Hinata's been thinking about her for much too long. Longer than necessary, Kiba had said to her. But the person lingering in her thoughts has a reason for being all up in her mind lately.

She let these haywire thoughts and feelings guide her way into standing a little awkwardly in the middle of one of Konoha's shopping districts, and began window shopping as people (thankfully) went around and about her.

Any other day she would have been terribly mindful of the discomfort at being in the middle of a busy intersection, completely in the way. But today wasn't it.

Hinata was too busy garnering some ideas from the copious amounts of displays the lined the humble store fronts. She didn't want to buy a gift for this person. Simply because there wasn't any sort of thought into doing that. Something handmade would make a world of a difference when it comes to gifts, she knew.

Because her birthday is coming. Sakura's birthday is coming. Tomorrow to be exact. And Hinata still haven't got a clue to what to get her as yet.

She shouldn't be panicking this badly or overthinking about this. Because she knew Sakura wouldn't care if someone gave her a gift or not. She doesn't even remember her birthday half the time, being busy with managing the pulse of an entire hospital to even recall her own agenda whilst being occupied with someone well-being, times a hundred.

Hinata bit her lip, never noticing that someone nearly elbowed her in the arm as they passed. Maybe that's why she was in such a bout? It was a surprise after all, and she wanted to make it right. Wanted to give back in a way that said 'thank you' to the pink haired medic.

To this time approach and offer her some sweet company and kind graces that she unconditionally gave to her, even if Hinata hadn't asked (yet always... somehow always knew).

Hinata clutched at the fabric of her shirt, her long skirt blowing in the wind. They grew close together, ever so slowly.

Their initial meaningful encounter started during the reconstruction period within the village, where Sakura monitored her wound and health with her diligent green eyes after she'd gotten attacked. She stuck around, striking up comfortable conversations that interested her and gradually got her to open up, finding it so easy to be around her.

Hinata discovered that throughout her tough exterior, Sakura had this charming passion to her, borderline geekiest Hinata would sometimes tease (albeit a little shyly) whenever they talked about books that they read or other hobbies that they enjoy, and loved to learn when differed in.

They confided in each other. Leaning in to tell each other about their frustrations and achievements like a personal diary. Even long after Hinata exited the hospital fully recovered, they continued talking and unfolding, usually over lunch when neither of them were busy. Their meetups together only amplified after the Fourth War had ended where Sakura took her out often, to festivals and food carts, gently guiding her here and there and all over town with her delightful chit chatter that infected Hinata as well.

But recently, in the days that Sakura were away or busy, she found herself drifting into thought about her, distantly overcome by the warm ache of longing for her company, wondering what she was doing and if she was alright herself...

Hinata's pearly eyes spotted a clothing store. Should she sew something? She shook her head, spooking some onlookers. Sakura had a ton of clothes, five percent of which she only used, always prompting an eye roll from their friend, Ino...

Ino. Her flower shop. Should she get flowers for her too?

Wait, was that too… too out there? Hinata blushed prettily, the thought sending her physically spinning to look straight into—

—a bakery! Hinata's eyes sparkled, going impossibly wide then furrowing back into determination. Why did she not think of this in the first place?

Without a second thought, Hinata took off, running home, practically tripping over several times. It was so obvious what she needed to do.

On top of her cool counter top, Hinata wrote down a catalog all the necessary ingredients she needed, twirling the pen in her hand as she began conceptualizing the type of cake she wanted to bake.

Sakura is big on desserts, particularly ones with fruits. Invariably health conscious, even with sweets. She crossed her ankles and smiled at the thought, adding a variety of fruit to her list.

Hinata could make a sakura blossom chiffon cake, specifically. Light and airy like the flower of her namesake. She nearly squealed at the thought of how pink and cute it would be. Like Sakura, her mind whispered back.

For this, she needed to make cherry blossom syrup that would flavor the cake. She grabbed a small basket and began hunting for flowers all around, looking beyond childish stretching and twirling after the flowers that easily fragmented in the wind. (Chouji, to her pleasant surprise, is a phenomenal cook, and taught her how to make homemade syrup from scratch.)

After tenderly cleaning the petals, she soaked them in a jar of hot water for overnight. Then she purposefully set out once more to shop an array of berries, relaxed and feeling more and more confident as the list on her counter ticked off one by one.

Next morning she got up early to do a few errands. The sun was high in the sky, and the air was still somewhat dewy, but the unmistakable scent of fully bloomed blossoms perfumed the air around the village. Hinata cracked opened a window in a particularly dusty room and breathed in the soft air.

She sighed. It was an absolutely stunning day. But there was always that slight shadow that fell with it too. She suddenly got called to attend an emergency meeting. But the problem was that she didn't know how long it would last

It was something about clan politics and a wrinkle in the relationship between two allies that needed some smoothing over, and Hinata does care about it, truly. But it was purely terrible timing. At the moment, she cared more about Sakura, about seeing her for her birthday and to celebrate it with her.

