Hey ya'll! Here's a new NejiTen inspired fanfiction story! I had such a great idea for this one and I couldn't wait to write it all down. This fic is going to have longer chapters than my other ones just cause I like it that way. Please read the pre-warning.
PRE-WARNING: Ok so this fic is very loosely based of Naruto Shippuden Filler Episodes 427 and 428 which is basically when Tenten gets trapped in the Infinite Tsukinome. However, I warn you that this story isn't going to fully follow those two episodes and there are some notes I'd like to share with you before you start reading this fic. One – all the logistics for how the Dream World is activated in this fic is completely irrelevant so don't bombard me with questions as to how Tenten got transported into the dream world cause it's not important. Two – the characters personalities may vary slightly to the anime's portrayal during the Infinite Tsukinome (Neji's not a perv in this story, sorry – he's much better). Three – Naruto will be kept as 'Menma' so when I use the name Menma, I'm actually talking about Naruto.
I'll reference other episodes too like the second Chunin Exam Arc and stuff but remember, this is a NejiTen fanfic and I'm not trying to keep it as close to the episodes as possible, filler or canon. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and please read to the end and my other stories will be updated soon! Remember to favourite, follow and review. I accept helpful criticism and compliments. Thanks to all my amazing fans out there! I couldn't do what I do without all of you!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!
-X-
"Get up."
Neji had a way with words. He had a way in which he could turn the simplest phrase into a cutting remark or an approbation into an insult. He wasn't the most charismatic person known to man but when he spoke, which wasn't often, people tended to listen. He had this great voice – very resonant, calm and matter of fact. The type of voice that could lilt you into a blissful sleep with a soft murmur or send you running in the opposite direction, fearing for your existence, with a whispered threat. Being raised in such a distinguishable clan taught Neji superb etiquette and excellent speaking patterns and he always spoke with an elegantly, formal tone. And because the white-eyed prodigy was so perfectly well-mannered, he didn't need to yell or raise his voice into order to get what he wanted – he would softly and simply demand what he desired and his requests were always met effortlessly. It was a very subtle gift, in Tenten's opinion – just another brilliance added on to Neji's long list of talents. Not many people were aware of the effect the boy had on them and the brunette often questioned him about whether he ever wondered how he was always able to get his own way so easily. However, the Hyuga prodigy simply scoffed and dismissed it as influence, but Tenten knew that influence would only get you so far in certain circumstances. Combined with his captivating looks, superior skills and dominating presence of power and authority, Neji was undeniably a most dangerous creature.
It was almost twilight as the light of day began to slip into the darkness of night and the white-eyed prodigy stood resolutely in the middle of the training grounds, arms folded across his chest as he leered over Tenten's fallen form. The weapons mistress attempted to compose herself as her breaths for air became rapid, shallow pants and her normally focused vision began to blur. He had pushed her extremely hard today, adding on an extra two hours of training and denying her of any breaks for food and water. Although the two of them always scolded Lee and Gai whenever they came up with some debilitating, asinine, self-imposed rule, Tenten couldn't help but feel that Neji was just as bad at times.
"Get up," the boy in front of her demanded in the same austere tone as he watched the girl struggle to find her feet.
Tenten's body was aching to the point where it was trembling from overexertion. Stabbing pains began shooting up her legs as she endeavoured to hoist herself into a standing position and the fact that Neji had been staring intensely at her the entire time didn't help at all. She wouldn't look weak in front of him, but she knew her body was physically at its limit. The brunette managed to bare her weight on her two feet but she noticeably swayed as she attempted to steady herself. She was rather disorientated and her head was spinning but she blinked a couple of times before focusing her gaze on Neji who had slipped into an offensive stance. He activated his Byakugan and Tenten immediately fell into a defensive position as she waited for him to attack. He crouched lowly, body rigid and tense as he readied himself to spring, but after a hesitating moment, he closed his eyes with a sigh, deactivating his bloodline trait and straightened his tall frame.
"That's enough for today," he stated firmly.
Tenten, though feeling extremely relived, raised a confused eyebrow before saying, "Oh, but –"
"You'll pass out if you push yourself any further," Neji interposed knowingly. "Besides, it's getting late."
Tenten merely nodded in affirmation before her legs decided to collapse beneath her and she slumped to the ground in, what she hoped, was a very dignified manner.
"I swear," Tenten began as she wiped her sweaty brow with the back of her hand, "you really were trying to kill me today."
"You need to become stronger," the boy replied bluntly and though he didn't mean it as an insult, Tenten took it as one.
"Thanks," she muttered sarcastically as she glared icily at her teammate.
