AN: Ah, yeah. Maybe, 18-ish around here. Both jounin.
For the past hour, Neji had trouble keeping his Byakugan from flickering on and off. Most of the time, he squinted through the heavy rain. The other time, he closed his eyes, then opened them again, only to find that his kekkei genkai was again, turned off. The weight of Tenten and her scroll didn't help either.
-----
"Tenten...," Neji said quietly. "Don't endanger yourself for me this time."
"Hey!" Tenten had shouted. "Be grateful! If I hadn't fought that sound-nin for you last time, you'd be as good as dead!"
"I could have handled it myself."
"Whatever you say, Neji. It's just a sort of...reflex to me."
"Just...don't endanger yourself this time."
"You think I can't take care of myself?" Tenten crossed her arms, glaring at her teammate.
"...Hn."
"Hmph!" No, it wasn't that. Neji knew more than anyone, that she was responsible, yet childish, but strong, yet carefree, but loyal, and yet...her. He just wouldn't know what to do if she were to die, but no one needed to know the truth. All that was needed, was this mission to complete.
-----
Tenten groaned, glancing at her blood-stained sleeve, and returned to her rest on Neji's back.
"You're awake," Neji blankly stated. "Can you walk?" Tenten shook her head. Even without turning around, Neji could trace her movements. "Are you still in pain?" She nodded weakly. "It hurts a lot, doesn't it?" She nodded again. "Go ahead and rest then." Neji abruptly stopped at a thick branch, making his way down to the ground, and placing his friend gently on a log. The rain continued to pour down on them, but it didn't stop him from setting up the tent.
-----
"Tenten! Stop!" Neji yelled out. But she took every opportunity to evade the enemy's techinques, then to hit him with one of her own. He could only curse at himself for being careless in the first place, so that Tenten wouldn't have to fight alone. Neji fell to his disabled knees, blood trickling down the sides of his face, watching helplessly at Tenten, fighting the S-ranked outlaw the best way she knew how. Maybe, it wasn't good enough. Or maybe, she needed Neji's encouragement.
-----
"N-Neji," she whispered, shifting her body away from the blanket. "I-I'm sorry...I get in the way." All he did was smirk and kept the light in the lantern to burn brightly. Tenten only examined her arms and legs for the replaced bandages she knew Neji aided her to.
"Like you said...I should be grateful for you. I'd be...elsewhere if it weren't for you."
"Hm! Considering what kind of person you are, that's the closest I'm going to get to a compliment from you."
"...You're too headstrong. That's why you are in this state right now." Neji passed a cup of hot water to her, avoiding any shaking or signs of nervousness.
"You say it like it's a bad thing."
"Perhaps it is."
-----
Neji pushed himself over to the kunoichi when the enemy had left. Her bangs were stuck to her, thanks to the weather, and her white top seemed as though it had been naturally red. From afar, he knew that her cuts were deep, in need of treatment quickly. Her eyes remained closed tight, but he knew that she was just tired and still awake. There was nothing left to do.
"T-Tenten! You never listen!" He screamed at her. She dared not to move, but only tightening her lips together, afraid to speak. "What's the matter with you? I told you I could handle this myself, didn't I?"
"N-Nej-" She felt like crying, more than anything. She knew it was okay, since he probably wouldn't notice her hot tears running down her face along with the rain, washing the blood away.
"Didn't I?"
"Yeah but-"
"Tenten. You put your life in danger, and it was-" She grew furious. She sat up, gathered up her courage, and spoke her mind.
"Neji! Why are you yelling at me? Why can't you ever let me have my opportunity to save you? All you do, is yell at me, and tell me that I'm irresponsible, and...ugh! I'm sick of it! You don't know what it's like to listen to your stupid, annoying, repetitive lectures, and make me feel so...powerless to you, dammit!" She started crawling in the opposite direction, but, unforunately, all that yelling took a lot out of her, considering her current condition. She passed out, falling hard on the mud, a few moments later.
"Tenten, you wouldn't understand." To Neji, he knew it was best if she didn't know why he kept yelling at her. He needed her to stay alive, especially on these A and S-ranked missions, and giving these constant talks was the only way he knew how.
-----
"Do you think I'm a pest to bring around missions, Neji?" Tenten slipped on her fingerless gloves and reached for the mug of hot water.
"...No," he smirked. "Why?"
"I don't know if it was real, or just a dream I was having, but, you were yelling at me. Again. And it was raining, and I was bleeding all over, and-"
"It was all real."
"I haven't really told you this, but, Neji, it really hurts when you yell at me." The grip on the cup was slipping very quickly.
"...Oh?" It fell on the blanket, but neither one cared.
"It hurts more than any cut I'll ever recieve. It hurts more than you'll ever know."
"Hn. Why is that?"
"You wouldn't understand." Tenten smiled, pulling her knees close to her chest.