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Fireflies for You

The day began like most others: the sun rose gracefully, the birds began to sing their morning songs, and life began to stir as the people began to wake. The morning was beautiful, not a cloud to mar the blue sky, and a gentle breeze occasionally blew across the warm landscape.

But to Hinata, this day was not like most others. She lay still in her bed, eyes open but unmoving as she heard the members of the Hyuga compound move about in the hallways beyond. When she heard a familiar knocking outside her door, she didn’t answer or move as the door slid open.

“Sister?” Hanabi walked in to see her sister still in bed, eyes fixed straight ahead on the ceiling. She let out a small sigh; she knew well enough that Hinata would still be in bed, and why. This day marked one of significance for the Hyuga, though it was not a positive one. “Hinata, don’t you think it’s time to get up?” her voice, though still strong, was softer as she padded over to stand at Hinata’s side.

Her head turned slightly on the pillow, her eyes meeting similar pale ones but hers were much emptier. “I suppose so,” she answered softly, but still made no move to get up. Hanabi stood, tapping her foot but otherwise patient as Hinata eventually, painfully slowly, began to push herself upright.

“I think you should try to get out today, get some fresh air.” Hanabi tried to make conversation as Hinata went through her usual morning routine, moving like she was bogged down underwater, her limbs heavy. “It would be good for you, and it’s beautiful outside today.”

“Is it?” Hinata glanced out her window, the sunshine making a beam onto her floor. She was sitting at her vanity now, fully dressed, and brushing her hair. “I suppose it is,” she said, her voice ringing hollow.

Hanabi let out another small sigh, a pang of sympathy running through her. She stepped forward, gently took the brush from Hinata’s fingers with no resistance, and began to brush her hair for her. “Sister, I know how you must feel today. But Neji wouldn’t want to see you like this. What do you think he would say if he did?” she asked gently. Hinata stared at her through the mirror as pain flashed through her eyes.

“He…he would probably say that I was being silly, moping like this,” she eventually said, turning her eyes downward.

“Exactly,” Hanabi answered, taking care to brush out a particularly stubborn tangle. “He’d agree that you should get up and enjoy the day, in his own weird way.”

Hinata let the smallest of smiles on her face for a moment, before letting it drop. “You’re right, Hanabi. I just miss him, so much…”

Hanabi put the brush down, gently turning Hinata to face her as she knelt down to meet her sister’s eyes. “I know, Hina,” she said, using a nickname she hadn’t used since they were small girls. Hinata’s eyes widened at the raw vulnerability that Hanabi hardly ever showed anyone as it colored her voice. Hanabi took her hands, clutching them tightly, “I really miss him too. He was the brother we never had. But we have to try, one step at a time.” Hinata finally felt the tears cloud her vision as Hanabi’s voice became thick, and without warning she lurched forward in her seat and wrapped her little sister in a hug.

“Yes, you’re right Hanabi. We have to try.” Hinata felt her sister’s fingers curl into the back of her jacket, and together they sat on the floor like that, silently supporting one another. After a few long minutes, Hanabi finally pulled back and wiped her tears away.

“Did that help?”

Hinata sniffled and gently wiped her own tears, “Yes, a little. Thank you,” she smiled, and Hanabi relaxed as she saw a little more life in her eyes.

“Good. Go out, see your friends, take a walk. Try to treat this day normally.”

Hinata hesitated, biting the inside of her cheek, “I should at least visit him at the memorial, right? To pay respects…it would feel wrong not to…”

Hanabi blinked, “Yes, that’s true. Do you want me to accompany you?”

Hinata shook her head, “I appreciate it, but I know you’re busy with training as the heir. I promise I won’t spend all day there.” Hanabi scrutinized her sister, but when she saw that some of the color had returned to her face, Hanabi relaxed slightly.

“Alright, then. As long as you’re sure, then have a good day, Hina.” Hanabi smiled, giving Hinata’s hand one last squeeze before rising to her feet and leaving the room. Hinata sat still, taking deep breaths. Treat this day like any other, she repeated in her mind, but her heart clenched as she thought of her trip to the memorial.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hinata walked along the streets, making her way to the Yamanaka Flower Shop. She wanted to leave some flowers at the grave, and in a small bag at her side she had also brought a small holder and some incense to light. She kept taking deep breaths to calm herself, reminding herself of Hanabi’s advice, and she put one foot in front of the other.

The bell above the door chimed as Hinata stepped into the building, earthy and floral scents mixing in her nose. “Be right there!” she heard Ino’s voice yell from the back, and a moment later the blonde appeared, her eyes lighting up. “Hinata! It’s good to see you, what brings you in today?”

“Hi, Ino,” Hinata smiled tiredly. “I need a bouquet, just a small one. Could you please help me?”

“Sure, no problem,” Ino immediately grabbed the thick paper and laid it on the counter, before looking up, “What’s the occasion?”

“I’m, um…I’m going to visit Neji today.”

At this, Ino froze as she was thumbing through the flowers beside her, and slowly looked up at her. “Oh, Hinata, I’m so sorry.”

Hinata bowed her head slightly, but when she spoke she was surprised at how steady her voice was, “Today is the anniversary of when he died, so I’m going to visit him for a bit.”

“That must be so hard,” Ino’s voice was soft, full of sympathy, “I’m sorry. Here, I’ve got you.” She carefully picked out a few flowers, holding them carefully at the stems, and laid them out. “White chrysanthemums, to symbolize the grief you’re feeling,” she explained as she added to the bouquet, “Forget-Me-Nots, pretty easy to figure out the meaning there. And some Gladioli, to represent how strong and resilient he was, and how he’s passed that on to you.”

Ino finished arranging them and carefully wrapped it together, tying it off with a lovely red string and holding it out to Hinata. Hinata pulled out her coin purse and began trying to count out her money, but Ino gently shook the bouquet, “Nuh-uh, this one’s on the house today.”

Hinata looked up, shocked. “B-but Ino! I couldn’t possibly–”

“Yes you can.” Ino said, placing the bouquet in her arms before she could object further. “Consider this my gift to him then, but really, don’t worry about it. This isn’t going to run me out of business,” she winked.

Hinata smiled, “Okay then. Thank you so much, Ino,” she bowed, and Ino laughed as she waved the Hyuga off. Hinata then turned and left the store, making her way towards the memorial site. Ino watched her go, the wheels in her mind turning.

“Mom? I’m going out, I have something I need to take care of!” Ino shouted towards the back room, taking off her apron and hurrying out of the store.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sasuke was walking up the road into town, his goal being the markets to pick up this week’s grocery shopping. His cupboards and fridge were getting more bare and he couldn’t put off going any longer. Going through his list in his mind, he almost didn’t notice the beacon of orange running towards him.

