Uchiha Sasuke stretched his arms up above his head, letting a small sigh escape him as he did so. He looked himself up and down in the full-length mirror by his bed, fluffing up his hair a little, shaking his head, and flattening it again. Putting a hand to his face, the roughness he found told him he really needed a shave this morning, and so he padded softly from his bedroom to the bathroom a little way down the corridor. The door clicked shut and he locked it – a habit he’d never really gotten rid of, although he was completely alone.
Once he’d showered, he wiped a hand over the steamed up mirror and proceeded to shave the shadow that had appeared on his jaw line, nicking himself just under his chin. Wincing and cursing quietly, he calmly ripped up a small square of tissue and placed it over the bleeding cut, hoping it would stem the flow. Next, he picked up his blue toothbrush and set to work getting rid of the horrible taste that always seemed to manifest itself in your mouth every morning, spitting into the sink and washing it away. His dark eyes followed the water as it swirled down the plughole. He lifted a slender finger, tracing letters onto the still steamed up part of the mirror. Smiling to himself, he quickly wiped them away again, before wrapping a towel around his waist and leaving the room.
A good hour later, after much primping and preening, Sasuke felt he could face the world. He picked up his sunshades and checked himself in the mirror beside the front door, for the millionth time in his life silently thanking his entire clan for being vain enough to place mirrors throughout the house. He half-smiled, his usual slightly amused look, almost checking himself out as he cast his eyes over the slim figure staring back at him. It was hard to imagine that the 20-year-old in front of him was the same revenge-obsessed boy from 7 years ago. At least I haven’t lost my looks he thought, putting the shades on and stepping out of the door. He turned and locked the front door, pulling the key from the lock and placing it under the plant pot on the porch – another habit – before leaving the compound altogether and heading into the village centre.
As soon as Sasuke left the house he was representing the Uchiha clan, and so he immediately put on his mask, so to say. The expressionless, levelheaded and intelligent Uchiha clan always walked the streets of Konoha with the utmost dignity. As the only one left, he wanted to keep up this tradition. Holding his head high, he almost strutted along the road, until a loud shout from behind him made him turn.
“Sasuke-teme!”
It was Uzumaki Naruto, number one hyperactive ninja in Konoha. Sasuke rolled his eyes beneath the shades and stopped walking as the orange-clad boy caught up to him.
“Sasuke-teme, I’ve been looking for you. Want to go eat some ramen together?”
Naruto grinned widely, showing his pure white teeth. Sasuke looked around him casually, yawning slowly.
“Hnn.” He said, nodding a little.
With that said, Naruto grabbed his arm and raced of towards Ichiraku’s, dragging his teammate along behind him.

*

Hyuuga Hinata sat on the bench, her feet dangling a little above the ground as she tried to ignore the slurping sounds coming from beside her. Her teammate, Inuzuka Kiba and his girlfriend Watanabe Tsuki were making out on the bench next to her, and Hinata had never felt so awkward in her life.
She grimaced, patting a huge white dog on the head. He whined at her.
“I know, Akamaru-kun. I’m pretty disgusted too.” She said, coughing softly.
Kiba broke away from his girlfriend’s mouth to turn to his best friend.
“Ah, Hinata-chan, gomen! I forgot you were here…um…I mean…”
“It’s okay Kiba-kun, we’ll do something tomorrow instead.” Hinata replied, sighing and leaving the park quietly.
It was difficult being best friends with Kiba. They’d always been close, ever since they’d been put in a team together as genin. But as they’d grown older, Kiba had suddenly developed an almost unhealthy interest in the opposite sex, cleaned himself up a bit and moved in for the kill. Hinata laughed to herself. Really, going out to karaoke bars with him is like watching a wolf hunting for it’s prey! She looked back towards the park, wondering if Kiba would be telling Tsuki about the girl he took home with him the night before. Hmm, knowing Kiba, I don’t think so. At least, not until he’s got his leg over… She pressed her hand to her mouth, a smile breaking out again. She felt bad for Kiba’s many girlfriends, she really did. But at the same time, most of them couldn’t even add 2 and 2 together, and had as much personality as a brick wall. Hinata strolled onwards, letting her feet carry her through Konoha’s busy centre, taking in the smells from the various food stands. Her stomach rumbled, and she cursed Kiba. They were meant to go for lunch, as was the norm on Wednesdays when they didn’t have missions, but Tsuki had rung him and begged to meet up. That’s how they’d ended up in the more secluded part of Konoha Park, also known as Make Out Corner. Hinata found herself laughing again, and stopped herself immediately, realising that everyone around her must think she was insane. Her cheeks went hot as she blushed, noticing a shop-owner staring at her curiously.
Quickly, she ducked into the nearest ramen stand and took a seat on one of the high stools, grabbing a menu.
Ichiraku’s. Naruto’s favourite she thought with a smile.
Flipping her long, blue-black hair over her shoulders, she began to read what was on offer, finally settling upon the Ebi chilli ramen. She ordered and sat waiting, sipping upon the cool lemonade the girl behind the counter had given her.

*

Sasuke brushed Naruto’s hand off his sleeve as they neared their destination. He whipped off his shades, clipping them over the collar of his navy t-shirt. Naruto hopped around on the spot waiting for Sasuke to smooth down his clothes, before they entered the stand and took their seats.
“I’m going to have 5 bowls of ramen. I’ll have beef ramen, and pork ramen, and ebi ramen, and yasai ramen, and…”
Sasuke zoned out as Naruto continued his ramblings about ramen. He looked away from his best friend, scanning the few other seats in the place and catching sight of a familiar figure. He quickly looked away again, staring down at the menu Naruto was shoving under his nose.
“Sasuke-teme! I said: what ramen is your favourite?”
Sasuke hit Naruto on the top of the head lightly.
“You know I like the ebi ramen, dobe…” he said, ordering it from the girl at the counter.
Soon, the food arrived, and Naruto swiftly demolished his first bowl, his chopsticks moving like lightning. Sasuke looked unimpressed, and carefully continued to eat his own bowl of noodles, selecting a prawn and lifting it to his mouth. He chewed slowly, savouring the taste, and swallowed, closing his eyes and letting out a contented sigh.
“Aaaiiii!”
Sasuke opened his eyes quickly. The girl behind the counter was beetroot red and squealing. He sighed, blinking. Not again…
Ichiraku himself emerged from behind a curtain, grabbing the girl by the arm and dragging her into the back room. Sasuke could breathe again.
“Oi, Sasuke? How come all the girls scream over you?” Naruto pouted as he polished off his third bowl.
The dark-haired boy shrugged nonchalantly, focusing his attention back on his food.
Not all girls do, Naruto… he thought, glancing quickly over to the other side of the stand.

