Deviating from my usual InoSaku because Hinata and Sakura are also adorable together. Fluffy multi-chap of Sakura trying to ask Hinata out.
I suppose the setting is post-war, but I won't be able to write about the war much in the details because I'm currently still in the beginning of the war in the series. I just felt that their post-timeskip age would be too young, but during the war would be too much turmoil to brew fluff in.
Yuri. Girl on girl. I don't own Naruto. Enjoy!
Sakura tapped her foot impatiently while she watched her best-friend work together a bouquet.
"Are you sure you don't want to throw in a rose or two? Calla Lilies might not make a strong enough point." Ino arranged the flowers with delicacy, and Sakura couldn't help but think that her blonde friend really did have a talent for flower arrangement. She watched as Ino tucked a sprig of Baby's Breath and green foliage around the three, white, bell-shaped flowers.
"Well, I don't know, it might come across too strong." Sakura said with some uncertainty.
Ino rolled her eyes. "Then what's the point of the flowers, silly Forehead, if you don't want them to make an impression?"
Sakura opened her mouth for a retort, and then promptly shut it tight when she realized she didn't have a comeback for that one. Ino was probably right, and Sakura hated it when that happened.
"Thought so." Ino smirked. "But that's just my two cents."
"I just don't want it to be too much, yet." Sakura said simply. "Giving flowers in itself should say something at the very least."
"Speaking of which, you've failed to fill me in on the 'who' and 'what'." Ino shot her a pointed look.
Sakura smiled guiltily; she was hoping to avoid this line of questioning.
"Well it's a long story." Sakura waved her hand in an attempt to be dismissive. Ino wasn't buying it and raised an eyebrow.
"You either pissed Tsunade-shishou off, or you like someone, and with the former I'd suggest a bottle of sake as a peace offering instead."
She watched as Ino picked up a deep-violet ribbon (the color was upon Sakura's request) and wrapped it around the light-lavender paper with which the flowers were held in.
Sakura did a little defeated laugh. "It'd be much easier on my part if it was the former. Unfortunately, no such luck." Upon seeing realization fall over Ino's face after figuring out that it was indeed the latter, Sakura resigned herself to the fact that if she was going to tell anyone, it might as well be her.
"Oh my god, who?" Ino put her hips to her waist. "And if you tell me its either Sasuke or Naruto, I'm going to give you so much shit."
"Good, because it's neither." Sakura sighed exasperatedly.
"Lee?!"
"No!"
"Did you finally fall for Kakashi-sensei?!" Ino all but shrieked.
"Ino!" Sakura managed to snicker, playfully shoving at Ino's arm. "He's old!"
"I'm running out of options here." Ino groaned.
Sakura noticed that the flowers were finished. She smiled softly while she pulled a little card out of her bag and handed it to Ino. Understanding that it was the note to be attached to the bouquet, Ino took it and spared it a quick glance. There was a pause.
"You're kidding." Ino said with a look so serious that Sakura thought Ino might poke around in her brain to check if she was.
A few moments later, she was power-walking with a bouquet clutched in her hand.
Sakura was a successful, dangerous and self-confident kunoichi. At least most of the time. As it was, right now, she was successful and dangerous, but not exactly self-confident. For all her skill in breaking bones and putting them back together, she vaguely wondered if there was such a convenient jutsu for the heart. Hopefully she wouldn't be needing it anytime soon, and hopefully she'd stop thinking like a teenager because she was coming close to where she'd find the recipient of her lilac-and-white bouquet.
She continued to walk down the path which led to an empty clearing near the outskirts of the Hyuuga compound. If memory served, Hinata spent her free time alone here to either train or meditate. Sakura felt some hesitation; she didn't want to intrude.
But she'd already gone all this way, and damn—fine, she'll just do it.
"S—Sakura-chan?" A timid voice called out before Sakura could find her.
Shifting her gaze to the direction of the voice, she spotted the familiar outline of Hinata's back and long hair. She sat crossed legged on the grass, and Sakura wondered how she'd been spotted before realizing; right, of course—Byakugan.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, Hinata." Sakura smiled warmly, tension and nervousness melting away at the sight of the Hyuuga heiress. When she saw Hinata return her smile in kind, a little something twisted in on itself in her stomach and Sakura's smile broke to a grin. "I just wanted to come out and see you. I hope you aren't in the middle of anything?"
Hinata flushed in her usual way and stammered a little. "It's okay. I was just meditating to relax, but company would be nice." She said timidly. "Those are lovely flowers." Hinata's eyes fell to the bouquet in Sakura's hand and Sakura felt a little warmth that she liked them.
"Ano… I'm glad you like them. Here." She held them out, a little faster than she anticipated to. Hinata gave her a confused look, but she looked delighted nonetheless. She tentatively took the bouquet and glanced inquiringly at Sakura.
"For m-me?" Hinata flushed when Sakura nodded and flipped the little card which held her name. "What for?"
"For… no reason, really." Sakura rubbed the back of her neck. In an anxious attempt to steer the conversation away from her gesture and to something else, she blurted out: "So, tell me, what do you do out here?"
Hinata told Sakura about how she's been coming here since they were genin just to sit and think. Sakura continued to listen to Hinata's reserved story-telling, noticing the way Hinata's posture straightened when she finally felt comfortable. This wasn't exactly their first time alone (and Sakura's sudden romantic interest in Hinata had to come from somewhere). She'd known about Hinata's hiding spot because Hinata told her about it over a conversation some time during the war. She could say they were close friends, although not exactly the same as how she and Ino were. There was always an air of mystery to the shy Hyuuga heir; and at some point, Sakura had begun itching to find out more.
