A grain of truth

III



The ringing of the bell interrupted the friends’ chat, Shino halting Naruto from getting up the couch to get the door and doing it instead.



“G-good afternoon.” A blushing Hinata who bowed quickly with the greeting welcomed Shino’s line of vision, Neji who was being his usual stoic self gave him a slight nod in recognition.



“Ha-happy house w-warming… w-we brought some fruits and snacks.”



“C-come i-in… erm come in.” Shino shook his head lightly, stepping aside to let them in, he wondered how Kiba managed to talk with the timid woman without her stammering personality rubbing in on him.



“Hey guys, come in take a seat.” Naruto chirped on his seat on the floor, a square cushion under him as a makeshift seat. Smiling at Hinata he glanced towards Neji who just nodded as a reply to his warm smile, putting the big basket of fruits on the table together with the champagne.



“How is your stay here?” Neji started, taking a seat near the arm of the couch beside Hinata and Kiba and not knowing where to look since Naruto was sitting practically near his feet, Hinata was being mushy with Kiba and it’s a pain to look at and Shikamaru was dozing off on the floor, Shino, well he was just standing there looking like a post.



“It’s great. We’ve already finished arranging the kitchen but the nursery’s still empty. It looks like I have to adjust with the budget this time.” Pallid eyes narrowed, quizzical of the blonde’s words.



“What do you mean?”



“K-Kiba everyone’s h-here stop it.”



“The money I get from the store I work in is just enough, and even though the insurance are providing me for college I still have to pay for my books, projects… you know? There’s no option for me but to the bargain store.”



“Bargain store?”



“Come on Hinata, just a kiss…” Neji for the first time, chose to ignore Kiba’s advances to his cousin, something which under normal conversations would have left Kiba nearly foaming in the mouth with fright.



“That’s just outrageous, why would you give your first children used things when you could ask for help? Most of the things your babies will need would come from your friends, right? So all you need to buy are the crib and a stroller.”



“Neji, not all people are as rich as you. I need to prepare for their birth too. And once my due comes I can’t get a paid leave since I’m only a part timer. They’ll surely kick me out.” Neji pondered on this for a while, noticing the tired expression on the blonde’s face as he sipped the tomato juice, leaving his lips and tongue red. He had never tasted tomato juice before since it gave him the impression of blood, and before he knew it he was already getting sick, but now he wondered… what it would taste like if…



“I’ll just buy them for you then.” Kiba halted from his advances, Shikamaru opened one eye, Shino cocked his head to their direction and Hinata stared at Neji with round eyes.



“W-what?”



“Don’t get any weird ideas, I’m doing this because you’re a dear friend to my brother-in-law to be.” Neji quickly said in defense to the other’s open stare, Kiba putting on a face splitting grin at the mention of brother-in-law since Neji practically acts like Hinata’s older brother. “And if it’s getting to your pride then you can pay me when you get a steady job.”



“Neji… no matter what you say, I just can’t accept your help. You’ve already helped me with allowing me to live here without much fuss and now…”



“Oh come on Naru just accept it!!!” Kiba encouraged, Shino nodding in agreement and Shikamaru groaning an affirmative to Neji’s offer.



“Do it Naru, just think of the kids’ sake. When you get them out you’re going to feed not just one but three.”



“You do realize that right?” Shino said quietly, putting three of his fingers for Naruto to see to emphasize what he meant.



“Yeah but…” Casting a side glance to the encouraging Kiba and the repeatedly nodding Hinata, he stared at Neji whose eyes were hoping for nothing but his ‘yes’ and so he was left with no choice but to sigh in resignation.



“Alright…”



“Yeah!” Kiba hollered, raising a fist in the air.



“But I’ll pay you back!”



“Whatever floats your boat Naruto.” Neji put on a faint smirk of his own, his mind growing confused as to why he was feeling excited to buy things for children he had no relation to whatsoever.



“We won’t buy things in one go. It’s wiser to do it slowly. Also you look more tired than when I saw you last time…” And it would be a great opportunity for me to spend time with you more, Neji thought with a smile.



“Don’t mind me. My boss is kind to me but I can’t sleep during breaks since I’m the cashier. Besides, sleeping in the afternoons will get my babies bigger inside so it’s fine if I don’t get one.”



If Neji wasn’t thinking of invading Naruto’s personal life, he would have advised him to quit the job altogether and just stay home. He didn’t know if it was just his over protectiveness kicking in, but every time he would hear Naruto’s door creaking downstairs from his room late at night he couldn’t help but feel bad at the knowledge that a person with a delicate condition was being forced to work because the bastard father had no balls to take responsibility of his own doing. The prick had no problem sticking his dick in but when something bad happens he disappears faster than one can say ah. Knowing that just made him very pissed, he just hated those kind of people…



“We should stick to white, it’s safer since we still don’t know their gender.” Neji advised behind him while he was peering at the variety of baby clothes and accessories in front of them. Naruto was more than overwhelmed at the place that Neji had taken him for shopping that day, the shop owner was a friend of the Hyuga and his eyes nearly bugged out at the four to five digit numbers on the price tags.



