Valentine's Day

Tenten's kitchen was a mess. The sink was overflowing with dishes, and the counters were dusted with sprinkles and smeared with bits of melted chocolate.

Tenten popped a tray of chocolates into the fridge and followed the mess to her table, dropping gracelessly into a chair next to Hinata.

"Oh man," she sighed, and leaned back in her chair. "My stomach hurts from all of that taste-testing we did."

Hinata laughed.

"Same."

"At least we got pretty much everyone's chocolates made. It just sucks that Ino and Sakura had to leave early."

"I hope the guys like them."

Tenten watched Hinata pick at a piece of hardened chocolate stuck to the table. Hinata's body language said what she hadn't.

"Was there someone else you wanted to make some chocolates for?"

Hinata's eyes snapped up from the table, wide with shock and embarrassment.

"I… I…"

"Hinata, if you want to make something special for Naruto, we can."

"I-I mean… wh-what would I e-even…"

She let her words trail off while Tenten reached for the magazine they'd been using for chocolate recipes. She flipped through it until she found the page she was looking for.

"Hot chocolate bombs are pretty popular this year. We could make a few." Tenten held out the magazine to Hinata, pointing at the photo of a woman's hand holding a ball of chocolate above a mug of hot milk.

There was a brief pause in their conversation while Hinata skimmed the recipe. She looked back up to Tenten.

"D-do you think he-he'd like that?"

"I think he would. We can make some extras and try them out."

"O-okay."

"I bought a mold because I wanted to try them, but when Ino and Sakura said they had to leave early I figured I'd do it another time."

She picked up the mold and scanned the recipe while Hinata made herself comfortable at the stove, melting down more chocolate.

Tenten gathered up the needed supplies from her pantry and sat back down at the table when Hinata brought over the pot.

They made the molds quickly and put them in the freezer to set faster. Hinata checked on the other chocolates in the fridge, bringing over a few set trays.

"These are done," she said, sitting down, "should we box them up for everyone?"

"Sure." Tenten reached for the package of folded boxes and opened it up. Then they carefully assembled and started packing up the many boxes, one for each of the girl's teammates and their sensei's. Hinata had also set separate boxes aside for Neji, Hiashi and Hanabi.

"So, have you thought about how you're going to give Naruto his chocolate?"

Hinata paused, tying a ribbon around a box and shook her head.

"Do you think you could help me?"

"Sure, just let me know how."

"Well, first…" she sighed, "I feel bad saying this… but please don't say anything to Neji-niisan."

Tenten laughed.

"He'd somehow find a way to ruin it, huh?"

"He-he tries to help… but…"

"He's too overprotective, I know." Tenten laid a hand on Hinata's shoulder. "Don't worry, I won't say anything."

Hinata sighed.

"Thank you, Tenten."

"No problem, anything else?"

"I… how do I give it to him?"

Tenten finished filling a box and paused to think.

"Hmm… how about we take a little extra time delivering ours and we can walk around the village until we see Naruto and we can make it seem like we just bumped into him."

While still very clearly unsure of Tenten's plan, Hinata nodded and they continued their work.

Once all was said and done, Tenten and Hinata looked across a freshly cleaned kitchen and six perfect looking hot chocolate bombs.

A pot of milk was warming on the stove, and two mugs waited patiently on the counter.

They each took a mug and placed a ball inside. When the milk was ready, Tenten poured some into each cup. The chocolate melted quickly and clusters of mini marshmallows popped up to the surface. They stirred together the mixture of chocolate, cocoa powder and other sweet fillings and drank.

"Oh wow, that's really good!"

Hinata put her mug down after Tenten.

"It really is," she agreed.

"There's four left," said Tenten, "do you want to give them all to Naruto?"

Hinata took a moment to take another sip of cocoa and shook her head.

"Two will be enough. Besides, if I took all four you wouldn't have any to give."

Tenten felt her face flush.

"Wait, I don't-"

Hinata cut her off with a knowing look.

"Tenten, if I can be brave, so can you."

—

Tenten glared at the two remaining hot chocolate bombs.

Hinata had left them behind for her, knowing full well who she thought Tenten should give them to.

She'd slipped out quietly, carrying a bag with Sakura and Ino's finished chocolates to drop off.

"He'll be receptive," she said before closing the door.

And suddenly Tenten was left alone, having been lectured about bravery by Hinata, of all people.

This time when her stomach turned it wasn't from all of the chocolate she'd consumed that morning.

