"Stop right there!"
And the young Hyuuga did, vaguely surprised and halfway through a step. Pale eyes drifted downward, landing on a rather unhappy brunette.
"Yes?" the ten-year old asked slowly raising an eyebrow. The familiar girl was on her hands and knees before him, chocolate-colored eyes glaring at him with defiance. Her little hands were cupped protectively over the ground in front of her, guarding the spot where his sandal would've been. He took a step back, expecting an answer.
"Do you have any idea what you almost did?!"
Neji frowned at the rude, young girl. You weren't supposed to answer questions with new questions.
"No," he answered simply, his look almost bored. He recognized this girl now as one of his classmates in "Intro to Shinobi Weapons" class. Her name was Tenten, he recalled, and she had admirable aim for her age.
"Jerk! You almost stepped on him!" the girl- Tenten- snapped indignantly. The dark-haired boy didn't respond right away due to the unsettling discomfort he found at the situation's unfamiliar-ness. Girls his age… did not talk to him like this. They either did so nervously, respectfully, or not at all. And that look was also not something he was accustomed to receiving from girls his age…
"Stepped on…" Neji trailed off as the strange girl moved her hands to reveal a bright blue beetle. "Oh,"
Tenten eased up with her glare and gave him a sharp nod of reproach.
"Your point?"
The glare was back with a vengeance. Neji had never seen a little girl look so angry.
"What?!" she demanded loudly, causing the young Hyuuga to blink in surprise. Just when he was about to drop into a fighting stance- for she had a fighting look in her eyes- his furious classmate scooped up the beetle and turned on the spot, deliberately showing her back to him.
She was wearing baby blue shorts and a light pink sweater with cute pink bear ears on the hood (which made sense because of the hairstyle Neji knew they covered). The cute attire was quite the contrast to her tomboyish attitude.
"Fallow me!" she commanded and stomped off. If it wasn't such a comical sight the young boy would be quite irritated by now. But no; the girl was interesting to him rather than obnoxious and amusing rather than threatening. His boyish instincts gave him the curiosity to walk after her.
"I'm not supposed to fallow strangers," he commented mildly but she apparently didn't hear him. She was leading him down an alley along the side of the grocery store he'd just walked out of. Milk. Since he'd finally reached the responsible age of 11, his foster mother had sent him on an errand to buy some and that was how this whole, strange incident had started. Ironically enough, the lady in the small market had apologized and explained how they were fresh out of milk but he was in luck. Apparently a sweet little girl had just walked by whose parents owned a nifty- nifty; Neji had frowned at the word. Who said that?- little grocery store that never ran out of milk.
Apparently Tenten was the "sweet little girl".
At the end of the alley, a grassy clearing came into view and a few scattered trees marked the entrance of a small forest ahead. At first the boy wondered if that would be their destination but before reaching it his classmate stopped. She knelt down beside a fallen tree that was lying humbly in the grass, gathering moss. She pointed at it and kept it up till Neji was standing beside her. ….. Finally, after twenty seconds of staring, the little Hyuuga gave up.
"Ok, what am I looking at?" he asked, raising a dark eyebrow in question.
His companion let out an impatient and exaggerated groan like a little boy who'd just finished explaining something for the elventy-billionth time and was still asked to explain it. Somehow it seemed strange to hear a girl make such a noise.
"You really are clueless, you know that?" Tenten asked, annoyed and raising an eyebrow of her own, maybe as to mock him? Anyways, he didn't like the comment. Being called a genius by most people since entering the Academy, it wasn't exactly something he was used to hearing.
"You don't even have a guess of what's in here," she continued frowning, still pointing at the decaying log.
Focus… chakra…in…eyes…Byakugan!
And after "discreetly" activating his kekkei genkai, Neji had no problem answering, "Beetles,"
"…Cheater," she pouted, looking away. She got to her knees, earning herself new grass stains on her shorts and knees. One hand still gently closed over the beetle she still carried, she used the other to lift and pull back a plank of the bark's surface.
Immediately, a small family of little blue beetles scattered in all directions, away from the light, terrified at being revealed. Only one remained, brave and defiant, and of a dull indigo color. She fluttered her wings threateningly but stood her ground. She soon began to move around a bit, excited or agitated by something…
"You see!" Tenten exclaimed with exasperation. Neji, really, didn't. But for some reason he didn't want her to know that.
