Here we go again! Firstly: Thanks to wintersky, lightangel, AriesFalcon, Life is Like, FireDragonBL, timmycheese andespecially to sasukekun'sgirl16 for keeping reviewing : ) This chapter will have a little more Neji-Tenten interaction (at last!).

To silver04: I made Shino a little more talkative (but not too much) since he's 17 in this fanfic, and he can't remain autistic all his life : P. About that bit you commented, I can't imagine nor Shino or Shikamaru saying that in truth, they're pissing Neji in their own way; Shikamaru saying it vaguely and Shino with colourful words, as he seems to talk in manga (as an example, he mentioned Confucius' words one time). About Kiba, I'll make him less stupid now I have Lee to act as comic relief too. Anyway, thank you and stay tuned : ) .

On with the story!


After both Tenten and Lee had lunch, she excused herself and went inside the woods. Almost instantly, Kiba and Lee looked at Neji, who cocked an eyebrow questioningly.

-"What are you looking?" he asked calmly.

-"As I said this morning, someone here has to make a confession of undying love" Kiba answered.

-"Yes Neji!" Lee agreed hotly "it's your chance to express your youthful feelings to our beloved Tenten!"

-"Not also you…"Neji sighed "I won't confess in this journey, and I have my reasons. I told you yesterday that I'll declare once we get to Konoha"

Kiba and Lee looked disappointed and turned to Shikamaru, who was smirking and with a knowing expression.

-"I told you he won't do it now, so we pass to strategy 2" he commented, and everyone except a tired looking Neji nodded in agreement.

Then they saw Tenten approaching and changed quickly the issue.

At that moment, Tenten arrived, sat down again and started hearing their conversation, which was about Sakura.

-"Man, you have to forget her, she has her eyes in other guy" Kiba was saying sympathetically

-"I think you're no one to talk" Shino surprised everyone with this statement.

-"What are you talking about?" inquired curious Tenten.

-"He likes Hinata" Shino said simply.

Everyone, including crimson Kiba, looked amazed at Shino, who was as expressionless as always. Then they turned to observe Kiba, and his face grew two shades redder, confirming the fact.

-"So…you like my cousin" Neji started calmly "What would be her reaction if she…accidentally…discover it?" he wondered casually.

-"She would react like any girl…maybe we can test it with another one if you want" he stroke back.

After a brief and tense silence, Neji spoke calmly again:

-"Quid pro quo, Kiba"

-"Deal, Neji" he answered

-"I'm lost" intervened suddenly a puzzled looking Tenten. "What was that Quid pro quo stuff? Does Kiba know who you like, Neji? That´s impossible!" she said shaking her head.

Neji shifted uncomfortable, but remained calm-looking.

-"Why that's impossible, Tenten?" asked an amused Shikamaru.

- "'Cause Neji doesn't like any girl" she responded shrugging "He thinks love is for the weak"

-"And you, Tenten?" questioned Kiba this time, glad with the change of subject "What's your opinion?"

She frowned thoughtfully and crossed her arms. After a while, she answered slowly, measuring her words

-"I think you can't control it and it's a distraction sometimes, but I don't see it as a weakness" she softened her expression and smiled playfully "As an example, Lee had been always in love and he's not weak".

-" I haven't been always in love! My heart is for Sakura-san!" Lee exclaimed hotly.

- "And what about Ikuko?" Tenten enquired with a knowing expression

-"Or Megumi" Neji continued amusedly

- "Kaoru at least was nice" Tenten commented counting with her fingers.

-"And what was the name of the red-haired one?" Neji asked her.

-"That was Kiharu, I think" she answered.

-"But those girls were before I met her!" Lee exclaimed again.

-"Whoa, you liked all those girls while in Academy?" Kiba said.

-"Nope" Tenten corrected him "he liked them during the year we were training for the chuunin exam. Later, he met Sakura and centred in her, but at first sight I thought it was going to be another of his brief loves. I was wrong, though…5 years is not a brief period of time" she commented

-"And during those 5 years we've heard about Sakura's gorgeous hair …" Neji added again.

-"Charming smile"

-"Beautiful eyes"

-"Melodic voice"

-"And her personality, so pure hearted and kind that can rival the angels" Lee sighed lovingly with a glint in his eyes and a goofy smile.

Kiba and Tenten laughed, Shikamaru and Neji smirked and Shino remained silent as usual.

-"Anyway, you liked Sasuke-kun but never had the guts to declare to him" Lee commented crossing his arms.

Everyone looked at Tenten again. Neji observed her carefully to decipher her expressions. That was being an afternoon of revelations! But instead of growing red or evade Lee's eyes she put a surprised face.

-"I've never liked Sasuke, Lee" she said still astonished.

-"You told me one time he was cute" he insisted.

-"Bah!" Tenten rolled her eyes "That doesn't mean anything! I found him cute when I was 13 and he was 12! I've never talked to him in my life!"

-"But now you surely find him hot, don't ya?" Kiba loved that kind of embarrassing situations (when he was not the centre of them)

-"I think this subject started with you liking Hinata, dog-boy" Tenten attacked.

-"That's truth!" Lee corroborated "Tell us about your love!"

Kiba growled in embarrassment.

-"There's no much to tell, you know. I like her, she likes Naruto. End of story" he commented sadly.

