Please see first chapter for disclaimer, etc.

Prompt: Ambiguously

Pairing(s): Neji/Tenten

Special Thanks: goes out to Hebi R., Animewitch17, hihimakino, DarkAnonymous324, PhoenixWytch, and SeiraXD for all the lovely reviews - they never cease to make me smile! And an additional special thanks goes out to I-Heart-Hatake-Kakashi, for not only inspiring part of this oneshot, but for giving me permission to go ahead with the idea. Thank you all so very much!

Author's Note: This fic is actually an advance for a much larger, multi-chaptered story idea that I got a while back (tentatively entitled Threads). It can, however, stand on its own, and I had a great time writing it, so I really hope you all enjoy reading it! Thank you so much for all the reviews, faves, alerts, and just for taking time to read my story!

*~Ambiguously~*

Neji was not typically the type to brood. He didn't mind taking time out of his day to be still for a while and meditate, but he didn't dwell on anything … till now.

This was yet another in a long string of important occurrences in his life as of recent, and he needed some time to think. So he'd climbed to the top of the cliff that overlooked Konoha, perching just above the first Hokage's head as he watched the sun start its slow descent to the horizon.

It had been two days since he'd asked. For forty-eight excruciating hours, he'd been awaiting the answer to his question, wondering the whole while if there was something else he could have said, or a phrase he could have put in or taken out. But what was done was done, and he couldn't change it. He could only wait.

As the bottom of the sun's disk touched the horizon, Neji knew he should be going back to Hyuuga House. However, he decided to wait where he was a little bit longer, just in case.

From his vantage point, he was able to watch as the village settled into evening. The number of people on the street dwindled, and lights began to come on in houses. His eyes were inexorably drawn to one apartment building in particular as he wondered…

The scuff of a shoe on the ground behind him captured Neji's attention. He knew exactly who it was, but still turned to look over his shoulder without bothering to activate his Byakugan. Really, he shouldn't have been surprised the newcomer was late, but it seemed like later because he'd already been waiting for so long.

Hatake Kakashi paused, regarding Neji silently over the top of one of his treasured, brightly-colored novels. His visible eyelid drooped slightly, as if he were bored, but the sharpness in the coal-grey eye beneath belied what his body language seemed to portray. "Hyuuga," he greeted at length.

"Kakashi-sensei." Neji watched warily as the older man wandered forward and sat down next to him, at the same time tucking his book into the pack at his waist.

Sighing slightly, Kakashi loosely crossed his arms over his upraised knees, eye focused on the same apartment building Neji had been watching a few moments earlier. "Got sent on a mission at the last minute," he finally said. "Just got back."

Neji accepted the words for what they were: an explanation (true or not) of why Kakashi was late. Perhaps that meant he hadn't really had to think that hard about it? A vain hope, probably, but one that made him feel a little better, nonetheless. "I thought it was taking you this long to think about it." He studied the elder jounin, trying to gauge his thoughts from the little bit of his face that was visible. It was not an easy feat.

Kakashi's normal eye rolled in Neji's direction thoughtfully. "I won't lie and say I didn't appreciate the extra time."

The last fragile thread of hope to which the Hyuuga had been clinging snapped. Years of disciplining himself was all that kept his expression from falling in reflection of his internal emotions. "I see." It had been too soon. He'd said something wrong. Kakashi didn't trust him. There were any number of things to explain this. None of them were encouraging.

Neji refused to believe he'd read the signs wrong, though. That fact was one of the few things of which he was absolutely certain.

Eyebrow quirked, Kakashi turned a bit so he was facing Neji more than Konoha. "I don't know if you do," he stated. "You know, I've never seen you do anything rash. You think about what you're going to do before you do it. Nothing is done halfway, nothing is spontaneous." He nodded once, decisively. "Hmm, yes. Perhaps."

"Perhaps?" Was it possible he'd misunderstood the infamous copy nin?

"Neji!"

The call from below brought both Neji's and Kakashi's attention to the staircase leading up the side of the first Hokage's head. Tenten stood there, still far enough below to look small, waving one arm. Then her gaze shifted, and her barely-visible grin widened. "Kakashi! You're back!" She started running up the steps. "Stay there!"

Turning back to Kakashi, Neji saw the other man's eye shut in his version of a grin. He wasn't sure whether to feel hopeful or betrayed.

Upon seeing Neji's face, Kakashi actually chuckled. "You have to understand my position," he said. Standing, the Sharingan user tucked his hands in his pockets and tipped his head to the side affably. "She's my little sister in every way but blood," he said. "So I want you to know this. If you ever hurt her, prodigy and most powerful Byakugan user in the Hyuuga clan or not, I will kill you." Turning, he started sauntering toward the top of the staircase, where Tenten's signature twin buns were just becoming visible. "I'm always watching you. Remember that."

Neji felt the back of his neck prickle slightly. So he had misunderstood Kakashi…? Or was it that the man had not even made his decision until that moment?

He watched as Tenten paused long enough to hug Kakashi, speaking rapidly to him before he went his way and she started toward Neji. She grinned, picking up her pace to a run until she dropped down next to him. "Kakashi was right," she said. "You do look a little off. Are you okay?"

Blinking, Neji shook himself out of his confused trance long enough to smile. "I'm fine," he said. Leaning over, he pressed a kiss to her forehead (only after making sure Kakashi was not still around to see him do it).

Tenten sighed, leaning her head against him as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm glad you were still up here," she said. "I don't know why, but something was telling me to come here, that I had to see you."

Shifting so he was on his knees next to her, Neji gathered her hand in both of his. "I'm glad you did," he stated softly. "There's something I've been wanting to ask you."

Kakashi took his time descending the stairs, one hand trailing along the banister as he kept the other tucked in his pocket. Truthfully, when he'd gone up to see Hyuuga he hadn't meant to be quite so ambiguous, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to put a little fear in the kid. Tenten was a strong girl (woman, he corrected himself; it was still hard for him to think of her as anything but the adorable four-year-old that tried to follow him everywhere he went), but she felt things very deeply. As her big-brother figure, he wanted to do everything he could to protect her. While he felt reasonably sure that Neji wouldn't do anything to hurt her (emotionally, let alone physically), he still felt the need to see for himself.

The look on Neji's face, in his eyes, when he'd seen Tenten coming was more than enough assurance for Kakashi to make up his mind in the affirmative.

"Yes!"

Pausing, Kakashi glanced over his shoulder when he recognized Tenten's joyful cry. At last he allowed his lips to curl up in a reluctant grin. "Just so long as you make her happy and keep her safe," he mumbled as he continued his journey. "I suppose I'll just have to learn to let you be."

Though Kakashi would never admit it to anyone, let alone himself, there was no one other than Hyuuga Neji that he would trust with his little sister's safety and happiness.

*~The End~*

Author's Ending Notes: Reading through I-Heart-Hatake-Kakashi's story One shots: Neji and Tenten, I fell in love with the idea of Kakashi being an older-brother figure to Tenten (which will be explored more in-depth in Threads). I wanted to play around with that idea, so this was born. Thank you all again for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this piece!