Log; Complete

[no-prototype.livejournal.com]

When; Today, Sept 20
Rating; PG
Characters; Tenten weaponed & Jet no_prototype
Summary; The day after What If. Jet and Tenten are both shaken up, but unwilling to let the other see.
Log;


She wasn't sure what she was expecting. It was odd enough anyway, for Jet to offer to keep her company. Odder still that he'd want to do it here.

But yesterday had been hell. Enough to stay away from the underground for a few days. Enough to skirt past the other shinobi in the apartment, and ignore them. Lee aside. She was still trying to get around to apologizing to him.

Hell, Tenten was still trying to get her own thoughts together. She really didn't know what she was expecting. Waking up and suddenly not being a ninja? Inconceivable, unthinkable.

So when it happened, and she found out she could actually be afraid... Tenten groaned, throwing a kunai in frustration. The satisfying thunk as it hit the wood of the door calmed her, but only a little. Kicking absently at the mace that currently lay at her feet didn't help either. It wasn't enough. The weapons currently spread about the bedroom weren't enough. It might never be enough. Her hands were already sore from this mornings practice session, making sure she could still do everything, every move, every jutsu, every weapon, she'd taken it upon herself to spend six hours in a row going over them over and over again. It hadn't been enough to know she was still herself.

So quite what she though Jet would be able to do to make her feel better, she did not know.


It was easy to say you were going to do something. It was another story entirely when you didn't have a plan to back it up. But it wasn't something that bothered Jet, since he'd been in enough situations with his original team where there had been no plan to begin with. Win or win. Those had always been his options, why would it be so different now?

Never mind he had given up without a fight yesterday, sprouting out words that didn't sound like him at all. Just giving in to fate. Whatever the hell that was. He'd spent enough time fighting against it to know it wasn't absolute. So what the hell was he thinking when he said he'd rather die?

He didn't know what he was doing, heading to Tenten's building, going up her stairs, and why he felt worried beyond that of a mere friend. Yesterday's curse hadn't been the easiest one to deal with. Jet knew Tenten was strong in various aspects, what would she had done if she had been weak?

And himself. What the hell had he been doing, thinking? If Tenten got really hurt, there was no way he was going to let that slip by him.

With no plan to put to action, Jet knocked on the door he knew to be Tenten's place.


Her shoulder was sore as she pulled the kunai out, twirling it absently in her hand. The same as always, but not any more. It was stupid, to let one day, one day that technically never happened, affect her so. It hadn't happened because she was a kunochi. She was a part of team Gai. She wasn't some girl who needed saving.

That irritated her.

The kunai thunked again, harder, splintering deeper into the door. It wouldn't do.

She grabbed it again with a heavy sigh, replacing it in her holster. It was stupid, to be worked up over one day. She hadn't been this badly affected when she'd been switched with the pervert AT boy. Was it because she'd had the full day, aware that it would only be a matter of hours before she got her skills back? Would yesterday have gone differently if she was aware that normally, she'd be able to do something? Perhaps. But that thinking wasn't opening the door. Tenten glanced over at the mace, frown slipping into place. She was being stupid. And that wasn't opening the door either.

It wasn't like it was going to be a sound ninja or the Akatsuki boy. It was just Jet. Where the feeling of apprehension had come from, the kunochi did not know at all.

But since that also wasn't opening the door, she did with a small sigh, doing her best to not look quite so worried.


Jet awkwardly stood in the hallway, wondering if it would just be best to head back to his apartment and wait until his normal grouchy self was back in place. He was still stunned that yesterday emptied his customary roughness, leaving him scrambling for a mask to put on, if only to hide his vulnerability.

The door opened after a few moments of self-debate, caught in the act of looking longingly towards the staircase. His eyes snapped immediately to the door, face automatically adopting its habitual scowl.

He hid his mouth partially against his scarves, pale-coloured eyes flickering over his friend's appearance before speaking.

"You look like crap."


She blinked, twice, before glowering, bad mood instantly returning in full force. "Gee, thanks."

It was tempting to slam the door, but he'd probably actually like the chance to leave her be, knowing Jet. So she stepped back out of the way, leaving the door open for him.

"I did say, only if you wanted to come." Tenten was aware that her words were coming out colder than she would normally like or even allow. She was slipping into S-rank mission mode without being able to control her instincts, slowly shutting off her emotions. Which wasn't the best way to deal with this, in any regards. And would only wear her out more. She sighed heavily, trying to shake it off. He was trying, right? So she would too.


The next few words died in his mouth, but since it was apparent his opinion wasn't wanted, there was no point in saying it. Let her misunderstand what he meant, who cared. It wasn't like her tone of voice stung him anyway... forget it. He walked in without further comment on the subject, closing the door behind him.

"I'm here, aren't I?" Jet muttered, taking in the apartment's layout. It was probably safer than making eye contact with Tenten. "Don't act like that doesn't count for nothin'."


She would have smacked herself if it wouldn't have wound up hurting more.

"Sorry." Tenten gazed at the floor, still trying to shake off the urge to slip into mission mode. She didn't want to get angry, but she didn't want to get detached... and there was pretty much nothing else open to her other than annoyance and irritation. The kunochi sighed again, closing her eyes as she fiddled with her headband, resisting the urge to wince as cold metal touched sore fingers. "I appreciate it..."

And she did. Not just because he wasn't from Konoha, not just because he hadn't been there yesterday - although, in truth, that might have solved most of the problems before they started - and not just because he'd come even though he looked like he was figuring out all the escape routes as soon as he could. Tenten probably wouldn't be able to say why. But it was reassuring, nevertheless.


