A/N~ Chapter 4! Damn.. I can't believe I've written this much. I'm so glad you guys all seem to like it! Thank you all who read this! :D
Neji's POV.
"Are you really feeling sick, or was that all an act?" I asked smirking.
She didn't seem to like that comment. She opened her mouth as if to say to say something, but failed to find the words. She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, lost her balance and fell.
I caught her, and chuckled. "Well, guess that answers that question."
She was so close.. so close! I couldn't help myself, but to brush my lips on her delicate, soft creamy cheek. I lingered there for about 3 seconds.
We heard the door open softly, an a gasp.
"TENTEN!"
I almost dropped the half-fainted girl on my arms.
Almost.
"M-mom.." she mumbled. I picked her up gently, and placed her on the couch.
"Oh dear! Are you alright, honey? Do you need anything?" she freaked out.
Are you kidding? It was like deja vu all over again.
How could Tenten stand living with her? I didn't even know the woman, and she already annoyed the hell out of me.
The again, I guess that's just because would always show up at the wrong moments. The wrong, romantic moments. Wait, what am I thinking?
"Mom, I'm fine. I just need you to leave.. please?" she pleaded, looking straight at her mother.
"I.. but, I can't leave! I'm your mother!" she yelled.
Tenten winced when her mother's voice reached her ears.
"...That's why. Besides, it's not like Neji and I are going to do anything, but talk."
"..You and who?" her mother asked a little confused.
Tenten gestured in my direction. "That's Neji Hyuga, mom. He was nice enough to bring me to the cabin. He saw me struggling, and offered his help." she lied flawlessly. She kept her face straight.
Tenten's mom, Ms. Miyazaki, turned to look at me. "Is that right, Mr. Hyuga?" she raised an eyebrow, and crossed her arms over her chest.
I was looking at Tenten when I spoke. I smiled. "Yes. That's exactly right." I then turned to look at the waiting woman, with a serious expression.
"It's that's so, then why were you just kissing her cheek?" she seemed pretty agitated.
Tenten opened her mouth to say something, but I was one step ahead of her.
"It would appear that way, wouldn't it." I chuckled. "But, I can assure you that it was nothing of the sort. She simply tried to get up from her bed, and lost her balance. I caught her, but my foot slipped, and I almost fell as well, which caused our faces to brush slightly." I resumed, quiet flawlessly as well.
"Hmph. Well, I hope things were as you say.." she said, crossing her arms again.
Tenten pulled a devastated expression. "You don't believe me, your own daughter?" she looked close to tears.
"Oh, no, honey! You.. you know that's not what I meant.. oh dear." she exclaimed.
"Mom, I'd like to speak with Neji." Tenten said quietly.
Tenten's mom just stood there, nodding.
".. I'd like to speak to him.. alone." she said, emphasizing the last word.
"Oh! But, are you sure? I mean, you don't even- ..you know, now that I think about it, how did you two meet?" she asked suspiciously.
"I told you, mother. He helped me get here safely." Tenten said easily.
Ms. Miyazaki looked at me, and I nodded once.
"Hmph. Fine then. But I'll be watching you two.." she turned around sharply, opened the door, and left.
After the door closed, we both smiled at each other.
"Good job with the acting and faking." I smiled wider.
"Well, nice save with the falling story." she chuckled.
I bowed. "Thank you, Miss Miyazaki." her smile widened.
"So, did you really want to talk to me about something?" I asked her.
"Hm.. well, there are some things I'd like to know about you.." she said thoughtfully.
I sat on the bed, right next to her. "Well, ask away. I have plenty of time." I said easily.
"Actually, I'd prefer if we could talk outside of this cabin.." she said, looking around the small room.
"..But you can't even walk straight." I said, stiffing a laugh when she glared at me. "Well, I mean.. if you really want to, I don't have a problem with it.." I trailed off. She smiled. "..but I do hope you realize that it means I would have to carry you.." I continued. She blushed a lovely shade of red.
"Y-you wont have to do that. I'm sure the reason I'm feeling this way, is because I haven't been feeding myself like I should.. and I don't sleep much.. my life's pretty stressful." she said, looking at little sad.
"Well, first of all, I would have to. But I don't mind. You're not heavy at all.. Even my luggage is heavier than you!" I mocked. She glared. "and, as for the rest, when you're with me, you won't have to worry about those. I'll make sure you eat and sleep like you should."
She smiled at me, then raised an eyebrow. "And by that I assume you are planning on spending a lot of time with me?" she questioned. A smile was forming on her lips.
"Heh. Not a bad idea." she chuckled.
