A/N: Alrighty-o. Since I'm a Chinese I will write a one-shot bout Chinese New Year. Problem is...is that this is due around a week. Blame me and my procrastination skills. But anyways, bear with me and the story. Eventually it'll get to the Nejiten part. Bit angsty or dramatic in the front but ignore that.
I also hate the pace it is going, things happen to fast. So just bear with it.
" -...- " Chinese Dialect
"Blah" Japanese Dialect
Disclaimer: I own nuthin.
It was Chinese New Year. Everything is supposed to be happy, but again…not this year.
It has been three years already, since she had seen the sparkling smile from the taijutsu master and the smug smile on the Hyuuga's face. Her mental images of her friends have already disintegrated to the shadows of her mind. She had nothing left, but memories that were tattered and cloudy. There was almost nothing linking back to the old world where she lived in for half of her life. Her Japanese was faulty; her aiming is off, all ninja-related skills…were forgotten or lost.
There was only one thing that kept her grasp on the world she used to know, and it was only: pearly white eyes.
It occurred to her funny how she thought she would see them again. A useless wish, it wouldn't come true. The time when her aunt and uncle came for her, it was all too sudden. One day, she was having fun with her friends, and the next…she had to return back to China.
---
Leaving.
"…Well…I have to go in a while," a brunette said cheerily, looking at her teammates. "Going back to where I belong…"
Instead of having her hair in tight buns where they belonged, the girl had them down, a clip pinning back the bangs that covered her face.
There were no more pink top, no baggy dark green pants, and no headband on to hide her forehead. None…at all. Tenten, the weapon's mistress, was completely transformed from ninja to civilian.
A hand rested on her shoulder, attempting to assure her, though it seemed that she needed none. Lee gave her a smile, "Don't worry about it, Tenten. I'm sure you'll find friends. Besides, you look MUCH better like that then before."
Tenten gave a dry laugh, "Right, and imagine you in different clothing. I bet you'll die without Gai's spandex gift."
Lee chortled, enjoying the last of it.
"Try to write to us if you can," Neji said, looking at her with his sharp pearl white eyes, "And don't talk to people that you don't know. Don't forget that you can't use any weapons, jutsus, and your chakra. Beat up any kid at your school who teases you. And-"
Before the prodigy could go on, the girl interrupted. "Whoa, Neji. I got that down already. No need to remind me. I'm not your pet."
Tenten tried to look serious, but couldn't hide a smile. The weapon's mistress thought it was amusing that THE HYUUGA NEJI was afraid for her. How sweet.
"Oh," was all the Hyuuga said.
Tenten took a deep breath, and then released it. "Well…"
"Hurry up, TENTEN!!!" a middle-aged woman yelled from the car that was loading luggage into the back trunk.
She quickly shot her relative a look before twirling back at her squad. Without hesitation she pulled Lee into a quick hug, while murmuring in his ear 'Thank you'. Tenten did the same to her sensei and Neji.
The brunette broke her embrace with the fourteen year old prodigy, and ran towards the car, while yelling her last goodbyes.
Her former team watched as the automobile sped off; Gai and Lee were both stifling their sobs and Neji…well, he just watched.
Inside of the car
"The environment wasn't fit for you, Tenten."
"People here may be nice and like you, but they're not. They're still Japanese."
"You'll find yourself nice friends in China, not here."
Tenten stayed silent, knowing all to well that it was rude to talk back to her relatives. Instead she was not listening to them. Hot tears stung the corners of her eyes, and slid down her porcelain-colored face.
'Tenten, one last thing you need to remember, I'm yours, will always be yours. I will wish for your happiness. Your joy…is mine.'
The words echoed in her head as her relatives kept on lecturing her. It was sudden, the abrupt confession from her teammate, she didn't have the time to think for a response. During the week she had left before leaving, she had always thought about it only ending up in a flurry of red faces.
Tears dropped onto her clenched fists, rolling down it. Tenten wanted to go back…but as Neji said long time ago: 'Fate…can't be changed.'
Hiding. It was useless; she can't hide things from that Hyuuga. If there was one person that would understand, it'd be him. She'd share millions of problems with him, and he'd offer as much advice as possible. But lately…there were things she couldn't share.
'Like the last time…' she thought, trailing back to a memory…
"Oh, you finally decide to come now," Neji said, smirking at her while she stopped in front of him. Today was the last day that she could spend time training. Tenten had a hard time deciphering what the prodigy said to her the week before.
"I had to do things," Tenten said, her face red from the exhaustion or embarrassment.. Neji cocked a brow, not buying her excuse.
