Undercurrents

Neji forced his face neutral and quietly waited on an answer. The waiting made the defiance falter a little…and Neji saw need, too.

Oh, Shika…let me. Just let me.

Oceans receded and new stars were born while Shika debated.

“Okay,” Shika finally said.

Neji reached Shika in one long stride, uncrossing his arms from behind his back. Shika didn’t move, although his head pressed into the wall at Neji’s sudden proximity, and his breath blew harshly out his nose.

“Shika,” Neji whispered and he dropped every mask and let his face show everything he felt. Shika’s eyes widened. Neji merely stood close, his face tilted toward Shikamaru, hands hovering at his own sides.

“May I touch you?” Neji asked. If Shika’d been hurt like Neji suspected, getting permission at every phase would probably be a wise move. It’d help Shika feel more in control.

Looking into Neji’s eyes, the Nara’s gaze softened and his lips parted. He nodded.

Neji started by reaching down, gently grasping Shika’s forearms, and then pulling Shika’s arms from behind his back. He clasped the Nara’s hands, felt the nervous dampness of Shika’s palms. Slowly Neji raised one of Shika’s hands to his mouth.

Neji’s breath ghosted over skin, and his eyes never left Shika’s as he moved.

“May I?” Neji asked, face hovering over Shika’s palm.

Shika licked his lips and Neji saw his shoulders relax a little. The man nodded again.

Neji stared at Shika as he lightly kissed and then licked Shika’s palm. Then he kissed the inner wrist and lowered Shika’s arm back down. Neji slowly moved his hands up Shika’s arms, still watching as Shikamaru’s breath quickened, his eyes widened, and body went a little more slack. Oh, Neji wanted to devour this man, but he forced himself to go slowly. He wanted to savor this – the first touches, the first kiss.

“Can I take this off?” Neji asked when his fingers reached Shika’s shoulders. He pinched the fabric of the dress jacket to emphasize his point. Quicker this time, Shika nodded, and then Neji slipped his fingers under the collar. Shika leaned forward and Neji slid the jacket off and then turned to toss it over the back of a chair.

When Neji turned back, he leaned his body into Shika’s, pressing him against the wall. Shika gasped and Neji’s eyes widened. He reached and fingered a bit of Shika’s hair, and it was as soft as Neji expected it to be. He sighed in happiness and ran his fingers along the back of Shika’s skull, feeling and caressing.

“I love your hair down,” Neji whispered.

Neji felt tentative arms enclose around his waist and he smiled at Shika, a genuine smile that showed teeth and emotion.

“Shika,” Neji whispered, his mouth hovering over the other man’s. Neji could feel Shikamaru’s breath on his lips, and he nearly trembled himself.

“May I kiss you?”

Shika’s breath hitched audibly and his eyes slid closed. The arms around Neji’s waist tightened.

“Yeah,” Shika whispered.

Neji leaned harder into Shika as he moved his mouth and brushed his lips against Shika’s. His tongue licked at Shika’s lower lip, and then, with a near-growl, Shika kissed Neji. Eyes wide for a second of pleasant surprise, Neji kissed back. Their mouths moved and slid over one another, and it was Shika who deepened the kiss, his tongue darting into Neji’s open mouth. Shika tasted like the chocolate soufflé served earlier as dessert, and Neji closed his eyes and lost himself for several breathless moments.

Finally, he was kissing Shika – finally. And Neji couldn’t bring himself to care if this was too much or too little for Shika. Neji trusted the Nara enough to tell him if he should stop, and Neji knew his control was good enough that for tonight, it wouldn’t go much further than kissing and touching.

Thought vanished from Neji for a second when he felt the hands at his waist move to wrap in his hair, and he felt fingers quest up and find the clasp.

“Just pull,” Neji said, breaking away from the kiss barely long enough to give instruction before devouring Shika’s mouth again. He felt Shika tug at the clasp, trying to be gentle, and then he gave up and yanked it down and off. Neji didn’t mind in the least; he liked his hair pulled. He moaned a bit to show it was all for the good, and then Shika’s hands wove into his long hair: stroking, feeling. Neji hummed in pleasure. Then he felt Shika’s hands move to his shoulders.

