Please see first chapter for disclaimer, etc.
Prompt: Pressure
Prequel to: Ambiguously (chapter 4)
Special Thanks: goes out to DarkAnonymous324, rao hyuga 18, SnowCharms, naash, Kiminator Mark XII, imjuzakyd, kenzinator, kimbi07, Kari-Kateora for all your encouraging reviews! You all are simply amazing, and I appreciate every one of you!
Author's Notes: I really enjoyed writing Ambiguously, and throughout the rest of the pieces I've written, I was secretly hoping I would come up with a good prequel idea. Originally this piece had a different purpose, but as I was writing, it morphed into this, and I liked it much better. Thank you all again for reading, reviewing, alerting, and favorting my story, and I hope you enjoy Pressure!
*~Pressure~*
"You're late!" Tenten threateningly shook a spoon in Hatake Kakashi's direction, feeling about two steps and one more wrong thing away from having a nervous breakdown. Being a ninja couldn't even hold a candle to this stress.
Her older brother crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. "I wasn't aware I was on a timetable."
She flailed her arms briefly at him. "Go change! He'll be here any minute."
Now Kakashi seemed puzzled. "Who?"
"The person I told you two weeks ago that was coming to dinner tonight. Now go make yourself presentable!"
"Why, your boyfriend coming over?" The amusement vanished from Kakashi's face at Tenten's look. "You have a boyfriend?"
"Tch. Forgetful! Shoo!" For good measure, she shook her spoon at Kakashi again.
"I'm going, I'm going." Holding up his hands, Kakashi vanished down the hall. A moment later, she heard his bedroom door slide shut.
Tenten let out her breath. To be honest, she really hadn't expected him to remember that someone was coming over - he was forgetful when it came to those sorts of things - but usually he did an acceptable job getting home in time for dinner. Of course he would pick tonight, of all nights, to be this-close-to-late.
A few quick flicks of the wrist with her spoon finished marinating the meat, which she then dropped into the wok so it could start sizzling. She set the bowl of vegetables next to the stove so she could stir them in, too, when the time came.
Knock knock knock!
Her mouth dropped open in shock. Oh no! He's early! She looked down at herself and groaned. She was still wearing the old clothes she'd had on earlier when she'd cleaned the apartment, figuring she would have just enough time to change in between fixing the meal and their guest's arrival.
She pivoted on her heel and then froze, unsure whether she should race for the door or her bedroom. As she wavered, she saw Kakashi hurry past the doorway (how did he get changed so fast?) as he called, "I'll get it!"
He probably just wanted to see who was at the door sooner, but that suited Tenten just fine. It would give her more time to finish the food and slip away long enough to change clothes herself.
"Good evening, Kakashi-sensei!"
Tenten's head jerked around in surprise. She'd recognize that - ahem - "youthful" bellow anywhere. "Lee?" Just to make sure her ears hadn't deceived her, she poked her head around the corner to check.
Sure enough, that was her greener teammate leaning around her brother, undoubtedly looking for her. "Tenten!"
Kakashi glanced at her over his shoulder. "This is our dinner guest?" he asked dubiously.
"Dinner?" Lee blushed. "I am sorry, youthful flower. I did not mean to interrupt your and Kakashi-sensei's meal. I merely came to inform you that Gai-sensei wishes to start training an hour earlier in the morning. Forgive me for interrupting. I shall trouble you no further." He bowed twice, quickly, then was gone.
Closing the door, Kakashi shook his head. "I have no idea what that was about, but ... do I smell something burning?"
Tenten yelped. "The meat!" She hurried to turn down the heat, then throw in the veggies and quickly toss everything together. "That was close."
"When exactly are we expecting this mystery visitor?" Kakashi leaned against the counter, head bowed, hands tucked into his pockets casually.
"Soon." Nudging her brother out of the way, Tenten poured everything into a bowl, then took a moment to savor the smell rolling across her face with the steam. "Hmm. Set this on the table, please." She thrust the bowl into his hands with an innocent smile, then turned to dish up the rice. Everything's just about ready. He won't be late, I know, but I really hope he's not too-
Knock knock knock!
-early. Tenten fought the urge to wilt over the bowl.
"Ah!" Kakashi set the bowl down on the table with a loud thunk before hurrying for the door again.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
"Naruto?"
