oOo

Day 17 Prompts:

Noroke(Japanese)

"Speaking with fondness about your loved one."

Nunchi(Korean)

"The subtle and often unnoticed art of listening and gauging another person's mood."

Sasuke made the mistake of checking the viewing gallery overlooking the operating theater. It was just a glance, but enough time to recognize long hair and white eyes. Too short of a moment to register the identity of that person. He chanced another look and realized it was not Hinata.

He could not articulate why he knew in a second the woman was not Hinata. The curve of her cheek, maybe. The sheen of her hair. The stance. Who knew?

"Where's your head at?" Tsunade murmured behind her mask.

Sasuke smirked and refocused on the patient, sedated and open in front of him. "Right here. Can I please have-"

Shizune began to hand him the right tool.

"Thanks."

He could not think of anything else. Not when Tsunade quizzed him while he did his best, cleanest, sharpest work. This was his patient and his surgery. He would never forgive himself if he did not do everything possible for the person on the table.

oOo

Sasuke pulled off his scrub cap and sighed. His long hair slid down his neck to fall down his back. Already, he had shed his dirty scrubs, booties, gloves, and face shield. He was as clean as he could be without a shower.

He walked up the stairs to the viewing gallery with thighs tired from standing. The female Hyuga waited at the top, wearing a chunin uniform, standing tall and proud.

She faced him with such confidence. As if she towered over him and not the other way around. It made him smile.

This person was definitely not Hinata. Hinata would never wear so much bravado.

"How did you get clearance to come up here?" Sasuke asked once close enough.

The girl ignored him. "Hinata was wondering why you haven't been around. We've all been looking for you, but Sakura said you're here."

Alarm lanced through him, and he straightened his spine previously hunched with exhaustion.

"Is she okay?" Sasuke demanded.

The girl looked at him like he said something very stupid. "We have medics too."

He huffed and crossed his arms. "You Hyugas are so judgy for no reason."

She laughed. "We are, aren't we? It's fine. I just came to see if I needed to kick your ass or if should tell Hinata that everything is fine."

Sasuke eyed the kunoichi. She was short, yes, but that meant nothing about her lethality. He would rather not fight anyone as surgery-tired as he felt.

"What did you decide?" he asked warily.

"I'll tell Hinata you were busy with training. She'll understand. This is important."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in thought. "You're acting like I haven't seen Hinata in a long time. I just saw her the other day."

The girl smirked. "Oh. Sakura was right. You do lose time when you're training. What day is it?"

"Is that a trick question?"

She did not make him wait in suspense. "It's been three months since you last saw her."

His response came immediately. "You're lying."

The girl pointed at the clock on the wall, which also showed the date.

Sasuke did the mental math then gasped. "No."

She cackled.

"Is she mad at me? Oh shit. I'd be mad at me."

"No." She rolled her eyes. "Hinata is self-sacrificing. She thought you were mad at her."

Sasuke ran a hand through his unbound hair. "I need to apologize," he said to himself.

"Don't bother. Just be at the Founder's Festival, and that can be your punishment. You know? The one that happens every year? On the same day?"

He rolled his eyes. "I know when it is."

"It's in three days."

Sasuke did the mental math again. "Shit!"

"You're funny," the girl chuckled. "I like you. Here, take this. My big sister has been stress baking again. If I show up for duty out of shape, I'll never hear the end of it. I won't be a cliché."

She picked up a tote bag from the floor and thrust it towards him. Sasuke eyed the pink fabric decorated with a pattern of heart shaped strawberries. He frowned.

"Take it," she sing-songed while swinging it in front of him. "Take it, take it, take it."

He pressed his lips together grimly. "If I do, can that count as part of my punishment for accidentally ignoring Hinata?"

"Sure." She grinned. "But you have to walk home. Slowly."

Reluctantly, he accepted the bag.

"Three days," she repeated. "Don't forget."

"I won't." He nodded seriously. He gestured with a tilt of his head towards the operating room. "My training won't be so hectic after that test."

She shrugged. "I'll pass along the message. Gotta go. See ya."

Sasuke nodded as she walked past him and down the stairs. Something occurred to him. "Wait. Who are you?"

The girl cackled again as she strode down the hallway and did not answer.

oOo

Sasuke inspected the bag and its contents carefully once at home. He recognized a couple of the treats, cookies, and cupcakes all wrapped in beeswax paper. There was mochi, a couple of sweet buns, and something that looked like two tiny cookies sandwiching some kind of filling.

It was yellow. Lemon?

Maybe it would not be so sweet. He took one and carefully touched the tip of his tongue to the filling in the middle. It did not immediately assault him with sugar.

He took a bite. His face puckered as if he actually bit into a lemon. The sweetness assaulted his tastebuds. It made his teeth ache. Swallowing, he headed to the kitchen for a glass of water.

His family could eat this.

oOo

Sasuke showed up to his parent's house with the sweets in tow. In a different bag.

His mom, as always, met him at the door. She spotted his burden immediately. "Oh! What's this?"

He took off his shoes in exchange for house slippers and held up the goodies. His gaze flicked to the room where he could feel his father's chakra. "Hinata," he mouthed.

Mikoto lit up like a bonfire. Glee practically radiated out of her. "Oh," she whispered and winked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and let her happily take the sweets from him.

oOo

At dessert, instead of the usual fruit, Mikoto brought out a tray of Hinata's goodies. Sasuke gave his mother credit. The way she arranged everything made it look almost professional.

"What's this?" Fugaku asked suspiciously.

"My friend gave me some deserts," Mikoto said brightly, setting them down at the table.

"Oh, the one at the bakery?" Izumi lied smoothly.

His mother must have told Izumi where it came from.

Mikoto winked at Izumi from behind Fugaku's head before bustling down to her seat. Itachi looked covetously at the spread, but magnanimously let Izumi pick first. Fugaku picked a muffin.

He took a bite, and everyone watched him closely. He hummed and everyone slumped back in their chairs in relief.

"What is this?" he asked, pointing at the crushed nuts on the top of his muffin. "Pecans? I like it."

oOo

Coming up: Coming up: Sasuke sees Hinata. She looks good. Physically. Health wise. He means health wise. Dammit.