Finally after so long the last chapter of this short series! It took way longer to finish than I originally anticipated, but thank you all so much for being patient with me. Special thanks to Satoorihoya, matchaball, Faolan Rei, valerie, animeistight36, narujordanna, tactics2012, ZirconK, and incmplete for your reviews, and thank you to everyone else who has reviewed earlier chapters or favorited this fic. You've all made this my most popular fic on FF to date! :) I really hope you all enjoy this last chapter!
She'd been staring at her closet for 30 minutes.
Hinata had never considered herself someone who put much thought into their appearance, always having preferred comfort over style. She didn't concern herself with the world of fashion or the latest designers or styles. Hanabi liked to tease her about her lack of fashion knowledge, offering unwarranted advice as to what latest style of shoes or dresses she should buy to which Hinata rarely conceded, if only to get her younger sibling off of her back.
The longer she stared at her closet, the more she wished she'd listened to Hanabi just a little.
She heard her phone vibrating in the room behind her and turned away from her closet with a sigh, walking the few feet into her bedroom. She smiled as she saw the familiar name on her caller ID, answering the call and lifting her phone to her ear in one swift motion.
"Don't tell me; you're standing in your closet with no idea what you want to wear." Hanabi's amused voice came through the receiver clearly and Hinata shook her head with a small laugh.
"Actually I had to step out of the closet to answer your call," Hinata replied and Hanabi's loud laugh was the only response as Hinata stepped back into her closet with an exasperated sigh. "What do people even wear to surprise parties? Or parties in general? How casual is too casual?"
"You're hopeless." Hanabi said, her voice laced with playful sarcasm. Sometimes Hinata thought the girl knew her too well. "Luckily for you, I knew this would happen and planned ahead."
"What do you–?" Her question was interrupted by a sharp knocking on the door, and Hinata's heart skipped with happiness for a brief moment as she all but ran into the living room and towards her front door. Without pausing to peep through the peephole she threw the door open, a wide smile stretching across her face as her eyes locked with another set of silver orbs.
"What can I say, you have an amazing sister." Hanabi shrugged nonchalantly, hanging up the phone in her hand before stepping forward and embracing her sister in a tight hug.
"You're as cocky as ever." The corner of Hinata's mouth tugged up into an amused smile as she stepped aside to let Hanabi in, taking note of the large bag she carried in her left hand.
"I prefer…confident." Hanabi turned to face her with a sly smile on her face, her eyes twinkling with mischief and Hinata shook her head as she closed and locked the door.
"What are you doing here?" Hinata asked as kindly as she could and Hanabi thrust the bag toward her sister in response.
"Saving you from your fashion crisis, isn't it obvious? When was the last time you went to a party? Or any kind of gathering of people your own age?" Hanabi taunted her lightly and Hinata pouted, hoping to salvage some of her dignity by not responding to the questions. She wanted to feel offended, but instead took the bag from her sister's outstretched hands with brimming curiosity. She walked further into her living room and placed the bag on the table with Hanabi close behind her before opening the mysterious gift.
"H-Hanabi…" Hinata sputtered as her eyes finally rested on the contents of the bag, placing her hands inside and lifting the object of her attention out delicately so she could examine it more closely. Hinata ran her fingers gingerly across the dress in her hands, slowly picking out various shades of blues and purples that complimented her eyes and hair perfectly.
"Well, what do you think? It's perfect right for the floral theme right? A little too girly for me, but I saw it and knew it would look perfect on you. No need to thank me, it's what I do." Hanabi waved a dismissive hand as Hinata's attention looked between her and the dress with awe and gratitude.
"Hanabi it's beautiful." Hinata fawned, flipping the dress over to get a look at the back before clutching it to her chest delicately.
"Go try it on then! You wasted all your time standing in your closet, you've only got," she paused to look at the watch on her wrist. "15 minutes before the party starts!"
"I owe you." Hinata placed her hands on Hanabi's shoulders with a relieved sigh before quickly making her way into her bedroom. Closing the door behind her she stripped her clothes, leaving them strewn across the floor and promising herself to pick them up after the party. Taking the dress once more in her hands she lifted it over her shoulders, careful to not get any of her makeup on the fabric as she stretched her arms through the armholes. Pulling the material further down her body she felt the cloth lay against her skin snugly before she walked into her bathroom and examined herself in the mirror.
She couldn't suppress the girlish sigh that escaped the lips as she caught sight of her reflection, further admiring the dress rather than herself and feeling slightly self conscious despite how perfect she thought it was. 'Leave it to Hanabi to know everything I'd nitpick at,' Hinata chuckled to herself as she crossed her arms. The neckline came up to the bottom of her neck and hid her cleavage while the length was long enough that she'd feel comfortable sitting and standing without having to pull it down every few minutes. Turning to look at the back of the dress she noticed that most of her back was revealed, in what was both a tasteful yet subtly daring style that wasn't enough to make her feel scandalous, but just the right amount to make her feel…pretty.
"It's perfect, thank you." Hinata said as she re-entered her living room where Hanabi leaned expectantly with a couch. Her eyes lit up as she took in her sister's image before her, stepping forward and walking around Hinata in circles as she examined the dress fully.
"Not bad, big sis." Hanabi looked her up and down with a satisfied nod. "Here, I brought you these too."
Hinata's brow furrowed in confusion as she watched her sister approach the bag once more, reaching inside and pulling out a pair of nude flats. She lifted them with a teasing smile, holding them out loosely with two fingers and Hinata took them gratefully, holding on to the couch ledge as she slipped each onto her feet.
