A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Your support is endearing.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, nor have I gained anything, but experience from this fanfic.
…
Neji and Tenten said goodbye to their pineapple headed friend and left for home. Both were exhausted with the day's activities. The appearance of Albert Morrison put them on edge, however, and made them feel restless. The fear of being watched and captured contributed to their uneasiness as they made their way down the street.
"Neji, I'm tired. Can't we get a cab or something?" Tenten whined. They were at least five blocks from their condo building and her legs felt like they'd collapse any minute.
"Tenten, what if the man driving the taxi were working for Gato? They could easily kidnap us," The coffee haired man replied, giving his female companion a stern look. "We're going to walk."
"We could be jumped!" she exclaimed, arms flailing in the air.
"You have a gun," the male said grabbing her arms and putting them back at her sides.
"Yeah," Tenten jeered," a gun that you're too afraid to touch because it's too 'feminine' and it'll hurt your 'manly' pride." Neji glared at her, but said nothing. As they approached an intersection, he grabbed her hand. Now it was Tenten's turn to glare.
"I'm not a little kid," the brunette pouted and attempted to release her hand from his grasp.
"And yet, in so many ways you are," the male replied, a hint of a smirk flitted across his lips. He didn't let go until they had safely crossed the road.
"Humph," Tenten turned her face away from him and crossed her arms. Her chin jutted out into the air and her eyes closed in mock disgust. Neji wrapped an arm around her waist and used his free hand to tickle her stomach. Soon enough, the 24 year-old female's giggles filled the air.
"Neji!" she rasped, gasping for oxygen, "Stop damn it! I can't breathe!" The male agent smiled. His best friend turned her face towards him, flashing him a smile of her own.
They stood for a moment, foreheads pressed together and noses brushing, grinning like idiots at each other in the middle of the sidewalk. For a second, they both swore they felt the world stop. The chatter and music erupting from the string of restaurants behind them was a dull, distant sound. The people pushing past the two in their struggle to get home disappeared. The lights and neon signs seemed dim. All their senses picked up was the person in front of them. For once, they felt like normal people, not government spies who were being chased by a group of uncivilized criminals. Just for a brief minute, they felt safe.
But just as the magical moment began, it ended. However, that feeling of safety didn't vanish. Both relished it as they continued on.
Tenten yawned, lifting her hand up to cover her mouth.
"I'll fix us some dinner when we get home. You rest on the couch. 'Kay bud?" Neji said gently, feeling a bit guilty he hadn't indulged her request. The day had been hectic for him, but he couldn't imagine what it'd been like for her. From the shock and fear that came from discovering Albert. Then they were stalked and monitored for a good part of the day. No, Neji didn't want to know how she felt right now.
In a few more minutes, they entered the lobby of their condo building. They were hit with a blast of AC upon opening the door. The foyer was decorated with a few stiff, red couches with wooden frames. The floor was white marble, scuffed with marks made by the employees of moving companies, as they dragged people's furniture and what not, up to their condo. Overhead, a chandelier hung, shining brightly in all its cheap crystal glory. A cherry wooden information desk sat pressed against a wall at the far end of the lobby.
Tenten and Neji noiselessly made their way to the elevators. They pressed the button with the arrow pointing up and waited in silence. They stepped into the cart and rode it up to the nineteenth floor. The elevator had golden doors and a red interior. The buttons were located on the left side and lit up orange when pressed. The doors opened with a ding and the duo stepped into the hallway. Neji led the way to suite 1904, their home.
The coffee brown haired male flipped on the lights and made his way to the kitchen. The brunette female, on the contrary, curled up on the couch and listened to the sounds of pots and pans banging and cabinets being opened and shut. She couldn't doze off no matter how hard she tried. The 24 year-old wanted to blame it on all the noise her partner was making, but she knew that her fear for her and her friend's well being was preventing her from drifting off into a peaceful slumber.
Neji took out an emergency frozen pizza and put it in the microwave to thaw. They weren't so much for emergencies, however, as they were for the times he and Tenten were too lazy to cook.
The brunette heated the oven and sat on the counter for a moment, listening to the hum of the microwave as his and his roommate's dinner rotated inside it. He could hear his best friend rolling over and adjusting herself into a more comfortable position on the couch. He sighed. The entire dilemma was what Shikamaru would and had called "troublesome".
Tenten couldn't sleep and walked to the bar and sat on a stool. She and Neji glanced at each other tiredly. The microwave made a beeping sound, signaling the pizza was ready to be taken out and cooked. They let it sit there, drinking in the silence. Tenten continued to eye Neji. His eyes were drooping and his palms were pressed against the counter. The brunette female sighed and removed the pizza from the microwave herself and placed it in the oven. Her roommate watched her before saying:
"Um…sorry bud. I'm just kinda tired, I guess," the male scratched his head. Tenten didn't know why, but she had the sudden urge to give him a hug. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and squeezed. Neji gave her a small smile and rested his head on hers.
The female let go when her friend made a move to get up. Neji grabbed some plates and eating utensils and set them on the bar. Tenten pulled out the two-liter bottle of coke from the fridge and poured some of the caffeinated liquid into two glasses filled with ice. About fifteen minutes later, the two could be found sitting on the barstools munching contently on their dinner.
