Title: The Middle Ground
Author: SkItZoFrEaK
Rating: M
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Status: Complete
Length: 112,034
Pairings: Shino/Tenten
Summary: If she lets him get too far away, she'll lose him. If he lets her in too close, he'll be skewered. Their best bet is somewhere in the middle ground. Shino. Tenten. Rated for violence and some language.
Link: FF.net

I've read this once or twice before and completely forgot about it until the day. Ironic considering it's about the two most forgettable characters of the Konoha Twelve.

That said, it's decent enough for what it is which is building a relationship between Shino and Tenten who have practically nothing to do with each other aside from being in the same overall social group. Starting off with them on a mission together, it goes the route of making them into quasi-rivals as Tenten chooses to challenge Shino's which leads into them learning more about each other and their lifestyles (particularly with the Aburame Clan).

The story's set with the Konoha Twelve in in early adulthood rather than teens though most of Part 2's events aren't relevant as this was completed years before the manga's ending. As such, ninjas are still being ninjas without any of that focus on world peace or ending the cycle of hatred. And the story actually does a good job of coming up with a variety of different missions and enemies for the leaf-ninja to deal.

I'd call this one an above-average timewaster if you'd like to read about some atypical protagonists for a Naruto romance with an atypical romance.

3.5/5 rounded down.

 

Read this ages ago. It's solid stuff, and an enjoyable look into a rare pairing. 4/5