An Indecent Affair

Chapter 8
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Neji fingered the uppermost button on his white, polo shirt while he waited for the company’s Online Networking Services program to load as he rubbed his bare feet together in an attempt to generate some warmth.

His toes were freezing and digging his feet into the carpet to generate some form of heat from the friction didn’t help matters much since the cold air from the air-conditioning unit made the wall-to-wall rug was just as chilly.

Neji grew irritated when he recalled the reason he was bare-foot in the first place and he fought back an exasperated sigh so the client on the other line couldn’t hear it.

He didn’t know the Uchiha would be so meticulous with his demand that he wear casual clothes from now on and Neji was glad that he didn’t call his bluff because the second he stepped inside the large doors, Sasuke thoroughly inspected his outfit and when he saw the dark-brown, leather shoes he made Neji take them off (along with the socks) and the young Hyuuga was exceedingly glad that he’d had the foresight to wear jeans and not slacks like he’d originally intended.

After the program booted up, Neji logged in with his username and password which, funnily enough, just happened to be ‘Sasukeis1Bastard’. His reasoning behind it was because he’d never forget it but when he asked himself why he didn’t use one containing ‘Ten-Ten’ he could never find a valid response.

He cradled the phone in the crook of one shoulder and typed in the client’s name then searched through the database for any new arrivals under his customer number.

“I’m sorry Jiraiya but your books haven’t come in yet.”

The middle-aged man made a loud, depressed noise and Neji winced at the ringing in his ears.

“Well, I guess it can’t be helped,” he laughed after throwing his tantrum.

“Why don’t I take your contact information and I’ll give you a call as soon as we get them?” the customer friendly boy suggested while preparing a pen and notepad to record his home, studio and cell phone number.

“You’re a real doll,” complimented the old man after he’d given him the information. “A real doll.”

“Er…thanks.”

“The world needs more people like you,” he said almost as if he were boasting about himself. “People who are willing to go the extra mile for their customers.”

Neji blinked and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Ah…it’s no big deal…,” he stammered. He was only doing his job, he could just as easily tell him to call back next week and although it wasn’t a requirement that he follow through with the clients he only did it out of courtesy but the way this man talked made Neji feel as if he’d never received good service before in his life.

“No, no, no it is a big deal,” he insisted. “You’ve really made my day and not very many people can do that just by talking to me.”

“Umm…,” was all he could say while Jiraiya continued to rave about him just as Sasuke made one of his rare appearances from within his office. The Uchiha opened his mouth to tell him something but when he noticed the other man was on the phone he immediately closed it.

Neji straightened in his seat when he realized Sasuke wanted him and he felt somewhat guilty for being caught, engaged in a ‘somewhat’ personal conversation. “Uhh…I have to go now,” he said rather softly and if he didn’t seem suspicious enough then that only served to make him appear more so.

Sasuke shot him a piercing glare from behind narrowed eyes and crossed his arms over his chest while tapping the folder he held in one hand, against his arm, almost impatiently.

Neji squirmed under his gaze and lowered his head as he waited for an opening so he could tell the man good-bye but he just went on and on.

“Jiraiya, I’m really sorry but I have to go now.”

“Aww, that’s a shame,” he said rather disappointedly. “But why don’t we continue this conversation over dinner? Say eight o’ clock tonight?”

“Dinner?” Neji echoed incredulously and he took a quick glance at the Uchiha who no longer appeared annoyed but had a somewhat amused expression on his face. Neji brought a hand up to his mouth and pretended to cough before saying in a low voice, “I…I’ll have to check my daily planner and get back to you on that.”

“Ahh great!” he tittered. “I’m really looking forward to meeting such a nice, young lady. Bye bye!”

“Wait…WHAT!” Neji screeched and before he could get the chance to correct him Jiraiya had already hung up.

“Was that your girlfriend?” Sasuke asked with a smirk as he approached the large desk.

Neji shook his head and stared at the receiver as if he were in a trance before slowly returning it to its base. “No, that was Jiraiya; one of our high-profile customers. He just wanted to know if his novels were ready for distribution.”

