A grain of truth

V
“That’s why I said you should quit!”

“Neji I told you I can’t. And I don’t want to continue relying on people when I know that I can do it myself.”

“And to whose expense? You fainted. AGAIN.” The two continued to bicker as the two strolled around the park, Neji’s hand securely placed on Naruto’s lower back to support the huge weight at the front.

“It’s normal.”

“It’s not when you do it two or three times a day Naruto. And you look pale. We should stop, are you hungry?”

“No. But I think we should, my feet are getting a little painful. Ugh, I hope I don’t have varicose veins they’re horrible to look at.” Naruto thought aloud with dread as Neji helped him sit as gently as possible on a nearby bench in front of a kids’ play ground.

“You have more things to worry about than getting spider veins. Tsunade-sensei said you should sleep more, your complexion’s lighter than usual.” As Naruto sighed in his seat in relief his voice rose to a shriek comparable to that of a girl’s when Neji out of nowhere suddenly knelt with one knee down in front of him and removed his sandals.

“Neji what are you doing!?”

“They’re swollen. The doctor said if they do we should have them massaged.” Neji answered back nonchalantly, ignorant of the passers by’s stares and the school girls’ giggles.

“I can do that myself!”

“Pft, you can’t even bend down without entirely rolling over.”

“What?” Naruto wanted to kick Neji on the head at the hint of him looking the shape of a ball but when Neji’s firm deft hands began to massage the center of the pad of his foot in small and hard circles hitting a couple of knots he turned quiet, not confident of being able to suppress the moan in his voice if he should talk. And thus he was forced to relax and ignored the fond stares he was receiving.

“Oh how cute…”

“Look at the two of them…”

“Kyaah it’s like Cinderella!”

“My, such a lucky wife, and my husband doesn’t even treat me like that.”

“Ah I’m so envious. Honey when I was pregnant I’ve never remembered you treated me like that not even once!”

“Eh? Ah…”

“How’s it feel?” Naruto just moaned in between pursed lips that were now drinking on some canned tomato juice Neji bought earlier in a vending machine, head lax and resting on the back of the bench and shoulders loose as Neji went to massage the other one.

“Your work really does take its toll on your body, and with just little salary…” The long haired prince as the passers by had called him started off uncertainly. “So I was thinking, if you want to work as a caretaker in one of my friend’s business.”

“Huh? What?”

“My friend Ino, she’s leaving for America this coming week and she doesn’t want to close down her business even though it would be at least three years before she can get back here again.”

“Neji?”

“I noticed that you liked flowers… hydrangeas for example. You have a green thumb, you know? When you grew those hydrangeas on the backyard?”

“What does that have to do with Ino’s business?”

“She owns a small flower shop, not really for profit but just for hobby and she’s looking for someone to manage them.”

“Really?”

“You don’t have to do anything there. Just some minor calculations, you have assistance so don’t worry and…”

“Well I did work as a part timer in a flower shop once...”

“You have experience?” Neji’s face suddenly brightened, his thumb pushing on a knot and loosening it at the same time that he looked up and saw how Naruto’s face displayed satisfaction as he moaned, sending for Neji to look down on the foot on his hands again.

“Mmmn… yeah, but I’m not sure…”

“Come on Naruto it’s better than sitting your butt all day and having your shoulders stiff… and lacking sleep…”

“Oh alright… since you came with me during the ultrasound. I’ll try it out. But if I’m going to work there I’ll have to check my schedule with my professors.” A small quirking of the Hyuga’s lips upward was the only thing showing his happiness at the mention of the ultrasound, when he saw the three pairs of hands, three hearts beating almost at the same time sleeping all curled up inside Naruto he felt something tug at his heart strings at the view, it was like watching something so exciting that he gasped when one of the babies kicked during the ultrasound he couldn’t contain his happiness.

“The shop’s operating hours are ten to five p.m. and the salary’s twice the one you get every month on that café, and it’s twice a month with day off every Sunday…” Neji trailed off, noticing how Naruto’s attention wasn’t focused on him but the little boy carrying bouquets of roses of different colors.

