A/N: In the midst of writing this chapter, I've realized how much of a filler chapter this was... It's mostly just Neji, TenTen and them learning the basics about each other, TenTen realizing that Neji has some past shrouded in mystery and TenTen basically ranting of her love for weapons, specifically kunais. I hope you enjoy nonetheless :) Disclaimer found on the first chapter

Childhood Misadventures
- because every good partnership has some history -

Episode Two – Silver Eyes and Metal Kunais

Neji Hyuuga had always made his way to school alone, and alone, was what he had always wanted to be. In his heart and busy schedule, there was no time for friends, and childish attachments. He found them to be nothing else but troublesome ordeals that will hinder his path to strength and success but today, there was certainly something different that was going on in his life.

His mother couldn't help but let out a surprised gasp when a cheeky young girl made her way to their doorstep asking for her son. It was a pleasant surprise nonetheless, and his mother was quite joyful to know that her son was finally beginning to make friends. Better late than never, his mother who was in fear that her son was to turn into an anti-social outcast thought as a sense of relief came over her. She hurriedly took her son by his hand and led him towards their home's entrance, "Neji, do you have your lunch with you already? Did you forget anything?"

"I'm fine…" the young Hyuuga told his mother as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, not meeting his mother's doting gaze. Every child's worst fear is to be embarrassed in front of their friends by their parents after all, and though Neji was a stoic, cool and talented boy, his mother still knew things about him he much rather keep a secret from the world. He began to walk away when he heard his mother interrogating his young companion.

"How long have you known my son?" inquired his mother as she bent down to meet young TenTen's gaze, her tone quite ecstatic. Of course she was very much curious to find out how this young girl managed to seep through her icy and anti-social son's heart. It was not an easy task, because she had witnessed plenty of young boys try to make friends with Neji and ended up with trauma from his insightful and frightening glare.

The girl grinned as she easily answered the question, "I met him last week! It was funny when we realized we actually went to the same class. He's pretty arrogant, isn't he ma'am?"

"Yes, yes, my dear boy has always been quite proud, hasn't he? I should really tell you of the time when he… He really was a cute young boy," His mother had said with a smile as she patted the young girl's head.

"What did he do?" TenTen asked, obviously curious of what Neji had done in the past. Who wouldn't be? After all, his mother had made it sound like it was such an important thing shrouded with mystery.

The Hyuuga boy twitched as he began to retrace his steps, knowing that his mother would scar his male pride forever in the words she was about to speak. He took the girl by her collar and swiftly dragged her away from his mother who opened her mouth to say something. It was a shame, but sadly, TenTen didn't manage to hear whatever Neji's mother said.

She laughed at the obviously panicked look on the usually calm and cold genius boy, "Why? Was what she about to say so frightening to you?"

The Hyuuga did not reply, trying his best to regain his lost cool composure.

"Your mother seems cheerful. She's really nice." TenTen commented as they resumed their walk to school. She took out a kunai from her holster and began spinning it with her index finger; it was a habit she had whenever she felt bored.

"She's not happy at all… she hasn't been for four years." The Hyuuga boy mumbled under his breath, looking up at the sky before calling out to the girl, "Hurry up idiot, we're going to be late."

The girl took a short glance at the back of the Hyuuga boy. She knew there was something about his past that he was hiding… but she knew she had no right to know what it was. After all, they were only friends, and only have been for a week… Instead, she called out to the young boy, "Hey Neji, you know what? I like weapons."

She wanted to know plenty of things about the boy, and she knew deep inside that she would. It was just a matter of time, and she could accept it if now was not the time.

Turning to face her, the boy's lips curved upwards to a small smile; he couldn't help it, "I know."

It was obvious; TenTen didn't know how difficult it was to even reach out to the brooding boy in front of her.

"I've never realized it before Neji, but you have silver eyes…" 8-year-old TenTen stated as she closely inspected the face of her newly-made "friend". They sat under a tree eating their lunches together. She continued to stare at his silver orbs for eyes before asking, "Why are they that way? This is the first time I've seen someone with silver eyes, there's brown, black, blue, green, amber, and even red! But I've never seen silver eyes before."

The boy backed away from the girl who was beginning to get too close to his face for comfort. His departed father had always told him that you must always maintain distance between females. Even though TenTen had acted like a boy, Neji knew that she, in fact was still a female specie. After having backed away to a safe distance, he answered her question, "It's because of my bloodline limit, Byakugan."

"I see! It's really cool! Do you get to do anything special with it?" TenTen asked the boy excitedly.

The boy smirked haughtily, "Of course I do. The Byakugan is the best Bloodline Limit in all of Konoha; that's why the Hyuuga clan are considered nobles."

"Is that so? I want to be a Hyuuga then." The girl told him dreamily as she took a bite from her lunch, which happened to be a ham and egg sandwich, "I want to get stronger and stronger, and even closer to my goal!"

