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“Sure,” Temari shrugs with indifference. “As long as I’m not bald.”
TenTen laughs but quickly stops when Temari’s serious expression doesn’t change
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that,” she laughs again, a bit awkward. “In the orphanage I dealt with all types of hair, I think I know exactly what can help.” She smiles in an attempt to ease Temari's worry, but in Temari fashion she just shrugs noncommittally.
"Whatever you say."
“Ouch!” Temari jerks her head away, holding the sore spot on her head and glaring at TenTen with deep hatred.
“Sorry! You just have a lot of tangles!” It was less of an apology and more of an accusation.
She huffs and turns back around in her seat, crossing her arms in defiance even as she allows TenTen to continue.
“She’s angry, Big Sister,” Mino, one of the orphans in TenTen’s old room says, his dark eyes peering through darker hair.
“She’s always angry, Little One,” TenTen replies smoothly.
“Why do we have to do this in the house of which you no longer live again?” Temari asks, sneering at Mino even though he’d already ducked his head behind his book, ignoring them.
“‘Cause all the hair supplies are here, I always come here at least twice a month to do the kids’ hair.” TenTen tries to be much more gentle, much like she is when a new orphan arrives and allows her to do their hair.
After several more loud complaints from Temari, Mino pushes himself up to direct eye contact with Temari.
“You’re loud,” he says.
“You little- OW!” TenTen jerks Temari back to her seat, her hands flying to her sore head. “What was that for?” Temari shouts. Mino runs out of the room, likely to finally go outside for once, or the kitchen.
“What was what for?” TenTen replies innocently.
Temari growls in frustration, mumbling threats under her breath.
After a few silent minutes TenTen realizes she is almost done brushing through her hair and notices just how red Temari's scalp has gotten
“I’m sorry,” she says softly, “I didn’t mean to hurt you earlier, Mino has- he’s been through a lot. His parents were,” TenTen pauses for a moment, trying to decide how to best go about this, even though she was the one who brought it up. “They were not nice people, and he suffered a lot under their care.” TenTen notices Temari’s fist tighten to whitened knuckles, something she had been doing anytime TenTen pulled on a particularly sensitive spot, but she thought that this time may not have been from the pain of her scalp.
TenTen combs her fingers through Temari’s hair once more, ensuring that no more knots exist before wiping her hands and going back to her dresser, shuffling through the hair products.
“There’s a lot of broken hope in this place,” TenTen says, “and a lot of us here never get adopted, so we make our own family.” Picking up several different bottles she continues, “it’s why I always come back, this is my family and every new addition to it deserves to feel love.”
Turning around she catches Temari staring at her intensely. Suddenly feeling bashful TenTen turns her head away, “That’s why I always come to do their hair, it gives them hope that things will be better.” She chuckles awkwardly before heading towards the door. “C’mon, back to the shower room.”
It was the fourth time that Temari allowed TenTen to touch her hair, even after the pain she went through the first time. This time TenTen had taken her curly hair products home with her so they didn’t have to travel so far everytime she wanted to do Temari’s hair, which led to Temari in her bedroom on her chair facing TenTen. She could see her curls coming back to their natural form and it filled her with immense pride as she gently rubbed oil through the front of her scalp, the last thing she needed to do before letting her go home.
“Your hair is absolutely gorgeous,” she whispers, not wanting to break the quiet comfort that had settled between them. She looks down to catch Temari’s eye, wanting her to know she was sincere but was instead taken aback by a surprised expression, a look she’d never seen Temari wear before. They stared at each other for a moment, TenTen unaware what was happening before Temari surged forward and tightly wrapped her arms around TenTen’s waist, burying her face into her stomach.
“Thank you,” she says, ever so quietly. TenTen knows, without asking, that she’s thanking her for a lot more than just a compliment.
TenTen returns the hug, burying one hand deep into Temari’s curls and the other around her shoulder. They stay like that for a long time until Temari finally loosens her hold and sits back, trying to discreetly wipe her tears away.
“I’m sorry,” she says with a short awkward laugh, sniffling and quickly wiping away the tears, knowing she’d been caught. “No wonder those kids love you so much.”
TenTen smiles, brushing her fingers through Temari’s hair, adjusting it noncommittally.
“Yeah, I get that a lot.” Temari laughs softly, grateful TenTen doesn’t press any further.