The Secret Life of Teachers

Chapter 8: Now We're Getting Somewhere

Nothing says "I'm in a relationship!" quite like running into your ex in the least expected places.

Remember what I said about apparently doing monthly updates for this fic? Yeah, clearly that didn't happen. Though, to be fair, I was quite literally swamped by life. Also, even though I've had this chapter mentally written for weeks, now, I'd been quite afraid of writing it in case I fell into the trap of cliches. Which I hate. Oops.

Anyway. This chapter is a bit shorter, compared to the others, but definitely has more in terms of background information — particularly the parts where we find out exactly why Idate's appearance last chapter freaked Tenten out so much. (Which I probably hyped up more than is actually necessary, as this chapter reveals, but. Whatever.) If you need a refresher on some of the things going on here, I highly recommend going back and re-reading the older chapters again (particularly chapters four, six, and seven) to get a vague idea of some of the hints and things dropped along the way.

As has been the case with all the other chapters to day, there's at least one pop culture reference in this one, too — can you find them all?

There's also a little bit of a "gift" at the end of the chapter, as a thank-you to everyone who's stuck with this story so far. You guys are honestly the best. c:

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Upon finding herself face-to-face with her ex-boyfriend for the first time in nearly five years, and that too while in a very intimate, albeit decent, position with another man who also happens to be her current boyfriend, a handful of thoughts flash through Tenten's mind in rapid succession. These thoughts are as follows, as per the order in which they occurred.

One: What the heck is Idate doing here?

Two: This is so awkward.

Three: Yeah, the universe definitely hates me, doesn't it?

It is then that Tenten realizes she should probably say something, if only to bring an end to the sheer awkwardness of it all, and so she turns to face Idate fully (Neji moves with her without missing a beat), offering what she hopes is a polite-but-friendly smile. She'll worry about any potential damage control later. "Idate, hey! What are you doing here?"

"I was in town visiting my brother for the holidays when Naruto suddenly called me out of the blue to tell me the news. He and I go way back — I'm happy for him." Idate steps toward them, extending a hand toward Neji when he's close enough to do so. "Morino Idate. I take it your a relative of Hinata's?"

Neji accepts it with a firm shake from his own, letting go a moment later. "Hyuuga Neji. We're cousins, though really she and Hanabi are more like a younger sisters to me." His hand falls gracefully to his side, though the arm around Tenten's shoulders remains where it is. Neji seems to have no inclination to move it, either, and he continues conversationally, "From the moment I first met him, it always felt like there was never a person Naruto didn't know, somehow — I take it you and Tenten have a bit of shared history as well?"

Although she's secretly grateful that Neji hasn't done anything since Idate first found them to insinuate a sense of possessiveness — yet — the weird testosterone-drive power-play between them is starting to get on Tenten's nerves, prompting her to butt in unceremoniously. "We went to university together," she explains, hoping her voice doesn't betray her growing anxiety about the entire situation. "Naruto introduced us, actually."

Shifting his weight onto one hip, Idate leans back and nods thoughtfully. "Is that how you two met?" he asks, and Tenten's a bit startled to note that despite the years and their rough history she can still recognize the way he fishes for more information without trying to seem too eager. "Through Naruto, I mean."

"Oh, no." Neji's pale eyes meet Tenten's for the briefest of moments before returning to watch Idate. She notices the way his lips are curved in a knowing smirk only a moment later, and doesn't quite know how to react when he continues on nonchalantly, "She tried to convince me she wasn't a serial killer."

At the expression of polite confusion on Idate's face, Tenten hurries to amend the situation before it gets any worse. "We're neighbors," she clarifies, trying to ignore the way the words sound so flat and hollow in her ears, despite their veracity. "And coworkers. I dropped some of my dissection kits in the hallway, and Neji helped me get them all situated again afterwards."

But the explanation seems to suffice, because the confusion on Idate's face ebbs away until she's met with his usually cocky, but affable, expression. "I see," he tells them with a smile. Even so, Tenten does not miss the faint wariness in his eyes, the tension and awkwardness in his shoulders, and she almost sobs in relief when he nods and looks her in the eye. "I really should be getting back, though. My brother wanted to head home early — said he's got to be at the precinct early tomorrow — and I was looking for the coat room when I thought I saw you coming out here. Didn't want to leave without making sure or saying hello, you know?"

