DONE! insert fireworks In case you need help figuring it out. This is a patchwork piece of different non-chapter fics I've written, and the last line of all them is THE SAME and found at the very, very bottom. Good thing it's a nice short line, and if this is beyond the comprehension of the average reader... I need to set up like an intellectual obstacle course for this page, because I don't approve of stupidity on the internet.

Standard disclaimers apply and stick, like the antithesis of Teflon.

Theme 30 (kiss) : Finale

The S in Supermodel(see 7. superstar)
"You know, they're only taking this many pictures because they think you're cheating on me with your best friend." She smiles brilliantly at the cameras.
"That would amuse me more if my 'best friend' weren't a complete moron, my rival and blond." He pulls her out of the way of a storming starlet.
"But you don't mind that Naruto's male? I knew you weren't completely straight. Heteroflexible at very least."
"I can see why your agency never lets you talk."
"They're just respecting my wishes. People asking me about you isn't what I want to do after a concert. Why talk about you when I can talk to you?"
He stops abruptly on the red carpet and brings her hands to his heart.

………

Business Arrangements (see 10. #10)
He's old friends with his wife, and she's hiding behind her wedding band from the slew of people who think her face and money mean she makes it a point to fit international scandals in between visits to the spa. He tells her, his business arranged escort for the month, over scotch and ice that he thinks she's falling in love with his chauffeur. Which is fine with him, because he's a nice guy, and they're not lovers, never have been.
Hinata nods, sympathetically she hopes, and pours him another drink. She's only supposed to make sure his stay in New York is pleasant, and if that means shooting weak coffee while he gets plastered in his hotel room, so be it. She might maybe get something useful out of him, but it's doubtful. He's made it a point in the last nine days, never to talk business unless in a conference room.
She got them cleared to go up the Empire State Building at 10 in the evening, had a restaurant completely emptied for the two of them and a bottle of Pinot Noir, and she's spent more money on clothes than she did for her first two apartments, because he didn't think her usual office attire was good enough to be on his arm. Her feet hurt from the pinched toes of her shoes and having to skip around town to answer his every whim.
But she's having fun. The subway is an adventure in map reading still, and Sasuke is amused rather than angry when she has to give up and pull on someone's sleeve to ask where they are.
He takes her teacup from her and waves his half empty glass in her face, telling her she can't keep him company when he's drinking and she's not. She protests, citing professionalism, low tolerance, having to get back home afterward and a dozen other things; everything except that she might be falling in love with him.
He sets the drinks down and leans into her personal space, a rich darkness underneath the smell of alcohol.

………

After Work Special (see Around Again)
Summer sees a distinct shortage of skirt length in the office, especially around Uchiha Sasuke. The only people who dress for practicality are the mature ones, and those just not interested. Hinata presumably being mature, because she's definitely interested. He can't think of any other reason for her to turn the color of a cherry when she accidently looks at him. She makes it a point not to be anywhere alone with him.
He's admiring the lines of her legs while she's bent over trying to find her lunch in the mess someone, probably Naruto, has made of the company fridge. She finally emerges with her food, and nearly upsets her thermos over his head when she turns to find him standing not three inches from her, an almost predatory look in his eyes. She stifles a squeaky noise of surprise and backs up only to find the freezer in the way.
He reaches out and she feels her face heat up yet again. He snags his bottle of water and pulls away like it's nothing at all she's half afraid, half hoping he's going to ravish her in the kitchen.
"Excuse me," she says quickly, moving around him to get out of this mess of uncomfortable, but his free hand is wrapped around her wrist.

………

High School Romantique (see Queen of Hearts. Out of the Blue)
Hinata was well aware that her best method would be to pretend nothing at all had happened, and hope someone more suitable caught his attention.
Her heart beat quicker when he met her eyes in the middle of lecture and smirked just a tiny bit. But that could always be explained away by her infamous nervousness.
She decided she was right and he was childish, and fate was kind of mean when she twisted her ankle on a school staircase and therefore was stuck in the rain waiting for the next bus, which was running late, because she hadn't been able to get to the station in time for her usual because of her foot.
She spent graduation day hobbling around her apartment and making tea, hoping to every deity she could remember the name of that Sasuke had forgotten his promise and that she lived on the same hall and had given him a spare key five years ago.

She heard the scratch of someone fighting with her slightly rusted doorknob, and willed herself to believe it was just the landlady letting herself and her awfully strong herbal tea in.
"You missed the last day of school."
"I'm a teacher. It's not unusual," she sniffled and reached for a tissue. "Go home and celebrate."
"You are a teacher," he allowed. "But I'm not your student any more, so you can't tell me what to do."
"Sasuke, please, I'm sick and sore and I don't know what to say to you."
He sighed and trapped her hand in his. She tried to glare down at him, but that hadn't worked for three years since he was a good bit taller than she now, and certainly nothing like the little boy she remembered.

………

Amaryllis Arc (aka everything parading around as canon; look up amaryllis in the language of flowers if have to know)
He catches her as she is coming out of the Hokage Tower. She looks surprised to see him, like she didn't think he'd be a normal kind of boyfriend.
His hand is around her elbow, and he pauses, unsure of what he's supposed to do now, only that he wanted to see her after her mission so much that he was seen by several people waiting outside looking nervous.
She senses that they are at an impasse and looks up at him shyly. "D-do you want to go for a cup of tea?"
He nods and lets her lead the way.
They sit in silence, he trying to think of something to break it, she wondering why he looks uncomfortable.
"How was your mission?" he asks finally, pissed that this is the only thing he can come up with.
"It was alright. The last few have been simple, if not quick. I think the Hokage is giving me these missions, not because of my bloodline, but to get me away from my family."
"Still not used to me?"
"No one will ever be 'used to you', Uchiha-sama."
They fall back into quiet. She finishes her tea and he pays for the both of them. Evening descends softly in warm grey skies. He walks with her back to her apartment, well away from the Hyuuga compound. He tries to start a conversation again, but she stops him by speaking first, staring at the wall fixedly, bright red in the dim light.
"Y-you don't have to try so hard. I… I like you, so—"

………

"Hinata, kiss me."