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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!
It was past dusk and the night sky was an inky blue canvas, dotted with white shimmering stars, and Neji Hyuga laid wide awake in his bed. His head rested against a soft pillow and his hands were folded carefully on his stomach as he replayed the events of the day in his mind.
It just didn't make sense. Tenten and Inuzuka? Training together? The fact was just bewildering. If it was Lee or Sakura, he would understand but Neji couldn't recall a single time where the unlikely pair had ever talked to one another on their own and now suddenly they were training partners? Neji didn't like it one bit. Tenten was his sparring partner and had been over the past five years and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.
The Hyuga hadn't intended to speak so rudely to the weapons mistress earlier but he was angry. At her – at the stupid mutt. He couldn't remember a day where he and Tenten hadn't trained together – rain, snow or burning heat they would persevere through it all. Just the two of them and now it just didn't feel right, training on his own. After everything they had been through, she would dare choose the filthy dog lover over her own teammate? It was absolutely preposterous!
Neji suddenly stood up and began pacing rather agitatedly around his room. What was the reason behind all this? Didn't Inuzuka have his own teammates to train with? Maybe…maybe he had outgrown them and wanted to challenge his abilities even further? No, that wasn't it. Hinata and Shino were both capable fighters. And even if that was the case, he didn't understand why the mutt would choose Tenten when he could've picked Shikamaru or Sasuke who he was much better acquainted with. So why Tenten, of all people?
Neji came to an abrupt halt as a sudden realisation struck him. It was the only possible explanation, nothing else made sense. He had underestimated the boy.
Kiba was trying to get close to Tenten.
The mutt was trying to steal his training partner just so he could make his romantic advances towards her. At this thought, Neji felt his fists ball in anger and his chest constrict with an emotion whose name he could not place before simply dismissing it as irritation. It was only natural he felt this way. Neji didn't like change. He and Tenten had been close for years and now Kiba thought he could just come along and take his sparring partner away? Who did this guy think he was?
Neji took a deep breath and closed his eyes before a slight smile appeared on his lips. There was no point in worrying. Neji knew Tenten. She was a strong willed kunoichi and there was no way she would ever accept the advances from a filthy dog lover such as Kiba. She would catch on to what Inuzuka was up to and reject him and then she'll come back to Neji and everything will be back to normal. The Byakugan user would never admit it, but the thought of the weapons mistress rejecting Kiba's advances gave Neji great satisfaction.
However, even though Neji tried very hard to dismiss the chance as utterly impossible, there was always the smallest possibility that Tenten may accept Kiba's romantic gestures and where would that leave the Hyuga prodigy then? Alone and without a training partner.
An image crept into Neji's mind of Kiba and Tenten happily together and the unnamed emotion began to spread through his entire body. Protectiveness, Neji's mind concluded. That must be it. He had spent most of his life shielding Tenten as his teammate through challenges and missions, that it was only natural to feel slightly protective of her around other people. However, as the image kept lingering in his mind he felt a strong urge to smash Kiba's face in with his own fist.
Neji shook his head to clear his mind. He was getting upset over nothing. Something so minute it was bound to never happen.
There's nothing to worry about, Neji assured himself as climbed into bed, slipping the covers over his body. Everything would sort itself out eventually.
"GOOD MORNING MY FELLOW, YOUTHFUL TEAMMATES! WHAT A GLOROUS MORNING THIS IS!"
Lee greeted Neji and Tenten a little too enthusiastically as the couple trudged towards the training grounds.
"Lee, do you always have to be so loud?" Tenten stated exasperatedly, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
"Tenten-chan you lack conviction!" Lee chided her. "Being loud is a symbol of youthfulness!"
"Or insanity," Neji mumbled irritably before gracefully planting himself under the oak tree and closing his eyes in meditation.
"Ignore him, Lee," Tenten told the energetic boy. "He's just in one of his moods."
"Are you feeling unwell, Neji-kun? Are you lacking in the spirit of youth?"
Neji's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly in annoyance as Tenten laughed wholeheartedly.
"I think Neji's spirit of youth is intact," she smiled amusedly.
"I am most deeply ha –" Lee halted mid-sentence, his eyes widening before cracking into a beaming grin. "KIBA-KUN!"
Both Tenten and Neji's head snapped up in complete surprise to see none other than the beast master himself approaching them as Lee waved frantically in greeting.
"But Kiba, where is Akamaru?" Lee questioned peering behind the boy as if to find the oversized dog.
