A Failed Overture
Disclaimer: Oh my god! I don't own Naruto. Alas, Neji isn't mine. Although of course, his heart belongs to me.
Summary: Stupid drabble. Neji does Tenten the favor this time. NejiXTenten. One shot.
A/N: Lately I found myself being a het writer. I don't know. I guess there are girls in Naruto who really deserve to be paired with the boys. Or maybe I'm just running out of my yaoi juices. At any rate, I adore this pairing to bits; I honestly think they should be together…at times. Enjoy.
--
It was almost an irritant to him the way she'd always follow him, trailing after him like he was a mother and she was his cub. Did she really, honestly, frankly think that he couldn't be let out of her sight just for a day? Ah, it would be hard to look for things more absurd than that. Tenten knew, more than anyone, that Neji could very well spend the day alone, without a fly's company if he pleased.
So he told her that he'd just grab lunch at the village's ramen stand. He couldn't stand the Hyuuga household and its aristocratic way of serving dinner to the Head Family. It's the twentieth century for crying out loud. He didn't bother explaining to Hyuuga Hiashi where he was off to. It would be more trouble than it was worth it, he guessed. He sneaked his way out of the house under broad daylight, with a ready-made excuse of training elsewhere should he be caught by anyone.
As he was shutting the door behind him, there she was leaning against the Hyuuga wall-fence. Her pretext? She said she was going to join him. Just his luck. He really wasn't desiring any particular companion at the time. He had developed when young the kind of stoicism which made him not want anyone hanging around his dinner. Of course, he wasn't about to tell Tenten off, and he didn't suggest anything more than being uncomfortable in her presence. He just nodded; as far as he was concerned, a nod was the safest gesture at instances like this. She gave him her signature smile, which seemed partway exulting and partway guilty. Perhaps she took a hint at his slight frown. In any case, they made their way to the village's center.
They ate in silence. At intervals, Tenten would throw inquiries his way about training, which of course she already knew every detail of. Neji would answer tersely, releasing any information at his disposal, careful not to prolong the pieces of conversation. He never liked talks of this kind; his table etiquette never really consisted conversations, casual or otherwise. When they were done, she thanked him for reasons he couldn't really understand. Maybe she was grateful for his company? Well, for his part, he wasn't.
It was time to say goodbye. No reason for them to stay together any longer than they had to. Neji couldn't help the relief that brushed over him. Finally he'd have a moment's peace.
'Bye, Neji. Thanks for the time.' She said. Unless Neji's eyes were screwed up, she was vaguely blushing; there just below her eyes, a tincture of red appeared visible.
'Uh-huh.' He said and turned away. When he'd covered a few steps, she called to him again. 'What?' he asked her.
She was standing rather stiffly, the way he'd rarely seen her do. She opened her mouth, closed it again and cast down her eyes. It reminded Neji of an actor doing a nervous impromptu.
'Er, maybe…' there was a potential to stutter in her voice. 'I think we need to talk.'
'Talk? About what?' Neji knitted his brows in an attempt to mask on pure innocence. It was all pretense, of course. He knew exactly what she wanted to talk about. Gosh, it was plain to see, simpler than a blank sheet of paper in fact. She wanted him. He didn't need the power of the Byakugan to perceive that. Plus, he wasn't daft, thick or anything. Adolescence made him aware of it. Her actions dictated so. Actions speak louder than words. She might've kept low key about it—or didn't say anything about it—but he knew the long and short of it alright.
'Uh, me. You. Us.' Tenten said, leaving Neji to connect the dots. Yes, that was it. The confirmation of it all. Her eyes were expectant, urgent and entreating.
She had him on a string just then. Talk about perfect timing.
'Yeah, okay, next week.' Neji said, upsetting her. He knew she wouldn't want to postpone it until next week; hell, that seemed enough like half a lifetime! Just that, he wasn't in the mood. He didn't know when he'd be in the mood to talk.
Tenten stared at him then in a rather calculating way. Was she doubting him? They stood face to face, separated by an innocuous distance, with no word in exchange. Neji sighed after a few seconds had elapsed,
'I'll see you around, then.' He bid her farewell and left without waiting for a reply. The thought of them having a nice coffee talk largely vacated his head now. What he needed was rest.
--
The night hung low this time. The recollection of the afternoon with Tenten didn't visit him until now. He didn't know if he was unwilling or unable to understand her. Either way, the chords didn't hit with him. He was seated on the ledge that surrounded the Hyuuga courtyard. He often did this for a little meditation before he went to sleep. It was a good way to gain slumber.
But now it seemed fallible. He couldn't sleep, more or less. The sky tonight was replete with stars; the star beams were sharp, the moon relatively bright. It wasn't full, but it was illumined enough to make anyone see his milieu quite clearly. He thought of her, because she seemed to be the only thing that had been left out in his head this day. He had already thought of virtually anyone he knew, in his ponderous moments, but her. It would just be fair to do so. He realized just then that all along he had failed to take time to peruse his feelings for her. He didn't exactly hate her. He could tolerate her just fine. At times he wanted to tell her to bugger off, which was normal. Everyone gets tired of everyone. In any case, he didn't want her to clear off frequently enough to say that he hated her. He didn't hate her.
