A/N: Do you guys remember when I said I'm a piece of shit? It's because I am, lol. IDK WHY BUT I HAVE THE URGE TO FOLLOW UP ON A PROMPT which means starting a whole new fic. Like why do I do this to myself? I have 4 on going fics, ffs! I literally hate myself. Smh, I'm going back and forth on if I should write it out as I update (like this one) or write out the chapters before hand. I have to write it, it's bothering me that I'm not! Word of advice: don't become a writer.

Sorry this chapter is so slow, I like a good build up. Gotta line the plot but for the next few chapters, it'll be SasuHina wonderland!

Fun Fact: I live on Oahu so I survived the hurricane! But the Big Island got fucked up tbh. Plus Maui had that horrible wild fire, dear god it was like someone was playing Jumanji.

Side note! Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who prayed for me and wished me well during that time! I appreciate all the advice too! It was really touch and go and I'm just thankful that the storm turned away from us and died down as well. If it had hit us...it wouldn't have been pretty, that's for sure.

Fun Fact #2: I'm trash at picking chapter titles, this is a good example.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own NARUTO.

Daybreak

Chapter Ten

For Two

"Ah- Hinata-sama! Let me help you with that," Jin offered, swiftly taking the large box from the older kunoichi.

Hinata was about to protest but there was no use now as Jin gave her a kind smile, the action causing his apple green eyes to wrinkle with the motion. It wasn't a heavy box, and she had carried more weight than the few large herbal plants. When Kiba drinks, he tends to quite literally black out and if Shino wasn't with them when he did, Hinata had to drag the Inuzuka's second heir all the way back to his compound. It happened more than she'd liked to admit.

For the better part of the day, she had been helping around the Hyūga medical building with anything the medics needed. Usually it was making salve or other ointment for those who needed it or restocking the storage. She and a few others had cleared out the inventory that had expired and made note of what else needed to be replaced. The head medic, an older branch woman that went by the name Kimiko, had sent her on an errand to collect some more supplies.

After exchanging pleasantries, they continued to the building towards the back of the Hyūga compound in peaceful lull. The four members of the Korime Clan who had been sent to Konoha for treatment had arrived mid-morning yesterday but she had been training with Sasuke, so she couldn't greet them at the gate. She felt a little guilty that Hanabi had to do it by herself, but when some of her younger cousins told her that they had rested the remainder of the day, it lessened a tad. The journey was more than a week and they had stopped to rest along the way, using the last two days to run the remaining kilometers.

Today, their first official day in Konoha, they were being assessed and the medics were mapping out their specific treatment plans. The next few weeks were going to be full of healing and meditation for them so she understood Jin's need to get out of the building as much as possible. Running tests and answering a bunch of questions for hours could be mind numbingly boring.

"Are you excited to begin the process?" Hinata asked as they were in the storage room, arranging the herbs in their proper place.

The blond smiled once again, reminding her of Naruto's mischievous grin. "Yes, I've been experiencing blurriness when I blink then it clears after a few seconds. I'm just glad that won't be a problem. Kimiko-sama estimated that my treatment will take about six to seven weeks."

Hinata smiled back and let the younger ninja launch into stories of his most memorable missions with his team in Iwa. She was glad for the distraction, but it didn't last nearly as long as she would've hoped since her thoughts looped back to the last Uchiha.

Why he was constantly on her mind was...troubling, to say the least.

They hadn't made any plans to spar today, but for some reason she had a feeling that they would be seeing each other later on. Before they parted ways yesterday, Hinata had let Sasuke know that her time would be dedicated to the Korime members when they arrived. It wasn't until early in the evening when Kimiko and the other senior medics dismissed everyone for the day, particularly shooing them from the building.

They were a few steps away from the main house when two familiar figures popped up from around the corner. Taiyo dipped into a bow while a smirk was slithering onto Hanabi's lips.

The heiress crossed her arms under her bust, taking a moment to pause for dramatic effect. "Glad I found you, nee-chan. Your boyfriend is at the gate, waiting for you."

"Boyfriend?" Hinata mumbled though she didn't bother to humor her baby sister with a reply. She stepped around the younger teens and ignored their whispering behind her.

"Hinata-sama has a boyfriend?" Jin asked with a brow raised.

Taiyo was about to correct him when Hanabi cut her off, "Yes, and he's notorious for his temper so I wouldn't flirt with her anymore if I were you."

A thin hand rubbed down the branch girl's face, "Must you be so blunt?"

Hanabi scoffed, the smirk only growing wider, "Better to tell him now then when Uchiha-san decides to string him up by his ankles and cook him for dinner."

