Naruto 1. Prologue

_Thought I'd drop a little bit of a teaser for you guys - there'll be fewer updates over these two weeks due to my trip. ;) _

_Complexities of Blackmail was inspired by a dream I had sometime in July... It has evolved into a somewhat complicated story, and I've already begun thinking about the sequel to it. ;) Special thanks to_ white noise and brine_ for drawing the cover image!__ **This is rated M for various questionable scenes - read on at your own discretion.**_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

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**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Prologue**

_Planet Aesis, Nov 15, 2030, 1630 hrs_

"Know your positions?" Lieutenant Tenten glances at her subordinates from the corner of her eye, releasing the safety on her pulse gun. "Remember, we only need to extract Quachron and his inner circle - seven of them. No more, no less."

Beside her, Second Lieutenants Rock Lee and Inuzuka Kiba nod, similar firearms at the ready. "You've told us the same thing ten times in the last thirty minutes," Kiba mutters, a wolfish grin flashing across his face.

"Five times, Inuzuka. Don't exaggerate." Tenten narrows her eyes at him. Kiba looks skywards.

She ignores him and checks the clear emerald visor fixed over her left eye, pushing a button on its frame to switch between screens (one shows her physical stats and ammunition supplies, another contains details of their mission). Lee and Kiba are each wearing one as well - the visor rides on their ears and serves as a communication device, a brilliant invention by the scientists aboard the _Konoha_.

The shadowed alley they're crouched in is empty, save for trash cans and unmarked doors along cement walls; high above, on the main street, hovercrafts zoom by, civilian vehicles oblivious to their presence. It's the perfect city, the perfect place on Aesis for drug lords to do their business, because few pay attention to the goings-on at ground level, especially where streets are dimly-lit at night, and most are in a hurry to get home before the suffocating darkness descends.

"I'm moving out," Kiba announces, slipping away from their shadows towards a particular steel door. Tenten watches as he plants a code-breaker just above the door knob - the keypad flashes a couple of times, and seconds later, the indicator light turns green. Kiba gives a signal; Tenten and Lee are instantly on their feet, flanking him, keeping their backs to the building wall.

The door swings open to reveal an empty, darkened room. Kiba touches his visor to activate his infrared vision, scans the uninhabited space from behind the doorjamb, and heads in. In that moment, Lee glances over at Tenten, bushy eyebrows lowered with determination, and the look in his eyes says, _I'll do my best_.

Tenten smiles at him - she trusts Lee and Kiba with her life. Years of working together have made Dragon Platoon a well-oiled fighting unit, and close-combat missions are her favorite. There's no telling when or how something might break this routine, though, so Tenten savors every exhilarating minute of it.

She nods at Lee, and they activate their infrared visions at the same time, heading through the doorway after Kiba.

* * *

It turns out that they've walked right into a trap, when a heavy metal door slams right behind them and the bolts slide shut. Lee and Kiba look to Tenten. They are in the middle of the building, in a windowless room, and have no way out. The information sources have screwed up - Tenten curses, looks around for a way to break into Quachron's offices.

She toggles the visor so it displays the floor plan of the building - the drug lord must know of their presence by now, so a surreptitious attack will not work. A surprise entry it is, then.

Tenten reaches into the pouch at her waist, pulling an explosive out. She sets it for five seconds, sprints forward, and affixes it onto the corner where two walls meet. All three of them take cover-

_Boom!_

A cloud of dust and debris sweeps into the storage space. There is no knowing what lies behind these walls - they duck below the misguided shots flying from the gaping concrete hole, and pick off the enemies that make the mistake of showing themselves.

"Radar," Tenten orders, pointing to the room diagonally across from the impromptu entrance. Kiba and Lee nod, toggling their visors, and the three of them start forward, stunning Quachron's underlings with their pulse guns, aided by the additional visibility that radar provides.

They slip through the door quickly, barely avoiding a patrol, and make their way silently down corridors and up stairs, ghost-like, until they've reached the highest floor, where the important offices are.

"Looks like they're all in one room," Tenten mutters to her team. The visor shows seven people clustered around a table on the west wing. "But these might be impostors - that blast was warning enough. We'll capture these guys first and work our way from there."

Lee and Kiba nod, and they sprint out into the offices in single file, searching for security cameras and unexpected company. Surprisingly, nothing gets in their way, and even more surprisingly, Quachron and his inner circle are all present in the meeting room Tenten kicks the door down to, seated around a polished table. All men turn towards them. Her visor matches the facial profiles of the men to _Konoha_'s database. Seven out of seven.

Quachron gets to his feet at the head of the table, well-fed belly stretching out his business suit. "What do we have here?" he rumbles.

It seems almost too easy, really, until Quachron snaps his fingers, and every man in the inner circle pulls a pulse gun out, state-of-the-art ones that Tenten dreams longingly about. Six versus three.

She curses; Dragon Platoon dives out of the way of fatal shots, though Tenten swears again when tens of laser guns are lowered from the ceiling, aimed at them. Kiba mutters a low expletive.

"This is just another form of training!" Lee exclaims, rolling behind a metal desk.

"Kiba! Use the smoke bomb on them. Lee and I will handle this," Tenten orders. Kiba throws himself towards the meeting room with a salute; she turns back to the lasers, taking the machines out with rapid accuracy. The smoke bomb will decrease visibility of humans, whereas the guns on the ceiling are likely using infrared to aim. And she and Lee are the sharpshooters on their team.

* * *

"So, what're we waiting for?" Kiba taps his foot impatiently, arms folded. Next to him, Quachron and his inner circle are gagged and bound on the street, stunned for the next few hours or so.

"The police should be arriving soon. Shut up while I work on my report, Kiba," Tenten orders absently, focused on the holographic screen of her palm-sized computer. Lee is on his five hundred and first push-up further down the pavement.

"Sure we can trust the police here with these guys?" Kiba asks dubiously, looking over at her.

She shrugs. "Orders are orders. We don't do anything more than that."

"We should concentrate on the springtime of our youth," Lee tells them, between push-ups, sweat dripping onto the sidewalk. Kiba rolls his eyes.

"Yeah, listen to your Second, Lieutenant. You need to get laid," Kiba remarks offhandedly, swiping at the red face paint on his cheeks. "Lose those twin buns on your head and wear something different for once. You don't have to be in uniform all the time on the _Konoha_, you know."

Tenten flings a poisonous glare at him, tapping hard on her roll-up keyboard. "I'll wear whatever I damn well want, Inuzuka," she growls, annoyed, because Kiba, like their colleague, Ino, can't seem to resist digging at her resolution to not get involved with anyone. She cracks her knuckles. "And whether I sleep with anyone is none of your fucking business."

Kiba tosses an easy grin at her. "Hey, if you wanna beat someone up, these guys here are all yours." He shoves his foot into one of Quachron's sidekicks.

"You make yourself such an easy target, Tenten," Lee sighs next to her, and Tenten pretends not to hear him, hitting 'Send' and powering her computer down. At least all she really suffers from these days is teasing - what can really get worse about her situation, right?

* * *

_Konoha, Nov 18, 2030, 1145 hrs_

The _Byakugan_ docks in the spacious hangar with a quiet hiss. Behind, heavy steel doors roll shut, sealing together to form an airlock, and air is pumped into the cavernous structure, with the same composition as that on Earth's.

Lieutenant Hyuuga Neji leans back into the pilot's seat, closing his lilac eyes for a brief moment. It has been a while since he's been back - two years, to be exact - and he wonders if much has changed here. Updates from his cousin, Hinata, have kept him in the loop on the people filling the various positions (Tsunade is still the Admiral in command of the _Konoha_, and Captain Gai has not yet quit his aggravating spiels about youth - hopefully no more Gai or Lee lookalikes have sprung up during his absence).

Neji suppresses a shudder at the memory of being forced to wear forest-green spandex.

His subordinates, Second Lieutenants Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo, have been abuzz with excitement throughout the past two weeks, ever since they were called back from their current mission light years away.

_And for what purpose? To babysit kids?_ Neji's jaw tightens. The mission they've been on was to provide protection for a cluster of planets, and although that does not quite have the same ring to it as a highly dangerous operation, facing off against various aliens, and learning to handle a multitude of situations sure looks a lot better among his achievements than training children.

The only advantage of returning to the _Konoha_, as Neji sees it, would be to give himself a greater presence among his superiors, so that they would be more likely to keep him in mind for a promotion to captaincy. He would do his late father proud with another early advancement in ranks (because there's no doubt that Neji will become a Captain, sooner or later), and having other geniuses like Nara Shikamaru around just means that there are obstacles in his way.

A little part of him is, however, curious about Lieutenant Tenten, from his old trainee cell - but Neji quashes any thoughts beyond whether she's still with Dragon Platoon. She will be but a distraction, after all.

"Good food and women, here we come!" Kotetsu cheers, when the indicator lights in the ship and the hangar both flash green. "We'll take our leave now, Neji."

He nods when Izumo echos the same parting words, slowly unbuckling his seat belt. It will definitely be a nice change to have clean quarters and his laundry done for him, as compared to dealing with the backward technology in the Orion cluster. It will also be pleasant to glimpse Tenten in the hallways once every so often, perhaps.

Maybe his trainees will get to face off against hers.

Neji smirks then, his first satisfied smile in some time. He wonders if she's still as volatile as he remembers her to be. Probably.

In a lighter mood, now, Hyuuga Neji leaves the _Byakugan_, and powers it down.

* * *

_A/N: Yes... a sci-fi spaceship AU. You bet I was super-excited about this. The prologue sets the stage for lots of things to come - are you ready for it? ;)_


	2. 1: Blackmail Begins

_Glad to see the NejiTen fandom coming back to life now that Christmas is just around the corner. ;) I'm finally updating Complexities of Blackmail for real this time, now that f/2.8 is complete._

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. And again, **this is rated M for strange and/or explicit adult content. Read at your own discretion.**_

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**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 1: Blackmail Begins**

_"Everything in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power." - Oscar Wilde_

_Konoha, Nov 18, 2030, 1508 hrs_

"They want us to train kids! I don't get why only the Lieutenants are being forced to do this!" Tenten grits, looking helplessly at Captain Maito Gai. She folds her arms across her chest and leans back into the seat, paying little mind to the clutter on Gai's desk. "It's a waste of resources, to be honest. What are the instructors for?"

"You're missing the point, youthful lotus," Gai tells her sagely with a bright smile. He leans back into his own chair behind the desk, flashing a thumbs-up. Like the rest of the personnel on the _Konoha_, Gai wears the standard-issue uniform - a full-body sapphire suit, with a leaf-green chevron stretching across his chest. "This is just another form of training."

Tenten rolls her eyes, glancing around at the rest of Gai's office. The Captains' quarters are significantly larger than what Lieutenants are assigned - his steel-walled office is four times the size of the office area in her own quarters, with a side door leading to his personal space, and another to a meeting room. Gai, being the simple man he is, has hardly bothered with displaying his accolades on the wall - the plaques are stacked on a filing cabinet in a corner, and behind him, the _Konoha_'s flag hangs proudly (a logo of a leaf with a swirl in the middle), a stark reminder of why they're all here in the first place.

"Are you sure you and Lee aren't related somehow?" Tenten asks, looking between her former mentor, and a large picture of Lee on his desk. The resemblance between the two is uncanny - few have _not_ noticed how the Captain and his ex-student both possess the same thick, bushy eyebrows and shiny, black bowl-cut, all the way down to their inky eyes, gleaming teeth, and their unnatural obsession with the color green. Secretly, Tenten thinks of Lee as Gai's illegitimate son, that somehow wound up on the _Konoha_ along with her.

And curiously enough, all three students in that particular trainee group of Gai's are orphans: she and Lee, who were plucked from orphanages on Earth, and Hyuuga Neji, whose parents are dead (he was brought up by his strict relatives).

Tenten doesn't think much about Neji now, ever since he graduated early from being a trainee and left herself and Lee behind with the rest of their cohort-mates.

"Well, Lee and I are related in spirit," Gai chuckles good-naturedly. "What did Admiral Tsunade tell you during the meeting?"

"She said that training newbies is part of our peacetime improvement schemes." Tenten exhales, eyebrows knitting together. The overall response of the Lieutenants hasn't been too positive - as Lieutenants, most of them have little inclination towards teaching twelve-year-olds the basics about fighting and strategy. Even the Captains who trained them, like Gai and Hatake Kakashi, only took them on after they'd mastered the basics - there are instructors, like Umino Iruka, who find more joy in grooming the greenhorns.

"It won't go on indefinitely, will it?" Gai probes next, genial. Tenten doesn't like the way he's looking knowingly at her, as if he's privy to something she isn't.

"Why are you even asking when you know all the details, anyway?" she snaps, frowning. "Tsunade said it'd be a trial, until she decides to discontinue it. Which could mean forever."

"She wouldn't do that to you guys." Gai smiles, full set of teeth glinting. "The training will end at some point, when she thinks of a new scheme to roll out."

"Let's hope that isn't more harebrained than this current one," Tenten mutters mutinously. "What will happen to my team? Kiba and Lee can't go out on missions on their own."

"They are on a different trial, to further develop their leadership skills, among others," Gai volunteers.

Tenten frowns further. "More competition for us as Lieutenants?"

"Not quite. They will learn other new skills, such as first aid, and the handling of more weapons."

Envy swims in her gut. "That's not fair."

"Don't fret so much, Tenten. You're allowed to attend additional courses as a Lieutenant," Gai beams at her. "Or perhaps Lee will pass the skills on to you, when he's more proficient at them."

She looks dubiously at Gai, and decides that she'll take on both the extra courses, and get some help from Lee. If there is one thing Tenten absolutely loves about the military, it is the sense of comradeship with her fellows, and the access to a wide variety of weapons for use on the field.

(She could get wet on weapons, but no one needs to know that.)

Tenten's gaze wanders over the photos on Gai's desk with some resignation, when she realizes that he won't agree with her on the futility of the training scheme. A picture of the old Team Gai catches her eye - a photograph taken eight years ago, when she and Lee and Neji were fourteen, and under Gai's mentorship. In that picture, Gai and Lee are full of bright smiles; hers is a little doubtful, and Neji is stoic, as always.

Speaking of Neji... "I saw Neji at the meeting," Tenten blurts. "I thought he was on a long mission."

They had not exchanged words - merely a glance, and that was that. Tenten couldn't help being aware of him though; physically, Neji has not changed much over the past two years. His eyes are as pale as she remembers, ebony hair tied back in a low ponytail. The old crush is long gone, replaced by feelings of neutrality.

Gai nods. "He's been called back for this training scheme."

Tenten blinks mutely at him. That must really suck, to be uprooted from an ongoing mission to deal with kids. "I wouldn't like to be him," she comments.

Gai, however, smiles steadily at her. "Well, this means that all three of you are back on the same ship again, doesn't it? I wonder if Neji needs advice on how to guide his children."

She raises an eyebrow at her former mentor, who is rubbing his chin thoughtfully with a finger. "Neji will be fine," she tells him dryly, "He's a genius, after all."

Not to say that Neji is as much of a prodigy when it comes to dealing with emotions, though.

Gai lifts his eyebrows in turn, and something lights up in his eyes. "I anticipate seeing your team going up against his! Remember, Tenten, teach them the burning power of youth!"

Tenten winces. She isn't looking forward to pitting her team against Neji's (though perhaps her kids might be more naturally talented than his), or even teaching them at all. "I don't know if I can do as good a job as you did, Gai."

He flashes a grin and a thumbs-up at her. "Believe in yourself, Tenten. I know you're capable of it."

* * *

Tenten treads quietly along the hallways of the _Konoha_, listening out for the sounds of others. It's an hour past midnight, when the majority of the occupants on board the mother ship would be asleep, save for personnel on duty. These corridors, though, leading to the research labs on the ship, are always empty at this time of the night (there is no true night in space, only an arbitrary time everyone lives by).

There's little to see in these passageways - like the rest of the ship, the walls are made of steel, and there are railings along the sides of the walkways, in the event that the ship is thrown into anti-gravity, and people need to move quickly with handholds, instead of floating helplessly through space.

When she gets to her intended corridor, Tenten flicks a switch she carries, to temporarily disable the security camera while she makes her way to the Alien Species Lab IV. A quick iris scan later, the steel door to the lab slides open, and she steps into the familiar orange glow of scattered lamps, scanning the room for another human presence.

She pulls a modified pistol out and aims it at the security cameras in the lab; seconds later, all cameras are disabled, frosted over in such a way that the video feed will continue to display the empty lab from moments ago, leaving no trace of her presence.

This will give her half an hour, though Tenten knows that it always takes less time than that.

The pistol fits snugly in her holster, and she heads forward, weaving through the cacophony of samples - there is a variety of living organisms, ranging from spindly ferns to thick, bulbous shrubs, to a miniature willow-like tree that sways without a wind, and an array of oddly-shaped flowers.

Lab IV is a laboratory for plant-like materials, hence the lack of cages or restraints for the samples. What Tenten seeks tonight - the only thing she visits for, really, is the _tentacula phytum_ all the way at the back of the lab.

A familiar thrill sweeps across her skin when she lays her eyes on the slow-moving pile of tentacles set low on the floor, in a wide, shallow pot. Purple and glistening under the orange lamplight, each appendage is an inch across, and longer than her arm. She imagines those thick, heavy tentacles sliding across her skin, and bites her lip, her breaths coming quicker.

Tenten reaches for the zip that connects the top half of her uniform to the bottom, tugging at it with a quiet rasp. With that, her pants are separated from her top, and she shrugs out of the garments covering her lower body, kicking her shoes off.

She settles herself on the cold floor right next to the metal pot, legs spread, exposing her center to the _tentacula_ (her heart is pounding, and desire creeps along her veins). Tenten licks her lips, reaches out to touch one of the tentacles, her fingers coming away with lukewarm moisture. A tentacle follows her guidance to her knee, and slithers carefully down her thigh. She draws a sharp breath.

It had taken Tenten a full year to work up the courage to experiment with this alien plant (Ino said it was nonlethal), and another year for her to be fully comfortable with sneaking into the lab at night - because this is straightforward, better than having a bedfellow who could could hurt her, and is more present than someone who cannot match her schedules.

Who needs a friend with benefits, when this satisfies her just as completely?

Tenten watches with baited breath as the blunt tip of the tentacle brushes over her thatch of hair, and explores further down, rubbing into her sensitive flesh. She bites down a moan, gasps. The tentacle pushes against her - she angles herself towards it - and it finds her entrance, pressing in.

* * *

Neji strolls along the corridors, familiarizing himself with the _Konoha_'s layout all over again. Two years isn't really a long time to be gone, and he remembers the locations vividly, each walkway imprinted into his mind.

A sign on the wall reads "Alien Labs", with an arrow, and he pauses at the intersection of passageways, thinking. It wouldn't hurt to see if the samples he'd helped Hinata with are doing well - the trouble undergone to bring them back have certainly made an impression in his memories, and Neji would not like to have to repeat the procedures again if possible.

There is time to spare tonight (the hours he'd kept at the Orion cluster are a little later than the norm on the _Konoha_), so Neji makes up his mind, and heads down the corridor.

He pauses before the steel door of Lab IV, dipping his head to do an iris scan, and the access light blinks green. The steel door slides open with a quiet hiss. Neji strides into the orange-cast dimness, his eyes adjusting to the clutter of samples-

And a moan breaks the silence, a little way into the lab.

He frowns; his fingers creep to his gun holster on reflex. There isn't supposed to be anyone here at these hours. Neji steps further into the lab, scanning over various tables and shelves- And he stops short when he spots a figure already in the room, by the _tentacula phytum_, one of the samples he's come to check up on.

The figure shifts its head towards the light, and it's a heartbeat before he places her as Tenten, of Dragon Platoon. He'd recognize those twin buns anywhere.

Neji's gaze shifts, and he realizes that she's sitting on the floor, with her pants off, legs spread, a couple of glistening alien appendages probing between her thighs.

He mutters a curse of disbelief, and her attention flies to him immediately. Tenten is crouching on the floor in an instant, her pistol drawn and pointed at him, tentacles falling away.

"What the fuck?" she snaps, hazel eyes flashing, even as crimson surges through her face (and her expletive is, ironically, the very same that gained her notice).

He stares at her for a long moment, speechless (because he's never expected this of her, or even for the alien sample to be used this way), and finally questions, with a hint of sarcasm, "Tentacles, Lieutenant?"

Tenten glares at him. Her aim is unwavering. "This is none of your business," she tells him acidly.

Neji raises an eyebrow, surprised that she's risked all manner of protocol to do this. How much of a coincidence is it that he's decided to walk in here tonight? "There are security cameras," he mentions offhandedly.

She looks at him like he's an idiot. Neji blinks, and looks around at the black half-orbs on the ceiling, finding them frozen over. He's quietly impressed, but chooses not to mention it. The wisps of an idea form in his mind, delighting him with its cleverness.

"Nevertheless, this is a breach of policy," he informs her. "And I have evidence."

He reaches up to push a button by his ear, to capture an image of what he sees - and another, a zoomed-in image of just Tenten and the _tentacula_.

She curses again. "What do you want in exchange... Lieutenant?" Tenten growls, and he catches the way she fingers the trigger, dripping with desire to knock him unconscious, or dead.

A range of possibilities come to mind. He's surprised that her first reaction is to offer a trade for these pictures, and stalls by taking a closer look at her, at the standard-issue belt that slants attractively across her hip, and her bare thighs, that lead up to the shadowy, fuzzy juncture of her legs. There's a faint stirring in his middle; his thoughts dip into the gutter, and Neji swallows, suddenly knowing what he does want from her.

"I'll keep you informed," he intones, and turns to leave, before his body even thinks to betray him. Tenten looks as though she's contemplating planting bullets into his back the moment he turns away, so he adds, "Don't forget, murdering me will get you fired quicker than this."

The intensity of her glare doubles, and Neji knows that he's found her vulnerability.

"I'll get you back for this," she snarls, and he smirks, walking away.

"Good luck with that," he replies, saluting with a casual wave. Had it been anyone else in the lab tonight, he would have ignored them - but this is not the first time that Tenten has roused his interest, and Neji is quietly glad that fate has made them cross paths like this.

The doors slide shut between them.

* * *

_A/N: This is exactly the kind of fic that makes one rub one's hands and cackle in glee. ;) Thoughts? Comments? Was it worth the wait? ;)_


	3. 2: Trainees

_Update time! Decided to update sooner than later 'cause apparently people have been leaving comments ;)_

_Naruto and its characters don't belong to me. **Please be forewarned that this fic is rated M for various possibly-controversial things** (swearing is going to be the least of your worries)**.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 2: Trainees**

_Konoha, Nov 19, 2030, 0800 hrs_

The introduction to Tenten's new team is about as welcome as a kick to her side.

She schools her features into an amiable expression, and steps into the small simulation room, with high ceilings and steel walls, where they await her with some measure of excitement. Two kids leap to their feet; the third is already standing, and he bounces forward to meet her.

"I am Lieutenant Tenten," she informs them, heavy boots thumping on the simulation room floor. "And I will be your instructor for the foreseeable future."

They are a rag-tag bunch; the first, a bright-eyed boy, brown-haired, cheeks flushed with anticipation. The second is a beaming girl, auburn hair styled to stand straight in the air, like two rabbit ears, and the third is a bespectacled boy, who is trying vainly to sniff dangling snot back into his nose.

Tenten winces. Is she ever going to win a face-off against Neji with this bunch of kids?

Her stomach twists sharply at the thought of Neji.

There has been no word from him since last night, and Tenten shivers to think about the information he's got on her. She hasn't slept very much at all; the strain of fatigue lingers at the edges of her mind. Damn that asshole. Having trained with Neji and worked with him on a number of missions, however, Tenten instinctively knows that he is not the sort to release information like hers on a whim - her secret is safe with him for as long as he doesn't find reason to use it to his advantage.

Which could take anywhere between a few hours and years.

The bite of her nails into her palms drags her thoughts back to the present, and she barks, a little more harshly than she intends, at the kids, "Names?"

"Konohamaru," says the excited boy.

The girl raises her hand. "I'm Moegi."

"Udon," the sniffling kid mutters. He finally manages to recall his pendulous snot back into his nose, and Tenten grimaces.

Well, at least trying to teach these kids something would be a better pastime than avoiding Neji, who will be on the _Konoha_ anyway, and in closer proximity to her than she really wants.

With a heavy sigh, Tenten sizes her pupils up, and begins to unearth the horrors of just how much these kids don't know. "What have you been taught so far?"

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 5, 2030, 1149 hrs_

One painful day of teaching turns to two, and three, and it is two weeks of nonstop drilling on physical fitness, strategy and weapon-handling before the first round of tests begin. Tenten has not allowed her team an entire day of rest through this period - she cannot lose to Neji, absolutely not, and her skin crawls whenever she passes him in the hallways, chin lifted in defiance.

He smirks every single time.

She's gone to Gai for help with the kids, and his only advice is to train them, harder and harder each time. That method has worked with her, Neji and Lee, and Tenten follows it, knows that two weeks is too soon to really bring about a change in their performance. It is little mercy that they're able to handle the harmless simulation room guns now, that they know the basics of moving on a field, of dodging behind walls and firing when under cover.

And it is still not enough, when the electronic draw pits them against the little fighting machines that make up Neji's team.

Tenten is all but pulling the hair from her twin buns as she watches the kids on the screen outside the simulation room. The rules she's taught them, to keep their calm, their cover, to handle their weapons with care, all get shot to hell when Konohamaru dashes into the simulated forest clearing and yells for Neji's kids to come out of hiding.

She winces, drags her hand over her face. It's like watching a younger, hot-headed Lee blow his cover and throw caution to the wind, and Moegi barely tackles Konohamaru to the ground to avoid one of Neji's kids, who's somehow riding on a vine and swinging towards them with a powerful kick. Udon is hiding out somewhere - at this point, Tenten doesn't know what she can do with his lack of skill and drive (perhaps threaten him, like how Shikamaru, the resident strategist, had to be shaken up before he took it upon himself to see to the safety of his comrades).

Regardless, the opposing team is racking up points rapidly, when Neji's other trainees fire at Moegi and Konohamaru from the shadowy undergrowth. Tenten winces and watches as they return fire, determination on their faces (at least they have that going for them). Udon shows up in the last twenty seconds of the fight, missing his glasses, and aims his gun at Neji's trainees. They dodge behind Konohamaru, and Udon accidentally fires upon his own teammates, bringing the victory to Neji's team with a resounding finality.

Tenten backs into the metal wall of the corridor, and covers her face with her hands. She doesn't have the pride to face Neji down like that, not when these twits have just handed her ass to the Hyuuga on a platter.

The metal doors slide open, and her trainees trudge miserably out.

"What were you thinking?" she growls at them in exasperation. "All of you! Don't you remember what I've taught you in the past two weeks?"

And they were doing decently in the simulation room by themselves, too.

"I've never lost to Hyuuga this badly before!" she hisses at them, embarrassment heating her cheeks. The trio have the grace to look sheepish. "_6-44?_ Really, kids?"

She's going to be the laughingstock among the Lieutenants. Tenten is sure of it. She grits her teeth. What is she going to do with them? When is this damn training scheme going to end?

Moegi looks as if she's on the verge of tears. Tenten has barely any time to acknowledge the expression on her face, when footsteps round the corner, and she comes face-to-face with Neji's team.

_Oh, hell._

Tenten swallows. If some higher entity has something against her, it sure isn't done yet.

Neji and his trainees stop a few feet away, and Tenten cringes inwardly when his pale eyes sweep over her motley gang, before landing on her. The corner of his lips quirks.

"That was an enlightening exercise," Neji drawls. His gaze coasts down her chest, all the way to the toes, and back up just as slowly. She gulps. Fury simmers in her gut. "Perhaps you need better sets of genes to begin with."

Tenten realizes, with a start, that Neji has both an Uchiha and a Hyuuga on his team. _Two_ offspring from genius, military clans. What the fuck?

Her gaze snaps back to Neji's, and he's looking smugly at her.

"That was not a fair fight, Hyuuga," she seethes, her fingers itching to grab her pistol. She could put a hole through his head this instant. "Your trainees have military backgrounds."

He raises an eyebrow. "All the more reason to put more hard work in - am I right, _Lieutenant_?" Neji asks, smirking, and she knows he's talking about her and Lee, who have climbed their way through the ranks, tooth and nail. He dips his chin to survey her trainees. "Or perhaps your mentor doesn't have the... discipline to focus on training, when her attentions lie elsewhere."

White-hot rage sears through her veins. Tenten is pretty certain that her face is purple, because she's struggling to contain her emotions at this point. How dare he insult her _and _the kids? "Say that again, Hyuuga," she mutters, her fists clenched tight. No way is he bringing up the events from the lab here, in front of everyone. "I dare you to."

"I don't have to. You heard me the first time." His smirk grows. Neji lifts his brow in amusement, and gives a curt nod. "We'll meet again. Let's hope your students show more promise by then."

Tenten gives in to her anger and flips him off when Neji's entire group moves past them, down the hallway. Konohamaru steps forward, fists clenched, anger in his innocent eyes.

"I'll make him pay for that!" he growls, and Tenten would have laughed, if they were in a different situation, on a different day.

Her hands tighten at her sides. She's going to get back at Neji for this later, along with the pictures he took and probably never erased.

* * *

Tenten hammers on the steel door hours later, after she's given her trainees a earful of a lecture and got them running a hundred laps. They will be training every day after this, if just so she can wipe the smirk off Neji's face - even Udon has agreed to drop his cowardice. Whether they make good on their promise will be an issue for another day; for now, she's going to hand Neji his ass, and he'd do well to be prepared for it.

The steel door slides open without so much as a pause, and Tenten strides into Neji's quarters, snarling the moment the door seals her into his room, "You arrogant sonofabitch!"

His quarters are similar to hers - steel-walled, with a couple of couches right by the door, and a desk just beyond them. His bed and closet are in a far corner, with no personal artifacts to personalize his space, save for some thick books in a bookcase, but Tenten really can't care less about any of it at this point. She's striding up to where he's seated behind his desk, its glossy surface cleared of clutter, and Neji looks up at her expectantly, amusement flitting across his face.

Tenten stops right at the edge of the desk and leans over, grabbing the collar of his uniform. She jerks him forward, hauling him so close that she sees the deep purple flecks in his irises, and anger roils in her stomach. "You didn't have to shame my cell like that, it was just their fifth simulation!" she shouts in his face.

Neji lifts his brows, decidedly unaffected by her closeness or threat. "So?" he returns evenly. "This is the military, if you aren't aware of it yet."

His gaze dips to her mouth, and she shakes him, to return his attention to her eyes. Tenten glares. She throws him back into his seat with a frustrated sigh. Doesn't she know it. "They're still kids, Hyuuga. Not everyone is a prodigy like you are."

"So?" he asks, softly, and as she watches, he stands and walks around the desk, stepping so close that she backs away on instinct - and he doesn't stop, not until she's a foot away from the wall and sidestepping to avoid being trapped. Neji reaches out and grabs her; at the same time, Tenten unsheathes her dagger, pressing its glinting edge to his throat. "Your reflexes haven't dulled, I see."

"Destroy those pictures," she mutters, her eyes boring into his. Because, more than the kids, the unease in her belly stems from the fact that Neji has a distinct influence over her, that slips control on her life out of her fingers. Tenten increases the pressure on her knife, indenting his skin with the blade. She would have confronted him sooner, but she wasn't going to put herself at risk, not knowing what he'd see as a trigger to release those pictures. But there's no way she's letting him live down offending her in front of those kids.

"Why should I?" Neji whispers in return, and before either of them draws a breath, he has her pinned against the wall with a solid _thump_-

"Damn prick," she hisses, her cheek bumping hard against the cool metal. Tenten turns to glare at him from the corner of her eye, hating that he has the advantage of strength over her. Her heart pounds in her ribs. The Neji she knew wouldn't have resorted to blackmail for anything - or would he? It's a question she hasn't been able to figure out the answer to.

Neji smirks, presses her wrists into the small of her back. The next thing she knows, his fingers are teasing the dagger out of her grip. "Can't have injuries happening now, can we?" he murmurs, before leaning in and tracing his lips over the shell of her ear.

Tenten stiffens. He proceeds to remove the guns holstered at her hips. She hisses, "What're you-"

"I'm disarming you," he tells her, simply, and slides his free arm around her chest. "That includes frisking you for hidden weapons."

She swears at him, and struggles, tugging hard on her hands so his grip almost slips. Neji curses and presses her bodily to the wall, his chest snug against her back. He eases his arm from between her and the wall. Warm lips trail down her neck, and his tongue flicks against her skin. She gasps. The anger that has burned so vividly in her gut is slowly seeping away, and Tenten curses her body for responding to him.

"We still have an exchange, if you recall," Neji says quietly into her neck.

Tenten stills. "You want sex?" she asks, incredulous, awkwardly watching him from the corner of her eye. He slides his fingers between her legs.

"No weapons here either," he murmurs, as if he hasn't heard her, and his hand lingers for longer than protocol allows. "I'm a little disappointed."

He presses his fingers right against where she's most sensitive, and a groan escapes her lips at his touch, right before she raises her foot and stomps hard on his toes.

Neji swears in surprise - Tenten tears herself away and whirls around to face him, her cheeks burning. "Damn you," she hisses, "I thought you were above that, Lieutenant."

He blinks. "I was," he admits reluctantly, and Tenten scoffs.

"Tell me the price of the exchange, and I'll do it," she grits, her lips curled in disdain. Tenten crouches to retrieve her weapons. "You can't be that deprived of sex. I can't imagine that you would."

"Try me," Neji challenges, and Tenten pauses in shock. She turns to look up at him. With his looks and figure, really?

Well, if he wants sex, now would be a good time for it, because she's stripped of her weapons anyway, Tenten reasons. She is most definitely not thinking about his hard body against hers.

Oh, who is she kidding?

As much of a jerk as he is, Tenten doesn't doubt that sex with him would be good. His touch has told her more than enough. "Right now?" she asks, dubiously.

"I don't see why not," he replies, and Tenten swallows dryly at the way his gaze sweeps over her, the way there's a distinct bulge in his pants. She glances at the door, and he keys a code into his earpiece. "The door is locked."

He's watching her when she tugs the zip down her front, peeling the uniform off in one piece. Neji's lips part, as if he were about to say something, but she ignores him, kicking her shoes off and shrugging out of her bra. His pale eyes rove over her - Tenten feels her nipples harden beneath his gaze, and glares again at him, looking pointedly at his clothes. The rasp of his zipper is harsh in the air.

Tenten is so ready to aim a snipe at his masculinity, that she's momentarily at a loss for words when he jerks his suit off, and the thick length at his groin springs up. He is by no means small (a little thicker than the tentacles have been, in fact), and she gulps.

Neji smirks. "Not too big for you, is it?"

"I'm making no such statement," she bristles, shoving him roughly backwards, to the couch, until his calves hit the furniture, and he sinks down, naked and watching her. She peels her panties off; he eyes the damp patch on the crotch of the material, smirks.

"Don't you dare say a word," she growls, stealing a glance at his flesh. The sight of him is enough to make her grow moister, but all she does is point at the couch. "Lie back."

Neji lifts an eyebrow, amused, and follows her orders, stretching out before her. Her breaths come more shallowly now; Tenten realizes that she's so very ready for him, and tries to glare, wetting him with her saliva. She passes a hand over his skin to distribute that lubrication, and shivers at how hard he is in her palm. Her heart pounds.

Tenten straddles his hips; his entry is so pleasurable that a moan slips from her throat before she knows it. Neji groans, smirks at her. And the arrogance falls from his countenance the instant she begins to move, riding him hard. It's been a long while since she's had a man in her - and Neji is hitting all the right spots. She doesn't think, only feels, and he grits, "I'm touched that you're expending all this energy on me."

She snarls, her flesh singing around him, growling between deep thrusts, "I'm - doing - this - for - me!"

He doesn't say any more; she doesn't count the minutes - doesn't think to count them - and it doesn't take her long to approach the edge, when she reaches down to touch her swollen flesh. Neji spills deep into her soon after.

It is silent, save for her quickened breathing, when she pulls away from him and gets dressed, tugging her clothes back onto herself. She can stand to be without his presence right now, thank you very much.

"Are you on the pill?" Neji asks, abruptly, as he sits up, and Tenten rolls her eyes, shoving her weapons back on.

"For a genius, you can be a little dim sometimes, Hyuuga," she tells him, and leaves his quarters without so much as a goodnight kiss.

* * *

_A/N: And that's just the start of it. ;) Is this anything like what you expected? _

_Neji and Tenten crack me up so much. I haven't explicitly mentioned it, but this fic is an amalgam of romance/erotica/humor/sci-fi and some bits of strategy here and there. I drew on Ender's Game as inspiration for the simulations. ;)  
_

_Also, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays - drop a review, let's all be generous, shall we? ;)_


	4. 3: Sex, Relationships, and Physicals

_Thank you for all the wonderful comments on the previous chapter! I wasn't expecting such a positive response. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. _

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 3: Sex, Relationships, and Physicals**

_Konoha, Dec 6, 2030, 1138 hrs_

"What's up, Ino?" Tenten greets, setting her lunch tray across from the platinum blond.

Yamanaka Ino glances up from the holographic screen of her computer with a cheery smile, tucking long, straight locks behind a ear. At the sight of Tenten, she powers the device down and sets it to a side. "Hey, Ten!"

Tenten seats herself, watching as Ino digs into her tuna salad with relish. "Still on a diet?" she teases, inwardly wincing at the sheer amount of greens on the latter's plate.

The cafeteria is not quite busy yet just before the Lieutenants' official lunch hour; the serving stations are mostly without queues, with lone rangers or small groups scattered around the numerous long tables. Old posters and notices are pasted along the far walls of the canteen, and fluorescent lights shine down on them from high ceilings.

Tenten prefers the quiet of the cafeteria at this hour, and it's far from the first time that she's met up with Ino here. Like her, Ino enjoys the relative peace, and often brings her lab reports along on her meal breaks.

"Hey, I need to keep my figure, Lieutenant I'm-Celibate-Forever," Ino quips, pretending to be offended. She puffs her chest up, flicking her ponytail over her shoulder.

Tenten narrows her eyes, scans Ino's body (the one thing of Ino's that she's envious of is the blond's perfect figure, that her standard-issue uniform and lab coat fail to hide). "I'm sure you can stand to eat more than that once in a while, Ino," she remarks dryly, "Go to the gym or something in between all your research."

Ino smirks and leans in with a conspiratorial whisper, "At least it gets me laid."

Tenten sends her gaze heavenwards. Unlike herself, Ino prefers to flaunt her looks and bedroom appetite, resulting in an endless line of interested men (and sometimes women) that she can afford to pick from. In spite of that, or perhaps because of it, Ino is also one of the major grapevines of gossip on board the _Konoha_.

"How many notches do you have on your belt now?" Tenten asks, mildly curious. (She's got about three or so herself, including Neji.)

Ino purses her lips and frowns. "Oh, I don't know... about fifty percent of the male Lieuts and Second Lieuts, and a Captain or two..." She trails off, lost in thought. A moment later, a sly smile creeps up her lips. "Kakashi was pretty good."

Tenten gapes at her. "_The_ Captain Kakashi?" she whispers, food forgotten. Hatake Kakashi is known to be one of the most elusive and romantically unavailable males on the ship. "Which of the Lieutenants _haven't_ you laid yet?"

The look on Ino's face turns contemplative. "A few... Some were recently promoted, and then there are people like Shino-"

"Too creepy?" Tenten teases.

Ino glances around nervously. "Don't say that out loud," she hisses. "I don't want to offend him." Tenten nods in understanding, and Ino continues, "Not Shika or Chouji, since we grew up together-"

The blond falls silent abruptly, her sky-blue eyes anchored onto something over Tenten's shoulder. Tenten turns to look.

Her heart fairly stops when she spies one Lieutenant Neji walking towards them. She recognizes those lilac eyes and long ebony hair, that pale skin. Still remembers what he looked like, naked beneath her on the couch.

He smirks at her (not Ino), and changes his course towards the serving stations instead. Unbidden, the memory of his skin against hers rises to the back of her mind. She sees his bare chest, rising and falling, can almost feel the way he pushed deep in her-

Ino kicks her under the table.

"Earth to Tenten!" Ino whispers, and Tenten gives a start, mightily glad that her cheeks are still cool. "Still haven't got over your first dramatic loss on the simulations this year, huh?" Ino asks, craftily. "I think he's into you."

"He is not!" Tenten protests (never mind what happened last night), and Ino's first remark registers in her mind. It's much less embarrassing to have her kids' shockingly miserable simulation results revealed, than for Ino to know that she's actually slept with Neji. "Wait, how'd you know my trainees lost to his?"

"I know all the gossip, Ten. News like that travels fast." Ino rolls her eyes, steering the conversation in a different direction, "Don't you think he's hot?"

"Him?" Tenten echos, and finally remembers to get started on her lunch. She shoves a couple of lukewarm dumplings into her mouth, chewing. "He's an arrogant asshole."

Ino sighs, propping her chin on her hand. It doesn't take a genius to know who she's looking at over Tenten's shoulder. "He's one of the few I haven't managed to bed yet," she reveals.

Tenten chokes on her dumplings.

"Are you all right?" Ino looks back at her in concern, and Tenten doesn't know whether she should be glad that red faces are easily attributed to choking.

"I'm fine," she sputters, coughing violently, tears gathering in her eyes. She's very aware that some have turned to watch her in the canteen (and hopefully none of those are pale lilac). "It's just a dumpling," Tenten eventually gasps, breathing a sigh of relief when Ino lets the subject go.

With any luck, the sex last night would be enough to satisfy Neji, and he'll delete those pictures from his system. She'd realized too late, after stepping out of his quarters, that she should have demanded he erase her pictures the moment they were done. Damn her impulse to get as far away from him as she could. And damn her pride for preventing her from hammering on his door when she remembered the photos.

"The physicals are this week, aren't they?" Ino asks suddenly.

"Yeah, why?" Tenten gulps a mouthful of water down to clear her throat, and returns to her lunch. The back of her neck prickles. Neji is probably watching them, damn it.

"Well, you might get to face off against Neji," the blond suggests with a foxy grin. Tenten looks at her in horror.

"Oh gods, no," she mutters, wincing. The physical evaluations are conducted once every three months, to test their performances, and the one-on-one combat segment is highly anticipated among the Lieutenants, mostly for the prestige that comes with winning the most simulation rounds. Tenten isn't surprised that they're still being held even though the scheme with the kids is still ongoing - it's a requirement for all the combat personnel on board the ship.

"Do you have something against him?" Ino asks in surprise, slender brows lifting. She looks between Tenten and the same point over her shoulder, and Tenten suppresses a shudder. Even the idea that Neji is sitting in her blind spot sends a shiver up her spine.

"He's a jerk." Tenten narrows her eyes, and leaves her explanation at that. "Why don't you try just settling down with one guy, anyway?"

Ino's full lips tighten. "We've had this conversation, Ten. No relationships for me."

"Then we're on the same page about relationships, aren't we?" She grins, nudging Ino's foot with hers. "Quit it with that I'm-Celibate-Forever crap."

"But you are!" Ino grins, and kicks her in return. "When was the last time you had sex, huh?"

_Last night._ Tenten purses her lips and glares at her friend, unwilling to divulge anything - not the tentacles, and certainly not Neji. Even if Ino was the one to get her the access to the labs in the first place.

"Never thought I'd see you mothering kids," Ino smirks when she doesn't respond.

Tenten scowls. "I'm not mothering them! 'Training' would be a better word, as you well know."

The blond chuckles, and Tenten narrows her eyes. "How much progress are you making on the trainees? I can't see you having enough patience to deal with twelve-year-olds - gosh, do you remember when we were that age?"

She remembers, clearly, the bunch of them when they first met ten years ago; Ino, with her little childhood friends, Lee, with his awful haircut, and Neji, the most aloof she's ever seen him. "They're not improving quickly enough," Tenten summarizes, "I've been making them work on cardio and physical training. Hyuuga has an Uchiha and a Hyuuga on his team."

"What? No way!" Ino exclaims, jaw dropping. "_Two_ kids from the military clans? No wonder your kids lost to his."

Tenten doesn't know if she should be offended at that. "Well, I'm training them as best as I know how," she tells Ino dryly. It's still too soon to see how successful her stricter regimes are with the kids. Konohamaru is still as excitable as ever, Moegi is faring better than Tenten thought she would, and Udon drags his feet through the motions, as if he would rather be someplace far away.

"Anyway, I need to return to the alien labs," Ino says, polishing off the last of her salad. She grabs her portable computer and picks her tray up. "Have fun with your kids and the physicals - I'm sure you wouldn't mind having Lieutenant Neji pound you into the dust."

"Damn you, Ino," Tenten growls.

Ino winks, and Tenten stares sullenly after her, red-faced and unable to move from her seat. No way is she coming into contact with him any more than necessary, and no way is she allowing any pounding to happen between them, for combat purposes or otherwise.

Across the canteen, Hyuuga Neji watches, and smirks in mild amusement as he turns the volume of his amplifier down.

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 8, 2030, 0925 hrs_

Tenten bounces on her heels and does a few last-minute stretches, inwardly checking to see that all her muscles and limbs are functioning well. It's a nice break from having to deal with her trainees.

The preparation chamber adjacent to the simulation room is tiny, with plain metal sheets on the surface of the walls, though it is large enough for her to get warmed up before the upcoming physical. She's completed fifteen of the required twenty, and won ten fights out of those. Who she hasn't fought, though... There are a handful of possible selections, each tougher than those she's been up against before.

The flat panel next to the door flashes yellow, and Tenten stills, waiting for it to display the name of her opponent. Her skin prickles a little from the electronic sensor chemicals sprayed onto her (to detect laser shots she sustains during the simulation). The translucent, emerald visor over her eye is giving her a hundred percent on all her vitals, and she toggles the view to that of her body, to display where she's taken critical shots.

_Hyuuga Neji,_ reads the panel, and Tenten rolls her eyes. Great. The one person she does not look forward to meeting. Guess Ino's speculation came true, after all.

She draws a deep breath, and folds their recent interactions away in her mind, leaving only crucial information about him: great strategist, swift, excellent hand-to-hand combat, and not so great with long-range fighting.

In short, take him down before he gets too close, or has had enough time to plan something against her.

Tenten grabs the randomly-issued laser gun that slides into the open tray by the door, and inspects it casually - middle-tier firepower, decent speed; not that bad, but not great either. _Take what you can get,_ she thinks, and flicks its switches on, appreciating the quiet vibrations emanating from it as it comes to life.

She steps into the yellow square right at the door, and looks ahead, body tensed as the countdown begins.

* * *

Neji hurls himself to the side of the simulation room the instant the door hisses open (yellow sand and blue sky is all he sees, with a scattering of boulders and scrawny trees); mild pricks of heat are already burrowing into his skin, testimony to the marksman Tenten is. He's expected her to go on the offense immediately and fires a few rounds back at her figure to stave the attacks off.

She dodges by dropping to the ground and rolling away, and Neji takes the chance to scan their surroundings. The simulation room has recreated the desert landscape of one of the nearby planets, with its thick air and strong gravitational pull, and he notes the rocks that will provide some reprieve from her shots.

There is another prickle of heat on his skin. Neji barely registers how the translucent scoreboard on his visor updates itself to "_Neji: 0 - Tenten: 10_", as he drops behind a large boulder, barely avoiding more hits.

40 points left between them before the simulation ends.

He counts to three, and eases out from behind the boulder, just barely, matching her previous position to her current one; he fires shots at her, forcing her to dodge, and is satisfied when the score climbs to a _2-10_. His heart is thudding in his chest, pumped with adrenaline, and he's visualizing the field in his mind; the luck of the draw has given him a gun with a grappling hook this time, something that could either make him a sitting duck for Tenten's shots, or work excellently in his favor.

It takes him all of moments to devise a handful of strategies, and when he dashes out from behind the boulder, Tenten is firing at him again. Neji returns the shots, just enough to make her pause, and heads, with darts and rolls, towards a part of the field where the boulders are taller than either of them, positioned closely and with such straight sides that they almost resemble an open maze.

More shots scatter across his torso, in non-vital places, and he's careful to draw her right to the edge of the rock cluster; Tenten hovers at the circumference, wary of entering, so Neji teases her in with glimpses of himself that she sees but isn't able to strike.

_Neji: 3 - Tenten: 19_

He decides that he's got her right where he wants when she's in the cluster too deeply to escape, in a spot where the rocks diverge enough that there's space for two abreast between them. A sweeping kick sends sand flying across one rock corridor, and effectively anchors her attention there; she flattens herself at the end of the passage, and Neji seizes this opportunity to fire his grappling hook at the top of the boulder he's shielding himself with. He tugs on the hook to test its stability and finds it satisfactory.

With a flick of the reel switch, Neji finds himself running up the side of the boulder, holding tightly on to his weapon as it propels him forward. He drops to a crouch the moment he reaches the top, and sets his gun down quietly - there is no longer a need for it.

Tenten is looking sharply about her when he chances a peek from right above, and the moment she removes her back from solid rock is the moment Neji chooses to barrel down upon her-

His inertia knocks both of them to the ground with a solid _whump_.

Neji is the first to recover from the fall as dust settles back onto the ground; Tenten coughs, winded from his attack, and he lifts himself off her form slightly, taking the chance to capture her wrists. Her gun is the next to go, after he's eased it out from beneath her, and it is then that Tenten begins to regain her mobility, when she bucks under him, a dusty, writhing mass of sinewy muscle.

_Neji: 23 - Tenten: 19_

"Having some fun now, are we?" he murmurs in her ear, and she writhes against him, tugging uselessly at her wrists.

"Get away from me," she grits, and Neji is intrigued to find that her tone is controlled, without the anger that's been radiating from her recently, whenever he's around.

"Do you yield?" he asks softly, applying a little pressure on her wrists, just enough to get his point across. "Or would you like me to, ah, torment you first?"

"This is business, Hyuuga," is Tenten's even reply, and she angles her head back, to scan for an opening. There is only deadly calm in her hazel eyes, and he is impressed by her ability to compartmentalize. "Are you going to finish me, or not?"

"Soon," he responds, and dips his chin, sinking his teeth into the nape of her neck. Tenten stiffens beneath him, sinew and muscle turned to wood.

He flicks his tongue across her skin, tasting sweat and the acrid bite of chemical, and she falls limp beneath him suddenly-

Neji makes the mistake of loosening his grip on her wrists, and only realizes it when her hand flies out from beneath him, grabbing at where he's left her gun beside them. With a muttered curse, he snatches at it, just barely, so her fingers close on empty air, and presses its barrel to her neck.

Tenten gives a throaty, harsh laugh. "Took you long enough, Lieutenant," she mutters, "I yield."

At her words, the translucent screen over his eye flashes their new score (_Neji: 31 - Tenten: 19_). And as Neji releases both the weapon and his opponent, and the simulation dissolves into metal walls and floors, the distinct feeling that Tenten has won the exchange between them gnaws at him, despite the way the vivid green score burns itself into his vision.

* * *

_A/N: Ino is one of my favorite characters in this fic. ;)  
_

_Fun fact: I'm currently writing Chapter 19 of Blackmail - 66,000 words and counting. ;) Total NejiTen count for 2014 is 245,000 words.. Aiming to hit 250k before the year ends. ;)_

_Happy New Year, everyone! May 2015 bring you lots of joyous news. (And NejiTen.) Look out for my Nejiko-Ten-Neji fic - it'll be posted this Friday. 3 parts. ;)_


	5. 4: Encounters in Gyms and Dreams

_Update time! Thank you so much for all the reviews - I'm so surprised by the continuous positive responses so far. :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **As always, this fic is for mature audiences only. Read at your own discretion. **_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 4: Encounters in Gyms and Dreams**

_Konoha, Dec 9, 2030, 0635 hrs_

"Oh youthful lotus, how are you doing today?" Lee yells from across the gym in his forest-green jumpsuit the moment she steps in, leaping into the air and waving at her.

Tenten winces at his exuberant greeting as she weaves her way through numerous fitness machines, pointedly ignoring the stares from various directions. "Will you quit it with the lotus thing already," she hisses at Lee when she draws close to him, giving him a light punch on the arm. "My name is Tenten, and the whole gym doesn't need to listen in on our conversation!"

"But we all need a reminder about the beautiful green Earth we're fighting for!" Lee protests, and returns to his bench to continue the hundreds of sit-ups he must have been in the middle of. "Don't you agree?"

"Your quarters are painted green enough to compensate for the rest of the ship, Lee," Tenten sighs, and seats herself on the bench next to his. "Besides, not all of us are fighting for Earth. Some of us are in the military just to be alongside our friends."

Lee harrumphs. The following minutes comprise of them doing their sit-ups in companionable silence, and Tenten remembers the lengthy lectures by Captain Gai that have influenced him so. (Lee is in such awe of their previous mentor that he has even adopted the latter's bowl cut and vivid green attires, much to Tenten's disgust.)

"Oh! I heard that you were in another simulation yesterday," Lee pipes up as they attain their targets and head over to the treadmills out of habit. It seems as if most of the time she spends with Lee is in the gym, outside of regular missions. "How did it go?"

"Fine," Tenten grouses, a little furrow etching itself into her forehead when memories of that fight surface in her mind. "Faced off with Hyuuga."

"Neji?" Lee asks in surprise as they begin to jog. "I haven't seen him in a while."

"That's a good thing, trust me," Tenten grits. Of all things, he dared to bite her neck - and during a recorded simulation, no less! Suddenly thankful that Lee has absolutely no idea how complicated her dealings with Neji have become, she relaxes, and punches buttons on her treadmill to increase its pace. He may be her best friend, but Lee does not need to know about Neji walking in on her in one of the alien labs, nor that he's taken incriminating pictures of her, and even less, that she's fucked him in exchange for that evidence. It is blackmail - not that she wants any of it.

"You got along pretty well with him in our trainee group, though," Lee mentions casually, and Tenten flings a glare at him.

"Don't bring that up," she threatens, narrowing her eyes. She has no wish to return to memories of those days, when the three of them were on the same team.

"Why? You haven't been this angry with him before, Tenten," Lee frowns, his bushy black eyebrows drawing together. "Did something happen?"

"No," she snaps, a little too quickly, and fixes her gaze on the complex controls of her treadmill. "I just never... got over the fact that he left us and graduated ahead, I guess."

"You were the only girl he could tolerate though," Lee suggests, with a waggle of his eyebrows, and his teeth flash in a blinding smile. "He really only acknowledged you, too."

"Right," Tenten mutters, disliking the fact that Lee is reminding her of all the other characteristics Neji has possessed at some point. Before he left, returned, and pulled the whole arrogant-prick-of-a-blackmailer stunt on her. What crawled up his ass?

"I mean, maybe he likes you," Lee suggests, and it is all Tenten can do to keep herself from tripping and falling flat onto her treadmill.

"I'm your Lieutenant, Rock Lee, don't make me kick you out of Dragon Platoon," she sputters, and glares at him so hard that she thinks her eyeballs may well pop from their sockets.

"Hey, you never know," Lee grins and shrugs, "He tolerated you better than he did me-"

"That's because you and Gai kept going on about all that youth and springtime crap," Tenten retorts, though she has the decency to feel a little contrite when Lee flinches, hurt. "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way-"

Their conversation comes to an abrupt halt when the door to the gym slides open, and the too-familiar figure of Hyuuga Neji steps in, with a towel draped across his shoulders.

"Ugh, not again," Tenten groans, and snaps her head in the other direction, grimacing. "Did I murder babies in my past life?"

Lee glances between them curiously, and Tenten stiffens when he whispers, "He's heading this way."

"Oh fuck," she mutters, feeling as if her insides have turned to ice. Surely he isn't going to mention anything about their-

"Lee," Neji greets with a curt nod as he nears them. She turns to look, against all the alarms her instincts are setting off, and gulps. His gaze sweeps over her form, leaving little tingles in its wake, and Tenten is glad that her tank top and pants are as modest as they are. He meets her eyes finally, and the corner of his lips twitches upwards. "Lieutenant."

"Hyuuga," she returns coolly, with a stiff nod, and glances away- And the sudden visual of Neji prancing around stark naked in the gym, in front of everyone else, pops into her mind with ridiculous ease. Tenten snorts with laughter, and stops short when she realizes that the attentions of both men are on her. "What?" she bites, and wipes the smirk off her face.

"Nothing," Neji replies, with a slight lift of his eyebrows, and strides away, to a bench press two rows ahead of them.

Tenten watches his steady gait, muttering under her breath, "Good riddance."

He proceeds to peel his tank top off, before lying flat on his bench, lifting the iron bar above his head. His biceps flex, relax, and flex again, and she finds her gaze wandering over the smooth skin of his chest, and his lean abdomen-

"Tenten," Lee whispers after a while. "Tenten, you're staring."

She gives a start, and snaps her eyes away from Neji, heat creeping up her neck. "I wasn't," she hisses, and stares at the treadmill controls instead. Having Neji do his routines in front of them is not going to work, no way.

"Yes, you were," Lee responds with a grin. "I totally saw you doing it."

"That's it, we're moving to the ellipticals," she tells him sourly, and hits the buttons to turn her machine off. The tread slows; Tenten adjusts her speed to match, and finally hops off, striding towards the row of machines to the side, that face well away from the rest of the gym.

"Hey, wait up!" Lee jogs over and matches her footsteps, dabbing sweat off his forehead with a leaf-green towel. "There's definitely something going on between you and Neji, Tenten."

"No, there isn't," she says through clenched teeth, and steps onto a machine in the middle of the row. There aren't many disadvantages to Lee knowing her as well as he does, though this is one of them. "He's been snubbing my trainees, okay?"

Lee absorbs the new information with a frown. "I understand."

They spend the next quarter hour or so working up a sweat on the ellipticals, and their conversation meanders through topics of Tenten's trainees (who are slow to improve) and Lee's new fitness records (that he breaks every other month or so), as well as the new cargo shipments from Earth, and the courses the Second Lieutenants have queued up for them. Tenten is midway through giggling at Lee's impression of Captain Gai, when she feels a presence on the machine to her other side, a little too close for comfort when there are ten of the same ellipticals around them. Lee's inky eyes flick to the person behind her, and Tenten turns-

"I didn't realize that you were so... excitable," Neji remarks, and Tenten's grip tightens on the foam-covered handles of her machine. Her heart pounds.

"I didn't realize that you've made stalking a habit of yours," she snarls in return, and he smirks at her, annoyingly.

"You seem to have a problem with me choosing to maintain my fitness levels at this time," he observes, lifting a slender brow.

"Right next to me? Yes," Tenten bristles, though she isn't quite able to avoid looking at his still-bare chest, the way sweat is glistening on his pectorals. And arms. And abs.

"The air happens to be warmer around here," he replies with a casual shrug, though his pale lilac eyes haven't left hers. Tenten gnashes her teeth.

"I challenge you to a simulation, Neji!" Lee interrupts from her other side, and Tenten blinks, ashamed to admit that she'd almost forgotten about him. "My hard work is going to beat your genius, I'm certain of it!"

"You'll never win against me," Neji tells him coolly, and his attention returns to Tenten. She feels a flare of anger roar in her middle.

"Can't you just give Lee a chance to prove himself?" she snaps, glaring at him. The nerve of that jerk! "He's more hardworking than you'll ever be!"

"And which do you prefer?" Neji asks, mockingly, his eyes glinting. Before she's able to respond, he draws a small piece of paper from his pocket - Tenten realizes that it's a picture, its colors too similar to those of Alien Lab IV. Her heart stumbles, and she watches, wide-eyed, as he flicks it towards Lee-

She snatches the photo out of its flight path and curves it towards herself, pulse thudding hard in her throat - and the picture is one of the tentacles, and nothing else.

Neji is watching her with an amused smirk.

"Bastard," she hisses, pointedly ignoring the way Lee is peering over her shoulder. "I didn't think you'd-"

"You shouldn't push her buttons like that, Neji," Lee's voice breaks in sagely, and Tenten feels a little sorry that he has utterly no clue as to what's going on between them. "Tenten doesn't appreciate it."

"Oh, she does," Neji mentions, his eyes boring into hers, and she knows, without a doubt, what he's thinking, "She loves having her buttons pushed."

"Fuck off, sonofabitch!" she sputters, heat prickling all over her face. No one needs to know anything about the intimacy they've shared. "Or I'll punch your guts out!"

"As you wish, Lieutenant," Neji salutes, and steps off from his machine. "I'll be in touch with you."

"Don't hold your breath on it," Tenten mutters. She watches in silence as he exits the gym, before slowly turning back to Lee, who is staring quizzically at her.

"What was all that about?" he asks, and she shakes her head.

"I'll tell you when it's convenient for me to," Tenten promises, though she isn't sure if she'll ever keep her word on this. Missions with Dragon Platoon aren't resuming quickly enough.

* * *

It begins as ordinarily as any dream can begin; Tenten walks along the corridors of the _Konoha_, cool fluorescent lights illuminating all the nooks and crannies as far as the eye can see. With every step, it feels as if the passageway grows infinitely longer, and she frowns, mildly curious, only knowing that she has to continue forward, one foot at a time.

She feels, more than sees, the presence that appears suddenly behind her. It's not a threatening person, though it isn't a friendly one either, and she turns to look over her shoulder-

"Fancy meeting you in space," Hyuuga Neji remarks, hands tucked behind his back. Tenten is shocked to find that he is completely naked, without even weapons or a earpiece on him. She doesn't have anything to say to him, so he continues, "I'm sure your trainees will beat mine... in the next lifetime."

Tenten glowers at him then. "What are you doing here?" she snaps.

"I am minding my own business," Neji replies mildly, with a smirk.

She rolls her eyes and increases her strides, but Neji matches her pace, with no visible physical exertion. "Go away, Neji."

"You'll have to admit that you missed me," he tells her, annoyingly calm.

Her eyes narrow. "Absence did not make my heart grow fonder," she retorts.

"No," Neji agrees. "It made you grow wetter though."

"Why you-" Tenten scowls and swings a punch at him. He dodges it easily, and touches her shirt, which dissolves upon contact. "What the hell-"

She ignores the way her chest is exposed, her modesty preserved with a bra, and throws a punch at Neji. "Return my clothes!"

"They're not on me," he tells her evenly, shrugging. Neji glances down at his naked form, and Tenten can't help but follow his gaze. He is lean and strong and she remembers only too well-

"You need to dress like the girl you are," she threatens, and to her surprise, a bra identical to hers appears on his chest.

Neji looks down at the new article. He lifts an eyebrow, and merely reaches behind, leaning forward to unclasp it. Somehow, he looks incredibly sexy like that. Tenten goggles at him, and wonders if her mind has broken somewhere along the way.

He turns the bra upside-down, and wears it on his hips instead. Tenten tries not to look at the way the way the cups form an inverted V along his privates, and breathes a sigh when he tugs at the undergarment, so it covers his groin instead.

"You aren't welcome here," she tells him.

"I can do as I please," Neji returns, smug. He reaches over and caresses her midriff with a finger, and she gasps. "You enjoy our... interactions."

"I do not. Get out of my space, Hyuuga." She makes a grab for him, and he steps away, just out of her reach.

"You'll never be able to defeat me, Tenten." Neji casts a superior look at her. "Especially between the sheets."

She gapes at him, and stops walking without meaning to. The nerve of him! "I'm never sleeping with you again, egoistical jerk."

"We'll see about that." Neji steps behind her, faster than she can move, and Tenten feels her body heat when he wraps his arms around her, caressing her thigh.

"Get the hell away from me!" she yells, and twists around in his arms, only to find empty space, as if there were no trace of him just moments prior.

* * *

She purrs in the midst of tentacles, svelte body taut, writhing, slick with moisture.

Neji feels as if he's watching the scene without a physical form - he sees everything, yet feels nothing, save for hot, unyielding desire when the tentacles slither over her body, nudging at her soft breasts and parting her thighs. He wants to be there, between them, feel her slick heat, yet somehow, watching her arch in pleasure, reacting to the tentacles, is reason enough to hold him in place, merely a spectator, his gaze roving over her body.

One of the ties around her twin buns loosens, and Neji looks on as her hair spills from its restraints. A tentacle presses along the cleft between her legs; Tenten cries out, arching her back. Neji feels a throb of want echo within him. He sees clearly the probing appendage that pushes into her, spreading her, and he knows, somehow, the pleasure that brings, imagines himself doing the very same, joining her body with his.

He knows the snug wetness of her body, now, knows how the ridges of her flesh ripple along him, and he wants, all over again, the tightness as she clenches hard around him, her face contorted in a display of pleasure.

.

Neji wakes with a start, tangled amongst damp sheets, and distractingly erect. It takes him a while to regain his bearings, to remember that he isn't in the lab, and that Tenten has not just climaxed on a pile of tentacles right before him.

The fullness between his legs demands attention, however; he reaches for it, closes his eyes and thinks back on that dream-

And the most brilliant of ideas stares right back at him. Already, he sees the warm orange glow of the lab on her skin, the slick, cylindrical appendages of the _tentacula_ slipping over her body, parting her flesh - it will not be too much of a stretch to request a repeat performance, with him as the audience.

Right now, however, the insistent pressure in his flesh nags behind his thoughts. Neji is not so much of a gentleman that he would favor a cold shower in this position; he closes a fist around himself and tugs, thinking about Tenten, her pleasured moans, the tension in her taut body. She'd felt as good as he imagined, and he likes the idea of spilling inside her-

Neji tenses, groans, and falls limp against the sheets, spent. Cleanup isn't the most exciting part of the process, for sure. He casts his gaze around his quarters, spies the one framed image of Team Gai, and smiles to himself. The pictures he's captured of Tenten would look good enlarged and framed, though they aren't quite images he can afford to leave lying around.

His thoughts meander back to Tenten, as the girl he used to know, and Neji finds himself sobering. It's been a long time since they really knew each other; all the information he has on her now are what he can glean from the military database, and his memories.

With a heavy exhale, Neji pushes himself out of bed, and begins the routines to start his day.

* * *

_A/N: And... there's your first proper introduction to Lee. ;) I'm really liking how Blackmail is exploring these characters :P Not your typical fluffy/angsty romance._

_Songs used for plot inspiration (through the entirety of Blackmail) are Nickelback's Someday, Photograph, How You Remind Me, as well as OneRepublic's Counting Stars. _


	6. Off the Records: Discovery

_An interlude... and heavier than the recent chapters have been, I think. To those of you who wondered about Neji's trainee days - bingo. ;) A huge thank you to all who have stayed on and left comments! I'm surprised by the overwhelming response to this fic. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. _

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Off the Records: Discovery**

_Konoha, Nov 2022 - 8 years ago_

Neji is fourteen, freshly graduated from cadet school, and eager to see where his newfound skills will take him. Of the younger generation of Hyuuga, Hiashi sees the most potential in him, and tells him so over the video conversations that connect the Earth-bound to those orbiting in space.

_Do the Hyuuga proud,_ Hiashi commands, _we will be watching your progress._

The trainee team he's assigned to possesses skill levels far below his expectations. There is Lee, over-excitable but otherwise unskilled, and Tenten, who is good with a gun, though painfully average in other aspects. Neji watches them train from a distance, aloof, and wonders how they will propel him to greater heights. How they even managed to graduate in the first place.

Their mentor, Captain Gai, is an intense man - he makes them run countless miles in the simulation rooms, through all manner of terrain and weather. Somehow, under his strict training regimes, Neji sees his abilities sharpening, like tempering steel. It isn't only him that has made progress, however; Gai focuses especially on Lee, staying past class hours and training even on weekends. That hard work pays off in the end - under his tutelage, Lee emerges like a gem polished from muddy, roughly-hewn rock, full of energy and lean muscle, ready for physical combat.

Neji finds himself stuck with Tenten most of the time, when Gai is too busy for them both. She has a distinct disadvantage against him in unarmed altercations (the Hyuuga have trained him from young in this skill set), though she is quick and accurate with a gun. They spend most of their time practicing together, speaking little, but learning the other's strengths and weaknesses - Tenten improves to such an extent that there are times when she almost pulls a victory on him in the simulation rooms. Almost, but not quite.

He also discovers a number of things about her, during the times they pause for breaks. Some of that information is redundant, like how she likes Chinese food and solving mysteries, and she is positive where he fails to see the light in a situation.

Then there are the other things; how she is, like him, an orphan, and the way she mirrors his annoyance when Gai proposes a training scheme so ludicrous that only Lee agrees to it. Somehow, through all this, Tenten manages to link bonds of friendship between her and him, and Lee, to the extent that Neji actually looks forward to training with his team. And despite the time she spends practicing with him, Tenten is inexplicably closer to Lee than she is to him, a fact that confuses Neji to no end.

* * *

Neji's perception of Tenten changes five months into the formation of Team Gai.

They are now allowed to follow Captain Gai on simple missions, though Gai never ceases to remind them that every mission is just as critical, despite how utterly pointless they might seem. He places Neji as second-in-command very often, a fact that Neji takes for granted, because he is the genius of the Hyuuga clan. Sometimes, Gai asks Neji for his opinions on how to carry a mission out, and Neji feels a swell of satisfaction when their mentor announces that they will proceed according to Neji's directions.

Tenten envies him for this, that much Neji knows. They have discussed becoming Lieutenants in the future, and he sees Tenten mulling over mission details when Gai hands them the information, her brow furrowed as she listens to Neji's analysis and suggested directions, constantly learning.

Neji thinks he's read her well, and knows everything about her, from all the interactions they've shared to date. He is Hyuuga, after all, perceptive and intelligent. That is how people in his clan view him; he feels their cool, appraising eyes on him whenever he talks to Hiashi over a video call. And Hiashi's words always linger at the back of his mind - _do the Hyuuga proud_.

Their twentieth mission with Gai is no different. Gai gives them a printout of their task - to escort a crate of valuable mushrooms to a planet not too far away. Neji frowns at the mission statement - food delivery, really? - and looks to Gai in annoyance. They are capable of more than this-

_We'll be attacked if pigs smell that,_ Tenten says suddenly, drawing the attention of all three males, _truffles are in high demand._

_Mushrooms?_ Neji questions, his brow furrowing.

_Not mushrooms, truffles!_ Tenten waves the mission printout at him. _They are really expensive fungi! You'd probably have to save your allowance over a lifetime to buy them._

Gai gives a hearty laugh at Tenten's outburst, and claps her so hard on the shoulder that she almost keels over. _Well then, Tenten, why don't you lead this mission?_

Neji's jaw hangs open in shock. Tenten stares at Gai in unbridled delight, and Lee cheers.

Tenten has ordered the crate of truffles to be wrapped tightly in plastic. Gai and Lee are only too willing to oblige, and Neji assists them in carrying the crate on and off Gai's ship, the _Springtime of Youth_. (Neji thinks it's a stupid name.)

The mission goes better than expected, when they land on their destination planet, and Neji and Lee heft the crate down the ship's ramp. _I'll stand guard over the ship,_ Gai informs them - this planet is full of sharp noses, and the usual invisibility shield will not work against bandits who know to sniff for rocket exhaust.

So Tenten leads the way through streets and back alleys while the sun drags itself down the sky, and Neji is almost confident that the mission will be completed without incident-

When needle-like daggers fly between Lee and himself, tearing through the thin plastic wrapping surrounding the crate.

A few things happen at once: Lee drops his side of the crate and whips around, forearms lifted, ready to defend against the enemy, the heavy box slams hard into Neji's toes, sending sharp spikes of pain through his feet, and a dozen bandits surround them, leaping down from the tops of low buildings and landing on closed dumpsters.

Neji swears at the same time Tenten does. They are heavily outnumbered. She pulls her pulse gun out and takes stock of the situation; a dog barks a number of times, as if using a code, and the bandit closest to them smirks. _We have truffles here, don't we,_ he states, more than asks.

Gunfire erupts all around them a split second later. Neji ducks and fires (he sees Tenten and Lee do the same from the corner of his eye), and Lee grabs the crate according to Tenten's plan. The bandits are going down rapidly, though not before a bullet rips through his thigh - shock pounds through his body; Neji gasps in pain, and his leg gives out beneath him. He falls forward onto his hands, bracing himself for the impact, and twists around to continue firing at the bandits. Tenten takes the rest of their attackers out, quicker and more accurately than she's done in their simulations.

The alley rings with silence when all the thugs are down; Neji glances over at his teammates, relief washing over him when they look over at him in concern. There are bullet grazes on their faces and limbs, though nothing as severe as the wound in his thigh.

_How bad is it?_ Tenten asks worriedly, coming over to crouch beside him. Neji sits up, gingerly probing at the dark stain on his pants. The wound isn't gushing blood - a good sign.

_I'm fine,_ he tells them, _leave me here and complete the mission - you need to hurry. The seal is broken, anyone can trace you with that scent._

Tenten shares a look with Lee; he nods, and together, he and Tenten drag Neji to a corner, next to a dumpster. Tenten pulls pieces of cardboard from the trash, lays them over him to disguise his presence. Neji inhales deeply, exhales. He's never been shot before, though first aid lessons have given him information enough to deal with this - he cuts a strip of cloth from the leg of his pants and ties it tightly above the entrance and exit wounds to staunch the bleeding; there will probably be worse injuries than this in the future. Tenten finally draws away when the blood doesn't seem to spread as quickly over his uniform anymore.

_We'll be back soon,_ she informs him anxiously, _don't get yourself killed, Neji._

It's probably the first time he really notices that her eyes are hazel. Neji gives a tight nod, and they hurry off, with Lee balancing the box on his shoulder, and Tenten following the directions on her visor.

There is nothing left to do but wait after that - Neji taps a message to Gai, and settles down to meditate the pain away.

* * *

In the end, Gai is the one to pick him off the streets. They are back in the _Springtime of Youth _by the time Lee and Tenten return, and Neji is dozing, halfway between wakefulness and slumber, his injury bandaged.

Later, he will remember Gai as being unusually solemn while treating his wound. For now, however, Neji is content to lie back in his drug-induced haze, his teammates questioning Gai noisily from his side.

_Is he going to be okay?_ Tenten's voice rings, nervous. _I'm sorry, Neji, I really am._

_He can't hear you, he's asleep,_ Lee tells her.

_This is all my fault,_ Tenten mumbles miserably. _Is Neji going to hate me?_

_Don't blame yourself, Tenten, none of us could have expected that,_ Gai booms. His voice drifts away soon after, and Neji feels the vibrations of the ship as it takes off.

Neji drifts in and out of sleep, with the hushed voices of his teammates accompanying him. Most of their conversation floats over his head, though a few lines worm their way into his ears.

_You like him an awful lot, don't you, Tenten?_

_Shut up, Lee, it's just a crush. It'll go away._

_That still means you like him though._

Tenten doesn't say anything after that, and Neji frowns a little, trying to decide if he's imagined that snippet. It's a strange feeling, having his teammate be interested in him in a way that doesn't involve familial honor, or prestige, or over-the-top girlishness, as others have done.

The exact words of that conversation will fade in his memory, though Tenten's sentiments are something that Neji will not forget for a long time to come.

* * *

_A/N: A little backstory to Neji... I hope this helps shed a little light on why he's the way he is in the present. :)_


	7. 5: Voyeurism

_And... back to the present. I actually found this chapter hilarious, but it might not be for you. :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. Once again, **this fic is rated for mature audiences only. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 5: Voyeurism**

_Konoha, Dec 10, 2030, 1047 hrs_

Tenten is somewhat mollified to see that her trainees are doing a little better in the simulation room today. On the whole, they've increased their stamina somewhat since she first met them almost a month ago, and Moegi is doing a good job of keeping Konohamaru's temper and Udon's lack of backbone in check. Tenten thinks she might be growing fond of the female trainee, who reminds her of herself, the only difference being that her own teammates had not been quite as unmotivated or untalented. But if Captain Gai could turn Lee into a lean, mean fighting machine, so could she to these kids.

With any luck, they'll be on par with Neji's team at some point, and she'll have them whoop his (very attractive) ass as payback. Damn, but would she love to see that smirk fall from his face.

On the real-time screening of the simulation, Konohamaru is rolling and dodging shots, while Moegi aims for the attackers closing in on them. Udon stays a little ways behind her, nervous, his shots well off the mark, while a computer-generated enemy sneaks up behind them all, unseen. Tenten sighs and shakes her head. What happened to keeping track of all their targets?

With any luck, this ridiculous training scheme will be called off soon, and she'll be able to dump these kids back into Iruka's hands and return to Dragon Platoon. Kiba has been telling her about the new weapons from the labs - and Tenten fell for his bait, hook, line and sinker, because she should be the one touching those babies in all their glory, damn it-

"Hyuuga to Lieutenant Tenten," crackles the intercom in her ear.

She grimaces with the familiarity of the voice and taps on her earpiece to answer him. "Come in," Tenten responds warily, because having Neji strike a private conversation with her like this can't possibly bode well.

"Come into you?" Neji clarifies, not missing a beat, and anger leaps into Tenten's pulse like wildfire.

"What's wrong with you?" she hisses, glancing at the simulation screening.

"Nothing," comes his smooth baritone. "I would, however, like to watch you, ah, interact with the alien specimen- you know the one I'm referring to."

It is a moment before the gravity of his request sinks in. Tenten feels her stomach plummet. "You're fucked up," she snaps. No sane person would want to watch her with the tentacles, no way.

"So are you," he counters, and she hears clearly the smirk in his voice. "Remember, too, the exchange we have in the balance."

Tenten's jaw drops. Didn't she just- "You mean that... act wasn't enough?"

Neji snorts over the intercom. "One instance of sex, really? Those pictures are worth far more than that, Lieutenant."

"Damn you," she grits at him, and he coughs lightly, as if to conceal a laugh. To think she actually found him attractive-

"Tonight, Lab IV, at 0100 hours. Do you copy?" Neji continues, as if he hasn't heard her last comment. And Tenten knows that she doesn't have a choice but to agree, or risk facing the consequences of those pictures making their rounds through her superiors.

"Roger, over and out," she mutters, glaring at nothing in particular.

Tenten is so furious that she barely notices her trainees filing out of the simulation room several minutes later, wearing triumphant grins on their faces.

"We did it, Tenten!" Konohamaru chirps, pumping his fists in the air. "I told you we'd beat the simulation!"

"It felt like that was easier than the previous one though," Moegi comments thoughtfully. She turns to Udon. "I'm glad you saved us when you did, though, that was really brave of you!"

Tenten snaps out of her thoughts then, surveying the simulation results and her trainees. They've cleared the simulation in eighty percent of the time it took them to do another of this difficulty level. Surprised, she looks more closely at the trio; there's a light blush on Udon's cheeks, Moegi is looking proudly at him, and Konohamaru has his hands tucked behind his head, trying to look as if he doesn't care what Moegi is saying about their other teammate.

"Good work, guys," Tenten tells them, looking at each of the kids in turn. "I selected a slightly easier test this time to give you a break."

"So we didn't actually improve that much, after all," Moegi replies, her shoulders slumping.

"Yeah, you'll need a lot more than that to defeat Hyuuga's team," Tenten agrees. The name leaves a bitter taste on her tongue.

Konohamaru narrows his eyes, lower lip pushing up in a pout. "I'm going to be the best there is!"

"Only with a hell lot more training, kid," Tenten tells him dryly. She's reminded of Lee, who was all energy and no direction when he first began. "It can be done, but you'll have to quit fooling around so much."

He looks sourly at her; Tenten glances at Moegi instead, who seems as though she's on the verge of bursting with a question. "What is it? Spill."

"How would you defeat a Hyuuga?" Moegi asks, her brow furrowed. "Rumor has it that you lost to Lieutenant Hyuuga two days ago during a simulation."

Both Konohamaru and Udon perk up at that. Tenten grits her teeth. How is it that news concerning her and Neji gets spread around so quickly?

"Why can't Hyuuga Neji be our mentor instead?" Konohamaru whines, and Tenten fights the urge to hit him with a left hook. Wasn't he pissed at Neji just the other day?

"Shut up, kid," she growls. Damn Neji for undermining her reputation, even among her trainees. "If you want to learn from him, you gotta beat me first. The Uchiha and Hyuuga clans train their offspring in strategy and unarmed physical combat. Someone who doesn't have a family background like that requires a lot more practice to achieve their level of proficiency."

"Well, maybe if he trained me, I'd be able to beat you," Konohamaru mutters mutinously.

With a snarl, Tenten grabs his collar, lifting him off his feet. Fear washes over his face. "One more word from you, kid, and you won't live to see your next birthday," she threatens, her face inches from his. Tenten is struck by the irony that the last person she did this to is, really, the very person they're talking about now.

"You can't kill me, it's against the rules!" Konohamaru squeaks.

"Yeah, but I can make your life a living hell," she replies, and drops him back down, turning away. "Be here at 0800 hours sharp tomorrow, or you'll be doing a hundred laps on soft sand. In the meantime, repeat the training I've been running you guys through. No skipping any of the push-ups, sit-ups or laps."

Konohamaru begins to protest - Tenten silences him with a glare and turns, striding down the corridor. At least she's got a lineup of physicals for the rest of the day to distract her with.

"She's my new hero!" Moegi's squeal all but echos down the hallway, and Tenten grins. Neji's probably having a much easier time with his trainees, though.

At the thought of him, their meeting tonight rushes back into her mind, and her smile slides right off her lips. It isn't so much the sex she minds as suffering his sheer arrogance, the loss of control - plus, that smirk of his makes anger churn in her gut.

And though the prospect of Neji watching her in moments of sheer vulnerability makes the hair on her skin stand on end, there is a little part of her that is curious about it, and excited, all at the same time.

* * *

The Lab IV doors hiss shut behind her at exactly 0100 hours. Tenten draws a deep breath, scans the dim, orange-lit room. The surveillance cameras have already been deactivated, which calms her nerves, but just by a little. She picks her way through the lab and finds Neji on a folding chair beside the _tentacula phytum_, tapping on his roll-out keyboard. Did she expect any less from him?

"You're fucking insane," she growls. Just the sight of him is enough to make her pulse turn unsteady. _Due to fury,_ she tells herself.

He looks up from the holographic screen, smirks, and scans her form. "Call it curiosity - that has a better ring to it," Neji tells her, keying a string of characters into his keyboard. "I've disabled the doors - they aren't going to open until I feed them the unlocking code."

Tenten rolls her eyes, looking up at the cameras again, just in case. She gestures towards them. "The cameras?"

"Done," Neji replies flippantly, with a slight lift of his shoulders. "Did you expect that little of me?"

"I wouldn't know what to expect of you," she mutters, looking askance at him.

With the issue of security out of the way, Tenten stalks forward, pausing just in front of him and the writhing tentacles. "Isn't there a simpler solution to this situation?" she demands, irate. This should have been a very personal experience, with no audience whatsoever.

Neji raises his eyebrows. "This isn't simple enough, Lieutenant?" he returns, leaning back in his seat. Pale eyes sweep over her form. It feels as if he's stripped her bare with that look, and Tenten doesn't know how to react. "Compared to facing deportation and losing your position, I would assume it is."

Aggravation twists in her stomach. "Get bent, Hyuuga," she snarls, because he's figured her out, and she feels too vulnerable with that information out in the open.

"I don't enjoy yielding my authority," Neji informs her solemnly. "Though it seems that you don't, either. Are we getting started yet?"

"Damn right I don't," she snaps, glaring at him. "Don't you dare take any more pictures."

It is only after he removes the visor from his ear and sets it on the floor with his miniature computer that Tenten begins to relax, just slightly. She tugs at the zipper around her waist, to detach her pants from the rest of her uniform - at least this doesn't require her to be fully undressed. Neji's gaze slips from her face to her legs when she steps out of her boots and kicks the standard-issue pants and her panties off.

His eyes settle on the region of her hips. "Never seen a woman before?" she bites, a light flush gathering on her cheeks. It's not as if she hasn't been with a man before, but Neji is her rival, and this intimacy- It's a little more than what she's comfortable with.

"None with a tongue like yours," Neji admits, his eyes flickering up to meet hers. Her stomach flips.

Slowly, she settles on the cool tiled floor of the lab, spreading her legs to face the _tentacula_. Cool air brushes over her skin.

"Turn towards me," Neji orders.

Tenten understands what exactly he's after, and feels her brittle patience snap. "Why the hell do I have to-"

"The pictures, remember?" He smirks, leans back in his seat, arms folded across his chest.

"I haven't forgotten," she mutters and glares at him, shifting so her bare crotch is open to his view. And amidst her annoyance, there's a little spark of adrenaline that leaks into her veins, because he's seeing her in the most intimate way possible. Tenten parts her legs wider, watching with satisfaction when his gaze anchors onto her groin (she's moister than usual, though there's no way she'll admit that it's because of his very presence).

Neji doesn't reply, and Tenten calms down, slowly, reaching for the squirming, lukewarm mass of tentacles. Two follow the guidance of her fingers and stretch out, contacting her calf, sending a thrill across her skin. She gasps.

The tentacles weave their way over her leg, towards the juncture of her thighs with familiar ease, and Tenten finds her anger melting away, replaced by the first traces of lust, that slowly builds in intensity when the blunt, purple tips trail over her hair and nether lips, probing slowly at her swollen flesh. They leave wet smears over her skin; her breath quickens - she reaches down to part her flesh in invitation. A moan slips from her throat when one tentacle nudges her engorged clit, and the other follows the cleft of her sex, to her damp entrance.

Somehow, she is all the more sensitive today, especially so when she spies the bulge growing at Neji's crotch. The knowledge that she has this power over him makes desire surge afresh in her veins; Tenten opens her legs as far as they can go (his fingers are twitching just the slightest bit). The tentacle at her entrance presses in, spreading her flesh, and Tenten closes her eyes at the sensation, when it fills her, withdraws, and fills her again.

It's all she can do to keep herself propped up on her arms, with the appendages of the _tentacula_ surging within her, over her, driving her to delirium. (And Neji is watching, catching the way she's stretched around the tentacle, instead of him, how it drives into her, and the quiver of her body as she responds.) A third tentacle reaches into her top, though the tension in her belly is fast overcoming her senses, and a crescendo of bliss crashes over her just as a tentacle slides heavily over her flesh.

Tenten moans; her toes curl and her body tightens. She tips her head back, so distracted that she doesn't see Neji scooping the visor off the floor - it is only when the wave of pleasure ebbs that she notices his lifted arm, and the slight movement of his finger on the button by his ear.

For a moment, Tenten stares blankly at Neji, drained, until the weight of his actions plows into her gut with all the force of a battleship's cannon, and she's on her feet before she thinks, pummeling him onto the floor with a crash. The chair skids out from beneath them.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she snarls, throwing a punch at his face that Neji barely catches with the palm of his hand. Tenten tries to yank her fist away, but he isn't letting up, and she swings her other arm at him, crawling onto her knees for leverage-

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Neji mutters, blocking her blow. Tenten growls in frustration, bringing her elbow down to his gut-

And Neji flips them onto her back with his superior strength, pinning her thighs down with his knees. Tenten trembles with barely-contained rage. How dare he betray her trust like that? She leans up and sinks her teeth into his forearm, almost drawing blood - Neji releases her with a grimace; she's shoving him off and leaping back onto her feet, backing away, reaching for her gun-

Except her weapons holster is on the floor between them, attached to her pants.

Damn it. Neji is on his feet and more armed than she is right now, and he's seen her glance at her garments on the floor - that strategy will not work against him. With a yell, Tenten launches herself back at him. Neji steps to the side, just out of the way, and she spins on her heel, grabbing his elbow.

She hooks her foot around his ankle and tugs hard - Neji catches her arms, readjusts his leg to keep himself from falling. Tenten is past caring about her unsightly attacks; she twists herself roughly out of his grasp. "You said you weren't going to take any pictures, damn it!" she bristles.

"I didn't say anything at all," he returns, smugly.

"Why, you insufferable jerk-" Tenten charges at him, drawing a fist back to punch him in the face - Neji dodges that, snatches her wrist, though what he isn't prepared for is the way she tugs the pulse gun from his holster with her other hand, firing it up and prodding his chest hard with it, its quiet vibrations reassuring to her touch. "Make one more move, Hyuuga, and you're dead," she hisses.

Neji lifts a dark eyebrow at her, looks amusedly between her face and his gun. Tenten growls, shoves its barrel further against his chest. Releases the safety catch. "I certainly did not expect this," he murmurs.

And he's tugging on her wrist, swinging her to the side and stepping behind her, anchoring her back to his chest with an arm around her waist. Tenten swears, stomps hard on his foot, but her lack of a boot softens the impact, and she feels the heave of Neji's chest as he gives a low chuckle. "Release me at once!" she threatens, jabbing his thigh with the gun-

Neji plucks the weapon out of her hand, powers it back down and tucks it back into his holster, at the same time he reaches south, smoothing his fingers between her legs.

"What the hell-" she snipes (and her body comes back to life). With a spurt of energy, Tenten writhes and bucks against him (there's a hardness in his clothes that she doesn't miss) and finally tears away from his grasp, panting with exertion. "You need to be skinned alive and roasted in hell," Tenten growls. "Erase those pictures at once."

"First, there is no hell in space," Neji informs her, still smug. Tenten clenches her fists hard, shaking with a heady mix of rage and adrenaline. "And second, you look especially attractive in those pictures. I can't possibly bear to get rid of them."

There is, conveniently, a wide, shallow pot of tentacles right behind Hyuuga Neji.

"Fuck you," Tenten seethes, backing up a couple of steps - and she is sprinting forward at him. Neji reaches out to absorb the impact, though she's expected that, instead stepping to the side- Neji turns, and Tenten darts behind him, yanking on his belt to throw his balance backwards-

Neji stumbles back, feet catching on the edge of the pot, though not before he grabs her arm in a death grip, and jerks her along with him.

The descent into the pot of tentacles happens almost in slow-motion. Tenten yelps, twists around so she lands on Neji's chest instead of the tentacles (his pale eyes are wide with shock)-

And a mess of slime and plant fluids explodes around them.

Tenten fights the urge to retch when acrid slime finds its way into her mouth. The horror and disgust on Neji's goo-covered face is almost worth this - almost - until Tenten peels herself off from him, dripping _tentacula_ remnants, and realizes that the greying tentacles no longer hold life in them. Slime covers everything within a three-foot radius around them - including the folding chair, and the shattered remains of Neji's miniature computer.

"Oh fucking hell," Tenten breathes, floored at the disaster they're now mired in. She spits the slime out, wipes her lips with the back of her hand. It doesn't quite get rid of the bitterness on her tongue.

Neji sits up in the pot of dead _tentacula_ (she isn't sure she's happy that he hasn't hit his head on the other edge of the pot) and looks around, dripping thick fluid, his hair a cascade of muck. Tenten watches with a sort of sick fascination when his gaze lands on the pieces of computer by the chair, that one of them must have crushed in the middle of their altercation, and his jaw drops.

"The unlocking code was in there," he says, to no one in particular.

They're stuck together in here, for the foreseeable future?

Tenten feels as if she could burst with anger. "You... genius," she snarls.

But she doesn't have the heart to punch him, when she tries to stand and slips, instead, on _tentacula_ goo, falling heavily back onto Neji. He grunts.

At length, Tenten manages to crawl out of the pot, wiping slime off her body. She grimaces, sits gingerly on the floor.

