Tenten's Rivalry
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Life had once been easy for Tenten. She was an effortlessly talented kunoichi and had been put on a squad with the number-one rookie of her year (and long-time crush) Neji Hyuuga. As time went by, however, things became complicated. Tenten discovered for instance, that cool, aloof, and humorless were not adjectives she wanted in a potential boyfriend. That revelation, she could deal with. What she couldn't deal with, however, was a sudden, severe injury that threatened every dream she had. Or the sudden, involuntary crush on the unlikeliest person in the world.
Will Tenten manage to overcome these horrors unscathed? If so, she'd be the first teenager in the world!
Disclaimer: If I actually owned Naruto, episode 101 would have turned out MUCH differently!
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Chapter 1: The Highest Form of Flattery
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"Well, are you going to stand there all day, or are you going to fight?" demanded Neji Hyuuga, pointing a kunai at his opponent.
His opponent smirked and also poised a kunai. With one delicate flick of the wrist, the weapon was loosed and Neji's fell uselessly to the ground.
"I wouldn't threaten with one of those if I were you," Tenten advised, replacing the kunai in her holster.
"Hm," was all Neji said. They faced each other for another moment or so, each trying to wear the other down. Of course, they'd fought so often, that tactic was all but useless. Neji sighed. "Couldn't you make the first move, Tenten? Just this once? It's not like my style is anything new to you."
Tenten's smirk didn't falter. "What, disarming you didn't count as a move? Are you trying to refrain from using your Byakugan? Want to give delicate little Tenten a handicap?" And, with that, she loosed another kunai--but this time caught him off guard.
Neji caught the knife inches from his throat.
He glared at her. "Byakugan!"
"That's more like it," she smirked, preparing to loose another weapon.
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Forty minutes later, both were bloody and beat up, though Tenten experienced the brunt of it. Sure, she had improved greatly over the two years she'd been on Team Gai. But, as Neji loved to point out, he had a cool bloodline trait, she didn't, and there was nothing she could do about it. This comment was usually followed by Tenten smacking Neji upside the head. The weird thing was, Tenten was lately replacing Lee as Neji's number-one rival--as if having just ONE of those wasn't bad enough.
"It's your fate, Neji," Tenten grinned as she dabbed iodine on a gash in his leg. "You're so damn cocky, you practically demand rivalry!"
Neji's face puckered and went into full-on, death-glare mode, but he said nothing.
"There's nothing you can do about it. In fact, I'm going to be your rival, too. For all eternity!" She stood up and thrust her thumb high in the air. "And, starting tomorrow, we will finally fight to determine superiority!"
Neji snorted. "You going to get the spandex and the bowl hair-cut, too?"
Tenten sat back down. "What are you talking about?"
"You're beginning to scare me lately," he admitted. "All the random fights you pick with me, your excessive enthusiasm, the Gai-isms you're starting to use... If I didn't know better, I'd say you're starting to emulate Lee."
That shut Tenten up. In fact, it also drained all the color from her face.
"So, I'm right," Neji smirked. "You can't deny that you've changed. You haven't tried 'competing with me' until a month ago. You were actually normal when you joined this team."
Tenten looked at him, wondering vaguely if he had noticed her then. The only thing she had wanted (besides being a good kunoichi, of course) was for Neji to notice her. Of course, yearning hadn't gotten her anywhere.
Tenten turned away from him.
This seemed to affirm Neji's suspicion, because his smirk deepened. "Lee would be the first to tell you that imitation is the highest form of flattery."
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said coolly.
"And you're about as nonchalant as he is," Neji remarked, taking the iodine and bandages from her and standing up. "I'll do this myself," he added with an languid wave. "I think you're enjoying yourself far too much."
Tenten scowled at his retreating form. "Cocky bastard, as always."
Sure, she only said that in jest, but, for the longest time, Neji had had a pillar all to himself--one that no other guy could even touch, let alone surpass. Now, she wondered what she had ever seen in someone as frosty as him. Finally, Tenten hauled herself up and headed home. There was no point sitting in the middle of the training field all bruised and beaten up when Neji had just run off with the iodine and bandages.
She knew well that he wouldn't wait up for her.
He never did.
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A/N: All right, if you haven't guessed already this is a LeeTen fic. If you did guess, you get a cookie!
-Andrea
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As gently as he could, Lee lifted his teammate into his arms.
"A torn 'something' doesn't prevent me from walking, Lee," Tenten said, crossly.
"But this is good training for me!"
"Are you saying I'm heavy?!" she roared.
Coming Soon--Chapter 2: You Look Terrible!