“Hey, Sasuke!”

Sasuke stopped just as Naruto skidded to a stop in front of him, Sakura not too far behind. “Naruto, you can’t just take off like that!” she wheezed behind him as she tried to catch her breath.

“Sorry, Sakura,” Naruto apologized sheepishly, before turning his smile on Sasuke, “Hey, whatcha doing out here? It’s been a while!”

Sasuke held up a piece of paper. “Groceries,” was all he said.

Naruto nodded, “Oh yeah, makes sense. But hey! Before you do that, come grab some lunch with us!” Sakura nodded behind him, her green eyes shining.

“We were just on our way when Naruto saw you. Come on, we haven’t had lunch together in awhile, just the three of us,” she explained. Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

Sasuke looked between them, “You sure you want me there? I wouldn’t want to be the third wheel on your date,” he teased them as he smirked. Sakura’s cheeks tinged pink as Naruto laughed.

“You wouldn’t be! It’s like Sakura said, it’s been awhile since the three of us got together. Besides, we’ll have other dates, right?” he turned to Sakura, blush still gracing her face.

“Yeah, and anyway you’re really doing me a favor Sasuke. If we have one more date at Ichiraku this week, I’m swearing off ramen forever,” she grumbled good-naturedly., Naruto’s mouth dropping open.

“What?? Sakura, you can’t!”

Sasuke chuckled, “Alright, let’s go. I’m getting kind of hungry, anyway.” Sasuke looked at his former teammates fondly as Sakura began to get annoyed and assured Naruto that she was kidding. He wouldn’t readily admit it out loud, but he loved those two like siblings–somewhere along the way, they had become his family, and in his new life of solo missions and turning over a new leaf he had been looking forward to spending time with them again.

Just as they began walking, they heard a shout behind them, “Hey guys!!” All three turned around to see Ino running up to them, waving.

“Ino? What’s up, is something wrong?” Sakura asked her longtime friend. Ino bent over on her knees, catching her breath for a second before standing up right and looking between them.

“It’s Hinata,” Ino panted.

“What? What’s happened to her?” Naruto asked, his voice turning serious. Sasuke’s brow furrowed, was she in trouble?

“No no, it’s nothing serious like that,” Ino assured, waving her hand. “But she came into the flower shop today to get some flowers.”

Sasuke relaxed as Naruto and Sakura exchanged glances. “So she came in to get flowers, what’s so unusual about that?” Sakura asked.

Ino frowned, “If you would let me finish, I can tell you! She came in to get flowers because she was going to visit Neji’s grave today.” At this, Sasuke noticed the air around his companions turning somber. “She looked really bad, like really down,” Ino frowned.

“It’s today, isn’t it? The anniversary of the day he died,” Sakura murmured. Sasuke looked between them, not for the first time feeling like an outsider. He didn’t know Neji all that well, just that they were something of rivals from the two biggest clans in Konoha, and that Neji was lauded as a genius much like he was as a boy. Then he disappeared from the village for years, and just before his return Neji had died in the war. He had never gotten close, not the way these three must have.

“She must be feeling awful. He died to protect her, when she was trying to protect me,” Naruto said, clenching his fist. The girls avoided Naruto’s eyes while Sasuke glanced at him, noticing his posture turning in on himself in anger.

“Yeah…well, I thought, we should do something for her,” Ino continued, and the others looked at her curiously. “It’s been awhile since we all got together, and it could help take Hinata’s mind off of things if we all did something together, you know?”

“Hmm…it has been awhile,” Sakura mused out loud.

“Yeah, we’ve all been kind of busy since the war ended last year,” Naruto agreed. “That’s a great idea, Ino!”

Ino clapped her hands together, “Excellent! I can go around and find everyone to let ‘em know, and make reservations at Yakiniku Q! We’ll have a night out, all of us, and celebrate Neji’s life!” She turned to Sasuke, “You’ll come too, won’t you?”

Sasuke stepped back at Ino leaning in, hands on her hips. “Er, I don’t know…” he held his hand up.

“Aw, c’mon Sasuke! You have to come, you’re one of us! Besides, don’t you want to support Hinata?” Naruto whined.

“I’m sure it would mean a lot to her,” Sakura added, “she really needs us in her corner. Neji was like her older brother, and she really loved him.” At this, Sasuke’s eyes widened. That pain sounded all too familiar.

“Fine,” he sighed, “Yeah I’ll come.” The other three cheered, and Sasuke sighed again. Sometimes his friends could be so childish…

“Great! I’ll make reservations for 7 tonight, okay? Clear your evening schedule, because we are going to make sure that Operation: Cheer Hinata Up will be a success!” Ino declared, before turning and jogging away with a wave. “See you tonight!”

“See ya!” Sakura called, before turning to the boys. “Alright, guess we’re busy tonight, huh?”

Naruto nodded, “It’s gonna be good. We can’t let Hinata be alone, so let’s make sure we do everything we can for her!” Suddenly, a loud grumbling sound cut across the air, and Naruto looked embarrassed while Sakura sighed fondly.

“Let’s go eat,” Sasuke said, nodding his head towards Ichiraku, “before Naruto withers away,”

“Hey!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hinata slowly made her way towards the memorial, the marker standing out to her among the backdrop of green trees that swayed gently. Her footsteps were growing heavier, but her body moved toward it automatically as if on autopilot, her breaths growing shallower. She gasped softly when she noticed a couple of other figures already standing there. Lee and Tenten were like statues, uncharacteristically silent as they both stared down at the monument. Tenten’s face was tense, her jaw clenched and Lee had fresh tear tracks down his cheeks, though his face remained a stony mask. Upon hearing Hinata draw nearer, they both looked up.

“Oh, Hinata! Well, I guess it’s not really a surprise to see you here today. I’m assuming…?” Tenten trailed off, gesturing at the memorial in front of her. Lee sniffed.

Hinata nodded, “Yes, I wanted to come see him today. I’m not surprised you’re here, either.” She looked around, “Where’s Gai-sensei? I’d thought he’d be here too.”

“Sensei and Kakashi were here, but they just left,” Lee explained. Hinata nodded in understanding, then knelt down in front of the statue, placing the bouquet of white, blue and purple gently against the stone. She then reached into her bag and carefully placed the incense tray, pulling out the incense sticks.

“Would you like to light these with me?” Hinata turned to the other two. Tenten’s eyebrows raised.

