sunshineverse | [OPEN] She is the one that you'll never forget...

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[OPEN] She is the one that you'll never forget...

Who: Tenten, OPEN
Where: All over Konohagakure
When: March 9th
Notes: It's a certain kunoichi's birthday and all she wants is to forget this day exists. So let's ruin those plans and engage in a game of 'Where's Waldo?' with our favorite Weapons Specialists.

EARLY MORNING/PRE-DAWN
Reserved for Hatake Kakashi: Snow crunched and crushed underneath her feet. And not for the first time since she'd left her apartment, Tenten's toes curled against the blow of the winter's chill. It had been a harsh year, and not just weather-wise. With Neji's engagement and disengagement, health issues in the last few weeks because of poor decisions, an a number of smaller matters cropping up throughout the seasons, Tenten began to wonder just what was it about the year of the Horse that simply spelled trouble for so many.

"Hopefully the Ram will be better for everyone..."

Taking a quick glance around, she was glad to find the streets of the village mostly empty. Likely, anyone who was awake would be safe and warm in their beds. And that those few who were out and about were merely busy with their own matters to take notice of one wandering figure in the snow. The last thing that Tenten wanted was to get interrupted.

Despite having such an infamous reputation, Hatake Kakashi was a rather shy individual. And she imagined his father was much the same.

Moving swiftly and cleanly past the cemetery gates, she walked the familiar paths through the maze of memorials and grave markers towards her destination. Left from the cherry blossom tree. Seventh row past the stone dragon. And as she knelt down to clear away the snow from the placard, the kunoichi gave a respectful bow.

"Hello, Sakumo-san," she greeted, carefully placing the bundle of white lilies on the grave marker, "It's nice to see you again..."

MID MORNING THRU LATE AFTERNOON
Scenario #1

The key to the day is avoidance.

The more she moved about the village and the longer she lingered in the more crowded areas of the Konoha, the less chance there would be to run into anyone she knew. Or at least anyone who knew the significance of the day. And the best way she could think of to achieve that goal was to linger around the busy areas of the village and allow herself to get swept up in the madness of the crowds. And simply blend into the masses.

Because the last thing that Tenten wanted was for anyone to acknowledge her birthday.

She was never one for attention, always blending into the background and observing as life moved on around her. So to be dragged out into the spotlight, even for one day out of the year, was like a bad dream come true; not quite a living nightmare, but outside of her comfort zone all the same. That was what brought her to the market district, already teeming with life and activity. It was the perfect plan, in theory... or so she thought.

Scenario #2

Of course, there was the other route as well.

Disappearing in plain sight was easy and simple enough for her to do. With her dark coloring, Tenten was practically made to blend in with the crowd. But she could not spend the entire day avoiding people and keeping her guard up for any familiar faces. Not when there was still training to be done and a schedule to keep. There was still a goal in mind; aspirations to achieve. Team Gai, after all, prided itself in setting challenges and defeating them with headstrong determination.

So when the kunoichi was not playing 'Hide-n-Seek' in the bustling streets of Konoha, she would be found in the most obscure and forgotten training field in the furthest corner of the village, never expecting anyone to venture out so far to seek her out. Or for many to even know that such a place existed.

But then, life was full of surprises, weren't they?

EVENING TO AFTER DARK/MIDNIGHT
Open but limited: [ First come, first serve. She's had the entire day to get used to the idea of people wanting to celebrate the day of her birth, so Tenten's a little more receptive to well-wishes and presents. But her time is limited. Did you want to take her out to a nice dinner? Stargazing and conversation? Or will a cozy night in be enough? Whatever the plan, come claim your slots now before her dance card fills up~ ]

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[Neji let her go all day thinking he'd forgotten.

It still seems peculiar how much she dislikes her birthday, even if he does loosely understand why. Even so, he can't not get her anything and all he can do is lessen the reminder.

So he arrives late, like this is any other of their ritualistic visits, and quietly snorts to himself as he considers what the rumor mill might have to say if he's caught sneaking into her apartment at night, then leaving in the morning, no matter how infrequently that is nowadays.

