The rest of the night sped through quicker than Tenten could have imagined. She did not remember doing much, other than trailing Hiashi or sometimes Hinata. She avoided Neji completely. She was furious with him, was she not his Friend? How could he even think of leaving the village and his single hood life without sharing that piece of pertinent information with her?
"Things are not looking so good, genius." Aiko whispered delicately against Hiashi's ear as soon as she asked Neji to retrieve a second helping of the grilled Saba fish. Hiashi gave Aiko a pointed look before she replied, "Tenten is avoiding Neji! Your plan has backfired! How are they going to confess if they are not in speaking terms with each other?!"
Hiashi's eyes widened as he shot a quick glance towards Tenten. She looked heartbroken, her crestfallen face was evident in the soft light of the night.
"I think.. It is going accordingly. They will confront each other soon enough." Hiashi said simply as Aiko scowled at his idiocy.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"So who is looking after Myra..No..Izumi-San, since you are here?" Yamato asked Itachi as soon as he threw a dart and hit right on the bullseye.
"My clone. Along with Sasuke." Itachi replied calmly as he threw three darts and all of them hit dead centre of the board. "This is getting lame. I am pretty sure we can all establish the fact that we are pretty good shooters.."
"That is not the point of games night, my friend." Sai mused stoically. "You are supposed to enjoy being in the company of your male friends."
Itachi sighed at that comment. He wanted to enjoy himself, he really did, but all that he could think about was Tenten. He kept glancing at the clock to check if its time to pick her up from the Hyuuga household. She was supposed to spend the night at the Uchihaa household. He really missed her. He felt a sudden weight upon his shoulder and looked up to see Kakashi's hand resting on his shoulder, Kakashi was giving Itachi his signature one eyed crease smile.
"I used to worry about Airin constantly too. I can ever get other men to not fawn over her beauty. She was always chased, desired and sought after. I became slightly possessive afterwards. I restricted her from going out with certain individuals. She was extremely upset with me that she refused to come home for days. That short break made me realised how much she means to me and the type of idiot I have become. You see Itachi, trust is a really important thing in marriage. If you do not trust her then, you are no acceptable to the fact that she loves you and will only come back home to you.."
Itachi looked down as soon as Kakashi said those words. The dart in his hand felt warm as his cold hands gripped onto it. Kakashi noticed this and asked him, "You do trust her don't you?"
Itachi sighed as he motioned Kakashi to follow him to a quiet place of the bar that they were in. Both could hear the voices of Gai and Yamato laughing loudly from the back over a stupid joke; while Sai and Kei were discussing about Konoha politics. Their voices were droned out of Itachi's senses as he focused his gaze onto the silver haired man before him. Itachi took a seat at one of the bar stools and Kakashi followed after. Itachi brushed the bangs off of his face using his left hand as he looked at Kakashi.
"I love her senpai. I really do. I would give her my life when the time calls for it. But I just can't help feeling that she is... holding herself back. I know she cares for me. The day I left the village and put her in my genjutsu, I stayed back at the river and hid there to observe her for one last time. I saw her crying for me, telling the Hyuuga that I have left.." Itachi started but as soon as he mentioned the word Hyuuga the glint in his eyes were replaced by anger, "..then I saw her cry for the Hyuuga when she begged me to help him at Oshima Island. The tears that were shed were exactly the same as before. She does not just care for me she also shares the same feeling as she does on her ex-roommate.. I want to trust her but I have a feeling that she.."
Itachi left his words hanging. It was too much for him. He had a hunch that she loved Neji but his mind would not condone it. Tenten belonged to him and only him. He would eliminate the competition if it calls for it. He was being too possessive of her, but was it so bad to want someone only to yourself? Was it? He had never wanted anything other than to be in solitary confinement from the world, but ever since he met Tenten, his mind, heart and body craved for her. He was addicted to her and he decided that no one would get in his way. Not even a former roommate.
"I can't." Itachi said as he stood abruptly.
