Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

False Confessions, Secret Intentions

Chapter Four: Tenten's Charming Prince!

Tenten was breathing hard. Sasuke's lips were getting closer and closer.

What should I do? What should I do? I—I—

Oh, yes! The kiss, at last!

Tenten was simply too shocked to even think about what her flirty self said. In her panic she put up her hands and jumped away. Sasuke looked at her.

"S-Sorry," Tenten said quickly. "I, uh, I'm not feeling well, and I…I think that I might have a cold, and I don't want to give you my germs!" she certainly hoped the lame excuse worked.

"…" Tenten felt Sasuke's eyes on her. He was about to say something when…

…she suddenly she felt a rush of air, a very slight one. She didn't see Sasuke. She saw Neji's back.

Sasuke looked angry now. He took a step back and Neji stepped beside Tenten.

"I…apologize, Uchiha, for any inconveniences…but I have some…urgent business with Tenten."

"…none taken." Tenten noted that this sounded as if forced.

"…now, if you would please excuse us…" Neji grabbed Tenten's hand in a death grip and began to drag her away. Sasuke turned, and then looked back at them. His expression read: Dangerous kitty sulking from a temper-tantrum. Do not approach.

"N-Neji," Tenten protested. She had had enough of Neji for today. "What in the world…I can walk by myself, you don't have to drag me…where are you taking me…Neji!"

Neji eyed her, and stopped momentarily. Tenten breathed a sigh of relief.

"Tha—UUWWWWAAA!!"

Neji had gone and, in an instant, picked her up bridal-style. Tenten blushed a bright crimson.

"Neji, what in the world are you doing—"

"You said earlier that you were woozy. I do not think that it is fit for you to go out while you may possibly be ill."

"I-Ill?! I'm fine, now put me down!"

"I have also judged that you are unfit to walk by yourself. For example, you showed many signs of weakness and even a case of collapsing today."

"Okay, just listen to me already!"

"And I am taking you back to your place. Is that not where you were headed?"

"Well, uh, yeah, but—hey!"

"And also…I have also judged that you may not be well enough to stay by yourself. I will stay with you, for the night."

"Okay, stop having a one-sided conversation with yourself, already!"

"Hm?" Neji stopped and looked down at Tenten, whose face was red with fury.

"PUT ME DOWN!"

"No." Neji continued to walk. Tenten looked at him and sighed. There was no arguing with Hyuga Neji. She would let herself be carried like this a little longer.

I did not do that to interrupt Uchiha and his kiss. I am not carrying her in case Uchiha comes to get her so that we can escape quickly. I am not going to stay at her place because I don't want Uchiha going and making a "surprise" midnight visit.

Did Neji want to interrupt that kiss? Well, actually, I wanted someone to interrupt it…and, uh, he's never carried me like this before…and…stop thinking about that. But…DOES HE WANT TO STAY AT MY PLACE BECAUSE OF…BAD THINGS?! Tenten thought with increasing horror. No way…no way…Neji's not like that…but you don't really know his…private life, now do you? I don't…but…this only made Tenten more nervous and shaking.

But on the other hand…this seems…very princely.

This continued for a while—Tenten remained quiet in Neji's arms as he walked. The sky was dark, and there was only a little wind to rustle the trees, and the sky was clear and the moon shone through.

"Oh." Tenten suddenly remembered. "You said there was urgent business. What was it?"

"…" at least Neji had come up with a back-up plan. Sort of. "Tsunade-sama wants to meet with the team tomorrow."

"…Tomorrow."

"Yes, I said tomorrow. At 8:00."

"If it's tomorrow, why couldn't you have told me then? It's not like we have to travel a long ways to get to Tsunade's office."

"…I wanted you to be well-prepared?" even Neji sounded awkward.

"Ha, ha. Very funny. That's the lamest excuse I have ever heard. But…never mind…" the two had reached Tenten's door. Neji gently let Tenten down, and she opened the door and walked inside. It was pitch dark until she flipped the light switch, and Neji followed.

Tenten snuggled pleasantly into her covers. It was cozy, and she felt totally relaxed. Well, except for one thing.

"Neji," Tenten said irritably. "Will you stop watching me? I can't get to sleep with your eyes glued on me."

"…" no reply.

"Fine, then." Tenten flipped over and tried to focus on counting sheep and then butchering them with kunai. But she could still feel the icy stare from the prodigy sitting on the chair on the other side of the room. Jeez. Does he ever sleep? Tenten sighed, and after about counting to 127, 316 sheep and a lot of butchered sheep, she finally managed to get to sleep.

