A/N: Hope you like this chapter! Reviews please! :))

IT STARTED WITH A NIGHT

By KeepMeInspired

Chapter V

That night, Neji offered to cook dinner. (Hell yeah!)

But then…

Sakura made the mistake of trying on one of her annoying pranks on him as he was cooking.. .

….which caused their roles to interchange.

She handled the dishes noisily. No way was she in a mood to hide her annoyance. "You should wash the dishes, Neji."

He smirked. "You wish."

"Hey, it's unfair. Help your wife out here."

"It's your own fault." He said as he walked towards her. "You got me annoyed."

"I said sorry!" Sakura frowned at the frying pan as she sautéed the spices in it. "You should learn to forgive."

"Yeah shut up. I'll just watch from here."

Green orbs glared at him. "Stop standing right beside the frying pan, you might get burned."

"Concerned much?" He scoffed.

She huffed and placed one hand on her hip. "I think you're pushing your luck there, Hyuuga. I've been trying to be nice to you the whoooole day."

"Don't worry. 7 more days and we're out of this dilemma."

"We'll never be out of this dilemma." She managed a dejected sigh.

Sakura sat down on the couch opposite Neji's.

Dinner went by uneventfully.

They were sitting in the living room.

Neji was reading a magazine.

Sakura sat there and pondered. Neji was handsome, alright. He's smart, athletic, and hot. What could she not like about him?

He's a bastard remember?, answered a voice in her head.

Yeah, a hot bastard at that.

It's like he was sculpted by the gods themselves. Those strong biceps connected to the lean torso, narrowing down to sexy hips and then to long, smooth-to-the-touch legs. Add that silky raven hair. He was a god.

Neji cleared his throat.

And Sakura jumped.

"Liked what you saw, Sakura?"

She didn't need to see his face to know that he had that mocking expression on his face.

"Wipe that silly expression, Neji. You're a perv forever."

"Why do you call me a perv when I'm not suggesting anything malicious here?"

"Shut up." She placed both hands at her ears. "You're ruining my innocent mind."

"Innocent mind?" Neji scoffed. "Innocent? Are you really saying that after what we've been through together?"

Sakura eyes widened warningly.

"Do you want us to relive that night, Sakura-chan?" Who could've resisted a voice as silky sexy as that? But of course, she did. She didn't trust herself to speak though so she kept her mouth shut.

Neji lowered the magazine to the table. He stood up and made a move towards her.

"O! Don't you dare come near me!" She crossed her arms in front of her.

He smirked. "Idiot. I'm going to my room to sleep."

"Pssh. There's no such thing as your room in this house." She whispered under her breath as he passed by.

3 days, 13 hours and 12 minutes to go.

Sakura was bored to her wits.

Shit. I've been stuck with him for too long.

She decided to call Ino.

On the third ring, her blonde best friend picked up. "Hello?"

"Ino, it's me—"

"Sakura! I'm gonna hang up-"

"No-wait-please-don't-put-the-phone-down"

A huge sigh from the other end of the line. "What is it now?"

"I'm bored"

"Where's your husband?"

As if on cue, Neji entered the living room.

"Uhh- training outside.", Sakura said.

"So, what's the problem now huh?"

"I don't know. Release me from this bondage. I don't feel well being stuck in here."

"Oh come on, suck it up. You got what, 2 more days to go?"

"Three.", she sighed dejectedly.

Sakura held the wireless phone and cradled it as she went out to the porch. "How's it going in the outside world?"

"Nothing much. Same as usual. Shikamaru asked me out."

Sakura would've squealed in delight if she hadn't caught Neji, out of the corner of her eye, looking at her general direction.

"Ohmygosh! That is BIG news!"

On the other end, Ino was giggling.

"You've been waiting for this for the longest time, Ino-pig!"

"I know! I'm just so glad it happened before I turned old and…" Ino's voice began to fade from her ears. Suddenly, Sakura's vision blurred. She swayed and was able to realize, only after a full second of lightheadedness, that she was fainting and that she was holding on to nothing but the wireless phone.

On the other end, Ino heard a crash. "Sakura? Hello? Hello?"

She could hear Neji calling Sakura's name from the receiver.

"Sakura? Sakura, hey!"

A male baritone answered. "She fainted. I'm going to take her to the hospital."

