A Perfect Circle

chapter five; hinata's world

Hinata inhaled deeply, breathing in the smell of rose petals and soap. She laid in the bath, at the hottest temperature she could handle, with a towel on her forehead. She raised her hand out of the murky water, the one only that days before, had been gripped to Sasuke Uchiha's. She closed her hand into a fist and allowed it to rest with her other one on her stomach.

She'd spent the past three days trying to decipher his actions. First, dinner, then flowers, then he held her hand. If it hadn't been so completely ludicrous, she would have believed that Sasuke Uchiha actually had a crush on her. She laughed to herself.

That's completely impossible. Besides, he knows how I feel about Naruto-kun. No, it's entirely insane.

She let out a long, exhausted sigh.

I wonder if he's even capable of feeling romantically.

She felt like a jerk for thinking such a thing and mentally slapped herself on the wrist. Of course he was. Despite all he had done, Sasuke was still a person, and she was seeing that more and more every time she spoke to him. She could understand why Naruto and Sakura both loved him so much; he truly was like no other.

Eventually, Hinata pulled herself from the bath and back into reality. That night, she had plans with Tenten, Ino and Sakura as a sort of girls night. In all honesty, Hinata felt as though she wouldn't have been invited if it weren't for Tenten. She had been distant with Ino and Sakura for quite some time, though Tenten still remained a close friend to her. They had bonded considerably after Neji's passing.

Hinata didn't intend to be distant with Ino and Sakura, it happened naturally. She often cursed herself for her overwhelming jealousy over Sakura's relationship with Naruto, and since Ino was Sakura's best friend, Hinata kept away from the both of them. That night, however, she was inclined to a change of scenery. Perhaps, reconnecting with the girls would be just the thing she needed to lay her qualms to rest.

Summer would be ending soon, and the air was getting cooler. Hinata stepped into the evening wearing a lose, comfortable outfit consisting of a pink top and a cream coloured skirt. She clutched a basket of baked goods with trembling hands as she briskly walked in the direction of Tenten's home.

Hinata took a deep breath and composed herself before she knocked on the door. Expecting Tenten to answer, she was shocked to see Sakura swing open the door with a wide smile.

"Hina-chan!" she exclaimed, gesturing for her to enter. The Hyuga smiled shyly as she walked in. The house smelled of incense. Ino and Tenten were seated in the living room, sipping on glasses of wine.

"Hinata-chan!" The girls chimed simultaneously. Tenten hopped to her feet and rushed to the kitchen, returning with a glass for Hinata.

"Thanks," Hinata simpered, offering her friend the basket.

"What's this?" Tenten asked, peering into the wicker. "Oh, cookies! Thanks, Hinata-chan."

"No problem," she said, accepting a seat on the floor. The four of them sat in a circle. Hinata was quiet, for the most part, as the girls bickered about the guys in town, poking fun at each other about who they had their sights on. Hinata, having nothing to do with her hands, was constantly sipping her wine, a nervous habit she had picked up when she was first introduced to alcohol.

Take it easy, she told herself, forcing her hands to halt the glass from reaching her lips. She had to remind herself about the last time she drank.

"Shut up, guys. I don't even like Sai," Ino insisted with her nose high in the air.

"You do too," Tenten chuckled. "Since things with you and Shikamaru didn't work out, we all know what's been going on."

"Well what about you?" Ino retorted. "You and Lee have been pretty close."

"What!?" Tenten exclaimed, aghast, while Sakura snickered.

"I think you guys would make a nice couple!" she laughed, invoking a look of death from the brunette. Ino cranked her head to Sakura, wearing a mischievous grin that only spoke trouble.

"What about you, Sakura? Still holding out for Sasuke-kun?"

Unlike Tenten and Ino, Sakura straightened her shoulders and sipped her wine with pride. "Maybe... When Sasuke-kun comes home, I think that everything will be different between us."

Hinata froze. The words were oddly relieving. Perhaps, nothing romantic was occurring between Sakura and Naruto. Despite that, she still felt a small feat of unpalatable envy. When she had become such a jealous individual, she couldn't confirm. It must have happened some time after the war, when Hinata awoke from her dream and found reality less pleasant.