“Are you sure? We can go, so you can be alone if you want. We know he was really important to you–”

“Please,” Hinata shook her head, holding the sticks out to them again. “You two were his teammates, you were just as much family to him as I was. I would like it if you stayed,” she said. They stared at her a moment, then Lee nodded and knelt beside her while taking a stick from her. Tenten smiled, and dropped down on Hinata’s other side and took the other stick gently.

“Thank you,” she said. Hinata nodded as she took out a match and lit the two sticks in their hands. The three of them proceeded to bow three times, and Lee and Tenten carefully placed them in the tray. The smoke trailed elegantly into the air.

Hinata felt her throat close painfully, and she tried to swallow the lump down as tears pooled her eyes when she finally read his name on the plaque. Even though she was always feeling the emptiness of his loss, she hadn’t truly allowed herself to confront the fact that Neji wasn’t here anymore. But now, sitting here in silence before the monument, it finally hit her that this was all that was left of him: just his name etched in the stone. Her beloved cousin and older brother was really gone.

A small sob escaped her throat despite herself, and she felt Tenten gently put her hand on her shoulder. Hinata didn’t resist as she leaned onto Tenten, and felt her hand slide around her back into a firm hug, the tears flowing freely now. Moments later, she felt the comforting weight of Lee’s hand on her other shoulder, and together the three of them sat in their grief and tears as they held one another.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~

Hinata slowly walked back toward the village, the sun higher in the sky now. She had spent the better part of the morning reminiscing about Neji with his former teammates, laughing and crying as they told stories of their shenanigans as children. Eventually, Tenten and Lee had to excuse themselves, and Hinata had decided it was time for her to go as well. She felt the tear tracks as they dried on her face, but her heart was still heavy–yet she was grateful that she was able to share the moment with them. It was easier than she thought.

“Hey, Hinata!”

She looked up at the shout, noticing some more familiar faces walking towards her. “Kiba, Akamaru, Shino! How are you?”

The trio stopped in front of her, Kiba flashing a fanged smile at his friend. “Good, we just got back from a mission!”

Hinata tilted her head, “The three of you? I wonder why I wasn’t asked to, as well?” It was unusual that they did any missions without the other, ever since they tried to retrieve Sasuke back in the day.

“It was for a c-rank criminal, a non-ninjutsu user, that escaped from the prison. We were asked to capture and return them,” Shino explained in his steady voice, a low hum of his insects an undercurrent.

“And since they weren’t a ninja, using a Byakugan for tracking wasn’t all that necessary I guess. It was easy, we got him in two hours, no sweat!” Kiba added, then frowned as he scrutinized her face. Hinata blushed at this, turning her face downward, but too late. “Hey, were you crying? Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.

“I’m okay,” Hinata assured him, but Shino spoke up.

“It’s today, isn’t it? I’m sorry we weren’t here,” he said, and while his voice had no clear inflection Hinata could hear the regret. A perk from knowing him so long.

“Today? What–” Kiba started, as Akamaru gave a small whine and licked Hinata’s hand. Understanding dawned on his face, “Ohhh, I get it. Hey, Hinata, we’re so sorry,” he said, hand on her shoulder and giving a squeeze. “Can you forgive us?”

Hinata shook her head, a small smile on her lips. “No, don’t worry, I’m really okay! I already went to the monument–”

“Without us?” Kiba frowned deeper.

“Yes, but it’s okay, Tenten and Lee were there with me. I wasn’t alone, I promise,” Hinata smiled at them, though the boys noticed that it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Well, at least let us make it up to you anyway. C’mon, let’s go to the cafe and get you something, on us!” Kiba grinned at her. 

Hinata waved her hands hurriedly, “Oh no, you don’t have to do that!”

Shino exhaled, “It’s not a burden, Hinata. We want to.” At his simple explanation, Hinata realized she didn’t have the energy to resist. And besides, she really missed spending time with Kiba and Shino, what would the harm be? She looked down as she absentmindedly scratched behind one of Akamaru’s ears.

“Okay,” she relented, and this time her smile had a little more light in it.

Kiba grinned wider as he slung his arm around her shoulders. “Yes! Hana told me about this place, it makes some great pastries!” He kept chattering, occasionally Shino adding something, and Hinata felt the weight in her heart lift a little more as they walked into town.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~

Sasuke shifted the paper bag in his arm carefully to readjust his grip; it would be really stupid if his groceries fell when he was still so far from home. Unconsciously, what was left of his left arm had twitched as well, and Sasuke frowned. It had been close to a year since he had lost his arm in his final battle with Naruto, and for the most part he had managed to adjust his life without it where he needed to, whether it was training or something so simple as bathing. But every now and then, his brain would randomly try to incorporate the use of both limbs as a harsh reminder of his new reality.

Of course, Naruto had tried to convince him to get the prosthetic arm made of Hashirama’s cells. “C’mon! We can get them together, we may as well since we lost ‘em together!” his friend had grinned at him, but Sasuke had refused the offer. He figured it was his punishment for what he had done, the pain he had caused in the name of revenge, and as such he would bear it silently, as he deserved. He had been so lost in his thoughts that when he rounded the corner, he had nearly collided with someone–his honed instincts and training saved him at the last second, and he stopped abruptly.

“Whoa!”

Sasuke blinked as Kiba reeled backwards. Beside him were Shino and Hinata, the latter with her hands over her mouth at the close call. Sasuke felt his heart pick up the pace, but he schooled his face to remain neutral in front of the others.

“Hey, what’s the–oh, it’s you,” Kiba had worked himself up to yell, only to nearly deflate when he realized who it was. “What’s up, Sasuke?” At his side, Akamaru’s hackles were noticeably raised but he wasn’t growling.

“Hello, Sasuke,” Hinata gave a small wave. Sasuke noticed her posture was more drawn in on herself than usual, and despite the smile on her face he could hear the despondency in her tone. He noted that there was, however, some life in her eyes.

“Went shopping,” he replied, gesturing by jostling the paper bag slightly, “I’m on my way home now.”

“Oh, do you need help?” Hinata offered. An awkward silence fell between them, Sasuke’s face unreadable. Suddenly, Kiba burst out laughing, making her jump, and realization dawned on her at what she had just said. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” she squeaked, waving her hands in front of her frantically. “I-I didn’t mean it like that, I’m so sorry, that was rude of me to ask! I was just–”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sasuke sighed, pointedly ignoring Kiba’s laughing. He watched as Hinata’s face burned red, looking much more animated than she had been moments before. Despite his efforts to keep his face still, a smile crept on his face. “Thanks, but I think I got it.”

