Hidden in the Rain
NejiTen
The rain pelted down hard as Tenten ran through the forest. It was quite visible that she had been running without ceasing for a long time. For a training partner of the genius that is Neji, and even of the never-ending of energy that is Lee, one would think that she would never tire.
As Neji ran after her, he almost regretted all those training sessions of working her so hard just to improve himself. Of course it was important for him to have mastered all those techniques, and he needed somehow to fight against to do it. He couldn't stand Lee back then, so naturally he chose the next best choice. Tenten.
He hadn't realized it then, but Tenten was actually the perfect fit to what he needed. She fit whatever role he needed her to be. She understood when he was angry, which wasn't very often because even though he was almost angry all the time, he hid his emotions expertly. But the few times it leaked through, she could just stand in understanding without having them ever exchange words.
Team Gai had everything worked out to perfection about how things should be.
When Neji lost to Naruto in the Chunnin Exams, she was probably the first person to notice the change. She realized that, if anything, it was a time for Neji to re-define everything he had known in life. Family, friends, purpose, destiny, were all things he had to figure out all over again. As time went on, it seemed as if he began to understand.
Sure he still got frustrated. They were still resentment between the branch, and the head family for it was absolutely unfair, but now… he finally what family meant. With that, he was able to finally understand how important emotional ties with people were.
After that, his relationship with Lee became more understanding. Lee still worked hard to become better than Neji, and Neji made a promise to himself to never lose again. He also began to see Tenten in a whole new light.
Now, when they fought together, he didn't go all out at her, as if she was in his way anymore. He didn't look at her as if she was an obstacle he had to go through. Before, she was tolerable in the ways she could help.
But now, he actually appreciated it.
Little by little, Neji grew in so many ways. He began wiser about life, stronger in will, and soon enough he found himself capable of feeling so strongly towards another.
In time, he was able to love his teammate with much passion. She was the only person that really got him from the start, was everything he needed her to be. She helped him through his changes, his hate. She helped him see, see what good he could be. And he would be internally grateful to her.
During one of the few training sessions that they had together alone, because Gai and Lee had gone on a mission together, he decided that he owed it to her to express what he grew to feel.
Such started the secret relationship of Neji and Tenten.
The two were very much in happy bliss together for a long time. They grew older, together, in sync with each other. The only difference was that he became a Jonin before, but such was to be expected for a genius such as him.
Tenten was perfectly fine was admitting that Neji was better than her. Though it was hard always feeling behind a lot, Neji made sure that she knew how important she was for the team, for him, and that she shouldn't judge herself to anybody else other than her personal best.
She loved him for that.
They spent whatever time they had alone just enjoying each other company. Usually, after the sun went down on them while training, they would cease their effort for the day and just be with each other without the disruption of other people.
Before, Neji would always grudgingly go home, which was becoming easy to do than before, but he still didn't prefer being there. And Tenten would always go home to her empty home, having been orphaned for most of her life. Both agreed that staying together longer was a much better alternative.
They were both very happy together. Tenten had hoped for such a long time that Neji cared for her the way that she had cared for him that she didn't mind at all that he wanted to keep it a secret. It wasn't that he was ashamed of her, no that wasn't it at all. He just wanted to protect her. He wanted to protect her from the harsh life known as the Hyuga.
Being part of the Branch family was a complicated matter in itself. He didn't know the rules for marriage for them. Obviously his own farther had been able to have his own wife, but since Neji was such a prodigy would it be different for him? Would arranged marriages be proposed? Would he be forced to marry for the good of the clan? So questions were left unanswered, so he felt it was better to be safe than sorry.
They had survived that way for such a long time. In secrecy, in late night passion displays, in secret looks, and they were happy. They worked their hardest to keep it all together.
But then… it was inevitable for the worst to happen.
They were 17 when it happened. As per usual, Tenten arrived at the training grounds to begin the day with Neji. She had a rather bad night of sleep, filled with dreams that brought her pain; she was excited to see Neji so she wouldn't think about those dreams anymore. The dreams she always had of her parents. Neji had always been the only cure for them.
