This time, when Tenten woke, she didn't panic. She felt Neji's presence beside her and snuggled closer to his warmth, remembering the way he made her feel while making love to her. He had been rough, just as he was their first time, but he had still managed to look at her and touch her in a way that made her feel special—as though she were the only person who mattered.
She turned around so she was facing him, careful not to wake him, and watched his chest rise and fall with every breath. His features were softer in sleep, no trace of his usual cockiness anywhere, and she traced every millimetre of his face with her eyes. She skimmed her fingers along the bridge of his nose before touching the corner of his lips—lips that had satisfied her very thoroughly just hours earlier.
His face twitched and he mumbled something in his sleep, pulling her closer, her breasts squashed against his chest. One of her legs were between his and she could feel him pressed against her thigh. Her body responded, heat pooling in her belly as her breathing became laboured. Tenten decided she needed to leave—it wasn't right that she was getting turned on while he was sleeping innocently next to her.
Tenten reached behind her back to peel his arms away from her body and scooted out of his grasp. He made a low noise in his throat and reached out for her. She watched as he settled back down, his breathing slowing again, before she gathered her clothes and headed to the bathroom.
She made her way downstairs, her stomach growling for food, and found Kakashi behind the bar, his day already started. He turned to face her with a grin. "Good morning. I trust you slept well?"
"Yes, very well." Tenten's face warmed, memories flooding back to her. "Do you ever take a break, Kakashi?" She asked, settling down on a bar stool in front of him. "You don't ever seem to be away from the bar."
Kakashi leant against the counter, his head propped in his hand. "The bar doesn't open until lunch time, so I have every morning off. I like getting the books done of a morning and making sure all the dishes are clean and dry before I go shopping for ingredients for the day."
Tenten snorted. "That doesn't answer my question. Do you ever have time off for you?"
"Sometimes. But I like this, so it doesn't really feel like work to me." He seemed surprised that she was curious but gave her a smile. He pushed away from the bar, walking over to the stove a little distance away. "Would you like some breakfast, sweetheart?"
Tenten's stomach growled in response and she blushed, despite knowing he wouldn't have heard. "Yes please. If it isn't too much trouble."
Her gaze skimmed over the bar as Kakashi cooked, taking in the photographs that covered a lot of the wall space. Most were scenery shots, and each one was more breathtaking than the last. "Did Neji take the photos in the bar?" She asked when he dropped a plate of bacon and eggs—shaped into a smiley face, much to Tenten's amusement—in front of her, along with a cup of coffee.
"Yes. Some were taken in various parts of the world, but most of them were shot locally." He eyed the array of images, taking them in as if seeing them for the first time. "They are all for sale, although most of his works are in galleries across town."
Tenten couldn't help but be awed. Neji must be very gifted indeed, and yet he decided to take on a job at her dojo. She wondered why—surely, he wouldn't have paid even half of what one of his photos would go for.
Another thought popped into her mind and she glanced at Kakashi. "Does Neji bring women home often?" She blushed at asking such an embarrassing question and focused on cutting her food into bite size pieces, avoiding the older man's gaze.
"Neji? Never." Tenten's head snapped up, her eyebrows raised in disbelief. Kakashi chuckled at her reaction. "Neji has been living above this bar for over three years now, and not once have I seen him bring a girl home."
That's not to say he has never gone to a woman's place before, Tenten thought. But the knowledge that she was the first girl he had brought home caused a warm, fluttery feeling to spread through her. She realized Kakashi was still speaking and Tenten snapped out of her happy thoughts to listen.
"Neji's uncle, Hiashi Hyuga, has tried to sabotage his nephew multiple times, but Neji is resilient. He hasn't asked for money once since leaving the family—not that his uncle would give him any—and he has succeeded on his own back for the past three years. It makes me proud to have seen him grow so much." Tenten had gone still, her eyes wide as she stared at the older man. "What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"Neji's last name is Hyuga?" She couldn't believe this. "As in, the richest family in the country, who own hotels and resorts in almost every country in the world, Hyuga?" Tenten thought her jaw would drop to the floor, she was so shocked.
