Hello everyone,
continuation of the events from last chapter.
Thanks for the reviews like always. And I try to get a chapter up every monday and friday. During the week I'm busy with University.
Disclaimer: Nothing changed and I still don't own anything.
"Oh, my apologies that I didn't present myself. After five years my manners are apparently lacking. I just wanted this to get settled first," is the answer from the darkness, a smirk now evident in the smooth voice of the stranger.
Everyone excluding Gaara looks expectantly at the figure as two bandaged hands move up to the hood. A collective gasp is heard as it falls (again excluding Gaara, he knew apparently). Though the one who is hit the hardest is Shikamaru.
The cloth falls revealing long chocolate brown tresses unfolding until the waist. White eyes under a black headband open showing the Byakugan, proving that the person belongs to the Hyuuga clan. When the hair settles down and everyone gets a clear view of the face, Shikamaru looks close to having a heart attack as he recognizes the stranger immediately!
Neji!
Hiashi is the first to regain his voice after the shock.
"Neji!" he shouts and shoots up, grabbing the brunette's shoulders. "Neji!? Is that really you? You are still alive, nephew?!"
The younger smiles a careful smile. "Yes, I am. I am really sorry to hide it from you uncle, but I had my reasons. I hope you can understand…" He turns his head down, looking sad and guilty. "It's not like I wanted to leave…"
"It's okay," Hiashi only embraces the young Hyuuga tightly, "The only important thing is that you are still alive and not dead. I'm so happy and Hinata…"
"Thank you a lot, uncle," he answers honestly. He hugs the older back slowly. Now all of the present Hyuugas start to crowd their revived prodigy.
Shikamaru is still shocked into silence while Gaara gives him a knowing smirk. The Nara never would have imagined to find Neji back this way. And what was that about volunteering to marry the Kazekage? It can't be. It took five years until he came back and now he will just marry someone else. Someone he only briefly knew before. And Shikamaru will never have a chance to get him back?
"But wait!" Hiashi's voice draws everyone's attention back to him, "You said you plan on marrying the Kazekage. Were you serious?"
"Yes, I was. The elders of Suna and Gaara himself agreed and so I will marry him," his gaze is stern and there is not even a hint of wavering in his voice. Hiashi is taken aback by his nephew's change, but something pops into his head.
"A second, you mean you are a carrier?"
"Yes, I am, uncle."
"So you really are. I never thought so. But how do you know, we didn't back then after all?" he inquires.
"That's something I do not wish to speak about, uncle. But you can do the test with me later if you wish…" Neji shifts uncomfortably at the question and averts his gaze while answering.
"I already said, it's okay. You are alive and that's enough," Hiashi smiles at the younger and squeezes his shoulder encouragingly.
"Thank you again, uncle," Neji smiles back, a genuine smile.
Someone clearing their throat behind the group of Hyuugas averts their attention from their refound family member. The elder next to Gaara.
"So it is settled that Neji Hyuuga from the Hyuuga clan and a carrier will marry Gaara Sabakuno, the Kazekage of Sunagakure?"
Hiashi looks to his nephew for confirmation, who nods, so the Hyuuga lord agrees. "Yes, that's correct."
He turns to Gaara himself who is making his way through the crowd towards Neji.
"I have a favour to ask from you though," Gaara raises a non-existent eyebrow but Hiashi continues, "Please take good care of my nephew. He is a precious member of our clan. The best we have at the moment. And he is important, to me especially. He has already gone through enough, so I ask you to look after him well." He does a short bow, Gaara actually looks surprised as does Neji.
Then the red head smiles a bit. "I sure will. Don't worry."
Hiashi nods. "Thank you."
The two young men, now fiancés exchange a glance and nod shortly at each other. Gaara takes the other's arm who bows to his uncle.
"Thank you, uncle, for your blessing," he then turns to the whole room, "If you will excuse me now. I had an exhausting journey to get here. If you will allow, I will go rest for today."
