Chapter 4
Tired from a pre-dawn training session and a restless night, Sasuke intended to take a short nap before greeting the rising sun as well as his exasperating travelling companions.
With the sun almost directly above his head, he surmises his nap morphed into hours of blissful sleep.
Breathing out deeply, he takes a few moments to appreciate the silence and absence of trivial, teenage drivel. He then starts preparing for his day of teenage adventure.
After a quick shower, he enters a small dining hall. He spots Hinata seated alone at one of the chabudais. She turns upon hearing his soft footsteps and greets him with a small wave of the hand. He accepts her invitation, though he would have much preferred having his meal alone.
"Good morning, Sasuke-san. I hope you slept well."
With a grimace on his face, Sasuke nods his head. He doesn't complain about the ceaseless chatter that continued into the wee hours of the morning or the ear-splitting snoring produced by Hinata's blonde offspring.
Hinata carefully slides over a covered, ceramic bowl. "I saved you breakfast."
Sasuke uncovers the now cool breakfast soup without noting his appreciation.
"The kids were really excited to start their adventure today. I told them I will wait until you returned and we will meet up with them later this afternoon," Hinata continues, unbothered by Sasuke's unresponsiveness. Pulling out a small notebook from a satchel at her hip, she flips to a crudely drawn map and explains "Mitsuki-chan provided directions."
"You didn't have to wait. You could've left a note." Sasuke doesn't try to hide his preference for solitude. Though he gives her credit for moving past last night's escapades. He anticipated a day filled with awkward moments and choppy outbursts or apologies. Maybe today wouldn't be as irksome as he anticipated.
Hinata's joyful dispositions dip slightly. "I wasn't sure if you knew the way."
Moments pass in silence as Sasuke focuses on finishing his meal. Hinata twists her hands in discomfort. She hasn't spent much time with the Uchiha, but it is clear from last night, as well as today that he doesn't appreciate her companionship. Not that she can really blame him, seeing that he risked his life when he mistakenly thought hers was in danger. She decides it's best to leave him to finish his meal alone and not express her regret and shame over the events that transpired the night before.
As she rises to exit, he stands with her. Taking the notebook from her hand, he inspects the map. "We don't need this. I know where they are headed. I have been here with Orochimaru."
Sasuke and Hinata set about their journey by heading north along a well-travelled forest path bordering the river adjacent to the inn's onsen. Even under the blanket of the trees, the high noon sun warms the autumn day.
After an hour's journey, the mossy land between water and forest disappears. "We can swim the rest of the way. We should save our chakra for the trip back," Sasuke informs Hinata.
He undresses down to swimming trunks. Hinata immediately averts her gaze. Stepping behind a tree she removes her shorts and sandals; leaving on a thin, white, flowing linen blouse. She joins him at the edge of the bank.
Hinata activates her Byakugan, "I'll make sure it's safe." His feet have already left the soil of the last remaining plot of forest and he offer is left unheard. Before he reaches the water's surface she heaves a sigh of relief knowing his path down is safe of rocks and debris.
He motions for Hinata to dive in. Buoyantly, she follows.
The water is cold but calm, making it easy for the pair to swim upstream toward their destination.
Relying on only one arm, Sasuke is not as strong a swimmer as he once was, but he still remains ahead of the housewife who is surprisingly gifted in the water.
Passing a bend in the river, Sasuke grows impatient threading water while waiting for Hinata to catch up. He decides to investigate the reason for this delay. Swimming downstream, he finds her struggling to break free from the clutches of a dead branch.
"Sorry. You can go ahead, I'll catch up soon." Hinata tugs at her coverall with a firm but gentle grip so that she doesn't rip the material.
Sasuke paddles toward her. Without gauging her reaction, he clutches the linen shirt at the center for her chest and rips it open.
Regretfully, Hinata watches her blouse drift away. "I liked that top," she mutters, mostly to herself.
Sasuke snorts,"Then you should have left it in your room."
