Under the Same Sky Pt4
The night wore on and Tenten was definitely feeling the effects of her drink. She knew this not just because she couldn't stop herself from smiling at every comment. Or that despite not knowing Raidou and Genma all too well, she none the less, felt the urge to hug them both, and everyone else, while repeatedly telling them just how awesome they all were. No, she knew she was drunk because her eyes kept drifting over to Kakashi, and her body kept nudging over just a little bit so that at nearly all times, she was touching him.
Everyone there was awesome, but Kakashi got the rank of supreme awesome, she thought with a giggle, proceeding to nudge his side for what had to be the twentieth time in as many minutes, and acting as though he were the one encroaching on her space.
Kakashi turned an irritated eye to her. "Is there a reason you keep doing that, or is this part of your strategy to take over my chair?"
Tenten gave him a cheeky grin and nudged him once more. "Nope."
The man gave a sigh and slouched down as though in defeat. Then, just as Tenten was about to continue her game, Kakashi shoved back, and with much more force than she'd been using. Tenten made a face of mock outrage at the fact that he'd actually had the nerve to retaliate, and shoved back.
And with that, the shoving war began.
Both participants were struggling to look as casual as possible while trying to take over the other's chair, and carry on the conversation without pause. The others soon found it difficult to continue and decided to just laugh in bemusement, watching the antics of two qualified shinobi act as though they were twelve.
Then, in a stroke of genius, Tenten's eyes widened while looking over Kakashi's shoulder.
"Shit, is that Gai sensei?" she said, pausing in her onslaught.
On queue, everyone turned their heads, including Kakashi's, and Tenten used the distraction to shove him so hard, he nearly fell from the seat. The girl promptly took over the open space and grinned malevolently. "Victory is mine."
"That was a dirty trick," Kakashi said while getting up from the seat though feeling eternally grateful that it was just a trick. Tenten's eyes twinkled.
"When it comes to chair wars, there is no honour," the girl replied sagely. "Now pay me my tribute or you get no seat."
Kakashi chuckled. "Oh, and what is it you demand of me?"
The girl held up her empty glass. "Surprise me." The Jounin nodded and turned to leave when she yelled over, "And it better not be anything girly, or virginal."
Kakashi's mouth twitched. God forbid he suggest any such thing, he thought wryly, be it through the power of cocktail metaphor or otherwise.
The rest of the table fell back into easy conversation, all except Aoba who'd watched the scene with a slight frown on his face. At Kakashi's departure, the man got up and took over Tenten's former seat. The girl looked at him quizzically.
"You and Kakashi sure seem friendly," he commented mildly, in what he probably thought was a subtle lead in. Easily catching his drift, Tenten decided it was time to get rid of the Special Jounin once and for all.
"We're just friends," she answered just as casually before turning to give him a sultry smile. "So you've got nothing to worry about."
A sly smirk spread over Aoba's face. "Oh, I wasn't worried." Tenten restrained the urge to roll her eyes. "You know, it's getting a little late. What say we take off?"
"Take off?" she asked as though confused. "But... oh, oh! Aoba I had no idea!"
One by one, each of the members of their group returned their attention to the brown haired Chunin. Aoba looked faintly uncomfortable, seeing that all eyes were on them.
"You know, my father's going to love you," she continued on.
"F-father?" the man asked in a surprised voice.
"Yes, he's going to be so happy his little girl's all grown up," Tenten cheerily continued. "He's helps head up the ANBU station on the east Iwa boarder. Has a bit of a short fuse, but I'm sure once we tell him of the engagement he'll calm right down."
Raidou coughed violently on his drink while Hinata quietly announced that she wanted to be a bridesmaid.
"Whoa, whoa girly," Aoba replied, leaning back in horror. "What are you, insane?"
Tenten frowned as though dumbfounded. "But I thought... You said... You don't love me?"
Raidou leaned into Anko's ear and snickered, "I can not believe I'm witnessing this."
"Just make sure he pays for his tab before running for the hills," Anko mumbled back.
Kakashi had just finished paying for his conqueror's drink when the drama back at their table caught his attention. He scowled, seeing Aoba had occupied his seat and wondered why the man hadn't learned how to take a hint yet.
Well, if Tenten wasn't going to do it, perhaps he should. Kakashi began to walk back to the table with purpose, but as he did so, Aoba also got up and began to head towards him, just as briskly. The two stopped midway, just beside each other.
"Hey, Aoba," the Jounin began in a warm voice and letting his eye crinkled into a smile. "Stay away from Tenten."
Aoba's eyes widened and he looked back quickly between the table and the man before him. "Hey, no problem there man. She's all yours," he answered before pushing past and heading for a group of the civilian women sitting along the bar.
