Random Thoughts

Kyuubi Tenshi

If she had one wish, what would it be?

This was the very line of thinking that Tenten's mind had decided to take. What would she wish for if she could have anything? Riches wouldn't do her any good; she hated to shop. Beauty was a non-essential; she was cute enough, but being gorgeous wouldn't make her any better of a shinobi. Maybe better aim… or to defeat that dad gum Hyuuga one of these days. The latter thought pleased her immensely.

"Dearest Tenten, what has made you so wonderfully cheerful this day?!"

Kunai whirr through air, green spandex… creature… yips, barely managing to dodge, and all for the sake of a Weapon Mistress's eardrums. Lee really did need to learn not to disturb her while she was thinking. She glanced at him apologetically; though the moment she turned away she rolled her eyes. Should she tell him what she was thinking? Probably not; Neji was only a few yards away.

"A wish," she replied, settling on that simple, non-explicit answer. Unfortunately, that sent Gai-sensei off on another of his "youthful flower" rants, ending with the typical exchange between him and his miniature- well, he was almost taller than Gai now, come to think of it- clone. She sighed, going to sit beside her training companion, the only other sane person of the group. Her head lolled back against the tree lazily. "I say two words and this is what I get. I knew I should've kept my mouth shut."

The prodigy didn't reply, not that she had expected him to. He never said anything unless something needed to be said. Maybe she should re-think that wish to make Neji a little more talkative…

Nah. That'd backfire and he'd end up a third Gai for sure.

At that last thought, Tenten could hardly contain an amused snort. The three of them looked at her, and her obvious restraint of the giggles, wondering what she could be thinking about. Figures; men will never understand women, will they?

She could wish for that…

Nope. They'd end up knowing more than they wanted to.

Again, a wave of giggles washed over her. Yeah, men understanding women might be just a little more sick and wrong than necessary, once one thought about all the aspects of female life. Maybe she really should just stick with the wish for better aim.

Just so she could skewer the Hyuuga and watch him look her at in horror at being beaten by a girl.

It was too much. The absolutely hilarious, picture that came to mind of her standing there, watching as he stared at her in astonishment and humility; this, mixed with a touch of dumb-foundment and outrage, as various weapons stuck out from very dangerous places. It was so comical that she let out a full-blown laugh. After a few minutes of the picture not going away, and the riotous laughter not dying down, she was half-rolling on the ground with tears streaming down her face. After the first minute or two, after all, Gai and Lee had entered into the picture and were staring at her like she was some sort of insane assassin, the expressions, if possible, even funnier than the indignant Hyuuga's.

After several minutes of full-out laughter and uncontrollable giggles, she finally managed to calm herself down, her chest heaving with the need for oxygen. Though she nearly started up again when three incredibly worried faces appeared in her line of vision. Even Neji looked like he was worried about his only sane teammate going off the deep end.

Heck, maybe she had gone off the deep end!

Again, giggles took her. What a wrong with her? Had she lost her mind? Another look at her sensei's and youngest teammate's faces made it clear.

Yup. She was off her rocker.

"Tenten? What in the world are you thinking about?" Neji managed to ask. The kunoichi looked up at him, a grin spreading across her face as she managed to speak in a singsong voice through the impending giggle fits.

"How blonde I am! How blonde I'll be…!" And before she could even finish, she lapsed into another fit of laughter.

It was official. The Weapons Mistress had finally lost her marbles. This thought, too, was running through her mind, and made her laugh all the harder. The absolutely pathetic suggestion that maybe Tsunade had a medicine that could fix the laughing fits and strange thoughts was made, and the two green things that were thought to be human went to check into the option, leaving a very clueless and uncomfortable Hyuuga Neji to deal with the laughing hyena once known as Tenten.

Hmm… alone with the great Hyuuga am I? I wonder what I can do to him?

"Neji, truth or dare?" she asked, giggling as she looked up at him, eyes sparkling brightly. Figuratively with joy, literally with unshed tears of laughter. She propped an arm behind her head and tossed a kunai in the air lazily. "If you don't answer, I'll skewer you."

"Truth."

It wasn't that he was scared she'd actually hurt him, his brain was just a little on the fried side, considering the only person in his life who wasn't cruel, crazy or pathetically shy had just gone into the second of the two categories without a moment's notice. He was definitely not thinking straight, and the next question, which he had to answer, proved it.

