Cold, Scattered Ice
By Keo Siph
All Naruto characters © Masahi Kishimoto, Shounen Jump
Hinata turned, gasping and dropping the ice tray so that the frozen things scattered everywhere. Cold words on soft, warm ears with midnight hair drowning it all. Now, another set of pale, warm feet was spattered with the cold. Hinata looked up to meet eyes just like hers, framed in a world that could only be her polar opposite. He glistened from the night's dew, and no words were yet expressed. Yet elsewhere, two eyes of a smaller face with both their looks watched intently from behind a doorframe. All eyes were colorless, the eldest's even more so.
She would not receive the ice, not this time. Not after the burning flame known as Naruto.
"Neji-san, I, I mean, my training has increased and--!" She stopped as two boxes were shoved into her vision.
"Lee-san's present."
"Ah-ah… he didn't have to, I mean, if he wanted to, that's fine youdidn'tpressurehimdidyou? I mean, ifhewashappytogiveitI'llbehappytotakeitbutIreallydon'tdeserveitat… There are two boxes, Neji-san." Neji looked at her hands as she looked up from the boxes, then he turned and walked back through the doorway.
"Neji!" Hinata barked at his back suddenly. He stiffened and turned on her with his icy gaze. "…san. Wait! Thankyou!" She stared back down at the presents. Lee's was wrapped in -what else?- green, and Neji's was wrapped in purple. Naruto's present sat by the counter still. All were unwrapped. She lined the three of them up, then -
"Open mine tomorrow."
"Eek!" Hinata jumped and spun to find Neji right behind her again, ice in hand.
"You're between me and the sink."
"R-right, Neji-san…" She mumbled, and moved.
"… Lee's is the largest, open it first." He grumbled as he aimed towards the door.
"Last." Hinata said immediately.
"What?"
"Last. Yours, now." She happily picked up the purple gift and picked carefully at the binding tape. He looked startled, then frantic as he rushed out the door. Their little mix began jumping for joy behind the doorway, out of reach of the frame or their sight.
"… Neji? Are you being rude?" She stared down at the gift as he spoke. She calmly and rationally held it aloft as she spoke, eyes still upon it. "You think I need a night-light shaped like a fox?"