Hinata lightly huffs. "Thank you for helping me, but I could have broken free on my own."
Sasuke cannot comprehend why a woman who is clearly not a novice swimmer would decide to burden and place herself in danger by clinging on to an unnecessary article of clothing.
"You're wasting time," Sasuke says harshly as he swims ahead. His patience is wearing thin, so he distances himself before his words become offensive.
Neither speak to the other until they encounter a flock of cranes. Hinata sighs in relief as the presence of the large, snow-white birds indicate shallow water ahead. Fatigue is wearing her down with muscles unaccustomed to prolonged movement.
Sasuke finds his footing on the rocky embankment. Hinata falters behind, self-conscious of her attire. The swimsuit gifted by Hanabi was deceptive in its modesty – the sheer fabric reveals more than she planned to.
"Are you coming?" Sasuke questions, flustered by the multiple small delays.
Breathing in deeply, Hinata finds the courage to resurface from the couverture of the water.
Imperceptibly Sasuke's eyes twitch at the sight of Hinata's body emerging from the body. Under the harsh sunlight, the swimsuit emphasizes her curves and provides an ample glimpse at what lays underneath.
Regaining his senses, he turns away, mentally brandishing her for wearing a highly inappropriate swimsuit while accompanying her teenage son and his teammates.
Ensuring that she is directly behind him and away from his peripheral view, Hinata asks, "Are we close to the waterfall?" Sasuke doesn't respond nor does he allow his eyes to drift to her.
Leaving the rocky riverbed, they now enter an untamed forest. There is no clear path in sight, but Hinata follows without question. A few miles of what Hinata believes is aimless wandering, Sasuke suddenly stops.
"Wait here!" he instructs as he turns to his right and moves into an area with heavy bramble.
A few minutes later he emerges with a small branch with large, dark green leathery leaves still attached. Tugging it off from his shoulder, he plucks a yellow, oval shaped fruit and throws it at Hinata.
Even though it caught her off-guard, she is still able to react in time to catch it. "Loquats? This time of year?"
Sasuke picks another from the large cluster at the base of the branch. Hinata watches as he bites into the succulent flesh of the juicy fruit. His eyes close as he savours the sweet but tart meal nature has freely provided. Reflexively, her mouth waters in anticipation.
After both have sated their hunger, they continue their trekking.
For the first time since they set out that day, Hinata questions the purpose of the trip. She initially believed it was a trip to collect medicinal herbs, but from her brief observation of the surrounding plants, she is confident that the flora is similar to that of Konoha's. So, there would be no need to hike this far into a foreign land when Mitsuki could find what he needs in their village.
A mile ahead of where they stopped to eat, Hinata hears the inviting sound of water. Sasuke holds a large branch to the side allowing Hinata to enter another clearing.
A pool of turquoise water flanked by towering red maples greet them.
She is in awe at the beauty surrounding her. "Amazing!"
Throat parched from the tangy fruits, he kneels on the rocky edge of the pool, "The water is clean to drink,"
Hinata hurriedly runs toward the cool, inviting water. Stooping down, she forms a makeshift cup with her hands and greedily laps up the water.
Sasuke's attempt to quench his thirst is not as immediate as he fumbles to scoop up enough liquid with one hand. Noticing his difficulties, Hinata brings her liquid-filled hands to his mouth. Dehydration and convenience subdue his period, allowing him to accept the kind gesture.
Sasuke's surprisingly soft lips brush against Hinata's palms, causing her to flinch but she fights the urge to retract the offering.
"Do you think the children left?" Hinata looks for traces of evidence of her son's presence.
"There is a natural hot spring beyond those rocks," Sasuke declares as he slowly enters the pool. He points toward the rocky wall at the far end. "Mitsuki may have led them to it."
Hinata drinks a few more sips of the cool water before attempting to catch up to her guide. She takes a moment in the shallow water to admire the glittering effects of the sunlight on the water's surface. Wading in, she playfully splashes water ahead. Sasuke grunts in annoyance at the infantile behaviour.
