DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Chapter 3

"You're very pleased with yourself, I see; it's like a walk in the park

You aren't enlightened by anybody else, 'cause you can see in the dark"

Attention - the Raconteurs

The following months were a whirlwind of emotions for the wayward Hyuuga.

On the one hand, she was feeling more at peace than ever before. Every day was a new adventure - unpredictable and exciting. Hinata had met more people than she could possibly remember, yet all of them left an undeniable impression on her.

Like the sweet mother and son that she had crossed paths with as she stopped at a local dango stand. When the young boy noticed the wide, pearly eyes of the woman divulging in her sweet treat across from him, he had stared and stared until his mother scolded him quietly.

"You know it's rude to stare at strangers, Yuki!"

The boy shamelessly ignored his mother, of course. Eventually, his curiosity got the best of him and he blurted out, in childlike wonder, "How'd you get your eyes like that?"

Hinata, who had been fairly distracted by her snack during all of this, was confused by the question at first. However, it only took a moment to piece together the source of the child's awed expression.

She had simply smiled at the boy, whose mother looked like she was going to explode at any moment due to her son's brazen personality. "What do you think?" Hinata had asked, not wanting to share the somewhat grim reality of her family's bloodline with such a sweet soul.

It was hard enough for her developed mind to process the harsh and nearly inhumane actions that spurned from eyes just like her own. From both the outside world and her own family, these eyes had brought nothing but pain to so many in the Hyuuga clan - herself included.

Yet, here was a boy who looked at her eyes with nothing but excitement and intrigue. It was almost enough for her to forget the cruelty associated with them.

The boy had pursed his lips for a moment, thinking hard before answering with confidence, "I think you stared at the moon for so long that it shot into your eye balls!"

Hinata blinked. That was a new one.

Then she laughed; a delightful, genuine laugh that she hadn't let out in more years than she cared to think about. This made the boy, and even his irritable mother, laugh along with her. The three didn't talk much after that, but the boy made a point to wave at Hinata as they left the stand a while later.

It was those moments that left Hinata with a feeling of hope for the world around her, and the people who resided there. In a world where, once upon a time, so much blood had been shed because of the very eyes that this little boy marveled - there was hope.

And then there was him.

The bane of her existence and the current source of every negative feeling in her body - Sasuke Uchiha.

As if their last encounter hadn't been enough, it was barely a few weeks before she found herself face to face with the Sharingan-wielder once again. This time, from across a river.

She had been searching for a suitable place to freshen up a bit (as much as one could in the middle of the woods) when she noticed the sound of running water nearby. Her relieved smile soon turned into an annoyed purse of her lips as she emerged from the foliage to see Sasuke on the other side of the river, splashing water on his face.

Unlike his usual self, the Uchiha hadn't heard her approaching before then and greeted her with an equally annoyed, albeit a bit surprised expression.

Many thoughts crossed both of their minds at that moment; how had neither noticed the other's presence? Why were they once again finding themselves in the same place, at the same time? What were their intentions? How many time was this going to happen?

The two stared at each other for a tense moment, both so full of questions and annoyance that they could barely stand it. Well, Hinata couldn't stand it. Before either could break the silence between them, the kunoichi turned on her heel and headed in the opposite direction.

As soon as she was out of sight, Hinata activated her Byakugan and made sure he wasn't following her. Sure enough, she could see that he was still on the other side of the river, making no move to go after her.

Thank goodness…

It was at this moment that Hinata finally decided that this was a problem. A big, and very odd problem.

She knew for a fact that she wasn't doing this on purpose - and although she didn't know for sure what his deal was, Sasuke's reactions seemed to indicate he wasn't, either.

So what the hell was going on?

Coincidence could only go so far, and this situation had definitely crossed that line - but what did that mean? Why was it that this man was everywhere she turned?

Frustration mixed with curiosity as Hinata made her way through the woods, not knowing where she was going and not bothering to care. She had gotten quite used to wandering aimlessly, so it came naturally at this point. Although, it wouldn't be much of a surprise if she had been running in circles all these months.

Regardless, Hinata tried her best not to let the Uchiha get to her too much as she continued on her directionless journey.

Though that would have been much easier if she wasn't constantly finding herself in his presence.

As months passed, so did their paths. Over, and over, and over, and over again.

