Gray Pearl

by Jasmine Starlight

Full summary: Black- adj. opposite of white, dark; without light. White- adj. innocence, opposite of black, absence of color. To Hyuuga Hinata, the world couldn't be painted in two different colors. But she didn't mind, she knew where she stood, she was white and he black. But when black and white mix, no one can go back, no matter how hard they try. Sasu/Hina

My second Naruto fic, I love this anime, go easy on me.

This would have been out sooner had not my account been locked for reasons that make no sense to me.

That in turn caused me to lose my energy for writing altogether.

CHAPTER FOUR

HINATA'S OVER-ACTIVE IMAGINATION

While Sasuke had been limping away toward Ichiraku Hinata had been heading in the opposite direction.

Toward the Hyuuga main house garden.

Neji-nii-san should be there.

Neji-nii-san would know what to do, right?

Right?

Who was she kidding?

Just because Neji-nii-san was a freaking genius didn't mean he knew what the hell was wrong with Sasuke.

Or did he?

They were both geniuses.

They both had Advanced Bloodline Limits.

They were both angst-y beyond reasonable comprehension.

Hinata understood that Neji was a caged bird--Juin---freedom--fly--away—blah ---my hair is prettier than yours---blah-----must accept destiny----Genius!

She also understood that Sasuke was an avenger---angst-y---look at my girly hair---I wore a giant condom to the Chuunin exams--Sharingan---Dobe----Itachi—kill--kill----kill—Che---hn----—living horribly because my sociopath, genocidal aniki said so—kill----kill---copy---kill some more.

It was reasonable for them to be angst-y.

But sometimes they just took it too far.

Neji had perfected the "Oh-Look-At-Me-My-Relatives-Imprisoned-Me-Knock-Half-Price-Off-My-Bill" look.

Meanwhile Sasuke had mastered the "Look-At-Me-My-Aniki-Went-Psycho-And-Killed-My-Whole-Family-And-Now-I'm-All-Alone-Give-Me-A-Hug" look.

But Sasuke hated hugs.

So, that was useless.

But no matter how she looked at it, she still needed to talk to someone.

Might as well be Neji.

Neji could help her.

So Hinata wouldn't become a-gambling-rude-crass-big-breasted-exhibitionist-obaa-chan.

Or would she become aforementioned-gambling-rude-crass-big-breasted-exhibitionist-obaa-chan's-nervous-subservient-in-need-of-anger-management-toward-certain-Jounins-who-tried-to-keep-their-closet-perversion-hidden-but-ended-up-having-nose-bleeds-all-over-the-floor?

This was not going well at all.

By now, Hinata had given up trying to learn any techniques whatsoever in lieu of tracking down Neji.

It was surprising where she found him, he was standing at the top of a hill, staring.

"Neji-niisan?" Hinata asked quietly.

No answer, she moved closer to discover Neji had been staring at something, a pink something, and a green something.

Together.

"Oh, Neji-niisan." Hinata said in realization.

"Nani?" Neji asked, snapping out of his daze.

"Gomen nasai." Hinata

"What are you sorry for?" Neji asked.

"That." Hinata said, gesturing toward Lee and Sakura.

"There's nothing there to be sorry for." Neji said somberly.

"Honto?"

"Hai."

"Alright Neji-niisan." Hinata said softly.

"What did you need Hinata-sama?" Neji asked quietly.

"Oh, I wanted to know what you think about S-Sasuke-san." Hinata replied.

"Him?"

"Yes."

"Well, from my experiences he's been: cold-hearted, selfish, emotionless, unforgiving, annoying, irritating, determined, a bastard--"

"Oh, o-okay." Hinata said in small voice.

"Why do you ask?"

"Just w-wondering is all." Hinata said.

"You're sure about that?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Hinata-sama it seems to me that you might have a little crush on Sasuke-temee." Neji said offhandedly.

Hinata's face colored abruptly, "N-nani!"

"Your stutter came back when you asked me about him." Neji pointed out obtrusively.

"N-no it didn't." Hinata insisted.

"Yes it did."

"N-n-no-o it d-didn't—oh it is back!" Hinata exclaimed pathetically.

Neji patted her back sympathetically, "Is that why you're wearing a new kimono?"

Hinata nodded.

"Is Tenten in on this?"

Hinata nodded again.

"It didn't work, did it?"

