A/N: Was supposed to be purely a lemon. My brain turned it into something a little more like lemon plus extras...so I decided this much is a decent amount for a first chapter.
Mind you this is an AU piece set post-war, in case it wasn't obvious.
I claim no ownership of the characters herein, excepting OCs I introduce.
In the main the story will look at both "past" (just after the war) and "present" (some longer time after the war) with a bit of an exploratory goal in mind. This is written just for fun, so please don't kill me . :P
"I fell asleep," she muttered apologetically, her eyes sliding over the sleepwear-covered figure of her husband. Tenten smiled softly, her slow-kindled appreciation rising to the forefront of her thoughts. She'd only meant to rest her eyes a moment and then sneak into the bathroom and give Neji a helping hand, among other things. Instead, she'd slept the opportunity away. Still it's not as bad as all that. The children are all asleep and baring some terrifying nightmare to send their youngest barrelling for their bedchamber, they should still have a bit of time to themselves. Sitting up, she opens her arms wide in invitation. "Come here, you."
He found his way to her, sitting on the edge of the bed. His touch was light, lips brushing her hairline gently. "You should go back to sleep." Fat chance; she rested her head against his shoulder, hands dropping towards where his shirt ends. Before long her fingers stroked rippling muscles. The answering hiss had her biting her lower lip. "I am not the one who had to wake up early tomorrow," he reminded her. The privilege of the newly returned from missions; she still teased him nonetheless. "Last chance," Neji warned.
Giggling into his shoulder when his own hand brushed against a ticklish spot on its way down, Tenten attempted to grab at the offending limb. If she were slightly more awake and less engrossed in the feel of him against her she might have even succeeded. As matters stood, however, she found herself flat on her back, one hand pushed above her head. "I don't think so, wife." His lips twitched minutely. Tenten melted, smiling fully up at him.
"I missed you," she confessed, her free hand returning under his shirt, sliding up his chest so it might stop just over his heart. The reassuring beat vibrated against her palm. Escort missions always took the longest. "And I really did want to properly welcome you home."
He leaned in until their lips were a hairsbreadth apart. She closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss. It was as good as she remembered, even better considering it was not a memory. Neji released her hand as he broke their lip-lock, staring down at her clothed form. He made quick work of her top, exposing her breasts to his gaze. Countless amorous encounters in and out of bed and three children later and she still managed to blush at the attention. It wasn't embarrassment. Tenten reached out for his hand and brought it over one breast, letting him feel the heft of it. His other hand followed and she sank her teeth into her lower lip to keep from moaning.
Neji's mouth sought hers again, releasing her lower lip from the tyranny of her teeth to the ministrations of his own, scarping the abused flesh softly before he soothed it. Occupying her hands with divesting him of his clothes, she thanked her lucky star once again for his safe return. It took some time to disrobe one another; such exercises had just as much to do with setting the mood as they did with reaching the ultimate goal.
Unhurriedly, her husband delved into kiss after kiss, from her lips down to the column of her throat to her collarbone and gently rounded shoulder. She returned the favour, pressing her lips to every part of him she could reach, enjoying the slight tremble in his limbs which was sure to be mirrored in her own. Anticipation coursed through her veins. It wasn't long before his hands reached lower, teasing fingers giving her one reason after another to bite her lower lip and hide her face away. Neji didn't relent, neither did he pause, devil that he was.
Held wide open she felt him within her, sighing in completion, arms wounding around his neck, one hand settled at his nape, the other slightly lower, pulling him down towards her. They stood like that for a moment, locked tightly together, a hum of pleasure tethering them together. He brushed a few strands of hair out of her eyes. His weight pinned her in place, making it impossible to move without disrupting the pleasant connection. "You feel so good." His words brushed over the shell of her ear. Tenten whimpered, tightening the grip of her inner muscles. His responding grunt earned him a gentle scrape of nails against his nape.
His hands gripped at her hips, fingers digging into the flesh there. She welcomed the rhythm Neji set and the press of his body to hers, having yearned for the connection every day of their separation. She liked sharing herself with him. He changed the angle slightly, lifting her lower half with ease. Tenten embraced him as best she could in those circumstances, fingers finding old scars, the remnants of horror. She caressed him lovingly, doing her best to ignore the pang those reminders always brought. Thankfully, Neji was more than willing to take her mind off of them,
He reached the peak first and she followed, willing her body to embrace him when his arms gave way. It was her favourite moment, the small space of blessed quietness just after the storm had broken where she held him to her, lips melded to his collarbone, the soft pants of breath just to the side warming her heart, not to mention the softening of their limbs into an exhausted tangled mass.
With a grunt he pulled halfway to the side, detangling their lower halves ever so slowly; the last steps of a well-performed dance. He settled on his side, facing her. She remained comfortably on her back, turning just her head. "I missed you too." His voice was thready still. His eyes closed.
