Both Tenten and Neji came out of their trance when they heard the familiar voice of Lee. Tenten knew that how they were positioned would cause Lee to ask questions. She quickly grabbed 3 senbon and a kunai knife. She bit her lip and jabbed the senbon in her arm into the pressure points, and cut herself with her kunai. Neji knew why she did that and quickly, grabbed bandages to wrap her arm. It pained him to see her hurt herself to cover them, but he knew they both didn't know how to explain anything that just happened.
He quickly stopped the blood from pouring out of her open wounds. She yelled trying to stop, but Neji knew if she screamed Lee would know what happened. Neji made Tenten scream longer. He cut the blood flow off, but slid his thumb along the cut. The salt on his fingers made Tenten scream as her skin burned. He stopped and quickly pulled the senbon out of her arm.
Tenten dropped to the ground. Neji felt pain in his heart. He now knew that he had liked Tenten for a while. But now he just made her suffer just to cover them. Lee ran up and picked up Tente.
"To the hospital, now!" Neji ordered Lee who dashed off. Neji stayed back, "How could I let her do that. It should have been me." He stood punching a tree. "She's grown so much that she knows how to cover me. But just because I hardly get hurt doesn't mean that she had to inflict pain on herself."
After about an hour of smashing the tree till his palms bled, he heard a soft gentle voice.
"Oh Neji….your hands." A figure in the shadows appeared in front of him. It was Tenten. She pulled out bandages and quietly wrapped his hands. "How could you do this to yourself?" Neji didn't answer. "I love you." Tenten said after finishing bandaging his hands and looked at him. He reached and took her buns out. "I love you Tenten. I always have."
Neji pulled her into his embrace and didn't let go. Come to the Hyuuga manor at 7. We are having dinner. Hinata wants to see you." Neji let her go reluctantly. "I'll pick you up at 6. Its 5 now. You should be going." Tenten looked at his pale eyes that showed the sunset. "What about the mission?" Tenten brought up the mission that they got early. "We can go early in the morning that way we will be rested for the long trip." Neji told her without breaking contact with her beautiful eyes. Tenten kissed him lovingly.
She left and went to her house. Neji watched her and left for the manor. Tenten unlocked her door, kicked off her shoes and ran to her shower. She took a quick shower and washed her cuts thoroughly. Then wrapped them in clean fresh bandages. She rushed over to her closet. As she rummaged through a formal kimono caught her eye that Anko had given her. It was a shade of blue that looked like the night sky with contrasting cherry blossoms on the back that trailed down and wrapped around her waist. She left her hair down, but then decided to put it in a bun with a golden comb. By this time it was 5:45. She finished and heard a knock. She rushed over to the door and had her sandals in hand. When she opened the door she saw her escort, Neji.
He was dressed in a black and white formal kimono that all Hyuuga men wore to represent his clan.
"My Neji, you look in charge." Tenten giggled. "It's too hot in this." Neji pulled at the collar. Tenten giggled even more. "I've brought extra clothes for the mission. I was thinking I could stay in an extra room next to Hinata's and we could leave early for the mission. My bags are packed and everything." She opened the door wider and Neji could see all her gear. Tenten picked up everything, and then Neji came and set everything down. "I'll have people come back and bring this to your room, is that alright?" Neji asked. Tenten nodded. "So….shall we go now?" Tenten put on her sandals and stepped outside. Neji took her hand, "Tenten, you look beautiful." Tenten blushed at hi s compliment.
Neji just stared at the glowing smile on her face. It complimented her so well. Neji kissed her forehead and walked next to her leading the way to the manor.
As they walked to the manor they would joke about their friends if they found out. Neji actually laughed for once in Tenten's lifetime. Neji stopped all of a sudden and looked around. "Let's go on the main road." They turned and walked down the huge street. It was all lit up and bustling with people. No one seemed to notice the couple walking to the Hyuga's manor. Tenten pointed up ahead to the manor. "Home free."
When all of a sudden Lee walked into Neji. "NEJI!" Lee was all excited to see his teammate. "Oh you're going to one of those Hyuga dinners again. Well who is your date this time?" Lee poked his head around trying to get a look at the girl. Neji stepped in front of her. "Lee do not try and pry into our business when you haven't introduced yourself properly. Now I think you should go find Gai and do one of your routines or something you do." Lee bowed and went off on his merry way.
Neji looked at Tenten and smiled and kissed her hand. Then a slap on the back came on powerfully by someone who knows better than to do that.
Sakura smiled, "Hey Neji you're gonna make a girl you know really well jealous if you keep that up. Now I know you're going to the dinner, but I mean I know a girl that really likes you that I know you would get along with pretty well. Why don't you try and find her huh?" Sakura could see a vein pulsing in Neji's forehead.
The girl gently pushed Neji aside and looked at Sakura with a smile. Sakura's mouth dropped. Tenten shrugged. "TENTEN!!!" Sakura shouted, "you're so beautiful….and …and you…are…" Tenten nodded so that Sakura wouldn't have to finish her sentence. "Well you better get going. Tell me all about it later" Tenten grabbed her hand, "Please don't mention this to anyone, please." Sakura nodded and walked off. Probably heading to the hospital to go train with Lady Tsunade.
The two of them rushed to the manor to keep from attracting attention, and just before they reached the entrance Tenten said something. "If you didn't kiss me all we would have had to worry about was Lee" She giggled and Neji smiled. Neji took aside some guards and from what Tenten could see told them to get her belongs and give her a room. The guards rushed off and Neji took Tenten by the hand once again and entered into the manor. They sat at the head of the dining area with Hinata and other family.
