Standard disclaimer applies. I own nothing.
Otherworld Circumstances will be a collection of AU oneshots from this fruitcake. Pretty much my dump site for short stories that make little to no sense. But on a side note, is anyone still interested in reading my other story, Third Eye Trouble?
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Actress
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"Oh, Jessica… I just… I'm just glad to see you all…"
Pale lavender eyes, usually cold and calculating, softened as he watched the brunette breathe life to Luna Noa, a two-dimensional, pixelated RPG character of a new game called Lunar. As always, the man with such unique eyes was far too focused, too captivated, on the girl that he vaguely heard the other people with him in the room.
Only when the director spoke did he finally snap out of his musings, and he instantly schooled his features as he was not too keen in letting anyone know that he was not paying attention to anything except for the brunette voice actress.
"Okay, Tenten! Good work!" The director spoke through the microphone proudly.
Sarutobi Tenten, the voice actress, grinned at the praise as she removed her giant headphones carefully. Then, soft amber eyes spotted him, and her smile grew even bigger.
She was out of the record room in a flash.
"Neji!" She exclaimed excitedly before she tackled him in a hug. Neji's arms routinely snaked themselves around her waist. "I thought you couldn't make it today!"
Hyuuga Neji grunted before he spoke. "Meeting's cancelled. Uncle had more pressing matters to attend to."
Tenten looked up and then graced Neji a grin so huge he could count her pearly white teeth.
"Awesome!" She said. "That means we're having dinner together, yeah?"
"Of course."
The brown-haired girl cheered loudly, fists pumping up in the air, and Neji fought the urge to chuckle.
"So, where are we off to? Coz right now, I am so craving for ice cream and—"
"Ahem," someone intervened before Tenten could even finish her sentence." "No cold food or beverages for now, Tenten. We still have a lot of work to do tomorrow, remember?"
Tenten flushed in embarrassment and removed herself from Neji's arms to bow before her director.
"Sorry, Tsunade-san," she apologized sincerely, "I kinda forgot."
The blonde, older lady laughed good-naturedly.
"I had a feeling that you did," Tsunade said. "But I'm sure your boyfriend would have reminded you anyway."
She laughed again when the voice actress blushed brightly. Neji, meanwhile, just looked away, glaring at the wall, and scoffed.
"Ah, well… Tsunade-san. Neji isn't my—"
"Tenten, let's go."
Without further ado, Neji grabbed Tenten's hand and marched his way to the exit, dragging along the young girl. As such, he failed to notice the deep blush that colored Tenten's cheeks or the naughty smirk Tsunade sent to Tenten, which of course only served to fluster the girl more.
Only when they were finally away from Tsunade and from Tenten's co-workers (who loved to tease them so) did Neji turn to look at his female companion.
By then, Tenten had finally controlled her blush, and she gave Neji a reassuring smile when the Hyuuga apologized for being rude and half-dragging her out of the building.
"It's okay. I mean, I should be the one saying sorry right now!" said Tenten. "They already know you're uncomfortable being teased like that, but…" she trailed off and shrugged. "Well, you know how they are."
Neji just closed his eyes.
"It doesn't really matter," he said, then immediately changed the topic. "Where do you want to eat? I'm sure you're hungry."
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0
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"Ah, young love," somebody suddenly spoke, making him jump. He then realized his mistake as he relaxed immediately and forced himself to look unaffected. He heard a chuckle. "You're not fooling me, kid."
Grunting, Neji silently prayed for patience before turning to address the speaker. He raised a brow nonchalantly. "Pardon me?"
"Like I said, you can't fool me," was Tsunade's haughty remark. "You like Tenten. Admit it."
"Of course I do. She's my best friend."
A snort.
"Fine, let me rephrase it, smart mouth." Tsunade casually waved her hand, showing off her bright red nails. "You are in love with Tenten."
The Hyuuga did not even look fazed. Instead, he simply looked away and back to where Tenten was voice acting for Luna.
"We've had this conversation before, have we not?" He asked coolly.
"Yep! And we'll keep having this conversation until you come clean," was Tsunade's reply. "You are in love with her."
A grunt was his reply and he heard Tsunade sigh exasperatedly.
"She's a rising star in this field, we both know that," he heard the director say as a matter of factly. "And if you don't make a move on her right now, someone else will."
