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Chapter Text

The ANBU headquarters always smelled faintly of ink, steel, and earth. A place where secrets were stored and blood was washed clean before morning came. 

Arai Kazuki, veteran ninja and ANBU Captain, leaned against the cool stone wall outside the mission room, mask dangling loosely from his hand. His muscles ached with the dull hum that followed a week-long mission, but his mind was already preparing for the next one. That was when he noticed him. 

The newcomer’s chakra was controlled, measured, but it was his presence that caught Kazuki’s attention. Long, dark hair fell like a curtain over pale robes, each movement precise, calculated. His eyes as pale as the moon and just as cold, scanned the mission board without so much as a flicker of emotion. 

“Who is that?” Kazuki murmured to the ninja standing beside him. 

The operative blinked, surprised. “You don’t know who that is? That’s Hyuuga Neji. Genius of the Hyuuga branch family. Freshly recruited into ANBU from the Hokage's recommendation. How could you not know?” 

Kazuki hummed thoughtfully, gaze lingering longer than was strictly polite. “He’s… very pretty.” 

His colleague smirked under the mask. “Careful, Captain. That one’s got teeth. And he bites when cornered.” 

Kazuki’s lips curved into a small, amused smile. I’d like to see that for myself. 

He found out soon enough that Neji wasn’t just another recruit. He was assigned to Kazuki’s unit, directly under his command. Their first introduction was formal, as it had to be. 

“Hyuuga-san,” Kazuki greeted, bowing his head slightly. 

“Arai-san,” Neji replied, bowing in turn. His tone was polite but cool, a perfect wall of professionalism. 

Days fell into months: mission briefings, debriefings, reports, assignments. Neji was flawless, too flawless, Kazuki thought. Every move was sharp, every word carefully chosen. There was no room for warmth, no crack in the armor he wore so naturally. 

Until the night the armor broke. 

Their two person undercover mission had been a disaster. An ambush. A bloody fight under a sky that refused to give them light. They had barely survived, both of them limping and bleeding by the time they found an inn deep in the countryside.

Kazuki sat opposite Neji in their shared room, the single candle on the table flickering weakly. His own shoulder was bandaged, still seeping blood. Neji’s hair was damp from a quick rinse in the river, framing a face that looked far too young when stripped of his usual composure.

The silence was heavy, oppressive. Then Neji spoke, his voice soft but shaking in a way Kazuki had never heard before. “Do you know what my clan said when I presented as an omega?” he asked suddenly, staring at the candle flame. “They said it was fitting. That an omega should serve quietly, not be seen and that their only duty was to bear strong children to secure the clan’s strength.”

Kazuki said nothing, letting the words hang. “I trained harder than anyone. I became a jonin younger than most,” Neji continued, the bitterness in his tone barely restrained. “And still, they look at me and see someone meant to be docile, to be ashamed of."

Kazuki’s jaw tightened. “You’re not docile.”

Neji’s lips twisted into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “No. I’m not. And they hate that.”

The silence stretched, then Neji let out a breath he’d been holding. “I thought if I became strong enough, if I became useful enough, they would see me as more than my designation. But some nights… I wonder if they ever will.”

Kazuki leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, meeting Neji’s pale gaze. “Then stop waiting for them to see you,” he said quietly. “You’re already more than they can understand. You don’t need their permission to live.”

Something flickered in Neji’s expression, pain maybe, or relief, before he looked away.

“What do you want for your future, Arai-san?” he asked after a moment, changing the subject.

Kazuki thought about it, then spoke slowly. “Peace. A family. A reason to come home alive from every mission. Someone to fight for.”

Neji blinked, startled. Then he nodded, as if committing the words to memory. “That sounds… nice.”

For a long time, they just sat there, the night outside soft and dark, the candle burning lower and lower.

After that night, something between them shifted. A week later, during a mission briefing, Kazuki caught Neji watching him with an expression that wasn’t quite his usual mask, softer, curious. When Kazuki caught his gaze, Neji didn’t look away immediately.

Their sparring sessions also changed. Where once they exchanged only clipped words, now there was the faintest edge of teasing in Kazuki’s tone.

“You’re holding back, Hyūga-san,” he said one morning as they circled each other on the training field. Neji’s pale eyes flashed, a ghost of a smirk touching his lips.

“Perhaps you’re just too slow, Arai-san.” It was small, barely anything at all, but Kazuki felt it. The thread between them had grown taut, humming with something alive.

And on a quiet evening not long after, when the stars were out and the night was calm, Kazuki finally asked, voice steady: “Hyuuga Neji… may I court you?”

Neji froze, surprise flickering across his features before melting into something far more vulnerable. “…Yes,” he said softly. And this time, he smiled like he meant it.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

When Neji walked out of the Hyuuga compound for the last time, the night air felt sharper, cleaner. His single travel bag was light in his hand, but his heart was heavy with everything he was leaving behind, years of trying, of bending himself into someone the clan could respect, of silently hoping for approval that never came.

