Care - NejiTen -

Care

“You never cared for me.” Tenten’s hazel eyes leaned on him silently, sadly, single tears glistening in the faint light of the just rising moon. She turned her back on him, finally leaving, finally giving up. She felt weary, tired – and embarrassed. She had tried to attract Neji’s attention for so many years, but her efforts had never been of any use. All the child prodigy had ever paid attention to was becoming a respected shinobi.
Tenten didn’t resent him. She understood, more than he probably knew, more than he probably ever would realize. Neji didn’t long for respect from the adult shinobi. He didn’t long for respect from Hokage-sama. All he demanded was being respected by the main family. Being respected by no one else but the people who had always despised him.
Tenten guessed that she was the only living person who truly understood why this respect was so important for the young man. It wasn’t himself whom he wanted to obtain the respect he deserved. It wasn’t the branch family, either, not the injustice that was found in the Hyuga clan. It was just one person. One man who had lost his life years ago but who would forever live on in Neji’s heart.
Tenten couldn’t help but smile. Neji had never recognized that he wasn’t the only person trying to gain respect. Tenten had exercised day for day, week for week, year for year. Once, she had had the dream of proving that kunoichi could be just as skilled as shinobi. But she had abandoned this dream long ago. No one had noticed, not Gai-sensei nor Lee and at least Neji. But her nindo had changed. Now the one reason why she wanted to be stronger was nothing else but being worthy. Being worthy of him. Him, the great genius.
But of course, she had never succeeded. She had always stayed the weakest member of the team. And Neji’s eyes had never paused to rest on her when they passed her accidently. He was friendly to her. He would always risk his life to save her if she got in danger on missions. But it was the same restrained friendliness that he showed towards Lee. It was the same dutyful manners of a shinobi with which he saved Lee if it was necessary.
There had never been fire. Not the fire that burned in her when she looked at him, that heated her blood and made her cheeks flush involuntarily whenever their eyes met. He had always appreciated her as a comrade. But he had never appreciated her as a woman.
Another tear poured down her cheek. She had to leave. The pain grew with every second, and soon there would come the day when she couldn’t bear it anymore.
She moved on, moving towards the lonely, safe darkness of the nocturnal forest. The darkness that would hide her tears.
She struggled, almost fell, when a hand gripped hers and whirled her around. She tried to break free but stopped fighting when she found herself face to face with Neji, so close that she felt his breath gently touching her skin.
“I always cared for you,” he whispered, pressing his lips on hers before she could reply anything.