"So, what do you want to do tomorrow?" The female agent asked her partner.
"Whatever you want to do," he replied, wiping his mouth on a napkin and turning towards her. Tenten nodded, not having the energy to argue about his antisocial ways. A few more minutes of silence passed before she questioned him again.
" Are you feeling alright?" He sighed and propped his elbows on the counter, burying his face in his hands. "Don't worry so much about well…us I guess. Just get some rest. We'll deal with it tomorrow."
"Tenten, if you couldn't contact me when you were at Macy's and that man tried to attack you, what would you do?" The sudden question surprised his friend and she struggled to come up with an answer.
"I guess I'd call Shikamaru or something. But I don't think that guy would attack me right in the middle of the store." she said, mulling it over.
"Okay fine. So he led you to an ally and neither me nor Shikamaru was picking up. What would you do then?"
"Well, would I have any weapons?" Neji shook his head.
"Nothing, but your hands and feet."
"Well, I guess I could scream, but geez, the guy would be pretty dumb to attack me in broad daylight when there are tons of people around."
"Tenten," Neji sent his roommate a glare that silenced her immediately. "I'm serious about this. Let's pretend it was the dead of night. What would you do? And no joking,"
"Why are you even asking me this?" the female agent asked, eyebrows furrowing at all his questions.
" Because I want to know how you'd handle the situation. Without me or Shikamaru or…or anybody. If you only had yourself, no weapons no nothing. Tenten I want to know that you'd be okay, that you'd be safe. I may not have shown it, but you scared the shit out of me when you called. I ran all the way to Macy's without even thinking about it. Promise me that next time you won't be so reckless. And…and you'll always carry some form of defense. Can you promise me that?"
To say Tenten was shocked would be an understatement. She looked Neji in the eyes, not quite sure what had come over him.
"Neji…I, I, " she took a deep breath, trying to get her thoughts together," Are you sure you're alright?" The sound of her partner's fists banging loudly on the granite countertop made her jump.
"You don't get it do you?" he asked chuckling, his voice, however, had taken on a dangerous low tone. " Here I am working my ass off to save yours and all you do is ask me if I'm okay?" His voice went up a couple octaves till he was practically screeching. Tenten flinched and tears formed in her eyes.
"I'm sorry," she chocked out. He was starting to scare her.
"No, you're not sorry. You don't care. You never listen to me!"
"Nej-."
"Shut up!" Both remained silent catching their breath after Neji's loud exclamation. He glared at her, but she couldn't see his expression as the tears blurred her vision.
"Okay, so the first time, yesterday, when you were chasing that guy, you…you weren't careful. How many times have I told you not to directly follow him? Huh? But no, Apparently I'm a bimbo and I'm stupid and…and look where that got us. I got shot in the hand because of you." Neji said, shaking his stitched palm in front of his roommate's face.
"That wasn't my fault. He had a bullet proof vest on."
"That's not the point. Why didn't you check to see if he was actually unconscious? Oh wait, I know why, because you're a bimbo and you're stupid. You're the one who used to brag about being a black belt. Claiming you could knock someone out with your bare hands. If I'd known you were lying, I would have taken care of him myself and left you in the van."
"I wasn't lying!"
" And today, we were stalked for hours just because you wanted to go shopping and…and then that guy found you. Now, I'm telling you that I was so concerned, but you think it's a joke. FYI, I'm human and I have feelings too. Is it so funny that I can actually show some emotion sometimes? At least I'm not a bitch who takes advantage of the people who care about me. "
"I said sorry! What else do you want me to do?"
"Get lost! I'd rather work with that Albert guy or with Shikamaru alone than with you!" With that, Neji shot one last glare at Tenten, whose cheeks were now stained with tears, and retreated to his room. He slammed the door shut and prepared to go to bed.
Tenten sat there shaking and crying. She didn't think what he was saying was a joke. But he didn't give her time to speak. Now she was lost and confused and scared. She cared about Neji and she knew he cared about her. But before, whenever he scolded her, he didn't raise his voice and make her cry.
She bit her lip and looked around the condo. Her eyes stopped on the counter in the kitchen. Wasn't she just hugging Neji while he sat there a little over half an hour ago? Weren't they just goofing off as they walked home together? What had happened? One minute they were happy, the next minute, he was yelling at her at the top of his lungs. Tenten was upset, but now she could feel anger and frustration boiling in the pit of her stomach. She clenched her fists and hurriedly wiped away her tears. She grabbed her jacket and purse and left the condo. She needed to get away from him.
Tenten had no idea where she was going. She had probably just run ten blocks from the condo. She looked around her. Lampposts casting a sort of orange glow on the sidewalk lighted the streets. People were waiting in line to get into the nightclub across the street. "Wasn't I thinking of dragging Neji to a club on the weekend?" She thought gazing at the line of partygoers already dancing on the sidewalk to the music streaming out of the building. There were several men sitting on a bench ahead of her, smoking. The smell of the cigarettes wafted her way. Shop owners were closing and barring the doors to their stores.
