Swimming with the Stars
Summary: In a retelling of the story behind the Japanese celebration, Tanabata (evening of the seventh), Tenten and Neji Hyuga are two stars who find themselves very much in love- and very much forbidden, by both Tentei, the sky god, and Hiashi, leader of the Hyuga Cluster. Nejiten definitely.
A/N: So, according to the lunar calendar, Tanabata is on August 13th, and I started this multi-chap story to celebrate. Kind of. Anyway, enjoy!
Silk thread clicked rhythmically in the machine as Tenten weaved, occasionally stopping to run her hands through the clouds and smell the fresh breeze coming off the river.
It must look really nice to the humans down there, she thought, looking over the bank and watching the river as it swirled by, carrying star-fishes and the occasional tiny planet.. The clouds below the river parted obligingly, and she could make out tiny fields with even smaller farmers, hard at work. For a moment loneliness overtook her and she sighed, the normally cheerful smile dropping from her face.
"Tenten!" a voice called from over the hill, and she quickly started weaving again.
"How are the kimonos coming along?" The man, wearing one of his daughter's own yukatas, settled down by the river.
"They're great," Tenten bubbled, plastering a fake smile on her face. Not that it would fool him.
"Tenten, what's wrong?" he asked, concerned. "Is it the cloth? Should I get better quality silk? Or do you not like this scenery? I can have a pond made, with real human-world koi, and gardens. I'll get star flowers planted, or-"
"No." Tenten cut him off abruptly. "Is that all you care about? Me making clothes for you and the stars? No, you don't get it," she snarled when he tried to speak. "You think all that matters is my weaving. I love weapons, sniping, but I have no time for it! And I'm lonely!" Tenten panted for a moment, shocked that she'd finally let out her feelings, before whirling away and heading back to the palace, leaving her completely dumbfounded father staring after her.
"Listen, Tenten." Tentei stood outside his daughters rooms, trying desperately to get her to understand. "I don't like it either, but you know all the stars have to have the best clothes to shine, you know how important it is for the whole galaxy, the universe. And you know how quickly they burn through them, especially the sun."
"Go away, dad."
"Tenten, I need you to do this, you're a princess, you were born to this. Can't we just talk face-to-face? This kingdom needs you, and-"
A shuriken abruptly tore through the rice-paper doors.
Well then. If playing on her sense of duty won't work, I'll have to result to bribery...
"I'll get you a friend," Tentei called. "And then you can weave while you talk to them."
"Will you really?" The doors finally slid open a crack, Tenten's surprisingly childish face peeked out, tears still running.
"Yes! I will look for one right now, and by tomorrow he will be waiting for you at your usual spot. Why don't you go to bed now?" Tentei smiled, relieved, and hurried to the nearest exit, debating between finding a star from the Uchiha or the Hyuga cluster.
Hiashi Hyuga knelt with the Sky Lord, in his very best rooms, feeling very much irritated and annoyed and any other synonyms.
"I've told you, Lord Tentei, I have no stars to spare. And I'm sorry there are no Uchiha available, but my people are all busy."
Tentei wrung his hands. "Come on, Hiashi, just one person. Even a suggestion would work."
Anything to get this guy out of here when I had to push back eight meetings. "There have been two living on our grounds for the past few years. Misters Gai and Lee-"
The doors burst open and two stars rushed in, wearing the most ridiculously green yukata Tentei had ever seen.
"You called, my youthful landlord?" the taller, older one boomed, sticking out a thumbs-up. "My student and I shall be happy to help! YOSH!"
Tentei considered them for only a moment before smiling and jumping up. Two was even better than one. "I like your energy. How would you both like to make a new friend? My daughter is in need of a friend, so-"
"Yes, yes, please discuss this outside," Hiashi muttered, pushing them out, motioning at his assistant to bring in the next person.
Gai and Lee happily packed piles of green yukata and moved onto the Sky Cluster's compound, chattering about youth all the way.
Tenten will love her friends, Tentei thought happily as the green pair sobbed over their youthfulness.
A/N: Instead of clans, all the characters are stars so they are in clusters :) Well, I haven't taken that much astronomy but I think there are star clusters out there...
*Cough*
Reviews would be lovely :)