Summary: The love story starts with a lonely bartender, a taken man and an uninspired author. Somehow they manage a love rhombus of sorts with pointy edges that really hurt. [AU: SasuHina, NaruHina, NaruSaku]

Disclaimer: I owned the laptop.

01. And So It Begins

"What a night," Hinata breathed, after finishing her order.

Glancing at the digital clock beside her, the red numbers read 12:05AM. The bar would close in fifty-five more minutes and her shift would be over. And like every other night she would go home to her apartment on 155th St., be welcomed by a sleeping roommate and sleep in until whatever class she would have that morning. Hinata sighed tiredly and picked up a scotch glass from behind the bar counter, wiping it clean with a checkered dishcloth. Looking up from the glass in her hands, she stared absentmindedly at the people in the bar. Every night was a long, tedious repetition of one another; and Hinata wondered if tonight would be any different. Unbeknownst to her, tonight would change her life. But she didn't know that yet.

There weren't a lot of people, but it would still keep her busy. As she continued to stare at the old men and their beautiful wives, Hinata became oblivious to the man asking for her attention.

"Hey, can I get some service…? Hello…? Hello?" he asked politely, before banging his fist loudly on the counter.

It made Hinata jump and fiddle before attending to him.

"Oh, I'm so s-sorry," she muttered to herself, breaking back into her stuttering habit. "I d-didn't notice you there."

Looking up from the marble bar counter, a tomato-red blush burned the center of her face.

"Don't worry about it; it happens to all of us. I hope I didn't scare you, I'm just really thirsty," the man winked at her and laughed softly to his own statement.

Hinata didn't respond and instead, offered him a blank stare with her mouth hanging slightly open. In her head, the bar transformed into a resemblance of a classic romance movie or a Japanese cartoon. Everything suddenly moved in slow motion, an orchestra of violins began to play and pink cherry blossoms petals started to fall. Hinata had always believed in love at first sight, and looking at the man before her was simple proof of its existence. His swaying blond hair, his deep ocean-blue eyes and his smile that would light up the whole room was drifting Hinata's soul out of her body…

THUMP!

"W-Whoa, h-hey! Hey! HEY!" were the last things she heard before closing her eyes in euphoric bliss.

"Hey, Miss! Wake up, wake up…" the voice was familiar and soothing to Hinata. "H-Hey! She's waking up!"

Opening her eyes slowly, everything in range of her vision was a fuzzy blur. In particular, Hinata wondered why there was such a distinctly yellow fuzzy blur in front of her face. She reached out to touch it, hoping that she wasn't staring into the sun or something of the sorts.

"Thank God!" exclaimed the blur.

As Hinata's vision began to refocus, she realized who she was touching and started to lop back into her unconscious state of mind.

"Oh, hey! N-No you don't," stated the man, shaking Hinata violently like a little girl with her rag doll.

She awoke quicker than she would have had liked. Realizing how embarrassing her situation was she popped up from the man's embrace to avoid further fainting spells. She muttered 'I'm so sorry', 'thank you' and 'I want to die' numerously under her breath as the man blinked at his empty arms. He wondered how a woman who almost passed out twice could jump up so surprisingly like a jack-in-the-box. Hinata, turning to a newly formed line of customers (who had all been wondering if she was okay); began asking if they wanted to order anything.

"I think I was here first," stated the princely stranger. "I think it should be on the house, considering I was waiting for so long and had to kiss you from your eternal slumber."

Hinata's eyes widened to the size of saucepans. "You kissed me?" she asked in disbelief.

Was her romantic dream of a few minutes about to become true? Was she about to become the girlfriend of this dream guy?

The blonde laughed at seeing her reaction. "No, I didn't… but I can tell that you wish I had."

To hide the disappointment in her face, she turned to the counter. It took her half a second to realize that the customers had the ability to listen in to their conversation. Transforming her face to a fake smile and hearing the raucous requests from the crowd, Hinata had an idea on how to disperse them.

"I'm sorry, I only have time for one more order," she lied, not even bothering to look at the time. "But I hope you enjoy your stay at the St. Regis hotel." The crowd aww'd and boo'd, before leaving the bar alone. The bartender was going to be berated if her superior found out she denied a mass order and there would be a significant lack of tips tonight. She sighed.

"Well, are you going to ask me for my order, Miss Hinata?" teased the forgotten stranger.

Hinata was about to ask how he knew, but his answer was obvious and instantaneous as he directed his finger to her name-badge.

"Okay, Mister…" she said, leaving it purposely unfinished.

"Uzumaki. But you can call me Naruto."

"Mister Uzu… I mean N-Naruto," her lips stumbled to say his name, making sure she heard right. "What would you like to drink tonight?"

"I'll have a strawberry margarita," he said without falter.

She knew it wasn't appropriate to think, let alone to say but proceeded to do so anyway.

"That's quite feminine."

