Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

Summary: He was a starving, out of work artist, in need of a model. She was a simple waitress, who just happened to have the look he needed. NejiSaku, AU

Here's another addition to the NejiSaku vault of fanfiction. Haha. This idea just popped into my mind one day...I'm not sure how it did, but I know it was during one of the rare times of me thinking. Haha, yeah...

Anyway, I hope you will like this first chapter of this new fic of mine, cause I know I will enjoy writing it!

Sketches
Chapter One: Dreaming in Pink

Scritch, scritch, scritch...

The sound of his drawing pencil hitting the paper was the only audible sound throughout the small studio-apartment where Hyuuga Neji lived. Only a few strands of his chocolate brown locks hung in front of his eyes as he worked. His pearly white eyes were narrowed in concentration on his subject. Wearing only the most worn out of his clothes - a simple white button up shirt with dark lead smudges all on it and a pair of baggy black cargo pants - he worked tirelessly, although the corners of his eyes drooped with exhaustion.

His subject, a brown haired, brown eyed girl by the name of Tenten lay on her side, her locks pulled into two buns on either side of her head, tied with strings of pearl. She was completely nude, except for a pure white sheet, that was slightly see-through, hanging loosely off her form, giving a visible outline of her breasts and slender hips. One of her thin hands was propping up her head, while the other was entangled in the sheet she was wrapped in.

Neji focused his eyes on every detail of the brunette's form, matching it into the drawing on his easel. Her round face, the details of her eyes, eyelashes, the curves of her form...he wanted to try and get everything on his canvas. His eyebrows creased, "Hmm..."

Tenten heard this sound emitting from the artist's throat and gave a slight smile, "Thinking hard?"

Neji brought his eyes upward from the paper and glance at her almost scoldingly, "Try not to talk. It makes your facial muscles crinkle up and I can't get the perfect - "

Tenten growled and sat up, the sheet falling from her form, leaving her naked in front of him, "Damn it, Neji, this is so boring...can't we do something a little more entertaining?"

"Now why did you have to go and get up?" Neji asked angrily, looking at his girlfriend, who was approaching him, still not having gotten her clothes on, "I wasn't done yet."

The nude brunette came still closer and sat on his lap, right in front of the canvas, gazing at her form on the white paper. "You're getting better, Neji." She whispered in his ear, clasping his lead stained hand and intertwining her fingers with his. "This is very good." She kissed his temple and he gave a slight grunt.

"It would've looked better if you'd let me finish." Neji stated, gazing into her chocolate orbs with his own white depths.

"Oh, don't get mad at me because of that..." Tenten trailed off as she pressed her palms against Neji's firm chest and straddled his waist. "...you wouldn't get mad at me would you?" Her brown orbs looked into his own pearly pools, her lips centimeters from his.

Smirking slightly, Neji was in a better mood than when he had to end his drawing. He chuckled deeply in response before his mouth was captured by Tenten's in a passionate kiss. "Aren't you going to get dressed?" He asked with a slight grin, his eyes gazing over her bare form.

"You'll lend me your shirt, Neji.." She purred as she unbuttoned the front of his shirt, kissing the flesh that became exposed to her as she did so. A pleased smile graced her features as she slipped the shirt from his form and tossed it onto the couch were she once lay. "...but I don't think you want to..."

And, looking into his eyes with a lustful intent, Tenten pushed Neji onto his back, scattering drawing utensils everywhere.

Rays of sunlight peeked in through the curtainless window. Neji opened his eyes and immediately shielded them with a large hand from the harshness of the light penetrating them. Groaning, he felt a weight on his chest. He looked down to see Tenten's peaceful form sleeping by him, arms entwined around his frame, her head resting softly on his muscular chest. Her soft brunette mane was left down, a sight only he and a few select others had ever seen, and the tendrils tickled his chest.

Gazing over to the clock, Neji's tired eyes tried to focus on the numbers. Damn...eleven fifteen. No wonder the sun is so bright now.

