Thanks for waiting and reading this. I'm trying to make the chapters longer, so it takes time. And please, please, if you like it leave a comment, you can't imagine how happy that makes me.

CHAPTER 8

A couple of months passed, and the hot weather of the town began to transform into a cold that was not typical of the Region of Fire. During all this time Kakashi and Neji continued instructing the band of Kazuo. They were not very bright, so they learned slowly. Kakashi easily gained the confidence of Kazuo and the rest of the band, but Neji wasn't as lucky as him. Most of the men hated him. One reason was because Neji did nothing to please them. On the contrary, he acted with the typical superiority of someone who isn't afraid of anything, not even a whole gang of criminals, and that pissed them.

The other reason was that Neji was becoming the favorite of Kazuo. He was the only one who had a similar age to him, and apparently they understood each other well. In addition, the girls they liked had become friends, so sometimes the four of them hang out together.

Tenten was still forbidden to leave home alone, so many days Neji accompanied her to Hitomi's store, were she helped her and talked about trivial stuff. Kakashi's plan was to strengthen their covers, so during that time they acted normally and didn't speak about the mission.

The relationship between Tenten and Neji didn't advance. After gaining the trust of Kazuo his men stopped spying them, so their physical contact decreased (much to Tenten's dismay). Moreover, Neji kept blushing all the time and he got nervous when she insinuated something, so Tenten decided to go back and give him more time. She knew it was difficult for him and didn't want to force him. Neji wasn't oblivious of this, so with small gestures he tried to demonstrate his appreciation. Occasionally he bought her the food that she liked, and always remembered every little peculiarity about that. As for example, he never forgot to put sesame seeds to the chicken, as she loved it, and always ordered half of the pizza without anchovies. Whenever she felt powerless he prepared her a revitalizing tea, even when she didn't complain about her tiredness. She didn't care how he proved his feelings, because somehow they reached her, so she was happy that way. But it's true she was dying for a little more contact, so she didn't complain when Kazuo man decided to spy on them again. Because of that Kakashi met Neji and Tenten at midnight in their home, in order to assess the situation.

"Neji, I heard a group of them talk about you this morning." he said sitting on the coach next to Tenten "They were complaining about you more than usual."

"And?" he replied from the kitchen where he was preparing tea.

"They don't trust you, and therefore, neither us." he waited for him to bring the tea and sit down "So, disobeying Kazuo, they decided to spy on us, again."

"What?! Why?!" exclaimed Tenten.

"It's my fault..." Neji buried his face in his hands. He was clearly not used to screw a mission, so he felt very shamed.

"That's not true. You played your role quite well. For god's sake! You gained Kazuo's trust in less than three months!" Kakashi took a sip of the cup and added "So well that now they hate you and want to eliminate you."

Neji sighed, this whole situation was starting to affect him. Although he was a ANBU, he was not used to spy missions. Acting is not his thing. Tenten and Kakashi are very good at this, but he not. He couldn't understand how Naruto chose him for this mission.

"What if you tell Kazuo you feel spied upon?" suggested Tenten looking at him. He was still with the head down, and continued that way until he had an idea.

"No...no...this is good" Neji raised his head and smirked "This is very good. If we told Kazuo that, he might suspect as well. However, if we act as if nothing was wrong and strengthen our cover as they spy us, eventually they will assume we are telling the truth. This is our chance to finally gain their trust."

Kakashi and Tenten started to clap at the same time.

"See? That's why we need you in this mission. You are the brain here." said Tenten.

"Excuse me?" murmured Kakashi.

"You know what I mean." she tried to fix it.

"No, I really don't" he gave her a killing look and finished his tea "Well, it's time for the children to sleep." After saying goodbye to the couple he left the house in a hurry. He always felt like he was interrupting something. He isn't an expert on love themes, but all the knowledge acquired by reading the books of Jiraiya allowed him to sense the chemical attraction between the two of them. He could also feel that during the night that attraction grew. Kakashi's explanation was that, knowing they were going to sleep in the same bed, their youthful hormones got excited. Or something like that. Therefore, he always tried to leave the house when night fell as soon as possible.

"So I'm the brain here, huh?" Neji chuckled "I think you are overestimating me."

"That's bullshit. Stop playing the humble, you're too Hyuga for that." she said mockingly as she leaned over the coffee table, with a mischievous smile on her lips.

"First of all, stop using my last name as an adjective." he replied, leaning over the table too, staying a few centimeters from her face "Second, I really think you're a lot smarter than me."

"Don't confuse common sense with intelligence. Obviously I have a lot more common sense than you, but no one can beat that brain of yours." she winked at him.

