I freestyled this story off the top for the NejiTen Week 2024 festivities. Though it came out pretty solid, so I made minor edits, added some more body, and decided I should post it. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: All rights owned by Masashi Kishimoto

Day one: Saudade (Portuguese)

The feeling of longing, melancholy, or nostalgia. A yearning for happiness that has passed, or perhaps never even existed.

~ 00000 ~

Some bonds are broken and others naturally fade away. Neji wasn't quite sure what his situation was. It's been several years since he and Tenten have talked. It started off, with her moving away for college and him staying to study at Konohagakure Top University.

Keeping in contact over video calls, and frequent text messages. Even a few weekend visits. To gape out phone calls and not being able to remember when's the last time they spoke.

After their freshmen year, the distance between them grew even bigger. Until Tenten stopped coming home altogether, Neji assumed her new boyfriend had a lot to do with it. But he couldn't be sure. He also couldn't shake the feeling that he was also a part of the problem. He never should have kissed her! But it was Tenten, his special someone, he really thought that things would be alright. He could beat himself up about it as much as he wanted but there was one thing he knew for sure and it was that he missed her.

His Tenten? The girl he used to spar with. Make jokes. Share hidden smiles, touches, and everything with. The same girl he got into a schoolyard brawl with in middle school on the rainiest day of typhoon season. The same girl who gave him his first kiss before he knew what it was to care about another person.

Not this girl or rather women who cried and yelled at the mere sight of him. Tenten once said standing next to Neji made her feel like she could take on the world. And he felt that way too!

Their friendship meant everything to him. He knew this was something that needed to be fixed. He should have fought harder for it. But what do you do when confronted with tears? Every time you tried! A simple brush of her shoulder triggered the same type of explosion- always ending in a fight. This hurt him too. He just wanted his best friend back. Not knowing what else to do. Neji found himself adding to the riff. He could never find the right time to address whatever was going on. Before the Hyuuga knew it, they just didn't talk at all anymore.

So here my guy was years later filled with regret and broken promises that he could never fulfill. Because death made most things impossible. On the anniversary of her passing, all his convoluted emotions just hit that much harder. This year in particular, he found himself wanting to talk to her more than ever. About everything and nothing at the same time. He just really wanted to hear her voice. For her to laugh at him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. So just for this one time. He would!

Earlier in the week, Neji had a conversation with his niece Himawari that really stuck with him. She noticed, that seemed a little down and asked him about it. He shared that he was missing a special friend. She responded with a childlike innocence but the confidence of someone far beyond her years. The kid suggested he should write her a letter and send it.

Now he couldn't help but wonder if he too could send a paper plane high enough to reach the heavens. At this moment, he was drunk enough to actually try.

The Hyuuga man pulled out a blank piece of paper. And scribble some words onto it. Neji neatly folded it into a plane. Before giving it too much thought, Neji walked over to his bedroom window and threw the plane through it. His emotions caught the wind and took flight. For the first time in a long time. Neji felt light.