"She misses him!"she continued hurriedly, releasing the insect in her hands which had now begun to struggle.
Being the bright young lad he was, it didn't take long before he put two and two together. These two beetles were apparently mates and he had nearly killed the male. But still, even understanding this... Neji still couldn't see anything wrong here.
Apparently reading his mind, the brown-haired girl threw a fit. Slamming the bark cover down- which in Neji's private opinion was rather inconsiderate to the beetles- she got to her feet and gave him the angriest glare he had ever seen on a female.
"How would you like it if your husband was squashed by a giant sandal?!"
Neji blinked. Tenten looked frustrated.
"You know what I mean!"
"Hn, look," this was getting out of hand. He would have to lay things down for her. "I'm ten year old. Therefore I'm not really interested in pursuing a significant other at this time,"
She was trembling now, and Neji gave her something close to a sympathetic nod. It wasn't easy to be a heartbreaker at this age; turning down and hurting girls' feelings almost every school day.
"However, I am flattered and I do acknowledge your feelings for me in a positive way. Perhaps we may come together in a romantic partnership once we're older. I hope you-
Smack!
The furious little ten year-old put so much force into her slap that even when Neji blocked- barely in time, by the way- the sound of her palm slapping the back of his hand caused a sound almost as resonating as a gunshot.
"You arrogant, conceited jerk!" she screamed furiously. "Apologize!"
Neji blinked at her incredulously, hand still raised in defense against hers. For a tomboy she had petite hands…
"I can't," he replied frowning.
"And why not?" there was that glare again.
"Because," and a small smirk played at his mouth. "I'm. Not. Sorry."
To his surprise, she seemed to calm down as she lowered her hand. A solemn look came across her face and for a split second he was worried she would start crying. Ugh, he hated it when girls did that! He had no idea what to do in those situations…
"Alright," she sighed, seemingly defeated. She picked up a rope that lay beside the fallen tree. Apparently she came here often.
"Hold this," she said solemnly and Neji obliged, a bit curious and also a bit relieved she hadn't started crying.
Suddenly she was running as fast as she could round-and-round him and the thin tree behind him. The next thing he knew he she was knotting the rope on the far end of the tree and Neji was officially tied up.
"Tenten let me go," he commanded with an icy tone; this was the final straw; no more fun and games.
"Apologize," his captor grinned triumphantly, standing before him with her arms crossed smugly.
"I'm sorry," he forced through gritted teeth. Ugh, she was infuriating. His irritated Byakugan eyes would've frightened other girls.
"Not to me. To the beetles,"
"You're joking,"
"Nope," she answered. She seemed to be quite determined, Neji thought frowning. Quite determined indeed to drive him insane. "Do it,"
"No,"
"Seya tomorrow then,"
A vein popped in his forehead. Evil little witch…
"What are you, an Aburame?" he asked, mainly to keep her from walking away.
"Nope," she answered over her shoulder. "I'm just Tenten,"
"You don't have a last name?" he highly doubted that.
"I do. But it doesn't translate in Japanese well. It's Chinese..your wouldn't be able to pronounce it."
"Just tell me,"
She did. And he didn't even try to pronounce it.
"….will you let me go now?"
"Sure. Right after you apologize,"
Neji sighed in irritation. Then he suddenly thought of something.
"Quid Pro Quo,"
"Excuse me?"
"Quid Pro Quo," he repeated, smiling a little. He was calm again; he knew how to handle this.
"It's a Latin expression. It basically means equal exchange; you get what you give; one thing in exchange for another,"
Tenten blinked. "Yeah….so?"
Neji would be patient (for her).
"So, I'll do something for you, after you untie me,"
Neji would be cooperative (for her).
"What about the beetles?"
"Fine,"
He would bargain (for her).
"How about this: you apologize to the beetles for me and I'll make it up to you,"
"How?"
"Well, what do you want?" he was fairly sure he could afford just about anything she asked for.
"Hm…" she seemed to be seriously thinking it over. "I guess… you'll have to figure that out,"
"Tch," he frowned. He was trying to be generous and she was just being difficult. "How?"
"You're the genius," her little smirk told him she was having fun. The sick, sick sadist.
"Fine. Is it a deal then?"
"Okay," she shrugged and looked over her shoulder to the beetles' log. "The conceited jerk says he's sorry!!"
