The Hua family. (I)
It was back when they were gennin when Neji had first been to Tenten's house. It was Lee, Gai-sensei, and himself that approached Tenten about her being very sickly the last few days. Gai had forced Tenten into bed rest until she was back to full health. Luckily, Team Gai wasn't sent on any missions for the past few weeks due to the Rookies. But it bothered Neji that he didn't have anyone to train with. By suggestion of Lee, the three shinobi decided to take a trip to check on her.
Xiao-Lin was a petit woman with long curly hair that reached her waist and has golden eyes. It when then where Neji saw when Tenten got her looks from. Her mother was gorgeous. And with that beauty came incredible kindness. She had welcomed them intro her home warmly. The foreign woman made sure that the boys were fed and taken care of whenever they came over.
Neji was the first one Xiao-Lin took liking to. He was a proper young man who had respect for the elder. On top of that, he was good looking and kept a calm composure. He would always respond to Xiao-Lin when spoken to, and never rejected a snack or tea out of respect. And he never pushed on the subject of his female teammate unless she was brought up in conversation; which was very often.
Whenever Tenten was home, he would visit her, wanting to go train or just required her company. It was a common thing. He would show up to the Hua house at a reasonable hour and be greeted by Tenten's mother. She would pull him in, serving him tea and fruit. Her father would look at him and wait to be acknowledged by the Hyuga boy before starting a conversation with him. Neji always greeted Fei-Ten with a deep bow and a "nice to see you, Hua-sama" before being pushed down on the couch by Xiao-Lin. He felt at home with the Huas. Her father was an ANBU captain at the time, and was only sent on specialty missions that lasted weeks...sometimes months at a time. The Hyuga guessed that Xiao-Lin enjoyed the company of team Gai, since her husband was working and Tenten was always in the back field, playing with her weapons. It wasn't that the Huas didn't like Gai-sensei or Rock Lee; it was that Neji was very calm and composed. The two green beasts had so much energy that Xiao-Lin couldn't keep up.
This went on for years. The Hyuga would show up once in a few days or weeks (depending on if he was on a mission or not) and he would spend time with Tenten. If Lee and Gai weren't around, Neji would take her out to eat or back to his house where his mother would fawn over her, loving the idea of her son having a close female friend who also trained with him. Tenten was delightful according to the Hyugas. Neji took great pride in having her with him either in the main house or the branch house.
But it was one day when he showed up to Tenten's house on one of their days off, a month before they would take the Chunnin exam for a second time. She was laying on the grass in the back field wearing a navy blue top and white sweat pants, sixteen years old and ready to take on the rank as a Chunnin. Neji sat down in the grass next her and asked why she was laying outside. It was nice day, she replied. She had finished polishing her weapons earlier that day and had a mini target practice. Her father was away on a mission, as we as her older brother. But he was always away on a missions since he became ANBU at nineteen. This mission, however, was his first S-ranked ANBU mission and would be away for about a year. The Hyuga nodded. He had never met her brother. Neji would hear of him from her parents, and has seen pictures of him throughout the Hua house. Tenten sat up and asked what was on his mind. He looked at her for a good moment before leaning in and softly planting his lips against hers. This shocked the both of them, but neither of them pulled away. They just sat there, lips locked for the moment. It was when Tenten pulled away that Neji realized what he had done. He watched her face for a reaction. She smiled at him, asking what took him so long to do that. As they walked back into the house, Xiao-Lin had kissed Neji on the cheek, having seen him make his move on her daughter. The Hyuga boy blushed a bit, and offered a small smile. Tenten's mother then announced for him to sleep over whenever he liked. They had the room since her eldest son was away, and it would be no trouble at all.
The two were inseparable. They continued to train together, and go on missions together. It was the night after she had won against a grass ninja in the final round that made him want to sleep over her house once they returned from Sungakure (where the Chunnin exams were taken place that year). Xiao-Lin was ecstatic to hear the news that team Gai was officially a Chunnin cell. Neji laid in Tenten's bed, topless and in grey sweats looking up at the ceiling. The bun head laid on his chest, asking what was on his mind. The Jonnin exams were in a two months and he was thinking about registering for them. Tenten pumped her fists in the air, fully confident that he would pass the exams no problem.
When the day of the exams came, Tenten and Lee had arrived at Neji's house in time to walk him to the Hokage's mansion to sign in. Neji's mother wished him luck with a hug and kiss to the cheek. Neji walked with Tenten on his arm, his fingers enlaced with hers. He was tense, the weapons mistress noted as they walked. She rested a cheek on his bicep and told him that he will pass it no problem. Before entering the Hokage mansion, Neji looked to his teammates. Rock Lee gave him a thumb up and told him to embrace his youth. Neji let out a chuckle, and looked to his girlfriend. Tenten embraced him, reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. She spoke to him quietly before letting go and returning to her spot next to Lee. The bowl cut teen noticed that Tenten was worried, and gently took her hand into his, flashing a smile. He'll do fine, he assured her. Tenten nodded and watched as Neji turned his back to them and walked into he Hokage's mansion. A smile was casted on his face as he recalled the words that his girlfriend whispered to him. It wasn't words of luck, he didn't need it, she knew. He didn't believe in luck. Instead she encouraged him the best way she knew how to;
"Go kick some ass."
