A/N:I know! It's a week late! I hope you enjoy this chapter I anticipate it will be at least another... six weeks before the next update, unless I find a untapped well of willpower, motivation and inspiration. Enjoy!
Intrigue
By Tanya Lilac
Chapter Ten
"Stop," Hayate commanded tersely. Tenten had taken his cane away from him five minutes into the lesson, and snapped it in half, saying that he wouldn't need it this lesson unless he wanted them to break their hands. Haruna was not present today (no one had remarked on it, but it was clear that the entire room was incredibly tense without her).
Tenten dropped Neji's hand like it was a dead weight and he let it fall.
"What is happening here?" Hayate asked, clapping his hands with every syllable. "Tenten, you are definitely behind schedule because you both delightfully decided to not attend your past two lessons! Neji, you are doing a fine job of making her look like a sack of potatoes! Act like a man who is willing to lead his partner through anything even death!"
Tenten, despite Hayate's obvious anger, had to bite her lip to prevent herself from laughing.
"This is not as humorous as you would like to think, Tenten."
The former knight curtseyed. "My most humble apologies, my Lord," she murmured. It seemed to appease him, and he waved his hands at them.
"I shall return when the clock strikes nine. I demand that you fix whatever problems you have."
Tenten looked. Fifteen minutes. He was probably going to visit Haruna. Or get another cane. Possibly both.
"How is your ice skating going?" Neji asked, surprising her by breaking the silence. He turned to look at her, and found himself drawn to every shift in her tone, and the way she looked as she passed in and out of the light of the candles around them. It was as if he had not seen her in years and now all he could do was simply drink in the sight of her like a man parched.
"Poorly. Your replacement is terrible," Tenten replied curtly. She held her hands behind her back and took four, measured paces to his left. Her eyes glanced over him. He hadn't changed much. He was still clean shaven, and took great pride in his appearance. For a moment, she wondered where his seal was concealed. He did not wear bindings to hide them.
"Of course," he smirked. "I had to make you understand somehow how privileged you were, by having me as your teacher." Her hair gleamed in the light. Had it always been such a colour? Was she even aware, of the fact that-
She scoffed. "And you wonder, once again, why it is that I am so angry at you?"
"Why are you angry at me? I suspect that you hardly know why yourself." Neji rubbed the back of his neck, trying to give himself an excuse to look away from her. She was unconsciously trying to block his subtle scrutiny – the lines of her body could tell him that much.
Tenten stared at the floor. "You shut me out, completely," she said softly, turning away. "You said that I did not understand, and you did not even once think that I would be more than willing to help you."
"Why would you want to? I have done nothing for you."
"Any other day, you would beg to the contrary, Hyuuga."
"What could you possibly do that would help me?"
Tenten's anger flared and she whirled around, fists clenched. She stopped at the expression in his eyes he really was, genuinely curious. "You really are an idiot," she sighed. The man was clearly emotionally deprived.
He frowned. "No one calls me that."
She grinned. "I can."
"Don't test your limits."
"I saved you from wolves," Tenten replied tartly. "You need to grant anything I want."
"I would have-"
The door handle turned and Neji stepped closer to her once again. "Watch his nose. His nostrils flare when he gets angry," he whispered, and Tenten clapped a hand over her mouth to stop the laughter that threatened to give his discovery away.
"What is it, Tenten?" Hayate asked, irritated. Tenten had to turn away as she saw his nose twitch. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the corner of Neji's mouth turn up, into a kind of half smile.
"Nothing," she murmured breathlessly.
Their teacher crossed his arms and sighed contentedly. "So I see that things are back to normal between you two. Let us continue."
They were walking back through the castle in the dark, just like they normally did, and for a few moments, Tenten forgot that the past two days had happened.
"You skipped your lessons?" He asked.
"I didn't want to see you. I only went skating because Sadako told me that you had called in a favour and found me a replacement."
Neji refrained from smirking. He hadn't needed to call any favours; his replacement, Hideaki, had begged him for the opportunity.
