The way of the Hyuuga
Chapter 3
A/N – Right…uhh, thankyou for the lovely reviews! They really make my day…Hmm, hope this chapter will be a little more progressive, and less blabbering. But yeah, read on, and make sure you tell me what you think!
Sorry it took me so long to write…I've been busy…
Disclaimer – I do not own Naruto…sod's law…
OOOOOOOOOO
The date had been set, the organisation was underway…and all through the Hyuuga household there was scurrying, shouting and plenty of stress to go around. Someone really should've warned Tenten how stressful it would be to plan a wedding, her wedding, she would've been completely lost if it hadn't been for the wonderful help of the Hyuuga maids and servants, who all seemed far more collected than she.
"AAAARRG!!" The young woman shouted to herself, crossing off the next item on her list of things to do, but whenever she crossed something off the list just didn't seem to be getting any smaller, was this some sort of genjutsu? Tenten had hoped so, but not all of the 'Kai's and pinching's in the world seemed to awaken her from any spell. And Neji's lack of input certainly wasn't helping either…speaking of Neji…
"Where is Neji anyway?" Tenten asked herself, but luckily a maid had been there to answer her question.
"Oh, he was called to a meeting with the Hokage. Didn't he tell you?"
Tenten only scowled to herself at that, why didn't Neji have the decency to tell her when he was off out somewhere? Especially at a time like this when she actually needed his help. A pronounced sigh left her lips as her hands cast themselves on her hips, why did Tenten have to fall for a man who was so…difficult?!
"Do you know what it's about?"
The maid swayed her head from side to side in a 'no', and now that Tenten thought about it some more, she wasn't all that angry, just a little worried…she hoped it wasn't something too serious or bad, not at a crucial time like this…Why would the Hokage want to speak to Neji?
Before Tenten could continue her musings the door slid open, snapping Tenten out of her daze as her hazel eyes shifted towards the newcomer.
"Neji!!"
The young woman strode over to her fiancé, and that furrowing of her brows soon told the maid that this was her cue to leave. She did so, leaving the two not-so lovebirds to probably have another squabble… The Hyuugas had discovered that Neji and Tenten's relationship consisted of a lot of them, ever since the weapon's mistress had moved in that was…
"Why were you with the Hokage? Is something wrong?"
Tenten persisted with firing questions, and all Neji could do was sigh at her antics…she was getting far too stressed out for her own good…
"I've just been assigned a mission, that's all.."
"WHAT!?"
Neji decided to step back a little after hearing Tenten's shrill voice bounce off of the walls. Why was she so riled up all of a sudden…Oh, right…The wedding…
"How long will you be gone for!?"
A smug smile graced Neji's lips for a moment as his arms crossed over his chest, and Tenten raised a curious brow as to why he was looking so pleased with himself.
"Why? Will you miss me?" He mocked, causing an already aggravated Tenten to scowl at her fiancé, she really wasn't in the mood for this…
"Don't flatter yourself," She retorted, and although, she always missed him when he was away on missions, the greater concern in her mind was pinpointed at not only the wedding plans, but the date set too…
"It'll be a few months I imagine."
Tenten was just about ready to ram her fist into Neji's mouth…sure it wasn't his fault…but she really felt the need to vent herself at that moment. She refrained though, and decided to stick to just a frown.
"Will yo-"
Suddenly Tenten was caught off guard by strong arms wrapping around her petite waist, drawing her closer to the figure standing opposite her. She blinked profoundly, wondering why on earth Neji was hugging her. Neji had never really been a man of huggles and such, so of course it surprised her, but in a nice way…Tenten guessed the less you got something, the more you'd appreciate it when you did get it, perhaps Neji was catching onto her way of thinking. Resting her head on his chest Tenten leaned into his frame, relishing in the warmth he had provided her with, even if it wouldn't last very long…
"I'll be back for the wedding," He replied, already knowing what she would've asked, another little telltale sign that although the two weren't fond of public displays of affection, they both new each other like the backs of their hands, they had an unspoken, unbreakable bond. One neither would mention out loud.
OOOOOOOOOO
From her weeks spent living with the Hyuugas, Tenten had leant a lot of things… One was that Hinata had grown a lot stronger in recent years. The brunette recalled their first spar together, and although Tenten had claimed victory, she only managed to cling to it with bruised hands and sealed tenketsu's along her left arm (even the weapon's mistress doubted she would've won had it been her right arm.). She had also noticed that Hanabi had a very split personality, one moment she was an angel; doing whatever Hiashi would ask, and the next, with her feet outside the compound of course, she was a wild soul, Tenten had even caught her kissing boys in public, and in attire that left little to the imagination…Sure she was 19 years old…but you wouldn't think a Hyuuga would be so…bold about it. Tenten hadn't thought so anyway…
But Tenten had a lot to learn about her new family.
