A/N: Bet you're all happy I FINALLY updated.

So. Today's my birthday and I wanted to be nice. Yay! You guys have been waiting for over a month and I'm sorry, but school has been terrible. Work, work, work, work, work and it never ends.

Oh my god, who's read the new Naruto chapter? I knew Konan used to be Jiraiya's student. She was on his genin team with Yondaime Hokage! YES.

This is un-beta'd at the moment so I apologize for spelling errors etc.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

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Chapter 9

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Tenten

Should I read it?

I pick up the note, fingers itching to unroll it.

Maybe it's not him.

I put it down.

God, since when have I gotten so worked up over a stupid letter before? I scrubbed my hands over my face and wanted to scream. Anonymous and I had only been writing to each other for, what, a month? I didn't even know his name and yet . . . I don't know, I felt really giddy. Happy that he'd written back to me, that he found me again. I don't know what's wrong with me. Is this weird? Am I just overreacting? Why the hell am I acting like some stupid twelve year old who's just had her first crush? Only younger girls are supposed to act this way . . .

Ok, I need to stop thinking and just do it.

Breathing slowly, I open the letter and read:

Tenten,

I was a little annoyed when you didn't reply for two weeks, I had sent you a letter, but then I heard from a few people in Konoha that you had moved. How is your residence in the Hyuuga mansion? I'd heard that the Hyuuga live in the lap of luxury, is it true? What are they like? Treating you well?

I'm not sure you understand how entertaining the binoculars bit was for me. I don't have many opportunities for practical jokes. I'm surprised you fell for it though. Didn't your shinobi senses tingle at all? Perhaps you're slipping Tenten, a dangerous thing for a kunoichi to be doing.

Work harder.

I'm not comfortable sharing about my past. It's not very . . . Well, I'm sure you get the point.

Sandaime Hokage named you? I find that very interesting. I'm surprised I'd never heard anything about this. He must've liked you very much.

Hyuuga Tenten? Is the addition of a last name appealing? I think I'd find it troublesome, mainly because I'd spend my whole life trying to live up to the Hyuuga name. Don't you think it'd be a little wearisome?

Eagerly awaiting your reply.

-Anonymous

Troublesome.

Troublesome, troublesome, troublesome.

You know who I think of when I see or hear that word?

Nara Shikamaru.

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I search around the Academy, looking for a familiar head of dark hair put up in a high pony tail.

Recently I'd gotten into the habit of calling him 'pineapple head'.

Thankfully he doesn't seem to mind.

Much.

A dozen small Academy students rush past me, screaming something about practicing their shuriken throws and it brings back a rush of memories from my own Academy days. I can't remember if I was messing around or goofing off, like a few guys I know who did in their days, all I can remember is the long nights of training with a wooden post, trying to perfect my accuracy and improve my precision. I think I cut myself more times than I can count back in the day. God, I can't believe it's been nine years since I first entered . . .

I round the corner, turning into a long hallway and I stop. My feet seem rooted to the floor and I can't stop staring at the spectacle before me:

Shikamaru.

And Temari.

Making out in the middle of the hallway.

It's got to be one of the kinkiest things ever.

I mean, what type of person starts feeling another person up in a place where eight year olds might see?

I cough loudly and the two break apart, Shikamaru evidently embarrassed to be caught, but Temari looks cool and composed as ever and winks at me, a mischievous grin on her lips. I have a feeling that she knew I was standing there and that Shikamaru was the only one unawares, too engrossed in kissing her.

"Sorry to ruin your make out session," I say dryly, watching as a flush makes its way up Shikamaru's face as Temari smirks. "But can I talk to you, Shikamaru?"

He pulls at his collar and says gruffly, "Sure."

The blonde Suna-nin grabs his face and presses her lips gently against his. "We'll finish this later, ok?"

I didn't think a person's face could go that red, but obviously Shikamaru's can. It's like the color of an overly ripe tomato. Temari walks past me, smiling, and I smile back.

Shikamaru sighs, face gone back to normal, and pulls out a pack of cigarettes from his Chuunin vest, popping one out, putting the pack back where he'd gotten it and fishing for a lighter in his pants. "What do you need?" he asks as he lights it, inhaling deeply. "I have to fill in for Iruka so I have about ten minutes before the brats come back in."

"Not much fun teaching a bunch of eight year olds, huh?"

"It's too much fun. I never realized how," he grimaces, "interested they were in certain subjects."

I was intrigued. "What do they ask you?"

"Stuff about my life, my relationships. It's damn annoying." He sucks on his cigarette for a moment, seemingly enjoying the nicotine's calming effect, and added, "Troublesome."

"Do you write letters?" I ask, staring at his face expectantly.

"What type?"

"Regular ones, I guess. Just to a friend maybe?"

"I write to Temari I guess. Pretty much everyone lives in Konoha. Why would I need to write to someone when we're in walking distance?"

Good point.

But . . .

