I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…..gomengomengomengomengomengomegomen…. I feel so crappy! I didn't update for so LONG. I'm SORRY. ((sob)) Please don't hate me!
And this chapter totally SUCKS too! Such a completely USELESS piece of junk.
Guh… I was so busy, that I wrote like… two sentences whenever I had a moment to sit down… and I had to write it that way. I literally haven't been on the computer for longer than a few minutes at a time. I'm SO sorry about this…L thank you so much for each review, please be gentle… this one really really sucks, I know it does… ugh.
-ink
Hinata let out a long uncertain breath, looking seriously at the ground, cheeks red but from the strain of holding the complicated yoga position. Her right leg was crossed over her other thigh, her hands were above her head, pressed as if she were praying, and the leg she was standing on was bent so she was almost crouching, balanced only because of long years of training.
The black tank top under her mesh shirt was sticky with sweat, the glistening liquid sliding down her side, tickling the still sore flesh of her rapidly healing wound, making her flinch, wanting desperately to scratch, but she didn't move.
Sasuke walked around her, moving over the forest ground silently, she had to strain her ears past the sound of her heart's steady beating to hear his footfalls, he was so quiet.
He reminded her of a cat so much sometimes.
Dark eyes serious he studied her body, the generous curves and rippling muscle still feminine in her small body.
She had held the position for over forty-five minutes already, unmoving, blushing furiously at first as he circled, but after a time her eyes had closed and her breathing had slowed, and she had drifted far away from her body. He hadn't felt like she had left his side since she had left the hospital except for that single moment…
Her mind was so far away, it felt like she had left, and for a moment he was slightly forlorn, though he'd never admit it to himself let alone anyone else.
But once the half hour point had gone by the skin between her brows began to tighten, and the sweat began to glide down her pale skin slowly, tickling her flesh. Slowly she began to press her lips together and her eyes finally opened to stare down at the ground, focusing as best she could on not moving.
He could see the strain in her movements, however, and just how much she was struggling to keep it going. Her body was still regaining it's lost strength. Weeks of not training had left it rested, but out of shape slightly.
"That should be enough, Hinata." He murmured suddenly, breaking the stillness for the first time in over an hour. The girl before him lifted her eyes off the ground at him, and he noticed a difference in her gaze from what he saw normally.
There was pride there, pride that hadn't been there before. She still didn't move.
"I can keep going." She stated, her voice just slightly breathless, cheeks reddening a bit more.
Sasuke felt admiration tug at the corner of his mouth, making him want to smirk. "I know." He replied, waiting for her to make the choice on her own.
Frowning down at the ground again Hinata sighed, lowering herself from the position gracefully, like a dancer finishing a move that had been held on standstill.
Slowly she shifted her weight, stretching out her sore muscles. "…I have lost much of my strength." She whispered, sounding disappointed.
Sasuke crouched by a nearby tree, rummaging in their bags. "Healing does that."
"Summer is almost over." She added softly, walking over, her fingers moving through his hair absently, focused more on her thoughts than her movements.
Sasuke almost purred, licking his dry lips he straightened, awed slightly by just how easily she had adapted to fill his desire for touch without jeopardizing her honor…
He still craved for her… all the time, but his cravings were always satisfied with soft caresses and gentle kisses, more innocent than he was sure all the other kunoichi would have dared, and for that he was glad.
Unlike the rest… his body wasn't what she wanted.
"It's not even the end of July yet." He replied, passing her a water bottle silently, watching as she fiddled with it, her eyes still downcast.
It worried him… her belief in her improvement before her birthday was waning. He had to figure out a way to get her to believe it again….
"July 21st is close enough to the end of the month." Hinata sighed, swirling the contents in the bottle before taking a long drink.
Sasuke however wasn't paying attention, suddenly startled by her words.
July 21st? It's July 21st already?
A long string of curses followed and he ran a hand through his hair silently, looking up at the canopy of trees.
His birthday was in two days.
How many people were so dense as to forget their own birthdays?
"Sasuke?"
Startled he turned to look at her, studying her confused and slightly concerned expression. "Hm?" he enquired, taking the bottle from her hand and distracting himself by drinking.
Hinata blinked at him, puzzled. "You looked like you were thinking about something…" she cocked her head, watching him shrug, the tightness between his brows stating he was hiding something.
"Nothing important."
"Oh." The girl rubbed her arm confusedly, a little hurt that he had shut the door on her so sharply.
The truth was he didn't know how to say it. Somehow Hey, Hinata, my birthday is in two days and you'll probably have assassination attacks from my fangirls… didn't sound like a good idea.
"Let's go back, Sakura said she would look over your wound after training." He continued, trying to loose the old topic.
Hinata nodded, studying him still, a bit subdued by both his silence and the fact that her training was going so slowly. It was summer still, and therefore she had a few more months to get better, but technically she wasn't even supposed to be training.
It had only been about three weeks since she had left the hospital, and Tsunade would have a fit if she found out.
Almost as much a fit as Sasuke had had when he caught her doing push ups in the morning.
The brush of the breeze caused by the opening door made her look up, sweat sliding down her nose as she went down and then back up, her arms burning from the motion, stopping at the pale and slightly startled expression on Sasuke's face.
"Good morning." She stated, looking back down at the marble, going back down, and then up… one handed.
"…what are you doing?" Sasuke asked, a rhetorical question, obviously, seeing as he knew perfectly well what she was doing.
