Disillusioned

By: Faraway Dawn & Kigen

Disclaimer: We don't own anything. But we are putting Kishimoto's characters to great use!

Chapter 7


Neji awoke to a wetness on his neck. Wrinkling his nose, he opened his eyes to see Tenten drooling a bit.

Ew.

Wiping away the spit, he shook Tenten. "Wake up, it's time to go." Tenten however, shifted closer to him. She was still entirely asleep and she mumbled slightly. It had been a cold night, much colder than either were used to, and she was trying to retain what warmth she found in sleep.

Shaking his head, Neji leaned close to speak directly into her ear. "Tenten wake up. We need to leave soon."

"Mmm?" Her eyes squeezed shut. She could feel them trying to open, but she didn't them want to. She was freezing, whatever she was hugging was very warm, and she was still so sleepy...

"Wake up." He pushed the hair from her face. "If you're cold, you can take a shower to warm up."

"You'd have to drag me in." She mumbled. Her eyes opened slightly. That was odd, she couldn't remember the pillow looking so...skin...toned. She looked up slightly. Neji was giving her an odd look. "Ah?!" She sat up quickly and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Six. There's still time." He stood up, leaving Tenten alone in the chill of the room.

Tenten grabbed the blanket and wrapped it tightly around her. It was still warm. She'd need a shower, and then she'd have to get dressed. She eyed her things. She'd have to dress like a girl again. Tenten grumbled to herself. She'd have to get used to it fast. It wasn't like she'd be able to dress like her tomboyish self once they got to Kumogakure.

"Stop glaring at the clothes." Neji said without turning around. "You'll still have to wear them." Neji understood her hatred for them, but really, they were just clothes.

She got out of bed and stretched. "You wear them one day and then you can tell me to stop glaring at them. We'll put you in a bra and a pair of girly panties and see how much you like it…"

"If you put me in a bra and girly panties, I will have to question your sexual preference, or at least your kinks."

Tenten grabbed her bag and headed toward the bathroom. "Oh, Neji come on, you know well enough," she started to close the door and smirked at him. "I'd only do that if I needed to blackmail you."

"Which I pray you don't have a need to do at the moment."

"Nah, not really." She shut the door and ran the water. She didn't bother to lock the door. Most girls would have locked the door in her situation but, well, Neji defined 'honorable intent.'

By the time Tenten had exited the shower, Neji already had everything ready. "I'll be quick," he took his own, and came out, hair still damp and bandages over his eyes.

Tenten finished pulling her hair up. Ino had insisted she learn the value of a loose single bun in the back, and she tried it. It certainly looked, sexier than her two buns did, not that she wanted to look too sexually appealing in this town. However, she was supposed to be a young wife, and she should have no reason to doubt her husband would protect her.

"She left us a list of things we would need, and who we're supposed to speak to when we get to the village." Tenten tried to read the writing. It was messy and looked like Naruto's. "All our information has already been passed to the village under immigration, so they're expecting us. Seems they even have housing ready for us." Tenten rolled her eyes, the mission clearly had been in the works for a while.

"I find it hard to believe that Naruto actually had a hand in this." Neji pulled on his clothes. He turned his gaze to Tenten, and blinked in surprise behind the bandages. She looked remarkably feminine. It was odd, in fact it was very strange, and it almost made him do a double take.

"I know what you mean." Tenten answered. Apart from the messy writing, it was very hard to believe Naruto had such a great hand in this mission. It was such an important one, the fact that Naruto had done so much of the planning, it actually spoke volumes for what kind of a Hokage he would make one day. Tenten turned slightly to face Neji. "You alright?"

"I'm fine." He turned and finished tying the sash of his shirt, "Are you ready to go?" He shouldered both of their packs, arm around Tenten's waist once more.

"Yeah." She opened the door and put on her cheerful smile. "I'm very much looking forward to arriving at our new home." She held back a shiver. It was so much colder here than it was in Konoha.

