She carefully rolled her hair into the uniform buns that she had grown accustomed to and placed her hands on the table, glancing at the mirror to watch him dress behind her. She knew that he was taking his time. He smoothed his shirt for the sixth time before finally putting it on, briefly catching her eye in the mirror. They both looked away.

"I put the usual stuff together for you." She finally spoke, looking back into the mirror. He was standing behind her. She closed her eyes and leaned towards the mirror, resting her chin in her hand. "Lee is going with you, right? I packed some curry for him. Be sure to give it to him." He bent down and brushed his lips against her bare shoulders. She bit her lip. "Make sure you keep an eye out for him. I know we're Jounin now, but still."

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his chin atop her scalp. She opened her eyes to look at their reflection. "Put your clothes on and come to breakfast." He said coolly before leaving the bedroom and closing the door shut behind him. She pressed her palms into her closed eyes before standing and settling back into the annual routine. She slipped into the cotton underwear before pulling the white and blue sundress over her head and letting it fall just above her knees. The dress was worn once a year, and held no wrinkles. She hated it.

The breakfast she had prepared before he woke was still warm when she walked to the kitchen. He was drinking coffee and picking at the steamed rice on his left. She sat next to him and began her miso soup. "When do you have to leave?" He looked up from his coffee.

"Does it matter?"

"You shouldn't be late."

"I won't."

"Okay." They ate in silent routine. Once the dishes were put away, he cornered her against the sink, as always. He cupped her face and she placed her hands against his.

Every year for the past three years, from late August to late December, he would leave her. This time, he was to leave her for Kumogakure, a village on the other side of the Continent. Tsunade would always send her regrets, but would always remind her that it was necessary. That it was inevitable until the political relations of the villages were bettered. She had once suggested that Tsunade herself should go, and had received a two-week suspension without pay for her comments. She understood why he would be chosen to go. She should not complain.

He was saying something. "…You, Tenten." She sighed and let her hands fall to her sides. She could manage without him; it was not impossible. She had lived just fine before she even knew him, and she had surely lived without him before. Yes, she would be fine after the first day.

He kissed her on the mouth gently before he allowed her to embrace him tightly, hugging back loosely. She knew he had to try and distance himself from her, and that she should do the same. But, even though holding on was more painful, it was easier than letting go.

They stood on the front porch of their house, the sun just peeking over the horizon. She looked at the flowers she had planted so perfectly along the perimeter, and she remembered the summer that they first bloomed. She had teased him for not helping with the flowers, saying they would have died if he had helped. He had said something about not being able to, since he did not live at the house. "If you lived with me, it'd be more convenient and I would've helped." He had said. The next summer, he had moved in with her.

He was talking again. "…Love you." She looked away from the tulips to stare up at him.

"I love you, too." He admired her for a moment before taking her right hand and taking something out of his pocket. He slid the engagement ring off of her finger and replaced it with a wedding band. She stared.

"Hold onto mine until I return." He said quietly, placing his wedding band into her palm and closing it with his hands. "You wanted a wedding with snow, right? The day I come back, not a day later."

"Neji…"

"I promise." He wiped a few tears away from her face before kissing her again. "Just wait." She choked out a laugh and a sad smile.

"What else do I do?"

He left her on the front porch crying, smiling, and waving.

---

She waited at the front door, staring out the window through the thick snowfall. Her fists were so tightly clenched that his wedding band made an imprint in her palm. She checked the clock and closed her eyes before resting her forehead against the window, the glass cool. He had never arrived after two in the morning. But, there had to be a first time for everything. She fell asleep an hour later against the front door.

The snow was almost melted and had turned black. She no longer carried his wedding band with her and instead kept it in her jewelry box. She went back to work. However, when she returned, she still waited at the front door. She refused to see Tsunade, and the elder did not search for her. She went out with her friends once in a while and still politely turned down any suitors. She always wore her wedding band.

---

There was only a little snow left on the ground when there was a knock at her front door. She quickly opened the door and her arms so he could fall into her. She knelt on the floor so she could embrace him fully while he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist and buried his face into her lap. She planted a thousand kisses of the warmest touch on his forehead, his hair, his face, and his mouth and tried to stop her tears from hitting him and his wounds.

"Tenten, I'm--"

"Don't." She kissed his mouth when he finally had the strength to sit up. "It doesn't matter. You're here. Nothing else…" He kissed her deeply, running his tongue over every familiar part of her mouth before bringing her closer.

"We can still have a snow wedding…We can wait--"

"No." He stared at her. "You said…The day you return, no day later." She buried her face into his shoulder. "Don't make me wait." He closed his eyes and wrapped himself around her.

"Then let's go to Tsunade."

"But, let's go to the hospital first--"

"No. The hospital can wait." He opened his eyes to stare at her. "Tenten, I love you."

Her response was, as always, the same: "I love you, too."