The smell of coffee greeted Neji as he stepped out of the bathroom, hair damp against his bare shoulders. He hunted around for his black ANBU uniform, sliding into the pants before sauntering into the kitchen to find Tenten seated on the kitchen countertop sipping at a mug of steaming coffee. The temperature had dropped significantly during the night and the clouds had just begun to unleash a steady stream of raindrops against the streets and roofs of the village. He threw a half smile in Tenten's direction as he dragged his shirt on and stepped past her to make himself some tea.
Neji never drank coffee, had never developed a taste for it, but his girlfriend was another story entirely. While she loved green tea and would often drink it with him, Tenten had a particular fondness for curling up with a cup of rich coffee. The room was comfortably silent as Neji sat down at the kitchen table and the two finished their respective drinks before comment was made about his choice of attire.
"Going somewhere?" Tenten queried with a slight raise of her brow intended to emphasize her comment and indicate his clothing without completely turning her attention from the cups she was now drying. Neji was unsurprised that she noticed he had chosen to wear his uniform rather than civilian clothing, but wondered momentarily whether it was worth the fight that might arise to tell her exactly why. Instead he settled for something between honest and cagey.
"I have to verify some information I came across in my investigation. Information that I cannot verify as a Hyuuga."
When Tenten did not immediately respond, he hoped that that would be the end of it and she would not question him for further information. His ANBU mask allowed him to do whatever he needed to without exposing his identity and so the choice was a sensible one. Slowly, Tenten walked to the end of the kitchen counter, leaning against it as she carefully tied her black robe closer to her body. She nodded slightly before looking him directly in the eyes,
"How long will you be gone?"
Neji was acutely aware of her tone and the care with which she spoke, indicating that the conversation could go either way depending entirely on what he chose to say in response. He selected his next words honestly and carefully.
"Less than 24 hours, should I find what I am looking for," which was clearly cryptic and not enough information for her. Her conversation with Shikamaru at the engagement party had led her to believe that this investigation was significantly more dangerous than Neji had let on, and he could tell from the expression on her face that her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her the more evasive he became. He didn't want to fight with her about it but he was still irrationally angry after his research, with her or himself he wasn't sure, and had mostly avoided her the past few days for that reason. Except for last night. And again this morning. Even he had to admit that was hypocritical. He held her gaze, arms crossed over his chest as he continued,
"I have to protect you, that is why I don't tell you more."
This was true, but obviously the not the correct choice of words because Tenten suddenly exploded in a way he had not seen since she was a teenager and had caught Lee and Neji training with, and subsequently destroying, her favourite kunai.
"Don't give me that alpha male bullshit, Neji. This has nothing to do with protecting me, nor do I require it!" she pushed away from the bench top and stepped up to him, ignoring the significant height difference that should have made him much more imposing,
"You aren't allowed to tell me what you are working on and that's fine. I get it. But that doesn't explain your behaviour. You haven't even come over here since Hinata's engagement party last week! And you spent the entire week working with Shikamaru and completely avoiding me…I was gone for a two day mission, came back with more than a few minor injuries," her hands waved angrily as she spoke, "and the only time you seem to have been able to successfully interact with me at all was last night, no talking involved!"
If Neji was thinking with full clarity, he would have called her out on the fact that her argument was not so much about his behaviour or overbearing need to protect her, as about her not being the centre of his attention – a completely uncharacteristic and irrational concern for Tenten to have, but not the first bizarre behaviour he had seen from her lately. Coupled with her sudden rage over the whole situation, the insinuation that he was taking advantage of her struck a nerve, quickly burning through his remaining emotional control and before he knew it he had walked her back towards the counter, hands roughly finding purchase on the bench top either side of her body.
"Don't dare accuse me of mistreating you, Tenten" he growled out and only barely considered backing away when he noticed the shocked expression on her face,
"I am protecting you, regardless of whether or not you understand why or how. And we are both well aware you can look after yourself. In fact, judging from your success in the past, you are extremely capable of looking after yourself."
He knew that the tone and insinuation of last comment was petty and below the belt, especially coming from him. He had not gotten into ANBU without doing things he would rather not have, and he had to admit there was more than a little feeling of irrational betrayal behind the stab. But he could not deny he was angry. Not so much angry about what she had done, but angry that she had not even thought to tell him, angry she had deliberately kept it from him.
"What is that supposed to mean, Neji?" she spat out and pushed his left arm out of her way to gain back some personal space. Tenten's body was positively radiating anger as she paced across to the other side of the room. Neji stood ominously still and rigid, having realised that somewhere in the short exchange this had escalated past a simple argument to something neither of them really understood how to express. He knew he should put a stop to it right then. Nothing in his entire life was more important to him than Tenten. They were best friends, team mates and he was completely and utterly in love with her. If he diffused the situation now, she would be angry for a few days, he would stay away for a few days, then apologise and by next week it would have blown over.
Neji paused mid-thought to notice the tiny red scratch on Tenten's left cheek that had yet to heal over, and the fresh strapping on her injured right ankle before the thought crossed his mind. He needed to talk about this with her, and he really did want to protect her. The past week had brought him ever closer to the end of his investigation and both he and Shikamaru had become convinced that no matter how it was handled, there would ultimately be blood. They could not hide their identities or intentions from these people forever, so the only way to prevent their own family and friends from becoming collateral was to make sure they were as far removed as possible. At that thought, Neji's mouth suddenly preempted his mind and the words left him before he could even register them,
"It means I've seen your mission reports, Tenten. Do you sell your body to criminals for all of your missions or just the ones where you feel like it?"
The response from both was instantaneous and instinctive. Tenten had stepped forward as Neji did the same and her first swing caught his arm as he raised it to defend himself. Her second just clipped his jaw, prompting him to immediately grab for both her forearms to prevent a third strike. With her arms restrained, Tenten twisted and struggled, yelling unintelligibly as Neji strained to halt her without causing or sustaining any injury. She fought for a few more moments before ceasing her struggle and almost collapsing against him, chest heaving from the emotional and physical exertion. Feeling she must have run herself out, Neji gently released her only to be caught off guard by a hard slap in the face.
"Get out," Tenten growled and stepped away from him knowing he would never, but still fearing that he might, hit her back.
Neji stood dead still for a moment, hand to his stinging cheek and wondered suddenly if this was a terrible idea and he might be able to talk his way out if he just explained everything.
"I said get out!" this time she yelled it, pointing one hand at the door while the other smoothed her robe back into place. This was in everyone's best interest, Neji reminded himself before collecting the rest of his gear from beside the front door and storming darkly out of the apartment and into the rain.
Tenten stayed exactly as she was for another full minute before her hand began to shake and she sunk heavily into the nearby couch, eyes glassy and mind racing. In all her life, she had never had a situation change from so right to so wrong in as short a space of time. Feeling suddenly overcome by the force of emotion and with nothing else to do, she lay down on the couch and burst into tears.