paradisalost | (no subject)

Entry tags:

maito gai,
tenten

(no subject)

Who: Tenten (

tsunadewannabe) and Maito Gai (

gohardwork)
What: Tenten has questions that need to be answered
When: Some....time? Before?
Where: The castle grounds
Rating: Completely childsafe

Trying to predict Gai-sensei’s reactions was a little like trying to read the weather with a blindfold. While in a bunker. You never knew where the clouds would be coming from that day.

He could be making the most stupid jokes in the middle of a fight to the death, or get deadly serious during the most lighthearted conversation. You just never knew, and sometimes in unnerved her. Tenten liked knowing how things went.

She closed her eyes and turned her face towards the sun, letting the bright light paint dancing red dragons on the inside of her eyelids. Like all days at Paradisa, the weather was perfect.

Gai-sensei must have gotten her message, and if he had he wouldn’t be late. That was something you could count on, at least. It was reassuring, a reminder that some things stayed the same no matter what happened.

Leaning back against the wall beside the castle door she let her mind wander, slowly relaxing her tense shoulders. Hopefully, this talk would go fine.

Hopefully; but you just never knew.

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While the youthful and lively man was often energetic and exuberant enough to excite himself in his own company, there had been times where the routine and solidity had put him at ill ease.

Unlike most people, he did not get bored. He could get a bit anxious from routine, antsy from mundaneness, but his thoughts were often a kaleidescope of stretches beyond the philosopher's wildest dreams, the artist's most imaginative mental realms, and the intellect's comprehension (mostly because they made no sense).

This of course did not mean he wouldn't jump at the chance to see his student. Without team gatherings or missions to be assigned, he had less of a reason to visit her constantly. It's not that Gai had any sort of problem whatsoever with bothering people, or persisting in being an incessant and relentless pest in their lives; he often needed no reason at all to completely invade their personal space, and Tenten usually was not an exception. However, with the lady he always handled their interactions with extra care. He often did what he could to not overstep his boundaries too much, though it was honestly hard since it seemed that half of the things he did bothered the young woman. Of course, this did not put him at unrest, for he knew she loved him as he did her!

Since he had been boycotting his room at the Castle, his wardrobe had been mostly hanging to dry. In the privacy of his own company -or any male company for that matter -he had no issues in prancing around in his natural skin. He knew Tenten wasn't always so appreciative of such a gesture, so he just decided to wear his wet jumpsuit that smelled a bit like lakewater at the time. He was also in slight need of a shave, but nothing dire.

He approached his student, waving wildly at her as if he were in a crowd. He was pretty sure he looked kinda cool with the sunset bathing off of his tanned skin and hitting him just right.

There was no reason for him to wave that exaggeratedly, seeing as they were the only two people around. Did he seriously think she'd be able to miss a person dressed in green and orange walking over a completely empty courtyard?

It had been a while since they last met, and it felt a little odd. Normally they would have seen each other more or less every day. Tenten gave a small wave in return, barely moving her fingers in case someone would happen to be looking out through a window and think she was waving back at him. Not that she wasn't, but the less people knowing that, the less embarrassment for her. Meeting somewhere no one would be able to see them together might have been a better idea.

From a distance the jumpsuit had looked a little less bright than usual, and as Gai-sensei walked closer she realized it wasn't just the setting sun in the background subduing the colors. Tenten frowned.

"Did you fall into the lake?"

Upon closer inspection his clothes were disturbingly clingy, so she stopped the inspection right there, giving him a friendly smile to make up for not greeting him properly. At least he wasn't naked. That was always a start.

He had hoped his suit had dried quicker, but unfortunately the elasticity of the sweet, soft material came at a price, and that had been incredible absorption. He pinched a piece of the cloth of his sleeve between two fingers, snapping it and smiling at Tenten.

"I suppose I did!" He gave out a small laugh, feeling a slight twang in his chest at looking at his student. He certainly never thought he'd miss Neji this much, but sometimes it looked odd to see Tenten without him beside her. When it had been all three of them, he felt slightly more comfortable. It wasn't something he could explain, and it wasn't really a negative or positive thing. It just was, and he couldn't articulate why.

