Disclaimer I don't own Naruto!
She looped a purple ribbon to the left side of her bun. Making sure both sides were balanced out, Tenten drew a breath. Time seemed to move by quickly for the deeply anticipated Hyuuga dinner party. Her heartbeats ringing in her head, arms shakey and perspiration sprouting from her forehead, Tenten's nervousness seemed to get the best of her. Running her fingers lightly over her bangs for the last time, she rose up.
Sasuke chomped on a giant red tomato. Actually he had chomped on many giant red tomatoes. Tenten had gone food shopping that morning upon finding out his favorite food. Unfortunately since she decided to attend the dinner party, it meant Tenten couldn't make dinner for him. While a genius ninja, Sasuke was totally inept when it came to the science of cooking. Last thing he wanted to do was blow up Tenten's kitchen.
He couldn't help but feel that he might have told her incorrect advice. Was it really fair to push his feelings for his own team unto her? There was a difference in the relationships. Tenten was truly in love with Hyuuga and the bare thought of having lost him etched a deep sadness in the normally cheerful girl. It was something that Sasuke didn't really understand. While Sakura did hold a crush on him when he was younger, he genuinely didn't feel anything back due to his ambitions back then. As much as Sakura still cared for him, she didn't hold the same feelings she had for him after all those years. Aside from that, there was no other girl that genuinely had any sort of closeness to him during the genin times.
The feelings that Tenten has for Hyuuga are different though.
I love him, but I love him enough to finally let him go. Tenten repeated these words in her head over and over. Grasping the leg of her kimono with her fidgeting fingers, she found it difficult not to calm down. As she spotted Sasuke in the kitchen, she quickly decided to approach him.
Sasuke glanced at Tenten. Her exasperated face alone told him that his advice might have been misguided.
Maybe I should tell her not to go.
"You look scared," stated Sasuke. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"
She could feel the heat reach her cheeks. As if waking up that morning alone didn't make her already want to hide under her bed sheets. Now Sasuke reiterated what was already screaming in her mind.
"If this is the last time I can really say goodbye to Neji, then I should go. I know I'd regret not doing it."
Sasuke lowered his gaze. She would have gone regardless if I told her not to. Tenten cared too deeply for Hyuuga to do something that would worry him.
"Looks like I have to buy more tomatoes, you ate over half them already," gaped Tenten.
Looking in his hand at the bitten tomato, Sasuke felt a little bit of embarrassment.
"Anyways, Lee and Gai are waiting for me." Tenten giggled and walked out of the kitchen.
He knew she would be fine. After all, Lee and Gai were going to be there as well. They would make sure Tenten was well taken care of.
Still…All she could see were gold and green. In fact, it was too much and it scared her almost as much as the prospect of talking to Neji. Gai and Lee wore identical kimonos in the color of green with bright golden lion beasts embroidered on the backs; the only thing that was modest about their ensemble was the black sash. The fact that the lion beasts seemed to ogle their extra large pupil-less eyes at Tenten made her realize to her horror that the kimonos were custom made to look like her teacher and teammate. For a minute, Tenten felt sorry for the seamstress who had to make the outfits. While they proudly strut their stuff, conversation was kept to a minimum for obvious reasons. As they arrived, they all fell in shock. It wasn't as if they hadn't seen the Hyuuga estate ever, but everything was so outrageously fancy that it seemed very unlike the clan home.
The other guests were dressed in many expensive things ranging from their kimonos to jewelry. Tenten couldn't help but feel alienated from everything, as she had opted for a plain purple kimono and pink sash. It wasn't that she lacked the ability to be feminine, rather the belief that Tenten shouldn't outdo the future wife, as it was her day to celebrate. As her head continued to spin around looking at all sorts of new faces, a familiar one finally popped up.
"Hinata! It's good to see someone I know." Tenten sighed with relief.
"It has been awhile since we have talked, I hope that you have been well."
While there was a weight lifted off her shoulder for no longer having to be the heir to being the leader of the clan, it placed Tenten with an unfortunate burden as Neji became very in tune to clan politics. As Hinata grew older, she started to grow closer and closer to the reason why she would ever want to become clan leader. The final conclusion lead her to finally getting everyone to recognize her as someone capable of bringing honor to the Hyuuga name. However, upon doing so, she realized that she didn't want to go in the direction of clan politics. It made sense for her to finally tell her father that she didn't wish to become his heir anymore. Oddly enough, Hanabi later on took the courage to do the same. However happy she was finally, today would be a sad one for the kunoichi in front of her.