Hers didn't. She looked him over in the semi-darkness of their bedroom, gaze falling to those silver-grey expanses of flesh. Tenten turned at long last, burrowing into him for comfort. Neji's arm fell about her waist, anchoring her to him. "I love you," she whispered into his chest.
"Love you more." She huffed at that; it was not possible. She didn't tell him as much.
She nearly lost him then. She still might. Tenten sits quietly by herself, back against the wall. If this were a mission, she'd jump in to help him, though the gods knew Neji would not thank her for it. More likely he would scold her for taking unnecessary risks. On any other day, the thought would've brought a smile to her face. Now she contemplates his words darkly, heart squeezing in her chest. Any one of them could die out there; shinobi are beaten over the head with this knowledge until it becomes second nature. But knowing and doing are two very different matters, aren't they. Tenten always figured she'd be first to go, if anything. That it might be Neji was astonishing, almost incomprehensible. It made her want to scream at the gods in anger. It wasn't fair.
The sick feeling in the pit of her stomach coiled as a painful knot. She hunched over further to keep from simply falling to the ground and curling, rather pathetically, into herself. She couldn't afford to fall apart, not when the die was yet to be cast. They were still working on Neji. Tenten wanted to think she'd give him a well-deserved what for, but just as likely she'd sit by his bedside, peeling fruits. She didn't know; none of his hospital stays up to that point had been similar. Neji did not often sustain wounds of significant magnitude and most times his sojourns into the land of rubbing alcohol and other antiseptic spanned no more than a couple of days, double at most. Tenten bit her lower lip, hoping it'll quell the desire to spring to her feet and barge into the operating room. No such luck, but she managed to keep her muscles tightly locked.
A full figure obscured her vision quite suddenly, pulling her out of her thoughts. Looking up, Tenten met familiar eyes. Hinata held out some water. "Here, have a drink." Her soft voice wavered, barely above a whisper. Still those were the first words she had heard in hours and, after a whole battlefield of barked commands, they hit her squarely in the chest.
"Thank you," she managed, her own voice hoarse. Hinata nodded and sat down by her. It occurred to Tenten that she could ask Hinata to take a peek inside and set her at ease. Perversely, she was reminded the situation could, on the flip side, be rather more desperate than she'd reckoned. And did she truly want to know that? Hope was a dangerous thing, but powerful. Then again, Tenten wasn't the realist of their little group.
"You've been here almost as long as I have," the heiress pointed out. She placed her hand upon Tenten's, the warmth of her fingers a spark of colour into a monotone world. As though a great wall had been pierced to crumbling, her defences fell, leaving raw grief exposed. The first sob she tried to swallow, the result a choked sound. She hid her face in her hands and sobbed as quietly as she could, the swell of tension night unbearable. Long limbs wrapped around her. Hinata was surprisingly good at comforting people. Tenten wasn't certain how long she put on such a display, but when she finally ran out of tears and was forced to face the world, her first sight was a tears-stained face, perhaps mirroring her own.
"I'm sorry." She embraced Hinata back awkwardly. It had been long since anyone offered her such a hug. As a general rule, she was fending off Guy's bone-crushing clasps and Lee's fair imitations. Neji had never been one for physical contact outside training or perhaps picking her up if she were hurt on common missions. Her parents had, of course, embraced her. But those memories were hazy. Sniffling, she drew away. She was almost about to repeat herself when Hinata shook her head.
"No; don't be." Hinata's hand gave her own a pat before the contact between them ceased.
Nevertheless, she was. For a great number of things, even. But most of all, her own cowardice needled her. She'd known her own feelings towards Neji for a good, long time. Realising had taken her a bit, though she'd been quite sure before long. There was no excuse for never coming clean to him, except perhaps the fear of breaking something between them. Had he rejected her, she would've been doubtlessly hurt, but she would live. Were only that at stake, Tenten wanted to believe she would have approached Neji and confessed. But what if he turned away from their friendship as well?
Breathing in deeply to calm herself, Tenten busily wiped away at the excess moisture on her face. She would tell him when he felt better, when he had some hope of ingesting her words and turning them over and over in his head. Whatever his choice then, she could not tel. Tenten knew a fair lot about Neji, for within Team Guy, they'd been ever inclined one towards the other. Still and all, his heart remained a mystery throughout their years of friendship.
Her musings were interrupted by the sound of rapid footfalls against the ground. She looked to the side, nearly welcoming the distraction. A medic-nin was hurrying down an adjacent hallway, carrying a bundle in his arms. He was gone as soon as he'd appeared. Many other procedures had reached a successful end; Lee had even been by to tell her news of Guy, both rejoicing at their teacher's survival. She had sent her teammate promptly back when he made to sit by her, tasking him most solemnly with caring for the other. And Lee, bless his heart, had given her a stern nod, leaving Neji in her care. Hinata, who'd been sitting a small distance away and very likely overheard, had no discernible reaction to their talk. His clan would likely take over caring for him, but she might wheedle visiting privileges from his cousin, she'd thought then. And so she would.
