Vulnerability is a sin
By: aragon asten
A/N: explanations/excuses for the long delay will be given in the end. I inserted a pre-story author notes because I'm just gonna warn you that in spite of what will happed later on, this fanfic is still a neji-tenten pairing…
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…I will always protect you…
…my beloved…
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At the stroke of midnight, she woke up.
Slowly, endlessly, for it seemed as if a haze of mist, silk and perfume pervaded her senses, confusing her consciousness, blurring the lines between wakefulness and sleep. But soon, her heavy eyes gave a glimpse of stone-corniced ceilings, walls reflecting moonlight, and the soft, distant glow of candlelight gleaming from afar.
She was awake already… but all seemed like a dream.
Gradually, she lifted herself up, and placing her bare feet upon the cold, stone floor, she stood up and gazed upon the room.
It was strange one. For a smoke-filled scene was beheld by her half-lidded eyes, and the smell of lavender filled her head, giving a shape to the calm, restfulness she felt.
Because she felt nothing…nothing.
No pain, no ache, and no mental anxiety. She felt light, full, heady-like a happy drunk lost inside her blissful mindlessness-except, as far as her drugged brain could remember, she hadn't been drunk before.
It didn't matter… she was safe…
Walking unhurriedly across the darkened room, she glanced towards the window, and saw only darkness-warm, velvet darkness, and gazing beyond, the gleaming face of the moon smiled at her, while it rested inside a bed of night sky. The cool, brisk breeze blew upon her face, and she reveled in the silky feeing that swept through her entire frame. It lapped at her gently, making the white cloth that enveloped her billow in waves across her pale legs. Her hands crept across her body, relishing the feel of the silk cloth coming in contact with her warm skin. She closed her eyes, and backed away from the window, until her back collided with a cool, smooth surface. Her body reflexively turned, her eyes immediately opened, and when she beheld the mirror in front of her, she let out a gasp.
"Who are you?"
It was a face so unfamiliar, or rather, a countenance buried within the confines of her mind's oblivion. She wore white. Her long brown hair lay upon her shoulders like a darkened waterfall. And her eyes… it was as it looked before-wide-eyed, and innocent. "Who are you?" she asked, in a voice equally unfamiliar, soft, and gentle.
Her mind spun, and her body suddenly drained itself of its heavy languor. She was weak. So… so… weak…. She closed her eyes as her legs shook, and she fell on her knees in front of her reflection.
"Who are you?" she asked for the last time.
But now, she knew.
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Blood rushed out of her pale lips, and she doubled over in pain. Sweat was trickling over her temples, and her youthful face was ash white.
Just one last time…
The village boys laughed at her, their eyes mocking her in her defeat.
Just one last time…
She lunged at him, quickly. But the boy only swerved away, letting her trip and fall headlong into the dusty ground. Laughter, more laughter… It filled her head, fueling the acid spite she felt for her own weakness.
But she wanted to fight it. Oh how she tried! However, the effort was futile. She knew it. The dirt in her mouth confirmed the truth.
"Hey, why don't we help her up?"
"Let's just leave her…"
"But she's spurting blood off her mouth!"
"She was the one who started the fight. She deserved it!"
"Oh… aww… all right…"
From her prostate position, she heard the boy's heavy steps scuffle towards the direction of the village. She heard them laugh away, their steps running, going fainter and fainter as they all rushed to leave her in this god-forsaken clearing in the hundred forests near the village.
Finally, they were gone…Not all of them.
Their voices remained inside her brain, echoing repeatedly, driving her deeper into this state of self-disgust.
How she hated them… But how much more did she hate herself…
Wearily, she forced herself to stand up and head home. Gingerly, she wiped the blood from her lips and her forehead, picking at the innumerable wounds that were now proudly swelling all over her. She let out a slight groan. How could she go home now? Her mom would worry over her… Her eyes would crinkle with worry, then, she would turn pale. Then she'd grow weak… and then, she'd cry…
She didn't want her mother to worry… It was a painful experience…
…for her mother… and for her…
She sighed in frustration. It's been months since she made her promise. But she was no where near having it fulfilled. Her mother was wasting away by the hour, and she still hadn't done anything. How could she protect her mother, keep her safe when she was practically useless? Her ninja training was going off to no direction. It was as if a wall of her own stupidity and weakness was blocking off her way to success.
Her own frustration led itself to a growl.