But he's got a slim black box under his arm as he hefts the window open and slides in like a thief in the night. He closes it silently and ventures further in, idly wondering if she's awake or if he should just leave the gift on the kitchen counter and go, rather than remain close by. Obito has one of those missions for him tomorrow though, and never sure how long he'll be gone, he at least wants to see Tenten before he leaves]

[ It was always safe to assume that her team, at least, would remember. No matter how hard she protested and insisted on staying out of the spotlight, Team Gai always found a way to let her shine. So Tenten had long ago given up the hope that they would simply forget. Gai and Lee were sentimental to a fault. And among those who knew her best, Neji held top marks.

So she had waited and boded her time, begrudgingly enduring through the day in a perpetual state of alert as, one by one, her teammates came searching with gifts. And rather than face the run-around of her yearly game of cat-and-mouse, the young Hyuuga reasoned and invested himself on the most logical assumption:

At some point, Tenten would need to return home.

The lights came on without preamble, her steps and movements as silent as ever. And in that moment of confusion while his eyes struggled to adjust, she had a kunai to his throat.

Because true to his assumptions, the kunoichi had arrived back to her apartment an hour after dusk. And so, he found her fresh and regulation clean, training gear at the top of the pile in the hamper, and her hair already washed and down for the night. ]

...The last time you came sneaking into my apartment, you were as frazzled and frustrated as a drowned ninken. [ Blade still edged against his skin, she quirked a curious brow. ] Don't tell me the Hyuuga threw you into another engagement...

[It's a dirty trick, and a testament of how familiar Tenten is with Hyuuga that she takes advantage of his light sensitivity. His eyes adjust of course, and he's capable at seeing in dimmer lights than most even without his Byakugan active, but both adjustments come with a delay and the sudden flood of light does effectively blind him for a precious moment.

The touch of cold metal at his throat makes him smile, and Tenten bleeds into proper focus. He shifts back to avoid cutting himself when he speaks]

As much as I'm sure they'd like to, I came here for you.

[He proffers the flat rectangular box to her, inside which lay a set of knives with stylized dragons twisting up the handles]

Think of it as a thank you for dealing with a drowned ninken.

[ There were few weaknesses to be found in Neji's defense and skills. She should know, she'd been his training partner for years. So she was intent on using every single one of them if it meant winning this would-be battle. In the end, it was just all fun and games - a good end to one of the best games of hide-and-seek that no one knew they were playing. ]

Like I had any choice in the matter. It would've been like kicking a puppy.

[ But even as she said that, a smirk pulled at her lips, widening out to a full smile. Because teasing and sarcastic remarks were Tenten's defense. And they were how she displayed care to the people around her.

Still, she felt discomfort at the sight of the package, even as she pulled the kunai away from his skin to idly twirl it around her fingers. Because attention was something Tenten was not used to, and it showed in the slow morph of her face. ]

Honestly, Neji. I keep telling you guys every year that it's not necessary...

[It's an unflattering comparison, and clues him in a little further to her current temper. Of course, he doesn't expect her to be happy because she never is on this day, but he hopes one day their well-wishes won't be prefaced by dread]

Who said anything about that? [It's forced humor, and its a joke all in its own that he doesn't do humor]

But seriously Tenten, Lee and Gai-sensei are going to make a fuss every year no matter what you say or do- you should know that by now. They care about you and earnestly want to lift your spirits. For me, gifts are... one of the only ways I can openly express my own sincerity. Despite that however, it remains a difficult practice to master, but I'm rather certain you'll appreciate this one.

I do know. [ It's a fond tone laced with annoyance. Because from the three of them - Neji included - it's not such a horribly awkward situation to have them remember what today was. Even if that queasy feeling of unease still swirled high in her chest each and every year they came bearing gifts for her. They were her squad, after all. More so, they were her family. Still... ] Which is why we play this game, every year. They make it no secret to wish me well, and by proxy, notify the entire world about it.

[ Not. That she blames or holds it against them in the least. It was simply who they were, take it or leave it. ]

You, at least, are discreet about it and wait until a decent hour be annoyingly sentimental. [ For the most part. And mostly a joke as that smile lingers still with her glance. ]

[Neji relaxes as the tension in her voice and expression seems to lessen. She still hasn't taken the box yet for all she appears inclined to accept it now, but he's patient]

At least one of us should be possessed of some degree of tact, even when faced with a particularly stubborn teammate. [It's obvious Gai and Lee will never display anything resembling discretion, and he can certainly understand her desire to keep any and all celebratory fanfare low-key]

I hope their gifts weren't too ridiculous, but I know you'll at least appreciate these.

