The Hyuuga estate was in a flurry of excitement as they prepared for the events leading up to Hanabi Hyuuga's inauguration as clan leader. Hiashi Hyuuga requested his eldest daughter's aid during the preparations, as opportunities to spend quality time with her younger sister would be scarce in the near future, and Hinata was on sick leave while her arm recovered anyway. Hinata knew her father wasn't growing sentimental in his old age and there was an ulterior motive behind his request. She felt like the old Hyuuga patriarch was keeping her here to teach her a lesson, or restricting her mobility within the village, though she couldn't figure out why.

She wondered if it was to keep her away from a certain avenger, but Hiashi Hyuuga couldn't possibly be concerned over her safety due to the Uchiha. Too much time has passed since their first and only tryst and Sasuke clearly didn't like her by the way he distanced himself. She attributed their lack of conversation on the day she returned from the Land of Mist to Naruto and Shino's company. However, she spotted him in the streets multiple times in the following days and he only acknowledged her with a simple nod of the head before briskly walking off. Maybe she imagined the closeness they shared. One night of soul bearing confessions and physical intimacy didn't equal a relationship and Sasuke didn't seem like he could dedicate himself to a relationship when he was still reacclimatizing himself to the village. Or maybe, she pondered, he was the type to "hit it and quit it" and repressed the hurt she felt.

No matter the intentions her father had in summoning her, Hinata was feeling stifled in her old home. Everyone was in each other's business, casting judgement, and she couldn't believe she endured this lifestyle for so long. Hanabi's smile, her younger sister's enthusiasm over the prospect of leading the clan in issues she cared about, and the endless supply of food were the few things keeping Hinata sane.

"Lady Hinata," called an old maid, breaking her from her thoughts. "Your father would like to speak to you in his office."

When Hinata entered her father's workspace, Hiashi had his back facing her as he stared out the window. Although Hinata couldn't see his face, she could tell he was wearing a somber expression.

"Father," she said, bowing. "I was told you wanted to speak to me."

"Yes, I did," he said, finally turning to look at her.

He walked over to his desk and made himself comfortable in his chair. Hinata stood before him, clammy hands clasped before her, feeling déjà vu as she experienced many harsh reprimands throughout her life in this very same office with the two of them standing in these very same positions.

Hinata braced herself for whatever was coming.

"Hinata, you are my eldest daughter," he said. "Our relationship has been tenuous and I will not deny that, at times, I have been harsher than necessary when dealing with you."

The devastating conversation Hiashi had with Kurenai-sensei when Hinata made genin, in which he told the woman that he didn't care if Hinata died in battle, sprang to mind.

"You may not like what I've said or done in the past, but I want you to know that it was done for your benefit. I do care for you. I do love you." Hiashi's voice broke saying that last part and if Hinata didn't know her father better, she would have thought he was choking back a sob. In reality, Hiashi Hyuuga was struggling to admit his love for his child, as the Hyuugas were a proud clan who were conditioned to demonstrate their love through action over words of endearment.

Hinata refrained from speaking. She wanted to know what else her father was willing to admit, as the patriarch was far from talkative, and she wasn't sure how she could respond if she had the chance to anyway.

"The clan has had a difficult time processing your late cousin's death. He was a Branch member but he made us proud. Neji was supposed to be the de facto clan leader until Hanabi turned twenty and then assume the role of her chief advisor. Of course things did not go as planned. Now we are fast-tracking Hanabi's inauguration so she'll inherit the title two years earlier than expected. As my eldest daughter, a political marriage between you and another clan would have been beneficial."

Hinata's blood pressure spiked. Was he marrying her off?

Hiashi leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable, and Hinata tried to channel that same sense of calm while her heart was pounding in her chest. "Whether it be on the battlefield or through marriage, I have come to the realization that I am going to lose you in some fashion. As Neji's death has proven, we can never predict what will happen during combat. Nevertheless, I wanted you to know that when you marry, I will not stand in your way. That being said, I do have some stipulations: your husband should hail from a respectable clan and the two of you will maintain your… reputations until the wedding. We do not want anyone questioning our good name. Am I making myself clear?"

Hinata nodded wordlessly. Her father had essentially given her the freedom to choose a partner, rather than having one arranged on her behalf by the council, and promised his support regardless of her partner's suitability (to an extent).

