Authors Note: Helloo! Thank you for the lovely reviews. I hope you have more of that enthusiasm for what this chapter holds. :) Also I would like to apologize for any grammatical and/or typos in the previous chapter and this one. I don't have a beta to go through and help with those mistakes, so you'll have to bare with me.
Music: Blame Me by The Pretty Reckless, Things We Lost in the Fire by Bastille,
Chapter 2: Masquerade
She always has trouble deciding what to wear. If it weren't for her sister, Hinata would be a fashion massacre, as her sister put it. Right now she was modeling different outfits Hanabi picked out for her.
A week passed since the dinner with the Uchiha's. Now, she and Sasuke are required to have weekly dates, so that when they're married neither of them share a bed with a stranger. Of course that wouldn't exactly be the case. They often played together in their childhood until the passing of her Mother. Then the playdates stopped and she was thrown into the harsh reality her Father decided to place her into.
"I love the way this one brings out the lilac in your eyes."
Biting her lip, she looks back into the mirror, taking in her reflection. Hanabi had her dressed in a simple a-line violet gown that came just above her knees with nude three inch peep-toe pumps. Out of all the outfits she'd made her try on, this was the one Hinata agreed with the most. The other ones had been too out there for her comfort.
"This one I like the most."
Smiling with glee, Hanabi claps.
"Yay! I knew you would love it. Get your butt over to the vanity now!"
"Okay, okay."
Hurrying to the vanity so her sister wouldn't have a fit, she settles in the seat. Not sure what Hanabi had in store for her, she just hoped it wouldn't be anything to crazy. Hanabi sometimes went overboard, though lately she's been doing better with remembering it wasn't her that was wearing the style.
"Sooo do you know what Sasuke has in mind for you two tonight?"
"Uhm.. No.. "
"Hmm.." Hanabi's eyes lock with hers through the mirror. "What did he say at the dinner?"
"I already told you he didn't say anything.." Her cheeks flush whilst she avoids her sisters intense gaze through the mirror.
"I know you're hiding something!"
"He really didn't.."
"Then why are you blushing? Hmmmmm?"
Sighing, she forces her gaze to meet her sisters.
"He didn't say anything."
"I know you're lying.. But I won't push anymore."
Playing with her fingers, she just sits there silently awaiting her sister to finish. In truth, images of that foretelling night have been invading her thoughts since the dinner.
Hanabi steps back.
"Done! What do you think?"
Looking into the mirror, Hina stares at herself in awe. Her hair was pulled back in a braided bun with ringlets hanging down to frame her face. She had on simple silver amethyst set studded earings with a matching delicate necklace. Her sister had put a light layer of mascara on her naturally curled lashes and a pretty nude pink lip tint.
"Thank you Nabi.. You made me pretty."
"Hina, you're more than pretty. You're beautiful. I just wish you'd see it like everyone else does."
Smiling at her sister, she gets up and gives her a hug.
"You're so kind to me Hanabi. I don't deserve it."
Frowning, Hanabi gives her an embrace in return.
"You know I disapprove of that attitude you have towards yourself.."
"I know."
'Then stop it and go have fun."
She gives her sister a serious look.
"How can I have fun with someone I hardly know anymore? Not to mention.. This.." She motions towards her still flat stomach.".. I don't even know how I'm going to tell him.."
Placing her hands on her sisters shoulders, Hanabi looks into Hinata's eyes.
"Just enjoy tonight. Get to know one another again. The answer will come to you soon enough, it always does."
Smiling, she nods.
"You always know what to say, Nabi."
"Of course I do, I'm the wise one here."
Snorting, she hugs her sister and heads out.
Just short of thirty minutes the young heiress finds herself being seated at a secluded table, shy of any prying eyes, where her fiance was already settled at. Avoiding eye contact with him, Hinata smiles at the server helping her settle at the table.
"Thank you."
The server smiles in return.
"It's my pleasure Ms Hyuuga. Is there anything I can get you until your assigned server comes for your orders?"
"Hm..." Scanning the beverage menu, she chews on her lip trying to decide. Nothing really stood out to her, well nothing she could drink in her current state. With a sigh she gives up and decides on sparkling apple juice. "I'll take the sparkling apple juice."
"Coming right up."
The server smiles and hurries off to get her requested drink. Hinata looks across at her fiance. He was awfully quiet.. Deciding to break the ice, she smiles awkwardly at him.
"He-hello.."
