NarutoGB: The Tenth Suitor

~* ~ The Tenth Suitor ~*~

Summary: Neji has reached the age of marriage and must choose from a list of Hyuga Elder Approved (HEA) candidates. The mandatory requirements? Sophistication, cultured mannerism, and a strong aptitude in the scholarly arts. Ten Ten has so got this. Right? Riiight. Oh. And GB-Nejiten btw.

Gender bended warning. All characters still retain their original names to avoid confusion. Unless that makes things more confusing? Huzzah!

---

"Hyuga Neji, it has come into the notice of the Elder Council that you will turn eighteen in four month's time. You are aware of this implication?"

Neji bowed low, her forehead touching the smooth tatami flooring. "I will be recognized as an adult in the eyes of the Hyuga," she murmured softly, lilac eyes respectfully downcast.

"Yes. And as an adult you carry responsibilities towards the clan, moreso as a Hyuga clanswoman," the elder continued on, fixing the young woman with a severe look. Neji's brows furrowed but she maintained her submissive posture. She would endure this. She would prove herself the superior. They would not receive the satisfaction of breaking her control.

"As a woman, it will be your duty to ensure the continued linage of the Hyuga clan." Neji's eyes hardened at this but miraculously her body betrayed nothing. They couldn't mean...?

"A particular duty you have sorely neglected," another elder interjected with a disdainful sniff. "My granddaughter, Hyuga Fumikoto, is already carrying her second child."

Neji silently ground her teeth. She remembered Fumikoto-san, a fellow branch member, as a kind, quiet creature with a love for exploring. Fumikoto-san was only sixteen. She had been married off at the age of fifteen as per Hyuga tradition pertaining to Branch girls. And now she was heavy with another child?

Nonetheless, summoning years of enforced control, she replied in a carefully unaffected voice: "I assumed I had other duties towards my clan and village, honourable elders. As a shinobi of Konoha, I placed my duty to protecting village first." The emphasis did not go unnoticed as the seated Hyuga's before her darkened their expressions.

"Those duties end now," the centre-most elder snapped with a dismissive wave. "We have allowed you free reign Hyuga Neji, considering your relations to the honourable Hyuga Hiashi. We feel we have already been most accommodating towards your... rebellious nature... even permitting you to remain unwed far beyond what is traditional for a branch female."

Neji felt her fingers clench within those haphazardly long sleeves but held her silence.

"But this childish impropriety can no longer continue. Soon, you will be Hyuga proper. It is unseemingly for to come into your eighteen year still unwedded. You will cease these juvenile tendencies now for the council has decided that you will be honourably wedded and will perform your duties to the clan as proper."

Wedded? No. NO! They couldn't! She would...! Neji took a deep, calming breath. No, she swore she'd beat them at this. Stall for time, her mind furiously commanded. "As the elders wish," Neji murmured in a perfectly serene and humble tone. From her lowered gaze, she caught the looks of barely hidden confusion on their faces.

Good, they were distracted. Their guard was down, she had to strike now. Get out of this mess. Get out of this mess, her mind chanted endlessly. "I will choose whoever the council approves."

"T...The council is pleased by your acceptance. We will begin arrangements."

From high upon her raised seat, Hyuga Hiashi merely smiled down at her niece's choice of words. The girl was cunning. The old woman may have been clan leader, but in some ways she was still subjected to the command of the Hyuga council. Marriage – even marriage pertaining to herself and her children – was strictly a council affair. Hyuga marriages were partnerships of business, power, and politics. It was the union of clans, not of individuals. Hiashi could no more help her niece than she could have helped her own self escape.

Yet somehow, Neji had afforded herself the one thing that many Hyuga brides were never given. Perhaps it would be wise to draw attention to this.

"I too, am pleased by my niece's declaration." Hiashi spoke in an even voice, her sombre gaze drifting to the bowed girl. "She is proving herself a well-bred and level-minded woman. I am sure her choice will be most beneficial to the Hyuga."