As she stared at his unmoving figure, the weapons mistress noticed he was rather unscathed compared to her. His white robes were pristine without so much as a single mark or stain whereas her clothes were torn, smeared and creased. He suffered a few minor scratches and grazes while Tenten bore a couple of lacerations and large angry, red marks, blotching patches of her skin which would soon turn into dark-purplish bruises. It was rather unfair, Tenten thought, that Neji had such beautifully, fair skin and yet somehow, it never managed to blemish. Obviously, it was another added perk to being the great Hyuga Neji. There was no indication that he was weary from such a gruelling training session other than the quick rise and fall of his chest. He could probably keep going for a couple of more hours if he wanted to.
"What's wrong?" the white-eyed prodigy suddenly inquired, misinterpreting Tenten's contemplating expression.
"Nothing," the girl replied lightly, snapping out of her reverie before stretching her cramped neck and rubbing it soothingly with her hand. "Just a bit sore."
Neji stared at her blankly for a brief moment, as if his mind was having a heated, mental debate, before making his way over to where she was positioned sitting in the grass and gracefully planted himself right beside her.
"Turn around," he commanded and Tenten confusedly complied, shifting herself so that her back was facing Neji.
"Neji, what are you –?" she began to ask but he cut her off mid-sentence.
"Don't move."
Tenten obliged silently and sat perfectly still, understanding the double meaning within the order he just issued her; don't move and don't ask questions. All of a sudden, she could feel Neji's strong, calloused fingers beginning to massage the knots in her back, easing all the tension out of her tightened muscles. She could feel a small blush beginning to creep into her cheeks at their proximity and she was thankful that it was too dark for him to notice. She knew Neji disliked physical contact of any kind and he usually avoided it unless when absolutely necessary. He wasn't the most straightforward person, but Tenten knew that he did care for her and he displayed it through his own unique ways. After all, it had just been her and Neji together for many years now. Gai's blatant favouritism towards Lee was no secret and though sometimes it irritated them, both Tenten and Neji were very grateful for the fact that their sensei's insanity and youthfulness wasn't dumped on them. They were very fond of Gai and Lee but they could only tolerate so much of their ludicrous antics and they weren't sure how much they could take of the two men shouting youthful phrases every second sentence before they both snapped and strangled the dynamic duo to death.
Even after his life changing battle with Naruto, the Hyuga didn't have much patience when it came to interacting with people. Years of isolation and bitterness assisted in moulding his perception of the cruel world and the people who lived in it. And though Neji's views had drastically shifted towards the better, there were some old habits that were difficult for him to shake off such as his cold, inhospitable demeanour. However, Tenten was one of the only people the white-eyed prodigy could freely bend his ego for. Other than his family, she had known him the longest and since she was the only other sane member on Team Gai, she was all that he had outside of the Hyuga clan. She wasn't one of his crazed fangirls that doted after his every step like he was some adorable puppy, nor was she a completely, incompetent kunoichi either. She was also one of the only people who could emphasise a little of the pain and torment he had to undergo as a child. Tenten was orphaned as well and though he still had his extended family, whom he despised at the time, she had no one at all. It wasn't much, but it was those small things that bonded the two together and overtime, she became Neji's first, true friend.
As the years passed, their friendship grew much deeper, to the point where Tenten felt herself falling for the young, Hyuga prodigy. It probably wasn't the most intelligent decision on her part, for Neji had never showed any interest in her other than their comradery and friendship. However, she wasn't going to let her feelings destroy their relationship she had worked so hard to build over the years. Much like Neji, she was very good at concealing her emotions and she didn't feel the need to take their correlation a step further than it needed to be. She also didn't expect Neji to return her feelings and though the knowledge left a thudding pain in her chest, Tenten was completely content with it. Besides, he was a highly regarded prodigy and she was a poor, lowly kunoichi. Even if a miracle happened and they did end up together, it was bound to fail.
But that didn't mean that Tenten couldn't enjoy this moment of pure bliss as Neji's hands worked their magic, relieving her muscles of any pent up stress and tension. Every so often, she could feel a stabbing pain arcing through her body, followed by a pleasant numbness as the Hyuga prodigy managed unplugged her closed chakra points. The bun-haired girl closed her eyes, savouring every delightful moment for she knew that this would most likely never happen again. Tenten didn't know how long they had been sitting there in silence whilst Neji kneaded the stiffness from her shoulders, neck and back, but all too soon, she could feel his hands retract and the warmth of his palms left her body. She heard the faint rustle of clothing and in an instant he was standing up, positioned a few feet away from her (a fact that didn't go unnoticed by Tenten).
"Thanks," she murmured gratefully as she began stretching her arms above her head.
"You need to train more," Neji replied monotonously. "Otherwise your body will weaken even further."
Tenten rolled her eyes dismissively at his would-be-insulting comment before saying, "A simple 'you're welcome' would suffice."
Neji made a small, disparaging noise and Tenten supressed a smile at his haughty attitude. She was about to open her mouth to speak again until she heard a familiar voice resounding loudly through the night air.
"HELLO, MY FELLOW, YOUTHFUL TEAMMATES! HOW ARE WE FARING THIS FINE EVENING?"
