Still A Lady---Chapter 4

TenTen POV

Why oh why on earth did I have to tell Neji the truth?!!! I'm such an idiot! Now, I'm sure he's enroute to find Sasuke and commence to kicking his ass. Thing is, I don't know who to be more worried about…. Neji or Sasuke? They were both considered to be a prodigy and both were the top talent of their graduating class. They could both be so cool yet turn hot-head in an instant. I couldn't sit here anymore. I was too worried that two of my closest friends would end up trying to kill each other. I got up, grabbed my keys, hissing in pain, as I headed for the front door. As soon as I opened it, Neji appeared.

"Neji!" I breathed.

He looked at me and scowled. "What are you doing up? Where do you think you're going?" he questioned, with a bit of a snap. He took the keys from my hand, gently grabbed my wrist and redirected me back to the sofa.

"I was coming to find you and Sasuke. I was afraid you two might get into it and try to kill each other. Did you find him?" I asked, sheepishly.

Neji narrowed his eyes and frowned at me. Apparently, he didn't like my expressing so much concern for the Uchiha. He eased his angry expression and let it soften into a sigh.

"TenTen, I know I have no right," Neji began, "to tell you who you can and cannot make acquaintance with, but I simply CANNOT fathom your friendship with that Uchiha thug! What do you see in him? How is he a "friend" to you? What kind of "friend" does this (he motioned to my injuries) to his comrades? Please, TenTen, stay away from Sasuke. Leave that Uchiha alone before he hurts you…. Before I hurt him…" (Did he just really say that?)

I eyed Neji carefully. "You two didn't exchange blows, did you?" I asked.

"No," was the Hyuga's curt reply. " He never got his shot in…"

"NEJI!!!"

"TenTen, why did you let him do this to you?!! What're you trying to prove?" Neji raged.

"He was only trying to help me, Neji," I sighed, weary with his chastisement.

"Help you? !!!" Neji exclaimed. "Three cracked ribs, burns, bruises, and an injured organ is hardly helping you, TenTen!"

"Neji…"

"I'll never understand it!" he fussed, interrupting me before I even got a chance to speak. "I'll never understand this "need" you have to prove yourself equal to any male shinobi! I know this is what this is all about! Lee nor I will beat you to a bloody pulp so you go and enlist that Uchiha thug to do what we won't?!!"

"You guys all go soft on me!" I whined. "You never push me or give me any real challenges. You think I'm weak and you treat me as such! It's an insult. How am I supposed to be at my best when you guys don't even respect me as an equal? You treat me like I'm a weakling."

"TenTen, you are not weak," Neji replied.

"Then why don't you give me your best when we're training?"

"I give you my best."

"That's a lie!" I shot back. "You don't come at me with half your abilities! You showed more to Hinata in the Chunnin preliminaries than you ever have with me! Is she so much stronger than me?"

Neji's jaw clenched and tightened. I spoke on a taboo subject. "I am not proud of my display at the Chunnin exams," he said. "I took my frustrations and anger out on Hinata…"

"But you gave her your best," I countered.

"That was different! It was the Chunnin exams! And, my anger went unchecked."

"But isn't she still a girl, Neji? A female? What makes her so much more different than….."

That's when I felt his lips crash against mine, taking my breath away.

My heart thumped fast in my chest. Was this really happening? Neji and me? He broke the kiss and we sat staring into each other's eyes for what seemed like forever. His hand raised to gently caress my cheek. I felt myself melting into his touch. Was this Neji? Was this me? Here? Together? Somewhere, deep inside, some feminine part of me was "touched" by Neji's tender gestures.

His light eyes met my chestnut brown ones. "Tomboy, weapons-mistress, whatever they call you, you're still a lady to me," he said softly, then, he kissed my cheek.

The whole world seemed to still as I took in all he revealed to me.

"I'd better go," he announced, standing up.

"Neji, wait!" I started, grabbing his hand and standing with him. I needed answers. "What just happened here? What did all this mean?"

Neji smiled and gave a soft chuckle. He stepped closer to me and took me in his embrace. He then planted a sweet kiss upon my forehead.

"You'll figure it out," he said, releasing me and exiting out the door, shutting it behind him.

I felt like a complete twit, standing there, unable to find the words to hold him here. Oh, we definitely would see each other later.