AN: Another oneshot that I totally just made up...! Haha, I had the summary, the last line, and the elevator scene planned out and that was it. I'm so glad it made itself into a wonderfully woven story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Tenten was many things.

She was the night. Dark, vicious, and cruel, showing no mercy on anyone in her domain, enveloping all of them in a black cover.

She was intelligent. The most complicated safes proved no match for her, security fell to pieces before her hands, their codes and images disrupted forever.

She was deadly.

Her bullets never missed a mark.

But never, in her entire career, had she been so blatantly insulted of everything she took pride in.

"You'd better not get in my way, incompetent novice."

If only her boss didn't like this guy, she could put a bullet right through that forehead of his.

"And why," Tenten asked, ignoring him and gritting her teeth so hard her crowns almost snapped, "Does this guy have to work with me? Where's Naruto? I never asked for another partner!"

"Don't step out of line," her mentor hissed. "You're no longer in control of the situation anymore. After that last butchered mission, you should be glad you aren't dead by now. No, you and Naruto are both hotheads. You could learn a few things from Hyuuga here—his record is impeccable. This is for your own good, Tenten, we're doing this for you. Don't complain, suck it up."

Tenten bit her lip hard, clenching her fists in silent fury. So she had messed up one mission. Was she subject to this sort of humiliation, being treated like she was a lowlife again, like just a beginner in the business?

"A true thief shows no weakness," Neji murmured, eyes steely cold. "I have been kind enough to take you under my protection. You should be grateful. Someone who fails a mission usually gets no second chances—you will drag me down if you make a mistake again. This is why I usually work alone. Others just become hindrances."

Tenten held the harsh retaliation that she had planned inside her throat. A comment like that would only prove her immature nature.

She didn't want a partner like him. They would probably rip out each other's throats before even reaching their destination. Or she would just rip out his.

An envelope slid toward her, and Tenten snatched it up, still furious. Her mentor gave her a warning glare before continuing to speak. "Your next mission files are in there. You know what to do. Do not fail. Come back alive." Her eyes grew a little softer. "And good luck."

oOo

They set off to the location, undercover, looking like the average members of an elite party. The event was in full swing, having started a while ago (Tenten preferred to be…fashionably late). They both wore gloves so fingerprints couldn't be detected. She dressed modestly in a gown with shorts and hidden weapons underneath its voluminous skirt, he dressed in a simple suit.

Men always seemed to have it easier.

"We're going upstairs, 11:53. Don't be late," he ordered, giving her a curt nod before disappearing into the crowds.

"I don't need you to tell me that," she muttered.

She danced, and flirted, and chatted like she actually knew the people at the party, but all the while her eyes were trained on the guests that mattered: the guards.

Them, and her partner.

Neji stood there, calm, drinking champagne in the most casual of fashions. He leaned against the wall like its job was to hold him up, face illuminated by the chandeliers above.

It was 11:45.

Tenten slowly sauntered up to him, looking shy and coquettish, tittering in ways that were embarrassing but absolutely necessary no matter how much they hurt her pride. "Hello there," she smiled, taking the drink out of his fingertips and setting it on a table, "Would you like to dance?"

He bowed.

It was all customary.

"It would be an honor."

They made their way onto the floor, his hand on the small of her back, surprisingly warm.

"It's a nice night out, isn't it?" she asked. So far, nineteen guards, stationed at various places.

"It's a bit drafty. A little too much for my liking," he murmured in reply as they passed a stairwell. We'll go up from this location.

"Ah, it'll take a while to get used to. Don't worry, we'll be fine—I can lend you my sweater if need be." Security is tough, but I can crack it.

"Don't get too cocky." That was word for word.

She smiled back at him, voice sweet. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Shut your face before I blow it out with my gun.

It was 11:47.

He took her free hand in his, stepping in perfect time with her. Unlike Naruto, he didn't smash her toes with every step, and for that, Tenten was grateful.

