"So how are these two?" Hinata asks her customer.
The customer regards Burifu and Namiko, stroking his chin in thoughtfulness. "Put the long haired one in pink and the short haired one in purple. And can you curl their hair and put flower crowns on their heads? Pink and purple to match their dresses, of course."
"Of course," says Hinata. "Do you want real flowers or clever imitations that won't wilt?"
"Imitations, I think," says the customer. "And I'll leave it up to you to choose what flowers you think are best." He bends down so he is closer to Burifu and Namiko's eye level. "What are your names, hm?"
"I'm Burifu Uzumaki!" says Burifu, grinning like a wild thing.
"My name is Namiko Terumi," says Namiko gravely.
"So you will be little fairies at my daughter's wedding," says the customer. "Are you excited?"
"I like weddings!" says Burifu. "I've been to lots 'cause I have so many aunties and uncles and big brothers and sisters and cousins and they all get married to random people. I don't know where they find the people they marry though…"
"I've never been to a wedding," says Namiko, her eyes wide. "I hope one day I can go to my parents' wedding…"
"I think your mum hopes that too!" laughs Burifu.
The customer straightens up and whispers to Hinata, "What does she mean by wanting to go to her parents' wedding? Are her parents not married?"
"One night stand," Hinata whispers back. "Her Dad only just found out about her, and now her mum wants in her Dad's pants again."
"Oh, right," says the customer. "Well, I'll see you on the wedding day. Good bye." He bows and leaves the office part of the unicorn house, where Hinata held the meeting.
"Alright, girls," says Hinata. "Let's get you measured up for your costumes. Follow me."
"Are we getting any money for this?" asks Namiko boldly.
"Yes you are," says Hinata, taking some papers out of a drawer. "Which reminds me: I need the two of you to sign these documents, and since you are so young, I need you to take these documents to a parent or caregiver - like a grandparent or someone who looks after you - for them to sign. Understand?"
"I have ta sign this," says Burifu, slapping her hand down on one document. "And I have ta get Mummy or Daddy ta sign this."
"Exactly," says Hinata, nodding.
"Should I get Daddy to sign my one?" asks Namiko, picking up the papers.
"Yes, please do," says Hinata nodding. "Now I will measure you and take you back to Naruto's house, alright? Bring me the forms tomorrow."
Once she has measured the two little girls, Hinata walks them back to Naruto's house. Burifu arrived back in the Leaf the previous day, the day after Hinata saw Naruto flying Sasuke home. Naruto never flies Hinata anywhere. Hinata feels a stab of jealousy. Just who does Sasuke think she is, taking up all of Naruto's time and attention since the chunin exams. And now the little piece of s*** has the cheek to ask Naruto to teach her fuuinjutsu! Hinata has a few things to say to Sasuke.
Once they arrive at Naruto's house, Hinata, Namiko and Burifu just march right in after waving to one of Kurama's Guards, who is outside sketching. They find Naruto sitting at the dining table, once again studying fuuinjutsu with Sasuke.
Hinata grits her teeth. "Hi Naruto," she says. "Hi Sasuke." Hinata pours as much venom as she can into Sasuke's name.
"Oh, hi Hinata," says Naruto, grinning. Then he cocks his head to one side. "Are you and Sasuke mad at eachother?"
"No," says Sasuke, shooting Hinata a pointed glare. Hinata reads the glare as: not around Naruto, stupid!
"Oh, that's alright then," says Naruto, sighing in relief. "I better take Sasuke home before her curfew, or Mr. nice Hokage won't let her come here to learn fuuinjutsu anymore."
"I'll do it," says Hinata,seizing her chance. "You make sure Burifu gets those documents signed and safely back to me."
"I'll take those," says Naruto, taking the forms off Burifu. "We don't want something to happen to them, 'tebayo."
Hinata grabs Sasuke's wheelchair and pushes it stiffly out. "See you tomorrow."
"Bye Stupid," says Sasuke.
"Bye!" Naruto calls after them, all cheerful and happy.
The exact opposite of Hinata.
Hinata pushes Sasuke through town in silence. Once they get to the long stretch of empty land between the main part of the village and the Uchiha compound, Hinata wedges Sasuke's wheelchair in a bush.
"Hinata…" Sasuke tries to say something, but Hinata interrupts.
