◊ (You Can Tell, She Misses Being a Kunoichi) ◊
∆ (House of 8 ANBU) ∆ - ¤ (Another Month Later) ¤ - VP: Neji
I woke up to Tenten missing. I went out on the balcony, to see Tenten sitting on a chair. Naruto jumped over the balcony and walked up to Tenten. "Hey Tenten, why are you still sleeping, we're all training."
"I can't." She mumbled.
"Sure you can, you're really strong Tenten. Come on. Of course you can. You can't take what anyone said seriously. Let's go." He said smiling.
"No Naruto, I really can't." She said with her legs stuck to stomach without touching it. "I'm not going to train anymore."
"Who said, why?" Naruto asked.
"Neji…" She said depressed.
"I'll take care of him for you. No one can tell you, you can't train. Not even Neji. I'll take care of it, you just get ready."
"Yes he can Naruto. But…" Before Tenten could get in another word; he jumped up onto the banister next to me.
"Naruto." I said, acknowledging his presence.
"You told Tenten that she couldn't train anymore, didn't you?" He asked.
"Yes, and can't be a kunoichi…"
"That's crazy. You know her better than I do and you know that's what she loves to do. How could you?!" He yelled. "That's so mean to her."
"Naruto,…"
"She's so upset, can't you tell. How could you do that to her?" He argued. "She's a really good kunoichi and important to everyone. How could you?" Naruto repeated again.
"Naruto…"
"I mean… that's just plain mean. I would never do that to Hinata, not ever."
"You better not..." He let me say, until he interrupted.
"See exactly, if I treated Hinata like that, you'd be all over me. How could you?"
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata called across the main room from her banister.
Naruto turned to look at her. He jumped down, and jumped over to Hinata. Hugging her. "Morning Hinata, I'm sorry I had to deal with Neji."
"What about Nii-san, Naruto-kun?" He asked.
"He won't let Tenten train."
"Um... Naruto." Hinata started.
"Yes Hinata?" He asked.
"Did he say that?" She asked him.
"No he didn't. Wait, maybe he did. He barely said anything." Naruto responded.
"Who told you that?" She asked.
"Tenten did." He answered. Hinata walked down the stairs and went over to Tenten, as I went down the stairs to Tenten.
"Tenten, are you not allowed to train?" She asked. Tenten simply nodded, and sighed. "That must be upsetting."
"Hai." Tenten mumbled.
"I'm tired of this…" I said.
"You're the one who caused the problem in the first place, Neji. You're not allowed to be tired of the situation." Guess who, yelled?
"Naruto, you should listen to Nii-san's reasons." Hinata said.
"If you say so." Naruto said crossing his arms and collapsing on the couch, pulling Hinata down with him. She squeaked as she didn't notice before she was pulled back into his lap.
"Nii-san." Hinata said to me, signaling, now, I could finally explain.
"Tenten is allowed to exercise. She knows that but not train." I started.
"So… training and exercising are two things, completely different." Naruto said.
"Exactly, now if you'd stop interrupting I could explain the reason I won't let her train. Tenten and I, par normal have a tendency to be extremely difficult on one another." I said.
"So you're trying to hurt her? How could you?" Naruto yelled, jumping out of his seat, holding Hinata in his arms. She squeaked as he had suddenly jumped up.
"Naruto, please stop interrupting." Hinata asked him politely.
"Yes, please." I said, annoyed.
"I don't like your tone."
"Naruto…" Hinata said.
"Sorry Hinata," He said. She sighed. "Oh… and sorry Neji, you just talk so much."
I sighed, didn't he just say I never talk. I think he really has no clue what he's doing. How can he handle being the hokage? I'd like to see him manage all that work without Hinata. "Go ahead Nii-san." Hinata said.
She rested her head against Naruto's chest as he held her in his arms. "Seeing as we have a tendency to be very hard on one another I figured it would be extremely dangerous for her to train, not only with me, but hard on her body at all to train to the extent she would need to, to remain a kunoichi." I finally, finished.
"Why?" Naruto asked.
Tenten stood up and walked over to them. "Naruto, set Hinata down please." She requested.
