Please see first chapter for disclaimer, rating, warnings, pairings, etc.
Special Thanks: goes out to mangetsu no hime, pheecat, misao97, NeverInUrWildestDreams, Sachiko Heiwajima, revelatum, Danish78, HeavenlySwirl, DivineGlory, TheValkyrieGladiator, Kibachow, Melanieciel, xlyphiechanx, WarFlower, Tamani, LaydiiV, Break Blade, SahelTheWaltzingDinosaur, Bakamei, and BekotaTheMonsterHuntress for all your wonderful reviews! Also thanks to everyone who's added this story (and me!) to your favorites and follows lists!
Author's Note: And we have, at last, gotten to Sasuke's final appearance at the library. I had great fun writing this chapter for a number of reasons, but weirdly enough, my favorite was the discussion of vehicles. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and thanks for reading!
*~Chapter XXVIII~*
~Assist~
Hinata wasn't sure which presented the harder challenge: telling her father she was going to New York, or telling her boss the same.
Leaving Sasuke hiding out behind the closed door of the meeting room, set up for the book signing starting in less than an hour, Hinata made her way down the short, familiar hall to Tsunade's office. She tapped on the doorframe and smiled when Tsunade looked up and motioned for her employee to come in.
"I need to talk to you," Hinata began, anxiously twisting her hands in front of her.
Tsunade slammed one hand down on the desk and stared at Hinata with wide, bloodshot eyes, a look of convulsive panic crossing her face. "You are not quitting!" she shot out in a voice definitely not suitable for a library.
"No, not at all!" Hinata waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head hard. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to give that impression. No, ma'am, I'm not quitting. It's just, well, I-I was wondering if I could have a couple of weeks off, starting Friday the fifteenth of August? I'll be back on August twenty-eighth."
"Is everything all right?" Tsunade's panicked expression smoothed into one of concern. "Is something wrong I could help with?"
"Oh, no, nothing's wrong. I'm sorry it's such short notice, but I just found out today, as a matter of fact, about this, and I wanted to let you know ahead of time. You see, I'm going to New York, to Sasuke's movie premiere, and-"
"What?" Tsunade brightened, as if someone had just flipped on a fluorescent light behind her eyes. "You're going to New York with Sasuke to see his movie. Really?" Waving one hand, she said, "By all means, you can have that time off, no problem! In fact, you don't have to come back until September first. Enjoy your trip, okay? Just have a good time, and we'll take care of everything while you're gone."
That was a lot easier than I figured it would be. Hinata blinked and nodded, feeling at a loss for words. Swallowing, she said, "Th-thank you so much. I appreciate it."
Tsunade waved her hand again, this time toward the door. "No problem, no problem. I'm glad you're going, and with Sasuke. Go tell him you've got the time off, okay?"
"Of course. Thanks again." Hinata turned to head out, but when Tsunade called her name again, she came back. "Yes?"
"I almost forgot to tell you. Sasuke's agent, Jiraiya, won't be here tonight. He couldn't take time off work to fly in. So you're going to need to stand in as his assistant. Like you, I'm sorry for the short notice, but you weren't here yesterday or today, and I haven't had a chance to tell you." Tsunade raised her eyebrows slightly and added, "You don't mind, right?"
A few weeks ago, Hinata would have minded. But now, the bonus time with Sasuke made her smile. "No, I don't mind. Thanks again." She slipped out of the office before Tsunade could call her back and add something else. Hinata hadn't taken a vacation since back at Christmas and New Year's, so having a nice long one to look forward to felt really nice. She loved her job, but the coming adventure superceded her enjoyment of her job. She didn't like thought of being behind the desk at the library, thinking about Sasuke in New York all by himself. Or, worse, with another woman.
Hinata stopped mid-stride, shocked by her own thought. Granted, Sasuke had kissed her, but there had been no verbal declaration of love, or even really like, between them. They hadn't had a define-the-relationship talk, but the fact he'd asked her to go to New York to attend the movie premiere as his date made her think that in and of itself was a declaration of sorts.