"Wait- I'm not- Flirting? No, I wouldn't do that," Jin stumbled over his words, trailing after the two teens as they made their way into the main house. A few older maids in the hallway bowed as their heiress passed. "Tatsuya-sama...he's had a thing for Hinata-sama for a while. I'll just have to break the news to him gently when he comes next week."

Hanabi stopped in her tracks, nearly making the tall blond crash into her smaller form. When she spun on the balls of her feet, Jin backed away a few feet to give her some space. The look of contemplation that took over her features caused him to worry just a tad bit.

"Next week?" She questioned, throwing a bunch of different ideas together in her overactive brain. "Why is he coming to Konoha next week?"

Jade eyes blinked at her for a long second before he cleared his throat. "Yuta-sama appointed Tatsuya-sama to oversee this program personally. Something about good practice for when he becomes Head. He's escorting the last clan member who needs treatment and also to pick up those eye drops that Kimiko-san-...Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sighing, Taiyo stepped to his side, examining the brunette's face with exasperation. "Oh no. I hate that look."

"What does that look mean?" When Hanabi's eyes lit up suddenly, Jin leaned back to cower behind Taiyo's apathetic form.

"Trouble. For you and for me."

About to round the corner towards the front gate, Hinata slowed her steps. Speed walking over there seemed a little too over-zealous and she didn't want...anyone to get the wrong idea. What idea that was, she decided she wasn't going to dwell on it. When she looked up, Sasuke was standing with his back to her, head turned to stare off into the distance.

The two guards posted on either side gave her sideways looks with slightly raised brows, to which she pointedly ignored. If there wasn't talk between the maids already, and by the creepy feeling of multiple sets of dōjutsu eyes on her form - she was positive that there was chatter, her father would catch wind of this development very soon.

Nodding to the nosy guards, who not so discreetly averted their eyes to the sides of them, Hinata cleared her throat to gather the Uchiha's attention. In the back of her mind, she was almost positive that he was aware of her presence, but he turned to meet her gaze all the same.

Those dark eyes that plagued her mind and dreams scanned her from head to toe, causing heat to explode across her face. His...statement from the diner suddenly made its way back into the forefront of her mind for a second before she shook it off. Why his eyes were so intense, she wasn't able to figure out as he motioned his head towards the village before them.

"You're relieved of your duties for today?" He asked though he knew the answer.

Even before he got an answer from her, his feet shuffled as Sasuke began walking away. Pink lips curled into a smile at his mannerisms. They reminded her so much of Neji that it filled her with comfort for a second. In that familiarity, Hinata easily caught up with his long strides, taking note that he again adjusted his pace to make it more comfortable for her as she took her place besides him.

It went without saying that they both noticed how much closer she was placing herself. Far enough apart so that their arms and hands were not accidentally brushing, but close enough to tell people who could read body language that they were friends. Most people wouldn't bother with something so trivial, but, for those such as them who come from clans and families that prided themselves in keeping up social standings and appearances, it meant her acceptance of claiming him as a close friend.

Pearly eyes glanced to her side and with the close proximity, caught sight of the scratches and superficial cuts on his hands and face. Had Hinata looked closely at his fingers, she would've noticed the powdery dough between his fingers. She wondered if he had been sparring someone earlier, but instead asked a different question, "Have you eaten?"

He grunted, to which she took as a negative before glancing around the small district that surrounded them. It was then that Hinata finally realized the attention that Sasuke attracted just by being in the village once again. The villagers usually looked her over and continued on their way, some waved as she passed but with the Uchiha's dominating presence next to her, almost everyone that they passed paused and stared, either in wonderment or fear. Where there was once laughter and booming conversations, in its place was hushed gossip and whispered rumors.

She wasn't sure if he had given it any mind, or simply did not care. With all these eyes constantly watching him, Hinata honestly didn't know how he handled the scrutiny so well. She was going to suggest they go and eat somewhere but that thought died in her throat. So many people watching them would only make her more nervous than she already was.

Her eyes caught the sight of a meat vendor off to the side when an idea popped in her head. Feet breaking the course she was on, Hinata turned to study the food with curiosity, understanding that Sasuke's piercing eyes were digging into her skull.

They would definitely not be left in peace in public and Sasuke seemed to like her cooking so...why not?

If you had told him two months ago that Sasuke would be in his house, watching as Hyūga Hinata, the girl he had been thinking about nonstop, flinted back and forth in his kitchen while she made them both dinner...

He would've laughed hysterically and called it bullshit.

