A/N
This is my first time writing a Naruto fic. And first time writing character's death. I actually had this in my head for quiet some time. It can be considered as an AU because it differs from the manga and anime.
update July of '17 : I fixed grammar and rewrote a little
The first thing that crossed her mind was : ' No,it's not possible. Not him. There has been a mistake. Yes, of course,there has to be a mistake, it's the only logical explanation. Ino's jutsu failed. It is her first time using it on this many people. She must have made a mistake. She must have mistaken him from someone else. That is more likely, that's the most likely explanation for this mess, for this turmoil. That sounds right.'
Oh,but Tenten always knew what reality was. And unfortunately she knew that there was no mistake. As much as she wanted to believe, to believe that it wasn't true, she would always get to the ground, to the facts. Some say that it is a blessing, to have such a clear, focused mind which could discriminate between truth and lie, dream and reality. They only see the upside refusing to acknowledge the downside, refusing to acknowledge that everything has one. They don't know how much of a curse can that mind be, and nobody knows it better than Tenten.
Facts, facts, and again facts. The ones she leaned on in battle, to keep her safe, to keep her grounded. But now they have failed her. As much as she hated to admit it. She found herself running to that place. To the place where his chakra disappeared. She must have set a record for fast running in her team. But who cares about that now? Those days feel so far away, like they never happened, a beautiful dream which ended too abruptly. Maybe she'll remember it someday. Maybe later, but that won't be so soon.
Hinata and Naruto were close. She could see them. She hoped that he would be there, fighting alongside them. Protecting their backs as he always did, as he swore to do. But then reality hit her hard. As always. Her beloved facts made her not only to see the reality, but to face it. Not that she accepted it. Maybe later she will, but not now. Not now when she still had hope (which grew fainter and fainter).
Tenten landed near Naruto and Hinata. In an instance her teammates were beside her. The tension in the air was so thick that you could cut it with a knife. 'Well somebody should do it. Just cut it, cut all the emotions from the air . Cut her too so she wouldn't have to feel the pain, wouldn't have to taste the metallic blood in her mouth, wouldn't have to smell that same blood.
"He's alive right? Right?" Lee murmured. All hope was gone from his eyes leaving only the despair born in moments of harsh truths like this one.
The floor shook when he fell down on his knees resembling a puppet whose strings were cut . If her spirit hadn't been crushed it would be now. Tenten knew what this meant. Lee's reaction confirmed it. Her facts showed it all. She couldn't blame Ino's jutsu now. Or anything, anyone other. She needed to embrace the reality. But not yet. She wasn't ready to let go. Maybe she will one day. Maybe she will but not so soon. Her sensei just walks to Lee and puts a hand on his shoulder. The ground where Lee was kneeling was wet, the courtesy of Lee's tears which he shed for all them. Everyone knew that he was emotional, even too emotional. In this moment it was a good thing. Let him grief for Tenten as well as she can't right now.
It was in that very moment that Tenten started to move. She moved slowly to Hinata and Naruto, and to him. Especially to him. Naruto and Hinata looked up at her as she was coming eyes were filled with concern. But for whom? Her or the young prodigy.
Right now she didn't need their concern. Nor she will ever need it. Tenten never needed someone's pity or concern. That's just the way she was, still is. When she finally gets the courage to look at him it's too late. He closed his eyes. He closed them forever.
But that wasn't what she noticed first. No, the thing she noticed was his smile, his rare smile. Not the fake one or his smirk. It was a smile, a genuine one. The one she liked the most. Moving her eyes to his forehead she noticed that it was blank. No curse, no chains. Sign of freedom. He was finally free. Tenten watched him. She just stood there and watched. She couldn't bring herself to cry. She couldn't, no, she mustn't. She didn't want to.
A little bit of her thought that it was just a nightmare. A big and ugly nightmare. But Tenten always knew what reality was. Her facts showed it to her. And right now they were telling her that he is free. Finally free. She didn't cry for him, mostly because of him. He made her promise a long time ago that she won't cry anymore. That she won't cry ever again. Especially for him. She could never refuse him. Tenten is not the kind of person who breaks her word.. She won't let herself to break that promise. After all she promised herself too,she promised that she won't cry in front of him. Never,ever. And like that she just watched him. She could sense eyes on her too. By now all their friends got here. Somewhere in the back of her mind she could sense their chakra. It didn't matter to her, just as it didn't matter whether it was filled with anger or tinged with sadness.
After some time she sat next to Hinata who stopped crying and looked at Tenten. There were visible traces of tears on her face. Both of them didn't have the strength to talk. Besides they didn't need to. With her last bit of courage Tenten moved his hair from his face. Her warm hand touched his cold face. Her eyes started to water. No,I mustn't. I promised I won't shed a tear. I promised to him. And I'm not gonna break that promise. Not now, not ever. Be strong. Yes, be strong. That's what he always told me. I always thought that he would be there to tell me that a dozen more times in the future. While Tenten was lost in her thoughts medical ninjas came. They lifted his body with such ease. All she could do was to stare and wonder about what ifs.
Naruto and Hinata found strength to move forward. She needs too. That's what he would want. And with that Tenten stood up. Medical ninjas already took his body to a safer place. If that actually existed here on this cursed battlefield.
Soon she felt huge amount of strength in her explained by appearance of Naruto's cloak. No, the battle isn't finished. It was still going on. It was still a war out there. Naruto was still fighting. He still lived. And, why? Because he saved him. It was his last wish. To save him. Because he knew that saving him meant saving the whole world.
And Tenten will fulfill his wish. She will fight. She will fight with her friends. They'll help Naruto and protect him. With that she charged. She fought like never before. Enemies fell in front of her. She didn't feel any pain. She fought and fought. Things started to look a little better. Naruto stood and faced the enemy. Head on like always.
Then everything turned. They were attacked by a tree of some kind. Maybe she'll remember what it was. Maybe she will remember that it was all part of a bigger plan which they played into. Maybe she later will, but not so soon. Last thing she knew was that she had fallen asleep. And that she dreamed. She dreamed of better and happier world.
Oh what would she do to make that dream a reality. He was there of course. He was with her. They laughed at Gai and Lee. At their silliness. She missed that. She missed him. It is truth that you can't love something as much as you can miss it. She already felt it.
But she needed to fight. As much as she enjoyed this world, this reality, it wasn't true. It was just an illusion, a genjutsu. And she tried to fight it. Because that's what he would do.
After Naruto and Sasuke's victory they were freed. Freed of fake world. Maybe it was better and happier but it was fake. They needed to find a way to make this world, this real world their own again. And with that Tenten found the strength to move forward. Because he would want that. He would want her to be happy. To live. Tenten loved him too much to break her promise to him. To cry. She knew that she would join him. But as much as she wanted to see him she knew that he wouldn't want to see her. That would mean that she died. He would want her to live. To live and be happy. And someone needed to look after Lee and Guy sensei.
Besides he will watch her from above. And he will be with her in her heart. That's something no one can take.
No one can take what was between her and him.
No one can take her memories of him.
Memories of Neji Hyuga