"Yeah." Tenten nods, returning Idate's smile with a tentative one of her own. She tries not to think of the way it used to make her knees week all those years ago. "I'm glad you did, though — it really has been a while, hasn't it?"

Idate's smile widens just the smallest bit, then, and Tenten wonders if she's just imagining Neji tensing up beside her in response. "Yeah," he repeats. He looks to Neji, dipping his chin slowly in a half-nod. "A pleasure meeting you, Neji."

"Likewise." Neji's voice is soft and measured and as impeccably polite as always, but now Tenten knows she's not imagining the note of curiosity in his tone. "Will you be attending the wedding?"

"I'm not sure yet," Idate replies. "I'm moving out to Tea Country soon for work — Degarashi Port, specifically. At this point, I'm not sure if coming back to Konoha for the wedding is even feasible." He shrugs noncommittally, smiles sheepishly. "Doesn't mean I won't try, though."

Neji nods. "Then I hope everything works out for you," he says, and Tenten finds herself taken aback by the genuine sincerity in his words.

Apparently, though, she isn't the only one left surprised. Idate seems to be at a momentary loss for words before remembering himself, and grinning at Neji good-naturedly. "Thanks, I do too!" he returns, before his gaze shifts back to Tenten. "So, I guess I'll see you around, then?"

Captain Oblivious she may be, but Tenten prides herself on having enough social awareness to know when she is the one being specifically prompted for some kind of response. "Yeah," she tells him. "See you later."

"Yeah." Idate takes a step back, turning fluidly on his heel after sending one last, lingering glance in Tenten's direction. "Later."

Neji says nothing, and remains silent at Tenten's side until Idate has disappeared back into the hustle-and-bustle of the main ballroom, when he glances down at her and asks softly, "Are you alright?"

Tenten nods and leans back against his side. She rests her head on his shoulder, suddenly drained. "Just a little tired," she confesses. "Would you get in trouble if we called it an early night and left now?"

A sudden, sharp exhalation is the only physical manifestation of Neji's apparent amusement, then, as he pulls Tenten closer and presses a kiss to her temple. She feels him smile against her skin, and her heart does that weird fluttery thing once again. "I highly doubt it — in fact, I think my uncle assumed something like that might happen."

"Good." Tilting her head back, she brushes her nose against the column of Neji's throat. "Then let's go home — these heels are killing me."

Neji laughs openly, this time, and Tenten relishes in the way her position allows her to feel it as a deep rumbling in his chest. "As you wish."

—

It all began Tenten's second year of college.

"He was a year above me," she begins over breakfast the next morning, fingers wrapped tightly around the handle of her coffee mug. Her stomach is tying itself into knots from nerves. "I met him through Sakura and Naruto their freshman year — Sakura and I had a couple of classes together and ended up getting along well, and you already know that she and Naruto have been friends since they were kids. Idate was the residential advisor on Naruto's floor."

Neji's expression seems carefully neutral as Tenten explains how she and Sakura had been invited to play video games with Naruto just after midterm exams that fall semester, and how Idate had joined them later that evening, at which point Tenten had completely thrashed him while playing Mortal Kombat. He'd subsequently challenged her to rematch after rematch over the next few weeks, their growing friendship eventually culminating in a night of very physical intimacy just before the final exams of the semester.

"Since we both got really busy with studying and work and stuff, we didn't really get a chance to talk about it. Looking back, I know that in my case it had a lot to do with the fact that I just didn't know how." Tenten bites the inside of her cheek nervously, carefully training her gaze away from Neji. "I mean, it was the first time I'd ever…" she trails off, unsure how to continue, but the implication made very clear.

"What happened next?" Neji asks, his tone as flat and passive as the expression on his face.

Tenten's throat suddenly feels very tight, and she takes a long sip of her coffee in an attempt to alleviate it — which it does, if only marginally. It isn't the first time she's told this story, and she suspects that it won't be the last. Even so, there's something about relating it to Neji that leaves her every nerve on edge. "We talked about it — what happened that night — after finals, and started dating at the beginning of the winter semester."

Reaching for his own mug of green tea, Neji nods. "Were you together very long?"

