Day to Day

A Naruto Fan-fiction

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any bands mentioned, with the exception of Star Pirate Ship.

(A/N: the votes stood at three for Sasuke and Sakura, three for Neji and Tenten, none for Hinata and Naruto, and two or Ino and Shikamaru! So, what'd I do? I picked Neji and Tenten. Sorry if you voted later and I never got to it! Also, I had a reviewer comment on how the characters tended to act more like teenagers than teenage ninjas. I think that was because just before and during when I was writing my last chapter, and I had been watching a lot of Laguna Beach. If you've ever seen the show, you know what I mean! Sorry guys! I'll try and make this one focus more on the fact that they're ninjas!)

Chapter 10: Walking as Angels

Two weeks from Christmas, three weeks from New Year's, and the day of returning home, where the snow poured in sheets, ice covered the roads, treetops and branches were coated neatly in the white blanket, and the rolling hills became piles of white fluff, stretching forever. It had become colder as the land hidden in leaves began to submerge into deep winter, and the wind became like talons ripping down your skin. The black ops team had stopped several times to wait out blizzards on the way to the village, where the winter had yet to hit as hard. They would camp out under the dark sky, sheltered in trees or abandoned buildings, inside the homes of others and or under ground.

The mission had been a successful one, as it usually was. The targets were taken into custody, tortured and questioned as usual, and then killed. Then, the team's medic-nin would dispose of the body with a few quick ninjutsus. No one needed to know what he or she had told or what had gone on; they could only guess who had killed them.

Tenten still flinched once in a while; like when her teammate clenched a fistful of the criminal's hair and snarled in his face while slowly pulling a kunai across his exposed throat. But she was strong, a jounin, and almost a captain in her black ops team. Unlike Sakura, Ino, Rock Lee and Kiba, Tenten had applied for the black ops early on and had been accepted. She just couldn't bear the thought of being a normal jounin, even though Sakura and Ino were perfectly comfortable with it; Kiba was still applying for the black ops, and Rock Lee was begging to be a sanin.

The first night of her black ops, she had slept fitfully, clenching her sheets in her fists and clenching her eyes just as hard. The screams echoed in her head, and haunted her dreams for days to come. By now, she had been in black ops for three months, and it never bothered her. A scream, a shout, blood splattering floors and walls, it was all the same, just another day.

The team arrived home without a soldier's welcome, but with only a nod from those guarding the gates after checking their papers. Boots crunched in the snow, and she had blood splattered against the back of her tight black jacket, which was filled with weapons and the occasional scroll. The team still wore their black battle attire: Black boots, black pants, black vest, long-sleeve black shirt, and a classic ninja mask; it came up in front up to their eyes, and then the top came over their heads like a tight hood. Black soot was on the small portion of exposed skin, and their headbands gleamed proudly over the masks.

All five of the ninjas departed, and Tenten untied her headband from around her head and ripped off her mask, happy to be able to breath again. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, savoring the winter's chill against her freshly shown skin. The streetlight shone down on her like an angel's light, and she shook her head, letting her black hair fall down around her head. It felt so good to be out of that mask!

"So, I guess we're both home today."

She turned, and saw him standing against a building, shrouded in darkness.

"Yea, I guess so." Tenten smirked, and walked over to where he stood.

"So, does an ANBU mask feel as bad as a black ops mask?"

Hyuuga Neji, with his long black hair, appeared out from the shadows and in the street light, his arms crossed, his face emotionless. Suddenly, he handed his

ANBU mask to Tenten, saying, "Find out for yourself."

Lifting her eyebrow, she took the mask and lifted it up to her face, tying it around her head. Neji stared, wondering if she ever would join the ranks of ANBU with him.

Tenten giggled, and shook her head. "It feels weird!" her voice was muffled, but the point was made. Taking each side of the mask delicately, she pulled off the mask, and shook her head, as if freeing herself of the feeling of a mask pressed against her face.

"Here." She handed it to him, and Neji took it. "Did you just get off too?"

He was stilled dressed in his battle clothes as well, but his actually had other colors than black.

Nodding, the Hyuuga began to walk, and Tenten walked beside him accordingly.

"Wow, it's been weeks since we've been off at the same time." Tenten mused, and looked up at the skies. Stars covered the black landscape like punching holes in black paper.

They walked in silence, and Tenten didn't mind too much. Neji was never a boy for words, and she understood that things could be said without a single word or gesture.

"Well, this is my place." She said, and walked up toward the apartment door.

Neji stood and watched her with his hands shoved in his pockets. Should he say something? Should he just let her go?

His head tipped in disgust, but he still said it.

"Um, hey, Tenten…do you want to go do something?"

She perked up immediately, and looked behind her, smiling. "Sure, what do you have in mind?"

"Dart practice?"

Tenten was in no mood for training, but she hardly ever got to see Neji anymore!

Her smile grew wider, and she nodded.

"Hold on just a second, okay?"

Neji nodded, and watched her buzz in.

"Hey, Sakura?"