—

Tenten's bag was heavy on her shoulder as she left her apartment the next morning to meet Hinata in town.

She'd never been unnerved by Valentine's Day before.

She dug her fists into her coat pocket and headed out into the February cold.

Hinata and Tenten found Naruto right away. Hinata seemed to know exactly where to find him. Tenten was more surprised to learn that one could stomach ramen for breakfast than how Hinata seemed to know his schedule.

They stepped into the ramen stand and acted surprised to see Naruto at the counter.

"Oh hey Naruto!"

He looked up from his bowl and grinned.

"Tenten, Hinata! What brings you here?"

"We're looking for Lee, have you seen him?"

Naruto shook his head.

"Bummer. Well, Happy Valentine's Day anyway."

"Thanks, you too!"

Tenten elbowed Hinata whose face turned an entirely new shade of red before she reached into her bag for the package of hot chocolate bombs and bowed her head, holding it out to him.

"Ha-happy V-Valentine's D-Day, N-N-Naruto-kun."

Tenten smiled when his face lit up.

"Wow Hinata! These look amazing!" He snatched the box up and inspected the chocolates.

"They're hot chocolate bombs," said Tenten, "heat up some milk and drop one in."

"Woah. I can't wait to try this! Hinata, do you want to try them together?"

"To-together?"

Tenten grabbed Hinata's arm to steady her, answering for her.

"Later, we have to drop off the rest of our chocolate, right Hinata?"

She didn't answer.

"Naruto, maybe Hinata can come to your place this evening?"

"Sure!"

"Great, it's a date!"

"D-d-date?" Hinata mumbled, as Tenten pulled her away from the ramen stand.

After a bottle of water and several encouraging words of reassurance, Tenten parted ways with Hinata.

Butterflies danced in her stomach as she set her sights towards Team Three's training grounds.

Lee greeted her bursting with energy.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Tenten!"

She rolled her eyes at his subtlety, before reaching into her bag to hand him a box.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Lee."

"Sakura-chan gave me some chocolate too! I think we're in love!"

Tenten sighed, wondering if asking Sakura to give Lee some chocolate had been a mistake, even if it had been a well intentioned one.

"I don't know if I'd go that far, Lee, but it's nice to hear she thought of you."

Tenten gave Gai his chocolate next, earning a crushing hug and praise of her culinary skills.

She dropped down to the ground by Neji and handed him his box last, the rest of his chocolate burning at her side. She would give it to him when they were alone.

"Thank you, Tenten," he said quietly. Her heart fluttered as she tried to quell the wave of heat creeping up her neck.

"Don't mention it."

Neji carefully opened the box and studied the chocolates before holding it out to her.

"Would you like one?"

"They're yours."

He shrugged.

"And I'm choosing to share."

"I shouldn't," she said, reaching for a salted caramel chocolate.

She took her time savoring it, the mix of sweet and salty bursting over her tongue while Neji selected one for himself and put the box in his backpack.

They both leaned back against a tree and watched Lee and Gai hype each other up.

"Neji! Tenten!" Gai yelled, "let's do 5,000 laps around Konoha on our hands!"

"Absolutely not," said Tenten.

"But hearty exercise is essential if we're going to be eating a bunch of chocolate!" added Lee.

"We're going to spar," said Neji.

"Ah, most youthful!" Gai exclaimed. "Come, Lee, the village calls us!"

And the green pair fell into handstands and headed into town.

"Thank goodness," Tenten said.

"Mm."

But then the relief was gone. That little rumble of accent that hummed in Neji's throat threw her back on edge.

They were alone.

Tenten fiddled with the hem of her bag, daring herself to reach in for the remainder of Neji's gift, but she couldn't bring herself to.

"If there's something you'd like to tell me, you should go ahead."

Tenten fumbled with her bag. Despite knowing him and how well he could read body language she wanted to ask how he knew.

Instead she reached her hand in and gripped the box.

"I have something else for you." Her face burned. Neji looked at her, confused at first before realization passed over his face.

She pulled the box out and pushed it into his hands.

"It's nothing special, just something extra I had."

He looked down at the box, studying it carefully, just as Naruto had.

"They're hot chocolate bombs," Tenten mumbled.

"Did you make these?"

She nodded.

"For me?"

Her stomach flipped and her mind reeled, searching frantically for any excuse.

"Like I said… it was…"

She stopped, feeling his hand over her own.

"Thank you."

She spread her fingers, letting Neji lace his own between hers.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Neji."

A/N: Quick one-shot for 2021 Valentine's Day!