Prompt: ?

Notes: I don't know about this. I've been thinking though, I'm wanna start replying to reviews. Can't do that if they're anonymous, though. There's also been a stigma with my last chapter. I made that Hinata like Rachel from The Girl On The Train. Not the movie version, haven't watched it. The book. I don't wanna get into it, I forgot half my explanation. Sasuke did apologise, anon. I'll edit this later. There was going to be smut...but then that didn't happen. A bit rushed. Might fix that. Expect things next chapter.

Sasuke didn't think much of it, really, when Hinata was introduced as Naruto's girlfriend.

They were seated in a suave restaurant, so it should've enticed an off-feeling of sorts. But he didn't sense an ulterior motive when Naruto invited him and Sakura to dinner. If anything, he would've suspected that Naruto was playing matchmaker – and Sakura was in fact his date. He didn't even think anything of it when they were seated at a table for four. That was just daft on his part, he could admit.

At least he wasn't completely wrong, this was a double-date of sorts. Though it was off-putting, knowing that he'd be dining with a stranger.

Naruto beamed, and he supposed he should be happy for him, so Sasuke attempted mild conversation, and held back his jabs so that as little bickering as possible could ensue. He ignored Sakura's wistful glances, and avoided rolling his eyes at the implications behind her comments like: "It's nice that you finally noticed Hinata, idiot,"

It was a bit distasteful, but he chewed his food and nodded in agreement. "Well done, fool." It was nice. For them.

Hinata also looked positively radiant. She'd truly grown into herself, from what he remembered of her. She didn't cave into herself, her pearly eyes were more attentive and her hair had grown. As she laughed politely at a joke the blonde made, he wondered if it was because they brought out the best in each other, and if Naruto did that for her.

He glanced slightly at Sakura and her genuine happiness for the two.

Naruto just did that for everyone, he presumed.

While grocery shopping, Sasuke pondered about whether or not being in a relationship was truly amazing enough for him to pop onto the other side of that bridge. He was, in essence, wondering how much attention it would require. His life had been on a sub-par happiness since the end of the war, and his friendships had been redeemed, and Sakura still seemed to feel the same way about him.

Hesitant thoughts were on the verge of considering Sakura's numerous confessions when his trek down an aisle brought his gaze to his newest acquaintance of six months.

Hinata had seen him too, and adorned a trained smile. "Hello, Sasuke-kun."

The man loathed small-talk. Which aisle was he in anyway? So many sauces. "You cook?"

The abrupt question and lack of greeting did not faze her in the slightest. "Yes, I do."

He nodded, and might've walked away if Hinata put a few spices in her basket and tomato paste. "I make excellent tomato bisque, if you'd like to try?"

He stared at her for a moment, feeling apprehensions about her request bubble in his brain. But it was a tomato dish, and he liked tomatoes, and somehow she knew and cared about this. Hm.

"You want to cook for me?"

"Yes, please."

"Hn. When?"

"I'll bring it for you tomorrow afternoon,"

Delivery as well, this woman was trying to win the approval of her boyfriend's friends. But he already knew Hinata was an extremely polite, and nice person, and that's why she was willing to go the extra mile. He agreed to her offer, and she rewarded him with a smile that held only genuine happiness.

Her delight reached her eyes, and her cheeks had a rosy tint that he hadn't noticed until then.

Hinata stood on the other side of his door, adorably tiny, eyes shining, holding tomato 'soup' in a plastic container. She was, after the fact, well aware that too warm out for this dish to be served. All she knew about Sasuke was either attainted by local gossip or through Naruto. He talked about Sasuke a lot…she really hoped to be awarded with the acceptance of her boyfriend's closest person.

Sasuke on the other hand, seemed to think his opinion mattered little, or just held a blithe regard for her presence. Either way, she itched for everything to go perfectly between herself and the longest holder of her affections.

"Would you like to come in?"

