A/N: Hello, everyone! Welcome to my new multi-chapter fic Paperbound. A lot of the themes in this story is inspired by my own life, so I thought I would do a Nejiten AU-verse.
Enjoy!
Paperbound
x
Chapter 1
Ping!
The blonde-haired woman peers over and raises a brow at the phone on the table.
''Text message from your secret admirer.''
Tenten, who was currently on her lunch break and had been absent-mindedly chewing on her chicken sandwich, glares playfully at the blonde in response. ''Yep,'' she says, popping the 'p' before shoving the last of her sandwich into her mouth, ''that's the one.''
It was nearing the end of the hour and she was already dreading the amount of work she had to get back to.
''Is it Kankuro?'' a voice calls from her left, breaking her out of her thoughts.
''I swear, that boy is obsessed,'' Ino mutters. She opens her blusher and checks her makeup in the reflection of the mirror before biting out, ''If it's one dating rule you should follow then it's do not be desperate. He's quadruple texted her this hour alone.''
Sakura frowns and loads another forkful of pasta into her mouth. ''You can't fault the guy for trying. Besides," she muses before going for another stab of her homemade carbonara, "I had to chase Sasuke when we first started dating."
"We know, Sakura," Ino says as she closes her compact with a loud 'click' for emphasis. "You're lucky it worked out because it was pretty tragic to witness.''
Rolling her eyes at her friends for the umpteenth time that hour, Tenten grabs her phone and stares at the unopened messages.
From: Kankuro 1:12pm
I really enjoyed last night, when r we next hanging out ?
From: Kankuro 1:18pm
Hahahah omg, look at this meme I just found
1 Attachment
From: Kankuro 1:24pm
Wanna do sth tonight ?
From: Kankuro 1:49pm
Just lmk :-) x
Resting her chin gently on her hand and staring at the clock above the vending machine, she chews the inside of her cheek and quietly reflects on the events of the last six months.
Up until Sasuke's birthday party a few months weeks ago, she was in a committed long-term relationship with college sweetheart and respected veterinarian, Kiba Inuzuka. They met when she was twenty-one and working part-time at her university's sports bar. He commented that he liked her band t-shirt (his exact words were ''Are you called Tenten because that shirt is a ten out of ten on you?) and the rest was history.
Things were fine for the first couple of years. She was happy, he was happy. She secured a job, by coincidence, with Ino and Sakura at a reputable academic publishing house in central Tokyo. He completed veterinary school and recently opened his own clinic in Fukushima.
She was proud of him, sure, but with his clinic opening a two-hour-train journey away from where she lived and longer hours at work, the distance between them (already strained as she worked in Tokyo whilst he finished veterinarian school in Niigata) hit a point of no return.
That, paired along with the fact he never took her out on dates or complimented her anymore (she liked to be called pretty from time to time, too), led her to dump him in a quick conversation that lasted a whole ten seconds in the back alley of the hotpot restaurant. The noise of the chefs chattering and pots clanging almost muffled out his flat ''Okay.''
Her eyes follow the bright lights on the vending machine before landing on the poster on the wall.
Shiso Publishing presents: 2021 Masquerade Winter Party
Well, guess she'd have to sell Kiba's ticket now. She ponders this as her eyes drift back down to Kankuro's string of texts.
The pair had first met a few years back when Tenten was doing flat viewings after graduation. A time mix up by the estate agent meant that they ended up viewing an apartment together by mistake. Finding the situation hilarious, they added each other on Instagram and spent the next few years silently 'liking' each others' posts.
It wasn't until a week or so after her breakup when she was bored and horny (and a teensy bit wine-drunk) that she decided to slide into his DMs with a ''hey, u still single ?''
Her logic was simple: she was in Tokyo, he was in Tokyo. She was horny and he was, well, decent-looking. In retrospect it was a bit lame, but it did the trick.
Sakura is the first to break her out of her thoughts. ''What did he say?''
Tenten blinks and sits up. ''Oh. Um, something about when he can next see me.''
''I'm so proud of you, Ten,'' Ino replies and points a spoon loaded with couscous right in front of Tenten's face. ''Living your best hoe life after Kiba. We love to see it.''