"Okay," Hinata said as she stood and straightened the skirt of her dress before holding her hands to the side and looking at Hanabi expectantly. "How do I look?"
"Two thumbs up!" Hanabi grinned, balling her hands into fists with her thumbs raised and Hinata smiled in relief. "Now get out there and find yourself a boyfriend."
"Hanabi…" Hinata gave the young girl a warning look and received a sly smirk in response.
"What? This is the perfect opportunity for you to get out and find someone your age that can finally help you get over elevator boy." Hanabi followed her sister towards the front door as the latter gathered her purse from the table next to the door.
"Finally?" Hinata repeated with a hint of defense. It had only been three days, she told herself with a small pout as she shrugged the strap of her bag onto her shoulder. Surely that wasn't more time than was necessary to get over a person whom she'd rarely spoken to that she had an embarrassingly large crush on only to find out that he was engaged.
People took longer to get over smaller things than that, she was sure.
"I expect you to come back with at least two phone numbers. And I'll be here when you get home. To hear all the details, of course." Hanabi said as she pulled Hinata's front door open before turning to her sister with a wicked gleam in her eye. "That is, unless you plan on bringing someone home?"
"Just what kind of person do you think I am?!" Hinata exclaimed, looking at her sister with a slack jaw and eyes wide with surprise. Hanabi, however, could only laugh at the bright blush that was gracing her sister's face.
"Stay out late and come home safe! Or even better, go home with someone else." Hanabi winked before shortly closing the door in Hinata's face just as she turned to give her sister a stern piece of her mind.
"That girl." Hinata huffed as she turned to walk down the hall with loud steps, making a mental note to have an in-depth discussion of what precise sexual morals her younger sibling possessed when she returned home.
Quickly approaching the elevator, Hinata pressed the call button as she checked her watch. Luckily Hanabi hadn't distracted her enough to make her late and she'd be arriving right on time. Her eyes lifted to the needle above the elevator lingering on the number one, and she sighed as her thoughts began to wander to the man her sister had just been encouraging her to get over.
She felt her heart sink in her chest as she recalled her meeting with him the previous morning, replaying the encounter for the thousandth time in her head. She still could not fathom what had come over her as she walked away from him so shortly, telling him goodbye as though she would never see him again. Maybe she'd hoped that he might call out to her and confess his undying love, or chase her down the street and kiss her.
She'd definitely been watching too many romance movies.
She still didn't even know his name! She groaned to herself, placing her hands over her face as though it might hide the shame she felt. She was going to see him again, repeatedly, almost every day for as long as she lived in her building and the only thing she would be able to think about is the fantastical romantic attraction she'd imagined between the two of them without knowing so much as a thing about him. Had she been too forward by sitting in the lobby and waiting for him? Did he think she was strange, or worse, a stalker?
The ringing of the elevator doors momentarily distracted her from her thoughts, and she stepped inside the contraption and raised her hand to press the button for the seventh floor before freezing. She was going to Sakura's surprise party in Sasuke's apartment. Sasuke lived on the seventh floor.
The man in the elevator lived on the seventh floor.
The elevator ringed at her, indicating the need for a response as Hinata stood rigidly with her hand outstretched towards the waiting buttons. What if she saw him? It wasn't unrealistic of her to be concerned about it, she tried to rationalize the anxiety she felt in her bones. He lived on the same floor, it was a Saturday evening and he could be leaving his apartment at that exact moment to go out and do any number of things. He could be taking out his trash, heading to pick up some milk, or even going out to see his….
She stopped her train of thought with a shake of her head before it could hurt her. 'I said I was moving on, so why can't I get him out of my head?' Her brow furrowed in frustration and before she could stop herself she reached her hand forward completely and pressed the seventh button. The elevator doors slid closed before her and she stepped back further into the elevator, leaning against the back wall with a deep breath. Even if she did see him, it didn't matter. She was going to see him many more times and that was something she was just going to have to get used to. Just because he was engaged doesn't mean she wasn't allowed to talk to him anymore, only that she couldn't hope for anything more than friendship from him.
That was something she hoped she could live with.
The elevator rang all too quickly, and Hinata briefly felt foolish for taking the elevator down a single floor in the first place. Convincing herself it was a force of habit she watched as the elevator doors slid open to reveal an empty hallway before her and couldn't help the way her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest. Sure she could get used to seeing the man in the elevator, that didn't mean she wanted to see him currently.
With a small gulp she slowly peeked out of the elevator, turning her head left and right as she scanned the halls for any sign of blonde hair. Finding the hallway empty she stepped outside the elevator and began making her way down the hallway to Sasuke's door with quick strides, peeking over her shoulder every other second as her hands twitched with anxiety.
"I feel like some sort of criminal," she muttered as she slinked along the hallway trying to make as little noise as possible. She knew she was being ridiculous, that the chances of the man in the elevator being out in the hallway at that moment and running into her were very slim. Despite that knowledge she felt more and more at ease as she quickly approached her destination.
Nearing the door she began to hear the muffled sounds of voices chattering from behind the wall mixed with light music and felt a bit of unease return. Was her outfit appropriate? She wasn't sure if she was over- or under-dressed and didn't entirely know which was worse. She paused as she placed her hand on the door handle, briefly wondering how many people were inside and if she would feel out of place. How many friends of Sakura's didn't she know? They were probably much cooler and funnier than Hinata was. Would she spend the night in the corner feeling foolish and lonely? Who would she talk to? Sasuke? The thought alone put an amused smile on her face and she felt some of her worry slip out of her.
'None of that matters. I'm here for Sakura.' Hinata felt a small smile form on her face. Sakura was one of Hinata's closest friends, and regardless of how out of place she might feel at her surprise party she would be there to celebrate her friend's life.
