Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It Was Always You

Chapter one ; Intoxicated

Sasuke paced along the forest grounds with his rucksack in hand, depositing his earnings for helping an old man and his granddaughter fix up a make-shift home in a small civilian province in the Land of Fire. He didn't exactly know how much time had passed since the final battle with Kaguya, in which after all was said and done, he departed from Konoha in pursuit of repentance and redemption. Since then, he had wandered around assisting civilians and ninjas alike, not looking for pay, but kindly receiving varying amounts of money here and there from people who were perceptive enough to realise that he didn't have any stable income at the moment.

The aftermath of the war had left many people impoverished and in need of help, and though many were not so quick to accept assistance from a man who had an extensive list of criminal activities over his head, others saw what was his part in saving the world, and gladly outstretched their hands in forgiveness. It was in these hands that Sasuke saw glimpses of his brother, whose kindness, patience, and love had followed him wherever he went as a constant reminder of why he was on this journey, giving him meaning and purpose in the lonely, but rewarding days that stretched ahead of him.

Sasuke paused in his tracks as he heard the rustle of leaves and footsteps behind him.

"Hey, where are you heading to next?" Asked the teenaged girl who he had just helped, a blush adorning her face as she looked up at him expectantly.

The scene before him reminded him of a memory that he had not thought about in a long time.

"Nowhere in particular," he replied honestly, slinging his rucksack over his shoulders, and looking up at the sunset-lit sky.

The girl cast her eyes downwards, her hands fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "I would ask if I could come with you, but my grandpa needs me. I do hope you'll visit again one day, but I won't make you promise of course…"

A promise. Sasuke recalled that he had made such a thing just before he set course on his journey.

"Do you have someone waiting for you at home?" She asked, hesitantly.

Sasuke glanced at the young girl who was eager to hear his answer, her lips pursed and eyes hopeful, yearning for him to reply with a simple "no."

Not wanting to leave her with expectations or a broken heart, Sasuke responded, "I can't promise that I'll return, but thank you for your hospitality. Take care of your grandfather, and yourself."

And with that he left the young girl behind with nothing but the memory of his presence to remember him by.

"I did love him! All I ever wanted was for him to be happy! But I'll never forget the day he rejected the sunflower I had so carefully picked out for him…a girl's first heartache is always the most painful. Especially when all you wanted was to be their friend!"

Pouring herself another drink, Yamanaka Ino raised the sake glass to her lips and chugged the liquid down with vigor. The burning sensation lingered in her throat as she slammed the cup onto the table, much to the dismay of the servers who were working especially hard that evening.

Peace had finally been attained in Konohagakure, but with missions now scarce and work hard to come by, restaurants and bars were often filled to the brim every night, bursting with loud chatter and drunken antics from bored and hungry ninjas that drank and ate merrily. Until further notice, they were now on vacation for an indefinite amount of time.

Tenten yawned, disinterested in the current conversation. "I mean, at one point I found him cute. Really cute. But I never liked him enough to experience any heartache. The way you girls describe it makes me not want to fall in love. Ever." Popping another piece of dango into her mouth, the girl chewed slowly and glared at the drunken blonde beside her who began pouring herself another cup.

"Heartache is necessary for a woman to grow! Isn't that right, Sakura?" Ino slurred her words, swaying slightly in the process.

The pink haired girl who sat opposite the blonde eyed her own reflection in the glass of wine in her hands, the dark-red liquid resembling a small whirlpool as she twirled the glass around. "Speak for yourself," she began, cupping her flushed face in the process. "I don't have the same experience with Sasuke-kun as the both of you. In fact-" she paused, staring out of the window beside her, "-he made me a promise, that he'd see me when he gets back. And once he does, I think everything will change." Her eyes looked out into the night sky, her expression tender, but masking feelings that were difficult to read.

The other girls at the table eyed one another with disapproval for a brief moment, then returned their gaze back onto the girl, aware and in awe of Sakura's feelings, but also worried for she had already been waiting for almost a year now for his return.