Yet, here he was.

Hinata had once again surprised him today. For whatever reason, she had shown him via her actions that she was comfortable around him and he couldn't help but attribute that to their small heart to heart yesterday when she was discussing her clan. Whatever it was, he was not going to question it right now. She must've picked up on how tense he was when they had been walking through the marketplace because she had suggested that she cook for the two of them, handing him a packaged beef with a smile.

It took her only a few minutes from there to pick up a few more things and Sasuke easily took the plastic bags from her hands. Although there were only two, she protested before he reminded her that he was courting her and it would be rude for her to even think he could let her carry it. She gave up soon after that, a blush and a smile taking his breath from his chest quicker than he could replace it.

Now, as he leaned against the counter-top with his arms crossed, Sasuke couldn't help but feel domesticated in a sense. It was mind-boggling how he got from clashing blades with an enemy ninja a few weeks ago, to watching the woman he would marry cook him dinner...

Was this how it would be? Would he come home from a mission to see long, glossy hair swinging behind her figure as she fixed supper for them? Would she turn and smile at him, welcoming him with open arms? Years from then, would there be mini dark haired children, laughing and running around at his ankles, latching onto him the moment he steps through the door?

He felt odd again. The hammering in his chest only picked up when Hinata threw away the package surrounding some vegetables, her fingers pausing as she caught sight of his failed surprise for her.

"Is this..." Her voice trailed off when she picked up the bowl full of sticky goo. It looked as if the poor cinnamon roll had been beaten and tortured by Ibiki's interrogation force. "You eat cinnamon rolls?"

His face turned to the side, lips pulled downwards as heat popped over his cheeks. "No, but you do."

There was no further explanation needed as Hinata was stunned into silence. Sasuke had went out of his way to make her cinnamon rolls? The bowl in her hand told her it did not go as planned. It didn't look too bad, besides being a pool of icing. How had he known that she liked them?

Had he really decided to make these, just for her...Was he always this considerate?

When Hinata finally collected herself from her astonishment, she was once again taken back when she noticed the tale-tell signs of a blush on the ex-avenger's normally stoic face. Was he embarrassed? Deciding to not tease him, Hinata placed the bowl back in the trash before going back to the dinner that still needed preparing. She was glad for the distraction, because the fluttering in her stomach was not something she wanted to analyze at this moment. When she was in the privacy of her own room, she would take the liberty of assessing just why she couldn't wipe the dopey grin from her lips.

'Sasuke is kind of cute.'

He was almost sure she wasn't going to bring it up until she was done cutting up a few potatoes, "If you want...I can come back tomorrow to teach you how to bake cinnamon rolls...or anything you'd like?"

Head turning to face her once again, Sasuke paused. There was something about the way that she spoke and stood that calmed him. What changed in her that she was so at ease around him? He wanted to ask but was reminded that he had yet to answer her question.

She wanted to come back to his home to teach him how to bake? Was this her way of asking him on another date? Being solely focused on killing and revenge for all of his teen years had numbed him to the social ques and dating norms but he was positive that the guy was the one to ask for a second date. A voice in the back of his mind, eerily sounding like Naruto's teasing, told him that she might not even see this as a date to begin with. It wasn't like he actually asked her out to dinner either.

But, showing up to a girl's house and motioning towards the town technically counted, right?

Swallowing the saliva in his throat, Sasuke adjusted his stance to lean up straighter against the marble countertop. He'd have to change that. Right now. "Surely, you don't have a desire to see my home burst into flames on our second date, do you?"

In her childhood, Hinata was known for being a skittish young girl. It was one of the reasons for her father's dismissal of her at a young age. The members in her clan understood that an unexpected noise, voice or even footfalls could startle the poor girl and did their best to not cause her to jump in fright when entering a room. It made for a lot of broken vases, plates and other things that lay around the Hyūga main house. She had kicked that habit when Hanabi had been small, promising herself to be stronger and less scared as to protect her baby sister. As the years went by and she got a firm understanding of her all-seeing eyes, it became a difficult task to get the long haired maiden to lose her grip or balance on objects. It was naturally a hard thing to sneak up on a dōjutsu user in general but Uchiha Sasuke had a way with achieving the unthinkable.

She wasn't quite sure why his words caused such a reaction from her. If she had to take a guess, she wasn't expecting him to come outright and say it, much less suggest a second date, but it was too late to conceal her reaction as the dish with the cut up vegetables plummeted down to the ground.

