Undercurrents

One refreshed meal and a paid check later, Neji and Shika made their way back down to the main level of Tobi’s and then out to the valet station.

“If you could just bring the car over there?” Neji asked politely and pointed to the side of the building.

“Certainly, sir.”

“You must make every valets’ night,” Shika observed as they walked along the sidewalk. The reporters were gone, thankfully.

“Not as much as when they see Gaara coming,” Neji replied.

“Does he collect as well as work on cars?” Shika asked. They stopped on the curb and Neji ran his hand idly over Shika’s lower back.

“He does,” Neji replied. “He likes vintage cars, though. I’m a bit more modern in my tastes.”

The valet pulled the Ferrari smoothly around and parked next to the curb. As the valet got out, Neji opened the door for Shika.

“You know I can manage my own door,” Shika muttered.

“I’m aware that you’re capable,” Neji replied, arching one eyebrow. “But it makes me happy to spoil you, so shut up and get in the car.”

Shika barked a laugh and obeyed. Neji tipped the valet generously and waited until he went back around the building. Neji smirked to himself and moved into the shadows behind the Ferrari. Then Neji unbuttoned his shirt and stripped it off his arms without ceremony to reveal a black, sleeveless, deep-v neck shirt underneath. It was made of the softest leather blend and a fine mesh filled in the “v” of the neckline showing ample amounts of veiled skin. Moving quickly, Neji undid his belt, yanked it through loops, and then turned it over to show the other side. Rows of flat, glittery, red squares covered the underside of the reversible belt, and Neji cinched it lower on his hips. Now there was a strip of pale flesh showing between the hem of the shirt and waist of the pants.

As final touches, Neji yanked a red leather hair tie out of his pocket and deftly pulled his hair back into a low tail, leaving a few strands to frame his face. From the other pocket he removed an ear cuff in the shape of a dragon: ruby eyes gleamed and the cuff clamped onto the middle and upper part of Neji’s right ear, letting the dragon “wind” from earlobe to upper cartilage.

The whole transformation took less than a minute. He slung his discarded shirt over his arm and moved around to open the driver-side door. Heart pumping a little faster in anticipation, he casually sank into the seat.

“I was beginning to wonder if you –“ Shika stopped speaking. His mouth froze around whatever word would have come next, and he took in Neji’s hair, ear, and new shirt. His gaze lingered on Neji’s muscular arms and semi-naked chest.

Neji sat still for a few seconds and then held out his shirt to Shika. “Fold this for me, would you? Rosemary’ll kill me if it comes back in a wadded mess.”

Then Neji revved the engine once, flexed his hands over the leather of the steering wheel and the metal of the gear shift and peeled out of the parking lot.

It took Shika a minute or so to stop staring and no doubt analyzing Neji’s attire before he carefully buttoned the shirt and folded it to lay in his lap.

“Um…” he said.

Neji reached over and put a hand on Shika’s leg; he squeezed. “Yes?”

“Where are we going?”

Now Neji grinned. “We’re going to Bliss.”

“Bliss?” Shika repeated.

Neji nodded. “Yeah, Kakashi’s club.”

“I thought Kakashi just owned Glow?”

“Kakashi likes to diversify.” Neji chuckled. “Actually, to be fair, Kakashi shares ownership of Bliss with three others.”

“And one of those other people is you?”

“Very good,” Neji praised, still grinning. “Yes, I have partial ownership of Bliss. The other owners are Tenzou and Naruto.”

“Tenzou?”

“Eh, sorry. You’re familiar with Yamato? The architect?”

Shika nodded. “Sure. His name’s on just about every major building in the city.”

“Same man.”

“What’s with the two names?”

Neji shrugged a shoulder and made a right onto an unmarked two-lane road. “For business he goes by Yamato but his friends call him Tenzou. I honestly don’t know which is his real name, myself, although I’m betting on Tenzou as that’s what Kakashi calls him. Tenzou was Special Ops, and says he enjoys his code names.”

“I’ve heard of Bliss,” Shika reflected. “But didn’t know you had anything to do with it. I’ve never been.” He paused and pulled a face that Neji caught from the corner of his eye.

“I’m not one for dancing, really.”

“Oh, I know,” Neji said and chuckled. “I still remember the ballroom lessons we endured years ago when we had to attend that royal ball. I thought Hinata was going to kill you before the first class was finished.”

