Chapter 3 - Jade and Steel
Once again, Uchiha Sasuke finds himself in the stretching grounds of the Hyuuga estate. It is a hard thing not to judge, but he cannot help but note the starch gray and white of the place — to the point that even the greenery looks dry and muted. Of course, his own home is nothing but rubble, so he really has no room to judge.
But even rubble has character.
The Hyuuga are blank walls.
Even the one he follows to a separate building in the back is nothing but white, and Sasuke does not notice any folds or lines in his yukata, which makes him almost believe it's made of marble rather than fabric.
He wishes he wasn't here.
But he has to be. Now that the Hyuuga have successfully tied a rope around his neck, he's at their whim.
For now, at least.
When a messenger once again showed up that morning at his gate, requesting his presence, Sasuke had a feeling this was something he'd have to get used to. That was a sour thought, and it still coats his tongue as he leaves the engawa to traverse across gravel, finally arriving at that small building near the back. Its sliding door is decorated with the shadows of swallows. No other door in this damn place had such designs.
"This is our destination," the Hyuuga droned.
Sasuke does not correct him that, really, it's his destination because this nameless guy has no place in the business between him and the Hyuuga. He simply pulls the door to the side and enters.
Hyuuga Hiashi sits at his low desk, a few clusters of papers stacked neatly to the side. The place looks as if it had been cleaned the night before.
Sasuke's not impressed.
Wordless, Hiashi gestures for him to sit, and after a greeting bow, Sasuke does just that. He folds his legs upon the black cushion just in front of the Hyuuga Head's desk and waits. The sun is peeking through the blinds of one of the windows. Outside, chimes dance and sing.
Again, in a grand gesture of silence that makes Sasuke wonder if the man lost his tongue, Hiashi slides a piece of paper across the desk. Sasuke reads the few lines of writing it contains. Size 5. Turquoise, tanzanite.
"Hinata's birthstones," Hiashi explains, stirring the dustless room, "and ring size."
Oh.
Sasuke has faced terrors beyond description. He has witnessed war and death — hell, his own home stinks of it.
But this sends a cold brick of dread straight to his gut, and he rocks back on his legs.
"The elders expect you to buy engagement rings," Hiashi continues, "since it's official."
Sasuke is more miffed than anything (ignoring the bubbling dread, of course). This is just the Hyuuga forcing a tight collar on him, yanking him around as they please. But he doubts he'd be much happier if they forced their own set of rings on him, so he'll take the centimeter of freedom he's allowed.
Folding the paper against his palm, Sasuke lifts from his cushion and bows.
Hiashi does not follow, but rather stares at the paper door to the side. "Neji," he sighs, "spying is inappropriate."
Sasuke sucks on the backs of his teeth to keep his irritation at bay. Would a day go by where he wasn't bothered by nosey Hyuuga? He pulls back the door and notes that, indeed, Hyuuga Neji is outside, leaning against the left wall, arms folded and eyes shut. Was he posing?
Again (and he cannot stress this enough), Sasuke's not impressed.
"They're making a mistake — letting you pick out the rings."
"Neji," Hiashi sighs.
There's more to Neji's words than what is said, but Sasuke understands. It's a mistake because Hyuuga Hinata is a stranger to him. He knows nothing about her.
It's true.
It's annoying as hell because it's true!
And the worst part?
Sasuke can't even prove the bastard wrong — because if there's one thing Sasuke knows less about than Hyuuga Hinata, it's the art of ring-buying.
*** Uchiha Sasuke - Ring Analyser ***
Really, the best course of action is to just get it over with.
That's what his mother used to tell him. If there was something he was dreading, rather than let it pull at his mind for eternity, it was best to just rip the figurative bandage off.
Sasuke's figurative bandage at present is a shining store with doors wide open, smelling entirely of flowery perfume. Middle-aged women circle around glass cases as bright, bubbly, and painted employees greet every single one of them with wide smiles that could rival Naruto's grins.