Neji stood up from his usual meditating position. "Let me tell you something, Tenten. I know you don't watch your behavior, but lately you've been behind on our training sessions," Neji looked at her in the eye. "Anything you'd want to share?"
"Well…I had…um…problems…" Tenten muttered, her eyes darting around the area trying to avoid all eye contact with him. The Hyuuga grabbed her chin and forcefully made her look at him in the eye.
"Stop avoiding eye contact, it's rude," he said bluntly. Problem one: lately she's been nervous to look at his milky eyes. Even Tenten doesn't know why she's all jumpy around him.
She blushed furiously, whacking his hand away. "W-Well. I-I just don't like staring," she exclaimed, not aware of the red completely on her face. This behavior surprised both individuals. Problem two: she's stuttering and blushes.
A small smirk came onto Neji's face, and his teammate wasn't aware of it. "Well, anything?" he asked, a bit more of a gentle tone to his voice.
"It's nothing! N-O-T-I-N-G!" Tenten screamed, obviously having enough. This only provoked him to tease her more because of a misspelled word…
She was snapped out of trance as the car jerked to a stop in front of the airport. A mix of emotions has started to occur in her but her face remained blank. Tenten stayed solemn, her eyes cast on the floor. There were people talking making a huge fuss but to Tenten it was a world of silence.
---
It was that time of the year again…
--
"-Tian Tian!-" someone exclaimed, patting Tenten's back gently while she was sitting on a stone bench between the period. Said person turned her head around, and fixed her gaze on her small friend.
"-Mei? What are you doing here? Aren't you suppose to be in your building?-" she questioned, brushing back her brown hair behind her ear. The girl gasped for breath, and then gave her a smile as she sat by her. Mei handed a Tenten a Lei Si.
"-Happy Chinese New Year! May your education increase!-" Mei said fluently in Chinese. Tenten graciously accepted it, and encircled the nine year old girl with a hug.
"-Sorry, I forgot today was the New Year's,-" Tenten said a tint of pain in her voice. She quickly changed the subject before she could think negative thoughts. " Today aren't we going to have a Lion Dance? "
"-YEAH!-" The fourth grader responded all too happy. Tenten chuckled, but then Mei cut in. "-And today's the perfect day to ask Ling if he loves me!-"
Tenten sweat dropped, and patted her head. "-Little one, you're too small to know what love is.-"
Her face fell into a pout and then jumped back into a smile. "-Tian Tian, have you ever had someone?-"
The question had stung Tenten at first. "-Well…yes, but he lives far away…-"
She found the little girl chuckling to herself, "-Then you can write to him! Love can never be stopped!-"
Tenten only gave a sad smile in reply. "-Mei, fate has been cruel during the past three years. I've forgotten how my friends look like…-"
"-Hop on a plane and visit!-"
"-He's in Japan.-"
"-TIAN TIAN HAS A BOYFRIEND IN JAPAN?!?!-" Mei screamed, hopping off the bench. Tenten clamped her hand over the babbling girl's mouth.
"-SHH, I don't want anyone knowing.-"
And before the loud-mouthed girl got to question poor Tenten any further, the bell rung for them to get back to class.
"-Tian Tian, have you heard of the Lion Dance this afternoon?-" a friend inquired during lunch. Tenten, ever so quietly listening to her friends talk, was surprised when brought into the conversation. While chewing on a piece of fish, she nodded her head.
"-Have anyone caught glimpse of the boys doing it?-" San asked. Everyone, excluding Tenten, squealed, their faces burning red. "- They're so handsome!-"
Tenten rolled her eyes, as she placed down her wooden chopsticks. "-Can you girls, stop talking about boys? It's the New Year's!-"
Chi pouted, "-It's the single-awareness season. We're so…single, without a man. Don't you feel that way, Tian Tian?-"
"-Nope,-" Tenten replied bluntly. "-Unlike you, Chi, I'm not exactly boy-crazy as you are.-"
"-Come on, you have a perfect body, gorgeous eyes, and fitting grades. Who wouldn't fall for you?-" Jin asked, tapping the pair of chopsticks against her chin testily.
Tenten automatically said, "-Neji.-" She caught herself, and smashed her face into the wooden table.
There was a chorus of 'oohs' and then they teasingly said, "-Who's 'Neji'?-"
"-Someone…someone who's dead,-" Tenten said, feigning sadness. And from then on, they dared not speak to Tenten, fearing that it might make their friend cry. What they don't know was that Tenten was snickering inwardly.
It was Chinese New Year, and to celebrate it in her school they had a Lion Dance! Yay! How fun. Okay, maybe not.
Tenten sat ever so boringly on the school benches waiting for the stupid lion dance to commence. Why must this particular day shine? Sure, Tenten was used to the sun boring down its rays, but that was when she was moving to prevent getting burned. Now, she was idle on a flat piece of rock which they call 'bench'.
