Well amazing... Simply amazing! Readers, thank you! Reviewers, bless you! As always I just cannot thank you enough for your support. Every one of you has been nothing but good to me, and I'm so grateful. We made it to chapter 10! Obviously, there was a little confusion last chapter, and a reader thought I was ending it there, but nay! I'm not even close, so be happy:)
I do not own Naruto and I never will
Chapter 10 * admit it
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"What a fight, eh guys?!" Naruto beamed as he walked out of the academy with Sakura and Hinata. He stretched his hands behind his head and smiled.
"Yes, it was very moving especially the ending. Do you think Sasuke has feelings for Tenten, Naruto?" Hinata asked softly, turning her head to look at the blonde jinchuriki. Sakura clenched her fists tightly and gritted her teeth, as much as she hated to hear about Tenten and Sasuke, she knew it would be good to hear Naruto's opinion on things.
"Oh... Hmm..." Naruto paused for a moment, he stopped walking and placed his index finger to his chin. "Well now that I think about it, I think Sasuke is in love with her, Hinata." Naruto replied, as he began walking again. Hinata gave a warm smile and a blush.
"That's so sweet!" She said, blushing wildly at the sensitivity Naruto showed, maybe just at the mention of love.
"Doesn't it bug you though, Hinata, that Tenten was just with Neji not too long ago? I mean weren't they really serious? Doesn't that make Tenten look bad?" Sakura prodded, continuing to walk next to the couple.
"It makes me happy for her. Neji and Tenten may have loved each other, but that love went unspoken until the very end. He never kissed her, or held her hand. To be honest, Sakura, Neji was just too shy about loving her openly. And a little embarrassed she had no clan affiliation. But he loved her." Hinata replied. Naruto looked over at Hinata and gave her a smile while snaking his fingers between hers. He wanted to let her know that he would openly love her. Hinata blushed again and smiled.
Sakura, sick of the couple at this point, dug further in to Hinata's knowledge of the two. "Well... They didn't ever kiss? That's weird. Did either of them like anyone else?" She asked, folding her arms across her chest as they made their way toward the ramen shop.
"Well, it took Neji a long time to realize that he loved Tenten. it was during our Chonin exams when she told Neji she thought that Sasuke was cute that he began to realize. Tenten had a crush on Neji from the start I think. oh! Kiba did take her out on a date though. He has a huge crush on her." Hinata said with a giggle.
"So Tenten thought Sasuke was cute back then? And Kiba likes Tenten... Alright I can work with that. Sasuke won't be hers for long." Sakura smiled. Naruto stopped once again in his tracks And growled. He wanted for Sasuke to be happy, as well as Tenten. To him, it looked as though they brought happiness to each other, much like Hinata did for him.
"Sakura, I think Sasuke's actually happy with her. Why do you wanna ruin it so bad? He doesn't like you!" Naruto snapped, angry at the hateful actions of his friend.
"I agree with Naruto on this one." Hinata said quietly.
"Forget you two! I'm outta here!" Sakura said, before dashing away.
"she's gonna go do something mean, isn't she?" Hinata asked, turning to her love.
"We should probably go stop her huh?" Naruto asked, as he scratched the back of his head.
Hinata nodded and they headed after Sakura.
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Tenten got out of bed shortly after her mentor had left and was deep in thought as she pondered the words Tsunade had spoken to her moments ago. She gazed out the window of the room out at the sunset. she thought about what it would be like to be with Sasuke for the rest of her life. It didn't seem so far fetched, it seemed like what was currently happening. She just had trouble admitting it, even to herself. She still missed him, Neji, but when she was with Sasuke, she didn't think about it. She didn't feel pain, sadness or loneliness. He gave her hope again, when she had none left. Tenten heaved a sigh, and picked up the clothes Tsunade had laid out for her. She shook her head as she held up the garment. It was a gray kimono style shirt. Just like what Tsunade wore daily, paired with a blue sash. She smiled and got dressed. the outfit didn't look too bad in her opinion, although if she could, she would've wore something longer. The shirt fell to the middle of her thighs like a short dress. Tenten ran her fingers through her long dark hair and then gathered her things in a bag and walked out of her room.
