(DISCLAIMER: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.)
Chapter 6
"Opposites attract
It's physical, only logical
You must try to ignore that it means more than that"
What's Love Got to Do with It - Tina Turner
Upon his return to the cottage, Hinata noticed the Uchiha's mood had significantly soured. Oddly enough, this brought her a bit of relief.
She was used to this side of Sasuke, she knew how to act when he ignored her or threw a rude remark over his shoulder. Compared to the peculiar behavior before, the former heiress welcomed his usual prickly attitude. Taking another sip of her half-empty glass, Hinata felt her shoulders relax a bit.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was anything but relaxed. He was angry. At himself, and at the Hyuuga. Though, he knew he had no reason for the latter. Still, he held onto his anger like a raft in the middle of a large and confusing ocean.
Anger, he understood. The emotions that dwelled deep beneath that anger, however, he wanted to ignore for as long as possible.
He didn't even know why he was still there, really. Another three days had passed since Hinata had finally woken up, and she was recovering quite well. So well, in fact, that his presence was no longer necessary.
She was able to get her own food and water, and had even managed to make her way to a nearby river to bathe at some point. So, he could leave at any time.
And yet, there he was, busying himself with basic training in front of the run-down cottage as the source of his frustration sat idly on the porch. She had found some old notebooks somewhere within the home, and had buried her nose in them ever since.
The two had barely spoken since he returned several days before. Neither was sure of how to proceed, though they were both well-aware of the awkwardness that hung in the air.
Hinata wanted to thank him somehow, but she didn't even know where to start. She had tried to offer some of the rations she had been nibbling on, but he stubbornly denied her. Even when his stomach rumbled in opposition, the rogue had simply ignored it and took to the forest for several hours.
Though, Hinata could smell the faint scent of cooked meat on him once he returned, so at least she knew he wasn't starving himself for her sake.
That was another thing; though he had gone back to his cold demeanor, his actions still portrayed some essence of attentiveness toward her. Though much more subtle than before.
She decided not to press that any further, though. She told herself it was for his sake, but deep down, she knew it was for her own. Hinata still had trouble wrapping her mind around the reality of her current situation. She had so many questions, but was very hesitant to find out the answers.
The most confusing part was her own conflicting attitude toward the ninja. On one hand, she was annoyed that he was still there. She could fend for herself, after all. It wasn't like she was still as sickly as before, so she had no need for him to stay behind and look after her. It annoyed her, since she could only assume that he thought her too weak to be left alone.
Yet, she was also grateful for his presence. Even if there was really no need for him to remain, a part of her wanted him to - though she couldn't understand why. Not that she had really pressed herself on that matter, anyway.
Instead, she had been trying to distract herself from the unrelenting awkwardness that filled the air between them.
Hinata looked up from the notebook in her hand and watched Sasuke for a moment as he trained.
She wondered briefly why he still bothered to practice such basic moves when she knew for a fact that he had a myriad of more advanced techniques under his belt. She supposed it was admirable, though. The basics were always important.
Shaking her head slightly, Hinata turned her attention back to the book in her hands.
She felt slightly guilty for reading it, honestly. It was obviously a diary of some sort, belonging to whomever had lived here long ago. Yet, she couldn't help but continue on.
This particular book was as riveting as any story she had read back in the village; full of adventure, poetry, and above all else, romance.
Hinata had to admire the mysterious author as she continued to flip through the pages, soaking in the flowering words and flowing lines. She wondered who had written such beautiful passages, and silently mourned the fact that she would never be able to compliment them in person.
She looked up once more when she heard Sasuke approach the porch, locking eyes with him as he climbed the stairs. He looked away first, entering the cottage without a word.
In an oddly natural way, Hinata followed.
"H-Have you read these?"
Sasuke looked at her flatly, "No."
The Hyuuga hummed awkwardly, not sure where she was going with that question. "...Do you know who wrote them?"
"No," he repeated, not bothering to look at her this time as he turned on the faucet, splashing water on his sweat-covered face. Of course, he actually had an idea of who those books belonged to - but he saw no reason to enlighten her to that.
Another awkward silence followed their short interaction. Hinata, giving up on starting a conversation with the cold ninja, made herself comfortable on the couch instead as she returned to her distraction of choice.