"I hate myself!"
She felt tears burn behind her eyes, aching to pour out of her and douse this misery surrounding her. But she can't be this pathetic. She had to be invincible… somehow… by any means possible.
Around her, the afternoon sun had already given way to the darkness of evening. The crickets chirped. The night birds sang, bidding Tenten to go home to the sanctuary of her home. But she didn't want to go home just yet. The wounds she had were still fresh. And the darkness all around was not enough to hide them even from the blurry vision of her mother. No… not yet…
So instead, she wandered through the forest, her mind passing through strange wonderlands of her own making, the darkness of the deepening dusk mirroring the darkness swirling inside her thoughts.
"I'll be strong, Mother… like him… I'm going to be invincible… Someday I will"
…like him… him… Who was he?
A monument, a statue, a symbol of power and strength
A man with pale, pale eyes, and a thousand secrets she had spent hours trying to discover. He was a statue, a monument, a symbol of vows made and broken. But he was more than that. He was a man she had come to idolize and adore.
Then, she froze. She heard a sound. A barely inaudible sound, but in spite of her weakened senses, her ninja ears heard it all the same. Slowly, she scanned her surroundings, which up to now she had become oblivious to. Her eyes widened in surprise. It was that place. That place where she first made her promise. How strange it was that she was unconsciously driven here! Now when she was at the lowest point of her existence. Now when she was at the brink of giving it all up! But she couldn't think about that now. She ought to think about that sound. Taking a quick look towards the direction, she saw that an unfamiliar figure stood there, basking in the light of the early moon. Immediately, her pulse beat faster.
She should think about that man who was invading her sacred forest sanctuary. A man… who was he?
With as much stealth as she could manage, she crept towards the nearest foliage, making sure no traps lay hidden beneath her feet. She crouched low, and set to the task of finding whether this stranger meant any harm.
From her vantage point, she could discern that he was training, brandishing a sword of magnificent length. But there was more. Dozens of weapons lay at his feet, for what purpose she had no idea.
Weapons? So many arsenals… How could he use all of them?
But before she could further ponder upon this strange fighting technique, she saw something that made her heart stop beating for a split-second.
For a single second, she saw him turn towards her direction. And for that single moment in time, she saw his face illuminated by the pale light of the moon.
He was beautiful. He had raven-black hair, and brilliant green eyes that gleamed with a strange light, making her forget all past thoughts of pale eyes and foolishness of that sort. All she could think, and see and hear and feel was that man who danced gracefully before a silent ancient melody of fighting, with exquisite eyes, the soft sound of nighttime sounds acting as a primitive orchestra to his song, and the sensation of the cool air biting her suddenly warm skin.
It was as if she had lost her innocence that night.
It was as if her world had stopped revolving on its axis when he came.
She could feel, something stir inside of her. And in spite of her meager seven years, she felt ancient and as old as the world.
Oh god, he is so beautiful…
She gasped involuntarily. Then she realized too late that it was a sound loud enough to hear. She quickly drew back, trying to blend into the shadows, hoping he had not seen the way she had stared at him transfixed.
But he did!
With a wary gaze, he approached her, while her heart beat triple time, and her hands started to sweat profusely.
Don't come near! Please don't! Don't hurt me!
But he was already there standing in front of her, his eyes piercing into hers.
"Hello."
She gulped.
"Hello," she whispered knowing nothing to say.
He gazed at her steadily, while she felt herself go red all over, hoping the earth would swallow her and save her from his searching gaze. But it was impossible. So she sought her brain for words that could explain her actions, words that would save her from some cruel fate. Then suddenly words burst out of her mouth before she could think about them.
"I'm sorry! I was looking at you. But I couldn't help it! You looked so beautiful standing there in the moonlight with your sword in hand!" she babbled quickly, then she stopped, and her eyes widened in horror as realization hit her.
Uh-oh… You idiot! What have you done?
She cringed, and closed her eyes preparing for the blow that would soon fall upon her. But nothing came. Very cautiously, she opened one eye, and wonders of wonders she saw something she didn't expect. He was blushing!
He was biting his lip in embarrassment, and a small smile played upon his lips. She opened her eyes, and gazed at him in astonishment.
He's embarrassed? Did I say something wrong?
"I-I'm sorry…" she whispered. "I didn't mean what I just said."
To her further surprise, he winced upon hearing her words.
