Winner of the LJ ten squared community's August theme of the month, Changing Seasons. I guess I just had the urge to write domestic bliss plus Team Gai. :P
Could be considered as a sequel to 'Of Youthful Passion and Local Butchers'.
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Summertime
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The springtime of youth ended when Team Gai turned twenty-seven.
Adulthood had descended upon them years ago – in their Genin days even, some would say – but it was only now that they felt truly older and childhood seemed but a distant dream, a lovely memory quietly receding like a wave from a sandy beach. Now the future stretched wide before them with a new promise, a new Sun that burned so brightly it almost seemed to flood away the shadows of their past.
It was summertime and the world was hot, lush, burning spears of sunlight arcing through the shimmering blue sky; the wind blew low and warm, whispering through a maze of bluebells before spiraling up into the treetops of the forest that skirted the west side of the field. The scent of moist earth, wild grass and summer flowers blossoming into their own distinct fragrances wafted through the air, light and sweet. Lee was bawling again, his tears wetting the thin fabric of Tenten's shirt as he lay sprawled across the grass with his face buried against her stomach.
"Shhh." The brunette patted him on the shoulder. "There's nothing to cry about, Lee." But her words were slow and lazy and her eyes were closed, shut softly against the bright haze that surrounded them. The boulder she was leaning against was pleasantly warm against her back and Neji was playing with her free hand, lifting it to his mouth as he lay on his side, head resting on her lap.
Lee snuffled. "I just thought - I just felt the baby moving and was overcome by the wonderfulness that is the youthful spirit residing in you, Tenten!"
Tenten smiled, glancing away to watch a dragonfly flitting over the few baskets she had prepared for their afternoon outing. "You couldn't have... ...I'm barely into the second month."
"Your child must be very advanced indeed," he told her seriously, solemn wide eyes blinking up at her. "I'm not surprised. Any child of Neji's and yours will no doubt grow up to be impressive Shinobi."
"I hope so," she murmured, taking a peach from the basket and biting into it slowly, savouring the sweetness on the tip of her tongue. She felt herself being pushed gently against the boulder and glanced down, amused to see Neji's hand inching up her thigh in a half-hearted attempt to nudge Lee's head off her stomach. The Hyuuga had always liked to monopolize her body and acted with mild jealousy even with Lee, much to the bowl-haired taijutsu user's dismay.
Juice ran down the pale length of her inner forearm, curving in with her elbow and converging in one pale pink droplet. Tenten lifted her arm lazily and licked it away. She caught Neji eyeing her hungrily and smiled, offering him the basket. "Peach?"
"No." He lifted himself up on an elbow, leaning forwards to kiss her on the chin. "You."
"Neji! But the baby!" Lee looked scandalized, his head shooting up a little in alarm. Neji took advantage of the moment and his hand crept over the part of Tenten Lee had previously occupied, stroking the gentle curve of her swelling stomach.
"Shh, Lee," Tenten rubbed her knuckles into his hair soothingly. Tonight, she mouthed over his head. "It's alright."
"But – "
"Come on, it's too hot to get worked up," she murmured.
"Neji will not be making any improper advances towards you tonight."
"None at all," she lied through her teeth. Neji merely looked a little annoyed.
"She's my wife, Lee." The unspoken words 'I have the right to make any improper advances towards Tenten whenever I want' hung heavily in the air.
"Your pregnant wife! What if you hurt the baby?"
Tenten closed her eyes again and leaned back, smiling as she listened to them bicker over her. Somehow both her hands had found their way into theirs - one on each side, one for each of her boys. (Because the truth was that these two would always remain only boys in her heart, no matter how tall they've grown or how many more battles they will win.)
The springtime of youth ended when Team Gai turned twenty-seven. Tenten doesn't really mind because it's summertime now, and because they're both still with her, still together, still young.
Still in love.