Tenten was tired, weary and desperately needed a shower. Solo missions always drove her to the point of distraction, and this one was no exception. Escorting Tsunade to Sand and then having to return again in time for the anniversary was no mean feat. Throw in some rogue nin and an escaped convict and you have the outline for the perfect mission. Not.

Tenten groaned as she rolled her shoulders, hearing them crack. To avoid arousing the suspicion of any ninja who may still be following her, she had to cut through the forest. Standard procedure, but still an extra mile or so till home.

The dark haired shinobi trudged through the undergrowth, inwardly cringing at what Gai-sensei, her old school teacher, might say if he found her to be so slack. Determined to at least put some effort into proving that she was a credible member of the Leaf reconnaissance team, Tenten raised her head and scanned the woodland around her. There was a lump.

A human shaped lump just to her right, which she would have walked straight past if the memory of Gai had not chosen that time to pop into her crowded mind. Tenten approached the lump.

In all of her ninja training and experience, she had yet to encounter a random, human shaped lump lying in the middle of the forest. It didn't make sense for it to be an abandoned hostage, if a ninja was to abandon one, and they only would in the most dire situations, they would be forced to kill it, and dispose of the evidence. So Tenten did the only thing her rational mind could come up with, and poked the lump.

It moved.

In a moment of shock, obviously influenced by her weariness as she later thought to herself, Tenten jumped and screamed loudly, causing several birds to make their escape from a tree nearby. The lump moved again, struggling with invisible bonds. Tenten watched in horror and anticipation, and was only slightly disappointed when Neji appeared. " You had to scream, I noticed.", said the Hyuuga, but without his usual calm demeanor, as he shrugged off the bag he was previously tied up in.

Tenten squinted at him, ignoring the comment. "Something's shaken you. What's up?"

"N-Nothing", replied Neji, looking away, a bush had suddenly grabbed his attention.

"Oh really? The bush say something interesting Neji?"

Neji glanced at her sharply, before his gaze once again settled on the bush, a look of confusion on his pale face. "Tenten", he started cautiously.

"Yes Neji-san?"

"Um, are you, well, have you ever...you're not gay are you?"

"..."

"What?" Tenten was surprised she had managed to resist the temptation to obliterate him on the spot.

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Fine..."

Tenten was now very worried. "No you're not."

There was no reply from the passive Hyuuga. Tenten stared at him, irritated. It was unlikely that she would be able to draw an answer out from him, but she knew someone who could...

"C'mon Neji-san, we're going to visit Hinata."

Neji seemed to jerk out of his reverie. "What?! N-No we can't do that she's at Naruto's!" Inner Neji grimaced at how ridiculous and completely unhelpful that sounded.

"Huh? I thought she was with Kiba, just how long have I been gone?"

"Well, anyway, we'll go to Naruto's, I think those two will be able to slap some sense into you."

And before Neji could complain, he was being dragged off by a Tenten now apparently full of energy.