“Neji I think we should-”



“No. We can’t go to that place again since they’ll just gossip about… the mess I did that time. And this is the best place for your babies, they have them all. My aunt brought me here with her when she was still carrying Hinata.” They proceeded to walk towards the strollers instead, all kinds of cute bear and bunny designs and some built for twins were there, baby carriers, stuffed toys and children’s clothing.



“But they’re so costly!” Naruto whispered sharply near his ear, hot breath sending goosebumps all over Neji but feigning ignorance.



“I said don’t worry. Let’s look at the cribs.”



“Which color do you like sir? Madam?” Indeed they had it all, there were cribs for twins and triplets, some made especially for quintuplets. They’re like three or five cribs glued together and separated by a cushion border, a certain crib taking the blonde’s attention suddenly.



It was a crib specially made for triplets, its borders were orange and white, blue leaves printed on them and complete with pillows, blankets and free mobile as a promo.



“We’ll take this one.” Neji told the saleslady who answered them with indifferent cheerfulness a whopping estimation of four to five hundred dollars which in Naruto’s point of view was a lot of money.



“Neji this still feels uncomfortable you know? I mean you’re not even my hus-” Suddenly the world began to swirl in Naruto’s eyes, his knees weakened and threatened to give out and his hands quickly braced themselves on the shelf next to them.



Pallid eyes securely brought the nearly passed out blonde close to Neji’s chest, the blonde’s head resting with ease on broad shoulders as Naruto willed for his composure to come back.



“Naru are you alright!?” Naruto remained quiet for a while, willing the fading dizziness to go away altogether and feeling unconsciously comfortable in the arms of Neji with his deep worried voice echoing inside his head.



“Y-yeah…” Naruto managed to voice out, the sense of being sheltered unfamiliar to him. “This happens all the time so it’s not a big deal.”



“Isn’t that worse!?”



“Neji you worry too much. It’s part of pregnancy. The doctor told me tha-”



“Neji?” The excited voice caused for the older man to turn to the general direction of the voice while Naruto still feeling lightheaded continued to rest his head against the man’s chest.



“Neji Hyuga? It is you!” The form of a tall long-haired blonde woman with bright blue eyes and well manicured nails went to march excitedly towards the confused man, taking along with her a raven haired man with a brooding face just a couple of inches taller than her.



“Yes?”



“It’s me Sayuri. We met at the tea party just last month, you know, we announced our engagement then.” She gestured to the familiar man beside her, hands wrapped proudly around a suit clad arm as if to pride the handsome young man beside her.



“Ah yes. I apologize for not recognizing you earlier. Uchiha.” Neji turned to the Uchiha who was equally expressionless as him, nodding at each other as greetings and flinching a little as to how the lightheaded blonde beside him tensed at the mention of the name.



“Neji you stud! Weren’t you just talking about remaining a bachelor all your life last month!? And now look at you! I never thought you to be the sweet type…” Sayuri turned to the blonde, whose hair was a little paler than hers and curved her eyes into happy arcs.



“What are you doing here by the way?”



“Hm? We’re looking for something to give to Hanabi for her baby shower and it’s also a date with my fiancée here.” Neji nodded in recognition of her answer, remembering that Hinata was doing the same thing when they first saw Kiba with Naruto.



“So… who’s the lucky Mrs. Hyuga hm? I haven’t heard of you being engaged recently… which means…” Quickly Sayuri gasped in shock, her eyes switching from the indifferent Neji to Naruto’s round abdomen against Neji’s waist. “I see…” She giggled meaningfully.



“Won’t you introduce us to her Neji?”



“Ah excuse me for not introducing her to you earlier. Naru? Are you feeling better?” Naruto remained quiet for a while, wishing that Neji would just give up and bid them goodbye without mentioning his name, but when he felt the man’s hand on his shoulder prod him a little he resigned himself to fate and wished that he had enough composure to see the least person he wanted to meet that day and for the rest of his life probably.



“S-sorry… I’m okay now.” At that Naruto slowly looked up from pressing his face deeply against the man’s chest, giving him a lopsided smile.



“Hi there!!!” Sayuri chirped cheerfully, waving a hand for attention and indeed the blonde turned to her, an unreadable expression on his face as he greeted back faintly.



“Naru this is Sayuri, she’s a relative of Hinata’s and is to be married to the man beside her. Sasuke, Naru. Naru, Sasuke.” Giving them both a low bow he stammered his way to his greetings, concentrating on not looking at the now bewildered Sasuke in the eye and just staring at his blue and white striped tie.



