Hinata giggled softly, trying to rub off the many paint splodges on Sasuke's face. He grumbled. Her 'help' was in vain, only smudging the paint more.

"You know, I have no idea why I agreed to do this."

"Because I-if you didn't, I w-wouldn't have time to come over f-for dinner tonight."

Painting the fence was something Hinata did every month, for her, it was something recreational, for Sasuke it was an arduous task, and Sasuke had the pleasure of fence painting only once, which was in present time. They had been going out for a few months now, and found that they had never been happier.

They had met at a student campus, while walking to the library. He had been talking to his best friend, Naruto, and she'd just not been paying attention. The result had been a collision. Naruto stood there and laughed at the poor girl, and she'd been a nervous wreck. Sasuke being Sasuke, did nothing and glared, scolding Hinata about how blind she must've been and stupid and clumsy... It was then that her cousin showed up.

Where had he come from? No one knew.

How he had gotten to the scene so fast? It seemed humanly impossible to Sasuke.

What reason was he there for? To crush Sasuke for harming his cousin of course.

After that there had been an arranged apology, or a make-up date, as Sakura, his more intellectual friend had told him, and he had begrudgingly gone; other wise would face he would face Neji the next day and have his ass-whooped. He'd arrived on the dot, as he was an obsessive perfectionist and waited for 3 hours. Unfortunately he had been stood up, and left in a huff, heartbroken. Just kidding.

The next day he saw neither the strange girl nor her foreboding cousin. He went through his day brooding and irritated. His displeasure only quadrupled when he was partnered with the stuttering girl in science class. They talked, they apologized, sort of, and the chemistry sparked. They had to evacuate half a corridor of classes and wait until professor Kurenai put the outbreak under control. Then they shared detention together. In which she broke out crying and he had begrudgingly comforted her.

Surprisingly, for both of them it was a week full of '1st's. Their first detention, first more than an hour conversation, first heartfelt hug from opposite gender, and their day ended with him walking his 1st girl home, and her 1st time being walked home by a guy, romantically speaking, and then a very awkward 1st kiss, and that was where it all began.

Sasuke smirked, the half dried paint on his face going all wrinkly, as he resumed painting the fence. If all this fence painting meant she could come over tonight. He'd gladly paint 100 fences. Maybe.

Hinata smiled to herself, watching her buggy-pie (cutie bug/ sweetie pie) start painting again, this time renewed with much vigour, sighing softly, she turned back to her unfinished job and dragged her thick brush across the fence. Her life had changed so much in the past few weeks, she nibbled her lower lip mischievously, recalling their first meeting.

They'd been tiny at the time, 4 or 5 years old maybe? They had played in the sandbox together for about fifteen minutes. She even surprised herself remembering such things; sometimes she remembered the most insignificant of moments. Yet she forgot the big things, things like Sasuke and her 'make-up' date. She still felt kind of guilty now, but brushed of the guilt telling herself: if you hadn't forgotten then, things wouldn't have turned out as they are now. She smiled once again. That science lesson had been the most... 'Eventful' event she could ever remember.

She'd even forgotten completely who he was, the day after the 'make-up' date as he'd growled at her all lesson. She giggled, it wasn't funny then, but now it seemed hilarious. Sasuke turned to look at her, quirking one eyebrow upward, he looked up at her questioningly. That had been the same face when she asked him why he was growling at her all lesson. She only laughed harder. He grumbled and stopped her laughing quite effectively by poking her in the face with his paintbrush, which was conveniently covered in paint. Realizing what he had done, she 'hmph'ed, jutting her lower lip out like a child that had been refused cookies.

He grinned, that was the same look she gave him when he'd called her stupid for not knowing the reason he'd been so aggravated that science lesson. Laughing out loud, when she retorted by smushing her paintbrush against his splattered overalls, then continued their 'paint war' well into the afternoon, until both were hardly recognizable beneath the heavy coatings of paint. They lay panting on the grass, tired from their rolling, and romping and painting.

He held out his hand and she grasped it, making a quaint squelching noise. They both broke out in laughter again and she smiled. She felt so happy, she always felt this way when with him. He exuded a strange aura of quick witty humour that never failed to make her giggle senselessly, but it was the times like this, of childish nonsense, like splashing in rain puddles or having food fights that really made her smile. That unbelievable uplifting feeling, of just being a kid again, being free, enjoying the simple things in life. She rolled over, bumping against him and snuggling into the crook of his side. Breathing in his strange painty smell, she forgot all about the half painted fence and for a moment, and there were no problems in her life, no problems in the world anymore, they vanished when she was with him, they just couldn't measure up against the immense sense of ... dare she say it?... love?

Glancing down at the squirming paint covered blob huddled next to him he smiled. How long had it been since he felt this way? Felt like he was on top of the world, like he was in complete control of everything? Being an obsessive perfectionist, he had to say he didn't feel this way very much. The feeling of absolute perfection?... Maybe even... love? He sighed. Letting go of all his troubles, all the imperfections in his life, because life was perfect when she was by his side, she was perfect. If she could be with him forever, if they could stay like this forever, He'd gladly paint 1,000,000 fences. Definitely.