Birds on a Wire

Chapter 2: And Down She Fell

Groaning at the time displayed on her clock, Tenten clutched her blankets tighter and flopped onto her stomach. As she buried her face in the pillow, she wondered idly why time couldn't just stop and give her a respite. She certainly couldn't just skip training. Because then Lee would come to get her, and Gai would lecture her, and Neji...

She gulped and her stomach performed an admirable set of acrobatics. Maybe it would be best if she didn't think about that person too much, Tenten decided. Instead, she rose from bed, giving up on the hope of sleep, and busied herself with preparing for the day ahead. Change clothing, do hair, eat something light, brush teeth. Everything was done with a detached, automatic feeling. Just another day. It would just be another day.

When she'd finally finished her routine, she checked the small clock in what she liked to call a kitchen (although that was being a bit ambitious of her, she supposed). 5:17. Joy. Practice wouldn't start for around a quarter of an hour. But for some reason she couldn't bring herself to sit around the house listlessly. May as well go ahead of time and maybe do a few bo katas, or work with her new scrolls, she reasoned as she slipped on her shoes and hopped for the door.

The village looked nice in this light, Tenten noted, peering through the semi-darkness at the silhouettes of the buildings before her. The sky was barely lit, colored a soft, dusky blue. A sleepy hush fell over the town. Those who were active during the night, mainly the ninja citizens, would have gone back to bed. The diurnal types wouldn't be up soon, though in an hour or so the village would be teeming with activity.

Even running at a steady pace, it took a while to get to the training grounds. They had to be far enough away from the main part of the village that they wouldn't frighten the civilians inside of the walls, and the training grounds that Team Gai had claimed were on the very outer edges, because explosive tags were loud and the Kaiten left some nice craters and if Gai or Lee decided to open a gate or, you know, five, everything would start to get even crazier.

Thus it had been simple logic to set up a quasi-permanent residence as far from the village as possible.

Even if it was a bit of a trek, especially for five in the morning, Tenten thought, sighing in relief as the training grounds came into sight and she couldn't sense anyone nearby. Even Gai and Lee, who were notorious for being early, weren't quite this early. Nor was Neji, which was quite a bit of a blessing. Were she alone with Neji... Tenten blanched. She didn't even want to think about the possibility, much less experience it. Her actions towards him for the past few days, especially right after the mission, had not been quite admirable.

Her musings were interrupted as something at the base of the tree under which Neji usually meditated. The early morning light fell on a small sparrow, nestled prone near the base of the tree.

With a frown, Tenten approached it. She had hoped it would awaken and fly away, but in her heart she knew it was a silly, childish wish. Dead birds couldn't get better and just take flight, after all.

Tenten picked up the small body in her hands and watched as the head lolled uselessly, the neck clearly broken. How ridiculous, she thought, pulling a kunai out of her pocket and digging a hole for it a short distance away. What kind of idiot bird broke its neck flying into a tree? Did it get distracted? Could it not see in the darkness? Or maybe it had been perched in a branch and for some reason fallen down to the unforgivable ground below and been unable to save itself.

A wave of sorrow rolled over her, and Tenten bit into her lip. She was being sentimental over a damn bird. A stupid sparrow.

Stabbing into the ground with more ferocity than necessary, she mauled the dirt until there was a sizeable hole dug into it. Gently, she slipped the small creature into its grave and covered it carefully, packing the dirt down once the hole had disappeared.

God, she had to compose herself before anyone showed up. Exhaling loudly, she produced a scroll and unrolled it carefully until she found the three-sectioned staff. It took one smear of her thumb across her punctured lip to gather enough blood to summon, and another smear, a red strike through the perfect calligraphy naming the weapon, to call it into her hand.

She'd barely made it through a kata before she heard–rather than saw or sensed, and that was quite saying something–Lee and Gai approaching. "Tenten!" Gai boomed happily as soon as he noticed her presence (which was quite a while after she noticed theirs). "I simply can't put into words how happy I am to see your youthful vigor burning so brightly after your mission. I'm quite relieved you are home and seemingly without injury."

Without injury, she echoed wryly in her mind. Without physical injury would be a far more apt way of putting it. "Of course, Gai-sensei," she replied instead, smiling at the two of them. "It was a fairly low-level mission, after all. I'm guessing you two kept busy enough while the two of us were gone?" she asked.

