"See you later honey!"
"Now don't worry, we'll be home by New Years! Promise!"
"See you guys..." Tenten waved meekly to her parents as the disappeared into the yellow taxi, packed with enough luggage for two weeks. Her mom rolled down her window and waved to the male beside her daughter.
"Now, you make sure nothing happens to her when we're gone, Neji." Tenten's mother warned.
"She'll be safe. You have my word." Neji promised looking at Tenten, who smiled half-heartedly. Tenten's parents waved one last time before being driven out of sight in their golden cab and, just like that, their anniversary began. Tenten's chocolate eyes started blankly at the street. All around Christmas had covered the neighbourhood in the forms of inflatable snowmen and Santas, crystalline fixtures and the smell of baking gingerbread, something she had always enjoyed year after year. However, this year was different.
"Okay...What's wrong?" Neji asked, taking Tenten's gaze off the asphalt.
"I don't see why my parents couldn't have stayed here for Christmas," she replied glumly. "This is the first year, ever, we haven't spent Christmas together since I was born. I dunno, I just don't like this, that's all."
"It is their anniversary." Neji reminded.
Tenten sighed. "But Christmas is a family holiday. How did you feel when your uncle left for that business thing overseas?" She questioned, meeting Neji's lavender eyes.
"Overjoyed, but I get what you're trying to say." Neji added hastily when Tenten glared at him. "Just try not to think about it and enjoy the holidays, okay?"
Reluctantly, and not wanting to ruin her boyfriend's holiday spirit (if that was what he called it), Tenten nodded but she still didn't like the idea. Something better happen to make this Christmas memorable...She thought, narrowing her eyes as the two made their way to the their next destination.
---
"Excuse me."
At the sound of a customer, Lee turned around from his current task of counting popcorn kernels to face the opposite side of the stand where a little boy, barely as tall as the counter itself, looked up at him with wondrous eyes.
"How may I help you?" Lee asked cheerily, leaning over the counter slightly for a better view.
"Do you know when Santa will get here?" The boy asked.
Lee thought for a second. "I am sure he will be here soon," he smiled reassuringly. "I'll bet that his reindeer probably just got tired during the long trip and they all stopped for a quick snack of nutritious honey oats."
The boy smiled, somewhat awkwardly, and left the stand as Lee looked around worriedly.
"Lee!" A voice exclaimed causing said person to jump in surprise.
"Yes Hinata?" Lee saluted as his light-eyed manager walked to the stand, looking all but amused.
"Have you seen my cousin or Tenten yet?"
"I have not." Lee shook his head and glanced around once more. "And I am afraid the customers are getting more and more impatient."
With a frustrated sigh, Hinata looked around the movie theater she had managed for the last three years. Lee's stand, and herself, stood dead center of the lobby, piled with the regular fattening, overpriced snacks one buys at the movies. A traditional Christmas tree had been placed near the entrance and was one of many decorations spread throughout the theater. Dozens of people of all ages piled in and out of the lobby as movies ended or they awaited the arrival of Santa. With seven theaters, it was a fairly large establishment to be located in a mall, but nonetheless it was the main attraction on the top floor of the local mall.
"All I know is that they better get here soon or I'll kick them out of the Christmas party tonight." Hinata threatened.
"Party?" Lee cocked his head to one side. "At your house?"
Hinata let out a short laugh. "Trust me, Lee. I'm not that crazy. It's on the theater roof tonight after all the movies are finished up and we close down."
"And am I invited to said get-together?" Lee asked slowly, hopefully.
"Of course." Hinata paused for a second. "I could have sworn I told Tenten to tell you--there you are! You two are late and the people are getting restless!" Hinata cut off and pointed accusingly at her cousin and Tenten, just walking into the theater (and clearly aware of their tardiness). "What kept you two?"
"It was Tenten's fault." Neji stated bluntly, pointing to said person who responded with a glare. She had never been gifted in the art of direction giving.
"Well...You're here now and that's all that matters." Hinata sighed and handed each of them a bundle of clothes form behind the counter. "Just put these on--" she looked at her cousin "--People are waiting for Santa to arrive."
"Wait a second..." Tenten started bitterly. "Why does he get to be Santa? He's too skinny."
"You're skinny than me." Neji stated flatly.
"And she's also shorter, which is why she's the elf." Hinata pointed out, then physically pointed outside of the theater. "Now go get ready and give the people what they want. No more wasting time."
