Comfort in the Arms of the Unknown
Disclaimer; I do not own Naruto
Summary; Weaken, tired and alone, collapsing in the forest seemed wise at the time.
Authors Note; hehe, as I typed this the shopping turned up... sorry I doubt you wanted to know that...
Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Just take my hand
Hold it tight
I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry
[Phil Colins – You'll be in my heart]
Tenten P.O.V;
Miho was crying again.
Sighing I opened my eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll go see to her!" A cheery voice said from the living room.
"Temari?" I asked, confused as to why she was here so early.
"Don't ask questions, just be glad," Kankuro murmured.
Nodding, I closed my eyes, and snuggled deeper into Kankuro's chest.
"So I take it you have spoken to each other?" Temari asked from the doorway, Miho in her arms, drinking happily from a bottle.
"I knew you were here for more of a reason then to be helpful," Kankuro complained, while I went bright red, and tried to hide my face in his shirt.
"I take that as a no then," Temari stated, obviously slightly annoyed.
"It's a hard thing to tell someone, you know!" snapped Kankuro, while I nodded in agreement.
"For people so smart, you are stupid," Temari scolded.
"What do you mean?" I questioned her.
"Well, you both know what I am talking about, and you both are agreeing with each other that it is a hard thing to tell someone, doesn't it click for you that maybe you feel the same way?" Temari pointed out. I opened my mouth to respond, but it hung there. She was right, here we were, both sat here telling her how hard it would be to tell the other what we felt.
No one spoke all moved for a few minutes. I stayed where I was, head buried in Kankuro's shirt, clutching the material in my hands, while stayed where he was, holding me close to him.
"There is no need for either of you too worry about anything," Temari softly said. "Just say the words..."
I shook my head, and tried to hide my face further into Kankuro's shirt. He still held me, but his grip began to loosen. When he had let go of me, I still didn't move, and before I knew it I felt his hands on my, trying to prise them away from his shirt.
Trying my hardest not to look up at his face, I slowly allowed him to untangle my hands. When he had untangled them, he held one of my hands in his, but dropped the other one. I felt his hand lightly tilt my head away from his shirt so I was looking up at him.
I blushed even harder when I saw him smiling at me, if that was possible.
"Is it true?" He asked me, smile fading a bit. I looked at Temari who just smiled and nodded at me. I looked back at him, and nodded, before hiding myself in his shirt again. Laughing, he shifted backwards a bit, and lifted my face up to him again so I had to face him. "Well, that makes everything so much simpler."
He leaned down, and captured my lips in his. I leaned towards him, and slipped my hands around his neck. I could feel him smirk slightly as he lowered his hands to my hips.
Temari coughed from the doorway, ruining the moment.
"Save it for later, I do believe young Tenten here has somewhere to be," Temari said, trying to show us the piece of envelope she had in her hand, but not doing so too well due to the fact she was trying to feed Miho her bottle. Confused, I pulled away from Kankuro, and got out of bed, taking the envelope from Temari.
Ripping open the envelope, and taking out the paper, I glance at the neatly written print on the paper.
Dear Tenten,
I am writing to invite you to your grandmother's – Akina's – funeral. The event is due to take place in one day from when you have received this note.
I hope you are well, and will be seeing you shortly at the funeral.
Also you will be required to attend your grandmother's will reading that will be taking place at her home at 3:15 today.
I am sorry I was unable to inform you of this in person, but I hope the note arrives in time.
Best wishes Kenta Gura.
I felt tears form in my eyes at the idea of attending the funeral of the grandmother I had never had the chance to know; and the idea of attending a will reading which will include me, makes it all worse.
"What does it say?" Kankuro asked me, sitting himself up on the bed. I quickly wiped away the tears that were forming in my eyes, and looked at him with a smile.
"Nothing important. It is just reminding me of some dates I have to keep," I replied, smiling. I could see neither him or Temari believed me.
"Why won't you tell me why you were in the forest, I know this is all linked," Kankuro complained, getting out of the bed.
"I'm sorry, I'm not ready yet... give me time, please?" I answered, screwing up the paper.
He merely nodded at me, and walked out of the room.
I followed and put the paper in the bin.
"I just need to go and get something from town, I won't be long," I told them. I really needed two different black outfits, one for the will reading, one for the funeral. I knew that today I would be required to wear a simple black outfit, but tomorrow I would probably need a black kimono. "Did you want me to take Miho?"
