Work Text:
You’d think the dynamic between them obvious.
Ever since elementary school, Hinata was the perfect wallflower. Shy, reclusive, nervous...it was a wonder anyone noticed her at all. Of course, that meant certainly going unnoticed by the boy she’d first had a crush on. Against his boisterous, loud bravado...well, she faded into the background.
Then there was Sasuke. Sure, he was shy in his own way...but it was less fearful than Hinata’s. More a kind of demurity and introversion. As he grew, that slowly turned to a kind of aloofness. He simply didn’t care to give many people his time...especially as more and more demanded it in spite of his refusal.
And all the while, Hinata kept to herself...if only because no one else would give her the time of day. Eventually she gravitated to the other girls if only out of a kind of teenage social herd instinct. And they allowed it if only out of pity...and for a pedestal to stand on.
But even that small shift would result - in the long run - in a cataclysmic change.
What is being a teenager if not becoming entangled in an ever-changing web of drama? He said, she said, he loves me, he loves me not. Through junior high and into highschool, there came to be not a love triangle as tradition dictates...but a square.
Player one: Hinata Hyūga. Painfully shy, tempering slowly over time but never quite overcoming her label as wallflower. Equal parts arts and sports, with a long-time crush on one Naruto Uzumaki. Uzumaki, a brash boy in their youth who wanted nothing but attention. Come high school, he finally attained it: typical all-star jock with eyes on rising star Sakura Haruno. Sakura was always an awkward loudmouth before puberty, only to climb the ranks of popularity after a late blooming. Sports star, cheerleader, and determined to make Sasuke Uchiha fall in love with her.
...and Sasuke?
For the longest time, he wanted nothing to do with the opposite sex...or the same one, either. Too focused on his studies and his family, branching out into a few sports but preferring to use his time to recharge. Hard to do with a loudmouth best friend, and always being tailed by a gaggle of girls.
...except one.
The one he could tolerate...the one he came to quietly admire...was in love with someone else.
As they all were.
It wasn’t until she started clinging to Ino and Sakura’s coattails that he first noticed her. Saw her quietude as one mirroring his own. While most were content to ignore her, he studied her from the corners of his eyes. Saw what most were all too happy to miss.
The result? He fell head over heels...but could never admit it. Not in the face of her longtime longing for his best friend. A best friend in love with the girl chasing him. The last one he wanted.
It was all so stupid.
For three long, painful years...nothing changed. Just the same song and dance between them all. But then, something...shifted. Sakura, having been slowly turned around by Naruto’s charming insistence...gave him a try. And finally, two of them were happy. Naruto as he’d always wanted, and Sakura as she’d never expected.
...that just left two more.
Hinata did her best not to react. Most knew of the crush - it was obvious enough. But no one seemed to care about her being left lurching. Mr. Jock and Ms. Cheerleader. Just how it’s always meant to be, right?
No one cared...but him.
At that point, he wasn’t sure what to do. To anyone looking - to anyone who gave a damn - it was obvious she was hurting. She put on a smile, did her best to be happy for them...but there’s no denying the pain of a love lost...especially to someone called a friend. He didn’t want to be that guy that only swooped in and showed interest once the rival was out of the way. But nor did he ever want to try to butt in when it was obvious her heart was somewhere else. Waiting, surely, was the right thing to do. Let her come to terms before trying to pull her in another direction.
But...how long was too long? What if someone else noticed what he’d noticed? He didn’t want to lose her...or rather, the possibility of her. Nothing was certain. Just because one corner of the square turned around, didn’t mean any others would.
The doubt was a constant source of anxiety. He tried to edge closer subtly, play on the fact they were now a pair of third wheels. Gently, as not to come off as pandering. Just a genuine, open-ended show of interest in her. Not necessarily anything else that might come with it.
Suddenly, it was him aching with nerves, second guessing, hesitant in the face of his hidden affection. And she was the one solemn, closed-off. The irony wasn’t lost on him, and eventually...Sasuke knew he had to set his fear aside and act.
Or he just might lose the one opportunity he had.
Loitering outside the main school entrance, he waited. Trying to appear casual, constantly shifting positions when he felt it was too...forced. More than one person gave him curious glances, brows perked. Sasuke wasn’t the sort to seem so, well...out of sorts. Cool, confident, quiet...but never so nervous.
And yet none were the person he was waiting for.
When all the busses had left and still no Hinata, he felt a new degree of nerves. Already he knew she had no sport practice: neither of those she played were in season. Had he missed her? Did she take another door? Was she somehow avoiding him? But he hadn’t…?