And yet, outside the gates, his alpha was waiting.

“You’re late,” Kazuki said, but his voice was warm, steady.

Neji stopped in front of him, letting out a slow breath. “I had to pack.”

Kazuki’s eyes flicked to the bag, one brow lifting. “That’s all?”

“That’s all I wanted to take.”

For a moment, Kazuki just looked at him, as though weighing something. Then he took the bag gently from Neji’s hand and said, “Come home with me.”

Neji blinked. “Home?”

“Yes.” Kazuki’s voice was quiet but certain. “I have a house. It's too big for just me. You could rent a room somewhere if you wanted, I guess but… I would rather you didn’t. I want you with me. And since I intend to marry you eventually, I don’t see why we should wait to start building a life together.”

Neji’s throat tightened. “…You’re sure?”

Kazuki smiled, soft and patient. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

The house was simple but warm. Wooden floors polished by years of care, the faint smell of cedar in the walls, windows that let in the pale silver of the moon. Kazuki set the travel bag down near the door, then turned back to Neji.

“You don’t have to decide tonight,” he said gently. “If you need more time—”

Neji stepped forward and reached for his hand, fingers threading between Kazuki’s. “I want to stay.”

Something in Kazuki’s face softened, and he squeezed Neji’s hand. “Good,” he murmured. “Then welcome home.”

Life with Kazuki settled into a rhythm that Neji hadn’t known he wanted.

Mornings began with quiet sunlight and the soft sound of Neji moving through the kitchen. He always woke first, making breakfast, rice steaming, tea brewed just the way Kazuki liked it. Then he would pad back into the bedroom, sit on the edge of the bed, and gently shake Kazuki awake.

“Breakfast is ready,” Neji would say, voice soft but firm.

Kazuki would groan and bury his face into the pillow. “Five more minutes.”

“No,” Neji would reply, pulling at the blanket with a faint smile. “If you sleep any longer, you’ll be late for patrol.”

Eventually, Kazuki would drag himself out of bed, grumbling good-naturedly, and follow Neji to the table.

“You’re going to spoil me,” Kazuki said one morning, resting his chin on his hand as he watched Neji set down steaming bowls.

“Perhaps I intend to,” Neji replied calmly, though his ears were pink.

Kazuki chuckled, catching his hand across the table and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “Then I’m never leaving.”

Evenings were Kazuki’s favorite.

After Neji showered, Kazuki would sit behind him with a comb, carefully working through his long hair. His hands were surprisingly gentle for a man who had spent years wielding a sword.

“You don’t have to do this,” Neji murmured one night, eyes half closed as the comb glided through his hair.

“I like doing it,” Kazuki said softly, leaning closer until his breath brushed Neji’s ear. “It’s my favourite part of the day.”

Neji’s chest ached at the tenderness in his tone. He let himself lean back slightly, until his shoulder touched Kazuki’s knee. “It’s mine too,” he admitted.

Kazuki didn’t answer, but he bent to press a kiss to the crown of Neji’s head.

One evening, after dinner, Kazuki turned serious.

“I meant what I said before,” he began, meeting Neji’s gaze across the table.

Neji tilted his head. “About living together?”

“About marrying you.” Kazuki’s voice was steady, but there was a softness in his eyes that made Neji’s breath catch. “I don’t care what the clan thinks. When you’re ready, we’ll make it official.”

Neji was silent for a long moment, then stood and came to sit beside him. He reached out, resting his hand against Kazuki’s jaw.

“I am ready,” he said softly.

Kazuki’s hand found his waist, pulling him closer until Neji was sitting across his lap. The kiss that followed was unhurried, deep.The kind of kiss that made time stop.

When they parted, Kazuki rested his forehead against Neji’s.

“Then it’s just a matter of time,” he murmured.

Neji nodded, and for the first time, he truly believed it, believed in the future they were building together.

Later that night, they sat side by side on the porch under the stars. Neji leaned into Kazuki’s shoulder, his hair still damp, and Kazuki absently played with the ends of it, twirling them around his fingers.

“This is what I wanted,” Neji whispered. “Not power. Not their approval. Just this. A place where I can be myself. A place where I am… loved.”

Kazuki turned and pressed a kiss to his temple. “You are. And you always will be.”

And in that moment, Neji believed him completely.

Chapter Text

The first time Neji brought up children, they were sitting on the engawa, the night cool against their skin.

“I’ve always wanted children,” Neji said quietly, his long hair brushing against Kazuki’s arm. “Even before I knew what being an omega meant. I thought… if I had my own, maybe I could give them what I didn’t have.”

Kazuki had listened, his expression unreadable, but his thumb gently stroked the back of Neji’s hand.

