Mistakes

Sasuke is trying to come up with an idea for Sakura's birthday and asks Ino for help. She gives him the perfect idea and helps him prepare for it until they do something that wasn't in the plan… (Sasusaku and Nejiten, slight Shikaino)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters.

Chapter 8: New Beginnings

They stood in silence, their gazes locked on each other's eyes. Sakura was so prepared to face Sasuke and talk to him, but now that he was actually standing in front of her, she was at a loss for words. For a moment she couldn't think of anything to say until she finally started speaking.

"Sasuke…you were here the whole time?" she spoke in a low voice. Sasuke sighed before he spoke up.

"Look Sakura, saying that I didn't enjoy that kiss would be lying…" not exactly the words she wanted to hear. "But, I can honestly say that that kiss was a mistake. I didn't mean it."

"Then why did you do it? I just don't understand. Was her kiss that great that you had to return the favour?" she tried to blink back her tears

"It was nothing like that. It's like Ino said, we got caught up in the moment." He tried to explain

"You know Sasuke I've realised that whether I'm standing with you or against you, I'm always the one getting hurt. When we were kids you rejected me everyday. You broke my heart when you left the village for three years. And I thought about you everyday you were gone, and now you do this…kissing Ino and keeping it between the two of you." she couldn't hold back her tears anymore. They slid down her cheeks as she spoke to him.

"Sakura…"

"How many times do you expect me to get hurt, and then forgive you? Because I can only take so much pain before I give up. And I think I've reached my limit, I don't know if I can do this anymore…I don't know if I have it in me to give you another chance, only to end up being hurt again." She looked away from him when she spoke her last sentence.

"Sakura I'm sorry. I really, really am. You know I would never try to hurt you…you're my only reason for living" he put his hands on her shoulders.

"No, Sasuke please don't say that to me now. I…I'm confused and exhausted and I just can't do this right now. Please just go." She pleaded for him to give her some space; she needed time to rest and time to think. He looked at her hard; she couldn't even bring herself to look up at him in the eyes. He respected her wishes and left without another word.

It was two a.m. when Sakura got into bed. She closed her eyes and tried to erase everything that happened. As she waited for slumber to take over, she felt even sadder when Sasuke was absent from her side. She felt tears sting at the corners of her eyes as she thought about him, she couldn't get him out of her head. She felt so confused, when she was with him it hurt and when she wasn't with him, it hurt even more.

The next morning arrived too quickly for Sakura; she dreamt about Sasuke the entire night and finally came to a decision. She got out of bed and walked on to the balcony to get some air. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath and enjoyed the wind that combed her short pastel pink hair. When she reopened her eyes, she felt his presence nearby.

"You can come down now." She addressed him

She turned around and saw Sasuke jump down from the roof and land at her balcony door. For a moment they stared at each other in silence before Sakura spoke up.

"Even when I tried to forget about you, you still appeared in my dreams. I just can't get you out of my head and I guess that's because I don't want you gone. Being without you is the most painful thing for me." He took a step closer to her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Look Sasuke, I'm not saying that what you did was in any way okay but I can't stand here and get angry at you for every mistake you make, that would be unfair. It's not like I don't make mistakes and giving up on you would be the biggest mistake I could ever make because I still love you." she finished and wrapped her arms around him. He put his hand under her chin and tilted her head upwards to tenderly kiss her on the lips. She leaned into the kiss as she missed having his lips against hers. Although the last time they kissed was the previous day but to her it felt like years.

It was half past eight in the morning. The sun slowly crept up the bed while Neji and Tenten were still asleep. Their breathing was in sync almost as though it was done on purpose. They truly looked like a couple asleep together on the bed. At twenty to nine Neji slowly began waking up. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around the room. It took him a few seconds to register his surroundings. He was in Tenten's room, lying right next to her on the bed. His head was against hers and his arm was around her. She had her arm over his stomach and her head was against his chest.

He was genuinely surprised at how close they moved together throughout the night. He didn't even remember falling asleep last night. He remembered carrying Tenten to her room and lying down next to her but that was as much as he remembered. He carefully sat up as not to disturb Tenten, she was still fast asleep. She looked so peaceful when she slept, a small smile grew on his face as he watched her, and he held her a little closer to him.

About fifteen minutes after Neji woke up; Tenten shifted and opened her eyes. Her cheeks flushed when she felt Neji breathe in as she realised she was asleep on his chest and saw her hand over his stomach.

"You're finally awake." He spoke up. She could feel him smirking at her.

"Yeah, and I slept so comfortably." She looked up at him then sat up and faced him. "And it turns out I wasn't the only one that enjoyed how they slept. I felt your arm around me and I felt you hold me tighter twenty minutes ago." She smirked at him. He raised an eyebrow.

"You're the one that asked me to stay last night after I carried you here."

"I didn't mean the whole night. I just wanted you to stay until I fell asleep again. You could have left then." She stated

"Actually I couldn't."

"And why not?" she asked

"Because that's when you fell asleep against me and put your arm around me." His smirk grew wider when he saw her blush.

"What are you trying to say Neji?" she raised her eyebrow at him

"I'm saying that you have feelings for me." He leaned in closer

"And if I said 'yes Neji, I do have feelings for you' what would you do?" she leaned in as well

"This…" he pulled her in and passionately kissed her. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt him wrap his arms around her waist. Tenten groaned in delight as she leaned into the kiss and felt the wonderful sensation of kissing him wash over her. If there was one thing she had always wanted, it was to kiss Neji Hyuuga and there she was doing it the privacy of her bedroom. She hungrily kissed him for her lips had longed for the feeling of his against hers for too long.

After what seemed like an eternity of kissing they finally separated and looked into each other's eyes, still in the embrace of each other's arms.

"I guess this means that you have feelings for me too." She smiled at him

"I'd be crazy not to have feelings for someone as amazing as you." his reply made her blush

"As long as were on the subject…I never thought in a million years that you would have feelings for me. I mean I always hoped you did but never believed you did. I always thought that I didn't deserve you."

"Why would you think that?" he asked

"Because, you're a genius, the Neji Hyuuga and I'm…" she trailed off

"A brilliant and amazingly skilled kunoichi. I couldn't ask for a better partner even if I wanted to." He finished off for her before he took her hand and kissed it. She wrapped her arms around him.

"You're just too perfect sometimes, you know that?" she spoke up before she chuckled

"Only when I have you with me." He responded

Tenten felt indescribably euphoric now that she had Neji with her. She felt unworthy of him at times but he simply reminded her that she was the most important person to him and she would instantly smile. She was truly grateful that she had someone like him in her life.

As time went by the relationship between Neji and Tenten developed to a point that they eventually told their friends that they were dating. Everyone had seen it coming for they had noticed that they were always together for most of the day. Although they weren't like the usual young couples, they didn't walk hand in hand for the whole world to see. If there was one thing that stood out about Neji Hyuuga it was that he was a private and intimate person. He didn't put his arm around her in public; he would rather kiss her forehead as she slept against him when they were alone together. They had the best moments behind closed doors.

And as for Sasuke and Sakura, it took time but they managed to get back to where they were. Sakura really loved him and refused to give up on him no matter what. They both trusted each other and spent a lot of time together. For her next birthday—instead of planning something with someone else, which almost lost him his girlfriend in the first place—he took her for moonlit pic-nick.

Things seemed to return to normal in The Village Hidden in the Leaves although there were a few changes. A few fights here, some new couples there and some romance in the air. There were times of laughter and times of sadness, luckily there was always a shoulder to cry on. The new dynamic of the young Konohan's couldn't have happened without a few…mistakes.