Work Text:
"Ugh! I know I have more ink around here somewhere! Where the hell did I put it?!"
Tenten had been half way through making up a new scroll, when she accidentally knocked over a nearly full bottle of ink; ruining both the scroll and her ink supply.
She found her supply of scrolls easily enough, but she seemed to have hidden the ink on herself because she couldn't find it for love nor money.
Checking all her usual places, and now she was looking in the obscure ones; what was she thinking when she-?
Her hand knocking over glass in a usually unused drawer made her grin.
"Found it! Finall-! You're not ink," she said out loud with a frown.
It was a perfume bottle with a spray nozzle, and a single, long, indent in the front of the bottle for decoration; she had never bought perfume in her life.
"Must have been mother's," she concluded, surprised she still had it, before spraying a portion into the air and deeply inhaling and nodding to herself with a smile.
The smell was nice, flowery; maybe she would ask Ino what kind later.
She sprayed some on both sides of her neck before setting it off to the side.
"Now where was I? Yes ink, wait," Tenten checked the time and grimaced. "Dammit I'm late to meet Neji!"
She dropped her search for the ink, grabbed a premade scroll, and ran to her team's training grounds.
"Neji!" She called out in greeting when she saw her friend waiting on her.
"You're late," he commented back, making her roll her eyes, always about punctuality with him.
"I know, I know," she waved it off. "I was making a scroll, and then I spilt my ink, and then I lost track of time-"
"No matter,” Neji commented, taking his traditional stance. It made Tenten laugh, small talk was not one of his skills, even after all these years. "Shall we begin?"
When they stopped to take a break, she stopped mid drink when her friend actually leaned over, and outright sniffed her. She flinched back and he followed her.
"Neji?" the brown haired woman took a few long blinks, no, she wasn't dreaming, that really just happened. "What are you doing?"
"Tenten you smell divine," he said in a slightly breathy tone, taking another deep, inhale, through his nose. "Is that a new perfume?"
"Uhh yea," she confirmed, shifting away from him slightly, shooting him a questioning look. "It was my mother's, I found it when I was looking for ink."
"It suits you," he replied his white eyes almost looking slightly glossy. "Makes you smell irresistible."
Tenten blushed beetroot at that, Neji had never spoken like that in his entire life.
"What are you-epp!"
Tenten yelped when Neji suddenly brought her to be flush against him. "Neji! What the-"
She was struck dumb when the byakugan user tilted her head up and kissed her then.
When he pulled back the next second she could do nothing but gape, she was so gobsmacked.
"What do you say Tenten?" He ran his thumb over her cheekbone then. "We've waited too long already; be my girlfriend?"
Tenten's jaw flapped open and closed a few times before giving him an incredulous look.
"No."
She had never seen him look so confused.
Taking advantage of his guard being down, she elbowed him in the solar plexus, winding him for just long enough so she could summon the large, metal, doll for strength training, and drop it on him, pinning him to the ground.
Tenten starting running full speed, ignoring his begs for her to return.
What the hell did he think he was doing?! Kissing her out of nowhere like that! The absolute nerve of him! She should have stayed and kicked his-
"Oomph!"
She wasn't paying attention to where she was going, being so wrapped up in her murderous thoughts, that something caught her foot and she suddenly hit the dirt, a groan from someone else also filling the air.
"Oww. What a dra-Tenten?"
She threw her head to the side, to see the person she was sprawled on was none other than Shikamaru Nara.
"Oh Shika. I'm sorry I-"
Her friend immediately sat up, looking concerned.
"Tenten, what's wrong?"
"What?" She blinked, pushing herself up to a kneeling position. "Nothing's wrong."
He moved his hand to run a finger over her cheekbone before pulling his hand back, showing her the tears on his finger, to back up his next sentence.
"You're crying. What happened?"
"It's Neji he,” Tenten angrily swiped at the tears on her face, that she didn't even realise were there, this was not worth crying over! "He did something dumb I-"
Shikamaru sat up taller and closer, she only noticed then that she was effectively sitting between his knees. She heard him click his teeth before sighing.
"What a drag; what did he do?"
Tenten told him about the sparing match, and then taking a break, and then Neji acting weird, and then him kissing her, before her subduing him and running for it.
"Smart move," he commented running his hands up her arms in comfort.
She didn't know Shikamaru was so affectionate when he was trying to console someone, but she couldn't deny it felt kind of nice.
"I just don't like him that way you know? We grew up together; he's like my brother. The same way Lee is, you know?"
