Warning: depiction of severe depression. please don't read if these topics discomfort you.

"I've been thinking about a haircut." Tenten pushed his bangs out of his eyes, noting the way they settled right back into his field of vision.

Sitting across from him, Ino took a sip of her frappe. "Aww, you looked pretty cute with long hair. But," she sang with a wink, "I'd be happy to use you for experimentation."

"Are you licensed yet to cut hair?" Tenten asked.

"No, but they say practice makes perfect!"

He squinted, but his attentions were stolen again by his bangs in the corner of his vision, forcing him to sweep them away again.

Tenten remembered he had much longer hair, reaching down to below his shoulder blades. At the beginning of high school he had cut it as short as possible.

"I don't trust you not to make me look like a K-pop star." He remembers Sasuke's face when Ino revealed his new look.

Ino banged her fists on the table, cheeks red. "That was out of curiosity! Besides, you don't have the same kind of look so it wouldn't work on you anyways."

Tenten plastered the smile on, calm and serene and unassuming. "And what kind of look would that be, Ino?"

"You're way cheerier! You smile and it brightens up the whole room, just like the sun! The kind of look that lets people in and welcomes them with open arms!" Ino babbled, mouth continuing to spew insincere words while they both wondered when she'd stop. "I, well, at least that's the Tenten I know true and dear."

She finished and looked away. Tenten continued to smile like a viper in the grass.

"Anyways," Ino said, suddenly uncomfortable, packing away her belongings and getting up to leave, "the offer's still on the table. I know you don't like things in your face, so better choose now rather than later."

Tenten waved her off as she all but fled. Then he sunk against the back of his chair and his entire being slumped, smile falling away.

He hadn't given an honest smile in months. The Tenten that Ino was recounting wasn't alive anymore and they were both aware. Everyone was aware.

He needed a haircut.

XXX

"That makes twelve to two. This is getting pathetic."

Sasuke stopped the soccer ball beneath his foot, kicking it up into his hands as he approached his upperclassman.

Tenten frowned and flicked some of his sweaty hair out of his eyes. "Good game, I can see why they made you offense so early on." He had barely done anything but his chest still burned.

"Is there a deeper meaning to why you asked for a match? Or do you just like wasting people's time?"

He shrugged, unable to come up with an answer. Sasuke was a year his junior, yet he was already known by the entire student body for his athletic abilities and academics. Until now, Tenten had been too overcome with nervousness to even approach him. Compared to Sasuke, Tenten was just a complete nobody. He was average.

"If you're the best long-distance runner," Sasuke continued, brow furrowing more and more, "then how come you couldn't outrun me even once?"

Tenten smirked and pulled himself to his full height, having to look down slightly to meet Sasuke's dark gaze that was relentlessly scanning him for an explanation.

He reached out a hand to ruffle his underclassman's hair. To his amusement, Sasuke bared his teeth, prepared to bite his hand clean off.

"Don't patronize me," he growled, shoulders tense. After a moment he pushed Tenten's hand off him and took another step forward, invading Tenten's personal space. "Hey, answer me."

"I'm sorry," Tenten began, trying not to laugh and embarrass himself further, "I just wanted to confirm something to myself. I'll treat you later for putting up with me."

Sasuke's eyes widened but immediately narrowed even further, the ball struggling under his grip. It was obviously not what he wanted to hear, but right as he was about to open his mouth and probably tear Tenten a new one, Kiba appeared and grabbed Tenten by the wrist, dragging him away.

His grip wasn't strong enough that Tenten couldn't break free, but he followed him nonetheless to a more private area of school grounds.

Once they stopped, Tenten found a side of a building to lean against, waiting to see what Kiba was going to say. They haven't spoken for a while, and even at Chouji's party Tenten hadn't deigned him a response when he was pulled out of the water. When was that again? About two weeks ago?

"Hey." Kiba swallowed, hands shoved deep into his hoodie's front pocket. Tenten looked around for Akamaru but didn't find Kiba's dog. Akamaru wasn't allowed on school property but they had a habit of sneaking him onto the track course during practice.

As Kiba began talking Tenten found he couldn't understand a single thing he was saying. His voice warped in on itself, dropping too low to hear before becoming a screaming train and snapping off into the sound of glass being stepped on. Tenten willed his ears to work, bangs hanging over his eyes they had grown so long, and his own irritation mounting in on itself at this singular, insignificant fact.

His hair was too goddamn long he just wanted to cut it all off.

"Are you even listening to a thing I'm saying?" Kiba had evidently let his temper flare, reaching out to hold Tenten by the front of his shirt, long nails biting into his skin.

