She's got her jaws now locked down in a smile
But nothing is all right, all right…

It wasn't a fluffy relationship, but it was, in the very least, real. Or preferably, realistic.

At the beginning Sakura would wait for him. Occasionally he was on time and rarely he was early, but mostly he was late. But it was alright to her, as long as they got their small talk, meal, and sex. And she was content – or so it seemed…

Her smile was happy to see him home, but her eyes and the way her face sagged showed how hard it was beginning to get. Soon even the smirks she gave him weren't real at all, but forced.

She reluctantly left the rent all to Sasuke, and he usually made that on time. He was busy running job to job, always leaving poor Sakura at home alone with nothing to do. He provided them with clothes, food, and money, but they had scarce numbers of friends and no true happiness. And they were no longer content, but in agreeable contempt. Semi-charmed – although, to say they were charmed at all may be pushing it.

With Hinata, it was different.

They shared the rent, but almost never had it on time. There were even several instances where they were almost evicted. But they'd made it through all right in the end, if one could call losing their life savings all right.

She was gentle and cautious, and she didn't much care for Sasuke's laid-back lifestyle – by this time he had lost everything, job included – but she lived with it because of the one factor they shared in this particular relationship and never had before, and would struggle to find outside each other. Not that they wanted to.

So she stayed and he stayed, and the sex was brilliant as was the thrill of knowing everyday brought you that much closer to hell. Everyone eventually passes through those gates no matter how good a person they are or whether it's literally or metaphorically. It's always the victim's choice whether they live to pass through again.

They drank, they watched TV, and they ordered Chinese takeout and somewhere between here and there and deciding which movie to rent they ended up on the floor of Sasuke's – no, their – apartment floor, glazing in sticky sweat and gasping for breath.

If anything, they made up for mediocrity with that final factor, which they shared like the rent. It was, in short, their unrealistic, real relationship. Their true, true love.

If anything, Sasuke decided, life with Hinata wasn't semi-charmed at all. It was absolutely perfect.


Based on the song 'Semi-Charmed Life' (the lyrics for which appear in the beginning) by Third Eye Blind. R&R no flames, please.