“Get this off,” Shika said against Neji’s lips and yanked at the collar of the suit jacket.

“Take it off me, then,” Neji said and dropped his hands to his sides. He leaned down and kissed the skin of Shika’s neck before pulling the flesh into his mouth and sucking gently. Shika panted once but managed to tug and pull at the jacket until it was off Neji’s shoulders. Gravity helped with the rest, and once his hands were free, they were back on Shika, one on his face and the other at his side.

“No mark there,” Shika panted. “Too visible.”

Neji grunted in protest against Shika’s neck but released the skin.

“Then tell me where I can mark you,” Neji said. He reached down and squeezed Shika’s ass. Fuck the man was perfect and practically edible.

“I like…” Shika broke off with a fluttering breath as Neji bit an earlobe.

“Chest. Here.” Shika reached up one hand and undid the first three buttons of his shirt, exposing flesh as he went. Neji drew back and looked down at the expanse of skin and then back up into Shika’s eyes, naked hunger in his gaze.

Neji undid another button and then drew the fabric aside. He licked at Shika’s collar bone and then kissed one extremely toned pectoral. Shika enjoyed running on the Preserve, and the benefits of his one strenuous activity were evident in the hard muscles beneath Neji’s hands and mouth. Shika turned his head toward the wall, and Neji could feel his heart pounding like a caged bird as he kissed a wet trail to one pert nipple. When he swiped his tongue over the hardened flesh, Shika jerked under his hands.

“Sens-sensitive,” the man gasped.

Oh, gods, Shika, the things I’m going to do to you later if you’ll let me.

Neji licked a light circle around the raised nub and teased the flesh until Shika panted. Then he sucked hard without warning and bit down with an experimental pressure.

“Neji!” Shika hissed and he bucked under Neji’s hands and mouth. Neji took that as a good sign and bit harder, which earned him a high-pitched mewl and hands scrabbled at his back and hair.

Neji moved to one side and pulled warm skin into his mouth, biting and marking. Each suck earned him a whine of need from Shika, and Neji stopped himself from throwing the man to the ground and fucking him senseless.

No, not yet…not this time…patience, dammit, patience, Neji chanted to himself.

Instead, he released the skin and moved back to Shika’s mouth while his hands reached down and grabbed Shika’s ass again. He ground Shikamaru’s pelvis against his own, letting Shika feel his hardness and reveling in the Nara’s. He closed his eyes and groaned, pulling away from Shika’s mouth.

“Fuck,” Neji hissed.

“Fuck yes,” Shika whispered at the same time with the same need.

Neji barked a laugh and his eyes snapped up to lock onto Shika’s gaze. He grinned and, keeping one hand on Shika’s ass, he slid the other around to cover Shika’s erection through the loose cloth of his pants.

“Finish what we started earlier?” Neji asked, eyes at half mast and head tilted toward the Nara’s mouth.

Shika’s eyes squeezed shut, he let out a breathy moan, and then he leaned into Neji, clutching at him almost desperately. The intensity of the reaction startled Neji, and he was immediately cautious again. Control snapped back like a rubber band. He lightened his touch, but Shika pushed back into his hand with a needy sound. Neji kissed Shika’s hair and his cheek. Gently and slowly he stroked Shika through the fabric, losing himself for a second in the sheer thrill of touching Shika like this. His own cock ached and his body felt feverish.

“May I?” Neji whispered into Shika’s ear, the other man’s face still buried in his shirt. Shika trembled all over.

“Shika?” Neji asked, concerned.

“Sorry,” Shika said, his voice slightly muffled. “No one’s really ever…” He trailed off and tightened his grip around Neji’s neck and back.

“No one’s ever what, Shika?” Neji asked. He traced his fingers over Shika’s hardness and kept the touches light.

“Just this,” Shika muttered. He shifted so his forehead rested on Nej’s shoulder making it easier to speak. “No one’s ever just kissed me or asked me or…done this. There was always…something else going on, and…” The rushed and embarrassed words made Neji angry and oddly desperate.

What in God’s name had happened to Shika?

