Please see first chapter for disclaimer, etc.

Prompt: Warmth

Pairing(s): Neji/Tenten

Special Thanks: goes out to Animewitch17, DarkAnonymous324, SeiraXD, and PheonixWytch for all the wonderful reviews for the last chapter. You all make my day, thank you!

Author's Note: This chapter is really fluffy, especially toward the end. I had a great time writing it, so I hope it's just as fun to read! Thank you again for all the reviews, faves, alerts, and just for taking the time to read my story!

*~Warmth~*

She was freezing.

The ice was slowly creeping through her veins, solidifying everything it encountered. It was like a living thing, a devourer that hungrily gnawed away at her from the inside out. And even though her innards felt like they were now completely immobile, her body still was able to betray her. Bone-shuddering, teeth-chattering chills wracked her entire body, convulsing her so hard she was sure she was going to break apart.

There was absolutely no doubt left in Tenten's mind. She was going to die.

A low moan escaped her lips as she opened her bleary eyes. Part of her wanted to pull a hand from beneath the blankets wrapped like a cocoon around her to reach out toward the cheery sunshine pouring through the window across the room; but the rest of her was afraid that if she did so, she would turn into a solid block of ice and die. Better to watch the sunlight from afar and dream of warmth than to get close to it and freeze.

Besides feeling like a metaphorical popsicle, she had been awake all night. This day was not looking promising. At all.

She burrowed a little deeper beneath her covers, wondering if it were possible for covers to get warm without leeching nonexistent warmth from the person over which they were lying. It seemed entirely plausible to Tenten, because her blankets felt just as wintry as they had when she'd crawled under them over eight hours beforehand.

Desperation was even tempting her to bury her face under her pillow in an attempt to find warmth there, even if she suffocated herself in the process.

The glowing green numbers on Tenten's alarm clock proved that it was far after the time she should have been up and out the door. Undoubtedly the rest of Team Gai was waiting on her (albeit fruitlessly) to show up so they could start training. Or, since her fever seemed to make her want to torture herself even more, her mind whispered that it was instead Neji waiting for her, since Gai and Lee often went off on their own to train.

Oh, and that didn't make her feel badly in the least.

Tenten blinked slowly, concentrating with all her might on trying to force her aching muscles to cooperate and lift her from her bed. She was a kunoichi of Konoha, and nothing - not even illness - was supposed to deter her from her duties. But whoever had come up with that rule probably hadn't been slowly freezing to death over a long, sleepless night.

Clenching her teeth together to keep herself from nicking her tongue again, she allowed her scratchy eyes to close in an attempt to find some relief. Maybe she'd get lucky and fall asleep. Or, maybe she'd get even luckier and die in her sleep.

Little did she know that her real problems wouldn't start until a soft, polite knock sounded on her door.

Tenten cracked open her eyes again, glaring at half-power through her open bedroom door, across the span of the sitting room, to the front door of her modest apartment. That, undoubtedly, was one of her teammates. It didn't take a genius to figure out that it was the genius, because Lee and Gai would have taken a much noisier (and more destructive) approach.

The next rap against her door was slightly louder, but no less polite, than the first.

She couldn't find the energy to even shout at Neji to go away, let alone get up and answer the door. Instead, she closed her eyes, hoping he would just get the hint and go away. Unlikely, but it never hurt to try.

If it had been Lee, her door would, by now, undoubtedly be splintered into pieces courtesy of the "Dynamic Entry!" move that Gai had taught him. Less than two seconds later, the excitable shinobi would be standing over her, going on and on about her "fading youthfulness" and "wilting flower." Gai-sensei would not be much better, now that she thought about it. She loved her teammate and teacher to death, but she seriously didn't feel like having that much excitement in her life at the moment. Not to mention she didn't want a draft coming in her broken door.

So, if she'd had to choose one of her teammates to come check on her during her convalescence, it would be the one currently knocking on her door. (In fact, his knocks were getting a little more impatient with each strike, but even on his worst days he wouldn't dare knock down her door, let alone with a Dynamic Entry.)

Finally she heard an entirely expected click, then the sound of her door opening and closing. Almost silent footsteps crossed the sitting room, and then Neji was there, staring at her from the doorway with his enigmatic pale eyes. Even though her own were still closed, she could feel his gaze.

Tenten tried to lie completely still, but a shudder she couldn't control ripped through her body, clacking her teeth together so loudly Neji startled slightly. Embarrassed, she pulled the blankets up over her face, wondering if there was enough heat left in her body for a blush.

A few seconds later, fingers curled around the edges of her blankets and tugged slightly so Neji could see her face. "Are you … ill?" he questioned.

She wondered if she should be insulted by how incredulous he sounded. "Yes." Her voice was nothing more than a hoarse croak that embarrassed her further. She wanted to pull her blankets back over herself (for the warmth and to cover her mortification), but Neji still had hold of them and didn't look like he was willing to relinquish her bedcovers any time soon.

