Okay. It actually wasn't that hard. All he had to do was get down on one knee, take out the ring box, smile gently with his eyes softening and…
…Okay, he'll skip smiling and his eyes softening.
Then he'll say those ten words.
Will you grant me the pleasure of marrying me, Tenten?
Okay! Seriously, it's not that hard, it's just…
Neji stared at himself in the mirror and fell onto his bed, moaning with his covering his left eye in sheer annoyance. His right hand went to his tie and immediately loosened it, then went to loosening the collar. Damn shirt won't let him breathe.
Yes. Hyuuga Neji was a nervous wreck.
Just because he wanted to ask his girlfriend Tenten to marry him.
And he's doing it on her birthday.
Today.
March 9th.
Great Neji. You're turning mushy.
XxOoOoOoOxX
"You look fabulous!" Ino gave a thumbs up as the three of them glanced at Tenten.
Tenten smiled, "Good, because I hate trying on more dresses."
Tenten spun around and looked at herself in the mirror, examining herself. She was wearing a sleeveless Chinese dress, ending right below her knees. It was made of a silky material, with dragons stitched on carefully in dark blue thread, while the hem of the sleeves, the collar, and end of the dress were yellow. There were two clasps on the dress, each yellow, both on the higher part of her upper body. Her hair was done up in her usual buns, yellow ribbons held them in place, while she was wearing dark green ballet flats with a small heel.
"If Neji doesn't bed you tonight, he'll never do it!" Ino clapped happily.
"INO."
"It's true!"
"Ten-chan, you should get going," Hinata smiled, "Neji-niisan doesn't like to be kept waiting.
Tenten glanced at the clock and grabbed a dark green clutch purse, hurrying out the door, "Thanks guys!"
"Good luck Tenten!"
"Happy birthday!"
"REMEMBER, I'LL KNOW WHAT THE TWO OF YOU DO."
"INO, SHUT UP!"
XxOoOoOoOxX
"…So…" Tenten looked around the restaurant, or rather, private room slowly, "Nice place."
"Hn."
Okay, I practiced…
Yeah Neji, you practiced proposing to yourself. What are you, in love with yourself?
What the…
Oh don't say it, I know I'm sexy.
SHUT UP.
Tenten fingered the hem of the dress nervously, "So Neji…"
Damnit, usually we're always talking… something's weird today…
Aww, Neji-chan's nervousss!
He is?
Yes!
HE IS! THAT'S SO CUTE!
I KNOW!
Tenten smiled slightly at the state of her boyfriend, "Neji…"
"Wh-what?"
"…Are you nervous?"
"…NO."
"…You are, aren't you?"
"I-I'm not!"
Flashback
"Me? My kind of guy is cold, stoic, sexy, hot, a prodigy, has an aloof attitude towards anything, and extremely strong," Tenten grinned, "I like him confident too."
End flashback
She doesn't like nervous guys… Neji thought slowly.
Tenten giggled, "It's cute!"
"…"
"I mean, you're always so confident, and it's kind of… cute to see you nervous!"
"…Happy birthday," he said as he slipped into a gentle smile, and gazed at her.
"Thanks," she grinned.
"Tenten, er…"
She looked up from the rice ball she was trying to eat, "Yeah?"
"Will you…"
…After dinner is a better time.
"…Never mind," he said as he picked up his chopsticks, "Let's eat first."
Tenten tilted her head, "Okay…"
Something's up.
XxOoOoOoOxX
"So Neji!" Tenten turned around as she stepped outside, "What'd you want to say when we started eating?"
Do it now. Be a man.
"Tenten will you… wait," he hurriedly stowed the ring box back in his pocket and gently took her hand instead, "Let's go somewhere first."
"Where?"
"You'll see."
Tenten let Neji lead her through the dark night, despite the fact she had absolutely no idea where the hell they were heading.
After all, she trusted him.
"We're here."
Tenten looked around and her lips cracked into a wide smile. He had taken her to a small white patio, surrounded by ivory, on the ground around it, and snaking up on the columns. The patio gave a lovely view of the clear night and the moon and stars tonight, and the reflections on the large Konoha Lake.
"It's… beautiful," she breathed while Neji led her onto the patio.
"I'm glad you like it."
Do it now.
Neji took in a breath, "Tenten… there's something… I wanted to ask you."
Tenten averted her attention to Neji, "Hm?"
It has to be what was bothering him during dinner…
"Tenten will you…"
Neji's fingers blindly clutched the small fuzzy box tightly as he turned to her.
Okay forget kneeling.
