A Sorta Fairytale

A/N: Hi everyone! Thank you for all your support; it encourages me to type faster! Also, I'm finally able to look myself up! Yay! I was so happy . . . lol! Well, here's the next chappie! See ya at the bottom! Oh, wait. Also, Gaara is a nicer, wiser person after becoming Kazekage and having the one-tails removed.

Chapter Four: Let's Talk About Love

Trust me, Gaara-kun," said TenTen firmly. "I am not in love with Hyuga Neji."

"Fine," said Gaara, giving up. "Whatever you say."

"Right," TenTen repeated. "I don't love Neji-kun." She really didn't love him. Right?

Of course she didn't love Neji. Not anymore. She was over him already; she had been long ago. He had been gone way too long, and she wasn't about to forgive him. For being away, yes, that she could forgive. But he hadn't even bothered to tell her he was leaving, or to say goodbye. That she couldn't forgive. Right. She wasn't in love. So why did it feel like she was making the biggest mistake of her life?

The Next Day. . .

The Hyuga Compound, Neji's Room

Neji was still fuming the day after TenTen's surprise confession. How could he be so stupid? Why did he wait? Fate was so cruel. No. He couldn't even blame fate this time. It was his own stupid fault, and now he would have to deal with the consequences. He would show up to her wedding and he would be happy for her. Even if it killed him. Which it might.

TenTen's House

TenTen smiled inwardly as she poured some tea into the tiny tea cups. She was getting married! And, okay, so she wasn't really sure she loved the guy. So what? She liked him as a friend, at least she knew that much. She took the two tea cups out to her living room, where her fiancée was waiting for her.

For the second time in two days, he brought up the topic of her ex-teammate. "TenTen-chan, why do you deny your feelings for Hyuga-san? It's obvious how you feel about him." That was Gaara, all right. He just got straight to the point.

"It must not be that obvious," retorted TenTen, as she placed the tea on the table, "because I don't feel anything for him other than the love of a friend."

"So you love him."

"As a friend, Gaara-kun! How many times do I need to say that?"

"You could say it a million times and it still wouldn't be true. You know that as well as I, TenTen-chan."

TenTen sighed. She knew Gaara wasn't going to give up that easily. Instead, she decided to take a new approach. "Well, what's it matter to you, anyway, huh? Whether or not I love Neji-kun is none of your business. So what if I love him? It doesn't matter anyway because WE'RE GETTING MARRIED AND THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT!" TenTen's chest was heaving up and down and she was breathing hard from all the yelling. She took a deep breath and collapsed on her couch beside Gaara.

"At least you're not denying it anymore," said Gaara gently. "Maybe you don't realize it now, but I promise that one day you will."

"Gaara-kun…What are you saying? I don't understand at all."

"What I'm saying, TenTen-chan is that we can't go through this engagement if you love Hyuga-san. It just wouldn't be right."

"Gaara-kun, I can't let you do that! Besides, I agreed to this marriage. I'm going through with it, and that's final."

"No you are not. I'm going to Tsunade-sama and breaking the engagement."

"No way, Gaara-kun. I can't let you do that. Hyuga Neji had taken eight years of my life, and that's all. He's had enough chances to talk to me or tell me if he had any feelings for me. It's too late."

"So if he told you he loved you, you'd say no? You'd tell him that you didn't love him?"

"Well . . . it's not like that'll ever happen anyway, so it wouldn't matter what I said. Right?" said TenTen, trying desperately to avoid the question.

"But it matters to me. What would you say?" Gaara pressed. "Would you really let him walk away?"

TenTen closed her eyes, trying to shut out Gaara's voice, trying to shut out the world. She just needed some time to think. That's all. Just a little peace and quiet, so she could sort out her emotions.

"Would you really let the man of your dreams slip through your fingers just because he's a little late?" Gaara continued, determined to make her crack. "Would you really give up on something you've been waiting years for?"

TenTen was really getting a headache now. She was so confused, and now she had Gaara on her back about Neji! She couldn't take much more of this, and Gaara knew it. He was pushing her limits, and any minute now, she would explode.

Gaara didn't even notice, or care, perhaps, about the migraine he was giving his soon-to-be-wife. He just kept on going. "Could you look him in the eye and tell him that you don't love him anymore?"

