Unshed Tears
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, need I say more?
-I kind of came up with this idea out of the blue, so I hope you guys like it.
……
-Normal Pov.-
The sun was shinning and the sky was blue, a perfect day. Tenten made her way towards the training grounds in the best mood she'd been in all week. She couldn't explain it, but today seemed like a good day.
She made her way up the winding dirt path, dodging the occasional low branch, she wasn't even late today. Neji would be pleased.
She turned the corner and gasped. There, resting against a tree, were Sakura and Neji, kissing.
Tenten felt her jaw drop as her happy mood dissolved instantly. Her voice caught in her throat and she turned on her heal, racing away from the horrific sight in front of her.
She blindly stumbled out of the forest and into the bustling city of Konoha. Breathe Tenten, you have to stay in control; don't let anyone see you like this. OH GOD, NOT LEE, NOT NOW!
Tenten composed herself as quickly as she could, and pretended to be heading towards the path to the training grounds.
"Oh, hi Lee, how are you?" Tenten asked in a falsely happy voice. She couldn't let her 'little brother figure' see her pain. Luckily, Lee had never been that observant.
"MY YOUTH IS SHINNING BRIGHTLY TODAY TENTEN! GAI-SENSEI WILL BE PROUD!" Tenten smiled at Lee's enthusiasm. It would break his heart if he learned that Sakura was with Neji, and she wouldn't let that happen.
"Come on, Lee, we'll walk to the training grounds together."
"YOSH! WHAT A GREAT IDEA, TENTEN! WE WILL BRIGHTEN OUR FLAMES OF YOUTH TOGETHER!" With that, the pair set off towards the training grounds.
-With Neji-
Neji and Sakura had finally…um…finished their business, and were sitting next to each other. An awkward silence filled the training grounds. It was Sakura who broke it.
"Neji, we've been dating for a while, right?"
"Yes…" Neji replied, unsure of where she was headed with this.
"Well, these past months have been great, but…" Neji felt his heart begin to burst. Don't say it…don't say it… "…but I think both of us would be happier with other people. There's just no, no real chemistry between us, I'm sorry." Sakura stood, and left the training grounds.
A few minutes later, Tenten and Lee arrived. Unfortunately for them, Neji was now pissed off. Within minutes he had crushed Lee's attempts to beat him (he usually at least humored him), and proceeded to hit Tenten with every attack he could think of, mercilessly.
(Tenten) So much for a good day! What's he so mad about anyway? This is going to be a long day.
Unfortunately for Tenten, the day was only going to get worse.
…
-7 painful hours later, at Tenten's house-
Tenten came home to find a letter tacked to her door. Her heart skipped a beat as panic began to wash over her. She'd seen these letters before, on other ninjas' doors. With shaking hands, she opened it. It read:
Dear Miss Tenten,
We are sorry to inform you that your parents have been killed in duty. They will be honored in a ceremony one month from now. We feel confident that at seventeen, you will be able to make all the necessary preparations, and take care of yourself accordingly.
Sincerely,
Hokage Tsunade-sama
-I'm sorry Tenten.
Tenten dragged herself inside, her whole body numb. It wasn't until she'd shut and locked the door, that she slumped to the floor, tears streaming down her face.
……
The next few days passed in a miserable blur. For the sake of her friends, she put on a happy mask, pretending that everything was fine, she'd told no one of what had happened.
Neji continued to be in a bad mood, and work her harder and harder, throwing insult after insult at her. With each insult she felt her heart shred more and more, till she began to wonder if she had any more heart left to shred.
Things began spiraling out of control. Suddenly she had to pay the bills (A/N: I know it's only been a week, but it was her poor fortune to have her parents die when the bills were due), she had to buy groceries, she had to train, and she even took on a part time job at an obscure weapons shop, working with gruff, often drunk ninjas.
Her body ached with the need to cry, but she refused to indulge herself in tears, not even when she was alone. Her mask was forming to her, ready to become a permanent part of her personality.
……
It had been two weeks, and she'd just gotten back from her parents ceremony. By her request, the ceremony was private, consisting of herself, Tsunade-sama, Shizune, and some of her parents' old team mates.
The rain was coming down hard, drumming against the roof of her small house. It was ironic really; it'd been raining since the day she'd received the letter announcing her parents' deaths. To Tenten, it felt as though the rain made up for her lack of tears, but then again, she was a jounin; she wasn't supposed to show any emotion. As Neji would say, emotion was a weakness.
