~ Thursday: Evening ~

:: Father's Wishes ::

My Dearest Daughter,

This letter marks my end and your beginning. The day your mother left and took you with her, turned out to be the best and worst day of my life. That woman who gave birth to you by tricking me, remains a demon in this world that I hope you never turn into. I can't say I'm sorry for what I did because I know you posses the wounds to deny otherwise. Therefore, you don't have to. All I wish is that you save yourself. See the wrong before it's too late and you lose what you could of had.

I never loved your mother.

We were never married. You were an accident and one I thought would be my upmost regret in life. Going back through your room and scavenging for your old pictures, I came to see a child I refused to accept. Back then I'd foresaw a finished, horrid painting where there was none. In reality, you were new. Fresh life ready for sculpting and guidance. I hurt you during each phase because of her. You are not your mother and you can show the world what I've refused to accept for so long.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Sakura flipped the page back and forth, looking for the rest. The tear lines at the bottom had indicated to her that there was more. At her lengthy kitchen table of a polished glass surface, she rested in seat with the note before her, legs crossed and elbows propped. 'Is this really it?' While she was somewhat touched by his lack of apology and high hopes, she expected more. The blood splotches made it difficult to read aside from the careless rip at the end. She looked it over again, feeling incomplete.

The ring of the doorbell drew her attention there. "Who is it?!" she used her outside voice because she was far away. She hoped to hear her husband's own that way they could talk something out and-

Another chime sounded, pulling a twitch from her brow. "Sasuke, you have a damn key! Use it!"

This time a harsh knock occurred, forcing her up out of her seat. She marched to the door and yanked it open, mouth open to shout and now closing at the peculiar surprise.

:: If You Want Love ::

Sasuke carried a few bags in both hands while his amazing helper, carried the rest. "You know I'm not sick or dying. I can get those too."

"I got it." Hinata stumbled a little up the walkway but she did it, setting the party supplies by the doorstep. "There!"

"Another five feet and you would have toppled over." He endured that returning glare of hers with a smirk and set his own things down. "You know I'm messing with you." He then dusted off his hands and shoved them in his pockets, turning full frontal her way. "Well?"

"Well what?" She had her own stance back towards him, arms crossed.

"My coat? You still cold or-"

"Wah? No, n-no. You can have it back." Hinata started to take it off and ended up being stopped there early. She got all a flutter inside when he pulled the coat back on and held the collar ends.

"Keep it. I'll come get it later." He left it at that, switching to pulling out his keys thereafter. He moved to open the door until out of the corner of his eye, he saw she was still there. He arched a brow and decided to toy with her for her clear ogling. "You'll need to use a window if you want to come inside. It's only fair."

"Oh you're such a- I'm leaving." Hinata did her little 'hmph' and walked off with her arms about herself and nose up.

"I can see that."

She rolled her eyes and suffered a deeper shade at her cheeks nonetheless. At the car, she mumbled to herself and ignored that upturn in the corner of thin lips. Her wolf with very few discipline, had the nerve to wave to her innocently like he hadn't said anything smart. She shook her head and got on inside, totally not looking forward to him coming over at all…

The Uchiha would disagree. He had to go somewhere after the discussion with his wife. He waited for Hinata to be safely out of view before he opened the door to a home he was more than ready to leave. Instead, it opened for him and introduced him to one of the many people he wished to avoid. "I thought you said you would never come here?"

"Now, now, Sasuke. Surprise visits are more than acceptable when the situation is dire. Judging by how quick whoever dropped you off left… this might be more troubling than I had first guessed. Was that a woman I heard out here?"

"No, Mrs. Haruno. It was my brother." Sasuke found his mother-in-law to be a disturbing woman. She had this gleeful expression that poorly hid a sinister like intent should someone piss her off. He knelt down and picked up the groceries, denied entry by her presence in the way. "Excuse me."

