Green Tea: This came to me... Not sure... At night. I was just thinking about my own unrequited love and I was suddenly struck by this. I have to say, this drabble is one of the most personal things I've ever written. I hope you enjoy it!
Re-edited a bit... Some parts are still redundant, but, I'm trying to stay close as possible to the train of thought of a depressed person. Thoughts are a bit redundant at times, especially in times of difficulty... So I found it most realistic to keep it this way.
------------------------
Moonlight:
Theme 6+54: Beauty and Insecurity
------------------------
Tenten was not a beautiful girl, by any standards.
In physical appearance and mental intelligence, she was no match for the brilliant village flower, Haruno Sakura.
In grace and elegance, she paled in comparison to Yamanaka Ino.
Her heart was not as pure as Hyuuga Hinata's, nor was she as strong as Temari of the Sand (her embarrassing performance at the Chuunin exams was proof).
She knew all this, all too well.
She was...
What was she?
Average.
The word stung her lips even as she mouthed it silently.
It was such a blunt and cruel word.
What did it mean?
It meant a lack of something special.
A lack of something that made you stand out.
A lack of something that identified you.
In a way, it was worse than an insult.
When she was young, she was always told that everyone was special. That everyone had something beautiful within them.
Papa... if that's so... what's beautiful about me?
The brunette sighed. Her father had not lived long enough to ever answer her question.
Maybe it's god's way of telling me that I'm not special.
She leaned back, letting her legs dangle over the edge of the Academy roof. She stared at the full moon, a playful night breeze tickling her cheek.
Average Tenten.
No faults.
No talent.
No beauty.
Nothing special.
Nothing.
She's just there.
Why?
Why did she have to be average?
It's not fair.
Goddammit, she wanted to be special too!
Why couldn't she be-
Why her, of all people?
Why me!
Thinking this, a tear made it's way down her cheek, shining like a trail of diamonds under the pale moonlight.
The times when Tenten allowed her weaknesses to show were few and far in between, and she was surprised at willingly the tears came.
Giving up, the girl did not struggle to hold them back. Silently and secretly, the little trails of moisture rolled down her face, like tiny raindrops.
"Tenten."
Jerking up, she was on her feet in a flash, kunai raised.
"Who's there?" she demanded, hiding her wavering voice under a mask of aggressiveness.
"Below you."
She looked down.
Her mask cracked.
"N-Neji... W-what are you doing here?"
The Hyuuga raised one perfect eyebrow.
"Am I not allowed to take a stroll in the streets of my own village? This is a public road, and the building you're sitting on is a public building."
Tenten faltered.
"Ah... Yeah. That's right. Uhm. Never mind. Sorry."
Neji turned away and the girl took this chance to wipe away the tell-tale streaks of tears.
"So, what is it now?"
The kunoichi almost choked.
"Excuse me?"
The Hyuuga frowned.
"Don't play games with me Tenten, I'm not in the mood. Why are you sitting on the roof of the Academy with that stupid depressed look on your face?"
Tenten chuckled and rubbed the back of her head.
"A-hahaa... Well, I don't know, it's not that important anyways. I'm not depressed, I'm just spiffy!"
Neji narrowed his eyes. Tenten was being difficult again. He could always tell when she was lying, and her smile didn't reach her eyes.
"Mn. I see. Looks like there's no choice."
In a flash of blurred movements, he was standing next to her on the roof.
Tenten was flabbergasted as he calmly sat down.
"Sit down, and stop standing there looking like a fish."
Still in shock, the girl sat down stiffly next to Neji.
"So, are you going to tell me the truth, or will I have to waste my precious time trying to coax it out of you?"
She was silent for a moment as she stared at her calloused hands, wringing them in anxiousness.
Neji closed his eyes.
"Tenten."
And then the words came tumbling out, head over heels, like a personrolling down a mountain.
"Neji do you think that there's something beautiful in everyone because frankly now that I think about it it's not really guaranteed by life and its possible that there are people out there that don't have something like that and that kinda sucks because it's no fun being unspecial in a world of special people youknowwhatimean?"
After this torrent, Tenten choked as she struggled to catch her breath.
She turned to watch Neji as he contemplated this, his eyes still closed.
Did he even understand what I said?
After a few moments, he spoke.
"So you're having trouble finding something beautiful in yourself?"
The girl sighed and nodded silently.
There was a pregnant silence as the two sat there, Neji with his eyes still closed, and Tenten trying in vain to look anywhere but his face.
She was surprised when heard the roof tiles squeak as he stood up.
Is he mad at me? Is he going to yell at me? I shouldn't have told him, I shouldn't have told him...
She chanced a tiny glance at his face.
The boy was staring at the moon, somewhere far away off in the sky, as his loose Hyuuga robes rippled in the late summer breeze.
Tenten was speechless for what seemed like forever and she found that she could only stare at him. Her gazed was frozen and fixed upon his face, the gentle moonbeams basking him in an ethereal glow.
She was struck by a sort ofhypnotic feeling, watching him, watching his long raven locks dance in the breeze.
So...
So... Silent...
So peaceful...
So beautiful.
Neji turned to face the dazed girl, his pale eyes glowing in the moonlight.
"I'll help you."
Tenten was jolted out of her trance.
"What?"
The Hyuuga turned away again.
"I'll help you realize it. Your beauty."
The brunette's eyes widened, and she felt her eyes tear up again- when was she so prone to crying?- but they were not tears of sadness or pain.
No, they were tears of happiness, of the most happiness she's ever felt in her life. They were tears of something so soft and feather-light, tickling her heart with an indescribable touch.
"Thank you... Neji."
He grunted once in reply and the two stood there on the rooftop for what seemed like eternity of serenity.
"Tenten... I'll walk you home."
------------------------
Green Tea: Hope you liked it, and please leave a review?