Neji took an shirt from his bag, wrapping it around Tenten. "Wear this. It'll keep you warmer then those flimsy things."

Tenten smiled warmly. "Thank you." He was right, it was already keeping her warmer, she'd probably have to get some extra clothes when they got to the village, hers were thin, seeing as it was usually so warm in Konoha. The Hyuuga family however, always dressed in layers, even when it was sweltering out.

"We'll have to get you more clothing when we reach the village. How much money did Anko give us?" Or were they secured jobs? It would be hard to do a job that wasn't involved with the shinobi life.

They headed down the hall. Time to start acting again. Anko had left them a good amount of money, certainly enough to get them settled and lasting a few months. "Enough for a few months. We'll be able to manage after that I'm sure."

He nodded. "All right love." He smiled as they entered plain sight, holding her waist. "Are you sure you remembered everything?" He played the part of husband with ease.

"Yes, I'm sure." She leaned a bit closer to him when she spotted a few of the men from the other night. "I made sure to double check this time," She laughed softly. "I set us behind far enough the other day."

Neji nuzzled her cheek, kissing it. "Good. As much as I loved the long walk with you, the sooner we get there the better." He smiled at her direction.

Tenten blushed slightly. She wasn't sure if her lessons had really paid off that well, or if Neji really hadn't needed them in the first place. "Agreed, it's still nearly a day's travel isn't it?" She pouted slightly. "Such a long journey, we won't even be able to unpack things for a day or so, we'll be so exhausted."

He chuckled, hand rubbing her side. "I keep forgetting how low your stamina is." Tenten was a civilian after all in this. it would make sense long journeys would tire her. "If you get tired, I'll just have to carry you."

She shook her head lightly. "I keep forgetting how much stamina you have." She slid her hand to his at her side. She knew a few of the men would hear her suggestive comment, but she was a young wife, greatly looking forward to time in her new home, alone with her husband. "Perhaps when we get there I'll find some way to rid you of all that stamina." A few of the men shot jealous glares at Neji.

He chuckled again, kissing her forehead. "I doubt you will, but you're more then welcome to try." He said back, nipping her ear.

She bit her lip and smiled playfully. "Tsubasa, I think we should get our shopping done and be on our way then." Now she was sure of it, Neji really hadn't required that much training. Acting in front of your friends, was always harder than acting in front of strangers.

"More shopping." He tsked. "We've done enough shopping the past few days . What else could we need?"

She led him out of the inn ignoring the stares the men were still giving her, and the jealous glares they were giving Neji. "Just because we have a home waiting for us doesn't mean we have anything to put in it! We'll need at least some food to take also. We finished what we had before we got here." They passed as a husband and wife easily in the crowd. Every once in a while, she'd hear some man whisper about her appearance, or see the look in some of the men's eyes. It made her uncomfortable to be sure, but Neji made the situation much better. If he had not been there, she was certain she'd have found herself in quite the predicament.

"We have furniture picked. We bought you new clothes, new everything. The only thing we should need is food for the trip." Neji was trying not the snap at those looking, after all a blind man wouldn't know exactly what kind of looks they were giving Tenten. They were looks no friend, much less a boyfriend, and especially not a husband, would tolerate any man giving a woman. They did stop to get food, and even this man was giving her some questionable glances. She handed the man the money and took what they had purchased.

"This should be enough for the trip." She said quietly.

Neji was helped on to the wagon that would carry them across the country to the new home. Once settled, Tenten snug next to him, he relaxed a little. He would be able to sense anyone coming, or see them with his Byakugan.

Tenten rested her head lightly on Neji's shoulder when they started to move. It was going to be a long day, but at least, they were out of that horrible town. No more men leering at her, no more lewd comments, just a long open road ahead of them, and the kind old man who had been hired to transport them. Still, they would have to act. "I'm so glad to be out of that town, I didn't like the way the men were looking at me."

