Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
Title: Eternal Rivals
Summary: Lee wasn't the only one influenced by Gai's idiosyncrasies.
Hints of Shikamaru/Temari and Neji/TenTen
Words: 1381
TenTen glared at the blond kunoichi from across the clearing. Unwittingly, a low growl began to emanate from her throat, startling both boys who were on each side of her. She paid them no mind though and kept her heated gaze solely on the older girl who was sitting under a tree with the Nara genius.
"Uhh, TenTen," Lee hesitantly spoke, and it was only until his female teammate finally tore her eyes away from the couple and onto him that he continued, "Why are we here? I thought you were going to help us with our aim."
"Hn," Neji added, which was his own way of agreeing with his energetic teammate. He didn't look it, but he too was curious as to what his more normal teammate was up to.
"Don't worry, we will as soon as I settle a score," TenTen cheerfully replied with a fake smile, in a tone that clearly meant they were never going to get around to target practice.
"What score are you talking about?" Lee asked.
If Neji had been anybody else, he would've face palmed. Though it had been over two years since the Chunnin exams, she was still sore about her harsh, loss to the Suna nin. It didn't help that the foreigner had also beat her during their second try at the exam.
TenTen let out an annoyed little grunt before answering, "The Suna bitch has two up on me. That has to change."
Lee gasped.
"TenTen! Such language is very un-youthful," he admonished.
Before she could respond, a kunai suddenly whizzed by, lodging itself deep into the tree trunk directly behind them, centimeters above TenTen's head. Looking up, she met glowering teal eyes. Instantly she was on her feet, returning the glare.
"Why the hell are you spying on us," Temari demanded, one hand resting on her hip, the other creeping to her tessan that was strapped on her back in case of a fight.
"And badly at that," Shikamaru added as an afterthought. He was standing a couple inches behind Temari with his hands in his pocket, looking extremely bored.
Neji chose not to take offense to the Nara's words. Had he really wanted to spy on them, they wouldn't have ever known.
TenTen decided not to beat around the bush.
"Sabaku no Temari, I challenge you to a rematch."
"Tch, troublesome," came Temari's oddly familiar reply.
From the corner of his eye, Neji could see Shikamaru smirking.
"Do you agree to it or not," TenTen impatiently asked. She couldn't just outright attack the sand shinobi. Their relationship with the village had been turbulent at best and it would do no one any good is she attacked the jonnin, Suna's Ambassador and the Kazekage's sister no less.
Temari leaned closer to the brunette, eyeing her wearily.
"Who are you anyway?"
TenTen froze as her right eye began to twitch. Lee and Neji both took a cautionary step back.
"What do you mean who am I?"
Temari rolled her eyes, unaware or ignoring the thickening tension in the air, the later being the best option.
"Exactly what I said you dim-witted, little leaf. Who are you to be challenging me out of nowhere?"
"Wha, da-damn you," TenTen stuttered out. "I fought you in the Chunnin exams, twice."
A look of recognition flashed in Temari's dark eyes. An arrogant smirk crept onto her face.
"Aww, I remember you now. The flashy, weapons girl, right?"
"My name is TenTen, porcupine," she huffed indigently.
"Well, TenTen, since I've already beaten you twice, I see no reason to accept your challenge," Temari haughtily replied.
Her eyes narrowing to slits, TenTen exploded, "Listen here porcupine, you may have beaten me before but that was then and this is now. No way would you ever be able to beat me now!"
"Tch, dream on little leaf. You're no challenge."
"You know what, I bet the real reason you won't accept my challenge is because you're too scared," TenTen taunted. She'd get her rematch no matter what.
Temari lost her smirk.
"Alright, if you're looking for a beating that bad, just name the place and time."
"Wait!" Lee yelled, gaining everyone's attention.
"Such animosity between allies is very un-youthful."
"In a way, Lee's right," Shikamaru sighed. "A fight between y'all could hurt the new alliance, not to mention it's troublesome."
"I guess you're stuck a loser," Temari gloated.
TenTen huffed.
"Wait, what about a healthy competition like the one between Gai-sensei and Kakashi-san to display the springtime of your youth. Y'all could compete without hurting the alliance." Lee suggested.
TenTen shrugged.
"I'm game, that is if weasel girl here is up to it."
"Oh you're on."
Both Neji and Shikamaru shook their heads in a dejected manner. This was not going to end well.
Lee on the other hand was brimming with excitement.
"Oh TenTen, I am un-youthfully jealous of you. For you now have a youthful rival just like Gai-sensei with Kakashi-san."
Had TenTen been paying attention to him, she would have been immediately put-off by his words. Though neither girls heard him, too focused on glaring at each other.
Five hours later Temari and TenTen both looked worse for the wear. Temari's clothes were disheveled and her right sleeve had been completely ripped off. There was also the marking of a rather nasty bruise forming on her left cheek. TenTen wasn't looking much better. One of her buns had completely come out and like Temari, she too was missing a sleeve, only it was her left one. And instead of a bruise, the brunette kunoichi had a split lip.
"Who-whose winning Lee," TenTen panted out, badly winded.
Lee carefully counted his fingers before answering, thinking back to all the odd competitions between the two kunoichi. One had not been enough, and so many odd tasks had come up. There had been the race around Konoha, blindfolded, the dango eating contest, the arm wrestling match, the swimming race, and various other things.
"Sorry TenTen, but the score is thirteen to eleven, with Temari at thirteen and you at eleven."
"Ha!" Temari cried victoriously.
"Uhh, this isn't over. How about a bonus round, for triple the points," TenTen snapped. There was no way she was going to let the san shinobi out due her, especially on her own turf.
"If that's what it takes to finally show you whose better, then fine," Temari sneered back.
"Name your challenge pork bun."
TenTen was stumped. She hadn't thought this through and now she couldn't think of anything else at the moment. Looking around for some inspiration, she saw both Neji and Shikamaru leaning against a couple of the nearby trees and an idea struck. It was a crazy idea and something you'd expect out of Ino and not her but TenTen didn't care, she was desperate. Besides, there was no way Temari would actually do it, and all she needed was for the Suna girl to back out first.
"Alright porcupine," TenTen said whilst yanking both geniused forward, "I challenge you to a kissing contest. Whoever lasts the longest wins."
If TenTen had been standing any closer to Temari, she would've been able to see a faint blush, creeping on her face.
"Alright, you're on."
And with that she roughly grabbed Shikamaru and pulled him forward, towards her. Not one to be outdone, TenTen did the same with Neji and before either boy could protest (not like they really were), both girls slammed their lips onto their chosen boys'.
Lee counted down the time. It was at two minutes and forty seconds that with girl finally relinquished their claim on the guys. Neji and Shikamaru were wearing matching goofy smirks, while TenTen and Temari continued their glaring match, completely ignoring the two geniuses.
"Time Lee," TenTen roughly, barked out.
"Tw-two mi-minutes and fo-forty se-seconds for bo-both of you," Lee stuttered out, finally starting to let the intense atmosphere get to him.
Temari smirked. Though they had tied this round, she was still in the lead.
"Looks like I win loser leaf," she arrogantly spoke, before grabbing Shikamaru by his arm and ordering him to show her the way back to her apartment.
"This isn't over porcupine! We're rivals from now on, eternal rivals!" TenTen exploded at Temari's retreating form.
END