Drabble 3: Play
He watched, with detached interest, the predictable conflagration of the agglomerated wood; the growing flame heating up his impassive face. Several meters West-northwest his teammates are playing with snow, carelessly giggling like little children who first touched a mass of ice. He permitted a contented sigh to escape his lips. This is how a brief winter vacation should be; relaxed and peaceful. He turned his freezing back to the fire - and was hit in the face by a flying, accelerating, ball of snow.
Silence reigned as the ice slowly slid down from its mark, revealing a set of very red nose and cheeks.
"Oops. Sorry, Neji."
A pause as he silently contemplates a befitting punishment. He knew it was intentional. She never misses.
Neji scooped snow into his hands, shaping a perfect sphere. In a fleeting, unexpected movement, it smashed right on Tenten's eyes. The girl, despite the hard hit, grinned. Her playmate flashed his teeth, a knowing look in his dark eyes. Neji smirked.
It was the first time they played together. Not just Lee and Tenten, but Lee, Tenten and Neji. It felt good. As commemoration, a barrage of snowballs ensued; with kunai-shaped and shuriken-hiding varieties.
In a sober, cruel, grown-up world, it is nice to let the inner child out once in a while.
Author Note: It is hard to make Neji cry without being irrational or using cliche reasons. Sorry, danceljoy. I am postponing carrying through the idea.