Mebuki's smile sort of stretched as if strained. She proceeded to step to the side in a strut back to the kitchen. "No wonder your homes falling apart, dearest. Your husband lacks any training whatsoever."

He mentally groaned at her nagging, double taking outside to make sure her car wasn't there the whole time. "How'd you get here?"

"Ever heard of a limo, Sasuke? Or are you still pretending to live in the lower class? I have things to do and unfortunately, there's only one of me."

Sakura winced when she heard her husband mumble something along the lines of, 'Thank god,' as he entered the kitchen. She apologized by mouthing the words to her mother who cut her off with a raised palm.

"Why do you have a problem with me, Sasuke?"

Sasuke sat the snacks and such on the counter, glancing back over his shoulder once. "You don't like me and I don't like you. It's as simple as that. Now allow me to ask the real question. Why are you even here?"

"Sasuke!"

"It's okay, sweetheart. He's right! I wished you'd have married a more promising, acclaimed gentleman instead of this wanna be stray. Would of saved me some mileage."

"Don't forget your daughter chased this stray." He joined them at the table but he didn't sit. He stood at the head and glowered at the woman who'd despised him from the start. Why? He had no idea but he returned the favor.

Mebuki clasped her hands together over the table and said with a lift of her shoulders, "She's generous. What can I say? She gets it from her mother. Always trying to save people who don't deserve it."

Was this supposed to help? Sakura quickly saw otherwise because her husband was about fed up already. "Why don't we change the subject to something more important? Hm? Sasuke, love, sit with us- Where's your coat? Never mind. There's something I want to talk to you about."

"Is it about the divorce?" He'd rather not stay in this house any longer than he had to, especially with that posh woman present. "Did you tell your mother?"

"A divorce?" She arched a fine brow to her daughter who started to fret a bit.

"He's talking nonesen- rambling! Sasuke, sit, please." Sakura patted the surface of the seat beside her, straining to keep her cool the more he disobeyed.

Sasuke looked to his desperate wife, deadpan. For a minute, a part of him considered hearing her out. Then her mother reminded him why he shouldn't.

"Don't forget to give him a treat when does."

"Mother!" She hissed, jutting up from her seat when her husband started to leave. "Sasuke, hun, wait!"

"Don't chase it again, dear. We'll fix him later." Mebuki sipped her tea and crossed her legs, watching her daughter run off anyway. 'Children..'

Sakura hoped he didn't hear that. Seeing as though he shot a disgusted expression back at her like she was an exact replica, he'd heard more than enough. "Sasuke!" She followed him outside and down the pathway. "Sasuke, my mother didn't mean it. She's…She's not well!"

"She's been sick for a long time then." He went to his only remaining vehicle, spotting her approaching from the glass this time. "I really don't care to see her get better."

"Then what about us?!" Sakura reached for his shoulder in a motion that must of been mistaken for hostility. Her wrist was caught and held tightly there in that moment. "Sasu-"

"Don't touch me. I'm leaving. When she's not around. We need to talk." To clarify what he meant, he said it aloud for once and let her go. "It won't be about the party and it sure as hell won't be about your mother. I want a divorce, Sakura. Do you understand? I'm done." Maybe that was spoken to harshly and not sympathetic enough.

His wife seemed confused on the tone as well. "But… why?"

"Why? Are you seriously asking me why?!" Let the shouting match begin. Each opponent took a step up to the other and gave it their all for the world to hear.

"If this is about me hitting you that night, we've had worse fights than that!"

"And who always starts them, Sakura?!" If he clenched his fists any tighter, blood would surely be drawn.

The cherry blossom woman was no better off. She held her hands on her hips and gripped hard. "You?! Who else? All you had to do is act accordingly! It wasn't hard for Naruto!"

"Obviously, I'm not Naruto!"

"More like you just didn't love me enough!"

"I didn't lov- For fucks sake!" Sasuke grabbed her by the shoulders and shot back, "I was more than in love with you. I wouldn't have put up with the bullshit fights for years if I wasn't. I waited to marry you because I didn't want to scare you off. I admired and worshiped everything about who you were before the ring. I was sickly glad to have you from him then. But whoever the hell you are now… I don't want any part of it."

