Dazzle

"…How can you eat all of that?" A soft and slightly perturbed voice spoke up from the seat opposite her, the owner watching her incredulously as she happily stirred a large milkshake, Oreo crumbs and chocolate sauce swirling in a miniature tornado. Tenten raised an eyebrow at the question and raised her gaze to meet his, a slow smile spreading across her lips as she caught her stoic companion's expression.

"What, this?" She asked innocently, gesturing to the drink on the table before her. He lowered his head in an ascent, white eyes focussed on the particular drink as if its very existence offended him. Her smile grew a little wider and she fought back the urge to laugh as she stilled her straw, instead leaning forward and taking a long, slow sip, narrowly stopping herself from snorting in an entirely unbecoming and un-lady like manner (but was she a lady?) at the look of revulsion that crossed his features in response. She satisfied herself with grinning like an idiot instead as she drank until she got head-rush and sat back with a sigh, blatantly ignoring the glare that threatened to bore twin holes though her head as she met his gaze freely.

"Easily."

He 'tched' scornfully and turned away; instead surveying the filled to bursting cafe they had deigned suitable to stop at on their way back from a particularly boring mission (A simple C class – Escort some paranoid, overfed lord to this fish sellers convention in tea country) while their 'youthful' team member and sensei participating in a race around the circumference of an entire city. And as, judging from their current record, they'd most likely be still at it until night fall, the two remaining members moved to a more… relaxing form of exercise.

In Tenten's case, weapon shopping.

Neji had joined her, of course, preferring to test different sizes and shapes of shruiken rather then relent to the hopeful (and certainly suicidal, this city was gigantic and it was the middle of winter) gazes of Lee and Gai and ending up comatose after the first hour. It was only after twenty minutes or so of wandering from shop to shop, (turned out they didn't have a weapons store after all, practically unimaginable in Tenten's eyes) that they'd stumbled across this café. After making a quick joint decision, (Tenten begging and Neji reluctantly agreeing) they'd sauntered in and here they were now.

She was broken from her musings as the door blew open, glancing towards it as more frostbitten, red nosed people shuffled their way in and headed straight for the fire flickering merrily in the corner. Neji didn't even move a muscle, she noted absently, probably already knew they were coming – he wasn't a genius for nothing. Reaching for her weapons pack she pulled out a kunai and began sharpening it, boredom quickly making itself apparent and practically parading itself across her mind, flashing its pink, flowery underwear for the entire world to see. It had only been an hour, Lee and Gai wouldn't be done for ages yet. The steady rasp of metal on stone soothed her, and she sat in silence for a while, quickly becoming absorbed by the rhythmic pattern.

Pick up whetstone and scrape at an angle along side kunai, pressing firmly but not bashing it to pieces. Set whetstone down, test edge gently with end of finger, turn over and repeat.

A rustle of cloth caught her attention and she looked up to see Neji staring at the wall over her head, eyes unfocussed and apparently lost in a thought that had nothing to do with the café's interesting decor. She recognised it as his classic pondering pose and smiled, noting affectionately the way that his forehead crinkled ever so slightly as he frowned at some stubborn problem or the other. Reminded of a similar expression from earlier, she paused mid-stroke and considered him thoughtfully. Why Neji had such an aversion to sweet things she'd never understood, for while some of his quirks could be linked to his upbringing, (where children were to be seen and not heard) this was not one of them. It simply baffled the mind.

"Neji?" She asked suddenly, replacing her kit in her weapons pouch. When he looked up questioningly she smiled, pushing her milkshake slightly towards him. "Try it. It's really nice."

Neji blinked, recovered quickly and with a quiet dignity that she had forever marvelled, pushed the glass delicately back towards her. "No thank you, Tenten."

She frowned slightly, crossing her arms and considering him sceptically. "And why not?"

Confusion flickered over his features at the challenge in her voice and he frowned. "I don't like it."

An eyebrow raised. "How do you know that? You've never tried it before, genius."

He sighed. "I've told you this before, Tenten. I don't like sweet things."

The eyebrow rose higher. "You eat fruit, don't you? Those are sweet."

"I don't eat fruit." He threw her an irritated look, crossing his arms in turn. Tenten's other eyebrow joined the other at the blunt statement and she gazed at him in astonishment.

"…You don't?"

"No."

She resisted the urge to whistle, instead fixing him with her best, winning smile. "Still doesn't mean you won't like this." She started again, shoving it a little more forcefully in his direction. He gazed at the offending drink pointedly before looking away. "Just take a sip. A single sip."

"No." There was a note of warning in his voice this time, and he held her gaze for a few seconds, trying to get her to drop it. She just gave him a brilliant smile.

"Come one! A single sip won't kill you."

"Tenten." He wasn't even trying to mask the threatening tone this time, aggravation slowly worming its way on to his features as he fixed her with a piercing look. She met his gaze evenly, refusing to back down. "Drop it. I said no."

She sighed a little, finally breaking the deadlock and gazing down at the milkshake that was steadily making her hand go numb. Suddenly coming to a decision, she scooted out of her seat, drink in hand. Neji blinked in surprise as she walked his way, narrowing his eyes slightly as she halted before him, drink half hearted raised towards him.

"Neji." She asked softly, quietly, lifting her head to meet his eyes. He met her gaze stoically, although she knew him well enough to see that his will was crumbling. "Please."

He sat there in silence for a while, eying the drink as he fought what he knew was a losing battle, before sighing and, with a self-disgusted expression, quickly leaned forward and grabbed the drink, his pale, but warm hand completely covering her cool one as he took a quick sip. Grimacing, he swallowed nonetheless and sat back in his seat, trying not to notice the delighted smile that tweaked up her lips.

"Disgusting." He sniffed, crossing his arms once more and scowling up at her. She smiled back, apparently pleased. "Happy now?"

"No."

He frowned, irritation rapidly growing at the infuriating smile that graced her lips. "If you expect me to drink any more of that sickening concoction," He began, calm exterior beginning to crumble, "you are sorely mistaken; I did what you asked, so what on earth could be-?"

He got no further, for at that exact moment Tenten leant down swiftly and, softly, with that same small smile playing on her lips, kissed him.

"Now I am." She murmured with a step back, eyes twinkling mischievously as she smiled again.

End.

…Oh my god.

This is the fluffiest I have ever written. It's practically oozing it. xD;;;

Not so fond of the ending, I completely botched it, but I loved writing the beginning. x3 Written on impulse for NakoudoByakudan and IrisEclipse's contest, seeing as they don't have many entries and I'm a fan of the pairing. And I love their work. Just don't tell them I said that. :x

Hope you enjoyed reading it. :)