Neji: He saw her tear-stained face, but never said anything. He never questioned her tears, just like he never questioned her smiles. Because it wasn't his business, because it was easier to ignore the sorrow in her eyes, because they were just teamates. Right?

Tenten: She felt another tear slip away, another sob escape her throat. Every day she swore she wouldn't let her emotions show, to hide the sorrows inside and to let the day slide away silently. And every day, she broke that oath.

Neji: He didn't know why, ever since that visit to ANBU headquarters, she would lock herself away and refuse her training, refuse her friends, refuse her life. Everytime he caught himself wondering, he would remind himself to back off. To leave the reason behind those tears alone, lest it killed him inside.

Tenten: She never gave any answers to the questions she raised, even the people closest to her didn't ever find out. She didn't know if it was because she was too much of a coward to tell them the truth about herself, or too much of a coward to face the truth herself.

Neji: This time was different, he couldn't sit back any longer as she buried herself away again. Not when he needed to tell her something. Because if anything happened to him, she needed to know.

Tenten: She heard the careful knock on the door late in the evening, just when she thought her teammates had given up on convincing her to come out. Probably Lee, she sighed, he never knew when to give up.

Neji: He stood by the door, painfully conscious of the cool breeze flowing, and the dread building in his chest. Would the truth destroy him?

Tenten: She was surprised when she found Neji at her doorstep. Her first thought was to turn him away, until she saw the swirling emotions in his eyes. He was here for a reason, and he could be as stubborn as Lee when he wanted too. And despite her head telling her not to, her heart said something else. She let him in.

Neji: The questions spun in his mind. He decided to ask the most obvious one first. The whys escaped his mouth before he could stop them, the famed Hyuuga self-control crumbling as years-worth of questions spilled out of his lips.

Tenten: He cut to the chase. So she would too. Why? She wondered herself. She told him the facts first; the first thing they take is your father. Then they steal your name. Because when your father is a murderer, what does that make you? She asked him those same questions, felt more tears fall down. Don't hate me, she pleaded.

Neji: Helplessness was all he felt as she broke down in the doorway. Sobs wracked her body and filled the evening air. The setting sun cast shadows on her tear-stained face, as he tried to comprehend the truth. All he knew, was that he could never hate Tenten.

Tenten: She told him everything. Confessed the bitter truths, and the broken girl inside. Told him the tale of the daughter of a murderer and how she lost her name.

Neji: He could do nothing but stare. He wanted to cradle her in his arms, tell her that there was more to a person than a name. He knew the irony, because wasn't he the one bearing the revered Hyuuga name?

Tenten: Is it a crime to love your father, no matter what taints his name, she asked him. . Should I feel the guilt of having a father with blood on his hands?

Neji: He didnt have answers to those questions, could only keep her close and helplessly watch her cry her pains away. He held her until her sobs disappeared and there were no more tears left to cry.

Tenten: She finally stood up, with no more tears to spare. She tried to smile that beaming smile of hers, and hoped for the best. Because if Neji ever looked at her with contempt, it would be more than she could bear.

Neji: He wasn't fooled by her smile this time, no matter how desperately he wanted to believe it. He made a silent promise as he walked through her doorway, her hand softly brushing his shoulder as she sent him out.

Tenten: She didn't want him to leave, but she didn't want to know what he thought of a murderer's daughter either, because she didn't want to lose him.

Neji: He turned around a final time and whispered his vow to the closing door, losing the words to the wind.

"Tenten, one day I'll give you a name that no one can take away, as long as you accept it."

Tenten: She wasn't sure she heard him right through the breezy night air, but that night she slept soundly for the first time in weeks.

Neji: The next day, she came to training. The rest of Team Gai never probed the sudden return, and neither he nor Tenten supplied the information. He did however, tell her he was leaving on an S-ranked mission the next day.

Tenten: She smiled, despite the fear in her heart. Of course he would come back.

Neji's final thought was his broken oath. He silently gave Tenten his apologies, because she would never have his name. She never knew how much he wanted to wrap his arms around her and confess all those emotions in her ear everytime they trained together. She never knew the tender thoughts that swirled his mind, everytime he saw that beautiful smile of hers. She never knew how much he loved her. He only gave her a whispered promise, and now, he was breaking it.

Author's Notes: Thank you reader, for the time you have taken to read this fanfic! Nejiten is one of my favourite OTP's and this is my tribute to them. Tenten's backstory is entirely a headcannon and isn't confirmed in the actual story in any way. Any reviews are appreciated, and constructive criticism is welcome. (I may have completely overused line spacing. Oh well.) Hope you enjoyed!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.