A/N: This is really just an experiment.
Because I'm not too great with manipulating other people's characters..
But this is my first fic with no OCs as main characters,
Also let's pretend it's set in Japan.
But the institutional system is Canadian (or American) because that's all I know.
Just saying..
Reviews are appreciated :D
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
First there was a sound of pen scribbling on a hard surface. Then after that there was the sound of the paper being scrunched up, and quickly following that was the sound of it being thrown into the wastebasket. The last sounds were a groan and a 'thunk' made from a head hitting the wooden surface of the desk.
Before anything else could happen, Hinata poked her head around the door to see what her cousin was doing. Since the front of the desk was facing her, all she could see was his long brown hair sprawled on top of scattered papers.
"N-Neji-nii?" After so many years she still hadn't lost her stutter, though it wasn't nearly as bad as it once was. A moment of indecision passed and she asked her question. "What's w-wrong?"
The twenty-two-year-old Hyuuga lifted his head slowly and pushed his hair behind his shoulders. After taking another sheet of paper and picking up the pen again, he said, "Why is it so hard to write a simple Christmas card to your father?"
Neji sighed and brainstormed again. The card had to be meaningful, after all Hiashi had believed him worthy and had given him the company when it was originally meant for Hinata, who was the heir to the company's throne. It was not surprising; he had always been more capable than her in many ways then one. Even with that bonus, it was still surprisingly difficult to put words on paper that would satisfy his uncle.
"Uhm, Neji-nii, Christmas is a month a-away, why are you writing the card now?" Hinata knew better than to worry; her cousin tended to stress over things when it came to her father. But she couldn't help it, writing a Christmas card in November was odd, even for Neji.
"Because I'll need a month to scavenge the words good enough to impress Hiashi-sama." He paused in his thinking then he looked up, locking his pale eyes with her identical ones. "Was there something you needed, Hinata?" There was once a time when he hated his younger cousin, but that time had passed and he treated her like a sibling.
"Oh right, there's a phone call for you. I think its Lee-san on line one. Uhm, s-should I tell him you're not here?" Neji smiled, she was a sensible girl. Lee would only annoy him at a time like this, or at any time for that matter.
"Hai, thank you. Also please tell Hiashi-sama that I'm leaving for tonight, I need a walk to clear my head." He gathered up his many papers and threw them into a semi-neat pile at the corner of his desk.
"I will. Are you sure you should go out? You didn't d-drive today and it's b-beginning to snow." Hinata gestured to outside the window where snowflakes had started drifting toward the ground. Neji turned as well, and stared outside for a minute. Then he stood up and walked to the door to take his jacket off the hanger.
"Odd that it's snowing in November, but it's fine. I'll see you tomorrow, Hinata." He nodded once to his cousin then with long strides, he was out the door and in the elevator to go down. It wasn't until he was outside that he realised he forgot to bring his briefcase. After a moment of hesitation he decided against going back to retrieve it and began walking down the busy streets to get to his house.
When the wind started to blow his hair around everywhere, Neji stepped out of the way from other people and stopped. From his pocket he pulled out a piece of string and tied his hair into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. He really needed to cut it, but just thinking of parting with his hair made him frown.
After her was sure his hair wouldn't come apart he rubbed his hands together, trying to get them warm. When he was about to leave, he saw a display of colourful lights out of the corner of his eye.
As he looked at the display, he wasn't watching where he was going and walked straight into someone.
-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-
Tenten looked up releculantly from her work when she heard the phone ring. It was getting late and her secretaries should have all left by then. She considered not answering the phone, but the fact that there was a chance it was a work call made her pull off her gloves and walk over to her desk to press the speaker button on her phone.
"Hello?" She somehow managed to hide the agitation in her voice.
"Tenten? Are you seriously still there? You need to stop over working yourself." Ino's giddy voice drifted out of the speakers making Tenten sigh quietly in frustration.
"Sorry Ino, but I really need to finish analyzing these weapons. This could be a new historical discovery! And you seriously need to stop calling me at work, that's why I have a cell phone." As soon as she said this she remembered that her cell was lying at home on the table beside her bed. Needing something to do, she tossed her rubber gloves into the trashcan and started organising the table so it was perfectly clean.
On the phone line Ino sighed. "There's no point in a cell phone if you don't ever turn it on. Listen, Ten, you have a kid to think about. You're starting to be one of those people who let their work take over their lives. Come on, you're training with a successful archaeologist and you're only twenty-two. Also, it's been like forever since you've had a boyfriend. You seriously need to get out more." Then there was a short pause. "Which brings up the reason I'm calling. There's this new café opening tomorrow down the street from my apartment, me and Sakura are planning on checking it out, you game?"
"What about Hinata?" She stopped cleaning and sat on her desk. Though she was still annoyed with the blonde girl, talking to her made her almost completely forget about work.
Ino giggled. "I asked her, but she said she was busy tomorrow. Do you think she finally got the courage to ask Naruto out?"
Tenten smiled and shook her head, and then she remembered that Ino couldn't see her. "Our Hinata? Nah. So why are you so pumped about this café? A new one opens every week, so why don't you go to their grand openings?" She frowned when she heard Ino giggle again.
"This one is called the Akatsuki café. That ring a bell?"
It actually did, but Tenten couldn't quite place where she'd heard that name before. Then it hit her. "Wasn't there something about that in college? It was like, a group of really talented people or something. Why would they make a café?"
"Beats me, apparently it's a joke and they want to see how it hits off. But that's not the point. I heard that Uchiha Itachi-kun is going to work there, and if he's as yummy as his brother then I'm not passing up the chance to talk to him!" Ino gushed. Then, "Oh sorry Ten, I've got to go. Meet at my place tomorrow at noon-ish, kay? See you soon, chick." Then there was a click to signify that Ino shut her cell phone.
Tenten reached over and clicked the button to turn the speakerphone off. Then she thought back to the beginning of the conversation and realised Ino was right. She really was starting to let her job take her over. She walked back to her lab where she was previously studying an arrowhead, which seemed to date back to around 150 B.C. She turned off the lights and locked up for the night. Then she went to her desk and grabbed her jacket and shoulder bag.
Within five minutes she was starting up her little blue Cobalt (1), which was a graduation gift from her parents. Pulling out of the buildings parking lot, she made a right turn to head home. Before long, she saw the lights of downtown pop up on the horizon. When she reached it, she drove slowly to avoid hitting any of the numerous amounts of pedestrians.
As she drove, a brightly lit shop caught her interest. Reading the sign, she noted it was a toyshop. Then without thinking, she slid her vehicle into a free spot and got out. After paying the parking metre, she walked into the shop.
The music sounded Christmassy, even though it was still late November. It was incredibly colourful and behind the counter Tenten spotted a small train set that she thought her son would love. Turning to the cashier, she asked, "How much for that?"
"It just came in, so about 5000 yen." (2)The girl said, popping her bubblegum. "But if you wait till the holidays then it'll probably go down. You know all those Christmas sales."
Tenten smiled. "No it's okay, I don't feel like waiting that long." Pulling out her debit card and handing it to the girl she said, "I'll take one set."
She waited a while for the receipt, she signed it and walked out with her purchase.
When she walked out the door she checked her watch. In that split second where she wasn't watching where she was going she somehow managed to collide into someone.
A/N: Continue, yes, no, maybe so?
Opinions are grealty appreciated.
(1) a Cobalt is a car for those of you who didn't know or didn't guess. Chevrolet (:
(2) 5000 yen is approximately 50 bucks.
Thanks for reading, reviewers get a cookie!
:D
fanny-kun