Aside from relief, she was ridden with guilt, the secret of her knowing Sasuke weighing down on her. She wanted to brush her friendship off with him as no big deal, but when she imagined how they would all react, she wavered. If she came clean right there, about dinner, the flowers, the holding of hands, she envisioned Tenten and Ino with their mouths hanging totally ajar, and Sakura filling up with rage or betrayal. Hinata stared at her own dull eyes through her reflection in the wine glass, when a pair of fingers snapping in front of her face pulled her from her daydream.

"Earth to Hinata," Sakura said, and the girl immediately blushed.

"Y-Yes?" she stuttered. "Sorry!"

"What's up with you, space case?" Tenten joked, only flushing Hinata's face more.

"J-Just thinking..."

"About Naruto?" Ino smirked slyly, and Hinata discovered it was possible for her to turn redder. She wasn't even thinking about Naruto; on the contrary, his best friend was on her mind.

"Maybe..." the girl lied, grinning bashfully. They all giggled, easily buying the act because that was just Hinata being Hinata. They were all aware of her feelings for Naruto, Sakura included. Knowing that, would Sakura even go for Naruto, if she liked him? Hinata wasn't sure. She second guessed herself even more for thinking on Sasuke. Fraternizing with him could be perceived as deception, but telling anyone about him would certainly be one. Still, the secret was burdensome and the influence of alcohol did not help.

By the time Hinata realized she was inebriated, she called it quits and made up an excuse to go home. She had no real intention of truly going there. She wanted to see Sasuke, for reasons uncertain. She figured that he could help abate her concerns; he was, after all, the only one who knew about their meetings.

I should end it, she thought, though unsure what it really was. She should either end it, or convince him to return to the village, so it would no longer be weird or classified. Hinata was allowed to be friends with Sasuke; keeping it as privileged information was what distraught her.

She didn't bother stopping at home to grab a jacket. It was cold, and the paleness of the moon seemed to append it, but the remnants of alcohol warmed her blood. She raced through the forest. It was awkward in her skirt, but her feet moved for her. She stopped first at the waterfall and waited for ten minutes before realizing it was frivolous. She searched for the cellar. It occurred to her that he may not be there, or anywhere, but she continued forward with a blind hope.

Sensibility returned to her as she slid on her heels, stopping at the clearing where Sasuke resided. She took a sharp intake of breath. I'm drunk, she thought. I should go home. This is a bad idea-

The door opened, and the Uchiha poked his head out. "Hinata?" he asked, bewildered to see her standing before him with tight shoulders and her mouth agape.

"H-Hey," she mumbled, nervously stepping towards him. He peeked around before treading into the night air, shutting the door behind him.

"What are you doing here?"

Hinata opened her mouth to speak, but found no words. In preference, she sat opposed to him on the dewy grass. Sasuke sat down as well and watched her with an expecting gaze.

"I feel like I am doing something wrong..." she muttered. "By keeping this a secret from everyone."

Sasuke studied her for a moment. Her cheeks were flushed and she smelled of wine. He took a pause, before apathetically asking, "What a secret?"

"These... Meetings."

He raised a dark eyebrow. "We aren't doing anything wrong," he assured. "What is this all about?"

Hinata's lip trembled. He was right, worrying was silly, but it was almost all she knew. She had always been anxious and over thought even the most insignificant of circumstances. If she tried to explain that to Sasuke, she knew she would fumble on her words, that her explanation would be clumsy and he would just think of her as preposterous.

Sasuke took a breath. She was not responding, so he squared his shoulders and moved his face in front of hers, forcing eye contact. "You feel like you're lying to Naruto by not telling him about me, and you're worried about it."

Meekly, she nodded. "Sakura-chan, too."

Sasuke sighed. "Look, you want the truth? After the war, when I left the village, I told Sakura, Naruto and Kakashi that I was going to travel the world, to find myself and atone for my wrongdoings. I haven't quite completed that task. Returning too early would just display weakness."

"But, maybe you have completed that task," she stammered. "Perhaps, that's why you're here... You could try visiting. Besides, everybody wants you to come back to the village. They've forgiven you."

"Do you?"

Silence.

The wind picked up, and clouds parted away from the moon, adding a pale light to Sasuke's face. Hinata surveyed him, his dark eyes, how his jet black hair made his skin look whiter. He was similar to her, in a way, yet so entirely opposite. He was attractive. She had known it, but never truly noticed. He had always been Naruto's stoic, intimidating friend. She never saw him past the blond. He wasn't cute like Naruto, he was stunning, in his own way. It seemed improper for her to think this of him. When she realized she was staring, she blushed and looked away, the familiar feeling of embarrassment bubbling inside her.