“Hey kid!” Immediately Naruto’s head whipped to Neji’s direction in recognition of his voice and then turned to the boy cheerfully running towards their direction.

“Yes sir?”

“How much are those?” Neji then slowly stood up, straightening himself to open his wallet.

“All sir?”

“Yes.”

“Neji!” Naruto got the feeling at what Neji was intending to do and he didn’t want to take advantage of the man’s kindness any longer.

“Three thousand and five hundred yen sir.” The long-haired man ignored Naruto’s protests, giving the excited boy a wad of cash before telling the kid to hand the bouquet of red, white and yellow roses to Naruto who had no choice but to take them before the boy scurried off cheerfully.

“Neji you didn’t have to do that!”

“You’re the one who said we shouldn’t suppress a pregnant guy’s cravings. Do you like roses?”

“Yes… Pascali’s to be exact… But they’re expensive! I don’t want to be indebted to you than I already am. The apartment, the babies’ things, even my work and my prenatal fees…” Naruto looked down at the bouquet of roses covering the half of his face, inhaling the mild scents of the flowers.

*Pascali, I got that name from Messiah trinity visual book, it’s a yaoi game and Pascali is the name for a kind of white rose. Psh, it’s not like I’m into flowers’ names you know?

“You don’t have to be indebted Naru.”

“Neji if you keep this up… I… I might like you and… you don’t want that right? I’m already messed up as-”

“Then like me.” Instantly blue orbs shot up from the flowers to meet pallid lilac ones, sincerity leaking in every corner.

“What?” Naruto said in barely a whisper, the grip on the flowers tightening.

“Like me Naruto. Since I like you as well. I’ve liked you for a long time… I just realized this time why I feel this way about you… I…”

“Neji do you know what you’re getting into? I’m pregnant with another man’s children… and it’s Sasuke we’re talking about, and what will your family say? And legally I’m a man… What will the others say about you? Your reputation will be-”

“I’m talking about us Naruto. I like you and I know what I’m getting into. I am willing to accept your children as mine, I want to marry you… well not here but I still want to marry you.” Pallid lilac eyes moved from concentrating on the foot he was massaging to incredulous blue eyes.

Neji could barely hide the way his eyes squinted at how indecision and the promise of rejection crossed the blonde’s eyes.

“Neji… there are still many things that you don’t know about me and I’m afraid… I… already like you Neji to be honest, more than a friend and it’s frightening… when you would know things about me that can make you hate me it’s… I don’t know if I’m ready to be in a relationship like you want yet… and I think I still lo-” Neji slowly straightened up from his kneeling position, putting both hands on each Naruto’s side and looking uncertain blue orbs in the eye.

“Naruto we’ll just take it from there. We like each other… we’ll think of the rest later on, what’s important is we understand each other right? What you don’t know about me, what I don’t know about you we can take our time exploring… for now let’s just… let’s just take what the both of us can offer. I really don’t want to miss this chance Naru…” Slowly Neji closed the distance between them, pale hands lowering the bouquet of flowers to expose slightly parted lips, and then they kissed.

Instantly Naruto’s eyes fluttered shut, the heat in each of their breaths becoming one as Neji savored the taste of his first kiss and the pleasurable heat that Naruto thought had long been extinguished inside of him was rekindled.

As the both of them let go with a sigh a new sense of understanding flowed between the two of them.

‘This time, maybe this time I can be happy.’

After so much fussing over whose fault is to blame of their favorite cashier Naru-chan’s resignation, the group of waitresses concluded that it was his husband’s will that he quit because of the strenuous work, although Naruto did nothing but sit on the stool and cash in payments the schedule of his work was always on graveyard shift because he was studying in the day. When they decided to put a simple after work farewell gathering they nearly glomped over Neji who arrived later on to pick him up.

It was already nearing the end of October then when his seventh month arrived that Naruto took on the job of managing the little flower shop on his own, with the lazy schedule of the shop he got to take a nap couple of times in the day and spend the rest looking after the flowers.

