Kimiko: I present with love chapter four :) I pray you enjoy and feel free to review with any ideas :P i hope its a little less vulgar for my reviewers and followers.
"TenTen?" She looked back at him and jumped. "Have you been wandering around without panties all day?" He asked looking the other direction. The sheets in his lap twitched every so often and she blushed.
"Ah...yea..." She responded laughing sheepishly. Neji groaned holding his head in his hands. He reached his hand out for his clothes.
"Let me escort you to your house or you'll be the death of us both." He responded. His clothes were put on and they headed to TenTen's house.
TenTen and Neji walked in comfortable silence to her home. Neji was forced to walk while keeping his eyes closed. TenTen guided him with a light hold on his hand. They didn't want Neji having a seizure over every woman that passed by. TenTen's hands were soft as they pulled on his own, her voice was sweet when she made idle conversation.
Occasionally Neji would sense the presence of a Shinobi from the Konoha 12. His grip on TenTen's hand would tighten for a moment and TenTen would pull them out of sight instantly until the dangers had passed. It was proving to be quite an adventurous walk.
"What is with everyone and being out today? Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Sai and even Sakura were all free today." TenTen complained. Neji chuckled under his breath.
"Relax, they won't catch us." He said into the darkness of his eye lids. TenTen slowed watching him walk on with his face indifferent as usual. His words left her giddy.
"Why did we stop walking?" He asked, TenTen's face lit up and she stammered out a quick lie. "Ehh…Ah…some uh kids were running past us, I just didn't want to get trampled on." She said pulling him along. His eye brows rose in suspicion but he followed her anyway.
Outside her house TenTen dropped Neji's hand for a moment to unlock the door, and the two stepped inside. Neji's eyes were now opened as TenTen dragged him upstairs. Her house was small and empty. No one else was home.
"TenTen where is your family?" He asked her. She froze and gave Neji the loneliest chuckle he'd ever heard.
"You're silly Neji, I've never had family, I've lived here alone since I was five. I just woke up... alone in this house." She said packing her things with her back to Neji.
He sat in silence reprimanding himself for even asking, better yet for not knowing. He put his hand on her shoulder and he heard her sniffle softly. Guilt over coming him he took back his hand and left the room. Tenten sat silently in the room, completely blind to each moment that slipped by. She was broken from the trance when she smelt a floral aroma floating through the small and now almost empty room. She dragged her things behind her to the kitchen to find Neji hovering over a boiling pot.
Fits of laughter erupted behind him making Neji turn around in the middle of filing through her cabinets.
"Neji as a housewife, now that would be some sight to see." She laughed out. Neji only watched her as she sat at the kitchen counter relieved that her sadness had ended. He only narrowed his eyes at her. She snickered waving his look off.
"Chill Neji it's cute, that's all!" She said still laughing. He rolled his eyes placing her tea in front of her.
"Ohhh so you think I'm cute is it?" He smirked sipping his tea.
"Very." She retaliated also sipping her tea. They shared a chuckle before all fell into their comfortable silence.
TenTen fell into a daze her cup suspended halfway between her mouth and the table.
Everything changed so quickly. But in reality it all felt so similar. Neji had been inside her house dozens of times. But never under these circumstances. She'd slept beside Neji before but this was something completely different.
After Hiashi's tests what would become of them? Would they continue sleeping together at Neji's convenience? Would his condition lessen until he no longer wanted nor needed her? She frowned. Could they maybe fall in love? Hiashi's terms only involved the 'relationship' the currently shared. What if later the said relationship blossoms into something Hiashi would not approve of?
Neji watched her dawdle through her thoughts guessing at what most likely plagued her. Her mouth opened as if to say something but she wasn't speaking to him.
"TenTen." He called to her. She jumped from her daydreaming to glance over at him.
"Neji.." She whispered. He remained silent reading her body language. He need not speak any more, she gave in to her worries.
"What will we do after these tests? Not to mention what the hell do I do about the tests themselves?" She asked him quietly staring down at her cup she now lowered onto the table.
"You are strong. Strong enough to break any barrier my uncle could possibly set before you." He reassured her. "We, however, have no simple solution. It all boils down to our feelings when all is said and done." He said sipping at his tea.
"Will you marry me?" She asked him jumping as Neji cleared his throat from choking on his tea. He struggled to regain his poise as he looked at her.
"I'm sorry?" He asked her assuming he'd misunderstood.
"Would we get married after everything." She said watching him. He sighed somewhat in relief.
"Only if we should desire to do so." He responded. Both finished their tea in silence.
"We should get back." disrupted the silence and TenTen only nodded grabbing everything she'd packed to take with her. Neji tapped her shoulder giving her a rare genuine smile.
"Don't worry." Was all her said before sliding his hand into hers and closing his eyes. She blushed feeling her heart skip a beat at his godly smile.
She'd known Neji for years now. His personality was a puzzle she'd almost had all the pieces to. He wasn't too hard to figure out. He had patterns, flaws, and emotions just like others, they were just expressed in unorthodox ways.
But disregarding Neji's guarded personality, he was a kind person, his teammates and friends always came first. This would be no different. He wasn't the type to be argued with when he believed his decision was for the best. It was all likely that he may disappear from her life under the belief of protecting her. She shook her head squeezing Neji's hand unconsciously. Neji did not question her knowing that what she'd asked before still weighed on her mind.
Now Neji knew their situation was a bit precarious at the moment. Their feelings had high possibilities of changing but either person's could change for the worse. Should their relationship blossom into love, it could leave them both heart broken as they would be caged within the Hyuuga laws of matrimony and any children brought forth would be immediately branded with the cursed seal.
Should she fall in love and he not, it would leave her in pieces as whatever arranged marriage his uncle got next would be forced on him and his teammate relationship would never quite be the same. Now should he fall for her? He wasn't particularly sure how that would proceed.
However, he was no fool. The depth of his admiration for TenTen extended far past a teammate. He adored her bubbly light, soft smile, cheery giggle and tiny soft body. He could bask in her presence as they sat in silence. She was open but not foolish, made things enjoyable without being over excitable.
It was more than he could ever say about Lee, or any other member of Konoha's 11. The thought was strange but he never denied himself. He could only pray whatever they could become lie beyond her success with the three tests...Oh no.
It finally hit him. The three tests. The Tai-Nin-Gen. The most basic of all tests all Hyuugas suffered through to grant them the clans kekkei genkai secrets.
'Shit.' This wasn't going to play out the way he'd planned. He glanced up at TenTen his mouth opening to speak, but closing soon after again.
Was he really going to tell her how to pass. His uncle would see right through it. He could never compromise TenTen's dignity in such a manner.
'Shit.' TenTen's lips moved and Neji snapped from his thoughts.
"Excuse me?" He asked. She shook her head.
"Your the only man I've ever met who could day dream with such a serious expression." She said chuckling. He only watched her as she took their dishes and put them away gathering her things and moving towards the door.
"Well, shall we go?" She smiled at him. He followed her silently.
Urgh it was soooo short but its basically a filler. The action n all dat shyt comes soon :) R!E!R!