Like the beginning of many stories involving our stoic, dark haired, light eyed Hyuga hero, Neji had no idea how he had ended up in this situation. He was standing on the doorstep of a home he didn't know, his bun haired team mate standing beside him, both of them holding a couple of pieces of paper with notes on them. And also like many of these stories we must turn our attention back a few hours to the culprit of their most recent shenanigan.
"Neji, come on, this will be fun! What better way to spread the Christmas cheer?" Tenten whined at him, tugging on his shirt sleeve, looking up at him with puppy dog eyes. Neji was refusing to make eye contact. He knew that if he looked at her he would give in. For him there was just no resisting those brown eyes of hers….
"Pleeeeeease?" she said. She jumped in front of him and Neji was slow to react. She captured his gaze. She captivated him each time he looked at her. He wasn't sure what it was about her that sent shivers down his spine each time he gazed at her. He sighed.
"For me?" Tenten said, batting her eyelashes.
"I'm going to kill you for this, Tenten," he muttered under his breath as Tenten rang the doorbell.
"No you're not, you love me too much." She grinned up at him and winked. Neji heaved a heavy sigh. She was right. He shivered slightly as a chilly wind blew past them, his scarf and hair billowing. He was definitely ready for this to be over and to return to their home together to sit in front of the fireplace. This was the twentieth house they had visited.
The two of them heard footsteps coming to the door and when it opened Neji groaned out loud. Standing in the doorway was none other than the fang faced boy that irritated Neji every time the two crossed paths. Of all the houses Tenten could have picked it had to have been his. Hinata's head popped out from around the corner and she too came to the doorway as everyone exchanged greetings, three of the four smiling and laughing. Neji however stood still as a board and stared blankly past the younger couple. There was no way he was going to do this no matter how much he loved Tenten. He could run, run far away into the forest where no one would be able to find him again and he would never have to participate in such an embarrassing display of "Christmas cheer" ever again. A sharp nudge in his side shook him from his day dreams and he glared icily down at Tenten as she looked expectantly up at him.
"No," he said firmly, crossing his arms. Tenten's smile faded and she gave him a glare that rivaled any of his own.
"Yes," she growled, just as firmly. Neji gulped. He thought of what she would do to him when they got home if he refused to do this. It wasn't worth the bruises. He nodded slowly.
Tenten turned back to their friends and smiled sweetly before the two of them began.
"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…."
"Never again Tenten, I'm never doing that again," Neji said as the two of them walked home. "You will never get me to carol again." Tenten laughed, grabbing his hand.
"Okay, thank you for doing that for me this year though," she said, kissing him lightly on the cheek and leaning against his arm. Neji sighed and wrapped his arm around his love, kissing the top of her head. He loved her, but he vowed he would never let her embarrass him like that again.
Kiba's laughter rang in his ears the entire way home.