So when he was past two hours late, she couldn't help but feel slightly depressed and irritated that he had been detained by the head family most likely. Instead of sitting around waiting, she decided to go and look for him herself.
She walked towards the Hyuga compound with determination. Thinking of ways of how she would greet him, and what they would do when they reached the training grounds. Since he was already so late, she figured they should probably just skip training all together today anyway. The thought made her smile in involuntarily
Once reaching the compound she knocked on the doors from the outside, hoping that either Hinata or Neji, or even one of the lower servants answered instead of Lord Haishi. Despite all the years of being around him, he still scared her to some extent. She breathed a sigh of relief when Hinata was the one to answer her.
"Hi Hinata. Is, uh, is Neji there?" Tenten decided to ask Hinata. Though, the now blued haired woman was kept secret from their relationship, Tenten still felt that she could have trusted her with that secret. She didn't mind at all if she would have found out, but for Neji's sake, she didn't act too obvious.
"Now is… not a good time." Was all that she said. She looked very unhappy and almost as if she had been on the verge of crying not too long ago. Hinata indeed had gotten much stronger as the years went on, and she cried much less, so for her to appear this way worried Tenten.
"Hinata… what's wrong? What's going on?" Tenten asked partly worried, and also slightly scared about what the possibilities could be. The tears that Hinata had worked so hard at holding back were starting to fall.
"Neji… and father, are in a meeting right now." Hinata explained in the lightest way possible. Tenten couldn't understand what was so horrible about that. Neji and Lord Hiashi had meetings together very frequently about the family matters. This should be no different.
But it all made sense to her once she glanced inside. Inside, in the great idea in the middle of all the buildings, were a group of people. It was very easy to tell they were foreigners from the way they dressed, and spoke. But once Tenten really looked around, she could tell what they were there for.
In the front of the great group of people, was a lady. A beautiful lady covered in rich jewels that adored her hair and the parts of the skin she revealed. She was dressed in beautiful blue silk, with servants at her feet. Almost at first glance Tenten could tell.
She was to be Neji's bride. The day she feared had finally come.
Her breath had stopped, and her heart stopped along with her. That was the only way she figured that she could actually hear Neji inside the building the group of people were waiting outside of. He was arguing loudly with Lord Hiashi.
Tenten knew that he didn't want to marry this lady that he didn't even know, but what could do? He was a part of the branch family. If this had to happen, then they could make sure it happened. Tenten never felt so helpless before. She felt her heart jolt when she felt a familiar hand on grasping her wrist. It was Hinata.
She understood why Hinata was near crying before. Just one look, and Tenten knew that Hinata was aware of what she and Neji had all along. Hinata knew what sorrow she felt now. And she didn't want for her face it now… Tenten couldn't help that tears that started to pile behind her eyes.
Despair was a very easy emotion to read.
Time seemed frozen that like for what felt like a long time. Tenten could easily feel her heart jolt again when she heard the doors to the building squeak open. Neji was absolutely unreadable. Tenten had been able to understand for all these years, so when she couldn't understand, she was scared beyond all heaven and hell.
Horrified, she felt glued to the spot. She knew that he wouldn't be looking for her among the crowd, so she wouldn't be able to meet his glance even from the doorway. Lord Hiashi followed behind him as he walked to the lady who looked pleased to see him. Without saying a word, Neji took the lady's hand and kissed it before lifting his head and forcing a smile upon his face.
The lady only giggled happily before leaning down to kiss him in return. To kiss her Neji. Tenten wanted more than anything to just run between them and force Neji to kiss her instead. Kiss her openly, declaring the love he had for her, and then slap the rich bitch that dared to steal her Neji away.
But she couldn't move. Not one bit.
She stood and watched as the lady reached for his lips, but Neji quickly turned his head at the exact last minute to dodge the impending kiss to hit his cheek instead. To the utter shock of both persons, Neji had turned his head directly towards where Hinata and his beloved Tenten stood. And his heart felt like exploding beyond repair as he saw that absolutely complete raw pain and despair on her face.
But now… now, Tenten could run. That one look was all she needed to reawaken her nerves to move around. And before Neji could even second glance, Tenten was gone. No where to be seen. Only Hinata stood there now, tears threatening to fall beyond stopping.
