100 NejiTen Oneshots Collection
Author's Note: It's about time I uploaded again here...right, guys?
REPLACEMENTS
By Alex
"They have their replacements, but they will never be as good as the real thing."
She is invited.
Again.
"It's been a while since we went out together," she says, and Neji nods beside her. They're done with training, and on their way to Naruto's house. The good thing about it all was that it is directly beside her house, which means she would visit him almost every day.
The idiot would sneak into her house at night, anyway.
And from there they'd tell stories, play games, and Tenten would always find Naruto to be good company, a breath of fresh air, something she knows she can hold on to when she's feeling all alone.
"Right," Neji says. "We haven't done this in a while."
They step in front of the door, scroll heavy on her back, until Neji knocks once and the door swings open after. A smiling Naruto waves rapidly in front of them both, a bowl of half-eaten cup ramen in one of his hands.
"Come on in!"
The boys are playing a card game. Shikamaru is sitting in the corner, playing with one of Naruto's teddy bears. He's always been banned from playing with them. He was always way too smart.
Sasuke, of course, is winning, and Choji is eating his chips, while Kiba and Shino are comparing cards (Kiba stars to scowl. He's losing, as always. Tenten admires his commitment) and Naruto sits in the middle of it all.
Kiba is the first to greet them.
"Yo! Naruto cooked for us all. Ramen's on the counter."
Kiba doesn't point to anywhere, and it's because he knows that she knows the place by heart. She's been to the place more times than anyone here has. It's an achievement she prides on, something she knows poses her different from everyone else.
"I'm playing," Neji says, and he walks to take a seat in between the on-gamers. She nods once and waves to the four who had just noticed her.
"And I'm eating," she mutters, just to herself, and heads for the kitchen.
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It's a long, long night with them all, orange lanterns illuminating the darkness in the fool, bowls of cup ramen scattered on the floor. There are still chuckles, sounds of laughter that emit from the place where they're playing, and Tenten can't help but think this is where she always belonged.
With them. They are her company.
"Well, I guess we're done here," Naruto says. They all say their goodbyes, Tenten going her own way with Neji, down the aisle to her room. She allows him there as long as he allows her in his, and they exchange venues every once in a while, barely a night when they don't spend it together.
"They're all idiots," she says, setting down midnight tea for them both. Once they're both comfy and cozy on her tatami mat, they both lift up their cups to their lips and take a whiff of the steaming liquid. It's tradition for them; practice, even, and she doesn't know any other girl that's done this with him.
"They're all idiots, but I love them."
"Hn," he replies, savoring into the scent. She doesn't know what she'll do if she were to lose them. They were her light, her air, and they made her happy, and she can't imagine a future where she isn't with her boys.
So, simply put, she's one of them.
"And, though they'd never admit it, I guess they're a pretty big part of their life, too."
She smiles when she says it, cup almost halfway through when she sets it down on the table. Neji's looking at her with amused eyes, and his eyebrows furrow so much that she doesn't notice.
"What?"
"Aren't I a pretty big part of your life?" he says, frowning, and Tenten laughs so much that he doesn't take her seriously.
"You...you idiot!" she giggles, and he hmphs, looking away cooly, as if unbothered by her statement (but really, what she called him was everything to him).
"You're the biggest idiot, and I love you the most."
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So the days resume their snail pacing, each day a little less boring then the last.
Naruto sometimes henges in her room, turning into perfect copies of Neji, and she always gets back at him, once stealing his precious teddy bear only to give it back the night after. She yelps at him when he approaches her room, sleeping cap lopsided and drool drying out in his mouth, saying he needs "Mr. Bunshin" or else he'll be banging on her front door until morning.
And from the streets, the only logical explanation Neji can give as to why there were several explosions of pink and orange powder emitting from the windows was a shrug and a simple hum of his voice.
It's a Naruto and Tenten thing, he'd say, and the passerbys would shrug as well.
Shikamaru always stares at the clouds and Neji always looks at him with envy (and sometimes, with a hint of possessiveness) and Tenten always yaps at them both, for his laziness, and Neji for him over protectiveness. Sometimes when she looks up at the sky with him she sees white, and lavender, at times when she's at peace, and Shikamaru always teases her about it.
