AN: I absolutely adore Hinata and mean no disrespect to her. I know that she and Neji are tight in canon, but in this verse he did end up with the guy she loved so things are a little tense between them. Don't worry, I'm sure they'll come to an understanding soon enough.
Neji stood in front of the mirror, frowning at his reflection. Our lives would be perfect if it wasn't for this accursed stain. I hate it.
"Neji?" Naruto asked, his voice soft and unsure. "What's wrong?"
He knew he'd been withdrawn and was worrying Naruto, making him think he didn't want this. It was the last impression he wanted to give. A child with the man he loved would be incredible. It was just that now he'd had time to process it, it was more complicated than he'd first realised. He still liked the idea though, so he needed to be honest and face this. He turned to Naruto.
"I love you, and I want a family with you," he assured Naruto. "But I can't commit to it. Not until I speak to my uncle."
He knew Naruto would understand that.
Naruto gave him a sympathetic look, but then his eyes went to Neji's forehead and it changed to something more guilty.
"I promised, didn't I? That I'd become Hokage and you wouldn't have to worry about it anymore..."
Naruto looked him in the eye, those big, blue eyes shining, and the last thing he wanted was for Naruto to feel like any of this was his fault. He wrapped Naruto up and held him close.
"It's okay. I'm on better terms with the clan now. But I can't risk this burden falling on another. Especially not someone that comes into the world because of me. Once I get those assurances from him, I'm all in. We can start trying."
"Then we should go now," Naruto decided. "I don't want anything getting in the way of the life we choose."
Neji understood, like him, Naruto had spent years beholden to the prejudice and oppression of others, always being told how his life would be.
"Yes," Neji agreed. "There's no point in waiting."
Naruto drew back and looked up into his eyes again.
"Do you think he'll agree?"
"I don't know. It will depend on how important he thinks it is for my blood to remain in the clan."
"And what if he doesn't?"
There were options, perhaps they could wait until Naruto became Hokage, or they might leave the village and start somewhere fresh, but there was no point having Naruto fret if it didn't become an issue.
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
x
The first person they came across at the compound was Hinata. Neji had always had a strained relationship with his cousin, one that hadn't improved any when he'd begun dating the man she was interested in. He knew she still had feelings for Naruto and thought he would change his mind one day. She was wrong.
"N- Naruto..." she stammered, blushing foolishly.
"Oh, hey Hinata," Naruto greeted, always friendly because he felt bad for her. Neji wanted to tell him he needn't, as a member of the main branch of the clan, she would have plenty of desirable suitors to choose from. But he didn't say anything, because that would be too much like trying to change Naruto, and he loved Naruto exactly as he was.
"Is Uncle here?" Neji said, stepping in.
"I- I think so. Do you need to see him?"
"Yes," Neji answered, planning on leaving it at that, but Naruto decided to elaborate.
"We need to talk to him. Neji wants to have a kid, and we've gotta get some things about the curse mark straight."
Hinata blinked slowly and looked up at him.
"A child? With who?"
Maybe she thought this was her chance with Naruto, but she was never going to get one of those. He had told her so before, but she refused to accept it.
"Me, of course," Naruto supplied.
"W- What?"
"You know, I'll use my sexy jutsu. How else is Neji gonna pass on the byakugan?"
Well, that about summed it all up. The cat was out of the bag now.
"Come, Naruto," he said, grabbing his partner's hand. "We need to find Uncle."
"Okay, sure," Naruto agreed, following behind him, calling a goodbye back to Hinata.
They were halfway to the house when Naruto asked him to stop.
"Neji, calm down."
"What? I am calm."
"No, you're squeezing my hand nearly in half."
"Sorry," Neji said, releasing his grip and taking a breath. "Sorry."
"Hey," Naruto said, taking Neji's face in his hands and looking up with those big, blue eyes. "Just tell him what you want. It's totally fair. And I'm right here to back you up."
"I know you are. Thank you."
"We're in this together. I love you so much, Neji. And you deserve to be happy. We both do."
For a long time he hadn't believed that, but when Naruto said it, he did.
"Yes. Let's do this."
"Okay," Naruto smiled, pressing a quick kiss to Neji's mouth, helping remind him that this bond between them was a solid thing. He took Naruto's hand again, gentler this time.
They found Lord Hiashi at his desk, tending some scrolls.
"Uncle, if we're not interrupting, might Naruto and I discuss something with you?"
"Yes, perfect timing actually. I need a break. Should we have tea?"
"Yes, thank you."