The conversation was going no where. Sasuke stood up and brushed dirt off his poncho. "Go home, Hinata," he said, turning away. He waited for a response, or some kind of movement to tell him that she was even still alive, but there was nothing. When he turned his head, the girl had fainted.

He scoffed; she truly was ridiculous, at times. He scooped her up and brought her inside of the cellar, where candles were still burning, masking the musky scent. He laid her frail body on the bed, and speculated how someone so light was even capable of being a ninja.

"What am I supposed to do with you?" he asked, irritated, sitting on the floor in front of the bed. Hinata mumbled and curled up in a ball. His initial annoyance disintegrated as he looked at her sleeping face. Naruto was a fool for not wanting her. Her body shivered, and he reached out to touch her face. Her cheeks were cold. He took off his poncho and tucked it around her, before laying on the floor, facing away from her.

As usual, it took him hours to fall asleep. He focused on the shallow sound of her breathing. It was oddly comforting, leaving a lingering feeling of content in him. When he finally drifted off, he didn't dream of anything at all.

When Sasuke woke, Hinata was still sleeping on the bed. She had rolled on to her back, and her long hair was wildly spread out around her. He shook her by the shoulders until her eyelashes began to flutter.

The girl stirred, but did not wake.

"Hinata." Sasuke said sternly. "Wake up."

"Mmm?"

"Wake up."

She squinted at him through thick lashes, focusing her vision on his face. Her head pounded in her skull. When she made out the face of the man standing atop her, she jolted up, immediately regretting the decision as her head smashed against the ceiling.

"Oww," she cried, holding her head with her hands.

"That'll happen," Sasuke said nonchalantly. He sat down beside her and allowed her a few moments to collect herself before he spoke. "You passed out," he told her. Shyly, she raised her head from the confides of her hands.

"I-I'm so sorry," she sputtered, distraught. She thought about the previous night and did not like the last thing she remembered. "This is embarrassing," she said, standing up. She wobbled on her feet, and Sasuke extended his arm out to stop her from falling.

"It's fine," he said. "It happens, I guess."

"I'm never drinking again," she muttered. She regained her balance and regained some composure. She looked at the bed, seeing the indent from where she slept, and Sasuke's poncho, which she'd apparently used as a blanket. She recalled the hazy feeling of warmth and the smell of wood in her sleep. The dream she'd had of him. Her first instinct was to head for the door. Sasuke followed.

Hinata squinted at the piercing sunlight, using her forearm to hide her eyes until they adjusted. She fumbled out of the cellar, thankful that she was able to stay on her feet.

"Are you fine to get back?" Sasuke asked, trailing behind her. "I'll feel responsible if you die in the woods."

She looked back at him and pouted. "I'll be fine. Thank you, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke grunted. She nodded to him, before taking off into the woods. Hinata wasn't a very prideful person by nature, but she wouldn't admit to him the full extent of her hangover; she was already mortified enough. She was still partially drunk when she arrived at the village, taking a less populated route to her home, where she planned to sleep for the rest of the day.

Sasuke kicked a rock into the river as he strolled along it. He had spent the morning exploring the forest, discovering nothing particularly interesting. Despite his years living in Konoha, he was still able to find things in its vast, surrounding forestry that were new, like the spot by the waterfall where he'd first seen Hinata. That day, he was not so fortunate to stumble upon anything more curious than a rotting log.

He'd slept poorly the night before. His dreams weren't as kind to him as they were a day ago, when Hinata was drunk, sleeping on his bed. He chose to pay no mind to the idea of her breathing easing his worries.

He was thinking a lot about when she'd said that night. She was drunk, but conceivably, her words may have had truth to them. Perhaps, he was ready to return to the village, at least for a visit. His pride prevented him from wanting to stay or tell the truth about his whereabouts. It seemed like Hinata was close to cracking, and the thought irked him. He wasn't in the mood for Naruto or Sakura. In fact, the only person he was partial to seeing was that Hyuga.

If I visit the village, maybe she'll hold off on telling anyone about me.

He nodded to himself, as though it were the perfect plan, unwilling to confess that he just needed an excuse to see her.

