"You grabbed my face."

"Tenten! I was merely—"

"You grabbed my face!"

Gai brought his hands up in what he hoped would be a calming gesture, considering patting Tenten on the head but deciding against it. Initiating further physical contact might not be the best idea at the moment.

It had been one of those missions you wouldn't exactly call successful, but went without casualties. A small ambush just as they passed the border. Four enemy ninja. Masked. Armed with explosives, an impressive arsenal.

But not with the skills to match. For the most part, they had slaughtered themselves. It smelled of internal politics. Sending troublemakers on missions with tampered weapons was an effortless way of taking care of the problem.

"Yes, I did, but only as to—," Gai tried, only to find himself interrupted again.

"I wouldn't have missed!" Her shirt was soiled with mud and blood and dark colored fluids Gai would rather not guess where they originated, her bangs plastered to her sweaty forehead and her hand squeezing the hilt of a kunai until the knuckles turned white. "Unless you'd shoved me, I wouldn't have missed my mark."

"The explosion killed him, regardless," he replied softly. "It was a gruesome sight I wished to spare you."

She spun around, eyes burning. One of the buns was on the verge of coming undone completely, dangling in a messy clump of hair just above her ear.

"I'm fourteen and going to be a chuunin and you treat me like I'm still at the Academy! I'm not a child anymore!"

Her voice was loud, hoarse, the strain evident. When she put the kunai away in her purse to tidy her hair her fingers trembled and it took her three tries to tie the thin ribbon. Gai pretended not to notice.

"I am aware. But perhaps not as aware as I should."

Gai had been quick to get used to the battlefield, to the fear creeping down his spine and settling like a heavy weight in is stomach. Tenten was taking much longer. He was grateful for it.

One day she would be, too, but today she was a young kunoichi with grave injuries to her pride, licking her wounds. All he could do was to avoid pouring salt in them.

Tenten sniffed in response, glaring at him but not able to manage much fire anymore. She looked tired.

"And why grab my face? That was so weird."

Because right then, the only alternative had been pushing her with a hand to her chest.

"Ah. Yes. The. Heat of the battle, should we get going?"