~ Thursday: Mid Afternoon ~

:: Cont... ::

Gobble, gobble, gobble!

That annoying sound was all anyone heard for the next few minutes as the one responsible, tried to clean up his blunder with an associate to the adjacent side. He glared death at the googly eyed stuffed toy that had the stupidest ear to ear grin imaginable made broader by fake teeth… Atrocious was what Sasuke would come to call the tenth one he sat back on the fall leaves littered display.

A more joyous sound emitted from his right that he turned to, adoring that giggle from the woman he was trying to avoid temporarily. He meant to apologize then and give a half-assed explanation while she assisted in his mess. Alas, he could not speak such yet without potentially blurting out the honest to god truth that there was nothing else he wanted right now but her-

"Help? Do you need some help, sir, or are you alright?" Hinata asked kindly enough there on her knees beside him, playing with the cute toy that would definitely bring joy to her future students. That is, depending on what grade she'd be watching. She therefore, hadn't paid attention to the clutz up until this moment. She switched her gaze with all smiles to him, losing that joy and becoming flustered at the frustration on his face that she didn't know wasn't at her. "S-Sasuke? I-I'm sor- I have to go."

"Wait a minute," he might of asked to suddenly, and taking hold of her wrist was a definite no-no that he ceased immediately, "Sorry about that- I… Can you just help with this for the moment?"

That uncharacteristic blush on a annoyed moon kissed face after he snapped his attention away from her, was all the more interesting to the well-dressed woman. She knelt back down at his side and helped put the silly display back together.

The customer service clerk felt like a third wheel the whole silent time to something he had no idea about. It stayed that way long after everything was fixed.

"Sorry again."

It took Hinata only second to realize he wasn't talking to her after they'd stood back up. A pitiful tint of pink at her face arose when she considered how ridiculous she was being. With a shake of her head, she dismissed herself from his conversation with the associate that ended faster than she could of blinked.

"You in a hurry or something?" Crass and tactless lost it's cool edge within minutes of use. He tried it out anyway, alluding to asking her to stay a while. "Is he here?" Sasuke had to question it, fearing a break where it counted.

Hinata sighed heavily, shoulders dropping as she snuggled her purse closer and stopped without turning back to him. "No, Sasuke. Naruto is not with me this afternoon and he won't be around later either."

'Good…' A legit five seconds passed before Sasuke caught on to what she'd said, busy watching her walk away. He grabbed his buggy and hurried to pull it along and catch up to her, questions a flowing that made her roll her eyes. "Erhm, repeat that again? He's not around?"

"What do you want, Sasuke?" Hinata's query was not meant to be rude. She conveyed a subtle plea for him to stop whatever it was he aimed to do. Games were not what she needed right now. "Where's your wife? You should be with her."

'Umm.' Sasuke roughly massaged the back of his neck in a stress filled way, unable to speak without a stumble or someone over hearing. He shrugged instead and managed to get out, "Can we talk somewhere else?"

Then she'd be alone with him and this could all start over again. She shook her head and held her guard for now. "What for?"

'Does she really think I want to…well...' He thought about it first, considering the possibility in the future but- That's a whole other chapter in his life, hopefully. "I need your help with my chore," that little lie would suffice for now, "or she'll kill me," and that was too much, "I mean hypothetically."

Hinata stood in that gray area of her morals, positive he was up to something and also wanting to help him out should he be serious. The risk was there in front of her and the wolf was… tempting as always. "Okay, but I want to make one thing we clear. The second I feel you're stepping out of bounds, I'm leaving."

"Deal." Sasuke didn't quite get that brief and small frown on her lips. She must of mistook his eagerness to have her around him, as the exact opposite. Which meant that the beautiful woman still valued his feelings for her. His vagueness and procrastination could potentially bury that however. With time of the essence, he said, "I just need to pick up a few more things."

What'll happen after that? He had no idea but he'd figure something out.

:: A Lost Woman ::

Sakura had a lovely view of her mother's estate and the millions of dollars put into paying for the stone walkways and trimmed hedges out to the back around the pool area. Not a single leaf of a red, yellow, or brown color, touched these acres of land. Mother dearest would not allow a stain on her property. This is what she owned, worked for, stole… lied… and murdered her way too. Here her heiress was, wondering why she never saw her step father often, considering he might be long gone too.

