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“So, are you ready?”
Looking up from her tablet as Sasuke slides into the seat opposite her, Hinata blinks, hand half reaching for her tea. “...ready for...what, exactly?”
“I thought we were going furniture shopping today. Remember?”
Another blink...and then she perks up. “...oh! I totally forgot! I’m sorry, I’ve just been so scatterbrained as of late -”
“It’s fine,” Sasuke assures her with a wave of a hand. “It’s just getting a little old eating breakfast at a folding table with plastic lawn chairs.”
The Hyūga goes a pretty shade of pink. “I...I know, I just…”
“I’m teasing you, Hina.”
“...you’re mean.”
“You’re just more adaptable than me. It’s been driving me nuts since day one, but you hardly seem to notice.”
Shoulders lift in a shrug. “...I guess I don’t. So long as it functions, I don’t really mind what something looks like.”
“Which is weird, because your bedroom back home was done up really cute.”
“W-well…” A glance aside. “That was...different. I was there for my whole life. And it was my space. This is our space.”
At that, Sasuke’s mouth slowly curls into a grin. “...yeah. Guess it is, huh?”
Suddenly bashful, Hinata’s face ducks, smiling. “...mhm…”
“Which means,” he goes on, “that we should put a little money and elbow grease into prettying it up, huh?”
“...you’re right. Let me just finish my breakfast, and we can go.”
“Sounds good.”
As Hinata sips her coffee, Sasuke starts gathering up what they’ll need: primarily a list of what all they’ve decided to add or replace, his wallet, car keys...and a flyer that came in the mail for some new store with decently-priced furniture.
Perfect.
Shepherding his fiance into the car, he makes his way into the denser part of the city, GPS telling him what turns to take when.
“So...most of this is going to be things we put together, right?” Hinata asks as they walk toward the doors.
“I think so, yeah. Cheaper that way. Someday we’ll have big fancy couches and tables and...whatever. But for right now, we’ll hit up the basics so it looks like decent folk are living there, huh?”
Hinata snickers into a hand, following him in.
“All right, so…” Sasuke whips out the list. “We need...a new kitchen table.”
“Mhm.”
“At least two chairs.”
“I still think we should do four.”
“Yeah, I agree. Four chairs. And...a table for the living room. So far the couches are holding up okay.”
“Maybe we could see if they have, um...those covers? That go over the couch?”
“...a good idea,” Sasuke amends, scribbling that down. “That means we’ll have to pick a color…”
“Why not just something close to what we have?”
“...Hinata, one is hunter green, and the other is administrative carpet blue,” Sasuke counters dryly.
“...you have a point.”
They look for the covers first, pleased to find a matched set in a pretty beige. “Think those will fit?” he asks, holding one up.
“I think so…? I could always try adjusting them.”
“All right, I’ll take your word for it.”
Nearby they find a coffee table at a decent price: a pale wood that, oddly enough, matches the covers they found.
“...I think they did that on purpose.”
“I wouldn’t doubt it.”
Then...to the kitchen department.
“Oh Sasuke, look!”
Glancing up from a display, he follows Hinata’s pointing hand.
“Isn’t it cute?”
It’s something called a breakfast nook, according to the accompanying sign. There’s a table, L-shaped seat, and a bench that sits along the other side.
“See? It’ll fit right in the corner! I bet that way, we’ll use a little less space!”
Sasuke gives his chin a thoughtful rub. She does have a point. “...I guess that makes sense. Doesn’t look too hard to put together. And technically it could probably seat five, which is better than the four we planned for.”
Looking almost starry eyed, Hinata gives her best puppy dog look. “Can we get it?”
“...all right, all right. It’s a good compromise.”
“Yay!”
Adding the (rather large) box to their flatbed cart, they take their current round of purchases to the counter, Sasuke at the ready with the coupons from the flyer. A savings of over fifty bucks later, they pack their spoils into the back of the car, and head for home.
And now...comes the tricky part.
Hauling everything into the little house, they start by trying out the couch covers. Tucking and tugging, they manage to get it looking...rather nice.
“...it’s all going to move the second someone sits on it,” Sasuke observes, making Hinata jerk in realization.
