A/N: Since it's been so long, and my writing style went through so many changes through the chapters of this story, I think it's unfair to make you guys read all four chapters again just to remember what's going on! I just did, and I almost cringed at my over embellished vocabulary in Chapter 3 – such a mistake! I'll edit it once I actually post out a chapter or two more! For now, here's a summary of what happened in Chapters 1-4:
At the age of 16, Neji was taken away to become an ANBU member, as were Shikamaru and Shino. Tenten's heart was crushed because she was going to tell him how she really felt about him that day, but never got the chance to. She spent the next two years wasting herself at the bar and dreaming of Neji's departure.
One day, at a bar, after Tenten gets drunk, a man attempts to rape Tenten. Neji was quickly sent from ANBU to save her. She discovered that it was Neji and was infuriated with him for leaving. Neji used a technique on her that would give her some chakra back in an attempt to heal her, but he didn't know it would drain his own body tremendously.
They end up in the same hospital room, and Tenten is jealous of Sakura for spending so much time with Neji recently. Neji also thinks that Tenten has a fancy for Shikamaru after he spotted her with her arms around him with his Byakugan. In the last chapter, they both had a moment of weakness and gave into their lustful desires, but only for a few moments. Shikamaru and Neji are now both at their team reunions.
That's just a quick synopsis so far, but there are some entertaining details in between if you really do want to go back and reread the story. I'm sorry for the late update, but I really did want to just delete this fic until I realized how many people supported it and were waiting for an update! It's honestly only because of you guys that I've decided to continue to develop my writing skills and provide quality Nejitens. But after a year, reading my old works are so horrible!!! What was I thinking?? From now on, I promise higher quality, haha! And I'll definitely fix Chapter 3's confusing language soon.
Thanks again for all you out there that continue to read my fics and review so I can become a better writer! I appreciate it!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto and am making no profit from this fanfiction.
Possession
by nejiandtentenfan
Chapter 5: To New Beginnings
On the surface, Konoha was a scenic village on this sunny afternoon. The blazing orb above beamed with all its might, the trees sang to the slight breeze that danced through the streets every now and then, the crowded marketplace hummed with eager customers and brimmed with fragrant scents of the fully stocked snack stands. However, a closer look into the forests of the small village, offered quite a different panorama.
"Nine hundred eighty-eight, nine hundred eighty-nine, nine hundre- try to keep up my dear Tenten!" Gai Sensei's voice blared through one ear and out the other one of the kunoichi's.
All Tenten knew and sensed of this supposed spectacular day were the unbearably smoldering conditions, thumps of feet hitting tree stumps, and the odorous essence of ninja sweat all around. She hadn't trained this vigorously in years. Now that Neji was back, the level and speed at which the drills were performed were increased by many fold.
The girl couldn't take it. Her worn leg was nagging at her to cease all movement. It was impossible for her to continue training even if she wanted to. She hastily limped over to the nearest sturdy tree and lent her complete body weight to the tree to support. Her breathing was reckless. She closed her eyes and used both hands to grip her leg that was not yet fully healed. Ignore the throbbing, ignore the throbbing, ignore the throbbing...
All three of the men took immediate notice of the kunoichi's weak state.
Gai instantly raised his hand to signal a halt to the severe torture session.
At his master's OK, Lee instinctively ran over to Tenten's side, and offered a supporting shoulder on which her arm could rest on. Without a single trace of emotion displayed on his regal-like countenance, Neji watched silently, not budging a single millimeter from his current position.
"Gai-sensei, as much as I love to train, I think it would be best if we took a small break," Lee's voice was filled with concern for his comrade.
Maito Gai grinned at seeing his pupil's encompassing affection for his teammates, and agreed, "Yes, Lee. I think this would be an appropriate time for us to end what may be our final training session with Neji."
Tenten's eyes widened at the words that sharply ended the last sentence. She snapped back into reality. This might very well be their last chance to bond as a team. She gave a quick shake of the head and frantically tried to shrug off Lee's grip on her hand around his shoulder.
