Chapter 1: Do You Remember Last Night?
Muted rays of sunlight streamed into the room. The lingering clouds and freshly fallen snow on the ground made the light hazy and gray. A few snowflakes continued to fall in front of the window and projected dancing shadows into the room as they fell.
The shifting shadows cast movement over Hinata's eyelids. She was fast asleep until the clouds parted so that a golden sunray fell upon her face. Her face scrunched up in response with her body stirring under the white bedsheets. Within a minute, her eyes began to blink open as she was overcome with the groggiest feeling she had ever experienced.
Kami… My head is killing me, she thought. She reached a hand towards her forehead to massage her temples. Her vision was dark and a tad blurry as she adjusted her eyes to being awake. Before regaining her senses, her head began to pound like a drum. She winced and shut her eyes again, tighter this time. She snuggled further into her pillow, relishing its warmth, smoothness, and firm midsection. She tightened her arms around it. Her pillow's chest rose up and down at a steady place. Hinata's brow furrowed.
Her eyes shot open in a matter of seconds. She tilted her head upwards and was met face-to-face with none other than a peaceful, slumbering Uchiha Sasuke. To her amazement, the man had his arms loosely around her, pocketting her in an envelope of warmth. Her head laid on his chest where she could listen to his gentle heartbeat. Her face went beyond scarlet in embarrassment. Hinata flinched away from the man with such vigor that she broke from his embrace and fell off the bed. She landed with a soft thud and rolled, dragging a bedsheet with her.
She looked up at the bed to find that Sasuke was still dead asleep. Twisting her neck and glancing around, she took careful examination of the bedroom she was in and came to the conclusion that she had never seen this room in her life. Absent-mindedly, she hoped this was some cruel version of a birthday prank and that her friends would admit it now. However, Hinata took one stray glance downward and realized she was in a much more complicated ordeal. Namely, she was completely naked. Hinata shrieked.
Sasuke's head jerked upwards. His head was also pounding while his face revealed this fact with a frustrated wince. The loud, shrill scream did not help either. He supported himself with one hand and brought the other to his aching head.
When he opened his eyes and regained his vision, he was puzzled to see a somewhat familiar girl sitting on his floor. Hinata gaped at him, jaw on the floor with her cheeks still aflame. Sasuke gave the woman a glare for a few seconds before he was able to place her in his mind. When he recognized her as the birthday girl from the gathering he attended the night before, he asked in a rough voice, "Why the hell are you in my room?"
Hinata was crumbling under Sasuke's death stare. She was quivering on the cold wooden floor, and quite frankly, her hands were clammy. She wiped her palms on the sheet and only barely pulled the fabric back up in time to cover her chest after it began to fall. Her breath began to quicken and went out of rhythm, "Wh-Why am I naked…?" she whispered.
Sasuke's threatening expression melted away into one of annoyance. He shook his head lightly at her before stating, "Isn't it obvious?" He rolled his eyes back before turning towards the other side of the bed.
Hinata's brow furrowed at his remark. She felt even more lightheaded when realized the most obvious answer of why she, a woman, would be naked in a man's bed. The fact that Sasuke rose from the bed in a way that allowed Hinata to see his back side and uhm, other side didn't help. When the intense heat crawled up her neck all the way up her head, she collapsed with a soft thud.
He glanced over his shoulder to see the Hyuuga limp on the ground. What the… he thought as he pulled up his boxers with haste. He hopped while shoving his leg down his pants and stopped when he was towering over the girl. He kneeled and began to shake her shoulder. "Hey!" his voice was calm yet assertive, "You have to wake up. Get up!"
A couple of moments passed. Hinata's eyes blinked in rapid succession. When she regained her bearings, a shirtless Sasuke was leaning over her. His bare chest made Hinata's face instantly heat up but the murderous look he sent her made instantly cool down. "Why the hell are you still here?" he growled.
