Always (NejiTen)

V

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Sorry guys I've been really unmotivated D:
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          Tenten kept true to her promise, returning to train the next day. And Neji kept his promise, returning to visit her. They went on like this for weeks. Yet soon, Neji's visits grew less and for shorter periods of time.

At first Tenten barely noticed it, too busy with her continual training. She worked her ass off, trying to keep her promise. She had even started eating more, at Neji's urging. The bun haired girl was willing to do anything for that boy. That damn boy.

One night after practice, Tenten waited up in the forest, awaiting Neji's arrival. The brunette stared up at the clouds drifting across the sky. Time passed, and soon Tenten realized that the sun was no longer straight above head, and warm silky golden rays were painting the west end of the sky. It would only be a few more minutes until the sun set completely, leaving Tenten alone. A look of puzzlement washed over the kunoichi's face.

Neji was late. Neji was never late. When he was alive, he always took pride in his punctuality, showing exactly on time, never a moment late. It was very odd for him to not show up, and the bun-haired girl grew worried. Very worried.

Frantic thoughts raced around in her mind. She had been sick, very sick. What if this all was just something that she had dreamed up? What if the constant company that had been keeping her alive was simply a mirage? Just a small paradise in the middle of a lengthy desert. There was no way that this could be healthy.

In the midst of her thoughts, a Tenten stood up, looking around with short jerking movements. Anyone who would have been watching her would think she was going insane, and in a sense, she was.

She had become so codependent on Neji's companionship, that it was slowly driving her mad. She clung do anything and everything that possibly reminded her of him. Of him. Gosh, she would give anything just to see him again, to hear his voice again, feel the touch of his skin again.

In her frenzy, the girl barely notices the hot tears now dripping down her face. Caught up in herself, all of the things that she feels, she spun around where she was standing and let out an ear piercing scream. She didn't care who heard her, or what happened, she just needed to let out all of these emotions that she had been holding in for so long, patiently saying that she was fine, when she was not fine. Saying she ate earlier, when she was starving. Saying that she'll get through this, when she is drowning in her own insanity.

By the time she was done screaming, she had no tears left to cry. All that was left was a pale, sickly girl who had lost the light in her. A hollow shell of the girl that used to be there.

Tenten's vision grew hazy, and her knees wobbled, but she didn't care. It's not like anyone cared. Anyone besides Neji, and he's gone. The bun-haired kunoichi crumpled to the ground, exhausted and drained. The back of her head struck a rock, and everything went dark.

~•~

Everywhere was white. Void of color, just like how Tenten feels. The room was also void of anything besides Tenten herself. Well actually, room wouldn't be a good word to describe this place, because there are no walls or ceilings in sight. Simply just empty space.

Tenten found the strength to sit up, pushing a hand to her forehead to try and ease the pulsing ache that ailed her. Groggily, she spoke, her voice still raspy from screaming, "Where am I?"

A deep, calming voice erupted from everywhere, yet no place at all. "You are here. "

Tenten furrowed her brow, and the hair stuck up at the nape of her neck. The voice frightened her. It was unfamiliar, unrecognizable, and it almost sounded like many voices merged together. Again, she asked, "Yes... but, where is here? What is this place?"

     The girl tiredly stood up on wobbling legs, still attempting to find her strength. She swiped the hair that had fallen out of her twin buns out of her face. Her hair was a mess and she could barely stand straight up. When she received no response in return, she let out a scream. She was going crazy.

"Tenten, stop it," spoke an all too familiar voice. The voice that haunted her dreams, and played a starring role in her thoughts.

     Without even turning around, Tenten sucked her teeth and chuckled gravely, "Well if you are here, I sure as hell must be dead."

                                        ~•~
     Tenten Mitashi, a girl who has gone through so much in her life. She turned around very slowly, as if she was about to face her biggest fear, and in a way, she was.

     The bun-haired girl from Konoha had suffered unimaginably. She was known for her grit, and relentless determination. She never let anything bother her, at least, that was before she broke. Small porcelain shards of the girl who once was so alive, fell to the hard ground after Neji died.

     She was one who survived it all, but in the end, she didn't, couldn't survive him. It was dangerous. She had suffered so much loss in her life that she had hardened herself against it, bracing herself against even the lightest impact. Her parents had died when she was just a young girl, leaving her an orphan, but she survived. She lived in a small house outside of the village, constantly alone. She surrounded herself with friends, but still couldn't feel truly wanted. She had abandonment issues from being alone so much, that most of her problems, were just in her head. She masked her problems with a smile, never letting her feelings show. On the outside, she was strong, she was cheerful, she was happy. But on the inside she was broken, beyond repair.

     She had friends who cared, friends who loved her, but in her head, she couldn't let herself love them back, because what if she lost them? She made everyone out to be the bad guy when in reality, they had done nothing wrong, but she had villianized them so much to the point that she felt constantly alone.

     And then Neji came in. She kept an optimistic outlook, but still never let herself get close. Kiba had once told her that Neji was a wildfire, beautiful to look at, but dangerous to touch. But in reality, she was the wildfire, and she consumed everything in her path.

Tenten was the flames, and Neji was the gunpowder. Together they made fireworks, beautiful and exciting but with sparks raining down when they were finished.

Once Neji had come into her life, he intrigued her. She blocked off all chances of romance, and attempted to at least be friends with him. Neji had issues as well, so the girl thought that maybe he would get her. After she and him grew closer as friends, she started developing feelings. These feelings... at first she hated them, they were not supposed to happen. Neji brought her out of that. She took his hand and ran, never once looking back. And he died, leaving her alone. Painfully alone. She had trusted him, opened up to him, and he left her. Whether it was by choice or not didn't matter. It's still hurt all the same.

And it was this that made her loathe him. How dare he love her and leave her. Tenten did not realize that she resented him after he passed.

And then it all circled back when he showed up yet again. It was happening all over again. What a cruel, cruel thing for him to do. To leave her, and then to show back up again like nothing happened, just to leave yet again. That was when the last shard of Tenten finally broke.

Now here she was, alone and heartbroken, in an unfamiliar place, faced with him yet again. She took a deep breath in and swiveled around, almost losing her balance.

~•~
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Oh wow guys. I'm finally updating after so long? Yeah. Wowowowowowow I do not have enough apologies to give for how late this update is. Anywho, I hope this chapter is good, and not trash like I am.
❤️❤️,

Your friendly shitty writer.
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