It is all so flashy and forced that Sasuke almost considers just making his own — of spending months and months studying the craft of ring-making just to avoid even a second in this dreaded store.
Mother, Father — Brother. He looks to the sky. Please, send down a meteor and kill me now. Stop my heart. Something.
But nothing from his backstabbing family comes. In fact, he is almost sure the clouds move in such a way to send a simpering grin of sunlight over his form. He is almost sure he can hear his brother's laugh in the wind. They will give him no aid, and with the courage of a million warriors, Sasuke steps foot into the jewelry store.
...
Thankfully, no one immediately bothers him.
Most of the employees are helping other customers. A few glance his way, but they do nothing more than smile nervously and bow their gazes, which gives Sasuke some relief.
The white lights overhead are turned up to a blinding degree, making all the jewels sparkle and shine in the glass cases formed in a rectangle in the middle of the room. Sasuke makes his way to a corner far away from anyone else, and when he looks inside, there is nothing but diamond and ring that looks familiar. He doesn't know what the difference between 18 Karat and 14 Karat is. He tries (and fails) to wrap his head around the different cuts. Even familiar words such as ruby and topaz make his head spin.
He brings out his paper of gemstones, reads it three times — four times — before walking slowly down the way until he finds a collection of tanzanite rings displayed in a velvet box on top of the glass casing. There's a brush of something against his leg, and then a familiar cat with sky eyes hops onto the glass right next to Sasuke.
"Oh." Sasuke checks to see if anyone else has noticed the creature that's probably not allowed to even be in a place like this. "You followed me."
The cat's tail swishes back and forth.
"If you're hungry, you'll have to wait a moment." Sasuke stares down at his options. "I'm doing something."
The cat pushes one of its paws against his arm, but Sasuke ignores it and analyzes the rings.
Would Hinata really care what cut it was? If it mattered, Hiashi probably would have included it on the paper.
He's making a big fit over nothing.
Sighing, Sasuke tries to grab one of the rings from the top row — but he's stopped when the cat suddenly swoops in, nipping the side of his thumb.
"Oi."
Sasuke pushes the cat away. Its tail looks like it could fly off by how much it's swinging back and forth.
Again, Sasuke tries for another ring. Again, the cat bats his hand with its paws, putting in just enough claw to decorate his hand with thin lines of white.
At one point, the cat sits on the box of rings, and Sasuke has to lift it up by its scruff to get it out of the way.
"If you don't stop," he says in a low voice, "you're not getting anything from me later."
The cat's ears pull back, and at a rather startling volume, it lets out a yowl. Sasuke frowns, and one of the employees turns to shoot him and the cat a disapproving look.
Next thing he knows, both he and the cat have been kicked out to the street. Sasuke stares at the laughing clouds, then down at the cat, which licks at one of its hind legs, looking rather proud of itself. With a tired sigh, Sasuke kneels next to it and leans his head against the wall behind him.
"Maybe this is for the best," he says. "That place was hell."
...
Together, Sasuke and the cat make their way to another store on the other side of Konoha. He's sure to take back roads and less traffic-heavy routes so that the cat can follow him without dodging others along the way. Sometimes, it disappears from view, and Sasuke stops and waits, wondering how such a thing can disappear seemingly into thin air.
Eventually, they get about two blocks away from the store when something catches Sasuke's eye.
It's an older woman with a small stand to the side of the street. She's huddled on a wooden stool, working away at polishing something with her rag. When Sasuke comes closer, he notices the rings displayed on a simple tray. They're simple bands with no sparkling jewels and giant, heart-shaped gems. Nonetheless, they have their own charm, and the material they're made out of somehow glows in the soft, evening light.
"White jade," the woman says, spotting his curious glance. She smiles, wrinkles curling against her cheeks, and beacons him over. "That's what the white ones are made of. The black bands are shaped in steel. Both very durable."