Tenten inwardly cringes. The first thing Ino said to her (see: screamed to the whole office) when she casually mentioned that she was single again was ''Hell yes, bitches! Our prime cut is back on the market!''
''I wouldn't say sleeping with one person exclusively is 'hoeing'," Tenten quips lamely with a spoon in her mouth. ''Although, I can barely manage one guy as it is with all these work deadlines.''
Sakura, who had also worked as an Assistant Editor at their academic publishing firm for the last few years, shoots Tenten a sympathetic glance.
Ino pops the spoon in her mouth and casts a pearly grin. ''And that's why I chose to work in digital, not editorial.''
The glare both Sakura and Tenten give the blond who is blissfully unaware (or just blissfully ignoring, as she does most of the time) is intense, and Tenten spoons the last of her yoghurt in her mouth a bit too harshly.
''Oh, crap,'' she mumbles as the pink goo trails down her white shirt.
''Here,'' Ino says and brandishes a silky handkerchief from seemingly nowhere. ''Guess you can't help being dirty, Ten.''
The warmth in her face doubles and before she knows it, both girls are folding over in laughter. Trying her best to drown out their voices and focus on the task at hand (wiping away the yoghurt before it got a bit too south), she dabs at her chest before shoving the handkerchief in her jacket pocket.
''So,'' Ino leans forward when Tenten finally finishes inspecting her chesticle area, ''what's the status?''
Her dark raises a brow in hesitation. ''Status?''
The blonde sighs loudly in exasperation. ''Yeah. Your status with Kankuro. Are you guys like, dating? Offish?'' She waves her manicured hand around elegantly. ''Just fucking?''
Both Sakura and Ino are staring at her curiously, and Tenten finds she has to take a sip of water to clear her dry throat. ''Um,'' she mumbles as she screws the cap of her water bottle back on. ''I don't know? We haven't labelled it.''
This answer clearly doesn't satiate their need for gossip, and Ino considers this with a frown. ''But you like him? In that way?''
''I mean,'' Tenten shrugs nonchalantly, ''I guess? He's good in bed and the company isn't bad.''
Sakura purses her lips in interest, tilting her head back. ''Well, I think he's cute.''
''Very cute, babe,'' Ino snorts. ''I'd give him a go.''
Sakura scoffs. ''Please, Ino. You'd give a mop a go.''
''Hey! A mop would probably be a better shag than some absolute losers I've slept with.''
Putting her elbows on the table and rubbing her temples in slow circular motions, Tenten lets out a low sigh. ''I'm not even sure I have time to get into a relationship right now, given all the deadlines Kurenai has given me for this month.''
Sakura places a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. ''That bad, huh?''
Tenten shoves her empty Tupperware in her backpack and mutters, ''That woman has a vendetta against me. It's already two p.m. and I have a whole day's worth of work left.''
''Shit! Shit shit shit.'' The sound of a chair scraping back harshly fills the room as Ino hurriedly stands up and grabs her Louis Vuitton handbag. ''I'm fifteen minutes late to the Editorial Prop meeting. Asuma is going to fucking kill me.''
''Again?'' Tenten muses as she watches her friend's erratic movements. ''How long are you banking on your pretty privilege to keep you in this job, Ino?''
''Shut up,'' the blonde replies with the biggest eye roll she could muster. ''I've not had to sleep with anyone for this job.'' She pauses and her gaze drifts off in the direction where Sasori Fujioka, the company's most-sought after bachelor, is sitting reading a newspaper. ''Yet,'' she finishes with a sly smirk at the senior book editor, her new target for the month.
''Dream on, Ino,'' Sakura says when her line of vision lands on the red-haired man sitting quietly in a corner. ''He has standards, you know. Maybe you should try getting some.''
Ino casts her an icy glance. ''Shut it, forehead, or I'll steal your dad next.''
After giving Tenten and Sakura quick departing hugs, Tenten sighs and groans into Sakura's shoulder. The idea of going back to her desk to read over fourteen psychology manuscripts didn't sit well with her.
''Hey, Ten?''
''Hmmm?'' she replies, face still buried in her cozy sweater. ''What's up, Sak?''
Sakura gazes at her friend with a soft expression before gently poking her in the cheek. ''Just promise me you won't get hurt again, okay?''