With an assured feeling back in her heart, Hinata raised her hands and knocked three times on the door before waiting patiently. She heard a few scuffles on the other side of the wood before the door was shortly opened by a girl with black hair that Hinata didn't recognize.
"Are you here for the surprise party?" The girl asked with a smile after quickly looking Hinata up and down.
"Ah, yes." Hinata responded quietly, smiling as the girl grinned in response before stepping aside and allowing Hinata to enter. Shutting the door behind Hinata the girl quickly resumed her conversation with her companions, leaving Hinata feeling alone and very vulnerable.
Taking a few steps further into the apartment Hinata tried to ignore how utterly awkward she felt entering the gathering, instead focusing her attention on the layout and decorations that hung from the walls and ceiling. The apartment seemed to be set-up in a fashion very similar to her own, a few things on opposite sides and seemingly larger due to its two bedroom/two bath floor plan as opposed to her own single bed/bath apartment. Floral decorations littered the walls with various flower arrangements strewn quite tastefully around the area. She briefly wondered if Sasuke had decorated before dismissing the thought with an amused chuckle. While the man was pretty sophisticated, in her opinion he didn't seem like the type of person to be so well versed in the floral craft. Hanabi had, with all her finesse, somehow managed to find Hinata a dress that complemented the party's color scheme perfectly, and Hinata found some reprieve in knowing that she was neither over- nor under-dressed.
Crossing her arms over her chest Hinata turned her attention back onto the people in the room. A good 15 or so people were already gathered in the living room, separated into their own cliques by what Hinata assumed was their familiarity with Sakura. Perhaps they were old friends from high school, or people who lived in the same apartment building with her, or maybe even some relatives. Hinata felt very small and almost wished that Hanabi had brought her heels to wear instead, as she found herself tip-toeing to see over the heads of people as she searched for Sasuke or any other familiar face. She found herself wishing that the other co-workers she'd mentioned Sakura's party to had been available to come so that she wouldn't feel so alone, but the thought immediately left her mind as her eyes locked onto a familiar man standing alone in the corner with his hands in his jacket pockets. With surprised eyes she immediately approached the man with a smile on her face.
"Shino! What in the world are you doing here?" Her eyes lit up as she wrapped her arms around the man in a tight hug which he returned with his own stiff squeeze.
"Why am I here? Because I was invited to the party of course." Shino replied with his usual flat manner of speaking, adjusting his sunglasses while Hinata giggled in response. She was grateful that she had noticed him so shortly otherwise he surely would have held a grudge against her for not noticing him sooner. She knew all too well how much he disliked being forgotten.
"You didn't tell me! Is Kiba coming as well? Why didn't you two mention something?" Hinata felt relief burst in her chest knowing that her two best friends since childhood would be there, and she wouldn't be spending the evening alone.
Of course it made sense to her in hindsight that both Kiba and Shino had been invited. The duo had met Sakura (and by extension, Sasuke) through Hinata shortly after the two women became friends, and it wasn't uncommon for the five of them to go out for an occasional drink or dinner. 'Sasuke must have invited them on his own,' she thought with a grateful smile. Despite his uncaring demeanor, the raven-haired man definitely knew how to make his girlfriend happy; she knew Sakura would be teary-eyed with happiness at seeing how many people cared about her and had gathered to celebrate her birthday.
"We wanted to surprise you." The smallest hint of a smile appeared on his face as Hinata shook her head fondly at his explanation, feeling so loved by her two friends. "Kiba will be upset that I've surprised you without him," Hinata thought he almost sounded pleased by the thought. "He's running late, but will be arriving shortly."
"I was so worried that I wouldn't have anyone to talk to all night." Hinata confided in him with a relieved sigh. "But now that I know you two will be here by my side, I feel so much better."
"We'll always be by your side. Why? Because we care for you deeply." Shino nodded his head softly at her and she placed a hand on his arm in an expression of gratitude. A tuft of spiky black hair in her peripherals caught her attention and Hinata turned to see Sasuke carrying liter bottles of soft drinks into the kitchen, a small scowl on his face that Hinata knew was brought on by the large amount of people littering his apartment.
"Excuse me for a moment, I'm going to say hello to Sasuke." She smiled at Shino, waiting until he showed her a sign of acknowledgement before walking through the small throng of people into the kitchen area where the stoic man stood.
"I'm sure that you're loving having all of these people in your apartment," she said with a hint of amusement, smiling as the man looked at her with briefly surprised eyes before allowing his face to sink into his signature scowl.
"Glad you could make it." He replied shortly, and Hinata tried not to laugh out loud at the complete sense of dissatisfaction he was emitting into the air around him.
"Of course. Is there anything that I can help with; food or straightening up or…?" She trailed off and noticed the brief flash of gratitude in his eyes as he hummed at her and pointed to the pantry along the far side of the kitchen.
"You can grab the plastic dinnerware out of the cabinet and lay it out on the counter over here. Other than that, you can relax Hyuga."
Hinata walked the short distance to the pantry, opening the cabinet doors and quickly finding the plastic utensils and dishware that Sasuke was speaking of. Taking the items in her hands she nudged the pantry door closed with her hip before walking back next to Sasuke and depositing them onto the counter.
"What time is she going to be getting here?" Hinata asked as she began opening one of the plastic bags containing forks and spoons, placing them in a plastic cup for easy accessibility as she glanced at Sasuke from the corner of her eye.
