Fifth chapter. Tenten becomes bipolar for a moment, Lee is a bit intuitive, truths are revealed. Please review.

Tomorrow

"Lee!" Tenten called as she and Neji reached their training spot forty minutes later.

"Ah! Tenten! Neji! How is the living arrangement?" the green clad boy asked with a grin.

She stopped and waited. Actually, I'm slightly curious myself.

"Fine. Tenten's home is quite suitable." Neji was stone faced as he said it, causing Tenten to roll her eyes.

"Well, I'll leave you two to your training," she said as she started walking away.

"Where are you going?" Neji asked quickly.

She raised an eyebrow. He's probably angry about being stuck with Lee by himself. "Shopping. But only if you'd like to eat tonight."

"Hn," he replied as he crossed his arms.

"Neji, we shall have a wonderful training session! Sakura-san has spoken with me about a proper training method and I feel confident in my ability to execute it correctly!" He struck such a strange pose that Tenten was momentarily glad Neji couldn't see. "The fire of youth burns with us this afternoon! Let us be successful in our endeavor!"

"You're really leaving?" Neji asked, but Tenten was already sneaking away, hiding her giggles beneath her hand.

"Okay, so what do I want for dinner? Neji seemed to like what I made last night, so I'm not worried about him," Tenten mumbled incoherently to herself as she slowly walked through the market, grazing the vegetable stands with her dark eyes.

"Hey! Tenten-chan!" a booming voice called. She looked up to see one of her fellow kunoichi, Yamanaka Ino.

"Good afternoon, Ino-chan!" Tenten watched as the confident blond pulled her teammates away from a fruit stand and marched over to her.

"I heard about Neji. That's really too bad," Ino said with a frown.

"Yeah, but he's dealing with the loss really well. Better than I expected him to, at least." She spied a bag of rice on the counter next to her and pulled it into her arms. Will this be enough for both of us? Might as well get two! When she grabbed another Ino raised an eyebrow.

"You hungry or something?"

"No. Neji is staying with me an-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Ino had somehow appeared within inches of her face. "Are you serious? This is your chance Tenten-chan! You can finally make a move on him!"

The weapons mistress heard Shikamaru sigh from behind his teammate. "Ino-chan," she replied, "I would never do that. Especially not while he's in this state."

A frown crossed the younger kunoichi's face. "Well, you can't deny you like him. I've seen the way you look at him."

Tenten felt her face become warm as Ino's presence suddenly became suffocating. "Sorry you guys, I need to run!"

As she brushed by Team 10, Shikamaru called out to her. "Hey. Tsunade-sama asked me to tell you that she wants to see Neji in her office early Friday morning for a check up."

"Okay, thanks Shikamaru!" she called over her shoulder. She saw Ino try to follow her, but Shikamaru just grabbed her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction, Chouji giggling into his bag of potato chips.

It's not that obvious, is it? she thought as she plopped the rice on her kitchen counter next to where a lump of fur was lightly napping. "You can't tell, can you Sachi?"

He just meowed and rolled over.

"Somewhere along the road, I guess I've grown to really like the moron." She sighed and sat some chicken in the window to thaw. "But will he ever have the time of day for a social life? No."

Tenten plopped down on her couch and checked the time. It was 1:49. She had promised that she would be back to get Neji at sundown. "Will he ever see me as more than his teammate who can chuck weapons and cover his blind spot? Probably not. Maybe I'm not special enough for Hyuuga Neji..."

She suddenly felt a surge of anger. "Why do I let the idiot get to me? And why am I blaming myself? It's all his fault!"

Tenten vaulted off the cushions and grabbed a scroll from her room. Sachi lazily watched her as she stomped out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

I always do everything I can for him. A storm of kunai implanted themselves in her target.

I try my best. But does he see it? Absolutely not! She was so aggravated, she didn't notice when one of her own fuuma shuriken sliced a tree in half.

He's... He's so blind!

She stopped and the grip on her scroll weakened. "So... blind..." Tenten immediately felt bad.

"Maybe I'll go watch Lee and Neji train..."

Leaping into the tall branches of a near by tree, she made her way to their training ground. She arrived to the sounds of battle.

Her eyebrows raised when she saw that Neji had slipped his forehead protector down over his eyes. What's the point? she thought. He can't see anyway.

But she kept watching. The Hyuuga genius deflected Lee's atttacks with a difficulty that didn't suit him. Every block seemed to be just in time and his face shown with pure, undiluted concentration.

The expression caused her heart to skip a beat.

As his arm came up to block a kick, she watched his face. The next kick came right for his head. For a moment he looked calm, but then his head made a small jerk toward Lee's approaching foot and his arm came up into another block.

Ah, I understand. He's using his ears to hear where Lee's attacks are coming from and blocking them appropriately! She grinned as the boys continued. That was a great idea on Sakura-chan's part. Defensive moves will be much more useful if anything comes up in the next couple weeks. Plus with the forehead protector over his eyes, he won't be tempted to try and look around.

She settled herself on the tree branch, laying her scroll across her lap. I'm glad he's starting to understand the importance of his other senses more. Even if he somehow does get his eyesight back, he'll be much more prepared. I guess having so much pride in one thing blinds you from everything else...

After another hour, her teammates decided to take a rest. Neji untied his forehead protector and replaced it on his forehead. His blank eyes turned to where she was sitting. "You should come down from there, Tenten."

She rolled her eyes and hopped down. "So, how are things?"

"Fine. Learning to use my other senses is much easier than you made it sound."

"I guess I forgot to consider the fact that you're a genius into my equation," she replied, walking to where Lee sat with an apple. Neji smirked and followed. "Oh yeah! Shikamaru said that Tsunade-sama wants you in her office early Friday morning for an examination."

"That's tomorrow. Why an examination so soon?" he asked as he settled himself on the ground next to Tenten. She felt the familiar blush cross her cheeks when his knee touched hers, and she wished she could punch the stupid grin off Lee's face.

"Ah Neji! One should never be careless when concerning one's health!" Lee told him, his large eyes still glued to Tenten.

"Perhaps..." Neji seemed unsettled at this news.

"Anyway, would you like to come over for dinner tonight Lee?" Tenten asked as she bit viciously into her apple.

Neji's eyes widened in horror, and she allowed a small smile to cross her face. I swear, sometimes he's so immature.

"I'm afraid I must decline. My presence is requested by Gai-sensei this evening for a training session!" Lee sprang up and looked to the sky. "Actually, I must cut our snack break short, for I must head toward the southern gate!"

"Why the south gate?" she questioned.

"This is where Gai-sensei requested to meet me! I must be off! I sense the fire of youth burning brightly in our relations this evening, right Tenten?" Lee winked and waved good bye as Tenten furiously glared at the green spandex clad boy's back.

"Thank the heavens he's gone," Neji mumbled as he stood, still holding his uneaten apple.

"What? Was the training session bad?" she asked.

"No. Actually it went rather well. But... I'd rather head back."

Tenten smiled softly at him as he started walking toward the exit of the forest. Too stubborn to admit that he's tired.

She silently caught up with him and started to reach for his arm. "I can walk on my own, Tenten."

Her smile escalated to a grin as she walked beside the Hyuuga back into Konoha. "Whatever you say, Neji."

Dinner went by without incident. Once she finished up the dishes, Tenten looked for Neji. She found him in the backyard, laying back on the grass. An outside observer would think he was just watching the clouds roll by, but she knew better.

"Tenten." His voice surprised her.

"Is my chakra that obvious?"

He smiled lightly as she stood next to him. "It wasn't that. I heard the scrape of your slippers on the floor. Plus you use a very distinctive lavender scented shampoo."

A grin crossed her face as she tried to push back the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. "It amazes me how sharp your sense have become in just two days. In fact, you're amazing, Hyuuga Neji."

She swore she saw a hint of pink on his cheeks, but it was gone before she could blink. Instead, he sat up and got to his feet. "I need you to tell me about something."

"Um... okay," she said as he took her wrist and started walking. As soon as he bypassed the garden and approached the tool shed, she knew where he was going.

She wanted to stop, turn back and tell him it was none of his business. Before she got up the nerve to do so, they were already standing in front of a small shrine, hidden away behind a large tree in the corner of the backyard.

"Who is this shrine for?" he asked, keeping a firm grip on her wrist.

Tenten began to panic. "Umm... my dog?"

He just pinned her with a gaze sharper than knives. She could practically feel it slice right between her eyes.

"Quit lying, Tenten."

Tears started falling from her eyes as soon as the words left his mouth. "I," she choked, "never meant to lie. It was just... too painful."

He moved his grip from her wrist to her hand. She marveled how her hand fit in his nicely. "Sometimes... It's better to talk."

She raised her eyebrows and sniffed. "I would never expect to hear that from you."

