The next morning Lee extensively apologizes. It takes both Neji and Tenten twenty minutes to calm him down and assure him it's alright, even if Lee still insists on buying Neji chocolates and paying the damage done to his apartment door. He had somehow opened the door with the spare key that Tenten had given him, breaking both the lock and the key in the process.
Over the next few days Neji gets to know Tenten better. He sees her only a few times, when they are both leaving or entering the apartment complex. Usually he would've just ignored her, but after the incident with Lee they got acquainted and they make small talk in the elevator. He realizes they have more in common than he first thought. They use the same shampoo, both like the music of Akatsuki and they both enjoy waking up early for a jog around the city. Tenten always leaves thirty minutes later than Neji, but they decide to go together.
A weird but comfortable friendship starts to form and Neji is surprised to find out he enjoys her company.
It's a Saturday afternoon and he is hanging out with his cousin's friend group. How Hinata is able to put up with them is a mystery to him, as is the fact that the shy girl made so many loud friends. Neji himself gets instant migraines from the rowdy bunch and regrets coming to most get-togethers, but somewhere along the way he has grown a soft spot for each of them.
Neji is quietly sipping his ordered tea, half listening to whatever story Naruto is telling, when he hears his name being screamed across the coffee shop. The rest of the group doesn't notice, but Neji couldn't possibly have missed it.
"Look Tenten! It is our youthful friend! Neji!"
The voice is one he'd recognize anywhere. Sure enough, when he turns around he sees Lee sprinting towards him, followed by Tenten.
"Did you enjoy the chocolate I bought for you?" Lee says, stopping in front of Neji and giving him thumbs up. Lee is once again wearing his green spandex, and somewhere in the back of his mind Neji wonders if he has any other clothes.
The whole table goes dead-silent. Even Naruto isn't saying anything for a change. Lee turns to them, completely ignoring any weird looks they are giving him.
"Are you Neji's other friends?" he asks. It is at that moment that Naruto starts to scream.
"No way! Neji has other friends? I didn't know he was capable of socializing!"
It triggers responses from the others as well, and the table is once again ear-splittingly loud.
Ten minutes, half an argument and a broken cup later, the group has finally quieted down enough for Neji to explain.
"So that's why you changed your lock!" exclaims Kiba. "I thought it was because I hooked up with what-was-her-name-again in your apartment."
"You did what?" Neji glares at Kiba, who slowly backs away, terrified.
"N... Nothing."
Neji decides that Kiba can, under no circumstances, have the key to his apartment ever again. Hell, he's even a little glad that Lee broke the lock.
The scene is completely dismissed by Naruto, who invites Tenten and Lee to join around the table and suddenly their friend group got a little bigger. Neji wonders how that happened, and sort of dreads the fact that another boisterous loudmouth joined the group.
In the weeks after this particular event Neji and Tenten's friendship grows even stronger, and he finds himself hanging out at her apartment almost every day. They find out they are both orphans, but while Neji was adopted by his uncle, Tenten spent her entire youth in an orphanage. That's where she met Lee and they'd quickly become best friends. Nowadays he is the closest thing to family she has.
They learn to deal with each other's less approachable characteristics, like Tenten's unhealthy obsessions with weapons (Neji has had several nasty encounters with some of her sharper toys, leaving him nearly impaled at times).
Tenten learns to see through Neji's stoic expression, and he isn't able to hide anything from her anymore. It irks him, because nobody has ever gotten so close to him in such a short amount of time. It's unnerving how she seems to see right through him at times. Other than that it is nice to have someone around who really understands him, and sometimes Neji wishes they could become something more than friends. He pushes the thoughts away, but can never truly get rid of them.
It's a pleasant evening, and Neji is once again lounging on Tenten's couch. It is old and beaten, but it's incredibly comfortable and smells like her. Neji's head is propped up against the arm rest, his feet resting on Tenten's lap. They are watching a documentary about weapons, and while Tenten is captivated by the various swords and ways to use them, Neji's attention is focused on the girl herself. Her hair is down, her eyes reflect some of the light of the television and Neji thinks she's beautiful.
After the documentary Tenten walks Neji to the door to let him out, even if it isn't really necessary. They both wish each other a good night when Neji leans in and kisses her swiftly on the mouth. He doesn't know if it is the right thing to do, but the way Tenten's cheeks flush and the smile she sends him tell him he hasn't ruined their friendship entirely.
So this story was supposed to stay a one shot, but like some of you pointed out, Lee's magical appearance in Neji's apartment was questionable. It inspired me to write another chapter and the Nejiten in this second part is a little bit less subtle. It's not really explicit, but I hope you enjoyed it!
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- uvsns