By the time he arrived at the village, it was late afternoon. He scoped the walls until he found the approximate location of the Hyuga compound. He had no idea where to look for Hinata, so as he helped himself to strolling through their garden, he stopped a child to ask for directions. There were a few girls in the garden, but they were young, and simply stared at him, snickering. He hoped that they didn't know who he was, but that was unlikely.

Hinata lived in a small house in the compound where the people of the branch house resided. He imagined she would live in the main house with her family. He knocked on the door, and swore he heard the sound of something crashing inside, followed by an 'oof'. After a moment, a flustered Hinata slid the door open, her jaw nearly dropping at the sight of him.

"S-Sasuke-kun!" she spluttered. She was wearing a yellow dress and a pink apron. She had flour covering her clothing, some on her face, and even in her hair.

He smirked. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" she inquired.

"Visiting, like you suggested."

I didn't mean visit me, she inwardly grimaced, but said, "Well, welcome. Please, come in."

Sasuke entered the house and she closed the door behind him. She offered to take his poncho and hung it up. The kitchen was build into the living room, where she really didn't have much. A simple sofa, a coffee table, a bookshelf and a television occupied the space on top of a tatami. He noticed the purple flowers he had gifted her were in a vase on the table. It was not at all what he had expected her living quarters to look like.

"I was just making cookies," she said through a flustered breath. "I'm about to put them in the oven, so just give me one second. Would you like tea?"

"Sure," he said, helping himself to a seat on the sofa. He patiently waited for Hinata to return with two mugs and a teapot on a platter. She set it down on the glass table and sat on the floor. She poured them both a cup of the hot liquid, accepting any responsibility that would occupy her hands. Being with Sasuke in a place she was free to leave was one thing, but this was her home.

"I'm intruding, aren't I?" Sasuke queried, catching her off guard. Hinata's head snapped to him, interrupting her from sipping the tea.

"No, not at all," she smiled. "I just wasn't expecting you."

"Yeah." Sasuke took a drink from the mug, and Hinata's eyes lingered on him. She did feel slightly intruded, but then again, she owed him for the other night when he brought her in and let her drunkenly sleep on his bed.

"I'm sorry, again," she said. "About the other day."

"You don't have to apologize so much." It was like a reminder that she had heard a million times before. Hinata always had been notorious for her overuse of the word 'sorry'. She flushed; the hot tea was not helping.

"So, are you going to visit Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan?"

Sasuke wanted to decline, to say he just came for her, but nodded. "I guess." He set down the mug and straightened his shoulders. "I'll visit. I don't plan on telling them that I've been sticking around. They'll get upset with me for not telling them. I don't want to deal with that."

Hinata could read the undertones of his words. She nodded understandingly, because she really did get it, but now she felt like she'd been sucked into it.

"I will come back," Sasuke said abruptly. "I will live here again one day, just not now."

"Why would you rather live in the forest? When winter comes, it will be awfully cold." Her hands gripped the mug too tightly.

"I guess I should get back on the road soon."

Hinata did not like the sound of that. This man, this strange friend she'd acquired, was offering her more support than she let off. She chose to say nothing, as a ding sounded, signalling that her cookies were done. She jumped to her feet and disappeared into the kitchen for several minutes.

Hinata tried to get Sasuke to eat her cookies, but he refused, telling her how he disliked sweet things. I knew it, she said to herself. Sasuke wasn't so hard to read, after all. About an hour passed, before Hinata suggested that they take a walk, feeling claustrophobic in his presence.

"I need to buy groceries," she said sweetly. "Then I can make you something to eat that you'll actually like."

Being outside helped them both relent. Hinata even found herself smiling, enticing Sasuke to do the same, though he didn't show much past a half smirk. She picked up some rice and fish from the local market, and the two took a longer route back to the compound. As they were walking, from around a nearby corner, they both recognized an all-too-familiar raspy voice.

"I don't know, man," Naruto said. Another scratchy voice chimed in, belonging to Kiba.

"What's not to know! If she weren't like a sister to me, I would go for it. Besides, she only has eyes for you."

Hinata stopped walking, bringing Sasuke to a halt, as well.

"Let's keep moving," he said. He immediately knew that this conversation was not for her ears.

"Wait," Hinata hushed him.

"She's great, don't get me wrong," Naruto continued. "But, I don't know. I always that that Sakura-chan and I would hit it off, once she got over Sasuke."

Hinata dropped her bag of rice. Sasuke scanned her, seeing that her head now hung low and her bangs covered her eyes.