This time, he did not grace her with any reply. Tsunade sighed once more.
"At least take her out to dinner or something."
...
0
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"You look tired. Did you get enough sleep last night?"
Neji paused and looked at her. Tenten pinked slightly at his gaze but did not look away. Instead, she pointed at his untouched dinner and raised a brow. Neji let out a rather long breath, knowing he could never hide from or lie to Tenten.
"I just have a lot of things in mind. Don't worry about me."
Tenten stubbornly shook her head.
"Someone has to worry for you, Neji! Because you always act so…" her brows scrunched as she looked for an appropriate adjective, "macho about everything!"
"…Macho?"
"Yeah, like a guy and stuff?" Tenten shrugged, but her eyes softened. "But please. Tell me if something's bothering you, okay? I'm here. I'm always here for you. You know that, right?"
He did not know what possessed him to do so, but he reached for her hand and squeezed. She blushed at the sudden contact he instigated but she did not shy away from his touch. She squeezed his hand in return and gave him a shy smile.
"I know, Tenten. And thank you."
...
0
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She came as soon as she heard the news.
Tenten was just done with her show when she received a phone call from Hyuuga Hinata, Neji's younger cousin. It was her who tearfully told Tenten that Neji's father, Hyuuga Hizashi, had finally succumbed to cancer after battling against it for four years.
"N-Nii-san's at the h-hospital," Hinata whispered through her sniffling. "H-He wouldn't talk t-to anyone. Tenten-neesan, please he-help…"
Tenten was immediately at the hospital in record-breaking time. She quickly looked for her best friend and found him standing just outside Hizashi's room.
Wordlessly, she reached him and wound her arms around him. At first, he stiffened at the contact, as if ready to bolt out. But after a while, he returned the hug and held her tight. He buried his nose at the crook of her neck, and moments later, Tenten felt her shirt dampen.
Again, she said nothing but let her best friend cry out silently his sorrow.
...
0
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"It sounds like you guys are almost done," Neji started. They were done with their dinner and Neji was just about to drive Tenten home.
Tenten nodded ecstatically.
"Uh-huh! Just a few more lines left," she replied eagerly. "Well, actually, we're all done with our lines, but Tsunade-san insisted we redo some of the dialogues."
"Hn."
"Yeah, I'm pretty excited about it too! I heard the game will be released this December. I think I'll buy one. What do you think?"
Neji took a left turn with ease.
"I think Hanabi will ask you for it."
"Oh," she giggled. "Well, I'm definitely giving it to her. Then you can hear my awesome voice all the time!"
She laughed while he smirked.
"Aren't you a humble one?"
"Oh quit being sarcastic, Neji. You know I hate that."
"Heh." A pause and then, "So what's your next project?"
Tenten hummed in her seat and pretended to think. Neji stepped on the brakes at a red light and gave her a pointed stare when she took her time in replying. Tenten stuck her tongue out.
"Remember that song I wrote?" Tenten asked and continued when Neji nodded. "I showed it to Tsunade-san. It landed me a new role in an upcoming anime."
"An anime this time?"
"Yeah. Galaxy Angels."
"Sounds like a shoujo. Hanabi will definitely love it."
"It is, and I'm sure she will. Actually, I've read my supposed character's biography." She puffed her cheeks. "I think I can handle being her voice, but I'm a little wary about something."
Neji stopped the car, now that they finally arrived at Tenten's cozy home. The gate was shut, but Neji could hear Tenten's younger brother curse at something before being shushed by their grandfather.
The Hyuuga smirked. It seemed that Sarutobi Konohamaru was losing another game online. He then turned to his companion just as he heard another scream of frustration from Konohamaru.
"What about?"
Tenten flushed deeply and fidgeted in her seat, before she unbuckled her seatbelt and left the car in haste. Neji was quick to follow her out.
"Well, you see…" Tenten drawled uneasily. "My character, Tamura Yukari, is actually confessing to a guy she likes as her first scene." She kicked a pebble and refused eye contact. "I-I guess I feel a bit awkward about it because I don't know how that feels like. Confessing, I mean."
Neji nodded in understanding but not really knowing what to tell her. However, seeing as Tenten remained in her place, Neji waited. He knew that his best friend had more to say, even when she was refusing to look at him.