Hinata blinked down at the marble as she pushed back up, switching hands. "Push ups." She stated, looking at him confusedly, going back down.
For a moment the Uchiha mouthed, much like a fish, unable to find the correct words to express what he was feeling.
Perhaps because he didn't actually know.
There was a mixture of discontent, admiration, worry, and panic all rolled into one. And to top it all off, he did 'not' want to snap at her sarcastically like he would anyone else.
Finally shutting his mouth, which had worked uselessly for a good few seconds without coming up with anything logical to say, he stated. "…I thought you weren't supposed to train."
The cute Hyuuga finally stopped working her body up and down and held the position, both hands on the ground, ignoring the tugging pain of her stitches being irritating against her side under the heavy black shirt she was wearing.
One of his shirts, he noted, as he studied her carefully.
"…Sounds like you." she blinked back innocently.
He might have believed she was being innocent if he hadn't seen that small almost invisible tug of her lips that looked almost like a smirk.
He wasn't sure which of the two things was stunning him the most. The fact that she had rendered him speechless and without a defense for his argument, or the fact that Hinata Hyuuga was smirking at him. Sweet, gentle, shy Hinata Hyuuga was actually 'smirking'.
Wasn't smirking an expression reserved particularly for the bad guys?
"Tch." He stated instead, resisting the urge to twitch… or smirk back.
Silently he watched as she began to push up and down again, paying him little attention, though he noted that she was blushing, fully aware of his eyes traveling over her body.
"…how long have you been training for?" he muttered, wondering how long she'd been able to wake up earlier than him to avoid exactly what they were going through right then.
"Since I got out." She said it so calmly, and yet sheepishly that he rolled his eyes behind her back, allowing himself the movement while she wasn't watching.
"You should start with yoga first."
She stopped again, turning over to look at him, stretching out her arms, blinking.
"Are you going to show me?"
"You're asking me to train you. Again?"
Hinata smiled, red cheeked. "Hai."
"You realize this time Tsunade might kill me for it." That time he sighed, leaning his head against the door frame of the foyer in which she had chosen to train. Oddly enough that was where he warmed up as well.
The Hyuuga heiress shook her head. "She would not!"
"Hn." He said it disbelievingly.
"She wouldn't. Really." She tried again, cocking her head, rubbing her face with her sleeve- actually his sleeve, seeing as it was his shirt.
"She's just looking for a reason to rid of me in the first place." He grumbled, disagreeing with her completely, shifting his weight.
Hinata laughed, pushing herself to her feet fluidly, ignoring the tug of the stitches against her skin, refusing to flinch.
"She really wouldn't."
He looked at her thoughtfully, feeling like she knew something he didn't. "Why not?"
Hinata stopped, right in front of him, eyes sliding smoothly to the floor, blushing furiously.
Quietly she mumbled something he couldn't hear, making him lean in, just the excuse of coming into her space enough to draw him in.
"Hn?" he enquired softly, already beginning to daze from breathing in her very essence.
"…because…I like you, and…she w-wouldn't…because…I w-wouldn't l-let her." Hinata repeated carefully, feeling the blood rushing to her face.
Sasuke Uchiha did not 'aww' about things. He didn't admit when he thought things were cute- if he ever did, which was rare in itself.
He did not admit it.
Awww. Yep, he thought it.
"…you're so amazingly… cute." He grumbled almost, drawing her into a hug, nuzzling her neck, blushing furiously. Hinata giggled, amused by his hesitance to say the word.
"…is this how you throw a fit?" Hinata enquired, tickling the delicate spot under his jaw with her lips, making his hands tighten around her slightly.
"…pretty much."
"…how is Naruto-kun?" she enquired, following as he started out of the forest slowly, waiting for her to catch up to his pace.
"What do you mean?"
"…ano… Since Sakura-chan talked to him a few weeks ago…"
"Hn." Sasuke grunted, resisting the urge to roll his eyes again, finding it easier each day to express himself in front of her.
"Is he okay? He seemed quite upset last time I saw him…" Hinata admitted, remembering the blonde smiling weakly at her at the door of their new house, asking for Sasuke with few words.
Sasuke had gone out with him to have a drink, something Hinata had been slightly wary of, remembering the last time he had drank anything, however he returned relatively sober, and frowning.
Upon enquiry he had explained Sakura's sudden confession and Naruto's equally sudden need to get out of the village. He'd taken his sannin-sensei and left the next morning.
"To think." Sasuke had explained, sounding vaguely sarcastic. "He's been in love with Sakura since they were twelve, I don't understand what he needs to think about."
Hinata had blinked at him, pondering whether or not to tell him about how he had been acting around her before the Chuunin exams. Deciding against it, for the time being, she had said nothing, only sat there frowning.
Sasuke had studied her with care, well aware of Naruto's wavering affection for Hinata and also her childhood crush on the would-be Hokage.
But she said nothing, and didn't seem particularly disturbed by the situation, aside from her usual worries.
"I think he said he would be returning some time this week, from what I understood in the letter he sent."
"He has been gone for a long time." Hinata admitted, putting a hand on her side lightly, frustrated by the handicap that the wound forced on her. Sasuke noted the movement, but her expression did not change and so he ignored it, attempting to give her the respect she deserved as a fully capable shinobi.
"Sakura-chan has been very gloomy." Hinata sighed softly, running a hand through her hair. "I miss her cheerful self."