“O-of course!” Hinata said, her voice slightly too high. Kiba was still laughing, making Hinata feel more embarrassed at her faux pas, and she pointedly cleared her throat at him. Kiba thankfully took the hint and began to calm down, letting some chuckles out here and there. “Apparently, Ino says we’re all having dinner together later. Will you be there?” Hinata asked, her voice having a hint of distraction, like she wasn’t all there again.

“Yeah,” Sasuke replied, adjusting the bag again slightly. He felt his stomach drop a little.

“Great!” Kiba, now apparently composed, flashed a grin. “We’ll see you then!” Sasuke looked at the group in front of him, his gaze lingering on Hinata.

“Yeah, see you,” he nodded, then walked past them. Kiba and Shino watched him go, not noticing that Hinata had already begun walking away as well.

Hinata, even though she felt better than she had when she woke up this morning, still felt like she was on autopilot. Like her body was there and knew what to do, but she wasn’t in control. Distantly, she heard her team catch up with her, and heard Kiba’s voice like it was background noise.

“I never thought I’d see him smile. I don’t think he ever did when we were kids, unless he was being a cocky bastard.”

“It was interesting,” she heard Shino muse. “Did you also notice he kept looking at Hinata?”

At this, Hinata felt herself snap into the present, like she breached the surface of the water she was under. “What?”

“Yeah, now that you mention it,” Kiba smiled slyly, his eyes sliding over to Hinata. There was a mischievous glint in them, “It’s like he couldn’t take his eyes off of her!”

Hinata felt her face burn, and in reflex she clapped her hands to her cheeks. “W-what? No, he wasn’t!” she cried. Sasuke Uchiha? Looking at her?

“Sure he was. And why not? You’re a great looking girl!” Hinata felt lightheaded at the compliment. Kiba continued, “And he doesn’t look half-bad himself. I mean, you don’t have a thing for Naruto anymore, so…”

“Kiba!” Hinata managed to squeak out, her face now on fire. “T-that’s not the point!”

“Alright, I think you’ve teased her enough,” Shino said, but there was laughter in his voice. Kiba held his hands up in defeat.

“Alright, alright. Sorry Hinata, but sometimes you just make it too easy.”

Hinata took a deep breath to calm her heartrate, glaring at her friend with not much effect. They knew she could never stay angry at them.

“And now you don’t look so sad anymore,” Kiba added, scratching the top of Akamaru’s head. “That’s the real prize here.” Shino nodded in agreement, and Hinata felt herself relax as her heart rose in her throat.

“Oh, well then…now what should we do?” she asked curiously, trying to change the subject before she could feel her eyes well up.

“I dunno, we have some time to kill before meeting up with everyone,” Kiba shrugged.

“We could always spar? It might help take your mind off of things,” Shino suggested, and Hinata smiled despite the pang in her chest, and she tried to push away the memories of her and Neji in the courtyard out of her mind.

“That sounds like a good idea,” she agreed, and together they walked towards their usual training grounds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sasuke leaned against the wall of the restaurant near the door. Everyone else was milling about as they waited for the last guests to arrive before they could take their party inside, chatting amongst themselves. Sasuke looked at each person, once again feeling that familiar knot in his stomach as his brain whispered outsider to him. Even Sai, who he had learned had come to the village to essentially replace him and was initially an actual outsider, was looking at ease as he was talking to Choji and Shikamaru.

“Hey, what’s with the long face?” Naruto sidled up to him, mimicking his pose.

“Nothing,” Sasuke said, closing his eyes as the feeling began to fade slightly. Somehow, he could count on his idiot friend to pop in just when he was needed.

“Hmm, that doesn’t look like ‘nothing’,” Naruto needled, eyeing him. His face brightened as if realization struck, and Sasuke narrowed his eyes in suspicion–what was going to come out of his mouth next? “Ohhh, I get it, I bet you’re nervous!”

Sasuke scoffed, “And why would I be nervous, exactly?”

“To see Hinata, duh.”

Sasuke felt his heart stop. Him? Nervous to see Hinata? He pictured her from earlier, bright red and flustered, and he felt his own cheeks begin to draw heat. He turned his face away and scoffed again. He could also count on Naruto to be an idiot. “That makes no sense, stop saying stupid things.”

Naruto watched him, and a fox-like grin spread on his face. “Ohhhh, yeah, I see it now! You totally have a thing for Hinata!”

“Shut it, Naruto!” Sasuke turned and glared at his friend automatically. God, why was he doing this? Sometimes Naruto could really make him act like a petulant twelve-year-old all over again.

Mercifully, Naruto lowered his voice but the mischievous look on his face didn’t disappear. “Hey man, I think it’s great! Hinata’s really sweet, she’s quiet, I remember you having a thing for girls with long hair–”

“Yeah, when I was a kid! A-and anyway, that’s not the point!” Sasuke sputtered, but Naruto kept on as if he had said nothing.

“She’s a really good cook too, the kind of girl that would make a great wife. You’ve got good taste, man, I say go for it!” Naruto clapped his shoulder, and Sasuke grit his teeth in annoyance.

“Naruto, drop it,” he said in a deadly low voice, a warning, but Naruto laughed and clapped his shoulder again, unfazed.

“Fine, fine. But seriously, don’t wait forever to make a move, or someone else might swoop in!” Sasuke just groaned under his breath. All these years later, and Naruto still somehow managed to irritate him to no end. Suddenly, he was very tired, and he felt his shoulders sag as the fatigue began to set in. 

It hadn’t occurred to him that he never actually denied Naruto’s claim.

Thankfully, Ino’s voice broke in, “Oh, they’re here!”

“Finally,” Choji muttered under his breath, to which the blonde woman elbowed him. Everyone turned as Kiba, Shino and Hinata made their way over to the group.

“Hey, guys!” Kiba greeted. Shino nodded, and Hinata waved at everyone.

“Alright, now that the guest of honor is here, we can get this shindig started!” Ino looped her arm around Hinata’s shoulders. The dark-haired girl looked in confusion at Ino, then everyone else.

“Guest of honor? Me? I don’t understand, why–?”

Sakura came up on her other side and looped her arm around her as well. “We knew what day it was today, and we all didn’t want you to be alone. We wanted to be here for you.” Hinata felt the pressure behind her eyes, but despite her eyelashes getting wet she did not let the tears fall.

“All of you, wanted to help me?” As everyone nodded at her, even Sasuke, she felt her heart swell and smiled at them all. “I…thank you all so much, this is so kind of you…”

“Don’t sweat it,” Shikamaru drawled, “you’re one of us, you know?”

“And besides,” Tenten added, “this could double as a toast to Neji. He was one of us too, and this way we all can remember him!”