Tenten continued walking. She stuffed her hands into her pockets and felt something cold and metallic brush against her fingers. She frowned and pulled it out. In her hand was the golden lipstick pistol, the top colored a fuchsia pink. She then remembered how Neji had asked her to promise him she'd always carry some form of defense. Right now, however, she was so mad, she just wanted to throw the gun on the ground and smash it to pieces. She didn't care anymore. She hoped he'd find it on the ground one day and cry; cry the way he made her just now.
Hot, angry tears streamed down her cheeks once again and she threw the pistol on the pavement and stepped on it. Then she started to run again. Where? Only God knows.
Neji sat up and groaned. He slammed his fist down on his alarm clock, effectively turning it off. He did a double take when he saw the time, 2:00 A.M. What on Earth? Oh well, he brushed it off assuming it was one of Tenten's pranks. "Tenten," he thought, his heart almost stopping when he remembered what had happened last night. He recalled the sound of the front door slamming as she ran out crying.
Neji raced out of his room towards that of his best friend. He panicked slightly when he noticed her absence. "Stupid," he yelled at himself, "You are so damn stupid."
The male quickly grabbed a t-shirt and jeans out of his closet and got dressed. He brushed his teeth and raked a comb through his hair. With that, he dashed out of the condo building and onto the streets of Chicago in search of one of the most important people in his life.
The Hyuuga had run fifteen blocks from his home and was slowing down when he noticed something glinting under a street lamp. He almost fainted when he realized what the object was. It was Tenten's lipstick pistol. The same one he had found in the mail yesterday. The one she taunted him about on the walk home last night, claiming he was too scared to touch it.
As Neji inspected the gun carefully, rolling it around in his hands a few times, he stumbled on a shoe mark imprinted on the smooth, gold surface. His mind raced, thinking of all the possible things that could've happened to Tenten. "She could have been kidnapped by one of Gato's thugs or raped," he thought frantically glancing around at the streets. He didn't know where to look. Chicago was huge! She could be anywhere right now. Heck, she could have left the city.
Neji felt tears begin to prick his eyes and stroll down his face, tears he didn't know were wished for him by his partner a few hours ago, while she stood facing a similar problem, on the same slab of sidewalk.
Neji began to run again. He clutched the pistol tightly in his hands as he rehearsed an apology in his mind.
Tenten walked slowly. She was tired and hungry and hurt. She stared at the ground kicking a few pebbles around with her feet. When the brunette lifted her head, she caught sight of a red telephone booth. She approached it and placed her hand on the dirty glass. She wondered if she should call Shikamaru. Not to get him to drive her back to the city, oh no. Right now, she never wanted to go back. Maybe she could talk to him. He'd listen, that she was sure about. She opened the booth and was disappointed. There was no phone inside. Only rusty holes where the screws were supposed to be. Sighing she closed the door. She walked a mile further and found an old wooden bench. She sat down and buried her head in her hands. An hour later, she was curled up on the bench asleep.
Neji had been wandering for about four hours now outside the city. He was exhausted and wanted to sit down for a little snooze. However, he kept going, reminding himself that Tenten could be in danger right now and had probably gotten no sleep at all. The white-eyed man walked along the dirt path, his head bowed in misery. "Idiot," he said to himself, "You're such a God damn idiot." As he looked up, he caught sight of something red. As he got closer, he realized it was a phone booth. Probably an abandoned one, he assumed, seeing as there was no life around the area except for animals.
However, the coffee brown haired male found a handprint pressed into the dirt on the glass window. He stared at it before placing his hand over it. His was a bit larger. He inspected the handprint. It looked fresh, like someone had been here recently. Then a wave of realization hit him and he was running before he even put his thoughts together. He believed it could have been Tenten's handprint, meaning he was going the right way. He slowed down a little, when he saw a petite figure asleep on a bench. His heart beat faster with every step he took towards the girl.
Neji had found Tenten. He held his breath and touched her arm. The brunette remained in her dormant state. His eyes scanned the rest of her body and he was relieved to see she wasn't hurt. Not knowing what else to do, he gently tried to wake her.
"Tenten, Tenten, hey bud. Wake up. C'mon, let's go home." Tenten slowly stirred. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Chocolate brown met milky white as the partners' orbs connected. The brunette female was shocked. Her expression of disbelief, however, quickly changed to one of hurt, disgust, and fright. The agent quickly pulled her arm out of the male's grasp and eyed him wearily as she moved down the bench, preparing herself to sprint.
Neji seemed to sense her intentions and tried to grab her again. He caught hold of Tenten's wrist just as she got up from the bench and tried to escape. He pulled her back down and eyed her squarely in the face.
"Tenten, just hear me out." Anger flashed in said person's eyes.
"No. I'm done listening to you," Neji glared at her.
"Tenten, you will listen to me," he persisted. Tenten scowled at him.
"Quit trying to tell me what to do. I hate you, okay. You're so arrogant and stupid. Go to hell!"
"Look, I woke up and came running out to find you so I could apologize. I've been walking for hours. Can't you at least act a little civil towards me?"
"No I can't. You don't sound sorry at all. And FYI, you got to sleep a couple hours before you decided to find me. I, however, was yelled at and ridiculed before I left. " Neji's glare increased tenfold and his grip tightened on her wrist, nails digging into her flesh.
Tenten suppressed a whimper, but tears began to form in her eyes. They left wet trails on her cheeks and dropped in silent plops onto her pants. Neji stared at her before loosening his grip.