"Choice?" an elder echoed with a frown. "I thought we had already agreed that she would marry my cousin's son, Hyuga Hanatori."

Mutterings of agreement punctuated the air. Hiashi discreetly slid a glance towards her kneeling niece. What will you do now Neji?

"Elder Orashi," Neji's suspiciously gentle voice interrupted. "You do not approve of Hanatori-sama?"

The elder in question stiffened, realizing his lack of approval had been noticed. He held his head high however, sniffing airily into a delicate handkerchief. "It was never fully decided. As I've said before, it would be far better if we made relations with the Murashi clan. We need to strengthen our reach in the Kobashu district and—"

"Do not bring that up again, Orashi. Kobashu is negligible. We decided on Hanatori and that is final,"

Orashi gapped open his mouth but reluctantly shut it as he hid his face away behind his handkerchief. Satisfied, the other elder turned back to Neji, seemingly about to say something when the young woman interjected again.

"If the whole council is in agreement that this option is the most profitable for Hyuga…" her quiet voice trailed away meaningfully.

"It's not," Orashi couldn't help but sniff. "We could utilize it better."

"Hanatori is the best option!"

This time another voice muttered, some distance away. "Is it really? Perhaps we need to reconvene again. We had not anticipated the girl's obedience and some of us may not have voted seriously."

The first elder's downturn lips had increased but Hyuga's did not easily crack their façade of tranquillity. "Very well, we shall reconvene again to discuss the best venture." He ground out stiffly, eying the other elder with guarded irritation. Various mutterings followed, each now whispering their own favoured choice. Neji leapt for the chance.

"Perhaps if I may suggest, honourable elders…" her soft voice fluttered smoothly through the chaotic air. Aged eyes turned to face younger, but equally shrewd ones. "Since there are many options, perhaps it would be best to… test… each one? Then I may choose the best possible candidate,"

A head nodded grimly from the raised platform. "Wise are her words, council. I, Hyuga Hiashi, support this as a possible solution."

Very slowly, various other elders nodded in agreement. "It has merit. Yes, each suitor must be subjected to a test of his worth in joining the Hyuga ranks."

"We need to discuss this in further detail. You may go, Hyuga Neji. This matter does not concern you."

The younger woman rose from her subservient poise but she did not leave. Her tone was pleasant but her eyes were as hard as the Hokage mountain rock. "Does not concern me, honourable Elder Wabisaki? Then what, if not my own marriage, should concern me?"

"Impudent child!" the elder in question slammed his palm down. "Still you fail to hold that wayward tongue. Remember your place girl and do not question the council. Now leave us for we have much to decide,"

Neji's lower lip twitched but she checked her anger. There went her chance of introducing outrageous demands as part of the test. This was bad situation but arguing would serve nothing, at least not here. Her mind already desperately trying to figure some manner of escape, she forced her body to bow low, her forehead touching the cold floor once more, before departing quietly from the oppressive room.

"A wild one that girl. She will need a firm man with a strong hand to beat out that insolent nature."

"A firm man with strong hands you say, Elder Wabisaki?" Hiashi echoed with a cold but composed smile. "Well, we each probably have different expectations from this marriage," she added offhandedly before turning to face the full council. "Honourable elders, if I may propose a suggestion: we can each recommend a candidate, with the approval of the council. Once approved, this candidate will be subjected to a number of tests. The victor will earn the full support of the council. Is this agreed?"

Numerous heads bowed in quick agreement.

---

Hinata watched his cousin with nervous eyes. "N- Neji-neesan, d-do I want to know what you are doing u-up there?"

Hyuga Neji, in all her beautiful splendour, stood defiantly, lilac eyes serious. Flawless midnight black hair whipped dramatically in the open wind and exquisite pearly white sleeves flared ominously. With a heavy sigh, she took a step closer to the edge of the meticulously decorated roof. "I am attempting to extricate myself from this dismal turn of circumstances. Farewell Hinata-sama, hopefully I will make a dutiful and proper stain on the honourable Hyuga grounds as befitting a branch clanswoman."