Emeralds gazed down at the untouched tea cup in her palms that hadn't stopped their shakes. 'She killed people?' More like had them killed from what her mother had relayed to her earlier before running off to go get her 'ledger' of sorts. 'I'm dreaming. I must be. My mother's not crazy.' That woman was brave, loving, and generous. That's what she grew up seeing and believing, or was it? The more she thought way back, the clearer things started to become. Her father would attack them and lock her away many times when her mother wasn't around.

He screamed on for days about how worthless they were and sick. When they left, he tried to keep his daughter, claiming that he could fix her.

Being a maniac and screaming at the glass was not the way to showcase such, nor the beatings. Maybe he was tamer now and she could talk to him. Seeing him again all insane and ready to hurt her, would help reestablish her faith in the woman returning with a thick book. Both of their actions would then surely be justifiable...and yet, she felt tightness in her chest upon considering a wrongful blame shift. "Mother, you did these things because of father, right? To protect us? He's the monster?"

"Hm? Monster? Oh sure, sweetie. A misguided monster that's no longer apart of our lives anymore and he can't be apart of hers." Mebuki was elated to repeat such tragic news, popping down in a vintage chair out there on the balcony beside he queer acting child. "The prime focus here though darling, is this woman your husband is losing sight too. This book has a list of names of those I've had taken care of. Beside each hit is the person for higher that did the job. A lot of these people were complete nobodies and just line cutters, beggars, ingrates, and worse, so give me a moment to find a good mercenary that's not in jail or currently off to one."

Sakura's inner self freaked out while her outer form remained calm and looked over the pages with her mother. Page after page flip, increased her remorse as the names she saw, went on. In a split second, she thought she saw her ex's last name. When she tried to go back, her mother smacked her hand away.

"Patience dear. I'm going to guide you in the right direction. I've hired him many times."

'She's insane…' Here she was fighting to not swallow down the truth. She'd go see her father and confirm it for herself. He'd know… if he was still alive. On the bright side that he wasn't, she could salvage this still somehow use the ledger to possibly retie her bond with her husband if he saw how far she was willing to go.

Doing good has no reward if you can't benefit from it, or so she was told by the same adult now rambling on about some money loving crook and his drug addict partner.

:: A Searching Man ::

"Not today, Kiva. I have to go out for a bit." Naruto turned down the lunch date to scout the area for the woman that should have sent him a voicemail or message by now. He refused to do so first, believing she was the foolish one for leaving. Sure he threw her out and… possibly made her want to make that drastic decision more but… accepting his part in the manner was difficult with his boss around. "I'll be back later," he promised seconds before he was pulled into a spontaneous full on lip lock that was more possessive than passionate.

In the back of the restaurant where no unfortunate eyes could see them, Kiva claimed the distant man's mouth that had failed to feed her attention span and ego today. She called forth a moan from the whiskered fool as she bit his bottom lip softly and pulled at blond spikes. She let go with a flick her tongue over barely sore lips and a light peck to his nose. "Come back on time or I'm leaving alone."

Naruto underwent a blissful kind of shock that he had to shake himself out of, nearly lost in her hips that swayed away from him back inside. He covered his mouth and attempted to wipe that stupid grin off his face. 'I'm married for fuck's sak- Am I?' He questioned whether or not to get on his board to go look for the kind woman who deserved better, or spend the remainder of the afternoon with his potential new partner. It all came down to what was right.

The least he could as a terrible husband, was check on his soon to be ex-wife. He knew a guy that was good at finding people. This same old pervert, was also a great mentor that inspired him to face his troubles and start a a knew back in Helian. He only hoped that Jiraiya could help him and maybe have a condom he could buy off him.

:: Safety First ::

"Do you really have to wait for her to come back?" The shopping was over with quick thanks to two pairs of eyes. Hinata, all wrapped up in the wolf's coat that was supposed to 'protect her' somehow, discovered the strange notion to be quite an oddity like all the trays of delicate eats in the bags beside them. There were also boxes of party favors and decorations too. "This is a lot of stuff to be sitting outside with."