Then he spoke, in a voice richly smooth and deep, and laced with amusement. "Please don't take it back. You won't believe how much you flattered me. It would really hurt if you really didn't mean it." And he looked at her with a pained glance.
Against her will, she felt her lips curve into a tiny smile. And she found herself speaking softly and meaningfully. "I meant what I said." She paused, looked down for a moment and gazed back at him, her young face unconsciously lighting up with adoration. "You look like someone I know."
"Really? Who?"
"A beautiful statue."
His brows drew up, and he gazed at her curiously.
"A statue?"
"Yes!" she cried rapturously, the words pouring out of her mouth. "A very beautiful statue! An exquisite statue with lovely pale eyes, beautiful hair, beautiful figure. A statue who's-" And she paused, at loss for air.
"A beautiful statue who is what?" he asked her gently.
She took a deep breath and plunged on, looking at him straight in the eye.
"Invincible."
After that last statement, a silence descended upon them. The man looked down upon her, a strange expression melting in his eyes, while she gazed back at him fearlessly. Her face was bloody and bruised but there was a strange light playing in her eyes highlighted by the moonlight shining on her face, and her slight but proud figure, and the dark, lustrous hair that flowed over her back. They gazed at each other for a moment, and it seemed as if that moment stretched forever, leaving them naked under each other's eyes, taking away all other truths such as the fact that he was a man, she was a girl, she was weak, and he was strong, and that they were strangers with nothing in common. Nothing in common except the fact that they came to the same place at the same time.
Then the moment ended. Smiling at her face, he knelt down in front of her, until they were face to face. He lifted a hand and it rested upon her cheek.
She winced, feeling the sting of her earlier injuries, but it was accompanied by a delicious warmth that made her tingle from head to toe.
"Thank you." He spoke in a tone that wasmeant for her alone.
She broke into a melting smile, becoming a little girl once again.
"You're welcome. My name's Tenten by the way. What's yours?"
He grinned.
"Rokujou Kohei. But please call me Kohei. I would really be happy if you do."
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"Kohei means old soldier right?"
Tenten sat above the grass near the statue wrapped inside a warm blanket. She was inside the place where she first met him. And like that time, the air that surrounded her was as crisp and cool and the scent of fall filled the air with anticipation of winter. Suddenly, a cool breeze drifted across her skin, and she shivered and buried herself deeper inside the comforter, delighting in the heat that it brings. Meanwhile, she watched Kohei sitting a little distance in front of her, methodically cleaning the literally hundreds of weapons that he owned now that he had finished training with them. As she looked at his handsome face, she noticed the little strand of black hair that lay across his eyes, and suddenly, she felt an unbearable itch inside her hand to tuck it away across his soft hair. But she couldn't, so she contented herself by looking at him while patiently waiting for his reply.
He looked at her then, smiling that disarming smile he always gave when he was pleased with something. "Yeah. How did you know?"
She grinned in pleasure. "I looked it up. I was shocked when I saw what it means."
"Why were you surprised? Don't you think it suits me?"
"Well…" she trailed off, and looked away, trailing a finger across one of the intricate lines of the blanket he had given her as a present three months ago.
"…not exactly… You don't look that old." And she looked at him with a gaze that said she meant it. And she did. The description she gave him, when they first met wasn't really right on the money. He wasn't a man. But rather, he looked like a boy on the brink of adulthood-on a time when youth was at its loveliest and at its full bloom. And right now, he looked the part, except where his lips was now curved in a smile of smug satisfaction.
"So what do I look like?"
She grinned mischievously. "A sweaty old man." She sniffed in disgust. "You smell, too."
"Brat!" And she was met with a shower of dead leaves that covered the grass beneath them—leaves that stuck to her hair and blanket, leaving her in a laughing fit. Kohei snorted. "At least I'm not in covered in dirt."
To which he was met with his own shower of dead leaves that covered him heat to toe, while Tenten squealed in the corner, giggling madly to herself. "You are now! A sweaty, smelly old man covered in dirt!" and she hooted some more until Kohei launched himself unto her, which started her shrieking instead. And together, they tackled each other in the grass, tangling each other inside the blanket, while they took turns laughing and screaming at each others face.
When they finally grew tired, they lay beside each other in the grass, silently gazing up at the clear blue sky—Kohei's arm curled around Tenten's shoulder, while she snuggled up his warm chest, the blanket covering them both.