Neji grit his teeth. Later, he thought. Later details can be gathered and heads will roll. For now…

“We can stop,” Neji said and stilled his hand. “Just say the word, Shika, and I’ll-“

“No.” Shika grabbed Neji’s hand. “Don’t go.” Desperate again.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Neji said softly. And while a tiny part of him wanted to back away from this emotional maelstrom and reassess, Neji knew he would never forgive himself.

Shika’s grip on Neji’s wrist lightened but his other hand twisted into the fabric of Neji’s shirt.

“I want this,” Shika said, but his voice was rushed, frantic and frustrated. “But I can’t do…and I can’t let you…or I shouldn’t let you…there’s too much in my head and I can’t sort it all out or explain everything, but I still want it. Feel like I’ll fuckin’ explode if you leave, and…” He broke off with a noise of pure frustration.

Neji understood – Shika’s personal hell would have to be indecision caused by an unsolvable problem. One quick plan and an intuitive leap later and Neji wrapped his arms around Shika. He reached one hand up and stroked over the incredibly soft hair and hoped that Shika couldn’t hear Neji’s heart pounding like he was one mile eight of a marathon.

“I don’t have any goals other than making you feel good,” Neji said. “No pain, no games, just my hands on you and that’s all. And this is about you, not me. I get you off and then we see.” He paused and it took every bit of control he had to make the next words come out evenly. “Sound okay?”

Shika’s chest heaved with a couple of breaths and then he stilled.

“And…you want…that’s what you want?” Shika sounded child-like again. Neji frowned. He would think it pretty obvious what he wanted, but maybe Shika just needed to hear him say it. All right…he could do that.

Neji shifted Shika in his arms and then leaned to speak in his ear.

“What I want is to make you come. But I won’t do anything without your permission first.”

Shika shuddered all over and then uttered a noise made of need. “Yes…okay, yes, please, Neji…”

Neji hummed his approval and relief against Shika’s hair. Then he glanced around the room, cock throbbing as he thought of what he wanted to do. He intended to make this the best fucking hand job Shika could ever imagine. That meant the wall or floor just wouldn’t do.

“Good, then,” Neji said and then he gently removed Shika’s hands and stepped away.

The couch, he decided. Definitely.

Shika looked at Neji expectantly. Gone was the lazy Shika, and there was no trace of his earlier defiance or bitterness. His eyes were wide as he looked at Neji; eager.

“Come here,” Neji said and tugged on Shika’s hand. He smiled at the semi-dazed and aroused Shika, his expression so adorable Neji couldn’t resist pulling him back in for a kiss. Then he turned and led Shika over to the front of the couch.

Yes, this would do nicely.

Neji turned back and fingered another button on Shika’s shirt. “I’m going to take this off, okay?”

As Shika nodded again, Neji’s fingers were already moving. In seconds the shirt was off and Neji paused, admiring. He gazed at the sleek and solid muscles of Shika’s arms, the clearly defined indentations of firm abs. The pants hung low showing off the deep cut of Shika’s pelvis, lovely lines pointing enticingly toward Shikamaru’s cock. Neji murmured his approval, and he swore Shika blushed as he looked away.

Moving quickly, Neji shifted behind the Nara and then he gracefully sat down on the couch, pulling Shika with him. Shika made a startled noise, but went along for the ride. Neji grabbed a pillow and stuffed it behind his back and then arranged it so that Shika sat between his legs. He pulled Shika flush with his body, and Shika helped, letting Neji’s hands guide him.

“Lean back,” Neji whispered, and Shika complied. He was high enough that he had to tilt his head back fairly far to reach Neji’s shoulder, but the position allowed Neji’s long arms to wrap easily around Shika’s body.

“Good,” Neji whispered and kissed Shika’s neck. “Just like that.”

Then Neji skimmed his hands along Shika’s bare chest and torso, tickling over his ribs. Shika squirmed and gasped, and Neji smiled evilly. When one hand easily covered Shika’s hard length again while the other hand snaked up to caress a nipple, Shika twitched and looked down. Neji could practically hear the click as Shika understood the plan.

“That’s right,” Neji said and licked a hot line up Shika’s neck. “This way, we both get to watch me work.”

Then, surprising Neji again, Shika moaned loudly and writhed. He didn’t try to get away, exactly, but he turned his face into Neji’s neck and trembled. Neji felt hot kisses on his skin punctuated by pants of breath, and he had to think hard about not coming himself.