Hinata shot up into a sitting position hugging the blanket close to her. Her face was still flushed as she pondered the question for a moment. She shut her eyes with a grimace and confessed, "I don't remember how I ended up here last night..." her eyes broadened and her mouth fell open again, "Actually… I don't remember anything from last night."
Sasuke sauntered towards the closet and pulled out one of his infamous high collared shirts. He threw it over his torso. "I don't remember anything either. So get out," he hissed.
She puffed her lips out and shot him an angry pout: Hinata's version of a scowl. Her expression didn't last long as she turned her head to examine the floor around her. She noticed her dress and undergarments were scattered on this side of the bed. A small breath left her lips in realization. "I can't go home wearing the same clothes as last night."
He slumped his head against the door of his closet. "And why is that?" he groaned.
"Because then…" her face reddened, "Everyone will know what I did." She looked at him with guilty, shining eyes.
He was unphased. In response, he rolled his eyes and opened his closet once more. He grabbed another shirt with a pair of pants and tossed both in her direction. She flinched when she saw the objects hurtling towards her, but they unceremoniously landed in her lap. The pants were a simple ninja-issued black pair of pants. She spread out the shirt's cobalt fabric to reveal a large Uchiha crest on the back. "I-I can't wear this! It has your clan's crest on it. If anyone saw me wearing this-"
He slammed his fist against the door of the closet and lifted his gaze to meet Hinata's straight on. His infuriated glare was intensified by the activated Sharingan. Her spine trembled under the chills it felt and her body was frozen in place. Hinata's face was drained of all color. "Look," he snarled, "I don't care who you are or how the fuck you ended up here or why you can't wear the fucking shirt. I don't know what I said last night but I can assure you I don't mean a word of it. I don't care how long you've had a crush on me. You're just another crazy fangirl. So wear the shirt, or don't fucking wear the shirt, and leave!" He let his glare linger on the poor girl before exiting the bedroom.
Her eyebrows dropped in contempt and her face burned. She shot him the most enraged glare filled with murderous intent that Hinata had ever given outside of the battlefield. She was livid! When he was done berating her and shut the door behind him, she let out an unladylike scoff.
His fangirl? Me?, she thought as she stood up, still gripping the blanket close to cover her exposed self. She stomped over to her underwear and put it on. Next was her bra. As she shoved her legs through his pants that were a couple sizes too big for her, she thought, A fangirl? What does Sakura-chan see in that man? Hinata's head shot straight up as her face paled for the third time that morning. Oh no. Sakura-chan. I slept with Sakura-chan's crush. What am I going to do? A dark blush crowded her face as the shame hit her. She lightly smacked her forehead in horror at her actions. It's okay. It was obviously a mistake. I'll tell her when the time is right. Hinata filled her lungs with air and released a large exhale before slipping the borrowed shirt over her body. Although the Uchiha had insulted her, Hinata begrudgingly folded his bedsheet and placed it on his bed in a neat, crisp square.
She glanced around the room and a mirror by the closet caught her attention. At the moment, the Hyuuga princess felt as if her entire body had been disabled by the Gentle Fist. Her body ached like it did after a long day's sparring session. Her stomach felt uneasy and would be close to spilling its contents if she wasn't careful. Most of all, her head throbbed in pain that came in waves. And as if all these things weren't enough torture, Hinata was wearing clothes much too big for her from a man who was more than displeased with her. With all these factors in mind, Hinata was certain she looked like a disaster.
Nonetheless, her eyes darted to the door and then back to the mirror. Not like Sasuke was going to return soon.
She slumped her shoulders and dragged her feet until she was in front of the mirror. Hinata winced at the image before her. The nighttime escapade left a sickly appearance on her. Her indigo tresses were disheveled and sticking up in some areas. As she brought her fingers upwards to comb through the bird's nest upon her head, her eyes trailed down her face. Her eyes were weighed down by puffy, lavender-tinted bags. Her skin looked dehydrated and dry. Her lips were a bit cracked and swollen. However, her hands ceased their fussing when she noticed her neck.
