Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ Cook For Me Ten-chan ❯ Common Ground ( Chapter 1 )

Hey Guys

As most of you are aware this was IceCreamCloud's fic originally but he/she couldn't continue it. Everything will stay the same aside from the author notes which I will change only if necessary. IceCreamCloud has my e-mail and will be sending me documents if he/she can, i will notify you when a chapter is posted by them.

Also I did not change the summary, IceCreamCloud made a last minute change before I adopted the story, and I helped a little.

Well, since Naru/Ten is one of my favorites expect good things out of this fic, hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

It was a usual day for the bun-headed brunette. She walked happily down the street towards the store. The amount of food in her apartment was getting dangerously low and she needed to restock fast if she wanted to eat in the upcoming week. The village had calmed down to an extent after Orochimaru attacked and the third Hokage died saving them all. Now she heard rumors that a new Hokage was taking up the position, and better yet it was her idol, Tsunade-sama.

She walked into the store expecting to be greeted by a silent air as it always was when she came, but there was a loud yelling coming from the front where the cashier was located. Naruto was standing in front of the clerk who was had a terrified look on his face. He had a basket next to him full of…were those ramen cups? The basket was nearly overflowing with them. He stood next to a tall blond woman who had her back to Tenten.

“What do you mean I can't buy them all!?”

“I-I'm sorry but there are other customers who enjoy ramen sir. We just received a shipment of them and won't be getting another for a while.”

“Baa-chan! You said I could buy as much as I wanted to! I won the bet!”

“Please give him the ramen sir and put it on the Hokage's tab”

`Hokage's tab? No way…that couldn't be”

Tenten inched herself around to get a better look at the woman he was standing next to. All she could see was her blond hair and the green jacket she had on. If she tried to inch around further she would definitely be caught. The woman turned around after sensing someone was watching her and came face to face with some girl with her jaw dropped. Naruto turned around with a big smile on, happy he had finally received his ramen.

“Hey Tenten! Have you met Baa-chan?”

Tenten face dropped farther than it had before. She couldn't be. The legendary sannin Tsunade was Naruto's grandmother!? It was impossible! There wasn't a trait they shared anywhere, except the blond hair, and Naruto's was a darker tinge. There wasn't any way in the world it was true. Tenten was so drawn in her thoughts that she didn't see Tsunade bop Naruto on the head for calling her a grandma again.

“Tenten was it?” Tsunade asked

Tenten nodded dumbly, not believing her idol spoke her name.

“I'll have to apologize for Naruto, he learned his manners from his perverted sensei.”

Tenten nodded again, her mouth still hanging low.

“I did not! If I did I would be glomping her right now!”

Tsunade gave him another bop on the head while Tenten turned red from the comment.

“What are you doing here anyway Tenten?” Naruto asked, nursing his head

“I-I needed to get f-food because I-I'm nearly out.” Tenten stammered

“Is that so? How much food did you plan on buying today?” Tsunade asked

“Only a couple vegetables and a little meat. The missions I've been doing lately have all been D ranked and my rent has left me with little to spend.” Tenten's head hung low.

Tsunade assumed Tenten was one of the many children who had been orphaned by the Nine-tails attack. It was amazing that she had gotten along by herself. Most other orphans were still living in orphanages “How about you buy what you need to survive, and more if you want to, but in return I give you harder missions that I expect you to complete. Deal?”

Tenten couldn't believe her ears. She was getting two of her favorite things, food and tougher missions, from the woman she considered a goddess. She grew tired of receiving easy missions and never liked them in general, they were boring. However, she did know when not to accept tasks she had no chance of coming back from alive. As for food Tenten did not starve herself like many other female kunoichi, it all burned off during training anyway.

“Really Tsunade-sama? Everything I need?”

“Hai, but you have to promise.”

“I-I promise!”

“Baa-chan what about me!? I hardly get by where I'm living!”

“Oh Naruto, I forgot you're both orphans...You've already bought all the ramen cups in the store though” Naruto give Tenten a shocked look and she returned it. Neither had known of the others history.

“I know that, I meant about the missions.”

Tsunade ignored him “Tenten do you cook well?”

“H-Hai, I make what I can”

Tsunade understood, the girl had probably made several easy meals considering she lived alone and no one had ever taught her. It was unhealthy for her to have little to no nutrition in her diet like Naruto did. Naruto had a living chakra entity inside him that kept him healthy while Tenten had only her regular digestive system. It would only hurt her in the long run.

“Naruto promise you will go on difficult missions without failing them and that you will go over to Tenten's three days a week for a real meal. You will also be there to test her cooking. Deal?”

Naruto contemplated this for a minute. There wasn't anything he could lose through this agreement. He didn't know much about the weapons loving kunoichi other than she liked throwing things. She seemed nicer than Sakura-chan, even though she wasn't as pretty but her kindness compensated for it. He decided to take her up on the offer.

“As long as I get harder missions Baa-chan I agree. If Tenten is okay with it I'll be too” Naruto sent a large grin Tenten's way.

“I suppose, but if you insult my cooking...” Tenten warned, brandishing a kunai out of her sleeve. Naruto wondered if she carried those everywhere on her person.

