#(yes this is secretly nejiten)

[fjb-blurbs]

Tenten: *searching around the room*

Ino: Hey Tenten, what’re you looking for?

Tenten: My will to live.

Neji: *walks into the room*

Tenten: Oh, there it is!

Ino: Aw!

Tenten: *takes scroll from Neji's pack and unseals it, revealing a fuck-off war hammer*

Tenten, cooing: Hello, my precious!

Ino: ......

[patchofgrey]

NejiTen headcannons pt 2; because yes

Yes, welcome to part 2 of my delulu, please enjoy my headcannons for my OTP. If you need part 1 here it be. part 3 is spicey. Individual character background head cannons can be read here.

1. Their first kiss was an impulsive mistake 😬. I could see Tenten being overly excited about an achievement, or Neji does a huge favor for her (his love language is acts of service and gift giving) and impulsively kisses him due to be wrapped up in the moment. Especially when they’re like 16, so think right before Shippuuden. Neji is surprised, but doesn’t push her away or offers any kind of repulsive reaction. In fact, it didn’t register in Tenten’s mind that she had potentially taken Neji’s first kiss at all (oblivious but hey, still love her). When Neji asked her about it, she had apologized for the sudden action. They both learned it was each other’s first kiss. Because he’s awkward, he keeps to himself that he likes it. Naturally, this happens around Gai, Lee, and maybe even Shikamaru to which they’re all looking at him with a shit eating grin.

2. Tenten’s love languages are words of affirmation, quality time, and physical touch. Words of affirmation we can see in the anime; Neji is the one usually praising her for her abilities (in his own way). She also likes to boast about Neji and his abilities to others since she is…always with him (side note: Even though Rock Lee and Pals/Naruto SD is not really cannon, it more of just a gag show to highlight Team Gai in a comedic light and separate the seriousness of the main story; Neji and Lee both praise Tenten quite a lot in this show. They boost her up so much where she’s like “omg me? Really??”.) Knay back to how they’re always together; Like, c’mon. You mean to tell me that these two aren’t always together just for training? They definitely spend a lot of their days off together. Whenever something pops up they just so happen to appear together? They could be at a tea shop, a hot spring, lying in the grass at the training fields as Neji meditates or Tenten sharpens her kunai. Hell, Tenten’s hobby is fortune telling, she probably reads Neji’s fortune when she’s bored or if he feels like indulging her. If Neji is running errands, or training with Hinata and Hanabi, he will make time to check in on Tenten afterwards and surprise her with her favorite dumplings or sweets. For physical touch, I can see Tenten hanging off of Neji’s shoulders or holding onto his arm when they are together. She also plays with his hair. Neji being awkward, will do no more than hold her hand in public (but even then he didn’t get comfortable with that until after the war). But also, for me, I think about the dream she had and the final scene with Neji:

It took his touch and his words to get her completely engulfed within the genjutsu. This is the only scene in that whole episode that her eyes are completely dark. She IMMEDIATELY FOLDS TO HIM after all that (granted the build up what her proving and wanting to save everyone with her dream teammates believing her when she claims she’s in a genjutsu but also Neji is alive and I think that’s the first falling point for her, not the saving them part). But thus also tells me that she is completely comfortable with Neji’s touches, probably because when they are alone, he’s casually physically interacting with her and because he’s fucking dead in the main cannon she will miss his touch. shhh let me have this please.

3. They started secretly dating after the second Chunnin exams. I will leave you with this for the explanation:

The way I fucking SQUEALED at my screen when I played this game and saw this. You can’t tell me SHIT at this point. Let me sink with my ship alright? Neji didn’t deny it either. I think neither of them denied it. I will replay the game just because lol. Nothing gets past Itachi Uchiha, we know this.

3. Shikamaru figured out they were secretly dating right away and he hold a great friendship with Neji to a point. I could see him asking Neji outright if his speculations were true; to which the Hyuga would brush him off until he got tired of the Nara teasing him. When he asked Neji why they were keeping it a secret I could see Neji saying he didn’t want anyone butting into their business. But also, in his shinobi mind, if they made it obvious, it could be dangerous for them if they went on missions; but then, Neji slipped up:

He didn’t have to, but he did. And continued to hold her until he was certain she was alright. I also have it written in my fan fictions that Shikamaru and Neji share that genius book smart friendship where they can read each other very easily. It’s cannon that Neji is shit at card games and strategy games, which I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hyuga sought advice from Shikamaru for certain things pertaining to his work and Tenten. Shikamaru also is very good at keeping secrets, so Neji and Tenten didn’t have to worry about him blabbing like Gai and Lee. I also think after this scene, Lee and Gai had confronted Neji about him doting on her after she almost drowned in the water prison. BUT ALSO, this is a parallel to the first rounds of chunnin exams! When Temari threw Tenten across the room, Lee caught her. This time, Neji acknowledges that Tenten is at her limit, saves al of them, and goes out of his way to catch her and again continues o hold onto her to make sure she's okay. And it's expensive as hell to animate scenes that drag on like this, and they chose this panel to drag the animation out for. This slow burn was killing me when I saw this episode.

4. Neji is book smart and Tenten is street smart to balance the partnership. Personally, I love that Shikamaru and Tenten share that “street smart” mentality; in the data books Tenten has a higher IQ than both Neji and Lee. She’s very intelligent but would rather have others do the thinking for her “point and I’ll shoot” type of thinking. BUT 👏🏼IN 👏🏼THEM 👏🏼STREETS she is a menace, which is also probably why Neji is always with her to make sure she doesn’t get into trouble while she’s running the block. I could see Shikamaru and Tenten understanding that which leads to a friendship; so to recap, Shikamaru knows, but understands why they’re keeping it under wraps. He’s like the reminder of when the sent of their relationship is in the air/obvious when they are on missions or in public.

5. Neji felt threatened by Sasuke as gennin when Tenten found him cute. She didn’t verbalize it out loud, but he probably knew she would find the Uchiha cute. Since they were young teens when they first took the chunnin exams, it wouldn’t surprise me that Neji was a bit annoyed that Tenten was looking at him, almost as if “how dare he”. I wouldn’t be surprised if the team had spoken about it; Lee probably complaint about how Sakura like Sasuke and Tenten probably said she though Sasuke was pretty cool, which irritated the fuck out of Neji. The first sign of jealousy, especially if Tenten was bragging about how cool Neji was for the past year when they first became gennin.

6. There was no way Hiashi didn’t pick up on his nephew having a crush. There is also no way Neji did not bring Tenten around his family. There had to have been some interaction with Hiashi where Neji had brought her to the Hyuga compound as gennin, and again as chunnin. I wouldn't be surprised if Tenten watched as Neji trained with Hinata at times and had conversations with Hiashi. For shippuuden purposes, I wouldn't be surprised if Hiashi had brough up Tenten as a potential marriage partner to Neji and his awkward ass was avoiding the topic completely. In Frequency, I have Hiashi bring it up (implying that he has already spoken to his hard-headed awkward ass nephew about it) but in a way where he is directly talking to Tenten, who is there. I believe Hiashi is a character who follows tradition for tradition sake; he is conditioned to do so as head of the clan, but that doesn't mean he agrees with certain things about Hyuga tradition. The fact that he apologized to Neji after seeing his power and understanding why his nephew was angry at the world, he made it a priority to salvage some kind of relationship with his nephew for the sake of his twin brother. When Neji brought Tenten around, he would see that Tenten was some kind of comfort/light for him and decided that Neji should have a choice of who he chose to have in his life and how close; There's a lot of head cannons/assumptions that in order to preserve the Byakugan, they need to inter marry with other clan members, but for me, it's a dominate gene where the eyes change permanently when activated at a young age (low key, fuck how they brought it up in Baruto, Himawari should've had Hinata's eyes and Baruto should've just had the recessive gene). This was another plot hole I wanted to fill and it made sense to me since people were so hell bent on steeling the Hyuga eyes; the clan is very selective of partners but perhaps that is because it is a dominate gene. Sure, they can marry cousins if they want, but I don't see it as a forced marriage situation unless the arrangement is requested for. Hiashi saw Tenten as a great match for Neji, is all I'm saying. Hiahsi knew they were secretly dating, in fact he was the on who told them to keep it a secret.

7. Neji's promise to Tenten during the war was of romantic and platonic intentions. He gave her that un-Neji like smile and thumbs up which means he had to had promised her something big in order for him to do that. AND ALSO they had to had been alone when he made her that promise, right? She was the only character who showed that interaction with him. It probably went something like this; Neji and Tenten had a deep conversation about possible out comes of the war, his death, her death, unheal-able damage...etc. I actually see this being a conversation about their feelings and how if one of them kicks the bucket, they would celebrate their life instead of mourning their death (which is hard) but Neji would prefer Tenten to keep his memory alive, not fixate on his demise. Neji probably also promised Tenten to be by her side always and maybe even promised her his heart (idk on the fence on this one but it would go with them secretly dating headcannon). In the video game, you will run into Tenten still in her feelings about Neji's death after the war. She was probably processing that conversation all over again and now that he was physically gone, she had to come to terms with the fact that she was now alone and had to force herself to move forward. I absolutely loathed how Lee was written to have the most emotional reaction and Tenten and Gai just brushed it off a bit. To make myself feel better, Tenten was probably in Neji's arms, crying her eyes out denying that anything would happen to them and then he made his promise to her that after the war, they would be together as fate willed it to; they've been together all this time. I can see Tenten releasing all of her feeling with Neji himself and him trying to comfort her of any overthinking she was experiencing. He also remined her that she is a very capable ninja and can hold her own without him. WHICH SHE DID IN THE WAR. (I'm still salty about Hinata's meat-bag no jutsu and how Kishi was like MMMMMM Neji can go. But them proceed to make Tenten single and have promotions where Neji and Tenten were displayed as a matching couple with SasuSaku and NaruHina. Fucking tear my heart out, how could he do my girl dirty.)

