Theme/Title: 1 - Five Shades of White
Characters: Team Gai
Series: Naruto
Rating: PG
Notes: This is part of a series that is set after the team has made ANBU together... so around 17 years of age.

“I always thought ANBU uniforms were white.”

“Yeah… it’s a bit more… ivory isn’t it?”

“I was thinking pearl.”

“Maybe alabaster…”

“Oh! It’s... chalky or something…”

“Would you two please be quiet?”

Hyuuga Neji, proud captain of his own ANBU team was not having a good day.  It was a piss-poor assignment to begin with.  One assassination target was overkill for his ANBU team but it was because this was their first outing as a group.  He didn’t doubt his team’s abilities.  He didn’t doubt their dedication to their task.

“Snow?”

He just doubted their sanity.

Grabbing the radio microphone with a strength that almost broke it, he barked into it.  “It’s not snow or ivory or any other shade of white because it is just white.”

There was a long pause before someone responded.

“Geez Neji, chill out, we were just having fun.”

“Yeah… I thought you said this was going to be easy.”

“That’s not the point Lee, “ Neji replied.

“What is then?  Think we can’t handle this assignment?”

“I didn’t say that…”

“Hey Tenten, he’s questioning our abilities…”

“Che, come on, I could hit this guy right now if you wanted me to.”

“The mission states that we have to wait until 0200 to…”

“Blah blah blah.  One senbon right through the left pupil.  No problem.”

“Think you can do it with your eyes closed?”

“No! That’s not the mission.”

“Che, easy… what do I get if I do it?”

“You know… you’re picking up Hokage’s bad habits but... ramen?”

“Done!”

“NO! Look, I know this is your first assignment as ANBU and maybe you think that because we’re on a team again that we don’t have to follow protocol but there set procedure that…”

“Neji?”

“What is it, Tenten?”

“Time.”

He paused and looked down at his watch. 0200.  He cursed silently.  “Go.”

He watched from his vantage point as his teammates moved.  Lee’s speed made him a blur as he knocked out the two bodyguards.  The target didn’t even have a chance to move before Tenten’s well aimed senbon took him down.

A second later the mission was complete.

“That was very well done,” Neji started.  “I knew that…”

“Lee! Did I hit it?”

“… yeah… dead center.”

“YES! Free RAMEN on LEE!”

“Hey! It was just for you!”

“But its Neji’s first night as captain!  We should celebrate!”

“Then you pay for his bowl!”

“Neji! You heard him! I’m right, right?”

Lee was silent as they waited for Neji’s response.  He could chastise them, call them insane, tell them this was their last mission together because there was no way that it was going to work without driving him completely insane.

“I believe… I believe that I’ll have pork ramen tonight Lee.”

Tenten laughed and Lee began to grumble.  And Neji realized that in the end, this was the only team he would want.