Thank you for the review Dawnz! I'm glad you liked the first chapter :D Hopefully the continuation will be as good!
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.
Try outs of hell
Her second day of school started a little better. For a first, she woke up at a reasonable time, grumpy, but on time. Her body was sore because of the gym class from yesterday, but she would manage. Somehow, the binding on her torso and chest helped with the soreness. Putting in her uniform, she made sure it was all fine today, the only thing she couldn't do alright was the tie. Tenten sighed, she should have asked how to tie a tie to Julio, Tenshi probably didn't even know how.
Contenting herself with letting it the same mess that it was yesterday, Tenten made her way to her class, only passing by the cafeteria for a quick breakfast. Her first class would be math, something she loved, but, there were the two people who she really didn't want to see. Yuki and Neji. To half her relief, only Neji was there, immediately glaring at her as she stepped in. Rolling her eyes at him, she just went for her seat behind him, stopping short when he snickered at her while she passed by him.
"What now?" Tenten wasn't known as the most patient person, and she really wasn't a morning person, so she really didn't want to deal with his psming this early.
"Your tie" he pointed to the thing around her neck, she just grunted.
"I don't know how to tie one, and also, the teachers didn't care, so you shouldn't care either" she scowled at him, and for her surprise, he got up from his chair, facing her, or rather glaring. She glared back.
"Didn't your father teach you how to tie one?" He scowled back, his hand reaching for her tie. She snapped his hand away, sitting down on her seat grumpily without another word, ignoring him completely. She heard him huff and sit down again. If she weren't moody today, she wouldn't have minded the commentary, but she was, and the topic about her parents bothered her a lot. Sure, they died twelve years ago, and she was fine with just her, her twin and Julio, but she still missed them dearly, remembering just faint parts of her childhood with them. They were always so cheerful and playful with her and her brother.
Thankfully the bell rang, and the teacher, Anko Mitarashi, stepped in, starting her class. While the class passed by, her tension and bad mood eased. Half of the day passed, and somehow, Yuki managed to gather three more girls and founded a fan club for her, not something she liked, but it would be good for her reputation. Tenten was successful on avoiding them through the morning, though she felt being stalked sometimes. She also successfully ignored Neji. Not like he really tried to talk to her, he just glared at her whenever she was at his sight. She didn't know that her little accidental flirting with his cousin would enrage him so much.
The boys teased her that day at lunch, when the girls, or Neji, weren't around, about her already making a move on Hinata, and asked if she had a death wish. She just joked too, but made sure that they understood that it wasn't her intention flirting with Hinata.
"But you have to admit that Hinata-chan is cute!" Naruto beamed at her, a little blush on his cheeks.
"Yes, that she is, but not really my type" she used the same excuse again. The boys laughed.
"Well what's your type then?" Kiba asked her, "I mean, I like the ones with them big, if you get what I mean" he made a gesture as grabbing something in front of his chest, winking. Tenten shivered, "or are you an asexual like Neji and Sasuke?"
Tenten wanted to laugh, but only chuckled, as she remembered Julio forbidding her to laugh, her laugh would give her away he told her.
"Teme isn't asexual! He has the hots for someone!" Naruto exclaimed, and everyone looked at him surprised, "eheh, I just don't know who it is, really, it's not like he talks and moans in his sleep of anything" he was clearly lying about not knowing, but all the boys snickered.
"Now that's something I would like to hear. Sasuke moaning sound would be gold blackmail material! Does he go like 'oh yes baby'?" Kiba asked in between his laugh, laughing even more at his own commentary. Tenten didn't know this Sasuke person yet, so only stared confused, although she had a suspicion on who it was. That person was standing behind Kiba, face red from anger or embarrassment, or both.
"Say that again?" The person, a man with jet black hair and onyx eyes, asked behind Kiba, making the man stop his laugh immediately.
"Oh, hey there Sasuke" Kiba greeted him awkwardly, wincing when the boy punched his head. The boy then glared at Naruto, who gulped.
