Sway

Archive: Just ask.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. That honor belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

As he came back to consciousness a second time, Neji could feel his senses returning at a rate faster than his mind. It took a moment for his synapses to reconnect, and then he shot upright, looking about wildly. As his body processed information, Neji discovered he was in the bedroom he shared with Naruto for their current mission.

Stretching out his chakra, not caring who might sense him, he searched for Naruto. Becoming ever more distressed, as each section came back empty. He scoured the house, room by room, inch by inch, floor by floor. Just as he was about to let the panic truly take hold, there came a welcome return surge of warm chakra.

Neji had used a teleportation jutsu to relocate to the source before he was aware of lifting his hands.

Naruto – or rather Nanako - sat upon the roof, knees pressed against a protruding belly, arms wrapped firmly about them. He didn’t stir nor start as Neji appeared. But, he did sigh, as the brunette dropped to his knees and embraced him from behind.

A soft hand reached up to clasp a forearm and squeeze reassuringly, before leaning back into the Hyuuga’s solid form. Neji closed his eyes and pressed his face into the blonde hair. He knew Naruto understood what had been running through his mind. Thankfully, he understood.

With Naruto accounted for, Neji turned his focus on the surrounding area.

“Don’t bother,” sighed Naruto. “He’s gone.” He leaned further into his lover’s embrace, closing his eyes. “He left a long time ago.”

“Are you all right?” Neji asked, stroking Naruto’s arm. Strangely, it felt cold, as if he had been sitting there for some time.

“The baby’s fine,” he replied.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Life had a strange way of returning to normal. Likewise, Naruto had an equally curious way of bouncing back.

He hadn’t spared any depressive moments for the Uchiha beyond that night. The pair had remained upon the rooftop until sunrise. Neji feeling relieved, though understanding Naruto’s need for silence and companionship. They had not spoken, and as the morning light drifted their way, golden rays of the awakening sun streaming through the rivaled locks of the blonde, Naruto had sighed. Shifting, he had turned in Neji’s embrace, placed a lingering kiss to his lips, and smiled softly.

“We should go in, before you get sick.”

And that had been it.

They had gone inside, slipped into bed, and when Neji had awoken, Naruto was back to normal. It felt strange sometimes, to look at him. So oddly cheerful, the brunette found himself wondering at times, if he was being deceived.

But, the doctor assured him that mood swings were normal, when he caught Neji staring oddly at his lover one day during a check up. Their neighbors were quick to agree, the men sharing their own experiences with Neji – all none the wiser that a powerful, traitor of a shinobi had breezed through the village. The third in a scant few months. Neji was seriously considering writing the Hokage and telling her, far from Konoha or not, this was definitely not the safest place for the blonde.

However, he knew, were he to write her, the Godaime would agree. Concerned for Naruto’s safety, she’d order them to return to Konoha, and they simply could not afford that right now.

At five months, Naruto couldn’t be moved from their adoptive village for at least another four months. If they left any sooner, not only would all of Konoha discover their transgression, but…Neji was quite positive, there would be a battle over the baby.

Naruto wanted to keep it. Neji wanted it free of his clan’s specific brand of suffocative ‘love’. Neji’s uncle would want it in the clan. Tainted by an ill conception and born out of wedlock, Neji’s child would be treated even more poorly then he recalled his own childhood having been. Bastards were frowned upon. And Neji’s particular breed of bastard would be…unwelcome at best. Though the Hyuuga would want it under their control none the less.

No matter what transpired, Naruto would inevitably hate him, his child would be damned to an existence of soulless servitude, and he’d…well, Neji could handle his own punishment. It was his lover and child he was concerned over. An agonizing death held no power over him now.

Naruto smiled at him from the couch, tongue caught between the teeth at the side of his mouth. The village women had taught him how to knit, and he was busy trying to prepare acceptable Konoha swaddling. Neji smiled back, chin propped upon the back of his hand.

After what had happened two weeks ago…he was only now coming to breathe easier.

At first, he had been worried that his lover was hiding something from him. And after, someone. But, Naruto was a horrible liar, and there had been no chakra other than their own and the modest systems of the villagers around for the time since the Uchiha’s departure.

It was a strange – but not unwelcome – feeling that seemed to overtake him whenever he looked at the blonde recently. A mixing of love and pride, that thrummed about his belly, and traveled up his chest and throat until it had settled upon his face.

Neji had been taught at an early age to carefully school his features. It was wise for a shinobi to show no emotion. It could intimidate opponents, and even fool them when need be. To put it simply, it was a survival mechanism. One which had been diligently drilled into him – and all Hyuuga – since birth.

So it was difficult to cope with the knowledge that years worth of carefully honed control was seeping out the proverbial byway faster with every moment spent in Naruto’s company. Was he changing so much?