They didn't always speak; sometimes they didn't even look at one another - simply knowing the other was nearby and deciding to ignore them. It became quite easy to tell when they were in close proximity, actually. Even when they were using their most advanced chakra cloaking jutsu, it was becoming too easy to sense one another among the trees.

Other times, Sasuke tried his best to get on Hinata's every single nerve. Or, at least, it felt that way. She could sense that he still wasn't quite convinced of her innocence, and that made her blood boil for some reason; but she never lost her composure. Other than a few dirty looks here and there, the ever-so-docile Hyuuga could say she had held it together quite well.

She wasn't sure how much longer that composure would last, though.

No matter how hard they tried to avoid one another, they somehow always managed to end up face to face. Of course, there were times when it seemed as if their apparent curse had finally been broken. When a whole two months went by with no sign of each other, Hinata was sure that they had finally found a way out of their vicious and annoying cycle.

Until they ran into each other once again - quite literally this time.

Hinata had been enjoying a warm meal in a rowdy bar when she encountered a drunken man who was just sure that she was his long-lost wife. He blabbered on and on; asking why she had left him, had she found another man, and where the hell was his cat? With no answers to the slurring man's questions, Hinata swiftly retreated as the man continued on his tangent.

Though as she escaped one man's unwanted attention, she found herself under the scrutiny of another.

She wasn't sure which was worse, honestly.

In her haste to get away from the uncomfortable situation, Hinata had backed right into the chest of the one and only Sasuke. Oh, great…

Once she realized what had happened, the girl's annoyance shifted from the drunk to the black-eyed man glaring down at her.

"Hyuuga."

Hinata chose not to respond, as had become the norm in their most recent encounters. Instead, she simply turned on her heel and headed for the door.

It seemed that her two-month break from the rogue ninja had made it quite difficult to deal with his subtle rudeness; of course, the harassment beforehand probably didn't help her mood very much. In hindsight, Hinata wasn't sure if he even was being rude or if his face was simply in a perpetual state of disgust. Nevertheless, she was not in the mood that night.

Apparently her lack of patience went unnoticed by the Uchiha, for he decided to follow her this time.

What is he doing?…

If there was anything she could count on during their chance encounters, it was that they would always leave in separate directions. Yet as Hinata made her way through the worn-down trail, she listened to his steady footfalls behind her.

The ex-heiress took a deep breath. This side of her, this boiling anger, it was so new to her - and she didn't want to give into it. It was only in his presence that she ever felt such a way. Even on the days that their eyes never met, simply knowing he was nearby would make her heart race and stomach clench.

It had grown harder and harder to contain these feelings as they continued to cross paths. Especially since she could swear he seemed to be silently enjoying it at times. Every time she saw that arrogant smirk slide onto his face, it took every bit of her willpower not to smack it right off.

The thought made her uncomfortable, though. She didn't like feeling this way. In fact, it was because of feelings like this that she decided to come on this "mission" in the first place!

Another deep breath. Another step. Another steady footfall from behind.

When is he going to leave?!

She refused to give into whatever game he was playing. She would not turn around.

An idea struck her then.

With an effortless grace that she was sure she hadn't possessed in the Leaf Village, Hinata bound off at full speed. It only took a moment before she heard her pursuer catch up, with an involuntary grunt of annoyance. That caused a smirk of her own.

It was soon replaced with a scowl when she reminded herself that he was still following her.

Suddenly unable to control her temper, Hinata made a sharp left - causing Sasuke to make a hasty stop to prevent running into her.

She hoped that he would get the message.

He didn't.

Or chose to ignore it.

Hinata could feel her anger boiling near its edge as she sensed him catch up once again.

Deciding that enough was enough, she landed on the ground and clenched her fists. She didn't turn around when she heard him land behind her, still trying with all her might to quell the fire swirling inside of her.

What was he doing? Was he intentionally trying to make her angry? Why would he even want to do that? Shouldn't he be off doing rogue ninja things? What in the world could he possibly want with her?

Finally at her wit's end, Hinata spun on her heel ready to lash out at the source of her frustration - but no one was there.

Furrowing her brows, the Hyuuga activated her Byakugan and sure enough, she was alone.

Unamused laughter bubbled up from Hinata's chest. As if it was possible, she was even angrier than before! He was toying with her. He thought this was funny.

Well, Hinata was done being a joke.

With as calming of a breath as she could muster, the kunoichi bound off once again.

Sasuke was frustrated.