Sasuke didn't reply, he didn't miss the cheerful Sakura, she was too loud. Though, it had been rather dull having her over once or twice and seeing Hinata fidgeting worriedly at Sakura's soft voice and obviously gloomy expression.
The Hyuuga heiress didn't seem disturbed by his silence, but continued to follow as they stepped back onto the marked road heading back to the village, glancing up at the sky to check the time.
It was perhaps an hour before noon. Any other day without a wound she would have continued training another three hours before stopping.
Something about that was disturbingly saddening.
As if catching on to her mood Sasuke glanced over at her a moment, watching her hair dance with each step, flowing backwards at the touch of a summer breeze. She had gained some color over the last few weeks from being in the sun. It brought out the hugeness of her eyes, and outlined her lips.
If it was possible, she was more gorgeous than when he had first met her, and even then, without any attachments he had been surprised by how pretty she was, how he hadn't noticed her before.
He wasn't one to ask very often, or care about someone, but his tongue seemed to loosen sufficiently enough to enquire, despite being vaguely uncomfortable with the situation.
"…are you okay?"
The girl startled out of her thoughts, turned to look at him, blinking. "Mm… ano… hai." She nodded, smiling weakly.
"Just… thinking about what you told me once."
Sasuke started, surprised. "Hn."
"…you told me, that I should try to win my heiress title for myself." She smiled weakly again, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "…ano… now that I want it, I don't think I can do it."
"You have nearly four months to improve, Hinata." Sasuke frowned, worried. If she didn't believe it herself, it was a lot less likely that her body would follow her commands… and against someone like Hanabi, whom he had been told would train without stopping through the day… she needed her mind to be stronger.
Stronger.
This whole time, it was all about getting stronger.
"It took five for me to get to the level I was when I faced your brother." She whispered softly, explaining the logic of her thoughts. "And that was when I was healthy…"
It was true… things would be difficult.
Sakura sighed, feeling a headache coming on at the powerful cries from the children around. The babes had been sobbing continually for over an hour, despite her best attempts to shush them. Something about that made her nervous. If ever she wanted to have children she hoped it wasn't as bad as what she was experiencing.
Though, seeing the way things were going any man she ever fell for would turn her away, most likely for Hinata.
The thought made her stop, looking sadly on at the face of the baby in her arms, and his tear filled blue eyes that reminded her so much of Naruto's own blazing gaze.
He had been gone for weeks, and as a result she hadn't been able to sleep. His look of shocked disbelief at her words weeks earlier had rendered her speechless, wishing she could take it back…
He didn't want to hear about her affections, apparently.
Sighing heavily she put the baby back down, struggling not to start crying herself, rubbing her face slowly in an attempt to calm herself.
The door opened and she almost burst into tears again in relief. "Oh thank God, Toki-chan… I can't handle it anymore." She whispered, rubbing at her tears, thinking it was the nurse that stood there.
Slowly she turned and froze at the sight of Naruto, standing with his back against the door, watching her silently.
The sight of him was so startling that she froze, looking back at his impassive expression in complete awe, like a deer caught in the headlights she shifted slightly, licking her dry lips nervously.
"N-naruto-kun." She began, clearing her throat as her voice caught, watching his blue eyes travel over her face so calmly it was unnerving.
The silence stretched out for a long endless moment, making her flinch visibly. "…when did you-" she began and then started as he pushed away from the wall and walked towards her silently, looking down at his headband in his hand, fiddling with it, his expression so disturbingly serious that she couldn't see how what he was going to say was good news.
Not again… please not again… I can't take another no…
He stopped in front of her, still looking down.
"Sakura-chan." He sighed, frowning down at his worn fingers fiddling with the metal in his hands. "…Gomen…"
Sakura closed her eyes, feeling the tears starting to fight their way out, spilling down her cheeks despite her best intentions. How was it possible that a single word could shatter her whole world? Again, again she was being told to vanish, to bloody well go away…
She didn't think she could speak but she tried, looking down sharply. "…ne… ne, I- ano… I understand-" she began, her voice shaking.
But his hands were suddenly taking her chin, forcing her to look up at him, with his slightly weakened but all too familiar half grin.
"No you don't."
He said it so firmly that she thought for a moment he was teasing, trying to get her to stop crying. Angrily she bit her lip. "What are you talking about? I'm fine, damn it-" she gasped, startled promptly by his lips crashing into hers, forcing her to shut the hell up in a way no else could quite manage.
Like hitting a solid brick wall she stood there, letting him kiss her, unable to reply. He pulled back, studying her face hesitantly, well aware that she hadn't responded. "…I left, I didn't know what to do- you confused me…" he began.
Sakura shook her head. "Shut the hell up." She muttered, forcing him into another kiss, unaware of just how broad his smirk was at her reaction.
There was desperate need there, but on his part there was hesitance, a sort of boundary line being set up by his pulling back gently, despite wishing desperately to keep exploring the warmth of her mouth.
"Ne…" Sakura muttered, completely comfortable with her arms around his neck, somehow it felt natural, as if she'd imagined it so often her body knew exactly how to fit itself around him. "…why did you come back now?"
"…because I made up my mind." Naruto admitted, nuzzling her neck, forcing himself not to think about the many naughty things he wished he could do to her.
"And it's Sasuke's birthday in like… two days."
Sakura's eyes widened at his words, pulling back to stare at him. It was a strange topic to be talking about right after having kissed him, but somehow it felt disturbingly natural too.
"…I forgot."
Naruto couldn't help flashing her his goofy grin. "I guess you 'do' love me then!"
