Well..would you look at that? We STILL don't own anything. Only...we own in a sense that we're awesome.
A/N: Gah! We hope you enjoy. If you don't than...well...we'll just have to keel you, Fabio.
Chapter Two:
I'm Still Here
"Sakura, where were you?" Hinata Hyuuga jumped from her seat on the couch and looked at her roommate as she shut the door behind her.
"Naruto and Sasuke are back." Sakura said softly. Hinata frowned, noticing the sad way Sakura had said this. She knew that her friend was probably being torn apart inside. With 'the love of her life' back after his rather heartless betrayal, the young girl probably didn't know what to think. However, upon hearing Naruto's name, Hinata couldn't help but feel slightly elated.
"Oh?" Was all that Hinata said. Sakura yawned and nodded, sliding off her shoes and placing them by the door.
"Naruto and I went for some ramen at Hijukashi's."
"I bet Naruto had a feild day." Hinata said with a grin. Sakura laughed and nodded, rolling her eyes.
"I decided to treat him since he's home and all...bad idea. I had no idea just how much ramen that boy could eat."
"That's Naruto for you..." Hinata sighed, shrugging her shoulders. The two girls sat on the couch, Sakura looking quite exhausted, Hinata looking rather relieved and curious.
"So..." Hinata decided to risk it, "Was Sasuke there?"
She knew the moment that she said it, it was a bad idea. Sakura's face fell.
"No. He wanted to rest." was all that Sakura said. Hinata had been around Sakura long enough to know that she wasn't in any mood to talk about it.
The two decided upon getting an apartment together after the Chunnin exams, and ever since then Sakura was rather aloof and solitary. Hinata blamed Sasuke, but she still understood why he wanted to leave. The only thing she didn't understand was why Sakura, a talented kunoichi, would stress over a boy.
"Hinata...Naruto asked about you." Sakura said somewhat slyly. Hinata blinked and turned to face her friend.
"He did?" She asked, knowing that her face was burning red. Sakura grinned, happy that Hinata dropped the Sasuke topic, and crossed her arms. It was great to know that her blonde haired, ramen loving teammate had feelings for another girl. Sure, Naruto never admitted that he liked Hinata, but Sakura knew that there were reasons behind her assumptions.
"Yeah. He wanted to know how you were doing, if everything was alright with you." Sakura said. Hinata could not surpress the smile that tugged on her lips. Thinking of Naruto was like an old past time. The eccentric blonde was wonderful. He was handsome and funny, yet incredibly strong and honest. Hinata knew that there would probably never be as close as she always wanted them to be. That seemed okay though. She was just happy that he had come home safe and sound.
There was an uncomfortable silence. Both girls were deep in thought over the boys they had dedicated themselves to long ago. Hinata's head shot up, a thought striking her.
"Oh, Sakura...how did things go with Kakashi-sensei?" She asked. Sakura's body froze rigidly.
"Sakura?" Hinata asked softly. Sakura laughed somewhat bitterly and continued to stare at her hands.
"Almost as well as it went with Sasuke."
Hinata gasped. As her roommate and best friend, Hinata knew of Sakura's strange and sudden feelings for her sensei. Hinata supposed that all the romantic feelings directed towards the skilled ninja were the aftermath of Sasuke leaving her. She couldn't help but feel bad for her young friend. It seemed as if she was always getting her heart broken. At the age of eighteen, Sakura had drowned herself in her training and work. Thankfully, she was usually willing to go out to Hijukashi's and eat and sing karaoke.
When Sakura told her of her affections for Kakashi, Hinata didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to laugh, after all, the man was her peverted sensei for heaven's sake, but another part completely understood. Kakashi was there for her, as any good sensei would, whenever she needed him. Perhaps after Sasuke betrayed them, Sakura confused those fatherly affections for love.
"Oh, Sakura...sorry." Hinata said, jumping to her feet. Sakura laughed and shook her head. Mocking her friend's movements, she too moved to her feet and than streached. Sakura grinned childishly at Hinata and than bucked her in the hip with her own.
"So, are you going to go and pay Naruto a visit? Perhaps bring him some home cooked ramen...?" Sakura asked slyly. Hinata blushed a little before scowling at her friend.
"Just what are you suggesting?" Hinata asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously. Sakura snorted loudly and crossed her arms.
"Hinata, we've been roomies for two years. I've known you for four. I've seen the look you give Naruto, I'm not blind." Sakura said, a hint of teasing in her voice. Hinata scowled once more and grabbed a pillow from the couch, slugging it at Sakura.
With trained quick reflexes, Sakura moved out of the way just before the pillow came in contact with her head. She gasped and pointed at her friend, a fake look of shock spreading over her pretty features.
"You..you...how dare you!" Without another word, Sakura picked up another pillow and swung in, hoping to hit Hinata. The other kuniouchi ducked the attack and thus their childish battle begun. The two girls skillfully hopped around their small apartment living room, sparing with pillows as their weapons. It felt good. Neither of them had really let loose like this in years, and just playing around and acting like a fool was an amazing feeling.
After a few minutes, Hinata and Sakura fell to the floor, exhasted and laughing loudly. Sakura rolled over on her stomach and grinned at her friend, breathing heavily.
"Wow...I haven't laughed this much since..." Sakura trailed off, breathlessly. Hinata only laughed in agreement before sitting up on her elbows.
"Remember when we first bought this place?" She asked. Sakura nodded, the memories flooding back, causing her to giggle.
"Eating ramen at four in the morning."
"Watching The Lion King."
"Talking about boys..." Sakura added, sighing dreamily. Things had been good when they first moved in together. They always had fun. On some days though, Sakura would just sit in her room and stare out the window aimlessly, like maybe she was waiting for Sasuke to walk back into Konoha. Sakura felt a pang of regreat. It wasn't Hinata who threw away her life into work and training. It wasn't Hinata who bottled up all her emotions and found herself crying herself to sleep every night. Hinata had grown bold and confident, whilst Sakura had become aloof and distant.
"Hinata..." Sakura whispered. Hinata turned to look at her friend, traces of concern crossing her features.
"Why do you suppose Sasuke is back?"
Hinata blinked and straightened herself upright. Hesitant to answer, Hinata preteneded to be deep in thought.
"Sakura..."
"Did he kill his brother? Did he reach his goal? Maybe he's here only because Naruto went to force him. Or...maybe he had nowhere left to turn." Sakura stared at the ceiling, a blank expression on her face.
Hinata wrapped her arms around her scrunched up legs, resting her head on her knees.
"I don't know what to tell you, Sakura. At least he's back..."
"I'm really glad he is back. I missed him." Sakura whispered. Feeling tears well up in her eyes, Hinata smiled warmly and placed an arm around her friend's shoulders as Sakura sat up.
"Tell me...do you still love him?" She asked.
"I do."
