I-dream-of-blue-eyes, light angel, Phox VS Frawg, sasukekun's girl16 HimeHikari (Tenten's not in a dress, but Neji's gonna like her anyway ;) ) and little wolf blossom, sorry for making you wait and thank you all again for keeping reading and reviewing, it means a lot to me. : )
And with no more dilation, with the final chapter! Hope you like it!
Neji walked towards Tenten's house feeling uncomfortable. He had the sensation that someone was following him, and he couldn't stand it. He started walking faster and advancing into Konoha's streets until he suddenly stopped and turned around to see a spiky brown ponytail and a glimpse of long blond hair turning the opposite corner. He closed strongly his fits and ran in that direction:
-Shikamaru, Ino, I'm going to…! –he arrived and saw the owners of the spiky ponytail and long blond hair, freezing with his mistake.
-Excuse me? –Nara Shikaku, Shikamaru's elder clone raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms.
- Were you talking to us? –Yamanaka Inoichi said frowning.
- No, sorry sir…
- You mentioned my daughter…so do you know her? –Inoichi asked, while Shikaku shook his head.
-Yes, I know her, sir –Neji didn't want to lie. There was something about that man that made him feel uneasy. And knowing he could control minds with his ninja techniques didn't make him feel any better.
-And do you like her? –Ino's father continued.
-Inoichi…cut it out –Shikaku had a bored expression on his face.
-No! I want to know the relation between my girl and this guy! –Inoichi answered hotly while Shikaku rolled his eyes saying "troublesome".
Neji didn't know what to do. He just wanted to go away from them as soon as possible, but he didn't want to seem rude.
-Sir, I…-he was cut again.
-What's your name, boy? –Inoichi asked suddenly.
-Hyuuga Neji, sir – he answered
-Aaaaah…I remember you from chuunin exams. You are the Hyuuga prodigy who was defeated by the kyuubi boy.
-Yes, sir –he nodded.
-Then, do you like my daughter? –Inoichi asked again
-No, sir –Neji answered shaking his head.
-Ooooh! What happens? My Ino isn't enough for the Hyuuga genius? –he unexpectedly asked, glaring at Neji.
-No, sir, I didn't mean to…-Neji tried to explain himself.
-You didn't mean to what? I know the guys like you, thinking they're so superior because they're from ancient clans. Well, let me tell you one thing, we're the Yamanaka clan, as respectable as the Hyuuga. We have not Bloodline Limit, but we have a tradition of mind jutsus that would make you forget who the hell you are, boy. Having the Byakugan doesn't give you the right of judge the other people! –Ino's father was turning red.
-But sir, I …-Neji was starting to panic, because he was going to be late and at this rate he was going to have his mind altered too.
-Inoichi, calm down –Shikaku patted him on his shoulder –I'm sure the boy thinks very highly of Ino.
Neji nodded quickly and Ino's father seemed to relax a little.
-Then, do you like my daughter? –Inoichi asked for the third time.
-Well, she's very nice…
-What? Then you're trying to hook her? –He roared suddenly again.
Neji stepped back astonished. Ino's father started making seals like crazy but suddenly he froze. Shikaku shook his head again, but this time Inoichi shook it at the same time. Neji realized that both men's shadows were connected.
-Shikaku! Free me! He wants my daughter and I'm gonna show this brat some Yamanaka's jutsus!
-Inoichi, cut it out, as I said before. Leave the boy –Both of them crossed their arms.
Neji was still standing in front of them, not knowing what to do. Izumo and Kotetsu passed by carrying piles of documents. Then, Shikaku and Inoichi motioned him to leave with a hand gesture.
-Don't worry, I'll handle him. He gets overprotective sometimes. -Shikaku assured him.
-Thank you, Shikaku-san –he answered, bowing deeply- I wasn't meaning to offend you, Inoichi-san –bowing again, he said goodbye and ran through Konoha's streets again heading to Tenten´s house. When he passed again Izumo and Kotetsu and arrived at the next corner, he leaned against the wall, shook his head in disbelief and mumbled for himself "mental".
