Training dragged until dusk. Neji slipped out on schedule—nighttime Bagua practice waited. Guy and Lee vanished to sweat elsewhere.
Only Ayato and Tenten remained.
They'd planned to wrap when Neji and Lee did, but Tenten had emptied her scrolls. Cleanup = hours. Ayato volunteered. Guy and Lee waved—someone's got it—and bounced. (Normally the squad pitched in; normally Tenten didn't nuke the field.)
Ayato scavenged shuriken across the grass. Tenten sat cross-legged, sealing tools one by one.
Half an hour behind schedule, they finally headed into the village side-by-side.
"You summon mid-fight—why seal them back manually?"
Tenten fidgeted, trailing half a step. "Summoning burns more chakra. If I re-seal by summon, I'm empty for tomorrow's mission."
Ayato nodded sagely. Makes sense… for normal people. His reserves never hit zero—even with nightly bloodline experiments.
"You, though," Tenten glanced up, "fought all afternoon and still look fresh."
"Guess I'm just gifted at taijutsu."
"Ugh. Jealous. I crash hard after training. Lee and Neji? They go home and keep going. Bottomless stamina."
"Eat more, refuel. My treat!" Ayato declared, already marching.
"No—no need—" Tenten flailed in classic anime rejection pose. Cute.
"Payment for weapons lessons." Tone: final.
Both orphans, both with fat inheritances. Tenten usually grabbed quick bites alone—team meals were rare.
Head down, cheeks pink, she followed.
Akamichi BBQ – Wall Booth
Ayato claimed a corner table, patted the bench beside him. Tenten obeyed like a puppet—zero resistance. She could afford steak, sure, but defaulted to convenience store onigiri.
Menu handed over. "Order anything."
"You pick—I'm easy." She nudged it back.
"Two of every combo. Add more if needed."
He could solo one set. Ninja appetites are legendary.
"Drinks?"
"Juice."
Tenten exhaled. Thank god—no awkward underage sake debate.
Waiting for Meat
"Your skills are solid. Why no team?"
Ayato shrugged. "Don't know the system. Don't want missions anyway."
"Even without assignment, strong genin can recruit at the mission desk. Rack points, hit chunin, form your own cell."
War left gaps—teams poached talent. Ayato would be snapped up.
"Solo = more training time."
Tenten nodded, topic dead. Family questions = landmine in post-war Konoha.
Meat arrived—salvation. She manned the grill, slow and graceful.
Ayato watched. Elegant.
"Where do I buy portable training weights? The good kind."
"Ninja beast clans sell them. Some families craft their own—like Hyuga."
Beast contract = nope. Hyuga = pricey.
First batch sizzled. Ayato plated three slices onto her dish. "Try the signature. My favorite."
"I've had it—delicious." Tiny dip of sauce, dainty bite.
Before she finished—second helping.
"Hey? Ayato?"
Shikamaru loomed, mid-bite at the next table.
"Small world."
"Feeding people again?" Shikamaru clocked the meat transfer—eyes widened.
Ayato treating folks? Normal. Ayato treating a girl? Suspicious. Ayato feeding a girl? Code red.