My Saving Grace

 

Disclaimer – We don’t own Naruto nor any character or setting there from and we’re not making any profit off these writings, it’s all just for fun





Warning – And again nothing very explicit for this chappie…UST, some dance floor grinding, more from Gaara, sick chibis and panicking fathers.





My Saving Grace.



 

Part 3





Neji smoothed his hands over the black jeans he was wearing as he looked himself over in the mirror. Was it too much? He eyed the wide leather belt and the thin white button down shirt. He wanted to look good but not slutty…Well not too slutty any way.





He and Itachi had been on a few more dates and with each one Neji found himself more interested in Itachi. He found everything about the man fascinating. Neji was a bit nervous about this date, hence the obsession with his appearance. The other dates had been casual and relaxed, tonight Itachi was taking him to a club and Neji didn't know what to expect. Would there be dancing? A shiver went through him at that thought.





"Am I being silly?" Neji asked over his shoulder.





Socrates just looked at him with cool blue eyes and went back to grooming himself. Neji chuckled at the Siamese. "I suppose that is a yes."





The doorbell rang and Neji cast one more glance in the mirror to make sure he looked okay, ran his fingers through his hair and went to open the door.





Gaara stood on the other side, a bottle of wine in his hand and a determined look on his face. "Neji."





Pale eyes widened in shock before narrowing dangerously as the welcoming smile slid off his lips. "What the hell are you doing here?"





The redhead's gaze traveled over Neji's frame, a slight spark of lust lighting in his eyes. "You look good."





Neji crossed his arms over his chest and didn't move from the doorway. There was no way that he'd let Gaara into his home. "And you still haven't answered the question."





The other man held out the wine, what he knew was Neji's favorite. "I brought you a gift and I just wanted to see you."





"Gaara...Stop it." Neji frowned. "I already told you that we're done. I don't want the wine and I don't want to see you." Neji didn't care if he was being harsh; he couldn't understand why Gaara was back after all this time. Their break up hadn't been what you'd call amiable.





Gaara's eyes turned pleading. "All I want is another chance, just one, to show you I can be the man you need. I screwed up and I know it but I'm not with Hidan anymore. I need you back Neji."





A slender eyebrow rose. "Did he dump you?" Neji shifted his stance wanting nothing more than for Gaara to leave already. "I realized something when we broke up...You never were the man I needed Gaara and you never will be."





"Neji I-"





"I think you've overstayed your welcome Sabaku."





Gaara spun to glare at Itachi, who was simply staring back in distain. "This isn't your business Uchiha."





"Oh I beg to differ since Neji and I are about to go out," a pointed pause, "together. Your stupidity will make us late."





"Please Gaara, just go." Neji felt the first inklings of a headache creep up on him and he barely resisted the urge to rub his temples. "We've said all there is to be said, there is nothing more between us. Itachi is right, we have plans and really need to get going."





The redhead's jaw clenched and he set the bottle of wine down on the front stoop. "I'll be back." Then he walked off towards his car.





Itachi waited until he was out of earshot to drawl, "I think he's seen Terminator too many times."





Neji burst out laughing at Itachi's words despite his unease over Gaara's behavior. "Perhaps, he does like Arnold." He agreed. "So should we go?"





"Mmm." Itachi took in Neji's appearance, his eyes glowing with masculine approval. "Let's. What do you want to do with that?" He nodded at the wine bottle. "I may know someone who needs a boat christened."





"Take it if you want...If you don't then I suppose I should put it inside, I can imagine how popular I'd become if I let the kids next door find it and get drunk." Neji reached inside to grab his jacket. Gods but Itachi looked good, Neji felt that tingly shiver again as he looked at the other man.





Itachi leaned down and picked up the wine. "I'm sure I can find it a good home." He waited for Neji to lock the door then held out a hand to the other man. "You look divine."





Neji's looked Itachi over deliberately as he took the offered hand. "You don't look too shabby yourself." He gave Itachi a smile as they walked towards the Uchiha's car.