Turquoise and tanzanite and karats and cuts spill out of Sasuke's mind, and he makes his way to the stall to look at the collection of black and white bands, all varying in size. The cat at his right leg remains quiet, no signs of protest coming from it.
"What's the occasion?" the woman asks.
Sasuke tilts his head just slightly. "Engagement."
"Congratulations." Sasuke looks away, and the woman smiles. "Do you know her size?"
"Five." He stares down at the white bands that remind him of something Hyuuga, and yet not Hyuuga at the same time. It's not a muted white. It's not characterless. "In the white."
The woman picks up a band without even having to look at it. "And you?"
Sasuke blinks. "Pardon?"
"I'm inclined to believe that for an engagement, both of you will need rings."
Swallow gets stuck in his throat, and Sasuke has to take a deep breath. "I don't know my size," he admits.
The woman has a smile that reminds him of his grandmother. She used to smile like this when she'd watch him and Itachi play around the estate. "I can figure it out for you in seconds. Give me your hand."
After a long moment of hesitation, Sasuke offers his right hand. The woman is moments away from correcting him, but then notices his clear lack of a left hand and goes along measuring his ring finger.
"Ten," she muses to herself. "And I'm assuming black for you? Unless you'd like to match your to-be, of course."
The cat whacks his pant leg, and Sasuke croaks, "Black is fine."
...
The sun is far along its approach to the horizon when Sasuke finds himself on his way back home, wallet a good amount lighter and left pocket heavy with two, contrasting rings. The cat trots next to him, carefree in the empty streets as they make their way to the Uchiha estate.
Sasuke is . . . unsure, to put it lightly. He'd gone off and ignored the only guidelines the Hyuuga had given him. It wouldn't be a stretch to say he might have entirely fucked up and spent his money on something Hinata would much rather leave in a box, collecting dust, than wear. Even the idea of presenting these simple and not-flashy-at-all bands to her makes Sasuke feel uncomfortable.
But then again . . . .
Hadn't she been wearing something over her eyes the last time he'd seen her?
What was that about?
Sasuke pauses for a moment, catching the cat's curious gaze.
"She might be blind," he says. "What the ring looks like might not even matter."
The cat's whiskers stretch out, and it nudges its head against Sasuke's ankle. He takes that as a sign to keep going, and he makes sure to stop by somewhere to grab a pack of chicken before reaching home.
...
He finds her with her teammates the next morning, sparring in a field, eyes bare to the world.
That uncomfortable feeling returns, so he stands and waits until they're done with their training. He releases just enough chakra to be sensed, and after a short moment of chatting with the dog one, her eyes turn to him. She offers a farewell to the ones she's with before coming to greet him, eyes steady on his shoulder, never truly locking gazes with him. She shares his uncomfortableness, and he wishes she wouldn't. One of them needs to get through this without feeling miserable by the end.
"Good morning," she whispers.
He can't find the will to say it back. He takes her to a low wall, where they both sit. She doesn't nag him with questions, though her curiosity is apparent with how her fingers play together at her lap. Somewhere in his head, Sasuke hears his mother push for him to rip the bandage off.
He holds back a groan and pulls out the boxes, placing them on the segment of wall between them.
"I was asked to get these from your clan," he says, opening the boxes, letting the sunlight warm the bands inside. "Do what you will with it."
She's absolutely silent. If he wasn't looking at her, he'd think she had left . . . or died . . . or something.
And then it strikes him like a bat to the skull.
This is his proposal. He's proposing. These are rings, and soon, they're going to get married. Isn't there a way to these things? Isn't he supposed to get on a knee or something?
She might have hoped for something more — romantic. Really, if she were Sakura, she'd smack him and demand he starts over.
Um. He squints down at the boxes. "It's for you."
Well, obviously she knows that.
But before he can spit out anything else his mind comes up with, she leans over and takes one of the boxes. The one with the black ring. Sasuke watches as a smile blooms on her face when she slips it on her finger, laughing at how absolutely big it is on her.
