Chapter Five: Lunch with the Hyuuga
Author's note: Believe it or not I wrote these first five chapters in one sitting with no idea where I was taking this. Again: supposed to be a one shot. Ah well. Also, urg for unintentional hiatus. I'm sorry. :(
Eventually I'll explain a bit more why Hinata and Neji are "outcasts" and about Tenten's background. Eventually Neji and Tenten will start dating as will Hinata and Naruto. Everyone else is up in the air. Let's go!
Tenten wants to do a victory dance on the top of the table. She's managed to get Hyuuga Neji to sit beside her for lunch after first meeting him on Monday. She can't help being proud of herself and wants to jump up and down when Neji relaxes beside her.
His eyes, more silver than Hinata's, glance down to his forearm when she lets go of him. His lower lip comes out the slightest but it is back to normal so quick Tenten must have imagined it. She does see the smile come up on Neji's face, small but there.
"Smooth move ex-lax," Kiba says to Naruto.
"Shut it, dog-breath," Naruto says.
Kiba sticks his tongue out at Naruto who manages to get properly balanced in his chair. His cheeks are deep red but he turns and grins at Hinata. Tenten keeps her laugh back as Hinata is gaping at Naruto.
"Hi Hinata," Naruto says happily, loudly.
"Hello Naruto," Hinata says.
Her smile brightens her entire face and Tenten keeps her giggles back. Okay, so maybe she had started all this to figure out Neji. But, if Hinata and Naruto got together because of her then she'd feel ecstatic.
"Your hair looks really pretty today," Naruto says.
"Ah, thank you," Hinata gets out.
Hinata is flushing and grinning. She looks pleased and Naruto looks like he won a billion dollars. Shikamaru rolls his eyes and Tenten knows what's coming next.
"Finally," Shikamaru mutters.
Tenten coughs to hide her laugh and sees Neji staring in curiosity. Tenten wonders if Neji has ever seen or heard Naruto fail at complimenting Hinata. She has a feeling Neji hasn't and wants to tell him. She has no idea how to bring it up discreetly in the middle of a crowded lunch room.
"Pardon?" Neji asks.
"Naruto sucks at compliments," Kiba answers.
Naruto whips around in his chair and swats Kiba on the shoulder. Kiba snickers but doesn't take back the words.
"You suck," Naruto exclaims.
Kiba keeps laughing. Tenten shakes her head and notices Neji is staring at her with his eyebrows raised. She shrugs and he hums.
"Anyway," Choji says. "Welcome to the table. Don't mind the craziness because you're gunna end up getting used to it."
Tenten keeps from shouting in happiness as Choji grins broadly at the Hyuuga. Their eyes are wide and it's Neji who smiles first. Hinata begins to giggle which makes Naruto spin in his seat to stare in wonder.
"Thank you," Neji says.
"So, philosophy?" Shikamaru asks as he eyes the text Neji has put on the table.
Tenten watches as Neji blinks then nods. Tenten thinks the text is rather huge and can't believe Neji would be reading it for fun.
"Yes, I have it in the morning," Neji says.
"What else you got?" Kiba inquires.
Shikamaru snorts and Tenten keeps her laugh back as Neji stares at Kiba for a moment. Neji adjusts his glasses and lets out a little breath.
"Algebra first period, Biology second period, Philosophy, lunch, Chemistry, English fifth period, and Physics final period," Neji said.
Tenten can't help staring with Kiba, Lee, and Naruto. Shikamaru hums like he expected Neji's answer while Choji is grinning happily. Shino is unfazed. Tenten can't imagine having all difficult courses. She hardly understood the basic maths class she had now.
"Honors," Hinata says.
"Huh?" Naruto asks.
"Neji's in honors courses," Hinata says.
Tenten sees Neji has gone pink and he adjusts his glasses. He hadn't said the typical "honors" or "advanced" in front of any of his courses. Tenten had heard other honors students saying the word proudly and getting all puffed up about it.
"Dude," Kiba says. "Wanna help with my maths homework?"
