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Happy New Year.
Tenten's body went limp, as the shock of what she had witnessed took hold of her. "Neji," she whimpered as Shino silently and carefully guided her into the hallway. Her eyes stared blankly ahead as she was led to a row of chairs that lined the stifling corridor.
She collapsed into a chair, rocking back and forth as she processed what she had just witnessed. There had been so much blood! Neji's blood! When she thought of the vulnerable state she was in, she felt as if she would vomit. She began to rock faster, her arms crossed over her chest as she hugged herself.
Shino knelt in front of her, his hands hesitating as he raised them to her shoulders. He pulled his hands back, watching Tenten stare at the floor, rocking quietly. He was unsure as to whether he should touch her—she looked like a fragile doll that could crumble at any moment.
"Tenten," he murmured as he softly put his hands on her arms. Tenten did not answer, her eyes still downcast.
"Tenten, look at me," he angled his head, hoping to make eye contact. Again, she remained silent as she rocked.
"Tenten!" he bellowed, his voice thick with concern.
Tenten's head snapped up and she blinked a few times. She looked around, as if confused about her surroundings. She looked at Shino, her eyes wide with fear. "Neji!" she cried, as she attempted to jump to her feet. "Something's wrong!"
Shino held her in her seat as she attempted to fight his grip. "Get off of me, Shino! I can't just leave him in there!"
His grip didn't lighten. He lowered his head, so that he could look at her over his glasses. "Look at me, Tenten."
Tenten did as he asked, noticing his dark irises with their golden flecks. His eyes were breathtaking, even though she had already seen them once before. Shino locked his eyes on her chestnut ones, speaking softly, "Sakura and Tsunade are the best physicians in the country, are they not?" Tenten nodded.
"If they cannot help him, then no one could. Do you believe that?" Again, she nodded, her voice failing her.
"Neji knew what danger he was putting himself into, and for that you should respect his sacrifice," his voice was smooth, "if those two cannot help him, then it is his destiny. Why would I say that? Because Neji would say it himself, if he could."
Tenten couldn't explain it, but Shino's sudden rationale calmed her anxiety. She knew that Shino was right: nothing she could do would help, and acting like a stubborn child was not something Neji would want her to do. In fact, her behavior these past few hours were not becoming of an ANBU Commander, and she felt slightly ashamed at that fact.
"Shino--" she began weakly.
"No apologies, Tenten," he looked at her carefully, studying the sudden surprise that crossed her features. "None."
Tenten felt his warm gaze wandering over her face. He was truly concerned about her well-being. How had he known she was going to apologize? She smiled weakly, reaching up and brushing hair from her face. "Thanks," she whispered. "For being here."
She reached out and pulled his glasses from his face. Shino did not protest, only blinking at the bright lighting of the hospital. Neither said anything as she raised a hand to his face, touching his cheek. He closed his eyes at the feeling of her palm on his face. He had mourned for the loss of that touch, for the feel of her skin against his. It had been too long. He had missed her more than he could ever put into words.
Tenten could feel him tighten his grip on her arms as she touched his face. She had never truly seen him this close without his glasses. "Why do you hide your eyes?" she asked as her other hand came up to cup his face.
Shino did not speak for some time, and she thought that perhaps he didn't hear her. "They are...different, are they not? I have always been an outcast, the weird one. Why would I want to fuel that fire?" he murmured. "Also, I think the kikkai have somehow altered my eyes' sensitivity to light. It's just easier this way."
"I think they are beautiful. Not weird. Different, yes, but nothing to be ashamed of. I have always wondered why you wore your glasses," she answered, her hands falling from his face. She could hear his sharp intake of breath as she broke their physical contact. His eyes slowly opened as his gaze locked on hers.
"Why did you not as me that, sooner?" a small smile pulled at his lips.
She could feel her face flush, slightly. "I have my faults as well," she replied softly. She looked toward the end of the hall. Neji was in the far room...
"We can only sit and wait," Shino murmured as he watched her face. "And hope."
Hope. Tenten had always believed in that word. But, right now, that hope was dwindling. How could she hope when she knew that her friend's chances were slim? She nodded softly, as the tears filled her eyes.
Shino said nothing as he slipped his glasses onto his face. He dropped his hands to cover Tenten's, squeezing them lightly. "I'll stay here with you. Until we know something—anything."
"Thank you," she sobbed, reaching up to wipe the tears from her face. "I know that you have never been close with Neji--"
"But he's important to you, is he not? That is more than enough reason for me to stay," Shino answered simply as he took the empty seat next to her. Tenten turned to look at Shino, slightly shocked at his words. Part of her felt as if they hadn't gone weeks without speaking to one another.
Shino shook his head, as if understanding her thoughts. "I think we should talk, yes. But now is not the time for that. There is a lot we...er, need to discuss," he cleared his throat, looking at the floor.