Damn, why did she have to stutter now of all times? Annoyed, she gives her fiance her full attention, deciding to brush off the fact she was obviously showing her nerves to him. In truth she had no reason to be nervous, or did she? Maybe she did.. She was a living incubator for his offspring at the current moment, after all. Should she tell him now? Just get it over and done with? No.. That wouldn't be right.. She should just do what Hanabi told her. Have fun. Yeah. That's what she'll do.. If she can..
"-other night."
Snapping from her internal argument, she gives him a questioning look.
"I'm s-sorry.. What did you say?"
Her voice was coming out a bit timid, but at least her stuttering was minimized. Hopefully she could refrain from that awful habit for the rest of the evening..
Sasuke gives her a bemused look.
"The other night. Do you remember it?"
Feeling her breath hitch in her throat, the startled heiress gives him a look similar to that of a deer caught in the headlights. Of course she remembered. How could she not? She was pregnant.. Should she tell him? No.. Not yet. She already went over this. Internally cringing, she focuses on calming herself to the point that her facial expression holds a calm monotone. Though not able to trust her voice at the moment, she just gives the man a curt nod.
She notes his change in position. Before he had been sitting back in his chair, but now he was leaning inward with his elbows on the table; His hands intertwined whilst resting his chin upon them. His hypnotic gaze was pulling her from any thought process she was having. There was an intensity flaring between them, more so than what it had been when she first sat at the table. It had slowly increased to the point that if a spark were to flare within their vicinity, the place would ignite into flames.
Without realizing it, she to was now leaning inward similar to that of the Uchiha male. Her gaze was locked into his.
"That night we danced," his voice comes out in a whisper. "Like the masquerade. Except you didn't run."
The masquerade.. That was the night they first saw each other since they were children. It was the night that she blocked herself off from him.. That was when they first locked lips and it was when she ran from him..
Nerves. That's what she felt. Tonight was her first in the aristocratic spotlight since the passing of her Mother. So it had to be understandable how she felt currently, right?
After receiving a message from her Father to return from abroad, she found herself being whirled off to a custom boutique to get fitted for a ballgown befitting her position. Which she was now wearing.
Because she had recently turned sixteen, her Father decided to bring her home for the rest of her education (training, really). It was the yearly masquerade gala. Everyone would be masked for the duration of the event, until the looming antique clock (nestled high in the arched ceiling) struck midnight.
As a child she always begged her Mother to take her along to this mysterious event, but she would just smile at her and tell her she must wait to come of age. Then she would tuck her in and place a kiss upon her brow. Now that the time has come for her to attend that mysterious event, and all she wanted was to feel her Mother's reassuring embrace.
So now she was immersed in the shadows of the ballroom, taking in the sight of the various aristocrats dancing, laughing, socializing.
She had no idea what to do. What was her Father thinking, putting her in this situation? Was this his way of making up for the cruel distance he put between the two for all those years? Or was he just following the expected protocol of their social class?
Not wanting to dwell on such thoughts, she slowly edges to the refreshment tables. She was feeling a bit desiccated (thirsty).
Eyeing the various beverages, she settles upon sparkling apple juice. Grasping her drink, she makes her way back into the shadows. Drinking the delectable liquid as she goes. This proves to be her downfall, as she bumps into someone and nearly falls, but a firm grasp on the heiress's waist prevents her from doing so.
Doe-eyed, she gazes up at her savior, a stuttering apology trying to slip from her rosy lips. Though it catches in her throat as the familiar dark gaze of her captor overwhelms her.
No words come from him. He takes her up and pulls her along to the garden outside the ballroom. It was less crowded there. And that's where he pulled her to him, and they moved together.
Their eyes never leaving one another. A feeling was overtaking her. One of familiarity. She knew who this male was, yet she refused it. He represented the past.
A wall sat between curiosity and pain. Certain things she refused to let through. It was memories of a time where she was happy, and she couldn't let herself remember. Pain would only come from such action.
Time flew by as they danced. Never uttering a sound. Their gaze never moving from the other. It felt like a dream to her. One she never wished to break from. But then, the clock tolled midnight. It's bells announcing the moment where everyone was to remove their mask.
Not daring to breath, she removes her mask as he does his own. Now naked to his unwavering obsidian pools. Her opaque lavenders mirror her internal emotions. It was a cracking, that wall she had built securely around what was to remain locked away. Just the utterance of her name upon his lips caused more to break through. It wouldn't stop. She had to get away.
To late. He's overtaken her with a single action. His lips against hers. The heat of his embrace overwhelming her. She doesn't know what else to do but reply to his actions with mirrored ones to his. Her luminescent lavenders overflow with her pain. The liquid seeping from her tear ducts, marking a moist pathway down her cheeks.
There were no more cracks. The wall was gone. She was flooded with unwanted memories, emotion, pain. Not able to take anymore, she pulls away. Her face mirroring the chaotic state her mind held.
