A/N: It's about bloody time, huh? Ahahaha… Yeah, it certainly took me forever, but be glad I actually finished this chapter before I completed MH's. I'm just really glued to the idea of this fanfic at the moment. While writing MH, I kept thinking of ideas for this little one instead. sweatdrops As a result, MH's chapter still isn't done!

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Bridal Deception – Chapter 03
Written by Clow Angel
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A week flew by in a blink of an eye. Neji wondered if it was about time to 'come clean' with his uncle and step out of the closet about his and Naruto's 'relationship'. He idly played with the television remote control, a habit he picked up the past week from being around the blonde too much and with too little to do. Said blonde was now in the process of destroying his brand new kitchen. Neji sighed wondering if it truly was hopeless for Naruto to cook a normal breakfast food that didn't consist of unhealthy ramen noodles. He sighed again when a bright flame tickled the ceiling briefly before Naruto extinguished it with a pot lid.

Naruto growled in frustration, finally giving up and throwing the plate of charred pancakes into the trash before taking off the apron and throwing it on a nearby chair. "I can't do this! I'm not made for this!"

Neji rolled his eyes and pushed Naruto out of the kitchen and donned the plain white apron Naruto discarded. "I'll cook. You... go and make yourself useful doing something other than setting the kitchen on fire."

Naruto frowned and stuck his tongue out at the brunette before rushing out of the kitchen to take an early morning shower.

Well, at least the week of living together proved useful. It was the easiest way to gather information on each other. He noticed quite a few quirks of the blonde and hoped Naruto picked up some things about him too. Otherwise, the entire point of him staying over for so long would have been for nothing.

A soft knock on the door made him halt in his breakfast making. No one visited this early other than Hatake Kakashi, but the perverse Jounin never used the door. Putting his spatula down, he made his way to the door and was met with a pair of eyes very similar to his own. "Hinata-sama...?"

Hinata smiled gently at him. "Neji-nii-san."

"Why are you here?" Neji asked, confused.

"Ino-san said you were here. Father wishes to see you."

Neji's pale eyes narrowed unconsciously, his grip on the door knob tightening. Of course Ino the local gossip queen would know. Then again, he'd be surprised if someone didn't know by now.

"Neji-nii-san? What is wrong? Why did you not return home for a week? Everyone has been worried..."

Wait, Hinata still didn't know? "Hinata-sama, you still don't know?" Neji asked, disbelief coloring his voice.

Hinata straightened; her expression uncharacteristically serious. "What don't I know?"

Neji only stepped aside, inviting his cousin in. Once she was inside, he quickly closed the door and returned to the kitchen to finish making breakfast. "Take a seat at the table," he said over his shoulder.

Hinata wordlessly did as told, patiently waiting for her cousin to start talking. It was a habit of his, she observed. He would always occupy himself with something if it was a matter of importance he needed to speak with her about. It was his way of expressing his nervousness. Strangely, he only did this when he spoke to her. She supposed she should be happy he considered her important enough to get nervous over it. It was a big relief to her when Neji started seeing her for herself for the first time in a long time. She smiled to herself. It was all because of Naruto-kun. The blonde would always be important to her even if he never did return her love for him. She doubted he ever noticed. Still, she would forever love him, even if she wasn't in love with him anymore. The object of her musings dressed in nothing but a towel around his waist appeared around the corner and snapped her out of her thoughts.

"N-Naruto-kun!" she squeaked, going red in the face.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto gaped, highly embarrassed. "Neji! You could've told me we had company!"

Neji only smirked. "That should teach you to prance around with nothing more than a towel."

"Oh shut up," Naruto grumbled before leaping up the stairs to put on some clothes.

The brunette could only chuckle humorously as he set the table and placed three plates of pancakes on the table.

"The truth is, Hinata-sama, we need to speak with you after breakfast. Originally, I planned to tell you myself, but I figured that would be a little unfair to Naruto since he has been with me through the entire ordeal."

Hinata could only nod, having no idea what Neji was talking about. She only concluded that whatever it was, it was important and strange enough to drive him from home.

"I'll go discuss it with Naruto first. Help yourself while you wait."