It made her stomach feel all fluttery, like a flock of butterflies had all taken wing at once. She leaned back against the wall next to the door into the meeting room, feeling a silly grin tug at her lips. Is this what it feels like to be in love? Real love, not just a childish crush? She'd never felt this way before, but she liked it.
And, she had to admit to herself, she liked Sasuke, too. A lot.
Drawing in a deep breath, Hinata forced herself to calm down and entered the meeting room. "Good news, Sasuke! Tsunade gave me the time off."
Sasuke turned from where he was nervously rearranging the items on top of the table at the front of the room. "Great! I hoped she would." He met her in the center of the room, hooked an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her to him so he could press a kiss against the side of her head. "I'm so glad you're getting to go with me, Hinata. You're going to love New York."
Hinata swallowed back the butterflies, which had fluttered their way up her esophagus into her throat. "You enjoyed your last trip to New York, then?"
He hesitated, and she felt the muscles in the arm still across her shoulders tense briefly. "I didn't really see that much of it last time I was there," he admitted. "But I get the feeling it's the kind of place a person can enjoy more when they're in good company. So I'm pretty sure we'll both have a great time."
When Sasuke finally released her, Hinata trailed him over to the table, admiring the subtle changes he'd made to the props atop the table. "I know you said we're going to drive. Are you planning to take your car?" She'd seen it once, and mentally crossed her fingers in the hope he'd say no. Small, red, and sporty, there were only two seats and a bread-box size trunk. She couldn't imagine fitting two people, their luggage, and a hundred-pound dog into its confines. In fact, she was pretty sure it was impossible.
"Oh, no." Sasuke shook his head, eyes wide. "There's no way we can fit both of us, our luggage, and my dog in my car. Even if it was just me and Ninja going, I'd probably still rent something."
"We could take my car," Hinata offered. At least her car had a back seat and fairly roomy trunk. And it got really good gas mileage, too.
A strange expression briefly flitted over Sasuke's features. "Your car is perfect - for you," he said. "But I'm sorry, I just don't think I can drive it."
Hinata tried to picture Sasuke behind the wheel of her reliable, purple Old Sensible, and had to agree. "All right. I'll pay half the rent bill."
"No you won't." Sasuke propped his hip against the edge of the table and glowered at her as he vetoed her offer. "This trip was my idea. Besides, this is a vacation for you."
"I can afford it," Hinata said stiffly. Just because she worked as a librarian on a certain salary didn't mean she didn't have plenty of money (sitting in the bank, untouched, doing nothing but collecting dust and interest, granted, but she did have it).
"I believe you." It was clear by his expression he did. "And I wasn't trying to imply you couldn't afford it. But please believe me, having your company on this trip is plenty enough. If you see something in a store you want to buy, I promise, I won't badger you into letting me pay for it. But as far as the trip itself, and the vehicle we rent, please let me handle it."
"Gift-giving is an art form," Hinata's mother used to say. "It is a dying one, granted, but there are still people out there who do it. The best thing to do in that situation, my dear girl, is to thank them very politely, and not argue. After all, it would be rude not to accept a gift, yes?"
Looking at Sasuke, Hinata completely believed her mother's words. Sasuke was a man unlike any she'd ever known - shy and thoughtful, loyal and caring, intelligent and highly observant. She knew he wasn't perfect, but he was still very much a man she could admire. It made her feel ashamed for the thoughts she'd had about him - and his books - before she met and got to know him.
"All right," Hinata said, giving in with as much grace as she could muster. "Thank you."
Sasuke looked surprised at how easily she'd given in, but then smiled as if pleased by her response. Then his eyes darted past her shoulder to the clock on the opposite wall, and his smile vanished. The color in his face drained away, and his Adam's apple bobbed visibly as he gulped. "Six-fifty-eight," he whispered. "It's almost time to start."
"You'll be fine," Hinata told him confidently. "I'll be beside you the whole time." When Sasuke still looked uncertain, she swayed a little closer, then whispered, "And if Ino and Sakura show up and ask embarrassing questions again, I promise I'll escort them out personally."