Sasuke, seeming to have run out of his own distractions for that moment, took his place on the chair across from her. He didn't let himself look in her direction, opting to stare listlessly out of the still-open door.
The two sat in silence for a while, and slowly the silence melted from awkward to comfortable as each got lost in their own thoughts.
Hinata was entranced by the words she read, feeling for the unknown author as they wrote of their unattainable love. She felt her mind drift to blue eyes and blonde hair, though she tried not to dwell there for long.
Sasuke's mind drifted to other eyes, swirled red and black. His mind often led him to memories of his brother, but he never let himself stay there for more than a few moments.
His head turned automatically as he heard a soft sigh escape the Hyuuga's lips. She was lost in the book in her hands, so he took the opportunity to observe her while she wouldn't notice.
She looked healthy now, a stark contrast to the sickly girl he had watched over just a few days before. He felt a quiet pride in his chest, though he decided it was for himself. After all, he had never nursed anyone back to health before.
He watched as her expressions shifted slightly as she read, and wondered what could possibly be so entertaining. He had always assumed the red-head had just been keeping track of his thoughts or accounting for the passing villages whenever he saw the boy scribbling in his many notebooks. Perhaps Hinata found such information interesting, he mused.
Knowing better than to let himself stare for too long, Sasuke shifted his attention back to the open door across the room.
As the day turned to night, the two kept themselves busy.
Eventually, it was time for bed once again. They had silently agreed on sleeping arrangements at some point, with Hinata curling up on the tattered bed and Sasuke making himself comfortable on the couch. Though his neck was beginning to develop a constant ache after days of contorting to fit on such a small piece of furniture.
For no apparent reason, neither could sleep that night.
Sasuke listened as Hinata tossed and turned, scowling in the darkness at the distraction this caused for his own attempt at a decent night's rest.
"Hyuuga," he snapped, surprising himself almost as much as her.
"...Y-Yes?"
"Go to sleep."
She huffed slightly, "In case you couldn't tell, I'm trying."
Frustration was evident in her tone, and he couldn't help but smirk to himself. "I doubt your constant movement is helping your cause."
She huffed again, not finding his comment helpful in the slightest.
Silence took over once again as two pairs of eyes stared into the darkness. The air was different, somehow. Not awkward, but not comfortable, either.
Hinata fiddled with her fingers, feeling restless. "I, um," she started, unsure of what to say, but feeling the need to say something.
Sasuke waited, grateful for the darkness. It felt like a shield. It was much easier to talk with the Hyuuga when he couldn't actually see her, for some reason.
She cleared her throat, "I wanted to thank you," she admitted quietly. Sasuke remained silent.
"I-I know you didn't have to help me, but…"
She hesitated, still unsure of all she really wanted to say, yet the lack of sleep mixed with the darkness gave her the courage to speak anyway. "I just, really appreciate it. Thank you."
Sasuke was also not sure what to say. The obvious reply was 'you're welcome,' but it didn't seem right. Instead, he found himself falling back to his usual retort, "...Hn."
Luckily, that seemed to be enough for the heiress, for she let the silence stretch on after that. Soon, they both allowed their eyes to shut, and sleep found its way to the quiet cottage.
The next morning found the two unlikely roommates in surprisingly chipper moods; well, as "chipper" as Sasuke could be.
Though neither had discussed it, they both knew the time for their departure had come. Hinata was feeling much better, and starting to miss the wind on her face. Nevertheless, she would miss the quaint home. Despite its lack of, well, most things - she had enjoyed her time there.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was growing impatient. He was ready to be rid of the cottage altogether, feeling it was no longer the refuge it once was. So, when he noticed the Hyuuga packing up her belongings that morning, he couldn't help but let out a silent sigh of relief. Finally.
He chose to ignore the fact that he could have left at any time and that her departure had nothing to do with his own.
Regardless, the two quietly gathered their belongings and headed for the door.
It was then that they both realized something at the same moment: what now?
It wasn't as if either had planned to spend the past week together, even if it was fairly quiet for the most part. Yet, they weren't quite sure how to proceed as they stepped onto the rickety porch.
Opal met black, and neither said a word.
Unknowingly, the same thoughts swam behind two pairs of eyes.
