Double Trouble

Disclaimer: Be thankful I don't own Naruto or the characters of Sasuke and Itachi would be horribly altered, and Naruto would grow a brain to realize that Hinata loves him. Basically, I'd destroy everything that makes it Naruto.

Naruto… I've been watching… I've watched you for years!! Why is that…? I don't know what it is but… when I watch Naruto… I feel a wellspring of courage bubbling inside me. I feel like if I just do my best… then even I…am worth something! That's how I start to feel!!... Naruto… I've been watching you for such a long time… but now, at last… you're watching me!

That's what I was thinking during the Chuunin Exams, and Naruto-kun cheered for me. He finally noticed me for the first time. I really tried to change, so that Naruto could be proud of me like I am proud of him, and I thought it worked. He really did seem proud of me, back then. (A/N: My source for that quote was the English manga, so I don't know if Hinata used kun on the end of Naruto's name there. Curse the overly translated English manga! So if you know, please message me and I'll change it. Arigatou!)

But as soon as the Chuunin Exams were over, things went right back to the way they were before. Naruto returned to having his crush on Sakura-san, and forgot all about me. I don't blame Sakura-san, but sometimes I catch myself wishing that Naruto-kun would look that way at me, and forget about her. Sometimes I wish…

"Hey, Hinata!" N-naruto-kun? He ran up to me, jumping excitedly from foot to foot, full of that boundless energy he always seems to possess. Sitting in the shade of an aged tree as I was, with him in front of the sun in my view, he was illuminated from behind like some godly being. I felt a blush creeping over my cheeks, suddenly full of the same self-doubt that I always possessed in his presence. There was no way that I could be worthy of loving him.

"Hinata, your face is red, are you sick?" I can only shake my head, all words caught in my throat. It's the same every time Naruto-kun tries to talk to me. I lose my voice, afraid that any words from me will shatter the dream being with him creates, and I will awaken to realize that he never spoke to me. But even with this constant fear, I treasure the moments I spend with him. When Naruto-kun is here, despite the increasing doubts in my mind, I feel a great peace. Like as long as he is still here, nothing bad can happen, because Naruto-kun is here. I know it is foolish, but that's how I feel.

Naruto accepts my mute response.

"So Hinata, I was wondering if tomorrow…" Could Naruto-kun really be… "you could arrange for Sakura-chan to go with me to Ichiraku?" …asking me out. My heart shattered at his words, and I was surprised that it didn't register on my face. I guess it wouldn't. I've been getting similar requests from him for several years now. I should be used to it. Yet somehow, every time, I allow the hope to grow inside of me, that it's me that he's asking, and not Sakura-san.

"A-alright Naruto-kun. I'll ask her." My voice breaks on the last bit, and I'm surprised that Naruto-kun doesn't notice. He flashes me one of the grins that melt my heart before heading away. I sigh sadly before getting up to find Sakura-san.

"He said what to you?!" Sakura asked me, her eyes full of anime flames, simply aghast at Naruto's request. I winced visibly.

"P-please, S-sakura-san, don't shout," I stammered. I only stammer in the presence my friends when I'm really scared, a fact of which Sakura is very aware. She breathed slowly, effectively calming herself down, though not entirely eliminating her fury.

"Hinata-chan, he shouldn't do this to you. Naruto may be like a brother to me, but that doesn't mean I'll just let him march all over the heart of one of my best friends. I can't believe that you've managed to just sit silently through this for all these years. If Sasuke-kun treated me like that…" That was one of the wonderful things about Sakura-san. She absolutely understands what unrequited love feels like. It's one of the reasons that I have never been able to resent that Naruto-kun likes her better. She smiled at me in the way that only Sakura-san can, a smile that is sweet and yet fills me with dread. That smile is the one that appears on her face every time that she comes up with a plan. Its appearance boded ill.

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan, I'll have everything taken care of."

"But Sakura-san!" Headless of my cry, she walks away. In my heart there is fear of what she is planning, but also a slight reassurance. No matter how dubious I am of her methods, I know that Sakura-san has my best interests at heart, and would never do anything to hurt me. Full of this faith, I gaze at her retreating figure, wishing that I could possess that same assured confidence she gained over her teammate's absence. Maybe then Naruto-kun would like me.

Sakura-san found me the next day in the shadow of the same tree where I'd spoken to Naruto the previous day. I could often be found here; it was a quiet place to think away from the bustle of my family's manor home. Sakura-san smiled at the sight of me, and dashed over to talk.

"Well, Hinata-chan, everything is all set," she told me, smirking.

"Wh-what's all set, Sakura-san?" I asked, stammering from the feeling of foreboding that I get whenever Sakura-san smirks like that. She grinned broadly.

"My plan to get Naruto to fall in love with you, of course. I asked Ino for help, since dating and love are more her areas of expertise than mine. She came up with an absolutely brilliant idea. Tomorrow, Naruto and I will go on a date to Ichiraku. The thing is, it won't just be us; you and your date will be there too."

"M-my date, Sakura-san?" I asked uncertainly. She smiled kindly at me.

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan, that's already taken care of. I asked someone already, since I know how awkward it would be for you to have to lie to someone about having feelings for them." I looked at the ground in front of me, a pained smile on my face. I'm grateful to Sakura-san for trying to help, but this sounds very cruel to whoever she convinced to date me. Sakura-san sees this, and knows its cause at once.