Sakura's feelings towards the enigmatic man hadn't always been the most sincere. They recalled a time where she had merely longed for him over of superficial reasons, but as the years went by, that desire to be beside him had strengthened into genuine love and attraction. Sakura was probably the only girl in the entire world who was patient enough to wait for such a man, whose return was not even guaranteed as far as the rest of the village were concerned. The kunoichi at the table felt for their friend. Even they could see that waiting for months and months on end without any communication or signs in sight wasn't the easiest of tasks, even for someone as understanding as Haruno Sakura.

Punchy as ever and wanting to relieve the forlorn atmosphere, Tenten shook her head and reached for her bottle of beer. "Girl, isn't that just a general statement? Of course he's gonna see you when he gets back, you're his team mate!"

Nodding her head vigorously in approval, Ino downed another cup of sake in one nervous gulp, aware that her best friend was not going to be happy with their honesty. "Yeah, I mean, I waited a bunch too, but there comes a point where you have to think of yourself and your happiness first-" she paused to grab her sake bottle, disappointed when she found it was empty, "-damn, I'm all out. Miss! Another round over here, please!"

As the server wrote down yet another order of drinks from their table for the nth time that evening, Sakura continued to sip her wine trying to keep her anger at bay. In truth, she understood that her friends were only worried about her and felt guilty for troubling them. As she downed the remaining drink in her glass, their words circled her thoughts. What if Sasuke's promise was just that? Nothing more than a few words said to a teammate with no real meaning behind them.

She didn't want to think about it for now. Irritated and slightly tipsy, with her feelings overflowing after her fifth glass, the last thing she wanted to do was make a scene, especially not inside this establishment that had given them such wonderful service despite how busy the place had become. Clenching the wine glass tighter, she hissed at the two girls in front of her once the server had left the table. "Hmph! As I said earlier you guys just haven't been in actual love before! You'll never understand the connection we have." Sakura turned to the dark haired girl beside her, "Isn't that right Hinata?"

It was the quietest girl among the group who probably understood her most out of everyone present. Hyuuga Hinata fiddled with the empty cup of umeshu in her hands and found the chime of half melted ice-cubes against the glass pleasing to the ears. Upon hearing her name, she lifted her face and was met with expectant eyes from all three kunoichi at the table.

In truth, the conversation at hand had her thinking about Naruto, whom, after her third cup, consumed her thoughts more violently than she was used to. The loud chatter coming from all angles, as well as the sharp fumes of the alcoholic beverages all around her had put her in a trance.

Hinata understood Sakura's words better than anyone because she too would do the same. If waiting patiently meant that one day Naruto would finally look towards her, would finally respond and return her feelings, and once again hold her hand in that same poignant way just like he did on the battlefield, then she would wait to the ends of the world, until her final breath had left her body.

Before Hinata could respond, their server appeared with more drinks. With the night still young, the girls basked happily in the company of one another, glasses clinking together in cheers as the heavy feelings they had felt just seconds earlier vanished in a moment of intoxication.

"Do you have someone waiting for you at home?"

As Sasuke sat on a distant hill overlooking the vibrant night-life of the leaf village, he was plunged into thoughts of his female team mate. It had been a while since she had come to mind, the words of the young girl from earlier had stirred his memory, reminding him of something important: A promise that he entrusted to Haruno Sakura as he tapped her forehead. That he would return to her once he had seen the world with new eyes and a fresh perspective.

An uneasy feeling settled in his stomach as he recalled the memory. Though he had no accurate idea of how long he was actually gone for, he knew it was quite a while since then. There was no communication, no exchanges of notes, nor a quick pit-stop to reassure her, and the rest of team 7, that he was still alive and well.

In honesty, Sasuke was confused over his own actions. To him, Sakura was an irreplaceable teammate and friend that he had always cared deeply about, irrespective of his regretful actions in the past, where darkness and revenge had engulfed his heart and consumed every cell in his body. Alongside Naruto, he had caused her enough pain to last a lifetime, and yet she was always there, ready to welcome him back with open arms. He had thanked her for this before he departed, but had always felt the guilt pierce him when he thought about Team 7. He didn't deserve such understanding people in his life.

