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Characters: Hyuuga Neji and Rock Lee

Location: Lee's apartment, J11 in Casualty Communal

Rating: PG-13 for awkward nudity and boy talk

Time: March 15, evening

Description: Neji comes over while Lee is in the shower and find something peculiar...

Running two jobs on top of training was hard work, but just the right amount of activity to keep Rock Lee from going insane with boredom. The City was interesting in some ways, but lacked the constant activity that came with living in Konoha. And without his full strength to put to test in training, regular training had become somewhat tedious.

His job as a bouncer provided him with greater stimulation, in more ways than one. Being around the girls at the strip club wasn't as easy as Lee had initially anticipated. He had decent self-control at work, but at home he was allowed time to relax and think about less than appropriate things at his own leisure. There was nothing wrong with that. As a growing young man, he had a right to buy his own magazines and use them however he wanted! But he wasn't the type to read and tell. Nor was he the type to leave anything out when he expected company, but tonight Lee had expected to just have the small apartment to himself.

His room left in an expected amount of disarray from a teenage boy, Lee had decided to take a hop in the shower before settling down for bed. He was in the middle of washing his hair when he felt the familiar spark of another soul enter his apartment. Neji. Lee didn't think anything of it, however, and continued at his regular pace as he washed, sure that the other shinobi wouldn't mind waiting a moment before Lee was ready to come out and talk.

That some of his magazines had been left out at the foot of his bed hardly crossed his mind.

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Neji was wont to show up at random intervals, told himself that it was because he worked the surrounding district and that he might as well simply because he was nearby- like Lee might be offended if he didn't stop by to visit. But in reality, it was just an excuse to make up for the fact that he had yet to come up with a solid reason for most of them.

The Jounin assured himself that he wouldn't stay long, and made his way through the small apartment in search of his teammate. The bathroom door was closed, so he wandered past it, eyes sweeping over the living room, bedroom, and rested on the magazines laid out on the bed.

Neji stepped closer to satisfy idle curiosity, wondering if Lee had found a new hobby in the city, and blinked at the alluring women featured on the covers. It wasn't particularly unusual for most magazines though, so he flipped one open and his hand paused over part of a fold out showing quite a bit of skin, recognizing smooth and shapely thighs.

And as much as he pretended otherwise, he wasn't immune to the sensuality of the female body, wasn't a stranger to desire or curiosity. He was just really good at keeping a straight face.

His fingers unfurled the rest of the poster, and surmised that the rest of her was just as captivating if not moreso. Lovely knee-length dark hair and deep brown eyes that were at once sharp and inviting, skin a few shades of tan and clad in little more than black, lacy undergarments. Neji really didn't mean to stare.

Lee finished up quickly, not having to slave over long lengths of hair he hadn't possessed in years, and did a quick job of toweling off. That done, he secured the towel at his waist and left the bathroom.

His rival's back was turned to him, but even without the forewarning of Neji's soul Lee would have recognized that proud figure anywhere. Grinning, Lee took a step and opened his mouth to announce his greeting, but it died on his lips before he could finish forming the thought.

Neji was...

No, he was not. Neji was not just...

".... what are you doing?" Lee's voice was quiet in his horror.

If he wasn't a Jounin, Neji was pretty sure he would've jumped and started sputtering. Instead, his shoulders drew together and he turned, willing away the heat from his expression. His fingers twitched in a moment of half-remembered resolution to close the magazine and pretend he never saw it, but it was a little late for that now.

Neji mentally scrambled for an appropriate answer and cleared his throat. "..You left these.."

Yes, there was no denying it now. Neji had found his stash. But it was mostly Lee's fault. How could he have been so careless.

"Th-these are personal!" Turning a deep crimson, Lee staggered forward on wooden legs and snatched the magazines still on the edge of the bed into his arms, doing his best to hide the covers as best he could. He would have take the one out of Neji's hands but that would have been rude.

Shifting his gaze away from his teammate, Lee swallowed and tried to keep from stuttering. He failed. "I-I am sorry you had t-to see that! I'll put them away."

Neji resisted the urge to mash a palm over his face, stepping back out of Lee's way and tentatively held up the magazine he'd been holding. Part of him was reluctant to offer it up, but he really shouldn't have looked in the first place and Lee was already frazzled.

"It's fine, Lee." he said, heaving a sigh to manage his own sudden nerves. "I didn't mean to.. intrude suddenly."

"You were not--" Lee choked back his words, knowing any further pursuit of this subject would likely lead to thoughts. Thoughts Lee didn't want Neji to have.

She shook his head sharply, then reached out to take the magazine Neji was offering. But something stopped him from just yanking it away. Lee glanced down at the magazine, then up at Neji. Then down again.

"Um..." Lee pulled his hand back slowly, his eyelids shuttering slightly in curiosity. "I do not suppose I mind if you wanted to look..." Then he added quickly; "As long as Gai-sensei does not find out!"

Neji visibly colored, swallowing and looking at the magazine with an attempt at feigned disinterest. He half-wishes Lee had just taken the magazine just to save him the embarrassment.

"I don't.." There were several ways to complete that thought, but he looked Lee over and glanced pointedly elsewhere. "..I should let you get dressed."

Neji didn't seem inclined to let the magazine go, much as he seemed disinclined to be truthful with himself. Well, no matter. Lee was at least given an out.

