Summary: Sasuke apologizes. Hinata forgives. Naruto interrupts. SasuHina.

I Missed You

Pale fingers tapped against the counter top. "I had...fallen asleep, Hinata," he said. He eyed the old man who was smiling oddly at them, and wondered why he'd chosen Ichiraku for their meeting place. "I didn't mean to miss you." Sasuke glanced at the heiress, seated on a stool a foot away from him. Having just returned from a two-week long mission, she looked exhausted, and took to staring down into her ramen bowl.

And she looked...sort of sad.

"I...missed you," Sasuke practically mumbled, feeling that stupid blush creep up to his cheeks. His efforts proved fruitless, for Hinata continued to ignore him. How could she be upset over something that had happened two weeks ago? Women weren't human. Growing irritated, Sasuke said the one thing he hated saying most of all. "Sorry."

Hinata finally looked at him. Ghost white eyes stared into onyx for a moment, before they drifted back to the counter. Strands of long hair hung in her face as Hinata tucked her head in and picked up her chopsticks. "Okay," she said.

Sasuke watched the girl shift noodles around in her bowl. She had said "Okay," though she clearly wasn't. In hopes to demolish the tension, the Uchiha decided to pose a request. It was something he'd wanted for two weeks. "Can I kiss you now?"

He watched Hinata freeze, a bit of color rising to her cheeks. He'd never say it, but she was really cute when she blushed. It was then that the Hyuuga nodded, her face burning even more.

They turned to face each other.

"I did, want to see you...before you left," Sasuke said, staring at her, searching her eyes for whatever she was thinking.

The touch of a smile crossed Hinata's face. It made him suddenly breathless. She nodded again with a whispered, "Hai."

He hadn't noticed how close they had come to be until their lips were inches apart. His eyelids began to lower.

"RAMEN!"

Like dodging lightening, Sasuke and Hinata quickly pulled away from each other. Both glanced in opposite directions, their faces flushed. Only one person pranced about Konoha screaming "ramen."

His sun-kissed face poked into the stand within seconds. He blinked. "Sasuke?" Naruto said, taking a seat beside his friend. "I thought you didn't like ramen."

"I don't," Sasuke managed, shoving his bowl toward Naruto. "Dobe," he added, almost as an after thought. Breathe, he reminded himself, his heart pumping triple the norm. He cast a dark look at the blonde, who was eying him right back.

"Are you...all right?" Naruto said through a mouth full of noodles. "You seem a little breathless."

"I'm fine," Sasuke hissed, trying to regain his composure. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Hinata trying not to laugh.