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 – In this chapter…More whipped Kisame and showing of his and Itachi’s friendship.



My Saving Grace.



Part 5





Itachi smoothed his hand over his hair in the now abbreviated gesture that used to be him flicking his bangs out of the way and eyed the two visitors standing in his house asking him if he was okay. "I'm fine, though a phone call letting me know you were coming would have been nice."





Shizune elbowed Kisame hard and hissed, "You told me you'd called!"





Kisame made an umphfing sound as her sharp little elbow drove into him. "Ah...Yes well...I sort of forgot and once we were in the car I didn't see the point of it anyway. Besides getting a surprise visit from your friends to brighten up a lonely and boring night is nice isn't it?"





Having calmed himself as much as he would Neji decided that he couldn't hide in the kitchen like a rat all evening. So he grit his teeth, called on his Hyuga pride and walked out of the kitchen.





Shizune's eyes widened a bit as she connected the dots between Itachi's flush and the stunning man who came into view. "Oh dear, you already had company."





Itachi half turned and held out his hand to Neji with a rueful smile.





Neji walked up to Itachi with an embarrassed smile and laced his fingers with the others. "Hi I'm Neji; it's a pleasure to meet you."





Kisame's grin was so wide it threatened to split his face in half. "So you're the honey...See what we would have missed if I had called ahead." He turned to Shizune.





Itachi's eyes narrowed into a light glare even as Shizune's hand flew up and grabbed Kisame's ear, yanking hard as she pulled him down to hiss, barely audibly, "It's more what we made Itachi miss Kisame Hoshigaki! I think the couch is going to be your friend for a couple nights."





"Aww baby...I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Kisame whined and pleaded with Shizune. He hated the couch, it was too short for him and his feet always dangled off the edge of it. "I apologize Itachi, I really meant to call but I forgot." The huge man rubbed his swollen ear.





"Hn." Itachi angled his head at Kisame, his eyes catching Neji's in amusement. "The groveling walking shark is Kisame Hoshigaki. The lady holding his leash is his lady, Shizune Senju. I've been friends with Kisame since high school and with Shizune since he somehow managed to convince her to take a chance on him."





Shizune smiled brightly at the long haired male. "Pleased to meet you. It's so nice to see that Itachi has someone to erm..." she cast about for the right wording, "to spend time with outside of family and the Akatsuki circle."





Neji flushed again when he thought about just how he and Itachi had spent time together before they had showed. "Yes, it's really nice meeting you too." He replied politely.





"Make sure Itachi here doesn't keep you cooped up here alone with him, come down to the studio sometime, both of you." Kisame smiled but he was still rubbing his pierced ear.





"We might, if Neji doesn't mind being interrogated by the horde, and if you'll promise to behave." Itachi looped his arm around Neji's waist in quiet possession. "For now though why don't we go to the living room and sit down?"





"I always behave." Kisame said in mock shock as he took Shizune's hand and followed Itachi into the living room. "Can't speak for Deidara though." He added as an afterthought.





Neji had to admit this wasn't really what he had expected from Itachi's friends. He had to smile at Kisame though, the large man had a way of putting you at ease and Shizune was just lovely. He could definitely understand what Itachi saw in his friends. It was obvious that they really cared about Itachi and that made Neji automatically like them.





Itachi snorted in disbelief. "Deidara wouldn't know how to behave if his life depended on it; I rely on Sasori to keep a lid on him." He waited until Shizune was seated before settling on the couch with Neji.





"Well Sasori isn't the most stable person himself so I wouldn't count on it." Kisame still held Shizune's hand rubbing soft circles on the inside of her wrist with his thumb. "Don't be discouraged though," he turned to Neji. "They're all good guys who mean well."





Shizune chuckled. "In addition Pein and Konan keep a lid on all of them when necessary. You should come by the shop with Itachi; you'll never meet a crazier or more loyal bunch of misfits in your life."





"I'd love to meet Itachi's friends." Neji smiled back at Shizune. "I have been to your shop once, as a customer."





"You've got some work on you?" Kisame's eyes widened in interest. "Ink or metal?"





"Just a simple piercing." Neji stroked his hair behind his ears and regretted that he had forgotten to bring a hair tie.