Delightfully stunned, Hinata grinned pleasantly to herself as she stepped in. Sasuke closed the door behind them and lead the way to his dining hall. It was quite huge, similar in size to the Hyuugas. It was very tidy, but in its tidiness was a bareness that made itself especially present. There was appropriate furniture, but it did not fit the capacity of the size of the rooms in the house. Hinata could note the lack of decorum, but what was most deficient was the hint of living. He barely seemed to occupy the space.

Accurately so, it felt like a ghost of a home. Not a home at all. This wasn't spine-chilling, though. The impression of the Uchiha Compound was merely saddening. And for an outsider to be welcomed into the tragedy of his living felt…uncomfortable.

"You have a very lovely home," the girl mentioned.

"Thanks I…got rid of a few things."

"The décor?" She didn't mean to say it, it was just the first thing that popped into her head. And to think things were going pleasantly until that moment, in which he looked at her with those deep onyx eyes and she couldn't read him. "No! I'm sorry—I really didn't mean it like that— I don't think your home is plain…"

As she ran out of excuses she could see the hint of a smirk form at the edges of his mouths. The amused twinkle in his eye was absolutely dazzling, almost like that a mischievous little boy. It was…adorable. A far cry from the lack of emotion she'd seen him with, but then again, she'd barely ever seen him. She'd only ever looked at Naruto.

Since he'd last seen her, Sasuke realized a good few things about Hinata. The first was that she had the look of a child with her hand caught in the cookie jar when she felt as if she'd made a mistake. He found this amusing. She was, though learnedly, good enough at conversation for the both of them. But she did find ways of making him participate. And she was extremely good at making tomato soup, which was all 'bisque' was, he'd learnt.

He had approximately three helpings before it was finished. And then Hinata offered up her barely-touched plate, and he begrudgingly, yet greedily accepted it. She said she would make it for him again sometime in the future, smiling widely. Prettily. She then asked about what he would do next – not in the sense that they would be doing another activity together, she corrected with a blush, but what he wanted for himself in the near future. Sasuke admitted to not wanting to do anything next. His adolescent-self was draining, filled with too many ambitions and dangerous thoughts, and callings that seemed to be worth nothing now.

This made them pause for a moment. In truth this wasn't a deep secret, but it wasn't something Naruto knew either. After she'd left, he could only think that everything was still much too fresh, all the events he'd been through were still too raw, and so what to do next didn't seem to be a priority.

In essence: he didn't know about the future anymore. But he didn't cook, or have a girlfriend, or any other commitments, being a ninja was all he knew.

So he'd started training again, for lack of anything better to do.

He might've considered Sakura again, but he wasn't sure if it would be sincere or merely out of boredom or his lack of knowledge on how to live an acceptable, normal life. So he went on to the training grounds.

On the way, he found himself in no mood for training. Perhaps he should just turn back, sleep, read, be excessively bored…

No, absolutely not…

Turning a corner, long, dark hair tied up in a bun and glistening with sweat, she spotted him. She waved slightly, smiling ever so politely. He nodded back stiffly, awkwardly. She seemed to be everywhere nowadays.

And then she started walking towards him, and he had no plans of stopping. He could, though. He wanted to turn around merely a second ago.

He didn't

"Sasuke-kun,"

"Ah, Hinata-chan," at his dry, almost-mocking tone, Hinata gained a bemused twinkle in her eye. He decided to ignore it. "You still train?" It was easy to forget she was a kunoichi.

Not offended at all, Hinata nodded softly. "Although the new genins had the same thought."

Sasuke pulled his face; but he was not disappointed at all.

"Oh, did you want to train?"

"No, but it was something to do." Sasuke responded dryly. Hinata didn't hide her amusement, and gave him a thoughtful look.

"The village has gotten boring…" She said wistfully. Of course she couldn't complain. She was dating a hero, she probably had hobbies, and she had a life in Konoha. Something he'd long since gotten the experience of.

He had every reason to complain.

He dodged her gaze and dug his hands in his pockets.