Finally, Kohei broke the silence. "Winter's coming soon."
She nodded. "It is." Then realizing something, she gave a sideways glance.
"Has it really been a year since we met in this place?"
He looked back at her and nodded contentedly, then soon after, he closed his eyes in peace.
Tenten watched him, and felt a little shiver of delight that he was sleeping beside her. But she still wanted to ask him something, before he went to sleep. She poked him in the eye.
"Ow! What!"
She grinned. "Have I changed since then?"
"Since what?" he muttered sleepily.
"Since last year?"
He opened his eyes then, and passed his gaze through her body. "Nothing much," he muttered. When she heard this, she sighed in disappointment.
He smiled then and with his free hand, patted the hair she had kept long, because he had liked it that way. "Except for the fact that you're growing lovelier, each year. Making me love you even more."
Her eyes grew wide, and then a pink blush stained her cheeks. She looked away then, saying in a voice filled with doubt. "You're lying."
He sat up then, looking at her in indignation. "Why would I do that?"
She sat up, too. "Because you like teasing me."
He grinned sheepishly. "Well, that's true. But I don't lie."
"Yeah right…" she agreed with a mocking smile. She remembered that time, two weeks ago when he had told her Ninjutsu instructor that she had a family emergency when he had only wanted them to take a little swim in the river.
He knew that smile, and recognized it. "Well, don't flatter yourself, too much. I mean, you're not even half as lovely as me, you know."
For that statement, he got another dead leaves shower. "Pig."
"That's going to cost you, Tenten. I'm warning you."
Tenten only smirked, and threw him some more.
They had a lovely afternoon. The two of them were frolicking innocently in the autumn day--a young man, and a little girl having a good deal of fun. And for Tenten. It was more than fun. It was heaven. Her little crush with Kohei had taken a disastrous serious turn. She liked him. As young as she was, she knew that she liked him very much. But he was more than that, really. A few weeks after they became friends, he came to her house and befriended her mother, and earned her trust in spite of earlier suspicions. And so it came to happen that he changed into someone like her father, her brother, and her best friend. He was soon becoming the most important person in her life, aside from her mother. She loved him, dearly. And the greatest thing was the fact that he loved her in return.
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"I'm home mother. How're you feeling?"
Tenten entered the cozy confines of their little house. Unlike most families in Konoha, Tenten and her mother lived in a house on the outskirts of Konoha and not in small apartments in town. It provided the privacy the two of them needed. Also, it was necessary for the needs of her ailing mother.
But right now, she wasn't thinking about that, but rather, her thoughts dwelled upon the lovely afternoon she spent with Kohei. She approached her mother and she leaned down and kissed her mother who was sitting near the fireplace.
"I'm fine, dear. How about you? How was your day?" her mother asked in a voice soft and interested.
Tenten smiled as she recalled the events of the day, then she curled on the floor beside her mother's feet.
"It was really fun! We swept the place just like you asked us. Then Kohei trained for some time while I relaxed in the shade. But then, Kohei got a little…playful. And we had to sweep the place all over again. But it was really fun! The place was very beautiful, like always" Her smile turned wistful.
"The only thing missing was you."
Her mom smiled sadly, and stroked her daughter's hair. Noticing the sorrow that entered Tenten's face, she immediately tried to change the subject.
"You're hair is so long now. I remember the time when it was just the length of your ears, and now it's past your waist." Tenten grinned.
"Kohei said he liked my hair long. So I let it grow."
Upon hearing Kohei's name, her mother's smile faded.
However, Tenten did not notice this, and slowly stretched herself and sat up. "Have you eaten already?"
Her mother shook her head. "I waited for you. There's food in the table already. I'll warm it for you." Her mom made a move towards the kitchen but her daughter stopped her. "No, mom. I'll do it. Just sit there and relax." And she headed towards the kitchen and made preparations for their dinner, humming as she went along, occasionally smiling to herself.
Behind her, her mom watched her speculatively, as if debating matters to herself. Then out of a little table in the corner, she drew out a small piece of paper and glanced at it worriedly. Then glanced at her back one last time, and then sighed as if she had already decided something.
Then with a wan smile, she wheeled towards the kitchen, calling out as she moved. "Tenten, dear… We have something to talk about."
Tenten turned around, with a smile on her lips. But it faded when she noticed the sober expression on her mother's face.