"Shut up dobe, or I'll kill you in your sleep" he warned, sitting by the blonde's side, who grinned sheepishly at him.
"Where is Neji?" Naruto asked.
"Finishing some details about Saturday's try outs" at this, Tenten's interest peaked.
"You mean the volleyball try out?" She asked, and the boy looked at her curiously.
"Yes, why? Who are you?"
"Tenshi Amarai and I will participate in that" she informed him.
"Hn, good luck" Sasuke shrugged and started eating his tomato salad.
"You will try it? Really? That's awesome! Me, Neji, Lee, Sasuke, Shino and Kiba are part of the team! There's also Sai, he's a senior too! And a guy named Nomura" Naruto told her, excited. Sai, she thought she remembered someone with that name vaguely in one of her classes.
"Good to know that you guys are there, at least I'll know some people" she nodded and smiled at the blond.
"Guy sensei will be so happy when he sees a new senior trying out!" Lee beamed, as excited as Naruto.
"Guy sensei?" She asked, blinking. Lee gave her his blinding smile.
"Yes! He is our youthful coach!" How great...
After that the girls joined them, and lunch went on much more peaceful than the last, and for the rest of the week was a pleasant time, she could say she made some friends already. So, when Friday night came, she was excited, eager for the next day.
"Ready for the big day?" Her brother asked her, grinning on the other side of her phone.
"As ready as one can be! Really, it is not that hard being a man, it is actually easier than I thought! The only problem is yet the voice" she grimly reminded how she sounded like a chipmunk when a new member of her fan club sneaked on her, scaring her shitless. She received a few odd looks, but no one commented on it, thankfully.
"And how's that fan club of yours going?" Tenshi laughed at the face that Tenten made.
"Fan club?" Julio showed up, interested with the topic. Tenten sighed.
"Yes, there is like five girls following me around, trying to get my attention" she grimly informed her butler, whose eyes shined with joy.
"Santa madre! That's good to hear! Hopefully someone of your interest will show up soon miss Tenten!" He beamed at her, Tenshi's laugh increased.
"I've told you, I'm not interested!" She protested.
"But there's no shame on that miss Tenten! Women are really beautiful creatures, with their smiles and curv-"
"I don't wanna hear that" she cut him before he could damage her brain even more. Julio hummed to himself, while Tenshi recovered from his laugh attack.
"Anyway little sis, I'll let you be, gonna play some cs with the guys" he informed her.
"Hey, you were born only two minutes before me, don't act like you are that older! And also, I wanna play too, I wouldn't mind carrying you guys" she grinned, she always played shooting games better than her brother.
"No can do. The squad is locked, and also, two minutes or not, I'm still older, so suck it up!" Before Tenten could protest, Tenshi hang up. Rolling her eyes, she made herself comfortable on her bed.
"Might as well sleep early then" she thought out loud, while drifting into sleep.
...
"Say Neji, did you know that Tenshi will try out for the volleyball team?" Lee was doing some sit ups, while Neji laid on his bed, reading a book. Looking up from his book, he rose an eyebrow at Lee.
"That guy?"
"Yes, and he'll try for setter" Neji rose the other eyebrow, in surprise.
"Isn't he a little short, and slim, for that?" It's not like Neji had observed him too much, he was just making sure the guy wasn't planning anything against Hinata-sama, but he could see that his clothes were too baggy, and his forearm, when exposed, was half of his own, and his neck also seemed too slim. Sure, he had some muscles, Neji noted at gym, the guy's legs were toned, but he looked like a wimp in overall. Again, not like Neji observed him too much, just a few glances and one would notice that.
Remember the time when you marked him on basketball?
There was that voice again. It self-proclaimed as his inner self, but it only spurred nonsense, troubling Neji's mind with useless and bothersome thoughts. It begun talting to him on the second day of classes, troubling him to no end.