“Neji, don’t worry it’s a secret between us.” As if to emphasize this she put her forefinger to her pursed lips.



“What secret?”



“Duh, you just got a teenager pregnant, don’t you know that you can get a lawsuit? She’s still a minor no doubt. But ah… that’s love. Don’t you think so too Sasuke?” Sasuke who looked as if he had just woken up from a daydream jerked his head to Sayuri and nodded just so she won’t know that a while ago he was lost in his own world.



“Listen first of all she’s not my-”



“Sir excuse me, we need you to fill these up so that we can deliver the crib to your house. What kind of payment do you want?” Using Neji’s left hand he produced a ballpoint pen on the pocket inside his coat and filled in the said address, ending it with his signature and handing his credit card eventually to the sales lady.



“Also would you mind taking those to the counter? We’ll be buying them as well.” Sayuri couldn’t help but peer at the cart load of baby things on the cart a couple of meters behind Neji and Naruto and giggled as it confirmed her suspicion. To think that she ever entertained of Neji being gay because of the long hair, it seemed he landed himself a nice young woman and a pretty one at that, although she looked a little shy, Sayuri wondered if it was that that attracted Neji to her since, after all Neji was quite fond of his timid cousin.



“Are you already due? That looks quite heavy.” Sayuri chatted about even more, growing fond of the woman who was able to subdue the woman hater of the clan.



“Uh…”



“No, she’s just going on five months since she’s carrying triplets.” Naruto was worrying Neji more and more, he wasn’t used to his silence and he had a thought that it was because of Sayuri and her bastard of a boyfriend.



He hadn’t really liked the Uchiha heir even in their first meeting, he was too fake in Neji’s opinion, the forced smile, the gesture even his words were no doubt false, just a façade to please the family on both sides and since it was Hinata who was supposed to be engaged to the Uchiha he couldn’t help but feel a little thankful his cousin called the engagement off even if it was because of dog breath. And he felt grateful even more when he noticed how the Uchiha looked worried in the least, Hinata would suffer in that man’s hands, at least with Kiba she’d feel happy because he loves her.



“What do you want to eat?” But he couldn’t ward off the two insects to save his life, Sayuri followed them even inside the restaurant for Pete’s sake.



“I’m not really hungry-”



“Naruto…” Naruto inwardly cringed at how Neji called out his name in an intimidating manner, but he wished Neji hadn’t because already he could feel the weight of Sasuke’s stare towards him.



“Okay, spaghetti then…”



“Just that?”



“Uh… and strawberry juice.”



“And?” If Neji could convince Naruto, he suspected that it would have something to do with red and tomato in it.



“Jesus Neji are you trying to make me fatter than I already am? I’m like already the size of a baby elephant.” Naruto managed to joke cheerfully trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut as well as the pair sitting opposite them, the long haired man’s face relaxing a little.



“It’s a rare occasion that you get to eat a lot since you’re watching your diet for the babies. But it wouldn’t hurt to cheat sometimes…” Neji smirked mischievously at Naruto, the uncharacteristic expression Sayuri noticed quickly as she finished ordering her salad.



But that smirk sure did get to the blonde. “Well… tomato juice then.” At that Neji closed the menu and handed it to the smart waiter, eyes narrowing dangerously at the poor guy when he found him looking a little too long at Naruto with that fond look on his fucking face.



“Carbonara and tea.” Neji said curtly, tugging his tie loose when he found breathing a little hard inside the well air conditioned resto.



“My… I never knew you to be the… monopolizing type Neji.” The impish look on Sayuri’s smile sent Neji’s glare directed towards her but she giggled unaffected, “Oh let me rephrase that, jealous I suppose? Well you have a reason to.”



“Huh?” Naruto blinked, clueless as to what Sayuri was talking about but never the less decisive not to stray a glance at the stiff man beside her.



“Pardon?”



“Oh never mind, so you two live together?”



“I find no reason to tell you.”



“Come off it Neji, we’re cousins somehow. And this is actually the first time you didn’t ignore me.”



“Don’t you have an appointment somewhere Sayuri?”



“Hmm? Oh none at all, right Sasuke honey?”



“Hn.” Sasuke looked away from Naruto’s face for the first time ever since they had met in the shop earlier, he wanted to make sure, that the Naruto writhing under him on his bed just a few months ago and this pregnant woman was the same. The blonde was just too intoxicating for him to lay his hands off the teen, although he could be sued for hitting on a minor Naruto looked more than willing to be with him that time, and he wasn’t planning on letting go any way.



At first he was captivated by that solemn look on his face, keeping himself secluded from the rest of his partying friends he seemed to glow like a solitary flower. He would smile sometimes when his friends would approach him and invite him to dance, but he would decline politely and just go back to his own world on that seat.



