Author's Note: Reviews keep me motivated to post! I welcome all constructive feedback, and will reply to every non-flame review.
"Lee – !"
Ten-ten opened the door to her apartment to find her teammate's round eyes staring back at her. The shock stopped her heart for a second, and almost sent her falling back down the stairs toward the produce shop. Mom is a woman of her word. Too bad Lee's getting sucked into her plans, too, she thought.
"Hello, Ten-ten. It is nice to finally spend time with you outside our shinobi duties," he answered, chipper as always. Still dressed in his forest green jumpsuit. "Your mother invited my mother and I for dinner tonight. She is such a nice woman."
"Oh. Hi, Lee."
She couldn't muster the heart to tell him the true reason behind the Sato family's spontaneous dinner party – and generosity from Ten-ten's mother never lacked a purpose.
"Honey, let Ten-ten freshen up before dinner. She's just returned from a mission, you know," Lee's mother called from the kitchen, where she played cards with Ten-ten's parents over tea.
"Of course, mother. I apologize for my eagerness, Ten-ten."
"Lee, I made a batch of sweet rice cakes just for your visit! Why don't you tell me how they turned out?"
Lee retreated to the kitchen to try Ten-ten's mother's sweet rice cakes, leaving the doorframe unobstructed. Ten-ten exhaled.
"Thanks, Mom," Ten-ten muttered. She sprinted up the stairs to her room, slamming the door behind her.
I thought Mom would at least wait two weeks before trying to play matchmaker. She fell onto the bed face-first into her pillow. I shouldn't keep Lee waiting. Knowing him, he'll assume he did something wrong, she fretted.
Ten-ten wished she had Neji's gift for calming himself under duress. Or she wished she had him. Even a squeeze of her hand could silence her screaming nerves before a high-stakes battle. Not even a week had passed since Neji's wedding – and she could still smell him on her bed linens.
She lay motionless until she could hear her mother yelling Ten-ten Sato! Come entertain our guests from downstairs. Groaning, she roused herself, splashing water on her face from the nightstand basin. A spray of deodorant to preempt her mother's inevitable complaint that smelling sweaty was unladylike and sure to repel would-be husbands. Lee wouldn't care. He's smelled me after three days of non-stop traveling with no showers, Ten-ten internally rebutted her mother's contention.
Displaying her best open-mouthed smile, Ten-ten took her seat at the dining table next to Lee and waved to Lee's mother.
"How were those rice cakes, Lee? Sato family recipe – you can't get them anywhere else," Ten-ten asked, inflecting her voice with false cheer.
Lee gave a thumbs up. Oblivious to Ten-ten's insincerity. From across the table, her mother shook her head just enough for her to register the disapproval. Mom can't expect me to be all better so soon after…
Trapped at the table by her mother's gaze, Ten-ten almost preferred her father's blunt approach to forcing his daughter to consider alternate suitors. She hated playing her mother's artificial courtship game – even more when she knew her "suitor" so well.
"Ten-ten, I am so sorry to hear about Neji. It appears that he did not return your feelings after all."
After three years, that's what he really believes?
The third wheel of Team Gai knew his teammates started dating sometime between the day Ten-ten brought a flower to Neji as he recovered from his defeat by Naruto, and when he saw them holding hands over lunch. Yet Lee all but ignored their relationship most of the time – though he readily moved seats so the couple could sit side by side on their restaurant outings.
"Oh. What makes you think that?"
Ten-ten crossed her arms, ignoring the glare from her mother.
"Surely he could not have married another if the feelings were shared."
"Lee, you don't understand," Ten-ten countered, scowling at the plate of rice cakes to signal the end of that conversation.
Despite – or because of – his pure heart, her teammate lacked the ability to grasp the many ways life mocked the pure-hearted intentions of men and women.
She wanted to tell him to stop making unfounded assumptions about Neji – but Lee was hardly the only one she wanted to lash on those grounds.
Hurt by Ten-ten's barely-concealed anger, Lee curled his shoulders forward, bushy eyebrows downcast.
Ten-ten's mother crossed the kitchen on the speedy legs she reserved for when her only daughter really deserved a scolding. Ten-ten's muscles locked as she felt the breeze of her mother's approach on the backs of her legs.
"I just have to speak to Ten-ten for a minute. Excuse us," she grinned at Lee and his mother. Ten-ten's father shook his head and kept his eyes on the latest Hidden Leaf Chronicle.
Squeezing Ten-ten's upper arm with enough force to constrict her bloodflow, her mother dragged her into the stairwell leading up to their apartment and slammed the door behind her. The cool, dank air of the stairwell shocked her into attention.
"I've tried to be patient with you, Ten-ten. But you're hardly the first girl to get her heart broken like this," she hissed into Ten-ten's bent ear.
"Mom…"
"Don't be a child in front of our guest, Ten-ten. Do I need to remind you – we invited him because he's your friend."