---
"And what would you like for Christmas?" For what seemed, and probably was, the thousandth time that day, "Santa" asked the same question he had asked all the other children though, this time, a ting of irritably had managed to creep into his voice.
Tenten's, or the current mall "elf's", face twisted into a delighted grin. Despite his usual aloof personality, Neji was actually doing a better job than she ever expected, which was weird because he had announced on several occasions his dislike for small children. It seemed the holidays brought out the best in everyone, no matter how emotionally detached they were. Tenten glanced at the once long line near the centre of the mall, except for the boy currently receiving his gift from "Santa" only two people were left and no one else seemed to have any interest in seeing "Santa".
"Bye Santa!" The boy waved happily, as he left and received a short wave in response.
"You know what, I'm really impressed with you," Tenten admitted kneeling next to "Santa's" chair. "Never thought you'd actually be good with children."
"Really?" Neji asked, albeit a bit muffled due to the fluffy beard. "Because this is the last time I do my cousin a favour. Ever."
Tenten laughed. "You're really getting into the holiday spirit," she smiled as she pulled down the white beard and lightly kissed her festive boyfriend. "Keep up the good work." Replacing the fluff, she stood up and walked to the next person in line, a small girl accompanied by, whom Tenten presumed, was her plump mother.
"I want what the elf was getting!" The mother exclaimed the second the gate was open, running straight for the suddenly frightened Santa, who jumped out of the way just in time to avoid becoming a Christmas pancake. "Wait, Santa!" The mother yelled, running after the fleeing mall worker.
"See you later," Tenten waved as Neji ran past her, giving her a less-than-happy look.
Making his way out of the artificial winter wonderland, Neji began to weave through crowds of people, some of whom shot him with looks of annoyance or just plain confusion. After running past the twinkling Christmas tree, and still hearing his pursuer, he turned an abrupt left and ducked behind a corner, sighing with relief as the mother ran past his hiding place.
"'Cuse me..." A small voice, followed by a slight pull on Neji's costume, making him jump a little.
"Can I help you?" He half turned to look down at a little girl (little kids were just everywhere today, weren't they?), looking up at him with big black eyes.
"You're Santa!" The girl gasped in excitement. "Aren't you?"
"Well, yeah...Kind of." Neji answered quickly, checking around the corner and cursing bitterly. Turning back to the girl he asked, "What do you want? A pony? A doll?"
"I want my family to have the best Christmas ever." The girl announced clearly.
"Okay, you got it." Neji flashed a thumbs up and look around the corner once more. His pursuer was just a few feet away and eyeing the corner suspiciously. Why did he always have to get stuck in these situations?
"You promise?" The girl asked hopefully, clenching her hands together in anticipation.
"Yes, I promise! I--I have to go now!" Neji half waved and took off again just as the crazy mother rounded the corner. "Did I mention I'm kind of in a relationship right now?" He called to the woman, who didn't really seem to care much at all.
The little girl watched the scene before her with a delighted smile on her young face because, she knew full well, no one could break a Christmas promise.
---
That night, when the first stars had come out of hiding and twinkled high in the sky, the party began. The roof of the mall was alive with the movements of dozens of people as music blared out of the DJ booth off to one corner. If one was to ignore the utter chaos on the roof that night, they might notice the wonderful display of lights from the city this particular height offered that clear night. However, it went largely unnoticed by the masses, with the exception of two people.
"Well, it looks like you were right, Neji." Tenten stated from where she and the rundown Santa were standing near the edge of the roof.
"Right about what?" Neji asked absentmindly, his eyes focused on the city below (secretly glad he was no longer St. Nick).
"Coming here made me feel a whole lot better," Tenten said, slowly wrapping her arms around Neji's waist in a hug, receiving the same action in response.
"Aw, how cute!" A voice exclaimed suddenly, causing the two to break up and glare at the person who dared to ruin their moment.
"Lee!" Tenten shook her fist at the still-in-uniform employee, eyeing the two with a somewhat creepy kind of fancy (and his bug eyes not helping the matter at all). "What do you want?"
"Why I just wanted to experience this act of youth first-hand!" Lee cooed. "I think it is just adorable how much you two care for one other. It makes me wish I had a girlfriend so that I may smother her with as much love as you two!"
"Please don't use the word 'smother'..." Neji said, somewhat disgusted.
"Yeah, and get lost!" Tenten demanded. Instead, the bushy browed employee turned to Neji.
"What is your favourite type of cheese?" Lee asked, more seriously than one would expect.