Kakashi decided to shrug and continue on, not thinking to hard on it. He really didn't care if Aoba suspected he had designs on the girl, so long as it meant he'd leave her alone. But, he supposed, Tenten did handle it after all. And when Kakashi got back to the table, it seemed he had also just missed the end of a rather good joke.
"But I didn't think there was an ANBU station in east Iwa," Raidou was saying as Kakashi took the seat between Tenten and Anko.
"There isn't," both he and Genma replied in unison which apparently only caused the others to laugh more.
"Okay, I'm missing something," Kakashi announced and looked between the remaining members of the table for an answer. None came.
"So Hinata, I guess you're excited for your new lessons?" Anko asked when it seemed the conversation was dying down around them.
Hinata looked at her quizzically while raising her head from Genma's shoulder where she'd began to doze off. "Lessons?"
"She means with me, Sweetie," Genma explained. "Remember what I told you earlier?"
Hinata seemed to wake up a little and shifted to a more upright position. "Oh, right, about ANBU or something."
Genma chuckled, knowing he would have to take her home soon. At this rate she would pass out right in front of them. "Yes Hinata, exactly that, or something."
Kakashi raised an eyebrow, while surveying the young girl. "What's this about ANBU?"
"Didn't you hear?" Anko laughed. "Little Hinata here's been being looked at by the Black Ops."
Tenten who was only just arriving back from the bar, dropped the glass she'd been carrying. Kakashi's hand darted out just quick enough to catch the falling item, as the girl stood there with a look of complete shock on her face.
"What did you say?" she breathed in complete disbelief. Kakashi was thinking along the same lines, thinking over all the information he knew of the young Hyuuga heiress.
"Lady Tsunade asked me to start training her up as though she were an ANBU recruit," Genma clarified for them with a smug smile on his face. "Right now I think they're just trying to gage her potential, but down the road..."
Tenten dropped to her seat like a dead weight, her face wholly void of emotion.
"I was never under the impression that Hinata's talents lent their self in that direction," Kakashi tactfully replied, sparing a glance to the strangely still girl at his side. He considered passing her the drink he'd saved, but despite the shock she'd just received, he still thought she'd had more than enough this evening already.
"Well, after a few lessons with me, who knows where she'll be," Genma pronounced, giving the girl a small bounce on his lap. "What do you think?" he said, now speaking directly to Hinata. "After tonight, you're going to be calling me sensei."
Kakashi grimaced, finding their scene so inexplicitly wrong. He looked to Tenten in hope of support, but none was coming from her quarter. Instead it came from Raidou.
"How creepy," the man deadpanned.
"How kinky," Anko corrected then leaned over to give him a quick peck on the cheek. Kakashi couldn't help but laugh as Raidou jumped as if he'd been burned before giving the woman a suspicious glare.
"Hinata, are you actually interested in ANBU?" Kakashi asked, wondering if the girl was sober enough to consider his question. "It's not the glamorous position you kids tend to idolise it as. Not to mention, it would mean no longer being a part of your present team.
The girl seemed to shrink, immediately backing into Genma's embrace. "I haven't, I haven't really thought about it. I, ah- I think," she hesitated while her face flushed more than it already was and glanced up to Genma. He nodded for her to continue. "I think they want me to specialise in infiltration."
Kakashi looked at her hard, and then shifted his gaze to Genma. "We need to talk," he told the other Jounin, doing his best to hold the anger from his voice. The man merely shrugged and held the girl ever more protectively.
"So then, where would you see Hinata's talents leading her?" Anko cut in through the sudden tension. "The Hyuga heir can't stay a recon bitch the rest of her life, and she's obviously got talent."
To be honest, that was simple, he thought mildly. "Well, Shino handles long range, Kiba does mid to close offensive, and right now Hinata's best in defence. With her chakra control on top of that, she would suit well as a medic."
Kakashi flinched as he was immediately struck by the onslaught of three individual female's killing intent. Anko, Hinata, and even Tenten, who seemed to have broken out of her shell shock, turned to gape angrily at the man.
"Kakashi," Tenten began sweetly, too sweetly actually. "I know you agree that having one medic on each squad is preferable, correct?" Kakashi nodded, wondering just where this was headed, and what he'd done to get all the girls pissed off at him. "So who, on my squad, do you think would best suit the role of medic?"
Kakashi frowned. "Well, you of course." The two other men at the table hissed in their breath while Tenten's face twitched.
"And why, pray tell, is that?" she asked, again in her strained sweetness.
"Because you're primarily ranged. A medic needs to stay out of the fight," he answered logically.
"Then maybe Shino should be medic," Tenten answered quickly.
"I'm curious as to how Tenten's situation is somehow different from Hinata's," Anko asked. "I mean, they both have Hyuga's, right?"
"The Hyuga will not be squandered as medics," Hinata hissed irritably, despite her intoxication. The girl's brow was pinched and Kakashi was sure she'd just momentarily channelled her father as well as her clans overbearing pride.
