The Cost of Higher Education

Title: The Cost of Higher Education
Summary: Written for the My Fandom Needs Fresh Blood contest. Professor Nara and student Neji Hyuuga meet first on the peaceful hill overlooking Konoha University.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I am not making money off of this fic. This in no way represents canon.
Author: AngelTalion
Rating: NC-17
WARNINGS: YAOI, AU, anal, oral, fingering.
888

The first time Neji laid eyes on Shikamaru Nara, the lanky youth had been spread out on the grass, arms folded behind his head staring up at the sky watching clouds roll by. Neji couldn’t explain what kept his feet moving forward when he’d seen someone else already on the peaceful hill overlooking Konoha University. He’d transferred there three weeks ago and had found the place crowded and loud. Many of the students were overly friendly and he found that most of the teachers had rather disturbing and unique teaching methods. But something about the other young man lounging silently on the grass called to him.

Shikamaru sensed the approach of another person and mentally groaned. He hoped one of his students hadn’t stumbled upon his quiet space, there was a reason he wasn’t in his office, damn it. As the figure approached, the Nara relaxed. He’d never seen the kid before so maybe he was safe. He was a little surprised when the other man took a seat under the tree in its shade and silently started eating what appeared to be a bento box. Not wanting to be caught obviously staring, the professor adjusted his pose to allow for a better view. He felt his throat tighten as he took in the creamy skin, the curtain of long dark hair. Despite himself, Shikamaru gasped when he saw those pale fathomless lavender eyes.

The kid was fucking beautiful. The kid was probably older than him and a student, Shika chided himself with a silent huff. Trying to avoid infatuation, Shikamaru turned his gaze back to the clouds and tried to ignore the delicious scent of ginger and citrus from whatever the other man was eating. Once the bento was done and put away, Shikamaru’s watch sounded that it was time to return to the busy halls and dark classroom of the university. He stood and nodded to the pale youth under the tree and then made his way down the hillside brushing his khaki pants off as he walked.

The next day found Neji with his lunch beneath the tree once more, watching the man who had to be his age watching the clouds. The spiky brown ponytail in its band defied gravity and his eyes were a deep thoughtful brown. Neji found the light caramel color of the younger man’s skin tempting. He wanted to taste it. Most alluring through was the light clacking he could hear occasionally coming from the man’s closed mouth. He couldn’t place what it was but surely he wasn’t grinding his teeth that loudly.

Day after day Neji came to his tree and enjoyed a peaceful meal with the silent cloud watcher.  He’d started enjoying his daily visit with the beautiful young man. He wanted to know his name, wanted to ask what he was majoring in. What his hobbies were? Why had the boy let Neji stay? Why did he spend two hours in the middle of the day, every day, with a man he’d never even spoken to? But Neji didn’t know how to even approach the subject with his silent companion. So he decided to go the most obvious route, food. Neji set the bento box next to Shikamaru then settled himself underneath the shadow of the tree.

Shikamaru looked at the bento box and did something that made Neji’s heart skip a beat. Shikamaru smiled and then sat up. “Thank you, you didn’t have to do this for me.” Even as he said it his stomach growled.

“It seemed the right thing to do as you have shared your hill with me.” Neji watched with satisfaction as Shikamaru ate the box he had prepared.

“This is good. It’s hard to find proper Japanese food here. Mostly it’s the sushi house and ramen shop, then whatever you can get in the international aisle of the grocery store.” Shikamaru ate hungrily. “And it’s not my hill.”

“Well you found it first and thank you. I was raised in Japan.” He smiled finally. “Perhaps you don’t own it but you were here before me.”

“My name is Shikamaru.” The pony tailed man looked up as he took another bite of his bento box.

“Neji, Hyuuga Neji.” After that, they ate together and talked about books, shows, and interests but never stories about their past, nor did they discuss themselves. Shikamaru knew what he was doing was wrong. He knew he was a student. He knew Neji was off limits but he couldn’t deny the draw he felt to the older man. Irony of ironies… the off limits student was younger then he was.

