The last night they spent together during the war, before they split up without even saying goodbye because they were sure they would see each other again, their team had made camp inside a cavern. Guy was out keeping watch and Lee had gone hunting for dinner. TenTen sat by the fire, sharpening a blade, one hand reached for the neckline of her shirt and pulled it in an attempt to cool a bit. It was hard not to feel strangely hot when she was left alone with Neji, although it happened quite rarely and she craved for those moments. He knew she liked him and she knew he liked her too and it made it all the more awkward. They had never properly confessed to each other but ever since realizing their feelings they had started being not so subtle about contact. If they sat next to each other they'd lean until their shoulders and legs brushed, if their hands touched by chance they would keep making them encounter and touch again whenever possible, and sometimes Neji would try and sneak his fingers around the stray hair at the nape of her neck. And she would let him. They had never been shy about it, if there was a chance to touch each other they'd take it, to the careful eye they might have looked like more than just affectionate teammates but luckily, not many people around them were careful enough. TenTen let her arm fall slack by her side, she glanced back to spy on Neji and found him surprisingly close. He materialized out of the shadows cast by the flames and sat beside her. His fingers grasped her forearm, they traveled down, brushed the inside of her palm, tangled with her own. TenTen drew a sharp breath, this wasn't like the other touches they'd shared, born out of mistakes and accidents, this was deliberate. The pressure of his hand against hers felt a hundred times heavier, his grip, she realized he was squeezing his fingers around hers. It made her look up at his face, his eyes were wide, his lips tight in a thin line. For the first time the thought hit TenTen that Neji needed reassurance because, foolishly enough, they'd never questioned whether they'd both remain alive past the war, that maybe he was truly scared and that he was feeling the clock ticking on the time they spent together. Her lips parted and she exhaled a bit harder than she meant to. Her fingers instinctively curled around his in turn. Neji leaned forward, his black hair spilled over his shoulder while his other hand cupped her cheek, his thumb briefly brushed her chin. He was so close she could feel his hot breath against her mouth, his nose sliding against hers. TenTen had half closed her eyes when she saw him suddenly moving away. She scrunched her lids and panted, trying to make sense of his shape moving further and further until he'd reached the wall of the cavern where he's rolled out their beds. It took mere seconds before Lee made an entrance all flippant about the dinner he'd gathered, and TenTen understood. She clapped her hands to congratulate Lee, then she looked at Neji, really looked at him. His back faced her, hidden in the shadows of his long kimono sleeves, his fists clenched and unclenched. She couldn't tell if it was a trick of the light but his ears were bright red. She turned around and smiled. Next time, she thought as she went out to find Guy and take up the watch. She didn't know she would never see him again.


TenTen rolled on her back, scratching her eyes against the sunlight that poured in from the window. Why am I remembering this now? Was it because Neji had finally kissed her the night before? One peck on the lips could affect her so – oh but she had better things to worry about, Neji had asked her to sleep in so that he could have some time alone with their son. She flung the covers aside and got up. TenTen found Neji curled up on her kitchen table. "Everything all right?"

He looked up and smiled, "I think he doesn't like me."

"Impossible," she reached for an apple in the basket on the countertop and sat in Metal's place. His empty plate was still on the table, she pushed it aside to make some space. "Metal is a sweet kid."

Neji chuckled and made his way around the table, "I'm pretty sure he hates me with all his might, he's just smart enough not to show it openly." Neji was close now, he was standing right behind her chair, his hands rested on her shoulders and she was suddenly hyperaware of it. His fingers crawled up into the hair at the nape of her neck, slowly, deliberately. TenTen's hand suddenly let go of the apple, she found herself panting, gasping for air like she was caught in deep waters that threatened to drawn her, while the images of their last night together replayed before her eyes. Suddenly Lee was standing in front of her, the tears streaking his face. I'm sorry, he was saying, I'm sorry. Neji is –

"TenTen -" She twisted around and blinked. Neji was shaking her by the shoulders. "TenTen, are you feeling ok?" How long had she blacked out? "Say something!" He prompted.

"I'm…fine," she mumbled, "I…didn't sleep well."


Metal was just heading home from school when a big crowd in the street caught his attention. It was probably safest to just keep going and ignore it. Mom wasn't fond of crowds, however she didn't strictly tell him to stay away from them. So Metal pushed his way among the people, he wasn't really close to the object of their interest, but he had good view of it. The man Mom invited to stay over at their house had just walked out of the hospital, he carried Mom in his arms, Mom looked at Neji apprehensively. "I told you there was no need for a checkup."

"I'm glad Sakura said it was just stress, but you didn't look fine at all to me."

Mom glanced around and Metal felt the need to hide momentarily. He slipped behind an elder man, cursing himself for doing so. That was his mom that just walked out of the hospital, what could there be wrong if she saw him? He should run to her if anything else. But he felt this unease in his chest, in the way she looked at Neji, at how Neji held her in his arms closer than needed. Metal peeked again after they walked past the old man, stretching his ears to catch every word.

"Are you ok getting this much attention? People are stunned to see you alive." She asked him.

"I guess it had to happen sooner or later. I'll take the roofs in a moment so we avoid the crowd."

Neji jumped, carrying Mom with him and disappearing among the roofs. And Metal ran. He ran on the unpaved road of the countryside as fast as he could, unsure if the rush he felt was to run back home or away from it.