Last chapter, and the fluffy, romantic ending you were all waiting for. I have to wonder though, what would you all have done if I'd decided to kill Tenten off or something like that? :P It would certainly make for an interesting twist. But fear not! I don't have the heart to do that in this little story – it needs a happy ending. ^_^

Hope you've all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing.

-X-

It was amazing really, how many weapons a skilled ninja could hide in a dress as apparently ill-suited to the job as Tenten wore. No self-respecting ninja was ever willingly unarmed, and Tenten had certainly never been so, not even in the safety of her own village. So when, an hour and a half after her episode at the wedding, she was found sitting in the midst of a weapon-riddled clearing, it really shouldn't have come as a surprise that she'd been packing well over a hundred and fifty various ninja tools.

Looking around forlornly at her scattered wares, Tenten sighed and rubbed the back of her neck tiredly. It wasn't unknown for her to work off steam by blasting inanimate objects with shuriken and the like – it actually worked quite well, having a sort of therapeutic effect on her that no amount of herbal tea or shiatsu could imitate – but the cleaning up afterwards was always a bother. Because now of course, being a perfectionist, she would have to clean and sharpen every single one of her used weapons. It didn't matter that the worst they'd hit was a rotting tree trunk by the stream; Tenten refused to use tools that were anything less than absolutely flawless.

She glanced down at her dress and noted that it was ruined beyond repair. The hem was stained with drying mud from her run through the woods, and there were little tears in the fabric where thorns had caught and dragged. However, she quickly decided she didn't care. It wasn't like she'd ever wear it again anyway, not after today. Too many memories, though whether good or bad she couldn't decide... She'd finally told Neji how she felt after all. But on the other hand she'd humiliated herself in front of a large audience. A very large audience.

Sighing again, she reached out and plucked a firmly embedded shuriken from the trunk of the tree she was leaning against, relishing the feel of the cold steel against her fingers, letting it's harsh reality anchor her emotions. She'd be leaving in a week's time anyway. All she had to do was finish the paperwork and she'd officially be the newest ANBU member. A jounin as accomplished as her was hardly likely to be refused...

… She was going to miss them though. All of them. Lee, Hinata, Naruto, Sakura... Neji. She was going to miss everyone so much.

"It's for the best," she whispered to herself, spinning the shuriken around her finger. "Neji can get on with his marriage and I can get on with my life."

"Do you not think it will be a sad life with all your friends cut out of it?" asked a familiar and entirely unexpected voice. Tenten's head snapped up and sure enough, Neji was there.

Of course he is. This is Neji we're talking about – he wouldn't let things end like that if his life depended on it.

Still dressed in his wedding attire, he was leaning against a kunai-studded tree on the far edge of the clearing, looking at her with a mixture of sadness and disappointment. Tenten felt acutely that he'd lost respect for her – she knew that her transfer was just 'running away' in his eyes. She felt her cheeks immediately redden in shame, even though she also knew she was doing the right thing – the decent thing – by giving him, and more importantly herself, some space.

"Look Neji, I've said all I have to say. If you've just come here to rub my face in it or to try and change my mind, I suggest you leave." she said shortly, heaving herself to her feet with a groan, her exhausted muscles complaining loudly. "Besides, don't you have a wife to be seeing to?" she added bitterly.

Neji ignored her, retorting with another question of his own. "You're really willing to seclude yourself, just because of me?"

Tenten didn't reply. She looked at him long and hard, meeting his alluring gaze with a carefully blank expression of her own. Then, slowly, she shook her head and went about collecting her weapons with deliberate care.

She'd thought he, of all people, would be able to understand her logic, given he was supposed to be a genius and all. Or maybe he did understand. Maybe he was just being selfish. Maybe he wanted her to suffer for his sake, to endure so he wouldn't have to lose his best friend. That being the case, he wasn't half the man she'd thought he was.

"I thought you were stronger than that Tenten."

That was the last straw.

Whirling angrily, Tenten hurled a kunai straight at his face, which he dodged with little effort. His snide comment was the icing on the cake, and her already fragile composure snapped like brittle tinder. She could endure public disgrace; she could stomach losing the one she loved to a superior woman; but underhanded slurs about her strength was crossing the line. More infuriating still, Neji didn't even seem surprised that she'd attacked him. If anything he looked smug, and for a second – just one tiny second – Tenten was glad she was leaving.

"Well guess what, almighty Hyuuga? I'm not! I'm weak and pathetic and an idiot for letting myself fall for an arrogant jerk like you! I admit it, okay? Are you happy now?" she exploded, her fury making her chakra spike in a beacon that surely the whole village could feel. "Just – just go."

