Only Training

(Sorry for the short chapter last time. This one is longer.)


All was silent but for the punctual echoing of droplets against the tiles, sliding from a slender finger. The finger had four siblings, each connected to an equally graceful hand and wrist, the subsequent forearm of which was resting against the rim of the tub. A sigh escaped her cherry lips, parted and full, beauty only skewed by the slight grimace at one corner. Tenten had decided to give herself another half hour to consider Neji’s proposal, and ran a bath to spend it.

The water lapped languidly at her skin, washing heat along the tensed flesh and easing the muscles below it. A few clear and careless orbs drifted about, disappearing with minute explosions as the air shifted subtly. Everything around her was calm, but the atmosphere did little to soothe her. One thousand questions remained, though select queries reigned above the rest. Would she be hurt, physically and emotionally? Was he really interested in her, or was he doing it for her benefit of experience? Was he just using her?

A second, lengthier sigh rushed from her lips, popping a few more bubbles. The largest question remained: would she go, or stay? The image of his stolid form and face lingered in her mind from the previous evening. He had observed her from his chair, arms folded expectantly across his chest, as though nothing else would please him now. Even then, it was a bit of challenge to gain his approval, and a rebellious part of her dearly wanted it. The way he looked at her afterwards, his eyes deep and fierce, sent a vibration throughout her flesh. What was more embarrassing were the telltale peaks of her nipples and the fresh slickness between her legs, proving that even if her mind held doubt, her body did not. So, what wins out now, her traitorous twat or her methodical mind?

Tenten slid deeper into the water, her face veiled by steam, knowing that the time she had given herself was at its end.

More droplets slid from her body, trailing along her legs or bisecting her body to drip off on the upper lip of her womanhood (now shorn and smooth) as she stepped out and away from the bath. Running a comb through her wet hair, Tenten decided to leave it down for once. A towel wrapped around her from chest to thigh, wicking up the sheen of water on her pinked skin. The flesh prickled and dried as the cool air of her room struck it, but her temperature regulated as a short, soft yukata sealed itself to her moist body. She tied the sash hastily, walking out of her room before she had the chance to think. Thinking was the last thing she needed to do right now.

The familiar swan was hardly visible in the dark, and a brief anxiety overtook her. What if it was too late? Had he gone to bed already?

As she had seen the day before, his door opened a crack before sliding fully. Without words, she entered, knowing that verbal communication was beyond her capabilities. Tenten’s entire body quivered faintly, due to the chill or the anxiety. She would have liked to believe the former, but the latter was more accurate. Neji, with a screech of wood on wooden floors, pulled the same chair from beneath his desk, once again sitting expectantly. She swallowed.

“Hello,” Tenten tried, though her voice was meek and shaky. Neji did not respond for a moment longer.

“Your hair is down,” he replied at length, and the relief that washed over her was absurd. A few witty and bitter comments came to mind, proving that she was too wound up for her own good.

“Yeah,” she said instead, smiling softly, if not a bit forcedly. Neji observed her from toes to scalp, taking in every detail. Despite her resolve, she fidgeted with her fingers behind her back, anxiously wondering what would come next.

“Understand that until tomorrow, you are not my servant,” he said slowly, meeting her eyes to ensure her understanding. His comment dazed her, and for an endless moment, response was impossible.

“What?” she said. A wince dimmed her features. That was the best she could respond with? Neji repeated his statement languidly. She nodded as the words began to make sense in her mortified mind. Her thoughts were moving so quickly that she was unaware of each idea, resulting in a hum of rushed inner monologue.

Neji stood with a scrape of chair on floor, breaking her swift stream of jumbled thoughts. The formation of inner ideas became impossible.

“Stop thinking,” he ordered softly, “and take a seat.”

She looked dumbly to where he had indicated. His futon was unrolled, made with a fresh crimson coverlet and a black blanket. The dim lamp flickered beside it, casting nervous shadows across the white shoji. Newly inscribed seals littered each corner and wall face, but she could not make out the charm in the dim light. Before she could contemplate his request, her legs moved of their own will, folding between her body and the bed. He followed, the long hem of his thick yukata swaying slightly, revealing one of his bare shins and feet. A string of bandages fell before her knees, causing her to glance upwards. His forehead was now completely bare, something she had seen only once, during his first Chuunin exam. A melancholy feeling tugged at her heart, reflecting on her face. Neji pursed his lips.

