Sleepless

A/N: This is my first Naruto one-shot. Actually, it's my first one-shot overall. Please be gentle…I have a tendency to make characters OOC sometimes. This is a fanfiction about Neji and Tenten, and some camping out! ;) This one-shot was longer than I had hoped, but we'll all live, now won't we? Actually…compared to a lot of one-shots, I think this is short. o-O Anyway, have fun reading about Neji and Tenten. I have more Naruto fics up my sleeves! …but I haven't gotten to starting them yet… On to the fic! By the way, there's a lot of thinking in this fic, 'kay?

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. If I did, there would be a LOT of changes. X3

That was it. He, Neji Hyuuga, would NOT stand another minute of his teammate's snoring. Rock Lee may be a goof taijutsu user, but when he's asleep, he can kill just about anyone with his snoring. Neji pushed Lee to the far side of the tent they shared, grabbing his sleeping bag before proceeding outside. He looked around, searching for a suitable place to sleep. The ground was damp and filled with the scent of wet wood.

He turned around and faced their three tents: Gai's, Tenten's, and the tent he shared with the snoring idiot. Neji instantly skipped over Gai's tent. If his younger clone snored loud enough for him to leave, there was NO WAY he would enter the tent of the 'original'. Neji looked over to the tent in the middle. 'Tenten's…' he thought. 'Maybe I can stay in her tent? Nah…it wouldn't work out. Besides, if Gai or Lee found out that I was in there, I would never hear the end of it. "NEJI! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO KONOHA'S MOST PRECIOUS FLOWER!" Yeah, that's what they'd say.' Neji sat down his soft sleeping bag, which was placed somewhat far away from his tent, yet it was close to Tenten's tent.

His thoughts drifted from finding a sleeping place to his female teammate. 'Sometimes I just don't get Gai or Lee. They know all too well that Tenten is the top kunoichi in the village next to the Hokage herself. So why do they use the term flower? Flower is such a weak sounding word. Flowers are delicate plants that sway in the wind, unnoticed by many. Tenten is anything but unnoticed and delicate. On the other hand, they are beautiful in different ways. I hate to admit it, but many men in Konoha are attracted to her when she is around them. I, too, have an attraction to her; however, it is a close bond that we built up from being with each other so much. Yet I can't help but think that my emotions are starting to feel somewhat…foreign. We were, and still are the best of…friends, I guess you could say. Tenten was always there for me, whether it be training or my emotions. Lately I've been paying more attention to her than when we first met.' Neji was in deep thought, not noticing the pair of brown eyes watching him from behind the tent covers. He had shifted from his sitting position to one where he was now laying down inside his sleeping bag.

'Tenten always put her hair up in twin buns to keep her hair out of the way. She called her hair 'annoying' on missions and during spars, as opposed to other females who left their down, saying that it looked prettier. I have only seen her hair down once, and that was when I had accidentally torn her hair ties with some shuriken I threw. She looked…stunning. Any man would fall for her then and there of they could get an opportunity to see whet I did. Of course, we had to stop the spar just because her shoulder length hair kept getting in her line of sight. With that happening, there was no way Tenten would be able to aim as properly. She had still managed to nick my shoulder, but that was about the best she could do under those circumstances. Some people opposed her possibility of becoming Hokage, and said that I was a better choice. Their excuses were that Tenten could not form her Chakra as well as I could, and she never showed any when battling. They were sorely mistaken, though. Tenten pushes Chakra out of her hands as she throws her various arrays of weapons. Doing so increases their speed, striking opponents sooner than expected.

Tenten loves to look up into the night sky, her eyes staring at the stars above us. It's no surprise, really. Her name means Heaven, so what do you expect? Tenten is cute in her own tomboyish way. She's tough and is never willing to give up a fight. She hates losing and cares more about training and mission efficiency than her looks. To other girls, she may be a 'weirdo', but to me, she's the perfect person. I would rather have Tenten as a close friend than a hundred people that I could speak with and understand.' Neji had been thinking of his bun-haired friend for quite a while. The kunoichi's image just refused to erase itself from Neji's mind. Neji rolled around in his bag in silence, only to learn that sleeping on the ground with no pillow was a bad idea. Though Neji did not like the cold, he had no choice but to take off his shirt and use it as a substitute pillow. Neji scowled in anger at his snoring partner. If it weren't for him, none of this would be happening. Neji laid his shirt down and rested his head on his shirt, clinging to his sleeping bag for warmth. His eyes steadily drooped down, and soon his breathing became soft and regulated.

Tenten awoke with a jolt as she looked around and realized that she was in her tent. It was still late at night, and she could still hear the cricket chirps. 'What's going on?' thought a groggy Tenten. 'I was watching Neji…Neji!' Tenten quickly crawled over to the opening of her tent, lifting up one of the flaps. Neji's breathing was slow and steady, and his back was turned to her. 'Oh right. I forgot. Neji left his tent. Lee's snoring really was too much for our prodigy.' Tenten thought, chuckling to herself.