He stood up mechanically. His feet seemed to lead him somewhere. The next thing he knew he was ambling past houses at the dead of night. Then as if it was the most natural thing to happen, he stopped in front of her place. He knew she would be out in the balcony, gazing at the same sky that night. She was there, chin on palm, watching him with a curious look on her face. Their gazes mingled for a while, then separated. She had resumed her star-gazing.
'Pretty late for an evening stride, aren't we Neji?' She said to him.
'Yeah.' He said and caught himself wanting to ask how her day had been.
'Couldn't sleep?'
'You can say that again.'
'Me too.'
Then silence pervaded the air once more. Neji paused. He wasted too much energy thinking, he thought, which was why he was feeling a little fatigued. But on the other hand, he didn't miss the semi-philosophical meaning in their exchange. Somehow he knew that something needed to be said now.
'Hey, I should be going now.' Tenten said just then. Neji couldn't tell if it was an apology or not, whereas before she'd always say how sorry she was that she had to go. 'Goodnight.' She gave her a glossy smile before vanishing to her room. He could afford to smile back, really, but thought better of it. She turned off her lamplight already.
Oh she already lost interest, Neji was beginning to think once the dark settled in. Maybe his disinterest infected her; maybe she lost hope seeing how insignificantly Neji seemed to treat her. And he should be chastised for it, if for nothing else. He traipsed away. A feeling of guilt or something alike to it crept up to him. He wasn't certain what it was he should be remorseful about; for all he knew, whatever it was that he was trying to do, he failed.
--
In the morning, he caught himself blurry-eyed. He felt weary and marked the weirdness in his temperature. The feeling he contracted last night didn't leave him altogether. It was there still, like a seed that was growing inside him. Otherwise, a sensation of emptiness was present as well. It was like a space that begged to be filled and worse, he couldn't escape its urgent nagging.
He remembered that team Gai had a meeting today. He hesitantly pulled himself from the bed and fixed himself. Going out of the Hyuuga residence, he became more and more reassured that he wasn't feeling well.
He arrived at the rendezvous five minutes tardy. Good thing that Gai hadn't yet come. Lee was looking sunny and energetic as usual; Tenten, however, was listless and seemed unruffled. She didn't greet him when he approached; rather she just nodded to acknowledge his presence. To Neji, she seemed today intensely varied. Yes, she lost it, that old flame she loyally had for him. Or else his sight was altered.
'Seems like Sir Gai won't be keeping his word today. What do you say?' Tenten addressed Lee.
'Nah. He will. He's just late; you know, all these hard missions are up on his back.' Lee replied with full conviction.
'Right.' Tenten scowled, then, unexpectedly, she turned to Neji. 'Can I have a quick word with you?'
Neji stared at her, keeping his surprise to himself. She straightened herself up from where she was sitting. Neji wordlessly followed her as she led him away from Lee who seemed considerably clueless of everything around him. Once free of unneeded presences, Tenten spoke.
'Last night, did you come there to offer yourself to me?'
Neji gaped at her, unguarded. What a way to take advantage of him. He didn't anticipate such a straightforward, way-too bold statement from her. Of course, he didn't prepare himself for this kind of obscene talk. Never in his tragic and eventful life. The muteness in his throat persisted and so did the absence of his wit. Tenten kept an unfazed look, he could tell insofar as his eyesight was capable. Then as if he couldn't hold her in his gaze anymore he swiftly turned his head the other way. He gave it a thought; it wasn't exactly his intention to ramble aimlessly that night. It had a purpose, abstruse however, which might have something to do with Tenten or the two of them to be more specific.
'Well, I guess, if we can't be honest with each other nothing good will come out of this.' She continued when Neji refused to talk. Her look made a sudden shift just then. It became more tamed, less angered. It was as if she was asking—no, pleading--him to consider her just this once, to love her enough, ultimately, reasonably. Neji was shocked by it, or rather was shocked by how little he took notice of it. That look had been there all along, ubiquitous and age-old, only he kept on missing it, deliberately.
'I was thinking, maybe I'll give you a shot.' Neji managed to say finally. Having unleashed the words, he felt somewhat unshackled. Why hadn't he said it last night? He counted the words. Only nine easy words. It wouldn't consume that much of a time. But he delayed it, for some unknown cause, and it almost cost him one sleepless night. Damn.
On the other end, Tenten stood transfixed, almost open-mouthed. Recovering after a long spell, she smiled, 'Oh yeah. Okay. That's nice of you.'
They walked back together to find Gai already there. As they listened to his lesson, they both felt the world reassemble itself around them, for the better.
END