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Tenten lay in the comfortable silence of her room, blankets drawn high and pillows fluffed beneath her cheek. Moonlight filtered through her window’s smudged glass, illuminating the room in a cool blue hue as she waited for her body to fall asleep.
She had completed her day with its monotonous routine and average expectations. Standard training within the grove, two cat retrieval missions and the everyday humiliation of walking through the village with her idiotic squad leader. This was her new norm since becoming a ninja, and she was ready for change. For excitement. She was lucky that the Chunin Exams were underway, and this year her team was ready.
“Just one more month,” she told herself, “One more month and then things will change.”
A sigh left her lips as she rolled onto her side, pulling the covers up over her shoulders and snuggling into the pillow. Slowly, her eyes drifted shut, breath evening out as her limbs relaxed into the mattress.
The moment she got comfortable–
*BANG*
Something heavy slammed into the roof above her, sending a shudder through the beams and adrenaline through her veins. Her body shot up instantly. The silence was no longer comforting, but constricting. Her eyes darted up to the ceiling where the noise originated.
Silence.
She gulped.
What the hell was that? The house settling in? No, couldn’t be. She knew the sound of aged wood and rattling pipes. This was a physical thing. A weight.
She pondered whether or not she should just ignore it. Pretend to be blissfully unaware and force herself to sleep. But then she wondered, “What if it was an intruder? What if her family was in danger?”
She was the only ninja in the house. It was her job to protect her family.
So, with a steadying breath, she made her decision. The blankets got tossed aside and she tiptoed over to the balcony. Opening the windows, she was hit with the chill of the nighttime air, the season doing little to warm it without the aid of the sun. Once more, her head peeked out from the opening, gazing up at the roof and the mystery it shielded. With a firm nod, she concentrated her chakra to the soles of her feet and stealthily approached like the ninja she was. When she was close enough, nimble fingers gripped the ledge carefully, and brown eyes peered over the eave. A single bead of sweat dripped down her temple, bracing herself for whatever awaited her.
Instead, she paused. There was no intruder, nor an animal in search of shelter. It was a person. Not moving. Not breathing. Just lying there…broken…like a withered doll thrown away without question.
She squinted, head tilting with perplexity. There was no face to make out, but that long hair…sturdy shoulders…
“...Neji?”
He didn’t move.
Her heart sank into her stomach.
“Oh my god, Neji!”
She vaulted to the surface without hesitation and sprinted to the collapsed boy at her feet. Quickly dropping to her knees, her hands hovered over him. Trembling. Indecisive. Scared to hurt but terrified to be still. They found his shoulder, and she gently shook him with the little force she had.
“Neji, hey! What’s wrong? Can you hear me?”
He didn’t answer.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Forcing the fear down, she tried again.
“Neji, please! Talk to me! Tell me you’re okay!”
One particularly rough shove triggered a groan from the boy, a staggered hiss. Relief washed over her instantly, cracking a small smile.
“Oh, thank goodness!” She gasped, a hand moving to her chest. They returned to his shoulders shortly after, nudging him to roll over. “What are–ugh, you scared me! I thought you–why are you on–”
The words died in her throat. She couldn’t finish the sentence if she tried.
When she turned Neji over, his face was in full view, and it was not the boy she was used to. He was sickly pale, all the color in his face gone, and his skin was laced with a clammy sweat that his hair clung to desperately. His eyes were shut, almost peaceful, but his jaw hung open as if lacking the strength to keep it closed.
The fear returned to her face as she cupped his, only to draw it back. He was burning up.
“Neji? Hey, Neji! Are–” In just seconds her face scrunched up in a grimace, lifting her wrist up to cover her nose. She didn’t have to search for the source for long. On further inspection, the boy she held had a crusted residue around his lips, down his chin, and staining the shirt he adorned. Its pungent acidity left little to the imagination, burning her eyes and threatening her gag reflex.
She swallowed it down painfully. She couldn’t in good conscience allow herself to be disgusted at the scent, not when the sight was far worse.
Gently, she brushed a sweat soaked hair strand behind his ear. He flinched at the touch, like even that was too much. Where her fingers lingered, she caught sight of the mark on his forehead, which gave her pause for concern. Why was it out in the open like this? Where was the bandage? She knew this was a major insecurity of his–he didn’t go anywhere without it shielded.