It was a classic black 1967 Chevy Impala that Itachi had bought not long after seeing the pilot episode of Supernatural. He'd liked the look of the car and had needed new transportation. He looked over at his date for the evening. "So what did you do today, other than fend off an idiot?"





Neji's eyes roamed over the shining black car appreciatively. "Hmm?" He tore his gaze away to lock it on Itachi again. "Oh nothing much, I finished a website for a client and that took up most of the day." He was not going to admit his frantic search for the right outfit that had taken its sweet time...He was gay enough as it was. "What about you? What have you spent the day doing?"





Itachi opened the passenger door then went around to the driver's side, slipping in beside Neji. "I went for a run then caught up with an old friend." While said old friend had been jabbing ink into his back with a tattoo gun. "Then I took a nap."





"Sounds nice." Neji smiled again and his smile took on a wicked note. "Should I have napped too? Saved my strength...Are you planning on tiring me out?" He looked at Itachi from below long, dark lashes.





A slow, sensual smile crept over the older man's lips and he purred, "Do you want me to tire you out?"





"Hmm, do you think you can?" Neji stretched like a cat, he enjoyed flirting with Itachi and there was no denying the fact that he really wanted the older man.





They rolled to a stop at a red light and Itachi leaned close, his nose nudging the edge of Neji's jaw. "Oh I think you'd have some trouble keeping up with me snowflake."





Neji laughed even as his breath hitched from Itachi's closeness, his breath on his skin. "Well I look forward to find out." He turned his head so that their lips were barely brushing before pulling away.





A horn honked, bringing Itachi's attention to the fact that the light had turned green. He felt heat creep into his cheeks as he hit the gas pedal to go.





Neji smiled as they sped away, the tires making a screeching sound. Oh this would be a very interesting night indeed.



 

oo—oOo—oo

It was your average rock music club, bodies grinding on a dance floor, music thrumming in the air, and every alcoholic beverage imaginable, though Itachi stuck to the virgin drinks. He swayed a bit to the music and eyed the dance floor speculatively then looked over at his companion. "Feel like dancing?"





Neji's blood was pumping through his body in time with the music; at least it felt that way. He lifted his bottle and drank the last of his beer before turning to Itachi and holding out his hands. "Yeah, come on Itachi, show me your moves." Neji grinned softly as he started to walk backwards to the dance floor.





The Uchiha reached out and caught Neji's wrists in his as they made it to the dance floor. He pulled the pale eyed man close and a sultry smirk bloomed on his lips as the speakers began to pump out the Foo Fighter's cover of Darling Nikki. He brought Neji's hands to his waist then put his own on the other man's hips as they started to move together to the music. Itachi leaned close to Neji's ear to purr along with the lyrics. "How'd you like to waste some time tonight? And I could not resist."





"Mmm." Neji made a content sound and laced his arms around Itachi's neck and pressed closer as they both moved to the music. Itachi's hands on his hips were warm, even through the layers of clothes and it made Neji wonder how they would feel on his bare skin. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over the hollow behind Itachi's ear gently, loving how smooth Itachi's skin was. "You have a really nice voice."





The older man moved his hips against Neji's, the long stands of the Hyuga's hair brushing over the backs of his hands and making him long to just bury his hands in the silky mass. He grazed the bottom of his teeth over the lobe of Neji's ear. "I rather like yours myself. Sometimes I wonder what you'd sound like in the grip of passion. Are you all quiet moans or do you scream out and tell your lover what you want him to do?"





"How are you supposed to get what you want if you don't tell your lover how you want it?" Neji shivered at Itachi's teeth on his ear and ignored the heat that rose to his cheeks; at least in here he could blame it on the heat of the club. He leaned forward and nipped along Itachi's sharp jaw. "How about you, are you the strong and silent type? Or wild and wanton?" Neji's left thigh slipped between Itachi's as he continued to rock his body to the music.





Itachi rocked against Neji along with the beat, slipping his hands down to cup the pale eyed man's delicious ass and pull him closer. "It's no fun if I stay quiet." He nipped the ear lobe sharply. "Oh no, I like to tell my lovers what I want to do to them before I do it. I just love to see how hot it makes them when I tell them that I'm going to lick them all up like an ice cream cone."