Don't ignore me
Hn
You liked to do that, there was a lot of touching
It was a part of the game
His skin sure was soft
Hn
And his pouting face when you didn't let him score was cute too
"That's what he told me" Lee commented, while counting his four hundredth sit up, now starting to do pushups, thankfully snapping Neji out of that frightening conversation in his head.
"You two got really close this week" Neji commented, going back fo his book.
"Of course! Tenshi is an awesome guy! He is very polite and easy going! Very intelligent too, he helped me with science the other day"
"You two studied together?" His interest peaked again. Usually, it was him who had to help Lee with studying.
"Yes! He is an excellent teacher!" Lee gave him a blinding smile while he did his pushups.
"Hn" Neji was definitely not feeling jealous.
You are definitely jealous
Shut up
...
As soon as the sun was up, so was Tenten, quickly taking a shower to wake up, she got herself ready with the gym uniform and went for a light breakfast, humming in delight that it was finally the day she would try to get into a good volleyball team!
Her mood shifted when she saw Neji at the gym, listening to an energetic Guy and Lee. When their eyes met, he didn't glare immediately, and she wondered if he recognized her, but soon dismissed the thought as he started glaring at her as usual. Choosing to ignore him, as always, she went to where the other boys she knew were.
"Wazzup guys" she greeted them grinning.
"Yo Tenshi! What's up?" Kiba and Tenten high fived, something they started doing somewhere in the middle of the week. It was a bro thing.
"Ready?" Naruto bounced excited, she wondered how he got so much energy so early.
"Chill down you ramen lover, you will end up scaring the new recruits" Kiba ruffed Naruto's hair.
"Shut up dog barf!" Then he and Kiba started their everyday bickering.
"Everyone that is new, form a line" Neji ordered, fed up with listening to whatever Guy and Lee were talking. Tenten gracefully slid into line, where she was the shortest. Nothing new there. Neji started to walk in front of the wannabe players, stopping shortly in front of her, towering himself in front of her. "You are a little short, aren't you?" He smirked. Her eyes twitched. He then proceeded to examine the rest of the guys.
"There are going to be two tests, quite simple, no? The first is endurance, you'll have to survive three hours of Guy sensei's workout, then we will have a game with whoever is still able to stand" he told them, smirking as some shivered. They had a full week of Guy sensei gym classes, which was only one hour. Three hours was going to be hell.
"Alright! Now, my dear students, let's show our burning passion and run fifteen miles as a warmup!" Guy made his iconic pose, hands on hips, laughing loudly. Everyone, even Tenten groaned, as they started to run after Guy. Tenten could feel a pair of lavender eyes on her, and she swore that the guy was going to go extra hard for her to reprove. Well, she was going to show him just how good she was.
Fifteen miles, three hundred sit ups, four hundred crouches and two hundred pushups later, two thirds of the candidates were already out from fainting or giving up. Now there was only she and five more guys, everyone panting and chugging water like it was the best thing in the world.
"Excellent work my dear students! You have passed the endurance test, and now you shall test your youth in a match!" Guy exclaimed, smile shining blindly. Tenten breathed in relief, and smirked at the Hyuga, who was clearly not amused to see her pass.
"The game will be mixed with people that are already on the team. You three" Neji pointed to the three strongest guys, "you are with me, Sai, Sasuke and Nomura. The other three is with Naruto, Lee, Shino and Kiba. It will be a best of five matches, whoever wins three sets first is the winner. Doesn't matter if you lose or win, you will be evaluated all the time. No go to your teams." Tenten quickly made her way, along with two other males, to where Lee was standing, giving them his thumbs up.
"Yosh! Let's win this!"
"Dattebayo!"
"..."
"Yahoo!"
"Yay" Tenten said lastly, examining the situation. The guys Neji chose looked the strongest, and were the less exhausted after Guy's workout, while the two guys with her looked like they were barely standing. The vets he chose seemed a little better than hers too. Nothing against hers, but the others had an aura, while the ones with her seemed just... goofy?. "What are your positions, by the way?"
"Yosh! I'm an opposite hitter!" Lee yelled.
