Another one-shot... Consider this a filler of sorts. It's not related to any of my current fics, but I tend to write them whenever I'm pressed for ideas.
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Kishimoto, who I've decided to like again after the return of Team 8!! Can I get a what-what?!!
Is anyone going to Fanime this weekend? Merely curious. XD
Living on your own definitely had its perks. Privacy would be the first and foremost advantage, especially when you constantly had a hundred or more pairs of eyes scrutinizing your every movement. You couldn't be nagged at if you came home late, and you never had to wait for someone to leave the restroom or feel rushed through your rare bubble baths. Also, you could actually welcome guests into your own home without having a bunch of grumpy family members throwing you and your friends disdainful looks.
It had taken a particularly bad week involving all of the aforementioned scenarios for Hinata to realize that moving out was definitely something she wanted- no, needed to do. She felt like she was suffocating in her home environment and she drastically needed some change in her life.
After weeks of saving and scrimping, she had managed to convince her father that some independence would do her some good. Settling into a modest one-bedroom in the outskirts of town, she breathed a sigh of relief. In no time everything was put in its proper place. Within a span of a month, the young Jonin had all her friends over for a housewarming party, invited Kurenai and her son over for a lunch date, hosted an all-girls sleepover, and quickly got accustomed to walking around the apartment in nothing but her underwear.
This was true freedom.
There was much more merriment to experience. She liked waking up early and moving about the place without feeling like she was disturbing others. She enjoyed preparing her own meals and doing things set to her own pace and schedule. She could also purchase items without piquing Neji's curiosity, and talk on the phone without nosy little Hanabi listening in on another line.
As good as life seemed, Hinata didn't want to admit it, but there was one rather large inconvenience to living autonomously.
At least that's what she thought as she balanced a laundry basket across her hip and carefully hefted the cumbersome object from her apartment down three flights of stairs. She hated doing the laundry. All her life, there was a Branch House attendant who personally took care of washing her clothing. Though Hinata never liked having a servant, as it just felt wrong, she often asked Hiroko-san to wash her clothes, as the actual chore was about as enjoyable as a root canal. The closest Laundromat was about seven blocks away, and every time she went, she had to wait an hour to use a machine.
She made sure it wouldn't happen this time by waking up extra early. Upon her arrival, she separated her whites, darks, and delicates into three of eight available washers and measured out the appropriate amount of liquid detergent. After placing coins into each machine, she pressed a few buttons and waited for the sounds of running water. It would take at least twenty-five more minutes before she could move the dampened piles into the only working dryer in the entire establishment. Fortunately for her, it was a super-industrial dryer, one that was made to handle as many as four loads of laundry.
Hinata walked over to a nearby chair and opted to wait out the minutes by reading. However, waking up prior to sunrise coupled with the introductory pages of an otherwise boring medical text book took its toll on the young woman who promptly dozed off, unaware of the young man who came in to wash his own clothes.
Sasuke hated laundry day.
Laundry Day meant being stalked by annoying girls who went through great lengths to steal his clothes or figure out whether he preferred boxers or briefs. Because of those obsessively wretched beings, he took it upon himself to wash his underwear at home. Training clothes, however, were different. He found out the hard way that when larger articles of clothing didn't dry properly, a mildew-y odor would permeate through the fibers. He wore a set of offensive-smelling clothes once, and though it kept girls like Sakura and Ino away, it also gave him a terrible migraine and triggered his gag reflexes. It was a waste, but he had to throw those and all the other ruined pieces into the trash. Feh.
Fortunately, it was just before 5am and he knew that none of his fangirls would be awake at this hour. Upon his arrival, he noticed Hinata sleeping nearby. She was a non-threat; one of the few people he could tolerate- she was quiet and never invaded his personal space. Dumping some laundry soap into the machine, he haphazardly threw his clothing inside, jammed some coins into the slots, pressed a button, and decided to wait outside.
Hinata's head snapped up after hearing a strange sound. Taking a look at the clock, she mentally berated herself for sleeping through the washer's buzzer, and frantically began to pull her clothes out of the washer and into the dryer, completely unaware of her present company. She turned around, only to suffer a near heart attack when Sasuke stood silently behind her with a pile of his own wet clothing.
"S-Sasuke-san!!" she gasped loudly as she pressed her back against the dryer door, clicking it shut.
"I was about to use that," he said dryly.
"O-Oh... S-sorry f-for not seeing y-you," she winced. "U-Um, I can take my things out..."
Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Let's just share the damn machine. You pay."
"E-Eh?"
Before she could protest, Sasuke flung the door open, threw his clothes and a dryer sheet in, grabbed some money from Hinata's palm and emptied it into the coin slot. The cylinder in the dryer began to spin, and all Hinata could think about was how her clothes were currently in there with Sasuke's. Suddenly remembering her underwear, Hinata slumped down the wall in a daze.
Over half an hour later, Sasuke grew unnerved by the way Hinata's eyes would dart from the floor to the timer near the dryer window. Was she that uncomfortable drying clothes with him?
"What the hell is your problem, Hyuuga?" he sneered.
Hinata, showing her immediate discomfort of having to be in this situation with him of all people, pressed her hands into her cheeks. "M-My u-underwear is in there," she whimpered, blushing hotly.
He snorted, slightly taken aback by the assumption that he would give a flying fuck about what she wore underneath her clothes. Her underwear was probably as modest as the rest of her garments. Everything about her screamed practicality, and if that was truly the case, the reticent kunoichi probably wore large, unattractive, yet "conservative" granny panties. He felt the bile moving up his throat, remembering an old woman who rewarded him with a used pair after he pulled her cat out of a tree during his Genin years. He shuddered.
Finally the buzzer rang, and the dryer stopped turning. "If it bothers you that much, I'll let you sort through the dry clothes first. Just don't take any of mine."
"T-Thank you, Sasuke-san!" she cried with much relief, eagerly pulling the hot pile out of the appliance. She found her clothes with relative ease, folded them quickly, went through his pile again to make sure she had all of her unmentionables, and made her way out of the building with a pile of clean laundry and a bounce in her step. "Bye, Sasuke-san! H-Have a pleasant day!" she chirped brightly.
Sasuke grunted as he began to fold his own clothing, trying hard not to ruminate over Hinata's rather cute smile. Grabbing the last shirt, he paused when he felt something in the sleeve and pulled it out.
There was a small trickle of blood escaping his nose when he realized he was holding a pair of Hinata's panties in his hand.
Suffice it to say, the itty-bitty swatch of lacy fabric was far more exciting than the rest of her wardrobe. Did it come with a matching bra? Were there others like it? Sasuke shook his head, trying to rid himself of his wayward thoughts. The dobe and that damn pervert Kakashi were rubbing off on him.
He placed the item in his pocket, briefly wondering if he should return it to its owner or keep it as a souvenir.
A few months later, after a strange turn of events that still had minds reeling from shock, Hinata discovered another benefit to living on her own: her boyfriend could stay over as long as he liked.
On one occasion, while Hinata was preoccupied with cooking their dinner, Sasuke furtively rummaged through her underwear drawer and discovered that the lace thong he gave back did come as part of a set. Fortunately, he realized his girlfriend had a love for lace, mesh, satin, and silk lingerie, things that he hoped would be privy to his eyes, only.
That very same night, Sasuke exposed Hinata to his penchant for tomato-print boxer briefs.
Reviews are love!! Thanks for reading!!