Hinata smiled encouragingly and watched as her cousin disappeared up the stairs before starting on her plate of pancakes.

Without bothering to knock on the door, Neji entered and shut the door firmly behind him, watching as Naruto struggled to pull a dark tee over his head while somehow rummaging through drawers for socks. "I plan on telling Hinata-sama about Oji-sama's 'proposal' although there is no need for her to know about this act."

"I figured."

Neji nodded and returned to the kitchen leaving Naruto to haphazardly throwing clothes across the room in search of a pair of pants.

Needless to say, Hinata was shocked speechless after the relatively quiet breakfast. Everyone had piled into the living area.

Hinata wrung her hands trying to keep her fidgeting to a minimum. "B-but Kiba-kun and I—"

Naruto sighed. He hated lying to her, but it was necessary. "Yeah, and your dad doesn't know about us either. It's gonna be problematic."

"Well, more than just father doesn't know. You've kept your relationship pretty much under wraps haven't you, Naruto-kun?"

"Well, yeah."

Neji who had remained silent thus far frowned thoughtfully. "Should I meet with Oji-sama tonight, Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged. "Want me to come with you?"

Neji smiled. "That would be appreciated."

Foxy grin in place, Naruto threw an arm casually around Neji's shoulders. "I wouldn't let you face the geezer on your own."

Hinata smiled and got up from the couch. "I need to be going. I have team training in a few minutes. Good luck, Neji-nii-san."

"You too Hinata-sama."

"Hai."

She was gone in seconds.

"Oh my fucking god," groaned Naruto.

Neji blinked in wonderment as Naruto lay boneless in his lap with a hand thrown over his face.

"Naruto?"

"Just being nervous."

Neji remained silent.

"At times like this, I need a distraction."

"Go train," said Neji knowing full well what Naruto meant when he said distraction. Shoving the blonde off his lap, he quickly tried to make his getaway.

"Not so fast."

All it took was a strong tug on a pale arm and Naruto's lips met with an equally pale throat doing his best to leave a mark. Wrapping his arms around the suddenly still Hyuuga, he easily had him trapped above him seeing as Neji didn't put up much of a fight at all, too lost in the pleasure of warm lips and tongue moving against one of his more sensitive spots. Naruto mentally smirked. It took days, but the brunette finally stopped flinching or attacking him every time Naruto touched him. In fact, he observed, Neji was finally allowing himself to simply enjoy the physical contact. But who knew training someone to accept another person's touch would be so tiring and painful? At least it was rewarding.

A groan escaped the Hyuuga, and Naruto smirked against his throat. Yep, definitely rewarding. Neji had a voice just had that unexplainably hot and sexy quality. It really was the perfect bed voice.

"N-Naruto you're insatiable," Neji managed to force the words out of his suddenly dry mouth.

"If that were true, you would've lost your virginity days ago," said Naruto pausing in his ministrations before diving right back into it.

Neji flushed.

Naruto blinked and pulled back, sitting up and could only laugh at the redness of his friend's face.

Neji's eyes immediately narrowed. In retaliation, he grabbed a fistful of vibrant blonde hair and gave a rather forceful tug.

"Ite—"

Naruto's cry of pain was abruptly cut off by a pair of perfect lips against his own and a wet tongue seeking his. Still a muffled groan managed to escape his occupied lips. When another groan escaped the blonde's lips, Neji figured that was enough of playing around that morning. Pulling out of Naruto's now slackened grip, he smirked at Naruto's disheveled appearance.

"Perhaps you should make yourself presentable before you leave," said Neji before turning to the kitchen and doing the dishes.

Naruto gaped and did as suggested. It wouldn't do for the captain of an ANBU team to show up with wrinkled clothing and looking less than impeccable. "Hey, you too you know!"

"My clothes are fine as per usual."

And indeed they were; not a thread out of place and not a wrinkle in sight.

"Wha— how?!"

His temporary housemate remained mysteriously silent.

"You're weird, Neji. Did anyone ever tell you that?"

Neji smirked. "I'm afraid you have no right to call me that, Naruto."

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Naruto was running late. Great, the last thing he wanted was to become another Kakashi-sensei. Slipping his mask on, he sped out the door and headed for the rooftops. When he arrived at the Forest of Death Gate 12, his team was already impatiently waiting for him.