"Naruto is an outside hitter, I do middle blocker. Oh and Naruto can be a defense specialist too if needed" Kiba commented, while Naruto grinned.
"Reserve libero, Sai is the main one" Shino raised his hand. Tenten just now noticed the boy in there, almost yelping in surprise. It was odd to see him in gym clothes, even more when he still had his sunglasses on.
"I don't really know senpai... I just play" said one of the guys. He was hecking tall, his hair dyed blond and some piercings on his ear. He looked tough. The other one was just a little taller than her, hair reaching his shoulder and he seemed extremely shy. That one just nodded, as if saying the same as the first one. They looked like freshman.
"I'm a setter... what about the other team guys?" She asked out of curiosity.
"Neji is the outside hitter, Sasuke is an opposite hitter too, Sai the libero as Shino said, Nomura is a setter. The other three dunno." Kiba told her, Lee nodding frenetically. They then started to debate about who would do what.
"We got this!" Lee said, after they settled their positions. As they headed to the court, however, Tenten wondered really if it would be alright, as the other team looked way more serious than hers.
And the first set was done, they were beaten easily, the two freshmen were somewhat scared. Well, the shorter one looked scared while the taller one looked constipated. Tenten cursed Neji under her breath, she knew that he knew this would happen, with that smug look on his pretty face. Slapping her cheeks with her hands, she was determined to not let him win, no matter what.
"You two" she pointed at the freshmen, who looked at her startled, "you are going to be on my two sides, so when we are in front you just worry about spiking, I'll get the ball to you somehow, so don't worry, just spike and block. And when we are on the back, I'll try to cover for the balls with Shino, while Kiba covers me as a setter, Lee and Naruto are more adept to improvise. Kanji, you change with Shino when needed, and Hanataro stays with us on the back. Shino, keep up with the good work" she gave Shino a thumbs up, which he just nodded in return, "I'll admit that I don't have the brute force that you guys have, but I can do everything else... we can win this, and we will win this" she finished with a dark aura. The boys of her team gulped. Neji shivered.
"Tenshi! Way to take leadership!" Lee cried, tears streaming down his cheeks.
"Let's try it!" Naruto and Kiba yelled, while Shino just nodded.
"Lets do it senpai!" Kanji guy shouted.
"Y-yeah!" Hanataro shyly raised his voice.
And so the second set started. Tenten, haven taken the responsibility of leader already, decided to start serving. With death aim, she served right into the limit of the court, getting an ace. The boys on her side cheered, and she smirked, Neji was not going to like the next few hours.
Two sets and almost three later, and now they were winning with two sets against one. Neji's team couldn't really find an answer to them, as the new freshman, Kanji, had a deadly spike, he didn't aim too much though, just used his gorila strenght. Hanataro was more intelligent and was somewhat good on defense. The fourth set was now 23 to 22 for Tenten's team. However, it was time for Neji to serve, his serves were the worst. And unlucky for her, she was stuck on the back, alongside with Hanataro and Shino. Neji looked at her, smirking, and Tenten shivered.
His serve was like a bazooka, and she cursed as she received it with her forearm, rolling backwards because of the sheer power of the ball. Her reception wasn't the best, the ball going directly on the other side of the court, where Neji's team started to create their attack. And of course, Nomura lifted the ball to Neji, who spiked again on her. But this time she couldn't receive well enough, the ball going way out.
She cursed, her arms were trembling already from tiredness and soreness, and she was sure that she would have to receive another bazooka like ball from the Hyuga. Concentrating, she received the brutal ball again, Neji aim perfectly on her, but this time, she was able to lift the ball well enough and give time for her team to attack. Kiba lifted for Lee, who spiked right where Nomura was, who didn't make a good reception and the set, and match point was now theirs. She was glad that she was finally out of the back and now on the front, with Lee and Kiba.
