The gym was transformed into a beautiful Halloween-themed room. Black, orange, and purple streamers were everywhere above them. Tenten looked at it with awe, wondering how the hell anyone could get up there and manage to decorate it magnificently without breaking a bone on accident. Balloon bunches were also on the ceiling, and many black, orange, and purple balloons were decorating tables, floating in the air but connected to balloon weights, or decorating the railings of the bleachers. A DJ booth stood next to a wall, complete with multicolored lights, except the music wasn't playing yet. Tables were set up on one end of the room, and snacks sat on the tables, waiting to be eaten. A few people were already gobbling down snacks or taking sips of punch.
"Be careful, the punch was spiked last year," Ino warned the group before they all parted ways.
Neji gave a sigh, remembering how Tenten acted when she was drunk. He didn't want to deal with a drunk Tenten again.
"Well, if it's spiked, it better taste good," Sakura replied, shrugging and walking off.
Tenten headed over to the refreshment table, grabbing a chocolate and popping it in her mouth. Ino followed, eyeing the chocolate but refusing to take any. The brunette looked at her as if asking why, and Ino replied, "Diet."
"Ah, ok," Tenten replied. "So, what made you so smug at the costume store?"
"You see Tennie, I planned most of the costumes. Since Sakura and Hinata aren't over here, I'll tell you this, but keep the info to yourself and Neji if you want, since he doesn't gossip or anything. Basically, Hinata is beauty and Naruto is the beast. I already told you about the Sasuke and Sakura costumes, right?"
"Yep," The brunette replied, grinning. "Ooh, there's the beast." They turned to look at Naruto, who was one table away, dressed in his costume.
"Now, we just need Hinata to talk to him. Want to help?" Ino asked.
"Yeah."
"Alright, your job is to find Hinata and get her over to Naruto, then run off. Deal?"
Tenten nodded, heading off to find Hinata. It wasn't hard, considering that she wore yellow, an easily spotted color. She found Hinata over at the DJ booth, talking to someone in a dog costume.
"...okay Kiba," She heard Hinata say. Ah, of course Kiba was in a dog costume.
"Hinata!" Tenten called.
Hinata turned, looking for the source of the voice. "Tenten!" Hinata said, her voice soft and cheerful.
"Hey Hinata! I just came to tell you that," Tenten began, wondering what she should say. "Uh, there's this really delicious dessert you have to try! Come on!" Before Hinata could answer, the brunette grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the refreshment tables.
"What dessert is it?" Hinata asked.
"Uh," Tenten replied, scanning the area, feeling a strong urge to say "the dessert is called Naruto". She saw Naruto and immediately dragged Hinata over. "Here. You two talk."
Naruto gave her a confused look before turning to Hinata, who was at unrecognizable due to the yellow mask she was wearing.
"Gotta go talk to Ino, bye!" Tenten quickly said before hurrying off. Ino wasn't too hard to find either, dressed in a poofy, sparkly Cinderella gown. "Ino, I'm done," She informed the platinum blonde.
"Great!" Ino replied, smirking. "I got Sakura to go to Sasuke. Now, we just spy on people all night. Are you willing to continue being my assistant?"
"I'd love to," Tenten replied, chuckling. "Things like this get boring after it's just dancing. I'm not drinking the punch unless I know for sure it's alcohol-free."
"You didn't have a problem with the alcohol at the bar," Ino replied.
"Well, being drunk has a bit of disadvantages, so, I'd rather not get drunk for a while again," Tenten told her, grimacing.
Ino nodded, her eyes surveying the gym. The two were standing at a high spot on the bleachers, giving them a good view of the gym. Hinata and Naruto seemed to be talking, to her delight. My plan is working, she thought, mentally cheering in her head. Sakura and Sasuke were over on the far side of the room, chatting. Perhaps they were bickering once again, who knows what goes on between the two.
"Are you planning on hooking up with a guy?" Tenten asked, taking a seat on the bleachers.