I'll see you when I get back. That day, the words left his mouth without thought and his arm moved on its own as he touched her, echoing what was once a loving gesture from an older brother who he thought about day in and day out. He didn't know himself if his promise had any significance in terms of his feelings towards Sakura. Sure, he would eventually see her should he ever return, but, he gulped and grasped the earth that lay beneath his fingers as a question crossed his mind: Did he have feelings for her in that way? There was no denying that his words could be read as being more than just a general farewell message, and he had long since been aware of Sakura's feelings towards him. She most likely read into it that way, so had she been waiting expectantly for him this entire time?

Suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt that his travels had overshadowed her to this degree, Sasuke felt a strong urge to see Sakura. He needed clarity, to come to terms with how he really felt about her.

Did he love her?

Or would she only remain as a dear friend?

Maybe it was time to return for a little while and figure it out.

Stumbling in the process, Sakura and Hinata wrapped their arms around one another as they said their goodbyes to Ino and Tenten, whose homes resided in the opposite direction. Hinata, being the less inebriated of the two, had insisted on walking her extremely drunk friend home, fearing something might happen to her despite how safe it was to walk around the village these days.

Sakura hiccupped as she paced herself slowly, not wanting to worsen the pain currently pounding her skull. "You're too kind for your own good Hinata...if I were in your shoes I'd hate me…" Sakura gripped her friend's shoulder tightly as she wobbled along the lively streets.

Confused, Hinata widened her eyes. "What do you mean? I could never hate you Sakura-san."

Slurring her words and squeezing her eyes shut, the girl elaborated. "I know you know, how much you love Naruto and how much it hurts that he hasn't responded to your feelings…"

Hinata paused, taking in what she had just heard with a flurry of exasperation and confusion. She was just as drunk. What was Sakura talking about?

"You know there was a point in time where I was jealous of you, I don't really know why, but it's probably because you would've died for him, and that made me feel strange...I would die for him too you know...I'd give up anything in this world if it meant I could protect him...and- and Sasuke-kun too."

Hinata tightened her grip around Sakura's waist as the both of them managed to trip over the uneven pavement. Handling the girl with extra care, Hinata concludes that it's the alcohol talking and so, doesn't push Sakura to explain herself. Besides, Naruto's feelings towards the fiery kunoichi weren’t exactly secretive, for in the past he would proclaim his love boldly, unabashedly without shame, and it didn't surprise her. Sakura had always been special to him, and who was she to get in between that?

But of course that didn't stop the ache in her heart, nor her hopes and wishes that he had changed his mind the moment he reached for her hand, where the tenderness and warmth of his touch had now permanently lingered.

"Do you miss Sasuke-kun?" Hinata asks, wanting to change the subject.

A sigh escaped Sakura's lips as the bright lights from street lamps and colours of buildings blurred into disorienting shapes. "I miss him like crazy," she manages to croak out; with a sadness permeating her voice that made Hinata's knees shake. "Of course, I'm used to living life without him...but now that I know that he will come back, I live every day hoping and praying that this is the day he'll finally stay for good. The day that he'll come back to me and everything will change."

"Hinata, I've never loved anyone more in this life and I understand him so, so much it hurts. I will wait for as long as it takes but-"

Sakura paused, somehow noticing her apartment door in view despite how incomprehensibly drunk she was. The two girls stagger as Hinata sits the now dizzy girl down in front of her door, rubbing her back and allowing her to take a breather whilst also rummaging through Sakura’s purse to find her keys. Recently, Sakura had definitely taken a few pointers from her Master when it came to drinking.

"I'm scared that he'll return and that he won't feel the same about me."

Hinata stops searching for her house keys and looks at the girl sadly. She had never seen the usually strong-willed and bright medic-nin this vulnerable before.

Hinata had wondered about Sasuke's absence from time to time as Naruto had confessed to her that his worries about his friend never really ceased despite everything that had happened. She was sure that he had his reasons for staying away from the village, but couldn't help but think more about the friends he had left behind, who prayed day and night for his safety and for his eventual return.

