Chapter 22: Impure
"Should I hunt them down right now or wait till later?"
'Hunt?'
That could mean multiple things coming from Naruto.
"Neither." Hinata replies, stopping him from heading towards the elevators.
His hand is hot to the touch, hairs on the tips of his fingers curling up with a rising anger she quiets with a single look. The crimson is in his eyes quickly dissolves back to blue as he lets out a low snort.
"Why the hell not?!" He hisses back, but Hinata only hushes him again despite them currently being alone in the waiting room's lobby.
"Tsunade is investigating." She replies back simply and it's all Hinata has to say for Naruto's shoulders to slump in defeat.
'I got away with the first lie, a second one though…'
Hinata shook her head, pushing away the very idea of lying again. Her stomach tossed uncomfortably with the little remnants of a power bar she had ate on the way here, reminding her just how much stress she was still under as of late.
And everything that she and Naruto could lose.
Boruto's giggling breaks apart their weighing silence, loose thread he had been playing with on Naruto's shirt now a longwinded string in his tiny hands.
"Oh Bolt, don't destroy your Papa's shirts." Hinata smiled, taking Boruto out of Naruto's arms despite his struggling and whining in protest.
Naruto shrugged, one side of his sleeves now very disheveled and stretched out. "I'd rather him do this then color on them like he did last week."
When they look back out the window, Toneri and Neji are gone.
'Why were they meeting; perhaps for a business deal with one of the hotel enterprises? It seems out of place for a doctor like Toneri though, unless maybe there's a medical side to it…'
The image of them together is quickly becoming an ugly mark in her memories, hundreds of scenarios rushing to mind.
Each worse than the last.
The hours go by slow once they left the hospital, evening setting in and the best way she could figure to distract herself was to prepare dinner while Naruto 'attempted' to get Bolt to stay in bed. The days feel far longer now as summer sets in, sky still a shade of violets and reds as sunlight and warm air drifted through the open kitchen windows.
She pictures for a second again a flash of Toneri's sickeningly faux smile and then Neji, unaware of the malice and coldness that lies beneath it signing away at a contract…
The carrots she's chopping slide out of her grip, knife cutting across the side of her finger before sliding to the ground with a sharp clang.
She doesn't even hear Naruto suddenly at her side.
"Deep in thought again, huh?" He muses, smirking at the beginnings of a pink hue warming her cheeks.
"Ah, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to worry you and make you rush over to me. I know you were in the middle of trying to get Boruto to settle down and-"
"Hinata, relax. You don't have to apologize, I don't care if the salad is a bit bloody!" He joked, staring more at the growing lines of red running towards the palm of her hand instead.
She let him wash away the mess, face burning even more when he doesn't immediately let her hand go. His lips come to brush the side of her nicked finger, eyes focused completely on her.
"Are you planning to scare me again like that tonight Hinata?"
"No." She whispered out, matching his sly grin.
"Good." Naruto chuckles, easily maneuvering Hinata so their positions were reversed.
"I think it's decided then that I'll take over the rest of cooking duty while you try to get Bolt to stop climbing out of his crib and coming downstairs!"
Hinata blinked before pouting.
'I've been tricked!'
But then again, she hadn't nearly been dealing with the blunt force of Boruto's ideas of staying up until 1:00 am and using her shirts and dresses for teething practice.
Naruto went through it all.
She squeezed her palms together as she went up the stairs. The distraction was needed yes, though she wasn't sure how long it would be before her mind inevitably drifted back on how to properly finish out their payback.
"Hinata?" Naruto calls out to her just as she's reaching the top.
She drifts her gaze back down, wondering if he was confused at the haphazard state she had left the vegetables in.
"Everyone has a skeleton in their closet or a nasty scar they wish to hide or keep away from the public's eye."
When he doesn't hear her immediately respond, he continues on.
"Even Toneri."