Various bruises ranging from pink to purple were littered across her pale skin ranging in size. The spots occupied both sides and trailed from below her ear to the base of her shoulders. Hinata gulped, her face brightening like a red firework. She raised her dainty hands to cover her mouth as she let out a single traumatized squeak.
The Hyuuga shut her eyes and turned on her heel, scurrying out the bedroom door. She hurriedly rushed past the Uchiha who was in the kitchen nursing his headache with a cup of water. She stopped at the door to jam her feet into her shoes, snatch her coat, and walk out the door. Despite the anger and shame burning in her chest, she closed the door, conscious not to make a sound, before scampering down the stairs.
Hinata exhaled, letting a trail of steam chase after her chapped lips. She held the edges of her coat taut against her chest in an attempt to cover the majority of her torso. She huddled in further to the high collar of the shirt. She was grateful that it hid the various, uh, marks she had acquired the previous night but was concerned that someone would recognize the collar and color as one of Sasuke's preferred garments.
Sasuke's apartment was located near the hustle and bustle of the village, right on the outskirts of downtown Konoha. On the other hand, the Hyuuga compound was located in an outer district alongside Konoha's massive wall. After stumbling down his stairs, Hinata hurried down a labyrinth of alleyways to avoid the marketplace and prying eyes. Now, she strided down a roundabout, faint path that shallowly entered into the village's treeline. To her relief, only a few strangers had passed her on her walk.
The bitter morning air nipped at her rosy cheeks and numbing fingertips. She kept her head down, choosing to hide her face behind her navy bangs and examine the slush beneath her. Only a few times, when she was sure there was no one in her immediate vicinity, did she peek upwards and admire the trees' tall and wide branches as they collected snowflakes. She cast her gaze downward again, lost in thought trying to recollect her memories.
"Oi, Hinata!"
Hinata stopped in her tracks. She winced and flicked her head back up to see a dog and two men in the distance. One was wearing a coat surrounded by fur and the other had sunglasses and a jacket with a collar so high his face was almost completely shrouded. Kiba and Shino.
Cursing her luck but never forgetting her manners, Hinata flashed her life-long best friends a smile before jogging over to them. To everyone's surprise, Akamaru growled lowly at her before she could approach properly. The girl stopped in her tracks. Before Kiba could console the hound, the ninken approached her and sniffed the air around her with suspicion. Before long, Akamaru tackled the young lady and assaulted her with loads of sloppy kisses, eliciting a slurry of giggles from Hinata. "Hello to you too, Akamaru-kun!" As she scratched the back of the dog's ears, she exclaimed, "Good morning, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun!" Shino gave her a nod in response.
Hinata's smile quickly faltered upon meeting Kiba's knowing grin. He teased, "Hinata, when did you get home last night?" Shino shot him a (what seemed to be) confused look.
She bit her lip, refusing to let the pink dusting across her cheeks deepen. "A-After the party!" she stammered. Akamaru fell back down on all four feet, Hinata's hands still buried in his fluffy fur.
"Are you sure Naruto-kun didn't take you on a little detour?" he chimed like a schoolgirl with an all-consuming crush. Shino's eyebrows straightened in annoyance at Kiba's lack of nuance in discussing Hinata's feelings.
"N-N-Naruto-kun?" she stuttered. As Hyuuga as she was, the one thing that could occasionally make her so timid was her childhood crush. Does Naruto-kun have something to do with last night? Her head tilted to the side. "Why do you think Naruto-kun took me somewhere?"
"No reason," his smile was rich with abundant mischief, "Maybe because Akamaru didn't recognize you because you smell like a boy!" His eyes glinted as he accused her. A nervous trilling rose from Shino's jacket.
A stifled laugh left her mouth, quickly followed by a sheepish grin. Luckily, Akamaru resided to sit beside her and her free hands wrapped her coat around her front once more. "O-Oh! That might be because I bumped into him just now!" she lied through her teeth. Before the Inuzuka could interject, she added, "I'm sorry, but I must head home now. Otou-sama has summoned me." She bowed low to each of them, her long tresses covering her face and embarrassment before she sprinted down the remainder of the path.