Sasuke knew who it was. He’d heard when Neji called him by name but if it had been his girlfriend then he was prepared to give him a long, stern lecture about personal calls during office hours but when he found out that it was only that old pervert man trying to hit on another one of the ‘skirts’ (as Sasuke liked to call them) he didn’t mind, in fact, Neji could talk to that lecher all day if he wanted to.

Yes! He was being a hypocrite but the Uchiha didn’t care.

“Yeah I know,” and he opened the folder that he had in his hand while shuffling through the thin stacks of papers stapled together. “He calls a different department every day and hits on the first woman that answers the phone.”

“But…I’m not a woman…,” the Hyuuga protested with a frown.

“Hm…he doesn’t know that,” Sasuke shrugged, “and besides, it’s pretty damn easy to make that mistake when hearing your voice over the phone.”

“What do you mean by that?” Neji said using the most masculine tone he could and Sasuke fought back his laughter.

“The first time you spoke to me on the phone,” he started; referring to the night Neji had called him on his cell and agreed to his proposition. “I was like: ‘Who the fuck is this and how the hell did this bitch get my number?’” and Sasuke was just about to hang up, throw the phone away and buy another one when he identified himself as the guy he’d spoken to at the bar. “Your telephone voice is so soft and it’s a little higher than usual so it makes you sound like a chick.” Not that he was complaining or anything.

Sasuke dropped a thin stack of papers on his desk. “File this…and this,” and another stack joined the first. He picked up a third bundle before assessing the information printed there and haphazardly tossing it a little further from the others. “You can actually burn those,” he said while making a face.

“File those, these…and these…” he held up the last stack and put them under the same scrutiny as he did the previous one. “I better take care of this myself,” he stated and shoved them back inside the folder.

Neji gathered the documents on his desk and quickly sorted them into alphabetical order to make his job easier but the other one he was going to shred instead if Sasuke really wanted them destroyed.

“So, you and Jiraiya goin’ out?” he teased while following Neji over to the cabinets.

The long-haired brunette shot him a tired glance before opening the drawer marked E-G. “No…and not that it’s any of your business anyway.”

“Well it is, because if you got involved with him that could become a conflict of interest, then I’d have to fire you.”

Neji rolled his eyes. He knew the Uchiha was only toying with him but there was no need for him to even entertain such a notion. “Jiraiya is just a client and I make it a habit not to get involved with- are you looking at my feet?”

Sasuke’s eyes snapped up to meet a mauve pair wide with incredulity and he shrugged as if he hadn’t just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “They looked a little blue so I was just concerned,” he lied when in truth he was actually admiring his pale skin and the thin, long toes capped with well-trimmed and healthy, transparent nails.

Neji looked down to check and he wiggled them to circulate his blood some more and when Sasuke saw it he swooned. He was glad he made the boy take off his shoes and socks this morning and he was lucky that the polo shirt didn’t have a company logo on it because he would have made him take that off too but this was good enough and Sasuke believed that he was beginning to develop a foot fetish, although he really didn’t need anymore odd, erotic fixations.

“Do you want me to rub them for you?” he asked rather huskily and a playful grin spread across his face, making him appear even more mischievous and although he sounded as if he were teasing the other man he was dead serious.

“No thank you,” Neji replied in a clipped voice and he slammed the drawer just as the trying Uchiha laughed out loud.

“Would you rather I get Jiraiya to rub them for you?” and when Neji flashed him a vexed glare Sasuke laughed again. “What? Do you have something against another man rubbing your feet?” he asked while crouching when Neji did the same to file away papers in a drawer closer to the ground.

“No, I just have something against you rubbing my feet.”

“So, it is okay if another man rubs your feet?”

The Hyuuga paused and turned to face him while trying to gauge what kind of mood he was in that he would ask a question like that. He didn’t look like he was playing around but he didn’t look entirely serious either. “What do you mean? Like a massage or a…” he really didn’t know what to say, or make of this conversation for that matter.

