Chapter 10 - What You See

It was early morning as Neji sat silently in his living room, dressed all in black, as he waited for his wife. Tenten sighed softly as she existed the kitchen, a bowl in her hands. She lowered herself to her knees and offered him the bowl. “You should eat something before we go,” she suggested.

“I'm not hungry,” he told her, taking the bowl from her and placing it on the table. “So if you're ready, we should start heading out.”

Tenten looked at him worriedly. “Neji, please,” her voice was pleading. “I haven't seen you touch anything in two days.”

“I will not repeat myself,” he said sternly as he stood. He then made his way over to the front door. “Now come,” he practically ordered. Tenten stood, nodding her head as she did so.

They walked in silence through the streets of Konoha as a few others passed them by. “Ohayo,” they were greeted softly by Chouji, who was carrying his small daughter in his arms and had his wife's hand within his own. Tenten returned his greeting, but both Neji and Ino said nothing; they didn't even offer a glance in the other's direction.

Kiba's funeral ended up being a very private affair. It consisted of only his family and those he considered to be close friends. Everyone was so caught up in their grief as they paid their last respects to a fellow Shinobi, that not many of them noticed that the one face that should have been there was nowhere to be seen. “Shino, he has not taken Kiba's death well,” Hinata informed Tenten when she was asked about his whereabouts.

Tenten had grown worried as she hadn't seen in the last few days. “He's locked himself up in his apartment.” Hinata lowered her gaze. “He's hurting so badly and- and I don't know how to help him,” she admitted, tears forming in her eyes. Tenten, seeing the younger woman in pain, wrapped her arms around her and pulled her into a tight hug. Hinata latched herself on to the the other, where she then allowed herself to cry. “I don't know how to help him,” she cried again, feeling as if had failed her teammate somehow.

“It's going to be alright, Hinata,” she tried to assure her. “I”m sure all he needs is a little time.” Tenten continued to comfort Hinata as best as she could when something caught her eye. She turned her head slightly to the side to find Neji, who was speaking to Ino for the first time that morning, to her knowledge. She could not hear their conversation from where she stood, but distress was clearly written on Neji's face. It became even more apparent when Shikamaru paused in front of them for a moment, where he then made eye contact with Neji, who in turn lowered his own eyes before Shikamaru walked away, shaking his head noticeably.

Ino then looked from Neji to Shikamaru and the back to Neji before going after her teammate. As the two made their way from Neji, Tenten felt a pair of eyes on her and turned her head only to make eye contact with Chouji, who also appeared to have seen the strange interaction between the three ANBU members. He looked at her questioningly, but Tenten only shook her head and shrugged.



After the funeral, Neji and Tenten made their way home, where each changed their clothes silently. When Tenten was finished, she decided she would give another attempt at trying to get Neji to eat something. She was almost out the bedroom door when she heard a soft voice behind her. “It was my fault,” Neji admitted, his head lowered as his wife turned back to him. “I'm the reason Kiba is dead.”

Tenten's brow furrowed. “What?” she spoke, thinking maybe she had misheard him. She took a few steps towards him. “That can't be true. Whatever happened I'm sure it wasn't your fault,” she stated, but Neji said nothing in return. “But what did happen out there?” she asked, wanting to know. Neji shook his head, not wanting to share, but it was too late for that, he had opened a bag that now could not be closed. “Neji,” she urged.

“He had been distracted. We all knew it from the beginning, but we all pulled our weight, to compensate for it,” he began. “It wasn't a problem, not until. . .” Neji trailed off, closing his eyes.

“Not until, what?” Tenten probed about his two month long mission.

Neji then finally looked up at her. “Something- something happened out there. Something that should have never happened. I got absorbed into other matters, that had nothing to do with the mission.”

“I don't understand,” she told him, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell her. “What did you get into?”