In no time at all, Lee's slender figure came into view as he trudged up the hill to greet them. He had obviously just finished training as his green spandex was drenched with sweat and covered with dirt stains. He was puffing ever so slightly and his hair kept sticking to his glistening face. Nonetheless, he seemed brimming full of energy as he happily approached his teammates with outstretched arms. Even though Tenten was fully drained of any physical and mental energy, she managed to greet Lee with a wholehearted smile.
"Hey, Lee, how are you going?"
"I am absolutely riveting, beautiful flower!" the green-clad boy grinned widely, his teeth flashing so white that it was almost blinding to look at. "I am positively filled with the spirit of youth!"
"Terrific," Tenten heard Neji murmur sarcastically and she shot him a warning look but Lee remained totally oblivious to his comment.
"You seem to be in a really good mood," the weapons mistress observed and at her statement, Lee's eyes lit up with delight.
"Oh, yes I am," he chimed happily. "I am thrilled to declare that today I beat Gai Sensei in a one-hundred lap race around the village! It is such a joyous occasion – I promised myself that if I failed to beat Gai Sensei then I'd have to do five-thousand push ups in order to become stronger!"
"Congratulations, Lee!" Tenten attempted to beam. "But where's Gai now?"
"He's down in the village doing two-hundred laps on his hands with the burning flames of youth as punishment for not being able to defeat me!" the enthusiastic boy exclaimed. "I'm going to go join him but I wanted to share my glorious news with you all before I did!"
"But you beat Gai Sensei. Why do you have to do laps around the village on your hands?"
"I don't! But I do not want Gai Sensei to be on his own, plus, win or lose it is good, extra training in order to do even better next time!"
As he was speaking, Lee pumped his fists into the air in a display of motivation and Neji scoffed at his ridiculous notion.
"If you say so," Tenten said as she stifled a yawn and the bowl-cut boy stopped punching the air and gazed worriedly at her.
"What is wrong, beautiful flower?" he inquired with concern. "Are you feeling sick?"
Tenten resisted the urge to laugh out loud at Lee's comment. If anyone was acting differently from their usual selves, Lee always assumed they were sick.
"No, I'm fine," the brunette assured him with a smile. "Neji just really pushed me hard in training today, that's all."
"Ah," Lee piqued in understanding. "I hope Neji-kun isn't being too harsh and crushing your delicate petals during your youthful sparring."
Both Neji and Tenten whipped their heads around towards their teammate in synchronicity before narrowing their eyes into glares and Lee was slightly taken aback by their strong reactions.
"I am not delicate!" Tenten huffed indignantly as she folded her arms tightly across her chest. "And who said Neji was the one doing all the crushing? I'm not that incompetent, Lee."
At this, this green-clad boy's eyes widened in sheer horror and he dropped to his knees with a spur of emotion.
"I am so sorry, Tenten!" he bawled apologetically as the Hyuga prodigy watched on in obvious disdain. "I did not mean to offend you! I know that you're a strong, highly skilled kunoichi and I am ashamed that I insulted you so. As punishment for my thoughtless remark, I shall do one-thousand pull ups! And if I can't do that then I shall do five-hundred jump squats."
The boy was on the verge of tears and Tenten couldn't help but smile at him. Lee was just so immature and childish that there was no way that she could never not forgive him. He was just too innocent for his own good. She could never stay mad at him for too long.
"It's fine, Lee," the bun-haired girl said soothingly. "You're forgiven, just don't do anything too stupid like punishing yourself, ok?"
"Yosh, my beautiful blossom!" Lee brightened instantly before tackling Tenten with a full-force hug.
The girl laughed as she linked her arms around Lee's torso and returned the hug. Her gaze aligned with Neji's who had a most contemptuous expression that read, 'why on earth would you want to touch that thing' and Tenten gave him a look as if to tell him to be nice.
"Lee," she gasped after a few moments. "Can't. Breathe."
The green-clad man let go instantaneously with a beaming smile that illuminated his features.
"Ah, Tenten, you are too kind. I do not deserve your forgiveness!"
"Of course you do!" Tenten defended him. "You're my teammate and friend. Friends forgive each other, right?"
"Well said, my beautiful flower!" Lee trilled before turning towards Neji for reimbursement. "Isn't that right my eternal rival?"
Neji folded his arms and grunted which either meant a yes or that he didn't care. Lee's expression dropped ever so slightly before asking, "Why is Neji-kun being so silent? Is he lacking in the spirit of youth?"
Tenten made a rather strained noise as she attempted to stifle her laugh at Neji's increasingly irritated expression. Poor, sweet Lee was totally unaware of the murderous intent that was emanating from the Hyuga prodigy and so the brunette stepped in before Neji could Juuken his guts out.
"I'm sure Neji's spirit of youth is absolutely overflowing," she grinned mockingly and her white-eyed teammate 'tskd' disapprovingly.
"I am glad to hear!" Lee said sincerely as he too smiled at Neji. "Gai Sensei says that in order to be strong, determined shinobi, we all must carry the eternal, burning flames of youth!"