She looked back at Neji smiling. In his opinion evil little girls shouldn't be able to have smiles that seemingly sweet. "All better,"
"Wonderful. Now untie me," he was starting to lose feeling in his arms. She was a pretty decent rope tier. She untied him.
"Good," he said, rubbing at the chafe marks on his forearms. "Now fallow me,"
"Why?"
"Because I fallowed you. Quid Pro Quo, remember?"
"But the sun is setting!" she protested.
"Equal exchange; one thing for another-
"Okay okay! I'll fallow you!" Anything to get him to stop teaching her like he was someone so high and mighty and superior and smart... What a jerk.
--------
"This. Is. Stupid."
Tenten was beside herself. They hadn't been on the Hyuuga estate a full three minutes before Neji had dropped to his knees, clutching his throbbing head. Groaning a little and rubbing his temple with one hand, he grabbed one of her own with the other and dragged her into the nearest house. He'd led her to a small wooden door on the ground and pulled her into a small hole which had led to a very depressing basement.
Through gritted teeth, his wincing face, and much forehead clutching he'd explained that this was a monthly lockdown…drill thing. Since the abduction of the young Lady Hinata, safety precautions like such had been arranged.
"So stupid," the brunette muttered again, shaking her head and squinting to look around in the darkness.
"Yes it is," Neji agreed. "And what are you doing?"
"Trying to evolve into a higher species and see in this stupid dark!" came the irritated reply. His classmate was sitting on the floor, alternating between squinting and opening her eyes wide. It was actually pretty amusing to watch.
"..I can see,"
"Yes, we all know you can see," she muttered glaring in the direction she assumed he was in which was actually four feet from Neji's left. While she was trying to fast-forward evolution he was busy lightning an old-fashioned gas lamp. He closed the glass door to the candle and lifted it by the handle in her direction. A peace offering.
"You actually own one?" she asked, impressed.
"Don't you?" he asked raising an eyebrow and settling the lamp down between them. "Flashlights aren't very reliable."
"Sure we have one... but they're circular. They're Chinese paper lanterns,"
"That's dumb,"
"You're dumb…"
And so their conversation began. Hardly a conversation, but Tenten sitting on a basement floor in lantern-light beside Neji Hyuuga with the whole clan on lockdown, she had been able to do some quick thinking in the quiet. She had figured, that if she hadn't been such a brat and tied him to the tree she wouldn't be stuck here with him. This was her own fault. But nevertheless, she didn't want to die of boredom so she decided they would talk.
"So what now?"
"We wait,"
"But that's boring,"
"Hn,"
Conversations weren't very successful when they were once-sided…
The same mundane routine continued for a whole hour. She'd ask a question, he would answer with as few words as possible. She would make a comment to tell him something about herself (expecting something from him in exchange 'cause, Quid Pro Quo, you know?) and he would nod or give a "Hn," or, if she was lucky, a combination of both.
Then, finally, she gave up. He was hopeless. She laid down on her back. Neji frowned, raising an eyebrow in silent question.
"I'm tired," she mumbled, feeling the need to explain herself.
"Get off the floor,"
"Why?"
"It's dust,"
"I don't care about that," she replied rather haughtily, proud of her tomboy nature.
"Well, I do,"
"Why?" she asked, surprised.
"It defeats the purpose of me taking you here,"
"Which is...?" she was sitting up now, trying to hide the curiosity in her voice.
He did not respond but walked out of the light of the lantern. She heard a cabinet opening and the soft rustling of small metal tools. When he returned he was holding something behind his back. His face seemed as stoic as ever as he sat down beside her again, closer this time.
"Look away,"
He said it in a voice so serious she complied without question. She tensed slightly as she felt him take her hand and lay it palm-up against his.
'What was he doing?' she thought frowning nervously, a light blush spreading across her cheeks.
"Ow!" A small but sharp pain in one of her fingers caused her to yelp and turn her head.
"What are you doing?!" she demanded, trying and failing to pull her hand away.
It was fairly a needless question because Neji holding a pair of tweezers over a tiny piece of wood in her right pointer finger left very few alternatives of what else he would be doing.
