A/N: This oneshot is a side story to 'Pocket full of love' featuring Naruhina. Begin again traces the story of Neji and Tenten. I hope you all enjoy it. NejiTen is one pairing which should have happened.

I hope you read this fic, Cyberwolf- the only person to ask about NejiTen. I'm so glad you did

Read and let me know your thoughts via reviews or PMs.

-x-x-x-

Hi stranger

I have loved you for far too long.

And it's never occurred to me

That how wrong I was.

Love is blind

And reality is a lot darker

Than these fairytales will have you perceive.

We are not so strange after all.

-x-x-x-

He tells me

I love you so much

But you are not of this world and

My fingers keep on bleeding

From how often I keep knocking

At the doors of your heart

-x-x-x-

"So, call me?"

I watched Sora with a small smile, hiding the numbing emptiness eating my insides, clawing at the edges and bleeding into nothingness. He was a good looking man, easy going and caring but he wasn't enough. He wasn't the one. He would be a nameless entity soon and he didn't deserve that. No one did. "Sure."

I hated myself when his grin widened and a sparkle entered his dark eyes as he raised his hand in a parting wave and the door shut behind him. I slid to the floor, pulling myself into a small bundle, suddenly aware of how cold and lonely it was in that small apartment. I scoffed, knowing what would come next. A visit to the nearest bar. Getting smashed. Rubbing against some faceless dude and then waking up in a foreign bed; once again lonely.

This is life for me, I smiled.

I glanced towards heaven, or rather my plain white ceiling, sighing when I only see scraping paint. What was I expecting? Some sort of a sign? A miniscule gesture and the pieces would automatically fall into place and then life would be okay? I scoffed at the thought. I was a fucking atheist for a fucking reason. Miracles didn't exist for me.

Miracles won't do what a good shot of beer did for my damaged soul.

With more force than necessary, I got to my feet and proceeded to my room to get ready for the escape that I so desperately desired. I put on my confident face, the bitterness in my features replaced with sultry promises. The tight red dress, clinging like a second skin, left no doubts regarding my intentions.

It was a pathetic way to live. I was well aware but I had to fill the void any way possible. I just had to.

'You can never be what I want.'

Well. Fuck you too, Neji.

-x-x-x-

I had a splitting headache when I returned. This could be the reason I didn't see the huddled figure sitting outside my apartment and I stumbled over it, letting out a string of curses that could put devil to shame. Fuck. Now my sides hurt too, I thought sitting up. I resisted the urge to hurl my stomach's contents, instead focusing my energy to figure out the person currently staring at me with wide lilac eyes.

"Nej"- I was cut off by a sobbing and definitely feminine figure that launched her entire weight at me the moment I sat up. God, she was heavy. "Hinata?" She nodded, still not letting go. My head was just about ready to burst into smithereens. I called upon all the strength I possessed and pushed her away gently. "Mind if we take this inside?" I suggested weakly.

"Y-yes. Of c-course!"

Oh my. I had forgotten how excited she could get when she was positively vibrating with nerves. She pulled me to my feet, struggling with door knob until I handed her the key. She dragged me in, threw me onto the couch and then was gone. I needed a shuteye. Like really bad.

I couldn't even discern what was happening. It was all tangled incoherently in the recesses of my subconscious. My vision was all blurry and unclear. And damn my stupid head ache. Maybe I shouldn't have drunk too much. For all I knew, I might have allowed a thief to enter my house.

Oh fuck.

As an added thought, there was always a sweet morning to think things over clearly when I would be less drunk and more sane. Yeah. That sounded like a plan. I closed my eyes, falling asleep in the next few minutes in which I could only recall my guest bringing in tea.

I woke up, feeling much worse than I did a few hours before. I needed a shower. I reeked of alcohol and… nothing. I rubbed bleary eyes, taking in the wallpaper and the furniture. I was at my place. It was a relieving as well as a depressing thought. Shaking my head slightly, groaning when it hurt to do so, I moved to get up when things hit me.

My heels were gone.

I was in my bed. Wrapped snugly in blankets.

The pleasant aroma of breakfast was drifting leisurely in the air.

That was all that was needed for me to jump out of bed and head out with a cheap vase in my hands. With bated breath, I took silent steps, a feeling wriggling in the back of my mind telling me that I was forgetting something. A humming noise stopped me from dwelling any further. I rushed to the kitchen with a war cry which died when I saw a shocked Hinata.