That brought a smile to his face, weak though it appeared. She didn't have time to say or do anything else, because at that moment Tsunade poked her head through the door and said, "It's time to start. Get ready, Sasuke, because there is quite the crowd out here waiting for you."
Quite the crowd should have been lined up around the block. Sasuke barely got around the table to sit down when Tsunade opened the door and started ushering people into the room. Only Hinata's steady, calm presence at his side kept him from completely backing out of the deal and making a run for it.
Even though a buzz of excitement constantly rippled through the crowd, Tsunade and Shiho, the other librarian, kept things orderly. The fans were limited to three books per person, and Sasuke was kept busy keeping track of names and personal messages as he signed. Hinata helped him by murmuring names if one slipped his mind, and she kept him supplied with water for his parched throat, or fresh pens when the one he was using started skipping.
Shiho eventually got the idea to pass out pens and sheets of paper so people could write down their personal messages ahead of time. That helped organize things a bit better, and Sasuke was able to slow down his frantic pace a bit. With the hum of several conversations going on at once all over, it sometimes made his fans (especially the shyer ones) hard to hear. With the papers, that was no longer an issue.
As the end of the first hour neared, Sasuke's hand started to cramp. He clenched his teeth against the pain and kept writing, though he took breaks every few minutes to get a drink and rest his hand. Eventually Hinata noticed, and she whispered, "Is your hand cramping?"
Sasuke didn't pause in his rhythm of writing and nodded his head very slightly in response. Hinata excused herself and slipped off. Sasuke immediately felt himself tense up, but she was still within sight, talking to Tsunade. He kept signing, and thanking his fans for coming, and wishing them a good evening.
Hinata came back and stopped, resting one hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Tsunade's going to engineer an intermission of sorts. I'll take you back to the kitchen so you can rest your hand for a minute."
Sure enough, only a few seconds after Hinata got back, Tsunade called for everyone's attention and announced a "short break." Sasuke gratefully followed Hinata out of the room, down a short hall, and into the kitchen, where Hinata firmly closed the door behind her.
"Do you need some ice for your hand or something?" she asked, heading for the fridge in the corner.
"No." Sasuke winced as he flexed his hand, trying to unlock his seizing muscles. "I'll be fine in a minute."
While Sasuke leaned against the wall and worked his hand, Hinata got him a cup of ice water which he gratefully drained. "One hour down, one to go," he said as he handed the cup back. "I can do this."
"You're doing great." Hinata set the cup in the sink and turned to smile at him over her shoulder. "You're a natural."
Sasuke let out a strangled half-laugh, half-cough. "I don't think I'd go quite that far." He felt stressed to the max, and a tension headache tightened like a band around his forehead, the pain pulsing behind his eyes like a strobe light. But he was enduring, and honestly, things were going better than he'd figured they would.
"Ready to go back?" Hinata asked with an apologetic look.
"As I'll ever be." At least his hand only felt sore, not like it was trying to draw in on itself.
They returned to the meeting room. To Sasuke, the crowd looked like it hadn't even gone down a little, let alone an hour's worth of people. But Hinata told him people just kept coming, adding to the line as quickly as it diminished at the end in the meeting room. It was frustrating at the least and intimidating at worst, but Sasuke drew in a deep, fortifying breath and dove in again.
The mad rush began once more, and Sasuke scrambled to keep up as the ink flowed across pages, putting down personalized messages and signing his own name. Before the crowd finally thinned out, he went through an additional four pens.
By the time Tsunade closed the meeting room door behind the last few people, Sasuke was so sick of signing his own name, he was tempted to go to court and legally change it.
Pulling over one of the chairs set up along one wall, Tsunade collapsed into it and let out a long sigh. "That was crazy," she groaned. Lifting her head, she looked at Sasuke and smiled warmly. "Thank you so much for doing this. I know I've been badgering you through your agent for a long time, and I apologize for that. But still, I am so grateful you agreed to come. This has been great for the library, for the community, and for your fans."
"It's been good for me, too." Sasuke was surprised to realize those words were true. Meeting some of them - at least the ones in his own town, and those surrounding - face to face, getting to know them, hearing what they liked about his books, reinvigorated him in ways he hadn't imagined. He felt like he could go home and write another thirteen books now.