"Hold still," Neji replied calmly, not even looking up. The Hyuuga still had a firm grip on her hand and now that she knew what was going on, Neji would have to be a little tough with her cause the little girl was struggling like a trapped wild animal. In fact, twisting and writing and growling on the floor reminded him so much of a coyote that he half expected to chew her own arm off to escape. But she did not. She just kept writhing around till the pale boy had no choice to restrain her or risk her breaking her own arm.
Tenten, eager to fight, began her all-out hellcat technique, using every move and attack that taijustsu allowed a one-armed person on the floor. But of course her hits were blocked or evaded easily by the Hyuuga's free hand. His face remained expressionless throughout the whole ordeal but when he had to finally put down the teasers and start putting effort into ending this, the look in his eyes obviously displayed he was now very irritated.
It was then his future teammate did something unexpected, even for her. In a last bout of defiant energy she threw herself at him, tackling him onto his back. His reflexive reaction made him knee her in the stomach before he could stop himself. The powerful blow not only knocked the wind out of her but the momentum of him leaning back caused Tenten to actually fly off him and into the currently-unused pantry shelves. Her small cry of alarm caused the young Hyuuga to roll over and scurry over to her hurriedly. He had not planned on doing that.
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"chocolate-brown eyes cringed in both pain and frustration.
Neji let out a small silent breath of relief when he found her undamaged. Tenten wasn't so thrilled.
"You jerk!" she yelled indignantly. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"
As far as he could tell she was overreacting. She didn't look like she had anything worse than a few scratches here and there and maybe a bruise or two. A second later, he realized what vexed his classmate so much. In their prior struggle her hair had come undone from it's panda-bun style and currently a few strands of medium-length brown hair were caught on a few rusty nails that had come loose from the cupboards.
"Ow!" Tears of frustration were determinedly held back from the young girl's eyes as she struggled to free herself. From her angle she could only use her left hand without causing too much pain.
"This is why I said to stay still," Neji commented looking at her with exasperation.
She pointedly ignored him, flinching occasionally, still trying to free herself.
"Calm down," the ten-year old boy insisted, rolling his eyes. "It's not that bad,"
Oh yea?! How would you like it if you got your hair caught on this?"
"…" Neji looked at his long, beautiful hair. He sighed.
"Here, let me," he offered, extending a hand.
"No, thank you," his classmate answered coolly. Neji's eyes narrowed in response and he walked back to the lantern. Nearly two hours had passed since they'd been down here and the flame was starting to die. Picking it up he blew it our and activated his Byakugan again.
"Hey! Don't touch me!" his companion protested in the dark.
"I'm helping you," he answered, trying to be patient. She made it pretty difficult.
"I don't want your help!"
The darkness masked their brief struggle. In what couldn't have been a whole minute, Tenten felt her classmate move away from her. She couldn't see him in the darkness but her eyes narrowed anyway, confused. Was he giving up?
A few more moments later and she'd freed herself. Very relieved, she patted her silky head, as if checking all her hairs were still there. As she did the light came on again. She looked to see the re-lit lantern on the ground.
"There, you see?" Tenten questioned, trying to smirk like a Hyuuga would. Neji glanced her way, one hand behind his back.
"Hn, yes, you look very nice," he commented dryly, referring to her dusty clothes and messed up hair.
It was her turn to roll her eyes.
"I mean," she stated through gritted teeth. "I got free,"
He looked her over again. "So you did,"
"Without your help,"
"Really," Neji's eyebrows rose though his face remained calm.
"What?" she asked frowning and combing through her hair with her fingers.
"Nothing," he replied shrugging then holding up the hand he-up to now- had kept hidden behind his back. He held up the tweezers. A tiny sliver of wood was clasped between them. She glared at his disgustingly smug smirk.
"Hmph, fine," she grumbled finally. "We're even,"
"Mhm," he sounded almost disappointed.
"Yeah…" Tenten was unsure of what to do next.
The lantern went out.
"Neji!"
"It wasn't me," came the irritated response. Tenten walked carefully toward where she thought he was. But apparently it wasn't careful enough because she tripped over him as he knelt to deal with the lamp.
"Ow!"
"Smooth," he commented mildly, trying to rekindle the light.
"Well I'm sorry I'm not a Hyuuga!" Tenten scowled. It wasn't her fault she couldn't see in the dark…
"Go look for a match," he instructed.
"Right, because I can see so well," she muttered sarcastically but still standing up and trying to find her way back to the ancient cupboards.
