Cold Warmth

.By: Panda-chan.

Summary: First, there was the blizzard. Second, she was alone with a large, gapping slash across her stomach. Third, she had no contact whatsoever with the comrades she trusted most.

-Standard Disclaimer Applies-

Warning: OOC Neji.

-

Not to know is bad,
Not to wish to know is worse.
-5
-

-

1

She retched the contents of her stomach on the slushy ground. Coughing and choking as she trembled from the frigged air that wrapped around her frail body continuously.

Gastric juices stained red spilled over the milky white snow. She placed a weak hand over her gravely wounded stomach. She winced, brought her hand to her face, and scrunched her nose in dismay.

Bright red covered her palm. The sticky substance slowly sliding off her hand and onto the ice beneath her.

She crawled over to the small arch of rock that provided to be her only shelter. Flakes of snow fell from the sky and piled over her lower body.

She couldn't feel the tips of her fingers now. Her legs slowly going numb and her lips cracked and dry. The corner of her mouth was dripping with blood, that fleeted down her chin and onto her pants.

She was horribly injured, she knew.

"H...Hhhh..." She groaned softly.

The snow began to thicken as it fell. The wind picked up and the temperature decreased several degrees'. As she leaned onto the small curve behind her, the arch above her shielding her from the oncoming snow, she couldn't help but to think...

She was going to die.

And no one will ever find her.

She opened her heavy eyes. Honey tinted orbs stained with fatigue and pain. She raised her pale hand slowly, shivering from the gust of wind that smacked itself onto her injured form and brushed a strand of muddy hair away from her eyes.

White.

That was all she saw. White. The wind carrying flakes of snow obscured anything else other than the dreadful white. The white that seemed to go on for miles and miles.

"N-Neji..." She breathed. She could feel herself getting colder and colder as time passed. All she was clothed in was some long pants, her regular, long-sleeved, oriental-style shirt, and a flimsy black cloak along with some shredded gloves.

It wasn't enough to get her passed a full-fledged blizzard. If someone didn't find her soon, she knew that she would die. If not from the impending cold then from starvation or blood loss. But somehow, someway, she was going to die.

It was a matter of time—she was in for the count.

And it all started, with a simple B-ranked mission to the Land of Snow...

-

2

"Alright team! Let us go an complete this youthful mission!" Gai cried with a ridiculous pose. Tenten couldn't help but to giggle as he and Lee hugged each other eagerly. A clash of sunsets and crying males equaled a hysterically humored Tenten.

"Hn. Let's go before night breaks," Neji cut in the warm moment. Tenten glanced at him, and glared. She and Neji had been at each others throats for the last couple of months. All because he was going to marry some high-class, rich-bitch and had called Tenten a 'Mixed-breed'.

She did not liked to be compared to a dog, mind you. So while Neji had accepted being married to some pedigree, virtually pathetic and useless housewife; Tenten had feverishly disagreed. And it ended with a loud, non-stop screeching of insults from the two of them.

Neji called her a jealous bitch. Tenten called him a cold-hearted bastard. And they had both stalked away from each other. Neji's fiancée throwing Tenten a cocky smirk before playing the concerned wife and comforting a pissed Hyuuga Neji.

It only made Tenten sneer in response. Sure, she was jealous. Completely jealous. But that didn't mean that she would stop loving him. They were twenty. Neji was suppose to be married off at the age of eighteen.

His marriage was delayed because of the ANBU exams. He had failed the first time, succeeded the second. Tenten was only a Jonin. And she decided to stay Jounin. ANBU just seemed to dangerous for someone of her caliber.

Yeah, I'm a mixed-breed. Obviously not pure enough to meet Neji's standards. Tenten thought bitterly. She shot a glared at her teammate.

"Yosh! Let us go! Gai-sensei!" Lee yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Yes! Let us go! Lee!" The quickly took off. Tenten jumped onto a tree branch and followed, not sparing a glance at her stoic teammate and ex-sparing partner.

It had seemed that ever since Neji had called her a 'Mix-breed, ungraceful nobody', he had also fired her from being his loyal training partner. If he wanted to cut all ties with her, she didn't object because all she wanted for him was his happiness.

If he was happy selling his life to a complete, fangirling bitch. Then fine. She would painstakingly comply.

"I see a rout northeast from here," Neji informed. He quickly passed Tenten without trouble, making her bubble in anger.