Neji was silent for a moment as if debating his works. “It doesn't matter,” he finally told her. “I'm home now and it's over,” he reassured her. He then gently took a hold of her. “Tenten, I know this is going to sound strange, but,” he seemed conflicted, “could you just tell me you love me. I really need to hear it right now,” he asked of her. Tenten's expression showed her confusion. It was a request he made often. “Please,” he begged of her.

“I love you, Neji,” she told him before she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. Neji shuddered in her arms as he buried his nose in the nape of her neck as his own arms found their way around her.

“Thank you,” his voiced sounded relieved.

“Anytime,” she said softly, not sure if she should be worried about what her husband was hiding from her. But she knew not to push and that he would reveal everything to her in his own time as he always did.

Her husband then responded with the last phrase she thought she would hear from him on the particular day. “I'm hungry,” he announced.

Tenten couldn't help but giggle at his words as she pulled away from him to look upon his face. “How about some lunch?” she asked. “What would you like?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I'll make lunch. I should get back into the habit.”

Tenten looked at him surprisingly. “You won't hear me complain,” she told him before he left the bedroom to head to the kitchen. Then could help but smile as his leaving form. Suddenly, her head jerked back as something came closed to her face. It was flying around unsteadily, causing the Shinobi to frown. She was about to smack it out of the air, when she recognized the little bug invading her space. “Rebel?” she whispered, holding out her hand for the Kikaichu to land on.

Her brow furrowed deeply as she took in the strange movements of the beetle. It looked almost drunk. And though Tenten didn't know what was really going on, there was one thing she was certain of, if the rebel was in such a bad shape it could only mean on thing. “Shino,” she said worriedly, before taking off not even bothering to close the front door behind her as she ran.

Neji, being cause at the sound of rushing footsteps stepped out of the kitchen to see the open door. “Tenten?” he called, but of course heard nothing but silence greet him. He lowered his head as he made his way back into the kitchen, assured that she had only stepped out for a moment.



“Shino!” Tenten yelled loudly as she soon found herself pounding at the front door of his apartment. She then heard the click of the lock before the door slightly opened to reveal the man in which she sought so desperately.

“What do you want?” Tenten quickly blinked at the tone Shino had used towards her.

“I uh,” what was she doing there, she couldn't help but ask herself. She then brought up her hand to reveal the small bug in her hold. “She came to me,” she began. “She looked ill, so I figured you weren't doing so hot yourself.” She then tilted her head to one side. “Are you alright, Shino?” she asked.

There was a pause before he answered, “No.” He then opened the door wider and held his hand out. His rebel Kikaichu immediately obeyed him as she took refuge underneath his skin. The way his hand shook did not escape Tenten's notice.

“Can I come in?” she asked him.

“You should go home to your husband,” he told her, he then went to close the door on her, but was surprised when her hand shot out and stopped the door from closing on her face. “Please, go away.”

“But you're ill,” she stated.

“It's just a fever. It will pass,” he told her.

“Just let me take care of you,” she offered. “I know I'm no med-nin, but I can at least make you something warm to eat before I leave.” Shino looked upon her genuinely concerned face and nodded. Tenten smiled as the other let her within his home.

“Wasn't that Hyuuga Neji's wife,” asked a woman to her companion, who lived across the way from Shino's place.

“I believe it was,” she responded. “That poor man. She doesn't have any shame, does she?”

“I know what you mean,” the first woman began. “You would think that she would at least have the decency to not show up at her lover's home in the middle of the day.”

Inside, Shino made his way to his bed where he collapsed down on it before then curling into a ball. Behind his black shades, he closed his eyes. Tenten's smile turned into a frown as she witnessed his exhaustion. She then turned towards the kitchen area of the small two room apartment. It took her a few minutes to get acquainted with where everything was, but once she did the small home was filled with the scent of a home cooked meal.

She made a small bowl and then put the rest away in the refrigerator in case he wanted some later. She then made her way over to Shino's sleeping form where she placed the bowl on the nightstand before taking a seat on the bed next to him. She placed a hand on his shoulder and leaned towards his face. “Shino,” she whispered quietly as she gently shook him.