Placing the now stacked magazines down beside the bed, and not completely out of Neji's sight or reach, Lee nodded and moved to his clothing trunk. "I will not be long. Feel free to look at them if you wish while you wait."

Gathering up some shorts and a pair of loose sweatpants to sleep in, Lee moved towards the bathroom with the intent to get a few more nightly prep things out of the way. With all that reading material, Neji was not likely to be bored.

Neji simply nodded, watching until he disappeared back into the bathroom, and stared at the magazine he held with a crumbling resolution. He pinched the bridge of his nose, looking at the cover like it personally offended him because he didn't ask for this dilemma. He'd just intended to come in and take up Lee's couch, have some tea, and maybe talk about nothing for a half hour or so. Easy, simple, but now because of this and his own damning curiosity..

And he was interested. He swallowed and took it to the living room, sitting down as he originally intended, and hesitantly flipped through a couple of pages- this time more mindful of the bathroom door.

Meanwhile, Lee took his time brushing his teeth, getting the knots out of his hair and dressing. He probably could have dressed openly in front of Neji during normal circumstances, but Lee wasn't going to risk embarrassing either of them more than necessary. He probably had already done enough of that.

But... well...

To an extent, Lee was curious if Neji was out there reading. He didn't necessarily want to know every fantasy that went on in the Hyuuga's mind, but it wasn't like Neji wasn't human. Quite the contrary. He just rarely showed his more personal side to anyone. Lee hadn't gotten along well with Neji when they had first met, and it took quite a while before the hinges of their team worked like a finely oiled machine. There were some things that Lee envied about other males and their relationships with teammates. Being able to be open on a more personal level about their interests in several matters would probably also help in resonance, so doing this kind of thing wouldn't be bad for them.

Eventually, Lee emerged from the bathroom, eyes scanning the apartment for Neji, barely hiding his evident interest.

He spent his time looking through the magazine while as his mind occupied itself with what he'd do and say when Lee came back out. He settled on a casual approach, glancing up as Lee walked toward him and let the magazine fall closed, dropping it on the coffee table and leaned back.

"I won't tell him, but I don't see why you're afraid of him knowing. He's always encouraged your pursuit of Sakura."

"Eh-heh, yes," Lee chuckled lightly, taking a place on the couch near Neji. "But I do not think he would approve of my looking at these." He gestured towards the fallen magazine. "It is not quite as, um, innocent as courting a lady out in the open."

Lee leaned an elbow on his knee, then casually propped his chin into the raised hand as he gazed over at Neji. While his arms and chest were still bare from the shower, the heat that could not be denied on his face kept him warm enough.

"So... did you like it?"

Neji huffed amusement and thought about correcting Lee, but he quickly decided that he did not want to extol the reasons of why Gai had absolutely no right to judge. There was no real reason for Gai to know anyway.

"It's interesting," he admitted eventually. "You have decent taste, after all."

Lee is somehow... pleased to know Neji finds his interests to be in good taste. A little smile quirks at the corner of his lips.

"I take it that this compares well with your own collection?"

Color threatened to surface again, and Neji glanced away. "I don't.. really own one."

Lee physically jerks back at that. "You do not..."

How was that even possible? Maybe Neji didn't need it, Lee's mind reminded him. Neji did have the byakugan. Perhaps he didn't have to rely on magazines... But no. Neji was not a voyeur. He was an upstanding young man and respected others' privacy. But for him to be so deprived...

Lee scratched at the back of his neck. There was no not-awkward way to say this. "... If you would like, you may borrow--" but with Neji living with three young women, that wouldn't be possible, "--that is, you may come over and look at my collection whenever you would like."

Neji's fingers curled into his palms, jaw clenching for a moment. It wasn't a big deal, he told himself, even as he fought to contain the rush of sudden self-consciousness.

"It's fine," he managed after a moment in a trite tone that didn't encourage further discussion. "It's not important."

Lee knew better than to just let be. Neji was saying one thing, but he probably wanted something else.

"If you say so... but do know you are free to peruse my collection any time you wish." He wouldn't push the issue, but the offer was there in case Neji ever decided he was curious again.

Lee reached his arms out before him in a stretched, threading the fingers together and pulling his arms taunt until his elbows, shoulders and wrists all popped from the strain. "Now then, what did you come over to talk about?"

He nodded shortly and lapsed into a short silence as he watched Lee stretch.

"Nothing," he confessed after a minute, unable to think of any valid-sounding reason now that they were moving past one of the most awkward talks they've had. "My shift on the Watch just ended and I'm stationed in this district.."

Lee nodded, smiling and then relaxed his stretch. "So you stopped by for a visit! Wonderful!"

Lee stood, moving to his kitchenette. "Would you like tea or a small snack? I am sorry I did not offer earlier."

Neji shrugged off the apology, considering how distracted both of them had been for mannerisms.

"Tea would be fine. Lavender, if you still have any."

"Coming right up!" He was running rather low, but he could pick up more the day after. Maybe he would stock a little more than usual, since Neji was likely going to be coming more regularly.

As he puttered around the kitchen, getting water boiling and measuring out the tea, Lee spoke over his shoulder. "So, how was work today?"

[ooc: aaaand we can probably end it here if you'd like. :3 ]

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