So, I wanted to do a short story or fic about Neji and Tenten, and someone recommended I do an Arc about their daily lives after the war ( if Neji had survived ). And I thought that was cute, but what's going to happen instead is a small mini series I'm going to do about them! So instead of one fic, I'm going to update once or twice a week with small chapters for the story.

" Just pick something already.."

Tenten's quiet voice repeated out loud to herself as she paced around the Konohagakure Fresh Food Market. She'd been there for at least three hours and had yet to pick anything out. Every booth and seller were beginning to merge into one, giant entity. An entity that was getting fed up with her inability to decide.

She'd been stalling all morning, and with noon fast approaching, she knew she needed to make up her mind. She paused infront of a sweet bean bun stand, and had decided to pick up a few, making sure to get some extra put in a separate bag.

She just hoped that her offering would be enough.

Her mission list lately was bordering on dull, and with the last war almost a full year behind her, she was expecting things to pick up a bit more. Less missions about saving emperors and stopping rogue nin, and more about people needing help killing wild animals attacking their live stock, or searching for lost kids.

She was beginning to feel like her glory days were behind her.

Hesitantly she reached into one of the bags and began to eat one of the buns, still wandering through the maze of clothing shops and fried meats, until she finally exited the district and headed towards her home.

The bag of Sweet Buns that she got for herself were nearly gone by the time she got home, and she decided to throw the bag away before going inside. She didn't feel like being interrogated as to why she just stress ate six buns in ten minutes. The extra bag she had gotten was still safe and untouched.

Her mother had passed away a year before the war had started, and her father was the primary head of household and provider. Aside from them living in the house, she also had a younger brother.

" A little early, isn't it? "

Tenten's father was drying some dishes when he turned to catch her wandering eyes. Hesitantly she looked back at him and smiled.

" Today's been a long day.. "

Tenten set down her extra bag of sweet bean buns on the kitchen table and lazily threw herself down into a chair. She didn't have the ambition to deal with what ever schemes her father had planned out for her for the day.

Her mission list was clear for this week, so her father had been having her help train her brother and do various chores around the house. Things she wouldn't have minded doing normally, but for some reason had begun to really annoy her.

" Gai stopped by with Lee, he wanted to get the four of you together for an announcement, it seemed really important. "

Tenten's father winked at his daughter before flashing her a brief smile. The best Tenten could do in reply was a sigh. She didn't have the energy to handle Gai's theatrics right now.

Worse yet, what kind of announcement could it of been, and was Neji going to be there.

She'd catch herself in public, day dreaming and using a free hand to touch her face or lips. It was all she could think about lately, and the fantasy was beginning to consume her.

Her father had sent her out for a few items for the house and for dinner, but she had gotten lost in her own thoughts and aimlessly wandered off towards the edge of town.

Softly, a free hand wandered up to her chin and lightly rubbed below her lips, and as she did so her mind began to wander.

It had been very brief, their kiss, but Tenten couldn't help but replay it over and over in her head. She could swear she felt the warmth of his body against her as she remembered the brief moment.

It was almost three weeks ago that Neji had kissed her.

Neither of them were sure how it had happened, after all, spending nights with one another after a mission was so normal, and so routine. How could it ever be anything else?

Tenten remembered how she was very fatigued and had trouble getting up and moving around after the mission, and Neji had decided that their three man team would rest for the night.

Lee was asleep before they had even finished making camp, and that left Neji and Tenten to finish the fire and sit down underneath the stars.

Their conversations were always sincere and personal, Neji would ask about her father or brother, even occasionally he'd ask about her mother. Tenten would always want any new gossip that was going on in the Hyuga district. It never felt rushed when she was with him, nothing was pushed or uncomfortable. That was something she always loved about her time with him.

He made her feel like she was home. Like, he was her home, in some way.

It had been brought up a few times in the past. Just passing gossip about how cute they would be together, or how well they looked next to eachother. Occasionally she was even invited over for dinner to where Neji lived, and got to eat with Hiashi and Hinata. Then she would have shook her head and said they were just friends, but looking back at it as a young adult, she realized they'd always been so much more than that.

That was why, when it happened, she wasn't sure how to react. Neji noticed how much difficulty she was having getting up and went to help her up. Tenten didn't refuse, and when they both got to their feet it happened.

She remembered how brilliantly cool the air was, and how wonderful their fire smelled. She remembered how beautiful the stars looked from so far out in the country and how warm Neji's touch felt against her chilled skin.

She could still feel the warmth of his body as he pulled her up and she fell against him. She knew he had to of felt how fast her heart was beating and how much she wanted him to kiss her. Even after he did, and she freaked out, even now she could still remember how his lips felt against hers. She knew her over reacting was a mistake.

He was the one she wanted.

She'd scared him, not necessarily in a fearful way, but in a way that she knew their trust would never be the same. She'd ruined a closeness that they shared, and she'd never get it back.

By the time Tenten realized where she was, she could have screamed. She'd day dreamed her way to the far east end of the Village, straight to the entrance of the Konoha/Hyuga shared gate.

Her mind had brought her to see him.

"Tenten? "

Tenten's body froze in fear as she recognized the voice that boomed behind her.