He really didn't know he started allowing another person to make him feel like a jerk for no reason at all. But he noticed that it was becoming a common occurrence when it somehow involved Tenten. Her words had the same effect as being hit with shrapnel, though they hadn't been meant for any other reason than apology.

But Tenten looked like she was hurting, probably a lot more than she let on. Jet hadn't had the best upbringing when it came to being “normal”, but he supposed he was meant to say something reassuring. But what? Silence was a better option, let her work it out on her own. Sugar-coating whatever it was that happened would only delay her reasoning. Maybe.

"Just wanted to make sure you're really okay," Jet absently dug his mouth into his scarves, coming to a stop a few feet away from her. "You're the type to say you're okay even if you lost an arm or somethin'."

His eyes glanced up at her. "S'it somethin' you can't tell me?"


The brunette had opened her eyes when he'd started moving. She shrugged slightly, aware that she wasn't helping herself any, discovering more aches than anticipated. Six hours really had been over-doing it, in the end. But she needed to make sure, had to know that she had been returned to normal.

If the cost was her good mood for a while, it would be worth it. But her obvious lack of charm was starting to be noticed by others. Most problematic, especially with one stood in front of her. He needed an answer, she was aware of that. Tenten only hoped it would suffice.

"I guess... I don't really want to bother more people than needed, though." She waved it off, dismissing the entire thing like she hadn't been attacked, hadn't been powerless. Tenten wasn't sure, but admitting that she'd been unable to do anything to, of all people, Jet was like stabbing herself in the leg. Stupid and painful and not something you want to get admitted to the hospital for. She smiled meekly instead.


It wasn’t in Jet's nature to push for answers where none wanted to be given, at least when it came down to personal issues. He knew what it was like to be interrogated by well-meaning friends on stuff he'd rather not talk about. That only made it easier to close himself off from them. Having conversations about his origins were similar to slowly losing several inches of skin while being forced to watch. He definitely didn't want to force her to do the same, since an emotionally distant Tenten would be ominous enough.

He couldn't help the twinge of... whatever it was, it definitely wasn't an emotion that he was familiar with.

"It doesn't make you weaker," Jet started, though his voice died somewhere near the end, "if you lean on someone else for..."

He sighed, ruffling his bangs in an irritated gesture since the same words could be applied to him. "Forget it."


Tenten wasn't about to forget anything. Least of all when Jet actually tried giving advice. It warranted - and received - a small giggle, as she watched him.

He was right, of course. But the problem was the choice of words. Weaker... was exactly what she had been. And not just weak, but utterly and entirely helpless. She'd never stopped to imagine life without being a shinobi, had never contemplated that it had been possible.

"Please, continue." The smile was growing, to give him credit. At the very least, when she was feeling better, she'd be able to add this to the list of things to tease him about.


Jet scowled when he heard Tenten giggle, pausing for a moment to aim a glare at her before looking around again. It figured he'd end up being her source of amusement when he was trying to be-- dammit-- sincere for once. Not that he minded. Not in the slightest. Because a laughing Tenten was better than the alternatives, even if he ended up being the scapegoat.

"I'm just sayin' you don't have to act touch all the time," he grouched, sounding he was being forced to admit the words at gunpoint. "I'm not gonna think any less of you."


"Ah, well... You're the one that hates company. Maybe you should take your own advice~?" Jet was making it easy to slip back into the familiar role of teasing and Tenten bit back the urge to fight against it. It was good to settle into the normal, after all.

It was hard to do by herself, constantly tiptoeing around Neji and Hinata. So - although she wouldn't tell him because he'd probably turn around and tease her and that just wasn't on - she was glad. Enough so to drop her guard and relax. He'd already seen right through it, anyway.

It came to mind that he probably only wanted a chance to best her, but she didn't really care either way. So, it was then, that she added, "but if you insist," thoughtfully gazing at the floor again.


"That's because most company sucks," Jet muttered back, before partially glancing back at Tenten.

He reached up and slowly pulled down his scarves from his mouth. Sometimes he wondered why he just clicked with Tenten, like there wasn't any point in needing to prove that their friendship was for real. It's not like Tenten needed his skills, nor did he need hers, although he readily admitted that they were something else.

Jet decided that he really didn't need to know what happened to her the other day. Tenten would probably tell him if it was something important. Yesterday was about as nice as going to your own funeral, a nightmare in its extreme. Considering he'd been left shaken by it, it was only logical that Tenten would be too.

What ifs, what might have beens-- what did they really matter? It wasn't like it was reality. Therefore, yesterday was pointless.

And done with. He should just stop analyzing everything.

Jet approached Tenten and nodded towards the kitchen.

"I learned to make soup," he said with a slight smirk. "Want some?"


That was it, wasn't it? The on and off friendly rivalry. She grinned in response, shaking her head slightly. And slowly. Too many rapid moves, too early in the morning, still irritating her.

"If you're sure you won't blow anything up, I suppose I'll try some. But I'm not making you something better if you mess up!"

It wasn't that she felt better. She did, in a manner of speaking. The whole day still hovered at the back of her mind, bothering her, reminding her that the City could and probably would once again take her skills. But for the time being Tenten could push it all the way to the back, stick it with all the thoughts that told her the City didn't make sense. And because it wasn't weighing on her mind so much, because it was easy enough to stop trying to hide the fact she was hurt, the smile came easily. She could bandage herself up later, after all. For now, she needed to make sure the kitchen stayed intact.

She'd tell him about it, after he agreed on the day he owed her.