Vulnerability is a sin

A/n: Hello!!

I never realized how much reviews could mean to fanfiction writer...

Thanks for your continued support...

And to bakutiku... about the flame thingy? I don't actually receive any but I basically have a low self esteem so...well...umm...nevermind

BTW, Your confusion is also Neji's confusion... But I'll get to the NEji pov shortly... Here goes...

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Her shoulders were wet.

Leaning forward from her umbrella, she glanced at the bedraggled figure that sat beside her. And she started to grin.

It was Neji... glorious, magnificent, and pitiful Neji, who lay here getting soaked by the rain. She grinned some more.

Careful, not to make a sound, she gazed at the adorable picture that was set before her eyes.

It was beautiful. The night was beautiful. Everything seemed to be veiled in shades of black, purple and blue. The clouds were heavy, a mist filled the air and the lights from the streetlights were somehow dimmed by the darkness that continued to envelope the quiet road where she stood. The steady rhythmic falling of the rain, added an almost mystic quality to everything. And as Tenten waited for Neji to notice her presence, she decided to take advantage of the situation, wherein she could gaze at him and still keep an ounce of her dignity. And gaze at him she did. But as her guard slowly fell, she also unconsciously let out an audible sigh

That did it.

Neji's not-so-ordinary senses picked up that minute sound. His ears pricked up, and with his innards wrenching at the thought of anyone seeing him in this deplorable state, he turned around to purposely attack that person at once, in the hopes of recovering at least an ounce of his own dignity.

And he turned around.

And like in those old movies where time slows whenever the hero and the heroine meet, the seconds decelerated as Neji's eyes came face to face with Tenten's. And when that exact instant where he finally realized who she was, his jaw dropped and all he could do was to stare.

Tenten did likewise, and both of their gazes locked for a long period of time, during which Tenten wondered, why the hell Neji was staring her in this strange fashion.

But at least she was the first to recover.

After mentally shaking herself for this momentary loss of sense, her lips presently curved into a wide smirk.

"NEji" Her eyes twinkled in a jeer.

"I knew you were obsessed about getting stronger after that Naruto boy defeated you... but man... this is getting way off the line..."

At last, Neji recovered.

And all the rage he was bottling up that evening seemed to explode on the spot. "DAMN IT!! YOU WITCH!! How dare you come here after getting out of that stupid hospital..."

Tenten was less surprised by the verbal assault she was receiving than the angered emotion that was spurting off him in great numbers.

"...And you even have the guts to come traipsing here in the middle of the night after worrying everyone!! Maybe that lack of discipline is the reason why you lost in all those matches!! Maybe that's the reason why you'll never be a chuunin!!"

Whoa! Neji's crossing the line, Tenten thought, as she felt her temper rising in response to the insults he had pronounced.

"For your Information, HYuuga Neji!!" and her hands unconsciously crept to the pocket where she kept her kunais.

"I had no idea you were looking for me. Second, I you had no reason to worry about me cause I'm perfectly capa-"

"Perfectly Capable my ass! You were bloody and bungled up! Did you even think that no one would come looking for you? That shows how utterly indifferent you are!!"

"Look who's talking, you emotionless beast!! You have no more feeling than a dead bamboo shoot... Also, you have no obligations to me, whatsoever... and that only means that I have no obligation to you, either!!"

"You could have at least-"

"Shut up, Neji!! Your just a teammate to me, no more no less!"

Then, after saying those words, Tenten suddenly stopped, realizing how wrong those words are and the reason why she left in the first place.

Biting her lower lip, she turned away.

Neji also had stopped.

After her last retort he finally came to his senses and in great self-disgust, he started to walk away. He had only walked for a few steps when suddenly, he heard a soft voice call out his name from behind. It was Tenten...

But he didn't turn around. He knew that his byakugan could very well do all the seeing for him.

And using his 3600 vision, he "glanced" a the girl behind him and what he saw was a wet and tired girl, holding on to her umbrella, panting softly as if exhausted by the verbal parry they both have gone through. But he couldn't see her face or the expressions it might have held, because the rain never ceased to fall, the mist seemed to thicken, and the darkness was still there. All around them, it seemed to engulf the space between them in hazy shadows, and everything else was covered in vague obscurity. He couldn't see her face.

And so, Neji continued to walk on.

Meanwhile, Tenten remained on the same spot she had been standing in for many minutes. From under the brim of her umbrella, she gazed at him, silently gazing at Neji, confused at the present circumstances, and the way Neji was walking away from her, as if nothing had ever happened, as if she just hadn't said that all those years the three of them, Rock Lee, Neji and herself meant nothing to her.

Presently, she spoke, "Neji...I..."

She received no answer.

"Let me help you..."

No answer.

"Your limping."

Still, Neji kept on.

At this, Tenten sighed. "Stubborn bastard..."

Tightening her hold on the umbrella, she started to walk towards the direction he was headed. She tried to walk briskly, careful not to step on any puddle that was sure to fall upon her already soaked shoulders, and disturb the quiet of the rainy night.

Neji knew she was following him. He saw her, and heard her.

Vainly, he urged his worn-out limbs to move faster, as he heard the sound of her lithe feet move across the gravel, become louder. But it was too late! Because as he was about to turn towards the curve in the road, he felt her hand grab him, and press his arm.

Before he knew it, the dark street that was right in front of him, had become replaced by a pair of eyes peering closely at him. They were Tenten's eyes, now devoid of the rage and indignation, now, full of worry instead.

For him, perhaps?

His eyes, silently expressed the displeasure he was feeling. They were glaring at her in utter indignation, as if to say that he, the great Hyuuga Neji needed no amount of help. To this Tenten replied in the same manner.

She glared at him, and said a stinging, "Shut up."

He didn't answer but only tried to pry her fingers away from their hold on his arm. But it was no use. Neji was exhausted, while Tenten as she stood there, seemed to be in the bloom of health.

Seeing his struggle, Tenten grinned. This is fun, she thought, as she gazed at his internal debate whether to give in or not. Hoping to hasten up his decision, she pulled his left arm and placed it around his shoulders to support his upper body, while she awkwardly held her umbrella in the other, shielding them both from the falling rain. Then, turning her face toward him, she whispered to his ear, "Neji...come on..." With those words, she started to walk forward.

Neji, meanwhile, finally gave in.

God he was tired...so damn tired...

Just holding on the idea that he'd redeem his dignity later, he relaxed his body towards those of Tenten's, and he tightly held her arm.

And with their arms around each other, Neji's head leaning towards hers, the two of them slowly walked towards the more populated parts of the city, while the umbrella shielded them both.

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