"I-I was…" she cleared her throat, "I was wondering if maybe you could give me tips?"
"I don't think—"
"Please, Neji? You're the only one I can trust with this kind of stuff!"
He halted but knew that he was fighting a losing battle. He crossed his arms and huffed.
"Fine," and then, "What's your character like, anyway?"
"Fierce. Really friendly and loyal. She's quite the feminist too," and softly she continued, "the guy she's confessing to is her best friend."
"I see," Neji closed his eyes in deep thought. "If that's the case, she should just outright tell him how she feels. She seems like the type to do it, don't you think?"
His companion fidgeted slightly.
"I guess so," Tenten mumbled. "So, just blurt it out?"
"Yes."
"Without second thoughts?"
"Of course."
"And be spontaneous about it?"
"Absolutely."
"Just like that?"
A sharp inhale.
"Tenten."
She raised her hands in surrender and took one deep breath.
"Okay." Another deep breath. "I think I'm in love with you, Neji."
Neji nodded satisfactorily.
"Good. Just like that." Then he smirked and joked. "Although it shouldn't be my name in there, don't you think?"
He chuckled. But Tenten remained quiet. In fact, she was now restless in her place, a bright blush on her cheeks, and then Neji's brain finally short-circuited after a few moments of loading because he realized that she was oh God serious.
The smirk on his lips vanished.
"Ten—"
"I-I have to go. Sorry about that."
He grabbed her wrist before she could move, and without wasting time, he pinned her against the wall. When she stubbornly refused to meet his eyes, despite his pleas for her to do so, he tilted her chin with a gentleness that was reserved for her only and kissed her fully on the lips.
They broke apart for air soon, but Neji planted another quick kiss on her lips because Tenten was just so adorable right now, with her cheeks pinks and her lips slightly bruised and open.
"I'm not very good with words. But I hope that was enough for you?"
He chuckled when Tenten dazedly nodded, her eyes now looking at him nervously.
"And I take it that there's no new role? No Galaxy Angels, even?"
"No," Tenten replied sheepishly. "I didn't know how I should tell you about my feelings, so I asked Tsunade-san and she told me to… do that."
"Well, I liked it." He kissed her. "I liked it a lot."
They leaned in once more for another kiss, but a cough ruined the moment. The newly-paired couple broke apart swiftly when they realized that the source of the sound was Tenten's grandfather, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Said old man only smiled knowingly when Tenten stammered an explanation. Poor Neji just fainted on the spot.
...
0
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Senju Tsunade smirked when, instead of a casual hug, Tenten kissed Neji fully on the lips the moment she was done delivering her lines for her character. The other staff members cooed at the blatant display of affection while Tsunade crossed her arms knowingly.
"It's pretty stupid of me to ask, but you two are together now, aren't you?" At both their nods, Tsunade closed her eyes satisfactorily. "Good. Neji will definitely be able to help you with your new role."
Tenten's eyes sparkled. "You got me a new role, Tsuande-san?"
The blonde director patted Tenten's head affectionately. "Yup! I managed to convince my friend Jiraiya to give you a spot for his new game."
Tenten squealed her thanks and hugged Tsunade tightly. Neji smiled proudly at his girlfriend before he wondered out loud how he would be able to help Tenten when he wasn't even a voice actor nor was he an expert about voice acting.
"Oh that," Tsunade said casually. "Tenten's required to moan a lot in the game. It's a hentai, after all."
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0
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FACT: The first line of the story is actually a quote of Luna Noa from the game Lunar: Silver Star Harmony. Danielle Judovits, the voice actress of Tenten in English, happened to also be the voice behind the character. Yukari Tamura, on the other hand, is Tenten's voice actress in Japanese. She voiced a lot of characters, including Ranpha Franboise of Galaxy Angels.
COINCIDENTALLY: Both Luna Noa and Rena Lanford (another character voiced by Danielle Judovits from the game Star Ocean) are blue-haired healers of the party. They are also the love interests of the main protagonists. Tenten and Ranpha, meanwhile, both have Chinese-oriented clothes. And although Ranpha's hair is loose, she adorns her head with a pair of clips that look like buns (which also serve as her weapons).
LASTLY: Hentai game. Heh. No idea where THAT came from. ;)