He had to get up, he knew, so he gently removed his girlfriend's hands from around him and carefully placed her head on the pillow next to him. Being cautious not to stir her, he got up from the bed and slipped on some clean clothes, which consisted of a black t-shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. He ran a comb through his hair and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen.

He wrote a short note, explaining to Tenten where he was going and around when he was going to be back. Placing the small post-it note on the night stand where Tenten wouldn't miss it, Neji left the small apartment and walked to his favorite place, a quaint restaurant not too far from his apartment.

The sun peered down upon him, highlighting his features and reflecting off his hair. A slight breeze brushed up and blew a few strands around his face. A cup of coffee would do me good right now... He thought, trailing off as he entered the small café, a tiny bell ringing signaled his entrance.

Immediately, he was met with a smiling figure at the door. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail that reached her mid-back. Bangs shot out over one of her clear blue eyes. She giggled as she greeted him into the restaurant. "Welcome to our restaurant, I'll get one of the waitresses to seat you. She'll be here shortly."

Neji watched the cheery blonde rush behind the counter and get one of the waitresses to come and show him to an available seat.

Soon, a very pretty girl with short pink hair that reached almost past her neck. Her emerald green orbs sparkled as she made her way over to the chocolate haired man. She wore the restaurant's uniform, which was a black skirt, white shirt, and an off-white colored apron was tied over it. Her slender, cream colored legs were one of her best features, he noted, watching her make her way over to him.

"Come with me and I'll get you seated." She spoke very cheerfully as she led him over to an empty table beside the window.

Neji sat down and leaned back, as if trying to find a comfortable position. The pink haired girl placed a menu in front of him and smiled, "Our special today is the sashimi and we also have many different flavored onigiri, if you would like to try them. I recommend the plum flavored onigiri, if you would like it."

"I just want coffee, black. Thanks." Neji said simply. The girl nodded and walked to prepare his order.

"Sakura, did you see that guy who just walked in here?" The blonde woman from before squealed, holding her empty carrying tray against her chest tightly in excitement. "He's quite handsome, isn't he?"

The pink haired waitress smiled slightly, "I guess he is, Ino...better than some other people I've seen around." She moved toward the coffee pot and began brewing a fresh batch of black coffee.

"He's way better than anyone else I've seen." Ino said, looking at her carnation haired friend with incredulity. "I mean - "

"Ino, you have a boyfriend..." Sakura trailed off, looking the blonde in the eyes with a skeptical look on her pretty features.

"Don't worry, I still love Naruto." Ino said reassuringly, and then a dreamy look came across her features as she hummed in pure bliss. "Oh, and Sakura?"

She quirked a dainty eyebrow in response, "Yeah?"

"Don't let the whole Sasuke thing get to you. He's an asshole."

"Coming from the girl who used to love him as much as I do - err, did." She tried to play off her choice of words.

"It'll be fine, Sakura." Ino encouraged, placing a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder before smiling at her warmly. "It'll take some time, but you'll get over him...like I did."

Sakura managed a bitter smile, "Thanks..." She trailed off as she felt the weight of Ino's hand leave her slender shoulder.

"Now, I'm gonna go talk to Shikamaru and Temari and see how they're doing." Ino stated cheerily, looking over to the happy - or troubled in Shikamaru's case - couple as they walked into the small café.

"Alright." Sakura said, letting Ino skip toward her two friends and seat them at a small table with two chairs sitting across from each other in the back of the room.

Sakura finished preparing the brunette man's coffee and brought it to him on her tray. Setting it down, she sighed, but then smiled as she met his pearly orbs once more, an involuntary shiver going down her spine as she did so. "If you need anything else, let me know."

Neji looked at the girl, studying her fine features. The light that shone in from the open window highlighted her cheekbones and her pretty features. It glimmered on her hair, causing the short pink strands to shine. Her emerald orbs looked out the window in a somewhat dazed state.

Stunning.

He watched as her lips curved into a small smile as she watched a bird flutter from the branch of a cherry blossom tree and then fly off into the cerulean canvas of sky above. She seemed to have forgotten all about the man she was supposed to be serving.

Neji suddenly felt an emotion he had been dry of for a very long time.

Inspiration.

The Hyuuga suddenly had the urge to grab a canvas and sheet of pure white paper and begin to paint her in vibrant color, filling in all the gorgeous scenery that was around him. Odd that this crucial emotion to an artist would come in such a small café, and the girl who had given him this sudden surge of creativity had no clue as to why Neji suddenly fidgeted in his seat, anxiously wanting to capture this moment of complete innocence.

"Um, miss?" Neji said politely, almost not wanting to stir her from her reverie.

The girl came to attention as her spine straightened, now realizing that she had been daydreaming, "Oh, I'm sorry. Daydreaming. I tend to do that a lot."

"Aa." Neji mumbled in approval. "That's fine. I wasn't really paying attention..."

"Oh..." Sakura said, clutching the empty tray to her chest. "Alright then, I'll be back with your check."

He watched her walk away, her hips slightly swaying as she did so.

She came back in just a few moments, smiling as she held out the bill. Very cheap for a cup of coffee, Neji noticed, remembering just how much a Starbucks coffee cost. Reaching into his pocket, he produced the amount of money needed as Sakura waited, her nails rapping quietly on her tray.

"Here." Neji said, handing her the cash. "The coffee is very good."

"Thanks." Sakura replied, reaching into his outstretched hand for the payment, which included a tip for her, she noticed.

As she turned to walk away, Neji called out to her in a controlled tone, "Hey..."

She turned around and for a brief moment her pink locks strayed and were in front of her face, before they settled to their normal style. "Yeah?"

"What's your name?" He asked nonchalantly.

Sakura smiled brightly, "Haruno Sakura."

Sakura...means cherry blossom. It's appropriate for her. Neji thought as he resisted a smile.

She pocketed the change and stood in a confident pose, causing another urge for Neji to paint. It seemed this girl knew how to pose in even the most subtle ways. It wasn't just a big pose that screamed 'Look at me!'. She posed slightly each time she talked to him, each pose was a winning portrait...if he could ever paint her, that is.

"What's your name?" She asked, her emerald orbs curious.

Neji chuckled, "Hyuuga Neji."

She gave another giggle as she turned to go, muttering a 'Nice to meet you', leaving Neji to sip his coffee alone.

Walking home just a few minutes later, Neji climbed the stairs to his apartment, prepared to be met with his girlfriend, but the only thing he wanted right now was to paint that Haruno girl. She seemed to be a natural at posing, but she didn't even realize it.

He unlocked his door and saw Tenten sitting on the couch, watching some romance movie, no doubt. "Tenten?" He asked, closing the door behind him and moving closer to the brunette woman.

Tenten turned around, her hair now up in her trademark buns once more, "Welcome home, Neji!" She said enthusiastically.

Rising from the couch, she made her way over to him, smiling happily all the way. "How was your outing?"

"It was...calming..." He said, not entirely lying.

Tenten smiled brighter, "That's nice to hear. You seemed tense last night."

She looked into his eyes once more as she placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging the muscles of his neck.

But, even as Tenten's lips pressed tight against his, Neji couldn't rid the vision of pink from his conscious.

End Chapter One.

How was it? I hoped you liked it! I enjoyed writing it. It was definitely a change of pace from "Play My Song", which is mostly a hatred-then-love relationship between Neji and Sakura. But this one, I plan on making it a all-out love story between the two. I hope that doesn't turn you off from it at all. Haha.

As you can see, it's going to be a NejiTen at the beginning. I'm not really used to writing the pairing - or Tenten's character in general - so I'm sorry if she's a little OOC. I'm just trying to make her out to be the "loving girlfriend", which we know will change if this is NejiSaku (sorry again for any NejiTen lovers).

And the whole thing with Sakura and Sasuke will be revealed sooner or later. Yeah...just so ya know.

Anyway I hope you enjoyed reading this first chapter of this new fic of mine (I know I should be working on "Play My Song", but I kinda wanted a change of pace right now...and this idea just wouldn't leave me alone).

So, I hope you liked it and please review!