"Maybe to keep animosity? You know how some people are . . ."

Shikamaru cast me a funny glance and for a split second I think he knew what I was getting at, who Anonymous was, but he simply shrugs and says I have a valid point.

"Nara-sensei!"

"Nara-sensei! Where's Temari-san?"

"Were you two k-i-s-s-i-n-g again?"

Shikamaru sighs deeply and mutters something about 'brats from hell' as two dozen children come running down the hall.

He groans. "I've got to go. See you later, Tenten."

I give him a sympathetic look. "Ok. I'll talk to you later."

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Neji

I frown as I'm dragged into the Yamanaka flower shop by Yamanaka Ino herself, and my frown deepens as I see Haruno Sakura and Hinata inside as well. The pink haired girl closes the shop door and turns the sign. I think I know where this is going and I don't like it one bit.

"What is this about?" I ask as the three girls scrutinize my person.

"There's nothing wrong with you, but there must be something!" Ino insists, turning to her friends. "I can't see it."

Sakura shrugs. "Tenten's always been a little . . ."

"S-She never showed interest in a-anyone, n-not even Uchiha-san . . ." Hinata states in her shaky speech, clasping her hands in front of her.

"And everyone shows interest in Sasuke." Sakura said matter-of-factly.

"I know! But Neji's also a sexy prodigy!" Ino cries, pointing to me and looking me up and down. "I can't understand why she hasn't tried to jump your bones yet!"

What a crude way of putting it . . .

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say, even though I do.

I've seen the way the Konoha girls salivate over Sasuke, and I must say that I find it incredibly disturbing. Most of the time they look like rabid dogs, ready to drag him into an alley and have their way with him. I can't understand why they won't give up. He runs away/ignores them every time they come around. If that's not the sign of disinterest I don't know what is.

"Have you tried to kiss Tenten yet?" Sakura demands. "Has she tried to kiss you?"

I'm taken aback by her bluntness and frown. "I don't see how my personal life is any concern of yours—"

Sakura stalks up to me, standing on her toes to stare me in the eye and her look is positively glacial. "Answer." she says, voice dripping poison and promises of pain.

"Hn."

I must be one of the most insane guys in the world because no sane man would not answer with her in front of him like this.

She seems satisfied after staring me in the eyes for a few more seconds and breaks her gaze.

"They haven't done anything yet." she says with a sigh.

It's uncanny how she knows this.

Ino groans and Hinata bites her lower lip.

"Ok," Ino says, mouth turning up in a sly grin, "we're going to have to fix that."

XXXXX

I've had lessons before, but never a lesson in kissing. I've never felt more humiliated in my life but they said that I'd certainly appreciate all the work we did perfecting my technique. I never knew the angle of your head was a key factor in kissing. Didn't you just mash you lips to the other person's and hope they liked it? Thankfully they didn't have me trying to kiss a mannequin or something, but I can't believe they drew up a whole manual. Didn't they have better things to do with their time?

Actually, I can't believe I have the stupid kissing manual with me.

Hinata suggested I take it, Ino and Sakura shoved it at me and then slammed the door of the flower shop in my face.

Took real restraint not to chuck it back through the window.

I don't need to know how to kiss, god dammit.

I frown, glaring hard at the scroll sitting in the middle of my bed.

'The Boys Guide to Kissing: What a Girl Wants' as the kunoichi so lovingly dubbed it.

I won't ever need this stupid thing. Tenten and I don't have a relationship like that! We're teammates, friends and unwilling fiancés . . .

We.

Will.

Not.

Kiss.

"Neji!"

I stuff the scroll under my pillow as Tenten walks in, closing the door to my bedroom with a loud bang. I'd told her to stop doing that.

She drops onto my bed and my eyes travel to my pillow for a second before drifting back to her.

"What do you need?" I ask. The faster I get rid of her the faster I can get rid of the scroll.

"We have a mission, something about helping a farmer pick crops, so be at the south gates bright and early day after next." she says cheerfully. I stared at her for a moment and her brows furrowed. "What? What's wrong? You're looking at me funny . . ."

"You seem so excited just to pick crops."

A smirk appears on her lips and Tenten tilts her head to the side and asks, "How were the kissing lessons?"

The blood in my body turns to ice.

"Y-You know about that?"

She smiles and grabs my sleeve, forcing me to sit. "Of course I do, they tell me everything! And," she adds coyly, "I've never heard you stutter before. Embarrassed?"

I snort, trying to get back my unfeeling disposition. "Hn."

Tenten laughs and it's a pleasant sound, one I wouldn't mind listening to more often actually.

God, I'm such a loser.

XXXXX

Tenten

Another day, another counseling session from hell.

I fidget under Jiraiya's intense scrutiny and I can tell Neji's getting irritated as well. I hate this. Neji and I are fine the way we are, not kissing or groping each other like a bunch of t—oh wait, we are teenagers. My mistake. The point is Neji and I don't do that type of stuff. We're shinobi. A proper shinobi wouldn't go fooling around with a sexy Hyuuga prodigy when there are missions to be done . . . No matter how much she wants to . . .