"But she isn't over him!" Kiba insisted. "Maybe never will be."

"Well, maybe I never will be, either."

When Hinata turned to run, Sasuke had been waiting for it. He grabbed her wrist and stopped her, inadvertently pulling her into his chest. She was quick to give in. She stood there with her arms hanging like noodles and her forehead resting against his chest. He could hear her crying, and had probably never felt more uneasy. He knew he was supposed to hug her, or something, but just picked up the bag of rice and dragged her by the wrist in the direction of her home.

Hinata hid her face the entire way there. They had moved briskly, and taken back streets to avoid people. He never let go of her frail wrist the entire way, worried that she might just take off. He would probably know where to find her if she did, anyway.

When they arrived at her house, Hinata shook Sasuke off of her and rushed into the bathroom. He could hear her sobbing. It was pathetic, he thought, but in a bizarre way, he felt for her.

At long last, the girl stepped out of the bathroom, drying her face with a towel.

"Well, I guess it isn't the first time you've seen my cry like a fool," she tried to laugh, but ended up sputtering and forcing down more tears. Sasuke patiently waited on the couch for her to come over. This time, she sat beside him. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I don't even know why I'm crying. I already knew that Naruto felt that way."

"Sometimes it just sucks to hear the truth," he said.

"You should go, Sasuke-kun. I've had more than enough humiliation for an entire lifetime."

He thought about it for a moment. Hinata's house was warm and oddly comforting. In her presence, he'd almost forgotten that he was in the village he'd grown up in, the village that normally caused so many unwelcome memories to resurface.

After a pause, he said, "I'd like to stay."

Hinata's glassy eyes met his stone ones, and seeing that he was serious, she nodded weakly. Some company didn't sound too bad. If he left, all she would do was cry herself into a coma, anyway.

She continued as planned and made him dinner in silence. Sasuke observed her collection of books. They were mostly fiction, some of which he thought seemed interesting. When Hinata brought sushi over, they ate in silence. Hinata turned on the television to a random channel, but neither of them were really focusing on it. The television served as white noise to accompany their thoughts. Hinata's mind swirled around Naruto, while Sasuke's was intent on her.

She had stopped crying, but her pale face was red and stained with tears. Somehow, the way her eyelashes clunked together added to her subtle prettiness. He caught himself staring. Part of him wondered what it would be like to be closer to her, to comfort her, and for her to comfort him. It was far-fetched, but he'd experienced a taste of it when he'd held cold hand within his. Why he'd done that was betwixt and between, but he was certain it had offered him some amenity. It eased him, to feel her skin on his, but it was a heat of the moment decision. He wasn't about to intrude her again.

After Hinata cleaned up their dishes, she checked the time. "It's getting late," she said, even though it was only seven.

"I can go," Sasuke suggested, standing up. He turned to see Hinata was fidgeting with her fingers.

"It's going to be cold tonight. You can sleep here, if you'd like. My couch pulls out into a bed."

Sasuke was befuddled by the proposal, but reluctantly okayed. Hinata pulled the couch into a bed and laid on it.

"I have some movies..." she muttered, ridden with nervousness.

"Are you sure you want me to stay? I can go," he said, taking a seat at the edge. He turned to face her.

"It's the least I can do, after the other night," she responded warmly. "I have a robe of my fathers that you can sleep in, if you'd like me to wash your clothes."

Sasuke looked down at himself and realized that his tattered blue clothing were covered in dried mud. He hadn't washed them with anything more than river water in a long time.

"If you're offering, I guess," he said. Hinata disappeared into her bedroom and handed him the robe. Sasuke changed in the washroom. When he emerged, Hinata turned scarlet. The brown garb of the Hyuga clan looked oddly good on him, and it was nice to see him cleaned up.

"There aren't many movies to watch," Hinata said. "But feel free to pick one."

"All right." Sasuke handed her his dirty clothing and walked over to her television stand. "I haven't seen a movie since I was a kid," he admitted. Hinata disappeared into the washroom for several minutes while she cleaned his clothing.

"I haven't seen many," she told him when she returned. "But after the war, people started making them a lot more."

"After the war, things got boring." He selected a random title and tossed it to her. She caught it with an oof. "Like I said, haven't seen a movie in years," he explained, laying on the futon. "So I just picked one at random."

