Full Circle

Full Circle

chapter 12

"Oh my, it's just lovely to meet you Neji. We've known the Hyuugas for ages of course. They're an excellent family and I must say, you do them justice," Mikoto gushed happily. Neji gave a small smile at the compliment, taking the woman's enthusiasm in stride like a true blue-blood.

"Thank you very much Mrs. Uchiha and thank you for having me in your lovely home."

"Oh, think nothing of it dear. We're happy to have any friend of Naruto's." Naruto grinned happily at this and watched quietly as the two continued conversing on family related matters, Neji relating what his current position in the Hyuuga company entailed. Sasuke was less enthusiastic at how his mother seemed to be taking to the long haired boy and so he was somewhat relieved when Takara came dashing into the room.

"Uncle Naru! Uncle Sasu! I've been waiting Forever!" he cried as he grabbed a leg from each of them, shackling them together.

"There you are Chibi," said Sasuke.

"Yeah, you didn't meet us at the door. We thought you didn't love us any more!" Naruto whined with a fake pout that had the little boy giggling and his shackle-mate blushing ever so slightly. The pout quickly melted into a grin and Naruto ruffled the kid's hair. "C'mon over here," he said, taking a step forward with his trapped leg. Takara wouldn't let go of either of them and after a few awkward seconds, Sasuke and Naruto managed coordinate their movements and make their way over to Neji and Mikoto like contestants in a strange three-legged race. Takara was laughing so hard that he eventually couldn't hang on and, dropped to the floor in front of Neji.

"May I help you sir?" the Hyuuga asked in a serious tone as he held out a hand to the little boy at his feet. His lips just barely twitched with a repressed smile at the surprise on Takara's face at having been called 'sir'. The little boy gave him a shy smile and took the offered hand. "I am Hyuuga Neji. May I ask your name?" Neji continued on when the boy was upright.

"Um, Uchiha Takara." Sasuke and Naruto exchanged surprised looks at the quiet response and gaped even further when the boy calmly shook Neji's hand. Where had this polite, docile child come from?!

"A pleasure to meet you Mr. Uchiha," the Hyuuga replied courteously. For just a second, the awe showed up on the little boy's face before he hid it away and responded in kind.

"Likewise." Naruto was having trouble holding back a massive grin. Did he just say 'likewise'?! It would seem that Takara very much enjoyed being treated like an adult. Who knew Neji had his own special way with children? Sasuke, on the other hand, was half amazed and half irritated as he looked around at the indulgent smile on his mother's face and the obvious amusement and affection that was written all over Naruto, not to mention Takara who'd been completely won over in an instant.

"Oh sure. 'Everybody' loves Hyuuga!" he mentally grumbled, tuning out the voice of their guest who was now making small talk with his nephew in a tone of utmost respect. It was even more annoying that everyone was totally ignoring his scowl.

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They had long since moved outside and were in the middle of an unofficial game of badminton when Sai showed up.

"Ah, I thought I'd find you out here. It's certainly a lovely day for it."

"Oh there you are Sai," Naruto called back. "C'mon over here and meet my friend. Neji this is Sasuke's friend, Sai," he said as Sai ambled over the lawn to meet them. "And Sai, this is my friend, Neji."

"A pleasure," said Sai with a charming smile as the two shook hands. Neji nodded silently, his suspicious gaze locked on the newcomer's face. From what he'd heard from Naruto, this was one to be watched carefully.

"Naruto tells me you've been having quite a busy summer, working for your family's company. Is the position temporary? That is, is it an internship of some sort?"

"I've been groomed for the position since infancy and after taking an accelerated business program I've already earned my degree. I'm fully qualified"

"My, that's quite an accomplishment for such a young man," Sai complimented pleasantly.

"...Thank you." Neji looked disturbingly insincere as he continued to stare right through the smiling brunet. A lesser man would have been sweating visibly under that intense gaze but Sai managed to brush it off fairly well.

"So do you guys mind if I play the winner?"

"You can have my spot," said Takara who'd been getting a little frustrated with his inability to hit as far as anyone else anyway.

