Standard Disclaimer
Cantabile
Chapter Eight: Believe You
01:
With nothing to hold onto on the rocking subway train, Hinata contemplated her feelings for a certain brooding "friend". She absently wondered if she was reading the blurred lines between friendship and more, wrong. Nothing could be worst then to say, "I love you" then having to take it back. It was breaking two hearts at once.
She had figured this all out in just one day, on Orange Day. Which was stupid mistake, she said to herself. If she weren't careful with her feelings, she would end up exactly like his rabid fan girls, melting into a puddle of goo every time he spoke to her. She couldn't have that.
What was this? When she had loved Naruto…it had been different. It was so soft, so innocent. She would blush and stutter, he would answer with an ignorant, idiotic response. But…Uchiha Sasuke was an entirely different feeling. It was as if after stepping off a slow carousel ride, she took a ride on one of the most exciting rides she ever had.
These last months…they were precious to her. They held…
They held the feeling that she would feel if she was…
Married to him…
Hinata raised her hands to her cheeks, and felt the rising heat there. It was unmistakable a blush, a fierce one at that.
This possibility of marrying him…wasn't bad…
What was she thinking!
Hinata squirmed in her little rubber seat. She stared down at her fingers, not believing the horrid thoughts that were floating in her head. Said horrid thoughts sure made her feel like a schoolgirl…
She covered her face and bent down to put her head between her knees.
She wished she didn't run away from him on Orange Day…everything would have been solved! She wouldn't have had to waste six months of doing nothing but pretend to be with him.
Hinata had been spending the last 17 years with him…did it matter if another six months were added?
Perhaps he would spontaneously combust from having to wait to long.
But that didn't make sense. It wasn't as if from the minute he met her he fell in love with her. That was stupid. Heck, maybe he only found out about his feelings this year! Or maybe not…what if he really did like her the first time they met?
Then he had been waiting for 17 years?!
What?
Hinata groaned. Why would he want her now? He'd probably fell out of love with her a long time ago…
What do you think, Hina?
Hinata blinked.
Of course he loved her.
She grinned.
She was so stupid.
"Hinata?"
She blinked and looked up, finding white eyes so similar to her own.
--
"So you love him?"
"…Yes."
"You know what this means, right? The trouble that will follow?"
"Of course. How can I not?"
"Hanabi will be displeased."
A chuckle.
"Isn't she always?"
"True."
A wry smile.
"You have kept him waiting for such a long time, Hina."
"I…I know. I hope he can be patient just a while longer."
"If he does, he will find that it will all be worth it."
"…I hope so."
A wistful smile.
Silence.
The rumble of the train.
"Does Neji know you're here?"
A loud laugh.
"Thank Kami, no! Don't tell him."
Another laugh.
"Alright."
Silence.
"Do you think I rushed this?"
"Rushed what?"
"This…this thing I have with Sasuke…"
"Hina-hime…I don't know much about love, not young love anyway. But I know one thing; a love based on friendship as strong as yours cannot fail. It is impossible. Companionship is the basis of both foolish and wise love."
Comfortable silence.
A screech of the train tracks.
"Ah, this is my stop…"
"…Arigato, uncle."
02:
Sasuke stared out the open window of his apartment, sitting on his wide windowsill. He watched the people below, scurrying across the sidewalk like busy little ants. It was amusing.
He had been faring well the last months. It was less painful to think about Hinata, which was good because he thought about her a lot. Perhaps…perhaps it was because it felt as if she had similar feelings…
He suddenly felt like jumping out the window. Embarrassment did that to you…
Maybe, if they got married…these last six months would be what they could call the dating period…
Well.
This is new.
He was thinking about marriage.
With her.
Marriage.
Huh.
Kinda funny.
Next thing you know he'll be thinking of children, and happiness, and butterflies, and rainbows and…
Someone was knocking on his door pretty hard.
Sasuke slowly walked to the door, in a slight daze from thinking about the terms 'Hinata', 'marriage', and 'children' in the same day. He quickly snapped out of his daydream when he saw who was trying to break down his door.
"Itachi."
"Sasuke."
Silence engulfed both hall and apartment.
For a moment, Itachi was blinded by the pure hate in his brother's eyes and forgot his purpose.
"What do you want?"
His purpose returned.
"I have news." Sasuke made no move to let Itachi in his living room. Itachi took this as an insult.
"Well, common courtesy states to let a guest into your apartment instead of letting them boil out in the hall in the summer heat," Itachi mentioned sarcastically.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Safety first. I rather not let notorious Yakuza members into my apartment."
"I told you before, it's not Yakuza, it's Akatsuki. And we really are a friendly bunch once you get to know us…" he wandered off. "Besides…blood is thicker than water, don't you think?"
Silence engulfed the hall a second time.
"The last time I checked, you aren't blood."
Another silence.
"Then will you disregard the news I bring because of the messenger?"
"Depends on what the news is."
"Father died of a heart attack yesterday."
A pause.
"Mother couldn't call me and tell me this?"
"She called me and asked me to tell you in person. Well now, little brother, don't you think news like this should be shared personally?"
"I just thought the phone would be a cleaner choice."
"Ouch, clean hit."
The mocking tone of his brother's voice did not escape Sasuke's ears.
Sasuke made a move to close the door, but his brother's voice stopped him.
"Not going to ask me when the funeral is?"
"I can call mother."
The door slammed in the only other heir to Uchiha Corps.
"Lovely."
After Sasuke slammed the door, he made a move toward the kitchen, but the phone's ring stopped him.
"Hello?"
"Sasuke. Come to my place now."
Sasuke stared at the phone blankly after the caller hung up.
What did Naruto want now?
03:
Well…at least the idiot had enough sense to get a better apartment after he got a stable job…
The hall was painted dark green, and the doors of the apartment had gold, italic numbers to label them. He stopped in front of 27, not surprised to see that a screw had come loose and the number was tilted.
Dobe.
To top that, the door was left slightly ajar. Sasuke shook his head and entered the apartment. He walked passed the messy, ripped couch and stopped at the kitchen door.
Hinata sat with her back facing the doorway. Naruto was looking straight at Sasuke, but showed no inclination that he was.
"You see, N-Naruto-kun…I…I love you…"
Sasuke nearly stepped forward and punched Naruto in the face had Naruto not mouthed wait to him. He brought me here for this
"B-But…" the girl was crying now, not noticing the presence behind her, the very one she was doing this for. "But that's it…I love you…I'm not in love with you…"
Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed and Naruto stayed emotionless, except for a slight tilt of his lips.
"I'm in love with Sasuke."
If time could stop, it probably would have stopped there.
She sobbed and continued. "I don't love him as a friend…I-I don't think I can do that anymore…I…don't think that's enough anymore."
For a moment, the only sounds were the sobs of Hinata and the slight sounds of chuckling from Naruto.
Sasuke stumbled out of the doorway, and out of the apartment, without Hinata hearing a single movement.
He stumbled onto the streets, and if he didn't have quick reflexes, probably would have been run over by a truck. He fumbled with his car keys and finally got in his car.
He sat there, staring at nothing, thinking of nothing.
That was the first time Sasuke had ever stumbled or fumbled in his life.
Finally, after several minutes more, a smirk graced his face.
Hyuuga Hinata would be the death of him.
Chapter Eight End.
Beta.
Thank you for reading!