“Good, then you both grab a few things and head back to your homes. Naruto you will be at Tenten's every other day of the week. If you wish to and she is fine with it you can go over more often. I'll see about getting a jounin instructor to watch over you on your missions, the village won't allow it otherwise.”

“Thanks Baa-chan! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!”

Five Narutos sprung appeared and started grabbing random things and stuffing them in a basket for Tenten. Seconds later the store was missing many items but had enough to still function, Tenten sported a happy smile as the other Narutos dispersed leaving her with the other two in the store.

“Naruto help Tenten carry these to her apartment and memorize where you're going so you don't get lost tonight. I have to head to the tower.”

Naruto sighed and made another couple shadow clones. They picked up the basket and heaved it out the door after Tenten. The other couple clones headed to his apartment to put his ramen away. He couldn't wait for the missions, they would help him test his training and pay more too. Kami knows he needed the money.

Tenten didn't know much about Naruto. The only thing they had in common was their history, nothing else. She was older than him by one year and had been a ninja longer. Tenten hoped she didn't have to put up with an immature attitude. He was nice enough to carry her food home, so that was a good sign.

Naruto looked up when Tenten stopped. They had reached an apartment building not much different than his, it was certainly as clean as his, which wasn't saying much. Tenten walked up the stairs with five other Narutos and stopped at a small door. All of Naruto's clones dispersed and Tenten opened the door to a moderately cleaned room. There wasn't anything on the floor, the bed was made, everything was neatly arranged. Naruto dragged the food inside.

“Wow Tenten, you keep your place neat”

“Arigatou, but don't touch anything.”

“Why? Anything in here I shouldn't be seeing?”

“No, I have a lot of pointy objects in here and I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself”

“Hey! I'm a ninja too! Pointy objects get thrown at me all the time” Naruto said with a huff, his arms crossed.

“But you've never been to my apartment. If you want to go touch something go ahead, I'm not taking you to the hospital.” Tenten walked into a little kitchen behind a bar to put the things away. Naruto wasn't within range of her eyesight anymore but he couldn't do too much damage on his own. She heard a scream come from middle room and ran in, thinking something had happened to him.

Naruto was suspended atop the farthest wall, shuriken keeping him in place by his clothes. He smiled sheepishly.

“Uh Tenten, can you get me down?”

“What did you touch?” she started removing the small ninja stars

“You don't remember what's in your traps? Isn't that a little dangerous?”

“I remember most of them, but there are a couple that when triggered shuriken are released. One should have at least grazed you, maybe I need to up my traps a little.” She pulled out the last star, allowing Naruto to drop to the ground.

“All I did was get on the bed! What kind of trap is that!? Don't you have to worry about that when you go to sleep?”

“What did you do exactly on the bed?”

“ I just sat on it!” Naruto said, obviously lying.

“You jumped on it didn't you?”

Naruto looked down, embarrassed. He only wanted to see if her bed was as bouncy as his, which it was tenfold. He had enjoyed it until the shuriken interrupted his fun and pinned him to the wall.

“I was only testing something!”

“Do you have to yell?”

Naruto stood there, dumbfounded. Nobody had ever completely outwitted him like this. Tenten seemed smarter than Sakura, which meant if he argued further he would only be making an ass out of himself. Either that or she would make an ass out of him, both ways there was no positive gain for him in the situation. He might as well drop it and hope to win the next battle.

“Gomen Tenten, I was wrong to jump on your bed” Naruto said with a slight bow

Tenten looked at the boy strangely. This was the number one most unpredictable ninja of the leaf? Well he certainly did surprise her, she had expected a long argument. Maybe these nights cooking for him wouldn't kill her, she could probably learn more about him too, if she chose to.

“No problem, just be careful like I told you. Better yet, come into the kitchen and help me put away all this food.”

Naruto nodded and followed her. The was a small fridge in the kitchen along with a little table with two chairs. They would have to shove all the groceries in the refrigerator to make it fit. Naruto and Tenten set to work, handing the food to one another so it would go faster. When the were finished and the fridge door was secure they both rested at the table. There wasn't anything to do yet, it was still pretty early in the morning.

“What do you plan on cooking tonight Tenten?” Naruto's stomach was already going on low, he would have to head to Ichiraku in a moment.

“I don't really know. Maybe some stir fry or fish, I haven't decided yet.”

“Fish? We eat that all the time when we're out on missions”

“Have you ever had it when it's cooked by using something other than just fire?”

“But how is that any different?”

“All right then, I'll make fish tonight. Come with an empty stomach”

“An empty stomach!?” Naruto wailed, he hated being hungry.

“Yes, now shouldn't you be heading off to train or something?”

“No, I have nothing to do for the rest of the day. I trained all day yesterday and I'm running out of training methods for myself. It's hard not having a sensei”

“ I can teach you some Kenjutsu if you're interested since I have nothing to do for the rest of the day.”