Ino sat down next to her and shook her head. "I need people to lose the bet so that I can get more info. However, there's not much juicy things to ask Temari other than stuff about her love life with Shikamaru."
Tenten chuckled. "Well, I might win this bet. Hinata and Naruto seem to be getting along quite well. Hinata will probably lose. I don't even know where Neji is."
"Probably being dragged around by some fangirl," Ino replied, continuing to observe the room. "If Naruto and Hinata kiss and you and Neji don't, you win the bet plus we get to question Hinata. Perfect! I need Sasuke and Sakura to kiss. Sakura and Hinata are two people we absolutely must question. I hope Temari doesn't show PDA with Shikamaru. That way, Sakura loses the bet and I get to question her!"
"You really love tea," Tenten commented, chuckling.
"Well, I like to consider myself Cupid Ino because of the fact I love to ship people," Ino replied with a grin. "The best part is that no one can get revenge by embarrassing me! It's kind of sad though, always being a single pringle."
"Hey, it's ok, you'll find someone one day," The brunette assured her, turning to look at the gym. She noticed Naruto and Hinata slipping out the left doors. "Ino-"
"I saw," Ino replied, smirking wickedly. "Shall we follow them?"
Tenten shrugged. "I mean, we have nothing better to do, so why not?"
The two of them got up from the bleachers and headed towards the left doors. Once they made it out of the gym, the two glanced at the halls, wondering where Naruto and Hinata went.
Ino had a gleam in her eye. "Tenten, let's play hide and seek. Naruto and Hinata are the hiders, and we seek them."
"Perfect," Tenten replied, observing the floor. She noticed a small piece of orangish-brown fur. "I found fur from what could possibly be Naruto's costume in this hall. Let's try it."
She and Ino began heading down that hall, which was almost perfectly silent. The only sound that could be heard was the slight ruffling of fabric and the light clicking of heels against the building's floor. Once they reached the end of the hall, they could hear kissing. Tenten narrowed her eyes, heading towards the source of the sound. She kept her footsteps soft, hoping whoever was busy making out wouldn't hear the sound of her heels clattering against the floor. Sneaking up on two unknown people almost seemed exciting as she steadily headed towards the noise. The brunette didn't bother checking if Ino was behind her, she knew the platinum blonde would be following close behind. They turned to corner and...
...were disappointed when they saw two random people making out.
At the sight of the two, the couple pulled away, blushing in embarrassment.
"Sorry to both of you," Tenten said quickly, grabbing Ino's arm and pulling her back around the corner and releasing her arm once they were a distance from the random couple. She quietly walked through the hall, observing her surroundings for any sign of people. Ino was walking beside her, the two of them inspecting every little detail. "Could they possibly be in a room?" Tenten asked.
"That is a possibility, but the classrooms are usually locked," Ino replied, frowning. "The building is quite large. There are four floors, and the gym is on the first floor. None of us brought phones, so we have no choice but to stick together unless we want to get lost."
Tenten nodded, continuing their search for Naruto and Hinata. The hallway was eerily silent, and something about it spooked her quite a bit. Their heels clinked against the smooth floor, echoing softly through the halls as their long gowns swished lightly. It reminded her of some scene from a horror movie, as if something would suddenly jump scare the two. It seemed so familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time, dimly lit from the moonlight streaming through the windows and small night lights on the walls near the floor. Different doors were on either side of them, all painted a neutral color that didn't stand out. The halls of the college building smelled like a mixture of paint, wood, and coffee. Neither of them uttered a word, just continued to silently walk.
They paused at an elevator, and one of them finally spoke, Tenten asking, "Do we take the elevator upstairs or stairs?"
"Stairs," Ino replied, and the brunette nodded in reply, the two wordlessly going up the stairs.