Sakura felt that grip on her upper arms lessen like his feelings for her she assumed she could mend. She hung her head, vocals breaking. "S-Sasuke, I didn't know-… I'm sorry. It's my parents' fault an-"

"Don't. Just don't make anymore excuses for this. I'm going to go and you can call me when she's gone."

Glistening emerald loomed up to see him slip away. He was about to take off and there was nothing she could do to stop him this time. Or was there? She hurried around in front of him and struggled for a winning plea. "Sasuke, wait, wait, w-wait a second. I need to tell you that I-" She stalled, noting they used condoms frequently so that excuse wasn't going to work.

Sasuke stood there impatiently with the keys in his hand, checking his watch once. "Make it quick."

"Okay! Okay, um.. I-... I'm… not well." The incredulous look he gave her said it all.

He wasn't buying it. "Must run in the family. You should see a doctor-"

"No, no, no! My real dad killed himself." That was technically true. Sakura hugged herself this time, grasping at straws. "I need you here," she begged sweetly enough with an array of real tears, "Mom is a mess and I'm no better and- My behavior is inexcusable still but, that's why I've been so jumpy lately… It'll never happen again I swear."

Sasuke sighed with a stressful glance to the keys and then his gloomy wife.

:: I'll Drown My Pain In Someone Else Till The Need To Hurt You Takes Top Shelf ::

Naruto awoke to a warm sin lying on his right pectoral, manicured hand at the center of his chest. He blinked away the tire from hours of physical venting sessions and looked to his clock that read, [7:36 p.m]. Beside the time were two wine bottles and no cups. Chug away became the name of this event. He smiled and addressed the owner of this bed of chocolate locks, splaying his fingers in them. "You awake there gorgeous?"

"I am now." Kiva yawned softly and cuddled there more for extra bare skin contact. "Why though? Is she coming back for something else soon?"

"She's at her cousin's place for the night so it's fine…" Lying was almost second nature here too right beside unbridled hatred. "You busy tomorrow?"

:: Should She Do It? ::

Hinata was ready for bed.

She walked around in her lavender, satin gown all soft to perfection. The V was borderline inappropriate, but she didn't expect any visitors anytime soon. With her small TV set to seasonal music channel for the peaceful backgrounds, she grabbed her sparsely drunken cup of hot coco and prepared to ease on in bed. Just as she was about to turn in, there was a knock at the door. Thinking it was the wolf, she sat the cup down quick. As she passed the mirror over the dresser, she doubled back to fix her hair, realizing her long weightless tresses could not cover her bust anymore.

Afraid to look like she was up to something, she grabbed his coat and slipped it on. They had to behave though a part of her wouldn't mind a moment at some point. She blushed and took a deep breath, opening the door with a soft smile of which faded when she saw who it really was. She looked to her clock that was on past ten. "Naruto...?"

"You sound disappointed? He must not be here." Naruto lazily propped a forearm on the door frame and leaned in to look around until she started to close the door. "Or is he?"

"He's not here and you should leave."

"But I want to talk," he said out of nowhere and solemnly enough, backing off still to show her he wasn't a threat, "Can we?"

"Why now?" Hinata stayed cautious, refusing to let her heart be recaptured. "What do you want?"

"I'd like for you take me back but I understand that's not going to happen." Naruto sighed tragically and leaned back on the rail bars to her hotel floor. He frowned while rubbing the back of neck shamefully so. "You're the only one I can rely on to be there when I need help."

"So you need something?" Hinata didn't like this borderline sullen and depressed blond.

"It's the party tomorrow. I'd asked someone else just for the hell of it but… she doesn't want to go. Guess I'm not that high of standard on her list."

"Was it Kiva?" She looked him over skeptically and in clear offense.

