Please pardon my pervy imagination – let that pose as a warning. I've changed the rating just to be safe (even though I think it is unnecessary) but I don't feel like getting tattled on. Hope you enjoy. Inspired by the song Always by Saliva. Well sort of. Not the morbid part of the song anyways.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters nor am I making any profit with this story.

Always

~ X ~

To say that the break up ended badly would be an understatement.

Horrible, psychotic, hot and sexy were the appropriate characteristics for their complicated break up.

They had been exclusive for no more than six months but had spent more than a year's worth of nights in each other's beds. All those nights resulted in their clothes on the floor and cramped muscles and sore body parts the next morning.

They always had that unbreakable bond; always had the proper attraction, but they couldn't always hold it together. If it was out of terror or just blatant foolishness, they didn't know.

Their arguments were trivial and would start off with shouting, tears, sometimes even punches. But they always ended up in bed – or the sofa, or the floor, even the shower – it didn't matter. It ended somewhere they didn't mean for it to end and they would still be together. Every break up wasn't really a break up but they had slept together more times than they had any meaningful conversations. Even their final break up led to a hot passionate night in the gardening shed of the Hyuuga's private gardens.

~ X ~

This time Tenten was done. She didn't want to see his stupid, egotistical, self-centered, handsome face ever again. After that night, she made it a point to stay away from him since he had absolutely no problem in rekindling the flames she had tried countless times to put out.

She still loved him and always would but things were just too outrageous and complicated. It seemed like he only cared about the physical aspect of their relationship and nothing more. He was rude, reckless with her feelings, and it always left her confused.

He didn't abandon her in the mornings, he was always gentle and caring with her unless she commanded him otherwise, and not to mention great in bed, but that was beside the point. He didn't show her the affection she longed for – it was always straight to the down and dirty. She didn't feel loved. He only made her feel physically good and it wasn't the only thing Tenten had wanted in their relationship, albeit wasn't all too bad. Did he have to be prodigious in everything?

Apparently not.

She wanted real passion, love, romance, the silly feelings girls giggled with each other about, only without the giggling. They still had a lot to learn from each other. She wanted to really know him and she wanted him to know her just as well. But most of all, she wanted happiness, and Neji wasn't quite giving her that. She wanted him to feel what she felt and since he kept most things – feelings, emotions, and thoughts – to himself, she didn't know what he felt or thought and assumed his silence meant exactly what it was thought to be….nothing.

Their relationship didn't seem real to her and the only things they knew about each other were how to get at each other's throats and then fixing their problems by using their hands, mouths, and other parts of their anatomy that they only ever allowed each other to see.

She always walked the long way home to avoid walking past the Hyuuga compound and she had been taking as many solo missions as she could manage just to avoid being placed on a team with him. It's been nearly a month since she's seen him.

~ X ~

Tenten could feel his presence outside her door before the knock sounded but she didn't bother in answering it. She knew that no matter what words were exchanged, they would inevitably end up in her bedroom, and there was only so much control she could muster before she would give in to him. Even she had hormones to keep in check.

She left him outside, even though there were chilling winds and ice cold rain was pouring from the heavens. A storm was headed their way, but it was comparable to the storm in her heart.

He'd been outside for about five minutes before he gave up and left (as far as she knew). She felt guilty and cowardly and she knew she should just face her problems head on, but she was already fragile. She needed to get back up on her own rather than rely on Neji, who probably wouldn't be of much help in any department aside from sex anyways. He was the one who had indeed used her body and played with her heart.

Tenten walked to her bedroom to get ready for bed. It was well past midnight and she had wondered why Neji would want to drop by so late – she was sure she could only think of one reason why – let alone in the awful weather.

She had just entered the bedroom when she felt pressure on her arms and she was against the wall, slightly winded. It took all of two seconds for her eyes to adjust to the darkness and she already knew who had broken in before looking into pale white eyes.

