Complex

Chapter 3 - A meeting under Willow

'Sometimes stars are found under willow trees'

Hinata had been tirelessly trying to impress Tsunade by organizing a colossus amount of books back to their original shelving. " you know as much as I appreciate it, you can take it easy you know. I doubt anyone will be in a hurry for the books, well not that pushed to rent it out" smiling at her enthusiastic apprentice. " oh...yeah, I just wanted to make a good impression" feeling rather silly, " well, you have so you can relax now. It's 12.30, so you can take you lunch break now." Feeling rather relieved as hunger pains started to niggle at her stomach, Hinata headed towards the vending machine, getting a cold juice drink, then heading to the canteen to get a cool chicken salad with extra toppings, yoghurt and a large cookie; which she simply couldn't resist.

Instead of sitting in, she decided to take her lunch outside by the libraries garden, where the most beautiful willow tree dwelt, seeing it must have ben very old but stood grandly. Taking her seat underneath her jacket, while enjoying her chicken and salad, saving her favorite till last, the cookie. Hinata couldn't help but see a shadow on the opposite side of the willow, someone else was sitting on the other side, from what she could make out; it looked like the person was reading. Hinata had always been curious kind of person, prying away from her lunch she slowly turned to look at the person more, seeing only their legs. Black trousers, polished black shoes, quite gentlemanly, a matching jacket lay underneath with another book by their side. Whoever this was, a man, most definitely, was a sharp dresser at least from leg view.

Now completely focused on who this was, Hinata took no notice of the doom that was about to happen, the tray her salad, and juice was on were now falling over her knees and straight into a pile on the grass in front of her "nooo!" was all Hinata could muster, trying to wipe the salad cream from her jeans that were now covered in salad cream. " Just great, you know Hinata, your such an idiot" Realizing someone was bending down at the side of her, picking her jacket up for her, away from the salad cream. " Never had you as the clumsy type" She would have turned on this person if it hadn't have been him...Sasuke.

" what are you doing here" a line that felt too familiar to her ears today, "I'm always here, 12 remember, I come here for a book or two. Surely you must know by now?" questioning her why she hadn't known.

" Well, I didn't until I began work here today, and applied for it yesterday, so now I know" still smelling salad cream on her jeans .

" Here, don't get it on your jacket. So, you come by here now too?" he looked at her almost innocently, as if he wasn't a playboy, but like he was some nice man sitting reading in the back of the library by the old willow tree.

"ehm...well, it was nice out and thought to have lunch, well nearly had lunch. But now have to go around smelling of Salad cream until Six!" hearing him chuckle under that deep voice was rather exotic, yet rather soft.

"hm, well at least it will be smell to remember you of" he really did wish it hadn't come out so ambiguous, but her presence was something he growing used to lately, and the smell of salad cream would now remind him of this, and her.

"huh, well, can't say it would be a nice smell to remember someone by, but I guess...can I ask something?" Hinata thought she would pluck up the courage to ask Sasuke why he was starting his strange talks and meetings with her now, after a year.

"Ask" blunt but- " Why have you only started to talk to me now, after me living here for a year?" He didn't expect a question like this, but he wondered if he had a explanation for their now blossoming conversation and strange meetings.

" I don't know, you seemed to keep to yourself quite a lot, I never intrued on peoples lives unless they want me to strike up something. If you feel I make you uncomfortable I bother you again."

Hinata felt rather guilt ridden by his answer and needed to address it, "no no no, you don't make me uncomfortable, you would know if you did. Your sleeping pattern is strange though, but well, you really seem sociably yourself. The only people who I ever see you with are random girls-" Hinata cut herself off wondering if she was being a little out of line by prying too far.

Sasuke was silent for a moment, he knew she had seen him bring back girls to his apartment, if she only knew one of the reasons he did, she might be a little more than shocked.

"Ah, so you do see my nightime escapades? well, just to inform you and others in the block, I am not a sex addict, nor do I bring all those girls back for just what you think I do. I do have control in that area you know, even though you women think all of us men don't, their are those, like myself who do have restraint." Now Hinata had a very obvious blush come across her face, knowing he was not as bad as everyone made him out to be, perhaps she could befriend him, perhaps he wasn't as strange as she thought; maybe he was more like her than she thought.

"oh, sorry, I just judge everyone before I know them. It's this complex I have, I didn't mean to judge you so harshly, and really it doesn't matter if you bring back girls for that reason. It's your life, not your neighbours." Finding her to now be quite adorable, her blush was cute also and he pushed back something he wanted to ask, but thinking it best not to.

" you make me laugh, you always try and explain yourself. I understand ,Don't hesitate to say what you want, you'll get further that way." His words struck her, she silently stood there looking at him, thinking how easy it had been for her best friend Sakura to win over Naruto, how she envied and felt angry towards her for taking someone she knew she liked. Now, it didn't matter, not much.

They both decided to sit down, gestured by Sasuke who felt a heat rise to his face as Hinata stood staring at him.

So now what, She thought to herself, but was stopped when Sasuke spoke "so, do you want to come over to mine this evening, after you finish?" Taken aback, she looked over his face again, seeing no sign of being someone else, but still wondering he wasn't going to make her like one of them other girls.

" Not like a date, if that's what your thinking, and not like what other else your thinking. But like a friend, I can rent a few films out and something to eat if you want?" Okay, yes he had to amit it, it sounded a lot like a date, but it wasn't honestly!.

" And now look who is trying to explain themselves. I know what your talking about." Feeling relieved he didn't mean that, and feeling she could do with some company after being cooped in every night, most nights on her own with annoying phone calls from Neji requested from her father.

" Great, so what kind of films are you into? let me guess? no horrors?" Now she was annoyed.

" Look Just because I am a girl, doesn't mean I don't like horror. Because I do, most aren't even that bad." Hinata did, most she found weren't that terrible anyway.

Smiling inwardly, Sasuke simply replied "okay, horror it is, some over to mine after your finished and i'll have it all ready. " Now they both felt it was like a date, but actually they both knew it wasn't.

" sounds great. so..." Hinata wanted to change the subject " what were you reading, a while ago?" She wondered if he knew that she had been watching ever so slightly, which led to the spilling of salad cream and juice all over her jeans.

" oh...ehm, well it's about a warrior and his long journey to prove himself to someone" He felt rather embarrassed telling her " not what you expected of me? I know." Hinata smiled at him, he felt it as his face grew slightly warm.

" well, in a way...yes. Something like that, I would have been surprised if it were a romance or something. But a warrior, fighting many trials and tribulations to prove himself is probably what I would have expected you to read" relieved she understood, but not wanting to tell her it was a warrior trying to prove himself for a woman, might have been interpreted as a romance. Best leave that out Sasuke' to himself.

Hinata and Sasuke had been talking about random things, not noticing the time, until Hinata did. " agh! ehm...sorry, I have to get back to work, Tsunade wont be pleased if I think I can take long lunch breaks when I am supposed to be helping her." Getting up and brushing off her jacket.

" right. well, you better get back then." Not wanting it to sound too abrupt " I'll see you later then?" just to confirm she would be coming over later.

" oh yes. I'll be there, and if your ordering anything, if you didn't mind...no garlic?" He looked kind of amused " no garlic, better order extra of it then" smirking at her as she walked away, feeling this was what he had been missing for some time. Someone who he could talk to and not be judged for what he was, just a friend to see him as he was.