After locating Sakura's house keys after what felt like an eternity, Hinata unlocks her door and helps Sakura into her home. The pleasant scent of fresh flowers and medicinal herbs hits her nose as she sets Sakura down at her dining room table, ushering a glass of water towards her in the process.

Sakura gulps the liquid down and pours her friend a glass also. "Hinata," she speaks confidently, staring directly into the white eyes that hovered above her. "I think you should confess to Naruto. In fact, I'll talk to him for you! You know, Naruto has always said he liked me, but I really do think it's because he didn't want to lose to Sasuke-kun…"

At this, Hinata held her breath, wanting her words so badly to be true.

But she didn't need to be sober, nor activate her byakugan to see that Sakura's words were false.

"Sakura-san, I appreciate it, but please don't belittle Naruto-kun's feelings for you. I can see it in the way he looks at you, the way he talks about you, how he tried so hard to bring Sasuke-kun back for you. I know you care about me, but please don't give me false hope…" Lacing her fingers around her skirt, Hinata visibly sagged as she faltered, the rest of her words and resolve dissipating into the heavy silence.

Feeling terrible, Sakura sits up and clasps her hands around Hinata's own. "I'm so sorry, that wasn't my intention...I just feel so bad that he likes me when you're-"

"Sakura-san, those things don't matter to me. All I want is for Naruto-kun to be happy," Hinata interrupted, half telling the truth, and half lying.

Sakura gripped the girl's hands tighter. "I still think you should confess...maybe it'll knock some sense into him. You're such a catch and have been there for him more...more...more than anyone," she stammered, blaming her loss of words on the alcohol.

"I want you to be happy, Hinata." And she meant it.

Hinata locked eyes with the unrelenting green ones in front of her for a few more moments before shifting her focus to the side bag that rested at her hip, where she had always kept a red scarf knit especially for Naruto inside, just in-case she should ever find the courage to actually give it to him one day. Hinata had always admired Sakura's confidence and poise when it came to both her work as a kunoichi and her feelings towards others. Often, the shy kunoichi wished she could be the same way.

Hinata had felt a rush of clarity and determination towards Naruto once before. She thought back to the time when she had jumped into the fray unprepared, in order to protect the one she loved, without fear that she was most likely going to lose her life in the process. Where did that tenacity vanish to in the past year or so?

Reverting her attention back to the girl sitting down in front of her, Hinata laced her fingers around the medic-nin's. "I want to tell him."

This is most definitely the alcohol speaking, Hinata mused.

Sakura's eyes immediately lit up. "Good on you, Hinata! I'll be rooting for you always!"

With newly found confidence (and umeshu) rushing through her veins, Hinata assists Sakura upstairs into her bedroom and makes sure that the kunoichi is safely in bed.

Sakura, unable to resist sleep, stuffs her face into her pillow and pulls the cool bed sheets around her. "He's probably having ramen with the guys right now. You know how late he stays out these days."

Once one hundred percent sure Sakura was okay, Hinata flashes one last smile at her friend whilst placing a waste basket and another glass of water on her bedside table.

"Thank you, Sakura-san." And with that, Hinata shut the bedroom door behind her, leaving the pink haired girl alone with her own thoughts, to the sounds of retreating footsteps and the faint ticking of a nearby clock.

"Thank you, Hinata. And I'm so sorry."

The apartment door locks as tears roll down her cheeks, dampening the pillows and sheets beneath her.

Hinata visibly wilted once Naruto's back came into view. His familiar laughter clearly audible to her ears despite how loud the streets were. He was sharing a late meal and drinks with Chouji and Shikamaru. Not wanting to disturb them, Hinata found herself wandering around the village killing time, walking until she arrived at the path one would normally take to exit the village.

Sighing, she sat down on a bench feeling defeated. She opened the bag at her side and pulled the red scarf she had poured all of her heart into knitting onto her lap. Her fingers grazed over the soft fabric.

Hinata's thoughts drifted longingly to Naruto and just how much he had meant to her, especially after Neji's passing. They often accompanied one another when visiting his grave and during these moments, the usually energetic and loud ninja was instead always so kind and gentle towards her, so much so that it felt so incredibly painful.