Tenten, please don't put yourself through this.
Hinata led Gai, Lee and Tenten to the dining room. If the event wasn't already fancy enough, the dining room was head achingly extravagant. Tenten almost couldn't recognize the place with all the brightly colored flowers and ribbons surrounding the room. Boisterous laughter rang throughout as sake flowed like water in a river. Family members and friends mutually conversed about the event, their material items and random topics amidst some drunken slurs. It scared Tenten to no end that the normally quiet stoic Hyuugas had their house turned into a party machine.
Then she saw him.
His tall regal form dressed in black, hair pulled back with a white headband covering his forehead. As usual, he was breathtakingly handsome. With guests to the left and right of him, Tenten ultimately decided that maybe now wasn't the time to attempt an approach.
Lee watched her in worry. Tenten easily admitted waves of hesitation from her form. He already had half the mind to drag her out of the estate so she could avoid what seemed to be the inevitable. However, Gai-sensei had already told him before that they could only be the shoulders she could cry on because she was a bloomed lotus now; she could make decisions on her own.
The Lotus blooms twice.
Claustrophobia, that's what she was feeling, too many people, too little space and Tenten wanted to get out. She tapped Lee on the shoulder gesturing that she was exiting the room for a bit. He nodded back as she left.
White-eyes followed her out of the room. Hyuuga Neji had seen her leave and he was ultimately not surprised. Tenten had never been one to enjoy such uncomfortable settings. In fact, he didn't either but under his fiancée and her family's insistence, a big celebration was to be held.
He had overheard that Uchiha Sasuke had been living with Tenten as a mission assigned from Tsunade-sama. Neji didn't care about them living together because it was a mission and missions needed to be carried out.
Tenten is perfectly capable of taking care of herself.
While Neji had no feelings for his fiancée Miriko, he understood that his position as the clan heir and her position as the heiress of another powerful ninja clan matched well politically. She was beautiful, that Miriko, always had suitors left and right of her before their guardians arranged them to be together. Neji had barely talked to her, only occasionally conversing wedding plans. He watched her gracefully chat with the many guests at their party; seemingly jovial at the attention she was receiving. Neji hated the loudness that newly pushed itself to his home, but it was the constant reminder that this union would better both clans.
He missed Tenten's presence. She had always been by his side since the very beginning and he silently thanked her for that. Neji would probably never admit it, but she was one of the only people that he trusted enough to block his weak spot. Training with Hiashi, the missions, and the upcoming wedding made Neji all but forget his teammates. Thankfully, Tenten had always been a very supportive person and seemed rather joyful at the prospect of him getting married.
Before drinking his water, Lee double-checked to see if it was actually sake. Obviously the green clad ninja didn't want to ruin his teammate's party so careful measures had to be taken! He glanced up at Gai who seemed to be preoccupied with something.
"Gai-sensei, what is in your thoughts?"
Gai peered at his number one pupil as he exaggeratingly extended his arm, pointing at Neji leaving the room.
"Lee, we must ready ourselves to heal our flower."
Lee nodded as he took another sip of his water.
She watched the starry night reveling in the peace that the party disturbed. The dim lights glazed the flowers in the Hyuuga garden. There was no opportunity to be alone with the man she loved; no way she could truly close that piece of her life she longed to put away. She missed him dearly, so used to being close to his strong figure. Tenten used to know what to say to him, but looking at him today, it was like noticing a stranger in the crowd. Seeing him chat with his guests like a socialite seemed foreign to her, as she remembered the stoic, untouchable man of her past.
White-eyes watched her admiring the sky. It was as if her presence gave him a breath of fresh air with all that clouded his mind. He had always confided in her and she had always accepted him without any thought. With his past riddled with people wanting to associate him with his name and his father's death, it was hard for anyone to truly see him. No matter how rigorous the training, no matter how tough the situation, Tenten stayed in place, refusing to budge. He continued to gaze at her back silently until her form turned and their eyes met.
Tenten was shocked to have her eyes meet what she longed to be near. Having no idea at how long he had been there, she could feel glad that he was around her once again.
