"Follow Me"

Chapter 14

The soft morning light filled the room as Neji awoke, cocooned in the warmth of his two lovers, Shikamaru and Naruto, who were still lost in the depths of slumber. With a tender smile gracing his lips, Neji pressed gentle kisses against their foreheads before untangling himself from their embrace. As he stood up, he silently marveled at the love he shared with them.

Neji quietly padded into the kitchen, his mind already shifting to the morning routine. He began preparing breakfast, his movements graceful and precise. The familiar sounds of sizzling pans and the aroma of food filled the air, creating an inviting atmosphere within their home.

As the water ran in the bathroom, the sound of Naruto and Shikamaru stirring from their sleep reached Neji's ears. He listened to the soft rustle of sheets and the muffled exchange of words, a comforting symphony that signaled the start of a new day.

Naruto's husky voice drifted into the kitchen as he called out, "I'll take over breakfast, Neji. You should go shower and get ready for school."

"Thank you, Naruto," Neji replied, appreciating his lover's thoughtfulness. He was grateful for the way their routines seamlessly intertwined, allowing them to support one another in various ways.

Leaving the kitchen in Naruto's capable hands, Neji made his way upstairs to the bathroom. The warm water cascading over his body offered a rejuvenating embrace, washing away the remnants of sleep and preparing him for the day ahead.

Downstairs, Shikamaru sat at the table, engrossed in reading the morning news on his phone. His gaze held a calculated intensity as if he was analyzing every detail with meticulous precision. He was protective by nature, always assessing the world around him and ensuring the safety and well-being of those he cared about.

Naruto skillfully maneuvered around the kitchen, whipping up a delicious breakfast with practiced ease. The sound of sizzling bacon and the enticing aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the room. Naruto had a possessive streak within him, he had gained bonds. Those bonds are Shikamaru and then later on Neji. He never really imagined such a domestic sight after the last relationship he had. 

His gaze became dazed as he remembered those times. The two of them were street rats, hell Naruto was still a street rat, he just had better clothing. But fate was sealed, Shikamaru and Neji were born to be elites of society, and he will always be a street rat. He plated the food and brought it to the table, his expression still distracted, so much so that Shikamaru looked up from his phone. 

"Are you okay?" 

Naruto snorted. "It's weird to hear you care." 

Shikamaru frowned. "I'm serious Naruto, you belong to me so answer me like a good little vixen." 

Naruto sighed. "I don't know. And that's not me dodging I genuinely don't know." 

Shikamaru scoffed. "Naruto you aren't one to be conflicted," He rolled his neck and gazed at him in contemplation. "Are you having second thoughts?" 

Naruto narrowed his eyes. "And if I was?" 

"Then I will let you go," Shikamaru pulled a cigar from his school pocket and lit it up. 

"Shikamaru are you going to kill me?" Naruto asked, his voice innocent for the first since they've crossed paths. 

Shikamaru gazed at their plates of breakfast. "How about a gamble?" 

Naruto started chuckling as Neji walked into the room, fully dressed for school. Neji sits in his seat at the table and noticed the tension. "What's going on?" 

"Naruto's buckling," Shikamaru was speaking of the weather with his tone and the blonde was still laughing. 

"I am not," The blonde denied before turning to Neji. "Don't listen to him, he's just trying to pry something out of me that I haven't examined yet." 

"That's the problem, you're thinking," Shikamaru sighed as he leaned back. "This is about your past isn't it?" 

"It is, that much I can say," Naruto turned to look outside the window. 

"Are you still in awe at your opportunity?" Neji asked softly. 

Naruto wore a conflicted expression. "No, I just remembered my former partner. I haven't thought about them in a long time." 

"Be careful, I'm a jealous man-" 

"I find it amusing that you'd be jealous of a corpse that has been decaying for the past three years," Naruto snapped. "If she was still alive I wouldn't have ended up here. I guess seeing myself make it this far on pure luck and whim is baffling to me. She's probably rolling in her grave in envy." 

"Did you love her?" 

Naruto hummed. "Define love. I met him on the streets, another orphan kicked out like me. We did everything together, shared everything together so many adventures and crimes committed together, and yet it was his luck to run out first," He held his hand out in front of him. "I'm just wondering when I will fall from grace." 

"Do you want to?" Shikamaru asked seriously. 

Naruto's face broke out in a sick twisted smile. "Yes, and when I do I'll feel the absolute despair Nanami felt that day when she fell off the tightrope."