I apologize for it being so late. I mean, I know I didn't really set a time, but still, this took me a lot longer than I thought it would. I think that's mostly because I told my mom to wake me up at 7:30 this morning so I wouldn't sleep late again, and she did. Well, I'm only used to that earliness in the school year. So, I wasted most of the morning and some of the afternoon doing random stuff.

Like playing Need for Speed: Carbon. Which, in case you didn't know, is this AWESOME car racing game. Yeah. I have yet to learn how to drift properly. I promptly suck at it. But I'm good at, you know, tight curves. And, you know, winning money and screwing over cops' cars and stuff.

But anyway, when I actually DID start to finish this thing, my brain decided to start being distractable. So, I was watching Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on HBO (which made me remember a MuggleCast episode where Jamie made fun of Malfoy in the movie, and I got on iTunes because stupid me forgot to check it, and then it turned out that the episode I thought that Jamie did the impression isn't the one), and then I would write, and then Steel Magnolias came on, and then I wrote some, while quoting every line, and etc. And, then, my friends, I had to get ready for work, in case they needed me, which they didn't and I now have the night off. So, I got to finish.

So. Sorry for that little detail of my day. Didn't mean to bore you. Anyway, it just took me a long time to write this, and I'm still not altogether happy with it. But I'll let you be the judge.

Disclaimer: I own not Naruto. Or Need for Speed: Carbon. Or HBO. Nor Harry Potter atOotP, or MuggleCast. Not iTunes, Steel Magnolias, or anything else above that can be construed in any way as not mine. Dig the goodness.

Neji was awoken the next day by a maid of the Hyuga household.

"Sir, your teammate is here to train with you," she said, and left.

Neji groaned. His head was killing him, and he was unnaturally sleepy. But he rose and dressed and exited the Hyuga compound to meet TenTen.

She was waiting at the gate, peering at him curiously.

"What took you? Usually you have to come and drag me out of bed."

"Overslept," he replied, falling into step beside her to continue to their usual training ground. He paused before continuing, "By the way, Lord Hiashi has requested to see you."

TenTen gave Neji a what-the-heck? look. Neji shrugged slightly.

"I don't know."

"Oh. Okay. When does he want to see me?"

"Today. After we get done training." He added hurriedly, "There's no hurry."

TenTen shrugged.

"Okay. And . . . Neji?"

Neji looked across to her to see TenTen grinning. He narrowed his eyes, grimacing.

"What?" he asked, unable to resist from answering her.

"I won, I won, I won!! You lost, Neji Hyuga! The world accepts me, and not you!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, grinning so widely, that Neji thought her face would get stuck in that permanent position.

He rolled his eyes at her and said, "Are you done? Or should I wait to see a ridiculous and very embarrassing 'victory dance'?"

"No, I'm done. For the most part," answered TenTen, pleased with herself, and resuming with Neji to walk towards their training ground.

They spent more than three hours at the training ground, Neji mostly wanting to keep TenTen to himself for as long as possible before having to go and meet Hiashi.

But finally, TenTen begged Neji to stop, and he, grudgingly, consented. He himself was tired. TenTen gathered her weapons while Neji stood there waiting. Helping TenTen gather them would get it done more quickly, and that meant that they would be one step closer to their meeting with Hiashi.

"Thanks for the help," she snapped at him as she finished.

"You're welcome," replied Neji crisply. "Do you need to drop your weaponry off before we go and meet Lord Hiashi?"

TenTen considered him.

"Is there a reason why you're trying to prolong this visit between me and your uncle, Neji?" she queried casually.

To any other person but Neji, it would seem that the two teammates were having a pleasant conversation, maybe about the weather, or their progress as shinobi.

But, the question TenTen asked wasn't meant pleasant. And Neji alone knew that. Fortunately, he was a good liar. Unfortunately, Neji knew that TenTen wouldn't buy it. Kind of the downside of having a friend. They knew you almost better than you yourself. Neji decided to lie anyway, rather than tell TenTen the truth.

"No. Why do you think that?" he asked flatly, adopting a quizzical look.

"No reason," lied TenTen in turn, looking at Neji intently before continuing. "Sure. If it's no trouble, we can go put my weapons away so I won't have to carry them around."

Neji nodded, and they started towards TenTen's apartment. Neji waited outside for TenTen. He had only entered her house once, and only by being invited to the point of force. Neji knew he could enter without invitation if he wanted, but he wouldn't ever, unless it was unavoidable.

TenTen came back out and locked the door with keys she kept in her pocket.

"Alright, let's go," she said, smiling brightly.

Neji stared at her. What had changed her attitude? Neji nodded, and started to walk in the direction where the Hyuga clan lived.