Sasuke shrugged. “That, or just touching. Do you have something against another man touching you?”

Neji didn’t think to take it in a homosexual context which was exactly what Sasuke was referring to and he put his hand on one shoulder and squeezed lightly when he recalled the kiss he’d shared with Ten-Ten that night. “Right now…” he said almost sadly. “I don’t think I like anyone touching me.”

Sasuke’s lips pressed into a firm line. Did that bastard hurt him this badly?

This was enough for today. He’d found out what he needed to know and anything else he’d have to uncover later and as quickly as he wanted to get to the part where he could finally take him in his arms he knew he had to be patient.

“Well, you don’t have to worry about Jiraiya touching you,” he said a little too cheerfully for his character. “Once he finds out you’re a guy he’ll leave you alone.” Sasuke got to his feet but Neji remained on the ground since he still had his filing to do. “But he’s just a tip of the iceberg. Trust me, you’ll meet a lot more ‘interesting’ people in this business,” but Neji didn’t expect that he’d meet anymore within the same day.

He was sitting at his desk typing up a memo the Uchiha had dictated to him over the phone (completely forgetting the promise he’d made to himself to sound more ‘manly’) when they showed up.

The main door flung open wildly and slammed against the wall and Neji’s heart almost jumped out of his chest in fear that it was Orochimaru but his fear became relief when he saw the two young men and that relief soon changed to amazement when he watched, aghast, as they walked right by him and tried to open Sasuke’s door.

“Can I help you?” Neji asked but they ignored him.

“Hey! It won’t open!” the taller of the two exclaimed and jiggled the knob roughly when the door refused to budge and it was only then that he turned to acknowledge the man at the desk. “Why won’t this door open?”

“You know…I think it’s probably locked,” Neji replied as if he was just as clueless as they were. He knew he shouldn’t patronize them, they were still clients and deserved his respect even if they showed none towards him.

The tall blonde rolled annoyed, blue eyes. “No shit, Sherlock,” he sneered. “I mean why is it locked.”

Neji scratched his chin as if he were trying to solve a crossword puzzle. “I dunno but maybe…maybe the person on the other side locked it?”

The other man shot him a flat glare and gritted his teeth together. “Look, just tell Sasuke I’m here.”

Neji’s eyes roved over the tanned boy, who was probably no older than eighteen. He was wearing a faded, denim jacket with a tight, pale orange muscle shirt beneath it and Neji could see faint outlines of his well-defined abdomen from beneath the thin material. His baggy, three-quarter pants were kept up by a chain that looked like it should have been used to tie someone’s dog and the hem was badly frayed as if he’d cut off the rest of, what used to be, a pair of long jeans.

“Who’s ‘I’m’?” Neji asked with a churlish voice, not even bothering to feign courtesy with this boy anymore.

He scoffed and looked at Neji as if he were trash. “My name’s Naruto Uzumaki, bitch,” he spat as if he were a movie star and everyone, not living under a rock, should know who he was.

Neji lifted the phone and started dialing Sasuke’s extension. “And..?” he asked referring to the shorter red-head standing quietly next to him.

Naruto growled in exasperation. “They’ve never met so he doesn’t know who this is.”

Neji nodded in understanding and when Sasuke picked up the other line he said rather sweetly, “Sasuke, there’s a Naruto Uzumaki bitch here to see you.”

He was fortunate that the table created a vast enough distance between them because he was able to drop his phone and push away from the desk to avoid being grabbed by the blonde when he pounced at him and Neji got up from his chair and stood behind it as if it were a protective barrier.

Naruto grinned when he saw that this person was just talk and no action and he beckoned him forward with a crooked finger. “Come here and say that to my face,” he provoked but when Neji said nothing nor moved from where he was, the impetuous teen surprised him by climbing up on the table. He didn’t get to make it to the other side though because a strong hand grabbed him by the collar and dragged him off the desk towards the floor. The carpeting broke his fall but he still cried out in pain when he landed head-first.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to fuck around inside my office,” Saskue yelled and kicked him in the ribs for good measure. “You can get away with that shit around Itachi but don’t go tearing up my office.”