Kakashi winced, realizing that he may have made a mistake. "You didn't know? I thought he would have said something to you by now."
Tenten shook her head, dumbfounded. "No. He hasn't said anything."
"I'm sure he would have told you soon. It's not like he would be worried about you wanting money—his uncle cut him off the day he left." He touched her shoulder comfortingly and sent her a reassuring smile.
Feet ran down the stairs and a voice shouted, "Kakashi!" before Neji came into view, looking dishevelled with his phone pressed to his ear. He spotted Tenten sitting calmly at the bar and paused, his phone dropping to the floor as he swore.
Kakashi chuckled from beside the brunette and lowered his head, whispering, "He must have thought you ran off on him again."
Tenten didn't know what to say to that, and she took in Neji's appearance as he came closer. He hadn't brushed his hair and it fell in tangled knots down his back. His shirt was untucked and rumpled, and he was wearing two different shoes. He stared at her, his eyes still a little frantic.
"Good morning, Neji." Tenten smiled, pretending as though he hadn't just flown downstairs like a bat out of hell.
Neji took a deep breath before letting it out in a deep sigh. He walked towards them, reaching a hand up to rub his temples. "Damnit, Tenten. You scared me."
Tenten sent Kakashi a confused look. "I'm sorry. Didn't you see my stuff still in your room?"
He took a seat by her side, looking stunning despite his dishevelment. "No, I did not. I was a bit… preoccupied upon waking up and seeing my bed empty."
Tenten thought it best not to laugh, but she found his flustered state extremely amusing. And sweet. "I'm sorry, Neji. I was just really hungry—" and horny, she added internally, "—and Kakashi said that you take forever to wake up, so I decided to wander down early. Sorry."
"No, you don't need to apologize." His hands reached out to hold hers and her eyes flittered over his features again, taking him in as if for the first time. He was a Hyuga—part of one of the most influential and powerful families in the country. What was she supposed to do with that information? "Are you busy today?" He asked, eyes intent on her.
"I've got plans with a friend this afternoon, but I'm free this morning." She replied, shaking off her thoughts. Who cared if he was a Hyuga. Yes, it was a little intimidating to know, but it didn't mean Tenten had to change the way she acted with him. He was still Neji, after all. "I want to see your photographs." She blurted suddenly. "Kakashi told me these are all yours and that you have more in galleries around town and I would love to see them. Not today though." She added when Neji opened his mouth to speak. "I want more than just a morning to look at them."
The smile Neji sent her was as brilliant as it was rare, and her heart flipped at the knowledge that she had put it there. "Yes, of course."
Neji's smile turned wicked as he watched her and he pierced her with a look that sent arousal straight to her core. Tenten squeezed her thighs together, trying not to make it too obvious that he had just turned her on. "How about we go upstairs after breakfast and have a shower together before we start our day?" His eyes dropped to her lips, his intentions clearly clear as day in his darkened gaze, and Tenten squirmed in her seat, anticipation heating her body like wildfire.
.
.
.
The bar was crowded and loud, but Tenten and Lee managed to find a spot away from the throng of people where they could talk in relative peace. They hadn't had a chance to hang out outside of the dojo for weeks, so they decided it was about time they catch up. Tenten was also dying to ask him about news on the cute café worker he had seemed so smitten with last time.
Lee walked back from the bar with two beers in hand and sat one in front of her before sitting down. He grinned at her. "It is nice to be able to unwind after a long week."
"Yes, it is." Tenten agreed with a smile.
"I have not had the chance to ask you, but what did you think of Neji? It must have been an adjustment for you, having him watching in on your lessons. Have you seen any of the photos yet?"
Tenten fought the blush from her face. She didn't want to tell Lee about her relationship with Neji. Not yet, when it was still so new to them both. She shrugged and smiled at her friend. "It was strange at first, but my students got used to him pretty quickly. He sent me a couple of sample photos and they have turned out really well."