“Can we head to Ichiraku first, I'm starving”

“Ichiraku?” The name sounded familiar

“You don't know about Ichiraku!? We have to go now!” Naruto grabbed her hand and nearly dragged her out of the door. Tenten hardly had enough time to lock it before she was pulled through Konoha for a little ramen stand. Anyone who would have be looking would see Naruto holding Tenten's hand while running through Konoha. As luck would have it, Naruto's female teammate, as well as Tenten's male Hyuuga teammate did happen to catch a glance of the speeding duo as they passed by the Yamanaka flower shop.

'Naruto and Tenten? Am I seeing things?' Sakura thought

Neji brushed it off and looked the other way. He soon found himself following the two though, he had to protect his teammates after all. Sakura decided to follow them, she had to make sure that her teammate wasn't getting himself into something she knew he would regret. Since when did Naruto prefer older women?

The two finally arrived at the ramen stand while their teammates kept a good distance from it. Close enough to hear but not to be spotted.

“Hey old man! I need four bowls of miso and one pork!”

“Sure Naruto, what about your lady friend? Diet ramen?”

Tenten was about to protest to her being called Naruto's lady friend but she decided against it, it wasn't as if he thought they were dating or anything. If he did she would just correct them nicely and get on with her meal. “Did you say diet ramen?”

“That's right young lady. It's popular among the kunoichi”

“No thank you. I'll take a bowl of beef please”

“Coming right up! Ayame! Four miso, one pork, and one beef for our number one customer and his friend”

Ayame poked her head out from the back “Hi Naruto! Good to see you again!”

“You too Ayame-nee-san!”

The cook and his daughter went into the back to start preparing the two ninja's meals. Tenten wondered what was so special about this little stand, it looked so much like the others. Naruto had insisted they come so the food must have been good. Her thoughts were interrupted by a bowl of beef ramen sliding in front of her. The old man gave her a smile and Naruto looked at her expectantly.

Tenten hesitantly picked her her chopsticks and looked at the two again. The old man had gone to the back with his daughter to make the rest of the food, but Naruto was still staring at her as if his entire life was at risk if she liked the food or not. Tenten broke her chopsticks and muttered an 'Itadakimasu' before tentatively slipping her utensils into the bowl and putting some noodles in her mouth.

Naruto stare intensified if possible. The only thing he was focused on was Tenten, nothing else mattered at that moment. He had never met anyone who had not liked Ichiraku and he was sure she wouldn't be the first. The other two outside also noted Naruto's body shift so that it was facing the weapon loving kunoichi. The torso of Naruto leaned towards that of Tenten which was enough to get the two outside wondering.

Tenten started eating her noodles at a faster rate. They were absolutely delicious! She had never tasted ramen so well prepared and it was just ramen! The things this man could do with other foods probably surpassed anything she could ever think of. She finished the noodles and picked up the bowl to drink the broth.

“Naruto your girlfriend enjoys ramen almost as much as you” Ayame called from the back.

Tenten spluttered and started choking on the remaining broth. Naruto blushed deeply but got up to help his comrade, he couldn't just leave her choking. He awkwardly patted her on the back. Tenten stopped a few moments later, Naruto's hand still patting her lightly.

Neji thought about possibly using the byakugan, but he didn't want to pry any more in Tenten's business. He could just casually walk in and order some food, there was also no need to waste the chakra. Sakura had no such ability though. She was torn between walking inside or going home, but then she would just be curious later. Both abandoned their hiding spots and went to open the flaps that were in the way of their view. Neji and Sakura reached the stand at the same time but paid no mind to each other. They opened the tent flap to see what they had expected but were still surprised.

Naruto had his left hand on Tenten's back, gently massaging it, while his right was on her knee. His face was a red that matched the counter in Ichiraku and Tenten's was the same. Tenten's blush only intensified when noticed Neji had walked in and Naruto's was equally red when he noticed Sakura. The two stared dumbly at the 'couple' that sat before them, strange feelings of jealousy and rage boiled within them.

“Ah Sakura, did you congratulate Naruto and his girlfriend on their relationship yet?” Teuchi asked from the counter.

Naruto smacked his head against the counter, along with Tenten. They both looked up to see the people they were currently infatuated with paying them more attention than usual. Tenten had always had a thing for Neji and Naruto the same for Sakura. In both cases the latter did not pay enough attention to them to even notice their feelings, what was it that was different this time? Could it be jealousy?

Tenten looked at Neji, sure enough she had never seen him show such emotion, even though it wasn't that much. Naruto did the same for Sakura. She looked ready to hit him, but it didn't seem like for the reason she usually did. He looked at Tenten who looked back, a sly smile on both their faces.

They nodded to one another, Naruto grasped Tenten's hand and walked out the restaurant past the other two shocked teens. It was surprisingly smooth, he got the sudden urge to hold onto it for longer. Naruto had even forgotten the other ramen he ordered. Both ninja walked hand in hand towards Tenten's apartment, leaving the other two to their own devices.

“Where are they going?” Sakura asked

“In the direction of Tenten's apartment” Neji answered

They both had scowls on their faces and feelings of remorse as the people who used to adore them now walked off with each other.

One more thing, the first four chapters are entirely IceCreamCloud's writing with a little beta-ing from me on the side. They are property of IceCreamCloud, not me.

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