"I've learned things within the past couple years," he said with a shrug.

She sighed and walked up to the shrine, making herself comfortable on the grassy lawn. Neji followed suit.

"How did you find this?" she asked.

"I was walking around and bumped into it accidentally."

"Ah."

He sighed. "You're avoiding the question."

She sighed back. "Okay... Well, I wasn't lying to you when I said I was from the Earth country. My father was a great ninja there, above the jounin level. During a large battle about eight years ago, he realized that the Earth's reasons for war were corrupt, and double crossed them and sided with the Leaf. Don't asked about the politics involved. I have no idea, and I honestly don't want to know. Anyway, the Earth didn't take too kindly to my father after that happened. He tried to come back and sneak us out of the country, but he was caught and executed."

Tears kept dripping down her cheeks; every word felt like a weight being lifted off her shoulders. Neji's grip on her hand tightened and she continued.

"Some Konoha nins came a rescued my mother and I before the Earth country could get to us. They gave us this house. I was six and a half at the time. My mother did the best she could, but she had always been a sickly woman. She died last year of illness."

Neji remained quiet. Tenten gazed at her mother's shrine. A picture of the woman sat in the center of the flower arch that grew over the frame, and Tenten couldn't help but wish she were still alive. She remembered how proud her mother was the day she was assigned to her three man genin team. I still wish you were here... Keep watching over me. I'll make you proud.

Suddenly Neji stood, dragging Tenten with him. "Neji, what are you doing?"

He walked across the lawn and into the house, releasing her hand in the process. She just frowned at his back. I pour out my heart to him, then he walks away. But what do I expect? He's Neji.

She was shocked when he came back. "Tenten." He had a tissue in his hand.

A warm smile crossed her face. "Thanks." She took it and wiped away her tears.

"Forgive me for asking about it," Neji said.

He looks... ashamed?

"It's perfectly alright, Neji," she told him.

He frowned. "That's what you always say."

She kept smiling. "But for you, it's always true."

A blush crossed his face as he hastily changed the subject. Ha! It's so rewarding to catch him off guard!

"You said your mother only died last year. I had no idea."

"Well, I didn't really want anyone to know. The only one I told was Gai-sensei, and that was because he kept giving me speeches about how 'sadness depresses the blossom of youth'," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"I... I didn't even notice you were upset," he said, looking slightly disturbed.

"Really, it's okay. I think I hid it well." She patted his arm, but he shrugged her off.

"No, it's not. You're my teammate. I should know these kinds of things. I should be able to tell when you're upset." The proud young man crossed his arms, pearly eyes starring blankly at the ground.

Tenten just blinked. He cares this much? "Please stop blaming yourself..."

He glanced up at her in an odd manner. In her memory she couldn't remember him looking at her like this, but she had seen the look plenty of times from Lee. It was a mixture of sadness and confusion.

"Am I really that... blind to everything?"

A sharp pang of deja vu shot up her spine. What do I say to him? I can't tell him he's right... even though he is. Like usual.

"Your silence says it all." He looked dejected as he went inside the house.

She sighed and fell back onto the plush grass. "Oh Neji... Why did you have to start having a heart now?"

The next morning passed with no words exchanged. The pair had a small breakfast and headed out to the Hokage tower for Neji's meeting with Tsunade.

Tenten waited in the hall while the Hokage performed her examination. What could I have told him? That he just kind of exudes the 'I don't give a darn about your life' attitude? But apparently he does care. Even though it's not my fault, I feel responsible. It seems like all men are emotional dummies and they have to rely on women to sort out their feelings. Even the untouchable Neji Hyuuga.

The door next to Tenten's seat opened and revealed her idol, Tsunade. "You should come in here," she said in a tired tone as she motioned the kunoichi into the office. She found Neji sitting on the floor, fiddling with the straps on his shirt. Complicated medical seals painted on the ground around him were fading slowly. "I was looking over his papers yesterday and decided a check up would be in order. Unfortunately, I have some bad news."

Dark eyes darted toward Neji, who seemed to perk up at the woman's words. "Yes, Hokage-sama?" he asked, trying to keep the edge of panic out of his voice.

Tsunade pursed her lips, tan eyes blinking slowly. "Your eyes are healing quicker than we first expected. If you don't have the surgery soon, there will be no hope for it to work correctly."

Tenten heard him gulp. "How soon?" he asked in a low tone.

The Hokage gave him a pained look, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't see her. "Tomorrow."