"Around 7 o'clock. If everything goes according to plan she's supposed to text me when she gets here so we can get ready." He replied without looking at her and Hinata couldn't help but feel a bit excited to surprise her friend. She continued setting up the plates and cups in a neat line to be picked up by the party guests, feeling a comfortable familiarity as she worked beside him.
"By the way," he began almost hesitantly and Hinata looked over at him in surprise. Sasuke Uchiha was the last person to carry a conversation with someone, and his furthered communication with her was surprising to say the least. His movements were slow, almost repetitive, as though he was thinking about something deeply and hesitating on whether he should bring the thought to light.
"Yes?" She asked just as hesitantly, watching as he continued organizing for the party while giving Hinata a suspicious feeling.
"You've never met my roommate." He stated it more as a fact than as a question, briefly glancing at Hinata long enough for her to see the light of something mischievous in his eye. He continued working, the corner of his mouth tilted up ever so slightly and making Hinata feel uneasy, as though he knew something she didn't or was teasing her somehow.
"I haven't. This is the first time I've ever been to your apartment." Hinata replied, opening another bag of plastic cups and placing them onto the counter.
"He'll be here soon; he went to get more ice with another of Sakura's friends." He looked at her fully, his neutral expression back on his face and Hinata wondered briefly if she was going mad imagining things or if the stress of having a party thrown in his apartment had made Sasuke go mad.
"I see." She smiled at him, feeling impish underneath his gaze like he was searching for something in her eyes. "I'd love for you to introduce me to him."
"He's a complete idiot," Sasuke turned away from her finally and she sagged in relief. "But I have a feeling you'll take a liking to one another. Excuse me; I need to go get something out of the other room."
Hinata stared at his back as he walked away from her, deeply disliking the feeling of being left out of whatever loop of knowledge Sasuke was in. With a shrug of her shoulders she finished up arranging the utensils and plates that Sasuke had tasked her with just as she heard the front door open once more and a multitude of voices greeting the new guest warmly.
"We were wondering where you got off to Naruto!"
"Hehe, sorry! You know Ino; she makes even the simplest of trips a huge hassl- Ouch!"
Hinata froze immediately as the deep, all too familiar voice resounded in her mind while the name 'Ino' burned itself onto her eardrum. The plastic forks she was holding slipped from her fingers, clattering onto the counter lightly as her breath hitched in her throat.
"I do not make anything a hassle, thank you very much." Hinata turned slowly as a sharp female voice retorted an angry response, her eyes hesitantly traveling across the room towards the front door as her heart thumped wildly in her chest.
'What are the chances,' she repeated to herself over and over again in her mind, her breath hitching in her throat and making it difficult to breathe as she desperately hoped to not see two heads of blonde hair in Sasuke's entryway. 'I mean, Ino isn't that rare of a name, I'm sure that there are lots of Ino's in this area alone! The chances of it being that Ino are–'
"Oh, no." Hinata shook her head in denial as her vision settled upon the two tall blondes greeting guests by the doorway, the taller of the two holding a bag of ice in each of his arms. His smile radiated all the way across the apartment to her, the blue of his eyes striking sharply against the yellows and pinks that decorated the walls. She gripped the counter behind her as she unconsciously took a step back, her mind racing a thousand miles a minute as she tried to process what was happening before her.
'What are they doing here?!' Hinata wanted to scream into a pillow to release the emotion that was building inside of her as she stared with wide eyes at the couple greeting more and more guests. 'How are they–, I don't understand!'
How did the two know Sakura? Had they met through the man in the elevator living on the same floor as Sasuke? Maybe it was complete coincidence. Maybe he was even at the wrong party! Her eyes moved towards the bags of ice in his hands and Sasuke's words resounded in her head once more.
"He went to get more ice with another of Sakura's friends."
She gasped in understanding just as a pair of icy orbs locked with her own, the latter widening in surprise and pointing an accusing finger in her direction as she elbowed her companion.
"Hey Naruto, isn't that…?" Ino furrowed her brow in confusion as glanced quickly at the man beside her. Naruto looked down at her with a quirked brow, seeing the confusion on her face and following the point of her finger to a figure standing alone in the kitchen staring straight back at him.
He nearly dropped the ice from his hands in shock.
"T-That's–!" He sputtered in confusion, heart thumping loudly in his chest from just the sight of her as he unconsciously began making his way into the kitchen where she stood.
He couldn't help the way his eyes locked onto her, his heart fluttering with what he couldn't decide was anxiety or joy. Her long hair flowed past her shoulders and down her back, contrasting against the color scheme that Ino had set up in their apartment. Her floral dress complimented her hair and eyes beautifully, hugging her body in ways he never knew a piece of clothing could and making him gulp.
She was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.
But what the hell was she doing in his apartment?
Hinata stood frozen, watching him approach her rapidly and screaming at her feet to move and take her somewhere, anywhere other than standing frozen in the kitchen as the man she entirely did not want to see bee-lined towards her. Whether it was her dignity or fear that kept her from sprinting out of the apartment, she wasn't sure.
She didn't think she understood completely what was going on, other than she had a vague suspicion that the man she had been crushing on and trying to get over was suddenly at the same party she was at, heading towards her with eyes full of confusion and accusation and– was that happiness?
"Hey, Hinata." She jumped in surprise as Sasuke suddenly appeared beside her, looking down at her with a confused expression as shock was still etched onto her face. "Uh, you okay?"
"U-Um, well actually–, I-I just," she sputtered, unable to form a cohesive sentence as her eyes glanced back towards the blonde who had suddenly increased his speed, excusing himself as he haphazardly greeted the guests he passed. It didn't escape Hinata's notice the pure look of murder he held in his eyes as he glanced repeatedly between her and Sasuke; and she could only helplessly look between the blonde and Sasuke before her with a small squeak.
