Title: Hyuuga Engaged

Chapter: 2 – Becoming Acquainted

Author: Rekino

"Yuki," the Byakugan inheritor growled out, my eyes widened considerably.

This porcelain looking prick was…?

"Neji-sama," she said with a bow.

HIS FIANCE!

I scowled into my teacup. Holding it with both hands and taking a polite sip as custom berated us to. We were seated on the floor, wide cushions under our folded legs and an intricately painted Japanese tea set in front of us. Neji sat beside me, his presence gratefully reassuring me, thankfully enough, against facing the demon horde. His eyes were closed, which from all the years I've come to know Hyuuga Neji was a sign that this wasn't a very good thing. He was struggling to recompose his attitude- making sure not to say anything rude- mainly out of finesse, since she was technically a guest and his future wife. Making the heated desire within him to chuck Yuki out disperse. Every few seconds his eyes would open to look at his- wait for it- fiancé. Tiny specks of ivory bore into her angrily. Yet she ignored it as if all the anger was focused on me and not on her. Which it wasn't!

She turned to face me, sky blue eyes sparkling maliciously. I returned a heated shot of dislike furiously. "So," she began in a sugary sweet drone that made me feel as if I wouldn't want to touch, nor come close to anything remotely sweet after. "you are Neji-sama's…" she paused, evidently for effect, "friend." she said the last note with an intended snarl that I picked up quite easily, my ninja skills not failing me. Bitch.

"Now I wouldn't just say friend, per say." It was lovely to see her face grimace. "We're much more than that." I emphasized the adjective with a waggle of my eyebrows, making her think I was hinting at something far beyond her knowledge. Neji just sat there, being detached from the world as usual, which was revolving destructively around him. Jerk, go ahead and be neutral will you.

Her painted pale face fell as she blanched disgustedly, "Oh?" she said with frown.

"Yes, like I said before, we are so much more than friends."

"Best friends?" she suggested sounding almost hopefully. I stifled a laugh. It was delightful to watch her squirm like this. Too bad my hair wasn't out otherwise I would have flicked it over my shoulder in contempt.

"Oh, no, we are best friends. It's more like we share a rather interesting bond." I checked my fingernails. She paled more, her ruby red lipstick making it seem like the only source of blood on her face. Yuki's long-lashed eyes came to angry slits, her appearance more demonic due to the traditional dress and make up she was wearing.

I placed the glassware down. "I guess there's a particular term we could use. Too bad it slipped my mind." I noted tapping my chin with my pointer finger. How badly did I want to skewer this girl with my new kodachi? Enough that it almost hurt.

"Is that so?" she inquired icily. I threw a false smile in her direction. But no, a girl can't have fun around the Hyuuga household, because Neji had to butt in to spoil my fun. "Well I do not think that was the only thing that slippe-"

"Yuki," he said in a monotone, shifting both of our attentions to him. I continued to sip tea. Growling in the back of my throat for his intrusion in the conversation just when it was getting exciting. "Why are you here?" Yuki, the Mihito bitch, looked disappointed at the question as if expecting something else. HAH! Take that whore!

She feigned flattery. "I was here to visit you Neji-sama," whenever she said that accursed 'Neji-sama' the desire to throw up was right there along with it. I closed my eyes and drank in the warm liquid of the tea, its effects calming me. "It was unfortunate that you had brought a guest however."

There goes the calm…

I snapped up, my eyes squinting in anger. How obviously insulting that was supposed to be. My grip increased on the cup; in the back of my head I was actually afraid of shattering it. Yet even in the pure crimson I saw through I didn't take the bait that she planned for me so casually. I was a born strategist. I made people fall for mine. So I bit my lip and kept myself from shouting at her.

Neji cut in, "Tenten is a close companion of mine. Disrespect towards her means disrespect towards me." I cheered mentally.

Go Neji! I closed my eyes once more, a small smile on my face, humming a soft indecisive tune.

"Oh, forgive me Neji-sama," Her grovelling was making me sick, both physically and mentally. "Yuki-san did not know," she murmured, on the verge of sobbing.