The second floor had a few random couples spending alone time, but no sign of Naruto or Hinata. By the time they reached the stairs on the third floor, they were still nowhere to be seen. "Ever thought that they could've gone outside?" Tenten asked.
Ino gave a groan. "Tenten, why didn't you suggest that before we went up many flights of stairs? We're both wearing heels too!"
"Welp...sorry," Tenten replied, chuckling. "Let's check this floor, and if there's nobody, we'll check outside."
"Deal," Ino grinned, the two of the climbing up the last flights of stairs to floor four.
When they rounded the first corner, they nearly ran into a person leaning against the wall. The two girls jumped in surprise, quickly glancing at who it was. Turns out, it was one of their senseis, Kakashi. He was leaning against the wall with an orange book in hand. The cover read Icha Icha Paradise. He looked up, asking, "What are you two doing outside the gym?"
"We're looking for two friends, Kakashi Sensei," Ino explained. "One is dressed in an animal costume and the other has on a yellow gown. Happen to see them?"
"Nope," He replied, shaking his head and sticking his nose back into his book, which by the way, has very perverted content.
"Alright, thanks for the help!" The platinum blonde replied, dragging Tenten towards the elevators.
The elevator made a ding and the two doors slid open, the girls stepping inside. Tenten clicked the first floor button, and the two waiting as it began moving down. She half excepted the elevator to somewhat freeze and they'd end up trapped in there, but thankfully, it functioned correctly. The elevator made another ding as the doors slid open once again, the two of them stepping out.
"Let's check outside now," Ino told her, heading towards one of the many doors to the entrance of the college building. They were closed, but when the two tested them from the outside, they were unlocked.
"They might have left the ball early," Tenten suggested.
Ino raised an eyebrow then winked. "I wonder why..."
"Pfft, gutter minded," The brunette responded, rolling her eyes. "Plus, they both have roommates. They're probably just hanging around somewhere." As if proof of that statement, the two heard a melodious, light laughter that almost sounded angelic. It could be recognized anywhere.
"Which way did Hinata's laugh come from?" Ino whispered, looking around.
"I think it came from that way," Tenten replied, pointing in a direction.
The two stepped onto the lawn and crept behind the bushes, a hard task to manage with heels and long dresses. Finally, they reached the point where they could see Naruto and Hinata in the dark, sitting on a sidewalk bench. Ino and Tenten could see from a distance that the two were happily chatting.
"Aw, they aren't kissing," Ino whispered, pouting.
"They better kiss," Tenten muttered, "I don't feel like losing the bet."
"You don't have much information we can get out of you," Ino reassured her. "Hinata and Sakura are the ones with the juicy relationship tea."
Tenten chuckled, observing the couple up ahead. The two were still talking, but not intimacy was shown. "Ino, maybe we shouldn't stalk Naruto and Hinata. There's not much to see here."
Ino thought for a moment before replying, "You're right. Instead...we should find Sasuke and Sakura!"
"They're probably still in the gym. We didn't see them in the halls, but I guess we can check."
"A dance or two in the gym wouldn't hurt," Ino suggested, grinning.
The two friends headed back to the gym. When they stepped through the doors, a man asked Ino to dance. She agreed, telling Tenten that she'd meet up with her after a dance or two. The brunette gave a quick ok before climbing up the bleacher steps in an attempt to view Sasuke and Sakura. She saw Sakura talking to someone who wasn't Sasuke, standing over by a refreshment table. Sasuke was nowhere to be seen, due to his masquerade costume being a dark color that blended in with the crowds.
Tenten wondered where Neji was. She and him had supposedly come together as a "couple", but she hadn't spoken one word to him once they set foot inside the gym. The brunette suddenly heard an excited squeal come from near her. She turned and saw Ino running up the bleacher steps, clutching the front of her gown in her hands so it wouldn't trip her.
"Hinata and Naruto kissed!" Ino squealed.
Tenten's eyes widened and she let out an excited squeal as well, but Ino frowned. "What is it?" She asked.
