#full disclosure tho this will have a follow up and theyre gonna get back together if I have anything to say about it

[needdl]

NejitenMonth Day 7: Amnesia

Available on FFN and AO3

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It had been three weeks now since Tenten’s boyfriend had abruptly dumped her, and now he apparently had already forgotten their entire seven-month relationship.

Tenten watched him dully as he smiled down at the woman he’d been seeing a lot recently- Kumi, she’d heard. And she knew that it could have been her just being jealous, but she knew his stupid signs of romance and flirting, and he was definitely using them on Kumi.

And she’d been dumped before, so what hurt most was that their relationship had been so sweet and serious, and she never would have thought that Neji of all people would dump her so he could immediately initiate a relationship with someone else.

Neji reached out to hold Kumi’s hand, and Tenten hastily left the university cafe before she started crying.

The wind bit at her the second she opened the door, and she ducked her chin into her coat, biting back a shiver. She was only wearing a t-shirt under her coat, which was proving to be a mistake, but the only clean sweatshirt she had right now was- was one Neji had lent to her.

Maybe the wind wasn’t so bad. It meant she could pretend her eyes were watering.

-----

Tenten exited lab with weariness set into her bones. She really hadn’t wanted to have any classes so late, but the only time she could fit everything in her schedule was to have her chem lab from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM.

It didn’t help that her lab partners were really terrible at chemistry, although they were trying very hard. But it always wound up taking them an extra half an hour or so than most other people, and Tenten was lucky to get out by 9:00 most of the time.

And tonight she still had an hour’s worth of homework for a few other classes, so it was promising to be a late night.

She was rounding the corner with a huge yawn, contemplating stopping by Ino and Sakura’s room for a conversational pick-me-up, and then saw Neji exiting one of his professor’s offices. 

(Well, no, not just “one of his professors”, because Tenten knew for a fact that it was one of his advisors because of course she knew about Neji’s studies, the same way he knew about hers.)

They both froze and stared at each other for several long moments. Tenten felt like she’d been stripped down to her darkest vulnerabilities under his gaze.

Neji finally shifted on his feet, looking uncomfortable, and spoke. “Tenten… I’d forgotten you had lab here.”

Forgotten? He had forgotten, when he used to text her encouragement during lab, when he soothed her complaints about it with head massages, god, when he used to come by every week to walk her back to her apartment, no matter how late it’d been?

Had she meant so little to him?

Tenten couldn’t breathe past the lump in her throat. She ducked her chin and hurried away without speaking to him.

-----

Frustratingly, life continued on.

Tenten continued through her classes and her waitressing job, doing her best to smile at her regulars and her classmates. It was hard. She still felt like there was a big cavern in her chest, and every time she saw Neji- no matter how fleetingly- it was like he was carelessly breaking up with her all over again.

He’d apparently stopped with whatever the Kumi thing had been, but that didn’t mean that Tenten wasn’t furious and upset and devastated and- and-

It was just- Neji had worked his way into her life so quickly and quietly that Tenten didn’t realize how close they were, and how much she depended on him, until he didn’t want her anymore.

Tenten’s manager sent her home early after she screwed up her fourth order of the day, with quiet instructions to get some rest and not come in tomorrow unless she was feeling better, okay? Tenten just nodded blankly as she put her apron away and headed out to the bus stop.

A few days that week had been warmer, but it was cold that night as she waited for the bus. (She used to have a boyfriend that would pick her up after her shift, but he- it- that wouldn’t happen anymore.)

She settled into a bus seat and looked out the window, watching the light of the street lamps flicker past. After a few minutes, she noticed the man across from her staring steadily, and her skin prickled uncomfortably.

He didn’t say anything, just blatantly stared at her for the entire bus ride- she chose to get off early, at the university rather than her apartment block, because he was so creepy.

She felt his eyes track her off the bus and tried not to shiver. It wasn’t the first time some creep had singled her out, and probably wouldn’t be the last, but she hated it.

She’d have to wait for the next bus to stop before she made it to her apartment, which would be about half an hour, so she went to the library and tucked herself into a quiet corner to work through her homework while she waited.

Her phone buzzed ten minutes later- Hinata was texting her, in response to Tenten’s earlier complaint about creeps on buses. 

Hinata Hyuga

Are you okay to call right now?

Tenten didn’t respond, just dialed her.

She picked up right away. “T-Tenten, are you okay?”

“Yeah, of course. I just got off the bus early so I’m waiting for the next one.”

“Was he… was he that creepy?”

“I- well, yeah. I left my pepper spray in my other bag, and he was being so blatant about staring that I just decided to get off at the university and wait. It’s fine, I’m just in the library.”

“Oh.” The relief in Hinata’s voice was palpable. “I’m- I’m glad.”

“It’s not too bad, actually. Getting in some homework.”

“Will you… b-be okay for th-the next- next bus?”