There goes the principle walking up the stage and he says a long lecture about the good luck and all that sht. Tenten didn't care anyways, she pictured that her teammates were sitting around a table wondering what to do because they don't have someone with a Chinese heritage to celebrate with. She ignored her friends silently squealing about the boys that were going to participate in the Lion Dance.
Tenten didn't care; why she would…if she had Neji…
Her face instantly flushed red, as she buried it into her hands. 'Oh my gosh, why am I thinking about him now?! Must forget that…'
"-Tian Tian, what's wrong with your face?-"
"-U-Uh, nothing…just the heat,-" she lied.
Distantly, Tenten heard a conversation behind her. Being a 'polite' person she was, Tenten tried not to eaves drop…okay, she was curious and no one would know.
"-Look at that! A blind-folded guy, they're letting a blind person being the head? Don't you think he'll crash?-"
"-Can't be, I guess they're out of- WOAH. Look at that!-" someone exclaimed. "-That weird person is gonna play the tail and maybe he'll lead him.-"
Tenten thought to herself, and then glanced the way towards the preparing people. Surely there was a teenaged boy with a blindfold wrapped around his head, and a person talking to him possibly instructing him what to do. She felt bad for that blind boy, if he fell or crashes while doing the routine.
'They can't be serious…' she thought. The usual hard core teenager felt nothing but pity and slightly worried about this teenager. There were plenty of thick bushes and steep hills around…
After some ceremonial stuff, Tenten really never paid attention to that for she was busy observing the blind one, the noise started. The large drum was set aside but not too far so it would echo through the campus. The cymbal like object was banged numerous of times in beating with the drum. On cue five lions were set out, they're heads shaking to the noise.
Tenten constantly looked out for the red-orange colored lion, which hasn't had a scratch on the teenage inside. Well, some of the lions were on the stage jumping from pole to pole, impressing the whole lot. Tenten didn't care much if one fell off…maybe she might….a little.
She noticed that the particular lion had plenty of people giving Lei Si to, and the mouth flap constantly opened and close.
'Maybe they pitied the blind dude…' Tenten thought.
"-Oh, let's give the envelopes to that one, I wonder if they guy inside is hurt yet,-" a passing student said to her friend. Tenten's thought dropped; it was far from pity…
'Oh well, I'll just give it to that guy to see if he's hurt,' Tenten thought, unaware that she too was thinking the same like others. She took one extra from her pocket, it was meant for someone…well, Tenten would have to wait another day to ship off the Lei Si to her friend.
Tenten stalked into the crowd which was surrounding the two people. While she was, something pulsed in her. Tenten stopped momentarily, as the pulse increased. Was it her heart beat?
Tenten felt strange, someone was obviously looking at her. She began to panic, something that the normal Tenten wouldn't do. But during this particular moment…she felt that the world was against her, and she was only the little worm going to be crushed by the large feet of humankind.
'Just give the Lei Si to the dude, and get out of there,' she thought, slowly walking her way to the mouth. Each step was difficult, and it sent strange energy to her limbs. What was she feeling? What could it be? What is this unknown force? Whilst she was thinking deeply, Tenten took a little note of the person who was the head. Surely, when he had to shake the head high above his shoulders, she could've seen if he was mauled or any kind.
Little did she know, the teen smiled.
CLOMP
"-Ah-la. The lion ate Tian Tian…-" Chi said, mockingly shaking her braided pig-tails. Jin and San snickered. The mouth was fit comfortably around her upper body, so that her head poked inside.
What greeted Tenten first was the smell of sweat. Boy odor, it stunk too much, or was it her sensitive nose. But anyways, according to her sharp smell…no signs of blood, that's for sure.
"Is that it?" she heard, while her eyes were closed. The voice came from the far back, so…this guy was doing the butt. What she was really surprised in was that most of the noise was blocked out; she could hear the back talking clearly. Tenten thought, now let's give this guy a character check shall we?
First of all, the voice was not so serious but a bit disappointed, it could be asking for confirmation from the head. From what Tenten concluded…enemy #1 wasn't that all dangerous. And…wait…
"I'm sure," confirmed the blindfolded seventeen years old. CHARACTER CHECK! He must be a serious person; his voice carried no emotions and was that happiness coating around it? Tenten slowly opened her eyes, enemy #2 was unpredictable and could be dangerous…but heck he's blind…right?
"-J-J-Japanese people?!-" Tenten cried, once she noticed that language they were speaking in. The teenager, who was an inch away from her face, raised an eyebrow as if he could see her.
