Author's Note: Gosh dang, 47! The more I reread the previous chapter, the more mistakes I see. Simple ones, too! switched the commas, forgot to type "so" or "he", blah blah blah. Well, shit. I'm too lazy to edit it. I'm sorry. I was kind of content with leaving this a oneshot but then I already started thinking of other things… just those three reviews made me really happy and a couple follows made me feel bad if I didn't continue. Oh, and fret not for Sakura won't be too bad in this. I'm kind of sick of some people over-bashing her. I actually used to be one of those people but then I started to be rational and she grew on me. As for what you're about to read… I'm just winging it so please bear with me.
~## How to Save a Life ##~
Her white eyes were a trademark trait of the many Hyugas he's worked with before. The pale complexion, dark luscious hair. Very common in the family, indeed. She had the potential to be as regal as a princess- just like this other Hyuga he knew. A masculine princess, that is. However, she didn't give off that confident aura and slouched as she entered his apartment. Then again, she did just attempt suicide not too long ago. All this time he thought they were all arrogant walking ice blocks.
But that wasn't why he thought she was familiar. No, he's definitely seen her before and the fact that he couldn't summon any memories of her was aggravating him... Did she say something?
He looked back at her and blinked. What?
"A-ano.. bathroom." Her cheeks turned a light pink. She was as flustered as a child at McDonald's forced to go back to the counter to ask for a plastic bag.
His apartment was simple. Walk right into what was barely a hall with a pantry on the right and the bathroom to the left next to a closet. The kitchen was adjacent to the pantry. Small but efficient, and a little square dining table for two at the end of the counter by the sink. Right at the farthest corner was a T.V and one small love seat and coffee table. On the opposite wall was a queen sized bed accompanied by two lamps on both sides. A larger closet was to the left and to the right were glass doors that lead to a terrace.
He pointed to the bathroom door. "Don't have too much fun in there." He locked his door as she shuffled inside the bathroom, now a darker shade of pink and muttering her apologies. Weirdo.
He took his scarf off and hung it in his closet when he realized that he lived in a studio apartment, which meant there were no guest rooms, or any other room except for the bathroom. He groaned, mentally preparing himself for an aching back at work. The love seat was too small for him. He pulled out a comforter for his soon to be makeshift futon, and laid out a shirt and shorts on his bed for the girl to change into. Just as he walked back to the bathroom, he found her bundled up fetus position at the foot of his bed where he was supposed to be sleeping; on the floor.
He lowered himself next to her. Her breathing was steady and he could hear a light snore. She no longer had that worried look on her face. She looked so serene as if evil did not exist in the world- or she was an angel herself. He was contemplating whether to find out if she was a light sleeper or not.
He gingerly slipped his arms under her knees and back, slowly lifting her up from his squatting position. She was somewhat heavier than she looked. That petite figure was quite deceiving. He gently laid her down on the other side of the bed, away from the pile of clothes and blanket he took out earlier. Funny how he knew she was a heavy sleeper before he knew her name. It might have been from all the stress she's been feeling and... Was that drool? Cute. He'll have to change his bed sheets as soon as possible. She wouldn't be staying long anyways.
~~#€€#~~#££#~~#€€#~~
At least he knew she slept better than him. He kept waking up at two hour intervals to "drop the boys off at the pool" until it was time to get up for work. It was fabulous because most of the time spent in the bathroom was freeing his ass of unnecessary gas instead of the actual shit coming out. His stomach would feel like someone was cutting him open to be a drug carrier except every time he'd attempt to just fart, it felt like more than that would come out, too. Thus, leaving him on the toilet for more than he'd like. Better safe than sorry. At least his back was fine. The fuck did he eat? He only had one mug of beer last night. This is what he gets for saving a life. He took out a tomato from his fridge. Fruit does the body good.
Damn, should I go to work? It wasn't like he was in dire need of money anyways. He had a whole fortune to himself! He took a bite from the tomato in his hand and made his way back to his temporary bed, not without a quick glance at the sleeping girl's form. S'okay, you're not some perv.
He looked back at her once more. She looked paler than before, he noted, and her hair was sticking to her face. He silently leaned over beside her and felt her forehead with the back of his hand. Very warm. He grimaced at her, thinking about the lack of layers she wore outside.
He didn't have any medicine because he didn't believe in it, and usually slept his pain away. Even when snot refused to stay put in his nose and his head felt like it was pounding against a brick wall. He was the painkiller and always got better eventually. His stomach tingled, telling him it was time for another quick trip to the bathroom. He was going to wait that pain out, too. But that was just him. He wasn't so sure about her.
He pulled back the blinds and opened the door to his patio. He stepped into the warm morning sunlightt, taking his phone out of his pocket and looked through his contacts for 'Narutard'. He looked at the cactus beside him.
7:05 : Sick, can't go to work.