In my own au, Neji does go through with his promise of remaining by her side. Between my fics Radio (Trigger warning on this one it's a heavy and unfortunate situation of them as ANBU) and Frequency (The sequel of them picking up the pieces).

Part 3 will be the spicey headcannons; please stay tuned for my continuous delulu train. Also, message me about your thoughts, I'm open to a lot of other ideas even if they disagree with mine. That's the whole point of a fandom to be honest; everyone if free to have their opinions, this is just mine based on the cannon we are given.

[hardcore-lonewolf]

I love the Naruto World so much that I wish I was in it, I want to be a female Senju princess who's a god child to Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

I'll love to be the last child of Tsunade Senju and Jiraiya Ogata, be the Sixth Hokage after saving the Leaf with Naruto Uzumaki, and is the main romantic interest of Sasuke Uchiha, a former student of Orochimaru Yashagoro.

I want Naruto to have a sibling, so I chose Deidara cause Uchiha Clan heirs tend to be rivals with Uzumaki Clan members and I don't to replace Hanabi for somebody else, so Hinata got a big sister now...how about Yume for the name...yes.

My name should be Misako, have a big sister named Akira who's the main romantic interest of Itachi Uchiha, and is the Chosen One with elemental bending powers as the Light Avatar who must destroy the Dark Persona.

I shipped myself with Sasuke, NaruHina for life, NejiTen, ShikaTema, SaiIno, KibaTama, ShiShi, ChoKaru, LeeAma, KankuAka, SoraKae, GaaMatsu, AsuKure, KakaHana, JiraTsuna, MinaKushi, Orochimaru X OFC, Itachi X OC, MY AU!Deidara X OFC!Hinata's Big Sister, ToneShion, IruAya, SuiKari, Sakura X OMC, GaiKao, KoteAnko, KabuGure, HayaYuga, IzuShizu, YamaYuki, ObiRin, Rin and Obito will be still alive, my dad's not gonna die too, Asuma deserves to live for his daughter, Neji stays living, etc.

There's ten tailed beasts from zero to nine; Satori the Reibi, Shukaku the Ichibi, Matatabi the Nibi, Isobu the Sanbi, Son Goku the Yonbi, Kokuo the Gobi, Saiken the Rokubi, Chomei the Nanabi, Gyuki the Hachibi, and Kurama the Kyuubi.

I want Team 02 [Yoruha - Hikaru, Nayumi, Migaku & Sakura], 03 [Gai - Neji, Tenten, Lee & Kaede], 07 [Kakashi - Naruto, Misako, Sasuke & Hinata], 08 [Kurenai - Kiba, Tamaki, Shino & Shiho], and 10 [Asuma - Choji, Ino, Shikamaru & Akane].

Sakura need to be shipped with somebody else rather than Sasuke, she was falling for him and broke her friendship with Ino for his heart.

If I was her, I'll choose my friend over my crush and keep my bond.

Misako got three childhood friends; Naruto, Hinata, and Sasuke...it's that clear and simple.

Misa doesn't like fan boys at all like Sasuke don't like fan girls, they're from enemy clans and are best friends who's secretly betrothed to each other as a way to form peace to both family trees.

Watching all episodes and movies, I've learned many shocking plots and twists throughout my childhood.

Itachi's an amazing big brother, I wish Naruto has a brother and I gave him one...named Deidara rather than Menma cause I see that alternative future son of our ramen lover if he was married to Sasuke.

I want Naruto to have his first kiss with Hinata, which leads to this scenario...what if Misako was between both him and Sasuke during the episode where they were finding out their teams.

Misako will kiss Sasuke...again, here's the catch, they shared their first kiss at a young age cause they liked each other and can see their futures as a badass power couple.

Itachi had already predicted that his little brother was in love with Misako...like he was with Akira, Akira will prevent Itachi's death and tell Sasuke the real truth herself with her baby sister by her side.

I've read a fanfiction on Wattpad that has an original female character portraying as Nezuko Kamado, her name was Misa, I loved it and saw the major changes they've done...it was glorious...shout-out to the author.

I know one way to make Sasuke feel overprotective to Misako like she's understanding with him, I've made three characters we know as original characters named Hikaru, Nayumi, and Migaku.

Hikaru will portray from Toneri or Seimei, Nayumi will depict from Shion or Sawaii, and Migaku...I got something for him...Yoichi or Ren.

Misako and Akira, two sisters with their father's white hair, their mother's brown eyes, their father's red markings, and their mother's beautiful looks and gorgeous figure...I got their character portrayals...Heinrich Prinz (Akira) & Eugen Prinz (Misako).

Indra & Asura was in love with the Kishimoto Sisters named...Luna & Kira...

Kira will be the light that guides Asura to the Sun and into the Spirit World for a bright star.

Luna will be the shadow that escorts Indra to the Moon and get him away from the Phantom Zone for a dark cloud.

The sacred ancestry continues to Madara Uchiha's lover and Hashirama Senju's wife...Mito Uzumaki & Himiko Hyuga.

Years have passed, I want Misa to become the Light Avatar since the Dark Persona was her complete polar opposite...they're destined lovers.

I honestly want Misa to have two sons and daughters; Daisuke (OMC: Haruto Uchiha), Mikoto (OFC: Amara Senju), Yuta (OMC: Isamu Senju), and Sayuri (OFC: Kiyomi Uchiha).

I'm giving Naruto another son and daughter; Menma (OMC: Soha Uzumaki) & China (OFC: Naruko Uzumaki).

If you're confused with the names of the following OCs I've planted, search for their names on Google to get some clarification...it took me a few tries and I've finished.

Comment down below, reblog, anything you wanna do...go for it.

Do not report me, this is just my ideas...something I wanna do for my fanfics in the future.

Sayonara guys...believe it!

Also...who will win between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso?

If nobody wins and unexpected twists happen, who will return?

What if Damian Priest changes his mind and cash in on Roman, if not...on whoever wins between Seth and Finn?

Who will beat Dominik's ass and strip him from his title?

Will Santos dethrone Theory?

Can Ricochet take down a jackass?

Will Gunther stay undisputed?

Who will be Rhea's opponent?

Who will walk out as Women's Undisputed Champion?

Will Iyo win or lose her chance?

Will Shotzi get revenge on Bayley?

Can LA Knight conquer the Battle Royal?

Will Shayna kick this transphobic bitch's ass out of wrestling for good?

Will Solo join his brother?

Will Cody end Lesnar?

All these questions and more will be confirmed tomorrow night at Detroit...watch Peacock now, get your tickets, and get ready cause it's ride or die this year on 2023.

Let this tribal combat...commence.

[honiweii]

Anti-NejiTen GIVE UP !

Top 7 comments that annoy me a lot under each NejiTen post that I found on the net:

#1 - Leeten partisan who spread false rumors

when people said "Tenten blushed toward Lee is because she loves him and it's Canon"... LOL ! Do you want to talk about canon stuff ? She has NEVER blushed at him in the manga that's Canon !

Guys, that is CANON ↓

Neji saved Tenten from the water prison.

and that too : ↓

Kishi has confirmed that Tenten is NOT Metal's mother!!!

So, stop saying that Tenten is Metal Lee's mom. Respect Tenten, why do you want her with a boy who never paid attention to her at all, Lee was in love with Sakura from the beginning to the end like Naruto. HE. NEVER. SHOWED. ANY. LOVE INTEREST. IN. TENTEN ! AND TENTEN NEVER TOO !

#2 - People who said that Neji never showed any love interest in Tenten/ or they both have no chemistry

I think hate makes you blind, because their interactions/development are no different from other ships in the series.

I know love is subjective, some people need to see a kiss or physical contact, or eye contact, or an expressive display of love.

But you know, each person is different and their display of love depends on their personality. When you create a character, you have to adapt their behavior to their personality. It's normal that Naruto shouts everywhere that he's in love with Sakura, that's his personality! It's the same with Sakura and Ino with Sasuke.

But, throughout the series, if we remove the blank day to be equal to Neji and Tenten (because they weren't lucky enough to have a blank day's scene), have you seen Sasuke display a thing of love towards Sakura? Have you seen Temari display a thing of love towards Shikamaru, or even Shikamaru towards Temari? or even Sai towards Ino, in Shippuden?

I want to tell you no, I've never seen any expressive display of love between them all. And if you tell me yes, I pretty much know the reason for your answer:

1. For Sasuke, you will tell me that : "he protected Sakura during the Chunin exam, and wanted to beat the guys who beat her up"

=> Ok, he protected her and I guess protecting someone is considered a love thing.

So, Neji also protected Tenten in the anime and the manga (⬆️ the first image above +⬇️)...

2. Sasuke again: I think back to that war scene, where Sasuke catches up with Sakura and looks at her ... Anyway, physical contact and eye contact.

=> GO REWATCH OR WATCH EPISODE 14 of Shippuden ! AND "CURRY OF LIFE" of Naruto. NejiTen shared all of this !

3. For ShikaTema... Except in the blank day, I don't remember them having an expressive display of love ... maybe when Temari saves Shikamaru? I think the main reason is that they're look cute together. From this, you can talk about a hint of romantic love, that they've been secretly in love with each other since their fight in Chunin exam (and no one will say the opposite because everyone loves them :) )

=> The same goes for NejiTen : they are always shown together, in the same thumbnails, and training together. From this, we, NejiTen fans CAN see a hint of romantic love throughout the story as well.

4. InoSai... I'm sorry, but except in blank day, I really don't remember any display of love between them... they just look cute together...