"You know, Tenten," Neji closed his eyes and smiled sadly "I'm afraid of not being the man you think I am."

"I know how you are, so there is no expectation you have to fulfill. Stop worrying, just be yourself. Even if you stop being so smart or if your hair fall you wouldn't have to worry about that. Besides, I was by your said even when you were an insufferable child that treated us as if we were peasants."

"Wow Tenten, that has touched me. Especially the part where you call me insufferable child." Tenten started laughing "But seriously, thank you."

"You're welcome." she gave him a big grin.

"Go to sleep. I'll clean up." he began to collect the tea set.

"Okey, but I'll wait for you."

"You don't need to do so. I won't make any noise, promise."

"It's not for that. I just want a small reward for the beautiful things that I told you." she said seductivly and walked towards the door, but her steps were interrupted by a loud noise.

"Neji?" she looked at him. He was kneeling on the floor collecting the broken pieces of the teacups, his hands still shaking, and his face, though he was trying to hide it, was very red.

"Sorry, you just...it's just...that caught me off guard." he looked up when he felt her fingers grabbing his hand.

"It's okey." she softly smiled "I'll clean this. Go to bed now."

He nooded and silently left the room.


When Tenten entered the bedroom, Neji was waiting for her sitting on the bed, still a bit flushed.

"Tenten, I...ummm...you better change first." having said that, he got up and tourned his back.

"Uh...okey?" she quickly put her pijama, as she had an idea of what was going to happen "I'm done."

"Fine, well" he took a deep breath, and Tenten found kind of cute the fact that she was the only one who could make him nervous "I know I promised you that there will be «kisses and stuff», but it's hard for me to do it without formalizing a relationship with you. But-"

"Stop right there. Look Neji, I understand that you want to wait and all that, In fact, I want to wait too. I'm happy enjoying every little stape our relation takes. I don't want to rush anything and make you feel uncomfortable. It's not a big deal, okey?" she gently rested a hand on his arm. He closed his eyes and smiled at her words.

"-but that doesn't mean that I don't want to do «kisses and stuff» with you. Actually, there are a lot of things of the «stuff» that I'm dying to do." he said that with such a manly tone Tenten felt a heat that already was well known to her under the belly.

"You know Hyuga, you shouldn't turn someone on like that if you're not planning to do anything."

"Who said I'm not planning to do anything?" he then planted a warm kiss on her lips and yearningly grabbed her by the waist. After a couple of seconds Tenten broke the kiss.

"Hey, Neji. You don't have to do it if-." he interrumped her with a chuckle.

"Tenten, I've been horny since your words in the living room."

"Neji?!" she looked at him astonished.

"Please, I'm trying my best, don't embarrass me more." he said nervously covering his mouth.

"I don't want you to act..."

"No, no, it's not that!" he quickly added "On the contrary, this is the first time in a long time that I'm not acting. I'm saying and doing what I really want. But it's not as easy as it looks. This embarrasses me a little."

"Do you think I'm not ashamed?" she chuckled "Gosh Neji, I only can do this because is with you."

Neji smiled tenderly at her and caressed her cheek.

"I'm glad that this is special to you as it is to me." they looked at each other and smiled shyly "Well, where were we?"

As it was cold, Neji put Tenten under the covers, and carefully he positioned on top of her. Their lips met again, but this time without any fear. Neji then bruished his lips from her cheek to her neck, leaving her skin wet in his path. Then he started to bite gently her neck, trying to leave small marks on her skin. Tenten responded to this by clawing and scratching his back.

"You don't want to be the only with marks, eh?" he whispered in her ear between each kiss. Tenten giggled and continued enjoying his attentions, clawing him stronger each time. Neji returned to her mouth and began to kiss her fiercely. He put one hand inside her shirt and stroked every centimeter of skin from his waist to below his chest. Then, he paused and looked at her, blushed .

"Umm...can I..." he stuttered.

She smiled and nodded slowly. At her sign, he gently placed the hand on her breast and stroked it. Tenten started to moan at his touch, especially by the fact that his hands were shaking. She hooked her legs around his hip and noticed the great pressure he had in his pants. Tenten didn't hold back and intensely rubed herself against it. Neji groaned and kissed her more eagerly. Then he caressed the other breast with his free hand and played with her nipples. Tenten's moans increased so much that she couldn't continue kissing him.

Neji's skin had turned completely red and was drenched in sweat, so he took off his shirt. Before he could ask for permission Tenten had already taken off hers and was looking at him with desire, but he didn't realize it, cause he was staring unblinking at her exposed breast. In that moment a trickle of blood came out of his nose. He awkwardly covered it and muttered that he was going to go to the bathroom. Tenten nodded kindly and contained her laughter whe she heard the sound of water running.