"Neji, did it ever occur to you that maybe I didn't want to be found? That to me, being lost is better than being around you? I'm not going back. I want to be on my own. Away from you."
The male swallowed. "Tenten, I'm sorry," he said softly, not knowing what else to do. Tenten finally managed to snag her wrist out of his grasp and she buried her face in her hands.
"Just leave me alone."
"No, I don't want to." Neji said stroking her hair gently. Tenten moved away from him. He sighed.
"Please, Ten. Come home."
"What home? If you're talking about that wretched condo, let me tell you it was more of a prison than a home."
"Ten, don't be like that," now Neji's voice was just a little above a whisper. "Please, I'm begging you. Let's just forget about that stupid fight. Hm? C'mon."
"It wasn't a stupid fight. It showed what you really think of me. I'm a bitch who takes advantage of people remember? Or, I'm a stupid bimbo and a liar, "she sneered at him.
"No you're not. I'm sorry for what I said. I just wanted you to be more careful and… and I guess it came out wrong. I didn't mean to yell, but well…I don't know. C'mon, please. You're important to me, one of the most important people in my life. I don't want to let you go." Tears streamed down Neji's face now also. Tenten bit her lip.
"Fine. I'll come with you. "
"Does that mean I'm forgiven?"
"Whatever," Tenten's voice shook as she tried to hold back another sob. Neji hugged her and buried his face in her hair. She cried her heart out into his shirt. After fifteen minutes, the two got up and headed down the road towards home.
Shikamaru lay awake on his bed. He stared up at the ceiling, counting the glow in the dark clouds his female friend found God knows where, and gave him as a present for his birthday last year. There were exactly 23, the age he had been turning. He sighed and rolled onto his side, trying to drift back off to sleep.
He closed his eyes and listened to the silence, slowly entering his happy place. However, the peace was disturbed by the sudden bursting open of his room door and the glowering look of a female whose face had type of green paste spread all over it.
"Shikamaru! Get up you lazy ass!"
"Aw mom, do I have to?" the pineapple haired male asked, eyeing the woman. He flinched as he could almost see the black aura that was surrounding her. Scared, he thrust back the covers and walked to the bathroom, his mother watching him like a hawk the entire time. She left when she heard the tap running. Shikamaru, hearing her fading footsteps, quickly grabbed his emergency pillow from the linen closet and placed it in his bathtub. He then proceeded to step into the tub, lye down, and go back to sleep, quietly envying the fact his friends didn't have to live with their parents.
Tenten and Neji walked until they came to a diner an hour away from the city. Both were starving and agreed to grab a bite to eat before calling their pineapple headed friend for a lift.
Neji held the door open for his female companion, allowing her to step in first.
"Welcome! Welcome!" an old woman, whom they assumed was a waitress, exclaimed when she saw them enter. "Take a seat anywhere you like and I'll get the menus right out to ya," she said smiling. Neji found her to be annoying, but seeing that Tenten was quietly laughing at the woman's antics, he bit back any remarks.
"C'mon," he said, gently taking her hand, trying not to startle her. Tenten reminded him of a deer at the moment. Any sudden movement would send her running for the hills. Tenten tried to smile at him, but tears welled up whenever she looked at the male beside her.
Neji, sensing her discomfort, led her to a table and sat her down. Tenten put her face down on her arms and attempted to pull herself together. The white-eyed man stroked her hair, and this time, she didn't pull away.
After ordering two cups of coffee and cheese omelets, they both resorted to staring out the window, as any eye contact would result in another series of sobs and drama.
"Here ya'll are. Two coffees and cheese omelets," the lady said placing the plates and mugs in front of them twenty minutes later.
Tenten began to eat while Neji fished out his phone. "I'm going to call Shika," he said to the brunette across the table. She nodded and continued chewing.
"Hello?" a woman asked. Neji twitched as he recognized the voice.
"Hello Mrs. Nara. I'd like to speak to Shikamaru please."
"Neji! I haven't seen you in awhile."
"Well, you were gone to Paris for a month." he replied, sighing. Shikamaru was a genius, but Neji had no idea whom he got his brains from.
"Oh, that's right dear. Well, let me go get my son," she said. The Hyuuga chuckled as he could hear the woman yelling for his friend.
"Shikamaru! What are you doing in there?" The Nara's mother asked, banging on the bathroom door. Frustrated, she picked the lock and walked in, only to find her son asleep in the tub. A deathly aura surrounded her once again and she proceeded to turn down the temperature of the shower and unleash the cold water on the sleeping male.
"Gah!" The 24 year-old exclaimed sitting up as the water soaked his deer pajamas and emergency pillow. "Mom!"
"Shikamaru!" his mother exclaimed taking away the pillow and ripping it in half, glaring at her son.
Said male gulped. His mother turned off the shower and handed him the phone.
"Neji's on the line. Talk to him and get dressed. If you go to sleep for one more minute, I will rip your head in half!" Shikamaru nodded and pressed the phone to his ear. He could hear Neji laughing on the other end.
"Ugh, you know how lucky you are you don't have to live with your parents?" Neji chuckled.
"Yeah. Anyway, do you mind doing me a favor?"
