Chapter Three
Confusion
They were late for the dinner, but given the circumstances no one seemed to mind.
Not that Sasuke would have given a shit. He'd almost died, he was freezing, and his $250,000 sports car was a soggy lawn ornament. The last thing he was concerned about was making sure he was in time for the appetizers.
Itachi had very calmly ordered him and Hinata to strip and get into dry clothes while he called a wrecker service to fish for the car and ordered the on-hand medical staff take a look at them while Temari fretted over Hinata.
The emergency response unit that responded to Sasuke's car signal were also Uchiha employed and as such, they had been very thorough in their initial exam. However, Itachi was a practical man and an overprotective brother so no amount of arguing from Sasuke was getting him out of being looked at again.
So, wrapped in blankets and shivering he had been taken one way and Hinata another. That had been hours ago and he hadn't seen anyone aside from his brother and some pesky man with glasses that had poked at his bruised ribs on the pretense of examination.
He was bandaged, given a painkiller and told to rest for the remainder of the night. Yeah, sure. Sasuke sighed and pushed his fingers through his hair. A glance at the wall clock above the kitchen counter showed that it was just past midnight and he was nowhere near close to tired.
Lingering adrenaline, he supposed. It wasn't everyday that you plunged headlight first over a cliff. He shook his head, once again marveling at the fact that they had even made it out alive. He wouldn't have, if it had just been him in the car, he thought with a frown. Hinata had saved him.
She could have left him. He knew many people that would have simply swam for shore and never looked back, but she hadn't. She knew him from childhood, yet had no real attachment to him—they were never what could be considered friends—and yet she'd risked her own life to drag him from the wreckage. And even after, huddled beside the road, she had rubbed her hands along his back, held him just as tight as he held her and asked him if he was hurt, if he needed her to do anything for him. She'd been calm and collected in the face of it all, and even dismissed the gash above her eye when he'd commented that she was bleeding again.
He had insisted that she be looked at first when the emergency responders had arrived, and was relieved when they gave her a bandage and the all clear. He'd stayed close, gave his report on what happened to the officer that arrived, and listened as she gave hers. He was surprised that she never said a word about her heroics. Not to the emergency crew nor the officer, not to Itachi and Temari, not to anyone. She never revealed that she had dove back into the ice water to drag him out. If he hadn't mentioned it, no one would have known.
Itachi had thanked her for doing it, Temari had called her an 'idiot' and Hinata had simply looked embarrassed by the attention. "Sasuke would have done the same," she'd said quietly and smiled at him.
Would he have? Sasuke wondered now. He'd like to think he would have. It made him feel surprisingly good to know that Hinata thought that of him. It made him feel...proud.
It made no sense. He barely knew her, and honestly shouldn't give a shit what she thought of him, but each smile, each look of approval, made him feel good about himself in a way he wasn't sure he ever had before. It made him want to impress her more.
It was stupid. Utterly fucking stupid.
Sasuke Uchiha didn't need to impress anyone. Ever.
Deciding some fresh air was in order, he slipped on his jacket and stepped out onto the front porch.
Unlike the rest of the wedding week guests, all roomed in the main house, he had opted to take one of the smaller guest cottages on the property. Really, there was only so much 'social' interaction Itachi could expect from him, and if he was going to make it the week without going insane, or punching someone, it was just better that he be a little distanced.
The air was chill, but not biting, he noted, stepping up to lean against the snow padded railing. The sky was dark, the stars bright and vibrant. It was really serene up here, he thought. Quiet, peaceful and rather isolated. He could see why Itachi had brought Temari here.
He couldn't see why he'd bring two hundred plus other people to ruin it. Granted most of the guests wouldn't arrive until the actual wedding day on Saturday, but the wedding party, family and some select friends were to enjoy a week of pre-wedding events.
Sasuke would bet a month's salary that some people would 'accidentally' show up early. Getting close to the Uchiha family was a social goal for a lot of people, and as annoying as it was, it was also pathetically predictable.
Power and influence came with a price, he supposed, but it made for a lot of shallow relationships. People used people. It was the way of the world. Everybody wanted something from someone. Itachi called him jaded—more than once—because of his thinking, but as far as Sasuke was concerned he'd rather be jaded than a fool.
