Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.
Special Thanks: goes out to mangetsu no hime, LaydiiV, Break Blade, revelatum, Sachiko Heiwajima, Tamani, xHinaLovex, Fanfiction Bard, Danish78, Sahel, WarFlower, Kibachow, rockyourlove, misao97, scented-potatoes, and Melanieciel for all your reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this story to their favorites and follows lists!
Author's Note: Some very exciting things in this chapter - one of which leads to an even more exciting thing next chapter! But more on that later. I especially enjoyed writing the first half of this chapter, with Tenten and Hinata finally getting to catch up. And I know I say this almost every time he appears, but I love Ninja. Then again, I'm probably biased, since I based him on my own dog... But oh well. Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy this chapter!
*~Chapter XXV~*
~Chat~
Tenten was already waiting in a booth when Hinata arrived at The Yellow Flash for their prearranged lunch. As the younger suspected, the newlywed's skin glowed with a healthy tan, and new streaks decorated her chestnut hair. She also wore a pretty white top with fancy stitches along the collar mirroring the colors of the ocean. Earrings in matching colors dangled from her ears, catching the light.
"I ordered you a sweet tea," Tenten said, nodding to the glass sitting on the table at Hinata's place.
"Thank you," Hinata said fervently. She picked up the sweating glass and gulped down half of it in five big swallows, too thirsty to sip daintily like the lady she'd been raised to be. "It's been really busy at the library today, what with kids getting ready to go back to school and all that. I've barely had time to breathe since I got there this morning. Forget having enough time to get a drink." It seemed like the majority of kids in Konoha had decided to wait until the last possible minute to do their assigned summer reading. So books were flying off the shelves almost faster than Hinata could check them out.
"Makes me glad I don't work as a school teacher," Tenten said, taking a sip of her lemonade. "I much prefer dealing with antiques all day rather than kids. Pembroke tables and Queen Anne chairs don't cry, scream, talk back, or play pranks." The vast majority of her impressive weapons collection had been bought through the shop at which she worked. Tenten's boss always knew to set aside the sharp, pointy things he got in stock so his employee could have first crack at them. With her discount, Tenten had been able to add some things to her collection she otherwise would never have been able to afford.
"I've heard things can get intense if two people are vying for the same antique, though." Hinata picked up her menu and began to browse, though she already knew for certain what she wanted.
"True enough," Tenten admitted. Their conversation came to a halt as Naruto dropped by the table to take their orders, then promised to come back with a refill for Hinata's tea.
"So did I miss anything interesting while I was gone?" Tenten laced her fingers together and propped her chin on them as she stared across the table at her best friend and new relative.
A lot of exciting things had happened while Tenten honeymooned with Neji, but there was only one in particular Hinata felt like sharing. Reaching into her oversized purse, Hinata pulled out the leather journal she and Sasuke had found among the Hyuuga family's heirlooms just the day before. "I found this," she said. "It's in my mother's handwriting."
With a soft gasp, Tenten took the journal carefully and opened the cover. She read the title on the first page, then nodded slowly. "This is incredible. Where did you find it?"
"In a box with some of the family's heirlooms." Hinata pushed a loose lock of hair, fallen free from her ponytail, behind her ear and tried not to feel guilty about leaving out a huge chunk of the story. "Father doesn't know I have it. It's dishonest of me to keep it from him, I know, but I'm not sure I'd have a chance to read it if he did."
Tenten nodded as she leafed through the first few pages, brown eyes quickly scanning over several passages here and there. "I understand," she murmured. Even though she was a Hyuuga by marriage instead of blood, she'd seen and heard enough about Hiashi to understand exactly what Hinata meant. "This is incredible. It's complete?"
"As far as I can tell without having had a chance to read it all the way through? Yes. It says 'end' on the last page, so I'm guessing Mother had a chance to translate the entire thing into this one journal." Hinata watched as Tenten continued to flip through the pages, her expression changing with each new passage. She imagined she'd looked quite similar when she took a sneak peek last night before going to bed. She'd hid it before Hanabi got home, then slid it into her purse before leaving for work. At least for now, this was something she didn't want to share with her sister.
Naruto brought Hinata's tea refill, then informed them their food was almost ready. As soon as he went back to the kitchen, Tenten handed the journal back across the table. "It looks interesting," she said. "And you say it's a translation?"
