Note from the Author: I apologize for this entire story. Honestly. I do.
Once again, it is apparent that I am a Hyuuga whore.
I disclaim Naruto and "Catch Without Arms."
I'm not that beam of light ...
Sasuke liked the park – he just didn't like people. So now at six o'clock in the morning, he sat cross-legged on the same bench he had occupied the day before. The air had a steamy foggy thickness to it, broken only by the occasional jogger. He was alone, enjoying the quiet pattering of running shoes on pavement, early morning birds singing sleepily in the branches above him.
He'd been awake for two hours. He'd snuck past Itachi – who had fallen asleep on the couch – at five-fifteen. It was so much easier to keep breakfast down when it wasn't eaten with the sibling who fucked him.
He sighed, sipping at the coffee, savoring the burning pain in his tongue that seemed so appropriate. He heard a dog barking nearby, but it didn't register in his head as anything but an annoyance, until a furry white body had thrown itself into his lap, grinning up at him, his tongue lolling out.
"Sorry, Sasuke-kun," Hinata appeared through the fog, running up and fumbling to get the dog's leash. "He recognized you and I lost him."
Sasuke dumped the dog into the small girl's arms. "Why do you have Akamaru?" he asked, not accepting her apology.
"Oh," she smiled fondly at the dog, scratching between his ears. "Kiba-kun says he likes me a lot, so he asks me to walk him sometimes. I think he just doesn't want to get out of bed." She set him down and he sniffed at the garbage can beside the bench. "Do you mind if I sit down for a second?"
He shrugged in an I-don't-care-but-I'd-rather-you-not way.
She perched on the edge of the bench, round white eyes fixed thoughtfully on a tree on the opposite side of the path. Sasuke studied her. She was in all ways the same girl he'd known all his life, but at the same time, there was a confidence now in the way she sat – a pride to replace the lack of self-worth. It seemed Neji's love have fixed all the things in her that had been broken.
"You know," she said suddenly, quietly, "I always thought you looked like somebody. When I looked at you, you reminded me of someone else." Her eyes closed, head turning toward him as they opened again. "And I think yesterday, I finally realized that you remind me of me."
Sasuke stared at her, completely lost as to how to respond. She never spoke her mind and now she was comparing him to her? He wondered vaguely if he should be insulted.
She pulled her sneakered feet onto the bench, clasping her arms around her legs and resting her chin on her knees. "Um … I haven't told anyone this except in court. I haven't even personally talked about it with Neji-nii-san, but, um, back in, like, January or something, Kabuto – you know, that guy Neji-nii-san beat up? Well, he beat him up because he-he raped me."
Sasuke started, his mouth opening and closing without words. He had wondered about those three weeks she was missing from school just like everyone else had. "Jesus." He whispered, running his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry."
She gave a half-smile. "I'm over it." She lifted a shoulder in a vague shrug, in a way that said I'm doing my best to pretend I am. "But, you know, before I told anyone what happened – and for a long time afterwards – I would look at myself in the mirror and not recognize me. I looked like this sad little kid that had had something stolen out of her. And," she hesitated, "you kind of look like that too."
He scoffed, looking away. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
She sighed, as if she'd been expecting the response, and stood up. "I might not. But you know, if you ever need to talk, I'm a good listener." She stretched, hands connecting above her head. "We're going to finish our run now, right, Akamaru?" The dog barked an affirmative, and she smiled. "I'll see you tonight." She started away.
Sasuke blinked, called after her, "What's tonight?"
She paused, looking back at him. "It's Friday."
He waited. Then, "And?"
"We always go bowling on Fridays."
He stared at her. "We have a specific day we go bowling? I thought we just randomly went once a week."
She laughed a little disbelievingly. "Okay." She shook the leash, whistling, and jogged away into the fog that gathered behind her, enveloping her and the little white dog.
Sasuke stared after her, wondering if she was very insightful or if he was just easy to read.
0
Hinata broke away from Neji, giggling as he grabbed her back to him, biting lightly at her neck. "Neji-nii-san." She whispered, gripping him by the hips. "What's with you? You're so affectionate."
