FAVORITES

CHAPTER 11

It was strange walking with her like this. Sasuke tried not to look at Hinata as they went, but he couldn't help it. She appeared fascinated by everything she saw: the villagers, the lilies in the flower shop, the holistic ingredients strung throughout the market. She inhaled the scent of every tea shop and sighed at every bakery. But it was the children she smiled at the most.

Despite being so absent of hatred she rarely ever smiled. This is something Sasuke noticed with great surprise. He'd always thought someone as innocent as Hinata was predisposed to be happy. Or maybe he only believed that because it's what she deserved.

It was her family.

Because of her birth she'd been forced into the life of a shinobi. Sasuke would have liked her to choose her own path, to be the person she wanted to be without having to fight ever. Though he was proud of her for improving so fast, he still did not like that she had to fight. In his family the men had always dominated the women in battle. His father was a true warrior. His mother was a healer. She did know the art of the Uchiha, but he couldn't think of a single moment where she'd ever had to use it.

He liked to believe that this mentality had changed. Looking at Hinata, who so painfully reminded him of this mother, made him think otherwise. Looking at her now, Sasuke was stricken by how fragile she looked. How fragile she really was. Her shoulders were small, her face, those eyes, and those small hands . . .

He opened his palms and looked at them. Yes, his hands were definitely bigger. And they would keep getting bigger, but what about Hinata? Wouldn't she always have such little hands? Whenever he thought about those pale, delicate hands curling into fists during battle, he frowned.

"What is it, Sasuke-san?" she asked with a bit of concern. "You're so quiet. If you don't want to . . . if you're doing this just because you think you owe me, please—"

Kami, this girl! "That's not why," he fairly snapped. He apologized right away and took a breath.

"O-Oh, okay then. But where would you like to eat?"

"Actually I was hoping you'd pick. This is something I'm doing for you." Hinata looked down at such a severe angle that her bangs hid her face. Sasuke resisted the urge to lift her chin to meet his eyes. "Is something the matter?" he couldn't help but ask.

"No, it's just that . . ." She smiled at him with a crease in her forehead. "No one ever just does things for me. I'm sort of at a loss." A pang struck Sasuke in the chest.

"You're the heir to the Hyuga throne," he said. "Aren't you, y'know, catered to and all that?" Hinata laughed, shaking her head.

"Oh no! If I were only an heir, maybe, but I am a shinobi."

Yes, that's right. No shinobi should ever be catered to. "What about your 'niisan'?" Sasuke sneered. Again Hinata shook her head.

"No, Niisan doesn't . . . well, he doesn't . . ."

"Yeah?" he pressed.

"Niisan hates me." Now that was hard to believe.

"What do you mean?" he demanded. She had to be talking about a different "Niisan." By no stretch of the imagination did Neji seem like the kindest person in the world, but he certainly didn't hate Hinata. Did she not hear all that crap about him being her guardian? Even in Sasuke's eyes his protectiveness was overbearing for someone who was only preforming a duty.

"It's a lot to explain," she said wistfully.

"I have time." She had no idea how badly he wanted to hear this. It pained him to admit how little he knew about Hinata, and how much it bothered him. They had their fair share of talks because of the training, but neither had ever overstepped that boundary. She did not ask about his family and he never asked about hers. They were alike that way. Listeners and not talkers.

"We'll grab something and go somewhere," he suggested. "Or would you prefer to sit in?"

"No, what you said is fine."

"What do you like to eat, Hinata?" Another question he took ridiculous interest in. She thought for a moment. Her answer made him want to laugh.

"Cinnamon rolls. I love cinnamon rolls. I make them all the time." He took note of that. It suited her.

"I don't think people usually eat cinnamon rolls for dinner, but if you want . . ."

"Oh, haha. Sorry." She blushed. "I like . . . well, I like . . ."

Sasuke shook his head, fighting the urge to smirk. "Okay, maybe it'll easier to tell me what you don't like."

"I don't like crab or eel." Well that was quick. He couldn't help smiling now.

"Everyone likes crab," he said, grinning.

"You're right." She giggled. "Everyone does like crab. I guess I'm the weird one. Does that mean you like crab, Sasuke-san?"

"Hm? I don't particularly have a problem with it. Picking the meat out is troublesome, so I usually eat it with the shell. Eel is better." Her face brightened.

"What are your favorites then?"

Sasuke, much like Hinata, had to think hard about this question. He did like to eat a lot, but never really valued food for the flavor. Iron, protein, vitamins . . . these are the things he cared about. They were essential for training. Tomatoes are something he ate every day, but only because they were good for him. In fact, he wasn't even sure if he liked tomatoes. "If I had to call it anything, I would say rice balls."