5. Talking about blank day, even if Neji and Tenten don't have their moment because Neji is dead. Kishi devoted a few lines to them in the novel, in Neji's diary.

"My present goal was to get rid of Tenten's depression"_HYUGA NEJI

#3- NejiTen is only in the imagination of NejiTen fans

If you don't know about fanart, this all takes place in an Alternative Universe. It's like fanfic.

I don't know what's wrong with bringing your favorite characters to life through our imaginations. That's what everyone does with their ship!

#4- Tenten doesn't deserve Neji

(-_-)''' But you know, Neji prefers Tenten to you ;)

When you are insulting Tenten (bc u don't like her or for some stupid reason bc you think she is weak), just remember how much Neji believes in Tenten and tell everyone how much she is strong. (#Episode 162 from Shippuden)

#5- NejiTen fans have no reason to ship them

uh! and do u have a reason to ship your ship ? Do u have a reason to fall in love with someone ? Do u have a reason to have a favorite character?

(Read #2 again)

#6- If Neji was alive, he would have married someone from the Hyuga clan to keep the Byakugan's eyes

... It's called evolution of the story...

The story has shown us the different problems encountered in the world of ninjas : people's mentality towards hosts ; Uchiwa and Hyuga clan ; wars and more. The world of ninja was destined to change and get better.

About Hyuga clan, Neji wanted to change his clan, change his destiny. During his fight with Naruto, Naruto tells him that he can change his destiny. From this episode, the Hyuga clan started to change.

#7- "Neji is dead"

It's not a reason. He's a fictional character, so he's not really dead. He has stayed alive through art, fiction and more.

The death of a character doesn't stop a ship, for example : ObiRin, Yahikonan, TsunadeDan.

► ObiRin

Obito was in love with Rin. Since she's dead, he continued to love her.

► It's the same for Yahikonan

► TsunadeDan

Since Dan is dead, Tsunade remained single, just like Tenten.

I think that's how a ship works when the pairing is meant to be, in Naruto series.

SO, "NEJITEN FANS HAVE NO REASON TO SHIP THEM" ?

Stop hypocrisy !

It's anti-NejiTen who have no reason to spread their hatred against this ship!

[nejitenforlife]

Mutual Attraction

A NejiTen One-Shot AU

Rating: T

Words: 6,145

Summary: When Tenten is being harassed by someone at a bar, she is rescued by a very attractive - and very familiar looking - man.

I posted this a while ago to FFN and AO3, but I don’t think I’ve posted it on Tumblr, so here you go. Please enjoy.

.

There were specific reasons Tenten hated parties. Whether they be in bars, clubs, or in someone's house, they were always the same—excessively loud with an almost constant stench of sweat and cigarette smoke permeating the air.

But that wasn't the worst part.

Oh no.

The worst part was in the form of the man standing right in front of her, desperately trying to flirt his way into her pants.

Tenten fought the desire to roll her eyes, her hand gripping her glass of liquor a little tighter as the man—Deidara, he had said his name was—grinned at her, his arms gesturing animatedly as he spoke. He was telling her a joke, having to shout over the loud music, but she wasn't listening. She hated when men hit on her—not that it happened often, but still—as though they were God’s gift to women.

She realized he had stopped speaking, giving her an expectant look that suggested he was waiting for her reaction, and she let out a polite chuckle in response. She didn't want to be here, but she wasn't a bitch. She would be as polite as she could be until she could extract herself from the situation. 

Then she would find Temari and strangle the life out of her blonde friend for dragging her to this damn bar.

Usually, Tenten didn't mind having a drink in a bar with a nice atmosphere, but not tonight. Her friends, Ino and Sai, had finally decided to tie the knot, and this was supposed to be their engagement party. Not the kind of place Tenten would have chosen for a party herself, and she hadn’t wanted to come, despite having been friends with the blonde since college, but Temari had made her.

Everyone was here. Tenten had caught glimpses of Naruto and Kiba playing a loud game of pool in the corner, Naruto's girlfriend, Hinata, sitting quietly as she watched them, a shy but happy smile on her lips. Sakura was sitting in a booth with her boyfriend, Sasuke, the woman talking enthusiastically while her counterpart remained stoically silent. Tenten still didn't understand what the pinkette saw in the moody raven-haired man, but he made her happy, so Tenten couldn't complain. Shikamaru and Shino were sharing another booth in the corner, the pair looking almost as uncomfortable as Tenten felt, and she decided to make her way over and hang out with them for a while, away from the loudness of the bar.

She had barely even arrived and had only gone up to the bar to get a drink, where she was rudely intercepted by this man who still had not stopped talking.

Did he ever shut up?

Unable to hold back the sigh, Tenten took a long sip of her whiskey and enjoyed the way the golden liquid warmed her throat on its way down to her stomach. 

Maybe if she drank enough, she wouldn't feel so annoyed.

“You wanna dance?” The man—Deidara, she reminded herself again—tried to lean closer to her ear as he spoke, but Tenten stepped away from him, making him repeat the question a little louder.

She shook her head, wondering if her face was still impassive or if he could see her impatience creeping onto her features. “No, thank you. I want to go sit down.”

He looked around, his lips turning down in a frown as he noted the full tables. “I don't think there's any spare tables, but we could find a more secluded corner and talk, yeah.” He ended the sentence with a suggestive eyebrow raise, and Tenten had to fight the desire to roll her eyes again.

“Actually,” she started, taking another small step away from the overly friendly blond. “I'm here with friends and would like to sit with them.”

“Oh?” His eyes widened before what she imagined was supposed to be a flirtatious smile graced his lips. “I wouldn't mind meeting your friends. Where are they sitting?”

She had tried to be nice. Hell, she had spent the last ten minutes listening to his attempts of flirtation. But he was getting on her last nerves. 

“Look, I'm sure you're a nice guy,” she said, trying to keep her voice even without letting her irritation seep through. “But I'm not interested.”

“Don't be shy, yeah,” he replied, unfazed at being turned down. “I'm sure you'll change your mind once we get to know each other.”

Tenten opened her mouth to say that no, she would not be changing her mind and could he please leave her before her patience snaps and she punches him in the face, when she felt an arm snake around her waist, causing her to squeak in surprise. A large hand pressed against her hip, pulling her close to a warm, hard body. She barely even had time to register what was happening before the person spoke.

“I am sorry for being late, my love,” the smooth voice rumbled from beside her. “Is this a friend of yours?”

Tenten knew what the stranger was doing immediately, and although she didn't appreciate that he had assumed she needed help, she was secretly grateful for it.

Moving her arm to rest along his back, she looked up with a wide grin, a grin which threatened to falter when she saw the face of the man who had deemed to rescue her.

To say he was handsome would be an understatement. He was breathtakingly beautiful—and yes, Tenten didn't mind calling a man beautiful. He had black hair that rested just above his shoulders, and although Tenten didn't usually like men with long hair, it seemed to work for him. No, she corrected herself. It definitely worked for him.

His pale, lavender eyes met her brown ones and Tenten had to stop herself from gasping. His eyes were mesmerizing, and although they seemed familiar, she couldn’t figure out why.

Deidara took a step back at the appearance of the newcomer, his hands out in a placating manner in front of his body. “I, uh, didn't realize you were taken. Sorry man, I didn't mean anything by it, yeah.”

“No harm done,” the newcomer replied. “But if I catch you talking to my girlfriend again, I will not be so polite.”

Tenten watched Deidara go, relieved to have finally gotten rid of him—though, she supposed the newcomer was responsible for that, not her.

Their arms were still around each other and Tenten suddenly felt very nervous. It wasn't that she wasn't used to guys—she had plenty of male friends—but he was a stranger. A beautiful stranger. She extracted her arm from around his waist and stepped back, feeling every movement of his arm as it fell away from her body.

Was it wrong that she felt bare without it?

No, that was stupid. She didn't even know the man and he had barely been holding her for a couple of minutes. Maybe she was just missing the feeling of physical contact. She may have a lot of male friends, but she hadn't dated anyone in a very long time.

“Thank you for that,” Tenten said, forcing her head up to look him in the eye with a smile. “He would have left eventually, but he was being stubborn.”

His lavender eyes were intense as they bore into hers, and Tenten could feel herself flushing at his attention. “You are welcome.” .

.

. Neji didn't know what possessed him to help the dark-haired beauty. He had only just arrived at the bar and was looking for his cousin when he spotted the woman, looking uncomfortable as a man with long blond hair tied back in a high ponytail chatted her up. Her fingers were tapping her glass impatiently and her eyes continued to sweep the room, as if looking for a way to escape the man's attentions.

It wasn't in Neji's nature to help others, not really. He had grown up in a wealthy family, spoiled from the day he was born by his parents, and from a young age, he tended to only do things that would benefit him. But as soon as his eyes had locked onto the woman, noting appreciatively the way her jeans hugged the curves of her ass, he was lost. His feet had made their way to her without his brain directing them and before he knew it, he was pulling her close to his body, relishing the feel of her softness pressed against him.

She was staring at him now, head tilted back slightly so her eyes—the colour of warm chocolate—could peer into his, a smile on her pretty pink lips. She was thanking him, he knew that, but he couldn't hear her words, too caught up as he was in staring at her features. Would she mind if he leaned down to kiss her? Probably, given the fact that she had just gotten rid of the last man that intruded into her space. Still, it didn't stop Neji from staring at her lips, imagining what they would feel like pressed against his own.

Absentmindedly, he realized that she looked vaguely familiar. But surely, he would remember a woman as attractive as this one. A frown tugged his lips downwards as he wondered where they may know each other.

.

.

.

He was staring.

Tenten wasn't sure whether she should say something or not. It wasn't like she disapproved of his staring—not like she had disapproved of Deidara’s attentions. But he hadn't replied to her and she was beginning to feel a little embarrassed. Especially when his lavender eyes kept flicking to her lips.