If they went their separate ways again, would they find themselves running into each other like before? If they made a point to head in opposite directions, would that ensure that they would not cross paths again - or would the odd coincidences continue?
Deeper thoughts remained ignored by both of them. Thoughts of continuing their silent acceptance of the other's presence, of walking side by side among the trees, of not knowing why the urge to leave the other was not quite as strong as it had been just days prior.
Hinata cleared her throat softly, "U-Um," she began, suddenly hesitant to meet his piercing eyes. "Do you know where the nearest village is?"
Sasuke briefly wondered why she didn't just use her byakugan to find that out for herself, but nodded stiffly instead.
He was well-aware that he could just tell her where to go. He had no real reason to head to civilization at this time. Really, he wanted nothing more than to be alone after such an odd week.
Yet, as his legs carried him down the worn-down stairs, he did not object when he heard soft footfalls follow close behind.
Hinata wasn't sure why he hadn't given her directions either; she also wasn't sure why she didn't mind.
Confusion laced the air between the ninjas of the Hidden Leaf as they walked through the forest, leaving their temporary refuge behind. Neither understood their own actions, nor the intentions of the other.
However, the now familiar feeling that had followed close behind them throughout their months of zig-zagging across the lands melted into their confusion as they took each step.
Neither acknowledged it. Neither thought more of it. Neither allowed their minds to drift to the mountain of questions that had continued to pile up each time they stood face-to-face.
Instead, they silently walked on.
Much to Hinata's surprise, they reached a small village not too long after the sun had set that day. She supposed her earlier delirium had caused her to pass by the community altogether; she kicked herself inwardly for that fact. To think, I could have avoided this situation if I had just paid attention…
Regardless, she knew better than to dwell on her past mistakes.
They walked through the village side-by-side - Hinata, soaking in the quiet atmosphere around her as Sasuke ignored it all.
He had passed through this area many times before, and saw no significance as he apathetically glanced about. As his eyes shifted to the woman next to him, he noticed the excitement in her large eyes. A light scoff escaped him. She was so easily impressed, one would never guess she came from nobility.
A thought crossed his mind then, and he wondered why the heiress was away from the Leaf at all. Surely she had more than enough duties to keep her busy back at home. His days as a member of a noble clan were brief, but he had plenty of memories of his father and Itachi passing day after day with various duties in honor of their once-great bloodline.
No, he corrected himself, we will be great again.
Though he knew his current status as a rogue ninja may not give the impression of his want to restore his clan, Sasuke had his own goals in mind. Albeit, very far-off ones.
"Ah!"
His eyes jumped back to the Hyuuga as she let out an excited sound. She had stopped in her tracks, eyes sparkling at a small building to their left.
Sasuke looked at her flatly as he realized the cause of her outburst; she truly was a child.
Hinata ran toward the bakery with pure giddiness, feeling her mouth water as she peered through the window. She looked back at Sasuke as she heard him approach, and reddened slightly at his raised brow. "W-What?"
He didn't respond as she turned back to the sweet-smelling shop. His lips curled a bit in disgust - he loathed sweets.
The woman in front of him, however, could not enter the store fast enough.
She breathed in deeply as she walked through the door, feeling all the tension in her body melt away as she gazed at the assortment of sweets in front of her. Hinata had access to all sorts of treats at home; in fact, she was fairly sure she had tried just about everything there was to try in her early years. Yet she never failed to melt at the sight of such deliciousness. It was a weakness of hers, she had to admit.
"Good evening, young lady!" Hinata pried her eyes away from the display of sugary goodness and smiled at the portly man behind the counter. "What can I get ya?"
Hinata hummed slightly, eyes perusing the selection before her. This was her problem, she just could never choose!
She spotted a yummy-looking cinnamon bun, but decided against it in an effort to try something a bit new; as new as a sweets connoisseur such as herself could get, at least.
"What would you r-recommend?" she asked the man, unable to decide for herself and not wanting to take too long. She could spend hours looking at it all, really.
The man looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, bringing a dough-covered hand to his chin as he pondered her question. She was grateful that he took this decision as seriously as she did.
His eyes lit up after a moment, and he held up a finger as he scurried toward the back room. Hinata could barely contain her curiosity as she waited. Looking back, she noticed Sasuke hadn't followed her inside.
