The Choices Between Friends

A/N: Finally another installment! Life is crazy, but when isn't it. Just got back from A-Kon, D rocked! They are my favorite band! I feel energized now though, so hopefully more writing! :) *whispers*Psst, I got to touch Asagi and Tsunehito's hands during the concert!

This is rough beta-ed. Sorry I'm tired... but I wanted to post tonight.

Chapter 30

Getting to Know You

Nar hummed happily as he sat in the posh front seat of Neji's car looking out the window as the buildings passed. Neji couldn't help the content smile that graced his lovely face. When his Tesoro was happy, so was he. The adorable blond had the ability to lighten the very air Neji breathed. That small body housed a presence so radiant and warm it melted the cold mask Neji had held onto so tightly for so long.



They were going to meet 'Tesoro's Iruka', that was how Neji thought of this man he'd never met. They were meeting in a park that Iruka apparently liked to paint in. The school teacher was off work due to an injury.



Iruka had moved recently. He told Naruto that he had tripped over a box and injured his arm. The doctor had put him off work for a few days. It was a shame the man was injured, but it had worked out well for Neji and Nar. Tesoro got to introduce 'his precious Iruka' to his new love interest.

Iruka was standing by a small pond snapping pictures of a pair of ducks swimming toward him.  Naruto spotted him easily. The man always wore that messy pony tail of his. It's currently sitting lopsided on the back of his head. Obviously it was hard for him to pull his hair back with one hand in a sling.

Nar dropped Neji's hand and hurried toward his older firend. "RuRu!" The blond exclaimed excitedly as he wrapped his arms around the other man. 

"I missed you too Narry Pooh," Iruka chimed far too sweetly as he ruffled the messy blond hair and smiled. The scar across his nose wrinkled just a bit. They turned to Neji and his stomach fluttered nervously.

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"You feelin' better?" Kiba asked after picking himself up off of the floor.



Shino nodded. "Yes, thank you."



"Want some soup or something?" The pained look on Shino's face was answer enough. "How 'bout some of that vitamin water in yer fridge?" Kiba was persistent. Shino grimaced and nodded as he moved to get out of bed.



"I'll get it for you," the other man said quickly, moving to stop him.



"I need to use the rest room." Shino's blush reached his ears. His 'guest' blinked. "The one down the hall?" Shino nodded as he stood unsteadily. His over-sized shirt and baggy pajama pants nearly drown his small frame. Kiba made a displeased face. He wasn't certain that the smaller man could make it that far on his own.



"A shower might make you feel better too. A bath would be better, but there isn't one here." The other man nodded his agreement and bent to retrieve the small bag he kept his shower supplies in. "Let me get that. You get yer clothes, unless you're gonna walk back down the hall naked." Kiba missed Shino's horrified look as he bent to pick the bag up for the other.



When everything was gathered Kiba watched as the petite body slowly made its way to the door. "Nope," he said to himself. "No good." 



There was nothing else for it. The other man wasn't going to like it, but he needed help. Kiba scooped Shino up into strong arms and proceeded to carry him bridal style out the door and down the deserted hallway.



"Sweet Kami! What are you doing?" Shino shrieked as he was hefted easily. 



"Helping." It was so simply said, it gave Shino pause. 



"Why?" He hadn't meant to sound so small, so fragile, but still he had. 



Kiba sighed and gave him another of those friendly squeezes. 'Are all rich people like this? Doesn't anybody ever look after them?' It made him sad to think of Neji or Shino with no one to care for them. "Look. I know we don't know each other, but you seem like a good guy. And you're alone and yer sick and I can help. Is there a better reason?"



"Pity," Shino said, sounding hurt.



There was a low growl. "Get like that again and I drop your ass on the floor," Kiba warned. "Helping is a good thing if it's for the right reasons. If you can help, you do; unless of course the person is an asshole who doesn't deserve it. We clear on that?!"



The smaller man gulped and nodded. He didn't look at Kiba. Shame and confusion and an odd hurt seized his throat, cutting off sound.



Kiba set him down on the bench just inside the wall of the shower area. Shino stood shakily, as he headed for the bathroom stalls.  After relieving himself, he opened the door and walked just as unsteadily back to the where Kiba waited by the showers. "Do you want me to stay here or wait outside?" 