"No, I'm OK...I just need a small break, and I'll train in a few minutes...you guys keep going…" Tenten insisted desperately, still trying to be released from Lee's grasp.
Catching on to what Tenten was trying to do, the cunning Gai-sensei found an alternate solution.
"Do not be silly, Tenten! I know every one of my students love training with the burning passion that I had back in my youth, but I must emphasize a key point – your body needs fuel to train and grow! Therefore, I find nothing more appropriate than to go grab a bite at Ichiraku's Ramen shop this instant!"
As an eternal gratefulness surged through her body at what Gai Sensei had generously tried to do for her, Tenten let a small grin show through.
"Are you sure Gai-sensei?" questioned Lee in a hesitant voice. Anything that could possibly take Lee away from his training always greatly distressed the young man.
"I have not been more sure of anything in my entire life...excluding the many times Kakashi has questioned my gender," Gai quickly paused to pull out the collar of his jumpsuit, scan the contents that lied within, and continued, "Nope. I'm sure! Let's go eat!"
With a quick childish giggle from Tenten, a "Yosh!" and armthrust from Lee, and a extremely well concealed smirk from Neji, Team Gai was off for their homecoming meal.
"Ahh...what a delicious bowl of Ichiraku's supreme ramen! Nothing satisfies the soul like 32 unique toppings all compiled into one bowl of steamy, slow cooked broth..." Chouji plopped the final piece of grilled pork happily into his welcoming mouth, leaned back in his seat, and continued to reminisce with his team to his heart's content.
"No wonder you haven't changed a bit Chouji. You're definitely getting your recommended daily caloric intake..." Shikamaru said while eyeballing the many emptied bowls sitting in front of the ever-hungry warrior.
Chouji abruptly lifted his head, widened his eyes, and inquired to the Nara, "Are you saying I've gotten f-"
"NO!!" Shikamaru suddenly bursted, shaking his hands in fraught. "That isn't what I meant at all! I was just admiring all the muscle you've built in such a short time! Uhh...er...I mean...what is that pork that you've been eating made out of? Protein pigs?"
Chouji smiled with a chuckle and returned to his previous lounging position cheerfully, "Oh. Well, now that you mention it, I have been doing more weight training since you left! Just because you're the only ANBU here doesn't mean you're the only one who does intensive training!"
The rumbling laugh that followed boomed with great might. Shikamaru looked nervously at his comrade for a second. He was positive that no training from ANBU could prepare anyone for the wrath that would ensue if one were to use the words "Chouji" and "fat" in the same sentence in front of the powerful beast. As for someone even as strategic and nimble as Shikamaru...no chance.
"Weight training? Chouji I've never seen you weight train since Shikamaru left!" Ino accused.
"Well at least I've been doing something!" Chouji shot back.
Shikamaru was sitting in between the two hot tempered ninjas - something he would possibly regret in a few minutes.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Ino raised her voice and slammed her hand on the table, the dishes clinking from the vibrations.
"It means that at least I've been doing something other than crying and whining since Shikamaru left!" Chouji practically spat.
"I do not cry and whine!!"
" 'InoShikaCho is nothing without Shikamaru! When will he ever come back for me?'" Chouji imitated in an excessively shrill, high-pitched voice.
Ino's face instantly flushed red, half due to her seething anger continuing to intensify, and the other half due to the embarrassment Chouji was causing her right in Shikamaru's face.
Shikamaru laughed nervously, anticipating an epic battle to break out soon if he didn't stop it. How troublesome...he thought. Fearing Ino's cat-like nails and Chouji's tank-sized foot, Shikamaru decided that it would be less taxing on his part if he just tried to leave completely.
Shikamaru took an obvious look at the clock and said with exaggerated shock, "Look at the time! It's so late...Neji and Shino will kill me if I don't get back to my shift!"