Choji throws an apple at Kiba's head but it misses and hits the table. Kiba picks up the apple and shines it on his shirt with a wolfish smile before taking a bite of it. Tenten sees Neji blinking rapidly like he doesn't know how to answer.
"Ignore him," Tenten says.
"Oh?" Neji inquires.
"Kiba's a little stupid," Shikamaru says.
"Hey, you woulda asked if you needed help, lazy-ass," Kiba says.
Shikamaru snorts as he unwraps his bento box. This signals everyone else to open their lunch and Tenten can't help staring at how elegant Hinata and Neji's lunches are compared to everyone else's.
Fruit are cut fancifully while there are perfect garnishes on the steamed rice. The maki rolls are perfectly lined up to one side and everything looks so polished, like it belongs in some food magazine and not in a high school cafeteria. Tenten sees Naruto pop open a bento filled with cooked instant ramen and rolls her eyes.
"What's that?" Naruto asks as he points to Hinata's bento.
"Actual food," Kiba tells him.
Naruto protests as Kiba makes fun of the ramen. Tenten laughs and sees Neji venturing a chuckle. Hinata offers some of her fruit to Naruto who takes it happily. He offers her ramen and she demurely takes some with her chopsticks. Neji watches carefully but makes no remark about the two sharing food. Tenten thinks it's adorably sweet.
Kiba burps loudly and Tenten sighs. Shino tsks as Kiba fist-bumps Naruto. Choji shakes his head and Shikamaru snickers. Lee congratulates Kiba on his great digestion and Tenten sees Neji looking confused. She shakes her head and he nods once.
"So what do you guys do on the weekends?" Shikamaru asks the Hyuuga.
"Study, mainly," Neji says.
"I ride my horse if I have time," Hinata says.
She goes pink in the cheeks and Tenten knows it's because Hinata's realized how "mayor's daughter" her answer is. The guys stare for a minute but Kiba grins.
"I can ride some of the dogs my family has on our property. Does that count?" Kiba asks.
Tenten breathes a sigh of relief as Hinata chuckles and nods. Shikamaru is grinning and shakes his head as Kiba launches into a story about the massive dogs his family lives with. Soon Choji is talking about how he helps at his parent's restaurant and Shino mentions his ant farm. Lee describes working out with Guy and Tenten keeps grinning.
Neji and Hinata have fit seamlessly into the group. They're asking all the right questions and giving the proper responses. She does notice the two have leaned closer to the overall group and can't help but think they seem kind of starved.
Both are soaking everything in with bright eyes and excited smiles. They've both forgotten about their lunches entirely as they ask for more detail about the group's social lives. Tenten realizes the Hyuuga have never had this before and swallows down the lump in her throat. She's going to make sure they get it every day, no matter what.
Hinata is still floating from spending lunch with Tenten, Naruto, Neji, and the other guys. She hasn't been able to stop smiling and doesn't care if her cheeks will hurt for the entire weekend. She doesn't even care she barely ate and the cooks at home will wonder about it. She walks with Tenten and the guys to gym, hoping this feeling of belonging will never end.
Hinata and Tenten separate from the guys and step into the girl's changing room. Ino and Sakura are not here yet and Hinata lets out a breath of relief. Tenten is talking about how everyone is planning to go to the movies and dinner tomorrow night as they pick their lockers for the day. Hinata knows she will be at home finishing up her assignments and pushes the jealousy down.
"You and Neji can come, you know," Tenten says once her bag is in the locker.
Tenten is smiling in that warm, easy, and confident way of hers and Hinata gasps. She and Neji have been invited to dinner and movies with friends. Hinata manages to hold back her happy tears and nods because she can't trust her voice.
"Awesome," Tenten says. "I can add you to the group chat we've got going on and you'll have to add Neji but then we can figure out plans easier."
A group chat? Hinata had a group messaging chat with Neji and Hanabi of course but now she would have a second one! With friends! Friends who she and Neji would be going to the movies with tomorrow night! Hinata wanted to pinch her arm to see if she had woken up today.