The Byakugan master grunted unused to these types of situations. I mean think about it. The only females he had ever talked to besides me were a couple of old maids, his cousin Hinata, and some other anonymous relatives. I doubt he'd have seen a girl cry before this.

"Neji, that match," I asked, saving him in an instant and reminding him of our agreement earlier. I gazed at him lazily through the corner of my eye. He nodded and stood up, ignoring the dangerous looks of death being shot at me that I happily returned from the director.

His steps were slow and agile, the tapping against the mat grinding into my acute senses. I could sense his chakra from behind me. I turned to look at his actions. He was now standing in front a rack, which held an assortment of weapons that even I would have been proud of. Carefully taking a katana with an obsidian coloured handle, he motioned for me the weapon in one hand, to follow him out of the disgustingly ever-present white room.

The little prim princess glared at me, and I just grinned tauntingly. "Neji-sama…"

Neji stopped at the doorway, not bothering to look back. "Go back home Yuki," and with that we left, me smirking all the while. I swear! That was the sweetest four words I have ever heard in my whole life! Yet when we were outside of the room, he spun around deftly to politely close the shoji door. Which on its own kinda annoyed me. I hoped it was a habit, I didn't like knowing that he closed it for her.

I walked, step by step, letting him take control by leading, "I don't like her," I said honestly. He was a friend, and I don't ever lie to friends. It was also his fiancé so he had a right to know. He let out a sigh.

"That itself was as much obvious to us as the sun," he pointed out mockingly. I sniffed and held my head up high.

I guessed, "You don't like her either."

He stopped and I instantly regretted what I said. I did not want to face a mad Neji. That was like hell itself. The seconds ticked by and outside in the garden, the water tapped against a bamboo shoot with a melodic ring. But awkwardly he slowly nodded as if guilty to be caught in the act, "Yes, I possess as much likeness towards her as you do. Which is none existent." Woah, I was right?

"Then why are you getting married to her?" I blurted out as he chose the time to resume walking. His shoulders fell back into a lame shrug.

"Tradition, assumptions that I get married, unity. The usual reasons why people of power get married."

I didn't like his answer one bit. I for one wouldn't get married like that. Hell, I didn't even want to think about marriage. I shivered as a feeling a cold slickness passed through my veins. "I don't think you should get married…" I murmured in quiet rebellion. No NO NO! My best friend was not going to get married to that good-for-nothing tramp!

"Partly the reason why I'm engaged is because I doubt I'll find anyone else to marry," he sounded so truthful, as if honestly thinking that there would never be a girl willing to be with him. That hurt me, I don't understand why though. My mouth fumbled to reply. Words stuck to the back of my throat like glue.

Uh uh! Neji can get married to practically anyone- except maybe Sakura who was dating Sasuke at the moment. But I answered differently to what I thought.

I stated, "I doubt that." GREAT ANSWER Tenten! Shut up, damn mind.

"Why?"

"Neji you know, for being a master of the Byakugan with an almost unbreakable defence," I could feel his eye twitch at the word 'almost', "you're as dense as that cutie Sasuke."

He stopped briefly, and I noticed we were at his training grounds. The grounds simply being a relatively large open space within the whole household. How… interesting. I'm obviously being sarcastic here.

His dark hair whipped around him when he turned around with speed to face me, unsheathing the blade settled cautiously in his palm. "You think Sasuke's cute?" came the question, his eyebrow twitched. It was obvious he was annoyed by my answer.

I smiled a roguish smile. I nodded and brought out my kodachi from my back. "Yeah, I think Sasuke's cute," watching his face for any type of visible reaction. His mouth was set at a grim line and his eyes had taken a cold sheen.

Oooooh, was Neji jealous? I wonder why, I mused.

But pooh, Neji had to go ahead and disturb me from my wicked thoughts. He lashed out impulsively. Swinging his sword in a downward scythe without warning, the long device cutting through the air. The wind brushed past my face in a whistle, as if taunting me. I frowned in the momentum before leaping out the way in time and parried the blow easily enough with one of my own.

I wasn't called 'Weapon Master' for nothing, you know? Oh you didn't know? Well, now you do.

