I read a couple of NejiTenten fics and I actually liked them. I hadn't thought of them as an interesting couple until now, and so I decided to write a short one of my own. Comments welcome.

Barely There

It had happened because she had grown tired. At seventeen, and after years of having known him, Tenten simply grew frustrated at the fact that she wasn't with him.

I love him.

No, that wasn't true, really. At least not yet.

I want him.

Yes. This was the assertion she grew comfortable with because somehow, she felt he wanted her, too.

For some reason or another, he wasn't going to be the one to say it. And it drove her mad. Looking back, she noticed he had been so arrogant. And he still was. He had no qualms in showing he had the upper hand –he was just confident in his abilities. It was the only time he showed anything about himself, when he fought she could see it in him, even if it was strained. After him, after Naruto, he showed a little more. Not much, but often enough that little by little she noticed the change.

It looked, actually, like he was calm. Not the impassive boy she had grown used to –calm features and a sometimes alarming aura. It was…peaceful. She felt more at ease in the air around him. It was that Uzumaki. That Naruto. Because of him she could see better –what Naruto had seen all along.

So at sixteen it started to bother her. How little by little she was growing more attached to him. Why him?

But then again, why not?

He was handsome and strong, loyal, a genius by his own right…God. Why not?

She couldn't stop herself from thinking about him. All the time, whether he was with her or not, she thought of him.

One day, as she absently watched him put away the weapons from that day's work, she said his name. She couldn't take it anymore. Her body trembled from it.

"Neji."

Was that her voice? She barely remembered moving her lips. But he stood, indicating he had heard her.

Before the thought had formed in her mind, she had blurted it out. "Kiss me."

His eyes grew wide. But he said nothing.

Looking down to her hands, she fumbled with her shaking fingers. She was not supposed to be afraid. But she was, and was she really doing this?

"P-please." She looked up at him. "I-I just can't take it anymore. I just-"

A shaky breath.

"I just want to-"

She didn't know when she had done it. When the distance between them had closed and how she stood before him. With eyes shut, she had leaned up…and bumped into his chin. He grunted, and she heard the shuffling of his feet before she felt something soft on her lips and something pulling at her waist.

An exhale, and his lips moved against hers twice, and again, and a little more –until she forgot the rest.

He looked a little red. She wondered what she looked like. A deep breath and Tenten opened her mouth to speak. And closed it.

She couldn't think of anything to say.

I love you.

No, not really, she thought.

I want you.

Yes. That was what she felt right now.

She wanted him. Against her, beside her, kissing her with those wonderful lips.

What could she say?

"Kiss me again."

His eyes showed her something.

He was glad.