Shino watched as Kiba's grin dropped into a thin line of discomfort. The Inuzaka eyed his female teammate as she faded away into the path's bend and lost sight of her behind the trees. Shino's kikaichu grew restless as he stated, "She has always been a bad liar."
Kiba spared the shinobi a glance without disrupting his disgruntled expression. He crossed his arms and huffed, "She didn't even call me on my bluff! She doesn't smell like Naruto at all. He smells like instant ramen. The smell on her is like the air after a thunderstorm," Kiba's eyes narrowed, "Like that Uchiha bastard. I've had that scent memorized since we were kids!"
Shino's brows came together and upturned in the middle, followed by a slight but hidden frown. "She will tell us the situation when she is ready."
"Of course she'll tell us, eventually!" Kiba barked, "But it's that Uchiha who I won't wait around on. I don't trust him one bit." Akamaru yapped enthusiastically to support his owner. Shino peered off into the trees, mind riddled with concern for their friend.
Pale feet glided over impeccably polished wooden floors. Hinata stuck her head out from a corner, scanning the hallway for any prying eyes. Almost at the very end of the hall was a pristine oakwood door. Her bedroom door. Once she determined that the sight was clear, she sprinted down the hall with soundless grace, balancing her weight solely on her toes.
Entering the compound from behind was unsurprisingly easy for the heiress who had resided here her whole life. She had engraved the guards' schedules and rounds into her mind years ago. Even if she had been caught, she earned the reputation of being the sweetheart among her family so it was likely that the guards would not tell her father of her undignified entrance unless commanded to do so. Despite how mechanical and reserved the Hyuuga were, Hinata knew that they were just like any other villagers, and much like the villagers, the Hyuuga knew how to gossip. She would prefer if word did not spread to the hypercritical elders, or worse…
"Hinata-sama!" A hushed yet irate whisper called out to her.
…to her nii-san. Hinata blanched and froze mid-sprint, her hand only an inch away from the knob. She corrected her posture and turned on her heels, facing Neji with a polite smile and slight blush. He charged down the walkway with his face lowered and darkened, his eyes narrowed enough to pierce her soul. His long strands of hazel hair flared behind him giving him the appearance of a lost spirit out to kill. "Good morning, Neji nii-san," she replied as her smile turned wary.
He towered over her, arms crossed. "Ko-san informed me that Naruto and you did not arrive at the gates last night. Where have you been?" he pressed.
Naruto-kun? She pondered again. When the Uzumaki's name was mentioned earlier, she brushed it off as part of Kiba's usual teasing. Now, it seemed that she had actually spent some time with the blonde last night. Although the thoughts were foggy, she tried to place his spiky hair, bright eyes, and resonant voice in the spinning chaos of her memory.
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Outside the thin window across from her seat, Hinata watched as the icy winds shook the snow off the trees with a surprising vigor. Her eyes twinkled as she watched the snowflakes flutter outside in contrast to the inky blue night sky. I love winter, she thought with a dreamlike tone. It was one of the few things that reminded her of when her childhood had not yet formed into the grueling experience it had been for most of adolescence. Within the grainy memories, there were rare affectionate moments among the Hyuuga household which were now lost to time.
A tiny smile spread across her flushed face as she slowly leaned into her ever-present, ever-fuzzy teammate. Kiba didn't seem to mind however, since he continued to laugh and joke around with Choji and Shikamaru who were seated across from him. Her left hand was acting of its own accord, giving mindless head scratches to her other furry teammate, Akamaru. Shino, who sat on the other side of her, asked if she was okay. She gave a simple nod and a goofy smile to reassure him.
It was Hinata's 20th birthday. Being the youngest out of her friend group to reach the legal drinking age, her friends had taken upon themselves to throw her the best birthday party filled with insane amounts of alcohol. According to Ino, a girl's 20th birthday should be a day to forget stress, insecurities, and work via copious amounts of shots. And much to Neji's dismay, her friends all agreed that no one needed that more than Hinata.