"Aren't you supposed to be training with Gai?" Neji asked as he attempted to keep the annoyance in his voice to a minimum.
"Oh, yes!" Lee perked up as if he just remembered and he scrambled to his feet in order to leave. "I shall be going. I will see you tomorrow my youthful teammates!"
"Don't overdo it!" Tenten called after him and the bowl-cut boy waved his arm at them vigorously before completely disappearing from sight.
"That idiot," Neji spoke up jeeringly after a few seconds on silence. "All I have to do is mention training and he's off like a dog that's gotten loose from its yard."
"That's Lee for you," Tenten shrugged indifferently. "He's just so passionate about what he does."
"Passionate is a very big understatement. Melodramatic is more like it."
"Well it's not like he's hurting anybody."
Neji raised a discerning eyebrow before stating, "You're too soft on him."
Tenten narrowed her eyes at the boy, retorting, "Yeah, well you're too hard on him."
"He needs it. He acts like a seven year old."
"What's wrong with that?"
Instead of replying, Neji shot her a disbelieving expression and Tenten sighed heavily.
"Ok, sure Lee's immature and loud and over expressive and he really grates on my nerves sometimes but at the end of the day I'd rather live in a world full of that childish innocence than cynical maturity."
"Still," Neji countered. "He's seventeen. He needs to learn to control his emotions more. It is most unbecoming of a shinobi."
"Sorry we all can't be perfect like Neji Hyuga," the brunette jibed tauntingly and the corners of Neji's lips twitched ever so slightly.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"It wasn't supposed to be," Tenten grumbled.
A quietness passed between the two and the bun-haired girl cast her gaze upwards towards the sky. It was a beautifully clear night with no cloud to hide the shimmering stars that streaked across the endless, black canvas. A cool breeze was beginning to pick up which rippled a shiver from Tenten's spine and rustled the dry leaves of the surrounding trees. It was utterly and peacefully tranquil and Tenten could feel herself growing weary with exhaustion.
"We should go," Neji spoke up suddenly. "It's getting late."
The weapons mistress nodded in agreement and was about to stand up before a grumbling noise emanated from her stomach. Tenten grimaced in embarrassment, keeping her eyes downcast as Neji stared at her.
"Are you hungry?" he inquired and Tenten shook her head.
"It's nothing," she answered dismissively but Neji didn't buy it.
"I suppose we should eat something before we head home," he considered before shouldering his bag. "Are you ready?"
He turned expectantly towards the kunoichi who simply sighed, too tired to argue and unable to resist the temptation of food, and grabbed her pack before standing up and nodding. She followed him down the hill and to the centre of the village where all the main shops were located. They walked in silence and instead of trying to initiate conversation, Tenten took in the scenery. No matter what time of day it was, the village was always busy and bustling with people, but at night time, the markets were especially pretty. Tenten immediately felt one of her legs begin to cramp up and she halted in her tracks as she attempted to stretch it out.
"Are you ok?" Neji asked once he realised that the brunette was no longer walking beside him.
"Yeah," she muttered through the pain as it slowly ebbed away. "Just a cramp. I'm betting you I won't even be able to move tomorrow. That was a tough training session."
"You need to train harder than that if you wish to become Jounin."
"I'm trying," Tenten frowned before she straightened her leg and continued to walk.
Neji was at it once again with the critical comments and though Tenten tried to ignore it, deep down she knew he was right. It had been over two years since she had been promoted to Chunin and though none of them had been promoted during the first Chunin Exams they ever undertook, they had a better understanding of what to expect for the upcoming ones. The first round of exams had been held in Konoha and much like the first Chunin Exams, it was a written test. Shikamaru had been proctor and thanks to Neji's logical thinking and leaderships skills, Team Gai managed to pass the first round with flying colours. However, the second portion of the exams was to be held in Suna and due to their superior speed, stamina and resourcefulness, Neji, Lee and Tenten managed to arrive in the Demon Desert well before any of the other teams – only coming in second behind a team from the Hidden Waterfall who they later discovered, consisted of two Jounin and a Jinchuriki. Once again, it was a survival test where they had only forty-eight hours to obtain both a heaven and earth scroll in order to pass. Team Gai encountered many obstacles during the second round but none them more challenging than having to rescue the Kazekage, Gaara and the second Jinchuriki, Fu from having their Tailed Beasts extracted from them. Neji performed admirably as he was able to successfully rescue the two captives with the assistance of Lee, Tenten, one of Gaara's subordinates and Fu's teammates. Due to the incident, the third round of the exams were cancelled and everyone was sent back home.