Tenten woke woozily and stared ahead of her. Then she stared at the clock. That certainly woke her up quickly.

"8-8:00?!" Tenten got up, sped to the shower, hastily put on her clothes, put her hair in buns, tied on her hitai-ate, and rushed out the door.

"I am so sorry, Tsunade-sama! Sorry, sorry!"

"Calm down, Tenten. That doesn't matter—after all, your teammates aren't coming in. Lee and Gai went on some training expedition and won't be back till later today and Neji is…he said he was busy."

"Busy?" Tenten said blankly. Well, he wasn't there when I woke up…so he must have gone back home sometime in the night…

"So you will have to inform them later of this mission. The mission…" Tsunade began, "is to protect a wealthy nobleman who says he will pay a generous amount. He informed us that he may be hunted, and he wishes to be safe. He is to be escorted from the Sea Country to the Tea Country."

Tenten nodded.

"You will be sent with another team…Team Kurenai."

"…two teams? Why, Tsunade-sama?"

"It is questionable to exactly what the man's enemies are planning, and since this is a nobleman it would be classified as of higher ranking than mere commoners."

"…I see."

"When your teammates are able, please bring them to my office—I wish to give the mission officially."

"Yes!" Tenten nodded and was preparing to leave when she saw Sasuke walk through the door.

"Tenten."

"H-Hello, S-Sasuke."

Sasuke eyed the Hokage through lidded eyes. "I was just wondering what Neji's…urgent business was, last night. I assumed that it was a mission. I suppose so. After all, he did cut our date short."

"Date?" Tsunade asked with a hint of surprise. "You two are dating?"

"It's…uh…it's…Tsunade-sama…it's…don't misunde—"

"Yes. We are dating."

"Hm…hm…that is…interesting, is it not?" Tsunade remarked. She sounded almost amused. "Well, let me change what I have just said…Uchiha Sasuke! Please inform your teammates that Team Kakashi will be going on a mission with Team Gai. Team Kurenai will be given a mission elsewhere."

"B-But, Tsunade-sama…" Tenten stammered.

"Do not question my orders!" Tsunade said sternly. Tenten looked at her, nodded, and quickly walked out of the room. Tsunade was secretly giddy with herself—she really pulled off the commanding tone well. Sasuke nodded at this as well and left.

"Tsunade-sama…was that necessary?" Shizune asked, stepping up beside Tsunade's desk.

"…in a way. That prodigy needs someone in his life."

"…Sasuke?"

Tsunade turned toward Shizune, and her eyes had a knowing feeling to them.

"I wasn't necessarily talking about Sasuke, now, was I?"

"…at last." Tenten sighed with relief. She had felt Sasuke's presence for several blocks, and she assumed that she had finally lost him. She put a hand to her forehead. She now had a dull ache in her head—probably a result of many stressful situations. She still blushed furiously when she remembered that…she searched for a word…humiliating experience.

How dare he go and carry me all the way home! Tenten thought furiously.

Hm? I don't see what you're so worked-up about, flirty-self said. I'm just disappointed there was no action. It was downright boring!

…but…T-Tenten-chan is s-so b-brave! I'm s-sure she could h-have done i-it!

..pff. She's such a loser at this sort of thing!

I-I'm s-sure T-Tenten-chan could h-have t-taken N-Neji-san and b-beaten h-him!

…huh? When did you get so…eh?

…it is not talking about the inappropriate things that often fill your head, flirt-sama, Tenten thought dryly.

..hm? Oh, poor you! You thought I was talking about training and fighting, weren't you! So simple. So simple.

…s-simple…?!

Yeah, COWY-CHAN!

Hey. Stop that. I've got enough of a headache as it is without you guys starting a fight up there.

S-SO M-MEAN!

Cha, cha, Cowy-chan!

U-UUWHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

Hee, hee, Cowy-chan's crying!

I hate my inner selves.

Che, che!

I hate you most, annoying flirt-sama.

I know!

"Tenten?" Tenten was once again jolted out of her inner arguments by a familiar voice.

"I—It's you!!" Tenten shouted in panic.

"…you've forgotten my name already?" Neji asked dryly. Inside…

…she's angry at me. She's…well, I did avoid meeting her at Tsunade's office…no. I didn't do that. I had urgent training to do. Very important.