That was it. TenTen couldn't handle this anymore, couldn't take the pressure. She was still confused about a lot, like why Gaara even cared, and whether or not this marriage was the right thing to do or not, but through all of the confusion, one thing was clear. "NO! Fine, Gaara, you wanted to hear it, well, here it is: I STILL LOVE NEJI-KUN! ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?" TenTen screamed, even louder than before.

"Yes, actually," said Gaara calmly. "I'm very happy. Now that you came out and admitted your true feelings, I'm going to Tsunade-sama and breaking this engagement."

"Gaara-kun, you don't have to do this," cried TenTen. "Just leave things the way they are, it's far less complicated."

"It's okay, TenTen." Gaara gave her one of his rare smiles. "It's not really all that complicated. You love Hyuga-san and he loves you. Simple as that. You two were meant to be together. But, please, do me a favor."

"Of course. You've already done so much for me, I'll do anything."

"Tell Hyuga-san that you love him."

"O-okay," breathed TenTen, too exhausted to argue. "But what about the tea?" But Gaara had already left her house. She sighed, poured out the cold tea, and headed toward the Hyuga Compound.

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Hyuga Compound, Hiashi's Meeting Room

"Hiashi-sama," Neji bowed, "why did you ask to see me?"

"I'll just get straight to the point, then, Neji. You haven't proposed to anyone yet, have you?"

"No, Hiashi-sama."

"I see. And is there a girl that you plan on asking in the near future?" Neji automatically thought about TenTen, but then remembered that she was engaged to the Kazekage.

"No, Hiashi-sama."

"Hmm, interesting. . ."

10 Minutes Later. . .

TenTen arrived at the Hyuga Compound ten minutes later, sweaty and out of breath. She had run all the way across Konoha, fueled by her desire to tell Neji what she really felt for him. Her mind had been so set on seeing Neji that she even forgot that she could run faster by directing chakra to her feet. She was positive now, and she had Gaara to thank for that. She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. One of the Hyuga's maids answered the door. "Ah, TenTen-san, are you here to see Neji-sama?"

TenTen smiled. She had visited Neji so much over the years that all the maids knew her. However, she had never been told the maids' names, because it was "unimportant". "Yes, thank you," was her reply.

"Please follow me," said the maid. TenTen nodded and followed her through various corridors and up a few stairways. She was glad that the maid was there, otherwise she would have gotten lost for sure! No matter how many times she visited Neji, she didn't think she'd ever learn her way around here. Finally, the maid stopped and knocked on a door. "Neji-sama, TenTen-san is here to see you."

"Hn," was the reply she got. Again, TenTen smiled. Typical Neji answer. The maid opened the door and suddenly TenTen was alone with him. Neji was sitting on his bed, meditating. Suddenly she was nervous, standing in front of the man she loved. 'What if he doesn't love me back?' she worried. 'Or what if I'm too late? What if he's found someone else?'

"Well?" asked Neji. TenTen snapped back to attention, realizing that she was just standing there, looking like a total moron.

Finally, she spoke. "Umm. . . Neji-kun?"

"Yes, TenTen-chan?"

"I there's something I need to tell you."

"What a coincidence. There's something I need you to know too." 'Wow,' thought TenTen. 'We must be thinking of the same thing. This totally proves it. Gaara was right. We were meant to be together, after all.'

"We've known each other for a long time, right?"

"Please get to the point, TenTen." Ouch. He just chopped off the –chan from her name. He only did that when he was really, really annoyed.

"Okay, okay, fine . . ."

"Well? I don't have all day, you know."

"The truth is. . ."

"Yes?"

"The truth is . . . thatIloveyouandhaveeversinceweweregenins," TenTen blurted out. There. It felt really good to get that off her chest.

"What? I couldn't understand a word of that. The truth is. . ."

TenTen exhaled. Then, slowly, she said, "I. Love. You. And. Have. Ever. Since. We. Were. Genins. Get it?"

Neji was silent. "Oh no," TenTen panicked. 'Something's wrong. He must not love me. If he did he would've said "I love you too, TenTen." And then we'd all be really happy. What's wrong with him?' "Neji-kun?" she finally squeaked out.

Finally he spoke. But what he said was worse than him being silent. "You're really not going to like my news, then."

A/N: Hey! Hope you guys liked this chapter, it's longer than any of the others. I didn't actually plan how long it would be, it just came out like this because of where I decided to cut it off. So, yeah, another cliffie, but I'll try to update soon.

Do I even need to say it?

The Jedi Mind Trick: waves hand you will review. You will review. Seriously. Please? Until next time,

Kyota (I have no idea why I just did that.)