Ahhh! this site's quidelines are SCARY!! This is just a bit of stuff (plus first time posting :s) so if you want to read it please be nice and kind althrough if you want to slate it I don't mind that either. I feel it's not a very strong story if you know what I mean - its a bit willowy like a bit over here...then a bit over there, yeah? Good!

Neji was scowling. The grip of his hand on his glass was crushing…almost crushing; he was suppressing his anger, as usual. After all an outward display that any more anger or resentment towards the main branch was still within him would be rude, considering how much they'd done for him. Neji smirked when he thought this, how much they've done for me, a slightly lop-sided drunken smirk; he wanted to be drunk, but he wasn't. Not yet.

He was on his own in a sea of family; family he hated. They all seemed to have forgotten the most important person in his life; they all seemed to have forgotten the seal that held them bound. At least one of them had the decency to look solemn he thought, glancing at his cousin, the ever inhibited Hinata, who was attempting in vain to relative dodge by skirting around the outside of the crowd looking sheepish…no, wait, she wasn't. In fact attached to the other end of her outstretched arm was an eager blonde who appeared to be leading his cousin towards the exit, probably to do nothing of the solemn sort. Neji huffed; he was the only person alone in this room with any dignity, the only one not blinded by tradition and obligation.

He downed his drink and made his escape, following the trail of happiness set by Naruto and Hinata to the exit, except he wasn't happy, he was scowling.

It was cold outside but it wasn't windy, it was still, unnaturally so, but he didn't pay much attention to it. Across the courtyard a lamp in the dojo was burning and the silhouettes of two entwined bodies was impressed onto the paved walkway outside of it. It made him feel lonely, deep down inside, where there was a small bundle of the few feelings he allowed himself to have it was there. It was easier, considering the predicament he was in with the main branch, just to subdue his feelings, he couldn't hate them now, not really, not after he had discovered what had actually happened to his father. Besides he had chosen his own destiny…chosen his own way…

Just like I'm going to…

Neji had exited the gate now, the grand gates of the Hyuuga main house, and was now making his way out of the compound.

"Neji," he stopped at the sound and didn't even have to turn to know who it was, from the timbre of the voice and from the jolt it inflicted on his body, and he knew she would be beautiful.

She was. She was wearing a kimono of a deep purpely wine colour that was trimmed with beige with a gold obi with light beige flowers to match, there was some sort of pattern on the dark red material of the kimono in a lighter red, it could have been a vine or perhaps clouds but he didn't notice, didn't care. She was giving him a shy smile and he suddenly realised he'd been staring at her…she was so beautiful…

He cleared his throat trying to sound dominant and as if her sudden presence did not make his insides feel that they'd collapsed in on themselves because it wouldn't do for him to appear otherwise, especially around her... but really it was to clear the nervousness from him that she brought about; besides he may have been a teenage prodigy but her very presence stripped him down to something much more basic, much more human: a simple, confused teenage boy.

"Tenten," he said, trying to tighten his stance so that he stood tall. Her smile faltered.

"Are…are you leaving?"

"No," he answered quickly, suddenly not wanting to leave.

"Oh," she fiddled with the strip of material hanging down from the tie at her waist and he noticed her brown hair was loose against her shoulders as it fell forwards slightly, "well…where are you going?"

Erm…

"I…I was-" but he didn't have to explain because she began walking to him and was smiling that understanding smile again that meant he didn't need to say anything because she knew.

"I know you hate these things," she said quietly reaching him, "but - you have said congratulations haven't you?" Neji refrained from rolling his eyes, "and you have made an appearance and been…well, gracious at the very least and-"

"Tenten," she topped talking, "stop mothering me." She opened her mouth to protest but he put a finger to her lips, startling her…and himself a bit.

"I've done all those things." She smiled shyly.

"Sorry, Neji," she looked down. "So, you're not going back in?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Well, I guess I should go for Hinata…you know, moral support and all." She turned to go but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder, again starting at the contact himself. Why did he feel the need to touch her, just to be physically close to her?

"I think Naruto has that covered." Tenten looked confused at first and then a little scandalised.

"Oh, well where are you going?"

He was about to answer but stopped; she looked so beautiful, he couldn't allow her to follow him to the local bar to watch him drink all night, looking as she did, she deserved better.

"I'll go back in…with you." She smiled.

"Thank you."

Tenten knew he hated these gatherings and he was not even remotely trying to hide it as an ugly scowl marred his face upon entrance to the packed, Hyuuga hall way.

People were looking at her and Tenten felt a bubble of excitement at being looked at and admired start to rise inside her, it was a wonderful feeling. Neji, however did not seem to agree; especially as a slightly inebriated Inuzuka Kiba (how had he got in?)sent a licentious wink her way and she witnessed his nails very almost digging into the skin of his palm. She rolled her eyes a bit, if he really thought that after everything she had gone through to get to this point of standing closely at his side at an occasion such as this and being able to reach out and touch him without him turning away, to just go off with the slobbery dog boy at the last minute, he was vastly mistaken.

She knew this was not the only reason though. He was brooding, he was harbouring thatresentment, the one that stood out brightly in his remarkable eyes, for as long as she had known him and she felt sorry for him, even though she suspected if he knew that lowly Tenten was feeling anything other than awe for him maybe he'd stop pouting like he was now; only... she actually found it rather cute.

Neji saw the faint smile on his companion's face and wondered greatly what she was looking so enigmatic and happy about. They hadn't dated since they were younger but it was times like this that such things as trivial as dating just didn't seem to cut the meaning of their relationship. Once he had forgotten to cover his disgusting forehead seal when he opened the door to her but she hadn't stared or recoiled or quickly made an excuse to leave, instead she'd glanced at it, smiled and entered his home as if nothing were amiss, nothing missing or out of place.

With Tenten beside him, although he still felt volatile, he felt 100 times better. He felt he could take on the Hyuuga clan: 'Tenten would never let her children be marked by the Hyuuga' he thought suddenly, she was strong and beautiful and he was silently in awe of her. It was a strange thing to think of a girl he wasn't involved with but perhaps they were, perhaps they had an unspoken agreement, yes that was it, he thought to himself, an unspoken agreement that some day they'd be together. How he wished it to be true.

In a bold move he wrapped an arm around her back and felt her stiffen for a fraction of a second before melting into his embrace. 'Tenten, I love you' were the unspoken words that he whispered in his head. However it was more a message of 'well, we both knew it was going to happen some time' that was communicated by his eyes as she looked at him in surprise at his gesture. Even so, he wasn't afraid she'd take offence; this was Tenten, she understood him without needing to be told a thing.

Tenten smiled slightly and curled her hand around the material of Neji's shirt as he led her out of the open screen doors and into the colonnaded garden that was lit by swaying lanterns whose glowing light bounced off the surface of the tinkling water features. Finally letting go of each other they stood before a wooden railing facing the party, taking in the elite, the Hyuuga.

"Are you okay?" she asked tentatively, seeing his face twist in some strange and very negative emotion upon seeing so many of his relatives in such a small space. Just as shyly Tenten moved her hand to shadow his where he was leaning back on the railing, paused for a second, then gently covered it with her own. Neji didn't start at her touch as she feared he might, he didn't speak harshly or pull away or do anything she had worried that he might do. Instead he managed to hook his last two fingers over her hand and stayed silent still watching the tribe that repressed him celebrating in his uncle's house.

Finally he looked down at their joined hands and spoke.

"Yes, I think I'll be okay now."

Finished!

A review? Maybe? Please??