Bewilderment was obvious in the male's face. Before he could voice the question forming on his lips, she ran. She continued to run until she was out of the ballroom. Out of the building. Down the street. Running so far until she didn't know where she was. Then, she fell. The last thing that flashed before her eyes before a welcoming darkness was the look in her Mother's eyes as she lay on the ground bleeding.
"Why did you run?"
"I.. I.." Breathing in, she continues to stare into his questioning gaze. "I had to. Everything I locked away broke free. You have no idea of the pain... I just..."
Stopping momentarily, she feels his gentle touch as he wipes away the tears she hadn't been aware of. Pulling together a broken smile, she thanks him.
"Continue, please."
Nodding, she takes another breath to settle her nerves.
"I've held everything in a dark locked room and I don't want it breaking free. I'm not ready for it. I wasn't ready for it then and I'm not now. Seeing you and that kiss.. It just broke something and it all came back.. It took me months to build the wall back up.."
"And now..?"
"It's still there, but I know how to keep it standing. Mentally, I'm stronger. One day I will face it. But not now.."
"Hm.."
Just then their orders come. Surprised, she looks from the food to Sasuke. He had ordered them grilled cheese with tomato soup. It was what they always ate during their playdates.
"Heh.. It was the only thing I could think of that you liked. You always insisted on the grilled cheese when we were kids.."
"It's perfect.." She gives him a small smile. One that wasn't forced. It came naturally to her.
"Good."
Eating in silence, she eyes him from time to time. He still had the determined look he always held whilst eating. She couldn't help but giggle. Perking his attention.
"Hn?"
Biting her lip, she shakes her head. Taking a rather large bite of her grilled cheese. His expression causes her to stop mid-bite. A questioning look directed at him. He just shakes his head, smirking at her. Shrugging, she resumes devouring her sandwich.
Moments of silence settle between them. Not bothering either of them.
"Why are you here anyway?"
His question catches her off guard.
"I'm here to have dinner with you..?"
"Tsk. You know what I mean."
Realization dawns on her. Giving him an ominous look, she adjusts herself to a more comfortable position.
"I'm required to fulfill whatever is required of me as the Hyuuga heir."
"There has to be more."
Biting her lip, she fiddles her thumbs in her lap. Darting her gaze around.
"What about you? You have understanding parents. They wouldn't make you do anything without your consent.."
"Hn.. I'm taking my brother's place as heir, someone has to do it. He's locked away in rehab. What's your excuse?"
Feeling a bit out of place from his sudden abrubtness, she fidgets a bit more. Trying to think of what to say.. Her original plan was to run off after graduation and take her full scholarship to Konoha Art Institute, but when she realized Hanabi would be forced into taking her place she stayed. And then she got pregnant. So.. Those were two very damn good reasons to be there..
"I don't want to force the pressure onto my sister."
"I knew you were kind, but to be that kind has to take a toll.."
Nodding her head, she decides to redirect the conversation.
"So... I don't really know much about you.. Nor you me.. Unless you still love your cat plushies." She looks at him questioningly.
Coughing, he moves in his seat. A look of embarrassment obvious in his eyes.
"I can't believe you still remember that.."
"I remember a lot of things.."
"Hn. Well let us talk then."
Nodding, the two converse for what feels like hours.
That is, until a very loud commotion attracts their attention.
"What.."
Hinata's words are lost as a whirlwind of pink knocks her from the seat. Frozen in shock, she just stares up in bewilderment at her attacker.
"You sneaky little bitch! I thought we were friends?! How could you get between Sasu-kun and me?! He's mine!"
A raging Sakura was screaming for the whole restaurant to hear, holding Hinata on the ground in a painful grip. Realization finally crosses the heiress's face. She forgot that Sakura was in love with Sasuke.. The two had a relationship in high school, but she thought they broke up. Wouldn't that be the case with their engagement..?
"Get off my fiancee, Sakura. Now."
The agitated voice of Sasuke causes chills to go down Hinata's spine.
"Why should I listen to you? You traitor!"
Before the pinkette can so much as strike the downfell Hyuuga, she's pulled off and flung onto the other side of the table.
"Get out of here you stupid bitch."
Turning his attention from the screeching woman, Sasuke holds his hand out for his fiancee. Taking the offered hand, Hinata stands up only to double over. Grasping onto her, Sasuke gives her a look of concern.
"What's wrong?"
Panting, her lilacs dart up to meet his.
"I'm.. p-pregnant.. h-hospital.. n-now.." her voice comes out in breathes as she doubles over again. Groaning in pain.