But then, she saw it. A faint, ominous green glow that made her sick to her stomach. It was barely perceptible, but it was clear by the twitching nerves that, to him, the pain was still all too present.
Tenten’s blood boiled as she held her teammate with care, “Oh, Neji…what did they do to you?”
A pitiful whine escaped in response. Carefully, she laid the boy back down on the roof, and stood resolute.
“I’ll be right back. Stay right there and please don’t move.” It felt traitorous to leave him, but she was useless emptyhanded. She swiftly made her way back down the walls and to her bedroom, eyes darting to every corner as her brain worked a mile a minute. She prayed that Neji didn’t puke again as she rummaged through her drawers. She didn’t want him to choke…
When she got back to the roof, arms full with comfort necessities, Neji’s body had not moved. Not even an inch. Her chest tightened. She wasn’t even positive that he was conscious, but she knew that he was breathing, and that was enough.
Crawling her way back up, she scurried over to him and knelt down. In her hands was a pillow, an oversized shirt, a wet rag, and a bag of ice. She sat the items down, then pressed her knuckles against his head. Still burning.
She took a shaky breath to steady herself.
“Alright, let’s get you cleaned up.” She spoke mostly to herself. Hands reached below his shoulders, down to his back. The sour stench hit her full force, but she ignored it. In an act of pure willpower, all of her strength went towards lifting the boy off the ground, a pained grunt seeping through his lips.
“I know. I’m sorry. Just–ugh–sit up–” She said between breaths, words straining through clenched teeth. She struggled to lift him, his body a dead weight, but with little fight she finally managed to get him sitting upright. There was no helping the limp head though. Firmly, she kept one hand on his shoulder, the other reaching for the materials she brought.
“I don’t know if this will fit you, but it’s oversized on me, so surely it might, right?” She brought the shirt up to his face for feigned approval, knowing too well he couldn't see it anyway. It was a simple nightshirt: soft, cotton textile in a faded pink shade. It was the biggest shirt she could find in the heat of the moment, so she hoped it did the trick.
Placing the shirt in her lap, she prepared for the inevitable struggle of taking the vomit soaked shirt off of him. She allowed his head to rest against her shoulder, arms hanging lifelessly, as she reached for the hem of the shirt. Her fingers nimbly lifted the cloth, careful not to graze the skin underneath. Getting it over his torso was easy, but now it was time for arms. She did them one by one, a more tedious struggle than the last, but eventually she managed to pull the dirtied shirt over his head. Tossing the nasty thing aside, she grabbed the clean shirt and began dressing him.
Getting the shirt on was much more difficult than getting it off. The opening was a bit too small for his head, the tightness hurting him more than she intended. She quickly apologized for the discomfort, then fought awkwardly to get his arms in. After a few agonizing minutes, the nightshirt was on, and Tenten straightened it out, pleased with herself.
“There. That’s gotta feel better, right?” She spoke with a comforting smile. Although oversized on her, it fit him quite well, if a little snug around the shoulders. Neji was still mute, which stung, but Tenten kept her calm facade, then reached slowly for the wet rag.
“Here.” She mouthed, scooting closer to him. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”
A gentle hand cupped his face, turning him to her and keeping him steady. To her surprise, albeit weak, the boy’s eyelids fluttered open. Not fully, as if a rusted hinge, but for a moment she could see the Hyuga’s pretty pearl eyes. They weren’t looking, not even close, but they were locked onto her, and she met them gracefully.
A pitied expression graced her features, despite knowing the boy in front of her despised such looks directed towards him.
“Hey.” She approached softly. “How’re you feeling?”
He stared back blankly. Not a single word processed.
“Yeah…I know.” She referenced the shirt he previously adorned. “You got really sick…threw up on yourself. I changed your shirt. I hope you don’t mind. I just thought you’d prefer something clean is all.”
Once more, he said nothing, though blinked slowly. Too slow. Still struggling. She swallowed the lump in her throat, getting back on track. She lifted the rag.
“Here. I–” She mumbled. “Let me help?”
Still no response. She took that as a yes.
With a nod, she brought the lukewarm cloth up to his mouth. Gently, she began wiping away the mess, his jaw still slack and incapable of being still. Slowly but surely the crust was removed, leaving nothing but dried, chapped lips in its wake. She should’ve brought vaseline. She didn’t even think.