"Oh. It's you." And then I puked all over the floor.

-x-x-x-

"Basically, you are telling me that they kicked you out."

She shook her head. "N-no, Tenten-san. I was not g-good enough so they had to let me go."

I rolled my eyes. Seriously. Like how naïve could she get? "They kicked you out, Hinata. Sooner you realize it the better. Coating honey on words won't change reality. Your family threw you out like trash. That's the truth. Handle it." Tears lined her lavender eyes. I squashed the regret that uncoiled inside me.

"You d-don't u-understand, T-Tenten-san!"

"Of course. I don't," I said drily. "I don't have a family so I wouldn't know how it feels to be abandoned by the people who are supposed to care for you. I have never been betrayed. I wouldn't understand how you feel."

"T-that's not what I meant!"

"Let's play a game of whose life sucks the most," I said wryly. I was being too harsh on the girl. I couldn't help it. No matter how much I loved her as a friend, I have always hated weak spirited people- those who think that independent survival ain't possible. "I'll win, Hinata. I always win."

The bitter note in my voice must have caught her interest because she said, "Are you o-okay, Tenten-san?"

I waved away her concern, biting into the French toast and reveled in its deliciousness. "You are a good cook," I complimented offhandedly, choosing to ignore her question. The sudden change in my attitude must have caught her off guard because surprise spread across her face. Did she know that she could be read like a book? I hoped not. I straightened my back, gone was the laid back nonchalance. "Listen carefully, Hina. You are my best friend but I hate people who don't see the blatant truth even when it bites them in the ass."

She winced visibly. "T-they are m-my fam-family. I can't j-just w-walk away from them," she argued poorly. There was self-pity in her countenance and it annoyed the hell out of me.

"Fine. Believe what you will."

"T-thank you."

I snorted mentally. "How may I help you? I don't think you are only here to share your poor pity party with me." I know. A really not good choice of words. I was hung over. Give me a break.

Thankfully, she was used to it.

"I n-need a place to stay. I didn't know w-where else to go."

I let my gaze sweep over the ex Hyuga heiress. She was the same person she had been during high school. "I am flattered and all, Hina, that you thought of me but economy isn't really good at the moment."

"I d-don't get it."

I shook my head, not liking her inability to understand stuff. "I mean, you'll have to help pay the rent."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I'll let you stay for free for the next month or so but then you have to go out into the world and find a job, okay? You have to earn your half."

"But I am n-not g-good at anything, Tenten-san."

"Then you try and try until you find something you are good at because there's no way in hell, I am letting you waste your potential." She didn't speak for a long time, only stared at me diligently as if she was seeing something new and unheard of. I beat down the urge to ask what it was that held her attention.

"Thank you, Tenten-san."

-x-x-x-

"How do I look, Neji?" I asked eagerly, twirling in the long red dress which I borrowed from a friend.

"Unlike Tenten."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He didn't answer, only smiled in that strangely attractive way of his, thin lips stretched slightly at the edges and the dimple in his left cheek barely visible. "I swear you only live to confuse me."

"And you only live to try and be someone you are not," he said evenly, pale lavender boring into mine as his words resonated a chord.

I laughed. "Only you would say you like me as I am in such a complicated way."

"Because you make it too easy."

"There you go confusing me again," I chuckled, enjoying his nearness, the subtle scent of his musk cologne teasing my nostrils. "I must be crazy to like you like this only."

"Yeah but then you are not the only one."

-x-x-x-

And when I fall asleep

On your front porch and you sneak out

And place a blanket around my shoulders

To ensure that I am warm

Even though you can't open up your heart

-x-x-x-

I walked between the aisles, rearranging books and checking the entries. It was not easy working in a library albeit it was very comfortable and productive. I may not be academically inclined but I loved reading. It was my favorite hobby. First because people really didn't expect tough Tenten to have such a tame hobby. Second because it was a fun way to pass time.

After finishing the routine, I made my way back to the table to find a visitor. I braced myself. I knew that I would be meeting him soon since Hinata's arrival, which had been weeks ago. Still, I couldn't stop the rapid hammering against my chest.

"Neji." I sounded so loud and unstable in the hush of my workplace.

"Hinata is staying with you." Straight to business as always. What the hell was I expecting? A greeting? A warm hug? A friendly hand shake?

"What… no hello?"