"Trust me, Kakashi," Raidou said, looking over. "Just give in now. You're not going to win this one."
Kakashi frowned, still not able to figure out what he'd done to earn the female half of the table's ire. But he decided to let it drop, considering the girls were all drunk, and obviously not thinking straight.
Anko smirked, leaning heavily into Raidou. "See? My boy knows how it is," she said, running a hand slowly down his chest, his stomach, and just before it could go any lower, Raidou's hand snapped out and grabbed her wrist firmly. He gave her a harsh look as she struggled in his grasp.
"Back- the fuck- off, Anko," he said before releasing her hand. The others at the table averted their eyes, wearily.
"What the hell's your problem?" the woman snarled, pulling back. "Is this because you wanted to cuddle?"
"Why don't you go find Ibiki if you're so desperate for a fuck?" he answered, pushing his chair back. "Sorry Genma, I've got to go. Kakashi, ladies," he nodded, referring to everyone but the woman seething at his side. Raidou turned from the group and quickly made his way to the exit of the bar.
The remaining members sat in uncomfortable silence, not really sure as to what just happened, when Anko's voice cut through, "Sorry, I didn't realise it was his time of the month."
"So... Were you two an item this week?" Genma asked with a resignation that indicated he'd gone through this often.
"Depends," she answered stiffly. "Did the week start on an odd day?"
"They're always like this," Genma clarified for the rest of the table.
"We're not fucking together, Genma," Anko snarled, while getting up from her seat to go after him.
"See," Genma smiled.
Anko replied with her finger.
Uh-huh, Kakashi thought to himself, back to filing them under 'whatever', with an added 'don't ask' label.
"He always turns into a giant pussy when drunk. I better find him before he does something I would do," she continued on, more as a mutter to herself.
"You're a good woman, Anko," Genma pronounced while shaking his head. Said woman snorted and took off for the door. "Be gentle with him," he called as she went. "He has a delicate constitution."
They could see Anko wave her hand in response from the other side of the bar before she too disappeared out the entrance. Genma looked over the remaining group and exhaled loudly. "Well, I guess it's time to call it a night."
"Yeah," Kakashi answered, getting up from his seat and stretching. Tenten followed suit though her disposition had still not quite recovered.
Hinata slipped from Genma's lap and nearly fell as soon as she did. Genma caught her easily and supported her weight as she teetered on weak feet. He knew there was no way this girl was going to make it home without constant support. "I guess I'll take Hinata home and you take Tenten?"
"I'm fine," Tenten bit out.
"Actually, I should probably take both of them," Kakashi replied, completely ignoring Tenten's protest.
Genma face flitted from surprise to shocked anger. Did he seriously not trust him?
"It's not that," Kakashi quickly explained, realising what he may have implied. "I'm just thinking of Hinata's father, and what he would make of it, if it were you who dropped off his teenage daughter, piss drunk, alone in the middle of the night."
It only took a moment for Genma to contemplate his remark. "You know, you may have a point there."
Kakashi nodded, knowing that even he would have trouble trying to convince Hiashi not to kill him the moment he set eyes on his daughter's state.
"Actually, I think I'll be the one to take them."
Both bodies spun quickly at the new voice, neither having noticed his approach. Neji stood there with arms crossed and a fierce scowl on his face. Everything about his stiff posture and cold facial expression made it clear that he had no intention of compromising on the matter.
"Neji," Genma acknowledged in a crisp voice. The boy nodded.
"I told you," Tenten announced again. "I'm fine."
"You're drunk," Neji snapped at her. "And Lady Hinata can barely stand."
"Hinata," Kakashi began carefully. "Did you want your cousin to take you home?"
Hinata looked up with a timid expression. It was obvious that she was nervous about her cousin seeing her in the state she was in. But the damage was already done and Neji would be much better at avoiding her father's attention than Kakashi.
Hinata let her eyes drop to her feet. "Yes," she admitted quietly.
The boy nodded and then turned his attention to Tenten. His teammate glared back. "I can get home just fine on my own."
"No," all three men replied at once.
If possible, Tenten's eyes darkened even more. "If this is because I'm a girl-"
"Tenten," Neji cut in. "I think you have a few things to say to me. Let us go and we can speak more openly in private."
"Oh, you are so right on that one," the girl replied in a low voice. So she turned to Kakashi. "Good night, Kakashi. It's always a pleasure." Kakashi bit back a smirk, knowing it would only infuriate her teammate even more. As is, the boy's jaw clenched tightly after hearing her remark. "Genma, it was nice to get to know you better. I trust you to be good to her."
"Of course," the Jounin answered smugly, giving Hinata a light squeeze before letting her go. The restraint of the Hyuga was truly legendary because right now, no one in the room had any doubt that Neji wanted nothing more than to kill that man.