That day when Sasuke saw him for the first time he had thought that the man would confront him days after the said meeting, but it turned out that he lost his sleep and worried over nothing, instead of being relieved he felt hurt that Sasuke cared for him less than what he had thought of. He thought that Sasuke would come and claim him and their children, that they would confront each other or talk about what plans Sasuke has for the kids, but he could care less about the man now, he’s already got Neji, he will try to love again and together they will grow their children with love and understanding he wasn’t able to fully receive in his childhood.

He was tending to the lilies on the white plastic vases on one of the built in racks inside, surely the atmosphere relaxed him from time to time, often he would draw the flowers in his sketchbook and sometimes Neji would visit during his break and they’d chat down for coffee or in his case, tomato juice.

The bell that hung on the peg above the door clanged as it creaked open, taking his attention away and slowly straightening himself, readying his bright smile for the customer.

“Good morning is there something you need?” And he felt his feet glued to the floor with the intensity of that onyx gaze.

“Sa-Sasuke…” He could barely bring himself to mention the man’s name, it was a rule he made himself follow, that he would never mention Sasuke’s name or even attempt to think of him again.

“You seem to be doing fine. Aren’t you going to offer your customer a seat?” Sasuke hadn’t changed for the past seven months that they’d been apart, his baritone voice was laced with silk and his appearance was the same around the time that they’d parted.

Naruto snapped his gaze away from the man after quickly realizing that he was staring at him and nervously motioned for Sasuke to sit on one of the stools outside the counter. “Wha-what kind of flowers do you want sir?” He managed to speak out without acting nervous as he put his attention to the unfinished flower arrangement and walked inside the counter where it was put. The flowers an explicit border between his face and Sasuke’s.

“You disappeared.” The stem went a little too deeply in the green palm sized cube where the other flowers were already planted as a tanned hand tensed at the direct question, rendering him speechless for a while. As Naruto tried to collect his composure he became aware of the loud ticking of the clock and the sounds he usually didn’t notice.

“I expected to see you sooner since that time. You actually looked for me?” Naruto said in a dry tone, taking a seat on the stool in fear of his legs giving out.

“Why did you suddenly leave?”

“Just get straight to the point Sasuke, closing hours are at five, it’s already half past that. What do you want?”

“The truth.” Closing his eyes Naruto’s huge intake of breath wasn’t missed by the Uchiha’s attentive ears and right after a calming releasing of air through his nose, fair lashes adorning closed lids lift open and his hands pushed the flowers away to the side, removing the border blocking his view of the raven.

“But first I want to know why it took you this long to come here. I think I deserve an answer from you even though it’s unpleasant.” As if something was lifted on the blonde’s shoulders his fingers that were shaking earlier calmly went for the coffee maker on the table behind him, pouring Sasuke a cup of coffee and putting cream only before serving it to the surprised raven.

“I was simply busy.” Sasuke answered smoothly as he stared down the cream surfacing on top of the coffee.

“How typical of you. So where should I start… ah why did I leave right?” In truth Naruto wasn’t satisfied with his answer, but somehow he was afraid of what Sasuke might answer. “Right after I found out about my condition, I came to you. That was just me panicking so I forgot that you being yourself you wouldn’t believe a thing that I said. But then you just had to laugh at me and tell to my face just what kind of a joke I was.”

“I didn’t call you a joke. It was what you said that-”

“Either way didn’t you laugh about my condition? That time I truly wished that it was just a joke. But it wasn’t. It’s real and the proof of it are here inside me.” The guilt ate on Sasuke’s gut as every accusing word stabbed through his chest even though the words were plain as if Naruto was just telling some ordinary story he picked up from one of the neighbors. “After I left your apartment I became aware of the reality, you’re an Uchiha, you’re engaged, and I’m pregnant. I ran away, because I didn’t want to cause problems for you, but I had my selfish reasons… I knew you weren’t the type to want to have kids.” The finality in that voice and the undeniable fact further sent Sasuke deeper into the quicksand of guilt.

“And I wasn’t the type to push myself on people who doesn’t want me anymore. After all… I’m just one of those people that you have on the SIDE right?”

“Then… they’re mine?”

“If I told you they weren’t?”

“That’s impossible!” Sasuke hollered, but Naruto’s face remained indifferent.