"I didn't like the feel of them." He nodded, pulling her so she was almost in his lap. "I was afraid to let you out of my sight."

Tenten turned slightly. She noted that she was practically in his lap. There was a time that would have made her blush like a little girl getting her first kiss. She lifted a hand to gently brush across his cheek. "Your sight huh?" She traced the bandages covering his eyes gently.

"You know what I mean." He brushed her cheek in return, though he shied away from her touch. He was uncomfortable with his 'blindness' both his character, and his own fake weakness.

The old man chuckled lightly. He asked them how long they had been married. It might have been a personal question, but the old man had been very kind. Before either could answer, he told them they reminded him of his grandson and his new wife.

"Well, we are a new couple. Only been married, three weeks now?" Neji answered pushing Tenten's loose hair aside again.

"Three weeks and two days tomorrow." Tenten smiled. The old man smiled, congratulated them, and told them it was obvious they were newly-weds. Tenten was relieved when the old man told them they complimented each other well. That was one total stranger completely fooled. She'd have to tell Neji later that he was so believable even she was stunned.

Neji himself was having a hard time believing it. Here he thought he was doing horribly, after all, he had barely managed to trick his friends. However, Tenten said her parents acted like constant newly weds, so he was just mimicking Tenten's father.

"If it's so obvious now, before I admitted anything to him it wouldn't have been." Tenten laughed slightly. "I had no talent for the life of a ninja, I was an artist, he used to tell me all the time my work was a waste of time. I couldn't stand him. However, he always came to my aid when I was in trouble." She smiled, it wasn't all a lie, Neji did always help her when she was in over her head.

Neji thought a few seconds, perhaps he should go for sappy. "Yes, but now I wish that I could see them again, even if only to point out the flaws. " He smirked into her neck.

"Tsubasa! You're horrible! I wasn't that bad." She bit back a smirk of her own when she felt his against her neck. She should have known he'd tease her. Fake life or not, if there was a chance for him to do it, he did.

"No, you were worse," He chuckled. "at least I can still help with your writing."

"You see?" She said to the old man. "This is what I had to put up with. My father was so surprised when I told him I was crazy about Tsubasa." She could almost imagine the look in Neji's eyes, superior, completely in control, even amused a bit at how easily they were fooling the old man.

"I think he was in more surprise that you found someone who could put up with you for so long." He chuckled softly, kissing her neck.

The old man laughed quietly and Tenten tried not to blush too much. Neji was a very affectionate actor, the perfect newly-wed husband, even the way he spoke was gentle and warm, so very different from his usual serious, cool tone of voice. Most of the ride was continued with idle chit chat, Neji and Tenten piecing together their lives and childhoods, it was the perfect chance to make up their back stories.

The further they went into the country, the worse the weather seemed to get. The winds were more piercing the further into the mountains traveled, the old man offered them both a warmer blanket to keep warm with. The old man himself, was bundled up from head to toe. Tenten leaned closer to Neji and fought her shivers. The winds were biting through their clothes, and the higher into the mountains they went, the harder it was getting to breathe, she knew she'd have to get accustomed to the altitude changes.

"Relax Amaya." He murmured, hugging her close. He had bundled her in two more of his shirts, holding her with the blanket wrapped around them both. "I had no idea you were so sensitive to cold."

"I had no idea either." She answered truthfully. "I can't believe you're not cold." She snuggled closer to him and wrapped her arms around him. She almost shuddered when the old man pointed out that, at least it wasn't raining.

"I am, but not as much as you are." He took her head and buried it in his neck so her face wasn't in the biting wind.

"Thanks..." She whispered. They still had another hour or so according to the old man.

"We're almost there." He soothed, hand rubbing her back "Just try to relax until we get there."