"Oh," Sasuke said as he noticed the man approaching them. "The idiot's back." A very satisfied smirk laid itself into his lips as he noticed the blonde's homicidal look, clutching the ice in his hands a bit too roughly as he entered the kitchen with Ino shortly behind him.
"Sasuke," Naruto growled angrily and the hint of a smile edged its way onto the raven-haired man's face.
"Took you long enough getting the ice; what, did you get lost along the way?" Sasuke asked as Naruto looked between him and the frightened girl who was slowly edging herself behind Sasuke as though she was trying to hide.
"I-I don't– Sasuke, what's going on?" Naruto head her ask in that melodic voice he'd become so fond of in such a short time, confusion and fear lacing her voice and stabbing Naruto's heart with guilt.
Naruto could only huff angrily as he opened and closed his mouth, trying to make sense of the barrage of thoughts storming in his mind as he tried to make sense of the sight before him. The last thing he'd expected when he'd returned from the errand Sasuke had sent him on was to see the woman that had been haunting his every waking thought for the past few months; much less seeing that woman talking to his best friend as though they already knew each other. No, they didn't just look like they knew each other. It was very clear to him in the way they looked at one another and seemed so at ease next to each other that the two were very familiar with one another.
The knowledge only served to piss Naruto off even more.
"Hinata, I'd like to introduce you to my roommate." Sasuke glanced at the girl over his shoulder, seeing her eyes widen in surprise as recognition and understanding set slowly into her expression.
"Y-Your roommate?!" She repeated incredulously, placing a hand over her chest out of fear that her heart would thump out of her chest if she didn't hold it in place. She was almost positive her blood pressure had never been so high in her life, and the confusion she was feeling in that moment was unmatched as she watched the blonde man turn his attention on his roommate.
"You've known her all along?!" Naruto demanded, setting the ice down on the counter roughly before moving towards Sasuke threateningly. Ino stepped between them, stopping the man in the elevator with a firm hand on his chest.
"Can someone please explain to me what in the world is going on?" Ino's voice sliced through the tension in the air, tired of the angry look Naruto had and the smug one painting Sasuke's face. "Sasuke, what is she doing here? Sorry, I mean that in the least offensive way possible." She shot Hinata an apologetic look as she realized the rude implication of her words.
"Bastard, you've been playing me all along haven't you? I bet you get a sick fucking laugh out of watching me suffer all of this time!"
"There was no way I could have known that this was the girl you've been fawning over all this time. At least, no way I could know for sure," Sasuke added with a smirk and Hinata blinked behind him.
"Fawning over? What are you talking about?" She repeated in confusion, noticing the way the man from the elevator (whose name she'd just learned was 'Naruto') flushed a deep red and refused to look at her.
"Hinata!" A voice suddenly burst through the air and Hinata's eyes shot toward the front door where a man with spiky brown hair had just entered and stood waving at her warmly. The sight made her question whether some higher being was enjoying toying with her life, laughing down at her agony from another plane of existence.
"What is he doing here?!" Naruto yelled out in exasperation, wringing his hands through his hair and groaning, tired of not understanding what the hell was happening.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What's going on in here?" Kiba asked as he entered the kitchen and stood next to Hinata with Shino shortly behind him, immediately sensing the thick atmosphere just as his eyes landed on the familiar blonde man. "Hey, isn't this that guy from the elevator you won't stop talking about?"
"K-Kiba!" Hinata exclaimed, a deep red settling on her cheeks as she buried her face in her hands while Naruto turned his attention back on her with a confused expression.
"What do you mean, 'won't stop talking about'?"
"Hey, and you're that cutie that was with him." Kiba smirked as he took note of Ino, grinning flirtatiously as she smiled slyly in return.
"Ino Yamanaka, and you are a very fine looking piece of candy." Ino outstretched her hand with a small wink as Hinata stared at her horrified. What kind of woman was she? Flirting with another man in front of her fiancé?!
Naruto seemed to find offense with the exchange as well, as before she could open her mouth to voice her thoughts he'd taken a large handful of Kiba's shirt and shoved him back against the counter while Ino gasped and Shino instinctively moved to help defend his friend.
"Oh my God, Naruto! What the hell do you think you're doing!" Ino shouted as she pulled on the blonde man's shoulder, though he pushed her off and kept a fuming expression fixed on Kiba.
"Dude, what the fuck!" Kiba yelled angrily, clutching his own fistful of Naruto's shirt more out of confusion and retaliation than actual anger. Shino grabbed Naruto's arm to prevent him from punching the other man, while Sasuke merely watched with an all too satisfied expression on his face making Hinata think that something he had been waiting a long time for was finally coming to fruition.
"Please stop fighting!" Hinata tried to force her way into the middle of the group, pushing in a hopeless attempt to separate the two men from one another before someone got hurt.
"How fucking dare you flirt with another girl with your girlfriend standing right next to you!" Naruto yelled angrily in Kiba's face as the other party goers slowly began to take notice of the commotion coming from the kitchen and began gathering closer with attentive ears and curious expressions. "Why would you flirt with someone like Ino when you already have such a beautiful girl by your side?!"
"Excuse me?" Ino responded offensively, trying to make her way into the midst of the two men in order to land her own punch to Naruto as Shino hesitated in pushing the blonde man back, a confused expression on his face. Hinata halted her own movements, staring at Naruto with wide eyes as the weight of his words slowly hit her and brought a blush to her face.
