Fanning the Flames

Chapter Sixty-Four

“Evr'onesh mad at you, you know,” a very drunken Yamato slurred. “Even me.” He nodded brusquely to punctuate his statement, continuing to bob his head vigorously for an overly long period of time.

“Wh'd I do?” Neji mumbled. He grabbed hold of the other man's jacket for leverage. “I din do anything.”

“Had sex with Kashashi.” The words seemed to echo in the room.

“Not really,” the Hyuuga admitted. “We fooled around . . .”

The generally somber Yamato began waving his arms almost frenetically. “You have the 'portunity of a lifetime. What I wouldn't give for one night.”

“Really?”

“Yesh, and not the only one. Most men, and girlsh too, wanna jump his bones. You have permission and you're playing it safe.” Yamato leaned in and squinted at his drunken companion. “Yer pretty, maybe that's it. I'm no beauty. But he married Ibiki.”

“So, why tell me then?” Neji's arms were crossed protectively across his chest and his jaw was rigidly set. “Do you want me to share, or something?”

“Would you?” Yamato's eyes were as big as saucers.

“What do you think?” The Hyuuga's words were crisp, the alcohol they'd drunk no longer in evidence.

“No, 'cos I'm ugly.”

“You aren't,” Neji insisted. “You're actually kinda cute. But you have more in common with Kakashi than I do. He might never talk to me again.”

“Why would he do something so stupid? You're both geniuses . . . an beautiful.” Yamato punctuated his speech with a loud belch.

“You think I'm beautiful?” Neji asked.

“Duh,” the wood user scoffed. “Ever look in a mirror? You're even prettier than senpai. Don't tell him I said that, though.”

Somewhere in a corner of his mind Neji acknowledged the little voice screaming at him to just stop now. But the drink loosened his curiosity as well as his tongue. He leaned into the older nin's personal space to whisper against his ear. “Then why don't you want to sleep with me?”

“I do,” Yamato assured him.”But your already taken.”

“I'm not taken.” A plaintive sigh drew the older man's eyes to Neji's mouth. “I'll never be taken. He still loves his husband.”

“Ibiki's more difficult than usual to work with,” Yamato admitted. “He knows what an ass he's been. He wants to see senpai, but you're in the way.”

“That isn't my intention. But he needs to stay calm, for the baby. Ibiki doesn't make him calm. He made Kakashi cry. I'm not going to make it easy for him to do it again.”

“Even if that's what senpai wants?”

“He wants to put all the turmoil behind him,” Neji said firmly. “Ibiki is a big part of the problem.”

“You said yourself that he still loves his husband. That isn't going to change or it would have already. You deserve more than being second best.”

“I've always been second best. That's what it means to be from the branch family. The only thing that's going to change is the treatment I get as second best.”

“You should be first,” Yamato whispered, lips a hairsbreadth away from the younger nin's ear. “Everyone deserves that. Even you, Neji.”

Long chocolate strands whipped through the air as the startled Hyuuga turned to look him in the eye, crushing their lips together in his hasty pirouette. Once there, he made no attempt to pull back, pressing needily into the older man while his tongue snuck out to swipe across Yamato's lips.

“You can't kiss me.”

“Why not?” Neji purred back as he ran his tongue across those tempting lips again. “I just told you I'm not taken. And, if I'm not mistaken, you said you were interested in putting me first. Or, was that just flattery?”

* ^ * ^ *

“What are you doing?” Jiraiya rushed to the Otokage's side, carefully checking the too still figure and inwardly berating himself for the tear tracks streaking the porcelain perfect face.

Pale lids slowly opened and blind eyes unerringly sought his lover's. “Waiting for you to return. I hoped you'd at least hear me out,” Itachi explained.

“I didn't leave you,” the sannin hastened to clarify. “I just needed some time to think things through. It hurt me to realize that you hadn't been honest, that you couldn't trust me enough to tell me the truth straight out.”

“It's not that I don't trust you.”