Shikamaru was playing with fire. The young Hyuuga was beautiful, alluring in a way the Nara had never known. Neji was like an exotic jungle cat in the way he moved- sleek, precise, as if he were stalking prey. Just watching him walk would make Shikamaru’s mouth dry. He didn’t like to call it stalking. He was observing the other man from a safe distance so as to be able to watch him while going unnoticed.

“Uh, Shikamaru that is stalking.” Kiba blinked at his friend. “And kind of creepy, dude.” The young man frowned. Kiba Inuzuka was a long time friend to the professor, having gone to school with the genius and who had beat the snot out of some kid attempting to pick a fight with the rather passive youth. Shikamaru had helped the other man through veterinary school and now Kiba ran one of the most humane and successful animal rescue services in the area.

“It’s not stalking.” He growled, stabbing a french fry into the ketchup. “I didn’t look up his schedule or anything.” Kiba just raised a knowing brow.

“I don’t get it. Why can’t you just like a guy and go up to him, say hi and ask him out? Why are you so socially awkward?” Kiba sighed. He’d been through enough of Shikamaru’s failed attempts at relationships to know where this would end. Shikamaru had a way of turning lovers into friends. It was a bad habit and Kiba was fairly sure it left his friend lonely. He noticed the flash of hurt and the slight thinning of the pink lips on the thin face of his friend and sighed. “I didn’t mean that the way it came out, Shika. I have a bad habit of leading with my mouth, great with animals not as great with people.” He tried to joke.

The pony tailed man just rolled his eyes and huffed. “Give me the rest of your fries and we’ll call it even.” Kiba grumbled but gladly handed over the deep fried crack. Kiba had no idea why but French fries seemed to be a weakness for Shikamaru. It was just one more oddity in the puzzle of Shikamaru Nara, resident genius.

888

Neji searched for any sign of the other student for the entire semester but had thus far been unable to find him. As the next semester rolled around, Neji had a change in courses and found himself excited about his new psychology course. The professor was rumored to be tough but fair and the class had a blind test that had to be passed before being permitted to enroll in it. He entered the lecture hall and stilled on the steps, blinking. Behind the desk sat his lunch mate.

His mind raced, explaining away the fact with the mild hope that his current romantic desire was a student aid to the professor. As the hall filled, the doors closed and Shikamaru stood, reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and he lifted a projection screen revealing a pop quiz over the assigned pre-class reading material.

“I am Professor Nara, this is a pop quiz, fail and you’re out. You have twenty minutes.” Finally he turned to look at his class and his hand stilled over the timer he was about to hit. Brown eyes clashed with lavender and Shikamaru felt his heart leap into his throat. No, no nonono! He’d finally checked the school guidelines. As long as the long haired youth was not his student, there was nothing in the code of conduct that disallowed the two from seeing one another. Neji could not be his student. Two minutes later he hit the timer and tore his gaze away from Neji’s. For the rest of the class, Shikamaru had been unable to completely focus on his opening speech. Hyuuga was a distraction.

The damn class finally ended and Neji was one of the first to exit. His phone had been vibrating in his pocket to the extent he worried it might disrupt the class. Upon viewing, he had numerous missed calls from his uncle and younger cousin and his heart instantly leapt into his throat. Hanabi never called him. She rarely had a reason and when she did it was easier to have Hinata call. He and Hinata were closer in age and after a rocky childhood they’d grown close in their teen years. Hands shaking, Neji called his Uncle back as he exited the psychology building. Listening to his Uncle speak, the world slowed down around where he stood in the middle of the path.

Hiashi was speaking but Neji could only hear the rushing of waves after his uncle had told him, “Hinata has been in a car accident. She’s in the ICU and unconscious.” Blinking, he gasped for air realizing for those minutes he’d stopped breathing. “Neji? NEJI can you hear me?”

“Yes Uncle, I can hear you.” He rasped still trying to focus. “Where are you? What hospital is she in?” He made for his own vehicle as he got the information. “I will be there shortly.” He promised, throwing his bag into the back seat and squealing out of the university parking lot.