She spotted him through the window, leaning against the building, looking as unbothered as usual. She briefly considered getting him something, but decided against it swiftly.
The sound of a door opening brought her attention back to the baker, who held a small parchment in his hands as if it were a newborn child.
"Now," he said quietly, leaning forward, as if to tell her a deep secret - despite them being the only two in the shop. "This is a little somethin' I've been workin' on for a while, and I think you might just be the one to try it out."
Hinata's eyes sparkled as she took the mystery dessert from his hands, wanting desperately to peek inside. The baker tutted at her before she was able to assuage her curiosity, however. "Uh-uh, missy! Don't you open that until you're good and cozy, you hear?"
He looked gravely serious, so Hinata merely nodded, a smile gracing her features as she paid for her treat.
She thanked the man sincerely as she made her way to the door, eager to see what waited for her in the package.
"If ya get the chance, stop by and tell me what ya think!"
"O-Of course!" she chirped as she exited the shop, waving at the man as she joined Sasuke outside.
Sasuke watched as she held onto her purchase as if it were the most rare item in all of the Land of Fire, and barely held back an eye-roll.
"Ready?" she asked, eyes bright.
If he had the energy, the Uchiha would have pointed out that he had been ready - but he decided to keep quiet and just started walking ahead.
They walked on for a bit longer, but Hinata was growing antsy. Her mind would not stray from the bundle of sugary goodness she held in her hand. Peering up at the man walking beside her, she decided to take a chance.
"U-Um, do you think there's an i-inn around here?"
Sasuke stopped walking, turning his head slowly in her direction as he shot her another flat look.
She blushed fiercely at his annoyed expression, hesitant to press any further. She would have simply used her bloodlimit to check for herself, but the common people milling about held her back. The aroma coming from the package in her hands made her unable to move on from the subject. "...Is that a 'no'?"
Sasuke stared at her for another moment, wondering for the thousandth time how he had gotten tangled up with such a childish woman. He sighed to himself.
Whatever.
Rather than dignify her with a response, the Uchiha simply began walking once again, heading toward the small hostel he knew to be not far from where they stood.
Soon they stood in front of the makeshift inn situated among a row of homes; Hinata observed the building and assumed it had once been a fairly large home, now turned into a rest-stop for those such as themselves.
Not caring about the state of the place, especially after having spent a week in a cottage that was barely standing, Hinata gladly entered the quaint building.
Once again, Sasuke found himself at a loss.
He was following the Hyuuga as she spoke to a man at the counter, making arrangements for one nights' stay, yet he wasn't sure why he was even still there. He had done what she had asked of him, more than once - leading her to the village, and then the hostile.
He felt no particular need to stay the night after resting for so long at the cottage, and the darkness of the night had never stopped him from making his way through the dense forest before.
So, why was he standing there? Why was he handing his currency over to the bored-looking man, securing a room for himself? Why was he following Hinata up the steps? Why, why, why?
Frustration laced his brow when no answer came, though his feet continued to carry him throughout the building.
He watched as Hinata turned to him, smiling awkwardly as she retired to her room across from his own.
What the hell was he doing?
As usual, no answer came. Not one that he was willing to acknowledge, anyway.
With a huff, he entered his own room, prepared to stare at the ceiling until the sun rose and he could rid himself of the nuisance just a few feet away from him.
Hinata had wasted no time making herself cozy, as the excitable baker had requested.
After a quick dip in the local hot spring, the ex-heiress was snuggled up in her temporary lodgings, prized package in hand.
Upon opening the parchment, Hinata's senses were swimming with the sweet smell that wafted from the unique dessert.
True to the baker's word, the Hyuuga was sure she had never seen such a dish before. Layers of chocolate and vanilla pudding complimented a bottom crust of pecans, dusted with powdered chocolate and sugar on top; all cut into a neat square.
A contented sigh escaped her now chocolate-covered lips as she took the first bite. Savoring the taste, Hinata was positive that she had never tasted such a delectable treat in her life!
She sank back in the bed, making sure to take her sweet time as she enjoyed her before-bed snack. She would be sure to give the baker a nice tip before she left in the morning.
As she indulged in the unique dessert, Hinata let her mind wander.