"Alright Tenten." She knocked him unconscious by hitting one of hit tenketsu. I had no clue how she had managed to remember those only seeing them once through my eyes, but she had, making her a lot stronger.
"Naruto-kun." Hinata said kneeling beside him. He would wake up soon seeing as she had just temporarily knocked out him. She was tired and easily annoyed. She was also quite strong, regardless of being pregnant.
Tenten sat back down on the couch and stretched out, resting her head on a pillow. Naruto soon woke up. He jumped up. Shocking Hinata a bit. "Why'd you do that for Tenten? I told you that I'd take care of it and you go attack me?"
"Shut up." She said. "I'm pregnant so leave me alone." She said. She was also quite moody and easily upset.
"What does that have to do with anything?" She pinned a piece of cloth to his mouth, around his head, without looking. She could do what she wanted to him, and he couldn't do anything to her.
"I'm tired. Go away." She said closing her eyes, and going to sleep. I sighed, picking her up, carrying her up the stairs into our bedroom and letting her sleep. She really was tired and cranky as well.
Naruto had learned the hard way that you don't upset a pregnant women because they are the same person they were, just more moody; and most importantly… they will hit you.
I went out for training, careful to check out for intruders and potential threats around the house as I normally did, and especially for Tenten's safety.
After we trained we went in the house. "I still don't get it? Tenten can't train because Neji said so. It's unfair." Naruto was hit in the head with a shoe.
I sometimes feel bad for Naruto as well; he's so very clueless. Hinata would never yell at him or attack him but she will let others do it, unless he brings it to her attention, or it's obvious. Other than that, she's in her own world.
"Naruto, just keep quiet." Sakura advised.
"I agree." Sasuke said as they continued training. I returned to the house and walked onto the balcony.
"What's going on out there?" She asked me, knowing my presence.
"It's basic training, what else is new?" I asked.
"Naruto got hit by a shoe."
"Ino didn't deem Naruto's misunderstanding as normal. She decided that he deserved it."
"Oh." Tenten replied.
"I know you want to Ten. I know you do…" She placed her finger to my lips.
"I know that too. I know you're just trying to do what's best for me and the baby. If anything goes wrong, I could die, the child could die and I don't want that. I know you don't either. I understand. It's just upsetting, but…" She smiled. "Once I'm back in shape, you're in for it."
"Alright." I said. What was I supposed to say, she missed it and I think that this was very difficult for her. Correction, I knew it was very hard for her. You could see it in her eyes.
How would you feel if all you've ever lived for, was suddently, within a matter of hours, taken away from you. All because of one thing, you were pregnant. I had heard stories, not within my clan, or any clan, but of families of ninjas where the women killed her child because she wanted to her life to remain the same, she didn't want anything to change. She ended up killing it, and then was extremely depressed for killing the defenseless child. They weren't strong enough to be able to handle it. I'm not sure how I would react if everything I lived for before that day was going to be taken away from me. I'm sure I'd fight with all I had against it. Then again… the seal did that to me. Everything I had, all those freedoms were taken away, but I was too young to understand, that's why they could do it. Picking on the weak.
Nevertheless, Tenten is stronger than that. She seems to be taking it considerably well. She's depressed but there's no reason she shouldn't be. Her whole life as it's been for her since the beginning has been as a kunoichi. Her life, as she explained it consists of two important things, being a kunoichi, and thus, living only for me. I saw as unworthy to live for only someone else. She didn't think so. She was devoted to me, and I, just the same to her. Taking away one of the only two reasons, I could say she has… I felt upset with myself. I was angry with myself. I really was.
Tenten stood up and walked down the stairs. Holding her stomach protectively, she loved that child, probably a bit more than I did since I had no way the connection and bond she had to it, I, not being the one carrying the child but I love the child all the same.
She sat down, snacking on something that was sitting there. She seemed a bit depressed but she kept happy. She didn't show any signs of pain or sickness, she had a bit of morning sickness but I had only notice that a little. She seemed to be totally trying to hide it from me, as if I didn't. No, I couldn't tell she was pregnant but I knew. After all, she told me.