“Yes, it is. And you were right. I haven't done anything to make this easy for you. I've been a stubborn, selfish jackass who should have been praising Kami that he finally met someone to share his life with. Instead I've taken you for granted. Can you ever forgive me?”

“There's nothing to forgive,” Itachi assured him.

“Yes, there is.” Jiraiya's uncharacteristically solemn expression made the last Uchiha wonder if, perhaps, there was an implied 'but' at the end of his sentence. “I should have done this before. I just hope it isn't too late.”

The sannin knelt down next to the bed and clasped his lover's hands in his sweating palms. “Uchiha Itachi, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. When I left here yesterday I had no intention of coming back. I went to all my old haunts, but no one I saw could measure up to you. The fact of the matter is we're ninja, that we're still alive at all is a minor miracle. I don't want to keep running away from everything good in my life because I'm afraid. I know I'm old and incorrigible, but I do love you. Do you think you could find it in your heart to make an old man happy and marry me?”

* ^ * ^ *

The copy-nin was just settling into bed when the knocking started. He ignored it as best he could, but after five minutes of continuous banging he finally dragged himself back out of his cosy nest. “Is this urgent?”

In the doorway stood Gai, in all his enthusiastic and garish glory, Hinata was next to him, clinging determinedly to the jounin's arm. “Rival, Would It Be Possible For Me To Speak With Hiashi-San Now? I Have A Most Urgent Question For Him.”

“I think you should wait. Hiashi was going to turn in when I left. I doubt he'd appreciate being woken any more than I did.”

“We woke you?” Hinata peered at the much taller jounin suspiciously. “I'm coming in to check your blood pressure Hatake-san. No arguments.”

“Yes, ma'am.” Kakashi stepped back from the door, waddling determinedly into the lounge. “Can you make this quick​? For once I'm actually tired, I'd love to get back to bed.”

“It's only nine o'clock,” the medic said. “What have you been up to today?”

“I spent some time with your father,” the copy-nin admitted. “Then I went to see Shibi. Then I came back here and realized Ibiki was having me followed so I went to see him. When I got home Jiraiya was waiting for me. I finally got Obito to sleep about fifteen minutes ago and decided to take the opportunity to sleep myself. Aren't you always telling me to rest?”

“What's going on with my father?” Hinata asked pointedly. “Gai said he wasn't feeling well and asked to see you. Why did you go to see Shibi? Couldn't you have sent a scroll? It's really irresponsible of you to go running around when it isn't necessary.”

“Believe me, this was necessary,” Kakashi muttered. “I doubt you'll be seeing Shibi here anytime soon. I'm afraid that relationship may be over. I was trying to talk some sense into him, that's why I was at the Aburame compound, but I don't think I succeeded. Your father could use some non-judgmental support Hinata-chan.”

“I always try to support my family, Hatake-san,” she retorted with a pout. “Even when I think they're making a mistake.”

“Like Neji is with me?”

“Rival, I'm Sure Hinata-Chan Didn't Mean . . .” Gai began.

“Of course she did,” the copy-nin snapped. “I know she doesn't think I'm good enough for her cousin. I agree with her. After all, I didn't spill the beans about your little set-up in the guise of a mission. Which reminds me, they'll be back soon. I should make plans to move back to the hospital.”

“I'm sure you don't need to do that,” the Hyuuga heiress insisted. “Neji would never expect you to leave.”

“Perhaps I don't want to watch anyone else being happy.”

“Rival, I Did Not Realize How Stressful Our Youthful Love Has Been For You,” Gai declared. “I Swear I Will Not Come To You For Help With My Forthcoming Proposal Or I Will Run Up The Hokage Mountain On My Hands 500 Times.”

“Proposal?” Hinata turned to look at her boyfriend, mouth dropping open in shock. “You're going to propose?”

“It Is Why I Needed To Speak With Your Father,” the green beast admitted. “I Can Not Ask You Without Getting His Permission.”

“You do not need my father's permission to ask me to marry you,” Hinata assured him.