She walked down the hallway toward the front doors, her bare feet gracing the cool tile floor. she could see in the distance someone sitting on the benches at the entrance. As Tenten got closer, she realized it was Sasuke. Once she saw him sitting there her stomach filled with butterflies and her heart skipped a beat. Damn Tsunade. Tenten quickened her pace, drawn to his warm and familiar presence she'd become so used to. Sasuke noticed her walking down the hall and stood. He was glad she was alright. His eyes widened when he saw the outfit she was wearing and it made the surface of his cheeks turn pink. Her muscular, tan legs flexed as she walked. Her body sang to him as she grew closer, and he realized he was going to need a cold shower soon.
"Hey." She said as she finally reached him. "You didn't have to wait for me." She said with a little smile.
Sasuke cleared his throat before speaking. The Konoichi was absolutely breath taking and he was powerless to her charms. "That's okay, I wanted to walk you home." He replied, thankful that his voice didn't crack and his nose didn't bleed.
Tenten could tell he was more than a little flustered. It made her blush a little, although she was never one to be purposefully seductive. Sasuke, to Tenten was always seductive, and she wasn't sure if it was on purpose or if she was just attracted to him. "Sure." She said with a smile. Sasuke took Tenten's bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Hey, I've got arms I can carry that." Tenten said, slightly annoyed.
"If you keep being so damn stubborn, how am I gonna make it up to you? Now just let me carry the bag, alright?" Sasuke retorted, giving Tenten a determined and stern expression. Tenten met her match, Sasuke was beginning to understand her feminist ways, and how she hated to be treated like a weak and helpless girl who needed a man to take care of her. Sasuke didn't see her that way, he saw her as deserving. Sasuke was just as stubborn as she, and he was determined to Treat her with respect, and take care of her.
"Oh fine! But that doesn't mean I'm not capable of carrying my own things." Tenten said, folding her arms and walking out the door of the infirmary. Sasuke smirked as she walked ahead of him. He stood and admired the view for a moment before running to catch up to her. Tenten giggled lightly at Sasuke as he carried her bag. She had to admit, it was kind of sweet he took it upon himself to carry it for her. Sasuke watched her silently as they walked, he was unsure of his feelings or how to relay them to her. Every time he thought back to the last real conversation he had with Itachi about rebuilding his clan, the only person he could ever imagine doing that with would be her. But he had no clue how to tell her that.
"Ow!" Tenten broke the silence and grabbed tightly onto Sasuke's arm while standing on one foot. Sasuke steadied her with both hands as she balanced.
"What happened?" He asked, looking down at the foot that Tenten held off the ground.
"I stepped on glass, dammit." Tenten reached down and pulled out a long, thin shard of glass from her foot and winced. Sasuke's eyes widened and he crinkled his nose.
"Where the hell are your shoes? You can't walk around barefoot or that's what happens." He said, pulling off the remainder of his shirt.
"I don't know, I guess I left them in the recovery room. What are you doing? Ah!" Tenten squealed when she felt Sasuke's arms around her waist, tying his shirt around her. Sasuke then turned around and picked her up piggy back style, the way Itachi used to do with him. He had tied his shirt to her so that she wouldn't be mooning all of Konoha in her short dress shirt. Tenten blushed, she was impressed he had been that thoughtful. She draped her arms around his bare shoulders and held onto him as he carried her. Tenten pressed her face into his spiky black hair and sighed.
"Tenten," Sasuke spoke, as he continued carrying his friend.
"Yeah?" She asked.
"Are you alright?" Sasuke asked, holding onto her tightly.
Tenten was surprised by his question. Like Neji, Sasuke wasn't one to ask about anything like this. They usually waited for her to speak up, and of course she never did. "Yes, thank you. My foot hurts though." She giggled, knowing as soon as they got to her place, Sasuke would be fixing it.
"Holy shit." Sasuke exclaimed as his ebony eyes widened. He was unsure if his eyes were deceiving him, or if he really saw Neji approaching the two.
"What? What is it?!" Tenten asked, peaking her head around his. Her jaw dropped when she saw what Sasuke had just cursed about. "Neji?" She whispered. Next to Neji was the pink haired rival Tenten had acquired. Sasuke started to let Tenten down gently, knowing that she would most likely want to see him, but Tenten held onto him, so he held onto her. Neji and Sakura approached Sasuke and Tenten and came to a stop when the pairs were face to face.
"Tenten," Neji said smiling a little. "Why are you with Sasuke?"
Immediately with his statement, Tenten knew that Neji was an imposter. Neji had been the one urging her to move on with Sasuke, and aside from that, the imposter's chakra was far too weak to be Neji.