In truth, after their—very long and very satisfying—shower, Neji had pulled out his laptop and settled in behind her in bed to show her the photos he had decided to edit for the dojo's website. He had managed to capture the joy and exhilaration on her students faces with each shot and Tenten knew they would be a huge help in advertising her classes in the future.
Lee nodded. "I told you last time that Neji is a good photographer. He practically had a camera around his neck all through college. His uncle made him major in business, but he was able to take a photography class as well, which helped him get to where he is today. Before his uncle cut him off, Neji was able to travel to many parts of the world."
Something niggled at the back of Tenten's mind and she said, "Last time, you made it sound like he was just a friend from college. But the way you're speaking of him now, it makes me think that you still see each other."
"Oh, yes. We have always stayed in touch, ever since college. When Neji left home, I asked Gai for help. He has a good friend who owns a bar with a room upstairs, and he kindly let Neji stay there for cheap." Tenten couldn't believe it. Her dojo master knew Kakashi. She was amazed that she and Neji had been connected for so long without actually meeting. "By the way, Tenten. Did Neji end up asking you out?"
Tenten spat out the beer she was drinking, her eyes wide. "W-what? Why would he do that?" Did Lee know? Did Neji tell him? Lee gave her a strange look and handed her a napkin to wipe the beer dribbling down her chin.
"He has been wanting to meet you for a long time now, so when I mentioned that Gai was wanting a photographer to help you drum up students, he jumped at the chance."
"He what?" Tenten thought she was shocked before, but that was nothing to what she was feeling now. "Neji knew me before he started coming to work?" Had Neji known her the first day they met on the street? And if he had, why hadn't he said anything to her?
Lee looked sheepish but held out his phone for her to see. The screensaver was of him, Gai and herself at one of their staff dinners. Going by her outfit in the photo—she didn't wear that shirt anymore—it was at least a year old. "He saw this photo one day when we were hanging out and wanted to know more about you, so I told him about your self-defence classes and your proficiency at taekwondo and aikido."
"You talked to him about me?" Why hadn't Neji said anything to her? That first day they had met, he had acted as if she was a complete stranger. Had he known she would be there, or had it really just been a coincidence?
"Yes. I am sorry, Tenten. Should I not have?" Lee looked contrite, his eyes taking in her stunned expression.
Tenten shook her head and sent him a smile. "No, it's fine. I'm not mad or anything—just a bit surprised. He didn't let on that he knew me while he was at the dojo."
Lee pursed his lips, thinking. "That's odd. I thought for sure he would ask you out after having met you. Maybe I was wrong, after all."
He wasn't wrong, but that wasn't something Tenten would tell him. Not yet, anyway.
She had received two shocks today about Neji. First, was that he was part of the very wealthy and very influential Hyuga family. And second, he had known her before they had officially met—perhaps even for quite a while, going by how old Lee's photo was. Tenten wasn't mad at Neji for keeping either topic a secret from her, but she did wonder why he hadn't told her. Did he think she would find it weird if she found out that he had asked about her to Lee before ever meeting her? Or did he think she would be too intimidated by him after finding out about his family background? Tenten didn't know what he had been thinking, but she was intent on finding out. Neji Hyuga had a lot of explaining to do.
Boy oh boy. Two revelations in one day. On ya, Neji.
I hope no one starts thinking that they're too cute or too happy together. I don't believe in unnecessary drama. I believe that two people are able to date and be happy without having misunderstandings every ten minutes (aka, every k-drama ever made). In saying that, I do have... stuff... planned, so stay tuned. Also for those that keep waiting for the smut (and keep getting disappointed every time I flake on the deets), I'm sorry. The smutty side of things is still fairly new to me so I don't want to do too much and ruin it for ya'll, ya know?
Reviews are welcomed and enjoyed. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you next chapter. :3