What is this? Every boy in Konoha is showing up at my door tonight except the right one! Setting her own bowl down on the table with a little more force than necessary, she hurried to stand next to her brother.
"What are you doing here?" She didn't mean to sound rude, but this was all just too weird.
Naruto nervously rubbed the back of his head. "I was wondering if Kakashi-sensei would help me-"
"In the morning, Naruto. Tenten and I are - previously engaged tonight." Kakashi's eye curled in a smile. "Apparently it's been planned for two weeks."
"Oh - oh. Right. Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. By all means - ah - go on." Naruto grinned cheekily, bowed, then turned away. As he left, he called over his shoulder, "I'll see if Captain Yamato is busy, then, Kakashi-sensei! See ya in the morning!" He waved sloppily over his shoulder as he ran off.
Kakashi sighed. "Poor Tenzou. Hope he didn't have any plans tonight." He closed the door, then turned his shrewd dark eye on Tenten. "Are you trying to play a trick on me, Tenten? Or are you just trying to soften me up for your real boyfriend by convicing all these other guys to show up first?"
Tenten nervously rubbed her hands on her apron. "I promise, this was entirely unplanned. Well - everyone else showing up, that is. When our real dinner guest shows up, you'll know him." Kakashi still didn't look convinced, so she mustered up a wide smile. "Excuse me. I should - go change into something a little more appropriate." She hurried off before the elder ninja could think of something else about which to question her.
Relieved that she had laid out something to wear earlier, Tenten shucked her rumpled pants, shirt, and apron and exchanged them for the more dressy outfit lying on her bed. She mourned the fact that she didn't have time for a shower as she let her hair out of its twin buns. A quick brushing, then she pulled the sides back with a pretty silver clip and headed back to the kitchen.
Kakashi was still lounging by the door, one hand on the doorknob while his other held a familiar bright blue novel in front of his face. "You're not going to read that all night, are you?" she asked suspiciously.
"Oh, no. I'm far too interested in your mystery man to distract myself tonight." He lifted his gaze from the book, then did a double take. "Tenten!"
"What? Is there something on my kimono?" She looked down at herself, examining the soft sky-blue fabric and each painstakingly embroidered white bird for any hint of dirt or a stain.
"No. It's just..." Kakashi took a step forward, his head bowed, eye shining. "It's just ... you look so grown up." He gazed at her for another long moment, then looked away. "Sometimes it's hard to believe that you're not still that cute little girl I called 'Panda,' who used to call me 'Big Brother 'Kashi' and follow me around all the time, begging me to teach her how to be a ninja."
Was it just her, or did Kakashi actually sound - sad? Sighing, Tenten stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, standing on her tiptoes so she could press a kiss to his cheek. "I didn't know you were so sentimental, Big Brother 'Kashi." She smiled up at him, letting her words sink in.
She was rewarded by a smile and a peck on the forehead. "Thanks, Panda." He understood.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Tenten's stomach fluttered as she stepped back. "That's him."
"Really? Finally." Kakashi squinted at her, as if trying to decide if she were telling the truth. Apparently deciding that she was, he turned and opened the door. "It's about time you ... huh?"
Neji had, naturally, thought Kakashi would open the door. He expected no less of his fellow jounin and Tenten's older brother. He had not, however, anticipated the other man's reaction upon seeing him.
"Tenten ... did not tell you I was coming?" Feeling nervous for one of only a few times in his life, Neji allowed his gaze to stray past the copy-nin, searching for Tenten. Is she all right? Did something happen to her to prevent her from telling Kakashi-sensei that I was coming? Or ... did I get the date wrong?
A woman dressed in a beautiful kimono, her dark hair hanging loosely over her shoulders, peered around Kakashi. "Neji! You're right on time." She planted an elbow in Kakashi's side, forcing him to step back. "Come in, come in."
It wasn't until she spoke that Neji recognized her. "Tenten, I..." He allowed his voice to trail off, not entirely sure about what exactly he was going to say. "You ... look beautiful."
Her cheeks turned pink as she closed the door. "Thank you," she whispered.
Only then did Neji remember his manners. Clearing his throat, he held out the bouquet he'd carried all the way from the manor, having enlisted Hinata's help earlier in the day to make sure he gathered only the best and prettiest blooms. As Tenten made a soft sound of awe and gathered the generous bouquet into her arms, Neji bowed and offered a bottle to Kakashi. "And this is for you, Kakashi-sensei."