"Yeah but it doesn't matter." He grumbled and shook his head like he was trying to get back on point. "So, anyway, I was hoping we were still on. I know it's shameful of me to ask and...well, you've always made me look better than anyone I've ever been with. Why do you think I brought you around so much?"

Hinata witnessed a tan man force flattery that could never heal the scars he left. "You never loved me, did you?"

"I did and still do-"

"Liar."

"I'm not lying!" Naruto took his volume to another level. He had to express something that even he didn't know at this time was more than just words. How else was this going to work? He conveyed it strategically still, "Seeing you with Sasuke awoke something in me that I didn't know I had... I was envious of him for just being near you like that. He's already taken one girl from me and you… you were really my woman though. Sure I said some things I shouldn't have said back there and-... I know you don't believe me."

Hinata allowed him to suffer in that dejected state that she knew well, but not for long. Her innocence and nature, would not allow her to be so heartless. "Naruto… All I have to do is pretend?"

He perked up and nodded, gratefulness in azure. "That's all! We don't have to touch or anything just… fake it till it's over."

"I'll try." She looked down and thought about it more, chin tilted up by the man she'd vied for endlessly at one point in her life.

"Thank you." He smiled appreciatively and caressed that warm amount of flesh there on her neck. "You can wear whatever you want. I'll be late of course because without you, you know I don't have any clean clothes."

She shrugged uncomfortably and nodded. "I-I guess."

"There's no guessing. You were the one and I'm sorry." He attempted to place a kiss on the back of her hand sincerely but she wasn't having any of that judging her quick snatch away. "Hah, that's fair. Just make sure he treats you right."

Hinata didn't know what to make of this all of a sudden. None of it set well in her stomach and his weary, pitifully regretful smile and wave back at her as he walked away, made her question a lot of things. 'He's actually... sorry?'

:: Two Hypocrites Under One Roof... ::

Stark in the middle of the night while the previously visited woman was lying awake in bed all confused, another knock occurred at her door. She slid out of bed in a daze and opened it this time with an alert fullness. Relief danced over her to see the wolf for once. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed energetically in a whisper, "You came… Is everything alright?"

The wolf shrugged and held up take out. "Hungry?"

She tilted her head to the side at a loss for this tired air with him. "Oh..um, sure. Come on in. We can eat on the floor. I'll get us some pillows."

"Thanks." He entered with a sigh and closed the door while she worked away. "Have you ever had trouble telling whenever Naruto was lying?"

Hinata froze at that random question, wondering if he saw the blond earlier and that's why he was being so quiet. "U-Usually I don't."

"Well, with Sakura, I've no idea sometimes. She told me that her father committed suicide and yet we're throwing a party instead of a funeral." Sasuke rested on the floor at the end of the bed, impatient for the pillow.

"Actually, that does sound weird." Hinata plopped down beside him with the two pillows still and wrapped in his jacket. She got a bright idea to get his opinion on her circumstances. "You wanna know what's weirder…?"

"Shoot." Sasuke handed her a container of sesame seed chicken on a bed of fried rice.

"Naruto came by earlier to apologize."

Thank god the raven hadn't started eating yet or the carpet would of had a nice spray of rice and peas. "He what?!"

"He said he was sorry and a bunch of other stuff." Hinata picked through her food for those healthy little morsels of carrots, peas, and broccoli to bunch them all together. Onyx continued to bear down on her.

Sasuke sat his food to the side to deal with this more pressing matter. "Don't tell me you believe him?" No direct reply escaped her lips at all. "Seriously?"

"I d-don't know."

"What do you mean you don- What did he ask for?"

"He just wants me to go to the party with him and pretend we're still together. That's all." Hinata saw then that this closeness between them might be a mistake. "There's no touching required or anything like that."

"The party." He was damn near ready to boycott the whole thing. "He wants you to go to the party with him and fake like you're his girl. He can't find someone else?"

"He did but... Kiva shut him down."

"Good."