"It's better if you not be a Hyuuga…" the boy said darkly, his gaze unable to meet hers, "It's not all candy-colored as it seems to be…"

TenTen may have been young but she wasn't stupid. She knew that there was something about his skill, his clan that he hid from her, perhaps from everyone, but she knew better than to meddle into his affairs. She would often see him brooding alone during school-time before, and she was content in actually being in speaking-terms with the boy. She didn't want to upset him by digging up something she shouldn't be getting into; she knew the difference between playful jokes and sensitive topics. She decided to change their point of conversation instead; it was odd, but it was always the statement she gave whenever she tried to change the subject, "I like weapons."

Neji couldn't help but blink, "I know… you've been telling me that nonstop since I've met you."

"I like how the sleek metal of a kunai reflects the sunshine when I throw it at targets and I never miss, did you know that?" she told the boy, who wasn't really paying much attention to the words of the young girl. All that existed for the boy at the moment was his chopsticks and a piece of tamago sushi, intricately prepared by his mother in the most exact of temperatures. She eyed the boy annoyed, "Are you even listening to me?"

"Yeah, whatever…" Neji mumbled as he searched for another tamago sushi in his bento box, poking its contents with his chopsticks.

"You aren't, huh?" she rolled her eyes as she took another bite from her sandwich, "But still, don't you find kunais just plain fascinating? In times of need, a kunai might as well be the thing that saves a ninja's life. I feel a sense of comfort in just holding one."

"It's not a kunai that saves you in times of danger, TenTen. It's strength." The boy told her as he finally closed his bento box after finishing its contents. He inserted the lunch box into his school bag then stood up from the ground, wiping the dirt that managed to stick to his shorts, "We better go back, class is bound to start soon."

"A kunai adds to your strength, you know?" TenTen stuck out her tongue.

The young boy smirked, "Whatever you say TenTen…"

"Hey, hey, take me seriously here!" TenTen called out as she chased after the boy.

"You should be glad, our next class concerns with your favorite thing in the world, a kunai." Neji stated as she managed to catch up to him, currently, trying to poke him with her weapon, all of which he managed to evade with the grace expected of him. In the past week he had spent with the girl, constant sparring had occurred, and he did know that her strength was not to be belittled. She also learned of the genius he truly did possess.

"Really?" Her eyes shone with anticipation, "That's great! I can get to beat you to a pulp!"

"I highly doubt that…" the Hyuuga prodigy stated with one eyebrow raised, "It has to be the other way around."

"I guess you weren't lying when you said that you were talented in far-range combat. You only missed one target, because you accidentally tripped, courtesy of a dead twig, and it wasn't too far from bulls-eye either." Neji commented as they were on their way from school. It could have been a compliment but TenTen was pretty sure that Hyuuga Neji did not give off compliments, "I guess you have reasons to have an abnormal fixation with kunais."

The girl stuck her tongue out at him, "I told you I was incredible, you're just an idiot not to believe it."

The Hyuuga huffed proudly, "But if I remember correctly, I didn't miss a single target either. You're still light years away from me, TenTen."

"Heh, I bet you were the one who placed that cursed twig there, Neji." TenTen told him jokingly then asked, "By the way, where are you going?"

"Training." The boy replied then made a follow-up explanation, "Even geniuses have to train because there is this small possibility that we might get rusty."

"Hmm… sounds like fun." TenTen told him with a grin, as she skipped her way to wherever her destination was.

Neji disliked training with anyone else, he enjoyed being secluded in the forest, conspiring against the head family and thinking of techniques to become even stronger, but TenTen… as uncomfortable it was for him to say it, she was his friend, comrade. He somewhat enjoyed her company… "Want to come with me?"

Her eyes shone with excitement with the invitation, "Why not? Practicing with me will surely make you better!"

"It's me who's doing you the favor." The Hyuuga boy told her, a small smile forming in his face. He didn't know if it were a good thing, but he felt it was easier to smile when it was her by his side. He felt like he was 4 years old again.

"Hey Neji, you know something?" TenTen exclaimed as they made their way to training grounds. The young Hyuuga boy turned to her, awaiting her statement. She grinned widely as she said the words:

"I like your silver eyes too!"

Neji turned away, a smile gracing his face. For some reason, he felt rather happy.

Happiness… she always seemed to give him that feeling.

:Tsuzuku - to be continued:

A/N: For some reason, I manage to continue writing this fic quite quickly, now I seem to want to finish it before summer's over in my country, though technically, this might turn out to be one hell of a long fic because I can see a kiddie Neji and TenTen in lots of predicaments. XD This chapter seems somewhat pointless, if I keep on revolving on the same idea, this will definitely turn out boring so I'll wrack my brain for some humor now… T.T And a question, do they seem to be 8 years old in the fic? I'm not too sure if I catch their conversations to be for their age, because since they're 8, they're already capable of intelligent statements, and the two of them seem particularly mature in the series anyhow. But despite all that, they're still quite young… Okay… I'm ranting now, don't mind me T.T Anyway, I hope you still enjoyed this chapter… :) Thank you for the reviews in the premiere chapter and R/R!