Lee gave them a farewell (giving Tenten a sympathetic look behind Neji's back) and turned and took off towards his apartment and the Hyuuga compound, to retrieve his and Neji's clothes and supplies for their mission. Neji stood in front of Tenten in stony silence, and she visibally shrunk underneath his gaze.
She knew it was mean, but his pupil-less eyes really freaked her out.
"Are you hurt?" he asks finally. She blinks up at him – hadn't they just covered this?! And besides, why did he care anyway?
"Tenten, I asked if you were hurt," Neji repeated, stiffening his back. Tenten bit her lip, Neji was showing all the warning signs of getting very, very angry. She had better do something quick, or no doubt he would decide to have a 'training' session with her before he left, "Yes, I'm fine Neji, see," she turned her head for him so he could see the healing wound. After a few seconds, she turned back around and was taken aback at the closeness of Neji's face to hers. She blushed. Perhaps she should have checked if he had stopped looking before turning…
Neji reaches up and touches her neck. He stays there a moment and Tenten feels her breathe catching, before he pulls his hand away and takes a step back.
"I'm sorry I allowed that to happen. You could have been seriously hurt, and I did not even farewell you before I left."
"It's…fine…" Tenten blinked at him and raised an eyebrow. Neji was being very…thoughtful today, actually seeming to care. There was something up. Perhaps it was because it was the first mission he had gone on without her since the Sasuke retrieval? Lee, Neji and herself had been together for the last three years, even when Neji became a jounin. She expected he hated the fact he would be alone with Lee and hear his love-sick pinings for Sakura.
"No. It is not."
"Neji..." She begins but is silenced by a look. He regards her for a moment, "I also apologise for leaving you with them. I had thought the Kazekage would be more respectful, but after meeting his brother…" He sighs and runs his hands through his hair, "You don't have to show them around Konoha." He says.
"Yes I do! I promised!"
"You've never been good with promises."
"I promised Lee!" She said, putting emphasis on the boys name. Neji frowned at her, but she knew he understood. Lee was stupid, annoying, strange (in more ways then one) and completely tactless, but there was something about him that made you want to do anything he asked of you.
Including going to a homicidal maniacs house.
"I still do not think you should go."
"Well, I'm going to."
He looks at her, exasperated, "Tenten-"
"You can't tell me what to do, Neji," she says, feeling herself getting fired up, "I want to help Lee, and I'm going to show them around okay?!"
She stares at him, ready to fight, but she knows he won't pursue the matter. Neji wasn't one for conflict. Still, part of her hoped he would forbid her from going so she'd have no choice.
"Okay." He says resentfully. 'Oh well,' she thinks, 'so much for that.'
They stand like that for a moment, Tenten shuffling nervously and Neji his usual stoic self. She heard him sigh. He looked up at her and for a moment Tenten thought he was going to say something else, but he just leant forward and touched her lightly on the forehead.
"We'll be back in a fortnight," he said softly.
She blinked. She stared at him. They stood like that, his palm on her head, for what seemed like ages. Tenten couldn't remember Neji ever being this…well, this affectionate, she supposed. Neji never acted like this. She glanced up into his (slightly freaky) eyes and bit her lip. He wanted her to say something.
"I guess I'll have to train with Gai-sensei alone," she said with a grin, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Gai's coming too."
"What?!" She stepped back, breaking contact with his palm. TWO Jounins and two chuunins at Lee and Sakura's level? This mission wasn't as simple as it had seemed. Her blood went cold. Maybe this mission was S-rank.
"Neji," she says and hears her voice quiver, "what type of mission are you going on?" Neji opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted.
"NEJI! COME, WE MUST EMBARK ON OUR JOURNEY!" called a voice behind her. She eeped and turned around. Gai-sensei stood in all his glory, Lee behind him who was looking slightly sheepish. He mouthed a sorry in her direction, and she shook her head to show her and Neji had finished talking before she realised he wasn't actually looking at her. She glanced at Neji behind her then back at Lee, perplexed.