"Almost two years," Tenten reveals. Her mug meets the surface of the coffee table with a muffled chink. "But consistently? Not really." They've reached the part where she generally starts to get fidgety during her retellings, and she observes Neji warily as she continues. "It was my first serious relationship, and I was only nineteen when we started dating. I had no idea what to do, or expect."

Neji clenches his jaw, and one of his masseter muscles fairly jumps beneath his skin in response. "He didn't… do anything to you, did he?"

She gapes at him, then, fairly aghast at the implication. "Of course not!" she snaps, more forcefully than intended. And then, more gently, "But…"

At least Neji doesn't seem too terribly fazed by her reaction. In fact, his posture relaxes noticeably, and he leans forward, setting his mug down and resting his elbows on the dining table. "But something happened," he concludes, reaching across the table and taking her hands in his. "You don't have to tell me what if it makes you uncomfortable, Tenten, but please let me know if there is something — anything — I can do for you that will help." His thumb brushes across her knuckles soothingly; the action makes Tenten want to cry.

But she fights it, shakes her head vigorously. "It's okay," she assures him. "Sure, Idate and I weren't on the best of terms when it ended, but we ended up moving on and becoming civil with each other in the end." Tenten smiles, squeezes Neji's hands reassuringly. "Last night was just unexpected, that's all — I mean, can you imagine randomly encountering your ex for the first time in five years while in the arms of the person you're currently seeing?"

Neji returns the smile, but it is hesitant, and Tenten is all-too-aware of his caution when he ventures his next question. "What happened?"

Tenten shrugs, and gives up on her attempt of quelling her overactive nerves — it was probably better to just get it all out in the open, anyway. "Like I said, Idate was an RA, and he had his own obligations and duties for that in addition to his coursework. Poor guy barely slept! And I was having my own crisis of faith, too, since I was stressing out about changing majors and how that would affect my scholarships and academic career. It didn't help that Gai was still in physical therapy, either, and Lee was just starting to transition too. And even without all that, we were pretty on-again-off-again to begin with; honestly, I think it was just a lot of different things at once." She pauses, inhaling a deep, steadying breath as she chooses her next words carefully. It's now or never. "And then I got pregnant."

A long, tense moment passes, then, as Neji takes in her words. She watches warily as he closes his eyes, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding when he opens them and his pale, steady gaze meets her own. "Is that when you two broke up?"

"More or less," Tenten reveals. "We both agreed on getting an abortion, since neither of us were in a position to take care of or raise a baby. And he came with me, too, to the appointment." She grows quiet as memories begin to surface, one by one. "It was just never the same, though, after that. We just… drifted apart, I guess. Breaking up was inevitable."

It is only when Neji resumes stroking his thumbs against her knuckles soothingly that Tenten realizes he hasn't pulled his hands away from her. The thought is strangely comforting, sending a flurry of warmth rushing through her body, from the crown of her head to the tips of her toes, and it is as if the weight of the things she hasn't said — the guilt she still feels at the loss of her child, her insecurities regarding relationships, the fear of commitment and belong — begin to melt away. "You said you didn't end things on the best of terms," he begins. "I won't ask you what happened — that's your information to share as you see fit, and I'm honored you trust me enough to share all of this with me — but I do have one more question, if you don't mind answering it."

"Go ahead," Tenten says unthinkingly. "It's all in the past, now. It took time, but I got over it. I'm okay, now."

Neji's thumbs continue their gentle caress across the ridge of her knuckles, the flat expanse of the backs of her hands. "Are you happy?" he murmurs. "With me. And in general, as well, I suppose. Are you happy?"

Her heart flutters in her chest at the words, and Tenten brings their clasped hands to her mouth, pressing her lips against his skin. "Yes," she tells him earnestly. "I'm happy."

—

"I am so not happy."

Beside her, Neji grumbles in agreement. "Misery certainly does love company."

Tenten snorts. "Misery doesn't need company," she tells him, "and neither do I, for that matter. What are you still doing here?"

Casting a sideways glance at her from the corner of his eye, Neji raises one elegant eyebrow in thinly-veiled amusement. "Are you really that eager to get rid of me?"

"If I'm being honest? No." She smiles up at him cheekily, raising herself onto her toes and pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw. "But if I'm being pragmatic, then yes. Weren't you the one who said you wanted to get right back into the thick of things for your advanced placement students once the holidays ended? You can't really do that if you're late the first day back."