Neji's cock twitched inside his jeans and with the way he was pressed against Itachi there was no chance that the older man could miss it. His tongue slid down Itachi's neck wetly as he tasted the salty skin. "Like an ice cream cone huh?" Neji breathed huskily as he imagined Itachi doing just that. "I'm more of popsicle man myself." He continued his worship of Itachi's neck, Neji found it so sexy, so lean and strong.





A soft groan came from the Uchiha as he tilted his head to allow Neji better access as he ground back against him. He knew he was hard but it looked like the other man was in the same boat so he didn't care if the Hyuga felt it. His hands slipped up, just under the long haired man's shirt, the fingers stroking over the skin at the small of Neji's back. You’re your skin is so silky, I want to run my hands all over you and feel ever inch."





"Oh Gods I want that." Neji moaned and bit down on Itachi's neck before laving his tongue over the bite. "I want those gorgeous hands on me, touching me, marking me." He arched into Itachi's touch, goose bumps spreading over his skin. "And I want to do the same to you, I want to lick you...From head to toe, inside and out, I want to taste everything you are."





Itachi shivered at the thought and the bite. He half hoped Neji was planning on leaving a mark. Itachi wasn't the kind of man who would welcome being owned or marked as belonging to someone but for this delectable man he'd be more than willing to make an exception. He scored his nails lightly over the skin under his fingers, not enough to scratch or cause any damage but just enough to add a layer of sensation. "Mmm you can lick me anytime, and anywhere you want snowflake, just so long as you let me repay the favor."





"Oh I'd expect it phoenix." Neji's lips tilted up in a wicked grin before he turned his attention back to the man's neck. The mark he'd made blazing purple against the pale skin and Neji felt a deep sense of satisfaction that he was the one who had put it there. Neji had to admit that he didn't even hear the music anymore; all of his senses were directed towards Itachi.





Itachi opened his mouth to say more but a vibrating in his pocket made him jump just a bit until he realized it was his cell phone. Neji had a way of making his brain cells cease functioning for a few moments. He cursed and dug in his pocket, quirking a brow as the faint strains of Lonestar's Mr. Mom were overlayed by Framing Handley. he brought the phone up to his ear. "What?!"





"SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH SHINJI!"





Itachi's eyes widened and his stomach clenched at his brother's voice shouting in panic. Something had happened to his precious nephew? "I'm on my way."





Neji caught the shift in Itachi's mood instantly and it cooled him off as well. "What's the matter? Has something happened?" He asked trying to keep up with Itachi as the man stormed across the floor towards the club's exit.





Fearful red eyes met concerned opal. "That was Sasuke, he said something's wrong with my nephew."





A fist of pure ice clenched around Neji's heart and a weight settled in his stomach making him feel sick. Something was wrong with sunny, chubby, loving Shinji? "Let's go."





Naruto looked up from where he stood rocking Shinji in his arms at Itachi bursting in like he was hunted by werewolves or worse. He sighed deeply and turned to his husband. "You called him too? What's wrong with you?" Blond brows furrowed in displeasure at Sasuke's behavior. Sakura and Tsunade were already sitting on the couch, looking haggard, as if they both had thrown on whatever clothes they could find in a hurry.





Neji walked in after Itachi and looked around curiously, for an emergency Naruto looked very, very calm.





Sasuke's cheeks turned the color of cherries and he muttered. "Well I didn't know idiot! All I knew was that my son was running a high fever and wouldn't stop crying!"





Sakura rolled her eyes and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, smiling gratefully when Lee came from the kitchen with tea for everyone. She took a sip and leveled a light glare at Sasuke. "What I find hard to believe is that Naruto read the book I gave you two and you didn't, if you had you wouldn't have panicked."





Itachi frowned. "Excuse me but can someone please explain what's going on?"





"What's going on is that as usual your stupid bastard of a brother refused to listen to me as I explained to him that Shinji was perfectly okay. It's just a minor ear infection, common with babies, especially when they're about to start teething since their gums swell." Naruto shot Sasuke a nasty glare and kissed his sleeping son's forehead.