Tenten for his part couldn't control the tightening of his lips, staring down at Kiba and daring him to repeat himself

His lips moved, right as Kiba swung with a right hook. "Are you fucking done?"

XXX

Sakura looked at him with unveiled disdain, her professionality winning out over her obvious resentment to him.

Tenten stared back coolly as best he could with one eye swollen shut. At least his nose had stopped bleeding.

"You owe me big time," she huffed.

"I know. Hey," he said, "did you like me when I had long hair?"

Sakura gawked then righted herself. "What kinda question… I think yeah? You would let me braid it and such, but it's short now and it's not my concern."

She turned around to get some more painkillers.

Tenten leaned back against the chair he was in. It was some time later even if Tenten didn't exactly recall how he got here in the first place. One moment he was talking to Ino, then Sasuke, then Kiba, and now Sakura. He remembers it all happening but he doesn't remember being there in person.

It's at that point Hinata walks in.

"Sakura, I got your message and came to che- oh."

Tenten considered getting up and leaving. And he would have, had Sakura not come back and put an iron grip on his shoulder. That was going to bruise.

"I didn't expect you to come see what's been holding me up!" Sakura's voice came out sickenly upbeat. A prominent vein bulged in her forehead. "Sorry, this idiot went and got himself into a fight. I can't divulge who but I'm sure you'll figure it out anyways. Just give me a minute and I'll send him on his way."

Hinata's eyes widened, then widened even further as she went through all the candidates and obviously putting a few clues together. The bite mark on Tenten's forearm wasn't subtle.

He found a cup of water pushed into his hands. "Drink," came the order as Sakura went back behind the curtain. He took a sip, swishing it around to get the metallic taste of blood out of his mouth, then swallowed.

Beside him, Hinata looked appropriately uncomfortable.

She fidgeted and he continued to be quiet. Ino's earlier comment of how he was so open and accepting came to mind.

The only sound was Sakura from afar, seeming to be on her phone. She was probably telling Ino what happened. So much for confidentiality, but then again Tenten had asked her not to let the adults know about this.

Funny how, when he had wanted to hear Kiba he couldn't, but he hear Sakura's annoying words rung clear as crystal to his ears.

Hinata put a hand on his shoulder. It was so cold he jumped, nerves still straining to defend himself. "Di… did you not hear what I said?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Tenten blinked.

"I didn't." He really didn't.

Hinata gave a soft frown, fishing into her bag and pulling out his handkerchief from two weeks ago. "Sorry I couldn't get it back to you. I thought… well, it doesn't matter anymore." She slipped it into his hands and took a step back from him.

She didn't give him a pitying look; Hinata never pitied anyone, she was too empathetic for that, but she couldn't erase the downward tugging of her lips as she waited for Sakura to finish.

Tenten gave an exhale, looking down at the handkerchief that had his name on it. "Can I borrow your cell? I wanna call Neji."

"I thought you had his number?"

"I erased it."

When and why were the words she was going to say, but Hinata held them back and pulled out her phone, handing it over but making sure their fingers don't touch. Tenten wondered if everyone was going to hate him today.

"Hinata?" came Neji's voice, a tad groggy. He must have been napping.

"No, it's Tenten. Can you come visit me by the park?" he ended the call before there was a response, giving it back to Hinata and standing up.

Sakura had just pulled the curtain back as Tenten sprinted out of the room. Neither she nor Hinata tried to catch up to him.

XXX

He was the best as long-distance track, but even then he wasn't considered the fastest. That distinction belonged to Rock Lee, who always gave it more than a hundred percent with a wide grin and burning passion.

Tenten wasn't sure why he was thinking of him, sitting by himself on a swing set at eight in the evening. The sun had left long ago.

It's sometime later that Neji finds him, looking a little out of breath and running over.

"You actually came."

"You didn't specify which park so I had to look around." Neji sat down at the swing next to him, catching his breath. Once he did he added, "Hinata told me what happened."

"Did she now?"

"Why did you call me out here? It's late as it is."

For once, Tenten actually had an answer. "Because I wanted to be alone."

"Alone…" Neji stared between them. "I see."

"I wanted to be alone with you," he said, "does that make sense?"

"It doesn't, but that doesn't matter to me. You asked me to come, so I did."

"Why, though?"

"Because you asked me out."

"But you rejected me."

"I never said I rejected you."

"You're pissing me off." Tenten leaned back on the swing, further and further until the only thing keeping him from falling was his hold on the chains. The stars above twinkled faintly at him from above. He thought about letting go. "I need a haircut."

Neji looked him over as best he could in the dim light. "Do you?"

"What about you? What do you prefer?" For some reason Tenten needed to know Neji's opinion.

