For Two
NejiXTenten. A collection of holiday fics.
Alright, so I decided to put in some sort of continuity for these stories and still, make each one stand on its own. And have I mentioned that Vash the Stampede is hot?
Standard disclaimers apply.
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New Year's Eve: To Belong
Contrast highlights the two of them.
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December 31, 11:00 AM
She laughed when he coughed at the dusty shelf at the corner of her rented apartment. She appreciated the help with the cleaning of her place considering that it must be done before the end of the day. Small as it was, she barely cleaned up the entire year. She was busy with training and missions and well, she was just not that type of girl.
"I told you. You don't have to help me here." She said as she searched for something to step on to, pulling out a footstool that she saw under her study table.
"I don't have anything to do." He said as he continued dusting the shelf.
"How about your room?"
"There are a lot of people at the manor… and you're alone."
"I see." She said, faintly sighing at his words.
She had been on her own long enough to get used to it. And she was sure that he didn't mean to make her feel sad. Only that, once every year- at the very last day of it, she was always alone. Strangely, that feeling never surfaced at any other point, except for that one day. During that festive day, she recalled, even Neji had to be with the rest of the Hyuugas.
She lost her entire family- consisting of her mother and her father when she was very young. Her memories of them had been reduced to obscurity. Meanwhile, he lost his father- leaving him under the care of a family, though related by blood, he hated with all his passion. Though she never questioned his way of thinking, she believed he was still lucky.
"What's wrong?"
"I need something higher." She answered as she stepped down from the footstool.
He brought her a shimekazari- looped straws adorned with colorful paper patterns and a tangerine. She wanted to hang it by her door but she had been on tiptoes and it didn't help. He took the decoration from her and stepped on the footstool. She watched as he reached that point she was aiming for with much ease.
"Is this fine?"
"A little to the left."
"Like this?"
"That's too much."
"This?"
"Just a little higher."
"Tenten…"
"No, I'm kidding, that's fine." She laughed a little.
He merely sighed as he hung the ornament with a steady hook. She looked at him with a smile on her face. He was being too nice to her since that Christmas Eve. She had often asked herself if that meant they were- like what Ino had implied several times that week. Sure, they kissed and they went on a date, but he never mentioned anything about it after that.
She dismissed the idea. Heck, were Hyuugas even allowed to marry outside their clan? Wouldn't that contaminate their precious bloodline? What would their kids look like? She shook her head at the thought. She was thinking way too far ahead. He was probably being nice because he was sorry that he kissed her. She initiated it anyway and although he responded, that was probably because he was caught in the heat of the moment. She swallowed at the painful thought, bringing her attention to the peach curtains that fluttered as the wind blew from her opened windows.
"Tenten…"
She replied with a sound that told him she was listening.
"Are you going to be alright tonight?"
"Of course I will be!" She said as she turned to smile at him.
He knew that she had been spending every New Year's evening alone and he used to be okay with that. But who would have known that one youthful event could affect him that much. He slightly twitched at the thought of Lee's love letter- still somewhat guilty about it. He couldn't invite her to their celebration though. He was well aware that it was a strictly family affair. Her invitation would have to wait a little longer.
"See? You have to go back, right?" She said, pushing him out of her apartment. "I know how your family is. You've been ranting about them and their traditions all these years."
He sighed. Helping her out with the cleaning required an escape act. And while he wanted to stay, he really should be going before someone was sent to look for him.
"I will be fine!" She assured him. "Believe me, I know how to celebrate on my own!"
He nodded but remained standing outside as she closed the door, waving cheerfully at him. After becoming a Jounin, he couldn't remember the last time he felt powerless. Her smile vanished as soon as the door shut.
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She sat at an empty couch, all lights were off. She wanted to sleep but there was way too much merry making outside, not to mention that the bells would be sounding soon. It was her only New Year's Eve activity- listening to the bells, hoping that it would rid her of all the negative emotions. She had always disliked New Year's Eve.
Her idle thoughts were suddenly awake at the sound of knocks on her door. She forced herself off the couch and walked her way to check who it was.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, her eyes wide in surprise as she glanced outside. "Is this legal? I mean wouldn't you get in trouble for this?"
"Aren't you going to let me in first?"
"Neji, you're so hardheaded." She complained, standing right at the door, not allowing him in.
"Why is your apartment so dark? I thought you went out, if not for these eyes I would have returned at the manor."
"You should have returned." She sighed. "And don't go using that for noncombat purposes!" She scowled.
"You're still not letting me in."
"I'm… Well…"
He made his way through, slightly pushing her aside. It wasn't like he left without permission. But his uncle told him to be where he needed to be- for what reason he said those words didn't matter. It was probably evident that he had been occupied that entire week. And so, without question, he greeted him, thanked him, and he hurriedly left the manor.
She sighed in defeat as she turned around, her eyes adjusting as he switched the lights on. He wasn't welcome at all- not when she was feeling that low, that vulnerable- not when she was starting to expect something more from him, something past the friendship stage. She thought it would be nice if he would just tell her what exactly was going on between them.
"I doubted it when you said that you will be fine… and as I see it, you're not." He said as he helped himself to her kitchen. It was then that she realized the boxes that he carried.
"What is that?"
"Food."
"I know but…"
"You didn't even cook anything. You sure know how to celebrate on your own."
She watched him as he prepared the table, slightly smiling at the thought of the sudden switch in roles. She was the one who always made things cheery. She was the one who always made things light. But here he was going out of his way. She couldn't help but question his motive. Could it be that Ino was right?
"You cooked?" She asked as she approached him.
"It's nothing much but don't worry, they're edible."
She laughed. She knew he could cook some dishes. He had to attend to himself for a good number of years after all. Soba for New Year's Eve sounded just right.
"That's good."
"Hm?"
"That you're laughing." He said. "You looked horrible just a little while ago."
"Sorry… you weren't used to that, huh?"
"I can't stand it."
She wanted to continue the conversation, as if feeling that it would lead to that something that she had been waiting for- but the sound of the bells echoed and he grabbed her wrist, tugging her along toward the balcony. He pulled her to sit down with him and so she did, between his legs, her back feeling the warmth of his body despite the fact that there was still, though very small, some space between them.
He was wearing a kimono of plain black, matched with a hakama of striped silk in black and gray, and a haori fastened by a white string completed the look. His hair was unbound and it cascaded on his shoulders. She wore her usual white Chinese top and red pants, her hair tied in the usual buns. Sometimes, they just opposed each other.
"Neji…" She felt tensed all over. "What… what are you doing?"
He answered her question, though not with words. The air was chilly and once his arms encircled her waist, for all the awkwardness of their position, it felt very comfortable, very natural.
"I've always spent New Year's Eve listening to the bells alone."
"I thought you have this big party at home?"
"I leave them after dinner."
The bells sounded again. She sneezed from the cold and he embraced her tightly as she leaned back, reveling in the comfort of his presence.
"Aloof." She joked.
"Not anymore."
They were just too different, yet too similar. They sat in the same position, waiting for the first rays of the sun.
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A few things about Oumisoka (Japanese New Year's Eve)...
Shimekazari is a décor hung for New Year's. Every material in it symbolizes something- like the tangerine represents good luck.
Soba is buckwheat noodle and it is traditionally served during New Year's Eve. The word 'soba' also means 'beside' or 'near'.
At midnight, temple bells are rung 108 times to get rid of human attachments to their ego.
I hope I didn't forget something and I hope you enjoyed this time constrained effort XD