"That's very generous of you Takara san," Neji praised. The little boy blushed lightly as he handed his racket over.

"It's ok. I was finished anyway." Takara went off to sit in the shade and watch the proceedings.

"Naruto chan, do you mind partnering with me?" Sai asked. Naruto looked at him blankly for a second before shaking it off and smiling at him.

"Oh yeah! Sure."

"Excellent! As energetic as you are, I don't think I'd like to be on the opposing team." Naruto gave a slightly uncomfortable chuckle while Neji's eyes narrowed further and Sasuke was downright scowling.

"Ok... Let's get into position then," the blond prompted. "You guys ready to lose?" he called out in an attempt to dispel some tension.

"Hn. You honestly think you can beat me?" Sasuke taunted in return.

"Damn right!" The game took off with Sasuke and Naruto each displaying their competitive drive. Each time Naruto's side scored a point, Naruto did an adorable little victory dance and Sai stopped to watch... or leer as it were, which had Neji and Sasuke frowning and glaring daggers respectively.

"Don't celebrate yet Dobe. It'll make it all the more humiliating when you lose," said the irritable Uchiha.

"Who says I'm gonna... Hey! What did you just call me?!" Sai smiled serenely as the two began to argue. Neji just crossed his arms and shook his head while Takara, off on the sideline, copied his pose.

"We're playing 'badminton' for god's sake," he muttered.

As it turned out, nobody actually won the game at all. Mikoto came out into the yard, accompanied by a servant carrying a large tray full of tall glasses of lemonade.

"How are you boys doing?" she asked cheerfully as they each came to grab a glass. "Having fun, I hope. It's just about time to get ready for dinner. The Haruno family will be joining us as well." Sasuke's eyes widened considerably at this announcement before he could catch himself. Mikoto didn't seem to notice at all though and a moment later, the expression had given way to a huffy scowl.

"Wonderful," he thought sarcastically. "Isn't 'that' just what I need now."

"Since you boys have a worked up a bit of a sweat, now would be a good time to go and get cleaned up," she continued. "Oh and... Sai is it? You're welcome to join us as well." Sai politely refused the kind offer, citing a prior obligation and excused himself, stopping just long enough to praise a blushing Naruto effusively. Neji narrowed suspicious eyes as Sai assured the blond that he had most definitely made the very best of partners and that they would surely have won, had the game not been cut short. Good God! This guy poured it on thick enough to choke a python.

As they divided up to head for their separate quarters for a little freshening up, Mikoto, who had gone back into the main house with Sasuke, was looking far too pleased with herself for her son to ignore.

"Mother?" he questioned simply, giving her a calculating look.

"That Neji is such a nice young man isn't he?" she said airily. Sasuke's brows furrowed slightly.

"I suppose," he answered slowly.

"So charming. And he's quite handsome as well." Sasuke felt one of his eyes twitch a bit as his mother almost sighed like a smitten schoolgirl, a disgusting thought beginning to rise in the back of his mind. OhdearGodpleaseno...

"Wouldn't it be nice if he and Sakura would take to each other?" Mikoto continued. Sakura? Oh! Sakura! Thank God!!... wait...

"You want to get Hyuuga and Sakura together?" Sasuke deadpanned. 'Good bloody luck,' he mentally scoffed.

"She was so disappointed when the engagement fell through. Perhaps having another handsome young fellow around this evening will cheer her up some." Mikoto smiled cheerfully at her son before they parted ways at the staircase. "When you're finished Darling, perhaps you could go and escort Naruto and his friend to the dining room."

"I 'somehow' get the feeling that this evening is not going to go smoothly," Sasuke predicted sullenly as he watched his mother stroll off down the hall, humming innocently to herself.

After a quick shower and a wardrobe change, Sasuke obediently followed his mother's suggestion and made his way back outside and into the pool-house. He was still mentally groaning over the prospect of watching his mother trying her hand at matchmaking yet again. Couldn't she tell that Hyuuga was gay? Then again neither Naruto nor Neji himself had explicitly mentioned any such thing. Sasuke frowned to himself. Why exactly 'had' he automatically assumed that Neji was interested in his professed 'best friend'? It hadn't even occurred to him until now that the Hyuuga might be straight at all.