Tucking the book back into her purse, Hinata nodded. "I remember seeing her working on it before..." She trailed off, then shook her head with a weak smile. "It disappeared after, and then I forgot about it - until I found it yesterday."
They got their food, and spent a few minutes in happy silence as they dug into their respective meals. Eventually, Hinata nodded to her cousin-in-law's top and jewelry and said, "Those are beautiful. Pick those up in the Bahamas?"
"Yes. There are so many beautiful stores and even just stalls there. Several times, it was so hard to make the decision whether I wanted to shop or go to the beach!" Tenten laughed, tossing her head so her earrings flashed with colors ranging from seafoam green to a beautiful sky blue, rivers of red and yellow appearing briefly. "Neji patiently waited me out in the stores a couple of days, then helpfully opted for the beach the rest of the time."
"I doubt I would have been able to decide, either." Hinata took another drink of her tea, sighing in quiet contentment as her mouth started to feel less and less like a ball of cotton, and her food helped tame her surprisingly ravenous hunger. "I especially love those earrings. I've never seen anything like them."
Tenten grinned. "I'm glad to hear that." She reached into her canvas purse, sitting on the bench seat next to her, and then dug out a small, rectangular black box. "This is for you."
Hinata accepted the gift with a murmured thank-you, then pulled off the lid. She let out her breath on an awed sigh, turning the box so the earrings inside showed off their colors, different from every angle. The shades varied from Tenten's, though both pairs were sizable ovals. "These are beautiful. What are they?"
"Ammolite," Tenten replied. "It comes from fossilized shells of extinct creatures. You always wear such colorful skirts and tops, as soon as I saw those I thought of you. And then I liked them so much, I went back and bought a second pair for myself." She smiled sheepishly.
"Understandably so. They go really well with your new top, too." Hinata pulled the silver hoops she was wearing out of her ears so she could replace them with her new earrings. "What do you think?" she asked, turning her head from side to side.
"Perfect," Tenten replied approvingly. "And I got this for Hanabi." She pulled a sack from her purse, and took from it an off-the-shoulder crinkly white top with a swirling pattern of blue, purple, and green along the front and on the longer left sleeve.
"She'll love it." It seemed like half of Hanabi's wardrobe consisted of tops of a similar style, though Hinata didn't remember ever seeing one in this color scheme. "Thank you, Tenten." She accepted the bag, in which Tenten had replaced the folded shirt. A whiff of salty ocean air mixed with a fruity scent floated from the bag to her nose.
When Hinata looked up from putting the sack and earring box in her purse, she found Tenten staring at her with narrow, contemplative eyes. Glancing around uneasily, she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Something's different." Tenten tilted her head to the side, continuing her scrutiny. "Did you have a date over the weekend?"
Like a kid caught redhanded, heat exploded across her face. "How did you know?" she asked. She knew better than to deny it, thanks to her traitorous blush.
"You look happier. I recognize the expression from my own reflection in the mirror for days after my first date with Neji." Leaning forward, eyes sparkling, Tenten asked softly, "So, how was it? And, more importantly, who was it?" Her eyes cut sideways slightly to where Naruto delivered refilled drinks at a table across the room.
Hinata followed her look, surprised to realize the usual flutter in her stomach was absent when she looked at the blond. In fact, whereas she was usually hyper-aware of his presence no matter where in the restaurant he stood, today she hadn't noticed his movements, even when he approached their booth. "No," she said softly. "It wasn't Naruto." More surprising than that was the realization she didn't feel saddened by that fact.
Was it possible she was finally moving on from her hopeless childhood crush?
Tenten blinked. "I'm sorry," she said softly.
"Don't be." Hinata pushed her empty plate aside and pulled her drink closer, tracing the mouth of it with her index finger. "He's a good friend, but that's all." And she was okay with that for the first time in her life.
Funny how she hadn't noticed the loss of her feelings until Tenten pointed it out. It made Hinata all the more sure what she'd had for Naruto had been partly hero worship, partly a crush. Not anything remotely resembling true love, which was what she'd been searching for all this time (apparently in all the wrong places).
"If not him, who?" Tenten looked thoroughly confused, as if she'd run through some mental list of eligible bachelors in Konoha and come up empty.