"You know, in my family, omens like a lantern suddenly going out are a bad sign," she informed him over her shoulder a minute later. It was so dark… and she was almost positive she'd gotten at least three more splinters from feeling around. The large cabinet on the wall was anything but young and it even creaked in a few places, as if threatening to fall apart all together.
"I don't believe in..." Neji trailed off as a sudden tremor shook the rook. At first it was so small the two ten-year olds were sure they'd just imagine it. A split second later, hell broke out. Glass from upstairs could be heard shattered and the small, dark basement shook violently. Tenten let out a small scream as she was suddenly forced onto the floor, a warm weight pushed against her. Everything was so loud and had happened so fast.
The normal-eyed girl couldn't see anything but black in the darkness, but the Hyuuga hadn't missed a moment of the ancient wooden cupboard tearing loose from the wall and he was there in an instant to push his teammate down. His palms had been slammed down on either side of her head and he braced himself fiercely as the terrible, wooden parts of the cupboard came crashing down.
And just as suddenly, the earthquake ended. Tenten was numb in blind horror. She couldn't move; she was being crushed, suffocated. She gasped a little, inhaling a warm and unfamiliar, but not unpleasant scent.
A quiet groaning right above her made her heart skip a beat. And speaking of hearts, she could hear a slow beating very clearly. Her face flushed a little as realization dawned upon her and she breathed in Neji Hyuuga's scent against his hard chest.
"N-Neji?" he didn't answer. Panic rose within her as she tried to register he may have not survived the incident. No! She'd heard his heartbeat, she was sure of it…
"Neji? ...Neji, answer me right now!" Tenten began to try and move, most of the heavy weight was braced against his back and he'd defiantly remained on his hands and knees, looming over her protectively.
"Neji!" tears threatened to spring to her eyes, something quite uncharacteristic for the little tomboy girl. "Neji! Please don't be dead! Oh my gosh, don't die! N-Neji! Please be okay! Neji!!!"
"T-Ten…ten.." the Hyuuga boy coughed painfully.
"N-Neji?" a wave of relief flooded through her.
"S-shut," he choked out. "Up,"
And with a sudden burst of chakra he'd been quietly harnessing, the young dark-haired boy rose to his feet, shedding away the rotted-wooden debris. It was a good thing he'd been able to block most of the impact with his chakra barrier around his back. It had been a thin one though and he knew it would be years before he finally perfected it…Regardless, right now every muscle in body was protesting his movements. Aching all over, Neji staggered back against a wall, teeth clenched together in pain.
A few moments later Tenten shakily got to her knees, then to her feet. Here brown eyes were still wide with shock but were now so adjusted to the dark she couldn't help but flinch and shield her eyes when a sudden bright light blinded her. In the couple of seconds it took her to link back into reality, she found herself being pulled rather roughly by the wrist up the small staircase and out of the basement. Apparently Neji had unexpectedly opened the door and that was what had blinded her for that second.
Tenten was then pushed urgently into a wooden chair. Stunned she looked up to face the rather irritated face of Hyuuga Neji. He looked… worse than she thought he would. Apparently he was a quick bruiser because the dark marks were already beginning to appear on his would-be flawless skin. The dust and scratches covering him all over were a stark contrast to his usual regal look and something that looked sickeningly sanguine was seeping through the shirt over his shoulder.
"Are you always this stupid?" he demanded coldly.
"W-What..?! What are you talking about?!" she demanded in return, her indignant trait overcoming her shocked one.
"Do you always go into random peoples' houses and down into their basements. What were you thinking?"
"You're not just some random person you know!" she retorted, jumping to her feet. Her head spun slightly not with her sudden movement but at how fast this was all going. What was this sudden fight breaking out? She had no idea what she'd done to upset him so, but he was certainly being rude.
"And what kind of idiot freezes up when a cabinet is about to fall on them?" he continued, angrily ranting.
"A normal, human one?" she offered glaring, obviously offended.
Neji ignored her and started to bring irrelevant things into the conversation. Hanabi said he did this whenever he was mad and upset but he had no idea what she was talking about.
"Not what to mention always picking fights with all the boys at school- do you have a death wish?" so far he'd remained relatively calm with his cold monotone and steady glare but now the veins around his eyes were starting to show. Tenten was subtly startled. What was his problem?