Itachi reached out absently and took a lock of Neji's hair in his fingers, stroking and playing it through his fingers as his eyes gleamed at Kisame and a smile flirted with his lips. "A navel piercing, done by Pein himself."





"Pein did you?" If Kisame had had hair his eyebrows would have disappeared behind it. "Damn kid, he hardly works the floor at all these days, there must be something special about you."





Shizune nodded. "Yes it is rare that Pein gets hands on these days and he is an uncanny judge of character. I'd say there's something very special about you Neji."





Neji flushed and wanted to disappear into the couch pillows. "I assure you that there's nothing special about me, I'm as average as they come."





Itachi tugged gently on the lock of hair in his fingers. "Don't sell yourself short but we'll change the subject if you're uncomfortable."





Neji flashed Itachi a grateful smile, talking about himself when he had done nothing worthy to talk about really did make him uncomfortable.





Kisame picked up on Neji's unease too and turned to Itachi instead. "Is your back okay? No lingering pain or irritation?"





Shizune smiled at her lover and snuggled into his side happily, proud of him for being sensitive to the mood.





Itachi shook his head. "It's fine, absolutely painless."





"Good, good." Kisame nodded.





"Your back?" Neji looked at him curiously. "What's with your back?"





The Uchiha smiled softly. "Nothing, I just had the tattoo on it refreshed is all. The colors were growing dull."





"Ah okay." Neji still hadn't seen those illusive tattoos Itachi had mentioned when they went dancing but he couldn't wait until he got the chance.





Kisame raised an eyebrow, Itachi had done a hell of a lot more than touch up an old tattoo but if he didn't want his honey to know then Kisame wouldn't tell. His loyalties were with Itachi...always.





Shizune chuckled. "So Itachi has my personal guard shark managed to convince you to get what he calls the whole set yet?"





A soft snort. "Not hardly."





"I will though, I won't give up." Kisame grinned.





"The whole set?" Neji looked from Itachi to Kisame questioningly.





"Yup I want to make it so that the upstairs match the downstairs but my boy here is fighting me." Kisame looked at Itachi pointedly.





"Match up and downstairs?" Neji furrowed his brows before realization hit him. "Oh..." Pink spread across his cheeks as he imagined it.





Itachi shot Kisame a glare that proclaimed that the other man played dirty pool. "I was drunk and it's not likely I'll ever get that drunk again."





"There's no reason not to do it while sober." Kisame grinned wickedly and looked at Neji. "You'd like it if he matched right?"





"I...I'm not sure...I mean it's his choice...Nothing to do with me." Neji was all flustered, how had the conversation turned to this? Did he find the image of Itachi with pierced nipples hot? Yes he most definitely did but he was hardly in a position to say anything about it. Their relationship...If they had any was nowhere near that far along.





Itachi lifted a brow at Neji's body language. It was obvious he liked the idea of Itachi having his nipples pierced but it was just as obvious that he didn't feel he had a claim to state that opinion. Itachi leaned close, nose brushing Neji's jawline. "If he ever wins the argument it might considering that they can't be played with for a while after being pierced."





"That is a serious drawback." Neji gave Itachi a small smile. "I'm not sure I would have the patience not to...play." Pale eyes locked on red tinted ones.





The older man's lips curved in a sensual smile. "I certainly wouldn't have the will to stop you."





A clearing throat brought his attention back to the fact that they had an audience. Shizune's face was a bright flaming red and Kisame was looking everywhere but at them.





"Um..." Neji shot Shizune an apologetic smile and shifted in his seat until there was a little space between him and Itachi. He had never been like this before, unable to keep hands and eyes off of someone. Itachi was different though, he turned Neji completely inside out and upside down.





Itachi didn't bother with shifting away. He actually stretched his arm over the back of the couch behind Neji's shoulders and shot Kisame a smirk. Yes he was being an asshole but they'd interrupted something he'd been wanting for quite some time now and he was feeling less that gracious about it. "So Shizune what have you been up to lately, aside from the monumental task of keeping a leash on Mako?"





She chuckled a bit. "Just the usual rounds at the hospital and dealing with the interns." Her nose wrinkled showing her opinion of the interns.