*

Hinata finished her ramen, placing down her chopsticks. She had been reading for most of the meal, but was missing Kiba’s company. He usually spoke enough for the both of them, and she was quite content just listening to him go on. She often thought that was why they were such good friends: she was so quiet and he was so loud. She suppressed another laugh as she thought that maybe they made one, entire, normal-volume person, when together. In his absence, she’d regretfully listened in on others conversations. And with Uzumaki Naruto entering the stand, there was no way she couldn’t hear what he and his companion were discussing. She had decided to read, so as not to feel like an eavesdropper. Now, about to pay for her bill, she looked up to see where the serving girl was, and found her squealing in an unnaturally high-pitched voice, red as a streetlamp and staring at…Uchiha Sasuke. Of course, Hinata thought scornfully, it would be him!
She watched as the poor girl was dragged away by the angry owner, disgruntled, as now she’d have to wait to pay her bill. She looked over at Sasuke angrily…as he looked straight at her. Their eyes locked for a second and he quickly turned away, looking down at his bowl almost bashfully.
Uchiha Sasuke.
It was 5 years since he’d arrived back in Konoha, broken and alone. Everyone was wary of him for a while, but it seemed that most people accepted him back with no worries after a few months. Hinata had felt in her heart at that time, that she could never forgive him for hurting her beloved Naruto so much. True, he was probably one of the best-looking guys she’d ever set eyes on: tall, slim, and dark-haired; swooning girls everywhere he went. And yes, he had style, Hinata had to admit. But at the same time, she couldn’t stand him!
She opened her eyes, realising she’d scrunched her napkin up into a tight ball. Although over the past 4 years - since her disastrous attempt at a confession to Naruto had gone wrong - her feelings for him had withered away, there was still a little torch she held for him, right in the depths of her heart. This meant that she could never forgive Sasuke for turning his back on his only friend, could never forget how he’d upset Naruto so much.
But why was it that every time she saw the Uchiha, that heated blush rose on her cheeks?

*

Sasuke followed Naruto as the blonde ninja bounced along the road in front of him. His long legs ached from all the running around he’d been doing. It was the first time in weeks that he and Naruto had neither had missions nor scheduled training on the same day, and so could spend some time together. It had taken a while for their friendship to flourish, and of course in training terms they were still rivals, but Sasuke enjoyed this time he had. Of course, he’d never divulge this information to Naruto. He loved to tease his friend way too much. Right now, they were heading to an ice cream parlour Naruto had wanted to go to ever since it had opened a month ago. Sasuke had agreed to go along, begrudgingly. They finally arrived at the parlour, the sound of lively chatter coming from inside. Sasuke sighed heavily for what seemed the hundredth time that day. How did Naruto stay so full of energy all the time?
They walked through the doors, immediately met with faces they knew. A group of their friends sat in one of the booths situated around the spacious lounge area.
“Naruto-kun! Sasuke-kun!” Ino waved at them from her seat beside Choji.
Next to them were Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten and Lee. Naruto waved back, pulling Sasuke over to them and plonking himself down on one of the soft, cushiony, pink seats.
The whole place was nauseating to Sasuke. Bright neon signs flickered above the seating area, and cheesy pop music seemed to be pumped into the room via invisible speakers. The waitresses strutted around wearing the smallest pink dresses, leaving nothing to the imagination, and the whole place was the most lurid fuchsia colour. However, the large selection of ice cream sundaes, desserts and smoothies seemed tempting. Naruto clutched the menu – also pink – and trailed a finger across the choices.
“Which one will you have?” he said, glancing up at Sasuke who had not yet taken a seat.
“Don’t know.”
“Try the banana split! It’s lovely!” Tenten said enthusiastically from her seat next to Neji.
“Hnn. I’ll have that then.” Sasuke said, settling himself on the seat next to Naruto.
“So, has anyone seen Sakura since she got back off holiday?” Ino sparked up.
Her friends collectively shook their heads.
No, none of them had seen the pink-haired girl since she’d left for a family holiday to the Snow country. Skiing, apparently.
“She sent me a postcard” Offered Naruto, “Saying she’s met a really nice boy there.”
The friends went silent, Ino looking pointedly over at Lee. He and Sakura had broken up almost a year ago, and it was obvious to most that he still wasn’t fully over it. He shrugged however, energetically digging into his triple chocolate sundae.
The door opened, making a small jingle sound.
“Ah, Hinata-chan!” Lee cried out, standing up as she joined them.
“Hinata-sama? I thought you were seeing Kiba today?” Neji said, looking over at his cousin quizzically.
“He was, um…busy.” She said, looking down at the menu.
Sasuke watched her breathlessly as she swung her long hair back over her shoulders, and placed her small bag on the table. She blinked her large, pale eyes, smiling politely at her cousin as he bombarded her with questions about her day.
Why, oh why do I feel this way? he asked himself, yet again. This question was always there, in the back of his mind whenever he looked at Hyuuga Hinata.

*

He’s looking at you again, Hinata, her mind told her loudly. She tried to focus on what Neji was saying instead of the eyes that bored into her from across the table. The ice creams came, and she welcomed the distraction, feeling the heat off her for a few minutes at least. She watched as Naruto tucked into his cheesecake, delving a spoon into Sasuke’s banana split too and pinching a mouthful before the Uchiha had even taken a bite. She laughed along with everyone else as Sasuke hit his friend on the head.
“Baka!” the dark-haired boy muttered.
There was something in his voice that made Hinata think he didn’t quite mean it. It sounded almost…affectionate.
Affection from an Uchiha? Unheard of.
She turned away from the scene, digging into her own food, which arrived a few seconds after the boys’. These weird thoughts she kept having, the feelings that seemed to come from nowhere. What was she meant to do about them? Did she really hate Uchiha Sasuke as much as she thought she did?