Hinata almost slapped herself in the face for even mentioning it. She hoped he didn't think her as judgmental that would have been the last thing she would have hoped for. However, with the way things were going, Hinata didn't think she could dig herself a bigger hole amongst all the embarrassing slipups she had gone through tonight. Naruto laughed airily but genuinely at her comment taking no offence to her observation whatsoever.

"I know its sissy," he admitted, "but it's for my girlfriend."

Of course. Hinata thought, sorrowfully. He has a girlfriend.

Moments after Hinata finished creating a strawberry margarita for Naruto's girlfriend, they both glanced at the entrance to the bar at the sound of clicking heels. A beautiful woman in a sparkling red dress walked through and Naruto cracked a smile.

"And here she is now," he turned to Hinata trying to withhold his grin; oblivious to the utter disappointment and embarrassment in her eyes. She couldn't believe she was so weak-kneed in a man so obviously committed.

The woman approached the two and Hinata couldn't help but compare herself to Naruto's girlfriend. Especially since she was drop-dead gorgeous. Her long luscious pink locks were perfectly in place and looked perfect to touch, her legs would have gone for miles, her chest was… small… but perky, her eyes were an amazing emerald green and she seemed so nice. Despite Hinata's border-lesbian thoughts, Hinata realized her own hair was a pitiful blue, her legs covered in man-pants would only go for inches, her chest looked flat and her eyes were only a pale violet… it wasn't even a real eye colour.

"Hey baby," greeted the woman, giving him a slight kiss on the lips. "Oh and you ordered my drink too, thanks! Didn't you order something too, Naruto?"

He shook his head, "No, I was just talking to Hinata," Naruto directed her attention to the shy bartender. "Hinata, this is my girlfriend, Sakura."

"Oh, hello," Sakura added with a smile, hearing a meek 'hello' in reply. "I hope he didn't annoy you with any talk of ramen."

Naruto gave her an exaggeratedly hurt look as they both laughed. Hinata couldn't help but feel a burning jealously, they were perfect together. She wasn't even a bitch! Her disappointment reached a new low, Naruto would never even think of leaving Sakura for her. Hinata was now damned to an eternity of lonely nights, because she wasn't going to find love tonight. Nothing in life is ever that simple and that easy.

"Sakura, finish your drink so we can go," he added impatiently.

"But I just got here," she defended. "You know all of this is the reason why I got here so late," she pointed to her look.

However Naruto gave her a 'look'. Hinata noticed it but wasn't sure of the meaning, but he was probably fed up with Hinata's presence. If there was a corner, Hinata would crawl into it about now. But at that, Sakura gulped her drink in three seconds flat. Looking back up onto Hinata, she opened her mouth to part with a few words.

"Well, I was hoping to get drunk Hinata, but Mr. Ramen and I are going to go home," she smiled as she began to walk out of the bar. "I hope Naruto didn't do anything stupid," Sakura continued to call out.

"Why do you always assume I do something stupid?" he asked again in humor before following her, leaving Hinata alone.

He didn't even say goodbye to her. Hinata was saddened, well; the hope of her and Prince Ramen—Charming riding off into the sunset together was worth flushing down the toilet. But as she saw Naruto return in a rush, her heart rose back from the dead. Did he come back just for her?

"I forgot something, Hinata," he added and she hoped it was the 'goodbye' part. "Sakura left her purse here."

"Oh," she replied sadly, her heart went back to its grave.

"It has my business card in it," he commented as he opened and fumbled with the workings of the female purse. "I wouldn't want to leave without never seeing you again, you keep life interesting; y'know?"

And with that, Naruto gifted her with his number; before leaving with the purse and an audible goodbye. Holding the rectangle card in her hands, she smiled at the digits and read the title: "Uzumaki Naruto – New York City Council Member… man of my dreams."

"You're pathetic, you know," stated a mysterious voice. "I hope not all girls are like you."

Turning to face the rude patron, Hinata met the gaze of a handsome dark-spiky-haired man clad in a seemingly expensive suit. However, the expression he put on was less than welcoming.

"The service here is impeccable. All of the bartenders just stare and daydream instead of serving drinks," he noted coldly.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Sometimes I choose to ignore people like you," she added, evidently unsure of what she was saying.

In the back of her mind, Hinata heard a nagging echo of a memory that manifested when he began to talk to her:

"When approached by cold strangers who exude arrogance, always say sharp and witty things to cut their ego into pieces," advised Tenten, her roommate, intelligently. "Part of Tenten's copious rules to survive pompous New Yorkians, and that was rule number forty-five."

Hinata looked at her with a slight twinge of skepticism and disbelief.

"That's silly; I wouldn't even know what kinds of things to say! And besides, how can you tell if someone is 'cold' and 'exudes arrogance', Tenten?" she asked innocently.

Before giving an answer, Tenten paused and chuckled darkly.

"Easy, see if you can picture your cousin's face on them."

Looking back to the stranger, Hinata easily saw the uncanny resemblance to her cousin; and it scared her. She rubbed her eyes to get the image out of her mind.