"We can't take that rout!" she spat. Neji shifted his eyes to her, scowling.

"Hmm? What was that Half-breed." that was it.

"To hell with you, fuckin' asshole!" She barked and stopped. "I couldn't give a crap if I was mixed twenty-times over! It only shows that some rich-boy, spoiled brat like you—"

He scoffed, "Lowering into some petty insults, are we?" Tenten trembled in fury while Lee and Gai watched with dismay as their two beloved teammate slowly drifted farther apart.

"... If we take the northeastern rout that'll only cause us problems!" She spat at his sneering face, "That's where Sound ninjas are currently staying at! Fucktard!"

"Hn. I know what I am doing, Tenten,"

"And so am I Hyuuga! So why don't you go the way I told you to go so we can get this mission over with! I can't stand to be in your very presence." She slit her eyes, "It disgusts me"

Neji shot her a smirk, "I'm glad we're both on the same page, Half-breed," Tenten balled her fists. How she wanted to punch the living hell out his cocky face. He had been calling her half-breed instead of mixed-breed for some reason.

Basically, half-breed because she was Chinese-Japanese. It only showed her the true side of Hyuuga Neji. The side she had never once seen before, and that tested her devoted love for him.

That love, strangely, didn't waver.

But her hatred did increase.

"Fine! You go your way, I go mine!" She spat before running past him and into the dense greenery. "I'll see you in the Land of Snow!"

"Tenten-chan! Tenten-chan wait!" She ignored Lee and Gai's calls as she sprinted into the forest. She didn't care if she had disobeyed Neji's orders. She just hated his superior and arrogant posture.

How he made her feel so insignificant. Weak. Not-worth-your-time type of kunoichi. Before she knew it, something warm and salty trailed down her cheek.

She swiped a hand over it, and grimaced at the tears that were spilling from her vibrant swirls of chocolate and honey.

I'll show you Neji. I'll show you what this stupid half-breed can do! She vowed before jumping atop a large boulder. The raging waterfall droned out all possible noises as she secured the black cloak around her body.

Right over the mountains, over the puffy swirls of clouds, she could vaguely see a thick and dense white slowly overcome several of the green and lively tree's...

-

3

She coughed and spit out the blood that pooled in her mouth. Whimpered when thoughts of death and heartache flowed into her mind. Shuddered when a gust of snow-ridden air clashed with the cold warmth of her skin. And winced when her stomach began to burn and prickle as the snow piled over her feet and slashed stomach.

"Ouch..." She mouthed, not able to form coherent sentences.

Out in the distance, through the ragging sways of ice, three people could be seen looking desperately for their lost teammate.

It was such a shame the brunette had passed out from exhaustion and pain.

-

4

"Neji-kun," The fuming man snapped his head towards his strangely silent teammate, Lee.

"What Lee?" He demanded.

Lee furrowed his thick brows before answering, "Are you sure it was wise to let our delicate flower, Tenten, go alone?"

Neji had been thinking about this also. No matter how much he came to hate her, he couldn't. It pained him so much when she had sputtered all of those things awhile ago. Which was why he interfered and covered up his pain with a smart remark.

It only made her angrier. And only made him sadder.

He knew that it was partly his fault. If not all. He had lead her on to thinking that he was actually going to marry. Of course her wasn't really. The woman that he was supposedly 'marrying' was a deluded fangirl that happened to be there. But then the joke got out of hand when she screeched bloody murder, and when he made the grave error of calling her a mixed-breed, then half-breed.

He knew that he crossed the invisible line the second he uttered those words. He saw her eyes narrow in pain and betrayal, and it didn't help when she didn't let him explain. And after that, they split. And had been trying to bring one another down since.

That had happened almost half a year ago. And because of his Hyuuga pride, he couldn't do anything more but keep up the charade. Keep up the insults; the lies.

"It is her decision. Not mine," Neji's voice was threaded thickly with steel."If she dies, it will only be her fault for disobeying my orders and running off like a scowled child."

The idea of her dying threw him out of bounce for a second. He almost stuttered on his, usually, solid words when he had subconsciously said that. He had been keeping the idea of her dying at the back of his mind.

But now that it arose... it made even more paranoid than he already was.

He saw Lee stiffen and slow to Gai's pace. He shifted his eyes forward and murmured, "Byakugan."

Neji scanned the area, searching for traces of his beloved teammate. He found none. Which added to his paranoia.