Pale eyes narrowed in derision. "Do not test my patience. You will find me above your childish games."

"Little Neji-kun doesn't like my games anymore? Oh… that absolutely breaks my heart. However shall I live?" I smirked wickedly when his glare intensified. I chuckled easily. "Gee, Neji. Calm down before your death glare burns something."

"I see you haven't changed one bit," he sneered.

"Considering the fact that the Great Hyuga prodigy once liked me just as I was, I don't see much room for improvement." His jaw hardened imperceptibly and his expression shifted to indifference.

"Don't make this hard upon yourself." Was that softness in his voice? I didn't need that. I fucking did not. I was fine.

"Yes, she is with me," I said answering his previous question, not wanting to invoke any pity in him. "Why? Want her back?"

He was quiet for several moments. "I tried my hardest to stop Hiashi. I even denounced the title but he wouldn't listen to anyone."

"You don't need to defend yourself, Neji," I said, believing the sincerity in his speech. "No one gives a shit about my opinion."

"I do." He might have said that without meaning to because I read the shock evident in his eyes. He pulled himself together rather quickly. "You will take proper care of her. I will pay for anything Hinata needs. Ask for whatever amo"-

"Shut up, Neji," I growled, angry that he still thought me a gold digger. "Hinata is capable of taking care of herself. She doesn't need your money. So, fuck off."

"She is my cousin. I care about her."

"She is bloody twenty one, Neji," I almost yelled. "She is old enough to take care of herself. She doesn't need you to tuck her in anymore."

"You don't understand anything." I was becoming impatient with every passing second. It was his presence, I decided. It only served to remind that I could never be good enough for him. "Hinata is not like you. She is gentle, kind… delicate."

"So, basically you're just implying that I am rough, cruel and robust?" I smiled deprecatingly. I could see that his tolerance level was thinning really fast. "Because I don't mind, if you do. Really." I wanted to say so much more, annoy him further, probably hurt him even, if not for the concern in his eyes, I might have done so. "Don't fret. You'll get wrinkles," I joked uncomfortably. "I promise that your sister is safe with me."

He seemed hesitant. "Hn."

Now what? We didn't have anything else to talk about. "Er… it was nice seeing you again, Neji."

"Hn."

"Okay. Then, bye." I waited for him to leave but he didn't move an inch. He sat there, thoughtful and comprehending. Finally, he seemed that he would speak but he only fixed me with a neutral gaze before leaving.

-x-x-x-

So tell me, which star were you born from?

Tell me, what star it is that you call yours

-x-x-x-

"These came for you," Hinata said, pushing a bouquet into my hands. She was a little red. Wasn't I supposed to be the one who should be embarrassed? I checked for the card and yup there it was, all in pale yellow and scented sheets. It was from Sora. It sent a river of guilt down my throat and I wanted to smash the pretty daisies against the wall and watch the petals scatter down. I must have looked quite deranged because my companion asked, "A-are you okay, Tenten-san? Do you n-not like the f-flowers?"

My shoulders slumped. Of course I liked the flowers. Who wouldn't want to come home to flowers and chocolates? "They are good," I murmured absently.

"Then what's w-wrong?"

Hinata was my best friend. She knew what had happened between her cousin and me. I trusted her. I really did. Maybe she would understand but she needed a strong support at the moment. I couldn't really dump my problems on her. I knew that but deep down I wanted someone to listen. So I spoke, ignoring the voices in my head yelling that it was a show of weakness.

"Is it possible to love someone even when it is crystal clear that you can never be enough for them? Is it healthy to want someone who broke… destroyed your heart and then walked away without a backward glance? Is it right to hurt for the past when the present can be so much better? Is it, Hina?"

I was pulled into a warm hug, gentle hands rubbed circled on my back, soothing my nerves and it was scary how much I relied on that contact.

"It's alright, Tenten-san," she whispered softly. "It's fine to feel what you feel. It's fine to hurt so much that living seems like an impossible task. It's okay. Healing is not easy. It's not supposed to be, especially when the wound is deep. But it will end someday. It's like a thing that doesn't happen overtime. It doesn't require a sacrifice of your present. You have to allow yourself happy times to allow yourself to heal."

Her words hit home. Each one cut through me like razor, telling… forcing me to let go. I had to try. I had to.

"That's deep," I muttered. She smiled shyly. I pulled myself together. "So… how's it going with Naruto?" Enough about me, I decided. "What's he doing right now? Last I know he was the prom prince and your prince charming."

