Author's Note: This is probably really short because I had writers block on this chapter, but ALL will fall together in the end. Also, I've lazily not read over it, so sorry about any grammatical errors.
Recap: So who was this man Naruto had just crossed paths with? None other than the infamous Fugaku Uchiha.
Neji was never one to run away from his problems. He believed that facing them face on would resolve them, so his final decision was to stay home and watch over the house. He finally got an explanation from his mother as to why his father and her would be traveling the world.
"Business, sweety. Also, pleasure. Your father and I never really get out since we have responsibilities: like the noble title, and a child, but your father recieved an offer that I couldn't refuse. Traveling the world and still doing what he does, it's perfect. The traveling part comes in because we are viewing different businesses in his line of work. Whichever we like the best is where we'll take the job, and we'll live there. But when we decided, we'll move you out with us to live in our new home. Everything will be the same, so don't worry too much about it, m'kay?"
Neji thought too much on the fact that she said, "An offer that I couldn't refuse." It wasn't strange for noble wives to make decisions, but his mother never made smart decisions for the family. The one she made resulted in a death of Neji's unborn sibling. It was going to be a girl, and Neji always wanted a little sister. He wanted someone to protect so his feeling of "just being alive without a purpose" would fade away.
He stood by the window, watching Tenten tend to the garden. Her presence had made Neji sick, but he couldn't completely blame her. He took responsibilites for his actions, and it's not like he tried to stop her. He made her the way she was at the moment; pregnant. Neji looked away from the window and went to his bed. He didn't know what to do next, he hadn't really watched over the home. There were grownups there, he didn't feel the need to have to do it. But it was a big deal about not trusting the help in the noble homes.
Going to live with Sasuke was still on his mind. He was tempted to pack his bag and leave, go get away from problems, but maybe that wouldn't be the best thing to do. Tenten still had him on a chokehold: leave her, she'd tell the family. That would put them in negative spotlight. Despite how much he acted like he didn't care about the subtleness of the home with the public, he would hate for them to go down with a scandal because of him.
"Master Hyuga," A voice said outside of his door, followed by a soft knock. It was Mary, he couldn't not know that.
"Come in..." He said, sounding as tired as ever. The door opened and she entered, closing the door behind her. She gave a sweet smile of pity.
"Don't do that." He said sternly. She laughed.
"Oh, Master Hyuga...I've been with you for 18 years...you don't scare me." She shook her head, approaching him and sitting on his bed next to him. Neji sighed and leaned over, resting his head on her shoulder. She brought her arm back and rubbed his hair. "You haven't been this affectionate since you were just a little baby." She said softly. Neji didn't reply. "Is there something you would want to talk about? I've never seen you this way." She continued to rub his hair. Neji closed his eyes. He knew he could share anything with her.
"Life just isn't as smooth as it once was..." He repeated an old saying his grandpa told him when he was a child. She nodded in agreement.
"Any particular reason?" She asked. He huffed.
"I got Tenten pregnant." He blurted. She stayed the same, peaceful, and still rubbing his hair.
"That would make a bumpy road..." She agreed with his previous statement. "But she seemed normal to me. No sicknesses in the morning as far as I've heard. I would know because we have to share a bathroom, and it's close to the rooms we stay in. Mines is right next door to it, and I didn't hear any signs." She said. Neji opened his eyes and looked at his bedroom door. "With pregnancy comes sickness, she seems perfectly fine to me."
"...Why would she lie..." Neji said, not taking what Mary said into consideration. He wanted to believe that Tenten wasn't pregnant, but before the whole redevous they had, she was a normal person. Why would she just lie all of a sudden?
"Why wouldn't she lie?" Mary asked. "This is a noble family. One noble member slips up once, then you take that opporutunity, and pregnancy is the biggest thing. You could be forced into marriage, and then the girl has a position in the family." She explained it as simple logic. "When I first got a position to work for you father's father, I thought about doing the same thing. It's no fun being a slave, then I was made the nurse, and it was a bit better. But you have to understand, slaves aren't all stupid. Some, like Tenten, are very smart."
Neji remained quiet. He couldn't imagine Mary doing that.
There was a loud knock at his bedroom door, rather rude. He sat up straight.
"What?" He replied as rudely as the knock.
"Neji, I need to speak to you." Tenten's voice called.
"She calls you Neji? Is she not aware that she is still a worker?" Mary asked.
"She's pregnant with my child." He said simply, getting up and leaving the room. Tenten didn't speak, she just made her way to the stairs. He knew he was expected to follow, so he did. He followed her all the way into the living area, where she sat on a couch. When he entered, she patted a coushin next to her. He sat in another chair and looked at her blankly. She cleared her throat.
"Neji...you were speaking about me, weren't you?" She asked.
"No." He replied shortly, with a bored tone.
"Yes, I heard you," She replied. He didn't speak, he didn't feel the need to. "Neji...our baby; are we going to let it grow up with us hating eachother? Do we want it to grow up around that atmosphere? You know that really affects a child..." She said. Neji felt extrememly sick. She went on without him answering. "I have a proposal, something I think we're both capable of handling. Neji...I think we should get married." She let out a sigh of relief with a small smile.
Neji got dizzy.
You can't say no, do you know what she can do to this home? His thoughts shouted. She stared at him with concern.
"Neji, are you okay?" She asked, getting up and walking to the seat he was in. She knealt down and touched his knee. He stood up upon her touch and walked away from the seat. "Neji! I need an answer!" She shouted. Neji left the living area and walked to his room. Mary was gone when he got back. He closed his door and sat back on his bed. He head was spinning.
Leave. His thoughts said simply. Neji searched around his room for his phone, he had to leave. He got up when he spotted it lying on his dresser. He grasped it and stared at it for a while, then he flipped it open. He wasn't sure if her number had changed, but he had to take the chance. He pressed the call button when the light was glowing over her name. It rung for a while before he finally got an answer.
"Hello..." The voice answered, and he felt relief through his body.
"Ino, I need a favor..."