"Well, is there anything you'd like to know about me?" she asked after a few seconds.
"Yeah.. How old are you?"
"I just turned 16." she replied easily.
"Well, when's your birthday?"
"March 9th... what about you?" she tilted her head a little. She looked cute.
"I am 16 years old as well." I said, smirking.
"Birthday?" she raised an eyebrow.
"July 3rd."
"Ahh." she said.
"What's your favorite color?" I questioned.
"Lavender." she said quickly.
We both blushed.
"What about you?"
"Hm.. I'd have to go with gray.. or maybe white" I said thoughtfully.
"White? I mean, gray I understand.. but white?" she asked in disbelief.
"Yeah.. I like it. It calms me down. Keeps me relaxed." I explained.
"Oh.." she shrugged, accepting my answer.
"So, what's your favorite animal?" I asked.
"hmm.. I like pandas," she said with a smile. She looked at me. "how about you?"
"I.. like birds.." I said, hesitating a little bit.
"Birds? Do you have a favorite type, or just all in general?"
"Well, I like falcons.." I said with a sly smile. "but I really just like all birds."
"Oh, well, that's great!" she grinned.
"So, your favorite book?" I continued to ask.
"Hm.. I have a few. I really like Pride and Prejudice, and Romeo and Juliet," she said. "What about you?"
"hmm.. I think I'll have to get back to you on that one later. I've read far too many books to single just a few out." I answered with a small chuckle.
"Alright." she smiled.
"So, what's your favorite hobby?" I asked.
"Hm.. I guess.. just hanging out with friends. I never really gave much thought to my hobbies. I guess.. fortune-telling. Oh! I also like taking long walks at night." she said slowly.
"At night? And why is that?"
"You can look at the moon, and the stars.. and during the summer, night walks are the best." she grinned.
"Heh. You got that right."
She smiled. "So, how about you?"
"Hobbies.. hmm, I like Meditate." I said slowly.
I half-expected her to laugh, tease, mock me, or something along those lines.
But she didn't.
"Meditating? That's awesome! I've always wanted to try it.." she grinned at me.
"Well, I'd be more than happy to help you meditate one of these days." I grinned back.
"Would you really?"
I don't know why, but I was willing to do anything to spend time with her. I nodded.
"That would be so much fun! Thanks!" she beamed, and hugged me.
I blushed, but hugged her back nonetheless.
She realized what she had just done, and froze. She pulled back quickly, blushing crazily.
"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't of... I'm sorry." she bit her bottom lip. She seemed anxious.
I smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry. I don't mind. I was just kinda surprised. I'm not really used to girls hugging me." I explained.
"Ohh, well, if you want to spend time with me, you're going to have to used to it, 'cause I'm a hugger." she grinned at me.
"Are you now.." I said, blushing a little.
"You want more proof?" She threw her arms around me without waiting for my answer. I gasped quietly, and blushed crazily.
She giggled, and her hold on me tightened.
I was.. shocked.
Ask her on a date.
..Why?
Because you really really really like her. And because she's hugging you.
So what if she is? (A/N~ Notice he didn't deny it! O:)
You're enjoying it.
…
You know I'm right.
Sigh..
She giggled one more time, and let go of me. Until she pulled away, I had not noticed that my arms had unconsciously wrapped around her shoulders. I dropped them, and just sat there like a retard.
"...That's going to take a while to get used to." I mumbled.
She laughed. "But honestly.. you liked it." she teased.
My cheeks heated up even more. "Of course not.." I looked away embarrassed.
When she didn't answer, I turned to look at her. There was a sad frown on her forehead, but a sly smile on her lips.
I did not like to see her sad.
".. I'm sorry. That was uncalled for." I looked at my hands ashamed.
"No don't worry about it. I get that a lot." she said with a smile.
"What do you mean by that?" I asked quite stupidly.
She shook her head. "No matter.. Let's talk about something else.. Tell me about your family?" she said, with a smile on her lips.
Family.. always a touchy subject for me.. yet, I felt like I had no secrets with her.
"Well.. my father died when I was 4 years old.." the look on her face stopped me.
"..I'm really sorry." she mumbled.
I smiled a little. "It's alright. I'm over it now."
"..But.. 4 years old.. you were so young when it happened.. I don't know what I would've done.." she looked at her hands.
"Well, it wasn't easy. At all." I said. "I remember days in which my uncle would take me, and my two cousins -Hinata and Hanabi- to the park, and I would see kids with their parents. I remember thinking 'Why don't I have my parents with me? Did I do something wrong? Why did they both have to leave me?' but I was young back then, and didn't quite understand what death meant." I said, looking out the port hole on the wall, and out into the ocean.
