Little did Tenten know that a week after she left, the Akimichi council meeting assembled, disappointed to no end that there was an egregious lack of snack being passed around, courtesy of Choza's wife. Choza then informed them that it was Choji's girlfriend who had been making them desserts for their meetings and she was now in northern fire country, apprenticing with the notorious blacksmith in the area; it was just his wife that had been passing them along. Choza was then interrogated about Tenten, the council relentlessly asked him question after question regarding everything the man could come up with about her. They seemed pleased that she was not affiliated with any other clan, but then needed details about her training as a kunoichi. Choza began to inform the council about how she was Maito Gai's one and only female student, and how she became known as the Weapon's Mistress of Konoha. Some of the questions were a bit personal, and the incident with Shikamaru was some how brought up. Mayhem seemed to break out, as about a third of the clan member's somehow had not gotten the juicy scoop of gossip concerning everything that occurred with the incident. A few of the elders boasted of their threats or torture of the future Nara clan leader, and there was a brief announcement that Shikaku himself was coming out next week to make a formal apology for his son's transgressions, and to please leave him alone for the time being as his punishment from the Nara clan elders is more than enough for the supposed genius. Everyone fell silent as the most important of all questions came up: was the girl serious about Choji? Choza answered with what his wife had informed him the week before Tenten left during one of their baking sessions. "Tenten wants to name their first born son after him," Choza pointed to his own father, who beamed with pride and then casually mentioned to everyone loudly how he always knew she had an intelligent head upon her shoulders, as evidenced by her keen choices. Choji's new girlfriend became quite the topic of discussion, and it was then agreed upon that she would have to meet up with the council so they could formally induct her into the Akimichi clan before the two became betrothed. The announcement followed plans to build the future married couple their own house, complete with a stove/forge to accommodate the aspiring kunoichi. This all seemed serendipitous of the fact that the clan member's main topic of discussion was to make good use of a pieced of land on the north end of the Akimichi estate, and it was decided that the property would be where they would build the house for Choji and his new bride. The meeting ended with the remark to Choza that Choji would need to be involved with clan meetings from here on out, and they adjourned early so they could catch a light snack at their respective homes, since all the lose ends were now tied up regarding everything that needed to be covered in the meeting.

Of course, Choza neglected to mention in all of this his stockpile of the Weapon's Mistress desserts, currently residing in his freezer at home, and his wife wasn't about to let the elders in on his little secrete either. About once a week after dinner, Choza's wife would get the look in her eye, one stating that she was missing her former baking partner, and the two would indulge in some tea and goodies, discussing wedding plans and future grandkids late into the evening.

Choji had run into his father later that day, and Choza quickly informed his son of the need to attend council meetings from now on, before he caught the look of distress in his son's eyes. He knew the look well; his son didn't hide the emotion well from his father when he needed to talk.

"Dad, I need to know," Choji rushed out, "was your marriage arranged with Mom?"

Choza considered his son's anxious behavior and inferred what had the younger Akimichi troubled.

"Choji," he placed a large hand on his son's shoulder, "the council agreed to let me marry your mother under specific terms. Most marriages of the Akimichi clan are arranged, but I know for certain that if you intend to ask for Tenten's hand in marriage, they will not oppose the marriage. Now, how serious are you about this girl?"

His son dropped a small box into his father's palm in response.

"Ah, I think your mother is going to squeak like a bath toy when she sees this." The older one reasoned, and they headed out to the compound as Choza recounted the story of how he proposed to Choji's mother.

(o)

Choji was nervous about opening the doors to the blacksmith shop. Tired from not only the day's journey but from his mission in town, (he owed Shikamaru one for begging Tsunade to let them take it), he wondered briefly if he should go back to the inn first and make himself a bit more presentable before seeing Tenten. Fully intent on washing at least the blood off of his uniform before meeting his girlfriend for the first time in three months, he quickly changed his mind when he overheard two men entering the premises ahead of him, bragging about who could get the cute blacksmith to go out with him first.

All thoughts of leaving were quickly forgotten.

Choji entered the shop, masking his chakra signature, admiring the fine handy work of either the blacksmith whom Tenten was apprenticing under, or the works of perhaps her own hands. He would have to ask later. There was everything to dinner bells to katanas lining the wooden walls and Choji kept himself hidden as he reached the forge area, keeping to the shadows as he waited for Tenten to appear.