Ino and Chouji abruptly ceased their bickering at their friend's standing up. Shikamaru got in a position to leave, and neither Ino, nor Chouji knew how to prevent what they dreaded from occuring.
"Well it's time I should be headin..." Shikamaru stopped in his tracks when Team Gai walked in through the small doorway of the ramen shack, "over to ask for menus for our good pals!"
Almost comically, Shikamaru put on a wide smile and marched stiffly to find the waiter. On the way, he made eye contact with Neji and they had a mutual understanding: they needed to leave soon. Neji's slight nod was only visible and understood by its recipient.
"Neji!" Ino exclaimed in surprise, "When did you get back?"
"Just visiting," Neji put it bluntly.
"Oh I see...well have a seat! All of you, have a seat!" Ino's hospitality skills that she had honed for many years from working at her family's flower boutique were kicking into full swing.
Neji quickly took a seat; the word nonsense did not exist in his dictionary.
"Don't mind if I do!" Lee said happily, flopping down in the chair next to Neji.
Quickly sensing Tenten's dismay at her the occupant status of that particular chair, Ino deliberately chucked a pair of chopsticks onto the ground.
"Oh no, my chopsticks! Lee, would you mind getting them for me?" Ino said in an overly ladylike pitch.
Dutifully, Lee put his hand to his forehead in an army-like manner and raced to fetch the pair of chopsticks on the ground.
"Tenten!" Ino hissed, and signaled for her to take his seat.
Realizing what Ino was trying to do, Tenten shook her head furiously.
Ino rolled her eyes. She walked over and positioned herself between Lee and Tenten. Tactfully, she said, "Lee, what would I do without you?"
She bent over to "check on him" and used here rear to bump Tenten into the seat. The chocolate haired girl was so caught off guard, she daintily flew into the chair with an "oomph."
Neji would have stared longer at the scene if Shikamaru had not saved the day by reentering - not empty handed. Shikamaru grinned as he held the extra large bottle of premium sake he had accommodated high in the air with pride.
"A toast!" Shikamaru said loudly, trying his hand at regulating the atmosphere a bit.
He quickly made everyone get seated, Tenten ending up next to Neji, and poured everyone a glass.
"And for you..." he grinned at Lee, "an extra large cup of water!"
Shikamaru pushed a tall glass of clear liquid towards the slightly disappointed boy.
"Sorry buddy, I tried to get something else, but all they had was milk. I asked for milk, but apparently Naruto was here a few hours ago...so...you know how that goes..." Shimakaru looked genuinely sorry while explaining his crime to Lee.
Lee's face instantly lit up at Shikamaru's thoughtfulness. He slapped Shikamaru hard across the back, which sent the saliva in his mouth spraying out, "Thank you Shikamaru! I know that I can always rely on such an honorable shinobi as yourself!"
Shikamaru nodded, with a feeble smile which required most of the strength left in his jaw.
However, he had to muster up some temporary authority to announce, "A toast..."
There was a pause.
"...to what?" Ino inquired after a few seconds.
Shikamaru thought about his answer for a very long time, before quickly eying Neji and grinning, "To new beginnings!"
Everyone smiled and toasted "to new beginnings." Tenten smiled shyly before braving the eye contact she made with Neji.
"To new beginnings," Tenten said so quietly he had to pay close attention to the shape of her lips to understand what she had said.
Neji nodded, but looked intently into the depths of her dazzling hazel, auburn eyes. The light hit her face so elegantly. Every feature was enhanced, her sparkling eyes, her perfectly sculpted jawline, her delicately fuchsia cheekbones...everything about her captivated his mind as their glasses made a delicate clink!
It took every muscle, every organ, every tissue in his body to keep himself from grabbing her in that instant and pressing his lips against her beautifully rose infused ones. For the first time in two years, he actually didn't want to go back to ANBU. For the first time in two years, he wanted stay with the ones he loved, an emotion that penetrated so deep into his heart that he forgot all the rules in the book.
To Be Continued...