The three of them sat together around the tea table. It was always a little difficult for Neji to be with the uncle who looked so much like his father, but he had to admit his uncle had been good to him ever since the first time he'd participated in the chunin exams. His guidance had even helped Neji become jonin, tutoring him like only another with the byakugan could.
His uncle poured some matcha for them.
"So, Neji. What did you need to discuss?"
"We want to have a child," Neji said, getting straight to the point. "It would be a Hyuga, with the clan's kekkei genkai, but obviously not of the main branch. I'd like your assurance, as the head of the family, that the child would be free. No cursed seal."
His uncle was silent a long moment, which was understandable, it was a lot to take in. Then his uncle looked between them, and asked a question.
"Who do you plan to have carry this child?"
"Naruto will," Neji answered.
"Naruto?" his uncle blinked.
"Yes, he really is an extraordinary ninja, Uncle. I wouldn't be in love with him so completely if he wasn't."
"But how?"
"I have a jutsu," Naruto explained. "I can make it work."
"Uncle," Neji continued. "We both feel it's important for me to pass on my byakugan. The village is strong while ever the clan is strong. But I can't do this, not if I think my child will suffer for it."
"I see," Lord Hiashi considered. "I admit, I had hoped you would have children one day, Neji. The strength of your byakugan is a trait the clan would like to see passed on."
"As would I," Neji agreed.
"We are the custodians of village's greatest power, and yours is the strongest that we've produced in a long time. As you know, the seal is intended to protect the byakugan and ensure its continued strength. It is a safety net to ensure nothing can get in the way of the duty of clan members to protect the head of the family."
"I understand all that. However, I would argue the curse mark is a vestige of bygone times. Do you not think that I would do all I can to protect this place and our people without it? I would do it out of love and respect, not because I was forced to. And we'd raise our child with the same values."
"I appreciate that, Neji. And I agree with the sentiment. If I could go back and do things differently with your father, I would."
"Thank you."
"However, you can't presume to know the future. Do you think your father would have laid down his life, if he hadn't seen it as an escape?"
"For you, his twin brother, I'd like to believe he would have."
"I'm not so sure. No matter how much he loved me, he loved you more. Do you think he'd have left you given a choice?"
It's a matter of choosing between duty and love. They're both important, and both fundamental parts of being shinobi.
"I don't know…"
"And if he hadn't, how many would have died in a reignited war? How much of the clan would remain now? Having children changes your life. It changes your outlook on life. Do you both think you're ready for that?"
They shared a look. Neji's resolve had been shaken a little with his uncle's words, but gazing into Naruto's eyes, seeing the love and hope and trust there, Neji knew there was nothing he couldn't do with Naruto beside him.
Together, we have incalculable strength.
"Yes," he nodded. "We're ready."
We have so much more love to give.
"Please, Lord Hyuga sir?" Naruto chimed in. "I've never had a real family before. It would mean a lot to me."
Neji gave Naruto's hand a squeeze, realising in that moment that they would definitely be doing this, it was only the details that needed figuring out.
His uncle looked between them, thinking it over, before he nodded his consent.
"Very well. You have my word, Neji. While ever I'm head of this clan, the child will not be marked."
It was like a weight lifted, and Neji felt unreservedly happy. He tried to keep a lid on it though, and thanked his uncle calmly. But when he turned and looked at Naruto, who was smiling brighter than the sun, he couldn't help the wide smile that formed on his own face, and then Naruto was wrapping him up, and he was returning the embrace.
"It's real," Naruto said delightedly. "Really real. We're gonna have a baby."
"Yes, we are," Neji returned. "I can't wait to share this with you."
Naruto was laughing with excitement, and Neji even heard his uncle laughing softly.
"I'm happy for you both," he offered. "I will offer one piece of advice though. Don't spoil the child, I can see that being a distinct possibility."
In that Neji knew his uncle was correct, after the way they'd both grown up, Neji couldn't imagine either of them having the heart to say no.
"We'll do our best."
"I'm sure you will. And thank you, Neji. Naruto too. For trusting me enough to ask this."
"Thank you, Uncle."
Once they'd left the compound, Neji turned to Naruto.
"You've done it again, my love."
"What?" Naruto said, adorably clueless. Neji pulled him close and gazed into his eyes, beyond grateful that Naruto was the one sharing his life.
"One sentence from you and my uncle understood. I could have talked all day and never achieved the effect you had. And now, because of you, we can start trying for our family. I love you so much, Naruto." Then he kissed Naruto, the boy who was making all his dreams come true.