In Cold Blood
A Naruto Fan Fiction by Lady Gaara
Chapter One Mistakes

"Tenten, snap out of it!"

Neji's words snapped the weapons master back to reality, allowing her to just barely block Rock Lee's kick that was directed toward her face. However, he had more momentum than she expected, causing his heel to knock her arms away and connect with her jaw. The force of the blow sent her back a few feet, and she fell over after stumbling over her feet.

Rubbing her head, she felt herself abruptly pulled up by her shoulders, and found herself being held before her crush's face. They were only inches apart….

"Get your act together! What is wrong with you? You've been screwing up like this for the past week and a half!"

"I'm sorry, Neji-san," stated Tenten softly, ashamed of her carelessness. "It won't happen again.

"I thought so!" exclaimed the Hyuuga boy, white eyes flashing with annoyance. "We finally got the mission of our dreams!" He softened slightly, and his grip loosened on her shoulders. "You're a vital part of our team, and that's why we had to keep a low profile at the first chuunin exams. So please, remain focused. For the team."

After blowing out a sigh, Tenten nodded, disgruntled. "Yeah, I suppose so."

"But its understandable," Lee piped up. "We've been pushing you extra hard lately. The stress must be getting to you!"

"Yeah. Stress. That's it." She nodded in agreement, but the stress was something she could handle. Stress was nothing!

Neji saw the lie in her eyes, yet said nothing. "Let's go get something to eat."

"Yosh!" Rock Lee leapt up and ran out of the forest, Neji getting ready to follow. "Coming?" he asked Tenten.

"…I just want to go home."

He shrugged and leapt off, leaving Tenten alone.

The kunoichi proceeded off toward her house. Her normal vibrant and determined eyes were sick with a mental sickness called depression. Her love for Neji had grown so much since she had completed her Chuunin exam last year, but everything spiraled downhill from there.

First, her parents were killed while on a mission of some sort, and that's when her depression had first started. Then Neji got more distant from her, and rarely asked for her help in practice. Gai and Lee had also isolated themselves from her for some reason, and since last week, it had been the first time they had trained together since she had become a chuunin.

She had tried cutting, and found it more painful than useful, had stopped. Instead, she'd lightly prick herself with a needle; it was less noticeable, and that was a plus. It caused pain, and she guessed that was the point of cutting, so she found the needle worked.

Upon entering her house, she clicked on the light and shut the door, then kicked off her sandals. It was cold and empty, just how she felt. She made a little something to eat, and ate in silence. Then, she took a shower and finally retreated into her bedroom where she would stretch out before bed.

She bent over and touched her toes, and then reached up and leant backwards, doing the bridge before hand springing up. She sat on the floor and stretched a bit more before crawling into bed.

Awakening to the smell of food downstairs, she sat up slowly and saw a piece of white paper with an arrow on it sitting on the floor. She got up, planting her bare feet on either side of the paper and standing up, smoothing her black tank top over her torso. She opened the door and peered out, spotting another arrow.

Lofting a brow, she stepped over that piece of paper, and she moved toward the top of the stairs and saw the arrow pointing downstairs, and then one at the bottom that told her to go around into the kitchen.

Running a hand through her long, brown hair, she walked down the steps slowly, and turned walking toward the kitchen door. Her purple satin pajama pants made no noise as she moved, and she placed her hand on the doorknob, staring at the arrow taped to the door, pointing toward the knob in her hand.

At last, she gently pushed the door opened and watched as it swung inward.

It was dark and dreary, as ever. She looked disappointed. Disappointed that someone would stoop so low as to falsely lead her to believe she had someone waiting for her in the kitchen. Disappointed at the fact that no one was here…especially on….

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" The lights were clicked on by Neji just as Gai and Lee leapt up, holding a birthday cake. He smiled lightly at Tenten, who looked very confused.

"We're really sorry for not being very active in your life for the past year, especially since your parents…you know…." Lee looked down at his feet, but was soon shoved away by Gai.

"So, today, you get the day off while we cater to your every whim!" exclaimed Gai, smiling broadly, suddenly posing a cute guy pose with Lee, the 'ping' on their smiles going off.

"I…I…Thanks guys," she said after a moment of shock. "Really, you're too kind." She smiled gently, and felt as if a great weight was lifted from her shoulders. It felt so much better that they knew they hadn't been in her life very much, and she was sure they had a good reason, but she was going to be polite and not ask.

"You're welcome! Now, eat up!" Lee set a plate on the table; it was filled with delicious looking food, including some onigiri, a bottle of green tea, and some bacon and eggs. She lofted a brow. "Um…Lee….did you make this?"

"No," Neji answered, chuckling lightly. "Hinata did."

Tenten let out a sigh of relief and took a bit of the onigiri. She was done in minutes, and then she got up to go change and freshen up. But before she left, she gave Gai, Lee, and Neji each a hug. "Thanks guys. I don't know what I'd do with out you."