Title: Turbulence
Rating: PG-13 ( T ) – for mild swearing (those damn teenagers) and life-affirming make-out sessions.
Disclaimer: Please store your tray tables in the upright position and ! #$ OFF! I claim nothing.

Summary: AU. Sasuke hated flying. SasuHina.


Chapter 2: Terminal

Hinata wasn't going to let her encounter with the Uchiha ruin her day. He might be a moody sourpuss, but she would soon be rid of him. Once they boarded, she was sure that he was going to be on the other end of the plane with his fangirl harem clustered around him, reveling in "unwanted" attention. While he was basking in his popularity, Hinata would be slowly working her way into Naruto's heart, all thoughts of Sasuke and his grumpiness banished from her consciousness.

With that comforting thought in mind, she took a seat next to Naruto in the terminal. He wasn't even pretending to pay attention to her anymore (what with Sakura sitting directly across from them with the rest of the Uchiha Sasuke Fan Club), but that couldn't spoil Hinata's good mood, either. Just as she was going to be separated from Sasuke for the next fourteen hours, she was going to be in the company of her secret sweetheart for the same span of time! They could talk, get to know each other and maybe, just maybe, arrange to spend time together after the plane landed...who knew where that could lead?

Hinata was smiling so broadly at the concept that her cheeks were beginning to hurt. By this time the next day, she and Naruto could be well on their way to being something more than acquaintances. They might even be (dare she even think it?) together.

The heiress chanced a shy peek at Naruto out of the corner of her eye. He was showing off for the girls (all of which seemed unimpressed) with a series of gravity-defying flips and drawing the attention of more than just their classmates. Everyone was watching and she could tell he was reveling in it.

"Oh, Naruto-kun...," she said wistfully, her focus suddenly blurring as she dove back into her world of fancy. A world where she and Naruto were lovers...

She could imagine just how it would be. They would hold hands between classes, she could feed him lunch from her own chopsticks, he would offer to walk her home every afternoon...oh, it would be just divine!

As the many scenarios of their happy life together rose to the surface of Hinata's mind, she sighed.


Sasuke was going to be sick. The expression on Hinata's face while she watched Naruto do stupid tricks for tourists was...well, sickening. He would never be able to understand what she saw in the dobe and, quite honestly, didn't want to. That was something she could keep to herself.

Well, whatever. It was no skin off of his nose if she wanted to throw herself away on some stupid, annoying –

"Saasuke-kuuun!"

The shrill cry was the only warning Sasuke had before Ino pounced. "Get off," the Uchiha commanded gruffly, tugging at the arms that were locked around his throat. Apparently feeling that he was playing hard to get, Ino tightened her embrace and held on tenaciously. "I'm not in the mood."

The blonde teen flipped her long ponytail over her shoulder as she cooed, "Oooh...my poor sweetums! Are you scared of flying?"

"No." Egad, did she have to talk so loud?

"You can tell me, darling," Ino wheedled, twisting her body so that she was sitting squarely in his lap. She nuzzled his cheek before continuing, "It's cute to have a little phobia."

Resisting the urge to violently fling Ino to the floor, the prodigy growled audibly. "I don't have a phobia. Get off of me."

The girl sighed wistfully and cuddled closer to his chest, her cheek resting against his shoulder. A light blush stained her cheeks as she said, "You're so cute when you're shy..."

"Hey, Ino-pig!"

Ino grimaced and turned around to face her pink-haired foe. Sakura had broken away from the crowd formed around Naruto – who was now arguing with an irate-looking Kiba – to come investigate the goings-on between her beloved and one of his many stalkers.

"Billboard-brow. You're looking mighty jealous today," the blonde commented, blue eyes narrowed aggressively. She reasserted her grasp on Sasuke's neck as if expecting Sakura to claw him out of her arms with her manicured talons.

The class braniac leaned over the pair of them, her green eyes sparking with manic energy. "Sasuke-kun is not a piece of furniture, you cow!"

"That is so mature, chicken-legs," Ino countered, mooing for effect.

Sakura's face turned as pink as her hair as she returned fire with another insult; "At least I don't have to shave my goat beard every morning before first period!"

"Duck-nose!"

"Pork-butt!"

"Sheep-pits! You should really think about bringing your razor to the locker room with you if you're not going to shave at home," the blonde said, sneering at her adversary. "Forget her, Sasuke-kun," Ino cooed, finally breaking the name-calling stalemate. In the background, Sakura fumed and stammered for more insults. "She's just jealous of our bond. So, where are you sitting?"

Sasuke frowned and attempted to shift in a way that would send Ino tumbling off his lap, but she clung fast. He really wished she would move soon; his legs were falling asleep. "None of your business."

Apparently content to ignore all of his protestations, Ino began groping inside his jacket pockets. "Where did you put your boarding pass, honeybunches?"

"Hey! Get your hands off of him, you – "

"Ah-ha!" Ino proclaimed, whipping the sought item out of the back pocket of his jeans. (He hadn't missed the way her hand had cupped his butt, he'd just ignored it.) "3B! Oh, sweetums, that's so perfect! I'm in 3C, we'll be right next to each other for the whole flight!"

Sasuke was feeling ill all over again.

Out of seemingly nowhere, Sakura laughed triumphantly, yanking Ino's head back by her ponytail. Grinning, she announced, "I'm in 3A! I can keep an eye on the two of you the whole time."

The Uchiha prodigy swallowed his sudden urge to vomit. Not only was he risking his life by boarding a flimsy metal vessel with questionable safety standards, but his sanity would also be at stake if he stayed sandwiched between those two lunatics for the duration of their flight.

Something had to be done.


Author's Notes: Since this chapter is so short and doesn't need much editing, I decided to go ahead and post it. I'll probably load each chapter as soon as I'm satisfied with them.

Btw, it should get more exciting starting next chapter...

Self-beta'd.

. ( . Ms Videl Son . ) .

– Love can be black and white. SasuHina