Would they recognize him upon his return?

He wished it wouldn’t matter. That he could care less. Unfortunately, this was no vacation from his life. Too many incidents had proven that well enough. This was a mission, and he needed to regain his focus.

However, regaining his focus meant he would have to give up this chance with Naruto. Neji was far too practical a person to sacrifice this opportunity. He knew as soon as they returned to Konoha, this…love affair…would be over. They could only watch one another from afar, longing for the taste and touch of one another. The steady thrum of warm life beside them, the heady beat of an aroused pulse.

He sighed. Too lost in thought to see Naruto look up at him and frown. Too preoccupied, to watch his lover put down his wayward knitting and cross the room. He didn’t realize he had sighed. Hadn’t realized his brow had furrowed.

“What’s the matter?” Naruto breathed against his ear, arms wrapping about him. Sliding over his shoulders and curling about the back of his head.

“I’m going to miss you,” he replied honestly.

The blonde sighed, cupping his face and kissing him gently. “Don’t think about that now,” he said softly, against moist lips.

Neji nodded distractedly, meaning to agree.

“Come on,” Naruto said, taking him by the hands, fingers curled about his wrists and tugging.

He stood, following.

Naruto drew him from the room and down the hall. It wasn’t until he saw their bedroom door that he asked, “Where are we going?”

“To make you feel better,” he’d replied.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~


The next month had passed in a breeze. There had been no surprises in the form of shinobi passing through. There had been no changes at all, save for the size of Naruto’s bulging belly.

The blonde had devoted the entire month to making him feel better. From small, unwarranted kisses, to surprise meals, and long bouts of love making that had them both near wheezing as the sunlight spilled in through the curtains.

He’d allowed himself the month. Allowed himself to be swept up and carried along by the effortless carefree nature of his lover. It could do no harm to indulge for a time, could it? If he would be forced to give it all up once they returned, he wanted to have pleasurable memories to cherish. Something to keep him warm on the cold, lonely, Naruto-less nights to come.

All the month had taught him, was that he had come to love the younger shinobi to a level that surpassed even his own reckoning. He’d never known such intense feelings could exist. Strong and possessive, yet gentle and giving at the same time.

He wanted to care for Naruto as often as he wanted to yell. Wanted to kiss him more often than clock him in the head. Even the more…questionable elements of his personality were endearing to him now.

Yes, Neji was well and truly in love. And not just with Naruto. Their baby held a particularly strong sway over his heart, unborn though by no means unresponsive.

Now that the baby was older, the doctor had told them, it would be more active. Initially, they had both looked a bit confusedly at one another, nodded and returned home. It wasn’t until a few days later, when Naruto had been shuffling happily down the hall, that they’d come to see what the doctor had meant.

Neji had been aware of his lover’s movement through the house, keeping his chakra flaring lightly, to add an extra sense to monitoring his mate. He felt the distress before he heard the heavy drop of basket and roll of wool. He was at Naruto’s side in a moment, pressing a supportive hand to his back, the other poised before his lover’s belly protectively.

Naruto had both hands to his belly, a frown upon his face. It teetered there for several moments, before he smiled widely, and grabbed the hand settled before him. Neji was about to question what he was doing, when he felt a sharp push against the palm Naruto had settled against his belly.

It wasn’t particularly strong, but it was strong for an infant in the womb, especially at a little over six months. Neji’s own brow had furrowed for a moment, before he had looked down, meeting Naruto’s beaming gaze.

“Is that…?”

“Our baby’s kicking.”

Neji smiled, and pooled a bit of chakra in his palm, feeling the tickle of it against the baby’s own, before their little one promptly issued another kick. Though he knew the baby was far too young to be doing it consciously, something in him swelled vastly in pride, that the baby had hit the exact same spot twice.

“I think it’s about time,” Naruto said.

“Hmm?” Neji replied, distracted.

The baby’s chakra system seemed to be developing well, though he was no expert. He could tell by the flow of it, the steady pulse, and opposite surging from Naruto’s. Did that mean it was a girl? He’d never much paid attention to the flow rate and direction between males and females before. Was it even different? Or was that just wishful thinking?

Did he want a daughter?

If he did, it was probably subconscious, he thought. After all, what shinobi didn’t want a son? Especially for their firstborn.

“For names.”

Neji looked at him, and Naruto laughed at the lost look upon his face. Neji was only aware of it, because he’d come to realize Naruto’s eyes always drifted left amusedly when he slipped up.

“I said, I think it’s about time we started thinking of names.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t you think?”

“Of course,” he replied, taking the blonde into his arms. “I have one stipulation however, before we begin.”

“What?” asked Naruto, only slightly wary.

“There can’t be ramen involved in any way.”

It was a moment before Naruto laughed.

“Alright,” he agreed.