For the whole hour ahead of them, Neji spent most of it feeling bad for Tenten. He was also unaccustomed to the cold, but she was shaking so hard he was sure she might injure herself. The snows of Konoha's winter were nothing compared to the chilling winds that sent a bit of a shiver through him as well. He took only a minute to agree with the old man. At least it wasn't raining.

Finally, the old man stopped the wagon and announced their arrival. There were a few chuunin waiting for them, there were immigration policies to work through, red tape and all.

"Thank you for all your trouble, sir." Neji allowed Tenten to help him off the wagon, then he pulled her to his side again, for warmth and for guidance. "What seems to be the next step Amaya?"

"Immigration offices," She glanced at one of the chuunin who nodded. She glanced at her messy fake notes she had copied. "Then I believe..." She glanced at the chunin again in surprise. "...we...get to go home??" It was much easier than Konoha's immigration. You'd be interrogated for hours, detained for a few days, and then maybe, after a nice long interview with a few ANBU, allowed to move in.

"What? That's it? A few hours with immigration and straight to our house?" He murmured, surprised. "Much easier than fire country." That made things much easier.

The chuunin nodded. "Yeah, you guys are from Fire country originally aren't ya? Well, let's see now." He glanced at his notes. "Says, you're Takimura Tsubasa , former chuunin, your mission record isn't half bad." He glanced at the woman at the young man's side. "That would make you Amaya, a pleasure ma'am." He bowed slightly. "If you'll follow me, we'll get you two taken care of. We're expecting a storm in a few hours, so we'd like to get you settled in before it starts."

"Thank you sir." He kept his hold on Tenten, he felt a bit naked, his only weapons were a few kunai and exploding tags, commonly carried even by retired ninja, but Tenten was defenseless. At least nothing suspicious had happened yet. Tenten followed the chunin with Neji close, one of the other shinobi who had greeted them was instructing a few others to get their things taken to their home. She was grateful, that all of her important things, things that might have blown their cover, were in the bag Neji carried, and even so, hidden carefully among her things.

Once seated comfortably in a small room and served hot tea, Neji had explained his reasons for quitting the Konoha ninja. He had lost his sight in a mission, and was unable to fully recover. While he could still possibly find work as an instructor or something, he had decided to retire completely and start a new life with his wife in this country.

The man questioning him made a few small notes. Tsubasa did not seem to have a great attachment to his former home. His eyes glanced across the room at the young woman quietly answering a few questions about herself. She was a young artist, no real skill, never even left the academy. They seemed an ordinary couple, so many young couples were moving village to village, all in the romantic aspiration of seeing the world in time. "Your mission record is pretty impressive, the Raikage might be interested in employing you at some point, possibly. We'll have to see how things go. We're always short on instructors, they just don't last very long here. Most marry and leave the country. Can't blame them, takes some thick skin to ride this place out."

"My wife is already having a hard time with the cold." Neji nodded. "However, once I have grown better accustomed to my disability and have settled properly, I may consider teaching. I tried before I left, however it didn't last long."

"Understandable." His gaze drifted across the room again. "Your wife is going to be popular around here though. The civilian women of the village tend to be a friendly bunch. She'd do well to make some friends fast. Every village has its bad boys and well, don't take this the wrong way but, she's really something else. Has an exotic look to her, she'll catch a lot of unwanted attention from certain people."

"Yes, I've been noticing the change in peoples... intentions around her. Though I don't worry about her with common thugs, she's mean and fights dirty when put in a corner, I hope that the ninja in this village will respect her." He said.

"The shinobi aren't so much a bother. Most of our village shinobi are young and married or older and married. 'Cept a few of our chuunin, but even then most are away on missions. It's the common thugs you gotta worry about. Just because they're thugs doesn't mean they didn't graduate our academy, some even passed the chuunin exams. That's why they're such a handful." The man set down his notes. "Security in this village is decent though, we've got a small team of jounin trying to deal with the public disturbances. Surely, no one would try anything if she's with you anyway." He chuckled. "Retired or not, they'd be crazy to mess with a chuunin with your work record."