"Tenten, how are you feeling?" I asked, taking a seat next to her as she munched slightly on a sandwhich.
"Um… my stomach's just a little upset. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to eat more or the same amount."
"Neither do I." I responded. We were not doing well so far. We had not prepared, but who did. I didn't expect that as soon as we got back from our honeymoon for Tenten to be pregnant. I took a deep breath, calm down, Neji. She is.
"I'm going to go and go to the store."
"Shouldn't I?" She looked at me with a look that read. 'I can do it.' "Alright, just…" She smirked.
"Be careful?" She said; as if mocking the obvious care I showed to her. I glared at her as she had finally finished eating her sandwich and hopped of the stool. She then, after grabbing her bag, walked out of the house. I hoped she could manage everything by herself. I nodded, of course she can.
I went into the forest and trained as best as I could without her. I think I would miss training with her, as much as, she would miss training with me.
Everyone came back in the house, after having trained for a while. "Nii-san, where's Tenten?" Hinata asked.
"She went shopping."
"For what?" Hinata asked.
"Books, to help us through her pregnancy." I told Hinata.
"Alright. I was thinking that maybe before traveling becomes hard on Tenten that you should go visit her parents. And tell them." Hinata suggested.
"That's a good idea. I'll ask Tenten if she's feeling up to going tomorrow." I responded to Hinata.
"I'll start the paperwork when I head to the office." Naruto said cheerfully. He looked at the clock, and noticed that it was 9. He should have been there at 8. "Ah! I'm late!" He screamed jumping up, and running off.
Hinata sighed, following him except using chakra to increase her speed unlike Naruto who had forgotten that he was able to do that. Sakura made everyone lunch and we all sat down. "So how is Tenten?"
"She misses being a kunoichi, a bit depressed, you can tell." Ino said, sounding very understanding.
"It's for her own good." Shikamaru said. "That way, she's not endangering herself, or the baby."
"Yeah, but I feel bad about it, nonetheless." I told them all.
"Why?" Shikamaru said. Ino elbowed him in the site extremely hard.
"Obviously because Tenten's life consists on being a kunoichi. Neji's the one who is taking that away from her. It hurt him to have to do it to her. She's not completely accepting it and having to force her hurts him. How much she doesn't want to accept it." Sasuke said.
"As if anyone can expect anyone to be that accepting of something." Sakura said crossing her arms.
"I expect you to." Sasuke said.
"Huh, what? No way!" Sakura said. "Why me?"
"Because you know it's for your best interest and you have to accept it. There should be no question that I'm just trying to do what's best for you." He said, plainly.
"Sasuke…" He didn't respond. She just pouted, heading to her room.
"That was harsh." Shikamaru said.
"Yeah, and mean." Ino said following Sakura up to her room, so they could talk.
"It's best she know what I expect of her before time." Sasuke said.
"She's just so upset."
"She didn't expect it. Had she expected it, by you telling her that while she's pregnant she couldn't be a kunoichi, I think she would have responded better. Like, but not the same as Sasuke had." Shikamaru suggested.
"What about you and Ino?" He looked up at the ceiling, his calm demeanor standing strong.
"She's not stupid. Not at all. She'll listen to whatever I say. Thought she'll probably cry a lot and probably attempt to punch me a lot, and yell, lots of yelling." Shikamaru predicted.
"I can see that." Sasuke said.
"You might want to calm down Sakura." I advised.
"Not yet."
"What are you waiting for, exactly?" I asked him.
Sakura came barging out of her room, jumping over the balcony railing. She came running over to Sasuke. "You can't do that. You have no right to tell me how to behave and what to do."
I smirked. I know his response. "Yes I do Sakura, you're my wife. The fact I haven't use my authority over you to bend you to my whim, doesn't mean I can't." Watching Sakura, Ino, and Shikamaru's faces was priceless. Ino was like 'What?!' Shikamaru was like 'wow', impressed. Sakura's was a look of fear and shock. She was frozen in that spot; he body just shook involentary. I don't know why but I felt the earge to stop him… why… because of Tenten. She had that look before, when she was in trouble, when she was kidnapped in the place of Temari and by Jiriaya.
