As Tenten started back to the camp, she mourned.
She mourned for the innocents.
She mourned for those left alone.
She mourned for lost friends.
As she collapsed on her bedroll, she felt something crinkle beneath her. She stood up, and looked at the piece of folded paper that had been the source of the noise. She unfolded it, and with a choked sob, recognized the handwriting on the paper. It was Neji's. Her lost comrade, and one of her closest friends.
She fully unfolded it, and began to read. When she finished, she collapsed again, sobbing into the bag of clothes she used as a pillow. When she recovered her composure, she picked up the note, and put it into the pocket of her vest, the one closest to her heart. She placed her hands over it, and once again began to cry. She would never forget the words written on that scrap of paper. As she sat there, the barest hint of a sad smile crossed her lips, and a last tear escaped her eye.
"Aishiteru… Neji…"
My Dearest Tenten,
If you are reading this, it means that I have not escaped this battle alive. If this is not you, then I implore you to give this to her, or if not possible, and the worst has come to pass, to bury it with her.
If this is you, then know this: as time passed after the Chunin Exams, I came to respect you more and more. For your ability to face danger with a brave face. For your strength. But most of all, for your kind heart.
And as more time passed, I realized I felt more for you than I would a friend. I have fallen deeply and madly for you, Tenten. You, Hinata-sama, and even Lee and Sensei have become my true family.
Know that had I survived, I would have intended to court, and with your consent, marry you. You are the only one I can picture spending my entire life with. Even if you do not feel the same way, know I will still never stop chasing after you.
I know I do not deserve you, not after how I treated you up until now. My recent actions cannot atone for my previous actions, which I will forever regret.
You are the one who gave the caged bird wings. The one who opened the lock on its cage, and let it take flight. You are the one whose smile I thought of in the darkest times. As this war drags on, I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that I will most likely die. I hope I will die a warrior's death, fighting for you and the Will of Fire.
You are my Steel Princess, my Warrior Queen. The one who never held anything against me and always intended to help. And as this war's end draws near, and my time in this life dwindles, I have written this, so I can gladly walk to my death with a strong heart, and an iron will. My only regret is that I did not tell you this before I was sure of my death. Even if you move on, and come to love another person, know that this flawed, caged, and wretched bird will always watch over you from above.
Neji
Aishiteru, and Sayonara.
And in the distance, an ethereal bird flew into the sky. The caged bird was free.