The ethereal glow that surrounded both of them was left watched by eyes standing beside a tall tree. It was as if the silence echoed the words that needed to be said but the two stood oblivious to everything else except for one another. The spotlight was placed on the both of them as the shining stars begged for one of them to speak. It seemed forever had passed for them in reality's short time.
"You don't seem to be enjoying yourself," his baritone voice rumbled. It was easy for him to be blunt with her, an aspect that she accepted without complaint.
His words caressed her senses. She had missed his beautiful voice, even if what he said wasn't very welcoming, it was Neji, the Neji she loved. Breaking into a soft smile, she regained her composure.
"I'm not into big parties. You know me Neji, I prefer just staying at home or training."
"Yes, Miriko insisted that we had a big celebration before the actual wedding as a way for both sides to know each other more."
He seemed tired to her. She noticed the haggard appearance under his eyelids, as his voice seemed somewhat strained. It seemed almost impossible for Neji to get this tired, but somehow it seemed the pressures of this wedding was getting to him.
"Neji… Maybe you should get some rest, it is pretty late and you look exhausted," worried Tenten.
He hated that she cared for him the way she did. It was true he was tired and probably forming a headache from having to meander from guest to guest with drunkards yelling in the background. However, the person before him was one of the only people he could truly trust and talk to. The people in the party were empty to him, only looking at him because of his clan. Untrustworthy people in the eyes of the Byakugan male, were not worth his time.
"No Tenten, don't worry about me. Just…" Neji's head turned as he heard a loud crack coming from the trees. He quickly ran and jumped on the wall.
An intruder! I have to go help Neji. Tenten followed suit as she took out two kunais she hid in her sash.
Activating Byakugan, chakra coils in the form of a man appeared before Neji. He sped up, tackling the mysterious intruder. The opponent kicked Neji off of him as he scrambled to get up. Neji quickly pushed him down again but suddenly became shocked at a peculiar energy that started to quickly form in front of him. His eye wide like tea saucers, Neji was hit with a sense of de ja vu.
Tenten saw Neji attacking the interferer and shocked to see the surprised stance he held. An odd glow came from the dark form, the feeling of chakra going haywire.
It can't be…
The one thing she feared that would happen that she couldn't change.
Sasuke…The neck bite he got years ago.
No…She ran to him, grabbing his shoulders, shaking him. Desperation in her eyes, she could only express fear, as the person in front of her wasn't the man that had been so gentle with her previously.
Sasuke had been careless and it hurt him. In his own trouble trying to get away from Hyuuga, he made the hasty decision to try and use chakra, hoping his seal wouldn't activate. Now, the rushed feeling of power, an old feeling of dark desire drowned him as he felt rage overcome him. He stared at the woman before him, her words silent to his ears.
Tenten…There was a halt. Something absorbing his energy away, and all of a sudden Sasuke felt weak. His eyes slowly drooped while his limbs grew limp. Sasuke struggled to lift his hand to Tenten's arm before falling forward to a deep sleep.
She was taken aback at Sasuke's tired body falling towards her. Luckily, she was able to brace herself in time for the impact. Holding him steady, she kneeled down placing Sasuke's head on her lap. Tilting his body to the side, Tenten examined the side of his neck adorned with his cursed seal. Surrounding it was another design.
Tsunade's seal! It must have countered Orochimaru's. Thank you Tsunade, you just saved Sasuke.
Neji glanced uncomfortably at them. Everything happened so quickly only to end with Sasuke blacking out. Something came over him, a feeling of contempt for the last Uchiha and another wanting to hate Tenten. He watched with narrowed eyes as Tenten lifted a now very groggy Sasuke up with one of his arms over her shoulder.
"Neji, I'm sorry, but I have to take care of Sasuke. Please don't be angry with him for what he did."
She saw him nod slightly as she walked away with Sasuke. He was heavy, that was for sure, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle. She looked at him as his half lit eyes stared at the ground. Deciding to talk about the events that just happened tomorrow, she headed towards the direction to her home.
Had she decided to look back at the man she left behind, she would have seen white fire blazing her way.
Author's Note: I guess I kind of threw a curveball since Tenten didn't run out crying over Neji or anything. I am very very very happy with the reviews I'm getting. Also, I'm hoping everyone's satisfied with Neji being in this chapter. I totally feel that he's the kind of person who would put the honor of his family (specifically his father) before himself. The tomatoes part…well Sasuke is a hungry man! Much love to everyone for supporting my fic.