Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
A/N: This one was a challenge fic that I took on solely out of boredom; the sad thing is, I don't remember who the challenger was. -.-;
WARNING: Onesided TsuTen (YES, I went there), non-physical shojo-ai.
Ahkay, here we go..
Idol
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When Tenten hears that Lady Tsunade is set to become the Fifth Hokage soon, she almost passes out.
Tsunade. The Tsunade. The Sannin, the legend who has been inspiring kunoichi-the weapons mistress among them-for years. She is Tenten's idol, her ultimate goal.
Life, the brunette decides, cannot possibly get any better than this.
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The Godaime gives her speech on the day she is inaugurated, as is tradition; she speaks to all the people of Konoha with impressive volume.
Tenten is furious because she somehow got stuck near the back of the amassed crowd; even though she got out of bed at an inane hour, she still got relocated in favor of Chunin and Jonin, and now finds herself here.
She can't see Tsunade's face. It's enough to make her want to pull out a kunai and stab someone.
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She's wandering the training grounds near the Hokage residence, attempting to hunt down Guy-sensei and ask about something, when she catches a glimpse of the Slug Queen for the first time.
She knows the woman is old; she is a Sannin, after all. But nobody would guess solely by looking. Tsunade is blonde and her eyes seem to sparkle even at a distance, but there's still an obvious air of wisdom and power around her, an air that's basically palpable.
Tenten's question, along with her original intent, are quickly forgotten as she crouches behind a bush-the better to stare unabashedly and not get caught.
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One of her dreams, one she didn't even know she had, is shattered without her knowledge.
It's only a week after the fact, when she hears an excited Sakura breaking the news to Ino, that she is inadvertently told.
Lady Tsunade has taken a protégé. But it isn't Tenten; it's Haruno Sakura.
The brunette doesn't falter in her step; she keeps walking until she finds her beloved, worn, tattered targets. As if in a daze, she pulls out every weapon in her arsenal-kunai, shuriken, bombs, even senbon (which she has always disliked for their apparent harmlessness-she likes a weapon that looks like a weapon, simple and straightforward) and throws without aiming.
The training ground is alive with bangs and thuds and when the dust clears, she has successfully demolished every single target.
I should have asked. I should have said something.
But she was too scared. Rejection is a terrifying thing, no matter the request.
This is what comes when you procrastinate. It becomes too late.
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She practices hard and aces the Chunin exams the second time around.
The label means little to her; she's never been one to put a lot of stock in titles and such. But the Hokage congratulates each new Chunin with that knowing, thin-lipped smile, and when she reaches Tenten the weapons-mistress feels like her heart is about to leap out of her chest.
"Well done," Tsunade murmurs, her grin widening by a fraction, and she moves on before Tenten can gather enough of her wits to speak.
Two words. Two little words that her mind will ecstatically mull over while her body calms down.
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It's a crush; she knows this by now. She's not stupid.
She doesn't make a big deal about it; after all, she was already thinking about the blonde woman far too much to be normal, so this realization hardly changes anything. She understands her feelings and their implications, and leaves it at that.
She wasn't planning on saying anything, anyway.
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She takes the Jonin test at 17.
She fails abysmally.
The humiliation merely strengthens her resolve. She'll prove herself, and with any luck she'll hear those two little words again.
Hard work follows, so strenuous that the usually stoic Neji makes regular stops at her otherwise empty home to check and make sure she hasn't passed out; and even the enthusiastic Lee with his 'can't train too much' mantra can't help but worry a little.
After a year and a half, she feels more than ready. At 19, she takes the test again.
She passes with flying colors.
And her ulterior motive succeeds as well; Tsunade sends her a brief smile and gives away three more treasures: "Excellent work, Tenten."
She said my name.
Tenten floats home.
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She moves up through the ranks moderately quickly after that, setting the bar higher and higher until she finally hits the ceiling: as a 22-year-old Anbu operative, Lady Tsunade makes a monumental offer.
"I was wondering if you'd like to be my new bodyguard."
The tone is casual. Tenten feels her jaw drop and is glad of the animal mask hiding her face. Questions spill out of her mouth like water, slipping through her fingers as she tries to hold them in.
"Why? Why now?"
Tsunade doesn't so much as blink. "My old bodyguard was recently injured in battle," she replies. "He isn't fit for shinobi work anymore; I'll be impressed if he can walk." A sigh, then a continuation. "I chose you because you have an impressive record-nearly perfect marks on the Jonin exam three years ago, progression to Anbu two years later, all at such a young age. And I've seen that you have remarkable prowess, especially in weapons use. Simply put, you're very skilled. So will you accept the job?"
Absolutely. Of course. You don't even have to ask. That won't do. She keeps her composure. "I'd be honored, Lady Fifth."
Tsunade half-smiles. "The honor is mine."
Tenten blushes, once again grateful for her mask. She bows her way out of the room and thinks, If anyone wakes me up, I'll kill them.
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Nobody lives forever; she knows this too.
The Godaime, Fifth Hokage of Konohagakure and last of the legendary Sannin, died protecting the village from invasion. Tenten was 30 years old.
The funeral ended and people drifted away, to discuss trivial things like 'what-if's or important matters like 'who will inherit the title'.
In the end, only one person remains by the headstone, kneeling next to it until day gives way to night and night drifts into daytime again. A skilled kunoichi with strong arms and saddened brown eyes, looking off into the distance as she contemplates her own set of bitter 'what-if's.
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A/N: -nervous laughter- Holy mother of crapbiscuits, I can not believe I actually wrote that. And me rarely one for yuri..huh. Well, there's my contribution to the ever-growing list of utter crack pairings. Hopefully you enjoyed.