Chapter 5
When the brunette returned, he found Uzumaki strutting over to him with a wide grin. “Hey old friend! Want to take a plunge into the pool? It's pretty uneventful when you're the only one swimming.” Neji smirked looking at the tan blonde. “Seemed to have darkened you're features a lot, however its nearly nine at night. Who in the right mind would swim this late?” Uzumaki scoffed.
“Then you've never truly experienced fun! But I can see the problem, another time then, eh?” His excitement seemed to have lessened.
“I talked with Miss Haruno,” Neji said, “I was going to visit him tomorrow anyway, so I'll invite him out for tea.” Uzumaki froze for a moment and smiled warily.
“If it causes trouble, don't worry about in alright?”
“Does the day after tomorrow work for you?” The blonde turned to fully face Neji.
“Does the day after tomorrow suit you? It is you're house that this is happening at. It's all up to you.” Neji nodded and they bid each other goodnight before receding into their homes.
Neji visited the next day and the raven greeted him at the door with his signature cocky smile. “Welcome, the nitwit is out so don't worry about being pushed around.” Then he turned and walked away with Neji trailing after him.
“How have things been Sasuke?” The other male shrugged his shoulders.
“Uneventful really. Other than Suigetsu always out with his friends. How about you?” He questioned as he reclined into a flawless white couch. Neji bit his tongue knowing full well where Sasuke's husband would be. He felt guilt gnawing at him for withholding information from his cousin, but then again what was already planned for the raven would be bad enough. The brunette was really starting to question his morals.
Neji sat on one of the single white chairs facing the center table as well.“It's been a bit lively for me. Miss Sakura has been quiet interesting with her eccentric nature. I'm a bit surprised how close you two are considering your friendly personality.” Sasuke chuckled.
“She seems to be the only one that can handle my bristly personality without getting offended.”
“Talking about me again? Oh, its so kind of you two to show me some attention.” Sakura hummed strutting into the room from the door way with a flirty smile. Sasuke rolled his eyes. “I knew you loved me Sasuke! You have to have someone point out when you're being a moody teenager.” She threw herself onto another one of the couches making herself comfortable.
“So full of yourself aren't you?” Sasuke mused looking over to the woman who smiled innocently.
“I have not the slightest idea of what you mean Sasuke.” The raven rolled his eyes with a smirk.
“Papa!” A little girl came running in wearing a bright white and yellow dress. Neji's eyes widened as he watched her run to Sasuke and jump onto his lap. Two maids came rushing in after her with worried and nervous expressions.
“We are sorry Mr Hozuki! She insisted on telling you how her studies are coming along.” Neji glanced at Sakura as his throat tightened. Did she know? Sis Sasuke know? There was no way it could be a coincidence, hair of the color was very uncommon. Sasuke ran his hands through her fiery red hair with a small smile.
“They're coming along well then?” The girl nodded with a wide grin as she adjusted her glasses over her pale eyes.
“My teachers say that I might be able to skip a grade with how well I'm doing!” Sasuke nodded as she vibrated with excitement at his praise.
“Hm, Then I expect no less than you. Now run along, I hear they need help feeding the animals.” She giggled happily before bounding off again with the maids running off after her.
Neji sat in a cold sweat. There was no doubt that that child belonged to Karin, and the girl's eyes looked like Suigetsu's. His stomach rolled and Sakura flashed him a weird look at his unusually pale nature. “I forgot to mention, Suigetsu got really attached to a little girl at the orphanage and insisted we adopt her. She seems to mellow him out quite well so I suppose that's good.” When Sasuke went to look at Neji he noticed the man stood stiffly with an apologetic look.
“I apologize Sasuke, but I have a few other errands to run before I head home.” Sasuke stood with him.
“I'll walk you out then.” Neji nodded as they headed to the front door. As the brunette stood outside he turned leaning forward.
“Sasuke, let's have tea at my house tomorrow.” Sasuke gave him a funny look but nodded. “Oh..” He glanced around for servants and when he found none he said, “Don't bring Suigestu when you come.”
The raven furrowed his eyebrows with a funny smile. “Who is Suigetsu?” He chuckled before his smile turned to a smirk and he stood with his arms crossed and his hip out. “You're not going to propose to me are you? ” Neji rolled his eyes.
“Are you sure it isnt you who are full of themselves Sasuke?” He received a 'hn' as response before he returned home for the night.
When he awoke the next morning he wondered whether he should tell Uzumaki.. He got ready for his day and when he heard knocking he opened the door to a nervous Uzumaki. His kept pacing from foot to foot. “You don't mind if I bring some things over do you, old friend?” Neji rolled his eyes and waved his hand.
“I'm already aware that I am your cover. Do as you please, but do not make a mess of my house.” Uzumaki smiled brightly with a wave of his hand before servants from his house came running in and setting up. They brought in tomato based foods, teas, and a wide variety of assortments. Then only the two men remained. Neji sat on his sofa sipping tea while Uzumaki paced back and forth antsy.
“He's not coming. This was a mistake.” The male ran a hand through his hair messily.
“Honestly, just calm down. It's amusing how confident you are in everything until Sasuke is involved.” Then the sound of an engine cutting through the heavy rain from the outside of his house. He got up shooting a look at his companion.