"Yea?" Sakura's voice fuzzed over the intercom.

"It's Tenten. I need a favor."

"What?"

"Will you take my stuff upstairs?"

"Why can't you?"

"Cause, um, well, there's someone-"

"Enough said! It's about time! I'll be down as soon as I can, just drop it inside the door!"

"Thanks Sakura-chan."

Tenten stepped inside the warm lobby and dropped her mask and vest onto the floor. Then she shut the door and smiled behind her at Neji, walking down the path towards him.

He had waited patiently for her, and then the two began to walk side-by-side, Neji with his hands in his pockets, Tenten with her hands just hanging by her sides.

She smiled and stretched, happy to be out of her full uniform, and then she pulled her hair up into a bun at the back.

Neji stole glances-he couldn't let her actually know anything, after all. She seemed so happy! Her smile was gentle and relaxed, her walk laid-back, as if she was just thankful to be here and now, just happy to be herself. 'She's so comfortable in her skin.' He thought. If there was one thing anyone found attractive in anyone else, it was confidence, and Tenten radiated it.

"You know, I really am sorry about before." Tenten said, biting her lip. "I didn't mean to make you do anything, I just-"

"You didn't make me do anything. I make my own choices."

"But, Neji, you-"

"I know."

They stopped, and Tenten looked at Neji, her face puzzled. He had grown so much, his face so much more like his father's, his eyes as clear as they've always been, and his stance straight like every kid raised in a wealthy home. He stared right back at her, but with a more relaxed look. Tenten was just shocked!

She looked down, and then back up at the boy who had grown so much.

"What's going on?" her question rang out in the night, and not even Neji himself could answer it. He kept stock still, watching her.

His mind was flooded with fears. Was she not battling the same thing he was? Did she not know? How could he let her know? He had played the game for so long-he was so good at it! How could he?

His lip quivered, and then he spoke. "I wish I knew."

Neji never quivered in any inch of his body.

But suddenly, it was as if he had learned how. He felt the shiver roll through his body as if he had the chills, and he grasped his arms in a pathetic attempt to stop it. She already knew-did he need to make her think he was even more weak? What kind of man never even understood his own emotions, the very thing that pulls a ninja down into nothing? How could he let her know?

Tenten licked her lips nervously, and began to play with her fingers. There's no way! Is there?

Neji didn't know what to do-but some how, he did something.

On impulse, he said, "Let's do hit those darts." And, most amazing of all, he felt his arm go up and his hand open, offering to hold her hand.

Tenten's mouth fell open, but she quickly changed it into a soft, surprised smile, and took his hand in hers.

She knew that this was taking every inch of his pride and self-want to do this; he was a boy of no emotions, and doing something as simple as this held so much importance and hope.

The two walked, side by side down the dirt road, walking under a moon and stars that poured light upon them like angels.

Hey Ya'll!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I thought it was really sweet and simple, which is the entire idea of this story; or, collection of memoirs. However you like to put it, I'm just glad that the response has been so awesome! I don't know where this project would've been without you, the reviewers and readers. So, depending on what happens in the up in coming months, I've decided to continue this, with a goal of ten more installments by April. I figure if I can do ten in four months, I can do another ten in four more months. All I can truly wish for is that this stays as sweet and enjoyable as it has been for you all.

Normally, I would've put up a chapter this short up sooner, but between concerts and preparing for auditions, I've been busy.

In other news, I'm contemplating posting some of my "reject" moments as a kind of collage. They all have their sweet parts and moments, but none met my expectations as a whole. This will also serve as a way to show you all how much blood and sweat can go into these things! I have almost twenty typed pages of rejects, and they just keep rising!

Thanks to my reviewers: sephynarutocloud (New to this? Well, I hope you enjoyed it!), Little Hinata (I'm glad you enjoyed it!), I aM taMi xPp (I'll work on Ino and Shikamaru next! But yes, at the beginning, this was a one-shot, but it was still entitled "Day to Day". I wanted to wait to see if anyone liked this style of writing before using up all my time on it.), ayasi (I'm glad you liked it! I'll try to get to Sasuke and Sakura, too. One chapter at a time, you know?), nonengel (It's nice to know that you're enjoying my writing!), warprince (I love you to death, but couldn't you get a few more words to describe my writing? A bit of critiquing? Come on! Still, thanks!), AkiaBinZaid (I still don't get what glomp means. Try explaining without using "?termglomp&rf" pretty please? Also, I tried to make this one more about being a ninja. I really did! Thankfully, I made this one Tenten and Neji, so it was even easier to do just that! I hope you're not being bugged anymore.), and UNKIND (for having such a harsh screen name, you sure are happy. I love Blink too!).

EIGHT REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel so popular! Just kidding.

Either way, it's so great that you guys like this stuff! I feel so special.

Review, and please put in your thoughts on the chapter, as well as a vote and on weather or not you want to have a chapter on the "Day To Day" rejects. It's an idea!

Love to all,

Merry Christmas,

IHearVoices