The Hard Life?
Disclaimer; I can honestly say... I don't own Naruto
Summary; 'Call us a gang if you wish, but you know, the term friends that happen to break the law also works, ya know.' Follow Tenten, Hinata, Ino, Neji, Shikamaru, Kiba, Naruto and Rock Lee as they try to survive in the war zone they call 'home'. NejiTen, NaruHina, InoShika.
Authors Note; So yes, a new story. I thought I could have one in the nin world, and one out of it, while having one of them as a mix. It is sort of a gang story, but it is more that they are a group of friends that have been forced into a group to survive in this war zone world that is the Land Of Fire.
(Normal O.V)
Set the scene...
Zoom in. Room. Not big. Not small. A small thing in the middle. Scrap that. It is what the inhabitants of the house call a Christmas tree. A thing of wood. A few pines on it. Covered in broken baubles, and scraps of tinfoil.
Enter eight people. Late teens. Thin.
Sit around the 'tree'.
Tenten P.O.V;
We sat around the tree, making a ring around it.
I suppose when we call the tree a tree, we meant it in the loosest term possible, for what we were crowding around was what was once a fake christmas tree, new around thirty years ago.
"So remind me again where you found this?" Naruto said, gesturing to the tree. "And as to why we have it in the front room?"
"W-well, it's christmas for one..." Hinata started, only for the louder voice of one Rock Lee to take over.
"We need to celebrate to keep youthful, so when we found this tree in the dumpster, I dragged it home, and went on a hunt for decorations," Lee explained.
"Yes, but why?" Naruto repeated, not satisfied with answer he was given.
"Well, as you can tell, the current status of war on our land is still in place, with that it provides us with a difficulty to get gifts that we haven't stolen, and then when we steal we all go together, or in our assigned groups, therefore making it hard to get gifts, without the person they are meant for seeing what it is," I explained.
"So we have a christmas tree instead," Neji finished.
"We had to do something didn't we!" Ino stated. "Even if it is pathetic by any standards."
"And we can barely afford to risk our safety at the expense of a gift. We steal only to stay alive. To show the gangs we are not weak, to get money. Though at war food is not at a shortage as of yet, though it is rationed. Thanks to research that commenced before the war began, we now have these food rations," Neji said, gesturing to the pile in the corner. "But genuine food is always nice."
"I miss the excitement provided by christmas. Waking up in the morning with the stockings at the end of the bed, then running downstairs in order to exchange gifts with various family members, while your mum and nan cooked a large christmas meal, which was eaten while pulling crackers," I reminisced wistfully.
"Don't forget the christmas pud!" Kiba added.
"And when you used to put a match to it," Ino remembered. "The blue of the flame that covered it."
"It was always so troublesome, the build up," Shikamaru mutter from where he sat. "This is so much more simple."
"And the sense of relief we all made it through another year," Hinata whispered, trying to make everyone ignore Shikamaru's comment before a fight broke out.
"Hey, of course we will make it through every year!" Naruto yelled. "You have me!"
"Don't you mean due to team work?" Ino corrected.
"That's what I said," Naruto replied, pointing to himself.
"Well what carol are we going to sing first?" I asked, bored of the path that the conversation was going down.
"Rudolph the red noes reindeer!" Ino and Naruto replied in unison.
HL?
I sat up, my bum feeling numb from being sat for so long on the thin pillow.
"And where does Tenten think she is going?" Ino inquired.
"To stretch my legs, where else?" I replied, a small smile on my face.
"Why?" Lee asked, innocently.
"Due to the fact my bum has gone numb for being sat for so long," I answered, what was with the twenty questions.
"Mine too, can I join you?" Neji asked. I nodded, and stood there waiting for him to stand.
When he was stood beside me, we carried on walking beside me.
As we reached the door, I heard a few coughs from behind us, making me turn to face them.
"Hmm?" I asked them, slightly confused.
Kiba wolf whistled, while Ino snickered. Seeing my blank stare, Naruto began to hoot with laughter, while Hinata pointed nervously above mine and Neji's head.
We looked up at the same time, before looking at each other, blushing slightly.
Mistletoe.
"Who put that there?" Neji asked, calmly, glaring at Kiba, before switching his cold glare to Naruto.
"Hey, don't look at us dude!" Kiba said.
"Though, thinking about it, I wish I had... the look on your faces is priceless!" Naruto added.
"Then who was it?" I asked, again.
"Me," Ino said smirking. "Now, we all know it's bad luck not to kiss right now, so to avoid it, like you know you have to, pucker up."
Neji took my hand in his and raised it too his mouth, lightly kissing it.
"There." Neji stated.
"Not good enough," Ino replied. "It has to be on the lips."
I leaned in, ready to swiftly peck him on the lips.
"And has to last till I say it counts!" Ino added, before walking over to us. "I will be the judge, now Tenten, arms around his neck!"
I growled at her, before doing as she said.
"Neji, hands on her waist!" Ino instructed.
"Is this necessary?" Neji asked as he slipped his hands lightly on my hips. Even as we did as she said there was still quite a bit of distance between us.
"Well, pull her closer then!" Ino told him. He pulled me gently, as she said, his grip on me tightening slightly. Now I could feel his cool breathe on my cheek, sending small shivers down my spine. "Closer!"
This time I shuffled forward, so close we were almost touching this time. I heard Ino sigh from next to us, and she grabbed one of Neji's hands, placing it half way up my back, drawing me closer to him, while pressing our bodies together.
"Now, kiss!" She told us.
I stood on my toes, trying to close the distance between us, while he lowered his head towards me.
"Sorry," We whispered to each other just before our lips locked.
Neji P.O.V;
It took all of my control not to depend the kiss, but I knew now was neither the time nor place for that. Slowly we both began to draw away as our self control began to fray.
"Happy now, Ino?" Tenten asked, loud enough for only the said girl to hear, as we slowly pulled away, still so close I could feel her lips move against my skin.
I heard Kiba whistle in the background, while someone, who I believed to be Shikamaru, cough slightly.
I slyly hugged her closely once more, before regretfully loosening my grip, slowly allowing her to step away.
"Yes, of you go then, I now know all I needed, mission complete so to speak," Ino replied, skipping over to her seat.
"Well looks like that one may be, but as one ends another one begins," Shikamaru replied, pointing towards his phone.
"On Christmas day?" Naruto whined.
"Unyouthful trouble never sleeps Naruto-kun," Lee replied. "Look at it as training!"
"Well what seems to be the problem?" Hinata asked.
Authors Note;
So you like?
Well, teell me then :D
well, I will update soon :)