-You went too far –Shikaku looked at Inoichi, now free again from his Kage Mane no Jutsu, and he stuck out playfully his tongue. A smoke cloud enveloped him and Ino appeared still sticking out her tongue.
-We nearly got caught thank to your clumsiness, genius –she pointed him
-Now he's gonna think your father is mental, you know –he answered, transforming to himself again.
-Well, we held him up enough to give Kiba and Akamaru time to head to Tenten's house, as we had to do -Ino shrugged –Ok, Shikaku-san, let's go to our position!
-Yeah, yeah… let's hope Shino and Lee to be prepared too –he put his hands on his pockets and followed Ino silently.
Meanwhile, Tenten was waiting patiently. Ino made her hair in a strange loose bun secured only with a beautiful dragon-shaped silver stick. Actually, she didn't know that stick was used for that, she found it casually in a mission and had it as ornament. She was dressed in her black ninja trousers (without her kunai holster) and in a red Chinese t-shirt with frontal buttons. When she motioned to do up all the buttons, Ino stopped her, saying she had to "take out her woman weapons". She got angry and answered that she preferred people staring at her eyes more than staring at her neckline, but Ino tore up the upper buttons suddenly.
-Don't underestimate the art of insinuate without showing, my dear.
-And that's why you tore up my buttons? –she asked angry
-You didn't want to have your hair loose, you didn't want to wear a dress, but you're going to insinuate something this afternoon, you like it or not –Ino stated, throwing away the buttons.
She passed a mirror and looked closely at her reflection and centred in her imposed neckline. The beginning of her breasts wasn't visible, so she thought it wasn't all that bad showing her collarbones. Tenten didn't like to dress up because she felt like in a disguise, but this time she smiled at the mirror, liking what she was seeing. She was nice dressed, but still looking like herself, like Tenten. She took a watering can and started watering the plants to spend the time when somebody knocked the door. She left the can and walked to the entrance, knowing it was Neji (he never rang the bell). What she didn't notice was a tiny bug that flew from her plants to outside the window, passed some streets and arrived at Shino's finger. He spoke quietly to his transmitter:
-Objective arrived. Command 2 taking new vigilant position.
-Roger that. Command 3, what's your position?
-Now the bird's at the tree, the falcon will…
-Cut the symbolic jargon and spit the password, dog-boy.
-Ok, ok. "We're waiting for Godaime-sama".
At this rate, Shikamaru took his binoculars and looked to a park near Tenten's house. Sitting in a bench, Izumo and Kotetsu were having a rest of carrying all those documents.
-Visual contact made. If you can hear us and see Tenten's window, make the signal –Shikamaru said.
At that moment, Izumo rubbed his nose.
-Ok. Command 1 heading to lead position. Ino, did you settle everything? –Ino nodded and connected a radio to their transmitter. Now they could hear everything Tenten and Neji would say because she placed a microphone inside her house while Tenten was busy changing her clothes- We enter third phase now. Only watch and listen, don't take part. We'll leave them on their own for the time being.
-Fine.
-Ossu!
-Roger
And with that, Shikamaru cut the communication and headed with Ino to their new position. She took a little mirror and made a light signal, answered shortly afterwards 100 metres far in a balcony in front of them. Each command was covering and area; Ino and Shikamaru were in a tree near Tenten's house. They were able to see the roof and the back door. Shino and Lee were in a low balcony watching the windows in the right façade. Kiba and Akamaru (a.k.a Izumo and Kotetsu) were in the park seeing the left windows and the front door. Everyone was keeping an eye (and an ear) to the oblivious couple.