“We’ll have them,” he promised softly.

But when Neji revealed that the Hyuuga elders had forced him to take suppressants for years, not just heat suppressants, but ones that prevented conception entirely. Kazuki’s jaw had tightened.

“They had no right,” he said, voice sharp enough to cut.

“It was… clan law,” Neji said, bitterly. “Omega are only permitted to have children when the clan approves of their mate. And they never approved of anyone for me.”

“Then to hell with their approval,” Kazuki said fiercely. “We’ll make our own future.”

They went to the hospital for a check up a few days later. A medic-nin specialising in male omega's fertility was assigned to them. 

The medic-nin’s smile faltered when she finished her scan. “Your fertility is compromised,” she said gently. “Years of suppressants like those… they leave damage. But,” she added, quickly, “it’s not hopeless. You still have a chance. It just might take time.”

Neji stared at the floor, jaw tight.

The medic-nin took off her glove and said gently. “You can try naturally. And if it doesn’t work… there are other ways.”

Neji only nodded.

They walked home in silence, Neji’s head low.

“Neji,” Kazuki said softly once they were inside. “We’re not giving up. And you shouldn’t either. The more you stress, the worse this will be for you.”

“I’m not stressed,” Neji lied.

Kazuki stepped forward and touched his cheek. “You are. I can smell it on you.” His voice gentled. “Let’s just try. No pressure. No deadlines.”

Neji swallowed hard and nodded.

When Neji got sick weeks later, he thought little of it. He went to see hospital alone after it didn't abate for more than a week, expecting a simple cold. 

“Congratulations,” the medic-nin said, smiling gently. “You’re pregnant.”

Neji stared at her. “…What?”

But when the news sank in, his chest flooded with something warm and bright.

That night, when Kazuki came home, Neji met him at the door.

“Alpha, I have something to tell you,” he said quietly.

Kazuki blinked, then smiled faintly. “You look like you’re about to deliver a mission report.”

Neji swallowed, then stepped closer. “…I’m pregnant.”

For a moment, Kazuki just stared. Then his arms came around Neji in a sudden, fierce embrace.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes,” Neji whispered, his own arms tightening around Kazuki.

Kazuki buried his face in Neji’s hair, and for the first time in a long time, Neji let himself hope.

But 2 weeks later, that hope shattered.

The miscarriage left Neji hollow, a sharp ache in his chest that no mission injury had ever matched. He stopped speaking for days, stopped eating until Kazuki sat beside him and coaxed him gently.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Kazuki murmured one night, holding him close. “Don’t shut me out. Please.”

“I can’t do this again,” Neji whispered, his voice breaking.

But medic-nin said, gently, “The fact you could conceive at all is a good sign. Give yourself time to heal.”

Hope renewed, they consinued trying.

Two years have passed.

Each month ended in disappointment, and each disappointment chipped away at Neji until one night he finally sat Kazuki down.

“I can’t,” he said quietly. “Not anymore. I feel like I’m tearing myself apart every time the test turns up negative… I can’t take it.”

Kazuki’s face softened. He took Neji’s hands in his. “Then we stop,” he said gently. “If adoption is what you want, we can do that. I just want you happy.”

For the first time in months, Neji felt like he could breathe.

But fate had other plans.

It happened during training. Neji felt his vision blacking out and suddenly his body gave way, the ground rushing up. When he woke up, he was in the medic tent. Kazuki was there, face pale with worry.

“Are you okay? Does anything hurt? You scared me,” Kazuki murmured, nearly frantic. 

The medic-nin came in. “You fainted because your blood pressure was too low. But the baby is fine, don't worry."

Neji’s heart skipped a beat. “…The baby?” His voice was barely above a whisper, a mix of disbelief and confusion.

Kazuki froze, his grip on Neji’s hand tightening. “…Wait… what?” His eyes widened, his calm composure cracking for the first time. “You… you’re… pregnant?”

Neji blinked, staring at him, equally stunned. “I… didn’t even know…”

Kazuki’s mouth opened, then closed, searching for words. “I… I mean… this is—” He took a shaky breath and turned to the medic-non, voice low but urgent. “You’re serious? The baby’s really… fine?”

The medic-nin nodded reassuringly. “Yes. The fainting was from low blood pressure, but the baby is healthy. No complications so far.”

Kazuki’s knees nearly buckled. He let out a short, breathless laugh, half relief, half disbelief, and gripped Neji’s hand tighter. "I can’t believe this. You… you’re pregnant…”

Neji’s chest tightened, old fears mingling with a fragile hope. “…What if something goes wrong again?”

Kazuki pressed his forehead to Neji’s, voice trembling despite his attempt to stay strong. “Nothing is going to go wrong. Not this time. I’ll be with you. You’re not alone, Neji. Ever.”