Hinata lay face down on the ground, panting. Kiba’s attack had completely caught her off guard- what was she thinking? She heard the floor pound as her teammates ran towards her.
“Hinata-chan!? Are you okay?” Shino knelt by her side and helped her out of the mud.
“Hinata-chan, gomenasai!” Kiba said, pale-faced.
“I’m fine.” She said, dusting herself down. “Really!” she added, seeing their apprehensive looks.
“Are you sure Hinata? You’re usually much more on the ball. Is something distracting you?” Shino asked, patting her head.
“It must be my good looks and wonderful charm. No lady can resist!” Kiba said, winking at Akamaru, who looked as if he really wished he could roll his eyes.
“Well, whatever it is, maybe we should call it a day. See you later.” Shino said, darting off as soon as he’d finished speaking.
Looks more like there’s something bothering him, not me… Hinata thought, watching him disappear over the hill of the training grounds and towards Konoha.
“Bah, why did Shino go? I was hoping I could persuade him to come to some karaoke with us!” Kiba said, coming to stand next to Hinata.
The girl shrugged, picking up her backpack. She’d made lunch for everyone again, a habit she’d gotten into in their early days of training together. Now the bag felt so much lighter, and she smiled as she eased it over her shoulders. Kiba whistled to Akamaru, jogging a little to catch up with Hinata as she set off down the pathway.
“Oi, Hinata-chan? Do you still want to go to karaoke with me tonight? I’m sorry about yesterday, I just felt bad about Tsuki-chan and thought I should spend some time with her…”
“Shouldn’t you have thought about her when you were ‘spending time’ with other girls?” Hinata asked scornfully, playfully pushing the brown-haired boy.
Kiba smiled sheepishly, pushing Hinata back. They walked on.
“You know me too well.” He said after a while, watching Akamaru bound through the long grass up ahead.
Hinata smiled up at him, not for the first time realising how tall Kiba had grown. He smiled back, placing a hand on her head, messing up her hair and laughing a little as she squirmed.
“I told you I hate that!” she said, sticking out her tongue.
“That’s why I do it!”
“Teme!” She ran at him, but he was one step ahead of her and already halfway across the field.
She laughed at him, running fast to catch up as Akamaru barked at them both for being so foolish. Suddenly, she lost sight of him amongst the trees that bordered the field, and she stopped, scanning the woods for any movement. A shadow flitted between the trees, and she quickly used her Byakugan to see where they were headed.
A figure ran through the woods quickly, and she ran after them, laughing to herself.
Now I’ve got you! she thought, cackling inside her head. The figure seemed to have stopped in a clearing not far from Hinata, where she stood on the outskirts of the trees. Creeping soundlessly forwards, she prepared for the ambush, closing her eyes and counting to three, before launching herself into the clearing…
“I found you!!!” She yelled, leaping at the figure, deactivating her Byakugan and faltering as she saw the person’s face, stumbling upon a loose root and falling, falling very slowly towards the ground.
She slowly opened her eyes again, her nose just inches from the floor, strong arms holding her up. Scrambling upright, she threw those hands off her, turning to face him angrily.

*

Sasuke couldn’t help but smile at her angry expression, her face the deepest red possible as she stared at him. I don’t know why she’s so annoyed. After all, I did save her from a broken nose…Probably. He looked down at the floor and then back at her again. She’s really cute when she’s angry he thought to himself.
Hinata stood in front of him, her hands clenched into fists. Stepping closer to him, she opened her mouth to speak.
“Hinata-chan, gomen.” Sasuke said before she could say anything.
Hinata’s mouth hung open for a few seconds before she quickly closed it again, looking at the floor.
“What are you doing sneaking around in the woods anyway, Sasuke-kun?”
“What are you doing jumping out of bushes at people?”
Hinata blushed again, looking away towards the trees.
“I was chasing Kiba.” She said, beginning to scan the area with her Byakugan.
Sasuke knelt down and picked up his training bag, which had been lying by his feet. He then walked around the clearing, gathering up his kunai from the surrounding trees. It was obvious he’d been training.
“Aha!” came Hinata’s voice “Found him.”
Sasuke watched as she ran off into the woods without another word. She really hates me. he thought to himself mournfully. What have I done?

*

Kiba and Hinata walked down the pathway towards his house, laughing and joking. They were having such a fun time that they didn’t notice the two people stood outside the gates to the Inuzuka household until they were almost upon them.
“Kiba-kun! Hinata-chan! We’ve been waiting for you for ages!” It was Ino, with Shikamaru. “We wondered if you guys wanted to come to a little party tonight? As long as you don’t have missions or training or whatever?”
Hinata looked at Kiba quizzically. What about their karaoke plans?
“Sure.” The dog nin said, glancing at Hinata to see if she thought it was a good idea. She rolled her eyes, sighing as she did so. Ino noticed.
“If you have better things to do…” she began.
“No, I’ll come.” Hinata said. “What time will it be?”
The friends stood discussing the party arrangements for a few minutes, before Shikamaru started yawning and Ino dragged him off to hers ‘before he was too tired to make out’. Kiba mimed throwing up behind their backs as they left, much to Hinata and Akamaru’s amusement.
“Why did you agree to go?” Hinata asked Kiba as they sat in his living room a few minutes later.
The boy drained his glass of water and shrugged.
“Thought it might be interesting. Plus, have you seen Ino’s cousin? She might be there, and I know she was looking at me last time…”
Hinata rolled her eyes again; smiling as her friend recalled the last party they’d been to. It had been at the Naruto’s apartment, and chaos had ensued. Everyone got really drunk, and the house was a mess the morning after. Ino’s cousin Michiyo had been there, and it was safe to say she had everyone’s eyes on her, the whole night, much to the annoyance of Ino and Sakura (both of who’s boyfriends had been included in the ‘everyone’). That was over a year ago now and so much had happened since then. Sakura and Lee had broken up after 2 years together. Naruto and Sasuke had become even closer since Naruto’s apartment had been redecorated and he’d lived at the Uchiha compound for a month. Ino and Shikamaru had come clean about their relationship. Neji and Tenten had moved in together. Most of her friends had there own apartments now. It was only her team and Sakura who still lived at home with their parents.
She accepted the drink Kiba had been shoving in her face for the last few minutes, apologising for having drifted away for a bit. Kiba pouted at her, laying his head in her lap. This was the one thing no one ever understood: how Hinata had gotten over her shyness and was able to be so close with someone. Well, it was all because of the Inuzuka himself, the one who was singing a nursery rhyme at her at this precise moment, just to make her laugh. And she was thankful, because without his unfaltering friendship she’d definitely not be over Naruto right now, and she’d in no way be more confident about herself.