"What is it, mom?"
Her mother looked at her straight in the eye.
"I received a letter today, telling about your failing grades in ninja academy. It seems that you're not doing you're best like you used to, and it says here that you cut classes on many occasions."
Tenten bit her lip, apprehension filling her, coupled with extreme nervousness. "I-I-I… I missed classes because… because…"
Her mother sighed. "I know. It's because of Kohei, am I right?"
Tenten looked down, wringing her hands, fidgeting on the corners.
"I see." Her mother nodded. Then her voice changed into a softer tone, a sadder, disappointed one.
"Tenten, my beloved little daughter. Before your father died, I made a vow with him that I would help you fulfill any dream that you may have. More than a year ago, you told me of that dream. You told me-you promised me that you would be strong so that you could protect the ones you love." Her mother paused, and this time, her eyes filled with tears.
"Do you know that day, hearing you say that, made me the happiest woman in the whole world. You made me so proud, so proud that you were my daughter. I made a vow myself after that. I vowed that I would do everything that is in my power to help you be that person. A person who is strong, loving and invincible." And she reached out and stroked her daughter's cheek.
Guilt seeped through Tenten like acid, and she felt tears burn the back of her eyes.
"…which brings me back to what I wanted to say to you." And her mom's voice grew stern. "I want you to stop seeing Kohei."
Tenten froze.
"I realize that since you met him, you've been forgetting your duties to yourself. You've been lost yourself inside of him. And I fear that soon, you will no longer know your true self after this is over. That's why I want you to avoid him. Tell him, you're not allowed to see him anymore. Tell him, you will not-"
"I won't."
Her mother froze, and stared incredulously at her daughter's face.
It was filled with something she had never seen covering her daughter's face before--- It was rebellion.
"Tenten?" her mother whispered, shocked and concerned.
Tenten looked at her straight in the eye, shaking with anger.
"I told you I won't."
"But, darling-"and she feebly grabbed one of her daughter's hand which had turned icy and cold.
Tenten cut her off, and wrenched away from her mother's grasp and shook her head fiercely. "I'll keep seeing him, when I want to!"
Her mother persisted, panic-stricken and pale. "You don't understand…"
"It's you who doesn't understand! You don't know Kohei! He's kind, he's strong. He needs me! And he can be strong even if I'm not!"
Her mother shook her head, trying to approach her, but she backed away.
"He loves me!"
"I don't doubt that." Her mother cried. "Of things I do know, is that I know he loves you. But I fear the kind of love he holds for you. I fear of what he will do to you because of that love. He will hurt you. I know! I'm sure of it. I can feel it in my heart and soul. You are still a little girl. And you can never understand what I feel." Tears spilled over her lashes and spilled over her cheeks.
"I would rather die than see you be betrayed by the one you love, Tenten. I love you so much." Her whole body was trembling. Her weak chest was heaving, and her face was as pale and as cold as ice.
But Tenten didn't care. All she could feel was a deep loathing. Tears filled her eyes. And she allowed them to fall.
"It's not Kohei. It's you. You're afraid that I would love him more than you. You're afraid I wouldn't be strong enough to take care of you. You're selfish. You don't care about the way I feel. I never wanted to be invincible." And spite and bitterness entered her childish voice for the first time in her life.
"I never wanted to be strong. And now you're angry because I don't want to. Well, I hate you. By the way, I'll make another promise. And you know what that is? I promise that I would no longer be strong for you, for me, or for anyone else. Do you hear me? I'm weak! And I'll prove it!"
And she fled in the darkness, leaving her mother, sobbing in her wheelchair, calling for the daughter who left her.
A daughter she loved with all her heart.
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"Kohei!" Tenten cried out into the night.
"I want you to stop seeing Kohei."
A great fear and alarm had possessed her being upon hearing her mother say those words. Terror froze her entire being, and for a moment, she found her mind unable to function. She couldn't think, she couldn't speak. All she could see was the truth inside her mother's brown eyes—eyes so very much like hers. Then she collapsed down into oblivion.
She couldn't remember what she said and what she did. She couldn't remember the multitude of emotions that crashed and whirled and died inside of her. But there was one thing she did know. She knew was that she had effectively destroyed something precious and irreplaceable. She saw it in her mother's eyes.