"Unless you have a car, there's no other way I can get home." Sasuke joked because he couldn't be caught dead riding with her. Yet when those keys were dangled in his face and he saw her pride at being helpful, he caved without thinking. "I have gas money."

Idiot.

The wolf wished to have it stamped on his forehead. Those minutes ago, he cursed himself for his response. He should of said, 'No thank you. My wife will kill you,' or, 'Save yourself. I'll be fine. Please wait for me.' What does he say instead? He offers to pay. 'Idiot.'

"Do you have a headache or something?" The car ride was awkward as it is without him hitting his head against her driver side window.

"Everything smells like you." Sasuke's inner thought that surfaced, was so obvious that the driver had to endure her array of warmth at her cheeks and focus back on the road. "I'll help you put your things up first and then you can take me home."

She went with it despite his lack of answering her initial query. "Okay, thank you..."

"Sure." Sasuke sighed inside and out.

Hinata picked up on that turmoil without having to see it directly anymore. "Do you want to talk about anything…?"

There was one topic on his mind. "You and Naruto?"

"That's not appropriate, Sasuke."

"Why not? I'm leaving my wife too. We can be miserable about it together," Sasuke grunted out with another head banger that almost became apart of the dashboard due to how fast she stopped the car. He braced himself for impact, seat-belt not bothered to be buckled in because he believed she was a safe driver. Feeling indifferent, he then cut onyx to the lavender ones that were just as troubled as he was. "Warning next time?"

"M-Me? You're the one saying weird things all of a sudden a-after basically calling us off last night." Hinata got grouchy right back at him on the side of the road.

"That's because I was trying to protect you." Sasuke slumped back in the seat, hating how right his dad was.

"You mean from your wife?"

"No, me." Sarcasm wasn't the best approach, and his lazy head turn her way where he met glaring lilies, made him simper partially. "Because apparently you only want to pry into my business."

"I do not- Hmph!" Hinata started back up the car, turtling in his coat with it zipped up. "You play to much."

"With you, sure. Don't put me out. I'll stop," Sasuke quickly added when she put the car in park again and unlocked the doors. The driver's behind them, would forever be pissed and remember this. "Christ, you leave your husband one night and you're already being assertive."

Hinata didn't glower or sulk, for she found it be a compliment despite how ticked he tried to act. "So what if I am?"

The wolf shrugged and smirked her way, elbow on the window sill and a fist at his temple resting. "Well then… I love it."

His sincere admiration sent a sprinkle of life to the awaiting butterflies in her tummy, driving to her throat. She did her best to tend to the long road ahead of her and not the one that the wolf was attempting to re-pave to her heart. 'He's doing this on purpos- Get him home. That's all I need to do.' A small glance wouldn't hurt just to check on him for a second.

Over on her right, she caught sight that he was dozing off with his back against the seat and head turned away from her. He looked at peace for once though she couldn't see his face.

Many lights later when she presumed wolf was good and asleep, she stopped on the red and took care of one very important thing. His seat-belt. She did so carefully as to not disturb him, leaning over to see he was healing up well too. At that close proximity, she could see the twitch of his left eye that informed her of his awareness that someone close to him.

Hinata backed down swiftly to her seat and held her breath, orbs locked ahead.

The wolf gazed around with half lidded eyes, having missed that action by a second. He could figure it out for himself from the light pressure across his chest that let him know he'd been strapped in. By who was rather obvious and more so because the driver was all tensed and trying her hardest to remain as stiff as a statue. He shook his head and chortled inside, going back to sleep for what he would dub as the best nap he was going to get for a while.

:: The Know How ::

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I haven't seen a woman with that rather… depressing description around here in awhile." Jiraiya searched his touch screen cell that looked way to high tech for his getup, lucky they weren't around any other civilians. None of his contacts had seen such a sad and lonely woman crying her outs on the road somewhere. "My people are clueless too."

"Your drinking buddies don't count. What about her car?" Naruto leaned against the brick wall nearby, apartment alley smelling like your good old takeout and trash. "It's a silver Chevy Spark but she thinks it's pale purple and…you get it. I'll send you a picture right quick."

