Title: Best-Laid Plans
Summary: Ways to say "I love you" #1: When her house has been destroyed, offer to let her stay with your family. Just be aware that everything's bound to conspire against your being alone with her for any amount of time.
Pairing: NejiTen
Rating: K
Notes: Spoilers for the Pein Invasion arc.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Tenten had never been the biggest fan of extended camping trips, but when everything was taken into account, her apartment had been destroyed, Neji had offered to let her stay where the Hyuuga were camping out, and she, being no fool, had gladly agreed, grateful to have somewhere to stay.

Neji, for his part, silently congratulated himself the moment she said "Yes".

The stars were spread out in a spangled tapestry overhead as Neji saw her emerge from the darkness, her white, red-trimmed shirt shining in the deep night darkness. Tenten waved enthusiastically as she came to stand in front of him in the sea of sturdy white tents. "Hi!" she called through the night.

"Hello." Neji smiled slightly, feeling—unwillingly—the beginning of giddiness in the pit of his stomach at the sight of her bright, friendly smile. "Did you have any trouble getting here?"

Tenten shook her head. "No. I was just catching up with some friends this afternoon during the reconstruction; Ino and Shikamaru say hello."

Dozens of voices, the droning sounds of the mass of the Hyuuga clan, slacked off slightly at that point as the fires and lanterns began to be put out and everyone started settling down.

"That's good," Neji murmured. "I'm glad they're alright."

Tenten looked around, standing slightly on tip toe, her eyes roaming the tents. "So, which one's ours?" she asked. "It's pretty late, and it's been a long day. I'll be glad to be able to sleep tonight."

"It's right over there. Follow me."

A few of the Hyuuga, still awake and sitting outside of the tents, shot slightly curious looks at Tenten, but soon lost interest, considering she wasn't the only non-Hyuuga staying with the clan that night and Tenten, being Neji's teammate, was well-known to the Branch Family of the Hyuuga clan.

"Neji!"

Almost the moment they got to the tent, a girl's voice called out from the tents. Hinata and Hanabi came into view, the former still cradling a broken arm in a sling, the latter leading her older sister on.

Hanabi stared up at her older cousin and didn't hesitate before breaking into her words. "Otousama was going to have neesan and I sleep in the tent with him tonight, but when he found out that Tenten-san was staying here, he sent us over, and wanted to know if it would be alright with you to have Hinata-neesan and I stay with you and Tenten-san tonight." The eleven-year-old was, as usual, matter-of-fact and confident, keeping her chin tilted slightly upwards.

Neji sighed inwardly. Of course.

While he was searching for ways to politely decline Hiashi's request, Tenten cut in, shooting a sympathetic look at Hinata, who still looked definitely the worse for wear from her encounter with one of the Paths of Pein. "Sure. That's alright with us." She frowned as she looked up at Neji. "Right, Neji?"

Neji's inward sigh nearly became outward. He was stuck with his two cousins now. "Of course." He held the tent flap open for the three as they filed in, Tenten going last. It was a good thing there was more than enough room for all of them in there.

There were small breathing sounds and exclamations of relief as the four hit the grass and laid down for the night.

Neji was frowning as he laid on his back, admittedly a bit surly that his well-laid plans had been unintentionally—or maybe not unintentionally—foiled by Hiashi, Hanabi and Hinata and Hinata's broken arm. And after all the effort he'd gone to to get Tenten to agree to come over that night.

"Hey?" He heard a soft, feminine voice whisper beside him. Neji tilted his head to one side, and saw Tenten lying on her side in the soft, sweet-smelling grass, looking right at him. "Thanks for letting me stay over with you tonight. I don't know what I would have done otherwise."

For every foiled plan, there was a silver lining.