Leaning a little closer, Hinata shot a furtive look around the room and whispered, "Uchiha Sasuke." A nervous giggle bounced into her throat even as she whispered the name.
At the bumfuzzled expression on Tenten's face, the giggle turned into a laugh. "You should see your face," Hinata told her friend.
"Oh, be quiet," Tenten replied, but there was no heat in her words. "Seriously, though. Him? The horror novelist? The town legend? The recluse? Whose work, by the way, you passionately abhor?"
Hinata slanted her head to the side. "One and the same." Her fingers stilled on her glass, and she added, "Though I wouldn't necessarily say what we did yesterday was a date. We're both interested in our mutual Japanese heritage, and I wanted to show him some of the Hyuuga family's heirlooms. So I invited him over for lunch yesterday, and I found the journal while we were looking through things."
Tenten shook her head. "I hardly dare believe it," she said. "If I didn't know you as well as I do, I'd say you were just joking. But I do know you, and I know you'd never joke about something like this. Wow." Shaking her head again, Tenten let out an incredulous little laugh. "The town celebrity. I suppose your little romance brewed during his appearances at the library?"
While the two women nursed what was left of their drinks, Hinata told Tenten about her and Sasuke's previous encounters. Told her everything, as a matter of fact, except for the kisses. "We're friends," she said firmly. Though it was true, it wasn't the entire truth. But until things progressed further - at least to a define-the-relationship talk - she would maintain that assessment, even when pressured.
"While we're on the romance subject," Hinata added, wanting to steer the subject away from her own possibly brewing one, "I feel I should tell you Hanabi's got a boyfriend."
Propping one elbow on the surface of the table, Tenten dropped her head into her hand and then shook it. "I don't believe it," she groaned. "All these things just slipping past me. Romance blooming everywhere, and right under my nose, too."
"If it makes you feel any better, Father doesn't know about him. And I only found out yesterday, when Hanabi let it slip. I don't know his name, but I get the feeling they've been dating a while. And that Hanabi really likes him." It would be interesting to meet the man who made Hanabi look so - flustered.
Apparently Tenten's thoughts were running along the same lines. Lifting her head, she smiled with not a little bit of mischief and rubbed her hands together. "I've got an idea," she said with obvious relish. "We're all planning to get together for dinner sometime soon, right?" At Hinata's suspicious nod - which Tenten ignored - the elder woman continued. "So here's an idea. You invite your boyfriend, and Hanabi can invite hers, and it'll be great!"
Hinata wasn't sure how Sasuke would feel dining with all these people he didn't know. He'd certainly loosened up quite a bit around her from when she first met him, but she still sensed tension in him when he talked about being at the library for his appearances. Though there would be significantly fewer people at dinner with her family than would be at the book signing, she didn't know how he'd react. "I don't know," she started doubtfully.
Disappointment replaced Tenten's excited smile. "You don't want to do it?"
"It's not that. It's just - Sasuke's not really the type who likes to be around a lot of people. And Hanabi seems to want to keep her boyfriend a secret, so..." She trailed off, hoping she'd given enough reasons.
That didn't seem to deter Tenten. "At least suggest it, please?" Waving one hand casually, she added, "After all, the worst they could do is say 'no.'" But her expression made it clear she really, really hoped everyone - most of all, Sasuke - would say yes.
Now all Hinata had to do was try to figure out the best way to broach the topic with Hanabi and Sasuke.
It felt like she'd decided to climb Mount Everest without equipment, in the dead of winter, with the flu. This is never going to work. How do I get myself into these situations?
The plotting had gone as far as it could. On Monday Sasuke finally got the chance to sit down and start on his newest (replacement) book. With Ninja napping in the corner and his computer playing a variety of muse-encouraging songs, he allowed his fingers to fly across the keys, bringing to life the main character and her frightening - yet still somehow beautiful - world.
She was just getting ready to have her first ghostly encounter when Sasuke's phone rang. He twitched convulsively at the interruption, curling his upper lip as he considered ignoring it. But despite himself, he leaned over and looked at the caller ID...
...And stopped mid-word. Snatching up the phone, Sasuke reared back in his chair and lifted it to his ear. "Hello, Hinata?"
"Hi." She sounded shy and uncertain. "Am I calling at a bad time?"