Shikamaru sat behind his desk watching Neji go, obviously agitated. A frown marred his face and the slender fingers steepled as he thought through everything. It took him very little time to decide how to proceed. He locked his classroom and made for their hill. The two hours ticked by slowly and when they’d finally ended Professor Nara felt sick. Neji had never shown. It seemed somehow fitting that the rain began as he made his way back to the lecture hall. His afternoon classes were shown little mercy but by the next day he had regained his composure and was ready to face Neji in class. He would not be returning to the hill.

Four hours into his vigil, Hinata had come around. She insisted Neji go home because now that she was safe her father would never accept Neji skipping more classes. His sleep was riddled with dreams about his professor, typically in compromising positions. By the next morning, Neji found his pulse racing as he entered his psych class but his professor hid behind his reading glasses and was careful to keep his eyes off of the long haired man. By lunch, Neji was grinding his teeth and set out for the hill, furious once more. As the hours ticked by, his face only got stonier and his eyes took on an angry glint. He’d stalked down the hill having eaten almost nothing and with the second lunch completely untouched.

The week progressed and Neji’s irritation with the younger, supposed genius professor only grew as he ate his lunch alone and was studiously ignored in class, even when he attempted to ask questions. At this point, it was becoming not only obvious but insulting the way Nara was avoiding him. He didn’t have the fucking plague. He was a student, yes but he was also a man and an adult. He was finished playing nice.

Professor Nara’s office hours were strictly kept. Over the next week, while attempting not to simply throttle the other man, Neji watched. Years in his family had taught him to blend into the background and observe and so he did. Shikamaru’s lectures started late, his was in fact the first of the day and started at ten in the morning. His professor did not have morning office hours and rarely arrived at the university more than ten minutes before his class began.

Shikamaru had stopped coming to the hill but he did not stay in his office or lecture hall either. Neji had checked. The most private place to attempt the conversation Neji intended to have with Shikamaru was the pony tailed man’s office. The only issue there being that Shikamaru was known for keeping strict hours and even if you arrived as he was locking up he would ignore your existence all together, locking his door and leaving. He’d witnessed the man be completely unmoved by a sobbing girl who’d followed him all the way to his car trying to get him to discuss her failing paper. He ignored her, got into his car and drove away. Shikamaru did not grade on a curve.

Shikamaru’s office hours would end in exactly fifteen minutes. As another miserable looking freshman stepped out of the office, Neji stepped up. The boy put his hand on the beautiful man’s shoulder. “Don’t do it man. He’s in a horrible mood and he docked me anther ten points for having a bad argument to get my grade raised.” Neji snorted and shrugged the boy off. Twelve minutes before the door would be locked. He turned the knob and entered, closing it with a thud of finality.

Shikamaru’s shoulders were slumped. Office hours drained him. He was tired of listening to excuses, bribes, begging and blackmail from idiots who didn’t even deserve to be in classes at his alma mater. “Why don’t you deserve your score? You have eleven minutes.” He snapped his head up when the lock on his office door flicked. “What the fu… Neji.” He was shocked. He’d underestimated the other man. Shikamaru never underestimated his opponents. He’d believed it was an unstated understanding, their previous relationship had ended silently and now they would pretend they did not know one another. From the look on the pale eyed face, he was very mistaken. He was never mistaken.

“Yes… Neji. I’m very proud you could remember my name professor. We can discuss the grade on my essay in a bit.” He did intend to discuss the abysmal grade on his paper. He was sure it was undeserved. He might not grade on a curve but Neji wasn’t sure he graded without prejudice. “You didn’t tell me you taught here.”

Deciding to ignore Neji’s attempt to go right to the heart of the matter, Shika addressed the first words. “Your grade stands. Your paper was shit.” He crossed his arms and sat back in his chair. 

Neji stiffened. He knew he shouldn’t take the bait because this was a diversion but the words struck a nerve. “My paper was perfect.”
 
“No, your paper was text book. If I wanted text book I would read one. The assignment was to evaluate and profile based on the information provided.” Shikamaru scowled. “You’re better than what you turned in Neji. I was insulted just reading it. If you’re distracted or don’t want to take my class drop it, but don’t insult me by parroting the book or my own lecture and expect me not fail your ass. The only reason you didn’t fail was because technically it was perfect but not because of your observations.”