"He's terrible, by the way."
"You mentioned that earlier."
Silence reigned and they spoke in hushed voices, as per usual. Tenten hummed to herself, not quite sure how to fill the silence. It occurred to her that they didn't really need to both were comfortable left to their own devices. Social niceties had never been something they'd indulged in.
"Are your dresses finished?"
The second surprise, that night. Tenten turned to face him, with a smile on her face. "Making a habit out of conversation, are we, Hyuuga?"
He shrugged in response. "You're not like the others."
The former knight tilted her head to the side. "You seem to be quite worldly for all your years, Hyuuga."
"Why do you call me that?"
"What would you prefer?" Tenten grinned.
Neji scoffed. "You say you do not have any other name to be called by. It seems strange that you should call me by my surname, and I address you by your given. It lacks symmetry."
They had arrived at her chambers once again. Tenten turned to face him, her back pressed up against the door, and looked up at him. Their eyes met for a heartbeat, and she blushed, and bit her bottom lip. Neji had been right. Spending time around noble women had swiftly changed her thoughts. Here, where the world was plush and rose-coloured, one's mind had time to wander and consider things like romance, and she took a deep breath to steady her thoughts, and looked up at him again. His expression had shifted subtly, and his eyes held bemusement.
"You must be tired," he said quietly, the hint of a smile in his voice. Neji lifted his hand tentatively and reached over to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen across her cheek. It had slipped loose an hour ago while they had been dancing, and it had been bothering him since. She stilled, and her eyes closed slowly as he tucked the curl behind her ear and reclaimed his hand, the back of his fingers brushing against her cheek.
"Good night, Neji," she whispered, her eyes opening as she glanced up at him. He was mesmerised by the slow unveiling of her chestnut-hued eyes, fascinated by her dilated pupils. Her lips were parted a mere fraction, since the beginning of their lesson, and he still found himself poring over her like she was the most cryptic book he had ever read too many thoughts and threads tangled together. After a pause, Neji remembered to reply, with some civility.
"Good night, Tenten," he said warmly, and she smiled up at him.
With that, she opened the door and closed it behind her as she disappeared into the shadows of her room. The smile refused to leave, and she leaned against the back of the door as if trying to catch her breath. When she was once again able to think beyond the sound of her heartbeat, Tenten made her way to her bedchambers and, for once, didn't need to warm herself by the fire. She stoked the glowing embers and added in another log before she began to undress herself.
"Tenten?" Sadako mumbled sleepily. "Is that you?"
"No, it's Hanako," Tenten replied sarcastically. "I am fine. I've managed for the past sixteen or so winters, please do not get up on my account."Then, she remembered what it was she was wearing. Sadako sat up in bed, grinning. "Perhaps a bit of help would be nice, if you could."
She walked over to the bed and sat down in front of the Hyuuga, who unlaced her bodice so she could undress. "How was your lesson? You must have made up with Neji, judging by how late you have returned." There was a sleepy chuckle, punctured by a yawn. "I thought you would have left not ten minutes into the lesson."
"Almost," Tenten confessed. After draping her dress over the back of a chair (something which Sadako would scold her for in the morning) and leaving her shoes near the dresser, Tenten slipped in between the warm sheets, sighing happily.
"You love him," Sadako said quietly. She was oddly toneless, and this immediately drew Tenten's attention. She paused to think about what the other woman had said and looked up at the canopy of her bed, twisting the linen sheet in her fingers.
"I have not known him a full moon yet. It's not possible," Tenten replied, biting on her lower lip once again. She blinked a few times and resisted the temptation to look over at her companion. She was not sure if she wanted to see how she really felt, in the other woman's eyes.
"You love him," Sadako repeated. "You are not so skilled in hiding your emotions from an intensely perceptive family," she added wryly. "Perhaps, however, you are more used to hiding things from yourself."
Tenten finally rolled onto her side to find Sadako was facing the other direction. "I do not love him," she repeated firmly.