"I'm very glad to have been called into your company, Tenten!" He stroked his chin, posing slightly, thinking nothing of the wet outfit clinging to his magnificent and wonderful body.

It was the most ridiculous thought on earth, but he was grateful there was no Greed in sight. He was glad that seemed to be a one-time thing.

He really had to stop that snapping thing. Tiny drops of water spattered on her when he did, and the water smelled. His whole person did, as a matter of fact.

"But you..." Tenten stopped in the middle of the sentence. Starting an argument on how ridiculous it was for ninja to be falling into lakes, and then 'suppose' they did, would be extremely counter productive and possibly take all day. "Don't catch a cold," she said instead, wiping some water off her face.

"Thanks for coming. Can we walk?" The further away from the castle, the better. Not only because of the embarrassment factor, but it would be easier to bring up certain subjects when she could be sure they wouldn't be disturbed.

Still, it would take some effort. Her and Gai-sensei never used to spend much time alone before coming to Paradisa, and it wasn't entirely easy getting used to. At times like these she really missed Lee.

Edited 2008-03-22 08:32 (UTC)

Her words of concern for his well-being brought him warmth, and he couldn't stop the smile on his face even if he tried. She certainly seemed to be faring quite well without him constantly watching over her, and she even seemed to make a few friends there! Aside from particular suspected men that would be after her blossoming, curvaceous body, Gai trusted most of the residents to keep her good company, and he was glad that she seemed to be content as someone as active as Tenten was could be at a place like this.

He did know that something was troubling her, though. Tenten never asked to talk to him unless something was troubling her, and he was glad he could recognize this beforehand, so he could prepare to articulate his words in a coherent and clear manner that left little room for misunderstandings.

Whenever they had tried this in the past, it often led to awkward stops in the conversation, Tenten saying "never mind", or Gai honestly having a hard time giving her advice for any of her more feminine issues.

"Oh?" He tried to sound surprised, raising a brow and standing with his hands at his sides now. "Yes, of course. A little exercise would be fine!" He decided to play the clueless card for now, not wanting to make her feel pressured and scare her out of any possible confiding.

For as simple as she was, Tenten was always a bit complicated to Gai. With Kakashi, they had a routine they hardly ever would break, in which both found comfort in their roles of silence and competitiveness. With Neji, there was always that push-pull resistance, where both felt like they were hitting a brick wall. It was frustrating, but it was also easy to comprehend.

With Tenten, the girl seemed too... odd to him at times. She just cared about the silliest things, and he never knew why. He'd never mock her, though, for anything the girl was passionate (or easily embarrassed) about was important in weaving her very wonderful and beautiful personality.

"After you!" He held out his hand and gestured for his pupil to lead the way.

"No, not exercise. Just walking."

There was always a risk he would set of running in some spur-of-the-moment race, and if he did she'd never catch up with him. He was so hard to understand sometimes. Whenever they tried to talk he would misunderstand her, get unnecessarily upset and agitated or turn it all into a stupid joke. And his sense of humor was uncomprehensible.

This had to work, she wanted -no, needed- real answers. It meant taking great care to make sure there was no way he could misunderstand her and eliminate any chances for the conversation to steer towards topics that would confuse either one of them. Whatever faux-pas could be imagined to escape Gai-sensei today, she would let it pass. Tenten could be indulgent when she needed to.

As skilled a fighter as he was, Gai-sensei always seemed so strange to her. He cared about the silliest things and got worked up over nothing, creating obstacles where there weren't any to begin with, and she never knew why. She would often mock him a little behind his back, and while it made her feel guilty at times, it was necessary for her to let some of the frustration out sto be able to tolerate his antics.

It didn't mean she didn't respect him as a jounin and teacher, and that she wouldn't have gone to him for advice more often if only that advice hadn't made absolutely no sense to her.

"Gai-sensei, I...there are a few things I want to ask, if that's alright." Tenten had started walking fairly slowly, keeping a worried eye on her sensei. If he suddenly sprinted off she could always pin his sandal to the ground with a kunai, as long as she drew fast enough.