Neji hauls himself out, pale eyes surveying the damage in the room. The debris is, really, confined to about a six-foot circle, though there is no hiding, now, that they were in the lab at an ungodly hour, doing ungodly things, resulting in the demise of a specimen that they should not have had access to.

"Fuck," is the only thing Neji says for a long time.

"That all you can manage?" Tenten asks dryly. At least her pants are relatively clean. She pads over to where she remembers seeing Ino stash paper towels, her mood lifting slightly when she finds boxes upon boxes of them.

But damn it, what's _Ino_ going to say about all of this?

Tenten cringes and shoves the thought aside. For now, cleanup comes first. She'll be lucky if she comes out of this situation with minimal punishment. And it's all fucking Neji's fault. Damn it all to hell.

She tosses a box of towels at his head, watching with grim satisfaction as it bounces off, landing wetly in a puddle of goo. Neji turns to look at her with a shuttered expression. "Clean up," Tenten tells him. "I'm not going to do this alone. This is all your damn fault in the first place."

Things go by a lot quicker after she folds her emotions away; if Neji noticed this change, he certainly has not commented on it. She avoids looking at him as much as possible, and her clothes are wiped down and back on her once she's cleaned her legs off. So much for her weekly escape into the lab.

It's a while before the floors and equipment around the _tentacula_ pot are presentable, and Neji fills two large trash bags full, setting them aside. Tenten surveys the lab with a wince - the tiled floors are as clean as they can get, and the specimen pot is now empty, cleared of dead alien material. Damn it.

"Get us out of this mess, Hyuuga," she mutters, breaking the lengthy silence. "You're the cause of all this."

Neji glances at her from the corner of his eye. (He's looking a lot better without the gooey splatters and his hair being a glistening curtain of slime.) "Says the one who pushed me into that pot," he returns evenly.

"If you thought with your head and not your... privates, and didn't take that damn picture, none of this would've happened!" Tenten snaps. She can stand to not imagine his manly bits, no thank you.

"Has it occurred to you that I need silence to think of a solution?" he remarks, eyes narrowed. Tenten doesn't miss how he's completely refrained from acknowledging her acid comment. She seats herself on the folding chair, watching as he gets to his feet and paces around, looking at the computer stations that are, no doubt, password-protected.

"When did you learn to hack into programs, anyway?" she mutters sourly. It's been six years since Neji graduated early from Team Gai, six years since she really knew him.

"After I graduated." Neji's reply is quiet, and he looks briefly at her, before settling in front of the nearest computer terminal. The remains of his compact computer are in a clear, sealed bag by the _tentacula_ pot. "You've climbed through the ranks yourself."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "Cut the crap, Hyuuga. I don't want to imagine what Kurenai will have to say about us destroying her specimens."

Neji slants a look at her. Professor Yuuhi Kurenai is in charge of all the labs aboard the ship, with enough experience like others in her rank (Captain Gai, for example) to weed lies from any excuse they may have. There isn't a plausible story Tenten can think of to explain this, short of the truth.

"I'll work on a story. Give me some time to get the door unlocked," Neji tells her, turning back to the computer screen. The system logs him in somehow, and Tenten stares - how on earth did he get access to the computers so easily?

"Did you steal someone's password or something?" she asks, curious. Unbidden, Tenten feels herself stand and walk over to hover by Neji's shoulder.

"I used my cousin's login details," he explains, not looking at her this time, typing a string of code into the command prompt.

"You mean, Hinata?" Tenten guesses, frowning. She doesn't see the heiress of the Hyuuga line around very often. Hinata isn't part of the lab team, though - why would she have a login ID here? Neji doesn't answer this time, and Tenten stands around, watching as Neji's fingers fly across the keyboard, speaking a language that she has not bothered to learn.

At length, Neji looks up from the screen, and at her. "The doors are back to normal. I've erased Hinata's login details on the system - she won't be held accountable for this."

"Right," she says dubiously. "What about the _tentacula_?"

"I dropped by to inspect them and accidentally tripped and fell in." Neji arches a brow at her, as if daring her to challenge his statement. She snorts. Neji, accidentally tripping and falling? "You happened to be around to challenge my entry and I allowed you to follow me into the lab."

"I'm sure Kurenai's gonna buy that," Tenten tells him sarcastically.

Neji frowns, logging off from the computer terminal. "You come up with a better one, then. Meet me outside her office at 0700 hours sharp. With any luck, she'll allow us some time to obtain a new specimen, and that'll be the end of it."

"Wait." She holds up a hand. "What about the pictures? I fucked you, and I did the tentacles earlier - isn't that enough?"

The look on his countenance turns into one of amusement. Neji's eyes are cool, measuring. "Not by a long shot, Lieutenant."

Her head swims. Tenten barely musters the energy to growl, "I hate you."

Neji walks over to the _tentacula_ pot and retrieves his bag of shattered computer parts, pausing to look at her over his shoulder. "Are you ever planning on leaving the lab?"

Tenten grits her teeth then, reluctantly following him out of the room.

* * *

_A/N: I love barbs at Neji's intelligence LOL. Once again, thank you for the reviews! If you enjoyed the chapter, let me know! ;)_


	8. 6: Famous Last Words

_New week, new update! This chapter never fails to amuse me whenever I read it. :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 6: Famous Last Words**

_Konoha, Dec 11, 2030, 0708 hrs_

"Really."

Professor Yuuhi Kurenai swivels in her high-backed office chair, turning to scrutinize Tenten instead. "And you didn't prevent Lieutenant Hyuuga from tripping and falling into the specimen?"

Tenten flushes under the older woman's gaze. Those crimson eyes of Kurenai's are always unnerving to look at; it seems as if they could throw her into illusions if she stared too hard. "Well, I was calling him a small-dicked pussy, and he turned around at the most unfortunate time," Tenten answers.

Beside her, Neji's fists tighten imperceptibly.

The corners of Kurenai's lips twitch. For an instant, Tenten could've sworn that there was a spark of humor in Kurenai's eyes, though the moment is gone as soon as she blinks. "Well, the Hyuuga clan can stand to be taken down by a notch or two," Kurenai allows, biting down a smile. "I could say the same for your uncle, Neji."

Tenten snorts. She tries to cover it up with a cough, a little too late. Did Kurenai actually see-

"With regard to the consequences of your actions..." Kurenai pauses, bringing her fingers into a steeple. Tenten gulps. Ordinarily, she would think of the lab director as sexy, with her unruly dark hair, red lipstick and full curves under her lab coat, but right now, Kurenai holds Tenten's entire life in her hands, and Tenten isn't the least bit inclined to cross her. "Seeing as the destruction of the specimen was not a result of malicious action, I'll grant the two of you four days to retrieve a new specimen. Any later than that, and this will reach Admiral Tsunade's ears."

Relief crashes into Tenten, sinking into her bones like a sponge takes water.

"Thank you, Professor-" she gasps.

"However," Kurenai interrupts, sending her a severe look, "I don't want to see either of you back in the labs. Your access rights will be revoked."

Her stomach clenches. Tenten stifles a grimace and nods, bringing her hand up in a stiff salute. "Understood, Professor."

"That insult was unnecessary," Neji mutters once they're out of Kurenai's offices, heading back to their quarters.

"It made all the difference," Tenten argues, propping her hands on her hips. "Kurenai smiled. She actually smiled! She agrees that you're a tiny-dicked wimp."

Neji glares at her. "You know my dimensions. I am not-"

"Suck it before I spread the word that Professor Kurenai found the size of your manly bits funny. And your uncle's, too," she threatens in return. "Ino would have a field day working on it."

He scoffs. "And Yamanaka would have a field day knowing that you've slept with me."

How the hell did he know that? Neji wasn't anywhere nearby when they had that conversation, unless- "Damn you," Tenten growls. "I didn't think you'd sink that low, Hyuuga."

His lips curve in a smirk. "All the easier to, ah, join with you."

Is his mind in the gutter all the time? "I don't want you anywhere near my bed, jerk," Tenten bristles. "Why me, anyway? Ino said you're the most frigid-"

Neji slows down as they approach the corridors leading to the Lieutenants' quarters. He looks sidelong at her. "We depart at noon today. The _Byakugan_ is in hangar C64. Don't be late."

With that, Neji turns down a corridor, and disappears from sight.

"To hell with you, Hyuuga," she mutters, staring murderously at where she last saw him. "This is all your fault."

* * *

"You're going on a romantic intergalactic cruise with _the_ Hyuuga Neji?" Ino all but squeals. Tenten looks nervously around the otherwise-empty cafeteria.

"Shut up, Ino, no one else needs to know about this!" Tenten hisses. "And it's a mission, not some damn romantic getaway! I don't even like him!"

Ino raises a perfectly-trimmed blond brow. "What kind of mission requires just the two of you on board a ship? What about your trainees?"

"An impromptu collection mission." She scowls. At least it's too early yet for Ino to find out about the missing _tentacula_ specimen. "I'll hand my trainees over to Lee in the meantime - he's agreed to cover for me for a few days."

It's fortunate that Lee is as much of a sweetheart as he is (or perhaps he just wanted to spread the joy of springtime and youth and green to her poor kids), because he's agreed to train the three of them on her behalf, no questions asked.

"I'm so jealous of you, Ten," Ino sighs, propping her chin up in her palm. "Imagine looking at him for four days straight-"

"He's the biggest dickhead, you wouldn't want to go anywhere near him with a ten-foot pole," Tenten mutters sourly.

Ino flicks a measuring glance at her. "Wait, did you mean to say that he _is_ the biggest dickhead, or that he _has_ the biggest dickhead?"

"Oh god, Ino," Tenten mumbles exasperatedly, dragging a hand over her face. It doesn't help that she's only got a few hours of sleep in last night, between washing the _tentacula _goo off and worrying about what Kurenai's sentence would be. The last thing she wants right now is an image of Neji's groin flashing in her mind. "Just go away."

"Oh yeah, I forgot that you weren't into getting laid," Ino replies dryly.

Being pounded senseless sounds like a very good idea right about now-

Oh _hell no_, what is she thinking? Tenten grabs her head and groans, thumping her forehead noisily into the cafeteria table. Ino's cutlery clatters around in her tray.

"Hey, I'm trying to eat here, stop disrupting the wavelengths of my food particles," Ino chides, frowning. "Or are you trying to come to terms with the fact that you have raging female hormones?"

_Damn straight, Ino._

"I'm trying to knock myself unconscious before the mission," Tenten mutters. The sandwich and coffee in her stomach seem to be doing a merry tango.

"Girl, I'd be orgasmic if I were in your position," Ino says between mouthfuls of food. "Think of how many times you can screw him on the trip there - just put the ship on autopilot-"

"Why don't you go screw him yourself?" Tenten grumbles. She flattens her cheek against the table and looks up at the blond. Ino sure doesn't take character into consideration when it comes to this. "He's an ass. All yours."

"He _has_ an ass," Ino corrects, and bites into an apple. "I'd tap that. So hard."

"Go right ahead." Tenten reluctantly drags herself back into an upright position. There's still Captain Gai to notify, and her kids to talk to. At least she's still holding on to her job. "I'd even tie him up for you, how about that?"

"Nah, I'll pass," Ino grins. "He has to come to me willingly."

Gods, for Neji to seek Ino out willingly instead... Tenten heaves a deep sigh. "I need to go. It's almost eight, and I still need to tell the kids that I'll be gone."

"Have a good trip." Ino winks. "Don't fight your attraction, Ten."

"I'll try my best not to kill him," Tenten replies tiredly, getting to her feet. "Just for you, Ino."

* * *

"That's not fair! Hyuuga's students are going to get more training in than we will!" Konohamaru exclaims, pouting.

Tenten sighs. "Look, it's only four days, and besides, training with my Second is nothing like what I've been putting you through."

The simulation room is acrid this morning, a harsh desert landscape similar to the one she fought Neji in, with dusty, hard ground, red skies, and scattered boulders across the landscape.

"Lee's gym routine is a thousand push-ups, a thousand sit-ups, fifty miles on the treadmill - you get my drift." She surveys her trainees, who have fallen silent. "He will be expecting you to do the same."

"What?" Moegi cries, discomfiture scrawled over her face. "That's insane! Couldn't you train with us, Tenten?"

"I think I'm gonna die in the middle of it," Udon intones, sniffling. "I've never exercised that much before."

"Well, all the more you should get started on it," Tenten informs them. "Lee was at your level when he first started, and he became my Second two years after he graduated. Even Hyuuga doesn't have his stamina."

The trio goggles at her.

"I guess we'll be fine training with Lee," Konohamaru finally concedes. Tenten grins and ruffles his hair; he stares resentfully up at her. "Hey, don't touch my hair! I spent an hour on it!"

A laugh bubbles up her chest. "Well, get used to crappy hair, kid - you won't have time to look your best out on the field."

"But Lieutenant Hyuuga has the nicest hair on the ship," Moegi pipes up with a frown.

Tenten smirks. "You've noticed?"

"Who doesn't notice that curtain of hair?" Konohamaru grouses. "It's like he soaks it in conditioner or something."

"He does," she tells him wryly. Neji has always had the best hair on the ship, ever since their cadet years a decade ago. Tenten realizes, with some surprise, that neither she nor Lee has actually criticized him about it before.

"Which brand do you think he uses?" Moegi asks, touching her own hard, wiry hair. "I'd like to try ordering some with the online catalog."

_Silk._ Tenten purses her lips, on the verge of mentioning the name. It's the brand she remembers him hoarding six years ago, though he might have switched ever since - but he's smelled the same as before during their recent encounters. "Ask him when he gets back," she suggests instead.

"He's going on the mission too?" Udon questions, blearily. Both Konohamaru and Moegi perk up at the news.

"Are you going on a date?" Moegi whispers, her cheeks turning pink.

"Oh gods, no," Tenten groans, rolling her eyes. "Not you guys too."

"You're interested in him, huh?" Konohamaru grins, thumbing his nose.

"One more word, Konohamaru, and I'll punch your guts into tomorrow," Tenten mutters, narrowing her eyes. "He's the nastiest piece of crap I've ever seen."

"I've never seen her so worked up before," Moegi whispers loudly to Udon.

"Except when we lost to his team," Udon whispers back.

Tenten snaps. "That's it, five hundred laps around the room, now!" she orders. The three kids whine pitifully at her. "Any more protests, and it'll be seven hundred laps!"

Konohamaru grumbles, turning away to begin jogging. Moegi and Udon drag their feet behind him.

A sudden idea floats into her mind, and Tenten finds herself cheering up significantly. "You know what, guys," she begins, a grin tugging on her lips. The trainees look warily at her. "We'll be gone four days. If you're up for a prank, sneak into his quarters and add bleach to his conditioner. The stronger, the better. Don't leave any trace of your presence - just like a mission."

The look on their faces is priceless. Tenten has a sneaking suspicion that if there's one thing her team is good at, it's pulling the unexpected.

* * *

"I'd like to put in a request for some time off," Tenten tells Gai, seated across from him at his desk three hours later. The training session with her kids had gone unexpectedly well - their high spirits were likely fueled by the prospect of pulling an unimaginable prank on _the_ Hyuuga Neji. "Four days, today through the fourteenth."

"Four days?" Gai studies her contemplatively, arms folded across his wide chest. "That's the same request Neji put in an hour ago."

"Yeah, I'm leaving on an impromptu mission with him," Tenten reveals, her shoulders sagging. It is really only with her platoon and Gai that she allows such weakness to show.

"Who assigned this mission?" Gai is shrewd behind his genial expression, and Tenten knows better than to try and hide the truth from him.

"Professor Kurenai. She wants us to replace a specimen that perished." She pulls a face. The visual of the dead _tentacula_ is still fresh in her memory - that, as well as Neji, who is the cause of this entire mess in the first place.

"And it's just the two of you going?" Gai leans back into his seat, rubbing his chin. "Last I heard, Kurenai sent four on a specimen collection mission - two Lieutenants, two Seconds."

Tenten gapes at him. "Damn it. Are the two of us going to be enough?"

"I believe you'll be able to do it, Tenten." Gai flashes a thumbs-up at her. "Think of it as extra training!"

She is still staring at her former mentor when Gai adds, "Besides, I'm certain that Neji will protect you, should any unfortunate event occur."

"I don't need protection, Gai." Tenten sends him a baleful stare. "Surely you know my capabilities."

"Better than anyone else," he acknowledges pridefully, with a gleaming smile. "After all, I trained you, dear lotus."

She chooses to ignore the nickname this time - there are more pressing matters at hand, like making Gai see that she really does not need Neji for anything. "So I won't need to be protected," Tenten repeats.

"Ah, but Neji will want to," the Captain tells her sagely.

_What?_

"You're out of your mind," she retorts.

"Having your teammate perform at their best is crucial for a mission's success, is it not?" Gai raises his eyebrows.

"It is," she agrees reluctantly.

"Neji is a hot-blooded young man, you know," Gai adds. "Though he might be in need of guidance sometimes."

"Right." She doesn't think so. Neji just needs to stay the hell away from her.

"Anyway, have fun on your mission," Gai salutes, with his characteristic grin, bowl-cut gleaming under the fluorescent light. He waggles his eyebrows. "I'm sure Neji will appreciate having you around."

Tenten scowls at him. "There's nothing going on between us," she asserts, for good measure.

But Gai seems to pay no mind to her words, instead waving her off. "Enjoy the springtime of your youth, Tenten!"

* * *

_A/N: I'm so sorry Tenten. A lot of the humor in this chapter was done at your expense. HA HA._

_As always, thank you for the reviews! I'm amazed by the number of people who take their time to leave a comment ;)_


	9. 7: Osiris

_New chapter! This is a super-long chapter and took me 3 hours to edit (and that was the third round of editing)... and was about 3 days of solid writing or something._

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. As always, **this fic is rated for mature audiences. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 7: Osiris**

_Konoha, Dec 11, 2030, 1200 hrs_

"I have my supplies packed for four days," Tenten reports the moment Neji is within hearing distance. He nods in acknowledgement and stops by an iris scanner, bending down slightly to look into it. The access light flashes green a moment later, and the doors to the pre-airlock chamber slide open.

"There are enough supplies on my ship for this mission," Neji informs her as he straightens. His gaze slips over her form, and Tenten shivers. There's no stopping how her body reacts to him, is there?

"Well, you didn't give any specifics before we parted ways." She shrugs, following him through the chamber and into the hangar, where his ship is docked.

Hangar C64 is one of the multi-purpose hangars that were built to house spacecrafts up to five times the size of theirs, and the gunmetal-gray ship they stride towards seems tiny against the cavernous chamber. Smooth steel panels line the walls of the hangar - spare parts and tools are hidden behind those panels, retrieved only when the airlock is engaged.

Like her spacecraft, the _Silver Blade_, the _Byakugan_ is one built for combat missions and speed. Shaped like a bulky triangle, with a pointed nose flaring out to flat wings at its sides, and rocket engines right at the very back, the appearance of the ship is an understatement compared to its abilities. Tenten guesses that it has firepower similar to hers, with retractable ray guns built into its sides. Neji keys a command into his earpiece, and the lights on the ship flicker on. Low engine hums fill the hangar. A door folds down from its side, extending into a ramp.

"I'm assuming that you know how we're going to retrieve another _tentacula_ specimen," Tenten states dryly, following Neji into his ship. "Kurenai made no mention about that."

The ramp seals itself back into the doorway of the ship once they're on board, and Neji settles into the pilot's seat at the cockpit. She buckles herself into the empty seat on his right, where his Second would usually go.

"I'm disappointed," Neji eventually speaks, between flicking switches on and obtaining clearance from the flight control room. "I would have thought Yamanaka knew about my involvement in the specimen retrieval missions."

Tenten frowns. Neji was a part of those missions? That explains why he had lab access to the alien specimens. "I didn't mention the specific mission to Ino - she doesn't need to know that."

Neji doesn't answer her for a while; the switches on his console are glowing, and he's scrolling through holographic screens displaying the ship's supplies. Tenten finds herself looking over his shoulder at them. It isn't easy to give up being in charge, when she's been leading her platoon for three years straight.

Full tank of fuel. Oxygen enough for seven days. Nuclear weapons fully charged. Full supplies of firearms and food.

"Key in the coordinates of the parent star," Neji says, glancing back at her. "We're headed for the Pegasus constellation, quadrant NQ4. Coordinates: right ascension, 22-03-10. Declination, positive 18-53-04."

"Roger that," she replies, typing into her keyboard. The screen to her right blinks twice and displays their flight path. "We'll be there in 12 hours and 56 minutes. No reports of conflicts along the way."

"Got that."

Neji fires up the _Byakugan_, swiveling it around so that they're facing the hangar doors. It is a moment longer before the amber light above the doors turns green - air has been evacuated from the airlock, and the giant doors slide open. Beyond, the universe is a canvas of velvety black, speckled by a million stars.

They steer carefully out of the _Konoha_, and with a powerful thrust, the _Byakugan_ takes off, leaving its mother ship far behind.

Tenten waits until they've achieved a stable speed, before looking back at Neji. "You were involved in the specimen retrieval missions?"

He glances at her momentarily. "I was ordered to follow Hinata on those missions, along with Shino and Chouji."

She raises her eyebrows. "Are four people really necessary for that?"

"No. But it was an order."

"To protect a main-line Hyuuga?"

Neji is silent for a while. He isn't looking back at her when he speaks, "I didn't think you still remembered that."

She snorts, tipping her head back in her seat. "I still remember a lot of things about you, Hyuuga Neji. Most of which I'd rather forget."

"I'm honored."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "I'd trade your honor for leadership on this mission."

He smirks then, turning to her. "You don't have the experience required for it."

"Damn you."

"Besides, I'm more familiar with the interspecies protocol than you are. We aren't cleared to deal with other species on this mission."

That could be dangerous.

"What are the chances of us running into another species?" she asks.

"About twenty percent. I have equipment for specimen collection on board the ship."

"How current is your information?"

"Two years. I haven't needed to return for another specimen since." Neji looks pointedly at her. "Hawk Platoon has been stationed at Orion's Belt until recently."

"The cluster of low technology?" Tenten laughs at the thought of high-and-mighty Neji having to do his own laundry. It isn't enough to completely lift her spirits from their current predicament, but that's all right. "I didn't think you knew how to cook."

Neji scans his console, and looks back at her solemnly. "I learned."

"Well, you need to learn to shove your tiny dick where it belongs," Tenten mutters with a scowl, her attention drifting. She still hasn't got over their recent entanglements - the blackmail, the pictures, her lab access rights, and how she could still have been on the _Konoha_ right now if it weren't for him.

"In you?" he returns, with a half-smirk. She glares at him. "You never actually complained about my size when you were, ah, straddling me."

Tenten flushes. "I could kill you right now and say we met with an accident."

"That would be too easy, wouldn't it?" Neji returns. "What's more, you're out of sexual entertainment now - no _tentacula_, and no lab access rights."

How did he-

"Will you quit eavesdropping on my conversations?" she snaps, glowering at him. Neji must know about her aversion to relationships, then.

"At some point," he agrees evasively, studying her with his pale eyes.

"You know I hate you."

"Yes, you've mentioned it once before." Neji lifts his shoulder. "Your body thinks otherwise."

Tenten bristles. "Why even blackmail me, anyway? Ino's dying to fuck you."

"Will you be writing a letter of commendation for me, then?" A prideful look flashes through his eyes, almost nostalgic in its appearance - she hasn't seen it in a long time. Years, maybe.

"Over my dead body," she spits. "Why me? There are at least fifty other women on board the _Konoha_. Or do you just pick on those who don't sleep around?"

Despite all this time, she hasn't been able to figure out why he's blackmailing her in particular. Sex isn't that precious a commodity on board the _Konoha_.

He sends an almost-wistful smile her way then, and doesn't answer the question. "Have you figured out the alternatives to... satisfy yourself, then?"

No, she hasn't. Tenten sits and stews in simmering anger. "Even if I have, they wouldn't include you."

The corners of his lips tug upwards. Neji leans back in his seat, looking straight ahead. "I'm the leader of this mission, Lieutenant. You obey my orders."

The implications of his statement hits her hard in the stomach, leaving her winded. "I expected more of you, Hyuuga," she tells him bitterly.

"There are still twelve flight hours to go. You might want to catch some sleep... and see to your needs."

She doesn't need to see his face to know the smirk playing on his mouth. It is a good idea, though - to sleep, at least - and Tenten doesn't deny the practicality of his suggestion. The seat belt unbuckles with a click, and she floats out of her seat, grabbing at handrails to propel herself into the cabin.

"I won't be looking," Neji calls after her, and she flips him off, even though he isn't able to see it.

* * *

"I trust that the flight has been proceeding well," Neji says by way of greeting, when he leaves the cabin.

Tenten barely turns to acknowledge his presence. "It's been smooth sailing so far."

He floats into the pilot's seat and straps himself down, glancing over the console and holographic screens. Five hours of peace have passed without Neji's aggravating remarks; Tenten acknowledges that his suggestion to get some rest has its merits, however. She's been reading Lee's notes on the advanced weaponry course, refreshed after her own nap earlier.

"I could get you the full lesson plan and weapon details on that course, and the next one," Neji says from his seat, without looking back.

Tenten frowns. "Will you quit spying on me?"

"Not a chance." Neji casts a look back at her then, and smirks. "Are you interested?"

The allure of having more inside information on the new weapons is enough to give her pause - and Neji is fully aware of it.

"The fifth version of the pulse gun includes nuclear-powered lasers, ten times the firepower of the fourth version," he reveals. Tenten's eyes widen. That wasn't in Lee's notes. "They've made a portable version for field combat."

She swallows. "You wouldn't hand over information like that without a price tag on it."

The smile on his lips cements that fact. Lilac eyes bore into hers; she feels their intensity even across the three feet between their seats. "All I ask for is your cooperation."

"On this mission?" She isn't planning on screwing this up, anyway.

"On this mission, and anything that comes after." Tenten realizes that he means the blackmail. What is the price of a little more information in the face of deportation? She's already bound to him by those pictures, anyway. "You will not murder me on the return flight."

She scoffs this time. "I wasn't planning to, anyway. I'm not like you."

Neji looks sharply at her - but she blinks, and the moment is gone. "I'll send you the relevant files when we return."

"Deal."

The cockpit is silent after that - Tenten is content to monitor her screens, and Neji taps quietly on his keyboard for long minutes, until her screen beeps, to signal that they're approaching the specific star in the Pegasus constellation.

"We're closing in," she informs Neji. Hitting a combination of keys brings the preview of their target solar system onto her screen; there are three planets surrounding the parent star. "Five minutes from reaching the outer orbit - which planet are the _tentacula_ on?"

"Middle orbit. Planet HD209458b, also named Osiris."

Tenten keys in the new directions, and the booster rockets on the side of the _Byakugan_ fire up, to change their course. "Heading for Osiris now. Brief me on the species we'll find there."

"On the previous mission, the area we landed at only comprised of _tentacula phytum_," Neji responds, keying in a command.

In the next moment, a holographic screen appears by Tenten's side, displaying an image of the _tentacula_, as well as a list of its physical characteristics. She isn't surprised to find that she feels a twinge of fondness towards the generated 3D image. Perhaps when they get a specimen on the ship-

"There are also the _zurgois_," Neji continues, typing, and the details on her screen change. "We shouldn't see these around, however. They're found on the next continent."

"Right." This new species is wiry and reptilian, with large eyes, a small beak-like mouth, spindly fingers and claw-like feet. Tenten grimaces, reads its description. The species is sentient and lethal, and with luck, they wouldn't have to encounter any of these.

"There are other species on Osiris, but the _zurgois_ are the only predators we'll need to watch out for," Neji informs her.

He shuts the _Byakugan_'s rockets off, allowing the ship to slow down as it penetrates the planet's atmosphere with a shudder. This is Tenten's least favorite part about piloting a ship - feeling as if the ship could wrench out of her control any minute.

The rest of the descent is uneventful; Osiris is humid, with orange-brown soil and craggy mountains surrounded by flat, dead plains. The next holographic screen Neji flashes at her is its atmosphere; it has a similar gaseous composition as the air on earth, and is a few degrees warmer than what she's comfortable with.

The _Byakugan_ approaches the surface slowly; they are close enough to see detail on the dry ground now, and Tenten's attention is drawn to the way Neji leans forward in his seat, a frown creasing his forehead.

"What's the matter?" she asks, tilting her head to better gauge his reaction.

"The _tentacula_ here are all dead." Neji sends the ship flying in a different direction, and all Tenten sees is orange-brown dirt, and greyish, dried remnants of what must have been the alien species a long time ago.

They fly in silence for long minutes, from one edge of the continent to the other, and the results are the same: the _tentacula_ have all perished, a long time ago.

"Crap," Tenten mutters.

Neji throws her a sidelong glance. "I guess we're going to have to invade the territory of the _zurgois_, then."

There is no humor in his tone.

Neji flies them over a vast, muddy ocean, to another piece of land an hour away. The islands they've passed do not seem to harbor any _tentacula_, which is no surprise to her, really - the oceans of Osiris are an amalgam of acids, too corrosive for the likes of a moisture-based species such as the _tentacula_.

Tenten gives a silent cheer when they spot a field of purple _tentacula_ in a valley, their shifting appendages glistening under sunlight. There is little to be seen for miles but _tentacula_on the orange soil, and large boulders scattered through the valley.

The _Byakugan_ lands with a soft hiss in the shadow of a cliff. Tenten straps additional ammunition onto her belt, just in case, and looks towards Neji, who is dragging a large, black disc towards the door.

"Shouldn't the equipment be more portable than that?" she asks, scrolling through the stats on her visor. The atmosphere of Osiris comprises largely of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon, with traces of water vapor - they will not need gas masks when venturing out.

"It possesses the strength and technology required to contain more volatile species," Neji grunts. "I have just the one on board."

An infrared scan from a cabin computer determines no _zurgois_ within a mile-wide radius; Neji nods at Tenten, before lowering the ramp to the ground. The heat that washes into the ship is enough to make Tenten reel on her feet; everything feels heavier on Osiris, courtesy of its strong gravitational pull. She grits her teeth. The very essence of the planet will slow them down, despite how close they are to the _tentacula_.

"I don't need to remind you to refrain from firing," Neji says, as they carry the containment unit down the ramp together. "For one, we aren't cleared to deal with any other species."

"I'm aware of that." She rolls her eyes.

Neji taps a button on his earpiece, and the _Byakugan_'s invisibility shield powers up, hiding all evidence of its presence.

Slowly, they make their way across the rock-strewn valley, towards the field of _tentacula_, with the metal disc between them. Tenten growls low in her throat. The heat and pressure here aren't lifting her mood any. "Couldn't we have landed the ship any closer to the field? This is fucking heavy."

Neji is walking with his back towards her now, supporting the disc behind him. He angles a smirk at her. "This is part of training, Lieutenant."

Tenten glares at him.

"I'd rather train while we aren't waving a damn freakin' beacon in the aliens' faces, smartass," she snaps, shoving the disc towards him.

"Watch it," Neji grunts, looking back at her in annoyance. "I'd like to avoid dropping this."

"Move quicker, then," Tenten grumbles.

It feels like an eternity before they reach the field of _tentacula_, and another hour before Neji decides on the specimen he wants. They set the containment unit down at the edge of the field - there are too many large rocks and _tentacula_ within - and trudge towards Neji's chosen specimen.

"What's the difference between them?" Tenten asks with a frown. The _tentacula_ look all the same to her, with their writhing, glistening limbs. Her thoughts are edging towards the gutter, and she bites her lip to keep her attention from straying.

"Those most vivid in color are the healthiest," Neji begins, crouching down low beside one. His hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and he tugs a pair of gloves from his belt. "We also need one that's apart from the rest - it won't be easy digging it out."

"We have to dig it out?" Tenten winces, looking around for _zurgois_, just in case. This is going to take longer than she expected. Neji tosses a small shovel at her.

"It's a plant species, if you recall," he begins, digging into the soil with his gloved fingers. "There is a shallow root system - I'd like to not destroy that."

She exhales heavily and crouches down a couple of feet away from him. The specimen is not overly large; about three feet across, a little smaller than the one they crushed in Lab IV. Purple tentacles snake over each other - Tenten alternates between digging and looking at the _tentacula_, swallowing hard. She moves a little closer, with the express purpose of seeking its roots, when a tentacle brushes her cheek, and she gasps.

Neji glances at her, ever alert. She dips her chin, blushing at her reaction. He doesn't need to know how much this species affects her. Tenten wipes the slime off her face with her forearm, and continues to work.

The _tentacula_ is close to others of its kind on the far side - she's unearthed some of the pink, finger-like roots of the plant now - and Tenten squirms when a neighboring _tentacula _brushes its appendages over her back. The uniform is thin enough that she can feel its touch; her breathing deepens. She's torn between wanting its tentacles further down, and having it stop making contact with her completely.

"Encountered a problem?" Neji asks some time later, when beads of sweat are starting to form on her upper lip. She's feeling a little too feverish, a little too desperate. Maybe she should've taken Neji's advice earlier and rubbed herself a climax while she could.

"No. Mind your own business," she snaps, breathlessly, and groans when a tentacle slips along her outer thigh. Damn it, she can't lose control in front of Neji like that.

Neji has worked his way around the other side of the _tentacula_, and they're slowly freeing its roots by crouching right next to it, bringing Tenten far closer to the specimen than she needs to keep her thoughts straight.

She collapses onto the ground long minutes later, when they've finally separated the _tentacula_ from most of its soil, sweating profusely, her panties soaked. Neji turns an appraising look on her.

"You look as if you're on the verge of orgasm," he comments dryly. She glares at him, bereft of words. "Need a little help with it?"

"Shut up, and keep your extremities to yourself, Hyuuga," Tenten bristles, shifting her weight so she's crouching right next to the _tentacula_. "Are we moving it back to the ship, or what?"

Neji is about to answer her when he pauses, looking sharply to his left. Tenten follows his gaze - and her breath freezes in her chest when she notices two distinct shapes heading through the _tentacula_ field for them. All traces of lust evaporate from her veins.

"Damn it, I thought you were keeping watch," she hisses at Neji. She plunges her arms into the _tentacula_, finding the bulk of it and hefting it up. And Tenten promptly sways on her heels, landing hard on her butt. The _tentacula_ is too heavy, too large for her to carry it by herself to the containment unit - but Neji could manage it.

The _zurgois_ are closing in faster, now. Neji swears.

Gingerly, she sets the specimen outside the hole they've dug, and scrambles to her feet, next to Neji.

"Grab it and go," she mutters to him. The pair of _zurgois_ pauses five yards away, surveying them. Their spindly fingers curl. "I'll hold them off."

"Not without knowledge of them, you don't," Neji returns, looking briefly at her with his pale eyes, before shifting his attention back to the aliens. They are just about four feet tall, falling slightly below shoulder-height, though physical appearances can be deceiving.

The writhing mass of _tentacula_ remains behind her and Neji, painfully oblivious to the situation, and Tenten eases closer to it, in case she somehow gets the opportunity to pick it up and run. From what little she knows of the wiry _zurgois_, (they are intelligent, use their bodies as weapons, and communicate without speaking), there is a possibility that she and Neji could outrun them, though the _tentacula_ would slow them down greatly, and the _zurgois_ have the home territory advantage, with their claw-like feet and familiarity of the land.

"I'll handle this," Neji tells her from the corner of his mouth.

The alien closer to them lifts its arm, large, black eyes trained on them; it is in this moment that Neji draws his gun and fires, hitting them with a stun ray, at the same time spindles explode from the alien's hand, tiny needles hurtling towards them at breakneck speed-

Tenten throws herself to the side, while Neji grabs the writhing _tentacula_ and rolls away somehow. She runs out of momentum a little too soon, and sharp spikes of pain stab into her legs and belly and arm.

She gasps, pushes her feet beneath her, willing her body to keep its balance as she stands. A quick survey tells her that the _zurgois_ are on the ground and out for the count; Neji is on his feet, heading towards her with the _tentacula_, its appendages wrapping around his torso. Tenten would have laughed at the comical sight, if it weren't for the numbness that is slowly spreading through her body.

"We have to go," she tells him, and her speech slurs a little. "Before they recover. The ship's too far away."

"Did you get hit?" Neji asks, scanning her form, and Tenten thinks she sees a slight frown crease his forehead.

"I'm fine," she brushes him off, turning towards where she remembers the black disc to be. They have the _tentacula_, and this mission will be over soon.

It feels as if her blood and feet are slowing down the more steps she takes, and Neji moves too easily in comparison, even with the additional weight and distraction of the _tentacula_. Tenten grits her teeth, shakes her head-

Her foot snags on something, and she trips, falling hard against rocky ground. "Ugh, fuck," she snaps.

Neji is beside her faster than her mind can process his movements. Tenten squints blearily at him, shoves him away. "I'm fine," she tells him.

"No, you're not," is the last thing Tenten hears, over the pounding in her ears, before her vision grows fuzzy at the edges, and her body gives out.

* * *

Tenten is in the middle of drifting along the dreary streets of her childhood, when Neji comes floating up next to her, naked once again.

"Couldn't you have the decency to put some clothes on, at least?" she snaps, looking away.

"You like the tentacles better than you do me," he complains, insulted.

What does that have to do with clothes?

"Believe me, being naked isn't going to put you on my favorite persons list," Tenten tells him dryly. "And stop haunting me, damn you."

"I can haunt you from behind, while you're bent over." Neji smirks, and she rolls her eyes.

"That's sexual harassment," she growls.

"It isn't harassment if you want to bed me." Neji folds his arms across his chest. "You, Ino and I - what about that?"

"Oh gods, Hyuuga, get away from me." Tenten throws a punch at him. He blocks it deftly.

"You, me and the _tentacula_. I'm sure that is a better option," Neji suggests next.

It actually doesn't sound too bad- Wait just a sec. "Quit putting thoughts into my head!" she screeches, swinging her fist at his face.

"You know you want to," he tells her, and fades away just as suddenly.

* * *

Tenten awakens to find herself in a rather awkward position - air shifts gently over her legs, and her hand is shoved between her thighs, a finger enveloped in wetness. She blinks, notes her heightened pulse, the distinct ache in her body, and pushes her finger further in, a little moan escaping her throat. It's a pleasant sensation to wake up to, and she shifts against the straps holding her down in zero gravity, slipping another finger over her swollen flesh-

Hang on - zero gravity?

She squirms around to look at the rest of the lit cabin, only to find herself with an audience - Neji is leaning against the far wall (which isn't very far away at all), watching her, a tiny smirk on his face.

"The fuck?" she yelps, panicking and yanking her hand away from her groin. When did she remove her pants, anyway? Neji remains amused despite her poisonous glower at him, and she feels incredibly bare. "Aren't you manning the ship?" she snaps, faint heat rising to her cheeks.

"It's on autopilot," he tells her, lifting a brow as if her mental capacities were subpar. She bites her tongue (Tenten realizes her disadvantage here, and hates that she woke with a clouded mind)-

Until he floats across the space between them, and pauses by the edge of her bunk, brushing the backs of his fingers against her bare hip.

"You look as if you could appreciate some help, Lieutenant," he murmurs, lilac eyes sweeping from her face down to her toes, and back. Without warning, he reaches over and strokes the damp hair at the juncture of her thighs, where her hand just was.

"What the hell do you want?" she growls, and inhales sharply when he probes between her flesh.

"What do _you_ want?" he asks in return, and his finger slips along her cleft, to her sensitive nub, pressing heavily against it. Pleasure sears into her body.

"I want nothing to do with you," she growls, her voice almost a moan (but her body remembers him deep inside, and grows all the wetter for it). "Get your hands off me."

"Really?" Neji taunts. His finger dips into her, audaciously. "That's not what you said when I purged you of the poison."

Poison?

Tenten frowns, trying to remember, and the events on Osiris filter slowly back into her mind. It's enough for her to ignore the presence of his touch inside her. "What happened after you stunned the _zurgois_?"

Neji withdraws from her, slowly (she doesn't want to admit that she wants him back inside), examining the smear of moisture on his fingertip. The flush on her cheeks deepens. Tenten knows that she should be at his throat by now, knows that she could well stop him from touching her, but the straps are keeping her down (it's an excuse), and she wants answers from him (another excuse).

"I sealed the _tentacula_ in the containment unit, flew the ship over, and brought you and the specimen up," he tells her.

"You left me unconscious with the _zurgois_?" Tenten gapes.

"They were stunned." Neji frowns. "I stunned them another time, just in case."

She continues gaping at him. "Isn't it against protocol to stun aliens twice in a row?"

Neji lifts a regal eyebrow at her. "Would you rather discover that they have resistance to the stun gun, and woke up while I was still away?"

Tenten falls silent at that. "No," she finally admits.

He gestures towards the side, where her uniform is neatly folded. "I had to strip you to find the spines. Your panties were wet."

Neji probably had fun with that. "Thanks," she mutters, looking sourly at him. There are various band-aids over her body, supporting his words. "What did I say while you were... purging the poison?"

A smirk curves his lips. Neji sweeps a cool gaze over her. "You were begging me to fuck you."

She looks at him in horror. Of all things... Did she really? "Did- Did you?"

Only then does he frown. "No. My morals are above that."

Tenten snorts, rolls her eyes, secretly relieved.

"I would prefer to sample your flesh while you were fully awake," Neji continues, and she strains against the straps, fumbles for the clasp holding her chest down.

"You wouldn't," she snarls.

"Tenten." Her name is a whisper on his lips, and she falls into shocked silence when he leans over her, pressing his lips to her shoulder.

He reaches between her legs once again, with his steady touch. The tension grows and tightens in her middle; unbidden, her legs fall open in invitation, and Neji growls, pressing his finger back into her. Tenten groans. Her heart pounds in her ears; her hands fist - she loathes to be under his power like this, but his fingers feel so good, and-

Neji removes his touch, examines the moisture he's gathered on his fingers once again. Tenten glares at him, a variety of curses racing through her mind (though the most prominent line is, ironically, _Get back in there_). He looks over her again (she's especially aware of the flush on her face, and the cool air at her crotch), and remarks, "I have to return to the cockpit - do check your behavior, Lieutenant."

Neji turns, floating back towards the front of the ship.

"Fuck you," she mutters, glaring at his retreating back.

"You know you want to," is Neji's reply, and Tenten stares after him in dumbfounded silence. Was the Neji in her dream foretelling this?

The hunger in her belly does not abate, however, and she remembers the _tentacula_ specimen in the containment unit - without her lab access, this would likely be the last chance she'd get her hands on one. Tenten unbuckles the other straps over her body, catching a handrail as she floats away from the bunk. "Where's the containment unit?"

"In the back," Neji answers, and Tenten sees him turning to look at her from the pilot's seat. His eyes rove over her bare skin, pausing at her chest and hips, and she feels her mouth go dry. "It's locked with a combination key."

_Damn it._ She changes her course, floating over to him instead. It's not as if he hasn't seen her naked before, anyway.

"Give me access to the specimen," Tenten demands, grabbing hold of his headrest. Neji's attention slides between her face and her breasts. Her nipples are hard.

"Why should I?" He looks her in the eye, smirks. "You won't be able to seduce me and have me act according to your will, Lieutenant."

"Oh, really?" Tenten swings herself over him, straddling his hips. Neji is warm through his uniform. She leans in close, drags her breasts over his chest.

His breathing turns uneven.

It's her turn to smirk; Tenten lifts herself up slightly, brushing her nipple over his mouth, and Neji's eyes widen. He flicks his tongue out to wet his lips - the moisture catches on her skin, and she gasps.

"You'll find it wiser not to challenge me," Neji mutters, and Tenten wraps her legs around his hips, pressing her groin snugly to his. She isn't surprised to find him hard.

"What will your decision be, Hyuuga?" she murmurs in his ear, slides her tongue over his skin.

"You're so certain that you'll find yourself filled with _tentacula_," he grits. Tenten gasps when his palm comes up to cup her bottom; his fingers dip between her legs. He parts the wet folds of her flesh, exposing her to the cool air of the cockpit. Her body thrums with anticipation. She doesn't know if it's the thought of him, or the tentacles, fueling her actions now.

Neji lifts her off himself, by inches, and she hears the rasp of his zipper. Feels the familiar blunt tip sliding along her entrance. Tenten bites a moan down.

"Which would you prefer?" Neji asks quietly. She finds that she isn't quite able to think, not when he's so close to her, promising fulfillment. Does she really want the tentacles, when Neji is just a breath away?

At her silence, he presses his tip into her, and Tenten shivers, caught in his pale gaze.

Neji withdraws, and pushes in shallowly again, teasing her. Tenten decides that she doesn't have the patience to wait any longer.

She sinks herself down onto him, enveloping him with her body, the fact that she's come to him of her own accord be damned.

He groans, thrusts up at her, and Tenten loses her grasp on reality, when he fills her completely, with swift, deep strokes. It's a different feeling doing this without gravity - the strain on her limbs isn't there, and her breasts don't quite bounce with each movement. Neji takes her nipple into his mouth, drags his teeth along it; she arches, gasps, holding his head to her chest.

Her climax, when it rears its head, is a powerful force that rips through her body. Tenten cries out, clenches around Neji, and he continues sliding in her, spilling into her soon after.

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 12, 2030, 0755 hrs_

"Good morning, my youthful students!" Lee all but yells, before the simulation room doors have fully shut. "Are you ready for a fresh day of training?"

"My body feels like it's been torn in two," Konohamaru moans, dragging his feet towards Lee. "Is Tenten coming back yet?"

Lee jogs on his feet and surveys Tenten's trainees. Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon look as though they've been dragged through hell and back, just after half a day of his training. _Tenten has been too soft on them,_ he thinks. Hopefully that mission with Neji will restore her youthfulness. "Tenten will be back soon," he tells them sagely. "In the meantime, feel the joy in your bodies! That ache in your muscles means that you're getting stronger!"

He drops to his hands and begins doing his push-ups. Moegi looks at him with doe-like eyes, but Lee has resolved not to give in.

"Can we please do fewer push-ups today?" she begs.

"Is a thousand too many?" Lee frowns. "I could do five hundred when I was your age!"

The look in Udon's eyes is almost catatonic. Moegi grabs him and shakes him awake.

Lee brightens suddenly. "I know what will help!" he exclaims.

"What?" Moegi sends him a wary stare.

"I shall give you the most youthful outfits to aid in your training!" Lee announces, gesturing to his own spandex outfit. "They're highly recommended by Captain Gai - the material helps to siphon the sweat off your body, and it's light, breathable-"

The three of them shudder visibly.

"I want Tenten back today!" Konohamaru howls. "To think we thought her training was tough!"

Lee looks at him in surprise. "Well, in her day, Tenten did as many push-ups as Neji and I did! She strove not to have expectations on her lowered because she's female - see where she is now!"

The look of enlightenment in Moegi's eyes is priceless.

"She's probably busy snogging Hyuuga now," Konohamaru mutters, nudging Moegi and Udon, who stare at him in a mixture of disgust and uncertainty. "I just want to save enough energy to complete that mission she gave us."

"Come on, guys," Moegi grins, Lee's spandex suit threat forgotten. "You aren't going to lose to a girl, right?"

Konohamaru and Udon stare speechlessly at her when she drops to the ground, and begins her push-ups in earnest.

* * *

_A/N: This chapter has a bit of something for everyone lol. :P Anyway, I've officially finished writing Blackmail, and am currently going through the editing stages - have revised earlier chapters to clean up some minor typos/details. _

_It's also my birthday today... so if you enjoyed the chapter, drop a review! ;) _


	10. 8: Back on the Konoha

_Update time! Back to the usual light stuff. ;) Thank you all for the birthday wishes! So very touched :) _

_And **Peridot**, you might want to keep those ideas in mind... ;) Thank you! I totally giggled at your review._

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 8: Back on the _Konoha_**

_Konoha, Dec 13, 2030, 0805 hrs_

"This is acceptable," Professor Kurenai pronounces, looking over the specimen in the isolation chamber. Behind her, Tenten's shoulders sag with palpable relief.

They'd returned to the _Konoha_ at 2100 hours the night before, though all Tenten really wanted to do at that point was to put as much distance as she could between Neji and herself, and stand under a hot shower for a long time. Nothing else had happened after the incident in the pilot's seat - she got dressed, and the flight proceeded as planned for the rest of the trip.

Neji had held up his end of the deal, sending her files on the advanced weaponry classes not thirty minutes after they parted ways. _At least he has the decency to keep his word_, Tenten thinks, though she would much rather be free of the chains that bind her to him.

He still aggravates her to no end, with his arrogance, and Tenten can't believe that she's voluntarily fucked him.

"I will have the _tentacula phytum_ transported to the alien labs. The two of you are dismissed - no charges will be held against you," Kurenai tells them.

Tenten salutes her and turns to leave, Neji by her side. Part of the weight on her chest slips off the moment the door hisses shut behind them.

"We managed it," Neji says simply, when they've walked to the end of the corridor.

"No thanks to you," Tenten grouses. "This is still all your fault to begin with."

"Ah, but you enjoyed it," he returns, smug, and Tenten takes a deep breath, to keep from swinging a fist at him.

"Damn you, Hyuuga," she mutters. He smirks again, and turns away when they approach a corridor junction.

"By the way - you were, in fact, silent while under the effects of the _zurgois _poison," Neji adds, "I merely wanted to know your reaction when you were told otherwise."

So she did not actually express any sexual inclination towards him while unconscious.

"Burn in hell, Hyuuga," Tenten growls, flipping him off. (She is quietly relieved by the news, however - there's no need for Neji to think she's remotely interested in him. Pilot's seat incident or otherwise.)

"I'll see you around." He nods, by way of parting, and Tenten is left glowering after his back.

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 13, 2030, 0735 hrs - half an hour ago_

"So, how did the romantic getaway go?" Ino waggles her trimmed eyebrows the moment Tenten sets her breakfast tray down. "You're back earlier than I expected."

Tenten heaves a bone-deep sigh. "My body aches. And it was a legit mission, Ino, not some roll in the hay."

(Even if they did have some admittedly hot sex.)

Ino pretends to be absolutely shocked. "Are you certain you didn't bed that Hyuuga ass? That's why you're aching all over, isn't it?"

"Shut up, Ino," Tenten grumbles, gulping a mouthful of coffee. Caffeine cheers her up most days, though Ino's interrogation is quickly becoming a downer. "It was a specimen collection mission. I had no idea that he was experienced in those."

Across the table, Ino's baby-blue eyes widen. "Does that, by any chance, have to do with the missing _tentacula_ specimen in Lab IV?"

Tenten crams the corner of her tuna sandwich into her mouth. "Yes. Long story."

"I want to hear it," Ino grins. "C'mon, Ten. It's going to be a long, boring day otherwise. Why on Earth would Kurenai send you and Neji on an impromptu mission like that?"

"No." She looks mutinously at the blond. "Some things are better left unsaid."

"And those things include your intense attraction towards him, don't they?" Ino winks, crunching into an apple. "Maybe you had something to do with the disappearance of that specimen."

Tenten swallows her food, just barely preventing herself from choking. "Don't ruin my reputation with unfounded gossip, Ino."

"I can't beat what your precious trainees have been spreading on the ship, Ten - they're saying that you have something going on with Neji." Ino smirks. "Not that I don't believe it, but did Lee overdo their training or something?"

"Oh gods," Tenten mumbles, dragging a hand over her face. First Ino, and now those damn kids? If anything, it would be the work of Konohamaru... Just when she thinks she's got the upper hand on Neji with that bleach prank, too.

"So tell me, what were you and Neji doing in Lab IV? Killing _tentacula_?" Ino leans forward, still munching on her apple. Tenten grimaces.

"Look, Neji tripped and fell on it and it died," Tenten lies, following the story they'd fed Kurenai. "I happened to be calling him a tiny-dicked pussy and he was so offended that he tripped."

Tenten snorts. If only that were the case.

Ino gapes at her. "I'm not going to ask why you were there in the first place, but is he really that tiny?"

"Tiny as your pinkie," Tenten grumbles, swallowing another bite of her sandwich. "I wouldn't know, Ino, I haven't slept with him."

"Right," Ino replies suspiciously. "I'd like to ask a question, but it's kinda stupid, you know?"

"There's no such thing as a stupid question." Tenten rolls her eyes, swigging more coffee. There's a sudden presence to her side, and she turns-

"What's the color of your panties?" comes the familiar, smooth baritone that is just loud enough so she and Ino can hear it.

It happens before she can stop herself; Tenten covers Neji's pants with a fine spray of coffee, and chokes on the remainder of it.

"The hell are you doing here?" she snaps, grabbing at a napkin to soak up the coffee dribbling down her chin.

"I did not appreciate that," Neji intones, and Tenten finally looks up - only to snort at the coppery-brown tints at the ends of his hair. So the kids did sneak into his quarters, after all. Maybe she'll forgive them for the rumors. Neji takes the rest of her napkins and begins to clean himself off.

"What happened to your hair?" Tenten asks, trying to keep her expression innocently straight.

She fails miserably.

"I believe you can answer that." Neji narrows his eyes at her. "The kids who sneaked into my quarters looked suspiciously like yours, Lieutenant."

Busted. Damn it. Tenten looks at him, her features schooled to one of amusement. "Well, it must've been the way you snubbed them, Hyuuga. I had nothing to do with it."

Lessons on secrecy and espionage, coming right up.

Neji studies her quietly for moments, as if trying to discern the truthfulness of her claim, before reaching into his pocket. "I found a piece of underwear on the _Byakugan_ \- they looked like yours."

He pulls out the discarded cotton panties from yesterday (she vividly remembers leaving them out to dry) and drops it onto the table, between Ino and herself. Ino is giving her a Look, and Tenten tries desperately to keep heat from exploding all over her face. He probably got a kick out of sniffing at her dried bodily fluids.

"I left nothing on your ship!" Tenten snarls, glaring at Neji. He's doing this on purpose, exposing their interactions to get back at her for the bleached hair - she just knows it.

His lips part - Tenten's stomach plummets further - and the look in his eyes is smug. _They smell like you_, would be his next words; she knows that somehow, too, but Neji closes his mouth, and merely smirks.

"In that case, I'll see you around," Neji eventually says, taking the panties and slipping them back into his pocket. "I'll notify you when I've found their rightful owner."

"Save it," she growls. Tenten stares at the way his pants cling to his butt when he turns and walks away, and pointedly refuses to meet Ino's gaze.

"So... what was that about?" Ino smirks.

"I have no idea," Tenten mutters, shoving the rest of her sandwich into her mouth. Her appetite is long gone, but she needs the energy, and a way to occupy her jaw so Ino can't pry more answers from her.

"Yes, you do, Ten. There's definitely something going on between you and Hyuuga." Ino grins, and kicks her under the table. "This is juicy news - spill."

"There's nothing to talk about." Tenten narrows her eyes. "He's just being a jerk, is all."

"And you left panties on his ship?" A chuckle bubbles from Ino's painted lips. "Honey, that's practically screaming 'Get between my legs!'"

"They're not mine!" she snaps, downing the rest of her coffee. "I'm serious, Ino, get him off my back, and I'll be forever in your debt."

Ino lifts a brow. "You hate him that much, huh?"

"I wish he were dead and buried," Tenten replies bitterly. (Well, not quite, but he needs to stay the hell away. Even if he's a sexy beast. Especially because he's a sexy beast.)

The blond hums and studies Tenten quietly for a while, before asking, "So, who are you going with to the Christmas party?"

"What Christmas party?" She frowns.

"Haven't you checked your email? They sent us a message yesterday - the party's going to be on the twenty-fifth, 2000 hours." Ino examines her nails.

Oh, the annual Christmas party. Tenten chews on her lip.

"I'll probably be going with Lee, or Kiba, if he hasn't got a date yet," she answers. Lee has often been her preferred person to hang out with, though Tenten remembers the one Christmas when Neji asked if she'd be his date. (Nothing ever came out of it.)

She elbows the memory out of her mind.

"So, who's your party date?" Tenten asks in return. "Please take Hyuuga and get his mind off me."

Ino grins. "Nope. I'm going with one of the new Lieutenants this year. Hot guy. Pale. Dark hair. Plenty of abs. You've probably seen him around."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "I remember names, Ino, not body parts. You know, Chouji would probably be interested in hanging out with you, if you let him."

The smile on Ino's lips falters a little. "Nah, Chouji usually just hangs around the refreshments table with Shika. You know those guys."

"Well, if you gave him a chance, you know," Tenten presses, shoving a foot into the opening Ino let slip. "Who knows, he could be secretly in love with you."

"You're talking nonsense, Ten." Ino frowns. She polishes the last of her apple off, and sets the core down. "Besides, I've already got my date. Grow some balls and screw Hyuuga. You're just denying your attraction."

"I know better than to put up with the likes of him," Tenten retorts, getting to her feet. Trust Ino to turn the tables on her. "Hyuuga Neji is the bane of my life, Ino, believe it."

* * *

"Tenten!" Konohamaru squeals when she steps through the simulation room doors. He almost bowls her over in a large hug, and Tenten looks over his head at Lee, Moegi and Udon, who are coming over to crowd around her.

Tenten does a double-take at the forest-green spandex on all her trainees.

"What's going on?" she asks Lee, who flashes a thumbs-up and a bright grin.

"They're overjoyed by your return, Tenten! Your youthfulness has inspired them!" Lee grins. Tenten narrows her eyes at him.

"You're just glad that you won't have any more insane workouts, aren't you?" she asks Konohamaru, peeling him away from her. "I guess you're a lot more appreciative of my training now that you've experienced Lee's. And the spandex."

"Isn't the spandex great?" Konohamaru beams. Moegi looks at him in disgust.

"But Tenten - a thousand push-ups a day are the best way to strengthen one's arms!" Lee exclaims, beaming, and Tenten hasn't the heart to say otherwise.

"Thanks for all your help, Lee," she smiles, clapping him on the shoulder. "I'll meet you and Kiba at 1800 hours today - see you then."

Lee waves a cheerful goodbye, and Tenten waits until the doors have fully shut behind him, before looking at the trio. "How much of Lee's training did you guys complete?" she asks, curious.

"I did most of it," Moegi says proudly, and Tenten's eyebrows crawl up her forehead.

"Udon and I finished about half before we collapsed," Konohamaru whines. Udon nods solemnly beside him. "How could you be so cruel, Tenten? Lee is insane!"

"Well, you know what you'll have to do if you want to get better." She grins at them. "Speaking of getting better - Hyuuga found out that it was you guys who broke into his quarters."

There's a look of horror on Moegi's face. "But we made sure-"

"The corridors have surveillance cameras," Tenten tells them dryly. "And Hyuuga has access to those."

The trio looks nervously at her. Konohamaru is the first to speak, "So did it work?"

"Yeah, great job, guys." Tenten musses his hair, and he looks indignantly at her. "Did you get into all his bottles of conditioner?"

Moegi giggles. "Yeah, we mixed the strongest peroxide we could find in them - I overheard some girls saying it doesn't stink like bleach. But I'm ordering _Silk_ from the catalog the next time - hopefully no one puts bleach in mine!"

Impressed, Tenten grins. (She guesses there are some things about Neji that haven't changed - like the brand of conditioner he uses.) "Well, you'd have to watch out for that. Test it on a hair sample first. Great job on almost completing Lee's training, by the way - not many live to tell the tale."

The girl grins brightly back, and Tenten thinks that she might be developing a soft spot for these kids, after all.

The conversation with Ino comes to mind next; she sobers up, turning to survey Udon and Konohamaru as well. "I hear that you guys have been spreading rumors about Hyuuga and I."

Konohamaru dips his head, flushing. "Well, we were pretty angry about you leaving," he finally admits, and Tenten glowers at him.

"Fix that rumor. Say I broke up with that jerk because he's a cheating prick, or something." She looks threateningly at him, and he nods again, cowed. "The same goes for you, Udon and Moegi."

"Yessir!" The kids salute.

Tenten steps back, to key commands into the simulation room controls, and the terrain turns to one of loose rocks and strong winds. "Two hundred laps around this!" she orders, and they look towards her in horror. "Come on, did you think I was going to let you off so easily?"

Especially now that Lee has increased their tolerance levels, to spandex and otherwise. Tenten grins.

* * *

"Your physicals are coming up next - I want to see that your results are better than Hawk Platoon's, do you get me?" Tenten orders, looking over her desk at Lee and Kiba, who are on their feet.

Kiba lifts his eyebrows bemusedly. He scratches his head, canines peeking out past his lips, much like fangs. "This is new. You've never ordered us to do better than others - of course we'll do our best."

"This has to do with Neji's recent interactions with you, hasn't it?" Lee observes, and Tenten frowns at him. It would be nice if people would stop talking about that damn stuck-up-

"I heard that you've got something going on with him," Kiba grins. "Finally getting off your high pedestal, huh, Tenten?"

She glowers. "That's just a fucking rumor, Inuzuka. But he's been an annoying jerk lately and I need to shove something in his face."

"Try a body part," Kiba mutters, and Tenten flings a water bottle at him. He tips his head to the side, neatly avoiding the projectile.

"Say something useful, or get out," she tells him.

"Clearly he's getting to you somehow," he returns cockily, and Lee nods, much to her chagrin.

"This isn't like you, Tenten," Lee agrees. "You'll have to focus harder."

"Well, scoring better than other teams on the physicals is also a good thing, you know," she snaps, and sighs. There isn't any point arguing over test results, and who she's hung up on. "Anyway, about the Christmas party - who are you guys going with?"

"I've asked this hot chick out," Kiba muses, rubbing his chin. "Fan of cats or something. I don't remember."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "You'll need to do better than that to win her heart, Kiba."

"Not if I just want a fling," he grins.

"I haven't been asked," Lee pipes in. "Are you looking for someone to go with yourself?"

"Yeah." Tenten looks towards Lee, wondering if he'll ever have romantic inclinations towards anyone. Maybe it'll always just be him and Captain Gai, the man who believes wholeheartedly in Lee.

"We can go to the party together then," Lee suggests brightly, and Tenten smiles.

"That'll be something to look forward to," she agrees. There isn't anyone quite like a best friend you can always count on.

With any luck, the Christmas party will proceed as normal this year - no nasty surprises, and as little of Neji as possible. A girl can hope, right?

* * *

_A/N: Oh, Ino. ;) Pretty sure you can guess who her and Kiba's Christmas dates are - but they will not be featuring in this story. :P_

_So glad you guys are enjoying the fic! Thank you so much for taking the time to review :)_


	11. 9: Christmas

_And... the Christmas chapter we've all been waiting for. ;) Sorry it didn't coincide with Christmas 2 months ago. :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. As usual, **this story is rated for mature audiences only. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 9: Christmas**

_Planet Gliese Beta, Dec 18, 2030, 1354 hrs_

"Well, that wraps up your first and easiest mission ever," Tenten announces, leading her trio of trainees back to the _Silver Blade_. Gliese Beta is one of the smaller planets in the Dorado constellation, more densely-populated by humans than most of the habitable planets closer to the Konoha. For this reason, it is often the shopping location of choice for those too impatient to wait for the monthly supply ship from Earth.

"Easy?" Konohamaru yells, "That guy was threatening to decapitate me-"

"He was just pulling your leg," Tenten replies lightly. The ramp to the _Silver Blade_ lowers at the push of a button, and they file onto the ship, setting into their respective seats. "That's not the worst that can happen on an escort mission, trust me."

"What else could happen?" Moegi asks, uncertain. Of her three trainees, Moegi has displayed the most levelheadedness and was the most diplomatic on this mission. Tenten likes her discipline, and how both Udon and Konohamaru listen to her with some sort of respect, or rivalry. It's the sort of team that could possibly break apart if both boys become infatuated with her, and she chooses one above the other.

Tenten hopes that doesn't happen. Romance tends to complicate things, after all.

"Well, we could have been attacked by any number of criminals, for one," she tells her trainees, watching smugly as they fall into stupefied silence. "They could have hijacked the _Silver Blad_e, or assassinated us, or our client, or any combination of the above."

"Has that happened to you?" Udon eventually speaks.

"Sure. I've experienced multiple attempts on my life, in fact." Tenten grins, and shrugs. "That's why you need to have dependable teammates."

She allows her words to sink in, firing the ship up. When none of the kids ply her with any more questions, she shifts in her seat to look back at them. "Anyway, remember me asking if you guys were in desperate need of things or Christmas gifts?" They nod. "Well, we're going shopping."

Moegi's eyes light up, and Konohamaru and Udon both sit a little straighter. "Where exactly are we going?" Moegi squeals.

"One of the shopping districts on Gliese Beta," Tenten answers, pulling the ship away from its landing spot, and directing it forward. "I hope you didn't bring your entire savings with you. There are pickpockets aplenty, even in the safest of shopping areas."

Moegi looks at her in horror. "What if we brought too much along?"

Tenten doesn't think they have much of any allowance to begin with, but grins at her student anyway. "Leave what you can't bear to lose on the ship. This will be the most secure location on the planet."

It is mid-afternoon when they land, and Tenten secures the _Silver Blade_ in one of the parking lots closer to the shopping district. The low-rise buildings and crowds here are reminiscent of those on Earth. Merchants hawk their wares on the ground levels of the buildings, beneath canvas awnings, selling things ranging from souvenirs to home appliances, as well as all kinds of food, from human fare to meals customary of other species. Various lights and decorations have been set up to celebrate the Yuletide season; this is one of the few places that Tenten feels comfortable in, with its cheery atmosphere and colorful lights.

"Stay close to me," she orders. "Tell me if there's something you want to look at, and don't touch things you can't afford to pay for."

Tenten fishes a handful of lists from her pocket - those headed for Gliese Beta are always plied with shopping requests, and she is no exception. The kids are surprisingly quiet as they follow her through the crowded streets, occasionally stopping her to purchase a trinket or other. It helps that they're still awestruck by the shopping district - she keeps an eye out for suspicious characters, and slowly knocks the items off on her lists.

At least Neji didn't demand a month's supply of conditioner for his hair (Tenten snickers at his faded hair ends every time she glimpses him on the _Konoha_), though she's certain that he'll make his next move on her sometime soon - and she wants to be prepared for it.

Shopping for Christmas gifts is the one thing more tedious than obtaining all the items others have requested, for the reason that the perfect items for her friends cost way too much sometimes. Tenten ends up buying a pair of green nunchucks for Lee, a hair-styling kit for Kiba, makeup remover for Ino, and green resistance arm bands for Captain Gai. For the kids (because she's generous, if anything), Tenten buys a set of three daggers, because they'll need non-firearm weapons at some point.

They're passing by a brightly-lit shop with armfuls of packages, when Tenten is reminded of one of her dreams, in which Neji has been pestering her like an annoying gnat. This will be the first in a long time she's getting him a gift... and she barely contains her excitement at seeing his reaction to this. She bids the kids to wait outside the store for her, popping in quickly for a purchase. (The shark-like man behind the counter barely bats an eyelid at the pile of lace she sets down.)

"Are there prank shops around?" Konohamaru asks, when they're done with shopping (Moegi has found bottles of _Silk_ conditioner, and Udon is munching contentedly on a fried squid).

"You aren't going to pull any on me," Tenten warns, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Nope," Konohamaru promises, grinning widely. "I like you too much for that, Tenten. Maybe some on Hyuuga."

She contemplates his idea, pursing her lips. "You know that I'll be the one getting crap from him if he finds out, right?"

"How bad can it be?" Moegi asks.

Tenten looks askance at her. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

"So, a prank shop?" Konohamaru presses, dark eyes filled with hope.

"All right," Tenten finally relents. "But only if I get to pull the pranks on Hyuuga."

Konohamaru punches his fists into the air, yelling in excitement. Tenten shakes her head and leads the way.

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 25, 2030, 0715 hrs_

"Look at the piles of presents!" Lee shouts, heading for one of the trees in the middle of the multi-purpose hall. Space-themed ornaments and gold fairy lights hang from each tree, surrounded by tinsel. Whoops and cheers sound occasionally, in the midst of low chatters and the ripping of wrapping paper.

Christmas on the_Konoha_ is celebrated in the same tradition every year; in the week before Christmas, large trees fill the multi-purpose hall - each tree stores the gifts for a predetermined list of people, and it is only on Christmas morning that the occupants of the ship are allowed to open their presents. Yuletide meals are served in the cafeteria, and later in the evening, the trees would have been cleared from the hall, making way for the annual Christmas party.

Tenten hurries after Lee, weaving through crowds of people to the tree that their gifts are currently residing under. "Hey, Lee, wait up!"

Her Second Lieutenant is making his way carefully through the piles of gifts surrounding their tree when she reaches it, picking out those for him and her. She does the same, and at length, they stack their gifts up to a side, sitting down cross-legged to open them together.

"Neji's assigned to this tree, too," Lee remarks, and Tenten cringes. Yeah, she knew that. He isn't anywhere to be seen, though.

"Well, don't ruin my mood, I'm full of goodwill right now," she tells him.

Among her other gifts, Tenten finds a box of glow-(green)-in-the-dark solar system undies from Lee, a vivid green sweater from Captain Gai, a self-help book (_'How to Get Laid in 10 Simple Steps'_) from Ino, and a box of ammunition from Kiba. The kids have chipped in to get her a scarf (she hadn't thought that purchase was made with her in mind, though that was sweet of them), and Tenten eventually arrives at a last gift, wrapped with silky black paper, with no indication of the giver's identity.

She thinks she has a pretty good idea who it's from, however.

Tenten looks around, and catches sight of Neji, seated not too far away, surrounded by his own gifts. He's watching her, in the midst of opening a gift, and the smirk on his lips grows when she looks between her last gift, and him. Her stomach flips. Should she really open this while Lee is next to her?

Neji grabs the gift she's left for him then, with her identity labelled, and she catches a fleeting look of surprise on his face, before he breaks the pieces of tape holding the wrapping paper together. Tenten bites her lip to keep from smiling when he peels the wrapping away and opens the box within. He fishes the note out first (_'This should fit you,'_ in her writing) and then the sheer lace bra beneath.

An unladylike snort escapes her nose at his look of utter disdain. Tenten chews hard on her lips to stop herself from bursting into outright laughter (somehow, Lee hasn't noticed her preoccupation with Neji yet), sobering slightly when Neji turns a challenging look on her.

Well, she can't escape from opening his gift, now. Tenten rips hesitantly into the silky wrapping paper and opens the box inside - only to find an autographed photo of Neji smirking, bare-chested, and a pair of silver handcuffs. Her jaw drops.

She looks quickly back at him - he's wearing that smirk again - and there is no doubt in her mind where his intentions lie with this gift.

_Fuck you,_ she mouths at him. He raises his eyebrows - _oh?_ \- and promptly gets to his feet, gathering his unwrapped gifts and depositing his trash in a nearby bin.

"What's that?" Lee asks, peering over her shoulder. Tenten stiffens and winces, knowing that trying to hide Neji's gift is tantamount to admitting that something's going on between them.

"Just some joke from Ino," she fibs, glancing at Neji, who is smirking all over again. She glares at him.

"I wonder why Ino would give you a picture of Neji." Lee frowns.

She shrugs. "No idea. C'mon, let's dump these gifts in our quarters and head for breakfast - I'm starving."

Tenten breathes a sigh when Lee drops the subject. She compiles her gifts into a couple of boxes, throws the rest of the packaging away, and leads the way out of the hall.

* * *

The multi-purpose hall has been transformed into a dim ballroom with roaming spotlights and loud music by the evening. Lee is a ball of energy as he whisks Tenten through the upbeat Christmas tunes (she's glad not to have worn heels - the momentum of Lee's quick spins and turns would have her sprawling on the floor in no time), and Tenten finds herself giggling when he whirls her around so quickly that their surroundings become a blur.

"Watch it, Lee, we're going to crash into someone!" she yelps, though the sensation of flying is exhilarating, especially when she tips her head backwards.

They do smash bodily into someone soon after, and Tenten lurches on her feet, feeling as if the world is still spinning around her. Lee grips her arm to prevent her from falling.

"I'm sorry, Tenten! I did not mean to hurt you!" Lee exclaims. "Are you all right?"

"You guys really could've been spinning somewhere a little less conspicuous," Kiba's voice rings somewhere next to her.

Tenten blinks a little, shaking her head to try and rid the sensation of spinning. "Kiba?"

"The one and only," Kiba says, and she tries to focus on him, wavering on her feet.

"That hurt," she mutters, rubbing her shoulder. Beside her, Kiba does the same as his date watches on worriedly. Her arm throbs.

"Well, that was some dance." Tenten grins at Lee, who is still wearing a frown.

"I didn't mean to get you hurt, Tenten, I'm sorry," he continues, and she waves it off.

"I'm fine, really. There are worse things than this," she reassures her best friend, before turning to Kiba, who is smartly-dressed in a jacket, button-down shirt and dark pants. What are the chances of slamming bodily into the third member of Dragon Platoon? "Fancy meeting you and your date here, Kiba."

"Looking good, Lieutenant," Kiba grins wolfishly, looking her over. She rolls her eyes.

"Your date is waiting for you to continue the dance, twit," Tenten tells him dryly.

"Would you like to swap partners?" Kiba looks contemplatively between her, Lee, and his date, who is a diminutive girl preferring to stand away from them. "Lee dances like the bomb, Tamaki. How about giving him a spin? I'll get you after a couple of dances."

"Um, sure," Tamaki looks over at Lee, who grins brilliantly at her. (At least his suit is a muted emerald shade - no one would dare approach him otherwise, Tenten thinks.)

Tenten watches as Lee sweeps Tamaki into a dance, and Kiba extends a hand to her. "Hop aboard, Lieutenant. You look stunning today."

Tenten blushes. Her evening dress is a deep burgundy, with folds of material revealing a bit of cleavage, and a skirt that falls to mid-thigh, with slits up the sides to allow for flexibility of movement. "Sure, Inuzuka. Flirt with all the skirts around you."

"Hey, I know a beauty when I see one," Kiba grins, taking her through the steps of a dance. "Told you that you should dress up once in a while."

"You're such a damn flirt, Inuzuka," she tells him, punching his shoulder.

A grin creeps up her lips. Tenten looks past his shoulders, at the simulated chandeliers and large French windows on the walls, with ivory curtains framing them. It's the only time of the year she willingly exchanges the standard-issue uniform for a dress. Her hair is down today, falling into natural waves - she thinks she looks pretty decent, at least.

"It's the only time I get to ogle your chest from up close," he replies with a grin, and Tenten rolls her eyes again.

"I'm gonna beat your ass in the next simulation," she threatens lightly. "Or make you do Lee's gym workout."

"Aww come on, don't do that to me." Kiba rolls his shoulders, giving her a smoldering look. "You don't want me all beat up before the next mission."

"Like hell I care about that." Tenten grins. Kiba has been this way for years - he'll flirt with Ino later, and even Hinata if he gets the chance. Tenten doesn't miss the way he behaves like Ino, in the way he steers clear of an actual relationship with anyone.

"So, what's the deal with Hyuuga?" he murmurs in an undertone a while later.

"Huh?" Tenten stares at him. "What do you mean?"

"He's been watching us ever since I started dancing with you." Kiba flicks his eyes towards the side, and Tenten tries not to look in that direction.

She shrugs. "Maybe he's jealous."

Kiba snorts. "Jealous of me, or you?"

Tenten bursts out laughing then. "You're cruel, Kiba, but then again - I gave him a bra for Christmas."

"And I'm cruel. Very funny, Tenten." Kiba grins. "Are you gonna dance with him?"

She falls silent then, looking thoughtfully over Kiba's shoulder. "I haven't decided. Probably not."

"You're all woman today, Lieutenant," he remarks. Tenten vaguely wonders if he ever washes that face paint off. "Lots of guys have the hots for you this evening."

"Yeah, and I can stand to get laid, I know the drill," she drones, rolling her eyes. "You say the same thing to me every year."

"I miss our missions together on Dragon Platoon, you know," Kiba says suddenly. "It hasn't been the same without you around."

Tenten's smile washes out of her face then. "Yeah, I miss you guys too. I mean, I'm starting to get pretty fond of my trainees. They're still kids and all, but they're kinda cute, you know?"

"You're starting to develop your motherly instincts now?" Kiba looks at her in mock-horror. "Don't start babying me."

She aims a slap at his face, narrowly missing on purpose. "Dragon Platoon will always be my priority. You know that."

"Sure, sure, tell that to Admiral Tsunade." Kiba grins.

They pass by the refreshment table then, and Tenten looks over at the drinks, realizing that she's thirsty. "Hey, drop me off here, I'd like to grab a drink," she tells Kiba, releasing her hold on him.

"Sure thing." They drift to a stop, and Kiba lets go of her, looking around. Tenten grabs a cup of lemonade. The chilled liquid tingles across her tongue, and she swigs another mouthful of it. "Hyuuga's headed over here - just so you know," Kiba warns in an undertone.

She very nearly spits the lemonade out. "Great."

"You're probably going to get payback for the bra," Kiba snorts, his laugh almost a bark. "Maybe getting laid will do you some good."

"Get out of my sight, Inuzuka," Tenten mutters, tossing her half-finished lemonade away, in favor of a glass of mulled wine. She's not avoiding Neji; she isn't going to back down - but she doesn't want to face him, either.

Tenten stalks to the end of the table, gulping a mouthful of wine. It burns down her throat and pools in her belly - not enough of a distraction to keep the hair on the back of her neck from standing.

"I didn't expect to find you alone here," Neji says from behind, coming to stand by her.

She angles a sharp look at him. "Your presence isn't welcome, Hyuuga."

"Yet you didn't take Inuzuka up on this next dance."

Tenten realizes a few things: that he's dyed his hair ends back to black, that his deep gray suit accentuates the paleness of his eyes, and that he would qualify for the standard of 'drop-dead gorgeous'... in anyone's book but hers.

"I'm not dancing with you either, if that's what you're after," she tells him wryly. Maybe she'll be able to knock herself out with enough wine...

"I have something you might be interested in," Neji tells her quietly, studying her with his pale eyes. He lifts his wineglass to his lips, drinking slowly from it.

Maybe she won't knock herself out. Just in case.

"I'm not interested in anything you might have to offer." Tenten turns away, starting towards the other end of the table. Perhaps someone else is going to come along and ask her for a dance. She swallows another mouthful of wine. Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi are lounging around at a corner of the hall. Tenten quirks a smile at the sight of them - at least they're having fun.

"Even if I have firearms you've only read about so far?" Neji offers, watching her from the corner of his eye.

Damn him for knowing her weakness. Tenten grits her teeth. She sets her glass down at the end of the table, and heads towards the exit instead. There's no way she can fight him here, if it boils down to that. "No, I'm not interested."

"Really." Neji leaves his wineglass behind and follows her out of the hall, into the corridors, where it is suddenly bright, and much quieter. "Your standards are pretty low, aren't they?"

"What the hell are you getting at?" She glances at him, clenches her fists. Strides further away from the party, where no one will catch her beating him into a pulp.

"Swinging around your subordinates like a child," he answers, looking smugly at her.

She's letting her fist fly at him in the next second, though Neji dodges it, catching her wrist. Tenten aims a punch at his gut, driving him away from her, though that only results in Neji twisting around behind her, anchoring both her wrists to her back. Tenten clenches her jaw. Her close combat techniques aren't usually so poor around him.

"Do you wish to be court-martialed for fighting in the corridors?" he murmurs over her shoulder. She feels the heat of his body against her back, shivers. "I didn't think you were this juvenile."

"Damn you," she growls, anger swelling into her middle.

"My quarters are a minute away, if you'd like to take this fight there," Neji suggests, though his tone is more seductive than threatening.

Tenten weighs her options. Her chest heaves, drawing oxygen enough for fight or flight. "Fine. Your quarters. Now."

He releases her abruptly with a smirk, and they stride along the corridors, the clipping of his shoes echoing around them. Tenten runs the different ways of taking him down through her mind, each more violent than the last, and she's grabbing at him even before the doors to his quarters fully shut behind them.

She kicks out of her flats, swinging her fist at him, and yanks her arm away before he can capture her. Neji does not attack, merely blocking her strikes, and Tenten aims kicks at him instead. Neji parries these as well, until she snarls, annoyed, and steps closer to him, bringing her knee up to meet his groin.

Neji stops her leg with both hands. "You don't want to do that."

"Why the hell not?" she seethes, grabbing the lapels of his jacket. Just one strike to make him double up-

"Because you've been enjoying the ride. Both times." Neji looks cockily at her, and Tenten bristles - there is truth to that statement she can't deny.

Furious, she pulls her knee out of his grasp and brings it up again - only to have Neji block her knee with one hand and grip her arm with the other, spinning her around to pin her back against the wall. "That doesn't mean anything!" she snaps.

"On the contrary, that means you prefer my parts in working order," he murmurs, smirking. Heat surges into her cheeks.

"Quit putting words into my mouth!" She releases his shirt lapels, and is about to draw her fist back, when Neji reaches over to the side, grabbing a sleek, silver-white object from a side table.

"I mentioned that I had something to show you," he says quietly. Tenten freezes when she realizes that he's holding the latest pulse gun model, that she's only seen in the lesson notes he sent.

"How did you get your hands on that?" she breathes, her attention fully occupied by the gun, with its metal cartridge and rubber grip, and the miniature dish at the end of its barrel.

"I have my methods." Neji smiles, flicking a switch to power the weapon up, and Tenten's eyes widen at the distinct low hum it emits. To have such a powerful tool within her reach- "The cartridges are nuclear-powered, lasting for a hundred shots before a reload is required. Its firepower is ten times the previous version."

"This is the version for field combat," she whispers, licking her lips. Her breaths are shallow, and she's reaching for the gun-

"You can't have it," Neji says, and her gut wrenches.

"But-" He slides the barrel along her chest, light vibrations humming through her dress. Tenten can't remember being angry with him anymore, not when he's drawing the pulse gun between her breasts, a safety catch away from it being a live weapon.

"How far are you willing to go for it?" he asks, reaching behind to unclasp her strapless bra, that falls to the floor, leaving just her dress between them. He drags the edge of the miniature dish over the crest of her breast; her nipple tightens, her breath hitches.

"What do you mean?" Tenten isn't quite thinking anymore, not when she has the pulse gun this close, its firepower a heady lure. She wants it for herself, wants to wrap her fingers around it-

Neji points it south, sliding its smooth surface over her belly, down, then up, until the convex back of the dish catches against the juncture of her legs, and she gasps. Heat pounds between her thighs; Neji brings his other hand behind her, reaching under the hem of her dress. She feels his touch through her panties moments before his eyes darken, and he mutters, "I didn't think weapons would make you this wet."

She doesn't answer, can't bring herself to answer. Instead, Tenten reaches for the pulse gun, only to have him pull it away from her. She whimpers, quietens when he brushes the top surface of the weapon against her midriff, tracing its dish back up her front. Cool metal grazes the side of her throat. "What're you doing?" she gasps.

"Tempting you." Neji watches her, hunger bright in his gaze; she licks her lips when the pulse gun slips against her jaw, and his attention drops to her mouth. Tenten recognizes the faint scent of alcohol on him, though she's distracted by the gun, and the heat of his body pressing so close. "I'm willing to consider a trade."

"Wh-What kind of trade?" she whispers, barely breathing.

He leans in then, lips brushing the shell of her ear. Warm breath feathers over her skin; the pulse gun presses beneath her chin, tipping her head back. "Let me be on top this time," he murmurs. "You haven't allowed me control thus far."

Having Neji decide how far to take this? Tenten bites her lip, unwilling to relinquish her control - but possession of that pulse gun ranks among her wildest dreams. "Just this once," she concedes, and the heat between her legs intensifies when he presses a knee between them.

For good measure, she wraps her arms around his neck and strokes her foot along the back of his calf, and Neji's breath soughs against her skin. He sinks his teeth into the crook of her shoulder, lifting her against him and carrying her over to his bed. Tenten squirms beneath him when he deposits her onto the mattress, shimmying out of her dress.

The intensity in Neji's eyes steals her breath; he sets the pulse gun down beside her and peels his clothes off. Tenten swallows at the sight of his hard length. Her flesh aches for him; she shrugs out of her panties, parts her legs for him shamelessly (because this is for the gun, isn't it?) and reaches down, spreading herself open.

Neji is bearing down on her in the next moment; he's taking her earlobe into his mouth and smoothing his hands over her breasts. Tenten arches towards him in response, gasping when his erection presses an indent into her belly. He eases himself down her front, latches on to a pebbled nipple with his lips. His teeth graze her skin, and Tenten finds that she isn't able to think, not with the way his tongue circles around her flesh.

He drags a hand down between her legs eventually, testing her wetness. She trembles; Neji's breathing turns unsteady. He dips one finger into her, two fingers, and she moans, bucking at him.

He withdraws his touch after a few more maddening strokes, sliding his slick fingertips over her swollen flesh, until the tension in her belly tightens unbearably, and she's writhing beneath him, wishing he'd stop with this torture-

"Neji," she gasps, dragging her nails down his sides.

"Merry Christmas, Tenten," he whispers in her ear, before finally pressing himself into her, and she throws her head back, welcoming him into her body.

* * *

_A/N: And... There you have your introduction to the third and final planet, Gliese Beta. We'll be seeing more of it in the future. ;)_

_Was this chapter anything like what you expected? Worth the wait? ;) There will be flashbacks coming up in a few chapters... but until then, it's all still pretty light reading. ;)_


	12. 10: Laundry Mix-Up

_Update time! This is one of my favorite chapters. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. As always, **this fic is rated for mature audiences only. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 10: Laundry Mix-Up**

WeaponsMistress  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:04am  
_Need some help - I've recently been blackmailed by an old acquaintance into doing sexual favors for him. Can't risk bringing the situation to light. Suggestions on how to get out of this mess?_

FoxBoy  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:06am  
_Ya just gotta beat some sense into him, believe it!_

avenger  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:09am  
_FoxBoy makes no sense. You'd do well to end your acquaintance's life. Make it clean and simple._

WeaponsMistress  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:09am  
_No can do. He's actually a good fuck. (cringe) And I've tried beating him. No success there._

PerfectFigure  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:15am  
_Are you kidding me? Only sexual favors plus good sex to boot? If you aren't in a r/s, FUCK HIS BRAINS OUT._

WeaponsMistress  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:16am  
_Would be helpful if his brains came out. No pun intended._

Fang  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:18am  
_PerfectFigure, we share the same sentiments. You and I should get a room. Stat._

PerfectFigure  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:15am  
_PM me. My bed's empty tonight. ;)_

Fang  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:18am  
_Oh yeah baby, workin' on it._

WeaponsMistress  
Dec 26, 2030, 06:16am  
_... Can someone actually give me a workable solution?_

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 26, 2030, 0635 hrs_

Tenten grits her teeth, slamming her fists hard into the punching bag. She's in a different gym today, one with a couple of wrestling rings and a variety of punching bags for physical combat training.

Trust herself to go as far as she did with Hyuuga Neji. Was that pulse gun worth it? Yes. Was her behavior acceptable? No. At least she isn't fawning all over him, or (heaven forbid) falling in love with him. But moaning his name, and acting like she needed him desperately?

She could lie to herself and say it's all for the gun - but she knows better, knows that it's dangerous to give him control during sex, like she did. What was she thinking? (Obviously, she wasn't.) _Damn it._

Her fists make dull thuds on the punching bag, and sweat trickles down her neck. Fucking Neji has never been in her plans to begin with. There were the _tentacula_ \- and before that, the toys - but it's now just Neji or the toys, and she's reluctant to return to the toys.

Last night had been incredibly tantalizing - enough to give her pause the next time Neji suggests sex.

At this point, it would be safe to say that he wouldn't release those pictures if she keeps the status quo. But she doesn't want Neji to have that power over her, and she doesn't want any more physical intimacy with him. (Really.) She doesn't want Neji in her dreams either - he was especially sexy in last night's dream - bloody hell.

If only those people on the private forum had better answers. She should probably just pull her topic post from there - no good has come from it so far. There would be better chances of success if she asked someone smarter-

Tenten pauses in mid-punch then, breathing heavily. There is one person who can help, after all.

* * *

"I'm calling in a favor this time," Tenten begins, once she's settled in Nara Shikamaru's office. "I need your help."

"What with?" Shikamaru leans back into his seat and folds his arms, studying her with an expressionless face.

The strategist-in-training is the last person Tenten wants to receive as an enemy in battle; Shikamaru's intellect is acknowledged throughout the _Konoha_, and even, to some extent, the military force on Earth. One would not be able to discern that just from his perpetually narrowed eyes and slouch, however.

"Problems with some genius prick," Tenten answers, watching him in return. That spiky ponytail of his never seems to come untied, even during the Christmas celebrations. "Not you, of course."

Shikamaru raises a brow. "Uchiha?"

She sighs heavily. "No, the other one."

He reaches for a pen, tapping its end on his desk. "Hyuuga Neji? I heard that your trainee cell lost badly to his."

Tenten cringes. That was weeks ago. "Will people drop that already?"

"What brings you here today, then?" Shikamaru looks up at her in curiosity. "It's not about the training scheme."

"I wish it were," Tenten grumbles. "He has classified information on me and has been calling favors in exchange for keeping it under wraps."

Shikamaru narrows his eyes, so they become mere slits. "Blackmail?"

"Essentially, yes."

"I wouldn't expect that of him."

"Neither did I, and I was on his trainee cell," she grouses, leaning back in her seat and looking up at the metal ceiling.

"Any idea why he's doing that?"

"Other than to make my life a living hell? No."

"Did you do something to offend him?"

"He pulled this on me first. Out of the blue. Beats me why he's even doing this." Tenten leans forward again, glancing at Shikamaru. "I need to get out of this mess. What are my options?"

He clicks his tongue. "This is troublesome."

"Especially because he's a damn genius. Yes, I know," Tenten harrumphs. "I wouldn't have come to you otherwise."

"What about just exposing the blackmail? He could be found guilty for it."

"I can't risk the information he has getting out." She makes a face. In persecuting Neji for blackmail, the court would want to know what kind of information he has on her, too, no doubt. And she can't risk that happening. Shikamaru scrutinizes her for a few moments.

"I assume that this classified information does not endanger the _Konoha_ or Earth in any way."

"It doesn't, I swear it on everything I've got." Tenten sends him a pleading look.

Shikamaru contemplates her for another while, before asking, "Is he romantically inclined towards you?"

She snorts then, loudly. Neji, interested in her? Really? "No. I can't see why he'd be."

His lips tighten. "Your only way out may be to pull classified information on him, and use that to call a truce."

Tenten frowns, digesting the news. "Is there any way you can help with that?"

Shikamaru returns her frown. "That's going to be even more troublesome. You're going to owe me for digging up dirt on him."

"I'd do anything to get him off my back at this point," she answers. "Hit me with whatever you've got."

He sighs, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, yeah, I'll contact you if I manage to find something."

"Thanks, Shikamaru. I owe you big time." Tenten smiles, feeling as if some of the weight on her shoulders is finally crumbling away.

* * *

"I think I might actually miss those kids after the training scheme gets called off," Tenten tells Ino that evening (even if Konohamaru and co. were poking fun at her and Neji's early departure from the party last night). They step through the door into her quarters, and it hisses shut behind them. "Considering how much I didn't like the idea of training kids to begin with."

"Wasn't it the same with our mentors when they trained us?" Ino responds with a smile, touching her ear. "Captain Asuma gave Shika, Chouji and I matching earrings when we graduated."