Neji growled, “Distracted?” Neji could feel himself losing his cool. He was a Hyuuga and Hyuuga’s did not lose their tempers but it seemed Shikamaru Nara knew how to push his buttons. The brilliant man had been doing it since they met. One of the things that seemed to draw him to the other man was his ability to draw Neji out into conversations and full out debates he would never have engaged in with any other person. Shikamaru slipped past his walls, through his defenses, completely undetected before it was too late.

Shikamaru’s lips quirked up in a self satisfied smirk. He could practically see the fraying edges of Neji’s self control. As a profiler, he found Neji fascinating. At first because of the need the other man had to be completely in control of his every action and reaction. He became more and more intrigued and began searching out methods of drawing the other man out.

It was too late for Shikamaru by the time he’d realized that he’d fallen into his own trap. He was well on his way to falling for the prideful prodigy. Perhaps it was finding someone who could keep up with him mentally or just the way Neji’s voice seemed to roll over him but Shikamaru looked forward to their afternoons. He actually looked forward to their conversations and debates. “I don’t believe I stuttered Mister Hyuuga. Distracted.” His eyes glinted as he once more stepped over the line of Neji’s self control.

Hands slammed on the desk and Neji leaned in menacingly. Shikamaru waited for the growl of frustration, for an angry retort but instead found his own mouth assaulted and opening to the insistent demand of the older man. “If I am distracted Professor, then you are entirely to blame.”

The wheels of his chair rolled across the tiled flooring and the desk chair slammed into the bookshelf behind him. “Don’t do that again.” He snarled. Standing, he grabbed his messenger bag and keys. He needed to extract himself from this situation now.

Neji felt satisfaction roll through him. The kiss had been returned and from his agitated behavior, Shikamaru had been affected by it. Stepping into his personal bubble, Neji tried to hide his own shudder as his chest pressed to the shorter man’s back. His breath hit Shikamaru’s neck as his senses were overloaded by the scent of his professor. Books, ink, soap, leather, and something more, something woodsy filled him and it was perfect. Perfectly Shikamaru Nara and instantly it was Neji’s favorite sent. “Where are you going?” He whispered, swallowing back the flash of hurt he felt when Shikamaru flinched.

“Stop. I accepted your anger when you didn’t show. I understood you felt betrayed but I am your professor Neji and the school guidelines are very clear on what happens to both students and teachers who cross the line you are flirting with.” He shook his head, feeling his pony tail flick Neji’s face.

Growling in frustration, Neji turned Shikamaru to face him. “Betrayal? You understood my betrayal? I highly doubt that… unless you have also discovered that someone you have come to care for has been lying to you?”

“I never lied!” Shikamaru responded without hesitation.

“You knew I was a student didn’t you?” Neji’s hair fell over one shoulder as his head cocked to the side questioningly.

Shikamaru’s eyes slid to the thick fall of brown silk. “Yes.” He swallowed, closing his eyes. “I was going to tell you. Fuck I was going to tell you that afternoon, Neji. I’d looked into the rules and as long as I wasn’t your professor we could pursue being more than acquaintances.” His eyes shifted to the side. “Then you were my student. I went to speak with you that afternoon but…”

“But when I ended up at my cousin’s bedside in a hospital room, you decided not to speak to me at all? To pretend I did not exist?” Neji prodded, letting Shikamaru know what a fool he’d been.

Brown eyes shot up to meet lavender. The search for signs of a lie was obvious. “Your cousin?”

“Yes, Hinata had been in a car accident.” He whispered, bringing a hand up to caress Shikamaru’s face while the other stole the keys from his hand tossing them back onto the credenza. “I showed up the next day, and the day after, and the day after that for a week.” A sweet pink color rushed into Shikamaru’s face. Neji decided Nara pink was his new favorite shade. He took silence for an invitation and let his mouth settle over Shikamaru’s once more.