"Sorry, sorry!"

"Taichou, why are you late today? That never happens," the only female member of his team said. Although she wore a mask like everyone else, Naruto could feel a mild glare aimed at him from behind it.

"I said sorry already!" Naruto huffed. He stood straight, pulled out a key, and opened Gate 12. "Enough talk. I'm busy later today so I have no time to fool around with you. Today, we train hard. Understood?" he barked.

"Hai!" his team chorused in response.

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Naruto returned home later that day tired and bruised, but satisfied with his team's progress. He squinted into the darkness, taking off his shoes. That was strange. Neji still wasn't back yet? Come to think of it, he was still home when he left. Shrugging, he flipped the switch on the wall and the lights blinked on.

When Naruto finally went upstairs for a change of clothes, what he saw made him chuckle. He found the missing Hyuuga. In fact, the brunette was fast asleep on his bed fully decked out in his old Jounin uniform oddly enough. He hadn't even bothered to take off his shoes. He must've been tired, concluded Naruto. A stack of papers and a dozen or so notebooks piled neatly on his desk caught his attention. Ah, so Neji was substituting for someone at the Academy. No wonder.

Naruto stripped himself of his stuffy uniform, carefully stowed his mask away and donned something more casual, then sat down in his chair and proceeded to watch the sleeping Hyuuga. Neji really had no idea how delectable he looked sleeping so soundly and peacefully in Naruto's bed. The man was poised and elegant even in his sleep. His movements were kept to a minimum, and he didn't even snore or drool. It was strange, but he couldn't imagine Neji being less than neat. During the first few days of the week, when they slept on the same bed, it was almost like sleeping alone.

Naruto smiled. It would be nice if something really started between them. He was starting to get attached to the aloof Hyuuga. So deep in a daze he was, that he didn't notice when the object of his thoughts was awake and staring right back at him with much confusion.

"Naruto?" Neji frowned when he received no answer; not even a blink. What was wrong with the blonde today?

"Oy, Naruto."

Still no answer.

"Naruto!"

"Eh? Oh. You're awake."

"You just realized that now?" Neji's brow creased. "Is something the matter?"

Naruto shook his head. "Nah. Just tired."

"Tired people don't normally stare off into space with a goofy smile," Neji said with a raised brow, "at least, not in my experience."

"Oh shut up," Naruto huffed. "I'm gonna go take a shower. Then we can leave."

"I'll use the bathroom downstairs then." He had intended to take a shower once he got back, but the bed looked so inviting after dealing with overly energetic and eager children who liked nothing more than causing total havoc. He had fallen asleep practically the moment his head hit the pillow.

"Aww…," Naruto whined. "Let's take a shower together," he purred in a fake seductive tone, a single eyebrow arching suggestively. The grin on his face made the blonde's expression even more laughable.

It took a lot of self-control on Neji's part to not laugh. He picked up the set of clothes he had out before falling asleep and calmly stepped out of the room.

"You're no fun!" Naruto pouted.

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"Neji, what is the meaning of this?" Hyuuga Hiasha demanded, staring with narrowed eyes as Uzumaki Naruto took a kneeling position beside his nephew.

"As you can see, I cannot take Hinata-sama as my wife," Neji said, his voice like fine silk, not a tremor in his tone. He appeared perfectly calm and collected. Inwardly, he was as nervous as one could get in such a situation.

Hiashi could feel his ever present composure slowly crumbling away. "You can't possibly mean—"

He had prepared himself to meet his whoever his nephew was seeing, but he had not expected Uzumaki Naruto to be the one. He had entertained the possibility of him seeing either females or males, but certainly this was unexpected. Of all people, Neji had to be seeing Yondaime's legacy and the only Hokage candidate? He couldn't even find words to describe this situation. This created a somewhat troublesome but not entirely unwelcomed situation.

"Are you serious about this, Neji?"

"Oji-sama?"

"Answer me."

"Hai."

"Uzumaki-san, this may be—"

"Just ask away, Hyuuga-san."

