Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ - When mistakes are made - ❯ two ( Chapter 2 )

It was already getting late when Naruto got back to his "apartment". He wiped his shoes on the brownish carpet that lay at his doorstep; the "Welcome" written on it almost invisible under the mud and blood.

 

I should probably clean that sometime soon.

 

When Tsunade offered him a new apartment, bigger and brand new like the one Iruka lived in, Naruto refused. He explained to the Hokage that after living alone in that room for ten years, it was as much a part of him as everything else he owned, which wasn't much. It was something that he would never change, just like the Kyuubi inside him.

 

Naruto hated admitting it, but with the years he learned to depend on the demon and its constant "chakra donations". No matter how much he hated the fox, he grew attached to it, just like he grew attached to the raven haired boy. The said male only recently proved to be just like the rest, except that he kept his real thoughts concerning the blond well hidden all this time.

 

I feel twice the fool I already was. Naruto mused and slipped off his shoes.

 

Stepping inside, the young man proceeded to shed his clothes on his way to the bathroom. He needed a good dip in the water after his refreshing "encounter" with Sasuke at the lake.

 

"Damn that asshole." He muttered as he got into the tub, pouring cold water on his head. He needed to clear his mind, to stop thinking about Sasuke's words.

 

"You will always be the monster everyone will abhor."

 

"Shit." Only remembering them made Naruto's heart twist painfully. The boy knew that it will probably never stop hurting, but he couldn't stay angry at the Uchiha. In fact, he wasn't angry at anyone who despised him, whether they expressed it openly or just avoided him. Naruto understood that it wasn't easy to accept a time bomb as your neighbor, but… but Neji did. And Hinata and Lee too…

 

Sighing, Naruto soaped himself with the yellowish soap, adding hot water, making it just barely scalding. The spicy scent of a cinnamon soap filled the bathroom and, mingled with the steamy water, was making Naruto lightheaded. The boy reluctantly allowed himself to relax. He closed his eyes and just when he started fully enjoying the situation, he heard the front door being shut.

 

Opening his eyes, Naruto slowly got out of the tub, the blurriness gradually fading from his mind, leaving him clearheaded and alert. The stranger's footsteps were barely audible, but audible nevertheless. They weren't careful and calculating but calm and relaxed, as though that person was striding in his own house. Naruto knew only one person who could feel this cool when breaking into someone else's place.

 

Sasuke you…

 

Noticing that the footsteps were getting louder, Naruto realized that the stranger was approaching the bathroom door.

 

The blond boy then threw open the door while voicing his thoughts.

 

"Sas—" he stopped abruptly, surprised to see that the boy in front of him was no other than Hyuuga Neji. He was barefoot, his hair untied and he was dressed in some white outfit that Naruto never saw him wear before.

 

"What are you doing here...?" the blond whispered, shocked beyond believe and wondering why Neji thought paying him a visit when he was away was a good idea.

 

Neji was surprised, to say the least. He thought that the blonde was still eating when he arrived but judging by the warm cinnamon scent and the very naked body in front of him, Naruto had just been enjoying a bath. Or at least tried to.

 

Naruto is naked… in front of me. His thoughts finally catching up, Neji ignored the blond's question and lowered his gaze to the boy's groin, unable to resist the temptation. Naruto caught the shift of Neji's eyes and followed them. Looking down, his eyes met a wet erection and for a moment the blond was perplexed.

 

"Why am I—KYAAA!!"

 

SLAM!

 

Neji was now left to stare at the bathroom door with Naruto hiding behind it. Damn… he's big. Neji thought and blushed.

 

From behind the door a yelp was heard and then a crash. For a moment everything was silent and Neji contemplated entering, but when he heard the boy growl, he relaxed again. Obviously Naruto was alright now and he probably went back to his earlier enjoyments. Just when the Hyuuga heir turned toward the front door, he heard from behind the bathroom door a colorful curse, followed by a question.