"He's just an idiot."
That made her laugh. Neji Hyuga had been called many things; idiot wasn't high on that list.
"Do you want me to walk you home?" He suddenly offered.
She smiled, but waved the suggestion off.
"No Shika, I'm alright, I'll just-"
"I insist," he pressed. "I'm not letting you walk alone while that idiot is still about," Shikamaru's eyes seem to become darker. "Maybe I'll have a nice friendly chat with him about not touching what isn't his."
Tenten frowned at that, she'd never heard him speak like that before. "Seriously Shika, it's okay. I'll tell him off tomorrow."
He stood then, after a reluctant nod, and offered her his hands to help her up. She took them.
"I'm sorry I fell on you," she laughed to break the dark tone the conversation seemed to have taken.
"Oh it's alright," he pulled on her hands then, and she stumbled forward, his smirk was positively dangerous. "I don't really mind when beautiful women fall on me."
She laughed again, because she didn't know how else to handle him sprouting something like that.
The whole way home she found her friend outright glaring at anyone who so much as looked their way.
"Shika, are you okay?" Tenten felt the need to ask, when the amount of times he had done it was starting to go into the double digits.
Shikamaru started walking even closer to her. "I guess I'm just being protective of you, after what happened."
She gave a small smile; she guessed she could understand that.
When they reached her apartment, she thanked him and turned to enter, he spoke her name again, in a tone that made her spine straighten, when she turned back to him, he was staring at her so intensely.
"You already said you didn't want Neji's affections, maybe it's time someone else asked you out," he took a step into her personal space then. "Someone smarter, someone more deserving of you attention."
Oh no. No. This was not happening again!
"You don't mean that Shika," she quickly rebutted with a gentle shake of her head.
"Don't I?" He asked taking another step towards her, his eyes openly looking her up and down. "You're beautiful, smart, and brilliant. Think of how good we'd be together."
"Neji might have a few things to say about that. Don't you think?" She threw in, taking a step back. "After what I told you earlier."
The chuckle Shikamaru released then was so dark, and deadly, she felt a chill run down her.
In a split second he had her wrists pinned to the wall behind her, beside her head.
"I can tell you right now I'm not scared of Neji Hyuga," he practically spat the other boy’s name. "Especially if you would be the prize."
He buried his face in her neck then, and deeply inhaled, just like Neji had done, before sighing.
"Tenten you smell fantastic, why have I never noticed before? Some genius I am."
She felt his lips then on her neck, making her suck in a breath.
"I should put a claim mark on you, to let everyone know I was the smart one who saw you first, right; about; here," he nipped her at the base of her neck then making her gasp.
"Shika!"
He flung his head back at that, eyes closed, taking a deep inhale through his nose, face the epitome of pleased.
"My name on your lips sounds amazing too."
His lips hovered over hers then, her eyes blown wide in complete shock at this point, that dangerous smirk from earlier returning.
"I can't wait to hear you scream it la-"
"Eight trigrams! Air Palm!"
Shikamaru was flung violently off her, and down her apartment block corridor then; Tenten let out a sound when she saw him fall over the railing.
"Shika!"
"You dare call his name?"
She flung her head around to see an irate looking Neji, teeth gritted, and byakugan activated.
"Ne-"
Neji started stomping over to her and her blood ran cold at his furious look.
"I came to make sure you were alright, I needed you to know that I would never hurt you intentionally and I find the Nara all over you?"
Neji grabbed her newly freed hands then as soon as he was beside her.
"Why would you let him-?!"
As suddenly as Shikamaru was thrown off her, shadows wrapped around Neji and pulled him the same direction he had been shoved. When she followed the shadows and the captured Neji, she saw Shikamaru kneeling on the railing at the end of the corridor; he didn't even flinch when Neji was carelessly thrown behind him into the training grounds below.
"I was planning on teaching him a lesson anyway; may as well do it now," he actually winked at her. "Once I'm done with this trash, we can continue were we left off."
With that he jumped down.
"What?" Tenten had to blink a few times to get her mind together before dashing down the corridor to follow. "Shika wait!"
When she landed on the training fields behind her apartment block, Shikamaru was already creating long, thin, shadows to attack with and Neji looked like he was sending large amounts of chakra to his hands in an, almost Hinata twin lion style, attack.
"You are dead Nara."
"Bring it on Hyuga."
"Stop it! Stop it both of you!" She shouted at them, but was thoroughly ignored.