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Once Tenten opened the door, she had to control her face to not open her mouth in astonishment. She wasn't expecting Neji to get dressed in a special way, and that was one of the reasons why she didn't want to dress up. She loved how Neji's hair was tied in a tight ponytail, and his white t-shirt tightened enough to insinuate his trunk. Neji, in the other hand, was used to hide his feelings, but he needed all his self-control. Tenten was wonderful, and red was defiantly her colour. He couldn't help but notice the way her t-shirt was slightly open showing her collarbones, and how her hair was tied only by an elegant silver dragon. He felt the urge of taking it off and leave her beautiful hair loose, but he controlled it. It was too soon for those kind of impulses and he knew it. She finally broke the short (but intense) silence:
-Hello! You arrive exactly on time!–she greeted –Welcome to my humble home –she joked
-I'm always on time –he smirked.
Used to Hyuuga state, Tenten's house was very small to his eyes, but he preferred it. It was cosy, neat and nice, with a small hall to leave the shoes, a living room with a sofa, a table with chairs, several shelves with books and scrolls, and a small TV. Passing a short corridor, you could reach the bathroom, the kitchen and Tenten's bedroom. Two were the things that Neji liked about that house. The situation, near a park, where you could hear the birds and the sun could illuminate the entire house, and the way Tenten had decorated it. Everywhere there were different weapons hanging in the walls, but to compensate this, she combined them with Chinese ink drawings, nice ikebana decorations and white candles. Tenten also had all the bagua zones well located, so she had put a small water fountain, incense, and metal and wooden ornaments in the right places.
In one wall, she had a huge space destined to pictures, too. Each year was marked, and she had been adding photos from time to time. He always loved to look at them, but never told her or showed his emotions. He had a cold-hearted façade to maintain. But not today. Today he was going to be honest, and express his feelings. While she headed to the kitchen he looked at the pictures smiling. He appeared in a lot of them, but one captured his attention. Tenten and he were sitting in the lotus position with their eyes closed. He was grabbing her wrist and perfectly calm, but she was frowning, tense and soaked. He smiled at the memory; that day he was meditating and she appeared furious and splashing water from all her body. Apparently, Lee had tried to make her overcome her trauma again.
-How can you stand him without killing him? –she roared
He opened an eye and saw her walking from right to left, clenching her fists in anger. He grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
-Meditating –he said calmly
-What? –she asked
-You asked how I can stand him without killing him. –he answered, pulling her down and making her sit. –Meditation in the key. Calm your spirit and your body.
She mimicked his position.
-Close your eyes and empty your mind –he instructed – Inhale and exhale.
-CHEESE! click -Lee appeared with Tenten's camera and laughed.
She growled, stood up and took her kunais, shouting his name and chasing him.
He continued looking at the pictures and remembered the sweet box in his hand. He went to the kitchen, where she was humming absently while crushing tea leaves. He didn't like tea bags but he didn't expect her to remember that. He continued observing her as she took the teapot and put it in the fire. When she opened the fridge he spotted lot of fresh vegetables and fruits. She took some grapes and started eating them while waiting the water to boil.
-I brought this –he said suddenly, surprising her.
-Whoa! You scared me! You can't go like a ghost over there; you can provoke a heart attack! –She smiled and looked to the package- Hey! Japanese sweets! Great, I didn't have any; they ran out last time…Thank you! Do you want some grapes? I always get hungry when I'm around the kitchen.
He shook his head and listened to her. Tenten was very talkative and funny, he could be hours with her and don't get bored, but as usual, she didn't know. He sighed inwardly… there were so many things she didn't know. The teapot boiled at last, and she poured the hot water in two cups with crushed leaves. She placed both cups and the sweet box in a plate and headed to the living room's table, motioning him to follow her. They had a sit and continued talking (well, Tenten continued talking while Neji listened and sipped his tea).
-…and that's why Naruto and Lee get along so well…those two... –she smiled shaking her head and looked at him –So, what about your new squad? Are you getting along? –she asked
-You could say yes… they're a little busybody sometimes, but they work well.