The night breeze felt cool on her damp cheeks as tears fell upon the soft red wool.

Why didn't he respond to her confession?

Why didn't he love her?

She laughs to herself. I was stupid to think I could confess to him again.

A sudden strong gust of wind catches the tearful girl off guard as the scarf is blown off of her lap.

Hinata immediately gets up to grab it, but the fabric falls, trailing along the pavement and eventually entangling itself at the ankles of a figure she had not noticed the presence of.

She looks up, ready to apologise.

Uchiha Sasuke is staring right back at her.

Chapter Text

It Was Always You

Chapter two ; Serendipitous

The light of the full moon reflected off the familiar cobbled-stoned path as Sasuke made his way towards the leaf village’s main streets. The night had brought in a gentle, refreshing breeze as the sounds of crickets, occasional howls, and distant cheers from Konoha ninja meddled together in nostalgic harmony. He should have felt like he was home at last. 

But Konoha had stopped feeling like home a long time ago.

An even more familiar sight came into view, the place where Sakura had once upon a time tried her best to stop him from leaving on a quest for revenge. The corners of his mouth rose upwards slightly as he recalled the memory. He thought back to her pleas, her insistence that revenge would not cease the anger and sadness that had followed him throughout most of his life. Her tears, her requests, her declaration of love, he had tried so hard that night to not even slightly entertain the idea of what life could have been like if he had only chosen Sakura and Naruto. Sakura’s cries that evening had made the process of leaving so difficult, so painful, her words affecting him more than she probably ever even knew. 

So he did the only thing he could think of to stop dreaming of a life that had meaning and purpose outside of revenge. He pushed her away, leaving her unconscious body atop of a cold, stone bench as his words of gratitude dissipated into the evening wind.

Sasuke was pulled out of his thoughts as he caught sight of someone sitting on that very same bench. Her long, dark strands of hair danced in the unexpectedly strong winds that had suddenly engulfed the area. He had wanted to make a quick exit, but the red scarf that laid at her lap had now trailed across the path, stopping at his shoes. The wool flapped against the wind’s current, entangling itself around his ankles.

The girl had rushed towards the item in a hurry, eyes following the scarf’s movement as her gaze fell to his sandals. Sasuke’s breath hitched. It was now too late for him to try and escape.

As he shifted his attention from the scarf at his feet to the girl who had bent forward to retrieve her item, his dark eyes met white.

Her face fell in disbelief. 

“S-Sasuke-kun!” she squeaked, shocked that the source of her pink haired friend’s sadness all evening was suddenly miraculously in the village, appearing before herself of all people.

Sasuke cast his eyes onto the girl in front of him, her body now upright, seemingly forgetting about the scarf that had now wrapped itself around his legs, clinging on for dear life. As her mouth hung open in shock, and her widened eyes bore straight into his, Sasuke took note of her face. Delicate and refined features, dark hair and light eyes. She was pretty, and most definitely familiar, but he couldn’t quite place a name.

I’ve been caught, Sasuke thought bitterly, as he lowered his knees to pick up the accursed red scarf that had given his position away. He stared at it for a moment, noting how soft the fabric felt, and then lifted it up to the girl, motioning for her to take it.

“Here.” he said.

Hinata, still very much in shock, had forgotten all about her knitted creation. Taking it from him with shaking hands, she clasped it tightly against her chest, her heart beat unable to settle back into a comfortable rhythm.

“T-Thank you.”

Sasuke nodded in response and preceded his walk towards the village’s main streets, unsure of where he was going from here. He was far from atoning for his sins, there was still so much ground to cover and so much more of the world to see. Was it a good idea to seek answers to his questions, couldn’t easing his uncertainties and complicated feelings towards his team mate wait? 

A soft voice stopped him in his tracks. “Naruto-kun is at Ichiraku Ramen if you’d like to see him.” He turned and saw the girl walk back towards the bench. She sat and tightened her grip on the scarf, determined not to let it fly away again.

