Author does not own any part of Naruto.

Welcome to chapter 4

Tenten couldn't believe the depth of Shino's eyes. His eyes were totally different than the emerald of Sakura's eyes. No, his eyes had the deep color of healthy grass, the color of wings of his bloodline; his eyes reflected his soul, caring and natural.

But the thing that surprised Tenten most was that Shino was no longer hiding behind his coat, shades, or anything for that matter of fact.

Trailing behind Shino by just a few feet, Tenten decided that she would enjoy his company on this mission. After all she had nothing to lose; she could use another friend if it meant that she didn't have to be home on Friday nights crying to herself in Hinata or Hanabi's room while Sakura stole her bed.

Taking a deep breath and shifting her luggage to her right hand, Tenten hurried her pace and landed right next to Shino.

Shino always knew his Tenten was beautiful. He pitied Neji for never noticing the Earthen Goddess that he was legally allowed to call his wife. As Shino allowed one of his bugs to land softly into Tenten's hair, he thought of ways to prolong this mission with Tenten. He knew that this might be the only time he would be able to spend time with Tenten.

When he saw her at the gates he knew he was probably blushing from bumping into her. The sight of Tenten's dirt brown hair flying around opening to spend the mission with him made Shino feel blessed.

Sensing her chakra approach him, Shino shifted himself closer to her. He knew there was no love between Neji and Tenten so he wanted to use any moment possible to provide Tenten with the love she desired. He wouldn't try to be anything that he wasn't but he would surely be a comforting figure if she needed him to. At least that was one way she could be more available to him.

"Tenten, we'll be arriving at the wagon station in a few more miles. I know that carrying all of this luggage is not convenient but I wanted to be sure that we are untraceable by our target. If we look and behave like an ordinary couple then we can keep a closer eye on him. Before heading over to the town, I want to spend a night at a local inn at the first wagon stop. I want to ask you what you know about the entire stripper business. I understand that you may be uncomfortable but it's something that we need to do," said Shino taking Tenten's luggage into his own hands and allowing her to look at him with a baffled expression.

"Shino-kun I think that's the most I've ever heard you talk," she chuckled then continued, "but yes I do need to discuss the entire stripper thing. I've never done this before and I do hope that you could give me some much needed protection. I wouldn't want my virginity stolen at a strip club." Tenten knew she shouldn't have said that. Shino didn't need to know about her being a virgin, but there was something about his aura that made her trust him.



Shino halted in his tracks. Tenten, the woman who had been married to Neji for five years, was a virgin? The woman who he thought had sex with Neji at least once or twice during their three month honey moon was a virgin.

Shino slowly turned to Tenten, who was sporting a vibrant pink, and looked for the truth in her eyes. He didn't need to search her at all as soon as he saw the blush on her cheeks. Gaining his composure, he provided her the answer she was looking for.

"Tenten-chan, there's no need to worry. I'll protect you no matter what happens. I promise that you'll only do what you want to do. You won't have to sacrifice anything for this mission," said Shino.

Tenten was touched deeply by Shino's words; he was willing to protect her even though they weren't close at all. Although she had been on various missions with him before getting married to Neji and then kept bumping into him during Rookie Nine gatherings, Shino and her were close at all. Heck Tenten was willing to bet that she had barely had a conversation longer than 15 minutes with Shino until today. But here he was willing to sacrifice this mission only so she didn't have to sacrifice her virginity.

If only Neji could think like that…

Shino wanted to voice the questions on how Tenten was still a virgin but he kept them to himself. He wouldn't disgrace her especially since he cared how she felt. If she was comfortable around him then she'd tell him herself. But Shino hoped that she would be comfortable around him soon enough because he only had a few days to spend with her.

For the remainder of the time Shino and Tenten walked to the small bus town in quiet. The conversation about Tenten's virginity was the awkward yet comforting silence. The entire fact that Tenten had even mentioned her being a virgin to Shino showed that she was starting to trust him.

Upon reaching the motel that Shino had talked about, Tenten and Shino had taken one room with one bed. This was protocol for being a couple in a relationship right?

Truth was that Tenten was never in a regular relationship. Whenever she had went on a mission with Neji, he had just gotten them separate rooms. He wouldn't even pay for her room.

As Shino settled onto the bed, Tenten looked around the room searching for another place to sleep. She couldn't possibly spend the night on the same bed with Shino. No matter how much their mission depended on it, she wouldn't get close to another man beside her husband. Even if her husband wasn't Neji, Tenten would still be faithful.

For an orphan like Tenten her virtue and faithfulness were the only things she could count on.

Tenten remembered some of the things the elderly ladies in her apartment complex talked about when she would leave early or come home late from missions.

Flashback

"I swear that girl is no kunoichi. She probably works at some whore house. I mean none of my nieces who are kunoichi ever leave so early in the morning or even sometimes at night," said the aunty with pink hair.



"She comes back with torn clothes, messy hair and looks like she hasn't slept for days. No wonder an orphan like her can afford the things she has. Those weapons that she trots around must be to get the money from the men who won't pay her after fucking her," said a red haired woman.

Tenten wiped the tears from her eyes as she walked past the two aunties and went into her apartment after having an early morning training session with Neji. No matter what these women would say, Tenten would never leave Neji to train by himself when he could train with her.

It might be unrequited love but Tenten thought that maybe one day her dedication to him would let him fall for her. Tenten thought that keeping herself pure for her husband would be a better choice then to try to pin down a man who didn't love her.

End flashback

Tenten sat on the edge of the bed and chuckled slightly to herself. Oh how she wished that she could have stayed true to her own values and have begged Neji to bed her.

Shino shifted slightly on the bed after hearing Tenten's chuckle. Gathering his courage, he leaned toward Tenten and asked her what the matter was.

"Hey Tenten I know that this arrangement isn't most convenient for you because you're a married woman and you probably don't want to be here. I just want to be a friend and be there for you when you need help," he braved himself forward and rested his hand softly on top of hers.

"So far so good, she hasn't pulled back yet," thought Shino.

"Shino-kun, the thing is that I don't know how I'm supposed to be a stripper. I know the technicalities and everything but I don't know how I'm supposed to behave. I've never been to a strip club but I think I know what I'm supposed to do," she finished saying what he wanted and then tilted her head towards Shino with a small smile.

Shino knew what to do. Smirking slightly he got up from his spot on the bed, reached into his suitcase and pulled out two pieces of red cloth and turned down the lights.

Tossing the red clothes into Tenten's hands and shoved her into the bathroom.

"Wear that underneath your clothes and don't come out until you have it on. Tonight will be your first lesson."

A/N: I swear this chapter is so boring. But I do hope to make this go faster.