Sasuke looked at the time on his computer and realized it was almost nine o'clock at night. He should have stopped three or four hours ago to eat. But he got this way sometimes: the words flowed, the characters spoke, and he completely lost track of the real world. "No, it's fine," he told her honestly. Now he'd been pulled out of his little world, he realized his neck and shoulders were trying to cramp and he was thirsty enough to drink up half the nearby lake. "It's good to hear from you. How's your day been?" Standing, he limped toward the door, Ninja following attentively and hinting strongly he needed to go outside.
"Good, good. Busy, since school's about to start back and all the kids in the county seem to have chosen today to come into the library and get the books on their summer reading lists." They shared a chuckle over that as Sasuke slid open the back door and let Ninja out, where he charged down the back steps and headed toward the rear left corner of the fence line, his favorite place to do his business. "I had lunch with Tenten today, and - and she invited me over for dinner."
He felt his heart fall a little. "Oh, that's nice," he said, trying his best to sound sincere rather than jealous. "When is that?"
"No date's been set yet," Hinata replied. "But that's one of the reasons why I wanted to talk to you. See, she and Neji invited both me and my sister Hanabi, but with a stipulation. We have to bring our - our..." She went suddenly silent, and he heard her draw in and let out a deep breath before she continued in a whisper. "Our boyfriends." Another pause, and then, "Tenten's word, not mine."
For a moment, Sasuke wasn't sure if he should feel happy Hinata's family thought she and he were dating, or insulted that Hinata felt so hesitant about using the word boyfriend to describe him. At least, he hoped she meant him, because otherwise, why would she call and tell him about all this? "Okay...?"
Hinata sighed again. "I know you don't like being around a lot of people, but it's just one meal. And I can promise you this, I won't get even a hint of peace and quiet until I agree. Tenten knows something's up, and Hanabi has been driving me crazy trying to get your name out of me. The only reason I've been able to put her off this long is because she won't tell me her boyfriend's name, either."
Funny, Hinata didn't seem to have trouble with the word when in reference to her sister's date. Perhaps he should feel flattered? Sasuke thought, rather, he should be insulted. He let both slide. "It's just for a couple hours one night, right?" With Hinata's cousin and his wife, her sister and her boyfriend, plus Hinata and him, there would only be six people total. That wasn't too bad. Granted, he only knew Hinata, but he'd heard stories of Neji and Tenten; they sounded nice. Surely surrounded by such nice people, he could stand being around Hanabi - of whom he'd heard some not-so-nice stories - for a couple of hours.
"Right," Hinata affirmed. Something thumped on her end, and she muttered something he didn't catch and grunted, presumably as she picked up whatever it was. He could just imagine her pacing around her living room, and bumping into a table and knocking something off. "Tenten told me to text her with a good time and date that works for us, so..." She trailed off.
"Before I answer," Sasuke said slowly, letting Ninja back into the house, "will you do me a favor?"
"Of course." Any other woman might have said the words hesitantly, but not Hinata. It was flattering somehow, knowing she trusted him so much. Good thing Sasuke wasn't the type to take advantage. Or was asking her to come with him as his date to a New York movie premiere taking advantage? He wasn't sure and wasn't interested in overthinking the matter.
"Would you like to come over for dinner before the last event at the library on Wednesday?" Sasuke headed to the kitchen and a nice tall glass of chilled tomato juice. If his mouth hadn't been as dry as a desert, he would have started drooling at the thought. "You seemed to enjoy it last week, and though it'll just be the two of us, well - I thought you might like it. But you don't have to come, if you don't want to." He pulled a glass out of the cabinet and held his breath as he moved over to the fridge.
Hinata was silent for a long moment, as if unsure. But there was a definite smile in her voice when she responded. "I'd like that. Thank you, Sasuke."
Pulling the phone away from his ear, Sasuke let out a long, relieved breath before putting it back as he simultaneously opened the fridge with his free hand. "Good. I'd like to talk to you about something." He realized how that must have sounded and hurried to add, "It's good, I assure you." At least, he hoped she'd think it was good. He'd gotten a hotel confirmation and other information in an e-mail from Jiraiya this morning, and since they'd booked a penthouse suite for him for the premiere, there would be plenty of room for Hinata to come along. In fact, he hoped she would, not the least so he wouldn't be rambling around the suite all by himself with only Ninja for company. He loved his dog, but not as an only traveling companion now he'd gotten to know Hinata.