However, the Rookie Nine (minus Naruto and Sasuke) were promoted to Chunin and though they hadn't obtained both scrolls, Lee and Tenten were also more than qualified for promotion. Tenten couldn't have felt any happier as she was one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming Konoha's top weapons specialist. However, it was Neji that astounded them all, receiving a double promotion to Jounin due to his efforts for saving the Kazekage. The brunette couldn't express how proud she was that their entire team had received promotions together. She was bit nervous at first, thinking that the dynamics of their team would now change since Neji was a Jounin. But other than missing out on a couple of training sessions and being sent out on more solo missions, there wasn't anything much different about it at all. However, since that time, Tenten wasn't sure if she had gotten any stronger over the last two years. Although she had been training as hard as she could for longer durations of time, it seemed she had nothing to show for it. Neji was already a Jounin and progressing even further and with Lee's strength and abilities, he would be receiving a promotion any day now. Tenten never saw herself as inferior to her two teammates but now, she was falling behind and struggling to keep up.
"You're angry with me," Neji broke into her thoughts and Tenten looked up at him in surprise as she noticed the boy staring at her intently.
'No, I'm not," she said hastily as she tried to offer him a reassuring smile. "I'm not angry with you, Neji."
"I believe you misinterpreted me," he told her disbelievingly before slowly adding, "You're almost there, you know."
Tenten gaped at him.
"I-I'm – what?"
"A few more months of training and you'll be more than qualified to become a Jounin."
"Do you really believe that? Or are you just trying to spare my feelings?" the bun-haired girl countered as she crossed her arms.
"Why would I say it if I didn't believe it?" Neji turned to look at her with a furrowed expression.
"Cause you're trying to be nice?"
"I'm not nice, Tenten," he said and the brunette laughed lightly.
"You can be," she amended with a smile. "You've just got your own way of showing it."
"Regardless," the white-eyed prodigy murmured. "I have faith in your abilities, you should too."
"Thanks, Neji," Tenten said sincerely and she instantly felt better.
"Where would you like to eat?"
Tenten pondered for a moment before answering, "I'm not sure, I really don't mind."
When he didn't reply, the weapons mistress assumed it to mean that she was going to be the one to choose where they were going to eat.
"How about seafood, then?" she suggested after nothing else came to mind and Neji nodded before leading the way.
There was a small, seafood restaurant only a couple of streets away but it took Tenten a good minute of walking in silence for her to notice that they were being followed. Her hand instinctively reached towards her kunai holster before she realised it was just a bunch of silly, giggling girls. They were probably eighteen or nineteen years old and they were unsubtly squealing and whispering to each other as they gazed unabashedly at the Hyuga prodigy who either didn't realise they were there or did notice their presence and chose to completely ignore them. Tenten observed they were all rather very pretty and dressed in tight skirts, shorts and crop tops. They were undoubtedly civilians and the brunette relaxed her hand before letting it drop to her side as she kept walking. However, she did have to resist the urge to vomit at the simpering glances the girls were throwing at Neji.
"Annoying, aren't they?" she heard the boy next to her say with a hint of disdain in his tone.
"Aren't you going to tell them to go away?"
"You're assuming that I'd actually speak to them when I have the choice not to," Neji replied dully, however he quickened his pace.
Once they made it to the restaurant they quickly entered and found a table for two by the corner of the room. However, the group of girls that had been trailing after them entered the restaurant and spotted the couple before sitting themselves at a table not too far away.
"Great," Tenten muttered sarcastically and she glanced at the girls from over Neji's shoulder.
"Just ignore them," the Byakugan user advised before shifting his position so his body blocked out the view of his crazed fan-girls.
A waiter immediately rushed over to their table with a pitcher of water. Neji and Tenten gave their order to the man who nodded and quickly scribbled down their meal on a small pad of paper before bowing politely and rushing into the kitchen. Once the waiter had left, the couple began talking – well Tenten did most of the talking while the white-eyed prodigy simply listened and commented when necessary. She'd usually ramble on about training, missions or weapons and sometimes she'd mention some gossip she'd picked up from her friends. She wondered if Neji really actually cared about what she was saying but he never interrupted her so she could only assume it didn't bother him too much. Tenten had just started describing to him about a new weapon she had picked up from the shop the other day, her eyes twinkling with obvious enthusiasm, until a voice behind them halted her flow of words.
"Hi, I'm Leiko," the voice introduced itself and both Neji and Tenten turned their heads to realise it was one of the girls from the gaggling group that were situated across from them.
Tenten could just make out the girls figures as they huddled together, whispering to each other excitedly and watching the trio with hopeful expressions. When neither Neji nor Tenten replied, the girl cleared her throat in an embarrassed gesture and spoke, "My friends and I were wondering if you wanted to come and sit with us."
Obviously, the girl was speaking to Neji and Tenten felt like scoffing derisively in her face. She hoped her teammate would Juuken her across the room but being the gentleman he was, Neji politely replied, "No, thank you."
Leiko looked rather taken aback, as if she hadn't been expecting a rejection to her proposal. However, she quickly rearranged her shocked features into a flirtatious smile.
"Are you sure? I'm certain we'd be much better company than her."