Actually, that was a bit of an understatement. In fact, there was no word in existence that could describe the way that the usually unbothered Uchiha felt in this moment, soaring through the trees.

Why did he follow her? Because he felt like it. That was why.

Why did he feel like it? Well, that's why he was frustrated.

He didn't know why he felt the need to follow her out of that run-down hovel. Possibly it was because he, once again, found himself surprised at her close proximity.

He had felt an urge to enter the shack as he passed by, and even then he didn't understand why. Sasuke barely drank, and never sought out a crowd. Yet, through the door he went.

Immediately he had noticed the drunkard, and for a reason unknown to him at that moment, Sasuke felt rage as he watched the man harass a woman at the bar.

Usually, he would simply ignore it. He may not condone such actions, but he wasn't one to put himself in someone else's business. Yet, as soon as he noticed just who was at the mercy of such a despicable creature, Sasuke's feet began moving on their own.

He didn't intervene, as much as his deepest instincts screamed at him - he simply watched.

This girl was something, that was for sure. He wasn't sure what, but she was definitely something. For months, he had crossed paths with her involuntarily, and for months he had racked his brain trying to figure out just why this was happening.

At first, he was positive that she had been sent by the Leaf to keep tabs on him. Though he left on good terms with everyone (meaning: everyone that he cared about being on good terms with), he knew Naruto was nothing if not stubborn. So, it would make sense for him to send someone to keep on eye on him every once in a while. Even though he promised not to.

Yet, the more time he spent around this girl, the more he was convinced that she had no desire to keep up with him.

Which was new for Sasuke - not that he necessarily minded. He was used to being center of attention, whether it be good or bad. Women were especially drawn to him, for obvious reasons.

As a child, it had irritated him to no end. He had wanted nothing to do with the affections of girls, or anyone for that matter. All that consumed his mind was revenge, violence, and pain. It was a dark time, he could admit that to himself now.

Nowadays, he didn't see the opposite sex in quite the same light. Sure, he still preferred to be alone most of the time, but even the elusive rogue craved some company from time to time.

Of course, none lasted more than a night. He may have become a bit more agreeable since the war ended, but he was still himself. No one was worth more than that to him at this point. The only people he held dear to his heart were living their best lives far away from where he currently stood - and that was how he liked it.

So, what was her deal?

He had, unfortunately, spent a great deal of time pondering that question. Logically, he had to wonder if he was simply attracted to the girl; but he dismissed that almost immediately. Not to say she wasn't attractive - in fact, she was gorgeous. One of the most beautiful women he had ever seen, if he was being honest with himself.

He wasn't, though.

Yet when he looked at her, he just felt annoyed. She was a mystery that he didn't want to solve, but found himself trying to anyway. That pissed him off.

He didn't like being unsure of himself - or anything, for that matter. He was used to being certain about everything in his life.

Well, he stopped himself, remembering the long stretch of his life when he was so sure that his brother was a traitor. Maybe not.

Sasuke sighed inwardly, this was so frustrating.

He had been about to make his exit when Hinata finally became aware of his presence - after running straight into him.

If he wasn't so annoyed by her very existence, the look on her face after he's semi-greeting may have been amusing. It didn't last long, though. In a second, the Hyuuga was out the door, leaving Sasuke without a word.

That annoyed him.

He wasn't sure why.

He chose to ignore it.

As if of their own volition, Sasuke's legs began carrying him toward the door. He watched as she walked down the trail to their left, and it was obvious that she was angry. Her fists were clenched slightly, shoulders tense and her steps certain.

He wondered briefly if she was angry at herself for letting that man treat her in such a way. He remembered her being fairly weak in their younger days, but it was obvious that she had made an improvement since then. Any well-versed ninja could tell the strong from the weak by just a quick interaction, and she was far from weak nowadays.

So, maybe she was beating herself up for letting such a low-life harass her like that. He couldn't blame her - it was quite embarrassing.

With each step, she seemed to grow more and more irritated. He found that silly. She was heading farther and farther away from the building with each step, shouldn't that be a relief?

It was then that Sasuke realized that he was following her. He would have stopped, but he was far too proud for that.

So, maybe she wasn't angry about the drunk after all.

Sasuke smirked.

He suddenly felt like a child again. It was like he was teasing a young Naruto. He felt that familiar feeling of amusement that would swirl around his chest whenever the loud blond would shout at him for….whatever it was they argued about.