Ten-ten sighed. The sight of Lee's sad face never failed to send a rush of sympathy through her heart, especially if she caused the downturn in his mood.
"I-yeah, I'll go tell him I'm sorry."
"Good. Now let's have a nice dinner together. I'll hear no more complaining about Neji tonight."
As the mother and daughter returned to the kitchen, Lee watched Ten-ten with timid eyes, compounding her guilt.
"Lee, I'm sorry for what I said. Please. It's been less than a week, and I guess I'm still trying to accept it," she pleaded, watching his face in hopes of seeing the reproachful expression lift.
"It is okay, Ten-ten," he answered without his signature grin or thumbs up. Hope this doesn't mess up our teamwork. Oh, but he'll be over it by tomorrow, Ten-ten rushed to reassure herself.
Accepting her daughter's apology, Ten-ten's mother commented that the curry was ready and spooned heaps of white rice onto plates next to generous servings of the stew.
"Mrs. Sato, thank you for the meal."
"Yes, thank you, Takako," Lee's mother accepted the plate with a smile, eager to dissipate the tension that settled at the table from Ten-ten's remarks to her son.
"Thanks, Mom. Smells great."
"Thanks, honey."
Ten-ten's father folded his newspaper and dropped the quartered pages next to his seat. Ten-ten hoped he would avoid mentioning any current events that might start a dinnertime argument. He had strong opinions on Lady Tsunade's attempts to solidify special privileges for shinobi and their direct relatives into the village's legal code. A desperate attempt to increase flagging enrollments at the ninja academy, in his opinion. And if she could survive one meal without hearing the phrase when I become hokage…
"Hey, uh, Lee. I heard you've been working on some new jutsu with Gai sensei."
Ten-ten needed to direct the conversation, or her father would. She knew the mention of training or Gai sensei never failed to make Lee perk up in interest.
"Yes, you heard correctly, Ten-ten. But I cannot give you too many details for now or I may lose my advantage against Neji."
He smiled and winked in her direction. She responded with a sincere laugh. Still obsessed with beating Neji, as always. Since reaching chunin, Lee's circle of sworn rivals had expanded to include Naruto, Kiba and every young male shinobi who looked at him oddly. Yet his ultimate focus remained on besting the naturally gifted Hyuga genius.
"What if I promise not to tell him?"
"That still will not do. You may be convinced to disclose my training secrets in hopes of winning his affections back."
As if I need to do that.
Ten-ten's mother interjected with "I'm sure Ten-ten's not trying to ruin Neji's marriage." Her tone suggested she meant the statement as much to warn her daughter as to reassure Lee.
"I wouldn't do that, Mom. Promise," Ten-ten muttered, guilt flowering in her chest as she lied.
"So, I trust your mission went smoothly, Ten-ten?" Lee's mother cut in, always the diplomat.
"It did. Thanks for asking – just a C-level escort for a convoy of merchants heading to the Land of Wind. Rest of the team were genin fresh from the academy," Ten-ten answered. "Even my taijutsu was enough to take down the bandits. Though I'm sure Lee's taijutsu would have made even faster work of them."
Lee held a hand to his lips and blushed at Ten-ten's flattery.
"Then it is too bad I could not have gone with you. I cannot wait for Lady Tsunade to assign my next mission – it really has been too long since I have had the opportunity to show off my taijutsu!"
The Satos and their guests managed to clear their plates without another mention of Neji, and without steering into the contentious territory of village politics. As the conversation flowed into safer territory, Ten-ten saw her mother's face relax into a smile. Though he only contributed occasional nods, Ten-ten's father projected quiet approval and relief at the sight of his daughter chatting freely with one of her oldest friends.
I need to apologize to Lee, alone. And I have some explaining to do – explaining he's not getting from Neji.
Placing her plate in the sink, Ten-ten grabbed her set of house keys from a hook posted by the exit.
"Mom, Dad – would you mind if Lee and I took a walk outside together? We won't go off the main street."
Lee straightened his shoulders in surprise, but grinned back with a full mouth of teeth.
"Yes, that would be a splendid idea!"
The assembled parents glanced at each other – they seem to agree with Lee, Ten-ten thought. She wouldn't have been shocked if her mother fainted with excitement at the idea of her daughter spending quality bonding time with a man who wasn't Neji.
"Oh, of course, dear!" Her mother shuffled over, straightening Ten-ten's collar and handing her a scratchy wool cardigan.
"Just don't catch a cold! And don't stay out too late, you two!"
"Uh, okay. Lee, you good to head out?" Ten-ten slipped on the sweater to appease her still-watching mother and cracked the apartment door open.
"Yes, I am ready!"
Their mothers shared a laugh.
"Wanna keep playing cards? I've got a winning streak, and I'm not going to let it go," Ten-ten heard her father ask as she and Lee descended the stairs.