Without breaking his gaze, Hinata tried to casually position himself right under his oddly deranged cousin. "I-I suppose the meeting with the elders did not go well, nee-san?" He struggled to estimate his cousin's weight. Maybe her fluttering outfit will act as a parachute of sorts…?

Neji's eyes lowered but a fraction as she watched her increasingly neuronic younger cousin skitter about below. She looked away, heaving an entirely uncharacteristic world weary sigh. "The elders want me to get married…"

"...Oh."

Pearl white eyes flashed with indignation as the beautiful maiden whirled back around. "Don't go 'Oh' on me like a simpleton! This is a very big 'Oh'! This is a 'Neji-neesan that is so terrible, let me jump with you' oh!"

Hinata had the cheek to hesitate. "O-Oh. I- I don't know if that's a good idea N-Neji-neesan…" he mumbled, poking his index fingers together.

Fighting to rein in her emotions, the young woman took another breath before masking her face in indifference. "Immaterial. I am once again bound by a fate I cannot control. The fate of all women born to this accursed family."

"I-It can't be that bad nee-san…"

"You are male! " Neji howled with righteous fury, dainty finger pointed accusingly. "You cannot hope to understand!"

"I-If you talked to my m-mother—"

"Hiashi-sama cannot help me. The council's mind are made up. I thought I had bought myself time. Brought conflict to the decision," she looked away, her gaze suddenly forlorn. "It's too soon… I'm not ready…"

"M-my mother thinks you handled yourself quite well."

For a moment, something faltered in Neji's defiant posture. "I did my best. So they could not decide something immediately. So I… I had time to think of an escape." She trailed off, eyes distant again. "No wisdom has graced me yet."

"I'm sure you'll think of something nee-san," Hinata said without hesitation. He meet his cousin's sad gaze and slowly held up a hand, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "Neji-neesan, you did succeed – you're not getting married, for today at least, so please come down." The night winds blew quietly as the two Hyuga cousins regarded one another. But then, very slowly, Neji returned her cousin's quiet smile and allowed him to help her down, gripping his hand tightly in unspoken comfort. The two wordlessly gliding through the pristine compound, the silence helping to quiet troubled minds.

"Where is Hiashi-sama anyway? I have not seen her since the council,"

"Mother said she had something to take care off." Hinata said with a nervous shrug, not elaborating any further.

---

The insistent knocking on his front door did not dissipate with time. Gripping his flat pillow tighter, Ten Ten attempted to smother his head into it, silently pleading for whoever it was to freaking let him sleep! The knocking did not go away.

"Dried cuttlefish on a stick I'm coming!" Ten Ten finally roared, ripping the pillow away and hurling it irritably into his bed. He sluggishly rose up, scratched himself distractedly, as he navigated between the chaos that cluttered his house floor. He gripped the handle of his door and angrily ripped it open.

"WHAT?" he snarled into the impassive face of none other that Hyuga Hiashi. The older woman's countenance was a frigid mask of arrogance and indifference, her elegantly shaved eyebrow the only thing reacting as the younger man profusely spluttered apologies.

"It is considered simple manners to politely invite an honoured guest who visits into ones house, boy," Hiashi interjected with a cool upraised brow.

Ten Ten immediately leapt backwards, one arm pulling the door back further, the other gesturing awkwardly. "Uh! Of course! Um, I mean ah—Welcome Hyuga-san, uh I mean Hyuga-sama, eh… Hiashi-san uh…"

The woman did not even spare him a glance, walking stiffly forward with her chin held high. "When meeting one of elevated status it is proper to attach the suitable suffix. Since we are acquainted through my niece you may address me as Hiashi-sama,"

"O-Okay?" the wide-eyed brown haired shinobi replied, uneasily rubbing his neck.

The older woman came to a stop in the midst of Ten Ten's room, a keen, dismissive eye taking in her surroundings. With a suppressed groan, Ten Ten became acutely aware of the disaster zone this place he called home was. Hurriedly he slipped past the frowning woman, displeasure and disgust clear even beneath her cool composure, as he began picking up random objects of the floor.

