It was probably some kind of stabilization, to fix a dimensional discrepancy. Or so Shikamaru had said at the cemetery. Neji's grave was reduced to a small pile of pebbles, the biggest piece of slate that used to carry his name now sported a big black streak over the kanji, rendering them unreadable. "All the clues lead to the hypothesis that you're most likely alive for good, but to know for sure I'll have to conduct further researches." Neji released the stance and crumbled on his calves, the grass around TenTen's house was high enough to hide him from the view. He sighed and ran a hand over his face, very little of Shikamaru's reasoning made it succesfully into his brain. The means by which he was alive and the fact that he'll probably remain so were of uttermost importance and yet, they seemed to have a ridiculously low priority to him right now. Most of his head was occupied by the trivial matter that TenTen had a son who happened to look exactly like his former best friend, and that in his fit of jealousy he'd almost revealed to Naruto what she distinctly asked him to keep a secret. Someone touched him on the shoulder, a gentle tap.

"Oi, something wrong, Neji?"

Neji looked up from his hands, "Lee."

His old teammate was leaning on his knees, a smile plastered on his face and a hand held out to him. Neji waved it away. "Aren't you surprised to see me?"

"Not really, I've already heard of you from Metal."

"Who-" Neji pinched a strand of grass between his index and thumb and pulled it out, "Ugh. TenTen really named the kid like that?" Oh, how he hated the sound of it. And Lee's face, his silly smile that had always bugged him in the good way now was seriously testing his Patience Fist. He clenched another handful of grass to distract himself.

"Not exactly," Lee said, "I did."

Neji's gaze suddenly snapped up, how could Lee? Surely Lee must have known that he – that TenTen – but that was thirteen years ago, wasn't it? He had died and to an extent, it was his fault, now he must learn to cope with the consequences, even if it meant accepting that others have moved on with their lives. Lee was still bent over, still smiling. Neji's eyes softened. "Can you do me a favor, Neji? Tell TenTen that Metal will be staying over at my house tonight."

Neji nodded, "Of course," did he imagine the slight twitch in Lee's grin?

"It's good to have you back," Lee forcefully shook Neji's hand and soon disappeared down the country road.

Tell TenTen…Neji activated his byakugan and scanned the house, only to find her in the bathroom, slipping off her towel before entering the tub. Neji immediately regretted using his power rather than just walk inside the house and yell her name. He instantly deactivated his visual prowess and sank back under the grass, but it was too late to forget the gentle slope of TenTen's shoulders, the smooth curve of her spine or the slightly damp texture of her bound hair. Damn it, he swore, cradling his head between the knees. He had just started on his good propositions of accepting other people's life choices and now... How could he let TenTen be with Lee, with his child, now that his senses from the past life had returned completely?


From the sink in the kitchen TenTen could only peek into the living room with her peripheral vision, she still noticed the weird way that Neji had of avoiding her lately. At first he'd been shocked and perhaps angry to find out about her child, but now he seemed more inclined to simply shy away from her field of vision. TenTen clearly remembered a time when they were sixteen, during a particularly long mission they had taken a rest on a riverbank and Neji had almost cleanly rid himself of all his clothes in front of her and Lee only for the sake of cleaning up. And while he eventually stopped before being completely naked, it was her who threw him a blanket, yelling obscenities and then went to bury her head in a bush to hide the burning redness spreading across her face. This was reason enough for her to believe that if Neji was being shy, and with her of all people, he must have had an ulterior motive.

When she went to clean up the table he was sitting on the couch with his legs crossed, he stared into the fire and was so busy pondering that he didn't even notice her moving around. But when she returned to the living room a few minutes later, his eyes instantly found her figure. He stood up and made his way to her in slow, calculated steps never breaking her gaze and for some reason, TenTen stepped backward until her shoulder blades brushed the wall. "How could you do it, TenTen?" He asked, leaning forward, his raven hair spilled over his shoulder reaching down to his waist. TenTen's eyes revisited the slit of his shirt, they followed the pattern of his pectorals, rising up to the edge of his chin and by the time they reached his white pupils TenTen's neck was burning up. She pressed herself back into wall, desperate to let a breath of air slide in the tiny space between her and Neji. "How could you give yourself to Lee? After what we had between us." He spoke, his words warm and moist against her cheek.

"What are you talking about?" She managed. Neji put his hands on either side of her body, palms flat on the surface behind her, "We had nothing between us, we were merely aware of each other's feelings."

"I'm sorry, it's been thirteen years for you, but for me it was just one long night."

"Neji -"

"I still haven't forgotten."

Neji's eyes slid close and his mouth pressed, hot and wet against hers. TenTen went rigid and soft all at once, her knees buckled and failed to sustain her, but Neji's arm readily wrapped around her waist, and she surrendered the last bits of her will to him. Her lips glided under his, her fingers fisted the sides of his shirt, his traditional clothes would have looked ridiculous on anybody else, Hiashi included, but Neji wore them like he was the emperor of great China. Neji slid his tongue against her teeth, TenTen's heart sprinted into a race forcing her eyes open wide, her vision was blurred and she realized the tears pooling on her lashes. Neji's breath fluttered against her cheek, she found him looking at her and a second later he was gone. He stood a few feet from her, turned away from her face. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come between you and Lee now. I've been gone far too long to complain, I have no right to these feelings, especially since you two have a kid."

TenTen swallowed the lump in her throat and lurched forward, her hand clutched Neji's forearm. He pivoted around slowly, almost afraid that seeing her would make him push her against the wall and kiss her again. "Neji," she said when their eyes met, "The kid is yours."

He jerked backward and breathed, "What?"

TenTen squeezed her eyes closed, drew a big breath and opened them again, "The kid is yours."