Sasuke reaches the rocks before Hinata. She quickens her strokes to catch up, but her eyes catch lateral undulations in the water. Her eyes widen in fear as a long, tan snake with brown patches slithers in her direction.
"Sasuke," she hoarsely whispers.
"Hn." He barely registers her voice.
"Help… please."
Turning around, Sasuke notices Hinata's face is considerably paler with an aghast expression. He follows her gaze and sees a water snake lazily moving in her direction. Knowing that she was once a shinobi, he believes she should be adept at protecting herself, and while the creature may be venomous, this particular species is known for its passive behaviour toward humans.
"Please," Desperate, Hinata calls out again.
Sasuke remains rooted at the rocks.
The snake is now a few meters away and Hinata quietly mutters, "Please help me." Her eyes droop slightly.
Concerned that she may faint, which will only cause him more trouble, Sasuke finally intervenes. He quickly makes his way to her.
Lightly, he takes a hold of the snake's head and re-directs it away from the frightened woman. "Come on."
"It's still there," Hinata points to the snake now moving toward the shore.
"It's gone." He softly nudges her shoulder, trying to encourage her to move.
Hinata's body trembles in fear. "I can't."
"Are you telling me a shinobi who once helped saved the world is afraid of a little snake?" he chides.
"Not in the water. I can't… not in the water," she repeats, mostly to herself. The movement in the water caused by her trembling appears to have caught the snake's attention as it proceeds to swim toward them again.
"No, no, no, no!" Hinata grabs onto Sasuke's shoulder and clambers onto his back. Not expecting her to latch on tightly, his head sinks below the water. Using the strength of his core, he manages to quickly resurface.
Coughing up water, he growls while trying to break free from her exceptionally strong hold, "Get off."
Hinata's legs wrap around his waist and the hold around his neck is unyielding.
"Climb up," Sasuke demands when they reach the rock wall but she doesn't budge. Holding on with one arm while pushing his body up with the strength of his legs, he manages to get them over the slippery, mossy partition.
Steady on his feet and without the fear of drowning, Sasuke is better able to process his surroundings. The noise of chatter and laughter is heard ahead, but the feeling of Hinata clinging firmly against him muddles his mind. He can hear the erratic beat of her heart as her ample chest press into his back. Soft breathing against his neck and compression of her thick thighs against his torso stirs something within him that should be solely reserved for his wife.
He flips her off of him and grabs her chin. "Our children are ahead. The snake is gone."
Regarding eyes wide in fright and red lips swollen from nervous biting, Sasuke reluctantly admits to himself that she is a seductive mess.
"Okay." With the creature nowhere in sight, Hinata gains her composure, "I'm so sorry, Sasuke-san."
"Move." He lets go of her face and prods her forward. They walk slowly toward the sound of merriment.
Before announcing their presence, Hinata looks down at her swimsuit and brings her hand to cover her breasts which are easily visible through the sheer fabric. Sasuke looks at her questioningly as to why in the world would she choose an outfit like this around teenage boys.
"My sister played a cruel prank on me," Hinata explains with blooming, crimson cheeks.
"Aa. Stay behind me, until we get to the spring," Sasuke offers, not out of concern for her modesty, but because he doesn't want to witness the reaction the Sannin's son might have to the housewife's barely clothed figure.
"Sasuke-san," Boruto calls out upon seeing his master approach. "What took you so long?"
Discreetly slipping into the piping hot water, Hinata says, "Sorry guys, I held us back a bit." Turning to Mitsuki who is seated primly on a rock, she asks, "Did you collect what you were looking for, Mitsuki-kun?"
Mitsuki opens a waterproof knapsack to reveal a large glass jar covered with a wooden cap. The wooden cap has three tiny holes bored into it to allow oxygen to reach the creature in the jar.
Hinata gasps but doesn't move away from her spot in the onsen. "You came here to collect a snake?" The snake is a smaller version to one that stalked her in the pond.