She blushed adorably and then began stuttering an answer.

-x-x-x-

Tell me so I'll know which star to wish on

When stars fall alongside broken hearts

-x-x-x-

Few months later.

For the first time in years, I could say proudly that I was genuinely happy. Sora was an amazing guy. He didn't bore me. He was a charming nerd, always ready to explore new things and trying to beat me in drinking. As if that would ever happen. Saying that, I was happy, yes, but there were moments when I would just wish to curl up and run far away from civilization. I had dreams about the past, remembering what I had.

"You have guests, I think," Sora said, interrupting my thoughts, as he led me towards the living room. And voila, there sat Neji with his cousin, chatting calmly and very superiorly.

"You shou"- Before I could finish asking Sora to leave, Hinata met my eyes and called us in eagerly. Pale eyes narrowed dangerously as they assessed Sora critically. Hinata, I realized, left the introduction to me. Fuck my luck. "Er… Sora meet Neji, Hinata's cousin and… um… Neji meet Sora, my…er… boyfriend."

"Boyfriend?" he repeated stoically. I didn't like the icy tone one bit. It made me furious. What sort of a reaction was that?

"Yeah. My beloved. The love of my life. My lover… you know… like that," I said, mockery lacing each word. I was very satisfied to note the edge of annoyance that marred his countenance. I motioned for Sora to take a seat while I helped Hinata with the coffee, which was taking too damn long!

Remember some scenarios, you just don't want to witness unfold? Yeah, that is exactly what happened when I followed Hina out, holding some cookies. My current boyfriend was chatting animatedly with ice prick Neji. Seriously why did Sora have to be such a friendly person? He could hold an intelligent conversation but when faced with Neji, I didn't think that any amount of niceties would get you through. Neji was a fucker like that.

Judging from the sneer tugging at Neji's mouth, he was highly amused by Sora. Not the good kind of amused. The sadistic kind of amused. Who the hell gave him the fucking right to look at Sora with that derisive glint?

"Hinata told me that she's working in a publishing house," Neji said, sipping his coffee. Dark and bitter like his fucking heart.

"Did she tell you that she works with an all guys team?" He at once turned to red faced cousin, accusation clear in his glare. Sora whispered in my ear.

"That was cruel."

I shrugged. "I just want him out of this house. The angrier he is, the better the chances of him stomping out like a little girl."

"I didn't know I was dating a sexist," Sora observed jokingly.

"Fuck. You're right. I should go and apologize to the God of sexism," I muttered, grinning a bit. I was about to add something smartly when Neji interrupted.

"You!" He positively glared death. "I asked you to take care of her. Not send her to do a job among a bunch of molesters."

"T-that's n-not how it is, Neji nii-san!"

"You stay quiet, Hinata." He turned to me fully, lilac eyes blazing with fury. "You haven't changed one tiny bit. You still can't respect the trust someone puts in you. I gave you one small thing. Was that too much for your pathetic existence?"

"Do me a favor, Sora," I said sweetly. "Take Hinata out for a while."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, darling. It seems destiny's bitch and I have some scores to settle."

"Ten"-

"Get the fuck out!" I screamed, which made Sora and Hinata to dash as fast as they could. I inhaled deeply and then exhaled slowly. I walked over to Neji with a deceptively calm façade. "I'm gonna say this once, Neji. Never, and I mean never, call me untrustworthy again. Or I will break your face."

"Truth bites."

I punched his jaw and then grabbed his collar, looking dead into his colorless eyes. "When did I betray you? What did I ever do to you? What did I do to deserve this shit from you?" I was straying from the topic at hand. "You are the one who betrayed me. You are the one that tore me apart piece by piece. I let you breach my fucking walls. I don't let people do that. Fuck. I don't but I fucking let you!" Another satisfying crunch echoed in the quiet when my fist met his jaw once again. "If someone here is unfaithful, it's you."

We stared into each other's eyes for a long time. I wondered vaguely if my hits hurt. His usual pale skin was slightly purple and swollen. I let go of his shirt slowly and stepped back, fighting the wetness in my eyes. "I'll go get ice for that."

He nodded but didn't speak; only looked ahead. My hands shook as I wrapped ice cubes in a cotton cloth. I lost control. I wasn't supposed to do that. Now, he would know that I was still weighed down by his rejection. He had another reason to look down on me. I handed him one on a silver platter.