"That's putting it lightly," Tenten muttered, as she sat back in her chair, staring at the blank wall across from her. Shino said nothing as he observed her in his periphery. He knew that there was much they wanted to say to one another, but there was a more important matter-at-hand.
They sat in silence as the seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned to hours. Shino opened his eyes as he heard the soft tapping of shoes on the smooth tile that lined the hallway. He dared not move, as Tenten was curled into a ball beside him, her head resting on the his shoulder as she slept. Sakura quietly stood in front of them, watching her two friends. Her face was an unreadable slate, which both confused and worried Shino.
"Sakura," he whispered, causing her to jump.
"Dammit, Shino," she growled. She never knew what was going on behind those glasses!
Tenten stirred on Shino's shoulder. She looked at Sakura through groggy eyes, closing them and leaning her head back on the chair. Her eyes shot open as she jerked upright, blinking furiously—as if she had just realized that she was not dreaming.
"How is he?" she asked hurriedly, her voice thick with sleep.
Sakura took a deep breath as she leaned back against the far wall. She crossed her arms over her chest. Her medic uniform was covered in blood—no doubt Neji's. It was turning a dark brown, indicating that it had been there for some time. Tenten's face paled when she realized how much blood was crusted on Sakura's clothes. She felt her heart race as she awaited the medic-nin's words.
"He's.....he's stable," Sakura nodded, her green eyes flickering from Tenten to Shino.
"That's good, right?" Tenten asked hopefully.
Sakura chewed her lip, thinking about her words. "Well, technically, yes. It is. He can breath on his own." Tenten smiled.
"But," Sakura held up her hand, "he has suffered extreme trauma to his brain."
"How? I thought his injury was to his stomach," Tenten's brow furrowed. Shino said nothing.
"The initial injury was to his stomach," Sakura nodded, her gaze unfocused. "But at some point, he must have either hit his head, or had some trauma to it, because there was a bleed."
"In his brain?" the brunette was trying to grasp the severity of the situation.
Sakura searched for the proper words. "In his brain," she nodded. "Sometimes, with extreme trauma, the blood supply in the brain can be injured, especially the ones close to the surface—they are most vulnerable."
"Was that why there was so much blood? " Tenten licked her lips, as she pointed at Sakura's uniform.
Sakura looked at herself, as if for the first time, "I look like shit, don't I?"
She shrugged, pushing her sweaty pink hair from her face. "It can't be helped, I guess," she sighed. "But, yes, that's why there was so much blood. The blood builds up around the brain putting pressure on it, since there is no where else to go."
Tenten nodded, she was following Sakura so far. The medic continued, "We had been so focused on his initial injuries, that we didn't look close enough at his head when he came in. I had scanned his entire body, and at that time, the bleed would have been small—an easy thing to miss." Sakura's face told them that she was disappointed in herself for not catching the brain bleed earlier.
"It's alright, Sakura, I understand. There was no way for you to know," Tenten spoke softly.
Sakura's face fell, as her guilt became outwardly obvious. "But I should have thought of it!" she angrily cried. "I could have prevented the possibility of brain damage--"
"There's brain damage?" Tenten's eyes widened. Shino squeezed her hand, warning her to remain calm.
The pink-haired medic shook her head, sighing, "There's no way to tell. The only thing I can tell you is that I was able to stop the bleed and reduce the pressure on his brain. But, there is no way to tell how extensive the damage to his brain—if any--may be."
Tenten nodded her head, her eyes falling to the floor. "I see. So we will have to wait. I can handle that."
"I'm sorry, Tenten," Sakura's voice was filled with regret. "Given his age, his prognosis is better than most. I cannot give you a time line. But, I can tell you that if Shino had not done what he had," she glanced at the Aburame, "that bleed may have been far worse."
Shino raised his eyebrows, he hadn't realized he had been crucial in saving Neji's life. Sakura's smile was strained, "You helped more than you can ever realize, Shino. You bought me time. Thank you."
"I-I did not know--" Shino began.
"How could you?" Sakura asked. "But your quick thinking may have very well saved Neji. Without your kikkai, that bleed could have been far worse." Her eyes passed from Shino to Tenten. Sakura bowed to her two friends, "The nurse's are cleaning Neji and transferring him to another room. As soon as I have more information, I'll let you know. I suggest you two go home and get some rest. Come back tomorrow."
Shino glanced at Tenten before addressing the medic. "I will leave a kikkai here. You can send information to me through her."
Sakura nodded. "I think that sounds reasonable." She glanced nervously at both of them, "I'm sorry."
"For what?" Tenten asked, confused by Sakura's sudden lack of confidence. The medic-nin said nothing as she stared at her hands.
"You did the best you could. We can only ask for that much," the brunette replied honestly as she stood. She reached out and grabbed Sakura's hand. "I have faith in you, Sakura. I'm sure Neji will wake up," she smiled at her friend.