The more she found out, the more she marveled. Hinata was, to Sakura, the purest of souls in every sense of the word. She was kind, lacking in confidence a bit too much for her own good, and she cared about the people around her from the bottom of her heart. Her eyes were gentle, and she suspected her fingertips were, too. Her hair was the same color as the sky at night and she'd wondered if she'd get to run her hands through it one day. Sakura felt her lips twitch upwards in a smile. When Hinata's little parts were added up to a whole she was simply… beautiful.
"Sakura-chan?"
And, fuck, she'd just been caught staring.
"Yes?" Sakura blinked out of her daze.
When Hinata lifted a hand to cover her mouth and giggle, Sakura's lopsided smile made a quick reappearance. "You're out of it today, aren't you?" The dark-haired girl said good-naturedly.
"I—Uh, yeah, I guess." She said sheepishly.
Hinata chuckled again and Sakura shot her an inquisitive look.
"It's usually me who stutters." Silver eyes dropped to look at the ground in shyness, albeit hiding bemusement.
Sakura couldn't help it. That was adorable. But she shook her head lightly, and prodded Hinata to continue the conversation she was so rude as to space out on.
There was a sort of melancholy mixed in Hinata's narration, especially when the topic darted around her family. Hinata wasn't an open book, that was for sure, but she wasn't as closed-off as most people thought, Sakura realized. Maybe it was because no-one bothered; perhaps except Kiba and Shino, but that was a given. Sakura enjoyed this side of Hinata. She was still timid, shy and sweet Hinata, but after some encouraging and genuine interest, she'd stutter less and speak her mind. Hinata actually looked relieved to have someone to talk to about all these.
Sakura was, at the moment, perfectly content to be that person if she needed it.
"But thank you for these again, Sakura-chan." Hinata held the bouquet fondly. "I don't think anyone's ever walked up to me and handed me flowers before."
We're going to have to change that. "It's nothing, the lovely flowers suit you." Sakura said, blushing a little at her attempt to walk on the tightrope between friendly and flirtatious.
Hinata looked a little lost at that; but smiled shyly anyway. That damn smile. Sakura's palms started to sweat a little. "I hate to cut it short here b-but, it's getting pretty late, Sakura-chan."
A little disappointed, Sakura looked at the sky. Hinata was right; the sun was starting to set. Although they were old and able enough to take care of themselves after dark, Hinata might have had plans and Sakura had imposed herself enough as it is. "Mm, you're right. I'm sorry for keeping you out." She said solemnly.
"Oh, it's okay!" Hinata flushed, probably afraid that she'd put Sakura off or offended her. "It's no trouble; I just really need to be heading back."
Sakura smiled at Hinata warmly to placate her fussing. "We're good, we're good." She laughed. Then gulped while her laugh slipped into more of a tentative, nervous smile. "Ah, Hinata, maybe you could... go out with me tomorrow? Over lunch? Talking with you has been lovely."
Hinata seemed to beam, to her relief. "That's sounds like a great idea, Sakura-chan."
"Ichiraku Ramen?"
"Sounds good." Hinata said timidly before reminding Sakura that she really needed to go. "See you! That place always reminded me of Naruto-kun." She said light-heartedly before a final wave goodbye and walking off.
Somehow, Sakura's chest throbbed. Naruto? Well fucking ouch.
When Sakura was finished pacing around the flower shop with a parade of frustrated expletives, Ino finally spoke up.
"Did you tell her it was a date?"
"Well, no. But I did ask if she could go out with m-"
"It's Hinata. You need to spell it out for her." Ino practically scolded. "And Ichiraku Ramen? What the fuck. Who are you, Naruto?"
"Ugh, Naruto." Sakura winced, both at Ino's reprimand at the mention of Naruto. She bore no ill-will towards her precious teammate, and would still take a kunai through the heart for him any day, but a jealous girl would be a jealous girl no matter what you said about friendship. It was going so well, she felt that Hinata was open to her, and that their time alone didn't feel uncomfortable at the slightest; it was all going so well except for that little mishap at the end. But could she blame Hinata? If she was trying to ask a girl out, she should have picked somewhere which didn't remind her of a boy she used to be in love with. And, yes, 'used to be' because now wasn't the time to be entertaining thoughts on whether or not Hinata might still be in love with Naruto after all. She'd fallen pretty bad once, and if she could get over Sasuke, anyone could get over anyone.
"Sakura. Snap out of it." Ino poked her at the forehead, and Sakura swatted the offending hand away reflexively.
"Sorry... I was just thinking. And I picked Ichiraku cause I wanted it to be casual, okay? Nothing to scare her away."
"You want to go on a date with her. It's not supposed to be casual." Ino sighed in exasperation. "You're never going to get the point across if you do things half-baked, idiot!"
A vein ticked against Sakura's forehead. "What am I supposed to do, kneel down and confess undying affection?!"
"I'd actually pay to be there to watch."
At this, Sakura playfully punched Ino on the shoulder. "Help me out a bit here."
"Aren't I?" Ino gave her a look, hands firmly planted on her waist. "At the very least, listen to what I say. You go on a rampage and start breaking things when you don't get your way, and I don't want to deal with your shit; so we're going to have to get you your Hyuuga-babe one way or another."
Sakura couldn't repress a snicker and an eye-roll. "'Hyuuga-babe' now, really?"
"Yes, really, now get your ass over here and start picking flowers."
This was really supposed to be a one-shot, but then I'm not sure if all my ideas were going to fit in just one chapter that didn't feel draggy. Stay tuned for more, and I hope you leave some reviews if you liked it. Thanks guys!