At this, Hinata’s smile trembled as the tears began to fall. Behind everyone, Sasuke frowned as his chest tightened. 

Ino looked worried, “Oh no, don’t cry Hinata! Was this too much?”

Hinata shook her head forcefully, “No! No, this is absolutely wonderful! Just the thought of you all going through this trouble for me…for us, I’m just so happy.” She smiled, and for the first time that day she felt that spark she had been missing all day. She felt like something was filling the carved out part of her soul, and she felt a little more whole. Ino and Sakura gave her hugs, and the girls squealed.

“Alright, I’m starving!” Kiba threw his arms behind his head. Choji agreed enthusiastically, and everyone began to file inside, Hinata and Ino at the front.

Sasuke brought up the rear, and when he got to the table where everyone was taking their seats, he noticed there was an empty seat across from Hinata, right next to Naruto. When Naruto caught his eye, he grinned and jerked his head, indicating to take the seat beside him. Sasuke’s lips twisted slightly and he let out a small groan, but seeing as there were no other open spots he made his way around and sat in the seat, pointedly ignoring Naruto elbowing him in the ribs. He opened his eyes, and noticed Hinata smiling at him. He felt his stomach flutter, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to beat Naruto or thank him in that moment.

“Hi, Sasuke,” she murmured, and somehow he could hear her clearly over the din of all of their friends around them.

“Hey,” he answered, his face giving nothing away. What was he even worried about? Nothing, that’s what. He hadn’t eaten in hours, he was just hungry, that’s why his stomach was feeling off. Despite himself, he felt the corner of his mouth turn up, “Don’t worry, I managed to get all my stuff put away all by myself.”

Hinata stiffened, and Sasuke couldn’t help but chuckle as she started to sputter, “Wha-I-I told you–!”

“I’m just kidding,” He smiled, and began to help himself to some of the side dishes between them. Hinata fell silent, and though her cheeks were still pink, she giggled.

“You’re mean,” she laughed, and then was drawn into a conversation with Sakura beside her. Sasuke let out a huff through his nose, ignoring the flips in his stomach.

Soon, even Sasuke felt at ease with everyone as they all talked, laughed, and drank. The smell and sounds of sizzling meat and vegetables surrounded them, and Hinata smiled around at everyone. She felt touched at the fact everyone came together for her, but more importantly to remember Neji. She felt her chest swell with love for her friends, and she couldn’t get the smile off of her face. She had completely forgotten the melancholy she had felt earlier that day, and even though she had a small pang when she thought about what it would be like if her cousin were here with them, she felt the love and warmth quickly squash it.

At some point, Ino stood up with her glass in hand. “Excuse me, everyone! Hey! Listen, we all came here tonight to celebrate the life of one of our own. I think we should make a toast! Does anyone have anything they’d like to say?”

Silence passed over the table as no one made a move. Then, Naruto stood with his own glass. “I’ll say something first. When I first met Neji, he would just spout things about how destiny was set in stone, and that you couldn’t change it. And at the time, I thought ‘what an arrogant guy’. But you know, I think he always believed in the opposite, no matter what he said, because I’d never seen a guy fight so hard to change that destiny. He was…” Naruto paused, “Neji was truly one-of-a-kind.” He raised his glass, and everyone raised their own. As he sat down, Lee stood next.

“As most of you know, Neji was my teammate. At first, I was intimidated by him when first assigned, because everyone had always called him a genius. He was very smart, talented, and a gifted user of the Byakugan, whereas I could only do taijustsu, so who was I by comparison? But I worked hard, and though at first it seemed that Neji would taunt me, I think he was really encouraging me. He was driving me to do my best, to train harder so that I could become the best at what I do, just like him. I didn’t really know it at the time, but I think he truly saw me as a rival and a brother. And I definitely could say the same. To Neji!” He raised his glass, and took a giant swig while everyone else raised theirs in return.

Hinata had watched the two give their speeches, her heart going up to her throat as she felt the love for her cousin. As she watched Tenten gently pull Lee back down, she suddenly felt her legs stand, her own glass in hand, and she saw eleven pairs of eyes looking at her. She gulped, but realized her hand was steady as she began, the words flowing easily from her.

“Neji was, and always will be, my big brother. Our fathers were twins, so we spent alot of our childhood together despite our ranks in the Hyuga clan. Even though my status was higher, I always looked up to him because he was just so smart. After a time, when circumstances caused his father to be taken from him, we had a falling out–but I still loved him all the same. And then, after some help, he came back around to helping me again, even in his own way. But he was always kind,” she looked down at everyone smiling at her, or their eyes locked on her as they listened intently. Her eyes drifted to Sasuke, and to her slight surprise she noticed the look in his eyes was not his usual stoic expression, but one of…sympathy? It was gentle, and she felt her heart skip a beat as she continued.

“One time, he was helping me train for an important ritual for our clan. That weekend, we were having a fireworks display for Lady Tsunade’s inauguration as Hokage and I had really wanted to go. But earlier that week, we had trained so hard I had temporarily lost my vision.” A couple of gasps sounded out, and Hinata paused. She remembered Neji’s face, stern but with a touch of fondness, and her throat tightened painfully. She took a deep breath, and after a moment she soldiered on. “Neji fought to try and have my vision restored in time for the display, even tried to hunt down a special rare herb to help. But while in the end I couldn’t watch it, he stayed with me. I’ll always remember how much he cared, how much he tried, even if he had a hard time saying it. In the end, he was my brother again, and I’ll always miss him.” She raised her glass, and in her voice that was thick with emotion, cheered, “To Neji!”

Everyone lifted their own glass enthusiastically this time, echoing the toast. No one else stood after, and they all went back to mingling with each other, the air considerably lighter. Hinata once again looked around at everyone, one by one, and despite the celebratory air, she began to feel the creep of cold take her chest once again as she imagined Neji being here among them.

Sasuke surreptitiously glanced up at Hinata from behind his bangs, and his brow furrowed as he saw that sadness wash over her features that she tried to hide anytime she spoke to anyone. He frowned to himself, but chose to stay quiet. What could he even say?

Soon the evening began to wind down, the food disappearing from the plates and drinks from their glasses. Everyone left the restaurant talking amiably amongst one another, and they found themselves milling around outside the entrance. Everyone was hesitating, it seemed, not ready to go their separate ways just yet.

“Now what?” Shikamaru asked as he scratched at his arm. No one answered, but a small murmur arose as everyone began to think out loud. Sasuke glanced sideways at Hinata, who was hugging her arms to herself, and Sasuke couldn’t help but think she’s so small. He blinked, surprised at his own brain, then pushed it aside. 