That was odd in itself, he mused. He hadn't felt the urge to tease in many years, it was slightly uncomfortable now.

Yet, as he watched her tense shoulders move up and down with a deep breath, Sasuke found himself enjoying this small interaction.

He realized that he wanted to see the look on her face in that moment.

As if she were purposely rebelling against his inner thoughts, Hinata suddenly bound off at top speed. Once again, Sasuke was caught off-guard by the Hyuuga heiress. She did that quite a lot. He didn't like it.

Now starting to feel annoyed himself, Sasuke followed after her with a grunt. It only took a second for him to catch up, and he had to hold back an amused chuckle at her obvious disdain.

Once again he had to ask himself, what was he doing?

Usually, he wasted no time trying to get away from her. What was so different this time?

A voice in the back of his head pointed out that they hadn't seen each other in months, and it was possible that he was making up for lost time.

Sasuke scoffed at himself internally. That was ridiculous. He was bored, that was all. He had gotten used to their random encounters, so it was simply dull the past couple months. After all, traveling through the woods alone for years can get old after a while.

Yes, Sasuke concluded, he was just letting off some steam - and she was an easy target. It was obvious that the quiet girl was not used to getting so riled up, so it was easy to get to her. Yes, that was it.

His thoughts were cut short when Hinata made a quick left turn, causing him to stop short just as she whizzed past his face. Sasuke blinked for a moment, taking in the faint aroma that lingered in her path. How had he not seen that coming?

Frustrated by his own mistake, Sasuke scowled as he bound off in her direction. She wanted to lose him? She'd have to try harder than that.

He followed her for a few more moments, still unsure of what he was even doing, but not willing to give up now. Suddenly, she stopped.

Sasuke landed a few paces behind her, watching as she clenched her fists and took a deep breath.

It was then that Sasuke was filled with a strange feeling. It wasn't quite unfamiliar, nor was it familiar. He felt his frustration melt into a sort of calmness; the two emotions swirled around in his belly, back and forth, and made him almost want to vomit.

Suddenly, the last thing he wanted to see what her face.

Before he could even think about it, Sasuke bound off in the opposite direction as fast as he could.

Sasuke Uchiha then made a decision: he was done with Hinata Hyuuga.

He decided not to dwell on the odd feelings that lingered inside of him, and instead focused on moving forward.

The days following were some of the worst Hinata had experienced since leaving the Leaf.

Days grew hotter and hotter as time passed, while the night brought on a frigid cold that shook her to the core. Lack of rest brought on fatigue, which made dealing with the harsh weather nearly impossible.

On top of that, she had seen no sign of civilization since her last stop; so her chances of a good night's rest were looking slimmer by the day.

Luckily, she had enough food to last her for a little while longer - but water was scarce. She briefly wondered if she was nearing the border of the Land of Wind. That would explain the lack of moisture in the air that had become quite apparent as she began to run low on water.

More days passed and with each step Hinata's body screamed for a break, for some warm food, for water. She had officially ran out that morning and could already feel the toll it was taking on her body.

Knowing better than to play with chance, Hinata mustered up as much energy as she could to activate her Byakugan (for the first time quite a while, as she was trying her best to conserve energy). An involuntary gasp left her mouth as she spotted a small cottage a few miles North of where she stood.

Hinata pushed aside her exhaustion and bound off as fast as her legs could possibly carry her, praying to whoever was listening that she would find water at her destination.

As she approached the small home, it became apparent to the kunoichi that it was, indeed, empty. Hinata tried not to let herself be too disappointed by that fact as she took a step onto the groaning porch.

Despite her assumptions, the ex-heiress could not dismiss her politeness as she softly knocked on the door.

"Hello?"

Taking the following silence as confirmation, Hinata opened the door with a loud creak. Wincing slightly, she took in her new surroundings slowly.

The home had obviously not been a home in quite a long time. There were semblances of past owners, but it seemed as if no one had touched a thing in years. A small bed sat in the corner, tucked underneath a window, with tattered sheets scattered about on top. On the opposite side of the home was a quaint kitchen; it seemed to only have the bare essentials, but that was all Hinata needed.

Pausing in her exploration of the abandoned building, the parched kunoichi dashed to the sink and let out a squeal of excitement as the water began to flow with the turn of a knob. Sure, it probably wasn't the cleanest water she had ever tasted, but it was heavenly in that moment.

