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

[tenten_san]

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~ ]

Comments

Very late evening

[heavenly_earth]

[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]

[tenten_san]

[ 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...

[heavenly_earth]

[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.

[tenten_san]

[ 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...

[heavenly_earth]

[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.

[tenten_san]

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. ]

[heavenly_earth]

[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.

[tenten_san]

[ 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.