"No, Hinata-chan, it wasn't like that," she says quickly. "I asked Sasuke-kun. I told him that it wasn't a real date, just a plan to get Naruto to like you. He was fine with it once I told him that. In face, he sounded thrilled, and was muttering something about Naruto getting what he deserved for always trying to ask out his cherry blossom." I grin a little as she said this. Ever since Sasuke-san came back, he's been a little possessive of Sakura-san, and a lot nicer to her. Probably the only one who isn't certain that he likes her is Sakura-san herself. I notice the slight blush on her cheeks as she says this, and am happy that my friend finally can be with the one she has loved for almost as long as I have loved Naruto-kun.

There's one other thing that I know Sakura-san has thought of. Sasuke-san and Naruto-kun are rivals and brothers. If anyone could make Naruto jealous, it would be Sasuke-san. Sakura-san really can be devious at times. She smirks as she sees from my expression where my thoughts have led me. Sakura-san picks herself up, dusting off her skirt, before telling me,

"Remember, Hinata-chan: tomorrow, Ichiraku ramen, noon." I nod to show that I heard her, and she walks away. I sigh dreamily, imagining what wonderful things tomorrow may bring.

The next day I walk slowly in the direction of the Ichiraku ramen bar, very nervous about what is to come. I can't let Sakura-san down; she planned this whole date to help me, I cannot fail her!

"Hey, Hinata-chan!" a voice shouts me. I turn around to see Naruto-kun running in my direction. My face instantly begins to turn red.

"H-hello, Naruto-kun," I stutter.

"Hinata-chan, are you sure that you aren't sick, because your face is red again today." I shake my head, my voice failing me once again at the prospect of Naruto-kun actually being right next to me. "Well then, we can walk to Ichiraku together. Sakura-chan told me about your date with Sasuke-teme. Maybe you can help him with that stick stuck up his ass." I blush again, this time at Naruto-kun's coarse language. This time he doesn't notice, and threads him arm through mine before leading me toward the Ichiraku ramen bar. I feel as though my face is on fire.

We sit down next to each other once we arrived, because Sakura-san and Sasuke-san aren't there yet. I hope that they arrive soon; sitting next to Naruto-kun alone like this is terrifying.

"Sakura-chan's late," Naruto remarks after a while. I nod silently. "Teme too; that's not like him." I nod. It is unusual for Naruto's teammates to be late to anything, and right now it's scaring me.

Half an hour later, they still have not arrived. Naruto gets bored and orders a miso ramen for himself. He asks me what type of ramen I want. "Miso," I reply quietly. We eat our ramen together in near silence. Naruto-kun finishes his bowl before I am even halfway done, and orders another one. After a while, he begins to rant about how late his teammates are. This progresses into a general rant about how he is better than Sasuke at everything, and how beautiful he finds Sakura-san. I let him talk, occasionally joining in the conversation myself. After a while, my shyness begins to disappear, and I find myself speaking more. We even have our first full conversation! The talk eventually moves on to my teammates, Shino-kun and Kiba-kun, our senseis, Neji-nii-san, Lee-san and Tenten-san, how wonderful Naruto's fifteenth bowl of ramen tastes, and training. It is so wonderful to talk with Naruto-kun.

After three hours and twenty bowls of ramen on Naruto's part, three on mine, we decide that Sakura-san and Sasuke-san aren't coming. Naruto tells me that he should have expected that Sakura-san wouldn't actually come on a date with him, but that he's very sorry that Sasuke-san stood me up, and he'll take it out of his hide the next time they spar. I quickly tell him that it's alright, and I had a very good time with him. He tells me that he did too, and asks if I would like to do it again sometime. "Yes," I reply quickly. I cannot believe my good luck. I have a date with Naruto-kun! I am humming joyously to myself as I walk home.

I bump into Sakura-san and Sasuke-san outside the Yamanaka flower shop. Sakura-san greets me with a smile, and even Sasuke-san's smirk has a slight warmth about it.

"Sakura-san! Sasuke-san!" I exclaim, shocked to see them. "Where were you two this afternoon? Sakura-san, you had a date with Naruto-kun, remember?" She grins widely.

"No I didn't, Hinata-chan. You did."

"M-me," I stutter in shock.

"Yes, you."

"But, you said that you and Naruto-kun had a date and Sasuke-san would be there with me." Sasuke-san smirks as I say this. It makes me feel very confused.

"No, Hinata-chan," Sakura-san tells me gently. I never said that I had a date with Naruto. I said that Naruto and I wouldn't be the only ones on the date; you and Sasuke-kun would be too. I just never said who would be on a date with whom. You would be on a date with Naruto, and would be on a date with Sasuke-kun. Naruto just didn't know that, and neither did you." My expression shifts from shock to awe as she says this. Sakura-san's slyness surprises me, to the point that I am in awe of her abilities.

"The thing is," she continues, "Sasuke-kun and I decided that Ichiraku really wasn't the best place for our first date, unless we just wanted to watch Naruto eat his way through the entire menu. So, we decided that we would go to another restaurant. You and Naruto would be the only ones at Ichiraku. Hopefully, even you would eventually be able to overcome your natural shyness, and you'd start talking and eventually get along really well together. I hope that it worked out like that," she finishes nervously. The expression on her face is almost comical; she is truly afraid that she set one of her closest friends up for the embarrassment of her life. Seeing this, I smile, and throw my arms around her.

"It worked," I tell her. "Thank you Sakura-san, thank you so much." She smiles at me, and Sasuke-san smiles too, putting an arm about her shoulders in a gesture of congratulation.

I was still thanking her four years later, when Naruto-kun and I were married.

-Owari-

A/N: Thank you to my best friend Selena for coming up with the double date idea and curing my writer's block. NarutoXHinata is really hard for me to write and I don't think that I'll try that again anytime soon. Tell me what you thought of it, so I know if I should ever try it again at all.