Tenten holds her position for a few moments before she sits up to meet Sakura's apprehensive gaze. ''I won't. It's still early days yet.''
Sakura smiles knowingly. ''I trust you, Ten.''
As the pair leave the canteen (Tenten makes sure to cast Sasori a side eye glance on her way out), she grabs her phone and quickly rereads Kankuro's messages. With a small smile, she clicks her tongue in thought before texting back.
From: Tenten
Tomorrow works fine for me. Also LMFAOOO at that meme, i've never related to a dog more
There were so many emails, calls and meetings to tend to after lunch that, before she knew it, it was already 8p.m.
''Fuck, fuck, fuck.''
She completely forgot that it was her turn to cook the monthly apartment dinner.
Plus, with trains to her flat only occurring twice every hour past 8:30pm (she lived in the cheaper area of Makuhari to save on rent), it was a little after 10p.m. before she manically burst through the door shouting, ''I'm so sorry, Lee! I got caught up at work!''
Quickly kicking her shoes off by the door of their modest two-bed apartment, she throws her bag onto the dining table and looks around the darkness.
Silence.
''Hello? Anyone home?''
Rock Lee, her flatmate of the last couple of years, was nowhere to be seen.
The two had met at Niigata University back when they were two fresh-faced teens right out of high school. She majored in East Asian History and studied a range of modules encompassing Chinese art, Japanese religion and, of course, warfare.
He went down the very different route of Sport Science. After he signed up to Social Histories of China and Taiwan in the Cold War to make up for extra credit, the two quickly bonded over their passion for military history and even went to the gym together multiple times a week.
''Lee!'' she calls again and walks briskly to his room. Underneath the crack of the door, she can see his light is still on.
When they were unceremoniously thrust into Japan's adult workforce, they decided that living together would be a good idea: Kiba was still in med school in Niigata; Sakura already lived with Sasuke during university and spoke about buying an apartment together; Ino wanted to live in central Tokyo because 'that's where all the hot guys are' and Hinata's rich dad (see; CEO of the prestigious Hyuuga Capital Group) bought her and her little sister an apartment each in downtown Tokyo.
Since she and Lee didn't earn that much combined, neither came from rich families nor went out that often, it made sense for them to live in a small apartment outside of Tokyo, away from all the madness and noise.
Poor Lee, she thinks, staring at his door. He probably ended up going to their nearest 7-11 to buy a microwave meal.
''Lee!'' she says again more gently this time, her knuckles wrapping on his door softly. ''I just got home. I'm so sorry I forgot about tonight!''
No answer.
She frowns. Did he already go to bed? She checks her phone.
10:23
Lee worked odd shifts at a sophisticated gym in east Tokyo as a personal trainer, and Tenten knew for a fact he wasn't working tomorrow until 2pm.
She slowly pushes open the door and peeks through. As her eyes adjust to the hideous neon green light that he insisted on installing in lieu of normal light bulbs, she makes out a shiny bowl cut at the end of the room.
''Oi, LEE!'' She shouts and lobs a pen that she picked up from his bookshelf. It lands on his chest with a hard thud and he looks up in shock.
Round eyes brighten upon the sight of his red-faced flatmate. ''Tenten!'' He lifts himself off his bed and takes the earphones out of his ears. ''Sorry Tenten, did I wake you up? I'll come in more quietly next time.''
''I- '' she pauses - did he also forget about the dinner? ''Did you just get back?'' she asks suspiciously.
His cheery smile turns into a mild frown. ''Did you not get my note by the door?''
She steps into the room to show him that she still has her panda mittens and orange puffer jacket on. ''I only just got in. I had a long day at work and completely forgot about our flat dinner tonight.'' She presses her hands together. ''Gomen!''
''That's okay, Tenten-san,'' he shrugs. ''I was out tonight, anyway.''
She still felt shitty, but considerably less so.
''Oh, thank Kami,'' she sighs in exhaustion and flops down on Lee's hideously matching green beanbag. Removing her mittens and using them to dab at her forehead, she sinks down and studies his gym wear carefully. ''I thought you had the day off.''