"That's nice of him," Tenten answers, pausing when Ino taps her lightly on the arm.

"Be right back, Ten, I need to pee."

"Sure." The bathroom door clicks shut, and Tenten scans her room. There's a red sticker on her laundry basket, that's tucked away in a corner of her quarters. _Clean clothes are in!_ she cheers silently, and makes her way over to the basket - a shower sounds like a great idea right about now.

Tenten tugs the bath towel from the pile of newly-folded clothes (though the stack of undergarments is smaller and less colorful than she remembers), and as the last of the towel leaves its counterparts, she notices that the stitched name on its corner is longer than it should be-

_HYUUGA NEJI,_ the stitches read.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Tenten swears. She crouches to examine the rest of the clothes in the basket - all of them are labeled with the same name, and she is so tempted to incinerate every last article, if it weren't for the fact that he'd likely do the same to hers in return. Tenten glances at the closed bathroom door - Ino should be spending another four minutes in there - and punches buttons on her earpiece.

There's a brief ring before he answers.

"Hyuuga Neji speaking," comes the too-familiar voice in her ear. Tenten's fingers tighten in the bath towel.

"Is this your idea of a prank?" she hisses.

There is a moment of silence, before his smooth baritone rings over the intercom, "Prank?"

"Don't try to fool me, Hyuuga, there's a basket of your laundry in my quarters," Tenten growls. She flicks her gaze towards the bathroom door again. "What did you do with my clothes?"

Neji pauses. "You have my clothes?"

"Yes," she snaps. If Ino were to find Neji's belongings here, she'd hear no end of it-

"You could be accused of theft, Lieutenant," he finally says, and Tenten's fingers curl into fists. "What are you doing with my clothes?"

"You're an insufferable jerk," she mutters. Damn Hyuuga- The bathroom door clicks open, and she tenses. "I want my clothes back by tonight, you hear me?"

Tenten hits the call button to hang up on him, just as Ino steps out cheerily.

"Is something the matter? I thought I heard you talking," Ino begins, looking over at where she's still crouched by the basket, gripping the towel. "Did you get affected by the laundry mix-up too?"

Tenten gapes at Ino in unadulterated shock; it is a while before sound emerges from her moving lips. "What- You mean this wasn't a-"

"A prank?" Ino guesses. She saunters over curiously, eyeing the piles of neatly-folded clothes. "No, there were some new recruits at the laundry facility and they screwed up - didn't you read your email?"

"Oh crap," Tenten whispers, looking at Ino in horror. The blond comes to stand beside her, teasing the towel from her grip.

"What did you do?" Ino sees the stitched name then, and turns towards her, yelping, "Oh gods, you got _the_ Hyuuga Neji's basket? Can you imagine the possibilities-"

"I just called him and accused him of theft, Ino," Tenten confesses helplessly. Heat pours into her cheeks; she can just imagine Neji mocking her intelligence, or worse, manipulating her into more sex-

"Seduce him, that'll solve your little problem," Ino suggests, nudging her conspiratorially. Tenten's face burns hotter yet. "Every guy needs to get laid at some point. You've probably teased him enough during that romantic getaway."

"No fucking way!" Tenten panics. There isn't anywhere to hide in space (not that she'd hide from anyone), and she's bound to bump into Neji sooner or later, anyway. "I'm not sleeping with him, period- He's pasty and arrogant and-"

"And you've been watching him from the corner of your eyes every time we pass him," Ino adds slyly. "Think I didn't notice?"

"Not you too, Ino," Tenten groans, covering her face with her hands. There's no way she's telling the blond just how well her body knows Neji (much less how she's enjoyed acquiring that knowledge). "Go away, I have to clean my quarters up."

"Where did you go with him last night?" Ino probes, smirking. "I saw the two of you leaving the party."

Her pulse stumbles. Tenten fidgets, looks at the towel in Ino's hands. "He followed me out. I punched him - he was getting annoying."

At least that contains some truth to it.

"He's interested in you?" Ino deduces.

"No! He was just being a jerk," Tenten grumbles. "What about you - have you finally confessed to Chouji yet?"

"Chouji- What are you talking about?" Ino sputters. She drops Neji's towel back in the basket and flicks her hair over her shoulder. "I have nothing to confess to him."

"Surely you feel something for either him or Shikamaru," Tenten presses, now that the conversation has veered away from herself. "You guys have been together so long-"

"Shikamaru's seeing that girl on the _Suna_." Ino waves flippantly. "And Chouji is just Chouji - all he cares about is food."

"What about Kiba, then?" Tenten frowns. It's a little tough reading Ino where it comes to people she might be interested in for the long term - seeing as how she claims she doesn't want a relationship.

"Well, I'm meeting Kiba tonight," the blond replies, coy.

"For sex?" Tenten rolls her eyes. It figures that those two would hook up.

"Well, I need to go get ready for my date," Ino answers, wriggling her eyebrows. "Do yourself a favor and get some."

"I'll get some punches in, thanks," Tenten tells her dryly, watching as Ino flounces out of her quarters. It is only then that she realizes she still doesn't have a way out of meeting Neji later.

* * *

The knock on her door comes too early (she'll never be ready for Neji), and Tenten's stomach flips a couple thousand times. She keys the code on her earpiece to grant him access to her quarters.

Neji steps in almost immediately, basket of laundry under his arm, pale eyes seeking her out. "I've got your clothes."

"Yours is by the door." Tenten heaves a sigh, getting up from her couch. He's looking at the bathrobe she's wearing (there were no fresh towels except for his, and she damn well wasn't going to use those) - she knows he's already stripping her in his mind, spreading her beneath him. "I'd be perfectly happy if you set my laundry down and took yours, and got out of here."

"It isn't that simple." Neji raises an eyebrow. He drops her basket beside his, steps away from the door. She subconsciously notes that he's still in his uniform. "Your laundry wasn't in my quarters. I had to break into the facility's database to find out where yours went."

_Oh._ Tenten winces.

"Well, I'm sorry about earlier," she says awkwardly, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Are you going to accept that and leave?"

He smirks then. "No. Did you think I was going to?"

_Figures._ Tenten pulls a face. "No."

"About last night," Neji begins, closing the distance between them.

"What about last night?" She narrows her eyes defensively, backing away.

"You enjoyed it."

The grin on his face is as smug as ever, and she desperately wants to wipe it off. _Damn it._

"I didn't say that." Her calves hit the couch. There aren't any other subtle ways to extract herself from this situation.

"I'm sure you wouldn't object to more," Neji suggests quietly, stopping a foot in front of her. "Am I right?"

_No. Yes._ Tenten swallows, looking up at him. The bathrobe is starting to seem like a bad choice, though there isn't much of a point contemplating it, really, if this ends in sex anyway. "I'd like to pass on that question."

He takes a step closer to her then, so his chest is brushing hers, warm through their clothes. Her heart quickens. He smells of dried sweat, musky, teasing her senses. "What happened to 'No' and 'Fuck you', Lieutenant?"

"Damn you," she mutters, glaring at him.

Neji lifts an eyebrow, satisfied.

"I figured there was no escape, is all," she admits.

"Did you also figure that you enjoy sex with me?" he asks, lilac gaze boring into hers.

"No," Tenten snaps. She looks away. "Don't get ahead of yourself, jerk."

Neji dips his head, so his lips brush her ear. Tenten stills. Her heart is pounding so loudly that he probably hears it.

"All the same, I would like something in return for all that you put me through today," he murmurs, and she inhales sharply at the warmth of his breath. His fingers brush over her hip. "Give me control tonight."

Her body heats so quickly in response that it is insanity; Tenten gasps, bites her lip. Giving Neji the upper hand twice in a row, though? She doesn't trust herself to speak.

Neji reaches into the folds of her bathrobe, finds the growing wetness between her legs. His exhale puffs into her hair in a silent chuckle.

"You knew this was coming, didn't you?" Neji asks, drawing his fingers along the seam of her flesh; pleasure winds into her body when he finds her swollen nub, and Tenten realizes a little too late that her vocabulary is dwindling.

"I merely happen to be on a certain part of my cycle," she bristles. And promptly gasps when he flicks his nail against her flesh. "You're only this close because I owe you for the laundry incident."

"Oh?" Neji smirks, though he falls silent soon after, lowering his lips to her neck and sucking on her skin. Tenten trembles at the sensation; her knees weaken, and he presses a finger into her.

She screams his name that night.

* * *

_A/N: I found this chapter really hilarious. ;) No, Naruto and Sasuke aren't appearing in this fic, but I loved the cameos ;) And Tenten's finally getting somewhere with her situation. ;)_

_As always, thanks for taking the time to review! So glad to see that there're people enjoying this fic ;)_


	13. 11: Smoke Bomb

_This was actually two chapters, but they had the same theme, so I joined them up. Get ready for some eye-opening stuff. lol :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. As always, **this fic is rated for mature audiences only. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 11: Smoke Bomb**

WeaponsMistress  
Dec 27, 2030, 05:58am  
_Someone get me out of blackmail that includes mind-blowing sex, please. I hate it._

FoxBoy  
Dec 27, 2030, 05:59am  
_Girl, you're not making sense here, believe it. Why don't you like it?_

PerfectFigure  
Dec 27, 2030, 06:03am  
_IMO you're missing out on common sense, girlfriend. I bet he's hot. Milk him for what he's worth. And send him to my bed, please._

Fang  
Dec 27, 2030, 06:04am  
_Many would kill to be in your/his position. P.S. PerfectFigure, we should have a repeat of last night. ;)_

WeaponsMistress  
Dec 27, 2030, 06:07am  
_Well, at least I think I might have a way out of the situation. No thanks to you guys._

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 28, 2030, 0755 hrs_

"Lieutenant," Neji calls, when Tenten turns down the corridor away from the cafeteria, heading towards the simulation rooms. His long hair is pulled backwards in a tie close to his hair ends, and his uniform is impeccably clean, as always.

"What is it?" she snaps, narrowing her eyes at him. He's never initiated conversation between themselves along the hallways, though no one pays them any mind when he nods towards a different corridor.

"I'd like a word with you." Neji's pale eyes do not betray any emotion, and Tenten frowns.

"You'd better make it quick. I have things that need doing," she mutters.

"It won't take long." He leads her down another quiet corridor, and opens an unmarked door, nodding for her to head in first.

Her forehead creases further when she discovers that it's a broom closet. There are various cleaning machines and implements in the closet, and barely any standing space. The pieces connect in her mind, in a flash, and she looks accusingly at him. "There's hardly any space in here-"

And he's shutting the door behind them, sealing them into darkness.

Tenten realizes that she doesn't find his touch repulsive at all, when he locks his hands on her hips, and tugs her flush against him, so her back is against his chest.

"What in hell are you doing?" she hisses, squirming against his form.

"I've missed seeing you around," Neji admits, and her heart pounds when he slides a heavy palm down her front, cupping her between the legs.

"You just fucked me two days ago," she growls (and heat pools where his hand contacts her body). "This isn't the time nor place for anything."

"It isn't," he agrees, unzipping her uniform.

His touch is familiar against her skin; Tenten vaguely acknowledges that she's torn between wanting more of this, and feeling just a bit uncertain, because they aren't supposed to be here, and he shouldn't be groping her-

He teases her flesh to firmness; she feels him grow stiff, and tries to wriggle out of his grasp, though that only serves to press her further against his hips. Neji groans.

Yet he presses firm fingers against her, until she is all but trembling against him - when he stops suddenly, withdrawing his hand from her pants.

"The fuck?" she gasps, tugging her zippers back into place.

"Meet me in my quarters. 1230 hours." Neji squeezes her bottom lightly, and slips out of the broom closet.

* * *

"We think there's something going on between you and Lieutenant Hyuuga, Tenten," Konohamaru pipes up the moment she steps into the simulation room. "And you're late, too."

"What?" Tenten bristles, glaring at her trainees. It didn't help that the corridors were mostly empty by the time she finally left the broom closet, aching for what Neji so helpfully tempted her with. "Something came up along the way. I got here as quickly as I could."

"I heard him asking someone about your clothes the other day," Udon mentions. "That sounds awfully intimate to me."

She angles a glare at him. Did anyone else overhear Neji? Or are the kids making this up? "I made him locate my missing laundry. Did any of you get involved in the laundry facility screw-up?"

"No, our clothes were fine," Moegi answers. She crouches down to do some stretches.

"So he was looking for your clothes!" Konohamaru squeals. He hops around and waves his arms in the air.

Tenten mashes her palm into her forehead. "Will you guys just shut up already? Five hundred laps, now."

"But that's too many laps!" Udon mumbles dismally. "It was nice not having to do anything on Christmas."

"Well, you're going up against the other trainee teams in a few days," Tenten barks. "I don't want to see another pathetic performance like the time you lost to Hyuuga's team, do you copy?"

"You're always talking about Lieutenant Hyuuga," Moegi points out between stretches. Tenten rolls her eyes. At least the girl's getting ready for training.

"Why aren't the three of you running yet?" she bites. "Hyuuga is my rival - have you forgotten the way he snubbed you? Of course I'm going to talk about him if I'm going to be beating his ass into a pulp."

"Yessir," they chorus, and eventually begin jogging around the room. Tenten sighs, and joins them. There is still a residual ache in her belly - lunchtime can't possibly come soon enough. Damn Neji for shoving all these carnal thoughts into her head.

* * *

"Surely there are forms of payment for those pictures other than sex," Tenten grouses, when her body has recovered sufficiently from strain, and she climbs off his hips. She doubts that asking would help, though it wouldn't hurt, either.

"There are," Neji agrees, propping himself up on his elbows. Sculpted abs tighten on his physique as he holds that position; Tenten tries not to look. "Unfortunately, none of those interests me."

Her clothes are conveniently strewn next to his bed, exactly the way she intended, and Tenten crouches to gather them, ignoring the way his pale lilac eyes stroke over her skin. It had not been easy dragging her mind off from thoughts of him throughout training - her concentration had lapsed, and it is all his damn fault.

"I'm sure you prefer this... interaction, yourself," he suggests.

"I do not!" She aims a glare at him, smoothing her fingers over the synthetic material of her uniform pants. The hidden pocket is easily located, and she slips the little disc within into her palm. All it takes is a heartbeat to click the tiny button on its side, and it is flat on the floor and skidding silently under his queen-sized bed in moments, to the approximate middle, where it would be hidden and accessed only with great difficulty. Her blood thrums with anticipation. "I'd like you to know that you're an insufferable prick," Tenten retorts.

Neji's eyes are still roaming over her in very masculine appreciation when she pulls her underwear and clothes on. Tenten swallows.

"You're welcome," he tells her smugly, and eases up against the headboard. "I haven't seen you not enjoy one of our... sessions."

Tenten turns away before the flush on her cheeks makes itself obvious.

"I seem to remember one instance in the lab where you screwed up on the locks, Lieutenant Oh-Great-Genius." She checks for all her weapons, flicks a sullen glare at him, and pauses by his mirror to inspect her appearance.

"And the others?" He's now smirking, like a cat toying with its prey.

"No comment." She stops at his door and flips him off, just as it slides open with a hiss. "Good afternoon, Hyuuga."

* * *

Neji snaps awake to the distinct scent of smoke in his quarters that night. On instinct, he scans the darkened room for signs of an orange glow, only to find none. Is there a fire down the corridor? There should be alarms going off by now if there were, but he hasn't heard any. He swings his legs off the bed and hurries to the door- And stops abruptly when he realizes that the smoke is _thinner_ towards the entrance of his room.

His flashlight is by the door; Neji sweeps the room with its cold glow. Smoke puffs thickly from beneath his bed (he had not felt any telling heat when he woke, strangely enough), so he strides over and crouches down a distance away, so that smoke isn't obscuring his vision and filling his lungs, and flicks the flashlight off, so there isn't artificial light under the bed.

No glimmer of orange.

Cursing, he flicks the lights and vents on, and sets the flashlight down, blinking as his eyes adjust to the brightness. With a reservoir of calm, he heaves the mattress up on its side, looking for a smoldering patch. Smoke fills his eyes and nose - he coughs and waves the smoke away, his eyes watering.

There is no sign of a fire anywhere on his mattress, either, just tiny fragments of black material on the floor beneath the bed frame, that fizzle into smoke.

Pieces of information connect in his mind - the truth is glaring at Neji even before he moves an inch.

Annoyance sparks where there is usually none, and it is with a vengeance that he seats himself at his desk, and fires up his computer.

* * *

There is a cool breeze ghosting over her skin; light shines from behind her eyelids. Tenten stirs, hovering on the cusp between wakefulness and slumber, and rolls over, cracking her eyes open with inhuman effort to glance at the digital clock by her bed.

_01:18_, the green digits read.

"So, Lieutenant Tenten sleeps in the nude," a familiar baritone rings, and her heart gives a mighty jolt.

Tenten is instantly awake, one hand delving beneath her pillow for her pistol, while she pushes herself upright with the other, scanning the room for the intruder. "Show yourself," she snarls, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

Hyuuga Neji seems to emerge from the shadows across the room, and she aims her gun at him, drawing her knees up in preparation for fight or flight. Tenten blinks when she realizes that he's in a simple T-shirt and shorts, ebony hair untied, though that does not discount the fact that he's in her quarters, as if locks and security mean nothing.

"I did not appreciate the smoke bomb," he mentions, sauntering over to her bed.

Tenten grits her teeth, releases the safety catch on her pistol (because the knowledge that she has this additional power outweighs the fact that she cannot kill or injure him). His pale gaze coasts over her form, though her body is too tensed to respond.

"I do, however, appreciate seeing you with your hair down. And the rest of you, of course."

"What are you here for?" she bites, even though she knows full well why he's here. She's baited him, and she should've thought about the consequences carefully before she did it, damn it.

"If you have a bone to pick with me, why didn't you say so?" Neji asks, quietly. He stops three feet away from the edge of her bed. Tenten tightens her grip around her pistol, fingers the trigger. She could put a bullet through his chest, or stomach, or anywhere else she damn well wants.

"I don't want any bone of yours," she returns acidly, glaring at him.

"Oh, really." A slender eyebrow lifts. Neji smirks, and she knows what exactly he's thinking.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, you piece of filth," Tenten snaps.

"That's not what you said when I-"

"Oh for fuck's sake, shut up and get out of here!" The muscles in her legs flex, and she's springing from the bed before she knows it.

Neji receives her collision surprisingly well, though what Tenten does not expect is for him to absorb her momentum and swing them around, releasing her back onto the mattress.

"Few people have annoyed me to the extent you did," Neji leans forward, murmuring in her ear. A little thrill of excitement skitters down her spine when he takes her earlobe into his mouth. "You do love getting into situations like this with me, don't you, Lieutenant?"

And she bites her lip, because there's no way in hell she's going to admit that Neji has hit the nail right on the head.

"You reek of smoke," Tenten mutters, for lack of a suitable comeback. She looks at everywhere else in the room but him, though it's nowhere near easy when his lips trail down her jaw, to her throat, and her pulse flutters. He is a heavy warmth pressing down on her; she feels especially vulnerable, even if the pistol is still within her grasp.

"Whose fault might that be?" Neji replies in kind, and sucks on her throat. Her exhalations turn unsteady. She wasn't lying, though - all she scents on him is smoke.

Tenten finds herself flat on her front all of a sudden, her arms shifted around. A shock of cool metal closes around her wrists.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing?" she snaps, twisting her head around to look. Neji has released her arms, though what holds them in place now is a set of handcuffs that she isn't able to tug apart, similar to what he gave her for Christmas. How had she not noticed them on him before? The reality of her position sets in next (he has disarmed her, no less), and anger flares in her middle. "Release me at once!"

"_Rule #1: Never let your guard down_," Neji recites, a smirk in his voice. "Or have you forgotten what you teach your students, Lieutenant?"

"I hate you," she snarls, tugs futilely at her bonds. The metallic clinks serve only to accentuate her humiliation, and Tenten twists herself around onto her back, sitting up.

"Do you really hate me, or do you hate that you enjoy what I do to you?"

She doesn't have an answer to that.

Neji is right before her and pinning her down again, anchoring her thighs apart with his legs. Her shoulders are pressed into a pillow; he cups her breast with one hand (she's reminded of the fact that the only clothes between them are his) and lowers his face to hers, so close that his breath falls on her lips. But he's not kissing her (has never kissed her), and she's thankful for that.

"What do you want?" she grits. Hyuuga Neji has never done things without a purpose, and he isn't about to start today. He smirks, pale eyes boring into hers.

"I've been wondering..." he whispers, and his fingers trail away from her chest, to her midriff, and lower yet, "What you taste like."

His suggestion is so unexpected that Tenten is dumbfounded for all of seconds, before the weight of his words sinks in, and she sees vividly in her mind what he's about to do. Heat floods her cheeks next - the one person she can't tolerate (and the very person who has been aggravatingly sneaking into her fantasies for some time, now) is suggesting she be vulnerable to him, and her body responds with ferocious desire.

"You'll do no such thing!" Tenten snaps, and struggles against him, though she's acutely aware that her nipples have pebbled, and his fingers are toying with her hair.

"Oh?" Neji murmurs, leans in to lick the shell of her ear, tantalizingly. His fingers dip into her cleft. "Why are you wet, then?"

"Fuck you, Hyuuga," she hisses, disliking how he reads her so easily. He pulls away from her, just slightly (though his fingers are still probing at her entrance), and she sees the smugness in his expression.

"I believe it's the other way around this time," he replies, his eyes dark with hunger, and places his palms on her thighs to keep them parted.

She watches, with a mix of anticipation and embarrassment, when he lowers his face to her groin - she squeezes her eyes shut, not wanting to believe this.

Tenten feels his breath first, against her heated flesh, then the light stroke of his tongue on her swollen nub. Her body jerks at his touch; pleasure sneaks in little tendrils into her sex, and he's licking down, over the seam of her entrance, and up again - Neji repeats this caress, over and over, and she loses count when he takes her clit into his mouth and sucks, sensation searing into her flesh. Her back arches of its own accord; she can almost imagine Neji smirking when he licks downwards, to her opening.

A gasp tears from her lips; she misses the way his eyes flick up towards her, triumphant, even as he imitates the way he's moved inside her on other occasions - in and out, in and out - and Tenten writhes beneath him, thrusting herself at his face, more so when his fingers join in this torment - her legs are quivering and she can't think, not when tension is building in her belly-

Until it explodes with an intensity that rips through her frame; her fingers clench and her toes curl, and a low moan bursts from her lips.

Neji is on his feet and observing her by the time she regains her bearings. She almost misses the little remote he has in his hands - he pushes one of its buttons, and there is a quiet click beneath her, where the handcuffs are.

"You're forgiven," he tells her smugly, holding his hand out for the handcuffs. Tenten slips them off and glares, tossing the metal bonds at him. He plucks them out of the air easily, pockets them, and turns to leave. "Kindly refrain from gifting me with more smoke bombs, Lieutenant."

"Dream on, Hyuuga," she mutters, when the door hisses shut behind him. Tenten glances around the room, and at the clock, and wonders when all this changed, when her feelings have changed about one Hyuuga Neji.

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 29, 2030, 0803 hrs_

"You're going to have to tell me how you broke into Hyuuga's room," Tenten begins, once the usual greetings are over with. "I've never heard of kids your age doing that."

"Aren't you impressed?" Konohamaru grins and puffs his chest up. "We're better than you give us credit for, Tenten."

She lifts a questioning eyebrow. "Tell me how you did it first, and I'll pass my judgement."

"We stopped his door from locking," Moegi answers before Konohamaru can. "You know how the metal doors have to slide all the way across the doorway before the locks click into place?"

Tenten nods.

"Well, we waited until the cleaning robots visited Lieutenant Hyuuga's quarters, and drove a remote-controlled toy car into the doorway as it left." Moegi looks around at her teammates. "Udon is the best with driving remote-controlled objects, and Konohamaru and I stood on guard."

Udon blushes at the compliment; Tenten blinks, but lets it slide. "So you guys waited until the robots were gone before prying the door open?"

"Essentially, yes," the girl grins. "Konohamaru thought of the plan though. We work great as a team!"

"Not bad." Tenten surveys them with pride. The same method could work for what she has in mind - Neji isn't going to get away with breaking into her quarters like he did. He's had the upper hand for long enough. "Is that remote-controlled car still working?"

"Are you planning on sneaking into his quarters yourself?" Konohamaru waggles his eyebrows.

Tenten narrows her eyes at him. "I'm planting more smoke bombs, twit. Don't read too much into it."

"Tenten and Hyuuga sitting in a tree," Konohamaru sings, and howls when Tenten's fist connects with his skull.

"Stuff it, kid," she threatens, "Or I'll tie you up and leave you in the hallways leading to the cafeteria. All the girls are going to think so much of you then."

"Like you aren't pulling childish pranks yourself, Tenten," Konohamaru mutters, and Tenten tweaks his ear.

"Say that again," she growls. The boy shakes his head vigorously. "Good. Now, I'm going to need that toy this time tomorrow."

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 30, 2030, 1125 hrs_

Tenten heaves the heavy metal door open, glancing around to make sure that no one is bearing witness to her intrusion. The door eases back gradually, and she slips in once the gap in the doorway is wide enough, kicking the remote car (and the rubber stopper the kids so helpfully attached to it) into the room. The door slides shut behind her.

It is dark, and Tenten fumbles for the light switches. She has not bothered with disguising her presence in the corridor - Neji is bound to discover her involvement in this the moment the smoke bombs activate, anyway. But the look on Neji's face when he's covered head-to-toe in smoke... Tenten stifles a chuckle at the image that comes to mind. Like Kurenai said, the Hyuuga do need to be taken down by a notch or two sometimes, and Neji is a prime target for that. (The only target of hers, really.)

Her fingers locate the switch, and the lights come on. She grabs a handful of smoke bombs from her pocket, all set to five minutes after midnight, and begins planting them in various places around the room - under his nightstand, by the door, in various drawers, his closet, beneath his desk-

Tenten is about to get to her feet when the metal door hisses open.

Her heart lodges itself in her throat; she freezes as footsteps make their way into the room and pause-

_Oh hell._ The remote-controlled car is still out in the open, where she'd kicked it to. Tenten bites her lip hard. She'd been planning to pick it up on her way out. _Damn it._

She crawls into the space beneath his desk, cramming herself against the back panel, and holds her breath. The footsteps are slower now, as if Neji is aware of her presence, and is trying to hunt her down. The door slides shut again. Tenten checks the time on her visor. There isn't enough time for her to ping the kids and hope they'd reach her in less than a minute - and if that backfires, they'd catch her in here with Neji (who knows what he might be doing with her then).

The footsteps begin making their way around the room - she's sure Neji has his gun out, now - and her heart thunders ever louder. He'd know her purpose here if he found the rest of the smoke bombs. Tenten purses her lips, and empties her pockets, activating the rest of the discs. They fit conveniently into the gap beneath his drawers.

"I know you're here," he says, and she inhales sharply at the closeness of his smooth baritone. She isn't going to admit defeat and reveal herself, however.

Tenten pulls her pulse gun from its holster, silencing it with the quiet flick of a switch.

His footsteps draw nearer - she's braced herself against the floor and has him at gunpoint the moment he steps into sight, his own weapon aimed at her.

The corners of Neji's lips quirk in a wry smile. "Under the desk, Lieutenant? You're a little more kinky than I anticipated."

She flushes. "I was going to blast your manhood into oblivion, smartass."

"Choice hiding spot, for sure." His words are laced thick with sarcasm. "I'm sure we'd both find it more... pleasurable if we went with my suggestion instead."

"Maybe in your next life," she retorts. (Yet deep down, Neji's suggestion appeals to her, and she does not want to acknowledge that she can already imagine him in her mouth.)

"I'm honored that you're willing to consider it at all." Neji smirks, pulls his office chair back. "Do separate yourself from my desk, Lieutenant. You can be found guilty of trespassing otherwise."

Tenten glowers at him, caught, and slowly extricates herself from his desk. Neji looks pointedly between her gaze and her weapon, and she shoves it back into its holster grudgingly.

"Now, place your hands in the air, and face the wall." He is all but smirking now, and she knows where this is headed, knows her body is responding to his suggestion.

"I need to be back with my trainee cell, Hyuuga," she mutters, standing her ground. "As do you."

"Yet I found you under my desk." He lifts his brow, steps closer to her. Tenten gulps, backs away. "Were you trying to break into my files?"

"No!" she snaps. The guess is understandable - but Neji is so far off.

"Then subject yourself to a frisk." His pale eyes are smug, challenging, and Tenten knows she can't get away. Her pulse thumps between her legs.

"Why even blackmail me?" she asks, trying to stall, and smooths her hand over her pockets - there is one smoke bomb left, that she missed earlier. _Hell yeah._ Tenten takes another step back, and another, clicking the buttons on the disc to reset it-

And she's tossing it at his feet, an instant before it explodes in a thick, dense cloud of smoke.

She turns and sprints out of Neji's quarters, snatching the remote-controlled car off the floor. The corridor behind her is silent for a long while.

* * *

_Konoha, Dec 31, 2030, 0713 hrs_

The cafeteria is blessedly quiet this morning. Tenten chews on an egg-and-mayo sandwich, staring unseeingly into the murky depths of her coffee.

She hasn't seen Neji since yesterday - which she usually would count as a good sign - except that she doesn't usually leave him standing in a thick cloud of smoke, only to be assaulted hours later with countless smoke bombs igniting simultaneously. He hasn't died from smoke inhalation, has he?

Tenten swallows uneasily, glancing around the canteen.

"Okay, Ten, spill," Ino's voice rings from behind her, and Tenten looks up from her breakfast.

"Hmm?" Before she thinks to ask for an elaboration, Ino flicks a couple of photos onto the middle of the table, and sets her own tray down across from Tenten.

Flesh tones catch her attention first, and Tenten finds herself rapidly recognizing the nude forms on the pictures - in the first, the bare back of a female, hair in twin buns, straddling an equally naked male, his ebony hair dark against the pillows. In the second, of her arching her back, one hand reaching between them, her mouth open in a moan frozen in time.

Tenten's stomach plummets faster than a rock in a black hole. "The fuck?" she yelps, and her face flushes with heat. "How did you get your hands on-"

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this!" Ino hisses as she takes her seat. "You've been fucking _the_ Hyuuga Neji? And you kept me in the dark about it?"

Neji had to have done this in retaliation.

"Oh gods," she groans and snatches the pictures up, covering her face with her other hand. Who else could've done this? Of all the things she's expected him to do- Doesn't he have any shame? How could he take pictures of them without her knowledge? "Does anyone else have these?"

Ino kicks her foot under the table. "Tenten. Spill. How long has this been going on for? Is he any good?"

"It- It was just a one-night stand, Ino," she mumbles, willing the heat in her cheeks to abate. (At the very least, these aren't the photos hanging in the balance.) She's going to get his pasty-white ass for releasing these pictures. "Nothing more than that."

"Uh huh," Ino acknowledges dubiously. "And I'm the queen of Saturn, Ten."

"You didn't answer my questions," Tenten grumbles reproachfully in return, looking at the blond from the gap between her fingers. Ino teases the pictures from her grip. "Hey!"

"Is he big?" is Ino's next eager question, and Tenten cringes. Ino returns to peering at the pictures. "Though of course, you wouldn't know unless you've sampled a large number..."

"I'm not answering that! Return the pictures right now, Ino." Tenten lets go of her burning face for an instant and pushes her breakfast tray to the side - her appetite has long since evaporated, and she'll need the leverage of a clear table if she's going to be wrestling incriminating photos from her friend. Neji is so going to be skewered with sharp objects after this. "Think what you will, but I promise it was a one-night stand," she mumbles.

"How on earth did you even nail him, Ten? I'm so envious!" Ino titters, a wide grin on her painted lips. "And come on, with a body like that? I'd totally do him."

Tenten rolls her eyes, keeps her mouth tightly shut - she isn't sure what else Ino is discovering in those damned pieces of glossy paper.

Ino's head snaps right up suddenly. "You don't shave your pubes?" she whispers in horror.

"Is it any of your goddamn business?" Tenten grouses, making a futile grab for the pieces of evidence. "Don't make me tackle you to the floor, Ino."

"If you do, I'll scream that you've been getting into Hyuuga Neji's pants," the blond returns mischievously, sky-blue eyes glinting. Tenten feels her shoulders tense in mortification. "Not that most would care, but-"

"Don't you fucking dare, Ino," she growls in warning, though she doesn't know if she's more embarrassed or annoyed. A quick scan of the canteen reveals no spectators, much to Tenten's relief.

"Besides, I'm giving you a tip, girlfriend: Shave off all that hair down below. He'll love it," Ino suggests matter-of-factly, and glances back at the pictures.

"I'll do nothing of that sort!" Tenten grimaces. She stares at Ino, unsure if the blond is speaking in mirth. "I've told you, that was a one-night stand and that's that! I was drunk, he took advantage of my lacking judgement, and took these pictures. He's smaller than you think he is, okay?"

Tenten doesn't even want to know how many pictures Neji has taken of them at this point. These were probably from the afternoon she planted the first smoke bomb.

Ino lifts an eyebrow and smirks, and Tenten is unwittingly reminded of him. She glances furtively at the rest of the cafeteria again, if just to sooth her rattled nerves.

"Anyway, I'm leaving, Ino - time to step up the training. The kids are going up against other teams again soon," she explains, and makes a grab for the pictures. This time, Ino releases them, though she wriggles her eyebrows and winks at Tenten.

"Guess you're finally getting some, huh?" the blond asks slyly. Tenten glares at her. "Not a clue who else has them - someone slipped them beneath the door to my quarters," she adds with a shrug. "Guess you'd have to ask Neji about it."

Tenten shoves the pictures into her pocket with an irate mutter.

* * *

It has been a surprisingly quiet day, with the exception of Ino's embarrassing interrogation during breakfast. Aside from that, however, the last day of the year has gone well - still no sign of Neji, and Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi have completed their hardest simulation yet in record time. They are still probably a far cry from Neji's cell, though Tenten is proud of them for having come this far in a month and a half; even Udon is putting more effort into training these days.

She stays up late, and finds her feet taking her to the port side of the _Konoha_, where there is a little gallery amongst the upper decks of the ship, that she's stumbled on a long time ago on a New Year's eve. This is one of Tenten's traditions that she's kept secret; a yearly visit to the gallery, where there is a large window to the rest of the universe.

There's already someone in the pitch-black gallery when she arrives, following dim amber lights along the darkened corridor. Few use this area enough for it to be fully-lit at all times.

Tenten blinks at the unexpected presence, but keeps to herself, walking to the other end of the floor-length window.

It's one of the few places aboard the _Konoha_ that offers an unimpeded view of the universe, where she feels as if she's close enough to the stars that have watched over her for so long. Tenten pauses inches by the window and exhales, pressing her forehead against cool plexiglass.

In a few minutes, it will be the new year, and hopefully a new beginning. There are celebrations throughout the rest of the ship - on this night, she prefers being alone, to sort her thoughts out, and count her blessings.

_I am thankful for my friends and comrades,_ she thinks. _For having a shelter over my head, and food for my needs. For having weapons enough to defend myself with, for having somewhere to belong, for Lee, Kiba, Ino, Captain Gai and the rest of my friends. For those kids, even though they were a pain at first._

_No thanks for Neji,_ she thinks with a wry smile. _In the new year, I want to be stronger than before, form better relationships, and try not to lose my temper as much. That isn't easy though._

The stars and galaxies shine steadily back at her. Tenten smiles at them, and trails her gaze over the millions of speckles across the inky sky, some brighter than others, wondering at the vastness of the universe. It almost seems a little too petty to worry about one's troubles when there is so much else out there.

"I thought I might find you here tonight," the other person in the gallery says, quietly, breaking the silence.

Tenten isn't surprised to realize that it's Neji who's in the room with her. She's taken aback, however, by how mellow she feels tonight. It is as if the pictures Ino received can't even shake her from the calm that the new year brings. A soft laugh rumbles from her chest.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here?" she asks in return, barely shifting her head to include him in her view.

Because she's brought him here one new year's eve, just before he graduated early and left their trainee cell.

Neji walks over slowly, hands in his pockets, coming to stand a little ways next to her. "You should know."

Was that a smile in his tone? Tenten draws a deep breath, and looks back at the stars. "I'm in no mood to argue with you tonight, Neji."

"That's fine," he replies easily, "I'll settle for tomorrow instead."

"I didn't think I'd be smiling at your humor." Tenten tries, unsuccessfully, to bite her grin down. It is reminiscent of old times, when Neji managed to crack her up with his dry remarks.

"I didn't think I'd see you smile," Neji murmurs, and Tenten notices that he's watching her with a sidelong gaze. She looks quickly away.

"You've been a real jerk lately, you know." She cups her hands around her eyes, forming blinders, to shield Neji from her vision. The stars are still shining, ever watchful.

He doesn't reply for a long time, and Tenten wonders if that was the right thing to say. She chews on her lip, and her breath catches when she hears Neji walk towards her, pausing by her back.

Warm arms wrap around her waist; he presses his chest to her back, and moist lips skim along the crook of her shoulder. There's something achingly familiar about this.

"What-"

"Happy New Year." Neji breathes against her skin for heartbeats, and then he's pulling away, leaving her cold in the gallery. His footsteps echo dully down the corridor.

It takes Tenten several minutes before she moves from that spot, following Neji's path away from the window of stars.

* * *

_A/N: Bet that took you guys by surprise. ;) ;)_

_As always, thank you so much for the reviews! So glad to see that dysfunctional!NejiTen hasn't driven people off yet ;)_


	14. 12: The New Year

_Serious stuff gets serious. Not a funny chapter, sorry guys. :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 12: The New Year**

_Konoha, Jan 1, 2031, 0633 hrs_

Tenten's finger hovers over the call button of her earpiece for the longest while. This time of day usually finds her getting ready to go to the gym, after keying in additional reports from the day before. Ever since the events of last night, though... Tenten winces yet again. She hasn't been able to concentrate on anything. What did Neji mean by that unexpectedly tender hug?

Is she turning delirious, or is he? What happened to the "just sex" bit in Neji's web of blackmail?

Or is her period screwing with her mind?

All the same, the pictures of them are sitting on the desk by her keyboard, glaring in their mere existence. Has the second smoke bomb incident driven him to spread them to more people, or was it just Ino who received them? No one else has indicated knowledge of their physical encounters thus far.

She inhales, and mashes her fingertip into the button before she second-guesses herself again. A call is less awkward (and less dangerous) than a physical meeting, after all.

He answers a couple of rings later. "Hyuuga Neji speaking."

Tenten feels her throat go dry at his voice in her ear. Her heart hammers. Why the hell is she so nervous about talking to him, anyway?

"Look, about those pictures," Tenten begins roughly, not bothering with a greeting. She's thinking a little more clearly now that it's morning, and they aren't in some weird intimate embrace in front of her guardian stars. "Who else did you disseminate them to?"

Neji snorts lightly. "I figured you'd be demanding information on them sooner than later."

"And? Don't keep me waiting," she snaps, relieved at the smugness in his tone. The familiar heat of anger swims again in her middle, and Tenten almost sighs with its appearance. (It's easier dealing with him when she can justify her fury.)

"Should I be offended that you didn't first inquire how I did _not_ suffocate from all that smoke you plied me with?" Neji asks, full of sarcasm.

Tenten purses her lips. Yeah, she is curious how he's got out of that seemingly unscathed. "How?" she finally asks.

"I happened to be out late," he tells her dryly. "You triggered the sprinkler system in my quarters - it was all water and soot when I stepped in."

She winces. Cleanup would probably have been a real pain. "I guess your printer was still working, huh?"

Tenten can almost imagine him rolling his eyes, if it isn't for the fact that Hyuuga do not roll their eyes.

"The essential equipment is, yes." And after a pause, "You're surprisingly aggravating."

Her jaw drops. "_I'm_ aggravating? Speak for yourself, damn-"

"Anyhow, the pictures," he interrupts calmly, and Tenten falls silent, if only to find out how extensive the damage is. "I've only passed them on to Yamanaka for now. I imagine she was delighted to receive them."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "'Delighted' isn't the right word. How dare you take pictures of us-"

"Tell me they don't bring back pleasant memories, and I'll yield," Neji cuts in, all pride again, and she frowns.

Looking at those photos does trigger memories of some of the other times she's slept with him, damn it.

"Fuck you, Hyuuga," she bristles, because he's right again, damn it. "Don't let me catch you doing this again."

"Are you going to lay off the pranks, then?" There's a smirk in his voice.

"We'll see about that," Tenten allows, and ends the call abruptly, because she isn't about to give him any more leverage against her. At least there wasn't any hint of the strangeness from last night in their exchange.

Hopefully, it'll stay that way, until Shikamaru gives her something or other that will help throw him off her back.

* * *

Lee is at the gym when Tenten jogs in late with a towel around her neck. He waves at her from across the large room. "Tenten!"

"What is it?" she asks, when she's reached his side. The gym regulars are used to the commotion he causes whenever she makes her appearance, and she's used to it, as long as he doesn't address her by one of his flowery nicknames. "Happy New Year, by the way."

"Happy New Year!" he grins, jogging on the treadmill. "You're late today, Tenten."

All because she was procrastinating on that call to Neji. "Yeah, I know," she tells him dully, warming up with stretches before she joins him on the adjacent treadmill. "Did you make any resolutions for this year?"

"To be stronger than I was, of course!" he answers, inky eyes twinkling. Lee's resolutions are the same every year, and it is by force of habit that Tenten asks what they are.

She grins at him. "Figures."

"What about you? I didn't see you last night." Lee wipes at his face with his leaf-green towel, and looks expectantly at her. "Were you doing your yearly ritual with the stars?"

"Yeah, I was." Tenten glances down at the console of the treadmill, wondering how much she should tell Lee about the previous night's encounter. She doesn't need him speculating about her and Neji... But at the same time, how the hell is she going to figure out what that damn jerk meant by that hug? Is he screwing with her mind? Will Lee even know what Neji meant by it? "I, uh, met an acquaintance. He gave me a... hug. I don't know what the hell that's supposed to mean."

It's Lee's turn to frown. He rubs his chin thoughtfully, and suggests, "Perhaps he was just being friendly?"

Hyuuga Neji has never indicated a desire for friendship with hugs or physical intimacy. Tenten narrows her eyes. "No, he isn't the type to hug, as far as I know."

"Was he... drunk?" Lee looks quizzically at her.

"No, he didn't smell like he was drunk." Her forehead crinkles. If anything, he'd smelled faintly of alcohol, as if he'd left one of the parties early to wait at the gallery. Just like on Christmas night, when he wasn't imbibed with enough liquor to-

Heat prickles on her cheeks, and Tenten steers clear of that train of thought.

"You're blushing, Tenten," Lee observes, and she tenses mid-jog.

It is with deep, even breaths that she calms down, forcing her features not to betray her emotions.

"Ah! I know what it is!" Lee says, suddenly, still watching her, and Tenten raises her eyebrows with some measure of dread. "You like him!"

"What?" she sputters. "I don't like him in the least bit-"

"Then he likes you," her best friend proposes. "That's why he pulled you into the most youthful embrace-"

"Shut up!" Tenten hisses, her face crimson. "It was just a damn hug, Lee!"

Because Neji's been using her for sex, and that is all there is to it. For all she knows, he's been sleeping with other women too, but he's made no mention of it (not that she's interested in knowing the details, anyway). It's just a coincidence that he's had any physical contact with her on both the nights of Christmas and New Year's eve. Maybe he had someone else waiting in his bed last night, anyway.

If that twinge in her gut is envy, she sure as hell isn't acknowledging it.

Maybe he'd leave the moment she starts throwing herself at him. Tenten purses her lips, and considers that thought.

"Despite what you think, you're actually an attractive woman, Tenten," Lee tells her, and she blinks at him, broken from her musing.

She stares suspiciously at him. "Don't tell me you're going to give me weird hugs now, too."

He grins at her easily then, and flashes a thumbs-up, coupled with a blinding grin. "Don't take it the wrong way, Tenten, but I do not have romantic inclinations towards you. I can't do that to my very best friend."

Her shoulders sag with relief. "Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you, Lee."

"That acquaintance you speak of, is it Neji?" he asks suddenly, shrewd.

Tenten finds herself impacting hard against the treadmill console the next instant, her feet following the rubber mat as it drags her away from the front of the machine.

"Ouch," she groans, trying to find her footing before the increased speed drags her bodily down and dumps her at the end of the tread without mercy. Lee pauses his treadmill and rushes over to help. It takes her a while to step off the machine with Lee's aid, rubbing her bruised cheek. "I don't want to talk about that acquaintance anymore, Lee. Just do me that one favor, please."

He stares suspiciously at her, but doesn't push the subject, helping her over to a bench instead. "If you say so, Tenten. But remember, you can't keep running away from things that scare you. It's just going to get you into more trouble in the future."

* * *

There's a voicemail waiting for Tenten by the time she returns to her quarters, sore, sweaty, and ready for a shower. Her eyebrows crawl up her forehead at the source of the message: Nara Shikamaru.

Deciding that the shower can wait, she wears her earpiece and hits the play button.

_I have something that might aid you in your situation. Meet me at your earliest convenience. You owe me for this, Tenten._

The thrill of excitement skittering up her spine has her rushing through her shower at twice the usual speed. Tenten sends a message to Shikamaru, telling him that she'll be in his office in fifteen sharp.

She makes it there in ten.

"What did you find?" she asks, even before she's fully settled in the seat in front of his desk. The anticipation of escaping Neji's control is bone-deep, and her palms are sweating from the adrenaline in her veins.

Shikamaru stares at her, his blank expression always a challenge to read, and slides a silver thumbdrive across his desk. "A video clip. I found it in the Hyuuga's database on Earth, with multiple layers of encryption concealing it."

Tenten frowns. "Is it just confidential, or is it something really bad?"

He provides a mere shrug. "Judge it for yourself."

She wraps her fingers around the pinky-sized storage device, cool metal against her skin. Her pulse thuds in her fingertips. "I owe you, Shikamaru."

The man merely yawns, and waves her away. "That was troublesome. I'm glad I'm not involved in that anymore."

"I'll make sure you aren't," Tenten promises, and tucks the thumbdrive away. She gives him a small wave. "See you around."

There is almost no one in the corridors on the way back to her quarters. Tenten slips into the office chair behind her desk, firing her computer up. It takes almost too long to access the thumbdrive, and she taps her fingers impatiently on her desk when the video player takes excruciating moments to load.

Her heart is beating loudly in her chest when a video finally begins to play on the screen, in full color.

It is a long corridor, drab, pale greenish-white - probably a security video. There is no sound throughout; Tenten fast-forwards it until someone steps into the screen - Neji, in his early teens or younger, probably before he was recruited (she'd recognize him anywhere). His features are twisted in fury, posture stiff, and she wonders what's happened to rile him to such an extent.

He's not alone, however - he drags a stumbling girl into the video by her arm, unaware of the surveillance camera, and turns abruptly, slamming her back into the wall. The girl is pale-eyed, slightly shorter than him, dark hair trimmed to a bob.

Tenten's eyes widen. That is Hinata, Neji's cousin.

She watches in stunned silence when he corners Hinata. The girl is shrinking away from him, fear etched into her delicate features, and Neji's body tightens. Hinata says something to him, shaking her head, but Neji appears not to hear any of it.

He punches her, twice, in the stomach, and she doubles over, collapsing onto the floor.

Tenten swallows when he pulls a concealed dagger out, its blade glinting under the fluorescent light. Neji hefts his cousin up by her collar, pressing the dagger roughly against her throat.

Hinata coughs weakly, whispers something. The tension in Neji's form is palpable; he pulls the dagger back, as if to stab her hard with it - he is still for a moment - then he flings Hinata aside, almost in disgust, taking the dagger with him.

Hinata's limp form is on the floor when the video ends, and Tenten is left staring at her screen for a long time afterwards, trying to process what she's just seen.

The significance of the video is heavy, but probably not so to one unfamiliar with the hierarchy within the Hyuuga clan. But Tenten knows - is keenly aware of - the difference between the branch and main families of the clan.

Neji is part of the branch family, after all. He is sworn to protect the main family at any cost, even to his life; any sign of vitriol towards the main family will guarantee a severe punishment, if not death. And Hinata is part of the main family - the first daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi, a General stationed on Earth.

The video had to have taken place before they were enrolled in cadet school - Tenten has never seen Neji lash out with such anger. He's mellowed over the years, and she's seen him talking to Hinata on civil terms. But there is no hiding the sentiment in the surveillance clip - is the main family aware of it, or did someone hide it from them? Will Neji lose his position in the military if their superiors get wind of this?

Suddenly wary of the data Shikamaru has unearthed, Tenten takes a couple of screenshots of certain parts of the video, and disengages the thumbdrive. It doesn't sit well with her to manipulate others, but this evidence is enough to rival what Neji's got on her.

He'll probably agree to call a truce with this in the balance.

* * *

Tenten isn't able to will away the nerves jostling beneath her skin for the rest of the day. She tries compartmentalizing, but she is excited - so excited - at the prospect of finally being free of Neji, after almost seven weeks of being unwillingly bonded to him. It isn't so much the loss of sex (she hasn't made her mind up on that yet) as the prospect of no longer being manipulated by him, even if their more... visceral encounters have been nothing close to unpleasant.

Better yet, she'd finally get those photos destroyed - that would be the greatest weight off her chest.

It's surprising what the new year brings, isn't it?

And Neji's face, when she shoved printouts of the screenshots into his hands - she still can't forget the shock and recognition in his pale eyes the second his gaze landed on them. _We have something to discuss later,_ she's told him, but walked away before he could reply.

Tenten barely dodges the laser beam that Konohamaru sends her way, and rolls behind a large boulder. A quick glance around her surroundings tells her that her trainees are still behind her - they are closing in, but she still has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.

Tenten chances a look from behind her shield, calculates the time it'll take for them to approach. She leaps out when they're close enough, when _Konohamaru_ is close enough, and takes him down bodily, wrenching his gun out of his grip. He gives an indignant shout; she feels pricks of heat on her body, shots from the other two, and forces the struggling kid in front of herself, to use him as a shield. The firing stops immediately, while Moegi and Udon fall back to regroup.

"You can't afford time to discuss," she calls out to them. "He'll be dead in half a minute."

The tension in the air spikes, and Konohamaru struggles anew. His foot bashes into her knee. Tenten winces, but does not let him go, making sure to drag him to her next destination - a forest with plenty of trees, so she can find shelter immediately after casting him off.

When she's close enough to the trees, Tenten flings her trainee aside, making for the nearest tree - something catches her foot in that moment, and she stumbles.

A solid weight collides with her, wrapping itself around her waist.

"Get her, you guys!" Konohamaru shouts against her back. "Don't worry about me!"

_Huh._ Tenten raises her brows in surprise, turning in time to see Udon and Moegi bearing down on her, firing at her head, which is the only part of her that Konohamaru's body doesn't cover.

"We're sorry!" Moegi squeals, "I don't wanna hurt you, Tenten, but you said to come at you with an intent to kill!"

Tenten ends up knocking Konohamaru unconscious and taking the other two trainees down, anyway.

"You did far better than I expected," she tells them, when Konohamaru is awake again some time later, and they're sitting on the simulation room floor in a panting heap. "I didn't expect you to use yourself as a sacrifice, Konohamaru."

The excitable kid grins, rubbing his head at the compliment.

"But-" Tenten pauses, and looks at all of them in the eye. "Here on the _Konoha_, we have a belief - we don't let our teammates fall into enemy hands, or die. We support one another in times of need. No one is to be a sacrifice. Got that, kids?"

"Yeah," they chorus solemnly, and Tenten grins at them. Perhaps they'll turn out to be pretty promising, after all.

* * *

Neji is waiting for her near the simulation room entrance by the time the kids file out, chatting animatedly amongst themselves. There is no amusement on his countenance this time, nor cockiness; instead, the lines on his face are almost hard - because he knows, better than she does, the impact that particular video clip will bear on him.

The kids flick curious looks between her and Neji (he does not acknowledge them), and Tenten waits until they've rounded the corridor, before allowing him into the simulation room, and locking the door behind them.

"I figured we could negotiate our terms," she tells him calmly, checking the controls to ascertain that nothing is being recorded. They walk to the point furthest from the simulation room doors.

"How did you get your hands on that?" he asks, lilac eyes narrowed, hands by his sides. "I assume you have possession of the full video."

"I do." Tenten plucks a micro memory card from the storage compartment on her belt, handing it to him. "This is a copy."

Neji is silent when he plays the video on his visor, though the muscles on his jaw twitch. Tenten raises an eyebrow when he pauses it midway, pulling the card out of the reader on the visor.

He drops the card onto the floor and grinds it to dust beneath his boot, shoulders tense. His eyes are hard when he looks at her next. "What do you want in exchange?"

"Never thought I'd hear you ask that." She smiles languidly, leans against the metal wall of the simulation room. "I want the sole copies of all the pictures you've taken, of me in the alien lab. Throw in the pictures of us, too."

Neji narrows his eyes. He steps closer to her, so close that there isn't even a foot between them. "Are you sure there isn't another price I can pay?" he probes, softly, in her ear, and Tenten shivers.

"You won't seduce me out of it," she tells him, resolutely. "This will be a truce."

He moves away from her, studying her quietly.

"You can't risk this evidence leaking out," Tenten continues, despite not knowing what he does about it.

Neji makes no attempt to deny her words, and she smiles at him, knows she's struck the truth.

"Well?" she presses, when he still doesn't yield an answer.

It's a long, pregnant silence before Neji finally parts his lips, and replies, "I'll agree to your terms, on the condition that you surrender any and every copy you have of this video."

A grin crawls onto her lips - Neji's gaze drops to them - and she offers her hand to him. "Deal."

His fingers are warm and firm when he grasps her hand.

* * *

_A/N: Happy birthday, Tenten. ;) No, I did not plan the fic such that this was to be released around Tenten's birthday. ;)_

_Thank you, as always, for taking the time to leave a review :) _


	15. Off the Records: Unshakable

_A short chapter this time, but an important one nonetheless. I love the interludes so much. :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Off the Records: Unshakable**

_Konoha, Jun 2023 - 7 years ago_

Neji is fifteen, and closer to his trainee cell than he's ever expected to be. Three months have flown by since the truffle escort so long ago, when Tenten led her very first mission, and he discovered her infatuation with him quite by accident.

Neither she nor Lee has let slip anything else about the crush since, but Neji notices that she treats him almost tenderly, the way she doesn't when she punches Lee in the head for making silly mistakes. He notices the occasional soft smile, or concern when he isn't feeling too well; these are what the Hyuuga would term unnecessary - but Neji finds that he enjoys the attention somehow, even if he is too young to know that love and belonging are amongst the essential needs of mankind.

He is, however, old enough to be aware that as much as he likes his ego stroked, there will be a day when this will have to come to an end. Hiashi has informed him that his father, Hizashi, graduated ahead of his cohort in his day - as his son, Neji would do well to follow in his footsteps, and _do the clan proud_. The mantra has been ingrained so long into Neji that he is hard pressed to ignore it, even if he is distinctly aware of the double standards within the clan, and how his life is, really, tied to the main family's whims.

The attack on Hinata years back had been unforeseen. Due to external circumstances, his father had been made to bear a punishment that Hiashi would have otherwise suffered, if only because Hiashi is first-born, beating Hizashi to a life of privilege by a mere four minutes. Helpless, and only able to watch as his father stumbled home with numerous injuries, Neji had attacked Hinata, Hiashi's first-born, in retaliation. No one but Hizashi found out - he made Neji promise never to hurt Hinata again, and Hinata herself has never revealed the incident to anyone else.

Hyuuga Hizashi passed away shortly afterward, due to an illness, leaving Neji with an instruction not to bear grievances towards the clan. If Hinata can forgive him, so can he with the rest of the Hyuuga.

These days, Neji plods along, mostly neutral towards the main family, and on civil terms with Hinata. The Hyuuga have raised him to focus on the military; there is nothing to look forward to but rising through the ranks.

It has changed with the formation of his trainee team, though.

Neji learns that there isn't just training and goals and success to look forward to, but also quiet smiles and companionable silences and friendship. There will be a day when he will leave them prematurely, but for now, he is content to work hard, and enjoy the bonds he's found.

* * *

That his teammates are human, and therefore, fragile, doesn't quite sink in until Gai suggests that they practice hand-to-hand combat on each other one day. Neji is paired with Tenten, as always - she has figured that she is safest when not coming into contact with him, and Neji, in desperation, grabs her arm when she dances too close to him.

Instincts born from training young kicks in, and he twists her arm backwards-

There is a soft _pop_\- Tenten is crying out and lurching forwards suddenly, her frame trembling in agony. Neji watches her in surprise - Gai hurries forward in concern, all sparring with Lee put on pause.

_Calm down,_ Gai tells Tenten, who is in shock, her eyes wide, skin pale. This will hurt just a little, he says calmly, guiding her to sit on the floor. _It's a dislocated shoulder, I'll pop it back into place if you keep still._

Neji and Lee watch on in horror when Gai holds Tenten steady, and grips her shoulder, easing it back into place with another soft _pop_. Tenten gasps softly in pain. It is a little gruesome, seeing her body move like that, but Neji can't take his eyes off her, when he's inflicted that damage with his own hands.

_Stay here, I'll take her to the infirmary,_ Gai orders, looking hard at Neji, then Lee, and they obey, silent, still speechless about what's just occurred. Tenten isn't looking at any of them when she leaves with Gai.

_Why did you do that?_ Lee finally says, accusingly, his thick eyebrows drawn together in a frown, and Neji shakes his head, his forehead creased.

_I- I didn't mean to hurt her,_ he admits, _I overestimated my strength._

Because all the Hyuuga have allowed him to spar with are grown men, not teenage girls, and this is quite possibly the first time he's tried that move on Tenten. Neji looks down at his hands, callouses on his palms, and wonders if all he'll be capable of is hurt. First Hinata, and now Tenten.

He can't shake that unease off.

_How can you not know you'll hurt her?_ Lee is railing at him, and Neji backs away, chagrined. _She's our teammate! Tenten is a precious flower, Neji, you can't treat her like that!_

But wasn't she the one who told him not to hold back, just because she's a girl? Neji grimaces, frowns, and doesn't know what to do.

_I know that,_ he snaps at Lee.

_Then prove to Tenten that you're worthy of- that you'd protect her instead of hurting her!_ Lee exclaims, agitated, his fists clenched.

Neji frowns, looks away. Perhaps it is a good idea for him to graduate early, so he'd prevent himself from inflicting any more pain on Tenten. She is nothing like Hinata - hardly fine-boned, yet full of gall. She looks at him like none of the girls back home did - she is fierce, she never simpers, or begs for his attention.

Yet she is unexpectedly fragile. Neji swears to himself that he won't ever hurt her again.

Gai, when he returns, is uncharacteristically solemn. _Tenten will take a few months to fully recover, but she'll be back next week,_ he tells them, and turns to Neji. _I'm sure I don't have to explain what your actions have caused - you'll have to learn restraint where it comes to sparring with your teammates, Neji._

Neji dips his head, and does not disagree with Gai's advice.

* * *

_Konoha, Mar 2024 - 6 years ago_

Tenten never does fault him for the shoulder dislocation. All the same, Neji holds back just a little when he's sparring with her. He doesn't press on her limbs as firmly as he's trained to, though it takes a bit of experimenting to find the amount of force she's comfortable with, that won't injure her again.

It is nine months since he's dislocated her shoulder, six since she's fully recovered (Gai was instrumental in helping her get an arm sling and return to training the week after the dislocation, inventing techniques that she'd be able to use with an incapacitated arm). It's been three months since she'd shown him the window of stars, on the night of New Year's eve.

Despite training with them through her recovery, Tenten is still a little behind, with three months of practice to catch up on, and Neji agrees to stay behind for additional training sessions with her - in part because of guilt, and in part because he wants to observe her further. She reminds him of Lee with her tenacity; he is drawn to her in a way that he can't begin to explain.

* * *

Tenten gets hurt again on a mission under his command, almost two years into the formation of their trainee cell.

Neji is on his way to an early advancement - every mission counts towards his performance scores, and Gai allows him greater and greater liberty with executing the missions. Both Lee and Tenten are aware of his aim to graduate ahead of them by now; Tenten is still a little sour at the number of missions he gets to command, but she is still learning, ever watchful of his strategies, because she shares his goal of making Lieutenant (and he hasn't forgotten that). Sometimes, she even points out loopholes in his plans, to his surprise, and Gai and Lee both praise her for it.

(Neji isn't envious of the praise she gets. He really isn't.)

There aren't any errors in this mission strategy - Neji has made sure of that - but as they dash down the dirt roads of a deserted village, people hiding in the dilapidated houses begin firing at them - people that none of them had accounted for, because all they really have to do is make it through this village, as a shortcut to their destination.

He flings his hand out, a command to his team to stop, to turn back-

And an arrow lodges itself into Tenten's side, sending a shudder through her frame. She doesn't display any sign of slowing down, holding a careful hand to the wound, but Neji is grabbing her and leading them back into the forest.

_I can continue,_ Tenten gasps, when he's settled her against a tree, frowning at the blood seeping from between her fingers, _The arrow isn't poisoned._

_We don't know that for sure,_ Neji returns sharply. This is all his fault, really, that she's hurt again. He should have looked for updates on that village, to ensure that it was safe for their passage. But it's too late to change that, and the mission needs to be completed, successfully - he can't risk a failure right now. Lee cuts the arrow off, close to her skin, and stems the bleeding with a wad of cloth.

They end up taking the longer route through the forest, to avoid being sighted. The mission (to deliver a message to the next town) is completed without a hitch-

Until Tenten doubles over, pale and gasping, a hand clutching at her side.

Neji and Lee carry her between them, sprinting back to the _Springtime of Youth_. Gai frowns at their return - Neji has sent him a message in advance - and sets them on a course back to the_Konoha_, in the shortest amount of time possible.

_Your teammates are not chess pieces,_ Gai tells Neji disapprovingly, and Neji scowls at him through the concern for Tenten in his chest.

_I know that,_ he snaps. But he doesn't know how to explain to Hiashi a possible failure in graduating ahead, all because of a chance that his teammate may have been poisoned in the course of the mission.

Tenten forgives him, again (_what are friends for, right?_ she says later), but Neji can't escape the nagging feeling that his actions will always come to hurt her, sooner or later.

* * *

_A/N: Maslow's hierarchy of needs, anyone? ;) Am not sure if you can tell by the way I write - I love Neji to bits, unconditionally. ;)_

_At the moment I'm working on a very short AU.. but the first chapter (ugh it's longer than a oneshot, it seems.. I don't know) isn't done yet, so there is a high chance that there won't be an update this Friday. Sorry about that. :(_

_As always, thank you for taking the time to review! It never ceases to amaze me how many people stop by every time there's an update. :O_


	16. 13: The Search Begins

_And... we're back to present time. The plot continues to deepen. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **As always, this story is rated for mature content. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 13: The Search Begins**

_Konoha, Jan 1, 2031, 2034 hrs_

Tenten frowns, and searches her quarters for the third time over. The damn thumbdrive that Shikamaru has given her is nowhere to be found.

"Where the hell did it go?" she mutters to herself, and goes through all the pockets in her clothes. She's looked under the desk, in every corner of her room, and even in the creases of the couch, dread weighing her chest down with every minute that passes. Surely Neji is going to drag her into some kind of hell if he discovers that _his_ critical information is missing. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

Tenten is about to give up the search for now, and take a shower, when she notices that the laundry hamper is missing from the room. A flare of hope lights in her gut. She had not left the thumbdrive out in the open. If anything, however, the thumbdrive could have gone out with the cleaning robots, perhaps to the laundry facility.

She clearly remembers slipping the thumbdrive into her pocket - it was this set of uniform, right? Or was it in the previous set of uniform that she had on?

If it weren't for her period, she probably wouldn't have stained her uniform this morning, and changed out of the previous set... leading to the dubious whereabouts of that thumbdrive. Damn it.

She bites her lip, and dials the buttons to Neji's intercom. He answers after a ring.

"Hyuuga Neji speaking."

"Hey. It's me," Tenten begins, cringing. "It's about that video. I... need some help."

His voice tightens. "Don't tell me you've lost it."

She exhales into the microphone. "Look, I just need some help locating it. Do you mind reviewing surveillance tapes for the corridor outside my quarters since 0600 hours today?"

There's a short pause. "Are you saying that someone might have taken it?"

She hears the soft taps of his fingers on a keyboard, crosses her own fingers. No one should have known anything about her possession of the clip. "I'm just suggesting that it could have gone out with the laundry."

He snorts lightly. "You left that information in your laundry?"

Tenten drags a hand over her face. "I don't remember. I was a mess this morning, all right?"

Neji doesn't answer, and she grimaces, about to end the call when he asks, "Do you want to leave the call open while I review the tapes?"

She winces again. They haven't sat and shared silences in a long time - at least, not while they weren't on a mission together. But surely she can't reject his offer, especially when she's gone and implicated him with her actions. Is she even thinking straight right now? "Um, sure?"

He is silent for a long while, and Tenten seats herself in the couch to wait. What does he do in the evenings, anyway?

"I hope I didn't catch you in the midst of blackmailing or fucking some other poor woman," she mutters dryly.

"I have interests other than that," he retorts, more acid than usual. Tenten winces. Well, so much for them being old teammates. "I'm viewing the surveillance tapes now, on fast-forward. You've made two entrances and three exits since 0600 hours."

To the gym, then Shikamaru's office, and training. "Sounds about right."

For lack of anything else to do while he views the recordings, Tenten tidies the mess she's left in her quarters, saving the weapon storage chests for last. She checks their contents, just in case - the pulse gun from Neji is still there, in its own compartment, as well as a couple of guns she's snitched from Quachron's men during that mission on Aesis. State of the art beauties. They probably aren't needed by those guys, anyway, since the police ought to have handled them, and locked them up in the planet's equivalent of a jail.

It's not as if the guns get much use while she has them locked in here, though. Tenten runs her fingers over the machines, admiring their detail.

"How are you spending your night?" Neji's voice comes through on the intercom suddenly, and Tenten blinks. She'd almost forgotten about him.

"Trying to find that thumbdrive," she tells him dryly, "I can't imagine doing much else if you're going to screw me over for losing that."

There's a short pause. "I rephrase my question - what're you doing right now?"

Tenten chokes on her saliva, incredulous. "Are you trying to hit on me?"

"I'm merely trying to prevent my mind from imploding while watching videos of your corridor," he replies flatly.

"That sounds like some sort of lewd euphemism," she mutters.

"Trust me, I don't need to watch videos of your, ah, corridor," he returns, not missing a beat. "I prefer obtaining information in person."

She snorts. Heat prickles on her cheeks. "Maybe you need to be spending your time finding someone else to fuck instead."

Neji exhales quickly, as if suppressing a laugh. "You'd be green with envy if I did that."

Tenten glares at her weapons chest, and shuts it heavily with a thump. "Don't get ahead of yourself, jerk. I have plenty of options available, excluding you."

"Does that explain why you haven't been sleeping with anyone else?"

_What._

"How dare you," she shouts into her earpiece, embarrassed and angry and aroused at the same time. "Don't you dare assume such things about me!"

(But Neji's right - he's been keeping her more than satisfied, and she hasn't had the urge to look for alternatives in... a long while.)

He coughs lightly. "I assume you weren't trying to deafen me."

"I damn well was," she seethes.

"Here I had the impression that you possessed a kind soul," he answers. Tenten can almost see him keeping the conversation up, without any change in his smug expression.

"Are you actually concerned about that video, or not?" she snaps.

"Yes." His tone tightens again, to her grim satisfaction. "I've been analyzing the system records as well. No evidence of digital tampering with the surveillance."

She frowns. The surveillance videos can be trusted, then. "I see your mind wasn't imploding on itself."

"I have lewd thoughts and something hard to bolster it with," he tells her, words laced with sarcasm.

"That's harassment," Tenten bristles.

(It doesn't keep her mind from wandering, though.)

"Tell me you aren't wet thinking about it," he retorts.

"I'm on my period." She rolls her eyes. _Men._

"Ah." The sound of typing fills her ear then.

"This is probably the longest conversation we've had," she comments. "Not that I've missed out on much."

"You wound me," Neji responds, but before she can come up with an appropriate counter, his tone turns serious again. "I've scanned the surveillance video of your corridor. No human entrances into your room - only the robots from the laundry facility."

"I guess I'm headed there to search, then," she mutters, frowning. At least there isn't any malicious intent involved in the disappearance of the thumbdrive - but how is she going to locate a little storage device amongst piles and piles of dirty laundry?

"Would you like me to assist?" Neji asks, just before she does. It is evidence important to him, after all.

"Only if you don't try... anything funny while we're there," she allows, suspiciously.

"Cross my heart," he swears, and Tenten raises an eyebrow.

"I still don't believe you," she tells him wryly. But maybe he'd steer clear of her since she's on that time of the month.

* * *

"Here." Neji extends a black thumbdrive to her when they meet fifteen minutes later, by the doors of the _Konoha_'s laundry facility.

Tenten frowns at it, but doesn't accept the thumbdrive from him. "What is it? A secret device to stun me with?"

His lips thin. "It's my end of the deal."

She gapes at him, and looks between the thumbdrive and the pale lilac of his eyes. He isn't lying. "Why- I haven't got-"

"We'll discuss it inside," Neji interrupts, and keys a code into the earpiece; the laundry facility doors hiss open for them. He steps through and flicks the lights on.

The laundry facility is huge, perhaps even larger than an Olympic-sized swimming pool on Earth. Large washing machines and dryers line the walls, and piles of laundry are stacked everywhere, a tumult of mostly sapphire-and-leaf-green uniforms, as well as the whites of towels and sheets.

Neji taps on his visor. "Radar indicates no one here."

"I suppose I should be relieved." Tenten grimaces. She isn't looking forward to fishing through a hundred piles of dirty clothes, that may possibly involve all kinds of bodily excretions, human or otherwise.

"Are you going to be keeping this?" Neji asks, extending the black thumbdrive towards her again.

Tenten takes it hesitantly. "Why are you so eager to give this to me? I can't- I mean, we haven't located my thumbdrive for certain yet."

He slants his gaze at her. "I thought you might like to have it. The rest of my system is purged of your pictures."

She blinks, and looks at the black thumbdrive, a little too surprised and anxious to be feeling any relief yet. If Neji gets into trouble because of the missing thumbdrive, though, it would be her fault, because she owes it to him to keep up her end of the deal.

"No more sex?" she asks, uncertain. This part, she can't say she won't miss.

He looks at her steadily, and Tenten dislikes that she can't read him. "That's for you to decide."

She locks the thumbdrive into the storage compartment of her belt, and doesn't answer him, instead turning to the rest of the laundry facility. "Well... Do you think there's a Lost and Found box that'll solve this situation quick? It's a silver thumbdrive the size of yours."

"I would hope." He shrugs, heading over to what appears to be the office area in the laundry facility.

A sudden thought strikes Tenten. She narrows her eyes at him. "Hey, you didn't happen to break into my quarters and steal that thumbdrive, did you?"

He looks back at her, faintly miffed. "If I knew the data was in your quarters, I would have. Why else would we be here?"

She looks towards the ceiling. "Oh, I don't know, maybe you needed to resolve some laundry fetish of yours while you could."

There isn't much of a point searching where Neji is, so Tenten starts with the washing machines closer to the front of the room, pulling on disposable gloves from a box lying around. She scans the entire length of the laundry facility, searching for the clothes labelled as hers. When that doesn't help, she starts the search again, from the beginning, delving deep into each pile of fabric. It is some time before Neji finally emerges from the office; Tenten looks up in anticipation.

"Negative," he informs her, and she feels the air seep from her lungs.

"Well, it should be somewhere in here, or wearing an invisibility shield in my quarters," she concludes.

"I don't have a laundry fetish, if you must know," Neji informs her, grabbing gloves and starting on the wall across from hers at the facility entrance.

Tenten snorts. "What about a hair fetish?"

"I care only for my own."

She rolls her eyes. "Glad to see that your precious hair isn't losing its pigments any longer."

"No thanks to you," Neji rebukes, staring at her over his shoulder.

They make their way slowly, painstakingly, through the laundry facility, exchanging barbs now and then, though Tenten gives a sharp cry when she chances upon her clothes - only to find them washed and folded, set in a pile ready for delivery. She picks through the pockets anyway, finding only lint.

"Crap," she mutters. Her heart sinks. "If it was in my clothes, it certainly isn't anymore."

"Are we searching through your quarters next, then?" Neji asks, as they make their way back towards the laundry facility exit.

"It won't be the first time," she tells him, frowning. "I've already searched it thrice."

There's a noise at the facility doors then, the telling hiss before it opens, and Neji shoves her down bodily, onto a pile of sheets behind a long, low cabinet.

"I thought I turned the lights off," someone at the door remarks.

Tenten stiffens. Neji is looking at her, his face inches away, his chest and legs pressing into hers.

"It doesn't look like anything's been tampered with, though," a second voice replies. "You're probably just imagining things."

"I need to get my keys, hang on."

Neji tenses against her - they exchange a glance - and he pulls a loose sheet over their bodies, just in case. His frame is hard and warm against hers. Tenten bites her lip. It isn't all that incriminating, really, if they were found to be merely engaged in unsavory activities here, but having Kurenai notice them because of the _tentacula_ has already been one too many times.

And they are not having sex. Not here, not anymore. Really.

Tenten gives a start when Neji lowers his lips to her throat, and sucks lightly on her skin. His silky hair falls onto her collarbone, almost ticklish; she reaches up, about to brush it away, when he licks downwards, to where her uniform collar ends in a V. She gasps in surprise. He smells of musky sweat, heady and masculine. Her resistance wavers.

"I've got my keys," the first voice exclaims, accompanied by a metallic jangle, and the lights flicker off, casting them into darkness. The facility doors hiss shut.

"No sex, you said," Tenten whispers, her breathing unsteady, when Neji fingers the zip at the top of her uniform.

"I merely said that you'll be the one to decide," he answers just as quietly, and drags her zipper down, to where her breasts are. "Should I stop?"

She can't even attempt to read him, without any light, and Neji's breath is an enticing heat against her skin, when he peels her uniform and bra away, and lowers his lips to her breast, taking a hard nipple into his mouth. His tongue swirls hot around her flesh.

Tenten inhales sharply, arches against him. "You cheated-"

"You still have a choice," he says around her breast, and Tenten feels heat pool in her belly. Neji lifts his weight off from her, replacing the thigh between her legs with a hand. His teeth and tongue lave at her nipple; Tenten moans. "What will it be, Tenten?"

Her name is a silken caress flowing from his lips; she shivers, knows the lust pounding in her veins is too thick for her to demand he cease. "I'm on my period," she groans instead.

"I've never-" Neji is the one to pause, his fingertips warm against the juncture of her legs.

"Are you afraid?" she taunts, spreading her thighs, and Neji inhales sharply. He unzips the rest of her uniform, dragging his palm down her bare skin, hesitating when he reaches the thatch of hair. Tenten presses herself into his hand. The familiar ache in her body is building, all over again.

"We have clean towels," he suggests, and Tenten watches as he switches to infrared on his visor, pulling away to fumble behind himself for a stack of folded towels. "How-?"

"Here I thought you were the experienced one," she tells him dryly, getting to her feet and peeling the rest of her clothes off. The tampon comes away wet and heavy, and Tenten sets it to a side, before lifting herself onto a sturdy table, clean towel beneath her. "You don't want the lights on with this."

"Are you seducing me?" Neji asks, when she slips her hand between his legs, finding the bulge in his pants.

Tenten rolls her eyes. He is big in her palm, tempting, and her flesh grows moist in anticipation of him. "I'm collecting on what you promised," she answers.

"I didn't promise-" he begins, but falls silent when she jerks his zipper down, pushing his uniform down his shoulders and away from his hips.

He doesn't need much more guidance than that; Tenten moans when he presses her backwards, keeping her legs spread with his hips. He finds her breasts easily, trailing his teeth over them, and she moans, pressing into his mouth. Neji groans; he is thick and hard between her nether lips; she bucks at him, sinking her nails into his back.

Here in the darkness, Tenten can almost believe that this isn't the Neji that has roused her anger on so many occasions - all she feels is his hard body against hers, his desire grinding into her, promising fulfillment. She gasps and cries out when he finally slides into her, filling her completely, and hazily acknowledges that she doesn't really want to stop doing this with him, after all.

* * *

"It sure didn't take you much to get distracted from that thumbdrive," Tenten mutters, as they stride away from the laundry facility, clothes straightened and without a trace of blood.

Neji looks askance at her. "I wasn't the one who suggested we-"

"You brought the towels over," she accuses.

"We could have stopped at any time. You didn't," he retorts, looking back at the corridor.

Tenten is about to remind him that she didn't have a choice, when she remembers the thumbdrive he gave her, and bites the inside of her cheek, hard. Crap. She did make her choice, and it wasn't to _not_ fuck him. What the hell is wrong with her?

"Well, that was the last time," she sputters, looking away so he doesn't catch the flush on her cheeks.

Neji coughs lightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

His expression does grow hard, however, when she allows him into her quarters and watches as he combs through her belongings, leaving her things in much neater piles than when she'd searched them herself. Tenten observes him from her perch in her office chair, arms folded.

"I don't know where it's gone. At this point, we can only hope that it's been compounded into the trash pile and jettisoned into the nearest star," she suggests, when he sits back on the floor, his shoulders weary.

Neji runs his hand through his hair, forehead creased.

"Do the Hyuuga know about it?" Tenten asks next.

He presses his lips together. "No."

With a grimace, she probes, "What's the worst that can happen to you? If- If it falls into the wrong hands?"

Pale eyes bore into hers. "Death."

Tenten gulps. Despite all that he's done, death isn't what she would wish upon Neji. Unease swims in her gut. "Crap," she whispers, "I should've kept a a closer eye on it."

"I'll be on the lookout for it, if it surfaces," Neji informs her, his brows knitted. "There are options other than death available."

"I'm... sorry," she admits, with a grimace. "That was honestly not my intention. I just wanted you to stop with the blackmail - that was all."

"I've given you the pictures," Neji says simply, getting to his feet. "They are no longer in my possession."

"Well, thanks." Tenten rubs her arms, and follows Neji to the door. "I didn't mean to have you do this search and find nothing."

He gives a casual shrug, looking calmly at her. "I guess I deserved it."

Her jaw drops then. Really? Neji admitting fault? Before she can say a word, though, he is slipping out of her quarters, and into the hall.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he says, by way of parting, and leaves her staring after him from her doorway.

* * *

_A/N: (1)What's going to happen next? ;) I'm sorry if any of you found the period sex squicky - I've tried to keep the gore factor to a minimum. _

_(2) Things aren't going well with the new AU I'm working on - mostly lack of plot and motivation. Been reading "The Arithmancer" by White Squirrel, in which Hermione is a math whiz in the magical world... And the amount of math/logic going into the explanations is like a candy store for math nerds. ;) _

_(3) Singapore's founding father passed away recently, and it's... heavy. He was an incredible man who worked until he was hospitalized, age 91. On the same topic, I've thought about setting a story there, but have got no ideas for the setting, lol. I just can't imagine Neji and Tenten living where I grew up.. it would give rise to a very boring story lol :P_

_As always, thank you for taking the time to review! And for those of you who have been patient with Neji - an extra big thank you. ;) _


	17. 14: The Second Showdown

_And... we're almost at the halfway mark. (Which is chapter 16.) This chapter sets the stage for lots of things to come ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 14: The Second Showdown**

WeaponsMistress  
Dec 27, 2030, 06:07am  
_Well, at least I think I might have a way out of the situation. No thanks to you guys._

WhiteEyes  
Jan 2, 2031, 12:25am  
_I hope you're satisfied with the solution you've found._

* * *

_Konoha, Jan 3, 2031, 0815 hrs_

The steel doors on the opposite sides of the simulation room slide open; Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi hurry out from theirs, silent and serious. Across the field, Neji's trainees do the same, sprinting to the nearest shelter from which they can assess their situation. A few shots are exchanged along the street connecting the simulation room doors together; none have struck their targets yet.

Tenten paces in front of the live screening of the simulation. It's the second time her students are up against Neji's, the first being memorably disastrous, and she can't concentrate on their battle any more than she can take her mind off the missing thumb drive.

She hasn't got any enemies on board the ship - the soldiers on the _Konoha_ are tight-knit and trustworthy, and besides, no one but Shikamaru knew that she had that thumb drive. (There isn't any question that the strategist isn't one to complicate her situation - it has already been too tedious for him to be pulling information like that out in the first place.) Neji couldn't be the one to do it either - could he? He could have lied about breaking into her room; but why give her the impression that he doesn't have possession of the thumbdrive?

He had to have known about her possession of the clip right after he saw the printed screenshots. It would be unfair to make him surrender those pictures of her without her keeping up her side of the exchange... but maybe he's reluctant to lose the upper hand on her. To retain that while surrendering the evidence of her would mean that he'd need another advantage against her - guilt, for losing his critical information.

Then what was that crap about her having a choice about sex?

He'd found out about her forum post, too. Abject humiliation burned her face when she found the reply notification in her inbox. (Who else could _WhiteEyes_ be?) That was all but screaming in Neji's face that she enjoys sex with him.

Tenten winces, and returns her attention to the screen. Moegi is in charge of this simulation, for good reason - she is levelheaded, and on the likely chance that Konohamaru loses his cool and attacks without warning, Udon would still fall under her command, to deal with the rest of Neji's trainees. Who knows what Neji has been teaching his kids, though.

The battlefield is one of a city this time, with low buildings and cramped alleyways, and visibility of targets virtually zero, unless they were all standing along the main street. Tenten purses her lips, and watches as Moegi leads her cell towards the other end of the simulation room, weaving through alleys. Konohamaru whispers something to her, looking up, and the three of them glance up at the walls of the buildings. There is a short, whispered conference, and Konohamaru is heading away from his teammates, heading down another backstreet, into what seems to be an open doorway.

Well, here's hoping that her advice to pull something unexpected on their opponents has inspired them somehow.

Tenten returns to pacing, when Moegi and Udon prowl along their alley. Could the thumb drive really have been lost when it ended up in the laundry facility? Perhaps one of the laundry recruits took the thumbdrive, messing up like how the laundry mix-up happened.

She chews on her lip. At least Neji hasn't been sending any threats along, like she expected him to.

He's been confusing her to no end - first the hug in the gallery on New Year's, and now he's giving up his control over her. What is he trying to pull? The fact that she knows exactly where he is right now - in the other viewing chamber, on the other side of the simulation room - doesn't comfort her any.

Hyuuga Neji is annoying and aggravating and he's been getting under her skin, in more ways than she wants to count. What happened to being distant ex-teammates? Tenten wishes they could return to that time - almost - but the sex gives her pause. She doesn't want to admit that he's better than all the _tentacula_ encounters put together.

A series of laser shots beams over the screen, and Tenten jerks her attention back to the ongoing simulation. Moegi and Udon have engaged one of Neji's trainees, and the other two are nowhere to be seen. Tenten scans the simulation shrewdly for the missing trainees, only to find that they've disappeared, like Konohamaru has.

With two of her students against one of Neji's, the scores are quickly climbing in her favor, though they stop suddenly, because there's only so much injury a soldier on a multi-person team simulation can sustain.

And that turns the tables on Moegi and Udon, because they've reached the point limit on their opponent. With a shout, Udon rushes forwards and tackles their opponent to the ground, starting a scuffle, while Moegi grabs the opportunity to run, presumably in search of Konohamaru.

Tenten watches as the girl sprints down an alley, only to look sharply upwards when the remaining trainees from Neji's team begin firing at her, from the higher levels of the buildings. Moegi throws herself behind a dumpster, pressing buttons on her earpiece and talking, probably to Konohamaru.

Mere seconds later, she's up and running again, through that same alley, though weeks of Tenten's training have made her quick, and she manages to avoid most of the shots.

New shots fire at Neji's trainees, this time from a different building, and Tenten grins when she realizes that Konohamaru has caught them at their game, locating their opponents by getting them to fire while Moegi sprints through the alley.

The scores are almost even now; one of the snipers from Neji's team has stopped - Tenten assumes that he's getting ready for a physical face-off. She watches in tense silence, momentarily forgetting about her troubles with Neji, and clenches her fists when Neji's trainee heads out of his building, in the direction Moegi's disappeared to.

Konohamaru seems to have realized the danger Moegi's in, because he stops firing as well, and emerges from the building shortly after, running towards where Moegi's headed. Udon joins them along the way, seemingly battered but still holding himself together, and the three of them head towards a tall wall a considerable distance from any other building, with just one dumpster for any semblance of protection.

"What are you guys doing?" Tenten grits, clenching her fists. They're going to be targeted like mice on a chopping block at this rate.

Neji's trainees are streaming out towards them, guns at the ready. Moegi grabs Konohamaru and flings them both behind Udon, who's standing by the dumpster-

And Tenten realizes how unexpectedly brilliant they are, because Neji's team must have already maxed out their points on Udon, and he's now acting as a shield, to prevent Moegi and Konohamaru from getting hit any more. (Even though she specifically warned them against sacrifices.)

The last ten points go easily to Moegi and her team, who only have to concentrate on firing at two of Neji's trainees, and Tenten finds herself staring in disbelief at the screen, that has her trainees' names in flashing red when the simulation concludes. So much for the genius genes on Neji's team.

She pounces on them when they emerge from the simulation room doors, proud grins on weary faces, and envelops them all in a tight hug.

"I can't believe you guys did it!" she exclaims, elated beyond words, and releases them only when Konohamaru begins to protest.

"I'm going to choke," he says, but puffs his chest the moment she releases them. "Aren't you so proud of us, Tenten?"

"Yes, I am," she beams, and ruffles the hair on his head, much to his annoyance. "I wasn't expecting you to sacrifice yourself, Udon."

The bespectacled boy flushes, looking away. "Well, I figured that I was already down for the count," he explains quietly.

"Well, thanks to you, we won!" Moegi grins, and slings her arm around his shoulders. Udon's blush intensifies. Konohamaru watches them with a frown.

"Hey, I was instrumental in winning, too!" he protests.

"Yes, you were," Moegi acknowledges, and pulls him into a hug with her other arm.

Tenten grins. The scene playing out reminds her so much of her old trainee team that she is momentarily breathless, and she remembers Neji, who is probably just as stunned by the simulation results as she is.

Footsteps echo down the corridors; Konohamaru and his friends fall quiet, turning when Neji and his team round the corridor, coming to stand before them.

It feels almost like a replay of what happened a month ago, except her trainees have got the better of his this time. Tenten lifts her chin, and meets Neji's eyes.

She's surprised to see a crooked almost-grin on his lips, as if he hasn't decided if he wants to smile.

"Congrats," he murmurs from a couple feet away, extending his hand towards her. "I guess I have to take my words back, then."

Six pairs of eyes are on them now, and she feels a little awkward reaching out to grab his hand. Neji's fingers squeeze warmly around hers.

"Thanks," Tenten mumbles. She still hasn't figured him out - there is nothing guilt-inducing about this - but somehow a fleeting thought at the back of her mind acknowledges that Neji is especially charming when he smiles.

A low whistle sounds from her students, and Tenten snaps her head sideways to glare at Konohamaru.

"What're you guys staring at? Shake their damn hands, show some sort of sportsmanship, you hear me?" she bristles, and watches in satisfaction when her kids extend their hands towards their opponents.

"That was impressive," Neji mutters, looking back at her, and Tenten blinks quickly, looking away so the heat rushing to her cheeks doesn't intensify.

She gives a nonchalant shrug. "I just told them to pull the unexpected."

"I can see how you'd favor that strategy," he responds, still holding her hand, and Tenten clears her throat, tugging her fingers away. (His warmth still lingers on her palm, though.)

"Well, thanks," she responds uncomfortably, when her students turn to look back at them. "We have training to be catching up on," she informs Konohamaru and the rest. To Neji, she adds, "I'll see you around, Hyuuga."

She must have been imagining the quirk on his lips when she turns away, and strides down the corridor, waving at her trainees to hurry. (It is, however, just an excuse to escape from Neji's penetrating gaze, that she can never seem to hide from.)

"You weren't swearing at him or anything, Tenten," Konohamaru observes, as soon as they've made a couple of turns down the corridors. "In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say you were flustered by Hyuuga Neji!"

"Shut up, kid," she growls, looking sourly down at them. They don't reach their simulation room quite quickly enough; the doors slide shut behind them. "I was still in shock that you guys actually beat his team."

"But you were looking at him and blushing," Moegi adds, with a similar grin to what Konohamaru is wearing.

"The hell is wrong with you guys?" Tenten glares at them. "I was just emotional that you won, savvy?"

"Yeah, yeah, we believe you," Konohamaru drawls, in a tone that clearly says he doesn't. The look on his face suddenly turns to one of horror. "Do you think Lieutenant Hyuuga has fallen in love with you, so he told his team to lose to us, just to get you all flustered?"

"What the hell kind of theory is that?" Tenten yelps, striding away from them. She doesn't reveal how much Konohamaru's idea shakes her - there is no way Neji will do any of that. "We're bound by honor and position not to influence any of your battles."

Besides, she's positive that Neji has too much Hyuuga pride in him to allow his team to lose on purpose.

"The way he looked at you, though," Udon points out. Moegi and Konohamaru both nod vigorously.

In what _'way'_ was he looking at her?

"He's just a damn asshole," Tenten grouses, and angles another glare at her trainees. "Now, get started on your usual laps, or you're going to be late for lunch later."

She sniffs in satisfaction when they begin protesting, like they usually do.

* * *

"Did you hear? Neji's kids actually lost to Tenten's!" Ino squeals, dropping lightly onto the couch. Beside her, Akimichi Chouji rips into a new packet of chips, and pops a handful into his mouth.

Shikamaru sighs from behind his desk. "What does this have to do with me?" he grumbles. Ino drops by every so often, but he really can do without knowing all the juiciest gossip she saves for when he and Chouji are around.

"Let Ino vent, Shikamaru," Chouji advises, puffy cheeks bulging with his newest snack. Unlike most on board the _Konoha_, Chouji, like his father, is big-boned and heavier than most, and packs a punch like no other. He reaches beneath his mane of red hair and scratches at his neck. "She'll only let you talk when she's done."

Shikamaru exhales grouchily. Chouji is his best friend, and Chouji is right a lot of the time, where it comes to him and Ino. Two decades of growing up with someone tends to do that to you.

"As I was saying," Ino huffs, frowning at the pair of them, "Neji's team has a Hyuuga and an Uchiha! There were plenty of bets going around that his team was going to win! Shikamaru, get your hands on that simulation video for me, won't you? I'm dying to know how they did it."

"Yeah, yeah." He rolls his eyes and slouches into the backrest of his chair.

"Did you also know that Tenten has also been sleeping with Neji?" Ino continues, checking her nails first on one hand, then the other.

Shikamaru lifts an eyebrow. That fact is mildly interesting, not in the least because Tenten has just approached him for incriminating evidence on Neji barely a week ago. He didn't expect Neji to demand sex as a price for blackmail - but then again, anything is possible, really. It's just the likelihood of events happening that really matters.

"How did you know that?" he asks Ino, who raises her eyebrows at him.