Green eyes narrowing slightly, Sakura leaned in, her nose bumping against his. "I don't lie."
"…I…I'm not your second choice, am I?" Naruto studied her silently; making her draw back again to look at him, studying his face, realizing suddenly what it was that had made him hesitate so much.
"…am I yours?" she replied softly, remembering Hinata… her sudden power, her sudden grace… his sudden attraction.
Naruto blinked at her. "What…? No…I've been crushing on you since-"
"We were twelve, yeah I know." Sakura wrinkled her nose slightly, remembering in a tidal wave of flashbacks the many instances he had looked at her with a softened expression, blue eyes glittering with something that had made her stomach have butterflies and do flips. She hadn't ever understood it.
Now she did.
"No, you're my better choice." She admitted, turning to look back at him, staring right back into those clear blue eyes, raw honesty drawing another sheepish smile from the blonde.
"Okay then…" he smirked. "Can I kiss you again?"
"…you're such a goof." She mumbled, brushing her lips against his, feeling the deliciously slow movement accurately. "…you shouldn't even bother asking…"
"Sasuke's birthday is tomorrow?" Ino gasped, nearly falling off her chair, seeing as she had begun to lower herself onto it only to hear Sakura's words.
The café owners only sighed from their place behind the counter; shaking their heads as the loud blonde patron they knew so well drew the attention of several onlookers.
"Hai." Sakura smirked, bright eyed and blushing, looking much like she was completely and utterly in love, which Ino knew at that moment she was.
Seeing as she was sitting on Naruto's lap, for crying out loud. Resisting the urge to roll her blue eyes the other blonde settled down finally in front of them, licking her lips deviously, tapping her manicured nails on the table.
They looked like an escaped trio from the hospital. Sakura's leg was still broken, something that had not healed and probably wouldn't for another few weeks, and Ino was still bandaged all over. The only one with no bandages was Naruto, though he did have wraps around his neck and shoulder. Some freak accident with his slightly perverted sensei had rendered the muscles around his shoulder almost useless during training.
"How the heck did I forget? That day used to be like… bigger than Christmas in my book." Ino grumbled, tapping her fingers on the table again. "It's weird."
"You're telling me." Naruto grunted. "I hear he's lost half his fan club too, by the way. Shino's getting a lot of attention though."
Ino flinched, recalling her little slip up at the hospital a few weeks back. "Eh… where did you hear that?"
Sakura and Naruto blinked back at her, puzzled slightly. "…just word of mouth. Some vendor mentioned girls were wearing chibi-shino bracelets."
Relaxing again the kunoichi grinned feebly. "Oh, how sad."
Cocking an eyebrow Sakura rolled her eyes. "Forget that, we'll find out what you're hiding later. But now, about Sasuke's birthday-"
"Well, I don't know if we should even do anything." Ino interrupted suddenly, making the couple stare at her again dumbly. Either Naruto's stupidity was rubbing off on Sakura or Sakura's thick headedness was rubbing off on Naruto.
Both, was more likely.
"Why not?" they stated in unison. Ino smirked, realizing suddenly that they knew nothing of the current standing between the aloof Uchiha and the Hyuuga heiress.
"Nooothing." She sang smugly, glancing around to see if there was anyone to flirt with. Being one of the only single kunoichi was hard sometimes.
The café had returned to it's normal cycle of ignoring the loud mouths in the corner and so she studied the people, waiting for the two shinobi in front of her to start asking questions.
Very happily the two complied.
"Why not?"
"We've been celebrating his birthday for years-"
"He's 'got' to have a party, it's his nineteenth birthday!"
"Hey- I need another reason to get him drunk-"
"Ino- what the hell?" Sakura finally snapped, banging her hand on the table to draw the attention of the girl in front of her. Blinking mildly Ino finally turned to look at them, smirking.
"Weeeell." She sighed, tossing her hair this way and that, all too amused. "Maybe Hinata wants some time alone with him on his birthday… if you catch my drift."
Naruto stared blankly back at her, confused, while Sakura frowned, thinking hard.
Slowly her eyes widened into huge shocked glittering green orbs.
"….WHAT?!"
The reaction made Naruto start slightly, watching the two girls exchange knowing looks. "The hell… what are you talking about?"
"Since when do they spend time alone like that?" Sakura gasped, nearly standing. Naruto's hands grabbed her around the waist, dragging her back down. "Okay, someone bloody well tell me what's going on… or I'll… do something." He grumbled lamely. Sighing Sakura leaned into him, whispering something in his ear that made him freeze.
"What?! No way!"
Ino shrugged. "Maybe."
"But you don't know for sure, has she talked to you about it?" Sakura began, rushing to find answers. Now that she thought back on it there were signs everywhere. They had been extremely comfortable around each other's personal space when she had visited them at their new house a few weeks ago, and the day before when she had examined Hinata's wound after their training session they had been so comfortably silent that Sakura had begun to feel out of place…
"I dunno… maybe we should just plain ask." Ino grinned evilly, matching Sakura's evil expression with ease. Naruto on the other hand might as well have had a halo over his head. "Oh… wait a second, Sasuke's not like that-"
"Aw, come on. The ice-brick could use some teasing." Ino grumbled. "I just need to find out the juicy details from Hinata-chan first!"
"Knowing Hinata there might not be any juicy details." Naruto retorted, feeling that protectiveness he got when someone was being a little threatening to his friends.