Neji led TenTen to Lord Hiashi's office, near the front of the compound. He knocked on Hiashi's door firmly, TenTen at his side. Neji slightly heard Lord Hiashi rise from his desk chair and pad over to the door. Once Lord Hiashi was in view, Neji bowed slightly, eyes downcast. TenTen just watched Neji perform this. Was she supposed to bow also? She didn't really want to. Sure, Hiashi was her elder by age, but no way was TenTen bowing to him. TenTen slightly wondered if that was something required of by the branch family to do.

Lord Hiashi stared at TenTen, taking her in before smiling slightly.

"Come in," he told her, moving aside so she could enter.

She did, hesitantly looking back to Neji. She was nervous, and wanted him in there with her. Hiashi was intimidating.

"Neji," started Hiashi.

Neji raised his head, his eyes narrowed.

"Remain out here while I talk to your friend," he finished, assuring that the prodigy would do as he said.

Neji nodded, but reluctantly. He sent a glance to a very nervous TenTen before Lord Hiashi shut the door.

Lord Hiashi made his way slowly across his office, sweeping past TenTen, and sitting in his desk chair. There were no accompanying chairs, so TenTen had no choice but to stand. Hiashi studied her for several minutes before beginning.

"TenTen, is it?"

TenTen nodded.

"I suppose you and Neji are both wondering why I asked to see you?"

TenTen nodded again.

"It is a wonder to me why Neji spends so much time training with you. In fact, I think he would spite all of our training sessions together, if only to train with you, TenTen."

TenTen adopted a quizzical look.

"I suppose what makes him so . . . partial towards you is his obvious feelings for you."

Well, Lord Hiashi had never been much for preamble.

There was a two second silence before TenTen burst with laughter.

Of course, she didn't mean to seem disrespectful.

Hiashi's eyes narrowed.

Outside, Neji was pacing. What on earth could Lord Hiashi want with TenTen? Neji wanted to distract himself, but there was nothing else to do. He had already trained today, and it was a very normal day at the Hyuga compound. Neji considered going to Ichiraku, but he didn't want to stray too far. Neji gritted his teeth. What an annoyance. He turned as he heard a laugh, and identified it as TenTen's. Had Lord Hiashi said something amusing? Lord Hiashi didn't usually make jokes. What kind of joke was it?

Relax, he told himself. You're starting to sound paranoid. Just . . . calm down.

"That's ridiculous, Lord Hiashi! Neji and I are teammates," TenTen explained, somewhat contradicting.

Lord Hiashi smirked, and it surprised TenTen how much Neji resembled his uncle.

"You might not see it yet, but I do. Few things are unseeable with these eyes."

TenTen nodded, but she still didn't believe what he said.

"Hear me out, please, TenTen. You may not see it unless you look for it. Neji has never been one to outwardly express his emotions. You know that. Just because Neji might not express what he feels very often, it doesn't mean that it's not there, TenTen."

TenTen was thinking so intensely about this that she didn't hear Hiashi until he was standing up and was holding open the door.

"Thank you," she told him as she exited.

Hiashi waved Neji in. Neji and TenTen glanced at each other before entering their respective sides.

"What is this about, Lord Hiashi?" asked Neji, his impatience finally catching up to him.

Hiashi nodded, agreeing to something Neji wasn't aware of.

"This is about . . . your intentions with TenTen."

Neji's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about?" asked Neji.

"Neji, do not feign ignorance with me. Of course, do what you wish with TenTen and other people, but do not lie to me. I know a lot more than I appear to," answered Hiashi, bowing his head.

Neji shook his head, but didn't respond.

Hiashi paused for a long time, considering his words, and the man that was his nephew in front of him.

"You, of course, have my permission to court her, if you would ever wish to," Hiashi finally said.

Neji looked at his uncle.

"Thank you," said Neji curtly, turning to leave.

"And Neji?" called Hiashi.

Neji had his hand on the door, ready to open it.

"Don't wait forever. Because she won't."

Neji nodded quickly and left.

He walked TenTen to the Hyuga gate.

For some reason, she hadn't stopped smiling since Neji had walked out of Lord Hiashi's office. Neji just stared at her, transfixed in confusion. He finally mustered the nerve to ask her.

"Why are you smiling?"

TenTen had went through the gate already, standing a few feet in front of Neji, who was on the other side, firmly rooted to the Hyuga ground he was on.

"You know," said TenTen smiling a little wider, and then turning to leave.

At the risk of stealing Nara's phrase, girls are so troublesome, thought Neji, leaving just as TenTen had, only the opposite way.

So, is this like totally sucky, or not? / I hate being critical of myself. Usually I think I do a decent job. But this, I'm just not sure about.

Tell me your verdict. :)