"I'm alive, aren't I?" She would say so nonchalantly, while he would gape in indescribable shock and relief. He would glare, and mutter atrocities under his breath, breathing coming to in small gasps.
This was just wrong.
He was a man, and men needed to be, well…masculine. But, for his true mind, it was another matter.
It was his only way of resisting the fact he was about to get emotional. And then, he would throw a tantrum, and scream.
And cry.
All the things a real man wouldn't do.
That day, he held his tongue. As a man, he was to be strong-willed.
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
"Hey, sis, what makes a man?" A little girl asked curiously in the commonly high-pitched voice, her braids swinging behind her in hues of silver brown. Tenten turned to her, a towel slung around her slim shoulders.
"A what?" Tenten asked in disbelief. Why was a little girl (too little for boys, her conservative self reasoned.) asking about a man?
"What makes a man?" The child asked innocently, if not whiny, and proceeded to tug on the woman's shirt. "Saito-kun said he was a man, but I don't get why!" The girl huffed, apparently frustrated. Tenten laughed.
"Well then, tell Nakamura-kun he's hardly a man, not just yet. It's going to be along time before he becomes one, anyway." Tenten responded humorously, pushing her unbound hair over her shoulder when it draped over her face.
"I know that! But, it's just- I want to know what makes a man, so I can tell all my friends, and then Takeshi-kun will like me!" The girl blabbered, but her hands clasped over her mouth at the last part. She shook her head, as if saying no. Tenten snickered even more.
"Don't worry,
you're secret's safe with me." The jounin said slyly, already
aware that the said Takeshi was lounging in the bushes, eavesdropping
in full view. She looked up to the gray clouds rolling in, and
continued. "A man? Well, it depends."
"Yeah, but what's
your kind of man?" The girl burst eagerly for an answer.
"Nanami, what do you think makes a man?" Tenten asked curiously, if not gently.
"Oh, my type of man has to be handsome, and strong, and he won't cry, and all that stuff!" Nanami declared excitedly, jumping up and down.
"Well, a man, to me, I guess, is different from yours." Tenten began, deep in thought. "I guess a man is someone who isn't afraid to show what they feel, and is ready to accept the responsibility and consequences for anything he's done." She finished her words airy and light.
"Wow…" Nanami whispered, processing the information.
"And, he has to be handsome." Tenten added quickly, laughing impishly.
"Thank you! Yay! Bye, nee-san!!" The girl replied, skipping away confidently. She sensed that the boy had left as well, and turned her gaze to an onyx-eyed man, who was polishing his katana.
"Right, Sasuke?" She said, her words light and barely heard over the rush of the incoming storm clouds.
He smiled.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
He looked at her, gazing deep into the crystalline brown of her pupils. As firm as his intentions, he held her tightly in his arms, allowing his relief to take over.
"Tenten," he whispered into her ear, "Do I make a man now?"