“Yeah. This one was just rough because there was only one other person in the compartment so I wasn’t sure if- I just didn’t want to risk anything.” She heard the slight tremor in her own voice and hated it. 

“Okay, w-well- call me if… if you need anything, okay?”

“Of course. Thanks, Hina.” They disconnected, and Tenten heaved a sigh and checked her watch. Seventeen minutes till the next bus.

Twelve minutes later, she got up and started packing away her things, then departed from her little nook. Her step faltered slightly as the person at the closest table looked up as she was leaving- it was Neji, of course it was Neji, and they made eye contact for half a second before Tenten jerked her gaze away and kept walking like she hadn’t seen him.

He did like the quietness of the library at night, she remembered with a pang, and hurried on.

The next bus was half-full with other passengers, and the ride passed without incident. 

-----

Her grandmother passed away the next month.

It had been a long time coming, really, but it hurt a lot. The old woman had been sharp-tongued and judgmental, but she loved hard and had taught Tenten everything she knew about cooking.

She missed a few days of classes to fly to China for the funeral, and returned feeling numb and blank-faced. Her distant relatives had given her a very lukewarm welcome, and she had been uncomfortable staying any longer- but she wasn’t ready to get back to her life just yet.

She spent the weekend just curled up in her bed, staring blankly at the walls, the ceilings, the curtains. She ate rarely, and when she did, it was too much. Her showers were just as few and far between.

The low point was when she dug Neji’s sweatshirt out from the back of her closet, pulled it on, and cried the rest of the night with her face buried in it.

The morning after, she woke up with tears streaking down her face and a giant knot in her hair, plus the realization that her room was starting to smell. She ate breakfast and spent an hour untangling her hair before her shower, then somehow managed to keep her momentum going by running a few miles around the park.

It was mid-afternoon by the time Tenten was done. She got back home and pulled out her backpack to do her homework, feeling much better- and immediately hit a mental wall, where even the possibility of studying made her anxious.

She cleaned her room instead. Washing sheets, wiping down walls, dusting, vacuuming- the whole thing. She ate a late lunch afterwards and even managed to send a few emails.

But then she was dawdling again, feeling the weight of her missed classes pressing down on her but physically unable to do them. After half an hour of restless worrying, she texted Ino and Sakura.

Tenten

Need a study buddy, what are you up to?

Ino Yamanaka

BORING stuff that i will gladly skip 4 u my love, where you wanna meet?

Sakura Haruno

I can be there in about 45 mins, just let me know!!

Tenten

Uni cafe?

Ino Yamanka

Yeaaaaaa see you there!

Tenten had a ghost of a smile on her face as she closed her phone and began gathering the contents of her backpack. Ino’s vivaciousness was always catching.

Tenten took ten minutes to change into her favorite burgundy sweater and jeans, then did up her hair into the new twin buns-braid combo she’d been meaning to try. She surprised herself with a broad smile in the mirror- she looked nice, and her pleasure with it shone through into her expression.

Ino was already at the cafe when Tenten got there, looking sleekly professional in her pantsuit. Tenten plopped down in the spot across from her and said, “God, Ino, aren’t you cold in that?”

Ino jerked her head up from where she’d been engrossed in her laptop, looking a little startled at Tenten’s sudden presence, but said without missing a beat, “Can’t be cold in a body this hot!”

Tenten laughed, but tried to stifle it when heads swivelled their way. “Shut up, you idiot.” She pulled out her own laptop and notebook, and asked, “I’m gonna go grab something to drink, you want anything?”

“Oooh, yeah, here-” Ino tossed a handful of bills at Tenten and rattled off her order, which Tenten instantly forgot and had to have her write down.

She came back five minutes later balancing both their cups in her hands, and placed Ino’s neatly beside her. She grinned dazzlingly up at her. “Thanks, Ten, you’re such a babe.”

“Aw, Ino.” Tenten fluttered her eyelashes beguilingly as she took her seat. “Thanks for meeting me, by the way. I was feeling very not-motivated and I need someone to bully me.”

“Well, you sure as hell have come to the right place,” Ino winked. “I’m really digging the hair- is that the style you were talking a while ago?”

“Yeah, I finally tried it out.” Tenten reached up to fiddle with her bangs, then said contemplatively, “I’m thinking about getting my bangs cut, too, so they go across the forehead.”

“Oh, you mean like real bangs, and not your parted floaty nonsense?” Ino grinned savagely. She’d always insisted that Tenten didn’t have bangs, just weird short hair on her forehead.

Tenten pointed her pencil menacingly at Ino. “Hey, don’t mock the bangs, Yamanaka. Sasuke imitated these bad boys for years.”

Ino sighed dramatically. “Ah, Sasuke. So hot, but such an asshole.”

Tenten grinned as she took a sip of her hot chocolate. “But like- really hot.”