Nodding, Mitsuki explains, "I'm interested in its special venom, but I'll release it once I have milked it."
Hinata shudders and hopes she is far away from the teen when he gives the snake its freedom.
The sun begins to set, and Sasuke orders the rowdy teenagers to pack up to head back to the hotel. The trip to the inn goes smoothly and is faster as the group uses their remaining chakra reserves to trek back on top of the water.
For dinner, not surprisingly, team seven requests to explore the restaurants of the resort-side of town.
Sasuke retreats to his room, while Hinata visits the inn's dining hall.
Laid out on his futon, Sasuke rubs his head, trying to ease the tension away from today. A migraine slowly begins to build at his temples.
A light tap is heard at the door to his room.
Kicking off the covers, Sasuke greets his unwanted guest.
"I'm sorry to bother you." Hinata holds up a single key. "For all the trouble I have caused you, and I know my son is a loud sleeper. I thought you might appreciate a bit of peace and quiet on our last night."
That's precisely what he needs and what he is trying to savour before the ruckus that her son creates returns. "Why are you here?" Sasuke cuts off her rambling.
"I reserved you a separate room. It overlooks the river and it's away from most of the guest rooms."
"Aa." He holds up his forefinger indicating that she should give him a minute.
After collecting his belongings, Hinata leads him to the northwestern end of the inn.
Entering the room, the sound of gushing of water provides a tranquil ambience but Sasuke quickly closes the open window and draws the curtains. With a grimace on his face, he presses his thumb deep into his temple.
Concerned, Hinata inquires, "Are you hurt?"
Sasuke shakes his head. The pain in his head removes the energy needed to throw her out.
"Do you have a headache?" Hinata moves closer to where he is seated on a wooden chair as Sasuke's face distorts slightly in pain. "May I?" Her outstretched hands tingle glow with warm, purple chakra.
He doesn't offer any objections.
She warns him before she touches his face, "This might hurt for a few seconds, but it should help."
Her soft palms encase both sides of his face. The sensation of a jolt of electricity courses through Sasuke's skull. Involuntarily, his back jerks into an upright position. He squeezes Hinata's hip in an attempt to cope with the sensation she has injected. Although she winces but doesn't push his hand away.
In a few minutes, the pain from her chakra and the migraine dull, but he doesn't remove his hold. She beings to rub his temples, and he lightly groans in relief.
Sasuke's olfactory receptors are overwhelmed by lavender and hinoki wood. The latter makes the former more tolerable, even pleasant. He has a sudden urge to burrow his face into her slender neck and run his tongue and teeth over the expanse of the delicate skin.
He looks up into her pale, ghostly eyes. At the forefront, only fear and apprehension are notable, but further back, he sees a hint of hunger. He trusts his perceptive abilities to be objective and not a reflection of his own feelings.
Unbidden tension fills the room.
Thoughts of who she is leave his mind. In that moment, she is a woman and he is a man.
His large fingers spread across the flat expanse of her clothed torso. Pushing against her flesh, he moves upward.
Sasuke's fingers press into the valley of her breasts, while his thumb rests daringly close to her nipple. He can feel the hammering of her beating heart. His fingers scrape against the cotton fabric moving closer to the peak of her breasts.
"Sasuke-san," Hinata whispers pleadingly.
Does she want him to stop or continue?
A swaying branch hits the window, releasing Sasuke from his momentary fixation.
Hinata is the first to pull away. Stumbling out of the room she fumbles out, "Good night."
His hands are still mid-air when the door shuts behind her.
Her scent lingers even after she is long gone. He opens the window to erase any traces of her. His headache returns as he begins questioning his own behaviour.
TBC
Thanks again for the follows, likes and reviews. It motivated me to continue writing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Honestly, it's really hard trying to establish sexual attraction and chemistry between these two without it being completely OOC. So, I am trying to do it in bits and pieces for it be more believable.
Take care and stay safe!