Sway

A/N: Kudos to Bookworm51485 who helped me figure out how to fix my reviewing policy! In thanks, I present this new chapter.


Neji couldn’t believe this was happening.

After a small panic, Naruto had been awoken. The doctor had asked how ‘she’ felt, and Naruto had simply shaken his head. To his credit, he didn’t start to yell until they’d returned home – after convincing the worried doctor, that ‘Nanako’ would calm once ‘she’ was home.

As soon as the door closed, and the genjutsu activated, Naruto began a string of elaborate expletives, the likes of which Neji had never heard. Even from the blond. The tantrum had lasted two days.

When Naruto had finally decided to begin his attempt to cope, he had gone oddly quiet. Neji watched him from the corner of his eye at all times. Just in case.

It started with the blond standing before a mirror. He would turn, this way and that, as if trying to see a physical change that could confirm the fact. Naruto had always been the type to need physical evidence. When he found nothing different, with a furrowed brow, he lay down and began to prod at his lower abdomen. Where Neji not also trying to come to terms with their new predicament, he may have found it funny. Naruto waiting a few seconds after each poke, as if hoping to be poked back.

Slowly, they both seemed to dismiss it. The shock winding down into a form of emotional servitude. Quiet and acquiescent. Perhaps it was because, it had not yet presented itself as real to the pair of shinobi – whom, in the course of their lives had seen many, many things far worse turn out to be a façade.

So it was another two weeks, before the subject presented itself.

Naruto had turned and splayed his hands over his abdomen, brow furrowing slightly, before slender eyebrows skyrocketed into his hairline. "Neji! Neji! Come look!"

Neji had turned from his weapons maintenance – just because they had few, did not mean they should neglect them – and observed him. There was a sort of excitement that thrummed about the blond, like a warm surge of chakra.

"Come here! Come here!" he called, waving behind him at his partner.

Neji had sighed and stood, crossing the short distance.

"Feel this!" Naruto said, grabbing his hand. He flattened his palm against his lover’s belly, as Naruto lay his own atop his, and drew them down. Neji could not help the way his eyebrows drew together. Underneath his palm, beyond the softness of Naruto’s new skin, was a gentle little swell.

Naruto beamed, Nanako’s face upturned in the crook of his neck.

"It’s real!" he breathed.

Not that they had doubted the doctor…but…It was real now. Below his palm, he could feel the evidence of their baby. It was real. The sudden realization that he was going to be a father suddenly took all the strength from his legs. As his knees buckled, Naruto drew Neji’s arms to him, pulling the brunette into him. Of their own accord, Neji’s arms tightened about him, causing the blond to sigh and tip his head back.

They stood that way for a long time.

Now that they were absolutely sure Naruto was pregnant, their quiet contentment churned up an entirely new aspect of their relationship. One, which Neji, admittedly, never thought they’d have to confront.

"I want to keep it," Naruto said one night, taking Neji by surprise.

He turned over, to face him, unsure of how to respond. It was not too late to rid themselves of the sudden complication, and though they had yet to speak of it, both – as any ninja of worth would – had thought of it.

The blond looked down, running a hand over the slightly bigger bulge. "If you don’t want…" His breath hitched, and while Neji wanted to comfort him, he could not. He was too busy with his own emotions. Conflicted from day one, and even more so now that they were talking about an unsure future.

Naruto gave a furious swipe at his eye, before swallowing and continuing. "I’ll raise it by myself. So…please, Neji…don’t make me…"

Neji’s heart gave a strange sort of jolt. On the one hand, Naruto was talking about terminating their child. And though it may not have occurred in the most conventional of ways, this was still their child. To hear that Naruto thought he would want to destroy it, hurt him deeply. But, what hurt worse, was the cold, unyielding guilt of having thought just that.

He sighed, feeling his chest knot up. "I’ll admit to thinking it," he replied, feeling Naruto tense beside him. "It’s not going to be easy."

Naruto was quiet.

Neji rolled unto his back and looked out the window. "If we have this baby, Naruto…it will be a Hyuuga." Naruto shifted beside him, easing unto his side. "I never wanted to have children. I didn’t want them to know the pain I had to."

"We can change that," Naruto replied, softly. His hand stroked comfortingly over Neji’s tight chest.

Neji shook his head. "You’re not Hokage yet. And this…" He didn’t want to say it. "…could ruin your only chance at becoming Rokudaime."

Naruto smiled.

"The I’ll have to settle for Nandaime."