Hiashi seemed satisfied and hugged Hinata for the first time. It was stiff and awkward and there was an uncomfortable silence as he pulled away. Hinata could feel her eyes watering and, before her tears could fall, she risked giving her father another embrace while the Hyuuga patriarch was still in his vulnerable mood.

"You may go now."

She bowed deeply, hair shielding her eyes, and gave her father her thanks before leaving. Hiashi resumed his position by the window and willed the stinging feeling in his eyes to dissipate.

Hinata flexed her fingers.

Sakura did wonders on her arm and she could move it again, albeit sluggishly. The kunoichi recommended that Hinata keep it in an arm-sling in-between her training and rehabilitation regime, and to contact her again if recovery was still slow. Hinata thanked the girl and the two engaged in idle chit chat during the rest of the check-up.

Sakura was naturally chatty and open with her feelings, and Hinata sensed she was desperate to unload. With Ino occupied and Tsunade disinterested in the relationship woes of her apprentice, it seemed like Hinata was the closest thing Sakura had to a confidant at the moment. Sakura admitted that she was confused by her oldest friends. She had devoted her love to Sasuke since she was a child and thought there was something brewing between them after the Fourth Shinobi War, but their relationship was at a standstill. He was a completely different person from the genin she loved and remembered, and now there was all of this history between her and Naruto that the Uchiha couldn't compensate for. Was it silly for her to hold onto childhood feelings even though another person was making himself available to her?

Hinata listened patiently and sympathized with Sakura, but didn't offer any advice. She already heard the same points from Naruto, but unlike her conversation with the Uzimaki, Hinata had no right to tell Sakura what to do. Hinata smiled at her, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder when their session was done, and wished her good luck. "I'm sure you'll do what's best for you."

She knew she said the right thing when Sakura gave her a side-hug, not to jostle Hinata's arm when it was finally showing signs of improvement, and thanked her goodbye.

Once home, Hinata ran the water for her bath. She slowly lowered herself in the bathtub and could feel the aches and pain alleviate as she soaked her injured arm in the scorching water, gently massaging the limb from shoulder to wrist. As circulation returned and she could move her arm more freely, Hinata couldn't shake off her conversation with Sakura. The pink-haired girl said something was brewing between her and Sasuke after the war, but what did that mean? Was she implying that she and Sasuke also had sex before he gave her the cold shoulder? Why else would Sakura delude herself by holding onto feelings for a disengaged teammate when she clearly had feelings for Naruto who also loved her back?

Hinata's mind was spinning.

She kept reminding herself that sex was just a physical act between two people and not something to worry herself over. However, it was easier said than done. The relief she felt massaging a cramp out of her arm only made her think of the Uchiha even more and what it felt like to be with him.

Hinata felt sheepish as she considered the actions she was about to conduct, but thought this couldn't possibly be as shameful since she already slept with the boy. She slowly trailed her hand down her body, still second-guessing herself, until her fingers slid in-between her thighs. Hinata gave a tentative stroke to the most sensitive part of her and gasped at how strongly she reacted from that one form of contact. She didn't realize how truly touch-starved she was until she pleasured herself further.

Inserting two fingers, she remembered the feeling of how he held her by the hips as he pushed himself inside of her, or how she had opened herself up, ready and eager to accept him. Her breath faltered, hips bucking at the memory of how it felt when he thrusted himself faster, harder, and deeper inside of her, until she hit her threshold and bit back a large moan. Her jaw was clenched so tight that it was sore when she loosened her hold.

She was able to recompose herself after taking some long, deep breaths. Lowering herself deeper until the water hit her chin, Hinata realized she wanted Sasuke in every conceivable way. But what could she do when he didn't want the same?

Hinata was mildly alarmed when she received notice that the Godaime wanted to meet at the Hokage Tower to personally inspect and heal her. Tsunade greeted her warmly and ran a full test on Hinata's chakra points, muscle density, finger dexterity, and grip. All the results showed positive signs of recovery and health and Tsunade's hand glowed with a soft, green hue as she ended the appointment with a chakra boost. Hinata thanked the Godaime for treating her, but was confused since Sakura had done the identical procedure.