"If this is your method of the 'cold-shoulder', I'll tell you now; it's not very good."

"I'm sorry, you just reminded me of someone," she admitted.

He rolled his eyes and flicked a loose hair out of his face. Did she say something? The stranger muttered something under his breath that sounded like 'of course I do'. Unsure of what to do, Hinata coughed to break the growing awkwardness between the two. He caught on rather quickly.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked bluntly.

Hinata shook her head. She took a step back and tilted to the side, making sure it wasn't Neji with a new haircut and contacts. That would have been freaky. When she finished inspecting the stranger, she realized how stupid she must have been; looking at him like he was a gorilla in a cage.

"Have you ever read 'Glorifying the Past'?" he continued, ignoring Hinata's actions.

"No, but my roommate has," she answered, enlightening herself with the memory of Tenten pulling an all-nighter just to finish it. "Why?"

"Can you recall the author's name?"

Hinata paused and tried to isolate the author's name from the visual images in her mind.

"Um… Sasugay Uchiwa?" she answered tentatively, with the uncertainty of the 'gay' and 'wa' parts of the name.

The stranger twitched an eye at the failure of her pronunciation. Hinata wondered if it was someone he knew, maybe the author was his girlfriend. She hoped she didn't offend him.

"I'm sorry, I'm not too good with remembering names."

"Obviously," he uttered. "I didn't think anyone could enunciate my name so horribly and not give me a drink."

Great, she had offended him. And if her were any more like Neji, Hinata could safely expect that he would persevere until he got his revenge of sorts. In an attempt to change the subject, she offered him a drink on the house. After he ordered a Bloody Mary, Sasuke started something that almost caused her to drop the glass in her hands.

"Do you think he's going to call you?" he asked.

"W-what?"

"Mr. Taken. Do you think he's going to call you?" he repeated, emphasizing each word slowly; just for her.

"He said he would… B-But he's got a beautiful girlfriend!" she added rushed.

"Isn't that more reason to like him?"

"W-What does that mean?" she questioned, with a mixture of confusion and annoyance seething through; he was beginning to grate her nerves.

"Simple psychology, Miss Hinata; you only find him attractive because he's taken."

"That's not true!" she defended, she didn't simply faint at every person she considered handsome or had a girlfriend. "He's just handsome and sweet and charming and confident and…!"

"Those traits are all emphasized because he has a girlfriend, I could bet you a hundred dollars he wasn't all that before the pink-haired minx walked into his life."

"What are you trying to say?" she queried, still perplexed by his statement.

"You wouldn't be as interested in him if he were single. You'll start to see his flaws and start falling for other guys. If a guy was that great when he were single, then why is he single?"

"I don't believe that."

"Then pour yourself a drink and let me tempt you with a simple wager."

After a few drinks, Hinata looked at the clock 2:24AM. Whoa, she was supposed to be home ages ago. Gulping the current one on the counter, she felt her throat burn and a few brain cells die. Hinata had gone light headed after the two drinks, she cursed at herself for drinking. Tenten would not look forward to dealing with a hung over Hinata. She'd been bantering back and forth with Sasuke for the past hour waiting for him to explain the rules of his bet. They weren't getting anywhere fast, that was for sure.

"Are you finally going to tell me what the wager is?" she asked, trying not to slur with the best of her ability.

Sasuke gave her a devilish grin, the alcohol not going straight to his head like it did hers.

"I'll help you win the blonde's heart…" he started, Hinata's eyes increasing in size. "But you're not allowed to fall in love with me."

Hinata was successfully tempted but she knew better than to trust someone she just met. Especially at him, she was sure he was still angry at the fact she didn't pronounce his name correctly.

"Why would you want to help me?" she questioned, with heavy skepticism and alcohol in her voice.

He chuckled.

"I am an author and everywhere I go I'm looking for a muse… some inspiration. If you fall for me then my theory about the attractiveness of taken men will make it a bestseller—I might even get a cheesy romantic comedy film made from it. The bartender falls for the author, I'll even add a fantastically written sex sce—"

"Okay, okay! I get it!" she exclaimed, cutting him off. "When can we meet?"

"How about tomorrow morning at Absolute Bagels?" he proposed. "And while we're at it, let's seal it with a kiss; unless you're afraid."

Hinata swallowed a dry lump in her throat. She wanted to say 'yes' so badly, she needed to say it so badly. This was going to be exciting and would pull her out of mundane rut of a life. Lifting her finger to her mouth, she softly nibbled it; but on the other hand… was she willing to do something so selfish with this person? Looking up from her nervous behavior, Sasuke still plastered that dark smile on his face. Yeah, she was going to do it. With confidence, if she faltered now; he knew she wouldn't be up for it. From behind the counter, Hinata leaned into him; their lips barely touching.

"Don't be late," she whispered.

Sasuke lifted his hand and put it to the side of his face. His hand was surprisingly warm despite his cold attitude.

"This'll leave you begging for more," he replied hoarsely.

To be continued...