"Neji," He turned off his blood-limit and turned to see Gai looking at him gravely.

"Hn?"

"The annual blizzard... I—forgot to say that it will start in one day." Neji suddenly felt cold all over. The annual blizzard in The Land of Snow happened every year during Konoha's Summer Festival. It was the largest, coldest blizzard of the year.

And Tenten had a one-hundred mile head start.

"Tenten..." He muttered with dread.

"I didn't think she would actually leave! I thought that I had more time! But things got out of hand—and then you fought again!" Gai's said with anxiousness.

Neji silenced him with a glare.

"Why didn't you tell us before!? Now Tenten's going to be ambushed by the storm! My Byakugan is virtually useless in a blizzard!!" Neji roared in rage at his former teacher.

Gai shrunk and uttered a small: "Oh no..." before Lee cut in.

"What!? But our youthful flower Tenten-chan is not dressed in the proper attire to take on such harsh weather!"

Neji looked down with worried eyes. What a great time for a fight..., he thought sarcastically.

"We're canceling this mission," He stated. Gai and Lee looked at his expression. A mixture of pain, paranoia and worry.

"Yes! This is a simple B-rank in which we can complete easy! But our Tenten comes first!" Gai threw a smile at his two former students, but that smile didn't reach his eyes.

"YOSH! Tenten shall be alright! She is a very skilled and intelligent woman!"

Neji desperately hoped so.

-

5

Tenten grumbled to herself as she jumped branch after branch. She was so into her thoughts, she didn't catch the sparkle of metal.

"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!" Tenten growled at no one. She was about to start her grumbling again, when a ruff voice interfered.

"Stupid?! What are you, nine?" Tenten froze. She whipped her head to the side, only to come in contact with a metal laced punch.

Her head flew back, blood sputtering from her parted lips. She quickly regained her composure and avoided a head-on collision with a tree.

"Damn it!" Tenten grabbed onto her large scroll and unbuckled the strap. Without a second thought, she rolled it open and quickly summoned her arsenal of weapons.

It all happened so quickly. First there was one, then there were fifteen. Then twenty. Then thirty. So many rouge ninjas. All of different ranks. All dangerous and recommended for Sound. Tenten knew it was a lost cause to fight them off.

She only managed to kill a dozen of them before one of them stabbed her right shoulder blade with a kunai. Then another one managed to knick her on the cheek and neck. Then one kicked her to her knee's and thats where she began to lose all of her concentration in the fight...

In her last, desperate, attempts to save herself, she pushed through the throng of hell-bent ninjas and cried, "Soryu Tensakai!!"

There was a short, three-second lapse of silence before screams of agony filled the air. In less than a minute, silence threaded through the thick atmosphere.

Tenten opened her eyes and smiled weakly. She grabbed her most trusted Katana from her waist and dragged it's well-filed tip through the ground as she limped her way away from the slaughtered bodies.

It was over... she had won.

"Arrgggg! Die!" Tenten gasped and turned to the side as quickly as her battered body would let her.

Splat!

Her eyes widened in horror, her hand loosing it's grip on her sword. The black point of her iris dilated as the ninjas arm swung and tore deeply through the softness of her stomach.

Thinking fast, she reached into her hostler and threw out two kunai's...

-

"Tenten! Tenten!" Lee shouted hoarsely. Neji had tried his Byakugan on several attempts to try and locate her, but no avail. The snow was simply too thick. Too overlapping for his blood-limit.

They had gone through the path that Tenten had took and made it through unscathed except for emotional toll. Then, they had seen several rogue ninjas far up in-front of them. Over sixty in count.

Neji was sure they were from Sound. But that wasn't the worst part, the worst part was Tenten's most-praised sword embedded into a mans skull.

Blood was splattered onto the ground and lingering trees'. Bodies were littered all over the surrounding area at random. Some alive and groaning, others twitching. Body parts lay askew in a pool of blood. Swords, kunai's and headbands were all scattered, streaked with snow and blood.

The stench was horrible. The pungent smell of death and blood mixing to created a ghastly concoction no man should ever inhale.

"Tenten..." Neji pulled out the sword from the mans skull. He looked at the blade, tightening his grip on the handle. "Let's go."

Lee and Gai followed earnestly behind the Hyuuga male.

-

6

Insanity was knocking on Tenten's door as she rolled her head back. She couldn't stand the stabbing pain. She just wanted to close her eyes and die for all she cared. She didn't have a family. No siblings or aunts. Nor uncles for the matter.