After a few moments, Hinata let out a sigh of relief as she felt the water ease her dry throat.

Feeling a bit better, she turned to continue perusing her tiny oasis.

There was a dusty fireplace on the wall next to the front door, probably full of insects and soot after years of going unused. A couch sat in front of the fireplace, covered in a cloth. Other than that, the cottage was rather empty. There were a few scattered papers here and there, an empty picture frame leaning against a wall, and even a few dishes lying around.

Hinata wondered what had caused such a quaint home to be abandoned for so long, but the thought of demons and ghouls like those from stories Hanabi used to force her to listen to brought an end to those thoughts.

It was then that Hinata's body refused to be ignored; her eyelids began to lower as she shuffled her way to the cloth-covered couch. Deciding that whatever was on the furniture was not nearly as gross as what she had been lying in for weeks on the forest ground, Hinata flung herself under the white cloth and made herself cozy.

She let out a sudden sneeze due to the dust that was now flying around her, but still managed a smile of contentment as she drifted off to sleep.

An undetermined amount of time later, Hinata hesitantly opened her eyes.

Although she was much more rested than she was before, she felt immensely worse. The days of no sleep, little water or food, and lots of walking were finally catching up to her.

Grooooowl

Speaking of having little food...

Hinata had finished her last bit of rations the day before, much to her dismay. She stretched slowly as she stood from the dusty, yet surprisingly comfortable, couch. She glanced at the kitchen and noticed the two cabinets hanging above the sink. Knowing that it was futile, but deciding it couldn't hurt, Hinata began to look for some snacks.

Maybe there will be some leftover crackers or somethi-

Hinata's jaw dropped as she opened up the old cabinet doors and saw - "Food!"

There were several containers of rations piled up inside of the oddly clean cabinet, neatly stacked on top of one another. Blinking in amazement, Hinata didn't think twice before grabbing one and stuffing its contents down her throat.

After scarfing down two and a half containers, Hinata allowed herself to be thoroughly confused. This place was supposed to be abandoned, so who filled up this cabinet with food?

The Hyuuga pursed her lips and began investigating the cottage once more, this time with a slightly clearer head.

At first glance, the home did indeed look to have been abandoned for quite a while; but upon further investigation, the Hyuuga could see small signs of someone having been there not too long ago. A little bit less dust on certain areas of the home (including the cabinet of rations and, after a closer look, the raggedy bed), a book inside of the nightstand drawer with a bookmark in place, and, of course, the food and running water.

Hinata's mind and heart raced at the thought of being caught in someone else's home without permission, but at the same time, it didn't seem like they were going to be home any time soon. After all, it had been several hours since she had arrived and there had been no sign of anyone.

The kunoichi pondered her situation for moment; on the one hand, she was technically trespassing and had no idea what kind of person the inhabitant of this place was, or where they were.

On the other hand - she really didn't want to leave yet.

Thinking of going right back out into the wilderness with no supplies and no idea where the nearest settlement was, Hinata groaned.

The ache in her legs was all the convincing she needed to settle back down on the now somewhat less dusty couch.

Hinata wondered just who lived here, and where they could be. It was possible that this was a pit stop for some local shinobi, but she was sure that the surrounding areas were largely made up of civilians and empty forest. Maybe whoever lived here had simply left not too long ago, deciding to find a more suitable home?

Questions piled up, with no way to find the answers right away. She had grown used to such mystery, though.

The Hyuuga let out a yawn. After filling her belly, Hinata's brief spurt of energy had waned and she felt her eyelids drooping once more.

Deciding that she would chance being caught in a stranger's home if it meant a few more hours of good sleep, Hinata curled up under the dirty sheet and drifted off once more.

Hours passed, chilling the air as the sun retreated behind the mountains. Sasuke pulled his cloak closer to his body, trying to trap as much body heat as he could as he leaped through the trees.

He was used to dealing with the most extreme weather imaginable, so the striking cold was nothing more than a nuisance to him. However, his lack of food was a problem.

Luckily, Sasuke was fairly accustomed to the area surrounding the Land of Fire - so he knew just where to go.

He had spent the better part of the past few years circling the border of his former home - in fact he was fairly sure he could find his way around with his eyes closed, if he decided it was worth the effort. Or if he was bored enough. He made a mental note to try that one day.