"No, it's ok... did you want me to come with you?" Temari asked me.
"I think I had best go alone, though you are more then welcome to join me," I honestly replied, not wanting to raise any suspicions that I was doing something shady.
"I see there is no need for anyone to follow you, I will see you in a bit," Kankuro said. I shrugged and left.
Temari's P.O.V;
"What are you doing now?" I asked him, as I stood there watching him fish through the bin.
"I want to know what that note said!" Kankuro grunted, before pulling out the said paper.
I sighed, and walked over to him, equally curious. We both read it in silence.
"Well, that wasn't what I expected to see..." I muttered, as he put the paper in the bin again.
"Me neither... I wonder why she hasn't told us... me..." Kankuro whispered.
Tenten's P.O.V;
"I'm back!" I called as I walked opened the door.
"Get anything nice?" Temari asked me, as she and Kankuro came into the room.
"Nope, just what I need," I replied, putting the bags into my room. "I need to go somewhere at around two o'clock, either of you are welcome to come... though I would have to say formal attire would be needed."
"No, we will stay here," Kankuro responded. I smiled slightly, and sat down.
"I have to go out tomorrow as well..." I began. "To... to my nan's funeral..."
They nodded at me, unsure of what to do.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to tell you something so small," I told them, before leaving the room, to get dressed in the simple black skirt suit I had brought. I had decided to wear the black boots with it.
* * *
"Well, I am off," I declared as I opened the door.
"See you later!" Kankuro and Temari chorused as I left the house.
* * *
Smoothing out my skirt, I took a deep breath and entered the house that had once been the home to my late grandmother.
I walked into the main room, where I had met with my grandmother when she informed me of the details of the missing person, that was in fact my deceased mother. I bit back the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes, and took the only available seat next to the old lady that had helped me a few days before.
"It is good too see you again child," The old lady said to me, a sad smile on her face.
"As it is good to see you well," I responded politely.
"The name is Tenten, would I be correct?" She inquired.
"That is correct. I am sorry, but I didn't catch your name on the day we met," I apologised, annoyed at myself for not getting her name before.
"My name is Taki," She replied, smiling.
Before I had a chance to reply the reading began.
There were about five people here, not one of them - other then Taki - a face I had seen before.
"There are two versions of the will here, which one am I to read?" The lawyer requested, looking at Taki.
"It would be the older dated one," Taki dutifully replied, the gentleman at the front nodding.
"This will clearly states that all possession falls upon the daughter of Akina, Kanae, and that if she is not upon this earth, then it will fall to her oldest heir," The lawyer stated. "May I ask who this heir is?"
"It is me..." I croaked, almost regretfully.
"It is Tenten," Taki added.
"I have an additional note here, for you," The lawyer informed me. I nodded, awaiting what he had to say. "I am to inform you, that due to the passing of both of your elder family members – meaning there is no way of us knowing whether this proposal still stands – that there is an arranged marriage arranged for you, if you wish for this."
I looked to Taki, who had said my grandmother had no knowledge of the survival of her only grandchild [me].
"She always had hope," Taki whispered to me. I nodded.
"The marriage has been arranged to someone by the name of Kenta Gura, the son of a nearby ninja village. He is the sole heir to the village, and it was arranged when both your mother and his own found out they were pregnant with children of different sexes. However this is a optional marriage, and at no point are you to be pressured into it," The lawyer concluded. "That would be all. Our office will be in touch with you on the details of what you have inherited, and also with the basis of the marriage plans, if you wish for the marriage to go through."
With that he walked over and shook the assembled peoples hands, including my own.
The minute he had left I turned to Taki.
"I know it is a lot for you to take in, that she has left all this to you..." Taki began.
"I am sorry, I have to go... I need to be alone," I cut in, hastily leaving the room.
The minute I was out of the house, I ran into the surrounding forest, and stumbled past the house to the clearing me and Temari had gone to the day before.
I choked on the tears, but refused to let them fall.
I was confused as to in the space of such a short time, I had gone from having no one, to falling in love with Kankuro; I had gone from having no family, to finding my own grandmother dead, and inheriting all she owned; and most of all finding out that even though she never knew me, she had arranged a marriage for me.
"You OK?" Kankuro asked, walking into the clearing.
"I am better then I ever have been... but at the same time I am so much worse..." I murmured smiling sadly at him as he came over and hugged me tight.
Authors Note; Sorry it's short.. but should I skip the funeral?