*

“Hai. I’ll come down to yours and we’ll walk from there.”
Sasuke hung up the phone and stretched his arms above his head, yawning loudly. He padded barefoot across his kitchen and looked into the fridge: 2 bottles of beer, ketchup, mayonnaise and some salad. He needed to go shopping, but that could wait. He selected one of the beers, sat himself down on the sofa, putting his feet up on the small table in front of him and sipping the cool beverage, savouring the bubbles that fizzed in his nose each time he took a gulp. Smiling, he glanced at the clock. Another hour until he had to meet Naruto and go to this party at Shikamaru’s. And so another hour to relax.
He picked up the remote and flicked through the channels for a while, finally giving up when all he found were reality TV shows and adverts. He left the TV on some show about girls trying to find the perfect husband, and went to throw his empty bottle in the bin, grabbing his jacket as he did so. Then he walked silently along to his bedroom, brushing his hair and then styling it with wax. Then he went to the TV, switched it off finally, and decided to meet Naruto early.

*

Hinata smiled at her reflection. Her pale eyes stared back at her from the face of a pretty, pale girl. She stood up from her dressing table, and pulled off her top, standing in her bra while she selected the shirt she planned on wearing. There was a tap on the glass of her French windows, causing her to drop the shirt and shriek loudly. The sliding door opened and Kiba stepped into her room, unabashed by her near-nakedness. Hinata quickly grabbed the top from the floor and pulled it over her head in a swift movement.
Kiba smiled wryly, “Its not like I’ve never seen all that before Hinata-chan.” He said.
Hinata blushed deeply, and turned back to her mirror, flattening out the hairline creases that had appeared on her cotton shirt. Sighing, she brushed her hair as Kiba flopped onto her bed, ignoring Akamaru’s whining from where he had been left in Hinata’s private garden.
“How did you get in anyway? Father’s stepped up security ever since Konohamaru-kun was caught in Hanabi’s room.” Hinata continued brushing her flowing black hair as she spoke, watching Kiba in the mirror.
He lifted his head, smiling at her.
“I charmed your maids so much, they let me come through the back way. Said I was your suitor. Couldn’t bare to be away from you.”
Hinata laughed a little, standing up again. Kiba followed suit, looking her up and down unashamedly.
“You look awesome. Trying to impress someone?” He asked, stroking her cheek softly.
“Not you.” She said, turning to leave the room.
Kiba grinned, following her with Akamaru in tow once he’d been released from the garden. They walked through the gates of the Hyuuga grounds, following the turn of the road towards the upmarket apartment building not far from Hinata’s home. As they neared the stairs up to Shikamaru’s flat, they could hear the music pouring loudly from the windows. It made the air vibrate.
“Think I’ll get lucky tonight?” Kiba asked, hugging his best friend tightly.
“You always do.” Hinata said, looking up at the boy affectionately.
Another thing no one ever understood. The affection. But she didn’t care. Kiba understood her better than anyone else ever had. If he weren’t such a…manwhore…she’d probably want to be with him.

*

Uchiha Sasuke stood at Naruto’s door as his friend rushed in for the third time, having forgotten something else. The dark-haired boy checked his watch, noticing that they were beyond fashionably late now, and when Naruto finally left the apartment, he grabbed the blonde by the arm and pulled him all the way there. They arrived at Shikamaru’s apartment to the sound of loud, thumping music. The door was thrown open by an extremely drunk Ino, hair flying around her face, a bottle of sake in her hand. She shrieked, grabbing both ninja in a bear hug.
“Soooo glad you could maaaake it!” she said, leading them through to the lounge.
Shikamaru sat on the sofa next to Choji, playing a computer game noisily. Lee sat by them, commenting on their moves, giving advice. Through the doorway to the kitchen, Sasuke could see Kiba acting the fool to an audience hidden behind the door. Upon hearing a small, clear laugh, he knew it was Hinata. Neji and Tenten sat on the floor by the stereo, arguing over music.
“Not many people are here.” Naruto commented.
“Shino’s on his way in a little while, and Sakura will be here soon too! Also, the sand siblings are in Konoha on a diplomatic visit, so they said they might pop in.” Ino smiled drunkenly at her friends as she spoke, turning and staggering over to the stereo to turning it up.
“I loooove this song!” she cried, swaying her hips in time to the beat.
Sasuke raised his eyebrows at Naruto, heading into the kitchen for a drink. Hinata leant against the sink, her hair loose and flowing over her shoulders and down her back, its blue-black sheen shining in the light from the kitchen lamp. Sasuke stood and took in the image of her smile as she laughed at Kiba’s jokes, not for the first time, his breath was taken away by her image. He quickly averted his eyes when he noticed Kiba looking at him curiously.
“Ano… Kiba, where’s the beers?” he asked, looking around the compact kitchen.
“In the fridge, but Hinata-chan is in the way!” Kiba said, pointing to where Hinata’s slender legs blocked the way.
Sasuke coughed, bending down to get to the fridge. Hinata moved her legs a little, so as to allow him access to the fridge, as Kiba swayed drunkenly towards her. She stumbled a little, reaching forwards to stop her friend from falling flat on his face. Thankfully for the dog nin, Naruto walked in at that moment, pulling Kiba backwards and leading him out of the kitchen. Hinata, feeling the effects of the sake she’d been drinking with Ino, completely lost her balance, crumpling right on top of Sasuke as he grabbed a bottle from the fridge. He caught her, just as he had done earlier that day, but this time his hand brushed against her soft hair, causing Sasuke’s heart to flutter. He carefully lowered her to a kneeling position in front of him.
“I think you’ve had a lot to drink, Hinata-chan.” He said, noticing that her hand clutched his t-shirt.
She mumbled something incoherent, and he leant a little closer.
“I’m okay.” She said, pulling her hand away as if she only just noticed where it had been.
He helped her to her feet, feeling his face heat a little as she flipped her hair back out of her face and looked at him closely.
“Arigato, Sasuke-kun. You seem to be making a habit of catching me. Gomen.” With that said, she left the room to find Kiba.
Naruto quickly entered the kitchen to find Sasuke staring at the space where Hinata had stood, a contended expression upon his face. The Uchiha shook his head, realising he’d let the mask slip a little, and quickly returned to his usual nonchalant attitude. Naruto, understanding that he’d seen his friend in an uncommon vulnerable moment, decided to let it go, and grabbed a beer, dragging Sasuke through to the lounge, where everyone seemed to have begun dancing. Hinata swung her hips by Kiba, who danced close to her, his eyes smiling as his arms encircled her waist. Sasuke couldn’t take his eyes of them as they danced, wondering what Kiba had that made Hinata open up so much. It was only a few years ago that she stuttered all the time. Thinking about it, he hadn’t heard her stutter at all for a long time now.
The door opened with no one really noticing it, as they were all having such a good time, dancing crazily. A pink haired girl stood in the doorway, smiling.
“I’m here!” she shouted over the music, repeating herself a few times before Ino noticed her and ran over.
“Oi, everyone, Sakura-chan is here!” The blonde girl yelled, dragging Sakura into the middle of the room. “Now! Now we can play…truth or dare!” Ino finished, smiling over at Shikamaru, who sighed and rolled his eyes.