Slowly, she opened her eyes and was met with white. White sheets. White curtains. White walls. The first person she saw was this booby blonde woman.

"Well, well, well. You're finally awake."

"Godaime-sama", she croaked.

From Tsunade's left, a hand stuck out holding a water bottle. Sakura moves her head to that direction and sees Neji leaning casually against the wall.

Tsunade smiled softly and received it. "Here. Your husband says take care."

Sakura couldn't help but smile even when Neji's face was as impassive as always. "Thanks."

"You fainted."

"I'm sorry." Sakura said sheepishly.

"Why are you saying sorry?" Neji spoke up suddenly in that deep luscious voice of his. "Was it your fault?"

Sakura just stared at him, confused.

"I told you to tell me when you're not feeling well. Do you think it's funny suddenly seeing your wife faint in front of you?"

He had his arms crossed over his chest and he had this scowl on his face.

Despite all he said, Sakura couldn't help but smile. "Do you like me now, Neji?"

The door slammed as he left the room.

Tsunade and Sakura exchanged stares.

"D'you think he's guilty?" Sakura giggled playfully.

"I think you pissed him off."

Ino visited an hour later.

"They said it's just a minor thing. You fainting might have been caused by lack of proper intake of vitamins."

Sakura didn't seem the least bit surprised.

"Of course, you'd fail to live up to your reputation if you hadn't figured that out by now."

The corners of Sakura's mouth lifted up. She totally loved her best friend.

"Which brings us to the question, why didn't you take vitamins, Sakura? Are you stupid?"

Sakura looked down guiltily. "I- I guess I was hoping…"

She looked up then at her friend with pleading eyes.

Ino hitched up a shaky breath. "Don't you give me that look, Haruno Sakura. I know what that means."

"If you know, then you'd understand how I feel right now."

Ino just gazed at her.

"You know I didn't plan for a child! I still have a career to develop, Neji has one too! We're both too young and unprepared for this!" Sakura sat upright and grabbed Ino's arm.

"So you thought being irresponsible once more is gonna solve this mess?"

"No. It's just—It's-I figured it's not yet too late. Maybe we worried about nothing."

Ino squeezed her best friend's hand before reaching into her bag and handing her a note. "I made the test for you. You're 1 month and three weeks into this."

Sakura's eyes widened slightly as she took the paper from Ino's hands.

"I'm sure you already confirmed it though."

Sakura could only nod her head.

When Sakura woke up again, it was nighttime.

Neji was there beside her, reading a book. He placed it down as she stirred under her sheets. "You'll be discharged tomorrow. We'll end the honeymoon at that. We'll be going home tomorrow to the Hyuuga compound."

She regarded him with her gaze. "No."

"No?" he repeated, as if he couldn't believe his ears. "You're not thinking of divorcing me this early, are you? Cause that would be downright stupid and impractical."

Damn.

"Shut up, Hyuuga, before I punch your lights out. Of course, I know that would be absolutely stupid." She nearly flared up. "What I'm saying no to is the idea of me living in the Hyuuga compound."

"And why is that?" He raised elegant eyebrows.

"I don't want to be depending on your family. Besides, I am fully capable of raising myself and my child in my apartment."

"It's our child."

"Fine."

"You do realize though that this means I'm gonna have to move in into your cramped apartment, right?"

"Unfortunately, yes." She sighed. "And it's not a cramped space! Your house is just much too luxurious!"

"Hn."

In a few weeks time, Sakura and Neji were able to adjust fairly well to living together in her apartment. Many people wondered, however, why this newlywed opted to stay in that modest house of hers rather than the Hyuuga mansion. She kept repeating it was for the sake of having a simple life. Too much grandeur might be bad for a pregnant mom, much more for a newborn child.

By this time also, almost all of Konoha know that Sakura is pregnant. People began to treat more delicately… which pisses her off.

One time, she ranted at Ino. "I am not a f****ing invalid! Gosh, I'm around 4 months pregnant and my stomach's not even bulging that much yet!"

"Yes, I know. You're the hottest pregnant woman I ever saw."

"Ino! I am not joking. I am annoyed!"

Ino slapped her playfully on the arm. "Well, you can't blame them. I think they're excitedly waiting for another Hyuuga prodigy."