Instead, Neji distracted himself by reaching both hands up and pinching Shika’s nipples. He did it harder than last time and Shika nearly came off the couch, crying out.

Holy GOD but that was hot.

“Shika,” Neji whispered. “Is this okay? Is this what you want?” He kept working Shika’s flesh, and then he twisted to kiss Shika’s temple.

For a moment, Shika didn’t answer. Instead, he reached down and behind Neji, and Neji felt Shika’s hands grab the pillow that was supporting Neji’s back. Neji closed his eyes and suppressed a moan.

“Yeah,” Shika panted. “That…that’s good.”

Neji practically purred and then let himself go as he traced and memorized the feel of Shika’s skin. He ran his hands along muscles and ribs, reached up to knead into the muscles of Shika’s neck, making his head fall to one side. Goose bumps broke out over Shika’s skin, and Neji shifted his hands back to the pebbled nipples. Shika’s gasps made Neji shiver.

“Does this…do I…” Neji heard the falter in Shika’s voice. He released the abused bits of sensitive skin and slid his hands down to Shika’s waist. When he fingered the buckle of Shika’s belt, the Nara’s breathing hiccoughed.

“Is this what you want?” Shika asked, breathless.

“Oh, yeah, Shika,” Neji husked. “This is definitely what I want.”

Shika whimpered and his hips bucked upward.

Neji shook his head. “Say you want me to touch you again, first.” Neji was only half-teasing; he wanted the reassurance, too.

Shika moaned – loudly. “Yes…God, yes, please…” Shika panted between the words and rolled his head away from Neji’s neck.

“Good, Shika, so good,” Neji nearly cooed. Then he undid Shika’s belt, unbuttoned the pants, and with what he hoped was agonizing slowness, he lowered Shika’s zipper. Neji reached inside and untucked Shika’s erection from underwear and pants, moving fabric out of the way with the other hand. He felt Shika’s arms flex as he held on to the pillow behind him, and Neji loved the way Shika took his hands out of the equation.

“Keep your hands there,” Neji commanded softly. “And look down.”

Shika made a noise behind tightly closed lips and obeyed. His breath caught from both the sight and the sensation as Neji made a circle of forefinger and thumb and stroked up Shika’s shaft.

“Oh,” Shika panted. “Neji, oh.”

“Tell me how you like it,” Neji whispered and bit down on the flesh of Shika’s neck. He shifted his grip to full fist and stroked slowly.

“Anyway you do,” Shika breathed.

Neji thought about that for a second and stored the information away for later. He hummed against Shika’s shoulder.

“Okay,” Neji said and repressed an evil grin. Neji loved sensation, after all. The more the better. He quickly moved his hand to the head of Shika’s leaking cock and twisted his fist over every sensitive part at once.

Shika grunted and breathed through clenched teeth, but still looked down like Neji wanted.

Neji suckled the salty skin at the junction of Shika’s shoulder and neck and let his hand explore: one stroke up, thumb swirl around the crown, then several slow pumps. Shika tried to hold back a throaty moan and failed, the noise sounding broken and needy. Neji kissed and bit Shika’s shoulder.

Then Neji reached out with his free hand and steadied Shika’s cock at the base, pulling skin almost taut. He ran his other hand back up to the weeping crown and placed his thumb under the near side of the head. Moving slowly to drag out the sensation and broadcast what he was going to do, he bent his thumb until his blunted nail dug slightly into the tender, sensitive skin. Shika stopped breathing and held still. Then Neji dragged the nail in a slow trail up over the head, through the slit at the top, and then down the other side. Shika shuddered, hard, and his cock wept thick slicks of precome.

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck!” Shika practically yelled.

Neji did it again, dragging the nail slowly back along the same path.

Shika let loose a long and loud, “Ah!” and Neji had mercy. He shifted his grip and stroked Shika, his fist keeping a good pressure. He licked Shika’s neck and released the base of Shika’s cock to run the free hand up to play with his nipple. He pinched several times, each press a little harder than the last. Shika made incoherent sounds of need and his cock leaked even more.

“Mmm,” Neji hummed. “I love a man who gets good and wet.”