He had made the mistake once, and only once, of believing in something deeper, and he'd be damned if he ever put himself through that shit again. From now on he would be the user and not the used.
A flickering light near the treeline snapped him from his thoughts and drew his gaze. Probably security, making their nightly patrol, he figured. But just as he was about to dismiss it, he noticed a slender figure emerge from the shadows, flashlight in hand.
The moonlight on her hair gave her away and Sasuke frowned, striding down the steps and off the porch. What the hell was she doing out, wandering around by herself? She should be in bed, resting. Was she an idiot?
Hinata hummed quietly under her breath, watching the snow glitter against the beam of her flashlight. It was a really nice night, she thought, tilting her head and staring at the wide expanse of sky. She'd never seen the sky so bright and clear before. In Konoha the lights always prevented the sky from ever being so stunning. She was almost glad she couldn't sleep, she thought with a giggle. Whoever would have thought she'd be thankful for her insomnia?
Although, after the day she'd had, she doubted she'd sleep even if she had regular sleep habits. It was hard to really register how close they had come to dying. It seemed almost surreal, in hindsight, and she thought maybe she preferred it that way. She didn't want to dwell on it.
She had never been the type to mull over what could have happened, and instead always tried to focus on and appreciate what was. It saved her a lot of heartache, really, and even if she sometimes felt like she was living in a shell of denial, it was better than the alternative.
So, instead, she wondered how Sasuke was doing. He had been pretty banged up, she knew, despite his assurances that he was fine. She could see the way he limped when he walked, though, and she worried that he wouldn't take care of himself. He had been so intent on her being treated, on her being taken care of that he hadn't allowed anyone near him until he knew she was going to be okay. It had been rather touching.
It had surprised her a bit, although, it probably shouldn't have. Sure, Sasuke was distant and closed off, but she had never believed him cold or unfeeling. Naruto wouldn't care about him as much as he did if Sasuke was a heartless jerk and she had never seen him demonstrate being one, so matter what rumors she had heard, Hinata was a firm believer in forming her own opinions, based off of what she knew.
"Are you retarded?"
Startled, the flashlight dropped from her hand. Hinata turned at the soft crunch of snow beneath heavy boots and was surprised to find herself face to face with the scowling object of her thoughts. "I-I'm sorry?"
Sasuke bent and retrieved her light. "What are you doing out here?" he demanded, straightening. "You should be resting."
She blinked up at him, head tilted. "Uhm, so should you," she pointed out.
His frown deepened, brows coming down. "You didn't answer me. Now stop being a smart ass, and tell me what you're doing out here."
Her, a smart ass? That was new. She couldn't help but smile a bit at that. "I'm taking a walk," she said simply.
"At midnight?"
"Well, it wasn't that late when I started," she murmured, rubbing her nose. Now that she had stopped moving she was getting chilly. When he continued to scowl at her, she gave a small, sheepish shrug. "I sometimes have a hard time sleeping. Walking helps."
Sasuke let out a breath, glanced over his shoulder, then at her. "Come on." He grabbed her hand.
"Wh-what?" Hinata stumbled after him, startled by his abruptness.
"If you're foolish enough to be up, then you may as well keep me company. But I'm not in the mood to freeze my ass off. So come on."
"Oh...okay..." Confused, Hinata dutifully walked with him, trying not to notice how he had yet to release her hand. His was so much larger than hers, and warm, and strong...She felt her cheeks pinken and hoped Sasuke would contribute it to the cold. Mentally she scolded herself for her fluster.
When she noticed a small cottage she glanced at him, but he was still looking ahead. Suddenly, feeling nervous, her steps faltered again.
"You okay?" he shot her a look.
"Yeah." Just really clumsy, she thought, embarrassed.
He nodded, but she caught his eyes straying to her. Probably wondering if she was going to fall on her face and drag him down with her, she figured.
"Come on in," he said at the steps. "I'll make you some tea, or cocoa, or something."
"Oh. Okay." She tapped her feet, shaking off the excess snow. "Thank you, but I hate to keep you up."
He shrugged. "I was up anyway."
At this she inclined her head. "Do you have trouble sleeping too?"
"No," he slipped out of his jacket before he took hers. "I'm usually up late and sleeping in," he shrugged again.