The blonde sighed from his place on the floor and looked up at the angry Uchiha. “Nice to see you too, Sasuke,” he muttered and reached out a hand for the older man to give him a hand. Sasuke returned him to his upright position, rather reluctantly, and while Naruto dusted off himself he brought a curious glance to the titan-haired stranger.

His fiery, red hair was just as messy as Naruto’s and sat atop an unnaturally pale face with sparkling, sea-green eyes framed with a copious amount of black eyeliner that made him look like some kind of raccoon. He wore a black G-Unit battle tank with cursive, white letters and leather armbands with tiny silver studs around both wrists. He secured his tight, black denims with a chain as well but Sasuke didn’t think he needed it since the pants looked as if it was painted on and had no chances of falling off his hips. He wore the same kind of black, leather boots Naruto did but while Naruto’s own were laced his were buckled and cut slightly higher.

“And what are you supposed to be?” Sasuke scoffed after looking him up and down. “Some kind of ghetto goth?”

The boy frowned at him but didn’t say anything; his painted middle-finger said it all.

“This is Gaara,” Naruto smirked and he wrapped his arms possessively around his midriff and pressed one tattooed cheek against the smaller boy that was still giving Sasuke the finger. “He’s new! We got him three weeks ago.”

“Oh,” he nodded in understanding before slapping the offensive hand out of his face. “So did you just come here to show him off?”

He shook his head. “Your brother’s looking for you.”

“Makes sense. Come in,” and he ushered the two inside his office and closed his door without giving Neji so much as an explanation as to what the hell just happened.

It shouldn’t matter to him though, it wasn’t any of his business either what they were talking about but he couldn’t help being curious as to the nature of their conversation or their relationship with each other.

Neji straightened his desk and righted the pen holder that the Uzumaki boy had knocked over before sitting in his chair and getting back to work but he didn’t even get the chance to become comfortable before he jumped out of it again.

‘When did that guy get here?’

It wasn’t Orochimaru but as much as he wanted to be relieved about that he couldn’t shake off his anxiety. He didn’t hear when this man approached and he’d barely seen him from the corner of his eye before he realized that he was standing right in front of the desk.

His red eyes were locked on the other boy and he didn’t even appear to blink as he bored a hole straight through him. He didn’t move, didn’t speak and if Neji didn’t see the faint rise and fall of his chest he’d think he wasn’t breathing either and although he appeared as if he didn’t want to harm him; Neji still found his presence frightfully intimidating.

His lips parted to ask if he could help him but no sound came out and it wasn’t until he tried to close his mouth again did he find that he needed to keep it open to breathe and Neji felt as if he was going to hyperventilate.

The other man moved slowly and just as silently as he did when he walked in earlier but when Neji noticed that he was going to walk around the table he panicked and dashed into Sasuke’s office, grateful that the Uchiha hadn’t locked the door. Six eyes snapped to his hasty entry and Neji felt silly for running in like a frightened, little girl.

“Umm…Sa-Sasuke,” he stammered, still too shaken up to get the words to flow smoothly. “There…there’s a man outside and-”

“Yeah, I see him.”

He stiffened and turned around slowly to find the same stranger now standing directly behind him and looking down at him with that same bored expression as earlier. Neji yelped and backed away and Sasuke frowned.

“Dammit, Itachi don’t do that,” he scolded his brother from his cross-legged seat atop his desk.

“The resemblance is uncanny,” he murmured rather softly, his eyes still locked on the terrified Hyuuga. “He looks so much like him.”

Sasuke had to agree. “Yeah I know. Pretty fucking eerie innit?” He raised a hand and gestured to the taller boy in introduction. “This is my older brother, Itachi. The one I told you about. Itachi; meet Neji, my secretary.”

Neji could see the resemblance now that Sasuke mentioned it. They had the same facial structure, framed by the same dark hair but while Sasuke looked more…’human’, this guy looked like some sort of automaton.