Gai-sensei strode up and placed a hand on her shoulder, "I am sorry you cannot come, Tenten, but next time I am sure you will!" He gives her a grin and raises his thumb, and she is filled with relief. There was no way Gai-sensei would allow Neji, Lee or himself to get hurt. And Sakura was a good medic. Nothing would go wrong...she hoped.
"Come Neji, let us leave now!" He grabs Neji's arm and begins to pull him, "Goodbye, Tenten, until we meet again!"
"Gai-sensei!" She calls. He stops and looks at her, as do Lee and Neji. Tenten gulps, feeling her eyes water, "You promise you'll come back?" She glares carefully at Lee and Neji, whom she knows are too apt to give up themselves for others, "All of you?"
"Of course, Tenten-chan!" Cried Lee, ever exuberant, giving her a bone-crushing hug. Gai-sensei pats her head awkwardly, and Neji just brushes her fingertips with his. Tenten gulps and realises how much she depended on these insane team mates of hers. God, they were her best friends.
Even when thinking that, she knew it was incredibly sad. Two people who confused themselves with green tree frogs and a boy who thought smiling was above him were not everyone's idea of ideal companions. Still, like she could talk, she still had the same hairstyle from when she was two.
"We must be off!" Gai cried, breaking the silence. They carefully disentangled and Tenten gave them a smile, "See you later!"
The group nodded in response. They turned and began to walk away, Neji glancing over his shoulder. Tenten sighed. At least she would be able to get a little rest now they were gone. As they reached the corner Lee turned back to her, "TENTEN-CHAN?!"
"HAI?"
"DO NOT FORGET YOU HAVE DINNER WITH GAARA-SAN, TEMARI-SAN AND KANKUROU-SAN TONIGHT!"
She blinked.
What?
She saw Neji glance at Lee sharply and grab his shoulder roughly. Before the three of them vanished into nothing, Lee cried back, "DON'T FORGET, TENTEN-CHAN! YOU PROMISED"
Tenten stared. She was going to see them again THIS soon?! She just wanted to sleep and pretend NOTHING happened. It was mentally destroying enough at it was now her team (and, she realised, her only real friends) had decided to up and leave WITHOUT having to go back and reminisce about Lee telling them about the first time she got her period!
No. She wouldn't go. She'd go tomorrow instead. Lee was a good friend, but he couldn't ask her of that much. He was lucky she even agreed to doing this!
She turned around and shrieked, rapidly stepping back. Temari stood directly in front of her, shopping bags hanging from her arms, Shikamaru in tow. The girl tilted her head in amusement, "so you're coming over tonight?"
"N-no! It's okay, really, I don't want to trouble you!" Tenten said, attempting to keep the shriek out of her voice.
"Don't worry about it, crybaby here is coming over anyway since his mum is visiting some friend in rock country and his father apparently can't cook. I don't want to be the only girl there,"
Tenten glanced at the boy behind her. Shikamaru blew out of his mouth, unable to shove his hands into his pockets due to the bags, "troublesome…"
"Besides, Gaara has the next week off, he'll want to know what you have planned to do with him. He's like that – it's a kage thing," she shrugged her shoulders, "What do you say?"
The look in her eyes didn't really give Tenten an option.
"O…okay…"
"See you at six!"
As the two walked off Tenten felt a ball form in her stomach. She was going there. Again. Where there was a murder and a pervert and more embarrassing memories then she'd like to count. And there was no getting out of it.
Crap.
What the hell would she even WEAR?!
AN: Hello everyone! I am sorry I have taken so long :( and the bad thing is, this chapter doesn't even compensate! I know it's bad, bear with me, I PROMISE that it will pick up. Next chapter is the dinner, that will be fun, and the chapter after that is when Gaara and Tenten hit the town.
Sorry the NejiTen was so poor as well xD it's so hard to do it in character. Stupid Neji for being all machoistic.
ANYWAY - I have a poll open on my page atm if you wouldn't mind voting (because self advertising is goood!) and expect the next chapter very soon! I hate this one, so I will write more fast because I want it gone.
Ciao bella's!