I disappeared. I had also seen that fear another time or so. Except those times it wasn't an outside sources' fault; it was mine. That night when I was playing around with Tenten. I remember her face, the way her body shook, the fear and shock on her face. How fragile and weak Sakura was, it reminded me of Tenten. If that's how I was, I needed to apologize.
Ж (Flashback) Ж
"No, it was me but you should see your face." I smirked and she squirmed as I took a hold of her arms. This would be fun. I pulled her close to me and glared at her shocking her into fear.
"Neji…" She was close to tears. Now she was crying and now… I feel bad. I held her close to me. I place my hands carefully on her back and I sat up holding her as she cried.
"Sh… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." I said holding her. She wrapped her arms around my neck and rested her head in my shoulders. "I'm sorry, I really am."
"I don't like being played with. I hate it Neji. Can you promise not to do it again, please? It scares me." More tears continued falling from her face. I pulled her away from me and I brought her eyes up to me.
If I was Naruto, I'd probably play a joke or say something to lighten the mood but I'm not. Moreover, I think any jokes wouldn't work. I also didn't think Sasuke way of getting back after upsetting Sakura worked either. I'd be me.
"Yeah, I promise. I'm sorry. I believe I told you I wouldn't before. I'm sorry." I said. She nodded and I held her. I wasn't sure I promised her before, but I figured with how she is, I had. I just don't remember.
"I don't want to be a tool, to be used and tossed away Neji. I don't." I held her and looked on at her. She kept looking down. I used my fingers to lift her head to meet mine.
"You're no tool Tenten, and you'll never be one. Not to me at least, I promise to try my very hardest no matter what the consequences to myself to protect you from being used like that. I love you Tenten, and I don't want you to be hurt." I said kissing. She just melted and cried some more. This time she slumped down into my knees. I leaned down on top of her and hugged her. "It's alright Tenten, it is." I said to her.
Ж (Flashback Over) Ж
That promise, how I had scared here. They were very detailed and vivid memories. They stuck out in my mind. I had done that to her. I think, me doing that to her scared her beyond what anyone else ever could. Sort of like the one person you love, while being manipulated, is the one to try and kill you. Memories like those don't go away, they scare you for years to come. I sat in a tree.
I sat there, in the tree for a while until I noticed something resting on my shoulder; she had curled herself by my side. A smiling happy Tenten was sitting there. "What you thinking about?"
"A mistake, something I didn't think would scare me." She seemed surprised. Nothing scared me. Nothing, I was a Hyuuga and that's all there was to it. Fine, that would be lying, seeing Tenten's life on the life as she was weakly being hurt and I couldn't do anything about it. That scared me too. Tenten's in the position where she was afraid, frail and about to be hurt, that scared me. It scares me to know that I could easily do the same to her.
"What of?"
"You." I said simply. She looked token-aback. "Not you, yourself Tenten. In summary, I'm afraid that you'll be hurt."
"Explain from the beginning."
"Yes. Shikamaru, Sasuke and I were talking about how you were reacting to be taken away from being a kunoichi." She smiled, thought I'm not sure why. She kissed my cheek.
"That's nice. But I'm over it."
"Glad to hear it, but as I was saying… Sasuke made a statement. 'I expect you to', to Sakura. Shikamaru had said that no one is that accepting of something like that, that easily. Sakura was upset and ran into their bedroom. Ino following. Then she came down in a rampage a while later. This is what he said. He stood straight above her, looking down on her with an intimidating smirk. She said, "You can't do that. You have no right to tell me how to behave and what to do." His simple answer was… "Yes I do Sakura, you're my wife. The fact I haven't use my authority over you to bend you to my whim, doesn't mean I can't." Her body just shook, involuntarily, she was scared and obviously intimidated, she couldn't move. It scared me."
"Why?"
"Do you remember that night when I made you the promise, not to . You said 'I don't want to be a tool, to be used and tossed away Neji. I don't.' I promised you never to do that again. How scared you were, as if crying. She was going to start crying, and I couldn't handle it. It reminded me of you, how you were then. How I had easily done that to you. It scared me too to see it from the outside." I said. I swung my leg on the other side of the branch and held her in my arms as I rested against the trunk of the tree.
