Shanan's first day of training had been an interesting one. She was still a bit hungover and was also still feeling a bit dejected from her night with Shikamaru. So she didn't show up in her best form.

"You look rough this morning," Tenzo said honestly as soon as he saw her.

"Hey!" she said as she looked down at her clothes. "I'm just tired."

Tenzo walked up to her and examined her face closely through narrowed eyes. "Didn't I tell you not to drink anymore?"

She looked back at him nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "Ah… well…"

"A rule breaker, huh? Kakashi didn't tell me about this…" He closed his eyes and shook his head at her.

"No, no! I can follow the rules. Uh… what were they again?" she asked, still feeling a bit nervous.

"Do what I tell you. That's it," he said shortly as he walked around her.

"Oh that… Do I call you Sensei?"

Tenzo made a face. "No. Please. Don't do that."

"So… just Tenzo then?" she asked cheerfully.

Tenzo stopped in front of her and looked at her seriously. "Master."

It was Shanan's turn to make a face. "Really?"

"Is that not alright with you?" he asked, a bit amused.

"It's… not ideal. Can't I just call you Sensei?"

"You know, Kakashi highly recommended you. I can't believe he got it so wrong," he said as he turned and walked away.

Shanan turned herself into water and fell to the ground with a splash. He turned around to try and look at her just as she reformed herself directly behind him and tapped on his shoulder.

He spun around to see her standing there with her arms folded.

She cleared her throat to speak. "Kakashi is never wrong. Also, I know you're just messing with me, you can't lie to me. And you seem to be in a playful mood this morning, but your delivery needs work. Even if I didn't have Sharingan, I would've seen right through you," she said with a smirk.

Tenzo laughed at her nervously. Although he was thoroughly impressed. "Kakashi did mention that in his notes, but I had to test it for myself."

Shanan smiled at him. "Well, nice try, Tenzo. But it was a meaningless effort," she said as she laughed.

"I can see that… That water chakra of yours is interesting, but it could use some refining. I'm looking forward to assessing your skills. I know you and Kakashi haven't had a lot of time to train together and you mostly worked on incorporating your lightning style, I can't really help you there. But I use earth and water style, which combine into a pretty cool wood style."

"Wood? That's…"

"We won't get into it. But yes, like the first Hokage. So, wood style and storm style. Those are our team strengths. Still hungover? Let's get some coffee and go over our plans for training. We'll train afterwards," he said as he held his hand out and gestured for her to start walking.

"Well I was actually gonna say that wood style is pretty cool. I don't know much about the first Hokage, but that's cool too, I guess."

"Oh, most people bring it up," he said as he chuckled.

Shanan stopped and tilted her head to the side. "Are you gonna be vague and mysterious the whole time we're partners?"

He stopped and thought for a moment before nodding. "Absolutely."

"Great," she said sarcastically as she laughed.

--

Shanan had been in the Anbu for about four months. She and Tenzo had been on several missions already and they still trained together between their missions when he didn't have a special solo mission to worry about.

Most of their missions had them traveling pretty far. Shanan used her Storm Cloud Jutsu when it wasn't too cold, but it was the dead of winter, so they usually just walked since Shanan got cold very easily and always had. Tenzo always offered to let her wear his cloak on top of hers, but she knew that with his water type, he probably got cold easily too, though he'd never admit it. She at least had lightning chakra to help. But they always shared a bedroll when it was cold so that they could huddle against one another and have the extra body heat under both of their blankets. And his wood style was very useful in that he always made them a small house to sleep in, so they wouldn't have to worry about the wind or the weather.

They only ever burned one down when he'd been too hasty in creating it and didn't make the fire pit wide enough. But they'd been soaked through and were in a hurry to dry their clothes while they shivered and brought their temperatures back up under the blankets. Fortunately, they didn't lose anything but the house in the fire as Shanan put a water barrier around them and all of their stuff. Once it was done, he created another one easily and remedied his mistake and hurried back under the blankets to warm up again. Normally, she would just pull the water from their clothes, but pulling cold water from anything brought her core temperature down. So that ability was useless in the winter.