The past week, even just the day itself, had caused her brain to swirl with unanswered questions and anxieties. She couldn't understand Sasuke, nor his conflicting actions.
One day, he was accusing her of being a spy, basically threatening her, and being just downright rude. The next, he seemed to make it his mission to annoy her into oblivion. Then, he just ignored her. Yet, now, he chose to remain by her side after diligently taking care of her for days for no reason other than...what? Worry? Despite foggy memories of his furrowed brow as he watched over her, Hinata could not bring herself to believe he actually cared enough to worry.
The back and forth made her head spin. She was glad to have the taste of pudding in her mouth as a distraction.
More than anything, she wondered why he hadn't left as soon as they reached the small community. Surely he was rested enough to continue on his own journey, and surely he had his fill of time around her. So, why?
Why, why, why…
The word had been swimming around her head constantly since the Uchiha had entered her life; it was almost beginning to lose meaning.
Another sigh, another bite.
Trying her best to push the black-haired man from her thoughts, Hinata's mind shifted to home.
She felt a bit guilty; her friends hadn't been in her thoughts much the past few months - due to certain distractions. She wondered how they were doing, what they were up to. Did they miss her? Or had her absence been easily overlooked? It had been several months by now, after all.
Though her usual self-consciousness pressed her to believe she had been forgotten altogether, Hinata was sure they missed her as much as she did them. Especially her sister.
Large, mischievous eyes graced her mind, and the elder sister had to will herself not to cry.
She didn't regret leaving in the slightest, but she couldn't help but feel bad for leaving her young sibling alone with so many duties to take care of. Hanabi was a tough one, though - much tougher than herself. Memories of school boys running off in tears after the young Hyuuga had let them have it for tugging on Hinata's hair one spring afternoon caused a soft chuckle to escape her.
Yes, she was sure her feisty sister was perfectly fine.
As she savored the last bite of her treat, a whiskered face pushed itself to the front of her mind.
She couldn't help but wonder about him, too, even though it still caused a dull ache to take place in her chest.
Hinata could say she really was over him, finally; but that didn't mean she was completely over the pain he had caused her. She knew he was a good guy, one of the best she had ever met - but even the best people were capable of hurting others.
She sighed again, though this time it was out of sadness.
If Naruto had just talked to her about things, if he had just acknowledged what they both knew, what she had confided in him - in words, and actions. Of course it hurt to be rejected, but the worst pain came from the waiting. The wondering. The hoping. Only for her hopes to be squashed in such an offhand manner, as if her own feelings had never mattered to the blonde at all.
She knew, deep down, that he did care. She knew that he was awkward, in his own way, and probably had no idea how to even bring things up - especially with so much going on at the time. Yet, even after things settled, he had never tried. Hell, he had barely even looked at her anymore.
Her thoughts shifted to black eyes, swirling crimson.
Hinata suddenly felt the urge to laugh. Who would have thought, after all the years Naruto had spent searching for his friend during their younger years, that she would end up running into him by chance. About a million times, at that.
Fate truly had an odd sense of humor.
Letting out a yawn, the Hyuuga willed her mind to slow down, ready to end this weird day. Snuggling into the sheets, and longingly remembering Miss Maho's soft beds, Hinata let herself drift off into her dreams.
Images of blonde hair, tanned skin, and sparkling blue eyes greeted her - as she had become accustomed to many years ago.
However, those images soon melted away, replaced with dark hair and an irritatingly attractive smirk.
The two traveling ninja got an early start the next morning, though Hinata insisted on stopping by the bakery before they departed.
Of course, this meant they couldn't leave until the place opened - a fact that caused a permanent scowl to plant itself on the impatient shinobi by Hinata's side. She had gotten pretty good at ignoring his moods, though, so she wasn't very bothered.
As soon as the baker unlocked his door, Hinata was there with a sweet smile.
Sasuke watched as she gushed to the man, presumably complimenting him on whatever pastry he had given her the night before. He rolled his eyes. The things this woman prioritized truly baffled him.
After a few moments, he turned to see the giddy kunoichi bouncing toward him, arm full of treats. He rolled his eyes once again.
"Sorry for taking so long," she said, though he suspected she was not the least bit sorry as she gingerly placed her purchases into her pack.
Grunting in response to the false apology, Sasuke didn't wait as he turned on his heel and headed toward the wilderness.