Oh god.

I close my eyes for a second and clench my fists.

I do not want to make out with Neji.

Who cares if he's incredibly hot and has a gorgeously sexy voice?

I'm not going to kiss him.

Jiraiya looks at me, then at Neji. "Kiss her."

I'm out of my seat in an instant. "What the hell!?"

"No." the Hyuuga prodigy says firmly.

"Why not?" Jiraiya asks Neji, eyes narrowed to slits. "Do you think she's ugly?"

"N—"

So he doesn't think I'm ugly . . .

"Or is it that she's not good enough for you?"

"N—"

"Do you think she's fat?"

"N—"

Hell, do I look fat to you?

"Are you seeing someone else?"

"N—"

"Then you're just having sex with the girl."

"N—"

"It's a boy then?"

Ha ha ha! Good one, Jiraiya-sama.

"NO." Neji glares at the white haired Sannin. "I do not think Tenten is ugly, she is good enough for me, she's not fat, I'm not seeing anyone else, I'm not having sex with another girl and I am not having sex with a guy."

Wow, what a revelation. Neji doesn't think I'm ugly, I'm good enough for him, I'm not fat and he's faithful to me. The girls would be proud. I think the faithfulness is ingrained into the Hyuuga brain because they're very loyal. I don't think Neji would ever be the kind to cheat and I kind of find it appealing. Really appealing. Like, something I really appreciate in my soon-to-be husband.

"If that's the case," Jiraiya eyes him expectantly, "why don't you kiss her?"

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Neji

Why don't I kiss her?

I don't know . . . Maybe because she doesn't want me to kiss her?

Tenten looks a little dazed and I wonder if she's alright.

"T—"

I am then forcefully shoved towards her, loosing my equilibrium and falling on top of her.

Face.

Into.

Her.

Breasts.

Holy shit.

Tenten's chest rises and falls and I hastily get myself from her breasts, my face burns a little. She's staring at me, shock written all over her face and I sincerely hope that the redness on her face is from something other than anger because she seems the type of woman to kill a man for doing something like that.

"I-I'm sorry." I stammer.

What the hell? Why am I stammering? I don't stammer. That's Hinata's job. I've never stammered before. Since when have I stammered? This is all her fault. I've never done such stupid things before. Why does Tenten make me do crazy things? I'm supposed to be like ice. Cool. Collected. Composed. But every time, every damn time, I end up doing something uncharacteristic with her around. Well, this time it wasn't my fault. It was Jiraiya's . . . And Tenten being there. Tenten with her quite large breasts and womanly figure . . .

I need to stop hanging out with Naruto.

Tenten breathes deeply and then looks at me serenely. "It's alright. I know it wasn't your fault." She then glares at Jiraiya pointedly and the white haired Sannin sheepishly smiles.

"I was hoping for one of those 'fall into' kisses." he says.

"Are we allowed to leave yet? I didn't come here to get faux molested."

"Not until you two kiss." Jiraiya adds, "It's part of your counseling."

She sighs and then motions to me. "Come on, let's get this over with."

"Excuse me?"

Tenten rolls her eyes. "Neji," she says, exasperation lacing her tone a little, "just kiss me so we can leave. I'm tired of being here." I don't do anything for a few seconds and she roughly grabs my hand and puts it on her waist, tugging me along as well. "Just do it."

I frown but comply, cupping her face in my hands. She sighs and stares at me ruefully. I can't tell what she's thinking. Does she like this? Does she dislike this? I don't know what the hell I'm doing, I guess I'll just go on instinct or something.

I lean down and gently press my lips against hers.

It feels . . . Nice.

XXXXX

Tenten

Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap.

Neji is kissing me.

I repeat, kissing me.

Is this what his fan girls fantasize about?

Crap.

God dammit, this is my first kiss. You know how people, mainly girls I guess, want to save their first kiss for someone special? Well, crazy as it sounds, that's what I wanted to do and I squandered it with Neji! I didn't even realize till after he kissed me. God, I'm a retard. But the kiss is nice. Not one of those oh-my-god-this-is-the-hottest-kiss-ever ones, but it's also not one of those I'm-going-to-suck-your-face-off kisses. It's a sweet one, gentle.

I pull back a little, breaking contact, and I can't read Neji's expression. It's mostly blank. Did he not like it? Is he angry? Embarrassed? Annoyed? Depressed that he had to kiss me?

"Wonderful!" Jiraiya calls. For a second I forgot he was in the room with us. "You guys did well today and I'll see you again soon. I'll have Tsunade send word next time I'm available."

Neji murmurs his signature 'hn' and mutters something about getting ready for our mission.

Mission . . . Right.

For some reason I want to stab something . . . Or cry.

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A/N: Reviews are my happy crack.