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 Kiba/Ten Saku/Neji Gaa/Naru
My second Naruto fic, I love this anime, go easy on me.
CHAPTER SIX
HELLO COMMITTED RELATIONSHIP
Kakashi lazily made his way toward Ichiraku for Cell 7's lunch.
Oddly Sasuke was treating.
Something had to be up.
Maybe it was elaborate prank that Naruto had masterminded and had dragged Sasuke and Sakura along. Maybe they were going to poison him and draw all over his unmasked face?
But Kakashi could only look underneath the underneath for so long.
And he was hungry for free food.
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Sakura suspiciously observed Sasuke as he innocently slurped ramen with Naruto.
There was something different about him, she scrutinized him carefully, it wasn't a physical change.
It was more like a change of demeanor.
What had happened?
Had Sasuke, by some astronomical anomaly had a chance encounter with Itachi and won?
Had he killed Itachi?
No that it couldn't be it, he wouldn't be this happy after committing fratricide.
Maybe he it was Hinata?
That had to be it.
Sakura took a brief vacation from her musings to yell at Kakashi-sensei, "You're late!" she shouted accusingly.
Naruto snorted likewise through his ramen.
"Maa, maa, Iruka-sensei gave me the most mind-numbing--"
"Don't finish that sentence!" Sasuke interrupted.
"Ara, you guys are no fun."
"Right." Sakura said disbelievingly before turning to focus on Sasuke once again, what else was new.
Naruto, who had had much more ramen than Sakura and much less tact, had also noticed the change in Sasuke's personality and said as much.
"Oi, Sasuke! Why are you so happy!" he asked loudly.
"Eh?" Sasuke responded.
"Why are you so happy!"
"Are you implying that I'm not normally happy?"
"Yes." Naruto said boorishly.
"Okay, then."
"You still haven't answered my question!" Naruto insisted annoyedly,
"I haven't?" Sasuke asked curiously.
"No you haven't. Why aren't you being angsty like Neji!" Naruto repeated.
"Oh, so you're saying I have not replied to your question."
"Yes that is what I am saying!"
"Oh, that's nice."
"No it's not!"
"How's Gaara?" Sasuke asked smoothly, changing the subject flawlessly.
"Gaara? He's fine." Naruto said loudly completely forgetting the point of his tireless questioning.
Sakura, who had been boredly poking at the fishcakes floating in her ramen up until that point gave a little yawn and said lazily, "It wouldn't have anything to do with Hinata-san would it?"
Sasuke's eyes just glazed over.
"Hello?" Sakura asked impatiently, as she frantically waved a hand in his face.
Using all the commotion as a screen, Kakashi discreetly finished Sasuke's ramen using the mouth hole that Iruka had cut into all of his masks.
Really, his itoshii was so thoughtful some times.
And yet at the same time be so vindictive, Kakashi shuddered as he remembered when he wouldn't pick up the masks that populated the floor of their living quarters.
Eventually Sasuke awoke from his daydream—er—was awoken from his daydream by Sakura taking of one of Naruto's nin sandals and wafting it under his nose.
That was foul.
"Were you saying something?"
Sakura angrily slammed a fist onto the wooden countertop at Ichiraku's making all the ramen flavorings dance and twirl and the large bundle of chopsticks shake ominously.
Sasuke warily surveyed the pulsing veins around Sakura's fist, neck and head. Naruto watched with great interest from beside his ramen bowl, the occasional slurp of agreement the only sound he made.
"Sasuke, does this have anything to do with Hinata?" she said darkly.
"Maybe." Sasuke replied evasively.
"Maybe yes?" Sakura asked dauntingly.
"Maybe yes." Sasuke said as he slowly edged off his stool.
"Don't try to run Uchiha, I know where you live."
Sasuke rolled his dark eyes, everyone knew where he lived, it was obvious, it was the only largely deserted, dilapidated Uchiha complex in Konoha.
Duh.
"Hey look there's Lee!" Sasuke exclaimed suddenly.
Sakura turned to look at the object of her disdain and Sasuke disappeared, leaving only a wad of Konoha dollar bills behind.
Damnit!
She still hadn't got any answers.
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It was a good idea that she had decided to have tea with Ino, Sakura, and Tenten, it was nice to be around friends.
Unless they were currently grilling you like you had just walked in on Orochimaru's arm, which was a very creepy thought.
"C'mon Hinata-chan, how are you supposed to have 'Ino Jr' if you won't tell me anything about Sasuke-kun!" Ino pleaded—demanded rather.
Tenten seemed to be the only sane one out of the bunch, for now.
Sakura seemed the most volatile; Hinata wondered how fast she could inject her with a sedative before she noticed.
But she nixed that idea, drugging your friends was not a good way to promote trust.
"Why would I name our first child 'Ino Jr'?" Hinata asked quizzically.
"Aha!" Sakura exclaimed, much to the confuzzlement of Ino (who was dreaming what flowers would be best for Sasuke's and Hinata's future child's marriage to the one she was going to have (in the future) with Shikamaru) and Tenten.