Hinata pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to suppress the bubbling laughter threatening to escape as she watched Ino stand on one leg, reciting the alphabet backwards. Beside her, Shikamaru and Choji fell about laughing, thanking their lucky stars that Ino had chosen a dare, which would’ve been bound to cause hilarity. She eventually sat down, after trailing away towards the end, and everyone agreeing she’d done her best. By this point, almost everyone had already had a go. Lee had downed an entire bottle of rum, and looked a bit worse for wear in the kitchen; Sakura had admitted that yes, she had met a boy on holiday, and yes, she had kissed him. It was shortly after this that Lee had decided he’d do the dare. Neji had done the chicken dance, much to the whole group’s amusement; Tenten had stripped to her underwear and ran down the hallway outside Shikamaru’s apartment, then back again. Neji was too drunk to be strict as he usually was, and had laughed along with everyone. Naruto had confessed that his first kiss was Sasuke, long ago and by accident in their classroom at the academy. Choji had crammed an entire cream doughnut into his mouth, without spilling a drop of the filling on himself. Shikamaru told everyone that yes, he was the one who’d been caught napping while on duty outside the Hokage’s office.
The only people who hadn’t had their turns were Hinata, who was leaning against Kiba, her eyes glistening from laughing, Kiba himself and Sasuke, who was sitting opposite them, next to Naruto. Ino was huddled with Sakura, giggling and whispering to each other. Slowly, they turned their heads to look at Hinata, who instinctively shrunk into Kiba’s side as she saw the hungry look in their eyes.
“It’s your go Hinata-chan!” Sakura said, staring pointedly at Ino as she said it.
“Truth.” Hinata said, not trusting their suspicious looks.
She fell for their trap anyway. They knew she’d never pick dare. And they had one truth they were dying to know.
“Hinata, in all honesty, have you ever had sex with Kiba-kun?” Ino said, leaning towards the Hyuuga.
The whole room went quiet. Kiba flinched, and looked down at Hinata, whose eyes were wide with surprise, looking right back at him. Ino let out a nervous giggle as she sensed the awkwardness.
“Come on, answer. We’re all friends here. And if you don’t answer you have to... kiss Sasuke-kun!” Sakura chimed in, laughing.
Kiba looked down at Hinata, who was now blushing a deep crimson. He felt fiercely angry with Ino and Sakura, and his fists curled into balls.
“You can’t ask stuff like that. It’s not your business.” Kiba said slowly, deliberately, looking them both in the eyes.
“If you’re so bothered, you can kiss Sasuke so Hinata doesn’t have to answer or do a dare...” Ino said, pouting at how her idea had backfired.
Sasuke stared at Hinata throughout this exchange, unable to take his eyes off her face. She was flushed now, her eyes watery with embarrassment; they kept flickering up to Kiba’s face and then to the floor. Her fingers twiddled together on her lap, and suddenly she was 16-years-old again, confessing to Naruto on Valentine’s Day. She was twelve again, trying to pick up the courage to speak out. She was 8-years-old again, getting caught stealing strawberries from the kitchen. Sasuke watched as Kiba gripped her hand tightly in his own for a brief second, before almost snarling at Ino and Sakura. Hinata raised her hand and touched his arm, shaking her head. And then she looked up, straight at Sasuke. He gulped, his heart rate speeding up to what he thought must be unhealthy. Her lips parted slightly as she sighed in exasperation. Her eyes closed slowly, and then she opened them again, looking at Sakura and Ino pointedly.
“I don’t really think it’s your business who I’ve s-slept with.” She said, trying to keep the shake from her voice. “And I won’t answer your truth.”
Ino smiled slyly, sharing another look with Sakura.
“You’ll have to do the forfeit then, and that’s a kiss with Sasuke-kun.”
Sasuke held his breath as she said it again, not able to raise his eyes to look at Hinata. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him as he sat there, and could feel an embarrassed heat start to rise on his usually pale skin. Dammit, he thought angrily, calm down.
“Sasuke-kun, that’s your dare too. Kiss Hinata-chan.”
Sakura’s voice made Sasuke’s head snap up to look at the group again, his eyes staring at everyone wildly. He looked like a wild animal, a deer caught in headlights. His expression made Naruto start chuckling, and soon most people were laughing. Everyone but Kiba, Hinata and Sasuke. Everyone but them.
*
Hinata looked at Kiba, her favourite person, the only one she’d ever trusted, and saw the anger in his eyes. His jaw was clenched as he glared across the circle at the Uchiha. She almost smiled as she looked at him; so protective, so noble. She raised her hand and gently laid it against Kiba’s cheek. She didn’t care what everyone else thought of their friendship. She couldn’t care less about some stupid game, and she certainly wasn’t about to tell them private things.
