it and I just have one thing to say...I like it!

Onces I read that you (and I quote) "enjoying abusing Neji" well, I do too, come o, we both know that its fun, I can't help it (if you have read my stories you know that, I'm evil with him, can't help it! I like him too much) so I was inmediatly caought by the summary.

Anoter interesting story! I like how you write about Neji (and Sasuke, and both together) ad you can surely say that I'll bereading your story!.

I have some question but since you had only publich one hapter, I'll wait and then make them! so, thanks for sharing, take care and see ya!


ClaireBear: Glad you like it. I wasn't sure if anyone would since it's pretty hardcore (by my standards at least).

I did read your fics actually but I haven't finished reading 'A Distant Cry' yet and like I said in response to the previous review I am a rabid Neji fan-person and I like to watch him suffer because I like him so much.

Well, feel free to ask your questions and I'll answer as best I can without giving too much of the plot away. Who knows, I may get ideas. (Not that I want to steal your ideas or anything).