~~#€€#~~#££#~~#€€#~~
He came back with a small plastic bag from the drugstore to the scent of rice, tomatoes, and seaweed. He took his shoes off and made a beeline to the kitchen. He was met with a platter full of onigiri and tomato soup.
"Ano, i-it's almost lunch so I thought..." She fiddled her fingers, eyes glued to her feet. She was still wearing that disgusting hospital gown. He laughed bitterly inside his head. Here he was about to play nurse anyways. She was still sweating.
"It's rude to avoid eye contact when talking to someone."
She quickly looked up at him and straightened her back. Her tense stature was making him uncomfortable. "I already ate. It's filled with konbu a-and you had plenty of tomatoes stocked inside.. I'm sorry I-" He held his hand up, signaling for her to stop running her mouth. She bit the bottom of her lip, waiting nervously.
"There's a towel for you in the bath. Take the clothes on the bed and shower. You're filthy." Once more she started muttering a train of apologies as she walked past him to do as she was told. She still smelt like sanitized needles. "And stop apologizing!"
"I'm sorry!" She squeaked before shutting the bathroom door. He sighed and displayed the medicine and hid the one for his stomach in the depths of a cabinet. You know, just in case. But he didn't need it anymore.
He grabbed a bowl and filled it with soup. Should he still eat what she made? He was positive she washed her hands but what if she sneezed on it? No, she didn't seem like the type to be careless with food. Her arms were probably covered in snot and germs to avoid it in today's lunch. Her arms served her well and will be honored, because this was the best tomato soup he's eaten since... Since then. That's all. If only he could just keep her around as a personal chef. And the onigiris weren't half bad either. A simple yet satisfying meal. His stomach was content by the time she finally came out dressed in a black shirt and the smallest shorts he could find. She doesn't have any underwear, he thought as his ears grew hot. He almost choked on a grain of rice. At least her shirt was dark.
She took the only other seat, right across from him. She looked a lot better than she did this morning. Guess it wasn't much of a fever. Tsk, tsk. Wasted money on medicine. He could see her dimples as she gave him a small shy smile, "Arigatou."
"Hn," he drank his water, his throat suddenly going dry. He still didn't catch her name. Did it matter? "Get ready to go back to the hospital." He still didn't have his car ready but if she found a way to this town, she can find a way back.
He raised a brow as her eyes widened in horror, shaking her head furiously. "N-no! I can't go back! Onegai." Oh Kami. Don't tell me she actually was from a mental asylum but from another country. He wasn't going to keep any fugitives around! "Please, I'll clean, cook, anything!"
"Anything?" Even sexual favors? His lips tugged up to a smirk. She turned bright red and started stumbling on her own words, hugging herself.
"I- well, no- I mean-"
He snorted. "Relax, sweetheart. I don't plan on doing anything with you." She let out a sigh of relief and slumped in her seat. "Which is why you need to go back." He gave her a stern look.
Her lips quivered. "I p-promise I won't be a bother!" Well, she did offer to cook... His apartment was fairly clean already. Perhaps fairly wasn't good enough.
"Do my laundry."
"E-eh?"
"You said you'd cook and clean." He deadpanned. "I need socks. Do my laundry." She was obviously hiding something, but he was going to make her spill the beans later if not now. She didn't seem like much of a threat anyways. He leaned forward and rubbed his temples. That means I'll have to buy her clothes... And underwear. His blush left as soon as it came.
"O-okay!"
"Oh, and don't forget to walk my cactus and pinapple every afternoon, either."
She didn't recall a pineapple in the refrigerator but, "You.. Walk your plants?"
"'Anything' she says" he mimicked her. "Besides, no pets are allowed in this building."
"I'm so sorry! It's wasn't my place to judge.." He must be lonely, she thought. She was somewhat glad to know that he cared about his plants so much..? Was that like talking to them? Maybe if she did that it'd help her plants grow as well.
"I'm kidding. That's just ridiculous." She blushed, embarrassed of how gullible she was. He really didn't seem like the joking type.
"Ano... Hinata," she gave him an awkward grin and stuck out her right hand.
He took her hand with his own and gave it a firm shake, "Sasuke." But she already knew that. After all, he was the Last Uchiha everyone pitied yet somehow feared so much.
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A/N: Gah, I feel like I'm making Sasuke talk too much. I actually find him as a man of few words but what's done is done. I feel like I just rushed through this one and I'm thinking of having Naruto or Sakura next chapter.
Ya know that part with his stomach? True story, bro. Except my situation was worse because I was on a 14 hour road Trip. I had trouble sleeping once I got home 'cause of the pain and bathroom breaks. I'd sprint out my door into the hall. The dark had nothing on me that night! Thank goodness it only lasted a day but I missed tennis practice because of it. :/ Enough of my boring life story, though. Thanks for reading!