"Yes, I do mind. I'd rather not do you any favors." The Hyuuga frowned at his friend's response. Shikamaru could sense his anger and sighed. When Neji glared, he reminded the genius of his mom when she was PMSing.
"Alright, alright what do you need?"
The longhaired male on the other end huffed before saying:
"I need you to drive to this roadside diner and pick me and Tenten up. It's off Route 94, about a half hour or so from the city by car."
Shikamaru sighed, knowing it would be something troublesome.
"Fine, I'm coming. Wait a minute. What do you mean by car? Are you implying that you two actually walked there?"
"Eh, something of the sort. It's a long story. We'll explain it to you later."
" Fine, Bye." With that, Shikamaru hung up. "I have an insane family and now my two best friends have become troublesome. Oh God why me?" the male thought picking up his soaked form from the base of the tub.
Neji put his phone back in his pocket and reached for a fork. He began eating his omelet.
Shikamaru brushed his teeth and took a proper shower. After drying off and getting dressed in a forest -green Ralph Lauren polo and Dockers khaki dress pants, he sat down at the kitchen table for breakfast.
"So Shikamaru, how are you today" his father asked him flipping to the sports section of the newspaper.
"Dad, you don't even read the paper." His father sighed at his son's remark. Mrs. Nara put down a plate with French toast and sausages in front of the genius.
The breakfast commenced as usual.
"So Shikamaru, what was the phone call about?" the boy's mother asked.
The 24 year old sighed (he'd been doing that a lot lately) and proceeded to tell her it was nothing. The woman looked at him angrily.
"What do you mean it was nothing?"
"It was nothing." The agent's mother fumed.
"Shikamaru Nara! You are such a bastard! If I ask you a question, I expect a proper answer. If you're not going to behave, then go to hell!"
began to chuckle, then started coughing violently and clutched his throat.
"He's chocking!"
"No duh mom, this happens every morning." The woman, however, had gone into hysterics and called for an ambulance.
"Hello?"
"Please help! My husband is dying!" she sobbed into the phone.
"Is this Mrs. Nara?"
"Yes it is. Why?"
"Well, we have a paramedic stationed outside your apartment at this very moment. He will help you."
"Wait. How did you know to send him?"
"Well Mam, we repeat this scenario every morning." Shikamaru's mother nodded and hung up.
"Shikamaru, go open the door!" Said man grumbled and got up.
"Hey Choji," he said, opening the door.
"Hey man, what's he chocking on this time?"
"Uh, a bagel I think." Choji proceeded to perform the Heimlich maneuver on Mr. Nara.
"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" Mrs. Nara exclaimed, vigorously shaking Choji's hand.
"No problem Mam." With that, the paramedic left.
Shikamaru's mother then slapped her husband complaining about how he was so reckless. Ah yes, a typical morning for the Naras indeed.
The pineapple haired man left his apartment and walked down the street to where a line of taxis was parked.
"Uh, can you take me to a roadside diner. It's located off route 94 about half hour from the city by car." he asked a driver, who had rolled down the window to talk to him.
The driver eyed him for a minute, and Shikamaru couldn't help, but stare back. The man was wearing green spandex for God's sake. "By car, my youthful friend? Are you implying that you would have actually walked there?"
"No, but two of my friends did." The taxi man looked at him like he'd just sprouted two additional heads, nevertheless, he told the agent to get in with a loud exclamation of "yosh."
Shikamaru stared out the window at the changing scenery. The high-rise buildings slowly changed into trees and shrubs, and animals replaced the people.
" So why did your youthful friends walk to the diner?" the driver asked his passenger.
"Honestly, I don't even know. They're beginning to become so troublesome," the genius replied. The bowl cut haired man nodded and pulled off the highway and onto a road leading to the diner.
"Yosh! Here you are!" he exclaimed happily, parking the car.
"Uh yeah. Do you mind waiting here for a second? My friends and I need you to drive us back to the city."
"Of course! For I am Rock Lee at your service," the spandex clad man said, saluting Shikamaru.
"Right, I'll be back." The pineapple haired man walked to the diner. Once he was inside, he glanced around. Sure enough, his fellow agents were seated in a booth near the window. They got up when Neji caught sight of him.
"Shika!" Tenten exclaimed, hugging him. The genius noticed her eyes were a bit red, but didn't mention it. Instead he shot a questioning look at the Hyuuga. Neji looked away, a sure sign that something was wrong.
The trio made their way outside to the taxi.
"Where's your car?" the white-eyed man asked.
"Eh, I was too lazy to drive."
"Did your father choke again?" the sole female in the group asked, chuckling at the thought.
"You know my family too well." Tenten beamed at him.
"Are all of your youthful friends here?" Lee asked Shikamaru, rolling down the window to get a better look at the newcomers.
"Yeah," the genius replied, opening the door. He turned to see his friends gaping at the driver.
"Uh…guys? You coming or what?" His voice snapped them back to reality and all three crammed into the backseat.
Tenten sat in between the boys, as she was the tiniest out of the trio. She laid her head on Neji's shoulder and closed her eyes trying to get some rest. Neji laid his head on top of hers and fell asleep as well.