All she had were two parrots and friends. Friends whom have long-since stopped talking to her. Sakura and Ino were too busy planning Hinata's oncoming wedding with the soon-to-be Rokudaime, Naruto. All of the males of the Rookie Nine were busy honing their, almost perfect, ninja qualities.

All she had were her loyal teammates, who proved to be disloyal at the same time. Lee and Gai had other things they had to do, like training or completing missions. While Neji was too busy with his God damned wife.

It was later known to Tenten that Neji was simply teasing. But it didn't look like teasing to her when he kept the crude comments and heart-wrenching names. She was almost certain Neji had always hated her guts.

No, not almost certain. Certain.

"Tenten...! Tenten...!" Tenten opened a heavy eyelid. Someone was calling her... but who would be looking for her? She was so sure she couldn't be saved. It was too late. A little too late...

"Nhgh..." She grunted and straightened herself up, only to scream, "ARGGGHH!" She shut her eyes. She clenched her blood-stained teeth and balled her fists while the wave of pain slowly subsided. Then, she heard the disturbing sound of something tearing in two.

She didn't need to look down to see what had happened.

Instinctively, she clawed her hands. The snow piling beneath her uneven finger nails while the pain pulsed throughout her tattered body. The thick blood that crusted over her pants spilled over into the snow and colored it a deep burgundy.

"Tenten...! Ten—ten!..." Tenten struggled to keep her bloodshot eyes open. She swallowed the gurgle of blood, grimacing as her stomach heaved in dire disagreement.

"...Here... h—here..." She breathed, feeling her breaths come in shallow. Moments passed, yet it seemed like an eternity for her. She heard a sharp intake of breath, then something sloughing through the thick snow.

From there on, everything was hazy and vague. She barely caught several words. Someone was talking to her—or about her? Their voice was heavy with something akin to horror. More voices' came afterward, she didn't know. They seemed frantic; horrified.

Was she really that injured? She didn't think so...

Black.

She woke, only to have a bothersome ringing in her ear. More voice's. Less horrified, more frantic. Something about blood loss. She didn't know. She didn't have enough strength to piece everything together.

Black.

Tenten blinked her eyes with slowly. She felt the wind caress her face evenly; it wasn't cold. More humid. She felt something tighten around her arms, and under the bend of her knee. Voices' rushed past her... or was it the whooshing wind?

"Tenten... you're going to be alright. Don't die on me!" Die? Wasn't she dead already...? If this was Heaven, she'd been ripped off. If it were Hell, it wasn't as torturous as everyone assumed it was.

"We must hurry! We are near the Konoha Gates! She's loosing too much blood!" She was...? Was that was she was feeling so light headed? Like if she were to stand her whole world would topple over repeatedly...?

Black.

When she opened her eyes again, she saw white. Not piercing white. Not blinding white. But the interior white of a hospital room. She swallowed, only to hiss in displeasure. Her throat was so sore, it felt as if flames had scorched the soft tissue of her esophagus.

Maybe they had... She stared at the ceiling for awhile. She drooped her eyes, the ceiling, as well as everything around her, was darker than she had first imagined. Dark. Like night.

Is it nightfall...? Tenten turned her head to the side stiffly. The drapes that hung from the top of the window fluttered with the cool breeze that blew through the open window. Darkness had already consumed the outside world, speaks of white covering the brilliant black of the sky.

"Alright, I'll go check on her to see if she's awake. Oh! Here, take this also, something tells me you'll need it, Neji-san," Neji? The hell he was doing here, in a hospital? A spark of fear rushed through Tenten. Was he hurt? Did something happen to him? Was he okay?

"Ah... I would be more comfortable if I stayed, Haruno-san," Stayed? So maybe he wasn't hurt... But she was? Tenten clenched her jaw and blinked her eyes against the dryness that lingered there.

"Oh! Sure, if you wish... but I do think that you should go get some rest. I'll contact you the instant she wakes!"

"No. I'm fine. Could you please go check on her now...?" Tenten scrunched her nose. Was that worry laced in his voice? No. Why would he be worried...?

"Yes, yes! Let me just see her status..." It quieted. The beeping of the machine that stood by her filling the monotone silence. She could hear the repetitive flipping and shifting of papers. The even breathing of the two people inside.