Neji's charge, and Shikamaru's shadow assault, the next second, was halted, when the sky suddenly turned black and a loud buzzing filled the air.
"What-?!"
"Get-?!"
They were both pulled then in opposite directions, and flinging her head round, rapidly left and right, she couldn't see either of them a second later.
"Are you hurt?"
She spun her head round behind her then at the new voice.
"Shi-Shino."
Shino stood a few meters away, looking as mysterious as always.
"What; was happening here?" He asked walking towards her.
Tenten panicked then. "Uhh," how could she explain this without making it sound like their two friends had simply lost the plot? "Sparing?"
"That; was not; a spar."
Her shoulders dropped, Shino was too smart to fall for a dumb excuse like that.
"They were going to kill each other," he continued. "We are; lucky; I happened to be in the area."
He could say that again.
"Where are they?" She asked searching the skies again. "What did you do?"
Shino paused to take the last few steps, to be at her side, before he answered.
"My hive will hold them hostage; at opposite ends of the village; until they calm down. Tenten; what was happening here?"
"Oh I don't know!" Tenten felt herself start to cry out of pure frustration. "They were both normal, and then they were just insane, and I don't know what's happening!"
Two of the smartest, most level headed people she knew, were acting like drugged up, hormonal, weirdos, and she couldn't help but think it was all her fault.
"Please calm yourself," Shino knelt beside her, placing a hand on her back. "We will find the reason; please do not worry."
"You are shivering," he spoke again after a minute and her tears were starting to subside. "Please; take my coats."
"No Shino, I'm okay, I'm not cold I'm just-"
What was she doing? Sitting there crying wasn't helping her friends with, whatever, was happening to them. She forced herself to take a large, cleansing, calming, breath, to help put her head back on straight.
"You're right, of course you are, about finding the reason, and I should be thi-"
She cut herself off when hands cupped her face.
Her head lifted to find the Aburame, coat collar undone and both coats nearly off his shoulders, half way through removing them when he offered them a second ago, simply, staring, at her.
"Shi-?"
Her eyes went wide when his lips were suddenly on hers.
Oh no! Not again! It couldn't be!
She pushed him off her.
"Shino!"
"My; apologies; I have never been so forward before but; you-"
"Oh no."
She scrambled to stand and put distance between them, he stood with grace, his gaze never leaving her face.
"Shino you are one of the best people I know, one of the best shinobi I know, you're also super smart, think, think about this, this isn't normal! This isn't you!"
"I never knew; you had such a high opinion of me."
Oh Kami he had only listened to what he wanted to.
"Shikamaru and Neji were fighting over me," she told him, as she raised her hands and started backing away. "Doesn't that sound weird to you? You sure you want to get involved in that? Against those two?"
His voice took on an almost, hazy, tone. "For you? I will; happily; sully my hands with defeating; lesser; shinobi."
"What is happening today?" She sobbed to herself before addressing the boy in front of her again. "Shino, I've already been asked to be someone's girlfriend twice today, I don't-"
Shino actually scoffed, it was such a strange noise coming from him. "Aburames do not have girlfriends; Tenten; they have queens," he grabbed her wrists and pulled her to him, making her stumble. "You could be mine."
Tenten couldn't help but pull an amazed face at that wording.
"As cool as being a queen sounds Shino, I know you don't mean that."
"Why would I not?" He asked back, his hands tightening around her wrists from just a second. "You are as beautiful as one. That does not even address; your skill and talent as a shinobi or your-"
She felt bad for what she had to do. "Shino, I'm really sorry about this."
"About wha-?"
Tenten kicked him in the shin, taking him off guard just long enough to throw him to the ground and high tail it.
She ran for it, again, for the second time that day, really panicking now, as she continued to run full force in any direction that wasn't the training ground she was just at. Shino would be up any second and who knows what was happening with the other two, she needed help to find an explanation but where was-
"Tenten! Hey! Where's the fire?"
She skidded to a halt at the yell. "Sakura!"
Tenten stood there, leaving some distance between them, ready to bolt should she start acting weird too. Sakura, after a couple of seconds of this treatment, gave her a strange look.
"Why are you just staring at me?"
Tenten grimaced. "Uhh Sakura; this might be a weird question, but, you're not going to kiss me are you?"
Sakura gaped. "What? No. Why would I-?"
"Oh thank Kami!" Tenten crossed the street to her then and grabbed her shoulders. "You have to help me! Neji, Shikamaru and Shino have all gone insane!"