But she had to attend, regardless of what she wanted. So she sucked it up, putting on bland formal clan robes and removed all emotion from her expressions as dry negotiations and reaffirmations passed through her ears. Her eyes were constant pendulums from the gray heads of the elders in the room to the window where freedom outside wouldn't meet her for the next long hours.

When she was finally let go, the sun began dripping back into the horizon, ready to signal in eventide. It was getting late and the meeting had worn her down, plus Sakura would begin to be especially busy and worn as well. Pink petals raining down around her as she raced out of the main compound to start baking back in the residential area, her robes billowing behind her.

Hinata threw together flour, eggs, sugar, oil, and a bunch of other mandatory ingredients together with as much finesse as she could muster. Filling a bundt pan with the mixture, she let it bake while she whipped cream and sugar together.

Hinata was a mess, getting increasingly panicked once again. With flour on her cheek and cream in her hair and robes, she definitely realized that she need a bath as well. She set the cream in the fridge and left the cake to cool once it was done, taking a quick shower and changed into a simple yellow and white dress for the occasion.

It was quite easy to decorate. Berries and cream stuffed in the middle where she sliced the cake in half and stacked back up. More cream expertly and neatly encompassed the entirety of the cake.

Okay, this made her feel loads better. But there was this odd feeling that she was forgetting something that started to prick at her.

Sticking out her tongue, she ignored the feeling while concentrating on the making the final touches, putting six whole strawberries on the top for show. Hinata marveled at her work for a moment. They glinted like rubies under her kitchen lights.

Her sink on the other hand. Not so pretty. Neji will deal with that. She boxed the cake and carefully bagged it, put on some shoes and left her home towards the hospital, to their General Medic's office.

Sakura looked a touch stunned to see Hinata at her office door, panting and holding a white bag at her chest.

Hinata blushed and looked down, collecting herself. Sakura grinned. "Hinata? What's up?"

The ever elegant Hyuuga heir looked up and blurted, "It's your birthday! You know that right?"

Laughing, she stood from her chair in her messy office. "Yeah, I kept getting reminders of that all day," Sakura motioned behind her, where a wall of flowers and cards stood colorfully at her windowsill.

Her green eyes shined when she pinned Hinata with a knowing look, stuffing her hands in her pocket. "And I assume…"

Hinata shot Sakura a small grin, straightened and stepped in, closing the door behind her while balancing the box in one hand. "Yes, here's another one! Happy birthday Sakura," Hinata walked excitedly towards her—

—and tripped.

The feeling of Sakura catching her fall took over her first before the actual situation and the sound of the white box making way too many flips on the floor and oh my god please this can't be real hit her in full force.

"Hinata? Are you okay?"

Hinata breathed in, hiding her face in Sakura's shoulder, horribly embarrassed beyond belief … and on the verge of tears. She instinctively hugged her closer.

Sakura coaxed her head up gently to look at her. Concern brimmed her wide eyes as she looked into a pair of lavender ones. "Hinata?"

"The cake," Hinata jumbled. After all this… and she had brought Sakura the worst present, messing up her office too…

Sakura looked at the crumbled box on her floor, cake stains streaking across her floor. After a beat, Sakura looked back down at the dark head buried at her chest again. "You really made all that, for me?" Her voice held astonishment and admiration in it.

Hinata didn't register it, but nodded and sighed. "I made it today. For you... and it even had a..."

Hinata paused, she mouth left hanging open. It even had a sakura infused syrup in it, she wanted to say. But when she recalled… in her hurry, she had forgotten to put it in...!

Hinata laughed suddenly, slumping a little more comfortably, still in Sakura's reliable arms. Sakura chuckled, eyes still on her, calm and not the slightest phased at all. Her kind gaze soothed Hinata immensely, but only for a second. "Thank you, but I'm sorry… I ruined your gift," she said, dejectedly.

Sakura shook her head, straightening and taking Hinata's hands in hers, warm and soft. "As much as cards and gifts are nice and all, the best type of present for me is to spend time with others. Especially you."

Hinata wanted to cry all over again. She stood up with Sakura, still holding hands, looking deeply at her features. Why would she ever think that Sakura would be worked up about the small things in life like this.

Sakura raised both of Hinata's hands to her lips and kissed them. Hinata swallowed back a joyous shriek. "Let's clean this up and whip up another one with some tea, yeah? Maybe shop around too. I need a break from this place."

Hinata smiled in exaltation. "Let's stop by my house first. I got something that would make it even better, definitely."

author's note: a cute story featuring sakuhina on sakura's birthday! i hoped you enjoy nonetheless. i really had fun making this :) theyre so adorable together

please be kind when reviewing. happy reading!