“There. All done.” She tried to be proud of her work, tell herself that she was doing good, but her eyes prickled with the threat of tears.
It had been an hour at this point, and Neji looked no better than before. His eyes were open, but unseeing. His already glassy eyes were glazed over, unfocused. He was there in front of her, but he wasn’t present. He was a zombie of his usual self: incapable of thought, sight removed, and strength stolen. He looked miserable, and Tenten hated that she could do nothing but wait it out until the effects subsided.
She hesitantly grabbed the pillow, giving it a good fluff before setting it down. The hand on his face slid behind his neck, supporting the weight of his head as she guided him down. There was little resistance, his body going limp in her arms. She settled him down gently on the pillow, careful not to hurt his head.
“There we go.” She said, “Now, let’s cool you down.” She reached for the ice bag beside her, a tad melted now that it sat out for a while. It will do the trick though. He was still feverish, and she knew enough to know that they needed to get his temperature down. With the ice in hand, she turned back to her teammate with a near guilty expression.
“I can’t guarantee that this will be comfortable.” She informed him. “It may give you a shock…sorry…”
Slowly, she brought the bag up and gently pressed it against his forehead. Once the cold hit, he flinched, letting out a pitiful whine.
“Shh, I know. I’m sorry.” She whispered sweet nothings in an attempt to soothe. He hissed, breath uneven, but as she persisted, gradually the boy eased into the feeling, the cold a dull comfort like the warmth of her hands. She sighed in relief.
“There. That’ll help you feel better.” As she said this, she watched his face melt into…relief? His eyes had shut again, blissfully unaware as if falling to sleep. A huff escaped her, before she knelt down and joined the boy on the roof.
She lied beside him, shoulder to shoulder and front facing the stars. They were glistening tonight, even the smallest flickered boldly amongst its bigger celestial sisters.
It was always peaceful late in the evening. Rare and fragile, viewed by little but everlasting. Just one of the many things that remind her how lucky she was to be alive.
And speaking of…
Tenten gave a quick glance to the boy beside her, and witnessed him struggle to stay awake. His eyes quivered like the blinking lights above, as if the moon and its many stars were too bright for his fractured nerves. She nudged him gently with her shoulder.
“Don’t force yourself.” She half-joked, keeping a light attitude. “Do what’s comfortable.”
Even still, he kept his gaze open. Only once did they close for a supposed break, before eventually opening to join her in viewing the stars. It was oddly tender, a moment they didn’t even share when awake. It was as if some deep part of him craved normalcy while being ignorant to the fact that this wasn’t their normal.
But who was she to spoil his efforts?
“Hey, I have an idea! How about we look for constellations? I’ll tell you the name, and you point it out to me. Got it?”
His expression was vacant, body stiff, but she could’ve sworn that she saw the faintest of nods. She thought she saw the ice pack slipping off, so she quickly readjusted it…just in case.
“Okay, let’s see…” Getting comfortable, she gazed up at the nighttime sky with intrigue, scanning its contents and the visuals it provided. “How about…the Big Dipper?”
They sat in silence for a few seconds…minutes…before there was a hint of movement in his features. Irises moved first, left…then right…before the hand closest to hers twitched with effort. Miraculously, the limp hand lifted, trembling terribly, and with a great deal of determination, shakily pointed to the sky, where the stars aligned and curved into a familiar gourd.
Tenten beamed, “Yeah! That’s right! Good!”
His hand fell back to his side, but not before she softened the impact. Lips pursed in thought, chocolate eyes roaming the stars once more.
“What about the Little Dipper?” She followed, eyebrow peaking as she stared. At the question, he blinked slowly. White eyes languidly moved towards the left, then a quivering finger pointed to the sky. She smiled again.
“Good!” She applauded. “Two in a row. I’d say that’s impressive, buuuuuut I think you can do more.” The taunt was made in jest, a testament to his standard ego. She still wasn’t confident with his rate of progress, although small signs of improvement were clear. Deep down, she hoped her attempts of cultivating their normal banter was appreciated, and that it made him feel less like a beaten puppy. A confident finger shot up in the air. “Pleiades?”
That appeared to stump him. His stare was blank, but held a curious edge. For the first time that night, his brows twitched, then pinched imperceptibly together. Looking to the stars, he attempted to squint, to get a better look, but was instantly met with unforgiving needles to the brain.
