NaCl: Yes…this is my NejiTen Christmas oneshot! Ah…romance fluff…and yes, I'm not an idiot, I know that Christmas was four months ago, but I had exams and couldn't write then…
Neji: I thought that I was free from her torture…
NaCl's past characters: NO ONE IS FREE FROM HER TORTURE!
NaCl: Aww, I love you too, my victi- I mean main charas!
Tenten: (gulps) Revenge?
Sasuke and Sakura: REVENGE!
Sakura: Well, its just revenge against Neji, but since you're on the receiving end of it…
Tenten: I HATE YOU, HYUUGA NEJI!
NaCl: There's goes another potential girlfriend…
'Tis The Season To Be Jolly
Ino gave a pained expression when she saw Sakura sitting on a bench, eyes red and puffy, dark circles encroaching her eyes, looking haggard and tired.
"What the hell happened to her in the two weeks I was gone?" the kunoichi sitting next to Ino asked, horrified.
"Uchiha Sasuke," Ino hissed, peering through the bushes they were hiding behind, to the heartbroken mednin.
"What did he do?" the other girl's voice immediately changed. It became the ruthless, icy, sadistic, commanding voice of the Head of the Interrogation Department.
"He dumped her."
"He. Did. What?"
"History has a way of repeating itself," Ino murmured, more to herself than anyone else, eyes flashing when she heard what the Uchiha did to her best friend. However, the ANBU next to her heard her.
"I swear, since you started dating Shikamaru, you've gotten a lot more cryptic."
Ino took two seconds out of her mental tirade against Uchiha to look over and glare into chocolate brown eyes, "Don't you recognize it?"
"Recognize what?" Was the annoyed reply.
"The bench!" Ino hissed.
Brown eyes turned back to stare at her, disbelief etched in them as a slim, scarred hand tucked a brown curl back into a bun. "What, so now I'm supposed to know all the benches in Konoha by name?" Tenten drawled out.
She had a recent mission with Sai and Lee (NOT the world's best trio) and came back to see Ibiki in a horrible mood because one of his prisoners refused to divulge info. He called for her even though he knew she came back from a mission with no-emotions and too-many-emotions and that was more tiring than the actual job, all because he refused to call Anko (apparently she and Kakashi had been spending a lot of…alone time together).
It had surprised everyone when she decided to go into the interrogation (torture) field when she was 16. It had something to do with her sadistic personality and her idolism of Anko. Tenten grinned at the thoughts of her successful (of course!) interrogation.
It was so much fun to act like a crazy bitch.
Now, all she wanted to do was curl up in bed when Ino saw her and dragged her to…watch Sakura crying on a bench she was apparently supposed to know. She wondered whether Ino inhaled too many fumes at the hospital.
Ino gave a death glare as if she had heard Tenten's thoughts. "NO!" she whisper-yelled, "It's the bench he left her on, six years ago!"
Oh.
This changed things.
A lot.
"He dumped her here?" Tenten asked incredously, wondering how cold the bastard would get until he froze into a block of ice. And stayed hidden from the world for a hundred years, Avatar-style.
Tenten reminded herself to stop watching so many cartoons.
Ino's blue eyes hardened by way of answer, "He called her an annoying fangirl and told her to stop stalking him."
Tenten was torn between horror and rage, "Alright, should I use katanas, kunais or shurikens?"
Ino looked at her funnily, "For what?"
Tenten eerily grinned, the one she usually used for interrogation, "To make him feel pain."
Ino shook her head frantically, "No, then he would go to the hospital! And Sakura shouldn't see him."
"A little too late for that." Ino and Tenten jumped ten feet in the air, managed to twist themselves midair and landed on their feet, shinobi battle position, glaring at the person foolish enough to sneak up on two kunoichi.
Hyuuga Neji just smirked.
"What do you want, Hyuuga?" Tenten asked, uncharacteristically sharp.
"I was walking when I overheard your rather loud conversation," he replied, his voice frigid. Ino glanced between Neji's tense posture and Tenten, still in a fighting stance and gave a sly smile.
"What do you mean, Neji-kun?" Ino practically cooed, watching in smug satisfaction as Tenten clenched her fists. They were so in denial.
Neji raised his eyebrows at the honorific but decided to let it drop as he pointed to something behind both of them. Both of them turned, Ino whipped around while Tenten twisted more warily.
Hell.
Uchiha Sasuke was walking down the path that would ultimately lead him to Haruno Sakura.
Ino looked back at Neji, turned to Tenten, glanced at Sakura and glared at the approaching Uchiha. Hmm, what to do, what to do? Kill Uchiha, take Sakura away, leave the two lovebirds-in-denial here? Choices, choices.
