A/N: I was hoping to update this daily, wasn't that a fail? Well, I try every other day at the very least. So, anyway, just had a nice nap and came up with this when I woke up.

Apparently, a scarlet thread is linked with storytelling in Greece (I was not aware of that). Special thanks to Kari-Kateora for the fun fact!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

…..

Tenten is washing dishes when he arrives home, humming softly as she dries a plate and places it back into the cabinet overhead. She does not notice his presence while he makes his way towards her, only pausing to watch the hot pink blooms in the window box sway in the night air. He stops a foot away, and when she does not turn, he reaches out to touch her. Tenten is startled, but does not jump, for the weight of his hand on her shoulder is a familiar feeling (one she has missed greatly). She faces him now, water dripping off her soapy hands and onto the rug below. She hurriedly rinses them and dries them on a rag, all the while watching him with worried eyes.

"Neji," she whispers softly, stepping closer to her husband. He is mute and his body is rigid, not relaxed as it should be when he finishes a successful mission.

Something is wrong.

"Hi," she says, fingers aching to pull the mask off his face and kiss him. But before she can, it shatters in two, and out of reflex, she catches the broken pieces. She struggles to fight down a gasp, curiously pressing the borders of the shards together, until the mask is almost whole again, almost. She can feel his gaze on her, a painful heavy gaze.

"What happened?" Tenten asks, trailing a tentative finger down the side of his face, then cupping his cheek in her palm. He presses a hand over hers leaning against the touch, and for a moment, his facial muscles aren't quite as taut. Her lips follow next; trailing butterfly kisses along his jaw. His skin tastes of dirt, but she doesn't care- to her, he is home. Slowly, she pulls back, and he leans forward to bury his face in her neck, pulling her against him. His hands are covered in blood, and he balls them into fists, refusing to touch her with them.

Refusing to taint her.

Tenten places the broken mask on the counter, knotting her fingers in Neji's hair as he presses hot kisses on the side of her neck. "What happened?" she asks again, squirming a little at the ticklish sensation brought on by his eyelashes brushing against her skin. God she had missed him.

"Lee." His voice cracks and he grits his teeth for acting so damn weak, for being so damn weak. Tenten lets out a small sound of disbelief, mind flooding with images of their boisterous teammate.

"Lee?" she repeats, and when she hears Neji take in a ragged breath, she knows she has not misheard.

"I'm sorry," he says, feeling shame well up inside of him, as she unlocks his arms from around her. The way she looks up at him, chocolate eyes on the brink of tears, so much disappointment, it makes his heart clench. "Tenten," he starts, but she shakes her head. She takes his hands in her own, kissing the row of knuckles, straightening his fingers.

"I'm going to quit," he tells her seriously, before she can interrupt.

"Neji! Anbu is your dream. Lee would not want you to give up just because he's not here to egg you on," she argues, tilting her head to the side with that tired expression, and he is unable to negate her words. She trails a hand up his left arm, rubbing circles with her thumb on the tattoo imprinted just below the shoulder.

"You should wash up and then I'll fix you something to eat," she says softly, tugging on the hem of her sweatshirt, his sweatshirt. "It's okay." But Neji did not want to be forgiven.

She leads him upstairs into their bathroom, instructing him to strip while she fills the tub with water. She too, takes off her clothes down to her underwear, and leans over the brim of the tub to help him wash. When she has finished scrubbing his body, only a third of the bar of soap remains, and Tenten cannot stand how he lived a month in such grime and filth. But she does not judge him, and she is glad she wasn't there to witness Lee's final battle. Neji likes the feeling of her fingers in his hair as she shampoos his locks. Out comes more dirt and blood, turning the bath water into a new shade of mud. He gets up then and dries off while she brings him fresh underwear, his pajamas (she's dressed in hers too now), and robe.

Downstairs, she has warmed up whatever leftovers are in the fridge, along with a pot of tea. When he sits down, she moves his chair back so as to slip into his lap (because she knows he just wants her near him), and dips a spoon into a bowl of soup. She feeds him, relieved as more color comes back to his face, and he manages a gracious smile. He plays with her necklace as he chews, than moves his arms to encircle her waist. Here he frowns, running a hand up the length of her stomach. "You haven't been eating well," he observes, and realizes he isn't the only one burdened with shame. Tenten looks away.

"I was worried," she mumbles and then lets out a soft "hey" when he wrenches the spoon from her grip and forces her to eat what is left of his meal. She laughs at his concern, burying her face in his shoulder, and as he feels her lips curve into a loving smile, his eyes begin to regain their light.

He has yet to disappoint her.

Finally, they climb into bed, relaxing into the plush mattress and soft cotton sheets, Tenten curling against him, hugging him with every ounce of strength she can muster.

When Neji comes down to the kitchen the next morning, he is surprised to see his Anbu mask crudely glued together, hanging on the wall. Tenten is seated at the table, painting a new mask made of thin clay. He silently watches her, not wanting to disturb her work. Finally, after laying to dry near the floor vent, she looks up at him, grinning sheepishly. Neji decides she has never looked as beautiful as she did then, hands covered in glue, streaks of paint on her cheeks, eyes twinkling.

Breakfast is a silent affair, both appreciating each other's presence.

When Neji gets up to leave and give his mission report to Tsunade, Tenten stops him at the door, running to retrieve his new mask. She pecks his lips before slipping it over his face, smiling at how handsome he looks.

And underneath it all, she knows he's smiling too.

…..

A/N: Gah! *pulls hair* I can't write today! Not enough emotion and the flow is horrible! Did you realize I never made them say "I love you" to each other? It's a clear sign I'm losing it! Damn you summer school, damn you!

Thank you for reading and please review!

~M.I.