"Don't tell me I'm turning into one of those constantly jealous guys who just jumps to the conclusion that 'everyone' is after their gir..er..boyfriend?" he thought. "That's so pathetic! And I've just barely accepted the fact that I kinda like him. Come to think of it, I really don't have any reason to suspect Hyuuga of harboring any 'intentions' so to speak. He really doesn't seem like the type that would hit on another man's fiance anyway. They probably 'are' just ordinary friends after all."

Having reached Naruto's bedroom door, the Uchiha stopped and casually raised a hand to knock, when he froze suddenly as a sound from within reached his ears. Was that a 'moan'!? Wait, there it was again. It was! That was definitely a moan! What the hell! Suddenly he heard Naruto's voice.

"Mmm oh God! So good... It's been too long!"

Sasuke's jaw dropped. Holy Crap! that voice was the sexiest thing he'd ever heard!

"Oh yeah, you taste so gooood!"

Black eye's narrowed and pale hands clenched into fists that trembled with a swift and terrible rage. Sonofa BITCH!! He was gonna 'kill' that fucking Hyuuga!!

"Mmm, I just wanna suck out every last drop of sweet creamy..."

"Naruto," Neji's voice interrupted calmly. "It's really disturbing to talk to your food like that. I shouldn't have let you have that before dinner anyway."

"What? There's no 'bad' time for a cannoli!"

A cannoli?? Sasuke quickly knocked twice and opened the door before anyone could answer. Sure enough, there was Naruto, sitting on the bed, fully dressed and devouring a cannoli while Neji stood, leaning against the wall to the side. The flood of rage ebbed like a receding tide as Sasuke shared a look with the Hyuuga and shook his head at the ravenous blond.

"Naruto, we're just about to have dinner," he reprimanded sternly. Naruto just grinned innocently at him and resumed his licking and nibbling, complete with little hums of pleasure that sent tingling shivers down Sasuke's spine.

"I brought it for him," Neji sighed. "I wasn't going to give it to him 'now' of course but he said he'd pick me out some more clothes and this is what I get for leaving him alone in my room."

"Thank you Neji!" Naruto sang sweetly.

"Just hurry up so we can go," said Sasuke. "You guys are otherwise ready I hope." Both of them nodded and Naruto stood up, shoving the last bite into his mouth.

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Dinner was every bit as tense as Sasuke had imagined it would be. Aside from the usual problems that they experienced with Itachi's wife, whose attitude had thrown poor Neji for a bit of a loop, there was also Sakura to be endured. The first snag came before the food was ever served. As they were being seated, the pink haired girl (possibly out of sheer habit) tried to get a place next to Sasuke. The Uchiha, having expected this, had paused behind one chair, running his fingers along the back of it just long enough for her to claim the next one over before moving to the opposite side of the table and settling in beside Naruto. Sakura's displeasure at this maneuver was obvious but there was nothing to be done for it now as everyone else was taking their places with Neji on Naruto's other side and Takara being sure to sit beside him.

The entire assembly proceeded to ignore this tiny incident as the introductions began. Everyone present was named off for Neji's sake and he graciously greeted each one stumbling just the slightest bit at Akuma's lack of acknowledgment and Sakura's petulant expression. This was thankfully balanced out by Takara's rapturous proclamation to his father that Neji was the 'coolest' which caused a smirk from Itachi and a round of quiet chuckles that seemed to break the ice a bit.

All in all Neji didn't have it quite as bad as Naruto. The second the blond was introduced as Sasuke's fiance, Sakura was practically shooting bolts of fire at him through her eyes. Any lingering irritation she may have felt toward Sasuke was instantly redirected to this blond 'boy' that had stolen 'her' fiance. An extremely uncomfortable Naruto tried his best to ease her mysterious ire by bringing her into the conversation and even dropping a complement here and there but Sakura simply seemed to do everything in her power to insult or contradict him. Sasuke was quickly growing tired of this game.

