Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Identity

By saishenoyama

Trigger

The bright Konohan sun shone vibrantly over the treetops of the forest. A lone woman stood in the middle of the clearing, her back facing towards the sun as she felt the cold breeze sweep across the forest.

"Tenten"

Tenten whipped her head towards the man who had called her. Her eyes, noticeably brighter, as she made to walk towards him. "Neji! You didn't tell me you'd be late."

"It was unexpected." Neji looked at Tenten and stared at her for a second. "I apologize for making you wait." The kunoichi peered curiously at the man before her. Wow! Something must really have happened for him to act like this.

"Tenten," Neji said quietly. "you know that the Hyuuga Council has been urging me to marry for some time now." Tenten raised an eyebrow and looked at him inquiringly, motioning for him to go on. "Yes, Neji. But what does this have to do with me?"

Neji swallowed hard and closed his eyes. It's now or never.

"It has everything to do with you. Tenten, will you marry me?" That sounded well enough.

An awkward silence filled the forest, save the soft chirping of the birds around them. The Hyuuga looked uncomfortably at the sky as Tenten, wide-eyed, stared at him in disbelief.

Then she laughed.

"Nice one, Neji! I never thought of you as a joker!" she said in between laughs. Tenten wiped her eyes with one hand as her other hand clutched her stomach.

"I'm serious." Neji said when Tenten's laughter finally died down.

"Seriously? You're really asking me to marry you?"

"Yes, Tenten. Didn't I just ask you that?" Neji said exasperatedly.

She eyed him and bit her lip. "Why are you asking me this, Neji?" He looked at her, his eyes softening at how vulnerable she suddenly looked like. "I think you know the answer to that." Tenten furrowed her eyebrows and said, "No Neji, I don't. That's why I'm asking you and if you're not going to answer me, we'd just be wasting our time here." Neji noticed her impatience and quickly thought of how he could salvage the situation. Damn it! Don't screw this up! He looked her in the eye, "I like you, Tenten. I'm not asking you to marry me just because I want to get this over with the easiest way possible. I'm asking you to marry me because I can't stand the thought of you marrying another man. I know that you're the only woman I need beside me until I die."

Tenten gave him a small smile and said, "I never thought I'd hear you speak that long, save the times you talked about fate." Neji blinked. Tenten's smile grew wider as she grabbed the back of Neji's head and pulled his head towards her, their foreheads resting against each other. "I think I'll like those long speeches of yours when I wake up in the morning."

"You mean?" Neji's eyes grew wide as he attempted to fight the blush on is face.

Tenten gave him a hearty laugh. "Yes, Neji, I want to grow old with you too."

At that moment, the birds flew.

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In a land of different terrain, a man, clad in dark, cool shades of blue stood beside a tame horse. His hand glided along the smooth curves of the horse's back. Another man, much shorter than him, suddenly appeared, a bird perched on his shoulder.

"My lord," the shorter man bowed and kneeled, his thoughts wandered on how he would tell is master the current situation.

The taller man inclined his head. "It has happened?" his tone making the words more of a statement rather than a question. He turned his head abruptly and looked at the man kneeling before him.

"Yes, sir." The other man replied, his gaze transfixed on the ground. The bird was quiet as if it had picked up the tension between the two men. It held a strong gaze at the man before beside the horse.

The master looked up at the sky. Cloudless. The moon is brighter than usual. Perhaps it is celebrating with her. He gave a smile that was barely existent, but as soon as it had appeared, it had been replaced with a determined expression. "Prepare the squads."

"But my lord - ," the shorter man looked up, surprised by his master's reply. He quickly bowed his head when he saw the resolute expression on the other man's face.

"We will go to Konoha." His leader said with much finality that he knew it would be useless to gainsay.

"As you wish."

In the distance, a wolf's howl could be heard.

To be continued. . . .

A/N: Hate it? Like it?