He returned after a couple of minutes, the time required to solve the little problem he had in his pants. She was waiting for him sitting on the bed with her legs crossed, only wearing the bottom part of her pijama.

"Gosh Tenten, if I had know you were going to wait for me like that I wouldn't have bothered in...you know." he sighed and did nothing when he noticed the blood focusing again in his parts.

"My apologies, I'll dress now." she tried to hand her shirt, but Neji's hand grabbed it first.

"Not tonight." he smirked.

"But it's cold." she protested.

"Don't worry, I'll heat you." he entered the bed and hugged her from behind.

"I would have less cold if I turn around." she tried to move, but he held her tight.

"If your breasts touch my skin I won't be able to sleep." he stated. Before se could protest he kissed her head and rested his hands in her belly "Goodnight, Tenten."


She sighed but smiled for herself "Goodnight, Neji."

Neji woke the next morning feeling Tenten's breath on his neck. Apparently she managed to turn around, and of course, her breasts were pressed against his chest. He rose from the bed trying not to wake her and went to the kitchen to make her the breakfast. A cup of hot coffe, toast with jam and a fried egg, in case she was cold, but he doubted it. As she was still sleeping he prepared for work and left the breakfast in the bed with a note. After that he waited for Kakashi.

"Good morning, how are...what's that?" asked Kakashi when he arrived.

"What's what?" Neji answered, though he knew what he meant.

"The scratches." he replied.

"Ah, it was Bo. You know, that dog is the evil personified." he started to walk, trying to end the conversation.

"Yeah, and the dog made you that hickey too."

"A hickey? Where did she made me the hickey?" he exclaimed while checking the neck and the chest.

"In nowhere." Kakashi bursted into laughter "Yes, you are clearly the genius here."

"Stop playing with me, Kakashi." he said gravely.

"So you two had fun yesterday eh?" Kakashi nudged him and winked.

"The conversation ends here." Neji stated.

"Oh, come on. At least tell me how far did you go. I still can't imagine you finally being with her."

Neji turned threateningly and grabbed his arm tightly"To make it clear, I'll never, and I repeat, never, talk about what I do with her with you or with anyone. Understood?"

Kakashi smiled and pated his shoulder "Well done, you passed the first test. Gai made me promise to take care of Tenten, so I wanted to make sure that you treat her like a real man. I'm glad that you two are finally together."

"We are not together." Neji blurted. He was beginning to get tired of that situation.

"But...why? I mean, it's obvious that you two are in-" Neji cut him off.

"It's complicated." he stated.

"Okey boy, I get it." Kakashi tried to calm him down "But you can't open to love leaving the door closed."


"Yeah, I know." Neji lowered his head and continued walking in silence until they reached the base.

Tenten woke up to the smell of coffe and found her breakfast waiting for her. Attached to the cup was a note from Neji. She read it.


"At the end you turned around. Traitor. Enjoy breakfast." she smiled and pressed the note against her chest. Then she went to liberate Bo, cause Neji locked the poor dog in the kitchen yesterday, and shared with him the breakfast.

The morning was going well. Kakashi and Neji were teaching the basic movements of self-defense to the group, and Kazuo was supervising it. They always practiced in a back room of the local, so they hadn't yet been able to check the rest of the base. The problems came in a recess. Three of the man, including Takumi, Kazuo's right hand and the man who most hated Neji, were speaking about Tenten to provoke Neji. Neji was trying to ignore them, but the obscenities they were saying about her pissed him off too much.

"Don't." Kakashi tried to stop Neji, but it was too late.

"I remember that I told you not to talk about her, am I right?" he asked menacingly.

"So what?" replied Takumi, walking heavily towards Neji.

"I can understand that you are jealous of me. I have replaced you and and I'm a better fighter. I can even understand that you are envious of my girlfriend. But is that enough reason to risk your life?" Neji standed in front of him, arms crossed.

That was enough for Takumi. He raised a fist against Neji, but in less than a second he was lying on the ground writhing in pain, in front of the eyes of the whole band. They, seeing their companion humiliated by a brat, attacked at once. But it was in vain, with a few simple movements Neji knocked them all. Kakashi decided to act and grabbed Neji by the arm and dragged him out of the base.

"What do you think you're doing?" whispered Kakashi at his ear.