She had also noticed the doors in the compound didn't have locks, not even the bathrooms, she said nothing about it though, and continued to slide the bathroom door shut. She supposed it wasn't the big a deal, what was the point when they could all look through the walls anyway? Not that Tenten would think they'd do such a thing…
'Well…Maybe Neji would,' The young woman mused to herself, chuckling softly at her own typically girlish thoughts about how Neji had probably spied on her with those freakish eyes before… Back then she would've knocked his lights out had she known, but now it only made her laugh, to think of stoic Hyuuga Neji as a normal, over-hormonal boy. It seemed she was thinking about Neji a lot lately; even she had to admit…she always missed him when he was away on missions. No matter how short or long they were, but unfortunately…this was one of those horrendous long ones.
The water poured rapidly from the taps as steam filled the air surrounding the young girl. Tenten sighed in contentment as her fingertips reached into the lathered water, if there was a best medicine for loneliness, it was most likely a long, hot bath.
She shrugged her clothes off and undid the binds in her hair before stepping in, the warm water left gooseflesh along patches of skin that weren't engulfed in water (some still bruised from her spar with Hinata), but all too soon the relaxation kicked in and Tenten found herself sinking into the bathtub, sighing in delight all the while.
Her eyes travelled to the ceiling and noticed the showerhead on the way there. She scowled for a short moment, wondering why Neji had declined her offer to shower with her… he had never said no before…Infact, he usually loved it, never did he admit it, but the look of ecstasy plastered on his face was always enough to tell Tenten. He hadn't even shared his shower on the night before he left for his mission, and the nights before missions were always Tenten's favourites! Just the thought of it left an impish grin on her lips. But not this time, there had been no kick of romance to last her through these months without him…Neji could be so cruel sometimes…
"I can't do it Nee-chan…" A Meek voice trailed off outside the paper doors, causing Tenten's curious eyes to slowly open and it even made her halt her splashing. She knew it wasn't right to eavesdrop, but the voice sounded a lot like…
'Hinata?'
"But you have to! Neji-nii-san will be angry if you don't, and what if Tenten finds them?!"
"M-Maybe…N-Neji-san will c-..change h-his m-mind…?"
By now Tenten was sitting upright in the bathtub, wondering what on earth they were on about. Were they hiding something from her? And from Neji?
'What are they up to?? What should I do? OK…I know I shouldn't be listening but, but they're talking about me!' Tenten continued to argue in her head, but then realised she might miss what else they were saying if she carried on…
"He wont, trust me. Just get rid of it, it's…its creepy, that you want to keep them…"
"Hanabi! I-its n-n-not, c-creepy…You..Y-you don't u-understand…You, you w-weren't there…Neji will c-change h-his mind, he w-"
"Replace Naruto?"
Yup…Tenten was absolutely baffled…But after that last statement it seemed the commotion in the hallways had been silenced, and right now Tenten could just imagine a forlorn gaze on Hinata's face, she would always look miserable whenever Naruto was mentioned. Unfortunately, Tenten couldn't look through walls, so she decided to take action in her own un-Hyuuga ways.
"Hinata?"
The bluenette snapped her head around to find the bathroom door opening and steam slowly slipping out. Her widened eyes somehow grew even larger when they saw who was there…and what they weren't wearing.
"What is it with you and being naked Tenten!? For the love of Kami put some damn clothes on!!" Hanabi bellowed in her somewhat colourful language. It was only then Tenten realised she had just stepped into the hallways completely naked…again.
Hinata hadn't been able to get used to Tenten's 'free strutting' yet, but living alone for so long, and being so used to walking around naked meant it took the weapon's mistress a while for her to register her behaviour as 'un-called' for. Though a few of the men didn't seem to mind too much…
The Hyuuga heir's face was a bright red before she fell backwards and knocked herself out, she had never been able to get out of her fainting-habit…
"Hinata!!"
"I'll deal with her, go put some clothes on!"
"Oh…right…" With that sheepish remark Tenten left the scene, and pouted at the fact she had never found out what it was they had been talking about…
It was only some hours later she decided to investigate the topic. Not having Neji around made it feel as though there was little else to do really… heck, she couldn't even get used to that empty space beside her when she slept at night! Having nothing to hold onto in the cold nights was depressing, and it was only made worse when she thought about what Neji might be doing. Was he getting hurt (that would've been bad)? Was he out enjoying himself without her (That would've been even worse! Well…maybe not, but currently Tenten was in possessive mode)? And then those horrid thoughts of realisation struck her, Tenten was turning into one of those silly vulnerable little girls, ones that needed love and romance, Tenten really didn't want to be like them…she wanted to be legendary!! Damn emotions always got in the way though…
She just…needed something to do! Anything that would pry her mind away from girlish thoughts, ones that made her seem so frail and desperate. She didn't want to become a Hinata, who was currently lying on her bed, sobbing her heart out.