“Nice to meet you,” and he took one of Neji’s hands in his and the Hyuuga shivered when those cold fingers touched his skin and he did so again on an open-mouthed gasp when he brought his hand to his lips and brushed them lightly against the back of his hand while maintaining that intense glare.

Neji was speechless and when Itachi released his hand he hid it behind his back along with the other one.

“Oooh, he’s your secretary, huh?” Naruto grinned from his seat in a brown, leather sofa against a far wall. “Wink, wink.”

“No, not secretary ‘wink, wink,” he corrected. “Just ‘secretary’, and will you please leave him alone?” he yelled at his brother who’d made the Hyuuga take two cautious steps back just by continually staring at him.

Itachi apologized and walked over to the center desk and that was when Sasuke noticed the tape in his hand. “What’s that?” he asked when it was handed to him.

“It’s the one with ‘him’ and Neji,” he said almost despondently and Neji’s head snapped up at the mention of ‘him’ on a tape with himself.

‘Is that, that tape?’ he wondered as he watched Sasuke make a face and dangle it in front of him and pinched between two fingers as if he were holding a dirty, old sock.

It was. Itachi was the one who did most of the espionage against Orochimaru since, for some reason, the other man viewed Sasuke as the bigger threat between them and usually kept an eye on him but he underestimated Itachi and didn’t know just how dangerous this Uchiha could be. Sasuke never asked how he did, what he did but he could only assume he got help from Naruto as well who had also had a risky ‘occupation’ before the two met.

“I don’t want this,” Sasuke said with disgust and handed it back to his brother before wiping his fingers against his shirt. It wasn’t that Sasuke didn’t take it because Neji was in the room, in fact, even if Neji wasn’t here he still wouldn’t want to see it because he’d rather gouge out his own eyes with a rusty fork before watching Orochimaru have sex with anything and he had to admire his brother’s cast-iron stomach, but then again…Itachi always had weird tastes.

Itachi took the cassette from him and tossed it over to Naruto who caught it with one hand and put it on the cushion next to him. The older Uchiha wasn’t callous in his actions and he could already tell that his brother had a thing for Neji and, knowing Sasuke, he wouldn’t want to keep any secrets between them so he gave his brother the option to accept or refuse the tape in front of Neji so the other boy would know if he was going to watch it or not; without having to do so behind his back.

“What’s going to happen when he finds it missing?” Sasuke asked.

“He won’t ‘find’ it missing since it’s just a copy,” he replied.

“You mean he still has the original?”

Neji hadn’t even realized he’d spoken his thoughts out loud until everyone brought their eyes to him again.

“That is correct,” Itachi said. “If you want the original I will get it for you.”

“I…I don’t want it,” Neji stammered. “I just want it destroyed.”

“Then I will destroy it for you.”

He didn’t know what to say, and as much as he feared this man, the sincerity in his eyes put him at ease and Neji actually smiled, knowing that he’d never have to worry about Orochimaru black-mailing him again in the future. “Thank you,” he managed, barely above a whisper.

“Hey, can I keep this copy though?” the insensitive blonde asked while holding up the object in question. “It’s pretty fucking hot. You don’t find stuff like this off the shelves you know.”

“No!” Itachi said firmly and Naruto pouted but didn’t push the issue any further.

“By the way, can you tell me what that is?” Sasuke inquired of his brother while indicating to the boy, named Gaara, who was now sucking on one of Naruto’s earlobes and fondling his nipples beneath the jacket.

“That’s Gaara,” Itachi murmured almost as if he barely knew the person himself. “It’s Naruto’s playmate.”

“Playmate huh? What’s the matter Itachi? Your little, blue pills not working as well as they used to?”

His older sibling crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at the jab against his virility. Itachi didn’t give a damn about what anyone said about him and let pretty much anything roll off his back but making fun of his stamina or his abilities as a lover were just a few of the things he’d actually kill over.

“My department has been rather busy since the merger and I had to neglect Naruto’s needs during that time so I got him a toy that can actually play with him as well.”