Hinata caught up to him soon enough, silently beaming.
The baker had been so happy with her words of kindness toward his creation that he had gifted her with a whole batch! She had insisted on paying him for them all, but he wouldn't hear of it. "Your praise is enough payment for me, ma'am," he had said, a blush forming on his round cheeks.
Though, she had snuck some coins into his tip jar when his back was turned anyway.
They walked on in silence for a while, and soon began jumping through the trees as they both remained lost in their own thoughts.
Curiously, neither one seemed to note that they were still traveling alongside one another; matching speed effortlessly - though Sasuke was going a bit slower than usual to stay at the woman's speed, unbeknownst to himself.
The day passed on peacefully. The silence between them was no longer awkward, and neither really thought much about their current situation. Instead, they simply continued on their journey with no destination or goal in mind.
The rainy season was nearing its end, luckily, gifting them with clear skies and a slight cooling breeze as the day passed. There weren't many travellers along their route, nor any village's nearby. So, hours after the sun had set, the two found a small clearing to set up camp for the night.
The night cooled down quite a bit, so Hinata decided to find some firewood after setting out her sleeping bag. Sasuke, on the other hand, wasted no time in finding a comfortable spot against a nearby tree, digging into his newly-bought rations.
The two unlikely companions paid each other no mind throughout most of the night, with Sasuke closing his eyes as he rested against the large tree, and Hinata finishing up the campfire.
After eating her own dinner, the ex-heiress was eager to partake in her dessert.
Looking as giddy as she had that morning, Hinata grabbed one of the containers from her pack and made herself comfortable in front of the fire. She was about to dig in, but suddenly had a thought. She looked over to the silent ninja, and noted his closed eyes.
Clearing her throat softly, she watched black eyes lift ever-so-slightly, "W-Would you like some?"
Instead of responding, Sasuke simply closed his eyes again, acting as if he hadn't even heard her inquiry. Hinata pursed her lips, Rude.
Sticking her tongue out at the prickly shinobi, the ex-heiress returned her attention to the delicious treat in her hands. She was unable to hold back the moan of ecstasy that left her mouth as she indulged in the square of goodness, How is it even better than before?!
Hinata soon lost herself in the sweet treat, not quite taking her time as she had the night before.
As the Hyuuga enjoyed her dessert, she was unaware of dark eyes shooting open suddenly at her sounds of pleasure.
Sasuke swallowed.
He had been on the verge of sleep when the woman across from him had let out a moan, and he suddenly found himself unable to look away.
She was a sight to behold, to say the least. Eyes closed in bliss, tongue fluttering across her sugary lips as she savored the remnants of her beloved treat. Sasuke's mind had gone blank, and all he could do was watch.
In that moment, the Uchiha could not deny the beauty before him. Even with her messy hair and tattered clothes from months of living amongst the trees, Hinata was stunning.
Her long, raven hair reflected the dancing flames in front of her; delicate yet lethal fingers brought up to her soft-looking lips, sucking on the appendage to rid it of the sticky substance leftover from her dessert. Sasuke's eyes lingered on those lips, watching diligently as she made sure to taste every bit of that damn pudding.
He imagined his own finger replacing her own; images of her tongue darting out to meet his sticky fingers, dripping with a much different substance than her precious dessert.
Sasuke started. What the hell was he thinking about?!
He stood up suddenly, and jumped onto the branches above him in a flash. Making sure he was on the far side of the large tree, blocking his view of the woman below him, Sasuke took a deep breath.
Glaring into the darkness ahead of him, he wondered what the hell that was all about. Although he wasn't quite able to play dumb with himself this time.
He was, obviously, attracted to Hinata.
The thought - though it made him want to puke - was understandable, he deduced. After all, it had been quite a while since he had been with a woman. So, of course, as any man would, he found himself with the urge for...certain pleasures.
And with her moaning like that, it's no wonder I can't get ahold of myself.
Yes, he assured himself, it was perfectly natural for a man to find a woman attractive under these circumstances. It wasn't like there was anything more to it than that.
It was simply biological. Chemical. A natural human reaction. Nothing to dwell on, and nothing to pursue.