Hinata nodded once more.

"That's the reason."

"Naze?"

"Tenten doesn't formulate plans." Neji said informatively.

"Oh."

Neji sighed, there wasn't any point in watching Lee woo Sakura. "Hinata-sama, you realize that I have to help you in this situation, right?"

Hinata's eyes widened hopefully, "Let's go get some dangos."

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"And why do we need Lee-kun to be here?" Hinata asked nervously.

"Because he just appeared." Neji said patiently, by now used to his teammate's eccentricity.

"Young love is so youthful!" Lee exclaimed.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say you green-spandex-wearing-girl-stealer." Neji had murmured that last part insanely to himself.

Of course Hinata had heard him.

"What was that, Neji-kun?" Lee asked enthusiastically.

"How's Gai-sensei?" Neji asked abruptly, smiling a gentle smile, Hinata coughed loudly.

"Oh, Neji-kun he has been spectacular! He has been striving--"

"That's nice, you greasy-anime-eyed-weirdo." Once again the last part had been whispered sinisterly to Neji's own insanity.

"Vigorously, gleaming, shiningly, handsomely--"

"It seems all is well, you girly-eye-lashed-bowl-cut-dimwit."

"Earnestly, perfectly, methodically flourishingly, succeedingly, rival-like--"

Hinata was so confused, Neji-niisan had gone crazy, and she didn't even know what Lee was talking about anymore.

"A brilliant example of--"

"--a sensei horribly failing at teaching his freakish star pupil anything at all."

"Gleamingly, riding through the dark night to the castle to save the beautiful princess from all harm--"

"She's mine!" he exclaimed suddenly, his eyes wild.

"The princess?" Hinata asked tiredly.

"Mine!"

"A horrendous caricature of the lie perpetuated by senseis to some of their youthful pupils about the horrors of burning--"

"You can't have her!"

"This blows." Hinata murmured to herself as she walked out of the dango shop, confused and tired.

Of course bumping into Sasuke had not been on her agenda at all.

Especially after her atrocious behavior towards him, he would surely murder her.

"S-Sasuke-san!" she exclaimed quietly.

Sasuke's eyes were wild, his hair mussed, his clothes in disarray, and there was a cut on his hand.

Now it might be important to mention that whenever Hinata saw injuries she felt the immediate need to alleviate the patient's pain, that's what made her such a good candidate to study under Tsunade-sama.

So while Sasuke was looking for escape routes, Hinata began rummaging through her bag, when she found the appropriate accoutrements, she grabbed Sasuke's hand and began doctoring.

On the other hand, Sasuke was having a hard time breathing, or focusing on anything but Hinata bent over his hand, softly applying disinfectant ointment, which she had probably made herself but that was irrelevant.

Her eyes were focused on the task at hand, now she was wrapping his hand with a bandage, it sparked visions of demure geishas and the lone picture of a naughty nurse that Kakashi-sensei had shown him when Iruka-sensei got mad at him for not picking up the masks that littered the floor of their home.

Of course Kakashi had regaled him in this story right after he had dragged Sasuke to the nearest sake bar to ingest several liters of the stuff.

Sasuke had maintained a stony face throughout the entire ordeal, really that was the only way to handle an inebriated Kakashi.

Especially when he—that thought was too traumatizing to finish.

But back to Hinata, who was really a much more tantalizing vision than Kakashi doing karaoke ever would be.

Her lips were pursed into a line across her face, Sasuke just wanted to…kiss it.

And so he did.

Hinata's grip on his hand tightened as Sasuke explored her tonsils; she tasted like vanilla and chamomile tea.

He (of course) tasted like spicy beef ramen.

That was Hinata's favorite kind.

They broke apart just in time to see Neji and Lee watching them from just outside the shop.

"They grow up so fast." Neji said wistfully.

"Youthful love is so life affirming!"

Sasuke wisely ran as fast as he could in the direction he had come from, of course he was not willing to release Hinata, who had had such a spectacular smooch-fest with so he sort of pulled her along.

Hinata was too distracted with watching Sasuke's butt.

END

Frosted shadowz- I hate it when people perpetuate the image that Sasuke is totally perfect. Pisses me off.

shikaruTo- hehehe I'm getting giddy…

Lems- why would she?

Hokai Amplifier- Internet card? Don't you think the lead singer for AKG is dreamy?

SGL- they do…