“Trust me when I tell you that it doesn’t bring so much pain anymore,” he said quietly, eyes falling half shut. Tenten nodded in response.

“Does it hurt to touch?” she asked on a whim. He shook his head, russet locks falling loose around his shoulders and face. Tenten felt another tug at her heart. The creamy light made his normally stern face look almost soft. It was beautiful. He knelt in front of her, legs bending beneath his yukata. Tenten felt a flash of nostalgia at the sight of his face. It was almost unbelievable how much time had passed since their youth. His visage at seventeen was cool and relaxed, and still slightly boyish. Behind it, she could see the beginnings of his adulthood, and the eerie similarities between him and his uncle. So different from the stormy, cold, and cruel boy of twelve that she used to know.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked softly, eyes glinting with warm light. She smiled wistfully, and Neji’s heart stopped for half a beat.

“You’ve changed so much,” Tenten replied, laughing with a note of near sadness. It felt as though the springtime of youth was coming to a close, and she wasn’t ready to embrace the approaching summer. Neji softened visibly, letting a little smile touch his lips.

“You have, as well,” he admitted. Her growth as a ninja was stunning. While he always and still had higher stats than she did, she had managed over the years to stay on his heels, and even boosted her intelligence above his. Though they hadn’t sparred seriously in a long while, he doubted that he would win as easily as he had in the past. A part of him swelled with pride at the thought, knowing that she trained hard with the hope of defeating him.

But as he looked at her in the dimness, bathed in mellow molten light, Neji realized that her growth as a person, and even a woman, was also stunning. She was no longer the pre-pubescent, effervescent, cheerful, and bright girl he used to know. Tenten was a woman, even if the law dictated that she was not until next year. He could see that plainly, as her alluring curves shaped the fabric of her yukata. Her face was finer, less rounded and childish, with fuller lips and clever eyes. Tenten’s honed knowledge and quick cunning were clear in the darkened auburn orbs, which had dimmed from the bright honey eyes she used to possess. If he were to look on her as an enemy, she would come across as very dangerous and clever. Neji, as a man, found her very attractive, and as a person found her quite pleasing. Perhaps only a part of him had noticed previously, because the revelation that struck him was not as astounding as it should have been. Part of him had always known. Part of him had always wanted her. Now, all of him did.

Tenten watched the thoughts swirl in his ivory eyes, glazed slightly with introspection. As they came back into focus, she felt as though they had known each other for an eternity. He knew her; heart and soul, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Her thoughts and instincts agreed then; he could know her body as well.

The change in the air was palpable as she leaned in. Neji was hardly aware of himself as he met her halfway, touching his lips to hers lightly. A short breath escaped him, urging him to press forward. Tenten responded, moving a hand to his shoulder. His face tilted slightly to avoid her nose, and tipped farther as the kiss intensified. After a moment, their mouths meshed with little strategic thought. Neither could believe the smooth, pliant flesh was real. Neji licked his lips to be certain, inadvertently coaxing Tenten’s mouth open. His hand had somehow found her waist, where his fingers pressed and released gently, testing the supple flesh. Her mouth moved against his slightly, clumsily, trying to find something more. A delicious tingle began in her most intimate place.

Neji responded unconsciously, eyes shut to heighten the sensation. Tenten’s tongue stroked between their converged lips, wetting the space. He met her with his tongue, mildly disappointed that he had not instigated this new level. It was forgotten as they warred, little moans passing between them. Tenten couldn’t determine their exact origin, but her own throat vibrated more than once over the duration.

Neji pulled away abruptly, sucking in air with a short breath. Tenten had been breathing unevenly through her nose, but still needed a moment to inhale properly. They appraised each other briefly, wondering behind their daze if it was truly right. And then his hands found her hips, lifting her thighs around his waist, and her mind stopped functioning with another heated kiss.

His mouth was working slowly, but with intensity, obviously trying to stoke the fires of her desire. Her thighs tingled and clenched around his waist as a drop of wetness beaded at her entrance, sliding downwards leisurely. A soft moan passed between them, distinctly female. His hands tugged at the fabric of her yukata, and before she realized it, he had it open and away from her body, trying to slide it from her shoulders. She attempted to disrobe him in return, but he held her wrists down at her hips, sprinkling slow kisses along her neck.

