Fanning the flames of Sasuhina

“Aw come on man, don’t call it off that easy,” Naruto’s encouragement came in loud puffs between sets.

“I mean, I don’t think I really get the choice.  She thinks I’m a lying cheater,” Shikamaru spoke mostly to the turf beneath his feet.

“Well, it sort of sounds like you were a lying cheater.  At one point in your life,” Choji counseled softly.  Shikamaru couldn’t even muster a glare.  “And you’re right that Temari isn’t going to stand for that, I think.  So if you want to be with her, I think you need to talk to her and show her who you are now.”

“I’ve been showing her who I am! This is why I didn’t bring it up before, because I was scared she’d get so fucking upset.” Shikamaru suddenly had an outburst. “She wouldn’t look at me.  I don’t even know if she just wants space right now or if she’s planning to never talk to me again,” he added quietly.

“It’ll be fine!” Naruto popped up from his latest set to shout more coherent inspiration. “Temari will overreact, you’ll talk her down, and it will be fine.”

“Now what the fuck does that mean?” Temari’s voice came from above.  Her heart was speeding in her chest.  

CONFESSIONAL, TEMARI: I walk upstairs for a breather after its revealed to me, a woman who has only ever been cheated on, is partnered with some guy who has only ever cheated, and then IMMEDIATELY that guy thinks I’m overreacting and wants to call things off? He didn’t tell me because he knew I’d overreact? Like, no, I didn’t hear everything, but I heard enough. And I’m about to jump off this terrace and take Shikamaru, Naruto, and Choji the fuck out.  

All heads turned towards the terrace and the gym that was housed beneath it.  Temari’s head had popped up over the railing, and Choji and Naruto both stood looking strait up.  Shikamaru remained seated on the ground, head in his hands. 

CONFESSIONAL, KARUI: Ohhh noooo. That’s just no good. 

“‘Mari, I’ll come up there are we can talk, aright?” Shikamaru tried not to sound like he was begging already as he shouted up to Temari. He was full to the brim with dread, which was  threatening to spill over as tears down his face.  

“Do NOT call me ‘Mari right now,” Temari seethed.  “And do not come up here.  You’re fucking right, we should call things off.  Don’t bother trying to talk me down.  You aren’t worth my fucking time and whatever explanation you come up with is equally as fucking worthless because it came from you.”

CONFESSIONAL, SHINO: Temari is even scarier in person than on TV. 

CONFFESSIONAL, KANKURO: Tem’ always knows how to get her point across. 

Shikamaru finally stood up.  He did not, however, provide any response or acknowledgment. He walked quickly away from Temari’s insults and the other Islanders’ stares, but couldn’t leave the almost debilitating feeling of shame.  It was his turn to find somewhere to hide. 

CONFESSIONAL, SHIKAMARU, hunched over with his head in his hands: [silent crying]

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

Dang, Temari didn’t even eat her popsicle before her argument.  Let’s all take a breath and see if there’s somewhere calmer to check in.

Kankuro sat quietly, otter-pop in hand.  His sister remained in her tower.  Shikamaru, being the coward that he was, was no where to be found.  And Kankuro’s partner was in the kitchen, talking to the new boy. 

CONFESSIONAL, KIBA: Kankuro didn’t really seem like he wanted to talk on the way back, and even less so after the Temari/terrace thing, so I figured he needed a little space and I should chill out until he came to me.  And then Shino gave me his popsicle, which was nice of him. 

CONFESSIONAL, SHINO: I am not a big fan of frozen desserts.  I think that I could, however, become a fan of Kiba. 

Kiba looked like he hadn’t a care in the world, slurping on the side of his hand at some melted popsicle.  There was a double date of sorts happening.  The Villa’s most obnoxiously happy couple, Choji and Karui, joined Kiba and Shino in the kitchen.  Choji had broken his popsicle in half to share with his girl, and they looked adorable.  Kankuro would have cut his popsicle in half for Kiba if Kiba hadn’t been such a damn traitor.

