Naruto Fan Fiction ❯ I Slipped [Tenten x Neji] ❯ Bandages ( Chapter 1 )

I Slipped [Neji x Tenten]

Chapter One: Bandages

 

I never really thought much of Tenten. Yes, she's pleasant enough, and she's a skilled fighter and weapons mistress. But I never really thought about my feelings towards her. When we were placed in the same group, all I thought about was the Chuunin exams and the other rookies.

 

But I suppose she was always there, cheering for me and training with me. Tenten had always been supportive, and caring, as a teammate should. She's always been there.

 

But I never really even thought about how Tenten thought about me, at least not until our next team training session after the Chuunin exams.

 

Lee was in the hospital, because of his injuries. I felt sympathetic towards him. He really was a great ninja. Gai-sensei was visiting him. He told us not to slack off and to train without him.

 

“How do you think Lee is doing?” Tenten asked, opening her scrolls and looking through them. We sat on a large flat boulder by the river on a hill, overlooking the Hokage's tower. There was a light breeze blowing past us. I fingered the kunai in my hands, staring off at the mountains a while away.

 

“He'll be alright.” I said, “Lee is stubborn. He won't give up that easily.” She nodded and sighed, pulling her arms behind her head. Then she grinned and turned to me.

 

“Neji, wanna look over the edge?”

 

I blinked and stared at her. She just continued smiling, waiting for my answer. I laughed a little and shrugged. “All right.”

 

When Tenten smiles at you like that, what can you do? Say no? Of course not. I didn't want to disappoint her.

 

Tenten hopped off the boulder and onto the grass, tucking her scrolls into her knapsack around her waist. I jumped off too, landing beside her. She darted over to the top of the hill. She sat down and hugged her knees to her chest, humming slightly. Tenten's big brown eyes watched the little people down at the village walk around.

 

I sat next to her, a little ways off. I stuck my arms out beneath me and leaned on them. Another breeze blew by.

 

Tenten was on her knees now, totally intent on a certain person walking down the street. She really looked like she was going to fall off. I grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back.

“Don't lean so forward.” I said. Why does my voice always sound cold? I was hoping for it to come out with at least a hint of worry.

 

But Tenten just grinned childishly again.

“But I think that's Sasuke!” she said, pointing at one of the streets of Konoha. To me, every single dot that was moving was the same. But apparently, Tenten really thought that one of them was Uchiha.

I frowned a little.

“Why're watching him from up here? What's the point if it's Uchiha?”

 

Tenten blinked and broke out into a nervous smile. Was that a blush on her cheeks?

“No reason. I just thought it was Sasuke…”

She pulled her legs against her chest again, the blush spreading farther along her face. Her mouth and nose were covered by her knees. But she was probably grinning.

 

I couldn't help but notice the twinge of annoyance that was poking at me. Was it at Tenten? I stole a glance at her. She saw and smiled, giving a small wave. I looked down. No. It wasn't Tenten. When I look at Tenten, I feel happy.

My eyes crept over the hill over looking Konoha. I stared at the little moving figures. The annoyance stabbed at me. Uchiha Sasuke. That was what was annoying me.

 

Did Tenten like him? Was she like all the other Sasuke fan girls in Konoha? Did she secretly stalk him every day? I knew I had a fan club. Was she in it? What does she think of me?

 

Gods, when did I start asking so many questions? I couldn't help it. My eyes flickered over at Tenten again. She was leaning over the hill again, dangerously close to tipping over. Her big brown eyes were watching something. Uchiha Sasuke?

 

“Ah!”

 

Tenten's arm slipped and she went careening over. The hill was very steep, and she pulled her arms around her face as she went rolling down.

 

“Tenten!”

 

I went after her. The hill was a bit rough and rocky, there were tree roots sticking out. We were a long ways from the bottom. I quickened my pace and lunged at Tenten.

I held her by the shoulders and tried to grab onto something to stop us from rolling. Tenten's arms were bleeding from the cuts from rocks and tree roots.

 

But I couldn't find anything to grab. My hands only met with smaller rocks. I heard Tenten's whimpering. Her arms must hurt so much. I wrapped my arms around her, trying to shield her from it all. We rolled on and on, finally reaching the bottom of the steep hill.

 

We lay there for a moment, on the grass, beside each other. I panted, catching my breath. Tenten panted beside me, her eyes closed.

 

“Tenten? Are you alright?”

 

Her eyes opened slowly, and she looked at me with those large doleful eyes of hers. She had a cut by her cheek, and blood rolled down her chin. But she still managed a small, breathless smile and a little laugh.

 

“Yeah. Sorry Neji.”

 

Her face was so close to mine. My arms were still around her smaller body, and the blood that leaked from her arms were smudging onto my own. Tenten's breaths were short and shaky. I looked at her in the eyes then.

 

Double-take.

 

Her ears were welled with tears, but she was still wearing a wobbly smile. I stared at her and she just closed her eyes and gave a nervous laugh. Tears spilled out, mixing the blood and water.

 

“Haha…sorry Neji…I should've listened to you…I'm -hic- such a m-moron, huh? Hahaha…”

 

My brow furrowed. I wasn't aware that my hand touched her bleeding cheek until it was there.

“What're you talking about? You just slipped.”

 

She laughed again, hiccupping.

“Haha…what a stupid mistake…”

 

Tenten pulled herself up then, looking at her cut up arms. I sat up too then. Even though she seemed so absorbed in looking over her injuries, I couldn't help but think that she was avoiding my eyes. Was I that scary to look at?

 

She was opening her knapsack to look for bandages. I suddenly came to my senses, and I pulled out the first aid kit from my backpack. I touched her arm gently, as if asking for permission to treat her. Tenten didn't say anything, so I just continued.

 

She was so quiet. Tenten didn't even hiss when I cleaned her cuts. She didn't even make a joke or smile. She just stared the other way as I bandaged her.

 

Finally, I pulled out a large band aid. I took her by the chin and turned her head so that she faced me. I don't think she was expecting that because her eyes widened. I just gave a half smile and pressed it against the cut on her cheek.

 

As I put away the first aid kit, Tenten fiddled with her fingers on her lap.

Finally, she murmured a small “Thanks”

 

I half smiled again and stood up. I took her hand and helped her up too.

 

“Tenten? Would you please smile? I don't like it when you're like this.”

 

She blinked and looked at me, big brown eyes wide and a tint of pink on her cheeks. Tenten's so adorable. I felt my own face burn.

 

Then she smiled. A nervous one, yes. But it was a smile.

 

I laughed. “That's it.”

 

Tenten suddenly touched my cheek, her face worried.

“Neji, your face. You got cut.”

 

Surprised, I raised a hand to touch the side of my face. I pulled it away from my face, and I saw my fingers layered with blood.

“Oh…”

When I looked up at Tenten again, she had her own band aid in hand. She smiled and poked it on. Then she leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

 

I felt my face flush again and I pulled away. Tenten pulled away too, looking at me shyly. We stood there, a stepped away from each other, looking into the others eyes embarrassedly.

 

“Um…Neji?”

“…yeah?”

“Wanna train together again tomorrow?”

“…sure.”

Tenten smiled and I felt the corner of my lip twitch.

 

“…Tenten?”

“…uh huh?”

“…I'll walk you home.”

She grinned then, and pulled her arms behind her back.

“Okay.”

 

We turned around then, heading towards the village. Tenten linked arms with me and tilted her head against my shoulder. I didn't mind.

I kind of liked it.

 

“Neji?”

“…yeah?”

“I love you.”

“…I feel the same way.”