"Neji-kun?" The lady addressed him. Obviously she was disappointed that he responded in such a way to her attempting to kiss him. Lord Hiashi seemed irritated as well. But Neji… he was beyond acting completely sane.
"Excuse me." Was all he said as he raced his beloved Tenten. He flew out of their faster than eyes could follow. He raced past where Hinata stood, and was out the doors before anyway could stop them. The entire area was speechless except for Hinata's crying and the complaints of the rich lady which was out right ignored.
He ran faster than he had ever run before as he hastily chased after Tenten. She had already gotten a head start before him. Worse, it had started to rain so slowly but surely he was becoming weighed down by all the droplets. For once, he wished that he had kept his hair short. Tenten didn't have any problem with that since her hair was almost kept in two buns.
Neji was almost jealous at that moment.
However, he pushed his body as much as was humanly possible. He knew exactly where Tenten was heading towards. The only place that really held anything significance to her. Their training ground.
Cursing himself for being so drained already, he pushed forward, desperately wishing to find her before anything worse happened.
He found her in the clearing of their training grounds just as he thought he would. And even though he still imagined her to be in pain, he couldn't have realized just how much pain she was in.
The rain was relentless, but for today Tenten didn't mind. Despite how badly she wanted to get her emotions out of her body, no tears came to her eyes. All of her emotions were sealed inside of herself, and the pressure was almost unbearable. So today, the sky seemed to be crying for her.
Neji's body halted to a stop, and he let his breath catch up. Though there was no hope for his heart, it wouldn't stop hurting no matter what he did. He slowly walked over to where Tenten's body stood. She was held up by her knees only, the rest of her body seemed to have collapsed.
"Tenten?" Neji called timidly. Tenten's body seemed to go back to life upon hearing his voice. She was even more scared now. She was sure about what was going to happen, but to hear him say it would be make it all that more real. And she was sure that she wouldn't not be able to bear it.
"Why Neji? Why does this have to happen?" Tenten asked, her voice easily cracking. She knew that he didn't really have an answer to the question. But it felt like the question was needed out in the open anyway.
As Tenten expected, Neji made no response. All he could do was stand beside her. He felt that he had to do whatever he could to help her. He wrapped his arms around her, putting all of her weight on him. Tenten felt a release of emotions upon Neji's touch. It seemed that anything about Neji could release feelings within her.
Now the tears decided to fall.
She cried without shame in Neji's chest. Neji did the only things he could do. He brushed his arms along her back, whispering 'I'm sorry' in her ear, and rested his head upon her own. Tenten's knees finally started to buckle, and so she collapse onto the forest floor, Neji followed her moments and held her still.
"I'm so sorry Tenten… I've tried everything I could. Lord Hiashi… ended up using the curse mark against me…" Neji explained. Tenten understood. She always understood why, but it was so unfair. More tears piled out. Neji decided it was time to admit something to her that he had thought about for a long time, for this may be one of the last times they could this alone anymore.
"I… When we turned 18, I was, I was gonna ask for permission from Lord Hiashi to marry you. I was holding out until then, hoping, wishing, we'd have that chance. I wouldn't have been able to until then… The only reason this arranged marriage is allowed is because the household is enforcing it. I just, wanted you to know." Neji admitted to the maiden in his arms.
Tenten couldn't help but sob even more now. All the pain that she had suffered through for so long... was this even worth it anymore? Now she knew that Neji did like her, maybe even love her. But,... if she couldn't have him. Now that was unbearable.
But there she was, sobbing into Neji's arms as the rain fell down hard, as if crying with her. Yes, life... was so unfair at times. And then, suddenly she felt another force fall upon her that was different from the rain. As she looked up, her heart broke even more.
Neji had started to cry as well.
Perhaps it had become too much for him as well, but who could really deal with losing the person you loved for forever? Especially when they loved you back, and there was nothing he could do about it. He was the bad guy in this situation, marrying another woman, but it wasn't his choice.
He didn't have a chance to make things right now. It was an injustice to this heartbroken couple. There was nothing to be done, and all that was left was their pain.
Their pain, that will forever after that moment, be forced to be hidden in the rain.
Fin