A/N: I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW I'M LEAVING FOR VACATION IN A FEW HOURS, BUT I COULDN'T RESIST. Here's my oneshot, a little dedication to my favorite season, winter.
This is an AU. All the characters are 21 at the start of the series. Hinata and Neji are not related in this. Warning, slight OOC.
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I never will. ;; I also know nothing about the geography of New York.
Tenten was a modest girl.
On the corner of 52nd and 3rd, in bustling New York, rested her brownstone coffee shop, inherited by her mother. It was a classic, cute little building.
Inside, worked Tenten, her best friend Hinata, with whom she shared an apartment, and the recently hired Neji Hyuuga.
He seemed polite enough when he walked in. He had a strong resume, so it baffled Tenten why he would end up working at a coffeehouse when he had worked in high-class offices before.
He never told her, only went about his work with polite words and quiet smiles.
He was a mysterious one, but she only chose to ignore it.
"Yes?" Tenten asked cheerfully as she leaned over the counter to ask the customer what they wanted. She was surprised to find it was a little girl, wearing a pink rain jacket and pink flowered boots, looking shyly away as her thumb was planted in her mouth.
"I…um…I want," she pointed at something in the glass display racks, full of pastries, to Tenten's left.
Tenten glanced over, and smiled as she reached inside the display cabinet and brought out a large, chocolate covered donut, wrapping it carefully it in a napkin, before handing it to the girl. The girl's big eyes lit up as she thanked Tenten profusely and reached into her pocket, standing on her tiptoes and dropping a few pennies on the counter.
"Is that enough?" she asked innocently.
Tenten stared, before looking at the happiness on the girl's face and smiling. "Yes, it's enough." With that, the girl grinned and skipped away, pink boots squeaking across the red tile floor.
"You're gonna go bankrupt if you keep doing that." Hinata teased as she came out from the inner kitchen, holding a fresh row of rolls and placing it into a rack behind them.
Tenten scoffed. "It's just a few dollars, what's the big deal?"
Hinata shook her head, laughing. "Nothing, nothing."
Neji approached the counter and dropped his now empty coffee pot in front of Tenten. "Refill, please."
Tenten quickly refilled it and handed it to him, noticing Hinata's suddenly strange behavior. Hinata was quickly glancing around, making sure no one was watching, before snatching Tenten by the arm and hurrying her into the kitchen.
"Hinata!" Tenten grunted, as she pulled her arm out.
"You know, I think you should ask him out." Hinata advised, while a malicious smile was growing on her face.
Tenten rolled her eyes. "Hinata, I don't go out. You know that."
"Exactly!" Hinata sighed exasperatedly. "You need to go out and get yourself someone. You can't expect to be single forever."
Tenten lifted her chin and closed her eyes in a brief pout. "Yes I can. I don't trust guys."
Hinata shook her head disapprovingly, crossing her arms. "You can't let…you know…your dad, get to you."
Tenten stiffened. "Don't bring that up. Back to work." She said sharply.
Hinata crossed her arms, exiting. "Whatever you say, boss."
Tenten tried her best to keep her employees happy, and treat them as friends instead of just her workers. Every day, after hours, they all stayed behind and sat around the same table, all with a coffee in front of them and just…talked.
However, that particular day, Hinata 'conveniently' realized she had other plans, and that left just Tenten and Neji to themselves.
It was dark outside, and getting chillier. There had been warnings of snow soon, but Tenten didn't even pay attention to them.
Neji appeared out of nowhere, and slipped her a mug of coffee. He sipped his black, which made Tenten grimace. Tenten reached for the sugar bowl, plopped in one sugar cube, and began to reach for another one, before she saw Neji's skeptical eyes peering at her over the edge of his mug, and hastily retracted her arm.
She cleared my throat. "So…"
"Did you start this coffee shop yourself?" He began immediately, making conversation.
"Oh, uh no. My parents started this business together, after they got married."
Almost predicting touchy subjects, he said carefully. "So where are your parents now?"
She stiffened. "My mom's in the hospital right now…with cancer. And my dad left my family when I was two after there were some…family issues." Tenten stated bluntly.