In all his years, he'd never seen the blond aggravated when looking for someone. "You alright? Does she owe you money or something?"

"What? No, no, no. She's my wife." If he hadn't said it in such a disgruntled fashion with a roll of his eyes after a curt glance up from his phone, then the sage wouldn't have pestered him more.

"Current or former?"

"Jiraiya."

"Hey, I'm just asking because it sounds like you two aren't doing so hot."

Naruto groaned and raked his fingers through tufts of hair. "It's complicated, okay. Have you seen her vehicle or not?"

"... Do you want to talk about it?" Jiraiya honestly wished to figure out what was up this once bright eyed and eager to help young man that seemed more bothered at the very idea now.

"I actually gotta get back to work soo- Son of a bitch." His cell had beeped to let him know his little thirty minute lunch was almost over. "Just text me if you see anything. I have to go. It was great seeing you again!"

"You too, but shouldn't you be looking for your wife if she's missing and all?"

"She's not missing- I… I really have to be going. I'll explain later!" Naruto shouted back, running off simultaneously from a part of himself that was just about done with it's self made noose.

:: Mother 2- I loved him in a fashion that he did not return. He hit me for the woman whose life would hold my least concern. Here see my daughter by the man who loved me not, and watch her suffer a fate birthed by my most heinous plot. ::

Sakura never listened to her mother's advice to hire some random goons whose names she failed to recall. She did let her mom handle that and was quite glad to see there would be a delay in that task. Now that her time frame was set, she was on her way to the last place on earth she'd thought she'd see again. She parked out front to one of the many rugged, reject homes in in the lower class side of Burgundy. Her old home's windows and wooden frames were cracked. Worn were the shutters like the desolate atmosphere around her. The ghost of a sector had some life teeming at random. There was only one soul she needed to see though.

She took a brave inhale and knocked thrice, waiting and sort of relieved to not hear a commotion behind the door. She banged a tad louder, spooked when the door gave way with a nail biting creak. A veil of black was all she could see, causing her to step back down the steps out of freight. 'I'm not going in there. I'm not going in there,' she could repeat that all she wanted but she had to.

She decided to delay the inevitable. "D-Dad?"

Not a sound.

"Dad? Dad, it's Sakura. I was just coming by to check on you." Sakura strove to sound friendly and convincing, shivering at the harsh breeze that brazed past her and pushed her forward some along with the door. Jades froze at the familiar dimly lit hall that she'd been dragged down many times when she'd come home late. "H-Hello?" The stutter was of well condensed fear for her past that wanted it's payment all at once today. "Dad, please just come out."

That was never going to happen so she had to go in.

Sakura clutched her coat close and walked back up the two steps to her old home, entering with her eyes closed and breath on pause. The breeze came in and sucked the door shut behind her, startling the cherry blossom woman enough to bail without hesitation. She tripped down onto the overgrown, pale grass where she crawled away to the sidewalk, breathing rapid. The sight and sound of no one chasing after her this time to drag her back inside...was what gave her some courage to try again.

She made it all the way inside this time and closed the door herself just as easy as she yanked it open to leave.

To fight the darkness, she used her phone to light the way, finding many cobwebs and broken furniture. Dust had a field day about the air like the foul scent of death and roadkill's baby born in the sun. The once broken home had not lost it's goal appearance. The small dinner table with no chairs was missing a leg there in the un-swept kitchen where an open fridge revealed rotten food and bones of rodents. To her right was the entrance to the living room, giving view to the couch that set ripped open.

She entered none of these places to get a better look because if her father wasn't in there already, then he was up the stairs ahead of her. She took her time and endured each crack and squeak to the top where she came to a stand still. Out of the three rooms, her father sat before hers in a dusty chair. A few spiders shifted around his corpse at random and laid their homes down to the gun at his left. Part of the walls behind him were painted a dark, years of dried red. His head was tilted back painfully so like moving it would all but sever it off like his sunk in skin.

