A/N: Hello everyone, a quick note before we dive in:

This is set just after The Last Movie, in a world where NaruHina hasn't happened yet, but the other events are generally the same. It's SasuHina. Also, it's a rewrite of something I tried working on years ago.

That's all! Thanks!

Summary

In a new era of peace, Hinata Hyuga struggles to find her place. With her love for Naruto seemingly unreciprocated, she has fallen into a lonely, depressed state—until an accidental meeting with Sasuke Uchiha leads her to an unlikely friend.

Chapter One

Beneath the crashing of the waterfall, the girl's cries resounded through the forest. Her knees were tucked to her chest as her shoulders trembled, her face buried in the pale skin of her forearms.

Sasuke observed from his perch in the tree. He hadn't been back to his homeland since winter. Whatever was going on here was none of his business—he had more important things to worry about, like travelling across the land to atone for his sins. But Naruto could be responsible for this, and that—to Sasuke's disliking—probed his curiosity. He'd been so bored lately. There was no other reason to be anywhere near the Hidden Leaf.

Jumping down, Sasuke landed in the clearing beside the waterfall with a near-silent thud. Mist enveloped her like shards of glass, and her dark hair spilled over her shoulders as she spun to face him, palms stiff in defense. Her quick response might have been impressive, had tears not been falling down her pale cheeks.

Pathetic.

When recognition crossed Hinata Hyuga's face, her body relaxed. "Oh… Sasuke. It's you."

He stepped toward her, surprised when she didn't cower away. "Why are you crying?"

"It's nothing." She hid her eyes beneath her bangs. "You weren't supposed to see that."

"That's not an answer."

"It's nothing, Sasuke. I apologize."

She's too polite, he thought, but a mix of boredom and curiosity caused him to step forward. "Who am I gonna tell? It's not like I'll gossip about you."

"You're his best friend," she said, followed by a quick flinch.

"I haven't seen Naruto in months," he told her. It was true. And the last time they did see each other, Naruto had been drunk off his ass, babbling about girls.

"Come on, man," he'd slurred over a half-empty bottle of sake, "if you could pick any of them, which one would you pick? Actually, what the fuck am I saying? You can have any of them. So which one is it?"

"None of them," Sasuke had replied. "I'm not interested."

That was a lie, though. Sasuke was interested in girls—on some physical level, at least. He just doesn't have the time for them. But Naruto said that after all these years, Sakura was still the one he'd pick, and that Sasuke was lucky to have the option.

Naruto had options, too, though. Hinata's legs were slim but her hips had a curve to them, and a developed chest hid beneath her crossed arms. She was objectively attractive, plus, she hailed from a noble clan. Their offspring would be powerful. Why wouldn't Naruto want this girl?

He scoffed at himself for even wondering.

Hinata peered at him with curious eyes, pure white with a shadow of a pupil. They reminded Sasuke of Neji, but Hinata was nothing like her cousin. Neji deserved respect; the image of him crying under a waterfall was impossible to conjure.

"What are you doing here, Sasuke?" Hinata asked. Meek, as always.

"Just passing through. Don't tell anyone that you saw me, and I won't tell Naruto you were crying over him."

"But... you just said you wouldn't tell."

He shrugged. "Leverage."

"Well, if that's what it takes…"

A warm wind carried the smell of her hair. Lavender mixed with a scent that was… female.

All this travelling had taken a toll on his sanity, so Sasuke passed that off as the reason why he liked the smell of Hinata Hyuga.

When she reached into her pouch and pulled out a box, he raised an eyebrow. Hinata wore a strange smile and approached him until they were close enough to touch. Why wasn't she wary? She shouldn't have trusted him just because Naruto did—that kind of thinking would get her killed.

"Here." Hinata was so short that her head barely reached Sasuke's chest. With a dip of her chin, she held out the box with both hands.

"What is this?"

"Take it, please."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, but accepted it anyway. It was a soft wood with a Hyuga flame carved into the top.

"Naruto talks about you a lot." With her eyes on her feet, Hinata bounced her toes off the grass. "He misses you. I'm not sure why you're here, and not in the village, but…"

"I'm taking a break. Trying to relax. Getting harassed in the village would have the opposite effect." Sasuke opened the box, and inside were several neat pieces of sushi. He handed it back. "This is your lunch."

"I want you to have it."

"Why?"

Her cheeks reddened. "I heard that you helped my father when Toneri attacked. I never had the chance to thank you."

Right. Hiashi Hyuga was Hinata's father.

"I heard what about what you did, too," Sasuke said, but it was hard to imagine this weak girl with tear-stained cheeks fighting off someone as powerful as an Otsutsuki. "It's impressive," he added.

"I couldn't have done it without Naruto and the others. But Konoha could have been destroyed without you."

A pause hung in the air. Maybe the gratitude wasn't so bad. "Thanks." He slipped the box into the pocket of his poncho, and Hinata smiled. There was nothing left to say, so Sasuke turned to leave. "Later."

"Bye." She waved. "It was, um. It was nice seeing you."

"Yeah," he said, and then he was gone.

It annoyed him. Sasuke was looking forward to resting by the waterfall, as he had every day for the past two weeks. But the spot had been compromised.