She plugged the movie into the television and sat beside him. The last time she had watched a movie on her sofa, it had been with her younger sister, never with a man. They watched in silence. It was one of Hinata's favourites, though Sasuke seemed generally indifferent. He wasn't really focusing on it, anyway. If the situation felt peculiar to Hinata, it was like an entire other galaxy to Sasuke. Grocery shopping, watching television and drinking tea weren't to his accustoms. This was Hinata's world.

Part way through the movie, Sasuke looked over to her and saw her eyes had drifted shut. She mumbled in her sleep and rolled over, curling in a ball next to him. Her forehead grazed his arm. When he shifted himself to give her more space, the girl scooted closer to him. Evidently, she was unaware of her actions when her hand gripped his shirt. Hesitantly, to prevent her from waking, he rested his arm on her torso. Before long, Sasuke found his eyelids closing as well.

Hinata's eyes fluttered open to the sight of pale flesh, the crook of Sasuke's neck. She was shrouded in warmth and the comforting smell of wood. He was holding her to his chest. In her drowsy state, she allowed herself to rest on him for a few moments longer. When she placed her small hands on his chest, attempting to push away, his eyes opened. He let out a yawn and stretched his legs, still with his arms around her torso. Their gaze met for a brief moment, before he pressed his forehead to hers, allowing his eyelids to rest again. Hinata considered touching his statuesque face. Instead, she wiggled away from his grasp and sat at the edge of the bed, attempting to collect herself.

She looked over her shoulder at him. He appeared to be sleeping again. Reality crept in, despite part of her not wanting it to. She remembered falling asleep beside him. She wondered if he had been the one to pull her to his chest, or if it had been her to crawl up to him, to subconsciously take solace in his warmth. Perhaps, neither of them knew.

Hinata stood up and put her hand on her forehead. She began pacing back and forth. Her heart thudded in her chest. She could still feel his gentle touch, his forehead on hers, their faces only centimetres apart.

"That's distracting," Sasuke mumbled. Hinata turned to see him getting up and stretching out his arms.

She opened her mouth to speak, but found not a syllable could touch her lips. She vanished into her bedroom.

Sasuke looked around the room. He knew he didn't belong there. For all he knew, Hinata was in there crying because he wasn't the one she wanted to hold her. He thought to himself that taking her in his arms had been foolish, that he should have picked her up and put her in her bedroom, but he had a history with being selfish.

Hinata emerged from the bedroom in a flustered state, but she was not crying. She had simply changed her clothing and brushed her hair. She went straight into the kitchen. He got up and leaned over the bar.

"You fell asleep on me," he told her.

"I'm sorry," she peeped, rummaging through her fridge. She took out a carton of eggs and began frantically searching for tools.

"Hinata," he said. She didn't reply, but continued desperately trying to find some unknown object. "Hinata," he repeated boldly. The girl stopped, her back still facing him, and took a few deep breaths.

"I'll go," he said. When she still did not look at him, he disappeared into her washroom, where his clothes were hanging to dry. They were still slightly damp, but he changed into them, regardless, and left her father's robe in a neat pile on the counter. He came out of the kitchen to see her in the same position with both of her hands on the counter and her head hanging low. Her chest heaved.

"I'm leaving." He waited for an answer. She didn't comply, so he took to the doorway.

"W-Wait," her weak voice sounded, halting him from turning the doorknob. With her face hidden in her bangs, she rushed up to him and nearly crashed into his chest. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, and he faltered, hovering them above her torso. Sasuke hesitantly rested his arm across her back. They stood there for a few moments, before she broke away, leaving him breathless.

He remained stunned as Hinata went back into the kitchen and started cooking.

"W-Well?" she sniffled. "How do you like your eggs?"

A/N: Whoop. About the movie thing, Kishimoto did confirm that movies exist in the Naruto world. It seems weird, I know, I still don't totally understand how technology works, but I figured what the hell. Once I have an idea down for a chapter, I normally can't seem to come up with anything different. I figured with so much peace going on in the shinobi world, movies might become more popular. :P

Anyway, well, things are progressing, and I do hope it isn't too quickly. Many of you have been saying how you enjoy the slow pace so I was worried that this would all seem rushed!

As always, thank you all for the awesome reviews. I hope that you'll leave another, and let me know what you think! I also have a new story out called Opal and Onyx, where Sasuke works as a rugged bartender, and Hinata is a rich girl who is recovering from a bad breakup. *shamelessly self promotes*

Please review!