[ Snort. ]

Stubborn... [ More like pig-headed and unrelenting. But that was neither here nor there. For her, at the very least, it was part of their charm. A very small part of it. And regardless of whether or not she would ever pass a birthday without having such a chase - or if Tenten even really wanted to - at least it was something she could rely on, every year. ] ...It's a requirement to be on this team, isn't it?

[ Sighs, eyeing that black box as if it was set to explode at any given moment, Tenten relents and steps up to finally open it. ]

And I do appreciate that they bother to remember... [ And true to his assumptions, the kunoichi does find sentiment and some old feeling she'd locked away long ago at the sight of the blades, subtle as the shifts in her mood were. But for a Byakuugan user, Tenten was sure that he could see the subtle changes in her tone and demeanor. ] I'm sure I'll miss it, one day, when they're not around any more to trudge through the whole village looking for me - you, either.

Kakashi's feet hit the snowy ground with a soft sound of contact. It wasn't clear whether he'd been hiding out in the tree for a while, or if he'd just arrived within it's branches; the early morning wind was blowing strong, still sporting the odd few flecks of snow, disturbing all branches in and surrounding the cemetery.

A large scarf lay heavy around his shoulders, the tail of one end wrapped around a small canine tucked into his flak, and he approached Tenten's back with quiet footsteps.

"Hello," he greeted quietly, so as not to disturb her conversation. "Thank you for coming."

"Kakashi-san," she greeted in turn, sharp eyes still focused on the sharp edges and deep grooves of letters etched into stone.

Despite the stillness and stark silence that surrounded them, it came as no surprise to her that she would find him there. It had become an unspoken tradition of sorts, one that Tenten was not quite too stubborn to admit she had started. Truth be told, the kunoichi was not fully certain there was any logic in her actions that day so many years ago. But when her feet had brought her to Sakumo's grave marker, the young student of Maito Gai had thought not to question it.

Lucky for her, neither did Kakashi.

It was an impulse and a whim; perhaps, even, an escape from the things that still haunt her from time to time about a life that could have been but never would be. What made it an agreement was seeing the infamous Copy-Nin lingering in the shadows of Uzu's cemetery during the early days of September that same year.

Finally turning her head to face him, Tenten allowed a slight crinkle of her brow to show through the solemn facade. "You're late."

"Oh, am I? Sorry.." He returned the twitch of her brow with the slight crinkle of his eyes, and then ducked to place the tiny dog wrapped in his scarf down on the snow covering the forefront of the grave. Her tiny feet disappeared into the snow almost instantly, and she yipped a happy bark as the cold white blanket started to envelop her. It was no match for her, though, and soon she was gnashing at it with her teeth, batting at it with her paws, rolling on her back, her tail wagging as if the cold didn't bother her at all.

Kakashi watched her fondly for a moment, before shifting his gaze to the grave before them.

"It's been so many years." Since Sakumo's death, or so many years since they first started this accidental tradition? Both were true, though one number was greater than the other. He didn't clarify, and instead merely tilted his chin further into his scarf.

The fond smile she gave little Eien came easily, a gloved hand reaching out to smooth over that familiar head of fluff. All the while, the kunoichi remained knelt down in front of the gravemarker, little to no thought given to the idea of offering him a proper greeting. Despite having nothing but the utmost respect for the Copy-nin, theirs was not an all too formal relationship. In fact, it was a notch more intimate than she ever expected to have with him.

"It has been. And I wouldn't expect any less from you."

But then, theirs was a bond born out of a unique form of circumstances and commonality that very few others in her sphere of friends could understand. And for her part, Tenten could track it all back to the constant support and care that Maito Gai always provided for his precious students.

Lee had been up all morning preparing for a game of cat and mouse. It was like this just about every year and he was intent on beating his teammate to the punch, so to speak.

He already had the fine calligraphy set wrapped up; it had called to him a few months back just for this occasion. One could never have too many brushes or inkstones when one dealt with scrolls, and Lee knew Tenten probably ran her own ragged. It was the perfect gift! Though he was also insistent on getting her something less practical as well. He stopped by the Yamanaka's and purchased some tiger lilies, asking that they be carefully wrapped so that he could get them to his friend without them dying during the frosty trek to find her. Now he only hoped he wouldn't be out too late for the wrappings to become moot.

