Tenten sat with her eyes closed, forcing herself and her nerves to relax and remain calm. All the while she did this, she elegantly sipped her tea, keeping the warm cup in her hands to help keep her mind focused on the task at hand. She tried not to show her despondency over the situation, but it had gripped her tightly and she was forcing the false façade on her face like the painted makeup she now wore. She shifted ever so slightly in the constricting silk formal attire, reminding herself that it was a necessary evil to appear polite even if she didn't feel like being even remotely human at the moment.

Because being human meant that she had emotions.

Something she wished she could get rid right now.

The smaller tea room was reserved for the guests that the Aburame wished to have a more private setting with and she knew this of course already, that she was a little less than welcome there, but she came with the intention that she was an honored guest nonetheless, if only to prove that she was above all the political drama even if they weren't.

She didn't have much hope, but she had to at least go out with style, no? Not that it mattered in the long run. If she was here, with out Shino, then she knew it was too late. As the sun was setting on the evening, leaving its orange rays to glide over the formal and intimate tea lay out before Shibi and herself, she had to hand it to the man who sat across from her-he had style, too. The tea tray before them had some of the best, most expensive and refined tea choices, accompanied by some lavish looking pre-dinner treats. It was a little unnerving to see her favorite tea and foods lay out before her, and she was trying not to get her hopes up and figured it was a strategy to offset (possibly poison?) her, so she refused to eat the tempting morsels and settled herself on Shino's favorite tea instead. Sometimes she would drink it in her apartment when she missed him when he was out on long missions. She would curl up with a cup, savoring the way she could taste it on her mouth after they kissed. Kami she was going to miss him.

Shibi was giving her no conversation and she was in no hurry to oblige him in starting one. She was a guest after all. She knew she was only prolonging the inevitable. She wondered to herself now why she had taken the time to look as nice as she did. She put on her best attire; she always thought the pink crane kimono looked elegant on her. Her hair still atop her head in perfectly mirrored buns. She even painted her face to the proper formalities, and now she had to wonder why.

Perhaps to show them what they were missing? She knew better than to hope. She knew it was to show them that even though they weren't going to accept her, she still wanted what was best for Shino, and that he hadn't picked a loser to love after all; she was worthy of his love.

"Do you know why you are here?" Shibi stoically asked, giving no indication that he was upset as she supposed him to be.

"I will not insult you by saying I do not." Tenten politely responded, "You have found out that I have been dating your son." Tenten was forthcoming and honest. She had to be; she would not lie.

"You do not deny that you have kept this a secrete from the clan, from me?"

"No, Aburame-sama, I do not, though it was my intention to tell you right away, your son asked that we not bring to light our relationship until he was certain that he could persuade the clan elders and yourself for him to see whom he wanted. Until then, he asked me to remain quiet of our relationship."

"You think my son ashamed of you?" Shibi cut in, but Tenten was not deterred.

"I think no ill intention of your son, I hold him in the highest esteem."

She met his eyes now, or where she though his eyes might be, he had the decency to remove that thick outer coat that his clan seemed so fond of, but the goggles remained. His lips were pressed into a thin line, something his son was often found doing when he was trying to hide his emotions. Shino looked so much like his father, it almost hurt to think she would never be able to be this close to the man that Shino respected and looked up to so much again. She tried to remind herself it was for the best.

"Then you must be ashamed to be with my son, is that it?" Shibi's lips were turning white they were so firmly pressed into a scowl. Tenten remained calm but put her cup down just a little more forcefully than she intended, making it clank harshly on the table as she pierced the eyes of the Aburame in front of her.

"You insult me, Aburame-sama, I would never be ashamed of your son." It was spoken with so much conviction that Shibi knew with out a shadow of a doubt that it was true. His lips began to gain color and Tenten almost thought she saw them start to form a small, quirky smile at the corners of his mouth. He took a sip of his tea and it was gone when his next line was delivered.

"Did you think that by coming here you would gain my approval and be allowed to marry my son?" Shibi spat out rather fitfully. He looked now enraged, the true markings of a father looking out for his son, for his clan.

"I did not pretend that you would grant me such a selfish luxury, Aburame-sama," Tenten sighed. She had hoped, but she had told herself that was probably not going to happen. Months of no word about if Shino had gotten through to his clan had left her a little more than distressed over the situation. She knew that Shino was not making progress or he would have told her that they could bring their affair to light. Futile now if she were getting tea in the room reserved for more private discussion. The room where they didn't want people to know they had guests like her. Their dirty little secrete; the girl who was not worthy to be a clan member or marry their heir.

"Then why did you come if not to persuade me to allow this travesty of a relationship to continue?" Shibi's voice had lost most of its anger and she could tell his curiosity was piqued.

Tenten sighed again. Why had she come? To hear once and for all that she could not have the man that she wanted? No, it was bigger than that and she knew it. She doubted that Shibi could comprehend her rational behavior.

