Tenten looked at her sparring partner. His long brown hair had been let loose by the cut his hair tie had received. He was panting, the scattered weapons around the Kaiten crater made it apparent what they had been doing. Training. Of course, Tenten had never been able to land a hit on Neji, but he was still exhausted, which made Tenten rather proud of herself.
She then sighed, earning a sharp look from Neji as if it was against the law to sigh. She didn't know why but that scathing, rather scolding look from her teammate had made her heart beat faster. It had been beating faster when he looked at her from the first day that he was assigned in her team with Lee and Gai-sensei. If only he had returned her feelings… She mentally smacked herself. Thinking those thoughts will only make you sadder. She had told herself.
Neji finally said, "Why are you sighing?"
Tenten's face colored. He noticed! Then she realized, he wouldn't have looked at her if he hadn't noticed. Idiot! She scolded herself. Then she said, "A-Ano Neji. It's nothing."
He shrugged and then said, "I think it's enough for today." That was invitation to pick up her weapons. They had done this many other times, Tenten's poor heart beating faster as she neared Neji.
She had long ago realized that she was in love with her stoic teammate. But she would never tell him. Never. He would reject her just like Sasuke rejected Sakura, so why make things awkward between them? Ever since Gai had taken Lee under his wing, they had agreed to be sparring partners. Every so often Lee would appear at their training ground to challenge Neji.
Tenten shot a look at her teammate as she picked up one of her scythes. Neji would usually win. Why did she say usually? Because Lee had beat Neji yesterday. Yes, amazingly enough. The Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha had beaten Neji in a spar. She shook her head, Neji had been furious. Though his handsome face had remained impassive as usual, if you had known him long enough, you would've noticed how he seemed a little off when he trained, as if he was thinking about something while he should've been watching for Tenten's attacks.
She finally finished picking up her weapons and she said, "Are you okay, Neji?"
He replied with his usual answer, "Hn."
Tenten had long ago stopped rolling her eyes at his short answer. She had learned to cope. Just as she had learned to cope with these feelings that had long ago evolved into what people call Love. She sighed again as she sat against a tree, letting the shade shield her eyes from the sun. She would never tell Neji about her feelings. She stared at her ninja sandals, contemplating and having an internal battle with herself.
Should I tell him? Tenten asked herself.
No! that would make him hate you even more! Her conscious had replied.
But if I keep all these things in I'll never be able to rest. She reasoned.
And what if he doesn't return your feelings? Hmm? What then? You loose a friend and a sparring partner. Said her conscious.
Tenten sighed again. Her conscious had won the battle and the war. She would never tell Neji about her feelings. Those things she'll never say.