Shikamaru moaned into the kiss eliciting a groan from the taller man. He tipped his head back offering up more of his mouth to the delicious kisses. In between the kisses, which were increasing with intensity, he tried to argue reason, “We can’t do this.” When his words went ignored, he pulled his head back. “Neji, we will be thrown out. I’ll lose my job, my tenure… I’ll never get a job teaching again.”

“One, I can support you if I need to.” He lifted Shikamaru up and after clearing the desk with a single sweep of his arm deposited the thin frame onto the ink blotter. “Two, you could always do what you trained to do and become a profiler or psychiatrist.” He pulled the pony tail free and let his fingers dig into the russet brown layers, eyes falling to half mast when Shikamaru moaned loudly, pushing into his hands. “Three, I’ll drop your fucking class.” The final point was growled decisively before he settled between the invitingly spread legs.

Shikamaru’s resolve broke at the final words. He was prepared to argue with the first two reasons but the finality of reason three was no good to argue against. This time he dove in for a hungry, demanding kiss. He pulled at Neji’s thick, rich hair and turned, legs locking around the hips of the other man as he searched the now wrecked desk. Pulling free a letter of approval to drop his class, he scribbled Neji’s name onto the blank for student’s name, then signed and dated the letter. “Sign. Now.” As soon as the A in Hyuuga had been scripted, he fisted his hands in Neji’s soft dark blue t-shirt and pulled the man into him for a much more aggressive kiss.

Humming in the back of his throat, Neji moved to press open mouthed kisses to Shikamaru’s throat. His hands found the slim hips of his ex-professor tugging forward until he could grind his denim covered erection into Shikamaru’s. “About my grade Professor…” He chuckled when he heard his new lover gasp. “I believe you should let me earn a better grade. I’m very willing to work for it.”

Heavily lidded brown eyes met the creamy lavender that haunted his dreams, “Is that so Neji? And what sort of extra credit work do you think you can do?” He rocked back against Neji, biting his lip. He felt those elegant fingers against the belt in his black slacks. “I assume you have some sort of plan.” He was panting and lifting his hips as he spoke, helping Neji remove his pants.

“I had some ideas Professor.” He whispered into Shikamaru’s ear, warm puffs of air against the tan flesh raising goose pimples. His hand moved down to stroke the semi hard length of the other man. He hissed at the heavy heat in his hand and the way Shikamaru’s legs spread open further.

“Hrmm, I think I have a few ideas of my own, Mister Hyuuga.” Tugging hard at Neji’s hair, Shikamaru captured the older man’s lips in a searing kiss, need rolling through him. His own fingers worked Neji’s jeans as his hips rocked up into the fist stroking him to madness. When he succeeded in getting his hands on the prize he sought, Shikamaru’s gasp was swallowed by
Neji’s mouth. He was fascinated by the thick uncircumcised cock in his hand and ducked away from the kiss to view it. “Oh god you’re big.” He swallowed, glancing up to check Neji’s face as he tested its sensitivity. His long fingers danced over Neji’s cock, stroking back until the angry red color of Neji’s cock head could be seen. When he swelled further, Shikamaru licked his lips.

“You’re very sexy Professor Nara.” Neji wanted to taste Shikamaru. He wanted to suck that beautiful dark cock until the genius knew only one word, his name. But Neji wasn’t entirely sure he would survive the experience without coming and he needed to feel Shikamaru around him. Turning, he grabbed his bag from the place it had fallen to the floor and fished out sun block. “You have something better?” He asked at Shikamaru’s raised brow.

Lips curling, Shikamaru shook his head, allowing the now unbound locks to sway around his chin. “Extra points for creativity, Neji,” He whispered, leaning in to bite Neji’s neck, worrying the flesh between his teeth before he let out a cry. It had been almost a year since he’d been penetrated and the thick blunt fingers probed his entrance, pressing deep into him. Despite the slick lotion pain spiked up his back. “Fuck! Warning… oh no… fuck…” His eyes rolled back as Neji instantly searched out and rolled his prostate between the two fingers he’d pressed deep into the warm depths.

Neji smirked in a sort of dark pleasure as Shikamaru practically threw himself down over the surface of his own desk. His long graceful neck exposed as his head hung off the far edge. The thin man pulled his feet up to rest on the edge of the desk, opening himself wide to the probing digits.

