Author's Note: Um…yeah. I'm sure that you guys have gotten used to the somewhat long pauses between chapters, right? Next chapter won't be up for at least three weeks. Why? Family vacation to remote-place-where-internet-is-still-pretty-rare. Shocker, isn't it? I apologize for that, and shall try to update my other stories before that happens.
That said, has anyone noticed that since Chapter 4, Hinata has been suspiciously un-sick? Not one single sneeze or cough. About that…blame it on the author's lame inconsistency. Or the strong Hyuuga immune system. That, or Hinata is a magical girl and self-healing. Take your pick.
Also, I thank shozoirie, 10tative, renoa, maniacal.woman, Kaoru danna, Melodramatic Writer, Ferai, Kurata Mitsuki, and Taichi Spirit for reviewing and making me feel more confident about the less-humorous Chapter 6.
Okay. Moving on to the story!
Members of the Uchiha clan have, scientifically speaking, had over the clan's history shown to have a wonderful sense of timing. Experts at it, the Uchiha have never performed a jutsu too early or late, and would never do something as humiliating as lose track of time.
Uchiha Sasuke had committed one of the gravest errors in Uchiha history:
He had lost track of time. Although to be perfectly fair, it hadn't been completely his fault; after all, Hyuuga Hinata was a very strong distraction. Still, it was now five minutes to seven, which meant-
"Ah, Sasuke. D-dinner should be ready now. Y-you are staying, r-right?"
If I leave right now, I can escape while everyone in the household is going to the dinner hall. Nobody will be around to chase me, give me a lecture, challenge me to a fight, or try to take one of my eyes, darn it. The only sane thing for me to do IS leave.
"I hate to b-bother you, but Neji-niisan is t-training u-until midnight w-with his t-team…so it m-means a lot to me th-that a classmate is eating with me," Hinata confessed shyly with a smile.
"Who says I'm staying?"
"B-but y-you s-said…o-oh. R-right. U-um, I understand. I-if you want me t-to, I c-can escort you to the g-gate and-"
"…that was a joke. I'll stay. I promise." It slipped out faster than Sasuke wanted it to, unneeded and involuntary. Darn Hinata and her loneliness. If her clan's crazy behavior with him was any indication, definitely couldn't be entrusted to them.
If Sasuke would have thought about it, he would have realized that if he couldn't handle being with those Hyuuga alone and Hinata couldn't either, it was a very bad idea to try to handle it together.
All of a sudden, he found himself sitting right across Hinata and to Hiashi-sama's right at the dinner table, hailed as a guest of honor.
It was a very good thing that he'd gotten used to having most of his classmate's eyes on him, because otherwise the dozens of Hyuuga eyes on him would have been downright intimidating.
The Uchiha were very observant when it came to time. With what he hoped was a silent gulp, Sasuke realized his situation. Time was up and it was too late to run.
"So. Sasuke-kun," an old Hyuuga kunoichi murmured with a toothless grin, "Have you finally come back to make do on your clan's promise?"
"What promise?" Sasuke found himself asking cautiously between bites.
"Why, to marry Hinata of course. You two have been engaged since birth, remember?"
Sasuke and Hinata choked on their food at the same time.
"W-w--w-what?"
"WHAT?"
"T-to m-m-ma-marry S-S-Sasuke-k-kun?"
"Get MARRIED?"
"B-b-but…"
"We're not even-!"
"Of course. You two are the same age, and there certainly aren't any other kekkei genkai clans nearby…" the old lady huffed impatiently.
That certainly didn't help matters.
"WE'RE GETTING MARRIED JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE WEIRD EYE COLORS?"
"N-N-Na-Naru-Naru-I-I-mean-o-our-f-f-feelings aren't-"
"She's only joking. A sick joke, at that. The Hyuuga and the Uchiha would never run the risk of mixing their bloodlines. Especially not where their heirs are concerned," Hiashi-sama scowled, displeased.