-X-
"Is this where you've been camped out to?!" Sakura exclaims in surprise, Ino close on her on tail in trying to push her way inside as well.
And Hinata chokes mid-bite on her meal, glancing up at the duo as they manage to squish into the tiny corner she calls her new office space.
It's a small hideaway away on the 5th floor, Dr. Matsui her newest advisor doesn't want her anywhere too close to his files as he sits two floors below in the heart of the neurology wings where she once used to feel at home.
Part of her can't really blame him, he is an old friend of Dr. Otsutsuki as well.
'Everyone seems to be.' She mused, forcing on a smile at seeing Sakura's concerned look. Her lab coat is littered with a variety of colorful stains, jade eyes sharpening as she takes in the room.
"This is fine for now, I mean at least it isn't too loud over here or-"Hinata attempts.
"No, this is bullshit! It was that one doctor; wasn't it? Let me talk to him so we can get this rumor mill straightened out once and for all." Sakura interrupts, nails scratching against the ends of her wood desk making it shake.
Ino simply rolls her eyes from beside her. "Don't add fuel to the fire Forehead."
"I agree with Ino, there's no need to add more unwanted attention onto yourself or me." Hinata starts up again.
Sakura stares between the pair for a long moment before letting a scoff escape. "Fine, maybe I'm just still amped up with caffeine from those two Code Blues and paralysis cases that came in this morning."
Ino nodded, gaze turning back to Hinata. "You aren't the only one struggling! Why yesterday while I was rounding on my patients, one stated he was ready to and I quote 'beat my ass' if I didn't let him out of his room to jump out the nearest window to freedom!"
Behavioral Health maybe Ino's forte, but Hinata could never imagine herself anywhere near the unit.
"You've told us similar enough stories Pig. Let me guess, sounds like another schizophrenic case with a history of hallucinations/paranoia? Plus, I'm sure he had a sitter assigned to him and the nurse had already given him his psych medications." Sakura remarked.
"…That still doesn't take away the fear I felt at first!" She retorted back.
Sakura struggled to hide her smirk. "Oh, of course not."
Hinata leaned back in her chair, small grin etching onto her face just listening to their playful banter.
It was just like old times.
Sakura soon returned her attention back to her, and she resisted the urge to frown at seeing the worry return back to her eyes.
"So how have you, Naruto, and Bolt been holding up? I heard that Naruto somehow managed to land himself a job at the courthouse? Who knows, he might end up being a head judge one day if he keeps moving up in the field and Boruto is almost 1! It seems like it was only yesterday when you were waddling around to your classes hoping it wouldn't be the moment he decided to show up!"
Hinata laughed, yes the final weeks leading up to Bolt's birth had been a trial. Not just in keeping up with school, but in managing to still work and take care of daily chores.
"We've been alright, Boruto keeps us up at night wanting to play more than sleep now in days." She mused.
Ino quirked a brow curiously, blonde hair swishing as she rested a hand against the side of the desk. "Hmm, does he get it too?"
Hinata paused, staring back at her just as intently. "Get what?"
Sakura nudged her to be quiet, but Ino only prodded on. "Don't pretend you don't know! The fox ears and stuff, does Boruto get them too?!"
"Ino, geez; it's none of your business! The child isn't even a year old yet!" Sakura snapped.
Ino huffed, crossing her arms as she leaned back from the table. "You wanted to know too…"
Hinata shook her head, waving off their nosiness. "To answer your question, he hasn't. We don't know yet if he will until he maybe gets a bit older."
And even then, they weren't sure how they were going to go about telling him if and when he did end up with the same features.
'The last thing I want is for him to be ridiculed like Naruto, for people to be afraid of him one day and not look at him the same way…'
She swallowed, clasping her shaky hands together.
"H-Hey, did you guys ever hear the rumors about Toneri or err Dr. Otsutsuki before this whole fiasco happened?"
She cursed inwardly at her stammer, how unnerved she felt merely talking about him still.