"Oh." She really had no idea what to say. It wasn't like she expected to be keeping him company in the wee morning hours. She hadn't even really expected to talk to him much during the week, and yet here she was. She glanced around the cottage, opting for idle chit chat. "This is a really lovely place."
Sasuke gave their surroundings a dismissive glance. "It'll do." He pulled down a couple of mugs from the cupboard. "Tea all right?"
"Yes, thank you." Hinata made her way to the living area and sat on one of the plush chairs in front of the fireplace. After a moment she turned back to the kitchen. "Really, I should get going. There's no reason for me to keep you up..."
He placed the kettle on the stove, slanted her a look over his shoulder. "Is my company so repulsive, Hyuuga?"
"What? No." She shook her head and waved a hand in a placating gesture. "I'm sorry, no, that's not at all what I meant." She felt her face heat up. Why could she never say the right thing?
Sasuke smirked, shaking his head at her. "I know, relax. I'm just giving you a hard time."
"Oh." It took a moment for her to digest that. Sasuke was teasing her.
"How are you feeling?" he asked her when he joined her. He didn't take the other seat as she expected, but moved to stand in front of her. Hinata was completely unprepared for him to reach out, his thumb grazing just beside the cut above her eyebrow. "Does this still hurt?" he asked.
Swallowing the meager remains of her voice, Hinata could only shake her head. He was so close, and his eyes were so dark, and his voice was silk on smoke.
"No," she whispered finally.
"I never said thank you," he murmured.
"Th-thank you?" she wished her voice wasn't so breathy.
"Mm," he nodded, his eyes dark on hers. "For saving me."
"Oh." She gave him a soft smile. "You're welcome."
Sasuke could have ignored the way his fingers seemed to linger on her skin. He could have attributed his accelerated pulse to the walk, and he even could have dismissed his uncharacteristic concern as nothing more than obligation—she did save his life after all—but when she looked up at him and the firelight caught her eyes he couldn't deny the urge he had to kiss her.
Watching Sasuke's expression shift, Hinata bit her lip. It was almost like he wanted to...No. She mentally shook her head, laughing at herself. This was Sasuke Uchiha. Millionaire playboy and notorious bachelor. He could have anyone he wanted, and she wasn't fool enough to believe he wanted fumbling, bumbling Hinata Hyuuga.
Steadied by that, she met his gaze.
Her mouth was soft and parted. Sasuke hadn't intended to kiss her, but when she looked at him, he couldn't help himself. She made a small sound—part surprise, part something else—and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.
When he angled his head and leaned closer she surprised him by threading her fingers through his hair and meeting his tongue with her own. Her response was hesitant, but genuine, and he responded in kind, framing her face with his palms.
The position was awkward, preventing him from pulling her against him like he wanted, but that was all right. He was enjoying this just fine. He parted from her, only long enough to adjust her head tilt before laying his lips over hers again, a little firmer than before.
Hinata's head was spinning. Sasuke was kissing her. Kissing her. This made absolutely no sense at all. She must have hit her head much harder than she thought. Oh, no! She was in a coma somewhere and delusional! That was the only logical explanation. Really.
She felt Sasuke's thumb stroke her jaw a moment before his mouth left hers and followed the path of his fingers. He nuzzled into her neck, making her gasp and close her eyes. Okay, coma or not, she really didn't want to wake up...just yet...
"You smell nice," he whispered against her pulse.
Hinata would have thanked him, but a heartbeat later she felt his teeth graze her ear followed by a swirl of tongue and suddenly she was incapable of speech.
"Soft," his voice came again, his hands in her hair.
The shrill whistle of the kettle broke the air.
"Damn," she heard Sasuke mutter against her cheek. He pressed a brief kiss to her lips and stood and went into the kitchen.
Breathless, Hinata pressed her fingertips to her lips.
"Do you have a preference?"
"Huh?" Hinata blinked. Holy crap, she was awake! This was real!
A small, slightly smug smile, played with Sasuke's mouth. "In tea," he gestured to the mugs in front of him.
"Uhm, n-no. Wh-whatever you have is f-fine." Oh gods, she was a stuttering imbecile. She wanted to bury her face in her hands and hide from his amused eyes. Okay, okay, so Sasuke had kissed her, but he had been saying thank you, so maybe that was how he expressed his gratitude? She had no idea. Nothing made sense at the moment.