Shrugging off her suspicions, Hinata left the Hokage Tower and entered the busy marketplace nearby to pick up a few items for the upcoming inauguration ceremony and party. Her arm was stronger than it had been in the last couple of weeks, substituting the arm-sling for some simple gauze to wrap around the wound where the senbon had punctured her, but her arm was still weak from the injured chakra points. She was fumbling with her bags when a friendly civilian male approached her and offered his assistance.

Hinata was in the middle of declining his offer when she could feel his hand drifting down her thigh. Skirting dangerously up her hemline, Hinata hadn't even decided how she was going to retaliate when the offending hand was bent backwards in an unnatural position. Hinata looked at the perpetrator and saw that Sasuke Uchiha had a deep scowl on his face, body language radiating murderous intent. The civilian recognized him too, practically quaking in fear as he made eye contact with the Sharingan, begging the Uchiha to let go as he claimed he didn't know he was making a pass at the missing nin's girl.

Other civilians were stopping to witness the disturbance in their otherwise peaceful market and all eyes landed on the ninja with a death grip on a defenceless man. Sasuke didn't have to survey the area to know that onlookers thought he was the guilty party and he wondered how many Gods he would have to defeat before these commoners stopped perceiving him as a menace. If they reported him, Sasuke would be in so much shit for attacking a civilian, despite how justifiable his actions were, as excessive force definitely classified as an endangerment to life and a threat to the village. He willed his Sharingan away and let go of the man begrudgingly, the coward running off without so much of an apology. With the excitement gone, people gave the Uchiha and Hyuuga a wide berth as they resumed their usual business.

"Are you alright?" asked Sasuke, his expression softening when he recognized the plum colour of her shirt, the one he purchased for her. Hinata saw the change on Sasuke's face when he looked at her and it only amplified her ire. She didn't want to decipher what that expression meant.

"I can handle situations like that on my own," she said, her tone icier than usual, taking him aback. "You can't ignore me after everything that happened between us and then reappear out of nowhere to save me!"

"Hinata," he said, a subtle hint of pleading in his voice, as he followed her. "I didn't come to rescue you. I saw you leaving the Hokage Tower and saw my chance to talk to you when I spotted that loser make a grab for you."

"How did you even know I was here?" she asked, ignoring the fact that he sought her out, wanting to converse with her.

"Are you kidding? I can't stand two feet out of my apartment without Tsunade watching me after your father had me relocated here. Look for yourself!" he pointed his finger at the top window. When Hinata looked up, she saw the Godaime's blonde head bob out of sight. "Which is why I needed to talk to you because I received this in the mail."

He removed a scroll from his pocket and she stopped walking when she saw the Hyuuga clan seal. Upon closer inspection, it was an official invitation addressed to one Sasuke Uchiha to attend the inauguration of Hanabi Hyuuga as Hyuuga Clan Leader.

"You received an invitation?" she asked, placing down her purchases so she could read the contents of the scroll for herself.

"Yes, which is a little confusing when your father demanded that Tsunade move me and then I had Branch members following me around with the Byakugan. They only stopped trailing me when this arrived so I just had to check… is this a ploy against me?"

The date the invitation was shipped off matched the day her father called her into his office, and Hinata didn't think that was a coincidence.

"No, it's not some ploy to ambush you," Hinata said, returning the scroll. She went into a crouch to pick up her stuff. "Are you going?"

He crouched alongside her to pick up the other half of her purchases, and so he could observe her face when he asked, "Do you want me there?"

"Why do you care?" she asked back, equally cryptic. She developed feelings for the Uchiha, but she was still hurt and wouldn't accept being ignored when it was no longer convenient for him.

It looked like a million thoughts were racing through his mind and he didn't know which one to verbalize. After it felt like an eternity with them staring at each other, Hinata got up and stormed off, not caring if the Uchiha had the other half of her stuff.

"Hinata, wait!" he cried, quickly matching her pace. "I like you, okay?"

"What?" she side-eyed him suspiciously although a small part of her was also overjoyed. She was currently holding that part of her back so she could interrogate the Uchiha for springing those sentiments onto her so suddenly and so casually.

Sasuke explained that the night he overworked himself on the training grounds, one of the few outlets he had to vent his frustrations, the strain from the Mangekyo caused his eyes to bleed uncontrollably. He was exhausted, delirious, and half blind when he miscalculated and crashed through the wrong apartment door. Hinata was a soothing presence during the ordeal and that's why he returned afterward. He didn't want to deal with a hospital, or any other institution under Tsunade's authority, that would've treated him like a threat, a prisoner. And he didn't want to deal with his old team who were annoying him by the way they fussed and cooed over him, giving him fake positivity when he was sullener than usual, as if that was a sign he was going to defect again.

Their night together was unexpected but also dangerous. Sasuke wasn't under much scrutiny as he was previously, but getting caught leaving Hinata's apartment was a serious enough violation for Hiashi Hyuuga to call an audience with Tsunade. They didn't give off any impression that they knew he and Hinata had been intimate, but the suspicion that they could be intimate was enough for the Godaime to agree to relocate him. He wasn't trailed by Anbu anymore, yet the presence of Byakugan wielders was equally, if not more, unsettling. He carried out his usual routine, trying to not to feel violated or recoil at the thought that the Hyuugas could probably see through his clothes. They were particularly persistent about stalking him once Hinata returned from her mission.

Sasuke couldn't approach Hinata or even communicate with her if it raised any speculation of what they did because he knew Hinata would get the brunt of the punishment. Old, prestigious clans like the Hyuugas had the propensity of losing their absolute minds when their daughters were engaging in pre-marital sex, especially with someone from a rivalling clan.

What Sasuke didn't express to Hinata was that he was unsure if she liked him back. That's why he gave Naruto a fair shot at pursuing her, and gave her time to think and reflect on her choices. Even though she rejected Naruto, it didn't mean she wanted him.

"If you think I'm lying, there's an audit of your father and I arguing over my feelings for you that you can reference," he said jokingly, or at least for Sasuke, trying to lighten the mood as they walked together.

"Did you ever sleep with Sakura?"

Sasuke almost got whiplash from that abrupt change in topic. "What?" he asked in shock.

"Answer me honestly," she stated, mistaking his bewilderment for evasion.

"No," he spat. "Not at all. It's only been you."

"I was your first?"

"Technically Naruto was my first kiss," he shrugged. "You wanted me to be honest."

"I did," she agreed, laughing. "I like you too. I've thought about you – about us – all this time."

"So was the invitation your doing?"

"No, that was my father's doing," she said, surprising him. They reached the door to her apartment. "Come in if you want me to elaborate?"

Hinata hoped that Sasuke didn't notice her rush through the living room, not wanting to linger by the couch where they had sex, and relayed the conversation between her and Hiashi as they put the groceries and other items away. They sat down at the kitchen table once they were done and had a serious talk about their feelings and the processes that led to their miscommunication errors. Besides Hiashi's interference, it turned out Hinata's over-thinking and self-doubt, coupled with Sasuke's detached loner shtick, was a great source for misunderstandings.

"So I guess we're officially courting each other now?" asked Hinata.

Sasuke cringed. "That's a really old-fashioned sounding term for dating."

"It's terminology the clan uses and it's the most fitting for us," Hinata said, lightly smacking him. "This is obviously too new to be considered an engagement unless you want to refer to us as being pre-engaged."

He rolled his eyes. "No thanks. Pre-engaged sounds worse somehow."

Hinata giggled, this being the first time they could be truly relaxed around the other. Sasuke's lips quirked as just a hint of a smile graced his features too. They gave each other appreciating looks, Hinata placing her hand on his forearm like the first time they sat together, and started to lean in closer as their eyes drifted close. And then Sasuke was in for the shock of his life when Hinata roughly snatched his arm back in an uncomfortable position, pinning him against her.

"I've been trying to find a chance to do that this entire time," she said, proving she didn't need him to rescue her.

She kissed him just as his eye twitched and looked like he was going to counterattack. The kiss started off chaste and grew fiercer, as Sasuke broke out of Hinata's grasp and put her in his own submission hold. She snagged his lower lip in between her teeth and he groaned. He had the power to make her want him, but she clearly had the power to elicit the same want for her. Mindful of her arm, Sasuke grabbed Hinata from her bottom and swept her off of her seat. It was a move he'd only used twice so far and he realized how much he liked it because it allowed him to shift Hinata into a better position, and he enjoyed the way she gasped in surprise each time. He set her on the kitchen table, going in for another kiss, when she interrupted him.

"I think we should refrain from anything… penetrative," she said, whispering the last word feeling bashful, "unless we have protection."