"Do you know Sakura Haruno? She's interning under Tsunade Yamamoto at general hospital?" Neji knew it was a large hospital and that Shizune couldn't possible know all the students and interns but at least it was a way to make conversation. He felt the warmth of Itachi's arm behind him and gave in to temptation and rested his neck against it.





Shizune beamed. "Yes she's one of the rare interns who don't whine or complain about the effort or being consider the gophers for the doctors. She's also got an amazing bedside manner. She'll be an incredible doctor."





Neji chuckled as he thought of the pinkette's temper back when they were teenager, she still had a scary temper but she was really serious about her career in medicine. "Yes, she will be." He agreed.





Itachi chuckled as he considered Sasuke's tale of the frying pan and his kneecaps. "I do believe that she's inherited Dr, Yamamoto's...unique personality."





"In other words she's scary as hell." Kisame still shuddered at the interrogations and kind warnings Tsunade had given him when he started dating Shizune to make sure he was good enough for her friend.





"That could be one way of describing her." Neji chuckled.





Shizune laughed a bit. "You need to be a bit scary when dealing with male doctors who still think that women either belong in those hideous white nurse outfits handing them surgical tools or barefoot and pregnant."





Itachi shook his head. "And to think morons like that do still exist. Some of the strongest people I know are women, gods know my mother has a spine of pure steel."





"Oh yeah, my momma raised me all on her own while working two jobs and she did a great job of it." Kisame had nothing but admiration for his mother.





Neji smiled a bit wistfully. He barely remembered his mother, other than soft brown hair, warm eyes and that he always had to be quiet and still because she was always sick and the scent of lavender.





Itachi looked at his old friend as his fingers automatically played with Neji's hair. "It's a miracle she didn't go insane with you and Suigetsu to deal with. How is the little ankle biter anyway?"





"Sui is good, still traveling...Chasing the perfect wave." Kisame grinned, his little brother could be annoying as hell but he still missed him when he was out on his trips. "Got an e-mail from him yesterday and then he was outside the coast of Thailand somewhere."





"Hn, you'll have to send him a picture of Shinji and blow his mind when you tell him that Naruto gave birth." Itachi's lips twitched evilly.





"Yeah, man he'll freak." Kisame's chuckle was nothing but evil. "Honey remind me to do that when we get home. With any luck he'll view it on that fancy waterproof phone he has and fall off his board."





Shizune shook her head, though her eyes twinkled. "You two are horrible."





Itachi lifted a shoulder. "One of my best qualities."





Neji smiled. "Listening to the two of you I'm suddenly glad that I don't have an older brother." He knew that Itachi loved Sasuke deeply though and judging from Kisame's expression the giant felt the same about this brother.





The Uchiha chuckled and tucked a few errant strands of chocolate hair behind Neji's ear. "It is an older brother's sacred duty to annoy the living hell out of his sibling but it's also his sacred duty to rip anyone who tries to hurt his sibling into teeny tiny bloody pieces."





"Ain't that the truth, the only one allowed to torment our brothers are us." Kisame agreed eagerly.





"I don't think I'll ever understand that sort of family dynamics...Though I would put anyone who dared to hurt Hinata or Hanabi through a world of pain." Neji turned his head so he could lean his cheek against the arm Itachi rested behind him. "That's sort of the same I suppose."





Itachi leaned his own head to rest against Neji's. "You're more steady and solid than Kisame or I. You might tease a bit but you'd never torment a family member where as I revel in it."





"My uncle took me in and raised me as his own son after I lost both mother and then father, if he hadn't done that then I'd be all alone. My family is too precious to me to torment even in light teasing." Neji smiled softly.





Itachi's arm curled firmly around Neji, his protective instincts roused, and pressed a kiss to the other man's temple.





Shizune smiled at the Hyuga. "I know that feeling. Lady Tsunade took me in and raised me when my own family died."





Neji smiled back at her. "All kinds of family are important and precious, whether you're born into one or make one for yourself. I believe that bonds strengthen you." He nuzzled his cheek against Itachi's arm.





Shizune beamed at him, her approval completely won with that comment. "Yes they d-" she was cut off by a yawn. Fatigue being a byproduct of her condition yawning happened a lot.





Kisame attention was focused on her in an instant, dark eyes concerned. "Are you okay hun? Are you feeling tired? Maybe we should go home so you can rest."