"Alright, well….goodbye."

"Hina-chan…"

"Hm?"

"You okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"You look like you've been thinking real hard."

"…Oh." Pause. "I ran into Sasuke today."

"Teme? I visited him yesterday. But what has he got to do with anything?"

"Nothing. He looks…unhappy. Unsatisfied here, I mean."

"Yeah…heh….he doesn't have many friends besides me and Sakura, I think."

"Really?"

"Maybe he's just lonely…damn, I wish I had more time to see him."

"Hm…that's okay. I can be his friend."

"…"

"…"

"You're too sweet, Hina."

It was not a week – or two, perhaps – later when he saw her again in the training grounds.

It was seven in the evening, and again, she was just leaving.

He didn't ask questions, he assumed she was there to avoid youths. Why she couldn't go to the Hyuuga training grounds remained a mystery, and he didn't plan on asking.

But she told him anyway, over a coffee, because he still didn't really want to bother with exercising. She'd moved out. Naruto was busy with intern-Hokage things that he decided to ignore because the dobe must've told him on another occasion.

"Why didn't you just move in with him?"

"E-er…" Hinata blushed deeply, a bit embarrassed maybe but fuck if Sasuke knew why. "We're just not there yet."

Understandable, but also not. They'd been dating for a while, it wasn't too odd. Or maybe not. The days were starting to meld in to one another and he was beginning to wonder if the woman sitting across from him in a booth at seven-thirty in the evening had ever felt the same.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"Hn."

She smiled at him, carefree and happy and beautiful. Things were going right for her.

She wouldn't feel the same.

He didn't know.

A fist flew at him, and he swiftly dodged, just barely feeling the sting of her palm. She quickly recovered and threw another one, to which he manoeuvred past again.

He didn't know how he'd gotten into this situation.

A foot swung towards his head, and if this were real he probably wouldn't have let it get that far. His blood was pumping though, because the Hyuuga was fast. Gentle Fist was her perfect style, as what she lacked in physical strength she made up for with chakra control. And though he could just as easily land a hit on her, she quickly found that if she allowed him the slightest window, she would lose.

Sasuke smirked slyly. It wasn't a bad plan, just not good enough: she was going to burn out if she didn't hit him soon.

The window of opportunity finally came when she slightly decreased her chakra usage for worry of burning out. Fast as lightening, Sasuke was suddenly behind her, grabbing her wrist and roughly pulled back.

She fell onto her back, gasping loudly. Sasuke dusted his hands and smirked at her. She pouted back, slightly capturing him. He looked a little harder at her exhausted, red cheeks, and the gentle pushing out of her plum lips before turning his back on her.

Mistake.

Sasuke felt it but he didn't really. She moved, slightly, but somehow managed to swipe beneath his feet. He was tripping back, landing flat on his backside.

"…pfff..." Hinata was now standing over him, lightly giggling. Sasuke was still sitting upright, looking at her. The sun was behind her head, shining, shadowing her features. A bead of sweat on her neck travelled, slowly, downward. It's path leading to the valley of her chest.

She held and her small, feminine hand out for him to grab. He took it, leaping back to his rigid form.

"Thanks for the spar, Sasuke." Her eyes twinkled with adrenaline, glinting with her smile. Her breathing was heavy, and they're hands were still tight on each other.

"Pleasure."

Yes. He really had no idea how he'd gotten into this situation.

"People are starting to talk"

"Subtle, Kiba."

"It's the truth though!"

"The Hound is right, Hinata-chan."

"Thank you for your concerns Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, but really I'm alright."

"But they think you're cheating—OW! Fuck, that hurt you damn roach!"

"Good. But people do propose the idea that you are emotionally toying with the future Hokage."

"I'm not," Upset, "I'm just trying to help a friend."

"Your friend?" You don't mean Naruto's friend?"

"…No."

"…Well, then, please just be careful, Hinata."

