CHAPTER 9
Neji, Naruto and Ino met up with Kiba and Shikamaru an hour later at one of their favorite bars. Chouji was on a date, so he just sent his regards and bribed them with a promise of a discount at his restaurant. At first they thought of going clubbing, but then again neither had the energy and it was long ago since they'd seen each other. So catching up was in order. It was also interesting that Shika and Kiba knew Neji, but Naruto hadn't met him until almost two months ago.
"Man, I still can't believe it! I mean, he's Ino's childhood friend. Shika and I met her in high school on our first year and she's already known you for a year or two. But we got to meet Neji, while you didn't. What's up with that?"
Naruto shook his head in disbelief. He pondered on that question himself quite a while ago.
"I have no fucking idea. I think she mentioned him a few times, but nothing more. How can you justify yourself, Ino?"
The only girl in the group smiled, all the while cuddling into her boyfriend, who seemed not bothered by anything.
"I don't know. Neji was always busy with studies and had the huge responsibility on his shoulders. He didn't have much time for us. And you, guys, only met him because he came to pick me up from school one time. Besides," the blonde turned to the youngest one among them. "every time I asked you to come meet up with us, and Neji, you couldn't."
Naruto scratched the back of his head embarrassingly.
"Ah, well, blame it on Sasuke. That bastard didn't like me hanging out with you. In fact, it was one of the main reasons we fought so much."
Kiba's brown eyes grew wide.
"Seriously? I had an idea, but thought that it wouldn't hold you back. Oh oh oh, by the way, did you, like, break up? For real this time? 'Coz it was all over the newspapers and internet!"
Neji noticed how his beloved's face grew darker.
"Yes, mutt, for real."
"So how did it happen?"
"Well, it was something like "Naruto, you loser, you're not worth a hair strand on my crotch. Pack your shit and leave me the hell alone." It started with a fight and ended like this."
Ino nodded. She knew the whole story.
"Yeah, that ass missed Naru's birthday and had the gall to start bitching to save his neck. Can you believe it?"
"Tch, so troublesome. I never liked that Uchiha anyway, so I think you're better off without him."
Every head turned to Shikamaru, who was lazily slouched in the seat. Kiba just grinned.
"I second that. But, man, missing your birthday, that sucks."
Naruto just shrugged. He didn't tell anyone, except Ino and Sasuke, why birthdays were so important to him, but it was enough that his friends understood it was, at least, unpleasant.
"Yeah it sucked. The bastard wasn't even sorry."
Ino smiled slightly at her friend. She told everyone that the two broke up, but she withheld the whole story. She assumed that if he wanted them to know, he'd tell that himself. Yamanaka knew for sure that Naruto hated pity. And
that was the first reaction one got when telling about a breakup. Suddenly, her eyes lit up.
"OH! You know what? Right before I called you, that ass dared to show his face at the cafe! He just strolled in like he owned the place! He started picking up on Naru and got told off! HA!"
The pale blonde was grinning like it was the best thing she ever witnessed. Kiba whistled and wiped off an imaginary teardrop.
"Oh-ho, our little blondie is all grown up now. I've never thought that this day will come so soon. Daddy is so proud of you!"
Naruto just scoffed at the stupidity of the brown-haired man.
"Shut it, dog-breath. Besides, Neji helped out too."
Hyuuga, who was sitting quietly at his beloved's side the whole time, smiled slightly, when everyone turned to him. Ino just laughed.
"Yeah, you should have seen
that! He came in all stoic and shit, and then told Sasuke that he stole one of his clients and would do so again if the ass dared to bother Naruto again. His face was priceless!"
Neji just shrugged with an indifferent expression.
"He was asking for it. I'm going to tear Mangekyo Inc. apart anyway, since Itachi is no longer here. Sasuke has no grip on business reality. I believe he thinks everyone will just bow to him due to his Uchiha heritage. That is his biggest mistake. His company is falling apart because of that. I met Itachi a couple of times and the man was nothing like his brother. He was worthy of respect."
Everyone just nodded in understanding. That was until Kiba's grin turned positively wicked.
"Soooo, Neji, a bird told us that you have a crush on our cute little Naru. I can understand that, everyone wants a piece of him."
Uzumaki just groaned in frustration. Inuzuka Kiba just didn't have any tact. He took a peek at the long-haired brunette sitting beside him. The man was as composed as ever, not even in the least embarrassed.
"No, I don't have a crush on Naruto. I'm in love with him."
This simple statement caused a silence to settle over the table. Strangely enough, Kiba turned light pink after the words sunk in.