Kakashi winced back, Itachi was clearly not listening to a damn thing that Kakashi was saying and it seems that things were not looking good on his end, he had to warn a little lady in a big ass kimono that Itachi could no longer be stalled. Kakashi gave Gai the signal, a series of eye twitch which the latter caught immediately as he too, stood up and walked swiftly towards Itachi. Gai's right hand gripped Itachi's right shoulder before he said in a deliberate slow and low voice, "You are NOT leaving without a dance-off with me."
"WHAT?!" Itachi yelled at Gai's face before they bantered on, Kakashi took this opportunity to quickly summon Pakkun.
"Yo Kakashi. What's up?" Pakkun greeted him.
"Alert her. Itachi is coming. Get her out of that house. Make sure she is safe. Got it?" Kakashi asked Pakkun who nodded before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aiko was walking around one of the Hyuuga garden with Neji and Tenten. They passed by a beautiful array of wild tulips that held a strong scent. This made Neji recall what he was thinking of earlier in the afternoon, the first time he met Aiko. She smelled like flowers, a strong scent of a particular flower. His mind was snapped out of its reverie when Tenten mused, "A-are you sure I am not bothering your private time together? Since Hinata is out on a mission I really think I should.."
"Stay." Neji said firmly, which earned him odd looks from both ladies there. "Hiashi-Sama requested me to show you around. And that fiancé of yours will have another petty tantrum if something happens to you."
"Fiancé? You are engaged?" Aiko asked Tenten quietly.
Tenten nodded before she replied, "His name is Uchihaa Itachi.."
Aiko nodded earnestly, "I know who he is.. You are so lucky Tenten-San. You must really love him."
Tenten and Neji both snapped their heads towards Aiko, who was smiling gently at them. Love? Aiko was about to ask why they were looking at her strangely just then, they heard on thundering paws, a dog bounded along with a scroll in his jaws. He dropped it politely in front of Aiko and said boredly, "A message for you."
Aiko nodded quietly at the dog before she looked at the duo and said, "Excuse me. I have to tend to something. Please carry on.."
"Love.."Neji muttered gently under his breath, "..who was she kidding? No one in the right mind marries out of love. It would always be for the stupid clan, wealth or political ties."
"You are not marrying out of love I assume?" Tenten asked Neji quietly.
The Hyuuga prodigy glared at her, she was mocking him, "Not everyone is as lucky as you Takagi." Neji said through gritted teeth. "Both of you can return each other's feelings without the need to suffer.."
Those words made Tenten snap her head up towards Neji, her eyes glued against his form. Was he suffering in silence? Surely, he could talk to Hiashi out of this wedding?
"Neji.." Tenten started but was interrupted by another voice.
"I would totally be at the gates by now if I were you. Look at the time. Icchan is flashing his pretty sharingan at the Hyuuga Guards as we speak." Airin's voice mused from behind them.
They turned around to face her, she was holding up a plate of creme brûlée and a spoon, she inserted the spoon into the creme brûlée before savouring it again. Tenten sighed as she followed Airin out of the house before she said a brief "goodbye" to Neji and a proper goodbye to Hiashi.
"But where is Aiko-San? I did not get to say goodbye to her." Tenten asked Hiashi who was busy glaring at Airin. The latter looked unperturbed as she enjoyed her second helping of the creme brûlée.
"S-she had something personal to attend to. I will send her your regards. Not to worry." Hiashi stammered and waved Tenten off.
Tenten almost walked off before she turned around to face Airin and asked her, "since when did you get here?"
Airin who was focusing on her dessert gave Tenten a scoff before she replied, "Since forever. I was at the banquet area and the bathroom most of the time. Bladder's been a little sensitive these past few days."
Tenten's eyes slowly trailed down towards Airin's 'baby bump' it was hardly visible unless one took a closer look, then they would realise there is a very fine bump there. How many months was she in, at the moment again?
"Close to 7 months. But yes, bump is barely visible." Airin mused as she licked her spoon clean.