“Ano, Kiba-kun? I don’t mind doing the dare, if it’ll get them to shut up.” She said quietly.
His head jerked around to look at her, his eyes wide in disbelief.
“You’d kiss that teme, just to protect- “
The look on her face stopped him. Her eyes shone with resolve. She’d made up her mind. He realised that she didn’t care about truth or dare; she cared about him. She didn’t want to lose face in front of her friends either, no matter how petty this game was. He watched as she moved towards Sasuke, as the whole group stopped laughing and was silent in anticipation.
*
Sasuke looked up and was met by her violet eyes, so pale, so close to his own. He could see his face reflected in them as she edged closer, his own eyes widened, his face flushed. He cursed his pale skin, and opened his mouth to speak.
“Gomen, Sasuke-kun. I want them all to sh-shut up, so I hope you don’t m-mind, but I’m going to take the dare.”
She’s nervous, he thought upon hearing her slight stutter.
They sat opposite each other now, him cross legged, her kneeling in front of him, hands flat on the floor. His heart sped up as she leant towards him, and he held his breath suddenly. Her huge, pale eyes closing as her face inched towards his. He tilted his head ever so slightly as her lips reached his, stopping only a centimetre away. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment, her breathing was quick and shallow. Every exhale was torture for him, as her sweet breath hit his lips, making goose bumps rise on his arms. Suddenly, her lips crashed into his, with no warning at all. He instinctively closed his eyes, his hands reaching up to cup her face. Her lips moved against his delicately, soft as rose petals, and he let an involuntary gasp slip out as their kiss deepened.
*
Hinata struggled to remember where she was as Sasuke let out a sigh against her mouth, his lips pressing harder against hers. It wasn’t uncomfortable; he was gentle and his lips were smooth on hers. The hands that cupped her face were gentle too, holding her as if she were something precious, something breakable. A growl behind her made her eyes fly open, her lips break away from the Uchiha’s, suddenly remembering who was there. Sasuke’s hands dropped from her cheeks, and fell to his sides. He opened his eyes, and looked at her, his face unreadable. She backed away, realising her breathing had grown ragged. Her heart was sputtering uncontrollably as she took her seat next to Kiba. His arm immediately went around her shoulders protectively, as the room erupted in whoops and wolf-whistles. Looking across at Sasuke, she saw that he, too, was trying to calm his breathing. His eyes were still on her as Naruto clapped him on the back, laughing. Finally he looked away, a wry smile upon his face. And then it was gone, and he was expressionless again.
*
Kiba had insisted on walking Hinata home, even though he was just as drunk as her and not much use at all. They stumbled together through the quiet streets, giggling like school children as they did so. Finally they reached the Uchiha compound, it’s gates looming above them in the darkness. Kiba grabbed Hinata’s hand, pulling her to a stop. Akamaru huffed, pottering up the road a little way and flopping to the floor there to wait for his friend.
“Hinata. Do you need company tonight?” he smiled a crooked smile, his head cocked to one side.
Hinata giggled, looking up at her best friend, who was framed against the starry sky, his face pale in the moonlight. She knew how easy it would be to say yes, that she would like him to stay. Sp easy to take the Inuzuka’s hand and lead him around the back way, to her room. Through the window they’d tumble, she could see it now, the way his arms would encircle her, how his tanned skin would look against her own pale skin. But the kiss earlier... The kiss with Sasuke.
She shook her head lightly, trying to shake away the feelings that welled up in her chest. It was wrong to think this way. Uchiha Sasuke was a bad person. He hurt Naruto, and broke Sakura’s heart. Maybe she did want the company tonight. Maybe Kiba was exactly who she needed right now. He’d worked for her last time she’d been confused; last time she needed to work things out. Reaching up on tiptoes, she kissed her best friend’s cheek. He smiled down at her, running a hand through her long, dark hair.
“I remember every part of last time.” He murmured, pulling her close to him, breathing in her scent.
“Kiba-kun... Last time was...”
He smiled, leaning down to kiss her jaw.
“Different? I know. This time you need me to take your mind off different things, right Hinata-chan?”
She trembled a little as he kissed her neck, the warmth and familiarity of it making her heart race. But this was different. It was different to the way her heart had leapt when he had kissed her. She didn’t want to think about that anymore.
She snuck Kiba through the servant’s entrance and to her room, silently and stealthily.

