NejiTen Oneshots And Drabbles

Bullseye

It had been a long time since Tenten had a chance to play darts, what with being a new mom, and the league times being late in the evening, and some people still being salty about losing to her. (That reminded her, Uchiha and Sai owed her $25 apiece.)

So when Naruto called and begged her to be a last minute replacement, she had really wanted to say yes.

"I don't think I can," she said mournfully. "That goes right through the munchkin's dinner-slash-bath-slash-bedtime."

"Aw c'mon, Tenten," Naruto pleaded, loud enough that Neji looked up, recognizing the voice.

"What does he want, now," Neji grumbled, still irritated with Naruto for sucking him into that tortuous poker game the other night that ended with Naruto's declaration that Neji was abysmal at cards, and he would be calling Tenten for any guy's night stuff from then on.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he saw that Hinata was calling.

"Yes?" he answered.

"What the hell, Neji?!" Naruto asked in exasperation.

"Oh," Tenten looked at her phone and then back at Neji, confused. "Hi, Hinata – how are you?" Tenten shrugged helplessly at Neji and went into the other room to talk to her sister(ish)-in-law.

"Listen, you jerk," Naruto continued while Neji grit his teeth. "This is tournament week and Teme broke his arm. We need Tenten to come out tonight or we will have to forfeit."

"One," Neji said coolly, "As I recall, you are the reason Sasuke's arm is broken. Two, you can't bring in a substitute this late into a tournament anyway. Three, she already told you no."

"One, you are a dick," Naruto countered, "and Two, I put Tenten's name down on our alternate list ages ago. Half of the league did!"

"That can't possibly be legal," Neji scoffed.

"It is when the reigning champ of the league is semi-retired and the owner of the bar where we have our tournaments makes a shit ton of money when she plays," Naruto said. "And three, she didn't tell me no. She told me that your kid needs to be fed, bathed, and put to sleep. If you are home, then what's the problem? Does your prodigy-ness not extend to taking care of a one-year-old?"

"Fifteen months," Neji corredted with clenched teeth.

"Oh, yeah," he could practically hear Naruto rolling his eyes. "I can totally see where that would make a difference."

Tenten's laughter wafted over from the next room, squelching Neji's acid retort.

She was grinning at something Hinata said, and it reminded him so very much of how she had looked when he'd first seen her all of those years ago - oddly enough, playing darts.

"She needs a night out, man," Naruto sighed. "You see how tired she's been lately? Let her have a break for once."

Indignation flared in Neji's chest - he was not an unconscientous spouse. He regularly helped with their child, and made sure that Tenten had help during the day.

"That's not going to work Naruto."

"When was the last time she got to go out with her friends?"