"Sorry about the mess! I didn't know you were coming uh… I mean, it doesn't always look like this. Eh, I do clean up! Just not very often…" he snatched up some magazines. "I swear these aren't mine!"

"Ten Ten-san."

The brown-haired boy continued on, shoving his ill-gotten goods into an overfilled cupboard. "Gai-sensei got them from Kakashi-sensei and she gave them to me for some reason I can't even fathom…!"

"Ten Ten-san." Hyuga Hiashi did not shout but her tone was enough. The younger man froze, fixing owlish brown eyes on the stiff woman.

"After inviting a guest into ones home, it is proper to offer seating and a beverage of some kind. Tea is acceptable." Finely cut brows arched pointedly at Ten Ten.

"Ah!" he gasped, dropping his bundle and leaping over some sharpening stones to stand beside Hiashi again. "Right! Please have a seat Hiashi-sama!" he indicated a woefully hidden sofa chair, before agitatedly grabbing it and tipping the contents on the floor. Hiashi slowly closed her eyes, her face betraying nothing as a menagerie of items clattered to the floor. Finally, Ten Ten re-erected the chair and unsuccessfully dusted it with his bare palm. The older Hyuga wordlessly sat on it. "Err… would tea be fine…?" A brief, curt nod was his only reply.

But just as Ten Ten was about to disappear into the linked kitchen, he heard the older woman call out again. "And Ten Ten-san?"

Said shinobi paused, turning around slowly. "Yeah?"

"It is considered polite conduct to greet guest properly attired." She eyed his exposed chest critically. "Please put on a shirt."

Ten Ten's reply was a strangled garble as he snatched a random shirt from the floor.

---

"I am most honoured by your company,"

Neji nodded but her mind and heart was already elsewhere. "Thank you Hanatori-sama." She replied distractedly.

"The food was most excellent."

"Yes."

"Your tea pouring has good finesse."

"Thank you, Hanatori-sama."

"The dress is becoming of you."

"Thank you, Hanatori-sama."

Hanatori chewed his inner cheek, carefully placing his cup down. "My apologies. You must be weary after so long," he paused, shooting a quick glance towards his dining companion. Her stony gaze had not changed. An impenetrable wall indeed. He sighed, expensive fabrics shifting as he rose to a kneeling position. "Thank you for your honourable company but I must take my leave now."

The young woman nodded in reply, bowing low. She remained in this position until the quiet clack of the shoji doors slid close. Ever so wearily, she sat up, luscious black hair spilling back like a sea of silk. She spied the emptiness of the room and gradually, tiny hands slipped out from her overly long sleeves as she rammed the heel of her palms into tired eyes. Neji then groaned, loudly.

She was not going to survive this. It had barely been a day and already the council was arranging dinners with her 'suitors'. These were the men she had to marry? Neji could barely repress a shudder as she recalled each candidate. She should have jumped, and maybe landed on Hinata thereby sparing him the agony of a traditional Hyuga marriage.

As she contemplated morbid thoughts of suicide cum clan-murdering, the graceful form of Hyuga Hiashi slipped into the room, her expression dark and reproving.

"Neji," One single word, but it held a wealth of displeasure and admonishment. The young woman drooped her head in submission, folding her arms and tucking her feet in as befitting a woman of her station. "You should take these dinners seriously, niece. This will be one of your few chances to evaluate and interact with your husband to be. The next time you meet may well be your wedding day."

Neji said nothing, her head still respectfully bowed.

"There is one candidate left, and then you may retire for the day. I highly suggest you at least make an effort to engage conversation with the man. For your own sake."

"I understand Hiashi-sama," was the dead reply.

Unflinching, Hiashi simply gazed at the younger woman with carefully emotionless eyes. She then gave a quick nod and turned away, saying nothing further. Neji heard the shoji doors slide close once again. She glanced up, picking her elaborately decorated sleeves absently. One last one to go, then she's have seen them all. Hinata had been horridly wrong; that poor misguided, delusional cousin of hers.