"You don't often ask for more gossip," she states, surprised.

Shikamaru shrugs. "Call it curiosity."

The blond looks dubiously at him for heartbeats, then shrugs and explains, "He released pictures of them in his bed. Can you imagine that, when Tenten has been so resolute that she hasn't been sleeping with him?"

_Ah._ Sex is really the price, then. Why the need to blackmail someone for sex? There are still a number of available and willing women aboard the _Konoha_. Unless... The information points towards one likely (and very tedious) conclusion. Shikamaru leans forward and cradles his chin in his palm. "Why are you so interested in their sex lives, anyway?"

Ino straightens her shoulders. Her sky-blue eyes narrow. "Because. I have been trying to seduce that guy for ages, and he just ignores me!"

_Huh._ Shikamaru muses on her words, glancing at Chouji. It's no secret that their childhood friend doesn't keep a monogamous relationship with anyone, but it _is_ a little-known fact that Chouji has the softest spot for Ino.

His best friend is munching resolutely on his chips, staring at the couch.

Shikamaru clicks his tongue and winces. He isn't going to influence any of their decisions, not at this point. Just being in a relationship with Temari is trouble enough.

He looks over at a framed picture on his desk - another blond woman, with teal eyes and teeth flashing in a feral grin. His stomach flips. Those four ponytails she wears are never tame, except for when her entire head is drenched. Her chat window on his screen is silent - she's probably on another mission. Why is he the only one whose girlfriend is on another mother ship entirely?

The thought of her coming to visit in a couple of weeks makes anticipation run anew in his veins, and his attention veers off from Ino's voice. At least Tsunade always assigns him the task of showing the _Suna_'s ambassador around.

He especially likes showing her his quarters - Temari's clothes never stay on for long after that.

Shikamaru's lips quirk, and Ino flings her lipstick at him, striking him in the middle of his forehead. "Hey!" he protests, rudely interrupted from his daydream. He rubs where the lipstick tube has left a faint imprint on his skin. "What was that for?"

"You had a stupid grin on your face," she complains, rising from the couch to collect her cosmetics. "At least Chouji was listening to me."

"Yeah, okay," he fumbles, but Ino and Chouji are his oldest friends, and he never needs to explain Temari to them.

And despite how troublesome both Temari and Ino are, Shikamaru is thankful for the fact that his relationships are nothing like the mess Tenten has going on with Neji.

* * *

"Would you like some tea?" Hyuuga Hinata turns away from the couch where Neji has seated himself, heading towards a corner of her living area, where an electric teapot sits on a carved wooden side-table.

"Yes. Please." He scans the various framed photos and pressed flowers Hinata has hung on her metallic room walls, finds nothing new of note, and settles back into the couch, looking instead at her plexiglass coffee table. Thick tomes are stacked on one end of the table, with too-white leaflets sticking out of the bottommost book - Hinata's newest flower-pressing project.

"It isn't often that you ask to visit me, Neji," Hinata begins softly, when she returns to the table with two cups of steaming tea, balanced on painted china saucers. She sets one down in front of him, and seats herself in the armchair next to his couch. Like all Hyuuga, she possesses the characteristic pale skin and straight hair of his family, though her purple-tinted hair has grown long now, starkly different from the bob cut of their childhood.

Neji pulls his gaze away from the rest of her relatively large quarters (Hinata is a Second Lieutenant, but her rooms are just a little larger than his - proof enough of the Hyuuga's influence on the military, even in space) and looks at her. "I... wished to obtain some solutions, if you will."

"Regarding?"

Neji rarely does appreciate being on the receiving end of a pale lilac stare - because only those in his family have eyes like his - though Hinata's eyes are the kindest among all of the Hyuuga. Still, this isn't a topic that he's ever broached with anyone.

"I... returned to the _Konoha_ almost two months ago," he recounts.

"You were training to be a Captain before that," she supplies.

"Yes, but that isn't relevant in this conversation." He lifts the china teacup gingerly, sipping slowly from the steaming surface within. "I'm not sure how to proceed with... an old teammate."

Hinata is quiet for a moment. When she finally speaks, it is accompanied by the light clink of her teacup in its saucer. "You're referring to Tenten?"

He doesn't look at her, or answer her question. "Bear in mind that I'm only bringing this up with you because you know my history."

Neji doesn't add that she is the only person he really trusts to discuss his emotions, because she knows exactly what he's been through. Hinata already knows this though. (Before Tenten, he's never really had a confidant, either.)

"I have been manipulating her," he admits to his teacup. Hinata's silence is non-judgmental, something he appreciates. "Before, we had drifted, though since my return, I... have been forcing her into situations she isn't entirely comfortable with."

He exhales sharply, irked that he doesn't quite know what to do where it comes to Tenten.

"I'm being selfish," Neji continues. "I- But she's been showing signs of enjoying-"

Neji gestures between himself and the teacup, unwilling to use coarse language in front of his cousin. She seems to understand, however, even without him speaking.

"Where do you plan on going from here?" Hinata probes, gently.

He lets the air leave his lungs in a slow _whoosh_. "That's what I'd like to find out."

Hinata shifts in her armchair, pursing her lips. "Have you done anything for her recently, that does not involve manipulation?"

Neji glances at his cousin, and back at his teacup. "I gave her my word that I was done with the blackmail." When she doesn't say anything, he adds, "We... met over the New Year's at a place she brought me to a long time ago."

"I see." Hinata blinks at him, pearly eyes gaining some sort of understanding to them.

He buries his face in his hand, embarrassed. "I'm being some sort of goddamn failure."

But he's reluctant to quantify just how much Tenten's smile has affected him, when she envisioned herself free of his blackmail. It had not occurred to him that he'd missed seeing her smile-

Or that he would just as soon give up those pictures of her, in the hopes of seeing her lips curve that way again.

Unnerved at the prospect of exposing so much of his thoughts, Neji changes the subject. "She lost a thumbdrive containing a video clip of our history. Yours and mine."

He looks at Hinata through a crack in his fingers, to find her gaping at him in wide-eyed shock. "Y-You mean, of that incident?"

"I drove her to it with the blackmail. She didn't anticipate that it would go missing." Neji pinches the bridge of his nose.

"If it lands in the wrong hands-" she whispers, uncertain.

"I'll deal with it." He shrugs. There isn't much they can do at this point, that he hasn't already. "But I came to you regarding Tenten."

"About her..." Hinata trails off, looking hesitantly at him. "You enjoy her company, am I right?"

He nods.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice for her?" is Hinata's next question, one he frowns at.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Neji asks, confused.

She shakes her head. "Your answer?"

Neji runs values in his mind, monetary and otherwise, and finds that very little holds any importance to him, in the face of bone-deep trust, companionable silences, and Tenten's lips against his. "Just about anything. I don't need very much."

Hinata pauses again, mulling over his answer. "What are you willing to do, to undo what you've done?"

He looks dubiously at her. Tenten's reaction earlier today had been mixed, when her team had emerged victorious over his. She doesn't really hate him, does she? Especially when he's freed her from his chains? "Supposing there isn't anything else to account for - is there a hope for that?"

"Possibly." Hinata frowns. "It'll be a slow process."

"Enlighten me, then," he requests, leaning forward. "I'm all ears."

* * *

_A/N: Lots of little things to be picked up on in this chapter (well, maybe just a handful :P) ShikaTema is my other OTP, though unfortunately, they won't really feature much in Blackmail. More changes to come up over the next chapter or two ;) _

_As usual, thank you so much for taking the time to review. :) I apologize for Neji's slow character development in the beginning of the story... this seemed an appropriate time to give readers an insight to his thoughts though :P_


	18. 15: Trainee Trial Ends

_And... This is the final stretch as we round the corner and head in a different direction. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 15: Trainee Trial Ends**

_Konoha, Jan 6, 2031, 0750 hrs_

Unlike the offices of the Captains and Lieutenants on the ship, Admiral Tsunade's office is large and oval, and capable of containing tens of soldiers at once. A circular simulated skylight is etched into the middle of the ceiling, displaying a multitude of stars; various cabinets line the walls, interspersed with armchairs, and, like Captain Gai's office, the leaf logo of the _Konoha_ is emblazoned across the wall behind her seat.

The Admiral herself is seated behind her desk, cranky at having woken up at this hour to deliver her instructions. Despite the years she is reputed to have lived, Tsunade looks every bit like a woman in her twenties, with rosy, smooth cheeks, golden hair falling past her shoulders, and a full figure to boot. "We should've scheduled this for the afternoon," she mutters to her assistant, Shizune.

Shizune, a diminutive woman with dark eyes and chin-length black hair, fusses around Tsunade, tidying her desk. "We can't - you know that, Admiral. All important news has to be delivered at the start of the day."

"Yes, yes. Now, let's get this over with." Tsunade heaves a weary sigh. She waves a hand to dismiss her assistant, who retreats to the side, and focuses on the Lieutenants gathered before her, lined up in three straight rows. "Attention, Lieutenants. As you are aware, the first peacetime improvement scheme was implemented on November 19 last year - close to two months ago.

"It is now a new year, and I have reviewed the results of your training with the new recruits." At this point, Tsunade pauses, and meets the stare of her gathered troops. She doesn't have to glance at her papers to tell them the results of her decision. "It could have gone better - you guys aren't suited for the job."

There is a faint mutter amongst the Lieutenants, words like _about time you figured that out_ and _does this mean we return to normal missions_, and Tsunade slams her hand on her polished desk, sending a ripple through her cup of coffee. The room falls silent.

"There are those of you who have excelled with your trainees, however," she continues, searching out a particular Lieutenant with her hair in twin buns. "Tenten, your team has displayed significant improvement since the first round of simulations."

Tenten's features light up in a curious mix of hesitation and joy.

"I appreciate your aptitude with the trainees-" Tsunade pauses at this point, amused at the horror that now creeps onto Tenten's face, "But with that said, you will be returning to your mission roster as of tomorrow, all of you. Tenten, I expect a report from you detailing how you achieved success with your cell."

"Yessir." Tenten salutes, hazel eyes shining with relief.

"The trainees will be assigned instructors as of tomorrow, as well. If you have any last words for them, get them over with today," Tsunade instructs, and gulps down a mouthful of coffee. "I do have a new improvement scheme that we'll be rolling out. As of tomorrow, your regular platoon will be paired with another Lieutenant's - you will be embarking on tag-team missions, to improve solidarity among your individual platoons, as well as to complement any strengths or weaknesses you may have."

She draws a sheet of paper from her pile, and places it at the edge of her desk. "Team pairings will be assigned according to this. An email will be sent out to you and your platoons shortly after this meeting to confirm the assignment. Report to Shizune if you spot any discrepancies."

Tsunade waits for her words to sink in, before leaning back into her chair. "Meeting adjourned."

* * *

"So, this is my last day with you guys," Tenten announces the moment she steps into her simulation room. The usual greetings and cries of 'You're late!' are cut short at her announcement.

"Say what?" Konohamaru yelps. "But we've only been training under you for just about two months!"

The other two nod in agreement.

"Well, this isn't my job, to start with," Tenten answers him dryly. "I'm a platoon commander, and I should be out on the field, not teaching you about strategy and how to hold a gun."

"But what will you be doing after this?" Moegi pipes up, her eyes wide. (Tenten only notices now that her trainee's hair has softened, and no longer stands like the rabbit ears she used to sport._Silk_ works wonders, apparently.)

"I'll be returning to my own platoon." Tenten grimaces when she recalls the Admiral's next proposed scheme. "We're going to be working on tag-team missions starting tomorrow."

"Whose team are you tagged with?" Udon asks, sniffling. It's the first time he's spoken today, and Tenten wonders if his eyes are oddly shiny.

"Hyuuga's." She rolls her eyes, for lack of any other suitable reaction. "I have bad karma. Did you even have to ask?"

Nothing quite stunned her like seeing the matches with her very own eyes, when the Lieutenants surged to the front of Tsunade's desk, picking up the piece of paper she's left for their perusal. Tenten had been full of hope when Tsunade announced the tag-team missions - it would be a change of pace - until she saw the dark printed ink of 'Dragon Platoon - Hawk Platoon', and the letters burned themselves into the back of her retina.

Konohamaru snorts. "It's like a match made in heaven."

Tenten grabs his ear and tweaks it, earning a pained howl from the boy. "There isn't any damn heaven, and I'm not stepping any closer to him than I have to," she growls.

She sure as hell isn't going to tempt fate, no way. It isn't so much the prospect of working with Neji's team as the amount of time they'd probably be spending together - she doesn't need any more of the weird crap he's been pulling on her. Sure, she can stand to put the blackmail business behind her, but that hug, and the pictures of her that he's surrendered? (She's erased his thumb drive, and melted the device into a glob of metal with Neji's pulse gun.)

Besides, he hasn't made any advances on her since the laundry facility incident.

It's been strange relying on herself for release - almost cold, and nowhere near the intensity of what Neji's put her through. She's thought about the _tentacula_ in the lab on a couple of occasions - but that's out of the question, now that she no longer has access to the lab. Has Neji found himself another woman to torment?

Tenten shakes her head lightly, and returns her attention to her trainees.

Konohamaru is valiantly ignoring her, talking to Moegi and Udon with his chest puffed up. "I bet I'll be able to lead us on missions in the future," he says.

"You know, the Admiral mentioned you guys earlier, during the meeting," Tenten informs them with a fond smile. The trio turns to her.

"Really?" Konohamaru gapes.

"Yeah." Tenten reaches over and ruffles his hair, much to his disgruntlement. "She said that you three have made the most improvement since the first round of simulations."

"Awesome," Moegi cheers, her cheeks flushed pink. "I heard that Admiral Tsunade is one tough woman!"

"She is." Tenten grimaces, having seen Tsunade during an episode of drunken fury. "You'd do well to avoid offending her in any way. Never, ever, comment on her age or chest."

Tenten regrets the words as soon as they leave her mouth, because Konohamaru has the most conniving smile on his face. Wincing, she grabs his shoulders and shakes him. "If you're going to rub that in her face, don't you dare mention my name!"

"I got it, Tenten," the boy promises, though she looks at him warily, afraid that this will come to bite her in the ass later on.

"I'll miss you guys," she does say, and crouches, pulling them all into a hug. "It sure was fun while it lasted."

"Yeah, Christmas shopping was fun," Moegi recalls dreamily.

"Pranking Hyuuga was the most fun," Konohamaru asserts with a wide grin.

"Don't you pull any pranks on him in the future - I'm going to get twice the crap from him now that I'll be seeing his team regularly," Tenten threatens. Konohamaru waggles his eyebrows.

"You believed in us," Udon mumbles, his eyes red now, and Tenten's grin falters.

"Hey, come on, don't cry." She pats him awkwardly on the shoulder. "I don't do crying kids, okay?"

"Okay." Udon sniffles, and gives her a watery grin.

"You'll still be able to catch me around, you know," she tells them. "I'm usually in the gym at 0630 hours every morning, while I'm not on missions."

"More training?" Konohamaru pulls a face.

"You'll have to get used to it if you want to maintain your strength and speed," Tenten informs him. "Things like that can mean life or death on a mission."

The kids nod, and she straightens, patting their shoulders.

"Now, who's up for five hundred laps around the room?"

They groan in unison, as before, and Tenten grins. Training them has been a lighthearted break, if nothing else.

* * *

_Konoha, Jan 7, 2031, 0635 hrs_

"I can't wait to embark on our mission!" Lee exclaims, when Tenten enters the gym for her daily routine. Her Second has been excited ever since the announcement, and she sees his eagerness in the way he never ceases to move, from jumping rope, to doing sit-ups, to push-ups, and working on the treadmill, his limbs moving so fast that they've become a blur. "We've missed you so much, Tenten!"

"I've missed you too," she admits with a smile, jogging beside him on her treadmill. "It's been almost two months, hasn't it?"

"It has been a lifetime," Lee whines. He wipes at the sweat dripping down his neck. "It didn't feel the same when Kiba and I were assigned on missions with the others."

"Well, now we're being assigned missions with Hyuuga's platoon," she reminds him dryly. "I don't see how much better that'd be."

Lee looks curiously over at her. "Aren't you excited that we'll be working with Neji for the foreseeable future?"

The unease in her belly intensifies. "No," Tenten replies shortly. "I mean, I'm fine with completing missions with him."

But all the attention Neji's given her since yesterday was the shared look they exchanged, shortly after finding out that their platoons will be paired together on missions. No uncharacteristic remark, no message, nothing. It's as if he's forgotten about her or something.

_Which is for the best,_ Tenten tells herself. Even if she wouldn't mind sleeping with him one last time. (He's reminded her of the intensity of sex with a person, as compared to the _tentacula_, and the warmth of a body pressed against hers isn't easily replicated even when she's burrowed under her sheets.)

"We should be able to work well as a team," Lee is saying. "After all, we've done so before, haven't we?"

"Years ago, yes." Tenten fiddles with the controls on her treadmill, to increase her pace. "We're different people now."

Lee falls silent at that, contemplating her words. "You're right," he eventually says. "You're fiercer than you used to be."

She flashes a grin at him. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Captain Gai has informed me of the praise you received from Admiral Tsunade!" Lee mentions, changing the subject. "I didn't doubt that you would succeed in teaching your trainees the springtime-"

"Lee," Tenten interrupts firmly. Her meeting with Gai in the evening yesterday was almost nostalgic - he had congratulated her on teaching her students well (_just as I expected of my favorite flower,_ he said, with a gleam in his eyes). But reuniting with Dragon Platoon feels as if Tenten is reopening a well-read book, one she hasn't been able to stay away from. "I appreciate your support," she finishes with a small smile, and her Second Lieutenant gives her a blinding grin.

"Well, we have company," Lee responds, looking past her at the gym door.

Tenten follows his gaze - Neji is striding towards them, followed eagerly by Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon.

She has not expected to see those kids again so soon. Neji, though...

"Lieutenant," he greets, smooth baritone washing over her ears. "Lee."

Tenten swallows thickly, and gives him a curt, jerky nod. She looks away from his eyes soon after, punching buttons on her console, if just to occupy herself with something other than Neji. It doesn't sit right with her to _not_ be furious with him at any given time; she doesn't know how to react around him at this juncture.

"Neji!" Lee greets cheerfully. "I'm looking forward to working with you on our mission later!"

Wordlessly, Neji takes the treadmill beside Tenten - he's wearing track pants and a tank top today, she notices - and begins jogging, his speed almost on par with hers.

"Tenten, Lee!" Konohamaru greets, and wriggles his eyebrows, looking speculatively between her and Neji. Behind him, Moegi and Udon echo the greeting.

Moegi and Udon are staring in awe at Lee, who is fairly sprinting on his treadmill, and Lee looks at Tenten, in turn, before casting a surreptitious glance at Neji. Tenten glares at her best friend - surely he can be less obvious about ogling Neji?

It's not as if the kids are doing any better, though. All three of her ex-trainees are hanging around, just watching her, now, and Tenten feels her brittle patience snap.

"Why are all of you staring at me?" she demands, angling a furious glare at Lee and the cadets. Neji is thankfully looking straight ahead, focused on jogging.

"Um, I forgot that I had to run an errand," Lee begins, still glancing at Neji. "I gotta go. See you later, Tenten!"

Before she can say another word, Lee is pausing his treadmill and running out of the door, leaving her with Neji, and her bevy of spectators.

"Will you do something other than gawk at me?" Tenten snaps at Konohamaru and his friends.

Moegi shrugs. "I'm here on the Leader's orders."

Udon nods, and Konohamaru grins. "Well, you said we could join you in the gym, Tenten."

She bristles. "I didn't say that so you could come here and watch my every move!"

"Okay, okay," Konohamaru sighs, throwing his hands in the air. He looks around, and the next thing Tenten knows, her ex-trainees have positioned themselves around the weight-lifting machines not too far away, lifting tiny loads - but they have made it their business to keep the scrutiny on Neji and herself.

"Oh, gods." She drags her hand over her face, looking askance at Neji, who pulls his gaze away from her the moment she catches him staring. "Not you too, Hyuuga."

"Your trainee cell is... certainly interesting," he remarks, observing them. Neji punches buttons on his console, and Tenten realizes that his speed is increasing, surpassing hers.

With a belligerence left over from dealing with Lee and the kids, she increases the speed on her own treadmill, to twenty percent over that of Neji's.

He observes her from the corner of his eye. Punches more buttons.

Tenten grits her teeth when Neji's speed rises over and above her own; she glowers at him, pushes the same buttons, maxing the treadmill speed, so she's flat-out sprinting. He can't beat her at this point; she sends him a challenging look.

Neji matches her speed and presses on, unfazed by her unvoiced taunt.

It is long minutes before Tenten begins to feel the strain on her legs. With his height, Neji is able to cover more ground on the treadmill than she is by virtue of his long legs alone, and he has the distinct advantage here, even if she is the one to start the challenge.

Tenten huffs, and hits the button to power her machine down - trying to compete against Neji on the treadmill is an exercise in futility. She moves over to the sit-up benches next - he follows without a word - and begins her routine at a leisurely pace. The strain on abs is far greater when one slows down on sit-ups, and Neji matches her speed once again.

She gets past him this time by closing her eyes and counting each sit-up in her head. Five sets of sixty is her usual, but Neji probably will match that, so she pushes it to five sets of eighty, if just to see how much he'll be able to do.

Neji mirrors every single one of her sit-ups.

More than a little annoyed, now, Tenten moves instead to the chin-up pillars, jumping and catching the thick metal bar in her hands. Neji follows behind her at a leisurely pace, and attaches himself to the bar adjacent to hers.

"Will you quit following me around?" Tenten mutters, sending him a sour look.

"I was under the impression that you wanted me to do exactly what you're doing," Neji returns mildly, between chin-ups.

"When did I ever mention that?" She looks towards her ex-trainees, who are still observing them, though the distance between her and them is wide enough that they wouldn't be able to listen in on what she says.

"You, ah, gave me a look," he answers, barely breaking a sweat on the chin-ups. Tenten frowns.

"That doesn't mean anything," she snipes.

"I gather that trying to best me was not your intention," Neji concludes, raising an eyebrow.

She remains silent. Neji flicks his gaze over her, not for the first time today, and she swallows, looking straight ahead, ignoring the invitation in his eyes. It is clear that she will not be able to outclass him in anything gym-related, though, purely for the fact that he is male, and possesses a slightly different musculature than she does. With the shared background of Captain Gai's training, and the assumption that he works out just as much as she does, Tenten comes to the conclusion that it would be pointless to keep this one-sided competition going.

She drops from the chin-up bars after her routine is completed, exhaling heavily.

"Done with your routine already?" Neji lands lightly on his feet next to her, wiping the sheen of moisture off his face with a towel.

"With you here, yes," she grouses.

"And here I was about to let you beat me at chin-ups," Neji comments mildly, slanting a look at her.

"What were you going to do? Feign a muscle cramp?" Tenten tries to bite a smile down at the imagery that provides.

"I was going to clutch my side and howl in pain," Neji intones, and she breaks into a full-blown laugh picturing that scene. Howling in pain? _Neji?_

Tenten tries to straighten her features when she notices him staring at her - his humor rarely manifests itself; she isn't able to help but appreciate the moments when it does rear its head.

"I thought that shaking my foot and invoking the gods might help," he continues.

Tenten doubles over, out of breath, and shaking with mirth. "You can't be serious," she gasps.

"I am," he returns, standing back and wiping his neck down with his towel.

She's still at a loss for words, holding her aching side, when Neji turns away, his features seemingly lighter than the expression he entered the gym with.

"I'll see you during the team briefing later, Lieutenant," he murmurs, and Tenten is left staring after him, wondering what the hell she's just experienced with Hyuuga Neji.

* * *

_A/N: Now that we know all this about Neji and Tenten, I'd like to mention that Blackmail is actually kind of influenced by Tanya Lilac's Syndicate, which is an awesome piece of work. Do read and review it. ;) (It's not so much the blackmail, as the bittersweetness involved. ;) You'll see similarities if you look closely, I think)_

_That aside.. Neji talks so much hilarious crap lol. :P Thank you for taking the time to review, as always! ;)_


	19. 16: Aesis - Tag-Team Mission

_It's one hell of a ride from here on out ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 16: Aesis - Tag-Team Mission**

_Konoha, Jan 7, 2031, 1000 hrs_

Dragon Platoon steps into Lieutenant Hyuuga Neji's quarters as a single unit, cohesive and coordinated, down to their movements. Tenten leads the way into the too-familiar room, scanning its occupants.

Neji is seated behind his desk; the remaining members of his team, Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo, are sprawled on one of the couches, leaving the other empty for them. Tenten raises an eyebrow.

"Have a seat," Neji begins, waving towards the couch. "You should all have received the mission details via email half an hour ago."

Tenten approaches the couches; Lee and Kiba make themselves comfortable on theirs, saving space for her. She remains standing, looking dubiously at Neji. "Are we holding the meeting with you at your desk?"

He rises to his feet then, surveying her almost guardedly. "I will be the leader on this mission."

Her eyes flash; she's crossing the space over to his desk, clenching her fists. How could he assume control over the mission just like that? "Who decided that?"

"Are you challenging me?" Neji asks, cockily, and Tenten glares at him. What is he trying to do this time?

"Kindly tell me where it says on the mission details that you are the leader," she bites.

"Tenten," Lee says in a low warning.

All eyes are on her, now. Tenten grits her teeth, and Neji smirks, shrugging. He makes his way around his desk, keeping his gaze on her.

"I am a Captain-in-training," Neji finally reveals, pulling a thin cardholder from his breast pocket. He flips it open, showing her the centerfold, with the image of his face on two separate cards - the green one, for a Lieutenant, that Tenten also possesses, and a yellow one, for a Captain, though the words "in training" are printed clearly across the top of the card.

Tenten flushes, returns her stare to his face. He's advancing ahead of her again? "You could've made that known before assuming leadership," she sputters, mortified that she's just threatened him in front of both their teams. "I would have appreciated not being kept in the dark."

"If you had asked me earlier, I would've told you," Neji returns, gesturing towards the couches, that are separated by a coffee table between them. "For the last two years, the assignment of Hawk Platoon to the Orion cluster was due to my Captaincy training."

She glowers, and seats herself gingerly next to Lee, who looks uncertainly at her. Kiba raises his eyebrows at her from Lee's other side. _Damn it._ They'll be questioning her about the outburst the moment Dragon Platoon is alone.

"Let's get started with the meeting then, Captain," Tenten grouses, glancing sourly at Neji, who has taken a seat right across from her.

He sweeps his gaze over the rest of her team, and his, setting a palm-sized computer onto the coffee table. At the click of a button on the computer, a holographic screen flashes into view, parallel to the couches and coffee table.

"I believe we're past introductions," Neji begins dryly. Tenten rolls her eyes.

"This is a relatively simple mission, as you've read. The ring leader of a large drug circle on Aesis has broken out of jail - his codename is Quachron. Our mission is to locate and recapture him and his inner circle," he summarizes, and looks towards Tenten. "Previous data indicates that Dragon Platoon was the one to extract them."

"They could've got pretty far if the police haven't managed to recapture them." Tenten looks towards the holographic screen, where Neji has drawn up a map of a specific city on Aesis. "They relied heavily on weapons in our encounter with them. Poor physical combat."

"They could just as easily have got their hands on more guns," Kotetsu adds, scratching at the bandage across his nose. (He looks very similar to Izumo, Tenten observes - both have black eyes and hair, though Kotetsu wears his hair in spikes, while Izumo's falls limp around his ears.)

"Quachron and gang don't just have any ordinary guns, though," Tenten recounts. "They all possessed state of the art pulse guns."

Two of which are in her quarters. Quachron isn't going to be happy when he finds that out.

Izumo gives a low whistle. "We'd be out-gunned if they get their hands on more."

Neji flicks a shrewd glance at Tenten. "How did you capture them the previous time?"

She shrugs, recalling an army of infrared guns extending down from the ceiling of Quachron's offices. "Smoke bombs. Kiba cut their visibility. Lee and I took their infrared automatics down."

"Nice," Kotetsu grins. "It should be easy this time with two platoons instead of one."

"They'd have thought up a counter for that this time," Tenten interjects. "We can't afford to lower our guard."

"Suggestions, then, Lieutenant?" Neji looks towards her expectantly, and Tenten squares her shoulders, focusing on the map.

"First, we locate them."

* * *

"You showed him, Tenten!" Kiba whoops, strapping himself into his seat on the _Silver Blade_.

"You were the very essence of a youthful flower!" Lee adds, with a huge grin.

Tenten pauses in scanning the supplies on her ship, and looks towards the ceiling of the cockpit. "Shut it, guys. We aren't even on Aesis yet."

The tanks of fuel and oxygen are full, and they've got food and water to last a week, though the mission itself should take five days to complete, at the very most. Tenten seals the doors on the spacecraft and turns it to face the exit of the hangar, waiting for the light above the giant doors to flash green. The route to Aesis has been saved on the _Silver Blade_'s flight paths; she selects it and programs the ship to follow that route once they've taken off.

There being little else to do but wait, Tenten taps a private message to Neji. _I happen to possess two of Quachron's guns. You may have seen them._

_Great_, he replies a moment later, and she hears the sarcasm in his words. _Are they with you?_

_I have them on board_, she returns, _just in case_.

_We may need them, then. Any others?_

_Pulse gun. Nuclear, field version_, she types. Tenten doesn't add that it's the one from him, but he ought to know it.

_Glad you remembered it_, is Neji's next message, _I have... fond memories of that gun._

She barely suppresses a snort. _Now isn't the time to be nostalgic_, she retorts.

The lights above the hangar doors shine green, and the doors roll open soon after.

_See you on Aesis, then_. Neji falls silent after that, and Tenten takes the opportunity to steer the spacecraft out of the _Konoha_, before ramping its engines up, and taking off towards Aesis.

"I did not expect you to confront Neji," Lee says a moment later, when she's switched the ship to autopilot.

"He was being an ass," Tenten answers, her tone clipped. It isn't the first time she's threatened Neji, though Lee doesn't need to know that. "You don't just shove that authority in someone's face."

"A Captain, though. I wasn't expecting him to pull another early advancement," Kiba comments.

"You're telling me." Tenten narrows her eyes. "Lee and I were on his trainee team, in case you've forgotten, Inuzuka."

"Oh." Kiba grins sheepishly at her. "That why you're so eager to tear his throat out?"

Lee looks between her and Kiba, saying nothing.

"I wasn't going to tear his throat out." Tenten turns in her seat, to give Kiba a warning stare. "Now, shut up-"

"You're hot when you're pissed, though," Kiba continues, seemingly unafraid of incurring her wrath. "I bet Hyuuga did that just to piss you off."

"Inuzuka," Tenten growls, gripping the sides of her seat. "Don't make me strangle you before the mission even begins."

"You know, Tenten, I think Kiba is right," Lee muses, rubbing his chin with his fingers.

She turns to gape at him. Lee, really? "Are you saying I'm hot-"

"You are so youthful when you're angry, Tenten!" Lee exclaims, fire in his inky eyes. He clenches his fingers in an inspired fist. "You radiate heat and energy and youth! I can see why Neji likes you-"

"And you like him too, which is why you go nuts when he gets the better of you," Kiba hypothesizes, "See, with you and Hyuuga, it's a power play thing-"

"Both of you! Shut the fuck up, this instant!" Tenten roars, glaring so hard at them that her eyes strain at their sockets. "There is nothing fucking going on between Hyuuga and I, all right?"

The cockpit rings with silence the moment she stops, and Lee studies her contemplatively.

"I don't want to hear anything from you if it doesn't concern this mission," she snarls, eyeballing first him, then Kiba. They remain blissfully quiet for a long time after that.

There's no way she likes Hyuuga Neji. He's manipulated her and driven her to fury and crawled beneath her skin. She doesn't even have a crush on him anymore.

So why does she still find that smirk of his so attractive?

Tenten draws a deep breath, and begins to compartmentalize.

* * *

_Aesis, Jan 7, 2031, 1500 hrs_

"How successful do you think this is going to be?" Lee asks, when they've been skimming over the buildings of Aesis for about fifteen minutes or so.

It is mid-afternoon on Aesis, and the blue skies are clear, with hardly a cloud in sight. Beneath them, low grayish buildings lie scattered next to a wasteland on the outskirts of a city.

Tenten purses her lips in thought. Hawk Platoon has descended into Quachron's reigning city, to attempt undercover contact with the drug lord's men, while Dragon Platoon keeps to the sky, to weed out tracks that Quachron and his minions may have left behind in their escape. There is no way that Quachron wouldn't recognize her, Lee and Kiba, not when they were the ones who extracted him and his men just two months ago, so Neji's team had been the obvious choice for requesting a face-to-face meeting.

The technology on Aesis is such that people travel with the use of hovercrafts - Quachron and his inner circle could be anywhere by this point, more than a day after their escape from jail. Izumo had made sense when he said that the drug lord wouldn't leave the planet, though, not for something as mere as escaping the police.

"Surveillance from the jail showed two vehicles picking all of them up," Tenten recounts. "They must have had a way of communicating with contacts outside the jail - likely by voice or text. At this point, though, we may only have records of text left to trawl through."

"The program is still scanning," Kiba updates, looking back down at his computer. "It'd be faster if we could land and connect via cable to the internet instead of relying on a wireless connection."

Neji had written a program to search for data trails originating from the jail, in a bid to locate the phones that might have been used to contact Quachron. It hasn't been easy, though, searching for leads on their spacecraft. Tenten sighs. They would require a base from which to work, preferably in the presence of Hawk Platoon, to leave as few data trails themselves as they can.

She types a string of commands into her console, to establish a connection with Neji's earpiece.

"Hyuuga speaking, come in." There is faint static marring Neji's baritone; his voice resounds in the cockpit, so Tenten doesn't have to repeat his information to Kiba and Lee after.

"Dragon requesting updates, over."

"Contact established with target's group. Awaiting appointment, over."

Tenten glances at her teammates - Neji has got a hold of someone in Quachron's ring, then, with his hacking into the group's database. "When is the appointment time, over."

"1700 hours. We have established a base, over."

"Send me the coordinates. It's hopeless trying to run a search from the air, over."

"On it. Dress well, over."

She looks towards Lee and Kiba, to see that they've got Neji's disguised message to go undercover. It would help not to draw attention to themselves, with their distinct sapphire-and-leaf-green uniforms, after all, when they don't know where Quachron's eyes lie. "Roger. We'll see you in a few minutes, over and out."

Hawk Platoon's coordinates appear soon after on her screen, and Tenten feeds it to the _Silver Blade_, to change their flight path.

It doesn't take long to return to Quachron's reigning city; Tenten flips a switch to diguise the Silver Blade's exterior, to remove their affiliation to the _Konoha_, and lands in the parking lot of a dreary, low-rise complex, in the middle of other low-rise buildings, mostly drab, with a few sporting updated and more colorful designs.

The receptionist of the hotel is a thin, nervous woman, dressed in an old scarlet-and-black uniform. She doesn't acknowledge Dragon Platoon when they step into the barely-furnished room, though Tenten commands her attention quickly enough by slapping a few bills on the worn wooden counter.

"We'd like a single room, second floor, overseeing the parking lot," she tells the receptionist, who nods shakily and glances at the ticking wall clock. "I heard that three men checked in not too long ago - I want the room next to theirs."

"Sure," the woman replies, fidgeting as she counts Tenten's bills, types into her computer, and pulls a set of two keys out. "Room 21. Checkout is at 11am tomorrow."

"Noted." Tenten grabs the keys (it figures that the place hasn't transitioned to the use of card keys yet), and makes to turn away, when she remembers to ask, "Will there be anyone watching the lobby after dusk?"

The lady shakes her head, glances at the clock again. "My shift ends in an hour and a half. There isn't going to be anyone coming in after me."

"How do you secure the building?" is Tenten's next question. Is Neji trying to conceal their presence so much that they aren't kept on any surveillance records? Probably.

"One of those keys opens the front door. The other is for your room." The woman waves towards the keys in Tenten's hands, bony fingers stark in the fluorescent light of the lobby.

"Huh. Okay." Tenten signals for Lee and Kiba to follow her down the dim hallway past the reception area. It helps that they've brought their weapons in with them, Tenten muses.

The stairs and corridor are both lined with the same ratty, moldy-looking carpet; Tenten first checks Room 21 for occupants and bugs - there is just one double bed, a couch, and a tiny ensuite in there... and no ports for an internet connection. She rolls her eyes. Neji better have a solution to that.

"Dibs on the couch," she tells Lee and Kiba. "You guys can fight over the bed."

"Hey!" Kiba protests. "No offense, Lee, but I'd rather sleep on the ship."

"But Tenten," Lee frowns. "Don't you trust me enough to share a bed with me?"

She sighs, and pinches the bridge of her nose. Their accommodations aren't usually this paltry. "Let's save this argument for tonight, shall we?"

There is a sudden outburst of conversation in the next room - masculine voices, from the sound of it - and Tenten winces at how thin the walls are.

"That has to be Hawk dropping us a signal," she mutters dryly, motioning for her team to move out.

The conversation in Room 19 draws to a halt when she knocks. A moment later, the door cracks open; Kotetsu peers warily out, and throws the door wide open right after he's determined their identities. "We were expecting you guys," he announces.

Tenten steps into the room, flanked by Lee and Kiba - the layout of Room 19 is identical to that of 21 - she scans the space, and finds Neji on his computer, fingers tapping away. "How are you getting internet access?" she demands, frowning.

Neji looks up at her from the couch, taking a moment to survey the T-shirt and jeans she's wearing. (She notes that Hawk Platoon is a little more well-dressed than they are - button-down shirts and dark pants. Does he have to outclass her even in clothes?) He slants a smirk at her, and motions towards a solid white device on the coffee table. "Portable wifi."

Kiba puts his visor on and fiddles with it (they had taken identifying devices off prior to leaving the _Silver Blade_). "Radar shows no occupied rooms directly above or below us. Rooms to the side and across the hall are unoccupied too."

"We know that," Neji replies, returning his attention to his screen. "Did a preliminary scan when we got here."

Kiba shrugs. "Just a precaution."

"We haven't got any leads yet," Tenten informs Neji, and seats herself on the corner of the bed. Kiba leans against the wall adjacent to Izumo and Kotetsu; Lee joins her on the mattress.

"I'm aware of that." Neji glances up briefly from his holographic screen. "If you'd like to help, lend me your computer. It'll make the search quicker that way."

For lack of things to do until the appointed meeting time, Tenten unlocks her computer and hands it to Neji. "How did you get ahold of Q's men?"

Neji shrugs, taking her computer and typing into the attached roll-up keyboard. "It wasn't that difficult locating his database and a few phone numbers. I convinced them that I'm a relative of one of his best clients."

"Will you be concealing your eyes, then?" she asks. There aren't many with pale lilac irises like the Hyuuga, and the clan has accumulated a fair number of enemies over the years, courtesy of the Hyuuga men's tendency to be jerks. (_Like how he's been behaving up 'til recently_, Tenten thinks to herself.)

He's silent for a while. "Yes. I have some colored contacts on the _Byakugan_."

"Right. Will we be tailing you later?" She glances at the program now running on her computer, rows upon rows of light-colored text scrolling across the holographic screen. "I don't know if you've been to Aesis before, but it's dangerous at night. The streetlights go out quick and gangs roam the streets after that."

Neji raises a dubious eyebrow at her. "Are you saying we won't be able to handle it?"

Tenten shrugs. "I've never stayed past dusk on Aesis. That's probably why the receptionist was shaking like a leaf."

"You'd want to avoid getting caught in the crossfire of fights and risk injury, too," Kiba adds. "That is, unless we're fighting Q - in which case all aforementioned warnings go out the window."

"I understand." Neji returns his attention to his computer. "The goal for tonight is to establish a meeting with Q and his men, or obtain his location, at least. We'll each be wearing one tracking device, and there will be an additional tracker on the _Byakugan_. If any of us sends out a distress signal, come to our aid."

"Understood," Tenten answers, echoed by Kiba and Lee.

"In the meantime, keep an eye on the computers. I've programmed them such that they'll beep when Q's phone number or IP address is found. The program will attempt to pull conversation records and related texts after that," Neji summarizes. "The rendezvous point is a pub just a few blocks away - the exact address is on the _Silver Blade_."

"Great work, as expected of my genius rival, Neji!" Lee exclaims, getting to his feet, fists clenched with adrenaline. "I can't wait to come to your assistance on the field!"

Tenten sends her best friend a withering glance. "There isn't any need to sing praises of him, Lee," she mutters, and in a lower tone, "I'm your platoon leader, or have you forgotten?"

Lee sends her a sheepish smile. "But Neji's work really is brilliant."

"And mine isn't?" she threatens from the corner of her lips.

"Well, you're brilliant in a different way," Lee beams, and Tenten suppresses the urge to hit him on the head.

"Some friend you are," she grumbles beneath her breath.

"Lieutenant, a private word with you, please," Neji says, quietly, but he may as well have shouted it, for all the silence in the room.

Tenten frowns, reluctantly rising from the bed and following him out of the room. She is keenly aware of four pairs of watchful eyes bouncing between them both - they have never held private meetings to the knowledge of their teams, and Kiba and Lee, at least, are bound to speculate.

Neji motions towards Room 21 once they're in the corridor and the door to Room 19 is shut; she unlocks the door, leading the way in.

"What is it?" she mutters, when Neji has locked the door behind them. "The walls are paper-thin. I don't see why there has to be any private discussion-"

"Those guns from Quachron," he replies just as quietly, leading them to the wall further from Room 19, "Do they have trackers attached?"

"Crap. I didn't think to look." Tenten bites her tongue, turning back towards the door. "I haven't received any threats since I took them-"

"Wait." At his tone, she stops, and the intensity in his eyes makes her heart pound, hard.

"What is it?" she begins to say, but her voice loses its strength when he steps closer to her, so that a few inches remain between his chest and hers. "Now isn't the time for anything, Hyuuga," Tenten breathes, but she can't ignore the way her body responds to his proximity, and the lingering desire that his presence rekindles. Especially when he's dressed in that button-down shirt, that reminds her so much of Christmas night, and how he'd had her pressed against the wall-

He takes half a step closer, so their chests barely touch, and dips his head, pressing his lips to her neck. She feels the rush of his breath when he inhales next to her skin, his nose against her, and her pulse thrums in her veins.

"Hyuuga," she warns, but it comes out as a low groan, when his fingers find her hip and slide upwards, slipping beneath the hem of her shirt. "I'm armed, this is your last warning-"

"Yet you're making no move to stop me," he murmurs in return, his touch sliding a trail of heat up her spine. Tenten gulps. His other hand reaches up to her buns, tugging at them. "You should change your hairstyle, just in case."

"I'll do what I damn well want," she whispers, swallowing when Neji's teeth graze her neck.

He's backing her into the wall before she realizes it; the hand beneath her shirt slips to her front and eases beneath her bra. Tenten gasps, pushes herself into his hand - heat is pooling between her legs, and Neji is licking and sucking at the base of her throat, his moist, hot tongue driving logic from her mind.

"Neji," she gasps, when his thumb brushes her hard nipple, and her head is tipped back, allowing him full access to her throat.

He inhales deeply against her skin, and pulls away, eyes dark with want. Tenten gulps, inwardly winces. She hadn't meant to use his name - it suggests an intimacy that they don't share (do they?) and there is no way she's encouraging him on this, not right now. (Even if she's been dreaming about it ever since New Year's day.)

"We need to get back," she whispers, not looking at him (but she is aware - so aware - of the heat between them).

"Yeah." Neji drags his eyes away from her and turns towards the door (she sees the bulge in his pants, forces the accompanying surge of desire _out_ of her system).

Tenten pushes ahead of him, catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror - there is a rosy flush on her cheeks, and one of her buns is lopsided. With a low mutter, she pulls the pins and hair nets from her hair, shaking her hair loose, before retying it into a loose ponytail. Neji doesn't take his eyes off her in the mirror. Tenten swallows harder yet, and looks away.

She wrenches the door open harder than is necessary.

"Lee, Kiba, I need to see your guns," Tenten orders quietly the moment they're back in Room 19, door locked behind them.

Kiba gives her an appraising glance, and looks between her and Neji, who has the most guarded expression she's ever seen on him. "Had an insightful conversation about the latest trend in hairstyles, I'll bet," he drawls suggestively.

Kotetsu snickers. Tenten glares at them both. "Hand me your gun, Inuzuka. Hyuuga here suggested that there might have been tracking devices planted on them from before."

"Before? You mean..." Lee unstraps his gun and hands it to Tenten. "These are the ones you took, aren't they?"

"Yeah." She takes the pulse gun from Lee, looking over it closely, like what Neji is doing with Kiba's. There isn't really much of note on the gun, from the sphere at the tip, to the funnel-like barrel, and various ridges over the thick body of the weapon.

Neji finds it almost the same time she does.

"Oh fuck," Tenten swears, when she spots the minute black attachment close to the trigger, that looks just like another flat square piece of the gun, about the size of the nail on her little finger. A minute red pinprick of light blinks slowly on it, in a hidden corner, that puts the light source out of her direct line of sight. Neji looks up at her, having found the one on his gun, too.

"Destroy yours," he tells her, pulling a multi-purpose tool from his belt. "I'll use the one on mine to track them down."

"They could already be on their way here," Tenten grits, attempting to pry the tracker off with a sturdy blade. "They stuck this on with superglue or something."

Neji stills then, and looks sharply at her. "That could work to our advantage."

"Yeah, we'd be the perfect bait," Tenten tells him dryly. "As long as they don't kill us while you're held up with your meeting."

He scoffs. "That's the first time I've heard you speak that lowly of Dragon Platoon's capabilities."

"I was kidding," Tenten snipes, finally popping the tracker off the gun. It flies off and bounces across the wall; Neji's does the same when he eventually dislodges it from Kiba's gun.

"I've never seen anyone so perfectly matched with each other," Kotetsu comments, watching them from the side. Izumo, Kiba and Lee nod in agreement. "You guys bicker like an old married couple."

Tenten pulls a dagger from her boot and flings it at him; the man barely dodges its steel blade when it lands mere inches from his face with a solid thunk.

"I missed on purpose," Tenten growls, eyes narrowed in warning.

"Yeah, with that 'discussion'," Kiba emphasizes his words here by raising his hands and drawing quotation marks in the air, "On hair and guns, that would be the furthest thought from my mind."

Tenten drags a hand across her face. "Inuzuka. Shut your trap this instant, or you'll be scrubbing the _Silver Blade_ down with elbow grease when we get back."

Kiba's face falls. "Hey, you can't do that, Tenten."

She angles a sullen look at him. "Yes, I can. And I will."

Neji smirks at her, moving across the room to collect the fallen tracking devices. He settles back onto the couch and sets them on the coffee table, looking at them in consideration. Tenten meets his eyes when he looks up at her. "Q and his men may or may not be aware that these guns are back on Aesis."

Tenten raises her eyebrows. "Explain."

"One possibility is that Q may have already set out to obtain similar models, and has forgotten about this. He has enough in his pocket to do that easily," Neji begins. "The second possibility is that the tracking system may have issued an alert about the guns being in range again, but no one saw it."

"And the third?" she presses.

Neji unhooks his earpiece, and keys a command into it using his computer, before holding it close to the tracking devices on the table. "If returning to Aesis hasn't activated them, then detaching them from the guns has certainly got them emitting frequencies like a war is upon us."

He points towards the pulse signals on his holographic screen; Tenten heaves a sigh.

"Well, I guess we should be expecting them to bear down upon us any minute, now," she deduces. Neji wears his earpiece and closes the microphone program on his computer.

"Hawk will have to remove itself from the scene," Neji orders. "We cannot risk being affiliated with you. The retrieval team is likely not an advanced unit - they will only be picking up a couple of guns, and not a drug stash."

"Understood." Tenten nods, her actions mirrored by Kiba and Lee. "We'll keep in radio contact."

"Your trackers," Neji adds, handing them a dark band each. "These are for the ankles. Tug hard on them in case of an emergency."

Tenten pulls her foot out of her boot, and clips the band around her ankle, before slipping the boot back on. "Are you leaving the computers here?"

"Too risky. Hawk will be relocating closer to the rendezvous point with the computers. I trust that Dragon will be able to defend the base. Take a hostage for intel, if possible."

"Understood." She checks her pulse gun and spare cartridges, and looks up to find Neji watching her.

"You handle guns well, Lieutenant," he remarks, lifting an eyebrow, and Tenten narrows her eyes at him. That can't possibly be a mere compliment - he probably meant the innuendo as well.

"Get going, will you?" she grits, shoving the gun back into her holster. The Second Lieutenants watch their exchange with no shortage of interest.

"On second thought, I'll leave both tracking devices intact," Neji tells them. "It'll anchor their attention here."

Tenten shrugs. "Sure."

With a silent nod, Hawk Platoon files out of Room 19, leaving Tenten alone with Lee and Kiba. She watches from the window as they return to the disguised _Byakugan_; the ship engines fire up, and it takes off soon after.

"It's just past 1600 hours," Lee observes, putting his visor on. Tenten does the same. "Dusk isn't until 1730 hours. I don't think they'll want to descend before then."

"Probably not," Tenten agrees. "We'll move out to the rooftop right before that - I can do without destroying our sleeping quarters for tonight."

Lee and Kiba nod. Tenten exhales. It is a relief not being around Neji, for all the tension he winds between them.

"What do we do in the meantime?" Kiba asks. "We haven't even got a computer we can use."

He's right. Tenten purses her lips in thought. "We'll run through strategies to take these men down," she answers, "In the event that they attack Hawk the same time they do us. Do a continuous radar scan on our surroundings just to be sure."

* * *

_A/N: If you guys have forgotten Aesis and Hawk Platoon, return to the prologue for a refresher course ;)_

_Yes, Neji is training to be a captain. More action stuff to come next chapter. ;) As always, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!_


	20. 17: Aesis - Set in Motion

_We're officially on the second half of Blackmail - 32 chapters in all, not including the prologue and interludes. ;) So glad to see that the action hasn't chased you guys away yet lol :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 17: Aesis - Set in Motion**

_Aesis, Jan 7, 2031, 1645 hrs_

"1645 hours," Kotetsu announces, looking towards Neji.

"Are you really wearing that bandage along?" Neji asks, mildly surveying the ear-to-ear strap of gauze across his Second Lieutenant's nose.

"I like keeping my scars hidden," Kotetsu explains, tapping his nose. "Surely you know me well enough to ask, Neji."

Neji shrugs. He breaks the seal on a packet of colored contacts and sanitizes his hands with a spray, before placing the artificial brown irises over his own lilac ones. "We're going undercover, though at least your scars aren't immediately identifying."

Unlike the green _manji_ symbol he has tattooed behind his ear.

He lets his hair hang loose, in a cascade, to conceal it.

"Well, we should be going," Izumo reminds them, just as Neji tosses the empty contact lens container into a lidded bin. The computers are still running their scans in the cabin - there haven't been any promising results yet.

"Know your positions?" Neji asks. He rises from the pilot's seat of the _Byakugan_ and leads them down the ramp of the ship.

"Always, _Jiro_," Izumo answers, using the constructed identity Neji will be adopting for this meeting.

The sky is painted in shades of blue-turned-orange when they make their way towards the rendezvous point - a rundown pub with neon lights over its entrance, and dirty, metal-framed windows set in uniform concrete squares. Low strains of music reach their ears as they approach; Neji raises an appreciative eyebrow - it would be much easier to conduct a conversation when he isn't shouting to make himself heard.

There aren't many people in the establishment at this time of day (Neji suspects that it would get crowded quickly just around dusk), so they pick a relatively large booth next to the window, overlooking the _Byakugan_ in the parking lot, and settle down to wait.

A scantily-clad waitress comes by to take their order - Kotetsu ogles the blond curls draped over her shoulder, and the luscious chest propped by the white push-up bra she's wearing. Neji asks for wine and a side of fish kebabs, Izumo a cocktail, and Kotetsu practically salivates as he orders a beer.

Izumo reaches behind Neji and raps Kotetsu on the head the moment the waitress turns towards the kitchen.

"Hey! What was that for?" Kotetsu whines, rubbing his head.

Izumo leans forwards on the table to look at his best friend. "Quit harassing women! Jeez, you're such a dog."

"I take offense at that," Kotetsu mumbles. "Besides, there aren't that many women back on the _Ko_\- the ship."

"There are plenty of women there," Neji informs him wryly. "Mind your words, _Ko_."

'_Ko_' glowers at him. "Yeah, easy for you to say, when you've been fucking Te-"

"_Ko_." Neji's tone is dangerously low, a warning, where Tenten would have dispensed a painful physical blow to shut him up. "I don't need to repeat my warning."

Kotetsu gives a quiet grumble. On Neji's other side, Izumo nudges him. "So," he mutters, "Have you?"

Neji narrows his eyes, looking at his second-in-command. "Have I what?"

Izumo clears his throat. "Tenten," he continues, nodding towards Kotetsu. "Have you been..."

"That's none of your concern," Neji grits, his tone sharper than necessary. He raises his guard higher yet. "One would think the two of you were women, with how you gossip enough to rival Yamanaka."

"All the same," Kotetsu retorts, sending him a meaningful look, "It'll be helpful to know if Tenten is off-limits."

Neji stiffens at the query. It's a legitimate one - Kotetsu is fishing for information under the guise of being considerate. Neji glances out the window, towards the _Byakugan_, and gives them his terse response, "She's constantly flanked by two other men. Ask her yourself."

Kotetsu rolls his eyes. "She's not flanked by her men when you ask to-" (he gives a polite cough here) "-speak with her in private."

"You'd do well to end your speculation," Neji bristles. He'd slipped up on the private conversation; she had been pliant in his arms, and he almost- "I was merely clarifying the origin of those guns she has."

"Her possession of them isn't part of protocol, is it?" Izumo asks quietly.

Neji chooses not to answer that. "We have reason to suspect that someone might be wanting them back."

"And here I thought this was gonna be easy," Kotetsu grumbles, though he perks up when the waitress returns.

Neji gives a nod of thanks when she sets their orders on the table and leaves. Kotetsu turns to follow her swaying hips with his eyes; Neji ignores him and picks his wine glass up, swirling the burgundy liquid in its glass confines.

"Expensive taste, Captain," Izumo remarks, taking a small sip of his cocktail after first testing it with a short, needle-like sensor held between his fingers. Next to him, Neji and Kotetsu do the same. The black indicators at the tip of the needles do not turn red - the drinks are not spiked.

There have been a handful of stragglers drifting into the pub since their entrance, though Neji perks up when a tall, lean man in a suit shows up at the door, flanked by two others in similar dress. Neji meets his dark eyes and nods; the man nods back, stepping forward to join them at the table. Not much identifies him, save for his silver hair slicked backwards, and his roguish, clean-shaven face.

Neji gets to his feet when the trio reaches their table; Kotetsu and Izumo follow suit, and he eyes the man's bodyguards at the same time their target surveys them.

"Hidan, I believe," Neji greets, extending his hand. "I am Jiro."

"Jiro," Hidan repeats, accepting the handshake casually. He remains standing, so Neji holds his ground, keeping a pleasant expression on his face. "I hope you're not gonna waste our time here, the Boss is an effing busy man, ya know."

"It isn't my wish to have this drag out," Neji responds, dipping his chin. "As I mentioned on our call, I wish to form a... partnership with our mutual friend."

"Speaking of which, how'd you get my number?" Hidan demands, narrowing his eyes. "It's a fucking private line."

"My cousin, Juugo - he informed me that you deal with him a lot," Neji explains. (It is a solid fact - there have been multiple phone calls between Hidan and a Juugo on the phone company logs, and quick searches have found pictures of both men together on multiple occasions.) "He recommended that I reached our mutual friend through you - all the better to bolster his opinion of you, isn't it?"

Neji cracks a smile, and Hidan cackles with delight. "Now we're talking!" he laughs, a manic glint in his eyes. He seats himself in the booth, flanked by his men, and Neji follows suit. "Show me you mean business, and I'll pass the word on to the Boss."

Neji nods towards Izumo. "I have materials," he explains, when Izumo lifts a leather bag up from the floor, next to where he's seated by the window. "Lysergic acid monohydrate - the precursor to LSD. It gives a fifty percent yield if you follow the procedure I've described."

Izumo pulls a little metal case out and sets it on the table with a heavy thump. Neji picks it up and shakes it - the slow slither of heavy packets within is unmistakable.

"As you may know, these crystals must not be exposed to light, air or water," Neji says, pulling a dark eyeglass case from his jacket. He snaps it open, and draws a clear zip-locked bag out. The sachet is filled with thin, hexagonal crystals that glint under the incandescent lights of the pub; moments later, the crystals crumble into white powder, useless. Neji glances at Hidan. "This is a sample. You'd do well to check the quality of my materials in a darkroom - I cannot begin to emphasize how much they're worth."

Hidan's gray eyebrows arch; he smiles slowly, and reaches for the metal case that Neji pushes towards him. With a jerk of Hidan's chin, one of his men pulls a portable scanner out, swiping it across the case. The scan returns negative for various weapon threats.

Hidan nods, satisfied. "I'm gonna trust that you're handing over the real stuff, Jiro," he says. "If it isn't..."

He draws his index finger across his throat.

"The manufacturing instructions and my business card," Neji informs him, unaffected, pulling a folded piece of paper, a thumbdrive, and a card from his breast pocket. "You can expect to receive only the best from us."

Hidan scans his business card and the printed instructions, satisfied. "I'll pass this on to the Boss and get back to you soon. Don't let your phone outta sight."

With his hand raised, thumb and little finger sticking out to mimic an old-fashioned phone, Hidan rises from his seat, just as the blond waitress hurries over. Neji and their respective bodyguards stand once again.

"Were you gentlemen going to place an order?" the waitress asks, apologetic.

Hidan waves her off with a smirk. "Nah, we're just here for a while," he answers without so much as a glance at her. To Neji, he extends his hand. "Looking forward to doing business with you, Jiro."

Neji clasps his hand, smiles again. "The same goes for you, Hidan."

They do not sit until Hidan and his men have left the pub, and the waitress backs away to allow them privacy. Izumo discreetly slips his visor on, covering the characteristic emerald plexiglass with his hand. "Radar shows that they're boarding a ship." And after a moment, "They're leaving."

"Good." Neji leans back into his seat and allows the tension in his shoulders to seep away. "Any word from Dragon?"

"None," Izumo replies. "Sure is incredible how you got that case together so quickly."

Neji shrugs. "I had all the materials on the ship."

"Spent a bomb on that precursor, though." Izumo clicks his tongue. "Could've made so much more if we-"

"Izu," Neji warns, still using their constructed names, and the man falls silent. "Follow the tracker."

"I'm on it already," Izumo mutters, still looking at his visor, hand over his eye. "We'll need to grab Dragon when they're ready and- Crap."

"What is it?" Neji asks, looking sharply at him.

"Dragon. They just sent out a distress signal."

"Crap," Neji echos, a hint of worry flickering through his gut. "Who triggered it?"

"Tenten." Izumo's voice is low, urgent.

_Fuck._ Neji tosses bills onto the table, and they're sprinting out of the pub, into the suffocating night of Aesis.

* * *

_Aesis, Jan 7, 2031, 1715 hrs - 20 minutes ago_

"In any case, we'll be using infrared by default - and we can expect Q's men to do the same," Tenten recaps, as they lounge around in the dimly-lit stairwell of the motel. It isn't quite dark yet, and the radar sweep hasn't revealed any pursuers bearing down on them.

The two tracking devices that they've recently pried off the pulse guns are now scattered across the rooftop. The sky is a dark purplish shade, the color of a bruise, and Tenten checks her visor repeatedly. _1715 hours. No news from Hawk._

If all is going to plan, Neji and his team should be planting their drug precursor placebos on the target by now. With the drug precursor being so unstable to light and air, it was ridiculously easy to conceal a tracker within a container holding fake crystals - only the demo pack was the real deal. And with any luck, Neji and his team will be returning to act as backup right after they're done.

Tenten looks at the time, and nods towards the rooftop. "You're up, Lee, Kiba. I'll be providing backup from here."

"You've told us that eight times already," Kiba mutters, rolling his eyes, and Tenten pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Just get out there, Inuzuka," she growls. "Remember your infrared goggles."

"Five times on that," he comments, and Lee turns to give her an apologetic wave as they push the roof access door open.

"We'll do our best, Tenten. Don't worry!" he whispers loudly.

Tenten adjusts the infrared goggles against her forehead, keeping her visor over her eye for radar surveillance. Through the gap in the doorway, she sees her men strolling across the roof, casually, weaving through various abandoned pieces of heavy equipment as if they were going for a casual smoke. Kiba leans over the parapet wall around the edge of the building, looking down to scan for targets, while Lee rests his back against the wall, to cover the space behind Kiba.

"No sign of the retrieval team," Kiba informs her through her earpiece. "This may be a futile attempt to draw them out."

"All the same," Tenten replies, "I'd much rather take them out sooner than later."

They wait in silence as night falls over the city, jet-black and depressing in its absence of light, even in the form of light pollution in the sky.

Tenten curls her fingers around her pulse gun, tempted to turn it on, if just for the familiar hum of a lethal companion. She peeks out of the doorway again - the illumination of the dim streetlamps are gone, now, and it is pitch-dark outside, with just the fluorescent lamp of the stairwell to light her vision.

"Requesting status update," she mutters into her earpiece.

"Nothing from radar. We're on infrared now, also negative," comes Lee's steady response.

"Understood. I'm going to get out of the stairwell now - it's way too bright in here-" She pauses abruptly at the faint click of a door further down the stairwell.

Soft footsteps, steady but making their way upwards, as if trying to remain undetected. The door below squeaks, and another set of footsteps joins in. Her pulse accelerates.

"Tenten?" Lee probes at her sudden pause.

"Oh, it's nothing, I'm just doing my hair," she tells him lightly - code for _I'm not alone_. Tenten activates her radar, and her eyes widen when she finds not just two, but six others in the stairwell with her, below her somewhere. _Fuck._ "Give me a second or six, I'll be there soon."

She lowers the infrared goggles over her eyes, to prepare for an emergency exit, and snatches the pulse gun from the holster at her thigh. It hums to life at the flick of a switch; another flick later, and the safety catch is off.

A laser beam fires through the perforated metal of her landing, a foot away. Tenten bites a curse down - they know her position; likely the use of radar. With no incentive to hide, now, she rises from her crouch, and steals a peek down the gap of the stairwell - men are doubling up the stairs, fully clothed in black.

She narrowly avoids another shot, just inches from her face, and fires her own, knocking two men down.

Two grappling hooks are fired at her then - she throws herself out of the way, and curses when they anchor onto the roof of the stairwell with solid thunks. The ropes begin to sway - men are using it to jump from one flight of stairs to the next. There isn't a point trying to saw through grappling ropes - she dodges more laser beams and fires down the stairwell again. The firepower of the pulse gun is something remarkable, when she sends the men flying off their grappling ropes with a single shot each.

Neji sure was not kidding about it having ten times the firepower of its predecessor - she hadn't the opportunity and solitude to give the gun a spin until now.

_Four down, two to go._ The remaining attackers aren't holding back, now - shots are firing through the floors at her, and Tenten throws herself at the door separating the stairwell from the rest of the rooftop to avoid them.

"Tenten," Lee cries out in her earpiece then. "We've got company!"

Two large hovercrafts are stationed by the edge of the roof - she only notices them now, having been distracted by the assailants in the stairwell. More men are hopping off from the crafts than she can count - ten from each would be her estimate - and she swears, tucking herself behind the corner of the stairwell, so that her pursuers would step into her line of sight before they see her. Those who are just joining in the fray have sighted her, though, and she aims and fires as they raise their guns, the instinct to shoot taking over.

Lee and Kiba are holding their own - they dodge a multitude of charged red beams and fire back, rolling behind larger pieces of equipment for cover.

Tenten senses the presence behind her a split second before an arm hooks itself around her neck. She shoves her pulse gun back into her holster and grabs at her attacker's burly arm-

Only to have heat sear through her gloves and into her palms, as if she's just touched the surface of an iron with her bare hands.

"Fuck," she yelps, jerking her hands off from the chokehold. Her palms throb with pain.

"We have a hostage here," her attacker shouts over her head, grabbing at her pulse gun; Tenten grits her teeth, snatches the gun back. The mere act of gripping its barrel sends lines of fire through her nerves.

"Tenten!" Lee yells.

She jabs the end of the pulse gun into the man's stomach and fumbles for the trigger, pulling it the moment she makes contact; without thinking, she holds the trigger down to cut a line through his gut. Blood soaks into her T-shirt and runs down the inside of her jeans. The man shouts and drops her immediately, doubled over, clutching at his stomach.

Pure adrenaline is what drives her actions now; Tenten whips around, firing at the remaining attacker from the stairwell - there is a glow of light falling on the far end of the roof, shining through a hole they had probably cut in the stairwell wall, so as to escape from the back, away from her attention.

There isn't any time for regrets; Tenten charges forward, to where Lee and Kiba are facing down the last five men or so.

It happens before she can react - a lasso loops itself around Kiba and tightens around his chest with a snap, pinning his arms to his sides. He drops his pulse gun - the remaining attackers swarm towards him. Tenten raises her gun at them, as does Lee, but one of the men throws a grenade at them, that explodes into a cloud of gas.

She gasps at the wrong time - the smoke burns down her throat and into her lungs, and from the corner of her eye, she sees Lee pause, clutching a hand to his face. Almost immediately after, her eyes begin to water, and Tenten blinks her tears away, raising her gun to fire at the men that are now approaching her and Lee.

Two more collapse under her fire; the remaining three are carrying the limp form of Kiba between them. Tenten raises her gun, only to find that the gas is making her eyes tear so much that she can't aim straight anymore.

"Fuck," she grits, coughing hard to regain her breath as the gas disperses slowly around them. Moving away from the cloud of gas doesn't help - it's already in her system, and she can't fire at them - Kiba is at risk if her accuracy is off by even a little.

Tenten watches in mute desperation as the men climb into the hovercraft with her teammate, and both machines take off into the night, disappearing behind nearby buildings without so much as leaving a trace.

Kiba could be severely injured - she refuses to think of him as dead - and the possibility shakes her to the core. She has failed as their leader.

Pain sears anew into her hands when she tugs her boot off, and yanks hard on the tracking device around her ankle, to send a distress signal to Hawk Platoon. The sooner they get reinforcements, the higher Kiba's chances of survival will be.

It takes Hawk Platoon all of two minutes to reach them on the rooftop. Tenten is picking her way back towards the stairwell with Lee when the bright lights of the disguised _Byakugan_ shine upon them, accompanied by gusting winds from the engines as the spacecraft hovers just feet above the rooftop.

The ramp is lowered and Neji is sprinting towards them by the time Tenten and Lee recognize the identity of the ship against the glare in their faces. Tenten blinks, realizes that they can board the _Byakugan_ and track Kiba down right away.

"Lieutenant," Neji greets her tightly, when he's slowed down to a walk paces away from them. He glances at her shirt, where blood from her attacker has seeped through to the front. "Any casualties?"

"Kiba was taken," Tenten replies immediately, looking in the direction where Quachron's hovercrafts took off. "He isn't dead. We need to pursue them now."

Neji frowns. His eyes flicker between her face and the stain on her shirt. "You're injured - tend to that first."

"That's not my blood," Tenten snaps, impatient. The tension in Neji's expression eases a little. "Aren't you piloting the ship?"

"I put Izumo in charge," Neji explains briefly. He looks at her face, then Lee's. Tenten realizes belatedly that their streaming eyes must make them look as if they were crying their hearts out. "Are you flying with us, or piloting your own ship?"

She hesitates for a moment - having a backup vehicle will prove beneficial. "I'm flying my own - take us down."

Neji nods towards the Byakugan, which lowers itself closer to the roof, until they're on the ramp and climbing into the cabin.

"Give me a brief report on the situation," Neji says evenly once the cabin is sealed, and they're flying down towards the parking lot of the motel. His pale gaze flicks over her and Lee, searching for visible signs of injury.

"It wasn't a small retrieval team," Tenten informs him dryly. With the cabin lights providing illumination, she pulls her charred gloves off to examine her hands. Her skin is pink where she's made contact with the attacker's forearm - her palms still sting distractingly, even now, and she clenches her fists to hide the burn. "There were six men coming at us from the stairwell, and two teams of ten from the hovercrafts-"

Neji catches hold of her wrist, lilac eyes boring into hers. "What was that from?"

Tenten shrugs, looks away. "First degree burn. I tried breaking out of a chokehold. Guy had an iron on his arm or something. Same guy who bled all over me."

He doesn't let go when she attempts to pull her hand away, and Tenten angles an annoyed stare at him.

"Will you be able to fly?" Neji probes, his gaze not leaving her.

Tenten swallows, acutely aware of the looks Lee and Kotetsu are giving them. "This is nothing, Hyuuga," she snaps, "I'm not some baby."

The _Byakugan_ lands in the parking lot then, and the ramp lowers itself. Neji releases her wrist, nodding towards the _Silver Blade_. "See to the burn first. We'll wait until you're ready. Radio your report to me the meantime. There isn't a need to be undercover if we're busting into their new headquarters."

She remembers the computers then, and glances towards the devices secured in the cabin, still scanning through rows of data. "Do you have their coordinates?"

Neji nods. "It's in the next city. Hidan is headed towards there. Kotetsu - give me an update on Inuzuka's location."

"They're making a beeline for the headquarters too," Kotetsu announces, looking up from the holographic screen at his seat.

"That should be convenient," Tenten mutters.

Neji looks towards Lee then. "See that Lieutenant Tenten gets treated for her burns," he orders.

Tenten glowers at him. "I can do that myself."

Neji raises a slender eyebrow at her. "Also see that she gets dressed in something more comfortable, Lee."

"Yessir!" Lee gives Neji a quick salute, and smiles brightly at Tenten.

"Damn you," she mutters at Neji, refraining from flipping him off in front of their teammates. "I don't need to be treated like an invalid. We have a friend to rescue."

Neji looks as if he's about to say something, but holds back, nodding towards the ramp again. "We don't have all day, Lieutenant."

Tenten rolls her eyes, stalking down the ramp and keying a code into her earpiece to unlock the _Silver Blade_.

* * *

_A/N: And... Hidan rounds out the last of the Blackmail cast. You've seen them all now. ;) He wasn't easy to write - I don't have a proper grasp on his character. :/_

_So glad to see that you guys weren't put off by the action - there'll be more coming up. ;) Sorry to those waiting for more intense NejiTen scenes - they're going through a dry spell at the moment ;) And also.. if you guys didn't know, LSD is actually the 8th most expensive thing in the world, at $3,000 a gram :O_

_And as always, thank you for taking the time to review!_


	21. 18: Aesis - Some Things Never Change

_Last part of the Aesis mission... hang on for the ride. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 18: Aesis - Some Things Never Change**

_Aesis, Jan 7, 2031, 1805 hrs_

"He cares about you, Tenten," Lee comments, when he emerges from the cabin in the standard blue-and-green of the _Konoha_ uniform.

"Are you talking about Kiba? Because I care about him too." Tenten retorts, strapping the last of her holsters and equipment onto her belt. As much as she refuses to admit it, it sure feels good to not be sitting in blood-soaked clothes and smelling like something just died on her. At least the T-shirt and jeans weren't her favorites to begin with. "And we're wasting time sitting here on our butts instead of chasing those guys down."

"You know I'm talking about Neji." Lee looks pointedly at her and hands over a bottle of aloe gel. "Here, this is for your burn."

She mutters her thanks reluctantly, uncapping the bottle and squirting cool, colorless gel onto her hands. The pain relief is instantaneous - Tenten's eyes slide shut in quiet appreciation. Slowly, she spreads the substance over her fingers, holding them still for a while.

"See, it helped." Lee takes the bottle and replaces it in the first aid kit, before returning with a couple of thin nitrile gloves. "Now, hold your hands out - I'll help you put these on."

It isn't easy trying to force her gel-coated digits into thin rubber (almost like condoms, Tenten thinks mirthlessly), though they finally manage it, and Tenten finds herself adjusting the controls on her console with relative ease. "Thanks, Lee."

"You should thank Neji too, you know," he informs her, before strapping himself down into his seat. "He's right in getting our injuries treated before facing off with our enemies, even though I also approve of your youthful tendency to rush ahead into battle."

Tenten rolls her eyes. "It's just a damn first degree burn, Lee. I didn't know you sustained injuries."

Lee shrugs. "I just had some minor graze wounds."

She looks him over suspiciously, fails to find any splotches of blood on his uniform, and turns back. "Right. Now we hunt Kiba down and get Quachron's ass into jail."

"Hyuuga speaking," Neji says over the ship's intercom, when Tenten pings the _Byakugan_.

"We're ready to go," she informs him.

"Right. I'm sending you the coordinates of Quachron's headquarters. We'll fly above cloud level until we're ready to descend," he replies, and a set of coordinates appears on her console seconds later. "Activate stealth mode when we're within a five-mile radius. You'll land on the roof of this building-" Another set of coordinates pops onto her screen. "-And we'll zip-line across."

"Understood." With a few flicks of the console switches, the _Silver Blade_'s engines are running and ready to go. Tenten waits until the _Byakugan_ has taken off into the sky, before raising her ship into a hover, and angling it upwards, following close behind Hawk Platoon.

It doesn't take long for them to arrive at Quachron's new reigning city. Stealth mode dims the cockpit lights and activates the silencer over the ship engines; this does not compromise the ship's performance, however. Tenten locates the building Neji has assigned her, making a smooth, quiet landing just as Hawk Platoon disembarks from its ship.

None of the skyscrapers are lit at night on Aesis - the result is an ink-black city, still and silent, save for the distant yells of street gangs clashing.

Tenten activates the radio link to Neji's intercom. "How is Kiba doing?"

Neji confers quietly with Kotetsu and Izumo before answering, "He still has a pulse. We aren't out of time yet."

"That isn't the least bit comforting," she gripes, and checks her grappling hook. Neji has done well in choosing a building they can begin from - one of the few skyscrapers that is taller than Quachron's, yet near enough that she has enough rope on her zip-line to connect the two buildings. The _Silver Blade_ is also close enough to be activated by radio, a fact that lends her relief.

"Is Dragon ready?" Neji asks, without acknowledging her acid remark.

"Yes. We're on infrared," she answers. Lee stands next to her, right next to the parapet wall of the skyscraper's roof. Tenten doesn't want to imagine what she'd see looking down, if there were lights illuminating the city.

"We'll zip down first. If there are any signs of a conflict, find an alternate way up the HQ. Inuzuka and Hidan are both present. So are Quachron and at least a few of his inner circle," Neji says. "Toggle your visor - I've downloaded the tracking program into your visor and Lee's. You should be able to locate Inuzuka and where Hidan's left that case of fakes."

"Understood." Tenten relays the information on to Lee, and toggles the screens on her visor - Kiba is being held at the basement, while the metal case (with or without Hidan) is close to the middle levels of the building. Quachron and his men would likely be at the top, as in their previous headquarters.

"We'll round up Q and his men first - that should make Inuzuka's extraction easier," Neji continues, "Hence the top-down entry."

"Right." Tenten readies her grappling hook, toggling the visor to search for a strong support for her zip-line. "Ready when you are."

"Hawk heading out." Neji ends the intercom connection, and Tenten watches as he anchors his grappling hook onto the parapet wall of Quachron's skyscraper. Hawk Platoon grapples across the inky chasm between the buildings, one man at a time.

She waits with Lee in silence, pulse beating in her ears, until Neji gives the all-clear.

"I've disabled the security systems," he tells them, after Hawk has been on the roof for a few minutes. "Come on down."

"Roger." Like Neji has done with the _Byakugan_, Tenten activates the invisibility shield on the _Silver Blade_ and anchors the supporting end of her zip-line to a concrete vent on the rooftop they're on. She fires the hook at the headquarters next; the grappling gun jerks sharply upon contact with the parapet wall. A firm tug to test its stability later, she nods at Lee. "I'm heading down first. Wait for my command."

Lee nods, and Tenten hooks her zip rider onto the grappling rope - essentially a pulley with handles on either side, so she can skim down the rope using her arms. She secures an additional harness on the rope, hooked to her belt, and crouches on the parapet wall, before inhaling deeply, and kicking off.

Wind howls next to her cheeks; Tenten focuses on the distant figures of Hawk Platoon as she makes her way across - the ride is over in roughly fifteen seconds. She swings herself up to the lip of the wall, climbs over, and drops down next to where Neji and Izumo are stationed. Kotetsu is a little further away, holding a scanner out in front of him.

"Status update?" she asks, noting that Hawk Platoon has also changed into the Konoha uniforms. A wiser decision, with the ease of movement the uniform provides.

"Radar shows that Q and his inner circle aren't on the highest few levels," Neji mutters, glancing quickly at her. "We'll have to infiltrate the HQ to search for them."

"Are you sure they're here?" she probes dubiously.

"Positive." Neji nods. "Their communication trails lead to this building."

"Right." Tenten connects her intercom to Lee's. "Lee, come on down, it's clear."

Lee joins them soon after; with all five of them gathered, Neji leads them around a parked helicopter to the roof-access stairwell. "The chopper is disabled," he informs Tenten. "Blown fuse."

She nods - that would be an easy fix if they needed to use the helicopter - but for the most part, disabling the vehicle would stymie escape attempts. Not that it would have much use, since Quachron and his men would still have access to hovercrafts.

The lock on the stairwell door is broken easily enough; they slip down the stairs silently, with Kotetsu using the scanner. He pauses when they've descended about seven stories into the stairwell, turning towards Neji. "There are people on this level. I can't promise that they're our targets for sure."

Neji considers his words. "Lieutenant - obtain their identities. Take Lee with you - we'll continue the scan further down. Regroup downstairs when you're done. Keep in contact via radio."

"Roger." Tenten nods, and signals to Lee to remain with her by the landing door. She flicks the radar scan on her visor on - there are clusters of people moving about on this floor - some are in the direct routes leading to others. Tenten purses her lips. They would have to be taken down.

Neji and his team have resumed their descent. Three floors down, Kotetsu mutters something, and Tenten takes that as her cue to leave the stairwell with Lee.

They pad along carpeted office floors and brightly-lit hallways; their guns are set to stun. As a pair, Lee and Tenten pick off the groups who are in motion first, shocking their targets unconscious before moving closer to verify their identities.

"Negative on this floor," she informs Neji when they've combed the entire level, leaving none conscious.

"Negative on ours as well," he returns. "You're on Floor 33. Proceed to Floor 27. We're sweeping 28 right now."

"Understood." With a nod to Lee, Tenten hurries back to the stairwell, holding the door open for Lee when she slips through.

"And, Lieutenant?" Neji's voice crackles slightly.

"Yes?"

"Inuzuka is still alive," he says, before muting his mic.

Tenten breathes a sigh of relief at the news, surprised that Neji took the effort to convey what he'd determine as an unimportant message to her. There isn't time to ponder over his actions, though, so she leaps over the metal stair railings to save time on rounding the landings, and Lee follows suit.

Floor 27 is a lab, she realizes, when the stairwell door doesn't open freely. A radar scan shows some people clustered in the middle of the floor, in a room, while others stand around outside, waiting.

Tenten exchanges a look with Lee - this level possesses a special level of security that Neji's blanket disabling did not reach - probably a protected zone. She plants a codebreaker just above the lock, waits long seconds before the door unlocks with a click, and scans the level again - no one in the immediate corridors.

Lee has his pulse gun out and ready by the time she swings the door open carefully, looking down the corridors. The lab is broken down into a number of smaller rooms - each mini-lab is walled in by plaster walls and large glass windows, with a counter running around the inner wall, an island counter in the middle, and a fume hood to the side. Various equipment are on the counters - a mix of glass and metal - and through the lab walls, Tenten sees the cluster of people hovering around a windowless room.

She frowns; Lee is right behind her when she runs at a crouch down the tiled corridor, to avoid being seen through the glass windows.

There is a sudden loud crash, accompanied by a furious roar. "This is a fucking waste of my time!"

Tenten chances a peek through the windows. The people around the windowless room - some in the black of bodyguards, and some in white, probably scientists in lab coats - step backwards as the door to the room flies open.

"I'm sorry, Boss, I really am - Juugo's cousin gave this to me, I swear-"

"Get out of my sight, you fucking nitwit," the first voice bellows, and Tenten glimpses a figure scrambling out of the room - it's a darkroom, she realizes. "You've paused my lab operations just to show me some crap some asshole gave you?"

"He proved that he was Juugo's cousin- H-His name's Jiro-" The second man is backing away from the first, bowing profusely.

"Juugo has no cousin," Quachron snaps - because there isn't a doubt that it's Quachron and Hidan just a few mini-labs away.

Tenten pushes a button on her earpiece. "Hawk, come in. We need reinforcements."

Neji's voice sounds a moment later, slightly breathless, as if he were in a scuffle, "We're engaged. What is it?"

"Quachron and Hidan, Floor 27," she relays, "They're roughly in the middle of the level."

"On it. Get closer - we're right behind you." Neji ends the connection, and Tenten glances at Lee, who's heard their exchange through his earpiece.

With a shared nod, they're sprinting down the corridor, still crouched beneath the lab windows, and Tenten hears the urgent mutter of a guard. She signals to Lee, pulls a smoke bomb from her pocket, and they pause right at the corner of the corridor leading straight towards the darkroom.

Tenten flings the smoke bomb down the corridor - a split second later, it activates, billowing smoke, and she flings herself across to the other corner of the corridor entrance, firing shots into the smoke, to stun anyone she can. Lee adds to the gunfire, mirroring her actions.

Shots are fired back from within the smoke - red flashes, to kill - and Tenten jerks herself back behind the wall, just as Lee does. Moments later, the sprinkler system starts up, spraying water onto the corridor. Tenten curses as the water beats down upon their cover, firing more stun shots towards Quachron and his employees.

What she doesn't expect is for Hidan to come plowing through the dissipating smoke, decked in a silver suit and carrying a pulse gun. Tenten swears, fires at him-

And her shots bounce off the metallic material covering his body.

Through her peripheral vision, she realizes that Quachron himself is wearing a similar suit, as are a few others around the darkroom. Tenten refocuses on Hidan, and signals at Lee to retreat. They can't take him down like that-

The ceiling right above them explodes in a rain of dust and debris.

Tenten draws an arm over her eyes, scrambling backwards and blinking furiously, to avoid any newcomers, as well as to prevent more dust from obscuring her vision. The pipe to the sprinkler system has burst, spraying a noisy jet of water against someone or something.

She hits the intercom button on her ear. "Targets are wearing reflective suits - be careful when firing."

Amidst the lingering dust, she sees the figures of Hawk Platoon - Neji is on his feet, while Kotetsu and Izumo straighten from a crouch.

"Understood," Neji responds.

Tenten scowls. "I'd appreciate not having debris blown in my eyes!"

The expression on Neji's face is almost apologetic - but Tenten's attention is locked onto the water streaming down half his face. One of his brown contacts is missing, likely blasted off by the jet of water from the sprinkler pipe.

"You!" Hidan snarls. "Never thought you were a fucking Hyuuga bastard, Jiro."

Tenten's attention snaps back to the man, who is glaring at Neji and raising his pulse gun. There is a flicker of surprise on Neji's countenance; he's throwing himself behind Lee's corner and firing at Hidan in the nose in the next second, at the same time Tenten's shot hits him square in the jaw.

Hidan falls to the ground, unconscious.

Next to her, Izumo toggles his visor. "Q and co. are getting away. There're stairs and elevators on the other side of the level."

Tenten curses. Neji signals for them to head down the central corridor, past the darkroom, to the other side of the building. They race over unconscious scientists and through the dribbling sprinklers, only to have shots fired at them from the elevator lobby, where the glass doors to the labs have been thrown open.

They dodge; a quick radar scan shows three men in the lobby - Quachron and his followers have already descended far, far below. Tenten gnashes her teeth (they can't possibly be headed for Kiba, can they?) and fires at the men left behind to impede them. All three collapse from a single shot each.

Neji raises a hand to stop them at the elevator lobby - all three elevators are in use - one going up, and two down. "Dragon - cover the floors above. We'll go down."

Tenten frowns. "But Kiba is being held below!"

"I don't want to face the possibility of our targets escaping just because we didn't think to cover the entire building," he replies, his tone leaving little room for argument.

"Understood." She bites her protest down and looks to Lee. "Let's go, Lee."

Her best friend nods, and they dash into the stairwell together - thirteen storeys take just under two minutes when they double up the stairs, years of training leaving them barely short of breath at the very top. There is no roof access in this stairwell, however. The radar on Tenten's visor shows four men making their way towards the helipad; with a signal at Lee, they race through the floor just beneath the roof, sprinting up the other stairwell to the roof landing.

Muttered curses emerge from within the helicopter. Tenten takes a moment to smirk - to think someone actually tried this escape route - before motioning Lee towards the other side of the vehicle, the light from the cockpit illuminating their way forward.

As one, they yank the doors open - Tenten mutters a curse when her shots bounce off reflective suits, though the ricocheting pulses work to their advantage in the small space - two of the men are hit by the rebounding shots, and she and Lee take the other two men down even before they've fully drawn their guns.

With Lee's help, Tenten binds all four men (three of them are part of Quachron's inner circle, as verified by the _Konoha_'s database, and the fourth could release them all, if left unbound) and disarms them.

"You aren't going to take all those guns, are you?" Lee whispers, looking at the pile of weapons Tenten has left to the side.

She purses her lips, glancing at the various new pulse guns in the pile. Her heart flutters. "No," Tenten eventually decides, "We need to get back down and save Kiba's ass."

Lee locks the weapons up in the helicopter, out of anyone's reach, and melts the lock on the doors, though not before Tenten gives in and sneaks a gun out, shoving her own back into its holster.

Lee sighs and shakes his head.

"At least this detour wasn't for nothing," Tenten tells him by way of explanation as they race back down the stairs. "Kiba better be alive, or else."

* * *

Neji flies down the stairwell with Kotetsu and Izumo, scanning each level of the building for moving targets. There had to be around twenty people on Floor 27 before the explosion, not including Lee and Tenten - ten were stunned and down for the count by the time they moved out from the level. At this point, he'd wager they'd do one of two things - stay in the building and take Kiba with them as a live hostage, or attempt to flee using hovercrafts from the garage.

The two elevators they're pursuing have stopped on different floors. Neji narrows his eyes - a criminal like Quachron would be more likely to want a hostage in exchange for his clean escape.

"Kotetsu, Izumo - follow the lead on the fifth floor," he orders. "I'll take the one going down to the basement."

"Are you gonna be fine?" Izumo asks, as they draw to a stop at the fifth floor landing. "There are three guys here, and probably at least three headed for Inuzuka."

Neji's lips tighten. "I'll be fine."

"It's so you won't fail Tenten, isn't it?" Kotetsu jibes.

Neji flicks a sharp look at him. "This is... part of training."

He sees the sparkle of Captain Gai's teeth in his mind, and glances away in annoyance.

Kotetsu snickers. "Right. Don't get yourself killed - Tenten isn't gonna be happy."

Neji doesn't bother answering; he motions for them to get moving, and turns down the stairwell himself, jogging down to where Kiba's tracking device blinks in his visor. There is a bodyguard stationed at the lobby of the basement level - Neji sees his target move to intercept him, and pulls his pulse gun out - an identical model to Tenten's. The guard is pressed up against the wall, just out of sight from the stairwell, and Neji crouches down low, yanking the door open.

The guard isn't expecting him to attack from floor level - Neji fires a stun ray at him and rolls onto his feet, scanning the corridors with his visor just as the man collapses by the door. Two figures are moving towards where Kiba's tracker is; Neji grits his teeth and leaves the lobby.

The basement is a garage of sorts on one side, and a collection of cells on the other. Neji raises an eyebrow at the design of the place, and focuses on the task at hand. There isn't much between himself and the garage, or the cells - and Quachron is headed for a vehicle with one man. Both are in silver suits - Neji raises his pulse gun to fire-

And Quachron's bodyguard turns at that exact moment, firing back at him.

Neji curses, rolling behind a concrete pillar to avoid being hit. The blinking dot on his map that is Kiba has begun moving towards the garage, along a corridor out of sight, and Neji narrows his eyes. He peeks out from the pillar - another shot, painfully close to his face.

A hovercraft engine starts, low reverberations echoing in the garage.

He throws himself out from behind the pillar, still avoiding shots, and makes his way towards the front of the garage, where Quachron's vehicle is. More shots - Neji ducks behind a hovercraft. There is a loud, sudden crash, and an expletive slips off his tongue when he realizes that the hovercrafts are being forced towards him, to crush him between vehicles.

With almost inhuman force, Neji curls forward and flings himself towards the gap between two other hovercrafts, a second before the vehicles he was sandwiched between meet with a sickening crunch.

An explosion sounds somewhere far away.

He sees Kiba being led towards the car, bound, gagged, and struggling like a hellcat, and takes the opportunity to fire at his captors - one dressed in silver (from the inner circle, his visor confirms), the other in black. Both men drop to the ground, taking Kiba with them; Neji seizes the distraction to leap onto the hovercrafts, running towards the only vehicle with its lights on. He fires - the shot bounces off the metallic hood - and both Quachron and his bodyguard (another from the inner circle) are turning and aiming at him out of the windows.

Neji curses and drops onto the trunk of a hovercraft, barely avoiding a shot inches from his head.

There is another explosion, much closer this time - smoke billows out from the elevator lobby. Neji raises himself up and fires at Quachron's neck - he misses, when the engine revs and the hovercraft reverses, forcing the train of cars backwards and knocking him off-balance.

Shots fly towards Quachron's hovercraft when he raises his gun again - only to find his targets keeled over in their vehicle, stunned senseless.

"Thanks for stalling them," Tenten remarks casually, striding over to Quachron's hovercraft, her face covered in soot. Lee is whooping behind her, similarly disheveled and rushing over to Kiba, pulling the gag out of his teammate's mouth. "Lee and I got three from the inner circle."

"About time you guys got here," Kiba grumbles, spitting onto the garage floor. "Ugh, this stuff is damn disgusting."

"Well, Izumo told me you were still alive, so I took my time," Tenten retorts, looking at her teammate over her shoulder.

_Really._ Neji raises his eyebrows and rolls off the trunk of his hovercraft, walking towards Tenten, who is crouched next to Quachron's vehicle.

Izumo pings his earpiece then. "Reporting status, Neji - we've neutralized three men. One from the inner circle."

_That makes six men from the inner circle, and Quachron himself. Mission complete._

"Noted. Thanks. Meet us in the basement," he responds, and watches with equal parts amusement and exasperation when Tenten pulls a pulse gun from beneath the hovercraft, switching it off first before hugging it to her chest.

There's one other gun on her belt that he doesn't find familiar - probably from the group headed for the roof. Neji stops a few feet away from her, while she's glancing around for Quachron's weapon.

"Remove the tracking devices on those guns before we leave this place, Lieutenant," he remarks dryly.

Tenten glances over at him, hazel eyes sparkling. "You aren't going to stop me?" she asks.

Neji swallows and shakes his head. "There's no stopping you, is there?"

"No," she answers, a smile tugging on her lips.

He drags his eyes away from her with a heavy exhale. Some things never change, after all.

