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Disclaimer: Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me, otherwise the NejiTen would be canon.

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Enjoy.

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Chapter 1. Untruth

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It was the sound of three quick knocks on the door that put her senses on alert immediately, and she ran to let the person behind it in as she recognized the presence, automatically rejoicing at the lopsided smile she was seeing, it was only a couple of steps of distance that separated them and that were promptly erased as a passionate kiss appeared that was the trigger for not long after the clothes disappeared and they were in bed listening to their mutual moans.

It had been almost two months since they had last seen each other and it had certainly shown in their desperation. Physical exhaustion was what made her fall asleep, and when she woke up she noticed that her companion had already showered and dressed, it only remained to adjust the chest protector that she hated so much.

"It's time to go," she yawned, she was still sleepy.

"You didn't do it, and you're going to see him," it wasn't a question.

"I couldn't, I came to Konoha because I was supposed to spend some time with him since he was in Suna last time... I was going to break up with him, but his father's thing happened and..."

"Don't lie to me, you've been finding different excuses for more than half a year," she wiped her face quickly before the treacherous tear that had escaped noticed, "just tell me the damned truth, you don't care about this and that's it." The blonde was already fully dressed while she only used the blanket to cover her nakedness.

"You're still a weakling who complains about everything."

"And you're a damn who has no idea how to treat people, and doesn't care about anyone else but herself," she stood up and went to the bathroom, "don't forget to lock the door when you leave," without saying more she put the lock on the door, and sat on the edge of the bathtub, it was absurd to cry since it wasn't the first time they almost argued about that topic, but she was starting to get fed up with it.

"Tenten," the knob moved but the woman couldn't open the door, "come on Tenten, open up."

"Go away, Temari," she spat without any intention of moving to open the door.

"I don't want us to leave things like this," nothing, "please, Tenten."

"Give my regards to Shikamaru."

Silence made its presence known, and a moment later she could hear the front door open and close almost immediately. Denoting that the blonde had finally left, so she finally allowed the tears to appear in her eyes as she cursed everything in her life for crying again.

She turned on the shower and let the water wash away most of her frustration. After that she got dressed in her usual outfit, she had several errands and shopping to do in the village which was good to help her keep her mind busy, and not keep thinking about the subject. The first thing for that morning was to go to the Hokage mansion to deliver the report of the mission she had returned from the previous day in the afternoon, given the fact that Temari had arrived in Konoha the night before and showed up directly at her apartment, she decided to postpone that report. It was Shizune who received the brief and said nothing to her, assuming that she had arrived exhausted, after being sure that her name was back on the list of available shinobi for missions, she left for her next errand.

She had met with Ino at lunchtime, while they ate her friend was asking her some questions because Ino said that she looked down, and she only excused herself that the mission had been severe, extensive, and that probably what she needed was to sleep another couple of hours. Especially if she took into account that she had barely closed her eyes the night before because she was very busy in something much more fun, and while she was thinking that, the guilty of such a thing appeared holding the hand of the lazy ninja. The Yamanaka stopped uncomfortable, but not because of the presence of that couple, and misunderstanding that she had been almost stunned and let her discomfort show, believing that it was because of the other shinobi also present in the street.

"Tenten," Neji greeted her with that damned tone that the more she listened to him, the more she wanted to hit him.

"Neji," she answered, and she could feel Ino grabbing her arm as if to give her support, "Shikamaru, Temari," she greeted the others.

"Tenten," it was only Nara who answered.

"How is your mother doing Shikamaru?" she asked politely with a slight smile.

"Recovering a little at a time, she still has a hard time assimilating what really happened."

"It was a sudden and very difficult situation, it may take her a long time to get herself together," she said the phrase looking at the blonde next to him, who only dodged her gaze, "if you need anything don't hesitate to tell me, let's go Ino."

"Tenten..." she had already advanced several steps when he called her

"Fuck you Hyūga!" was her only answer without stopping, she was advancing at a fast pace wanting to leave everyone behind her.

"Tenten wait," Ino asked as they were almost jogging, "Tenten!" she ran to overtake her and got in her way making her slow down. "Are you feeling well?"

"Perfectly fine."

"Tenten..."

"Seriously Ino, you said you would show me that new bakery, remember?"

"Ten... you don't have to pretend you're strong, I know you're still hurting from what he did to you..."

"The bakery…" she didn't know exactly what her gaze was reflecting, but her friend just sighed.

"It's near the flower shop, I think we can go to the hospital to pick Sakura up, her shift is about to end."

"Excellent."

They didn't say anything else, she could feel the blue eyes riveted on her, and she just did her best to keep her composure. She had gone out to distract her mind, not to meet face to face with the reason that lately had her in that damned carousel of emotions... oh yes, and Neji, but contrary to what had seemed, for better or worse she had finally overcome what had happened. And beyond not bearing him, she only saw him as a past memory.

Sakura had seen her carefully before exchanging a glance with Ino, she could guess that this one had said with her lips but without sound the word Hyūga, so the green-eye only hugged her, and she did her best not to move uncomfortable by such action.

That was something that also began to tire her, the damn condescension that they used to show her when they weren't trying to get her a date, that they treated her like she was going to break at any moment for a man who definitely wasn't worth it. She wasn't sure she could say that Temari wasn't worth it either, but at least she had already proven firsthand that Neji wasn't worth it no matter how much she had lied to herself, and tried to convince herself that he was.

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She went to bed exhausted from her day, not only from the accumulated tiredness, but also from having to keep quiet in front of her friends about the real reason why she had broken down like that. No matter what Temari thought, it was getting harder and harder for her not to talk about it, and pretend that they were nothing. What was worse was that the blonde had the gall to call her a weakling from time to time when was Temari the one who wasn't able to step up and reveal what they had been hiding for about two years.

A tear slipped down her cheek again, maybe that was her destiny, to be second fiddle, the mistress, the woman who was no good for a wife, and therefore anyone was ashamed to show her in public, but who was lied to over and over again promising her that things would change. She'd had it done to her by Neji, now she was having it done to her by Temari, and she simply couldn't take it anymore soon.

She turned in bed and her nose caught the unmistakable scent coating the pillow next to her, so she pulled it closer so she could sniff it better, the blonde's unique scent flooded her senses, and another tear appeared. She knew that nothing was going to happen, the truth was that they were both weak and cowardly in their own way, she for not being able to impose herself and demand the blonde to make a decision because deep inside she knew what the answer was going to be, and Temari for fearing the consequences and what people would say if her brothers and everyone in Suna found out that she was a lesbian, that she was using Shikamaru to hide, and that in reality what she wanted to formalize was a relationship with another woman.

She hugged herself as she had no one else to hug her at that moment, she wished she could at least run to her mother's arms for comfort, but she had passed away so many years ago that at times she doubted that her memory was completely faithful to her memory, but she still liked to think that if she were alive she would support her.

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Welcome to the world's longest TemaTen!

This is so far my second longest story (120k) and as I said before: it's a TemaTen. It has 39 chapters and I will be bringing its translation a few at a time.

This story has NejiTen, and ShikaTema moments but it's a TemaTen. It will also have lemon/smut from the three couples mentioned.

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All corrections and comments are always well received, they help me improve a lot.

Hope you like it!

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Regards, Sally K.