TenTen, Sasuke, and Hinata watched Kankuro watch Kiba and Shino.  Hinata had reallocated Sasuke’s discarded popsicle to TenTen’s wanting hands and the trio was lounging across one of the day beds when Kankuro plopped down on the other one, sullen and silent.

“Are you gonna go talk to him or just watch him from across the yard?” TenTen asked when she neared the end of her treat.  Another hearty laugh from Kiba interrupted Kankuro before he got his first words out, making him snap his mouth shut and glare.

“Why should I go interrupt his date?” The bitterness in his voice was undeniable, and in complete contrast to the sticky cherry ice in his hands.  “We’re not together officially; he can do what he wants.  Including make a fool of me with the new kid.” 

“Oh come on, he’s not making a fool of you,” TenTen laughed.  “He was dumb for kissing Shino and he’s being kinda dumb now, but he’s not doing it to hurt you or something,” Hinata thanked all her stars, lucky and not lucky, that she didn’t have to be responsible for counseling Kankuro.

“He’s flirting with the new kid right in front of me!” Kankuro pointed at the kitchen with his popsicle, “how could that not be intentional?” His voice didn’t come out as small as he felt, thank god. 

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

Not calm, but calmer, I suppose. Seems like everyone needs to use their popsicles to cool their hot heads. 

“I think your partner is upset,” Shino observed from over Kiba’s shoulder.

“Kankuro? Yeah, he and Temari are close,” Kiba confirmed. “I’d be upset if my sister were here and locked herself in a room after screaming at someone from a balcony,” he added sagely.

“And you’re sure he’s not upset because you two made out during the game?” The men blushed at Karui’s question.

“I mean he better not be!” Kiba laughed good naturally, “Kankuro kissed Sakura! And it was for a fact that was about me, and that I had told him before!”

CONFESSIONAL, KIBA: Uh, no, I’m not really upset about Kankuro kissing Sakura. It’s just a game.  I guess I was little hurt that he forgot the conversation where I told him how much I missed my ex’s dog, Butternut, and all that? But, it’s not a big deal. Memories aren’t cameras.

The kitchen went quiet as Kiba looked around for his partner.  Kankuro was gesticulating wildly with what was left of his popsicle and flecks of the red ice had gotten on his white shirt.  It did sort of look like Kankuro was gesturing in his direction.  Kiba suddenly felt like he had eaten too much sugar. 

“He hasn’t talked to me once since the start of that game!  He was all eyes for that lanky fucker as soon as he got here!” Kankuro continued his tirade.

“Have you gone and talked to him though? Or have you been sulking in the corner since we got back?” TenTen continued to push against Kankuro.  “And, might I add, you were def sulking during the actual game too.”

“I’ve been sulking in full view on the day bed, not in the corner,”  Kankuro argued.

Hinata stopped paying attention.  It wasn’t any of her business if Kankuro was spiraling out over the game and she didn’t feel like involving herself.  Wrapping and unwrapping the popsicle wrapper around her fingers had kept her hands busy but also made them sticky, and she deeply regretted her choices.   She felt Sasuke’s silent chuckle next to her.

“Do you need some help?”  Sasuke, always a thinker, pulled a napkin from the pile he took from the kitchen.  Hinata had wiped her hands clean and was presenting them for inspection when Naruto approached.

“Hinata, can I pull you for a second?” Naruto had finished his workout and taken a shower while the popsicles had been dispersed.  

CONFESSIONAL, NARUTO: I don’t like ice-based desserts.  I wish I did, honestly, so I could have even more dessert options. I don’t like to miss out.  Aaaaaand I guess I needed a second to build some courage to talk to Hinata.