Despite the fact that Hinata had been coerced to promise that she would drink her weight in sake, she had only had one drink before getting moderately tipsy and red in the face. She had never really drank before, besides a few sips for Hyuuga traditions for special occasions. However, her friends didn't seem to mind as they downed the rest of the alcohol themselves. She pressed her eyes closed for a second to enjoy the soft feeling of Kiba's coat before straightening herself up again. As she placed her elbow on the table and the weight of her head into her hand, Hinata blinked her eyes at a slowed pace, redirecting her focus to a certain blonde.
Naruto sat at the end of the table with a slight pink tinge to his cheeks as he talked to his teammates in an animated fashion. Across from him was Sakura, who was examining her nails in a displeased manner. On his left was Sasuke, who wasn't paying attention at all and seemed either lost in thought or lost in the drawing Sai was painting in front of him. All in all, Naruto kept talking as if he had a spotlight placed on him and flashed one of his iconic grins. Although the smile wasn't directed at her, Hinata's own smile grew wider as she melted in the palm of her hand. Her heart fluttered much like the snow outside.
After a few minutes of staring at the oblivious blonde, Hinata watched as Sakura broke the monotony by rising from her seat. She excused herself from teammates and made her way over to the middle of the long table until she stopped in front of Hinata.
"Well, everyone, it's been fun. But Tsunade-sama needs me to be at the hospital bright and early tomorrow for a high-risk procedure." Sakura finished wrapping her thick coat around herself and directed her attention to the birthday girl in question. "Happy birthday, Hinata-chan. I hope you enjoy your party!"
Before everyone could begin their goodbyes, Naruto shot up from the end of the table. "Wait, Sakura-chan! It's too dark outside! Let me walk you home!"
Sakura sighed as she strided towards the exit. "I don't need to be walked home, Naruto-kun. I'll be fine." Naruto rushed after his pink-haired teammate and began to protest until he was interrupted by a quiet giggle from the middle of the room.
"I wish Naruto-kun would walk me home." Another giggle escaped Hinata's mouth as her drunken eyelids opened to find everyone staring at her with wide eyes. Hinata felt the blood redden her face as she realized what she thought was the voice in her head was something she said out loud.
Unlike everyone else, Naruto appeared completely clueless and took her statement as a simple request. He turned around and gave the birthday girl a huge grin. "Sure thing, Hinata! Anything for the birthday girl. Are you sure you want to leave your party early? Are you not feeling well?"
Everyone in the Konoha Thirteen turned their attention back to Hinata. She glanced at her teammates, both of which frantically started nodding their heads at her to accept the invitation. Hinata stuttered and winced at the old habit that she had worked hard to get rid of for the past few years before replying. "U-uhm. Y-Yes, I'm sure. I'm just a bit tired. From all the… Alcohol." She released a sheepish smile.
Naruto beamed. "Well, that settles it! The three of us can walk home together. See ya guys later!"
Despair filled Hinata's stomach at the mention of the three of them. Although she knew this was a rare opportunity for her to spend time with Naruto, it left a small ache in her heart to know that she practically invited herself to walk home with her first love and his not-so-secret long-time crush. As the remaining members bid their goodnights to their friends with some winks thrown in Hinata's direction, Sakura made her way to the door without much trouble. On the other hand, Hinata wobbled a bit as she rose from her chair despite her heavy reliance on the sturdy wooden table. Naruto extended his hand to Hinata for support. She reached out her delicate palm when a different pale hand suddenly seized her wrist.
"Wait." Neji rose abruptly from Shino's side. "I cannot allow you to walk Hinata-sama home."
Suddenly, Neji could feel two intense killer intents radiating in front of him on either side. First, he craned his head to see TenTen glare with such intensity that he could feel the phantom pains of the Weapon Mistress's tools. Then he looked to the other side to see Ino give a much more frightening version of the same expression. Before he could help it, the Yamanka's head fell slightly as Neji felt a presence within his head.