* * *

_A/N: Awwww. ;) The action in this chapter surprised me - I didn't even see it coming until I actually wrote it :P_

_Husband and I are doing garage sales this weekend (plus last weekend too).. so draining omg. Don't expect to see updates over the weekend (ie Sat/Sun) - my back is still aching from Sunday! :( To all those of you who are having finals, good luck with them!_

_And as always, thank you for taking the time to review :)_


	22. 19: Midnight Snacks

_We're on chapter 19, and I haven't even really planned the sequel yet! Omg! I feel like I'm running behind omg :P Here is some lighthearted stuff after all that action over the last 3 chapters. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 19: Midnight Snacks**

_Konoha, Jan 8, 2031, 2348 hrs_

At this time of night, the _Konoha_ is pleasantly quiet, save for the occasional soldier hurrying through the corridors of the ship. Tenten makes her way slowly towards the cafeteria - pulling an all-nighter on the Aesis mission, to keep the criminals stunned and bound until the city police began collecting them in the morning, has thrown her body clock way off.

What's more, she couldn't sleep on the three-hour flight back to the _Konoha_, since she was the one to pilot the ship - Lee and Kiba had snored loudly in the cabin behind her. It was only after she'd handed her report in to Neji, at about 1200 hours, that she got the chance to finally crawl into bed.

At least there aren't blisters on her palms.

Tenten decides to be grateful for small mercies, and continues on her journey in search of food. The serving stations have long since been cleared by the time she woke, though there are vending machines in the cafeteria, for people who find themselves in situations like hers.

She hears the sound of footfalls along a corridor behind her, and turns to look when it grows louder, indicative of the person stepping into her corridor.

"You," she mutters, when she sees Neji a few paces behind her, dressed in a simple T-shirt and shorts. It reminds her of the time he showed up in her quarters, after the first smoke bomb incident. Tenten swallows, and faces forward again. She can't quite escape the feeling that his eyes are on her, though - and she feels under-dressed for it, despite the tank top and pants she's wearing.

Neji does not catch up with her, or turn off on another corridor. The tension in her belly grows.

"Will you quit stalking me?" she turns and snaps a moment later, frowning at him.

It's insane feeling what she does for him - confusion, appreciation, attraction. No anger, not anymore.

Neji shrugs, replying from where he is, "I assumed that this was a common corridor."

Tenten refrains from rolling her eyes, looking back at her path instead. The cafeteria is just a couple more minutes away. And she still owes him some form of thanks, for saving Kiba back on Aesis.

For lack of any ideas on how to handle this situation, she increases her strides, and pushes through the cafeteria doors shortly after.

_Sex would be good._

Tenten ignores the stray thought in her mind (especially now, with Neji some paces behind her) and heads for the nearest vending machine. She glances over the brightly-lit drink selections - regular sweetened coffee is her favorite option, but not the best choice if she wants to try and return to sleep after this. _Decaf it is, then._

Neji enters the cafeteria moments after she's pushed the required coins into the coin slot. Tenten anchors her eyes on the clear plastic door near the base of the vending machine, silently urging the little paper cup to be filled already.

He pauses by the entrance, scans the sparsely-populated cafeteria, and turns towards her vending machine.

"You're stalking me, aren't you," Tenten mutters, still looking at her paper cup. The LCD panel blinks a 'Please Wait' message to her.

"I'm merely here for sustenance," he answers quietly. "Dinner was over by the time I woke up."

"There are at least five other vending machines around here," she tells him, eyes narrowed, and crouches down to retrieve her drink the instant her machine beeps a 'Ready' message.

Neji shrugs. "This seems to be popular."

She snorts, heads over to the next machine a few yards away, where she purchases a bag of salted crackers. Neji is still waiting by the drink machine when she settles down at a long table, close to the edge of the cafeteria.

For lack of something to do, Tenten pulls her palm-sized computer out, turning it on to check her email. In case she's missed something stupidly important, like the laundry facility screwing up again, or something to that effect.

There isn't any news of note, however, so Tenten exhales and puts her computer away, just as Neji takes a seat a few tables down, a couple yards to her right, facing her. He takes a sip from his steaming cup, glances at her, before focusing on his sandwich.

Tenten tries to stop looking at the bob of his Adam's apple as he chews and swallows, and fails miserably. She bites into a cracker. Neji's eyes flicker towards her, and away. She really ought to thank him for his help during the mission, just so she doesn't owe him anything. _Damn it._

He can probably hear her crackers crunching. And she should probably warn him about Hidan being told off by Quachron. Why hasn't he made any move to sleep with her? Has he lost interest?

With an inward grumble, Tenten gathers her coffee and crackers, and moves over to Neji's table. He watches her silently the entire time, blinking when she sets her food across from him. (She can't help the shiver that races over her skin when his gaze sweeps over her body.)

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not interested in you or anything," Tenten begins roughly, seating herself heavily on the plexiglass bench.

Neji raises an inquisitive eyebrow, and glances at her paper cup. "Coffee?"

"Decaf," she replies, without really thinking.

"Your pupils are dilated," Neji remarks, pale eyes fixed on hers. Tenten gulps. She'd retort that it's the result of caffeine, but there isn't any in her drink.

"Adrenaline," she defends, popping a cracker into her mouth.

"Not arousal?" he returns, his gaze flitting across her skin, and she glares at him.

"Look, I'm just here to say thanks," Tenten grits, "For saving Kiba back on Aesis. And for the updates on his status."

Try as she might to hold a grudge against him, she can't, and she's realized that on the flight back to the _Konoha_. Somehow, whether he's planned it or not, Neji's actions are forcing her to reevaluate her opinions of him. Tenten isn't sure she wants to succumb to that.

Neji's gaze slides off her, returning to his half-finished sandwich. "I thought you might appreciate it."

Tenten swallows. This isn't how the conversation should be going. "Well, I thought you might also like to know that Hidan fucked up with that case of fakes in front of Quachron. You may or may not come to bear the result of that."

He nods, digesting her words. "You didn't bring that up earlier."

"The rest were around," she replies. "Just highlighting a possible enemy you might have just made. You know, with information floating around and all."

Pale eyes narrow. He doesn't miss the reference to the missing thumbdrive, though Tenten doesn't see any resentment in his gaze when he next looks at her.

"Noted. Thanks." Neji gulps a mouthful from his paper cup - she notes the greenish tint of the drink when he sets it down again.

"I didn't think the vending machines sold green tea," she remarks, popping a handful of crackers into her mouth. Granted, she's really only looked for coffee on them.

Neji shrugs. "They did ever since Hinata put a request in for it a few years back."

She reads the Hyuuga's influence on the military between his words. "Do you mind?" Tenten asks, suddenly curious. They've talked about this once before, a very long time ago. "How she has power over things like that?"

He looks steadily at her. "My answer is the same - it is not my place to question it."

"And your life isn't yours to lead, either," she finishes, the words emerging from her memory, fresh as the day he spoke them.

Neji lifts his brows. "You remember more than I give you credit for."

Something clicks in her mind then. Tenten stares at him, her eyes wide. "Is that why you wanted to manipulate me, then? To have something to control?"

Surprise flickers across his expression, though he hides it just as quickly. "Keep guessing," he says, mildly, his features dissolving into watchful interest once again.

Tenten narrows her eyes. "That's just going to haunt my thoughts for the next century or so."

Neji smiles then, a tiny quirk of his lips. "You say that like you're the only one experiencing such a phenomenon," he comments, his tone dry.

She blinks. "And you're being kept awake at night by thoughts of something or other?"

His gaze slips away. "Something like that."

"Look, if it's about that thumbdrive, I've said I'm sorry," she mutters. "I'd do whatever-"

"That's not it," Neji interrupts, finishing off the last of his sandwich. "Though it isn't something you should concern yourself about, either."

Tenten stares at him, speechless, and decides that they've both had too much going on in the past couple of days. Sleep would be beneficial. She grabs her empty cracker wrapper, getting to her feet. "I really need to get back and knock myself unconscious," she informs him.

"Same here," Neji concurs.

She's moved all of two steps away from the table when her earpiece beeps.

"Lieutenant Tenten speaking," she answers, noting that Neji has paused in his departure on the other side of the table.

"Tenten! It's Konohamaru. And Udon and Moegi," a familiar voice says in her earpiece. "We, um, kinda got stuck and need some help getting out."

Her forehead furrows. She glances at Neji, who is watching her curiously. "What the hell are you guys doing up at this time of the night?"

"Um," Konohamaru falters. "Well, we're in the laundry facility. Need some help unlocking the doors. Please don't leave us here!"

Tenten pinches the bridge of her nose. "And what the hell are you doing in the laundry facility?"

Neji's eyebrows inch up his forehead. Probably remembering the last time he was in there with her.

"Tell her the truth," she hears Moegi say in the background. Tenten plasters her hand over her face.

"I'm going to kick your asses so hard if you don't tell me what's going on, now," she demands, walking over to the trash can to toss her empty packaging. Neji does the same, and follows behind her as she strides out of the cafeteria.

"Well, you'd have to see it to believe it," Konohamaru says, pleadingly.

Tenten heaves a sigh. She can't find it in herself to leave them to their fates, not when she's grown so close to them. "I'll be there in a minute. You better have a good explanation for this," she growls, and ends the call with a note of finality.

"Your trainee cell?" Neji asks, striding right alongside her.

"Yes." _Breathe in, breathe out._ Tenten flings a dirty look at him. "Why are you following me?"

He shrugs. "I could be of some help."

"Like how? Guilt-tripping them into buying me a year's supply of ammo?" Tenten snaps, and pauses. "Hey, that's not such a bad idea."

"I was thinking along the lines of unlocking the facility doors," Neji responds, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "I still have the unlocking code from... before."

She flushes at the reminder of their only encounter in the facility - that was the last time they'd shared any sort of intimacy, and Tenten isn't above returning to memories of that day, or any of the ones before. (It only occurs to her then that she doesn't have any way of unlocking the laundry facility doors without Neji's help.)

Neji smirks when she doesn't respond; the heat on her cheeks has mostly subsided by the time they reach the laundry facility. He keys a code with the buttons on his earpiece, and Tenten throws herself at the three figures that try to escape the second the door hisses open.

"Stay in here, and shut up," she hisses, holding Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi back in the laundry facility. There doesn't seem to be anything out of place in the facility, now that she's scanning the well-lit room. The doors slide shut behind them.

"Tenten!" Konohamaru blurts, surprised. He falls still, and so do Udon and Moegi, when her identity dawns on them. "We, um, weren't expecting you so soon."

"Told you I'd be here in a minute," she answers, miffed that they had such little faith in her.

She watches as their eyes flicker between her and Neji, who is lingering by the doors.

"Were you guys on a date?" Moegi asks the very next moment, looking at their clothes.

Tenten heaves a sigh. "Look, the laundry facility is off-limits to you guys-"

"And to you guys too," Udon points out helpfully.

She glowers at all of them. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

Konohamaru wriggles his eyebrows. "I'm not talking until you tell us what's going on between you and Lieutenant Hyuuga," he pipes up, mischievous.

Tenten pinches her nose again (it's probably going to be bruised by this time tomorrow). "We just returned from a mission."

"In pyjamas?" Moegi giggles.

Tenten breathes another long-suffering sigh. "I was just about to return to bed-"

"Whose?" Konohamaru sneaks over to her side and nudges her, a wide grin splitting his face.

Tenten rolls her eyes, locking her arm around his neck. Konohamaru chokes and struggles, his eyes bugging out. When Moegi and Udon are sufficiently shocked, Tenten releases her ex-trainee, looking smugly at them. "I don't want to hear any more crap from you guys," she threatens. "What on Earth were you doing in here?"

Konohamaru falls back onto his feet, catching his breath. Tenten looks towards Moegi, who would be the most likely to spill. The girl swallows nervously.

"As my most beloved bunch of students, I expect you not to lie to me," Tenten announces, fixing her stare on Moegi. The ruse works.

"Well, this idiot-" Moegi gestures towards Konohamaru here, "Had the brilliant idea to add pink dye to the laundry detergent."

Tenten freezes. If Neji is smirking at her, she certainly doesn't want to see it. "Which machines have been loaded with that?" she barks, and follows as Moegi leads her down the facility aisle, to five machines that are currently spinning, swirls of deep pink visible through their round glass doors. "Oh, gods. I didn't even think you guys knew how to operate these things."

Udon looks sheepishly at her. "I used to do the laundry at home."

Tenten winces, and waves him towards the machines, "Well, stop them!"

She would have done so herself, if she knew how to operate a laundry machine. As it is, neither her time at the orphanage nor aboard the _Konoha_ required her to acquire laundering skills.

Udon races towards the machines, pulling on their knobs - and to Tenten's surprise, Neji steps in to help, pausing two machines in the time Udon does three. She stares at him, her jaw hanging.

"You know how to operate a washing machine?" she asks. The swirling fabric in the machines slow to a stop.

"I was stationed in the Orion cluster for two years, if you remember," he answers her humorlessly. "Washing machines were a luxury to have."

The kids are gaping at him, too, and Tenten winces inwardly at having forgotten. "Right," she says. "How do we remove the pink dye?"

"Bleach," Neji answers, glancing around. "There should be some in here."

It takes them a few minutes to locate bottles of bleach, and longer than that to drain and start the machines on new laundry cycles, this time with significant amounts of the foul-smelling chemical.

"You're lucky that I haven't decided to turn you guys in," Tenten mutters, when all five machines are spinning again. The laundry has not been submerged in fabric dye for long - the towels and sheets in the machines are just a light shade of pink, which will hopefully be white by the time the loads are done.

"Spoilsport. It was fun while it lasted," Konohamaru grumbles. "I was so looking forward to seeing their faces when all the things came out pink!"

Tenten rolls her eyes. "You wouldn't look forward to the punishment that comes with your prank."

Konohamaru sniffs disdainfully. "Sometimes the punishment is worth it," he tells her sagely. "As a true man, I want to prove myself capable of pulling off things like that."

Tenten rolls her eyes, and looks towards Neji, who is watching her. She turns her attention towards Udon and Moegi instead. "You'd be better off doing well in your training. How's Iruka treating you guys?"

"He's great," Moegi gushes. "He's very encouraging."

"Sounds like you've got a crush," Tenten remarks, a smile tugging at her lips. Umino Iruka is among the most humane of the cadet school instructors, and also the most suited for teaching new recruits, with his kind, patient nature. It isn't unnatural for girls to become infatuated with him at some point during their cadet years. Moegi blushes.

Udon and Konohamaru's shoulders droop at her words. Tenten raises her brows at them, but says nothing.

"Well, did you have a crush when you were our age, then?" Moegi asks in return, and Tenten blinks at her in surprise.

"At your age? No," she answers, waving them towards the laundry facility doors.

"What about when you were older?" Udon questions, looking expectantly at her through his round glasses.

Tenten purses her lips, looking resolutely away from Neji. She sees him glance at her from the corner of her eye. He couldn't possibly have known, though. "No one, don't be silly," she tells Udon.

"What about now?" Konohamaru turns and walks backwards along the laundry facility aisle, watching her. Udon and Moegi both glance surreptitiously at Neji.

_Really?_ Tenten breathes out noisily through her nose. "You guys are incredibly nosy, you know that?" she mutters, smiling at them.

"Maybe she doesn't have a crush, maybe she's in love," Konohamaru whispers loudly at his friends. He looks at Neji again.

"Oh gods," Tenten mutters. The smile slides off her lips. "Please tell me you guys have other things to be concerned about."

"Which is it, Lieutenant?" Neji asks, his face carefully blank as he gazes at her, faint interest in his eyes.

She sputters and gapes at him. The kids hounding her is one thing, but Neji as well? "What kind of question is that?"

Neji shrugs. "A harmless one."

Tenten glowers at all of them. "Get out of here, all of you. I'm not answering any of your damn questions."

They pause by the laundry facility door, and Neji keys the unlocking code into his earpiece.

"That's so cool," Konohamaru gapes, watching Neji, who returns his stare with a neutral one.

"You'd do better to keep your asses out of trouble first," Tenten grouses, waving them off. "I'm going back to sleep."

"Need any company?" Neji murmurs beside her, when the facility doors have closed behind them, and the kids have gone reluctantly down their corridor.

_Is this an offer for sex?_ Because he knows, all too well, that she enjoyed their previous times together, courtesy of that damn forum thread. Tenten swallows. Her pulse quickens. "No. I can do without your company, Hyuuga."

He doesn't miss the distance she's trying to put between them with the use of his family name. "I'd like to hear your answer sometime, nonetheless," he tells her quietly.

"There isn't anything to hear," she mutters. "I don't even know what love is."

The only reaction he gives in response is a slight lift of his eyebrows. Tenten shrugs, and turns away.

Neji follows behind her when she begins to return to her quarters, though he remains a few paces behind her, like before, and turns off when he's reached his corridor.

Tenten pauses when she arrives at her door, wondering if she should have rejected his offer for company like she did. It's too late to change her mind now, though, so she shrugs, and enters her room, rubbing her arms in the cool air. Maybe she'll answer him differently, some other time.

* * *

_A/N: Read under the underneath. ;) Pretty sure some of you enjoyed the cameo by Konohamaru and his friends :P_

_As always, thank you for taking the time to review! I'm so glad you guys are enjoying Blackmail - things are slowly getting fluffier. ;)_


	23. 20: Baking with Love

_I can't believe how fast the weeks are flying by! ... And the more I write in past tense, the more awkward the present tense in Blackmail reads to me lol._

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. As always, **this fic is rated for mature audiences only. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 20: Baking with Love**

_Konoha, Jan 9, 2031, 0638 hrs_

"So I woke up this morning with the most youthful idea!" Lee exclaims, inky eyes shining with excitement as he jogs on his treadmill.

Next to him, Tenten raises her eyebrows warily, last night's cafeteria encounter with Neji fading from her mind. As far as she knows, Lee's 'youthful ideas' don't usually win her full-fledged support. "Do I want to know what sort of idea it is?" she asks dubiously.

"Cookies!" Lee whispers loudly. "I saw this picture of chocolate-chip cookies on the internet - the most youthful lady was making them-"

"And?" Tenten frowns at him. "If you want cookies, we could always fly over to Gliese Beta for some."

Lee shakes his head vigorously and lifts a finger. "No, those aren't the usual cookies, Tenten - we can't find them in the stores. These have more chocolate chips than cookie dough in them."

She feels her doubt waver in favor of very chocolaty chocolate chip cookies. "And how are we going to get those?"

The glint of his teeth almost blinds her. Lee raises his arm, thrusting a thumbs-up gesture at her. "We make them."

"You mean-" Tenten looks at him, horrified. "In the kitchen?"

Lee nods, knowing to keep his mouth shut on this.

"We aren't allowed in there!" Tenten hisses. "Imagine if we got caught! Plus, how would you know if all the necessary ingredients are in there?"

"I've never heard of them running out of ingredients before," Lee whispers conspiratorially. "Don't you think it sounds awfully fun?"

She hesitates. It does. "I've never made cookies."

Lee beams. "Well, neither have I, but the lady says it's the easiest thing ever! Plus, you can add extra chocolate chips on top of yours."

Tenten gulps, swayed. Her heart races. "I'm going to murder you if we get in trouble for this, Lee."

He merely grins confidently at her. "You won't regret it, Tenten!"

* * *

Tenten spends the rest of the day trading secret grins with Lee. There aren't any new missions scheduled for them yet, since the Aesis mission was completed early, so they watch how-to videos on cookie-making during the breaks between training.

It feels like forever before night falls, and Tenten prints a list of ingredients in Lee's quarters, as well as the baking instructions. She reads the instructions multiple times, just in case. It sounds simple enough, really. Mixing various substances together, and then baking them? They'd be fine as long as the kitchen does not catch on fire.

She crosses her fingers.

The cafeteria is empty when they arrive close to midnight. Lee places a codebreaker on the door, unlocks it, and they slip in unnoticed, flicking the lights on. The Konoha's kitchen is huge, with enough metallic machines and tools to process food for three hundred people. Tenten stares in awe at the facility, Lee with a similar expression by her side.

"First, we gather the ingredients," she eventually reads, and sets the instructions on the counter. "I'll do the dry ones, and you'll get the eggs and butter."

"Roger!" Lee whispers, and they spend the better part of ten minutes hunting down the necessary ingredients.

"There isn't any brown sugar in here," Tenten mutters to herself. There is, however, a lot of white sugar, and a bag of flour, so she drags those out, and sets them on the metal counter in the middle of the kitchen. "Preheat the oven, Lee."

"On it, Tenten!" She watches as Lee puzzles over the oven knobs, and returns to her search for baking soda.

"Some of these aren't labelled," she remarks, frowning. "How on Earth would I know what baking soda is?"

Lee appears not to have heard her. "I found the chocolate chips!" he's crowing. "And some green M&amp;Ms! Can I have green M&amp;Ms in my cookies, Tenten?"

"Yeah, sure," she answers, pulling the vanilla extract out. Going without baking soda wouldn't hurt the cookies, would it?

There's a huge mixing bowl on the table where Lee's placed it, together with a fork. Tenten begins measuring the ingredients out - the bag of flour sends a huge puff of powder in the air when she opens it, dusting her face and hair in a fine layer of white. Tenten grimaces, wiping at her eyes.

Lee is to a side, picking out the green M&amp;Ms from a bag.

"Lee, help me with this when you're done, won't you?" Tenten coughs, and scoops flour out of the bag. The sugar goes in next, and she places the stick of butter in the oven for a while, to soften it. Vanilla extract and chocolate chips are the next to head in the bowl, as well as an egg. For good measure, Tenten adds another handful of chocolate chips into the mix.

The butter is starting to drip out of its packaging when she remembers it, yelping. Tenten grabs it from the oven, melted fat oozing onto her fingers, and unwraps the butter, dropping it into the bowl.

"How's a fork going to help mix all this?" she asks, and pulls an electric mixer from its roost on a side counter. Plugging the mixer into a socket is easy enough, though what Tenten doesn't expect is for flour and egg and sugar to fly out of the bowl the moment the electric mixer descends into the mix. Yelping, she stops the mixer immediately, and uses the fork instead, ignoring the splatter of egg and flour over her uniform.

It takes forever before the mixture is stirred into something resembling dough, and Lee pulls out two pans, dispensing parchment paper onto them. "Can I add my green M&amp;Ms in?" he asks, when Tenten scoops cookie dough onto the parchment paper, making sure to space them out.

She shrugs. "Sure."

He pushes the M&amp;Ms into the balls of cookie dough she's dispensed, and when they're finally done, Tenten sets the pans in the oven.

"Nine minutes," she recites. "It's going to be a long wait."

"But we can wait nine minutes for the sake of the most delightful chocolate chip cookies!" Lee exclaims, pulling the oven door open by a fraction to look at the cookie dough balls.

"Don't do that, Lee!" Tenten hisses. "You're letting the heat escape!"

But she peers into the oven next to him anyway, captivated by the orange light shining onto the dough balls.

"I hope they turn out good," she mutters.

"They will," Lee tells her with conviction. "Because you made them with love, Tenten."

She raises an eyebrow at him. "Well, let's see if cookies made 'with love' turn out any good," she answers.

They end up spending the nine minutes dispensing more cookie dough balls onto new sheets of parchment paper, until Tenten detects a faint, acrid smell coming from the oven. Frowning, she pulls the oven door open, and yelps at the blackening edges of the cookies. "They're burning!"

Lee gasps theatrically and shoves mittens into her hands; Tenten pulls the pans out of the oven, setting them noisily onto the kitchen counter. The acrid smell intensifies. Tenten wrinkles her nose.

"Why'd they burn?" she exclaims, frowning at the round, darkening masses of cookies.

"We need to try harder, Tenten!" Lee consoles her, distraught. "I'm sure that with our determination-"

The door to the kitchen swings open then, and Tenten's gut constricts into a tiny lump-

Until Neji steps into the kitchen, a frown creasing his forehead.

Silent glances are exchanged; Tenten looks guiltily at Lee, who gapes at Neji. Neji, in turn, is looking her over, an eyebrow lifted when he spots the mess that is the kitchen counter and the burnt cookies.

The kitchen door swings shut behind him.

"What're you doing here?" Tenten blurts, feeling a little self-conscious beneath his scrutiny.

"I could ask the same of you," he returns, flicking a glance at Lee, though his gaze returns to her soon after.

Tenten gulps. "Well, we were baking cookies," she offers, embarrassed.

"And I was investigating the noises coming from the kitchen," Neji answers, looking again between her and Lee. His expression darkens imperceptibly.

"Well, would you like to join us?" Lee asks, with a wide grin. Tenten gapes at him. Is Lee out of his mind?

She isn't the only one caught off-guard by his question - Neji stares at Lee, glancing at Tenten for a heartbeat.

"Why should I?" Neji eventually asks, looking at the burnt cookies.

"We don't know what went wrong with these." Lee pulls a face. "Neither Tenten nor I have baked cookies before."

Neji sends her a considering glance then, and Tenten avoids his stare, fiddling with the sleeve of her uniform. After an eternity, Neji jerks his chin downwards. "All right."

Her gaze flies towards him. Tenten blinks rapidly, backing away when he approaches her. Neji turns away, however, to pick the instruction sheet off the counter.

"Don't tell me you know how to bake cookies, too," she mutters sourly.

Neji glances at her and smirks, before looking back at the instructions, then at the oven. He reaches over and twists a knob. "This oven uses the Centigrade scale. Your instructions are in Farenheit. It was way too hot."

Tenten flushes, mortified at not having caught that mistake.

Lee raises his arm. "That was my fault - I'm sorry, Tenten!"

She manages a smile at him. "It's fine, Lee, I'm at fault too."

Neji is examining the burnt cookies next, snapping one in half. "Did you add baking soda to this?"

Oops. Tenten frowns. "No. I couldn't find it."

His lilac gaze is considering when he next looks at her. "Baking powder will cause the dough to rise and gain a softer texture. The cookies will be rock-hard otherwise."

Tenten winces. "Oh. Damn it."

Lee's shoulders sag. "I'm sorry, Tenten. Love wasn't enough to make perfect cookies, after all."

Neji raises an eyebrow at her, clearly remembering the conversation they'd had last night.

Tenten grits her teeth and ignores Lee. "How'd you learn to bake cookies, anyway?" she snipes at Neji, "Don't tell me it was because you spent time in the Orion cluster."

"It was." Neji shrugs. Lee looks between them in confusion. "If you want your cookies to turn out right, you're going to have to start over."

She purses her lips. They can't come this far and emerge without edible cookies. Not when Lee's dragged her into this, and she's gone and embarrassed herself in front of Neji. "Fine."

Neji surveys the bags of ingredients on the table. "Where's the baking soda?"

Tenten shrugs. "Like I said, I couldn't find it."

She watches in mute silence as Neji searches for the missing ingredient - it takes him far less time to locate it, and the cardboard box has 'Baking Soda' in large print all across. She narrows her eyes. "That wasn't there when I looked," she grouses.

Neji gives a half-shrug. "Baking soda tends to be kept with the rest of the baking supplies of smaller quantities."

Lee's eyes are round. "As expected of my eternal rival!" he says in admiration. Tenten glowers at him.

"It's not like we've got much experience with domestic chores," she grumbles. There wasn't any sort of recreational activities like baking in the orphanage, and the kitchens in the _Konoha_ have always been off-limits. Neji glances at her.

"Request a stint in the Orion cluster, then," he suggests, with no hint of a barb in his tone. With no wasted movement, Neji slips over to the kitchen door and locks it. (Tenten winces - they should have done that in the very first place.) "There are old women there who would delight in teaching you the intricacies of baking."

The mental image of Neji being bossed around by a wrinkled lady in her eighties floats to the top of her mind. In Tenten's imagination, both Neji and the old woman are in frilly aprons, and Neji has a look of utmost discomfort on his face. A laugh bubbles from her throat before she thinks to stop it.

Neji glances at her, hardly amused. He moves over to the stove next, turning the ventilation on low. Tenten blinks at him in question. "You don't want the cooks to detect the smell of burnt food in here tomorrow," he explains.

How is he grasping control of the situation here so quickly? Tenten chalks it down to his prior experience, and watches grumpily as he nods towards the counter.

"Are you going to prepare a new batch of dough?" he asks. Lee watches them in inquisitive silence; Tenten shuts both men out of her mind, and follows the printed instructions once again, using another stick of butter softened in the oven. The dough doesn't look any different from the first batch, but Neji isn't pointing any errors out, so Tenten motions for Lee to add his green M&amp;Ms in to the mixture.

She drops balls of dough onto new pieces of parchment paper in another two pans, with regular spaces between them, and sets the timer for nine minutes, all over again.

The ticking of the timer sounds in one of the loudest, most awkward silences she's ever experienced. Neji looks between her and the timer, and the oven, and Lee bounces on his feet, barely reigning in his energy.

A minute later, Lee breaks the silence. "I'm certain that this batch will turn out much better, Tenten! You and Neji made it with love!"

She stiffens, pinches her nose. Absolutely refuses to look at Neji. "There's no such thing as baking with love, Lee. The first batch of cookies failed anyway, love or no."

"But that was because the superficial components weren't right, like the baking soda and temperature," he informs her, lips parted in a wide smile. "But the most important ingredient is love, don't you see?"

Tenten quells the urge to roll her eyes, and turns her back on both him and Neji. "Why don't you guys have a heart-to-heart conversation - I'll be taking a nap in the meantime," she mutters, and folds her arms across her chest, leaning back against the kitchen counter.

"But we can use this time for team bonding, can't we?" Lee suggests cheerfully. "It's been a while since the three of us had a real conversation together, hasn't it?"

It has, but Tenten isn't given to carrying a conversation out with them now, and neither is Neji.

Lee's shoulders sag miserably - Tenten winces inwardly at his uncanny knack for rousing her pity to his advantage. She sighs.

"Fine, fine. I spoke with Captain Gai the other day," she says, still staring fixedly at the oven. Her fingers itch to open it by a crack, if just to see how the cookies are doing.

"He told me about your visit!" Lee responds brightly. "What about you, Neji?"

"I had a briefing with him last week," is Neji's addition.

"What sort of briefing?" Lee probes. Tenten glimpses him looking between her and Neji from the corner of her eye, and wonders what Neji can possibly be doing, to elicit that reaction from Lee.

There's a pause, as if Neji is weighing his words. She decides that she can stand not to be hanging on to Neji's every word, and heads over to the oven instead, to peek at the cookies. The lumps of dough are pale, flattened and puffed up in the middle.

"We're waiting on your answer, Neji," Lee presses, with a glance at the other man, though he walks over to the oven soon after, unable to suppress his curiosity about the cookies.

"They're baking," Tenten informs Lee. He peers at the cookies in awe. She closes the oven door and returns to the counter, leaning her weight on its metallic edge.

"If all goes well on the missions coming up, I may be able to take the Captains exam soon," Neji says at length, quietly.

Tenten glances towards him, surprised. Neji's eyes are on her; he looks away the moment she notices his attention.

"You're advancing through the ranks at incredible speed, Neji," Lee breathes. Tenten thinks she detects a note of envy in Lee's words, and raises her eyebrows. Her best friend has never really viewed her as competition, though Neji has always incited Lee's competitive spirit, due to the derisive remarks Neji had thrown at Lee when they first started off on the same trainee team.

"It's expected of me." Neji shrugs, and moves forward to the oven, pulling it open for a peek. The scent of chocolate and butter wafts temptingly into the air.

Tenten gapes in surprise when he opens the oven door fully, and grabs the pans of cookies out with a mitten, setting them onto the island counter. "What're you doing?" she exclaims, "It isn't nine minutes yet!"

Neji slants an even look at her. "They're ready when the edges begin turning dark," he explains.

She glances at the M&amp;M-speckled cookies - they're still puffed in the middle, and there's a golden-brown tint on the edges of each cookie. "But the recipe," she sputters, looking towards the printed instructions.

"Perhaps this is what it means to bake with love," Lee whispers loudly, looking at the cookies reverently.

Neji doesn't bother to answer him; with Lee and Tenten still staring at the cookies, he shuts the oven door, pulling a cooling rack and spatula out of the cabinets next to the oven. "This prevents them from overcooking," he comments, waiting for half a minute or so, before scooping each cookie from the parchment paper and depositing it onto the cooling rack with practiced ease.

When all the cookies have been transferred, Neji slides the still-hot pans away, and pulls the pans with the burnt cookies over to himself. He finds a trash bag in one of the many cabinets, scoops the burnt cookies into the bag, and pushes the now-empty trays to Tenten.

"These are cool. Dispense the next batch on them while you wait," Neji instructs.

She isn't in a position to object - he is the expert on this matter, after all - though a glance at the cooling cookies tells her that there's dough enough to hold more chocolate chips in each cookie. Neji does not say a word when Tenten empties a couple more handfuls of chocolate chips into the dough and mixes them in (she can already taste the abundance of chocolate in these cookies, and is salivating).

With Lee's help, the next batch of cookies is dispensed and popped into the oven, and Tenten leans back against the counter with a sigh. "I didn't think cookies required that much work," she remarks.

"Me neither," Lee agrees.

"And gunning people down is less work?" Neji returns, watching Tenten smugly.

She huffs. "Well, it's less thinking, and more doing."

"You prefer being hands-on, and in control," he replies, and Tenten looks sharply at him, her stomach flipping. Surely he wasn't referring to sex by that.

But there is a slight quirk at the corner of his lips, and Tenten gulps, looks back at the oven, folding her arms. She never expected to resent Lee's presence as much as she does now, when Neji's looking at her with half-hidden desire in his eyes, and her body responds to every ounce of lust in his gaze.

Tenten squirms. And promptly yelps when she remembers that she did not set the timer right after she popped the dough into the oven. "How many minutes has it been?" she asks, looking between Neji and Lee.

Lee gasps. "I can't believe I forgot as well-"

"Two minutes," Neji supplies evenly. Tenten feels his gaze stroking over her as she turns to set the timer, swallowing hard. "Set it for another six."

Her mind dips into the gutter; she remembers Neji's voice in her ear and his breath against her throat. Remembers his fingers pressing into her hips, and him sliding in her.

She sets the timer down harder than necessary, dragging a hand over her face.

"Tenten!" Lee exclaims, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she grits, and shoves Neji out of her mind, turning to the rack of cooling cookies instead. The cookies are warm and crispy, and they crunch and dissolve on her tongue in a wave of sweet, chocolaty bliss. "Mmm."

"Are they cooled enough?" Lee asks, concerned, but Tenten waves him forward, and he grabs one, biting excitedly into it. "This is delicious!"

"This is heaven," Tenten mutters around her mouthful of cookie, grabbing another. She meets Neji's gaze across the counter, nudging the cooling rack towards him. "Try some."

He raises his brow at her, and takes a cookie, biting carefully into it. In a way very telling of his upbringing, Neji swallows first before commenting, "Not bad for a first attempt."

She grins - that's the highest form of compliment she's going to be getting out of him - and pops another cookie into her mouth, drunk on the richness on her tongue.

"We should save some for Captain Gai," Lee says, and Tenten pauses, nodding.

"He'd like that, I think," she agrees, looking at the green M&amp;Ms scattered through the cookies. "Youth and green and all."

"I'll look for a bag for them," Lee suggests. Tenten watches as he moves away to peer in each cabinet for some sort of container.

Neji reaches for another cookie - Tenten glances at him in surprise. "I didn't think you'd developed a sweet tooth," she remarks.

He gives a light shrug, glancing at her, before looking away. "I enjoy these."

Tenten tries her best to ignore the lightness in her middle, that threatens to rise through her chest and envelop her face in a smile. Praise from Neji is hard to come by at times, given his stoic nature, and she didn't expect it from him on her first batch of successful sweet treats. She ends up turning away from him, and grinning to herself.

The timer goes off shortly after, and Tenten checks on the cookies - they are rimmed in golden-brown and ready to go. She mimics what she's seen Neji do with them, grabbing the pans out of the oven with mittens, before setting them on the counter, and scooping them onto the cooling racks with the spatula. There's just enough dough for a last batch, so she dispenses dough balls onto the other set of pans, now cool from sitting around at room temperature, and pops the pans back into the oven, setting the timer for eight minutes like before.

Lee finally returns with a clear bag, of just the right thickness and size for gifting cookies, and Tenten brightens at the sight of it.

"That'll work great," she tells Lee, fitting cooled, green-speckled cookies from their first edible batch into the bag. "Tell Captain Gai that it's from all of us, and don't mention that we made it!"

"Roger, Tenten," Lee beams, giving her a salute.

She sends Lee on another search, for a decent twist-tie for the package, and wonders what they're going to do with the rest of the cookies.

"Do you want to bring some back with you?" Tenten asks, turning to Neji, who shrugs. "I guess some foil will be packaging enough."

With the last of the dough baking in the oven, Tenten brings the utensils to the sink, cleaning them with single-minded efficiency. This, she doesn't need Neji's instructions for. She sweeps the flour and sugar off the counter and floors, too, and returns to the counter just as Lee produces a shiny golden twist-tie and a roll of aluminum foil.

The timer goes off soon after; Tenten allows Lee to move the cookies onto the cooling rack, while she finishes off the package for Captain Gai with the twist tie. The rest of the cookies are divided into three piles when they're cool enough, and Tenten dispenses enough foil for each stack. Minutes later, the cookies are wrapped, the utensils rinsed, and the oven turned off.

"Turned out great for a first attempt," Tenten comments, smiling at Lee. "I'm glad we did it."

"Never doubt the power of love!" Lee exclaims, and Tenten winces.

"Quit it with that love crap," she tells him. "I can tolerate your spiels on youth, but the love thing is going overboard."

Lee gives her a miserable pout. Tenten grabs Captain Gai's cookies, and a foil package, shoving them at Lee. She hands one of the remaining two packages to Neji, and takes the last for herself. Neji turns the blower off.

"Is the smell of cookies going to remain?" she asks, frowning.

"Not likely," Neji answers, as they make their way out of the kitchen, locking the kitchen door before pulling it shut behind them. There isn't anyone in the cafeteria, courtesy of a radar scan right before they left.

The corridors back to their quarters are empty, as expected, and Lee heads down his passageway with a cheerful "Good night". It is suddenly much quieter with just her and Neji walking abreast in the hallways. Tenten swallows, remembers her earlier thoughts about him.

She isn't attracted to him, damn it!

They walk in silence for long moments, until Neji turns slightly towards her. "Would you like some company tonight?" he asks quietly.

Tenten falters. She bites hard on the inside of her cheek, torn between her pride, and finding out what exactly Neji means by 'company'. Her pulse quickens.

"What do you mean by that?" she eventually asks, to buy herself time.

Neji shrugs, looks ahead. "Something similar to our past encounters, I suppose."

She gulps. Heat pools again in her middle, and her breath catches. "Aren't you... seeing anyone else?" Tenten probes, still stalling.

He shrugs again. (She realizes then that she would say no to his presence, if he were, indeed, sleeping with someone other than her.) "I prefer your company," he eventually yields.

Is he speaking the truth? Tenten keeps her eyes down, wary of revealing her desire, even if it has already begun to consume her from the inside. "Follow me, then," she tells him.

Neji doesn't say another word until the door to her quarters slides shut; he places his cookies on a table to the side, and glances at her. Tenten swallows, tries her best not to reveal how ruffled his attention makes her. She sets her cookies down, and removes her belt from her waist.

"I didn't think you'd still be in uniform at this time," she remarks, kicking her boots off.

He remains standing by her door, as if uncertain about where he should place himself, and Tenten walks back over to him, curious.

"Did you really mean what you said about company?" she whispers, when she's two feet away from him, looking from his chest to his eyes.

"Only if you desire it," Neji answers in a murmur, stepping forward. His fingers trail over her hips, hot through her uniform, and Tenten stops breathing.

"You haven't made any advances on me lately," she tells him, searching his eyes for an explanation.

Neji shrugs. "You'll have to initiate it."

Heat rises to her cheeks; Tenten hesitates. He stands his ground before her - she pads closer to him, catches the zipper on his uniform, and drags it down fully, so it stops just above his crotch. Neji's eyes darken in intensity; he's turning them around and pressing her against the wall in the next instant, hands on her hips, lowering his lips to her throat.

She inhales sharply, tips her head back to grant him access. His tongue is hot against her skin, moist, and Tenten feels her chest heave from the anticipation running through her veins. Without another word, she slips her hand around his waist to pull him closer, gasping when he sucks on her throat. It doesn't take long for his arousal to push against her belly; she reaches for him, frees him of his confines, and Neji groans, thrusts wetly into her palm.

Has he been just as distracted by her? Tenten shivers at the thought, and closes her eyes to savor the sensations, though her eyes snap open when he drags his lips up her jaw, hovering at the corner of her mouth. She jerks her head away, eyes wide.

Neji pulls away at her surprise, staring at her, his chest rising and falling. Tenten blinks, and the moment is gone - he returns to sucking on her throat, easing her uniform off her shoulders and slipping his fingers between her legs. She can't focus on much else other than his touch, when he parts the folds of her flesh, presses into her. His fingers come away moist; his breath soughs harshly across her skin at the discovery, and Tenten flushes, unable to hide her reaction towards him. Neji smirks into her neck.

She finds herself naked soon after, lying flat on the couch, with Neji plunging deep into her in the way he's discovered she likes, drawing ragged moans from her lips. And as he brings her over the edge, and she gasps his name, sinking her nails into his shoulders, Tenten realizes that there is more magic in this than baking a batch of cookies could ever bring.

* * *

_A/N: Now I want cookies too lol :P This was probably inspired by the cookie-baking spree the husband and I did while I was writing/plotting Blackmail ;)_

_Up next on Friday - either the hooker!Tenten fic, or the teacher!Neji fic that I'm still writing. Kinda on the fence on which at the moment. ;)_

_As always, thank you for taking the time to review! I hope you had as much fun reading about Neji and Tenten baking as I did writing them ;)_


	24. 21: Osiris - Tag-Team Mission

_Back to missions... and more fluff. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 21: Osiris - Tag-Team Mission**

_Konoha, Jan 10, 2031, 0725 hrs_

_The breakfast noodles aren't as good today - they would have been better with fish, than chicken._ Neji drains the remnants of his soup and tosses the disposable paper bowls into the little bin by his desk, setting his mug of green tea aside for later. As always, the tea leaves Hinata gets delivered from Earth are of the very best quality - she happened to have an extra tin handy when he last visited her.

At a corner of his desk, the foil-wrapped cookies from last night sit placidly, a gentle reminder of baking surreptitiously in the kitchen with Lee and Tenten. Neji hasn't eaten very many of them - he isn't one to overindulge, except where it comes to Tenten...

He thinks she'd probably have tasted like cookies, had he-

The email for the next tag-team mission arrives with a loud _ping_ in his inbox. Neji abandons his train of thought and clicks on the mission directives.

It is essentially a follow-up mission on Osiris, back from when he and Tenten removed a _tentacula_ specimen from the planet in the presence of two _zurgois_. The _zurgois_ want some form of resolution for that now - it's taken them almost a month to translate and send a memo to the _Konoha_ to demand that some form of anti-theft treaty be signed.

Neji closes his eyes and releases a breath. With luck, that'll be all they need to do for the mission, and with that, the tentacula mess can finally be closed and put behind them.

He's about to read the details of the mission when a sharp knock sounds from his door. Neji keys the code to grant his visitor access, only to lift his brow when Tenten steps into the room.

"The mission briefing doesn't start until 0800 hours," he mentions casually, watching the sway of her hips as she comes to stand before his desk.

The egg and flour stains from baking last night aren't on her uniform - probably a new set. She catches him glancing her over, rolls her eyes.

"You'd think last night was enough," she mutters, looking away.

Neji allows himself a brief moment to remember the way she looked beneath him, flushed and gasping for breath, on her couch just mere hours ago. He had not expected her to agree so quickly to his offer for company.

"Your purpose here, Lieutenant?" he asks, deflecting her comment.

She brightens then, and pulls a brochure from her back pocket, shoving it towards him. "Look at this," Tenten says breathlessly.

He takes the satiny, colorful flyer from her. _The Gliese Beta Shooting Party, 2031,_ it reads. The ad is folded into thirds, and he opens it, glancing over the various subheadings and images._People still advertise with paper these days?_ Neji looks back at her. "A shooting competition?"

"Yes, on Gliese Beta." Tenten nods. Her tone is light, though her hazel eyes glint with banked anticipation. "It starts in two days. We can make it there in time."

"You're aware that we've just been issued a mission," he informs her with a frown, and Tenten huffs, dropping into the seat across from his desk.

"Yes. Osiris. Clean up that mess from before." She rolls her eyes, folds her arms. "It was just a damn _tentacula_, for fuck's sakes. Do they have to make such a big fuss?"

He keeps his eyebrows raised. "We breached inter-species protocol on that mission, if you recall."

Tenten deflates then, scowling at him. "Do you have to remind me?"

"Yes." A smirk.

"You're past tolerating," she grumbles, and lifts a hand, pointing towards the brochure. "So, the shooting party."

"How did you even get this?" Neji asks, waving the ad at her. To his knowledge, invites to the competition aren't just mailed to military ships flying around.

Tenten rolls her eyes again. "I was on Gliese Beta shortly before Christmas. Got the pamphlet then and forgot about it until now."

"Ah." He looks over the brochure again.

"Never mind that," Tenten continues, waving nonchalantly. "We'd need a team to join that. Split six ways or so, the prize money is enough to get me another gun."

"Don't you have enough guns already?" he asks, archly. She added three to her collection from the Aesis mission, though Neji is mollified to see that she's carrying his pulse gun today.

"The fast food ads there are target boards!" Tenten exclaims, as if she's missed his question. She leans over, pointing at a tiny picture on the ad. In the picture, he sees the silhouettes of burgers and fries and a sundae, each surrounded by concentric circles. "I can win this myself, hands down, but I'll need a team."

"Confident, aren't we?" Neji questions, almost smiling. (He doesn't doubt her abilities, though.)

"You bet." Tenten flashes a quick grin at him. "So, are we going, or not? I'll need to sign us up if we are."

He hesitates. The Osiris mission shouldn't take longer than two days to complete. And their teams would have to use vacation days for the shooting party - the competition will not be seen as an official mission.

"I'll see if I can obtain clearance for this," Neji tells her after some consideration.

The brightest grin spreads on her lips. Tenten turns away, and does not look at him. "I'm starting to like you, you know."

Neji draws a sharp breath, and anchors his eyes to the brochure. The last thing he needs is for her to feel anything for him.

But he's promised to look into the competition, and he can't get his mind off the delighted smile she's flashed at him. Neji hands the brochure back to her wordlessly. It shouldn't be too difficult to get a few days off for this, at the very least.

* * *

The one person Tenten does not expect to see, when she steps into Neji's quarters half an hour later, is Yamanaka Ino. Ino is perched on an extra chair by the coffee table, missing her lab coat, blond hair pulled back into a ponytail, when the door slides shut behind Dragon Platoon. Like the rest of those present, she's dressed in the standard sapphire-and-green _Konoha_ uniform, though she's missing the belt and weapons issued to combat personnel.

"Ino?" Tenten asks, echoed by Lee and Kiba behind her.

"Hey, Ten! Lee, Kiba!" Ino waves cheerfully, her eyes lighting up when she spots Tenten. "Guess what, I'm going to be on this mission with you guys."

Tenten blinks stupidly at her, and looks to Neji, who is heading over from his desk. He takes his seat next to Kotetsu and Izumo, while Tenten, Lee and Kiba settle themselves on the opposite couch.

"What's going on?" Tenten asks, staring at Neji for an explanation.

Neji gives a light shrug. "We need a translator for the treaty. She's the only one available at short notice."

_Ah._ Tenten nods, digesting the information. The _zurgois_ speak a less-common alien language, that none of the combat personnel have picked up. Having a translator draft a treaty, and who speaks both their languages, would be the quickest way to complete this mission.

"Don't refer to me in the third person!" Ino snaps, frowning. "I'm still here, you know."

"Noted with apologies," Neji concedes with a dip of his head, and sets his computer in the middle of the coffee table, as he did in the previous mission briefing.

Ino narrows her eyes, grudgingly accepting his word. Tenten quietly notes how Neji is quick to apologize, if only to get them started on the mission sooner. _What a jerk._

"As you've all probably read, today's mission is straightforward - to sign an anti-theft treaty with the _zurgois_ on the planet Osiris," Neji begins, activating the holographic screen on his computer to display the continents of Osiris.

"The _zurgois_ keep a tight rein on the _tentacula_ on their land," Ino remarks, though her sky-blue eyes widen. "Hang on, this wasn't from the time you went to grab a replacement _tentacula_, was it?"

Tenten winces, and Neji closes his eyes for a moment. "Yes, it is," he acknowledges, when he next looks at Ino. "But those details aren't necessary-"

"Whoa, Neji, you stole a specimen from those guys?" Kotetsu asks, surprised.

"I will need details," Ino informs him primly, and glances at Tenten. "Don't leave anything out."

"I'll send you the mission reports for that collection," Neji deflects, without missing a beat.

Tenten quirks an eyebrow at him. _Nice save._ Knowing Ino, the blond was probably angling for more scandalous details surrounding that mission, and the mission reports they'd both written have included all the necessary information, without revealing their personal involvement on how it came about.

"Fine," Ino grumbles, her shoulders falling slightly.

"The flight time to Osiris is 13 hours or so. You'll have sufficient time to draft the treaty during the first half of the flight, and send it to me for review," Neji instructs. Ino gives a brief nod. "I will have to forward it to Admiral Tsunade for her approval, preferably by 1500 hours today.

"Once at Osiris, we will land both ships just outside the stronghold of the _zurgois_. You'll all be required to wear protective armor at any point outside the ship - the _zurgois_ attack with poisoned needles," Neji continues, scanning those gathered for signs of confusion. "As before, I will be the leader on this mission."

_As before?_ Ino mouths, glancing towards Tenten. Tenten gives a light shrug and looks back towards Neji.

"Who will I be flying with?" Ino asks, lifting a finger to signal for Neji's attention.

"You'll be on the _Silver Blade_, with Dragon Platoon," Neji answers, looking briefly at Tenten.

Tenten bites a smile down. Neji probably wants to put as much distance as possible between himself and Ino. Which means that Ino will be hounding her for gossip. _Damn it._ Tenten loses every shred of her amusement at that thought.

"The _zurgois_ are expecting us to arrive in the next few days," Neji announces. "We'll be leaving at 1000 hours and arriving at approximately 2300 hours tonight. After making contact with them, we'll sign the treaty, and if all else goes right, we'll be headed straight to Gliese Beta from there."

"Really?" Tenten pipes up, eager to find out if Neji's kept his word. Next to her, the Second Lieutenants glance at Neji for an explanation.

"I've obtained clearance for the duration of the competition," he informs her. "You'll be leading once we get to Gliese Beta."

The widest grin spreads on her face.

"Wait up, what's going on?" Izumo asks, raising a hand.

"The annual shooting competition on Gliese Beta - it's taking place in two days," Tenten explains. "We need a team to join - I'll understand if you guys don't want to participate-"

"You're just talking crap, Tenten - count me in," Kiba cuts in with a wolfish grin.

Lee's arm shoots into the air. "Me too! This competition is bound to be youthful, and I would like to test my skills against worthy opponents-"

"Izumo and I are in," Kotetsu interrupts. "The Orion cluster was boring as hell. We're ready for some fun."

Tenten glances at Neji then. He shrugs, meeting her gaze for seconds. "I'm running low on conditioner," he supplies.

She snorts.

"Actually, so am I," Ino says, running a hand through her blond locks. "Am I allowed to tag along with you guys?"

Neji dips his chin. "I obtained clearance for all of us."

"Awesome," Ino grins. "Shopping, here I come!"

Tenten smiles. At least she and Neji aren't just dragging their teams along to clean up the mess from before - Gliese Beta is the ideal vacation spot for people with different interests. With a little bit of luck, they'd win the competition, and she'd have yet another gun to add to her growing collection.

* * *

"So, what is up with you and Neji?" Ino whispers to Tenten as they're boarding the _Silver Blade_. "He didn't discuss leadership on the mission with you."

Tenten shrugs, glances at Lee and Kiba, who are listening in anyway. The ramp closes behind them after they've all boarded. "Hyuuga's training to become a Captain. I don't have authority over the missions for as long as that's in effect."

"That sucks. He's advancing ahead of you guys again?" Ino questions, surprised. "Aren't you pissed at him about that?"

"Not really," Tenten answers, and Ino gapes at her. "I mean, I don't particularly want to be a Captain. Maybe I used to, but these days, staying in Dragon Platoon is enough for me."

"You love us, Tenten," Lee beams. Tenten grins back at him, buckling herself into the pilot's seat.

"Yeah, what're we gonna do without all your nagging?" Kiba drawls, rolling his eyes. Tenten reaches behind and flips him off.

"Anyway, I'm at peace with it," Tenten announces, flicking various switches to begin the flight procedure. A set of data pops up on her screen - Neji's handiwork. Tenten directs the information into her flight path calculator, checking to ensure that they're indeed headed for the Pegasus constellation. "Dragon Platoon works well as we are."

"We've been trying to convince Tenten that Hyuuga has the hots for her," Kiba informs Ino, glancing at her. Where Lee's seat is to Tenten's right, and Kiba's to her left, both a foot behind her, Ino's seat is directly behind Tenten's, forming the last vertex of a diamond, such that Tenten would have to lean out of her seat and turn back in order to read Ino's facial expressions.

"Shut up, Inuzuka," Tenten grouses.

"Isn't that exactly what I told you weeks ago, Ten?" Ino chimes, and Tenten exhales noisily, exasperated.

"You and me both, Ino," Kiba says, slyly. "You know we fit together."

Ino giggles.

Tenten pinches the bridge of her nose. "This isn't the time to discuss your personal lives, Kiba," she snaps. "I need to concentrate here."

"You're pretty sexy when you're mad, Ten," Ino comments from somewhere behind. "I've never seen you on missions before, but damn. Kiba wasn't joking about it."

"'Course I wasn't. We should do a threesome - you, me, and Lieutenant Hot Temper here," Kiba suggests.

"Inuzuka. Shut the fuck up this instant," Tenten growls, turning to glare at him. "Ino, get started on that treaty. Hyuuga and his team are en route already and we're still in this damn hangar because I can't fucking concentrate with you guys in the background!"

It's silent in the cockpit for a minute.

"Tenten, the hangar doors are open," Lee whispers.

"Thanks," she mutters, swiveling the _Silver Blade_ to face the doors. They're hovering and moving out of the hangar in the next minute, and Tenten sighs in relief when the powerful engines of the spacecraft ramps up, sending them speeding away from the _Konoha_.

* * *

_Osiris, Jan 10, 2031, 2315 hrs_

_How are your hands? _

The message pops up on Tenten's screen unexpectedly, fifteen minutes away from Osiris. She blinks, frowning. Does Neji not have anything else to be concerned about?

_Why do you ask?_ she responds, glancing to the side to see if anyone has noticed her chat window. Lee and Kiba are both keeping watch on the spacecraft's vitals, though Kiba is occasionally sending glances towards Ino.

_I neglected to follow up on it during the aftermath of the Aesis mission,_ is Neji's response. _How are your hands now?_

_They're fine,_ she answers, a tiny smile quirking her lips. _Are you attempting to get in my good books?_

_I'm not already in your good books?_ comes his reply.

Tenten rolls her eyes. _Don't get ahead of yourself, Hyuuga,_ she tells him dryly.

_I'm disappointed,_ he says, though he continues to type without waiting for her answer, _I trust that everyone on board has rested sufficiently._

_5 hours each,_ Tenten writes, _Same as the previous mission on Osiris._

Kiba and Lee had slept in the cabin on the first rotation, while she and Ino took the second five-hour slot. Ino has long since finished the treaty, and is chatting with Kiba on occasion.

_How is the treaty?_ she asks Neji.

_Detailed. Works to our advantage,_ Neji reveals. _Tsunade's approved it. I have it printed in triplicate here._

_You sound like a goddamn lawyer,_ she snipes, smirking. That would probably have been Neji's ideal career, had he not enlisted in the military.

_I'll take that as a compliment,_ he returns, and she can hear the dryness in his tone, _We're five minutes away from Osiris. Prepare to enter the atmosphere._

_Roger,_ she responds. The message perks her crew up.

The _Byakugan_ is the first to penetrate the thick atmosphere of Osiris; Tenten follows close behind in the _Silver Blade_, descending slowly towards the mud-brown oceans of the planet. She sure has not missed its craggy mountains and dead lands - the orange-brown earth reminds her of a sunset, as if things were reaching the end of their lives here.

Lee, Kiba and Ino are thankfully silent as Tenten continues the descent; Neji directs them back towards the continent on which they found the valley of _tentacula_ \- they are still alive here, a tiny splotch of purple in the midst of brown. Further north, there are numerous cliffs and plains, and what seems to be raised lumps of rock scattered in wide valleys, surrounded by a large field of purple.

_Decrease speed to 50 knots,_ Neji commands, _We'll be landing ahead, 10 miles north._

Roger, Tenten acknowledges, slowing the _Silver Blade_ down at the same time Neji does the _Byakugan_.

They decelerate to a hover, and land on the outskirts of the _zurgois_ village, on cracked, dry ground a little ways away from the rock huts and _tentacula_. Up close, Tenten notes the hills that rise on both sides of the valley, which provide protection from the winds. The homes of the _zurgois_ remind her of the mud huts found commonly in the Africas on Earth, though these are made of stone, with flat pieces of rocks serving as roofs.

There is a crowd of roughly fifty _zurgois_ surrounding the ships by the time they emerge on Neji's command, fully vested in protective armor. Tenten sweeps her gaze over the reptilian creatures warily, watching out for any that have raised their spindly fingers - she still remembers the needles they're liable to expel from their bodies.

Tenten stands guard close to Ino, who has graduated only from cadet school, and hence only knows the basics of field combat. As one, Dragon and Hawk platoons gather at the front of their ships, holding their palms up as a sign of non-violence.

"We come in peace," Neji announces to the crowd. Beside him, Ino translates his speech into garbled noises, and the restlessness of the _zurgois_ diminishes. A few of them part to make way for the arrival of what seems to be the village chief.

Tall, wiry, and with impossibly-large eyes, the chief of the _zurgois_ differs from its kin only by the age it seems to carry, with sagging, wrinkled skin around its eyes, and on its limbs. A garbled sound emerges from its small, beak-like mouth, and Ino translates, "He says, 'Welcome'."

Neji inclines his head, glancing towards Ino. "Thank you," he says to the gathered _zurgois_, "We have come from the _Konoha_, a representative of Earth, at your request."

Again, Ino translates his words, loud and clear, and Tenten notes that some of the creatures perk up, almost as if in recognition of the names. The _zurgois_ chief steps forward, bobbing its head.

It doesn't say a word, however, so Neji continues, "I understand that we have taken one of your _tentacula_ a month ago - we are not able to return it, but we will henceforth sign a treaty never to remove any more from your territory."

At Ino's translation, a few of the _zurgois_ closer to them shift, lifting their spindly hands by inches, and Tenten tenses, watching them warily. Beak-like mouths open to almost-snarls. She calculates the distance between the platoons and their ships; Neji has instructed that their teams aren't to fight back at any point, even though each of them, save for Ino, carries a potent gun capable of stunning or killing. Their weapons are to be a visual deterrent only, though.

The gravitational pull on Osiris is stronger than what they're used to; the _zurgois_ will have the upper hand in overpowering them at any point, just by sheer number and home territory advantage.

The _zurgois_ chief raises its arm - Tenten flexes her limbs by the slightest bit - and the apparent dissent among the _zurgois_ ceases. There aren't discernible words exchanged between the aliens (she remembers that they're able to communicate without speaking); perhaps the chief is telling them to hold back?

When the chief does not make to talk, Neji begins speaking anew, "We have brought a gift of silver, as a peace offering."

Ino translates his words, as before, and at Neji's signal, Izumo and Kotetsu step forward, opening a case full of silver ingots. Ino had mentioned that the _zurgois_ use the precious metal for the production of some of their underground machinery (there are hardly any structures to be seen above-ground), and obtaining the silver had been simple enough on board the _Konoha_.

The eyes of the _zurgois_ seem to glitter at the sight of the silver. Neji motions for the case to be closed, and pulls the printed treaty from a pocket at his thigh. "We would like to propose an anti-theft treaty," he begins.

Tenten hardly listens to the detailed explanation of the treaty, watching as Lee and Kiba set up a small folding table for the perusal and signing of the document. She knows the motions of a diplomatic mission - but diplomacy is hardly her forte (and Lee and Kiba can well attest to that). Instead, she follows as Ino steps forward to the table with Neji, to explain the various clauses in fine print. How Ino ever gained an alien vocabulary like that is beyond Tenten.

Being a mere three feet away from the _zurgois_, Tenten catches a whiff of mud and sulfur, and tries not to wrinkle her nose. It's a strange feeling being so close to the very species that had attacked her and Neji not a month ago. Her leg prickles from the memory of being stung by those needles; she resists the temptation to scratch her calves. Judging from the confidence with which Neji carries himself, he's done diplomatic missions tens of times before; Tenten doesn't envy him for it.

Neji and Ino are focused on getting the message of the treaty across, so all she does is keep an eye on the aliens surrounding them, watching out for any sign of an attack, while Lee, Kiba, Izumo and Kotetsu stand guard a few feet behind them.

After what seems to be half an hour or so, Neji finally pulls a pen out, and signs on all three copies of the treaty, each printed in both English and the language of the _zurgois_. The village chief presses a fingernail into its spindly finger, smears a deep brown streak of blood next to where Neji's signature is on all copies of the treaty.

There is another long silence while Neji checks through each sheet of paper for signatures, and finally hands the village chief a copy, motioning for Kotetsu and Izumo to hand the case of silver over.

Leaving the village is one of the most crucial parts of the mission; Lee and Kiba grab the folding table, and Tenten entrusts Ino to them after the goodbyes and thank yous are exchanged. Ino and the Second Lieutenants are the first to return to the ship - Tenten and Neji follow behind their respective teams under the watchful gaze of the _zurgois_, on the lookout for any surprise attacks at the last minute. (There isn't any doubt that the creatures would love to pick the ships apart, and perhaps consume the teams for a celebratory meal.)

It is only after the doors are sealed tight behind them, and the _Silver Blade_ and _Byakugan_ are both in the air and climbing in altitude, that Tenten deflates into her seat, letting the tension in her body seep away.

"Well, that wasn't too difficult, was it?" Ino chirps behind her.

Tenten drags a hand across her face, before doing a repeat scan on the _Silver Blade_ \- no stowaways detected. She breathes a sigh of relief.

"Easy for you to say, Ino," she mutters dryly, before further increasing their altitude. At Neji's command, both the _Byakugan_ and the _Silver Blade_ fire up their secondary engines and break through the atmosphere of Osiris, finally headed for Gliese Beta, of the Dorado constellation.

* * *

_A/N: ;) The NejiTen is happening, very slowly and very subtly. ;) And my sunflowers are blooming! _

_As always, thank you for taking the time to leave a review! I'm so glad you guys are still enjoying this fic lol ;) It'll get a little more exciting over the next few chapters. ;)_


	25. 22: The Gliese Beta Shooting Party

_Almost forgot to update.. forgot it was Tuesday today, since yesterday was a holiday. ;) _

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 22: The Gliese Beta Shooting Party**

_Gliese Beta, Jan 11, 2031, 1630 hrs_

"Touchdown!" Lee exclaims with a joyous whoop, punching fists in the air.

"It's been so long since I was last here!" Ino says at the same time, as they land on Gliese Beta, in a shopping district close to the site of the shooting competition. Both the _Silver Blade_ and the_Byakugan_ have been disguised - the spacecrafts are highly valued, and especially vulnerable to theft the longer they remain in the same place.

"Same here, babe," Kiba drawls, unbuckling his seatbelt. "What d'you say to you and me getting out and doing some... exploring?"

Ino throws him a flirtatious smile, and Tenten glowers at them.

"Hold it, Inuzuka. I don't need you wandering off even before we've decided on a location to bunk these few nights," she grumbles. "The competition starts tomorrow, and I've only just checked us in. We need to collect our ID tags first."

"Fine, fine," Kiba grumbles, popping his joints as he gets to his feet. "Damn, that sure was a long ride."

Tenten shrugs. He had the option of moving into a bunk bed during the fourteen flight hours. "You fell asleep in your seat, and you only have yourself to blame for that," she tells him.

"You suck," Kiba complains. Tenten rolls her eyes.

"You're the best leader ever, Tenten," Lee counters with a bright grin, and she smiles back at him.

"Come on, let's move out and join with Hawk first. I don't want the booth to close before we've got our ID tags," she explains, glancing around to make sure that they're all dressed in plain clothes, instead of the identifying _Konoha_ uniform.

It is close to sunset on Gliese Beta; orange shades are starting to creep up from the horizon, and lights are flickering on in the low-rise establishments, with dozens of neon signboards lighting the streets. The parking lot is almost full, and scents of food are wafting slowly through the air.

Neji, Kotetsu and Izumo are waiting for them at the base of the _Silver Blade_ by the time Tenten gets her team down the ramp, riled and on the verge of pulling her hair out.

"For the last time, Kiba, shut your trap," Tenten growls, glowering at him. "Ino, please. I don't want to regret bringing you guys along."

"I'll keep him in line, Ten," Ino grins. She wraps an arm around Kiba's neck, and claps a hand over his mouth, earning herself a woeful stare from the man.

"Thanks," Tenten mutters, though her throat goes dry when she finally looks at Hawk Platoon.

Neji is dressed casually in a button-down shirt and jeans, his ebony hair hanging loose around his shoulders, thumbs hooked into his pockets. Tenten stares. And just barely remembers to move her feet.

Lee catches Tenten when she stumbles down the rest of the ramp, muttering a string of curses. Neji's eyes are boring into the back of her head when she turns back to the ship to make sure that the ramp is back up and locked in place.

"What's wrong with you?" Ino asks, concerned.

"I'd like to know the answer to that, myself," Tenten grumbles, still refusing to look at Neji. To the rest of the party, she announces, "We'll have to collect our ID tags first, before the competition booth closes."

Snippets of conversation start up as the group follows Tenten to the competition site not too far away - there are huge tents set up, some lit, some not, and Neji fades from her mind when she catches sight of the shooting ranges - rows upon rows of alleys, each with its own target board and counter, from which one aims.

"Wow," she breathes, glancing over at Lee, who is just as excited about the set-up as she is.

"I can't wait to practice my shooting," Lee gushes, quivering with energy. "May I do that once I obtain my tag?"

The participants of the competition are allowed to drop by the shooting ranges to practice - Tenten is especially thrilled about the flying targets segment, though there aren't slots available for that at the moment - night is falling soon, and flying target practice is only open during the day.

"We'll need to find a place to bunk for the next few days first, remember?" Tenten reminds him (as well as herself), leading them to the registration booth.

She ducks beneath the flurry of colorful flags across the booth entrance and pulls her confirmation slip out, handing it to the bespectacled man behind the wooden booth. He accepts the slip of paper, glances shrewdly over her shoulder at the gathered group. "Team Dragon-Hawk?" he asks, scanning her printout quickly.

"Yeah," Tenten confirms. "Six of us in all."

The man ducks behind the counter, riffles through a box, and pulls a knotted handful of lanyards out. "There. Matches start tomorrow. The schedules and instructions are on the table. Don't be late."

"Got it. Thanks." She takes the lanyards and a handful of instructions and schedules, before heading back to Lee and the rest. "Here, schedules and instructions. Read them before you do anything else."

The group falls silent as the tags and papers are distributed; Tenten checks her lanyard, then shoves it into her pocket, scanning the instructions first. They're already familiar with the rules - there wasn't much else to read on the way to Gliese Beta, after all.

"Seems like the first event tomorrow is at 1000 hours," she remarks, eyeing the schedule. "The opening ceremony isn't compulsory if you have a hangover."

"I'll be shopping and contactable by radio if you need me tomorrow," Ino informs them, grinning wide. "Three straight days of shopping. I'm in heaven!"

Tenten smiles when Ino hugs her, looking back at her schedule. There isn't anything else pressing to deal with, save for their accommodations. "Well then, does anyone have information on the nearest lodgings already?" she asks.

"Most hotels are fully booked," Neji answers, slanting a look at her. Tenten gulps, winces. There aren't many rooms left due to the competition. "The nearest one with three rooms available is a minute's walk away from the competition site. Pricey."

"Any others?" she asks, walking over to where he's holding his palm-sized computer up, holographic screen on display.

"The Blue Mountain. Five minutes' walk, one suite left - two bedrooms." Neji glances at her, eyebrows raised.

Tenten bites her lip, looking at the price. "Book that. We'll win this competition to pay for it."

Neji hasn't removed his attention from her. "Are you really that impoverished, Lieutenant?"

Heat surges into her cheeks. "No, I'm not!" she snaps, glaring at him. "But I'm not born into money, like _some of us_ are."

"I'll put it on my card first, then." Neji shrugs, glancing at the rest of their teams, who have been watching their exchange with no shortage of interest. "There are also a couple of fold-out beds in the suite - all of us are spoken for."

"Fine," Tenten acquiesces, folding her arms. "We'll need to check in next."

* * *

"That was a delicious dinner!" Lee exclaims, as they step into one of the open, lit tents for shooting practice - between the Osiris mission, checking into their suite, and grabbing dinner afterwards, there isn't much time left over for shooting practice at all. Night has fallen by now, though the town is still abuzz with music and merry-making.

"It was also expensive," Tenten mutters in an undertone, walking over to the central booth, where a range of shooting equipment are available for purchase. Pistols and holsters are on one side, while earplugs, ammo, and other accessories are on the other half of the booth.

"The look on your face when you had those dumplings, though," Neji responds just as quietly next to her, "I'd have thought you came just by eating them."

"Shut up, Hyuuga," she bristles, glowering at him. "I do not recall asking for your opinion."

He smirks, but says nothing else, pushing ahead to the equipment booth.

"Get your own supplies," Tenten tells the team over her shoulder. (Ino has returned early to the hotel to get started on her beauty treatment, though everyone else is present in the tent.) "I'm not paying for you guys."

"You could stand to be a little more generous, Leader," Kiba jibes, elbowing her as he makes his way to the booth. "Be someone like Hyuuga, you know."

"He didn't say he was paying for your room and board," Tenten snaps, at the same time Neji answers, "I'm just providing the bunch of you with a loan."

Tenten snorts at the expression on Kiba's face, and elbows him back as she proceeds to the counter, looking at the pistols through the glass cases. The competition rules that the participants have to use any one of the specified semi-automatic models - it isn't something Tenten minds, because it'll just be another to add to her collection, anyway.

"Which pistol are you getting?" Lee pipes up next to her, inky eyes roving over the various sizes and models. "I only have those we were issued," he explains.

Tenten shrugs, looking for one that would give her the highest accuracy for the competition, yet fit her hand perfectly. "It's common sense, Lee, pick the one that you're most comfortable with."

It takes a few tries firing in the range with different pistols before Tenten makes her decision and purchases a gun, together with a holster that fits it. _This is why I don't have money for the room,_she thinks to herself. The particular model she's chosen is smooth and quick to reload; perfect for firing at multiple targets in quick succession.

"Nice pistol," Neji remarks next to her some time later, twirling his own weapon on his index finger.

She smirks at him. "I put my money where my gun is."

"Ah." He sends her a measuring glance, sliding his weapon into the holster on his belt. "I should've known."

Tenten looks over her new pistol, admiring its hard lines and sleek form. "Didn't you?" she asks, glancing at him. He, of all people, knew her tendency to spend her allowances on ammo, when they weren't allowed to own guns yet.

"I did. Are you up for a shootout?" Neji asks, looking sidelong at her. "Loser pays for everyone's dinner tomorrow."

Tenten laughs. "Are you fucking kidding me? You're going to lose, Hyuuga."

Neji raises an eyebrow, smirks at her. "I'm serious."

"Sure. We'll go through a box of ammo each. I'll even buy yours, 'cause you're going to be doing dinner tomorrow," she tells him, trying not to smile too widely.

He shrugs, watching her placidly, and Tenten almost skips back to the equipment booth, returning shortly after with ammunition and earplugs for them both. Neji is standing by a couple of booths with the display screens above them set to a linked game.

"I created a match for us," he explains, waving towards the screens. "The computers will keep track of our scores. 50 rounds each."

"Sure." Tenten sets Neji's share of equipment on his counter, before wearing a earplug and loading her magazines. The gun came with three magazines, each with a capacity of fifteen bullets. She'd have to reload one close to the end. "I'm ready when you are."

"Good luck, Lieutenant," Neji murmurs, so softly that his voice is almost drowned out by the resounding shots from other shooters in the range.

"Save it, Hyuuga. You'll need it." With the magazines fully loaded, Tenten leaves the remaining bullets on the counter and pockets two of the magazines, sliding the third into her pistol with a click. Next to her, Neji does the same, before putting on a pair of amber-tinted safety glasses.

All sounds are dampened the moment Tenten inserts her other earplug. Neji is moving beside her, though all she sees is her lit target fifty yards away. She wears her own glasses. The exhilaration in her veins isn't quite as intense as with moving targets, but she smiles anyway, racks the gun, and cocks the hammer.

It's not easy to want to stop firing once she's started - Tenten watches as her bullets fly through the bulls-eye of her target board in quick succession; each shot is graded with faint light beams behind the board. Her anticipation builds with each recoil of the pistol and the thickening scent of gunpowder, and the bullets are spent in a flurry - she's reloading the last five bullets into her magazine before she realizes it, letting them loose just seconds later.

Neji is still firing by the time she's done. Tenten takes a step back and looks at their scores on the blue-tinted screens above them - she's got a perfect hundred percent; Neji is at ninety-five. Her face splits into a huge grin.

He turns to her a minute later, shoving his pistol back into its holster.

"I win," she declares triumphantly when he's taken his earplugs off, glancing up at the screens. "A hundred shots, a hundred bulls-eyes. Dinner is on you tomorrow, Hyuuga."

Neji raises his brow, steps back to look at the scores for himself. "So it seems," he remarks with a tiny smile. "Congrats, Lieutenant."

There's a hint of warmth in his pale eyes that she thinks she sees. Surprised, Tenten flounders, and turns away, finding the rest of their teams standing a short distance away, watching them.

"Tenten! You're as youthful as ever!" Lee shouts, running over to envelop her in a hug.

"We were wondering what the commotion was about," Kiba drawls, and saunters over. "It was quiet at first, and all of a sudden, it sounded like hell broke loose or something."

Tenten pats Lee on the back, before extricating herself from him. She looks archly at Kiba. "And? Did you get any practice in, Inuzuka?"

"Not yet," Kiba answers. "We were watching the whole time. It was too good to miss, you against Lieutenant Hyuuga."

She grins. "Well, he's treating us to dinner tomorrow."

"All of us, or just you?" Kotetsu asks, waggling his eyebrows. Tenten looks towards the ceiling of the tent.

"You heard her. Dinner's on me tomorrow," Neji says flatly, looking as if he would dearly love to roll his eyes.

"Chinese food?" she asks, hopeful.

"But we already had Chinese today," Kiba whines.

"Well, I won against Hyuuga, so I get to choose," she says, making her decision right then. "Any objections?"

"Your case is probably set," Izumo tells her, "Neji's actually smiling."

At his words, all eyes lock onto Neji, who drops his expression just as quickly. Tenten stares doubtfully at her rival. He's still looking at her, and some of their teammates are following his gaze, glancing towards her instead.

Tenten feels vaguely uncomfortable beneath their probing stares, and snaps, "Well, get back to practice. I don't want to see any of your scores below ninety percent, you hear me?"

Kiba and Kotetsu wince. Tenten looks at them in challenge - she knows, for a fact, that Kiba drops to an eighty-five percent accuracy sometimes. As the men retreat to their own alleys, she turns to Neji.

"What's Kotetsu's accuracy like?" she asks.

He shrugs, glancing after his men. "Ninety on average."

Tenten purses her lips, mulling over their chances of winning this competition. The sound of shots being fired resounds around them.

"Did you participate in this last year?" Neji asks, removing his safety glasses.

It isn't as if she wants to practice shooting more in this alley (especially when she'd rather spend money on ammunition for flying targets), so Tenten pulls her glasses off as well, tucking them into her belt. "No, we were on a mission that clashed with the dates," she recounts with a grimace. "I haven't attended the shooting party in years."

"Want another match, then?" Neji asks, glancing towards the alleys again. "No penalties this time."

Tenten purses her lips. "If you're buying the ammo," she allows. "But I'd rather practice on something different."

Neji lifts a shoulder, turns towards the exit. "Sure."

"We'll need to update the rest on our location, though," Tenten tells him, glancing at their comrades. All four men are focused on shooting, and scarcely paying them any attention.

"I'll handle it," Neji offers, striding over to Izumo. He taps the man on the shoulder, leaves a short message when the latter removes a earplug, and motions towards the exit. Izumo glances briefly at Tenten, nodding. Tenten is hovering by the large doors of the tent when Neji returns, examining a map that came with the competition schedule. "Done," he tells her. "We'll meet them back at the Blue Mountain."

It vaguely registers in her mind that she's going to be spending time alone with Neji on an entirely voluntary basis. Tenten shoves the thought away, waving her map at him excitedly. "There's another range not too far from here," she suggests, "It appears that they do have moving targets for practice at this time, just not flying ones."

Neji doesn't object, so she leads the way out of the tent. Nightfall on Gliese Beta isn't quite as inky and suffocating as that of Aesis; streetlamps light a number of worn dirt paths away from the range, and Tenten picks one, following the directions on the map. They pass several other gigantic tents - most tents along the way are lit and available for practice. Tenten glances into each one (the targets are all stationary, however) until they arrive at the only tent with moving targets, finding more shooters practicing in there than at the previous few.

"Pick the alleys. I'll get the ammo," Neji says, heading for the equipment booth in the middle of the tent.

Tenten vaguely wonders at the profit being generated by the shooting party - the entrance fee wasn't anything to snort at, and the sales of guns, ammo and accessories probably rake in some sort of profit margin. Multiply that by the number of participants...

"Thinking about me?" Neji asks, when he joins her towards the back of the tent, where the alleys aren't as crowded.

Tenten snaps her gaze away from the multitude of alleys, frowning at him. "I wouldn't be thinking about you, Hyuuga," she scoffs. "There are far better subjects to occupy my attention with."

"Like?" he presses, and deposits two boxes on her counter. Tenten stares - a hundred rounds each this time. She has not expected generosity to that extent. "Is that too many rounds?"

"I can buy my own ammo," she grouses, hiding her delight at the sheer number of shots he's just got her.

"Yet you seem captivated by these," he returns easily, smirking. Neji pulls his pistol and magazines out, beginning to load them.

"Shut up. I was just surprised," Tenten retorts. She tears into the first box of ammo, slipping the cool shells into her magazines. "Two rounds of fifty, or one of a hundred?"

"Two rounds of fifty," Neji answers, sliding a confident look at her. "So you'll have another chance at beating me."

She snorts. "Right."

Little other conversation occurs before they next start shooting; the earplugs and safety glasses are back in place, and Tenten finds herself enjoying this range better. At the end of twenty-five yards is a series of three targets, each smaller than the one before. Two targets swing from the same axle on the right, and the third swings from one on the left. Tenten soon realizes that the swinging intervals do not remain constant - once the match has started, the targets begin increasing in speed, only to jerk to a stop once she's got a hang of their momentum.

Next to her, Neji is doing decently - he's figuring out the patterns of the targets, too. Tenten grits her teeth and focuses, cursing as she overestimates the swing of a target - her shot slides through the target, just short of the bulls-eye.

It happens twice over the course of fifty shots, and Tenten steps back at the end of the match, looking up at the scoreboards with dread.

She's scored ninety-eight percent, while Neji trails behind her at ninety-six.

Tenten winces. Ninety-eight percent is a huge disgrace to her perfect record, even if Neji's looking at her with some semblance of admiration.

"You did well," he compliments.

"That sucked," she replies, and the words are bitter on her tongue. "I don't miss."

"Next round?" Neji asks - she nods without saying a word.

Tenten punches the buttons on her counter to restart the match, and begins reloading her magazines over. This time, she's going to reclaim her perfect accuracy - both for herself, and for her team.

The target boards almost seem to mock her as they swing, up and down, up and down, and Tenten bites her lip as she aims, waiting just a little bit longer to have a better grasp of their movement. Her heart pounds.

The first shot is the perfect bulls-eye, and so is the second, and the third. Tenten breathes slow and deep with each precise set of movements - aim, pull the trigger, catch the recoil. She regains her confidence after the tenth shot, and the thrill of shooting seeps back into her with full force. Her shots gain momentum; she fires in shorter intervals than Neji does, hitting the bulls-eye each time.

She finishes the set of fifty quicker than Neji does, and steps back - a hundred percent.

Tenten is in the middle of a victory dance when Neji turns to look at her after his set. She freezes, embarrassed, drops her limbs. He doesn't comment on her behavior, instead glancing towards the scoreboards. This time, Neji is further behind in accuracy - ninety-five percent, like their first match.

"Guess there's no beating you in that, Lieutenant," Neji remarks, holstering his gun. He glances at her.

She blushes faintly and looks away. The Neji of her trainee cell would never have doled out compliments like that. "Yeah, well, you knew it anyway."

"More practice?" he asks, still watching her.

Tenten frowns, looks at the digital wall clock. 2204 hours. They've got a full ten hours of rest on the ships before and after Osiris, and she isn't the least bit tired. "I don't exactly require practice," she tells him dryly.

"Another match, then," Neji suggests. "This time, with a penalty to it."

She raises her eyebrows, flexing her fingers. At some point, though, her hands will need a break, to prepare for tomorrow. "What're you trying to bet this time?" Tenten questions, looking askance at him. "I can't see you volunteering to pay for dinner on every other night here."

"Not that," he agrees, leaning against his counter.

"What, then?" Tenten folds her arms across her chest, looks between him and the still-moving target boards. "You know that you're going to lose to me."

The words sound good rolling off her tongue.

Neji flicks a glance over her, and Tenten suddenly feels aware of herself, of the T-shirt and jeans she's wearing. "In which case, you should decide on the prize, shouldn't you?" Neji returns, the corners of his lips quirking.

"This just sounds like a bribe," she tells him, slipping her empty magazines back into her pocket.

Neji follows her out of the tent, into the cool night air. "What would you want, then, if you could have anything in the world?" he asks.

Tenten looks at him, taken aback by his question. "Why do you ask?" she counters suspiciously. "Are you trying to bribe me into more sex?"

Amusement flickers through his eyes. "This isn't about sex, Tenten."

She draws a sharp breath at the sound of her name on his lips. The only times he's spoken her name recently is in the form of a low whisper, in her ear, when he's sharing an incredibly intimate moment with her. Not something she wants to think about right now. "What're you trying to get at, Hyuuga?" she asks, refusing to take his bait.

"Nothing," he says simply. "Just attempting to know you again."

His words hurt more than she thought they would. Tenten bites her lip, looks down at the dimly-lit path they're walking, to nowhere in particular. "There isn't anything to know about me," she tells him roughly. "We should return to the hotel."

They walk in silence for lengthy minutes, until Tenten realizes that they aren't getting anywhere closer to the cluster of shops and hotels. The streetlamps are still lit, though, leading to dimmed-out places along the competition grounds.

"What changed?" she asks Neji suddenly, looking towards him. "You stopped talking to Lee and I after you graduated. You only spoke to us on missions, and then you left on some training, as you put it. When you got back-"

Neji shrugs. "My life isn't my own."

"That doesn't explain anything," Tenten retorts, reluctant to stop talking now that she's started. "First you got back, you started blackmailing me, and now you're buying me things on the pretext of getting to know me again? The hell are you doing, Neji?"

He inhales quickly and stops walking. She slows down, turns to face him.

There's a curious mix of emotions in his eyes that Tenten can't read, and she stands rooted to the ground as he approaches her slowly, closing the gap between them. Her pulse thuds in her veins.

His face is inches from hers, solemn, pale eyes locked onto hers. Tenten stops breathing; Neji is so close that she feels his breath on her lips as she stares at him.

For a moment, she thinks he might kiss her - then he's pulling away, facing down the path they've just walked.

"My life isn't my own," he repeats, not looking at her this time.

Tenten blinks at him in confusion, wonders what might have happened, had he not pulled away. She doesn't like him. (Does she?) There are too many things between them now, too many mistakes and secrets, and she never wanted to be with anyone in the first place, anyway.

She sucks a deep breath in, straightens her shoulders, striding to catch up with him. "Well, you're a really good actor, in case no one's ever told you that before," she informs him matter-of-factly.

He doesn't answer her, not for a long time. Tenten glances sidelong at him, but his eyes are hooded, carefully blank. "We're returning to the hotel," he says eventually.

"I figured," Tenten answers, her tone dry.

It is almost midnight when they return to the hotel. The suite in the Blue Mountain is spacious, with a couch, an armchair, and a coffee table in the living area, a flat-screen TV on the wall, and a balcony overlooking the low-rise establishments. To the side, there are two bedrooms with double beds, each with a desk and chair, as well as an en suite bathroom.

Various bags and belongings litter the suite - every other person in the group returned before they did. Tenten scans the place and notes the positions of their teammates, though what makes her pause in the doorway (and what is probably also the reason Neji's breath catches behind her) is that only the double bed in the adjoining bedroom has been left empty. Lee is snoring in the fold-out bed of the armchair, and Kotetsu and Izumo are curled around each other in the hideaway bed of the couch, surrounded by empty beer cans. The bedroom door further from them is shut tight - probably Kiba and Ino.

Tenten pinches the bridge of her nose. "Oh gods."

Neji eases past her into the suite, pulling the door shut behind them. "What are you going to do about it?" he asks quietly.

"I can't just wake them up," she mumbles, dragging a hand across her face. Did Lee and the rest do this to her on purpose? "But I didn't think they'd actually make me sleep with you."

Maybe Ino told them about her and Neji. Tenten cringes, sets the thought aside.

"Are you scared, Lieutenant?" Neji probes, almost slyly. "I don't bite."

She glares at him. "I've never slept beside you before."

It suggests a sort of intimacy that she doesn't really want to think about.

"I'm paying for the suite. I'm not sleeping on the floor," Neji tells her, his eyes resolute.

"Can't you be a gentleman for once?" she mutters, heading over to the bedroom with the overnight bag that she brought up earlier, after they checked in. "Should've taken dibs on the armchair when we first got in."

"The bed's big enough for two," Neji maintains. "It's not like we haven't seen each-"

"Shut up," Tenten hisses, looking over her shoulder at the men in the living room. All three continue to sleep soundly, and she shakes her head, watching as Neji sets his duffel bag on the desk. He begins to unbutton his shirt. Tenten stares - he raises an eyebrow at her, and she flushes, shutting and locking the door behind her with a click. "Just for tonight, I swear."

She sheds her belt, jeans and shoes, before taking her bag along with her into the en suite. "I'm showering first."

Her privacy is short-lived, however - Neji is still in the bedroom when she emerges in a tank top and pants, feeling far more comfortable after the shower. He looks her over; Tenten stares at the other end of the room, setting her bag by the bed and tucking a different, but loaded, pistol under her pillow.

"I was under the impression that you slept in the nude," he remarks softly.

Tenten rolls her eyes. "Disappointed?"

"No, I expected this," he returns, before heading into the bathroom with a handful of clothes, and his own bottles of hair products. Tenten bites a snicker down.

She's under the covers and pretending to sleep by the time Neji emerges, bringing with him a wave of humid, warm air into the bedroom. Tenten keeps herself still as Neji slips beneath the covers himself, though he remains seated in bed for some time. The sound of quiet keyboard taps fills the room, and Tenten appreciates that he isn't attempting to get any closer to her. He's probably checking his email.

Neji finally sets his computer down, and turns the lights off in the bedroom, tucking himself into the covers beside her. She's weaving towards the edge of slumber, vaguely aware of his warmth at her back.

"Still awake?" he asks a moment later.

She makes an unintelligible sound in response.

"Sleep well," Neji says softly, not touching her, and Tenten succumbs to unconsciousness soon after.

* * *

_A/N: That almost-kiss scene - if you're pulling your hair out over that, believe me, I felt exactly the same writing it. LOL Side pairings in Blackmail, now that we're in the Gliese Beta arc (which is probably my favorite arc in the story) are InoKiba with a faint bit of InoCho, as well as IzumoKotetsu. These will be carrying over into the sequel, whereas ShikaTema won't, basically because they won't be in the sequel._

_That aside... ugh I'm not fond of the writing style in Blackmail - it needs to get tightened up. I have also noticed that reader responses have decreased on all updates last week - are you guys busy or something? :P_

_Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did... it gets better. ;)_


	26. 23: Gliese Beta - Consequences

_Oh wow, I was so surprised to hear from so many of you in the previous chapter! Special thanks to the guest reviewer who pointed out my typo. ;) This chapter... I enjoyed writing and reading a lot. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 23: Gliese Beta - Consequences**

_Gliese Beta, Jan 12, 2031, 0414 hrs_

Tenten wakes to the sound of loud hammering mere feet away from her. She snaps upright, grabbing the loaded gun beneath her pillow. It occurs to her, then, that this isn't her quarters on the _Konoha_, and that there's someone stirring in the double bed next to her.

Neji. _Oh, right._

Muffled voices sound outside the door, and Neji sits up next to her, instantly alert.

"Neji! You in there? Open up, we need to pee!" Kotetsu yells through the airspace between the door and doorjamb.

Tenten freezes. Remembers that there isn't a bathroom in the suite, aside from the two in the bedrooms. "Oh crap," she whispers, realizing that they're going to catch her in bed with Neji at this rate. It's not like they were even doing anything other than sleeping, though.

Neji heaves a sigh. "I'll get the door. Feel free to mask your presence," he mutters, and Tenten winces at the thought of having to even hide.

She releases the pistol and reluctantly lies back down, pulling the sheets and pillows over herself. It's dark in here - perhaps Kotetsu and Izumo won't pay much notice to the bed.

The bathroom light comes on, filtering through the sheets, and Tenten hears Neji unlock the door, swinging it open. "I'd appreciate not being woken up in the middle of the night," he tells his teammates dryly.

"Sorry - had too much to drink last night," Izumo explains. One of them pads into the room, and closes the door to the bathroom. Light stops shining in through Tenten's blanket.

"Someone else in bed?" Kotetsu asks blearily. Tenten stiffens.

"That doesn't concern you," Neji replies, a hint of tension in his voice.

Kotetsu snickers. "I'll bet that's Tenten you were sleeping with," he suggests.

Tenten winces. It sounds far worse than it actually is - Neji had not laid a single finger on her through the entire night.

"Kotetsu," Neji says warningly. "You'd do well to keep your speculations to yourself."

"After all you said about asking her if she's off-limits-"

"Kotetsu," Neji repeats impatiently. "You're reading too much into this."

The bathroom door swings open then, accompanied by the gurgle of the toilet flushing.

"See, she's clearly in bed-" Kotetsu points out.

Neji sighs. "She's armed right now. Finish your business here and get out," he tells Kotetsu shortly. "I don't want to have to explain blood stains on the carpet."

There's a brief moment of silence. Tenten smirks. _Damn straight,_ she thinks to Neji.