"What the hell are you talking about?! Hinata isn't my girlfriend!" Kiba attempted to sound as angry as he could, but the quirked brow and hesitant cadence in his voice revealed how utterly mystified he was by the blonde's accusation.
"W-What?" Naruto's angry expression faltered, looking between Kiba's brown eyes and Hinata's desperate pearlescent ones with confusion.
"Alright Naruto, that's enough." Sasuke succeeded in pulling the two men apart as they all separated into two groups; Sasuke, Naruto, and Ino on one side of the kitchen and Hinata, Kiba, and Shino on the other.
"You two…you two aren't dating?" Naruto asked hesitantly, pointing between Kiba and Hinata as though his mind couldn't process entirely what he was saying.
"Most definitely not." Shino answered as Hinata shook her head blankly and Kiba shot Naruto an angry look, attempting to straighten out the wrinkles Naruto's fist had put into his shirt. Hinata took note of the smile that threatened to break on Sasuke's face as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"And what about you! You're getting angry at me when your fiancé is the one who's flirting back!" Kiba retorted angrily, jabbing a finger at Ino angrily as her jaw dropped in surprise.
"What are you even saying! Naruto and I aren't, aren't…engaged!" She almost gagged on the word, the two blondes sharing a look of disgust as they scooted further apart from one another.
"But– But we heard you talking in the elevator! You were talking about themes for some event and what kind of people you should invite!" Hinata exclaimed, looking between the two and sharing a reassuring nod with Kiba. She felt hope fighting it's way to build in her heart and held her breath, frightened to let it grow further as she shared a glance with Naruto.
"We weren't planning a wedding!" Ino retorted, laughing loudly at having found something so humorous in the confusing situation they'd found themselves in. "We were talking about Sakura's surprise party! What themes we should use and who of her friends we should invite!"
Hinata felt her own smile building on her face, turning to Kiba and sharing a knowing look with him before the two burst into laughter. The muscles in her stomach ached as she tried to suppress her laughter, placing a hand over her mouth as she laughed at her own foolishness. She glanced at Naruto and found him chuckling as well, his mirth evolving into a full on laugh as understanding finally lit in his mind while Sasuke had seemingly given up on suppressing the amused smile on his face.
"I feel like such an idiot!" Hinata said in between laughs, gaining a louder laugh from Ino as the blonde woman wiped the tears forming in her eyes.
And she did feel very idiotic indeed. She'd been so caught up on this man who she'd rarely spoken to, so fixed on the idea that someone like him could never gain feelings for someone like her that she'd constructed a complete fallacy in her mind to reinforce her own insecurities. He wasn't engaged and he thought she was beautiful and apparently fawned over her.
The thought was enough to bring happy tears to her eyes as well.
"Um, what are you all doing here?" A voice broke though her reverie and all eyes immediately turned to the front door with a collective gasp. Sakura stood with one hand still on the handle of the front door and a look of utter confusion on her face as her eyes looked between all the occupants of the apartment.
"Uh... surprise!" Naruto responded lamely, waving his hands in what was supposed to be some sort of expression of excitement as the rest of them replied with a deflated 'Surprise' as well.
If they thought Sakura minded, the brilliant smile that lit her face told them otherwise.
"You guys!" She exclaimed in a sing-song voice, locking eyes with Sasuke and making her way across the room as she greeted all her guests on the way. Approaching him shortly she enveloped him in a loving hug.
"Sorry for the shitty surprise." He apologized, locking her lips in a sweet kiss and she pulled away shortly with a smile and a shake of her head.
"It's wonderful, thank you all for coming!" She jumped up and down in happiness and Hinata felt her heart swell, the dramatic encounter she'd just been in momentarily forgotten as she watched Sakura turn to Ino.
"Based on these decorations I'm guessing you had something to do with this as well," Sakura quirked a suspicious brow and Ino grinned, stretching out her arms and embracing Sakura warmly.
"You guessed right! Happy birthday, Forehead."
"You even invited Hinata!" Sakura shot a glance as Sasuke before turning her attention onto Hinata who smiled warmly. "I'm so glad you're here!"
"I wouldn't miss this for the world." Hinata replied, wrapping her arms around Sakura and squeezing her tightly, feeling much of the weight she'd been feeling on her shoulders lift as she felt the ease of her best friend's embrace.
"Happy birthday Sakura," Shino nodded his head at her while Kiba hugged her tightly.
"How old are you now, thirty?" Kiba smirked as Sakura slapped his arm playfully.
"Very funny," she replied with a small glare before returning his grin.
"Am I the only one who has no idea what's going on here?" Naruto looked between the kitchen's occupants expectantly and Sakura stepped back a moment as she took notice of the strange tension.
"Um, did I interrupt something?" She quirked a brow, looking at Sasuke in confusion and he shrugged nonchalantly.
"Yeah, I was just about to kick Sasuke's ass for not telling me that he knew the girl in the elevator all this time!" Naruto seemed to recall his anger towards his friend, turning towards him as he crossed his arms and awaited an explanation.
"The who?" Sakura's question was ignored as Sasuke sighed.
"I already told you, I couldn't have known for sure that Hinata was who you were talking about. It wasn't my business anyway."
"Can someone please explain what's going on?" Sakura raised her hands as she looked between her companions expectantly and Hinata gave her a knowing look.
"Sakura…he's the guy from the elevator." Hinata nodded her head towards Naruto, avoiding his questioning gaze as Sakura's eyes widened sharply, looking between Naruto and Hinata with a slack jaw.
"Naruto is the guy from the elevator?!" She repeated disbelievingly and Hinata, Kiba, Shino, and Sasuke all nodded their heads collectively.