“And what would you do if they were? Would you have the courage to claim them?” Sasuke was never one to be bothered by the unfairness of the world but that time he realized how life can be so unfair, he can’t get angry at Naruto for not telling him because technically speaking he did tell him, he can’t up and become a father because that would go against the rules between the Uchihas and the Hyugas even though he wanted to claim them as his children, and even if he were to claim them then what would he do afterwards? Put them on his family registry? Support them, to become a family? The ties between the Uchihas and the Hyugas wouldn’t only be broken, the other clan had the ability of pushing him up to the peak of success to pulling him down to less than a commoner. He hated to admit it, but the Uchihas had dominated the Japanese industry because of the Hyugas, without them, the balance would tip over altogether, and he’s not the only one who’s going to be affected. His happiness was nothing compared to the lives of a million employees and investors alike, the whole economy of Japan rests on the two clan’s shoulders.

“Sasuke, you come here asking for the truth but you yourself aren’t prepared by it. How naïve can you get? Even before coming here you already knew it. I can’t tell you what to do Sasuke. But I’m certain that I’m not obliging you to support us, or to claim them as yours.”

Even though I think I still love you.

“You should go, it’s past operating hours already…” When Sasuke came out of his pondering Naruto was already preparing to leave, his dark blue starched collared long sleeve maternity dress giving him an impression of a Spanish woman putting on a white shawl over her shoulders.

“You’re saying that… is it because you’re with that Hyuga?”

“Huh?” Naruto took his gaze at the set of keys on the counter put together in a round keychain, looking back at Sasuke who was standing up as he took them to his hand with small overlapping clinks.

“If I hadn’t seen you that day… you weren’t planning on telling me anything were you? So you’re planning on disappearing on me… hide the truth…”

“Sasuke wha-” Palming Naruto’s elbow in a tight grip he refused to end their meeting just like that, right then, a certain irritating feeling was evidently forming in his heart.

“You would introduce to them a father who’s got no blood relations just for your sake… did you think I didn’t know? You’re the receiver aren’t you? You’re practically living off sucking on that man’s dick… While carrying three bloody kids you were shamelessly-” A crisp slapping noise echoed across the fragrant room, the painful stinging sensation on a fair cheek and a tanned palm bringing Sasuke back to his senses and Naruto to near tears.

“Sasuke you’re the worst…”

I already know that without you telling me… you weren’t the first one who did. Sasuke thought bitterly while rubbing the reddening side of his cheek with a smile that had nothing to do with happiness.

“Uchiha?” The door creaked open again and the bell clanged again, another man entered the shop again and Naruto for the second time in one day felt lost as to what he should do.

‘But I, still hoping for you to follow me. I guess I really am the worst.’

“Neji…” The meeting of two pairs of light hued eyes they had spoken without any supply of words.

“I’m sorry, the conference with my co-lawyers took longer than I expected. Are you ready to leave?” Neji pointedly ignored Sasuke’s presence, grabbing hold of Naruto’s bag by the door, not bothering to remove his trench coat and put down his suitcase.

“Um… y-yes.” It was that time that Neji turned to Sasuke, his tender expression earlier going back to the stage presence of a rock.

“What a coincidence Uchiha. Buying flowers for your lover?”

“Yes. Unfortunately there aren’t any Pascali here.” Sasuke adorned his words with the slight tilting of his head to smirk at Naruto who suddenly grew tense almost at the same time as Neji grew rigid and pointed.

“What a pity, maybe we should count the Pascali’s in OUR garden as part of the merchandise too Naruto. The suppliers seem to lack some kinds of flowers.” It was Sasuke’s turn to seeth but he wasn’t going to let Neji see through him, just as Neji stubbornly refused to let Sasuke have the satisfaction of seeing him be bothered by the fact of them being former lovers or were they still…?

“Ngggghh…!” The two rigid men broke out of the glaring contest that they haven’t even realized had started and put two pairs of concerned eyes towards Naruto whose hand was clutching tightly on his abdomen and the other keeping a firm hold at the edge of the counter trying to hold himself up.