She liked Tenzo, they'd become really good friends. He reminded her a lot of Kakashi. If Kakashi never lectured her or was a smidge less serious. Tenzo was awkward sometimes, but he was also kind of funny. And he really did look up to Kakashi. He was a few years younger than him and he didn't ever really go into detail about their past, but he only ever had good things to say about him. It was nice to have someone connected to Kakashi that she could miss him with since she could miss the boys with her other friends.

And he was honestly a great teacher and partner. One particular mission found them guarding the adult son of a noble from a different village. The son didn't feel like he'd needed to be protected, and he made it abundantly clear to both Shanan and Tenzo. He repeatedly disrespected Tenzo as they guarded him during an important ceremony that took place over five days and Tenzo never said anything to the man and even stopped Shanan every time she'd decided she'd had enough of him being rude to her friend. But then he finally insulted Shanan's capabilities and asked why The Leaf would insult him by sending a child to protect him and Tenzo told him off before withdrawing them from the mission.

He'd saved her neck in more fights than she cared to admit, but she'd saved his a few times too. Once, he even used his wood style to shield her from a volley of kunai, and she turned right around and obliterated that same shield with her lightning to send wood shards back at the enemy to save him in return.

He'd never had a chance to train his own partner before, but he trained her well enough that they worked really well together. Even if they didn't work together constantly. He still did missions by himself and she still did regular missions as well and had plenty of downtime too.

They'd finally had a chance to train after not seeing each other for a few weeks, but Shanan had had so much on her mind lately, that he was able to punch her pretty hard in her face without her even attempting to dodge.

"I really didn't think that would land," he said as he helped her sit. "Just tilt your head back." He was helping her hold a handkerchief to her nose to try and stop the bleeding.

"You really weren't holding back," Shanan said as she laughed. "Ow... that was a mistake."

Tenzo laughed. "Yeah, maybe you shouldn't laugh so much. Your eyes are bruising already."

"No... Really?" she said as she moved the handkerchief and looked down. As soon as she did, blood poured from both nostrils.

Tenzo grabbed her hand and shoved the cloth back up to her nose. "Head back!"

"Is it broken?" she said a bit nasally as she pinched her nose. She started laughing again at how stupid she sounded.

"Stooooop..." he said with a chuckle. "No, I think it'll be fine. Well, maybe. Why did you let me hit you? You've always dodged my punches almost effortlessly."

"I just like being punched sometimes," she joked as she shrugged.

"Stop being an idiot," he said as he shook his head. "I noticed you were sighing a lot earlier and being mopey. What's going on?"

Shanan laughed again. "Ow."

"Stop it."

"You're really asking a teenage girl what's going on in her mind?"

"I guess."

"Do you really wanna know or are you just being polite?" she asked curiously.

Tenzo thought about it for a moment. "Ah. Well, I suppose I was just being polite. But now that you've brought it to my attention, I do wanna know. If it'll help. Will it help?"

Shanan carefully removed the handkerchief from her nose and looked straight as she wiggled her nose. "Is it done?"

"Looks like it. I think you're fine. It's not broken."

Shanan thought for a moment. "Well... I've just been kind of struggling with something lately."

Tenzo sat comfortably so he could listen.

"I hear that's normal for teens," he said thoughtfully.

Shanan smirked at him. "Oh, did you skip those years?" she asked jokingly.

He shrugged casually. "Yeah, kinda."

"Tenzo, do I need to use Kurushimi on you?"

He laughed loudly. "No, please. It's alright. Besides, I get to live vicariously through you now anyway. Your stories are always fun to hear. Go on."

"Alright, well just let me know if you change your mind about it."

He nodded.

"So. I still really love and miss Sasuke. So much. I can't explain to you how much I still think about him."

"Sure."

"But... I also really like Shikamaru. And I'm just here by myself. I wanna wait for Sasuke. But... I don't know if I should. What if he met someone where he's at? What if he changed his mind? I feel like a jerk for not just waiting patiently, but how do I know if I should? I mean he asked me to, but he also left me. I miss him, but how long am I supposed to be sad, especially if I like someone else?" She looked at Tenzo anxiously.