"For heaven's sake, I don't want any pressure on my child!"

"Awh don't worry! I'm sure little Neji will be fine. He'll be just as brilliant as his mom and dad." She beamed at Sakura. "And as for the other issue, just go along with it, will you? It's just a few more months and people would start sparring with you again."

Sakura scowled.

"Oh come on. That's the problem! You aren't sparring. You don't have any means to release that pent-up energy inside. You should ask Neji to let you release that energy later at midnight." Ino chuckled wickedly.

"Shut up. That's nonsense."

Ino rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I think Neji has the hots for you. What kind of guy wouldn't, with a sexy preggie like you?"

"Neji's kind, apparently." A sigh.

"Wait, what's that?" Ino's eyes lighted up. "Is that disappointment I hear?"

Sakura walked out on her leaving Ino laughing alone in her room.

At home, Sakura found Neji in the living room.

"Hey, Neji."

He looked up with mild surprise. "Yes?"

"Can you pleeeaseee tell your ANBU constituents to stop treating me like I have no arms or legs?"

He smirked. "No."

"Why not?" She placed her hands haughtily on her hips.

"Because that was precisely what I told them to do."

"You crazy person. Why would you do that? You know I don't like special treatment."

A playful light danced in his eyes. "Oh trust me, you do. Just like you like complaining about it."

"Wait what, did I just hear you describe me as a hypocrite?" She wanted to punch him. Yes, her violence was far from dissipating during this stage of her life. In fact, it was even intensifying.

Neji set aside what he was doing. "No, I did not." It was as if he knew this conversation wasn't gonna end well. He knew her well.

"Yes, you did." She glared at him.

"No, I was merely saying that it'd be better for you if they treat you like the pregnant person that you are."

"Well, save it 'cause I don't need it."

"Absolutely not."

"Why do you even care? You should just leave me alone."

"Why do I care?" Neji's tone of voice shifted. "You're actually asking me that question now?"

He stood up and planted himself right in front of her. "Do you really think I'd let my child alone just like that? You must be crazy."

"No, you are!"

Neji was trying to keep his temper at bay. Sakura was seriously stomping on his pride as a father right now. "Do you see me as that kind of person? Irresponsible?"

"I said no such thing. I just said to leave me be!"

"We're husband and wife. How could I just leave you be?"

"It's just- STOP INTERVENING IN MY LIFE JUST LIKE THAT, OKAY?" Her sudden outburst surprised even her. Sakura was breathing unevenly and her face was as pink as her hair.

Neji watched her try to regain her proper mind. Slowly, she came back.

She wrung her head. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted at you like that. It's just that it's been-"

Neji pulled her into his arms and the rest of her words were engulfed in his embrace.

"… hard for me lately."

"I know." He whispered to her ear. It took all of her willpower to fight off the shudder she felt.

"We can do this together. Let's stay strong, alright?"

Sakura went deeper into his embrace. It was good to have a sense of reassurance once in a while. She nodded.

It was a pleasant morning the next day.

"Good morning." She greeted the person beside her. Neji only grunted.

"Oh come on, sleepy head, wake up."

"Don't you be so friendly with me so early in the morning just because we reconciled quite dramatically last night." He dove under the covers.

Sakura rolled her eyes and smirked. Whatever. She jumped out of bed and whipped the curtains open.

"I'll cook breakfast." She beamed.

"So, how's marriage life going?"

"Hard."

Shikamaru scoffed. "What did you expect it to be?"

"It'd be much easier if it wasn't Sakura I married."

"You mean, the girl you got pregnant and then married." Shikamaru chuckled.

"Shut up."

"Are you, by any chance, sleeping with her? You know you can't knock her up twice right? So it's fine." Shika let out a loud chortle.

"No you idiot. How could you say that?" Neji's voice has a steely edge in it.

His friend shrugged. "I don't know. It's just that I overheard Ino and Sakura talking about sex some time ago." He chuckled in a subtler way now.

At this, Neji paused. He was surprised, alright.

"You wanna ask me if I'm sure about what I heard, right?" Shika asked as he saw the expression in Neji's face. "Yes, I'm sure."

Neji's expression remained impassive.

"Wait." Shikamaru peered closely at his friend's face. "Is it possible that… you like her?"

A/N: What did you think? Please review! :))