-Busybody? Well, at least they don't act like Lee…-she commented
-Lee is not that bad, Tenten.
-Yeah, I know…Lee's like a brother to me, but sometimes he exceeds. One time he threw out a boy the training grounds, and when I asked why he answered he was looking at me in a...how did he say?..ah, yeah, in an "inappropriate and shameless way". –Neji cocked and eyebrow and thanked Lee inwardly- He's too protective, but I know he doesn't like me in that way. He still has his hopes in Sakura…
-And Sakura is still in love with Sasuke. I can't understand her…-he said
-Well, we only know a tiny part of Sasuke. She knows him better than us, and she surely has seen something special in him. He may seem cold-hearted, but other people could see you that way too.
-Is it so? –he asked
-Of course! Everyone except those who know you think you're very…unemotional.
-And who knows me?
-Gai-sensei, Lee and me, as an example. And we know deep inside you have your feelings. Or at least we think so…-she joked.
-Well, I have my feelings, indeed, but I didn't like to show them.
-Didn't? You're talking in past…
-Yes, I'm trying to change that too. I think I should express more often –he said absently.
-That'd save you from lot of things –she replied looking at him.
She was having a strange feeling. Neji seemed different, more open and talkative. She always believed (and hoped) he enjoyed her company, as he never seemed to care training with her or listening to her. But today he was like…warmer. She felt like he was trying to express something, but she wasn't sure about what it was. She looked at him again and found him watching her. Instead of looking away, he stared at her eyes, trying to read them. He could guess she was feeling a little confused, and he noticed she was afraid too…afraid of what? At last, she broke the eye contact and took the sweet box.
At that moment, while she was opening the box, he noticed a big scar on her left forearm. He grabbed her wrist and ran his fingers through it, he didn't remember it. Neji frowned and asked her with his eyes.
-Yes, this is a new one…it happened a few months ago –she related watching it –I was captured by some missing nin, they were just starting to torture me and thankfully Lee, Naruto and Chouji found me… -She removed her arm from his grip and moved her fingers –The missing nins were able to cut the tendons, though, and I had to make rehabilitation to regain my mobility until I was able to go back to missions a month ago.
-I didn't know… -Neji was stil frowning speechless
-Yeah, I didn't want to get people worried –she shrugged
-But I am not any person, I'm your friend –he continued –At least, you're important to me...
-Hey, Neji, don't worry…it wasn't so traumatic, and I'm used to survive –She smiled.
-But you didn't have to pass through that all alone.
-I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. I wanted to prove myself I'm strong enough.
-Strong enough for what?
-In order to keep surviving …anyway, why are you so concerned? Since then you care so much about this things? It's only a scar.
-I've always cared, but never showed it. -he corrected her.
Tenten stopped at this statement and looked at him. He was calm as always, but his look was still somehow different. It seemed clear and with nothing to hide, different as it used to be…
-Then, why you used to hide it? –she couldn't help but stare again at his eyes.
-Because I've always thought concern was a sign of weakness –he stated.
-You're talking in past again…
-Because I don't think so anymore.
-Then what do you think now? –she asked curiously.
-I think a shinobi's life can be brief, so you have to enjoy it. And I think you have to express what you feel towards the rest of the people before is too late. If you had died on that mission, as an example, you'd had gone without knowing.
-Without knowing what?
-Without knowing I care for you.
An awkward silence followed his sentence, but Tenten recovered quickly.
-I actually know you, Lee and Gai-sensei care for me, don't…-she was interrupted.
-No –he said simply –I thought it was that way too, but some days ago my busy-body squad made me realize.
-Realize what? –Tenten couldn't help feeling stupid asking every time, but she had to know.
