A/N: Well, that only took about a month to finish... thanks for your patience, i've decided that i'm very bad at regular updates... I have to admit, i struggled more with this chapter, as you might be able to notice, but i hope it's enjoyable all the same. Just a warning, there is a reason i classified this as angst before romance, but i'm not going to give anything away, so i just don't want to hear whining about the ending. I finished this up while listening to 'The Original Numb Piano' by ModistOne (vids on youtube). It's beautiful.

I'm going to be a cheater and call this my first completed multi-chap fic, even though it's only a two-shot (which was done in way more than two sittings).

Unattainable

The sky was gray, not from impending rain, but because of the thin clouds that dusted over the horizon in the hours before nightfall. A crisp breeze swept through the town and past the window that Tenten was standing at, elbows resting on the whitewashed wooden windowsill. Her chin was resting in her palms, her brown eyes upturned towards the top of the towering trees; their bright green leaves made an unnatural contrast to the gloomy shade of sky they bordered.

The atmosphere was melancholy: all sounds, the leaves, the wind, the few people scattered throughout the town below, every noise blended into an empty drone. White noise, almost. The air was cold, very cold, but Tenten ignored it. Pretended she didn't feel it whipping around her arms and turning her fingertips an icy purple.

She could hear the faint pitter-patter of water droplets behind her, where Neji was in the bathroom taking a shower. (She made her thoughts stop there, because really, wasn't that one dead leaf so very interesting to look at and think about?)

…It was hard, pretending not to feel.

She thought she was getting better, though. At least, that's what she told herself.

She shivered (but really, she didn't, because she couldn't feel the cold), and angry goose bumps erupted on her arms (what goose bumps?), and the shower turned off with the sound of old plumbing. A few empty, long, long minutes later, and the bathroom door opened with a creak.

"Your turn," came his voice after a pause, and Tenten was sure that she had felt his eyes on her back. Scrutinizing her, most likely.

"Alright," she answered softly, and took a moment to wonder if her voice had gotten carried away by the wind. What a strange thought…for the wind to just pick something up, and make it disappear. Maybe it could take away time, or turn it back. But then again, such a crazy thing couldn't happen. The past was concrete, and in a sense, so was the future.

"Tenten?" came his voice again, this time questioning, and did she detect a hint of worry? Who knew? She wouldn't overanalyze it, wishful thinking just lead to heartbreak. Or, now that she thought about it, it would just lead to…nothing; the heartbreak had already happened.

She turned around and met his eyes, her own creasing as she sent him a small (fake) smile. She had decided fake was good, since real was too much to bear.

"Neji," she stated simply, feeling an unexplainable urge to answer him in the simplest way possible.

She walked past him quickly, keeping her smile fixed until she was alone in the small, partially steamy bathroom. Her lips fell and she rubbed her arms, shivering.

She was cold. She couldn't deny the fact that her goose bumps were telling her.

She leaned over and turned the knob, and hot water pelted out of the shower head, slowly filling the room with a swirling steam. Tenten glanced at her reflection in the mirror before the glass was completely fogged over.

Brown hair, plain, in two buns (Where was the shine?). Nose, boring, nothing special (Couldn't it at least look a bit like a button?). Lips, too thin, in a strict line (Who would want to kiss those?). Eyes, an empty brown, bottomless and emotionless (Mud. A puddle of mud). That was how she saw herself; if anyone asked her to describe Tenten, she would say those things without hesitation.

She let her hair down, and the brown locks fell unruly around her face and across her shoulders. She twirled a strand around her finger idly, regarding herself in the mirror without expression. Soon, the steam completely covered the mirror, and her reflection faded, slowly, slowly until she disappeared from her own sight. (Goodbye…).

Shrugging off her clothing, Tenten stepped under the searing hot droplets of water, relishing the feeling of their fiery heat spreading through her numb fingers and arms. Her eyes closed drowsily, and her head tipped back until the water ran over the contour of her face, burning and yet not at the same time (It hurt so good).

