It was a Christmas party and all shinobi's were invited. The Geninswerecurrently secluded in a corner, but despite their seclusion, however, most people at the party could hear them (two girls and oneboyinparticular) just fine.
"Lay off, Ino-pig! Sasuke-kun would never date you!" A girl with long pink hair shouted.
"As if, Forehead, girl!" A blonde retorted hotly, "Sasuke-kunwouldn'tbeinterested in someone as flat-chested as you are!!"
"Ha! Just like he is interested in someone who shows the world everything they got!"
"Ne, ne, Sakura-chan, live Ino and Sasuke-teme alone and go on a date with me!" A blonde boy said and shivered immediately after, because of the glares the two girls gave him.
"Naruto, take that back! Sasuke-kun is not a teme!"
"Yeah, Naruto. You're just jealous that Sasuke-kun is way better than you'll ever be!!"
Tenten laughed as she listened to the (loud, yelling) conversation going between her fellow Genin. As she glanced around the room, she saw happy (well as happy as matured ninja can get and express) shinobi. It seems that this party was just what they needed to celebrate and take time off from reconstructing the village after the disastrous Chunin exams.
Her eyes darken as the weapon mistress remembered what had happened in the last few months. The deaths of both shinobi and civilians alike, the betrayal and later reconciliation with the Sand, the threat of the Sand Village, the Third's death...
She was pulled out of her melancholy nostalgia by a shriek of pain that could belong to either Kiba or Naruto.
'Okay, Tenten, snap out of it!' The girl berate herself, 'it's not the time to start this; everyone is happy, and so should you.'
A soft giggle was issued towards Tenten right, and the latter saw it was Hyuuga Hinata laughing behind her at her teammate and the Naruto's antics. But the boy beside the violet-haired girl, caught Tenten attention. It was the girl cousin, Hyuuga Neji, the guy she has just admitted to herself as liking.
The reason for the sudden attraction? After Neji got his butt kicked by Naruto, the former has toned down his 'houlier-than-thou' and the 'I'm destined to beat you' or the 'It is your fate to fall at my hand' attitude and seemed to be in the process of gaining of new personality where he didn't constantly belittle people and their abilities.
The bunned-haired girl avoided eyes with a blush as her teammate when he lifted an inquiring eyebrow at her less than subtle staring. She was so embarrassed! She is a shinobi of the Leaf! Spying on people without getting caught is in the job description!!
"YOSH!! What is my lovely student doing by herself?" Tenten twitched at that voice and by reflex, managed to turn her head before she was blinded by the 'Bing' coming off of Maito Gai teeth when he struck his 'Good Guy' pose. 'Though,' she thought later on, 'be blinded is a better fate than seeing them in those spandex.'
"Hello, Gai-sensei," she greeted with a resigned sigh and then noticed something was missing. "Where's Lee-kun?"
"Ah, my darling pupil is trying to win the girl of his affections!" Gai stated in something that is akin to pride and wiped off a (proud) tear that slide down his face.
"Gai-sensei!" Cried a voice that was revealed to be someone that was a carbon copy of his sensei.
"Lee!" He greeted. "Tell me then, were you successful in capturing your fair maidens heart?"
"I'm sorry, sensei, but Sakura-chan is still after my competition, Uchiha Sasuke." Lee said, not looking at his sensei face.
"Yes, Uchiha Sasuke, under the tutelage of my hip rival Hatake Kakashi, has become apt in the ways of talking to the opposite gender. Well, do you know what you must do now, Lee? You must train harder than you ever had before in order to overcome this new hurdle!"
"You're right, Gai-sensei! If I cannot get a date with Sakura-chan by next week, then I will do 1,200 push-ups on all of fingers, run 980 laps around Konoha, and do 800 squats!!"
Tenten, by this time, left her sensei and teammate side to join Neji and Hinata-- she didn't want anyone to know she was associates with them, especially when the Sunset background dropped and their tears started pouring.
"Ne, Neji-kun, are you having a good time?" The weapons mistress inquired, desperate for anything to distract her from the sobbing she know was occurring.
"Hn," was the nonchalant reply, and for some reason she was giddy at the recognition.
"What about you, Hinata-chan?" Tenten polite voice asked Hinata.
"I-I am having-g a good time, Tenten-sa-an," was the Hyuuga heiress response.
But before she could ask anything else, a loud voice said, "Whoa! Neji, you sly dog, you! Hurry up and kiss your girl!!"
"What are you talking about, Naruto?" Neji asked coolly, as he crossed his arms on his chest and stared at the younger Genin.
"I didn't know Tenten was your girlfriend," the whisker-boy continued, moving his pinky finger to emphasize his point; obliviousness to the flush on Tenten face and Neji's sputter.
Before Neji could lynch the boy for his comment, Hinata said softly, "You're b-both standing u-under a m-mistletoe, Nii-san," Indeed above their heads, pointing down innocently above them was a mistletoe.
"And you know what happens when you're under a mistletoe? You kiss!" Both Ino and Sakura gushed at the thought of catching their Sasuke-kun under a mistletoe, and they began to search the ceiling for anymore pieces.
Both of the pre-teens gave in the pressure of all eyes (san Sakura and Ino) and their own personal desires, and turned towards each other. Neji took the lead, leaning his head in to capture his teammates lips. Once the soft flesh met, it seemed to open a floodgate of emotion to them; Neji wrapped his arms around Tenten, bring her closer to him, and Tenten locked her fingers into Neji hair, messing up his head-band.
Gai-sensei decided to step in when they showed no sign of stopping, "How could I not notice the burning passions of youth between my two youthful students?!"
"Yes, Tenten-chan, why didn't you inform us of yours and Neji's relationship?" Lee sounded sad as he put his two-cent in.
Naruto was still ranted on about how he was right.
The couple still kissed, unaware of anything else around them except each others lips.