“You don’t have to stay, you know,” he leaned down to mutter to her. Hinata gave a start, as if she had forgotten where she was, and glanced up at him.

“No, I don’t mind. Being here with everyone is nice,” she smiled at him, and he felt his stomach drop again. Where was this anxiety coming from?

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged, but before he could say or do anything else, he was startled to see her turn fully to face him.

“Are…are you leaving then, Sasuke?” She asked, her voice tinged with…was that worry? “It would be great if you’d stay. I mean, you don’t have to, but it would make me happy if you did…” she trailed off, her eyes widening and her cheeks flushing. Sasuke felt his heart beat in his chest, and his eyes widened like a mirror to hers, black to white.

“No, I’m staying,” he answered after a moment. He felt heat in his ears as he saw her visibly relax, but stubbornly he ignored it. What did it matter if she was happy that he stayed with them? But he knew in that moment, he couldn’t say no to her.

“Oh, good!” She smiled at him, and it took all of his concentration to not close his eyes and turn away.

“Oh hey, I know!” Ino said, and eleven heads turned towards her. “There’s this really big clearing nearby from when we had to cut trees to rebuild after the war. You can see the stars! Let’s go there!”

There was a hum of thought, then several nods and a couple enthusiastic ‘yeah’s from Naruto and Kiba. The group began to walk towards the clearing with Ino leading the way. Ahead of Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura were conversing, holding hands while they did so, with an occasional interruption from Sai. He felt that small twinge of loneliness in his heart, seeing his old teammates like this without him, and he couldn’t help but wonder if this was what it was like for them while he was gone. For a moment, he felt left behind. Well, he thought bitterly, and who’s fault is that? He felt shame creep up his spine, and he walked on, pushing away his thoughts. He was just reaping what he had sown, after all.

~~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~~

The stars blinked brilliantly across the navy sky above the group as they trudged up a hill. “Here we are!” Ino swept her arm out behind her to an expanse of grassy knolls, dotted with several tree stumps here and there. 

Naruto turned around, his smile lighting up his face like the sun. “This is great! Come on, guys!” And without waiting, he pulled a surprised Sakura by the hand towards the nearest hill.

“Whoa, slow down Naruto!”

The rest followed at a more leisurely pace, all breaking into little groups; Ino and Sai had joined Naruto and Sakura, while Shikamaru, Choji, and Tenten were sat on a couple of stumps nearby. Kiba, Shino and Lee were off to the side, Shino and Akamaru watching while Lee and Kiba were having an arm wrestling match.

Hinata wanted to take a step, to join someone, anyone. But her feet stayed rooted to the spot, and she couldn’t find the strength to move. Her head and heart were a mess–she had smiled, laughed with everyone, had even felt so much happier with her friends surrounding her at dinner! But she would feel that cold wave of grief rise within her, threatening to trap her underwater again at different points of the day, causing her to even question herself if she really did feel better. It was confusing her–why wouldn’t it just go away? She knew Neji was dead, she acknowledged it! Wasn’t it enough? She felt tears prick her eyes, but she blinked them away. She was so tired of crying. She wanted to go back to being happy. She just wanted the pain to stop.

Glancing to her right, she noticed Sasuke hadn’t moved, either. Her mouth drew into a line, unsurprised. He must be feeling awkward, she thought. His face was as unreadable as it always was, his eyes flicking between the others. He reminded her a little of Neji, actually.

“Do I?” he asked, looking at her. Hinata jumped slightly as his words, unaware that she had said her thought out loud. She looked at her feet, embarrassment clutching her insides.

“O-oh, excuse me, I didn’t mean…” her voice faltered, but he said nothing as he continued to look at her. “But, um…yes, you do.”

“How so?”

Hinata tilted her head as she thought. “Well, I remember when we were children in the Academy, you were the top of our class. Neji was too, and I remember you were always praised by the adults as a prodigy.” As she remembered, her eyes glazed over and smiled slightly. “Neji was always considered a prodigy in the Hyuga clan, which was unheard of as he was a member of the branch. My father always pointed me towards him as a standard, and I had always wanted to be just like him: strong, smart, a good fighter. He was what I thought a ninja was supposed to be”

She looked back at her feet as she frowned, though she didn’t say anything. Somehow, talking about this with Sasuke was easier than she thought. He was really listening to her, and she was pleasantly surprised that he was actually engaged in conversation with her. Up until he had gotten out of prison, she had assumed he didn’t care about anyone, much as he had been as a child. She glanced back at him from under her lashes, a thought stuck in her head as she remembered why he had been that way back then. Maybe…maybe he could tell her the answer.

“Sasuke,” she began carefully. “I have a question for you.”

Sasuke’s curiosity was piqued, “What is it?”

Hinata hesitated, trying to figure out how to word what she wanted to ask. “I was wondering…how do you move on, when someone you loved dearly dies? How do you move past the pain, the grief?” Her voice became thick once more, and she cleared her throat.

The silence between them stretched on, the sound of their friends faintly in the background to the scene of the two of them. Sasuke studied her, feeling his chest twist at her expression. He was unsure of why she would ask him of all people. Why not go to someone she was close to, like Shino or Kiba? Why not go to Naruto? Surely he had not been around her enough that she would be comfortable asking him, essentially a stranger for all she knew, such a personal question? The fist in his heart clenched tighter. “Why ask me?” was all he could think to say, though his voice was softer than he expected. 

Hinata didn’t face him still, her eyes glued to the grass before her. “I just…figured you would understand. Forgive me, maybe it was too bold of me, but…none of our friends ever had to feel a loss like this, besides you, and…” she trailed off, failing to find the words. Of course this was bold, Sasuke had lost his whole family, all of them at once. If she felt this way about losing her cousin, her one brother, then how must he have felt? Even now? “Nevermind, I’m sorry,” she said, turning her head away in embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have asked something like that, it was thoughtless and too personal.”

“It’s fine.” Hinata snapped her head up, and Sasuke was looking at her now. The look in his eyes was distant, pained, and her breath caught in her throat at the fact she was making him remember something so painful. “To be honest, I’m not sure you ever really move on from something like this, not fully. For you right now, it’s a fresh wound that’s bleeding still; In my case, the pain is more like an old scar that hurts sometimes. It’s there, always a reminder of what we’ve lost. But,” he said, looking back at their friends laughing, “you find ways to live on, anyway. And when you have help, it gets easier than you think. Time passes, and soon that sharp pain just becomes a dull ache, and you’ve made it through to the other side.”

Hinata watched him, her mouth in a small frown as she mulled his words over. “But…what about right now?”