"And how do you four know each other anyway! Nothing makes sense here!" Naruto pointed between Sakura, Hinata, Kiba, and Shino while Sakura laughed heartily.
"We're friends, idiot." Kiba snarled in response and Naruto moved to stepped forward before Sasuke halted him instinctively.
"Obviously I fucking know that, smart ass. What I'm asking is how you all know each other." Naruto growled and Sakura interjected quickly, raising her hands and stepping between the two groups with an amused smile on her face.
"Hold on just a second, I think I understand what's going on here." She looked between the two groups before turning to Naruto. "Hinata and I are co-workers, we talk all the time and her, Sasuke, and I all walk home together once we get off. Kiba and Shino are her best friends, I know them through her."
"Wait," Naruto halted her with a furrowed brow. "You two work together, and all walk home with one another?"
"Sasuke and I take the elevator up together every day." Hinata responded, sharing a glance with Sasuke and immediately regretting her words as Naruto turned on him with an angry expression.
"Naruto, Sasuke, and I have been best friends for years." Sakura answered Hinata's unspoken question. "I had a suspicion that he might have been who you were telling me about, but I didn't know for sure! It's kind of a funny coincidence, but he was actually who I was wanting to set you up on the blind date with."
"What do you mean she's been telling you about me?" Naruto asked Sakura, and the pink haired woman shared a knowing glance with Ino, Kiba, and Shino and the three slowly exited the kitchen with smirks on their faces.
"Listen, I'm going to make this really simple for you two." Sakura said as she placed one hand on each of their shoulders, pulling the two closer together suddenly. Hinata looked up into his blue eyes and the memory of standing so close to him in the rain entered her mind and caused her to flush.
"Naruto, this is Hinata Hyuga. She's twenty-five years old, is amazingly sweet, and has been telling me all about her morning trips in the elevator with a handsome blonde man she has a crush on for the past few months."
"S-Sakura!" Hinata interrupted suddenly, glancing at Naruto for a brief moment only to find him looking at her with wide eyes. She felt her face burn as Sakura turned to her apologetically.
"I'm sorry, but I promise I'm doing you a favor." Sakura smiled weakly before turning to Naruto once more.
"She lives on the eighth floor of this building and is the girl I was going to set you up on the blind date with, but she didn't want to go because she was upset because she thought that the guy she'd been crushing on – you – was engaged. But you're not engaged, and she really likes you, and I really think you two would be perfect together." Sakura took a deep breath, stepping back from the two with a satisfied smile on her face.
"Y-You like me?" Naruto asked in a small voice, looking down at Hinata with hopeful eyes while the rave-haired girl stared at her shoes and avoided his gaze.
"The things you pull me into." Sasuke sighed, shooting an accusing look at Sakura who smiled innocently in response before turning his gaze on Hinata, the amusement gone from his face and replaced by his normal, impatient expression. "This is Naruto Uzumaki. He's twenty-six years old and a complete idiot, but he's been bugging me every evening for months with stories about this girl he rides the elevator with every morning. We're roommates and he wanted to go on the blind date because he thought the girl he liked had a boyfriend. Sakura seems to think you two are a match made in heaven, and honestly I could care less, it's just been really funny watching you both struggle with your feelings."
"Sasuke!" Sakura gave her boyfriend a disapproving look, pouting her lip at him though if Hinata noticed his rudeness she made no indication, choosing instead to focus her full attention on the man before her. Sakura smiled at the sight before her before tugging on Sasuke's arm and exiting the kitchen to speak with the rest of her guests, entrusting her two friends to work the rest of their confusion out amongst themselves.
"To be honest, I don't really know what to say." Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, a light pink laid on his cheeks as he looked anywhere that wasn't her face.
"I feel really foolish." Hinata replied with an awkward chuckle, clutching her hands together tightly in front of her as she tried to recall exactly how she'd gotten into this situation.
What Sakura had said hadn't been untrue: she did have a large crush on the man, and while she appreciated her friend looking out for her she would have preferred another occasion for the truth to come out. Gathering her courage she glanced up at the man – or should she say, Naruto – before her. His expression was unreadable, his eyes clouded with a deep thought and she assumed he was trying just as hard to make sense of the situation as she was. Could such a strange relationship between two individuals even be salvaged after such a confusing and emotional encounter like the one they'd just had? Or would they both succumb to their shame, going on with their lives while trying to pretend that nothing had happened and they hadn't been obsessing over one another for the past few months?
With a deep breath Hinata made up her mind, gathering herself and looking up at Naruto with an assured expression.
"Hello," she held her hand out suddenly and he looked at her hand and then at her face with surprise. She tried to smile as calmly as naturally as she could, though it was made difficult by the irregular thumping of her heart beating in her ears as he fixed his mesmerizing blue eyes solely on her. "My name is Hinata Hyuga."
Her brow creased with worry as he stood staring at her with shock, unmoving as she continued to hold her hand out for him to take. Maybe she'd done the wrong thing, choosing to try and salvage some sort of connection with him without considering any decision he may have made. He may have thought she was a freak for talking about him all that time, though if he did she felt offended now that she knew he'd done the same. More than likely he was as ashamed as she was, her continued presence in his life may even serve as a constant reminder of the humiliation he was feeling in that moment.
Her thoughts were silenced by a warmth in her hand, and she looked down to find his tan hand encasing her own. Her stunned gaze met his and she saw him looking down at her with a brow furrowed with determination and rosy cheeks.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. It's nice to finally meet you…Hinata."
Her feelings were only amplified by the sound of her name on his lips and she smiled warmly, eyes prickling with the threat of tears.