''Hyuuga-san?' What was Naruto thinking addressing the Hyuuga Clan leader like that?' Neji did the mental equivalent of bashing his head against a wall.

"Do you intend to be with my nephew forever?"

That was a little awkward, decided Naruto. "I truthfully don't know how to answer that question because I don't know what the future holds. Although I do intend to be with Neji, in the end it may not be the outcome. I can die one day, and he can die. After all, we're both shinobi of Konohagakure. Even if death doesn't come knocking on our doors before our time, our hearts may change. After all, human emotions are complex and fickle."

Hiashi nodded, eyes distant. "You are certainly right, Uzumaki-san. That is the nature of humans. However, I want my nephew and daughter to have a bright future. This clan is my responsibility. I am after all, the leader. Can you not step back?"

Neji opened his mouth to retort, but Naruto raised a hand, effectively silencing him for the time being.

Neji kept his facial expression passive as he observed both Naruto and his uncle. Something was strange. It was unlike his uncle to ask questions. He always told others what to do, never giving much of a choice. For him to ask someone anything was almost unheard of. Given the serious situation they were in, the questions were even more out of character.

"You're willing to sacrifice your daughter and your nephew's happiness for the Clan?" Naruto questioned. When he received nothing but a stern stare, he continued on. "I'm not the leader of some clan so I can't understand what you're going through. It's probably a huge responsibility and all, but I won't let you take away Neji's freedom like that. I promised him when we were mere genin. You were there. You saw our battle. You saw how much pain he was in. I'm not letting him go through that. I won't let Hinata-chan go through it either. Hinata-chan finally found herself. Neji finally found his aims and goals."

"Uzumaki-san, although all of what you said is true, I'm afraid you will need to step back. Neji is a Branch member. He doesn't have a choice but to obey. It does not bring me pleasure doing this, but it is a necessity."

"How's it a necessity?"

"I am not young anymore. Hinata is my eldest daughter. It is her duty to marry and produce heirs as well as become the Leader of the Hyuuga Clan. Without a husband of proper upbringing by her side, she will not be acknowledged."

This was getting stranger by the second. Neji's eyes narrowed a fraction. His Oji-sama was explaining himself to Naruto.

Naruto looked like he finally had enough. He stood and stared down at Hiashi with as much anger and frustration as he could muster. "Look Hyuuga-san, Hinata-chan is a great woman. She'll make a wonderful leader. She's kind, gentle, and strong; a wonderful shinobi of Konoha. It doesn't matter who her husband will be, she'll do great. I have faith in her. Neji's been training her, and she's coming along wonderfully. She's even a Jounin now with her own Genin team. What more do you want from her? She spent so much time training, becoming better, for what? She wanted a little acknowledgement from everyone around her, and most importantly you." He paused in his ranting to take a few deep breaths before screaming, "Get off your high horse!"

Naruto spun on his heel and stomped out of the room, slamming the shouji door shut behind him with such force, the frames shook.

Neji watched wide-eyed as Naruto left, torn between running after the blonde and apologizing to his uncle. Opting for the latter, he swiftly turned around and bowed low to his uncle. "Oji-sama, I apologize for—"

"It's alright, Neji."

Instead of angry, his uncle's voice sounded oddly gentle and defeated. Looking up, he was met with a rare sight. His uncle looked bewildered but he was smiling.

"O-oji-sama?"

"You have chosen well."

That was not what he was expecting to hear.

"I—Pardon?" Now it was Neji's turn to adopt a look of complete bewilderment.

"Listen Neji," said Hiashi, looking Neji in the eye to convey how serious his words will be. "Uzumaki Naruto is special. He will be great. He has the backing, the friends, the power, the attitude, and the ability to become something great in the future. If you're by his side, I will be at ease as will most of Konoha's shinobi."

"I'm not sure I understand, Oji-sama."

"One of these days, you'll understand."

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A/N: Oh boy, I accidentally lengthened this fanfic by at least a dozen of chapters by including the Yondaime's legacy part. sigh Figures I'd go and do something stupid like that. By the way, sorry if there are lots of mistakes in this chapter. I didn't proofread it or anything. I just wrote it and decided to post it right now because it's been ages since the last chapter and you guys are probably waiting.