-"I think she doesn't like Naruto, she's just idealizing him." Tenten told him cheerfully "You have been always her friend, I'm sure sooner or later she'll take that on account"

-"Really?" he exclaimed hopefully

-"I think that too" Shikamaru added "Naruto is a great guy, but he still likes Sakura"

-"And Sakura-san likes Sasuke-kun" Lee said.

-"And Sasuke is gay" Kiba ended.

-"What?" Tenten asked "C'mon, that's a lie!"

-"He kissed Naruto one time, you know?" Kiba continued grinning.

Neji, Tenten and Lee opened their eyes in astonishment, since they didn't know that. Shikamaru explained:

-"But that was an accident. Naruto was on Sasuke's table glaring at him, when one boy accidentally pushed him with his elbow. Naruto lost his balance, fell forward and ended kissing Sasuke, but I'm sure they didn't enjoy it"

-"I'm not that sure about that" Kiba continued stubbornly "he never goes out with any girl"

- "Neither you" Shino reminded him.

-"But that's because I like Hinata! He doesn't like anybody!"

-"You can't know that" Neji responded

-"Yes, take Neji as an example" Lee commented "It seems he doesn't care, but he's very passionate deep inside"

Tenten looked amusedly at Neji, who was glaring at Lee. Lee continued babbling, though:

-"Yes, my old-rival Neji…" Lee was smiling and looking nowhere as remembering "He protects his loved ones with his life, helps the helpless and punishes the evil ones…" he continued.

Tenten started giggling.

-"Hey, what's wrong?" Lee inquired "It's true!"

-"Yes, yes…" she answered still giggling "but you're saying it in a very funny way, sorry" she calmed down and spoke again " Neji's a very kind person, indeed"

-"That's a big lie" Kiba contradicted "I've been six months in his team and I wouldn't describe him as kind. He's not a bad person, but he has a very bad mood"

-"That's because you don't know him well, he lets his actions speak for him most of the time" she insisted "When we were a team, he always helped us and trained with me, since Lee had to train his Taijutsu with Gai-sensei"

-"Yeah, but that's because he…"

-"I'd like you to stop speaking about me as if I weren't here, please" Neji interrupted Kiba.

-"Ok, sorry…" Kiba made a pacifying hand gesture "Anyway, I think we should start heading to Konoha" he added "I wanna be there as soon as possible" he smiled.

-"Someone has to make a confession, isn't it?" asked him playfully Tenten.

-"Bull's eye, Tenten. As always" Neji answered thoughtfully.

------------

They started the journey in silence shortly later. Kiba and Akamaru led the squad, Shikamaru and Shino followed. Neji and Lee closed the formation, while Tenten was hidden as the responsible of evading possible ambushes. Luckily, the whole trip occurred without incidents, so they finally arrived at Konoha safely.

-"Ok, Lee and me will report to Godaime, everyone, disperse." Ordered Shikamaru, disappearing.

With an "Ossu!" Lee jumped from roof to roof sprinting to Hokage´s office, and Neji, Shino, Tenten and Kiba were left behind.

-"See you" Shino nodded his head and started walking off.

-"I'll take you home" Neji told Tenten and started walking towards her house.

After a brief moment, Tenten waved bye and jogged to reach Neji, leaving a smiling Kiba behind.

-"You don't have to bother, Neji" Tenten said him.

-"It's not a bother, I'm doing because I want to" he replied.

-"Thanks…this reminds me old times" she commented.

-"Yes, Gai-sensei stilled me to take you, as a "youthful and innocent lady", safely home during all those years" he chocked

-"Sometimes I miss those times as team Gai…we should meet more often"

-"Yes, it has been nice, being reunited again"

Talking about their past experiences as a team, they reached Tenten's house. She took her keys from the back pack opened the door and turned to face Neji, who had stopped too:

-"Don't you want to come in and have some tea?" she kindly asked

-"Thanks for offering, but I think it'd be better to rest after the mission, I don't want you to bother making tea for me now" he answered.

-"Then it's my duty invite you tomorrow's afternoon, since you have take me home. It's not a bother at all" she insisted.

Knowing that was his chance, he finally accepted her invitation. Then, when he was saying goodbye to her, she approached and gave him a brief kiss on his cheek, smiled, waved back and disappeared in her house, leaving him dumbfounded looking at the wooden door. For a moment, he stood frozen, and then he reacted and left to his house touching his cheek. The next day would make definitely his confession.

A few metres away, a silent Shino observed the whole scene. Without making any noise, he left his spot and made his way to their meeting point; he had to report about what he had witnessed.


Whoa! At last! I reached my two chapter's goals: 1st make it longer, 2nd more Neji-Ten interaction. Yahoo!

I'm gonna comment a few things:

"Quid pro quo" is a quote from movie "The Silence of the Lambs". The protagonist psycho, Hannibal Lecter tells it to poor FBI agent Clarice Starling. I couldn't help picturing Neji saying the words of a psycho : P

About "Lee's love life", this idea came to me when I was reading the chapter he met Sakura. When he glances at her, you can easily see Tenten shaking her head and Neji making a face, as if saying "not again". I found "Casanova Lee" idea quite funny, so I included it.

Well, this it for today, as always: any comment, correction or suggestion made in a friendly way is welcome. Thank you!