Disclaimer: Naruto characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

Anomaly

CINNAMON GIRL

Chapter VIII

His feet meandered across the hall, to the cold forest and into her window.

Her new room was big. Clean with no other occupant but her. He saw her on the bed, she was still sleeping. Knocked out by her own consciousness. Sasuke came closer to her crisp linen, and saw her goosebumps along her arms. She must be having a bad dream or maybe it was just cold.

The scene was oddly familiar. It was like a routine. He comes to her at night while she's sleeping or pretending to sleep. They won't talk. He heals her. He walks away.

Last night was different.

He came to her. But this time he wasn't empty handed. This time she was really sleeping. She never felt him, never stirred. Nothing.

Tonight, he had no flowers with him. Just one cinnamon roll he smuggled from the kitchen.

He sighed and closed the window. Noting the sound of crickets, it was one of the things that can lull him to sleep. He came back closer to her bed this time. She was still wearing her servants uniform. A white worn out cloth that humbled her beauty. He fixed her blanket as she stirred, making him stop his movements. Anticipating her reaction at seeing him there.

Her eyes fluttered open and she groaned in pain and gasp in surprise at his presence. Like always, she wasn't speaking. She only sat up.

Does she remember anything? Her marriage proposal? Her family getting captured? Her fainting? Sasukes pulse quickened at his thoughts, did she forget about the flowers?

He pushed the food into her hand and she lazily bit it.

"You're marrying him." He didn't know what pushed him to finally speak to her. But he was tired of this cold place. He was tired of her not talking at all. Why won't she speak? Didn't she know that he'd be happy to listen to her? That he'd care for what she says? Didn't she know that she can cry to him if the mission was getting tough?

He wanted to laugh at his own thoughts. He's getting worse than Naruto. the idiot asked him to be there for her, not to.. not to what? To be her friend? Her companion? Her confidant? Something else? Something more? Who did he think he is? He's nobody to her. He's a mere shadow of the people she wanted to protect. He wasn't a friend. He wasn't anything to her and he knew that, so why was he expecting too much from her? Was he hurting because he knew that she's hurt and she won't even tell the only person that's here for her?

Marriage. It wasn't a question and they both knew that she is going to accept it. The closer she gets to Madara the better her chances of assassinating the prick.

Lost in his thoughts he almost missed the way she sighed in defeat. She didn't like the situation just like him, her family is now on the game and the once three players of cat and mouse became five. The stakes are higher.

"Your family's safe. Do not worry about them." He recalled meeting her father and her younger sister earlier that day. It seemed that they have been expecting Hinata to see them. They were confined in a decent room, no chains. He had to put them both in gengutsu just so that they can talk freely.

Hiashi, her father was concerned about their presence getting in the way of Hinatas mission but he assured him that as long as they keep their distance, everything will be fine. Hanabi, her younger sister was a little on edge tho, especially when he informed them of Madara's marriage proposal to Hinata. The younger sister obviously hated the idea of the village entrusting this heavy mission on her older sisters shoulders, and for some reason, Sasuke understood why.

Marriage didn't mean anything to him. It never really crossed his mind.

But to women like Hinata. It means a lot. He assumed. An heiress like her, it almost didn't make sense that she was sent for this mission but then it's crazy how it actually does. Seeing the progress of it. It made him sick.

He hated how her love for her family pushed her to do this. He hated how much she loved the village and how much she was willing to sacrifice for it. He hated how good she was, he hated how she reminded him of his selfless older brother Itachi. Is that why he gives her more attention than he should?

When they came into this place with the mission on hand. They both knew what they were getting into. What she was getting into. He respected her dedication as a kunoichi, he even regarded her as strong. But what changed? Who changed? Was it him?

".." Seeing that she won't speak to him. He sighed and almost couldn't hide the forceful way he shifted her skirt up. The action surprised her and gasped. He shook his head with his nostrils flaring for whatever reason, he didn't know. He didn't want to know. He reached out to her bruised knees and healed them with one hand. Her skin felt warm under his and he knew that she was in pain. Is that why he was angry? Because this woman is going to marry a man who won't even bother catching her when she faints?

He stopped his movements and pushed himself away from the bed. His thoughts are getting weird.

This is a mission. He knows that. Hinata knows that and this marriage is just a part of that. So why was he getting pissed? He needs to get away. He needed to clear his mind.

He turned, ready to go as far away as possible from the woman but a pair of soft, scarred hands held him to a stop. Hinata was holding his hand. He shifted and glanced at her. She was staring at his hands, her half eaten cinnamon roll left on the bedside table and finally spoke.

"He'll take everything from me once i marry him."

She didn't stand. She only bent her barely healed knees on the bed. Her head now almost reaching his neck. Sasuke panicked inside when her hands lifted and held his face. His sharingan flashed red but she wasn't scared. She pulled him closer and her lips hovered above his, he did not dare move as she whispered. "but.. he won't have this."

She kissed him. So chaste. So innocent. Just a peck. But it gave him all the answers to his questions. It gave him a direction. It gave him meaning.

She held his cheeks as their lips parted. Tears fell from her eyes. "..My first kiss Sasuke. It's yours."

Her hands then rested on his chest and he wondered if she felt his heart thundering underneath. He knew it was over when he felt her lean away but he didn't want it to end. He reached out and captured her lips again. This time in a deeper kiss. A longer one that she'll never forget. A kiss that will linger till the end of her days. A passionate kiss that will come back haunting her when she's alone. A kiss that will make her giggle at his funeral. A kiss that will remind her that it's okay if Naruto never answered her confession. A kiss that will comfort her when she finally sleep on the bed of the man she'll marry.

Her first kiss. He'll cherish it. He captured it with his eyes. The taste of cinnamon. The sound of her sigh. He'll treasure it. A secret. A memory to keep him sane. A gift from the gods themselves.

Their lips parted and it was only then that Sasuke realized he already pushed her into the bed. He hovered above her. Her nipples hard. Both of them panting. Her cheeks blooming in pink.

"That is a kiss."

Authors note: i can finish this story in like 12 chapters but idk if y'all will be happy about that XD your reviews motivate me. .