"Follow Me"

Chapter 11

Neji looked up as the door slid open and closed as Naruto stepped through the doors. He tried to keep his features neutral but he was truly impressed with how different he looked dressed up like that. The blonde looked amused as he gazed at Neji's figure. "Should I be worried about you tonight?" 

Neji huffed and turned away from the blonde who came over to tilt his chin upwards. "Come on Ice Princess, don't freeze me out now," The Uzumaki sat beside him and pulled him into his chest. It was a single act of comfort that Neji had never felt before. His eyes teared up before he broke down sobbing. 

"I don't want to be a pawn," He cried. "I'm sick of this family, of my duties, I'm tired of biting my tongue until blood pools in my mouth. I hate this life. I want to die." 

Naruto stroked his hair in quiet contemplation as he gazed at the other end of the room. "Does despair fill your soul?" Neji nodded as he leaned his entire weight into the blonde who seemed to relish it.

"Can you come with me? With me and Shikamaru?" Naruto smiled softly at him. "You've been through a lot, we can take care of you."

"You're a pervert," Neji tried to pull away but Naruto pulled him close. "You'll only abuse me sexually."

Naruto frowned. "I always ask for consent. Don't you ever make such a statement ever again."

His expression was serious, the playfulness was gone from his eyes as he stared Neji down. The Hyuga gulped as he dried his tears. "I apologize, I'm just frazzled." 

Naruto's expression relaxed as he took Neji's chin. "You'll be fine," He kissed his forehead. "But just let me know, do you want to be my escort or should we get out of here?" 

"Get out?" 

"Well yes of course," Naruto turned his head with a smile. "You must have mapped out a path to avoid all the security. You are cute but mischievous. You must have somewhere."

"What about tonight?" Neji leaned forward with a pensive expression. "You signed a contract." 

Naruto rolled his shoulders. "I guess that's true but I came early just for you, let's have some fun before guests start showing up." 

"Fun?" Neji shivered. "You have a strange way of having fun." 

Naruto pulled him up and looked at Neji's dainty uncovered feet. "Are you alright to be walking around bare feet?" 

"It's fine," Neji brushed it off and opened his bedroom window. "Let's go, we'll go to the garden." 

Naruto was pulled out into an expansive garden that was filled with various colored roses. "This is a pretty picture, but why bring me here?" 

"Who cares? Don't you want to desecrate me in roses?" Neji looked up at him coyly. 

Naruto smirked. "Aren't you sly?" 

"Can I be your house pet?" Neji was blunt to the point. He purposely came outside to avoid the listening devices in the house. He can release his despair all he wants, no one will come to him because they don't care. But suggesting that he bow to someone of Naruto's status will certainly have them barging in. 

He was going to a prideful Hyuga until the name becomes sludged with mud or he marries and takes on his spouse's name. But something more pleasing was to become a prideful Hyuga house pet. No one in the Hyuga clan who ever went to Konoha Academy has been deemed a house pet in generations, he would be the first one. He wanted to smear that mud on the family name. 

Naruto smiled. "I see, this is your way of revenge isn't it?" 

Neji looked away to the mansion behind Naruto. "I guess you could say that." 

"It's so amusing to watch you be this way. You've changed. Did I cause that?" 

"Don't get so full of yourself," Neji scolded. 

"I can do so much with his angelic face," Naruto cupped his cheeks. "You'll be a fine addition, something to smooth the edges in our relationship."

"You're going to destroy me aren't you?" Neji had a light blush on his face as he said this but it only served to make Naruto grin. 

"Absolutely not," Naruto rolled his eyes. "You're such a beauty, we just need you to sit and be pretty. You can sling your mud, Shikamaru and I don't really care, we'll protect against any retaliation." 

"You certainly place a lot on the Nara family name," Neji narrowed his eyes. "Aren't you a parasite?" 

"So are you," Naruto stung back. "Only you want the reputation I come with. The way I say fuck off is intoxicating, isn't it? I've been told that by Shikamaru." 

'Shikamaru isn't wrong,' Neji thought as he locked his eyes on Naruto's lips. 'That silver tongue could charm or shame anyone while still being sexy. Coupled with his delinquent personality and you have a knock-out.' 

"I am intrigued. Very intrigued actually because you've managed to snag the biggest ticket of the bunch. Shikamaru isn't the only twisted one in the council and it wouldn't be the first time a council member has taken on a wild card. It just so happens that you managed to tick something inside Shikamaru's head to take you on," Neji reached out to caress Naruto's whiskers. 

"So far everything I've seen of you is so plain and ordinary of a typical mongrel on the side of the road. Sure you have a knack for gambling but so does everyone in the world. What makes you so special? It actually drives me crazy whenever I see you around campus, you have no idea what kind of curse you've dug up onto yourself." 

Naruto kissed the palm of Neji's hand. "Curse you say? More like a blessing, this is a once-in-a-lifetime gamble. I'll never get such an opportunity ever again, I need to maximize this before I'm kicked out of Shikamaru's garden." 

"I doubt it," Neji sighed. "Shikamaru is keen and picky, always has been since growing up. If he saw something in you then he's sure it isn't going to change. Anything he sets his eyes on that happens to be human doesn't leave his sight until they die by his hand." 

Naruto started chuckling and the tone of it really set Neji's skin crawling, he looked up and noticed the blonde's demented smile and empty blue eyes. 

"I always had a feeling that might be the case but to have you confirm it just made it all the more worthwhile."

'Uzumaki Naruto you make my skin crawl.'