Disclaimer: Naruto is not owned by me

A/N:


When I give you my tears and my smile, I pray that this present will never UNWIND.

Mayo-Chin presents:

Clock Work Mirrors

Chapter Four: The Zipper Truth.

As the group sat together in a circle around an empty bottle in Ino's apartment, their eyes focusing on the whirling sound of the bottle before them. Swoosh, swoosh, slower and slower until it landed, opening pointed towards the owner of the house.

"So Ino. Truth or Dare?" Hinata whispered to the alluring blonde. She smirks, a little too tired of doing dares so she choses the former.

"Truth." she replies, there is nothing her friends don't know, and if they find anything then she will tell them regardless. These are the people she trusts and she doesn't have a shadow of a doubt they will betray her.

"When did you know it was Shikamaru?" Hinata was careful with words, words like love, belong, one and only were off limits in her book. Sasuke was here, and she still wasn't sure he was entirely over the Sakura episode. It wasn't that she didn't feel for Sakura, only, she understood letting go at a early age, afterall, she was already motherless and uncle-less. Ino gives her a blank look. As if she was contemplating the answer, something she was never known to do. The group already knows of her feelings for the lazy genius from some questions ago.

"When...it was little things actually. It was when I realized it was Shikamaru that I will run to cry over a guy, when it was Shikamaru that I knew the longest and trusted the most, aside from everyone else here, but you get it. When...when I lost him to Temari." Silence enveloped the room, everyone contemplating the answer and nodding. Ino turns and stares directly at Shikamaru, but addresses Hinata, and Sasuke in a sense.

"Its the little things that make you realize what you have, and what you can actually lose. Shikamaru, for me was like the lampost for me. When he left with Temari, I knew my world fell and it became dark. Thats how i know. It was Shikamaru." Shikamaru turns away, he has nothing to say and knows that Ino's words are only truth and there is no ill intention to take him away from Temari. Sasuke half smiles at her comment, understands what she means to some degree. Sakura was like a pillar for him to, but he realizes there are other pillars to support him. It hurts that she is gone, but at least his world has not fallen beyong repair. "Mah. Thats how I know." Ino says with a bittersweet smile as she reaches down and spins the bottle.

The new victim of the bottle was Tenten, who sat innocently between Sasuke and Ino. The Scribble board Sasuke got her resting on her lap, patiently waiting for it to be used.

"So Tenten. Pick one." Tenten already knows she is not afraid of much, but hearing Ino's confession, she feels it is better to give everyone her trust before they ask her to do something crazy, or utterly stupid, in the case of Naruto. She scribbles the word 'Truth' onto her board and holds it out for the group to see.

"Okay." There are indefinitely a million secrets they want to know from here, a million of questions they can ask, but they decide is it better to unfold them one at a time. "What's your story. Before you met Us, and when you met us. What did you think about each of us? What about now?" Clearly there is only a one question limit to Truth or Dare, but Tenten decides she can indulge them just this once. It'll take a while but she realizes everyone is tired of Truth or Dare, and all attention is placed on her now. She begins scribbling, her story she thinks.

My name is Tenten Long. I live by myself. You can all come over one day.

She writes as a after thought.

The first 11 years of my life is a blur. I remember how my parents died, and thats when I think I lost my voice.

Sasuke reads this and thinks that, one day, he can here her voice, something he believes to be very angelic.

My parents died. I remember hearing screams, and crying. After that, I don't remember anything else from it. I remember waking up in the Hospital, my maid watching over me. We moved to Suna after that. I've been attending a private academy, but the day I turned 13 we came back to Konoha. And that is when I met you all.

Tenten has lived a hard life. Her status as a high-class girl was a suprise, but that only tightened her bonds with the group, all who were heirs to some sort of high class family.

"Nayyy Tennie. What did you think about me when you met me?" Naruto barks out with an impish grin.

Sunshine in the rain. Tenten's reply is sweet and makes Naruto blush. Hinata is curious about what Tenten thought about her.

Hinata is clear blue sky. Hinata smiles and turns red.

Shikamaru is all knowing. Yet, he is far-sighted. Shikamaru looks away. Was it badger Shikamaru day or something?

Neji is the stars. Far away yet supportive. Neji thinks this is a compliment worthy of thanks. Tenten is filled with insight.

Ino is the moon. Radiating the light as if her own. Only she does not know she has her own light to give. She is beautiful, all sides of her. Ino begins to tear. Tenten has touched her heart with simple words.

Sasuke turns to look at her. "What about me?" he asks. Tenten's curiosity has peaked his interest. Sakura was his past but he hopes Tenten is his future. Tenten turns to him. A silly grin adorns her face.

is easily hurt. Sasuke wants to bursts out laughing. But Tenten is not finished.

He is...a treasure chest. Hiding every wonder inside and waiting for you to discover. When he loses something, he continuously seeks it until it is returned to him. He is... Tenten stops writing half way. She is staring at Sasuke's smile. And realizes, it lights up her world in an instant. Her heart swells and she wonders if this is what it is like to like someone. From the corner of her eye, she sees fire and all thoughts of love are lost. She panics. and hyperventilates, grabbing the sleeve of Sasuke's shirt as she struggles for air. Sasuke's worried face is all she sees as her mind goes blank and her vision begins to fade.

Tenten wakes up days later in the hospital. She finds a sleeping Sasuke clutching her hand on oneside. And a tired Ino on the other. Ino jerks her head up and realizes Tenten is awake, all thoughts of sleep and drowsiness lost.

Sasuke feels the shift in the bed and wakes up to see Tenten's smiling face. She's okay he inwardly sighs. The doctor comes by minutes later, asking if they are willing to talk to him privately. Ino volunteers, saying it is better for her to go, Sasuke has seen too many doctors and Ino has volunteered at the hospital before. She passes by Sasuke as she follows the doctor and sends a wink to the two left in the room before disappearing around the corner.

Tenten points to the balcony outside her room, and Sasuke happily helps her going outside. The sky is clear and the sun is beaming. He stuffs his hands in his school pant's pockets and thinks that this is a good day for Tenten to wake up. Disappearing back inside, he grabs her Scribble board and heads back to her. She turns to him and sees what he has written on the board.

Hurry up and get better. This board is stupid.

She gives a silent laugh. The words are rude, but the meaning is there. They are both healing he thinks. He accepts that this is okay and that these feelings will make everything okay, for the both oof them. He reaches towards her and hugs her.

I won't let you go Tenten. I've let Sakura go. But now that I have you, I will hold onto you tightly.
--Sasuke Uchiha


Chapter 5 Preview

"To celebrate. Let's all take a trip to Tennie's house!"

"We're all in this together. Whatever is haunting you. We'll fight it with you."

"I'll protect you from your demons."