"Oh, wow, cool then."
"Che, troublesome. Good luck to you, Neji. I hope you know that Naruto is too stubborn for his own good."
"Indeed, he is. But that doesn't change anything."
The beginnings of a new conversation and the way it was heading didn't sit well with Uzumaki.
"Guys, did you know that I got a leading role in a movie?"
A change of topic brightened the mood. One could see how Kiba's ears perked up at that. It was well-known that Naruto wanted to become an actor one day.
"Man, really? What movie?"
"It's called Ninja Wars. We're already one week into filming. I'm co-acting with Sai. And let me tell you, this guy is an asshole."
"Wait, wait, wait. About gay ninja?"
Kiba searched for something in his pocket, produced a folded A4 poster and placed it on the table for everyone to see.
"This one?"
"Yeah."
On the paper was Sai facing everyone with a determined look burning in the nearly black orbs, pressed to his side was a shorter blonde man, facing the battle on the background. One pale hand was wrapped around the blonde's waist, while the other held a blood-stained short sword. The other actor, the blonde one, had his hand on Sai's chest and kunai in the other, ready to protect his partner's back. The pose made Naruto's face hidden from people until the premiere day.
"So, this is you?"
"Yup."
"Under the fake name Kyuubi?"
"Yeah, we had to make me an alias due to some difficulties."
"Shit, that's cool, man! So, you'll have to kiss Sai then?"
"Mhm. They told me about that just a week ago."
Naruto could feel how Neji stiffened. He sighed, this was going to be a long night...
...
Next morning Naruto wasn't much surprised when he found himself hungover and naked in bed with Neji. Again. This was turning out to be a tradition. He let his eyes slide over the peacefully sleeping man's form and stopped on the face. As far as he could see the man's body was worth of praise: well-built chest, washboard abs, strong arms. Pale face looked relaxed and younger. Naruto shook his head and diverted his attention from Hyuuga. Now that he took in his surroundings he found out that he wasn't at home. He vaguely remembered Neji hailing a cab and saying that they were going to his place, since it was closer, all the while dragging an intoxicated blonde.
Stretching his aching body, noticing they had sex again, the blonde silently climbed out of the comfortable bed and searched for his clothes. Deciding he would be a bastard if he left before the brunette woke up, Naruto put on the clothes and went out of the room on a quest to find a kitchen. Going out into the hall, the blonde realized that Neji lived in a mansion. Not so difficult to see, since the hall was long and had many doors. One end led to a staircase where the stairs went up to the next floor and down. Assuming that, by logic, kitchen should be on the first floor, Naruto went down. The desired place was not hard to find. Coming to a huge double door fridge, blue eyes shone with glee when the blonde found a carton of orange juice. It was one of the few things in the world that helped a hungover mind.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?"
Naruto froze when he heard a cold female voice. SLowly he turned around and found himself staring into pale eyes of a very beautiful girl. Or should it be young woman? She was a shorter than him with mid-back long brown hair, pale skin and a graceful slim body. The girl was had a beige knee-high elegant dress and a violet sash on a perfect waist. The look on her face was stern and positively threatening. While Naruto wasn't an easy guy to scare, it was a whole different matter when he was in somebody else's house with unknown people inhabiting it. He took a deep breath.
'Ok, Naruto, remember manners. Especially, since I'm in a Hyuuga residence. Obviously.'
The blonde put on the most pleasant smile he could manage thanks to the hangover.
"Uhm, good morning. My name's Naruto and I'm a friend of Neji."
The girl lifted a well-shaped brow, obviously not believing a word he was saying.
"And what are you doing here?"
"Oh, we were out late last night and Neji suggested I sleep over, because his place was closer."
"I see. But that is not possible. Neji never brings home anyone. Much less he would bring someone like
you."
Naruto noticed that 'you' was spat like he was some sort of disease. Despite irritation, he continued to smile and be polite.
'That moron better wake up soon.'
"Me? What's wrong with me?"
The girl gave him an obvious one-over and scrunched her nose in distaste.
"Look at yourself. You can not be Neji's friend or even acquaintance."
The blonde did as the girl told him and didn't fid anything strange: pale-blue ripped jeans, red tank-top, bronze skin and a nice body. What was there so awful that she refused to believe him?
"Huh? I fail to see anything wrong with me."
"That just shows the level of your stupidity. Neji is my future husband and I know he will never be-friend such a low class commoner as you."
Naruto nearly bit his tongue off. Future wife? Low class commoner? What the hell was wrong with her?
"Ah, that's why. What's you name, young lady?"
"Hyuuga Hanabi."