"Oh, okay." Hinata sounded slightly concerned, and he wondered if he should have kept his mouth shut until Wednesday. Clearing her throat, she went on, "So, um, when would work best for you for dinner with me and my family?"
Sasuke poured his juice, then set the jug aside and cradled the glass as he thought about it. He had absolutely no social engagements other than Wednesday, since he avoided them at almost all costs. Granted, he had another novel to write, but the thought of spending more time with Hinata trumped his sense of obligation, and drastically reduced the volume of the chattering voices in his mind. "Pretty much any night except Wednesday, obviously, would work for me. Just let me know when it's scheduled and I'll be there." He couldn't promise he would be Mr. Personality, but he could tell Hinata really wanted him to meet her family (except, apparently, for her father). He just couldn't bring himself to deny her that.
"All right. I'll talk to Hanabi and see when works best for her and her beau, then text Tenten and let you know Wednesday, if that's all right?" He heard the brief murmur of voices, as if she'd just flipped on a TV or radio, and then silence again. "What time do you want me to be there Wednesday?"
"You don't have to work during the day, right?" At Hinata's confirmation, Sasuke took a thoughtful sip of his juice (heaven in a glass!), and crunched some numbers. "How about two? We could make it a late lunch, early dinner, since we have to be at the library at five before the signing starts at six." He swallowed another drink of juice, and with it all the feelings of anxiety jamming his throat. He'd survived the other two appearances - he could do the same with this one.
"Two sounds great to me." Hinata sighed, then said, "I guess I'd better go. Hanabi's bugging me to watch a movie with her. I'll see you Wednesday, then?"
At the moment, it felt like forever away. Staring down into his tomato juice, which didn't look half as appealing as it had only a few minutes before, he murmured, "See you then. Looking forward to it."
"Me too. -Hanabi, stop it! I'm on the phone; I'll be there in a minute." She huffed in what sounded like aggravation. "Sorry about that. See you then. Good night, Sasuke."
"Good night, Hinata." Sasuke waited until he heard Hinata hang up on her own end, disconnecting the call, before he lowered his phone to set it on the counter. He stared at it, shivering as the cold silence of his house rushed in to replace the warm conversation he'd just been having.
Ninja whined and nudged Sasuke's hand with his cold, wet nose. Smiling wistfully, the author scratched behind the big black dog's pointed ears, which made Ninja's tail thump rhythmically against the counter support. "I'm okay, Ninja." Funny, he'd never felt so alone in the house before now. But since Itachi, Temari, and Karura left, and now that he'd hung up with Hinata, suddenly his home felt empty and isolated.
Almost like a prison. But that was ridiculous! Sasuke had chosen to live by himself in the giant house on the hill, isolating himself from his fellow townspeople.
Now, since he'd let a few people in, the silence set his teeth on edge. He wanted company - but not just anyone would do. He wanted to be around Hinata. Sasuke wanted to drink in her warm smile, her chiming laughter, the warmth and trust in her opalescent eyes.
Planting his elbows on the counter on either side of his glass, Sasuke pressed his face against his hands and groaned. What are you doing, Uchiha? You're playing with fire! Good things never lasted forever; he knew that better than most.
When the time came for it to end, it would all come crashing down hard. But for some reason, Sasuke didn't want to separate himself from the situation. To protect himself from what surely would be the inevitable ending, because what other alternative had he come up against in his life?
And yet Sasuke wanted nothing more or less than to take Hinata in his arms, cling to her, and never, ever, let her go.
*~To Be Continued~*
Author's Ending Notes: I wanted to give a quick shout-out to those of you who mentioned in your reviews that you got my silly "big boat movie" reference in the last chapter - yes, it was Titanic. I'm a huge Titanic (the ship) buff and have done several years of research on it. It's just so fascinating! And to put all those years of research to use, I'm actually working on an original novel that takes place (at least partially) on the ship. But that's a whole 'nother story (literally and figuratively)... Ah, so many exciting things to come! We're getting really close to the dinner date/Sasuke's last appearance at the library, and when we find out if Hinata will go to NY or not! Plus there's a really exciting and special reveal coming up in the next chapter, so I'm especially looking forward to that! In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, thank you so much for reading, and I hope to see you all again for next week's update!