Sakura's eyes began to water at Tenten's kind words. She nodded her head, smiling sadly, "Go get some rest, you two. I've talked to Tsunade, she said you can see Shizune first thing tomorrow."
"I will do that. You have my word," Tenten murmured, as she rested her hand on her abdomen. She couldn't wait to get out of her uniform and into some real clothes. Sakura gave them one last sad smile before she turned and walked down the corridor. Shino and Tenten watched her disappear through the set of double doors.
"She looks tired. I'm sure she did her best," Shino interrupted the silence. He turned to Tenten, "I will walk you home. Because it's the least I can do."
Tenten said nothing as she allowed him to escort her to her apartment. They walked side-by-side in quiet contemplation, both thinking about what Sakura had told them. Tenten could feel the hope returning to her: Neji would open his eyes again--she did not doubt it. They reached her apartment and Tenten unlocked her door with a shaky hand. She opened it, peering into the tiny apartment. She would sleep on her own bed tonight! Shino stood outside of her doorway, his face unreadable.
Tenten turned to face him, a small smile on her lips. "Thank you, Shino," she softly spoke to her former lover.
"It is the least I can do," Shino bowed his head slightly, avoiding her eyes. She could tell that there was something on his mind.
"Out with it," she demanded, her curiosity piqued.
Shino licked his lips as he clenched and unclenched his jaw. "I..I wanted to know what Neji was...um, what he is to you...?" he spit out the words, realizing how ridiculous they sounded.
"Excuse me?" Tenten replied, turning her head slightly to get a better look at him as she clicked on the light.
Shino sighed, realizing that he was not doing himself any justice. "I had felt the need to speak to you, weeks before," he began to explain, his ears growing hot, "upon reaching the front door, I found it ajar. I glanced inside and saw you and...Neji...in, er, in a compromising position--"
"Huh?" she interrupted, confused by his confession. Her mind was racing, thinking back to when this could have possibly occurred.
"You were in his arms," Shino quidkly replied, clearing his throat and shifting on his feet. He glanced at Tenten, his face turning red. "Forget I asked anything. It is none of my business."
Tenten's jaw fell open in shock. Was Shino...jealous? Suddenly, she remembered a similar circumstance. "Oh. That," she felt her own face grow hot. It was the night Neji had confessed his feelings and tried to kiss her. Shino stood outside of her door, waiting expectantly.
She sighed, "Neji....er, uh, he told me how he felt. About me." Shino said nothing, so she continued, "I told him that I did not feel that way about him. I was upset. He was comforting me. That was all."
She felt her stomach twisting; she hoped he believed her. It was a few moments before he spoke, "I see."
That's it? she silently seethed. She continued to gape at him, non-plussed. "Thank you for spying on me, though."
Shino's face turned pink. "I was not spying. Your door was open and I was merely a passerby. That is not spying."
"I think it is," she toyed with the Aburame. He turned a darker shade of pink. "Is my answer acceptable to you?"
"I did not hear an actual answer to my question," Shino calmly replied. "I only heard an explanation."
It was Tenten's turn to blush. "Dammit, Neji is just my friend! Only. A. Friend. I had a crush on him at one time, but that was it! Besides, I told him I loved y--" she cut herself off before she completed the words: loved you!
Shino said nothing, though she thought she could see a smile tugging at his lips. She felt annoyed that he had been able to get that confession out of her, especially after all he had put her through. " Loved whom?" Shino asked softly, cautiously.
Tenten glared at him through narrowed lids, part of her wanting to deck the haughty Aburame. "I have a question for you!" she snapped, desperately trying to change the subject. He wasn't getting off that easily!
Shino's face remained expressionless as he quickly nodded. Tenten blurted the question that had been in the back of her mind. "Why did you come to find me?"
Shino thought about his answer for a few moments, much to Tenten's annoyance. "Neji paid me a visit."
Huh? "Neji?" Tenten asked, incredulous at Shino's answer.
He nodded, "He told me that you were pregnant and that, despite his lack of support, we should be together."
"Neji wouldn't say that!" Tenten scoffed. Would he?
Shino shrugged, "Not in those exact words, of course. Because Neji is much more eloquent." This time a small smile did make its way to his face.
Tenten shook her head, surprised at Neji's initiative. She knew that Shino was incapable of lying, especially to her. "I can't believe he would have done that!"
"I was just as surprised, especially when I found out you were still carrying my child," he murmured, glancing at her stomach. It was still difficult to tell she was twenty, or so, weeks pregnant. A pained look crossed his face. "And that you loved me."
Tenten followed his gaze, taking a few moments to react to the last part of Shino's statement. "Wait, what?" she gaped, but her question fell on deaf ears, as the jonin had disappeared into the night—leaving her alone in her apartment.
With a few choice words—most of them profane—she slammed her door. She'd be damned if the Aburame would get off that easily! She'd give him a piece of her mind, tomorrow. That was a promise.