"What is your greatest fear?"

Surprisingly, such a query snapped him back to his old self. He gave an indignant, non-committal "hmph" and leaned back against the tree once again. She twisted herself on the ground until her head was right next to his thigh, and leaned her forehead against the weapon case she'd given him that last Christmas. After a minute or two of sitting that way, he peeked open one eye, only to see the most innocent, cute little-girl look anyone could ever imagine. Could he be truthful with her at all? Hyuuga Neji was not a liar, but he… he really couldn't tell her this! He decided to take an alternate route. Neither the fear of his life, nor a lie, but…

"At this point, my greatest fear is that you'll never be normal again."

Well, it wasn't a lie. He really was a little nervous about this crazier-than-his-sensei-and-other-teammate-Tenten. She blinked, as though in surprise, then gained a slightly indignant look. It was, in itself, a relief that she had showed some other signs of intelligence besides being able to merely speak.

"Hyuuga Neji, is it too much to ask for a girl to have a little bit of fun?" she asked. He nearly flinched when he noted the small tang of hurt spicing her words. The Weapons Mistress sat up and gazed at him, sorrowful amber orbs burning into his of pure white. "So I was having fun being a little weird for once; so what? Is it too hard for you to grant me a simple pleasure now and again? I found myself thinking amusing thoughts, and for once I didn't turn to mediation to get rid of them, I just let them come! I let them amuse me! I let them make me laugh!"

This new emotion was something that he hadn't felt since… well, had he ever felt it at all? Yes, but only with her. Guilt was not a friendly being to his heart of stone; it was dangerous. If he opened his heart to guilt, then other emotions were soon to follow. But she was looking at him… like he'd betrayed her… like…

He closed his eyes. He couldn't stand that look anymore. He'd had more than enough. After a few minutes, he felt her move closer to him. Dare he move? Look at her? His stomach was still in knots. But… he opened his eyes anyway.

And was met with a beautiful sight.

Tenten had moved to where she was sitting right next to him, facing him, and had let her hair down. She looked at him, her eyes just a little pained.

"I like to let go sometimes, Neji. Let go and forget. Forget that I am shinobi, that I am the Weapon Mistress of Konohagakure. Forget… and for once, just be like a girl from a village that has no tradition of becoming a weapon, no tradition of seals and jutsus and martial arts. I'm just a girl who can laugh, have fun and hang out with her friends. Maybe I never showed that side of me to you, but I never thought that if I did you would completely reject it…"

Her eyes lowered to stare at the pair of folded hands in her lap, tanned and scarred from the life she tried to forget when she could. He felt almost lucky when an idea occurred to him. A smirk passed over his features.

"Tenten, truth or dare?"

She shot her head up to look him in the eye, her glance lingering on his half-smile suspiciously.

"Dare."

He said nothing. He only took action, as though he had known that's what she would say. He kissed her.

Innocently, gently at first, his lips ghosting over hers like the light spring breeze that could be felt that day. She was shocked; the prodigy kissed her more passionately, and her body became like its own entity from her mind, moving to lean against him, responding when his kisses became more passionate. Her hands pressed against his hardened biceps, though not as if she were pushing him away, but more like… if she would let go, she would never be able to pull herself away from him. He drew her even closer, and her body molded softly next to him. Taunting kisses were trailed over her flesh, one lingering over her throat in pleasure of the shivers it sent up her spine. Her breathing was shallow, though barely audible even in her own ears.

Why had he kissed her like that?

Why had she responded like that?!

Headache.

Tenten moaned as he nuzzled her neck gently and pressed a kiss to her jaw line. She moved her hands up to slip behind his back, resting her head on his shoulder. His calloused hands massaged circles into her back gently, his breathing calming her. After a while, she finally was able to find her voice.

"Neji… what was my dare again…?" she managed. He smirked.

"You already did it."

"Okay."

She pulled herself in closer, burying her head into his strong chest and sighing a breath of relief, one last random thought making its way through her head:

I need to act crazy more often. Random thoughts are good for me.

AN: First ever NejiTen. Wrote about a year or so ago. Enjoy, REVIEW.