"Etto…" the boy muttered, before pulling down the blindfold. Then there was white. All Tenten could see was white.
"-You're blind?!-" she said, stuck to her native language. He sighed, and shook his head, knowing no way how he could peel her off Chinese and place her language back Japanese.
"-Japanese speak,-" the back struggled weakly in Chinese.
"Gah, thank you," the one in the front grunted, snapping the Lei Si from her hand and pushing her out of the mouth.
Tenten landed on her behind as the crowd continued to give the red envelopes. She was all taken aback by the sudden greeting by the two Japanese boys. Maybe it was just mere coincidence…or not.
She stood up, and blinked. 'Strange….maybe the gods are tricking me…' Tenten suddenly felt hatred towards the gods, and wised to stone them with heavenly rocks.
Later:
Tenten was still pondering by the weird thing that happened that day, and mind her…it seemed eternity but was actually for ten seconds. She sat on a stone bench underneath the shade of the tree. Tenten was fond of this spot, it was undisturbed by most people, and in her opinion this was the most romantic spot…well…her friends put that in her head.
She sighed, another New Year's gone…and this day she felt empty…incomplete…etc.
"Hey," an all too familiar voice said behind her. Tenten spun around in surprise when she noticed it was the blind guy.
His hair was pulled neatly into a ponytail, while a black headband was wrapped around his forehead. Behind him was the guy who tried to communicate with her, obviously failing in Chinese. Thick eyebrows and strange eyes…where did she see that before?
"-Excuse me aren't you those people who ate me in the lion dance? I tell you, my friends are teasing me because of that, saying that you were 'checking me out'. Stay ten feet away or I will scream,-" Tenten said, trying to make sense of everything she just said. Well, Tenten doesn't scream, but most boys in her school would never think that a girl like her could pull off a 'beat you up' threat, so 'think girly' was all Tenten had.
The two didn't move, either they were ignoring that command or…they just didn't understand.
"-Japanese….speak….understand….do not we….-" the bizarre one said, scratching his cheek trying to conjure up any other words. Tenten stared blankly, not understanding what the strange one was trying to say. Well, Tenten knew one thing and that was: his Chinese was horrible and broken…
"Why can't we just take her back," enemy #2 muttered, knuckling his pearly white eyes.
"Ayah, can not do. Who knows what Tenten would do to us," the other argued. "She might have forgotten us and a way to understand…"
Tenten sat dumbfounded, lost in the words of Japanese. 'What's wrong with you, Tian Tian? Can't you just understand?'
The 'blind' boy's eyes twitched, apparently he was annoyed. He was desperate, even though he tried concealing all emotion. He took her by the shoulders and proceeded to shake her furiously. "Tenten, remember! C'mon, don't tell us you've forgotten your friends?! I'm Neji, remember?!"
"NEJI, DO NOT HARM OUR TEAMMATE!!!" the other screamed, trying to prevent the Hyuuga from snapping her neck.
"But- Lee--…" Neji muttered, completely submitting to his teammate's strong hold.
Tenten gasped for breath, it's been a while…that she was shook violently like that. But most of all…she was stunned. Looking breathlessly at the two chattering boys, she gave an uncertain and astonished smile. " Neji…Lee? "
Neji's eyebrow twitched a bit before he grabbed her shoulder again. "Speak Japanese, Tenten! Or I'll be forced to kidnap you!!!"
"Neji, I do not think we can kidnap her…we-"
"Shut up."
"…She is our teammate," Lee pointed out, unknowingly getting the Hyuuga angry.
"-You…came back…-" Tenten said slowly, even though she was in shock and in the mix of languages. Tears started to sprout from the corners of her eyes, and she brought the back of her hands up to wipe them away. She sobbed, "-I…waited…-"
The two were struck with shock, and their eyes widened quickly. One: Tenten never cried, it was the kunoichi rule that she kept enforced. Two: she was crying in Chinese. No one knows what she's crying about. Three: Neji made her cry.
Now…all hell break loose….
"SEE!!! NEJI!!! YOU MUST BE CONDEMNED A THOUSAND TIMES FOR COMMITTING SUCH A SIN!!!" Lee yelled, smacking Neji upside the head. The Hyuuga didn't dodge….shame, because he was distracted by Tenten crying. "YOU CAN'T MAKE TENTEN CRY OR YOU WILL BE PUNISHED!!!"
"…Sht," Neji muttered, recovering from the abnormal outburst of emotions. "What the hell is wrong with us? I get hit, Tenten cries, AND LEE….you say a contraction…"
"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn…" Lee said randomly. Neji gave him a questioning stare before something broke their conversation; Tenten was burying her face into Neji's chest, while her sobs were lessening.