Kid…you sure know how to do it, don't you? Yes, insult a girl's feelings, then avoid her…then go and pull some other insulting comment…

N-Neji-k-kun…

"H-Hmph!" Tenten said, disgustedly. He was a main source of her headache

today—she didn't owe him any favors, and she could be as disrespectful as she wanted.

Neji ignored this. "I saw you walking with Uchiha. Tenten. He…" Neji paused.

He is not good for you. I am. Dump him and marry me, the flirty self suggested.

"He is…you shouldn't meet with him," Neji ended at last, apparently finding nothing to express his feeling.

"…meet with him?" Tenten said slowly. She looked sad a moment. Neji's insides were flipping like pancakes.

Did I do something?! …it'd be bad if she went sobbing on me. But Tenten's not like that…

Yeah, kid. And after you pull the insulting comment, tell her not to go out with a certain guy and order her to go out with you! Great.

D-Do you h-have this s-situation under…control, Neji-k-kun?

I do!

Tenten looked up at him, then exploded.

"Neji, what makes you think you have the right to go and control MY life under YOUR rules! I can go out with whomever I like! Just because YOU don't like it doesn't mean I can't meet with him! And why are you so unhappy because I'M going out with him?! YOU AREN'T!"

"…he's not good for you." Neji said, with a small but of meekness in his voice.

"G-Good? Like, candy isn't good for your teeth! And rocks aren't good emergency weapons! Well, can you think of anything else? Anything better to say besides, 'Oh, Tenten, I don't like it that you're going out with so-and-so. It'll reduce the amount of time I use in shortening your life with nonstop training.' WELL, I'M SO SORRY, HYUGA-SAMA! YOU'RE AN IDIOT, HYUGA-SAMA, AN IDIOT!"

"Tenten, stop acting like that and—"

Tenten was already running away before he finished his sentence.

Huh. Got the 'situation under control', eh, kid? Jeez. Is that lame. After telling her not to go out with some guy, she bursts out at you and dumps you.

…Neji-kun?

Shut up. Neji started walking away sulkily.

With Tenten…

Tenten was seething and she stalked through the streets of Konoha.

Hey, you, Tenten, stop! Go apologize to the guy! You went and burst out for no apparent reason—he's just showing concern for you!

R-Right, T-Tenten-chan!

SHUT UP, BOTH OF YOU!

Tenten…this isn't like you. Is it something about that…guy?

NO! HE'S A STOIC, UNEMOTIONAL JERK WHO GOES AND DOES WHATEVER HE PLEASES 'CAUSE HE'S A "PRODIGY!" WHO CARES ANYTHING ABOUT THAT!

T-Tenten-chan…

Get out.

No can do. The toll's five hundred ryou and we're broke.

Then shut up.

No can do. We're here to make your life—

—a living nightmare?

…not exactly.

You are. Shut up, go in a corner, and stay there.

…hmph. Miss Cranky-Pants…

Miss Annoying Flirty-Pants.

Well, don't call for us when you find out how much you miss us! Ungrateful…let's go, Cow-self!

…o-okay…g-get better s-soon, T-Tenten-chan…

Tenten oddly didn't feel any better once her inner selves had gone. But it didn't matter. A couple kids from the Academy who were roasting marshmallows on her seething self were immediately chased away by millions of weapons.

"Tenten! Youthful flower! Why are you acting so un-youthfully today?"

"…" Tenten turned, coming face-to-face with Lee. He looked as happy and youthful as ever. She smiled evilly.

"Tenten?"

"I needed something to release all of my anger on. HYAH!" with all of her strength and fury, Tenten punched Lee into the air.

"T-Tenten! W-Why, why did you do such a horrible thin…" his voice faded off into the distance.

"That's better." Tenten turned and was about to walk more, when someone caught her arm.

"Tenten, I've been looking for you."

"…Sasuke." Tenten turned. "What do you want? I've released all of my anger now—I can't use you as a punching bag."

"…" Sasuke eyed the still-flying Lee. "Is something the matter?"

Tenten looked at him, and remembered. "…yeah."

"…what?"

Tenten stepped closer and then seized the front of Sasuke's shirt, and pulled him toward her. Even Sasuke was surprised. Then she put her lips on his, and after a couple seconds, she released him and muttered, "Sorry." Then she went and began walking away, whistling happily.

Sasuke eyed Tenten. "What's wrong with her…?" and touched his lips with a twitching eyeball. "And I thought it was the boy who usually made the first move…" he sighed and began walking away.