Lee took off, then, traipsing across Konoha with a determined look in his eye. He checked high and he checked low, inside buildings and out. Her apartment was empty, as he expected, and she wasn't in the weapon shops or at any of her favorite food stalls. Clearly she wasn't going to be going easy on them this year.

Then he remembered, there were a few private fields they used to train in, the ones Gai used to take them to when they were gearing up for intense fights. They were the ones he had taught Lee the Hidden Lotus move, where Neji had worked on the 64 palms, and where Tenten had unleashed some of her first specialized weapon combos. And it was there he found her, training, just as one would expect a student of Maito Gai. Smiling, Lee trudged through the snow and ice, his own cheeks red from his sprinting as well as the cold.

"Tenten! I found you so you should not run away any further!"

On a certain level, it was like a form of training. If Tenten managed to avoid detection and being found for the majority of the day, then she could consider herself a very fine ninja, indeed. Especially in a village as large and prosperous as Konoha. And especially when her friends were as persistent at finding her as a bloodhound on a hunt. Truth be told, though, it was only a matter of time before her luck and skill ran out. Stubborn and bull-headed to a fault, very few things would be able to pull Lee off of her scent once he set his heart into a task.

Three shurikens in hand, the kunoichi stopped in the mid-swing of her arm with a sudden jerk at his voice. And there was a moment in the span of seconds where she considered leaving her things behind and simply bolting for the hills in an attempt to escape. But Tenten knew better than most: there was no out-running Rock Lee.

Resigning to her fate, she gave a soft sigh and turned to face her teammate. "You've already found me, so what's the point of running?"

"Exactly! There is none!" And Lee laughed, feeling a little breathless in the cold air. He trudged the rest of the way to Tenten, his smile glowing rather warmly as he came within arms reach of her.

His cheeks feeling somewhat warm despite the chill, Lee first handed her the wrapped bouquet. "Happy birthday, Tenten."

Not quite understanding his response, she could only shake her head with a defeated sort of sign, eyes darting to the bundle in his hands as he approached.

They were about the brightest things in the clearing, a shock of orange amid the white snow and dead-grey trees. And despite running the risk of falling into the cliche, they were beautiful. The Yamanaka Flower Shop were certainly good at their work, even during the unusual weather shift they had been experiencing as of late. And truth be told, Tenten had to give credit where credit was due. Lee was, at the very least, exceptional in the presentation.

"Thank you, Lee." It had to be a coincidence, though. Because there was no way he could have known that lilies were her favorites. "But like I keep telling you guys every year, it's really not necessary for you guys to make such a big fuss over it. It's just another day..."

Lee's smile could not get any larger despite the dialed back reaction his flowers provoked from Tenten. He knew her well enough to understand she was happy to get them, even if they were impractical.

"It is not just another day! It is a special day that reminds us of how much we cherish having you in our lives, Tenten!" Lee was quite adamant about this. Birthdays were very important. Why did so many people see them as bad things?

"Come and let us go inside! I have another gift for you!"

Sighing once again, there was no hiding the tiniest little quirk in Tenten's lips as she took the bouquet he presented to her. And it was no great surprise for her to hear that there was actually more to her gift. Because there was always more, whether she wanted it or not.

"You could've just stopped at the flowers," she murmured, knowing perfectly well that his enthusiasm would never allow him to leave it at just that.

Still, she supposed it was better to wish for nothing and face the love of her team despite it, than to want for recognition only to find that they really had forgotten. Or that she was so easily forgettable.

"What fun would that have been?" Lee asked, his voice teasing. He gave her a wink then pointed towards the village.

"How about we stop in at a tea house and have something nice and warming! And a sweet dessert will surely be good after all that training you have been doing today!"

She could only chuckle at his teasing - even at the playful wink he gave afterwards. Because while it was not typical Lee, it was still Lee all the same. And she had missed every bit it all these long months they had spent away.

Something warm did sound nice, though, especially since the bit of sweat that she'd built up from her training was starting to cool uncomfortably in the winter's chill. "Tae-san did say to bring you guys around more often."