Sasuke always brings her to coffee shops and Kiba always plays with her on weekends, sometimes giving her a ride on Akamaru which she loves so very much, treading through woods and tree and earth that sometimes she just doesn't want to leave the forest.
Neji's always there to take her home.
But most of all, she loves the way Neji always looks at her with kind eyes, shared between late nights and warm tea spent over words of love.
Sometimes, she doesn't think she'll ever leave them. Ever.
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Sakura likes, no, loves Sasuke.
And when this time she's stuck with the girls, she doesn't know what to do but watch them all going about, conversations about boys and love she's spent most of her life living. It's way more chattier where she is, and her pyjamas are scratchy especially when paired with Ino's sheets.
"So...any news about Sasuke?"
It's Sakura. She loves him. Ever since he came back she's slowly fallen in love with him again, and Tenten serves as their messenger, to Sakura and him both (though she'll never, ever, tell her that Sasuke might have feelings for her too. He made her swear). And though reluctantly, she follows, giving each other bits and pieces of events that both of them go through.
So she gives Sakura her information, and she squeals in delight, because oh my gosh, Sasuke totally thought of me when he said that, and the other girls nod and giggle in agreement.
Ino looks at her with sparkling eyes. "You've always known them so well. I'm jealous."
"Yeah," she replies, but doesn't miss the way Sakura's eyes linger at them both when she says it.
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Of course, Tenten does make an effort to go stay with them, but after all the boy talk and shinobi talk she decided she'd give the night and rest.
And of course the girls notice when she slips on her jacket and heads downstairs.
And of course they don't say anything because they know exactly where she's going.
Later that night, she visits Kiba in Yakiniku.
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Sakura loves Sasuke.
She tells her this the next day.
"You ditched us last night," Ino says, and Tenten can only smile in shame. It was true; she had been planning to do that since the very beginning of Ino's so-called 'sleepover at Sakura's house' that she was hastily dragged into.
"Yeah," she mumbles, rubbing her neck a little bit, which only makes Ino rage more.
"And for boys! Haven't you heard of it? Girls don't ditch girls for boys! Sisters before misters—"
"Ino," Hinata scolds softly. "I think it's best to leave Tenten alone."
"At least you got to meet with Sasuke," she says, and Tenten almost rolls her eyes at the sound of the name.
"Sakura," she says, and Sakura looks up so her eyes can meet Tenten's. "Just talk to him."
"To that bastard?" she scoffs, and Tenten sighs when she hears the defensive tone. "After what he's done to us all, I don't think I can tolerate him anymore. He's a terrible person. I can't."
"But you still love him?" Tenten humms, and Hinata's ears perk up when she says it. Grunting, Sakura nods her head reluctantly. The girl was just way too uptight.
"Hey, you know what?" she asks, and she makes it loud enough for the whole room to hear. Ino's eyes open from her frustration, and even Hinata's pale orbs widen ever so slightly at the sound of her voice. "Why don't you come with me sometime?"
"You guys?" Sakura asks. Although Sakura has only ever been close to Naruto and Sasuke, Tenten knows that she still isn't very comfortable with the males from team eight, especially her team (she hasn't seen Lee in his fullest yet), so it would only be natural if Sakura would only go so far as to agree slightly.
But to Tenten, this was an opportunity. The poor girl needed support, and being the good friend and leader that she is, she figured it would be good for the girl to be more comfortable with the girls.
"Sooo?" she asks, and Sakura furrows her brows and taps her chin in deep thought. "Have an answer?"
The girl hums, and crosses her arms quickly, and Tenten can almost feel her reply coming straight out of her before she even notices.
"Why not?"
This would be the worst decision of her life.
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Training flew by quickly and Sasuke mentioned that she should be getting some rest.
That, she did.
Passing the hospital, they noticed that a lot of medics have finally ended their shifts, and Tenten didn't miss the familiar pink hair tied up into a short ponytail.