Did he want to kiss her? Tenten was tempted to ask him to do just that, but she didn't think it would be appropriate. He had helped her, yes, but that did not mean he was interested in her.

Besides, she reminded herself, he's a stranger!

Someone jostled her as they walked past, knocking her to the side. The man's arm sprung out like lightning, keeping her from toppling over, and breaking whatever moment they were having. 

“Thank you,” she said again, stepping back from him.

“You are welcome,” he replied in that same, smooth tone. Tenten shivered despite the warmth of the bar, unable to turn away from his intense gaze.

“A-anyway, I should go. My friends are over there,” she pointed in the general direction of where Shikamaru and Shino were sitting while silently cursing herself for stuttering. She had never stuttered before in her life!

The man turned to the direction she was pointing, his gaze lingering before turning back to meet hers. “I have some friends that way as well. Shall I walk you to your destination?”

Tenten nodded her head dumbly. He placed a hand gently at the small of her back and followed her as she weaved her way through the crowd towards where her friends were sitting, all the while wondering if she could convince him to stay with her a little longer. Maybe get to know each other? 

Unless he already had a girlfriend. Tenten stumbled as the thought crashed into her, barely registering as he held her elbow to steady her. She sent him a quick, strained smile before picking up her pace. Why hadn't she thought of that straight away? Of course he would have a girlfriend—how could he not?

Tenten suddenly felt silly for being attracted to him, especially after only just meeting him. She wasn’t the type of woman who could attract a man like this. It wasn't that she was unattractive, but she had enough experience to know that once a man found out how into sports she was—and how much of a tomboy she was—they would be turned off. And this man—this beautiful stranger—looked very much like he hadn’t played a game of sports in his life.

Of course, she had had a few dalliances during her college years—Kiba being one of them—but that was purely out of a bored curiosity on both their parts. They had only ever gotten to second base and had quickly realized how weird—and gross—it was for them to be a couple when they only saw each other as friends.

So yeah, Tenten didn't have a lot of experience with men of this sort of... calibre.

“Are you all right?”

Tenten jumped at hearing his voice so close to her ear. He had leaned down to whisper instead of shouting above the din, and the combination of his breath against her skin and the rumble of his voice had her suppressing another shiver.

“Y-yeah, thanks,” she replied, turning her head towards him only to bite back a gasp at how close they were. His face was mere inches from her own and she could feel each exhale he made caress her cheeks and lips.

Speaking of lips… Tenten licked hers subconsciously and the man’s eyes immediately locked onto the wet appendage. The lavender darkened to an almost violet colour and Tenten stopped breathing altogether as she watched him in stunned fascination.

Another jostle—she really did hate crowded places—this time against her back, had her careening into the stranger in front of her. She was half relieved that her lips didn’t smack his while she fell into his arms, like in one of those silly Korean dramas Sakura made her sit through. But a part of her was also disappointed as well. Why couldn’t she be the heroine of a romance drama, where she is saved by a handsome stranger who falls quickly, deeply, and madly in love with her? Would that be too much to ask?

Of course, if this was a romantic drama, she would no doubt have to fend off a jealous ex-girlfriend and have water thrown at her face by his mother (or grandmother, maybe even both). That was something Tenten wasn’t keen on, and she was glad that real life wasn’t so dramatic.

For the second time in one evening, Tenten extracted herself from the kind stranger, throwing him a brief smile while mumbling a ‘thank you’ that she knew wouldn’t be heard over the noise of the bar. And then, she turned and walked away from him, almost powerwalking the rest of the way to the table.

By the time Tenten made it to Shikamaru’s table, Kiba, Naruto, and Hinata had joined them. Naruto was mumbling something about a ‘cheater’ while Kiba grinned and punched him in the shoulder, looking very chuffed with himself.

“Hi, guys!” Tenten beamed at her friends. Her heart, which had been pounding vigorously since she first laid eyes on the handsome stranger, was finally calming down. She slipped in beside Kiba and he immediately threw his arm around her shoulder, ruffling the hair she had spent all of five minutes brushing and putting into a bun. She sent him a mock glare and shoved her elbow into his ribs.

“We’ve been waiting forever,” he whined. “Where were you?”

Tenten rolled her eyes. “Don’t get me started. Temari wanted to get here ‘fashionably late’ for some reason and when we finally arrived, I went to get a drink at the bar only to be stopped by an overly friendly guy who wouldn’t stop talking. It was almost impossible to get away from him.”

“Damn, I would love to have seen that!” Kiba laughed at what Tenten could only assume was an image of her trying to fend off a male admirer and she couldn’t help but feel irritated by it. Why would it be so funny?

“Neji! You’re here!” Hinata jumped out of her seat, rushing over to greet the person whose name sounded vaguely familiar to Tenten, though she couldn’t remember why. She turned in her seat to see who her friend was greeting, curious, and her mouth dropped at the sight before her.

.

.

.

The dark-haired beauty had stopped at the table he was heading to. Not only had she stopped, but she sat down and chatted with them as though they were old friends.

That was unexpected. But finally, her face came to his mind—a photo Hinata had sent to him when she first started college five years ago and met her new roommate. She had told him the roommate was very nice, though a little louder than she was used to, but they got along well. He recognized the face now. She was a little older, of course, and her hair longer, but it was definitely her.

What had Hinata said her name was?

“Neji!” His cousin moved around the booth to fling herself into his arms. It was uncharacteristic behaviour, but he supposed she had been living out in the world for a few years now, so it was only right that she would grow as a person and not be that shy, quiet little girl anymore. The realization hit him hard—she was a woman now. A woman who had a boyfriend, going by her last email to him before his flight back to Japan a week ago.

He smiled as he briefly returned her hug before setting her back down. He noticed the booth full of people watching him, though the blond didn’t seem jealous of their interaction. No doubt Hinata had told her boyfriend that her cousin would be coming tonight.

What did surprise Neji, though, was the flare of jealousy he felt as he watched his dark-haired beauty cuddled up against another man. Her eyes were wide with surprise—no doubt she hadn’t realized he was heading to the same table as she—and the man beside her prodded her shoulder with his free hand, leaning close to her ear to whisper something.

She blushed, a pretty pink that spread over her cheeks, and bit her bottom lip at whatever he had said to her before turning to jab her elbow into his side again.

They seemed very close, but he wasn’t certain whether they were together or just friends. Surely, if he were her boyfriend, she would have told the jerk at the bar and he would have left her alone a lot sooner. Maybe, despite her appearance, she liked the attention of other men on her?

But… no. That didn’t seem right either. She had genuinely looked frustrated when the blond at the bar was flirting with her.

Neji lightened, thinking that perhaps they weren’t a couple after all, though he still sent the guy a glare when he tucked Neji’s dark-haired beauty closer to his side.

“Come and sit down, Neji,” Hinata said, pulling on his hand. “I want to introduce you to my friends. Some of them, anyway. The others are somewhere here, but I’ll introduce you to them later.”

Neji followed her, a little too eagerly if he were to admit it to himself. Not because he cared to know these people. He had enough friends—one friend really, but it was plenty enough for him—but he was curious to learn about one person in particular. And he was more than delighted to find himself sitting directly across from her, her cheeks still flushing prettily as she tried to disentangle her friend’s arm from her shoulder.

.

.

.

Tenten couldn’t keep the blush from her face. Especially not after what Kiba had whispered to her. Now she was desperately trying to move away from him so that Neji—Hinata’s cousin, she finally realized, remembering some photos she had seen of him over the years—didn’t think they were a couple. Was that too late already? They looked pretty friendly together, but that was just because she had known the canine breeder since they were in high school.

She stole a glance at the lavender eyed man across from her as she took a sip of her whiskey while Hinata introduced him to everyone at the table, but he wasn’t looking at her. Instead, he was glaring very pointedly at Kiba, who seemed to think it was quite amusing, and he squeezed her shoulder in response to the newcomer’s stare.

“Stop it,” she hissed, turning to send him a glare of her own. She thrilled to think that Neji could be jealous of the attention Kiba was giving her, but she also hated the thought that he might believe they were dating.

Kiba grinned at her attempts to push him away, leaning closer to her ear again. “This is so much fun, Tenten,” he chuckled. “He barely knows you and he’s already this jealous. Should we see if we can make him hit me?”

“He won’t need to. I want to hit you already.” She stood abruptly, pulling him up by his collar as she went. “Go dance or something.”

The pout he sent her way usually had her caving in seconds, giving in to any of the crazy schemes that he cooked up in that brain of his, but she wouldn’t be swayed this time. She really liked this guy—despite having only just met him—and she didn’t want her idiot of a best friend ruining any slim chance she might have.

His pout turned into a grin, as if he could read her thoughts, and he sent her a wink, causing her blush to reignite as his words rushed back to her head. Damn, Tenten, he had whispered. He looks like he’s undressing you with his eyes. You gonna go home with him?

She most certainly would not be going home with him, but she couldn’t deny that Kiba’s words—and the idea that this extremely handsome man found her attractive enough to imagine her naked—had heat curling through her belly that had nothing to do with the whiskey.

Tenten was glad to see the back of her infuriating friend, and she sat back down with a sigh, forgetting to even try and look graceful. She inwardly winced, but then decided that it shouldn’t matter. If he wasn’t going to like her for who she was, then he wasn’t worth it.

Deciding it would be best to distract herself, she turned to face Shikamaru, who hadn’t said a word since she had taken a seat at the booth. “You aren’t with Temari tonight?”

Shikamaru replied with a roll of his eyes, but she could see the hurt in their depth when he looked at her. “I’m surprised she didn’t tell you. I’m in the doghouse.”