"I second that." Itachi's low voice mused quietly behind them. Tenten snapped her head quickly as she frowned towards Itachi.
"You do not need to enter, Icchan. I am extremely fine." Tenten said in a firm tone.
Neji shot a weary glance towards Itachi from the corner of his eyes but remained motionless at the side.
Itachi smiled gently as he replied, "I was worried love. Now shall we?" He did not wait for Tenten to reply, he tugged onto her hand and literally pulled her out of the Hyuuga estate without even looking back towards Hiashi, Neji or even Airin.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Izumi looked at Tenten for the longest time. She was wearing her hair back in a single braid. Her outfit was totally chic and neat. She had chestnut coloured hair which matched her brown coloured eyes. She had the most sincere and friendliest face that Izumi had ever seen. Izumi could not help but smile upon seeing Tenten.
"I totally forgot that the room you used to sleep in is now Izumi's.." Itachi's voice resounded through the hallway, he popped into Izumi's room with a futon and extra pillows in hand. Tenten turned around to face Itachi as she gave him a dismissive laugh.
"I cannot believe you could have forgetten your own fiancé." Tenten teased him as he hung his head to the side in shame. Tenten walked over towards him and took the pillows and futon from his hands before laying it down on the floor.
"I can totally sleep on the floor Tenten-San.. or The Maid quarters.." Izumi started guiltily but was interrupted by two sharp voices.
"No." Itachi and Tenten's voice rejected her offer firmly.
"You will sleep here.. She will not be here for Long throughout the night.." Itachi started but stopped abruptly, a mild blush was creeping up on his face.
Upon seeing him blush, Izumi blushed at the sight herself "he is so cute. But wait what did he just say?!"
"What he meant was.." Tenten started as she gave Itachi a weary look, "..well.. I will be urn.. sneaking..into his room later on... it's kind of not allowed.. so.. if you could just.. keep it in a Low profile... that would be.." Tenten fidgeted with her fingers uncomfortably.
Izumi caught on and replied, "I understand. Don't worry. I won't tell a soul." She sighed inwardly but maintained a smile on her face.
Itachi gave her a grateful smile before he leaned his head closer towards Tenten, who seemed to look uncomfortable in the presence of Izumi. Izumi took that as hint for her to look away. Tenten gave Itachi a swift peck on his lips before she nudged him away.
"So.. Izumi.." Tenten started as soon as Itachi left and shut their door firmly behind him, ".. how has the Uchihaa household been treating you so far? Are you okay? Have you met Sasuke? Mikoto-Kaa San?"
They chatted for a bit up until a quarter past eleven when they heard soft knocks on the room wall that had Itachi in it. Tenten took that as her queue and left a shadow clone in Izumi's room as she waved the girl goodbye and crept towards her fiancé's room.
"Hey." Itachi said as soon as she entered his room. "How was the party earlier tonight?" He motioned her to lie down on his bed.
Tenten smiled and took the same position she did the last time she was here. Itachi hugged her body from behind and kissed the back of her hair.
"It was fine. Gave Hiashi-Sama the hand crafted Kunai that I made. Met Neji's future wife. Found out that he will be taking up an attachment program to Sungakure soon.." Tenten rambled on but stopped as soon as Itachi shot up out of bed causing her to lose her balance and fell out of bed.
"OUCH!" Tenten yelled out in pain. She had fallen face first against the floor.
"SHIT! Did that hurt? I am sorry! I didn't mean to.." Itachi started as he helped her up.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Izumi heard Tenten yelled out in pain and Itachi's apology. She groaned inwardly as she tried to eliminate the scene of what they were doing in the next room.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sasuke's whole face had turned red as he too heard the commotion going on in his brother's room. He sighed as he muttered, "They should learn how to be discreet about it."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Fugaku and Mikoto heard it as well.
"Did you hear that?" Mikoto asked.
"Nope." Fugaku lied as he pretended to fall back asleep.