Sakura and Ino glanced at each other quickly before shaking their heads together. The two positioned themselves on opposite sides of her, affectionately pressing up against her shoulders.
"Oh, don't worry; we're not going to let that sleazy bastard get away with slandering your name like this! Madam Tsunade said to let the police handle this, but she never said anything about snooping and gathering information we can hand over to them anonymously." Sakura explained.
Ino nodded in wholehearted agreement. "Sai seems to know everything about everybody in this city; good or bad. I'll dig information out of him and we can all meet up at some point hopefully sooner than later."
Hinata beamed, she knew she shouldn't probably thank her friends for deciding to commit to actions that slid into the zone of illegal vs. legal, but it couldn't be helped.
It wasn't like they were going to take no for an answer anyways.
-X-
"Ah, careful Dr. Otsutsuki! You really shouldn't try to move too fast or you may get lightheaded again!" His physical therapist cried out from beside him, steadying him upright before he collapsed to the ground.
'I don't need your help.' He wants to spit back, no matter how much his vision was starting to blur again, scent of her fruity perfume invading his nostrils making him painfully nauseous.
Rehab is hell.
But he tacks on a smile, patting her hand gently. "Thank you dear. I appreciate it."
The woman flustered as he expected, sympathy pooling in her hazel orbs. "Let's take a 10 minute break, shall we? You've walked about 100 steps more than you did yesterday."
Toneri nodded, letting her guide him back to his bed. "I'll go get you some water." Her voice swam from somewhere overhead, footsteps pattering away.
He hated the way his whole body throbbed from such little movement, the mechanical taste of dry blood falling on his lips again when the pressure became too much.
When he had been in the intensive care unit, his team of doctors had been sure he wasn't going to survive at one point, threads of tubes and wires making him seem like he was half machine.
And yet, here he was.
'I can't die yet, not without getting back at him…'
Bile pushed up on his tongue again and he quickly pushed back his blankets, scrambling for the sink before he ruined his sheets.
He doesn't expect to feel a hand pushing his hair back as he coughs up his breakfast that he wants so badly to push back and refuse.
'I thought she left to get me water.'
"Dr. Otsutsuki, I need to talk to you. Do you have a moment?"
Tsunade?
He casts her a side glance to her as he finishes rinsing out his mouth. "Of course."
She pushes up a chair to get close to his bed, frowning at the the lack of light save for a dull fluorescent glow coming from a lamp in the corner. From what little she had gathered from his team of nurses and housekeeping, he preferred the dark to prevent the continued cycle of migraines and nausea attacks.
"Mind if I let a little more sunlight in? It isn't good for your health to sit in pitch black this much." Tsunade mentions, not bothering to wait for his answer as she pulled open the blinds letting a sea of yellow pour in.
"Suit yourself, seeing as you did it already without getting a proper response first." He mused.
Tsunade arched a brow, the underlying sourness of his tone not lost in spite of his calm smile.
"Well, I believe you know why I'm here. I wanted to get answers from you personally on what happened the morning of your assault. Police state you don't remember much from the incident." She explained, holding up a file of paperwork labeled with his name in fine black ink.
Toneri shrugged. "It's true my recollections of the day are foggy, it was probably a disgruntled patient or family member."
"And you can't pinpoint any key features about them? Hair? Eye color?" Tsunade went on.
He shook his head, feigning upset. "Don't you think if I knew something, I would have brought it up to all the investigators by now?"
Amber eyes narrowed. "I don't know, you tell me."
She wasn't getting anywhere with him, clearly Toneri knew who did this to him by his subtle behavior though she couldn't figure out his reasons behind not admitting it to anyone.
What benefits could he gain from keeping it a secret?
'Perhaps I really am going to have to take Jiraiya up on that stupid offer of his...'
She stood up, closing back the stack of files. "We will review over the camera footage and key witnesses again. If there's anything you're not telling us, we'll find out eventually."