"What are you up to?" Hinata demands. "Hogging all of Naruto's time. Learning fuuinjutsu at his house."
"We're studying at his house because my baby brother is annoying!" snaps Sasuke.
"What about hogging all his time, eh?" Hinata demands, grabbing Sasuke's chair and shoving it further back into the bush. "Care to explain THAT?"
"I am in a WHEELCHAIR!" shouts Sasuke, pushing Hinata away. "Do you think I have a lot of choice who I hang around?"
"And yet Naruto still spends most of his free time with YOU!" Hinata shouts back. "He used to spend it with ME!"
"Oh so you're jealous, is that it?" shouts Sasuke. "JEALOUS! JEALOUS! JEALOUS! I never ASKED Naruto to hang around me like a bad smell! Which he is, by the way!"
Hinata slaps Sasuke across the face. "DON'T YOU DARE INSULT NARUTO, YOU LITTLE HUSSY!"
Sasuke grabs Hinata's side fringe and pulls hard. "I AM NOT A HUSSY, YOU DIP S***!"
Hinata grabs Sasuke's hair and pulls just as hard. "NARUTO IS MINE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND? MINE!"
"OH YEAH?" Yells Sasuke, kneeing Hinata with her uninjured leg. "AND WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I WANT HIM?"
"OH, YOU WANNA KNOW WHY?" Hinata yanks Sasuke's hair harder. "MAYBE IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FACT HE'S TEACHING YOU FUUINJUTSU AFTER RISKING HIS LIFE TO SAVE YOURS!"
"WHAT'S THE MATTER, SCARED OF THE FRIENDZONE?" demands Sasuke, grabbing a fistful of Hinata's hair and yanking it so hard Hinata screams in pain. "I'M NOT! IT'S WHERE I AM RIGHT NOW!"
"SO YOU DO LIKE NARUTO!" yells Hinata, triumphantly, grabbing a fist-ful of Sasuke's hair in each hand and yanking hard.
"AHH!" Sasuke yelps. "NO! I AM TALKING ABOUT SHINO! I LIKE SHINO! NOW LET GO OF ME!"
Hinata is so shocked that she just stares at Sasuke, her hands still full of Sasuke's hair.
Sasuke looks just as shocked. She slowly lets go of Hinata's hair and says calmly. "If you tell anyone I like Shino I will find you and turn your insides into soup and then feed the soup to Akamaru."
Hinata lets go of Sasuke's hair and pulls her wheelchair out of the bush. "So you don't like Naruto?"
"He's like an annoying brother but worse," says Sasuke, grumpily. "You can have him."
"And he isn't into you?" says Hinata, slowly.
"As far as I can tell he's already decided he's going to marry you one day," says Sasuke, shrugging. "You better get Iruka sensei to teach you fuuinjutsu."
Hinata scowls in annoyance. "And you didn't think to mention this before the hair pulling?"
Sasuke rolls her eyes."Oh come on, that was fun."
Hinata laughs, and Sasuke joins in. It seems Shikamaru was wrong.
"I am going to punch Shikamaru next time I see him," says Hinata, pulling an angry face. "This is all his fault."
"Let me guess: he said childhood friend equals friendzoned and everyone knows twelve year olds who argue will end up married?" says Sasuke, puffing out her cheek.
"Yes."
"Kill him. I'm still hoping that rule is not true."
"I'll try and figure out if Shino is into you," says Hinata.
"Thanks."
The two girls look at each other and then burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Hiashi and Fugaku are on the way home from their sparring match when they hear the unmistakable sound of a fight between teenage girls. After exchanging a concerned glance, the two overpowered shinobi sneak over to investigate. Once they are close enough, Hiashi and Fugaku see Hinata and Sasuke shouting and pulling each other's hair.
"What in the Elemental Nations…?" says Hiashi, creeping closer. "Is that my kid in a cat fight with your kid?"
"Yes it is," says Fugaku, not quite believing his eyes. Sasuke, acting like a girl her age? Unbelievable! "And they're arguing over a boy, too!"
"I'm not sure if I should be horrified or proud," says Hiashi, wide eyed.
Fairly soon the fight is over, with Sasuke admitting to liking Shino and Hinata learning that Naruto does want to marry her.
"If I had known having teenage girls involved this much drama," says Fugaku, thinking of how Itachi is pregnant and Sasuke is fighting with other girls over boys. "I would have had sons."