Interlude: rain
The raindrops beat a merry cadence on Neji's umbrella, sloughing off in transparent waterfalls. He picked his way fastidiously around a stray puddle as he made his way homeward.
"Hey, Neji! Wait up!"
He turned, mild surprise registering on his expression as his eyes caught the form of Tenten, splashing across the ground carelessly and waving one hand as she ran toward him. She stopped beside him and he moved his shelter slightly to include her as well.
"Thanks," she said gratefully and he nodded slightly in acknowledgment. The rainwater was lukewarm at best and her cheeks were flushed from the chill, but she wore a grin that simply didn't belong amidst gloomy rainclouds. He waited for her to catch her breath before starting off again, making sure to keep them both dry.
"I read a book once," Tenten began cheerfully.
"Indeed?" he asked, the ghost of a smirk betraying his amusement.
She hit him lightly on the shoulder, careful not to push herself out of the bounds of their shared refuge.
"It said that in fiction and stuff like that, rain is symbolic of cleansing, of starting anew."
Neji said nothing, merely gazed out at the rippling lake that had replaced the streets as they accepted the falling droplets from above. His pale eyes turned to the shorter girl beside him and he exhaled slowly, unintentionally generating a small cloud over her head.
"I see," he said wanly.
She favored him with her brightest smile and tugged on his voluminous sleeve.
"Let's go play in the rain!" she enthused.
He arched an imperious eyebrow.
"A moment ago, you were trying to avoid it," Neji pointed out.
"Yeah, but I'm warm now," she chirped, "Aw, Neji, you never play in the rain. There's no one around who'll see, c'mon, let's go!"
She bounded forward several steps, kicking up a great commotion and seeming thoroughly amused by her own antics. Neji sighed and stopped, waiting for her to cease in her immaturity. Tenten, sensing his discomfiture, swung around to face him and held out a hand.
He stood there, at the precipice, for a long while, studying the beaming visage of his teammate. She stood there, waiting for him as patiently as she always did, hand ever extended and crystal teardrops shattering over her skin like a watery halo.
The tiniest smile stole over Neji's lips and he abandoned his umbrella in favor of taking her hand.
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