"So you know how to dance," she said, hoping to make small talk so they wouldn't look like an awkward couple on the dance floor.

"I'd rather you not delve into my past. It's not professional."

She sighed as the twirled her around and into his arms. Really—this man obviously didn't get outside much, other than to infiltrate buildings and kill people.

Dancing with him was about as exciting as watching rocks disintegrate.

Then things changed.

In a split second, his body was over hers, and the adrenaline that was supposed to be stored for the mission rushed out of its hold. Tenten was now hypersensitive, body pressed to his in ways that should've made her uncomfortable, and extremely warm.

She felt his shoulders tense and then, like it never happened, she was spun out again so her skirt gently shifted across the marble below her.

Neji's face was as impassive as ever, but she could tell—his temperature had raised 0.8 degrees.

They drifted past a clock set high on the wall and Tenten scanned it in seconds.

It was 11:50.

She gently broke away from him—the signal. "It was lovely dancing with you," she whispered, reaching up to his face and tucking a stray piece of hair behind his ear.

He took her hand and kissed it like a gentleman, which she didn't expect at all because thieves were not gentlemen and he shouldn't have even acted as such—and for some odd, odd reason, a blossom of heat erupted from the place his lips had touched.

That never happened when Naruto pulled the same stunt.

"The pleasure's all mine."

They parted without another glance at one another, weaving their different paths to the stair case he had pointed out earlier. There were tough, burly looking men in black suits and earpieces standing by it, looking casual enough but training their eyes on anyone that might intrude.

Unluckily for them, the intruders swiftly walked by and knocked them unconscious with swift jabs to the neck.

It truly was unfortunate.

It was exactly 11:53 when Neji and Tenten walked up the steps. They were not exactly inconspicuous; Tenten could easily see at least ten other men yelling into their ear pieces and pushing the crowds away to get to them. But now was not the time to pull out her weapons. No one was supposed to die or get injured, unless they attacked first. So for the moment, her guns were still safely stashed away.

From the layout they had studied, there was an elevator up ahead on the second floor. Neji immediately pressed the button with a gloved finger and the doors slowly opened with a ring. What they were not expecting was a group of guards inside the elevator, waiting for them, deadly machinery out and ready.

Without hesitation, Tenten leaped forward and closed the distance, ramming into the compartment and pressing a button. The doors began closing like she had hoped, and then her fingers were on the button of the basement.

They were on the fifth floor.

She heard Neji swear and get in as well, the back-up men running and pounding up the stairs in hopes of catching them.

The metal doors closed before they reached.

What Tenten found out seconds later was that fighting in an elevator was difficult.

She had punched the men so hard that her fists were pounding, but like zombies, they refused to stay down. Neji had taken liberty of hauling out a gun and using its handle to bust their heads, and some vice-like grip that crippled their fingers. Not that he wasn't getting hurt either: she had seen several nasty blows to his stomach. She too, had several bruises on her arms, and would have liked nothing better than to shoot all of them dead.

But that was not the mission.

"Get out through the top!" Neji yelled, still fighting off his assailants. He tossed her his firearm, and she caught it with ease. Tenten used the railings around the elevator to prop herself high enough to reach the escape hatch near the ceiling, praying that Neji would defend her for the time needed to open it. He proved adequate, effectively landing kicks on anyone that came near her. She fired at the hatch, knowing it was locked, and used all the force in her shoulders to knock the lock off completely.

She felt it budge the slightest, and with a burst of energy, pushed open the door.

Tenten crawled out of the chaos, getting herself up with upper body strength honed through training. Neji soon followed, finally stepping on a man's face to get enough leverage.

"Cables," he hissed, voice harsh. She knew what he meant.

They each grabbed onto the metal cable supports. The guards that were not unconscious yet pulled themselves up through the escape hatch, reminding Tenten of ants swarming out of a hole. She chucked the gun Neji had given her at a man that was grasping at the cables. He yelled in pain and released his grip, and the revolver clattered into free fall.