Sakura put the posterior of her palm to her nose at the rotting stench and the sight she'd forever guessed would be satisfying to see. The little girl inside that had high wishes of a happy family, shed those internal tears. On the surface, she barely blinked, but she respected his space and choice, observing from her safe distance afar.

In his right breast pocket was a note that she knew had to be for either her or mother. No one else would come here to this side of town where people received very few aid or attention. She donned her gloves, said her prayers, and got it over with.

:: Mother 1- My love was given back tenfold and out came two flowers. One lost and one growing, each by every hour. Petal after petal, my oldest embraces the change. While our common enemy, continues to have the same last name. ::

Helping someone put groceries in their room, should not be a learning experience.

For one Uchiha Sasuke, it was like a whole lesson devoted to how this woman worked. She tackled the heavy objects without asking or complaining, nor was it a competition. He offered to get that for her and she declined, mumbling something about him having a rough day. Well what about her day? Her struggles? She wore them and did something with it. For all that, he was somewhat jealous of her silent approach that succeeded where his was failing.

While carrying some of the off-brand bags of cereal and bread, he pondered on the reality that he just couldn't do what she does, even if he was trying. The longer he tried to wait this out for the right moment, the worse things seemed to get right off the bat which forced him to let go of things he shouldn't for the sake of it.

Sleeping with his wife and allowing her to ignore him, was one of those things. The more he looked at the floral bed of the hotel room, the less he felt ready to be with her though he wanted too. 'I guess this is what dad meant… I'm really going to lose her..'

Hinata walked in on the raven sulking at the edge of the bed with his face buried in his palms. "Sasuke, are you- Is something wrong?" She sat the remainder of the groceries down on the dresser, approaching to his left and taking a seat down. "I have some aspirin if you.. Um."

"I don't need to be medicated, Hinata," that coarse remark and glare was not warranted.

"That's not what I mean-"

"I know that."

Hinata's patience remained intact regardless of his attitude. "Then what's really bothering you?"

"You." He sat up straight and exhaled heavily to get this weight off his shoulders. "I've been thinking that… maybe I'm not ready to be with you."

That confession could be taken many ways, so she waited and heard him out.

"Like I can't even break up with my wife. I'm trying to do it respectfully but it's like…. Everything's going wrong somehow?" Sasuke got to venting, finding it flowing out of him easier in her presence. "My parents think that I should just flat out tell her and then throw her in jail if she acts out."

"You don't want that to happen because?" She asked softly and non-patronizing, goal set to help him understand his actions. "Do you still… love her?"

"Hardly in that sense." Sasuke rubbed at his forehead and shrugged. "It's more like I'm trying to pay homage to the woman I did aspire to marry."

"But she's no longer there," Hinata said it aloud it for him, tacking a gentle touch to his shoulder. She understood that he was just now going through the same thing she'd spent years in battle of herself. "You know Naruto was the most perfect thing after I was all alone too. I ignored every sign and convinced him to marry me anyway. What I've learned from that is that none of us held a gun to each other's head and forced it. Everyone has a responsibility to themselves no matter their past. Owning up to it is hard and accepting the reality you vied for as a lost cause, hurts beyond all else but… starting over is worth it. I've smiled and laughed in this one day more than I've ever had in my four years of marriage." She dismissed a stray tear with the back of her palm, unable to look at him for a minute. "So what if you end up crying a little bit in pieces. You gotta build from somewhere. A pile of rubble is still something… And she might not want to hear it because believe me, deep down I- … I wished he'd have stopped m-me or something."

That small break was enough.

Sasuke allowed her to turtle herself in his coat partly and bawl inside. He then pulled her closer and embraced the lovely woman with a kiss to the top of her plum locks, rubbing her shoulder and entangling his fingers in her hair. "Aren't I supposed to be the one crying?"

Surprised at how lighthearted his tone could be, she sniffled and choked a little, nuzzling against him more. He pulled the collar of the coat down enough so he could at least see her watery eyes and kiss her forehead this time. She grumbled some and shook her head, hiding back against him. "N-No."

"No what? I'm trying to return the favor or do you just want a simple thank you?" Sasuke chuckled at that slow nod of her head. "Ha, thank you then… for everything." He got her to look up at him all amazed like. "I think I understand what you're saying."