Making up his mind, he went back inside. Maybe she was just...held back for some reason. Maybe her locker was jammed, or...she had to stay late for an assignment or a missed test. She had to be there somewhere…
Turning a corner, he startled a bit at the sight of her...if only because she wasn’t alone. Back turned to Sasuke’s gaze, he couldn’t tell who it was...but it was more than obviously a guy.
...oh no...was he too late…?
Locked in place, he just...watched as they spoke. It didn’t last long. Head bowing and giving a solemn shake of her head, Hinata stepped past him, expression somber and eyes far away with thought.
...and then she noticed him.
Panic. Rooted in place, he could do little more than stare as she paused, considering him a moment before closing the distance.
“Sasuke…? What are you doing here?”
His mind was blank, scrambling for an alibi. “I...I was just...uh…” Nothing, he can’t think of anything, he’s just too -!
“Are you feeling well? You look a bit, um...flushed.”
“...fine. I’m fine.”
She gave a blink, clearly still waiting for an explanation.
“I was, uh...waiting for you.”
“...for me?”
“Yeah. Uh…” Oh crap, he’d never done this before! What should he say? What should he do? “I...wanted to, er...ask you something.”
Another blink. “...okay. What is it…?”
“...are you -? I mean, would you -?” That’s it, he can’t do this, he should just -!
Rather than get angry or dismissive, Hinata instead offered a patient smile. “It’s okay. You don’t have to rush - I’m not in any hurry, Sasuke. Do you...need me to do something for you?”
“It...well, no. It’s not a, uh...a need, per se.” Well, maybe to him it might be, but -. “I just...wanted to see if maybe, sometime...you’d want to...hang out with me…?”
Her head tilted. “You mean...go somewhere together?”
“Yeah, like a, uh…” Like a date. “Y’know, just…”
At long last, understanding bloomed across her features, eyes widening and mouth opening in a small o. “Sasuke, are...are you asking me out…?”
“...yeah, I...I guess I am.” A pause, and then, “I-if that’s not okay, y’know...no worries. I just, uh...thought I’d ask, and -”
Her head shook. “I think...that would fun.”
“R...really?”
“Mhm.” A soft smile lifted her lips. “You’re...a very nice boy. Or at least...I think so. So...sure! We could, um...we could give that a try.”
It...hadn’t quite sunk in yet. She said yes? “...are you sure?”
“Why wouldn’t I be…?”
“Well, it’s just…” How to say this… “You were so hung up on Naruto, I...I didn’t want to be...rude.”
Surprise slackened her features. “...you…?”
“Look, I...I’ve liked you for a long time, now,” he decided to just...admit. He was tired of being so damn timid! Enough was enough! “But I...I didn’t want you thinking I was making a move just because Naruto was - because he started dating Sakura. Cuz that’s not it. I...I really like you. And...I had to ask. I had to know.”
After a moment, a hint of hesitation colored her expression. “...you really...liked me before…?”
“For just about all of high school. I just...I knew how much you liked him. And I didn’t want to make it some sort of weird...competition. And then I didn’t want to seem shallow. So...if I’m being a jerk, then just tell me off, and -”
“Sasuke, you’re not...you’re not being a jerk.” She gave him a soft, somber smile. “...you’re being the o-opposite of a jerk. You were so...thoughtful, and - and careful about my feelings, even if that meant...suppressing your own. That’s really...really sweet. And...I’m sorry you had to keep that to yourself for so long. I guess...I know how that goes. But no, I-I can see you’re being sincere. I guess n-now I know why you looked so nervous when I saw you!” She giggled into a hand.
He went pink in the cheeks.
“...I would like to hang out with you sometime,” Hinata then affirmed again, tone more sure. “I guess, um...we don’t know each other t-too well yet. So we can just...do that. I think...it’ll be fun. Thank you for asking me, and...for telling me all of this.”
“Yeah, well...thanks for not laughing at me.”
“Oh, n-no! I would never!”
“I know, but -”
“I...know what it is to have your feelings stomped on,” she murmured, making him wilt as she lowered her gaze. “...I would never - I-I would never do that to you. Even if...even if I wanted to say no - a-and I don’t! - I couldn’t belittle you like that. I think you were...very brave to be so honest like that. I...n-never really got that chance…”
Sasuke glanced aside, feeling a twinge of guilt...even if it wasn’t his fault.
“...well...I guess things turned out well for Naruto and Sakura when...when she gave him a chance. So…” Looking back up, she gave him a warm smile, cheeks tinted pink. “I-I hope...we’ll have the same luck!”
“...yeah? Heh...me too.”