We rounded one another warily, a few metres separating us from pain. He made a feint, but I knew what he doing, I slipped out a kunai towards the real attack. He blocked it instantly. Giving me enough time to lunge forward and slice him back. He grabbed his katana and held it readily to his chest. We met blow after blow, matching the other perfectly. It was like some deadly dance. The movements graceful, lithe and agile.

The distance was a good seven metres, I calculated quickly. I panted, my breathing almost erratic. My tongue darted out to moisten my lips that had gone startlingly dry. I tried to concentrate on my opponent. Beads of perspiration came to fall on Neji's face, and I noticed that some of his hair had escaped his usual low ponytail. He looked kind of hot.

Argh! Evil thoughts be gone!

I took a silent mental note injuries; a cut on my right thigh where blood stemmed from the wound, a small nick on my neck, a bruise here and there. Nothing I couldn't handle, but the injury on my thigh might impose some sort of a problem. I inspected his wounds and found that it strangely matched mine, though not quite as bad.

Tsk tsk, Neji was aiming to hurt. That meant-

He was jealous. I did think Sasuke was cute, but only because he reminded me of a certain somebody. I grinned sadistically, thinking of all the fun I could have with this. That was when he calmly laid his katana to his side. I blinked in confusion. But I took the time out to admire the finely forged weapon that prayed tribute to its wielder.

Neji slowly closed his eyes and shifted to a stance I knew oh-so-well. My face fell, and I lost all traces of my earlier amusement.

Shit, he was going to use his Byakugan.

To be continued…

Thank you for all your earlier reviews. They were much appreciated. I'd love to take the time out and thank my wonderful beta Aventri! He's so cool! And his advice and comments are the best. Check out his fics by the way- he's writing one of the most superb Neji x Tenten stories I've ever read. Well hope you enjoy this chapter.

# i-dream-of-blue-eyes – I've never had anyone cheer for my fics before… muses It was really a sweet comment that when you said it was great work. Thank you. I'm glad you like it. I positively love Neji x Tenten.

# Aventri – My wonderful beta. You're so helpful! No joke! Thanks so much for everything! D

# iluvkaiba – I'm glad you think they're in character. Because I was actually afraid that they weren't, ya know it took me a full minute to realise that you meant in-character instead of the usual out-of-character. Hahaha, you're comment was great.

# DayDream1o1 – Interesting, hehe good! That was what I was aiming for! And more's coming. winks

# jmj102 – Thanks for the offer for being my beta, 'cept Aventri asked first. But still it was nice to ask. Hope you like this chapter.

# Fwoggie – You know, I really like reading your comments? Hehehe, you usually read my Naruto fics and it's nice to read your reviews. I'm happy you like the plot, it was supposed to be an attention grabber and it was, thankfully. Haha and thanks for telling me it was great. D

# potpourrigrl - I'm glad you like it. Hehe, am continuing as I write.

# nancy – I sometimes wish I was reading this instead of writing it… then I could feel like a giggly school girl, that I am. Lol. I wanna know what happens next too!

# boredathome – hmm the showdown.. wonders if it was an actual match, Tenten would win hands down. And unfortunately sighs Yuki's a rich bitch. It's nice to see Tenten jealous for once, ne? Or is she… hehe… ;p

# chibi-sasuke309 – hehe you sound so cute! Neji… umm I don't even want to start examining his mind, but maybe he does like her…

# Phoe-chan – I actually feel sorry for Yuki, who knows what will happen to her later? Neji and Tenten, they're too cute to feel sorry for.

# Bakutiku – Well, the Mihitos aren't really whores per say. They're prominent in the dancing, acting, performing field. But they don't prostitute themselves. Some of them are actually really nice. It's just Yuki who's a bitch, as for Tenten… well, she just got the shock of her life and she's dealing with a two-faced good for nothing… we can't blame her. ;;

# Cyberwing – lol. Wouldn't it be funny if they started clawing one another one day? Hahaha! Omg… I might just make them do that… lol. Thanks for giving me the idea.

# Lady Literature - Glad you like it! gives hugs back I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this chapter. Next chapter might just come out next week if I'm lucky.

# Kawaii Yoshi – I like the start too. Hehe thanks for praising my writing style, I don't get that often. blushes

Rekino