Oh. Tenten thought back to when they were getting ready for the evening. Temari had seemed a little more subdued than usual, but Tenten hadn’t thought anything of it. Now she felt like a cow. “What happened?”

“She said I forgot our anniversary.”

“What?” Tenten stared at him in shock. “You forgot your anniversary? Don’t you realize how special anniversaries are for women? Especially your first!”

“I know,” Shikamaru replied, practically growling as he glared at her. “And I didn’t forget. She’s the one who got the dates wrong.”

Tenten almost spat out the whiskey she was sipping, partly due to her friend’s words and partly because of a foot that had started to make its way up her leg, caressing it. She sent a wide-eyed glance at Neji, who remained impassive at the conversation going on around him as he stared back at her. She felt her face heating again and determined to concentrate on Shikamaru and his tale of forgotten anniversaries. That was much easier to deal with than a very handsome man playing footsies with her under the table.

“Why do you think she got the dates wrong?”

This time a sigh accompanied his eye roll, and Tenten could read his lips as he muttered a quiet ‘so troublesome’ under his breath. “One year ago today, we went on our first date, but I didn’t officially ask her out until a week later. So technically, our anniversary isn’t until next Saturday. But she is being too stubborn to even listen to me.”

That made sense. Tenten wasn’t sure what she would think in that situation. She could understand both sides of the story, and despite feeling sorry for Shikamaru, it was also amusing.

“If Temari is refusing to listen to you, why don’t you send her a message saying what you just told me. But leave out the ‘being too stubborn’ part. I’ll talk to her tomorrow as well and let her know about the misunderstanding just in case she refuses to read your message.” Tenten reached over to pat her friend on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Shikamaru. She’ll forgive you in no time. Just… make sure you make the anniversary day extra special for her, okay?” She glanced to the other side of Shikamaru. “When did Shino leave?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. When we were talking, maybe. Anyway,” he stood up from his seat, taking a moment to stretch his arms over his head. “I’m going to go. I’ve already said congratulations to the happy couple, and it’s way past when I usually go to bed.”

“Drive safely. And don’t forget to message Temari.” Tenten called to his retreating back.

She had forgotten about the foot sliding up and down her leg during her conversation, but now, as she realized it was only the two of them left at the booth, it was the only thing on her mind. Despite her jeans and Neji’s shoes, Tenten still managed to shiver from the contact, and it took her far too long to build up the courage to meet his enchanting gaze.

“Hi,” she said, loud enough for him to hear but not so loud that she was yelling.

He smirked in response, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of her sudden shyness or the fact that they were finally alone together. “Hi,” he replied easily, his smooth voice warming her body far better than any glass of whiskey could.

Tenten hadn’t realized she had a weakness for voices until she met Neji. Or maybe it was just his voice she had a weakness for. “So, you went to a college overseas?” She knew it was an asinine question to ask, but she had to say something.

Neji stood slowly and Tenten felt a pang of hurt that he was leaving after she had asked him a question. But no, he wasn’t leaving at all. Instead, he made his way to her side of the booth and slid in beside her, his arm resting casually against the back of the bench behind her head.

He leaned in until he could speak without having to raise his voice. “It is a little frustrating having to talk over the noise. You do not mind this, do you?”

Mind it? Tenten was afraid she was about to swoon by being so close to him, while a part of her—a wild, reckless part that she hadn’t even known she possessed—wanted to crawl into his lap and sift her fingers through his hair. Would it be as soft to touch as it looked?

She managed to nod a response and watched as that smirk touched his lips again. And damn if she didn’t find that extremely hot.

“To answer your question,” he continued, settling back against the bench as though he owned it. “Yes. I went to college in Sydney, Australia.”

“Wow, that’s cool! Did Hinata ever think of going overseas to study?” Tenten couldn’t even imagine how expensive an overseas college life would be, but she was also jealous that he had already travelled so far despite being so young.

“Her father tried to pressure her into going, but she was too shy. She would not have handled another country very well.”

No, she wouldn’t have. Tenten remembered her first meeting with the woman. Hinata had barely spoken two sentences to her, and Tenten had to pry even those out of her. She had truly come a long way in five years.

“What about you?” he asked. She felt a lock of her hair being twined around a finger and blushed but didn’t comment on it. Unlike the man from earlier, Neji didn’t make her feel uncomfortable at all. “What was your major?”

Of course, he had to go and ask that. The one question she was embarrassed to answer. Not usually, of course, but for once, she had wished she had chosen a major that was a little more attractive. “I majored in Physical Education.” She couldn’t look at him as she said it, her eyes finding a pile of crumbs on the table and staring at that instead. “I like sports and I want to teach kids to enjoy it as well.”

“That is commendable,” he replied, shocking her. What shocked her more was when he tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her head to look at him. “But why do you look like this is something to be ashamed of?”

“I-I’m not ashamed of it. I just,” she bit her lip, working it with her teeth until his finger pried it out of her mouth. His finger lingered on her lip, smoothing soft lines against it as if to erase the damage her teeth may have done before letting his hand drop. “Guys don’t seem to like the fact that I’m athletic. I think they’re intimidated or something.” She shrugged, eyes once again breaking contact with his. “I’m not one of those girls who just does Yoga or Pilates to maintain a healthy body. Ever since high school, I’ve competed in a variety of different sports, and I join a lot of marathons each year.”

He was silent for some time, long enough that Tenten began to regret saying so much. Her eyes found his again, unable to take the silence any longer, only to find him staring at her in serious contemplation.

“And men find this… unappealing?” he asked. She would have thought he was mocking her, except he had voiced the question with such seriousness, his eyebrows drawn low over his eyes as though he couldn’t quite understand.

“Yes. They say they’re fine with it, up until they see me actually participating in some form of sports.” Tenten snorted, unable to help herself. “They especially don’t like it when I beat them at something. Apparently, it hurts their manly pride.”

“Ah.” He leaned back slightly, his eyebrows lifting as he took in her words. Part of her wondered if he was just like every other man she had known, but he was still twirling a lock of hair around his finger, and he seemed to have moved his arm so it was resting over her shoulders instead of the back of the bench. Surely, that was a good sign, right?

He was still staring at her as well, and Tenten was beginning to squirm under his scrutiny. “Anyway, that’s me. Tell me about yourself.”

Instead of replying to her question, he asked one of his own. “You are not dating that… Kiba, was it?”

Tenten couldn’t help laughing. They had tried a few years ago, but it had felt wrong to both of them, and they realized they were better off as friends. “God, no. Kiba is a good friend of mine. We’ve known each other for years, but that’s it.”

“Good.”

Tenten’s eyes widened in shock at his admission. Neji sent her a smile, looking uncertain for the first time that evening until she smiled at him in return.

He untangled his fingers from her hair and pressed his hand against her neck, drawing her closer to him. Tenten’s breath caught at his boldness, unused to men being so forward with her. Well, there had been that guy at the bar, but she hadn’t been interested in him at all. This man, however, made her feel weak at the knees and she didn’t mind one bit when his intense gaze never strayed from her face.

Was it possible to melt into a puddle by just a look?

Neji’s gaze flicked to her lips briefly before meeting her eyes again. “I find a strong woman very attractive,” he admitted, no trace of embarrassment on his features at the confession.

“You do?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but they were so close now that she knew he would hear her. Her heart pounded in her chest at his words, both elated and suspicious at the same time. How did she know he would stay true to them?

Fingers caressed a path along her cheek, and her entire vision was filled up by him. It was as though the loudness of the bar faded into the background and it was just the two of them alone, and Tenten decided she very much liked that idea.

.

.

.

Neji couldn’t get over how beautiful Tenten was, and for the first time, he regretted not visiting more often over the years. If he had—and if he had taken an interest in learning his cousin’s friends—he could have met Tenten a lot sooner. The knowledge that she had been here this whole time without his knowledge caused a blinding need within him. Not just a sexual need—though he couldn’t deny that was part of it—but a need to make up for all the time they had lost by being separated. Now that he was living here permanently again, he would make that happen. If she was willing, of course.

“Most definitely,” Neji replied, his voice dropping to a seductive purr as his eyes once again found her lips. He was dying to kiss her, but not until she was convinced that he was telling the truth. Would she mind if he told her that her physical prowess turned him on? “Besides,” he continued. “There is only one particular physical activity that I care to excel in.”

His smile widened a notch at seeing that pretty pink flush cover her cheeks as his words sunk in. He could see her mind working as she pictured just what sort of physical activity he was referring to. He couldn’t stop his own mind from wandering there, and he felt blood rush to his loins at the images that ran through his mind.

.

.

.

He couldn’t possibly have been referring to sex, could he? But even as Tenten tried to dissuade herself of the thought, she knew that had been exactly what he meant. “Do you?” The question was out of her mouth before she even had time to ponder it, and her face flushed anew as the desire to bury herself under the table consumed her.

“Do I?” he repeated, an eyebrow cocked as he tried to piece together her meaning. She knew exactly when he had, a slow smirk forming on his lips as his eyes turned violet once more. “I assure you, my chocolate-eyed beauty, that I am very adept at that form of activity.”

Tenten feared that he would be able to hear the pounding of her heart as he moved closer, until their faces were inches apart. Was he finally going to kiss her? Her eyes locked onto his lips and her tongue reached out to wet hers in preparation.

A low noise rumbled from the back of Neji’s throat. “You are teasing me, Tenten.”

“S-sorry, I’m not meaning to.” She darted her gaze away from his lips to rest on his shoulder.

“We just have one last item left to discuss,” he rumbled, and Tenten’s eyes flew back to his face, confused. What was left to talk about? He seemed tense, as though it was taking all his effort to stay completely still and not close the small gap between them. “Are you looking for a temporary companion, or a long-term one?”

