i'm ! lol enjoy a little story i randomly came up with last night lol btw you're going to want to read my other stories for characters such as my stories Changing Others, What a Mission Can Cause p2, and part of Last Christmas the last one i mentioned just so you know who the weapons' shop keeper is the only stories that are connect with this are Changing Others, What a Mission Can Cause, and What a Mission Can Cause p2 this story will be a prologue for one i have cooked up for the future :)
It was a cool autumn day, Tenten was strolling around the village, breathing in the crisp leafy smell. Her first day off in months, her brother on a mission in Suna, her sister-in-law helping Iruka teach in a smaller village about a few hours hike outside, she brought her son and Mika and Shun with her. Tenten was on her own, well, not really. She was never alone.
Dressed in her jeans, long sleeved green V-neck top, blue scarf, and brown boots, she felt comfy, especially after about a twelve hour, much needed, sleep. Wandering through the village, she managed to greet several friends whom she never really has a chance to see. Such as Otohashi.
"Konnichi wa!" she called, entering the small shop.
"Tenten-chan! It's been a while, you're so grown up!" an elderly man behind the counter greeted. "What can I get you?"
"Nothing today, Otohashi-san, I'm just visiting," she smiled, leaning up against the counter.
"Took you long enough, I was starting to get worried," he laughed. "I haven't seen you since maybe before the Fourth Great Shinobi War."
"Honto desuka! Masaka! (1) That can't be right!"
"I think it is, after all, you became a Jounin not too long after, then Takashi married Natsuki. Not to mention you're taking care of Mika and Shun, you're not a little girl anymore."
"Hai, hai, I know, I know. Maybe it really has been that long, but then that means it's been two years!"
"That sounds about right."
"Gomen nasai! I'm sorry, had I realized it I wouldn't have waited this long!" Tenten bowed as her elderly companion laughed.
"It's fine, don't worry about it. You've been busy, you're brother getting married, you're new nephew, Mika and Shun, and the boatload of missions Tsunade must be giving you. Even in peaceful times there's so much work to be done," he explained, patting the girl's head.
"Arigato, and yes, there is so much to be done," Tenten sighed, resting her arm on the counter.
"So, how are things between you and Neji-chan?" Otohashi asked, a sly smirk falling upon him.
Tenten blushed slightly. "Nothing's going on of that nature, Jii-san," she said with a huff, causing the two to laugh.
"Ha ha! I thought for sure by now he would have proposed to you!"
"Iie! I don't think so, we've never had that kind of relationship before!"
"So the genius does have some fear," Otohashi laughed, confusing his companion.
"What are going on about, Jii-san?"
"It just seems that the genius is a genius on everything except the opposite sex."
"You've been saying we were going to marry ever since you met us! Besides, I'm not sure any guy could like someone as thickheaded as me." Tenten looked down, a slight blush painted her cheeks.
Otohashi cupped her face with his hand, forcing her to look at his gentle eyes. "You say you're 'thickheaded,' I say you're a girl who knows who she is and won't change for anyone. An exotic beauty compared to the typical teenager, er…well young woman, now," he said, a smiled plastered to his face.
"Arigato, Otohashi-san," Tenten smiled, straightening up.
"You sure you don't want anything?"
"Hai, hai, I have some other people I need to visit before it gets dark, sorry, Jii-san," Tenten smiled apologetically.
"It's fine, but you better hurry the weather doesn't seem to be in your favor anymore," Otohashi replied, noting the dark gray clouds heading over. "Give my regards to Neji-chan!"
"Hai! Jaa nee!" She left out onto the streets, next stop was the weapon's shopkeeper, Hashimoto. After that, she'd probably find Neji and hang out with him for a while. The usual day off.
Hashimoto didn't have any new weapons that day and after the small talk her visit was brief. Only one in the afternoon, how was she going to spend the rest of her day? The oncoming thunderstorm was only adding to her decision-making. What to do?
There he was! The stoic Hyuga the poor girl had somehow come to love, standing outside the bakery. Waving she headed toward him. At least she could hang out with him all day and figure out what to do. "Hey, Neji!" she called, earning the usual nod and possible reply of "hn" but was too far away to hear it.
"Oi! Tenten!" a familiar voice came from behind.
The tone of it didn't sound good.
A sinking feeling appeared in her stomach as she turned around to see Ino rushing up to her in her nurse uniform. "Ino! What's wrong? Did something happen to Natsuki? Mika? Shun?" Tenten blurted, as the blonde took her hand and ran as the rain began to come down relentlessly.
Neji wondered what had happened. He was sure Tenten was going to come and ramble on about Mika and Shun or something. Maybe Ino needed to have a girl talk. Shikamaru came up to him, seaking shelter underneath the overhanging ledge above the bakery from the storm. "How's Tenten taking it?" he asked.