It felt as though her world was spinning, as though she was drowning, and could no longer find the way up.
Grabbing her weapons holster, she walked out into the rain, in the black kimono (A/N: just to give you an idea, it's a black kimono with white sakura blossoms sewn across it) she'd worn to the ceremony, her auburn hair gracing her shoulders, and falling to her waist.
She walked aimlessly around, unsure as to where she was going, but sure of what she was going to do.
-With Neji-
Neji was pissed; he'd been that way since his break up with Sakura. He knew he shouldn't take it out on his friends…well, mostly on Tenten, but she was so happy, it didn't seem fair. How could she be so happy, when he was so miserable?
Annoyed, he looked out the window. Whether by fate, or just by coincidence, he looked out just in time to see a sullen, black clad, beautiful figure, walking alone in the rain. Though it took some time, he finally recognized it as Tenten.
Is she in a kimono? I never noticed how beautiful she really is! But, why is she in a black kimono, and why does she have her weapons holster…in the rain.
Slightly annoyed at his own curiosity, he decided to follow her. He crept out his window, and out of the complex.
Tenten, he noticed, seemed as though she had no distinct idea where she was going, but her walk was determined.
-With both of them-
Tenten found herself at the river, and she smiled a grim smile. Yes, this will do nicely.
She knelt down in the mud, and pulled out a kunai. Before Neji could react, she brought the blade down and across her slender, delicate wrist. Her vision blurred, as she fell backwards.
Neji raced to her, in shock of what she'd just done. He picked her up gently, cradling her in his arms, and rushed to the hospital.
Why do I feel like this? She wasn't that great a ninja, nothing really special. Is it because she's my friend? Or is it something more? Now that I think of it, she has always been there for me. It was her, who took care of me after the failed mission attempt to retrieve Uchiha, and she was in the hospital with me after the fight with Naruto, but I've always treated her like scum. Do I…do I…love her? Why would she do this? She always seemed so happy…
Neji was jerked out of his thoughts, as he reached the hospital.
……
-At the Hospital-
Tenten awoke, groggy, her eyes unable to handle the sudden onslaught of bright, white light.
"You're up." A smooth voice came from beside her. She turned to the side, surprised to find THE Hyuga Neji, sitting by her bedside.
"I'm…I'm up?" Tenten's voice came out as a whisper, and an unmistakable look of pain shot across her features, only to be masked the next second.
"Why?" He knew what she'd done, and Tenten knew he knew, lying would be a waste of time.
"I couldn't take it anymore," her face was grim, and for the first time, Neji thought he might really be seeing the real Tenten. That thought made his heart ache. "Everything was out of control."
"What, with training?" Neji scoffed.
"No, well…yes, but not just with that, it was training, bills, work, preparations, ceremonies, funerals, and…" She trailed off.
"Funerals? What funerals?" snapped Neji, his eyes narrowing.
"My parents died two weeks ago, in a mission." Her eyes were hollow, empty, and it actually scared Neji, to see her so devoid of emotion.
"Why didn't you tell us?" He asked.
"It wasn't your problem to deal with. Besides, I didn't want to cause you more trouble, especially now that you and Sakura are dating."
"What! When did you find out about that?" His eyes widened in surprise.
"The same day I got the letter about my parents." She replied calmly. (Neji) Didn't Lee say once that Tenten cared for me more than a friend does? I thought he meant she admired me, and wanted to take care of me, but what if he meant she…loved me, than she would have been really hurt by that (A/N: NO DUH YOU MORON!).
"You probably saw us on the day we broke up." Now it was Tenten's turn to gape.
"What? But you guys looked so…happy!"
"Things didn't work out. We liked different people."
"Liked different people? Then wait, Sakura we can bet is still fawning over Sasuke, especially since he came back, and was forgiven, but that leaves you. You said 'we,' who do you like?" She asked, smirking.
"You."
No more unshed tears, no more rainy nights, that day it was sunny.
……
A/N: wow, I don't normally write pieces with suicide! Oh well, at least it has a happy ending. I hope you guys liked it, and PLEASE REVIEW. I got no reviews for one of my stories (I am Strong), and I felt really bad, but I refuse to delete it! So I say again, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW!