Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

A/N: I feel so, so guilty for having taken this long in updating. I do hope I would still have readers around. I would try to reason, but reason seems pointless and stupid right now, besides, most of you would be tired of it. So instead, I again apologize and wish you all a Belated Merry, Merry Christmas! Hope you all had a good one.

Before you read this, I would request that you keep in mind that Neji and Tenten have been friends for so many years, and that they would practically be really close and open to each other, though Neji may still of course have his stiffness and quiet demeanor. I also hope that Neji won't go OOC, please please.

Enjoy!

FRESHLY CUT FLOWERS

Hyugas never cursed aloud. Many of Neji's friends had noticed that from him. That was unless an emotion got too overwhelming and powerful that even the polished members of the Hyuga clan could not control the escape of the words from their mouths, but those moments were few. Very, very few. At one moment however, a soft whisper of "shit" could be heard from the genius of Team Gai as he walked through the village.

It was unnatural, but the night was deep and few were there to hear him. For most of the villagers of Konoha were inside their houses, celebrating the night with their families and friends, though it was entirely possible that some were asleep. Neji would have rested, too. He had just arrived from a week-long mission from Suna, and usually he would have gone straight to his room for relaxation. This night however, he could be seen walking aimlessly through the village, his eyes darting to the numerous shops and boutiques that were, in his unending frustration, all closed. So far, the only lit and open shop he had passed through was one selling ramen and spices. It wasn't Naruto he was buying a gift for, damn it.

Somewhere from a place nobody knew, a large bell chimed joyously, its tinkling sound seemingly mocking the anxious Hyuga. He stopped in his tracks, looking to the direction of the sound. It was 11 pm already? Knowing the simple fact did nothing to ease his discomfort. Only one hour... Only one hour and it would be Christmas.

Light snow continued to fall on him, covering his black hair with momentary specks of white. Here he was, an hour to the day of giving and he was standing in the sidewalk of Konoha searching frantically for an open shop that would possibly sell any kind of item that he could give as a gift for the female of their team, Tenten. He could have, of course, knocked in a closed shop and begged for their help, but it was Christmas Eve. And although he didn't care all that much for the occasion, he couldn't bring himself to impose in some other family's bonding time.

Neji looked at his hands, hating the fact that this day had come and he was unprepared. He didn't want to know what she would say if he told her he wasn't able to buy her a gift. He suddenly regretted not buying the elegant silver bracelet that he had seen on the way home. It would have been perfect for her, since she had been talking about wanting to have a few accessories only weeks ago. He was so close to buying it, but decided that there were going to be better styles in Konoha, and besides, he assumed that would arrive in the village in the early afternoon and there would still be places to look in. On the way home however, rogue ninjas that until now he continued to curse—though inwardly—had appeared and delayed his return. It wouldn't have been so bad if they weren't able to steal the documents he carried and let him chase them for hours (1).

Minutes passed, and he was standing like an idiot wasting time. He turned to his left, and at once spotted the shop of the Yamanaka family, but like all others it was closed. His eyes turned alert though, and he quickly ran towards the forest. He knew what he could give her.

Only a few minutes to go til midnight and he nervously tied the dozen of flowers he had searched for with a piece of twine he had found in his bag. Finally, in his hand he held a bouquet of flowers, recently cut from the bushes and stems that held them. Would she like it?

Sighing, he made his way to the small park, carefully holding his newly prepared gift.

She was there; wrapped in a white coat, sitting on the same large rock they had always lounged on. Her hair was down today, probably to add to her warmth. He walked towards her carefully, hiding the bunch so she wouldn't see. She was blowing on her hands and rubbing them together that she hadn't noticed him until he sat beside her, she hadn't also spotted the pieces of flowers he gently laid down beside him.

"Neji," she acknowledged him, smiling in that warm way of hers.

He nodded, just watching her face. This was their tradition, ever since they both found each other in the park one Christmas Eve already six years ago. She had no family, and he had, well, nobody. They were friends then, and had nobody else to spend the holiday with. They sat that night until past the bell chimed twelve, just talking and laughing (mostly her) but it was one of the most peaceful Christmases they had had in a long time. The next day meant dinner with the whole of the team, but their act of meeting by the rock in Christmas Eve had never stopped.