"That's.. that's horrible. And in a way, I understand how you felt." she said, playing with a teddy bear that was laying on the bed. It was Yahiro's, I would suppose.
"You do?" I asked confused.
"Yes. My father died shortly after Yahiro was born. He got shot one night, when he was taking a walk with my mom. It was late, and pretty dark. Bullet to the head." she sighed sadly. She hugged the teddy bear close to her heart.
"I'm really sorry.. How old were you?" I felt rude asking, but couldn't help myself.
"I was 6."
Only two years older than me.
"I'm really sorry.. that must've been hard on ya, huh." I muttered wholeheartedly.
"It's ok.. I got over it a long time ago."
"That doesn't mean the wound has healed." I said quietly.
"No, of course not. It just means I've learned to accept and live with it. The loss of a loved one never heals. You just forget. Time makes the pain better. Doesn't heal it completely, but makes it bearable." she said quietly.
So, she did understand how I felt. Even now..
She kept talking. "So, tell me about.. I dunno.. your lovers." she said with a grin.
Lovers..
"I've never had a girlfriend, or anything of the sort before." I answered honestly.
"What? Are you serious?" she seemed pretty surprised, and shocked.
"I'm completely serious. Is it really that surprising?" I asked.
"Well, yeah!" she said, in disbelief.
"And why is that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, I mean, look at you!" she said, waving a hand in my direction.
I raised both my eyebrows in confusion.
You idiot. She's saying you're attractive.
...She is?
Yes!
"Well, I mean.. I think -and I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks so- that you're.. attractive." she blurted out.
Told ya.
…
I smirked. "Do you, now.."
She blushed. "Yes. Very."
It was my turn to blush, and it didn't go unnoticed by her.
"Well, you're very attractive as well." I said, smirking when her face turned a lovely shade of pink.
"Well, I-"
"TENTEN!" we heard a young voice, and then the door burst open. Yahiro and the boy from before, Kiba, stood there, with the dog, Akamaru.
"Y-Yahiro! What are you doing here?" Tenten asked, trying to get up into a sitting position.
"Came to announce that it's lunch time.. but looks like you're busy.." Kiba said, smirking.
"Huh? Ohh.. I, umm.." she didn't know what to say.
"Kidding, Tenten. Well, It's nice to meet you, I'm Kiba Inuzuka." Kiba grinned at me, and extended his hand.
I took it, and we shook.
"Neji Hyuga. Nice to meet you."
"Neji? Well, I'm Yahiro! Tenten's brother!" he said proudly.
I chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Nice to meet you, Yahiro."
He grinned again.
"Oh, yeah! Tenten, mom said that she wanted to introduce you to some girls she met just now, so she wants you guys to hurry, and get to the Dining Room. PRONTO!" he said, when we didn't move.
I turned to look at Tenten. "You need help getting there?"
She thought for a minute. "I don't think I'll need you to carry me, but do stay close.. just in case, you know."
I nodded, and little did i know how easy it would be it would be to stay close to her.
A/N~ Chapter 4! I couldn't update yesterday, 'cause my parents are.. actually, I wont get into that.. grr.
I'd like to thank Midnight Insomniac, for all the support! Love you!
Chichi11101 for being such a great friend! I love you too, chika! :D
Have you guys read their stories? No? GO READ THEM. PRONTO! :D hahahah. I love saying that. Spanglish FTW!
Anyways, I hope you liked it.. like, really. OH! I might not be able to update tomorrow.. I'm going to a 30 Seconds To Mars concert, (YAY ME.) and I'm going to be too excited to write anything xD Let's hope I can, though. (:
OOC Neji.. now. If you don't like him, I'm sorry. Tell me then, what would be a good way to portray him.
OH YES. Speaking of portraying, I bet you guys are wondering why he's a Second-Class passenger. The answer is simple. He is always portrayed as a mean, rich guy who doesn't give a damn about others. I wanted to change that for my story.
Another question I got, was why I chose Shikamaru, instead of Lee as his best friend. Yet again, the answer is simple. Well, more like answers. Shikamaru is my second favorite guy character (Neji being first), and I've always wanted to write a story where they'd be best friends. I thought this was a good opportunity, so, thereee. Hahaha.
Any other questions you have, just drop in a review, or PM me, and I'd be happy to answer them for you.
THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE REVIEWED, AND READ, AND.. all those (: YOU GUYS ROCK! LOVE YOU ALL!
Until next time, with much love,
~AliceOtaku