"It's very nice to meet you too…Naruto."
"You know, as strange as this all was it makes a really great story."
Hinata giggled as she walked down the hall with Naruto by her side, her shoes dangling from her hands and vaguely reminding her of the first time that they saw one another (despite how brief of a look she had gotten of him).
"You really didn't have to walk me up here." She told him for the eleventh time, feeling flattered that he felt the desire to walk her home yet slightly silly as she lived only one floor away from him.
He'd already spent the entire evening with her, telling her funny stories and silly jokes and generally putting her at ease in a way that no one had before. They'd both caught the other staring on more than one occasion that evening, and while the first time or so their hands brushed together may have been accidental the following ten they both knew were purposeful and calculated.
"What kind of guy would I be if I let a pretty girl walk herself home alone at 2 in the morning?" He gave her a cheesy grin and she flushed, turning her attention on the hall ahead of her to retain some sense of composure before she became a blushing mess in front of him.
If she'd liked him before, she was just about ready to fall blindly in love with him.
She didn't really know what sort of expectations she had formed of him, only that he was so much more than she could have ever imagined.
He was kind, thoughtful, and completely hilarious. He had an air to him that drew her in instantly and she found herself wanting to drown in him, wanting to completely immerse herself wholly and without hesitation in everything that he was. She peeked at him from the corner of eye, hoping that the fringe of her hair hid the blush he's permanently etched onto her cheeks.
"You know," she paused, gulping as she tentatively raised her gaze to meet his own as they approached the door to her apartment all too quickly. "What Sakura was saying…about me talking about you to her and all that–"
"Ah, don't even worry about it. Let's just forget about all of that." He waved a hand dismissively, chuckling lightly and refusing to meet her eyes. She hesitated just outside of her doorway, taking the opportunity to study his face as he stared at the wall with a furrowed brow.
"I don't think I want to forget about it." She met his eyes fully when they immediately shifted their gaze onto her, blue and gleaming with shock as she bit her lip to help her resist the urge to turn away from his intense stare. Her heart skipped with fear as he stared at her silently for one moment, and then another.
"You don't?" He repeated like he wasn't sure he had heard her correctly, unconsciously stepping closer to her so much so that they could feel the warmth radiating off of each other's body. She felt her body briefly relax as he squelched her fear of being ignored, only to immediately tense again as she realized he was expecting a response from her.
"I-I know it might be strange." She looked away from him momentarily while trying desperately to remain calm and intelligible. "Because while we're really familiar with one another, we really don't know each other at all a-and–"
"Hinata."
"Ye–?" He silenced her question by cupping her face and leaning down to bring his lips to her own in a sweet kiss. Her body froze as a shiver ran through her entire body, eyes widening as she stared straight ahead at him. She felt the pressure of his lips against his both gentle and hard, his eyes shut tightly and her own softened before fluttering closed gently. She placed one hand on his chest shakily, bringing the other up around his neck as she stood on the tips of her toes in order to deepen the kiss before she could second guess her actions and chicken out.
"I'm sorry," He said breathlessly as he pulled away after what she felt was much too short of a time, running his hands through her hair until they sat against the back of her head as he rested his forehead against her own. "But I've been wanting to do that for months."
She laughed, clutching his shirt tightly with shaky hands. She knew she should feel shocked with herself for moving forward so quickly with a man who's name she'd barely learned that day (though she justified her actions by telling herself that she'd known him for months now). Maybe the 'appropriate' thing to do would have been to politely push him away from her, tell him that she liked him but that this was all very sudden, but Hinata felt no inclination to do any of those things. But somehow, standing there in the middle of the hallway so late at night with his hands nestled softly in her hair, everything felt…right.
Hinata found herself more than content in that moment.
"I really like you, Hinata." He said as he opened his eyes, grinning so brightly that she had to respond with a smile of her own. "And I'd really like to get to know you more and take you out sometime, if that's alright with you?"
"That sounds perfect," she sighed dreamily and he smiled for a moment before leaning to close the space between them once more.
"Well what do we have here," a smug voice interrupted the moment and the two pulled away suddenly and turned their attention onto the now open door where a young girl stood with her arms crossed against her chest. "You know, when I told you to bring someone home I was only joking."
"Hanabi!"
"I'll be inside when you're done making out." She hummed as she turned away after giving Naruto a good look up and down, waving over her shoulder as she walked further into the apartment and left the two adults flushing deeply in the hallway.
"I-I should probably–"
"Me too! I mean, long night you know."
"Of course!" Hinata nodded her head vigorously as she pressed a hand against her warm cheek and feeling very much like a child who'd been caught misbehaving by their overprotective parent. With awkward movements the two hugged each other quickly before Naruto walked past her towards the stairwell, looking back every few seconds with a wave and goofy smile.
"Goodnight, Naruto." She called and he paused mid-step, turning to her with a wide smile.
"I'll see you Monday morning, Hinata."
Hanabi sat on the couch with an expectant look as Hinata closed the door behind her, leaning her head against the wood as she took a deep breath and covered her mouth where his lips had left her own tingling.
"I'm guessing someone had a good night." Hanabi watched her sister with an amused smile as she placed her shoes by the door before walking into the living room and slumping onto the couch next to Hanabi.
"My night…was wonderful." She breathed, laughing lightly as she turned her head to face her sister. "But before I tell you all about it, we need to have a little talk about your sexual morality."
"Oh God, please tell me this isn't the birds and the bees talk," Hanabi groaned.
Hinata chuckled, sinking further into the couch with a shake of her head and thoughts of blue eyes and Monday morning filling her mind.