"Tenten! I think I have improved in my Taijutsu since you saw me last!" Lee said, excitedly. "I have mastered a new technique, even," he added, seeming simultaneously modest and proud.

Rolling her eyes, she beamed at her energetic teammate. If there was anything that could pick up her spirits, it was the antics of Gai and Lee. Unless she was exposed to said antics too long, at which point she would probably go insane. "Well, obviously you've improved since last week. Unless you've given up on our motto, that is," she teased.

His eyes became wide and over-bright. "I would never do such a thing, Tenten! I will continue to live by our motto. Everyday, 'Stronger than the you of yesterday!'" he exclaimed, extending his fist in front of him.

Because he would be intolerable if she didn't, and because she loved the cheer, as cheesy as it was, she extended her fist in front of her. "'Stronger than the you of yesterday,'" she repeated. "Well, anyway," Tenten said, returning to a more eased posture. "I want to see this new technique of yours. Which means that you have to spar with me today," she said, mock glaring at him. "Unless you can't take the challenge, that is."

Lee laughed brightly and pretended to glare in return, though he continued to be nearly as intimidating as an especially fluffy kitten. "I accept your challenge, Tenten!" he called out.

In the background, Tenten could hear Gai chuckling. "Very well. I had a technique in mind to show to your esteemed teammate."

"He teaches Neji stuff?" Tenten asked, gaping slightly. "Really?"

The reply from Lee was a laugh. "Are you jealous, Tenten? I know you and Neji have a special relationship, but Gai has advice for all of us sometimes. You cannot have our esteemed teammate all to yourself," he said in his most sage of tones.

Oh, God. A special relationship? Tenten prayed that was some ridiculous figure of speech and Lee hadn't suddenly developed a sense of intuition. "A 'special relationship,' Lee?" she asked, forcing a dismissive laugh. "Isn't that a bit of an extreme way of putting it?"

"You and Neji are training and sparring partners! That is one of the most special of relationships in a ninja's world!" Ah. Lee was as lacking in the intuitive department as ever. All was right in the world.

This time, Tenten's laugh was pure relief. "Whatever, Lee," she said teasingly. "Either way, why would I be jealous if I already have a partner today? Now, come on, let's spar!" she said, gathering her tri-sectioned staff in her hands and waiting for him to attack.

"As you wish!" he exclaimed, complying by diving headlong at her. She struck out but missed, of course. Shaking her head, Tenten recognized the folly of her first attack as she flipped away from a kick aimed at the upper part of her torso. With Lee, you could never attack where he was. In a split second he'd be gone again. You had to always be a step or two ahead.

A leap and a flip cleared her of his next charge, and she swung the staff around to connect solidly with the back of his arm. Not near a clean enough hit, she thought, dissatisfied as he rolled forward with the blow. Lee waved his hands energetically at her from the top of a tree. "Tenten! One moment, please! I forgot something!"

Chuckling, Tenten dropped her guard and brought the staff to rest at her side. With anyone else, she wouldn't have put down her weapon, but Lee didn't have a treacherous bone in his entire body. "Hmm?" she asked him, tilting her head up at him as he sort of bounced around, seemingly bursting with excitement.

"Feel free to use your scrolls as much as you would like! In order for me to accomplish this new technique, I will have to take my weights off," he told her. It was kind of a rule that when Tenten sparred with Lee, she never used anything sharp unless he'd taken off his leg weights. With them on, he simply wouldn't be able to dodge all of the weapons that she could unleash. Even with them off, she still held back, ever so slightly.

Bladed weapons were made for killing, nothing more, nothing less. And that wasn't a risk she was about to take with an opponent who had no ninjutsu defenses against steel.

"All right, Lee, but you asked for it!" she exclaimed, bounding up into the air and unfurling one of her smaller scrolls. Just kunai, no explosives, not even that many. This was a warm-up, and they both knew it. She might graze him with one or two, but nothing more. The second she touched down upon the ground, a blur approached her. Diving to the left, she tossed three kunai behind her, each one equipped with a small explosive tag. Upon hearing the unmistakable sound of a tree hitting the ground, Tenten grinned triumphantly.