Now that wasn't a good sign.
"Hn?" was his usual stoic reply, sometimes acting indifferent was the best way to go.
"Don't play dumb, she just found out and ran to the hospital, I was over there with Kurenai and her kid and overheard-"
Neji didn't need to hear any more. He could already guess what may have happened. This wasn't something he should get into, but sometimes curiosity gets the better of us. Even geniuses.
He ran. He ran fast enough the pouring rain barely affected him. So fast that he was only barely wet when he reached the hospital. The nurse at the front desk had no problem telling him where Ino had Taken Tenten. Operating room 4.
He found her there. Ino must have gone to get paperwork or something. The rain had been pouring so hard, the buns usually place strategically on her head had fallen down, her hair and shirt soaked.
Distressed women can be very unpredictable. Tenten was already unpredictable. Hell knows what she would do if he approached her.
Yet, even with this voice at the back of his head screaming "no," Neji still walked up to place a hand on her shoulder.
She was still. Her head held down, looking at the ground. "Naze?" You could hear the strain in her voice. "After everything? Why does this have to happen!"
"Tenten, I-" he was never given a chance to finish. He may never admit it to anyone, but seeing her like this broke his heart.
"This can't be!" Tenten screamed it out, refusing to let her tears fall. She turned to face Neji, watery eyes and all. "He just had a child! Naze, Neji! Doushite!"
"Tenten-" that was all he could say, he couldn't think of anything to say. Quite frankly, he was used to seeing girls cry, he lives with Hinata. Tenten, however, she never cried, no matter the amount of pain she was in, she refused to shed a tear.
"He's all I've got, Neji! He's my only family!" she shouted.
"What about Mika and Shun?"
Tenten's eyes widened.
"Mika and Shun? How am I going to explain this? They already witnessed their parents die! How am I going to explain that the closest thing they have to a father is dead! Neji, how am I going to do that!"
"You don't know he's dead!" he nearly shouted back, his hands on her shoulders.
"And Natsuki! She just had a baby! Her son's going to grow up without ever knowing his father! Neji! He's all I have left! What am I going to do!"
"Tenten! You're stronger than I was when my parents died, you'll pull through!"
"You don't get it, Neji! When you're parents died, at least you had Hiashi and Hinata and Hanabi! You had actual family members who helped you pull through! I have none that will!"
"What about Natsuki?"
"We'll both be wrecks! Mika and Shun are too young to understand! Even though you couldn't stand Hiashi at least he was there! My other family members hate me!"
"I thought you're parents were dead?"
"They are! I'm their child that's the problem! My family has hated me from the moment my parents were together! Neji! I have no one!"
That was it. The tears were already streaming down her face. Neji would surely have a few bruises from where she was pounding on his chest. She stopped. Her legs were giving out. Her thought process had stopped. She slumped forward, Neji catching her and sliding to the ground where she wailed into his shirt. He could do nothing but stroke her hair and telling her soothing things like "let it out" "everything will be fine" etc. After a while he just stopped talking.
Though she was hysterical right now, she was logical on some points. Mika and Shun would be devastated and might not be able to handle it if both Tenten and Natsuki were to go into a depression if Takashi died. Natsuki would probably take this even harder than Tenten, if possible. And it was different from when his father died. Tenten really didn't have any living blood relative that could comfort her. What did she mean that they hated her? Wait…they didn't know if Takashi was dead or not.
Maybe this lasted ten minutes. Maybe thirty. Maybe an hour or two. Did it really matter? Tenten had exhausted herself with her hysteric cries and wails that she passed out in Neji's arms. Maybe she'll be more rational when she awakes. And by rational, I mean not hysterical.
Ino came back with paperwork, to see Tenten and Neji on the ground. In most circumstances she probably would have made some sort of love story comment or what not. Today, however, it didn't seem appropriate. So, somehow, Ino helped Neji bring Tenten to the bench and lie her down. What he didn't know how, was that for some reason, Ino was able to place Tenten's head in his lap without him noticing. Before he could comment on it the Kunoichi was out of sight. He simply cursed under his breath, moving a clump of damp hair out of his teammate's face.
She stirred after he made the motion. "N-Neji?" she croaked out. Her throat had to have been sore after her meltdown.
"Hn?" he replied, neither of them moved.
"I'm sorry I freaked out on you," she said meekly.
She sounded so small. Quite frankly she sounded much like Mika when they first met her and Shun.
"No need to apologize."
"It's just, we've been through so much, he's the main reason why I've been allowed to remain in the village. If he dies, the village has no obligation to allow me to live here," she randomly explained, her fingers gripping Neji's pants leg.
"What are talking about?" Neji was genuinely confused. What could she possibly mean?
"It's about time I told you about my family tree."
1. means "really? No way!" in japanese
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