“Uh,” Hinata froze, her hands now clean but still resting in Sasuke’s palm.  She looked at Sasuke, grey eyes wide.  Her partner dropped her hands and shifted so he could sit up better and look more nonchalant.  “Uh, yeah, of course that’s fine.”  She scooched to the end of the bed and stood up, glancing over her shoulder once more as Naruto led her away.  Sasuke’s face was passive, perfectly neutral.  He did not return her wave.

Sasuke normally hated chatter, but he hated Kankuro and TenTen’s silence as they stared at him even more.  

“If you’re holding your breath waiting for me to cry because some girl I’ve been talking to is talking to someone else for a couple of minutes, you should just fucking kill yourselves now.  It’s not happening,” Sasuke lashed out before he could stop himself.  It felt embarrassingly good.

“Both of you are so damn dramatic,” TenTen flopped back on the day bed.

“Well get ready to join the drama club because here comes Sakura with her old friend,” Kankuro was observant, albeit petty.  TenTen leaned up on her forearms and watched as Sakura emerged from inside the Villa with a sulky Shikamaru in tow.

CONFESSIONAL, SAKURA: I just felt so bad watching him get screamed at and he was just so sad sitting inside so I convinced him to come outside and eat a sandwich.  

CONFESSIONAL, SHIKAMARU: She wouldn’t bring the sandwich to me and I get hungry when I’m sad.  Otherwise I would continue to stay inside and refuse to be perceived. 

“Oh no, that’s just . . . she’s just being nice.  They’re friends,” TenTen sounded as uncertain as she felt. 

“Sure, so are Kiba and Shino. And Naruto and Hinata. We’re all just great friends hangin’ out in a mansion,” Kankuro wanted a beer.  And he would normally go get one, but Kiba the Betrayer was next to the fridge, soon to be joined by Shikamaru the Shameless. Fuck them all.

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

Kankuro is more likely to make a puppet of Kiba and talk to that than just talk to Kiba. 

The Villa was quiet over by the small fire pit and, for once, the quiet bothered Hinata.  She felt bad already; the small fire pit was where her and Sasuke spent the first night of their partnership.  Thankfully, Naruto had his small talk of choice ready and began to fill the silence. 

“So, how’re things going with Sasuke?” After a sufficient amount of time, Naruto broached the intended topic of conversation.  Naruto tried to act as nonchalant as the man he just mentioned, but failed.  

“Good,” Hinata smiled awkwardly.  “Things are good.”  

CONFESSIONAL, HINATA: Things are going well with Sasuke.  He’s surprisingly sweet if you’re looking for it? But also, I feel like I have to look for it kinda hard sometimes, which isn’t really what you want, especially at the start of a relationship . . . ?  

“Okay,” Naruto nodded his head. “Well, I just wanted to talk to you because I completely, completely, fully, respect that something is going on between you and Sasuke, and that it’s good, I guess, but also I wanted to put it out there that I thought that we went on a nice date that one time, and then I kind of backed off because of Sasuke and Neji and everything, but then when Neji left I told him I would look out for you and try to couple up with you, and also I think you’re really pretty—and funny and smart and all that—and again we had that good date, so I was wondering if we could also talk and see if things were good between us? And recouple at the next ceremony, maybe? Or just talk?” Naruto said all of his thoughts at once, some of them coming out twice. 

Hinata silently cursed Neji for leaving her alone in the Villa.  Now she had to deal with her problems herself, damn it. 

“I mean, I don’t want to hurt Sasuke . . . “ Hinata voiced her first thought.  I’m on Love Island, she mentally reminded herself. 

“Of course!” Naruto put his hands up in the international ‘I mean to no harm’ gesture. “No, I would hate to hurt Sasuke.”

“Uh, but thank you, I mean, thank you so much,” Hinata’s manners always came out before she could process the actual substance of her response.  Naruto continued to look at her hopefully. 

CONFESSIONAL, HINATA: Naruto is also so very sweet.  I like how he makes me feel, and how conscientious he is of the people around him.  But I feel like just talking to Sasuke is so much . . . easier?  Ugh.  I thought I was done with love triangles after Choji partnered with Karui.