He winced with a yelp, and Tenten reacted immediately, quick to his aid. Her thumb rubbed comforting circles into his knuckles, while the other rested against the ice. Neji’s eyes had forced themselves closed, seeking an escape from the strain.
“Shh…it’s okay, it’s okay.” She whispered hastily. “That’s on me! No more tiny constellations. We can’t have you hurting yourself like that.”
A few choked breaths escaped him, making her heart clench. Precipitation from the bag dripped down his brow, the ice nothing more than slush in the plastic. His face was still warm, which was disappointing. A deep frown melted her features, letting out a sigh of discontent. Nursing a Hyuga back to health after a mark activation was much more complicated than treating a flu-stricken child.
Tenten considered the hour, the village’s silence and absent warmth, then to the wounded boy next to her. His breathing was now labored, the newly triggered stress causing the veins around his eyes to pop in and out. Sitting here with a bag of ice was pointless. What he needed was rest, and a lot of it.
“It’s late…why don’t we call it a night?” She asked in a hushed tone, careful not to overwhelm him. Her head turned to him–not needing anything–just wanting him to hear her voice. “You’re probably exhausted…and I am too…”
There was no ill-intent, but something she said startled him. Weary eyes shot open in alarm, milky irises going in and out of focus. His breath hitched, fingers trembling in hers.
She gripped them tightly, voice firm.
“Hey, hey–” She held him tighter. “I know what you’re thinking, but you’re not going back there tonight. I don’t care what the rules are.” She doubled the grip with her other hand. “You’re staying here. With me…okay?”
She lingered for a minute, calming him down and providing relief. She pet his hair gently, the other still in his grasp. Within a few strokes, his fear subsided, returning to a debilitating fatigue. She rubbed circles into his skin with her thumb.
“Good…now, let’s go to bed, yeah?” Slowly, she began separating herself from him, removing the ice pack and getting to her knees. From there, she positioned her hands beneath his body: one tucked under his knees, and the other around his shoulders. Weakly, Neji’s head fell to the side, his sight fixed on the random stray items scattered about the roof.
“Don’t worry about that stuff. I’ll get them tomorrow morning.” Tenten assured, redirecting his attention. “Right now, just focus on sleep. You are tired, aren’t you?” Heavy lids shielded selenic eyes, split lips ajar with weariness. She couldn’t help but smile fondly at the sight.
“Heh, I knew you would be.” She adjusted her footing. “Now, bear with me. I’m going to do my best with this…” She spread her feet out, back straight. Gai-sensei had taught her proper form, she may as well use it, even if the thing she was trying to lift was several inches taller and weighed three times as much as she could lift normally.
One, two, three–lift!
She grunted as she heaved, the weight awkward and body lanky. It took several minutes of fighting and struggle, before she finally straightened and adjusted the boy in her arms. Her legs shook with effort, threatening to give out, but she only needed to hold on a little longer.
“Oof–okay!” She panted. “Let’s get you inside!” She fixed her grasp on her teammate, making sure his head was comfortable in the crook of her neck, before turning on her heel and heading for her room.
She moved slowly. His skin was tender; too much bouncing would only hurt him more. So she needed to be careful. For him. What good would she be if she couldn’t take care of a single friend?
Reaching the edge of the roof was easy. Realizing she had to get back down to her balcony was harder. Her brown eyes shivered with intimidation.
“Right…window…” She gulped. “Just…gotta use chakra. Easy…!”
With her remaining strength, she willed the chakra to her feet once more and began making the trek back to her room. The paneling was rough under her feet, a bit slippery from evening dew. She held Neji tightly, refusing to give him up to the likes of gravity. With a small slip, she made the final jump to the balcony, a stinging vibration traveling up her shins.
Ow.
One last obstacle and that was her window. She used the last of her strength to leap through the opening, tripping over the ledge and stumbling to the carpeted floor below.
The Hyuga in her arms made a noise. A humored huff? A grunt of pain?
“Oh, you thought that was funny?” She smacked her lips, presuming the former as the translation. “Jerk.”
Neji made no retaliation, which was a good sign, she thought. With the boy in her arms, she pivoted towards her bed, now missing a pillow but otherwise still comfortable. She stole the one from the opposite end of the mattress, the covers already askew due to her throwing them off of her earlier. She gave it a couple of punches, straightened the edges, then placed it in the corner–the perfect resting place. With Neji still in her arms, she laid him down onto the mattress, his head resting comfortably against the newly placed pillow. Tenten smiled, pleased.