Neji nodded, not fazed in the least by her careful exterior and prodded onward, seeming genuinely interested as he took another sip. "Mhm. So you took over this place when you were…"
Tenten sighed. "I was 16. After my mom got sick, there was no one working. So I took over and dropped out of high school."
Neji's eyes seemed to sadden. "Do you regret it? Taking over, I mean?"
Tenten sighed, lacing her fingers together and resting her chin atop them. "I suppose. I lost contact with a lot of my friends; I mean, they all went on to college and stuff. But I have Hinata. And I love working at this place. It's almost become my home." Her eyes glazed over happily.
Neji stayed silent. "You don't have…anyone else in your life?"
She cocked an eyebrow. "No…why?"
Neji seemed to become awkward with his words. "You don't have…a man in your life?"
Her cheeks flamed, and she quickly brought up her mug and drained half of it to conceal her expression. She didn't see Neji quietly slap himself on the forehead.
After a few moments of silence, Tenten decided to ask him questions. "What about you? Your life, tell me about it."
Neji pushed his now empty mug away. "You know I used to work in the office place. It was well-paying but I didn't enjoy it. It was so repetitive and all I ever did was sit at a desk all day." He leaned back, sighing tiredly. "I mean, I was good at it, but I never looked forward to it."
Tenten tipped her head to the side in slight confusion. "So why here then?"
Neji looked away sheepishly. "I used to pass by this place all the time on my way home. I saw you and Hinata in here, and even though your jobs might not have been the best in the world, you two looked like you were having fun. I guess I wanted to try it for myself."
Tenten placed down her cup. "And what do you think of it now?"
Neji looked down, before very slowly, turning back up to face her, and meeting her eyes with dead seriousness.
"…It sucks."
She blinked.
They both burst out laughing, Tenten clutching her sides and Neji looking away as he coughed into his hand.
"Your face was so serious!" Tenten giggled. "I hardly expected that." She stood, grabbing both mugs. "I'm going to bring these to the-"
Suddenly, she tripped over both her feet, and started to fall. Neji, with quick reflexes, immediately jumped out beneath her to break her fall.
When Tenten shook her head of its dizziness, she realized she was lying down…atop Neji.
She gasped and fumbled for what to say. "I'm so sorry, I'm a klutz, I wasn't watching, I got distracted, I-"
Neji shushed her by placing a pale finger on her lips. It was without doubt he felt the sudden heat beneath her face. "Can you help me?" he whispered.
"Neh?" Tenten asked, confused. Suddenly, she saw a trickle of blood coming down the side of his cheek.
"Eek!" She jumped to her feet with surprising speed, feeling her muscles tighten up as Neji slowly came up to a sitting position, rubbing his neck and fingering the cut. "Just a second!"
She ran behind the counter, and immediately emerged with several bandages and a tiny vial of rubbing alcohol.
Neji had seated himself now, staring blankly at the blood on his fingers, as Tenten pulled a chair closer and gently slapped away his hands, dabbing the cut with a cloth full of the stuff.
"I'm so sorry…" Tenten whispered distractedly as she surveyed the drips of blood.
Neji chuckled good-naturedly. "Don't worry about it. How do you have rubbing alcohol and bandages so close by, anyway?"
Tenten smiled. "Me and Hinata both are a bit clumsy, I guess you could say. We go through these ceramic cups like you wouldn't believe."
Neji nodded. "I see." Suddenly, he grimaced and sharply inhaled as Tenten's finger slipped over the cut. She quickly taped a bandage over it, patting it lightly to make sure it was in place.
Neji abruptly grabbed her hand to keep it in place, holding her slim fingers tight.
"Tenten…I heard what Hinata said to you earlier today. And I'm sorry."
Tenten took several deep breaths, not answering.
"But I want you to know that…I want to be your friend. I hope I'm not like that." He continued on.
She looked away. "That was none of your business."
"But I heard it anyway."
"But you shouldn't have." Her voice rose slightly while cracking.
"And I want to help you."
She paused.
"Are you…okay with that?"