He was sitting with his eyes closed and nodding. "I see what you mean. That is a lot. Do you want my advice?"

Shanan nodded sadly.

"Well. You love Sasuke. But he did leave. And you have no idea what he's up to or if he's staying true to his word. And from what you've told me, you and Shikamaru both like each other a lot. He wouldn't spend so much time with you if he didn't. I don't see why you should feel guilty for moving on with your life."

Shanan was kind of sad, but also kind of impressed.

"Was that good advice?"

"Yeah. It was. I can't believe a dork like you made so much sense," she joked.

Tenzo smirked at her. "Glad I could help. Oh, you're not about to h-"

Shanan wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed him. "Of course I am. I'm a huggy person, you should be used to it by now," she said as she laughed.

He hugged her back reluctantly. He knew she was a hugger, but it still made him feel awkward. Still, she wouldn't stop until he hugged her back, so he knew he had to if he wanted it to stop.

"You're so weird," she said as she pulled away from him. "You've embraced my mostly naked body, more than once, all night long with no problem. But oh no, a fully clothed hug and your face is beet red every time. Just let me hug you, Tenzo!" she demanded.

He looked at her incredulously. "I do let you hug me! I even hugged you back! I can't help it if it still makes me uncomfortable. And the naked thing was for missions. Your hugs are not."

"I'm gonna destroy those walls of yours, my friend."

He shrugged at her. "That's ok. I don't mind that you try. But I'm just not used to being around anyone like you. Kakashi warned me. I guess I didn't believe him."

"You're used to people like you and Kakashi."

"It's an Anbu trait, I suppose."

"Are you saying I have dozens of walls to break?" she said as she smiled hopefully.

"Calm down," he said as he laughed. "If you think I'm weird..."

"Ooh..." Shanan rubbed her hands together.

"I'm gonna have to punch you again, aren't I?"

Shanan rolled her eyes and hit him. "Fine, just you and Kakashi I guess."

Tenzo stood up and helped her to her feet. "Come on, crazy, let's eat. You should see how red your face is from all the smeared blood. And your eyes..." He almost doubled over with laughter. "You're really gonna hate it."

"If Shikamaru stops hanging out with me..." she said as she laughed.

Tenzo quieted down and seemed to be searching for the right words. "You know, Shanan, he just might," he said as he nodded thoughtfully.

"What?! That's not what you're supposed to say! You know what..." she said as she lunged for him.

Tenzo's eyes widened as Shanan moved closer to him. "No, don't..." he said as he put his hand on top of her head to keep her from moving any closer.

She laughed as she reached for him. "But I love you, Tenzo!"

"Stop it…"

She broke free and did all she could to invade his personal space while he tried hard and failed to keep her off of him.

"Say it," she said after she jumped on his back and held him in a choke hold.

"No."

"Tell me you love me too and I'll let you go."

"I don't love you."

"You do! Say it."

He tried to pull her arm away, but she had a solid grip. "No. I don't love you!"

"You'd rather die?"

"You won't kill me," he said confidently.

"I should!" she yelled at him. "Friends love each other!"

He stopped struggling. "Ok. Ok. Let me go and I'll say it."

"I don't trust you."

"No, no. I promise," he told her.

"Fine," she said as she released her grip and put her feet on the ground.

Tenzo leaned forward and caught his breath. "Guess I deserve that for punching you," he said breathlessly.

Shanan nodded and then raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, I'm waiting."

He held his finger up as he slowed his breath. "Yeah..." he took a deep breath and stood up straight as he looked at her, defeated. He had to say it. He'd promised.

"Come on. It's not that hard. 'Shanan, you're my friend and I love you!'"

"I did promise I'd say it." He took another deep breath. "Ok... IT!"

"Really?!" She yelled after him. "Fine! Let's just eat, you giant child!"

She caught up to him and hit him again as they both laughed. Then they went to the restaurant and ate like they usually did after training. Always in the same booth that she'd sat at with Kakashi. Tenzo didn't mind if she ordered a bottle of sake, though.

She really was glad that Kakashi had requested for Tenzo to train her. Even if he didn't like hugs or tell her that he loved her too, she knew he did anyway.