"Yeah, I'm clear about your intentions. But Sasuke's? I can't read him."

Being friends was becoming a real thing with them.

They sparred often enough, and she had gotten comfortable with complaining that he was too easy on her.

"But it's a friendly match."

"Yes, but, Sasuke-kun, you don't spar with Naruto like that."

She brought the Tupperware out his fridge because he had leftovers. Sasuke decided to learn to cook for himself, Hinata was quite the tutor.

"You forgot salt."

"Can't I just add that afterwards?" Sasuke responded dryly. She giggled at that.

"We should have lunch."

"I thought we were."

She gave him a faux-sarcastic look. She hung around him too much. But he was glad he could still see the amusement beam through her eyes.

"I meant we should eat out…"slight hesitation passed across her face, "with Kiba and Shino."

There was a pregnant pause, although perhaps more on her part that his. She didn't know if she had any reason to be nervous of the suggestion – she was merely suggesting her friends meet. She felt his gaze linger, sufficiently sending a chill down her spine before he looked away. Sasuke played with his chopsticks for a moment, then placed them down and grabbed the onigiri between his thumb and middle finger.

Hinata opened her mouth to profess stupidity and take it all back—

"Okay."

"It's nothing really—does this bouquet say 'congratulations on nearly being Hokage'?"

"No, Hinata, it says 'sorry you broke your leg' and it is something."

"Ino-chan, the training grounds were occupied."

"These will do, I think. What does Naruto have to say about this?"

"He thinks Sasuke needs more friends."

"Of course he does—that boy is blind as a mole. What does Sakura say?"

"Well…I haven't seen her recently—those are pretty, how much?"

"Three-hundred yen."

"Are you sure nothing's going on?"

"…Yes,"

"Well, okay, here you go."

"Thank you Ino-chan."

"Pleasure, and you should speak to Sakura because being invited to the Uchiha compound for a 'spar' isn't something that happens often."

"I'm just being his friend."

"And the eating out?"

"But it was completely innocent…and Kiba and Shino were there." Once.

"She's in love, she won't see it like that."

Spending time with him wasn't a red flag; though many would see it that way.

She was inclined to believing that, until of course, the precious seed was planted. Then she started noticing was wasn't previously there. No, that wasn't right, she knew what was there. She just didn't make much of it. But now their behaviour seemed much more…inappropriate. And Hinata wouldn't say she was naïve, merely ignorant. Sometimes wilfully, especially to avoid reading too much into things. This time the opposite seemed to get her into trouble.

They hugged.

It seemed silly to start overthinking at this point, but it really wasn't. It was not a hug. It was an embrace. She was leaving, and ritually she packed up the food, and Sasuke walked her to the door. She told him she had a week long mission and he shouldn't expect her to be around. He told her he never did, but there she was.

And then, as if it were as simple fact of nature, they were in each other's arms. His hands had caressed her waist before snaking around to the small of her back, her nose was on his neck, her hands to his chest. It was a goodbye-'til-next-time, the way they held.

It was warm and strong and tight. Comforting heat radiated from his neck.

When he let go, she had difficulty recalling who initiated it, or how long it actually lasted, but the dull ache of longing smoothed over her chest, cold and blunt.

And guiltily.

"I like drinking with you!"

"I fucking don't…"

"You swear more.

"You're louder, idiot. I didn't think it was possible—"

"Screw you, Teme!"

"Shut up, moron…how are you Hokage?"

"I'm amazing, and you love me, and guess what? Now everyone else does!"

"Hn. I don't know anymore."

"Fine whatever, I have Hinata now."

"…"

"You okay, Teme? I didn't mean that, I care."

"…yeah."

You have everything.

The evening Naruto turned into Hokage was the same evening things started going south. Not that it wasn't always heading south, it had probably just arrived at it's destination.

She was radiant. Breathtakingly so. Her hair was up in an elaborate bun, her bangs swept out of her face. Her dress was silver, showing an impressive amount of skin, understated neckline and tight enough to hug her physique. His eyes followed her curves, shamelessly, before he realized he indeed should've been ashamed and looked away.