With her heart quickened to a pace that she sure was not at all healthy, Hinata watched as the plate made its descent, only to stop half a second later. The unharmed produce was suspended in air, a strong arm under it before it lifted and was placed back to safety. Positive that she did not save it, Hinata turned her head slightly to catch the amused gaze of the last Uchiha.

Less than a foot away from her.

From this proximity, she could only think abou how false her earlier thought was and reaffirm the thought she had a few weeks ago; 'Sasuke was undeniably handsome.'

Saliva slipped down her throat while she swallowed her sudden timidness. 'Oh, no. Don't even think about it, Hinata.'

However, that was too late. Ignoring the thoughts in her head that was measuring the distance from his lips to hers (ten centimeters apart), wide diamond eyes drifted from his lips to his eyes. At this distance, they looked much more full...not to mention, inviting. Smooth. Tempting.

Honestly, when had they been so focused on his lips?! Why, was a better question. The pounding in her chest told her all she needed to know.

Sasuke took a step back from her, noting the blush and the look of startled realization on the princess's face. At a time like this, he wished that the Sharingan could read minds. What was going on in that pretty little head of hers to cause her to drop a plate and freeze up like that, just at how close he was to her. Being the genius the village claimed he was, it didn't take the last Uchiha long to figure out that she was not immune to him as he previously thought.

A muscle twitched in his face, the smirk pulling Hinata from her mental reprimand. Maybe it was because he noticed how carefree she had become around him but Sasuke couldn't hold back his teasing, "If that idea isn't satisfactory, we could go with my original plan for our date."

Hinata had been trying to will away the pinkness of her cheeks, but he was no help in that. With an audible gulp, the kunoichi spun on her heel and resumed boiling the produce for the stew. Whether they both noticed her hands tremble slightly, she was thankful he didn't call her out on it. Sasuke made no move to continue and it was obvious he was waiting for her to respond and she did, as soon as she found wherever her voice had ran off to.

"W-What was your original plan?" She cleared her throat, hoping, praying, that he wouldn't catch the hitch in her voice. The sizzling broth had become the most fascinating thing in her universe that next second.

Reaching over her shoulder to snatch a tomato laying unsuspectingly in a bowl, Sasuke hummed before taking a bite out of it. "You'll see on our third date."

The insinuation didn't go past her head at all, he didn't expect it to either. Deciding that she would soon self-destruct if he continued to tease her like that, he resumed his place of leaning on the counter, making sure to ask if she needed any assistance.

Hinata, thankful for the supplied distraction, instructed him to check the rice before grabbing bowls for the two of them. Sasuke did so without complaint, carefully brushing his shoulder with hers whenever it was possible. She noticed his fingers lingered a second longer than necessary when he handed her a ladle but wasn't sure how to react with the information that he was deliberately, willingly, touching her.

Dinner went by after that without any more bumps in the road. Once her embarrassment died out, Hinata found that Sasuke had a easy time making conversation with her as long as it involved some form of light teasing. He had a certain kind of dry humor that she found was similar to Hanabi and was able to relax a bit after that. They were not the most talkative people, and many times they had lapsed into silence but she was pleased to admit that it wasn't an uncomfortable pause where one had the need to fill it with some kind of chat.

She shoved rice in her mouth when her cheeks bloomed into color once again. He considered this a date, even if he hadn't actually asked her out on one. It was no secret that Sasuke wouldn't be the most well-versed in romantic aspects so she wasn't troubled by his lack of knowledge in the dating aspect. In the grand scheme of things, it hardly mattered either. Especially if they were to be married eventually.

A soft sigh broke past her lips, dark eyes examined her carefully. This was just a formality, and there was no doubt that Sasuke saw it as such. Whatever she had felt or thought back in the kitchen had to be snuffed out quickly. It would do her no good at all to harbor some sort of romantic feelings for the last Uchiha when he was merely doing her a favor to help her survive.

Sasuke was already giving up more than he realized by helping her; to burden him even further was just selfish on her part.

Their clashing eyes caught each other's gaze and she smiled at him over the rim of her tea cup. If nothing else, she was thankful for their friendship and she wasn't about to jeopardize it on useless feelings. They probably meant nothing anyway. Pushing the thoughts to the back of her mind, Hinata continued on with the dinner, paying no mind to the curious looks she garnered.

A/N: Usually I never write an after chapter note, but I want to thank you all once again for keeping me and my family in your prayers and thoughts. Also, please don't be surprised if you see another fic from me being posted soon (sigh) It's been gnawing at my mind for the better part of a year and this fic always throws me in a writers block.

Tell me how it was? See you next time! xoxo