“You remember that?” Shika made an exasperated noise. “I’ve tried to forget.”

“It was endearing how many shades of red you’d blush when you messed up the steps.”

Shika grumbled something and crossed his arms. “Like I said, dancing’s not really my thing.” He glared at Neji. “Though I remember you being irritatingly good at it.”

“Which is why you don’t need to worry about Bliss,” Neji said with another affectionate squeeze to Shika’s leg. “I’ll make sure we both get out alive with all toes in tact.”

“Well, it’ll hardly be ballroom,” Shika said. Neji wasn’t sure if he was defending or comforting himself.

“True,” Neji agreed. Then he licked his lips and shifted his hand higher on Shika’s leg. “It’s like fucking with your clothes on in front of an audience.”

Neji stopped the car at a four-way intersection and looked at Shika. “I’m sure you’ll catch on.”

Shika hugged himself a little tighter and swallowed.

~*~

Neji slowed down as he finally made the last turn up the mountain. Then he shifted in the seat so he could watch both Shika’s reaction and the road.

When Neji and the others got together to form a plan for the nightclub they wanted to open, nobody had a clear view as to what it should look like. Naruto’s travels over the globe allowed him perspective on some of the largest and most extravagant clubs in the world. Tenzou’s love for arches and gothic design had him doodling buildings that took the best of medieval architecture and combined it with modern industrial. Kakashi just wanted a bar big enough to hold every type of alcohol on the planet.

But when Neji pulled out a sketch of an ancient and basic floor plan for a cathedral, everyone got quiet. The shape was perfect for a club, Neji quickly explained and demonstrated. Kakashi immediately saw where the bars should go, Naruto saw where the lounges should be, Neji saw stages and interior design, and Tenzou somehow managed to put it all together.

Club Bliss looked like a gothic cathedral and loomed on top of a plateau that overlooked downtown Monoshizukanohi. The site preparation had been heinous, but it was worth it for the sheer functionality and aesthetics. Spires reached up toward the sky, and gargoyles guarded archways and spewed water into artificially lit fountains. An open garden bordered by stone walls ran along one entire side, and the entranceway consisted of two massive wooden doors one could see between the columns that lined the front of the club.

“Christ,” Shika said when he saw the place.

“Not even a little,” Neji replied.

Shika gave him a look and then returned his gaze to the cathedral. “This place is massive,” Shika said in awe.

“It holds about a thousand people comfortably.” Neji maneuvered the car into the closest parking lot and pulled into a slot marked, “VIP Parking Only - All Others Will Burn.” Neji leaned over and pulled a permit out of a small console and put it on the dash.

“That’s only one-tenth the capacity of Privilege in Ibiza,” Neji commented. “But we didn’t really think this city could support anything larger, even with tourism.”

They got out of the car and Neji wrapped an arm around Shikamaru as they made their way to the entrance. As they walked, Neji surreptitiously evaluated Shika. He didn’t seem nervous or anxious so far as Neji could tell. He kept trying to look up and see the tops of the spires from this angle, which was impossible. It was adorable that he tried, however; endearing and somewhat child-like.

Neji promised himself that at the first sign of discomfort or anxiety he would take Shika home. Neji didn’t really think that Bliss would remind Shika of Haze or bad memories, but Neji kept a close eye on the Nara all the same.

It was early, yet, so the closest lot was the only one full. Stone steps led up to a long and wide ramp onto which the front doors opened. The doors were two-storeys tall and operated by machinery.

Just inside the doors was the “narthex” – which consisted of a coat check on the left, a hostess stand in the middle, and a door that led to offices and other things to the right. Neji left Shika standing and staring up at the massive mural on the wall above the hostess stand as he checked them in and got two armbands that would allow them drinks on the house the entire night.

“It’s representative of life and death,” Neji said as he walked over and slid the armband onto Shika’s wrist. Neji moved behind Shika and wrapped his arms around his chest, and then craned his neck up to look at the man and woman wrapped in a yin/yang pose high on the wall. The woman was wrapped in fabric showing stars and galaxies, the man was similarly wrapped in fields, meadows, and the sun. They reached for one another without touching, eyes closed in bliss or sadness, Neji couldn’t tell. The woman’s hair was stark gray and full of thunderclouds and the man’s was green, flowers and vines wrapped and entwined throughout.