“If you’re meaning whether I want a one-night stand,” she replied, finding the strength to maintain eye contact. “The answer is no. I don’t do one-night stands. But I also don’t have sex on the first date, either.”

Neji’s eyes sparkled at her words. “Then it’s a good thing this isn’t our first date. Or are you imagining that it is? Should I ask you to be my girlfriend now, so that there is no confusion when the anniversary comes around?”

Tenten laughed at his reference to Shikamaru and Temari’s dilemma. She didn’t think he had been paying attention, and her heart warmed at the thought that they could be together long enough to have an anniversary. Tenten’s eyes closed to half-mast and she could hear the sultry tone to her voice as she answered, “I don’t think it would hurt leaving it until tomorrow.”

“Good,” came Neji’s whispered reply a moment before he finally closed the gap and kissed her.

It looks like I might just be going home with him tonight, after all.

[chrimsonfoxdon]

For character ask im gonna ask the same that you asked me- neji >:)

EHEHEHE thank you for indulging me~

Favorite thing about them - God just one thing?? Idk, I love his hair, his eyes... but I think my absolute favorite thing is just... how much he helped me get through middle school 🥺 I didn’t have any friends LMAO OK but he and Chihiro really made it easier to get through the hell that was middle school.

Least favorite thing about them - fmrkekc WOW I HATE WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM I HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT CANNOT BELIEVE THEY DID HIM DIRTY LIKE THAT!!! also really not a fan of RTN Neji

Favorite line - “These eyes of mine show me many things”

BROTP - Lee, Tenten, Naruto, Hinata... he just seems to get along alright with the others very well

OTP - CKSKDNNS... I... my favorite ship with him is... shipping him with... my OC Chihiro... yes I’m aware that’s cringe but no I do not care it’s serotonin and that’s what’s important (also a fan of Nejiten and Nejilee those are cute pairings)

NOTP - anyone who romantically ships him with Hinata (and apparently Hanabi as well???) is gonna get blocked I cannot STAND THAT SHIT

Random Headcanon - Acts tough but he secretly has a lot of low self esteem he has to work through.

Unpopular Opinion - While I think it’s sweet that he does kinda repair his relationship with Hinata and his uncle, I... feel like it happened too fast. He went through a lot of trauma caused by his uncle, and how fast he conforms to what he pretty much was fighting against just kinda rubs me the wrong way. Like it almost feels like he blames HIMSELF for the trauma that he went through. Idk maybe I’m reading too much into it, but yeah lol

Song I associate with them - Blue Bird

Favorite picture of them -

Tbh I like most pictures of him LOL

[cherryblossomshadow]

Marks of Trauma

Universe/fandom: Naruto

Pairing: NejiTen 💔

Rating: traumatic events

A/N: written for NejiTen month 2019!  The prompt “scars/tattoes” passed last Friday, but 🤷‍♀️.  I reinterpreted this prompt for “any marks of trauma” on his body.  Hope you enjoy~

@ntmonth

Neji was not normally given to reminiscing.  But a special day like today demanded some sentimentality.  

He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, examining the marks on his body.   There were many.  

The most recent was a hickey on his neck which his beloved Tenten had given him just last night.  His lips curved into a brief smile at the memory before he moved on.  

He ran his fingers over the long scar that drew across his abdomen, from his floating ribs all the way to the opposite hip.   He had obtained that scar on his first S-rank mission.  Tenten and Neji had fulfilled the mission parameters and were headed home, but they were ambushed.  And the attackers were targeting him.  

He remembered collapsing to the ground, trying to hold his stomach together and keep his guts from slipping out.  He remembered watching how furious she had become, not only against the enemy nin which she had subsequently slaughtered for daring to touch him, but also at herself.  Because she couldn't heal him.  Because all she could do was rush him home and beg someone else to stitch him up.  

He pursed his lips and turned slightly to trace the ANBU tattoo on his upper arm.  This one was a mark of pride, one of few on his body.  Earning a place among ANBU meant escaping the eyes he felt were always following him.  It was all the better when Tenten joined, too.  The ANBU commander had quickly discovered how well they worked together and they had ended up paired on missions more often than not.  Like their Genin days.  

Speaking of genin.  His eyes narrowed at the ugly pockmarks on his left shoulder.  He had earned that scar against one of Orochimaru's cronies, defeating the spider-nin though he was a mere genin.  But he had paid for that victory with a hole through the chest, just a few inches from his heart.  The medics had managed to close it up, but the fistula still remained.  

But none of these marks had caused as much trauma as the first mark to ever mar his skin - the Mark of the Caged Bird.  He leaned forward, examining the green ink scrawled on the center of his forehead.  He remembered the pain of its application.  He thought about how hard he had struggled against the caging of his will.  

"Neji?"  Tenten slipped into the bathroom and embraced him from behind.  "How long have you been up?" She leaned over his shoulder to meet his gaze in the glass.  

"Not long," he lied, though he was sure she knew the truth.  

"Are you nervous?" she murmured, nuzzling his shoulder.  

To anyone else, the answer would have been an immediate and firm no.  But if he was being honest... "This Curse has been upon me my whole life," he whispered.  "Can I really believe that it will be over by the end of the day?"

"Yes, you can," she smiled encouragingly.  "This is what we've been working toward these long years."  She reached up to gently caress the Mark.  "You'll be free."

He captured her hands in his and turned to face her.  "I still can't believe that you did this for me," he murmured, bringing her fingers to his lips.  

She grinned impishly.  "It wasn't just for you; it was for all Hyuuga."  She pressed her palm to his cheek, but he turned his face into it and kissed her palm also.  "But it was mostly for you."

"You and Hinata-sama and Naruto," he marveled.  "You really did it."

She leaned up to kiss the center of his forehead, the Mark that they would soon remove.  "Yes, we did.  Now let's go get rid of this." 

A/N: So, no place really to fit this in during the story, but Naruto, Hinata, and Tenten had been secretly working on finding a way to remove the Hyuuga Curse Seal for the last couple years.  Hinata searched the Hyuuga archives, Tenten contributed her talent for juinjutsu, and Naruto brought the plucky Uzumaki "this will work" determination.  I headcanon that they figured out an alternate non-controlling protective seal that all Hyuuga implemented.  And open-sourced it to any other ninja clans with kekkai genkai they wanted to protect.  

Long live Neji!  

[theshinobiway]

Mobile FAQ

Welcome to the Blog!

Before you submit a request, please keep in mind the following:

✫Who are the Mods?

This Blog is managed by one mod (Pumpkin) as of right now. Headcanons will not take very long, but scenarios might! I try to have things done within a few weeks of their submission, but if life happens I’ll post about it on the blog to keep you updated.

✫Do you do Reader-Insert?

Reader insert HCs and Scenarios allowed! Please specify pronouns/race when submitting a request if you desire, otherwise HCs/Scenarios will be Gender Neutral. If I ever use a specific pronoun (Usually because it makes the prose flow better) always feel free to request a different version utilizing a new pronoun.

✫Are LGBT Requests Allowed?

Very LGBTQ+ Friendly! I am Bisexual myself and use She/Her pronouns. If I am not informed enough to feel comfortable writing a specific paring/identity, I will make a post requesting more information. Additionally, my messages are always open. If you want to offer your assistance with your request, simply send me a message and I’ll work through it with you. If your request is anonymous, I will make sure to keep your blog’s identity private.

✫Do you do Shipping Requests?

I do not do character x character HCs and scenarios. I don’t personally ship any of team Gai with any other character, and I don’t want to delve into the Tumblr shipping community. Please do not send me requests for ships, I will delete them.

✫Are Pre-Shippuden/Kid requests allowed?

I will do Genin/Academy team Gai! Crushes allowed for this age, but all true romance HCs will be reserved for Shippuden-aged Team Gai. (Might Gai is obviously exempt from this rule.)

✫Do you allow NSFW content?

NSFW is allowed, but keep in mind that characters for these will always be 18+.

Please do not submit NSFW requests unless you are 18+.

✫Can I request a character doing x/y/z unsavory thing?

It’s officially canon™ that none of the members of team Gai engage in pedophilia, non-con, abuse, neglect, etc. I won’t write scenarios that include them doing these!

Part I Neji’s calloused treatment of Hinata and early cold demeanor towards his team which was shown in brief in the anime, but Pre-Exams Neji would not engage in the systematic abuse of any other character. Genin!Neji would verbally put down other characters, threaten/belittle them if they pressed on his insecurities, or give them a swift but impersonal beat-down if they challenged him. His murderous anger would only be reserved for the main branch (or enemy-nin), and only exuded in situations that are within the rules and guidelines. Instances of his anger outside of this would be shut down by Gai or by having his curse seal activated. Remember that Genin!Neji is still a 13/14 year old boy with anger issues and trauma. He is, at worst, a teenage bully who might take things a little too far.

✫Can I request scenarios that involve abuse/disorders/violence?

Yes, but keep in mind all HCs/Scenarios that involve readers coping with abuse/disorders/unsavory events will be summarily labeled, excessively tagged, and hidden beneath cuts. These requests may be pushed back in favor of others because they will take longer to write.

✫Why do “High-Risk” content requests take so much longer?

HCs/Scenarios that involve characters/readers coping with abuse/disorders/violence will take much longer. I will not write about something I have not done research on, so please be patient! I want to be sure that I avoid harmful portrayals or stereotypes. I know fictional HCs/Scenarios can be therapeutic and provide escapism, so I want to handle these requests with care to keep the environment of this blog welcoming and friendly for everyone who loves team Gai.

Helpful Tip: Send me a second ask/DM that mentions your request and some pointers or specific things you would like me to touch on/avoid in your request. This will be very informative for me and will speed up the time it takes for me to write! Plus, it’ll be anonymous!