"Kohei!" she called again, her voice bitten and seeping with the viper of desperation. She needed him now. Oh! How she needed him. She needed him to take care of her. She needed him to come here and tell her everything will be all right. He could do that, couldn't he? He did that before.
That night when she first saw his glorious face, she saw someone so unlike her, and he made her forget all the pain she was unwilling to feel. He made her forget that she hated herself.
Now she hated herself far, far more than she had ever known. But Kohei could change that. He would release her from all this doubt and anguish. She needed him. She couldn't do it herself.
Because she was weak.
Because she wasn't invincible
Because right now, she was more vulnerable than she had ever been in her life, and she needed someone who will tell her he loved her, protect her, and be with her forever more.
Oh god, she needed him so much…
"Kohei…" and her voice trailed off into a sob, and she fell unto her knees, her weakness overcoming her.
And suddenly he was there.
His arms enfolded her.
His voice spoke to her in hushed tones everything she wanted to hear. He knew everything. She didn't need to unburden herself to him, explaining things that even she didn't understand. All he said was that he was there.
And he was with her.
"Kohei… I'm so scared…" she hiccupped, raising red eyes to his face. "I don't want to be weak, but I am, I am, I AM!"
Kohei wrapped her closer, and whispered softly. "Yes you are."
Tenten closed her eyes in unnamed anguish.
But Kohei took her face in both of his hands, and looked at her with eyes filled with security, eyes filled with love.
"And it's all right to be weak. Let me be strong for both of us. I promise I'll make it all right."
"Oh god, what have I done? I hurt her…" Tenten moaned, then she paused and gulped, realized something, then anger started flashing in her eyes. "Well, she hurt me too!"
He continued to whisper. "Yes she did…"
"She wanted to take me away from you!"
"And no…we couldn't have that."
"She's so selfish… aaAAAhh! Oh Kohei… please tell me you won't leave me."
"I won't."
"I'm not strong. I need you to be strong."
"I will. I promise."
As Kohei said this, she noticed with surprise that a strange light had appeared in his eyes. A gleam that was so different from what she had seen before. She couldn't interpret it even if she tried because she was still a little girl. But if she knew it, her stomach would have reflexively clutched tight, and her heart would have beat faster.
For it was a gleam of ancient hunger and possession.
But even if she could not correctly comprehend its meaning, she sensed the strangeness and mystery that veiled his eyes.
Then she paused abruptly, gazing at him with lost eyes, bewildered beyond a doubt, and anxious beyond anything.
Perhaps, mother's right… she thought, confused and frightened.
Perhaps…
Then she started moving away.
Kohei, however saw this, and his eyes widened in alarm. He quickly grabbed her hand, hauled her close, and forced her eyes to meet his.
"Listen to me, Tenten. I'll never leave. I told you I loved you, didn't I?"
She nodded slowly.
His eyes glowed, and she felt herself gripped by the intensity of emotions swirling in his brilliant green eyes. He had never looked this way before—to her, and to anyone. Moreover, as he spoke, a vivid, forceful fervor shook his entire beautiful voice, enthralling her, holding her bound and captive and mesmerized, until she was certain there was no way out
"I do love you. And I will…forever. I'll never leave you. We'll be together, and no one, no one will take you away from me. That day, when we first met, I knew we had a bond. I looked into your eyes, and I knew you belonged to me—in whatever form it might take. Our ties go back to an ancient history I have no understanding. However, I do know something. I found you. You found me. And I'll never let anyone take you away from me—even if it kills us both."
By this time, Tenten had lost all energy she had. And all she could do was clutch him, holding on to dear life, hanging onto his words as if it was the only thing that could save her, even if these were the same words that frightened her and echoed through the fibers of her soul.
But she believed him. She believed him with all her heart.
"Do you love me?"
It was now Kohei who asked.
Tenten nodded, tears slipping over her lashes, knowing it was true.
"Will you do anything for me?"
Another nod
"Will you let me do anything for you?"
She sighed her acceptance.
Kohei then smiled at her. He kneeled down in front of her, until they were face to face and their eyes met, and so did their psyches. With hands infinitely gentle, and heart-shatteringly dear, he wiped her tears with the back of his fingers, and cradled her face in his hands as if she was the most important being in his entire existence.
Which was true.
He would protect her.
He would love her.
He would be strong when she was weak.
That's all that matters, right?
