A/N: I've never written Gai/Iru and until last week I considered it a crack pairing but oh! Oh! I LOVE Gai and I LOVE Iruka so guess what? I'm throwing 'em together. =)
Title comes from this quote: "A loving heart is the truest wisdom." – Charles Dickens
Ch. 1
The first thing Gai does upon his return is meet with the lawyer. He'd been out tracking a Great White off the Pacific coast when the radio call had come through and, though he'd turned back immediately, he hadn't made it in time.
He sat still on hearing the information and finally sighed, scrubbing a weary hand over his face. He was exhausted and coming back only to hear the worst possible news was draining the remainder of his energy. "I will mourn for my friend once I have fulfilled my duties to him."
"Yes, thank you, Mr. Maito. That's precisely why I called you. As you know, Mr. Hizashi left you as caretaker of his son, should his health take a turn for the worse."
Gai nodded.
"Of course, there are measures that need to be taken before you have full custody but I'm certain this will all be behind you soon. You can start a new life."
"Where is he now?"
"He's been staying with his uncle."
"I see." Gai tried not to wince too obviously but from the sympathetic glance the lawyer tossed him it seemed he had met the man.
"Thank you for your time."
"Please let me know if there is anything further you need."
Gai bowed respectfully. "I offer my deepest condolences."
The man raised an eyebrow, "Maito. It is surprising to see you again."
It was more difficult than he had anticipated holding on to his patience. "Hizashi's lawyer contacted me."
"I am touched by your attention to my family."
There was movement in the shadows behind Hiashi and Gai dredged up a smile. "Neji-kun!"
A somber semblance moved into the light and Gai startled at how gaunt and pale the boy looked. Was this Neji-kun? His friend's cute, friendly son?
"Gai-sa –"
Hiashi moved to block the boy. "Neji, return to your quarters at once."
"I think not, Hiashi. I am here for Neji as I'm sure you well know." He moved past the man who was not doing anything as lowly as sputtering but that was likely as close as the high-born could get. "Neji."
The boy turned and Gai took a breath to keep from snapping at Hiashi. Is this what they had done to Neji during Hizashi's illness? The man would have had no opportunity to protect the boy. But, had Gai imagined this would happen, he never would have gone on this latest expedition.
"Maito you have no right-"
"I have absolutely every right," Gai stated, no nonsense. "I am Neji's legal guardian and the path is free to his outright adoption."
Hiashi looked mute with rage. Gai gave no quarter. "If you desire to involve the authorities in this matter I can assure you your loss." He turned to the boy regarding him gravely. "Neji, your father left your care to me. I deeply apologize for not having been here for his passing but I am here for you now. If you desire it, Neji, you may come with me and I promise you I will do the best I can to nurture the sensitive flower of your youth."
Neji appeared to twitch, but otherwise only bowed to Gai. "If you would have me, I accept your offer," the boy murmured humbly.
"Maito, this is an outrage, I am this boy's family-"
Gai calmly smiled at Negi. "Why don't you gather your things." When the young Hyuuga was out of eyesight he turned to Hiashi and he was certain the fury in his heart showed on his face because Hiashi took a hasty step back. "A family," he enunciated clearly, heedful of keeping his voice low, "loves one another and protects one another. You and that boy may share the same blood but you are not a family."
He turned when he sensed the presence behind him, becoming more indignant at the meager bag the child held. "Let us be off. Say goodbye to your uncle, Neji."
The boy gripped his satchel tighter and made a stiff cursory bow. The older Hyuuga flushed darkly at the perceived slight and stomped back into his home, slamming the door behind him.
Gai struggled not to roll his eyes and instead glanced at Neji. "Ahh," he scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "I travel a lot so I don't have a car. I'm sorry Neji-kun, we'll have to walk. Though, I would have you look upon this as an opportunity to let ourselves drink in the untroubled infancy of this pleasing spring day!"
Neji winced before nodding indifferently.
"Well, young pupil, allow me to shower you with fascinating counts of my varied daring adventures. I've traveled the reaches of the earth …"
Neji only looked resigned when Gai led them to a cheap hotel. It was all Gai could do not to hang his head in shame for not being better prepared to care for a child. This had been entirely unexpected and as a bachelor who moved around as the mood struck, he found it counterproductive to maintain living quarters. Instead he often stayed with friends or even camped much of time as it energized his wild and free spirit.
With a young one now in tow it would be necessary to find proper accommodations. "I called a friend of mine and he is helping me situate myself in finding a fitting living arrangement for us. It shouldn't be too much longer."
"It's fine."
"Well, Neji-kun, I am sorry I did not consult you on this matter previously but rest assured that your preferences matter greatly to me – this friend I spoke of, he lives in the east and I admit I had thought to relocate there. But," he added hastily when Neji looked troubled, "if you would desire to remain near your uncle, of course I will respect that. I am certain we can find lodging here just as easily."
Neji was already shaking his head. "I don't want to stay here."
"You're sure?"
"Without my father, there isn't anything left for me here."
"Neji, about your father-"
"I'm a bit tired. I'd like to sleep."
Gai nodded, and stepped out of the room. "I'll bring dinner. You'll be hungry when you awake."
He looked back at the boy and his heart tugged at the slight lump under the generic hotel sheets. It would be a new life for Neji, he vowed to himself. A better life than what he'd endured under the thumb of his uncle.
"Sleep well, Neji-kun," he murmured, closing the door softly.
"Are you quite certain your beloved can endure without you?"
The man on the other end snorted in amusement. "She'll be just fine for three hours."
"But the baby could come any momen-"
Asuma sighed, "Trust me, it's fine. Our house has a revolving door lately with so many people coming and going. Her friend, Anko, is going to stay with her while I'm gone. She's probably sick of me hovering over her all the time. It'll be a nice break for her too."
"If you're sure," Gai said uncertainly.
"I'm sure. What time does your flight get in?"
There was rustling as Gai looked through some papers. "Let's see, I believe it was … no, where was it?"
More rustling and then Asuma could make out a faint, 'Three forty-five, Gai-san.'
"Oh, my brilliant pupil, you are right, of course! Asuma, our flight shall arrive promptly at three forty-five or I shall repaint your house."
Asuma shook his head in exasperation, "Please don't, we barely got it to how Kurenai wants it for the arrival of the baby. If you change it I might take out four months' worth of frustration out on you."
"I will consider it an honor to be the relief of your sexual tension, Asuma."
There was a choked sound of dismay over the line and the older man gripped the base of his nose tightly to pointlessly try and stave off a headache. "Gai, we've talked about this. Public places, remember?"
"I do, worthy comrade! Certain phrases could be misconstrued and therefore I should only say those things in private. But, Asuma, I assure you, you do not misconstrue that it would, in fact, be an honor for me to be the key which unlocks long months of sexual deprivation!"
Gai's voice had gotten louder and Asuma winced in sympathy for the kid who was with his friend. "Just do me a favor and try not to get detained by airport security. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Until then!"
"Yes, I talked to him on the phone and he mentioned that the boy may need it. His father passing away must have been a horrible shock and Gai thinks he may not have adjusted to that yet."
Izumo looked at the stack of files in front of him and only just held back a sigh. "Kid's gonna need more than just advice on which classes to take." He leaned back in his seat and studied Kurenai. "We both know the perfect person for the job. And of the two of us, you're the only one pregnant enough to frighten him into it."
Kurenai groaned, "I was really hoping to avoid asking him. Iruka already has too much on his plate."
Izumo shrugged. "Them's the breaks."
"Hey, Kurenai! Whoa! You're like, twice the size of the last time I saw you!"
"Naruto!" Iruka yelled, horrified. If that got back to Asuma he'd probably glare at Iruka while sharpening his hunting knife the way he had last time. "Please, come in, Kurenai. Would you like some water? Lemonade?"
Kurenai, thankfully, was terribly patient with Naruto and only patted him on the head and nodded at Iruka. "Any day now. You ready to be Uncle Naruto?"
"Heh, yeah. I'm gonna buy him ramen and play with him and show him to be super cool and make friends-"
"It's going to be several years before you can do all that," Iruka said wryly. "Now, I believe it's someone's bedtime."
Naruto looked ready to argue but then his face lit up and he turned to Kurenai. "Please, please, can I feel?"
"Of course, Naruto," Kurenai laughed. "Give me your hands. He was moving just a second ago …"
"Wow, oh wow," Naruto said wonderingly. "Iruka, he moved! You'll let me hold him when he's born, right?"
