Patience is not simply the ability to wait, it's how we behave while we're waiting- Joyce Meyer

Sleepless Night X

Tenten leaned against the motorcycle with an ice cream cone in her hands. They had made a pit stop along the way and was pleasantly surprised that some stores were still open. Sasuke paid for her cone and bought himself a can of soda since he wasn't a big fan of sweets. The pair stayed outside of the Hua house, just until the cheerleader finished her cone. She didn't want to go inside yet, she wanted to have a bit of company that wasn't her parents or her brother asking her where she had been or why she was out late without telling them. Then again, it's not like they'd press her about it since she was an adult for the most part. However, Sasuke wasn't going to leave her on her step alone in the dark.

"Thanks for this," the Chinese woman turned to her friend. "You really don't have to stay, though. I know you live a ways out from me."

Sasuke shrugged. "It's not a big deal. I don't want to be home right now."

The street lamps were illuminating a soft light around them which washed out the stars. Tenten sighed as she took a bite into her cone. It was peaceful, she thought. And odd, in a way. She never thought that Sasuke would be the one who turned out to be that friend who lent an ear and a shoulder to cry on. He didn't do it for everyone, she knew. Just a few people were graced with that privilege like Sakura and Naruto. Although he came off as an arrogant fuck who didn't care for other's problems, he was the exact opposite when it came to people he cared about. It was only a few, and he could count those people on one hand.

Btttz

Btttz

Sasuke hummed as he watched Tenten pull her phone from her bag. She glanced at the caller ID and cocked an eyebrow. The Uchiha leaned over her shoulder and smirked. Putting the phone on speaker, she gave a greeting.

"Where'd you go?" Was the first thing out of the phone.

"I went to grab some sweets with Sasuke." Tenten replied nonchalantly. "Where you waiting for me?"

"It would've been nice to get a text so I wouldn't be w-"

"Awww, where you worried, Hyuga?" Sasuke teased. "Don't worry, the princess is safe from harm."

Tenten held her cone between her teeth and smacked the Uchiha's arm. Sasuke laughed at the swipe and brought his can of soda to his lips.

"Whatever, Uchiha." Neji replied so dryly you can practically hear his eyes rolling in his skull. "Are you home?"

"Yep. Been here for a while." Tenten said taking a big bite out of her cone. "Are you coming by?"

There was a pause on the other line. Sasuke and Tenten exchanged glanced and waited for a response.

"Neji?" Tenten called out.

"Yeah… I'll be over in a few." His voice finally sounded.

"Okay, see you soon." And with that she hung up and proceeded to munch on her cone.

"How causal," Sasuke mused. "As if nothing has changed."

"Well, am I supposed to sound nervous?" Tenten cocked an eyebrow.

The Uchiha shrugged; Guess not. Though, she seemed rather nonchalant about this whole thing now. And compared to earlier, Tenten's attitude had definitely changed. It was just a moment of weakness, everyone has those once in a while. She was back to normal for the most part, but he could tell that she still had a few things running in her mind.

"You know he's going to press you on this until he gets an answer."

"I know. But after that talk we had, I'm feeling a bit more confident and sorted out. So, answering him will come easy." Tenten replied popping the remainder of her cone into her mouth. "You know what's funny?"

Sasuke cocked an eyebrow in response. Tenten finished chewing before looking up at the night sky. She had expected Shikamaru to be in his place. The Uchiha hummed; it made sense why she'd think that. The Nara had asked her out on a date and they did spend some time together. However, it wasn't as fruitful as the group expected. They were friends, and it was more of a one chance type of thing for Shikamaru. If the Nara was in his place, would the conversation had gone into a different direction? He wasn't selfish and wouldn't try to sabotage the situation with his own notions. That would just be a jackass move. Shikamaru knew his place in this, and if he stepped out of his line that would more trouble than it was worth for him.

"Yeah, doesn't seem like he'd take too much interest." Tenten replied with a chuckle.