And then the sake came out. They were in Naruto's house for the celebration, and surprisingly, Sai was interesting to talk to after he got his obsession with other men's genitalia out of the way. Shino wasn't bad company, not really, but Kiba was an acquired taste and he already had a Naruto. Hinata and Sakura weren't anywhere to be found. Naruto was getting trashed. He didn't really feel up to drinking, but that could be said about every other thing he almost didn't do in his now mundane life. So the next toast, out to everyone in the village who believed in him since day one ("Hinata!"), he downed a serving of hot sake down.

And then the next, and then the next, until he finally settled with a beer, and Hinata and Sakura came out of Naruto's room.

He saw Hinata and motioned for the kitchen to ask what that was about, she merely shrugged and said mentioned 'female things'. But her eyeliner had smudged, and her eye-makeup appeared as less than it had before. He didn't mention that he noticed, but he offered her a drink that she happily gulped down.

And she gulped down, and she gulped down.

Sakura was avoiding him.

At about two in the morning, Kiba punched Sai because mismatched humour and from there dispersal happened. By then Hinata seemed distraught and her tears were freefalling.

She smelt heavily of booze, and Sasuke took her to the room. "Sasuke I'm so selfish!"

"No," He sighed, a slight pang inside his chest. "You're not."

She slid out of her heels and sat on the bed. She gasped for air. "E-ev-everything I've done has been for Naruto. All of it. And I dreamed of this, so I am selfish, because we aren't growing."

Time had flown, but Sasuke still had difficulty keeping track of it. "You and Naruto?"

"Is it me?" She sobbed. "It is, probably. We've almost together for a year." That long? "And it feels like—like we're still a month-old couple trying to figure it out." She scrambled back onto the bed, wiping her face with the back of her hands.

Her eyes were puffy, red, but she had not one trace imperfection on her face.

"Hinata?"

"Hm?"

"Are you done now?"

"…"

"Is this what you were talking to Sakura about?"

Sasuke sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her intently, waiting for her answer.

"Yes…" She blinked, shifting closer to him. "A week ago we spoke about you…she is trying to get over you now."

"Hn." Good for her. "I think Naruto passed out in the lounge."

"Sasuke!" Her hand whipped out and grabbed his wrist as he stood up. She clumsily got to her knees, looking him solemnly in the eye. Sasuke's heart did not exaggerate, but he had to tame it. Breathe in. "Thank you. For sparring with me and letting me cook for you."

Breathe out: "You're welcome."

She was now on the edge of the bed, as he was. Breathe in. "And…I'm your friend?"

Was that question? Breathe out. He had no way of telling, it sounded like a fact. Breathe in. She was dreadfully close. Breathe out—don't do anything stupid. Too close, in fact, his hands fit perfectly on her hips. And she fit tight with his arms around her waist. Her eyes seemed huge, and her eyelashes long, and dark, fluttered against her rosy cheeks. They were closing. Her breasts were on his chest.

Breathe in. She was taken, by a hero, in comparison he was scum. Breathe out.

Their lips touched.

Breathe.

Breathe.

It was nothing, not really. Not really. It wasn't too romantic. Just a kiss, full of gratitude.

She swiftly found two glasses, a bottle of red wine, and poured both in them.

"Would you like to move out?"

"Yes."

He was happier these days. Not in his tone or his mannerisms, but he seemed more willing to do things. To move forward. Whether she was okay with it or not, she felt like they too were moving forward.

She offered him a glass and a brightly gloved hand accepted it. "I think they suit you quite well."

Sasuke blinked. "They're pink."

Sakura had knitted them, obviously with humour in mind. Hinata liked them, especially on him. A laugh, very distinctly female, echoed in the room.

"It's thoughtful, your hands are freezing."

It was the last quartile of winter.