Her eyes caught Lee's motions as he rolled away a moment too late, the trunk catching him across the left side. As he paused, she released a chain of weaponry, always aiming away from the vital areas. The taijutsu staggered for a moment before leaping back and then forward. He ran at her in a zig-zag motion, a smart enough move, but not quite good enough. A smirk playing about her lips, Tenten darted into the treetops, splaying her scroll open across her arms.

She could never escape him by running, of course, but backing away for a moment bought her enough time. A second to draw chakra into her calves and quads, and the next second she was flying. Just for a moment, she stole time and looked around her. Everything looked so much more beautiful from here, where the air was thinner and the light seemed clearer. Just as she was about to attack, blue chakra caught her eye and held her gaze.

Neji. Tenten tried to tear her gaze away (it's way past time to be attacking, a more sensible part of her shrieked), but as she watched the Kaiten dissolve in sparks around him, she couldn't help but replay their last minutes of the mission together. And as she sensed Lee approaching, way too close for comfort during a spar, she couldn't tear herself away from her memories of that beautiful, wonderful, terrible kiss.

And then she was falling, falling, falling down.

.

Sakura frowned deeply at Neji as he shouldered his way through the door. "She's not dying or anything, Hyuuga, so you can just wait until she's released, which will be whenever she wakes up." The glare he received was intimidating enough, he supposed, but he'd grown up within the walls of the Hyuuga complex. Perhaps if she really wanted to frighten him, she should go to the elders for instructions.

"It's imperative that I speak to her," Neji said, his tone a step away from demanding. "And the nurse outside of the door said that visitors were admitted into this room and that visiting hours do not close for some time now, so unless circumstances have changed, I'm doing nothing wrong," he defended.

Another frown marred Sakura's features. As much as she disliked that argument, she couldn't refute it. God, how did Lee and Tenten put up with this jerk, she wondered as she finished her check. "Her vitals are fine, her body has healed up well and quickly. However, she isn't allowed to train for..." Sakura frowned and racked her brain. "Three days should be good." Three days wasn't quite as long as she'd want, but with the members of Team Gai, you had to compromise or they'd disobey you anyway to train.

Maniacs, Sakura thought, suppressing a chuckle as she passed by Neji. All of them were maniacs. "Anyway, grab a nurse if she wakes up when you're here. She'll need to be dismissed," she said, hearing rather than seeing Neji nod from behind her. Hyuugas, she though, exasperated, as she closed the door behind her with maybe a bit more force than necessary. God forbid they showed, you know, emotions. Or kindness. Maybe such qualities skipped most of the clan's members and were just drained into Hinata, the medic reasoned. She clearly had both, and in large supply.

Inside the small room, Neji watched his teammate for a moment before approaching her bedside. Her face looked serene and unmarred, a strong contrast, he knew, to her body. Lee had shot past them, stopping only long enough to give the briefest of explanations. In that moment, he had seen Tenten's battered body, Lee's horrified expression.

Inexplicable anger rose in the pit of his stomach, curdling his insides. She'd been such an idiot. Lee had been such an idiot. Apparently she had been distracted. Annoyance rose in him. The stupid girl could have been killed. All because she'd been distracted. That wouldn't have happened if they were training together, he thought, unreasonable in his anger. He wouldn't have allowed her to be hurt.

"Tenten," he demanded, his tone quite a bit more sharp than he had been aiming for, but Neji supposed it wouldn't hurt to let her know he wasn't pleased in the least bit.

She knew that voice. And she knew she'd better answer it, no matter how much she wanted not to. Tenten pulled out of her pleasant dream and into the austere reality of the hospital room. Rolling over, she cracked one eye open to face one very displeased Neji. Because saying 'glad to see you're all right' or even 'please wake up' would have been so hard. Jackass. "Oh, go stuff yourself, Neji," Tenten huffed, turning away from him.

If he called her out on the insult, she could blame it on whatever medicines she was on.

Neji bit his lip to keep quiet, even managing to keep from yanking her back on her other side so she would face him. Good to know his self control was at least working today. "Listen, you don't have to look at me or even act like you're listening, but I need to speak with you and figured this would be the best place. Somewhere you can't run away," he said, his voice biting.

