A Few Months

Gone was the morning frost that had encased the town, and in its wake the people welcomed the spring sun that seemed to melt the cold from their bones. For those who had dared venture out before the dew had left, they surely would have passed with brows raised and minds flaring with assumptions of what had happened after seeing a stranger clearing up broken shards of glass from the pub entrance.

Hinata was very wary of the stares as she looked on at the girl she knew as Tenten. Though her desire to help lingered at the surface, she had her own business to take care of. Besides, as Naruto said, in a slow town with not a lot to do, you can be sure that word travels. You can't control what people say, but you can control how you act, so carry on like nothing is wrong. Then, nothing will be wrong.

Those words of wisdom seemed quick to be shared and Hinata could only assume that he had fallen victim to rumors himself. She wondered how anyone could treat him in that way, especially since he had become such a pillar in the town. Perhaps he would let her in.. one day.

As her mind wandered from her duties the entrance opened to reveal Tenten. She stood at the entrance, seemingly still sheepish after the confrontation this morning as she waited for Hinata to take notice.

"I..I finished cleaning up the glass.". She said after noticing Hinata's mind was far gone from the present moment. Hinata snapped to attention, finally placing the vase of flowers that she had been holding on the windowsill of the very window she had been staring out of.

"Right! Thank you.." Knowing her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment from being caught in thought, the pub owner kept her head low and started wandering into the back. "Y-You must be starving! Let me cook up something for you.".

With that, Hinata flew into the back before Tenten could protest or even mutter another apology - though her stomach was not complaining at the promise of food.

It had been the first time that Tenten had been alone in the pub. As she stood part way between the entrance and the staircase leading up to the lodgings, she could see how much love this place had to give. The entire room was adorned in beautiful heartwood that gave the most intense warm glow to the place, yet each furnishing was different from the last and had been worn down to the absolute end of its life. Though the place was used and abused, each indent on the wooden floor a memory of a time passed, each stool at every table had their own little quirk that made each of them unique, and the atmosphere was just so… inviting.

It was a world away from what she had escaped from. Though the room was empty, you could almost hear the laughter still echoing from nights past. There was little she could compare and she had been through enough to expect that this wouldn't be anymore than a short stay. She had to stay unattached, untouchable, and most importantly untraceable.

Just do what you need to do and go.

She paid little attention to the swarm of emotions she had felt and took a seat at the bar, picking at a splinter on the edge of the bar with a dirtied nail. As the brunette sat and realised the amount of stains of dirt and dried blood on herself, Hinata returned with a plate of eggs in hand. She paused to take in the girl's appearance - obviously dirtied, but very naturally beautiful nonetheless. Naturally high cheekbones that sat curved under October eyes that held a touch of sadness and tangled deep brown hair that was falling from a singular messy bun atop her head.

Hinata clocked wandering eyes locking onto hers, and in turn she gingerly put the plate down in front of the woman. "It's not much, but it's all I have until the order comes in later today".

"This is perfect.". She almost gasped, inhaling the first mouthful yet slowly chewing the first bite with near glee. "After all I've done to you, this is ever so kind. I promise, I'll pay my dues in no time and be out of your hair faster than a tumbleweed in a storm."

For the first time, Hinata saw not a dangerous stranger with a mysterious passed and a will to attack, but a woman who just wanted to do no harm and take nothing but what she needed. "It's no bother. But.. any help is appreciated around here". Dismayed pale eyes wandered around the room, but a smile soon cracked. "It's not much, and it's falling apart, but it's home".

Tenten looked on, feeling the clutches of jealousy rearing their ugly heads. She crammed another fork of food into her mouth before she could give those itching thoughts another second.

"So, that man with the long hair. He's your cousin?" She spoke through breaths of food. Hinata nodded and Tenten pinched her lips. "He probably has a lot to say to me, and a lot to say about me."

"Neji is…well…" Hinata spent a careful amount of time coming up with the best words - only encouraging Tenten's smirk as she filled in the blanks by herself.

"Stubborn? Arrogant? A cocky son of a-" She caught herself burying her own hole before she finished. "Sorry, didn't mean no harm. It was just not the best introduction this morning is all."

The purple pub owner broke a smile, covering her amusement with her hand to stifle what she could. "That's between you and him. You can make up your own mind about him, but it sounds like you're going to be staying for a while…" The hard part was coming. "So, about that… the damages to the room were…"

"Extreme?"

"Y-Yes.."

"How long do you think it'll take to pay you back? Be honest" Even in the short time they had spent together, Tenten got the impression that the hard truth was tough to get out of this one.

"Well.. this is the only place to stay in the town. So, you'd be lodging here with me, right?"

Tenten started to chew her lip. "I guess…"

"That plus the cost of damages, food, some clothes to get you through... I would say that's going to be at least… a few months."

"Oh..I guess that's that then." Tenten's heart lodged in her throat - that was definitely not in her plan. The longer she stayed in one place, the higher the chance he would find her. He always had such a gift of being able to track her down. She would just have to hope that this town was small enough and so off the beaten track that her chances were in her favor. And Thunder had never let her down.

Thunder!

Swallowing hard, she gave Hinata a look of instant alarm. "My horse, where is he?"

Taken aback by the sudden change in subject, the landladies' brows knitted together in worry. "He's safe, he's in the stables. Sai looks after them. I can take you to him this afternoon. You're welcome to take a bath after you've eaten. I'll probably be busy working the kitchen until I'm free to take you. I think Naruto…uhm, the blonde man that…well-"

"Aimed a gun at me, yes I remember well." Noticing the flush of pink radiating over the woman's face, she snapped back quickly. "I'm sorry…I have a tendency to have a sharp tongue"

"No, you're right. Yes, that man. He asked me to tell you to meet him in the Sheriff's office once you'd finished getting cleaned up. I'll leave you those change of clothes I promised you." Hinata lifted the now empty plate from Tenten's space. "I have to get on, but swing by the kitchen anytime. You're safe here."

As lavender hair disappeared behind the curtain, the last words repeated themselves in her mind.

You're safe here

"Yeah right, I've heard that before." She muttered under her breath before standing and walking towards the staircase. Before departing, she gave her surroundings one last look.

It wasn't a question of whether she was safe here or not, it's a question of how long.

...

Just a quick chapter full of filler before I go to bed. Leave your comments / feedback on what you want to see happen - who knows, I might get inspired.