Toneri said nothing to that, eyes following her as she adjusted her chair back into its original spot.
"Hmm, well there is one thing I'll tell you." He brought up.
Tsunade half-turned to face him, silently asking him to go on.
"October 10th. It's a few months away from now, but it sticks out in people's memories. Anyone, even a child can tell you the significance behind such a day filled with death, blood, and sadness. A reminder of the wars we used to have with our neighboring countries and certain other unsavory individuals." Toneri pointed out, peering up towards the ceiling.
He'd counted all the dots within those tiles far too many times…
Tsunade paused, flashes of grisly memories coming to mind she hurriedly shook away as she tightened her fists to keep her anger at bay.
His silver eyes finally fell back down to hers, small smile etching up his face.
"I will make my official public statement then.
-X-
"Boruto's 1st birthday is next month, right?" Hiashi repeats.
Hinata nods, the room feels unnervingly hot with his continued staring at them like this. Another chill washes over her she discreetly tries to hide by shifting Boruto once more in her arms.
"And why don't you two want to celebrate? We can do it right here at the manor and invite a variety of guests. A 1st birthday is a milestone you shouldn't pass over like it's nothing." He pries on, pearl eyes bouncing between the two in confusion.
'No, no way will I let him turn it into some type of business venture by inviting all his executive friends. He knows how I feel about mixing the two areas.'
Naruto gripped her free hand, and she sighed before sending him a thankful smile.
"It's not that we don't want to, we do! We just want it to be a small affair is all. School starts up again so close to his birthday which means we'll have to cut back on hours at both our jobs, plus the other bills and expenses that will be due around the same time." Hinata reasoned.
She wasn't exactly sure if her father was even still listening to her when she noticed his gaze had drifted to Boruto who was peering at his hair in fascination.
"You're thinking about ripping out my hair again, aren't you?"
Boruto flashed him a toothy smile in return.
The sound of the main door clicking open turned everyone's attention away from the scene, Neji announcing his arrival as he took his shoes off before realizing the event he had come upon.
"Ah, I didn't know you were going to be stopping by today Hinata." Neji stated, nodding in her direction.
Hinata barely managed a nod in return, heart twisting as she casted her gaze away towards the garden. Tea; she needed something, anything to take away the sudden constricting of her throat. The hint of mint and spices do nothing to quell the nervous sensation that's starting to make her feel utterly sick.
'He wasn't supposed to be home this early.'
Naruto elicited a low growl as he walked by him, hair bristling up. "Why are you here?"
Neji only sent him a blank look. "I live here?"
To Hinata's relief, Naruto doesn't push it. "Yeah, whatever."
Hiashi and Neji send her expressions of complete puzzlement at Naruto's attitude, if they knew everything up until now, why he was acting so strange and distant; would they understand?
'No, not yet.'
The answer comes so clear and fast to her.
"Naruto and I need to get going, there are still some groceries we forgot to pick up earlier in the week."
It's the excuse she thought up on the way to the manor, the one they would use to escape from any painful or awkward conversation if Hanabi wasn't around to help lighten the mood.
Surely, this must count.
There's a flicker of concern in Hiashi's face, mouth parting for a flicker of a moment to ask what's wrong before shaking his head and becoming tightlipped once more.
"Well alright, think about what I said though. You wouldn't have to worry about any expenses if you held a party here. It would be a good way for Boruto to meet all his cousins and Hyuga relatives who weren't able to be there for the birth." He pointed out as he walked with them up the cobblestone path.
He doesn't notice Naruto stiffen and Hinata wishes her father hadn't brought up all the family members who have yet to meet their son when no one sans Jiraiya from Naruto's side of the family will ever get to see Boruto.
"Heh, he won't even remember meeting all of them. He'll probably be half-asleep throughout most of the festivities." Naruto noted.
"Father knows that, he's a lot fussier over Bolt than I ever imagined he would be." She smiled.