"I don't envy you, Captain," Kotetsu says at length, and the bathroom door swings shut once again.

"Sorry," Izumo mutters to Neji soon after. "It was only the couch or the bed by the time we got back to the suite. Figured you'd rather have the bed."

"Don't worry about it," Neji tells him tiredly. "Just take Kotetsu and let me sleep in peace."

Another long silence stretches between them.

"Neji?" Izumo asks quietly. Neji doesn't respond, so he continues, "What would you do if, well, if you don't see your best friend the way you should see a best friend?"

Tenten can imagine Neji's brow furrowing at this point. "I don't quite understand," Neji returns.

"Kotetsu- I- Fuck, we were drunk, but I- There were all these thoughts screwing with my head." A heavy sigh. "You probably don't want to hear the details."

"Probably not," Neji agrees. "I can't help you with relationship issues."

_Seeing as how he's screwing his up,_ Tenten thinks. She can just imagine Izumo flushing at Neji's words, and she contemplates stealing a peek at them, though the idea extinguishes itself when she realizes that it's probably too dark to see anything, anyway.

"He's my best friend," Izumo mutters, "I don't want to ruin it."

Tenten winces in sympathy. The toilet flushes then, and the bathroom door swings open, saving Neji from having to answer.

"Good luck," he tells Izumo, and waits until Kotetsu is out of the bedroom, before locking the door behind them. Tenten lies still, listening to him cross over to his side of the room. The mattress dips a little when he slips back under the covers. "You're probably still awake," he says quietly.

She doesn't answer, replacing her head on top of her pillow. There's no point trying to hide, anyway. No soldier goes to sleep in the presence of a threat. (Or in this case, a threat to her peace.)

"How would you have answered that?" Neji asks. He's looking up at the ceiling, just as she is.

She's grateful that she and Lee don't have an awkward relationship like the one between Izumo and Kotetsu. (Even if she isn't telling Lee the details about her and Neji.) Tenten shrugs, remembers Neji can't see her reaction. "No idea."

They spend the next few minutes in silence - she's a little too filled with adrenaline from the intrusion to feel tired quite yet.

"Thanks for keeping to your side of the bed," Tenten mutters eventually, figuring that Neji probably hasn't fallen back asleep, either.

He exhales quickly, as if stifling a laugh. "I thought you might prefer it that way."

Tenten raises an eyebrow. "Since when did you turn considerate?"

Neji looks away. "A while ago."

She frowns. "Why?"

He shrugs, a soft rustle of cloth against sheets. "Am I threat enough that you need to keep a pistol under your pillow?"

She can't stop herself from rolling her eyes. "I didn't intend to use it against you, though I will if I have to."

"That's reassuring," Neji says. Tenten snorts.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to sleep," she tells him, turning on her side.

"And if I don't excuse you?" he answers.

"You don't get a choice," Tenten retorts, though it doesn't feel as awkward with him next to her now.

"Guess I rarely do," Neji muses quietly, though Tenten stops replying to him after that.

* * *

"Tenten!" Lee bounds over the moment she steps out of the room, fully dressed and ready to go. "How are you this fine morning-"

He stops abruptly in front of the door, looking past her shoulder. Tenten raises an eyebrow at him, prepared for whatever's coming next.

"You shared a bed with Neji?" Lee goggles at the man behind her. "Neji! I trust that you behaved like a gentleman towards our Tenten!"

Further into the living room, Kotetsu snorts loudly.

Tenten steps away from Lee and closes her eyes for a short moment. "You took the armchair, Lee. I didn't have much of a choice there."

Lee's forehead crinkles as he stares back at her. "I'm sorry, Tenten! I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine. Save it. Nothing happened," she adds, sending a glower towards Neji's men.

The door to the other bedroom opens then, and Ino steps out, closely followed by Kiba. Tenten glances over at them - Ino is dressed in a pale blue sundress, complete with strapped sandals and a hat. Kiba, like the rest of them, is in a shirt and jeans, to maintain a low profile.

"Well, Tenten," Ino greets, looking between her, Neji, and the room they've just vacated.

Tenten drags a hand over her face. "Later, Ino."

Ino falls silent, looking speculatively at Neji. Kiba, however, pounces on the situation like a dog who's found a meaty bone.

"Never thought I'd see you heeding my advice, Lieutenant," he drawls, his eyes bouncing between her and Neji.

"Inuzuka," she grits, looking venomously at Kiba.

Kiba knows to take a hint sometimes, right now being one of them. "I'm ready for breakfast," he says instead, glancing at Neji.

Tenten snaps her fingers to signal for everyone's attention. "We're leaving for breakfast in ten minutes," she says. "The opening ceremony's in an hour, and then we'll proceed to the first event for today. Any questions?"

* * *

Ino falls into step next to her shortly after they've left the suite. "So, Ten," she whispers, waiting until they've lagged some distance behind the men. "What happened last night?"

Tenten grimaces. "I've been questioned by everyone else already, Ino."

"But none of them know about you and Neji," Ino reasons, glancing at the group ahead of them.

"Thanks for not telling them," Tenten mutters.

"It's not like it's much of a secret anymore, though," Ino muses. "Seeing as how you slept together last night."

"We didn't sleep together," Tenten protests. "Next to each other, yes. I told you, that was just a one-night stand."

Ino rolls her eyes. "We can all see the sexual tension sparking between you guys."

Tenten looks sourly away. "All we did last night was sleep. There's nothing going on between Hyuuga and I."

Ino hums, sends her a considering glance. "So, what happened after dinner?"

Tenten purses her lips, remembers that Ino was the first to return to the hotel. "We had target practice."

"But you didn't return with Kiba and Lee," Ino points out. "Kiba said you and Neji left for more shooting practice."

She rolls her shoulders. "That's what we did. He bought me rounds."

Ino's shapely eyebrows inch up her forehead. "He knows the way to your heart," she deduces.

Tenten narrows her eyes. Ino isn't right - is she? Neji couldn't have known the joy that overflowed in her chest at being presented with two entire boxes of ammo. "Don't be silly, Ino. It was just practice."

"Says you," Ino returns. "What happened after practice?"

Tenten sighs. There isn't a way to escape from Ino's interrogation, really. "We returned to the suite," she answers. Lying by omission isn't quite the same as lying through her teeth. "And found just the double bed empty. Was that your doing?"

Ino pulls a face at the note of accusation in her voice. "Whoa there, Ten. All I did was pull Kiba into a room. Besides, aren't you glad for the privacy with Neji, hmm?"

She winces. _Guess Lee took the armchair without really thinking, then._ "I'd rather be sleeping in the armchair."

Ino rolls her eyes. "I bet you wouldn't sing that tune while he's in the middle of giving you a mind-blowing orgasm."

Tenten pinches her nose. She doesn't need distractions like that right now. "Like I said before, Ino, there isn't anything going on between us."

"If you say so, Ten," Ino relents, still smiling. "Want me to get anything for you while I'm off shopping today?"

* * *

The first day of the shooting party passes in a flurry - Ino attends the opening ceremony with Hawk and Dragon platoons, slipping away soon after to get started on her shopping. Tenten finds herself mildly entertained by the ceremony - full of marching bands and parades and people dancing along the roads - nothing to shoot at.

The first event grabs her full attention, however. Team Dragon-Hawk does well on the twenty-five-yard targets - but then again, anyone on her team can shoot accurately at a stationary target from that distance.

It is close to sunset by the time they're done with the two events that afternoon. Tenten leads her team towards the food establishments, having sent Ino directions to the restaurant they're having dinner at.

The pile of bags Ino hefts along with her stops them all in their tracks - Tenten gapes at the various plastic carriers the blonde has slung over her shoulders and on her arms, wondering at the sheer strength of her friend. Kiba and Lee race forward to help her with the bags, while the rest of them remain staring.

"How did you manage to shop like that?" Tenten sputters, her jaw still hanging slack. She's never been on a shopping trip with Ino before - it's a miracle that her friend hasn't been robbed or kidnapped yet.

Ino sends her a smug grin. "Trust me, Ten, you haven't seen anything yet."

Tenten thinks her mind broke a little trying to imagine Ino with any more bags than she already has. "Do you really need that many clothes?"

"Yes," Ino grins. "There's lots of space left in my closet, too."

Tenten doesn't see how that's even possible. They end up loading Ino's bags onto the _Silver Blade_, before heading back to the restaurant for dinner.

"How was the competition?" Ino asks, after they've settled down at the food establishment of Tenten's choice, plied with drinks and menus.

Tenten gives a little shrug. "We've placed in the top twenty out of four hundred teams. I was expecting better, but I guess we've got plenty of good opponents around."

The competition averages the scores of each participant on a team - despite having teammates who don't do as well in accuracy, Tenten can't see herself kicking them off her team just for the sake of winning the competition. That isn't _Konoha_'s motto, after all.

"We'll do better tomorrow than we did today!" Lee exclaims, and Tenten grins at him. His very words are Captain Gai's attitude towards life.

"Anyway, dinner is Hyuuga's treat," Tenten reminds them, and Ino elbows her.

"You didn't tell me how this came about," the blonde accuses playfully.

Tenten grins. "I won a match against him last night. We have witnesses," she answers, nodding towards the rest of the table. Neji watches her from the other end of the table, but says nothing. Ino smiles.

"Guess you should do that more often, huh?" she asks.

Tenten rolls her eyes. "I doubt we'd get that lucky. Ask Hyuuga yourself."

"No," Neji answers just as quickly. "As team leader, you should be the one giving us a treat."

All eyes return to her, and Tenten glowers at him, knowing that he's backed her into a corner she can't escape. "I'll give you guys a treat if we win," she compromises, only to be met by various complaints along the table. "Well, you guys need some incentive to do well, no?"

Tenten decides not to pick the most expensive item on the menu - she might still be sharing a bed with Neji, if her luck runs out tonight. Besides, he probably wouldn't want to bed down with Lee. Tenten shoves that image out of her mind.

"Have you decided on something?" Tenten asks Ino, when the blonde closes her menu.

"Yeah. Salad," Ino replies. "Plus a side of fish."

"Salad again?" Tenten repeats in disbelief. "We go to a Chinese place, and you get salad?"

Ino rolls her eyes. "The Chinese stuff is for you, Ten. Besides, veggies are good for us."

Tenten thinks back on her choice of shrimp dumplings and steamed pork-and-spinach buns, and shakes her head. "I've got enough veggies, thanks."

Ino clicks her tongue. "Veggies help maintain your figure, you know."

"I don't need to maintain my figure," Tenten grouses, lowering her tone.

"Yes, you do," Ino hisses back, and sends a pointed look towards Neji, who's watching their exchange amusedly. "You need to look good in bed, Ten."

Tenten flushes a dark red.

"Why am I sitting next to you?" she mutters, dipping her chin and slipping a hand over her forehead, to shield her burning cheeks from Neji.

"Because you need tips, girlfriend. Thank me later," Ino whispers back.

The rest of dinner passes uneventfully (Tenten tries not to express her delight with the shrimp dumplings - the comment last night from Neji had been enough), though she smiles while eating her dumplings anyway, and catches Neji stealing a glance at her. Tenten wipes the grin from her face, turns her attention to Lee, and plucks a piece of chicken from his bowl.

"We don't eat together often enough, Tenten," Lee says, and Tenten smiles at him.

"Yeah. I'm usually eating with Ino, anyway," she replies.

Lee beams at them both. "Perhaps I can join you and Ino sometime?" he asks.

Tenten shrugs, glancing at the blonde. "Sure, you might get bored with our youthful conversations, though."

"About training?" Lee queries, and Tenten bites a smile down.

"No, not all youthful conversations are about training," she tells him. Ino talks about guys she's been sleeping with sometimes, and clothes and her research at others. "We talk about clothes too."

Lee brightens at that. "I have a spare set of spandex that I've never worn, Ino, would you like that?"

Tenten, and Neji, who's sitting on the other end of the table, both cringe at his suggestion. Neji probably still remembers the time Captain Gai forced them into those unsightly one-piece suits. Ino gives Lee an uncertain smile - no one forgets seeing their friends in green spandex.

"Um, sure, Lee, why not?" Ino replies. Tenten looks at her in horror, glancing at Neji. He's wearing an expression of utmost distaste.

Tenten leans over and whispers in Ino's ear, "If you've had any hope of laying Hyuuga, you've just dashed it to bits."

Ino whispers back, "Doesn't mean I'm necessarily wearing it, idiot."

"Just look at his face," Tenten answers, and Ino sneaks a glance at Neji, only to have her shoulders sag. Tenten stifles her grin. "You'll find another chance to someday," she consoles Ino.

Lee looks between them both, concern all over his features. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no, you're fine, Lee," Tenten answers quickly.

"Would you rather have the armchair bed tonight?" Lee asks then, and Tenten freezes, feeling all eyes at the table swivel towards her. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you last night, Tenten!"

There isn't any way to avoid answering his question, not when all of them are going to know her choice by tomorrow, anyway. Tenten pulls her lower lip into her mouth, biting uneasily on it. She doesn't dare glance at Neji. It really wasn't that bad, sharing the bed with him.

Acutely aware that every additional moment of silence just works to count against her, Tenten parts her lips. If it boils down to sex - she doesn't quite mind sharing the bed, to be completely honest. "I, um, I think the bed is going to be better for my back, actually. I've been having backaches recently."

It's a bald-faced lie - and Lee buys it. (But no one else does.)

"I'm sorry to hear about that, Tenten! I didn't realize it! I'm sorry!" Lee cries, and Tenten tries to mold her expression into something resembling discomfort from having a backache. "But Neji - he's going to be sharing-"

Tenten doesn't know if it can get any more awkward than this. She glances at Ino - the blonde lifts an eyebrow at her, that says very clearly, _You're sleeping with him, Ten_.

Tenten drags a hand across her face.

"The suite is under my card and name," Neji says, narrowing his eyes. "I get to decide where I'm sleeping - and I prefer the bed."

_Damn it._ Whether Neji's sealed her fate for the better or worse, Tenten doesn't know. All she knows is that the unease in her gut is making her just a little nauseous. And she doesn't want to look at Neji.

Ino stares gleefully at her.

Chaos breaks out at the table when Neji signals for the bill; Tenten rubs her temples - she's going to get a headache from this soon.

"I trust that Neji will remain honorable towards you," Lee whispers to her.

Tenten doesn't trust herself to say anything. She closes her eyes, nods.

Kotetsu elbows Neji, and Kiba looks over at Tenten, like a dog being offered a bone. "You can't hide stuff like that from me, Tenten, it's so obvious that you're finally-"

She glowers at him, and stands abruptly from the table. "I need some fresh air. For my back."

Ino is the one to hurry after her as she leaves the restaurant, waiting outside while Neji settles the bill. "Hey, Ten - sorry. That was a little too much," Ino admits.

Tenten sighs heavily, lets her shoulders fall. "It's not just your fault, Ino."

It's night by now, and the rows of restaurants are bustling with business. Tenten stares blankly at the crowds around, wondering how she'd be able to get everyone off her back about Neji.

Ino links arms with her and drags her away from the restaurant, turning so they're facing the door, and will know when the rest exit. "You're sleeping with him, aren't you?" she asks.

Tenten grimaces. "For the most part, no."

The blonde frowns. "But you do have sex with him once in a while, is what you're saying."

She hesitates before answering. "Essentially, yes."

"So, not a one-night stand. Are you interested in him?" is Ino's next question.

"No." Tenten shrugs then, glancing towards her friend. "Can we get out of this place for a bit?"

"Sure." Ino pulls her computer out, tapping a quick message. "I told the rest of them that we're going for a walk."

"Thanks," Tenten replies gratefully, and allows Ino to lead her away into the streets, mingling with the rest of the crowd. She doesn't want to tell Ino about the walk last night, or her conversation with Neji this morning - it probably isn't relevant in the long run, anyway. "How are you and Kiba doing?"

"Good, good." Ino shrugs, turning to her with an easy smile. "Wanna do some shopping?"

Tenten stops and stares at Ino. "More shopping? Aren't you done for the day?"

"Well, I'm done for today, yes," Ino answers thoughtfully. "But there's something called retail therapy, you know? Buy things and it'll make you feel happy."

"I think that applies more to you," Tenten mutters, but follows as Ino leads her through the crowds, to shops that are tucked away on little streets.

"I think you'd rather look at the things that go _bang_," Ino tells her. Tenten purses her lips, and Ino grins, knowing she's hit the right answer. "I saw a few firearm shops while I was wandering around today."

Much to her surprise, Tenten relaxes soon after they step into the first weapons shop - there aren't just guns here, however. Traditional oriental weapons hang from the walls in numerous racks, some of which she's never seen before.

"How'd you find this place?" she asks Ino. "I've never seen this during all the times I've been to Gliese Beta."

Ino gives her a smug grin. "You're the sort that grabs things in a store and goes right out - you hardly poke around the quiet alleys. And that's where I come in."

"Ever the consummate shopper, Ino," Tenten agrees, stopping by a rack with what appears to be ancient Japanese weapons - throwing stars, and pointed daggers with cloth-wrapped handles and a ring at the end. "I wonder what this is for."

Ino stands around while she looks over the selection, intrigued by the sheer variety of pointed objects. There are the once-popular weapons, like nunchucks and swords, though Tenten finds her attention drawn to intricately-painted explosive tags and sickles attached to metal chains.

"Feels as if I share some kind of history with them," she mutters, shrugging. Perhaps her ancestors had used these.

They spend close to an hour in the store, and Ino types again on her computer while Tenten surveys the variety of swords and spears, twirling the pointed dagger from before on her finger.

"Don't hurt yourself with that," Ino warns, though Tenten angles a smile at her.

"I don't just have an affinity for guns, it seems," she says, tossing the dagger into the air, and catching it deftly.

Ino shakes her head, smiling fondly at her. "Well, Ten, your next babysitter is here."

"Babysitter?" she echos, almost offended.

"See you later." Ino turns, waving to someone else. "All yours!"

"Huh?" Tenten looks around, frowning, though all she sees are the tips of Ino's blond hair, and Neji walking towards her, carrying a large bag of bottles. "What're you doing here?" she blurts.

Neji shrugs, coming to stand next to her. "Yamanaka said you needed someone watching over you."

Tenten grimaces, and makes a mental note to shake Ino for this, or something. "Well, I don't need a babysitter," she tells him dryly. The bag of bottles nags at her attention; she glances between them and Neji. "What are those?"

Neji shrugs nonchalantly, sets the bag of bottles down. "Conditioner."

"That many?" Tenten tries to stifle her smile and doesn't quite succeed. Of all the people she knows, Neji probably goes through the most hair conditioner, period.

He looks almost balefully at her. "You'd know the volume required if you condition your hair before shampooing."

Tenten isn't able to hold her grin down this time. She sees him clearly in her mind, standing in the bath and spending forever working that stuff into his hair. "No, I don't. I shampoo first," she tells him, amused to no end.

Neji folds his arms and looks away.

"Where are the rest?" Tenten asks after a while. She's all but forgotten her embarrassment from dinner - Ino's retail therapy actually worked.

"Yamanaka's gone to join Kiba and Lee back in the suite. Izumo and Kotetsu are hanging around somewhere," Neji replies, observing the dagger she's gone back to twirling. "You've taken a liking to _kunai_?"

"Is that what it's called?" Tenten glances down at her dagger with a frown. "How do you know stuff like that, anyway?"

He shrugs lightly, following the circular trajectory of the weapon. "I was taught to use it when I first began physical combat training."

She didn't know that about him. Neji has to be referring to when the Hyuuga started his martial arts lessons. Imagine if _she_'d learned to fight at that age. "That isn't fair," she tells him, her tone casual.

"There are disadvantages to being born in my family," Neji reminds her, tucking a lock of hair behind his ear.

She sees that familiar green tattoo then, half-hidden behind his earlobe, and drops her gaze, remembering the way he was when she first knew him. "I guess you have a point."

Neji trails back to the rack of daggers, picking out an identical _kunai_. "Do you want lessons on its usage?" he offers.

Tenten's eyes grow wide. _Neji_'s volunteering to teach her stuff? "Why would I need lessons? Isn't it similar to an ordinary dagger?"

He lifts a shoulder. "It's more durable defending against head-on strikes. You can change their trajectory with wires tied to the rings."

She absorbs this information quietly, catching the dagger in her palm. Learning to use a new weapon promises fun, even if it wouldn't really provide much defense against pulse guns. And even if Neji's the one imparting that information to her. "Just one lesson," she allows.

Neji picks out another two _kunai_ from the rack, handing them all to her. "Are you buying these?"

"Sure." Because there's certainly nothing wrong with adding more weapons to her collection on this trip. Tenten smiles to herself, bringing the daggers over to the cashier.

Neji is waiting by the door of the shop when she's done, and she follows him back out onto the street, being sure to note the location of the shop for future purchases.

"Why even offer me lessons?" Tenten asks, as they follow the river of people along the streets. "You've never done that."

He shrugs, continues looking forward. Glaring neon signboards light the street ahead of them, that is packed with people. "We've trained together before."

Tenten purses her lips. "That was a long time ago. What's your real motive, Hyuuga?"

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you," he says mildly, and provides no further explanation.

She rolls her eyes. "You're hiding something."

"Don't we all?" Neji returns, slanting a look at her.

Tenten blinks, and wonders what she's hiding from him. Her attraction? Her disappointment, that he's so different from who he used to be? Her confusion? Surely Neji is aware of the last, at least. He smirks when she doesn't have an answer for him.

"It's been a long day," she tells him instead, blinking tiredly. "We'll have to wake up early tomorrow."

At least she's got it across to everyone that she's sharing the bed with Neji tonight. Tenten narrows her eyes. And nothing is going to happen between them. She'll make sure of it.

The strains of loud, off-key singing reaches their ears as they near the hotel. Tenten looks around warily, and raises an eyebrow at the figures of Kotetsu and Izumo by the stone fountain in front of the Blue Mountain. From the look of it, there are several more beer cans around them, and the men have their arms around each other; Kotetsu's head is on Izumo's shoulder.

Neji pinches his nose. "They aren't usually drunk on their days off," he mutters.

They approach the men slowly, and Tenten stills when Izumo stops singing and presses a kiss to Kotetsu's cheek.

"Um," she blurts. "Isn't that a private moment?"

The kiss somehow transforms into a full-out, mouth-to-mouth snog, and Neji plasters a hand across his face.

"I did not need to see that," he says in an undertone.

Tenten winces. "Neither did I."

(Ino, no doubt, would have loved to be privy to this piece of juicy gossip.)

But there's something vaguely captivating about the men kissing; after the exchange between Izumo and Neji this morning, Tenten can't help but stare at them, and wonder if this is something both of them would have wanted, were they sober. Would this end up changing their friendship?

Had Neji been thinking about kissing her last night?

Tenten frowns and blinks rapidly, wondering where that thought came from. Neji couldn't possibly be interested in her. She stares unseeingly at Izumo and Kotetsu, remembering Neji's proximity, his warmth, and his breath on her lips. The distance had not been unwelcome - just confusing. Close to a decade ago, she would've been overjoyed to have Neji kiss her.

Now? Tenten can't decide. She doesn't like him that way, after all. All she feels is physical attraction.

But she wonders what his lips would feel like against hers.

"We should probably bring them back, in case they get into trouble," she tells Neji, who sighs and steps forward.

Kotetsu leans back a little too far, and splashes into the fountain, dragging Izumo with him in another great splash. Neji sets his bag of conditioner down, strides up, and hauls both men out of the water, using his knee as leverage on the lip of the stone basin. Tenten shakes her head when they emerge, coughing and sputtering.

She slowly approaches Hawk Platoon, watching as Neji glowers down at his men, arms folded across his chest.

"You're drunk," he tells them. "We're going back."

"We aren't drunk," Kotetsu whines, and looks around for Izumo, before hugging him comically.

Tenten purses her lips. "Actually, they're kind of cute like that," she observes.

Neji raises an eyebrow at her. "And you're the one losing your mind when someone makes suggestions about us," he reminds her dryly.

She looks away from him then, embarrassed. "Well, we do know that Izumo has feelings for Kotetsu," Tenten reasons.

Neji raises a brow at her, and she frowns. "Did I say something wrong?" she asks.

"No, you didn't," he acknowledges, turning back towards his teammates.

"You love her, Neji," Kotetsu points out, a silly grin on his face.

Neji freezes, pinches the bridge of his nose. "You're drunk, Kotetsu. Let's head back now."

Tenten frowns. That couldn't be the truth, could it? Why else would Neji have been doing all sorts of crap to her? She trails behind as he guides his men back to the hotel, bag of conditioner back in hand.

Sure, he's blackmailed her - but only for sex, something she already views as a commodity. And he actually asked when he wanted to have control over her. On all occasions, she responded to him and wanted to screw him anyway, even if she's tried denying it.

He gave up his copy of her pictures in the lab, whereas she'd gone and lost _her_ copy of his surveillance video. And he doesn't resent her for it. He gave her updates on Kiba during the Aesis mission, when she wasn't the leader and didn't require that information to carry her part out. He's held off on approaching her for sex. He bought her rounds, and didn't even touch her last night. Then there was the offer of weaponry lessons just earlier. Do all these mean that Neji is in love with her? Right at this moment?

_Well, this is awkward._

Tenten snaps out of her thoughts when they reach the suite. Neji looks back at her, where she's been trailing behind, and holds the door open for her until she's stepped in.

"Go to sleep," he tells Kotetsu and Izumo. The hideaway bed has been tidied, and is conveniently folded open, ready for sleeping in.

Lee is snoring on the fold-out bed in the armchair, limbs hanging haphazardly off the mattress, and the door to the other bedroom is shut tight once again. Tenten waits in silence as Kotetsu and Izumo lumber towards the couch, before flopping gracelessly onto the mattress, wet hair plastered all over their faces. The springs squeak beneath them. It isn't long before they're fast asleep, still with their shoes on.

At the sound of their even breathing, Neji turns out most of the lights in the suite, and nods towards the bedroom, where he's stashed his bag of conditioner. Tenten follows him in.

Unwilling to wait through the time he takes to condition his hair, Tenten grabs her overnight bag, heading for the bathroom. "I'm showering first."

She leaves him standing at the desk, looking down pensively, as if deep in thought. The bathroom door seals her into the well-lit bathroom, and she strips quickly, stepping into the shower.

The idea of Neji in love just doesn't strike her as probable. In all her years of knowing him, Tenten has never seen him expressing interest towards anyone. Did something occur while he was at the Orion cluster? Why else would he begin blackmailing her? She hasn't heard any nasty tales about him doing the same to others from Ino - the blonde would be quick to inform her if she knew.

"You look preoccupied," Neji comments when she exits the bathroom. He's seated at the desk now, typing away on his computer.

Tenten shrugs, deposits her bag on the floor next to her side of the bed. "What happened while you were at the Orion cluster?"

"A number of missions. Would you like me to rank them by importance?" Neji offers. He stands and steps over to his own duffel bag, pulling his shower necessities out.

"Something changed you," Tenten says quietly, watching him.

"And you've changed as well, haven't you?" he asks, pausing at the bathroom door to glance at her. There's an intensity in his pale eyes that makes her stomach flip.

"I don't think I did," she answers, and he smiles vaguely at her, before closing the bathroom door behind him.

What is with all his half-assed answers, anyway? Tenten frowns to herself, and slips into bed, tugging the covers over herself more forcefully than she needs to. She's tucked her handgun beneath her pillow again, out of habit.

Her thoughts drift as she lies in bed, just a little tired, but not enough for her to fall asleep immediately. Is Neji capable of feeling love? Does he feel something towards her?

He steps out of the bathroom half an hour later, bringing a wave of humid air into the bedroom. Tenten glances at him, at the same time he flicks his gaze at her. "Not asleep yet?" Neji asks.

"Well, I can't sleep not knowing what you're going to do once you get in bed," she tells him wryly. Neji raises an eyebrow.

"I was thinking of sleeping," he answers plainly.

Tenten doesn't know if she believes him, so she watches as he puts his clothes and shower things away, before joining her beneath the sheets. Unlike the day before, he doesn't keep his hair bundled up; Neji unwinds the towel from around his head and covers the pillow with it, before gingerly lying down, spreading his hair across the towel.

"Wow," Tenten remarks. "You've turned that into an art."

He exhales quickly, smiling. "I wasn't aware that you'd find my actions entertaining."

"I do not," she informs him, glancing quickly back up at the ceiling.

"You have a backache?" Neji asks after a pause. He looks at her from the corner of his eye.

Tenten bites her lip then. She'd be outright lying if she admitted to it. If she answers in the negative, then it would be obvious that she wanted to share the bed for a different reason. And she isn't about to lose her pride.

"What's it to you?" she returns guardedly.

Neji shrugs, looks at the ceiling. "I was going to offer a back massage."

Her eyebrows seem to have migrated across her forehead and into her hairline. "Are you an impostor?" she asks. Stares at him. "The Hyuuga I know never offers a massage."

He flicks his eyes at her. "I'm not an impostor."

"Tell me something about me that no one else knows," she challenges, frowning.

Neji hesitates for a moment, thinking. "You led the truffle mission when we were fourteen. I was shot in the leg."

Tenten falls silent then. She has not expected him to remember much from their trainee cell days. "Another fact," she adds, disbelieving.

"I dislocated your shoulder when we were fifteen. You took three months to recover," is Neji's reply.

She winces. Just thinking about that injury makes her shoulder hurt. He is Neji, without a doubt. Different, yet perhaps still the same in some ways? Tenten ruminates on the thought.

"Are you interested in the massage, or not?" he asks.

It's difficult to refuse a luxury like that. Tenten shuts her eyes so he wouldn't be able to read her, and nods. "Yeah."

"Lie on your front, then," he proposes, and she grudgingly squirms, so her face is buried in her now-damp pillow, wet hair parted to either side of her neck.

Neji shifts closer to her, pushing the sheets down to her waist. She feels the heat of his body radiate at her side and mumbles, "Don't try anything funny, Hyuuga, I'm armed."

"I wouldn't dare," he answers, and presses his thumbs into either side of her spine, just beneath her neck.

Tenten moans at the pressure, involuntarily closing her eyes, and what follows for the better part of half an hour is Neji's palms and knuckles kneading into her back, making their way down and up in slow circles, slowly spreading to her shoulders, and then closing in at the small of her back.

She feels herself approaching the haziness of sleep, when Neji asks, "Where is your back really aching?"

Tenten mumbles an incoherent response, turns her head heavily to the side.

The question slips from her tongue before she thinks to stop it. "Are you in love?"

Neji's hands still on her back, and he draws away, slipping back beneath the covers. He pulls the sheets up over both of them. "Does it matter?" he asks. The lights in the room go out, surrounding them in a blanket of darkness.

She doesn't think much of his reply, letting her eyes slide shut. Until she feels his hand rest on her hip, easing her slowly onto her side, so her back faces him.

Neji curls an arm around her waist, hugs her to his chest.

Tenten snaps awake then with a snuffle, and stiffens. "What're you doing, Hyuuga?" she demands, looking unseeingly at the door.

"Attempting to sleep," he answers.

"This isn't..." she trails off when she realizes that this is all there is to it - an unfamiliar warmth curling around her, that is inexplicably comfortable at the same time.

Tenten swallows thickly. She really should pull away from him. She tenses her muscles and raises herself inches away from his frame - Neji makes no move to stop her - before she realizes that she's never actually experienced intimacy like that. Her previous boyfriends (from short, inconsequential relationships) slept beside her, but never this way.

One night couldn't hurt, could it?

She lowers herself back to him, her heart thudding against her ribs. Her body feels entirely too relaxed after Neji's massage. He smells like conditioner and soap, and Tenten slowly allows the tension to seep away from her body. Neji doesn't say anything else, so she doesn't either, unwilling to initiate conversation when his heat lulls her towards slumber.

He falls asleep long after she does that night.

* * *

_A/N: Lots of stuff happened in this chapter. ;) In particular, I wanted to address...  
(1) KotetsuIzumo - yes, it is happening. ;) You received warning the previous chapter. This is pretty much the worst of it in Blackmail though.  
(2) The backache - so hilarious omg.  
(3) If you missed the Naruto weaponry references, shame on you ;)  
(4) and the fluff - who didn't like the fluff?!_

_Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! As always, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. :) It was recently brought to my attention that Blackmail actually comes up as a topic of discussion between friends - I had no idea and never thought that would actually happen omg! :O_


	27. 24: Gliese Beta - The Third Day

_This chapter. Ha. Haha. Hahaha._

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **This fic is rated for mature audiences only - read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail  
**

**Chapter 24: Gliese Beta - The Third Day**

_Gliese Beta, Jan 13, 2031, 0348 hrs_

They wake to the sound of loud knocking on the bedroom door, all over again. Tenten snaps awake, hears the familiar yells about needing to pee, and pulls her pillow onto her head with a groan.

Until she realizes that there's a distinct warmth all along her back, behind her legs, and around her waist. Tenten wakes up fully then, jerking upright. The weight around her waist falls away.

"The hell?" she mutters, looking over to find Neji watching her, his pale eyes almost luminescent in the shadows of the room.

"You didn't seem to mind last night," he explains, and Tenten purses her lips, blinking quickly. What happened last night?

The knocking transitions into desperate hammering, and Neji sighs, pulling himself out of bed to answer the door. He flicks the bathroom light on.

She's in too much shock to lie back down, or pretend to be asleep.

"About time you answered," Kotetsu tells Neji as the door swings open. "We were knocking forever out here-"

Tenten realizes the moment in which the attentions of all three men focus on her, because Kotetsu stops talking, and it is painfully silent in the room.

"What is it?" she snaps, glowering at them. "I was trying to sleep here."

"I wasn't expecting you to be dressed," Kotetsu blurts, gaping at her. Tenten feels a little too underdressed in her tank top, all of a sudden.

Neji rubs his temples.

"Why the _fuck_ would you not think I'll be dressed?" Tenten hisses, irate. She catches the slight movement of Neji's fingers, and abruptly remembers that he spent the night sleeping wrapped around her. Heat prickles on her cheeks. "How many times do I fucking have to tell you that nothing fucking happened?"

Izumo winces, and Kotetsu makes his way to the bathroom under her deadly glare. It is only when the bathroom door closes, and the light stops shining in her face, that Tenten lets her shoulders sag. There's ample quiet when Kotetsu isn't around - something she appreciates to no end.

"Neji," Izumo mutters, almost too softly for Tenten to hear, "I don't remember how we got back to the suite last night-"

"We found you at the fountain downstairs," Neji answers dryly. "You and Kotetsu both fell in. I hauled you out and we returned to the suite."

"And that's the sanitized version," Tenten grumbles, still a little too annoyed by the rude awakening to prefer diplomacy.

"You mean-" Izumo inhales sharply.

She can almost hear the cogs in his mind turning. Neji makes no move to stop her, so Tenten continues, "You guys were snogging before you fell into the fountain."

Izumo freezes, and claps a heavy hand onto his face. The room is silent for a long while, until the toilet flushes noisily behind the door. "Well, thanks... for rescuing us," he says at length, "And not mentioning it to Kotetsu."

Tenten almost feels a wave of sympathy for him. "Yeah, well, just make him stop with all his speculations about us," she informs Izumo. "And get out so I can sleep."

With that, she collapses back into bed, pulling the sheets over her head.

The bathroom door swings open; Kotetsu makes his way out of the room, and Izumo claims his turn in the bathroom. In the silence that follows, Tenten remembers snatches of the previous night - the massage, and Neji pulling her against himself.

Her pulse quickens. Just what is he trying to do? Sleeping with him had been more comfortable than she'd expected - it almost felt safe with him at her back, and she slept better than she did the previous night. She doesn't need Neji for anything, damn it!

Tenten is vaguely aware of the bathroom door opening, and Neji locking the bedroom door once more. Moments later, he climbs into bed and keeps his distance somewhere behind her. _Is this love? Is any of this love?_

Her thoughts grind to a halt when the mattress shifts behind her, and Neji is at her back again. He slips a warm arm around her waist, pulls her against his chest. Tenten catches a sharp breath.

"What are you doing?" she mutters, her pulse thudding.

"What you seemed to enjoy," he says quietly into her hair.

She can almost feel his heart beating into her back. Neji is all hard muscle and strength, and Tenten swallows, remembering times when they were clothed in far less, and it was him in her, driving her to incoherence.

"I'm not buying that," she tells him. "What is your motive?"

"Returning to sleep," Neji answers. His finger brushes tantalizingly over her belly, where her tank top has ridden up, and Tenten inhales, listens to the pounding of her heart. She isn't going to be able to sleep like that, damn it.

"Nice of you to keep me awake while you do," she grits, biting hard on her lip. This really isn't the time to be thinking about his touch.

"Am I keeping you awake?" he asks, smoothing a thumb over her middle. His finger dips into her belly button, and eases further up her tank top. Neji trails his fingers over her breasts, and her nipples harden. "You haven't told me to stop this at all."

It feels good - very good. Tenten winces. She is so screwed.

"I- Your hand is distracting," she fumbles, and swallows dryly when he rolls her nipples between his fingers. The memory of him stroking further down slips into her mind.

"You're breathing unevenly," Neji observes. Tenten thinks she hears the smirk in his tone. "And you aren't pushing me away. That really only means one thing, Lieutenant."

"What-" She gulps. It's growing far too warm between her thighs. "What do you mean?"

"You're aware of your desires," Neji tells her, his breath against the back of her neck. "All you have to do is say the word."

Tenten flushes. _He knows._ There's a low, hungry throb pulsing in her groin, and it's all his fault. "Please," she whispers, mortified that she's reduced to this, to begging him, but the thought goes away soon after, when Neji withdraws his arm and slips his thumb into her waistband, pushing her pants down. She lifts her hip off the mattress to help with the removal of her garments.

"I didn't think you'd leave your panties off," he murmurs in her ear, and Tenten shivers, allowing him to leave her pants bunched around her thighs.

Neji's touch, as always, is slow and certain, when he smooths his palm over her bottom, following its cleft down. He skims the hair at the juncture of her legs, just where she wants his touch most. Tenten gasps, pushes her hips at him, and Neji responds by finding the seam of her flesh with his fingertips, following it up to her swollen nub. She arches, groans.

His fingers sink wetly into her, moving within her with arousing familiarity, and Tenten shudders at the tension that he winds into her body, when he touches her both inside and out at the same time. It has been too long since they've done anything, and she gives him control of her body, whimpering when he removes his fingers from her, when she's moments away from approaching the edge.

"Neji," she gasps - it's worked before, and it'll work again - he returns his touch with twice the pressure, and she clenches hard around him when harsh, blinding sensation tears through her body. Tenten barely stifles her groan.

Neji is hard against her when she pulls her pants back on, and he scoops her against his body, though he doesn't say a word, and Tenten falls asleep soon after, dreaming of similar heated nights they've shared.

* * *

Lee's greeting is just as exuberant as before when dawn rolls around, and Tenten steps out of the bedroom without Neji in tow.

"Good morning, Tenten!" he yells; she looks warily at the sleeping figures of Kotetsu and Izumo in the couch-bed, wondering if they'd be too hung over to participate in the shooting competition today.

"Morning, Lee," she greets in return, glancing at his outfit. He's wearing a track suit, as she is, and Tenten can feel her muscles crying for a stretch. "Are we going jogging?"

"I was going to go myself if you weren't awake yet," he beams, glancing towards the open bedroom door. "Do you know if Neji would like to join us?"

She follows his gaze, and looks back at Lee. "Nah. He's in the bathroom. Let's go."

The morning air of Gliese Beta is crisp and fresh, and Tenten feels herself shedding her questions from the previous night. It is too beautiful a day to wonder about Neji's motivations, after all, so she jogs next to Lee, while he extols the beauty of the lush plants and the colorful sunrise, full of reds and golds and blues. There is hardly anyone around; she's brought a tracking device, a gun, and her earpiece along, just in case.

"How is your back?" Lee asks suddenly, shooting her a glance as they pass rows of closed shops, metal shutters rolled down over store fronts that were brightly lit just hours ago.

It takes Tenten a while to remember what he's talking about. When she does, guilt nags in her gut, for lying to her best friend - who fakes a backache to share a bed with some guy? (Not just any guy, but the one she's had copious amounts of history with.) "It- It's slowly getting better," she fibs. "The bed helped a lot, thanks."

Lee beams at her. "You aren't as angry with Neji these days, Tenten. I trust that he treated you well last night."

"Treated well" is right. Tenten fights a blush down, and stares ahead, her feet pounding on the pavement. "He did well enough," she tells Lee flatly.

"Are you not as angry with him because your trainee team finally beat his?" Lee asks. "It's my guess that he's humbled by his defeat. I always knew you would triumph over him one day, Tenten!"

She cringes inwardly at his inspired speech, his fist raised with much confidence, though she hasn't the strength to even begin explaining any of what occurred between Neji and herself. Even if Lee correctly estimated when she'd lost her anger towards Neji - when her thumbdrive disappeared just before their trainee cells faced off in a simulation. Besides, Lee wouldn't forgive Neji for what he's done. And she doesn't need anyone to know how she's slept with Neji on multiple occasions - not that she was even counting them.

"I... Well, I don't know," she answers Lee at length. "He's the Captain on our tag-team missions now, and conflict will only jeopardize our missions."

"You're right!" Lee's eyes shine with admiration, and Tenten continues to jog - this isn't pushing her muscles hard enough, but they do have a tournament to win later today. "But... I have another question."

"What is it?" Tenten asks, raising an eyebrow at Lee's whisper.

"Do you still have a crush on Neji?" he asks.

This time, color rises to her cheeks. "No!" Tenten snaps. "I don't like him that way anymore. I've told you that multiple times, Lee."

But she remembers the way Neji has been trying to win her trust - because that's how his recent actions read to her - and wonders if he is infatuated with her instead. A crush would probably fade away with time, though, like hers did.

Somehow, the thought of his attention shifting to another person makes her uneasy, when it didn't before.

Tenten frowns at the pavement. What changed?

"I think Neji has a crush on you," Lee whispers to her, and Tenten almost trips.

"You think?" she asks uncertainly.

Lee nods solemnly, his hair bouncing with every step he takes. "He looks at you a lot."

The bottom of her stomach seems to have been sucked into a black hole. Tenten winces. "Are you sure? I didn't notice that."

He cocks his head to a side. "What did he say to you before sleeping, then?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Tenten mumbles, thinking back. "He hardly said anything at all."

Lee hums; his forehead crinkles. "He hasn't changed so much from our trainee days," he explains.

Tenten feels her jaw drop in disbelief. "You think?"

They're back at the hotel before Lee can answer, though, and he rubs his chin in thought, looking at Neji when they step into the suite.

Neji is seated at the coffee table with his computer, a hint of a frown on his face when he looks between Lee and Tenten. She quirks an eyebrow.

"We went for the most refreshing jog," Lee exclaims, "You should have been with us, Neji!"

Tenten looks askance at Lee. Is he out of his mind?

"No, thanks," Neji answers, and Tenten notices the deeper crease on his forehead when he next looks at her. "I don't need a cheerleading squad."

"Do you have a problem exercising with us?" she grumbles, unsettled by the residual unease that the conversation with Lee created. There's no way he has a crush on her, not with how he's staring at them with cool eyes. The discomfort within her grows.

"Read it as you will, Lieutenant," Neji returns, looking back at the holographic screen of his computer.

Annoyed by his flippant remark, Tenten glowers at him, and turns into the bedroom, grabbing her things to prepare for a shower.

* * *

They don't talk much for the rest of the day - the team somehow picks up on it, and even Kiba and Kotetsu hold off on making speculative remarks. Tenten finds that she enjoys the peace that the silence between her and Neji has somehow created, and doesn't think much about it, ordering practice sessions between rounds of shooting events as they move from one tent to another.

Team Dragon-Hawk has inched up to the top fifteen positions by the end of the day, and Tenten crosses her fingers, hoping for a better performance tomorrow, the third and final day of the competition. At this rate, it really doesn't seem as if the winning position is within their reach.

Her shoulders droop; she trudges along between Lee and Ino as they make their way towards dinner. Aside from shooting, today has been one unfortunate incident after another - first the conversation with Lee, that gave her unsettling ideas about Neji, then her deliberate falling out with Neji, to put some distance between them.

He hasn't quite initiated a conversation with her yet, though Tenten wonders where she's going to be sleeping tonight.

She does catch him angling glances at her, though, and is all the more uncertain for it.

They eventually head into a Japanese restaurant, by majority vote, and Tenten seats herself at the head of the table, flanked by Lee and Ino once again. She clears her throat when their drinks have been served and their orders taken.

"We're doing decently in the competition, which has been getting more challenging by the day," she informs them, sweeping her gaze around the table, and conveniently skipping over Neji. The first day had been stationary targets; the second, moving targets in the ranges. The final day of the competition will feature flying targets, something Tenten is very much looking forward to. "I'm actually surprised that we managed to climb from the top twenty to the top fifteen positions, with hangovers and things like that."

Tenten sends a pointed look towards Kotetsu and Izumo, who grimace. (The tips of Izumo's ears are red.)

"I will embark on more training tonight," Lee exclaims, raising his hand in the air. He gives Tenten a brilliant smile. "I'm sorry I haven't been practicing as hard the last two nights, Tenten."

She returns his grin. Her best friend is as much a sharpshooter as she is. "You're fine, Lee, but I won't object to you training more. The rest of you, however," Tenten pauses as she glowers at Neji's men, "Need to stop drinking. Who knows how much better we'll be then?"

Izumo and Kotetsu flush and mumble apologies, and Ino elbows her. "You haven't been in a great mood yourself either, Ten," she observes loudly.

Tenten looks sourly at the blonde. Ignores the reference to Neji. "You've taken up almost all the space on my ship with your shopping, Ino."

She's exaggerating, though - Ino's bags have all been tucked away in a bulk storage compartment, similar to the _Byakugan_'s compartment for the alien-containment device.

"Just one last day, Ten," Ino grins. "Wanna go shopping with me after dinner?"

Tenten purses her lips. She shouldn't be spending more than she planned, really. Even if the idea of having more weapons yet tempts from the back of her mind. "Maybe after we win the competition," she compromises.

With the focus of the jibes moving away from Neji and herself, Tenten spends most of dinner chatting with Lee and Ino, quietly observing that Neji spends more time watching the rest of the table, than actually participating in the conversations himself. She shrugs, and finishes her bowl of _miso ramen_ \- despite being so far away from Earth, or the _Konoha_, it's a pleasure to be able to find decent food on planets like Gliese Beta, where large populations of humans have settled.

Lee heads immediately to the shooting range when they're done, and Ino turns on her heel and walks backwards, facing the rest of them as they head down the row of restaurants. "We need a team bonding session, don't you think?" she suggests, leading the way back to their suite.

"Yeah, when you've been holed up with Kiba for the past two nights," Tenten mutters under her breath.

"What do you have in mind?" Kiba asks with an interested grin.

"Poker!" Ino says, turning to face forwards again. "Or various games, you know. Team-bonding stuff."

Tenten glances askance at Neji, who is somehow walking next to her. "Do we really need to bond?"

"Are you afraid?" Neji returns, quietly, so the rest don't hear his response. Tenten narrows her eyes.

"You're a team leader, Tenten, surely you know the need for us to know each other better," Kotetsu adds.

"Seconded," Neji announces to the group.

"Thirded," Kiba chimes in.

"Fourthed," Izumo grins. "Besides, it'll stop us from drinking."

"Some nerve you have there," Tenten grouses, rolling her eyes. "All right. Team bonding. No alcohol, and no stupid games. Lee should be here too though."

"We'll have another bonding session with Lee when he gets back," Kiba suggests.

Tenten purses her lips in consideration. "Fine."

They purchase a pack of canned soda on the way back to the suite, and gather around the coffee table - Tenten and Neji on either ends of the table, Neji's men on one side, and Kiba and Ino on the other.

"Let's play poker," Ino proposes, waving a deck of cards from seemingly nowhere.

Tenten frowns. "Where did you get that?"

Ino winks at her. "I got it free while bargaining. Cool, huh?"

Tenten shakes her head, and looks around the table. None of the men seem opposed to it, so she shrugs. "Poker it is. No obscene amounts of money though."

"The only way it'll be obscene if it's strip poker," Kiba grins. "And that is even more fun."

"I'm not running a brothel here," Tenten snaps, glowering at him. "Money bets, or else."

Neji is watching her amusedly, and she sends him a baleful stare. He knows that she's hopeless at the game. _Damn it._ Tenten mentally counts the coins she has left in her wallet, while Ino shuffles the cards, dealing five in front of every person.

"A dime as token bet," she says, and Kiba grins at her. "Five dollars is the maximum bet amount at any one point."

"Just a dime?" he challenges; Tenten rolls her eyes.

"Don't come crying to me when you're out of cash," she tells him.

"Neji begins, since I dealt," Ino announces, after they've all slid a dime to the center of the table.

Tenten grabs her cards and peeks at them - a decent hand, that she has a fifty percent chance of winning with. Neji slides a dollar bill onto the table. Everyone does the same, with the exception of Kiba, who folds, placing his cards face-down on the table.

"Bad hand, huh?" Kotetsu smirks.

Kiba shrugs. "I know my chances."

They take turns to draw cards next - Tenten discards two, and draws two more from the stack - her new cards are worse than she'd hoped. This time, Neji adds another dollar bill to the pot; only Izumo, Neji and Ino are left in the game (Tenten has decided to cut her losses, and bail first).

The round ends when Ino ups the next bet to two dollars, Neji matches it, and Izumo folds. Neji and Ino show their cards - Neji has the better hand. Ino pouts, though Tenten thinks the expression lacks Ino's usual emotion - it's as if Ino has something up her sleeve.

Tenten narrows her eyes. Ino collects the cards, shuffles, and deals again.

They begin a fresh game - this time, Neji increases the initial bet to two dollars, and a low mutter goes around the table.

"Just because you won doesn't mean you have to flaunt it," Kotetsu grumbles to his Captain, who merely raises an eyebrow at him.

"I'm just playing the game by its rules," Neji returns evenly, scanning the occupants of the table. Tenten feels her stomach flip when he meets her eyes; she looks back down at her own cards. A better hand this time.

Kotetsu and Izumo fold early this time, and Tenten adds her two dollars to the pot, choosing to discard and draw just one card this time. The new hand is better then that of her previous - enough to win, perhaps. She raises the next bet to three dollars, and Ino frowns at her.

"What's with the increasing amounts?" the blonde mutters. Again, not with any true misery, but just with the casual note of an observer. She adds three dollars to the pool, anyway.

Kiba ends up winning that hand, to Tenten's disappointment, and she glances in her wallet, just as Ino does.

The rounds continue - Tenten and Izumo each win once, Kiba a couple more times, and the rest of the hands go to Neji. They are in the middle of their sixteenth hand when Ino groans, looking into her wallet.

"I'm out of cash," she reveals, looking sheepishly at the rest of them.

"Weren't you the one with enough money to go shopping tomorrow?" Tenten asks in disbelief, distracted from the game.

"Well, yeah, but I'm out of small notes. You set the limit at five dollars, remember?" Ino parts her wallet, showing Tenten the colorful notes within.

Tenten winces. Perhaps Neji can loan her a sum-

"Use your clothes, then," Kiba suggests with a wolfish grin.

Tenten stares at him. "Inuzuka-"

"That's not a bad idea," Kotetsu pipes up, brightening. "See, that way, the rest of us can keep what's left of our moolah. Bet with clothes instead."

He has a point. A good one.

She steals a glance at Neji, and finds him looking at her with mild interest, as if to see what her decision will be. Tenten gulps, looks away. She isn't really certain about having the entire team see her naked-

But she is curious as to what Neji's reaction would be. To her stripping, and losing clothes himself.

"Fine," Tenten allows, and Kiba catcalls. She glowers at him. "But this will have to stop when I say so."

"Your hair buns both count as one item, Ten," Ino informs her.

She shrugs. "Right."

Ino adds her hairtie into the pot, and they finish the current game, with the winnings going to Neji again. Tenten looks sullenly at the pile of cash he's accumulated - he really doesn't need to get any richer.

Neji is in the midst of tucking his winnings away when Ino begins dealing the next set. "Each article of clothing has the same value," Ino decides. "Everyone but the winner discards an item of clothing."

"I knew you had a motive, Ino," Tenten mutters, and the blonde grins at her.

Tenten is suddenly very glad that Lee isn't here along with the rest of them - he would probably object to the sexual nature that the game is taking on. Not that she minds playing it herself.

The next game begins with Tenten getting most of a good hand - only to lose it when the fresh cards she draws don't quite match her expectations. She curses inwardly, and loses a shoe, like most of the rest do.

This continues slowly - Tenten notices that Ino is having entirely too much fun with stripping, from the way the blond grins and sheds her bracelets and sandals, while everyone else loses their shoes and socks first. Neji wins a couple of times, Kotetsu once, and Tenten once.

Ino loses her summer dress in the next hand, and the atmosphere in the suite tautens. There's little hidden by Ino's push-up bra and thong. Tenten stares at her friend, eyes the lush curves of her body with a hint of envy. She doesn't doubt that Kiba, at least, if not the other men as well, is undressing Ino in his mind. Tenten redirects her attention to Neji.

Neji has only glanced once at Ino, though he spreads the rest of his attention over the rest of their teams, eventually looking towards Tenten. She swallows.

She's lost her hair buns in that hand, while most of the men shed belts. Neji still has his belt on, though he's missing socks; she eyes him sourly for it.

Ino is the one to win the next game, much to her delighted giggle. Tenten narrows her eyes, shrugs out of her jeans. Shirts are tossed; Neji unbuckles his belt.

It has to be some kind of divine intervention, Tenten thinks, when Ino wins again, right after the previous hand.

She has three pieces of clothing left - her bra, panties and a shirt. Neji and Kotetsu pull their shirts off, and Kiba and Izumo step out of their jeans. She hasn't moved by the time the rest of them are done; Ino watches her with a mischievous grin.

"So, Ten, which is it going to be?" Ino rests her elbow on the coffee table and props her chin in her palm, eyeing her gleefully. Kiba stares between both women; Neji's eyes are glued to Tenten.

She swallows, reaches up her shirt and unclasps her bra, before wriggling out of it and tossing it to the side.

"There, happy?" Tenten asks, though she's keenly aware of the smirk tugging on Neji's lips. Her pebbled nipples are straining lightly against her shirt; it's a small price to pay for keeping most of her torso concealed, however.

Ino cackles, and deals the next hand.

Tenten doesn't quite remember what transpires in that game - Neji's chest, as well as his constant glances at her, distracts her to no end. Kiba somehow wins that round with a loud cheer, and Ino promptly removes her bra, effectively anchoring the attention of Kotetsu, Izumo, and Kiba.

Neji watches her; she glances away, reaches for the lower buttons of her shirt. At least Ino's got the other men ensnared, Tenten vaguely thinks.

"Lieutenant - a word with you, please." Neji stands abruptly and slants a heated gaze at her.

Tenten feels her throat go dry at the look in his eyes. Neji strides over to their room without looking back, and she makes a split-second decision - to hurry after him.

"Can't this wait 'til after the game?" she grouses, in an attempt to make it seem as if this were official business, and she isn't the least bit interested in him.

She grabs her bra and pants, leaps to her feet, and is halfway to the room before the shock of Neji's departure wears off from the rest, and catcalls begin, muffling soon after she closes the door and locks it behind them.

"And here I thought you were having fun with the game," Tenten mutters to Neji, leaning her weight against the door. She drops the bra and pants on the floor next to her feet.

"Really," he answers, his volume for her ears only.

It isn't to her surprise when he steps in close to her then, leaving mere inches between their bodies. Tenten gulps when his fingers trail over her hips, and Neji leans in slowly, dipping his head to drag warm lips over her shoulder. Her pulse stumbles, and she doesn't protest, not when he's been watching her (and she responding to his attention) through the night.

"I take it that you aren't-" She gasps when he sucks lightly on her skin- "Interested in seeing where the game goes."

"Not particularly," he agrees, his fingers slipping into the waistband of her panties.

"You could've-" Tenten bites a groan down, when Neji drags his tongue down her throat. "Waited until it was over."

"No." His teeth graze her skin; Neji eases his hand into her underwear, cups her bottom.

"Why?" Tenten asks, and he hauls her up, towards him, so he presses an indent into her belly. The flesh between her legs grows slick.

"Some things are better enjoyed in private," he murmurs against her skin, sliding his other hand under her shirt, cupping her breast. Tenten almost thinks of a reply when he rolls her nipple between his fingers, and she loses her grip on her thoughts, needing to feel him against her, without these excuses of clothes.

Tentatively, she lifts her hand, touches it to the bulge in his pants, and Neji groans softly. She leans away from him, cups him in her palm, and Tenten finds herself flat against the bed suddenly, with Neji hovering over her, pale eyes clouded with lust.

She remembers the tease he was being earlier in the morning - two can play at that game. Neji is stock-still when she reaches for his pants, fumbling with the button and unzipping it. He presses into her palm when she's freed him of his trappings, and she pushes at his shoulders, waiting until he's pinned beneath her on the bed, before taking him into her hand, and then her mouth.

Neji's eyes widen; he hisses at the stroke of her tongue and the bob of her head. Tenten would have smiled if she could - the power she holds over him is intoxicating, especially when his breathing turns ragged, and he's thrusting up at her, needing release.

She pulls away then. Smirks at him.

There is a mix of disbelief and lust in his eyes that Tenten savors; she runs her fingers along his length, watches the way his jaw tightens, the way his chest rises and falls.

"Beg me for it," she whispers, breathing lightly in anticipation.

Neji's eyes darken; he holds her gaze for a long moment, almost panting. "Tenten," he whispers hoarsely, "Please."

She can't hold back then; Tenten grins, shrugs out of her clothes and straddles him, taking him into herself in a swift motion. Neji echos her moan, thrusts at her as she rides him. She reaches down between them to assuage her own need, and as sheer pleasure renders her senseless and arched over him, Tenten hazily realizes that the dynamics between them have changed, ever so slightly.

* * *

She wakes up to bright sunlight on her face, and warm lips on her neck. Tenten gives a start, jolting awake, and the heat falls away from her. There's a movement at the corner of her eyes; she turns.

Neji sits upright on the bed, fully dressed, slanting a smug look at her. "I'm aware that you need your beauty sleep, Lieutenant, but we need to be leaving soon."

_The competition._ She glances at the clock, sees that it's an hour before the last events of the day begin - but they were supposed to meet everyone ten minutes ago, like on the previous days of the competition.

"Oh fuck," Tenten mutters, sitting up. The sheets fall away from her; she's naked, and entirely too comfortable in the cocoon of blankets. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?"

Neji gives a slight shrug. "I was up late."

She stares at him in surprise - and remembers that they'd spent the better part of last night wearing each other out. Heat surges over her cheeks. Tenten drags a hand over her eyes. "Just... fuck," she groans.

The sounds of muffled conversation are already seeping in through the door, and Tenten hurries out of bed, barely noting that the clothes strewn on the floor last night have been folded into piles on the desk. Her socks and shoes are still in the living room, somewhere.

All eyes turn on them the moment they step out of the bedroom fully dressed, sans shoes. (It was an unusually peaceful night, with no rude pounding on the door.) Tenten swallows. "Morning," she greets, burying her nerves away.

"Guess you had a productive conversation with Neji last night," Kiba says dryly, as Lee returns her greeting.

Tenten pretends not to hear him, sweeping her gaze over the living room floor for her shoes. "Sorry - woke up late. It's going to be a busy day today, guys."

Neji emerges from the room behind her, and Kotetsu snickers. "Yeah, I'd think it'd be tiring after your busy night."

She tries not to blush at Kotetsu's insinuation, spotting her shoes next to Ino then. They hadn't been audible, had they-

"You were moaning pretty loudly, Ten," Ino whispers when she crouches next to the blond, tying her shoelaces.

Tenten freezes - just how much had they heard? Heat gathers in her cheeks, and Tenten covers her face with a hand, mortified. Does Lee know? "Oh hell. Really?" she whispers back.

"What happened?" Lee asks, and Tenten can imagine him looking at her. "I thought you guys were playing a youthful card game."

She clears her thoughts, and counts to ten before looking up, so most of the color on her cheeks has faded away by then. "It was just a card game," Tenten says, her tone raised. She checks that her pistols are holstered to her belt.

"A pretty loud one," Kiba adds, and Tenten glowers at him.

Across the room, Neji isn't spared the grilling either - Izumo sends him a questioning glance, and Neji returns his stare with the challenging lift of an eyebrow. Tenten thinks there's the faintest trace of pink on his cheeks, and is inwardly glad that she isn't the only one suffering through this.

"Card game aside, I want us to win this competition," she tells her men, and Lee cheers, distracted by the change in subject.

* * *

They end up doing far better on the third day of the shooting party. _It's our last chance,_ Tenten has repeatedly emphasized, and the morale is high amongst Team Dragon-Hawk. Without hangovers, Izumo and Kotetsu are doing better than before, and Tenten, herself, is thrilled by the flying target segments.

The difficulty of the events has been increasing over the days, and the teams are allowed to select their best shooters for the last couple of games. Unlike the earlier events, where the flying discs were launched face-on, to give the participants the largest possible surface area with which to aim, the last two games feature the flying discs being launched at different angles, forcing participants to shoot at the slim edges of the targets instead.

Tenten nominates herself, Lee, and Neji for the final games - the three of them had the best scores during practice yesterday, after all.

She clicks a full magazine into her pistol, filled with adrenaline when the signaling horn sounds. The flying target segment is held right on the edge of the competition grounds, on a large field, and even Ino, with her bags of shopping, has come to cheer them on.

Tenten begins shooting when her launcher fires discs into the air - from her vantage point, they resemble thin lines flying across her allocated segment of the field. This is probably the ultimate test of her accuracy, and like yesterday, every single one of her bullets makes contact with the discs, shattering them to pieces that fall onto the field below.

It is only when the signalling horn sounds again that she turns to look at how Neji and Lee scored - similar results to their previous practice sessions.

The wait for the competition results to be finalized is excruciating. Tenten makes her way to the ceremonial tent with the rest of her team, fiddling with her unloaded pistol. There is noise all around them - hundreds of teams flooding towards the same destination - and the members of Team Dragon-Hawk chatter noisily among themselves.

Tenten finds herself seated between Lee and Neji when the competition host takes the stage. He is a rotund man, dressed in boots and a cowboy outfit - she smiles wanly, fingers her pistol.

The host thanks them all for their attendance, briefly talks about the competition, and then skips forward to the top twenty teams. Tenten winces anxiously, aware of the constant glances that Neji slides towards her. Lee is a squirming ball of excitement.

It comes as a surprise when the host announces that Team Dragon-Hawk has wound up in second place. Tenten tastes the sting of not coming in first, though at Lee's brilliant grin, she smiles, and decides that being second isn't too bad, after all. She pulls Lee into a hug when they rise to go on stage, then hesitates for a moment, before wrapping her arms around Neji, for a brief moment, before letting go.

The corners of his lips quirk. There's a hint of warmth in Neji's eyes, and Tenten looks away quickly, stepping forward to lead her team to the stage.

They receive a certificate each, as well as a check for their prize money. It's a short while before the entire ceremony is over, photo-taking and all, and the team relaxes into casual positions, still on stage.

Ino rushes up to them, camera in hand, and the photographing begins once again, while the rest of the crowd slowly clears from the tent.

_At least all our efforts haven't been for nothing,_ Tenten thinks. She pulls Ino into a hug, and hugs the rest of her team, before returning to Lee, hugging him once more.

"You did great back there, Tenten!" Lee crows, inky eyes shining with delight.

"Enough of that already," she tells him fondly, still grinning. Ino has tucked all their certificates into one of her bags "so they don't get crumpled," and Tenten glances around the emptying tent, a little wistful that the competition has ended so quickly.

"Congrats," Neji says quietly next to her, thumbs hooked in his pockets.

Tenten smiles at him. "Thanks for arranging this," she acknowledges. "I'll make sure we pay for the suite first before splitting the rest of that check."

He grins crookedly at her, and on impulse, she steps forward and hugs him again, more tightly this time. Neji's arms curl around her back and waist; she feels him nuzzle her ear briefly-

A flash goes off around them, and Tenten jerks away from him, looking around for the light source.

Ino waves her camera at them, grinning widely, and Tenten rolls her eyes, hiding the irregular beating of her heart. It isn't just because Ino has caught a picture of her and Neji hugging - his reaction to her was a little too intimate, and a little too public. What did he mean by that?

"Delete that picture, Ino," Tenten tells her wryly, stepping over to her. This feels like déjà vu, all over again.

"No, that was an absolutely perfect moment!" Ino titters, scrolling through the pictures she's taken. She flashes the preview image of the most recent photo at Tenten - it isn't really incriminating, really. Just their arms around each other, and a curtain of Neji's hair shielding their faces.

"At least you can barely see anything in that photo," Tenten grouses, glancing at Neji.

He's looking smugly at her, and she lifts her gaze to the ceiling of the tent.

"You and her, both," she mutters to him a short while later.

But her lips curve in a tiny, inexplicable smile, and Tenten turns away from Neji, heading over to Lee and Kiba instead.

* * *

_A/N: Pretty sure lots of you are enjoying the Gliese Beta arc - unfortunately, we have now come to the end of it. ;) _

_Confession: This chapter is the reason why Ino was really on the mission. I wanted a strip poker scene and Tenten alone with the guys just wasn't going to cut it lol. ;) Gotta love Ino. Anyone going to hazard a guess how the game ended? ;)_

_Very surprised to see so many of you chiming in - thank you for taking the time to leave a review!_


	28. 25: Slug Infestation

_I kind of skipped through the final round of proofreading this time - going to be attempting a new fic idea, yay! So glad to hear that you guys enjoyed the Gliese Beta arc. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **As always, this fic is rated for mature audiences only. Read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 25: Slug Infestation**

_Konoha, Jan 27, 2031, 0728 hrs_

"I need some help," Tenten mutters as she sets her breakfast tray down in front of Ino, before taking her seat across from the blond. "I'm so fucking screwed."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Ino looks up from her holographic screen in surprise, lifting a slender eyebrow. "Good morning, by the way."

"Morning," Tenten mumbles, and slouches in her seat, poking at her tuna omelette with a fork. Ino puts her computer away.

It has been an entire two weeks since they returned from the shooting competition on Gliese Beta. There wasn't very much left of the prize money after paying for the suite and splitting it six ways, though what concerns Tenten more, really, is Neji.

"Boy problems," Ino surmises, and Tenten grimaces in distaste. "I thought you didn't like him."

"I don't," she answers. (But she isn't so sure now.) Tenten looks around the cafeteria anyway, scrutinizing the random scattering of staff around them. No pale-eyed Hyuuga. She breathes a sigh of relief. "Well, more like he seems to have lost interest."

Ino's flaxen eyebrows join her hairline. "Really? He seemed pretty interested in you."

Tenten looks dubiously at her.

"I mean, we all heard his interest in you. Like, loud moans through the door," Ino answers, waving her hand in the air.

Tenten flushes a deep crimson. "Could you not bring that up anymore?" she hisses, ducking her head to avoid being seen. "I mean, I'm glad you didn't tell Lee, but there're ears around here!"

Ino smirks at her, though it falls away from her full lips soon enough. "So, what happened after we got back? I know you were away on some missions."

"Well, we did go on three missions. Nothing happened on any of them," Tenten tells her in a low tone, eyes downcast.

It is true. Hawk and Dragon Platoons had embarked on three separate missions since their return, and Neji hardly paid her any mind throughout, except when it was related to the missions. Tenten claps a hand over her face. Why is she even being concerned about whether he's looked at her?

"God. Just. Screw me," she mumbles, pulling a face.

"I would, you know," Ino tells her. "You're not interested, though."

Tenten glances briefly at her, wincing. "I sleep with men, Ino. Well, I used to, anyway."

Ino stares at her. "Well, who do you sleep with now?"

"No one." Tenten rolls her eyes.

"Back to being Lieutenant Celibate, huh?" Ino remarks dryly.

"Not funny, Ino." She gives the blond a sullen glare.

"But you maintained that you didn't need sex for the longest damn time, girl," Ino reminds her. "Did you get addicted to Hyuuga di-"

"Ino." Tenten cringes, covering her face with both her hands. "Please. Stop that. I'm not discussing anatomy, ever."

Ino smirks and bites into her whole-grain sandwich. "Back to the issue," she says after she swallows. "You've been on three joint missions with Neji since we got back, and not once have you shacked up with him."

"Correct." Tenten nods miserably.

"Have you tried asking him for it?" Ino probes, leaning forward. "Or just, you know, enter his quarters and-"

"I have my pride!" Tenten retorts, frowning. "I'm not about to waltz into his office and beg for anything."

Ino purses her lips. "Well, that's going to be tricky."

"Maybe he found someone else to fuck." Tenten finally remembers her breakfast, and shoves her lukewarm omelette into her mouth. The thought sends a wave of dread through her gut.

"If all you need is sex, there're plenty of guys available around here," Ino says, waving her sandwich at Tenten. "I mean, I'd gladly share Kiba with you. I know you won't do Lee or Captain Gai-"

Tenten cringes so hard that she thinks she might vomit. "Ino!"

Ino laughs. "I was kidding."

"Mental image. Not fucking funny." Tenten shovels another piece of omelette into her mouth, and promptly bites into her cheek. She freezes. "Ugh. Fuck."

"What happened?" Ino scrutinizes her in concern.

"Bit my cheek." Tenten chews more slowly now, wary of inflicting the same injury upon herself. "I'm holding you responsible for it."

"Ouch." Ino winces emphatically. "But I'm not responsible for that-"

"Yes, you are. You talked about fucking L-" Tenten can't bear to string their names in the same sentence. She shakes her head, swallows. "I mean, I love them, but I can't-"

"Gotcha." Ino grins. "I wouldn't, either."

Tenten breathes a heavy sigh, and continues on her breakfast. "So what do you propose?"

"I guess the crux of the matter is, really, whether you're hellbent on laying Neji," Ino states. "Or are you willing to widen your horizons?"

"You make this sound like an expedition," Tenten mutters.

Ino rolls her eyes. "Your answer, Ten. Neji, or someone else?"

Tenten bites her lip, her pulse quickening with nervous energy. She isn't willing to admit to her interest in Neji, but- "I, um, I'd rather stick with Hyuuga for now," she mutters, embarrassed.

Ino raises her eyebrows. "Even when he's been ignoring you?"

"I... guess?" Tenten winces. Her stomach flips when she looks at him these days.

Ino clicks her tongue then, shaking her head sagely. "You've got it bad, Ten. I think you like him."

She flinches, glancing at Ino. Something deep in her gut tells her that Ino is right. "For my sake, I hope that isn't true," she mutters.

Ino finishes the last of her sandwich and taps lightly on her chin, thinking. "So that's why you said you were screwed. Have you actually talked to him about it?"

Tenten flicks her eyes up at Ino. "What?"

"You heard me. Have you actually talked about sex with him?" Ino looks expectantly at her.

"Who the hell does that?" Tenten grits, uncomfortable. She can't imagine beginning a conversation with Neji and actually admitting to her desire for him. Worse, that he's been making her heart flutter. What kind of lame reaction is that, anyway?

"Mature adults, Ten. We sit and draw boundaries on our relationships," Ino dispenses wisely.

Tenten grimaces.

"Ask him why he's been holding off, at least," Ino advices. "Then at least you'll know, once and for all, why he's avoiding you."

It's not as if she doesn't want to avoid him, either, but something keeps drawing her attention back to Hyuuga-fucking-Neji.

"Have you tried those tips I told you about?" Ino asks suddenly, her eyes lighting up. "You know, shaving your pubes."

Tenten stares at her. "Who on Earth does that?"

Ino chuckles. "More people than you realize. It's a fetish for some, you know. Maybe he'll like that better."

Heat prickles on her cheeks at the thought of Neji seeing her without hair in her nether regions. "Isn't that embarrassing?" Tenten asks.

The blond lifts a finger, shaking it from side to side. "Pros and cons, Ten. It increases your sensitivity. Looks pretty good, if you ask me. But it itches like a damn bitch when the stubble grows, and you may be prone to getting ingrown hairs."

Tenten's forehead furrows. "Why even do that?"

"Like I said," Ino grins. "It's a fetish for some."

Tenten winces again. "I'll think about it."

"Talk to him in the meantime," Ino tells her, standing up and patting her shoulder. "I need to go check if the shipments from Earth are here yet - there're some chemicals I really need. Update me on how it goes, will you?"

Tenten watches as Ino carries her empty tray to the cleaning station, her stomach doing insane acrobatics at the thought of even approaching Neji on the topic of sex.

* * *

The corridors of the _Konoha_ are busier than usual when Tenten takes a short break from her training that afternoon. On the days when missions aren't scheduled, Hawk and Dragon Platoons have decided to train separately - she spends time in the gym with Lee and Kiba early in the day, switching to back-to-back simulations in the afternoons.

At the moment, she's left Kiba and Lee to their own devices in a simulation, opting to return to her quarters for a change out of her sweat-soaked clothes.

Tenten raises her eyebrows when she sees a number of men rushing from the direction of her quarters, trailing wet footprints behind them as they turn down another hallway and disappear from sight. A couple of them slip a little while rounding the corner.

She frowns. Is there a leakage of some sort? Not a good thing, especially because of all the electrical wiring built into the walls and ceilings of the ship. Tenten increases her stride and turns into her corridor-

Only to find a huge pool of liquid along the the hallway, spanning from almost the first room to the last-

And multiple slug-like aliens crawling along the walls, floor and ceiling, seeming to split into two smaller creatures every so often. Their translucent bodies ripple with every movement; twisted innards are visible through their skin, pulsing ever so slightly.

Tenten pulls a face in disgust. There doesn't seem to be any vent from which they're emerging - which means they may have penetrated the lieutenants' quarters, and made their way out into the corridor.

She tries not to retch.

A quick database search on her visor tells her that these creatures aren't a threat, though they may emit odoriferous fumes if attacked. Tenten winces, steps slowly towards the first translucent, slug-creature, squinting and holding her breath. It doesn't respond to her, so she steps gingerly around it. And past the next one, and the next, until she's at the door to her quarters.

Tenten takes a deep breath to brace herself, and keys in the code to unlock her door.

Her quarters are covered with slime, and numerous slugs of various sizes are all over her place - the couches, her desk, her bed. She retches this time, revolted beyond belief.

Nothing has changed by the time she recovers. Tenten keys another code, to keep her door open while she steps into her room, her feet slipping in the colorless muck left behind by the creatures. Her first priority is her weapons case - that has miraculously survived the slug attack, and she slowly picks her way over to the metal chest, careful not to step on any creature.

She's barely a few feet into the room when a voice resounds from the doorway, "This is worse than I expected."

Tenten turns sharply at the smooth baritone and almost slips, throwing her arms out to regain her balance. Her stomach flips at his appearance; she swears at herself.

"What are you doing here?" she snaps at Neji, who's standing by her door, surveying the damage to her quarters with a mild look of distaste.

He shrugs, glancing briefly at her, before looking back at the slippery creatures. "I received word on the infestation."

Tenten feels a low growl rumble from her chest. "Why wasn't I informed of this?" she mutters.

"Did you check your email?" Neji returns, lifting an eyebrow at her.

_No._

Tenten grits her teeth and clenches her fist, flipping him off. "You're aggravating!" she snarls.

This doesn't have anything to do with her frustration at her feelings towards him. It really doesn't.

For lack of any outlet to vent the whirl of disgust, annoyance and helplessness in her gut, Tenten snatches a slug off the floor (it squelches between her fingers) and hurls it at Neji. A cloud of dirty yellow gas emerges from the creature in midair.

He grimaces, steps to the side and dodges it. "I'd prefer not to be covered with slime," he informs her primly.

"Then go away," Tenten snipes, glowering at him. "This has nothing to do with you."

Neji shrugs. "I've been sent here to help."

"Some help you are," Tenten mutters venomously. Her heart is racing, and she tries to flick the slime off her hand in a jerky motion. It doesn't help - she gives up, and wipes it on her uniform pants. "Ugh."

"Pest Control and Cleanup will be here in fifteen minutes," Neji informs her from the doorway. "I'd advise you to salvage your valuables and take some clothes with you. They'll require evacuation for a few days."

"Sucks like a bitch," she mutters, sending a glower over her shoulder at him. "Are you going to help, or not?"

"I was under the impression that you wanted me to stay away," Neji answers, finally stepping into her quarters. His boot sinks into the thick slime with a wet slurping noise. A hint of disgust flickers across his face.

"I'd prefer it if you stayed the hell away, yes," Tenten agrees, making her way across to her weapons chest first. "But I need somewhere to store my guns."

"Why the change of heart?" Neji asks some time later, when Tenten has unlocked her case and pulled a collapsible carrier out, fitting her numerous weapons into it.

"What?" She looks askance at him, hefting the heavy bag onto her shoulder. At least she's certain that the case won't tear and spill her precious guns while they make the trip to a temporary storage location.

"You've been amiable with me until recently," Neji says.

"Me?" Tenten sputters. "You quit talking to me just about two weeks ago!"

"I have been-" he protests halfheartedly. "The missions-"

"You know what I mean," Tenten mutters, and turns away, before the flush on her cheeks becomes obvious. She trudges across to her closet, yanking the doors open.

Half her closet is covered with slime and slug-creatures, and Tenten fights the urge to retch again. She grabs a small backpack that is mostly dry, and begins shoving various clean articles of clothing in.

Neji doesn't answer her throughout, instead looking curiously at her when she turns around after slamming her closet shut. (Yellow gas puffs out from gaps around the closet doors, and Tenten cringes.)

"Where did they come from, anyway?" Tenten asks, looking towards Neji with a frown.

"The cargo ship from Earth. These were stowed away among the shipments," Neji explains. He walks carefully over to her. "Apparently the shipments weren't screened, or they escaped before being screened, and infiltrated the ship through the vents."

Tenten winces. "That's some security we have here."

Neji shrugs. "That's why the notifications were late going out - security has been verifying the threat status of these aliens."

She heaves a large sigh.

"Where are you going to be staying in the meantime?" Neji questions, looking towards her.

"Do I have a choice?" Tenten returns, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Most quarters seem to be occupied," Neji tells her. "You might be better off bunking with a friend."

"Not you, obviously," she mutters, glowering at him.

Neji looks away, his expression guarded.

"I need somewhere to stash these, though." Tenten gestures towards her guns. "Do you have extra storage space?"

She can't leave them lying around, after all, not when she doesn't have authorized possession permits for some of those guns.

Neji considers her bag of weapons. Holds his hand out for them. "Sure."

"Don't you dare pilfer them," she mutters, hefting the bag off her shoulder. Neji's fingers brush over hers when he takes the guns from her; she swallows.

"I have plenty of my own," he informs her, heaving the bag onto his shoulder. Tenten thinks she sees him glance briefly at her mouth, before looking away. She frowns, confused, and reaches up to wipe at her face, in case slime has somehow splashed on her when she threw the slug at him.

"I'll be bunking with Ino, probably," she finally says, in response to his earlier question.

Neji gives her answer some consideration, nods.

"I'll see you around," he informs her, and promptly turns, leaving her quarters with careful steps around the translucent slug-creatures.

Tenten watches him go, feeling a pang of regret at the way she treated him. But how can her infatuation possibly be good for anyone?

* * *

"It's just one catastrophe after another today," Ino complains as they walk along the corridors of the _Konoha_, pulling a sequined scrunchie away from her hair. "First, the order of chemicals I had delivered was contaminated by those slugs. Then I find out that I now have a roommate- No offense to you, Ten-"

Tenten sighs loudly next to her, rolling her eyes. "Well, at least I used the common showers near the simulation rooms," she answers dryly.

"I really appreciate you not dripping slime on my floor," Ino tells her sincerely.

"You're welcome." Tenten purses her lips. "I'm sorry you had to cancel your appointments with your guys for the next few nights-"

"It's fine, don't worry about it, Ten. Girlfriends over fuck buddies, no?" Ino smiles widely at her, keying an entry code into her earpiece. The door to her quarters slides open. "Besides, you get to tell me all about you and Neji."

Tenten claps a hand onto her face. She should've decided to bunk with Lee instead.

They step into Ino's room - a collection of closets line the walls of her quarters, some with mirrors, and some without. There is a small desk to the side, and a couch with a coffee table, though most of the space has been cleared to make way for Ino's clothes storage.

"There are even more closets in here than the last time I visited," Tenten gapes, looking around.

"Well, I had to make more space for this last shopping trip, you know?" Ino grins, "Besides, it doesn't hurt to have extra clothes."

"I only have one closet," Tenten mutters. "And it's half-empty."

"You need more clothes, Ten," Ino answers lightly, "And probably more lingerie, too."

Tenten seats herself in Ino's couch, watching as Ino grabs a couple of bottles of water from the fridge. "I don't need sexy underwear for anything."

Ino tosses a bottle to her; Tenten snatches it out of the air, cracking the seal open.

"Maybe that's why Neji isn't making advances on you, then," Ino suggests, waggling her eyebrows. "You need to spice up your sex life."

The water that has been making its way into Tenten's mouth exits in high-velocity spray. Tenten wipes the resulting dribble off her chin, and glowers at her friend. "The fuck are you taking about, Ino?" she sputters.

Ino takes a seat next to her, gracefully sipping from her own bottle. "Hey, some guys like thongs. Crotchless panties. Corsets. You know, that kind of thing."

Tenten tries to imagine Neji liking any of those, and fails miserably.

"You might scoff at it now, but just wait until you see his face when he discovers you in, say, his shirt. That's a pretty powerful trick too," Ino lectures.

Tenten stares at her. Dries her hand off on her pant leg. "You've got to be kidding me."

"So, what kinks does he have?" Ino probes, grinning at Tenten. At the latter's distrustful look, she continues, with a smile, "He's all yours, I'm not going to steal his attention away from you."

Shades of pink creep over Tenten's cheeks; she looks away. "I don't want to be interested in him."

"But he's interested in you," Ino insists, scooting over and nudging Tenten with an elbow. "I bet he's just holding off on approaching you to see how far you'd go to get him back."

A deep furrow grows on Tenten's forehead. "Hyuuga? Do that? I'd be more likely to see him pass his Captains exam right now," she grouses, finally taking another swig of water.

Ino rolls her baby-blue eyes. "So, Ten - kinks. Surely you've got some of them figured out."

Tenten cringes, and allows herself to think back on the moments she's shared with Neji. The only unusual one that comes to mind, really, is the _tentacula_. But that's out of reach, and Ino doesn't need to know that, anyway. "He doesn't have any that I know of," she answers. "And I'm trying to not be interested in him."

Ino's jaw drops. "Are you crazy? You're the only one he's ever shown interest in, as far as I know. And I know a lot."

Her heart misses what is probably several beats. Ino is hardly ever wrong with her information. "Maybe he just doesn't show it," Tenten stutters.

"If he likes you enough to stake a claim on you-" Tenten glowers at Ino then. "Yes, stake a claim - that's what he was doing back when we were playing strip poker-"

"He can't claim me!" Tenten protests.

Ino rolls her eyes. "Shut up, Ten. Let me explain. Whether you liked it or not, Neji pulled you from the middle of the game, before you could undress yourself, and brought you into his lair for his private consumption. Am I right?"

She looks away. Gulps. "I suppose."

Tenten remembers what happened right after that door closed behind them - Neji had to have been hard at some point through the game, and her body had reacted strongly to him. Just thinking about it now makes her a little too warm for comfort.

"He likes you," Ino concludes. "Probably since your trainee days."

She flushes at that, and remains looking away from Ino, hardly believing what her friend is saying about Neji. Because it really isn't true, right? A little glimmer of hope shines in her chest, like a beacon of light.

Tenten covers her face. "This sucks."

Ino wraps an arm around her shoulders then, and leans in, so Tenten smells the faint traces of her floral perfume. "Don't fight it. It gets better if you allow your feelings to bloom."

A shudder ripples through her frame then; Tenten grimaces at Ino, pulling her hands away from her face. "That just sounds awful. What about you - how are Shikamaru and Chouji doing?"

Ino blinks at the sudden change in topic. "They're fine. Shikamaru's been going off with his girlfriend lately - the Lieutenant from the _Suna_. Her name's Temari. She's here for information exchange or something. Chouji's been away on a mission with Shino and Hinata... I think they're at the Orion cluster."

Tenten raises a brow at the location, but makes no mention of it. "So you're stuck with Kiba, huh?"

Ino waves her hand breezily. "Well, I've got one or two others - nice to change things up once in a while, you know."

"So... that strip poker game," Tenten begins, pursing her lips. "You were planning it right from the start."

"What about it?" Ino smiles, catlike. "I'd wondered about you and Neji."

Tenten squeezes her eyes shut, mortified. "That's low of you, Ino."

"Hey - we both won." Ino nudges her lightly. "Besides, I was dying for some real excitement."

"Like flashing your boobs in front of everyone," Tenten mutters. "Did you guys continue the game?"

Ino's grin widens. "Oh yeah. All the way. We were in the living room and entirely naked when you began moaning."

Tenten cringes at the reminder, and changes the focus of the conversation curiously. "So you slept with all of them?"

Ino purses her lips then, still grinning. "Well, I've slept with them all in the past, separately. But it isn't easy getting guys together for DP, you know."

"DP?" Tenten echos.

"Double penetration." At Tenten's questioning look, Ino elaborates, "You know, when you've got two or more men inside you at the same time."

Tenten blinks. And winces. "I... don't think I needed to know that."

Ino laughs.

"Wait, what about Lee?" Tenten remembers in horror, looking towards the blond. "He didn't catch you guys at it, did you?"

"Well... No. We were all in the bedroom by the time he got back. He might've seen the clothes on the floor though." Ino frowns.

"At least he didn't approach me about it," Tenten mutters darkly, cringing. And at least Ino's dress made it pretty clear who left the incriminating evidence.

"Enough about me, what did you do with Neji that night?" Ino presses, leaning in with an almost-predatory smile.

Tenten stares doubtfully at her. "My lips are sealed, Ino. You're welcome to let your mind wander."

"But he's good," Ino deduces. "Enough that you want to bed him again."

She shakes her head. "Sealed lips. And I'm going to bed."

"I'll find out sooner or later, Ten," Ino grins. "Just you wait."

* * *

_Konoha, Jan 28, 2031, 2056 hrs_

"Thanks for having me over tonight, Lee," Tenten says, smiling gratefully at her best friend. "I'm sorry it's at such short notice."

"It's fine, Tenten. I'm always glad to have you over!" Lee beams at her, ushering her into his too-green quarters. "What made you change your mind about sleeping over with Ino?"

Tenten winces. Spending the previous night in Ino's room was bearable despite the teasing, though what the kicker was, really, was her own inability to keep her mouth shut while she slept.

_"So the whole 'Hyuuga' thing is a facade," Ino said when she woke._

"What do you mean?" Tenten frowned, looking suspiciously at the blond.

"You moaned Neji's name last night. Meaning, you called him 'Neji', and not 'Hyuuga', like you've been saying for the past two months," Ino grinned. "Multiple times, at that."

Tenten stared at her, shocked beyond words.

"You see him more intimately than you divulge, Ten. You can't hide that."

"Well, we agreed that it wasn't the best idea for me to share a room with her," Tenten fibs. (More like she decided that she doesn't want Ino listening in on her dreams.)

Theoretically speaking, it would be a worse idea bunking in Lee's quarters - but Lee is a far heavier sleeper than Ino is, and is therefore less likely to discover her changing attitude towards Neji.

"I understand, and I'm sure Ino won't be offended!" Lee exclaims, giving her a thumbs-up and a brilliant grin. "Would you like to watch a movie then?"

There isn't much to talk about with Lee that he doesn't already know (with the exception of Neji - which is a lot, but Tenten would much rather let that slide beneath the carpet), so they spend the better part of the night watching a martial arts oldie. Despite much pleading from Lee to do a swap, Tenten sleeps in the couch after the movie, with just a thin blanket over her for warmth.

Lee snores sometimes - tonight is one such occasion, and Tenten takes a while to fall asleep.

She ends up dreaming an intense, far-too-real dream that sends her jerking awake in the middle of the night, sweating lightly, and with an insistent throbbing between her legs that she can't ignore.

Tenten swears quietly to herself. She isn't about to touch herself intimately in Lee's quarters, no. And the desire she woke up with isn't receding quite quickly enough. Tenten tries to return to sleep, tossing and turning, and flips the blanket off herself in the end. Maybe a walk would help do her some good.

She slips her shoes and earpiece on, and taps the unlocking switch next to Lee's door, letting herself out of his quarters.

The corridors are quiet at this time - Tenten wishes she could return to her own quarters, or perhaps even the alien lab. Her panties aren't doing much to tamp her arousal; she's finally taken Ino's advice that morning, taking a little time to do a complete shave, and embarrassed herself wondering what Neji would think of this.

Not that they ended up meeting at any point between her shaving and now.

Tenten shrugs to herself, wincing when the material of her underwear tugs against her bare skin, returning her awareness to her swollen flesh. She decides to head for the cafeteria, despite not having remembered to bring her wallet - maybe she'd get incredibly lucky, and find coins on the floor.

She snorts to herself. _As if._

Footsteps sound behind her a few minutes later; Tenten doesn't know what she should feel about it, because she almost doesn't need to turn around to know the identity of her mystery companion.

She does keep her pace up, walking towards the cafeteria until she can no longer stand his presence. With a snarl, she whips her head around, glowering at the the bland expression of one Hyuuga Neji. "What's your problem?"

"What's yours?" He raises fine ebony eyebrows at her.

"Will you quit stalking me?" Tenten snaps.

He shrugs, but increases his strides to catch up with her. "I found myself hungry at this time," he answers, and Tenten feels her breath catch when his pale eyes lock on her, and do not pull away.

She bites her lip hard, tears her gaze away from his. Knowing he's this close to her doesn't help her hunger any; in fact, the thought of his hands just mere inches away has her growing wetter for it.

"You've been avoiding me," she mutters. "Though honestly, I don't care about it."

Neji exhales quickly, his lips quirking in a suppressed chuckle. "Why mention it then?" he asks quietly,

"I was just wondering," Tenten grouses, keeping her eyes on the corridor ahead. "Whether you've found someone else to blackmail, or fuck, or whatever."

Tenten isn't surprised to find that the mere thought of him beside her is enough to make her pulse race.

Neji is silent for a while. He turns his head slightly, to look at her from the corner of his eye. "Why concern yourself with that?"

She swallows, feels herself ache for him. "I guess it's a game for you. Why not just ask me for sex in the first place?" she says quietly. "Why blackmail?"

Neji watches her, but does not answer to that, and Tenten places one foot in front of the other, trying hard to concentrate on making her way to the cafeteria without somehow revealing her weakness.

They walk in silence for a painfully long while; Tenten gulps, and breathes a sigh of relief when they reach the open space of the canteen, that is far different from the constrictive atmosphere of the hallway.

There isn't anyone in the canteen at this time; Tenten glances around with a measure of surprise. She walks over to a table, uninterested in the vending machines. To her astonishment, Neji follows behind her, instead of turning away for food. She looks at him with a frown. "I thought you said you were hungry."