Sasuke looked back at her again, “It will hurt right now, and sometimes it may feel unbearable. But that’s what we’re all here for.” Hinata’s lips parted in surprise–was he counting himself among her friends as well? “We’re not going to let you be alone in this, Hinata. I won’t let it consume you the way it did me, and neither will they,” he assured, his voice low but with a conviction Hinata was even more shocked by. Then his mouth turned up into a small smirk, “Though I’m not sure taking my advice is your best option–I wasn’t known to be the most level-headed, you know.”

A laugh escaped her before she could even think, and she covered her mouth quickly, “I suppose you’re right, but all the same…thank you, Sasuke.” She smiled at him, and she saw his eyes widen slightly.

“No problem,” he replied, and they stared at each other for a second that stretched to two, then five, then–

“Hey, look!” Sakura beckoned toward her, as if to summon them all. “There’s fireflies!” Everyone got off their spots to gather around, and Hinata smiled shyly at Sasuke.

“Shall we?”

He nodded, and they walked closer; sure enough, there were smatterings of little glowing lights around them, flicking in and out. “Hey, remember when we were little girls? And we used to stay out and try to catch them?” Ino nudged Sakura, who smiled fondly at the memory.

“Oh yeah, that was always so fun! We never could really catch them, though,” she giggled, then straightened up. “Hey, let’s do it!”

“Huh?” Kiba looked confused, but Ino caught on and immediately returned a grin of her own.

“Yeah! C’mon, whaddya guys say?”

Shikamaru mumbled something under his breath, and Shino was a statue. Lee and Tenten looked enthusiastic, while Sai just looked lost as to what was even happening. Sasuke scoffed under his breath, thinking the idea utterly ridiculous. They were 19, they weren’t little kids anymore. But when he saw Hinata smile, and her eyes brightened, he felt his heart drop slightly as he knew what was coming next.

“Oh, that sounds like fun!” She had said in her light voice, and for the first time he heard genuine excitement in her voice. He sighed to himself.

Of course he wouldn’t say no.

“Alright, let’s see who can catch one first!” Tenten smiled, and before anyone could even blink Lee was off down the hill. “He can get really worked up, huh,” she added almost proudly, while the others looked baffled. Most of them scrambled forwards down the hill, arms outstretched to try and capture their little prizes.

Some were slower, moving at a more human pace, and Shikamaru wasn’t even moving at all, just laying back on the grass a little out of the way. Kiba, Naruto and Choji were glowering at Shino, “Hey, no fair!” Choji whined.

“Yeah, that’s just cheating!”

“How is this cheating? I’m just catching the fireflies,” he answered evenly, and his arms were lit up like a Christmas tree from the swarm of little glowing insects gathering there.

“Nuh-uh, Shino, you can’t use your bug jutsu or whatever for this!” Naruto pointed an accusing finger at him, “You either catch ‘em like the rest of us, or you sit this out with Lazy over there,” he pointed his thumb over his shoulder at Shikamaru. Shino let out an audible sigh, and at once all the fireflies flew off of his arms, dispersing into the air and causing the boys to shriek a little.

“Fine, I’ll do it your way.”

“Good,” Naruto nodded, then turned to see Sasuke as the dark-haired boy tried and failed to catch a firefly. “Whoops, looks like he got away,” Naruto grinned at him as he trudged over. Sasuke sighed irritably.

“This is so stupid,” he muttered.

“So why’re ya doing it?” Naruto asked brightly, though he was sure he could figure out the answer. The boys looked up at the same time to see Hinata laughing with Ino and Sakura as she caught one in her cupped hands, before letting it fly away. Sasuke immediately looked away, and Naruto didn’t miss how the tips of his ears were looking a little red.

“I don’t know,” he said, then noticeably winced. Really? That was the best he could come up with? Hearing Naruto’s pfffff made him grit his teeth.

“Okay, Sasuke,” Naruto winked, but thankfully he left it at that. He nudged Sasuke’s arm and then chased after a passing bug as his next target.

After he tried and failed three more times, Sasuke was more than a little annoyed and wanting to be done with this whole thing. He was ready to go plop down next to Shikamaru when he heard footsteps run up behind him. He turned to see Hinata, a wide smile on her face. His feet were instantly stuck to the ground as he waited for her to reach him.

“Sasuke! Isn’t this so fun?” she laughed, breathless from all of the running. 

Sasuke shrugged, though her energy caused him to smile slightly. “I guess,” he answered simply.

“Have you caught any?”

He winced, “Ah…no.” To his chagrin, she laughed. And yet, he felt his heart flutter at the sound.

“That’s alright, I haven’t caught too many either. Ino taught me how,” she smiled, then they both noticed a little light in the corner of their eyesight. “Here, watch,” she whispered, and Sasuke looked on as Hinata shot her hands out and cupped them around the little light.

He raised his eyebrows, “Wow, good job.” Hinata beamed at his praise, and he felt the heat in his ears again. What was happening to him? And why was it because of Hinata?

“Thank you! Do you want to see it?” And before he could answer her, she uncupped her hands to reveal the little fly in one of her palms, it’s light blipping in and out. Sasuke leaned forward, painfully aware that he was too close for comfort, but it seemed she didn’t notice.

“Give me your hand,” she murmured, her voice calm but laced with excitement.

“What?” Sasuke asked, bewildered. Hinata hurriedly motioned towards her, gesturing for him to hurry. Still baffled, he hesitantly raised his arm, and her outstretched hand gently took his and held it up to her other hand with the firefly still on it. Sasuke felt his breath get stuck in his throat, and his skin hummed to life where hers touched. She made him stick out his index finger, and she gingerly held her own to it, the tips of their fingers touching firmly. Sasuke felt his heart stutter.

“Look,” she whispered, her mouth stretched into a smile, “careful now, you don’t want to scare it away.” Sasuke watched in silence as he watched the firefly move from Hinata’s small hand to his slightly larger one, crossing their fingers like a bridge. He looked at the small creature, it’s light illuminating the pale skin around it, and despite himself he was a little amazed.

“Isn’t it magical, Sasuke?”

He looked up and met her eyes that were fixed on his, her expression lit up in a way he hadn’t seen all day. His chest tightened as he marveled at the sight of her, dark hair blowing from the gentle breeze, her face occasionally lit by passing fireflies. He saw the stars reflecting in her opal eyes, and his breath caught as he saw them sparkle. Sasuke couldn’t look away, there was something about her that kept his sight stuck on her like a magnet; he didn’t want to look away. 

“Yeah,” he replied, not breaking their eye contact as the firefly on his hand opened it’s wings and took flight into the night beyond them.