"Sasuke, don't be mea-"

"I'm not. I'm being practical. Your husband just degraded you hours ago and he even admitted to trying to get with another woman. Why do you want to go through with this for him?!"

"He only did it because he thought we were together!" The room got louder and louder as two battered souls, forgot how their pieces connected perfectly together to make whole again.

"You still believe that?!"

"We're not!"

"Not physically perhaps and that's your fault."

Hinata gasped and hurried to her feet, marching to the door. She yanked it open and pointed to the exit. "Leave!"

"Aren't you tired of that yet?" Sasuke had reached his limit as well from all the games, bittersweet farewells, and her obliviousness to how short that nightgown was. He sat his plate to the side and got up though, heading towards the door.

"You're forgetting your food." Only then did Hinata realize how taller he was than her. Instead of feeling intimidated there was a much more troubling commotion going on. "What are y-you doing?"

"Closing the door." He pushed it back shut, surprised by that quiver in her body that surfaced instead of a jolt. His palm stayed there on the door as he looked over the flustered woman who refused to see him. "Hinata."

"What?" Her voice was off and a little breathless. She hid it behind a hand and avoided his gaze altogether.

"If you really want me to leave, look at me and say it." Sasuke waited for the pouty lips to make a request. When no such thing came, he said, "I'm going to take a shower then. You can think about what you want while you put on some pants or something."

Hinata shoved her tresses behind her ears and glared at his back. Not even seconds later, she turned all crimson when the wolf decided to address right there. "Go to the b-bathroom."

"It's small though."

"Now!"

"Fine." He took off his shirt anyway just to spite her. "Not like you're attracted to me or anything. There's nothing between us, remember?"

Hinata understood then what this fit was about. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came out for he was already gone, rushing water the only sound. She crawled onto the bed to think more comfortably on the raven's request. When Naruto had said he did love her, she felt no rekindling of sorts. The majority of the time, she was suspicious. Apart of her old feelings was probably still lingering somewhere. When the wolf was around, it seemed to dissipate. She felt happier and safer. She could trust his word for the time being. Seeing him get all anxious because she might go back to Naruto, was a little too exciting to fast.

Their argument didn't feel like one either to her and more so something oddly passionate. They were trying to understand each other and their partners. She was also trying to deny the obvious that she liked him.

She liked him a lot.

His coat was the closest thing she'd come to admitting it physically so she hugged herself and laid there all bunched up in his scent. Of course he wouldn't be able to behave if she told him flat out so, she thought she could hide it for a while longer. At the creak of a door, she shot lilies to the perpetrator leaving the bathroom to soon.

"I need another towel for this later." He pointed to his wet hair like everything else was just fine for he did have one at his waist at least. This unintentional flex was far from excusable. He saw no need for punishment because to him, hearing her remark on them as 'friends' bothered him. He didn't mind being her friend like that, but the way she said it made it sound like that's all they'd ever be. Which was quite contradicting to what he'd been told. Well, if she doesn't want him, he can't force it. This right here was therefore nothing short of typical 'friendly' behavior. "Which box are they in?"

Hinata is an innocent soul so seeing him under such damp conditions was not the problem. The reason behind it though, made her flush. She understood that he was still upset and so just acting out. Here she was all curious to if he always resulted to sex appeal when aggravated.

Both of them were majorly off.

Misunderstandings can often lead to some beautiful things.

The woman all a flutter managed to get herself under control. She sat up and looked away from him, pointing from broken memory to a box over near the bathroom. "It's that one I think."

"Uhuh." He shook his head at her confusing behavior before turning to the stack of sandy brown. The first box had nothing in it but clothes. As for the second, he found clothing once more. To be precise they were… one whole set and skimpy. He quickly glimpsed back over his shoulder once to see she was still in a mood. He then pulled out the first item of which might as well be a sling-shot with extra string. It was actually a T-string thong in his favorite color.

A normal person would have put it back and closed the box.