Shocked, Neji faced him. Naruto cocked his head, smile widening. So much of him was shinning through, Neji could feel the suffocating knot begin to unwind. "Right now," he said, stroking the brunette. "That’s not important. I said I would be Hokage, and I never go back on my word." Neji settled a hand over Naruto’s, stilling it and absorbing its warmth. "I know it’s a big thing to ask. But, this…this baby…" He drew Neji’s hand down over the swell. "Our baby, is more important to me." Curling a hand about Neji’s chin, he guided his head up, forcing the elder shinobi to meet his eyes. "This is my first family, Neji…please, just let me do this."

"The baby will have Hyuuga eyes, Naruto. It’s a dominant gene."

"So, I’ll henge them."

"That will take a lot of energy, maintaining the henge all the time."

"I’ll just attach the henge to the baby’s chakra and loop it to mine. As long as nothing happens to me before the baby’s old enough to sustain it, no-one will know."

Neji wasn’t sure which was more aggravating. The fact that he was considering it. Or the fact that he was considering against it. He looked down, stroking over Naruto’s- over the baby. "I can’t be with you."

Naruto thankfully, needed no further explanation. With a reassuring sound, he wrapped his arms about Neji and pressed close. "I know," he whispered against his lover’s neck.

Knowing they had both accepted it as fact…was perhaps what hurt most of all.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The next few weeks passed by, with the pair allowing themselves to fall into separated bliss. They may not be able to be together and raise their child when they returned home, but that did not mean they could not experience all the love and support now.

Naruto was better at ignoring the threat of the future. Neji would watch him, emotions swelling in his chest. Ever growing love battling with the ever present terror of knowing he would lose him. He couldn’t help but think about what it would be like to pass one another on the street, both of them male again, and act as they had before. Naruto’s carefree smile and wild spirit stoking Neji’s desire. His own forced reserve fighting to break free of all his chains. Chains of duty, chains of honor, the chains of family. There was always too much at stake.

Upon reflection, he realized that the long, hard days of yearning would only triple in the next few months. And though he may rage inside against all that bound him, there was nothing to be done. He would be forced to watch Naruto from afar. Aching with the need to touch him, to kiss him, to hold him close for no reason at all. His love for the blond would be what killed him. Slowly, agonizingly…until he was nothing but a shell to be filled by his uncle’s desire.

But, he would do it. He would put up with it, so his own child wouldn’t have to. If Naruto could pull it off…If he could successfully do his part in hiding the child’s Hyuuga nature, Neji would do his own, in pretending they were nothing to him. Naruto could be his friend, but not his lover.

Not that homosexuality was looked down upon in Konohagakure. If it were, most of the village would be in trouble. No…the ninja half understood that love, even lust, should not be wasted. With short life spans such as theirs, and death lurking about every corner, honoring the moment, was what mattered most. Sexual preference was not a term the people of Konoha understood. As most ninja villages, it was something hidden from the world.

As far as the average villager went, it was something they were used to, and thus went unquestioned. Within the village, affairs were held to greater standards than most formal marriages. Most especially within clans, where marriages were arranged and heirs expected. Love was a leisure. Any love was respected, when found. So much so, that most clan members wives were almost as close to their lovers as they.

Neji had been hoping to put off marriage as long as possible, if not outright refuse. Unfortunately, his clan was in full agreement, that although he had been born into the branch family, his was the strongest, most actualized Hyuuga blood of them all. This meant that of all things, his marriage, and subsequent siring preceded all others, even the clan heir’s. Neji had a horrible suspicion that they wanted the quality of his blood returned to the main branch. Which meant one thing. He had been avoiding thinking about it for as long as he could recall the elders murmuring about a match for him.

He and Hinata-sama had never been close. They hadn’t been allowed to be. However, this did not stop him from knowing her as a shinobi should. He’d spent his life tailing her, even before protecting her had become his duty, even before they had settled into an awkward sort of friendship – thanks to a certain blond they both knew. If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that she disliked the clan hierarchy as much as he. Their marriage could be beneficial. Together, they could be a strong wall against the rest of the clan, and issue all the changes Naruto so desperately wanted to make.

Hinata-sama had loved Naruto for as long as either Hyuuga could remember. Which could be an asset, just as easily as a hindrance. Neji didn’t doubt she would expect him to find love. They could have a single heir between them for the clan’s sake, and their duty served, follow the path of their predecessors and be allowed love. No, she wouldn’t deny him a lover. However, he couldn’t be sure she would as supportive, if he took Naruto as his lover. Hinata-sama was not the malicious type. She may feel jealousy, but if she knew being with him made Naruto happy, she would likely leave them be. What Neji was most afraid of, was doing such an injustice to her. She would likely seek to make Naruto her own lover, once their heir was born. Neji did not want his cousin to be rejected, but he did not want to share his lover with her. Naruto was not the type to allow such a thing anyway.