She smirked slowly as she hit upon a plan that would make Shikamaru proud. "You two," she pointed at Tenten and Neji, "Are going to kill/hurt/maim Uchiha Sasuke, not necessarily in that order."
Tenten gasped and started spouting something about 'you're the worst best friend on the planet, Ino!' while Ino just ignored her protests, gave a flirty smirk at Neji and proceeded to go and drag Sakura away from the bench so fast she didn't know what happened.
Neji, like a true gentleman, calmly and patiently waited for Tenten to finish her rant about how Ino sucks. The fact that his eye was twitching and he was this close to snapping and yelling at her didn't count.
He wondered briefly if he should yell at her. Then again, last time he did that, it cost him her friendship. And the thing was, he didn't even know why she got so pissed at him. Now, it's been nearly two months and she still refuses to practice with him, she avoids him like he's the devil and she actually turned and left one time when he came to her house.
And, if his problems with Tenten weren't enough, he had to deal with Sai as well, who seemed to think that Lee was the expert on emotions. He sometimes wished that both of them would just come out of the closet. Also, he hears that Uchiha dumped Sakura in the cruelest way possible. And if all that wasn't enough to make him commit suicide, he also had to organize a Hyuuga Christmas party-slash-Hinata's birthday party.
Today was Christmas Eve and he wanted to get on his knees and beg Tenten to kill him.
"And she pisses me off so- Hey, where's Uchiha?" Tenten paused mid-rant, looking puzzled. Neji did a quick scan of the surroundings and realized she was right, the Sharingan user was nowhere in sight.
"He left."
"Thanks for stating the obvious," Tenten spat out, "Now what are we supposed to do? Ino will kill us if she heard that we let Uchiha escape."
"You can do what you want. I have a party to organize," Neji said stiffly before walking away.
He had scarcely got ten steps before Tenten burst out laughing, "That's hilarious! Hyuuga Neji planning a party! Hell just froze over!"
Neji took a deep breath. Breathe in, breathe out. Count to ten. Slowly. Come on, if the Uchiha can control his anger, then so can you. In, out. Ten. Nine. Eight. Seve-
"Wait…you were serious?" -n. Okay, screw anger management.
"Is it that difficult to see me planning a party?" Neji asked snidely, "Fine then, you don't have to come!" He quickly walked off in the direction of the Hyuuga compound, seething.
Unfortunately, Tenten fell in step with him, "We-ell, you don't have to be such a prick about it!"
"And what if I want to be?"
"I – Ugh – What? – You know, screw it, I was about to give you a chance to apologize, but you have to be such an arrogant asshole –"
"Why would I apologize? I didn't do anything wrong!"
"You're just like Uchiha! God, you're even colder!"
"What in hell are you talking about?"
"Aww, look at my two favorite people getting along so well."
Tenten and Neji momentarily stopped arguing to see the person who interrupted them. Upon seeing a pair of white eyes and long brown hair, combined with an evil smirk that was reminiscent of Tenten's deranged-sadist grin, both of them gulped.
And then looked at each other.
Both their faces were flushed with anger and they were so close that their noses were nearly touching. To anyone that hadn't heard their argument, the position they were in looked-
SNAP!
Tenten and Neji both looked back at Hanabi, who now had a camera in her hands and was looking at them with an innocent expression. They immediately lunged at her.
"Give me that camera you brat!"
"What the hell!"
"Dammit!"
"Tenten-chan, Neji-nii-san, what are you doing?"
They stopped, again on hearing the soft voice of Hinata. Another click of the camera and they froze. In the scuffle, somehow, Tenten ended up on top of Neji and was currently straddling him.
It took all the self-control Neji possessed to not let his blood go to his face, or worse, to another certain organ.
They both stared at each other for two seconds before Tenten immediately leapt off of Neji and he slowly got up, both refusing to look in the other's face.
Hanabi grinned and waved the camera, "Finally, I get blackmail on Neji-nii-san!"
"Hanabi-chan, that's not very nice," Hinata said in a soft voice, "Let me see them." On flicking through the ten pictures Hanabi had taken, Hinata giggled, "This is hilarious!"
Neji's and Tenten's mouths dropped open.
"Yes, it is. Tenten-nee-chan, Neji-nii-san, you're both going to help me in putting up final decorations for Hinata-nee-san's birthday party!"
"I've organized practically the whole damn thing! It's your job to set up the decorations!"
"I just came back from a mission with Sai and Lee!"
"You will help me," Hanabi hissed, "Unless you want these pictures stuck on every wall in Konoha!" Neji and Tenten gulped.
Hanabi was evil.