He cursed his elder son inwardly.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Your teammate is getting married? And he already has a candidate?" Itachi asked her incredulously.
"Yes. Why may I ask are you so interested in this topic?" Tenten grumbled as Itachi placed her down gently on his bed.
"No reason." Itachi replied a little too quickly, but back in his mind, he was doing a victory dance. He was extremely pleased with the development so far. He had been worried for nothing.
Tenten gave him an exasperated look before she laid down facing the other side, away from Itachi. Itachi chuckled quietly as he grabbed Tenten by the waist, pushed himself closer to her and asked, "May we..?"
"No" Tenten snapped, "We may not. You really need to back off of Neji. Like I said, he is my teammate. We have to train together and this training will end soon when he goes off to Sungakure. I understand you don't fancy him but you have to come into terms that he will always be that one significant being in my life, just like Lee and Gai."
Itachi fell silent, he thought about what Tenten had just said as he tightened his grip on her waist, "But truth is, he is not isn't he?" Itachi whispered softly.
"Not what?" Tenten asked Itachi with a yawn.
"He is not just like Lee and Gai. He is more to you than that. Isn't he?" Itachi asked Tenten calmly.
Tenten kept quiet, she was not ready to speak about this to Itachi because truth be told, she was not sure if she was over Neji at all. Learning of Aiko's relationship with Neji, killed Tenten and now learning that Neji would be leaving her soon, without even informing her of it.
"Why would you say that?" Tenten asked him back.
"I am afraid. I asked the question first, Tenten." Itachi replied swiftly.
"Neji is.. The person who I find most relatable to. I am closer to him as opposed to Lee and Gai, because we were roommates, teammates and we are also in the same scholarship program. We spend more time together as compared to Lee and Gai. I know you might not be comfortable with it, but what we share is a unique bond. A friendship unlike any other. Stop being jealous of him. We aren't like that. Just learn to trust me okay?" Tenten explained calmly.
That was the first time they spoke of her relationship with Neji. Itachi had always been afraid to ask, he was afraid to know the truth. But by denying that fact, only aggravated him more. He began planting seeds of hatred in his mind towards the Hyuuga prodigy. He detested Neji in ways that he could not even fathom. Tenten was his and no one else's. She was his guiding light when he was trapped in darkness. She was the only one who could bring out the best in him.
"I don't like you being close to him, Tenten. The way he looks at you.. irks me. When he looks at you, it is always intense, like he is touching you with his eyes.." The outrage, the entitlement, the jurisdiction in his voice suddenly made her slightly apprehensive. Itachi had shifted his body slightly on the bed, he was still hugging onto Tenten but was now slowly making circular rotating movements on Tenten's belly using his right hand.
"Icchan.. It's late. I have an early morning training with Anko. Like I have said earlier, Neji is going to marry to Aiko-San. They will be going to stay in Sungakure. You will not be bothered by his presence any more. Goodnight."
And with that, Tenten shut her eyes tight, literally forcing herself to sleep.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1 Month Later
"You need to do it." Hiashi demanded.
The Hokage looked at the Hyuuga clan head with weary eyes. Hiashi has never requested for anything odd; until that day. He was always the calm clan head who resolved matters within the clan without any assistance from others. That day though, was the day when everything would change.
"Look, Hiashi-San. I can't just assign two individuals to a mission for no apparent reason. Proper planning, logistics, individual strengths need to be looked into for this mission. As it is just delivering of an important scroll from Konoha to Sungakure, I just need one jounin to do it. Neji fits the bill. I can't jolly well deploy six of my shinobi out just because I feel like doing it!" Hiruzen said sharply.
Before Hiashi could reply, the door to the Hokage's office banged open to reveal a panting Airin, "Hokage-Sama!"
"I see you have forgotten to knock on my door for the billionth time." Hiruzen grumbled.
"No time for that!" Airin yelled as she charged straight towards him in full speed, she tossed a few scrolls onto his table, pushed down his stationary off of his table which resulted in an intelligible shriek coming from the Hokage before she slammed her palm onto the centre of the opened up scroll.
