A/N: Hey guys! This is my first fanfiction so um, review and criticize as much as you would like; it will be a learning experience for me. Well, the idea for this story came randomly, but I suppose it was influenced by a lot of other stories… it's probably going to be quite generic. The story features one of our favorite pairings, Neji and Tenten! 3 And it's rated "M" for some darker chapters later… but nothing really explicit if you know what I'm saying xD
Oh! And here is a key to the text and what not:
Normalness….?!
Thinking, or in flashback/dream/memory mode
Emphasis!
"Dialogue!"
xxxxxxchange scene xxxxxxxxx
switch to flashback/ dream / memory
And on to the chaos!!
The Beginning
A kunai whizzed past Neji's face. He quickly dodged the barrage of weapons following, jumping into the treetops.
There he was met by a ferocious young boy clad in green spandex. Neji met Lee's kick with one of his own, while just missing a few seemingly inconspicuous senbon thrown by Tenten.
Damnit, I hate when they gang up on me.
"Okay my youthful team! That is enough training for today! Now, your mission for tonight is to revamp your youth with beauty sleep!"
"YOSH!! Gai-sensei!"
Gai and Lee proceeded with their daily ritual of ghastly poses, tears, hugs, and a whole lot of youth. Complete with a sunset.
Shaking her head in disgust, Tenten turned to Neji, and they left the training grounds together.
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Walking side by side, Neji turned to Tenten.
" You did well today."
Tenten smiled. "Thanks."
"Even if you did use Lee's help quite a bit."
Tenten just pushed the smirking Neji and laughed.
The pair finally reached the point in the journey to their respective homes where they always parted ways. "Same time tomorrow?"
"Hn."
"Well., bai-bai Neji!"
" I'll see you tomorrow, Tenten." Sleep well.
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Tenten turned the key in the lock of her apartment door. Entering, she tossed her bag onto the floor and shook off her sandals. Sighing, she made her way through her room towards the bathroom, stripping off her clothes and tossing them aside without a care. Turning the faucet to the right, she let her hair down as she waited for the water to heat.
Hm… I did do well today. And my body is sure feeling it…
Satisfied with the water's temperature, Tenten stepped into the shower and let the steam pour over her aching muscles.
Neji was right though, I couldn't have done it without Lee. Kami-sama, I'll never beat Neji…
But Neji was too soft today, if Gai had not stopped us, Lee and I surely would have won.
Tenten's eyebrows furrowed as she lathered up her sponge.
Something must be wrong… It must be his clan. The kunoichi snapped open the lid of the shampoo and squeezed an excessive amount into her palm. Neji… I hope he's okay. Maybe I'll let him win tomorrow! No… He would notice if I went easy on him and get angry. Besides, he always wins anyways.
Tenten turned the shower's knob to the left and, grabbing a towel, stepped out of the shower. She sighed as she dried herself off and proceeded to finish getting ready for bed. Neji…
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Neji could hear the yelling before he even entered the door. As he carefully closed it behind him, he turned to see a girl with flowing jet-black hair run by him, tears streaming down her face. Hinata-sama… She must be fighting with her father again. Neji frowned.
He quickly snuck into the kitchen to grab some dinner to bring up to his room. Heading up the stairs, he made sure to avoid the dining room where the rest of clan was situated, and where Neji was sure a very angry looking clan leader must be sitting at the head of the table.
Neji often made a habit of skipping family dinners, he much preferred to take his meals up to his room where he could study and think in peace and quiet.
Holding his plate in one hand, Neji flipped a switch and warm light cascaded through the room. His eyes instinctively searched his room in case anything was misplaced. Satisfied, the young shinobi sat down and jotted down notes of the day's training session. What many would call a journal was actually just a set of notes on different ninjas, villages, mission, and of course, Team Gai. Neji made sure to never write much of the Byakugan. That information would always be stored safely in his head. No, his "journal" was indeed just a way to mainly keep track of his team's progress and maintain obscure notes of importance. Neji never wrote down his emotions.
His eyes subconsciously drifted to the framed pictures adorning his desk. A picture of his parents when they were both young smiled back at him. Then one of his father holding him as a baby, with a serious look on his face, yet Neji could see the care in his father's pale eyes. Passing other family portraits, Neji's eyes rested on the two pictures in a separated frame. There he saw himself with the rest of Team Gai after just becoming a genin. Next to it was a more recent picture of the same people. Recently, it was these three people that had become more of a family than the very large Hyuuga clan. Despite his obvious annoyance with Gai-sensei and Lee, they were always very warm to him.
Neji let a small smile escape his lips as he shook his head. He then noticed, in a small red frame, a picture of him and Tenten taken almost a year ago. The smile stayed on his face as he remembered the day Tenten had thrown her arm around him and begged him to smile for the camera. After her nagging in that always-recognizable voice, he eventually gave a very small, yet sincere and clearly amused, smile. His smirk should have looked out of place next to Tenten's beaming grin, yet oddly enough it seemed to fit.
Neji had grown very close with Tenten over the years. At first they had merely bonded due to their shared annoyance over Gai and Lee, as well as how well their fighting styles meshed together. Yet their bond gradually strengthened as they each learned more of the other, and shared trust and confidence in one another grew. Neji would often confide in Tenten (usually after her constant prodding), and she would always listen. Tenten knew and understood Neji better than anyone else. Now she was more than a partner, she was a friend.
