A/N: This is a NejiTen fic I wrote! It could be set any time in the series, really, and doesn't have spoilers. The idea behind it was that Neji's hair is, of course, insanely beautiful (who would ever disagree with that!), so he probably likes it a lot, and I bet he'd like to see Tenten's hair down too! XD I have an obsession with long hair myself. I hope you like this, and please review! You've probably noticed that I looove to describe natural settings. Please review! I'd love you forever!

Chocolate

Beams of morning light shone through the curtains and across the floor of the dark room onto the bed, where a boy lay sleeping. His dark hair rested on the white pillows around his face like a puddle of shadowy water. Surfacing from his dreams, Neji's eyelids opened slowly. He sighed at the ceiling, as if he blamed it for everything. Another day training with his crazy sensei, overenthusiastic green-garbed team mate, and Tenten, Neji thought wearily to himself.

He smirked and sat up. The ninja stretched and yawned, and then pushed the soft covers off of him, sliding off the bed and walking over the window. The sun warmed his skin as some leaves blew by in the fresh spring wind. It looked like a nice day to be outside. He let himself make a small smile at the empty garden and then walked back into his pleasantly dark room.

Neji picked up some neatly-folded clothes and walked into the bathroom. He undressed and stepped into the warm shower, closing his eyes contentedly. He liked this quiet time in the morning to himself. Pretty soon he'd have his annoying team to deal with. Well, two of them were annoying at least….his thoughts turned to the exception, and he blushed. He wondered how her hair would look if she took it out of her usual buns and let it ripple in the wind….it was such a beautiful, rich color….he thought of how sunny it was that day, and imagined how warm and silky her hair would be if it brushed his cheek and he drowned in it like chocolate….

Neji clapped a hand over his mouth as his eyes shot open when he realized he'd just been standing there doing nothing, hot water falling around him. Focus, Neji! Don't waste water! he mentally yelled at himself. He glared at the bottle of shampoo as he picked it up and began to wash his long hair with it. He was definitely losing his mind—he hoped Tenten wouldn't notice his odd behavior.

Back on track, Neji got out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist and using another to squeeze the water from his dripping locks. He got dressed in his clean clothes, fastened his hair back in a low ponytail as he usually did, and opened a window to let out the steam in the room. Then he picked up his usual weapons for training and his headband, ate breakfast quickly, and walked out the door. He was always on time to practice, so he didn't have to worry, but he still liked being there early.

When he arrived at his team's meeting place, on top of one of the hills a little way outside of the village, he noticed that he wasn't the only one who'd planned to be early that day. There was Tenten, leaning against a tree, twirling a kunai in her hand and looking off into the distance. Neji gulped. She hadn't noticed him yet. Should he run away? He smiled to himself as he watched her. "Not like I could if I wanted to," he said under his breath.

She looked so relaxed and beautiful standing there. Neji sighed. Why was it that she was just so graceful and talented at everything, but so normal and confident at the same time? Neji knew that he was considered a prodigy, and no one acknowledged Tenten like that, but she was still talented in a way he was not. She always seemed so calm and natural. He sighed again and looked away. She probably thought he was some quiet, serious—well, he was quiet and serious. But she probably thought he was weird and stiff and awkward….

Looking back at her, Neji saw that she was sitting down cross-legged in the grass now and had just finished retying one of her buns. She looked so adorable when she was concentrating! Then Neji's mouth fell open. He couldn't believe it! He had just missed seeing the very subject of his thoughts when she had her hair down! That's the problem with me, Neji groaned mentally. I think way too much. I should just—

He stepped out from behind the tree and walked over to her, trying to act normal. "Good morning, Neji!" Tenten exclaimed, beaming up at him. She ran her fingers through her hair again—Neji fidgeted—and patted the grass next to her, motioning for him to sit down. Neji put his hands in his pockets and prepared to sit down, but then realized that it would be stupid to leave his hands in his pockets if he was sitting down. So he took them out. By now Tenten was looking at him with a slightly confused expression, and Neji felt his face heat up. He was probably blushing. He was sure he was blushing. He sat down a bit too fast, and then coughed. Tenten just looked at him out of the corners of her eyes. Neji! SAY SOMETHING! his mind screamed.

"Tenten…." he began. "I-I….um…." Oh, please, no. You sound like Hinata! Tenten waited patiently for him to continue. "I….think we should start training now, don't you?" he managed. What were you even going to SAY? his mind shrieked. Neji stared sourly at the ground. He was freezing up again!

Before Tenten could reply, a green blur bounded up the hill and flew straight at them, shouting, "GOOD MORNING, my youthful team mates!" Lee plopped down in front of them, looking brightly between their faces. "Good morning!" he repeated, with a dazzling grin. "No, it's a great, wonderful, radiant morning! Well, why don't we start training? Look, Gai-sensei is here! Gai-sensei! Which one of us will get to fight with you today?" He raised one fist in a thumbs-up, grinning in determination. "If I don't defeat you, I shall do five-hundred laps around the village in cartwheels without falling down!"