He shrugged. "You were fine with long hair, you'll be fine with short. You're still the same to me."

"Are you talking about my hair, or are you talking about me?"

"Well, you're the one who's been talking about his hair, so which one do you choose?"

Slowly, Tenten pulled himself back up so he could focus on Neji. It was a cold night and Tenten just realized how numb his fingers were, feel the stinging of the numerous bruising from his fight earlier, and the soreness in his legs from running, how his breath fogged out in front of him, and how it was the same for Neji.

He was sensible enough to put on a jacket and longer pants, but even then the ends of his ears were red and his lips were dry and chapped.

Tenten felt the edges of a smile perk up, even as he fought to keep his cool. "I think I now know why I had such a crush on you."

Neji blinked, leaning closer. "Do you still have a crush on me?"

"Hell no."

He spat it out in an instant, almost regretting it but realizing it was true. He didn't have a crush on Neji anymore, hadn't in a while.

Neji looked nonplussed, tilting his head slightly. He inched closer, causing Tenten to try and lean away. "Is that so?"

Tenten kept his lips sealed, wondering if he could take off again. He was sore all over but Neji had spend most of the afternoon trying to find him. If it came down to it, he had more stamina so a running start would be bes-

Neji pulled him close to kiss him. Their lips made contact for a brief second before Tenten pushed him away, giving him a nasty glare despite a smile straining harder on his face.

"When someone says they don't have a crush on you anymore, you're not suppose to kiss them," he admonished, but there was no heat behind his words.

"And when someone is being begged by their underclassman to get some help, you're not supposed to get into a fistfight with them," Neji shot back similarly. He had always been more direct, a lot more upfront compared to how Tenten kept skirting around and running away from the issue.

He wasn't going to let Tenten run away now, not when Tenten's already called him over.

"You've been off all day," he said as way of conversation. "Being mean to Ino when she wanted to hang out with you, imposing on Sasuke just so you have an excuse to feel bad about yourself. You've pissed off everyone today, including me, who you haven't bothered to see until you call me out here in the cold and the dark."

Tenten bit his inner cheek, breath turning heavy as all his actions were placed before him. "Do you want an explanation?" Everyone else has been demanding it of him.

"I don't need one," Neji said, standing up and stepping in front of Tenten, staring down at him coolly the same way he had when Tenten had asked for tutoring.

Give a sharp push, he pushed Tenten backwards off of the swing.

Tenten's heart jumped into his chest at the sudden weightlessness, only to spike higher when gravity tore him down in the same breath. His eyes closed, ready for the impact.

The sound of the chains connected to the swing clinked together. Tenten heard his own accelerated breathing, his teeth chattering together as they tried to suck in some air.

He looked up at Neji, who was biting back a grimace.

Before he fell he had instinctively reached out, and Neji had offered his arms to hold onto. Out of instinct he dug his nails in, a small trickle of blood blooming from the pale flesh.

"There," Neji said, "now the pain on the outside is matching the inside."

Tenten looked up at him, blinking. He couldn't release his hold or else he'd fall, but if he wanted to pull himself back up he'd have to press his nails even further into Neji's skin.

"Are you a fucking masochist?" he asked, already deciding which option he was going to choose. He pulled his arms back, tossing them up above his head and letting the wind get knocked out of him as his back hit the ground.

It hurt, but Tenten was already beat up by a lot of things in such a short amount of time. His unruly bangs practically covered his entire vision, only allowing a few snippets to be seen from between.

"I need a haircut."

"I don't trust you around a blade right now." Neji grunted, walking around and bending down next to where Tenten laid awkwardly, his back on the ground but his legs still tangled with the swing.

"Then what do you propose I do, Neji?"

By now they were both visibly shaking from the cold, both beaten up in different ways, both physically and mentally. Tenten wasn't sure how well he felt, dragging Neji down to his level. A lot of it was confusing even as it laid perfectly clear in front of him.

"Sit up," Neji commanded. With some slow movements, Tenten managed to to do, sitting cross-legged and waiting for the next step. "Close your eyes."

His mouth opened to protest, but with how Neji was looking at him right now, so sincerely focused, all words died in his throat and he obliged.

Tenten felt Neji's long fingers run across his scalp, ignoring the knots and the tangles until he had a decent amount of it in his grasp. He felt a tugging, and then, all at once, Neji let him go.

"Alright, open them up."

Tenten did as Neji told him. He first saw that Neji's had was now undone, falling around his shoulders without the hairtie he has keeping it out of his way. Reaching behind him, he found his hair had been tied back into a small ponytail.

Tenten didn't know what to say. He wanted to cry, scream, and run away all at the same time.

Instead, he gave Neji a smile.