Naruto took notice of Neji standing in the corner of the room. "Did you call Neji too? You freak."





Itachi blew out a breath in relief and slumped against the wall, sliding down it. "No, Neji was with me when I got the call." He gave Sasuke a look that clearly stated 'You're an idiot.'





Naruto's eyebrows shot up as he looked from a flushed Neji to Itachi and back again. Oh ho ho wasn't this interesting? "Well as long as you're here do you want some tea? I'm sure Lee has made enough for you too. Besides the bastard can go without if it isn't enough." He shot his husband another glare. Naruto wasn't really angry that Sasuke had called almost everyone they knew but he was upset that once again Sasuke hadn't listen to him at all when he tried to talk to him.





"For the gods sakes Naruto aren't I allowed to have my moments of fatherly panic?"





"Moot point since you've already had it, knowing you it won't be the last either but please Sasuke, trust me when I say I know what's going on. You know me better than that, you know that I would never gamble with our son's health."





Sasuke winced and glanced squirrelly around at the people in the room, wondering if they would be kind enough to leave so he could debase himself in private but the 'suck it up' look he caught from his brother told him it wasn't going to happen. He got up and went to wrap his arms around Naruto from behind. "I'm sorry Naruto. I do know that but I just...when he just kept crying and then we noticed the fever...my brains got scrambled."





Naruto leaned into Sasuke's embrace, turning his head to the side so he could nuzzle his husband's neck. "It's okay bastard, I understand but let's remember this the next time I tell you that he's okay. We have a veeeery long line of children's diseases to look forward to and I rather not go through this every single time, it's close to midnight and I'm sure our guests are tired."





Itachi smirked. "Oh we have to leave? Too bad, I was enjoying seeing my little brother grovel."





Sasuke growled at his brother.





"Yes, visiting hours are over. Shoo, shoo...You're more than welcome to visit tomorrow when I've had some sleep." Naruto was bone tired. Shinji had screamed his lungs out since early afternoon, it was just now that he had finally fallen asleep. "Thank you for making tea for all of us Lee." Naruto nodded to the man who seemed to be wearing green pajama pants and one of Sakura's sweaters...It did not look good.





Lee nodded happily oh it was the least I could do in such a dramatic moment of your new family's life. I'm sure this will paint itself to the sunsets of your memories forever and you'll remember how we all acted with youthful vigor."





Naruto blinked at him owlishly, he didn't get half of what Lee was going off about but he nodded anyway. "Yeah...right you are." He figured it would be easiest to agree, once Lee got started on something it was almost impossible to get him to stop.





Sakura and Tsunade both got up from their seats and the pinkette went over to her knight in green armor. "Come on darling, let's go home now and get some more rest." She yawned a bit and shuffled with Lee out the door. They'd drop Tsunade off on their way home.





Itachi really didn't want to get up and not because he enjoyed seeing his little brother squirm. No he didn't want to get up because he was comfortable and quite honestly tired, a common occurrence these days, but he couldn't sleep on Naruto and Sasuke's living room floor so he shifted and started to rise.





"Are you okay 'Tachi?" Naruto looked at him with worried blue eyes. "You can stay in the guest room of you're tired, you know that." The blond shifted Shinji in his arms so that he could kiss Sakura on the cheek and wave good bye to her, Lee and Tsunade.





"Yeah, I can call a cab or maybe I can catch a ride with Sakura." Neji agreed, he didn't want to be a bother of Itachi was tired and wanted to stay.





Itachi waved the offers off as he gained his feet. "I'm fine but thank you."





Sasuke's brows knit in concern. "Are you sure Itachi?"





Red eyes rolled. "I am fine little brother. I'm a little tired out but I suspect that's from the adrenaline rush fading."





"It's really okay if you want to stay, I don't mind taking a taxi." Neji pushed his hair behind his ear as he looked at Itachi. This night had certainly not turned out the way he had imagined it too but for some reason it had made Itachi dearer to him. Itachi the clubber was gorgeous but Itachi the brother and concerned uncle was stunning.