And as Tenten looked at his smiling face, she convinced herself it was true
His lips then pressed her forehead like a soft whisper. His dark green eyes gleamed in the darkness-speaking of promises…speaking of warm nights, and unending happiness… His hand reached out and softly caressed her dark hair.
It fell behind her shoulders in a dark wave.
In spite of the tears and the heartache, She still remained beautiful- like him. He, who was tall, and dark, and beautiful, and so absolutely loved by her.
She smiled- her eight year old, big, innocent brown eyes, completely trusting the solemn vow he made while kneeled in front of her.
Then, he stood up, wrapped his cloak about her small and trembling form. His lips smiled.
…She believed him…
Then, slowly, he spoke words that will become etched in her mind forever.
…I will always protect you…
…my beloved…
Slowly, she resurfaced from her death-like trance.
That was the past. Today was the present. And the future?
To hell with the future… She had died a thousand times before.
The future didn't matter to one who lay six feet below the ground.
The surface of the mirror touched her skin, making her recoil involuntarily. The moon shone upon her reflection, and with a deep surprise, she noticed the traces in her cheeks where tears had fallen. She touched her cheeks cautiously, irrationally afraid that her skin might burst if she allowed herself one touch of this weakness.
But there was something strange…
It was as if the emotions of the past carried itself over to the present.
She didn't mind being weak…
In fact, she reveled in the soft, satin feel off it caressing her consciousness…
Could emotions travel through time? Could time bring back lost emotions? Could lost sensations transcend the chains of the past, and fly free and uninhibited towards today, wrapping its black, gleaming fingers around your brain---filling it with intoxicating vision, mind numbing scents, filling it in the same way alcohol fills the empty soul of a drunk, making one forget the vows of todays, the oaths of todays, the unending ache that yesterday brought to the present.
Never mind the thorns!
Never mind the nails!
Never mind the betrayal it will eventually bring.
All she knew was that she loved this memory. She loved this sensation.
She loved the feeling of being loved.
And most of all the permission to be weak.
All of a sudden, warmth and strength enveloped her, filling the void which being vulnerable surrounded her.
It was Kohei.
Dear darling Kohei…
Dear, beloved Kohei…
"You're so beautiful, Tenten. And you're mine." His eyes told her lovingly.
"I'm yours, always…" her eyes answered back.
He opened his mouth and began to speak, and she smiled with the pleasurable feeling that coursed through her.
"You've grown beautifully, like I always knew you will. A few years more, and you'll be old enough to claim me. And forever will be ours."
Tenten looked at his face.
You've never looked older. You're face is as lovely and as young when I first met you. Will I look like that too when the time comes? Will we really spend eternity together?
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" his gleaming eyes confirmed.
Her heart burst with joy.
"Do you love me?" The old, familiar question.
"Yes."
"Will you do anything for me?" he asked.
"Yes"
"Will you let me do anything for you?"
"Yes."
Will you come with me when I asked of you?"
"Yes."
Kohei smiled. "Let's go back to the place I first met you."
He took her hand, and held her close.
And Tenten sighed in content.
"There, we'll watch something both of us will like."
She closed her eyes.
"We'll watch Hyuuga Neji die."
Tenten fell into a peaceful slumber in his arms.
……yes……
Then she was gone, drifting into darkness.
A/N: sorry for delaying so long for like what—six months? Real life is a dumb ass with a poker always trying to bash my head into the fireplace. Aside from that, you see I had this evil creature of a friend who introduced me to the wild wilderness of fictionpress, and I admit I was lost. In fact I had seriously given thought to discontinuing this fic seeing that there was no use…
Duh? After that long wait, will people still read it? It's not even that good. And also, the manga has already reached the point where the two of them are now sixteen. Who would want to read mine now… Soo I had serious doubts about the project, and attended my writing needs by writing random one-shots I still haven't posted. BUT… A very big But(t) it took the random review of Hatake Kakashi to make me feel that yes, there is still hope. I love you… Very, very much. And thank you, all those previous reviewers. Knowing that I'm a member of your author alert list made my heart stop beating. It shocked me no end. So thank you… I love you all.
AND also to the continued support of my beloved wdwune. Here's to the fruit salad, darling! Well, I'll just keep my fingers crossed, and hope that I have enough guts to keep this up.
PS. It took me six months to gather "courage" to write this fic. And I finished it in 24 hours. Wow… amazing… please kill me now.