The blonde thought that is this Hanabi turned her nose even higher than it already was, her hair would reach the floor.
"Ok, Hanabi. I don't think it's nice to judge people by their looks."
"Hn. What is
not nice is to lie."
"I'm not lying. When Neji wakes up he'll tell you that."
"Fine. Then we wait."
A bit relieved, Naruto plopped on the chair at the small table that was situated on the kitchen. Hanabi never took her eyes off of him, her expression still showing her distaste. It was starting to fry Naruto's nerves. Who the hell did she think she was? A few moments later the girl took a seat in front of him.
"How did you meet Neji then?"
The blonde sighed. It seemed that this version of twenty questions would end only with the brunette's appearance.
"Through Ino."
"You know Yamanaka Ino?"
"Yes, I've known her for a long time. She's my best friend."
"Hn. How old are you?"
"23. You?"
"I am nineteen."
Naruto was glad for the silence, which, for his tastes, didn't last long.
"You said your name was Naruto. It is a rare name. Could you be Uzumaki Naruto?"
"Yeah, that's me."
"Oh, so you are the one that dated Uchiha Sasuke."
"That is me alright."
Naruto cursed his own name and the bastard. Those who cared enough to watch news once in a while would know his name now, since their breakup was the tragedy of the year.
"You are gay."
At that point the blonde's brow started twitching.
"So what?"
"You will not have Neji. And everybody knows what you have done to the Uchiha. How can you show your face here is beyond me."
That was the last straw. He was sick of people looking down of him for things that he didn't do.
"Look here, sweetheart. I don't care what your pompous ass thinks of me. You don't know me, you don't know Uchiha and what that happened between us. Everything you read or hear is bullshit, only we two know what happened. But
that is
none if your business. You don't know jack-shit about my intentions, so stop preaching. You can have Neji for all I care, but I pity him if he marries such a bitch as you. He deserves better. Just apiece of advice for a man that's been through a lot: get to know people before you judge them or it'll come back to bite you in the ass."
That little speech left Hanabi with wide eyes and gaping. At the exact same moment another cold voice made its appearance.
"Uzumaki Naruto, what are you doing here?"
Blue eyes shot to the kitchen door and the blonde cursed his luck. Hyuuga Hiashi, the head of the clan, the man Naruto saw on every business 'party' he went to with Sasuke. He even talked with the man once. It was anything but pleasant. Seemed like the man was a homophobe of a highest degree. Beside Hiashi stood Neji looking a bit confused.
"Naruto, you know uncle?"
"Father you know him?"
Well, shit. Hiashi appeared to be an uncle to Neji and a father to Hanabi, whom he just insulted. Double shit.
"Yes, Hanabi. I had an unpleasant experience of meeting this man."
"I met your uncle while I was still with Sasuke."
Naruto turned his blazing eyes to the head of the clan.
"What to you mean 'unpleasant'? I didn't do or say anything
unpleasant to you."
Neji tensed. He didn't like the hateful sparks that were flying between his uncle and his beloved. He also didn't know that Hiashi met Naruto in person.
"Your existence is enough. I have seen your files, I know about your parents. And now that you used the Uchiha all you wanted, you are after my nephew. I will not allow that."
That was just insane. Were they all so prejudiced? What was wrong with these people? Naruto had had enough.
"You know,
Hiashi, you may think that you know everything. But it's exactly the opposite. You don't know a single thing about me. You've seen the files. So what? You're just an old homophobe that has a pole so far up his ass that it goes right through your brain. I'm just trying to live a peaceful life, but people such as you just have to go and ruin it. Is it so much to ask to get to know me before coming to some stupid conclusions? Just shows how smart and wise you are. I'm out of here. Talk to you later, Neji."
With that Naruto stormed out of the mansion, anger boiling inside of him and leaving a small group of Hyuuga speechless. He smirked darkly. Yes, leaving people shocked was his speciality.
...
Later that day Neji called and apologized for Hanabi's and uncle's behavior. He also told that his marriage with Hanabi was something Hiashi talked about a few years back and it was already off, since Neji opposed to that. The girl just didn't give up and still hoped to get the brunette. But what caught Naruto's interest the most, was Hiashi's request to meet with him tet-a-tet the next weekend.
The blonde groaned. He so didn't want to see the man again. But, well, he did have a bad after taste about the last meeting. Perhaps, it would be possible to mend things if he wanted to, at least, be Neji's friend. Nad maybe, just maybe, the brunette was the person he could move on with. It was worth a try. For now, he had to prepare himself for another day with Sai and his constant groping.