"Force on the serve!" Lee shouted as Naruto served, right on Sasuke, who skillfully received it, and their attack was armed, Nomura lifting for Neji again, who came in like a bull. Neji spiked, and she touched the ball while blocking, it went way up and far away. She winced as her hand complained with pain, but ignored it, the ball was going down too fast. Shino was able to recover it, sending it way up high, positioning herself, she managed to lift a ball for Kiba, whose attack was blocked by Sasuke, the ball falling right in their side of the court. Tenten saw the ball fall in slow motion, and as it was about to hit the floor, Shino appeared from nowhere, because really, he had gotten a ball far away just a second ago, saving it.
Kiba then lifted for Lee, who spiked right into Sai. Sai received it perfectly. She cursed, it was a super rally, and her team was losing more stamina than the other one, with all this running around. Setting the block, she and Lee closed the parallel of Sasuke, who hit it diagonally, right into the freshman. Hanataro managed to receive the ball, with his face, but it was a reception anyway, and a good one by the way. Positioning herself on the net, she glanced at Hyuga and smirked, passing the ball on the second touch. The ball fell right into the opposition side, while everyone just looked shocked.
Neji looked at the ball, then to her, and she gave him a smug smile. His shocked expression was priceless, and Tenten enjoyed every second of it, until his face twisted into an angry face, eyes twitching. They have won, he had lost.
"WE DID IT!" Lee, Naruto and Kiba yelled.
"Hanataro! Awesome reception!" Lee yelled at the freshman, who was holding his bleeding nose and gave him a week thumbs up, "and Shino, man! You were so fast on those two receptions! I'm so proud of your youthfulness!" Shino kept his blank face, with his shades still on (Tenten wondered why he played with them), giving Lee a thumbs up as well.
"Tenshi! It worked! We did it!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping in place excitedly, "suck it teme!" Then he yelled at Sasuke, who just ignored it.
"Way to go man! That second ball was crazy, you have balls of steel!" Kiba said while patting her back. She just grinned.
"It was very brave indeed, that last play" Neji appeared next to her like a ninja. She looked up to him startled, "congrats on your victory... you all played very well" he said to everyone from her team, and she sent him another smug face when his eyes met hers again. He huffed and turned his back on her, marching away. Tenten grinned at his retreating back, celebrating victory with her friends.
She was told that after a few days the results would be announced. She hummed as she made it into her room, it was barely three in the afternoon, but she was exhausted. Craving for a shower, she let the warm water relax her muscles, face hurting from smiling so much. Neji's face was so enjoyable, him sulking, huffing, and forcing a polite smile to congratulate them. Laughing in the shower, she closed the register and stepped outside, drying herself and putting on some baggy jeans and a black polo shirt. She needed food too after all.
Going over the cafeteria, she prayed that there would be something left for her to eat, but she found none. She would need to go out to find food. Sighing, she was too tired to walk around, and if this city wasn't so far away from her city, she would have brought her car along. Deciding that the sooner she went the better, she went outside the gates of school.
"Tenshi!" A familiar voice reached her ears. Turning around, Tenten saw Lee waving his arms outside the passenger window of a black BMW. She waved back, as the cad came to a stop beside her. To her surprise and agony, Neji was the driver. He didn't even look up to her, eyes fixed on the road, even though he was standing still with the car.
"Hey guys" she greeted them.
"Are you trying to find food?" Lee asked, and Neji kept on staring the road, uninterested. Tenten nodded. "Want a ride?" Now Neji looked at Lee in surprise. Tenten also looked at him with surprise. She pondered, she was too tired to go walking around, plus, she didn't know the city, having gone straight to school when she arrived.
"Sure, sounds good" she told them, and Neji looked at her, again surprised. She just grinned and hoped in the back seat.
"Let's go, my eternal rival!" Lee shouted and Neji grunted. She just smiled to herself, having a deserved rest on the back seat while Hyuga drove for God knows where.
They arrived at a supermarket after ten minutes, and Tenten wondered how much she would have walked to get there, thanking Lee mentally, because she was sure that Neji would just pass by her without a second look.