...Though it would probably be best just to focus on the one he was working on at the moment.
"Thank you so much for 'badgering' - as you put it - me into coming. And for hosting these past three functions. I appreciate how smoothly you, Hinata, and Shiho have made things work." He was proud of himself for finally remembering the name of the girl with the glasses. "I wouldn't mind doing something similar again at some point, but please, not too soon."
Tsunade laughed. "I don't think I'll want to do this again too soon, so you're safe." She groaned again and dropped her head back. "Now I think I'll go home, have a glass of wine, and then sleep for a week."
Hinata, who had perched on the edge of the table, shook her head. "We've got to be right back here bright and early in the morning," she reminded her boss.
"I know." Lifting her head again, Tsunade half-sighed, half-growled. "And that's easy for you to say, Miss I'm-going-off-to-New-York-for-vacation."
"Thanks again for giving me the time off." Hinata looked to Sasuke and shared a smile with him that warmed his insides and made at least part of his exhaustion dissipate. "I'll bring you back something amazing from New York."
"You'd better!" Tsunade got to her feet and headed toward the door. "You all go on. I'm going to flip off the lights, lock the door, and head home myself. See you in the morning, Hinata."
"See you," Hinata echoed. When she caught Sasuke looking around at the things still scattered around the room, she shook her head. "We'll clean it all up tomorrow." They left the meeting room and headed for the back door, behind which both their cars waited.
Just as they got to the door, a thought occurred to Sasuke. "Oh, hey, dinner with your family."
"Right!" Hinata stopped in the process of pulling her keys out of her purse. "We're supposed to be there Saturday night around five. Do you need directions, or do you want me to pick you up?"
"How hard is their place to find?" As Hinata gave him directions, he was surprised to realize Neji and Tenten lived only a few minutes from his place. "Okay, not hard at all. I can meet you there, if that's fine?"
"Of course." Hinata led the way out the door, then paused while Sasuke closed it behind them. Right before it clicked shut, he heard Tsunade in her office just a couple doors down, muttering to herself. "So I'll meet you there Saturday around five, right?" he asked.
Hinata nodded. "Right." They stopped next to the driver's side of her car, which was parked next to his in the only three spots occupied. Shiho had already left, since she had to be at one of her college classes at seven the next morning. "See you then."
"See you." Sasuke wavered for a moment before giving to the temptation to take her hand not holding her keys and draw her in to close the space between them. Bending his head, he kissed her again, very lightly on the corner of her shyly smiling mouth.
Sasuke waited until Hinata had started her car and backed out of her spot before he got into his own car. For a moment he just sat behind the wheel with his eyes closed, breathing in and out, readjusting and enjoying the dark and quiet.
He'd just tackled a room bursting with people for over two hours and survived relatively unscathed.
After that, Sasuke felt like he could conquer the world.
*~To Be Continued~*
Author's Ending Notes: I love seeing the change in Sasuke in this story. Bringing him out of his shell and into the world - slowly, sometimes, reluctantly, but steadily - was one of the most satisfying, fulfilling things I've ever written. (I know I'm speaking in the past tense, but remember - I've already written out the entire story. Now I'm just posting chapter-by-chapter as I work on my next project.) A couple of fun facts - one time I went to my boss to talk to her about something (I don't even remember what now), and she said the exact same thing to me as Tsunade said to Hinata: "You're not quitting!" and banged her hand on her desk. It was too funny, and I couldn't resist working it into this story. Also: I once went to a book signing where we were given slips of paper to write out our names and personal messages, and it was so fun and different and efficient, I wanted to work that in, too. (Unfortuantely, the author was running short on time, so the person in front of me was the last person he wrote a personal message for. But it was still fun to see him in person - and I even got to shake his hand!) Also - I don't know why, but I just love the mental picture I have of Sasuke behind the wheel of Old Sensible. Too funny. Sorry for that long author's note, but I had a lot to say this time around! Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you enjoy, and I hope to see you again for next week's update!