"…"
"Oooh, picture moment," Lee muttered, taking out a 'civilized' camera, and snapping a few photos. Neji swore to crush that roll of film when they complete their mission. Right now…there was priority…and that priority was…
"Tenten," he whispered, reluctantly returning the hug in front of Lee. Indeed he was getting irritated by the camera going 'beep' all the time, whenever Lee clicked the button. He mouthed to Lee, his glare coated with malice: 'Go away.'
Lee mouthed back: 'Indeed not my dear teammate, Gai-sensei must see this.'
The annoyed Hyuuga kicked Lee into the bushes nearby, making him slip out of the picture. He turned his attention back to his sobbing teammate, his body tensed up to the unusual hug from his former teammate. Nevertheless, he was getting annoyed, "Tenten…"
She pulled away the instant she heard her name. "Sorry," Tenten said, embarrassed of the ordeal. She pushed him away from her. "I was recalling the language of Japanese."
If Neji couldn't control himself, he could've jumped for joy and hug Tenten for a very long time. But he was a man of self-control. "Tenten, welcome back."
She wobbled out of his grasp and collapsed onto the bench. The former weapons mistress sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. "Sorry, outburst of emotions."
"Hn, no problem."
"Where's Lee?"
"Kicked him away."
"Sure."
"Hn."
After a few seconds, silence. Tenten tried feeling happy, but all she felt was blankness. No emotions, none at all.
"-Tian Tian!!! Oh my god, you're with that blind guy!!!-" one of her friends exclaimed from behind them. Tenten sprung apart from her teammate, and looked at her friends a bit baffled.
"-Chi, Jin…San, he-he's the dead person I was talking about,-" Tenten said, slowly standing up. "-Except….he's not dead, I lied. And he isn't blind, I swear.-"
"-OMG, SINGLE-AWARENESS SEASON!!! TIAN TIAN ISN'T SINGLE!!!-" Chi exclaimed to her friends, her words coated with sarcasm. So her friends ignored what she said, how rude, but it seemed that Tenten didn't at all care.
"-CHI! I didn't say that he and I were going out! It's just that I haven't seen him for three years!-"
"-…-"
Tenten huffed; surely she won the battle. Neji was just staring, not knowing what they were saying. And Lee…bad demented Lee…he was eavesdropping.
"-Well, we'll be off, to give you and your boyfriend some alone time,-" San said, pulling the other two away. "-Just don't go too crazy!-"
After that statement, Tenten blushed furiously having the confession years ago recalled in her memory. "Uh…so…N-N-Neji-kun, what're you doing here?"
Neji didn't answer, but skipped the question. "We have to leave soon."
"W-Why?" Tenten sputtered, quite attached to her home in China. Neji looked her in the eyes to show the seriousness.
"We have gotten ten weeks," Lee butted in, climbing from the bushes. He shook a clinging tree branch from his black pants. "From Tsunade-sama...of 'relaxation.'"
Neji nodded in confirmation to Tenten's questioning gaze. "In fact, in Gai's terms…we're here to reclaim what had belonged to us."
"What's that thing?"
"You."
"…"
"Do not be offended by the insult of being called possession," Lee intervened. "Truth be told, it was for Neji's sake-"
Neji cut him off by clamping his mouth shut with a hand. "What he's trying to say is that we didn't feel right when you were gone and…--"
Now Tenten was infuriated. "You took three years to get me back?! THREE YEARS?!" she screeched. Neji didn't flinch when she screamed or when the brunette gave him a death glare. "You know what? You left me here, and NOW you decide to come?! No wonder I didn't feel anything. Because of your incompetence!"
"…It was hard getting a conn-"
"I KNOW!!! YOU COULD'VE TRANSPORTED HERE AND WHISK ME BACK HOME, BEFORE I GOT TOO ATTACHED HERE!!!" Tenten screamed, her glare becoming more deadly. Neji stood his ground and stared at her squarely in the eye, while Lee shivered behind them.
"Eh, we had to get in legally," the prodigy shot back. The brunette fumed in reply, glaring deep into his eyes. Neji did the same.
So…ULTIMATE STARING CONTEST UNTIL THE OTHER BLINKS commences!!!
"You aren't legal," Tenten said hotly.
"Well I am now."
"Back then you weren't."
"Well, guess what? There are millions of people crawling around this pitiful area; do you think we could risk a missing person report?" Neji reasoned. Tenten took the time to understand what he was saying.
"Well, I had to suffer more then you did, have you ever know the feeling of losing the world you once knew?!" Tenten said sternly and sharply. Hidden behind those words was a mix of emotions, which Tenten kept completely sealed. "Well, guess what I don't want to leave! I don't care whatever you guys think! I DON'T CARE!"