"And what's wrong with wanting to spar with guys?" she exclaimed incredulously. "What are you trying to say? That girls can't put up a fight against boys?"
"Of course they can't," he replied frowning with exasperation. "They're girls,"
Being a tomboy s long as she could remember, this was definitely too much. That comment was the last straw. He'd officially crossed the line. So, shaking with fury, the young brunette screamed what her mother did when her parents' arguments got really heated. She didn't really get what it was supposed to mean, but it had shut her father up almost every time.
"You're stupid just like you're father!"
Tenten regretted the words immediately. It was only for a moment yet she'd never seen the Hyuuga look so hurt and taken aback; she might as well have stabbed him with a kunai. And the look of hatred that his Byakugan shot her next would forever scare her when she remembered it. The next few seconds were a blur to her. She vaguely remembered being shoved out the door which was then slammed in her face.
"Ugh!" Tenten rolled her eyes and growled with agrivation before turning and stomping off toward home. About ten seconds later she was being called back from behind.
"Hey, little girl!"
Mentioned child turned with a frown on her face, apparently still in a foul mood. A teenage Hyuuga girl caught up with her, the frown on her face more confused than disagreeable like her younger company's.
"Excuse me, but do you know that only family members are allowed on Hyuuga second-branch estate?"
Second branch? Tenten blinked, puzzled. The Hyuuga girl raised a raven-colored eyebrow.
"So..what are you doing here?"
"Err…" Tenten thought fast for an excuse. "I was just passing by when I got caught in the lockdown.
The older teen blinked. "..That was two hours ago…"
Brown eyes blinked in equal disbelief. "What?"
"Yeah. Don't you know? Those things only last like five minutes? Where have you been?"
"Um..with Neji Hyuuga.."
"Oooh," the Hyuuga's pale eyes lit up with delight and she eagerly held up a pinky finger. "Are you like his girlfriend?"
"W-what?! Of course not!" the eleven year old exclaimed, her face turning only slightly pink.
"Oh," her acquaintance looked disappointed. "Too bad, that kid really needs one. Just standing near him is depressing. He's always in such a cold, gloomy mood these past few years.
"Why?" little girls were usually naturally curious. However everyone was different. For example, some Hyuugas were shy, others fierce or stoic- the pretty one in front of the future weapons mistress of Konoha just so happened to be the talkative type. She was one of those girls who'd blab just about anything to just about anyone who would listen. And blab she did, all about her second cousin's wife's nephew and his deceased father and the curse of the second branch.
"Ugh…" Tenten groaned with emphasis, burying her face in her hands and feeling like crap. "Great. Now I'm officially a bigger jerk than he is,"
The Hyuuga gave her a curious look before her eyes glanced to her watch.
"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed overdramatically. "My dad's gonna flip if I'm late for Taijustsu practice again! Sorry gotta go!"
"Oh and don't forget the paper you dropped!" she called over her shoulder as she dashed off.
"Note?" Tenten looked down with a blank face. A small white piece of paper lay on the ground. Picking it up, educated child read the fallowing off of the concise grocery list: Milk.
She blinked. This...didn't belong to her.
------
Neji wasn't in class the next day and Tenten, staring at the pouring rain through the window beside her seat still felt like crap.
"Hyuuga Neji?" the teacher repeated. He was taking roll.
"Hyuuga Neji..?" he questioned again, looking around with surprise. Hyuugas never missed class.
"Hyuuga Neji?"
"He's not here!" the brunette snapped loudly. Her classmates stared and she felt her face heat up with embarrassment. Sitting back down, because apparently she'd stood up during her outburst, she offered a sheepish smile. "Um, he's not here today, sensei,"
"Huh, something terrible must have happened," the teacher joked as he marked the kid absent. The senbon needle sticking out of his mouth twitched as he smirked slightly. This was new. "He's always here,"
Tenten crossed her arms on the desk and slammed her forehead down against them.
----------
Neji woke up around sunset the next day on his bed and in his underwear. And also hopelessly sore and starving. He'd gone to the infirmary the day before to get his back bandaged up (along with part of his arms and legs) and the rest of his injuries addressed. He'd been heavily sedated, hence waking up so late. He felt like a mummy. A sore, hungry mummy with one of those headaches you got from sleeping too long. In a bad mood and colder than the weather outside, he pulled on a t-shirt and trudged into the kitchen for his breakfast/lunch/dinner.