On their first conversation he learned he was just seventeen, but their ten year gap didn’t stop Sasuke from his advances towards the blonde, who as the liquor gave an effect on his body was beginning to lessen his struggles. He had petal soft skin, the tanned color a rarity amidst the fair complexioned lovers he had had, there was also that reserved manner which prevented his hands from going places until his guards had slowly come off due to the liquor. His innocence and naivety which gave a huge turn on to the raven and his cheerful personality made Sasuke decide that whatever lawsuit his catholic parents could file was definitely worth it.



And it was. Even though Sasuke was sure that Naruto was a hundred percent virgin in all parts his body was overly sensitive, the erogenous areas in that slender body he could still remember so well, the underside of his arm, his pulse on the wrist and neck, the inside of his thigh and that flawless nape he so loved to nip and suck and that lovely mouth who had known no lips other than his, how it would create the most wonderful and arousing of noises.



He felt bad of course for taking the blonde for granted couple of times during their illicit relationship, in the course of their affair he would often cancel their dates because of family affairs, mostly to prepare him and his fiancée for their coming wedding early in February next year. And even knowing this he didn’t regret taking the blonde’s innocence, even if it meant betraying her family, he even thought he loved the blonde.



But then Naruto had to disappear just when he was already planning on getting a place for the two of them, for Naruto to stay. And the last of their conversation replayed on his mind over and over again as he stared at Naruto opposite the table beside a man that wasn’t him.



“Sasuke…”



“Naruto what are you doing here!?” Sasuke whispered sharply, his head in between the half opened door and its frame. “I told you I’ll call you didn’t I?”



“Sasuke this is important, just give me a moment to explain…”



“Can’t we do it some other time? I’m busy-”



“Sasuke honey who’s there?” Sasuke cursed under his breath, the blonde’s head lowering as blue orbs refused to acknowledge the fact that Sasuke was half undressed and that there was a woman, who was his fiancée no doubt inside.



“Just a friend, wait there I’ll be back!” Sasuke’s voice was thick from sleep, hair ruffled and tousled at the back from lying on the pillow, it was a look that Naruto wished he was the only one that can see, but he knew it was impossible, since… wasn’t he the third wheel in this relationship? “What is it?”



“Sasuke I’m pregnant.”



That time, Naruto’s face was so straight and distressed that Sasuke couldn’t help but laugh so hard, thinking it was just a joke Naruto was pulling off just like when they were alone together. He remembered Naruto joking about how Sasuke would feel if he got pregnant and such, and of course Sasuke would answer, ‘then we’ll run away together, marry you and get a house near the beach. We’ll form a tribe of kids then we won’t have to worry of your parents since we’re following God’s command to scatter our seeds and multiply right?’ and then they would laugh heartily.



In fact he was laughing so hard he failed to notice how the utter pain and disappointment crossed the blonde’s face so fast that when he turned to look at him again he saw nothing but his smile.



“Yes… yes a joke… heh, sorry, wrong timing…”



“Naruto, I love you sweetheart… come on, let’s meet up at the usual place I have a surprise for you. Next Saturday?” What he got then as a reply was just a slight nod and then the blonde motioned to walk away, but Sasuke’s not going to leave it at that, he knew the blonde got hurt at catching them in the middle of it but he was just doing it with her out of… what, obligation? What was happening was just biological, it had nothing to do with his heart, and so he grabbed Naruto by the arm and stole a kiss from the surprised blonde.



“Hey I love you. You know that right?” Of course everybody could say words even without any meaning but at that time Sasuke had meant it.



“Y-yeah… m-me too. Bye…”



When Naruto turned his back to him, he hadn’t stayed out too long to see how those shoulders trembled and shook as Naruto fought the urge to break down.



“Yes… a joke… Sasuke… how I wished that it was…”



By the time that Sasuke went back to his senses he realized that Sayuri was already seeing Naruto and Neji off, from afar he saw how Neji treated Naruto like a piece of fragile crystal as he held the blonde carefully while stepping inside the expensive Italian car, wasn’t he the one… who used to do that? Well he wasn’t really the princely type but… He should be the one in Neji’s place, he should be the one by his side and not him, he should be the one buying Naruto things for their children… wait… since when did he… of course, he knew it right at the moment that he saw the obvious bulge on Naruto’s abdomen declaring his condition, Sasuke knew then that the ones inside were his and no one else’s…



He just knew.



He could angst about it for all the world cared and nothing would change, the big question mark is what will he do about it? Because he certainly didn’t want to be a father right this instant the responsibility’s just too much, marriage is one thing but having kids are a totally different matter.



*Hn, my mother actually asked me if I was pregnant since I kept asking about the symptoms! Man her expression was hilarious! ‘Tell me the truth are you pregnant!?’ –shakes Shuu back and forth on the shoulders- it’s true!