“...well, yeah...but until then, it looks nice…?”
He just snorts.
The coffee table is next. Laying out all the pieces and checking them against the instructions, Hinata confirms they have everything listed in the handbook. “Actually...we’ve got a few spare screws.”
“That’s going in the random stuff drawer. You never know when they might come in handy.”
Hinata takes charge of the booklet, carefully calling out each step and watching with eagle eyes as Sasuke obeys. Somehow, they make it through with minimal mishaps (they get two pieces mixed around, but thankfully it only took a few screws being removed and redone to remedy).
Standing it along the newly-clothed couches, Sasuke takes a step back and observes. “...I think...it looks good.”
“Mhm! I’ll have to get some coasters so nothing leaves a mark on it.”
“Good plan.”
They then take a break for lunch, reminiscing about how it should be their last meal with the folding table.
“I guess we can always use this stuff if we have, like...a party or something,” Hinata notes.
Sasuke perks a brow. “...are we the sort to have parties?”
“...well, it could happen.”
“...uh huh.”
With full bellies, they then turn to tackle the last beast. Tape cut and box flawed open, they stare at the contents.
“...that’s a lot of pieces,” Hinata murmurs.
“Mhm. Okay, let’s see if everything is here.” Taking out the parts and checking their sticker labels, Sasuke watches as Hinata crosses them off her list.
“...um…”
“What?”
“There isn’t another D-2?”
“...uh…” Shuffling some styrofoam, he checks the bottom of the now-empty box. “...nope.”
“Aw, s-shoot…” Nibbling the cap of her pen, Hinata says, “That’s the other leg of the bench.”
“...well, we’ll skip that for now. I’ll go in after work tomorrow and see if they can get me a spare.”
“Okay.”
The missing piece, however...is a bit of an omen.
Trying to tug open one of the bags of screws, Sasuke’s hands slip as the plastic suddenly gives way, and the pieces go scattering all over the kitchen. Blinking, he looks to Hinata, who stares back.
“...well, shit.”
Ten minutes are spent gathering them back up, ending up having to get a yardstick to fish out those that flew under the fridge and oven.
That alone puts Sasuke into the beginnings of a bad mood.
“Okay, so then that connects into E-4…”
“...E-4?”
“Mhm,” Hinata hums, staring at the book.
“...that doesn’t look right.”
“Well, that’s what it s-says.”
Holding the pieces together, Sasuke’s brows furrow. “...no.”
“...no?”
“No!”
“...but we have to follow the -?”
“Does that look right to you?”
Blinking, Hinata shuffles over to take a peek. After a moment of consideration...she snorts.
“...what?!”
“Sasuke…”
Fuming, he waits for her to stop giggling.
“It...it’s upside down,” she manages to say, pointing.
Brow furrowing, he looks back...blinks...then turns it over.
A perfect fit.
Scowling, his patience frays as Hinata giggles again, collapsing against him. “...I’m gonna holler. This is the most obnoxious thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.”
Taking a breath after her laughing fit, Hinata looks up to him. “...want to take a break?”
“No. I want to get this done, so we can stop worrying about it.”
“I’m not worrying about it.”
“This nook thing was your idea,” he reminds her, shooting her a look that just makes her snort again.
“I know...I’m sorry.”
“Hn…”
“Will you forgive me when we finish it?”
“...I guess we’ll find out.”
By some grace, they manage to finish the table and the longer seat, propping them up in the corner of the kitchen Hinata had envisioned.
...it fits perfectly.
“...all right. I’ll get a spare part tomorrow. And then...we’re never doing this again,” Sasuke mutters, jostling as Hinata leans against him.
“Sasuke…”
“...hm?”
Giving a sheepish, amused smile, she offers, “...I love you.”
“Tch...you’re lucky I love you too. If anyone else tried to get me to do this, I’d’ve shoved them in the box and tossed them in the dumpster.” As she breaks into another giggle fit, he stubbornly fights a smile.
“That’s fair. How about we go out for dinner, okay? I think we better wait to use this until your temper cools.”
“...yeah. I agree.”