In the stifling heat; in the musical sound of water slapping against her body and the tiled ground, Tenten let herself remember.

It had rained on the day of the wedding. From where she was sitting in a front row seat in one of the rooms of the Hyuuga compound, Tenten could faintly hear the cascading sheets of water bombarding the walls and ceiling, though the sound was masked by the excited chattering that was trying to fill her ears instead.

Everywhere she looked men and women and children in suits and dresses were laughing, smiling, being happy. She felt so out of place, like a single rain cloud in an expanse of nothing but the brightest blue.

She looked up at the altar in front of her, and wasn't surprised to meet Neji's eyes. His face bore a frown of uncertainty, and Tenten's heart gave a feeble lurch at the sight of him. Unspoken words passed between them: more apologies and more wishes and most of all regrets. Regrets of what maybe could have been, and yet surely couldn't. What-ifs. (And maybe some why-nots?).

He was the first to look away, and Tenten couldn't help but feel a little more lost when she found herself staring at the side of his head. She needed those eyes, those cold, empty eyes that only she could decipher emotions from because they were anything but cold and empty to her.

A nudge to her side caught Tenten's attention, and she turned to her right, reluctantly taking her eyes off of Neji. She was met with a head of shocking pink hair and emerald eyes full of worry. The color seemed too out of place.

"Tenten…are you alright?" came the hesitant question, the speaker faltering uncertainly due to the awkwardness.

"I-I'm fine, Sakura," Tenten said with a smile, but the pinkette still looked troubled, and her eyes shifted to Tenten's lap. Tenten looked down and saw that she was twisting her hands together, holding on so tightly that her fingers were beginning to lose some of their color. She hadn't even noticed.

"I-"

"Tenten," Sakura cut in, pulling Tenten's hands apart and giving one of them a gentle squeeze, "I know…that this is hurting you. I know… what it feels like losing someone…you love. I'm…I'm sorry."

Tenten's eyes widened in shock at the unconventional display of caring and comfort that Sakura was giving her. Sakura, perhaps one of the people she knew the least. Sakura, the pink-haired medic-nin who always seemed to be so happy and alive. But now, as Sakura looked into Tenten's eyes, Tenten saw so many similarities between them.

Behind the emerald lay a hidden sorrow, and perhaps regret. It was something Tenten could distinguish right away, though she didn't know how, and she wondered if people who looked into her own eyes saw the same void, or if they just saw a muddy pond.

"Sakura-"

Before she could finish, soft music began playing, and the guests went silent. Sakura withdrew her hand and turned to the front, leaving a confused Tenten to follow suit, her gaze once more fixing on Neji, though he was staring intently past the crowd of seated guests.

Before Tenten knew what was happening, Hinata had already been guided to the altar. Her vivid white dress provided a sharp contrast to her midnight hair, which cascaded over her shoulders as she kept her head lowered. She looked beautiful, Tenten noted a little reluctantly.

But what disturbed her the most; what tore her up inside was how eerily similar the man and woman standing before each other looked. Their long hair and pale skin, elegant features and ivory eyes, they were family.

The priest spoke, and Hinata raised her head to face her cousin. Her pale eyes glanced towards the crowd for a brief moment, and the despair written in her face was obvious. Tenten wondered momentarily what she was looking at, and then silently laughed at her own stupidity.

Of course, she thought wryly. Of course, Hinata was looking at Naruto with the same pitifully sad expression that Tenten wore while gazing wistfully at Neji. They were so different, a Hyuuga heiress and an orphan, and yet the twisted entity called fate had thrown them into, while looking over minor differences, the exact same predicament.

They wanted what they could never have, and they had what they had never wanted. It was twisted and cruel and just plain overwhelming, the way they really could not control the paths they ended up taking. They were ninja, they were leaders, they were powerful and almighty and supreme, and yet they were merely petty pawns in the malicious game called 'life'.

Hinata's eyes swept down the row to rest on Tenten's, and for perhaps the longest two seconds of her life, Tenten felt the burden of someone else's sorrows suffocate her.

