Will Santa give me the rights to Naruto?

oOo

It was the night of the first performance of the new Team 7. Jugo, Suigetsu, and Karin had already left.

(Suigetsu had practically dragged Karin away, but still.)

It had been a televised event and the promotional material was all over Tokyo. So, they had retreated to Sasuke's secluded home. Jugo had brought cards, Suigetsu the sake, Hinata the food, and Karin the terrifying competitiveness. For a while at least, they had taken Sasuke's mind off his former bandmates' betrayal.

Happily buzzed and reluctant to leave, Hinata lowered herself onto Sasuke's couch in the loft. He had procured an afghan from somewhere, so now she was warm even with the glass doors to the balcony open. The breeze smelled like petrichor and the fire burning in the pit on the deck.

If he wanted to be alone, she could call Guren or another driver service. But she did not want him to experience the same thing she did when visitors left. She was all too familiar with that feeling of emptiness when Kiba and Shino escorted themselves out of her apartment and left her to a night of lying in bed with her intrusive thoughts.

Sasuke, who had just lowered the gas in the fire pit so the flames were small and safer at a distance, walked back inside and lowered himself next to her. He smelled like his cologne and alcohol and the just stopped rain. His arm pressed against hers. His skin was cold but he made her warm anyway.

With only slightly clumsy fingers, she slid half of the blanket to cover him too. She smoothed the fabric over his thighs but snatched her hand back when she realized what she was doing.

With her face burning, she turned away and pretended to be interested in the stairs or something, anything.

Sasuke chuckled and carefully grabbed her hand. He pressed his palm to hers and linked their fingers together.

Hinata startled and blinked at their joined hands.

He rested his cheek on the top of her head. "Hinata," he murmured.

Her body simultaneously wanted to freeze and melt into his side. But it was easy to talk to him when she dd not have to look into his eyes. She stared at their hands instead as he rested them on his leg.

"Yes, Sasuke?"

"If…" He lifted his head to briefly clear his throat. "If… you were to be in the public eye, would you be okay? If… if I made you famous again?"

Her grip tightened. "Do you mean, if people started noticing me around you?"

His voice was hoarse when he responded. "Yeah."

She wondered if she was truly trembling or she just felt shaky with the magnitude of what he was implying. "I remember what it was like. But… when I was a ballerina it wasn't worth it. Because I didn't want to be a ballerina. But if I had a reason to be famous… a reason that I was okay with, and someone to support me through it, then I would be okay."

He pressed closer into her. Making her decision, she relaxed into him.

"I would support you. I'm private anyway, but if we had anything, the public would find out. But I'd be there for you. I promise," he said gravely.

She moved her head out from under his so she could grin up at him. His eyes were soft as he looked down at her. She wanted to capture it because she had never seen him look so gorgeous as he did now.

"Thank you for telling me that." He was a man of action and few words. The fact that he was being as frank as he was said so much about his commitment. "I know you will. I trust you."

His smile was small. It was his turn to duck his head away to hide his blush. "I want this to be easy for you, but I know it won't be. Fame isn't easy."

"But you do what you love. And I want to be near you no matter what." She confessed.

His free hand came up to cover his face. "You can't just say things like that, Hinata."

"But it's true!" She said earnestly. "And, I'll just have to be careful about browsing the internet from now on."

Suddenly, Sasuke untangled their grip. He used his newly free arm to lay it over her shoulders and tug her impossibly closer. He surprised the hell out of her when he laid a brief kiss in her hair. She clutched at his shirt. Then a kiss on her forehead. He playfully nudged her head and pecked another kiss on the tip of her nose. Then her lips.

He only let her see his blinding smile for a second before he pressed it to the join of her neck and shoulder. She slipped her arms around his torso and hugged him. They stayed like that for a long time.

oOo

My family is celebrating Christmas today because I'm working (for a good cause) on the actual date. Whatever you do or don't celebrate, I know the holidays can be hard. I wish you all at least a moment of peace and rest.