Tenten finally came out to greet her guests, the orange glow of the fire made her skin appear in dark, glistening hues as she was covered with a sheen of ash and sweat. She sported a large apron mottled with soot, and had on the shortest shorts that Choji had ever seen in his life. His girlfriend had, with out a doubt, the most gorgeous pair of get-away-sticks he had ever laid his eyes on. The two men leaning on the half-wall separating her from them seemed to be thinking along the same lines. They lecherously glared at her as she pounded hammer against steel, sparks flying in all directions.

She finished her poundings before placing the ferrite blade under the hot coals and turning her attention to the two men behind her.

She offered them a polite smile before asking them if she could assist them with anything in the shop.

One of them apparently said something inappropriate; Choji couldn't quite make out the comment through the depth of the room and the roar of the fire. It was quite clear of how she felt against such things as she took the sword from the fire that was now a glowing orange and swiftly placed it between the two of them, the heated blade only inches away from their faces. Whatever threat she was making, she did so with an ersatz smile, as she tilted the blade hovered over their faces menacingly. Frozen with fear, the two men readily agreed to whatever it was that the kunoichi was saying before she pulled the blade and stuck it back into the fire. When she turned around, the idiots had fled, and Tenten dusted her hands off like she had just finished taking out the trash. She returned her attention to the blade, bringing out the hammer to pound at it again. Just as she reached back to deliver a hefty blow to the docile metal, Choji let out a salacious whistle from the confinement of the shadows. Tenten shoved the blade back into the fire, but kept the hammer this time to deliver her threat, pointing it out menacingly to the corner of the room where she heard the whistle echo from.

"Listen, pal," she intoned with great agitation, "if you aren't here to shop, you better scram, cuz I ain't here to be ogled, and I don't take kindly to people who do. If the amount of weapons that I can kill you with in this shop doesn't intimidate you, I am willing to bet my boyfriend will. But I won't need him here in order for you to get the picture that I can handle myself. Mr. Hammer here will make sure to get my point across for me, and I will be happy to introduce him to your skull if you don't leave. Got it?"

Choji was still hiding in the shadows with his chakra cloaked as he let out a low chuckle which only served to upset her even more. Said pissed of kunoichi was approaching cautiously to him, ready to make good on her threat with the broad side of Mr. Hammer. He finally revealed his chakra signature when she was nearly upon him, and she damn near dropped her hammer with shock and confusion.

He stepped towards her, coming out from the shadows so she could see him properly.

"Choji?" she gasped as she threw herself to him, hammer swinging dangerously to his back as she swathed him in her arms.

"What are you doing here? I missed you so much! Kami! Choji! You are covered in blood! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" she took a step back to hold him at arms length to inspect him over.

"Calm down, Ten," he placed his hands over her shoulders to soothe her. "Not mine, no worries. Sorry I couldn't wait to see you or I would have cleaned myself up."

He let out a small "oof" as she grabbed hold of his middle again, determined to rob him of his very breath as she squeezed him with fervor.

"I missed you, too," he chuckled.

(o)

"What are these?" Choji asked as he eyed the charms dangling on the ends of the necklaces with scrutiny. Bringing them into the light he realized he recognized the familiar symbols. "My clan's marking," Choji mumbled with admiration and pride. She had made them about the size of his thumbnail with consummate skill and accuracy. By the blush on her face, he wasn't supposed to find them and she hurried over and looked like she was debating taking them away before he had a chance to comment on them. He thumbed one over in his hands, noting how smooth the edges were and how beautifully crafted his clan's symbol appeared in the polished metal. "These are gorgeous Tenten," Choji turned to his modest girlfriend, who seemed sheepish at the thought of him finding them.

"You weren't supposed to find them," she expressed with downcast eyes. "I wanted to surprise you with one when I came back."

"One?" Choji asked, "who are the others for?"

Another sideways glance and flushed features. "I thought maybe your dad or ya know," she shrugged her shoulders as if to explain why there were over a dozen of them dangling around chains.

"Are there more of these?" He asked suddenly. She blushed further and shook her head yes.

"I kindda got carried away," she stammered out, "I was just having so much fun making them…"

"Did you make one for every clan member?" Choji asked with awe.

"I'm not sure," Tenten sniffed as she sorted through some ones in a box. "Do you think they would like them if I did?"

Choji was shocked a bit, overwhelmed with awe and a desire to propose to her on the spot.

"I don't think so," Choji stated with conviction, "I know so."