Deciding he had spent enough time thinking about this, Sasuke closed his eyes once again and urged sleep to come - all the while, willing himself to ignore the restlessness growing in the pit of his stomach.
A few days passed, and the two Hidden Leaf shinobi had fallen into a sort of routine.
They would get an early start and make their way through the dense forest alongside one another; sometimes Sasuke would run ahead a bit, or Hinata would take to running on the ground below, but they never left each other's line of sight.
After the moon took over the sky, they would continue their trek until finding a suitable place to rest. Sasuke usually slept in a nearby tree, while Hinata would make herself comfortable by the campfire.
All along, neither spoke often. Sometimes Hinata would point out a settlement nearby, or offer her companion one of her treats (though she only had a couple left, now); but more often than not, the two kept silent.
Another constant took form in the thoughts plaguing each of their minds.
Hinata was growing a bit uncomfortable with the constant silence. It wasn't that she was sensing any animosity from the shinobi, actually he seemed fairly content - well, as content as Sasuke could seem with the constant look of apathy that seemed to have frozen onto his features.
Still, she felt odd being around anyone for a long period of time and not talking about something. No matter how hard she tried, though, no conversation would get farther than a mere observation. Usually from her. Well, always from her.
She sighed a bit as she sat in front of the campfire for another night, alone, sensing Sasuke somewhere in the trees above. Why even stay around if he didn't want to actually be around? She felt frustration pool in her stomach as she shoved food into her mouth.
Meanwhile, Sasuke was dealing with some frustration of his own - though it was quite different from Hinata's.
Each day, he found his thoughts growing more and more dangerous. When she would run beside him, her wafting scent caused his mouth to water - so he ran ahead. When she reached over to adjust the fire wood, her top would reveal soft skin, just enough to make his pulse race - so he remained in the trees where he couldn't see her.
The worst, he had come to realize, was her voice.
Any time she would try to make conversation, no matter how brief, he found himself at a loss. For once, he wasn't trying to ignore her; he simply...couldn't think of what to say. Her voice hit him in a way that he was unused to, especially when she used that sweet, searching tone. He had found himself missing when she spoke to him with nothing but disdain.
The rogue ninja had resigned himself to the belief that he was simply in need of the company of a woman. Not her, of course - but someone. He was sure that once he had relieved his built up pressure, he could go back to his usual self.
It was with this thought in mind that Sasuke found himself leading them into a tavern one night. Hinata had pointed it out in one of her many attempts to get some sort of reaction from him, but she had been quite surprised when he actually changed direction and headed straight for the place.
She was not quite as eager to enter the shady-looking establishment, and was starting to regret her need to make idle conversation as she followed the head of black hair through the dense crowd. Luckily, this place didn't seem quite as sketchy as the last time she found herself in a bar - she shuddered at the thought of the drunken man from months ago.
Hinata was also fairly surprised at Sasuke. She hadn't pictured him as much of a drinker, and thought he usually tried his best to stay away from crowded areas like this one. As she watched him order a bottle of sake, though, she could only assume she had been wrong with that guess.
Of course, Sasuke was not much of a drinker, as his companion had guessed - but he didn't care that night. He had one thing on his mind as he glanced around the crowded bar. He was annoyed to find that the place was mainly full of gruff men and old women, but figured a few drinks couldn't hurt. Anything to get rid of this damn tension.
The kunoichi by his side was starting to feel some tension herself, though it was mainly due to the environment. She was suddenly very grateful for Sasuke's presence, since it kept anyone from approaching her this time around.
She looked over at the Uchiha, who had just downed his second shot, and raised a brow. She was about to question him, feeling that his mood was a bit off, but was interrupted by the bartender asking if she wanted a drink. She was ready to decline, but Sasuke beat her to it, "She's fine."
Hinata turned on him fast, eyebrows furrowing. Yes, she was fine, but who was he to make that decision? Did he think she was too innocent, too "childish" to drink? Sure, she had only ever had alcohol once, and it was at a family member's wedding ceremony, and she had blanched at the first sip, and had never tried anything since...but still!
Feeling the need to prove herself, for some reason, Hinata stopped the bartender before she left, "Actually, I'll have what he's having."
Sasuke turned to her with slight surprise. He hadn't been expecting that.
She looked back at him levelly, raising a brow, Yeah, that's right, buddy.
