Story Title: Anesthetic
Chapter Title: First Kiss
Fandom: Naruto
Author: Gnist
Rating: M - for language, mature themes.
Pairings: Tenten/Itachi
Warnings: Mature Themes, Language, Crack Pairing, Slight Plot Warping (Age)
Summary: A small part of what was once a grand fanfiction, with many other characters, romances, emotions, and plots involved. My attempt at tackling the rarely seen Tenten and the rarely understood Itachi. /Fail D:

"Life is pain and the enjoyment of love is an anesthetic."

-Cesare Pavese (Italian Poet, Critic, Novelist and Translator, who introduced many modern US and English writers to Italy. 1908-1950)

--- First Kiss

Act I

He stumbled on her by accident, swinging slowly back and forth in the hammering rain. It was an peculiar thing, but certainly not the most bizarre he'd experienced. The rain was cruel and he could not perceive anything but her white blouse sticking horribly to her skin, and her hair drenched to her face. When he asked her what was wrong, she gave him a weird speech about how everyone she loved left, or she'd abandoned them because absurdly that's what she'd known. So even when she cared, all she did was cause herself or others agony.

Then she kissed him, and griped his face like it was the only thing keeping her breathing and alive (later, he'd scrutinize the marks left and his mind would go blank). It was not like he'd imagined his first kiss, cold and almost frightening (and much to late). But through her rough lips he felt the need and desire to be loved by someone, and was left only wanting to give it to her. His umbrella lay twirling in aimless circles on the mud a few feet away while the rain and grim drenched his back.

He was nineteen, and she was sixteen. They never learned who the other was, or cared to. Tenten effectually brushed it off as a horrific character choice on her behalf. Ultimately chalking it up as a impulsive time in her life.

Uchiha Itachi, only reminisced it as his first real experience with a girl. The female race had never particularly captivated him; from what he'd witnessed only pain came from attaching himself to the opposite sex. It never proved to benefit his pursuit for power, yet afterwards he found the places where the nameless girl's fingers dug into his cheeks to burn when a exceedingly desperate female came his way. Every so often he found pleasure in their companionship. It had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact she had accidentally awaken years of pint up adolescent desire.

--- First Kiss

Act II

It was funny that Tenten had crossed paths with a criminal she'd been trailing with her team and Kakashi's and was nix the wiser about it. Or that, she'd found console for the loss of her mother in a man that had massacred his own. In the two months of unspoken grieving that followed she eventually confessed to Rock Lee of what had occurred the night the weapon specialist bolted from the funeral. The ninja had been staying with her comrade at his insistence.

She's sworn him to secrecy, which he took as a indication to begin a long and drawn out speech about the honor of his word and blah, blah, blah.

She was only glad that Neji had not been around for it all. Although they'd all become undeniably close in the years since the Academy, Lee took emotions much better than the Huuga. She had a terrible feeling in her heart that he's be disgusted by her actions. The Green Beast turned out to be an awesome confidant that she'd regularly go to with her troubles.

--- First Kiss

Act III

Unlike Itachi, Tenten developed her romantic side much more normally. It was on the one year anniversary of her mother's passing that the Huuga finally worked up the courage and pushed down his pride to ask the brunette on a formal date. The town buzzed with the rumors of the two: Huuga would ask for her hand, Tenten was actually pregnant and Neji was the father, Tenten had broke Lee's heart by agreeing to the date, and so on (most of which was the causing of one spiky haired prankster).

He was formal, charming, and very prince like (something Tenten would usually see as arrogant) and he stole her heart.

And all the time Itachi found comfort in the arms of a pitiful teenager who's only real pain was her parents love of rules; but she was so damn convincing that it was the worst pain in Suna, that he just had to remove all of his clothes.

While Tenten enjoyed her first 'official' kiss, Itachi had yet to have his. He rather disliked kissing, but enjoyed them scratching at his face, cheek, and jaw. He disliked eye contact, talking, and gentleness. She confined into Lee afterward, sparring no detail of the 'night that took to long to happen'.

When Kisame inquired about Itachi's night, he simply grunted. The shark like man went on to explain the wonderful time he has slaying some peasants, and Itachi only curled his lip in distain.

/End Chapter One

Next Chapter: The Kill Instinct

So much should have been said in this that I took out. I rather dislike writing a overly long opening chapter. Feedback is very welcome and wanted. I'm not sure if I like the fact that I've cut this story so, but find it was originally too big a project to work on alone. I tried simplifying it.