"Hey, Sakura."
The girl spotted them, and immediately waved.
And asked where they were going.
And of course Tenten was too kind to offer for her to go with them.
But she had to admit that she was the slightest bit agitated when Sakura offered to pay the bill.
Because, after all, it was her job.
But, she figures, if they were having fun without her, then she'd have to leave them be.
It wasn't like she owned them.
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So, Tenten being a good friend, never got jealous of any of this. No, not at all.
Especially when Sakura asked if she could go play with she and Shikamaru's shougi time on Wednesday.
And she didn't even feel the tiniest bit jealous when she offered to heal Neji's wounds alone in the medical ward.
Most of all, she absolutely did not scream internally when she found out that Sakura was going with them to the spring festival.
No, not at all.
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But what Tenten did feel was something churning inside her gut, angry and pushing and doing all sorts of stuff that made her feel bad.
Was it jealousy? Hate? Loathing?
And it was all going wrong because it was becoming something that Tenten always feared:
Replaced.
And why, did that realization hit her like a truck.
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Well, this was going well.
The Hokage didn't stutter. The decision was final; there was nothing she could do about it anyway. It was only fair — she was a kunoichi, and there shouldn't be an exception to why she wouldn't do her duty.
Still! Her friends — cough — boys would be helping proctor for the next chunin exam, and she promised she'd be there to keep them company. She should've known before going around making promises like that.
"Listen, Tenten. I'm sorry, but you know that you're one of the best around here," Tsunade claims. "I need you to do this for me."
Exhaling softly, she takes the mission report from her idol's hands. It's a particularly simple B-ranked mission to the rice country, taking a few weeks at least — some job to help out with constructing the village's town hall. It wasn't only that, though — enemy ninja would be attempting to kill at the village's state of vulnerability. It was a well known fact that the country was famous for it's wealth.
"Hai."
Scanning over the paper for the last time, she nods, albeit reluctantly. Tsunade sees this, and smiles in response.
"Don't worry, Tenten. I'll send Neji your regards."
She half smiles at the Hokage, who is winking noticeably with a hazel eye, and she bows one last time before taking off.
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The mission was very simple.
It only took exactly two weeks and a half for the village to finally finish construction, until another squad was sent for their shift. The chunin exams this year would be over by now, and she was more than ecstatic to see the state of the boys. Also, she really wanted to see Neji again.
So, sprinting a little bit, she made her way through the Konoha gates, through the busy village market, and into the yakiniku restaurant she'd known for so long.
Wow, she thought. I wonder how they're doing right now.
So, the waiter came, and she gave him his purpose, and nodding, he lead her across a few tables. And with a spring in her step, she trailed after him expectantly.
But what she didn't expect was to see her seat already occupied.
All the boys were there, and they seemed pretty perfectly contempt with having spent time with each other, laughing and smiling and grilling barbeque as they sipped their drinks.
In the middle of the table was the beacon of them all. It was Sakura, dressed in a very simple training outfit, raising her drink so that they can all cheer together.
And for Tenten, she didn't know what she could do. Maybe it was because she was jealous of their closeness? Maybe because she wasn't the one sipping drinks with them all?
Because for Tenten, all her life she was used to being the only girl to see them like this, to know about their feelings and being the girl they could have a pep talk with. All her life she didn't know what it felt like to share her boys to another girl, because all her life she stuck to them like glue, not exactly sure what she would do without them.
And for Tenten, being left out by them was a very foreign thing, because every time she'd leave the girl she found herself going back to them, hearing them laugh, seeing them smile, and now they're just ignoring her like she's absolutely nothing at all.
She was Tenten!
But right now, the only thing she could think of doing was turning around, exiting the shop. Finally, when she made it back to her apartment, she could only think of one thing.
She won't just let this slide anymore.
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On early mornings, while the sky was still a pale aqua, she'd have to go running if she wanted to make it to training in time. Sometimes she'd walk there with Lee. Other times, Neji would walk beside her.
Sometimes, when training is over, she'd ask Neji is he wanted a bite to eat. Though reluctantly, he'd nod.