"Are you kidding, who else is gonna be our number one babysitter?"
"Iruka, did you hear that!" Naruto crowed, "I'm gonna be their babysitter!"
The other man shook his head in amusement. "Most thirteen-year-olds wouldn't be so thrilled," he said dryly. "Now, to bed with you. You have school tomorrow."
Naruto huffed but dutifully tromped off. "Bye, Kurenai. 'Night baby Asuma! Night Iruka!"
Kurenai watched Iruka who was looking after Naruto with a fond smile playing on his lips. "Congratulations, by the way. I heard the adoption went through without a hitch."
Iruka grinned sheepishly, "Ah, yeah, thank you."
"You could have told us," she reprimanded gently. "It's something that should be celebrated."
"That was entirely Naruto's idea, he said we were always a family so making it official wasn't a big deal. I think he just didn't want to think about not having anyone for so long."
"I'm sorry."
Iruka waved that away, "Please don't worry about it. Now," he set a glass of cool lemonade before Kurenai. "Whose case do you need me to take?"
She grinned at him. "Now, Iruka, what makes you think that a nine month pregnant woman walked up three flights of stairs to plead with you to help a little lost boy and his equally lost guardian?"
"Nothing at all," Iruka replied dryly. "But I'm surprised the school wouldn't call me directly."
"Well, he's not enrolled yet. They're flying in tomorrow from the west coast."
"Oh. They're friends of yours?"
"It's a friend of Asuma's from his Army Ranger days. I only know him in passing since he was still on active duty when Asuma retired."
"I see. And he's the child's guardian?"
"Hyuuga, Neji. His father passed away recently and his care fell to Gai. They're going to need a lot of help. I'm sorry, I know you're busy, I just thought, as the school social worker you'd have a better idea of what they'll need."
Iruka nodded thoughtfully. "They'll definitely need help. A new school, it's stressful enough for kids to adjust to that but also the death of a parent and someone new taking that role," Iruka mused softly. "And the mother?"
"I'm not certain but it seems she may have been absent from his birth, whether by choice or not is unclear."
"They arrive tomorrow?"
"Yes, they likely won't get in until later in the evening. I was hoping you could drop by Saturday so you can meet them."
"Of course I will. How old is, Neji-kun?"
"He's Naruto's age."
"Cool! That's cool! Do I get to meet him?"
"Naruto!" Iruka snapped, "If you're not in bed in sixty seconds you'll be meeting your maker!"
"Okay, okay, but do I get to meet him?"
"Only if you're asleep in two minutes."
"What? That's like, impossible!"
"TWO MINUTES!"
"I'm going already. Yeesh."
Kurenai grinned and drank her lemonade.
"Really, you've been far too kind already, Kurenai-san. We will stay at a hotel."
Kurenai planted her hands on her hips, not so much to intimidate Gai, as to try to settle her weight more evenly. Her back was killing her. "It's perfectly fine if you stay here. I promise you're not in the way and I'm sure Asuma would love the chance to catch up on what you've been up to."
"Like your exuberant beauty, your benevolence knows no bounds! Asuma is fortunate indeed to have found the blossom that would bloom in his dry, cracked soul-"
"Don't mind him," Asuma grunted. "He's always like this."
"Thank you, Asuma!"
"It's not a compliment. Hey, Neji-kun! Come inside, meet my wife."
Kurenai craned her neck to see around Asuma and tried not to gasp when the child came forward. This was ..?
She glanced at Gai and saw him shake his head minutely.
The boy bowed to her. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Hyuuga, Neji and am thankful that you have opened your home to us."
Kurenai could feel her mouth drop open. Wow. Just … wow. There was a discreet cough from Asuma and Kurenai blinked. "Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you as well. My name is Kurenai. Is it alright if I call you Neji-kun?"
Neji nodded and Kurenai smiled at him. "Well, then, Neji-kun, how about you help a pregnant woman to the kitchen? I'm starving."
The boy reached forward tentatively and offered his arm to Kurenai. "My, what a gentleman! You'll learn a lot from him, Asuma," she called back teasingly, laughing when she saw the tips of Neji's ears turn red.
A/N: And the fated meeting will happen next chappie. Please let me know what you think.