Edited 2008-03-22 09:16 (UTC)

He gave her a thumbs-up, smiling broadly at the younger girl, elated but also anxious at what she had to say.

"Of course it's alright! Why wouldn't it be? I understand how uncertain things can get in the fruit of our adolescence!" He wanted to reassure her! To let her know that he's been there, too, and he has some polished and wonderful advice to dispense to the kunoichi.

He slowed down his pace to match hers, and suddenly finding himself worrying at her ominous tone. Was she struggling through something that had been lasting a while now, and he had been blissfully unaware and ignorant? Had he been too selfish and isolated, wrapped up in his own training and issues?

"...Is it bad?"

"Yes."

She regretted her answer as soon as she said it. The slight tone of worry in Gai-sensei's voice didn't register at once, but once it did, it almost made her feel guilty. This was exactly what she had decided not to do; worry him too much. Smiling, she shook her head.

"Or, well, not really bad. More...strange."

Oh, this was riciculous, her waltzing around the question for no reason at all. Tenten decided not to think too much about why her stomach turned every time she formulated the words in her head, and took the plunge.

"Do you really not remember Lee at all?"

There. She said it. Her heart felt as if it had sunk to her feet, but she decided not to think too much about that either.

Edited 2008-03-23 08:46 (UTC)

He stared in silence for a while, the sound of their synchronized steps filling the quiet air around them. He had tried to keep his mind off of the young man he had met for a brief moment at this place, and while he had felt regret and curiosity, it was good that they had met in the first place. That way, if he ever returned, Gai wouldn't waste time around him.

Thinking of the name only held the connotations of Ty Lee, and a few Lis he knew in his life. He imagined this would be disheartening news to Tenten, as Lee had been her teammate. He couldn't help but be proud that she cared about the two men on her team so much, and he loved to think that if anything ever happened to him, the three would take care of each other very well.

"I'm afraid not." He said gravely, but added with a smile, "However, I know he was someone important to me! And had excellent fashion sense."

He wasn't really aware that some brilliant, green, sparkling, youthful part of his soul had been missing - because he never knew he had it.

His last sentence made Tenten roll her eyes. Excellent wasn't exactly the word she would have chosen to describe her teammate's style of fashion. No point in arguing, however. Clothing could be a touchy subject.

"You were important to him too. The most important person in his life." It had only been two months since leaving Konoha, but already the thought of Team Gai, the way they used to be, made her feel nostalgic. "The two of you were always together."

"I..." Miss him. Keep looking over your shoulder expecting to see him. Wish we never came here. "It's a bit weird not having him around."

Their days revolved so heavily around duty, and there was nothing casual about the lifestyle they had lived, though he knew having a team was the best way to ground a shinobi in reality, let them have a constant in their lives that they could relate to and gain support from. It was odd not having it all together here, and he wondered if the other Konoha shinobi felt the same frustration and aimlessness that he had. As much as Gai loved social stimulation, it wasn't enough and he had to throw himself into some of the most intense training he'd faced in his life at this place.

And she seemed so sad. He knew Tenten and he did have that in common: they were not too much into recreational forms of socializing; not when there was self-improvement to focus on, and more important things to concentrate. The entire team had that in common, and he assumed it was the same with Lee. He would never train a slacker.

"It was the same with you and Neji! You two were good friends." He waved his hand, letting out a small laugh. "Perhaps if they ever come back we can get to know the two better. It's not healthy to focus on what was taken from you in life, or what is missing."

Edited 2008-03-23 19:13 (UTC)

Healthy or not, it was pretty hard to avoid thinking about it, not to wonder and search through all memories from the past four years to find some clue to what exactly it was she had lost.

"Not everyone can be like you," Tenten snapped. She wasn't being fair, she knew it, and following his example would probably be a good idea. To let go a bit.

But she didn't want to let go. For so long, the team had been more or less her whole world. They'd spent the majority of their waking hours in each others company. Being a ninja was her whole identity, it was what defined her, and even though she could never have imagined it at first, her team had become part of that identity too.

She used to be the weapon mistress of Team Gai, the invaluable back-up to two of the village's most prominent taijutsu users. Now she wasn't really sure what she was.