"Well, I'm sure Lee would have reacted differently… if he was down for partying like we do anyway." The Uchiha murmured. "Maybe he'd get a girl if he actually came with us."

Tenten shrugged. "He doesn't like those kind of party scenes all the time. Plus, you've seen him drunk… he's an absolute mess." She ran a hand through her bangs. "He only comes out to parties when he can't think of a good excuse to not come."

They laughed. For the first time in a while, Tenten had laughed and it made Sasuke's chest tighten in delight. They thought they had left all this nonsense back in high school, but it just followed them around university like their shadows. Didn't the saying go that high school was to be the best years of one's life? Nah, they had to disagree, University was definitely the best years of their life.

"Do you… wanna go inside and wait for him?" Sasuke asked after watching her crack a yawn.

"Nah, I'm alright. Besides, I would rather talk to Neji out here than inside where my parents and brother could conveniently wake up and butt in." The cheerleader sighed.

"Understandable." He replied simply.

There was no conversation after that. They stood there on the curb leaning against Sasuke's motorcycle with their eyes glued to the sky. The silence was comfortable. It offered stillness and quiet. After a few moments, Sasuke felt Tenten's arm weave around his. The affection was in casual form; her way of feeling secured in the situation. And that was alright with him. Their friendship had definitely expanded a quite a bit. They were close like they've known each other forever, but they were still a bit at a distance. Knowing everything about someone is great, but the way they saw it was that when you find those key components that work, all those extra loads don't really matter. This was their component; stillness. Sasuke's phone vibrated suddenly which cause Tenten to jump. He shot her an apologetic look before checking the screen.

From: Pain in the ass

Are you two still together? Neji stormed off from the locker room. He went after you guys a bit earlier. He is steaming like all holy hell, bro. Watch yourself.

Sasuke sent an affirmative reply and scratched the back of his head with his free hand. Naruto was a bit late with that text, since Neji had already called Tenten. But did he imply that the Hyuga tried to catch up with them when they were on the northern part of the city? Had he been trying to track them? It was only a matter of time before he showed up anyway.

"Naruto?" Tenten asked with her gaze still pointed upwards.

"Uh, yeah… just checking in." Sasuke murmured and pocketed the phone. "Nothing major."

Tenten was about to say something but right when she opened her mouth, a luxury car had pulled up to the curb in front of the motorcycle. Neji stepped out of his car gracefully, however, in haste. He stepped up to the pair and shot a glare at the Uchiha.

"Easy there, Hyuga. She's in one piece." Sasuke stated waving his hand toward the Engineering major next to him. "No harm done."

The Hyuga glanced over at Tenten and his face softened a bit. The cheerleader released her hold on Sasuke's arm and stepped up to her best friend. Her fingers intertwined with his and she led him to the street side of his car. The Uchiha has no reason to be here at this point. However, he crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. He would stay until they figured it out between them.

"Where did you go?" Neji asked. "I usually walk home with you."

Tenten offered a small smile. "I needed some time to myself."

"With him?" He gestured to the Uchiha.

"Yes. I had some thoughts that needed some ears." She replied softly. "Besides, I have to tell you something."

Neji squeezed her hand slightly, urging her to continue. Tenten looked him in the eye and stated that he did not hurt her, rather he overwhelmed her and confused her to an extent. She needed a moment of stillness to collect herself and a set of ears that would just listen without any side comments. Sasuke offered her that stillness and he offered a push of thought to collect herself. It was nothing against the Hyuga, in fact she didn't want to say anything until she had herself in order. Neji's chest fell in relief as she smiled at him. Now that she was in order, she was able to be genuine with her words.

"Neji, about what happen," Tenten shifted her weight where she stood. "I think we both had some feelings pent up for a while now. I've just been too oblivious to see it."

The Hyuga shook his head. "I've should've been more out right with it from the beginning."