Sasuke had no breaks whereas his brother had a full system implemented in. He stood there, tucked a finger in each lateral side of the outer strings that's supposed to hug just above the hips, and pulled, stretching the damn thing and looking inside. 'How does she expect to...?' An embarrassing hue formed at the image in his head that was more cute than perverse. He could see her complaining that it won't go over all the way. He chuckled under his breath and kept pulling, turning it around to see the back that might as well not exist. 'It's a bit tight isn't it… ' He denied another heat sent to his face at the thought. 'I bet he bought it this small for her on purpose.'

His own wife was not shy to sporting things like this, and he didn't care either way because he was taking it off within seconds. He was the dealer however when it came between using hands or teeth.

As for what Hinata preferred, he really wanted to know. "I never took you for the type to wear something like this even if it is for him."

Hinata shot up and over in a panic for what he might of stumbled onto. She came to see him looking dismal, still pulling away at the strings of her assumed bad purchase. She heated up and let a brow twitch for once on her delicate features. "What. Are. You. Doing?"

The proper reaction should have been to drop the poor excuse for an undergarment and explain himself. Sasuke performed not a single damn one of those things. He looked to her blandly and asked, "Have you ever wore this?"

"Of course not." She added quickly, "And I'm not wearing it anytime soon either."

"That's a pity," Sasuke mumbled, putting it back just to take hold of the dress. "What about thi-"

"S-Stop touching things." Hinata reached for it and missed by an inch. "Give it back!"

He held it up high on purpose and watched her etch closer and stretch until she had the nerve to jump… against him.

Those below could hear an intriguing thud from the room upstairs.

They wondered on the state of the occupants above, poorly assuming that that noise would never occur again.

Perhaps it was Sasuke's fault for standing in one spot for so long and soaking that area. It could also be his lost of balance overruled by the need to catch her mistake. Regardless of the who, what, and how they got in this position, he dealt with it.

Hinata only had victory on the brain at the moment. She grabbed her dress for there was no discomfort to get over. Her landing was well cushioned and she only decided to dwell on the reason why after sitting up. While clenching the lingerie, she scanned the poor, clearly annoyed man beneath her who had a very interesting flair to him when his hair was a mess. She kind of froze from the sight. "Ah, s-sorry."

"What for?" He dropped a hand over half his face and sat up, one void-like iris to the temptress herself above him. He slid those fingers back through his dark strands to smooth them back. "It was an accident, right?"

Despite his monotone query after she finally decided to get off and let him up, Hinata managed a small unsure shoulder roll. She stared down and fidgeted with the dress. "... The towels are in the box under that one."

Sasuke grunted and went about acquiring the object he needed. After a breaths silence, he said something that gave this old housewife some insight, "You know, this is the second time I've let my wife trick me into staying. I left after the bullshit continued of course but.. I still let her keep there initially. " He slung a choice gray towel over his right shoulder and turned back to her. "So, I guess it's your turn to learn again."

"Are you always this negative?" Hinata enabled that glare-off between them to simmer. "Naruto would never… At least he- There's n-nothing he can do at the party but not show up."

Sasuke half smiled and shook his head as if she was being ridiculous. "Excuses."

"Or you're just being paranoid. I'm not going back to him."

"You sure?"

"Positive," she said with affirmation and a curt nod. "What about you?"

Sasuke smirked just to annoy her on purpose. "I'm going to finish my shower."

"Wha-"

"Be back in a bit."

"Sasuke!" Hinata shouted in a offense because of that door that closed her off suddenly. "How rude." His not so audible chuckles at her comments could be heard on the other side. Payback was in order. She shifted her sights down to a seemingly good idea for such right there in her hands.

A/N: De dotili dotili da dada dadaaaa de dotili dotili*breaths* de dotili dotili dotili dotili dotili daaaaaaaa! Preparing The Party! (- Spongebob) Setting up got me feeling like that. Like it's coming but damn is getting there about to flat-line me.

~ Thank you 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. XoXoXo ~