“Who did it?” Shika whispered.

“The artist’s name is Sai,” Neji answered. “He was a huge pain in the ass, actually. Insisted on working at night and didn’t allow anyone but his assistants inside while he painted.”

“It’s amazing.” Shika half-turned to look at Neji. “Why isn’t music playing?”

“Too early,” Neji replied. “Sets don’t start for another thirty minutes or so.”

“If it isn’t the Nara,” a voice said. Neji and Shika turned to see Sasuke saunter in through the side door to their right. He wore skintight black pants that looked like they were made of silk and hid nothing of the body beneath, knee-high boots, no shirt, and a silver chain around his neck. At the bottom of the chain was a white gold pendant in the shape of a rose.

“So that’s the rose he left at home,” Shika said very softly.

Neji looked from Sasuke to Shika and he could actually hear Shikamaru putting more puzzle pieces together. Neji sighed.

“May I speak to you, Neji?” Sasuke asked sweetly.

Neji nuzzled at Shika’s neck. “Shikamaru,” Neji said. “Would you go get us a couple of drinks? The bars are just inside and should be open. I’d love a gin and tonic.”

Shika turned his head to look at Neji. He looked both flustered and eager. Neji smiled.

“Sure,” Shika said.

“Just show them the armband,” Neji instructed.

Shika nodded and disentangled himself from Neji’s arms. He gave Sasuke one more look, frowning, and then headed through the door in search of the bar.

Neji turned and glowered at Sasuke.

“Thanks for that,” Neji said.

Sasuke lightly touched the rose and then shrugged an elegant shoulder at Neji.

“Oh come on,” Sasuke said. “It’s not like I divulged state secrets. You’ll take him to Break eventually.” Sasuke paused and measured Neji’s expression.

“Well, won’t you?”

“Maybe,” Neji said, meeting Sasuke’s gaze.

Sasuke chuckled. “Uh-huh…exactly how much are you giving up for this one, Hyuga?”

“He’s the last one, so anything that’s necessary.”

Sasuke pursed his lips. “Oh. How. Sweet,” Sasuke mocked.

Now Neji snorted. “Don’t hurt yourself, Uchiha.”

“What would be the point?” Sasuke quipped. “And really – no harm done. He’s a smart one, your Shikamaru. He would have figured it out sooner or later.”

“He knows I’m involved with the club, Sasuke,” Neji said dryly. “He didn’t know about the rose until just now, though.”

“What, this?” Sasuke said innocently and touched the heavy pendant. “I think Naruto’s idea for passkeys was ingenious.” Sasuke’s eyes flashed. “As was your idea to make Shikamaru wear a red rose to the gala to show his interest.”

“How did you-“

“Lee,” Sasuke said.

Of course.

Neji rolled his eyes and sighed. “What did you want?” he asked.

“I have the information you requested,” Sasuke said, and his expression turned darkly serious. He removed a flash drive from somewhere Neji didn’t really want to contemplate and held it out.

But when Neji reached for it, Sasuke drew back. “Condition,” he said.

“Does Naruto know you’re giving me conditions?” Neji demanded.

Sasuke smirked. “Neji, Naruto may own my ass, but he doesn’t own my mind.” He paused. “He wouldn’t know what to do with it.”

Neji didn’t comment; it was better that way.

“Besides,” Sasuke continued. “I think he’d approve of this condition.” Sasuke stepped closer to Neji and looked him in the eye, his expression deadly.

“I want in,” Sasuke whispered.

“But you never-“

“I know,” Sasuke hissed. “But for this one…” He trailed off as Shika reappeared and headed their way. He carefully held two glasses in his hands and watched the other men with calculating eyes.

Sasuke stared at Shikamaru for a moment and then looked back at Neji.

“For this one, Neji, I’m in.”

Neji and Sasuke looked at one another for a few seconds, and a world of conversation happened without words. Neji nodded in understanding.

“Good,” Sasuke said and stepped back. He smiled and shook Neji’s hand, and with that discreet move the flash drive was now in Neji’s possession. Sasuke waved two fingers at Shika and then left through the same door he’d arrived. Shika watched him go, and Neji slid the drive into his pocket.

“What was that all about?” Shika asked.