Tenten's brows furrowed, feeling unsure of what to do. She really should've knocked before just walking in, Tenten really needed to work on her manners…
"Uhm, Hinata-"
The young girl gasped, having only just realised Tenten was in the room. Quickly she straightened up and wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"Y-Yes?"
'Maybe I should ask why she's upset….No! That's none of my business, I need to ask about that talk!!'
"I heard you in the hallways earlier…"
"Oh…" Hinata averted Tenten's gaze, and Tenten in return took a seat on the edge of Hinata's bed, wondering how she was going to continue with this.
"I know it was rude to listen in…But…It's also rude to talk about other people behind their backs."
Hinata's eyes winded at that statement and soon she met Tenten's gaze again.
"I-I'm so…sorry, B-But…"
"But?"
"There's, T-There's s-something you s-should know…About Neji…"
OOOOOOOOOO
The cool night air was thick with fog, shrouding everything in its path. And Tenten's mood seemed to fit this weather perfectly, never in her life had she felt so confused before. Why wasn't she happy when all the wedding plans had been complete? Why wasn't she happy that her wedding was tomorrow?
"It's tomorrow…where are you Neji?"
Tenten asked the stillness of her room, their room. But Neji's side of the bed was still empty, and Tenten's fingers were still tracing the outline of where he slept. But she still wasn't sure if she wanted him there, or if she wanted to be here…
"Will you be home in time? Is this what you want?" She kept asking questions, but never got a reply.
"Is this…what I want?" Her heart sunk and ached in her chest as she spoke. What Hinata had told her had been so…so heart wrenching for Tenten, but she couldn't just straight out stop loving Neji. She wished she could, but it wasn't that easy. But could she really believe Hinata over her own fiancé? Or maybe she was just sticking up for Neji because she couldn't bare the truth…Either way…Tenten was utterly, utterly confused. No longer knowing what she wanted, or what he wanted…
And if that wasn't bad enough, what if Hinata was right? What if after all that hard work everyone had put into the wedding it wouldn't even happen? The weight on Tenten's shoulders had never felt so heavy before, what should she believe? What should she do?
The brunette quietly stepped out of bed, careful not to make a sound as the cold air embraced her body. She hugged her torso to conceal some heat, and wished her PJs were a little warmer in the type of weather…Nevertheless, it didn't stop her from turning to the window and opening it, letting even more chilly air seep through. Her once dull eyes that scanned the grounds below and soon grew more awake when they spotted a figure. Was it him? Or was she just hallucinating; wishing it was him?
The figure was sauntering slowly, letting inky black hair sway from side to side. His strides weren't long and confidant like Neji's usually pace, but he had been away on a difficult mission for a fair few months now…maybe it really was him.
"Neji?" Tenten called though it was in a very quiet voice, she rested her hands on the window frame and leaned out a little more to get a better view, and amazingly enough…That figure had dazzling white eyes when he looked up to find where her voice had come from, and a somewhat shredded ANBU attire too. It really was Neji!!
Like the skilled Ninja she was, Tenten nimbly jumped out of the window, onto the rooftops and down to the ground to meet her fiancé. She knew it was unlucky to see him the day before the wedding, and Tenten was a very superstitious girl, but…she really needed to see him, to talk to him, to say what was on her mind.
And who said the wedding would be happening anyway?
Her footsteps were silent against the ground, no matter how fast she ran. Neji's eyes looked up, and their dullness lifted; knowing he had come home to the woman he loved, not a single gash or bloodstain on his body could deny how nice that felt.
He thought he could see tears of joy in her eyes, but when she got closer he could now distinguish them as tears of rage. Now it was his turn to be surprised…
'I'm not a hopeless, vulnerable little girl; I don't want to be like that! I WONT be like that!!' Tenten screamed at herself as she got closer. Her heart told her to just run into his arms and hold him, oh how she had missed those soft yet firm embraces of his. Her heart told her to kiss him and welcome him and just be with him. But…She was a shinobi too; she knew her logic was always the safest answer to her problems.
Sure the wedding was tomorrow, but at that moment, their marital bliss seemed completely out of reach to Tenten…
And so, instead of doing any of those things, she merely added insult to his numerous injuries and…
She punched him straight in the jaw.
OOOOOENDOOOOO
OK…so I didn't really get that far… But everything will be explained in the next chappie!! So please review if you want to see that next chappie, since there's not point writing it if no-one's reading this…
Criticism is welcome, but a nice review will brighten up my day!
What is Hinata after? What Has Neji been up to? And will Tenten ever stop getting naked? Find out next time//Endofpointlessbabble
Ja ne!