A tear slipped.
He brought up his hand and turned her face towards him, genuine concern on his face as he wiped away the tear gently.
"Don't cry." He seemed to plead.
Tenten breathed in quickly, bringing up her other hand to hold his in place. They were both holding each others' hand to their faces.
"Yes…I'm okay with that, Neji."
He smiled at her, and the next thing she knew, he pulled her closer.
"Are you scared of me?" he asked her softly.
Tenten pondered this. And shook her head.
"…Good."
He slid his hand behind her head and fingered her long brown locks, all the while staring into her eyes, before pulling her closer and meeting her lips with his.
Inside, Tenten gasped, before she relaxed into his embrace and returned the kiss with the same hungry, but gentle, passion.
His tongue lightly tapped her teeth, before she willingly opened her mouth to his as he explored the features of her mouth. When he retracted his tongue, she did the same, a small, unwilling moan escaping from her mouth.
When air was absolutely necessary, they both pulled away, breathing heavily. Her face was completely red, while a light rose tinted his cheeks. She grinned at him, leaning her forward against him and wrapping her arms around the back of his neck.
She liked this Neji Hyuuga.
"I'm ready to let go." She said firmly.
"If you're sure about it." Neji said, walking forward and hugging her from behind as the fresh snow powdered around them.
"Mom…she would be…" Tenten said sadly.
"She's in a better place now." He said gently. "And she'd be proud of you. And I am too."
Tenten nodded to herself. "…O-Okay."
For the last time, she locked the doors of her precious coffeehouse, stepping back to survey her work.
The cozy, vintage sign was long gone, stripped from its place and leaving a bare wooden board behind. Inside, the tables and chairs were stacked neatly along the brick walls. The fireplace was cold, the display racks empty, and the kitchen forever closed. 6 years after Tenten had her first kiss in there, the three employees, now all 26, watched the doors of their second home snap shut for the last time.
Hinata, beside both of them, wiped away a tear as she looked at the dark interior. "Tenten…remember when I first came to work here when you took over? We were both only kids."
Tenten smiled at the memory. "It was a part time job. Then after it became full time."
Hinata nodded fiercely. "I'm so glad I decided to stay here." She stepped forward and gave Tenten a tight hug. "I can't believe it's finally over."
"Me neither." Tenten voiced back, feeling her voice crack. "I'm going to miss you so much." She pulled away, looking Hinata sternly in the eye. "I'm calling you everyday, you hear me?"
Hinata laughed. "You know, I can hardly believe it. We've worked here for 10 years…since you and I were both 16. And then Neji came into the picture 5 years later…" Hinata smiled at him. "And now you're getting married!"
Neji grinned. "Couldn't be better, right?"
Hinata glared for a moment, before feeling another smile tugging at her features, stomping her foot childishly. "Damn, you guys, I wanna get married."
Tenten reached for her best friend's hands. "Don't worry Hinata; Paris is gonna love you. You'll find someone there." She assured her.
"Well, they don't call it the city of love for nothing…" Hinata daydreamed, before taking a few steps back.
"It's…been amazing. Getting to know you both. You guys have become my closest friends." Hinata murmured, looking at both of them fondly. "Best of luck, to you both."
Neji frowned. "Don't say it like it's the end Hinata. You're coming back to visit us, vice versa. We'll stay in touch."
She grinned, but with a touch of sadness. "Yeah." She stepped forward into a group hug with both of them, tearing up again as she turned. "See you soon." She mumbled as she disappeared into the foggy white of New York winter.
Tenten sighed, watching her dark haired friend leave. "It's been good."
"Yeah." Neji agreed, handing her a coffee. "It has." He slipped a cup of coffee into her hands, the last one made from their shop, before plopping in a sugar cube. He hesitated, and then plopped in a second one.
She looked over her shoulder, grinning brightly at him. "You remember."
He brought up his gloved hand, turning her chin more towards him as he placed a kiss on her lips.
A/N: Sigghhhh. Would anyone like me to continue this or is this just a lost cause? O_O
I hope I can write some more on my trip, enjoy readers!
-silver