He looked amused. "You say that like it's all we can do."

He slipped his hands under her skirt and tugged down her underwear. Spreading her legs, he teased her, kissing her inner thighs first. Her breaths became sharper and he kept teasing her with butterfly kisses until she was wet and gasping his name. Finally, he caressed her with his tongue and lips, slowly at first, and then more passionately as he hit the right spot when she cried out. She writhed under his touch with every flicker of his tongue, gripping his hair with her free hand, and Sasuke knew for certain that he could get used to the Hyuuga girl riding his face.

She finished with one last shudder and Sasuke pulled back to see her breathing heavily and her eyes glazed over. He gently lowered her off the table and held her close, steadying her, when her legs were shaking.

Hinata laughed before burying her reddened face into his chest. "Maybe we should do this on a bed for once."

:-:-Epilogue-:-:

Hanabi Hyuuga's inauguration was a beautiful celebration in which the Hyuuga clan could commemorate its accomplishments, mourn over the loss of its irreplaceable members, and declare promises for a better future.

Hinata wept from happiness over her sister's success and Sasuke was there to console her, much to the dismay of the rest of the Hyuuga clan. Their coupling was briefly overshadowed by the other pair who debuted their courtship that night, as Naruto and Sakura were also in attendance by the request of Hiashi, who wanted Naruto to partake in formal events as he was going to be the next Hokage and Sakura was Tsunade's protégé. The two couples were chatting in the corner, congratulating Hanabi who was complaining that Sasuke and her sister partially stole her thunder, and seemed to represent all of the positive change in Konohagakure that was to come.

Tsunade approached Hiashi Hyuuga, who was gazing at the ragtag group from across the room.

"That formal invitation you sent to Sasuke is quite the heel-turn from your reaction in my office all that time a go," said Tsunade, taking a small sip from her sake cup. She was accustomed to drinking higher quantities of the alcoholic beverage but, according to Shizune, getting straight-up smashed at dignified events was frowned upon. She didn't mind though because the sake tasted as expensive as she expected from the exorbitantly rich Hyuugas who could afford the good stuff.

"Yes, and I expect my daughter's run-in with the Uchiha near the Hokage Tower was your doing," he replied monotonously. "I believe I have your meddling to thank for the speed in which they entered their courtship."

"With Sasuke so quiet and reclusive and Hinata so quiet and shy, eons would've passed by before anything developed between them," Tsunade observed, pointing to them with her sake cup, after Hinata accidentally bumped into Sasuke and she pulled away embarrassed from the unexpected contact. "God, let's hope they don't need our assistance initiating their first kiss!"

Tsunade laughed and roughly clapped Hiashi Hyuuga on the shoulder, the latter growing a particular shade of puce at the suggestion.

ClockRepair Message: I read an internet post a while back, in which a person claimed they received an update for a fanfic that was discontinued years a go, due to the virus leaving some people with too much free time. I'm one of those people with too much time by the way. I was excited at the prospect that I might experience the same situation and was disappointed when this was not the case. If I cannot receive, I will give instead. This should have been split into two chapters but I didn't want to eke out the process any longer.

Thank you for those who pushed me to write beyond the first chapter. I'm actually proud of what I've produced, especially since I'm the type of writer who writes on the fly, as I was able to make a mostly cohesive story. And out of my genre to boot. I had to rewrite so much dialogue and entire scenes in this concluding chapter because it kept turning comedic, and it didn't match the overall tone of the story I started with when it was a oneshot. For example, a redacted line I wrote was, "Skirting dangerously close to her hemline, Hinata was about to Gentle Fist the sexual deviant when he was promptly thrown across the street, landing in a vegetable cart. The owner wailed in despair, "My cabbages!'"

Aspects that didn't match up with canon: I aged up Hanabi, as there is a five-year age gap between her and Hinata, and I actually forgot about Kakashi becoming Hokage after the Fourth Shinobi War. Also made Naruto kind of a jerk in the previous chapter. Oh well.

Why did I write all these sex scenes when I consistently lamented my difficulty writing them? … well why not? They were short anyway.

Thanks for reading.

In addendum: Guys, I can't believe I have to say this, but if you don't enjoy my stories, you can stop reading. There's no need to send hate messages telling me to die. Stay safe and be nice. Or at least respectful.