"Do not tell him that," Sadako replied cryptically. "Goodnight."
The curtness stung, and suddenly the knight realised that the Hyuuga had been acting tired for her benefit. She had, in all likelihood, been waiting for a swift return from a quickly cancelled dancing lesson. Tenten refrained from sighing.
"Goodnight, Sadako."
The brunette turned over to face the wall. She had entertained the notion, for a time, that Neji and Sadako had feelings for each other. The two never quarrelled, nor was he cold to her. Tenten had known him for a fortnight. The two Hyuugas had been close as children, and Tenten knew that Sadako admired him and that he saw her as an equal. The idea of perhaps being seen as a 'rival' made her blush, and shiver at the same time. It was impossible. Simply impossible.
Tenten woke the next morning to an empty bed and a warm fire. She vaguely remembered talking to Sadako earlier, some time around dawn.
"I have some errands to run."
Tenten opened her eyes and saw the blurry shape of Sadako's dress as she fixed her hair in front of the mirror. Without waiting for a reply, or looking back, she continued.
"I will be back when it is time for breakfast. You had better be dressed and ready – it would not be wise to keep the rest of the family waiting again." She rubbed some kind of rose scented cream into her hands and turned to face the bed. "I set out your outfit for today. Please do not try and sneak a knife anywhere it will be impossible to reach and, when you do reach for them, you will disgrace yourself. Do you understand?"
"Yes, mother," Tenten replied, smiling lazily. "Thanks, Sadako."
This made the incessant fussing stop. "Whatever for?"
"Everything," she said, simply. She registered the momentary smile on Sadako's face, before she left her chambers altogether.
Tenten rolled over in bed and stretched lazily, looking out through the glazed windows. It seemed Sadako was still somewhat standoffish after what had happened yesterday. She sat up and combed her fingers roughly through her hair, and sighed. This was the problem with having female friends. There was always the possibility, somewhere along the line, no matter how remote the chance, of being involved with the same person. When said involvement grew to something akin to a daily attachment, unnecessary emotions were brought into the picture. Emotions such as jealousy.
She rubbed her temples. From deep within the castle, Tenten heard a deep bell ring, one that marked the hour. She had been right; Sadako had left at dawn, and there was now only half an hour left until breakfast was served. Half an hour to –
Tenten swore softly to herself and jumped from the bed, pulling her nightdress off and slinging it onto the back of the chair by the fire. It was a particularly crisp day - the air was quite sharp, even within the room. She sat in front of her mirror and quickly brushed her hair so it held a semblance of order. Giving up on her tresses, Tenten reached for the rose cream Sadako had been using earlier and rubbed it into her hands, humming quietly to herself. There was still some time left, before the ball, and Sadako had instructed her to use the cream daily to smooth the callouses in her palms. It was already working quite well, and Tenten wondered when she would next be able to hold her swords, or restring her bow.
With a quiet sigh, Tenten stood and reached for the fresh set of undergarments and the dress that Sadako had chosen for her - a warm, wintery blue that complemented her skin tones, or so Hanako had said. It wasn't until she had pulled the capped sleeves over her shoulders that she realised that, once again, she had forgotten that the bodice was at the back of the dress - she couldn't dress on her own - and Sadako was nowhere to be found.
She paused, glancing at the door that connected her chambers to Neji's. It was... a last resort. Cursing softly, Tenten gathered up the dress so it covered her chest, crossed her arms, and walked over to the door, tapping softly on the wooden panels.
"... Are you there?"
No response. Tenten knocked again, louder. Hopefully, he would not have another woman in there with him. If he did... Tenten did not want to know.
She heard mumbling from the other side of the door, and the noble finally answered her call with a gruff, "What is it?" through the door.
