"Today?" She couldn't believe the way he was acting
"Yes, I have already met your family." Neji snorted after she had spoken.
"Wasn't that fun."
"Neji, it's my parents not a couple of Sound Nin."
"Hm."
"I want you to meet them."
"As you have said, and today apparently!"
"What's wrong with today?"
"It would mean I would have to see them now."
"Neji!"
"Sakura, they will hate me." She grabbed at his wrist.
"Look, I didn't exactly get a choice and neither will you." She pulled but he stood still. "Damn it Neji! Don't take advantage of the fact that you're stronger than me!" He laughed at her as she leaned backwards in a valiant attempt to make him move. "Fine!" She let go and walked out of the room.
"Why did you give up? Where are you going?" She was pleased to hear he sounded slightly panicked. He had learnt quickly that she liked to win and didn't give up easily.
"I'm going to go and tell my family how upset I am."
"Sakura! Wait!" He hurried out of the apartment after her.
"So you have decided to come? Wonderful."
"Hm." She linked her arm through his and they began to walk.
"You're not fooling anyone."
"What?"
"Don't even pretend to be angry at me."
"I'm not pretending, I'm furious." Furious and smiling apparently.
"Oh, you really look it."
"Of course I do, I am."
"How can I make it up to you?"
"Get rid of the squirrel."
"It's not going to be that easy, it loves you too much and you would have to leave with him."
"Loves me? I was the one it savaged!"
"He has difficulties showing affection!"
"It wants to claw my eyes out!"
"He wants to be a good pet!"
"It wants us all dead and defiled!"
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Why are you shouting at my daughter?" Oh, apparently they had arrived. She looked at Neji who was being held in a rather professional head lock for someone who worked in an office.
"Daddy! It's okay, he's with me!"
"I CAN SEE THAT BUT HE WAS ABOUT TWO SECONDS AWAY FROM ATTAKING YOU!" Neji was being admirably patient and allowed himself to be kept in her father's ever tightening grip.
"No! We were just talking. This is Neji." She was relived when he released Neji and eyed him with scrutiny.
"The one you were talking to your mother about?" Neji glanced at her. She probably should have informed him that she had already spoken to her parents about him.
"Yes, that's him."
"Okay, go inside."
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He watched her go up the steps wondering if she realized that by so casually walking away, she was leaving him with the man that earlier, had been quite prepared to kill him. He decided he should try to make amends and say something.
"I-" Sakura's father grabbed his collar and put his face very near to his own.
"Listen kid." He hissed "Let it be known now that I don't like you already and don't want your type taking advantage of my daughter's nature. One hint of upset on her behalf will leave you castrated. Got it?" Neji chose to answer by nodding. This appeared to be a good choice of response as he was shoved forward and allowed to enter behind Sakura. There he was greeted by what he could only assume was Sakura's mother and led to a lounge room. Moving to sit beside Sakura he paused when her father almost flew ahead of him and sat there first. He seated himself across the room instead.
"Neji dear! We are so glad you came to visit us." At least her mother had not been brought up by trolls.
"It's my pleasure." She offered him a tray of sweet rice cakes. "No, thank you."
"Take a cake boy." Sakura's father spoke. Neji selected the nearest.
"What would you like to drink?" He glanced at the man sitting opposite and got the impression he had to accept the offer.
"I'll have tea please." She left for the kitchen and Sakura followed her. Neji coughed desperately but she didn't turn around. They sat in silence for a while before Neji made another peace treaty attempt.
"You have a lovely house."
"And your suck-up skills need improvement. Have you got a criminal record?"
"No, I do not."
"I'm giving you a chance to leave quietly now and never contact Sakykins again by telling you that you're not getting any money." Sakykins? He would have to speak to her about that later, provided of course he was allowed to leave alive.
"I don't want any money."
"Of course you do, or if you don't now, you will later."
"I assure you, if the need for funding arises in my life, I will turn to my clan."
"Clan?"
"I am a Hyuuga."
"Now you're trying to show off. I can tell you I'm not impressed by your little eye tricks."
"I will keep that in mind." Sakura had to be adopted.
"Don't be funny with me boy."
"My apologies."
"I told you to stop with the funny business!" Neji nodded instead of answering verbally, unsure of Sakura's father's definition of 'funny business'. Sakura re-entered the room several silent minutes later.
"Sweetie, does your mother need anymore help?" Now her Dad was being nice. This wasn't fun.
"No, she is almost done."
"So Neji, how is your work going?" Neji only just remembered to answer as he sat in shock..
"Oh, well thank you." Sakura interrupted seemingly totally unaware of the earlier hostilities.
"He is one of the best Ninjas Daddy. He gets more 'A Class' missions than most of the older ones."
"Really? How impressive. Do you have to travel a lot?"
Neji didn't like this sudden change of mood but it remained for the rest of the time they were there until they finally rose to leave. However, as Sakura left the house, he found himself cornered once again by her father.
"I don't care how happy you appear to be together and I don't care how much less of a jerk you are than that Sasuke boy, if this is anything but genuine you have a choice between leaving the village or having your precious eyes dug out with a chop stick." Neji wished he hadn't been complimented on his skills as a Ninja earlier that day because right now he was afraid and willing to give up any number of Konoha's secrets to be as far away from this man as possible. He hadn't quite worked out the details yet but he was sure that somehow Sakura's father and 'Pinky' had been keeping in contact. Still, he had to say this now.
"I understand your concern but I do not plan to hurt Sakura in anyway. I wish you would not judge me upon others actions and allow me the option of getting to know you and your daughter better before you start making death threats. Sakura is not stupid, as I hope you know, and it is unlikely she is about to make the same mistakes as she has in the past. I find it concerning that you cannot allow her to hold any judgment of her own and that with no kind of evidence assume that I am some kind of criminal. I do not want to upset Sakura by there being tension between us but if you are the one trying to prevent her happiness, even if you mean well, I'm afraid I will be forced to dislike you. You do not know how I feel about her and don't think you can. If you really are going to refuse to trust me and allow me to leave her then I shall leave it up to you to explain your own prejudice." He stopped and inhaled deeply. "But before you do that, I suggest that you ask Sakura what she wants as this really isn't your or my decision." He stared directly at him for a long time.
"I like you. Go, Sakura's waiting." He closed the door in his face and Neji half stumbled down the steps. He met Sakura at the gate.
"What did he want?"
"Oh, I think he wants us to visit again, that's all."
"Okay." He took her hand. She looked surprised by the sudden show of affection.
"I think we should go out for dinner."
"Why?"
"I don't know, it would be nice...but we have to drop by your apartment and collect Pinky first. He would probably enjoy the outing."
Nut2: There is the other side of family reaction things. Now I might add some of the other characters for new chapters. I hope this wasn't too boring with Sakura's dad and everything. I wanted the chapter to be based around these events without making him too much of a main. I didn't even give him a name. That made it kind of confusing trying to display which 'he' I was trying to refer to. Ah well.
Also, I may be taking a break on this for a while so I can write some more of my 'Gaara's New Friends' not because I'm out of insparation or bored of this one, just that I don't want to concentrate on them both at the same time and it may be better to let this one rest for a while.
Review please especially if you're after a certain character/s reaction that you want to have specified upon.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