They only stayed silent, as Tenten staggered backwards seeing how they didn't utter a word. "Fine, I see I've been a waste of your time," Tenten muttered, turning around. "I'll see you all later…"
The two didn't dare do anything as their friend kept walking farther away…and finally she was gone from sight. Tenten fought back the stinging sensation going up her nose, and her eyes threatened to water yet again. Walking away from her 'friends'…they were the reasons why she suffered and now she'll have to go through it again. That wouldn't happen…
"You did not stop her," Lee commented, disappointed in his friend's ability. Neji said nothing, but after a while of deep thought…
"I didn't need to."
"…?"
"Plan B."
"…"
"I'll approach…and you attack."
"Nani? Land a scratch on our blossom?!"
"My blossom, not yours," Neji hissed protectively, giving his teammate a glare. Lee didn't shrink down; it was only Tenten who could make him do that.
'Overprotective these days…'
"I can hear you," Neji replied bluntly, whilst retreating back to the guest rooms where the lion dancers were staying in. Lee stared curiously after him, expecting a stoic answer. And he did…with a: "You were mumbling, Lee."
"Yes," Lee deadpanned tiredly, walking after his teammate.
At Night:
Tenten shifted around in her fluffy bed. Despite the comfort, the incident that day kept her awake and thinking. Tenten was more then furious. Her friends came and did nothing when she stomped away…she felt hurt and at the same time angry. Tenten wanted to kill the two for all they're worth…
But wait…the conscience's speaking…
'…Have you gone too far?'
Hell no, Tenten thought back, they deserved what they did.
'…You transformed…too much, I guess it's time for you to revert back to your old ways. The old Tenten would never get mad at her friends, she was patient, kind…and understood the scenario better than anyone.'
Guess she's right, the brunette reluctantly thought.
'Go apologize to them.'
Tenten then shut her eyes quickly. No, no, no, I hate them, I hate them, Tenten told herself, and they're going to take everything away again. Her thoughts were interrupted by a rapping noise in her room.
" Who's there? " Tenten whispered, her eyes jumping to its full length.
There. She glanced around…nothing but pitch black. Tenten could make out the shadows of her furniture and items, but the eerie sound of tapping started to awake the paranoid self. She repeated her question, and slowly slid off her bed, tiptoeing quietly to the window where the source mainly came from.
Tenten swept aside the curtains and what she saw was a flash, then someone was behind her and had a firm lock on her body. Before she could intake a deep breath and scream something silenced her, and that was another person standing in front of her.
"Apologies, youthful blossom. We are bringing you back, there is no stopping it."
Her eyes widened; her friends were kidnapping her. KIDNAPPING. She could press serious charges against them later, but now was serious matter. Whatever happened to that alert Tenten who could kick butt?
'Guess that eroded over the years,' Tenten thought bitterly, after she tried wiggling free from Neji's grasp. She then asked her 'former' 'best friend' sourly, "Hey, where do you think you're taking me, Hyuuga?"
"Home," was his brief reply, before grabbing Tenten by the waist, and disappearing out the window. Lee watched Neji leap roof to roof until he disappeared into the night. Taking a note that they had written before hand, he slipped it underneath the lamp, and took a quick sweep around the room.
'Perhaps she took some things and wants to keep…something…' Lee thought. He imagined Tenten mulling over the thought of losing something she couldn't get back. He took a quick search around the room, and took all the nick knacks and things that he thought was important to her. As he looked through her drawers, there was a folded plastic bag sitting in the corner, obviously containing something.
Ever so gently, he picked it up and opened it slowly. The light provided by the moonlight had reflected enough for him to be able to recognize what the object was. The Konoha headband. Judging from the layers of dust, she probably didn't touch it over the years. Lee gave the headband a squeeze, remembering the empty years that he and Neji experienced without their flower.
Thmp, Thmp
Footsteps sounded through the halls outside of the door, and it slapped Lee back into reality. He quickly grabbed the knapsack on his back and emptied her belongings into it. After that being done, he flung open the doors and catapulted after his teammates. The doorknob twisted and then the door opened slightly.
"-Tian Tian?-" a soft mild voice rang in, by the time the aunt's hand reached the light switch, there were no traces of her niece or the captors. Her auntie first looked around in disbelief, it was three o' clock A.M, and she had heard Tenten talking faintly to people. The old Chinese woman looked curiously around and then spotted a piece of folded paper underneath the lamp.
She scurried over there and looked at it, the words were written with great difficulty, and the words don't string together fluently. But several words were recognizable and that was 'Tian Tian', 'kidnap', 'gone'.