"Playing my role." Neji looked into his eyes. To the surprise of Kakashi, Neji seemed completely calm "You gain their trust, I gain Kazuo's. That's the plan. Moreover, it's better if they fear at least one of us. I'll go now. You walk in and apologize to them. Tell them something like I'm a brat and I need to mature, and beg them to be patient with me."

Kakashi sighed and rubbed his temple "I hope you know what you are doing. You don't seem an expert in relationships with others."


"I hope so." Neji turned his back and went home to her.


When he arrived to the place where their home was, he found Tenten playing in the lake with the dog. She was wearing a strapless red bikini, and was doing what seemed to be teaching the dog to swim. Neji needed a few moments to recover before calling her.

"What are you doing there? It's cold outside." he said as he approached the shore.

"Teaching Bo how to swim. He's so like you, a genius, I should have called him Neji." she giggled at him "And don't worry about the cold weather, I'm a ninja after all."

"Don't compare me with that. And get out of the water. Now." he stated, visibly upset.

"What's wrong?" she said as she reached him, holding the wet dog in her arms.

Neji faced her and grabbed her by her shoulders in a indelicate way"We told you not to leave the house without us, and you are playing in the water with so little clothing? Don't you see that your body isn't like the body of a normal girl? If they see those abs, and the toned legs...they will suspect..." Neji realised that he was shamelessly watching her body from top to bottom. He released her and turned around, heading toward the house, so Tenten wouldn't see him blushing.

"I didn't know that you had paid so much attention to my body." she said as a revenge "But I have taken care. I set traps around the perimeter of the house, so I would have time to come inside and change if a stranger came. I guess they are too good, not even the great Hyuga Neji have been able to detect them, so stop worrying about me, I can really take care of myself" she looked wickedly at him and said seductively. "And I really needed to freshen after what happened yesterday."

Neji felt a shiver running trough his back, but instead of replicating, he closed his eyes. He really didn't want to argue with her.

"Whatever, but the next time you want to swim in the lake it has to be with one of us, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Neji sighed and opened the door to her, but he realisded that she was going to wet all the floor. "Wait! Don't enter! You are still wet!"

"Oh, come on Neji, don't be so Hyuga." Neji sighed. He was starting to get tired of her mania to use his name as an adjective. She left Bo in the ground, who began to run around the house.

"Wait, I'll bring you a tower."

"I'm not going to wait, it's my house and I can wet it if I wa..." she couldn't finish, cause Neji lifted her, bridal style. Tenten shivered at the touch of Neji's hot hand against her cold and wet body. He must felt the same, as he flushed and looked straight ahead without blinking. The wetness of Tenten was transferred to Neji's white shirt, wich became transparent. Tenten raised her hands to touch his chest, making him look at her. Neji stood there in silence, too focused on the curve of her lips to move. Tenten then lifted her head and kissed him passionately. Neji was so surprised he opened his arms, making Tenten fall to the ground.

"Oh god, Tenten, I'm so sorr..." he couldn't finish, cause Tenten had grabbed his shirt and pushed him down, making him finish over her. Then, she grabbed him by his neck and kissed him again. They continued to kiss each other non-stop for quite some time, until Tenten felt the presence of strangers near the house. She broke the kiss and whispered to his ear. "They are coming."

Neji stood up and helped her to get up. "Go change now, I don't want them to see you." Tenten nooded and disapeared behind the bedroom door. Neji exited the house and waited for them, arms crossed. It was Takumi, accompanied by three of his men.

"Why are you here?" asked Neji when they were a few meters from him.

"Just want your apologize." chuckled Takumi.

"Look, I don't like and you don't like me. Fine, I can live with that." Neji tried to soften the tone "But I don't want problems. I'll mind my own business and you mind yours. It's that simple."

"Do you think you can come here and tell me what to do? You are just a fucking child. The fact that you are a ninja doesn't make you better than us. You still don't know nothing. "Takumi approached him menacingly "This is a warning. I won't say it again."

"Are you threatening me?" Neji asked incredulously "I think you still don't know who you're talking with. I don't care how dangerous you can be, or the things you've done, cause I've done much worse things than you. So don't ever threaten me again." he said slowly, making clear he understood "Now, please, leave." Having said that he entered again the house. A few seconds later Takumi was gone.

"You sure it's okey?" Tenten emerged from the kitchen, from where she was spying.

"I...I think so." Neji gave her a reassuring look, but he was starting to have doubts about his acting. On the same day the two most qualified people for a spy mission had questioned his methods.

"Don't worry, we are with you, whatever happens." she placed a hand on his arm and smiled at him tenderly. He stared back and smiled to himself, holding back the urge to tell Tenten how he felt for her.