Neji let a bitter smile cross his lips. "Yes, I was quickly on my way to becoming a jounin."

"It's a shame, happens more often than not." The man glanced down at his records. The girl Amaya had been one of the few people permitted to see Tsubasa after his injury. "Does your wife happen to have any medical skills? Traditional ones perhaps? She's listed as one of only two people that were permitted to see you on your hospital records. I can't figure why a civilian would be permitted into the intensive care unit of a hospital and listed as having unrestricted access to you during your stay."

"Just basic first aid as far as I know, a few healing jutsu. She knows aromatherapy. She was allowed to be with me... I didn't question it. I assumed it was because the nurse allowed her to, seeing as we were engaged and things were shaky for a while."

"Strong woman, she must really adore you, she hasn't been able to take her eyes off you for a minute." He organized the papers. "Well, everything seems to be in order." He glanced up when another young chuunin entered the room. "And it seems your things have been delivered to your new home and are waiting there for you. You two managed a nice place, great view of the village, I'm sure your wife will enjoy that, as well as a very accessible home."

"Thank you very much sir. You have made our move quite easy and alleviated much of the stress." Gripping the table, he stood, he reached out with his chakra, as he would if he was locating his enemy in battle. He made his way over to Tenten and smiled. "They're ready for us dear."

Tenten stood and smiled more in relief than anything else. "That was fast, I wasn't expecting it would be so simple." She really hadn't been expecting it to be so simple. She wrapped her arms lightly around Neji and hugged him. "Once I get used to this place I just might like it here." She had spent most of her time memorizing his story, making sure she committed it perfectly to memory, she knew he had been listening carefully to her own answers to the few short questions she had been asked.

"Let's go to our new home. They assure us we'll love it." He pulled her a bit closer after picking up both their bags.

"As long as it's warm I'm sure we will."

"I'll keep you warm." He murmured, before realizing what he said, even without his ninja training, he turned a faint pink.

She blinked and reminded herself this was a mission, his tone of voice had been so...suggestive. She was fighting to keep the pink tint from her cheeks. "That'll make the cold trip entirely worth the while then."

Neji chuckled, letting Tenten lead him to their homes. They were cold in the wind again, then in their warm house. He thanked the chuunin that had lead them there, and let go of Tenten, eager to get warmed up himself.

Tenten turned and locked the door. Until she was sure they were alone entirely they'd have to be careful. "So how does it feel to be home?" She looked directly at him, knowing he'd understand what she was really asking. Are we entirely alone?

"Strange..." He chuckled, pulling her back to him. "Don't be so nervous, they aren't spying on us, none that I can feel anyways. You don't have to be shy."

"With how easy immigration was, I'm surprised." She said quietly. He was still acting though, he was the one who could tell for sure. Just because she couldn't sense anyone, didn't mean they weren't there. Until he dropped his act, she'd keep up hers. She wrapped her arms lightly around him and held him for a few moments in relief. They had done it, they had gotten in.

He nuzzled her neck again, and kissed her softly. "Get freshened up a bit, change into some warmer clothes, okay? I promise I'll keep you warm, but dinner first sounds better, doesn't it?" He'd scout the house, it was completely normal for ninja, new and retired to do so.

"Dinner sounds great." She released him slowly and took her things. She bit back her smirk as she walked down the short hallway and into a large empty room to change. They say all girls marry their father, and fake marriage or not, if Neji got anymore romantic, she'd almost feel incestuous.


AN: Oi, sorry about the delay in updating here, I had to take care of a few things before I got my editing done.

I noticed that while I work or write with Kigen, I listen to a lot of music. 'Hard like Heroic' is what I listened to while editing and I got my work done a lot faster than I imagined haha.

In a chapter or two, the rating will be upped to M. Just to be on the safe side.

Hope you enjoyed and, I'll be updating again soon!