A Secret

By: Sheltie

I don't own Naruto at all

A/N: my first Naruto story ever. Please be gentle. A Naruto/Tenten story. Characters may be a bit OCC.

Naruto trudged back into the village with his team. They had gotten word of Sasuke being sighted and they leapt on the information since it was the first solid lead they had in months. Sakura was upset that she couldn't go this time since she was swamped by the work she had and Tsunade wouldn't let her skip out. So Naruto along with Kiba, Shikamaru, Lee, and Kakashi. They did find Sasuke along with some friends he had met. The battle was awful and entire team was glad to be alive. Naruto failed to bring Sasuke and he was depressed. He promised Sakura he would and he failed, again.

"We best go to the hospital" Kiba said as he cradled an injured Akamaru in his arms.

The others nodded. They were all lucky to be able to walk after the battle they were in with Sasuke and company.

"I need to see someone before I go" Naruto said then left before any of the others could stop him.

This left the others wondering who Naruto needed to see since he was the worse of them all.

/Scene Break/

Naruto made it though he knew he was quite weak and should've gone to the hospital with the others. But he promised he'd come to her when he got back and he wasn't about to back out of a promise. He knocked on her apartment door hoping she wasn't on a mission or anything. The door opened to reveal Tenten.

"Naruto?"

"Hey Tenten" Naruto said smiling the best he could.

"What are you doing here, you should be at the hospital getting healed?" Tenten asked seeing the appearance of the knucklehead ninja.

"I promised you that I would see you the first thing I got back, and I never break a promise" Naruto said though he was leaning his whole body against the doorframe to keep from falling.

Tenten shook her head.

"Come on, lets get you to the hospital. You look dead on your feet" she said.

The weapons mistress then placed one of Naruto's arms over her shoulder to help support him and they headed off to the hospital.

/Scene Break/

Sakura was glaring at her friend and teammate for delaying medical attention.

"You could've died you know that" she said fiercely.

"Yeah, but I promised" Naruto said petulantly.

Sakura sighed and turned to Tenten, who was in the room too.

"Thanks for bring him" she said.

"Of course" Tenten said.

Sakura still didn't really understand what kind of relationship Naruto and Tenten had. What she did know was that they were sparring partners in beginning. They then became friends, but something changed sometime after that and she wasn't totally sure what it was. All she knew was that Naruto stopped asking her out and hounding her to hangout with him.

It was a welcome relief somewhat since she was very busy herself, but she missed the attention somewhat. Since it seemed all that attention was now directed to Tenten. She wondered what the twin bun haired girl had that she didn't. She was under the tutelage of the fifth Hokage, the best kunoichi to ever grace this village, one of the three legendary sannin. Why was she bothered that Naruto was not spending time with her and with Tenten, the village's renown mistress of weapons?

"I best check on the others" Sakura said.

Naruto nodded and flashed her a smile that said thanks. Sakura smiled back. Once she left Tenten made her way over and sat down beside Naruto and took his hand.

"When are you going to tell her?" she asked.

"Soon" Naruto said with a sigh.

Tenten sighed too.

Their relationship, which they have been keeping a secret started off as just two shinobi needing a sparring partner. Naruto needed one since Sakura was always busy and Sai was busy doing Anbu missions. Tenten needed one since Lee was too maniac for her deal with all the time and Neji seemed too focused and never knew how to lighten up. She needed a happy medium and Naruto provided that. She never really thought about the knucklehead ninja much til after the chunin exams where she heard about him take down Kiba in the prelims then watching Naruto take down Neji in the third round. She was amazed since she never thought any could beat Neji and Naruto did.

She didn't believe the rumors of Naruto growing up and sympathized with the shunned boy. She just wished she could've done something then. But now she and him were sparring partners. They both pushed the other to their limits along with learned from one another. Tenten learned jutsus and Naruto weapons. They always had fun afterwards. She got Naruto to eat a little more healthier though he always ate ramen for lunch. Dinner they'd trade off eating at one another's place and when she was on a mission he'd cook for himself at his place. That was another thing, she taught Naruto to cook so he didn't always eat ramen.

They became good friends as they sparred. Soon that friendship evolved to its limits and both Naruto and Tenten felt a change. Naruto no longer vied for Sakura's attention, but for Tenten's instead. Tenten was more receptive to his advances it seemed. They had a lot of fun and Naruto actually got Tenten to let her hair down, which no one else have ever accomplished before.

The advances Naruto made were returned and without either really knowing it they became a couple. Neither wanted this known since they knew Naruto had the Akatsuki after him and it was best to not to give them a hostage. So they kept their relationship hidden in the guise of close friendship. They only took off their masks when they were alone.

"I know I am asking you a lot and I am grateful that you're putting up with me. But I hate seeing you upset" Naruto said.

"I just wished we didn't have to hide us. I mean, I understand protecting me and everything, but why can't we tell our friends. They wouldn't rat on us?" Tenten asked.

Naruto looked down and gently caressed Tenten's hand, which was still in his bandaged one. He knew he could trust his friends with their secret, but he kind of liked having Tenten all to himself. No one else knew and he liked that.

"We can tell them if you want. I will be behind you all the way" he said quietly.

Tenten smiled and squeezed Naruto's hand. She was happy that Naruto was on board with this. She understood the reasons why they hid their relationship, but sometimes wished it was out in the open. They both knew the dangers of being in their profession since they could wind up being dead on a mission, but that didn't stop them since they knew they had to cherish the time they had with one another.

"Maybe just a little longer" Tenten said.

Naruto nodded then he tugged Tenten's hand. She leaned closer and he captured her lips in a sweet kiss that's he's dying to get.

So a secret it would remain.

End

A/N: well, that's the end of my first ever Naruto story. I hope you like it. Thanks for reading and please review.