Tenten lay on her back, hugging her stuffed panda. Thought of the Hyuuga genius would not leave her mind. Even lying in bed, her mind wouldn't give it a rest. 'Neji…' she thought, 'Why'd it have to be you I always think about? Lately I've been looking at you more and more, and I know more about you than anyone else, even the other Branch family members of yours. I've heard that what I'm feeling is sometimes, well, more like often times, is called love. I always knew what love was, but I never knew what it felt like. I think it started when I was thirteen. Hanging around you for one year had made me feel a close bond between us, even if you were still a bit cold back then. I'm glad you found out the truth about your father. You've been so much more at peace ever since. I can't just let my best sparring partner be depressed all the time. I usually try to hide the heat that rises up to my face, and maybe it's working. After all, you never seem to say anything about it.

Neji, you're eyes are the first thing that got me thinking about you. I would always wonder why the people who could use the Byakugan would have such strange eyes. But over time, I came to forget that and move on to beauty hidden behind them. Your eyes are like pearls, with their centers being almost undetectable. I almost thought it was weird for a guy like you to have long hair, until I learned that it was a tradition of most Hyuuga men. I remember the moment when you came to me for help. You're hair had gotten too long and you couldn't reach the end to tie it. I showed you how to do it without much effort, and that was the first time I heard you say thank you to anyone your age. But for some odd reason, every now and then, you'd still come to me for help. I always did never figure out why.

Ability wise, you were a master of the Jyuuken. You almost never missed, and you would defeat the opponent as swiftly as possible. People call me the next Hokage, and others say that you'll be the next Hokage. Some people say that we should even watch over Konoha together. I wonder if that ever will happen. One of us becoming the Hokage, I mean.

You're also cute in your own stoic way, always acting like the big, tough guy. You always try to do things on your own, showing that you were one of the best. Except for that incident at the Curry of Life shop. It was so spicy you couldn't even move to get a cup of water. I had to hand it to you myself, and when I did, your hand brushed across mine. You are starting to smile, and I can tell because I'm always watching you. Neji, you don't smile often in public. The closest thing to a smile is a smirk, but sometimes when I'm with you I can see you moving your lips in a genuine smile. It's still rare to see, but that doesn't bother me. I'll wait to see your truly happy face. Neji, you're a special person, and I want to be with you forever, even if we will only be teammates.'

"Tenten…"

'What the – Oh right, it's only Neji. Wait, why'd he say my name?' Tenten was snapped back into reality, now concentrating on what Neji was muttering.

"I wonder…"

'About what?'

"It's weird…"

'What is?'

"The Heavens…"

'What about them?'

"I would rather be with her than anyone else…"

Tenten's heart was shattered. Neji already liked someone. He would rather be with her than anyone else. 'So he was probably thinking about setting something up with her. It sure sounds like it. Thinking about her, saying that the Heavens are a weird place that no one understands. All that romantic and mushy stuff.' Tenten then proceeded to hug her knees to her chest and fall asleep depressed, tears on the border of her eyes.

'That's right, he left the tent …and I learned that he liked someone.' Tenten took a deep breath and sighed. If he liked someone, she wouldn't stop him. After all, if you truly love someone, you've gotta let them do their own stuff, right? At least, that's what Tenten thought.

She exited her tent and walked over to the sleeping form of Neji. That is, until she realized that he was wearing no shirt. "Oh my god, oh my god! No shirt!' she thought, spinning rapidly on her heel to face the opposite direction. 'I can't do this!' she thought. 'I just can't face Neji like this! But…but I can't let him get too cold either…What am I gonna do!' Tenten gave up. She just couldn't let her best friend become the first human ninja popsicle. Tenten turned around and held her breath walking towards Neji. 'I just won't look at him, that's all. It's simple…it's…muscled – NO! Bad thoughts!' she shook her head, trying to drive her eyes away from the sight of Neji's well-toned chest. 'It's bad to think about him that way! ...Then again, he is my teammate. – No! No excuses!' Grabbing both ends of Neji's bag, she steadily pulled him across the ground and into her tent, not bothering to conceal the blush that crept across her face.

Neji was finally inside her tent, resting on the opposite side as Tenten. Tenten took hold of her panda and lay on her side, looking at Neji's peaceful face. Her eyelids became heavy, and she let sleep overtake her tired mind and body.

In The Morning

Tenten yawned as she snuggled into her unusually large and warm plushie. But wait, plushies aren't warm…and her panda was never this big. Tenten moved her arms around to figure out what she was holding. Unfortunately, she realized it was Neji's back. She took a sharp breath as she jerked her head away from Neji's chest. The night was freezing cold, and Tenten's body had unconsciously sought out any form of heat…even if it was Hyuuga Neji's body heat. Tenten's sudden movement had awakened the Hyuuga, but he was still under the spell of the morning drowsiness.

"Mmm…Tenten?"