Wind picks up and scatters leaves along their path, greenery fading into lighter shades the closer it was getting to the end of summer now. Toneri still hadn't said or done anything, the nasty purplish and blue bruises that had once stained his skin were lightening to a healthy pink with the amount of treatments he was getting.
He was slowly getting better.
And time was marching on without either of them making a move.
-X-
"We never did confront Neji." Naruto mutters after a while.
"Neji would've just said the matter was confidential. All his client's details are kept private for legal purposes." Hinata recalled.
And Naruto knew this too, gliding into work the day after his confrontation with Toneri as if nothing had happened.
"I heard the main vault got broken into last night. I think all the judges and even the mayor are having an emergency meeting to discuss it." A man whispered beside him as he passed by.
"Yeah, I heard some psycho attacked one of the top doctors at the hospital downtown using the master key. People are saying it was like some humanoid creature!" His friend replied.
Naruto waited to see the other man's expression, a silly hope forming someone wouldn't be so quick to believe these rising rumors. His gut coiled and sunk though as he watched him roll his eyes. "Humanoid? Those types of things don't exist. The police would've shot any type of animal like that down."
He hurriedly backed away before he gave in to the urge to add his own input over the matter.
However, all cases had been put on hold for the morning to go over the matter. He gulped, staying to the back and out of sight pretending to be busy finishing up on old reports.
'I returned the key way after everyone had gone home, my fingerprints aren't on it. I'm sure they can't trace it back to me.'
Still, he doesn't want to stay any longer in this stuffy room, listening to the gossip and unknowing cruelty of his co-workers' words who don't know this beast they're talking about is him.
"Oh, Naruto there you are! Wanted to congratulate you on the good work you did on the Takagi vs. Omura case. You were able to pick apart details other more seasoned lawyers and criminal investigators had missed."
Mr. Yasuda is one of the nicer lawyers he's run across. Not afraid to admit to a mistake and always willing to learn. He reminded him of Iruka in a sense at his eagerness to teach newbies and help him out.
"Hey Mr. Yasuda, I'm sure you've heard about this situation going around regarding a doctor being assaulted at the hospital. If you had to defend the guy who did it, how would you go about proving their innocence or at least win the case?" He questioned.
Yasuda furrowed his brows, stormy grey eyes darkening in thought. He knew he hated whenever he had to defend criminals or killers, 'the trash' as he called it that shouldn't have a right to a lawyer at all.
"Well…if there's proof he committed the act there's nothing 'innocent' about him. It comes down to just trying to get him a lenient sentence from the judge. In the case of this garbage human who decided to pick on a doctor, someone who's out here trying to save lives I doubt anyone would show mercy." He snorted.
Naruto fakes a grin in understanding, stalking away before he has to listen to any more.
He doubted Toneri was thinking about 'saving lives' when he kissed Hinata…
"If we want information on Toneri, we're going to have to use other sources. Ino recommended Sai, one of the guys she met through Jewel after Hours. I think he even still calls her 'Daisy' or 'Beautiful'." Hinata remarked, bringing Naruto out of his thoughts.
"Is that who we're heading to meet right now?" Naruto inquired, noticing they were taking a path that lead them in the opposite direction of their apartment and normal grocery shopping area.
Hinata nodded, picking up the pace as her phone buzzed with another text. "I just hope he isn't as strange as Ino said. You know the types of callers we got…"
They grimaced in unison.
Ino brightly waves to them as they approach the café she's been sending Hinata messages over, dressed in a casual violet summer dress in sharp contrast to the all-black attire the man beside her had on.
"Hey you two! Glad you could make it on such short notice! This is Sai, the guy I was telling Hinata about earlier in the week that has info on just about everybody in this city." Ino chirped out, gesturing for him to put his hand out in greeting.
Sai kept up his grin after shaking their hands, ebony eyes looking between the pair for an eerily long minute.
