NejiTen Oneshots And Drabbles

Warm

Tenten scrambled out of the office, clocking out as quickly as she could—the sooner she started home, the better. It was near midnight the moment she finally stepped outside. She shivered, and drew her coat closer to her body, tucking her chin in her scarf. She was mildly pleased with herself—she was off early today, and this would mean she would have a head start on the hoodlums and druggies that skulked the streets at such unreasonable hours. Maybe, if she was lucky, she would be able to make it home without running into a single one. But that would be a miracle.

Walking home was a dangerous business, especially on the obscure streets of New York City.

But she kept her head ducked low and pressed on, as always. She avoided eye contact, her hand gripping a can of mace inside her purse. The streets seemed emptier tonight, and she exhaled in placid relief, her breath frosting around her. She hated not having a car, and being too poor to afford public transportation daily. Between her crappy pay and busy student life, she was amazed she even found a way to feed herself.

"What are you doing out by yourself at this time of night?"

She whirled sharply, aiming with the pepper-spray and her finger poised on the trigger. She looked frantically for a masked assailant, only to find that the voice had come from a car pulled up next to her—a nice car. A man looked at her impatiently, waiting for a reply. He was strangely beautiful, with angled features that suited a regal elf more than a human. She was startled by his eyes most of all, which stared pointedly at her, glinting whiter than the snow and froth on the ground.

After overcoming her initial shock at his looks, she stared at him intently and realized that he must have been around her age, too. So what was he doing driving around in a damn Mercedes-Benz?

"Well I'm not a prostitute, if that's what you're after," she said, glaring at him. She lowered her mace, but kept her finger ready at the trigger. He huffed.

"I could have easily guessed that by how you're dressed. But you didn't answer my question." His eyes were still sharp.

"I'm walking home," she said stiffly. "Working college students don't have the luxury of warm cars or public transportation. We just work and study and walk places."

She turned and stalked away, but he followed her in his car.

"Look, at least let me give you a ride home," he sighed. "It's not safe out here, and I'd feel guilty if I saw a missing poster with your face plastered on it."

She stopped, grimly acknowledging the truth. She looked back at him, into those eyes. They seemed sincere… she weighed her options. The air seemed to get colder the longer she stood unmoving, and she warred with every instinct telling her to turn and run. But the promise of warmth and a quick way home lured her to his car. She opened the door, scrutinizing him as the car chimed.

"Just a ride," she clarified. "You don't—you don't have any other intentions?" She tried to hide her hesitancy, but he merely rolled his eyes.

"No," he said. "I just happened to drive by and see a young female walking in a notoriously dangerous area at night. Pardon me for wanting to help."

His car was warm as she slipped in—probably the only perk of accepting a ride from a stranger. She took off her mittens and thoroughly rubbed her hands together. She pinched her cheeks and her nose, trying to lessen the numbness. Tenten looked around his car too, gawking at the fine leather interior and the plethora of buttons and gadgets. She noticed he was wearing a nice, sleek suit, and she immediately felt like a ragged dog in the midst of this luxury.