"I remember. I was scared too." I nodded, resting my head on her chin. "I accept that you're doing it for my safety. I know that's all you ever done for me. Minus a few times in training when we were younger; but I don't hold those against you."
"Thanks." I said.
"How did you get up here, without exhausting yourself?"
"Who said I'm not?" She responded. Closing her eyes. I leaned back, letting her rest against me. She was obviously tired so I carried her back onto the couch.
She curled up next to me. Sasuke and Sakura were absent from the room why Ino was saying something to Shikamaru, quietly. They looked over to see us. "Neji, why did you disappear so suddenly? It looked like…"
"He needed to help me with the books which are still back at the store."
"How much did you buy?" I asked her.
"10 books, I would have carried them back, but I forgot a bag to carry them back in. But I told him that Lee's coming with them." I was surprised to hear our old teammate's name.
Then the door was broken in. Sakura and Sasuke ran out of the room to see Lee walk in the door with all of Tenten's books. "What's he doing here?" Sasuke asked, not acting the friendliest.
"Calm down Sasuke, it's just Lee." Sakura said. "Hi Lee!" She said waving to him from the balcony.
"Hello Sakura. I just came to drop of Tenten's books." He walked over to us and handed her a huge large stack of books. "I can't believe that you forgot to bring a bag Tenten."
"I didn't plan on buying so many books but I did and couldn't carry them. Nevertheless, thank you Lee. I'm glad you were there to bring them here."
"You're welcome Tenten. Bye." He disappeared just as fast as he had come.
"These books are huge." I said taking a look at one of the ones he had set on the table.
"No, actually, they're quite short compared to the other ones there." I sighed, always a response. She picked one off the table and began reading it; she turned the page. At least now, she'd have something to preoccupy her time with and help her out. I'm sure I am going to learn a lot as well.
Sakura came down the stairs, smiling. She picked up one of the books and began reading it. I looked at her but didn't question her because Tenten would say something about things… in the long run… would have to happen. After all,… she did marry Sasuke… the last Uchiha.
Hinata returned with Naruto following her. "Hina-chan, I swear that I warned them that it was an S-ranked mission."
She just persisted to ignore him which meant it had to be something serious. Hinata is not one to ignore anyone, especially not Naruto. Actually, having known Hinata, her entire life, she's never ignored anyone. My guess is she's not ignoring him, he's just going on about nothing. I sighed; they'll deal with it themselves. I picked up one of the books and began reading them as well.
After I had read for a while I heard… "Naruto, I'm trying to read. Leave Hinata alone. She's trying to do stuff." Sakura yelled.
"Sakura, it's best not to interfere with them." Sasuke advised.
"He's bothering me too, so I'm telling him to stop." She rebuked. He sighed, "What are you all reading?"
"Oh, Tenten bought books about pregnancy and child development and I'm educating myself like they are." He seemed to be weary of untold knews from her as well. "Sasuke, I am not, mind you."
"Mind me? I'm your husband." He reminded her, as if he had to. She was the lucky wife of Uchiha Sasuke that all the girls in her class had once adored; not after, he left Konoha.
"I'm aware. And your point is?" She asked.
"If there's something you know that I don't, especially about you. I deserve to know." He responded.
"I'm not pregnant, crazy. If I was, don't you think you'd know. I mean…"
"Ahem, another room please." Ino said. "You know I care about everyone in this room but that falls into the too much information category. If you have to talk about it, you have a room, talk about it there. Not in the middle of a living room." Sakura blushed and pulled Sasuke, unwillingly up the stairs. Ino sat down, reading, yet another of Tenten's books.
The Reasons Why… You Can Tell She's Misses Being a Kunoichi
· wakes up depressed
· tired
· irritable, (easily annoyed)
· quite moody
· easily upset
· did what she wanted
· cranky
· she will hit you
· visible in her eyes
· resting on his shoulder
· curled by his side
· eventually accepting of it
· smiles happily
· reacts normally
· returns to normal