Chapter Four
Hinata awoke to the sunlight streaming through her open window and falling across her face, making her blink in the brightness. Her whole body felt heavy from the amount of alcohol she’d consumed the night before, and she stretched her arms above her head, arching her back deliciously. Only then did she become aware of her legs, and how they were tangled up in someone else’s. Kiba lay on his back next to her, eyes closed, mouth slightly open. He was snoring softly, his bare chest rising and falling slowly as he slept. Hinata slipped her legs out from under his, trying not to disturb him and hot-footed it to her en suite, stepping into the shower and switching on the water. Standing under the stream of hot water let her think a little; sometimes she believed she had all her best thoughts in the shower. Her mind wouldn’t stop skipping back to last night, to the party, to the kiss... And every time she thought of Sasuke’s face after their dare, her mind had a nasty habit of forcing an image of Kiba in front of her, Kiba undressing, Kiba kissing her shoulders in the moonlight. And she couldn’t stand it. She hated it. It took a few minutes for her to realise she was crying. She switched off the shower and stepped out, grabbing a fluffy towel from the rail next to the porcelain sink and wrapping it around her. Wiping the steam from the mirror, she looked at her reflection as the tears rolled slowly down her already wet cheeks.
She still looked the same: wide, pale eyes, small rose-bud lips, pale skin – flushed now from the heat of the shower, long blue-black hair sticking to her head with the moisture. So why did she feel so different? Why did she feel like the worst person alive?
*
Sasuke felt elated, he realised, for the first time in a while. He was training with Naruto, sparring with a number of the blonde ninja’s shadow clones, each one calling him name after name. The Uchiha smirked as Naruto finally called a time out for lunch, and plonked himself on the ground in the shade of a huge, old tree. Sasuke joined him, wiping his face with a towel and grabbing his lunch from his bag: two rice balls and some cold noodle salad, packed by him that morning. He began munching on the food straight away, as if suddenly remembering an incredible hunger he’d had. Naruto had already finished by the time Sasuke started on the noodles, and was eyeing up one of the black-haired boy’s rice balls hungrily.
“Have it, bakka...” Sasuke gave in, chucking the almost empty bento at Naruto, who grinned widely.
“Oi, Sasuke-teme?” Naruto said, his mouth full of rice. “About last night, you and Hinata-chan.”
Sasuke rolled his eyes. He’d known this would be coming, and had been waiting for it all morning.
“What about it? It was a dare.”
“Yeah, it was a dare Sasuke, but come on! Did you have to kiss her like that?” Naruto stared at his best friend incredulously.
Sasuke shrugged, a response he usually gave to Naruto. But the Uzumaki’s question had got him thinking. Why had he kissed her like that? I mean, it was true he’d been thinking about her a lot recently, but he’d always known she’d never return his feelings. Would she? The way she’d responded last night had been... well, unexpected seemed too small a word. Unprecedented.
“Hnn. It was a dare.” Sasuke repeated, more to himself than to Naruto, “Had to do it right, I guess.”
Naruto’s shoulders shook with laughter.
“’Do it right?’” He snorted, “You may as well have gotten a room to yourselves... and dog-boy’s reaction! Priceless!”
Sasuke threw a twig at Naruto, jumping to his feet again and grabbing his bag.
“Come on, enough about me. Let’s get back to training.”
*
Kiba was sat on the edge of the bed, struggling with his socks when Hinata eventually emerged from the bathroom. He grinned up at her, his eyes sparkling. She smiled weakly back at him, giving in when he grasped her wrist and pulled her to sit by him.
“You know, Hinata-chan, how you’re my best friend?” He asked in a husky voice, his arm encircling her waist.
“Mhmm...” Hinata didn’t feel like she could form words right then.
“So last night was... It was...”
“Kiba-kun-“ she started to say, but he cut her off with a finger to her lips.
“I love you Hinata, and you know that. But we can’t do this again... I can’t do this again, unless... It means something. Not that it didn’t mean something... I’m not doing this too well am I?” He smiled wryly at her, and she couldn’t help but smile back.
“Not really Kiba-kun, but I think I know-“
He cut her off again, this time with his lips on hers in a light peck.
“I’m happy to take your mind off things. I’m happy to spend all my time with you. I’m happy to be around you, share your bed, fall asleep stroking your hair, and wake up when you have nightmares – which, by the way, you have a lot of – and most of all I’m happy to kiss you. I could probably kiss you forever. But Hinata-chan, I don’t want to fall for you. Do you understand? I just can’t be that person.”
Hinata looked at her best friend, drinking in the details of his face; his big, brown, puppy-dog eyes, his full lips, his cute, pointy canines, the red triangle tattoos adorning his cheeks. And she realised she didn’t want him to be that person. She just wanted him to be Kiba, her Kiba, forever. She wanted to see him smile, and laugh at his mishaps with girls, and go fishing with him, and all the other things they did together. This... This dance they’d been doing around each other for the past two years just couldn’t work anymore. There was no way either of them could be close to someone else if they always fell back into each other’s arms every time they sought comfort. And the guilt she’d felt this morning was something she’d never experienced before, after a night with Kiba.
Why had she felt like that at all? Was it really because of a shirt kiss she’d shared with a boy she barely knew? How could he affect her like this? After all, hadn’t she hated Uchiha Sasuke for years?
*
It was early evening, and the sun was just sinking behind the hills around Konoha. Sasuke sat under a tree overlooking the village, his back against its worn trunk. He spun a kunai on one finger, backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards, barely paying attention to it. Birds twittered above him, going to roost. Far below him, down the steep hill he sat at the top of, he could hear children laughing, getting one last play in before bedtime. Lights slowly turned on in the houses as the sky dimmed with the approaching night. He sighed, feeling the air around him drop a few degrees. Standing slowly, he dusted himself down and headed down the pathway, back to the Uchiha compound. That was when he spotted her. Hyuuga Hinata, walking on the same pathway, heading towards him. He shook his head. Not towards him, he thought. Towards the Hyuuga compound, which lay on the other side of the hill.
Her arms were laden with books. She must’ve been to the library to study, he realised. Well, her cousin was a genius. Anyone would want to try to catch up with him. Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck thoughtfully as she approached, noticing the way the twilight that has fallen made her skin an unearthly pale. Her hair flowed down her back like an inky waterfall, and he longed to touch it, just for a second. He cleared his throat as she drew level with him, and she looked up from the floor, noticing him for the first time.
“Yo.” He said, raising a hand in an impression so like Kakashi, he wanted to smack himself.
*
Hinata felt like she might drop the books when she saw him. He seemed to come from nowhere.
“U-Uchiha-san. Good evening.” She said formally, her cheeks heating up as she blushed.
He seemed amused at this, and stopped in front of her, looking as if he wanted to say something. She paused in her steps too, looking at his face expectantly. His cheeks were slightly pink, as if he’d been running, or... Maybe he was embarrassed? No, there was no way Uchiha Sasuke could get embarrassed, especially not because of some stupid dare...
He cleared his throat for the second time, looking at the floor, and then at some point on the horizon behind her.
“So, Hinata-chan... Been to the library?” He said, still not looking at her.
“Ano... Yes, I had to read up on some... some things...” Looking at Sasuke suddenly made her forget what it was exactly that she’d been reading up on.
His dark hair was getting long now, she noticed. He needed a haircut before it totally impeded his vision. His lean form was taller than she’d really noticed before. He stood, hands in pockets, looking up at the sky now, his face illuminated by what little light the sun had left in the sky. Everything around them had the eerie, bluish glow of twilight, and his black eyes reflected that, flashing blue as he turned to look at her again. She blushed even deeper, as if she’d been caught out peeping into the boy’s locker room.
“Well, goodnight, Hinata-chan.”
His voice was barely a whisper as he headed along the pathway behind her, leaving her standing stupidly on her own in the gathering darkness.
*
Sasuke lay on his bed, face-down, hoping to suffocate himself with his feather pillow. It was to no avail though, and so he rose from his position, pacing the room for a few minutes instead. What the hell was wrong with him? This girl clearly hated him, and on top of that she probably had something going with the Inuzuka kid, judging by how angry he’d gotten last night when they’d...
The kiss. The feeling of it tormented him as he got into the bathroom, bracing the sink with his hands, staring at his reflection, wild-eyed and messy-haired. A madman. And certainly not the right person for Hyuuga Hinata.

