NejiTen - The Punishment (17+) (Completed 2016)

Ch.4 - Easy to Touch, Hard to Love

The day started out slowly for the both of them. Neji and Tenten ended up meeting at the training grounds to welcome Lee and Guy back home from their mission. When they made it there, they found that only Rock Lee was there.

"Tenten, Neji!!" Lee called out, tears shining in his eyes as he hugged the both of them, to their irritation.

"Lee," Tenten giggled, "You've only been gone a few days."

"I know, but I missed you both so much!! The mission wasn't as thrilling as it would've been with you two!" Tenten smiled at Lee's words but couldn't help but to feel relieved knowing that she got to ahem... "Spend time" with Neji.

Lee looked from one to the other and asked, "How was your weekends?"

Tenten blushed a bit and said, "Oh, n-nothing worth mentioning."

Neji cleared his throat, managing to hide a smile.

Lee grinned and exclaimed, "Good enough for me! We're supposed to report to Lady Tsunade now! In fact, Guy Sensei is waiting for me!"

Lee backflipped a few times before sprinting off. "See you two later!!" He called out, eventually disappearing from sight. Tenten breathed out and giggled when she looked at Neji. "I see that smug smile on your face. What are you thinking, you pervert?"

Neji looked at her, almost shocked. Tenten was talking normally to him. Well, almost normally. Was it because today was the last day?

Tenten noticed the shock on his face before blushing and looking away. What, was she not supposed to talk to him normally? Was he expecting her to stay quiet because of the weekend's events? Or wary of him because of how he would force himself on her?

She didn't understand the Hyuga's thought process at all.

After a moment of being quiet, Tenten blushed harder as she said, "I guess I don't have the right to call you a pervert. Ehe, especially after yesterday."

Neji shook his head partially, smirking his shock away. "Yes indeed, Tenten."

Tenten smiled before saying, "Too bad today's the last day. I was actually starting to enjoy myself."

"Really?" Neji asked, faking his surprise, "because I couldn't tell from the way you were reacting to my mouth and hands." He walked up to her, looking down at her with a confident smirk. She mock glared at him and retorted, "Natural reaction, Neji. You'd know all about that, you know, with grabbing my head and all."

Neji blushed slightly. She had ammo as well, he realised. "You had better be lucky the rules don't apply right now." He growled playfully.

"Why don't they?" She challenged, moving closer to him and surprising him once more.

Caught off guard, Neji said, "It's like you want me to touch you, Tenten."

"Was that really hard to find out?" She asked, her voice quieting down. Neji looked at her, sighing softly. "Tenten," he started to say, but stopped himself. No, he can't reveal anything. Not yet, not now.

She looked at him, almost expecting him to say what she thought he might say. It wasn't hard for her to see. Especially after he walked in on her and became enraged.

Only jealous men did that.

But even so, even as she knew, she couldn't help but feel irritated. He could've confronted her a long time ago about how he felt, but instead he was playing it off, pretending that he merely wanted to punish her for being a perverse kunoichi.

Tenten sighed and said, "Um, maybe we should go on and pack for the spa. We'll have to let Lee and Guy know that we'll be back early in the morning for sparring."