“Neji, oh God, Neji yes…” He’d had many fantasies. Quick shower sessions with himself that had not come close to the reality of how he felt with the Hyuuga male. His body clenched and relaxed over and over with a hungry need. “Now. Fuck me NOW. I’m gonna come if you don’t.” He whimpered when his words only resulted in a redoubled effort by his partner. “FUCKING… OH SHIT, Neji please… please fuck me. I need it.” He panted trying to wriggle away before his body completely betrayed him.

The words sent a shudder of pleasure through the pale youth’s frame and his cock jerked in response. He removed his fingers, grabbing the tube of sunscreen and using the lotion to coat his own cock. “Roll… roll over Shikamaru. It will be easier that way.” He gripped the base of his cock as the other man moved with graceful agility, rolling and backing up at the same time, bent toward the desk top with his back arched and the caramel color of his ass presented to Neji in a silent plea. “Has anyone ever told you what a beautiful ass you have, Professor?”

Shaking, Shikamaru gripped the far edge of the table and whimpered. Neji seemed to have decided to torture him. “Neji, fuck me or I’m flunking your pretty boy ass.” He snapped finally. “AHHH! FUCK, fuck Neji, Neji, Neji…” He thumped his forehead to the desk’s surface as he felt himself filled beyond what he was capable of taking.

Neji was still, unmoving, fighting the urge to drive into him repetitively over and over until he was so spent he couldn’t breathe anymore and Shikamaru was screaming for him.

The still, full feeling was driving Shikamaru crazy and in retaliation he squeezed tightly. “Move you Bastard.” He thrust back and moaned as the cock inside his body moved. Once more he pushed back and shuddered in pleasure. Neji fit so perfectly. His back arched and he began rocking, fucking himself on Neji’s cock.

Swallowing, Neji watched in near shock as the man below him began fucking himself, using Neji for his own pleasure. He was fairly sure he’d never seen anything as hot as the sight of his cock sliding in and out of Shikamaru’s shapely ass. Hearing the throaty cries of his partner snapped Neji free from the mesmerizing sight. He gripped the slim hips and began thrusting, pushing forward as Shikamaru pressed back, sending his cock diving deeper into the willing hungry ass.

“Yes.” They groaned together. “Shika you’re so hot… so tight, I can feel you rippling around my cock.” He bent over the sweat slicked back. Shikamaru had dipped his back so low in his attempts to take Neji deeper that inches separated his lower back from the taut rippling abs above. Rocking together, the couple’s mingled panting, moans and cries of pleasure hardly registered the squeaky scrape of the desk across the floor as it moved under the pounding, rhythmic onslaught.

Finally Neji reached around, releasing Shikamaru’s hip to stroke at the leaking cock of his lover. “I’m going to come. I’m going to fill you up Shika. Come for me, come with me.” Neji pleaded, stroking faster, desperate to ensure Shikamaru’s pleasure before he found his own.

“Ahhh, oh shit, Neji…” Thrusting back once more, hard, desperate and gripping around the thick length inside, Shikamaru saw white as the pleasure stole his senses.

Neji bit down hard on Shikamaru’s shoulder, marking him as Neji Hyuuga’s and his tenuous hold snapped. His cock twitched within the gripping heat and he flooded Shikamaru.

They lay slumped over the desk, panting and groaning from their joined efforts. Finally Neji tipped back to sit in the abandoned desk chair. His head fell back, exposing the bobbing of his Adams apple as he swallowed over and over. “Mother of God, I’ve never had sex like that.” He told Shikamaru when he finally found his voice.

“It was definitely an A plus effort.” Shikamaru smirked, rolling over onto his back and wriggling until he could rest his head on the surface while only his legs were over the edge. When Neji snorted, he looked at the beautiful man. “Do you really want to drop the class, Neji?”

“No other psych class is going to measure up I’m sure but I think I can manage to talk you into a private tutorial.” He stood, leaning over Shikamaru and stealing another kiss. “I’ve got you now Shikamaru and I am not letting you go.”

The dark eyed man moaned before pulling Neji into another passionate kiss.