At this she cocked her head to the side. "From… the beginning?"

Neji inhaled and looked into her eyes. He gently laid her hand on on his chest. Her palm was warm through his sweater. His emotions hadn't been in check for quite some time; a few years to be more specific. No amount of video games or meditation could bring back that mental equilibrium. She took his breath away, even when they argued or they'd have to deal with each other shit-faced drunk. The way her eyes sparkled gold whenever she smiled made his stomach flutter and his own lips spread into a small smile of his own. Whenever they'd hold hands, he'd never fail to notice how her long slender finger weaved in perfectly with his, and how her palm always radiated that welcoming heat. Her work ethic was one to be admired, she never gave up with anything she did and she always finished what she started. And through all that thought, he kept his mouth shut. From the corner of his eye, he could see Sasuke puffing on his vape a few feet away. This was probably the only chance he'll get to say something.

"Look, Tenten," he sighed. "I'm… really bad at this kind of stuff."

Tenten blinked.

"And… the words are a bit hard for me to get out…"

"I know." She stated quietly. "Try your best."

There was a moment of silence between them. Sasuke glanced over and noticed them just standing there looking at each other. Rolling his eyes, he puffed out his mint vape smoke and groaned.

"Out with it, Hyuga! We don't have all night!" The Uchiha called from his spot.

A vein popped in the Hyuga's head and he glared at the Uchiha. That bastard needed to leave, but Neji knew he wasn't going anywhere until they said something to each other. So, taking a deep breath, he leaned his forehead against hers and sighed. Right when he was about to open his mouth, she spoke.

"I know. And I love you too."

His heart stopped and his vision was a bit hazy. She knew? Tenten gave a soft chuckle as she laid a soft kiss on his slightly opened mouth. He didn't even say it outright, and yet she had read his mind like usual. This caused Neji to blink, this his vision sharpening. His hands found her waist and her returned the gesture tenderly. Her arms snaked around his neck as she lifted herself on her toes to attempt to match his height. Heat began to radiate against their faces. Was that 'spark' nothing but a tale when you kiss someone you were longing for? Probably, but the idea seemed a bit too cliche for the two of them anyway. And they stood there, just embracing each other for a silent moment. Tears began to stream down Tenten's face as emotions overtook her senses. Neji pulled away, a bit confused as to why she was crying.

"Are you okay?" He asked curiously in a low whisper.

"Yeah, I'm fine," The cheerleader reassured him with a smile. "Just overwhelmed, is all… fuck, you know I don't cry a lot...hate this..."

Neji smiles a bit as he watched her wipe away her tears. But then his smile turned into a slight frown. There was a question that hung in the air; now what? Were they dating? Or even a couple? He wasn't too good at reading into these types of things. Whatever they were now, he was comfortable with. They'd figure it out later, he thought. It was like a natural phenomenon between them; things always fell into place eventually. A slight cough caused him to turn around. Sasuke was looking right at them with a small smirk on his face. Tenten separated herself from the Hyuga and trotted over to him. Her arms flew around his neck and she pressed herself against him.

"Thanks." She murmured. "For everything."

"Of course." Sasuke whispered into her ear.

The Uchiha reached for his bike helmet and winked at her in farewell. Propping himself on the bike, he looked back at his friends. Neji was holding her hand with a gentle expression on his face while Tenten was beaming adorably like a dork. In a way, it was nothing surprising. Nothing had technically changed from an outsider's perspective. He didn't suspect any of their behaviors to change around everyone else either. It's just how they were. Sighing to himself, he pushed off the curve and made his way down the street.

