My time with Tenten went horribly. She began with yelling about how I was totally controlling, then she went on about how I didn't deserve her place in squad seven. "You know what? You're an uncontrollable bitch! Your fighting style is sloppy and you deserve my place in squad seven less than I do!" I said angrily.
"Well guess what. You're a freak! You have gills! To top it all off, you don't even know your last name or if you even have a family! I bet you killed them!" she shot back. She took things too far. I took a deep breath, flared my gills and walked out, wrapping my towel around my chest as I went to cover myself up. I walked over to the boys hotsprings, my eyes shut and my nails diging into my palms and said "Can I join you? I'm going to kill Tenten if I have to spend one more second with her!"
"Well I don't see why not. I'm already in here." Stella said with a shrug. I stepped into the steaming water without removing my towel and sat down next to Neji. I sighed and slid down the rock until water covered my chest completely, leaving only my head and the tops of my shoulders exposed. "This is so much more relaxing." I said, folding my arms across my abdomen to keep the towel from floating up.
Around me conversations began. I tried to focus on them, but found it difficult with my towel constantly floating upwards. I frowned and let it float off of me then pulled my knees to my chest to cover myself. I pulled the towel out of the water and rested my chin on my knees. Stella had already removed her towel revealing a strapless bathing suit. She obviously must have thought ahead. I found myself dozing off slightly and without realizing it,I leaned over and placed my head on Neji's shoulder. I don't think he minded because his body remained totally relaxed. After a minute or so had passed, he slid his hand carefully around my back and placed it on my waist, trying very hard not to draw attention to it.
After a good half an hour of soaking in the hotsprings, we grabbed our towels and prepared to leave. Stella sent me to get Tenten, which I did. I walked over to the girls hotsprings and said "Tenten... We're leaving." in an emotionless tone before turning away to go to the change rooms.
I re-dressed myself and walked out to meet up with the rest of the group. Of course I was the first girl out, I don't take long to dress like most other girls. Stella was the second out; and I stood next to Neji and waited along with Rock Lee, Kakashi and Naruto. It seemed like forever until Tenten came out. "OK everyone, good work today. You have the rest of the day off." Kakashi calmly spoke once the rest of us had come out. I began to walk away along with everyone else when Neji grabbed my arm. "Walk with me." he said and I nodded. Tenten, who was behind us nearly had a heart attack when she saw him take my hand and walk towards a trail away from everyone else.
We walked along the dirt path, not knowing where we were going, just walking away from everyone else. He didn't release my hand even after we left the sight of Tenten, instead, he wove his fingers in with mine and continued walking. We ended up at the edge of a cliff overlooking the rest of the village. The sun was just setting and everything around us was washed in pink. We stood at the edge and looked over the village in silence. I shifted my weight to my left leg and leaned closer to Neji. "So, you know nothing about your past then?" he asked softly without shifting his gaze. I shook my head and said "Nothing at all. All I have is my locket... My locket, where is it?" I began to panic a bit.
"You had it when we entered the hotsprings. Did you put it back on after we left?" he asked. I shook my head. "Don't worry, you were the first one out, I'm sure Stella found it when she left. We'll ask her tomorrow." he said, smiling down at me. I smiled back. He leaned down and whispered in my ear "Tenten is watching us." I nodded in response. "I was going to do this anyway." he said, I was about to ask what he was talking about; when his lips brused against mine. Both my face and my hair turned a bright pinkish red and my eyes widened. He pulled away and chuckled softly. "I haven't seen your hair that colour before, or your face for that matter." I smiled and kissed him again, a little harder this time.
From behind the bushes, there was a scream and Tenten came running out screaming "Boyfriend stealer!" at me. He was holding onto both of my hands at the time, but he released them and wrapped his arms around my waist protectively. She screamed in rage and ran at us. I slid out from his arms and pinched the nerve on her left shoulder for a few seconds, and she fell to the ground.
"She'll wake up in an hour or so." I said. Neji took my hand again and we left for the village.