"Hyuuga Neji, I swear if you ruin Hinata-chan's one chance of being noticed by Naruto, TenTen and I will throw you in the T&I department and cut all your precious hair off!"
Neji winced at the image and at the incredibly loud yelling in his head. Ino's head rose back up from its slumped position.
Neji cleared his throat. "Excuse me. What I am trying to express is that, I cannot allow you to walk Hinata-sama home without asking that you make sure that her father does not find out about this little… celebration." His words dripped with distaste. "Luckily, Hinata's previous caretaker, Ko-san, is on guard duty at the gate this evening. Please tell him I ask him to escort Hinata-sama to her quarters with the utmost secrecy." He let go of his cousin's wrist and took his seat once more.
"Oh, yeah, of course. Got it. Ask Ko to take Hinata inside." Naruto hastily grabbed Hinata's hand as her blush deepened into a dark red. Before the blonde could whisk her away completely, Hinata turned to her cousin and mouthed, "Thank you."
Neji simply looked away, sighed, and took his first shot of the night.
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"Hinata-sama!" Hinata jumped at the shrill grumble that broke her reverie. Shocked at the sudden but short recollection, she stared at Neji with pale skin and slightly parted lips. "Where were you?" he demanded.
Hinata fluttered her eyelashes before exclaiming, "Sakura!" She gulped, adjusting her volume, "I was with Sakura-chan. She wasn't feeling well, and asked if I could accompany her last night. A sleepover." She locked her hands behind her back, resisting the urge to tap her fingers together as she did in her youth.
The Hyuuga, ever vigilant and observant, were practically human lie detectors. Neji was among the best of the best in this regard and even though he did not need his skill to see through Hinata's nervous habits, he knew better than to press her on the sore subject that was Naruto. Even three years after her confession, Hinata held out hope that the jinchuriki would return her feelings some day. If Naruto had wronged Hinata last night, Neji would murder the man once his beloved cousin was ready to tell him what happened. With this, Neji let out a sigh and released her from his intimidating glare. "No matter what happened last night," his demeanor softened, "Never disappear without telling me first."
Hinata flashed him a wider smile despite the fear that Neji would take her expression as a sign that she found his request to be trivial. She couldn't help it; he had told her he was worried about her in Neji-nese. "I'm sorry, nii-san," she bowed to him, "It will not happen again."
Neji resumed his neutral mask, worn from the worry for his cousin but relieved she was safe. "Get some rest, Hinata-sama. And please change from Sakura's spare clothes before the elders catch you," With that, he made a swift exit down the hall. Hinata's cheeks flushed.
She opened and shut the door quietly before throwing herself on top of her bed. Her head lay at the wrong end of the mattress, smooth indigo locks spread and draped over silken sheets. Her clear eyes bore holes into the ceiling, tracing the lines of sunlight that sparkled above her. Her mind played the newly gained memory in her head over and over. As much as her cheeks burned as she relived her embarrassment at her drunkenness, as much as she tried to focus on the fact that the one and only Uzumaki Naruto offered to walk her home last night, she could not help but feel a small, icy twinge of sadness in her heart. And no matter how hard she ignored it, unable to acknowledge it, her mind could not focus when the recurring thought of a shirtless Uchiha Sasuke left a burning feeling across her face and within her chest…
A/N: (This isn't super important so feel free to skip it)
Hi everyone! Welcome to my first multi-chaptered fanfiction! It's looking pretty rough so far but hopefully it'll shape up with time. Let me know what you liked.. or hated, haha. Next chapter should be up Saturday!
Also, thanks to everyone who read my Kakashi-centered fic. It's my first story on FF. And thanks so much for 100 visits! I didn't think I'd get that far with the first one.
Fun Fact: I was originally going to name this story "One Night Stand" due to the premise, but for some reason "The Night Before" came into my head and I liked that a lot more. Then on a different day, I thought, "Wouldn't it be funny if I named all my fics after Beatles songs?" As it turns out, "The Night Before" is a Beatles song and I just forgot it was. Haha.