'Meet them first nee-san.' Neji parroted in her mind. 'You might like one of them nee-san' Oh why she ever listened to her love-sick cousin she would never underst—-

The shoji doors abruptly slid open and a very, very familiar head stuck in. "Hey Neji!"

Neji blinked. And then she blinked again. "Ten Ten?"

The tall weapons master casually strode in, his large brown eyes fixed squarely on her before breaking into an easy grin. "You ditched training for this? I though you always told me you never played dress-up, Neji!" with careless ease, he plunked down on the cushion opposite her. "Still, you look like a—" he halted. He was about to say 'a porcelain doll,' remembering the beautiful, flawless dolls his mother had kept during his distant childhood days. But they were so very fragile, even if their beauty breathless. He realized Neji might not take kindly to the fragile aspect, so he cleared his throat thinking of the second thing Neji's sight reminded him of:

With her silky black tresses, insanely white garment, pale skin and blank eyes… she looked a bit like a ghost. The vengeful, angry ones that crawled out of wells with water soaked hair and sightless eyes, bent on dragging unsuspecting victims into watery graves.

He shuddered.

Neji found herself unconsciously frowning. "What's wrong with the way I look?" she hissed, a strange irritation cracking her perfectly serene composure. She never cared what others thought but Ten Ten was one of the few she… she… well what was wrong with how she looked?

Ten Ten glanced up, taking note of her less than pleased expression. "Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean anything bad, really! You… You just reminded me a bit of those ghosts from wells—"

"Ten Ten..." the underlying warning was enough.

"Shutting up now." He held up his hands in surrender, smiling in appeasement. Wide, guileless eyes then swivelled back down at the tray of food sitting between them. "Hey are those squid-cakes? I love squid-cakes!"

Neji immediately slapped his hand away. "You can't eat those!" she scolded angrily, fixing him with her most severe stare.

The brown-haired shinobi took it in stride, staring right back while cupping his offended hand. "Why not?" he demanded, somewhat perpetually.

"That's not for you! That's for—" she froze. There was no way in this world or the next she was going to explain this situation to her teammate. That meant explaining it to the team, that meant Gai-sensei and the mad woman's ludicrous notions of marriage and youthful springtime.

That meant accepting what was happening to her as a reality.

Neji snapped shut her mouth and rocked back onto her heels, correcting her posture and gracefully folding her arms across her lap. "You should leave now Ten Ten before someone sees you and throws you out. I can't come for training. I am required to… attend to guests."

She watched from lowered lashes as his brown eyes regarded her with a suspiciously serious expression. He stared for an abnormal amount of time before shrugging in a very comforting Ten Ten manner. "Okay, I'll leave. I wasn't planning on staying that long. Hiashi-sama said it was just dinner anyway."

Neji's lilac eye shot upwards but her teammate was already looking away, back at the food in fact. "Are you sure I can't have at least one squid cake? I'm really hungry because I was expecting to eat dinner here so I haven't had anything since lunch—"

"What did you say…" she barely whispered.

"And would you believe Hiashi-sama actually turned me away when I got here? She kinda just looked me up and down, gave this really snooty look and yelled: Change! What am I? Some kind of dog? I nearly broke my skull rushing all the way back just to make it in time!"

For the first time, Neji took notice that her normally easy-going, sensible teammate was dressed in a rather flashy, very red, and heavily embroidered tunic. It looked somewhat crumpled but the quality of the silk still shone through.

Ten Ten cautiously followed her gaze and picked at his wrinkled shirt uneasily. "Don't you dare laugh, Neji. This is the best shirt I own and I usually save this exclusively for the lunar new year celebration, so no dissing on the color."

"Why are you wearing your best clothes?" Neji mumbled absent-mindedly. Things were crashing together at frightful speed but she couldn't acknowledge the picture her genius mind was constructing.

"Your aunt made me wear it." Ten Ten replied slowly, knowing full well his teammate would figure it out.