"Ino has told me a lot about you two to add onto what I've already known. Hinata, the heiress to the Hyuga line of hotels and resorts though you instead picked the option of the medical field. Quiet and nice in comparison to your husband Naruto."
Naruto pursed his lips, starting to scowl. "Excuse me?"
Ino patted his back before he could go on, clearing her throat. "Now Sai, don't forget what I said about nicknames! We don't want a repeat of what happened with Sakura, despite how funny it was!" She giggled.
Sai blinked, blank smile never leaving his face. "I didn't forget."
He turned his gaze to Hinata first. "Someone quiet and sweet like you, especially to put up with a man like Naruto is an Angel."
Hinata wasn't sure if she should be flattered or insulted on Naruto's behalf.
But then without missing a beat, he switched his attention to Naruto. "And someone like Naruto, loud and outgoing who I've heard so many stories about from the citizens of Konoha must be Dick-less."
Ino and Hinata instantly froze, gaping at each other in mutual shock.
It takes Naruto only a second to shake off his own surprise.
"What'd you just say about my dick?!"
-X-
'I don't recall Sai being this odd the last times Ino mentioned him.'
She talked about him so lovingly from the dates they had gone on, how being a call-girl hadn't mattered to him in the slightest...
Well, she could believe the latter part of her sentiment, Sai was still pleasantly smiling even with the scratch marks now aligning his face.
"I'm sorry for Naruto's behavior." Hinata murmured, helping Ino to dab at the deeper cuts with alcohol.
Sai merely waves off her apology. "No problem!"
She pointedly ignores Naruto's sneer from beside her. Why is she even helping a man who just said he had no genitals? "I'm not!"
Ino sends him a look that's a cross of frustration and amusement. "You didn't have to attack him! I told you Sai is still learning social cues. Besides, Hinata here knows you've got a pair considering the boy you have sitting in your lap!"
Naruto chose not to respond to that while Hinata reddened and sputtered for Ino to stop talking so loudly.
"Anyways, does Sai here have any information for us or not? I didn't come here to waste time and be insulted." He grumbled.
Ino nodded, looking back at Sai who reached down and pulled out a sketchpad from his book bag.
"If I'm conducting research on any particular person, I like to draw an image of them to gain a mental idea of all their details and background." He explained.
His picture of Toneri holds every nook and cranny Naruto and Hinata can think of, every lock of his snow white hair down to the force of his metallic eyes bouncing off the page.
"The Otsutsuki family is very private. Most of their family are either no longer alive or are scattered throughout the various countries. Those that are in the limelight though are known for their innovations in technology and medicine; like Toneri for example." Sai described.
"Is there anything negative that you dug up? Like a scandal or crime that they wouldn't want to be broadcasted to society that could permanently get them jailed or in deep trouble?" Naruto ventured.
He didn't want to know about the good things they had done.
Sai gazed back to Ino at this, who sighed. "Well, yes and no. The person I found wasn't willing to say much to me when I went to her and her prices had skyrocketed way too far out of my range if I wanted to talk to her in private over this matter."
Hinata and Naruto glanced at each other before back at them.
"The few people that are close to the Otsutsuki clan that I managed to connect with immediately went silent when I tried to pry for questions, even more so now that this assault has happened to Toneri. They refused to talk no matter what threat or bribe I offered/gave them." Sai explained.
"It occurred to me in my own searching, the only person who would talk would have to be someone who was hurt like Hinata, someone who like you two who would have a reason to be mad at their family or want to get back at one of them personally." Ino added.
Hinata frowned, everyone she knew loved and adored them though. If there was someone else who hadn't come forward, it had to be because of fear, being paid off, or…
The lifestyle they lived being exposed.
"Like being a call-girl." Hinata suddenly breathed out.
-X-
"Mama?" Boruto asked scampering around the backyard chasing bugs before stopping as he saw Hinata approach with juice and snacks.