Neji smirks. "By my watch, we still have roughly forty minutes before the school day begins in earnest, so neither of us are in any danger of being late. Besides, it's easier for you to just get a ride with me once the tow truck arrives to take your car to the shop."

She groans. "Don't remind me, please — it's too early to think about how much repairs are going to cost."

"In that case," comes the reply, "I won't. Instead, I'll give you some news: I think the tow truck is finally here."

Tenten blinks at him before gazing around excitedly. "Seriously?" she asks.

She almost misses the way Neji smiles at her warmly, then. "Cross my heart."

It's the first day of school following the end of the holidays, and Tenten's old second-hand car had decided that today would be the perfect day to not work. Neji had offered her a ride to work the moment it had become obvious she wouldn't be able to drive herself, but quite some time had passed before the tow truck they'd called had come to pick up the vehicle and they'd finally been able to leave for school.

A glimmer of fortune seems to be shining on them, however, and somehow they make it to school just scant minutes before the first bell of the school day is due to ring. Unfortunately, that seems to be the extent of their good luck, because when Neji and Tenten finally rush into the science hallway of the school — panting, red-faced, and out-of-breath — they find themselves greeted by the knots of students waiting for them in front of their respective classrooms.

A long moment of awkward silence passes, then, before Neji has the presence of mind to clear his throat, eyeing his class in a pointed and no-nonsense sort of way as he shoves a hand in his pocket for his keys. "No one came to unlock the doors for you?"

"Principal Iruka just left to go find the janitor!" one student states, stepping aside to allow Neji through. It is then that Tenten realizes her own class is waiting for her to do the same, and with a start she reaches into her purse for her own set of keys, stepping toward her own classroom with as much grace as she can manage.

"But he told you guys we were going to be late, right?" The key slides into the lock easily, and a heartbeat later Tenten is opening the door to her classroom. She waits for her biology class to trickle in before she follows, closing the door behind her.

There's a collective nod amongst the students as they take their seats, pull notebooks and folders and pencils out of their backpacks. "That really sucks, though, Ms. T. About your car, I mean," says a voice from the back of the classroom.

"Language, kid." Tenten sets her purse down beside her desk, shrugs off her jacket and hangs it over the back of her chair. "Thanks, though. Anyway, let's get the ball rolling — go ahead and get into your partner pairs for the unit pre-quiz, I just need a minute to get things set up, here."

Minutes later, a sense of normalcy falls over the classroom as the sound of pencils scribbling across paper fills the air, and the rest of the period continues on as usual. Class ends forty-seven minutes later with the ringing of the bell, and as the students begin to pack their things and file out of the classroom, Tenten lets out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, relieved and simultaneously somewhat inexplicably disheartened by the fact that not even one one of them had asked why Mr. Hyuuga had been the one to give her a ride to school that day.

—

Biting back a gasp, Tenten tightens her hold on Neji's shoulders, uncaring of the way her nails scratch and dig into the pale skin. Not that he cares about that, either — both of them are all-too-aware of just how much he likes that.

In fact, Neji likes it enough to move all the more frantically, to which Tenten responds by gripping him even tighter and dragging her hands up and down his muscled back (or, alternatively, by sinking her teeth into the crook of his neck), which just spurs him on even further, continuing the pseudo-positive feedback loop until a Tenten can't quite tell where she ends and Neji begins, when a certain level of completion and satiation is reached and they settle back down onto the bed in a panting and contented tangle of limbs.

"Do you have plans for this Friday?" Neji asks once his breathing is steady enough, tracing idle patterns across her stomach and hips.

Tenten purses her lips and considers her mental calendar. "As of now, not really. Temari and I were going to meet up to discuss stuff for the upcoming volleyball season, but we really should do that sooner rather than later anyway." She grins at Neji knowingly. "Why, do you have something in mind?"

With a shake of his head, Neji turns toward her, pressing a kiss to the hollow of her throat. "My uncle does, actually, though he did tell me he'd be delighted if you decided to attend."

"That depends, doesn't it?" She fights back the urge to laugh when Neji blinks and his eyelashes flutter against her skin. "What's the occasion?"

"My father's birthday."