But it wasn’t the fireflies that caught his wonder.

~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~

The fun had continued for several hours. Once the fireflies had gone, they had a classic roll-down-the-hill competition that Lee promptly won. Then everyone had tiredly laid down in the grass in a circle, looking at the stars and catching their breath.

Hinata felt…great. Her chest was lighter, she felt warmth instead of cold. She knew that wave would pull her underwater again, but for now there was no trace of it as she looked up at the sky and smiled. She thought of how Neji was looking at all of them together, and this time she felt happy.

“Man, we’re not as young as we used to be, huh?” Kiba panted, his arms behind his head.

“Speak for yourself,” Ino teased.

“But you’re the same age, are you not?” Sai asked, his voice laced with confusion.

Ino sighed, “It’s an expression, Sai,” she said flatly. Sakura giggled, and slowly, one by one everyone joined in until it was a laughing fit. Even Sasuke wasn’t immune to the energy, and he felt a smile form on his face.

To his right, Hinata lay between him and Shino. He was hyper aware of her, which confused him as he had never paid her this much attention or spared her this much thought previously. But it didn’t change the fact that his mind kept flashing back to the moment she had touched him, the firefly crossing their hands, when they looked at each other and he saw the stars in her eyes. His heartbeat picked up, drumming against his ribcage as he remembered her being much closer than they had ever been, and he was suddenly cognizant of the fact that her hand was laying right there.

He felt a sudden, mad urge to move his hand closer, to feel that buzz again. He blinked and tried to push the thought down as he always did, but this one stubbornly remained at the forefront. If he just moved it a little closer…

Would it be strange? Of course it would, you’re starting to sound like Naruto, he chided himself mentally. Tonight had been the longest they had ever spent around each other, what would she think if he suddenly tried to touch her hand? What would she say?

But he just couldn’t get it out of his mind’s eye, the way she had looked at him. And in his head, he groaned and thrashed while physically he remained perfectly still. What was she doing to him? He wasn’t like this, he was Sasuke Uchiha. Poised, stoic, and taciturn. And yet here was this girl that was making his brain addled.

As if acting on it’s own, his arm crept closer towards hers, ever so slowly. He held his breath as he realized he may be able to do it again, feel that hum again, and just as he was about to brush his pinky against hers–

“Alright guys, I think it’s time for me to head back,” Shikamaru yawned loudly. “I gotta get up for an early day.”

“Yeah,” Sakura said reluctantly, then turned to her boyfriend next to her. “You do too Naruto, you better get home.”

“Aw, man,” Naruto grumbled, but he sat up. One by one, the others began to change into sitting positions, and Sasuke mentally cursed as Hinata had moved her hand to push herself up. He slowly followed suit, and everyone had stood and dusted blades of grass off of their clothes.

Slowly, they began to make their way back towards the lights of the village, talking amongst themselves in sleepy, happy voices.

“Hey, Hinata! Didja have fun today?” Naruto asked as he hurried up beside her.

Hinata smiled, “I did, really. You guys really are the best.”

Once they reached the gate, everyone began to drift towards their own homes with goodnights and well wishes. Hinata thanked each one, making sure to give Ino and Sakura hugs, and waited until most of them had left. Once Kiba and Shino finished waving, she sighed happily before turning to walk back to the compound, suddenly noticing Sasuke out of the corner of her eye. “Oh, are you going this way too?”

He nodded, “I live close to where the Uchiha grounds used to be. The Hyuga house is near there, isn’t it?”

Hinata hummed, “I guess so. You don’t mind walking with me then?”

Sasuke avoided her gaze, his cheeks feeling hot. “Why would I?”

Hinata also looked away, feeling neck get warm. “You’re right, I’m sorry.”

They walked in silence. It was awkward, buzzing between them, but neither could find anything to say to the other. Hinata wasn’t sure what Sasuke would like to talk about, and Sasuke just wasn't used to small talk with anyone, much less the girl that was making him all out of sorts.

And yet, it felt comfortable. Hinata realized that she wasn’t as intimidated by him as she expected to be, and was rather content to be in his presence instead of anxious or scared. And Sasuke, for his part, could sense Hinata’s ease which in turn helped him to relax. With each step he took, he felt the courage to open his mouth.

“You seemed a lot better by the end.”

Hinata looked up at him, her eyes wide. “Oh, well…yes, I suppose I was,” she agreed, a small smile gracing her lips. “Everyone coming together, not just for me but for Neji too…it was wonderful. And the end was just so perfect!” She laughed then, a delicate sound but one that rang in his ears.

“I’m glad, then,” he smiled at her, and when her own smile grew wider, he softened his gaze, warmth blooming in his chest.

They continued walking, and before long they were at the gate with the large flame insignia over the top, signifying the Hyuga residence. She turned to Sasuke with a gentle smile and tired eyes. Tired, but definitely happy, he noticed.

“Thank you for walking with me,” she bowed. “And thank you for being with us tonight. It really means a lot to me that you came.”

Sasuke cocked a brow, “Why? You hardly know me.”

“Well, yes, that’s true, but you’ve always been a good friend of Naruto’s. And so that just means you’re all our friend.”

He huffed in amusement, “You make it sound so simple.”

She looked at him quizzically, “Why can’t it be?”

To this, he didn’t have a retort. It was a good question, he thought, and really, wasn’t that what he was hoping for now? No more grudges, no more hatred or lying or deception. No more plans. Just a simple, straightforward life. He smiled at her, “You’re right.”

Hinata’s lips parted in surprise at how readily he agreed. She looked at him, really studying his face for the first time all night, and saw he looked…peaceful. His face was in an easy smile, and his eyes were soft, looking directly at her, as if he could see into her soul. She felt her cheeks warm up as a blush crept in, feeling very exposed all of a sudden. She noticed the slope of his nose, his jawline, the way his hair fell just so across his forehead. He’s really handsome, the thought came, unbidden to her mind. Her face turned a deeper pink–where had that come from?

“Are you alright?” he asked, peering down at her.

Hinata nodded, a little too quickly. “Yes! Anyway, thank you again. We’ll see each other soon, I hope?”

Sasuke chuckled, “You might see me around.” 

Hinata smiled. “Okay,” she said, then put her hand on the door. “Goodnight,” she said softly, before disappearing, the door clicking shut behind her.

Sasuke stood staring at the spot where she was for a minute, feeling a touch lighter. He smiled to himself as he kept walking in the direction of his house, thinking again about the starlight in her eyes. And this time, he allowed himself to dwell on it, on her, as his footsteps echoed on the cobblestone path.

He really wanted to see her again soon.