“There. Now let’s–” She reached down towards his feet, but stopped indefinitely. Had he not been wearing shoes this whole time? His feet were littered with scratches and dirt, no doubt from wandering barefoot around town for however many hours.
…hours?
She had thought it haphazardly, but how long did Neji walk before finding her place?
She shook the thoughts out of her head. That didn’t matter right now.
Refocusing on the task at hand, she reached across to the crumpled sheets; violet cotton covers and crisp white linen. She pulled them over Neji’s body, tucking him in like one would a child.
Brushing stray locks out of his face, she left the room briefly to replace the ice pack, instead getting a cold rag and a cup of ice water. When she returned, the rag went straight to the boy’s head, his face slowly beginning to cool against the surface. She sat the water on the bedside table, then took a step back to assess the situation.
Neji lay motionless in the bed, wheezing quietly. His cheeks were flushed, but the rag was surely hard at work in cooling him down. No pain. No discomfort.
She sighed in relief, “That should do it. There’s some water next to you if you ever get thirsty, or if you need to wet the rag again I suppose.” She then clenched her fist, earthy eyes intense as stone. “I’ll be here the entire night, so don’t be afraid to ask for anything…if you need anything.”
He didn’t respond, as expected. But she was here for him, and deep down he should know that.
Hands on her hips, she pondered the state of the bed before deciding to leave it. Sitting next to the door was her mission gear, including a sleeping bag for when they travel outside the village. She unhooked it from her backpack, dusted off any lingering debris and then laid it out next to her bed. It wasn’t the most comfortable, but it was doable. Unzipping it open, she slid herself in and got as cozy as possible.
Makeshift pillow out of a sweatshirt: check. Polyester sleeping bag zipped up to her chest: check. Sleeping boy in her bed with a stagnant fever: check.
She hummed, maneuvering the sweatshirt until she rested comfortably on the floor. The exhaustion was catching up to her, eyelids drooping and thoughts blurring together. Nothing left to do but just…relax…close her eyes…
“...en…en…”
Weak, but audible. Tenten’s eyes flew open in a flash, and instantly she was met with the tired gaze of the Hyuga boy. His energy and mobility were still recovering, his jaw loose and face slack. However, for the first time that night his eyes held a focus. It was as if she was admiring the nighttime sky once more, except this time the moon looked back and stared as if she were her own galaxy.
He blinked slowly. Intentionally.
“...ank…ou…”
Tenten stared flabbergasted from her spot on the floor. It took a moment for the words to hit, but once they did, a warmth spread across her chest and up to her widening grin.
“Don’t mention it.” She found herself saying, choking back elated tears. “We’re a team…we look after each other…”
She reached up to grab his hand, giving a gentle rub as he feebly returned the gesture. Her breath hitched only once before settling, her hand in his for longer than intended.
“Get some rest, Neji.” Tenten insisted, releasing the hand that held her dearly. “You’ve had a long night…”
Neji stayed staring for a minute, her words washing over him like the gentle pull of ocean waves. One sluggish blink later and his body fell heavily, all the pain and effort accumulating into a much needed slumber. She could only hope that he stayed that way, allowing himself to dream of brighter and simpler days.
Her eyes lingered on him for a few seconds too, reevaluating the boy she’d known for over a year now. Their first introduction was less than ideal. Upon first meeting, he presented himself as standoffish, petty, and uniquely fatalistic to the point of existential dread. She didn’t get it. Didn’t try to–no one did. Not until he confided in her for the first time, revealing his curse mark and the fate of the family he belonged to. She didn’t understand why he chose to tell her. Perhaps it was their predetermined destiny to be each other’s rock when things went south. They kind of had to be on their team of eccentric meatheads.
Regardless, in spite of the circumstances, she was happy. Happy that she was a safe space. That with her, he didn’t have to pretend to be stronger than he was. He could just be.
The silence deepened the longer she stared at the boy. She huffed, snuggling deeper into the bag as she aimed to distract her mind from the judgmental quiet. She tossed and turned, unsettled by the turn of events, but eventually the time had caught up to her, and next to the Hyuga who’d fallen asleep under her covers, she too settled into a deep, merited slumber.