Likely, the blond would attend their marriage and never sleep with Neji again. He’d raise their child alone, or worse, find someone else. Seeing Naruto with another would drive him mad. He could already feel the expansive rage toward the imagined lover surge through him. Wanting to rip his heart out and feed it to him for daring to think he could love and provide for Neji’s blond, Neji’s child.

"Hayashi-san?"

Neji blinked, looking up.

"Are you all right?"

Clearing his throat, he rolled his shoulders, the tension in them almost painful. "Yes, I’m fine." His co-worker didn’t seem to think so, and patted his arms supportively. Neji nodded in thanks and went back to work.

No, Naruto finding a new lover was not an option. Even if he had to hunt down and viciously kill every last attempt at one, Naruto would remain his. The fact that he was thinking selfishly – and rather like a certain Uchiha – did not factor into his train of thought.

He would just have to find Hinata-sama someone else to love. He would start as soon as they returned. Although, he couldn’t think of anyone good enough, he was sure in time – and perhaps with Naruto’s help – a suitable replacement could be found. Once Hinata-sama was in love with them, Neji could be free to carry out the rest of his scheduled life in peace.

Something nagged incessantly at the back of his mind, but he ignored it. He didn’t want to lose his focus, and risk not being prepared. Now that they had decided their baby was a part of it, their lives had to be carefully handled from now on. The people in this village were not the people of Konohagakure. They would accept them, with all the flaws in the world. Back home, being flawed meant being weak. And that would get you killed.

If that weren’t enough, Naruto wasn’t exactly beloved in their hometown. Sure, things had calmed greatly since their youth, but there still existed a great discomfort about him. Though Neji could not be sure what it was about, he was sure those emotions would transfer to Naruto’s child. And without the protection of a more accepted, higher societal ranking other parent, Neji’s child would have to endure it.

The thought alone made him so angry, he nearly saw red.

After all, a child did not choose it’s parents. And Naruto would, by no means, be a bad parent. There were worse choices roaming the streets. Worse examples still breathing free air. Neji paused. Could that be it? Could Naruto’s parents have been of ill repute?

It would certainly explain why the villagers treated him the way they did. Perhaps, Naruto’s parents were not of Konoha at all. That would also explain why there were no records, no gravesites, no knowledge of them at all in the village. And, had the Hokage at the time considered Naruto an innocent, then what would be the harm in keeping him as a member of the village? Maybe Naruto hadn’t even been born in Konoha!

If that were true, then there had to be a trail Neji could follow, back to his lover’s roots. Maybe he had distant relatives still alive somewhere. Whether in a ninja village or not, there may be a person out there with the same smile, the same unwavering spirit. A person like that could not be too difficult to find. One did not forget someone like Naruto.

Feeling comforted at having discovered a plan of action, Neji tried to refocus his attention on his work. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Naruto with his village friends, chatting and laughing. The women kept rubbing his belly, and Naruto would shuffle to the side every time they made contact.

The village was ecstatic over their miracle. After having been told Nanako couldn’t bear children, they’d settled in their sympathies. Now however, they seemed to take the most pleasure in basking in the light of their gift. The villagers seemed to think that any miracle which affected one, affected all. And thus took great care in keeping the happy event a village wide affair.

Both shinobi were uncomfortable with all the attention. Their similarly haunted pasts aside, as shinobi, the constant watch of another’s eye, meant certain ingrained skills leapt to the surface. It was an effort to simply move, without taking a defensive stance.

They’d taken to keeping an offensive genjutsu about the house, which not only aided them in avoiding well meaning neighbors, allowed them to experience this pregnancy with a certain sense of private dignity.

According to the village doctor, Naruto’s pregnancy was advancing normally, and rather healthily – for a woman. Their baby, they were assured, was also growing well. And no complications were deemed forthcoming.

Grateful that his partner was not likely to need any specialized help any time soon, Neji had written a curt, non-inclusive mission report. At the half mark, he would wait until perhaps his next report to request a mission extension. It wouldn’t do for Naruto to return to Konoha pregnant. They’d have no chance then. The child had to be born here, at their outpost. They then had to wait to ensure their child was strong enough to travel, before they could make the long trip back.