"How about this then…" Sakura began. "We snatch Hinata away for coffee, so we can talk to her about his birthday and see what she plans to do and if she needs any help. You can drag Sasuke away and ask him about Hinata." She continued, turning to look at Naruto, who paled slightly.
"Aw… I dunno, Sasuke can be a hard nut to crack…"
"You like crushing things." Sakura teased, sticking her tongue out at him playfully. Giving her a slightly comically half glare Naruto sighed. "Fiiine."
"It's the face, isn't it." Ino grunted, vaguely jealous of their obviously flourishing relationship. "That face she made, that's your weakness."
Before Naruto could answer Sakura was smirking, cuddling into his embrace all too perfectly. "Of course it is."
"Ball and chain, that's all I gotta say." Ino stated slyly, flashing Sakura a smirk as she began to stand up and gather her things.
"Oh shut up, you're single for a reason, blondie!" Sakura grunted, grabbing onto her crutches and starting to pull herself up as well.
"Are you sure you're gonna be able to make it all the way to their house?" Naruto muttered, eyeing her broken leg with distaste. He had half a mind to pick her up when she laughed. "I'll be fine. We'll take Hinata out, then you can get Sasuke after you're finished your business with the Hokage, ne?"
The blonde shrugged. For some reason there was a feeling that he had grown rapidly over the last few months, as if it had aged him… and everyone else.
"Sure thing." He stood, planting a ridiculously sweet kiss on her lips before turning around and giving them both a wave. "I'll see you later then!"
"Bye…" Sakura swooned, while Ino pretended to gag behind her.
"You two are so lovey-dovey it makes me sick."
"You're so sick you're green with envy, blondie." Sakura grinned back, starting their long slow process towards Sasuke's (and now Hinata's) house.
"I just hope they're not as bad." Ino grumbled. "You four will be intolerable to be around if they are."
Sakura began to laugh, trying to imagine Sasuke being as affectionate.
"I really… really don't think so."
Ino was silent for a moment, following her train of thought.
"You're right. How unlikely. Hinata is pretty much Virgin Mary too."
"How sad."
"How very sad indeed."
Ironically enough, sadness was the last thing on Hinata's mind. Biting her lip to try and keep from giggling too much she glanced back over her shoulder at Sasuke, who had come up behind her, hands wrapping around her waist, sliding across the strip of bare flesh that was exposed because of how short her shirt was.
"…you're too tempting." He grumbled, nuzzling her neck and shoulder, lips trailing across the warm skin smoothly, leaving tickling flames to dance across it and down her back, sending shivers all over.
"…I'm sorry…"
"I'm not, that's the problem." He was smirking, she could hear it in his voice as he nibbled her earlobe, forcing her to swallow the urge to turn around and face him, kiss him just as hard as she wanted to unlike every other time she had kissed him so far.
But there were tomatoes frying on the pan in front of her and she couldn't just abandon the poor things (or so she told herself) so she continued to slide them around the greased pan, fingers shaking as she tried not to sigh too much or too loudly…
"T-they're a-almost d-done." She stammered, feeling his fingers trail up her arms, sliding across her flesh, forcing her to close her eyes for a moment.
Control yourself, Hinata… control yourself…
"I don't really care." He whispered suddenly, making more goosebumps rise across her flesh at the warm breath that caressed her neck.
…Oh god… if he doesn't stop soon I'm going to-
There was a sharp knock on the door, and the sound of giggling from outside, they could hear the sound traveling from the porch to the kitchen window that wrapped around the corner of the house.
A word that was less than pleasant slipped out of Sasuke's mouth, making Hinata start giggling. Smiling broadly and oh so utterly glad that she had something to do she reached up and kissed him quickly, pointing at the tomatoes on the pan. "Watch those for me!"
"Right." He sighed, leaning against the counter, wrinkling his nose in a way that made her stop at the doorway, the expression so much like a panther cub that she began to giggle again, blushing furiously but much too comfortable to care.
"You're too cute."
Before he could reply she ran out the door, heading towards the entrance, leaving him blinking after her, cheeks reddening rapidly, tomatoes forgotten completely.
…She thinks I'm cute!
At the door Hinata straightened out her blouse quickly, running her fingers through her hair before unlocking it and opening it quietly, blinking out in the summer day sun.
"Oh!" she started at the sight of Sakura and Ino, who were grinning broadly. "Hinata!"
The change in Sakura's chakra was so obvious that the young Hyuuga could see it the moment her eyes landed on her. Pink cheeked, smiling, eyes glittering and looking happier than usual the pink haired kunoichi grabbed her into a hug, almost falling over as her crutches tangled.
"Ah!" the giggling fit that took over her made Hinata start as she steadied her friend. "Nani- Sakura-chan, Ino-chan… what are you-"
"We've come to kidnap you for a bit!" Ino cried, wagging her finger at her. "And you've no way of saying no."
Sakura straightened finally, flashing her a grin. "We haven't hung out together as friends in what seems a lifetime! You've got to come out with us, just for coffee, ne?"
Hinata stared back at their random expression with a puzzled one of her own, hesitant to comply.
"Ano.." she began, wishing she could slam the door and turn around without a care. Sasuke was waiting and she didn't really want to go out…
But the temptation was so viciously blunt… maybe going out wasn't such a bad idea…
"Demo…" she began, despite thinking it was a better idea to go out.
Ino jumped at the word, shaking her head hard. "No way out! Where's your boy-toy anyway?"
Hinata colored so quickly it was like a night and day transition in two seconds. "Nani!?" she squeaked. The nickname was so randomly flung out that it stung. If Sasuke heard that…
"Boy-toy?" Sakura began to laugh suddenly, nearly falling over in her giggling again.
"Sasuke-kun!" Ino shouted into the house. Hinata flinched, moving to stand in her way. "Ino-chan… I really d-don't think t-that-"
"We're kidnapping Hinata!"
Reluctantly Sasuke stepped out into the foyer, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. Hinata flinched, looking wide eyed at the ground, waiting for the verdict.
"Hn." He said.
Mentally she translated the question, forcing herself to look up at him, her shoulders shrugging, that uncomfortable odd motion he noted she could never really pull off.
"Fine." He shrugged back, sounding bored.
"One second!" Hinata called to the two girls, running back inside, leaving her two friends standing at the door blinking. Sasuke looked back at them for a long minute then turned around and followed Hinata back inside, grumbling mentally about people and their general annoyances.
Once inside the kitchen he did as he usually did and leaned against the doorframe, looking at her scooping the tomatoes out of the pan and slipping them onto a plate, seasoning them so quickly and efficiently that he smirked behind her, forgetting for a moment that she was about to leave.
It was probably the first time she had left the house without him since she had come back. He'd been so focused on having her around that he hadn't done anything on his own really... except for slept.
And that was only sometimes, once or twice they had fallen asleep on the couch together. Innocently.
Mostly.
"Here. I won't go for very long, I just don't feel like it, really." Hinata muttered, sighing softly and putting the plate on the table.
"They just haven't seen me in so long and I-"
"It's okay." he smirked at her again, watching her fidgeting nervously.
"...No." she grumbled, blushing as he walked over and fiddled with her hair gently. "Not really. I kind of don't want to go."
"Then don't."
"But I kind of do."
"That may be an issue." he was smirking again, tracing his fingers over her neck, up along her jaw making her close her eyes.
"...you're making me want to stay more..." she sounded dreamy, as though she wasn't paying attention to what she was saying.
But her words made his cheeks begin to warm, although he was enjoying it way too much to care. "I know." his voice was smug.
Sighing she reached up to land a soft kiss on his lips before grinning shyly and moving away.
"I'll be back in a bit."
"Hn." he reached up, ruffling his own hair in that odd manner of his. Hinata grinned at him again and then stepped backwards, heading out the door, hands clasped behind her back. "Okay... I'm going now."
"I know." he watched, resisting the urge to snatch her back from the doorway.
"I'll be back later."
"Hai."
"I'll be home to make dinner."
"Mhm."
"I love you..."
Sasuke stopped, looking up at her, gracing her with a smile for a moment. "You're lingering."
Hinata grinned back, bubbly with the sight of him actually smiling.
"Bye!" she turned, slipping out from the kitchen back into the foyer, smiling and blushing and altogether too happy for Ino and Sakura, who were waiting impatiently, not to note.
"What's with the sudden grin?" Ino enquired, eyeing her thoughtfully. Hinata skipped down the steps, reaching them quickly, closing the door behind her before either of them could glance inside curiously.
"What grin?" she grinned, walking out into the bright summer's day happily, all too bubbly to really care what they had hidden in their sleeve.
Sakura and Ino exchanged knowing devious looks.
"All right, let's go for coffee." Sakura nodded, twirling one of her crutches absently. "We need to 'talk'."
Hinata shrugged, completely unaware of the tone of voice she had used for the word 'talk'.
"Okay."
Ino rolled her eyes.
And here I thought they were the sane couple...
"Old Lady Tsunade." Naruto smirked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about not coming sooner and all that... I was kind of busy-'
"Catching up with your girlfriend and my pupil I suppose?" Tsunade grumbled, signing a document violently and tossing it onto a growing pile on her desk.
"Sort of." Naruto admitted, blushing despite himself.
"It's because of the summer. Summer and Spring, the youth go insane." Tsunade continued to grumble, siging something else without even glancing at it. She might have been siging away the life of someone but at that moment the blonde Hokage didn't really give a damn.
Then again she never 'really' did give a damn.
"I'm assuming you went away to learn some sort of powerful technique that is going to be used to help the village. Hmmm?" she enquired, looking up at him, daring him to contradict.
For a moment Naruto felt much like he might have to lie, seeing as the look she was giving him was much like the look some sort of queen with the will to chop off his head would have.
"Ano..." he began sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head again. "I... well, not really... Mainly... I just-"
"You LEFT for weeks!" Tsunade snapped, standing up, chair flinging back loudly at her movement. "Because you couldn't figure out whether you like Sakura or not?!" The Hokage's hair was waving around her face, chrakra so powerfully present that it felt like he was suffocating slightly. Blinking in the sudden image of her fury, which made her look very demonic indeed he stepped back.
"Ne, ne... I did train, you know-"
"You've been in love with the girl for YEARS! You insufferable fool." Randomly she grabbed a book and chucked it at him, making the other blonde duck.
"GOMEN! But stop throwing things at me, what the hell-"
"Stupid stupid stupid!" Tsunade continued, ranting without listening at all.
Naruto dodged another book and what might have been a fork, though it flew by too fast for him to really see.
"I 'needed' you to take missions- I had to send out some of the students from the academy for crying out loud!"
"Well I'm sorry!"
"That's not good enough!" she threw something else, an apple, it looked like, the sound of it smashing against the wall louder than he had thought it would be.
Grinning like a chesire cat Naruto sighed, straightening himself out, amused despite it all by her loud antics.
"I came back though, didn't I?"
"I almost wish you hadn't!"
"Almost." he laughed goofily, making Tsunade sigh, putting a hand on her forehead. "I think I've got a headache."
"What did you want me for anyway?"
"Shut up, Naruto and let me think."
Sighing loudly the blonde sat down right there on the ground, rolling his eyes. "Fiiine."
"Fine, so now that I know all you did was waste your time and MY time while you were gone we can move on to other more important things." Tsunade sighed softly, rubbing between her brows.
"I want to know exactly what the hell happened during the Chuunin examination. The council has been very lenient when it comes to letting you all off without some sort of deep examination, though, Uchiha Sasuke has been under constant surveillance since the incident."
Naruto stared, suddenly drawn into the conversation fully. "Sasuke is being spied on?" he began, and then flinched, realizing that meant that Hinata…
"Yes. Anbu has been kind enough to let me know the situation between the Uchiha and the Hyuuga have come to a sudden surprising twist." She looked at him evenly, waiting for his reaction, which came quickly.
"Well…. Uh… you see…" Naruto began, hesitating, realizing quite quickly why she was so angry about all the relationships. Of all the bothersome ones Hinata and Sasuke was probably the worst. The two clans had hated each other for so long, and as if to top it all off, Hinata had been disowned with only once chance to regain her rightful title, which might be questioned further if she was with Sasuke- BUT that was on all of it, the cherry on top of the giant chaotic sundae of trouble was that Sasuke was a suspect in the attack on Konoha, all because he was still not fully trusted by the village for having run away.
Naruto's brain nearly melted into a puddle of more useless goo as he processed all this information, rubbing his face. Sighing loudly he rolled back to his feet and stuffed his hands in his pockets, bothered. "Dattebayo." He stated, looking at Tsunade with suddenly tired eyes.
"What the heck do you want me to do about it?"
Tsunade laughed, this time looking almost happy about his question. "Well at least you asked politely. But no, I don't want anything from you directly. There has to be a few changes in the circumstance, however." She sighed. "I need to find out what happened during the examination with solid proof from Hinata so that the council leaves Sasuke alone. That's necessary because I think they need to stay together."
Naruto stared.
"You 'want' them to stay together…?"
Tsunade scoffed. "You think I'd be cruel enough to break them apart?"
The blank blue stare she received forced her to twitch, irritated by his expression. "I am NOT that evil."
"Whatever." Naruto grumbled, hesitant to acknowledge that.
"Hinata… is important to me." Tsunade finally sighed, looking at him seriously for the first time during the entire meeting. "I want her to be happy…. I haven't seen her smile so much before. If Sasuke does that I'm willing to let them be, but her father will not be so lenient. I need to have anything against Sasuke cleared of all suspicion so that when she wins the fight against her sister he won't have more of a load to atone for."
"Wait…" Naruto muttered, rubbing his head tiredly, already getting a headache from thinking so much. "Won't she have to live with her family if she wins the title back? She's going to be of age to take over the household by the time she's nineteen, no?"
"Hai." Tsunade sighed, plopping down on her chair, which she had picked up from having thrown it sometime before. "I just want to give her a choice in the matter."
"Tch." Naruto mumbled, shrugging. "I'll find out what I can, but… I'm no spy."
'I don't care how you do it. I have all the spies I need. I just need information. Be blunt if you have to." Tsunade studied him thoughtfully, the way he stood, the way he looked intensely at his hands, his shoulders straight…
"You've all grown very much.' She muttered suddenly, drawing his attention back with the soft tone. "I'm glad you're all here."
Naruto blinked, startled by her heartfelt words. "Oh…" he began, then began to laugh a little nervously. "Aw, I knew you loved me."
"Don't get cheeky." Tsunade grumped, throwing a book again absently. "Now get out."
"Yes ma'am." He laughed sarcastically, ducking as the book flew past before slipping out the door.
"How are you then, Hinata-chan?" Sakura asked, patting the girl on the head gently, the affectionate touch making Hinata smile sheepishly. "Good, how about you, Sakura-chan?"
"Aside from the broken leg?" the pink haired med-nin asked, letting out a laugh as she struggled to settle down on the chair at the coffee shop.
It was well past midday, soon the sun would start to go down and the sky would be painted with the purples and oranges of the sunset. But at that moment only the birds flicking past and the sound of laughing children down the street at the playground could be heard. Hinata looked on directly across from the coffee shop patio where the three of them were sitting at the bench that lined the road.
She remembered sitting there months ago, waiting for Sakura to arrive for the lunch they were going to take…. She had bumped into Sasuke that same day, by accident stepping into his personal space.
The cold hurt sensation that his energy had left on her skin had made her curious, but she had dismissed the thought. He wanted nothing to do with anyone…
How odd that a few days later he found her and carried her home.
"I have something to tell you." Sakura said, in a more serious tone as she finally settled down. Ino glanced at them as she waved a waiter over, eyeing him with obviously interested blue eyes. "All right, I'm going to go order, when I'm back you'd better be done your little chat, because I want to talk about more interesting things." She added, giving them both a stern look before standing and meeting the waiter half way, beginning to flirt the moment she stood.
Hinata shook her head in amusement, blushing slightly because of just how much power Ino had over the good looking but shy young man.
"What is it?" she stated, while still watching Ino. Finally she turned to look at Sakura, blinking her lavender eyes calmly.