He smirked, raising his own glass to his lips - this girl was full of surprises.
Feeling that tell-tale swirl in his gut, Sasuke had to hold back a groan of annoyance. He really needed to find someone to sleep with - fast.
As Sasuke turned back to the crowd with searching eyes, Hinata eyed her sake. She gulped, suddenly wondering if proving herself was worth it. Looking over at the man next to her, she held her head up. Lifting the glass to her lips, and trying her best not to focus on the stinging in her nose from the smell, Hinata swallowed her shot as fast as she could - coughing despite herself as she felt the stinging sensation shift to her throat.
Sasuke looked over at her, smirking once again. He knew she wasn't a drinker.
He watched as she poured herself another shot, wanting to catch up to the Uchiha, and lost himself once again. Her cheeks were already beginning to tinge pink, and his hand twitched with the urge to touch. He took a silent breath.
Just as he was beginning to lose will-power, Sasuke felt a soft hand on his shoulder. Looking over at the woman that had approached him, he eyed her cautiously.
She looked older than himself, though not too much to consider it; brown hair draped over her left shoulder, looking careless yet purposeful. She smiled up at him, "Hey there."
He looked over her once again. She wasn't quite his type, but she was by no means unattractive. She obviously had been there for a while, considering the smell of alcohol coming from her breath. On a normal night, Sasuke wouldn't have spared her a second glance, let alone entertained any conversation.
Tonight was different. Casting a glance at the kunoichi by his side as she struggled to down her third glass, Sasuke sighed a bit before turning back to the other woman.
Not bothering with small talk, the Uchiha slid his arm around her waist and led her away from the bar.
Hinata, distracted by her mission to get through at least one more cup of the stinging beverage, hadn't noticed his absence yet. It wasn't until a large man greeted her from where she thought Sasuke was standing that she realized she had been left alone.
For a moment, she felt panic rise in her throat. Her large eyes darted around the bar; surely he wouldn't abandon her in such a place? She was ready to activate her byakugan when she spotted a head of spiky black hair heading for a door on the far side of the room. Hinata stepped forward, about to chase him down, until she noticed the woman by his side.
She watched them walk through the door, his hand on the small of her back and an oddly charming half-smile on his face.
Her stomach lurched.
Oh.
Stiffly, she turned back to the bar, ignoring the man that was still trying to talk to her.
Hinata wasn't sure what she was feeling, the alcohol working its way to her head and making it hard to decipher what exactly was causing this foreign feeling to course through her veins.
No, her body urged, it was not foreign. She had felt this before - but when?
Not bothering to finish the bottle, Hinata made her way through the crowd and headed for the exit. She needed air.
An undetermined amount of time passed, and Hinata had fallen asleep as she sat against a nearby tree outside of the tavern.
She was roused when Sasuke gave her a light kick to the foot, startling her and causing her eyes to fly open.
"Let's go."
She looked up at him for a moment, still a bit groggy from her nap - and the alcohol. He stared back with an expression that she couldn't place.
Shaking herself, Hinata stood up - albeit a bit wobbly - and followed Sasuke, who hadn't bothered to wait for her once again.
The two walked in silence for a while, but this quiet felt different than the others. Heavier.
They hadn't made it far when Sasuke stated that they would stop for the night. Hinata had barely a moment to register that he had spoken before he disappeared into the trees.
Feeling a bit off herself, the Hyuuga didn't bother with the campfire that night. Nor did she eat dinner, or her last treat.
Instead, she slipped into her sleeping bag and willed herself to fall asleep.
Yet, that feeling from the tavern had returned, only growing as they walked farther into the dark forest.
She had tried not to think about it at first. She knew it was familiar, but for some reason, she didn't want to identify it. However, as images of Sasuke walking away from her flashed in her mind, arm around that unknown woman, the feeling would not relent.
It was when memories of a certain celebration began circulating through her head that Hinata started to realize what the feeling was.
She remembered her laughing friends, villagers dancing the night away; a flowing, white dress. She remembered sitting alone at a large table, staring at a parchment that displayed her own name in elegant handwriting. She remembered her own tears of sadness that were so easily overlooked among the sea of happy tears around her.
Yes, she finally relented, she was familiar with this feeling.
Jealousy.