She woke with a start, breath released in a long hiss. Cold sweat clung uncomfortably to her nape. Tenten inhaled, the strong scent of antiseptic burning her nostrils. Momentarily disoriented, she looked wildly about, her hand searching for a weapon. Billowing white drapes streamed in the steady breeze, light spilling over into the room. She looked down with sudden worry as her brain finally connected all the clues. Neji slept still, one of his hands grasped by her own. He was less sallow than before. Perhaps it was only a hope, but she rather thought his colour had improved some. The nurses had kindly instructed her on most procedures needed to care for him, only too happy for the extra pair of hands. The war had left more than enough wounded for the medical staff to work upon. That she had been allowed custody of the tasks pertaining to Neji was nothing short of a miracle, though Tenten had her suspicions it was Hinata's hand at work in all of it, for who else might have bought her such a change.
If that was the case, though, the kunoichi never made mention of it. In fact, every single time she visited, accompanied at times by her father and at times by her sister, Tenten noticed she asked questions aplenty. Uncertain what the goal was, she answered to the best of her abilities, satisfied when the words were accepted.
Lifting from her seat, Tenten muffled a yawn with the back of her hand. She rubbed her eyes and then proceeded to wash her hands. Moving easily to the small cabinet where she kept sponges and the soap provided to them. She had been familiar with much of his body from before, having wrapped her fair share of wounds for him, but the rest of him had been a revelation nonetheless. If he were in health, she'd have likely expired on the spot, yet as matters stood she found the wherewithal to leave off her first response of pounding heart and rushing blood, and concentrate on following the instructions provided to her. It was a morning ritual she observed religiously, in part enjoying the cleanliness, but more so wanting to make Neji as comfortable as could be. She hummed as she worked, a cheery tune meant to keep her spirits high.
Once done, she sat back in her chair, relaxing ever so slightly. "It's been sunny these past few days," Tenten said conversationally. Even if she hadn't been encouraged to keep a steady stream of conversation for his benefit, she wanted to share something of the outside world with him. "It really helped with all the rebuilding work. You won't believe how fast these people move. They've practically rebuilt half of what was destroyed already." She went on, keeping him well informed of the goings-on in their little corner of the world. When she ran out of news to impart, she picked up the novel she'd been reading aloud to him from where they'd left off.
It was some time later that a knock on the door alerted her to the arrival of visitors. Tucking the book away, she granted entrance to whoever was on the other side. She had half-expected to see Lee's head pop in and a greeting filled with ever-youthful energy follow. That she was faced with Hiashi Hyuga without the protective shield of Hinata between them put her ill at ease from the first.
Whatever her feelings, she gave a proper bow to the man, inviting him to have a seat. That he was now without any of his daughters had to hold some significance. Tenten excused herself, citing her need for food as reason behind her departure. While Neji had the unfortunate fate of intravenous feeding, she had to sustain herself the old-fashioned way.
It took no effort to locate Ino once in the mess hall. The blonde waved her hand in acknowledgement, then pointed to the open seat opposite her. Tenten nodded at the unspoken invitation and procured her food on short order. "Girl, you look like you haven't slept a wink," Ino noted. It was odd seeing her without Sakura since the two of them were generally joined at the hip these days.
"I caught a bit here and there, no worries," Tenten answered. "You don't look any better, just for the record." She wasn't teasing either. Holding out a bun she invited the other to take half. "How are you holding up?"
"Could be worse." The words were light, the sentiment behind them anything but. "Keeping busy helps." Tenten grunted in agreement, having shoved a goodly portion of that delicious looking bun in her mouth after Ino broke off her half. "How's Neji doing?"
Tenten swallowed, taking a sip of her water to soothe her scratched throat. "I thought he looked a little better today," she offered tentatively. Another bite of food followed. "Some days I just don't know. " At least Neji was still alive. Glancing into Ino's sorrowful eyes, Tenten reached out to touch her arm. It was a minute pat, if anything. Inadequate. "How about some fresh air when we're done here?"
Info shook her head with a thin smile. "Don't keep Neji waiting on my account."
"I trust his uncle can look after him for a bit." That put paid to the protest. They ate the rest of their meal in relative silence. Sometimes words were not needed. There mere fact that they sat amongst their countrymen enjoying simple fare in a relatively relaxed environment soothed the soul; or as much as it as could be.
The war was over, after all.