His fingers trailed over the small of her back, his lips finding hers as he pressed her between himself and the brick wall of the bowling alley. "Just don't want to share you tonight." He purred when her fingers twined in his hair and pulled him away.
"Tough luck." She said hoarsely. "Tonight we're hanging out with our friends. Tomorrow we'll spend the day together."
Neji groaned, running his fingers through his long dark hair, and looked around at the street, ever so slightly irritated. He nodded across the road. "You know, considering he doesn't like us all that much, Sasuke's very punctual for our little get-togethers."
Sure enough, the Uchiha was crossing the street toward them, his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans. Hinata recognized immediately how quickly he was moving, looking around as if he expected someone to jump out at him.
Her eyebrows furrowed. "Sasuke-kun, are you alright?"
He jumped, blinked at her for a second, then scurried toward her, like a mouse. He seemed to be shaking – flinching at every sound – like he was bracing to be hit. "Hinata, can I talk to you?" Even his voice quavered, and his hands rung before him.
She looked at Neji, disentangling herself from his arms. "I'll meet you inside, alright, Neji-nii-san?"
The elder Hyuuga's eyebrow lifted, but he shrugged and started toward the door. "Have fun, kids."
Hinata shot him a look, but then smiled kindly, beckoning to Sasuke. They fell into step along the sidewalk. The street was mostly empty, the night was warm, and Sasuke avoided the streetlights, hiding in the dark so Hinata couldn't see him. They were quiet a long time. He didn't know how to begin, it seemed, and apparently wished she wasn't so patient, looking over at her like he expected her to say something, to push him to talk – which she didn't.
Finally, he said it: "I'm in love with my brother. Well," he went on rapidly, "I'm in love with Naruto. But I have sex with my brother – a lot."
She was virtually unfazed. Weirder things had happened to her. "Does he make you?"
He shook his head. She almost missed it in the darkness. "He did at first, but after a while … it was like I started to need it. I started going to him for it, and it happens every other day or so now."
Hinata nodded. "Does Naruto-kun know?"
"No." He said quickly. "I can't tell him. He-he won't love me anymore, or he'll try to kill Itachi." He grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him, startling her. "You won't tell, will you?"
She gently took his hand off her. "Of course not. That's up to you." She was quiet a moment, opaque eyes on the sky. "I can't give you any advice on this, Sasuke-kun. All I can suggest is that you tell Naruto-kun. Because he loves you and he won't do anything that will hurt you – not intentionally, anyway. I'm not even telling you to tell him right now. And I'll always be here for you to talk to until you're ready to tell him." She smiled and gestured to the door of the bowling alley, which they'd made their way around the block and back to. "For now, let's go bowling." She opened the door.
He grabbed her arm. "Um, Hinata? Why aren't you more freaked out about this?"
Before she could stop it, a little are-you-joking laugh escaped her. "I'm dating my cousin."
He gave a Sasuke almost-smile. "Ah. Have you two, um … ?"
She blushed, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Um, yes." Her face heated further at the memory of it. "It was lovely." She giggled dreamily, embarrassed. "Um, shall we?"
He nodded, followed her in.
Sakura waved them over, calling their names and telling them she had already gotten their shoes – though Sasuke never actually participated in the game. Hinata fell into a seat beside Neji, throwing her legs across his lap. He asked her a question and Sasuke anxiously watched them, letting out a relieved breath when she shook her head and Neji sighed, throwing his hands into the air in defeat. Sasuke turned to Naruto, whose eyebrows shot up.
"Since when do you hang out with Hinata?" he asked as he received a kiss on the cheek.
"I don't." Sasuke murmured, sitting cross-legged on the plastic seat next to him. "I needed her advice on something."
"You asked for advice? On what?" The blonde boy knew he wouldn't tell him, his eyes already gleaming with plans to get it out of him.
Sasuke ignored him, his eyes on the Hyuugas. They looked good together. Sasuke had always thought Neji was flawless – with waves of dark hair that fell over his shoulders and the round white eyes and fair skin trademark of everyone in the family – and had even secretly wished he was gay at one point. But now that he really looked at her, Hinata was beautiful too, her dark hair cut short, her pink lips full and usually smiling, her eyes framed by long, curling lashes. Sasuke wasn't attracted to her but now could appreciate what she had to offer, because now he considered her his friend. Next to Naruto, she was probably the only one.