"I need your -"
She heard the latch click and the door swung open to reveal Neji, his hair ruffled, his eyes half open and his shirt... decidedly absent. Tenten found her eyes travelling from the smooth column of his neck, to the slight curve of his collarbone, to the planes of his chest, muscles firm and sculpted and his skin fair. Hanging from a long chain that dangled above his breastbone was a pendant bearing the same insignia on Sadako's sleeve. Tenten knew she was staring now, more than what was socially acceptable, but could not bring herself to say anything, especially since her eyes were drifting towards his navel...
Unfazed by his own state of undress, and more amused at Tenten's speechlessness, Neji repeated, "What is it, Tenten?"
"Oh, um." Tenten cleared her throat and swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. "I need your help with..."
"The dress," Neji finished, smirking as he eyed the bare skin on her shoulders. The heavier fabric of her dress had pulled her shift down towards her arms, her iron grip on her clothes slipping in her shock. His eyes narrowed as she shivered, and he pulled her across the threshold into his room, shutting the door behind her. "Go stand by the fire," he ordered. His hand remained on her shoulder as he ushered her to the fireplace, and Tenten shivered at the contact, gooseflesh breaking out across her skin.
The spell was finally broken, and she tried to shrug his hand off her. His fingertips lingered for a heavy moment, and she met his eyes for the first time, but he had already moved away, his back turned to her as he donned a soft cotton shirt, picking it up from a chest at the foot of his unmade bed.
Tenten self-consciously pulled her dress over her shoulders again and her toes curled into the rug by the fire as she looked around his room. It was decidedly bare - in a strangely comforting way. It was a room in which he lived - there was an orderly bookshelf in the corner where her vanity lived in her room, along with an ornate desk, adorned with parchment and various writing tools, his (her!) swords sitting in an open case in the middle of the desk. His bedsheets were still rumpled, and it was then, as she took a deep breath in, that she became aware that his room really did smell like him. It was a scent that had lingered in her mind these past few days, reminding her of long summer days, the autumn wind and ... something else.
"Where is Sadako?" Neji asked, coming to stand behind her, unperturbed by her silence. "Is it not her duty to assist you with these matters?"
Tenten shifted uncomfortably, and remained silent. She was not sure if she could handle talking about such an awkward situation, and shifted the topic. "Your pendant..."
Neji took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, and his fingers brushed against the side of Tenten's neck as he swept her hair over her left shoulder, the blue dress almost paling in light of the rich chestnut silk. Neji tried to clear his mind, but it wasn't working. She probably had no idea what she was doing to him. "It is an amulet. Somewhat ironic on the maker's part. It conceals the brand on my forehead."
"... I see," Tenten replied hesitantly as she felt Neji pull the bindings on her bodice. "So... what will the plan be for today?"
"Well, breakfast starts soon. After breakfast, we will be going down to the ballroom to practice dancing. We may see... others."
With every word, Tenten could feel the soft brush of Neji's breath against the nape of her neck. She stared at the floor, and tried to ignore the strange feeling that was bubbling up within her. "Really? What else will you do today?"
"Not answer silly questions," Neji replied gruffly. "What are your plans for today?"
"The usual," Tenten replied brightly, gasping as the bodice tightened quickly and far too much.
"Remember to breathe," Neji said dryly.
"You're making it difficult," she replied crossly, trying to stomp on his foot. He really was heartless! She missed, and ended up with a bit of a sore heel as her foot landed soundly on the floor, and scowled. She heard Neji chuckle as he loosened the bodice and continued to lace the ribbons.
"Are you really a knight? I thought they were supposed to be superior warriors with amazing grace and chivalrous values."
"You should be aware that I am the one at risk here, in your bedroom."
He paused for a moment, and Tenten stilled.
"You are quite right," Neji replied leaning close to her ear. She tilted her head to the side as his lips ghosted over her neck, her eyes sliding shut as -
"Neji?"
Sadako's voice echoed through the door, and she tapped the door timidly.
Tenten tried to move away, but Neji's hands snapped immediately to her waist, drawing her close to him, stilling the rustling of her voluminous skirt.
"What is it?" Neji asked, his voice rather strained.