Sakura was studying her hands again, playing with her own fingers and imagining Naruto tracing the lines there the other day, smiling when she giggled as his fingers tickled the soft flesh.
"…I told Naruto." She stated bluntly, turning to look up at her, smiling a bit weakly, unsure of how that was going to go down. Just because she was with Sasuke didn't mean it wasn't an awkward topic, or a sore one.
Hinata nodded, looking unconcerned. "Is that why he left?"
"Yes- he's back now." Sakura added, rubbing her neck, in a fashion that Hinata had seen Naruto do as well.
"Oh?" Hinata frowned slightly, a bit hurt. "He has not come to visit either Sasuke or I."
"He only arrived yesterday." Sakura admitted, studying her, watching for any signs of resentment. However there seemed to be none, only curious understanding.
Hinata stared back, confused by Sakura's own puzzled expression. 'Is everything okay, Sakura-chan?"
Finally the girl shook her head, surprised despite herself. Hinata had always proved to be the better person, but for some reason she had assume… somehow, that things would be awkward between them again.
Apparently not.
"No, actually." She smiled. "He kissed me."
Hinata's eyes widened and she nearly stood in her surprise, letting out a gasp. "Really! Oh, I'm so happy for you, Sakura-chan!" the small girl reached out and took her friends hands, vibrating with happy energy. "I'm so glad! I was so worried!"
Sakura just shook her head at her, vaguely amazed by the simple and honest joy in her friend's face. "You know something, Hinata" she smiled weakly. "I don't think I've ever told you just how amazing you are."
The Hyuuga started, surprised by the sudden compliment, blinking back at her friend confusedly before letting out a small laugh. "Oh… ano… a-arigato." She stuttered, coloring rapidly. Sakura grinned. "How about you though?"
"Me?" Hinata began, confused.
Coincidentally Ino returned, settling down on Hinata's other side, flashing her a smile that had already made the waiter swoon. "Yeah, how about 'you', ne?" she elbowed her cheekily.
It took a few seconds for the subject to finally be understood by the pale and innocent girl between them, but the results of knowing were far worse than she had anticipated. Rapidly her face colored over and she felt her knees begin to turn into jelly.
"N-n-nani?" she laughed nervously, attempting to lie and failing miserably.
"What are you talking about?"
"Oh give me a break." Ino sighed loudly. "Sakura knows you're absolutely in love with him."
Hinata's eyes widened rapidly to stare at her friend. "Shss!" she gasped, looking around quickly.
"Did you know it's his birthday tomorrow?" Sakura added, ignoring her shushing them. That seemed to have the right reaction.
The color seemed to vanish from Hinata's face as she turned to look at her two friends, mouth open slightly in surprise. "Nani?" she breathed. "It's his birthday?"
"Yep." Ino nodded. "He gets to be in charge of the Uchiha estate from tomorrow on. He was rich before…" the smirk that lingered on her face expanded. "He's going to be the single richest man in the village tomorrow. The only fortune big enough to rival it is that of 'your' clan."
Hinata's eyes grew bigger, if possible.
"Why would he not tell me it was his birthday?"
Sakura began to laugh. "She doesn't give a damn about the money!"
Ino rolled her eyes, shoving her hair to the side. "That'd be our Hinata,"
"Demo! Ino-chan, Sakura-chan, you have to help me! Why wouldn't he tell me?" Hinata continued, truly flustered by the idea that he would hide something so special from her. She fiddled with her fingers, staring down at her nails which were a lot nicer looking than they had been a few months ago. No training meant not rips or cuts.
"Well, he's going to be attacked by a mob of rampaging fangirls." Ino pointed out, rolling her eyes.
Hinata looked up again, puzzled, rubbing between her brows to rid of the frown. "Ne, he said we were going to go out to the flower fields on the outskirts of the town tomorrow-"
"Aha! There you go- hey then… Is it true then?" Sakura began, leaning in to look at her carefully. "You love him?"
Hinata leaned back, looking startled and a little panicked. "Ano… ano, Sakura-chan-"
"Has he kissed you yet?" Ino asked too, leaning in just to scare her. The Hyuuga heiress melted into her chair, slouching there to get further away from her two friends.
"Ano… ano…"
"Well has he?"
"Yes, he has! Okay?"
There was a sudden silence all around, the other customers stopped to look back at the trio of cute girls who had frozen, two of them staring at one and the one almost slipping off the chair hiding her red face.
"He HAS?!?!" Ino and Sakura shouted, both of them flinging themselves to their feet. Ino bounded over to Hinata and hugged her, almost crying from laughing and being so happy. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god! He kissed you! He kissed you!"
Sakura had her hands slammed over her mouth to contain the squeal of excitement from escaping.
"Has he said he loves you?" She finally asked, peeling Hinata's fingers from her face. The Hyuuga was so red she might as well have turned herself into a tomato. The thought of turning into a tomato however only made her want to laugh because Sasuke happened to like tomatoes anyway…
"…ano…hai."
The two kunoichi couldn't help themselves. They squealed loudly and further embarrassed the all too shy but happy Hyuuga.
They're so cute together that it's making me sick! Ugh. Xx too much fluff!
((cough)) I think... I sound like Ino.
that SUCKS.
Anyway, the story is OVER 300 pages long guys...I am impressed with myself, despite the crappiness of it, lol. I'll be updating soon now because I'm not half as busy as last week.
Read. Review!
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