"The couch is a pullout so you can stay too Neji, if you don't mind sleeping in the living room and some screaming during the night....Hey you perv, I was talking about Shinji." Naruto huffed when he saw Neji's smile.





Itachi snorted. "Do I look that bad that you all seem to think I'm going to fall asleep at the wheel?"





"You don't look bad at all, I don't think you could even if you tried." Neji burst out before he realized it.





Naruto's grin was so wide it threatened to split his face in half. "Well if you're sure you're up to it then get out of here, let the exhausted parents get some sleep before this one wakes up again." He nuzzled Shinji's hair.





Itachi lifted a hand in farewell, though his lips were curved in a smile from Neji's words. "I'll call tomorrow before I come by." He waited until he and Neji were sitting in the car again before he turned to the Hyuga with a soft, purring drawl. "So you think I look good all the time hm?"





Neji fought the urge to blush again and he hoped he succeeded. He wasn’t some infatuated girl and the blushing thing was really starting to piss him off. "Hmm, maybe." He started but then he looked over at Itachi. "Oh come on, you know you're absolutely gorgeous."





"Hn." Itachi didn't answer that because, though he knew he drew eyes he'd never really thought of himself as attractive. He hadn't considered himself ugly but neither had he been vain enough to care about his appearance beyond his hair and since his hair had fallen out during the chemo and was still just a short, frosted, curly cap that one vanity was gone.





"Well if you didn't know...You are!" Neji thought it was adorable that Itachi really didn't see how beautiful he was. "I especially like this." He fingered the hair curling softly by Itachi's hair. "It's cute."





The Uchiha flinched minutely. "It's short, and curly, and part gray and nothing like my hair was before." His hands clenched on the steering wheel. "But I'd be happy to be bald for the rest of my life if it meant that..." He broke off. "Never mind. Sorry if I snapped."





Neji pulled his hand back; he hadn't meant to insult the other. He really did like the short curls and the frosted tips didn't bother him at all, he actually thought it was kind of cool. Neji could understand Itachi though; he's seen pictures of the long, dark waterfall of hair he'd had before. "It's okay; I didn't mean to overstep my bounds." He said softly and returned fully to his side of the car.





Itachi quickly reached out and caught the hand Neji had retracted. "You didn't. I'm just...sensitive about the effects the chemo had on me, not all of them visible."





Neji lifted Itachi's hand and placed it against his cheek, nuzzling it gently. "I do understand Itachi, you've been through hell to put it mildly. If I may I just have to say that I'm very happy that you're here and alive."





Itachi stroked his thumb over the ridge of Neji's cheekbone. "Thank you."





"Nothing to thank me for...I'm completely selfish when it comes to that statement." Neji turned his head so he could brush his lips over Itachi's fingers.





Those fingers traced over Neji's lips, stroking the soft sensitive skin. "Thank you anyway and not just for the statement."





"You are very welcome." Neji smiled at Itachi and curled up on the passenger seat, pulling his hair over one shoulder and just relaxed.





Itachi's fingers itched to stroke that fall of chocolate hair but instead he gave the pale cheek under his hand one last caress and took hold of the wheel again. He did not want to cause a crash and possibly have Neji injured. They arrived at Neji's home without any incident and Itachi found himself tempted to circle the block a few times just so he could prolong their time together. He didn't succumb to that temptation but he most definitely wanted to.





Sighing Neji unbuckled himself as he looked up at his little house. He wouldn't have minded spending more time with Itachi but it was really late and past time to say goodbye. "Thank you so much for tonight. I had fun, drama and all." Neji leaned over and kissed Itachi lightly on the lips before opening the door and getting out of the car. He leaned down and looked at Itachi. "Drive safely home Phoenix, and sleep tight…Dream sweet dreams."





"Sleep sweet yourself snowflake." Itachi waited until Neji was safely inside before driving off and heading home. He had a feeling he'd be sleeping until noon with how tired he was.



To be continued…

 

AN - Preview for next chapter…Kisame, tattooing, interrupted kitchen smex…If you have the time, please drop a comment and tell us what you think.