When they returned, Naruto planned on telling the Hokage that he had slipped, and upon meeting a lovely girl, had accidentally gotten her pregnant. He would explain, that as the baby was his, it was thus a Konoha native, and should not be left with out the confines of the village. Shinobi children could not simply be allowed to exist anywhere but a hidden ninja village, for the safety of all.

Neji would confirm the story, and neither would object to the scolding, possible pay cut, and forthcoming punishment. Godaime-sama would not be angry with Naruto long - though Neji couldn’t be so sure about himself – and would eventually forget she was even argumentative with him over the baby.

Things would be difficult in the beginning. But, as soon as they implemented Neji’s system, everything would eventually smooth out to passable. From there…they’d have to wing it. At least until Neji could gather enough information to create a new plan. Naruto didn’t like plans, by nature, but had at least admitted that one would be good as a guideline. Knowing it was the best he could achieve, Neji had simply nodded, and set about creating one.

Plans gave structure to an unknown. Neji had crafted his entire life out of plans. And while, he would concede that life in general rarely went according to ones plans, he could at least attest, that when one tried, life plans could do marginally well.

Across from him, Naruto, as if sensing his train of thought waved, smiling brightly. Neji smiled in return, buffered by now against the teasing of his coworkers. Looking at the changes in his partner’s appearance, had at first, taken some getting used to. But, now, he found, his heart swelled with feelings he could barely name. Joy, Pride, Contentment…It wasn’t so much, the love, but that that love had a physical form. For the rest of his life, no matter the predicament, he only had to look at the child – from afar if necessary – and he would know. For a time, he had known love. And that love would never leave him.

When he looked up again, Naruto was gone. From the looks on his friends' faces, he hadn’t casually dismissed himself. The village women were looking around as if he’d simply disappeared.

Knowing Naruto wasn’t stupid enough to use his shinobi talents for no reason, Neji looked around, cursing silently that he couldn’t use his byakugan out in the open. Instead, he dropped what he was doing, and hurried in his lover’s direction as quickly as possible, without resorting to shinobi speed.

Ducking past the confused group, he slipped into a side alley. Taking the long way around, by ducking through buildings, he was able to find a clear area, and activated his byakugan. From there, finding Naruto was easy. Although, the panic rose in his chest when he saw the blond was not alone.

By the time he arrived, Naruto was pressed flat against the side of a building, a hand cupped over his mouth. He was not entirely defenseless, being a shinobi. However, his wide eyes and stiff posture indicated that he could not move.

Recognizing the man pressed against the blond as a shinobi by his posture, Neji didn’t hold back. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a kunai hurtling at a non-vital part of the dark head. (He’d started carrying weapons, when he came to the realization that he was now in charge of protecting two lives.) The shinobi dodged it easily, but was not expecting the small woman to aim a swift kick to his side.

Neji was momentarily in awe. Two weeks shy of five months pregnant, and without any formal training, Naruto was just as capable of protecting himself, and their baby. The shinobi, however, caught the slim ankle, and shoved back. Naruto gave a huff, as he was pressed harder into the building.

"Just answer the question!" snapped the shinobi.

Neji rushed him, and had to dodge a sudden rush of flames. Though there were two of them, their opponent had the advantage. As he was fully armed, and they were not. Not that either Neji or Naruto were about to let that stop them.

Naruto grunted as he was shoved forward; his arms twisted back, as the shinobi used him as both hostage, and leverage. Landing behind him, he pulled the slim form against him, and angled a kunai at his throat.

Neji froze.

Naruto, however, growled. And in the next moment, two sharp wisps of blood red chakra hurtled the shinobi over his head and through two feet of housing. With his byakugan dispelled, Neji couldn’t quite be sure of what had just happened. He had seen Naruto use the strange red chakra before, but it had only happened in heated battles. Though, he didn’t know whether it was a jutsu or a reflex, Neji was aware that Naruto only reserved the red chakra for important battles. Which meant the blond felt more threatened than he appeared.

As the dust cleared, Neji stepped between Naruto and the raising attacker. Naruto had proven he could still fight and hold his own, but Neji had been ordered to give his life for him. Not that he had to be ordered to protect either his love or their child.

Aware that this battle would indeed, be a battle, Neji dropped all pretenses. The henge would be too much of a burden, draining him of much needed chakra, and so he dropped it. For the advantage, he activated his byakugan as well.

The shinobi got to his feet. Amidst the dust and crumbling debris, he lifted his head. All Neji saw was glaring, red eyes. The distinct swirl of sharingan. Before his mind erupted in white hot, searing pain.