"Is Tenten with you? I had breakfast with my mother, and came back a bit later than I'd planned -"
"Do not be preposterous, Sadako," Neji interrupted her. "Why would she be in here?"
"... Not sure." They heard something shift against the door, as if she was resting against it. "Actually, Neji, I... I wanted to talk to you-"
"Sadako," Neji snapped forcefully, and Tenten knew she'd taken the hint.
"I am sorry," Sadako said, stiltedly, and they heard her walk off.
Neji sighed. When had she started lying to him? Tenten was still comically tensed in his grasp, presumably worried about her discovery. True enough, she released the breath she'd been holding, and looked upwards.
"Say... Neji... could she have... ?"
Neji smirked. "We do have some measures of privacy. There are lots of charms and spells written into the very bricks of the castle to stop people from eavesdropping or spying... but one can never be sure." He dropped his hands, and Tenten stepped away from the fireplace.
"Did you finish?" She asked, spinning around to see if he really had done as promised.
"It is not a difficult task to complete, Tenten," Neji scoffed.
"I would have thought," Tenten began, and stopped herself. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome," he replied, and she inched closer to the door, fidgeting with her hands behind her back. "The door is locked, in case you were wondering."
"I was not thinking of such a thing."
"Then would you like to stay a while longer?" Neji asked, clearly amused. The colour had risen in her cheeks, and he admitted that he almost felt guilty for teasing her like this. Almost.
She averted her eyes, torn between outright refusal (and appearing rude) and then the customary, diplomatic approach to find a fitting excuse, which was taking its sweet time to develop.
"I... Breakfast... Well..."
"What is it you wanted to say before?" Neji asked, abruptly switching the topic. To his pleasure, her cheeks turned an even brighter red. He was rewarded, however, when she met his eyes defiantly, her posture ramrod straight.
"I would have thought," she said archly. "That a man with your... reputation would have been more of an expert at... removing a woman's bodice."
Neji smirked. "I am. Would you like a demonstration?"
Tenten's eyes narrowed and some of her normal charm returned. "In your wildest dreams, Hyuuga."
He all but laughed. "I should add, Tenten, my dreams are the stuff of-"
The second bell was rung, and Tenten cursed. They only had a quarter of an hour left before breakfast was served, and the pair of them being late would imply a number of things.
Without another word, Tenten whirled around, wrenched the door open and ran into her room, looking for her shoes. Neji watched her curiously.
"Why are you rushing?" He asked, leaving the door ajar as he returned to dressing. "It is not as if you need to be there on time."
"Sadako will flay me," Tenten grumbled, tugging on the heeled boots Sadako had prepared for her. She would have time to change before she would need to go for a daytime dancing lesson, and then tea with a few of Hitomi's friends. They would need to go ice skating in the afternoon, but she'd need to change clothes for that anyway. Tenten heard the door of her outer chambers open, and Neji, thankfully, shut their adjoining door with a quiet click.
"Oh, there you are," Sadako swept into the room. "Sorry I'm late. We need to hurry-" She stopped and stared. "You're dressed. Your hair is not done, but you're dressed."
"Mmm..." Tenten smiled sheepishly. "I can be quite resourceful."
She watched as Sadako's eyes flicked to the right, and knew exactly what the Hyuuga was thinking - her eyes were on the door that connected her room to Neji's.
"No matter," Sadako said briskly. "Sit. We can pin your hair up, but you will need to return before your lessons so I can think of something more ... suitable."
Tenten obeyed, sitting on the stool in front of the vanity, sighing as Sadako spritzed her hair with a few potions and scents to maintain the cleanliness and tidiness of her locks. A comb was procured next and Tenten watched as Sadako brushed her hair back, freeing the knots and, as the potions began their work, slowly removing the greasy look of her tresses.
"How was your morning?" Tenten asked quietly. She sounded almost meek.
"Fine. I had a few errands to run, and I saw my mother."
Grateful for the change in conversation, Tenten took the lead. "How is she?"
"Same as last time - sick."