Her friend looked amazed and interested. "What's happening?"
She didn't even get the chance to explain when Shikamaru dropped down beside them, so close both girls took a rapid step to the side.
"I finally found you."
Sakura looked confused, probably at the intense look on his face; it didn't look right on such a usually laid back person. "Shikamaru? What is-?"
He outright ignored her, he didn't even acknowledge she'd spoken.
"Tenten, are you hurt?" He was over to her side and holding her in a firm grip the next second, looking outright furious. "Shino's next on my list right after that Hyuga. Can't believe he had the nerve to think he-"
"Shika let go," she nearly hissed trying to break his iron tight grip.
"No never," he only pulled her into a firmer hug. "You don't need to worry anymore I have you-"
"Oi!" Sakura pulled an appalled face, throwing her arms out. "Quit being so weird, why don't you just leave her alone yea?"
From the look on his face, that was exactly what not to say.
"Are you another one who is going to come between us?" Tenten gasped when he actually conjured shadows around the her, making Sakura's eyes widen in shock. His eyes as sharp as kunai, he hissed. "Maybe I should finish you t-?"
Ripping her arm free and she punched Shikamaru full force in the jaw, sending him skidding.
"Sakura run!"
Both girls bolted.
"What-what the hell is going on?!" Sakura yelled as they continued to run full speed away from Shikamaru. "Why was he acting like that?!"
"I don't know! It just happened earlier! Neji and Shino were the same! I just-!"
She grabbed the other girl and forced them both to stop at what she saw down the street.
Neji was at her side a second later, before they could simply sprint off in another direction; grabbing her arm in a firm hold.
"Tenten you-"
She didn't even give him time to talk; she pulled her arm to no avail.
"Get away from me Neji!"
He somehow managed to look both heartbroken and enraged at the same time.
"You don't mean that!" He yelled, giving her arm a solid tug to bring her to him.
"Oh yes she does!"
Sakura was at his side, punching him in the cheek, just like she had done to Shikamaru only a few moments ago; and the punch, thankfully, being enough for him to lose his grip on her. Flinging her arm around Neji's neck, almost in a choke hold.
"Go! Go to Lady Tsunade and tell her what's happening!"
"But Sakura-!"
The pink haired girl pulled when Neji made a lunge for her.
"Go!"
Tenten busted down the door, to find both Tsunade and Shizune in the Hokage's office, only a minute later.
"Hokage! Help!"
"Tenten?" Tsunade looked up, looking like she didn't appreciate her barging in like she did. "What's-?"
"Some of the boys have gone crazy! They've been-"
She heard a very loud buzzing beside her head then.
"Tenten; thank goodness I have found you; unharmed."
Her head flung round to the door. "Shino!"
"You are already requesting the marriage paperwork," Shino looked almost relieved at his idea of what she was doing. "That is reasonable; why should we wait?"
"What?!" Tenten couldn't help but yell mouth agape. "No I'm not! I-"
"Alright, what is going on?" Tsunade turned to her then with a 'take no crap' attitude. "Explain yourself right-!"
"Do; not,” Shino's voice was dark and his hive gave a very angry buzz then. "Yell; at her."
Tsunade, hearing Shino's tone, and not knowing what was going on, tilted her head in thought and pushed Tenten behind her then, but that only seemed to make him angrier.
"Give her to me," he actually held a hand out, like she could be simply put in it, like money or jewellery. "Tenten; come to me."
"I think she'll stay with me for now Shino."
She felt Shizune grab a hold of her shoulders and pull her away from the glaring pair now.
"Hokage; if you stand between me and Tenten," the room filled with an ominous buzzing. "You will; not; enjoy the results."
Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the Aburame heir, the woman couldn't seem to decide if she thought the man was joking or not.
"Did-Did you just threaten me?"
Oh Kami this was bad, Shino was so out of it he just threatened the Hokage.
Tsunade flung her chakra enhanced foot into Shino's stomach, booting him out the door with enough force he harshly hit the opposite corridor wall. Tenten saw the Aburame slump to the floor before Shizune ran in and slammed the door to the office closed.
"What the hell is going on?" The Hokage screamed.
"I told you!" Tenten yelled. "They just went crazy!"
"Think Tenten!" Tsunade turned to scream at her, as Shizune started sealing the door closed with a jutsu, still looking stunned by Shino's words. "What did you do differently today than any other day?"
"Me? What could I-?"