Outside the sun was shining. Fat lazy cloud rolled across the cerulean expanse, their cotton-candy consistency visible at a glance. They sat on one of the benches and watched the sky together. There wasn't all that much to speak of. Old scabs should be allowed their time, lest all the poking and prodding reopen the wounds. Comfortable with the silence and the warmth of sunrays stroking her hands, Tenten hummed appreciatively. Her mind was less than helpful in the attempt to relax, sending a good number of reminders her way, some to do with domestic chores and her own needs, others revolving around her teammate.
"Hey, Tenten, I've been meaning to ask you," Ino trailed off, placing a hand on her shoulder so as to better capture her attention. The intent clear to her, Tenten turned to stare at the present company. "Aren't you going to enrol into the new nursing program? Sakura says you've been doing a great job and they can use all the personnel they can get just about now."
"I've considered it, but I'm not really interested. Honesty was the best policy.
"Oh, so it is a Neji thing." Briefly, Tenten wondered at the note in her friend's voice. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Indo held both hands up in a placating manner. "Hey, I'm not judging. Want me to let Sakura know you're not interested then?" Her belligerence dispelled, Tenten felt her shoulders drop.
"I'll tell her myself." It shouldn't surprise her. She's not living through an experience entirely novel to humanity. "Might as well explain what I have in mind anyway. She might feel slighted otherwise." Sakura was kind-hearted enough, as it went, but sometimes she had the strangest notions and ended up quite invested.
"Can I ask what it is?" Ino questioned, giving her a slightly mischievous look, as if she knew all her secrets. That was ludicrous, of course, as Tenten had barely any secrets to speak of. And certainly none which merited such a look.
"I had a little bit of money from my parents, along with a fat missions-purse, and I've been thinking of making an investment." The soft oval of Ino's lips was a very nice face of realisation. "My expertise on weapons could be valuable, to the right clientele. Plus if I sell specialised weapons too, it's bound to be a nice package, right?"
"That's not a bad thought, not by a long shot. Do you have a space in mind, or are you still searching? There was this little place on the main street which might work." They spoke on that topic for some time. Ino was surprisingly canny in business matters, making some very welcome suggestions. "Let me know when you get some time to look the place over. I could cone with you."
"And I'd love to have you along." Further details would have to be ironed out at a later date, for Ino was just at the end of her shift and her escort home, a grumbling Shikamaru, had actually arrived on time. Those two took their leave, an argument breaking out between them before they'd managed to take more than five steps.
Biting her cheek against the amusement which threatened to overwhelm her, Tenten climbed to her feet and took a look around. There didn't seem to be anything which might hold her attention and she had given Hiashi a fair amount of time with his nephew. Besides, the nurses had said they'd be lowering the dosage of the sedative soon, and she wanted to be there just in case Neji cracked an eye open. He'd be disoriented and very much off in his own world, she didn't doubt, but she'd like to be there for him nevertheless. And if Hiashi was still not done by the time she there, she could always pay her teacher another visit. He'd likely think nothing of their frequency. Lee would be happy, if nothing else. She did smile at the thought.
As it turned out, however, both mentor and mentee of the wrapped in green spandex variety were just as committed to paying visits as she was, thus she returned to find those two along with Hiashi. Tenten blinked at the incongruous picture. "Tenten, my youthful flower, you have returned to us at last," greeted Guy in his own special way, as though they'd not seen one another just yesterday.
She sent an apologetic look Hiashi's way. Lee and Guy were a bit of an acquired taste, after all. "I just had a bite with Ino." Since Lee had occupied her seat, she moved nearer to the window, leaning against the sill. Unlike the usual flowers which adorned such a spot on regular occasions, she was neither as still, nor as quiet, which was just as well since her interventions were needed to quell the still very boisterous natures of the Beast and the Devil. Luckily, they seemed minded to behave well. And in the end when they left she decided a reward was in order. Not so heartening was the fact that Hiashi Hyuga did not seem at all inclined to move from his spot, electing instead to fix her with one of those fathomless stares which shot warning tingles up her spine. She would have to wait him out, naturally.
"When my daughter recommended we leave Neji in your care, I confess to being reluctant." She had figured as much. Tenten met his gaze without wavering. "I was wrong. There is one question I would out to you. How far are you willing to go?"
Her brow furrowed in the effort to penetrate the layers of meaning which surely lurked beneath the words. "As far as he needs me." As far as she was allowed, in any event, though something told her the question was not meant to put her off her course. Not at the time, at least.
"I see." Such a simple response. Such a complicated meaning. Did he truly see though? Could he guess her heart as easily as he might observe her chakra paths? "It is good to have some constants in one's life." He let it at that and she was set adrift. Could he not have simply come out and say whatever it was he wanted from her? Apparently not. Tenten bit back a sign and saw him out when he stood. She almost did not catch the faint flicker in his gaze. But even that discovery brought more questions than answers and she wished someone had written a manual on emotionally closed-off, stern men to guide her.