And with that...the news of her disappearance spread as fast as wildfire in a forest…
Unknown Area:
"Whatever you do, Hyuuga, it won't work," Tenten spat, trying to untangle herself from the ropes that tied her together. She glared at the figure standing amidst the shadows of the trees, gazing heavenward, apparently looking for Lee.
"I can't stand you suffering, you're better off in Konoha then in this place," Neji murmured.
"You're not the judge."
"Hn, maybe I'm not, but I can tell," was his smart reply. Tenten only gave a growl, as she darted her chestnut eyes around the dark forest. All was silent between captor and captive, but it was not an awkward silence just silence.
Finally, the brunette found courage to open her mouth, "Why…are you here…now?"
"...Tsunade had given permission."
Tenten sighed unhappily; never expect the Hyuuga to say anything specifically. She tried another question to see if he could answer specifically, "Who's plan was this?"
"Ours."
"Why?"
"Hn, felt lonely."
"Did you miss me?"
"I missed the training sessions we had."
The kunoichi's lip twitched in annoyance. Neji was tricky…very tricky and good thing she knew what questions that Neji even bothers to answer. However as she was thinking, Neji broke the silence.
"Remember what I said to you?" the stoic prodigy asked his back completely turned on her. Tenten racked her brain, thinking of anything the Hyuuga genius had said.
Good job? Goodbye? Hi? Tenten? Hn? Give me back my slipper?
"No."
"You know I hate repeating myself…but…I said…long time ago, I'm yours," Neji said bluntly, facing her.
"…"
"…"
"And does that have any special meaning of any kind?" Tenten asked, as Neji walked closer to her. The Hyuuga squatted down, so that he and her eyes were level.
"Didn't you remember? I love you," he said too directly. Tenten absorbed what he had said…his three simple words have unlocked the memory which she was trying so hard to forget. This made her flush red.
She tried to avoid eye contact from him, and tried giving her an excuse to lessen the embarrassment. "Please, Hyuuga, that's too old. You said that three years ago, I bet you already slept with someone."
"I didn't."
Tenten's eyes dropped to the floor and she chuckled weakly. "You're so vain…waiting for some girl, no tomboy, after three years…Everything's just talk." A tear drop slid down her cheek noticeably.
"It's not."
"Right, stop lying. A girl's heart that breaks once can't be mended."
"I'm not lying, you can ask other people they'll say the same," Neji said seriously. He then closed his eyes knowingly and sighed. "It's hard…for a guy to be left hanging…especially for a long time."
The brunette did not reply but only sniffle. "Yeah, sure. Like I love you."
"Tenten, I'm serious," pleaded Neji. Tenten inhaled deeply and then looked up, her eyes grave and serious.
"I don't love you anymore. You're better off with someone else, so get yourself a pretty girl to play with," she said, staring deeply into his eyes. Neji leaned in, their foreheads touched. Tenten wasn't perturbed by the invasion of privacy, knowing that Neji would not do what she thought he would.
"No," he said stubbornly, and with that he closed the space between them, and gingerly met his lips with hers. Tenten couldn't believe what was happening, the Hyuuga was kissing her.
'No, it can't be happening,' she thought desperately, shutting her eyes tight and accidentally opening her mouth slightly. She let a small 'eep' when his tongue slipped it. Her face had a line of red streaking across. All her feelings and swirling thoughts came up to this phrase: '…oh god no.'
It happened all too fast, Neji's hands slither its way around her waist and she was pinned to the tree, and he was 'exploring' her. Whatever that meant.
It could've gone longer then that, but there were 'interruptions.'
"Neji, I got the-…oh," Lee said after landing on the ground. Poor innocent Lee has observed the most 'unyouthful' thing that ever happened, and that was his teammates making out with each other. Well more like, to Lee: Neji going to rape their teammate who was still in her pajamas. It was misfortune that plagued him when he saw them, and the consequence? Frozen, gaping, mouth open wide.
'Oh my…Lee?!' Tenten cried in her head. She tried mouthing her discomfort to her teammate, but no response. Two seconds after, the Hyuuga broke away, his forehead against hers. Only when they had eye to eye contact, Tenten blushed furiously. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, as he withdrew himself.
Neji licked his lips, his tongue absorbing the remnants of the lip gloss he had tasted during their kiss. "Yum."
Tenten's eyes twitched, her face red, and if she wasn't tied, her hands would cover her mouth. Neji didn't pay a second mind to her, but turned his attention to Lee.
"Lee."
"U-U-Unyouth…fullness…tell G-Gai-sensei," was all Lee could mutter, his body shaking uncontrollably. Neji smirked, while Tenten fumed.
