Chapter Four: First Move
Author's note: First time I've done an alternate universe so I'm totally missing the whole no-missions thing and non-shinobi life. BUT. It really lets you expand on how everyone meets and how they all get involved. No, I have no idea where I'm going with this. Enjoy the ride. I am.
Tenten tries not to tap her fingers against her leg as she waits outside of her English class the next day: Friday. Glorious Friday: the end of a week of school and the beginning of the weekend where she can spend time catching up on all her assignments. She's never been too enthused about doing journal entries or equation after equation in order to prove she knew what her sensei's taught her.
It's why she enjoys woodworking and gym over her English and Maths class. Today's gym class would be even better because they would be doing archery. But first, she wanted to talk to Hinata to see if the girl would join her and the guys for lunch.
Tenten tries not to think about how she's kind of using Hinata so Neji will come join them. Hinata is a sweet girl and they had texted back and forth last night. Tenten had enjoyed the conversation and learned Hinata liked horseback riding, swimming, and collecting flowers. She wanted to be a florist.
Tenten had no idea how the mayor's daughter wanted to be a florist. Hinata had mentioned wanting to own her own shop and make sure the shop would also be a cafe. There had to be some leadership skills in owning a business, especially an unconventional one like a flower-shop cafe.
Neji had not come up in conversation and Tenten had been too reluctant to ask outright. She didn't want Hinata to think Tenten used her to get to Neji but Tenten really wanted to talk to Neji again.
The fact he hadn't run away screaming when she started rambling on about herself in the principal's office meant a lot. He had looked so sad when she left too. Plus, the fact everyone considered him and Hinata untouchable made this a kind of challenge. Tenten loved challenges and knew it would turn out the two Hyuuga would be worth the effort.
Someone had to show the school Neji and Hinata weren't out of reach. Someone had to prove the two could be normal like any of them and deserved friendship like everyone else. Everyone needed someone.
Tenten bites back a gasp as she lands against the lockers beside the door to her English class. Her shoulder throbs and her books clatter as they fall to the floor but she hasn't fallen over. Tenten looks up to see who shoved her and sees Ino flicking her long hair in a haughty way. Sakura has a grin on her pink colored lips and the two walk into class.
Tenten regains her balance and huffs. She crouches down to gather her books and clenches her jaw. She had heard from the guys later Ino and Sakura are considered the toughest, prettiest, and most popular girls in the entire school. They're on a level all their own according to everyone else and no one had taken them down before.
Apparently the two couldn't deal with competition. Tenten grins then takes a breath as pale hands come into her field of vision. She glances up through her bangs to see Hinata helping her gather her books.
"Thanks," Tenten says.
"You're welcome. Sakura shouldn't have done that," Hinata says softly.
Tenten frowns but decides it doesn't matter. She takes her books gently from Hinata and stands with her. Hinata has worn her waist-length hair up today and it shows off her elegant neck. A few pieces frame her face beautifully and Tenten can see Hinata wears tinted lip gloss and mascara. Tenten grins and wraps an arm through Hinata's to bring her into class.
Okay, so if she's using Hinata to get to Neji then Hinata is using Tenten to get to Naruto. Tenten doesn't mind a bit and keeps her smile in place as she and Hinata walk into the room. Everyone looks to them but Tenten doesn't care. She guides Hinata to take a seat with her in the duel desks and sees everyone continuing to look at them.
Naruto has gone red through his entire face since he and Kiba sit in front of her. Kiba has a hand over his mouth to stop from laughing. Shikamaru is grinning while Choji snickers beside him. Shino snorts but she can see the tiny grin on his face. Lee rushes in a moment later and takes the empty seat beside Shino.
"Hi Hinata," Naruto says with a bright grin.
"Hello Naruto," Hinata gets out.
Her cheeks have gone pink but she has sat up straighter. Tenten watches as she flutters her eyelashes at him. Naruto gulps and rubs the back of his neck.
"I like your hair," Naruto says. "It's so, um, up?"
Tenten hears Shikamaru smacking his forehead. Choji rolls his eyes and even Lee groans. Kiba starts laughing as Hinata stares at Naruto with parted lips and her eyebrows crinkled in confusion. Naruto is laughing nervously, loudly, and Tenten can't help feeling a little sorry for the blonde.
"Um, thank you?" Hinata tries.
Thankfully Jiraiya-sensei calls for their attention. Tenten happily listens as they discuss Shakespeare until the bell rings. She shoves her books into her bag and keeps grinning. Now they have lunch.
"So, Hinata, want to join us for lunch?" Tenten asks.
Hinata freezes. Naruto drops his textbook and Kiba falls back into his chair. Shikamaru mutters a word under his breath while Choji stills in opening a snack bag of chips. Shino has turned in his seat and Lee beams.
"Ah, um, I normally, er, eat lunch wit-with my, ahmm, cousin Neji," Hinata says.
Hinata's voice has dropped a few levels in volume and it's normally softer than a regular speaking voice. She's gone pink in the cheeks again and is fiddling with her fingers. Tenten hopes the poor girl doesn't implode from shock.
"He can come too," Tenten says with a smile.
"Ahmm, er, I-I-er, don't know," Hinata says.