“Clever,” Sasuke nodded at his ingenuity. “Where did you get it?”

“The gutter,” he stated rather matter-of-factly as if the boy they were talking about wasn’t even in the room. “Gaara used to be an amateur, gay porn star before he became addicted to heroin. I sent him to the Hanley Center for rehabilitation and when his program was complete I gave him to Naruto.”

“Well aren’t you the Good Samaritan,” Sasuke chuckled before eyeing the boy who was now crawling into his lover’s lap and pushing his jacket off his broad shoulders. “A gay porn star, huh? He’s perfect for our little blondie.”

“He’s also an insomniac so he’s always ready whenever Naruto is.”

“Looks like it’s the other way around right now,” and he stared, wide-eyed, as Gaara cupped Naruto’s face and ground his hips into his as the two shared a dirty open-mouthed kiss.

Itachi watched the live show as well but Neji turned his head away and blushed. How could those two start something like that as if they were the only people in the room? Actually, he wasn’t surprised since the man that apparently ‘owned’ them talked about them as if they weren’t just a few feet away either.

Gaara trailed his wet tongue along the hard line of Naruto’s jaw and suckled at the path of skin just beneath his ear and Naruto bucked against him while digging eager fingers into his taut, little ass. He whispered something on a hot breath that only the tanned boy could hear and Naruto’s face screwed up in disapproval before putting a hate-filled gaze on the prude who was looking the other way.

“H-Hey, Itachi,” he gasped when the pale boy moaned lustily and pinched both nipples hard. “Gaara wants to know if we can have a foursome with Sasuke’s secretary.”

Neji spun around and turned to find those fierce blue eyes on him and he could tell the boy called Naruto was against the idea just as much as he was.

Itachi exchanged a glance with his brother before turning back to the two on the couch. “You know that Sasuke and I don’t share so you’ll have to have a threesome but ask for his permission if you want to play with Neji.”

Neji’s breath caught in his throat and his panicked, lavender eyes snapped to the younger Uchiha as if in a silent plea.

Would he make him do this? Had the time finally arrived where he would show his true colours? Where Neji would finally see him for what he really was? That he really was no better than Orochimaru?

Sasuke saw the desperation on his face and he wanted to beat the shit out of Naruto and his little doll for causing Neji such discomfiture. He let one leg slip off the table and raised the other one to throw one arm over his knee while he supported his body with the other. “Neji doesn’t belong to me, per se,” he said; more for the Hyuuga’s benefit and not Naruto’s. “He’s just like any other person under my employ so it’s really his decision to make.”

All traces of animosity the young man had for Neji vanished and in its place was a very seductive face as he beckoned for the long-haired beauty to join him on the couch.

Neji looked at him as if he had suddenly gone mad and shook his head fervently.

“Come on,” he cooed and gently caressed the cushion on the side opposite the one with the tape and when Neji refused to move he only chuckled as if he were playing hard-to-get. “Relax, we don’t bite,” and he paused before adding in a rather erotic voice, “hard.”

“Please excuse me, Sasuke!” and before the Uchiha could ask him what he needed to be excused from he darted out of the office and slammed the door behind him.

Naruto muttered a ‘prude’ under his breath before using his tongue to caress Gaara’s and Itachi turned to face his brother with a quizzical expression on his face. “Why is he bare-foot?”

“I took away his shoes,” was his simple response.

“Why?”

“I have a foot fetish,” he admitted with a small shrug.

“Ah!” he said with a nod of his head. “You’re not giving his shoes back are you?”

“I already threw them away; why, did you want to sniff them?” he joked with a lop-sided grin and Itachi threw an irritated expression in his direction.

“How will he get home?” he asked rather intuitively.

“Shit…didn’t think about that,” Sasuke muttered, slightly embarrassed.

“Hn…what size is he?”

“Nine and a half.”

Itachi nodded then said a quiet ‘goodbye’ before turning towards the door.

“Nice contacts by the way,” was his brother’s compliment as a means of farewell.

“Thank you. Naruto had them custom-made.”

“They suit you.”

