(Sasuke's POV)

Chapter 14

Empty shell

It's been a while since Hinata and I had settled the arrangement. It was actually Hinata's father that had done the deed. How he found out wasn't ever something I questioned, (that was unbelievably obvious) it's why he accepted the nonexistent relationship between his daughter and some "ill mannered hoodlum" (or whatever the hell he called it), was the real question.

I didn't expect it to end up this way. A little more of a fight was what I imagined, but a handover? It was like a present.

Really, I should be happy with whatever happened. Strangely, that's not the case.

The only problem was…that Hinata hadn't been resistant to the situation. How is that bad? Only because it showed her lack of free will.

This causes me to worry. Almost like I had actually cared. But through it all, someone has to know that I do. I'm not as heartless as I seem. Nor am I as cold. Just rough around the edges and breezy here and there.

Anyways, It was a total turn off. I had no desire for anything so unordinary (her not being herself). My plan had been going so smooth before the set up. I was having fun, and I'm sure she was too, even if she didn't want to admit it, she knows damn well that she couldn't dislike all of it.

God, why couldn't the fucker just let me do things my own way?!

Now instead of her coming to me willingly she- she's practically an empty shell doing her fathers bidding for some reason I am unaware of.

So here we are.

Unaffectionate, unemotional, distant and heading towards nowhere.

Yet somewhere along the line, she seems…like she doesn't care either way.

000

I was taking my time on my way home. It was something I was doing more often. I'd even go to the highest lengths to enjoy this time to the fullest. I'd wait till everyone disappeared from the streets to just be alone and in peace.

I haven't seen Hinata for a while, two weeks if you really want to know. It doesn't bug me to tell you the truth.

Sighing, I trudged forward feeling not as great as I did the day before. It's a pattern that has ceased to end.

"You are such an idiot!"

I turned around, to see- nothing.

"How can you be so stupid?! I don't understand you at all!"

"Hinata?" I said to myself as I strode towards the training grounds, hands in my pockets. The voice became louder as I came closer to the site. Almost feeling a bit bad to be intervening with something I wasn't invited to.

Really, I didn't feel bad, with her I cut in all the time.

I made my way closer to her, but not too close. Not enough to be seen anyways. I peered around the tree, hands still shoved in my pockets for hidden warmth.

Hinata stood there coughing for a moment, her throat probably killing her from the unusual amount of volume she had been exerting. She placed her hand over her mouth stifling her throaty coughs.

"Whew…god, that hurt." she said, holding her throat.

For a few minutes she just stood there, looking down and kicking whatever pebbles she could find near her and finally after some time she decided to sit.

I was utterly surprised.

As soon as I heard her scream I felt excitement run through me. Almost playing with my mind. This was the person I had been wanting, that I'd been needing. Anything but that hollow shell she's been sporting.

Wanting to go up to her I composed myself, putting the mask of indifference on my face. Though it was a bit of a struggle seeing how I excited I was. Both mentally, and a little physically.

I took a step forward and- "Stop," Hinata said, turning around and crossing her legs to look at me.

I wanted to smile. "Yes?" Had she known I was here?

She paused, and neither of us had spoken a word until the long moments of silence she had been waiting to end, finally finished.

"Was I really that loud?" She asked me. She seemed almost unsure of what to say.

"It was almost as loud as Sakura." I commented.

She winced, and her jaw clenched a bit. Hinata didn't like that answer.

"What are you doing out here, other than screaming at yourself." I asked, taking slow steps towards her.

She sighed, looking away, "Just…sitting, I suppose."

And now I was three feet away, "Can I sit?"

She looked at me, questions filling her gaze, "You may sit." She said simply.

What are you holding back?

I sat, elbows upon my knees, "Is it bad if I want to kiss you?" and all I could do from that moment on was stare at her. Waiting for an answer that I might not get.

Knowing that- it had irritated me.

She looked at me cynically. The blush I had been waiting for hadn't even graced her face. "I'll pretend I didn't here that." And she abruptly stood up, ready to leave.

But when she walked passed me, I grabbed her arm and pulled her down, muffling her 'bye' with my mouth.

She didn't move, and she didn't resist. She was nothing again.

I brought myself up, hovering above her, "Why can't you accept this?"

She didn't answer, but she came up to kiss me, wrapping her arms around my neck and taking me down, over her once again.

Too surprised to have her suddenly do this, I went along with it.

Eek! I see confusion.

(...)

Don't be intimidated by the size of it. (hehehehe) ... I meant the EXPLANATION.

I'm so very sorry for that. Actually, I want to clarify! From the last chapter there had been many questions on why Hinata had been content. Reasons for her contentment is the simple reason of her not caring anymore. And Neji being in the story and being the one who dropped the bomb is because I just really like writing Neji. But that's not the only reason for him. In the beginning chapters, Hinata states that she has no relations with her cousin, that speaking to him is like interacting with a brick wall and in my story that type of connection (lol) is mutual. So when Neji saw that Hinata was having some strange engagements with Sasuke, he didn't attack her out of spite, he just saw and told. To Neji this whole situation is no big deal. And truthfully in the story, the whole Hyuga family, including one of our main characters, Hinata, just doesn't care anymore. All hope seems to be lost and there's no reason to do so, no more reason to struggle for something she has no power over. So her, (Hinata's) only choice is to be happy with whatever she has. And that's exactly what she's doing. Not to mention that her saying she was content was after a long period of time. It wasn't just a spur of the moment, "I have to be with him, and I hate it, but I dont becuase he's cute, so- i'm content!" Please tell me you didn't think that...T-T...Anyways, she made this decision after a hefty amount of time. You give it a time limit, i'm just saying it's month(s) time.

Ten reviews please!