The Appointed Mission
The bright rays of the morning sun peeked into the apartment caressing Neji's body, but this didn't prevent Tenten from watching him sleep. She sat looking towards the balcony so Neji wouldn't sense her presence blocking the sunlight.
His face was so calm and serene. The cold and severe personality he had wasn't present in the boy sleeping before her. She approached his face with her hand cautiously. Her slender fingers ran across the side of his ivory face. Her moist lips formed into a small smile seeing how Neji didn't wake. Gingerly, her fingers traced his pale green mark. Affection for Neji shone in her eyes. As she moved a stray piece of hair away from his face he began to stir moving his head away from her towards the balcony. She stopped and stood up silently. Tenten didn't want to have him find out that she had been so close to him so, she walked to the kitchen and started to make breakfast.
Neji awoke feeling something soft tickling his face. His eyes were still closed as he moved his face away to make the annoyance stop. He tried to fall back asleep, but the sun, coming from the balcony, bothered his eyes. Slowly, he opened his eyes turning his head away from the bright light. In the kitchen he saw Tenten filling up a teapot with water.
The sun's light totally engulfed the room, now.
Neji yawned and stood up from the floor. Tenten heard Neji yawn so she turned to look at him. He was folding his blanket and placed it on the pillow. She put the teapot on the stove to boil before greeting him.
"Hey, Neji. Good morning!" She said as casually as possible. She felt a little awkward, but still comfortable around him.
"Good morning." He said seriously. Tenten served the green tea in two white cups with honey and milk.
"I made green tea and heated up some sweet dumplings." Neji drew closer feeling somewhat lighter from the night before. He sat and looked down at the food and then up at Tenten sitting across from him.
"Thanks. It looks good Tenten." She smiled lightheartedly.
"Itadakimasu." She said a little softly before drinking some of her tea. Neji followed her example.
"Itadakimasu." His voice a little softer than usual. Both ate silently hearing the town below them begin to wake.
The dumpling was a little stale as Neji bit into it, but the tea was deliciously well made. He was very thankful for Tenten's effort. Casually, Neji glanced up at her a few times as they ate. He thought that she looked very elegant with her brown hair down. Being with Tenten like this gave him peace and contentment.
"It feels almost like a dream." He thought to himself.
Tenten drank her tea and looked up at Neji and spotted him looking at her. Their gaze locked onto each other just like it had last night. Neji said something to loosen himself a bit.
"The tea is good." Tenten half smiled.
"I try." She said drinking some of it. He started to feel shaky as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Tenten, I was wondering…" She looked up at him hearing the hesitation in his voice which wasn't normal. She could feel that he was going to say something important. "Would…" Suddenly, there were sharp knocks on the door of the apartment. Both of them looked up at the door. Neji grew serious and looked away upset while Tenten got up to open it. At the door stood Kiba with a grown Akamaru who reached up to his waist. He was very large that he couldn't fit on the small platform outside Tenten's apartment.
Kiba was smiling and greeted Tenten.
"Hey, Tenten-san!" He lifted his hand as he greeted her and she did so in return.
"Kiba-kun, what brings you here?" She asked puzzled. He shrugged coolly.
"Tsunade-sama told me to get you and Neji. Seems we got a mission or somethin'." Tenten's face brightened hearing this and quickly turned towards Neji, who had finished his meal. He sat looking at her seriously, but amused seeing how excited she was. Kiba glanced into her apartment to see who she was looking at and spotted Neji. His face quickly changed to a shocked one.
"Neji?! You're-…!" He yelled out surprised, but was unable to finish his sentence when Tenten slammed the door in his face.
"We'll be right out!" She yelled frowning seeing what Kiba was insinuating. Neji blushed noticing Kiba's reaction. Both of them could hear Kiba laughing as he went down the stairs. Tenten cleared her throat and Neji stood up from the floor.
"I-I'll go get your clothes." Tenten walked out and returned with Neji's clothes folded in her arms. She handed them to him and he walked to the bathroom to change. She let out a sigh as she picked up the plates in the kitchen placing them in the sink before she went to her room to change.
It took the two fifteen minutes to get ready. Outside Kiba was waiting with Akamaru sitting next to him as he leaned against the wall outside the building. Tenten walked out first followed by Neji. Kiba looked at them grinning a little. Neji noticed this and grew annoyed.
"Let's go!" Tenten said excitedly and walked off in front of the two boys. Neji followed while Kiba started to walk next to him grinning and looking at Tenten.
"So, Neji. You and Tenten…?" He said teasingly annoying Neji even further.
"Nothing happened." Neji stated coldly not letting Kiba say anymore. Kiba looked at Neji putting his hands up defensively.
"I wasn't saying that-…"
"Good! Because it's none of your business." He said finally leaving Kiba defeated and speechless. He frowned a little and looked away from Neji to face front.