Shika trembled all over. Shika almost leaned his head back but snapped forward at the last second, still obeying. Neji’s cock pulsed at that. Obedience just did it for him.

Fuck. Yes.

“You can lean your head back if you tell me one thing you like,” Neji whispered.

Shika licked his lips, and Neji saw his eyes shift to nervously glance back at Neji.

“I like harder strokes.” Shika paused to swallow. “And if you do that thing with your nail again…I-I’ll probably come.” Shika trembled in Neji’s arms. “And…and if you play with my balls, I’ll come faster,” he whispered.

A combination of searing heat, fierce affection, and harsh possession swept over Neji. He wrapped one arm around Shika and held him tightly. Then he carefully calculated his next words, almost certain of the effect they would have.

Neji sighed happily and nibbled Shika’s earlobe.

“That was perfect, Shika,” Neji said into the Nara’s ear. “You telling me that pleases me very, very much.”

Just as Neji suspected, Shika writhed at that last comment, his arms tightening, his breath coming fast and hard. His cock leaked over Neji’s hand making the glide even wetter. Then he turned his face into Neji’s neck and whimpered.

Neji smiled. Shika loved to please – he got off on it. Neji bet that just praising Shika while he lightly stroked him would be enough to get Shika off.

It was a dangerous sort of thing…it meant that Shika would rarely ever say no so long as someone told him he was pleasing. Neji let those thoughts join others that he wanted to contemplate later.

Raising a hand up, Neji smoothed Shika’s sweaty hair behind one ear. Then Neji carefully shifted to one side just enough to pull Shika’s face gently away from his neck. Shika’s eyes were half-closed, glazed over, and he didn’t look up at Neji when he was moved.

Shika was lost to pleasure and utterly beautiful in sub space. The look confirmed every one of Neji’s suspicions. He licked his lips and didn’t try to stop himself as he moaned. Shika’s eyes squeezed tight, and he whimpered at the sound.

“So good, Shika,” Neji said against Shika’s mouth. “You’ve been so good for me.”

With those words, Shika went boneless in Neji’s arms. Neji kissed Shika once, nearly chaste, and then let him nuzzle back into his neck. Shika’s breath was warm and quick, pulse hammering.

Then Neji reached both hands around Shika. At first, he merely continued stroking. Then he gradually increased the pressure until Shika moaned. Neji kept up the pressure as he quickened the strokes, watching Shika’s body with a nearly-scalding intensity.

Moving his free hand quickly, he raked a nail over Shika’s nipple, made his squirm, and then slowly slid his hand down. He pushed fabric away from Shika’s body and exposed enough skin to see Shika’s heavy balls pulled tightly against his body. Neji very lightly traced gentle fingers over the tender skin, and Shika’s breathing sped up to quick, staccato pants.

“Don’t hold back, Shika,” Neji whispered as he watched his hands work Shika’s skin. “Come when you want to.”

Shika gave a tiny cry against his neck and Neji nearly came again. Gritting his teeth, he kept up the pace on Shika’s shaft as he closed his other hand over Shika’s balls. He let his fingers roll them, caressing, and Shika keened against his throat. He did it again and earned the same reaction, and then he moved his other hand in a long, hard stroke up Shika’s dick. Quickly and precisely, he thumbed Shika’s wet slit and then traced a thumbnail over the slit and head again.

Shika stopped breathing, and his body tensed.

Neji dragged a nail again and squeezed Shika’s testicles – carefully, but firmly.

“Come for me, Shika.”

Shika made a choking sound.

“Neji!” Shika cried, arching his back as orgasm took him. Hot seed covered Shika’s stomach and chest. He shook and Neji gently stroked him through the climax. He nearly came yet again from the way Shika’s body tensed, trembled, and tensed again. Shika’s breathing reduced to startled gasps, until finally, after a sweet eternity, he collapsed back against Neji’s body.

Neji didn’t move for several minutes. Instead, he closed his eyes and relished the fierce sense of possession. Mine, he thought with each breath.

Mine.

Swallowing and with control more or less back in place, Neji gently removed his hands and, after a second of feeling guilty, grabbed the tasseled throw over the couch. He’d send an anonymous donation to cover the dry cleaning bill. He used the throw to clean Shika, being as gentle as possible. Then he zipped the quiet and still man up and redid the belt.