Tenten maintains her smile. She knows Hinata isn't used to having anyone want to be her friend let alone anyone inviting her to have lunch with them. Tenten is going to make sure Hinata does get used to sitting with people besides her family. Well, her and Neji.
"Aw c'mon, Hinata. We don't bite," Tenten says.
"Even though Kiba sometimes looks like he would," Shikamaru says.
"Hey! Shut it," Kiba says with a huff.
Hinata presses her lips together and looks at them all in turn. She shakes her head as she gets to her feet. She's clutched her bag hard in front of her and is still blushing.
"I-I, ah, will ask Neji first," Hinata says.
She bolts before Tenten can process. Tenten stares at the door to the exit and runs her hand through her bangs. Kiba snorts as he slings his bag over one shoulder.
"What'd you expect, Tenny? They're Hyuuga," Kiba tells her.
Tenten bites her tongue as she finishes getting her books together. She leaves the classroom with her friends and stands taller. She won't let Hinata or Neji get away that easily.
Neji looks up from his philosophy text as Hinata settles in front of him without her usual grace. Her eyes are huge in her head and she's breathing quicker than normal. Her knuckles have gone white with how hard she's holding her bag in front of her and Neji does not like how distressed she is.
"What is—" Neji begins.
"Tenten invited us to sit with her," Hinata interrupts.
Neji stiffens. He barely manages to stop his jaw from dropping but he knows his eyes have gone as wide as Hinata's. His head is spinning and he has no idea what to do. He has never been so out of his element.
Their peers simply did not invite them to have lunch. They did not go to the birthday parties of their classmates or have sleepovers with friends. They did not have pool parties or go to barbeques to celebrate various holidays. They never had friends.
The Hyuuga eyes intimidated everyone but worse happened to be Hiashi being in a position of power since Hinata's birth. Being the Mayor's family put them on the top of a too risky to climb sheer cliff no one bothered with. Except Tenten.
The new-girl, the one who had stabbed someone with a screwdriver out of defense, the one who had defeated Hanaro and Yamanaka, the one who sat with a bunch of males and who had an adoptive father rather than a biological one.
"What do we do?" Hinata asks in a hurried whisper.
Neji had no idea. Oh they had asked to sit with people when they were younger but they had always been told to go away. Sometimes they had sand or rocks thrown at them and at one point they had simply given up. They had no protocol for being invited to eat lunch with others.
"Brother?" Hinata questions again.
They do not have much time to make a decision. Tenten and the others will enter the cafeteria soon and take their table. Neji happens to arrive first as his class before lunch is merely two doors away from one of the cafeteria's many entrances. Hinata had to have run here from half-way across the school to get to him before Tenten and the group.
"Let's," Neji says.
"Let's?" Hinata parrots.
"Let us join them," Neji says.
Hinata's jaw drops but she grins a moment later. Neji sees the cafeteria doors open and in comes Tenten with the group of males she is friends with. Inuzuka Kiba has an arm wrapped around Uzumaki Naruto's shoulders and they're laughing about something heartily. Akimichi Choji is munching on chips with a smile on his face right beside the two as Nara Shikamaru trudges lazily behind.
Aburame Shino has his face in a book about insects, his dark glasses perched high on his face. The collar of his shirt is pulled up to cover his neck and chin and he wears his dark hair long to cover his ears and the sides of his face. Rock Lee, Tenten's adopted brother is talking excitedly with Kiba and Naruto and Tenten, Tenten is frowning as she ignores them all.
Neji gets to his feet and takes a deep breath. He closes his book and slings his bag onto his shoulder. He puts a hand on Hinata's shoulder and she smiles up at him. Neji strides towards the larger group with his head held high. He ignores the way his heart is threatening to break his sternum and the way his throat has dried.
Tenten has sensed something and her head turns. His eyes met hers and he sees hers widened. Her lips part and she stops. A moment later she's grinning but her pause has caught the attention of the males around her. They look in her direction and still in their progress as Neji guides Hinata a comfortable speaking distance from the group.
"Hinata tells me we were invited to lunch?" Neji asks.
Tenten's smile widens and Neji can feel the entire cafeteria watching them. No one speaks and everyone has stopped to look at this wonderment. He knows everyone shares in the awe of the fact the Hyuuga have accepted a lunch invite.
"Yeah, c'mon," Tenten says with a chipper grin.
He inhales when she wraps an arm through his and begins to guide him to the group's regular table. Her hands are on his forearms and he feels the roughness of her hands. Even so, there is warmth in her touch which makes his heart flip oddly in his chest and his mouth go dry. His palms feel clammy and he feels hot.
He manages to sit beside Tenten without making a fool of himself. Lee has taken her other side while Hinata sits across from him. Naruto is quick to take the seat next to Hinata, so quick he trips over it and comes close to smacking his chin off the table. Kiba laughs uproariously at this and Neji coughs to hide a chuckle.
Shikamaru welcomes them and Choji offers them some chips. Shino smiles and Neji feels his body relaxing. He wants this to go well. He wouldn't mind having people he can talk to. Besides, Tenten's hands feel exceptionally good on his arm and he tries not to pout as she pulls away. Neji takes a breath and puts a smile on his face. He and Hinata need this.
I'm evil, I know but come on: Jiraiya being an English teacher. *snickers* Reviews welcome.