Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
A/N: Random idea that popped into my head. I had to get it down somehow. Almost everyone will somehow be out of character, but I can't help it. I need to get this idea out! And the title will make sense later.
Also, this takes place right after the Chuunin exam, so just pretend that Sasuke never ran away.
This is Meby MT Pocketts
Why do I bring myself this pain?
It's like I hate myself today.
This feeling digs a hole
Deep inside my soul.
I can't make it go away
I hate myself today.
Now he's leaving me here,
I surrender to the pain
Because I hate myself today.
Why have you gone?
You know how much I love you,
And you're still walking away.
This is why
I hate myself today.
"Neji," Tenten came up to him as he meditated. The Hyuuga opened an eye in annoyance to glare at her and she seemed to falter under his gaze. He ignored it, since Tenten never seemed insecure. "It's lunch time, maybe you should take a break."
"Hn," He replied and closed his eyes once more. He didn't need to see her face to know she was glaring at him.
"You need to eat," She said, wishing Lee and Gai hadn't left so soon. Then maybe they could get him to eat something. But it was just her now, and it seemed like he never listened to her.
"Why do you care so much?" He asked her, and looked up to see the faintest blush in her cheeks.
"It's because I…I…" She trailed off and looked away. Neji slowly began to regret asking her.
"Tenten, don't-"
"I love you Neji," Tenten admitted and her blush deepened as they both stared at each other. She couldn't believe that she had actually said it and he was trying to come up with something to say.
"I…I'm sorry-" He started and in an instant her eyes flooded with tears. Tenten ran away as he finished, barely listening to his words.
xXx
The brunette sat upright in her bed and breathed a sigh of relief. Why did she keep having that dream about that stupid day? Tenten couldn't help but feel dumb for how she had acted. She had run away from him like a pathetic schoolgirl. She was too weak. The words he said had cut her deeply, even though she wasn't sure that he'd actually said them.
'It's not that I don't like you, I'm just not looking for a girlfriend right now.'
She rolled over and hid her face in her pillow. Of course he didn't feel the same way. This was Neji! Did he feel anything? He had looked so honest, if she didn't know better it might have seemed like it hurt him to say it too. Tenten groaned at the very idea. He would never feel bad about what he had said to her. Because he was the Hyuuga Neji, and he couldn't feel things like she could.
"How stupid could I be?" She frowned and finally managed to drag herself out of bed, get dressed and go into the kitchen to make breakfast.
She ate, still thinking over the unfortunate moment and dreading training that day, there was a knock at her door. Tenten sighed, and opened the door. She fully expected to see Lee there, jumping with excitement over some new style of training Gai would have them do, but that wasn't who it was. Neji stood there silently, looking completely out of place.
"Neji-san?" She blinked in surprise but at the same time not willing to say his name directly. He wanted to wince at her formality but got right to business instead.
"Training was cancelled, Hokage-sama said it was important that all come to a meeting," He said plainly.
"What is it about?" She asked, sounding disconnected.
"I don't know, but we should go now," Neji started to turn and saw her nod and close the door behind as she followed.
xXx
Kurenai, Asuma, and Gai's teams soon all found themselves in Tsunade's office waiting for whatever announcement she was going to make. Tenten stood silently with her team and tried to ignore the thoughts still bothering her, then Tsunade finally began when Kakashi and his team walked in.
"Now that we're all here," The Hokage said with an obvious glare in Kakashi's direction. "We may begin. First of all, my advisors and I decided to take a different approach with this group after witnessing how you fared in the Chuunin exam."
"Then why am I here?" Shikamaru asked, and everyone seemed to have forgotten his now Chuunin rank.
"Because you still have your team," Tsunade answered and then continued. "In this situation we plan on holding what is called a 'Teamwork Exam.' It will be similar to the Chuunin exam, except there is only one round that is all matches. This exam will take place in a year."
"How is this different from the one they just participated in?" Kurenai asked.
"In this case, they will train with the people they are living with," Tsunade began.
'Oh no, I can't live with Neji now…' Tenten panicked. Neji looked at her out of the corner of his eye and could see her panic by the way she was biting her lip. He looked down at the ground, feeling an odd sense of guilt.
"The living arrangements will be all girls together and all boys together," Tsunade added, obviously seeing the varied reactions. Tenten sighed in relief and saw a few of the others do the same. "The idea is to develop new levels of friendship within those of your rank or age in the village and to be able to use those in battle. Your teachers will be working with different teams from now on. Both Kurenai and Asuma will work with the girls while Kakashi and Gai will be with the boys."
"How is this supposed to help them?" Kakashi spoke up. "Many of them already have bonds with their team."
"It will make more sense when you see the final matches. I will give you a better explanation when the time comes," Tsunade sat back in her chair. "For now, students please leave and go pack. When it's time to move in one of your teachers will come to get you." The Genin and Shikamaru slowly made their way out of the office and began to filter off into the general direction of their various homes.
