A dance to remember
Tenten grabbed both of her prized kunais, the ones her grandpa had given to her when she mastered in handling weaponry. They looked like every other kunai in the pouch, but to her... they were so much more!
She placed them gently on the wooden box again. This was her daily ritual. She got up in the morning, took her breakfast and then trained with Neji until lunch time. Then they took a break, had lunch together and then they trained again until dawn. When she got home, after supper, she went to her room and sharpened her prized kunais.
There was only one occasion when she used her kunais. It was only once a year, and the time was coming again.
She sighed and closed the box with a soft "thud". She wouldn't be able to sleep today... that was also a ritual...
The next morning Tenten failed training with Neji. As a matter of fact, Neji was almost expecting her not to come to training today. Every year at this same day, Tenten didn't come training with him.
It never really mattered to him because he used this opportunity to train alone, although, he had to admit, it was rather lonely...
But, this year, he was determined to find out why she failed training every year at this same day.
It wasn't even 6AM and Neji was already outside Tenten's door, hidden in the shadows, waiting patiently for her to come out. He would wait as long as necessary... he was a patient man... not curious, just intrigued.
--
Tenten got up early and took a nice long bath. She was dressed in her most wonderful Kimono. It was snow white with some pink sakura petals flowing around. So simple yet so stunning... just like her kunais...
She grabbed the wooden box and left the house, a solemn look on her face. When she walked past Neji she didn't even notice his presence there. He followed her quietly.
She walked for a while, deep into the forest, blissfully unaware that she was being followed by her teammate and, one could say, best friend.
Okay, she didn't talk about personal issues with him and he didn't do it with her. But she knew that when she truly needed him he was there. Willing to help her, to heal her.
She knew that by experience... when her grandfather passed away she didn't know who to turn! She was a tomboy since she remembered and she was proud of it! The only downcast was that she really didn't have many female friends... and the ones she knew, she wouldn't trust enough to cry on their shoulder... so she went to the only person she could think of...
Neji...
She remembered the way he hugged her... no... That was wrong, she remembered the way she clinged to him, afraid to let go, afraid to fall down and never be able to stand again. She used Neji as her rock, her anchor. Someone to hold on to, to lean on.
He comforted her with his silence and with only one sentence he comforted her more than anything would...
"The deceased may be invisible, but they don't really die unless you forget about them..."
Tenten held on to that sentence for many years. Neji had healed her in his own way, and she was grateful for that.
Finally she stopped. She was near a waterfall. Its water fell like silk on the lake down below. The sakura trees adorned the place with such tranquility that Tenten felt a heavy weight being lift off of her chest.
The grass was bright green and the sun shone brightly on the cloudless summer sky. Neji watched from afar. Never on his lifetime with Tenten had he seen such a warm smile on her lips.
He almost felt his lips quivering in yearning for a smile...
She placed the wooded box gently on the floor and stared at the lake.
"Hello grandpa..."
She whispered to the wind.
Neji felt like smacking himself! Why on earth didn't he remember? It was her grandfather's death anniversary. And this place was where his ashes lay, somewhere deep into the lake.
Tenten lifted her pale hands and took out the too ribbons from her head, letting her brown silky her flow in the wind.
Neji was agape. He had never seen her with her hair down... and now... now he was watching her brown locks of silky hair caress her body. He turned his gaze away. This wasn't for him to see. He started walking away.
"Don't... don't..." Neji stopped when he heard Tenten's words. Had he been spotted? "Why? Why grandpa, why did you had to go?" She sobbed a little. Neji turned back. He hadn't been spotted and his resolution to leave had abandoned him.
Tenten's hands gripped the grass blades and ripped them of the floor. She cried a bit more, in frustration more than anything, and then calmed herself. Her breathing was now back to normal.
She stared at the two ribbons she had in her hand for a while, then she got up and grabbed the wooden box. She opened it gently and took the first kunai.
She stroked it gently and stared back at the lake.
"I'm back grandpa... hey, it's been ten years now, you know? It's a long time... I've missed you..." she sighed.
"The deceased may be invisible, but they don't really die unless you forget about them..." She recited. Neji's eyebrow lifted. He knew that sentence... his mother had said the same thing to him when his father parted... and then... and then he had said it to Tenten...
"Neji was right... you're still here grandpa," she pointed to her heart. "Hey, I've brought them. I know how you loved to see me dance with them... you used to smile and said I was a good child!" she smiled sweetly. "Want to see me dance again? I've improved!" her smile brightened.
"Let me prepare the kunais."
She grabbed the blue ribbon that was once on the top of her head and tied it at the end of the kunai while reciting some words.
"Bright blue, give me strength and perseverance... warm hue, the color of innocence..." She placed the kunai gently on the floor and grabbed the second kunai along with the her red ribbon.
"Strong red, fill me with trust... make me dance with love and lust..." she tied the red ribbon on the end of the second kunai and took a deep breath.
"Watch closely grandpa... this one's for you."
Tenten got up and gently removed her Kimono. She had nothing underneath... Neji blushed deeply but didn't look away. He knew that what he was doing was wrong! By God! He shouldn't be listening to her much less watching her without her clothes on!
But he couldn't avert his gaze from her porcelain skin... her flawless body... her beauty. He was entranced. For years he had seen her as his teammate only! And a sparing partner! But now... now he could see her in a new light... she was beautiful...
Tenten grabbed both of the kunais and began her moves. Neji had never seen anything like this! This was beyond imagination! The lightness of her movement, the flowing of the ribbons and her hair that caressed her body in a way that Neji knew he shouldn't be seeing.
She finally finished her dance. She put down the kunais and dressed the Kimono. She was breathing heavily but she had a bright smile on her face.
"Did you like it grandpa? I know you did... you thought me most of it..." a silent tear flew down her cheek. "Thank you, for everything..." and then she started sobbing like there was no tomorrow...
"I don't want to be alone anymore grandpa!" she closed her eyes tight "I... I..." and then she felt strong arms embrace her tiny figure. "Wha-...?"
"You don't have to be alone, Tenten... not anymore..."
Her eyes opened wide, but somehow, in her heart, she knew that this was right... Neji was supposed to be here, with her, embracing her, comforting her, taking care of her... her grandfather would've liked that.
"Neji..." she embraced him back. "Thank you again, grandpa... you always gave me the best gifts..." she leaned against Neji's chest and let herself drift to a dreamless sleep...