A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Courtship
For the entirety of his eighteen years of life, Neji has prided himself in the singularity of his focus. To be a strong warrior has been his main goal since his childhood, one that he has sought to achieve through years of strict self-discipline, detachment, and solitude. But a week after meeting his betrothed, he finds himself uncharacteristically distracted. Today he remains seated in the grass of the training grounds after his morning meditation, examining his sword, as if Tenten's craftsmanship holds her secrets. To have the skill to forge such a fine weapon means that she has discipline and patience, he deduces, and to be able to wield it so easily means she too desires to be strong and independent. He turns the sword in his hands, a restlessness overcoming him.
His father had always warned him of the dangers of denial, and Neji knows better than to ignore the stirring he feels in him when he thinks of his betrothed. What he feels is different than admiration, he admits easily, but it is only on this morning that he is able to recognize the emotion as desire. He realizes that he wants to court her, an entirely alien notion. But Neji is pragmatic, and as he contemplates his options, he decides that action will be the only way to alleviate this impatience in him.
Thus, an hour later he finds himself in the shopping district, fielding Lee's teasing good-naturedly as they search for a suitable gift for his bride. "The Neji Hyuga is actually voluntarily going shopping, and for a woman at that," Lee grins, wiggling his eyebrows. Neji rolls his eyes, but the gesture lacks any heat, and the pair continues to amble in comfortable silence. Though Lee can be overzealous, Neji values his advice. He has already told Lee everything he knows about Tenten, but he reiterates that she will value something practical over unnecessary trinkets. As they discuss ideas, they quickly rule out weapons and hair ribbons.
"I think buying her a weapon would be seen as an insult to her abilities," Lee counters when Neji pauses to admire a silver katana displayed in the window of an antique shop. "True," Neji concedes, "Maybe a pair of hair ribbons, for when she is training or working in the smithy?"
Lee shakes his head. Tenten will like the hair ribbons, but her parents might think it cheap. He has to be careful that his gift does not reflect badly on his clan, Lee explains thoughtfully, and Neji wishes not for the first time that he had the social adeptness of his best friend.
They continue on, browsing the shop windows, until at Lee's suggestion, they enter a small boutique at the end of the street. "Jewelry?" Neji asks skeptically as Lee hovers over a glass case near the door. Lee nods over his shoulder, beckoning Neji to take a look. "It is expensive enough to be a respectable gift and her parents will be appeased."
Neji crosses his arms, unconvinced. "I would much rather buy her something she would like." But at Lee's insistence, he carefully peruses the pieces laid in the case. Lee points to a ruby ring for his approval, but Neji shakes his head, "I don't think she would like the feeling of her fingers being restricted."
Jewelry is not the right gift, Neji concludes, and his eyes sweep over the rest of the shop. There are more cases and shelves filled with hair ornaments, shoes, and tiny trinkets, and a few low tables covered in piles of neatly folded clothing. He examines the clothing, testing the fabric between his fingers. Most of the pieces are of dark shades, with forgettable designs. He thinks they are too dreary for someone as fiery as Tenten, and he is just about to turn away when his gaze fixates on a kimono of light green silk, with dragons embroidered in yellow and red thread. Though Neji had noticed how poorly Tenten had treated her yellow kimono, a sudden irrational desire to see her in this kimono seizes him. It is just so Tenten, is his only rationale and Lee gives him two thumbs up at his selection. Not a moment later the shop owner is carefully wrapping it and thanking him for his business.
"Shall we stop for tea?" Lee asks, though he is already towing Neji towards a small teashop. Neji sternly orders him to let go of his arm, to which Lee jokingly feigns offense, "And here I thought Tenten had begun change you for the better." Neji scoffs, but he cannot bring himself to be angry.
Neji brings the kimono to her the next morning, hesitating outside the door of her home when he realizes it is just past sunrise and she might not even be awake. But thankfully, it is Tenten herself who comes to receive him. She is dressed in a sleeveless blouse and cotton pants, her hair tied in two messy buns. She is holding a thermos in one hand and a role of bandages in the other.
"Good morning, Tenten. I hope my timing is not of inconvenience," he greets, gesturing at the thermos and bandages. The way her grip tightens around her thermos tells him she is surprised, and the immediate crossing of her arms as she bids him good morning betrays her nervousness. He is always welcome, she assures him. "I was just going to train, but it can wait." She angles her body to let him step through the door.
"Are your mother and father here?" he asks as he slips off his sandals. They are asleep, but she can wake them if he wishes.
"No, no." He is secretly relieved. "I have something for you."
At first Tenten politely refuses his gift, but at his insistence, she carefully peels back the wrapping tissue. She blinks in surprise when she feels fine silk and her eyes fly up to meet his. "It is to pacify your mother. I'm sure she was not pleased about your yellow kimono," he teases. A smile slowly blossoms on her lips, and she excuses herself for a moment. She emerges a short while later, wearing the kimono, and Neji's knees weaken.
She turns once to show it off, the dragons curling around her knees as if they were alive. "What do you think?"
Beautiful, but Neji cannot say the word. She laughs then and winds her arm through his, and leads him down the path to the smithy.
"I have something for you as well," she tells him, a secretive smile on her lips.
She presents him with a pair of twin daggers, his name engraved in neat script on each hilt. She performs a demonstration, and asks him whether he feels they are a comfortable weight, but he can only smile when he catches her reflection in the blade.
"Yes," he informs her, "Perfect."
She asks him to stay a while, and they walk together through the woods near her home. As they approach a clearing, she reveals it to be her makeshift training grounds. "The target boards are falling apart, but there is no point in fixing them now," she explains ruefully. "But at least," she forces a laugh," my father made me promise I'd help him in the smithy until the day of our marriage."
Neji is unsettled by the shadows clouding her features, but he does not comment. Tenten would not want his pity and he can sense she is eager to change the subject. She wordlessly winds her arm through his again, and they continue on. After an hour she warns him her parents will be up soon, and he takes it as his cue to leave. "But," she hesitates, lightly touching his arm, "this was… nice. We should do this again sometime."
"Yes."
To be a warrior, that has always been his goal. But, Neji mulls, the image of Tenten twirling in her kimono replaying in his mind, perhaps new goals are important as well.
A/N: Thank you for reading and please review!
~M.I.