'Oh dear god. Why is fate hate me so?' Tenten thought. Neji shifted his position in his sleeping bag, and with his free hand, he moved Tenten's head into the crook of his neck. While holding his hand in place, he gently started to comb his fingers through Tenten's soft hair, murmuring her name. 'What in the world is going on here? I thought that he…Nah…he's probably just not a morning person.' Tenten thought, mentally smiling.

"Tenten…TENTEN!"

'Took you long enough, genius,' she thought, smirking. She watched in amusement as her friend's eyes shot open while jumping away from her. But Tenten did have to admit, she was a little disappointed at the loss of body heat and contact. But she knew that was going to happen sooner or later.

"What the heck am I doing in your tent? I'm sure I - "

"A-ano…I saw you outside…In the cold, so I, uh, decided to bring you into my tent?" Tenten stumbled, trying her best to be understandable. 'Great, now he's awake and shirtless! How can I talk to him like this?' she mentally screamed. The tension was thick, and both Neji and Tenten could feel it. But Tenten was affected more by it than the prodigy. And at that moment, she knew she couldn't hide it any longer. Tenten had to tell him.

"N-Neji?" I asked, hoping to gain his attention.

"Hn?" he replied, linking our line of sight together. 'I-I can't! I can't do it!' Tenten thought, 'I have to! I can't stand this any longer! I-'

"Neji, I love you!" she blurted, forcing her eyes shut and turning her furiously blushing face away from him. There was moment of silence between Tenten and Neji, and the suspense was ripping Tenten apart. That's when she decided to leave.

"N-Neji…I have to go…" she muttered, getting up and turning around. As soon as Tenten turned her back to him, Neji's hand snapped up into the air and caught her wrist. Before she could utter a word of surprise, Tenten's lips were enclosed in a gentle kiss from her teammate. Her nervousness had disappeared and was replaced with pure ecstasy. The kiss ended, and Neji's eyes connected with Tenten's once again.

"Neji, I-"

"Tenten," he interrupted, "I…I love you. More than anything…"

Tenten was on cloud nine. 'He loves me,' she thought, 'I can't believe it!' Tenten's thoughts were cut short when Neji pulled her into an embrace, and this time, it wasn't because of his sleep. She leaned into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his back. Neji returned the actions by holding Tenten's head with one hand, while the other rested around her waist. Things were finally working out for the two…

"NEJI! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KONOHA'S MOST BEAUTIFUL FLOWER!"

…Except for that. With a yelp, Tenten jumped out of Neji's arms, doing her best to conceal her embarrassment.

"G-good morning, Lee," stuttered Tenten.

"Hn," spat Neji, obviously annoyed.

"Tenten are you okay? Neji didn't hurt you, did he?" asked Lee, observing the tent from the inside. "You still have your clothing on, while Neji has only removed his shirt. So your youth has not been tainted, am I correct?"

"LEE!" Tenten shouted, frowning in humiliation. "You perverse idiot!" She threw a kunai in his direction in frustration, but allowed him to catch the kunai.

"So you think I would really do that to her, you sick minded fool!" yelled Neji.

Somehow the entire situation had been resolved with simply telling Lee that his snoring had caused Neji to leave the tent. He had claimed that he would not rest until he had run 300 laps around Konoha, starting when Neji and Tenten left camp.

They were now on their way home, Lee passing them every now and then while doing his laps. The sun was still high in the air, shining its light on the newfound couple. Side by side, Neji and Tenten walked together, concentrating on the morning's events.

"Tenten?"

"Yeah?" she responded, giving Neji her attention.

"Um...I…I just wanted to say that…I'm happy," Neji smiled. "You know…before I met you…I was a caged bird. I was lonely. No one understood me, but when I joined up with you…something felt strange about you, like you were the key to set me free. Now I know that I was right. You've set me free, and though I am free to fly wherever I want to go…I want to stay here with you."

To say that Tenten was touched was and understatement. She had never heard such kind words from him or anyone else. Her heart was leaped with happiness at what he said, and she had words of her own to say to him.

"Neji…when I first came here, I was a loner. I didn't mind, but when you and I were assigned to be on the same team, something felt like I was accepted. You and I sparred every morning, and I started to believe in myself more. And then my parents died during the attack when we were only seven. Since then I had received money from the Hokage to support myself. I paid my own bills, and made my own food. But I had belief that if I stayed alive, I would someday feel like I was complete. So here I am with you by my side. That's all I'm going to need."

Neji nodded and walked closer to her, entwining her fingers in a gentle grasp. The two were both happy about their love, and they knew it would last. They walked slowly under the trees of Konoha's forest, listening to the joyful chirps of the flying birds.

"LEE! TENTEN! NEJI! MY TEAM IS SO UNYOUTHFUL FOR LEAVING WITHOUT ME!" cried Gai, who obviously slept in.

A/N: Hope you guys liked it! The ending was planned since the beginning, so please don't think it was completely random…Well, there's my NejiTen one-shot, and now I have to work on other stories. Please review, I want to know how I'm doing in my writing. Constructive criticism always welcome. Flames…uh…maybe? o-O; Anyway, I'll see you all in my other stories! – Shikyo Yaiba