Shino thought about that for moment. He wanted to accept Kiba's help. He wasn't sure if it was to placate the other man and soothe the irritation he'd obviously caused Kiba, OR if it was simply that Shino wanted the other man close to him. Kiba was so very likable in such a non-conventional way. 



'I see why Neji chose him. It isn't obvious until you get to know him better, but I understand the draw.' "Would you stay by the sinks, in case I..." he paused. It was difficult asking for help, especially when he felt he could really manage on his own. It felt dishonest. "in case I need help?" His voice was barely a whisper.



"Sure." The scruffy man turned his back and walked to the sinks, careful to keep his eyes down, rather than look up into the mirror. "Yell if you need anything." He called over his shoulder, not really expecting an answer. 



"Thank you for this Kiba."



"It's no big," he said, shrugging his shoulders. His only response was the water hitting the floor and surely Shino's bare body. Kiba took a moment to imagine that. He rationalized that he was only 'imagining' NOT 'fantasizing' and that was safe. Reason was not always Kiba's strong suit.



His mind slipped back over the day. Shino had looked so haggard and angry when he'd opened the door. Kiba had come to apologize. He'd learned that Neji, Shino, and the other students wouldn't have classes this afternoon because of some faculty meetings. Neji and Nar were spending the day together and would be meeting the boys’ old art teacher in the afternoon. Genma had agreed to watch the store. Nara had stuff to take care of at the tattoo shop, so it had seemed like a good day to take a long lunch and get this over with. 



The last thing Kiba had expected was an extremely ill Shino. The poor guy looked so frail and alone. Kiba hadn't even wasted a moment deciding what to do. When Shino stood heaving over the sink, Kiba had quietly closed the door and moved up behind the smaller man, in case he should faint. 'No wonder he almost passed out last night. He was coming down with this crap,' As he'd reached past Shino to turn the water on, he knew that he would call his boss as soon as he had the other man settled back in bed. He just hoped that a trip to the hospital wouldn't be necessary. 



The water shut off and Kiba was pulled from his reverie. He turned to see water dripping from Shino's hair and gliding down his smooth back as the other man was wrapping a towel around his slim waist. 'Oops. Turned too quick... nice ass...' 



Shino turned toward him, but his head was down so he didn't notice Kiba's peeking. He adjusted the towel and flashed the peeping Kiba a shot of his... 'Holy Shit!' manhood. 'It's huge!' Kiba bit his lip as he grimaced to himself. He really shouldn't have thought that. 



Kiba called over his shoulder as he headed for the door. "Um, Shino. I gotta step out for a minute. Too muggy in here. You gonna be okay?"



"Yes. I'm feeling much better. I'll be out in a moment or two."



"Cool," The door swung closed behind him. 'Fuck! What is such a cute adorable small guy doing being that big?!?!' Kiba was jealous and half hard just from the sight of it. 'And!!! It was limp! It's not right.'



'He's uke material in every way, but FUCK would that be a waste! What am I thinking?! He's probably straight anyway... and I REALLY shouldn't be thinking about this anyhow.' Kiba slammed the back of his head into the wall hard enough to leave an impression in the sheet rock. 



"Ow!" He was lucky that there wasn't anyone in the hall watching. He really didn't want anyone to see him just then. 'Stop thinking about it!!' He scolded himself as he waited for the other man to appear.

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Nar was smiling and laughing with a young mother as he helped her push her twins on the swings. Neji sat next to Iruka on a bench. A small smile played about his thins lips as he watched his lover laugh and play with the children.



“He wanted to be a pre-school teacher,” Iruka told him in a sad voice.



Neji’s lips pursed in irritation. He hated cryptic remarks no matter how guilty he was of making them himself. Iruka seemed to be waiting for a response, instead of asking for more information, Neji decided to ask a question that had been at the forefront of his mind throughout the afternoon. “Why haven’t you asked me about my family? Nar only introduced me as “Neji”, he didn’t even give you my last name.”



Iruka nodded absently. “He told me.”



“He told you my last name?”



“No.” The older man looked off in the distance. “He told me that your parents were both deceased. We’re orphans, he and I. We have no family to speak of… maybe that’s why we chose each other…” His voice was soft and dreamy. Then he shook his head as if to clear it. “Regardless, one orphan knows not to ask another about what he’s lost or never had.”



Neji appreciated the sentiment, but drove on to his point. “My name, Umino Iruka; is Hyuuga Neji. My uncle is Hyuuga Hiashi.”