"No problem," is the answer he gets, he bows again.
"I will show you to your rooms," Gaara says and starts to lead Neji away.
At that even Shikamaru finally snaps out of his daze. He is just about to let Neji walk away in front of his eyes again! He jumps up, shoves his way through the crowd, ignoring the offended words of the Hyuugas, and grips Neji's wrist just as he is about to leave through the door.
"Neji! What are you doing here? You can't marry Gaara!" he shouts at the brunette.
The other turns around, calm but with a cold gaze. "You have nothing to say to me, Nara. And for sure you are not the one who decides who I can marry or can't! So leave me alone!"
He tries to move away but the raven doesn't let him go. "Wait! We need to talk!"
Neji sighs and takes his arm from Gaara. He faces Shikamaru, slowly pries his hand off and says in a calm but also final tone, "I have nothing to talk to you about, Nara! I already told you last time and it didn't change. So leave me alone. I am engaged now. I don't want anything to have to do with you anymore!"
Shikamaru opens his mouth another time but before Neji can retort, it's Gaara who interferes. "It's enough now, Shikamaru. Don't you think you already did and said enough?"
At that the Nara quiets and steps back, letting the brunette man he loves and his red headed fiancé leave the building.
Outside Neji sighs relieved, Gaara rubs his back comfortingly and the Hyuuga gives him a thankful smile.
After a bit of walking Neji and Gaara arrive at the complex where the Kazekage lives. The red head opens the door and leads the Hyuuga into one of the guestrooms. There the brunette lets himself fall on the bed, throwing his cloak away. Gaara sits next to him and lays a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, no problem. I thought Hiashi or the others would make more drama. For what I expected that went really smoothly." He turns his head towards his friend.
"That's true…"
"By the way, sorry that I was late, but I really got attacked. I took off as soon as I got your message and, well, took some preparations."
"Hm, you weren't too late, luckily. You only got me some overly boring hours with the elders."
They quiet for some time but then something comes up to Gaara which he just has to know.
"What I wanted to ask… Where is he?"
Neji frowns, understanding without problems who Gaara means with 'he'. "Safe"
"Where?"
"With his father…" is the reluctant answer.
"I understand"
A short pause before Gaara speaks up again.
"Do you plan to take him back?"
"When this has all settled and it's calm enough, yes. I miss him." His gaze turns sad and he looks away.
"If you do, you have to tell him, you know that." Gaara reminds him.
"I know, but that's worth it." Neji smiles up at the red head.
The other slightly smiles as well at the thought of the one who can make Neji truly smile these days. It's been long but he understands why.
Neji's smile turns into a smirk. "Do you really plan on using me to get the elders an heir?"
Gaara grins. "Depends on how our marriage goes…"
Neji grins back then sighs, "We both know we are only good friends who are helping each other out. I came because I still owed you a favour from the time you covered me."
"That's true and I am really thankful that you did. But nonetheless we can still be there for each other, don't we?" the red head smiles and moves to lie down next to his fiancé, who turns over to face him.
Gaara is happy that it's actually Neji who he got as fiancé and not some stranger he has never seen before. Neji is someone he knows, can trust and to some extend likes. He also knows that he doesn't love the Hyuuga in that way (though he admits he is attractive), but with Neji he is comfortable.
The brunette smiles as well, "Sure we can…" he moves a bit closer to the red head and lets his eyelids slide closed, slowly drifting off into sleep.
On this evening Shikamaru goes again to a restaurant but this time he just drinks until he gets totally wasted and has to be carried back by some ninjas ordered by the Kazekage.
The next morning a message is sent to all of the leader of the hidden villages. Tsunade nearly falls off her chair when she read Neji's name and calls immediately for Naruto who is outside the village at that time but rushes to the tower as soon as he hears about it.
That's for today. Thanks for reading.
So Neji's finally back and he won't leave again.
Please Keep on reviewing I'm trying to get on with writing other stories as well.