“Club business,” Neji replied. “Thanks.” He accepted the drink.

“Which club?” Shika deadpanned.

Neji just smiled. “Let’s go in, shall we? The music will start up soon.”

Shika looked at Neji for a couple of seconds and then just nodded. “Kakashi’s at the bar and asked after you,” he said.

With a nod and smile, Neji took Shika’s hand and they entered the main part of the club. Two exceptionally long bars ran along either side of the main dance floor. The ceiling here was low and covered in hundreds of pinprick lights. The bars glowed blue and massive video screens ran along the walls behind the glass liquor displays. The screens continued all the way to the “cross” portion of the floor plan: where the lectern for sermons would normally be. The DJ booth stood smack in the middle of the floor and two large nooks opened on either side. Tables, booths, and lounges took up the space and in the back were restrooms.

The ceiling opened up on the other side of the raised DJ booth, and a sunken dance floor surrounded on three sides by stages occupied the rest of the space. Behind the largest stage at the far end of the building directly opposite the entryway was a two-story stained-glass window lit with strategically placed outdoor and indoor lights. The patterns were geometric and abstract, and when the light show was on, the patterns mimicked those of stained glass.

The barstools were already mostly full of eager patrons, but Neji spotted Kakashi and Tenzou easily enough. Nearby he also saw Gaara standing at the very edge of the bar, drink in hand. Gaara didn’t bother to look up as Neji and Shika approached.

“Shikamaru, I’m not sure you know Tenzou?” Neji asked, gesturing to a rather plain-looking man with large, dark eyes.

Shika bowed. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Tenzou said and smiled.

“Didn’t expect you here tonight, Kakashi,” Neji said.

“Iruka said I needed a night off from the bar,” Kakashi replied with a wink. Years ago an accident claimed one of Kakashi’s eyes, and it had been replaced with a donor eye. The man now had one bright blue eye and one deep brown, and the effect never failed to make an impact. Neji rather liked it.

“I was just getting ready to go meet him, actually.” Kakashi set his empty glass on the bar and looked at Tenzou. “You coming?”

Tenzou shrugged. “I think I might head home, actually. Not feeling much like dancing.” He paused. “Of any sort, really.”

Kakashi nodded, his expression slightly concerned. “Sure there’s nothing we can do to help?”

Tenzou just smiled and shook his head. “Very kind of you to offer, Kakashi.”

Neji watched Shikamaru view the exchange and smiled at the mixture of confusion and analysis on Shika’s face. The group said their good-byes and Neji and Shika took up their vacated stools.

“Enjoying yourself?” Neji asked. He reached over and ran one finger between Shika’s brows, smoothing out the crease.

Shika blinked and then shook his head. “I can’t help but see everything as a piece to the puzzle.”

“What puzzle are you trying to solve?” Neji asked.

“Yours,” Shika said, staring intently back at Neji. “Asking questions didn’t really work, so now everybody’s a clue.”

Sighing, Neji slid off the stool to stand. The movement forced Shika’s legs apart to allow Neji room. Wrapping one arm around Shika’s waist, he picked up Shika’s drink and held it up in front of the Nara’s face.

“I’m really going to have to work to get that brain of yours to quit, aren’t I?” Neji asked mildly. “You know me, Shika. You just don’t know some things about what I do in my free time. But I promise you, everything will get explained and resolved to satisfy even you. For now, have patience.” Neji brought the glass to Shika’s lips.

“And relax a little.”

Shika’s hand flew up to rest on Neji’s arm, and his eyes were intent as they looked up at Neji. But he parted his lips and let Neji pour some of the alcohol into his mouth. Neji smiled and set the glass back down. When Shika moved to wipe his mouth on the back of his sleeve, Neji stopped him. Neji leaned down and licked Shika’s bottom lip before trapping it between his own and nibbling. He sighed through his nose at the taste of the gin on Shika’s mouth. Then he kissed Shika, long and slow, as though there weren’t a hundred people standing around, some of them watching the show.

When Neji pulled away, Shika didn’t look more relaxed, exactly, but he definitely didn’t look like he was thinking about puzzles and clues. Neji reached for his own glass, keeping his hand at Shika’s waist, fingers lightly petting sweater and skin.