"No offense man." Kiba put his hands in his pockets insulted. Neji didn't reply and instead continued to walk further towards Tenten. "Hmph." Kiba crossed his arms seeing this.
When the small group arrived at Tsunade's office she was working on some paperwork tiredly. She looked up at the three as they came in and lined up in front of her casually. A sigh escaped her lips as she stopped her work and sat back in her seat.
"Tsunade-sama." Neji spoke up seriously his eyes stern. "What's our mission?" She didn't lose any time and answered him.
"Your mission is to guide a client's daughters to a village on a little outing they'll be having." Kiba rolled his eyes and Tenten was left with her mouth half open in disappointment.
"Why do we always get the crappy ones." Tsunade grew annoyed.
"I am not done!" She yelled making them listen carefully. "The client is a feudal lord in the Village of Fragrance. They are currently having some trouble with a group of bandits terrorizing their village. So, he wants his family to have some peace away from the village. The girls are very young so they'll be easy to look after. The mother will be accompanying you three." She was looking at then intently with her hands interlocked with each other covering her mouth. They nodded their heads hearing all the details of the mission. Tsunade continued. "Right. Neji you'll be the leader in this mission. You'll have to travel to the Country of Waves to the Village of Fragrance so, get going! You have two weeks to complete the mission." Neji bowed slightly in a professional way.
"Hai!" They yelled simultaneously and left her office. Once outside Neji instructed his team. "We'll need to pack things for our journey. Meet at the entrance of the village." Tenten nodded and went running to her apartment while Kiba waved his hand and ran off with Akamaru after him. Neji himself made his way to his own house a little worried what his uncle would say about his not coming home last night.
As he stepped into the estate discretely his uncle was the first to spot him entering. Hiashi's expression was overtly serious.
"Neji! Where have you been?! You didn't come home last night." He said sternly. Neji stood straight and bowed clearing his throat.
"I'm sorry, Hiashi-sama, but I was caught in the storm and I stayed at a friend's house for the night." His uncle stayed silent for a moment considering this.
"With whom did you stay?" Neji hesitated in responding him worried his uncle would jump to conclusions as well.
"Over Tenten's. One of my teammates." Neji waited anxiously. Hiashi frowned even more bothered by this.
"You stayed over a young woman's house for the night?" He asked prodding for more information. Neji rose from his bow and looked his uncle in the eyes.
"Nothing happened, sir. I made sure of that. I'm sorry." Hiashi examined his nephew's face and expression for any hint of lying. It seemed like that moment lasted forever making Neji uncomfortable.
"Alright. I believe you, but this better not happen again! Next time come directly home and check the weather more carefully." He turned to leave and ordered Neji. "Get dressed for morning practice."
"Wait, sir. I have a mission right now. I'll be gone for two weeks or so." Hiashi stopped without looking back.
"Alright, you're excused. Do your best and don't fail." Neji bowed slightly.
"I won't." He said reassuringly and left to pack his things and meet up with the rest of his team as quickly as possible.
Outside of Konoha Kiba and Tenten waited patiently with their packs on their backs. Kiba petted Akamaru giving him a dog treat. He glanced up at Tenten who was revising her pack to see if she was missing anything.
"Hey, Tenten!" She looked up at him with a plain look on her face.
"Yeah?" Kiba shrugged.
"Uh, I was just wondering." Tenten placed her pack on her back listening carefully.
"Yeah?" His eyes met hers.
"What was Neji doing in your house?" Tenten paused for a moment.
"He stayed the night. We were caught in the rain." Kiba nodded his head a little satisfied with her answer and hesitating to ask her another question.
"Nothing happened?" At this Tenten frowned crossing her arms.
"No. Besides why do you care?" She asked seriously. Kiba shrugged once more.
"No reason. Just curious I guess." He turned away to look at Akamaru who was watching the woods intently for any squirrels. Tenten rolled her eyes and looked towards the entrance of the village for Neji. A few seconds later Neji was running out towards them.
"Sorry for making you two wait." Kiba stood up from the wall and walked over to him.
"What took you so long?" Kiba asked a little irritated. Neji looked at him.
"Situation at home." He turned to look at Tenten seeing her carrying a pack. "Ready?" The two nodded. "Alright let's go." He ran towards the trees leading the way with Tenten second and Kiba and Akamaru last.
Second chapter downloaded only seconds after the first! Yeah, well I hope I kept Kiba in character too. Heehee. Tell me what you think and any suggestions, thoughts, comments, questions, and whatnot. Chapter three will be up just have some patience cus I do have a life and I have to do a lot of college stuff…yeah tell me about pressure.
Downloaded seconds after the first chapter! I think I kept Kiba in character if not tell me otherwise. I try to put a bit of humor into my stories I hope I have succeeded in getting at least a chuckle out of you guys. Review on how you think of my story. Please and Thank-you!