This brought the conversation to a halt, Tenten torn between appearing rude and prying, and simply being polite and trying to find a new topic - but then, would that make her appear rude for brushing aside something so significant? Social decorum required some form of answer, and soon. "Oh," she replied lamely, prompting an excruciatingly awkward silence.
Thankfully, had Sadako placed the finishing touches on her hair and Tenten stood, moving towards the door. "It should hold for the rest of the day," Sadako said. "Try not to do anything vigorous. If you have time, try and come back before your lessons... but it should suffice."
"Sadako... About last night..."
The Hyuuga would hear nothing of it. "You will be late and I will be scolded!" She smiled, ushering Tenten out of her bed chamber, through her sitting room and out into the corridor.
"I assume you know where to go without an escort," Sadako said, wiping her hands on her skirt. "Do not bother waiting for Neji. If I remember correctly, it takes an age for him to consider himself presentable to the rest of the family."
Tenten smiled, unsure of how to reply. "Well... I'll be off, then."
Sadako waved. "Have a good day."
Neji was not present at breakfast. Tenten was torn between a guilty relief... and a guilty sense of anxiety. Hitomi smiled at her from across the table.
"Tenten," she asked innocently, "Are you looking for Neji?"
Tenten almost dropped her spoon. "That's ridiculous. He is a grown man. I do not need to look after him."
"On the contrary, my friend." Hitomi said, ripping into her slice of bread. "Do you realise that your emotions are written across your face? I do not need to be able to read your mind to know that you are, in fact, thinking about him."
"You are reading my mind?" Tenten flushed furiously. She had forgotten all about Hitomi's abilities, allowing her mind to wander back to the morning's events.
Hitomi laughed at her telling reaction. "Of course not. In a room with so many people, it is considered rude to even try. However, I look forward to hearing this story as to why you are as red as a beet."
The brunette felt her ears tingle as there was a shift in the room, as if, everyone had straightened to try and hear her story.
"There is no story," Tenten said firmly. "I am simply-"
"Lovesick," Hanabi chimed in, grinning triumphantly as she leaned against the back of Hitomi's chair. "Hello, cousin, Tenten."
"Hello, little one," Hitomi smiled up at her. "Still annoying your father for a lodestone orb?"
"Of course." Hanabi laughed, impervious to the looks from the older men sitting around them. "He does not understand its importance to me. He thinks that I do not need it, but all I need you to do is give him a friendly... push."
"Hanabi, some day you will realise what you have just asked me to do, so I will not even try to answer what you just said."
"Back to your most intriguing story..." Hanabi shrugged off Hitomi's comment and returned her attention to Tenten.
"There is no story!" Tenten protested once again. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door to the hall open and as Neji walked in, she took a few deep breaths to stop herself from colouring.
He spotted Hanabi hanging over them and walked over, ignoring Hiashi's stern look completely.
"Good morning, Hanabi. Hitomi," he nodded. Tenten could feel him standing behind her chair, and refrained from shivering as he placed a hand on the back of the chair, his fingers brushing against the nape of her neck. Tenten was not sure if this was accidental, but the gesture did not go unnoticed by the pair sitting opposite them and they exchanged a significant look.
"Cousin," Hanabi began with yet another devilish grin, "You are late this morning. Are you not well?"
"I am perfectly fine, Hanabi."
"Really? Please, take care of yourself, unlike Tenten here."
Neji arched an eyebrow. Tenten knew where this was heading, and leaned forward, her palm pressed against her forehead.
"Tenten is lovesick!" Hanabi giggled, before dancing away, leaving Tenten mortified and Neji somewhat amused.
"Please do not forget," Neji said, shaking Tenten out of her embarrassment, "We have lessons today. You will need to change before you skate."
His usual manner seemed to ease her, and she simply nodded. Satisfied, Neji walked away to find another place at the table, hiding a smirk as he lightly rubbed his hand over his mouth as a word echoed in his mind.
"Lovesick, huh?"