"Why didn't you answer the door? I know you heard it."

"Neji. What are you doing here?" It came out as a gasp as she tried to contain herself. She hadn't felt him in her room so he definitely had surprise on his side.

"Answer my question. Why are you avoiding me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." She said quietly, eyes downcast.

"I think you do." Neji hissed as he brought his face closer, just a mere few inches away from hers.

"Have you been drinking?" Tenten could smell the pungent smell of alcohol on his breath.

"What of it Ten? You still haven't answered my question."

"Neji, I think you should leave."

"No. I will not. Not until you tell me why you're avoiding me like the plague."

He glared at her, his fierce gaze making her feel small and insignificant, but she glared back with just as much fervor. I am not weak, I will not give in.

"Please leave Neji."

It all happened so fast, his movement nothing but a blur, as she felt her feet leave the floor and her back meet her bed, arms pinned down and legs spread apart to accommodate Neji's body. She could try and fight her way out but it would be useless. Neji would always be physically stronger than her, even when under the influence of alcohol.

"Neji, let me go. You're drunk and incoherent. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

Tenten's calm demeanor frustrated Neji and she could see it, feel it in his tightening grip.

"I've had a few drinks but I most certainly am not drunk nor will I leave. I need you." His voice leisurely changed from angry to pleading. Tenten couldn't help but silently curse him. It also didn't help that he was gently pushing his hips further into her until their bodies were as close as it could get with their clothes on.

How did she find her self in love with this frustrating, overbearing, pompous ass of a sexy man?

Neji loosened his grip on her wrists, allowing her to bring her arms back behind her to lift herself up onto her elbows. I'll probably regret this later.

She inched closer to him until she could feel his breath on her face. She lingered in front of him, heart beating in her ears as she gazed into his shining white eyes, countless emotions visibly portrayed in them. When she looked to his lips, she gave it one last thought, willing herself not to give in, and then she kissed him. And he kissed back hungrily as if she were a long awaited meal. It was long, intense, emotions running high when Neji finally closed his eyes into their kiss.

Tenten reached for the alarm clock on her bedside table and hit him in the head, hard. With the alcohol flowing through his blood stream and all coherent thoughts overrun by lust, he couldn't hold on to consciousness and was instantly knocked out by the blow.

He fell limp on top of her. She enhanced her strength with chakra and pushed him off, laying him nicely on one side of the bed. Stupid boy, 'not drunk' my ass.

Tenten cursed him some more before heading to her kitchen to prepare an ice pack. She would hear it in the morning but she decided to not worry about it until the time came. She folded her comforter over him and put the ice pack on his head. It was going to be a long night, especially since she had to make sure she hadn't given him a concussion. It would have been inappropriate to take advantage of a drunken man right? Tenten groaned as she leaned back against the headboard and held the ice pack in place. What a pain.

~ X ~

Morning came but the storm still hadn't let up. Tenten had been up all night and was prepared for the fireworks. She made strong coffee, brewed and ready to serve in her coffee machine. She placed painkillers and a cup of water on her bedside table on Neji's side. She also got a toothbrush ready with toothpaste because she knew brushing his teeth was the first thing Neji would want to do, aside from taking the painkillers of course.

When he stirred, he made an impolite grunt and Tenten had to cover her mouth to stifle her giggling.

"There are painkillers and water next to you and when you're done with that, I have a toothbrush ready for you in the bathroom."

"Thanks." Neji looked horrible and he probably felt the same. Guilt plagued Tenten's already chaotic mind but last night's little fiasco didn't leave many other options – it was either sleep with him or not, and she knew he would not take no for an answer. Now she has a hung-over man, whom she is in love with, in her home and she thinks that she may have hurt more than just his head. But even in pity, she would not sleep with him!

"I hate you." Neji said between brushing and spitting into her bathroom sink.

"I hate you too." Tenten yelled from her bedroom.