"You are the component here!" Tsunade hissed, standing in front of her. "Think! You must have got up, washed, what else?"
Tenten fumbled for a few seconds as she thought.
"I-I was making a scroll before training when I-"
Oh Kami, it couldn't be; could it?
"Yes?!" She snapped at her pause.
Tenten could hear Shikamaru and Shino yelling at each other through the door now.
"I-I found an old perfume bottle of my mothers, and put it on, but that can't-"
"Where did you apply it?"
"On my neck just, but I don't-"
Tsunade pulled her deeper into the room, further away from the door and slammed her green glowing hands over her neck. The blonde's eyes went wide.
"Oh my Kami! You idiot girl! How did your mother even have that?!"
"What?" Tenten yelled back, panic plain on her face. "What?!"
"No time to explain, get behind my desk and stay there!"
Tenten ran around to the other side of the Hokage's desk at her instructions.
"Shizune," Tsunade stood firm, hands still glowing green. "Let them in, I can heal them."
Shizune looked like she would rather not, by how hard they were both banging on the door, but did as she was told and unsealed the door and opened it wide, with her behind it, in two quick movements.
When both boys barrelled their way into the room as soon as they could, Tsunade slammed her two healing hands over Shino and Shikamaru's faces, palms on their noses, for only a few seconds before pulling her hands away; the two boys sunk to the floor in slow, unsteady, movements then, like petals falling through water.
"What?" Shikamaru asked before coughing heavily, kneeling on the floor. "What the hell-?"
"What,” Shino seemed to want to get up off the floor, but his whole body jerked, sending him crashing again. "Happened?"
"Tenten," her head snapped up to see Neji coming through the door then, byakugan activated. "I finally caug-"
The medical ninja slammed her green palm into his nose too, and a few seconds later he hit the ground in an inelegant slump, just like the other boys.
"Tenten!"
Another call of her name, but this time she was reassured by who called it.
"Sakura!"
"Are you okay?!" The pink haired girl was cradling her right arm, that was sporting a few tell tale marks of blocked chakra points on it. "Neji got me-" Sakura then took in the three boys, all collapsed on the floor. "What happened?"
Tsunade smirked then.
"I healed them."
"Healed?" Sakura repeated, looking at her mentor. "They were sick?"
"In a way," Tsunade grinned, throwing her head in Tenten's direction. "Tenten poisoned them."
Both the other medical ninja’s jaws dropped as they turned to stare at her. "What?!"
"On accident of course," Tsunade reassured. "Poisoned with perfume; has a ring to it doesn't it?"
Tenten wished she could just crawl in a hole and hide from the shame.
"Very illegal, very dangerous perfume," she continued. "Chakra infused perfume."
"Chakra; infused; perfume?" Shino managed to ask, as he attempted to pull himself into a sitting position from the floor.
"The chakra in the perfume greatly enhances the pheromones a woman produces; as soon as a male shinobi smells it, and it mixes with his chakra, they're done for. Entire clan wars have been started with the stuff. It was popular generations ago for clan heads that wanted the best match for their daughters. Instant attractive, fixation and, well,” Tsunade made a sweeping motion with her arm to the three boys. "You all know what happens."
"Guys I am so so sorry!" Tenten cried, looking at each boy in turn. "I feel terrible!"
"S'alright," Shikamaru spoke before gulping in air, still hunched on the floor.
"It is; not your fault," Shino replied, even if he didn't actually look at her.
Neji looked like he was about to say something to the same, but cut off to grab his head.
"Go home you three," The Hokage stated then. "Have a deep clean shower and go to bed. Doctors orders."
"What a drag, if I don't pass out on the way you mean," Shikamaru muttered.
"Shizune go with them," Tsunade laughed. "Make sure they get home alright."
When the three boys and Shizune stumbled their way out of the office, Sakura spoke again.
"How can we be sure no one else has been affected?"
Tsunade turned to Tenten again. "Has anyone else been chasing you like a maniac today?"
She quickly shook her head.
"Then we're good!" The Hokage smiled at her in an amused way then. "I'm going to need you to hand in that bottle as soon as possible, so we can destroy it safely."
Tenten's head fell. "Yes Hokage."
"And I'm going to need you to have a shower here so you don't affect anyone else before leaving."
Her teeth gritted in a grimace that time. "Yes Hokage."
Sakura grinned at her then, looking downright entertained. "I am so telling Ino and Hinata about this!"
Tenten hid her head in her hands and let out a pitiful, shamed, whine.