 

"Why are you here anyway?!"

 

"I—Naruto, it's not what you think."

 

"What? What did you say?!"

 

"I said it's not—"

 

"Why did you break into my home?" was barely heard from the bathroom. Starting to tire of literally talking through doors and walls, Neji shook his head and laid the headband he was holding on a chair standing nearby. Accomplishing what he came here for, the boy decided to face Naruto with explanations once he was less busy. He was about to leave, for the second time today, already slipping his shoes on when he caught the faint sound of a door being opened.

 

"Where do you think you're going?"

 

Neji turned to look in the direction of the voice, registering a small amount of hurt in it. Naruto's head was peeking from behind the door, the hair wet and soapy. He was blushing, obviously embarrassed to be seen naked AND erect in front of the Hyuuga. What every seventeen year old male did behind closed doors was a secret to no one in the village, but to have your manhood exposed to prying eyes was indeed something to blush over.

 

If possible, Naruto's blush deepened and he looked away from Neji's curious gaze, suddenly finding the wooden floor extremely interesting.

He obviously wants something, Neji thought. He took pity on the blond and spoke first.

 

"Do you want me to stay?"

 

Naruto's head suddenly shot up, eyes staring at Neji in what can be called disbelief. Then a wide smile broke on his face and Neji couldn't help but hold his breath. Even though the only thing he could see was the boy's head, Neji found him beautiful. Recalling the body that accompanied that face, Neji felt a growing tightness in his groin. Ugh… this is not good. Having this kind of thoughts about a male, about Naruto.

 

Mentally shaking his head, Neji added.

 

"Though perhaps I should leave you to continue what you started." He bowed lightly, "I'm sor—"

 

"Oh no It's alright! I'll be out in a minute, just let me get… dressed" Naruto quickly interrupted, the blush and the smile never leaving his face. He gave the boy at the door one last look and went back into the bathroom, shutting the door and leaning on it.

 

Secretly, he wanted Neji to stay. Yes, standing erect in front of the Hyuuga was embarrassing as hell, but Naruto really didn't feel like being alone today. He knew that even if he won't share what's on his mind with Neji, he could always rely on the boy for some silent comfort.

 

Neji was the type of person who didn't ask many questions, simply for the fact that he already knew the answers to most of them. He usually didn't get involved in someone else's problems, and it's not as though he's just cold and emotionless as Sasuke is - he could offer comfort, but he was just inhumanly honest. And honesty, much to Naruto's dismay, was what people disliked to hear the most.

 

Neji's comfort was subtle and yet very deep. Naruto remembered that when Sarutobi-sama died, Sasuke wasn't even at the funeral. The blonde then braced himself and, standing in the cold rain, tried to make himself believe that he's better off alone. That he didn't need comforting words or understanding pats on the shoulder. He said to himself that he was strong enough to face everything this life had in store for him on his own. And then Neji approached him, standing in Sasuke's place beside Naruto. Without sparing him a glance, the Hyuuga took Naruto's hand in his own, squeezing it in reassurance. His palm was warm, the blond then noticed, and the warm smiling face of the late Hokage filled his mind as if on cue. Naruto closed his eyes, the memories and the sound of the rain becoming too much for him. That day, the sky was weeping.

 

"It's alright to cry sometimes, Naruto."

 

And with those words coming from the Hyuuga heir, Naruto wept too, letting the rain wash his tears into the ground.

 

 

Smiling at the memory, although sorrowful, Naruto pushed away from the bathroom door and strode towards his pile of fresh clothes that was lying not far from the bathtub. He dressed quickly and brushed his hair, something he rarely did.

Why am I so excited…? It's just Neji.

 

Sighing to himself, the boy opened the door. He saw that Neji was leaning against the opposite wall, a look on his face that Naruto found strangely seductive. Damn hormones.

Taking a moment to find the right words, the blond took few steps forward and smiled.

 

"Hi."