A/n: Sorry it took so long! But the muse is back ^^ Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews! Many of you expressed that it was a shame I'd glossed over the sexual aspect of the NejiTen relationship … and I do agree. It is a big part of this story and I was doing it a disservice so in this chapter we see some more of their …er … intimate moments xD … It started off as sort of a way of expressing the growing trust and feeling between them and then morphed into a major lemon. Sorry, I got carried away, haha. But I hope that you'll enjoy the chapter =D
Warnings: Smexiness … but I think we're all agreed that it is not a bad thing (so no reporting me, yes? ^^)
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Chapter 11: Unbreakable
The ache was unbearable. Tenten writhed, her head tossing from side to side and tangling her hair on the pillowcase. Neji moaned softly into her neck; lips tracing slow, sensual patterns along her throat. Dawn was beginning to trace fingers of light across the dark sky but Tenten refused to acknowledge the rushing approach of reality that threatened to drown them like an avalanche. Instead she chose to focus purely on the moment: on Neji and the way he felt and the way he made her feel. Even after a week the anger was still there; floating at the very back of her consciousness though she'd never been able to hold on to anger for very long, much less stay angry at Neji. His actions had been incredibly stupid but she could understand how he thought he had been doing the right thing. It wouldn't change anything to stay angry at Neji … and to be honest he wasn't the person she was really angry at.
She was angry at herself.
Somehow she'd never noticed how much control her mother wielded over her life. Amaya loved her; Tenten knew and understood how hard it had been for her mother to raise a kunoichi daughter on her own but that didn't excuse her mother's current behavior. A big part of Tenten couldn't help but wonder if her mother even cared that Neji was making her happier than she'd ever been …
It had been sheer torture this past week; sneaking around and utilizing all of their shinobi skills so that they could manage to steal some time together. Luck had been on their side that day; Amaya had retreated to bed early (citing a migraine and impressing on Tenten that she was not to see Neji) thankfully at her own house. The past week Amaya had taken to visiting Tenten's apartment until late at night. Just to prove that fate intended for them to have an evening to themselves, Hiashi had been held up in urgent clan meetings. Neji had snuck into her apartment, easily by-passing Hiashi's genin lookout, early that evening and, for the first time in a week, they had the entire night to themselves.
As if he'd noticed her thoughts wandering, Neji's hand slid down her sweat-slicked stomach; fingers unerringly hitting all the right spots before he slid two fingers deeply inside.
"Neji!"
Her body arched, indescribable pleasure surging through her veins like an electrical charge and Tenten promptly forgot all about the reality awaiting them. Neji's fingers stilled though her hips kept moving, searching for more stimulation, and Tenten was glad he didn't see the smirk lifting her lips. They hadn't slept much throughout the night; far too focused on each other and how time was running out. Neji had been teasing her mercilessly for hours. Her body barely had time to stop convulsing after one earth-shaking climax before he was pushing her towards the precipice of the next, only to leave her dangling on the very edge for what felt like eons.
It was time for a little payback …
He wasn't expecting her quick movements and it was easy enough to wrap her legs tightly around his hips, flipping them over so that she straddled a very surprised-looking Neji. The surprise quickly turned into a look of pure, lancing heat and Tenten clenched her fingers, barely noticing how her nails dug into his pectoral muscles as she fought to keep her composure. Neji's back arched almost involuntarily, a low sound of pleasure escaping from his slightly parted lips as his eyes closed.
Tenten nearly lost her grip on the last trailing tendrils of thought at the sight; the way his body shuddered beneath her and the flush on his cheeks … she trembled in reaction but at the last possible moment managed to grasp hold of her composure. She didn't know what turned her on more: the obvious proof that Neji enjoyed her touch as much as she loved his or the fact that she had just discovered another thing about him that no one else knew. Who would have guessed that Neji would like his pleasure mixed with a little bit of pain?
It was ridiculous, how quickly she could lose herself in him; how easy it was to get completely caught up in the way he felt and moved as she explored every dip and plane of his body. Time was completely irrelevant and Tenten barely noticed its passage …
"Fuck … Ten … please…"
She couldn't contain the moan at the utter abandon in Neji's voice, the hoarse pleading, so she let it vibrate over her tongue just as she licked a slow line along his hardened flesh. Without any warning his fingers closed around the strands of hair streaming down her back in a vice-like grip and he forced her down as he thrust up. His obvious frustration, when she was so unbearably aroused, caused bright white lights to explode behind her eyelids as they slid involuntarily shut and, for a moment, Tenten almost considered giving in. But the desire to see Neji's breaking point … to bring him to that desperate edge of heaven and hell, as he'd done to her, won out. Slowly Tenten lifted her head, almost giggling out loud when Neji resisted her efforts before finally releasing his grip on her hair with a ragged groan. She reached up and leaned over, drawing him into a slow kiss, and carefully reached between them to position him. Finally, she drew back, carefully placed her hands on his chest for leverage and drove down with her hips while pressing her nails firmly into his skin. It took all of her concentration to keep her nails from drawing blood as her body reacted to the heated hardness filling her so flawlessly.