“God, so hot,” Ino agreed. They both devolved into giggles.

They completely and cheerfully failed in their efforts to study for the next hour as they idly chatted and worked their way through their drinks. It wasn’t until Sakura arrived in a hurried breeze through the door that they even remembered the whole “study buddy” thing.

Sakura dropped her books down on the table with a bang. Ino and Tenten both smiled up at her as they started chattering at her about measuring spoons- who knew how’d they’d gotten there- but she gave them both a frown and said, “No. Nuh-uh, we came here for some studying and that is what we are doing, nerds! Discipline and self-regulation!” She raised a fist in the air.

“Nooo, Sakura,” Tenten said, wide-eyed. “Spoooooooooooons.”

“Fine,” Sakura said, and plunked down into the seat.

They’d been talking for another half an hour when Ino finally asked the tentative question, her eyes flickering behind Tenten, “So, how are you feeling, Tenten, after- well, your grandma’s funeral?”

Her bluntness on the subject was something of a relief, because it meant that it was easier for Tenten to be honest. “I mean, it sucked.”

They both made noises of sympathy, and Sakura reached out to grasp her hand. Tenten continued, “Her funeral was awful, because I didn’t really know anyone there and they were- polite, but a little exclusive, and when I got home it was like I hadn’t actually been able to reach any catharsis, and I- it was a really bad weekend.”

She took a sip of coffee, somewhat frantically, and added, “But I’m feeling better now. I cried all night, worked out all the emotions-” They were both staring behind her now, apprehensive looks on their faces.

“Guys, what’re you…?” She turned and looked straight into Neji’s eyes.

He was sitting at the table behind them, his own study materials placed neatly around him but going ignored as he stared at her, looking like his legs had been swept out from under him.

Tenten met his gaze for a moment, then said flatly, “Oh.” She turned back to her friends with an eye roll, and asked Ino, “So, then, how’s the psychology- business double major treating you, Ino?”

Sensing Tenten’s desire to push on, Ino was all too happy to launch into a convoluted albeit hilarious story about how both her majors sucked very much but she loved them anyway. Tenten slowly relaxed as the three of them settled back into their conversation- and eventually even got to the studying part.

Tenten wrapped up a few hours later with most of her homework finished, waving goodbye to Ino and Sakura (and ignoring Neji, still sitting behind her) as she started the walk back to her apartment. It was colder out now that the sun had gone down, so she tugged her sweater over her sleeves to prevent her fingers from getting too cold.

Her to-go cup of hot chocolate had cooled by the time she got home. She pouted.

-----

One week later, she knocked on the door of a high-end apartment, nervously shifting the box in her arms as she waited for someone to answer. She didn't want to be here, but this needed to be done sooner or later. 

Light footsteps came from behind the doorway and it swung open.

Neji stopped short at the sight of her, clearly not expecting to see her there. She gave him a twisted smile. “Uh, hi. So, I was cleaning my apartment the other day and found all this, so...“ She reached out and offered the box to him, containing, among other things, some of his books, a pair of headphones, and that stupid sweatshirt.

(She’d washed the sweatshirt, but later had put on perfume while standing near it so it might smell like her, a little. If it did, she hoped it hurt.)

Neji didn’t say anything, just stared at her. He made no move to take the box, so she just awkwardly shoved it into his chest until his arms reached up to take it. 

“Right, so, um, bye.” She turned away and started walking back down the hall, but Neji suddenly spoke behind her.

“No- Tenten, wait.” He grabbed her arm and she stiffened.

He released her immediately, flexing his fingers as his mouth opened and closed. Tenten gave him as neutral a face as she could, brows raised to prompt him on.

Finally, he blurted, “I didn’t want to break up with you.”

What? She stared at him, uncomprehending. He pressed on, “I realize that’s hard to believe-”

She almost snapped at him.

“-but it’s true.” He looked at her like he expected her to ask him more, to go inside and talk things out with him.

Disgust and anger welled in her, and she snarled, “Well, you did it anyway, Neji! You broke up with me.”

He said nothing, just watched her with a hollow look in his eye. 

Satisfaction filled her at the sight. “So it doesn’t fucking matter what your intentions were, what you wanted or didn't want, because you still decided that something else was more important than our relationship.”

She paused to catch her breath, then concluded, “You don’t get to just walk that back.” 

With one last glare- she was so angry- she marched away.

Neji stared after her, clutching the box to his chest, his heart aching.

#ntmonth2019 #nejiten #neji #tenten #I WROTE AAAAAANGST I CAN'T EVEN BELIEVE IT #full disclosure tho this will have a follow up and theyre gonna get back together if I have anything to say about it #fanfic #my writing #ALSO uni starts next week for me so fics will come much more sparingly #i also still have 3-4 more pieces for the modern au i've written #2 of which are 90% complete #anyway good bye