just a short AU, neji/tenten drabble filled with incredible amounts of fluff.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am not making any material profit from this. I swear.
Neji frowns and sets down his lacrosse stick. "So," he says, looking just to left of Tenten's ear, picking up his bag, "Kakashi's going to bump you down to J.V.?"
Tenten nods, "If I don't improve by the end of the season, he says I can be Captain—on the J.V. squad, of course. He says he's already talked to Gai-sensei." Her voice is tight and it cracks twice.
"Ah," Neji says as if he understands; Captainship has always been a touchy subject between them—especially after his own ascent to it. He knows she'd like very much like to be in charge—to (finally) be looked up to and appreciated. But he also knows that leaving the Varsity squad will kill her.
"Tenten," he says, but she cuts him off.
"Don't, Neji. Just not right now, ok? Tomorrow we—I—", she corrects herself, eyes glinting with tears that will soon fall, "can talk about how disappointed you are in me. And how I should have worked harder, ran faster, and just been all around better—but not today." One hand swiping at a tear, she picks up her bag and turns to leave.
Neji catches her arm, "We have until the end of the season?" He asks, somewhat hoarsely. She doesn't answer and her face is turned away from his. "Then we will work—on your stamina, on your speed, on whatever it takes." He turns her face to his, "Together," he says, tentatively.
She raises her eyes (which are still full of tears) to his, and while she can't quite bring herself to smile, she can already feel her throat loosening and the turmoil in her stomach calming down. "Together," she agrees.
Across the field, Sakura whacks her coach with the novel she has just snatched from his hands, "Kakashi-sensei!" she cries. "Tenten's the best shooter we have!"
Kakashi does not look perturbed—in fact, he looks bored. "I know."
"Then why are you kicking her off the team!?"
"I'm not," he says calmly, while reaching for his book.
"WHAT?!"
He doesn't look up as he flips to his previous page. "You heard Neji. They're going to work on her weaknesses." He pauses. "Together."
"Wha—? Oh," her eyes grow wide and she smiles devilishly, "together." She begins to walk off the field, half smirking to herself—until she remembers the J.V. Coach, Gai. "Kakashi-sensei, what about Gai-sensei?"
"Oh, him? It was his idea."