Neji walked out of his door looking at Sasuke in a fine pressed suit with one hand in his pocket and the other holding and umbrella. A smirk still evident on his face. “Nice house you have.” Neji shook his head with a chuckle.
“As cocky as ever.” The raven chuckled as they walked into Neji's house. Then Neji froze looking around his empty living room. “Well this is strange.” Sasuke raised an eyebrow.
“What's strange? The fact that you have some of my favorite foods randomly placed in your house?” Neji chuckled awkwardly before there was knocking at the front door. The brunette returned to it and opened the door revealing the blonde drenched to the bone with water droplets clinging to his hair. Both his hands shoved in his pockets and his cheeks puffed up in a pout. After standing there for several minutes he walked passed Neji and headed into the living room.
Silence was all Neji could hear as long as he ignored the heavy beating in his own chest. He warily walked into the living room to see Uzumaki facing Sasuke, and the others face was in absolute shock.
“Naruto.” The blonde nodded several times with a pained grin in the raven's direction. “It's been-”
“eight years.” Sasuke still stunned couldn't seem to stand on his legs any longer and dropped into the couch. Even though Neji was in the room with them they only saw each other. Simply staring at one enough before Uzumaki sat on the with him.
Neji turned on his heels gathering up his jacket, hat, and umbrella. “I'll be back.” That seemed to break a spell. Both pairs of eyes flashed at him in curiosity.
“Where are you going?” Uzumaki asked.
“Out.” Neji replied with a smirk before leaving.
An hour and a half later, when the sun was setting and the sky was breath taking orange and purples, Neji returned. He made every effort of making obnoxious noise in the kitchen before heading into the living room. Sasuke sat with one arm draped over the back of the couch and a smile with lightly tinted cheeks as he glanced away from Uzumaki. Neji was shocked to see so much emotion that had nothing to do with arrogance on the raven's face. Meanwhile, the blonde was leaning forward with the brightest grin Neji had ever seen. He looked at the other male as if he were the stars in the sky. The brunette almost felt guilty for interrupting.
“It stopped raining.” He spoke watching amused as Uzumaki literally jumped in his seat and looked over his shoulder at Neji.
“Has it?” Then suddenly his face light up even brighter than it had before as he turned back to Sasuke. “That's just exciting, eh?” Sasuke rolled his eyes with a smirk.
“If you say so.” Suddenly Uzumaki jumped up turning to Neji. “I want you and Sasuke to come over to my house!” Neji gave him a flat look.
“You're sure you want to bring me along?” Another third wheel act, not that he could really do anything about.
Then Neji found himself following after the pair before him walking over to his neighbor's. “You're telling me that that giant house over there is yours? I'm surprised dead-last.” Neji thought that he should've brought sunglasses with how the blue eyes shined at the insult.
“Ah well, you know, I've been busy since we last met, jerk.” Uzumaki remarked with a lightness about him while Sasuke tried to hide a warm smile.
Once inside they wondered through the elaborate hallways and rooms, the blonde watching Sasuke's every facial expression. Though, obviously he was seeing more than what Neji saw, not that he was honestly surprised. When they passed by the library, Neji had the suspicion that Uzumaki created that just for the raven the way Sasuke stared in awe. They went upstairs and ended up in Uzumaki's personal apartment. It had a bedroom, bath, and a study where the three of them reclined comfortably. All three sat with their personalized teas while Neji was left out of the longing gazes.
“You know, its actually pretty funny.” Uzumaki flashed a smirk at Sasuke. “I don't even pick out most of my shirts. I've got a man out of country picking them out. Argues all the time that orange is not a a sane color to wear. Yet,” The man grinned bounding up the stairs to a closet flinging the doors open and throwing out shirts made of thick and thin silk, fine flannels, and numerous other shirts in various shades of oranges.
Neji actually jumped and stared at Sasuke in shock when he realized that the man was standing and catching the shirts out of the air.
Sasuke was genuinely laughing.
“You're such an idiot, I can't believe you still like this ridiculous color.” Uzumaki and Sasuke were both laughing and acting like fools throwing clothes back and forth. “I've never seen shirts like these though, I'm impressed.”
They proceeded to wonder around the property and pale eyes watched as the two men in front of him walked close enough to bump shoulders or brush the back of their hands together. The three of the passed by the dock and Uzumaki stopped pointing across the bay at the blue light. “That's your house by the way Sasuke.” Sasuke snorted shaking his head with a smile as he bumped shoulders with Uzumaki. It started to rain and they all rushed inside with snickers and chuckles.
When they returned to the main central to the area the blonde nodded at something in particular. Neji had glanced at a clock noticing how dark it had gotten and went to tell the two of them that he was heading home. However, when the soothing melody of a piano sang about, the brunette was all but forgotten. Uzumaki walked over to Sasuke and held out his hand and the two of them swirled about the great room. The blonde held Sasuke tightly around the waist while the other held his hand tightly with their fingers laced. His head was leaned down to the raven's ear whispering something to make the other smile and laugh. Just as Neji was about to give up on getting their attention, Sasuke glanced up and waved at him with a smile. With a nod the brunette turned and skipped down the marble stairs and returned to his bed, leaving the pair to dance in harmony. He was glad to not have ruined their night.