Those eyes, so similar to Neji's and yet so unimaginably different, spoke the loudest words that Tenten had ever heard. If I could change this, if I could trade places with you and make it all right and perfect and give us all our happy ending, I would.

That was the boldest statement Tenten had ever heard the timid Hyuuga speak, and the fact that it was spoken silently did not lessen the impact.

"Hyuuga-sama? Hyuuga Hinata?"

The girl turned her head away, face set and determined to make her clan proud.

"I do," she declared without a stutter, and her voice seemed to fill the room from wall to wall. And then, all too soon, Neji's echoing declaration filled Tenten's ears, and she knew that all was lost.

Happy cheers erupted, and smiles broke out on many faces, and Tenten let herself slip away under the cover of excited guests. Once she stepped into the rain, she let the tears flow, camouflaged from all, as she stumbled blindly through the town, ending up on a stone bench drenched in water.

She couldn't remember how long she had been sitting, staring unseeingly at her knees, before someone joined her, covering her head with an umbrella and wrapping a firm arm around her shaking shoulders. A quick glance to the right confirmed that the pink haired medic-nin was her visitor, and for the first time in her life, Tenten found herself desperately clinging onto someone as the thundering rain drowned out her cries.

Tenten turned the water up hotter, trying to delay the inevitable return she would have to make into the bedroom. It was ironic, really, the situation they were in. A mere month after the wedding, and Tenten found herself on an information gathering mission with Neji. Alone. Fate worked in cruel ways.

Finally giving up on the water (no matter how hot she turned it, it always seemed to end up too cold), Tenten turned off the shower and wrapped a thin towel around herself, stepping onto the cheap white bathroom rug. As she was brushing her teeth, she noticed the folded clothes on the far edge of the counter. She realized Neji must have put them there for her earlier.

She squeezed as much water out of her hair as she could after slipping into her soft pajamas, and when she was content with herself she opened the bathroom door.

She took an unsure step into the room, and a floorboard creaked beneath her bare feet.

"Tenten, come to bed."

Such a request would have normally left her flabbergasted, but under such circumstances she was not, since there was only one bed in the small hotel room. Neji was already on the far side, the white covers pulled halfway up his chest, his head resting on his hands as he stared up at the ceiling.

"It's not that late," she tried, but a glance at the now-closed window revealed a charcoal slate of sky, punctuated irregularly with silver stars.

"We need to get up early tomorrow. The Hokage would like us back as soon as possible, as I'm sure you remember."

She couldn't successfully argue with the truth that came from his mouth, as unenthusiastically and impassively as possible, but she still uttered a lame, "But my hair's wet."

The moment that Neji tilted his head to her, she felt like a complete idiot under the scrutiny of his pale gaze. She hoped that her cheeks weren't flushing, but as she fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, she doubted that she was fighting a winning match.

A sigh escaped Neji's lips. "Just come to bed."

And she was defeated, because how could she ever say no to him? Sometimes she hated that he knew her one true weakness…was him.

"Okay."

She dropped her head as she lifted the sheets back, trying as hard as she could to avoid looking at his (deliciously) bare chest (was he trying to torment her?) as she slipped under them carefully. She turned her back to Neji and scooted as close to the edge as possible without falling off, hating the discomfort she now felt around him.

She missed the old days.

His eyes bore into her back, she felt the scalding gaze clearly, and hoped that he wasn't in any way hurt by her actions. (She then realized how stupid she was, acting like such a timid creature, it wasn't like he would do anything to her).

"Goodnight, Neji," she said to the far wall, hoping that he would accept her soft-spoken apology. The mattress shifted and the blankets were pulled up next to her.

"Goodnight, Tenten."

She bit her bottom lip. Before she fell asleep, she vaguely wondered if one day she would have permanent teeth marks there. She also vaguely realized how ironic it was that no matter how much she tried to distance herself from Neji, they always seem to be pulled closer together.

Yes Neji, fate is cruel, she agreed with him now.