"Y-You do?"

He nodded, caressing that damp patch of skin beneath a pale purple iris. "The woman I'm trying to leave respectfully is no longer there. Just because I'm willing to wait and leave the right way, doesn't mean it won't be devastating and that's okay. We're tearing down to rebuild again. I know I'll act accordingly when it happens and she has to handle it on her end too even if it's not the way I hoped for. Honestly, I just wanted you to see that I can be patient and we can work things out."

Hinata felt the waves of heat signs across her face increase, so she hid such a sight from him again. She then mumbled out, "Not if you get hurt in the p-process..."

The wolf moved on to play in her hair, blatantly saying, "It's worth it, not like I can't take a hit either."

"But you don't have too."

Sasuke shook his head at that little grumpy remark. "Well now you know."

"Know what?"

"That I'm stubborn."

Hinata snickered and cuddled against him more. "Such an understatement."

"Pardon?"

Ohh that wasn't meant to escape her head. Lavenders widened above a blush as she tried to lean away, escape, ect. She was pulled back instead and onto his lap where she wriggled for freedom, ceasing motion within seconds after he only hugged onto her and rested on her left. "S-Sasuke-?"

"That's not going to bother you, is it? I can fix it or whatever."

Hinata smiled at that heavily bravado like statement as if he could do anything without a problem despite all his open flaws. She patted his forearm around her abdomen and returned a benevolent kiss to his cheek this time. "You're aware of it so that's your call. I'm perfectly fine with that part of you until you start doing something stupid."

"Hn." Sasuke accepted it in his own childish way, holding onto her tighter.

"Do you always act moody when you ask for advice?" The response she got was another infamous sound and shrug. "Of course. Okay, let me up. We gotta go."

"Already?" He released her from his lap, palms coming to a rest at her hips to turn her around for a second. "Can we just lay here for a while?"

"No, sir. You are going home to handle your situation like an adult." Hinata patted him on the head just to annoy him on purpose by treating him like an out past bedtime teenager. "No more distractions or trying to impress anyone. You need to leave for yourself, not for me."

Sasuke endured the petting, tempted enough to pull her down over him for a little rough housing as payback for the treatment. He sided against it and behaved himself, delivering a short and meaningful kiss to the back of her hand. "I'll try that out for once."

The lady of midnight purple hair, adored the little gesture and his well acted expression of carelessness to his actions. "I believe in you. Now, let's get you home."

:: Some Regressing ::

A certain blond man of perfect tan skin, never made it back to work. Instead, halfway there, he'd received news of his wife's car being on the road and making strange stops. He was then informed of her location at a decent hotel spot. The hiccup in all this, lied in his memory. He knew she saved money well. However, it was not enough to rent a place like this. While standing at her car, he saw some questionable items inside that seemed impractical to buy when someone is living on their own and happens to be known as a cheap spender.

He walked around with his mind drifting to possibilities of what the hell his wife was up too. As he sat on the hood of her car and looked up to the next level of rooms, he hoped to guess the right apartment number of which she was staying in. He didn't bother to ask the manager because who would leave all this food in the car? She had to be coming out soon to get it. This totally had nothing to do with the fact that she might of requested her location remain a secret from him.

Naruto doubted such a thing greatly.

Sure she was upset with him right now and what not. He bet she'd fall over him again after seeing he'd come by to check on her. He'd reject her of course and… try to apologize just to clear his conscious when he's with someone else later. That sleazy choice didn't sit well in his soul this time around. He rubbed at the discomfort that turned into a vice grip when he saw his soon to be ex-wife, leaving her room with his old colleague in joyful conversation. That was arguably innocent enough till the raven stopped to fix that coat on the blond's wife. Time slowed solely for the morally challenged blond at that moment and forced him to watch the same guy his first love left him for, decide at this point he was done missing his mark with Hinata's lips.

~ I appreciate you all wholeheartedly each and everyday for the favs, follows, and reviews no matter the context. Voice your concerns, spite, theories, advice, and ect to your heart's content at your will. Have a lovely day and hopefully satisfying read. May it keep you entertained and curious for more. XoXoXo ~