She turned her back on him and started to reseal her weapons into her pocket-sized scroll, rage making her blood pump hot and fast through her veins.

"So that's it? You're just going to walk away? Forget all your friends and live the lonely life of an ANBU." Neji asked incredulously, still not moving any closer.

"You know, Neji... I don't think you really understand what it is you're asking me to do." Tenten said quietly, trying rein in her temper, collecting and sealing more weapons as she spoke. "Do you think it would be easier for me to stay than it would be to go? Do you think it's better for me to suffer here than suffer alone? Is that it?" When he didn't offer an answer she continued, angry tears welling because, damn her, she just couldn't stop them. "Well you're wrong, Neji. What you said before... you're right. I am willing to seclude myself because of you. Because it's too painful not to. Seeing you, with her... it's just too much. I can't... I can't do it. Anything is better than watching you and Kaminari together – nothing could be as unbearable as that...

"So leave me alone; for goodness sake just leave me alone. Go back to your new wife. Enjoy your marriage. We'll see each other again some day, I promise you that. But right now, I need you to just leave me be."

Keeping her back to him as the tears brimmed over her lids, she continued her work so that he wouldn't see her cry. He'd seen her do it once today, and once was all he was getting. Even once was one time too many in Tenten's book.

She did look up however when she felt him approach her. She met his eyes and struggled for a moment to read what she saw in them, but only for a moment. Remembering her wet face, she abruptly turned away again, rubbing at her cheeks, irritated with herself, and with him, and with the world at large.

"I told you to-," she started, but was silenced by his lips on hers – a scenario so crazy, so impossible, that for a moment she managed to convince herself she'd fallen asleep in the clearing and had dreamt the whole thing.

But she couldn't have. Because even in her most vivid dreams, Neji's lips had never felt so gentle and strong before. His hands as they gripped her upper arms had never been so desperate, nor the taste of him such a potent mixture of coffee and mint before – which was odd, because she'd never known Neji to drink coffee, or take mints for that matter.

In the initial confusion she kissed him back, mouth moving sensually against his, allowing his intoxicating presence to fill her up like a balloon. He was everything she wanted. Everything she needed. She knew then that even if she lived to be a thousand years old, there could never be another man to compare to Hyuuga Neji. He was too amazing. Too god-like. He didn't even fall under the same category as mere men, and she cursed the heavens that it was her unfortunate fate to be enslaved by his brilliance – she never stood a chance.

And then she remembered he was married. To Kaminari. And that his marriage was supposed to bridge the gap between the main and branch families, something that was obviously going to be impossible if he was caught cheating five minutes into wedlock.

So although it broke her heart all over again, she shoved him hard in the chest and crawled back several panicked feet, staring at him with wide brown eyes. Neji, to her shock, didn't look repentant at all. In fact he was smirking. He was actually smirking at her, one of those all-knowing smirks that used to drive her all kinds of crazy back in the day. It had been a while since she'd seen one, Neji having gained some rudimentary control over his ego since their genin days, but she wasn't surprised to find that it's effects were still as maddening as ever.

"You're married Neji!" she yelled, affronted, touching her lips in disbelief. "You're married and you're being unfaithful already!"

"Tenten, I-," Neji started, but she immediately cut him off.

"No!" she screeched, covering her ears, certain that whatever he could say in response to such an accusation wasn't something she wanted to hear. "I won't listen to any excuses. I'm a lot of messed up things Neji, but a mistress – at least that type of mistress – isn't one of them!"

"I didn't marry Kaminari!" he shouted, scooting forward to grab her hands, holding them as she tried to retreat further.

Tenten refused to meet his eye. He was lying to her. He had to be. No way would the Neji she knew defy his uncle for her sake. There was just no way. It was a trap.

"Tenten." he murmured gently, releasing her wrists to cup her face. "Tenten, look at me."

She tried to resist – honest she did – but there was no defying that silky voice of his. She looked up, eyes watery but absolutely not crying – she wouldn't let him see her tears again, not if it killed her. She'd rather die than suffer that shame again.

"I did not marry Kaminari." Neji repeated, stroking her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. "I couldn't, not after..." he trailed off. He didn't finish but Tenten knew what he meant – after the disaster she'd made of his wedding. He let out a long-suffering sigh. "Why didn't you tell me, Tenten? Why didn't you tell me how you felt sooner?"

She sniffed – a sarcastic sniff of course, not one of those pathetic girly sniffs. Tenten may be heartbroken, but she hadn't lost her pride. "It didn't exactly come up in day to day conversation, Neji," she said stiffly, frowning. "Can you imagine how you would have reacted? I didn't want to jeopardise our friendship. Then Kaminari came along," she snorted, a bitter edge to her voice that she didn't at all like. "and everything changed. The only reason I told you at all was because I knew I was going to lose you either way."