Shikamaru analyzed their faces and began coming up with different scenarios, trying to figure out how they'd ended up all the way out here. He stared out the window at the clouds. He remembered how red Tenten's eyes were when she ran to hug him. He recalled how Neji refused to maintain eye contact with him, looking away as if he was ashamed of what happened. The genius slowly put two and two together.
Neji and Tenten had gotten into an argument and the latter ran away, all the way to wherever this place was. Neji had chased after her. He bet they'd run further than where the diner was located, but were too lazy to walk all the way back. Judging by how long it took to get here by car, he'd say they fought about an hour or so after they left his place. That gave both of them enough time to get here and more than half the way back before they called him. Satisfied with himself, Shikamaru decided to do what he did best: sleep.
Thirty minutes later, Neji found himself being vigorously shook. The movement caused the female asleep on his shoulder to awaken as well. Tenten groaned and rubbed her eyes. The coffee -brown haired male frowned and grabbed the driver's wrists.
"Don't touch me," he glared at Lee, who only beamed back.
"Of course my youthful friend. For I am Rock Lee at your service," he said saluting the Hyuuga much like he'd done earlier to the Nara.
Neji sighed and got out of the car. Tenten trailed after him. The white-eyed male decided to pay for the ride as a sign of gratitude towards his pineapple haired friend. While Neji took care of the bill, Tenten walked around to the other side of the car to wake Shikamaru up.
"Hey Shika. Wake up," the female shook the man. The 24 year-old stirred in his seat. "C'mon we're at your place."
The male agent yawned and got out of the car.
"I already paid the fare," Neji informed him. The Nara nodded.
The three walked towards the elevators and squeezed into a cart just as the doors were about to close.
"16th floor please," Tenten requested. An elderly man pushed the button. They waited in silence. The doors opened with a ding and the agents turned right into a hallway leading to Shikamaru's apartment.
"Hey mom I'm home," the pineapple haired man said opening the door and stepping inside, his friends following.
"Shikamaru you lazy ass, get in here and clean your room!" the woman yelled back. Tenten and Neji snickered.
"Aw mom do I have to? I brought company over. I'll do it later."
"You brought company?" the woman asked stepping out of her bedroom.
"Yeah," the male gestured towards his fellow agents.
"Oh hello, hello!" his mother walked over to Neji and hugged him. She did the same for Tenten.
"Well make yourself at home. I'm going to take a quick shower as I couldn't get to it earlier. Ugh, we had such a hectic morning. Did you know my husband chocked? I never saw it coming. I mean one minute we're all laughing and acting like such a happy family and the next minute, there's a piece of a soggy bagel blocking his windpipe. You never know what life will throw at you. It's like karma you know. I mean I've never hit anyone or threatened anyone, and then suddenly, God's trying to take away the love of my life. It's just so sad," the woman concluded retreating to the bathroom shaking her head.
"Damn talkative woman. So troublesome," the Nara muttered under his breath. He then asked his two companions if they wanted anything to eat or drink.
"We just had breakfast. We'll be good for awhile." Neji said.
The trio plopped down on the sofas.
"So, what do you boys want to do tonight," the brunette female asked, eyeing her two male companions.
Neji groaned and rubbed his face. "Sleep," he answered.
Tenten frowned. "No, we're going out to dinner at Maggianos." The males whined, but shut up when they saw her face.
"Fine, fine," Shikamaru told her, not having the energy to argue.
"For a second I thought you were going to nag us about that stupid clubbing business of yours," the Hyuuga said, sort of content with her answer.
"We can go there too if you want," the brunette female said grinning.
"NO!" the male agents yelled, eyes filled with fear. Tenten laughed.
"Alright, alright. Calm down."
Neji stretched and yawned. "You wanna head home?" he asked the 24 year-old female.
"Sure, why not? We'll pick you up around six o'clock. Got it Shika?"
"Yeah, yeah," he said lying down, preparing himself for a nap. The duo exited his apartment and turned towards the elevators. The silver doors glinted in the sunlight streaming in from a nearby window. Said doors slid open and the agents stepped in. The cart was old and a bit dirty. The wooden floors were scuffed much like the ones in their condo building. A wooden railing was fixed onto the dark brown walls.
Tenten pressed the button representing the lobby. It lit up white as the elevator started descending. At the twelfth floor, a pregnant woman and her husband joined them. The mother-to-be clutched her stomach and moaned.
"It'll be all right soon, dear," the man comforted his wife," The hospital is close by. Just think happy thoughts. In a few hours you'll be holding a beautiful baby." The woman nodded, but tears from the pain started forming her in her eyes.
Suddenly, the elevator stopped. The lights fused and the four people stood in silence, eyes widening as they adjusted to the dark.
"Ahem," Neji cleared his throat," I think the elevator just stopped working."
The woman began to hyperventilate. "I can't take it any longer!" she exclaimed, clutching her husband's arm, " I think I'm going to have to do it right here."
The two agent's eyes bugged out of their heads when they realized what she meant.
"Um Mam please hold on. That may not be safe." Tenten pleaded. But the woman wasn't listening. She had already sunk to the floor.
"Will you please help me?" the man asked her. The brunette agent wanted to die. Shakily she got down on her knees next to the woman.