Speaking up, but keeping her gaze locked onto the ground, she continued. “I’m sure he’d be glad to see you. It’s been almost a year now hasn’t it?”

The intense gusts of wind had now eased and settled back into a cool, gentle breeze, but the festering guilt inside Sasuke still raged on. He looked up at the full moon above them, its illuminating glow almost foreboding. Had it really been almost a year already?

Seemingly unfazed that he had not responded to anything she had said, Hinata spoke up once again. “I’m glad that you seem well. Everyone has really missed you, especially Sakura-san.”

Upon hearing Sakura’s name, the uneasy feeling that had pooled in Sasuke’s stomach earlier returned.

Not in any hurry to waltz back into the village streets without a clear plan and agenda, Sasuke unexpectedly walked towards the girl and took a seat beside her right at the very edge of the bench. The strong scent of sake hit his nose almost immediately.

She’s drunk. He mused, turning to face the familiar figure beside him. If he got caught, he might as well use this time to gather information for now.

“Sakura,” he began, his next words slow and sincere. “How is she?”

Surprised, Hinata turned her head to inspect Sasuke’s face more closely. She didn’t think he would actually try and engage in conversation with her and now was at a loss of what to do. Her cheeks flushed a subtle pink as she caught his stare. Sasuke had always been particularly handsome, even she could admit that, as she recalled the boy she remembered back when they were classmates. 

But the matured features that now adorned his face had caught her slightly off guard. This was the face of a man who had endured many trials during his many years away from the village, and though Hinata had caught glimpses of it when he had appeared suddenly during the war, this was the first time they had been in such close proximity.

They had never really spoken, not to her knowledge anyway. At most they had probably sat beside each other once or twice at the academy, with neither of them ever caring enough to interact with one another. She had admired his strength and fortitude, especially once she knew of the terrible incident that fell upon what used to be Konoha’s strongest clan. She acknowledged him as an important member of the rookie nine, the village, as well as his status as Naruto’s dearest friend, but that was all there was to it.

Hinata cleared her throat, dehydrated as the taste of umeshu lingered on her tongue.

“Sakura’s been well,” she started, looking away from him in the process. “She’s doing so much good work progressing medical ninjutsu at the hospital and academy. She’s as bright and kind as always…we even had a few drinks together earlier and I think I said this already but she really misses you. I think she might still be awake, if you hurry you might catch her before she sleeps-”

Sasuke watched as the girl rambled on, most likely still running on alcohol as her body swayed slightly. His eyes drifted from her face to the restless fingers that poked together at her lap. A hazy image came to his mind of a short haired, byakugan-eyed girl at the academy, twiddling her fingers in the same manner, her shy nature and inability to form opinions of her own irritating him in the process. She was the one who was always trailing after Naruto, wasn’t she?

This was Hyuuga Hinata?

She had gotten a lot prettier, but judging from her fidgeting, he concluded that old habits were hard for her to get rid of.

No longer listening to her drunken chatter, he prepared to take his leave, unsure of what had spurred him to even start a conversation with her in the first place. Perhaps it was boredom, or maybe even loneliness. He had not spoken to anyone from the leaf village for a quite a while. Maybe in a strange way, he felt a very slight camaraderie with her, seeing as they were both Konoha shinobi and were in the same class for many years.

His travels around the world had definitely made him soft.

She had stopped talking now, and brought her head down onto her lap, pink cheeks resting against the scarf placed on top of her thighs.

“I was supposed to confess to Naruto-kun…” she blurted out, coughing, as her desperate need for water became more apparent with every syllable.

Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly, unsure of what to do with this information.

He exhaled slowly as his next few words left his mouth without any real thought, “I-” he paused, his own words startling him, the fact that he was speaking to Hyuuga Hinata of all people astonishing him even more. “I came back to the village to talk to Sakura.”

Hinata sat upright once again, grinning at his response. “Will you be confessing to her too?”

“I don’t know.” Sasuke responded truthfully.

Hinata frowned at his indecisiveness, but decided not to push him.