"Im walking home with him because I can. Is there a problem Neji?" Tenten asked angrily. She clung tightly to Sasuke, knowing if she jumped down now, she would attack both fake Neji and Sakura, who Tenten knew was behind the whole thing.
"See Neji, I told you she was a slut, that she moved on and that she doesn't care about you. She never did! Let's go." Sakura said, smirking menacingly.
"You're right, she is." The fake Neji replied blankly. After he finished speaking, Naruto and Hinata could be seen walking up in the distance behind Sakura and the imposter.
"I don't even know what you saw in her in the first place Neji. Even Naruto lowered his standards from me." Sakura said with a roll of her glassy green eyes.
Naruto growled from behind Sakura, squeezing Hinata's hand. Hinata, wounded by Sakura's statement, and shocked to see her cousin risen from the dead, began crying.
"Who are you?!" Sasuke demanded of Neji. Now Tenten did jump down, ignoring the pain in her foot, she rushed at Neji and punched him square in the nose. A poof of smoke after the fierce fisted Tenten, revealed a very surprised and wounded Kiba.
"How dare you! Both of you! I don't care how much you think you love Sasuke, Sakura!" Tenten screamed, grabbing Sakura by the collar and pulling her violently. "What you did was wrong, Neji is dead and you have disrespected him, and his family. And look at what you did to Hinata! She heard what you said." Tenten growled, glaring her brown eyes intensely at Sakura.
"I.. I..." Sakura said with quivering lips. She had never seen the brunette Konoichi so angry in her life. She planned to have Kiba whisk Tenten away and then swoop in on Sasuke once Tenten was out of the picture, but it had seriously back fired.
"You're nothing but a pathetic little bitch and you need to get a life, because I'm sick of dealing with your drama!" Tenten yelled in Sakura's face.
"Woah, woah Tenten, calm down!" Kiba plead, feeling partly responsible for the whole incident. Tenten released Sakura and approached Kiba slowly. Sasuke watched intently as Tenten let out her anger on Sakura, he was going to make sure he had his say too.
Naruto, although desperate to get in on the action in front of him, held Hinata close and comforted her, assuring her that he loved her and that everything was okay. Poor Hinata was so upset seeing the fake Neji.
Sakura was infuriated Tenten had the last word, acting fast, she whipped out a Kunai and sent it flying at Tenten. Sasuke rushed to stop the Kunai from hitting Tentn, as did Kiba, causing the two to collide and the Kunai to graze Tenten's forearm.
"Tenten!" Sasuke yelled, shoving Kiba to the ground and rushing to Tenten's side. Tenten growled again, this time she was extremely angry, but Sasuke was even more. He placed his hands on her shoulders and stared into her eyes deeply for a moment. "I'll take care of you." He said firmly before turning and pushing her behind him. "Sakura! If you ever do something like this again, I will not hesitate to kill you. If you so much as come within Ten feet of Tenten, I will make sure you suffer. You have caused enough damage!"
"Why do you care so much about her and not me?! I was there for you from the beginning! She doesn't even love you." Sakura sobbed.
"That doesn't Mean anything to me, Sakura. I could never love you. You're pathetic. If Tenten never loved me, I would still protect her with my life. So both of you, get the hell out of her now!" Sasuke glared his red eyes at the two and gritted his teeth.
Kiba stood, grabbed Sakura by the hand and took off in the opposite direction. Once the two were gone, Tenten hugged Sasuke tightly from behind for a moment. He smiled and touched her hands before she let go. "Thank you." She whispered. Tenten then went over to Hinata and gave Naruto a look. Naruto slowly let go of Hinata and nodded to Tenten. "Hinata." Tenten said softly. Hinata raised her head and looked at Tenten with big, watery eyes. Tenten wrapped her arms tightly around the Hyuga girl, and Hinata did the same. "It's okay, Hinata."
"W-why would someone do that? I-I really miss him. Why would K-Kiba?" Hinata stammered between sobs.
"I don't know, Hinata. They're just mean and desperate. I wouldn't blame Kiba for it, it was all Sakura's doing." Tenten replied, as she tightened her grip on the hysterical girl.
Naruto backed away from then embracing Konoichi and approached Sasuke with his hands in his pockets. "You really like her, don't you?"
"Who?" Sasuke pretended. He really wasn't in the mood to talk about girls with Naruto of all people. But Naruto was in a relationship, which was something Sasuke never anticipated happening.
"Don't play dumb, Sasuke, Tenten. You're in love with her." Naruto said, getting a large and wide grin on his face and a childish giggle. "We're buddies you can tell me."