"You look pretty tired," she noted, an eyebrow rising questioningly.

"I was... busy," he replied, trying to shrug casually.

"When are you not?" she teased, laughing lightly.

He smiled, just like he always did these days when she laughed like that. It was funny, the effect she had on him starting a few weeks past. Everything seemed different, even the way he looked at her. She was his best friend, the one he could always talk too, but now... he wasn't sure what he wanted them both to be. Maybe that was why he had felt so bad about not being able to give her a gift.

"Since I'm just really excited, here you go!" she said enthusiastically, handing him a white wrapped gift.

"Thank you," he replied, carrying the small package in his hand.

"I hope you like it," she added, grinning. He would not open it until he got home; this she had learned from the years they had exchanged gifts.

"And..." he said nervously, reaching out to his side. "Here you are," he offered her the bouquet he had freshly made.

Words of explanation rounded his mind, wanting to be reasoned to her. I know, its really simple, but I just came home from a mission, and I encountered a delay on the way back. I searched as soon as I stepped into the village, but all the shops were closed, there wasn't anything worthbuying as a gift, unless you were Naruto so I could have given you the ramen, so I collected this instead. The words were there, waiting. But he was a Hyuga. And Hyugas did not reason. Instead, all that he could say was "I'm sorry this was all I could get you."

Her reply was unexpected. He had been waiting for a disappointed look, since the simple bouquet was all he could get for her. Instead, the smile on her face was worth picturing and hanged on his room for him to look at whenever he felt bad. He was sure it could cheer him up every time.

"It's beautiful, Neji, thank you." She whispered in genuine surprise, taking the bouquet of flowers from him. Her hands brushed the ends of the flowers, they were wet, as if they were just freshly cut. The twine holding the pieces also looked familiar, like she had seen it used before. Her mind suddenly shifted from Neji's tired face, to the freshly cut flowers, to the twine and she understood. She had heard about the delay in Neji's travel, and the heaviness of his mission in Suna. In fact, she had not even expected a gift from him, and she wouldn't have minded at all.

"You didn't have to, you know... It's snowing and you might have gotten hurt," she whispered, marvelling at how beautiful the flowers looked to her.

Neji inwardly sighed at her comment. So she had figured out, he was hoping for the opposite but it may have been inevitable that she would know what happened.

"Really, I would have been alright with anything, even nothing." she continued, this time looking at his eyes. "I would have understood if you wouldn't have been able to buy. All that matters to me is that you would show up here... that would have been enough." She concluded, again smiling.

Neji wasn't sure he was able to hide the mild surprise he had felt, but the words she said seemed to make him understand something deeper. She was right. The white gift she had given him was precious to him of course, but it was nothing compared to the peace he had felt, just spending the few moments of Christmas with her. His pale eyes suddenly locked into her brown ones and everything that happened next seemed to be out of his control.

He was suddenly leaning a bit towards her, and he couldn't seem to have power over the way his arms pulled her into a hug. She tensed in surprise, but folded into him, too.

They parted, but neither knew after how long. Both were hoping that the other would mistake the pink tint in their cheeks as a reaction to the cold. Winter snow continued to fall upon them, and somewhere in the dark, the bell rang again, this time slightly longer and louder.

Neji smirked, before standing up. "Consider that an addition to your Christmas gift from me," he teased.

She shook her head. That was so like him. "Jerk," she replied, sticking her tongue out. She followed him and stood up, however, carefully taking the bouquet. The cold stuck to her face and she shivered slightly, this Christmas seemed a lot colder than before. "Tea at my place then?" she offered, before already leading the way to the small apartment she lived in. She had prepared a small Christmas Dinner, though he must have already known that. She walked on before him, grinning unconsciously.

He nodded, smiling, following her white footprints in the snow. He had finally figured it out. (2)

END

Footnotes:

(1) NEJI WOULD HAVE CAUGHt THEM IN MINUTES OF COURSE, but let's pretend they're really, really wuick, okay? :D

(2) "it" referring to his feelings :D

A/N: Please review? It would be your Christmas gift to me! :D