"It's the castle," she continued, her voice a little softer in an attempt to smooth the sudden outburst over. "There's too much time to think. I never thought I'd actually miss your training schedules."

It would probably be best to change the subject, or her plan to stay calm and mature would be completely ruined.

"Tell me about him. What was his fighting style? Was he good friends with Lee too?" She consciously didn't mention his name. It still felt strange on her tongue, like mackerel with the wrong seasoning.

He decidedly ignored the outburst, although he was clueless as to why she took it that way. He didn't mean to trivialize the issues she had, and in fact he knew they were very valid concerns and sound things to be upset over. He just had no idea how to fix it. He didn't know how to fix it when he dealt with loss, other than training and thinking of good things.

However, hearing that she missed his training schedules brought him great ~~sadistic~~ joy, and he immediately began to mentally concoct a new schedule for the two of them in his mind.

"Neji..." He sighed, looking up at the clear sky. "He's a very proud person. He doesn't like to show what he's feeling often, but he's a very passionate individual." He looked back over at Tenten. "And as silent as he likes to be, he sometimes can rant on for the longest periods of time. He has...nice hair. And is an excellent leader, though he needs to humble himself a bit." Neji always had underestimated the competence of anyone who acted in a way dissimilar to himself, though when it counted the young man always showed faith in his comrades.

"He and Lee are Eternal Rivals! And he is also a taijutsu specialist, with his strength in jyuuken."

Lee in a rivalry. She would have liked to see that. If it had any resemblance to the one between her teacher and the famous copy ninja, it was absolutely mindboggling.

The description sounded sympathetic, normal. Having someone like that around would have been a relief at times, as a counter to the exuberance of the other two. It made her wish she had gotten to talk to him more while he was still in the castle.

While walking she mulled Gai-sensei's words over, trying to sculpt them into a person in her mind, when a sudden realization made her stop abruptly.

"Jyuken? You mean he was Hyuuga?" Tenten felt herself pale. "We had someone that elite on our team?"

There was another thing too.

"Just how nice do you mean by 'nice hair'?"

It better not be nicer than hers.

He nodded, amused at her disbelief at a Hyuuga being on their team. Suddenly, a voice in the back of his mind wondered why she never was in awe over him. He could outmatch Hiashi any day in a taijut-- Okay, get those silly jealous thoughts out of your head.

He placed a hand on her shoulder as they walked, as if to comfort her as he spoke. "Incredibly nice. Long, soft and voluminous. It even smelled nice, and it reached down to his posterior." Yeah, Gai calls it a posterior. He did miss Neji, but he had been trying not to think of that, or anything else he missed in his life. He had to be grateful for what he did have right there with him!

"He was very handsome." He winked. "Very. Even if he looked like a girl." He was pretty sure Tenten had an intense crush on Neji, and always thought it was incredibly cute.

Like just a regular girl or a pretty girl, she wanted to ask, but kept her mouth shut out of fear of looking as petty as she felt.

Regardless, the thought of having a member of the prestiguous Hyuuga clan as an acquintance -perhaps even friend- was exciting. Tenten had always been interested in the Hyuugas. Their exact, scientific style that held grace and beauty, combining strong close combat fighting with impenetrable defence against an enemy attacking from a distance. The strict rules and secretive life of the members were just as fascinating. She wasn't quite sure just why she found them this interesting. She just did.

And if Neji was handsome as well as strong, it was a real pity she had forgotten all about him. Even if he looked like a girl.

But why was Gai-sensei winking like that?

"Why are you winking like that?"

Gai thought the Hyuuga were a bunch of uptight, backwards folk who refused to progress socially or change their rigid structure and found it too conservative and fearful of embracing the seasons of change for his liking. However, he usually liked to keep his mouth shut, because above all he had learn to respect all ways of life and try his best not to intervene.

Unless it was a mission of his to intervene, of course.

"Because, my beautiful and blossoming student," he smirked knowingly, raising his eyebrows. "He was very, very handsome. And someone you know very well noticed this from the get-go, and had..." He made quotation gestures with his fingers, "'A thing' for him."

