Sasuke stopped his bike and turned his head to watch Hinata's eyes glitter at the scene. She slid off the bike and blindly handed him her helmet as she walked toward the peer wrapped in lights.

Hinata loved to look out at the water, something endless that she could watch for hours. It fit her. Her life was the waves washing up on her, one right after another. Sasuke just hoped he could stand in front of her so she didn't get worn away.

Hinata peeked into the cover, hiding a cake that was waiting for them, before turning to him. "Was this what you were doing all day?"

"Did you think I was ignoring you?" Sasuke joined her.

Hinata's face shifted uncomfortably. "Now I feel bad for ruining it."

"Hm?" Sasuke wondered.

"Itachi-san called me to his treatment room today to try to talk to me again," Hinata admitted. "I… sort of snapped at him. I really didn't like that he was trying to make me see how ill he was to force my hand."

Ugh, that bastard. "Damn it. He just has to ruin everything."

Hinata ducked her head down. "I'm sorry thinking about it now. I probably shouldn't have gone when he called."

Hinata always took the blame onto herself. Noble, but annoying when he wanted to be angry because he didn't want her to absorb it and think he was angry at her because she would try to take that on, too. "This isn't your fault. Itachi just has the worst timing."

"We can still enjoy it." Hinata leaned back against the railing. "I don't want to waste all your work."

"Yeah, but now I don't think I want to do what I was planning," Sasuke admitted, reaching forward for the necklace he gave her. Hinata peaked down as he slid the pendant up, revealing the ring inside. "I thought it would be a nice way to more formally purpose."

Hinata's hands replaced his as she examined the ring with interest. "I thought it was a locket." She mumbled as her face went red, realizing he really did purpose under that tree.

"But I'll have to come up with another plan now that Itachi's ruined it." Sasuke huffed, leaning on the railing next to her.

"It's fine. We can tell everyone that this was it." Hinata hummed, fiddling the ring between her fingers. "It's not real, anyway." She whispered.

Sasuke felt that in his chest. She thought that a lot. He could see it in her face when her smile faltered or the glitter in her eyes lost its shine after the moment wore off. It always put a pit in his stomach to see her eyes flicker with realization and turn away to distract herself.

Hinata slid her finger over the ring forlorn, wishing for love like she did the day they made the deal.

Was she the idiot, or was he?

Sasuke just wanted the look off her face. He pushed off the railing, putting his hands on either side of her face, and lowered his head to kiss her.

Hinata's eyes shot open and then snapped closed. Sasuke opened his mouth, and she responded, tilting her head to help him, as well as gripping her fists onto the ends of his shirt, pulling him down, though maybe not intentionally. He released the kiss to press his forehead to hers and give her a moment to process it.

Hinata took a few breaths in the heated space before tipping her head back up to reconnect them, sliding her hands up to grip higher on his shirt. Sasuke braced one of his hands against the railing. Now, she was intentionally pulling him down.

Sasuke broke the kiss. Hinata's eyes fluttered open. "I made a promise, and I kept it."

Hinata's face got more red as the heat of the moment and what he said crashed down on her.

Sasuke moved his hand from her hair to disappear around her back. Hinata flattened her hands out of his chest as she felt a rush of panic.

That was a real confession… but… how did she feel?

How much of her feelings were real? How much of it was just from her trying to make this work? Was there a way that she could know at this point? She didn't want to lie to him, but she didn't know.

Sasuke closed his eyes and pressed weight into her forehead. He wasn't waiting for an answer. He was just making himself comfortable.

Hinata tipped her head back up to meet him again.

Hinata folded her arms, looking over the roof of their high school. Her hair shifted in the wind, making her try to tuck it away, but she was fighting a losing battle. "I wish people like us didn't have to constantly lie to the world that everything is okay." She dipped her face into the fabric of her uniform sweater, leaving a muffle in her voice.

"Well, at least we don't have to lie to each other." Sasuke knew that was a lie in itself. There was something he couldn't tell her now. He wasn't sure if he could tell her ever. Being in the position they were in looked glamorous, but it came with shackles to be perfect to follow the rules, things he couldn't stand on a good day.

Hinata turned her head to him and laid it down. "Yeah, we do." She closed her eyes with a look on her face that told him everything he needed to know. "Some day we will. I would like to have at least one person who can know everything. Every thought, every feeling, every complaint." She hummed a sigh. "Maybe when we get married, that person will help carry the weight."

Sasuke lifted his hand over Hinata's head, causing a shadow to keep the sun out of her face. "Yeah, maybe."

Hinata closed the door and heard the motorcycle leave as she flattened herself against the door and put a hand over her heart. It was still overreacting after the hours they spent at the peer. This was a good sign, right? As long as it wasn't fear.

"Aren't you pushing it, getting home this late?" Hanabi commented, coming around the corner to lean on the wall and cross her arms. "What happened to your good girl image?"

Hinata sighed as she took off her shoes. Why was she still up? "I am an adult. I can come back when I like." She put up her coat and passed Hanabi, heading from her room.

"So you are just committing to being the Uchiha slut now?" Hanabi called over her shoulder.

Hinata's heart was racing for a whole new reason now. She whipped around. "I did not teach you to speak like that!" Hanabi straightened off the wall, startled by getting actual backlash this time. "I do not know where you learned that, but I do not want to hear it again. You are old enough to know better than to make snide, disgusting comments like that, and it will have no place when you are head of the company. You are a grown lady. Act like one."

Hanabi's face flattened out before her lip started to tremble.

Hinata's heart felt a stab, but she held her ground. She couldn't put up with this anymore. If she could so easily say something like this to her, who else would hear it? Hanabi would ruin her own image in her petty rage.

Hanabi broke and let out a squeak as she tried to aggressively force a tear away as it fell. "What does it matter? You're leaving anyway."

Hinata huffed. "Because you represent more than just yourself now. You wanted the position. Act like you respect it."

Hanabi choked back her crying and looked off to the side like she did when she was a toddler, angry that someone had the gall to tell her no. "You're not going to be around to see it. Why do you care?"

Hinata paused, feeling the rage hit the ground like a lead weight. That was twice Hanabi mentioned her leaving deliberately. Wasn't that what she wanted? "Just because I am not going to be Hyuga forever doesn't mean I stop caring about you and what damage you can cause yourself by being reckless."

Hanabi ducked her head down. "Don't lie to me! You're not going to come back just like Neji."

Oh. Oh, no. Now, it made sense. Hanabi started acting up more and more when Neji told them he wanted to stay for the master's program. "Why would I want to come back when you are being nasty to me?"

Hanabi whimpered and forced her hands into her face as she started to sob. "I don't know! You wouldn't talk about it!"

Hinata pressed her lips together as Hanabi broke down. Hinata reached for her, and Hanabi took the invitation to latch on to her and cry into her shoulder. "I'm not going to abandon you. You're still going to have to behave for your big sister." Hinata patted down Hanabi's hair as she cried.