Hinata smiled, "I'm helping as well, and so is Naruto-kun!"
Hanabi was Melon Lord-evil.
I really have to stop watching so many cartoons.
Despite their many protests, Neji and Tenten found themselves at the Hyuuga compound, in the large garden set aside for the party. Naruto, Kiba, Shino, Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon were already there, helping to set up the many, many decorations that Neji ordered.
"Hinata-sama, you shouldn't really work. It is for your birthday, after all," Neji tried one last-ditch attempt at getting his cousin to get him out of this.
"I know! I'm only taking pictures!" Hinata held up the camera, an innocent expression on her face. But Tenten could see the gleam of evil in her eyes.
She preferred stuttering Hinata over this new, evil, sadistic Hinata.
"Come on, lazybums!" Neji and Tenten groaned before following Hanabi.
"I hate your sister."
"She's my cousin."
"She's pure evil."
"I know."
"Ne, what are you two talking about? Hinata-chan's sister is so kawaii!"
"…"
"Naruto was dropped on his head a lot."
"NOBODY ASKED YOUR OPINION, MUTT!"
"Naruto-nii-chan, they're right. Hanabi is the devil in disguise!"
"You're overreacting, Konohamaru-chan, she's really nice!"
"Moegi, you just like her because just as evil as you are!"
"I. AM. NOT. EVIL. Am I, Udon-kun?"
"N-No…"
"Bugs…"
"AHH! NEJI YOU IDIOT, YOU STAPLED MY HAND!"
"Are you or are you not a ninja?"
"ITAI! I HIT MYSELF WITH THIS HAMMER!"
"I think your question is more suited to Naruto…"
"Ne, Hinata-chan, do we get ramen?"
"…"
"Ramen?"
"Of course, Naruto-kun!"
"STICK. TO. THE. PLAN. NEE-CHAN!"
"What plan?"
"Yeah, Hanabi, what plan?"
"Does this have anything to do with the fact that I just saw Sasuke and Sakura kiss?"
"YOU SAW WHAT?"
"Didn't Sasuke break up with Sakura?"
"Hanabi…what the hell are you planning?"
"SHUT UP, KONO-KUN!"
"Kono-kun?"
"Aww, does wittle Hanabi-chan have a crush on Konohamaru-kun?"
"WHAT? I – NO – I MEAN – UGH WHY DON'T YOU TWO GET TOGETHER AND LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"WHAT?"
"Why would I EVER end up with Hyuuga?"
"SHE TRIES TO KILL ME ON A DAILY BASIS! I'M NOT GETTING TOGETHER WITH HER!"
"Oh, so there's something wrong with me, now?"
"What the hell do you mean?"
"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO KISSED ME TWO MONTHS AGO, ASSHOLE!"
Everyone went silent. Tenten panted from the exertion of yelling and just seemed to realize what she said. Naruto looked comical, frozen in the act of hammering a sign onto a tree. Kiba smirked at them. Shino just continued what he was doing, which was directing his bugs to drape little lights on the trees. Hanabi also looked shocked. Hinata just grinned evilly and continued to videotape the whole thing. In the bushes behind Hinata, Sasuke and Sakura had their hands over their mouths to muffle their snickers.
Neji just looked shocked.
"I did what?"
"YOU. KISSED. ME!"
"When?"
"ON THE MISSION TO IWA! AFTER I YELLED BACK AT YOU, YOU KISSED ME TO SHUT ME UP!"
"I did?"
"AND THEN YOU ACTED LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED!"
"Nothing did happen."
"YOU KISSED ME!"
"I don't remember kissing you…"
"Oh, then I'm sorry, I didn't realize you kiss so many girls that you forget each one. My apologies, Hyuuga-sama," Tenten spat out before stalking away from them. After a few seconds, they could hear a gate slam in the distance. Neji just looked bewildered, as if he didn't know what he did wrong.
Unfortunately, at this point, Kiba burst out laughing, unable to contain himself. He quickly shut up when he saw Neji's Byakugan directed his way.
"Inuzaka," Neji said in a soft voice with a threatening undertone, "What the hell did you do?"
Kiba just smirked, "Looks like the Hyuuga is a lightweight."
Neji's eyes widened as he put together that statement with his memories of the incident and Tenten's outburst. In a dangerously low voice, he continued, "You put alcohol in my bag?"
"Run, Kiba-nii-san, run!" Konohamaru called out in a dramatic voice, "YOU DO NOT WANT TO FACE THE WRATH OF NEJI!"
Hanabi just sighed in exasperation, "Neji-nii-san, Kiba isn't your problem, Tenten is." Neji stared at his cousin for a moment, before his face hardened and he flickered out of sight.