-I realized I didn't care for you as I care for my comrades. I realized I missed the old times because I missed you having on my team. I realized I wanted you on my team because every time I know you're on a mission I'm worried about you even knowing you're perfectly capable to defend yourself. I realized every time I'm close to you everything seems to be ok, and I stop worrying about missions or fate. I realized you make me feel a better person, and even when you're not with me I feel that way, because you're already the voice inside my head. I realized love is not for the weak but makes you stronger. That's what I realized.
-Whoa… –an astonished Tenten stared at him, her mouth open without believing what she had just heard.
-Usually you're the talkative one –Neji smirked.
-I don't know what to say…I've never had anyone who cared that way for me –she started to smile blushing happily.
-That's wrong. You have always had it, but neither you nor I actually knew. The question is: what about you? –Neji felt a little insecure, but as usual he didn't exteriorize it.
-That's a question for you, Neji –she answered, still smiling –I've always known I loved you, and I think you're the only one that didn't know. Lee, Gai-sensei, and my current team-mates guessed immediately. Even Naruto knew that! –she laughed, feeling happier than she had felt in all her life.
Neji smiled, but not his typical smirk of superiority, he had a genuine smile. He felt warm inside, nerves, happiness, relief and a strange sensation in his stomach. He motioned to grab her hand, but she stood up, threw herself on his arms and kissed him with such strength the chair fell backwards, making them fall to the floor.
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Meanwhile, outside the house, Izumo shouted a "Yahoo!" and apparently spoke with himself:
-It seems today another single fell into the clutches of love –he said to his transmitter.
-Yosh! No one better than Neji to take care of the flower of my team –Lee had clenched a fist and was on the verge of tears.
Ino sighed romantically while watching the scene with the binoculars. Then she sighed again and looked at Shikamaru, who seemed very surprised.
-Hey genius, what's the matter? You didn't think Neji was capable of making such confession?
-No, it's not that…the fact is: who would have guessed NEJI was going to catch Tenten quoting SHINO? –He shook his head in disbelief. -This is the most surrealist thing I've ever seen…
She frowned not knowing what he was talking about, shrugged and took her binoculars again to find out they had let down the blinds.
-Ok guys, the performance is over, they lowered the curtains. Let's celebrate our success! Shikamaru's treat! –she exclaimed happily.
Everyone took off their transmitter and switched off the radio. They gathered in the park and headed to a bar in silence. Shikamaru glanced at Shino:
-Man, he hooked Tenten quoting YOU! –he shook his head again.
Shino simply shrugged, but nobody noticed his proud smile behind his jacket.
--------------------THE END----------------------
Well, long chapter! I think the best thing is to leave this here, since I don't want this story losing its freshness (I don't know if I'm explaining myself). I'll write one side story regarding Kiba-Hina, as I said earlier, and I'll write more stories of Neji-Ten, for sure! There isn't enough Neji-Ten in the world, but I'll try to solve that, mua hahahahahaha!
I hope you liked this fanfic, I enjoyed writing it a lot!
Explanations and comments:
Ikebana is a typical Japanese floral art. Check it in google and you'd see samples of this beautiful art!
Bagua zones and Tenten's house: ok, bagua zones are the nine areas in wich a place is divided regarding the Feng-Shui. Each one of this zones is for an element and a life department (example, the water zone is the money zone, and to promote your luck in this field you are supposed to put a fountain there). I wanted Tenten's house to be that way because I liked the idea of her having such care in those kind of traditions.
The lotus position is how Neji's meditation position is called; legs crossed, straight back and hands in the knees with palms up (or so I read)
I racked my brains with Neji's confession, thinking it was OOC, so I checked my manga looking for Neji's personality. Neji talks freely about his feelings when he fights Naruto, so I think he could do the same with his love feelings in a future. If you ask me, I think he's less introverted than Sasuke, since we've seen him changing after the mentioned fight. He's free from his fate-obsession, and that's why I wanted to make him warmer.
Anyway, this is a fanfiction :P.
Thank you again for reading it, and you already know…suggestions, corrections and comments, made in a friendly way, are always welcome!