~ X ~

Neji finished up and found Tenten in the kitchen pouring herself a cup of coffee, she had an empty mug ready for him should he decide to indulge himself with the hot, bitter, caffeinated drink.

Tenten's apartment had a much more western look than his traditional house did. She had a dining room table with chairs, a sofa that wasn't a futon, and a glass coffee table in front of it. Tenten was sitting at the dining room table when he once again spoke.

"I hate you."

"I think we've established that already. We hate each other. Now maybe its time we grow up a little." Tenten bit back.

"Do you know why I hate you?" Neji took a step closer to Tenten.

"Enlighten me."

Neji drew closer as he placed his hands on the armrests of Tenten's chair and pushed it up against the wall. The sound of the chair scraping the floor and his heavy breathing much too loud compared to Tenten's erratic heartbeat. He hovered over her, his hands resting on either side of the armrests.

Tenten swiped a kick to his feet as she escaped her little prison in her chair trapped by his body. His hot, sexy….gaaah! She ran to her living room as he chased her and they found themselves on opposite sides of the couch.

"I hate you because you make me feel."

Neji jumped over the couch. He was much quicker than Tenten, but she was much smaller and agile and was able to escape him before he could fully grasp her.

"I hate you because you've instilled a certain kind of fear within me when we're away from each other."

Neji pounced on her, and after rolling around on the floor as she tried to wrestle her way out of his tight grip, and failing, he had her pinned to the floor. A silent conversation when they met each others gazes before he continued his little rant on hating the only woman he had ever brought himself to care about.

"I hate you because you saw it fit to leave me with out a real explanation. I hate you because you're beautiful. I hate you because you're strong. And most of all, I hate you because you make me love you."

"Hmph. You have a funny way of showing it." Tenten turned her head so that she didn't have to look at the man who was now much too close; her own personal boundary had already been invaded when he stood before her chair. Now he was on top of her, and even though he had relinquished his hold on her wrists, she was still trapped.

"That's the problem. I show it to you in a way that I know how and you seemed receptive to the idea so I never saw a fit reason to stop."

Tenten licked her suddenly dry lips and Neji couldn't avert his eyes away from the plump, pink flesh.

He leaned closer. Tenten didn't try to move away so he pressed his lips to hers, lightly, breathtakingly sweet. He felt Tenten brush her tongue along his bottom lip but he pulled back.

"Stop. I wasn't trying to get you into bed. I think I should go."

Tenten narrowed her eyes. "I don't think so. It's been far too long and I want you now." She growled before pulling him down and pressing herself to him with a simple arch of her back. She kissed his neck, the strong line of his jaw, his chin, his nose, and his forehead. The contact of her lips on his skin sent tingles all over from Neji's finger tips down to the tips of his toes.

Forget restraint. He lifted her onto the coffee table and kissed her hard, ferociously, then attacked her neck and collar leaving bruise like marks as he worked his way down, suckling on her soft, pale skin as he stripped her of her clothing.

~ X ~

Their sweat drenched bodies lay mangled half on, half off the table, both sated yet leaving Tenten's back a bit stiff and Neji's knees raw with rug burn. They've had mind blowing sex numerous times but this time it was different. It wasn't for comfort nor was it for a break up or make up. They made love – even if it was on the living room's coffee table – and it was like a breath of fresh air filling their lungs, a sense of relief, and the heavy weight was finally lifted from both of their chests. It felt different with more emotion and passion than before, especially when Neji said it again in a harsh whisper against her ear just before his climax.

After Neji's little confession, Tenten could see – feel – a different side to him. Maybe he is kind and caring after all. They had much to work out and it would take time but they really had to see past it all to make it work.

Maybe the sex was worth it after all, especially if it was how he would show his love for her.

"I still hate you." Neji mumbled into Tenten's neck.

"I love you too." Tenten sighed.

Hmm I think the ending may been a bit rushed and I thought that I would fix it but I don't have the time or motivation.