Or at least, Gai was pretty sure she did. He thinks. I mean, if he were a teenage girl, he knows he certainly would.

Edited 2008-03-23 21:25 (UTC)

"No I didn't."

The answer came instinctively. Always deny it, and you might get away with minimal ridicule. Besides, she had no memory of having a crush at all.

Then again, if she had lost all memory of the person, the memories of being in love would have disappeared with them.

How did they end up here anyway? If Tenten had to choose one thing she definitely didn't want to discuss with Gai-sensei it was her love life. Not that there really was much to discuss to begin with, but that only made it even more strange how it always seemed to come up in conversation between them.

Edited 2008-03-23 21:36 (UTC)

He laughed, and suddenly found himself imagining what the rivalry between Lee and Neji was like, very briefly. There were so many things he never got to ask Lee while he had been there, and it was unfortunate.

What was fortunate, though, was that Tenten was hilarious when she was indignant like that. Sometimes he though she just needed to relax more, or at least accept certain things. Like she said, though, not everyone could be as amazing as he was.

"It just seemed that way to me." He said innocently, shrugging. "He seems like 'your type'."

As if he would know anything about her 'type'. She didn't have a 'type'. Only stupid, predictable girls had a 'type'. Tenten was neither. And didn't have a 'type'.

"Well, you were wrong."

He probably was. Erasing any thoughts of wanting to find out just what 'very, very handsome' meant from her mind she sped up a little, trying to look as unaffected as possible. She could make it. All it would take was letting the subject go and think of something else. She could make it. She could...

"And what makes you think I'd be dumb enough to fall for a teammate anyway?"

She couldn't make it.

Genius. Preferably tall. Mysterious, silent, proud. Good-looking. High status. Someone who demands respect. Maybe a bit of angst.

Yeah, that's what he thought.

He took longer strides with his legs to catch up with her pace, not feeling bad at all from getting enjoyment out of this. Her words confused him, though. Falling for a student or a mentor, sure. That could be messy. Falling for an enemy or someone from another village was even messier, though those were the things that romance novels were made of and it rarely happened in his experience.

"Why would you have to be dumb to fall for a teammate?"

Edited 2008-03-23 22:02 (UTC)

She only had herself to blame for having to talk more about this. At least it wasn't about her personally any longer.

"Because it makes everything so complicated. And it's harder to focus on your training."

Going on missions together and spending so much time that close could get very awkward too, but she didn't say that out loud. Gai-sensei could pick up that thread and turn this so far only mildly uncomfortble situation into a nightmare. You never knew.

Though when she thought about it her reasons didn't sound convincing enough. Love was always complicated, teammates or not, and focusing could be hard even if the person in question wasn't near.

"That's interesting!" He exclaimed in an amused tone, wanting to prod her further, as he was intensely engaged in what her opinions on romantic matters were. It made her so cute to him. "I find that whenever I have been enamored I feel as if I've been renewed and refreshed. I always have more incentive and focus." She blushed too easily.

"Love is very simple."

If only there was a jutsu that prevented blushing. Her cheeks were already starting to feel hot.

"Maybe it is for you," she muttered. Love was, in her admittedly very limited experience, everything but simple. It was a weird, doubtfilled sensation that always made her question herself more than usual. Fun and nice too, but definitely complicated.

When she spoke again, her voice was thinner, sounding unsure.

"When you...I mean, have you...About love, that is."

She said a silent prayer for him to read between the lines this time and pick up on what she was trying to say this time. He sure was able to do it whenever she didn't want him to.

"Are you asking me about my love life?" He said excitedly, eyes lighting up with youth and splendor. He had no idea she was interested in something that personal, and wondered if she was just asking about his experience, or if she wanted advice on how to act.

Did that mean he was a role model to her!? He pondered this thought smugly.

"I just..."

For once, what embarassed her wasn't his ridiculous question, but the fact that despite the idea was completely nsane, it was also true. Sort of.

The problem was that she wasn't quite sure exactly what she wanted to know or how to put the words. After opening and shutting her mouth a few times she gave up, shaking her head.

"Never mind."

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