A dark gaze stayed on her. She noticed it, usually, and ignored it, typically. But his looks had started making her nervous. She thought to mention Naruto…but she didn't. His name barely popped up inside these walls anymore. Hinata wondered when he's stopped being a scapegoat for them having their friendship. She'd forgotten her original motive.

She cleared her throat, needing to leave. As she sipped on her glass, she noticed his gaze hadn't slipped. It lingered. From her lips to her throat as she swallowed.

Finally she put the glass on the counter. "What?"

Sasuke didn't look taken aback, or act like he was caught doing anything. He looked her in the eye as if he remembered something. The taste of her mouth, or the feel of her body that were at the tips of his fingers. Nothing happened. It was just a kiss. For a second, maybe less, but not much more, she wished she'd forgotten.

"You know what the word is?"

"Oh, yes, she always goes there…"

"Maybe we shouldn't think the worst?"

"The worst couldn't be close to it—"

"Not even close, he's the Hokage now."

"I think it started the night of his christening,"

"Mm, yes, exactly,"

"No, no, it was happening even before that,"

"I'd do the same though."

"Not to the Hokage. I have dignity, and respect for myself."

He thought they'd ignore what happened after he didn't see her for two weeks.

He thought so, and he felt bad when he was wrong.

But not exceptionally terrible.

Just bad.

Then a week after pretending nothing happened she disappeared again.

She saw him near the training grounds, and then she ran right into a mass of trees. They offered her no sanctuary as he was faster. He called her name once, unnerved, unwilling to lose another person. His friends—his team—they had duties. Lives to attend to. Hinata's company was quite probably the only thing that kept him from slitting his wrists out of pure boredom—depression—anything contrary to sane.

Because that's all this village really was—a trap. And then this woman comes and attempts to make it better, as if that's all he really needed, but what he needed was to leave.

At this point, Sasuke wonders why he's chasing her, if there's any real reason. If he should keep running after she clearly rejected him, when in fact, it her who kissed him. It wasn't the other way around, but he still found himself surrounded by the second-long image of trees, in the snow. She wasn't slowing down, or feelings ridiculous, as he was, so he sped up. With the force of a log; he tackled her, then at lightning speed, as if she were a pillow, he stood up, bringing her with him, and roughly pushed her against a tree.

She didn't struggle, to his relief.

Her head was bowed, hiding her eyes behind the dark curtain of her fringe. Firm hands held onto her shoulders. An extremely, dishearteningly loud silence hung in the air, filled only with their loud breathing. He feels it before it resonates through the silence. It's barely there, and then dreadfully exposed, the way her shoulder wrack, and she gasps for air. It isn't anything like the party. She is more aware of her reasons for her heartache now. Perhaps it's exacerbated.

"Hinata," whispers Sasuke.

"I-I'm sorry," she sniffs, looking up, a hand covering her mouth, "I d-didn't expect it to be so hard."

Confused, Sasuke let go of her shoulder and gently grasps onto her wrist, pulling only slightly.

"He-he was just so, so perfect—in my head. Maybe that was it? I blew him up and then real life wasn't that perfect." She doubled over her words, blinking out tears and wiping them away simultaneously.

"Hinata, what are you…" But then he didn't need an explanation. He hadn't seen either her or Naruto in a week. She starts to avoid him.

They'd broken up. He didn't know how to feel.

"Why?"

He's raptly absorbed by her pupil-less orbs. He supposed they didn't need an exact reason, just a built-up dissatisfaction. It was her though, that felt it. It made her guilty, heartbroken.

Sasuke pulled Hinata towards him and held her. She obliged, holding him with as much conviction.

"It's on you."

"Why?"

"I'm cool with nothing."

"Let's go on a date."

"Didn't we already?"

"No, it's different now."

"You're cute when you blush. OK. Let's go on a date."

"Thank you."

"…But what if it's too soon? You've only been single for a few weeks."

"Sasuke it's been two months."

"…Same thing."

"You really need a calendar."