Title: Embrace
Series: Naruto
Genre: Action/Romance
Character Pairing: Deidara and Tenten
A/N: I gave the story a makeover since I wasn't pleased with it. New chapters are coming:-)
Chapter One: Mission Start!
Rain was pouring hard that day; it was silent in the gloomy forest, apart from the constant sound of the falling rain descending from the incredibly dark clouds that floated in the sky. The forest was only a few miles outside of the village known as Konoha, the village hidden in the leaves. The forest seem empty, there were two shinobi out there. Those two were Tenten and Neji.
The two were assigned to a mission. They had to pick up a document in a lodging town near-by; they weren't told what the document held. Only that it was more valuable than their lives. 'It's probably just some village secrets…' Tenten had commented as they began their mission. Rock Lee had to stay behind, for he was already on another mission with Gai, they wouldn't be back for a couple of months, three at the least.
Neji and Tenten leapt from tree to tree, they hurried because they were almost at their destination. "Tenten, we're here," Neji announced with his usual tone. Tenten nodded, she grew tired of going on missions every day. She hadn't had a break in a year. "Alright," she answered, "we got here pretty early."
"It's better than being late." Neji paused and jumped off of the tree he stood on. Tenten followed and caught up with Neji, who was already being allowed to go through the village gates.
'Man ... what's the big hurry!?' Tenten thought as she walked at a quicker pace to be parallel to Neji.
Once the two had picked up the document, they didn't bother spending the night at the village, the two headed off into the forest towards Konoha again. Tenten felt soreness in her leg. Neji sped up and hopped from tree to tree. It'd be a few more days before they arrived back at home.
It was already midnight. Neji suddenly paused. Tenten, shocked and afraid of crashing straight into Neji, slipped on a branch and landed on the ground below. Neji jumped down by the fallen Tenten.
"I sense another's presence…," Neji whispered, "…someone is watching, Tenten." Tenten sat up, her eyes sagging shut. She quickly opened them halfway and nodded.
"O-okay…you see…Byakugan..?" Tenten managed to say. Neji glared at Tenten angrily.
"Tenten, this isn't the right time to be sleeping!" He hissed. "We must attack now o--" he was cut off as shuriken came whizzing by him. Tenten widened her eyes and gasped. Neji moved by her side.
"I'll put the document in your backpack," he assured and stuffed it in there. Tenten nodded and tried to sit up, but she felt the horrible pain returning to her legs. Neji didn't offer to help her up and disappeared into the forest, expecting Tenten to follow.
"N-Neji…wait--…!" she called, her voice stuttering. She held her backpack with both arms and clutched tightly to it. 'Oh, no…not a ninja's assault at this time, it can't be..!' she thought as she looked around nervously. The pain in her leg continued, she glanced at her ankle and gasped quietly; she saw a wound that she hadn't noticed before.
At that moment Neji returned, he had certainly fought with someone, it was obvious to Tenten. He turned towards Tenten, who was twenty yards away. "Tenten, it's the Akatsuki!" he warned.
"My leg, I can't move it's too painful," Tenten told him. Neji ran towards Tenten, but before he got to her, something or someone got to her before he did.