"So Sakura, have you managed to find any other marital prospects yet?" he asked coldly. "I hope they haven't 'all' run screaming in the other direction."

"Sasuke!" Naruto gasped.

"Why should I? You'll come running back soon enough. I always knew you weren't really gay Sasuke. He may 'look' sort of girly but eventually you're going to want the real thing."

"Wha... hey now," Naruto protested weakly.

"You seem to have mistaken him for yourself," Sasuke retorted. "I'm sure I've said that very thing about you before. Thankfully I'll never have to verify those suspicions now."

Sakura was positively fuming but she pushed it all down like a pro to make her next remark all the more scathing. Airily tossing her pink hair over one shoulder she leveled her haughty gaze on Naruto once more. Though she addressed her words to Sasuke.

"Fine Sasuke. If you want to run around with a boy, then go right ahead, but you might want to find one who's at least somewhat respectable. The little tart you've got now has already been spotted all around town with some other man and here he is dragging yet another into your very home." She leaned further across the table toward Naruto, lowering her voice just slightly in a mock show of discretion. "Have a thing for brunets do you? Well on your way to your own little harem hmm? Or is 'this' how you're contributing to Daddy's fortune?" she hissed.

Naruto looked as though he'd just been slapped in the face. No one had 'ever' spoken to him with such terrible malice in his entire life.

"Sakura," Sasuke growled ominously, just barely restraining himself from punching her in the face... repeatedly, until there was nothing left. "You are speaking to the heir of the Uzumaki family..." Sakura lost what little control she'd been maintaining.

"He's a filthy little 'queer' who's probably fucked more..."

"Enough!!" Neji interrupted. His commanding voice cut through all other conversations as well, catching the attention of everyone at the table and the room fell silent. Everyone watched as he slowly and deliberately rose from his seat, standing straight and rigid, looking down imposingly on the pink haired brat. When he spoke again, his low, controlled tone was more intimidating than the loudest of bellows.

"I may be a guest in this house, and as such, I would normally be compelled to keep my peace," he began quietly before his cold, pale eyes raised to glare sternly at the young lady before him. "But I absolutely can 'not' allow you to speak that way to my friend, who is a kind and honorable person that has done nothing to wrong you. You are a guest here as well, and I'm sure you 'must' have been taught better manners than to attack a fellow guest in another person's home. It is most offensive of you to use such language, at the table 'and' in front of Takara san no less. I'm afraid 'Miss' Haruno that I must ask that you search out whatever self-control you may possess and use it to Shut. Your. Mouth."

Sakura was completely speechless.

"Wow!" whispered Takara. Apparently the Hyuuga had just shot up another several notches in his esteem.

"Ahem, perhaps it would be best if we took our leave now," Mr. Haruno stammered finally after a most uncomfortable silence. For once, Sakura didn't argue, simply standing numbly and walking silently out the door under her mother's guiding hand. "I'm terribly sorry for this incident," the poor man continued, bowing to the Uchiha's, who nodded back carefully, before turning to Naruto. "And Mr. Uzumaki. I apologize profusely for any offense on behalf of my daughter. I'm afraid she's been somewhat difficult to deal with as of late."

Naruto nodded, taking pity on the nervous man. "It's fine sir," he murmured quietly. Mr. Haruno quickly took his leave and slowly the rest of the company relaxed, breathing a collective sigh of relief.

"I really shouldn't go around making prophesies," Sasuke thought wearily to himself. "It seems like it's just 'asking' for things to get out of hand."



(A/N; I'm back! Ah! I can't believe it's been a whole month. This client of mine decided to drastically change the deadline on a big project. Like from some time next year to "You've got three weeks. Better get on it." It was hell! So please don't hurt me for taking so long. If I don't get any writing done for a while, that just means I haven't had any spare time at all. And really, isn't that punishment enough? Plus it still wasn't nearly as long as the last time it happened which means I still technically kept my promise. Anyway, next chap will be coming soon!)