Hinata began to teeter over to where her cousin was standing with his hand out, when Genma called over. "Hey, shy girl." Hinata looked up to see Genma's playful, pained expression. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"Oh!" The girl's face flushed in embarrassment. "I'm sorry. Good night Genma, Kakashi sensei. I had a wonderful evening."
Genma shook his head in bemusement. "That's nice Hun, but I was hoping for more along the lines of a goodnight kiss."
Hinata's mouth slowly dropped to form a perfect o-shape. She looked over to Tenten but found her too preoccupied in her own thoughts to give any indication as to what she should do. She then looked back to Genma and he pouted just slightly.
"Come on, Lady Hinata," Neji broke in, irritably. "It's getting quite late."
Hinata fidgeted nervously. "I-I'm sorry Genma. I've got to go."
Genma's looked on with some mild shock. Surely after all that alcohol, she wasn't still that shy? But as Neji left with the two girls in tow, he had to conclude that maybe with her cousin there, he was asking too much.
Once they were gone from view, he turned to his lone friend. "So tell me, how is it that two handsome bastards like us, are the only ones leaving alone tonight?"
Kakashi shrugged. "A better question would be, how is it that the man whose promotion we were supposed to be celebrating, got stuck with the bill?"
Genma frowned, looking down at the table. "Cheep bastards, the lot of them. Well at least I've still got-" The man stopped and rolled his eyes. Apparently he was speaking to thin air.
Kakashi easily hopped in through the girl's open window. Originally he had gone back to his apartment, intending to sleep, but the events of the night kept nagging at his mind. Sure, it had actually been quite a bit of fun but it was also quite the eye opener to a lot of things.
Genma...
The Jounin shook his head. Genma needed a good smack across the head, is what he needed. That and he hoped the sheer amount of alcohol he'd consumed contributed greatly to the treatment of his date. He wanted to trust his friend, and he really did think the man held nothing but the best intentions for the girl, but even so, he was worried.
And then there was the little imp that constantly plagued him. He never used to see her, and now she was everywhere. Even in his own home, all he had to do was look at his Icha Icha collection and her bright eyes and grinning expression would pop to mind.
And what did he learn about his little sprite? Well for one, the girl was defensive as all hell. Actually he'd come to suspect that earlier on, but now he was sure of it. He didn't know why, but it bothered him to know the girl felt as though she were in a constant competition with all those around her. And two, he liked being around her far more than he had any right to, and that thought scared the shit out of him.
He needed to see her again. To speak with her away from the others, and to reaffirm the boundaries between them.
As Kakashi entered the girl's apartment, he immediately became aware that Tenten was not actually there. She had been though, as he was met with the clear signs of a fight. Not a big one, and probably more of a temper tantrum, but the fact that one of her potted plants was currently smashed against the apartment door and one of her side tables seemed to have had its contents pushed to the floor, told him the girl was not happy.
He frowned, taking a closer look. Neji was supposed to drop her off before taking Hinata home, so perhaps the two had had a falling out before he left? It would make sense. The boy was anything but happy with the way the night had gone, and Tenten certainly had enough reason to be peeved.
So they'd had a fight and Tenten left to cool off, or whatever. Normally that would be fine, but the girl was drunk, and still recuperating, and acting a bit emotional. He should probably find her, he decided after only a moment's survey. It was only the right thing to do, and besides, he'd feel guilty if he were to leave her pass out drunk on a bench or the like.
The Jounin bit his thumb, made a few hand seals, and after a puff of smoke, a small Pug sat on his haunches before him. Pakkun took a quick glance around the unfamiliar apartment and then gave Kakashi an incredulous stare.
"Pakkun, I need you to track down Gai's student, Tenten. This is her apartment, so that's her scent you smell," Kakashi told him with practised ease. "It couldn't have been long since she left."
"Do you think your mate's in trouble?" the dog asked, circling a bit and sniffing the air.
Kakashi's eye widened in surprise then immediately schooled his features into a frown. "She's not my mate. Why would you even think that?"
Pakkun's incredulous look returned. "You've been wearing her scent."
"I've been around her quite a bit lately. So I'm not surprise you can-"
"By around, you must mean on her, then," the dog countered easily, trotting up to the windowsill. "At least by the smell of it. So, is she in trouble?"
"I don't think so but I do need to make sure she's okay... and I haven't been on her," he added after a pause. She just keeps finding ways to get on me, his mind finished with a slight twinge of guilt. "Anyways, can you find her?"
Pakkun gave him a look that clearly said, are you serious?
"Follow me," the dog said, jumping out the window to the next building's roof. The Jounin quickly followed and soon the two were speeding over the village, jumping from building to building.
After a few moments, Pakkun glanced over his shoulder. "By the direction of the scent, my guess is she's gone to the training grounds."