“Neji, let me,” she gasped, “this is your first too.”

And for a moment, she reeled as he stilled, wondering if she assumed incorrectly. Perhaps it wasn’t his first. Perhaps she was another in a long line of women. But his head leaned on her shoulder with resignation, loosing the grip on her wrists. His lips were still pressing at any flesh they found when the tie on his yukata fell free. Her weight pinned it in place over his lower abdomen and lap, but the fabric parted over his chest. Arms tightened around her middle and a mouth tightened around one nipple, toying and teasing and smirking into her skin. Her head fell back, shallow moans interspersing with harsh breath, as he moved to the next. Then hips shifted, bodies pressed, and something unbelievably firm brushed her center. The moan that escaped her was enough to elicit a small hum of approval from Neji.

A hand trailed along his slender neck and the column of his throat as he suckled her, tracing patterns on his hot skin. The yukata slid from his shoulders and eight fingers brushed him lightly from collar to ribs. His skin tightened as gooseflesh broke out over his body. Her hands tugged at his yukata, trying to pry it out from beneath her weight, but Neji wouldn’t let his half-hardened length free just yet. He wanted to take it slow, because his better half knew that that’s what a woman’s first should be.

Four sleeves loosened completely, rendering four arms bare. The fabric fell around each waist, though Tenten’s crumpled behind her, no longer restrained by a body. She was nude, and couldn’t care less. His hands braced her back, running along the firm muscle and soft skin, until she was leaning over the bedspread, and Neji bent above her. His yukata, no longer pinned, fell open in the front, sliding off over his thighs. She felt him against her thigh as he moved up to kiss her again, large hands hefting and crushing her breasts gently. A soft inner thigh brushed against waist, lessening the distance between the sexes. Neji took a moment to ensure that he wouldn’t contact her yet, resting his fully erect length on her belly. Soft, lean arms pulled him down gently, converging skin to skin as their bodies met. Her little hum of approval set a shiver on his skin. He sighed sharply, mouthing over her stomach as his body slid down.

Tenten loosed a wanton moan, fingers curling in his silken strands. He was quick to lave her, sparing little time to formalities. Neji had had enough of formalities. She coated his tongue, dripping along the crevice of her core that continued downwards, and he wouldn’t let a drop go to waste. Her body shook lightly as he stroked her from tailbone to belly button, hands lifting her hips. Lips found her sensitive pearl, and suckled softly, encouraged by her heavy sighs. His tongue joined, twirling and stroking rhythmically to distract her from the entrance of his fingers. One, then two, swiftly, prying apart her tight inner walls, reaching deeper than she was ever able. They reached a sensitive barrier, and she tensed, trying to pull herself away. He withdrew slightly, muttering an apology into her core. They explored languidly, until a third pushed as well, and his fingers lost a considerable amount of depth in exchange. Tongue working patterns, he removed fingers strategically, alternating sensations of depth and width to prepare her. The hands in his hair pulled him nearer.

“Please,” she whispered harshly, squirming under his ministrations. Neji let a smirk pull at his mouth, increasing the motions of his tongue and fingers.

“I’m happy to oblige, but what exactly are you begging for?” he asked coyly. She moaned in frustration, trying to occupy his mouth with something other than words.

“Let me,” she gasped. Neji chuckled lowly, sending little puffs of breath over her sensitized flesh.

“Let you what?” he queried.

“Let me come, Neji!” she called, “For the love of god, you insufferable—“

Neji licked her roughly, lapping at her clit with as much force and speed as he could. She screamed, lifting her hips, hands dragging his head up with her and clenching in his hair. Her muscles tightened unbearably around the single digit he kept within her, and it sent a rolling wave of arousal straight to his swelling length. How could she be so tight around one finger?

Tenten’s body fell back, limp and exhausted. Neji crawled over her, doting soft kisses across her cheeks. He came to rest on her lips. She moaned appreciatively, senses reeling.

“What were you saying?” he asked between kisses. Tenten laughed weakly.

“I can’t remember.”

He smiled.