“Hn?” was his reply.

“Sit up, your food is done,” she told him, but he remained laying down. Her hand left his shoulder as she debated something over in her mind. She then placed her fingers on his hood and slowly pull it back, uncovering his dark, wild hair that she hadn't seen since they were Chunins. She pressed the back of her hand against his forehead which was wet with sweat. “You're burning up.” She then stood up and for the first time really looked at the room around her. She spotted what she was looking for and made her way over to it.

Tenten pulled open the drawer to the dresser she was standing in front of and immediately found exactly what she needed. She pulled out a set of pajamas. “You need to get out of that heavy coat,” she told him as she approached him once again. Agreeing, Shino finally set up, but with great difficulties. He then went to stand, but so wavered dangerously that his shades fell from his face. With expert speed Tenten quickly rushed to him and held him tightly in fear that he would fall over. “Whoa, I got you.” She made sure that he was steady before letting him go.

“Thank you,” he breathed looking down at her. Tenten went to speak, but her words failed to escape her mouth as she looked into Shino's eyes for the first time. They were the darkest shade of black that she had ever seen. Her reflection burned brightly with his dark orbs almost making her forget where she was.

Shino then quickly turned his head, which pulled Tenten out of her stupor. “Sorry,” she spoke feeling she had done something wrong as she took in his reaction. She then bent over and picked up his shades, which she handed back to him. He slipped them back on quietly. “You should change,” she suggested as she also picked up the pajamas she had dropped so that she could catch him.

As Shino shrugged off his large green overcoat to the floor, Tenten blushed and turned her back to him as he undressed. She only turned back around when she heard his weight land on the bed behind him. She smiled as she took in the sight of him in yellow pajamas covered in little white ducks. “They were a gift from my mother,” was his excuse as he too now blushed.

“Uh-huh,” she said playfully as she reached for the bowl on the nightstand and sat down next to Shino on his bed. She took the spoon and filled it with the still warm liquid and brought it up to his mouth.

Shino frowned. “I can feed myself,” he told her as he reached for the bowl and the spoon, but his hands still took violently.

“I see why you don't lie,” she began as she looked from his hands up to his eyes. “You're not really good at it.” The spoonful of soup soon came back to his mouth, but Shino refused to take the food. Tenten sighed. “Do you want me to make choo-choo sounds like a train?” she asked before Shino finally tasted the meal she had prepared.

When the bowl was nearly empty, Tenten sat it aside. “Thank you. It was very good,” Shino said gratefully.

“You're welcome,” she said with a smile. She then watched as Shino looked down at his hands. They no longer shook. “I guess all you really needed was a good meal?”

“That or the attention of a beautiful woman.” Shino then surprised himself with his own boldness as the back of his fingers brushed Tenten's cheek.

Tenten's eyes grew wide with the gesture, but found she could do nothing as Shino pulled her closer as he leaned in and tenderly pressed his lips to hers. He then brought his other hand up to her face. “If you don't want this, tell me, and I will stop.” Tenten said nothing as she slowly pulled away and Shino had no choice but to lower his hands, his expression briefly reflecting not only his disappointment, but his embarrassment. He had been too forward too soon. “I am sor-” he had gone to apologize, but was not able to finish his sentence as Tenten had reached for his shades and pulled them away from his face.

“I like to see the eyes of the man I'm kissing,” she told him before she once again felt his lips on hers.

Meanwhile, Hyuuga Neji sat alone at the kitchen table within his home. The meal he had prepared had been finished for quite some time now. He had made her favorite, Chinese. He sighed as he realized that she wasn't coming home for lunch and that his work had gone to waste. He wondered where she was and was tempted to use his Byakugan to search for her, but he had made that mistake before, and it had done nothing but lead him to the wrong conclusion. Besides, he knew his wife loved him and that she wouldn't do anything to jeopardize their marriage, he saw that now. And with that reassuring thought, Neji smiled to himself and began his meal.

To Be Continued. . .

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