“Naru what’s wrong?” Neji quickly walked towards the blonde who was in obvious pain based on his expression, shouldering Sasuke on the way he went to the blonde’s side and held him tenderly by the waist.

“Nnn… don’t worry, two of them kicked… they seem to enjoy doing that a lot lately… see?” Naruto moved his hand that was holding his abdomen to cup Neji’s own with a mild smile, putting it over the area of his stomach where there was that slightly painful feeling like they want to get out and the restrained expression on Neji’s face slowly relaxed.

“I understand. Must be because you’re due in two months.”

“Yeah… Sasuke, I think you should leave. We’re going to close down the store now so…” Sasuke fought the urge to reach out and snatch Naruto from Neji’s hold, reluctantly tearing his eyes away from the large round abdomen to march tersely towards the door, the slamming sound of a car’s door being closed audible in the pair’s ears.

“Better sit down first.”

Neji sat him down on the single cushion seat in the area further back inside the store, Naruto relaxing his back down with a sigh , Neji sitting on the stool opposite Naruto and the two just stayed quiet like that for a while.

“I know I shouldn’t be asking but… why is he here? Did you tell him to meet you up? Or was he the one who looked for you? Since when had you-”

You’re the only one who makes me feel frightened like this.

“Neji! Neji… wait, I can only take too much, relax… I’ll tell you.” Naruto knew just from looking at the uneasy expression on Neji’s face how he was feeling so inferior towards Sasuke, the man displaying such dismay and panic while already beginning to hyperventilate just then was proof of that so taking in a lungful of air he brought Neji’s hands in his hold over his lap to calm the man.

“I didn’t know how but he looked for me. He asked if they’re his…” Naruto cupped his abdomen with a sigh, noticing at how Neji’s body had gone completely rigid as the hands on his lap formed two tight fists under his palm.

You’re the only one who can bring me up on cloud nine then sink into depression the next.

“Wh-what did you say?”

“The truth, after all he deserves it no matter what has gone between us.”

“Then… are you planning to get back with him? Is he going to marry you? Put his surname on the kids no… he can’t do that… he can’t Naruto you’re not going to let him right? After all he left you and I’m here and… he’s… he’s… I’m…”

I’m so afraid. Right now I am uncertain.

“He didn’t tell. He’s still unsure of what to do. It’s ironic… since he’s been so sure about himself, about his decisions… revive his clan, conquer Japan… the world… but his mind is just clouded when it comes to his feelings. But I told him, that no matter what decision he comes to I am not obliging him to do anything for us.”

“But will you accept him if he does decide to take you?”

“You know that’s impossible right?”

“Are you hoping to?” Neji looked Naruto straight in the eye and he silently begged for Naruto to do the same.

Look at me.

“That’s why it’s ironic Neji… since I’m the same. Aren’t I the one who’s supposed to know firsthand?” And Naruto kept his gaze on his and Neji’s hands.

Look at me!

“It seems… when it comes to matters of the heart there’s always a time where everything’s too muddled, too dark or too bright to see…” Those lids adorned by long fair lashes slowly closed down with a knot forming in between equally fair brows.

Look only at me!!!

“Naruto…”

No! Don’t look at anyone else but me!

*I still can’t fucking decide who’s gonna end up with our little blonde uke, although in your eyes you doubt that. Hn… you know I was tempted to replace Pascali with white lilies, a certain white lily called ukeyuri, yea yeah I know, it’s a phantom wild lily that grows in an island called Ukeshima in Amami Ooshima uh… play it with words when translated ukeshima is uke island and ukeyuri is uke lily kyahaha! I swear I’ve been reading too much Okane ga Nai… Hn, looks like our story’s coming to a conclusion that Sasuke’s a cowardly bastard afraid of responsibility and Neji’s becoming a hyperventilating love sick puppy and Naruto… well he’s still round, just getting bigger and bigger. It’s what most pregnant women dread of happening.

*Ahnn.... i've uploaded the missing chap! please enjoy!!! Hey, hey when's Family portrait gonna get updated? How 'bout volatile, breaking apart, and TOOOOOO much drinking? Huh? Huh? Forgive me... too much drinking... coffee.... uhn....