"Twenty minutes. Be back by then or I'll leave you" Neji told them, storming off into the market.
"Someone is a sore looser" Tenten muttered, and Lee laughed. Both made their grocery shopping together, getting instant noodles, bread, jam, cereal bars, sandwiches, etcetera, going back to Neji's car with a minute to spare. "We're here your majesty" Tenten mocked him, he rolled his eyes at her, making her grin.
Getting in the back seat again, she stared at the blue sky, her eyes getting heavy from tiredness. She had, after all, done the most running around in the game, trying to lift the ball correctly to anyone, also covering when needed.
...
"Lee, shut up" Neji said after a while, and Lee did what he was told, but raised a brushy eyebrow at him. "He's asleep" Neji simply stated, and Lee looked back, looking at Tenshi sleeping face. After some minutes, they parked on the schools parking lot. "You wake him up, I'm going back to our dorm" he commanded Lee, not waiting to hear his answer as he stormed off.
That was interesting
What was interesting?
His sleeping face
Just leave me alone will you?
Can't, I'm you
I'm pretty sure you're not, considering your comment earlier
Ah come on, you must agree with me on that one
Like hell I will
Heh you already have
What?
Hn
Neji sighed, it was hell. This inner voice of his, saying nonsense in his head. Like today at the end of the try out, for example.
Flashback
The ball fell on his court, he couldn't believe it. That damned boy had just passed the ball on the second touch, in a bloody match point. Glancing at the boy in question, his breath got caught. He was looking smuggling at him, directly at him, and for some reason he got entranced by his grey eyes. Neji soon recovered though, getting angry at the nerve of that boy for sending him that look.
After a few words with his own team, he went over the other team, which was celebrating in high spirits. His eye twitched when he saw Kiba slapping Tenshi's back, anger rising. That boy really angered him, he thought.
"Way to go man! That second ball was crazy, you have balls of steel!" Kiba exclaimed, while still patting the boys back.
"It was very brave indeed, that last play" Neji interfered, glaring at Tenshi. The boy looked at him like he just saw a ghost. Directing his gaze towards the rest of the other team, he praised them, "congrats on your victory... you all played very well" and when he looked at Tenshi's direction again, the man sent him another smug face.
This expression up close is sexy
WHAT!?
What?
Shocked with his inner commentary, Neji huffed, turning around and stomping out of there, afraid that staying there would prompt more weird commentaries from that irritating voice in his head.
End of flashback
It was, as Shikamaru would say, troublesome. Sure, the guy lots of times looked like a tomboyish girl, but hell! He was a man, how he can that voice call him sexy!?
You kept sending glances at him through the mirror too, while driving
I did not
Then how did you know he was sleeping?
...
...
Shut up
Closing the door forcefully, he huffed, going for another, icy cold shower, hopping that it would diminish the burning sensation he was having in his face. The worst of all, he couldn't deny that the wimpy was a stellar setter, and would probably be the main one. Heck, even if he wasn't that strong physically, he was the main reason Neji lost. With his leadership, quick analysis of both teams, and athleticism to endure the whole match running form one side to another even after three hours of extreme work out. That boy would be valuable for the team.
Closing the shower, he stepped out, letting out a heavy breath. This year was going to be hellish.
You bet it will
Inner Neji is here to make Neji's life harder! Poor Neji. A basic explanation of the volleyball positions are: opposite hitter and outside hitter are the do it all, they spike hard, and help on defense. Setter is the one who lifts the balls for attacks, usually they touch the second ball, but it's not rare to see setters helping with defense or attack, or block. Middle blockers are the main blockers, and usually attack from behind. Defense and server specialist are pretty much straightforward, and libero only does defense. Usually, he rotates with a middle blocker, as they are not so good at defending, libero will rotate to always be on the back, in the game, for example, Shino switched with Kiba and Kanji.
And yes, Kanji is from P4 and Hanataro from bleach hehe
Anyway, hope y'all liked it! Please review and let me know your thoughts.
Be safe and well, see you in the next chapter!