"Hyuuga! What did you do to Lee?!" Tenten demanded, her face still flushed red. Neji shrugged it off, like it wasn't a big deal.
"Nothing, just…kissed you," he said a sly smile on his face. The lessening blush on her face went back to its full measure.
Tenten avoided his awkward gaze, and glared at the ground. She was still taking that kiss hard, it was the first time she was ever kissed by a boy. So naturally…
"Hyuuga, you stole my first kiss!!!" Tenten exclaimed loudly. He responded with a smug smirk on his face, which made her seethe more.
"So what if I did?"
Tenten struggled to stand up, using the tree behind her as one type of support. "Y-You…filthy little vermin!"
"Well, since we have Lee here we have to wait for the arrival," Neji said, ignoring her insult. This struck a curious spot on Tenten's mind.
"Who? What? When? Where?" Tenten asked, she had her chin cradled by Neji's hand. She could hear a chuckle rise from his throat.
"Kakashi, pick-up, now, here."
"…?"
"Yo, Hyuuga!" a faint voice cried from the trees. Neji smirked as he turned around towards the source of the voice. "Took some time, but finally made it."
"Time being your Paradise books?" he asked, as the silver-haired jounin jumped to the ground. Neji took note of the orange covered book he was now stuffing back into his pouch.
Kakashi's eye swept towards Tenten's direction, and he stared. "She's the one?"
"Yes."
"Okay then," Kakashi muttered, digging a hand in his pouch. He produced a green-rimmed scroll from the beige compartment. "This…transportation scroll, we'll get back to Konoha in no time."
"E-Eh…m-m-mental breakdown," Lee muttered for the umpteenth time. Kakashi only stared in confusion, as he looked at Neji to provide an answer.
"Genjutsu," he answered with a slight nod.
"Alright, gather and let's get out of here."
---Two weeks later
"Hn, not bad…your aiming is off though," Neji commented, as he dodged another flurry of weapons. Tenten growled, as she plucked a shuriken out from her kunai holster.
"Well, I'm still trying."
Neji pulled out a kunai and deflected her weapon with it, causing a clashing sound. Tenten jumped back for regrouping, and tried grabbing another shuriken...
"Aah!!" Tenten screamed, before tumbling backwards. She gradually slowed down, and when she did the Weapon's Mistress had a gash across her palm, where she threw weapons with. Neji frowned at his teammate, as Tenten was fussing over her wound.
"You cut yourself again," Neji stated, taking out a small bottle of disinfect and a roll of bandages. He dabbed the gash gently to clean it up, and there were muffle screams. Neji had to admit he hated the times when she cut herself, which gives her another reason to bite his arm to stifle the ear-piercing scream.
The Hyuuga didn't flinch when she was biting his arm while he was wrapping her hand with the yellow-white cloth. "Done. And can you stop biting me?"
Tenten removed her incisors from his skin, and examined her right hand which was completely wrapped. "Ah, not bad. Thanks."
"Thanks for giving me another set of teeth imprints," Neji replied sarcastically, observing the flesh around the bitten part flush red. Tenten smiled sheepishly, while scratching the back of her head.
"I never had the time to apologize…and to thank you for what you did…Neji," Tenten said slowly, carefully choosing words. Neji's head snapped up in attention. "I-"
The brown eyed girl was silence by a finger of Neji's. He slowly brought it down and had one of those mysterious smirks on his face. "Tell me."
"Nani?"
"Tell me what I've been waiting for exactly 3 years," Neji said testily. His sparring partner stared at him curiously.
"Uhm…something?"
"Well?"
"Fine, I love y-"
She was cut off when his lips came crashing down on hers, silencing her. The kiss didn't last long for Tenten pushed him away before he got any further. Tenten's face was a bright shade of red, as she had a frown on her face.
"Repeat that, I couldn't hear," he requested smugly. Tenten inhaled a deep breath and-
"I LOVE HYUUGA NEJI!!!" she screamed.
"Better," the prodigy smirked before he brought his lips upon hers.
A/N: If you don't understand why Tenten hates Lee and Neji it's because she had to deal with the hardship of leaving Konoha. After 3 years, she would have become attached to her home in China, and when they came back for her, she got pretty stubborn and didn't want to leave.
And when Neji and Tenten were training, yes, she wasn't strong enough to be sparring with him. So, the Hyuuga's helping her regain her lost title and sharpening back her dullen senses.
Also about Lee speaking broken Chinese, I'm assuming he has a bit Chinese ancestry in him...thus the 'Lee' name. D
I've started this last week Friday, and only completed it yesterday. Say that I suck. :P
Oy and if you wonder what Lee saw, it's better that you don't know. ;D
-Dewa Mata!