Among The Stars .:Itachi x Fem!Reader:. Soulmate AU

A Message To The Stars

[Name] ignores the notification, leaving the message in her DMs. She swipes it away, not even allowing it to be an afterthought, and continues to the kitchen.

This week has been rough for her. Depression, anxiety, and helplessness all pool in her head. She just wants to feel better.

Today, she deserves some cookies, so she'll make herself some. As she stirs in too many chocolate chips, she thinks of Neji. She wonders if he likes cookies too. If he's fond of sweets and chocolates.

And what he'd think of her if she brings him some tomorrow.

These thoughts allow her to make an extra batch. She plates each one, eating the ones that fall apart in the transfer. Her entire place smells like freshly baked cookies. And her entire heart belongs to Neji.

...

[Name] turns up at work the very next day, butterflies in her stomach and giddiness in her heart. She holds a plate of cookies in her hands as he pushes open Neji's office with her hips. It's twenty minutes before opening, so she has plenty of time to chat Neji up.

"Hey, Neji," she greets him. Her heart pounds in her chest. "I made too many cookies last night."

Neji looks up from his desk, smiling and flipping his pen between his fingers. "And you made some for me?"

"Of course!" She chirps, placing the plate right next to his papers. "You know... I'm always thinking about you."

"About me?" He raises an eyebrow, giving her a knowing look. It flusters [Name] further, making her twiddle with her hands behind her back.

"Like of you. I'm always thinking of you---to share with, ya know?"

Neji chuckles, leaning back into his chair. "I know, I know. Just kidding!"

[Name] releases a soft sigh, relaxing her shoulders. She wants to tell Neji something that's been heavy on her heart. It's a decision she's decided to make ever since that message from Crow_Master popped up.

"Neji, I want to talk to you."

"About what?"

She sits in the extra chair across from his desk. He leans in, unwrapping the cookies. He selects one and brings it to his lips.

"I---" she pauses, watching him eat the tokens of her affection. "I don't like Tenten."

Neji hesitates and shoots up in his seat. "What? What the hell does that mean?"

She can feel her face scrunch at his question. The memories of Tenten taking up so much of Neji's thoughts and time squeeze her stomach.

"We don't hang out anymore," she mumbles, and it's there that Neji understands half of what she's saying. The rest is unknown to him. He doesn't know how deep her affections for him go. It's the roots of her heart, the only thing keeping her from going adrift in the sea of emotions.

"Oh, [Name]," he sighs. He shakes his head. "I'm sorry. We can hang out soon. I promise. You know she's my soulmate."

"Neji, I don't think I'll ever like her."

Neji scoffs, trying not to take offense to her words. "[Name], I said we'll hang out."

"You're my only friend."

Neji scrunches his eyebrows together. He tries not to frown, but he remembers that this is his friend. A friend that he respects and cares for.

"Right."

"Neji." He watches [Name's] movements, how she won't meet his eyes, the way she keeps crossing her legs and uncrossing them, and how she shakes her head like she's trying to convince herself not to go through with something. "Forget it."