I'm so angry right now. I can't find a SasuNaru fic I really like. No idea what it's called, no idea who the author is but I am utterly perplexed as to why it is not on my favourites list. Gutted.

Anyway, shortish chapter (its so mini and cute x3) but what are you gonna do? Exams are gaytarded.

Baseball game coming up next chapter :]

The days without Kiba proved much harder than Hinata had ever imagined. Naruto came and went, dropping off Natsuki and picking her up, never staying long. Once or twice Hinata tried to engage Naruto in conversation and offered him tea but he always insisted that he wouldn't want to be a bother or he had something to do. Hinata didn't try too hard because she could feel some of the mothers' eyes on her at the end of the day, keenly honing in on the interaction between the young kindergarten teacher and the almost equally young single father. It was frustrating that he wouldn't stay; she wanted to ask him whether he got a job yet, what he had done all day, where he would look for work if Ichiraku wasn't hiring. And 'Haruno Sakura' was still playing on Hinata's mind. With Kiba at afterschool practices there was no one to talk to because no one else knew.

As far as Hinata could gather, Naruto was a single dad but she still didn't know what had happened to his wife. She assumed something had happened because, a) she'd never seen a woman come to pick Natsuki up, b) Naruto never said "we" when he spoke about what he was up to unless it included Natsuki and c) the way Kiba had said "so you know..." that first time that he and Hinata met said it all.

Hinata didn't know but she assumed. It wasn't her place to snoop.

But still she wondered, what had happened?

And who was 'Haruno Sakura' from her own high school year?

She had been so out of the loop.

Kiba's tone as he called the name over his shoulder was like he was just telling Hinata the name, no implications. You wouldn't call someone's name that loudly or casually if it were linked to "so you know". 'Haruno Sakura' was not dead and had not betrayed Naruto and run of with someone else so she was not and never had been Naruto's wife? Perhaps she was just someone who came over a lot that Natsuki was fond enough of to paint into her picture of what she told Hinata was her "precious people". Depending on how long Natsuki had not had a mother; it very well could be that Haruno Sakura had helped Naruto out a lot with his young child.

But still, Hinata wasn't sure about this living, not-married-to-Naruto woman. Actually, what she might be... but she wasn't sure because she could not recall ever feeling it... was jealous. Or something. The matter niggled at her and wouldn't leave her alone.

So without Kiba, who was chatty and easy to talk to, to tell her whatever she wanted without thinking she was nosy and always smiling at her blushing curiosity, Hinata went to Natsuki.

"Natsuki chan?" The girl lifted her clear green-blue blend eyes to Hinata who was sitting back on her haunches to become level with the child sitting at the big table with a pink crayon in her pudgy hands.

"You know that picture you painted of your precious people? With all your friends and your daddy?" asked Hinata with a smile.

"Yeah."

"Who was it in that picture, Honey? Can you tell me?" Natsuki turned in her seat and put up her fingers, ticking off the people as she listed like Hinata had seen Naruto do when he took enough time to chat a little and was listing something.

"Me, kindy friends, Daddy, Hinata sensei and Sakura." Bing bong. That's what Hinata wanted. She felt slightly uncomfortable at prying with a child but, she had to know...

"Really? Who is Sakura,Natsuki?" The child's face bloomed into a full face smile.

"She's Daddy's friend. She's really pretty!" she giggled, lifting her small arms to show Hinata how pretty Sakura was. Lowering her arms Natsuki looked up at Hinata, her eyes gazing over Hinata's fair skin, soft purple eyes and even blue fringe thoughtfully. "But I think Sensei is prettier than Sakura. And I like your long hair Sensei," the girl said and Hinata blinked, blushing in front of a child for what she thought was probably the first time.

"Thank you Natsuki, you're very pretty too." The child beamed and flushed a healthy pink.

"Is Daddy pretty too? I heard him, I heard that say Daddy is bootiful," burbled Natsuki, skipping around correct language and Hinata blushed harder as Naruto's face came to mind.

"Yes, your Daddy is pretty too," replied Hinata with a tiny smile.

"That's good!" said Natsuki and went back to her colouring.

Just friends.

Just friends; Naruto and Haruno Sakura.

Just friends, it seemed.

...

Home time came all too soon and soon enough all the children had gone back. Naruto was late and rushed in, snatching Natsuki up into his arms and thanking Hinata before rushing off, only giving Hinata enough time to tell him about the time of the game that she had forgotten about until today. He said he would talk about it tomorrow and was gone.

Hinata couldn't wait for after the baseball game and Kiba could come to visit again. Not just to talk but because with Kiba, came the Naruto who had time to talk. He always stopped to talk to Kiba. Hinata supposed that was just how it was with boys. Or if Naruto really thought she was busy and didn't want to distract her, he probably felt ok about it if there was both him and Kiba to share the blame. In any case, she wanted Naruto to stay. Kiba could help. She wanted Kiba. But then she started to feel guilty about the way it seemed like she was using Kiba. In a way, she was but that didn't mean she didn't like him. They had become fast friends and he felt very safe to her which Hinata liked. He really was only rough on the outside. He was very nice to her and didn't think she was stupid for her fruitless fascination with his sempai or her oblivious questions.

She couldn't wait to see him play too. To see Kiba doing something he loved. She might even be brave enough to yell encouragement at him too. She was happy she was invited, even happier that Naruto was invited too but she decided that she would try and concentrate on Kiba more that day. Maybe Naruto would explain to her how the game worked...

Try.

...

When Naruto came in the next morning, a sunny morninged Friday, he stopped for coffee while the children played bleary eyed or slept in the sun.

"So do you want to meet at the game and go in together?" asked Naruto, sipping his sugar and cream with a hint of coffee. Hinata had tea and wondered how he could handle that much sweetness.

"T-that sounds good. D-do you think I will need anything?" she replied, her lip over the edge of her cup.

"Nah, or maybe an umbrella if it's forecast for rain because games go for a while you know," said Naruto leaning back in his chair. "I'm really looking forward to this. Gonna bring back some memories back I think. I wish Sasuke could come too," he continued, an eager smile tugging at his lips.

"W-why can't he come?" asked Hinata, thinking as soon as she said that Naruto would wonder how she knew who Sasuke was but he didn't seem to notice.

"He works all the time now. The bastard," muttered Naruto darkly and Hinata blinked, surprised by the momentary change in mood and put down her tea but didn't say anything. Naruto downed the rest of his coffee, admirably braving the heat of the beverage before getting to his feet and flashing Hinata a dazzling smile, reverting back to his warm, bright eyed self.

"I'm off, thanks for the coffee," he said as he pushed his chair in. Hinata stood too.

"That's alright."

"I'll see you later. I'm finally gonna go ask at Ichiraku's for a job today. Wish me luck yeah?" Naruto said grinning and winking at Hinata at the door way on his way out. She struggled to stay upright.

"Luck..." she murmured into the empty room.