Originally this was suppose to be for my Bleeding Hearts: A Drabble Series, but it didn't seem to really fit with the relative themes I have in there so I decided to make it its own little one-shot.
I don't own Naruto.
Enjoy.
.:Distractions:.
Neji was…..grumpy.
It was hard to tell considering that man generally didn't let many things slip through his incredibly strong façade of being eternally calm and collected. However, Tenten could see it in his eyes, the dark glint skirting around his milky iris, the slight slant of his eyebrow, the tight set of his jaw, the tense muscles coiling in his shoulders...
He was clearly upset. She just didn't know why.
It was a rather strange occurrence to her, having known Neji all these years and never having seeing such an apparent portrayal of distaste pasted plainly across his features. She had seen him look angry and annoyed before. Nothing could compare to the hateful emotions he used to wear back when they were in their early teens.
Today he generally took to having his face wiped clean of unnecessary things. Not that he would have reason to revert back to being the same as he was all those years ago.
So there she sat at the edge of the training ground watching discreetly. Her eyes flickering back and forth between her weapons inventory scattered around her and the boy of her inquiry standing fifteen feet left of her going stiffly through the practice motions of his gentle fist strikes.
Her eyes widened a fraction when he suddenly whirled around slamming a chakra coated hand into the tree beside him easily splintering through the bark.
He pulled back into a relaxed pose with his eyes shut. His breathing was coming in and out a little too quickly to be from his training. His thumbs pressed against his closed eyes as he leaned back against the mutilated tree.
"Neji…" Tenten stood and danced around the deadly maze of her weapons littering the ground as she made her way to him. She tentatively reached up and pulled his hands from his face. It was a daring move considering Neji generally did not like or even allow people to touch him so carelessly.
"Is everything alright?" She held his wrists loosely in her hands allowing him the opportunity to pull easily from her grasp. His eyes opened slightly, magnifying the intensity of his gaze as he looked at her. She almost took a step back.
"Everything is fine," his tone was sharp as he pulled from her grasp and walked past her. She caught him around the crook of his elbow.
"Everything is clearly not fine, Neji. What's going on with you?" He whirled on her pushing her back up against the tree he was just leaning on moments ago.
She felt her cheeks grow flush with color when she felt his chest press against her in the quickness of the motion before pulling back to a safe distance while still keeping her locked in place.
"Everything is fine," he repeated even harsher than the last time.
She wanted to slap him.
"You're lying," his gaze narrowed. "I can see it in your eyes. How can I trust you to watch my back if you can't even trust me enough to tell me what's going on?"
She was walking a thin line here and she knew it.
Neji's lips opened in a nasty sneer and he pushed of the tree releasing her. He turned and walked a few paces away. Silence reigned over the ground interrupted only occasionally by the rustling tree and the twittering birds and forest creatures.
"Neji," she took a step forward her eyes wide and slightly apologetic.
"You," he said suddenly halting her approach. He turned to face her.
"You aggravate me," his eyes were tightly shut not looking at her, his mouth drawn in a frustrated frown. Tenten took a step back.
"W-what?" Her hands clutched the front of her white top, it hurt. Her chest felt like it was burning. "I don't…. I don't understand."
She backed up into the tree feeling the sturdy bark hold her steady beneath her trembling grip.
Neji opened his eyes, they were cold and harsh.
"You aggravate me to no end," he took a step with each word now stand not a breath pace away from her. "You are reckless and loud. You are always getting yourself into trouble and I cannot always be there to make sure you are safe."
Tenten's eyes widened tears stinging at the corners.
"I cannot stand how you always seem to be run through my mind. You are a distraction," his chest was pressed against hers again and she could help but stared at his pale lips.
"And you are always talking to him," Tenten's eyes shot to his staring down at her with a much softer expression then they had held moments ago.
"Him?" Her voice came out in a whisper.
"Inuzuka," he spoke in almost a growl.
"Neji," Tenten's voice lilted with laughter, "we went on one mission together. We're just friends…..Are you jealous?" She teased in an almost serious manner.
Neji leaned forward his forehead leaning against the tree just beside her head and his hands slipped from above her shoulders to down next to her waist.
"Of Inuzuka?" His breath was hot on her ear. "Never."
"I see," Tenten was finding it hard to catch a full breath; it felt as though fire were coursing through her veins. "And what if I was to say that we weren't just friends, me and Inuzuka?" she mocked.
His hands moved from the tree and actually held her waist pushing her further back. Her breath caught in her throat as his thumbs pressed under the fabric of her shirt and against her bare skin.
"I'd have to do something about it," his nosed pressed into her hair just above her ear and his grip on her waist tightened a fraction.
Tenten's head bent back trying to catch some air to release some of the pressure building in her chest. Her cheeks were red from the heat passing between the two of them.
"What would you have to do?" Her voice came out panting breaths of air.
His forehead pressed against hers and one of the hands around her waist slid around to her back. She could his breath wash over her lips and his nose brush against hers.
"Something drastic," he whispered.
Tenten's arms slid up along his chest to his shoulders. She postured up on her toes one hand tugged harshly against his hair crashing his lips against hers. He wrapped his arms fully around her almost pulling her of the ground completely. Her leg tangled around his pushing her body further into his. Their lips met in a heated fury trying to get more and more from each other.
They pulled apart. Tenten fell back against the tree her breath coming up short. Her hand grazed over her heart trying to calm down the furious pounding in her chest. Neji had taken a step back from her his hand once again resting beside her head as he took in heavy breaths of air trying to recompose himself. Both felt the coolness of the air washed over them like ice water at the loss of the warmth they had just shared.
"Neji," Tenten began after a long pause of silence.
"Distraction," he said suddenly.
"What?" she looked up at him suddenly confused surprised to find a faint blush painted across his pale cheeks.
"You are a distraction," he sounded painfully irritated.
Tenten stared blankly at him for a minute and burst out laughing.
"I suppose you're a distraction too," he looked at her his brow cocked at her response.
She pushed of the tree falling into his chest looping her arms around his shoulders again. She pulled herself up against him so she could look clearly into his eyes.
"But I kind of like it," she smiled mischievously as she pressed a fleeting kiss against his lips.
"Ah! Tenten, Neji, my youthful teammates, what has postponed your arrival? It is most unlike you to be late." Lee bounced on the heels of his feet at the entrance to the village as he smiled widely at both of them.
Tenten looked briefly at Neji who merely stared on ahead with disinterest.
"We got….distracted."
Neji smirked.
So I can honestly say I think Neji got a little OOC there, but I kind of like it and besides I'm already fucking with canon so whatever. I just hope you enjoyed it.
Let me know what you think. (Anonymous and user reviews are both accepted)
And as a little bit of shameless advertising check out my other NejiTen stories...though I warn you they are quite sad...
Until next time!