"I am," Neji admits, though he comes to stand close behind her, touching her waist in a way that tells her, without a doubt, what he wants. Heat radiates against her back. Tenten swallows. He's left space to her side, that would allow her to leave if she so chose - but she's rooted to the spot, needing to know what he'll do next. "Aren't you?"

"I... have an itch," she mumbles, her breath hitching when Neji's arm curls around to her front, touching the metal button of her shorts.

"I've disabled the cameras here," he informs her quietly, and Tenten turns her head to gape at him; Neji removes his fingers from his earpiece.

She stares. "How-"

"It's not the first time we've met here. You could call it intuition." With that, he lowers his lips to her shoulder, and Tenten gasps when he pulls her against his chest, sliding a hand up her tank top. "Would you like me to stop?"

Tenten swallows hard, knows her answer before she even speaks it. "No."

Neji chuckles quietly against her skin, and unbuttons her shorts, tugging its zipper down. She shivers against him, arches when he thumbs her pebbled nipples.

"I thought you weren't-" Tenten gasps when he dips his fingers past the waistband of her panties. "-Interested."

He drags his teeth across her skin, reaches deeper between her legs, and pauses at where the thatch of hair usually is. Surprised, Neji brushes his calloused fingers down; he draws a sharp breath when he finds her swollen flesh, and Tenten groans. Ino had not mentioned just how sensitive her skin would be to his touch when shaved. Tenten presses herself into Neji's palm; he strokes over her, finding her teeming wetness easily.

The very real possibility of being discovered is thrilling - Tenten grinds into Neji, the heat in her belly intensifying when she finds him large and stiff against her. She fumbles for his clothes, pushing his shorts down, at the same time he rids her of her shorts and underwear. Neji's fingers slip heavily over her moist folds from behind, easing her flesh open. He bends her over, lifts her leg onto the table, spreading her wide.

Tenten stifles her moan when he pushes into her, filling her completely; there is no space between them for words, just a heated frenzy of movement that has her gasping and tensing. He reaches forward and cups her breast roughly, his other hand anchored to her hip. It doesn't take either of them long - not for her, because of her sheer need - and Neji spills into her soon after she gasps and shudders, breathing hard onto her neck.

They dress in silence, quickly, efficiently, and Tenten barely notes that there's a slight flush on Neji's cheeks; he keys a code into his earpiece - the cameras are back on now.

They've barely made three steps towards the cafeteria exit when the doors swing open, and Tenten freezes, sweating and still a little shaky from her climax. Next to her, Neji pauses.

Shikamaru steps in with an unfamiliar woman - tall, slim, with wild blond hair tied into four ponytails at the back of her head. Tenten stares - they aren't in uniform now, but that has to be Shikamaru's girlfriend, that Ino was talking about. What was her name? Temari?

The four of them exchange stares for what seems to be a painfully awkward eternity - Tenten knows the question hovering in the six yards between them when Shikamaru's stare flicks from herself to Neji, and back, and she gulps. He probably remembers what she told him about the blackmail.

"This is troublesome," Shikamaru mutters, just loud enough to reach their ears. "Temari, these are Lieutenants Tenten and Hyuuga Neji. Guys, Lieutenant Temari from the _Suna_. She's here on an intel exchange visit."

Tenten manages a weak grin at the woman; Neji gives a polite nod. For lack of things to say while Temari observes them, Tenten casts her gaze around, towards the vending machines, and spots a glimmer of metal on the floor. Could it be-? She steps over, eyebrows lifting when she realizes that it's a dollar coin - just enough for a drink. _This is unexpected._ Tenten grabs the coin off the floor, promptly shoving it into the coin slot of a canned drink machine.

A can thuds heavily into the collection slot of the machine moments after Tenten makes her selection; she pulls it out, waves it at the three people staring at her. "Just here for a drink," she tells them brightly, and makes her way out of the canteen without missing a beat.

Neji falls into step beside her after the doors swing shut. "That seemed more suspicious than anything else," he remarks evenly.

She winces, shrugs, and cracks the seal on the can. "Well, it got us out of there. I don't even know why I agreed to doing that with you - that was a little too risky for comfort."

Next to her, Neji smirks. "You enjoyed it."

"Shut up, Hyuuga," she mutters, taking a sip from the can. The taste of plant material fills her mouth. "Ugh, this is disgusting."

"Green tea?" Neji asks, looking curiously at the printing on her can.

Tenten grimaces. "Well, that was the only thing left aside from regular coffee and soda."

"Watching your weight?" Neji glances at her again, lips thinning as if he were trying to hold a smile down.

"I'm not Ino," she mutters, surprised that he remembers she doesn't do caffeinated coffee at night. "Just thought I'd give this a try."

Absolutely not because she's curious about him.

"Here, take this," she tells him, holding the can out. "I can do without."

Neji looks between her and the can, and accepts it. "Thanks."

Tenten shrugs. "It was a treat from a mystery donor, anyway."

He hesitates for another moment, before lifting the can to his lips. She watches the bob of his Adam's apple, tries not to think of this as an indirect kiss. That was really not what she had in mind.

Tenten watches when Neji lowers the can, flicking his tongue over his lips. She swallows, concentrates on the corridor instead.

"Are you bunking with Yamanaka tonight?" Neji asks suddenly.

"Well... no. We agreed that- Anyway, I was going to bunk with Lee tonight, but it appears that I've been locked out of his quarters," she admits sheepishly. At Neji's raised eyebrow, she explains with a shrug, "I was in a hurry to get out."

"I see." The half-smile is back on his mouth again, and Tenten squashes the thought that Neji is still very handsome, even after all these years.

She really doesn't need to get into this mess, damn it!

"Where were you thinking of sleeping, then?" Neji glances at her, his expression betraying none of his thoughts.

Tenten shrugs, fingers the earpiece on her ear. "I don't want to wake Lee up just for this. Maybe the _Silver Blade_, since I have access to that, at least."

Neji is silent for a while, and Tenten makes a conscious effort to turn down the corridor leading towards the hangars. To her surprise, Neji follows her; she frowns at him.

"I... am able to provide you with another option," he finally says, looking sideways at her.

Tenten meets his pale eyes, knows immediately what he's referring to. She swallows. "What's in it for me?"

"You'd be able to sleep in the presence of your guns," Neji answers. "They're all accounted for, by the way."

It's an excuse, and a good one at that. "Fine," she replies, licking her lips. The thought of sleeping next to Neji does a number on her pulse, though she keeps it hidden from him. "But I'll sleep on the couch."

Neji's next glance at her is unreadable; it's almost as if he knows what she's thinking.

They end up in his quarters soon enough. Tenten rubs her arms, bereft of something to say or do. If the shooting competition never happened, she wouldn't even be here at all.

But she knows the pleasure of sleeping with him at her back now, and it's not a creature comfort she'd turn away, except maybe for the sake of her pride. Tenten purses her lips, continues to stand by the door.

"Still having a backache?" Neji probes. He sets his shoes next to his closet, parallel to each other, and looks again at her.

"Um, yes." Tenten fidgets. Does she really care if he's read her? Maybe.

"There's space on the bed for two," he informs her, setting the can of green tea in his fridge. "I'll even loan you my handgun. Or feel free to pull one from your collection."

She brightens at that, looking around his quarters for her weapons case. Neji unlocks a discreet chest, and she hurries over, pulling a sleek pistol out from her stash. Tenten grins at the cool, familiar weight of steel in her palm.

"I'd be afraid of you, if I didn't know any better," Neji says dryly, locking the chest back up.

"You should be afraid of me," Tenten mutters, cocking her brow in challenge.

Neji doesn't rise to her taunt. Instead, he heads over to his queen-sized bed, slipping under the covers. Tenten blinks quickly when he looks expectantly at her. _The backache. Right._

She steps out of her shoes and places them next to his, before joining Neji in bed, looking resolutely away from him. The pistol goes beneath the pillow he's left for her. They remain silent; Neji turns the lights off, and Tenten rolls onto her side, with her back towards him.

"Thanks," she eventually mutters, fingering the white cotton of his pillowcase. The faint scent of conditioner lingers in his sheets.

Neji wraps an arm around her waist then, pulling her gently against his chest, and Tenten inhales sharply. Her heart quickens anew. She allows her eyes to slide shut at his warmth, slowly relaxing against his body.

"This helps your backache, doesn't it?" Neji whispers. There isn't a doubt, now, that he's seen through her feint. Even if he's the one to suggest the excuse.

Tenten doesn't know how to respond, so she doesn't.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, that was me setting up for Neji/Ten/Ino in the sequel. ;) Gotta love Ino. To answer one of your questions - IzumoKotetsu will be explored more in the sequel, as well as Ino and her hangups. ;)_

_Thank you guys, as always, for taking the time to review! Looking back on Blackmail, I can say that there is still much to improve in my writing lol. :P_


	29. 26: Gossip and Preparations

_Yeah, who ever thought that a blackmail story would leave you feeling like your teeth were about to rot? ;) Not me, that's for sure ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 26: Gossip and Preparations**

_Konoha, Jan 29, 2031, 0555 hrs_

Neji wakes when Tenten slips out of his bed the next morning. He doesn't say anything to her, though, but she sees the glimmer of his pale eyes in the faint light of the room. She makes a grab for her earpiece, checks that it's her own, and replaces her pistol on the locked weapons chest, where the rest of her guns are in temporary storage.

Sleep came easily enough last night, after she'd quit worrying about what Neji thinks about this mess. And like the first night on Gliese Beta, nothing had happened between them in bed. It doesn't help curtail her interest in him.

The door hisses shut behind her, and Tenten makes her way swiftly to Lee's quarters. By her calculations, he should be waking up just about now.

To her surprise, the door opens seconds after her first knock; Lee is on the other side of the door, fully awake, bushy brows furrowed.

"Tenten!" he exclaims. "I was wondering where you went!"

She stares at him uneasily. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

"I woke up a little earlier today," Lee explains, allowing her into his too-green quarters. "But you weren't around when I woke."

"Sorry - I went on a walk," she tells him, glancing down at her clothes . The wrinkles on the fabric are part of sleeping, anyway. And she did go on a walk. Just not half an hour ago.

"This isn't like you." Lee settles on the couch when she does, cocking his head at her. "Something happened between you and Neji, didn't it."

She forgot how perceptive he could be. Damn it.

"I, um," Tenten fumbles, looking between him and the framed pictures of their team on the wall.

"You haven't really been angry at him since the new year," Lee muses thoughtfully, staring at her. "But I didn't notice it until the shooting competition."

She gapes at him. And he's been silent about it this entire time? "What- What makes you say that?"

"You stopped glaring at him," he says, arms folded. "And you even hugged him at the end of the competition."

Tenten winces. "Well, that was an act of goodwill-"

"Do you like him?" Lee asks suddenly, inky eyes wide. "Has he finally touched the youthfulness of your heart?"

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Tenten sputters, flushing crimson. Surely it isn't that obvious-

"Neji likes you," he states simply, blinking at her. "You mean you didn't know?"

She stares at him like he's grown a third eye. Her heart's thumping so hard that Tenten thinks she might be heading towards the emergency room soon. "You can't be serious, Lee, he's-"

First Ino, and now Lee? But why did he blackmail her if he liked her? Tenten frowns, trying to think.

The fact still remains, though, that she's developing - developed - some kind of affection for him. And it unnerves her.

"But I don't like anyone. I don't want a relationship," Tenten moans, leaning forward and covering her face with her hands. "Breakups hurt. People die. I can do without that pain."

She still remembers the loneliness from the orphanage, and from after that. Because as much as she loves her friends, they don't quite fill the gaps in when she's lost someone important. This is the exact reason why Ino doesn't want relationships, either.

"But what do you feel about Neji?" Lee probes, frowning slightly.

Tenten curls her fingers into her palms, purses her lips. "He's... a comrade."

"Other than that?" His gaze is measuring.

"I don't want to talk about it." Tenten blinks, and rises from the couch. "It hurt enough when he left."

* * *

"What, you mean they were alone together in the cafeteria?" Ino asks, surprised. She's seated on one end of a couch in Shikamaru's quarters; Temari lounges in the other couch, typing away on her computer.

"I knew it was troublesome telling you about it," Shikamaru drawls, staring at the computer screen at his desk.

Ino frowns. "Were they... doing anything?"

Shikamaru sighs in resignation. "Not at the exact moment of our entrance. But they looked pretty tired out. Flushed."

She gapes at her childhood friend, piecing information together in her mind. "I can't imagine Tenten having sex in the canteen. With Neji, no less."

The thought just about blows her over. Isn't Tenten one hell of a conservative when it comes to sex? Then again, the brunette spent forever in her bathroom yesterday morning. Ino smiles to herself. Maybe her advice worked.

"That's none of our business." Shikamaru focuses on his computer screen; he's monitoring the status of the slug infestation cleanup at the same time. "If they did, in fact, do anything, Security should've picked it up."

Ino purses her lips. Then again, after that last night on Gliese Beta, she wouldn't really be surprised if Tenten returned to Neji for more romps. "I just didn't expect Neji to keep seeing her," she says thoughtfully.

She's a little envious of the maybe-relationship her friend has with the Hyuuga genius. Not all friendships from childhood develop into more further in life.

Ino leans back into the couch, checking her nails and glancing wistfully between Shikamaru and Temari. There's a once-upon-a-time in her own story, but the happily-ever-after bit is still out there, hidden among the mysteries of the universe.

"It's tedious, but I've told you to get invested in a relationship," Shikamaru informs her, bored. He taps a pen against the polished surface of his desk.

_Me? In a relationship?_ Ino rolls her eyes. Ever since Shikamaru began showing an increased interest in the liaison officer from the _Suna_, Ino's faith in love and purity had all but withered. She doesn't believe in relationships anymore. At least, not for herself.

"I'm doing fine on my own, thanks," she retorts. Ino has never got used to being alone in the company of Shikamaru and Temari - Chouji has always been around to take the awkwardness off by some notches, but he's away on a long mission this time.

"Oi, Nara, get your ass over here," Temari commands, her voice low and rough, almost like a predatory feline.

_At least he's with someone who'd keep him in line,_ Ino thinks.

"Do I have to?" Shikamaru flicks his eyes over at his girlfriend, no doubt weighing his options. He sighs after a while, slowly pushing his chair back, when a _ping_ sounds from his computer.

Ino watches as he stills, clicking and scanning over the contents of the latest report. The expression on his face tautens then, and she frowns.

"What's wrong?" she asks. Even Temari looks up from her computer.

"It's Chouji's team - they're back on the _Konoha_ and are being seen to in the ICU." Shikamaru looks at her, and Ino feels the bottom of her stomach plummet.

"Chouji?" she repeats faintly, almost breathless.

"They're operating on him." Shikamaru frowns. "Room E1 at the infirmary."

"Fuck. See you there, Shika." Without waiting for his response or Temari's, Ino leaves Shikamaru's quarters first, hurrying to the hospital wing to await news on her other childhood friend.

* * *

Tenten steps into the infirmary late that afternoon, blinking at the number of people present. The hospital wing on the _Konoha_ is nothing short of state-of-the-art, with bright lights, expensive equipment, screens, beds, and a slew of other advanced tools for treatment.

She winces as she makes her way through the various hallways, searching for the room Ino has said she's at. This place reminds Tenten too well of the few times she's ended up in the hospital. Her shoulder aches with a phantom pain, an injury she's sustained and recovered from almost a decade ago.

Tenten tightens her grip on the bag of packaged food that she's brought along with her - Ino and her companions haven't eaten yet, after all.

"Hey, Ten," Ino greets wearily when Tenten draws close to her outside the ICU and hands over the food. Behind the blonde, Shikamaru and Temari turn to look at her, mildly curious at her appearance. Their gazes both drop to the plastic bag of food.

"How are they?" she asks, watching as Ino digs into the bag with a word of thanks.

"The operations were successful. Chouji and Shino are the worst hit - they expect Hinata to be discharged into the regular care unit soon," Ino supplies, pulling the lunch sets out. She hands them to Shikamaru and Temari, complete with plastic cutlery, and finally takes a seat from her pacing, tucking into her salad.

"Thanks, Tenten," Shikamaru says, echoed by Temari.

"No problem," Tenten answers, looking down the rest of the corridor. Kiba stands some feet away, looking through a plexiglass window into the ICU at Hinata and Shino - his old trainee teammates. All three patients are attached to various machines in the dimmed lighting of the intensive care unit, with oxygen masks on their faces and IV drips going into their arms.

Tenten leaves Ino, Shikamaru and Temari to their food, and walks over to stand by Kiba, who turns to look at her. He's asked to be excused from training an hour ago, and she has just left Lee to procure food, at Ino's request.

"How are you doing?" she asks Kiba.

The man frowns, lacking in his usual energy. He unfolds his arms from his chest, shoving them into his pockets. "Fine."

"I heard that it happened while they were on the way back, on one of the planets," Tenten tells him quietly. "So relieved they made it back alive."

"You're telling me," he mutters, looking back at the pale figure of Hinata, who's swathed in sheets, her long hair dark against the pillow.

Tenten winces. Neji would have heard about this too. She hopes he isn't getting hell for his cousin's return gone awry.

They stand in silence for long moments, each immersed in his or her own thoughts. Tenten knows Hinata, Shino and Chouji superficially - they haven't really communicated much while not on missions, though they're each important to her close friends in their own ways. It's a given fact that everyone on the _Konoha_ is connected to someone else, somehow or other.

She feels his presence at her shoulder before she even sees him.

Tenten turns a little, looking sideways at the profile of Hyuuga Neji as he checks on how his cousin is doing. His lips are pressed into a thin line, and his eyebrows are drawn low. Neji responds to her glance - his own pale pupils swivel to observe her from the corner of his eyes, and Tenten breaks the gaze, unsure of what she can say to him.

The silence continues, filled in by routine noises from the other parts of the infirmary, and Tenten reaches up to rub her shoulder. Neji looks over when she does that, his eyes unreadable.

"I should be heading back," Tenten says at length, stepping away from the glass windows. She looks at Kiba, Neji, Ino, Shikamaru and Temari in turn. "See you guys around."

They acknowledge her words with low murmurs. Ino is still visibly upset, so Tenten heads over to give her a quick hug. The blonde smiles wanly, setting her salad aside and returning the embrace. "Thanks, Ten. I'll keep you updated."

"Thanks. Don't forget to get some rest," she tells Ino, pats her on the shoulder, and continues on her way out of the hospital wing.

Tenten isn't surprised, either, when Neji falls into step next to her as she leaves the infirmary. She looks curiously at him. "Aren't you staying there longer?"

Neji gives a half-shrug, keeping his gaze on the corridor ahead of them. "I'm not of much help there."

"Will you catch crap for Hinata's condition?" she asks after a long pause. His responsibility to protect the younger woman isn't lost on her, after all. In fact, Tenten remembers him being sent on the specimen collection missions with Hinata's team, just for the sake of ensuring her safety.

There's another stretch of silence before Neji speaks, and their boots click dully against the metal floor. "Perhaps," he answers, "Though they could pin any kind of fault on me if they wanted."

"That's not fair," Tenten protests, though she knows Neji's answer, has always known Neji's answer.

"I have no say over their decisions," he says once more. He doesn't meet her eyes.

Not for the first time, Tenten wonders what it's like to live without being able to decide on her own goals, and to accept punishment for something that isn't her fault. It isn't a pretty image she arrives at, so she tucks the thought away.

"They were at the Orion cluster," she mentions, remembering Ino's words.

He nods solemnly then. "Hawk Platoon will be moving out to join the other half of their tag team for a while."

She stares at him, feeling a pang of unhappiness of some sort. "Wasn't Hawk tied to Dragon?"

Neji shrugs again. "We have prior experience there. This will just be for training the new team, and then we'll be back."

Tenten nods slowly, digesting the information.

"Will you miss me?" Neji asks, and she forgets to breathe, looking quickly at him.

It is only when Tenten sees the hint of a smile on his lips that she realizes he's pulling her leg; she frowns at him, looks away. "That's not funny, Hyuuga," she snaps.

"So you'll miss me," he deduces.

"I won't." An irate glower. "Don't think too highly of yourself."

Neji stifles a low chuckle, looking ahead.

"When are you leaving?" Tenten blurts suddenly.

"0800 hours tomorrow." Neji glances at her. "Were you thinking of bunking with me tonight?"

"I-" Tenten sputters, caught off-guard. "I was just wondering when I'd get my guns back, is all. The infestation cleanup isn't complete yet."

Neji considers her for a while. "So - are you bunking with Lee again?"

Tenten falls silent, stumped. She doesn't want to admit that she's enjoyed sleeping with him last night.

At her silence, Neji continues speaking, "I have a couple of things for you at my quarters, if you'd follow me back."

She glances warily at him. Notices that they're headed for his room anyway. "What do you have in mind?" she questions.

He keeps annoyingly silent until they've reached his quarters. Tenten glares at him, inwardly cursing at how he used her curiosity against her.

But she's here of her own accord, and she can't blame him for that.

"So, what did you ask me here for?" Tenten begins the moment his door slides shut behind them. She props her hands on her hips, following him to his desk. "This better be worth my time, Hyuuga."

"Oh, it will." Neji seats himself at his desk. "For ease of access to your guns while the infestation cleanup is in effect, I'll give you the access rights to my quarters."

Tenten goggles at him. "You trust me with that?" she stutters.

"Are you agreeable to it?" he asks, fixing her with his lilac gaze. Tenten's attention drops to his moist lips, and she swallows.

"Yeah. For the sake of my guns," she's quick to clarify.

"Right." He types quickly on his keyboard, and Tenten watches his fingers fly over the keys, long, slender digits that know her more intimately than she cares to acknowledge. Bored, she leans her thigh against his desk and looks at the straight, silky threads of his hair, and the long lashes framing his eyes. Neji flicks his gaze up at her suddenly. "Like what you see?"

She stares at the twitch of his lips, gulps. "I was just thinking that you'd make a very pretty woman," she bluffs.

But yes, yes, she likes what she sees.

Neji narrows his eyes. Returns to typing. It's a while before he next speaks. "You now have access rights to this room," he informs her. "In case you get locked out on another night."

Tenten flushes.

"I'll give you access again when I switch rooms," he adds, and she looks at him in surprise.

"Switch rooms?" she echos, thinking ahead. Soldiers are given new quarters when they make the next rank. "You mean, when you've passed your Captains exam?"

"Yeah." He returns his gaze to his screen, speaking as he types, "This next mission is also to assess my ability to work with different people and delegate jobs. It's the last before I take the exam."

Tenten blinks, at a loss for words. When she finally finds her tongue, she asks, "Does that mean you'll be leaving the tag-team missions?"

Neji shrugs. "That depends on whether the tag-team scheme is still in effect by the time I return."

"How long will Hawk Platoon be away?" She frowns. The thought of not seeing him around tastes sour in her mouth.

He shrugs again. "Possibly two months. It takes close to two weeks to travel between the _Konoha_ and the Orion cluster."

Her heart sinks. "Right."

"The other thing I have for you..." Neji trails off, reaching beneath his desk for something. Tenten's eyebrows rise when he sets a black case between them, not unlike ones used for single gun storage.

"A gun?" she asks hopefully.

"Close enough." Neji smirks, slides the box over to her. "You might find it useful while I'm gone."

Frowning, Tenten turns the case towards herself and unlatches it, flipping its lid open. What stares back at her is something very realistic-looking and very familiar. A replica of a part of Neji that she knows very well by now.

"The fuck?" Tenten yelps, releasing the case as if burned. It snaps shut, and she looks at Neji, heat washing through her cheeks.

He watches her amusedly. "I thought you might... enjoy that."

"How-" she sputters.

"Three-dimensional printing. I had it made with silicone - it's durable and easily cleaned." Neji looks between her and the closed case.

Tenten doesn't want to begin imagining how he even got the idea to create something like that.

At her silence, Neji shrugs. "I'll leave it in my quarters so you'll know where to find it," he says amiably.

She glowers at him. "I won't touch that."

"Suit yourself," Neji answers, though the knowing look he gives her makes Tenten wonder just how far he's read into her future. "Care instructions are in the case."

"If that's all you have for me, I'm leaving," she snaps, pushing away from his desk.

"The code to enter my quarters is the same as your own," Neji calls after her as she strides to the exit.

Tenten doesn't reply, stepping out so the door closes behind her.

* * *

Neji is almost falling asleep when the door to his quarters hisses open. He snaps awake at the sound, fingers twitching to ready himself for his next move.

But the silhouette at his door is strikingly familiar - he knows it's a woman from the curve of her waist. He sees the outline of her tank top, and her shorts, and knows the shape of her face, even as the curtain of hair cascading past her shoulders hides her neck from view.

He doesn't move, merely stares at her, and Tenten steps further into his quarters, so the door shuts, and she melds into the shadows.

"I was locked out again," she says, closer this time. Neji doesn't detect any regret or irritation in her voice, and smirks despite himself - he knew she would come.

He hears her shoes being shed, then the soft rustle of clothes on skin, and his mouth goes dry.

The mattress indents not too far from him just moments later; the sheets are drawn down, and he feels exposed- But he doesn't mind, not in her presence.

He feels her warmth first - her hands are searching; Tenten slips beneath the covers with him, lying down and pressing her back to his chest.

_You shouldn't be here,_ he wants to say. _You shouldn't be giving me chances._

But the words die on his lips when he curls his arm around her waist, and finds her completely naked.

Neji sucks a sharp breath in through his nose. Her skin feels exquisite, as always, and she makes a little noise of pleasure when he dares slide his hand up, caressing the contours of her breasts. Her nipples harden at his touch; she exhales in a sigh, pushing her bottom snug against his hips.

His next reaction is carnal, instinctive. Neji leans up and pushes the thick locks of hair away from her neck, before pressing his lips to her skin, filling his lungs with her scent.

Tenten reaches behind and slips a hand straight into his shorts, laughing softly when she finds him growing in her palm. He presses himself towards her, suckles wetly on her throat. A soft moan escapes her lips.

The trip to the Orion cluster is two weeks, after all - he can afford not to sleep tonight.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, this chapter. ;) The closing scene made me so so so excited when I first wrote it. ;) Plenty of things to note - Lee is not as clueless as he seems, and Ino is not as simple as one might think she is, etc etc. ;)_

_Credits for the replica idea goes to Matt, who is a very dear friend and who is my co-conspirator for many things lewd and nasty. LOL_

_As always, thank you for taking the time to leave a review! ;) Things are progressing right along. ;)_


	30. 27: This Strange Feeling

_A few more explanations in this chapter... we're reaching the end at a rapid pace. :O_

_**anonymoose** \- Neji was referring to the journey to the Orion cluster in the previous chapter - the duration of the flight is two weeks ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **This fic is rated for mature audiences only - read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 27: This Strange Feeling**

_Konoha, Jan 30, 2031, 0545 hrs_

Neji is the first to wake the next morning. Tenten rolls out of bed after him, still too unused to waking up so close to another person to feel sleepy soon after. It doesn't matter anyway - she's due to return to Lee's quarters in a few minutes.

"Slept well?" Neji asks, flicking a glance back at her as he pads over to his bathroom.

"Decently. Nice of you to ask," she answers dryly, with what little voice she has left.

There isn't an appropriate explanation for what she did last night - short of wanting creature comforts before he leaves on the next mission - so she doesn't bother trying to come up with excuses and justifications. He'd made her scream herself hoarse hours after she crawled into bed with him, and the sheets were damp and thick with the scent of sweat and sex by the time they finally succumbed to sleep.

Tenten stretches, comfortable in her own skin. She lounges on Neji's bed for some time, takes stock of the few personal possessions in his quarters. Before today, she's never actually looked closely at the collection of books in the bookcase at the end of his bed.

"'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'?" she reads, pulling an aged tome out, its pages yellowed, but with hardly any dust on it. The smell of old paper seeps into the air when she cracks it open.

"Military strategies. Set in the Han Dynasty of China," Neji summarizes, stepping out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, and another wrapped around his hair.

"And here I thought your hobby was women instead of reading," Tenten tells him, glancing up at him briefly, before returning to the faded text. Her eyes snap back towards him a second later. "Do you have to parade yourself around, dripping wet?" she grumbles.

(Because he looks damn sexy like that. Not that she's the least bit interested.)

"Do you have to sit naked in my bed, reading my books?" Neji replies in turn, and she sees the prideful smirk on his lips when she flushes.

"I was just looking," Tenten mutters, snapping the book shut. She shoves the tome back onto its shelf. "It's a wonder your bedtime reading isn't porn."

"I've been reading case studies and military history," Neji answers primly, almost offended. "Unlike some of us, who possess erotic literature an arm's reach away from bed."

"How did you-" she sputters, glaring. Not all of her books are of that nature, damn it!

He arches an eyebrow. "If you ever try your hand at writing literature of that sort, I may be convinced to read it."

Tenten rolls her eyes. Climbs off his bed and walks towards where she's left her clothes last night. "Fuck off, Hyuuga. I'm leaving."

Neji watches while she pulls her clothes on, still dripping from his shower. She doesn't say another word to him, though the possibility of him facing the same fate as Hinata, Shino and Chouji makes her pause by the exit.

"Stay safe," she tells him grudgingly, before hitting the wall switch to unlock his door.

"I'll be in touch," he says in return, eyes trained on her as she leaves.

Tenten ducks into the corridor. A pang of heaviness hits her gut the further she strides along; she realizes that she's felt the exact same thing years ago, when he first walked away.

* * *

The slug infestation cleanup is completed that very afternoon. Tenten moves her overnight things back to her quarters, grateful to regain her solitude once more. She wrinkles her nose upon entrance to her room - the chemicals used to purge the slugs have left a residual sterile scent that reminds her too much of the hospital wing, and Tenten winces, walking along the walls and inspecting the furniture, to ensure that every trace of the slugs have been removed.

She checks her closet - the interior has also been cleaned, and her clothes are freshly laundered. Tenten's shoulders sag with relief; the memory of those slugs alone is vivid and disgusting.

With the discovery that her bed linens are new, Tenten straightens in excitement, hurrying through her nightly routine and shower. Ino was right about shaving - the stubble growth has been uncomfortably itchy through the day.

Neji had liked the lack of hair, though.

Tenten pauses for a few moments in her shower, remembering the way his lips lingered between her legs the night before, and how his tongue slipped along her flesh-

She shakes herself out of her thoughts. Tenten steps out of the shower and gets dressed, checks her emails, and types her reports for Captain Gai. Dragon Platoon would probably be sent on another mission in the next few days, perfect for getting her mind off Neji.

When she finally slips into bed that night, Tenten sighs, allowing her muscles to relax against the clean sheets. The sterile odor still lingers, though, and inexplicably, Tenten finds herself unable to sleep, tossing and turning in her too-cold, almost-too-large bed.

The most effective solution to the problem comes to mind immediately. She's unwilling to take that route, though, and tries pleasuring herself to sleep. Her body doesn't respond. Tenten buries her head beneath her pillow, annoyed. She throws her covers off. Pulls them back on. Lies on the other side of the bed.

None of these work, and it is an hour after her bedtime before Tenten swears and drags herself out of bed, jamming her earpiece onto her ear. She pulls clothes on, stalks grudgingly out of her quarters, along the corridors, and into Neji's room.

She sees the chest where her stash of weapons still is, and the little black case that she's rejected on his bedside table.

What she needs right now is sleep, though, so Tenten strips and crawls into Neji's bed, where scents from the previous night still linger. She also discerns his conditioner - a strangely comforting smell - and burrows under the covers, where he's slept snug against her less than twenty-four hours ago.

This is stupid, and insanity, but Tenten feels oddly at ease among the mix of linen and scents. It's almost as if Neji himself is present, though she's loathe to admit her growing attraction to him.

She falls asleep soon after, nestled in the faint imprint of their entwined bodies.

* * *

The break from being teamed up with Hawk Platoon is refreshing - Tenten leads Dragon Platoon on a variety of missions as they've done on so many occasions before. They fall back into easy camaraderie, with little mention of Neji or his team, or the Orion cluster, instead chatting about myriad things, like martial arts, weapons, self-improvement, and Kiba's incredible fondness for canines.

"Dogs are awesome," Kiba announces on the return journey from a mission. "They're loyal to the last bone, and know you better than you know yourself!"

It's common knowledge that he hails from a family of dog-lovers; Kiba's parents and sister work in the police force on Earth, specializing in canine training and missions involving tracking by scent.

"You're such a mutt yourself," Tenten informs him from the pilot's seat. "Always chasing skirts like a dog chases a bone."

"But Kiba's so youthful too, isn't he?" Lee grins, and Kiba sends a smug glance at Tenten.

"What happened to that cat girl you were dating around Christmas?" Tenten questions pointedly.

"Oh, um. Well, she didn't like that I was seeing Ino on the side," Kiba admits with an awkward laugh.

Tenten rolls her eyes.

"That's not nice of you, Kiba!" Lee protests, frowning. "Girls are precious blossoms and we shouldn't play with their hearts-"

"All I did was kiss her a couple of times," Kiba says nonchalantly, shrugging.

Tenten raises her eyebrows. "So, what did she do when she found out about Ino?"

"I got slapped," Kiba admits sheepishly. Tenten rolls her eyes again. "But hey, I was seeing Ino before that even started."

"So are you and Ino just going to be flirting forever?" Tenten asks, remembering the ICU visit. "Or are you actually secretly interested in Hinata?"

Kiba frowns at her, squinting. "Are you out of your mind, Tenten? Hinata was my teammate - I don't see her that way. 'Sides, if I were ever interested in her, I think your Hyuuga would beat me into a pulp first."

"My Hyuuga?" Tenten sputters. "He and I have nothing going on, Inuzuka."

"Yeah, we all know he's interested in you," Kiba answers, looking significantly at her. "Remember Gliese Beta?"

Tenten cringes. Lee wisely keeps silent.

"Well, he's gone on another mission," she tells him. "I don't even know when he'll be back."

It's been two weeks since he left, and Tenten can't help the twinge of loneliness when she steps into the cafeteria for food late at night. She almost expects him to fall into step next to her, but he doesn't. Neji hasn't contacted her, either - she's unwilling to make the first move, and has remained silent thus far.

(But she checks for email updates a little too anxiously when the _ping_ sounds to indicate a new message received, only to be disappointed when none from him arrive.)

"You haven't said you don't like him," Kiba taunts, wriggling his eyebrows.

"I don't like Hyuuga. At all. Happy?" Tenten bristles.

Kiba returns to monitoring his screens on board the _Silver Blade_, typing away, and Tenten jerks when the telltale _ping_ sounds again. She makes a grab for her computer.

_Gotcha! -Kiba._

"Inuzuka!" Tenten growls, snapping her head back and glowering at him.

Kiba grins at her wolfishly. "You're waiting for word from him," he tells her deviously.

"I am not!" she snaps. "Don't make me contemplate murder."

"All right, all right, I'll stop," Kiba concedes, though his expression is still knowing, and Tenten winces inwardly.

This stupid crush thing will stop at some point, right?

* * *

It is close to three weeks after he leaves that Tenten dreams of Neji. As in her previous dreams, she's walking along an empty road when Neji materializes from thin air, as naked as she's ever seen him.

She doesn't know whether she's happy to meet him again, so she snaps, "Why can't you put some clothes on for once?"

"You prefer me without clothes," he says, and somehow, Tenten instinctively knows that he's speaking the truth.

"Get out of my sight," she mutters, frowning and looking away, taking larger strides on the sidewalk.

Annoyingly, he keeps up with her, silky hair fluttering in the wind. "There are many things you don't see," Neji tells her enigmatically, "But at least you acknowledge me in bed."

Tenten gapes at him. "What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing," Neji answers with a charming smile. "But you like me."

She can't deny it this time.

"What's wrong?" Neji asks, stepping closer to her, and she feels the warmth of his skin. "Afraid to admit it?"

Tenten stops walking, somehow, and Neji turns to face her, so their faces are inches apart. She feels his hands on her waist, pulling her close. Heat swirls low in her belly; Neji's lips are on her forehead, trailing down her nose, and to her cheeks, at the same time he cups her breast, hard length pressing against her midriff.

She knows what comes next, shivers in anticipation.

What she doesn't expect is for Neji's breath to fall on her lips; her eyes snap open (when did they close?) and he's a hair's breath away from her, pale eyes boring into her own, his lips hovering over hers.

"You have always..." he trails off, and leans in.

.

Tenten's heart pounds so hard that she jerks awake, sitting upright in bed. The lights in Neji's quarters have been programmed to go on at 0545 hours. She stares wildly around the lit room, expecting to see him somewhere.

But Neji doesn't show up, and Tenten belatedly realizes that he's still away, despite how real he'd seemed in her dream.

And somehow, her desire in the dream has carried over to reality - it's moist between her legs, and she wishes he were around, or that his dream self had followed her to the realm of the waking, if only to help satisfy her hunger.

Tenten licks her lips, uncomfortable, and glances around the room. She's been relying on her fingers until now, but-

The black case tempts from the corner of her vision. She catches her lower lip between her teeth - Neji doesn't have to know about her using it, after all - and makes a decision, grabbing the case.

Unlike the real thing, Neji's replica is of a single color tone. The veins criss-crossing the toy are lighter than those on his skin. It's cool to the touch, and just as big as he is. Tenten gulps, fishes it out of the case. She wets it with some saliva - the silicone isn't as silky as his skin, though she isn't one to complain, especially when she gets to stroke her fingers over the toy, remembering the nights she's teased him to hardness - on Gliese Beta, and before he left three weeks ago.

When she's no longer able to wait, Tenten sets the flat base of the dildo on the mattress and lowers herself onto it, spreading her flesh with the fingers of her other hand. Neji's replica feels good stroking within her, and she breathes a moan, aroused by the thought that he's inside her, in a way. A flush blooms on her cheeks; she raises and lowers herself on the toy, leaning backwards to anchor her fingers at its base.

Her earpiece vibrates and flashes once then - a signal to indicate an incoming call when it isn't on her ear. Tenten curses, grabbing it and fitting it over her ear.

"Lieutenant Tenten speaking," she answers, hating that her voice sounds so breathy.

"About damn time," Neji says in her ear.

She freezes, swallows, still very conscious of the toy inside her. "The hell, Hyuuga?" she tries to snap. "How are you even making a call?"

"I have internet access," he tells her dryly. Her stomach flips at his baritone. "Took you long enough to start using it."

"What?" Tenten sputters, her muscles clenching around the dildo in reaction. Her cheeks scorch. "How did you-"

"There's a pressure sensor inside." She hears the smirk in his voice. "I can tell every time you tighten around... me."

She stares at the wall in disbelief, looking down at the silicone toy. "I don't-"

"You like having me inside," he tells her, and Tenten gulps hard, unable to prevent the heat that slides into her belly at his words. "Especially when I touch you with my fingers at the same time."

She knows exactly what he's talking about, knows the sensations that he elicits. Tenten reaches down, caressing where he would, and a soft moan emerges from her throat. "You're unbelievable," she mutters, resuming her slow ride on his replica.

"And you're fucking yourself on my replica as we talk," he answers. Her flesh throbs at his uncharacteristic vulgarity; Tenten bites her lip hard to keep from making unnecessary noises.

"Don't you- have work to do?" she grits, unwilling to abandon the toy now that she's started, pride be damned.

"It's too early," he replies.

"And you aren't occupied with... other things?" she says between heavy breathing.

"I'm occupied with the same thing you are."

She sees him seated in front of his computer, watching the signals from the pressure sensor, and tugging on himself to her rhythm. The flush darkens on her cheeks. "I can't believe you," she pants, her body responding to her mental image of him.

"You can imagine taking all of me, though," he tells her quietly, and Tenten allows herself to sink down on the replica, fully enveloping its shaft in her body. She breathes sharply out, unable to respond.

Neji's breathing grows heavier - she swallows hard, knows he's close, as she is. Tenten presses on her swollen flesh the way he would, grinding into his replica, and pleasure rips through her body, tearing from her throat in a loud moan.

She hears him grunt in a similar release, imagines him with a mess to clean. Tenten stifles a laugh when she's mostly recovered from her climax. "There, are you satisfied enough to end the conversation now?" she asks.

He's silent for a while. Tenten drags herself off his bed and grabs the heavy toy, bringing it to the bathroom for a quick rinse.

"I didn't expect you to be in my quarters this early," Neji eventually says.

Tenten doesn't want to reveal the reason why, so she shrugs, and remembers that he can't see it. She turns the water on in his sink, lathers the dildo up. "I assume that all's well at the cluster, then."

"Training is going fine, yes." Neji pauses for a short moment. "How are you?"

She blinks at her reflection in his mirror. Neji's never asked her this before. "Um, fine?"

"Are they assigning Dragon single- or double-platoon missions?" he asks.

Tenten narrows her eyes. "Are you suggesting that we can't complete them?"

He releases a sharp breath, almost as if he were suppressing a laugh. "No. I'm just asking to see if you'd have difficulty with your assignments."

"Very funny, Hyuuga." She rolls her eyes, rinsing the soap suds off the toy. "We were at Gliese Beta again the other day - they've got posters of the winners from the shooting party, you're easily recognizable on there."

He reads the message she doesn't say, in the event that their conversation is being tapped. "Understood. Thanks."

Tenten fervently hopes that the lost thumbdrive won't return to haunt them. "I guess you were being a jerk a few months back just to piss me off," she comments, musing over the times he snubbed her - with her trainee team, on Christmas... "Yet you've dropped the jerk act like a mask, since... the new year."

When she got her hands on that surveillance video. But he doesn't have any dirt on her anymore, and neither does she on him. And he hasn't demanded anything from her, or made any snide remarks.

Tenten doesn't know why she's bringing up the blackmail, but now is an appropriate a time as any to raise the subject.

Neji doesn't say anything.

"You're forgiven, by the way," she adds. "For the whole mess you pulled on me."

"Thank you." Neji inhales. Pauses for a bit. "You shouldn't, you know."

"I shouldn't forgive you?" Tenten frowns, staring at her reflection. "Why?"

"I... It's not important." Neji clears his throat. "I have to go. Talk to you sometime?"

"Right," she answers, confused. What was he going to say? "Don't get yourself killed."

"I won't."

The line goes dead, and Tenten walks out of his bathroom, running their conversation through her mind. He reminds her of the old Neji, somehow, the one she used to know, and she wonders what changed to make him think he had to blackmail her.

Maybe Hinata would know.

* * *

It takes another week for Tenten to shore up her courage to talk to Hyuuga Hinata. The Hyuuga heiress is recuperating from her hospitalization; Tenten has heard that Chouji and Shino are still in the infirmary, but are due to be discharged soon.

She follows the directions that Hinata has sent via email, knocking smartly on the steel door that is identical to almost every other door on board the Konoha. The door slides open moments later, and Tenten steps in, scanning the room by habit.

It somehow doesn't surprise her that Hinata's quarters are larger than Neji's, despite her lower ranking. Heavy books are stacked on low cabinets and shelves; there are framed pictures and pressed flowers on the wall - probably what is in the sheets of paper sandwiched within the books.

"Hello," Tenten says awkwardly, when she finds Hinata at the couch, with a steaming teapot and two empty cups on the coffee table. "Thanks for agreeing to meet with me."

"It's not a problem," Hinata is quick to assure her, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "I understand that you have questions for me."

"I... Yeah." Tenten nods.

"Do have a seat." Hinata waves towards the couch. Her motions are smooth and graceful, her slender arms almost fragile - Tenten remembers the video of her and Neji, and wonders how much stronger the Second Lieutenant is now. They haven't really been assigned missions together during their years in the military. "I wasn't sure if you'd like some tea..."

Tenten glances at the teapot, remembers the can of green tea she palmed off on Neji, and winces. "Um, not really. Green tea is more of Hy- Ne- your cousin's thing," she fumbles, at a loss as to how to refer to him without giving Hinata the wrong impression of their relationship, or being too rude to her host.

Hinata smiles. "That's fine - what would you prefer?"

"Water is plenty good, thank you," Tenten decides. "I wasn't planning on staying that long, actually."

Hinata pulls a bottle of water from her fridge anyway, handing it to Tenten. "No worries. I have water on hand since Kiba visits sometimes."

"He's not a tea person either," Tenten remembers, and Hinata nods in agreement.

"So... about your questions," Hinata begins, settling in the armchair adjacent to the couch. She pulls a teacup over and dispenses steaming tea into it, before cradling the teacup in her hands. "I understand that you'd like to know more about Neji."

Tenten gulps down the water in her mouth, congratulating herself on not choking. "How'd you guess?" she sputters.

The smile on Hinata's lips is mysterious, as if she's privy to something Tenten doesn't know about. "What would you like to know about him?"

She doesn't miss how Hinata skips over questions like Neji is prone to do. "I... Well, for one, I'd like to know what happened to him," Tenten says with a shrug.

Hinata studies her with those pale eyes that remind her too much of Neji's, leaning contemplatively back into the armchair. "You were his trainee cell teammate," Hinata recalls.

"Yeah." Tenten nods, reluctantly resting her weight against the backrest of her seat.

"I think you have some knowledge about the Hyuuga clan, then."

"Only too well," Tenten answers dryly.

"In that case, by 'what happened to him,' you're referring to..."

"Recently." she clarifies. "What happened when he went to the Orion cluster, and what happened after."

Hinata frowns, delicate lines creasing her pale forehead. "What do you mean by that?"

Tenten purses her lips. "See, I knew how he was when were teammates. We drifted after he graduated, and then he went to the Orion cluster." At Hinata's slow nod, she continues, "He became a total jerk when he got back. But after some... circumstances - I threatened him - he stopped with that act, and it's almost as if he's... become normal again."

"I understand that he manipulated you," Hinata says hesitantly.

The world around Tenten stops spinning. "What?" she gapes.

The Hyuuga heiress lowers her eyes. "I found out about the video, too," she adds. At Tenten's horrified expression, she hastens to clarify, "He- Neji talked to me about this. He isn't who he was at that age."

Neji talked to his cousin about... her?

"Are- are you defending him?" Tenten sputters, staring at the other woman. The plastic bottle crunches beneath her fingers.

Hinata shakes her head. "Well... I am defending the Neji you saw in the video. I can't speak for the one you know now, however."

Tenten purses her lips. "I came here regarding the one we know now. He- In my recent interactions with him, he isn't an asshole anymore and... I'm confused. I'd like to know which personality is the real one."

Before she gets any more infatuated with him than she already is.

Hinata considers her quietly, tipping her head to the side. "If I were to make a guess... I would say that they are all different facets of himself. He reacts differently to different situations, as I'm sure you do."

Tenten nods. "But I haven't changed - why the switch to being nice now? It's almost as if he's back to the Neji I knew. Just that he's... nicer."

"Neji- He struggles with himself." Hinata's gaze slides away from Tenten, to framed family pictures on the side table. "You're aware of the Hyuuga branch family - my elders have always told him to live up to the reputations of my father and uncle. I think... I think he tries to fulfill their expectations. He doesn't think he has a destiny other than that."

She frowns, digesting Hinata's words. "But what does that have to do with him being a jerk? Was he trying to seek control over his life?"

"Bear in mind that he bears the burden of my protection, too," Hinata adds, lowering her gaze. "There are many things he's tied to that he feels he can't escape."

"And that makes him... a better person?" Tenten scrunches up her face, trying to understand.

Hinata shrugs, looks at her teacup. "I only know that he trusts you."

Tenten blinks. _What's that supposed to mean?_ "Even after all he's done?"

"He... he's not a bad person," Hinata says. "Just... lost, and with too many weights to bear."

Tenten breathes a sigh, dissatisfied. Does that mean that Neji is truly interested in her? Or is she just someone he's entertaining himself with, to forget about his own circumstances?

* * *

_A/N: Yes... we see what Neji planned with the replica. Credits for "about damn time" goes to Matt - that was so hilarious omg. :P _

_Who knew that the answers to the mystery around Neji would be answered by Hinata? ;) Shouldn't you have gone to her right from the start, Tenten? ;)_

_Anyway, I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this story ;) Thank you, as always, for taking the time to leave your thoughts!_


	31. 28: It Begins Again

_This chapter... I liked a lot as well. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **As always, this fic is rated for mature audiences only - read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 28: It Begins Again**

_Orion Cluster, Feb 28, 2031, 0915 hrs_

Neji is just about ready to return to the _Konoha_. It's been two straight weeks of training the existing platoon patrolling the Orion cluster, and he doesn't think they need any more instruction - most problems are fairly easy to deal with, after all - it's really about whether the team has the presence of mind and physical ability to accomplish it.

He sits back behind his too-familiar wooden desk, tired of the brick walls and dirt floors and heavy, humid air. There is electricity on some of the planets in the cluster (and this is thankfully one of them), but there is only so much laundry and dirt and manual labor a man of his status is agreeable to.

Granted, Captain Gai would call it training (Neji winces at the memory). At least this would be the last mission to complete before he's eligible to take the Captains exam.

The prospect fills Neji with some anticipation - it's the next thing the Hyuuga clan elders have bid him to do, after all, and he can't shake the instinct to follow their orders. Already, he can envision himself reporting to Hiashi that he's been promoted to a Captain, received a larger ship, and has his own team ready for an important, high-ranking mission.

In the meantime, Neji busies himself with training - both personal exercises and with the team they've been briefing. The Orion cluster has plenty of different terrains for practice, unlike the Konoha, where soldiers resort to using simulations to train - but Neji knows the fighting styles of the new team by now (and, needless to say, that of Izumo and Kotetsu) and it's starting to get boring practicing with the same people every day. Not that training on board the _Konoha_ is much different, but-

He's a little sour about missing the physicals that took place this month - another chance to beat Tenten at the simulations would have been welcome.

The thought of Tenten leads to more pleasant musings. Neji leans back in his chair, tips his head back, staring at the white-painted ceiling. His interactions with her have not been planned at all - after that conversation with Hinata, he's tried to patch things up with Tenten, though he's wary of getting too close. Or are they already too intimately involved? That night before he left seemed that way.

They've engaged in a couple more phone calls since the first - both tantalizing, with Tenten describing herself in ways that have turned his cheeks dark with embarrassment, yet at the same time, made him wet for her.

(He's starting to suspect that she's been sleeping in his quarters, much to his masculine pride.)

A familiar _ping_ sounds from his computer, and Neji pulls his attention back to his email screen. _One new message._ The sender is an unfamiliar one - he's about to categorize it as spam when the subject line catches his eye. HYUUGA NEJI - surveillance video.

Neji feels his stomach constrict tightly.

He does a preliminary scan on the message, determines that it bears no security threats, and opens it, reading the contents with a sweep of his gaze.

_I got a video of you beating your weak little cousin up. Guess who's gonna love watching it? Your fucking family! Ha ha ha. Or maybe you'd wanna meet me on Aesis to settle some issues first. (Read: fist smashed in your pretty face)_

_H_

There isn't much of a trail left in the email header. Neji verifies that the email is, indeed, sent from Aesis. How much time does he have before the video gets out? He doesn't want to get his team involved in this - dropping Kotetsu and Izumo off on the _Konoha_ would mean a delay of an extra few hours before he gets to Aesis.

The Captains exam is scheduled in just over two weeks, however - seeing as the journey back to the Konoha is two weeks in itself, he won't be able to hit Aesis and make it back on time for it.

But how long would Hidan wait for him to show up?

Neji frowns. There isn't a doubt that this came from Hidan, who has suffered the wrath of Quachron due to the case of fakes Neji handed to him during that mission on Aesis. Tenten had been right in suspecting him. How did he get his hands on that thumbdrive?

The question pales in comparison to what Neji stands to face, if Hidan releases the video to the Hyuuga clan anyway.

His worst possible punishment would probably be death. Either a direct sentence, or a stealthy poisoned needle to his artery. They'd want to torture him first, though.

Does he place enough value on his life to fear for it?

Neji leans back in his seat, ruminating on the question. At the end of the day, he is but a pawn of the Hyuuga. There is that, and also the order he's received some months back, during the first Orion mission.

And then there is Tenten.

He sighs, and types a quick reply to the note - no point disguising his identity, after all.

_Give me a month. I'll be there._

* * *

_Konoha, Mar 17, 2031, 0601 hrs_

He knows to call again, somehow, and Tenten has anticipated it, wearing her earpiece even before she begins with the replica. She's managed to put off using the dildo for two entire weeks; today, though, she's woken up needing Neji beside her, and barely a minute has passed when the earpiece rings softly in her ear.

"I wondered when you'd start missing me again," Neji says quietly.

Her stomach flips, and Tenten isn't able to stifle a grin, sliding his replica into herself. "Maybe I don't miss you, maybe all I need is to scratch an itch," she tells him.

His bed is warm and comfortable, and she's freed herself of the sheets, lying on her back this time. She's content to massage herself with the dildo, with a hand reaching between her legs, slowly winding the tension that builds in her belly.

"I'm hurt," Neji informs her through the earpiece. "You were so keen on sharing a bed with me six weeks ago."

It does feel as if forever's passed since he left, and Tenten sighs, sliding fingers over her moist flesh. "Well, aren't you busy with your mission right now?" she whispers, a moan slipping from her throat when she pushes the replica especially deeply in.

"You're still in my quarters?" Neji probes, his voice taut.

She hears the desire he doesn't hide, chuckles softly in response. "Does it matter?"

"It does," he tells her, at the same time the door to the room slides open.

Tenten freezes.

Neji steps in then, in full uniform. His gaze snaps to her immediately, anchoring to her, and Tenten barely registers the door closing. He moves forward, keying buttons on his earpiece; the line goes dead. Her heart is beating loudly; for lack of any coherent thing to say to him, she plucks the dildo out of herself, tossing it right at his head.

"I don't appreciate that," Neji informs her, snatching the slick toy out of the air. He glances briefly at it, sets it down, and rubs his fingers together, testing the moisture she's left on its surface.

"I thought you were still at the Orion cluster," she breathes, still staring at him, her legs parted.

"I thought I'd give you a surprise," Neji answers, his gaze raking over her body. She sees the bulge growing at his groin, holds his stare when he undresses swiftly, climbing onto the bed.

"Missed me?" Tenten smiles, dragging a finger down his chest. A flicker of desire passes through his pale eyes, he remains hovering above her, keeping still while her finger wanders down his abdomen. She flattens her palm close to his groin, wraps her fingers around him, and Neji inhales sharply, thrusting himself at her.

It's a long while before either of them talk again.

* * *

Neji flops over onto the mattress beside her, staring up at the ceiling as his chest heaves. Tenten sits up, reaching for the handgun beneath her pillow. Neji is back, after all - she needs to pack and leave before he realizes just how much she's moved in here. (Most of her things are still in her quarters, where she meets Lee and Kiba for briefings, but there are some toiletries and clothes that he'd do well not to find.)

"How long have you been living in my quarters?" Neji asks, as if he's read her thoughts.

Tenten stills. She glances down at her gun - that is one dead giveaway. "Why would you even suggest that?" she asks without looking at him.

"My laundry hamper is full of clothes," he answers smugly, and she feels his eyes boring into her back.

_Crap._

"I, um, happened to have a lot of clothes on me last night," she lies, wincing at how unbelievable it sounds. She's planned on moving her laundry back to her quarters today, a day too late.

"Does thinking about me dirty your clothes that much?" Neji presses, and she turns, glowering at him.

"You're insufferably full of yourself," Tenten mutters.

"How were the physicals? I regret not being able to face off with you in them."

"Same old." She watches him from the corner of her eye, remembering the last time she met him in the simulation room. It's a wonder no one ever mentioned him biting her neck. "How were things at the Orion cluster?"

Neji hesitates here. "Fine."

"And?" Tenten lifts an eyebrow at his silence - there's something more to his response.

"I received a message from Hidan. We encountered him on the Aesis mission. He has the surveillance video."

Tenten's insides turn to ice. Horrified, she turns to face him, reading the solemnity in his eyes. "You've got to be kidding."

"I wish." His lips thin.

"But- How? We turned the place upside-down trying to locate that thumbdrive!" she exclaims in disbelief. "I didn't think any of our comrades would steal it - provided that they managed to get their hands on it in the first place."

"That's what I've been thinking about on the trip back," Neji replies, sitting up. He stands a pillow up against his headboard, shifting to lean back against it.

(Tenten lets her eyes rake over his chest - no harm looking at something aesthetically pleasing, at least.)

"My guess is that the thumbdrive did end up in the laundry facility - but it was included in the washing cycle. The cleaner handling it tossed it, for fear of being punished for the error. The jettisoned trash was picked up by scavengers, like they do sometimes, and the thumbdrive was salvaged."

She frowns, digesting the theory. It's not like the recruits at the laundry facility haven't screwed up before. Neji's hypothesis might not sound too plausible, though stranger things have happened, and how the thumbdrive ended up in Hidan's hands isn't the focus at this point, anyway. "What are your plans now?" she asks him.

"The Captains exam is later today. I'll head out after the ceremony." Neji looks at her, his own gaze trailing down her body. Tenten ignores the trail of heat that his attention leaves on her skin.

"How much time did Hidan give you?" Her forehead wrinkles.

"I requested a month - he shortened it to three weeks. I'm planning to arrive within two and a half weeks of his note."

"Taking Kotetsu and Izumo with you?"

"No."

Tenten stares at him, uncertain. It had required a six-man team to take Quachron and his men down before. "Will you be able to handle it on your own?"

"This is a single person making the threat. I'll be fine." Neji looks pridefully at her. Tenten steps away from the interrogation then, vaguely uneasy at the thought of Neji settling this by himself. He is but one man, even if he's a genius.

"I should come with you," she offers. "Two pairs of eyes are better than one."

"No. I need to solve this myself." His stare is resolute.

"And it's my fault it got lost. I should take the blame for it," she tells him. "Let me go with you."

Tenten doesn't think she'd forgive herself if anything happened to Neji while he was gone.

"Don't concern yourself with it." There's a coolness in Neji's eyes that she doesn't miss - he's closed the discussion.

"What if- What are the consequences otherwise? I mean, what if he's released the video anyway?" Tenten asks.

"I've been monitoring the channels to different Hyuuga," Neji answers. "There are options other than death, if it comes to that."

"Short of you quitting the military?" Tenten finds that she doesn't want to entertain the thought of him disappearing just like that.

"We've talked enough about this. Nothing will happen," Neji tells her curtly, swinging his legs off the mattress.

She watches as he rounds the bed, circling back to where his discarded uniform remains. Neji crouches and picks it up, fishing in one of his pockets for something. He stands after moments, crossing the floor back to her side of the bed, handing a couple of black metal cylinders to her.

Tenten's eyes widen at the short, heavy canisters in her palms. She flicks her gaze back up at him. "Pulse gun cartridges?"

Neji shifts uncomfortably on his feet. "I'm aware that it's late by a week. Happy birthday."

She bites her lip in an attempt not to squeal and hug him; there's an overwhelming joy in her chest that is far more intense than when Lee and Kiba showed up at her quarters for a briefing, carrying a huge cake between them.

He reads her restraint, smiles crookedly down at her. "I thought you might like that."

Tenten swallows, touched beyond words. "I didn't think-" she begins thickly.

"I remembered?" Neji settles down on the mattress in front of her, watching as she rubs her fingers over the cool metal.

"These have to be way expensive," she mutters.

Neji shrugs. "It's money well spent - clothes aren't on your wishlist."

"Thank you," she whispers, setting the cartridges and her handgun down on the side table.

He's caught unawares when she rests her hands on his shoulders and pushes him back down onto the bed, pressing her lips chastely to his cheek. (That's as far as she's willing to go for now.) The corners of his mouth quirk, and Tenten laughs, doesn't dare look too long into his eyes.

She buries her face in his shoulder; his strong arms wrap loosely around her waist, and she gasps when he rolls them over, so he's hovering above her again, his hair framing their faces in a curtain.

Neji brings his face within inches of hers, stares at her for a moment, before lowering himself to her throat, trailing his moist lips over her skin.

"Neji," she whispers, dragging her hand down his back, her eyelids fluttering shut.

"Happy birthday," he murmurs against her throat, brushing his fingers over her breasts. Tenten arches her back at him, relishing his warmth.

It's a little too early to be getting out of bed, after all.

* * *

In the end, Tenten doesn't remove her things from Neji's quarters.

"You look especially youthful today!" Lee announces, when Tenten approaches the sit-up benches he's exercising at, ten minutes late.

"Really?" she grins at Lee, stretching her various limbs first.

"Yes, your cheeks are pink and your eyes are bright!" Lee beams at her, taking a hand off his ear to give her a thumbs-up. "Did you receive word from Neji?"

She tenses, looking at him in surprise. Is her delight with Neji really that obvious? "Um, well, I did, but can't I just appear youthful today?"

Tenten rubs her cheeks - they feel no different - and shrugs, taking her spot next to him.

"I still think something changed," Lee replies. Tenten doesn't answer him, focusing on counting through her routine sets instead. She's on the last set and appreciating the quiet when her best friend exclaims, "I didn't know my eternal rival was back from his mission already!"

Her eyes snap open; Tenten loses track of her sit-ups, and does an extra few, scanning the gym.

Neji is with Kotetsu and Izumo, a few rows of equipment away.

Her stomach flips. Tenten ducks her head, trying futilely to fight the blush in her cheeks. She isn't happy to see him, she really isn't.

"I was right - it is Neji you're happy about!" Lee whispers at her. Tenten cringes, looks at Lee.

She's now doing sit-ups just for the sake of occupying herself, and desperately hoping that Neji doesn't come over with his team. _This is awkward._ "Yeah, I heard that he returned," she whispers back.

"But you do like him! You're blushing!" Lee answers, his excitement obvious in his hushed words.

_Think sobering thoughts._

The blackmail comes to mind, and Tenten's mood takes a sharp dive. She still hasn't managed to convince Neji to bring someone - anyone - along on the trip to Aesis. Going on a solo mission only increases the risks he's taking.

The flush goes away soon enough, and Tenten stands, a little pale and sick to her stomach. She heads for the treadmill next - Lee follows after her, full of good cheer. He waves at Neji and his team, thankfully not filling the gym with loud cries about youth.

But Neji's genius should keep him relatively safe, right? Tenten frowns at the control panel of her treadmill, stepping on and punching buttons to get it started. What is she going to do about Lee's observations?

"There's really nothing going on between us," she informs Lee tonelessly.

Lee appears not to have heard her, though. "What about we have a group dinner tonight?" he suggests, inky eyes bright. Tenten winces at his cheerful grin. "I'll go ask them right now - Ino can join us, too!"

Tenten cringes and concentrates on jogging, one foot after another, pointedly looking away from Lee's animated discussion with Hawk Platoon. Neji's setting off tomorrow - surely she's allowed to spend a quiet night with him?

Her features tighten in a wince when Hawk makes its way over with Lee, who resumes his place at his treadmill. Kiba is at breakfast at the moment - it's too early for him to be joining her and Lee at the gym.

And Neji and _his_ team don't usually show up at this time, either.

"I didn't think I'd be seeing you guys around this soon," she says by way of greeting, when Neji steps onto the treadmill next to her, and Kotetsu and Izumo take the ones on his other side.

"It was a long flight - we don't need any more sleep right now," Izumo explains, still with the bandage across his nose.

"Damn straight," Kotetsu echos.

She glances at Neji for an explanation; he shrugs. "I figured that we'd have some training before my exam later," he explains, meeting her eyes.

Tenten finds that her stomach is torn between flipping at the sight of him, and sinking like a rock at the thought of him leaving by himself to deal with the blackmail.

"Oh, that's right, your Captains exam!" Lee remembers, perking up.

"When is it?" she thinks to ask.

"1000 hours. I'll be put through different scenarios and graded on my responses," Neji elaborates, when she raises her eyebrows. "There's also a segment on physical capabilities."

Tenten looks appraisingly at him. "Studied enough for it?" she teases.

Neji gives her a scornful glance. "I don't need to."

She remembers the books on military strategies in his quarters, though, and knows that he's well-prepared for the exam. Didn't he mention reading case studies at some point? Still, he doesn't need to be showered with praise for no reason.

Tenten flicks her eyes towards the ceiling. "Yeah, yeah, tell me that when you fail."

"I'll make you eat your words, Lieutenant," he tells her evenly, sending her a heated look that tells her exactly how he plans on doing that. Her heart rate quickens in response. _Damn it._

Kotetsu snickers behind him. "You'll score an A in flirting, Captain."

"I'm sure you'll succeed with flying colors, my eternal rival!" Lee exclaims, grinning. He looks at Tenten. "Don't you agree?"

"Maybe." She huffs and looks away. "Come on, Lee, let's hit the ellipticals next."

* * *

Tenten doesn't know how she makes it through the group dinner - like everyone expects him to, Neji passes his Captains exam with flying colors, and the new silver bar is prominent on his shoulder. (Tenten is the only one left with two bars in their group; the Second Lieutenants each have a bar representing their rank.)

Kiba and Ino get a little tipsy towards the end of the dinner, and so do Kotetsu and Izumo. Neji glances at Tenten a little too frequently for Lee not to notice; Tenten succumbs to a glass of wine or two to avoid meeting his eyes.

She breathes a sigh when they're finally back in his quarters, just herself and Neji, alone.

"I'm surprised that you're willing to return here," Neji says archly. The scent of alcohol lingers about him, but his eyes are sharp, and she can't hide anything from him.

Tenten tries anyway. "I'm here to collect my things," she tells him, looking at the floor.

"Stay," he replies quietly, stepping close to her for a moment.

Tenten stills when he presses his nose against her temple briefly - then he's pulling away and sitting at his desk, initiating a video call. She settles in one of the couches, to keep out of sight of the video camera.

The screen on Neji's desk isn't holographic - Tenten is unable to glimpse the person he's talking to, though she hears him soon enough.

"Good evening, Uncle," Neji says, dipping his chin slightly.

"Good evening, Neji," a man's voice replies, even and smooth. Tenten imagines him looking like an older version of Neji - severe, with long, dark hair and pale eyes. "I trust that you're doing well."

"I'm fine. And you?"

"Good, good." A pause. "To what reason do I owe the pleasure of you contacting me tonight?"

Neji nods again. "I thought you might like to know that I took the Captains exam earlier today. I passed the exam - I'm officially a Captain."

Tenten feels a swell of pride bubble up in her gut. There wasn't ever a question, really, that he would make the position. Even if he's leaving her behind to do this, all over again.

"Well done," Neji's uncle replies, his tone the same as before. "I trust that you'll continue to do the Hyuuga proud henceforth."

"I will," Neji tells him, his expression unchanged.

"It'll be beneficial for you to remember that conversation we had some months ago, as well."

There's a little twitch in Neji's jaw that Tenten almost misses. Hinata had not mentioned this. Did this take place while he was at the Orion cluster?

"I do remember." Neji continues, staring at his screen. He doesn't yield any further reaction to that tidbit of information.

"Good, good. I hope to hear outstanding reports about you in the near future. Will that be all for tonight?"

"Yes, it will." Neji nods once.

"Congratulations again, Neji. Good night."

"Good night, Uncle."

Tenten watches as Neji sits, stiff-backed, until the video call disconnects - upon which he leans back into his chair with a deep exhale, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What was that about?" she asks, getting to her feet and crossing over to the desk.

"What was what about?" Neji glances up at her guardedly, long fingers still on his nose.

"He- Your uncle. He mentioned the Orion cluster. What happened then?" Tenten frowns, folding her arms across her chest.

"That doesn't concern you."

"Yes, it does." She looks sternly at him. "It's the reason why you were being a jerk when you got back."

Another heavy sigh. "That's none of your concern, Tenten."

Tenten blinks, surprised by the use of her name.

Neji takes the chance to rise from his seat, heading for the bathroom. He grabs a couple of towels on the way, and pauses by the door. Tenten swallows when he turns and looks back at her, lilac eyes serious. "You aren't leaving, are you?"

"Are you asking me to leave?" She frowns, staring at him.

Neji shakes his head.

It takes her a considerable amount of effort to say, "I'll stay."

Because that changes things between them, perhaps irrevocably so.

Tenten goes to the closet and pulls a towel and bathrobe out, setting them to a side. The exchange with his uncle lingers in her mind - _do the Hyuuga proud?_ What is that supposed to mean? Does that have anything to do with their conversation during his two-year training in the Orion cluster?

The weight on Neji's shoulders seems to have diminished when he steps out of the bathroom, and Tenten gives a tiny smile when she passes him, gathering her own things for a shower. He smiles back, tentative, and she's once again reminded of the Neji she used to know.

Later, when they're both in bed, lights off, towels discarded, and covers pulled over them, Tenten rolls onto her side to face Neji in the darkness. "Are you worried about resolving this blackmail thing?"

It's a while before he responds. "No."

"What are your estimated chances of success?" she probes next.

Another stretch of silence. "Eighty-five percent."

Tenten draws a sharp breath. "That's too low, isn't it?"

"It's high enough."

"Let me go with you."

"No."

It's a point she can't argue against, so she tries a different approach. "Did you tell your team where you're going?"

"A personal errand."

"And they didn't question you?"

"I take personal errands all the time."

Tenten almost hears his eyes rolling - but Hyuuga do not roll their eyes. "At least take a tracking device with you," she suggests, unnerved by his chances of failure.

To her relief, Neji agrees. "Okay."

"How many days off did you request from Captain Gai?" _How many days do you think you'll be there, _she doesn't say.

"Four days. It should be more than enough," is his response.

She frowns. Licks her lips. "Take me with you. I'm a Lieutenant and a sharpshooter, I can-"

Neji rolls onto his side; his hand circles around her arm. "Tenten," he repeats, and she can't help but feel the tattoo of her pulse in her throat, when he leans in and pins her down with his body. "Don't."

She swallows hard; Neji's face is close to hers, his breath feathering over her lips. But he doesn't kiss her, instead pressing his nose to her cheek, before trailing his lips to her ear, and down her jaw. His heart thuds against her chest.

For long moments, that is all he does - breathe against her skin, slowly, steadily, dragging a hand down to caress her hip. She reaches up to stroke his back, hard muscle beneath velvety skin.

"You aren't in this alone," she whispers.

"I'll handle it," he tells her, closing the conversation.

Neji's lips drag down her chest, to her breasts, and Tenten's breath catches when he takes her nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it, sucking lightly. He eases off her a little; his hand brushes over her thighs, sweeping up to the juncture of her legs, and she parts them, anticipating the pleasure of his touch.

It doesn't take him long to convince her thoughts away from tomorrow, when he finds her sensitive flesh with familiar ease, and she grows moist for him, her own fingers slipping down his chest, curling over the muscles of his rear, and around, to the hard length straining between them.

It's the best night either of them has had in a long while.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, a lot of things happened in this chapter. ;) For those of you curious about how many chapters Blackmail has, there are 32 chapters, not including the prologue and interludes. :) We're slowly (but certainly) getting to the mystery behind Neji. ;)_

_As usual, thank you for taking the time to leave a review! It's awesome to see that you guys are enjoying the story ;)_


	32. 29: Aesis - Back to Blackmail

_Thanks for all the "It's Tuesday!" reminders! ;) Things get a little more serious this chapter... can't escape the blackmail, can we? ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **This fic is rated for a mature audience - read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 29: Aesis - Back to Blackmail**

_Aesis, Mar 18, 2031, 1022 hrs_

Neji disembarks from the _Byakugan_, keying a code into his earpiece to secure it and activate its invisibility shield. It was disguised shortly after penetrating the atmosphere of Aesis, blending easily into the variety of hovercrafts that wind between the steel-and-concrete buildings of a busy city.

Locating Hidan was easy enough once Neji arrived on Aesis - the man hardly bothers to hide his digital signatures, and he's traced the man to this city. Hidan's exact location at this point has been narrowed down to a one-mile radius, and Neji has parked the _Byakugan_ just outside the area, on top of a tall office building.

He scans the bright sky above him - no clouds (there is hardly ever rain on Aesis) - and the surrounding lower buildings. No sign of any abnormal situation. If anything, the _Byakugan_ would not be easily contactable from wherever he'll be - he needs it far away enough to not be compromised in the event of his capture.

Neji crouches to tighten the laces on his boots. The flat band of the tracking device is snug around his ankle (almost like a token of luck from Tenten), though he doesn't expect to use it - no one will be around to detect a distress call, anyway.

He straightens and checks the various guns hidden on his person - two pulse guns within his vest, a pistol strapped to his calf, and a couple of daggers in his boots. There are also a handful of smoke bombs and spare gun cartridges. With his inventory taken, Neji sets off towards the stairwell on the rooftop of the skyscraper, pulling his hair back into a low ponytail.

The roof access lock is easily jimmied; Neji heads swiftly down the stairs of the skyscraper, keeping out of sight of the building occupants. He doesn't quite belong in the offices with his dark jeans and shirt, though this set of clothes would serve to hide his identity as a soldier of the _Konoha_.

It's relatively quiet on the ground level when Neji emerges from the lobby of the skyscraper.

Going by the digital signatures he's unearthed, Hidan has been on the move for the past few days. Neji frowns. He vividly remembers binding Quachron's henchmen during the last mission on Aesis, and Hidan had been one of them. According to the prison records, the man is now out on bail - would he try to break Quachron out of jail to gain his favor?

It sure seems as if the police force on Aesis is severely lacking in decent holding facilities.

And this city is very close to where Quachron is currently being held.

Neji runs another scan on his visor, pulling a baseball cap low over his eyes to shield the emerald plexiglass from view. Wireless internet access is spotty at best while he's on the move, though he doesn't have much time - Hidan could release that video to his clan without warning, on a whim.

As it is, Neji is glad that Hiashi and his elders have not got wind of it yet.

He follows the directions on his visor, visiting the places Hidan has been to most recently - a few (closed) bars, convenience stores, an apartment or two, and various offices - no sign of the man himself, or any new headquarters that Quachron's henchmen may have established in his absence.

One of the last places on his list is a dilapidated, low-rise building tucked a little ways away from the middle of the city; Neji approaches it carefully, doing a radar scan to ascertain that there aren't people in both the building, as well as its attached garage. The windows are boarded shut, and the doors are padlocked - nothing of note, though the radar scan reveals a maze of underground rooms and passages below the building, extending beneath the roads, and under the basements of other buildings.

Neji raises his eyebrows, walking around the deserted place. This building makes him tense - not because of the paint peeling off the walls, but because there are dark, coppery stains on the walls and the sidewalks around, and even more stains in the alleys behind.

What was Hidan doing here?

He's crouched in the faintly odorous alley studying the remnants of what appears to be bits of hair and ripped fabric in pooled, drying blood, when loud reverberations of engines sound from the end of the street, zooming towards him.

Neji flattens himself against the wall, all senses on high alert when the engines draw to a halt at the front of the run-down building. He hears low mutters and a number of footsteps on the pavement hurrying towards the alley he's hiding at. There are the familiar clicks of guns, more hovercrafts pulling up behind the first, and the footsteps pause just feet away behind the corner, as if the newcomers were scanning for threats.

"Hurry the fuck up, Boss is fucking here already," a vaguely-familiar voice sounds. Neji frowns, realizes that that might actually be Hidan himself. "We better not fuck up on this again, or he's gonna tear our asses apart."

"Where is he?" another man asks.

"Third car. We split up to slow the police down. Now get that fucking door open already, dumbass! I gave you a key, didn't I?" Hidan snaps. "I'm gonna go check the back alley - never hurts to be careful, eh?"

Footsteps approach the corner he's stationed behind.

With a muttered curse, Neji sprints towards a closed dumpster. He lifts the lid and heaves himself up and over its side, pulling the lid down over himself - and only then does the stench wash over him, burrowing deep into his nostrils. Glass crunches beneath his boots - as well as something almost soft and rubbery and very, very putrid.

Neji claps a hand over his mouth and nose, trying hard not to retch from the air surrounding him. It isn't a scent he wants to revisit. Not when the only other time he's encountered it is while breaking into the house of a supposedly missing man - only to find him dead in the bathroom, his corpse bloated and rotting.

It takes Neji a while to compose himself - he fishes a compressible mask from his jacket and straps it over the lower half of his face, slowly taking deep breaths as the majority of the stench is filtered out.

His pounding heart finally calms, and he wipes his grimy palms off on his jeans, before hitting the radar scan on his visor. The one man in the alley is now gone, and most of the new arrivals have hidden themselves away into the deserted building, slowly making their way down into the underground passageways.

Neji climbs out of the dumpster wearily, wincing when he flicks a glance down behind him - it is the decomposing body of an unidentifiable person, who looks as if he or she suffered multiple deep, bloody wounds before death.

The solid ground feels good beneath his feet. Neji scuffs his boots against the concrete of the alley floor to get rid of the rotting matter beneath them - the scent would be a dead giveaway otherwise. He closes the lid of the dumpster and pulls his mask off, stashing it away for later.

Another radar scan tells him that the people in the deserted building have now moved further beneath ground. There is one guard closer to the street, presumably to watch over the building.

Neji pulls one of his pulse guns from his vest, flicking it on as he moves stealthily down the alley. His wet tracks slowly fade to nothing, and he rounds the next building, careful to keep himself out of sight when he approaches the street. He does another radar scan, pressing his back against the building corner, before turning to observe garage doors that are slowly being lowered to conceal three parked hovercrafts.

Three hovercrafts. From experience, Neji knows vehicles that size seat five people at the maximum. Assuming that no other hovercrafts have stopped by, there would be fifteen people in total, fourteen of them underground. Quachron is likely one of them, and the six from his Inner Circle would probably be there too. That totals up to six other guards underground, not including Hidan.

Neji winces, shrinking back into the alley. He could have handled one person, or six, by himself, but not fifteen. At least, not fifteen with a decent success rate. News of the jailbreak should reach the _Konoha_ pretty soon, though. (And he had expected the police force on Aesis to be somewhat competent... but apparently they aren't.)

Should he bide his time, and wait until the _Konoha_ team tracks Quachron down? Not many are capable of following digital signals... And he doesn't want Tenten involved in this. He still isn't able to shake the feeling that her involvement will come to hurt her, sooner or later.

His priority here is still the video clip, however. That could sustain or entirely destroy his career in the military, and Neji isn't sure he's willing to risk having Hidan wave that piece of information around.

He decides to keep a close lookout, and wait for an opportunity to strike. In the meantime, the building next to Quachron's is empty as well - the perfect spot from which to make his observations.

Neji walks around the building, trying the knobs on the doors. It doesn't take him long to find one unlocked - he pushes the door open and slips inside, leaving no trace of his presence.

* * *

He receives the next email two hours later.

_Get your ass here, fucker. I decided not to wait three weeks. My cursor is hovering over the Send button... I'm sure your crapface uncle and all the old men in your clan would love to get a piece of this video. Eh? You have one hour._

_May the Lord Jashin forgive you someday,_  
_H_

Neji pinches the bridge of his nose. He's spent his time at his hideout watching for any movement in the building next door, from the third level - but there isn't any. Hidan, Quachron, and the rest of the men are still underground, probably waiting out the police sweep. Already, there have been two patrols scanning this area, though halfheartedly, or with backward equipment, because Neji is pretty sure that they've passed right over the men at least twice.

He shakes his head in disappointment. Looks at the email on his visor again. (The computer is back on the _Byakugan_ \- he's not stupid enough to keep it on his person, in the event that he gets captured.)

Who is Lord Jashin? A simple (but slow) search turns up findings of some cult religion, in which human sacrifices are made on the pretext of pleasing a bloodthirsty higher power. Neji is appalled to find that there are a number of believers of this supposed religion - that is probably what the blood stains and corpses in the back alley are about.

He leans his back against a wall, closing the search tab. This isn't just his career on the line - Hidan has made it very clear that Neji's very life is hanging in the balance with this... blackmail? It isn't quite that, but Neji doesn't really care - all he needs is to get his hands on Hidan, erase all traces of that video, and get out with his life intact. Quachron can always be dealt with some other day, when there isn't a time-sensitive issue involved.

The scenario that will give him the highest chance of success is to take Hidan out with as few opponents and witnesses as possible. He would have to lure the man out into an alley while it's still daytime, and neutralize him. Further interrogations can come after that.

_What time and place?_ he asks Hidan.

The next reply is a set of coordinates and a time - 1400 hours.

_An hour to get there._ Neji leaves immediately for the location, before Hidan and any number of men can get there to spring traps on him.

It turns out to be an area with outdoor restaurants and businesses four blocks away from the temporary base. There are people here milling about; Neji frowns. How does Hidan plan on doing anything with him here? More importantly, how is he going to pin Hidan with all these witnesses?

Neji tucks his ponytail into his shirt and begins to scout the place, pulling the baseball cap lower over his eyes. He identifies locations he may be able to use - alleys he could duck into and trap - and proceeds to plant a few radio-activated smoke bombs, that will respond to his trigger within a certain radius.

1400 hours comes too soon for his liking. Neji has planted himself in the midst of people in an al fresco diner, watching the mingling of pedestrians as they move beneath the flow of hovercrafts high in the air above.

It isn't long before Hidan makes his presence known at the mouth of an alley a building away, silver hair slicked backwards as before, and his arms folded into a deep trench coat. _Probably armed._ He looks around, as if expecting Neji to waltz up to him - Neji scans his surroundings - he sees four similarly-dressed men standing at various corners of the street - forming a square, to box him in. Has Hidan already spotted him?

Slowly, Neji gets to his feet, one hand tucked in his vest, fingers wrapped around a pulse gun. He makes his way forward, flicking his gaze around to determine the positions and actions of the guards - none have pulled a gun on him yet.

Hidan's thin lips twist into a delighted smile when Neji pulls his cap off, stepping forward.

Neji weighs his options, pulls a dense disc out with his available hand, tossing it hard at Hidan's feet. It explodes noiselessly into a billow of smoke, at the same time pulse guns begin firing in his direction. He curses, rolls and dodges them, pulling his own gun out to stun Hidan.

The infrared scan on his visor is already on; he sees Hidan run into the alley behind himself, and Neji follows hot on his trail, ducking into the thick smoke to lose his pursuers.

His target is at the end of the short alley and turning into a connecting one by the time Neji emerges through the smoke; he sprints towards the man, only to have two others fire at him from behind the alley corners. Neji flings himself to the side, barely dodging their shots, and fires back at them, stunning both men. Just how many men did Hidan bring along to capture him?

He doesn't have time for questions - Neji skids around the turn that Hidan took, sees the man sprinting hard, back towards the temporary shelter.

Hidan stops suddenly, and Neji barely has time to take aim at him, before tiny explosions blast on either side of him, sending debris and shrapnel at his limbs. Neji brings his hands up to shield his face, squeezing his eyes shut as metal tears through his clothes. A few embed themselves into his legs. Pain burrows into his muscles.

Neji curses, stumbles out of the dark grey smoke, coughing, his eyes watering. When had they planted those? More importantly, why had he not seen them when he did his own scouting?

Hidan is suddenly a lot closer, and Neji tenses, raising his pulse gun to fire-

Two separate shots hit him then, in the neck and in the side. It feels as if electricity is coursing through his body for a brief moment, frying his nerves. He tries to move, to pull the trigger on his gun, but his fingers do not respond.

Neji hits the ground hard, and the world around him fades to black.

* * *

_Konoha, Mar 18, 2031, 1245 hrs - an hour ago_

"You seem distracted, Tenten," Lee says quietly when Kiba has rounded the corner, heading away from the simulation room they've just vacated. "Something's been on your mind the entire morning."

Tenten jerks her head up, looking at her best friend in surprise. "Really? I- I didn't notice."

Lee frowns, taking her elbow as they move along the corridors to his quarters (she's planning on skipping lunch). "It's about Neji, isn't it? I haven't seen him at all today. Did something happen?"

She winces too quickly to have stopped herself from doing it - Lee catches her reaction, and his brow furrows.

"It's nothing, really," she tries to tell him. (But her heart is pounding in her chest at the reminder of Neji - how is he doing now?) It has been difficult getting through the morning - she'd woken up in his quarters with him, and he left soon after, looking back at her once.

What does Neji feel towards her? Somehow, she can't help but think that maybe, just maybe, he reciprocates the depth of emotion she harbors for him, that she can't continue to hide from herself, as much as she wants to.

Last night had been incredibly intimate. They still haven't kissed, but Neji's lips had come damn close, and it was all she could do not to tip her head forward, to close those few inches between them.

"It's something," Lee tells her firmly. They reach his green-painted quarters soon enough, and Tenten follows him in reluctantly, settling on the couch while he sets about getting a drink for her.

"It's a long story," she mumbles.

"I have time for it," he says, fixing her with a resolute frown. "It's about you and Neji. It's making you unhappy, Tenten. I want to know how I can help."

"You can't help," Tenten tells him hopelessly. "He's probably risking his life as we speak."

Her gut clenches at the notion that Neji might not return.

She doesn't register the grass-green mug of warm water that Lee sets in front of her. Tenten kicks her boots off and hugs her legs to her chest.

"What's he doing?" Lee asks in concern. "Surely we can help-"

"That's what I told the fucking idiot," she bristles, mashing her forehead into her knees. "He wouldn't take me along."

"What kind of mission is it?" Lee presses, coming to sit beside her. He wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"It-" Tenten swallows, and tries again. "Information retrieval."

"But Hawk Platoon is a highly efficient unit-"

"He's there by himself, Lee!" she snaps and reaches up, to try and wind her fingers into her tightly-bound hair. "This isn't an ordinary mission. It's a personal thing."

"But what's so important that he has to go alone, and retrieve it by himself?"

Tenten heaves a sigh. "Information."

"I don't understand, Tenten. You need to start from the beginning." He pats her shoulder lightly, and she tenses.

"That's- That's none of your concern," she hedges.

"If it involves you and Neji, then it is my concern," Lee tells her sternly. "I care about you, Tenten. If he's done something reprehensible to you, I should know."

She sighs again, keeping her face tucked between her knees and her chest. "I've dealt with that. No point bringing it up again."

"You mean Neji did you injustice?" Lee exclaims, tensing next to her.

Tenten flinches.

"He did, didn't he?" Lee's voice is now steely, and Tenten squeezes her eyes shut, unwilling to lie to him.

"It's fine. He and I... we're... we're fine," Tenten stutters, her voice muffling. She remembers him curled around her, never once touching her in a way that wasn't gentle.

Even during the blackmail. How could she not have realized it earlier?

"Tenten. Don't hide it from me." Lee turns and grasps her shoulders, pushing her away from her knees. She glances briefly into his ink-black eyes, and looks away. "What did Neji do to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it," she mutters.

The expression on his face turns indignant. "Did he beat you? Did he- Did he tarnish your youthfulness?"

Tenten frowns when Lee's expression morphs into one of horror. She can't bear to put him through this, so she waves it off, "It was just blackmail, Lee."

He goggles at her, large eyes widening to such an extent that Tenten worries a little for him.

"Stop looking like that, Lee," she tells him, unnerved. "Your eyes are going to pop out."

"But Neji, did he-"

"I was fine doing whatever he wanted," Tenten says dryly. "Maybe not when I began doing it, but I was fine with it in the end."

There is fighting her desires, and then there is fighting Neji - but mostly she had just been fighting herself, hadn't it?

"But what is 'it'?" Lee's forehead furrows. He looks at her, his eyes blazing. "I can't believe my eternal rival blackmailed you into doing things that are hardly youthful-"

Tenten flushes, looks away, unwilling to describe any of what she and Neji had done in detail. Lee's eyes widen in understanding.

"I can't believe he stooped so low!" Lee tells her, gripping her shoulders tightly. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have fought for your honor-"

"My shoulders, Lee," Tenten yelps, and Lee releases her in surprise.

"I'm sorry, Tenten!" he fumbles, looking at her shoulders, horrified. "I should have paid attention to you in my fury-"

"Don't worry about the past - he and I are over it now." she insists. "Stop looking like that. I've forgiven him."

"But I can't forgive what he did to you." Lee clenches his fists, setting them on his knees to keep from moving and accidentally hitting her. "You're the youthful flower on our team, Tenten, surely he has to know that-"

"I think he knew," Tenten says quietly, and Lee blinks in surprise. "He never really hurt me."

Her best friend frowns, falling silent to digest that information, and Tenten's thoughts wander back to Aesis, where Neji could be anywhere.

She hopes he's being the genius he's supposed to be, and not getting into trouble.

"But he blackmailed you," Lee repeats after a moment of thought.

"And that same blackmail is why he's back on Aesis now," Tenten informs him. At his puzzled look, she elaborates, "I found dirt on him to make him stop. The information got lost, though, and now it's being used against him. I- I don't want to say it, but one of the possible consequences of that information getting out is death."

Lee frowns harder. "It's not my wish for him to die," he admits, "Despite what he's done to you."

Tenten exhales heavily. "Let it go, Lee. I'm fine. Neji's not."

Lee blinks at her then. "You... you just called him Neji, Tenten."

She looks at him, uncomprehending.

"You've been calling him Hyuuga for the past few months," he explains.

Her body goes still. She looks away, embarrassed. "I, um. I told you, I forgave him."

"That isn't all, is it?" Lee scrutinizes her, and she feels a little too exposed beneath his gaze. How had she even let that slip? "There's been something going on between both of you, since Gliese Beta."

"We've been to Gliese Beta a number of times, Lee," Tenten mutters, still refusing to meet his gaze.

"It was the shooting party. You shared the room with him." Lee's features light with understanding. "Did he- Did you-"

Her cheeks warm. "We were fine with each other by then. I'd lost the dirt on him, but he forgave me for that anyway."

Lee purses his lips. "I still can't forgive him."

"Well, that's your choice - but right now I'm more concerned about whether he's doing fine," Tenten informs him. "I don't know how many people he's up against."

"You like Neji, don't you, Tenten?" he asks suddenly.

Tenten freezes, and doesn't look at him. "I didn't say that," she replies uncomfortably.

"But showing concern is part of loving someone, is it not?" he questions, frowning.

She winces. They aren't just talking about infatuation, but love, now? "This isn't relevant to anything, Lee," Tenten says exasperatedly. "Can't I just be worried for a fellow comrade?"

He's silent for a while. "We should go after Neji, shouldn't we?"

Tenten drags a hand across her face. "I'd be a lot more at ease if we did."

Lee stands up with a determined frown then. "Let's go ask Captain Gai for clearance."

She manages a weak smile at him, accepting his hand to help her up. "Thanks, Lee."

* * *

_A/N: Yes... This fic isn't named "Complexities of Blackmail" for no reason. ;) With how much Lee has been observing Tenten, he was bound to discover the truth sooner or later.. I don't know who to feel sorry for at this point. :P_

_As always, thank you for taking the time to review... I think some of my readers have dropped off - where did you guys go? ;)_


	33. 30: Aesis - It Has To Get Worse

_This chapter... yes. Brace yourselves, people. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me. **As always, this fic is rated for mature audiences only - read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 30: Aesis - It Has To Get Worse**

_Aesis, Mar 18, 2031, 1636 hrs_

Neji wakes to several instances of sharp pain all over his body. With a quick inhalation, he realizes that he doesn't have control of his limbs, and that he has absolutely no idea where he is.

Faint light shines through his eyelids; he opens them slowly to find his head drooping forward, chin resting against his bare chest. The back of his neck aches - how long has he been in this position? Various small cuts litter his form, mostly crusted with dried blood. His tongue throbs from where he probably bit it. Neji notes the distinct absence of clothes on his form, save for the boxers they've had the decency to leave him with. No weapons with which to free himself, then.

He listens to his surroundings, flicking his eyes sideways. There doesn't seem to be anyone in the cell with him. Only then does he chance a glance up, to look at the rest of the small, grey room he's in.

