So Perfect

Yugao

Summary: "You're so perfect I'll bet you can't even fall in love with the wrong person." Neji reads too much into an expression.

Author's Note: I was planning out a plot for my characters in a certain RP board when that line just popped into my head – and though I'm sure I wouldn't be able to use it on that roleplay forum, I thought it'd be good for Neji and Tenten. No real reason actually, I just felt like writing an after-Christmas one-shot which I owe everyone after such a long time. And as a side note, yes I will continue those stories. If not soon, then this March. For sure.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in this story.

Her brown eyes surveyed the training area of their childhood days – kunai and shuriken dug deeply into the tree trunks, paper scrolls dotted with blood were strewn practically everywhere, and in the middle of all this was a large crater, large enough, maybe, to fit ten people. She smiled. If she didn't know better, she would have thought a cyclone had passed by, but over the years she had grown so used to this that it didn't disturb her in the least. She folded her arms across her chest, realizing that she had been looking everywhere but at him.

Tenten sighed, though not audibly. She had agreed to train with him, although he was a Jounin and she was not (at least not yet. She'd make it someday). What're friends for? Those were her exact words when she agreed – those, and a sheepish laugh for using such a cliché, overrated line. She just couldn't understand why she was so shy over this. It wasn't like her at all, since she was Tenten. She was supposed to be immune to embarrassing situations. And what made it all worse was that it was Neji. Neji, her childhood friend, and her best one at that. Shouldn't all those years they'd spent together have erased any and all possible reservations they could have had?

From the corner of her eye she stole a glance at him. He was taller now, much taller than he was the first time they'd met, when they were eight (but then that's what puberty did to people). His eyes, however, had stayed the same – perceptive, seemingly indifferent; and yet you always knew that he noticed everything. Just like he noticed her watching him, which made him turn around and look at her. The expression in those eyes wasn't one of confusion, irritation, or even mockery; he was just looking at her with that strange penetrating opalescent gaze, and suddenly she felt like he could see right through her even without his Byakugan.

Stemming the blush that very desperately wanted to show, she turned to him, plastered a bright smile on her face, and told him, "I guess nothing has changed, then," she said as she dared to take a step, two steps, three steps, toward him. Then, without thinking, she went on, "I'll bet you're so perfect you can't even fall in love with the wrong person." She had no idea where that came from, but it was too late to take it back now.

A raised eyebrow and a skeptical look. "And what's that supposed to mean?" he asked. His voice wasn't quite the same. It was deeper, lower, and just a little bit more intimidating. She had never been scared of Neji, though – scared for him, yes, but scared of him, never. Now, though, she was scared too – of what he was thinking right now, of the knowledge that he might find out exactly what she meant.

"Ah… it's just an expression, Neji," she explained matter-of-factly. That's it, pretend you're detached so that he wouldn't suspect anything, she thought wryly. "It's human error, falling for someone you're not meant for, and by saying what I did I only meant you're too perfect to be human." Somehow she managed to say all this playfully, teasingly, and hoped that Neji would just take it as a joke.

"I see."

It might have worked.

"… And who would this 'wrong person' be?" he continued.

Tenten rolled her eyes. She should've known. Neji wouldn't know a joke if it danced a jig in front of him. It didn't occur to her that the joke wasn't funny – but that was out of the question now. She decided to play along anyway, since it was apparent that he wasn't going to let up unless she did. "Well… it could be anyone," she said thoughtfully, wondering what the best thing to say would be. She didn't want to appear tactless, or odd, or anything like that. She knew perfectly well that she was in the habit of speaking before thinking, hence this rather awkward situation.

"Anyone. All right. Like..?"

She looked up at him scornfully, annoyed that he knew she was squirming and that he was still going on with this. There was a half-smile on that usually placid face of his, and it was obvious he was getting quite a lot of enjoyment out of this. She wanted to punch him just to wipe that smirk off, but she knew she'd probably miss anyway.

Hmm. Okay. Smart thing to say. Who wasn't Neji's type?

Ino? She seemed a bit whiny, something of a princess who always had to have her way all the time. She tended to complain, too. But maybe there was something about her stubborn, obstinate nature and skill when it came to her shinobi abilities that Neji would like? She wasn't sure.

Sakura? Wasn't she just the tiniest bit clingy, and wasn't she still carrying the torch for that Uchiha boy who flew the coop years ago? But then again, her intelligence and sheer strength probably made up for that. Scratch her off the list, too.

"Like… me, for example," she said, though obviously she hadn't invested enough thought in it, because that eyebrow went up again in the perpetual expression of what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about. Tenten sighed. She guessed that after a couple of years, it was high time she let it all out. Indirectly, of course. She couldn't imagine how Neji would react if she suddenly hugged him and screamed those three little words. He'd probably run all the way to Suna without looking back.

She paused a few moments before going on. "Because you're you; if we talk ninja-wise, you're a Jounin who specializes in defense and short-range offensives, while I'm a Chuunin who works better with weapons and such. If we talk personality-wise, you're the calm, ever-expressionless kind of person, while I'm probably one of the most emotionally transparent people anyone would ever get to meet. We have so little in common I can hardly believe we can actually stand each other." She looked up to see that he was still watching her, listening intently and hanging on to every word. She looked away, muffling the blush that had once again wanted to show.

"We're probably one of the best sparring partners ever, because we sort of – I don't know, complement each other? But anything more than that would be unimaginable. It's just… I don't know, wrong," she said finally. There seemed to be a touch of sadness in her voice, though she hadn't meant to sound regretful or anything like that. She managed to laugh, but it ended up sounding bitter, morose.

Tenten sighed. She told him. She told him everything. She half-wished she was one of those people who excelled at keeping their feelings to themselves, but she knew that she was partly relieved she had finally worked up the courage to spill many years' worth of emotion. She noticed that Neji still had not said anything, and a little afraid, she turned around towards him to see how he was taking all this.

When she turned, though, she realized that Neji had silently approached her. He was close, much less than an arm's length away. His eyes, pearlescent and placid, were locked with her own. Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment she knew what they meant by being breathless. Then, slowly, Neji reached out, cupped her chin with his hand, and leaned in. His lips brushed against hers, softly, for what seemed like both an eternity and a fleeting moment.

Then, just as slowly, he pulled away and turned to leave. "Just so you know, Tenten," he said before he walked away, "You're not the wrong person."

Author's Note: I think this is the first time I let characters kiss in my stories. I suck at those things, so don't kill me, please. Instead, please send me reviews and constructive criticism. Much love, and merry Christmas.