Of course he had traveled much farther when he first left the Leaf on his quest for penance; he had braved the sands of the Land of Wind, bathed in the waterfalls of the Hidden Waterfall Village, and even found his way to Turtle Island at one point. Yes, he had seen just about everything that he cared to see by this point, so it was only natural for him to gravitate closer to his homeland.

Although he still felt the need to stay away from his village, that didn't mean he didn't care about it at all. The times were much more peaceful since the war but there were still scum roaming around, plotting some pathetic attack on the Leaf and its inhabitants. So, Sasuke resigned to being a silent guardian of his friends and their loved ones.

There were little who knew of his presence; although, those who lived in the area and were bound to see him flying through the trees or disciplining a scoundrel from time to time. Sasuke tried his best to keep his distance from those in the area, but some were a bit more curious (or, nosy) than others.

The nosiest of all was a common man who spent his time traveling along the border of the Land of Fire. The rogue ninja didn't care quite enough to truly know, but he had deduced that the man was a traveling writer of sorts. He had never seen the red-haired man without a journal in hand - pausing in his steps to scribble something before continuing his trek.

Apparently, the man had taken an interest in the Uchiha over the years.

He wasn't exactly sure when, but at some point the man had begun to follow him. Well, as best as he could. Obviously, tracking the elusive rogue was no easy feat for any experienced shinobi, let alone an average citizen. Yet, Sasuke was surprised to see that the man had indeed figured out a few of his regular routes along the border.

One night, the shinobi had spotted a particularly suspicious looking group of men heading for a village on the outskirts of the Land of Fire. Knowing better than to jump into a fight without knowing what he was getting himself into, Sasuke had remained hidden - waiting, watching, yawning.

He had been ready to leave his post, deciding they were more bark than bite, when he noticed the writer slinking around the bushes below him.

Sasuke had to hold back a groan.

This guy really doesn't know when to quit, huh...

It didn't take using his Sharingan for Sasuke to know that the situation could easily go from harmless to not-so-harmless if the weak traveler were to be seen by the group of wannabe thugs. Reluctantly, the rogue ninja quietly leapt from his perch and landed behind the young man.

The red-head whipped around, ready to squeal in surprise, but was quickly whisked into the air.

As swiftly as it began, it ended. The traveling writer staggered and leaned on a nearby tree, looking wide-eyed at the intimidating man in front of him.

He swallowed hard. Sasuke could sense the fear and curiosity rolling off the man in waves, but that was something he had become quite accustomed to.

"It would be in your best interest to stop following me."

The red-head swallowed again, the words that seemed to so effortlessly flow through his pen now nonexistent. Sasuke raised a brow. Well, he had his chance to speak.

Not willing to waste anymore time "talking" with the scrawny man, the Uchiha turned on his heel.

"W-Wait!"

Finding himself curious, Sasuke paused and turned his head slightly.

The writer cleared his throat, preparing himself for whatever it is he had been wanting to say, whatever it is that prompted him to follow Sasuke up until this moment.

"You're Sasuke Uchiha…Right?"

The man in question almost laughed. That was it? What a waste of time.

Unamused by such a mundane question, Sasuke took another step forward.

"Wait, wait!"

The man scurried ahead, stopping just short of the tall man in front of him.

"I-I want to help you."

This caught Sasuke's attention. This man wanted to help him? This time the Uchiha did laugh.

The man's face began to match his hair, realizing how ridiculous his statement must seem to the legendary shinobi. "I mean it."

Sasuke pondered the situation for a brief moment, taking in the man's embarrassed yet determined expression, and decided he would bite. He was well-aware that there was little a man of his status could offer him that would be of any consequence, but the odd writer had been trying to get his attention for quite some time now. If anything, the Uchiha hoped that indulging in the man's whims would put an end to his stalking.

He turned to the red-head and nodded, signaling him to go on.

As if being kicked from behind, the young traveler quickly scurried past Sasuke and lead the way to wherever it was they were going.

Black eyes studied the young man as he scampered along, seeming to know exactly where he was headed. Despite his apparent confidence in their location, even in the dark of night, the man was visibly shaken from their encounter.

Sasuke wondered why that was, other than the obvious reasons. This man had been following him for months now - either from a vast distance or, when he was able, right under the Uchiha's nose. Additionally, the man must have been planning to "help" Sasuke for some time, so why did he seem so nervous?