"Hey, Tenten," A voice called and Tenten looked up to see Sakura coming up behind her.
"Oh, hi Sakura," Tenten smiled weakly.
"So I guess we're going to be living together from now on," Sakura smiled. "I think it'll be interesting. I'd honestly rather not live with my team, they fight so often."
"Yeah I think I know what you mean," Tenten grinned at the thought of Sasuke and Naruto's fights. "With my team it would just be…awkward."
"Yeah, I bet," Sakura sweat dropped, remembering that Lee was on Tenten's team.
"I don't really feel like being around them right now, so maybe it's for the best," Tenten sighed.
"Really? What happened?" Sakura looked at her with honest concern on her face. Tenten blushed slightly when she realized she'd said it out loud. It was like she was being more open than usual these days.
"I-It's nothing," Tenten looked away and said nothing more.
"Okay," Sakura replied knowingly. "When you're ready to talk, I'm here."
"Thanks, Sakura," Tenten smiled at her.
xXx
"I guess we're all living together now," Kiba said as all of the guys walked into their new home. Shino, Neji and Sasuke just found their rooms quietly while Naruto explored with Lee and Shikamaru found a place in the backyard for cloud-watching as Chouji raided the kitchen. "It's nice that they heard me…" Kiba added sarcastically.
xXx
The place where the girls were staying was huge and they each had a room complete with a space to store their weapons and scrolls, which filled a little too quickly in Tenten's case. They were given the first day to settle in and the teachers had gone off to finish whatever instructions Tsunade had for them.
"I want to watch Princess Mononoke!" Sakura complained.
"Kiki's Delivery Service is sooooo much better!" Ino glared back. Hinata was sitting on the couch watching the two arguing girls go at it, and looked relieved when Tenten walked in. She sat down next to the timid girl and they watched the two like it was some kind of movie. When weapons were drawn, Hinata gasped and Tenten decided to step in.
Their weapons and holsters were pinned against the opposite wall before you could say 'Miyazaki'.
"Ladies, let's be reasonable here," Tenten walked between them and pushed them apart. They just leaned to the side to glare around her. "We have to live together, so why don't we just get along? How about no movie today, and we do something else."
"Only if forehead girl agrees to it," Ino crossed her arms.
"If Ino-pig is fine with it then so am I," Sakura mimicked the action. Tenten sighed and released the hold she had on them, then used chakra strings to return their belongings.
"So let's just talk over dinner first, anyone want to cook?" Tenten began and Hinata brightened.
"I c-can c-cook," Hinata sounded happy to do it, so Tenten nodded and followed her to the kitchen. Ino and Sakura glared once more before following them.
(A/N: In case anyone out there is totally unfamiliar with these awesome films, they are both done by Miyazaki and if you haven't seen them you should check them out.)
It wasn't long before all four girls felt like they were having a sleepover. Even Hinata seemed to be coming out of her shell. Sakura had even admitted a few things that none of the others had expected.
"Sasuke's just so cold," Sakura shrugged. "But Naruto is so sweet and he'd do anything for me."
"He is sweet," Hinata blushed. "And s-so is Kiba…"
"Heh, Shikamaru even has his moments," Ino grinned and looked pointedly at Sakura. "I bet he and I are dating at least a month before you and Naruto are."
"You're on, Ino-pig!" Sakura made an angry fist at the blonde.
"You guys are lucky," Tenten leaned back and looked off into space. "Your teams have a good bond. Neji is so angry and arrogant while Lee is just… Lee."
"But they take care of you," Ino pointed out. "And they're both strong."
"Yeah, and I'm just in their team," Tenten smiled sadly. Before she could tell, Sakura had pulled her into a hug. She blinked in surprise and slowly hugged her back.
"You're a good kunoichi," Sakura said. "Don't compare yourself to them. And they do care, Lee took care of you after your match with Temari."
"Ugh, don't remind me. That was bad," Tenten shuddered but laughed it off.
"You'll show them up this time around," Ino said.
"Wait a minute, I think I figured it out," Sakura realized something and they all turned to her. "It's guys and girls, right? But there's only one girl in each cell, so we each know the styles of two of the boys. We have an advantage, because they won't share their styles or potentially help each other against us."
"You're right," Hinata seconded and thought it over.
"So let's figure out the holes in their styles," Tenten said and they all pulled out notepads. She sweat-dropped as she was reminded of Lee.
xXx
"What's for dinner?" Chouji asked in a half complaining tone.
"Ramen!" Naruto suggested and the guys all groaned.
"We had that for lunch, dobe," Sasuke said.
"Anyone good at cooking?" Shikamaru asked.
"I guess I can," Neji stepped up reluctantly and all the guys started to vacate the kitchen. Neji frowned and began to pull out pots and pans to start cooking. As much as he didn't want to, he remembered trying to show Tenten how to cook pasta. She'd burned nearly everything and it was amazing really. But the more he thought about that, the more he was reminded of the look on her face that day at training.