"...What kind of question is that?" Neji looked at Lee in question, wondering if his friend had lost his mind, something he had always questioned but took a point not to show for a fear of being rude due to his upbringing (something he currently regretted).
"Aw! Come on! Tell me!" Lee begged, bouncing like a child. "Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell--"
"Okay, fine!" Neji intervened, making Lee halt abruptly. "Cheddar, I guess..." He lied; fact of the matter was he hated cheese (he had always been somewhat of a meticulous eater).
"Yay!" Lee cheered and disappeared back into the crowd and soon was lost from sight, leaving the most awkward silence behind him.
"Well...That just happened." Tenten commented, voicing her boyfriend's thoughts.
"We really need to expand our circle of friends..." Neji shook his head.
"What do you mean 'we'?" Tenten looked at him. "Lee is your friend, F.Y.I. I've hardly know the guy for two years, verses you who has know him practically all your life..." She paused thoughtfully then pulled a pitying expression. "Aw man. That explains so much. Poor you."
"Hn." Was the response she earned.
"Hey guys!" Hinata's voice made the couple turn just as she joined them, making another group of three, except with smarter people. "Enjoying the party so far?"
"Well...We were." Tenten said reasonably. "Until Lee came along and decided to say hi."
"Did he ask you a certain question pertaining to a fancied dairy product?" Hinata asked, giving them the sense he had done the same to her.
"Sure did." Neji confirmed.
"He really needs to see someone..." Hinata sweatdropped. "Hard to believe that guy's managed to keep his job here this long."
"Well people always love a freakish sideshow..." Tenten shrugged, then frowned. "Hey Hinata?"
"What is it?" Hinata cocked her head slightly as Tenten pointed to the tables near the DJ booth, holding the refreshments, where a small group of people had gathered around two people, at each other's throats.
"Did you invite Chouji and Ino to the same party?" Tenten asked in breathless tones.
"No." Hinata whispered loudly. "I know a heck of alot better than that!" She turned back to the fight, well the fight itself was mute to the three bystanders but they could see what was going on. One of the tables had already been flipped over and, though the small crowd covered most of it, they could see arms being thrown into the air.
"Go stop them." Tenten ordered, nudging Neji.
"Why don't you?" He retorted.
"Are you crazy? I'll get killed." She said simply.
"If that's the case, how about we get Lee to do it?" Hinata suggested.
"I have a better idea." Neji said, flipping open his phone and dialing three simple digits.
"This is the police, what's your emergency?"
"There's a fight breaking out on the roof of the local movie theater at 2749 Hoshi Street! Come quick!" Tenten shouted into the phone, then snapped it closed before there were any more questions.
"Well that was pleasant..." Neji said slowly, rubbing his ear.
"And it got the job done right." Tenten grinned proudly as she heard the distant sounds of sirens. "Now let's get out of here before the cops show up."
"I wonder how much trouble I'll get into for this…" Hinata wondered aloud as they made their way across the crowded rooftop, trying not to make too much of a scene.
"I wasn't--oof!" Tenten cut off when she rammed into someone's back, stumbling back a few feet.
"Hey! Watch where you're goin--" the guy turned to face them, "oh, it's just you guys..." He lost interest and yawned lazily while the remaining two people that made up their own special trio waved to Neji and Tenten.
"You sound just as enthusiastic as ever to see us Shikamaru," Hinata rolled her eyes and turned to the other couple, nodding to each of them in turn. "Sasuke, Sakura."
"What's up? You guys seem to be in a bit of a rush." Sasuke stated. "I'll just go out on a limb here and assume you're trying to get away from Ino and the fat guy, right?"
"Those two are ruining this party..." Sakura said looking over at the pair in question, noting how others had joined in on the fight, or the more cowardly ones (or maybe the smarter ones) just joined in on the taunting.
"Jeez...They're such a pain..." Shikamaru sighed. "We've been trying to ignore them this whole time--" from the fight a scream sounded "--but that is just plain impossible now."
Glancing back at the ruckus, where another scream, along with shouted obscenities, rang out the group saw the people abruptly spilt up and before they really knew what was going on, the crowd of their fellow party-goers started heading for any available exits they could find. Soon the fire escapes and one stairway leading back into the mall become a river of panicking people.
"Police!" An amplified voice yelled. "Everyone stay where you are!"
Which, obviously, no one did. As far as any of the partygoers were concerned when the police arrived anywhere, the only sane thing to do was get the heck out of that place and run for your life. And this included the group of six standing in the middle of the chaos, watching as the police gathered up whomever they could get their hands on and putting them in handcuffs. Yamanaka Ino was among that particular group.