"Someone bumped into Hinata, who fell on Naruto and kissed him. Does that count?" Ino asked.
"Lips to lips is a kiss, no matter if it's accident or purpose, so I guess," Tenten replied, frowning, "Although I do wish it was a sweet kiss signifying their love for each other."
"Same here," Ino sighed with a pout.
"ATTENTION!" An amplified voice shouted. The music and noisy chatter began to die down. A blonde lady stood near the DJ booth, a microphone in her hand. "I'm Tsunade Senju, your headmistress. I want to thank you all for coming to the annual Halloween party. This year's theme was masquerade. However, I have to unfortunately say that this party is coming to an end. It is nearly 2:00 in the morning, so we're officially closing this gym. You'll have ten minutes to exit the college building, and each floor will have security guards checking the area. Thank you for your cooperation and I hope you enjoyed the party!"
Polite clapping echoed through the room for a few moments before it died down and people began to exit the room. Ino and Tenten went to find the rest of their friends. Once everyone was found, they began heading back to their own dorm rooms.
"How did you enjoy the party?" Neji asked once he and Tenten entered their dorm.
Tenten fell back onto the bed, her arms spread out and her costume still on. "It was pretty fun."
"Where were you?"
"None of your business," Tenten snapped, yawning.
"Tell me."
"Nope," She replied sternly. She knew how overprotective Neji could be, and she doubted he would be happy if she informed him that she and Ino went to spy on his cousin and her potential boyfriend. So, Tenten instead asked him, "How did you enjoy the party?"
He growled, muttering, "Fangirls. They recognized me even with the mask on. Perhaps my hair gave my identity away."
"That doesn't sound fun," Tenten replied, grimacing. The brunette got up and grabbing a tank top and sweatpants from the closet. She locked herself in the bathroom and began taking off the costume, shoes, and taking down her hair. It unfurled down her back in lovely waves. She slipped on the tank top and sweatpants, enjoying how comfortable the casual clothing was compared to the fancy and slightly scratchy costumes. Once she washed off the light makeup Ino had forced onto her face and brushed her teeth, she stepped out of the bathroom and hung up her costume in her closet, placing the heels on the closet floor along with the other shoes she owned.
Tenten felt exhausted after the long day. She checked her notifications one more time before sleeping. Ino had texted the group chat, informing them that they should be in the lobby by 2:00 in the afternoon. Great, plenty of time for sleep, Tenten thought as she collapsed on the bed. After murmuring a quick goodnight to Neji, she snuggled into her pillow and fell asleep.
(A/N: In the dream they're training. They were kids at the time.)
Neji's headband fell off, revealing a green symbol on his forehead. "What's that?" I asked in curiosity, reaching out a hand.
His fingers curled around my wrist and he scowled, pushing my arm away. "Don't touch that," Neji snapped, his tone cold and firm.
I winced at the anger in his words, hurt flashing across my face. "Sorry," I mumbled.
Neji gave a sigh, explaining, "It's a curse mark that people from the side branches of my clan get. It symbolizes that we're under the power of the main branch."
"That sounds unfair," I replied, frowning. "You don't choose which branch you're born into."
"It is unfair," Neji muttered. "But that was my destiny. I can't change that."
"Don't say that," I demanded, "You don't have to follow clan orders for everything. They can't control you."
"Fate-"
"For goodness sake Neji, stop preaching about fate all the time! You can choose your fate. You don't need others to do it for you."
Neji frowned but didn't reply.
I reached out my hand once again, and he nodded. I gently stroked the mark delicately.
He scoffed, telling me, "You don't have to be that gentle. It doesn't hurt unless a Hyuga activates it."
I nodded, and as if my body acted on its own, my lips pressed against the curse mark. Neji's expression filled with surprise, and I giggled, murmuring, "Don't let anyone tell you what your destiny is."
He blushed slightly but didn't reply, while I just hoped he got the message.