Tenten's blood began to boil beneath her skin as Leiko jutted her chin distastefully in her direction. If they had been in less of a public place, the weapons mistress would have unleashed her entire arsenal and skewered the girl. The brunette was about to open her mouth with an angry retort but Neji beat her to it.
"I'm content where I am," he said, however there was a dangerously cold hint in his tone, and his eyes flashed menacingly and Leiko immediately flushed under his scrutinising gaze. "Now, would you please leave us alone?"
The girl didn't need telling twice as she hurriedly rushed back to her own table and the expressions of the other females morphed into disappointment.
"Do you ever get used to it?" the weapons mistress asked as she ignored the icy stares she was receiving from the other table.
"No," Neji answered. "It's a damn nuisance though.
Tenten laughed.
"I bet. Do you ever wonder what it'd be like if you weren't the honourable Neji Hyuga?'
"Sometimes," he admitted. "Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if it wasn't tied to the Hyuga."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I mean, I look at you and Lee and I see the freedom that you both have that I do not and you both seem very happy. Being around you makes me realise what I've been missing."
Tenten pursed her lips and frowned ever slightly before replying, "I'm not as happy as you think."
"Why is that?"
"Well, I see what you have; a family, a last name, a home and a life full of luxury and privilege and I can't help but wish for those things too," the bun-haired girl attempted to explain. "Sometimes being free also means being alone."
"I suppose neither of us are completely content with our lives," Neji concluded and Tenten nodded in agreement.
The waiter returned with a silver tray heaped with food and placed it on the table before wishing them a good meal and whisking off to serve the next table. The couple ate in silence and Tenten hadn't realised how hungry she was until she had demolished the meal in under ten minutes. Neji was still eating, so the brunette sat and waited patiently. She didn't want to be rude and stare him while he was eating so she let her eyes wander around the interior of the restaurant until her gaze focused on the table of girls who were still throwing venomous looks her way.
"I think your fan-club is upset with me," she pronounced amusedly.
"Why?" Neji asked, raising a delicate eyebrow. "I'm the one who told them to go away."
Tenten merely shrugged before saying with a smile, "I think they're gonna jump me once we leave."
"I suppose I should walk you home so that doesn't happen," the Hyuga prodigy surmised and the girl laughed.
"I think I can handle a couple of obsessed, teenage girls, Neji."
"I don't doubt that. However, I don't want to see you arrested for attacking a bunch of defenceless civilians."
Tenten rolled her eyes at his comment before taking a sip of water from her glass.
"Are you ready to leave?" she heard Neji say and she nodded.
The legs of the chairs scraped noisily across the floor as the couple stood up and Tenten pulled out her wallet from her bag which didn't go unnoticed by Neji who said instantaneously, "I'll pay."
The brunettes shoulders slumped and her features formed into a frown as she complained, "No, Neji, you always pay!"
"And we always have this same argument," he reminded her before adding, "And I always win."
"I hate it when you pay for me," Tenten sighed unhappily but Neji wouldn't let up.
"Just let me pay, Tenten. It's how I was raised."
"What, were you raised to be a stubborn ass?" she retaliated grumpily as they walked over to the counter.
"Most girls would say 'thank you' and leave it at that instead of insulting me," Neji frowned before pulling out a wad of bills and handing it to a waiter.
"I'm not like 'most girls', Neji."
The Byakugan user paused to consider her comment for a short moment before murmuring, almost to himself, "No, you're not."
They exited the restaurant and began heading towards Tenten's apartment which was situated towards the south side of Konoha. The night air had grown very chilly and the weapons mistress was very keen to go home, have a hot shower to soothe her aching muscles and fall asleep in the comfort of her bed. The couple didn't exchange many words as they walked alongside each other but the trip wasn't very long anyway and they were on the front of Tenten's doorstep in under five minutes.
"Thanks, Neji," the bun-haired girl turned to face him with a sincere smile and her teammate nodded in acknowledgement.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning for training," was all he said before walking away and disappearing down into the darkness of the street.
Tenten sighed heavily as she watched Neji's retreating figure before unlocking the front door with a twist of her key and stumbling inside. She dumped her pack on the floor before dragging her exhausted body towards the bathroom and switching on the shower. The warmth water managed to loosen up some of the tightness in her limbs but the girl knew it would only provide temporary relief. After she finished cleansing herself, Tenten pulled on her pyjamas and crashed onto her bed which groaned under the strain of her weight. It had been a hell of a day. Neji had been absolutely merciless and she was sure that her body was going to be completely immobilised by the time she woke up. The brunette considered about not showing up to training in the morning but thought the better of it as Neji's previous words from earlier in the day rang through her mind, 'You need to become stronger'.
Even though he said that she was close to becoming Jounin, she didn't quite believe him. Tenten knew she had to become stronger and she didn't want to appear weak. She wanted to be on par with Neji, for him to see her as a worthy adversary. And even if he could not love her like she did him, the weapons mistress wanted the white-eyed prodigy to at least recognise her as his equal. At the moment, he was still much superior in skill than she was and she still had a lot to learn. Tenten rolled onto her side with a depressed groan. She needed to catch up, otherwise she would keep falling behind to the point where she would never be able to compete with him.