"Are you sure about this, Neji-san? I would seriously suggest you go home and—"

"No. I'm fine." Tenten stiffened at his icy tone. She heard light footsteps, then she felt someone tamper with the machine by her before tugging on the syringes that hung from her skin. Tenten also noted the way she felt so warm.

"Well, she's okay now but she's not out of the forest yet. I'm going to keep her monitored for a couple of days to see how her body copes with the medicine I gave her... and maybe I'll put some more blankets to keep her warm..."

"Ah." Tenten tried to move her hand. She couldn't. That scared her. She tried again, not avail. She switched to her other hand; same. She tried to move her foot, nothing; at least to her. So Tenten opened her eyes and stared at the bleak ceiling while Sakura scribbled something onto her pad.

"Sakura...?" Two head snapped towards Tenten. Neji flitted to her and Tenten saw the relief that flooded into his features.

"Tenten! You're awake, thank God!" Sakura neared her and bombard her with questions in a professional tone.

"How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?" Tenten glowered at Sakura. She blinked at Tenten's hostility. Neji drew in his brows.

"I... can't feel anything."

Sakura froze. "Excuse me?"

"I can't feel anything. I can't move anything..." Tenten's glare hardened. Sakura gave her a sheepish smile.

"Ah... that would be the new morphine we got from Suna. You can move, you just can't—feel it." Tenten dropped her glare and sighed. After a few more questions, Sakura smiled enthusiastically and left the room; giving the two teammates some much needed alone time.

Tenten could hear their breathing in the empty room. She felt just as empty at the moment. Neji shifted and sat in the chair behind him. He placed his bandaged hands over the edge of her bed.

"Tenten..." She flickered her eyes to him. Tenten saw him staring at the bed sheets with dreary eyes. "How... do you feel?"

Tenten choked in a snort. "Like shit, Neji, like shit." She heard him let out a humorless chuckle. Tenten glanced at him, something was wrong.

"... You?" She asked after a moment of thoughtfulness. She couldn't handle another childish quarrel tonight.

Neji shifted his eyes upward. "Fine. Just exhaustion. You were the one—mostly injured." Tenten turned her head away to hide the flinch.

"Oh. I see," Tenten coughed. she saw Neji stare at her anxiously.

"Are you okay? Do you need me to bring Sakura back in?" Tenten shook her head and continued to cough. Neji stood and glanced at her door with anxiousness. "Are you sure? It wouldn't be any trouble if I called her..."

Tenten stopped and blinked. Whoa, do I have the flu? "It's nothing, Neji. I think I got the flu... crap."

Neji sat back down and sighed, "So, you're fine?"

Tenten nodded. "Uh-huh. Fine as a pie..." Neji grimaced and let his eyes trail down her wounded body. When he had found her, he blew out into full hysterics. For a moment, he actually she was dead, which gave him the fright of the century.

But he saw her chest rise after a moment of staring in horror. He didn't waste anytime on crouching down and checking her condition. Her pulse was very weak and she was loosing blood by the second. He was sure that, as he carried her back to Konoha, she was going to die in his arms...

Better my arms than anyone else's... Neji repeated what he had thought when he carried her back. He glanced at Tenten, just to find her synchronizing him.

"What—What are you thinking...?"

Neji smiled faintly, "About how terrified I was when I saw you lying half covered in snow and blood and almost dead..." Tenten sniffed and dropped her gaze.

"Oh... so I was—dying." Neji nodded and looked down at his twine hands.

"Almost..." Tenten smiled lightly. No fights. She thanked God. She honestly wanted to stop these pointless fights. It was about time they kissed and made up.

Okay, maybe not kissed... though that wouldn't be so bad. Ugh, what am I thinking. "... I'm sorry." She admitted begrudgingly. Neji snapped his head up, his eyes tinged with incredulity. "I-I was being unreasonable and stubborn... back then... so, I'm sorry." Tenten's voice dropped several octaves while Neji stared at her through unfathomable eyes.

"Why... are you apologizing to me?" Neji asked quietly. "I was the one whom lead you on, I should be the one—apologizing. I was also the one how began calling you names like a child." Tenten smiled ghostly.

"Yeah, but I know that you'll never apologize." Neji raised an eyebrow at her assumption. "You're Hyuuga pride won't admit it, like always. You were always a prideful pig... " She said a bit smug.

Neji narrowed his pale eyes, "Oh really?"

"Yes, really." Tenten deadpanned. Neji tugged his lips into a smirk and leaned down towards her face. She felt her face heat up as he hovered her face. She sunk back into her stiff pillow, very aware of how their breaths mingled with each other.