“I think this is something the two of you should go discuss in private,” Kakashi hastened to suggest. “Congratulations to you both. I'm going back to bed.”

“I haven't checked your pressure yet,” Hinata reminded him. “Sit down and roll up your sleeve.”

“Fairest Hinata, This Is Not The Way I Had This Moment Planned,” Gai entreated. He dropped to his knees with a boom, rattling the furniture. The building wail coming from the bedroom garnered him a dual glare from both the copy-nin and his girlfriend.

“Let me go get Obito,” Kakashi grumbled. “He'll want to eat now that he's up. I'll be right back.”

“Well?” the medic asked impatiently. “Are you proposing or not?”

“Oh Yes!” the green-clad jounin declared triumphantly. “Fair Hinata, Beautiful Flower of Love, Would You Do Me The Honor Of Marrying Me And Accepting My Manly Seed To Create Beautiful Children Together?”

“Um,” Hinata stammered. “I'd love to marry you, Gai. But I'm not ready to have children just yet.”

“But What If Something Were To Happen To One Of Us? You Need To Carry On Your Line.”

“I'm not saying never,” she assured him. “But I'd like to get used to married life before I go adding a child to the mix.”

“You Are As Wise As You Are Beautiful.” Gai pulled his new fiance into his arms and kissed her enthusiastically. “We'll Tell Your Father Tomorrow.”

“Together,” she assured him. “You don't have to deal with him on your own.”

“Look who it is,” Kakashi cooed to the watchful infant snuggled against his shoulder. “Auntie Hinata and Uncle Gai. I'm sure one of them would love to get some baby practice in and feed you for me.”

“Give him to me Hatake-san,” Hinata offered. “Let's go get you a bottle little one.”

“So, how'd the proposal go?” Kakashi asked warily. “Is there a big day in your future?”

“She Said Yes To Marriage, But No To Children. At Least, Not Right Away.”

“And how do you feel about that?”

“She Is Smarter Than I Am,” Gai admitted ruefully. “We Should Get Used To Married Life First. When The Time Is Right We Will Have Our Family.”

* ^ * ^ *

Shibi was busily pacing a hole in the floor of his bedroom, kikachu swarming wildly around him as he focused his attention and control inward. After several hours of listening to the steadily increasing buzz Shino finally decided he had no choice but to confront his father.

Of course, it's one thing to be brave in thought, it was an entirely different thing to actually fling open the door and stride into the Aburame patriarch's private rooms. “What's wrong,” he demanded.

“Get out.”

“No, father, I will not get out. It's obvious something is bothering you. I've never seen you lose control of your hive like this,” Shino scolded. “You need to tell me what's going on so we can take care of the problem.”

“It's none of your concern,” Shibi insisted.

“If it's upsetting you to this degree of course it's my concern. You're my father. I know we aren't close, but I do care about you. If there's some way I can help you, I will.”

“It's personal,” Shibi admitted reluctantly. “Hiashi and I . . . had words. Our relationship is over, and it's all my fault.”

“There are two sides to everything,” Shino reminded him. “I'm sure Hiashi played his part in whatever happened.”

“I overreacted. What he did wasn't important. I turned it into life or death. I wish I could go back and do it all over again.”

“Just apologize. Say you're sorry and things will get back on track.”

“Some things you can't apologize for,” Shibi said darkly. “Once words are spoken they can't be taken back and our actions can't be undone.”

“What actions? What did you do?”

“I was very angry.”

“Did you hurt him? Is there going to be retaliation?” Shino needed to know what the repercussions of a rift between the Hyuuga and Aburame would entail.

“It would be within his rights to demand it,” Shibi admitted. “I don't think he will, however. It would be demeaning for him to do so. I have never been as ashamed of my actions as I am right now.”

“Perhaps Kakashi-san can help you make things right. He has a real knack for bringing people together.”

“I'm afraid Hatake-san was one of the things we argued about.” Shibi shrugged expressively. “Sometimes you just need to know when to let go.”