The two sat in silence for a while, with leaves rustling at their feet as Hinata’s heart beat against her chest in a rhythm of drunkenness and unexpected curiosity, whereas Sasuke’s steady pulse did not match the conundrum that was his own thoughts and actions. What was he doing? He had been in the village for less than 2 minutes and here he was, sharing his thoughts with a drunken Hyuuga Hinata of all people. This was not on his agenda.

“I don’t know what to say to her.”
“I don’t know what to say to him.”

Hinata smiled sheepishly at their in-sync timing and identical phrasing. 

Sasuke merely looked away.

Having had enough of awkward pleasantries, Sasuke heaved himself upwards, wanting to forget and escape from this strange situation.

“You should get home soon. It’s not good to be walking around drunk at this hour.”

Hinata pouted at his words. “I only had a little to drink but alright…” 

As she stood up and placed the scarf back into her bag, she looked up to see Sasuke’s gaze fixated on the path leading back towards the main village. He did not move from his position for several seconds, the slight quiver of his arm and pained expression not going unnoticed by Hinata who was now at his side.

“You’re afraid to come back, aren’t you?” She said, her heart aching in the process. 

Something stirred within him as he heard her words. She was right, he wasn’t ready. It was one thing to suddenly want to speak to Sakura, but to step back into the village square, where none of its citizens, bar a select few, truly knew about the horrors their beloved Konoha had committed. He realised at that moment that he wasn’t strong enough for such an ordeal. He thought he had made peace with the situation after Naruto had beat some sense into him, but maybe he needed more time away after all. 

“Don’t feel bad. If you’re not ready you don’t have to force yourself.” 

Sasuke wondered if she had always been this talkative during their academy days.

He turned to the girl, whose fingers were now fiddling with her coat zipper, struggling to bring it up. Had he run into Naruto or Sakura instead of her, what would have happened? Would he have actually had the confidence to walk along the village streets again? Would they have begged him to stay? Or in Sakura’s case, ask to come with him once again?

His eyes softened at the thought as he rummaged through his cloak’s pocket, revealing a bottle of green tea he had purchased from a vending machine nearby not too long ago. 

He threw it to Hinata who had just barely managed to catch it, almost falling to her face as she stared at the drink in confusion.

“Don’t pass out from dehydration when you walk home, and keep what happened here tonight to yourself.” Defeated and perhaps even more confused than when he had first arrived, Sasuke began to turn away from the village with a heavy heart. This wasn’t like him, but he blamed the Hyuuga for unexpectedly derailing his plans.

Either way, he reminded himself that he had not yet finished his mission; he still needed to atone for his past actions, even if that meant he had to stay away for yet another year.

Hinata stared at the retreating figure and then at the unopened bottle of green tea in her hands, the warmth soothing her cold fingers.

She didn’t want to force him back into the village; even though his return was the only thing Naruto and Sakura had ever wanted and hoped for. There was obviously a reason as to why he had kept away for a whole year, even after the Infinite Tsukuyomi was lifted, but she didn’t want to impose and ask questions. It wasn’t her place, especially since she didn’t know the Uchiha very well.

But the image of Sakura’s despondent face had suddenly come to mind.

And Naruto’s dispirited state as he spoke to her about feeling Sasuke’s absence with much more fervour recently.

What if it took him another year to feel confident enough to get this far? Hinata was sure had she not been here tonight, he would have had the courage to step in and tell Sakura whatever it was he wanted to say to her. She had always admired Sakura’s strength and patience, but was worried that even she wouldn’t be able to last another year of waiting.

Hinata wasn’t about to take her chances, and in order to help her friend and the one she loved, she used the last remaining ounce of her alcohol induced confidence and called out to him.

“Thank you for the tea, Sasuke-kun! Come back here tomorrow evening at the same time, and I’ll give you something back in return!”

Sasuke glanced back, Hinata no longer there leaving him wondering if he had just imagined her voice calling out to him. He continued walking until he was out of the village once again, her request only now registering as his eyes gazed up towards the night sky.

“Come back here tomorrow evening at the same time, and I’ll give you something back in return!”