This is the first NejiTen I have ever written, so please comment and review!
Basically this is when Team Gai is fighting the fake Kisame in NARUTO SHIPPUUDEN episode 14.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of NARUTO's characters or plots or whatsoever, they belong to Masashi Kishimoto-sama.
More than a friend
"Now!" shouted Gai, as he kicked the enormous sword Samehada away from its owner Kisame. The two chuunins and one jounin leapt up into the air, Tenten using two kunais, Lee using his taijutsu and Neji his Juuken.
"Darn it!" growled Kisame. "Mizu bunshin no jutsu!" Three figures immediately rose up from the water, taking the exact form of Kisame. They easily deflected Team Gai's attacks and snarled simultaneously, "Suirou no jutsu!"
Three spheres of water mercilessly enveloped Tenten, Neji and Lee, immobilizing them.
---
"What?!" Neji gasped, but his breath was quickly stifled by the water. The jounin knew that he must conserve what little air he had, however, he was more worried for his companion Tenten. Neji used his Byakugan and saw Tenten struggling futilely against her water prison. He heard her moan, "Can't…breathe…". Neji's cold heart momentarily beat faster. His bemused subconscious wondered why. Even on the most dangerous missions, the Hyuuga genius was always calm and cool.
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"Aaah…" Tenten screamed as the water trapped her in its prison. She couldn't move and worse, she couldn't breathe. Panic started to quicken her heart as she groaned, "I…can't…breathe…" She hoped that somebody would rescue her. Tenten felt really frightened now. She had never felt so helpless in her life (except maybe that time when Temari trapped her in that cruel vortex of wind).
But she could do nothing now…Suddenly thinking of her friend Neji, she thought of her love for him and the high chance that she would never see him again…Tenten wanted to cry.
---
Gai and Kisame fought on. Seeing his beloved students trapped in the hydrosphere prison, Gai knew that his time was running short.
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"I'm almost out of my breath…" Tenten murmured. Stars swam in her eyes as she felt her head spin dizzily from the lack of oxygen. She coughed, desperate for oxygen.
---
Neji looked over at Tenten concernedly, emotion curiously flaming in his heart. "This is bad…she can't hold out much longer…" But what was this? Neji had never felt so…emotional before, especially during a mission. Neji glanced at Tenten and there was it again, that flicker of passion in his heart and that irritating, mad urge to do something to help his…teammate? No…perhaps it was something more than that…As far as he could remember, Tenten had always been with him, training with him, spending time with him and just being there for him. She was closer to him, he admitted, than Hinata-sama was. Tenten…was more than a friend to him.
"Is that…?" Lee burbled from his hydrosphere prison. There was an odd greenish glow from below them, in the mock-ocean. Then, with a roar of youth, jets of water shot up like missiles, fueled by Gai-sensei's incredible chakra.
---
"There's my chance!" thought Neji. With his Byagukan, he marked the spot where the chakra flow was lesser. The green field of yin-and-yang appeared before his eyes. "Hakke Rokujuuyon Shou!" With the amazing precision of the Hyuuga genius, he struck the area below Kisame-clone's hand, dispelling the water prison immediately. Neji attacked the other two Kisames simultaneously, freeing his teammates. "Konoha dai Senpuu!" Lee yelled youthfully and smashed the last Kisame-clone.
Leaving Lee to take care of the last Kisame-clone, Neji rushed and caught Tenten as she fell limply. He could not help noticing how soft her form was against his body, how beautiful she seemed with her eyes closed, her hair and clothes slick with water...struck with the sudden thought that Tenten might be dead, he felt his heart race in panic. But his rational brain took over and he quickly knew that Tenten would never be defeated that easily; she had been through worse before.
"Daijoubu, Tenten?" Neji's voice shook slightly with suppressed emotion.
---
A faint, caring voice called out, "Daijoubu, Tenten?" Tenten wondered where she was. It was hazy, black, but she could feel soft arms carrying her. She moaned, then opened her eyes. Neji's face swam in front of her…Wait, Neji? She hadn't drowned, then.
Tenten blinked. She saw that Neji's white eyes were unexpectedly gentle with concern. Her head was directly at his warm chest, so that she could hear his heartbeats. Tenten eyes widened, startled that Neji was holding her so closely.
Then she lowered her eyes and smiled gratefully, blushing. "Arigato, Neji."
---
The slightest hint of a grin passed Neji's lips as he lifted his companion's arm over his head to support her. Yes, he agreed, Tenten was definitely more than a friend.
——The End——
kunai — dagger used by ninjas
taijutsu — martial arts, hand-to-hand combat
Juuken — Gentle fit, a technique used to attack the opponents' chakra
Mizu bunshin no jutsu — Water clone technique
Suirou no jutsu — Hydrosphere prison technique
Byakugan — White eyes. This is the Hyuuga clan's special bloodline limit.
Hakke Rokujuuyon Shou — Eight Divinations Sixty-four Strikes
Konoha dai Senpuu — Konoha big whirlwind
Daijoubu — are you okay
Arigato — thank you