"Neji-niisan!" Hanabi, his favorite cousin, was sitting at the table, her face brightening at his arrival. Apparently she was having cereal for dinner, something she was only allowed to do if Neji was the one babysitting. She smirked proudly and banged a little fist on the table. "Cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!"
"We don't have any milk, Hanabi," he reminded her, smiling slightly. She was a fighter like he was; not some pushover wallflower like another cousin he wasn't as fond of.
The long-haired girl shook her head and hopped down from her chair, temporarily abandoning her Cheerios. Opening the fridge, she pointed.
"Yes we do. See? A girl from your class dropped some off earlier along with this," she returned to her seat and offered the slip of paper beside her bowl. It was the grocery list he'd dropped yesterday.
"Did she say anything?" he asked, taking the paper with an unreadable expression.
"Yeah. Um.. something weird. Like in another language or something," his cousin recalled frowning thoughtfully. She stuffed her mouth full of honey-nutty goodness.
"Quid Pro Quo.." Neji murmured mostly to himself as he took a seat at the table.
"Yep! How'd you know?" Hanabi asked, surprised and impressed. Her Nii-san shook his head and began to prepare himself oatmeal.
"Nii-san?"
"Hn?"
"I thought only Hyuugas are allowed here,"
He poured his milk, shrugging slightly in reply.
"Is she a VIP?"
"Hanabi," the long-haired boy was putting his bowl into the microwave.
"Yes?"
"Eat your cereal,"
The young Hyuuga huffed indignantly and returned to her cereal. A moment later she brightened before giving her older cousin a sly look.
"She did leave something else you know…"
Neji looked up to fast and she giggled smugly. He frowned and brought his oatmeal back to the table, blowing on it to cool it down. He forced an uninterested tone.
"Really? What?"
"These," Hanabi held up a couple of hair ties in her small hand. "I asked to try them on but when she left she forgot them,"
As if on cue, there was a knock at the door.
His little cousin raced over to answer it but the elite academy student beat her to it. He sent her a playfully smug look before returning his face to calmness and opening the door.
"Tenten,"
Mentioned girl blinked in surprise, obviously not expecting to see him.
"Um..I forgot my..um.. are you ok?"
"He's glad you're here," Hinata's little sister piped up as she appeared by Neji's side and offered the accessories to their rightful owner.
"Hanabi. Be quiet," young Neji hissed at the traitor.
"I can tell by his eyes," she informed Tenten, giving her cousin a teasing look. Tenten smiled uncertainly as she lifted her hands to tie her hair up, watching her classmate shoo his family member back into the kitchen.
"You can come in," Neji murmured, not looking at his invited guest.
"What he means to say is," the 'traitor' piped up, placing her bowl into the sink. "Is that he thinks you look really pretty with your hair down,"
Tenten looked at Neji. Neji looked at Tenten. A moment passed before he promptly dragged an indignantly whining Hanabi out of the kitchen. Upon return he noticed, with no real interest of course, his guests hair hadn't been tied up. A brief moment of silence was fallowed by:
"Thank you for the milk," he stated, looking right at her, ever the gentleman.
"Thanks for saving me," she answered sliming slightly, glad to be over the awkwardness.
Neji pulled out a seat for his guest as his auntie had taught him.
"You know if we're still talking Quid Pro Quo you still owe me," he said trying to keep a smirk from away from the serious face he was aiming for.
"What? No way!" his classmate protested. Now that she knew he was alright he was fair game again in her anti-boy crusade.
"Your life is more important than a dairy drink, don't you think?" he asked, no longer fighting the smirk.
"I guess," Tenten admitted reluctantly. She was feeling less sorry for him by the second. "So?"
"So stay for dinner," It was more of a command rather than a request. The young girl frowned as she noticed this but she still didn't quite feel like turning down the offer.
"There's…" Neji glanced around. "Cereal?"
She smiled slightly. "How can I refuse?"
After he'd pointed out the cereal cabinet, the girl curiously began the search for her dinner.
"You don't want any?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"I'm not a cereal person,"
"Frosted Flakes?" she offered, holding up the box.
"No thank you," he seemed to be back to his stoic self.
"But they're more than good-
"They're great!" Hanabi exclaimed laughing and walking back into the kitchen. Seeing Neji's death glare she immediately walked back out, grumbling her reluctance.