“How goes it with you tonight, Gaara?” Neji asked without looking at the redhead. Shika turned quickly on the stool and saw Gaara’s fixated sea-green gaze. Gaara never tried to hide it when something intriguing caught his attention. Shika blushed a lovely pink and took another drink.

Neji looked up and he and Gaara stared at one another. Technically, since Gaara was a DJ at Bliss tonight, he was Neji’s employee. But Neji never made the mistake of treating Gaara as such. Gaara spun because he wanted to, and Bliss was not the only club he worked. Glow and Break were his other two venues, and Neji didn’t want to say anything to the unstable man that might make him rethink his contracts. He was the best DJ in the region, and a semi-friend besides.

Gaara frowned, still looking at Neji. “Irritated,” he said.

“At what?” Neji asked. Shika raised his head, evidently interested.

Still staring with an unblinking gaze, Gaara’s mouth twitched. “Humanity,” he said.

“Gaara, when aren’t you irritated with humanity?” Neji asked, but kept his tone light.

Face now smooth and unreadable, Gaara looked down. He picked up his tall glass and drained the clear liquid, which Neji knew to be water. Gaara didn’t drink anymore.

“It’s one human more than the rest,” Gaara said, and it was practically a speech for him.

“Do you need assistance taking care of the problem?” Neji asked. It was his way of asking if he needed to relocate someone for being a general nuisance. Most employees got the breakdown of the beautiful redheaded DJ immediately: he did not date, he was not interested – male, female, animal or vegetable. He would sooner stab you than give you the time of day, and he had a very shady and colorful past that was only barely behind him.

In short, keep your distance if you wanted to keep your job and all the blood on the inside of your body.

Sometimes, however, an employee wouldn’t take the warnings to heart, and Neji or Kakashi would shuffle that poor fool to another position. Something about Gaara inspired stalkers and obsession, though he seemed generally oblivious to that fact.

“No,” Gaara answered. He stood, and shrugged out of his leather jacket. He wore a black-t-shirt underneath over black jeans. “Time to work.”

“Look forward to it,” Neji said.

Gaara nodded at him and then at Shika before stalking off to the DJ booth. A burst of applause went up as Gaara approached his station. He ignored it and began to set up.

“I didn’t know Gaara even liked music,” Shika observed.

“I’m still not convinced Gaara actually likes anything,” Neji drawled. “There are just some things he doesn’t hate.”

Shika chuckled and then the lights dimmed. The people occupying barstools began to move toward the middle of the floor or toward the front of the club and into the sunken dance area. More people poured through the entry doors; they’d been in the lobby waiting for the light cue.

In the darkness, laser lights suddenly danced across the crowd and then beamed down onto the stages. The mirrors that lined the back of the stages slowly slid back revealing dancers poised and ready to begin the night. In the DJ booth, Gaara slid one headphone over his ear and flicked a switch. The club seemed to hiss like a living creature in pain as the speakers came to life, and a female voice whispered:

”Bliss.”

Music began to pulse, slowly building, and the female voice repeated the word in different languages. The speech got faster as the music slowly grew louder, and the crowd started to cheer as the dancers began to move. People seemed to pour in from everywhere, slowly dancing, swaying. The screens behind the bars and in the alcoves thrummed to life, glowing and dancing in time to the music. Low-lying fog blew in from unseen sources, and lights in artificial techno-trees pulsated and glowed in the lounge areas.

Neji’s heart hammered. He absolutely loved the openings. They were always a little different, depending on Gaara’s mood and if there was a theme to the evening’s show. Tonight’s blend of music and theatrics seemed to be standard hedonism, but it was still intoxicating. Neji drained his drink and turned to Shika, whose eyes were wide in the blue glow of the bar.

Taking the glass from Shika’s hand, Neji pulled the Nara out of the chair and against his body. Letting his hands roam for a minute while he breathed in Shika’s ear, Neji grinned as the music suddenly ripped into a fevered pitch, making the crowd scream.

“Come on,” Neji said into Shika’s ear. Then he turned and headed for the front of the club, the music annihilating any thought but the crazed urge to press himself against Shika and dance.

~*~

A/N: THANK YOU guys so, so much for the reviews! I really appreciate your time to leave feedback. Especially those of you who don't normally do so - makes me all fluffy about the edges. :D

Hope you enjoy!!! More coming soon. Much love & House beats!