About Me:

Name: Pumpkin (She/Her)

Age: 24 (I’m an adult, so minors please keep this in mind!)

Loves: Pumpkins, Coffee, Team Gai.

Dislikes: OLIVES.

Favorite Character: Neji. I always go for characters with emotional depth and he has so much of it. Also, Hyuga politics are incredibly compelling and should have had their own arc in the series. I am not a fan of how his arc ended overall and I have complaints about Naruto’s talk-no-jutsu in the chunin arc (because it didn’t actually address Neji’s major problems), but overall I find that Neji is a character with the perfect balance of strengths, flaws, motivations, and his stoicism is balanced by his good heart. 

Lee is a very close second, followed by Tenten and Gai who are tied for a close third.

Least Favorite Character: Sasuke. While not technically my “least” favorite, I find the Uchiha as a whole to be extremely…boring. Sasuke’s character and motivations weren’t very compelling or consistent (and while inconsistency is pretty human he isn’t humanized well) and the last arc did not do him justice and did not fully redeem him. 

I’m also not a fan of how he turned out in the epilogue. In general, he wasn’t handled well as a character. As a main character for the series, I felt like I was always expecting more. I dislike him because of the inconsistent writing, but I do believe he had potential.

Favorite Ships: Naruhina. Naruto has someone who literally only wishes for his happiness and success, Hinata has the support and affirmation she’s always looked for. They have a very sweet and fluffy dynamic, and their characters are almost perfect compliments for one another.

While the series failed to do them justice, “The Last” as a standalone arc for them was lovely and should have been inserted in the actual series, preferably sometime before the last war arc. I really wish they had more in the series to further their relationship.

Least Favorite Ships: Oh boy. I do not ship NejiTen or LeeTen and I oppose both ships. 

I ship Tenten only with herself. In the shinden novels it’s mentioned that Tenten has never had any romantic goals. A major character development piece is her finally coming to terms with the fact that she’s fine being as she is without the societal pressure of having to marry or pursue romance. Shipping her with anyone is a huge disservice to her character and a core part of her identity, and disregards a major part of her personality. Also read: it’s OOC.

Tenten’s bro-ship with her teammates is golden and a wonderful portrayal of how guy/girl friendships can be extremely deep and comfortable while still being platonic. That needs representation!

Additionally, neither ship has a real foundation. With the exception of Chouji/Karui, all romantic connections were stated explicitly in the anime/manga OR in the Gaiden novels (Chouji/Karui was alluded to in Sakura Hiden.) Tenten, when she IS in Konoha Gaiden, explicitly mentions she is disinterested in romance. This is consistent with her character and a perfectly acceptable choice for her narrative, which is why I support it.

Neji and Tenten only bond over being too mature for Gai/Lee shenanigans and training together when Lee/Gai are off. In the Chunin arc she comments that both Sasuke and Kakashi are cute, but makes no mention of Neji aside from her admiration of his abilities. Neji comments on her abilities as well during her fight with Temari, but Lee is the one who gives her open support. Their relationship is shown as friendly, but is strictly a Nakama bond. Most of their interaction in the Chunin exams is related to, or entirely revolves around the absence of Lee. There are no allusions to their relationship, even as a joke. In a shounen anime, romance is almost always explicitly mentioned or alluded to. In Naruto, this was also true for virtually all pairings and love triangles. Neji and Tenten never had this. Any development is purely-fan made or fan-imagined.

I especially dislike this pairing because from a narrative/storytelling standpoint and the way they are characterized, they do not (and would not) contribute to the other's personal development in any significant fashion. Tenten trained with Neji in the Chunin exams for two reasons; her abilities were most suited for training Kaiten, and she was his teammate--therefore the only reasonable choice to secretly practice a technique that Neji was not supposed to learn. She was his primary supporter in the stands because she trained with him and Lee/Gai were both absent to also comment on Neji. Even though Kishi made a lot of questionable choices when it came to romance, not having Neji and Tenten together was not one of them. It made perfect sense for both characters to work together when necessary, but they have zero shared themes or development arcs. The only one, "Getting stronger," is a Team Gai-wide theme.

Even if Tenten was given more personal development in the series, her development would have revolved around herself and the development of her own abilities as a shinobi. She was never a character that was meant for romance. And it's perfectly fine for her to be that way.

Lee and Tenten have more personal interactions and far more relationship building moments in both canon and fillers, but they especially don’t have romantic chemistry--more brother/sister. They are confirmed as not together in Boruto for this very reason. They are fiercely supportive of one another and a fantastic duo. This does not mean they need a romance, either.

Feel free to ship who you like, but please do not request character x character on this blog, the request will be summarily deleted. This is not a shipping blog, but there are others out there that can cater to your needs. Thank you!

[thenamesnotsherlock]

Top Ten Naruto Ships

1. Shinokiba: why the hell would you not ship it ? Opposites, the silent one falling in love with the loud one and also they are hella cute together.

2. Kakagai: guy being the type of boyfriend who spoils kakashi with gifts, kakashi pretending to be annoyed by it but secretly loves the attention like addfghjkkl.

3. Gaalee: little smol bean gaara getting unconditional love from Lee is just asddfg, lee being the one who teaches gaara how to love again and make him more open.

4. ShinoSai: two awkward cuties that when they get ignored they hang out with each other, sai taking a huge interest in shino making shino feel appreciated, Shino helping sai and supporting him, sai secretly drawing shino with his bugs and when shino found out he blushed making sai concerned like shino you have a fever? .

5. Kakairu: when iruka was a kid he admired kakashi from afar, kakashi teasing iruka just to make him blush so he can see that adorable look, iruka getting pissed off at kakashi “ wow, you should wear that look more often, iruka” and kakashi being dazed when iruka showed him just how dominant he can be.

6. Shikatema: Shikamaru being a cutie making temari melt, temari standing up for Shikamaru while Shikamaru ’s like that’s my girl, temari finally laughing around Shikamaru making Shikamaru heart skip a beat.

7. Kakahidan: kakazu watching hidan from a distance like dammit he’s cute,hidan knowing kakazu’s feelings and taking advantage of it like the little shit he is, kakazu finally catching on so gives hidan a surprise kiss, hidan being like wow what the hell ? Do that again please.

8. Hinasasu: Hinata being the one who gets sasuke out of his shell, Hinata looking beautiful at a party making sasuke forget what he’s doing, sasuke protecting Hinata even at the cost of his own life, sasuke pulling Hinata into a kiss and melts at her eyes and basically sasuke being affectionate.

9. NejiTen: tenten being the one who makes neji more open, tenten dragging neji to events and festivals to make him more sociable, tenten in a revealing dress making neji stare and when tenten ask what was wrong he started to stutter and blush.

10. ShinoIno: ino being like ew in the first place but when they grew into their teenage years she’s like holy shit he’s hot, Ino putting everything in winning over shino while shino ’s like what I’m not worth that, Ino punching everything in her way that insults her Shino, shino being hella shy when he went to the yamanaka shop to ask ino out and blushing like mad when he said it while ino didn’t believe her ears told him to repeat it and when he did she just threw herself into his arms and kissed him while saying yes over and over again.

[bouncyirwin]

NejiTen Day Out

A while back some anon asked me to write about Nejiten hanging out at the mall. Here you go anon, hope you like it. (it contains some ShikaTema, I couldn’t help it soz) oh and, it's 2 am please excuse any typos I'll fix em tomorrow.

“So…” Tenten said quietly as she surveyed the busy food court before turning chocolate brown eyes onto her companion, “what do you want to eat?”

Neji let out a soft sigh, for the fifth time that day, “I’m really not hungry.”

Tenten glared fiercely at him, “you haven’t eaten anything all day Neji, you’re worrying me. Pick something or I’ll pick for you.”

The Hyuuga’s shoulders slumped in defeat, “fine, McDonald’s.”

They both waited in line for a few moments, Tenten’s foot tapping rhythmically against the floor and Neji staring into the distance, hands shoved in his dark hoodie’s pockets.

Tenten cleared her throat when she went to the register, “Hi, can I have two Happy Meals, chicken nugget, please? Coke instead of juice.”

Her friend’s head whipped around so fast it was almost comical. “Happy Meal?”

“Sure. You could use it." 

The man looked torn between sighing again and smiling. "Whatever.”

Tenten paid before Neji even had the chance to and he scowled at her but she pointedly ignored him.

“So…” She spoke after they sat down with their meals. It earned them a few amused smiles and raised eyebrows from the people sitting nearby as Tenten began to munch on chicken nuggets. “Will you tell me now what’s bothering you?”

“I told you, I had a fight with Naruto,” Neji told her but that earned him an eye roll.

“Neji you and I both know that's not what’s bothering you,” Tenten said, brown eyes telling him to ‘cut the crap already’.

He pursed his lips, “Fine. My uncle… he kicked me out of the house.”

Tenten froze, fries hanging from her mouth. If Neji wasn’t too busy feeling uncomfortable about admitting the truth, he would’ve found the sight rather funny.

“What?” She growled, “why?”

Neji tried not to squirm under her gaze, “Well… it’s complicated but according to him, 'I should be able to handle myself now that I’m an adult.’”

“He can’t just kick you out suddenly!” Tenten’s palm smacked down on the table with enough force it echoed loud enough to get the attention of a few people.

Neji let out another sigh, silently begging her to keep it down, “he’s been hinting at it for a month, apparently, it’s my fault for not taking the hint sooner.”

“Bullshit.” Tenten sulked, slumping back in her seat, her appetite momentarily gone. “Where are you staying?”

“Naruto’s… well, not anymore. I’m not going back there.” Neji said firmly, the corner of his lip tilted down to match his frown.

The brunette gave him an exasperated look, “why not!?”

“It’s a guy thing.”