The thought of a trap whispered through his brain, but he barely gave it any attention. If this weak man really felt that he could deceive The Sasuke Uchiha, then at least he wasn't quite as weak-willed as he seemed. Either that, or he was a complete idiot. Yet, Sasuke felt that wasn't the case, so he let the man lead him into the thickness of the forest.

After a while, Sasuke noticed a building in the near-distance. "That yours?"

The red-head jumped at his sudden implication, then nodded quickly.

Sasuke took in the sight before him with curiosity. A small cottage in the middle of the woods, where the closest sign of civilization was farther than even he would care to travel - now the young man's nervous exterior made a bit more sense. Anyone who lived so far from society was bound to be a bit off; and he chose to blissfully ignore the irony of that thought.

As they approached the small building, Sasuke took note of its run-down appearance. He looked to his left where the red-head stood, studying his own reaction. The man's face turned red once again, or maybe it had never ceased, "I know it's not much, but…"

He hesitated, now studying his own feet as if they were the most interesting pair of feet the world had ever seen. Sasuke didn't have to hear the rest to understand.

The young man was giving this to him, a place to rest as he travelled along the border. Sasuke was sure that the man had noticed his lack of supplies as he followed him the past few months, and he probably took note of him sleeping in trees here and there.

The Uchiha wasn't sure what to think. Sure, it wasn't ideal. The door barely stood straight, it appeared that one of the front windows had been broken and replaced with whatever materials were around, and frankly he was a bit nervous to see what it looked like on the inside; yet, he hesitated in turning down the offer.

Sasuke looked to his left again, where the red-faced man stood, eyes still searching the ground for some sort of confidence. He looked back to the run-down home in front of him.

Whatever.

With a quiet hum, Sasuke made his way into the cottage. He heard an intake of breath behind him and then quick footsteps as he followed the shinobi inside.

Sure enough, the inside matched the outside. Sasuke could barely breathe due to the amount of dust in the room, and he wondered how long it had been since anyone had actually stayed here.

As if reading his mind, the young man began to speak, this time with a bit of lightness in his voice, "This was my father's home, for a time," he began.

"He was always going back and forth over the border, bringing supplies and food to the smaller villages," there was much more that could be said about his father, that much Sasuke could tell, but the young writer chose not to continue that train of thought. Sasuke understood. "He stayed here often when he travelled."

The Uchiha nodded slightly, looking around at the home that he was sure held many memories for the man in front of him.

"I use it from time to time, but I prefer a tent, so…"

Once again, Sasuke understood. There were some memories that were too difficult to bare.

He locked eyes with the red-head, not bothering to say a word. Instead, he simply nodded once and made his way to the door.

If the young man had any questions or concerns, he kept them to himself as he watched the shinobi walk away. If Sasuke had cared enough to turn around, he would have seen a smile of relief grace the red-head's features.

The Uchiha didn't use his gifted rest-stop very often, for he also enjoyed sleeping under the stars. However, there were some days that were harder than others, and having a warm-ish place to sleep did sound quite good to him at the moment.

It didn't take him long to find the "abandoned" home, despite its seclusion. He marveled at how well it melted into its surroundings.

Sasuke had wondered, after seeing the cottage for the first time, how he had missed it so many times before. He was sure that his travels had carried him through these very woods time and time again, yet he had never even caught a glimpse of the tiny home.

He understood why as he traced the outline of the rotting walls in the darkness; this place had been here so long, it had become what surrounded it. Moss covered the walls and roof, while weeds sprouted from between the broken porch steps as if claiming their territory. The surrounding trees leaned ever so sightly toward the home, adding even more camouflage while also posing quite a safety hazard. Even in the daylight, the Uchiha knew that any skilled shinobi would have a difficult time noticing the building.

A small smirk of amusement slid onto his features as he creaked his way up the steps; whether the young man knew it or not, he had done well in the eyes of a shinobi.

...

Or maybe not.

A/N:

... :)

ok ok i know i know but listen life is somethin and shit happens ok

but really...thank you so much to everyone that has read this story up til now and has continued to support/pester me all this time. i'm so grateful and also so sorry that it's taken so long!

i love you guys and i love this story so i hope you'll continue to read from here on out~ (but be warned: this journey prolly gonna be long as hell)

hope y'all enjoyed this chapter and i'll see you soon 3

-Kassidy

Next Song: Strangers - Langhorne Slim