Even after dark, the street still hummed with pedestrians buying snacks from food stands or crowding around streetlamps in boisterous groups. Lee walked beside her with hands in his pockets, uncharacteristically quiet.
"Hey, I'm really sorry about snapping at you earlier," Ten-ten opened. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just...haven't been feeling like myself for the past week. Like I said before."
Lee frowned.
"I understand, Ten-ten. It is not simple letting go of love."
"Yeah. It's not."Ironic, coming from the ultimate testament to that statement.
Ten-ten paused to deliberate her next words.
"Why do you think my mom invited you over for dinner?"
Lee's eyebrows shot up.
"Do you really mean to say...that your mother wishes to replace Neji with me as the object of your affection?"
"That's...one way to put it," Ten-ten responded, giggling at her friend's surprise as he realized the truth.
"Well, she should know that Sakura is the only konoichi who has my heart! You are only my very good friend."
"She didn't exactly consult me. I would have told her if she did."
The teammates continued down the street in silence for another block. Ten-ten watched the storefronts grade into townhouses and blocks of apartments. Only crickets and the occasional dog punctuated the peaceful night that settled over the residences like a blanket.
"Ten-ten, if you are willing, could you tell me what it is I do not understand about you and Neji?"
Guess it was only a matter of time before he started wondering. Ten-ten cleansed her mind with a deep sigh. She'd prayed that awkward topic would remain unaddressed until later in their walk. How late? She supposed no amount of rehearsing her lines would prepare her fully.
"So, you know the Hyuga clan, right?" she asked, then cursed herself for opening with such a basic question. Lee found himself reminded of the Hyuga's innate gifts every time he faced Neji and ended up with a face-full of dirt. He'll think I'm still talking down to him.
"Yes. Everyone in the village knows. How is this relevant –"
"He's still one of them. And they don't want him marrying a girl who's not one of them."
Such a straightforward reason. But her simple restatement concealed the generations of elitism and all-consuming power obsession that culminated in Neji's arranged marriage.
"Oh. That is a pity. So he has not rejected your feelings?"
Ten-ten smiled, her eyes shining with admiration for Neji's will to resist his uncle's schemes.
"No. The opposite, Lee."
"Do you mean to say you plan to still be together?"
Ten-ten abruptly stopped beneath a streetlamp and pivoted to face Lee. Her recollection of Neji's resolve emboldened her to confide in Lee – she knew she could trust her friend with a secret.
"I hope that can happen. So does he. But – promise me you won't tell anyone what I said."
"Ten-ten! I give you my word I will not disclose your words. But he is married. He has already promised himself to his wife."
Sounds like what Lee would say.
Her friend's rigid adherence to rules – self-created or otherwise – often grated on her. If she even performed one less squat than instructed, he eagerly informed Gai sensei of her transgression and smiled while she completed 100 more squats to compensate. If Gai sensei told him to eat a jar of spicy radish pickles every day, he would do it with that mindless smile on his face.
"Yeah? Neji's your friend, isn't he?" Ten-ten crossed her arms and gazed at Lee with her head tilted.
"Yes, Ten-ten. You and Neji are my best friends in the entire world."
"Do you want Neji to be happy?"
"I do. Are you suggesting Neji will not be happy unless he can be with you?" Lee's eyes narrowed.
"That's...yes. Lee, his wife hates him. She doesn't sound like a good person," Ten-ten said, almost whispering. Warmth rose to her face with the tears that blurred her vision.
The sound of crickets filled the silence. The soft yellow light of the streetlamp flickered for a second. Ten-ten could sense Lee's internal conflict between his concern for Neji and his ingrained belief that breaking even one rule paved the way to catastrophe. In the empty space left by Lee's indecision, her breath hitched – and she thanked her mother for the balled-up cardigan that now covered her crying face.
"Oh, Ten-ten. Do not cry," Lee pleaded. He wrapped an arm around her quivering shoulders. "Perhaps we might convince Neji's wife to be nicer."
Even amid cascading tears, she rolled her eyes at Lee's naivety. She could appreciate that at least he had dropped his insistence on the sanctity of Neji's marriage to comfort her.
"She's...she's not. Never mind."
Lee squeezed Ten-ten's shoulder. Stood next to her until she'd drenched the cardigan in snot and tears. She returned her reddened eyes to his, hiccuping.
"Hey. Thanks for that. You know what? Let's race back to the apartment. Loser has to eat a jar of spicy radish pickles."
"You are on, Ten-ten!" Lee puckered his lips into a smile and balled both hands into fists.
The two teammates sped across the village from rooftop to rooftop. To the surprise of neither, Ten-ten found Lee waiting by the Satos' closed storefront with a triumphant grin, tapping his foot while he watched for her to unlock the door. The spicy radish pickles went down only after multiple glasses of milk – but Ten-ten didn't intend to break her promises more than necessary.