Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto; all right belong to its respective copy right holder. Believe me, if I did own Naruto the Sand siblings would have been back on long ago and Neji and Tenten would have more scenes together.
Permission to worry
Neji hesitated before the pale, cream colored door debating weather or not to enter the room.
Neji took a deep breath, hardened his heart and pushed the door open, stalling himself for what he knew lied behind it.
"Neji!"
Tenten was small bump under the hospital covers, joy evident in her voice as she saw Neji standing uncertainly at the door way.
He thought he had prepared himself for seeing his comrade so frail and limp, almost lifeless, but he reconsidered it now.
This was the first time he had seen her hair out of the traditional buns she wore it in, her usual pink top replaced with the scratchy hospital gown and her usual tanned skin a deathly parlor.
"Come on in! Sit down!"
"Ahh…" Was Neji's genius response, still at a lose of words he pulled the uncomfortable looking wooden chair from the corner and dragged it to her bedside. Keeping his eyes averted he placed the white lily's in a paint splattered vase on her bedside, left there by a previous occupant.
Tenten studied the stoic Hyuuga as he turned to face her, head down and being careful not to meet her eyes.
She pulled a face. "I'm not dead or dieing Neji, I'm fine." She said.
Neji's eyes strayed to the drip tapped it to her arm, slowly feeding blood into her as if to contradict this theory.
"Oh, this?" Tenten said, noticing Neji's preoccupation. "I just lost a bit of blood. So to avoid shriveling up I'm borrowing some." She laughed, flicking the small tubing.
"Don't do that. You'll screw it up."
"Probably." Tenten agreed, struggling to read past Neji's guarded expression.
"Tenten?"
"Yo?"
"Don't ever do that again."
Tenten laughed. "Is that what's troubling you? Neji, it all worked out good! I'm alive, and so is the kid!" She assured him.
"We're a team of three for a reason." Neji said ignoring her. "You had me and Lee to depend on, why did you rush in like that?"
"He was going to kill the kid!"
"It was a bluff. It was his own daughter!"
"Well I didn't know that." Tenten growled. "Jesh, Neji." Tenten made to sit up. In half a second Neji was on his feet pushing her back down.
"I'm not dead." Tenten reminded him.
"I'll make sure you are if you try that again." Neji promised.
Tenten pulled yet another face and relaxed back on to the pillows.
"Do you need anything?" Neji asked, trying to remain calm.
"Hmm… Not really. A decent conversation?" She suggested playfully, her eyes as vibrant as ever despite her translucent skin.
"Haven't Gai or Lee been in?"
"Three times. I said a decent conversation."
Neji chuckled.
Tenten sighed. "What's wrong Neji?"
"I just laughed. Why would you presume anything's wrong?" He said indigently.
"One, that was obviously forced, Two, I'm not sure you know how to laugh."
Neji sighed.
"C'mon! Spill it or I'll have to sit up to better see you."
"Don't."
"Than tell me what's troubling you!"
For half a second the iron guard Neji had around him dropped long enough to catch a glimpse of what he was feeling.
Self blame, sadness and worry raged a war in his silver eyes. Almost instantly Neji had his guard back up.
"You were worried…"
"Of course I was. So was Lee, Gai, Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, Ino, Kiba --."
"I get it, I get it. People were worried about me. Not what I meant."
Neji sighed. "You just… Scared the hell out of me when you ran out like that. And when you got hit by all those Kunai…"
"Don't take this the wrong way or anything Neji, but…"
"—But?" Neji prompted.
"I'm glad you were worried."
Neji looked up in surprise, opening his mouth to answer he was interrupted by the sound of Tenten's door opening.
"S'cuse me!"
Neji was shoved aside as a nurse shoved a needle into the clear drip attached to Tenten's other arm, injected it with some amber liquid.
"Sorry." She excused herself leaving almost as quickly as she had entered.
"Tenten?" Neji asked, sideling back over to the bed, watching as her eyes began to flutter shut.
"Mmh?"
"Do you want me to go?"
"No… Stay."
Neji allowed himself a rare smile and sat down beside her. "Need anything?" He repeated.
"Yeah… Give me your hand." She murmured sleepily.
"My hand…?"
Curious Neji held out his head and Tenten sluggishly raised her arm to take it in her own.
"Much better." She sighed, lowering their entwined fingers back to the bed.
Neji watched as her breathing became even and she stopped attempting to fight the medication.
He leant off and gently brushed his lips against the cool skin of her forehead.
"I'm still awake, you know." Tenten slurred, sounding slightly pleased.
Neji watched as she fell into dream land.
He grinned.
"I know."