I hate writing Sasuke because I never think I do him right. Still, a younger Sasuke in a modern AU seemed a little easier to tackle, so I hope it works. Also, this has always been a ship I've been intrigued about and it was really interesting to explore it here

The girl was there again, sitting on the bench. She was reading this time, pouring over a book on her lap that looked entirely too big for her body. She was alone, as she always was, but her eyes remained focused on the page. Usually, she was watching everyone walk by with a shy smile and sparkling eyes. Today, that cheerfulness she normally exuded was gone.

Sasuke liked this part of the day. The library was always a fun visit, one of the only places he could go alone when Itachi was practicing. Father didn't like Sasuke following Itachi to practice, always saying spectators were just a distraction, so he found other things to do. The library was free, always open when he needed it to be, and close enough to home that he could go without someone fussing over him.

And when the girl started showing up, it made his day even better.

He wasn't sure why he liked seeing her so much, just that his day was better when he did. It was probably the smile she offered, shy and hesitant, but always present. She didn't say much which he thought was weird; girls were always babbling about something or other. Not her.

She looked up when he passed. Maybe it was the absence of her usual smile or perhaps the defeated slope of her shoulders. Could have been the ring of his mother's voice in his head about being polite and making friends. Whatever it was, Sasuke found himself turning and doing what he'd never done before.

"Oh, hello," she said as he neared, her back straightening and her posture adjusting. "Would you like a seat?"

He wasn't sure what he wanted, but a seat sounded like a good excuse before he figured that out.

"My name's Hinata," the girl said as soon as he settled. "What's yours?"

"Sasuke."

"It's nice to meet you, Sasuke."

Polite. Ridiculously polite, though still shy. His mother would have gushed for hours over her manners and he resisted rolling his eyes at the thought.

He didn't say anything, mostly because he didn't know what to say. The book on her lap was an old textbook he recognized from the dojo, one Itachi had poured over a few years back. He'd read through it as best he could, but never mastered it like his brother did. At least according to what everyone said.

"Are you here alone?" she asked in a soft voice, her eyes darting around as her hands fidgeted over the cover of the book.

He gave her a nod.

"I am, too."

Sasuke liked her voice. It was soft and he only heard it because he was listening for it, but it had a nice lilt. Soothing like the tone his mother used when she put him to bed. He wanted to hear more, but before he could think about what to ask, a car pulled up near the bench.

The tinted windows didn't move and no one stepped out, but Hinata hopped off the bench anyway. "It was nice to meet you, Sasuke," she said. "I hope to see you again."

He didn't like how she opened the door by herself and he liked even less the slump of her shoulders returning as she got in. But the door closed and the car drove away and then he was left to make his own way home.

The next time he saw her, maybe he'd be able to sit next to her again.

…

"Your cousin was a dick." Sasuke took another sip of his beer before letting his arm hang over the side of the couch, bottle swinging between his fingers. "I never knew how you could stand it."

Hinata shifted, careful to keep her shoulder from digging into his ribs. Her empty bottle of cider was sitting on the coffee table and she considered getting another one. "Neji had a lot to deal with," she replied instead. "He was under so much pressure."

"So were you and you never treated him like shit."

She sighed, pressing her cheek to his chest. There was no convincing him of this, especially when they were drinking. She'd long lost count how many times they rehashed this same conversation and it always ended the same way. "I know, Sasuke."

"And your sister still—"

"Sasuke?"

"—even now when you don't live there and you haven't lived there—"

She eyed the bottle, trying to count back. Five? Six? Hopefully not much more. "Sasuke."

"—it's like they can't ever let it go—"

"Sasuke."

He heard her this time, finally stopping the tirade fueled by too many things he left unspoken and released by too much alcohol finally loosening that tongue of his.

"I'd rather not talk about that tonight."

Her request was met by silence and she amended her previous guess to around four beers. Four was good. Four left him still aware of his words and his actions, but just a little bit freer from the inhibitions that ruled his life with an iron fist.

Hinata never wanted to say she liked Sasuke drunk. She liked him sober too much to say anything of the sort, but there was something special about him when he was finally able to just be himself.

His arm around her shoulder tightened, pulling her closer into his side. With her arm thrown over his stomach and her thigh crossed over his, she wasn't certain how much closer she could get, but she liked the feeling of him next to her. His lips touched the top of her head and she smiled. Four beers, definitely. Five would have probably pulled out an apology and she always felt weird when he did that.

"What do you want to talk about?" he asked in that soft way of his that she was growing to love.

"Nothing," Hinata answered.

"Nothing?"

"Nothing."

The beer disappeared from her sight and she felt his chest shift as he finished what was left. He moved enough to set his bottle next to hers, then positioned them on the couch again, this time with her more on him than the couch.

"I can do that," he gave in and she hid her smile in his shirt.

Just two short snippets. I love the idea of Sasuke watching from afar as Hinata struggles with home life. It makes him reevaluate his own and I honestly believe it would help him recognize the love in his family that is simply shown differently.

(I also reject the fanon notion that Fugaku didn't adore Sasuke. His actions are skewed by the unreliable narrator that is a very young Sasuke and would have reflected differently on a teenager and adult. Part of Sasuke's growth in high school and college is to recognize Fugaku's love for what it is and Hinata helps with that.)

Hinata, on the other hand, survives because of Sasuke's quiet support. He doesn't expect anything out of her, even when he sees her and that lack of pressure helps her learn how to discover herself.

They drift in and out through school, but the older they get, the closer they grow until they find themselves at the same university, where they really grow close. Probably by studying together in the library. ;D