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When she enters the ballroom, Hinata feels like maybe coming was a mistake. Someone grabs her arm and she turns to look at Neji, who looks like he too wants to be back home and watching series while eating burgers. They sigh at the same time and start walking. They decided that they were going to match, black dress and black tux, as well as a black mask, just so their eyes could pop out a bit.
“Oh, my god! Hinata, you look amazing!” Ino tells her once she crosses paths with her.
“Thank you! You look amazing yourself,” she answers, and it’s true. Ino’s wearing a big, white, puffy dress that is bigger than her own. “Thank you for this.”
“Oh, sweetie! I just wanted to celebrate having everyone back! It’s been a while since we were all in the same city.”
“Y-yeah…”
So, maybe that was another reason she didn’t want to come. Everyone was back, including her first love, Naruto, who was now engaged to his first love, Sakura. With them came Sasuke, who was always polite to her, if somewhat rude. She doesn’t really know him, and she’s never really made an effort to do so.
After saying “hi” to her friends, and politely acknowledging the ones she doesn’t know – Ino has many friends –, she decides to disappear for a while, just until Neji texts her to tell her that they’re serving the food. She finds a garden behind one set of doors at the other side of the ballroom, and as she leads herself away from the too-loud music, she catches glance of another person. She doesn’t know who that figure is, but he’s wearing a white tux and his back is turned to her. As she approaches, she sees the black spiked hair, the tensed posture and the way he carries himself; she’d recognize that anywhere. Deciding that coming to talk to him is not a really good idea, she turns around and walks to the other side of the garden, and promptly sits down to rest her feet. She takes off her shoes and turns to look at the moon-less sky.
It’s been a while since she’s been back in Tokyo, mostly staying with her mother in London and not interfering with her father’s business. Coming back for Christmas, as she promised she would, is not turning out to be that fun.
“You seem annoyed.” Someone says by her side and she startles. She didn’t even hear footsteps.
“I-I am.” Hinata finds herself saying, and she turns to look at the sky again.
“Is it the party or the city?”
“… Both.” He hums and she goes to take off her mask.
“Isn’t the whole purpose of this not knowing who we’re talking to?”
“Are you telling me you don’t know who I am, Uchiha?”
“I suppose I’m not, Hyuga.”
And they stare at each other for a second too long before taking off the masks. It feels weird, talking to him. She’s never so much as said “Good morning” to him when they were at school together, and now he just came to her to just make small talk? Maybe people do change when they grow.
“Are you, uh, annoyed as well, Uchiha?”
“I just don’t like parties.”
“Why did you come, then?”
“Why did you come?”
Hinata stares at him, turns her head to the side and decides that he, like her, must have social duties to attend too. She hums at him and takes her arms back, posing her hands on the stone bench, and letting her body rest for a bit.
“Do you think it would be offensive to Ino if we just left?” Hinata asks, and Sasuke raises his eyebrows.
“Maybe not offensive, but definitely scandalous.”
She frowns as she catches up to the meaning behind his words. She blushes a little bit and says, “t-that is not what I meant!” She sees him smirking and she rolls his eyes.
“I think I heard Ino say something about renting this whole thing, just for the party. Wanna see if we can find a hidden room behind library shelves?” He asks, wiggling his eyebrows, and that does sound a lot more interesting than dancing to awful music in big dresses.
She wonders if he was always like this, or if spending so much time with Naruto changed him. It seems almost natural for him to be teasing her.
“Uh, only if we order pizza first. I don’t think the food will be served early and I’m starving.”
“Deal.”
He stands up and waits for her to do so. They sneak back in and make their way upstairs, Black and White Ball completely forgotten.
*
When Neji finds them, he’s holding two pizza boxes and he has a stern look on his face. Hinata’s dress and hair are rumpled, Sasuke’s shirt is unbuttoned and they’ve stopped in the middle of a pillow fight.
“I hope you know just how much you owe me, because I made sure Ino didn’t realize someone delivered food.”
“You're the best. Come eat with us! There’s plenty for three” Hinata says, laughing, and Sasuke shrugs when Neji looks at him.
“Alright.”