"Um o-okay. Uh, you have to take deep breaths and push, I think," the 24 year-old said, trying to recall how they did this in movies. Neji on the other hand looked away. His eyes searched the wall of the cart, looking for the emergency button.
When he located it, he informed the others he was going to call for help.
"Hello?" a man asked, his voice boomed through the small speaker on the wall.
"Uh hello. Um, I'm in elevator number," Neji's eyes scanned the wall," 245 with three other people. It's stuck. I think we're around the tenth floor."
"Sorry sir, but you may have to wait at least a half an hour before any help arrives. We have some repairmen working on another elevator at the moment."
"Uh, that's all right," the white-eyed male answered, determined not to lose his cool.
"Hey is someone injured in there? What's that sound?"
Neji took a breath to steady himself," There's a woman giving birth in here."
There was silence on the other end. "Oh my God! How's she doing?"
"She'll be fine," Tenten replied sweat running down her face. In fact, everyone in the cart was sweaty and feeling a little too warm.
"Alright. I'll send a repairman up as soon as possible." With that, the man hung up.
Tenten continued assisting the woman and her flustered husband while her male companion sat down and banged his head against the wall.
Ten minutes later, a newborn baby's screams filled the elevator. The husband thanked her and relived her from her duties. Tenten moved over closer to Neji, watching him slowly lose his sanity.
Neji was in hell. He could feel a nasty bruise starting to form on the upper half of his forehead, but he didn't stop. Hopefully, he would succeed in knocking himself out. He could tell his female companion was watching him with an amused expression. He didn't give a shit about that either.
Twenty minutes later, the elevator started moving again. Everyone was too occupied and a bit dizzy from the heat to notice. Only when the doors were wrenched open and a crowd of people stood shocked staring at them, did they realize what kind of predicament they were truly in.
A repairman, dressed in a pair of dirty overalls, gaped at them, his toolbox clattering to the floor. Around him, an alarming number of people stood, not trusting their eyes. Everyone's jaws dropped to the floor.
Inside the elevator, sat a half naked woman, a man holding a nude infant, a girl who looked like she would explode from all the laughter she was holding back, and a longhaired male on the brink of insanity banging his head on the wall.
The overall clad man fainted.
Tenten and Neji looked at each other, sharing the same thought, "We're screwed."
Slowly, the two got up from the floor and walked out of the elevator. As soon as they had exited the building, they broke out into a sprint, both hoping the day was just dream.
They didn't stop running until they were inside their condo. Neji locked the door once they were inside and turned towards his best friend. The two burst out laughing, leaning against the wall for support.
"I'm glad you're back," the white-eyed man said, pulling the brunette female into a hug.
"I am too," she smiled up at him. They stayed in their embrace for a few minutes as the feeling of happiness and security enveloped them both.
Tenten pulled away, "Ugh, I want to take a shower and get out of these clothes."
"Same here bud," her friend replied. They both went to their rooms to clean up.
Tenten undressed and stepped into the shower, humming contently as she lathered soap onto her skin. She actually laughed recalling the fight she and Neji had last night. She was happy right now, and she knew Neji would agree with her.
As she massaged her scalp with shampoo, the brunette thought of what she would wear to dinner tonight. Also reminding herself to call the restaurant and make reservations. After rinsing her hair, she shut off the water and dried herself off. The agent breathed in the heavenly smell of her moisturizer as she it rubbed on her skin.
She put on her undergarments and pulled on her robe. After blow-drying her hair, she stepped out of her room. Her friend was also in his robe, sipping a glass of coke in the kitchen.
"Oooh! I want some!" Tenten said eyeing the cold beverage in her roommate's hand. The 24 year-old grabbed a glass and pushed a button on the fridge door for ice. She then poured herself some soda.
"Hey we should make reservations," Neji told her when she finished.
"Oh yeah."
"I'll do it," he said, rummaging through a drawer full of menus for the number. Upon finding the correct one, he grabbed the phone and dialed.
"Hello, thank you for calling Maggianos how may I help you?"
"Hi, I'd like to make a reservation."
"All right. Name?"
"Hyuuga."
"How many people are coming?"
"Three."
"Preferred time?"
"Uh… around 6:30 should be fine," Neji answered looking at Tenten who nodded at his response.
"Ooh, I'm sorry. Is seven okay?"
"Perfect," the brunette male replied.
"All righty then. I'll see you later." Neji hung up.
"They didn't have an opening at 6:30, so she put us down for 7:00."
"Cool," his best friend said, sipping her drink.
Neji glanced at the clock, which read 4:45 at the moment.
"So, what do you want to do right now?" Tenten asked, following his gaze towards the clock.
Neji shrugged, "Wanna play twenty questions?"
"Sure, you can go first." The male nodded.
"Let's go sit on the couch, though." The duo plopped down on sofas, sitting at an angle so they were facing each other.
"Okay, let's see. What's your favorite color?" Neji asked.
"That's a lame question, but if you must know, it's green."
"Okay, shoot," the male said.
"What's your most embarrassing childhood memory?"
Neji frowned and pondered for a moment, "I'd have to say the time my pants fell down in the middle of an airport terminal. It was my cousin Hanabi's fault really. She got mad at me and pulled them down. I think it was right in front of a security camera too. "
Tenten laughed. "That's hilarious!"