“Uh, I think because I’m partnered with Sasuke right now I want to focus on Sasuke.  But if things change so that we’re partnered up, I would want to give us a fair chance, I think.”  Hinata settled on a middle ground.  Because that’s how love works. 

“Okay, that’s fair, I get that,” Naruto nodded his head.  

CONFESSIONAL, NARUTO: It wasn’t quite a rejection, I don’t think? Like, she never said she wasn’t interested in me. 

The last straw for Kiba was when he heard Kankuro say his name.  He gave Shino a polite smile and a promise to talk later before excusing himself and striding over to his partner.  

CONFESSIONAL, KIBA: If he’s upset enough to be talking about me, then he should come talk to me.

“Do you wanna go talk, Kankuro?”  Kiba came in a little hot.  TenTen made a face and began to wiggle back on the day bed towards Sasuke and out of argument range.  In immediate agreement, Sasuke gracefully rolled off the bed and lightly jogged to the kitchen to watch from a safer distance. 

“Oh, you want to go talk now?” Kankuro didn’t budge.  He had no reason now that his bedmates had ran away.

“I would’ve talked whenever, but I thought you needed space.  Were you over here talking about me?” Kiba cut straight to the point.  

“Yup, sure fuckin’ was,” Kankuro was unabashed.  “I was talking about how quickly you jumped ship to the new kid.”

CONFESSIONAL, CHOJI AND KARUI: Choji: If we ever get in a fight during a challenge, do you think you’d want me to come talk to you right away or give you space?  Karui: Definitely give me a second. Then come to me with an offering of tea.  Good communication, baby. [they smooch] 

MIGHT GUY, AS NARRATOR:

It’s late afternoon, and the kitchen is filled with people quietly pretending they aren’t trying to eavesdrop on Kiba and Kankuro.

Every Islander who was not actively hiding or arguing found themselves in the kitchen.  Sakura and Shikamaru sat together in a corner with their sandwiches; Choji and Karui had moved on from popsicles to left-over sliders; Naruto and Hinata had ended their conversation and wandered over to inspect their options for dinner; and TenTen was definitely not watching Sakura and Shikamaru interact behind Shino’s shoulder as she spoke with her new roommate.  

“For you, sir?” Hinata walked up to Sasuke, a toasted Uncrustable in hand.  A small smile forced its way onto his face.

“For me?” He accepted the sandwich.  “Thank you, ma’am.”  They ate in silence until he neared his last bite.  And then, “You don’t need to give me a sandwich to make me feel better.  I don’t care that you spoke with Naruto.”

CONFESSIONAL, SASUKE: I reiterate, Hinata can talk to who she wants.  I don’t care what she does.

“Oh, I just wanted to make sure you ate,” Hinata’s reply was as simple as her motivations.  The last bite of Sasuke’s Uncrustable tasted a bit better than the rest. 

“Thank you,” Sasuke said uncomfortably.  He busied himself with wiping up some invisible crumbs from the table.  “What’d the two of you talk about?”

“I thought you didn’t care?” Hinata was a tiny bit smug while she popped the last of her sandwich in her mouth.  It looked good on her. 

“I don’t care.  I’m just curious,” Sasuke’s defense was feeble.  “We’re partnered up, it affects me.”  

“Of course it does, I’m sorry,” Hinata smiled patiently while Sasuke scowled.  “It was really nothing too interesting,“ Hinata’s response was cut off by a cry of frustration from either Kiba or Kankuro.  Their conversation had devolved into variations of “well I was waiting for you to talk to me!” being yelled back and forth. 

“Dipshits!” Temari’s voice rang out over the Villa before Hinata could begin again. “I got a text!”  All heads turned in the direction of her and her terrace.  In a grim voice, she read aloud:

Islanders, please gather around the fire pit immediately.  It’s time for another Recoupling Ceremony. #Everyone Loves a Surprise 

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