I suppose neither of us are completely content with our lives.
Tenten sighed deeply as she remembered his words. No, she wasn't completely happy with her life but then again, who was? The brunette knew that there were a lot of things that she'd like to change if she had the power to do so. Firstly, she would want to be recognised as Konoha's top weapon specialist and be just as strong as the rest of her team. Secondly, she would want her relationship with Neji to be more than just platonic. Thirdly, she would tone Lee and Gai way down in the energy department – even just watching them made Tenten feel tired. Her thoughts kept on drifting until she thought about what she would want to change about her friends. It was rather funny to think about actually. She would make Sakura less obsessed about Sasuke and though she didn't particularly like the Uchiha prodigy, she would want him back in the village just so the pink-haired girl would stop looking so miserable all the time. Plus, she would make Sasuke a little more approachable. Naruto, she would want to act a little more serious and mature and she'd want Choji to eat less and Shikamaru to lighten up once in a while. Tenten would totally switch Hinata's and Ino's personalities around – the blonde needed to be a bit more modest and less talkative whereas the shy Hyuga heiress needed to learn how to overcome her timidness. The brunette would want Kiba to not be so obsessed with dogs and she wished Shino wished didn't have all those bugs, they were seriously creepy. Then there was Neji and Tenten thought long and hard about him. What would she change about the Hyuga prodigy if she could? Neji was pretty much perfect in every way so there wasn't much improving that needed to be done. After a good minute or so of trying to come up with an answer, the weapons mistress finally got it: she would make Neji much more happy and expressive with his emotions. Even though she had gotten pretty good over the years at interpreting his feelings, the human glacier still remained a mystery to the world. She wished for him to be more kind, caring and loving. That was the only thing that was missing and Tenten knew if he had all that, he would be every girls dream guy. And with that final thought, her body gave in and drifted off into a dreamless, much needed sleep.
-X-
Tenten woke up feeling awful. Her entire body was aching and she had a splitting headache that pounded through her brain. She ran a hand over her face before stretching her arms above her head with a yawn and then she glimpsed the time. Eight o'clock?! She must have slept through her alarm and now she was two hours late! God, Neji was going to absolutely kill her! Tenten was actually very surprised that he hadn't made his way over to her place, ripped down the front door and demanded to know why she wasn't at training. However, to keep that from still becoming a possibility, the bun-haired girl immediately jumped out of bed and pulled on her everyday clothes before rushing into the kitchen and whipping up a quick breakfast which she downed in under a minute. She hurried into the bathroom and vigorously scrubbed her teeth and splashed some cool water on her face before flying out the front door and sprinting as fast as she could towards the training grounds. There were two, certain possibilities that could happen: one, Neji realised that she wasn't going to show up and left the grounds, thus delaying the inevitable blow up or two, Neji was there, waiting and ready to explode at her for being late. Either way, she wasn't about to get out of a scolding unless she had some really fantastic excuse that would put all of Kakashi Sensei's previous excuses to shame.
As she ran up the hill, Tenten couldn't think of anything to say to her teammate that sounded remotely believable so she gave in and concluded that she would just tell Neji the truth. She was at the top and when she saw him, her breath caught in her throat. She could see Neji's forming resting against the giant oak tree in the middle of the grounds. One of his legs were crossed over the other and his arms were folded across his chest. His eyes were closed and his expression was completely blank. The morning rays illuminated half of his face and the loose strands of hair shimmered like golden threads as they caught the light. He looked like an absolute god and Tenten couldn't fathom how a person could look so unfairly and effortlessly attractive. He looked so peaceful and serene that the brunette thought it would be a crime to disturb him. However, she was going to have to talk to him sooner or later and so she crossed the field. As she approached him, Neji's eyes flickered open as he sensed her presence and Tenten's gaze dropped in embarrassment as she awaited his scolding.
"Hey, Neji," she managed to mumble once she had reached him. "I'm so sorry I'm late. I didn't hear my alarm go off and I overslept but –"
She braved looking up into his face but what she saw completely wiped her mind of any words and she could've sworn her heart stopped beating.
He was smiling.
What. The. Hell? Neji Hyuga didn't smile! Ever. Tenten blinked a few times to make sure she was actually seeing what she thought she was seeing, but no matter how many times she blinked, Neji still stood there, in front of her, smiling and eyes twinkling happily.
"It's ok, Tenten," he assured her warmly. "You didn't keep me waiting too long."
At this point, the weapons mistress was in such shock she was sure she was going to pass out. First, Neji smiled at her and now he was ok with her being late to training? What on earth was going on?
"Neji, are you . . . feeling ok?" Tenten asked worriedly as her eyebrows furrowed together.