The first thing Tenten thought when her eyelids fluttered open was 'Oh the irony!'

Even though they had fallen asleep on opposite ends of the bed, they had somehow managed to end up in each other's arms. Tenten's thoughts were hazy with sleep, and she snuggled her face into the warm skin in front of her, breathing in the oh so Neji-like scent of pine and some unknown spice. Their feet were tangled under the blankets, and Tenten was acutely aware of the strong arms holding her close in an almost protective manner.

She blamed the still sluggish way her brain was working for not abruptly pulling away. It was so comfortable, she didn't want to leave. She lifted her head slightly to look at Neji's sleeping face, and her stirring woke him up.

"Good morning," she greeted in a groggy voice as the silvery orbs opened, and slowly, slowly, a minute smile graced Neji's lips, matching hers. It sent butterflies to her stomach.

"Good morning."

Tenten extracted an arm, and after placing it under her ear, she gazed at Neji's face for a (rarely) comfortable silence. His face fell back into its collected expression, though she saw that his eyes were not hard as he stared back at her.

Finally, Tenten said, "You're warm."

And something changed in Neji's expression, and suddenly he leaned forward and captured Tenten's lips in a soft, sweet kiss.

Her eyes slipped closed, and a hand found its way into his impossibly soft hair, which she grasped as she focused on the warmth bubbling up into her heart. A warm hand cupped her cheek, and she tipped her head back a little as she felt the mattress dip slightly and Neji lean over her, keeping his hand in place on her face, gently encouraging her not to run away.

So she didn't.

It was a melancholy thing, the kiss. It was tender so that that small, flimsy thread of something-too-fragile between them wouldn't shatter, and yet just strong enough to assert that there was still something there, something that couldn't possibly be forgotten or buried or destroyed. Neji and Tenten did sound better than Neji and Hinata.

Hinata…

Tenten's previously blank mind began revving up, the gears churning painfully slow, almost as if her brain didn't want to have to think about what it was making her do. Because then she would have to think about how wrong this was.

She was kissing Neji. Neji was kissing her. Neji, who was married, who was out of bounds…

"Oh god," Tenten said, pushing on Neji's bare shoulders, effectively breaking the kiss. She missed the pressure right away…

"What?" came the slightly husky question.

Tenten groaned. "Neji, we can't. We just can't," she said in a helpless voice, rubbing her palm over her forehead. Neji's built form stayed hovering over her, however, and she knew she had to be careful; she was treading in dangerous waters.

"No one has to know."

"It's not that easy," she answered shortly, avoiding his (beautiful, mystifying, entrancing) eyes, giving the answer she was supposed to give.

"Why not?"

She almost laughed at the simplicity of the question coming from him. Still looking away, she said, "Don't be stupid," but the words came out far less convincing than she hoped. They sounded more like a plea, a plea for him to not make her explain any more than she had to.

"That's not an answer."

She exhaled sharply, refusing to play his little game. She knew him too well to miss his sneaky efforts to make her look at him with a snappy retort. She wouldn't look, looking was bad, looking meant that she would lose and he would win (Wait, was that a bad thing? Of course it was, she scolded herself immediately). He would win with those damned eyes that were just too perfect for his own good, because he knew exactly that they could easily be the end of her.

"You don't understand," she mumbled, and mustering all the inner strength she had, she pushed him off of her and rolled out of bed. "We should go soon," were her final words before she locked herself in the bathroom, rubbing her arms against the morning chill filling the bare, white walls.

The sun had prevailed over the gloomy clouds and was showering the grassy field in warm, yellow light. It was around midday, just a little after. A refreshing breeze blew through the clearing, picking up dry leaves in an entrancing dance. The air smelled crisp and clean. The day was too tantalizingly beautiful; it was mocking them, spitting in their faces.

She lay propped up in his arms, her head lolled onto his chest, a single arrow embedded in her abdomen. Her white shirt was slowly being taken over by a sluggishly seeping red (It looked like a flower blooming out of someone withering away).