Neji’s lips parted, but no words came. He simply nodded, letting Kazuki’s steady presence anchor him.

The medic-nin spoke again, gently. “Rest is essential. Once you reach the twelve week mark, the risk decreases significantly. Until then, bed rest and minimal stress are crucial. I suggets you make an appointment with a medic-nin specialist as soon as you can."

Kazuki nodded at the medic-nin's words, hand tightened around Neji’s. “No missions. No training. No pushing yourself. Understood?”

Neji nodded, a small, tentative smile forming. “Understood.”

Kazuki exhaled shakily, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the top of Neji’s head.

Neji relaxed back against the pillows, hand still entwined with Kazuki’s. Fear lingered, but the weight felt lighter now. Shared, supported and for the first time in a long time, manageable. With Kazuki at his side, he could imagine a future where they finally had the family they had both dreamed of.

Their house slowly changed. A spare room became a nursery, pale wood crib, soft blankets, tiny folded clothes in neat stacks. Kazuki painted the walls himself, and Neji teased him about how seriously he took it.

“It has to be perfect,” Kazuki said stubbornly.

Neji smiled faintly. “You’re going to be a good father.”

Kazuki turned, paintbrush in hand, and kissed him gently. “So will you.”

At night, Kazuki would lie with his hand on Neji’s growing belly, feeling for the flutter of movement.

“Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?” Neji asked one night.

“I think it doesn’t matter,” Kazuki said softly. “As long as you’re both safe.”

But Neji smiled anyway, whispering name ideas against Kazuki’s shoulder until they both drifted to sleep.

And when the baby finally arrived, so tiny, so loud, so perfect, Neji wept again, holding the child close.

Kazuki kissed Neji’s temple, his voice low. “We did it,” he murmured. “We really did it.”

And Neji, for the first time, truly believed that the future he dreamed of had finally begun.

Chapter Text

The morning light was soft and golden when Neji woke.

Kazuki was already awake, propped up on one elbow, watching him.

“You stare too much,” Neji murmured, his voice still rough with sleep.

Kazuki smiled lazily and brushed a strand of hair from Neji’s face. “I’m allowed. You’re beautiful in the morning.”

Neji gave him a flat look, but his ears warmed. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s always true,” Kazuki replied, and leaned down to kiss him.

The kiss deepened. A slow, sweet quiet luxury before the day started. Neji shifted closer, pulling the alpha on top of him. For a moment, there was only the sound of their breathing and the rustle of the sheets.

And then, a sharp, high-pitched wail echoed through the house.

Both of them stilled.

Neji exhaled slowly and sat up. “Your daughter is awake.”

Kazuki groaned and flopped back dramatically. “My daughter?”

Neji shot him a look over his shoulder as he reached for his robe. “When she’s crying, she’s your daughter. When she’s behaving, she’s mine.”

Kazuki chuckled, sitting up and stretching before following him to the nursery.

Their daughter was standing unsteadily in her crib, clutching the rail with both tiny hands, tears shining on her cheeks.

“She’s standing,” Kazuki said proudly as he scooped her up. “You’re getting so big.”

Neji reached over and gently wiped her face. “And noisy.”

The baby cooed at him, delighted.

Breakfast was simple that morning, rice, miso soup, grilled fish. Neji moved around the kitchen with quiet efficiency, Kazuki holding the baby on one hip as he watched.

“You could sit,” Neji said without looking at him.

Kazuki grinned. “And miss this? Never. I like watching you cook.”

Neji shot him a look but said nothing, plating the food.

They sat down, placing their daughter in her high chair. Her chubby hands immediately reached for the rice.

“Chew slowly,” Neji said gently, guiding her hand.

Kazuki smirked. “She’s eleven months, love. She doesn’t know what ‘chew slowly’ means.”

“She will if we keep teaching her.”

“You’re strict,” Kazuki teased, resting his chin on his hand. “I give it a month before she starts rebelling.”

Neji’s lips twitched. “Then you can be the indulgent parent and balance it out.”

Kazuki laughs “Deal.”

After breakfast, Neji cleaned up while Kazuki took their daughter to the yard to play.

When Neji stepped outside a little later, he found Kazuki sitting on the porch, the baby giggling in his lap as he made faces at her.

“She’s going to be spoiled if you keep doing that,” Neji said, though his tone was soft.

Kazuki looked up and grinned. “Then she’ll grow up knowing she’s loved.”

Neji’s heart softened. He sat beside them, brushing a hand over his daughter’s soft hair.

“She’ll grow up strong,” he murmured.

Kazuki leaned over, pressing a kiss to Neji’s temple. “Just like her parents.”

Neji turned his head and kissed him back, a quiet, content kiss, while their daughter babbled happily between them.

And for the first time, Neji thought that this was exactly the kind of future he had always dreamed of.