Everyone was silent for a moment, wondering what the Hyuuga would do to get Tenten back, when all of a sudden, loud snickering was heard.
All of them went to look behind the bushes where they saw Sakura rolling on the ground in laughter, tears coming out of her eyes while Sasuke was sitting next to her, snickering.
Naruto was the first to react.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING, DATTEBYO!"
Sakura just laughed harder and Sasuke smirked.
"Aren't you two supposed to have broken up?"
"Hn. We lied."
Hinata grinned evilly.
"YOU LIED TO US?"
"In my defense, it was your girlfriend's idea."
Everyone turned to look at Hinata who changed her evil grin to a 'who, moi?' innocent face.
And it worked pretty well.
Neji was running through the streets, intent on finding the bun-haired girl. He finally realized why Tenten was so upset two months ago and he had only one chance to make it right.
He paused, he was never going to find her like this.
Where could she be?
Neji sought back in his memory for any hint she gave of where she would be, but got a blank.
He sat down on a nearby bench and meditated, searching back for any clue.
Flashback
A seven-year-old boy was crying on top of the Hokage mountain. His normally white eyes were bloodshot and his long brown hair was a tangled mess. His pale skin was blotchy as he remembered crying over the body of his dead father.
Today was the anniversary of his father's death and even though it'd been three years, it hurt like it was still yesterday.
"Why are you crying?" The boy looked up, startled to see a rumpled, dirt-covered…thing with its dirty brown hair in twin buns.
Startled and ashamed of being caught crying, he rubbed his eyes on his yukata and sullenly replied, "I wasn't crying."
"Sure you weren't," the thing laughed and since its voice was vaguely feminine, the boy decided to label the thing as a girl.
"Anyway, I'm Tenten," she said cheerfully, "Who're you?"
The boy looked at her, shocked, "Your parents named you Tenten?" He instantly knew he said the wrong thing as her face crumpled.
"I don't have parents," the girl said decisively.
"Everyone has parents," the boy scoffed, amused that this…commoner didn't know that.
"My parents didn't want me," Tenten whispered, hugging herself. The boy looked at her, shocked. Yes, his father had died, but he did so for his clan. His mother died in childbirth but not even once had he thought his parents didn't want him.
"I named myself Tenten!" the girl said bravely, though the boy saw the tear stains on her face. "So, why were you crying?"
It was his turn to look at the ground and whisper, "My father died on this day, three years ago."
"Oh." There was the barest hint of sympathy in her voice and the boy furiously turned on her, expecting to see the dreaded pity on her face. Instead she was smiling.
"So you came up here to think, huh?"
He merely looked back, over the entire village. It was only here, looking over everyone that he felt free. It was only here that he felt like he could break his cage and be free like the birds.
"This is my favorite spot to think too," Tenten replied, "It's here where I feel I can be anything I want to be, anyone I want to be."
The boy smiled at her, happy that someone else understood him.
One year later, when the new class joined the Academy, Tenten didn't recognize the stuck-up boy genius, Hyuuga Neji, as the same boy she saw crying on the Hokage Monument.
Neji knew her from the moment she stepped into class with her twin buns and wondered when she'd realize who he was under the cold mask he'd put up to everyone else.
He secretly despaired he'd never see her beautiful smile again, the one which he fell in love with.
Neji snapped his eyes open as he realized where Tenten would be. Glancing up at the Hokage Mountain, now shrouded in darkness, Neji sighed, before roof-hopping up there.
Once he got to the top, he paused for a moment, straining his eyes in the darkness. After awhile, he heard soft sniffles and sobs emitting from on top of the Godaime statue. Debating for awhile whether to go or not, he finally sighed and walked up to the crying girl.
Tenten didn't notice he was there, or if she did, she made no indication. Neji sat down next to her, looking out over Konoha, remembering the freedom standing here made him feel, the exhilarition, the adrenaline rushing through his body.
He could be anyone, anything he wanted to be when he was here.
But right now, he wanted only one thing. He turned to the brunette next to him, who had drawn her knees up and was sobbing into them and slowly snaked an arm around her, careful not to make sudden moves and have her impale him with one of her many weapons.
He slowly drew her to him and Tenten relaxed a bit, leaning her head on his shoulder and letting her knees drop. Neji curled another hadn under her knees and seated her more comfortably on his lap, leaving both arms around her, pressing her face into his chest as she sobbed.
He slowly stroked her long silky brown hair which had fallen out of her buns, and wondered to what length he had to go to win back the trust of the first kunoichi he had ever trusted.
He was so in denial.
NaCl: So? How was it?
Lil bro: You know the drill people! Fifteen people review and ask for the sequel and she'll write it!