"He's with Hinata and Shino," Kiba replied easily before smiling mischievously at Tenten.
"Hey, Kiba," Tenten greeted him with a warm but confused smile.
"Great to see you as always, Tenten," the boy replied before turning pointedly towards Neji. "Hey there, Hyuga."
"What do you want, Inuzuka?" Neji demanded harshly, glaring daggers at the dog lover.
"Oh, I just came to talk to Tenten is all," Kiba smirked ignoring the Hyuga's expression.
"We're busy training. Leave." Neji ordered almost menacingly.
"Neji," Tenten turned to frown at the white eyed prodigy. "Be polite."
Neji scoffed in disdain before Kiba piped up, "Well it doesn't look like you're training at the moment so do you mind if I borrow her for a moment?"
Tenten rolled her eyes before grabbing Kiba's arm.
"You don't have to ask his permission you know. I'm not some book that needs to be checked out from the library."
And with that she dragged Kiba across the field making sure they were well out of earshot from Neji and Lee.
"What on earth are you doing here?" she asked dropping Kiba's arm.
"This is part of Ino's plan phase two," he smirked before glancing over at Neji who was still glaring at him. "I think it worked."
"He's just not happy you interrupted our training," Tenten told him.
"Oh, come on," Kiba rolled his eyes. "You guys weren't even training when I arrived."
"We were about to."
"Whatever, he's definitely not thrilled to have me here either way. That's a good sign," Kiba nodded as if to himself before returning his attention to Tenten. "So I talked with Ino and she wants me to hang around you and Neji more. In all honesty I think she's trying to get me killed."
"How are you going to do that?" Tenten blinked in confusion.
The boy chuckled pleasantly.
"Well that's what I'm doing now. Oh, and you know Hinata's birthday is in a few days right? Well, she's having a small gathering at the Hyuga Manor and you and Lee are invited. Neji already knows I'm sure."
"Sounds like a good opportunity," the brunette stated before narrowing her eyes. "However, you can't hang around me all the time. Neji will in all probability land you in hospital."
"Yeah, I'm trying to figure that part out," Kiba laughed nervously. "This is a good start anyway."
"It's going to be a long, painful process."
"Hey, it's your fault you fell in love with a conceited, heartless jerk," Kiba shrugged before smirking.
"Oh, shut up," Tenten nudged Kiba playfully with her shoulder. "You're supposed to be helping, so help."
"That's why I'm here," the dog lover responded, gesturing to where he stood. "We should probably head back before the Hyuga decides to Juuken my guts out."
Neji was beyond angry. He was outraged. The stupid Inuzuka had the guts to interrupt his training session with Tenten and then steal her away? Even worse, Neji had been counting on Tenten rebuffing Kiba's advances but in fact it looked like she was doing the complete opposite and accepting them. Neji could feel the unnamed emotion creeping its way into his chest no matter how hard he tried to supress it.
Overprotective. You're just feeling overprotective, he told himself, his gaze fixated on Tenten and Kiba.
"Neji-kun," Lee suddenly whispered. "What do you think Tenten-chan and Kiba-kun are discussing?"
"I don't care," Neji retorted harshly causing Lee to look at the Hyuga prodigy in surprise.
"What's wrong, Neji-kun? You seem most upset."
"I just want the mutt to leave," the Hyuga spat viciously.
"Ah," Lee nodded. "You do not like Kiba-kun very much."
"He's interrupted my training session and he's taken my sparring partner away, I have every reason to dislike him," Neji justified himself.
Lee resisted to smile at the Byakugan user's expression. He could tell Neji was in denial about his feelings for Tenten, masking his jealousy with his irritation towards Kiba's disruptive behaviour.
"Why are you smiling?" Neji demanded coldly as Lee realised his lips had curved upwards slightly.
"I am not smiling!" Lee defended, pursing his lips tightly.
"Hey guys, we're back!" Kiba exclaimed happily as he and Tenten approached the two boys.
"Kiba-kun, what were you talking about?" Lee blurted out intriguingly.
"Nothing, terribly exciting," the beast master winked at Tenten inconspicuously. "However, Hinata is having a small party to celebrate her birthday in two days and she's invited you and Tenten."
"Oh a party, how youthful!" Lee shouted full of exhilaration. "I shall definitely be there!"
"Great," Kiba smiled slyly before turning to Neji. "You're welcome too, Hyuga."
Neji scoffed with incredulity.
