Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Temari and Orochimaru would be my personal footstools. Buahahaha….ha….ha-ha. I'M NOT FUNNY! GIVE ME A BREAK!

Well, this is my first chapter story! It will have most (if not all) of my favorite pairings, so please, don't discriminate. Enough talking, you fool! Let's go!

To Bear a Burden

Chapter 1

'To the left.'

He jumped out of the way of a stray kunai. His long, gorgeous tresses swooped gracefully to the side.

"Where's your concentration!" He demanded. His all-seeing eyes squinted with irritation. All week his training partner and sole companion had been slipping. She had been perched so high upon her throne, she was the elite!

And yet…

'From above.' He once again, for the billionth time that week evaded her futile endeavor. That just made her feel like crap.

"What's wrong with you?" Hyuuga Neji landed on a knee, with no sound at all.

"What makes you THINK there's ANYTHING wrong with me?" TenTen queried angrily.

"You're missing too much. You never miss." He stated simply. "Usually, by now, I would almost be out of chakra. However, I haven't had to use kaiten once."

"If you're so eager to be ripped in two, why shouldn't I have a nice slice of Neji pie and do it for you!" She screamed at the top of her very capable lungs.

"Neji…pie?" He looked at her like she had just swallowed a live panda whole.

"It's called sarcasm, asshole." She spat.

"Iidaro." He chose to ignore his new nickname. Before he could stop himself, he said, "I'm just a little worried about you…is…is something the matter, TenTen? Is there something I should know?" Apparently, it was the right thing to say.

"Neji…" She was astonished that the living icicle in front of her was capable of feeling such things. She sighed and started to explain. "I…I don't feel…that I'm good enough, strong enough. I feel so…so…weak. I'm…inadequate…obsolete…inept…I'm useless.It was enough when we were genin, but…everyone's changed and I…I…haven't. It's not enough, Neji! It's not enough! I'm…not…enough…" She could barely finish her sentence because right then, right there, she broke out in uncontrollable, bottled up sobs. For every time she was struck down and held strong, she sobbed. "I'm…so disgusting!" she cried, falling to her knees. "I've worked so hard to get their respect, all my life, I've worked so hard, and for naught! I'm sorry, Neji! I'm a disgrace! I'm of no more use to you now! Neji…I'm so sorry Neji…" Her shoulders shook uncontrollably as her fingernails scraped desperately at the earth.

He felt tempted to slap her.

"TenTen…" he dropped to his knees and looked her in the eye, "TenTen, look at me." She did so reluctantly. She looked up with tears in her eyes to see wonderful lavender orbs. If she wasn't so distraught, she would have gotten lost in those eyes which not even the smallest nuance could hide from. "You are the only one I would ever train with. Do you know why?" The defeated, hopeless look in her chocolatey eyes answered his question for him. "It is because you are the most formidable opponent I have ever faced." Her eyes exploded with bewilderment. Surely he was lying! There was positively no way he could ever be telling the truth! But, as she searched his eyes for any miniscule trace of dishonesty or perjury…but had no such luck. "You instill such fear in me, and no matter how I try, I cannot get you to stay down. I am not able to make you show fear. No matter what technique I learn, you won't be afraid or back down. Your face always shows such determination every time; it makes me think you're going to kill me. I cannot make you fear me, no matter what I do. TenTen, you amaze me with your grace and skill. You have such precise aim I could never hope to have. Your taijutsu is powerful and so unpredictable…you never cease to impress me." He said it with a sincerity that was so caring and sweet; it was almost painful to listen. The last part of the sentence, the most astonishing to hear left her gaping. He was always so cold…but she could feel the warmth radiating off him in waves.

"A…Arigato…Neji." That was all she could say. She was dumbstruck.

'Neji! Dammit! Dammit all to hell! I worked so hard not to fall for you, you bastard! Damn you! Damn you to hell! I…I love you…Neji. Damn.'

And so it begins…

End Chappie 1