Title: When Broken Is Easily Fixed
Author: Jinhito
Disclaimer: I own nothing expect my rampant imagination. Naruto and its characters belong to their respective owners and not me. Also, title and lyrics in summary belong to Silverstein and their album "When Broken Is Easily Fixed."
Summary: A human hurt can last a lifetime, but you and I will pave the way.
Author's Note: Ehhh 'nother drabble written in Chemistry discussion today. I get bored, what can I say? Still looking for a beta… -shifty eyes- If that sounds repetitive... then good! Reviews are loved but not expected. Hope you like the random fluff - this not really what I thought it to be.

--

When she tried her best, she didn't succeed. She got what she wanted, but not what she needed. Hinata Hyuuga had never found a happy medium. But because of the person that she was, it wasn't her type to complain about anything.

Could it be worse? Oh of course it could... but it wasn't... So she was for the most part thankful. Very grateful in fact until the day the only one she'd ever wanted to acknowledge her most rejected her.

Hinata had loved someone and it'd gone to waste. Much more upsetting than she had imagined it would be actually.

"N-naruto-kun?"

She'd spent all morning repeating this same speech over and over again to her reflection in the mirror; pretending it was him instead. Somehow she'd managed to corner him in the marketplace, catch him before he could run away again and forget she even existed.

And as it came down to it, she was not going to stutter - her confession needed to be clear and concise. He would not confuse the nervous hesitation about her feelings for him with weirdness.

"I like you Naruto-kun!" It was a strangled blurt but there was no choppy pause.

She gulped back the sick feeling stirring in her queasy stomach. It wasn't bile but it was more than an average case of the butterflies.

"I really... like you Naruto-kun..." That came out more reserved, as expected of a young lady being sincere. She had meant every word, positive in her admission.

But when he just stared, and when he couldn't say anything to her face, couldn't look her in the eye properly... she knew... she knew he'd never look at her the same way again.

"I'm sorry Hinata." No honorary - no acceptance.
No good reason either.

It hurt, it really did...

So she walked away; a Hyuuga would not run. She still had her pride.

But in her own company she could cry. She could be whoever she wanted to then because no one could tell her any different. Tears rolled silently down her face and Hinata made no move to wipe them.

Let them remain... let them linger just a little bit longer.

"You're stupid you know... even more stupid than the dobe if you thought for one second he would notice you."

He cut her deep, his words were meant to punish and offend. Sasuke was expected to speak to others in a condescending way, but she would not let him belittle her so easily even in this sad state.

"I know," she admitted.

Of course she'd known! Gone so far as to set herself up emotionally in case she failed. And oh how she'd failed today... but she didn't cry in front of him, her passing crush, and for that she could be happy. So at the time it was easy to lie about it - she wasn't really planning on being honest, especially with herself of all people.

"I know and I hoped for it anyway." She spoke in a listless manner, slowly dragging her knees up to her chest. Hinata had managed to huddle herself in a small bundle by a forest clearing in Konoha's out skirting woods.

"I can hope right? Doesn't everyone hope for something? It makes me weak... but it makes me human."

That was a truth if she'd ever said one; if he'd ever heard one.

"I suppose," he offered after a time.

For once a girl spoke in thoughtful intelligent sentences around him, and Hinata was not just the embarrassing stutter-er he had pegged her to be earlier. Perhaps there was more to people below the surface of what they portrayed themselves to be.

Yes she was weak, a terrible fighter, a silly lovesick girl with hopes and dreams... but she knew that, admitted to it, and accepted it. It made her better that way. Identifying and coming to terms with those realities... it made her impervious to any and all comments he may have been thinking up beforehand when he had overseen the whole exchange.

He had to give credit where it was due though, someone who could walk so smoothly away after such a debilitating blow deserved just a little admirance. Even he'd pouted as a child at his brother's own neglect.

She could let it go - she could cope. He definitely respected that quality in a person.

"Humans make mistakes too." Sasuke whispered between the two of them.

She looked up at him with mild interest, tears still in her eyes. The expression Hinata wore told him that she had long since expected him to leave by now. True enough, Sasuke wasn't much of a talker.

"Oh?"

He nodded, his eyes hardening in conviction. He didn't know where he was going with this or why he was still here in the first place either... but as his father used to say, you should finish whatever it is that you started.

"Yes, humans always make mistakes."

"Tell me Uchiha-san, are you human then?"

Sasuke turned to glance at her fully, dark eyes widening and somehow managing to soften by a sudden emotion. That question had surprised him on three accounts. One, she had called him Uchiha-san. NO ONE called him Uchiha-san. It was always Sasuke-kun this and Sasuke-kun that. Uchiha-san demanded respect - it was his father's name, not his.

Two, she had taken over the conversation. Quite brutally, he might add, with such personal interrogating. He didn't think it was in her nature to be nosey but that was down right prying.

And three, he was actually tempted to acknowledge her. He was going to answer it... no matter how crazy it sounded or as stupid as it would seem to him later that day. He wasn't sure if he would regret it then, but this was now.

"Yes... I am."

Dark bangs hid his downcast face. He didn't want to see those accusing eyes staring into him. How many mistakes had he made up until this point? How many people had he let down? What more could the last Uchiha, the number one rookie, mess up this time?

"That's reassuring to know."

She turned away from him, understanding that his reaction did not want her looking too closely. Finally standing up by pushing off her knees, she dried her tears with an oversized sleeve.

There was no regret present now, no more sadness in those pearl-esque eyes. She had done nothing wrong except hope maybe a little too hard. Naruto had made the real error after all. It just took Sasuke to show her that.

"Thank you Uchiha-san." Hinata bowed deeply to him before she walked away.

Sasuke watched her leave, saw the back of her light beige sweatshirt melting into the greens of the forest foliage. All the while noting that she still carried herself with that same pride from before, the same inner strength that allowed her to so calmly walk away from painful dejection.

She was human, this he could see... and she was damn proud to make those mistakes.

- owari -

--

Hope you liked it, eh heh SasuHina is a guilty pleasure for me… tee hee. It's nice to take a break from the norm ne?