Sasuke felt air seep back into his lungs, only to experience a bit of anger just as quickly. He could marry Hinata if he wanted to, never mind this dumb idea of bloodline traits!
That said, he hurredly added, he definitely didn't want to marry Hinata. Of course not. Girls were still icky, he thought forcedly.
That, and marriage at the age of twelve would seriously cut into his career plans as an Avenger.
"Ah, Hiashi-sama, I was only testing Sasuke-kun's powers of perception," the old lady continued, grin still plastered on her face.
Lousy Hyuuga. I KNEW there was a reason the Uchiha broke off, Sasuke thought.
"U-um…S-Sasuke-san," Hinata whispered across the table, cheeks still flaming red.
"Yeah?"
"I-I'm v-v-very s-so-sorry about th-this."
"It's fine."
"Honestly, Hinata, it's rude to stutter to such a close comrade," the old lady scolded.
"C-c-close c-comrade?" Hinata asked.
"Yup. You may not remember this, but you and Sasuke-kun here were devoted playmates when you were younger. He gave you quite a few of his dolls and you gave him one of your pet birds."
This time around, Hinata and Sasuke were spared the dangerous reaction of choking and skipped right to the wide open eyes.
"…I'd appreciate it if you'd stop joking during the meal," Sasuke said evenly, teeth clenched."That one wasn't a joke," the old lady cackled with a seemingly straight face. "The bird she gave you was a robin, I believe."
Sasuke's eye twitched. It was definitely not that he was referring to.
"I. Don't. Play. With. Dolls."
After the dinner, more than a few Hyuuga were willing to agree with Rock Lee that the Uchiha glare was very, very scary indeed.
"Of course you don't. Those dolls are intended for the daughters of the Uchiha clan. They've been passed down through countless generations. If you trace them back far enough, you can even say they're actually Hyuuga property. You gave several of them to my daughters, for which they're both grateful. Isn't that right?" Hiashi prompted.
"Thanks," Hanabi, quiet up till now, muttered.
"U-uh, ri-right!" Hinata answered hesitantly. "Th-they r-really are…v-very p-pretty," she added thankfully.
"You're very welcome, Hinata-san," Sasuke said politely. Although I don't remember anything about it, he mused to himself. Probably happened when I was small.
"Why so formal? You two have always been the best of playmates!" This, of course, came from the only apparently loud and boisterous voice at the table.
For the first time in his life, Sasuke thanked fate for making his Hyuuga classmates quiet and not annoyingly-loud/long-winded/scientifically-crazy/or-anything-else-the-Hyuuga-had-to-be.Sourly picking at his food, he settled in for what promised to be a very long dinner.
"Um…Sasuke?"
"Yes?"
"T-thank you very much f-for staying for dinner. Y-you d-didn't really h-have to-"
"Welcome."
"-a-and you d-didn't want to, but you s-still did. Um…c-can I ask why?"
"…no."
"O-oh. Okay."
Sasuke had a thousand reasons he could have given Hinata, none of which seemed to fit. He could only conclude that he, Uchiha Sasuke, had a masochistic streak.
It was either that or another reason, the one that he wouldn't confess out loud in a million billion years.
The Uchiha were complete experts when it came to observing time. And as alarming and embarrassing as it was, Uchiha Sasuke grudgingly admitted it to himself as he walked back to his empty home.
He enjoyed spending time, as awkward and embarrassing as it could be, with Hyuuga Hinata.
Author's Note: Because there's nothing that screams 'true love' like meddlesome family members and embarrassing moments. Or something along those lines. Neh. I couldn't resist writing in the 'bloodline engagement' cliche. I've always wanted to write it and this'll probably be the closest I'll get. I'll probably end up writing a one-shot on that "Sasuke gives Hinata his unwanted doll" memory. That said, I can't promise I will.
Anyway. The entire week's been full of thunderstorms and power outages, so please make my rainy day and review. Thank you very much. :)
