[closed; team gai picnic on family day]

[awokentospring]

Who: Team Gai
Where: Tenten's apartment; a training field
When: February 15, Starting in the morning then through til noon
Notes: A picnic, in three parts; may get a little PG-13 for silliness

1. Pre-picnic shenanigans. Lee and Tenten work on the bento for the picnic.

2. Team picnic! All Team Gai gets together to enjoy delicious bento and share each others' company.

3. After picnic stuff. If any teammates wanna hang out or talk more privately with one another or somesuch.

Comments

[awokentospring]

Lee and Tenten arrived only a few moments later, toting a hefty sack of bento. Everything had been made fresh that morning so their lunch was going to be much more than just store-bought fare. Riceballs of many flavors, chopped veggies, fried fish and to top it off, chocolate dipped fruit. Sure, it was probably all going to be a little much for all of them but it was the time to splurge. A festival only came around once a year, after all.

"Neji! I hope you are hungry! We have prepared a feast!"

[tenten_san]

Smiling at his normal enthusiasm, Tenten stepped out from behind the younger Green Beast, more packages in her arms.

"Well, I wouldn't call it a feast, exactly." Granted, it was a lot of food, but she had done her best to reign in Lee's perchance of overdoing things in grand fashion. But it was hardly a banquet of choices. "But it should last you until evening meals."

Because yes, indeed, it had been quite an ordeal to keep either one of them in line and the amount of food in the bento boxes at a reasonable portion when self-imposed and competitive challenges were the lifeblood of Team Gai. Certainly, they had not managed to endure the entire morning without holding at least one competition of sorts.

"Glad to see you managed to make it, this time, though," she added as an afterthought, cheeky grin in placed even as the cruel sarcasm fell from her lips so easily, "I take it you got my notes, then?"

[heavenly_earth]

Neji smiled as his teammates appeared and hummed his approval, eyeing the packages in their arms with interest. It certainly looked like a lot of food, but between the four of them, he was sure they'd eat most if not all of it. Each of them had their own demanding training regimen, after all.

His smile didn't falter, but it rang false for a long moment. He deserved the guilt that rode in the wake of Tenten's observation, had known all along what his new position would force him to sacrifice for the sake of secrecy. He could only be grateful for whatever time he got with them.

Not to mention he had plans for that evening meal that didn't include them. Not only was he ANBU now, but he had another precious person to allot time for, leaving even less time for his teammates. Sometimes he wondered if he was stretched too thin, had too many obligations to too many people- other times, like now, he strongly suspected that was the case.

It wouldn't stop him from trying.

"They were difficult to miss," he answered with the same fond amusement. "I saved them all, to show to Hokage-sama if he attempted to draft me on a mission. I'm almost disappointed I didn't get the opportunity."

[tenten_san]

It would be presumptuous to think that either Neji or Gai would think to spend an entire day - or evening, even - with their team. Or that they could even spare the time for it, no matter how long it had been since the last time they were all together. After all, both Jounin were in very dedicated and deeply caring relationships. And the former, at the very least, rarely ever had the opportunity to spend time with his thorny desert rose.

There were only so many missions either one could take back and forth between Konoha and Suna within any given timeframe. So on that matter, she could find it in herself to forgive his transgression. Even if Tenten rarely ever let up on her punishment for them.

"You still could, probably," she suggested, "I bet Obito-san would get a kick out of my creative threats, regardless."

sensei is so sorry for the tardiness!

[morningpeacock]

"What creative threats are you proposing against our beloved Hokage now, Tenten?" Gai asked as he came up upon his team's picnic site. He had gotten a little distracted with Hinata and Sasuke, but Gai had made the effort to be punctual! Obito and Kakashi's bad habits were not entirely wearing off on him, surely! Besides, he had brought cupcakes! One for each student, nicely tied up in its own little personal box. The icing was very pink, but he was certain they would enjoy them.

He distributed a cupcake to each of them before taking a seat on the blanket. "You must not forget that he is well trained in and very creative with threats as well! He will not be an easy rival to defeat!"

It was so rare to see all three of them together again lately. So rare and he was so proud of them for arranging it and making it happen, irregardless of their schedules. His adorable children were growing up so fast and so beautifully. Gai sniffled.

BUT SENSEI IS HERE and that is what matters :3

[awokentospring]

Tenten and Neji shared some banter while Lee set about placing their bento boxes safely on the blanket. It probably looked a little ridiculous, setting up a picnic in the middle of the snowy field but it was an inconvenience they were all willing to deal with for today.

Lee grinned brilliantly when their sensei arrived and wanted to just throw his arms around him in a big hug! But he noticed that his sensei also had his own box of goodies and he didn't want to ruin whatever snacks he had so Lee held back, snugging up against his sensei's side once he had the cupcake safely in hand.

"Gai-sensei, I am so glad you could make it to our lunch as well!" Lee didn't have much to say about threats and Obito, as much as he respected their Hokage's skills as a shinobi. He personally would not dream of threatening their Hokage... unless it was posed as a challenge.

The cupcake looked quite delicious that Lee almost didn't want to eat it. But then again, it was made by sensei so it had to be good. "Tenten and I made some sweets too, for you to also take to Hokage-sama and Kakashi-sensei!" But first, they would eat their fill of delicious lunch, cupcakes and chocolate dipped goodies.

[heavenly_earth]

Neji received his box with a hum of amusement and took a moment to admire the decoration before he set it aside and nodded to Gai.

"No, Tenten was threatening me if I didn't show up for this meeting. I was going to show her notes to Hokage-sama if he attempted to send me on assignment in an effort to change his mind. They were rather impressive- one even mentioned evisceration."

Still, he smiled at the bento boxes as his teammates set everything out. "Although, perhaps we should have considered an indoor arrangement, with the weather we've been having lately."

[tenten_san]

Quietly, if not with some amusement, Tenten traded out her packages of food and treats for the decorative box Gai had brought for each one of his students. And with the new bundle in hand, the kunoichi gave the most carefree and nonchalant shrug she could muster in that moment. "I had to get your attention, somehow, Hyuuga."

And it worked, didn't it?

It was a game of sorts, figuring out whether or not her threats were real or simply insults thrown out to intimidate people into bending to her will. But for those who knew her well enough, there were no assumptions ore second-guessings. Her team, at the very least, were more than well-aware how real Tenten's intentions were.

Half a year. That was how long it had been since she had seen hide or hair of the young Byakuugan user. And another half-year before that since their team had the means or time to gather together like this. Sake of the village or not, Tenten was determined to share at least one meal with her comrades before the full year was out.

Although, admittedly, Neji did have a point about their choice of venue...