And sometimes, when they're done eating and need to go train again, he'd accompany her that night once more on the way to her apartment.
Simply put, she loved their training grounds with all her heart.
So, when Tenten walks up to the ground she's so familiar with and sees Neji there training with Sakura, her blood turns cold and time stops on it's lapsing.
"Sakura."
Maybe it was all a mistake to go tell her to hang out with the boys. Maybe she shouldn't have given Sakura any advice no matter how much she loved Sasuke.
And even though Tenten knows that she shouldn't be manipulating her friends like that, she can't help it.
Because deep inside her, Tenten is selfish.
And she loves her boys.
She can't help it because she loves her boys so, so much, and she just can't bear them to see another girl feel what she feels, experience what she experiences, loves what she loves.
"Sakura, please."
Tenten really feels like she shouldn't be doing this. As of before, Sakura was her closes friend. Of course, the medic's giddy excitable attitude always bugged Tenten by the slightest, but they were still close. They just stuck together, Sakura admiring Tenten's skill, Tenten admiring Sakura's strength.
"Tenten? Is something the matter?"
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She feels defeated.
Tenten leads her on around the musky trees of her training grounds. She has never taken anyone through this road before.
Up ahead is a clear babbling brook. Sakura can see it just enough through the leaves of the trees as Tenten pushes them away. A regreshing gust of air sweeps by them as they look out.
"Wow," Sakura could only gasp.
The land is green and healthy. The sun, which has almost set, is reflected on the brook's surface. There is a comforting dripping sound when the water drops from rock to rock.
"Pretty, isn't it?" Tenten asks. She's staring into the sunset.
"Yes," Sakura agrees. Tenten leans over and picks up a kunai from her pocket.
"I don't know, Sakura," she says, spinning the weapon around her finger. "I don't know why I'm like this."
"For some reason I feel left out whenever you're with the guys," she continues. Sakura gasps.
"I — no! I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"No worries, Sakura," Tenten assures her. "I think it's my fault. I'm so selfish."
She stares out into the direction Tenten's looking at to give the girl some time to think.
"I thought I could keep them all to myself. I've been through so much with them, and I feel myself hanging out more with them than not, and—"
"I'm sorry, Tenten," Sakura apologises. "I thought that if I get closer to everyone more I'd get closer to Sasuke. I know now that I don't since he's on my team."
Sakura reaches out for the kunai in her pocket.
"Forgive and forget?" she offers, stretching her hand out so Tenten can take a good look at the kunai.
Not for the first time in her life, Sakura is scared. Tenten surveys the kunai too much in front of her she has a feeling she'll be rejected, like all the other times.
Her thoughts change when Tenten's hands wrap around the kunai slowly.
And like a peace treaty, Tenten collects a few extra bandages from her pack with her other hand and offers it to the girl in front of her. She takes it.
"Forgive and forget."
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The doorbell rings right in the middle of their card game.
"I'll get it," Naruto says, running towards the direction of his door. When he opens it, he is surprised to see not one, but two of his closest friends.
"Sakura-chan," he breathes. The girl waves hello when all the other heads in the room turn.
"Tenten said I should come. Mind if I join?" she asks, and Naruto can only nod slowly when the girl invites herself and the weapon's mistress into Naruto's apartment.
"Sakura," Sasuke gestures, when she sits down on the vacant chair beside him. She picks up the cards on the table.
"I'm playing for Kiba," she says.
In the meantime, Tenten nudges into the corner with Neji. She giggles.
"What is it?" Neji asks. Tenten looks at him.
"Oh, nothing. It's just that—"
"Haruno. Is she staying?" he asks. She shakes her head. "No, only for tonight."
Neji smiles a little to himself. "Do you have a problem?" Tenten asks from beside him.
He shakes his head.
"No. I just wanted to say no matter how close everyone gets to her you're still going to be everyone's main girl," he smiles. Tenten's eyes widen when Neji's look down at her.
"Right?"
She can only nod.
A/N:
Dear Thea,
I am so, so, sorry.
For everything I've done.
-Alex