"Of course," Hinata says.
"Good. I don't know where we're going but it's usually a burger place. I've gone four times all ready and Saturday's the cheap night for high school students," Tenten says.
Hinata had no idea the movies offered a cheap night. She didn't even know what movies were playing since she, Hanabi, and Neji had never bothered to go. They did not like seeing the couples or groups of friends having fun when they always had to go with family. Now they would be going with a group of friends.
Well, she and Neji. Hanabi would be alone at the house, completely alone as father had gone away on business. Hinata bites her tongue as Tenten continues to talk about past weekends out with the others. Tenten has changed into her gym shirt and is pulling her skirt down now. Hinata knows she should be changing but doesn't care.
"Ah, can my sister come?" Hinata asks.
"Hanabi?" Tenten returns.
Hinata is caught between wanting to hug Tenten for remembering Hanabi's name and wanting to text Hanabi about them having plans this weekend. She nods instead. Tenten grins.
"Sure, why not? The more the merrier," Tenten says.
Hinata gives in to the urge to hug Tenten and squeezes her eyes shut so she doesn't start sobbing happily. Tenten laughs and hugs her back. The happy moment is broken when Hinata hears an unfamiliar snort.
"What's next? Are you two going to start making out?" Ino questions with a sneer.
Hinata bites her lower lip and lowers her head. The girls behind Ino giggle and Hinata turns to look away.
"No, we don't do free shows like you and Sakura," Tenten says.
Hinata gasps and whips her head up. Tenten is grinning evilly. Everyone has stilled and Ino is snarling. Sakura cracks her knuckles and takes a step towards them with a sneer on her normally pretty face.
"What did you say, new-girl?" Sakura demands.
"My name is Tenten, not new-girl. And I was saying we don't do free shows like you and Ino," Tenten says.
Hinata shifts to lean closer against the lockers as Sakura comes closer. Sakura's slender arms are defined with hard-earned muscle and all the muscle is standing out as she clenches her fists. Hinata gulps as Tenten stands tall.
"What free shows?" Sakura questions with a growl.
"All that groping you two do during cheers, man, you'd think the school would want to start charging," Tenten answers.
The other girls gasp. Sakura lets out a yell and her right fist launches out. Hinata shivers at the bang of Sakura's fist hitting the locker mere centimeters from Tenten's head. Tenten's eyebrows have raised and she has a smile on her face: unflinching, challenging, and amused. Sakura takes a step back and stares.
"You missed," Tenten says. "You'll notice I don't miss."
Sakura huffs and flicks her short pink hair royally before returning to Ino's side. Hinata lets out a breath and changes hastily. She keeps close to Tenten as they exit the girl's changing room and find the guys. Hinata flushes as Naruto comes to stand next to her.
"All right, archery. We're heading outside," Anko-sensei says.
Hinata follows Tenten and the guys out. Targets have been arranged along the wall of the school. There are bows, arrows, and a variety of throwing weapons lined up twenty feet from the targets and Hinata sees Tenten's eyes gleaming. Anko-sensei tells them not to poke any eyes out and people begin picking weapons.
Hinata gasps with a jolt as six thunks sound through the air in rapid succession. She looks to see a target with its red bulls-eye filled with six throwing knives and Tenten spinning a seventh knife through its hole on her right index finger. She's standing twenty-five feet from the target. Hinata sees everyone give pause as Tenten picks up five more knives and flings them out so quickly Hinata has trouble keeping up.
Six more thunks sound through the area and Tenten has hit bulls-eye on the target Ino had been aiming at. Ino and Sakura are gaping as Tenten picks up another knife and begins twirling it with a grin on her face. Hinata sees Tenten wink at Ino and Sakura as she buries six more knives into a target.
Hinata can't wait to tell Neji about this.
Of course I'm not going to take away Tenten's wicked aim. Do I know if Sakura and Ino are going to be brought into the group? Nope, not as of this writing. Where's Sasuke? Damned if I know. Will Sai appear? No clue. It's gunna be a fun ride *grins* Reviews welcome.