"Uh..." Sakura started. "I think we should get a move on before we end up like her..."
"And I fully agree with that idea." Sasuke nodded and the group put their feet into motion, weaving through the crowd and avoiding the police as best they could. They had gone all of five feet when something, or someone for the few who considered him a person and not an alien, suddenly pulled Neji back by the arm.
"Lee, what the heck do you what?" Neji demanded bitterly as the two stepped in the rushing crowd. Lee stared at Neji for a couple seconds before asking:
"You said cheddar, right?"
"I don't have time for this..." Neji said flatly, breaking Lee's hold with no real effort. Knowing that he'd lost the others in the crowd, Neji continue on his way...And it only took another three feet before he was stopped again and, this time, his hands were forced behind him and clasped together with cold metal.
"W-wait a minute!" Neji turned, or tried to, to the officer behind him. "I think there's been some mistake." Utterly ignored, he was pushed into the group of others, probably mistaken, prisoners of the police round up guarded by a single law enforcer. While pondering his sudden streak of bad luck that day, Neji felt something tap his leg and looked down to see Ino sitting at his heels with a guilty grin.
"Hey." She greeted. "Quite a sticky situation we're in, huh?"
"That you cause." Neji reminded, annoyed.
"Uh, Chouji too." Ino corrected slowly then looked to her left; a slight fear crept into her voice as she laughed nervously. "Jeez. Could they have put us any closer to the edge of the building?"
"There's a guard rail..." Neji pointed out, letting the fact he really didn't want to talk right now glaze his tones as he turned away from the blond, leaning against the rail and struggling with his restraints. From somewhere among the prisoners, someone laughed.
"Aw. Afraid of falling are we Ino?" A guy next to said blond asked amused.
"You better watch it buddy." She warned. "Unless, of course, you want to become a part of the street, then be my guest!"
The person scoffed. "Yeah? I'd like to see you try!"
"Bring it!" Ino shouted getting to her feet. Now, the two couldn't really do much, what, with their hands tied but that sure didn't stop them from yelling and shoving each other, as best as they could.
"Hey!" The guard exclaimed, suddenly aware of the ruckus and making his way over to the awkward (and slightly funny) scene. Breaking them apart he pushed the guy and Ino apart, a little harder than he intended, as the guy fell to the ground and Ino slammed right into, yep, you guess it, Neji (who now really loathed a certain blond female). Unable to maintain balance or even attempt to grab something to stop his fall, Neji fell the two stories that made up the mall, but didn't get to the ground. However, it was damn well as hard.
"Yeah, that's not good for the spine..." Neji groaned, talking to no one in particular as he rolled to his side, only to realize he was in the bed of a truck, rumbling with the engine. He sweatdropped. This day couldn't get any worse, or do he thought before the car jerked abruptly and started to move forward rapidly. From above, on the rooftop, he saw an officer looking over the edge and inwardly cursed.
"This is not good." He muttered, raising himself to his knees to look in the back window as sirens blared behind him. The driver remained oblivious to his unwanted passenger, and the cops on his tail, mostly because he couldn't hear anything because of his dangerously loud Christmas music (which he was singing along to sourly). To make matters worse, it was Chouji.
I hate my life...Neji though glumly as the sirens continued to follow them for a couple minutes as Chouji made his way into the city streets, empty this time of night, and continued his reckless driving, the truck jerking with every pothole and bump hit, as did Neji. To this day, whatever had caused Chouji's sudden left turn, no one knew, but a miscalculation made the tubby male hit the curb straight on. Unfortunately, for the guy in the back the sudden jerk cause him to lose balance and fly a good five feet from the bed and land facedown in the street.
"Don't move!" An officer warned jumping from his car along with several other officers. "You're under arrest!"
"You think?" Neji retorted as the rest of the officers forced him to his feet and lead him to a squad car.
---
"Hey, Tenten?" Hinata looked around the empty parking lot confused and somewhat worried as the two stood near their vehicles.
"Yeah?" Tenten looked at Hinata quizzically.
"Where's my cousin?" Hinata and Tenten looked around before looking at each other.
---
Yay! First chappie is up! Because it wouldn't fit in the summary box I'll take this space to say this story is lossely based on the movie "Merry Christmas Drake and Josh". I've seen it so many times I finally wrote a story based on it n.n If you haven't seen it. SEE IT! Please review if you can.