"Yeah now, but I was mortified at that time. I was like twelve I think. So anyway, what's your most embarrassing childhood memory?"
'Uhh…It'd probably be the time I puked on my cousin's dress at a wedding. She was the maid of honor too. Thankfully, it happened during the reception and she had an extra dress in her hotel room upstairs." Neji nodded.
"Okay, what is your biggest fear?"
" Losing you," the Hyuuga said smirking, although his voice sounded sincere. "I mean that."
Tenten felt her cheeks grow warm. She grinned at him and gave him a bear hug.
"You're so sweet," she squealed pinching his cheeks.
"I know. Now what's your bra size?"
The female's happy face darkened. She began to hit Neji repeatedly.
"Pervert!" she yelled at him. Neji raised his arms in defense.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was just curious that's all. " Tenten huffed.
"C," she said.
"Whoa I didn't expect you to tell me that."
"Yeah well I trust you I guess. Don't you dare tell anyone!" Neji quickly promised he wouldn't, as he was afraid of being slapped again by his angry roommate.
"Um… so what's your favorite color?"
"Blue, " the male replied.
"If you could screw any guy you wanted, who would it be?'
This time it was Tenten's turn to smirk. "You." Neji gaped at her.
"What's your favorite fruit?" she asked, ignoring his shocked look.
"You…I-I mean strawberries," the flustered Hyuuga quickly corrected himself. Tenten laughed.
"Neji you naughty boy," she teased him. The male, in turn, rolled his eyes.
"What's your favorite sport?"
"Tennis. I've played since kindergarten."
"What's your favorite vegetable?" Tenten asked moving her eyebrows up and down suggestively.
Neji didn't fall for it this time, "Zucchini. All though I'm sure you taste a lot better."
Tenten slapped him. The Hyuuga moaned and rubbed his cheek.
"Damn it. When did you start martial arts?" He asked for his sixth question.
"When I was 5. Do you prefer ballet or figure skating?"
"Figure skating. It's not that embarrassing."
"What's your favorite season?"
"Autumn," Tenten answered.
"What's yours?"
"I'd have to say summer. What's your favorite pizza topping?
"Plain cheese. You groan like an old woman when you have diarrhea." Neji smacked her arm playfully.
"What's your favorite gem?" the brunette female asked her partner.
"Blue sapphire," he replied.
"Yours?"
"Emeralds."
"Coke or Pepsi?"
"You know, they both taste almost exactly the same. I'd say coke, though. You gotta love the classics. Anyway, do you prefer soda in can or glass bottle?"
"Bottle. I don't know why, but it tastes better that way."
"I know," her roommate said agreeing.
"What's your favorite butterfly?" Tenten asked for her eleventh question.
"Monarch. It's the only one I know of." She nodded.
"Do you prefer a brunette male or a blonde one?"
"Brunette. I don't think I even know any blonde guys."
"Favorite instrument?"
"Eh, I used to play the piano. So I guess it's be that."
"What's yours?"
"You know mine. I play the piano, violin, and guitar. Geez Neji, one of the guest bedrooms is like my music room."
"Yeah well I was too lazy to came up with a question."
"Whatever. What's your favorite type of wood?"
Neji stared at her as if she'd suggested changing his diet to cannibalistic ways.
"Cherry I guess," he said. "What's your favorite flower?"
"I don't really like flowers, but I'd say roses. Do you like the rain?"
"Not really. I don't like getting drenched by something that could be acidic." Tenten rolled her eyes at him.
"So, do you like the rain?" he asked his partner.
"Definitely. I'd love to just dance in it in the middle of the street, barefoot. Do you think I'm insane?"
"Yes," Neji said, eyeing his friend strangely," I don't know anyone who's crazier than you are. So tell me, do you like being considered crazy?"
Tenten grinned. "Yes, yes I do. I like being different, I'm not changing my ways for anyone."
"I wouldn't want you to," Neji said, a small smile playing on his lips.
"Aww, you're so sweet. Are you bringing sexy back?"
"I wasn't aware it was gone," the male replied. "Are you bringing sexy back?"
"Don't repeat my questions and no, I'm not. I'm bringing nerdy back."
"Cool. Shoe freak or bag freak?"
"Bag freak all the way. What's your favorite TV show?
"The news," Neji answered.
"That's not a TV show."
"Yes it is. Now what's your favorite TV show?"
"SpongeBob. Dark or milk chocolate?"
"Dark, it's healthier for you." Tenten made a face.
What's your favorite type of nut?" the Hyuuga asked.
"The one in your pants," Tenten said smirking.
"Tenten!"
"I'm joking, I'm joking. I'd say pecans. What do you think came first, the chicken or the egg?"
"The egg. Can I have a hug?" Tenten stared at him before tackling him off the couch.
"Sure," they both grinned.
"Okay last question. Can you help me pick out a dress? We should start getting ready."
"Only if you help me pick out my suit," Neji answered.
Tenten nodded and they both got off the floor. The Hyuuga offered to help Tenten first. They headed to her closet.
"I'm glad we're going to have some fun. These last few days have been so hectic," the female agent said to her partner as she flipped on the closet lights. Neji nodded.
Little did they know how chaotic the night was really going to be.
Unwritten Rule #3: Always expect the unexpected.