He arched up, pressing as deeply into her as he could, and Tenten groaned at the sight of the frustration on his face being replaced with pure breathless want. A slow smooth rhythm, her hips bucking perfectly while she slid her hands down his torso to keep him still beneath her, and Tenten forgot to feel triumphant. There was just Neji, the way he whispered her name and the way his hands traced trembling caresses across her back. She could have done this forever; instead of chasing after that one big explosion she focused on the way their bodies meshed– as if they'd been made to do this together …
Neji's hands slid to her hips, fingers digging into her skin as he tried to coax her body to move faster but Tenten stubbornly kept moving slowly, drawing back until he almost slipped out before pushing forward to take him as deeply as she could again. Distantly she was aware of the increasing desperation of Neji's touches as he reached up to knead her breasts before his hands slid around and cupped the firm globes of her bottom as he tried to drive her closer, faster. Liquid heat pooled low in her being, the coil inside her winding tighter and tighter, and all the strength left her limbs until she could barely keep moving.
Abruptly Neji sat up, his arms closing around Tenten's body which was just as well because the movement pressed his hardness firmly against her back wall and Tenten muffled her scream into his neck. The pleasure threatened to overwhelm her but she clung to Neji with her remaining strength, never wanting this to end. He moved swiftly, depositing her on her back, drawing her legs around his hips as he moved hastily to thrust back in. Their mingled groans rang through the air as Neji slid home, tiny shocks of pleasure running through Tenten's entire body as her inner walls gripped him and tried to draw him deeper.
Tenten frowned in confusion when Neji stilled, tensing into perfect rigidity. His ragged breathing told her quite eloquently that he'd reached the end of what he could endure and she smiled as she pressed a soft kiss against his shoulder, her hands reaching up to stroke soothingly through his hair.
"It's okay." She gasped the reassurance because just as she spoke Neji moved inside her, almost convulsively, before forcing himself into stillness again.
"I-I … I have to…"
His voice trailed off as he bit into the juncture of her shoulder and her neck and prayed for strength. After what Tenten had been through he'd made sure to never scare her again; to always take it slow and gentle so that she wouldn't feel threatened … but this time Neji wasn't sure he could.
"It's okay, Neji. Move," Tenten murmured again, bucking her hips.
It was too much, far too much, and Neji admitted defeat though the shame that he was letting Tenten down again reared up at the very back of his mind.
"I can't go easy," he managed to get out through gritted teeth, hips already beginning to twitch out of his control. I don't want to, he admitted silently.
His fingers were digging into the mattress on either side of Tenten's head, clenching fistfuls of sheet in such a tight grip that Neji was surprised they hadn't torn as yet. Every muscle in his body was drawn taut as he fought against the urge to pull back and then slam forward again and again …
Cool fingertips traced over his mouth and Tenten lifted her head to press a quick kiss against his lips, nipping slightly at the bottom one before she withdrew a scant few inches.
"Fuck me," she whispered against his mouth.
The shock of Tenten whispering those words to him (though it was a fantasy he'd entertained on more than one occasion) broke through the last of Neji's control. The sheets pooled around their lower bodies as Tenten wound her legs tightly around his hips; his fingers didn't relinquish their grip on the sheets and he buried his face in her sweet-smelling hair with a harsh groan.
He moved relentlessly; pushing forward, harder and faster and deeper, until Tenten was aware of nothing except the desperate bliss. Distantly she was aware of her screams rending through the air, of Neji whispering how good she felt, so tight around him, the words edged in a hoarse moan. Then there was just pure pleasure, engulfing her so completely that Tenten nearly blacked out from the sheer force of it. Her body shuddered around Neji's, and it was only his bitten-off half-shout and the heavier wet heat of his release inside of her that anchored her to reality.
The sun had almost reached its zenith by the time Tenten woke. Silently Neji watched as her eyelids began to flutter, a slight frown pulling her brows together. He kept his arm anchored firmly around her body as he waited for her to wake up. Though he'd been exhausted (if ecstatically happy) he hadn't slept for very long. He couldn't, not when this whole dark mess kept hovering over their heads and it was entirely his fault. Shame had played its part, though. And he couldn't help but wonder if maybe Amaya was right; maybe the best thing he could do was disappear from Tenten's life.
He loved her.
More than he'd ever thought possible to love another human being; enough to want to not be selfish for once in his life. But he also hadn't lied to Hiashi: first and foremost he wanted Tenten to be happy. If it made her happy to have him in her life (however unfathomable that was) then he would be in her life for as long as she wanted him. Finally, he'd realized that they could not go on the way they had been for the last week. There was really only one solution to the problem … but first he had to find out what Tenten wanted.
"Morning," Tenten whispered, still lying on her side and nestled against him though he could see the smile lifting her lips.
Slowly she turned in his arms and Neji took a deep breath. It was now or never, before he lost his nerve.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "For this whole mess and for losing control last night-″
"I wanted you to lose control," Tenten interrupted, her happy, sleepy smile morphing into a frown, "I trust you and you're probably the only one I'd ever want to lose control like that but don't you dare try to make it less than it was. Which was incredible." The smile was back in place as Tenten returned his gaze steadily.
