Tenten lay back on the soft grass covering the hill and closed her eyes, sighing as she basked in the warm sun. Everything had happened so fast! Their team had only just arrived back from a mission when Neji was summoned to the Hokage's office. Next thing they knew, he was a Jounin, and would be sent on an S-rank mission in just a few days. It was all a bit too much to take in, Tenten decided, opening her eyes to look up at the clouds. Try as she might, she couldn't see anything in them. Lee could, she knew, but she never could figure out how. They'd never been able to get Neji to join them in cloud-watching, so she didn't know whether he could see pictures in the clouds. Now maybe she'd never get a chance to find out...
"Here you are, Tenten."
Quickly, Tenten sat up and wiped her eyes so Neji wouldn't see that she'd been crying. "Hello, Neji. Have you heard anything more about your mission?" Like perhaps that you won't be going?
"No..." Neji sat down beside her, and they looked down at the ducks swimming in the millpond below the hill. "Why, are you worried? It's just a mission."
"Yes, just an S-rank mission that you were specifically promoted for since none of the Hyuuga jounin were available! But that's nothing for the great Hyuuga Neji, of course."
Neji frowned at her sarcasm. "It'll be fine, really. You'll see. I've got to go back for another briefing, but I'll see you again before I need to leave." Tentatively, he patted her hand before walking away.
Tenten sat for a long while after he had gone, stroking the back of her hand where he had touched it.
...
The next morning, Tenten sat brushing her hair over and over again, even though it was hardly necessary. It helped her think. While she wanted to do something for Neji before he left, she wasn't sure what. Neji was an eminently practical person, and due to his clan had nearly everything he needed; and therefore, everything he wanted. Even if she could think of something to get him, she didn't have any money to buy it with. Her parents had traveled to Konoha from across the ocean ten years ago with nothing but some cooking utensils and the clothes on their backs, and the restaurant they had founded in the village was hardly lucrative.
Frustrated, she ran the brush through her hair fiercely. There must be something!
A weapon. Yes, something to keep him safe, and that he could remember her by. While Neji was trained in taijutsu, there were some things a blade could do that couldn't be done otherwise.
Now that she knew what she wanted, she was back to the question of money. Parting her hair down the center, she prepared to put it up in its usual twin buns, then hesitated as she had a sudden idea.
...
Neji frowned as he paced back and forth. Tenten had promised to meet him at the East Gate before he left at dawn, but there was still no sign of her and he couldn't wait much longer. If she didn't turn up soon, he would have to leave without saying goodbye, and he hated the thought of that. She had been so worried, and he couldn't blame her. Even though he'd been Chuunin for a while, he would never have made Jounin this soon if there hadn't been an urgent need for a Hyuuga of Jounin rank.
"Neji!"
Neji looked up from his pacing to see Tenten running up, holding a brightly wrapped parcel. "Tenten! What took you so long? I was about to leave."
"I know, I'm sorry, but I had to get it wrapped, and then I didn't know what to do with my hair, and—"
"Your hair?" In the early morning light he hadn't noticed at first, but now he could see that she had her hair down and was holding it back with her forehead protector. Somehow, he hadn't expected it to be that short when she took it out of the buns; it barely came past her ears.
Nervously, she laughed and brushed an imaginary strand out of her face. "It's nothing, just, um, here, open it!" she ordered, shoving the box in his face.
Taking the parcel from her, he quickly tore the bright wrappings off and opened the box inside. Carefully, he lifted off a layer of tissue paper, revealing a knife in a beautifully embossed leather sheath. Drawing the blade, he turned it over to examine the workmanship. This was no kunai or shuriken to be thrown once and left on the battlefield; it was a true masterwork, and he could scarcely imagine how much it had cost.
There was an inscription near the hilt, and he read it aloud. "To keep yourself safe. Love, Tenten."
[A/N: And more fluff, but a bit less silly this time. This is kind of a song-fic, I guess, based on the song 'Johnny Has Gone For a Soldier', or 'Siuil a Run'.]