She almost scolded him for being so worried but instead she glanced over at Neji and Itachi, knowing that this would be the perfect chance to leave off and give them some privacy. "Actually I am a little tired. It was a busy day at the hospital."





"Then let's go home...I'll even rub your feet later." Kisame loved to pamper his loved one and he also hadn't forgotten about the couch threat. "Stop by more often Itachi, both at the shop and at our house, we miss you. Bring Neji too." Kisame held out his hand to Shizune as they got up from the sofa. "Should we stop to buy something to eat on the way home?"





She took his hand then tucked her arm around his. "Hmm I'm in the mood for some ice cream so how about we run through Dairy Queen?" She waved cheerily to Itachi and Neji as her lover tugged her out of the house.





Itachi chuckled at Kisame's actions. For all that he was big and scary as fuck the man was also extremely protective of those he considered his and had a mild panic attack every time something might be wrong. Itachi couldn't wait to see how the old shark handled fatherhood.





"Mmm, I like your friends. It's obvious how much they care about you." Neji stretched and curled up contentedly next to Itachi. "And how much they love each other, they remind me of Naruto and Sasuke."





The Uchiha laughed and moved so that Neji was curled up within his arms. "Kisame is my brother in everything but blood. He's seen me at my stupidest and I've seen him at his. Pein often says the only reason we weren't born to the same mother is because one woman never would have been able to handle the two of us. All the Akatsuki are family of the heart. Shizune for all that she seems gentle and mostly quiet, is more than a match for Kisame. She proved her mettle when she actually dislocated the shoulder of someone who tried to shoot Kisame."





"Shoot him?" Neji's eyes were wide as he wrapped his arms around Itachi's waist as he was snuggled against him. "Why would someone try to shoot him? And I have no doubt Shizune is strong. I'm glad you have them in your life."





A kiss was placed on top of the dark chocolate hair. "I'm lucky to have them. As for why someone tried to shoot him, Kisame may look like the ultimate criminal but that couldn't be farther from how he truly is. Some moron invited him to a 'business dinner' that turned out to be an attempt at convincing him to join a local mob and as he left he witnessed the don's son committing a murder. He went immediately to the police but refused to be put in the protection program. A week before the trial of the don's son the don sent one of his lackeys to kill the only witness. Shizune had gone to the bathroom and when she saw that idiot pointing a gun at Kisame...well let's just say that she's got plenty of that same temper Tsunade and Sakura do, she just controls it better."





"Stupid thugs." Neji crept even closer and inched his hands underneath Itachi's shirt to feel the smooth warm skin. "I'm glad neither one of them got hurt and remind me not to get on Shizune's bad side. I admire Kisame's character, it takes guts to do what he did." Neji felt completely warm and comfortable in Itachi's arms and he let himself relax.





Itachi hummed softly, closing his eyes in contentment. "Don't worry I doubt you'll ever get on Shizune's black list."





"Ah you never know, I'm not a very nice nice person." Neji murmured as his eyes felt heavier. He nuzzled his nose against Itachi's shoulder.





"Maybe not but Shizune's only real hot buttons are upsetting or hurting those she cares about. I'm sure you're safe from her." The Uchiha nuzzled the top of Neji's head affectionately.





"Hmm, I hope so. I think her precious ones are safe from me." Neji nuzzled back as his arms settled around Itachi's waist beneath his shirt.





"So, are you interested in meeting the rest of the reprobates I call my friends?"





I would love to meet the rest of your friends Phoenix. I can't wait to find out what sort of people they are. Yours and Kisame's talk about them has me curious. I know they'll be good people since they're your friends." Neji smiled as he talked.





Itachi chuckled. "They are, though some can seem a little...odd to outsiders." His lips twitched. "The pranks some of them pull are rather...extreme."





"Pranks? What sort of pranks are we talking about here?" Neji sounded more amused than worried. "Are you involved in this prank pulling?"





"Why Neji I'm shocked you could ask that, I'm far too dignified to participate in lowly pranks." Itachi's lips brushed his ear. "The ones that find their ways into viral videos however benefit from my genius. As for what kind, well one of our members was dating a hyena of a woman so we all decided to get her out of his life, she was no good for him. Amazing what a crate of kittens left in the kitchen and de-furring tools next to it can do."