"So, you're acknowledging the fact that there could be a possibility for marriage in the current secret relationship you now have with Sasuke-kun!"
"Eh?" Tenten and Hinata both said respectively.
Ino agreed vigorously, "Forehead-girl is right! You must pursue this relationship until you reach the next plateau of love!"
Hinata briefly wondered if what Gai-sensei had was catching, it seemed plausible enough, Gai was Tenten's sensei and so she could have carried the disease to Sakura and Ino whose minds seemed to have been ravaged by it.
"What next plateau?" Tenten asked quizzically.
Ino thought for a short moment before replying, "You know, like the plateau that you and Kiba are on." She said suggestively.
Tenten colored abruptly and Hinata's interest was perked, "What is this about Kiba-kun?"
"Nothing, Ino's just making something out of nothing." Tenten said ineffectually.
"Nothing? That boy has been to my shop more times this week to see you than his whole family has been in their entire respective lives!"
"And you were teasing me about Sasuke!" Hinata said accusingly, accusingly and Hinata in the same sentence you say? Blasphemous!
"What exactly do you on the "plateau" that Tenten-chan is one?" Hinata asked curiously.
"Well, I suppose there is gift-giving and handholding and puppy love." Sakura mused.
"What do you mean you suppose!" Tenten exclaimed loudly.
"Well, you and Hinata are the ones with prospective love interests!" she said defensively.
"You mean, you and Lee aren't?" Hinata asked hopefully.
"God, no."
"Then you should ask Neji-niisan out!" Hinata exclaimed with clasped hands.
Tenten frowned, that was unusual for Hinata, maybe Gai-sensei-syndrome was catching.
"Really?" Sakura asked interestedly.
"Hai!" Hinata chirped.
"That's nice, back to the explanation about these 'plateaus of love'." Tenten said seriously.
"Like we said, that was only plateau one." Ino said waving her hand.
"Oh." Hinata said quietly.
"What is it?" Tenten asked concernedly.
"Nothing." Hinata said as she smiled.
Sakura, who had years of seeing through Naruto's fake smiles knew the difference, "You been past that haven't you!" she accused.
"N-no I h-haven't!" she stammered.
"Yes you have!" Sakura declared in a tone that left no room for discussion.
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Sasuke sighed as he laid his head (once again) in Hinata's lap, because, well, reasons were for squares.
And Sasuke was definitely not a square.
Hinata exhaled softly as she ran her fingers (once again) through Sasuke's spiky hair.
"You should leave your hair down for once." She said softly.
"I'm too lazy." He said before yawning, really the lack of missions was starting to make him like Shikamaru.
"That's no excuse." She chided gently, twisting the dark locks between her fingers.
"Feh."
"And that's a word."
"Che."
Hinata smiled and Sasuke reached up to tug on a purple-blue colored lock of Hinata's hair.
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"Menduksee…" Shikamaru hissed at Ino as he was stuck in a cramped bush with Tenten (who was blushing), Kiba (who was grinning wolfishly, or is it doggishly? Akamaru was suspiciously missing), Sakura, Neji (who was still confused as to how he had become involved), Naruto (who had exclaimed "Why is Hinata-chan kissing Sasuke-temee?"), and Gaara (who had recently received a vacation and had journeyed to Konoha to make sure that no one was stealing/and or exploiting his Naru-chan. Back away damnit! Stupid yaoi fan girls. No respect. No respect at all. No expectation for privacy either.)
"Is that all you ever say?" Ino asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yes." Shikamaru said pointedly.
Tenten, who was not quite on Kiba's lap, shivered, Kiba (if it was possible) grinned wider and wrapped his arms around her.
Older women were fun.
Sakura sighed, why couldn't she have that?
Neji, who was very perceptive, and very close to Sakura, gently patted her hand.
Sakura sighed again and grasped Neji's hand, effectively trapping it there.
Neji was beginning to get nervous.
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Unwrapping all of Sasuke's bandages seemed like a fun idea at first, but then Hinata was entangled in them after much to Sasuke's amusement.
Hinata got him back when she tied his legs together.
All's fair in love and war.
But currently Hinata was curiously approaching a very thick bush that seemed to be giggling and talking.
Drawing a kunai, she sent it flying into the bush, "Neji-niisan I should think you know better than this." She said reprovingly.
Sasuke abruptly stopped cutting apart his bandages.
Moving to stand next to Hinata, he stuck his (now) bare leg into the bush and out fell a cursing Sakura.
All the others just left after that.
Except Kiba and Tenten who seemed to be making out, at least that's the impression that Sasuke got from Hinata when she used her Byakugan.
But eventually they left too, hands in each other's pockets no less.
END
Hatami- why thank you
Frosted shadowz- Is it because of me? Is it?
Hokai Amplifier- Well, I did write some smut… go read it tis in my author profile
SGL- Kiba is sekc!
Chibi Tetra- I would also recommend reading my smut fic. As it is dedicated to you.
shikaruTo- not my fault I'm an idiot. And I wrote smut. And a drabble, which is dedicated to you.
Fractured wings01- I should dedicate something to you…