“Would you like me to order you a pair?”

Sasuke thought about it for a prolonged moment. He wanted to say that he wasn’t ashamed of his naturally black eyes but they did look rather bad-assed. Itachi wasn’t ashamed of his appearance either and the only reason he even wore the annoying things was because Naruto found black eyes plain and boring and he always made Itachi wear coloured lenses whenever they were together.

“Sure, why not,” he finally conceded after much thought.

Now that Itachi was at a distance he could take in his brother’s full garb and he knew that this out-fit was a by product of Naruto’s demands as well. He wore a tight, black shirt made of velvet and long, fishnet sleeves that reached all the way to his knuckles. Instead of comfortable jeans he wore shiny leather pants with zippers drawn up a few inches on both ends. His shoes were leather and well and like Gaara they had no laces, only buckles.

“Don’t you dress yourself anymore?” Sasuke laughed and Itachi flicked his long pony-tail over one shoulder. A habitual gesture that usually meant he didn’t care.

Long gone were the days his brother wore fatigues, jeans and brand name T-shirts and he wondered just who wore the proverbial ‘pants’ in their relationship.

Itachi put his hand on the doorknob and as if suddenly remembering something he went over to the couch and peeled Gaara off of the blonde before letting them know he was ready to leave and as they passed Neji on the way out Naruto stuck out his tongue at him and Gaara winked and blew him a kiss.

“It was a pleasure meeting you,” Itachi said and planted another light kiss on his hand before following his two pets out the main doors.

Neji didn’t see much of Sasuke for the rest of the day either and it was only in the afternoon, when it was time to close up, did he emerge from his office and hurried downstairs to pick up a package that Sakura said his brother had left for him. He returned to the top floor, gift in hand and dropped it on Neji’s desk.

“What’s this?” the boy asked rather surprised as he took in the grey shoe-box Sasuke had placed on his desk.

“It’s a gift from Itachi,” he replied with a shrug indicating that he had no idea what it was either.

The other man raked his hair behind one ear and he pinched one corner of the lid and peeled it back slowly so he could peer inside. He’d half expected something was going to jump out at him and it never occurred to him that he’d find a pair of shoes inside a shoe box.

“What are these for?” he asked rather stupidly while holding up one of the dark-blue Converse sneakers. It had that ‘new store’ scent and Neji couldn’t help but bring it closer to take a whiff.

Something stirred inside Sasuke and even though he wasn’t the one to get him the shoes and eventually, Neji’s praises, at least he was the one fortunate enough to experience this. “They’re for you. Itachi noticed you were barefoot so he decided to buy you a pair.”

The Hyuuga frowned. He didn’t want the other Uchiha to think he was some kind of charity case like the Gaara kid was and he probably never would have thought that if Sasuke hadn’t taken away his shoes in the first place.

“But I have my own shoes,” and he returned the footwear to its box and pushed it away in refusal of the gift.

“Not anymore,” Sasuke scratched his head rather sheepishly.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean I threw them away.”

“YOU DID WHAT?” he screeched, voicing his disbelief.

The Uchiha shrugged an uncaring shoulder. “They were old and worn…I didn’t think you’d want them anymore.”

“Shit,” Neji swore under his breath and pulled the box towards him then removed the shoes and the pair of thick, white socks Itachi had taken the incentive to purchase as well. “How the hell did you expect me to get home, Sasuke?” he yelled while stuffing his feet inside the fluffy socks before Sasuke got his hands on them too and the other brunette sighed dejectedly once those glorious feet were hidden from view.

“I’d give you a lift,” he supplied and Neji fought the urge to throw the left-shoe, he now had in his hand, at his dark head.

“And how was I supposed to walk from your car to my apartment?”

He grinned widely. “I’d carry you.”

Neji thought he was being his usually obnoxious self but he didn’t know just how serious the other man was, in fact, that was his plan all along and Itachi had ruined it.

Fully dressed, he shut down his computer and was about to throw the empty box into the garbage when he noticed a card lying at the bottom.