Kakashi studied the bottle for a long moment before taking it cautiously, as if expecting it to explode. "Thank you, uh - Neji."
Tenten smoothly stepped between them, cradling her flowers in one arm as she slipped her other through Neji's. "You're just in time. The food's ready to eat."
Neji was used to the grand, formal table in the dining room of Hyuuga House. The table in Kakashi and Tenten's kitchen was small and informal, seeming warm and welcoming in comparison. If it weren't for the fact that he knew he had to earn Kakashi's approval before he could ask Tenten to marry him, he would find the entire setting relaxing.
As soon as Tenten arranged the flowers into a vase and settled them onto the table as a centerpeice, they all sat down. Neji could feel Kakashi watching him, and the sensation made the back of his neck prickle uncomfortably.
The meal progressed in silence for a little while before Tenten finally broke it. "I'm so glad you could make it," she said to Neji. Her cheeks were still flushed a becoming pink.
"Thank you for the invitation." He wished he could say something about his not being able to turn down any invitation issued by her, but he wasn't sure how Kakashi would react. So he held his tongue and smiled instead.
Kakashi cleared his throat. "So, how long have you two been an - ah - item?" He studied them over the rim of his cup, which he'd been holding in front of his face since the meal began. (Apparently the man wished to keep his face hidden even while he was eating. It made Neji wonder if even Tenten had seen Kakashi's face.)
Neji choked on the bite he'd just taken as Tenten spit her drink out, just barely getting her napkin up in time to keep it from spraying all over the table - and Neji. "I - uh..." I should have been expecting this question. Why wasn't I?
Tenten carefully disposed of her wet napkin, then got a new one. "What brought that on, Kakashi?" Neji was fairly certainly only he could see the way her hand was shaking as she asked the question.
"Fufufufu." Kakashi tugged up his mask, then set down his cup. "Tenten doesn't arrange these sorts of dinners for just anyone. And I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've seen her so dressed up. Besides, it's natural for two members of a team to develop ... romantic feelings for one another." Releasing Neji from his intense gaze, the other man turned to his sister. "Besides, Ten, you're all grown up now. I knew it was only a matter of time before I'd have to start beating off the suitors lining up at the door."
There were few people in the world that truly intimidated Neji. In fact, before now, there were only two: Hyuuga Hiashi and Lady Tsunade. But now he was forced to add Hatake Kakashi to that list, because the look in that man's one dark eye promised all sorts of painful endings to anyone who broke his little sister's heart. He wanted to reassure Kakashi that he had no intentions of breaking Tenten's heart - that, actually, he intended the exact opposite - but wasn't quite sure how to do so.
Abruptly standing, Tenten nervously began gathering their empty plates. "You - you two go on out to the sitting room," she said, voice tight. "I'll be there in a few moments with tea."
Kakashi seemed as disinclined as Neji to point out that they were only half-finished with their meal. Standing, he motioned for the Hyuuga to precede him out of the kitchen, pausing to whisper something to Tenten before following. As the two men took their seats, Neji fought the urge to flinch at the rattle of crockery in the other room. Kakashi didn't seem to notice.
"Kakashi-sensei, I-" Neji realized he'd started talking before he had found the right thing to say. He was forced to leave his sentence hanging, feeling like an idiot.
Again, Tenten's older brother pinned him with that intense look. "Tell me something, Neji. What are your intentions toward my little sister?"
Reaching into his pocket, Neji secured the ring he'd been keeping there for the past month. Withdrawing it reluctantly, he opened his fingers and showed it to Kakashi. It was a risky move, but he silently allowed the ring speak for itself.
"Hmm." Kakashi plucked the ring out of Neji's hand, turning it this way and that as he examined it intently. "What do the other Hyuuga have to say about this?"
Neji swallowed hard, beginning to second-guess himself. "I have not told them yet," he admitted. "I wanted to wait until I talked to you and Tenten."
Handing the ring back, Kakashi made another ambiguous sound. "And if they oppose your marriage?"
This Neji had absolutely no doubts about. "I love her. Whatever it takes, I'll do it to convince them to allow our union." His voice rang with promise, and he had no trouble meeting the other jounin's eyes now. Determinedly, he clenched his fist around Tenten's ring.
Kakashi nodded once, as if he had expected Neji's response. "One more question, one which was not answered earlier. How long have you and Tenten been involved?"