"No wonder you didn't show up this morning. You look awful," he stated bluntly.

This time Tenten did expend the effort to snatch her blankets away from him. "Leave me alone." Now, more than ever, she wanted to curl up and die.

As if sensing that his words had had a little more bite than he'd intended, Neji's expression softened slightly. "Do you need to go to the hospital?" he asked.

"No." She really would die if she went to the hospital. There were few places she hated more than that one.

Neji sighed. "I could make you."

"Good luck." Tenten pulled her covers up over her shoulders again, tucking them around her chin. There were still two warm spots where Neji had been holding on to them, and she eagerly twisted so she could get as much use out of the heat as possible.

Leaning forward, Neji rested his hand against her forehead, brow furrowed in concentration. Tenten allowed her eyes to slip closed as she forced back a moan. His hands were so warm.

"Your temperature is going up." Neji brushed a strand of hair away from her face before he leaned back. "How long have you been sick?"

"Since late last night." She squinted her eyes open again. "Been chilling for a long time. Didn't sleep."

"Hmm." Without another word, Neji stood and disappeared through her bedroom door. Tenten stared after him, surprised, wondering if he was going to leave her alone. Even though she'd been wishing for that exact thing less than five minutes before, now that he was there, she realized she didn't want him to leave. It was kind of nice, having someone there to take care of her, be concerned for her, while she was feeling so awful.

Something banged in her kitchen, and Tenten jumped. What was Neji doing? She wanted to go find out, but the thought of doing so made her legs turn to jelly, so she stayed put.

Ten minutes later, Neji was back. He precariously balanced a tray in his hands, which he set on her bedside table as he sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. "Soup, tea, and medicine," he said at her enquiring look. "Soup and tea are warm, and will keep you from dehydrating. The medicine should bring down your fever and help you sleep."

Tenten blinked once, feeling tears well into her eyes. "You-" she stopped, not sure what she was trying to say.

A ghost of a smile flitted across his lips. "Come on. Let me help you sit up." Without waiting for a response, he shifted so he could slide his arms under her shoulders, lifting her so she was propped up against her headboard. Tenten shivered as her covers fell away, resisting the urge to snatch them back for their warmth mostly, and also because she was slightly embarrassed for him to see her in her three-sizes-too-big sleep shirt.

Neji picked up the cup of tea he'd brought, wrapping her hands around it and steadying them so she could slowly sip at the steaming brew. The steam felt good on her face, warming her from the outside as the tea heated her frozen insides. By the time she made it halfway through the cup, the worst of the shivers were beginning to ease away, leaving an overwhelming ache behind from her cramped muscles.

Next came the soup. He held the bowl while she carefully lifted spoonfuls to her mouth, fuzzily reminding herself to tell him he was a surprisingly good cook when she didn't feel like she was going to die.

Finally the part she'd been dreading most came: the medicine. Neji had given her the tea and soup to make sure she wouldn't be taking it on an empty stomach, but she halfway wished she'd taken it first to get it over with. "It'll help you feel better," he said sternly, pressing two small pills into her hand.

Tenten cringed, wishing she could just chuck the pills into the trash can. But her teammate was watching her with those pearl eyes that missed nothing, so she obediently popped them in her mouth and swallowed. "Tea," she croaked. He handed her the cup, and she gratefully took a few sips to get the nasty aftertaste of the pills out of her mouth.

Neji helped her lie down flat again, tucking the blankets around her shoulders. "Better?" he murmured softly.

Already, her eyelids were beginning to droop. "Mm." She hid a yawn with her blankets. "Sorry to ruin training, Neji."

The back of his hand pressed against her forehead again, undoubtedly testing her fever. "Hm," he said enigmatically. She couldn't tell if he was genuinely upset or not. "Are you warmer?"

Nodding against his hand, Tenten gazed up at him with her sleepy eyes. "A little." She was startled when he stood up, picking up the tray from her bedside table before he left her bedroom again.

He was back in a few moments, setting another cup of tea on her bedside table. Then he wordlessly moved around to the other side of her bed, lying down atop her blankets. Unable to utter a word, Tenten watched as he slid one arm under her shoulders, the other around her waist, and pulled her to him until she was pressed flush against his side, her head resting in the crook between his shoulder and neck. "Sleep now," he whispered. "You'll be warmer when you wake up, I promise."

Once more battling back her tears of gratitude, Tenten closed her heavy eyelids, snuggled a little tighter against the warmth and protection he offered her, and finally fell asleep.

*~The End~*

Author's Ending Notes: The part I hate most about being sick is the chilling. I hate the being so cold, unable to get warm no matter what I do, and feeling like my bones are going to shake apart. Unfortunately, I don't have a Neji to help me feel better … but that's another topic. Please see chapter 14 for the sequel to this oneshot! I know this idea is probably pretty cliché, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Thanks for reading!