My Story of NejiTen 🤍

admiration

So apparently Tenten has been carried away by her curiosity.  And it's not like as though she has anything more in mind with that information!!! It's just that she has always wondered.

Neji being as talented as he is does not rarely get in the position of being idealized or looked up to. There had been more than one occasion on which Tenten has overheard girls talk about Neji.

And it is nothing but the truth that his demeanor or short and simple sentences about his day or life do not give her any more information about that. 

Now with the things that Lee said earlier she couldn't get around speaking this thought out loud. Even though that she might be a little bit... shocked that she actually did. 

But oh well, there is no going back so she might as well enjoy her bravery.

but after Nejis silence stretches on she acknowledges the fact that she might have overstepped a boundary. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eh, make you uncomfortable with my question"

"Tenten, why do you ask such a question? Have you been thinking about what Lee said earlier?"

...

"No, I have not." he finally says "I don't know if you and Lee can understand this but not everyone is looking for a romantic partner."

"ah, no no, I get that!" Tenten says.

"Good." he continues "So what about you?"

Oh. 

Tenten didn't think this far... neither did she think that he would ask back. quickly she needs to collect herself!

"eh uhm, no. Me neither."

"hm, really?"

"What do you mean: really?" she says disoriented

"It's just that you always seemed like you did. Or well could have, I'm sorry, I didn't want to make any assumptions" he clears his throat

"For real??" Tenten is trying hard not to show her excitement at this by layering her confusion over it, which also was  very  real.

"You always seem so open and welcoming to people, it's something I admire" Neji says faintly

Well now Tenten is stunned. He? Admiring... Her?

"I've always wondered if I am even capable of letting someone in like that." 

Neji just keeps saying these things. These things that are so vulnerable, saying them so gently he might as well be talking to himself and forgot Tenten was standing about zero inches beside him. In the hopes of keeping him from noticing she is still there and getting out more such information out of him, Tenten keeps quiet.

But she cannot keep herself from looking at him. It is then, after he stopped talking, that Neji notices and looks her in the eyes too.

Once more the missing distance between them becomes apparent. The air again, harder to take in.

But then there is a noise. Neji hears it first and turns his head towards it. It's two people rushing to them. He knows it is Lee and Guy.

"Neji! Tenten! Now, quick!!!" they heard Guy yell.

This was their sign. Neji said "Ready", Tenten nodded when he started to use his Juuken to make their way free, using his Byakugan to be sure not to hit Lee and Guy with the rocks. The cave gives gruesome noise once again and the space in which Neji and Tenten were in now starts to fall in rapidly.

The cave around them as well, as the last stalactites come rushing down. Neji and Tenten find sight of Lee and Guy and make their way to the entrance of the Nigurashi Mountain Cave.

As they reach the outside, Tenten unfolds one of her own scrolls and summons three Kunai with it in the air. They dash towards the entrance and explode upon arrival, the entrance now being shut by rocks as well.

Lee holds a scroll in his hand, the scroll they have been looking for.

"Well done, Team Guy." Guy says.

"We can't stay here, they're coming after us." Neji points out

and they all take off back to Konoha.