He pointed over to his father, questioning in his expression. "Papa okay?"
Hinata smiled, ruffling his hair as he bounded into her lap. Since his 1st birthday had passed, he was beginning to talk and make more sense, bright blue eyes curiously exploring and walking around his ever growing world.
"Yes, daddy's fine. He's just clearing out the garden for fall." She answered.
Boruto cocked his head, watching as Naruto dug out the weeds that had sprouted up along the fence. The patches of brown had become a bit more obvious and it was nice to finally be taking care of them before they spread any further.
"Why?"
"So that we can plant some vegetables to help you grow big and strong." Hinata responded, poking him in his stomach eliciting a happy giggle from him.
Hinata looked up again to watch Naruto work, reddening when she realized how damp his shirt was becoming. His tanned skin was marred with sweat as he wiped his face on the edge of his sleeve once more.
"Mama okay?" Boruto abruptly asked, startling her out of her reverie.
"Face is red." He laughed, reaching out to touch her heated cheeks.
"Oh, I'm fine!" She responded quickly, helping him to open his juice box when she saw him struggling with the straw.
Naruto's snickering approached up from the side, of course he had been eavesdropping. "Ogling my butt again?"
"N-No!" Hinata huffed. 'It was your chest.'
Not that Naruto's ego needed anymore stroking at the moment.
They watched as Boruto finished off his snack in record time and proceeded to go back to clearing through the grass for new objects to show them.
So far, he had brought back sticks, leaves, and a caterpillar Hinata was surprised hadn't managed to wriggle out of his grasp.
"Are you sure your father is okay with babysitting him again?" Naruto asked, watching as his blonde head peeked up through the sea of grass he was adventuring through.
Hinata nodded, squeezing her hands against the floorboards. "We shouldn't put it off. Especially if she really is on the schedule to work tonight."
Going back to Jewel after Hours that night is a reminder of everything she doesn't miss. The area has expanded to take over the once abandoned structures next door, though not much else has changed.
The area still reeks of sweat and alcohol, flashy lights of neighboring parties and clubs ongoing until the sun came up once more.
"Let's find her and then get the hell out of here!" Naruto hissed by her ear and Hinata couldn't agree more.
"Lilac? Is that you?! What are you doing here?!" A woman calls to her in the distance before they can barely walk a few steps, practically bouncing up to her for a hug as she juggled a phone in one hand and a glass in the other. Her breath is laced with a mix of whiskey and some other fruity cocktail, cheeks already a light pink.
"Ah, err I'm on business. Is Freesia here tonight?" Hinata squeaked out, giving a half-hearted smile in return.
A suspicious look crosses her face for a second, grin falling before she hurriedly tacked it back on. "In the back by the windows and love sofas, you remember the place."
She goes back to her phone as they leave, chipper attitude returning. "Sorry baby, what was that you were saying?!"
In between a buzz of phones and moaning, 'Freesia' or Tenten is frozen, gaze casted out the window longingly out to the city's horizon.
"Tenten?" Hinata asked, slowly approaching up to her as her stare shifted.
She frowned, gazing at her with curious puzzlement before her stare moved over to Naruto and everything clicked.
"What are you doing back here?!" She questioned in surprise, sitting up properly to face them.
Hinata swallowed, unfolding and smoothing out Sai's picture from her pocket.
"Do you recognize this man?"
A glint sparks in her auburn eyes taking in the picture before they cloud over. "No…"
Naruto steps forward then. "Are you sure?"
Tenten licked her lips carefully, studying Toneri's image again for a brief second before glancing off again out the window.
"It's so annoying, this habit of mine I have." She whispered, eyes beginning to glisten as she pushed the paper back.
"I can never seem forget the face of any of the callers I've actually chosen to meet in person, especially if they went on to be a lover…"
-x-
All things will slowly connect together! Thanks for reading as always, I appreciate your feedback.
Enjoy. Review. Favorite. Follow!