How long has it been? Neji couldn't pinpoint an exact date when they'd gone from being teammates, sparring partners, and friends to something more. He just knew that, over time, they had started sharing more meaningful glances, lingering touches, and, one day after a particularly strenuous training session, a mutual kiss. He was forced to choose his words carefully. "I cannot give you an exact date. But we have discussed our future before, and I have been seriously contemplating marriage for almost a year now."
Again came Kakashi's brief nod. "I see." Leaning back, the other man pulled out his book and nodded again. "Give me a couple of days, Neji."
That was more than he'd been expecting, so Neji had no problem agreeing readily to this arrangement. He could only hope that, in the end, Kakashi gave him permission to seek Tenten's hand in marriage.
Tenten was relieved when Kakashi stayed in the sitting room, allowing her to escort Neji to the door alone. She kept her voice low as she placed her hand on his arm to keep him from leaving. "I'm sorry about all of Kakashi's questions," she whispered. "He knows that I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, but..." She shrugged. "He's also overprotective. Especially when it comes to guys." Kind of like you. She appreciated the trait in both men, even if she didn't want to come out and say so.
Casting a quick glance toward the doorway, Neji leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm glad Kakashi-sensei cares for you," he said. "You deserve a brother who loves you, and wants nothing but the best for you."
She grasped handfuls of Neji's ceremonial dress robe to distract him. "I love you, Neji."
His hands were warm, comforting, against her skin as he cradled her face and kissed her lips. "I love you, too, Tenten. Always." Neji bestowed one last kiss on her, then left.
Tenten took a moment to recompose herself before she returned to the sitting room. Kakashi was waiting for her, finger holding his place in Make-Out Violence. But he wasn't reading it, and it seemed like he hadn't been for a little while. "Well, that went well." She forced her voice to sound light.
"Hn." Kakashi set his book aside and helped her gather up their cups. "Ten." He grasped her wrist as she started to lift the tray. "Tell me something."
"What?" She was extremely proud when she kept her voice from shaking.
"Do you love Hyuuga Neji?" Kakashi stared at her with an expression that forbade her from lying, or even stretching the truth. He always knew when she did.
Unintentionally, her gaze strayed toward the kitchen, her mind going to the beautiful bouquet he'd given her when he arrived and the kiss they'd shared before he left. "I love him," she whispered. "If he asked me tomorrow to marry him, I would not hesitate to say yes. I can easily see myself spending the rest of my life, however long that may be, with him. There is no one else in the world I could ever picture myself with: just Neji."
Kakashi's gentle grip on her wrist released, drawing her attention back to him. He wasn't smiling, but he didn't look angry or upset, either. "Thank you, Tenten, for being honest with me."
Part of her had expected him to scold her for keeping her and Neji's relationship a secret from him. But the thought hadn't seemed to cross his mind, and for that, she was grateful. "You're welcome." Picking up the tray, she turned toward the kitchen. "If you'll excuse me, I think I am going to do the dishes and then go to bed. I'm a little tired."
"All right." Kakashi followed her, waiting until she'd set down the tray to kiss her cheek. "I'm going to go on to bed, I think. Naruto's going to be here before dawn wanting to get started on his training again, I'll bet. Good night, Panda-bear."
Tenten smiled fondly at her brother's nickname for her. "'Night, Big Brother 'Kashi." Her smile widened as his satisfied laugh floated back to her ears. Then her eyes drifted to her bare left hand, and she studied her ring finger speculatively.
Don't let Kakashi intimdate you, Neji. I love you so much, and I know he respects you as a ninja, and as a man. Letting out her breath, Tenten turned on the water to fill up the sink. If it's meant to be, nothing will scare Neji away. If he really loves me, and we're meant to spend the rest of our lives together, everything will fall into place.
Three days later, when Neji proposed and she said yes, Tenten felt the pressure ease off of her shoulders. She was surrounded by people who loved her, but the best part was the fact that the two men she loved most in all the world were getting along with each other, just as she'd always hoped.
I love you both so much. Thank you, Neji and Kakashi.
*~The End~*
Author's Ending Notes: Sorry it took me a few extra days to get this posted. Besides everything in real life, I got distracted working on Threads, and had completely forgotten that I hadn't finished this piece and updated. I apologize deeply, and will try very hard to make sure that doesn't happen again. Thank you again for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this piece!