Her lips parted and she took a shuddering breath, attempting to form words out of her dizzy thoughts. "S…so…sorry."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, with no force behind it, gravelly and faded in her throat.

"Don't! Don't say that!" he spat harshly, pale eyes on fire as he held her close. She could barely feel the warmth of his body and the thudding of his heart.

She knew that his anger wasn't aimed at her, though she supposed that it should have been. It was her fault for being distracted, for not paying attention, for being stupid enough to let her thoughts wander and leave her open for an ambush.

"Are…they gone?"

"They're dead, but that doesn't matter! Tenten, you're going to be fine, I promise."

She turned her head, a (real, genuine, sincere) tired smile quirking the very corners of her lips. She raised a cold hand to his face and whispered brokenly, "Don't make empty promises Neji, that's unlike you."

The effort of stringing together such a long sentence got the best of her, and her hand began to fall as a fit of coughs erupted from deep in her chest. Neji caught her wrist in one swift motion, placing her palm back against his face, flattening his hand on top of hers to keep it in place.

"Don't go." His voice cracked and he bowed his head. "Don't go…"

"It's going to be…okay," Tenten struggled to whisper, pausing to take a painful sounding breath and wincing as her stomach expanded against the invading weapon. She knew it would only hurt more to yank it out, and she would only die of blood-loss quicker. This was the downfall of having no medic-nin nearby to help. (There was no way out, no 'get out of jail free' card this time).

"It'll be-" another violent round of coughing cut her off, this time accompanied by bitter, metallic blood filling her mouth, which she spat unceremoniously onto Neji's shirt. It was something to remember her by…

"Tenten! Tenten!"

Tenten cracked her fading eyes open and took a raspy breath. "Can I have…one last…kiss?"

"What do you mean 'one last kiss'?! You are not going anywhere," Neji declared, but she saw in his eyes that he didn't believe his own words. He wiped the blood tricking down the side of her chin, looking more lost and panicked than she had ever seen him before.

"Don't lie."

"Don't go."

Tenten's eyes slipped closed again.

"Don't go. Don't go. Please Tenten, please, I'm begging you. Don't go."

Tenten's eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly when she felt a warm liquid dribble across her pinky finger and travel down her wrist.

"Neji…don't cry…over me. Please don't," she begged, her voice suddenly quivering emotionally as a burning lump lodged its way into the top of her throat.

"Then don't go," he demanded selfishly.

When she opened her eyes, his face was slightly blurry, so she blinked a few times to get him into focus. Silent tears of sorrow made elegant tracks down his stoic features, if anything, only adding to his beauty. She wiped them away gently, but more came to make up for those that were gone.

"Please…stop," she begged again, the corners of her eyes pricking against the dam she was struggling to hold in place. (No more crying, she told herself. She had done more than enough. No. More.). A half-hearted cough escaped her lips and her head was becoming much too heavy.

"Tenten-"

"Goodbye, Neji…" her eyes closed for the final time, welcoming the drowning sleep slowly overtaking every inch of her worn, damaged body. Even the pain was only a mere echo of what it had been before.

"No! Don't go!" she heard Neji shout from somewhere far, far away, far beyond the darkness surrounding her.

With the last ounce of strength she had, and the last lungful of air she took in, she whispered, "I love you." 'I'll miss you.'

Warm lips pressed against hers, and she was barely aware of the hand leaving hers, letting hers fall to the ground in a painless thump.

Neji pulled back slowly, leaving fresh tears that did not belong on her delicate face. He wiped them away with his thumb and carefully drew her body closer so that he would not push the arrow in any farther.

"I love you," he said into her hair, over and over to make up for all the times he should have said those words before, but never had. The tears flowed unrestrained, his sadness open to the world to see.

But it was too late.

She was already gone.

So many ugly gray page-breaks! Ffn needs something less...ugly.

A/N: I warned you! You can't say that i didn't. Please review, i absolutely ADORED all of your feedback and ideas from last chapter, you guys are wonderful. Next time i write NejiTen, i'll try to make it a more up-beat one. Promise.