"I came here because I believe we have the same intentions." Tenten began, now contemplating how very serious she was as she stared longingly at the last free rays of sunlight gracing them with their presence. Oh, how she longed to be able to walk the gardens with Shino just one last time. Pitty, that this was going to be her last memory of the compound; the sunset was beautiful over the grounds, but it meant nothing if she couldn't get the boy she loved to link hands with and show that toothy grin of his.

"I highly doubt that," Shibi refilled her cup and then his. "This tea is my son's favorite, did you know?" He remarked offhandedly.
"I know that is why I chose it." She said, almost to herself.

"Why is that? He is not here."

"Because it reminded me of him." She whispered staring at her cup nostalgically. She regained her courage.

"Make no mistake about my intentions. Tell me Aburame-sama, have you noticed a change in your son's behavior lately?" She mutely looked up at him. She knew it wasn't about her. She wanted that to be perfectly clear. This was about Shino pure and simple.

"I have, changes for the better I assure you." This was as close to an admission on his part as she was going to get. She ran with it.

"I assure you that my intentions for being here are to keep such changes a permanent part of your son's wellbeing," she took a deep breath; this was the hard part, "with or without me in the picture."

Shibi looked confused. He should be. She only somewhat comprehended what she was saying herself.

"I know that I have no clan name, no fortune, no political ties to tempt you to allowing me to marry your son," she began, trying not to choke on her words. "I came here to beg you that whomever you find for your son's bride," she paused, almost unable to speak the words she was fumbling over. "That she love him." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. There she said it. It would be a tragedy of the biggest kind that Shino never smiled again.

"Your son deserves no less." She added in a whisper.

"Not the works of a women out to seek his wealth and power on the council," his words came out harsh and cold. She could feel his eyes narrow on her behind the confines of the glass.

"I will not see him throw away his position on the council to be with me, nor will I allow him to come to such ruin by leaving his family to be by my side. I apologize that I have nothing to offer your son. I know he gains nothing by remaining with me. I had wishful thinking that he might persuade them otherwise. I came here as a testament to resolve the matter firmly, it is what is best for your son, and I am sorry my selfishness did not permit me to come sooner." She spoke slowly, deliberately, with intention.

Her next words were filled with a harsh emotion, and she was completely enraged as she delivered them, "But I will not apologize for loving your son!" Another clank as the tea cup slammed deliberately into the table. Shibi leaned back in his kneeling position to glare thoughtfully at the konoichi now firmly driving holes into his head with her piercing glare.

"I have nothing further to say," she began as she got up, "I only hope that you will consider my words concerning your son, I will see myself out."

She was in the doorway when his words rang out, releasing the last dagger into her heart.

"I have already chosen a wife for my son; rest assured, she loves him dearly."

She was glad that she did not face him, as her eyes started to water, her emotions brimming over with a long over-due need for a catharsis.

"Congratulations," was all she said before slipping out the door.

She vaguely heard him protest against her leaving, but it did not matter. She had said her peace, and she needed to part quickly before her heart would shatter further from the loss.

She snaked her way through the corridors of the compound, her feet acting on autopilot as they guided her through his home: the home where she would never be allowed to enter again. As she opened the front door, tears now freely flowing down her face, she was met with a swarm of kakkai blocking her exit.

Shibi came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

She stood stock still, trying desperately to collect herself by swiping the tear from her eyes.

"Tenten, I wish to continue to speak with you, please follow me back to the tea room." Shibi coaxed in her ear to reassure her he meant no harm.

"Please do not permit me to stay and prolong my torture," she whispered brokenly.

"I would hope my future daughter-in-law would be eager to spend some time with her future father-in-law." Shibi turned her around to face her. "I am sorry that I was so harsh with you Tenten, I hope that you can one day forgive me. The council agreed that you could marry my son, but only if they were absolutely convinced that you loved him."

Tenten began to be the thing that Shibi feared most in life: a crying, wailing thing that clung to him without reservation. He was hopelessly lost as to what to do. Yet he continued to try to console her the only way he knew how: by just allowing her to cling to his robes and dampen them to the best of her abilities, all the while embracing her and patting her head. The sobbing died down to small hiccups and she finally was able to lift her head and look him in the eyes before nearly starting the whole process over again.

"I must look a wreck," she half laughed, half cried as she swiped the tears overflowing from her eyes.

"I would expect no less from all the strain I put you through. For that I am very sorry."

He pulled her into a firm hug. "Shino will be home soon, can I persuade you to stay for dinner?"

Tenten laughed as she looked at the front of the man's robes, "My apologies for the state of your attire, Aburame-sama." Tenten gave him a shy smile, but a genuine smile no less.

He chuckled at the makeup now smeared into the wet puddle on his front. "Perhaps we should both freshen up before dinner, neh?" he said and led his son's future wife down the hall.

….

I tried to fix some stuff here. Let me know if you find anything that needs changing. PM me, its cool: I don't bite. :)