Tenten’s jaw dropped open. Wow, who would’ve thought Neji could be so stubborn, and childish! “I can’t believe you.”

He shrugged and stuffed some fries in his mouth in hopes she’d seize questioning him for a few moments.

“Okay but now where will you go?” Tenten asked, suddenly concerned rather than annoyed with her crush.

“Hotel.”

Her forehead hit the table with a quiet smack, startling even Neji who asked, confused, and slightly self-conscious, “what?”

“You’re dumber than Naruto you know? Forget it, you’re staying at mine, I’m sure Temari won’t mind.” Tenten all but demanded, and Neji knew it was a lost cause. 

He wouldn’t even be surprised if she decided to drag him along thrashing and screaming. He sighed once more, might as well go down with some dignity, “really Tenten, it’s okay, I’m looking for a plac–”

“Just shut up,” she moaned, dragging a palm down her face, “and eat. Please? I don’t want to have to spoon feed you.”

The was enough warning for him to shove a nugget in his mouth and chew. The brunette’s mouth lifted up in a small smile and he struggled to hide his embarrassment.

After feeling awkward for a few minutes, Neji was interrupted by Tenten’s suggestion, “so, movies or shopping?”

The obvious answer would’ve been the cinema but Neji actually secretly enjoyed shopping. Now, though, that seemed like a bad idea, since he was nearly broke at this point.

“Um… whatever you want.”

Tenten brightened considerably, “alright, we’ll go shopping.”

The Hyuuga wasn’t even sure why he was suddenly glad he let her pick for them. But Neji wasn’t really in the mood for making choices right now, god knows he’s done that enough this past week.

Fifteen minutes later, both nineteen year old’s were done and walking together in a companionable silence.

'Shopping’ in their books didn’t necessarily entitle buying things. Sometimes they simply settled for window shopping, and that was fine by both of them

Neji stopped by a mirror in one shop, having accidentally caught sight of his reflection. Frowning, he studied the boy in the mirror. He could really say he’s had much better days.

And then a cap was placed over his head and Tenten was suddenly next to him, grinning, her brown hair falling just past her shoulder in gentle waves. “Lookin good,”

He scowled momentarily but Tenten’s smile was contagious and he couldn’t help but return it after a moment, removing the cap of his head and pushing it down Tenten’s, briefly blinding her. It earned him a pout.

“Hello!” A worker suddenly greeted them, her smile wide, “would you like a bag?”

“Err…” Tenten straightened, suddenly embarrassed, “no it’s fine we’re only…”

“Getting this.” Neji finished for Tenten, eyeing the cap on her head. Tenten turned to stare at him with wide chocolatey orbs and he couldn’t help but smirk. “This way then!” The blond guided them to the register, humming under her breath. Neji wondered how she could be in such a cheerful mood working in such a tiny shop.

Once Neji paid he placed the cap over Tenten’s head again and they walked out, her blushing fiercely and him holding back laughter. She looked this close to whacking him over the head.

“Why’d you do that!”

“Do what?”

“Buy me this.”

“It isn’t like this is the first thing I’ve ever got you Tenten, calm down.” Neji reasoned and watched as the brunette struggled to come up with a valid argument.

Finally, she huffed, grabbed his arm and dragged him to another shop. Ten minutes later saw them buying another cap and Tenten placing it over Neji’s head, much to his confusion. “Here. Now we’re even.”

“Are you serious.” The Hyuuga deadpanned, watching his reflection with incredulity. 

Tenten only grinned, shoving her hands in the pockets of her red hoodie. “Sure am.”

They looked so silly, in his opinion but weirdly, a small part of his brain noted, they kind of suited each other.

Neji nearly recoiled at the thought and quickly discarded it, turning around and marching out of the shop, Tenten close behind him.

And for the rest of the day it seemed like the world was playing some cruel game with him as everywhere he looked he saw people holding hands until at some point, a girl behind the cashier commented on how cute he and Tenten looked together which caused Tenten to flush an endearing red and stammer out that they’re just friends.

After that they headed home, taking the eight o'clock bus to the closest stop to Tenten’s apartment.

She leant against his side for the entire ride, the place too crowded and the bus too unsteady. It was too bad all the seats were taken and they had to stand.

Sometime during the ride, someone thought it was appropriate to grope his butt and Neji had twitched in annoyance when he turned around to come face to face with a grinning thirty-year-old man and contemplated whether he should smack him or avoid causing a scene.

At the end, he settled for glaring at the bald headed guy until the man had the audacity to look away. 

When they arrived at Tenten’s place, the faint sound of something smacking against the wall was echoing through the apartment and Tenten frowned and called, “Temari?”

The noise immediately seized and was followed by quietly muttered curses from two different voices. 

Tenten’s eyebrows shot up when her blond friend scrambled out of her bedroom, hair dishevelled and clothes wrinkled, “uh, hi Tenten, you’re home early…”

The brunette eyed her suspiciously before pointing to Neji, who looked increasingly uncomfortable, “he’s staying the night.”

Temari shrugged and both Neji and Tenten froze when none other than Shikamaru Nara walked out of Temari’s room, in the process of putting his shirt back on. 

To her credit, Temari didn’t blush, choosing to only look away innocently. 

“Yo,” Shikamaru greeted the two newcomers before moving to the kitchen that was connected to the living room. “Nice to see you guys.”

Temari sighed and gave Tenten an apologetic look, “I’ll get rid of him.” And then turned to eye Neji before saying, “make yourself at home.”

“Oook,” Tenten said, awkwardly, turned on her heel and dragged Neji to her room, “I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see that.”

Neji snorted, “Shikamaru and Temari? Can’t say I saw that one coming.”

Tenten shrugged and dropped on her bed with a sigh, “I always suspected it, especially back in high school when they’d both 'coincidentally’ miss class at the same time.”

The Hyuuga shrugged his shoulders as well and lowered himself on the only couch in Tenten’s room. 

They took turns showering and getting ready for bed, Neji even longer than Tenten, having much longer hair that the brunette had the habit of eyeing enviously. When Neji began to head for the couch, Tenten stopped him by catching his wrist and pulling him down onto the bed with enough force to make them bounce slightly, “where are you going?”

He stared at her in bewilderment, “uh, the couch?”

Tenten rolled her eyes, “there’s this nice big bed.”

“It’s your bed.” He told her, his mouth suddenly drying.

“Yes,” Tenten agreed, her eyes dancing with amusement, “but it’s a big one. Get over yourself, Neji.”

The Hyuuga wondered if he should start regretting agreeing to stay over now. He couldn’t remember the last time he shared a bed with anyone; that drunk night with Lee last summer did NOT count. 

Nevertheless, he settled down, feeling nervous for no apparent reason as he stiffly laid on his back. 

Tenten had already switched the lights off and got comfortable on her side of the bed, phone in hand.

Glancing at his own phone, Neji found three missed calls from Naruto and felt slightly bad. It wasn’t like Naruto did anything wrong, he simply lectured him about dealing with his uncle and Neji didn’t appreciate being treated like a kid. He decided he at least owed him a text and so he dropped a quick message to his blond friend, explaining he was staying at Tenten’s.

The reply was instantaneous. 

'Is someone getting laid? ;-)’

Neji felt his eye twitch as he texted back, 'No, stop reading that lame smut you’re always reading it’s making you dumb.’

'Hey, Icha Icha is a masterpiece!’ The blond replied, and Neji could almost imagine him pouting.

'Shut up, idiot.’

'Now you just sound like Sasuke,’ The blond typed.

'Don’t ever compare me to Uchiha.’ Neji scowled as he hit the send button. He didn’t get any reply for many minutes later until finally, his phone buzzed in his hand; new message from Naruto. 

'I think you should use this opportunity with Tenten.’

'Would you shut up about that?’ Neji was getting annoyed, and the warmth next to him didn’t help his anxiety.

'Why? You like her.’ Oh hell, Uzumaki is surely being especially annoying tonight.

'I don’t.’ he lied.

'Pfft, sure, K. Keep denying it.’

'Good night, Uzumaki.’

'Oh, we’re doing last names now? Fine. Good night Hyuuga.’

Neji huffed, slumping back against his pillow.

“Why is Naruto texting me telling me to give you a hug because you need it? Are you okay?” Tenten suddenly said, sounding confused and concerned.

That’s it, Neji thought, he’s going to murder Uzumaki.

“Ignore the dumbass.”

Soft flesh pressed against his side and his eyes flew wide open as he froze in place. “T-Tenten?”

“We’re best friends, you can always talk to me, y'know?”

“Of course,” but you’re not wearing a bra Tenten and I can feel that and I’m not sure if I even dislike that but please, please for my sanity, back off.

To his relief she did and he let out a breath he hasn’t realised he was holding.

“Thanks,” he said after a few minutes of silence, feeling the need to at least let her know he was thankful. “For earlier. And now.”

He could almost hear her smile, “you’re welcome Neji.”

“You didn’t have to do this,” he went on because he felt if he stopped talking he’d start thinking about the fact that he’s sharing a bed with Tenten.

“I know, but I don’t mind.” She assured him, sounding somewhat sleepy now, “I’m here for you…” She broke into a yawn and he dared spare her a side glance. She looked too adorable, he instantly looked away. “’M gonna sleep now if you need anythin’ wake me up,”

Not two minutes later, her quiet breathing filled the silence of the room and Neji found himself slightly relaxing.  

He dared glance at her one last time, noting how she cocooned the blanket around her and snuggled into her pillow like a little child. 

Neji sighed and reached over to gently brush a few loose strand out of her closed eyes before retreating his hand to his side, wondering why he was feeling affectionate all of a sudden. Secretly, he couldn’t be more grateful for having her in his life. 

Yawning, he cursed Uzumaki one last time before succumbing to sleep too.