Iruka looked at him almost amused. He quirked a dark brown eyebrow and tilted his head to the side a little. “Hyuuga Corp. Hmmm, so… what exactly do you expect me to say to that Neji?”



Neji’s eyebrows drew together. It was not the reaction he’d expected He’d expected concern for Nar, maybe a little trepidation. “Aren’t you even going to ask me my intentions?” He was unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.



“I love Naruto like a little brother, but I think I see him a little clearer than anyone else.” Iruka turned to face him, cocking his leg up on the bench seat. “Let me guess… You’ve met Shikamaru, Kiba, and Chouji. They’ve each let you know what will happen if you hurt their precious ‘Nar’. Then if you’ve met any of their families, you’ve heard something similar, right?” Neji nodded.



Iruka smiled. “I know Gen’s already said something to you. He told me himself.” Iruka looked back to Naruto. “Let me tell you a secret Neji. He isn’t made of glass.” The older man smiled and pulled out his camera, snapping shots of the blond as the two toddlers rode on his back yelling “Pony! Pony!”



Neji let his confusion show on his face. “I know that.”



Iruka interrupted him. “Do you?” There was a disgusted sigh. “He’s stronger than anyone gives him credit for. They all want to protect him, but in the end, he’s the one that saves you.” Iruka’s eyes were watery when he pulled the camera down and started to scroll through the pictures on the memory card. “He pulls you up when you don’t want him to. He drags you along until you walk on your own two feet out of sheer self defense.”



He turned to Neji. “He doesn’t even realize what he’s done, so even he still thinks of himself as fragile. He still overcompensates. Because he acts like the bird with the broken wing, everyone treats him like one. I know better. He’s stronger than you or I. He can withstand things that would crush us. If I’m concerned for anyone Neji, it would be you. Do you realize that once he has you, really has you, there’s no escape. He owns you heart and soul. I still get giddy when he calls me, and my love is platonic.” Iruka smirked at Neji evilly. “You, my dear boy, are screwed.”



There was a terrified squeal and they both turned to see Naruto running after the little girl. It turned out that she had seen a spider and was terribly afraid of them. Naruto caught her and carried the frightened child back to her mother. The boy wanted his new best friend to carry him too, so Naruto soon found himself giving piggy back rides around the jungle gym. The bright golden grin brought Neji back to the previous conversation.



“Why isn’t he a pre-school teacher then?”



Iruka growled under his breath. “He doesn’t think parents will accept him as a teacher unless he hides his sexuality and he won’t do that. He refuses to act ashamed of people he cares about, like Kiba and Shikamaru. So, instead, he works for Gen. He likes it, but it’s not something a person dreams of doing.”



“And you? Do you have trouble being a homosexual teacher?” It was a guess, but Iruka seemed far too at ease with Neji and Naruto's relationship to be straight.



“I wasn’t out-ed until I had tenure. It was still ugly though and there are still times when morons try to make an issue of it. I deal with it as it happens and try not to dwell on it much.” Iruka was incredibly blunt. Neji liked him.



The older man shifted gears on him. "He told me you've sketched him. He blushed a little more than he should have." Iruka had the sweetest most innocent face and Neji could feel the mischief rolling off of the other man.



A smirk slid across his own face. "Would you like to see some of them?" Iruka nodded, he seemed surprised that Neji hadn't needed more prompting. Neji was getting comfortable with him. Iruka really hadn't expected that yet. He decided that it was a good sign. He knew that he and Naruto had a similar affect on people. There was something about them that put people at ease. Neji seemed to really enjoy it.



The sketch book came out and Iruka was stunned. Neji was amazing. His use of light and shadow gave his sketches a depth that was almost too realistic and too powerful. If the young man could do this with pencil, charcoal, and pastels; just what was he capable of with paint?! "Neji, do you paint?"



The handsome young man shrugged. "Sometimes. I don't really have a place for it though."



"What about clay? Do you sculpt? Throw pottery? What else can you do?" Iruka was getting excited. He so rarely saw someone who was so very talented. The talk turned to different media and styles and other artsy things. Neither artist noticed the man casually taking 'scenery' pictures leaning against a tree nearby. Neji should have, but he was just too overwhelmed by his Tesoro and his Tesoro's adopted brother.

~TBC~