"Hold on," she grunted, reaching for the first time that night, underneath her dress for her weapons. The firearms felt comfortable in her hands. She fired two rounds—one at Neji's cable, one at her own, right below their feet.

The metal strings snapped, tension completely gone, and the guard men plummeted down.

The elevator hit the ground with a deafening smash and fire from the friction and electricity began licking at the elevator shaft. The two responsible for the incident hung onto the cables, watching the scene below.

Neji's breathing was heavy. "Come on. We'll have to haul our way up to the seventh floor."

Tenten let out a curse, putting her weapons away.

It was going to be a long climb.

oOo

She made it pretty far, considering her endurance level, and was pleasantly surprised when they finally made it to the seventh floor. He stepped onto the ledge first, holding onto the cable for stability.

"Light," he grimaced, and she reached under her skirt for a small, LED flashlight. He took it with a small mutter of thanks (which was another surprise, because she never thought such a word could come from his mouth) and worked with swift hands to open the doors, snipping cables and reconnecting them.

The doors eased open and he stepped through, turning around to face Tenten who was still in the shaft. "Well? You coming?"

"Is that even a question?" she asked, swinging across the cables and stepping onto the ledge as well. She was almost through the door when out of the blue, a guard came rushing at Neji. He turned around, reaching for his weapons but she knew it would be too late for him to do anything.

Her heart was beating faster than ever before, and the only thought that was running through her head was That dumb guy better not go out and get himself killed.

So she reached under her dress, totally aware of the consequences of her soon-to-be actions, and she fired at the guard. The man's shoulder turned at the impact, and the recoil set her off balance, her heeled foot teetering between life and death.

The balance tipped towards death.

She slipped.

This was the payment she got for helping another. Splendid.

But at least he would be alive to complete the mission.

She was already falling backwards into the darkness when a strong hand gripped the small of her back, and Neji was leaning against the elevator doorway, face flushed and sweating, breath in spurts. "This is why," he hissed, "I want to work alone."

He pulled her out of danger, back into the light again, and Tenten collapsed on the floor, completely exhausted. She decided taking off her shoes was the best choice; heels were too hard to move around in. Her dress was also too burdensome so she removed the skirt and sat down in her shorts, relishing the cool air conditioning. The man she shot was clubbed in the head, and Neji sat down beside her of his own free will.

They spent a moment like that, both sweating, both vulnerable.

"A true thief shows no weakness," Tenten reminded him with a weak smile.

"I know," he breathed, closing his eyes. "No need to remind me."

oOo

Tenten lost count of the amount of men she shot down. She took care not to damage their vitals, but injured them enough for them to stay on the floor. She had lent Neji a gun, and was stunned at his fighting ability, as he never wasted a bullet unless it was completely necessary.

And she was good at observing these kinds of things.

They ran for what seemed like hours, rounding corners, hiding in closets, sprinting down hallways—finally stopping at a plain door. It was made of steel and had a keypad at the side.

Tenten hissed, dropping to her knees and fishing out tools. "Keep them busy," she ordered, fingers shaking in the slightest. "I need time to crack this."

He answered her by aiming the pistol at their pursuers and rapidly firing shots.

Tenten closed her eyes and took a deep breath, shutting herself away from the noise and catastrophe that was around her, focusing solely on the keypad. Every time the job came to a certain point, she was always too nervous and jittery no matter how many times she had done it before. But like always, her hands stopped shaking. She opened her eyes, completely calmed.

This was what she trained for.

Analyzing.

Prediction.

Deadly accuracy.

She gently pressed the keys, testing the ones that were constantly pushed, feeling their sensitivity. With a flip of her fingers, the screwdriver took apart the bolted down screws, opening up the circuitry for her to see.

She set the number pad on her lap and breathed slowly.

So she knew which numbers were used—all she needed was the right combination.