"I'm sorry." Tenten felt her heart lurch at his suddenly tender voice. She had never heard him use this kind of tone with her before. In fact, she was sure that she had never him use it in his life time. Why use it on her now?

Tenten grimaced and turned her head to the side to hide her pain-filled features. Neji, looking taken back, stared at Tenten's sudden melancholy mood. "Stop doing this to me..."

Neji's face hardened. "Doing what?"

"Pretending to care!" She wailed. Neji backed up as his emotional teammate sniffed, this time with tears. "I hate it when you get all sentimental then the next day comes and you treat me like a stupid, pathetic dog! Make up your mind! Hate me or like me! As simple as that!" Neji tapped his forefingers together patiently, waiting for his teammate to calm.

"... I never hated you." Tenten glowered at him.

"You sure acted like you did." She retorted scathingly. Neji's peaceful expression didn't waver once, adding to Tenten's irritation. She hated how he could so easily hide his emotions behind a mask; envied maybe.

"Tenten I never hated you once." She kept her glare. "The only reason I kept going with the childish insults was because—of my pride." He admitted, ignoring Tenten's smug face.

"Ha. I knew it." She gloated a bit, not lightening the thick atmosphere. Neji sighed and leaned forward, his hand touching hers gently. Tenten cursed at the machine beside her as her heart rate increased, even so, Neji didn't seem to notice.

"But it was also because you didn't me explain." Tenten slit her eyes. "You would blatantly ignore me and all my efforts of trying to mend our damaged friendship. It was partly your fault also..." He left off after catching a glimpse of her murderous face. He knew when he'd crossed the line...

"That's because you would always look at me with a sorta of sense of superiority and it made me angry as hell! Then you would use the oh-so lovely nickname you came up with..." She countered in her deadly sugar-sweet voice.

Neji thought thoroughly if he should argue with her or not. If he should, he just might compromise what he had accomplished. If he doesn't, not only will she boast about it later, but he'll never be able to mend their broken friendship.

He sighed, "Please, Tenten, you're being difficult."

She scoffed and winced when she moved to abruptly to the side, "Difficult..."

"How about... we just forget this ever happened?" Neji offered with no hope. Tenten thinned her lips in objection, but considered it.

"There are things... that can't be forgotten, Neji." She said quietly. Silence ensued again. More prolonged this time. Their attention went to the door that slowly opened, and pink head poked from the other side with a small smile.

"Hi, Neji-san! Tenten-chan! I have to take Tenten's temperature and blood pressure right now if you don't mind..." She left with uncertainty. Neji nodded and stood, glancing at Tenten before walking outside.

Sakura came in, set up her things and started to work. "So... have you guys made up yet?" Tenten looked up into Sakura's glittering eyes.

"No..." She mumbled.

Sakura giggled. "You know, you guys sound like a married couple!" Tenten shot her a dirty look. "It's so cute! I really do wish you would make up already... this is getting seriously old and you almost got yourself killed because of it!" Sakura exclaimed with a shake. Tenten huffed and looked away.

"Says you..." She countered lamely. Sakura smiled widely.

"I remember when me and Sasuke-kun got into a fight. That was after he came back from Sound... we wouldn't speak to each other or make any contact whatsoever! It was a pain, but eventually I apologized." Her smile turned smug. "And I got him to apologize to me too! I swear, I was high off joy!"

Tenten giggled. "I know, I saw." The two girls laughed lightly while Sakura finished her procedures. Their laughter died and was soon replaced with a gloomy silence.

Sakura packed up her things and gave Tenten a thumbs up. "You're good! Your sugar levels are a bit low... here!" Sakura dug into her nurses pocket and popped a tube of pills. "This is some candy Ino-pig gave me! Take some so your sugar levels could go up."

Tenten reached out stiffly and brought the bottle to her face, "Cherry flavor?" Sakura smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, thats all I got. Unless you want some apple juice or something." Tenten shook her head. She wasn't thirsty at all.

"No, thanks."

Sakura smiled tensely, "Well... I should go now," She stopped, her face hesitant to what she was going to add next. "Please... make up. It'll be better and I just can't stand it when we hook up to go shopping and you're all mopey," Tenten drew her brows in thought. "Just—you know... kiss and make up." She chirped, wriggling her brows at the kiss part.