There is a single door before him, without any peephole for inspection. No surveillance cameras on the ceiling. They'd have to open the door to determine his condition. No windows on any of the walls. A flat-screen TV is angled towards him in a corner of the room, mounted on the wall and currently turned off. Aside from that, this appears to be a basic containment cell. Not that they can't bring tools in for torture. Neji winces when he turns his head; there's a cut on his neck, very close to where the tattoo beneath his ear is.

They've probably done that while verifying his identity.

He clenches his jaw and wonders if the video clip has made it to Hiashi yet. This is probably one of the underground rooms linked to the building he was keeping tabs on.

_Damn it._ How could he have been so careless?

He remembers chasing Hidan down the alley, and the explosions. A light flex of his foot sends pain shooting through his nerves. Neji winces and hopes he'll still be able to walk after this. There isn't time to waste on mulling, however.

The rough grain of the wooden chair grates against his skin when he shifts. Neji tests the strength of the anchors around his limbs. They've used coarse rope to tie his wrists together, and one ankle to either chair leg. None of the knots budge; he's unable to shift his wrists enough for his fingers to get at the knots.

This is going to take a lot more time to figure out - time that he doesn't have. He lowers his chin back to his chest, to keep up the illusion that he's still unconscious, and slowly works at the rope binding his wrists, keeping his motions to a minimum.

At least he's here alone, though.

Voices sound in the corridor soon after, and Neji allows his limbs to rest lifelessly against the chair when the door creaks open, allowing a number of people into the room. Two of them move to the back, to guard the room from the far corners.

"This better be good, Hidan. You'd do well not to have brought a mole in," a voice threatens.

"He's the fucking bastard that gave me the fucking bugged box of precursors. Eh, Hyuuga?" Hidan grits.

Someone steps close to him and grabs a fistful of his hair, jerking his head up.

Neji's eyes snap open. His scalp stings, but he doesn't blink at the leery, disdainful face of Hidan just inches from his own. He can do without staring at the crooked nose and missing teeth, though.

"Fucking answer me," Hidan snarls, yanking his hair backwards.

Neji remains quiet, studying him quickly. Hidan is gaunt in grungy clothing - dirty shirt and jeans, and his hair isn't quite that shiny from up close. Neji guesses that the man has been living in poor conditions ever since he was bailed out of jail.

Without waiting for a response, Hidan swings a fist at Neji, slamming his fist into his cheek. The blow sends Neji's head lurching backwards, dull pain blooming in the side of his face. Hidan lands another, and another, and Neji resorts to focusing on his breathing to keep the pain at bay.

"Why bother with petty attacks?" the other man asks. Neji looks at him when the punches stop, and he's regained enough of his senses. His ears ring; both sides of his face ache.

Quachron has changed out of his prison garb by now - he has lost weight since Neji saw him last, with less meat on his arms, and a leaner stomach. Like before, the man is balding, the skin on his gaunt cheeks sagging. Intelligent eyes measure him, and Neji knows that he's at a distinct disadvantage, because Quachron would know to use any weaknesses he displays against him.

"Yes, Boss," Hidan is quick to agree. "What should we do with this piece of crap?"

"Well." Quachron takes a step back to survey Neji, nasally voice grating on Neij's ears. "I'd target someone else - like the military on Earth, for example. He's too small a pawn to offer much leverage in the grand scheme of things."

"But- But I'd arranged for you to witness the destruction of the Hyuuga," Hidan protests, waving a silvery bit of metal.

Neji realizes that it's a thumbdrive - quite possibly the one Tenten lost.

"Ah, yes, that." Quachron chuckles then, flicking beady eyes back towards Neji. "It's always good to see our enemies destroying themselves, is it not?"

Hidan cackles, his delight returning. "Shall I contact them?"

Neji feels his stomach sink with dread. He hasn't much of an idea how Quachron and the rest of his family are related - the Hyuuga have offended several people over the years, after all, and it seems as if Quachron is one of them.

Quachon waves for Hidan to go ahead. Hidan turns the TV on, and Neji realizes that it's a computer screen. He doesn't know how Hidan got a hold of his uncle's contact details, though it isn't an important issue at this point. Light from the screen glares mockingly at him.

The loudspeaker is on, and Neji hears the rings of the connecting call, followed by the silence that follows when the other party is engaged. Hiashi's image appears on the screen soon after, flanked by a couple of Hyuuga elders that Neji recognizes. The bottom of his stomach plummets.

"What is it?" Hiashi barks, surveying the room. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter who we are," Hidan informs him cheerfully. He waves the thumbdrive again. "I have some information that you might be interested in."

At Hiashi's unfazed expression, Hidan grins and adds, "It has to do with your daughter, and your nephew here."

Hidan steps over to Neji, grabbing his hair and pulling his head back, so the light from the room illuminates his face.

"Neji?" Hiashi asks, frowning deeply. "How dare you try to fool me with an impostor?"

"This is no impostor." Hidan clicks some buttons to zoom the video in, and turns Neji's head to the side, flipping his ear forwards to reveal the green manji tattoo. "Recognize this, Hyuuga?"

"That's..." Hiashi pauses, at a loss for words. "Neji, is that you?" And to Hidan, "What are you doing with my nephew?"

"You could say I'm settling an old score," Hidan says smugly, without giving Neji a chance to respond. "Now, watch the video I'm sending you."

Neji watches in tense silence as Hidan initiates the file transfer with his phone. The data reaches his uncle sooner than he likes, and he waits through the painful minutes as Hiashi does a scan on the video, then plays it.

The older man's features turn to one of shock and disbelief, and Neji closes his eyes, knowing that he's crossed a point of no return. He thinks briefly of Tenten, wonders if he'd get out of this alive. The bonds around his wrists are still not budging despite his imperceptible attempts to ease the knots loose.

Hiashi's stern features are drawn when he finishes the video, and the two elders behind him are in various states of outrage. Hidan chuckles, looks between Neji and the screen.

"I have seen the video," Hiashi begins slowly, his pale eyes flickering over the video conversation. Neji understands that his uncle is reluctant to dole punishment in this situation, when he's a prisoner, and his life isn't even guaranteed. "I'm disappointed in you, Neji."

Neji dips his chin in acknowledgement.

"However, this is a family matter. I demand that you release my nephew so that the Hyuuga can deal with him on our own terms," Hiashi commands.

Neji reads several things in his uncle's expression - _how could you land yourself in this position_, _what did you think you were doing to Hinata_, and _I expected far better of you._

The humiliation of bearing his uncle's disappointment is like a fist to his face.

"Nope. His life is ours after this conversation," Hidan announces gleefully. "However, if you'd like to dole his punishment right now... we may let him live."

The warring decisions on Hiashi's face are obvious to Neji. Neji, himself, keeps a neutral countenance, drawing slow, deep breaths to keep the whirl of pain and emotions at bay.

"I will cede to your request, Mr...?" Hiashi pauses.

"Hidan," the man grins.

"I will cede to your request, Mr Hidan," Hiashi continues tightly. "As the Head of the Hyuuga clan, I rule that my nephew, Hyuuga Neji, will be stripped of all his freedom for daring to inflict hurt on the Main house like he has done. As a member of the branch house, every decision he makes henceforth will have to be justifiable to the clan."

Neji isn't able to help the constricting tightness in his chest at the sentence - it is heavier than what his uncle had bidden him previously in the Orion cluster.

_You will do all in your power to protect Hinata,_ Hiashi had said three months ago. _If it is a conflict of interest, Hinata's priorities will come before yours. We will be selecting a wife for you for when you are transferred back to Earth, worthy of belonging to the branch house._

The look in Hiashi's eyes now demands, _Get out of there alive._

Hiashi addresses him then. "Do you understand, Neji?"

Neji draws a deep breath. "Yes, Uncle."

The video call ends, and Neji is left facing the black void of the screen, his ears ringing with Hiashi's words.

Hidan turns to him, a wide grin splitting his face. He pulls a dagger from his belt. "What shall we do with him, Boss? Lord Jashin will be delighted to have an imbecile like that."

* * *

_Aesis, Mar 18, 2031, 1620 hrs - half an hour ago_

The _Silver Blade_ penetrates the atmosphere of Aesis with a series of tiny bumps, each smoother than the last. Tenten grips the steering stick, her knuckles white, guiding the ship safely into the darkening skies of the planet. Behind her, Lee and Kiba sit at attention, each monitoring their screens to ensure a safe landing.

It's been three hours since they left.

Tenten swallows nervously and glances towards Lee. "Begin scanning for the tracking device."

"On it," Lee answers, tapping into his keyboard.

They had gone together to Captain Gai's office after their conversation, and Gai had been in, fortunately. He'd listened to their requests, and checked the mission schedules.

_"There's a jailbreak on Aesis," he informs them._

_Tenten and Lee exchange a tense stare. "Is- Is it Quachron again?" Tenten asks, keeping her voice level._

_"Yes," Gai returns solemnly. "I will be able to assign Dragon Platoon to this mission right now, if you're ready."_

There hasn't been any word from Neji, and Tenten is almost afraid to think about his odds now, if he's facing not just Hidan, but Quachron and all his men.

She still doesn't dare to acknowledge the possibility of losing him on this mission.

"I found him," Lee exclaims suddenly, when they've disguised the _Silver Blade_ and descended closer to the ground.

"Status?" Tenten asks.

"Distress signal activated." There's a pause. Tenten's breath dies in her throat, and she turns to look at Lee. His lips thin. "No pulse detected."

She feels very dizzy suddenly, and the _Silver Blade_ wobbles to its side. Tenten grits her teeth, turns back to the console, and keys in some commands. "Kiba, take over as pilot."

"Roger that," Kiba answers without missing a beat, and Tenten is vaguely thankful that he hasn't chosen to comment on Lee's words. "Lee, give me the coordinates."

She refuses to believe that Neji is dead. He isn't dead. It's a fluke somehow. Maybe the tracking device got ripped off his ankle.

Isn't it strange that you only realize how much you care for a person in the face of their mortality?

Tenten leans into her seat, tipping her head back. She pinches the bridge of her nose hard, to focus, but hot tears are sliding down her cheeks, and she can't put a name to the ache in her chest.

She wishes she'd kissed him.

She wishes that they'd started their intimacy earlier, that he hadn't chosen the path of blackmail, and that she hadn't tried to use that video against him. This wouldn't have happened then.

How far would they have gone in a relationship?

"Tenten," Lee says quietly, breaking her out of her thoughts. "We need to focus."

"Right," she answers after a while, her voice thick. She wipes the wet streaks from her cheeks and draws calming breaths to help herself concentrate. It's another minute before she regains control of the ship from Kiba, directing them close to where the distress signal is originating from.

The town that Neji's tracking device leads them to comprises of several low-rise buildings on the outskirts of the city area. On closer inspection, most of the structures are drab and grey, and several buildings have had their windows and doors boarded shut.

Tenten frowns. She lands the _Silver Blade_ on a grassy field half a mile away from their target location, so as not to draw attention with the ship's engines (that are still audible to the human ear even when in stealth mode).

Lee and Kiba follow close behind her once the ship is locked and camouflaged, and they set off at a quick jog towards the building in question, slipping down back alleys and into the shadows whenever possible.

They slow down within two blocks of their destination. Tenten does a scan of the place as they approach slowly, careful to look out for people who might witness their presence. There is hardly anyone in these deserted parts so close to nightfall, though, and Dragon Platoon finds itself right by the building where Neji's tracking device is still signalling from.

Tenten frowns at the dried bloodstains on the ground. There aren't any fresh ones around, though that could always change. She glances towards Lee and Kiba.

"There are fifteen people in the target location," Lee reports, scanning his visor with a frown. "They are all in the underground passageways - there's just one guard out front."

Tenten activates her radar scan to confirm Lee's findings. "Kiba - take out the guard on the street. Stun, bind, gag. Meet us back here."

"Roger." Kiba takes off, rubber-soled boots hardly making a sound on the concrete of the alley.

"We may still be in time," Lee says quietly to her.

Tenten purses her lips, quells the surge of emotion in her chest. "We'll check the doors first. They may find us on a scan anytime now."

She jerks her chin towards the back of the building, pulse gun drawn and live, and Lee flanks her, pulling away when they reach the corner of the building. Tenten checks for unlocked doors along the back, while Lee heads down the alley towards the street.

Finding all entrances locked, Tenten meets Lee back at the building corner. Kiba joins them soon after, having dragged the unconscious guard into the back alley and behind a dumpster.

"No openings," Tenten informs them. "We'll do a clean sweep outside-in. This should be easier than the previous mission. Lee."

With a nod, Lee attaches a codebreaker to a door, waiting until it clicks open. They've scanned the rooms behind for people, but Tenten has them flattening against the wall when the door swings open, just in case. Sounds of conversation emerge from a long ways in.

She heads in first this time, radar activated. Lee and Kiba follow silently behind her, shutting the door to avoid raising suspicions. Most of the rooms are empty, or filled with dusty furniture and peeling paint. An earlier scan showed no one in the upper levels of the building; Tenten finds the stairwell leading down, firing at the first man that comes up the stairs. Fourteen more to go.

It is almost too easy slipping down the darkened corridors and picking their targets off; Lee follows her further into the underground passages, while Kiba stays behind to bind and gag the men they've stunned.

Tenten slows down suddenly, scrutinizing the radar scan. "There're people in this room one floor down," she tells Lee-

When the floor beneath their feet collapses in a loud explosion.

There isn't time to voice her curse; Tenten begins aiming for the three people in the room below as she falls, landing in a crouch. Bright rays fly around the room - she trusts that Lee is capable of defending himself, and rolls away from where she's landed, firing at her nearest target. The man drops to the floor, stunned.

Lee takes the other two down amidst the cloud of dust in the air. They do a quick check on the unconscious men with handheld flashlights - negative for Neji. No news is good news, right?

Tenten stifles a cough, her throat irritated by the particles in the air. That explosion would have alerted everyone in the building to their presence by now. She swears, and motions for Lee to head out. Kiba will have to deal with those remaining on the upper level - there isn't time to regroup.

A muffled yell rings down the hallway, and Tenten feels her heart stop. It sounded awfully like Neji.

She exchanges a glance with Lee, remembering the bloodstains on the alleys above ground. There isn't time left, not if she wants Neji intact.

A door in front of them flies open, and both Tenten and Lee fire at the man on sight. She does another scan - three more in that room, and five in a room ahead.

Tenten signals for Lee to hurry; they sprint over to the open door, stopping just clear of multiple shots flying out of the room.

Further down the passageway, the door to the other room opens, and a guard steps out - only to drop unconscious from their stun rays.

The yells are louder now, and Tenten feels her blood run cold. She can't progress down the passageway with shots still firing out of the first room. One of the three remaining begins to move towards the door, and Lee fires at him the moment he comes into sight, before dragging the unconscious body towards himself, making sure to keep out of the line of fire.

Tenten frowns at Lee. What is he-

Lee heaves the man over his shoulder then, and moves over to the doorway, using the man as a shield. Tenten flashes a tight, grateful smile at him, and rolls across the floor, bypassing the ray gun shots. No wounds.

She leaves Lee to deal with the rest of the people in that room and sprints forward.

Another man fires out of the only occupied room ahead - she avoids the shot and stuns him easily. Three left in the room - and she somehow knows who they are: Quachron, Hidan, and Neji.

"Come any closer, and he's dead," a low voice threatens from inside.

Tenten grits her jaw. All the better that they don't know just how much Neji means to her. He shouts again, in pain, and Tenten tightens the grip on her gun. They're torturing him.

With quiet, long strides, she crosses the distance towards the door. The radar scan shows one person right in the middle of the room (probably Neji), one behind him, and one to his side, that is probably the one inflicting pain.

There isn't time for second guesses. Tenten takes a step into their line of sight and fires twice in rapid succession, taking both captors out in a split second.

Hidan keels over to Neji's side, and Quachron collapses behind him, pulse gun skidding across the floor.

Neji looks up at Tenten as she steps forward, surveying the damage inflicted on him - the fingers on his left hand are broken and bloodied, though the rest of the cuts on his body seem superficial, and have crusted over. Relief crashes over her in huge surges.

"They clearly weren't expecting a sharpshooter," Neji comments dryly.

She glowers at him. "That's the thanks I get for saving your sorry ass?"

Tenten walks up to Neji, ignoring his eyes on her as she pulls a dagger from her boot, sawing through the ropes binding him down - first the knots at his wrist, then his feet. She pauses by his side when the ropes are on the floor.

"Thanks." He winces as he rolls his shoulders and stretches out his arm and legs, careful not to move the hand with the injured fingers.

"I thought you were dead," she tells him tightly, slipping her dagger back into its sheath. "Lee said there wasn't a pulse on the tracker."

"I'm sorry." Neji lifts a calf streaked with dried blood, and Tenten realizes that she doesn't see the device on him. "They yanked it off."

"You could've just saved me from all this worry," Tenten mutters, swallowing past the lump in her throat.

He gets to his feet slowly, wincing, before turning to face her.

The tumult of emotions from the past day rears its head in her chest, and Tenten is stepping towards him and slipping her fingers behind his neck, tiptoeing to mash her lips against his.

Neji stiffens against her, doesn't respond. Surprised, she kisses him again, more gently this time, but his reaction is the same - pale eyes flicker between her and the wall behind. His breath puffs shallowly on her skin.

Tenten pulls away uncertainly; his eyes are carefully blank.

Neji blinks once. "You were just a good fuck, Lieutenant," he tells her quietly.

Her head spins then, and Tenten releases him as if burnt, backing away from him. It feels as if something in her ribs is coming apart. She turns away, blinks quickly at the way her eyes prickle with heat. All the moments they've shared, up to and including last night-

_Compartmentalize. You don't need this right now._

She draws a deep breath, then another, quelling her emotions. The tightness in her chest is receding when footsteps sound on the corridor outside, and Lee turns into the room, pulse gun at the ready.

"Tenten!" he exclaims, before looking behind her, at Neji. The joy in his expression dulls somewhat, and Tenten frowns.

"Did we get all of them?" she asks, her tone controlled.

Lee nods, looking between her and Neji. Tenten chooses not to answer his unspoken question, instead stepping out of the room. "Deal with these guys. I'll check on Kiba's men."

"He's got them all bound up," Lee answers. "And I'm done with mine as well."

Tenten pauses, unwilling to remain in Neji's presence for longer than necessary. "See that these men are tied up and disarmed. We'll move them to a central location to await collection, and you and Kiba will send Hyuuga to his ship. He needs immediate medical attention."

Lee frowns at her. "What about you-"

"I'll keep watch on these guys. You'll transport them on the _Silver Blade_. Kiba will fly the _Byakugan_, and you'll return here right after. Understood?" Tenten looks at Lee solemnly, grateful for the way he holds her gaze for a moment longer, then nods.

"Give me fifteen to clear up around here," Neji says evenly from behind. "They took possession of my equipment."

She exhales and pinches the bridge of her nose, still not looking at him. "Granted."

With that, Tenten strides down the corridor in search of Kiba, to relay her next orders to him.

It is only when Lee returns to the building that Tenten finally lets her guard down.

"I sent Kiba and Neji to the _Byakugan_ \- they're on their way back to the _Konoha_," Lee reports quietly, after he's let himself in through an unlocked door.

Tenten looks up at him from her perch - a worn couch that still remains in what was probably the living area of the building before it was abandoned. The fifteen men are unconscious and lined up against two walls, bound hands facing outwards for easy observation. Gai has allowed them to contact the Intergalactic Police (or InterPol for short); Tenten hopes that this is the last time she'll be having anything to do with these criminals.

And at least they don't have to wait until dawn for Quachron, Hidan and the rest to be collected - the InterPol is far more efficient than the police on Aesis.

"What happened earlier?" Lee asks, sitting on the couch next to her. He flicks a wary eye at their charges, before looking back towards Tenten. "You didn't talk to Neji at all."

"I gave him commands," she answers flatly, fingering her pulse gun (that is, ironically, the very one from Neji).

"No, earlier than that," Lee insists, frowning. "You were so worried about him on the way here, and just like that, you rescued him and stopped talking."

Tenten bites her lip, keeps her eyes on her weapon. "It's nothing, Lee."

"It's something. I know you, Tenten. He did something else to you."

She remembers the kiss then, the way he stared blankly at her, and his quiet words in the silence of that room. Have all their interactions been for nothing? Last night, when he asked her to stay, and before that, every time he slept curled up against her?

The tightness returns to her chest, and Tenten feels her hastily-built walls weaken.

Lee frowns at her; she doesn't want him to see her tears, so she presses her face into his shoulder.

He doesn't say anything when she begins to quiver, merely rubbing her back with a steady palm, and Tenten is endlessly grateful for his presence.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, that was harsh. :P The entire fic, Neji's secrets, and his hesitance, was essentially building up to this point. Anyone saw this coming? ;)_

_Thank you, as always, for taking the time to review! :)_


	34. Off the Records: Oblivious

_Oh wow, I was definitely not expecting the reaction to the previous chapter! ;) I promise that things will get resolved soon.. For now, a little more backstory. ;)_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Off the Records: Oblivious**

_Konoha, Dec 2023 - 8 years ago_

Neji is fifteen, and anticipating an early graduation sometime within the next year. It's been six months since he's dislocated Tenten's shoulder, and three months since she's fully recovered. Nine months since he discovered her infatuation with him.

Nine months is two hundred and seventy-four days, and a very long time.

He is friends with both Lee and Tenten by now, though the two remain closer to each other than they are to him, and Neji doesn't know what to do with the frissons of envy that edge along his mind when Lee knows what Tenten is about to say, even before she says it.

Interacting with Tenten makes him feel an inexplicable warmth in his chest. He doesn't know how to interpret this feeling - the Hyuuga have never taught him this, or what to say to girls (one girl) who tilt their heads and smile up at him, and who expect nothing in return.

All he knows is to fall back upon strategy and defensive movements and attacks, and none of them help when Tenten asks what his favorite color is. (It is blue, for the sky that he's seen birds soar towards.) So Neji continues to watch Tenten, knowing that she will somehow be very important in the future, but he isn't sure how, or why.

He thinks he understands, maybe, when she brings him to the window of stars that New Year's eve.

The rest of the ship is celebrating down in the multi-purpose hall. Neji doesn't care for crowds, or noise, so he accepts when Tenten offers to show him something special, far away from the celebrations.

_I found this place during our first year,_ Tenten tells him in a half-whisper, as she leads him through dimly-lit corridors that he's never encountered before in all his time aboard the _Konoha_. _It's where I spend my New Year's eves._

She takes his hand gently when they round a corner, and Neji's eyes grow wide at the window he sees beyond the corridor, that opens to the rest of the universe.

_It's beautiful, isn't it?_ Tenten grins, and pulls him forward, her fingers slender and calloused around his own.

The room itself is just as large as his current quarters, though what has Neji captivated is the huge, floor-length window that stretches across an entire wall.

He steps forward, reaching out to touch the plexiglass window, his eyes darting from one corner of the universe to another. It's nothing like what he's ever seen. On Earth, light pollution marred the night skies, and the view from Captain Gai's ship is only limited to the narrow, rectangular window wrapping around the cockpit.

Neji spends a while looking out for familiar constellations, while Tenten releases his hand and presses her forehead to the window.

He watches as she stares out into space, her hazel eyes unfocused, and her lips moving to silent words, as if in a prayer. It feels as if he's encroaching on her privacy somehow, so he looks away, back at the stars and galaxies that shine steadily at them.

Nothing makes him feel as small and insignificant as looking at the stars beyond this window, Neji realizes. Every single one of those pinpricks of light is a star, if not a galaxy, greater than the size of Earth, and there are so many of them, much more than he can count.

He glances at Tenten, wondering if she feels the same.

It is some time before she pulls away from the window, looking at him with those sparkling eyes of hers. _It's nothing like you've ever seen, is it?_ she asks.

Neji shakes his head. He doesn't know why Lee isn't with them, though, if he's always around Tenten so much, and she's so close to him.

_Why show me this?_ he asks haltingly, afraid that he might offend her with the question.

Tenten glances away and smiles, and Neji thinks he might have imagined the darkening of her cheeks. _I thought you might like to see it,_ she answers. And as if she's read his mind, Tenten adds, _Even Lee doesn't know about this place._

He blinks at her in surprise. _Why show me then?_ he asks bluntly, before he can stop himself. Does this have to do with the crush that she and Lee were talking about?

She gives him a light smile, shrugs, and looks away. _Who knows?_

It's quiet in here and Neji sees the curl of her lashes, the way her nose is button-like, different from his own sharp features. She's pretty, he thinks, and not conventionally so.

_I figured that this would be the last time you'll have time to spare for silly things like that,_ she mumbles after a while. _You're planning on graduating early, aren't you?_

Tenten slants a look at him, almost wistful, and Neji feels a tug on his stomach.

_I am,_ he admits, dipping his chin.

She shrugs. Looks away. _You'll do well, you know,_ she says softly after a while, _I know you will._

Neji doesn't know what to say to that, so he nods and mutters a _thank you_.

They remain standing by the window for a while, until Tenten folds her legs and drops to the floor, sitting cross-legged by the window. She looks up at him expectantly; he settles down beside her.

She stares at him for a little bit, lips parted, as if she's about to say something. He raises his eyebrows, and at length, Tenten asks, _May I braid your hair? I've always wanted to._

He blinks. Her request is unexpected, though not entirely revolting. Neji balances the benefits of it against its disadvantages, and eventually nods, turning his back towards her. He hears her exhale in a smile.

Tenten's fingers are warm and firm against his scalp when she brushes them through his hair. It's a sensation that he hasn't experienced in a long time, probably since his mother died a decade ago, and for a moment, Neji is struck by the intimacy of Tenten's gesture, that she probably doesn't realize.

He remains silent, closing his eyes to better savor the caress of her fingertips against his skin. Tenten works through his hair quietly, running her digits through locks of hair to comb them out, before parting his hair into thirds, and weaving them expertly between her fingers.

She uses one of her hair ties to bind his hair when she's done - he sees her tying her own hair into a single makeshift bun when he turns back around (Neji doesn't realize just how much hair she has in those twin buns until now).

_It looks good,_ she tells him with a smile, _Though you probably won't see it until you return to your quarters._

Neji nods his thanks and faces forward again; Tenten closes her eyes, leans her shoulder into his arm. He doesn't mind, doesn't say a thing until she begins the next conversation topic.

Two hours pass before either of them realizes it. Tenten is the first to pull away, glancing at the time on her visor. _It's almost one,_ she tells him with a measure of surprise, _We should probably be headed to bed._

There isn't a curfew for them tonight, though Captain Gai has arranged for an early training session come morning, and it will do none of them good to have insufficient rest prior to that.

_Would you like me to undo the braid?_ Tenten asks as they make to stand. Neji considers her offer briefly, remembers the steady touch of her fingers. He nods; her lips curve.

She removes the hair tie when he turns his back to her, and Neji allows his eyes to slip shut when she combs her fingers through his hair again, this time to unravel the braid.

_All done,_ Tenten says some time later, her fingers falling away from his hair.

What he doesn't expect is for her to press her chest to his back heartbeats later. Her slim arms come to wind around his waist, and she whispers, _Happy new year, Neji._

The moment is gone as soon as it comes; she pulls away, smiles easily at him.

Tenten holds his hand for a little while, guiding them back through the dimly-lit corridors, though she releases him as soon as they step back into the regular hallways, where people are starting to drift back to their quarters.

She grins at him and heads away first, while he stands and watches her leave, wondering what just happened between them.

It will be a long time before he sees her at the window of stars again.

* * *

_Gliese Beta, Jun 2024 - 7 years ago_

Almost two years have passed since the formation of their trainee cell when Lee really, really notices his teammates.

They are on another mission with Captain Gai (whom Lee adores and admires to no end), and are just about wrapping up on the planet when Tenten catches sight of a row of brightly-colored roadside shops. Her eyes grow wide, and excitement fills her features before any of them can say _Back to the Konoha_.

Gai allows her a brief moment to explore the place. In the meantime, he orders the rest of them to do push-ups, and Lee watches from his spot on the ground while Tenten weaves her way through the wooden carts, her cheeks aglow with curiosity.

She returns ten minutes later with four green popsicles, and a cheerful smile on her lips. Tenten heads to Captain Gai first, handing him the first popsicle, before stepping over to Lee with the second. He gives her a joyful hug - she pushes him away soon after so the popsicles don't make contact with any of their clothes.

Lee slurps on his icy treat and follows Tenten's progress with his eyes; she steps over to Neji last, grinning brightly as she offers him her third popsicle.

He hasn't forgotten that she still has a crush on Neji.

Neji blinks at Tenten in surprise. He looks between her face and the treat, as if uncertain, and Tenten raises her eyebrows at him. _I know you don't like sweet things,_ she tells him, _So I got us all lime popsicles._

_What better way to celebrate youth?_ Lee thinks to himself.

The barest hint of a smile twitches on Neij's thin lips. Lee watches with a blooming sense of happiness when his eternal rival accepts Tenten's gift and slowly begins to consume it. She turns away in delight, to look at the bustling streets while she starts on her own popsicle.

Lee notices that Neji doesn't look away from his best friend. The Hyuuga prodigy tries to focus on his own popsicle, and their surroundings, but somehow or other, his pale eyes return to stare at Tenten, time and again.

Next to him, Captain Gai flashes a brilliant grin. _The springtime of youth is invigorating, is it not?_ he says, giving Lee a thumbs-up.

Lee returns with his own smile and thumbs-up, and the two of them return to watching Neji and Tenten - Neji, who is growing ever more aware of Tenten, and Tenten, who is oblivious to his quiet attention.

* * *

Neji graduates at the end of that month, and all of Team Gai is present when Captain Gai makes the announcement on his behalf.

Lee feels the sting of being beaten by his eternal rival - all of them have known that this was coming, but Gai's acknowledgement still hits hard, and Lee takes a deep breath, reaching out to shake Neji's hand. He resolves to beat Neji somehow, someday or other.

They spend the rest of the evening at a team dinner, and Lee notices, again, that Neji's eyes flicker back towards Tenten through the meal. Tenten, herself, is a little withdrawn today (Lee promises himself that he'll cheer her up soon), and she stares at her food, moving it listlessly around her plate.

Gai calls Lee away for an errand; they make a big loop around the cafeteria tables and observe the other half of their team from afar (Lee is secretly awed by his mentor's cunning), though there is hardly any conversation going on between Neji and Tenten. Tenten is too distracted to say much at all, and Neji doesn't quite seem to know how to reach her through the visibly uncomfortable silence between them.

Lee's heart sinks. This is the biggest chance for Tenten to tell Neji about her feelings, after all, but she isn't leaping at the opportunity.

And it's becoming painfully obvious that Neji feels something for her in return, but he doesn't voice it either; Lee is all but gnawing at his lip and wishing for them to say something, anything.

In the end, their fifteen minutes are up, and Gai leads Lee back to the table despite his protests. _It isn't the right time for them now,_ Gai dispenses sagely, _Their feelings will blossom when they're ready._

_Will they ever?_ Lee wants to ask, but the glint in his mentor's eye tells him to be patient. Good things come to those who persevere, after all.

So Lee keeps his observations to himself, and settles for waiting until the day Tenten opens her eyes, to see that Neji has loved her all along.

* * *

_A/N: Yes, Lee has known since the beginning. ;) Surprised? I think you guys might still remember the hug Neji gave Tenten at the window of stars... yes, it was intentional, because it's what Tenten did to him years back. ;)_

_I hope you enjoyed this interlude as much as I did writing it.. couldn't stop smiling at Lee. ;) Thank you, as always, for taking the time to review!_


	35. 31: What Happens in the Past

_Second last chapter. This and the last are pretty long - no convenient spot to cut them into shorter chapters, so here you go. :P_

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me._

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 31: What Happens in the Past**

_Konoha, Mar 18, 2031, 2156 hrs_

The first thing Tenten does when she returns to the _Konoha_ is to head to Neji's quarters. She's declined Lee's offer for company; right now, all she wants to do is huddle up in her room, but she can't - there's an embarrassing number of her things still left in Neji's quarters, and she doesn't want him returning to find them, not if she's worth that little to him.

It doesn't make sense that he'd just as soon be rid of her, not when they had been so close the night before. Did something happen before Dragon Platoon landed on Aesis?

Tenten finds that she doesn't want to know, doesn't want to think about Neji for a long while, because it still hurts so goddamn much and she can't believe this is happening to her, all over again.

As if she hadn't been heartbroken enough when he left the team eight years ago.

She swallows those thoughts and slips into his quarters, scanning the too-familiar room once to determine where the cleanup should begin. Tenten decides to start from his bathroom - she gathers her toiletries, sweeping them all into a thin backpack, before heading to his bed.

At least she hasn't been around long enough to properly move into his quarters. Tenten drops her handguns into the bag, and stuffs it full with the rest of her clothes - fortunately, she'd moved her dirty laundry back to her own room the day before.

The pulse gun cartridges go in next. Her throat tightens, and she pulls her uniform over them to hide them from view, scanning the rest of the room once again. There isn't anything left, really, except for her weapons case. He'd probably forget about that. Or leave it alone. She'd collect it tomorrow or something.

Tenten checks the time - she's been in here for five minutes, which is way too long. The InterPol had been slightly late collecting Quachron and his men, and she hopes that Neji is going to be remaining in the infirmary for another hour yet.

She grits her teeth, hurrying to the door - the long route back to her quarters is already in her mind, planned so she'd avoid any possible path he could possibly take from the hospital wing. Tenten hits the unlocking switch by the door-

Neji stands in the doorway, one hand on his earpiece, blinking at her in surprise.

Tenten swears to herself - her heart thuds a rapid tattoo in her chest - and she's glancing away, easing out through the gap by his side.

She doesn't look over her shoulder to catch his reaction (if she did, she'd have seen his lips parted, hovering on a decision to call out to her).

(But Neji shuts his mouth, and steps wordlessly into his quarters.)

Tenten hurries down the hallway, her eyes prickling - shouldn't this have stopped by now? - and barrels into her own quarters. She sheds the backpack of things, collapses into her bed, and curls up, grinding the heels of her hands against her eyes.

_This needs to stop,_ she tells herself. It didn't help eight years ago, and it won't help now.

The answer comes easily, as answers of this nature tend to be - Tenten brushes off her tears, and decides to request another mission for Dragon Platoon, starting tomorrow.

After all, Neji is a captain now - surely he and his team will be excluded from the tag-team missions, right?

* * *

Captain Gai does assign Dragon Platoon to a mission the next day, citing preparations for a separate mission the reason why Hawk Platoon isn't involved in this. Lee and Kiba are only too glad to join Tenten on yet another task with just the three of them - it's reminiscent of old times, and they work together with easy synchronization.

The mission (subduing a giant rampaging rhinoceros) turns out to be a risky one. Tenten ends up sustaining a concussion two days into the mission, close to when their assignment is almost complete. Concerned, Lee and Kiba all but abandon the mission, bringing her back to the _Konoha_ instead for immediate treatment.

News of her hospitalization spreads fast - Tenten is forced into bed rest for five days, during which a number of her friends and acquaintances show up for a visit.

"For the last time, I'm not an invalid!" she bristles, when Konohamaru, Udon and Moegi finally leave, cheery grins on their faces. Prior to them, Captain Gai had been by on his second visit of the day, and the sheer number of get well cards and bowls of fruit have overflowed from her bedside table to the side tables at the corners of the ward. (There's probably a shortage of fruit in the cafeteria now.)

Tenten sinks into her pillows in exhaustion - facing a surge of concerned friends has taken a toll on her, and it is only the first day of her hospitalization. With any luck, their numbers will dwindle once they realize that she's well on her way to recovery. (The same thing happened to Hinata, Shino and Chouji when they ended up in the critical care unit, after all.)

The one silver lining to the endless flow of visitors is that she barely has had time to herself to mope about Neji. Tenten realizes that she hasn't lost everything just because Neji turned her down - there are still plenty of friends around her, like Lee, Ino, Captain Gai, and the kids.

All the same, she sucks a quick breath in when Hyuuga Hinata steps through the door to her ward.

Tenten stares; Hinata settles gingerly into the chair by her bed, slender brows drawn together in worry. "How are you feeling?" she asks. "I- I heard about your injury."

Hinata's pale eyes remind her of Neji's, and Tenten swallows thickly, looking down her bed. "I'm recovering, thanks."

"There wasn't any fruit left in the cafeteria," Hinata begins apologetically, though Tenten manages to crack a grin at that.

"They're all here," she tells the Hyuuga heiress wryly, waving about the room.

Hinata takes a closer look at the mountains of gifts and smiles warmly. "So I see," she agrees.

"What brought you here?" Tenten asks abruptly, easing herself up into a sitting position again. "I mean, it's just a concussion - you needn't have bothered."

Hinata frowns then, and fiddles with her fingers, glancing down. "It's about Neji."

Tenten feels her stomach sink. She gulps, feeling obliged to respond, "What about him?"

"It's- I'm not sure if you know," Hinata says quietly, looking around the room. The door is closed, but she lowers her volume anyway. "My father found out about the video."

Tenten's eyes grow wide. Her stomach feels as if it's vanished into thin air. "What- What happened?" she whispers, suddenly sapped of strength. Is this why Neji-

"I'm not sure how he knew," Hinata continues, frowning, "But he was furious a few days ago. He's ordered me to keep tabs on Neji."

"What kind of tabs?" Tenten mirrors her frown, her insides twisting.

"I can't say." Hinata lifts her shoulder half-heartedly. "But Neji- He's-"

"How- How is he doing?" Tenten mumbles, the words tumbling over her tongue. She doesn't dare wonder about him now, and how his family must've reacted to that video. So much for him going to Aesis to retrieve it.

Surprise flits through Hinata's delicate features. "You mean... He hasn't visited you?"

Her chest hurts anew, and Tenten glances away. "No. Was he supposed to?"

Hinata chews on her lip, hesitating on her response. "I... I thought he would have."

Tenten shrugs, pretends not to care. "It's his decision, anyway."

"I- I thought I saw him headed to the infirmary, though," Hinata reveals quietly, and Tenten's heart pounds painful, painful beats.

"I didn't see him," she replies, closing her eyes. "I don't think he should see me, either."

"But he-" Hinata catches herself, and Tenten cracks her eyelids open to look at her. "But he... well, I thought he'd be concerned," she finishes lamely.

Tenten shrugs. "I didn't think so." The words are painful to admit, and she finds that she desperately wants a beer. Or ten.

"Well... I should go," Hinata tells her uneasily, before giving her a tiny smile. "I sincerely hope that you'll recover soon, Tenten."

"I'm feeling fine enough," Tenten mutters. "Thank you for visiting, though."

Hinata reaches over and pats her hand as she gets to her feet. "No worries," she says kindly, "I'm available if you ever need a listening ear."

Tenten is left staring after her when she leaves, wondering if anyone listening would ever be enough to ease the ache in her chest.

* * *

Ino visits with bubbly cheer on the third day of Tenten's hospitalization.

"What's up, Ten?" she asks with a bright smile, setting a single cut daisy on Tenten's bedside table, its freshness preserved by a plastic vial of water at the base of its stem. "Feeling better today?"

Tenten sits up straighter, pushing her tray of half-eaten dinner away. Ino's appearance brings with it a sense of lightness that Tenten appreciates - the sort of familiarity that comes with knowing one another for as long as they have.

"I'm fine," she grumbles. "Been fine since they stuck me in here. You could help eat some of all this fruit though."

Ino grins at her complaint - Tenten is raring to get out of the hospital wing and into a simulation room, to shoot something down. Her entire body itches from staying in bed this long.

"Eat them yourself - they're supposed to help you get well." As she's done for the past few days, Ino gathers the get-well cards methodically, stacking them into a neat pile, while examining the gifts of fruit to ensure that they aren't going bad yet.

"You know I'm not a fan of fruit," Tenten answers, frowning at the bowls upon bowls of colors. "Or veggies. And I'm fine. I don't need any more recovering than you do."

Ino rolls her baby-blue eyes, setting a bowl of fruit next to Tenten. "You're going to have to finish mine, or I'll be highly offended. And you don't want to cross me, Ten."

Tenten returns the eye-roll. "Yeah, whatever. What's got you so perky today, anyway? Did someone propose to you?"

Ino snorts, decidedly unladylike. "Sure you don't need another week in here? I vividly remember our conversation about relationships."

Tenten brushes her comment off, lifting her eyebrows instead. "So what is it? Spill."

"Haven't you checked your email?" Ino asks pointedly. "They're asking for volunteers to go on a deep-space exploration mission."

Of course she knows about that. Tenten purses her lips, remembering the generic message sent to the Lieutenants and Second Lieutenants just yesterday. "I didn't think you received that as well," she replies.

"Of course I did." Ino grins. "Did you put your application in?"

Tenten nods. "Done."

Because what better excuse is there to get away from Neji, than to retreat to the furthest possible depths of the universe?

Lee and Kiba have agreed to ride on her application as Dragon Platoon - there's no way she can bear to leave them behind on a mission that could span months, or perhaps even years. Tenten thinks she'll be fine as long as she has them around, with the occasional call to Captain Gai, Ino, and her ex-trainee cell.

"I put my name in too," Ino beams. "It's starting to get a little boring sitting on my ass in the labs here."

Tenten lifts an eyebrow. "It's not like sitting around is going to make your ass any flatter," she points out.

"Whatever, Ten." Ino looks crossly at her.

"Plus, it's going to be just twenty-odd people on that ship," Tenten continues. "Aren't you going to get tired of your bedroom selection?"

Ino huffs and folds her arms across her chest. "I'd trade it for some excitement, yeah."

"Excitement like fearing for your life and not knowing when you'll return home?" Tenten asks dryly.

"Well, Chouji and his team are applying for that mission as well." Ino shrugs. "Thought I may as well tag along to make sure he doesn't get in trouble."

Tenten looks curiously at her, but doesn't press the subject.

"So how are you and Neji doing?" Ino asks suddenly, and Tenten stiffens. "I thought I saw him around."

A frown creases Tenten's forehead. "Around?" she repeats.

"Yeah, around the infirmary." Ino looks over her shoulder, as if expecting to see someone coming through the doors.

Tenten winces inwardly. She really doesn't need to see him. Even if a little part of her wants to know how he's doing, especially now that the Hyuuga are aware of the surveillance video she's lost. Guilt gnaws at her gut. How did Hidan get a hold of it, anyway?

"You haven't answered my question," Ino informs her, tapping a finger on her arm. "How are things between you and Neji?"

"Nonexistent," Tenten mutters, looking away from her.

She doesn't want to remember that afternoon on Aesis, but the rawness of the memory cuts every time it surfaces. Maybe he doesn't want anything to do with her, now that the evidence she'd lost has come back to implicate him.

Her energy drains, and Tenten slumps her shoulders, covering her face with a hand. "I'm so screwed, Ino," she mumbles. "It isn't supposed to hurt this much."

"Fuck. What happened?" Ino frowns, rising to sit next to her on the bed instead. "What did he do to you?"

"I- We- I think we screwed up," Tenten mutters, biting the inside of her cheek.

"You were supposed to screw, not screw up," Ino chides softly, shaking her head. "What happened, Ten. Tell me."

Tenten leans into Ino and closes her eyes. "I kissed him. He said I was a good fuck. End of story."

It stings even more admitting it to someone, and Tenten feels liberated and awful all at once, because telling Ino just makes it that much more real.

"Holy crap," Ino breathes. "What the hell? I thought he liked you. Why didn't you tell me earlier? That two-faced asshole-"

"Save it, Ino," Tenten mumbles. Lee has had enough to say about Neji, and it was all she could to do make her best friend maintain his silence when he sent Neji and Kiba back to the _Byakugan_ on Aesis. Lee had only agreed after a long while of persuasion. "I don't want to talk about it."

Ino frowns deeply, throwing an arm around Tenten's shoulders. "But he's hurt you-"

"It wasn't even supposed to turn out that way." Tenten shrugs, and grimaces. "It was supposed to be just about sex."

The blond parts her lips, though she closes them when Tenten shakes her head firmly.

"It's getting late," Tenten tells her. "I should probably be getting some rest."

"So you should," Ino agrees reluctantly, glancing at the clock. "You need to recover so they'll consider you for that mission."

"Thanks," Tenten mutters, remembering the deep-space mission, and the escape it offers her.

"Don't forget, Ten - I'm this close-" Ino gestures with her thumb and index finger. "To punching Neji's nose in. You just have to say the word."

"I know. Thank you, Ino." Tenten smiles, watching as the blond finally moves away from her bedside, and out of the door.

The nurse-in-charge comes in to remove her dinner tray minutes later, and Tenten waits impatiently while her vitals are taken, and recorded on the clipboard at the foot of her bed.

She waits another ten minutes - the plasma screen of the digital clock changes ever so slowly - until she's certain that the corridor beyond her ward is empty.

Tenten pulls the IV drip from the back of her hand then, and eases off from her bed. The mild pacing she's done as exercise through the day helps her regain her mobility quicker than the average patient should; she pads over to the door, quietly slipping out into the hallway.

Getting drunk right about now sounds like a very good idea.

* * *

Neji hovers by the door of ward W9 like he's done the past few nights. He stares briefly at the single name on the occupant list by the door, before looking away, to the switch that will allow him access to the room.

How is it that Captain Hyuuga Neji, with a soon-to-be-assembled team and various successful missions to his name, can't even open a single damn door to look in at the person he's feared breaking the most?

Neji grits his teeth and shoves his hand in his pocket; a couple of the fingers on his other hand are bound in a cumbersome cast - a nagging reminder of how his own mission on Aesis had failed so miserably.

In the end, he was wrong about Tenten getting hurt on the mission - she was the one to save him, and he's the one who is left with a slow-healing injury.

He's given his uncle a call the night he returned - right after bumping into Tenten in the doorway of his quarters - and Hiashi had been far from pleased. _The sentence still stands,_ he's maintained, _You will report to Hinata about your daily activities._

The memory elicits a cringe from him. Neji stares unseeingly at the cool metal of the door. He should be glad that Hiashi hasn't put a death sentence on his head - but living according to the whim of others isn't very different from that at all, and it's hardly something he wants to drag Tenten into.

That she's kissed him is testament to how his plans have failed - the blackmail should have removed any emotional involvement while allowing him to approach her, if only physically. He never expected her to procure that video in retaliation, nor for himself to continue pursuing her, if only to remain close, close enough to feel her against him. Tenten is like a drug - one he can't get enough of.

She's always lingered at the back of his mind.

It aches to know the feel of her lips against his, to know that he couldn't respond to the one sensation he's thought about so often. Neji remembers the shock in her eyes all too well, the disbelief, and the hurt. Hasn't he sworn to himself never to hurt her again?

Neji turns away, disgusted with himself, and comes to face Lee, who's striding down the corridor, a deep frown etching his forehead.

"Lee," he greets quietly, uncomfortable at having been caught standing right outside Tenten's ward.

"You hurt her," Lee accuses without preamble, his hands clenched into fists. "I expected more of you, Neji."

Neji flicks an eye towards the door, stepping away so their conversation isn't easily picked up on. Lee follows him down the hallway, simmering with anger.

"I'm not punching you only because Tenten told me not to," Lee says, when Neji's turned down another corridor. Neji stops walking, and Lee rounds upon him with a glower. "She told me what you did."

Is Lee talking about the blackmail? Surprised and more than a little embarrassed, Neji looks at his ex-teammate, wincing. "She did?"

Lee glares at him. "She said she forgave you, but I can't. She's our precious flower, Neji - weren't we supposed to protect her?"

Neji pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing. "Don't I know it."

"Then why? Why hurt her and do... things you shouldn't?" Lee bristles.

"I was being selfish," Neji admits reluctantly. The orders Hiashi had dispensed while he was at the Orion cluster, to give up all he had for Hinata, and to submit to an arranged marriage with some faceless woman sometime in his future, had him yearning for some semblance of control. That was the other reason for the blackmail. "Granted, she enjoyed it."

Lee's fist twitches - a controlled attempt not to add yet another bruise to Neji's face. "That's not the point - I thought you loved her," he growls.

Neji glances away, towards the row of plastic chairs outside a ward. "I still do."

"None of what you did was love!" Lee hisses, seething as he steps closer.

Neji doesn't back away, or think of defending himself. "Not the blackmail, no," he agrees. "But she wasn't supposed to develop affection for me, either."

"And why not?" Lee asks, inky eyes flashing.

"Because I'm bound to serve my clan," Neji answers. He reaches up and tucks his hair behind his ear, before turning his head and pulling his hair back to show Lee the green tattoo. "Remember this?"

Lee's eyes lock onto the _manji_ symbol. He falls silent, and some of the tension eases from his tightened muscles. "Yeah."

Neji releases his hair to cover the tattoo again. Both Lee and Tenten have known about his obligations to Hinata since their trainee cell days, though Neji suspects that the weight of those familial bonds has never really sunken in for them.

"I've been ordered to protect my cousin with my life," he tells Lee. "I can't offer Tenten some second-rate version of love."

Lee furrows his brow, slowly digesting his words. "But surely there's a way to love her without hurting her."

Neji rubs his face tiredly. "You think so?"

"She was really happy with you for a bit there," Lee acknowledges quietly. "You should've seen her - she was trying not to smile so wide."

He blinks at Lee in surprise. "When did that happen?"

"Right after you returned from the Orion cluster, the second time," Lee answers.

When he returned to find her in his bed, and gave her those pulse gun cartridges for her birthday. Neji glances away. "I remember that."

Lee frowns. "See, you do know how to make her happy-"

"Maybe I shouldn't have done it," he interrupts. But he had wanted to see her eyes light up and her lips curve in that smile. "She deserves better than me."

"She hasn't looked at anyone other than you since Team Gai," Lee tells him, folding his arms across his chest. "You know that, don't you?"

Neji hesitates. "I was aware that she dated for a bit."

"Because you never said anything more than 'Hi' after you left," Lee retorts.

"I was focusing on my career," he protests.

"What about now? What changed?" Lee probes, pinning him with a sharp stare. "Tenten insisted that she was over that old crush."

"She was," Neji agrees. The blackmail had been very successful in ensuring that. "I merely... realized that she's never far from my thoughts."

"So you made her fall in love with you again," Lee deduces, narrowing his eyes.

Neji winces. "I didn't mean for that to happen."

"But you do love her."

A pause. "Yes."

Lee scrutinizes him warily. "I'll give you one chance to make it right. For Tenten's sake."

Neji stares at him, eyebrows drawing together. "You can't mean-"

"You can give her happiness, Neji. Isn't that what's important when you love someone?" Lee stares him down, his stance challenging.

He falls silent, mulling over Lee's words. "My life is not my own," Neji says eventually.

"Only when you choose it not to be," Lee returns, giving him a stern look. "Surely your genius will allow you to figure it out."

Neji doesn't reply, instead gazing down the hallways, where hardly anyone is around. Lee follows his stare.

"She should be in the ward at this time. Talk to her." Lee glances at him in warning. "Don't mess up again."

He heaves a sigh, wincing once more. "I'll talk to her."

Lee says a curt good night and heads down the corridor, away from ward W9. Neji sees it as a signal to get moving, almost dragging his feet to the same door he was standing at when his ex-teammate appeared.

It's another long while before he convinces his hand to reach for the silver button, giving it a firm push.

The door slides open - and Tenten's bed is empty.

Swamped by a mix of relief and surprise, Neji makes his way into the ward. She isn't in the connecting bathroom, or anywhere on the floor. He frowns. Shouldn't there be a nurse checking in on her?

He grabs the clipboard at the end of the bed to note the last time stamp - an hour ago. She can't have got into too much trouble within this time... can she?

Neji's lips thin; he replaces the clipboard and hurries out of the ward. To think he and Lee were arguing when she wasn't even around. He exhales heavily, annoyed. Where would she be most likely to head?

He checks her quarters first, then (with a mix of hope and trepidation) his own - negative. Suddenly worried that she might've taken off into space, Neji checks for the _Silver Blade_ on the master hangar list. The ship is still docked. Tenten must be somewhere on the _Konoha_, then.

More curious than concerned, now, he heads for the shooting ranges (negative), gyms (negative) and the simulation rooms (negative - the names of the occupants are displayed on the screens outside the rooms). Only then does Neji think to check the cafeteria - but she isn't there, either.

He isn't able to fathom any other possible locations... unless she wanted to hide somewhere that no one else knew about.

The answer strikes him so quickly that Neji is amazed he didn't think to look there earlier. He seeks out the route he knows by heart, moving quickly now that he's increasingly sure of her location with each step he takes.

Tenten is sitting placidly by the window of stars when he arrives. Neji slows down upon entrance to the room, surveying the handful of beer cans around her - most are empty; she's probably on her fourth or fifth can now.

She turns at the sound of his footsteps and hiccups. "Who's there?" Tenten slurs.

"Me," he answers, moving forward to crouch next to her. The scent of alcohol is heavy about her. Neji grimaces - getting drunk while on forced bed rest isn't the best idea he's come across.

Tenten doesn't move away; she stares at his face and frowns, as if trying to recognize him.

"It's Neji," he says, when his identity still doesn't dawn on her.

"Neji?" Tenten giggles (his chest constricts when he hears his name on her lips) and stares at him. "You look funny."

He frowns - and remembers the variety of bruises on his face. Right. "Yes, it's Neji," he replies. "You need to be back in the infirmary."

She mirrors his frown then. "No."

"No?" Neji realizes that this might take a while, so he settles down next to her, moving all her cans to his other side.

"You took my drinks," Tenten whines, leaning her head against his shoulder. Her hair is down, and Neji suppresses the urge to run his fingers through those wavy locks.

"It's for your own good," he informs her, and she pouts. "Let's get you back to the infirmary."

"Don't wanna," she tells him. "I'm happy here."

"Why are you happy here?" he questions, curious, turning his head slightly to get a better view of her.

"Because I was trying to get away from you," she sighs, and shakes her head. "Didn't work."

Neji winces. "Why were you trying to get away from me?"

"Because it hurts here when I think of you," Tenten answers dully, pressing a hand to her chest.

His breath catches in his throat. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too," she replies. "For the video. Hinata told me."

Neji freezes, wondering just how much Tenten does know. "Do you hate me?"

"No." Tenten shakes her head. "I can't. I tried, you know, but I can't."

She slips her arm around his, hugging it to herself, and Neji grimaces - sitting like this with Tenten is comfortable, and he doesn't want to pull away.

"I'm gonna run away from you, you know," Tenten continues, and he looks sharply at her. "I'm gonna go on that deep-space mission with Lee and Kiba. We're gonna have fun."

Neji blinks, surprised. "Have you put your application in for it?"

"Yeah." Tenten nods. "Me and Lee and Kiba."

He tries not to smile at the irony there. "The Captain isn't going to be happy if you get drunk on his ship, Tenten."

"Why?" She frowns, looking up at him. "Do you know the Captain?"

Neji studies her for a moment - her eyes are wide and unguarded. She isn't putting up an act. "Yeah," he says finally. "I'm the Captain of that mission."

"Oh." Tenten blinks, and looks towards the window of stars.

She doesn't say anything for a while, and Neji watches her, a heavy ache settling in his chest. Will he ever be worthy of her, when he's bound to his clan at the same time?

"Captain Gai said you'd protect me," Tenten pipes up suddenly, and he looks at her, shaken from his thoughts. "You will, won't you?"

Neji hesitates. If it boils down to a choice between Tenten or Hinata, which would he choose? He doesn't know - or maybe he does. His mind tells him to pick Hinata, but his heart...

"I'm strong, you know," Tenten continues when he doesn't reply. "I can protect myself."

A smile quirks his lips then. "I wouldn't expect any less of you," Neji agrees.

But if he were to be selfish, and if what Lee said is true - that he can bring her happiness - would he try to salvage their maybe-relationship?

Neji looks down at Tenten, at her unguarded expression, and remembers the times she lay in his bed, completely at ease. If he were to choose... he would choose her. Tenten represents all the freedom he's always wanted and never felt he could have.

He breathes a sigh, vaguely acknowledging that he's made up his mind.

"Are you okay?" Tenten frowns, looking up at him. Neji doesn't know what to say to that.

She tips her face up and presses her lips to his briefly, and Neji's mind reels.

He closes his eyes to find some inner focus-

And is just as soon jolted from it when Tenten wraps her arms around his waist.

He knows when to give up; Neji shakes his head and pulls away. "You really are drunk," he tells her. "Let's get you back to the infirmary."

Tenten doesn't get to her feet easily - she wobbles when she tries to stand, and Neji settles for sweeping her off her feet and into his arms. She giggles. He hesitates for a moment, before pulling her close, and pressing his lips to her forehead.

"I'll try again when you're sober," he says dryly. "Hopefully you'll feel like listening then."

The walk back to the hospital wing is mostly met with silence, except for a whistle or two. Tenten smiles serenely at him, an arm looped around the back of his neck.

Neji has time to hope that they aren't running into anyone he knows, when Yamanaka Ino steps out from a corridor leading to the cafeteria.

"The hell?" she swears, staring between Neji and Tenten.

Neji gives an awkward shrug. "I'm bringing her back to the infirmary. She's drunk."

Ino frowns, crossing the short distance to stand before him, suspicion scrawled over her features. Tenten grins at her friend. "She smells like booze. What the hell did you do to her?"

"Hi, Ino!" Tenten chirps, waving. Ino gives her an exasperated glance.

Neji narrows his eyes. "I stopped her from drinking more than she already has."

"I just saw her three hours ago," Ino mutters. "She said she was going to sleep."

"Her bed was empty two hours ago," Neji replies flatly. "I went looking for her."

"What're you even doing around her?" the blond snaps, glowering at Neji. "Didn't you make it clear that-"

"I was going to rectify it," Neji answers, before Ino publicly announces whatever she and Tenten exchanged. "Apparently tonight isn't the right time."

"You'd better not hurt her again," Ino threatens, still disbelieving. "I'm following you to the infirmary."

Neji lets his breath out in a slow exhale, shrugging. "Fine by me."

They stride in silence to the hospital wing, and Neji nods his thanks when Ino hits the door switch for him. She follows him into the ward and pulls the bed covers down, draping them over Tenten after Neji has laid her gently on the mattress.

"I'm going to sleep now," Tenten mumbles, yawning tiredly. "Night, Ino. Night, Neji."

Ino glances sharply between her and Neji - she hasn't missed the way Tenten did not address him by his family name.

Neji looks momentarily at Ino - no point concealing what he feels for their mutual friend.

"Sleep well, Tenten," he tells her quietly, looking at the water jug on the side table. It is full - probably what she'd be consuming very soon after. He steps forward and fills a plastic cup with water, before heading for the door. "I trust that you'll be visiting her in the morning?" Neji asks, pausing by the threshold of the ward.

Ino rolls her eyes, but he notices that her earlier anger has subsided. "I'll probably be here all night, no thanks to someone."

"Thanks," he tells her, dipping his chin. "Good night."

He feels her stare boring into his back, but shelves it in the back of his mind. Time to sort through those mission applications.

* * *

_A/N: That is me waving my hand about on the subject of concussions. I gave Tenten more bed rest than she probably needs. ;) _

_Lots covered in this chapter... For the longest time, I didn't know what Neji's motivation behind the blackmail was, either. I only figured it out as I was close to writing the end of the story lol. :P Guess Neji keeps secrets from everyone, damn him :P_

_As always, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts! I'm so glad you guys understand Neji's motivations... he hasn't had it easy :P_


	36. 32: The New Beginning

_Final chapter.. I won't bother you with long notes here lol._

_Naruto and its characters do not belong to me.** This fic is rated for mature audiences only - read at your own discretion.**_

* * *

**Complexities of Blackmail**

**Chapter 32: The New Beginning**

_Konoha, Mar 24, 2031, 0708 hrs_

Ino is still sitting by her bed by the time Tenten feels vaguely like a human again. She squints at the blond, dragging herself up and gulping from the filled cup by her bedside. It feels like there's a boulder in her head and many, many jumping beans in her stomach.

"So... are you ready to spill?" Ino asks wearily. Tenten looks closely at her, noting some shadows under her eyes.

"Ino? What're you doing here?" Tenten mumbles, frowning.

"What were you doing, drinking last night?" Ino snaps, folding her arms. "Neji brought you back here."

Tenten frowns, and winces at the mention of Neji. She pulls her pillow over her face. "How'd he come into the picture?"

"That's what I'd like to find out." Ino clicks her tongue. "I was returning from the cafeteria when I saw him carrying you back to the infirmary."

She grimaces, closing her eyes and trying to remember. Her head pounds. Brief images flit through her mind - plenty of darkness, and maybe a bunch of stars. "I don't remember seeing him."

Ino shakes her head. "'Course you wouldn't, you were drunk."

Did she say anything to Neji while she was drunk? Tenten pulls a face, and wracks her mind. Nothing comes up. She remembers the beer, though. Probably shouldn't drink on that new mission, if her application gets through.

"Did you hear me say anything embarrassing?" she asks Ino, wincing again.

"You called him Neji to his face," Ino answers, rolling her shoulders to stretch them.

"That's all?" Tenten probes. It could've been worse, she supposes.

"That's all I heard, at least," the blond tells her dryly. "I don't know what you said to him while I wasn't around."

"Um. Okay. Thanks." Tenten settles for pressing her face to the firm mattress for a while, willing her headache to go away. "Have I taken an aspirin yet?"

"Yes. Fifteen minutes ago," Ino informs her wryly. "Aren't you glad I'm saving your butt by being your most awesome girlfriend?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you, my Supreme Lady Ino," Tenten mutters in response.

"Speaking of which, Neji actually checked in on you this morning," Ino says.

Tenten lifts the corner of her pillow and looks at her. "What?"

"Neji. He stopped by to see how you were doing." Ino raises a brow at her. "Someone's concerned about you."

"Oh." Tenten feels her cheeks heat, and lowers the pillow to hide her reaction. "I'm glad I didn't see him then."

"He was actually going to visit you last night, from the sound of it." Ino plucks an apple from Tenten's bowl of fruits, heading over to the adjoining bathroom to rinse it. "But he found your empty bed."

"Oops." Tenten cringes. "Did anyone else find out?"

"Apparently not." Ino returns to her seat, crunching into her apple. "I don't know if that's fortunate or otherwise."

"Me neither." Tenten shuts her eyes, slowly getting used to the pounding in her head. Or maybe it's the drug taking effect.

She can hardly believe that Neji tried to visit her. Where does she stand with him? After that day on Aesis, maybe he was visiting as a concerned teammate. Maybe he'd return tonight. Tenten squirms uneasily. She doesn't have anything to say to him.

"He cares about you, you know," Ino says at length, after she's finished her apple. "I mean, I know you've told me what happened - but judging from the way he acted, he cares for you more than he would a 'good fuck', if you ask me."

Tenten winces. "I didn't ask you."

"I'm telling you anyway," Ino informs her. "Besides, he called you 'Tenten' last night. Not 'Lieutenant', mind you."

Tenten thinks she might've stopped breathing. "Um," she says intelligently.

"I agree." Ino grabs another apple, and Tenten hears the water running in the bathroom again. "Think he came around to apologize?"

"I don't know." Tenten scrunches her eyes shut. Her pulse flutters.

"If he does, are you going to make up with him?" Ino settles back into her seat. "Damn, these chairs are a pain to sit in."

"They don't want you sitting around for too long," Tenten answers. "You're supposed to get back to work, is what they're saying."

"Very funny, Ten." She can practically hear Ino rolling her eyes. Ino bites into her second apple. "So, are you going to make up with him?"

"You're building a hypothesis on a hypothesis," Tenten tells her. "I don't do what-ifs."

"And what if I said he's here... right now?" It sounds as if Ino's voice is fading away, distracted, and Tenten freezes, her heart lodging in her throat.

"What?" she squeaks.

"I'm kidding," Ino says a moment later. Tenten pulls her head out from beneath the pillow, just to make sure that it's only her and Ino in the ward. She heaves a sigh when she realizes that the room does only contain two people. "You aren't over him yet."

Tenten cringes. "I am, I am. I so need to be over him."

"Well, have fun convincing yourself," Ino tells her, tossing her apple core into the waste basket. "I need to get a power nap in, and then get ready for work. Unlike some of us, who earned an extra two days of bed rest by getting stupid drunk."

"What?" Tenten yelps, looking at Ino pitifully. "Really?"

The blond nods, pulling the clipboard from the foot of her bed. "Look."

Tenten squints at the tiny words on the forms, making out the crossed-out "5", with a "7" scribbled over it. "Seven days of bed rest?" she groans, counting them off on her fingers. "That's another four days!"

"And I still have to work," Ino tells her dryly. "At least that deep-space mission starts in five days- Oh. Weren't the application results going to be announced today?"

Tenten feels her heart stop. "Where's my computer?" she fumbles.

Ino hands her the device with a shake of her head. "I'll help you with yours after I've checked my email."

"I'm on it," Tenten protests, turning her computer on. She accesses her inbox easily enough, scanning the unread emails for news on the mission. The acceptance email stands right out. "I'm in!"

"So am I!" Ino squeals, leaping up to pull Tenten into a hug. "That's awesome!"

"It is," she agrees, returning the hug.

"Not that you aren't a great friend, Ten, but I gotta see who else is enlisted on this mission," Ino begins, pulling away.

"Ever the consummate gossip." Tenten smiles fondly at the blond, waving as she heads towards the door.

"Talk to you tonight or tomorrow," Ino promises, waving back. "Remember to drink more fluids, yeah?"

"Yeah." Tenten leans back into her pillows with a grin, feeling as if things are going right in her life for once.

* * *

Tenten is caught off-guard when Neji visits her ward the next night.

She steps out of the bathroom, and is humming to herself when she notices that she isn't the only one in the room. Neji stands quietly to the side, turning to look at her when she pauses, two steps away from stepping back into the bathroom and locking herself in.

Neji has apparently guessed at her train of thought, because he looks between her and the bathroom door, frowning lightly. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't sequester yourself in there," he tells her, smooth baritone unexpectedly welcome against her ears.

"How do you do that?" she grumbles, frowning at him. The hospital shirt and pants fall loosely against her body, and she feels almost naked in them, with the way they brush airily over her skin.

"Do what?" Neji raises an eyebrow at her.

"Read my thoughts," Tenten reluctantly admits, casting him a sour look.

His lips quirk by a fraction. "It's not often that I can."

_But I'm still able to,_ is what Neji leaves hanging in the air between them, and Tenten huffs, folding her arms.

"Are you going to lie down? I don't bite." He gestures towards the bed.

She frowns at him, crossing the floor and getting into bed eventually. It's not as if they don't know each other intimately by now. "You keep saying that," she mutters.

"I won't bite unless you ask me to," he says in a quiet tone, his eyes intent on her.

Tenten looks towards the ceiling. "You can save that. What're you here for?" she asks, guardedly.

Neji moves over to the side of her bed, though he remains standing, looking down at her. "I was... thinking of making amends."

"How?" She scoots back towards the headboard to put some distance between them, narrowing her eyes at him.

"How's your hangover?" he probes.

Tenten blinks at him in surprise. "It's all but gone now." She pauses, looking him over - his bruises are healing up, and the cuts have scabbed. "How are your fingers?"

Neji grimaces. "They'll be healing for a while."

"At least you're right-handed," Tenten mutters (and the thought of his hands on her steals into her mind).

He lifts his eyebrows. "You remembered."

"How can I forget?" Tenten rolls her eyes.

Neji falls silent then, looking steadily at her, and Tenten squirms. "I found you at the window of stars two nights ago," he says lowly.

Tenten winces. "Well, thanks for bringing me back."

He shrugs lightly. "I wouldn't have known about that place if you hadn't brought me there."

"That's... ancient history." She looks away from him, remembering the time she brought him there, as well as their recent encounter, when he'd hugged her on New Year's day.

"Have you taken anyone else to the room?" Neji asks, and Tenten gets the distinct feeling that he isn't just asking about whether anyone else knows of its existence through her doing.

"No," she admits, rubbing her arms. There hasn't been anyone aside from him that she's wanted to share her secret with, after all.

"Do you regret bringing me there?" Neji's voice is quiet, and Tenten is, again, struck by the sense that visiting the stars isn't what he's really talking about.

She purses her lips, hesitating. Has she ever regretted any of the things she's done with him? "No."

Tenten knows that for a fact the moment she says it - she doesn't lament any of their past history, or the intimacy they've shared.

Neji steps a little closer to the bed - she reads the restraint in his body - and rests his bandaged hand on the railing that separates him from her. "You must dislike me a great deal now," he suggests softly.

She looks up at him, surprised that he would even bring that up. Tenten worries at her lip with her teeth, and glances away. "No, I don't," she answers.

"Why not?" Neji frowns.

"I can't." Tenten shrugs. "But believe me, I tried."

He exhales quickly then; the corners of his lips lift. "You said the same thing to me while you were drunk."

Tenten blinks rapidly at him. "I did?"

"Yeah." Neji dips his chin.

"What else did I say?" She gulps, meets his gaze warily.

He gives a wry smile. "You said you could protect yourself."

Tenten smirks. At least she hadn't been spouting crap. "Damn straight."

"I don't doubt it," Neji looks warmly at her, and the intensity of his gaze makes her swallow and look away, embarrassed. "When I said I wanted to make amends..."

She looks up when he trails off - Neji is a lot closer than he was moments ago. Her heart pounds to life, and Tenten stares at him, scrambling for words. "What did you mean by that?" she breathes.

She stops thinking when he leans over her, cupping the sides of her face with his hands.

Neji's lips are soft and moist against hers, and she gives in almost immediately when he tips her head back. His breath puffs on her cheek; his lips slide over hers. Tenten gasps the moment his tongue flicks against the seam of her mouth. She allows him entrance, reeling when he slides against her, wet and heady and inviting all at once.

Heat arrows straight between her legs; she moans, needing more, and Neji pulls away, looking as if he were both pleased and annoyed with himself.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," he mutters, settling into the chair by her bed. Her heart thunders in her chest.

She frowns. "Weren't you-" Tenten licks her lips, and tries again. "I thought you said I- How is that making amends?"

Neji winces. "I was supposed to apologize first."

"That's some apology," she mumbles, still bowled over by the fact that he's just kissed her.

Neji shrugs, stares at the railing of the bed. "I... have wanted to do that for a long time."

"You're telling me," she retorts, though with far less of her earlier wariness. How long has he thought about them being more than... teammates? Friends?

Tenten doesn't dispute her desire to kiss him again. He'd felt very good against her.

"I realized that I was trying to keep my distance from you," Neji begins.

"Why?" She swallows, curling her fingers into the sheets. "That... that wasn't about the video? What you said before?"

"It was always about the clan," Neji says wearily, flicking his gaze towards her, and Tenten suddenly understands why he said what he did.

"So... I wasn't just a good fuck, then," she suggests, trying to squash the hope blooming in her chest.

His lips quirk. Neji looks down at his broken fingers. "You weren't supposed to feel affection towards me."

"Just lust?" Tenten raises an eyebrow, wondering how far he'd planned all this in advance. "What about you buying me rounds on Gliese Beta? And the offer to give me kunai lessons? The cartridges? Sounds like you screwed up to me."

"So did you," he retorts, amusement lighting his features.

Tenten rolls her eyes. "So. Am I just a good fuck, or what?"

"Not just that," he admits sheepishly.

She finds that she can't breathe quite right. "What am I to you, Neji?" she asks, her voice so quiet that she almost isn't able to hear it herself.

Neji stares at her for a long time. Tenten licks her lips, and his gaze drops briefly to her mouth, before returning to her eyes. "There are a lot of answers I can give," he says slowly. "The textbook answer, and what I'm supposed to tell my uncle."

Tenten frowns. "I want to know what your heart tells you."

He smiles lightly. "Given the choice, I'd pick you over anything else."

She thinks her heart might've stopped beating. "To face you in a simulation, you mean."

"Your sense of humor is twisted." Neji lifts his slender eyebrows.

"What else am I supposed to think?" she answers challengingly.

"I'd pick you to be my side," he tells her simply, and Tenten swallows hard, looks away.

"You can't be for real," she mumbles. What did Neji mean by that? "What happened on Aesis, before we got there?"

"There wasn't a death sentence, if that's what you wanted to know."

"Hinata said... they're keeping tabs on you." She frowns. "I see what you mean when you said your life isn't your own."

Neji inclines his head. "You've always known that, though."

"So... what does this mean for us?" She gulps, suddenly embarrassed. "Me and you?"

He doesn't answer her immediately, instead taking some time to choose his words. "I'll let you decide."

"What about you?" She frowns.

Neji lifts his shoulders lightly. "We'll talk about it in a few days, when you've come up with an answer."

Tenten blinks, absorbing his words. The deep-space mission comes to mind then. Her stomach clenches. "That deep-space mission - did you send an application in for it?"

He holds her stare for a while. "No."

It feels as if all the air in her body is deflating, very, very quickly. "Oh."

"Is there something I should know?" he asks.

Tenten gulps, trying to think. "I'll- I'll give you an answer soon," she says weakly, horrified by the prospect that she'd not be seeing him for the next few months, at least. Maybe they should hold off on any discussion until she gets back.

Neji considers her words for a bit, before getting to his feet. "I should be going," he tells her. "I've been assigned on a mission."

_Crap._ Tenten winces, looks at him. "I'll see you in a few days, right?"

He gives her a tiny smile. "Yeah."

She doesn't protest when he leans over her and draws her into another kiss, far deeper and longer than their first. Attempts to break away fail, especially when Tenten winds her fingers in his hair, anchoring him to herself.

"We're going to get caught like that," Neji murmurs against her mouth eventually, his breath falling heavy on her cheek.

"If I'm not seeing you for a few days," she mutters, sliding her lips over his, "I don't care."

Neji gives in to her. It's another long while before he finally pulls away, pale eyes hooded with desire. Tenten swallows hard, knows this isn't the place for more to happen.

"Sleep well," he tells her firmly. She doesn't miss the bulge at his groin, though.

Tenten stays awake in bed for a long time after, thoughts of Neji keeping her restless.

* * *

"Time for my daily report," Neji says dryly, settling into the couch. Hinata's quarters look no different from before, and he doesn't bother scanning it. The thought of dealing with clan matters is enough to leave a bitter taste in his mouth - very effective in quashing the lust that Tenten had roused earlier.

"I'm ready when you are," Hinata answers placidly, her computer and roll-up keyboard on her lap.

"The usual - mission preparations. I've got the _Himawari_ ready for occupation," Neji recounts, "The sunflower seeds are on board, and so is the machinery required for the smooth operation of the ship."

Hinata remains silent while she types through Neji's summary. At length, she looks up at him. "Is that all?"

Neji pauses. "No."

"Oh?" Hinata's eyebrows lift ever so slightly. "What else was there?"

"I... made amends with L- Tenten." He shifts in his seat. The image of her staring up at him, kiss-swollen lips parted, surfaces in his mind.

Hinata has stopped typing, though she tips her head to the side. "How so?"

A frown creases his forehead. "Is this information pertinent?"

His cousin purses her lips then. "Well, Father would require you to disclose what exactly you did with her, and for how long."

Heat creeps up his cheeks. He's never talked about his private life with anyone, save for Hinata. And this is a little too intimate, even with how well she knows him.

At his silence, Hinata continues, "By his standards, I would need you to tell me if you've hugged her, or kissed her, or... well."

Neji watches her in mortified silence.

She gives him an almost-cheeky grin then. "But I'm not Ino, and I most certainly do not require that information."

The tension seeps out of his shoulders, and Neji is almost sagging with relief at her words.

"But... if you're willing to share, I'd like to know how you made up with her. Off the records."

He frowns. Hinata hasn't been pushy on any details where it comes to this daily report nonsense, and Neji supposes that he owes her a vague answer, at least.

"I... kissed her." He looks away, then back at her.

Hinata is smiling wider now, and Neji doesn't recall seeing many people that filled with joy for his sake. "Are things okay now?" she asks.

He hesitates, then nods. "I hope so."

"I'm glad to hear," she tells him quietly. "Are you prepared for this mission?"

"Can I not be?" he asks flatly in return.

Hinata smiles. "I guess you can't. I'm sorry that Father has insisted that I join you on the operation, though."

Neji shrugs. "It's fine. I don't consider you or your team a burden. If anything, each of you would be an asset to the mission."

Delight crosses her features. Hinata blushes and dips her head. "Thank you."

"Is that all for tonight?" he asks then, glancing at her computer.

Hinata nods, keying the last few commands to send her report along. "It is. Good night, Neji."

* * *

Tenten decides that she isn't sleeping tonight - at least, not yet.

She jams her earpiece on her ear, thumbing buttons that she knows by heart. The connecting tone buzzes in her ear, and she flops over on the wrinkled sheets of her hospital bed.

"Hyuuga Neji speaking."

Tenten swallows and smiles at his voice. "Hey," she begins awkwardly. "Um."

"I trust that you're still in the infirmary," he tells her evenly.

She rolls her eyes. "I am. I would like _not_ to be in the infirmary, though."

There's a short pause on his end. "I can imagine," he replies. "Is that why you called?"

A laugh bubbles from her throat. "Yes."

"I can't sign your discharge papers."

"No, you can't," she agrees. "But you can offer me a place to hide for a bit."

"Just to hide?" Neji asks, archly. "I didn't think you were given to hiding, Lieutenant."

Tenten looks towards the ceiling, mildly annoyed. "You're still such a jerk."

He exhales lightly. "I don't think you contacted me to call me names."

She refrains from dispensing another insult. Even if she really likes him. "Have you moved to your new quarters?"

"Yeah. T20, if you must know." Neji pauses again. "Did you have something in mind?"

"Maybe." Tenten grins and evades the question, rolling off her bed. She pads across the room, clicks the unlocking switch, and the door hisses open.

"I'm surprised they haven't put you under constant supervision," he tells her dryly.

"I don't need it," she tells him. "What're you doing?"

"Other than stripping out of my clothes and stroking myself?"

Her cheeks flush with heat. "Neji!" she hisses, even as her body responds to that imagery. "That's so- I didn't expect- That's just crude."

"You liked it when we did it before," he reminds her, and she remembers those phone calls while he was on that short trip to the Orion cluster.

"I'm talking about now," she retorts, heading down the corridors to where the captains' quarters are. It doesn't take her long to locate T20.

"What would you prefer now, then?"

Tenten thinks she hears the hint of a grin in his voice. She pauses by his door, and keys her entry code into her earpiece.

She isn't surprised when the door slides open. Neji is seated by his desk, fully-dressed, the smallest grin on his lips. She ends the call, pulls her earpiece off, and steps in.

He keys a code into his earpiece to lock the door.

Like Captain Gai's quarters, Neji's comprise of a front office, with a door by the side leading to a meeting room, and another leading to his private lodgings. There aren't many things hanging on the wall at all, though Tenten notices the bright yellow cover of a book - _Sunflowers_.

"Preparing for your mission?" she asks him, noting that he's watching her, his eyes coasting down her body. Her nerves come alive with heat in response.

"I was, yes," Neji answers. He gets to his feet soon after. "Ever wondered what a Captain's quarters looks like on the inside?"

"I have," she admits, a grin creeping up her lips when he heads for one of the doors by his desk, opening it and flicking the lights inside on.

Neji's quarters are larger than hers, and Hinata's. His office opens into a comfortable living area, with plush couches and a coffee table. A flat-screen TV hangs on one wall of the room.

"That's where all the military spending has been going, huh?" she quips, and Neji looks at her in amusement. "No wonder Captain Gai refused to show us his living quarters."

"I don't remain long in here," he tells her wryly, opening the door to his bedroom.

There is a queen-sized bed in the room; the covers look soft, and thick rugs surround the bed. Bookcases line the walls. Tenten stares. "I might consider being a captain for this," she tells him.

"Or sleeping with one," he answers, and she glowers at him.

"You're so full of yourself," she grumbles.

Neji doesn't reply, merely closing the door behind them. "You mentioned hiding out for a while. When was your last vitals measurement at the infirmary?"

"Half an hour ago." Tenten looks appraisingly at him. "Why do you ask?"

"We have some time then," he smirks, lilac eyes boring into hers.

She doesn't back away when he closes the distance between them. Her heart flutters. Neji's fingers are warm against her chin when he tips her lips up to his. She leans into him with a sigh, opening herself to him, and the stroke of his tongue into her mouth is slow and thrilling.

This feels like it has been a long time in coming, yet not at all.

He wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his hard body. Tenten feels him vividly through her thin hospital garments, reaching up to peel his uniform off. But Neji slides his tongue against hers, nudges her mouth further open, and Tenten forgets to even breathe, when his fingers steal up beneath her shirt, and his thumb brushes over a hard nipple. She gasps; he's scooping her up and heading over to the bed in the next instant, depositing her gently onto the lush covers.

It doesn't take either of them long to undress. She grins up at him when he leans over her, anchoring his palms on either side of her shoulders. A sweet ache unfurls in her chest when Neji lowers his face to hers again, his hair forming a curtain around them in an intimate, shadowy circle. She reaches up, splays her fingers across his chest, and he draws a surprised breath when she flicks her nail against his nipple.

"Are we playing that way?" he murmurs, pressing a brief kiss to her lips, before trailing kisses down her jaw. A gasp slips through her lips when he licks down her throat, past her collarbones, to her breasts.

He doesn't stop there, instead sucking lightly on each of her nipples. His teeth graze her skin; she gasps, arches towards him. Ribbons of desire thrum along her nerves. Tenten parts her legs before he even reaches her navel, and Neji smiles, flicking his gaze up at her.

"Do you need something?" he asks, and Tenten can't find the words in her to respond, when he drops feather-light kisses down her belly, and rests his palms on her inner thighs to keep them apart, kissing right above her thatch of hair. Heat pools between her legs.

He comes awfully close to her nether lips, and Tenten holds her breath in anticipation - only to have him blow lightly over her heated flesh, still refraining from allowing her pleasure. She groans and squirms. "Neji."

The look in his eyes sharpens, and Tenten moans when he answers with his tongue against her swollen nub. Her body jerks at the pleasure he winds into her flesh with every flick of his tongue. He licks down to her core, then back up, and she writhes with the tension building in her body, reaching down to hold his head in place.

He smirks against her flesh, and presses a finger into her slick heat, curling it against her at the same time he sucks on her clit. Tenten shudders; he adds another finger, and continues to stroke her, both inside and out, until she's all but bucking at him, desperate for release. He drags his teeth over her aching flesh then.

Pleasure is a brilliant white explosion that crashes through her body. Her toes curl, and she gives a sharp cry, trembling hard with each wave of sensation that ripples through her being.

Neji is watching her when she recovers, satisfaction and desire stark on his features. She lifts a hand for him; he fits himself into her palm and returns his lips to hers, kissing her with a slow, intense ferocity that makes her burn anew for him, for the thick length thrusting slowly against her fingers.

She pushes him upright when he begins to leave trails of moisture in her hand, and Neji rises onto his knees, his attention never straying from her. Tenten grins up at him, looking between his erection and his dark eyes, and leans up to take him into her mouth. He groans, twitches against her tongue. She caresses his sac and bobs her head on him, savoring how his sheer size fills her mouth.

Tenten would have smiled if she could - she still likes the power she has over him, though her need for him to be sliding within her is quickly becoming too much to bear. She pulls away, leaving him slick with saliva. He doesn't respond to her grin, instead pinning her flat against the mattress, covering her body with his.

Neji fits perfectly between her spread thighs, and she throws her head back when he eases into her, spreading her flesh. His slow entrance doesn't remain gentle; he plunges roughly into her soon after, filling her completely, and she gasps at the pleasure that throbs in her flesh. His chest heaves; he meets her eyes, breathing hard, and Tenten sees the restraint he tries to wield, when he begins to move deliberately once more, each stroke drawing her attention to the incredibly intimate way he's touching her inside.

Her flesh grows wetter around him, and Tenten squirms when she isn't able to stand this sweet torment any longer. She gasps his name, sinking her fingertips into his hips, and Neji leans in close, pounding into her with deep, intense strokes that rob her of all coherent thought. The kiss he captures her lips in is rough, demanding, and she responds just as fervently, wanting as much of him as he's willing to give.

The need within her builds with each maddening grind of his pelvis against her swollen flesh, and the burst of sensation is far more intense when he tips her over the edge the second time. She presses her nails into his back and clenches hard around him, his name tearing from her lips.

Neji shudders and spills into her soon after, his flesh pulsing within her, and it's a long while before either of them moves, or begins to speak.

"Stay for a while before you leave," Neji rasps between ragged breaths, burying his face in her shoulder.

Tenten hesitates - she isn't going to be seeing him much very soon - and agrees, wrapping her arms around his back. "You wouldn't let me say no, would you?" she teases.

Neji smiles, glances at her. "Probably not."

She grins at him, and kisses him again.

* * *

_Konoha, Mar 28, 2031, 0800 hrs_

"Tenten! I thought you'd be more excited about our new mission!" Lee exclaims, when she finally joins her team in the hangar of the _Himawari_.

"Thought you got lost around here." Kiba grins at her, before turning away. "I'm gonna go chat with Ino."

C58 is one of the largest hangars on board the _Konoha_ \- it is a few stories tall, and the _Himawari_ itself towers over all of the gathered personnel - almost like a giant metallic blimp, but with pointed ends. The _Silver Blade_ has long been transported into its hangars, together with the spacecrafts of some of the other teams.

"I _am_ excited," she tells Lee, while still gaping at the sheer size of what will be their new home for the next few months. Granted, the _Konoha_ is far larger than this, but she hasn't really looked at the _Konoha_ while standing in a hangar with it before. "Though I wonder why they named it the _Himawari_."

"That's Japanese for 'sunflower', isn't it?" Lee asks, setting his backpack on the floor.

Tenten frowns - sunflowers remind her of that book she saw on Neji's desk a few days ago. And the reminder of Neji is enough to make her heart pound once again. She still hasn't given him a reply since his visit to the infirmary, and they haven't met any more after that night in his new quarters. Perhaps it's for the best.

"I don't see how it relates to deep-space exploration," she tells him, scanning the group of roughly twenty-five people. A third of them are people she's familiar with - Hinata's team, her own, as well as Ino, Kotetsu, and Izumo. Have the last two been separated from Neji? He did say he was assigned on a mission... "Any idea who's in charge of this mission?" she asks Lee.

"Nope, but I figure I could use this time to train!" Lee grins, before lowering himself to the floor to execute a series of push-ups. Tenten looks exasperatedly at him.

"I thought you were running late, Lieutenant," a low baritone sounds behind her, and Tenten whips around to see pale lilac eyes staring at her.

Her heart leaps to her throat. "Neji," she yelps, taking a step back. "Weren't you assigned on a mission?"

The dots connect in her mind then, and Tenten could've hit herself for not having realized it earlier.

He smirks at her; she fights the urge to glower at him. "This mission," he answers. "I believe I mentioned it to you while you were drunk."

She rolls her eyes hard. "That doesn't count, _genius_," Tenten mutters.

But she is so, so relieved that he isn't going to be separated from her for the next few months.

She does refrain from throwing her arms around him, however, instead heaving her backpack so it rests better on her shoulder.

"I should take that from you," Neji offers, glancing at her bag of supplies. "I hope you aren't only bringing your guns along."

Tenten frowns indignantly at him. "I filled a third of my luggage with weaponry," she replies. "Besides, you still owe me those kunai lessons."

"So I do." He smiles down at her and holds his hand out for the bag.

Tenten shakes her head. "You have other things to be doing, Captain," she reminds him dryly.

Neji looks warmly at her - and steps in close, pressing a light kiss to her lips.

"Hey!" she protests, when he pulls away. A deep flush creeps onto her cheeks. "In front of everyone?" Tenten hisses.

He takes a step back and looks over his shoulder - not many people have noticed, if at all. Tenten thinks she sees the triumphant grin of one Yamanaka Ino, however.

"Ino's going to tease me about it forever," she groans, covering her face.

Lee chooses that moment to get to his feet, beaming brightly at her. Tenten blinks - she hasn't imagined the tears in his eyes. "Captain Gai will be so proud," he crows.

"What?" she sputters, looking blankly at him.

"You and Neji," Lee answers, giving Neji a pointed look. "I trust that he will cradle your youthful, blossoming heart-"

"Oh just shut up, Lee!" Tenten cringes. Neji's lips thin, and the mildest look of distaste crosses his face.

"I'll share this wonderful news with Captain Gai," he informs them, turning away to make a call.

"Oh, gods." Tenten pinches the bridge of her nose. "What's the mission about, anyway? All we've been told is that we're exploring space."

"We'll be growing sunflowers on various planets to determine their potential as possible colonization areas," Neji answers. "Hence the need for a scientist, as well as a specimen collection team."

"Also so Hinata can keep tabs on you," she mutters, rolling her eyes.

"That as well," Neji agrees. He looks fondly at her, and Tenten glances away, embarrassed. "I should be rounding everyone up. We're boarding in fifteen."

"Right," she answers, looking back towards the _Himawari_. "I hope the quarters are decent in there."

"They're similar to those here, although smaller," Neji informs her, sending her a sidelong glance. "But there's space for two in my quarters," he adds in an undertone.

Tenten feels her cheeks heat. "We'll see about that," she replies. "Don't get your hopes up."

Neji slants a knowing look at her, though, before turning on his heel and heading off, and she's unable to help the grin that creeps onto her lips.

Perhaps this new mission isn't going to be so bad, after all.

**To be continued...**

* * *

_A/N: So yes, the sequel revolves around the mission. ;) No, I haven't even really planned everything that goes into it, so I can't tell you when it'll show up. _

_Overall, I think Hinata and Ino were the stars of this chapter. :P I wasn't sure if I really liked the sex scene in here (could've probably done without).. but I left it in in case some of you appreciated it._

_Looking back on it, I'm not sure I'm proud of the ending.. I can feel my writing style changing (it's been half a year since I finished writing blackmail) and there are things I'm more concerned about than sex.. Sequel will probably not contain as much sex. :P Overall plot though, I guess I'm okay with it? I wasn't sure about the story right after I finished writing it, but I'm fine with it now.. Could have probably done with a lot more character development though._

_But anyway.. if you have comments/crits not just on the ending, but on the entire story/character development, I'd love to hear it :) Blackmail is my baby; at the same time, though, my writing style and priorities have kind of changed, so I don't think I could've written it this way right now. _

_Fic plans in the interim: low-commitment types, such as Demon in My Chariot and the Metal Lee fic (both are prompt-based), plus some short one-shot things I've saved up a while back. :) I'm currently spending a lot of time in the Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle fandom (which is about a desert princess who loses her memories, and her childhood best friend and two other companions travel through worlds to retrieve them for her).. There is a lot of world- and character-building in the TRC fics, far more than I can begin to emphasize.. Far more than I've ever seen in the NejiTen fandom. Give the series a read - it's 233 chapters and complete. ;) (I swear, after reading TRC you'll look back at Naruto and ask, What were you doing Kishimoto?!)_

_Most importantly, though, I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you who have followed Blackmail and left comments on it, be it in the form of reviews/PMs/Tumblr asks - it's been one hell of a ride. ;) I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I did._

_Anyhow, feel free to drop a review, message me/etc etc :) I'm still around and writing, though am currently focusing on TRC at the moment._


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Naruto, Romance, Sci-Fi