"Will you…"
Say it. It's now or never.
Tenten blinked, "Neji… are you okay? You've been acting queer today."
Neji paused and let go of Tenten's hand, as his other hand simultaneously let go of the box, letting it drop back into the depths of his pocket. It fell with a small, but definitely disappointed thump.
"It's… nothing," he finally said, giving up.
Damnit. I… I can't do it.
"I'll… see you tomorrow," he mumbled and disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving Tenten alone.
Tenten stared at the spot Neji had been a few seconds earlier, "…Did I… do something?"
…
"Oh God," she muttered, staring out at the water, "…He doesn't love me anymore," she smiled sickly, her eyes tearing up, "That's why he was so quiet. That's why he was acting so odd. That's why… he didn't want me to be sad."
He doesn't love me anymore.
XxOoOoOoOxX
Neji scowled at the box and threw it outside, groaning.
Damnit.
"Neji-niisan, how'd it go?" Hinata asked happily, bounding into Neji's room.
"…I lost my nerve," he muttered.
"….NEJI."
"WHAT?"
XxOoOoOoOxX
Neji and Tenten leaned against adjacent trees, avoiding each other's gazes, focusing on their water bottles instead.
I'll do it today.
He doesn't love me anymore.
"Tenten…"
"…It's okay Neji. I know."
"…You do?"
"Yeah," Tenten gently traced the Konoha leaf symbol on her water bottle, "It's okay."
…Wait. She's supposed to be happy. Oh… oh.
"…Oh. Well," Neji let the box drop in his pocket drop again, "I guess then…"
Tenten smiled weakly and walked over to him, her hands behind her back, "Neji… you have to know I love you."
"Then why…"
Okay now this wasn't making sense.
She leaned up, placing her left hand on his left cheek and pressed their lips together for a few seconds before pulling back, "I… I get it."
"…Wait, what?"
Yeah, now he's confused.
"I love you so," Tenten averted her gaze and turned around, "I'll let you be happy. I think… we should break up."
From nervous to confused, now he's worried.
"W-wait Tenten, if you don't want to, i-it's fine. P-please, don't leave…"
"You're so sweet," Tenten said softly, "But I want you to be happy."
"…Are you PMSing?"
Twitch.
Tenten spun around, her cheeks brilliantly scarlet from anger, "NEJI, I get it! You don't love me anymore! AND NO, I AM NOT PMSING."
"NO, I still love you, it'…"
"WELL EXPLAIN LAST NIGHT. YOU LEFT SO DAMN ABRUPTLY AND LEFT ME TO WALK HOME. THE LEAST YOU COULD'VE DONE IS SAY 'BYE' OR SOMETHING!"
Neji paused as he remembered last night, shame washing over him, "I'm sorry about last night, I can explain…"
"I don't want an explanation!" Tenten hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously, "Hyuuga Neji, do you love me or not. If you don't, then this is your chance to break up with me."
"I don't want to break up-"
"WELL DAMNIT, IT SEEMS LIKE IT."
"I DON'T WANT TO BREAK UP WITH YOU TENTEN, THE REASON FOR LAST NIGHT'S DISASTER WAS-"
"I BET YOU'D LIKE SOMEONE PRETTIER THAN ME, WOULDN'T YOU?"
"TENTEN, JUST LISTEN…"
"I DON'T WANT TO LISTEN TO WHATEVER SHIT YOU HAVE TO SAY! EITHER YOU LOVE ME OR YOU DON'T, BREAK UP WITH ME NOW OR—"
"DAMNIT, WILL YOU JUST MARRY ME?"
"…Did you just propose to me in the middle of an argument?"
"…I was going to ask you yesterday, but I… lost my nerve…"
"….."
"…I'm… sorry?"
"…You still love me?" she asked, her eyes tearing up as she stepped closer to him.
Neji sighed but smiled slightly as he caught her in his arms, "Tenten, don't be so stupid. I'll always love you."
Tenten hiccupped as tears began to flow freely, clutching onto Neji's shirt, "…Thank God, I didn't know what I would've done if you left…"
"…So… will you?"
"Will I what?"
"…Tenten, don't make me say it again."
"Say what?"
"…"
"…WHAT?"
"Will you… marry me?" he asked again, tightening his grip around her waist and shoulders.
Tenten's eyes widened and her cheeks heated up, "Y-yes."
"Good. Now Hinata won't kill me."
"Why would she…"
"Did you see the gash on my cheek and my arm and my leg?"
"…Hinata did that?'
"Yes. Let me tell you the story…"
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