Although she knew she was just buying into whatever trick he was pulling, Tenten rolled over. "I was not running from you. I was merely trying to get back to Konoha as fast as possible, seeing as I was worried we were attracting the attention of some of the local shinobi." ...okay, so she had been running away. No reason to admit that to Hyuuga-sama over there.

"I see. And then you effectively stopped any conversation at the training grounds by engaging Lee in a spar before I came. A spar, which, may I add, turned out–"

"No, you may not add!" Tenten snapped, narrowing her eyes. "Just say your piece and get out of here, Neji. I'm so not in the mood right now for you to point out every one of my flaws."

For some reason, he felt the irrational urge to gather her in his arms and to comfort her, to tell her that it wasn't all her fault and that he was to blame, too. Well, maybe his self-control wasn't working too well in respect to his thoughts. "I'll get to the point then," he said, ignoring Tenten's annoyed mumbling. "I'm sorry if my actions on the mission gave you any reason to believe that our relationship is anything more than professional or even platonic. Any feelings that you think I may be having beyond that are mere delusions. Any feelings that you have beyond that should probably be ended." God, that hurt. Neji felt like someone had seen it fit to set about cutting his heart to shreds with a dull kunai.

"Delusions?" Tenten asked, her voice rising to almost a shriek. So much for calm and reasonable in all situations, she thought bitterly. Although she could gut a man and not bat an eyelash, this conversation was too extreme for her to control even her voice. She inhaled sharply, attempting to calm down enough to form a cohesive sentence and resist the urge to swing her IV at him at the same time. "First of all, I would like to point out that you were the one who initiated the kiss. Second, I am not the delusional type, nor will I ever be, and I am certain you're as aware of this fact as I am. And third, I don't believe you."

"I initiated a kiss that was completely necessary to keep our cover on a mission where secrecy was paramount." Tenten had begun to open her mouth to protest, but he couldn't stop. If he stopped now, he'd never be able to say what he wanted. "Everyone has certain aspects in which the more reasonable parts of them may be fooled. If you still don't believe me, listen clearly to every word I say." Neji felt his throat attempt to slide closed, his breath hitching, but he swallowed forcefully. Subconsciously, he rubbed the seal on his forehead through his headband, a motion that didn't manage to escape Tenten's attention. "I do not love you. I will never love you. If you have any feelings of the sort towards me, forget about them. That's all. I expect to see you at training in three days."

With that, he strode out of the room purposefully, leaving Tenten behind to attempt to stop the flow of tears down her cheeks. And for some reason, all she could think of was that little dead sparrow in the training grounds. On the other side of the door, Neji stopped, rubbing the seal that suddenly burned. It was for his clan, and for her good. Duty was supposed to come first, always. He'd marry whomever his uncle designated, and Tenten... well, she'd find someone else, someone who didn't have a mark on his forehead and a duty to a clan he suddenly hated again.

The thoughts, rather than being comforting, made him feel even more empty inside. More than anything, Neji wanted to return to the hospital room and tell Tenten that he'd lied, that he really loved her, had loved her for some time now. Instead, he turned his back on the that room and strode down the hallways, his steps echoing ahead of him.

Tenten almost jumped as the door opened, widening her eyes eagerly and praying, hoping beyond hope that he'd come back and tell her it had all just been lies. "Hey, Tenten, I've just got to check and make sure everything's good to go. And when you're released, you might wanna go see Lee. He was so worried and apologizing so much I had to ban him for the day." Oh. Sakura.

"Y-yeah, sure," she managed to stutter out, hoping the catch in her voice hadn't been too audible. Startled green eyes raked her face, and Tenten resisted the urge to hide under the covers and refuse to emerge until the world ended.

Sakura rushed to her bedside, checking the machines to make sure something hadn't gone wrong. She was crying. Tenten was crying. Lord, the girl had been battered and broken when she was brought to the hospital, and even though she was fully conscious, she hadn't even whimpered. "Did something go wrong? Are you hurting somewhere?"

Shaking her head, Tenten put a halting hand on Sakura's wrist. "Nothing medical. Nothing you can fix," she said, bitterly. "Just... please. Can I go home now?"

AN: Don't hate Neji! It's totally not his fault! Other than that, I hope you liked this chapter. Even if you hate me.