"Hinata."
Startled, she looked up to find him directly in front of her. He set her cup on the side table.
Crouching, he cupped her cheek in one hand. "Relax. It was just a kiss."
"I-I know that. " She tried for a smile. Just a kiss. Okay. "It didn't-didn't mean anything. I know."
At this, he frowned—scowled actually. "Oh?" his voice was cold, his eyes suddenly hard.
"O-of course," she nodded.
He straightened away from her, his expression carefully neutral. Hinata had the absurd notion that maybe she'd hurt his feelings. "S-Sasuke?"
"What?"
"Th-thank you...for the tea."
"Sure. Whatever." He shrugged, walking away and leaving his tea untouched. "You can let yourself out."
"Oh...okay." Hinata watched his back retreat down the small hallway to the right. Suddenly, she felt like crying. This was stupid. She stood, straightening her hair, and smoothing her clothes. It had just been a really emotional and trying day and she was too sensitive and she just needed to.. just needed to...
She wiped her eyes. Damn it.
"Hinata."
She whirled, bumping Sasuke, who grabbed her arms and steadied her. "S-Sorry," she muttered, trying to step back, but he didn't release her.
Sasuke hadn't even made it to the bedroom before he cursed himself for being an asshole. She didn't deserve to be treated so dismissively, and he couldn't blame her for not reading anything into the kiss. Hell, what was there to read into it? It wasn't her fault that his head was a fuzzy fuck up at the moment.
It surprised and shamed him to see her wiping tears from her eyes when he'd returned to the main room. He said her name, startling her, and she tried to move away from him, but he didn't want her to. It made no fuckdamn sense, but he didn't care.
"Hinata," he said again, using the curl of his finger to tip her head up. "Sleep here."
Her eyes widened.
"Just sleep," he clarified. "We're both tired, and stressed, and it's been one hell of a day. I don't feel like trudging my ass back into the cold to walk you back, and before you say it, yes I do have to, and so, why don't you just stay here." She had yet to say anything when he leaned closer still. "And for the record, I kissed you because I wanted to. And it means something." His lips brushed hers; faint, light. "What the hell it means, I have no idea, but it's something. So, you can stay here. On the couch," he inclined his head. "Or in the bedroom. With me."
"Oh..." Her face turned bright red. "Uhm..I l-liked the k-kiss. And—and I think you're very n-nice," Stop stuttering, she told herself. Firming her shoulders, she met his gaze. "But, I'm not the kind of person to...to..." she blushed even more.
Something in Sasuke's eyes softened, and he nodded. "I didn't think you were. We'll sleep."
"Uhm..." She really shouldn't. Gods, what would Neji think? Less than one day with that bastard Uchiha and she was contemplating going to bed with him... She should say no and march her butt back to her guest room and pretend none of this craziness had happened. Instead, she found herself nodding slowly. "O-okay."
Sasuke couldn't quite hide his surprise, but then he nodded back and squeezed her hand. What the hell was wrong with him? He wondered as he led her down the hallway. This wasn't at all like him. He was the fuck 'em and go type of guy, and he sure as shit wasn't one to placate anyone—least of all some woman that he barely knew. And yet, he found himself smiling reassuringly at Hinata over the bed, pulling back the covers and waiting for her to slide in—fully clothed—before he slipped in beside her.
He reached out, wrapped one arm over her middle, and waited for her to relax. She was tense for several long minutes, but then she seemed to realize he honestly wasn't going to do anything more than that and she sank back against him.
To Hinata's surprise the warmth pressed close to her and the steady thump of his heart against her shoulder blade lulled her and she found her eyes heavy. With a soft sigh she gave in and drifted to sleep.
Sasuke watched her for awhile longer, confusion and irritation warring with interest and acceptance. She was something new, he concluded, so maybe that was why he was so intrigued, but even to himself he could sense the bullshit behind the thought. Whatever else, one thing was true, and that was Hinata got to him. Why and how and what it meant, he had no idea. But, he thought as she snuggled closer in her sleep, he really didn't care at the moment.
AN: Well, this chapter went in a different direction than I had planned, but I like it, so I'm happy. I hope you enjoy it too! Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to review! I do appreciate it! Also: HAPPY HOLIDAYS!