Neji wrapped his arms around Shika’s chest and gently rocked him. Shika’s face was still buried deeply in Neji’s neck, breathing growing gradually slower. After a few minutes, Shika pulled his arms from behind Neji and tucked them to his chest. Neji shifted and crossed one arm over both of Shika’s, sighing happily. His eyes closed, and Neji breathed in the scent of Shika’s sweat, skin, and sex.

After a few blissful moments, Shika suddenly tensed and sat up, surprising Neji for the hundredth time tonight. Shika turned toward Neji, and he watched as Shika’s expression went from perplexed to dismayed. Then Shika moved away and sat on the edge of the couch, letting his head fall forward into his hands.

“Shika-“ Neji reached for him.

“Shit, Neji…just give me a minute.”

Neji withdrew his hand and swallowed, hurt. Anger threatened to boil up inside him, but he pushed it away. Instead, he waited, forcing his face into an expressionless calm. He, too, sat up, bending one leg and putting the other on the floor.

Shika sat that way for a while, breathing hard enough to make Neji’s lungs ache. Then he looked up at Neji’s face, and searched there for a second or two before traveling over Neji’s unclasped hair and disheveled clothing. Then Shika’s expression went from dismayed to despondent.

Shika shook his head and stood up, obviously rattled.

“They need you back at the dinner.”

“Not as much as I need to be here,” Neji answered immediately.

“I have to go,” Shika said and grabbed his shirt, fingers flying to close buttons after he rammed his arms into the sleeves.

“If you think you must,” Neji replied. His voice was completely calm, but his mind was in an angry, flailing turmoil.

“Don’t do that thing with me,” Shika said sharply, pausing.

Neji startled. “Thing?”

“That thing you do when you’re pissed. You get all formal and…fucking peaceful.”

Neji scowled. “Believe me,” he said roughly. “I’m just about anything other than peaceful.”

Shika paused and trembled at that, and Neji stood up.

“Neji,” Shika said and took a step back. “I – you have to understand.” Shika waved his hands, as though flailing was an explanation.

“You actually have to tell me something for me to do any understanding,” Neji replied at the edge of patience.

“I know. Look…I can’t. Not yet. And I just can’t be here right now. And I know this was…I know this was important.” Shika looked like it was many other things aside from, “important” but it was the only thing he could actually say. Shika looked up and met Neji’s gaze, imploring.

“But I have to get away and clear my head and think. I’ll come by tomorrow and…” Shika glanced down at Neji’s body, shuddered, and then closed his eyes.

“I’ll come by tomorrow.”

Then he turned to grab his jacket from over the back of the winged back chair. Neji took three powerful steps and grabbed the protesting Shika, forcing him into an embrace.

“Shika,” Neji purred and soothed his hands over hair and back. He was pissed, sure, but it didn’t have anything to do with his state of arousal and had everything to do with Shika’s sudden change of attitude and apparent shame. Not to mention the secrets he kept. Neji wanted – needed – to know everything that made Shika tick. He craved that knowledge like a thirsting man in a desert, and he knew they needed to talk. Neji mentally kicked himself for doing all this before questions were answered.

“This was important,” Neji said. “More than just important. It meant the world to me, actually.” Shika relaxed a little in his arms.

“And please come by my home tomorrow – I’ll be in all day.” Then Neji pulled away to look Shika in the eyes. When Shikamaru tried to look away, Neji grabbed his chin and made him meet his gaze.

“But don’t do it because you think you owe me. You don’t. I want you to come by because you want to and because it would make me happy to see you. I don’t care if you come by, shake my hand, and leave. Seeing you is plenty for me.” Neji paused and then added for the sake of honesty: “Well, that and knowing that you want to see me. That matters, too.”

Shika bit his lip.

“We have things to talk about,” Neji said and tucked hair behind Shika’s ear. “And I hope to talk about them sooner rather than later. But we do things on your time, not mine.”

Shika looked like he wanted to kiss Neji for that, but instead he just nodded.

“I’ll come by tomorrow,” he said softly. Then Shika backed away a couple of steps, turned, and left Neji standing in the dark.

~*~

A/N: Thank you for reading!