''I did,'' he begins with a grin, ''but there was a new client who was offering serious amounts of money and, well, you know, I couldn't really say no to that kind of cash.''
Tenten raises her brow. ''How much we talking?''
He locks her gaze with a smile on his face. ''You really want to know?''
''Yes!'' Tenten yells with an are-you-kidding-me face. ''If this money can cover our broken microwave then I will be over the moon.''
''Forget one microwave. I can buy us all the kitchen appliances you want.''
Tenten sits up in interest - she'd been desperately craving a coffee machine for months now. ''You have my attention, Rock Lee. Spill.''
He stares her dead in her eyes before leaning in and whispering, "Three hundred dollars an hour.''
Brown eyes blink once, twice, thrice before she speaks. ''D-did I just hear you right?'' she splutters. Sudden excitement courses through her veins at the endless kitchen renovation possibilities. ''Three hundred? An hour?''
He nods childishly, his shiny black bowl cut wobbling with each bob. ''It is true! I couldn't believe it either, but he paid for four classes already. In advance!''
Her mouth agape, she looks around his small room in thought before her gaze lands back onto him with a slight frown. ''Who,'' she says loudly with agitation in her voice, ''in their right mind has that much money? And, as great as you are, Lee, who the hell spends that much on a personal trainer?''
Shrugging his shoulders, he settles further into his sitting position. ''He didn't give his occupation. But my, Tenten, he is so youthful!''
She smiles and leans forward. ''I'm sure anyone with that amount of money could be youthful. Even Danzo.'' She shivers at the mention of their creepy landlord; that man took way too much interest in 'maintenance visits'.
''Yes,'' he begins with a tone of dreaminess in his voice, ''but he is a very good-looking man! I noticed all the youthful girls in the gym staring at him when I was training him.'' Suddenly, he sits up and stares at his startled housemate right in the eyes. ''Tenten, you are also youthful. You should go out with him.''
Tenten bites back a snort and a choke - she's not sure which one came first - and shakes her head. ''Anyone who spends that much money is definitely not my type. Besides,'' she waves a hand dismissively, ''I have a date tomorrow.''
''With Kankuro-san?'' There's a faint glimmer of excitement in his eyes and Tenten laughs airily.
''Yes, with Kankuro. And yes!'' She quickly quips before he can get a word in edgeways, ''You can play Shinobi Kart with him again at some point. I have a busy schedule this week but he may be able to come round tomorrow after dinner.'' She glances at her phone - noticing two texts from Kankuro - and stands up. ''Man, it's already eleven. I have to get up early tomorrow, Lee.''
Bidding her flatmate good night with a tired smile, Tenten pads quietly to her room two doors down the narrow hallway. Acutely aware that her energy levels are at an all-time low, she does a half-arsed version of her skincare routine (does it really matter that she's using two eye creams instead of four?) and climbs into bed.
She shudders at how cold it is and suddenly thinks of Kankuro. Grabbing her phone off her side table, she opens it up and scrolls to his name.
From: Kankuro 3:57pm
tomorrow works for me - any places in mind ? my friend recced this chinese place in roppongi called zenshutoku. Appaz they make the best sesame dumplings ;-)
From: Kankuro 10:39pm
Hey, u ok? kinda quiet
She smiles; an offer of tasty sesame dumplings was one way to get her heart racing.
Ye i'm fine, she types slowly, just had a busy day at work. I finish work tomoz at 6pm, i can just meet u there at the place?
No later than five seconds after hitting send, she gets a reply.
From: Kankuro
I finish a bit earlier tomorrow so I can just pick u up from ur office.
She contemplates this with pursed lips.
Sure. I'll meet you in the lobby at 6 sharp :-)
Ping!
See u :-) and sleep tight x
Switching her phone off and placing it gently back onto her night stand, she snuggles deeper into her sheets and closes her eyes, the images of steaming plump dumplings dancing before her eyes as she drifts off into a much-needed slumber.
A/N: Haha, what's everyone's thoughts on KankuTen (is that even the ship name?) I read on tumblr a while ago someone said that they'd be a good match because they'd both geek out on being weapons specialists and they're both loyal AF. Honestly, if Tenten and Kankuro started dating in Boruto I wouldn't even be mad :P