Tenten laid in bed with her phone in her hands. The device had been buzzing for the past half hour, nonstop with individual direct messages and group chats from her friends. For some reason, they had been congratulating her and Neji. But for what she wasn't too sure. Deciding not to bother replying to any of them, the Engineering Major tapped lightly on her screen. She was going through everyone's SnapChat's for the day. Sakura and Ino has spent most of the night together at a bar. A clip flashed with Ino talking to a guy who just so happen to be that weird guy Sai (who the blonde was currently dating), who had a colorful drink in his hands and that same awkward smile as Ino talked to him. Tenten didn't know too much about him besides for what Ino complained about, but he seemed alright for the most part. Clicking on Hinata's icon, she hummed as a picture of her friend in a periwinkle skirt and a white blouse flashed on the screen. It was a mirror picture, right before her date with Naruto. Apparently, they were still out judging by the time she uploaded the picture. Scrolling down the list, she clicked on Lee's icon. He was at the gym with some buddies from his MMA club doing late night drills and just hanging out. A small smile rested on her lips as she clicked away. Tenten then clicked on Sasuke's icon. There was the usual outfit of the day post from this morning, some more edgy selfies in versions classrooms and courtyards (probably some pics from his Instagram as well judging by the quality) then, some locker room clips of the guys throwing shit at each other before track practice. A small chuckle escaped her lips as a clip appeared of Sasuke and Naruto zooming into the back of her head as she was being lifted into a stunt. The camera then shifted to her backside with the caption "nice" and a smirk emoji. Of course he would, she thought. It was pretty hilarious actually. Clicking through more selfies and clips of the track team racing and timing each other, she landed on another picture of herself. She was leaning over he metal fence with her back to him, looking out on the city with her hair still in her high ponytail and her bow rustling slightly as a breeze went by. It looked like the photo was planned, it was quite beautiful. Clicking her screen once more there were pictures of them getting ice cream and soda from a convenience store. For one of them, she had stuck her tongue out at the camera since she had caught him pointing his phone at her. Her finger pressed her screen again.

"Ah… that bastard…" she squinted at the next photo.

Sasuke has caught a great shot of her and Neji. You can really only see her face in the photo since Neji had his back to him. Tenten had tears running down her face, but she was smiling. Her eyes were closed and she realized it was just after they had kissed. The caption given had "fucking finally" written and it was screenshotted a few times. It was a special moment, and she was happy that the Uchiha was great at sneaking candid pictures of everyone. Opening her messaging app, she asked him to send her the pictures. Within minutes, she had every picture he took of her that day, including the one of her and Neji. Deciding to check her group chat , she scrolled up to see that they were still going on about the two of them and that picture Sasuke had posted not too long ago. Some wrote in caps (Naruto and Ino) to express their excitement and shock. Some straight up just congratulated them (Shino, Lee, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Sakura) and others claimed to have known the whole time that they would get together eventually (Hinata and Ino). Yes, it was exciting for all of them. And even though he didn't reply to any of them, there was a green dot next to Neji's name to show he was online and probably reading all of the messages himself. A laugh escaped her throat as she scrolled down, skimming through the conversation. Geez, the cheerleader thought as she checked the time. Tenten had to be up early for class the next day. The clock had just hit around two in the morning when she locked her phone and plugged it into her speaker to charge. Right as she turned on her side, it lit up. Her eyes were closed as a message appeared on her screen; A simple "Good Night" from the Hyuga was left unread until the she woke up again.

OOOooOoOoOoOoOoO

AUTHOR'S NOTE;

Thank you all for reading my story! It started out as a bunch of oneshots from my Wripples piece, so if you have time you can check that out too. I'm thinking about a sequel to this, what do you guys think? For some reason I tend to plan out my stories in 3 main parts. Like for The Goddess and Assassin series I finished Down Under (going in and revising it currently), In Between (incomplete, though trying to get some motivation to finish it) and Up Above (planned to be the last story of the trilogy). And if you've been with me since 2009, you know I had Hetalia trilogies (deleted for my own sake of bad writing LOL). Well, Imma think of a sequel, if anyone would like to collaborate on it let me know! It'll probably still be in the same format and writing style, again let me know! Thanks again!~ POG