Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Bless You
Part Two
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Don't Hide
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Lee's hands ran up and down the jacket of my suit, deftly smoothing out any visible folds and creases. Tenten was silently working on my tie, knotting it and flattening out my collar. I could feel her soft hands on my skin.
It's amusing- you would think a weapons user like Tenten would have rough hands, due to all her vigorous polishing and throwing and holding of those metal objects. But, actually, she has the softest hands in the world, even softer than the petals of a rose. I would know, since the interior of the old, family church is as if someone has poured a whole bucket of every type of rose petal they could find over it for no apparent reason.
...except to make my hay fever liven up.
Brushing dust of my suit with swift, precise swipes, Lee said energetically, " Tenten and I will be your baby's godparents Neji!" I froze. Godparents? Tenten? " It'll be great! We can teach our godchild the power of youth together Tenten!"
I waited, tense, for her reply, but instead she turned her face away from me sharply. For one brief second, I could see an indescribable amount of pain in her eyes. My heart skipped a beat.
Why...
Could Tenten...does she-
"I wonder how Hinata-san looks in her wedding dress!" Lee interrupted my thoughts rudely, his face beaming and totally oblivious. " Beautiful, I bet! Just like the church looks beautiful, Neji! All roses and colours! Wonderful! It truly shows the power that youth possesses!" He finished his unwelcome statement with a big grin.
Tenten, who had stopped trying to perfect my tie, nodded mutely. Why wouldn't she speak?
Lee's happy exclamation from before came back to me, darkness and pain quick at its heel.
" Tenten and I will be your baby's godparents Neji!"
Godparents...no, I don't want Tenten to be my baby's godmother.
Looking at Tenten's thoughtful face, I couldn't help but smile. Tenten can always make me feel relaxed- even without her knowingly doing it.
Lee was crouched on the floor, polishing my shoes and humming Joplin's 'The Entertainer' to himself. Tenten didn't seem to notice all this though; whatever she was thinking of had to be something interesting...
There was a smile on her face, but it was different somehow. Different to the one that has greeted me every day for the past seven years. The bright, caring, kind smile that has kept me going through all the hard years.
There's an underlying emotion under all the cheerfulness she's exuding today though, a sad, sorrowful one. It makes my heart ache, somehow.
It's better this way, agreeing to marry Hinata before my feelings for Tenten grow stronger. If we had started a relationship together, it would have ended badly; She would have been the one wound up hurt in the end, ashamed, shunned by the village for being the mere commoner girl who was chosen and left by the Hyuuga...but I would remain unscathed. I couldn't have let that happen. Tenten doesn't deserve the pain I could put her through.
When Lee was finally done, he gave me a thumbs-up and pointed to Tenten's back, mouthing with an excited expression, "Ask her how you look!"
Sighing inwardly at Lee's eagerness, I turned to face my sparring partner. " Tenten, what do you think?" I asked her, placing a slight smirk on my face. I had to act normal; at least have one last happy memory before everything goes down...
Her soft chocolate eyes narrowed at first, before she replied, " You look great Neji." A tranquil expression was present on her face. She was beautiful, dressed in a sweeping sky blue gown that showed her slender figure, her thick chestnut hair curled up in a bun at the nape of her neck, a few tendrils escaping to fall about her face. A white ribbon choker with a small, exquisite sapphire and diamond butterfly hanging from it was adorned on her neck. A present from me a few years back. I wonder why she chose to wear it today...
I couldn't look away from her, my heart was beating frantically; it was so unlike me.
I had expected her to look away, but she stared steadily back at me, as if analyzing a particularly difficult target.
My face heated up. I wanted desperately to look someplace else, someplace other than those mesmerizing orbs, but I couldn't tear my gaze away.
Suddenly, a tingling feeling was felt at the tip of my nose. My eyes widened. Was I going to...hurriedly, not wanting to get anything on my suit, I clapped my hands over my mouth, trying my best to keep the sneeze in.
"Neji?" Lee asked me, concern lacing his voice. Then, when he figured it out, he laughed loudly. " You're going to sneeze, aren't you?"
I couldn't spare time snapping at him, I could feel my face scrunching up. Why, why did I have to sneeze now?
Suddenly, a lovely peal of laughter joined in with Lee's. Tenten was smiling, her face alight with happiness.
"Tenten!" I exclaimed, though I have to admit I sounded choked.
Saying her name out loud like that, sparing that one second, ruined my hard work; I sneezed.
Lee laughed even louder now, a deep chuckle that was infectious. But Tenten had stopped.
She was looking to the ground, defeat shining clearly and painfully in her eyes as she said two words: "Bless you."
I could only stare at her wordlessly, for the 'Bless you' had contained so much pent up emotion...I finally understood everything now.
When I said her name, a chain of events had been released- the sneeze must have been a sign. I can't choose her.
I have to go through with this, this wedding.
But it won't be to her...no, it won't be to Tenten...
I have to let her go.
_ _ _
Sorry I took such a long time to update. Hope you enjoyed Neji's point of view!
Thanks to the following readers for your kind reviews(!):
1. keane
2. xXKimochiWatariXx
3. eternalsmiles
4. it'sme
The next chapter is the last and will be in Lee's point of view.
Rushing Water :)