Neji was given his Jonnin vest the next day. When he announced it to his teammates early in the morning, he was instantly tackled by them. Tenten suggested that he slept over, to celebrate. When he arrived, Xiao-Lin asked him about the exam as he was walking through the door. Excitedly, Tenten told her mother that Neji was now officially a Jonnin. Tenten's mother kissed his cheek and congratulated him. After being fed lunch, Neji and Tenten were sprawled across Tenten's bed staring at the ceiling. The Hyuga was telling her about his exam. And he did indeed, kick some ass. Tenten leaned over and kissed him, obviously proud to have such a smart and strong boyfriend. She looked at him with an expression he couldn't recognize for a moment. Sitting up, he kissed her tenderly. The look was still there, and it intensified. Before he knew it, she was straddling him, their tongues dancing and she ran a hand through his hair. His fingers found their way to her shirt, undoing the clasps that held the fabric together. He brought his lips along her jaw, down her neck, and across her collar bone. She let out a sigh as he gently grabbed her waist, pushing her hips against his. Tenten undid his top, her hands running across his toned chest. Shrugging off the shirt Neji craned his neck to kiss her when the door suddenly opened. The two teens snapped their heads toward her door. Standing in the door way was Fei-Ten, who had just returned from a mission in Kirigakure. The teens remained silent, their eyes wide and staring at Tenten's father as he looked between the Hyuga and his daughter. Clearing his throat after a while, he told them to get dressed and come downstairs; they were going to have a talk.
With their faces beet red, the teens sat on the couch, opposite Fei-Ten. He demanded no explanation; however, he did demanded a reason why he wasn't informed that the Hyuga has romantic relations with his daughter. Tenten was the first to say that she was going to tell him, but whenever she tried to talk to him, he was tired, or busy. Then it came to the point where it completely slipped her mind. Xiao-Lin patted her husband's shoulder, reminding him that something similar happen to them back when they were their age. Except, Tenten's grandparents found out when she had become pregnant with their son. Fei-Ten looked from his wife to the two teens. She had a point, he sighed. Tenten looked at her father nervously, unsure of what he would say next. Neji had his lips pursed in a thin line. He himself was still trying to process what happen. His body was heated when she was on him, kissing him like that. And that look on her face...he couldn't help himself. Standing, Fei-Ten looked at them. He told his daughter to be aware of the consequences of having sex at a young age and not being careful. He then turned to Neji, and with a serious face told him if anything were to come up, he would be taking full responsibility for his actions; no if, ands, or, buts, about it. The Hyuga nodded, he would take full responsibility anyway if something were to happen.
After that, Tenten wouldn't be able to face her father for a good few days. Part of it is because he had walked in on them half naked, in her bed. Another part was the fact that they were half naked, in her bed. Neji grabbed her hand as they walked to his house. Indeed, he agreed that it was embarrassing. He was lucky that her father thought highly of him, if not he sure as he would have been dead. Neji opened the door and led her inside. It was quiet, she noticed. The kitchen was cleaned and there were no dishes in the sink. Neji explained that his mother wasn't home. She was visiting his aunt in one of the smaller villages outside of Konoha. Tenten nodded in response as he led her to his room. She sighed as she sat on his bed. He leaned over and kissed her. He undid her buns and leaned her back, pressing his body against hers. There was no way he was going to let this opportunity pass. It was when Neji unbuttoned her maroon pants when Fei-Ten's words rang in his ears. It was up to him not to slip up. But it's not like he wouldn't take responsibility if anything were to happen. Tenten put a hand on his cheek, having notice his concerned face. He looked down at her; she gave him a small smile. She knew it too; he wouldn't dare to not take responsibility if anything were to happen. Even so, that risk was too high, and he didn't want to jeopardize Tenten's career because he slipped up. Conflicted, Neji rolled off of his girlfriend and put his face in his hands.
Tenten watched him in surprise as he became deep in thought. She honestly thought that they were going to get it on tonight since no body was home. Crawling over to him, she put a warm hand on his shoulder and leaned her lips to his ear. She could wait. Waiting might be their best option. They have been dating for less than a year anyway, and if he wasn't completely confident, she would wait. Neji looked at her in disbelief but the smile that Tenten flashed at him told him she meant every word. He kissed her sweetly before thanking her for understanding. That's what he liked about her; she knew his limits and thought process. She can find ways to comprehend and make judgments based on what he thinks; being beneficial for the both of them. But with this, she put aside her own wants and thought fully of him. Besides, Tenten wasn't the type of person to force; she encouraged.
Lying down with the bun head in his arms, Neji kissed her forehead and whispered three new words to her as she fell asleep. Through her drowsy daze, Tenten smiled and returned the new phrase, knowing that he meant it. And that it would last a life time.