Neji burst out laughing. "Oooh you're bad...Did it get rid of the hyena? And what did your friend who was dating her think of it all?" Neji's slim shoulder shook from laughter.





"Oh it worked alright and at first Zetsu was highly displeased and tried to get her back until he overheard her speaking with a co-worker about how no amount of money was worth putting up with a creepy kitten-eating bi-colored freak and how she'd just have to rework her plan to marry money for another sap." Itachi was almost growling as he remembered how much his friend had been hurt by that bitch. The man had been born with skin even darker than Kisame's but vitiligo had caused much of his skin to turn glaringly white and Zetsu had been mocked and ridiculed most of his life because of it. "We all convinced him to get even by buying the place she worked at and promoting her sworn enemy to the manager position."





"What a bitch!" Neji had never even met this Zetsu but he was stilled filled with rage on his behalf. "Lucky that he has you for friends and that you looked out for him. Considering how she acted I still think she got off easy." Itachi's friends seemed like a really tight knit group of people and Neji really hoped he would find approval with them.





Itachi chuckled evilly. "She was demoted to janitor by the new manager and had to clean the grease traps every night as well as deal with the most disgusting things that come out of a sushi bar and grill. She couldn't quit either, she'd only gotten her job in the first place by seducing the original owner. No one else will hire her. Zetsu would do the same for any one of us as we did for him. We're all in some way outcasts, it's how we got to be friends in the first place, forming a pack against the masses of idiots in high school."





"I guess outcasts bond together. It was the same for me, Naruto and Gaara too although maybe to a lesser degree." Neji agreed. He was happy that Itachi had these people to lean on and who could lean on him. "I hope they'll like me."





The older man's arms tightened around the Hyuga. "How could they not? You're a sexy nerd."





Neji's lips tilted upwards. "And you're one hot bad boy." He brushed his lips over Itachi's neck. "Just because you have a thing for nerds your friends may not."





Itachi chuckled. "In their time outside of the tattoo parlor, Tobi is a Trekkie the likes of which you have never seen, Sasori collects, makes, and performs with puppets, Deidara is a pyrotechnic engineer, Zetsu writes science fiction, Hidan is a historical re-enactor, Kakuzu is a math whiz auditor, Konan creates and tests video games when she's not manning the desk at the shop, and Pein has a degree in software engineering. My friends are nerds. They're just nerds with attitude."





Neji's smile widened. "Nerds with attitude...I like that. Those are my kind of people." A strand of hair was tickling his cheek and Neji blew it to the side. "Is it bad when I immediately start to wonder what kind of games this Konan creates and what sort of Trekkie Tobi is? Original series, next generation or *gasp* maybe even reboot." Pale eyes looked up at Itachi. "Gods I'm such a certified geek."





Itachi laughed and gave Neji a peck on the lips. "But you're a sexy geek and I like you. Tobi is a fan of everything Trek from TOS to Reboot and everything in between. Never, under any circumstances, draw him into the Kirk vs. Picard debate, he'll rattle on for a week. Konan creates everything from children's games to hardcore M-rated war games, she's even consulted on a couple of Warcraft and Everquest...what's the term, it's not sequel."





"Do you mean expansions?" Neji sat up a bit straighter within Itachi's arms. "Wow that must mean she's really, really good. And what do you mean Kirk vs. Picard? There's no contest. Kirk is amusing for sure but Picard is the only captain of the Enterprise worth the name."





Itachi's arms tightened around the other man and his forehead went to the crook of Neji's neck. "Please, by all that's holy and sacred, do not say that to Tobi I beg of you. Even if I agree he'll go nuts."





Neji chuckled. "Okay I'll keep a lid on it for your sake then." A slight shiver went up his spine at Itachi's warm breath washed over him as Itachi had his forehead in the crook of his neck. "At least for our first meeting." He added later with a small grin.





"And you call me bad?" Itachi pressed a kiss to the side of Neji's neck. If nothing else then the meeting would be entertaining.





To be continued…

 

AN – Preview for next chapter, we’ll meet the rest of the Akatsuki and someone will have something done at the piercing studio. Thank you so much for reading and if you have the time then we’d love to hear your thoughts. See you next chapter.