The Hyuga boy laughed wholeheartedly before replying, "I'm completely fine, why do you ask?"
Neji. Laughed. Tenten couldn't believe her eyes or ears. Out of all the years she had known the boy, she had not once heard him laugh. But now, he was laughing as if he had been doing it his whole life. As he did, the boy's face lit up exponentially and he almost looked unrecognisable. His expression was so soft and joyous compared to his normally steely composure and the hard edge to his voice was all but non-existent. The bun-haired girls mind was in overdrive, whirring with possibilities as to why the Hyuga prodigy was acting so unlike himself before the realisation clicked in her brain and she did the first thing that came to mind – and punched Neji right in the face. Obviously, this was some prank Naruto was pulling on her and it was so not funny. The boy stumbled back due to the force of the punch and he rubbed his cheek gingerly with his hand as a very stunned expression flittered across his face. He certainly wasn't expecting that!
"What the hell was that for?!" Neji demanded as Tenten crossed her arms firmly and rolled her eyes.
"Come on, Naruto. I know it's you. Drop the Transformation Jutsu."
"Naruto?" Neji straightened up with a dubious expression. "What on earth are you talking about?"
"You can't fool me," the weapons mistress said before swinging her arm back in order to punch him again.
Except this time as she brought her fist to his face, the supposedly 'fake' Neji activated his Byakugan and managed to successfully block her attack. Shock dominated Tenten's features as she realised that this had to be Neji. There was no way he could use the Byakugan otherwise.
"What's wrong with you?" the Hyuga prodigy questioned before letting go of her arm. "You're acting very strangely today."
"Me?!" Tenten resisted the urge to laugh in his face. "You're the one who's acting all weird!"
Neji's eyebrows furrowed with concern before replying, "I'm acting as I always am, Tenten. Are you sure you're the one who's feeling ok?"
He took a step towards her and placed a cool hand on her forehead as if to check her temperature and the girl immediately recoiled at the sudden contact and took a few steps backwards.
"I'm completely normal!" she retorted, staring at the boy in front of her with a mixture of shock, fear and confusion.
Just what in the world was going on? Why was Neji acting like this? Was he trying to trick her? Was this some kind of enemy Genjutsu? Tenten was just too bewildered to think properly and she shook her head as though it was just some dream she would wake up from. However, when she glanced up, Neji was still there staring at her with the same concerned expression. He never looked like that.
"Perhaps I should take you home," he mused before taking her hand in his to which Tenten immediately jerked away.
"Neji! Tenten!" someone behind them called.
A surge of relief flooded through Tenten's body as she recognised it to be Lee. She had never been happier in her life than at that moment to hear his chirpy voice as she turned around to greet him. She was about to ask green-clad boy why Neji was acting so strange all of a sudden until she glimpsed what Lee was wearing. Tenten's jaw hit the ground as she stared at his attire. The green spandex was all but abandoned and was instead replaced with a pale, yellow shirt and striped blue shorts. He also wore the traditional Leaf vest and his hair was gelled and slicked to one side. The brunette wasn't quite sure whether it was an improvement of a failure compared to the green spandex but it certainly was eye-opening. His usual happy, over-enthused expression was completely absent and instead, a more mature and monotone expression graced his features.
"Lee," Tenten began as she struggled to find words. "What . . . happened to you?"
"What are you talking about?" he asked, not understanding her question.
"Y-your hair!" was all she managed to say.
"Do you like it?" Lee smiled suavely before taking a comb out of his pocket and running it through his shiny locks. "I put extra gel in it today!"
"Your clothes . . ."
"They're new shorts," the boy told her as she gazed down at them before tugging at his top. "I've had this shirt for ages though."
"Extra gel . . . new shorts – great . . ." Tenten said to herself as she tried to remember how to breathe properly.
A mature, stylish Lee who didn't yell the word 'youth' every two seconds? What in the world was going to be next? Tenten didn't want to know.
"Hey, are you feeling ok?" Lee craned his neck to properly look into her face as the kunoichi began hyperventilating.
"She's been acting strange ever since she showed up," Neji explained when she didn't reply. "I was about to take her home to rest for a bit. She doesn't have a temperature but she seems a bit out of it."
"I told you, I'm fine!" the brunette snapped with glare and both boys seemed rather startled by her tone. "Ugh, look, just leave me alone and don't follow me! Just stay away!"
With that, Tenten turned on her heel and began sprinting away from her two teammates, not bothering to catch their reactions. On the other hand, Lee and Neji stood, unmoving, as they both stared at the spot the brunette had been occupying only moments ago before the Hyuga prodigy spoke up with a puzzled tone, "What just happened?"
Lee just blinked, feeling more bewildered than he ever had been in his life and replied, "I have no idea."
That's it for the first chapter guys! If you're confused about anything just pm or review and if you hated it or loved it then let me know as well. I hope you enjoyed it because I put so much effort into writing this chapter and coming up with this story. Till the next chapter my lovelies!