"I don't need an invitation to my own home. And now, if you've finished wasting our time, you may leave."
"Don't be so rude, Neji," Tenten scolded him and the white eyed prodigy just huffed in response.
"I think I'm entitled to stay or leave whenever I want to," Kiba stated with a slight smirk.
Neji stood up in a heartbeat before leering over the beast master in an attempt of intimidation.
"If you don't leave on your own free will, I will move you myself."
Kiba seemed rather unfazed by Neji's threat and looming authority, however he held his eyes with an unspoken challenge, filling the silence with tension.
"As entertaining as that would be," Tenten stepped in between the two men. "I would rather not have to be the one to clean up after the aftermath. Kiba, you should probably go before you find yourself running on one leg. I'll talk to you later."
Kiba snorted with laughter but turned his body away indicating he was taking his leave.
"Yeah, good luck with that," Kiba jerked his chin towards Neji before turning towards Tenten. "I'll see you soon."
He kissed her on the hand in a very gentlemanly like fashion, hesitating to gauge Neji's outraged reaction, before speeding off across the field before the Byakugan user could kill him.
"Is this going to take long?"
Tenten stood in her doorway, aching from today's training session. Neji had pushed her to the absolute limit, stopping for no breaks in order to catch up on the precious training time wasted by Kiba. She was in no mood to be having visitors at this late hour.
"Of course," Ino smiled brightly before pushing past the brunette and making herself comfortable on the lounge. "I'm checking up on how things are going. Kiba gave me a quick rundown this yesterday and this afternoon."
Tenten sighed in weariness before shutting the door and making her way to the kitchen.
"Do you want something to drink?" she asked Ino with forced politeness.
"No, thanks."
Tenten filled up the kettle with water and a single cup from the cupboard. A nice cup of tea would calm her down slightly.
"So how are things going with Neji?" Ino asked Tenten who was clattering away in the kitchen.
"I'm not sure," the brunette replied as poured the boiling water into her cup. "There hasn't been much progress, in my opinion."
"Kiba says otherwise," Ino commented turning herself on the couch so she was looking at Tenten.
"Well maybe he's more observant than I am," Tenten rolled her eyes before plopping herself on the couch next to Ino with a hot mug of tea.
"Well he told me Neji was very unhappy when he showed up today," the blonde stated flicking her long hair over her shoulder.
"Because it was eating into our training time. Plus Neji wasn't very happy that I ditched him in training yesterday either."
"You might see it that way," Ino told her with a sly smile. "But I think the Hyuga is starting to show some signs of jealousy."
"Or maybe, you're just making something out of nothing," Tenten sipped from her mug, the tea spreading warmth through her entire body. "Besides, it's too early to judge whether this plan has had any affect at all. It's only been two days."
"Patience is a virtue," Ino said airily. "Besides today was only the opening act."
"What do you mean?" Tenten frowned.
Ino turned to face the brunette with a serious expression, and Tenten knew she was in for a lecture.
"There are three components to this plan," Ino explained. "Yesterday and today was the beginning of stage one – the opening act where Kiba comes into the picture. Hinata's party will be stage two – the rising action where the illusion of romantic feelings will come into play, pushing Neji past breaking point. And finally stage three – where Neji realises his true feelings for you and confesses his love!"
"You're too scheming for your own good," Tenten shook her head, sipping her tea.
"It's what I do," Ino replied proudly, crossing her legs elegantly. "Besides, my plans never fail. You just wait and see."
"I can't wait."
"So, by the time of Hinata's party, you and Kiba need to be acting more like a couple," the blonde informed the brunette who raised her eyebrows in total surprise.
"How are we supposed to do that?"
"Just act like a normal would do," Ino suggested. "Hold hands, look into each other's eyes, and be flirty."
"Is that really necessary?" Tenten scrunched her nose with disgust.
"It is essential!" Ino exclaimed with severity. "Remember, you and Kiba need to create the illusion of intimacy in order for Neji to realise his true feelings for you."
"I know," Tenten sighed, swirling the dregs of tea around the bottom of the cup. "But the thought of it seems so uncomfortable, especially since I don't see Kiba that way. It's going to be hard creating a convincing illusion of romantic feelings."
"Well hopefully Kiba's credible acting skills will make up for your poor ones."
"Thanks," Tenten muttered sarcastically.
"Don't worry," Ino comforted her gently. "It will all work out in the end."
And Tenten didn't believe her.
A/N – Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!