Tenten cringed. "Sakura... please, I don't wanna know what you and Sasuke do when alone." Sakura laughed aloud and left, letting Neji reenter the room with a wink of an eye, knowing he had each and every word uttered there.

Neji sat back down and stared at the tube Tenten held in her hands, "Are you going to eat them?" Tenten puffed her cheeks. Neji felt even more relief flood through him, she only did that whenever she was comfortable.

"I dunno... maybe," Tenten popped the cap and popped a capsule into her mouth. She chewed then smiled before eating more. "Hey, these taste good... I need to ask Ino where she got them." Tenten told herself happily as she ate more. She winced a bit, her stomach twisting in pain when she moved to the side again.

Her arm wasn't hurting, Sakura had healed all of her wounds except her stomach, something about it being to fragile to heal properly maybe.

Neji frowned, "Are we on good terms now?" Tenten stopped her chewing, and looked at him. Her eyes glowed with mischievousness, and Neji needn't more than that.

"Maybe... if you buy me some more of this candy!" He chuckled. Tenten cheered inwardly, smiled widely outwardly and swayed lightly despite the sharp pain she felt in her midsection.

"Fine," Tenten smiled then grew serious. Neji straightened at her suddenly solemn expression, wanting to know what she had to say. Her face didn't change, it only grew more and more grave. Neji felt anxiousness trickle into his body slowly.

A smile cracked through her serious mask and she laughed loudly, "Ooh look, I mastered the Hyuuga Mask. Isn't that sweet?" Neji blinked and tilted his head to the side.

"Hyuuga... Mask?" Tenten burst out laughing, only to clutch her stomach in pain. She laughed and moaned and laughed as her stomach pulsed with pain, but she just couldn't stop laughing! The face Neji had put was simply too... hilarious. It gave her the impression of a wounded, curious puppy looking for a home.

Cute, yet funny in a twisted sort of way. But she was a ninja, she had the right to think so vulgarly, as Neji put it. "Oh... that was so funny. I don't know if you do it on purpose or you seriously don't know," Tenten panted and flinched when her stomach ached in retribution for her recklessness. "You—that was the cutest and most hilarious face I've ever seen!" She choked.

"Thanks," He responded dryly. Tenten shot him a apologetic smile before wincing. She clenched her jaw against the pain and suppressed a grunt.

Neji's eyes slit and he stood, leaning over and touching her stomach. "Don't strain yourself," He whispered. Tenten's heart sped. "You might tear the stitches." Neji let his bandaged hand run down her stomach's bandages softly.

Tenten took in a sharp breath, "Oh... okay," She bit her lip when Neji didn't move. He stood still, running his hands along the creases of her bandaged stomach. He shifted his eyes towards Tenten's honey smeared ones.

They stared. Looking deeply into each other's eyes as the clocked ticked life away slowly. They slowly drifted from reality as they stared. All sounded was droned by their beating hearts. They didn't know who did it first, or why they did it, but soon, one of the two connected their lips together softly.

They were about to step it up a notch, when a vague, "Ahem." followed by a choked down giggle made them bounce apart. Sakura stood by the door frame idly, smiling as if she had won the lottery.

"Oops! Seems like I'm interrupting something," She swayed happily towards Tenten. She eyed Neji in faux-suspicion. "Now then, could you step out so I could take a sample of Tenten's blood? I need to make sure that the sword that slashed her stomach didn't contain any sort of poison or so to speak..." Neji coughed and nodded, walking out.

A large, cat-like, grin spreed over Sakura's face as she stared the rapidly beeping machine beside Tenten. "I was kidding about the kiss," —Tenten glared lightly—"part but you were sure about to take up a notch, huh? Gimme details!"

Tenten flushed and looked away, grunting when the needle punctured her vein. "Th-That's none of your business!" Sakura giggled hysterically and bounced over to the door, a sly grin on her face.

"You. Me. Saturday. Sleepover."

She opened the door, let Neji in with a large grin and shut it back again. Neji's troubled face only made Tenten flush. He looked over to her, and smiled faintly when she grumbled to herself.

"So, want to continue?"

Now it was Neji's turn to laugh at Tenten's puppy expression.

-

I wrote this months ago. I know, I know Kakashi-san, a shot is a moment, not a story, but this one already fit the prompt... Angsty beginning, fluffy ending, no? I know, overused reason for argument, but it was the best I could do at the moment...

R&R Please!

Panda.