Out of nowhere, he felt a searing pain in his shoulder, and turned to glare at his boyfriend who was smiling wickedly, having just bitten him hard. "Stop spacing, teme. I don't like to be ignored."
Sasuke leaned over, sinking his teeth into his neck, running his tongue lightly over the skin before letting go, enjoying the way he squirmed. "Don't turn this into a contest." He hissed against his ear. "I'll win, dobe."
Naruto growled, pulling Sasuke against him, arms around his waits, resting his chin on his shoulder. "We'll continue this later." He said softly.
Sasuke smirked. "That a promise?"
Naruto nipped the tip of his ear. "It is if you bowl tonight."
The dark head shook. "No. I don't do the shoes."
"Come on, Sasuke-kun." Sakura dangled said shoes from her fingertips.
"Do you even know how to bowl?" Shikamaru baited.
Uchiha eyes narrowed.
"Yeah." Kiba laughed. "I bet you don't play because you don't want us to find out."
By the time he'd finished the sentence, Sasuke was putting the shoes on, cursing under his breath. "I can fucking both – just fuckin' watch."
Naruto snickered and hopped up from his seat, grabbing an obnoxiously orange ball. "Watch and learn, teme." He sent the ball rolling down the center of the lane. Abruptly, it changed directions and bumped loudly into the gutter.
Sasuke pushed him over where he stood with his mouth hanging open, and picked up a ball. "I'll watch maybe, dobe, but I don't think I'll be learning anything from you." He neatly dodged a kick aimed at his ankles, then stepped up to the aisle, throwing the ball down the right side of the lane. It curved toward the center and took down all the pins. He smirked, crouched down to where Naruto still sat pouting. "Maybe you can learn something from me, dobe."
Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and glared at his boyfriend. "You just bowled my turn."
Sasuke shrugged, pulling him to his feet. "It probably helped your score."
"You're kidding." Kiba's mouth had dropped open. "You can bowl that fucking well and you don't even play? What the hell, man? We could use you on our team – Neji and Lee are always together on that team and they're the best. We need someone who can give them a run for their money."
"You could have Lee, if Sasuke-kun won't play." TenTen said. "Although not even Lee can win against Neji."
Neji snorted. "Sasuke can't beat me either."
Sasuke's eyebrow lifted, his hand on his hip. "Is that a challenge, Hyuuga?"
Neji sat up a little straighter, not wanting to leave Hinata's company in favor of standing taller than the impudent younger boy. "It is if you're up to it, Uchiha."
Sasuke shoved a finger in the sitting boy's face. "You're on. Next week – just you verses me."
Neji smirked. "I bet you'll be here practicing every day just so I don't make you look like a jackass."
TenTen leaned toward Sakura, murmured, "Who do you think will get overly-competitive and use a bowling ball as a weapon first?"
Two pairs of eyes – white and black – turned to glare in her direction.
Hinata giggled, raised her hand. "I bet they lose it at the same time, two bowling balls fly, and two guys end up in the hospital with concussions."
Neji's mouth fell open, and he took his arm from around her, crossing them over his chest and pouting. "I feel so betrayed."
Hinata slid her arms around his waist, whispering in his ear, until he gave in and pulled her into his lap. Sasuke broke his taboo on watching straight couples kiss, partially because his eyes were there already, but mostly because they were both so damned beautiful – and it made him want to be that perfect – that happy.
"Sasuke-kun, should we add your name?" Sakura gestured toward the computer, breaking him away from his thoughts.
He shook his head, fell into his seat. "Nah. I'll save it for next week."
Kiba grumbled something along the lines of "Asshole wants us to lose" and Shino smacked him in the back of the head, earning him a dog-like growl.
Sasuke watched the group interact, actually enjoying their company for the first time because he didn't feel completely alone.
"Sasuke, are you smiling?" Naruto leaned toward him, squinting as if he couldn't quite believe it.
The Uchiha turned to look at him, and pressed their lips suddenly and roughly together.
He had been smiling, but Naruto didn't need to know that.