I handed him the pack and then we sat politely, waiting for others to return. It was too suffocating to talk.

-x-x-x-

A few days later

"Someone is asking for you, Ten-chan," Mrs. Hatsu, the head librarian, informed. "Quite a handsome lad too."

I laughed. "I better see the man who made you starry-eyed." Placing the last set of books in their rightful places, I made my way to the reception and was stunned to find Neji waiting there. Probably going to sue my ass for ruining his pretty face, I thought.

We stood awkwardly for several painfully long minutes. What the hell did he want? Finally, he spoke.

"I'm sorry." It was said so softly that I missed it. Almost.

"Excuse me?" I might have imagined it.

"I am sorry," he said, a bit louder but the determined intensity in his eyes didn't waver.

"I think I am hallucinating. Neji Hyuga just apologized. To me!" I pinched right above my elbow just to make sure. It stung. "Oh my fucking universe! It's the apocalypse. Run!"

"Shut up." I saw his lips twitching into a reluctant smile.

I grinned. "What are you apologizing for? I am the one who smashed your face."

"For what I did." He shifted slightly. "In school."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I was wrong. I didn't think through. I was only doing what I thought was right as the Hyuga prodigy. I was an arrogant, intelligent… prissy guy. I thought I knew everything. I didn't. I shouldn't have treated you like that." He paused, silently begging me to talk.

"Why are you telling me this, Neji?"

"I want you to understand my actions."

"I don't want to," I said. "I am sorry. I just… I can't do this. I know why you are here. To give your conscience a rest. I am sorry but I can't help you with this. I don't have the strength to forgive you."

"Then don't."

Another bout of uncomfortable silence engulfed the two of us.

"So you and that Sora guy?" he asked abruptly.

I grinned. "Don't judge. He is much nicer than you."

"Hn."

Once more silence was about to raise its ugly head. "Have you found a perfect woman yet?"

He hesitated to reply. "I think I will settle for an imperfect one." For some reason, it made a flush race to my cheeks and spread all over my neck. "I was stupid when I was young. I was blinded. And I just want you to know that I regret what I did."

"Noted."

"Hn."

-x-x-x-

"He called you adorable?" I remarked wrinkling my nose. Hinata stared at me with unadulterated confusion. I rolled my eyes. "Even 5 year olds are adorable. You are 24!"

"I still don't get it, Tenten-san."

"Of course, you don't," I sighed. "Listen carefully, Hina. It's good that a guy finds you adorable or cute but that's not what men want in their life partners. They want strong, beautiful and passionate women with a tinge of innocence that they can protect and spoil." I paused to find my friend hanging onto every word. "Your innate naivety is your charm but you have to show him that you are able to take care of yourself if push comes to shove… that you are not helpless and he can trust you with his burdens."

"But Tenten-san, I am weak."

"No, you are not. Stop saying that. Honestly, it's getting old. You are a Hyuga who was kicked out because you dared to be different. You live with a girl who is high almost every day. You work in a place full of pot-bellied idiots who try to push you around. And you survive. I think that's wonderfully strong."

She made no reply for a few minutes. "Y-you are right, Tenten-san."

"Damn right, I am." I looked at the girl in front of her thoughtfully, an idea forming in my mind. "Let's get you drunk tonight."

"W-what!"

"Yes, that's a good idea."

"Tente"-

"Get dressed, Hina. Tonight you will lose your alcohol-ginity!" Hinata sputtered incoherently but I, her best friend, turned a deaf ear to all protests and dragged her all the way to a posh bar. "It's owned by the Uchihas. I have heard that Naruto frequents this place a lot."

I saw the dread written on her face in bold letters but it was necessary for her to grow. She couldn't stay like that forever. The real world would eat her alive. Plus Hinata needed a confidence boost if she wanted anything to do with Naruto.

I was making the right decision.

-x-x-x-

"Neji's gonna kill me!" I said, leading Naruto as he carried a piss-drunk Hinata to her room. From what he told me, she had been on the verge of being molested but had somehow managed to stay safe. Then he and Sasuke had found her and she had said some really interesting stuff. That was the only highlight of the entire night.

I tuned out my thoughts to look at Naruto as he laid her gently on the futon and then proceeded to cover her snugly. A very light and sweet smile spread across his mouth and I could see why Hinata was totally crazy for the guy. He was like the pleasant summer sun- warm and shiny. Absolute perfection.