"Really?" Hinata was incredulous. "That's so simple. What kind of rice ball?"

"Bonito."

"I see." She smiled to herself. "I always make rice balls with bonito."

"I know. I love them." A reflexive response. He was prone to doing that around Hinata, throwing things out as soon as they came to mind. Dangerous. She blushed at the remark, but his own surprise was probably greater than hers.

That word he used. "Love." Yes . . . that was true. Hinata's rice balls were fantastic. Sasuke made them all the time too, because they were indeed simple, but none had ever come close to Hinata's. How strange that he would use the word love to describe them. He never used that word. For anything . . . or anyone. "We got off track, didn't we?" He rubbed a hand over his mouth. "We're supposed to be looking for a place to eat." Hinata chirped with laughter.

"That was my fault, wasn't it? I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he assured her. "I'm in no rush." And he really wasn't. To whom exactly did he have to rush back to? No matter what he ended up eating—or not—he wanted Hinata to pick something. He promised her dinner. She took a moment to think, smiling still, and began twiddling her index fingers together. Sasuke immediately pressed his lips. He'd only ever seen her do that when thinking about one person.

"W-we could go to the ramen sho—"

"No."

"Wh-why?" She actually looked a little heart-broken.

'Because we might run into the idiot.' "I had ramen today and I want something different."

"O-Oh . . ."

Sasuke flew into a storm of inner curses. Kami, this girl . . . "Are you . . . in the mood for ramen?" he asked reluctantly.

"Y . . . Yes." She perked up immediately, a relief. How quickly she was able to dismiss his rudeness. Hell, being around her stiff-ass cousin had probably immuned her to those things.

"What kind of ramen do you want?"

"I want the fried noodles with shrimp and sweet peppers."

"That sounds nice, actually," he said absently, considering for the first time ever, the flavor. "I think I'll have mine with pork-back and eggs."

"It comes with tomatoes too," she added happily. "People usually have them on the side."

"No," Sasuke said. "I don't like tomatoes."

The sun was gone and the evening was young. There was more than one ramen shop around, other than Ichiraku's, so Sasuke was pleased enough. The market was lively, the moon shining. The upcoming tournament seemed to quake a tidal wave of energy through village and everyone was affected by it. Sasuke was no exception. There was a fluttering in his belly, and his heart beat soundly. He felt like he could fly.

It was unfortunate that with atmosphere came customers, and customers meant people. Lots of people. The ramen shop was packed. "Great," he muttered.

"We don't have to eat here," Hinata said. "We can just—"

"No. You wanted noodles, so I'm getting you noodles."

"Sasuke-san," she sighed.

"You don't have to wait with me. Here, take the packs. Go find someplace to sit and I'll come find you."

"No, I want to wait here with you." The flutter in his stomach turned into a swarm.

"Why?" he said after a moment's hesitation. "Look, there are seats over there. Save one for me, okay?" He inclined his head and slipped his pack off for her. It was stupid of her to feel bad about making him wait in line. Besides, he was weirdly desperate to get her away from him for a few seconds. Just to think. He couldn't think when she was nearby.

She thanked him and went to find a table. The relief was instantaneous. Air filled his lungs, savory and spicy with food from the grills. It lasted for all of three seconds. Aside from relief, there also came a sweep of anxiety. What in the hell? She only just left his sight and already he was scanning the crowd for her. When he didn't see her right away his chest inflamed with panic. What the hell was wrong with him? Kami's sake, he wasn't a lost child crying for his mother!

Feeling more foolish than he possibly ever had, he forced himself to relax. There were a lot of people here, that's all. Hinata was having trouble finding a space, so that's why he couldn't see her. No big deal. He didn't need to keep checking up on her as if . . .

As if she might disappear.

The line had barely thinned out when the ground started shaking. Cries burst into the night. Thick waves of smoke curled into the air that definitely had not come from any grill, and porcelain dishware began shattering across tables. Sasuke swore. The only thing worse than a happy crowed was a panicked crowed.

Mothers snatched their children from their seats, couples fled from the shops holding hands, and men grabbed each other in desperation, demanding to know what was going on. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the village was under attack. "Hinata!" Sasuke shouted, but was overtaken by another voice. It was an officer.

"Get to safety!" he cried. "To your houses! Everyone to your houses! All nin and genin report to the academy at once! At once!"

"Shit!" Sasuke growled. 'Are you kidding me? Hinata—where is she? Where?' He called for her. When he searched the tables and only found their packs, he called for her again. When everyone had fled the ramen shop and he still did not see her, he stopped. His chest felt as if it were ripping apart.

Hinata . . . she was gone.

*AN*

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