"Hiashi-sama…?" Neji echoed, vivid lilac eye wide with unusual vulnerability.

Ten Ten nodded.

"Hiashi-sama invited you…" Neji continued on as Ten Ten fervently wondered if her eyes were going to fall out. Again he nodded. "Hiashi-sama made you wear your best clothing and invited you to attend dinner."

"Uh huh," Ten Ten replied unintelligently.

The brown haired shinobi watched as his dainty teammate's breath faltered, her elegant shoulders hitched and in an almost broken cry she whispered: "You are the last candidate?"

"Yes?" He did not break their unblinking gaze as he pointed towards the open plate. "Can I eat the squid cake now?"

---

The shrill, strained cry that echoed throughout the Hyuga compound attracted the immediate attention of two young boys. The younger instantly shot up, pearly white eyes frightfully eager: "Someone is assaulting Nee-san!" And off he ran towards the guest dinner room.

"H-Hanabi! W-wait!" his older brother called out unsuccessfully.

The dinning room shoji doors crumbled nosily as the tiny Hyuga slammed his foot forward. "Alright mister! Hands off Nee-san or face the wrath of the Hyuga!" Hanabi roared, body poised for battle.

Hinata entered the room a heartbeat later, already making a grab for his younger brother while attempting to bow at the same time. "I'M SORRY! I-I f-fully ap-pologise f-for t-the in—" the words died in the Hyuga heir's throat as he beheld the spectacle before him. "T-Ten Ten? What are you doing here...?"

His older cousin was bent over, her face shockingly red, while the very familiar brown-haired man was hovering behind her, slapping her back while yelling something along the lines of: 'Breathe Neji! Breathe! Air good! Holding breathe bad!' In addition, his other hand was absently trying to loosen her tight waist obi. His head snapped up at the sound of his name, guilty fingers still tugging at the sash.

"Oh um. Hey Hinata." He followed the two white-eyed gazes, down to his hand on Neji's obi. With his own face starting to flush, he immediately snatched his hand back. "Um! It's not what it looks like! Neji couldn't breathe so I—"

"Big brother! You know this pervert?" Hanabi interrupted loudly, pointing an accusing finger.

Before Hinata could reply, said 'pervert' exploded forward, brown eyes suddenly bright with indignant rage. "What did you call me, you brat?"

Said 'brat' actually gasped, then his own pearly white eyes narrowed in mirrored fury. "How dare you address me so rudely you… you peasant!"

Ten Ten scowled, already moving away from a recovering Neji, his fists tightly clenched. "Oh say that again squirt or so help me I'll—"

"Pervert!" Hanabi yelled again, struggling mightily against his older brother's grasp. "Pervert! Molester! Pedo-bear!" Ten Ten's lips began twitching progressively upwards into a forced (and somehow crazed) grin, the pressure in the room sky-rocketing.

"Hanabi!" his older brother wailed in despair. "W-Where did you learn such words!"

Out of seemingly no where, the older brown haired shinobi abruptly held a single scroll in his outstretched hand and unfurled it with a sharp flick. "That right Hinata… Just hold him right there…"

"ENOUGH!"

The three young men slowly turned to witness a very moody Hyuga Neji glaring with the full force of a billion explosions. She stood up, her silky black hair cascading in an endless stream, making a stark contrast against her elegant white robes. "Ten Ten."

The brown eyed man stiffened. "Yeah…?"

"Please refrain from murdering Hanabi-sama. It would reflect poorly on my ability to protect the main family."

When the younger boy smirked, Ten Ten glared back in return. "Can I at least injure him? Or maim him beyond human recognition?"

"I would advise against that Ten Ten-san," a new voice answered as the graceful form of Hyuga Hiashi stepped gingerly into the battle-torn room. "It might affect the outcome of your evaluation." With an impassive stare, she surveyed the damage, her sharp Hyuga eyes lingering briefly on her niece's messed-up obi. "This dinner is concluded. Hinata, please escort our guest to the main entrance. Neji, come with me."

---

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