"Thanks for the help."

"No problem." He grinned cheerfully. "I'll make my way out then."

I shot him a teasing smirk. "You can stay if you want to. You are her qween after all." I enjoyed tormenting him thoroughly. He turned slightly red, sputtered indignantly and murmured a hasty goodbye and practically flew out the door, leaving me in a fit of giggles.

Nothing lasts forever. I had to call Neji still.

In the past three years, things had changed. Neji and I were friends. Sora and I ended things. Neji and I were friends. I didn't know how to handle it. Friendship with Neji is just… boring. We talked. A lot. He acted superiorly all the time but it wasn't mean. It was almost endearing.

Friendship with Neji… didn't sit well with me.

-x-x-x-

"What is going on between Hinata and Naruto?" Neji asked, through clenched teeth as a laughing Naruto twirled Hinata around on the dance floor. "I don't like this."

"Yeah. Well, Hinata wants 'this.' So, screw you."

He raised an elegant eyebrow. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing," I snapped irritably. He shrugged in as 'if you say so' manner. "It's just that… urgh! Leave it."

"Okay."

"You are so infuriating," I grumbled. "I don't understand what to make of you." Another elegant eyebrow raise. How did he manage to do those so effortlessly? "You made it perfectly clear in high school that you hated me. And now here you are discussing your cousin's love life with me."

"We are not discussing anyone's love life right now," he deadpanned.

"Dude… you just totally missed the fucking point!"

"I didn't miss your point. I chose to overlook it," he replied calmly.

"Why would you do that?" I was exasperated completely.

"I never hated you," he said, measuring his words carefully. "Back in school, you were the single most unique girl in the entire place. You were, and still are, brave, strong and smart… so unlike the females I was used to."

"Is that so?" I mumbled, blown away by the sincerity in his voice.

"Hn. I was raised in a strict household. I was told everyday what was expected of me and I had to deliver on it. You messed it up. You were the storm that stole the calm and wrapped me in your swirling currents."

"Wow… that is, by far, the nicest you have ever been to me," I remarked casually. He grabbed my hand, long thin fingers closing around my wrist.

"You hide behind your humor. It may fool others but it won't fool me."

"Fuck you, Neji," I hissed. "You are telling me all this stuff and expect me to believe it? I have learned my lesson. Fuck me over once, shame on me. Fuck me over twice, agonizingly slow death to you."

He chuckled. "Admit it, Tenten. You are afraid of being close to me."

"I don't know what you are talking about," I answered shakily. "I am not a coward."

"So tell me… all your thoughts, dre"-

"I can't. Damn it! I can't!"

"So, you are scared."

"Yes, I am. Happy? That is what you wanted to hear, right? I am fucking scared every time I am with you. It's like I can't breathe… like I am underwater and drowning, sinking slowly into the bottomless ocean. It fucking scares me! The terrifying effect you have on my sanity!"

"I terrify you?"

"No." Don't say it, I prayed. "I am terrified of falling for you all over aga"-

Before I could finish, warm lips caught my own. Everyone around us faded leaving behind my raging heartbeat, the hand caressing my cheeks and that familiar tingling sensation.

He kissed me.

That was the last coherent thought in my mind before I melted in his hold. After a few minutes, which felt like an eternity, we separated. My senses slowly made their way back. Our foreheads touching, his breath mingling with my breath and subtle seductive scent of his cologne, made me feel so snug and peaceful that I could stay there forever.

His hands were calming my nerves. "We will figure this out later," he murmured in my ear. "It's alright. I have fallen for you all over again too."

"You won't leave?" I questioned in a small voice.

"Not unless I want my testicles removed." I laughed. "I have nowhere better to be anyway." He stopped to kiss my cheek. "I have changed and so have you. I won't force you into anything but just know that I'll be right outside the door, if you wanna go for a walk."

I tried to find some sort of trickery in his eyes. I found none. I breathed out gently. "Fine." I stepped away from him. "There is no harm in trying. Just k-know this that I am doing this because you asked me to, o-okay?"

"Of course."

"Good."

"Hn."

"Rule number 1, hn is banned henceforth."I said, beaming.

He chuckled. "Rule number 2, the previous one is no longer in practice."

"Hey!"

-x-x-x-

Disclaimer; I don't own anything from the Naruto-verse. Kishimoto does.