"They're magically delicious," his classmate said in a tempting voice. He looked to see a box of Lucky Charms being held up in front of him.
"No, thanks," he mumbled, slightly irritated. She returned to the cabinet and came back with a couple more boxes.
"But aren't you….Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs?" she asked, insistently. "They're crunchy! Munchy! Chocolaty-
"I said no," he looked annoyed now.
"Fine, fine," she sighed and throwing up her hands in surrender. She poured herself some cereal before a curiously mischievous came across her face. Grinning, she held up a piece of cereal in front of him. He raised an eyebrow.
"Neji Hyuuga can see through trees," she narrated dramatically, "But can he see why kid's love Cinnamon Toast Crunch?"
He scowled. She was just like a child; completely unbearable, just like that irresistible smile on her face.
"Because…they were destined to?" he mused, smirking slightly after finally deciding to play along.
"Nope! They're cinnamon-sugary swirls on every bite!" his classmate exclaimed with enthusiasm before tossing the flat little square into her mouth.
He smiled a little bit, faintly amused.
"So, we're even now?" she asked, sitting back down and titling her head to the side in question.
"Hm..nope," the Hyuuga prodigy smirked.
"What?! Why not?"
"Me inviting you to dinner isn't really you paying me back,"
"Well what do you want then?" she asked impatiently.
"Figure it out for yourself," he replied smugly.
"Ugh…how bout…I train with you whenever you want me to," she offered. It would be good for her too, she figured.
"Only me," the attractive young boy answered, still smirking.
"No way!"
"At least, I'll be the only boy you train with," he added.
She thought this over for a moment. The first boy that came to her mind was her crush, the hard-working gutsy Rock Lee. She argued that she was allowed to spar with him too.
"..Fine," Neji relented, somewhat reluctantly.
She offered her hand. He looked at it.
"It's clean," she stated through gritted teeth, trying to be patient. She forced a smile before adding, "And splinter-free,"
He returned the smile and her heart pulled an annoyingly cliché move by doing a summersault. His hand wasn't as cold as she thought it'd be.
"You're still an arrogant and conceited jerk though," she reminded him promptly, still smiling.
"Is that all?" he asked, seeing right through her with his Byakugan.
"And you're also very proud," she frowned. "And too cold. In the boring way,"
"And?"
"Ugh! And I maybe might sort of have a crush on you, okay?!"
She seemed surprise by her own outburst. There was an awkward silence.
"Just kidding," Tenten mumbled finally, looking away, her cheeks slightly red.
Neji blinked, a mix of unfamiliar emotions was starting to give up a headache. He blamed his kekkei genkai. What good was it if it couldn't even help him read this girl?
"Neji…" she suddenly sounded very serious, looking straight at him.
"Yes…?"
"You're oatmeal's getting cold,"
"You're cereal's getting soggy,"
She looked. Darn it. He was right.
"Cheers," she mumbled, huffing and raising her bowl. Neji looked at his own than back at her, frowning.
"You don't toast cereal bowls, Tenten,"
"Is there a rule against it?" she asked, frowning defiantly.
"Fine," the Hyuuga sighed before complying. Clink!
She smiled warmly, and he again felt that (somewhat pleasantly) unsettling feeling he wasn't familiar with.
"Neji?"
"Do you talk as a rule while eating?" he asked. He'd never finish his meal at this rate. But somehow the thought didn't seem to bother him too much.
"No I usually prefer to be cold and anti-social,"
He gave her a look. "What, Tenten?"
"I'm sorry about yesterday,"
"….hn,"
"Not for the argument but for that last part,"
"It's fine," he mumbled, already having had forgiven her and not wanting to bring up that topic.
"Cause you still deserved that earlier stuff,"
He scoffed, rolling his pale-colored eyes.
"You can still hate me if you want to," she offered.
"You're making that a little hard right now," he answered, actually smiling a little.
~Fin~
Yes. I'm back from the dead. For real this time! I've finally gotten back to writing fanfiction. I'll try to continue my other stories but this was just a little NejixTenten one-shot thing I like portraying them in their childhood… I actually wrote this a year ago in a notebook but never got around to typing it up…I heard some people were interested in ShinoxTenten and I saw a couple of good videos involving these so involved Tenten caring for bugs in this just for fun. Review please.