Neji and Tenten exchanged a humorous but tired glance; their teacher grinned. "That's the spirit, Lee! Because of your youthful energy, I will fight with you today! Neji and Tenten, you can train together." The two ninja who were not dressed in green stood up, walking off to another clearing to spar.

At about midday, when they were both breathing heavily and neither had won, Tenten motioned for Neji to sit down next to her in the shade. She passed him a bottle of water from her bag and they sat in silence for a moment, regaining their breath, enjoying the feeling of having worked hard. Tenten sighed and lay down on her back, smiling. Neji smiled a little bit too. He enjoyed training outside, and today was especially sunny. It felt good to be exhausted, although he would be ready to fight more in a few minutes.

"Neji," said Tenten. She yawned and grinned at him, stretching. "It's fun training with you!"

Neji ran a hand through his hair and looked away, feeling as if he was blushing again. Her eyes were so bright! He felt like he would lose himself in them. "Thanks…."

"I think we're pretty evenly matched."

"Yeah."

"Or are you just going easy on me?"

"No…."

Tenten giggled. "Can you ever say a full sentence?"

"Yes!" Neji defended.

Tenten laughed again, her eyes becoming two half-moons. "Riiight! See, there you go again!"

"Of course I can say a full sentence! There!" Neji found himself smiling, and then laughed. I….laughed?

Tenten grinned at him again, and then turned and rummaged around in her bag, until she brought out something wrapped in shiny paper. She unwrapped it, and Neji saw that it was a bar of chocolate. Tenten broke off a piece and held it out to him. "Want some?"

Neji blushed again, his eyes darting up at her hair. He took the chocolate in silence and gazed at the sunny field, schooling his face back into safe composure. "Thanks." For a while he just nibbled on the chocolate, staring out at the grass, until he noticed Tenten's bright eyes fixed on him again. He looked over at her in question.

"Neji? What were you thinking about?"

"Uh…."

Tenten watched him as she ate her own piece of chocolate. "Come on, Neji. You're always thinking, I can tell! What's going on in that genius mind of yours?"

"Nothing particularly genius, I can tell you that," Neji replied, almost laughing quietly again. He blushed, and to avoid saying anything else, took another bite of chocolate. It was delicious!

Tenten smiled lightly and shrugged. "That's okay! You don't have to be perfect all the time," she rolled her eyes in mock annoyance.

"I'm not perfect!"

"Oh, yes you are."

Neji's looked at her and blushed. "Oh." He paused. "No, you're more perfect than me."

Tenten looked mildly surprised. "Why?"

"Because you're always so….oh, never mind."

Tenten shook her head and laughed softly. "Oh, Neji. What were you going to say?"

"I was going to say…." Neji swallowed. "Could you….take your hair down?" There! It was done!

Tenten looked at him for a moment in surprise and then said the thing he least expected: "Awww, Neji, you're so sweet!" Suddenly she squeezed all the air out of him in a hug, before Neji could realize what was happening, and then she pulled back and raised her hands to her hair—it came tumbling down in mesmerizing chocolate waves.

Neji didn't even realize that he was staring worshipfully at Tenten until she scooted closer to him and pushed him down on the grass, leaning in very, very close. Neji's mind raced and his heart beat faster. This was not going in the right direction. Actually, it was. "I….am?"

Tenten laughed. "Yes! For a genius, Neji….it is so obvious that you like me!" she grinned.

Neji's face became serious. "But I don't just like you! I love you! I—you are—"

Across the clearing two green shadows watched from the foliage. "Oh, it's so romantic! They kissed!" Lee whispered. "But, Gai-sensei! Neji and Tenten are most definitely not training! Should we really interrupt them to have a team meeting right now?"

"Oh, no, we shouldn't. Don't they just look so full of youth?"

"Yes!" Lee exclaimed, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Let's go tell everyone the joyful news!"

The two kissing ninja, unaware of their observers, pulled apart. Neji sighed blissfully and pulled Tenten into a fierce hug, running his hands through her hair. "I love you!"

"I got that already, genius," Tenten giggled.

"How did you know before?"

"Well, you're always looking at me when you think I don't know! And as soon as asked if you could see my hair down it was really obvious." Tenten grinned down at him. "I mean, you have such an obsession with your own hair, it makes sense."

"I do not have an obsession with my hair!" Neji glared, blushing.

"It would make sense if you did!" Tenten raised her eyebrows innocently. "Because it's so smooth and silky and dark...like chocolate…." she licked her lips and giggled at the look of alarm on Neji's face. "Whatever your hair looks like, you are extremely delicious, Neji!"

"Er….thank you."

Their laughter rose up into the afternoon air.