Chapter Five
It was early morning. Sasuke could tell from the way the sunlight weakly shone through his blinds; the way the birds still twittered outside, their dawn chorus slowly dwindling. He had to wonder why he was awake so early. No missions, no training, no plans whatsoever. But still, his body refused to sleep any longer. He slowly sat up, realising that he wasn’t in his bed, he was actually on his sofa. His head hurt, and he remembered the events of the night before. He’d opened a bottle of vintage red wine from his parents’ cellar and drained it all to himself, whilst watching House of Flying Daggers and quoting all the lines he loved. The last thing he remembered was lying on the sofa, thinking he’d just rest his eyes for a little while. Then it was morning.
He stood up unsteadily, and made his way to the kitchen, where he slung together some eggs and gobbled them down as if he were a starving man. Then he wandered into his room, where he lay on his bed until the sun shone brighter and higher in the sky. His mind would not rest, even for an second. He replayed his encounter with Hinata the night before over and over, rethinking every gesture he’d made, every word he’d said. He lay until the heat in his room was too much to bear, until the thoughts in his head were screaming at him. He got up from the bed, had a quick shower, dressed sombrely but lightly for the weather, and left the Uchiha compound.
His shades were in place as soon as he left the shelter of the trees along the avenue his home was situated on. The midday heat made the air shimmer ahead of him on the dirt road towards the centre of Konoha. He worked up a light sweat on the walk, his forehead damp as he reached the relieving shade of the buildings in the commercial district. He wasn’t entirely sure where he was headed; he just knew he needed out of the house, to be lost among a crowd. He ducked into the grocery store on a whim, breathing in the musty smell of it as he walked past a vat of sweet potatoes. A sack of lentils sat on the floor, so huge it reached to his waist. He dipped his hand casually into the pulses, savouring the feeling, and then grabbed a paper bag, scooping the lentils into it. He then stepped to the counter, paid for his spoils and exited the grocery store again, out into the bright sun, not realising that someone’s eyes were on him the whole time.
*
Hinata watched the Uchiha exit the store from the back, her breath caught in her throat for reasons she couldn’t put a name to. She was sure she’d just witnessed Sasuke in a rare, private moment of emotion. The expression on his face as he touched the lentils was one of familiarity, of recalling past events, of reminiscing. His eyes had closed, and his mouth had twitched into the smallest of smiles; genuine and heart-warming all the same. Her heart had sputtered again, like it had when they’d kissed. Why was he having this effect on her? She could have kicked herself as she stood motionless at the back of the grocery store, clutching a paper bag of strawberries to her chest. The sweet juice seeped from the bottom of the bag, and stained her fingers red.
*
Sasuke sat unmoving on a low branch of a tree, scanning the training grounds below him. A small group of newly qualified Gennin were sparring not too far away, but he found the noises of their battle soothing. He stared up through the branches above him at the blue sky, which seemed higher than usual. Not one cloud marked it, and the sun was a bright, white globe, far out of reach. He sat on that branch for a long time, lost in thought, lost in memories. His hand closed around the packet of lentils in his pocket, and he shut his eyes, leaning his head back against the rough bark of the tree.
The grocery store was his favourite place to go with his mama. He liked the smells in there, and the different textures of all the foods. It was like a magical place. Today, his mama was going to make a special meal, because Itachi had graduated from the academy. Sasuke watched his older brother wander lazily down the aisle with the vegetables on it, not giving the food a second glance. He looked thoroughly bored. Sasuke followed him, trailing in his footsteps, his hands running along the stacks and stacks of vegetables; huge potatoes, long cucumbers and marrows, round, fat cabbages. A whole tub of bean sprouts, and then the sacks of different pulses. This was Sasuke’s favourite part. He shot a quick glance towards his mama, who was busy selecting the best cabbages She wasn’t paying attention. He dipped his hand into the lentils, feeling the tiny, smooth, seed-like pulses rub against his fingers. They were cool, and smelt wonderful: earthy and homely.
“Sasuke-kun! What are you doing?”
His mother was beside him, pulling his hand from the food.
“People have to eat them, Sasuke-kun... don’t you be doing that again.”
“Sorry mama.” He beamed up at her with his toothy smile.
Noises below him pulled him from his memory, and he quickly disguised his chakra, not wanting to be disturbed from his spot. The noises were faint; it sounded as if someone was making themselves comfortable at the base of the tree. There was the sound of paper being ripped, and someone sighing.
“Oh, I squashed them a little... baka!”
Sasuke’s heart lurched at the voice. It was Hinata. At the bottom of the tree... He paused for a second, deliberating on what to do. Then he made his decision. He cleared his throat, not too loudly, and shuffled on his branch.
“Byakugan!” he heard from below him, followed by a small, sharp intake of breath.
He jumped down from his branch agilely, landing in a crouch just beside her. She was sitting on the ground, her jacket spread beneath her. On her lap was a brown paper bag, stained with the juice of a dozen strawberries, which looked a little bruised. The tips of her fingers were red, and the expression on her face made Sasuke chuckle quietly.
“Caught red-handed, Hinata-chan?”
She blushed, looking down at the fruit, and then back at him. He caught her eyes with his own, holding her gaze for a few seconds, before turning away slightly. She was the one to clear her throat this time.
“Do... Do you like strawberries, Sasuke-kun?”
He turned his head to look at her again, his head cocking to the side quizzically. He nodded mutely as she held out the bag, offering the fruit to him. He reached forwards, picking a half crushed strawberry and popping it into his mouth whole. Hinata smiled hesitantly at him, and dug in herself as he took a seat next to her. He was careful not to get too close, his heart beating fast.
Their fingers brushed as they reached for the same strawberry, and Hinata giggled nervously, pulling her hand away.
“Gomen... that looked like the best one.” She said bashfully.
Sasuke looked at her face. It was flushed again, her eyelids cast low as she looked at the ground. Her button nose was scrunched up ever so slightly, and her brow furrowed. It looked as if she were holding back on something. He had the sudden urge to grasp a stray strand of her hair that had escaped across her usually pale face, and to tuck it back behind her ear. But he didn’t. Instead he coughed a little, and pulled his hand away from the strawberries.
“They’re yours, Hinata-chan... you can have that one.”
She turned to look at him, her eyes widened in surprise. She’s shocked I can be generous, he thought to himself, and looked away, across the training grounds.
“Ano, let’s share it.” Her voice chimed, not far from his right ear.
He turned quickly to see her biting into the strawberry, its fragrant red juice flowing onto her lower lip. He gulped, his throat suddenly dry. She smiled at him warmly, and held out the other half of the strawberry. He took it from her fingers, electricity surging through him at that tiny contact with her skin. He ate the second half of the fruit, savouring the taste on his tongue. He was sure it tasted sweeter. Is it just me, or had she moved closer to me? He was leaning on one arm, his hand palm down in the grass. Her hand was just a few centimetres from his now, as she ate another piece of the sweet, red fruit. This time, the juice trickled over her lips and down her chin. Sasuke smiled, and before he knew what he was doing, reached over and stroked his finger under her chin, wiping away the red stain.
*
Hinata’s eyes were wide as he licked the finger, his eyes closed. He then snapped his eyes open, as if he’s suddenly realised what he’d done. Onyx eyes met hers with a surprised expression. She edged minutely closer to him, her finger tips almost touching his in the grass. A breeze made her hair flow out from behind her, obscuring her face from view in a veil of blue-black. As if from nowhere, Sasuke’s hands swept her hair away, his face unreadable as he looked at her, his hands on either side of her face. She shivered a little, but not from cold. She felt warm; really warm. And what was this other feeling, nudging at her stomach a little... Anticipation? Expectation? Hope?
His face neared hers, and she tried not the breathe. They were nose-to-nose now, just looking into each other’s eyes as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Ano, S-Sasuke-kun...” her voice trailed off as his lips brushed against hers lightly, like the wings of a butterfly.