Lee chuckled, glad to hear she wasn't going to be putting up any more of a fight about it. If anything, she seemed pretty happy and that was all he could hope for on her birthday.

"You can always count on me to go out with you, Tenten," Lee assured her. "I am usually at home or on the training field if I am not on a mission."

If there was one thing she learned of Rock Lee from being on a team with him all these years, it was to never try and deter him from his goals. Because once he set his mind to something, there was very little that could be done to change it. Sometimes, even reason escaped him. So it was pointless for her to put up a fight, now, after he had gone through great lengths to find her despite Tenten's efforts to hide away from it all.

But then, that was simply part of his charm. And it was one of many traits she admired about him.

"I know," came her response, followed by a light chuckle. Because, truth be told, he was the easier of her three boys to track down. "I really should start checking in on you and make sure you're not overdoing it on the training. But I've been busy with my own, too."

"As if you could say anything to make me lessen my load," Lee teased back. Though if she did ever express worry about him he would consider lightening his regime a little. Just a little.

"Oh? I am interested to see the end results of your training, Tenten." He wouldn't dare ask her to reveal all her secrets at once. Sometimes just showing off the product of one's training was exciting in its own way.

It wasn't long before they reached the tea house and the warm air inside was inviting to their chilled skin. Lee put in a request for a two-person table and they were quickly seated then present with menus of tea and confections.

"Maybe," she half-agreed, nodding her thanks to the waitress who seated them, "But there are no regrets in trying~"

Certainly, both she and Neji had tried on several occasions to stall both their teammate and sensei's enthusiasm concerning their training. But to no avail. Through the years, both had simply learned to live with the rigorous and near impossible goals each one set for themselves. And grew to understand that their entire squad possessed some level of extreme ambition as well.

Shifting her glance to the other after the waitress had taken their drink orders, the kunoichi quirked her lips in a challenging grin. "But if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were asking for a spar, Lee..."

Lee blinked at her, confused for a moment after the break in conversation, then his mind caught up and he grinned. "Well, that is certainly not out of the question. It could be a fun challenge!"

He and Tenten rarely sparred. Not because they didn't respect each other's skills so much as they used to always train together, so they knew the other's moves too well. Now, well, it seemed they had spent enough time away to find a match both surprising and worthwhile.

"Think you will be up for it when the time comes?"

"I know there's nothing you like more than a challenge." Chuckling at the idea, she started browsing through the food selection, half of it already memorized by heart. "But it might be a while before I'm ready to take you on..."

Certainly, she was strong. But if their past together were any inclination, Tenten was well aware of how potentially stronger he would have become in the last few months. Especially given just how much she had grown, herself in that same time. And Lee had always been the more diligent member of their team when it came to overcoming physical limitations.

Tenten's main focus for the last few months had been on chakra reserves and Nature Releases. "It could be fun, though, testing a few things out on you, in the meantime."

Lee chuckled, already set on his own decision of carrot cake. Something sweet to go along with the bitterness of green tea.

"So I am a practice dummy, eh?" He didn't say it like it was a bad thing. "That could work out well as long as you could catch me."

His tone implied he felt he could out-run her attacks if put to the test.

Something sweet was a good avenue to take, her own choice settling on an order of sesame seed dumplings instead, for her birthday treat. It was not often that she would indulge in them, though they were her favorites. But this was a special occasion. And despite all of Tenten's efforts to hide from the world, today, he had been one of the few who managed to find her.

Pulling her lips into a playful smirk, the kunoichi set down her menu. "Let's be honest, Lee. It won't be the first time I've used you for target practice."

"No," Lee said, knowing all too well that was the case. "But I am faster since the last time we sparred, do you not see?"

He winked at her then took a sip of his tea. It was hot and warmed him to his toes. Perfect for a snowy day like today, though he wished the sun would start showing itself more often again. This weather was getting ridiculous.

"I should hope so," she quipped, adding in a small, playful wink of her own, "I've gotten into the habit of perfecting the trajectory my ricochets."

And if memory served, sometimes it became very difficult for Lee to quickly change his direction, especially with the higher speeds of his run. But Tenten knew better then to point that out to him without being fully prepared to start a spar right then and there. You only made that mistake a handful of times before you were a complete fool by fault.

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[OPEN] She is the one that you'll never forget...

Very late evening

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Daytime, 2

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