"I don't need to tell you anything, Naruto." Sasuke said, annoyed and rolling his dark eyes. Naruto wasn't about to give up though.
"You're right, I can tell by the way you look at her. I know you're in love with her.. I've never seen you act the way you just did. Admit it." Naruto said, crossing his arms and smirking.
"If you already know, then why do I need to tell you, dork?" Sasuke said, shrugging his shoulders and looking down at his feet.
"Aha! I knew it. Now we can go on double dates." Naruto smiled proudly at his friend, and elbowed him gently.
"Shut up, Naruto. I don't think she wants to go on a date with me right now." Sasuke replied as he looked over at Tenten who was still comforting Hinata.
"You never know man. You never know." Naruto said shaking his head.
Tenten finally let go of the sobbing girl and looked her in the eye. It was hard not to think of Neji when she did so. "Why don't you two come to my house with Sasuke and I? I'll make us some tea and we can talk. Would that be okay?"
"Your arm, Tenten. It probably needs stiches." Hinata said, pointing out the blood dripping from her freshly wounded arm.
"It'll be fine." Tenen said with a smile. "You wanna come?"
"I'll ask Naruto. But first, Tenten?" Hinata asked, wide eyed and intent.
"Yeah, Hinata?" Tenten replied.
"I think it's okay." Hinata said with a smile of her own, patting Tenten's head.
Tenten looked at Hinata confused. "What's okay?"
"If you like him, Tenten, don't be afaid to say so. I don't regret telling Naruto." Hinata said, opening her eyes and giggling.
"I...W-well I.." Tenten was caught completely off guard. It was as if Hinata knew exactly what was going on inside of Tenten.
Hinata giggled once more and then walked over to Naruto and Sasuke. "Tenten wonders if we would like to acompany her and Sasuke for some tea at her house. You want to go?" Hinata asked, Batting her eyelashes a few times.
Naruto looked to Sasuke and gave him a large grin as if to say 'I told you so!'. "I think that sounds great, believe it!"
Sasuke, at this point, was completely baffled. How on earth could Naruto of all people, see that coming. He shrugged. If it was Tenten's suggestion, which Hinata said it was, then he would do it. If making Tenten happy meant sitting with the knuckle head for a while, he'd sit through it. Sasuke knew the gesture wasn't about Tenten, or her happinesss. He saw the sorrow in Hinata's face, and he knew it was't too long ago that Tenten wore that same expression on her own beautiful face. He knew Tenten and Hinata would do well if they spent time together, both being so close to Neji. The only downfall in the situation was that he had to be with Naruto in the process.
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When they arrived at Tenten's appartment, Naruto and Hinata both sat on Tenten's couch in front of her coffee table. Naruto was quick to grab her hand and sit close and comfy with her.
"You sure like weapons, eh Tenten?" He asked as his eyes studied the walls of her home. Most girls had flowers and photos as decor, but Tenten's house was like a museum of sharp and pointy tools.
"Yeah, a little." Tenten said with a giggle from the kitchen. Sasuke had followed her in, trying to grab her and stop her from preparing tea so he could tend to her wounds, but she was just too wrapped up in serving her guests. Tenten was thinking about everything. Hinata may have had a point, but could Tenten really come out and say it? That she had genuine feelings for the Uchiha? She had to say something. For crying out loud, he had defended her from the psycho Sakura on more than one occasion. Sasuke had Taken care of her during her darkest times, and Tenten hadn't really done much in return for him. Tenten decided to say something to him about it. She grabbed the tea kettle and turned around from the stove she was standing in front of and gasped when she found that Sasuke was right in front of her.
"Let me help you." He said quietly, guesturing to her arm. It aggrivated him a little to see her putting the tea before her own wounds.
"I'm fine. I just wanted to tell you thank you for all you do for me, Sasuke. I realized I don't really do much for you in return." She said looking down. Sure she had helped him study, but that was nothing in comparison to him helping her pick up the pieces of her shattered heart, and shambled life.
Sasuke leaned in close to Tenten's face, his lips inches from hers. "You don't know how much you've done for me, and my little black heart." Sasuke then placed one hand behind her head, pulled her close, and pressed his lips gently against hers. Tenten's brown eyes widened and her grip on the kettle was lost, causing it to fall to the ground and shatter. Sasuke began to pull away, but Tenten's eyes fluttered closed and she returned his kiss.