Disclaimer. Enough said.

Screw Chivalry

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The oversized scroll hanging on her back made her bend down like an old woman. She picked up her bag and, with the strength that she had left, carried it with both hands up the perpetual stairs of the shrine.

The sun cruelly burning against her back did not help. Sweat trickled down her neck, brown wasps of hair sticking to the sides of her head as her breathing came in short gasps.

She looked like a wreck compared to the cool, composed, smirking son of a b—

"Hurry up, Tenten."

Be angry. Growl. Snap back. Glare.

Her chocolate eyes stared at her teammate, who had somehow already made it to the top; it was exactly seventy-three steps from where she was. Tenten was going so slow she was able to count.

Think negative thoughts.

If Gai or Lee had been there, they would have at least cheered her on to keep the burning fire of youth and defeat the godforsaken concrete. At least.

About Neji? Not even a single back glance at how she was faring with a scroll that could have rivaled the weight of a full-grown tree trunk and a pack that has not only her belongings, but his as well. She didn't blame him for his lack of chivalry; after all, it died ever since man was born. However, Tenten did acknowledge the fact that the Hyuuga were a respectable and honorable clan that treated women like fragile glass. Any moment now, she is going to trip backwards and fall on her butt due to the lack of chakra and the additional baggage.

Tenten groaned, the weight of the scroll taking a toll on her. She was growing weaker and weaker with each step up. So far, she's already climbed seventy-seven of them. Without the fluffy cottons of vapor in the blue sky or the shady coolness of a tall tree, her tolerance on the so-called beautiful day has diminished to a dying spark. Her tolerance for the shinobi whose teasing eyes were annoying her, on the other hand, has completely been obliterated to the ground when he called out," You need more training."

As if ten hours of that stuff isn't enough! She sourly thought, scowling, What does he think I've been doing?!

"I came here right after out spar, Neji! Be patient!" She usually wakes up at four in the morning to help Neji with his training. Tenten figured that it was around four in the afternoon. She's been faithfully climbing at a pace of a minute for each step!

Negative causes anger. Anger causes hell.

His sultry (but irritatingly demanding) voice fills the air again," A valuable kunoichi shouldn't be a snail."

He's just being himself. Get in the act!

"Valuable? Valuable?! I'm only second in command under you! How can you say I'm not 'valuable'?!" Tenten took a minute to catch her breath and gracelessly dropped—threw—the brown backpack down," I match up to you in terms of speed and brute force! I would say I'm freakingVALUABLE!"

Okay, so she's a bit pissed. Big deal. Happens to every woman. Neji, with his very-much-impossible large brain (and ego), should understand.

Instead, Neji scoffed, closing his silver eyes as he smirked," Speed? You can barely limp."

"I walk, o smart one," Tenten spat. Neji, not expecting that comeback, merely shuffled his weight to his other foot and raised his wrist to check the time. He crossed his arms right after and reasoned that her crankiness was a result of the heat.

"Walk faster. We need to deliver that scroll."

Tenten smiled ruefully at him," Maybe a little help wouldn't hurt."

"I'm already up here. It would be useless for me to go down there, only to come back up."

Do not, ever, reach for the axe. That is a no-no. You might just kill him with the negative and anger and hell.

Tenten, being the extremely sweet girl she is, smiled.

Don't feel sorry for the guy, because screaming is a must.

"HYUUGA NEJI!"

Neji snapped out of his meditation and furrowed his eyebrows at her. Why was she being so loud?

"WHAT THE HELL?! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE THE PERFECT GENTLEMAN AND THE ROLE MODEL FOR ALL THE OTHER IDIOTS OUT THERE THAT DON'T HAVE A BRAIN!"

Neji narrowed his eyes, meaning for it to be a death glare. Tenten, though, was already immune to those. She continued to freak.

"WHAT SORT OF A MAN ARE YOU?! HUH?! YOU CAN'T EVEN WALK DOWN THESE STEPS! FOR AN ANBU COMMANDER, I'D SAY THAT IS PRETTY SAD!"

Insult his humanity. Or, if the circumstances are dire, his manhood.

"SOME BALLS YOU'VE GOT! NO WONDER HALF OF KONOHA THINKS YOU'RE A GIRL!"

If he weren't Hyuuga Neji, he would've flipped.

Tenten pointed a shaking finger at him and yelled," GOD HELP THE MAN WHO MARRIES YOU!"

Neji was suddenly by her side, picked up the bag and the scroll, and walked up the steps easily. His jaw was set tightly and his lips were a thin line on his angular face. Briefly, she thought she heard him muttering the words "understand" and "Uchiha" under his breath.

Tenten blinked, and the arm that was pointing up faltered back to her side as she stared at Neji's back.

Wow. Sakura was right.

Hissy fits do work on cold-hearted bastards.

I didn't proofread, so forgive the errors.

Review!

(Sushi)