He couldn't seem to think of anything to say to that, so he simply said nothing. Long moments passed in silence between them, her face still cradled tenderly between Neji's calloused hands, before at last Tenten became aware of how close they were. Of how forbidden their current situation was. Because he may not be married to Kaminari yet, but she knew he soon would be. The wedding would be rearranged and things would ultimately work out the way they were destined to – with the pair of them taking separate paths from here on out.

Gradually, Tenten reached up and removed his hands from her face, pasting on a fake smile to make their second farewell that day more pleasant than their first. After all, she was certain that someday they would come together as friends again, when she eventually managed to outgrow her feelings for him. She wanted that day to be a happy one, not one haunted by cross words and hostile goodbyes.

"I'll miss you, you know." she told him conversationally, setting back about sealing the last of her used tools. "I'd say it's okay for you to write and tell me about your life with Kaminari, but... but honestly I'd rather you didn't. Sorry." she added hastily, turning back to him as she tucked her scroll back into the leg holster hidden under the silk of her dress. "But I think a clean break's best for both our sakes."

She treated him to her biggest, most fake smile, and held out her hand for what she knew would be their very last physical contact in months... maybe even years. If Kaminari had her way it would be forever. "So I guess this is goodbye, huh Neji?"

Neji didn't take her hand. He merely sighed, shaking his head as though she were missing something obvious – and important. "You really don't understand, do you?"

"Understand what?" she asked, confused.

"I didn't marry Kaminari. And I am not going to." he elaborated.

"Not... going to?" Tenten repeated, nonplussed. "But why? I thought your marriage was supposed to improve clan relations? I thought it was important that-,"

"It was." Neji interrupted, silencing her protests. "And I won't lie to you – my uncle is not happy with my decision. But Hinata-sama is on my side, as is Hanabi-sama, and we believe there are other ways to achieve the same ends, without me having to marry someone I do not love."

"I... see." Tenten said slowly, but it was obvious to them both that she still wasn't quite following. Likely because it wasn't in her to allow herself that hope, and so instead of catching on she was simply denying it – letting his words wash over her without taking his meaning on board.

"Tenten, sometimes I think you're more oblivious than Lee." he groaned, pressing a palm to his temple in frustration. "I am not marrying Kaminari," he enunciated carefully, watching for her reaction. "because I am in love with you."

…

Tenten just stared at him, unable to comprehend the words that had just dropped from his mouth.

At her complete lack of reaction, Neji shook his head back and forth in exasperation. "Here." he smirked, catching her wrist and pulling her in close. "Let me show you."

Their second kiss was far more passionate than their first, and without the added pungency of Neji's desperation. This time he was slower, more deliberate in his movements, letting Tenten know exactly what his intentions were and giving her ample time to stop him – which she certainly did not. When he ran his tongue along her bottom lip she opened up without hesitation, shivering as he worked a magic in her soul she'd hitherto doubted could exist. Her own tongue slid to meet his eagerly, and as they battled for dominance she allowed the rest of her body to melt into his welcoming frame, wondering in broken, disjointed thoughts how she'd ever survived without him.

Tenten knew, in those few earth-shattering moments, that she was exactly where she belonged. She knew it like she'd never known anything else before, and she also knew that there was no way she'd have been able to stay away from him like she'd originally planned. The pull was too strong, she realised with despair.

And then, like the flipping of a switch, the reality of his words hit home and she grinned into the kiss, her stomach curling with excitement as a brand new thought entered her head. When Neji pulled back to examine her, trademark arrogant smirk pulling at his own features, she grinned even wider, leaning in close and placing lingering butterfly kisses over every inch of his face she could reach.

"I'm glad to see a real smile on your face for once." Neji noted ironically, taking her hand and pressing his lips to her palm. "Can I ask what you find so amusing?"

Tenten beamed at him and stole a kiss from his lips, the knowledge that she could now do so whenever she liked making her feel giddy and light-headed.

"I'm just thinking." she smiled evasively, linking her arms around his waist. "Thinking about how lucky I am."

"Lucky, hm?" he chuckled.

"Yep." she confirmed, nodding, taking a strand of his long, black hair between her fingers and twisting it, relishing in the velvet feel of it against her skin. "Because you're mine now." she breathed seductively, tugging his hair gently.

"Now, and forever." he agreed, leaning down to capture her lips for his own again.

With those sincere words Tenten's heart soared. It may not have happened the way she'd hoped it would, but finally, at long last, she had Hyuuga Neji for herself.

And come what may, she was never letting him go.

-X-