Neji took a deep breath, wanting so badly to articulate how words made him feel but being at a complete loss for to how to express it.
"I love you," he told her fiercely instead, pressing a hard kiss to her forehead.
Before she had a chance to say anything he quickly forged ahead, "But I need to ask: is this really what you want? Do you really want me?" He refused to acknowledge how his heart sped up, thundering blood rushing through his ears because a part of him couldn't help but be afraid that she would say that she didn't want him; that she'd changed her mind.
Tenten frowned, "Of course I want you. Don't be ridiculous. I love you."
The slight hitch of uncertainty to her voice somehow dispelled the last of the lingering doubts and Neji relaxed slightly.
"I need you to be sure. Because I know how to fix this whole mess but it won't be easy."
She watched him in silence for a moment, wariness and hope mingling in her expressive eyes before her features cleared and Neji expelled the breath he hadn't been aware of holding.
"If it means we can be together then I'm willing to do whatever it takes," Tenten said softly.
Neji sat up slowly, drawing Tenten with him.
"Then come on, I know where to find your mother and my uncle."
For the first time in many years Neji dreaded entering the Hyuuga compound. Tenten's fingers wound tightly through his and he drew strength from that fact. For a moment Neji paused just in front of the gates, staring at the sky and the blazing sun above. Distantly a flock of sparrows wheeled across the blue expanse.
Forgive me, Father. But I think you would be proud of what I'm doing.
He ignored the confused looks Tenten periodically sent his way and purposefully strode through the courtyard towards the outside door of his uncle's study. A short knock, followed by Hiashi's stern voice bidding him enter and suddenly there was no turning back. He could hear Tenten's audible gasp from behind him as she caught sight of her mother sitting in the chair in front of Hiashi's desk, sipping from a cup of tea but Neji had expected it. Where else would she be as they plotted ways to keep the two of them apart? Though both Hiashi and Amaya had been understandably relieved to hear that there was no impending grandchild, the news had also removed their only real control measure. The fact that Tenten could someday be pregnant wouldn't have escaped them and Neji was sure they'd been plotting ways to pull Tenten away from him through the last week. Determination firmed his lips into a thin line.
In this they would fail.
Carefully, Neji drew Tenten inside after him, feeling the slight tremble in her fingers though she refused to let go of his hand, and steered her towards the empty chair next to her mother. She sat and fixed an expectant gaze on him, studiously ignoring the woman next to her though Amaya frowned disapprovingly at her daughter.
Being the center of attention was not something Neji relished but he suppressed the unease and quickly turned to face his uncle. Hiashi had remained behind his desk, a speculative look fixed firmly on his nephew.
"Uncle," Neji began, half-bowing formally, "I apologize for disregarding your express wishes and intruding upon your meeting but this could not wait."
Hiashi raised his eyebrows and from the corner of his eye Neji could see Amaya indignantly opening her mouth before Tenten shushed her. He took another deep breath and turned to face Tenten's mother.
"You're right. I'm not good enough for your daughter." Neji quickly shot his uncle a quelling look when Hiashi opened his mouth, displeasure etched on his features. "And it has nothing to do with me personally, uncle. The fact remains that I am a Bunke member of the Hyuuga and that brings its own set of complications. We've made great strides, Hiashi-sama, but intrinsically the clan remains unchanged and I cannot blame Amaya-san for her misgivings."
The slight flash of fear in Tenten's gaze pulled at something in the region of his heart but Neji quickly forced it to recede and focused his full attention on her mother again.
"I share your misgivings. In fact, I would do everything in my power to prevent Tenten from being subjected to my fate."
His movements felt disconnected from his brain but Neji took the two strides until he was standing in front of Tenten and spoke to her directly.
"I wanted them to hear this because they need to hear it. But I'm saying it to you alone. I have nothing to offer you but I want to share a life with you, Tenten. Though all I can give you is myself. "
The thundering of his heart almost drowned out his words but Neji turned towards his uncle once more.
"You have done … so much for me, Hiashi-sama. And I am grateful. But I think this is something my father would have understood – something he could be proud of. I take his legacy and I return his name."
Finally, Amaya's turn and then he would be nearly done …
"I hope that in time you and I will reach an understanding though I accept that you'll never approve of me. I intend to prove to you that nothing is as important as Tenten's happiness and I hope you can respect that."
"Hiashi-sama," Neji bowed again, deeper this time, "I renounce my name. From today I will no longer be a part of the Hyuuga clan – I want you to strike my name from the rolls. I cannot unlearn the secrets of the Byakugan, and I trust the clan will have no objection to my using the techniques that belong to them as my livelihood, but you have my word that I will never pass those along. Even if Tenten and I should not last. No child of mine – irrespective of whether they have the Byakugan or not – will ever learn how to use it. My father's Hyuuga bloodline will die with me."
a/n: So … how'd I do? (I apologize for the very OOC speech of Neji's but … meh, having Neji in a romance is already OOC and this was something I could picture him doing ^^)