There were Airin's messy writing scribbled all over the scroll, verbatim of the voices of others one, in particular caught their very eye, "Steal the scroll and send it to Orochimaru-Sama."
"Whose thoughts are these?" Hiruzen asked seriously.
"Kabuto. One of his men. I bumped into him the last time I was on a Mission. Read his mind, but he managed to get away." Airin growled under her breath.
Hiruzen slumped back onto his chair, the scroll was urgent, it was no ordinary scroll, it contained a forbidden jutsu. If Orochimaru got his hands on it, he would possibly be indestructible.
"Take Hyuuga's suggestion. The rest of us will follow them as back up. But the duo must not know that we are trailing behind them." Airin suggested firmly.
Hiruzen sighed in defeat, "Leave the village in two hours. Airin-San, even though you do not look like you are expecting at all, you are currently 8 months pregnant. Are you sure you can do this?"
"Nothing I can't handle. I will be back to see you." Airin exclaimed with a dismissive wave before she disappeared in a swirl of snowstorm.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Neji stood in front of the Uchihaa household, he deliberately stood there without even having any intentions in entering the household. He had been waiting for Tenten for over an hour. He had been to Anko's earlier but was told by Anko herself that Tenten had been summoned to the Uchihaa household to further discuss the wedding preparations. Neji was extremely excited to finally be partnered with Tenten on a Mission again. It had been a while since they get to see each other ever since their scholarship program's schedule were separated and Gai Sensei was on a Mission for a whole month.
Neji sighed inwardly as the thought of Tenten's up coming wedding crossed his mind. He had been visioning Tenten wearing a beautiful white dress, walking down the aisle, looking pretty as a picture, smiling happily towards.. Itachi. The second he thought of that, his chest hurt badly, his mind refused to move past that. It was the exact same feeling he had when he witnessed Tenten's engagement ceremony. He knew he could not get over her, he had loved her endlessly, he loved her even though she could not return his feelings back. He tried to get her off of his head through Aiko. He had been trying to be nice to her, coming to her aid whenever she needed it. But it just was not the same, how could he replace the brightest shining star to a rock? No offence to Aiko, she was beautiful but she did not shine as bright as Tenten in Neji's heart. Aiko was a nice lady but just..odd.
Her chakra presence were always low, Neji knew she was a citizen but it seemed like it was forcibly low. Hiashi seemed to be close to her, he had seen them whispering softly more than once. She was always wearing a kimono, no matter where and he only saw her once every fortnight. The strangest part was that Neji had never seen her out of the Hyuuga gates.
"I understand." Tenten's voice surfaced from behind the gates, Neji straightened himself up as he looked at the gates, waiting for her to appear. It had been a whole month since he had seen her.
"If he lay a single finger on you, summon my presence immediately." Itachi's firm voice commanded.
"Yes, otto. That will do.." Tenten said submissively.
Neji frowned at that. Tenten was never submissive towards anything or anyone. She was always standing up against what she felt wrong, even Neji knew she would not turn all docile and agree with the idea of what she was against.
"I love you." Itachi murmured softly as he opened up the gates.
"As do I, otto. Goodbye.. Neji?" Tenten exclaimed in a startled voice as soon as she saw him standing before her.
"You are late." Neji said out flatly.
"You could have just waited for my fiancé at the Konoha gates. You do not have to go through all the trouble.." Itachi started but was stopped by Neji.
"I have been waiting there for 30 minutes before I was sent out to find Takagi by the Hokage." Neji finished in an annoyed tone.
Itachi's face remained placid as he leaned over to give a kiss to Tenten whom had successfully evaded it, she skipped towards Neji before she turned back and gave Itachi a dismissive wave.
"Just go." Tenten muttered under her breath when Neji looked at her sceptically. Tenten had never been so brash towards Itachi. She used to look happy and would allow him to kiss her, Neji had never seen her evading a kiss from Itachi. Something was up.