“He got you a card too?” Sasuke was impressed but that only meant that Itachi liked this boy too.

“Dear Neji: Get home safely, signed Itachi. Aww,” he sighed and clutched it at his chest. “Why can’t you be more like your brother, Sasuke?” and it was his turn to tease the other man.

Sasuke sneered before snatching the card from his hand and when Neji tried to snatch it back he stepped away from the desk and opened it just to make sure the Hyuuga hadn’t made it up.

He hadn’t, but he also didn’t mention that Naruto and Gaara had signed the card as well and when he read what they had written he broke out into laughter and the other man huffed.

Naruto had written; in large, angry letters: ‘I hope you get hit by a bus!’ and had drawn a crude smiley face next to it while Gaara had scripted in beautiful handwriting: ‘Fuck me!’.

Neji took advantage of Sasuke’s laughing fit and retrieved his card and he pouted rather angrily at him but Sasuke only found it to be cute. “H-Hey, where you going?” he asked between chortles after Neji gathered his things together and headed towards the door.

“It’s a little after five,” he replied with a glance to his watch. “I’m going home.”

“That time already?” he exclaimed rather amazed that time had slipped away so quickly. “Well, T.G.I.F.”

“Tell me about it.”

“So, what are your plans this weekend?”

“Why do you care?”

He shrugged. “I dunno, maybe we’ll cross paths or something.”

“I highly doubt it.” Neji didn’t plan on leaving his apartment until Monday morning when he left for work again.

“Hn…well I’ll see you next week then,” and before he disappeared inside his office, to prepare for his own departure, he wished Neji a good weekend.

The other boy wished him the same and was really looking forward to those two quiet days he could spend in silent meditation because he’d had quite a busy week.

-~-~-~-~-

Yersi Fanel 2007-04-18 I absolutely loved this chapter!

Was so freaking awesome to read the interaction of Neji and Sasuke, is just great! Sasuke's personality against Neji's and how they are, in a way or another, to improve their relationship somehow, but I can see Sasuke is the one having even more troubles since Neji is just too afraid right now.

OMG! Neji didn't know what commando was? That was so cute, really, just so damn cute, jajaja.

So, I read that you will keep Orochimaru lurking by the way but not just now, well, that’s interesting, I just want to keep reading the story, I love the way it is going! I have to say that your fics are the most interesting I’m reading right now…

Well, My BETA is better now, she just had not finish the chapter; I hope she get it done soon jajaja.

Take care!!

ClaireBear: Yeah, Sasuke’s finding it difficult too. He wants to get closer but he doesn’t want to scare him away at the same time so he’s trying to be cautious and get Neji to trust him first.

Lol, yeah I thought it was pretty cute myself. I didn’t learn what ‘going commando’ meant until I went to college. :x

I wasn’t planning on using Orochimaru again until the very end of the fic but I guess he could make rare appearances every now and again so we won’t forget he’s there.

Glad to hear your beta’s better. Good to have a better beta.

You take care too!


Tyra 2007-04-18 Awwh. Yeah.
The chapter 7 was really good. Amusing.
I just love Sasuke when he's being an ass like that. xDD
And Neji.. Aawww, he's so cute! He didn't know what 'commando' means? Awh. Again I must say.. Poor Neji-chan. I would pinch him if I could! :D
Good that Sasuke and Neji are getting along so well already, thought Neji is still little scared. (Who wouldn't be after being raped by their boss?)
Hmm. Haven't heard anything about Ten-Ten recently. Good! xDD Hah. I don't really like the pairing (NejiTen) :P

Really good, goood story and very, veeeryyyy well written.:D
I hope you update soon. Can't wait to see what happens in the next chapter!
Heh!
KEEP WRITING AND UPDATE SOON.

And did I forget to mention.. GOOD STORY !

ClaireBear: Thank you! 

I love to make Sasuke such an ass, it’s fun to write him picking on Neji and Neji is just so cute sometimes. Ten Ten will show up in the next chapter but you’ll have to wait and see if she’s ever going to show up again. ;)