"Hurrying would be nice," Neji grunted from behind her.

"I'm working on it," she snapped, running through probabilities and numbers in her head, punching in the figures as they came out. The light flashed red every time, but its movement didn't discourage her in the slightest.

She was so close…

There was nothing that could break her concentration.

...Nothing, except for a strangled gasp that came from her partner and the unwelcome sound of a body thudding to the floor.

Tenten had heard that sound only in her worst nightmares.

Her work was immediately discarded without a thought, and she whipped her head around, finding him on the ground; still managing to support himself with a bleeding arm—his finger always on the trigger, shooting to protect her.

It was her fault.

She didn't know why, but for once in her life, she discarded all rules, didn't care if her job was terminated. A gun found its way into each of her hands. The keypad was abandoned on the floor as Tenten rushed into the fray, taking her position between Neji and the attackers, eyes icy cold.

"If he dies, I'll kill every fucking one of you," she snarled. Time seemed to slow for a moment.

And then she let the metal bullets fly.

oOo

Her marksmanship was impeccable as always; femurs damaged beyond repair, hands unable to hold a weapon ever again. The men in black suits were left sprawled across the ground, pooling in blood that would surely taint the carpets forever. The smell of gunpowder filled the room.

All that was heard was the last echo of a gunshot, and heavy breathing.

The adrenaline and anger Tenten had felt seconds before dissipated into mist, and she trudged back to the lonely keypad, breathing heavily, at loss of words.

What had she just done?

She was so going to get fired for that.

A rustle of motion disturbed the silence and she turned around, gun pointing at the source of the noise, still wary and on the alert. To her relief, it was just Neji, tearing apart his clothing to make a bandage for his arm. He looked at her, holding a stare for a few seconds, saying nothing, then went back to patching himself up.

But she understood the message his gaze conveyed.

I take back what I said before.

A sign of respect.

The oppressive haze that was on her shoulders lifted, and Tenten felt a sense of accomplishment that was so much better than being hired, and promoted, and praised—somehow, that message in the silence was like the highest piece of honor she could receive.

The light finally turned green.

The metal doors slid open, and the safe was right before their eyes.

"I'll take care of it," he said softly. "Watch my back."

He tossed her the handgun and she snatched it out of the air, giving him a smile. "Of course."

Neji went to getting the safe open, clicking the dial with his face pressed close to the metal box, and sure enough, more security came pounding up to their location. Like them, they were merely doing a job.

…But the guards lacked something important: not a desire for money, but a desire for fulfillment.

And unfortunately for them, Tenten had more than enough of that motivation to knock them to the floor.

It was her turn to protect him.

She would not fail.

The attackers went down like bowling pins.

"I got it," said Neji minutes later, stuffing a paper parcel into his suit jacket and grabbing her arm in the process. "Let's get out of here."

Together, they sprinted down the stairwells, leaping over steps and sliding down banisters, a pack of angry guards following them.

Even though she was sweating, bleeding, and bruising terribly, Tenten had never felt more alive.

"Ha," she laughed, flying down the carpeted flights.

Another mission accomplished.

"I hope you're not thinking of working alone anymore," she said lightheartedly, not expecting any nice words to come out of Neji's mouth.

Surely, although he had more respect for her now, it wouldn't change his viewpoint.

But once again, he surprised her.

Smiling slightly, he replied, "I wouldn't dream of it."

The tentative smile that was on her face grew to full size. Perhaps they wouldn't rip out each other's throats after all. "Good. Now how 'bout we take some of these guys down with us? The yelling and hollering emitting from their mouths is simply atrocious."

She would be punished when she got back anyways—might as well get the most she could out of the situation.

"I couldn't agree more."

With a grin, Tenten turned around and fired a bullet.

Bang.

ENDDDDDDD! Hope it was worth your time. It's my first action story, so please be gentle :)

Read and Review! Hopefully more one shots will be coming your way!

-Miss S