"It's the thought that counts," she tells him. "Thank you. It's perfect."
He doesn't bother to correct her. Black looks good on her, anyhow.
...
That night, he returns to the lady with her collection, still polishing a band with her rag.
When he tells her to switch the sizes of the bands, she doesn't look surprised at all.
"I should have guessed your lady prefers black," she coos. "She picked you, after all."
And, again, Sasuke doesn't find the will in himself to correct her. He just sweats in his uncomfortable pool as the summer night goes on.
…
He comes home messing with the white ring around his finger. He sets out a plate of chicken on the engawa and sits by the steps at the front, looking at the strangeness of his hand. The cat leaps out from the shadows, beelining for the chicken, and Sasuke rubs his thumb against the polished white jade.
It's a strange feeling. If he had to compare it to something, a ring on his finger almost felt like cuffs on his hands — but then again, that was an awful thing to compare it to, so he's quick to throw it in the wind.
"You come out of nowhere," he tells the cat, turning to it as it chows down.
Sasuke thinks for a moment.
"Shisui." The cat stops, looking up. "If I'm going to keep seeing you, I might as well give you a name." The cat doesn't seem to mind — though Sasuke supposes a cat wouldn't really care what he calls it. "Shisui was a master of the Body Flicker technique. You remind me of him."
Tail flicking this way and that, the cat yawns before going back to its chicken. Shisui it is.
...
Footsteps approach the gate.
By the time Sasuke stands, Shisui has disappeared, pieces of chicken still left on the plate.
Chakra greets him before the person does, reminding him of that morning, when he called Hinata over with his own.
He opens it to find her standing there, looking a little meek.
"I'm sorry it's so late," she says. Her eyes bow, and Sasuke turns his attention to the small basket she holds in her hands. "Um, I was thinking about the issue with your neck, and because you were so kind to — well, um, I thought I'd bring this for you."
Inside are three jars of ointment that relaxes muscles. Hinata explains that when the muscle relaxes, so do chakra points, which may help with any strain he feels. The stinging sensation of guilt Sasuke feels is not new, but an almost forgotten friend that resurfaces for the mere sake to torment him. Of all the lies, why did he come up with one involving chakra points? The one thing he knew about Hinata came from stories from Naruto detailing her selflessness when it came to helping others relieve pain through ointments and massages. Of course she'd come to help him!
"I'm fine," he says before thinking. There's an embarrassed tinge of pink to her face that makes him continue. "But I'll take it . . . in case of future issues."
That's enough to satisfy her, and after taking the basket from her, Sasuke hands her the box holding the now properly-sized ring. She tries it on in front of him, the band slipping perfectly down her right ring finger. He wonders if she's really that ashamed to wear it properly on her left hand, but Hinata simply smiles as she holds her hand to her face, examining it.
"There," she says, looking down at his own hand at his side, "we match."
And . . . he doesn't know why, but that uncomfortable feeling that comes with this whole predicament lifts a bit. Somehow, the sentiment seems purely Hinata. He doesn't know her. Not really. But it just makes sense.
"I have a good reason," he says, "but people won't know you're engaged if you wear it that way."
Her eyes are wide. She hums in thought, then nods, as if she's discovered something for the first time.
"I'll switch it around." Her left index and thumb twists the black steel around, but she doesn't take it off. Again (strangely) Sasuke's satisfied with this. "I'll wear it on my left when I'm with others. But with you - I'll match. Um. Because . . ." She stops for a moment, shifting, gathering courage, "you know I'm engaged, so it doesn't matter if it's on the wrong hand."
He's uncomfortable again.
But this is a different kind.
He's not sure if it's a good feeling or not, but it's deep inside him, and it will not leave.
Hinata shifts again.
She shares his uncomfortable.
"Good night," she whispers. "I'm sorry I bothered you."
She bows, and she leaves.
Sasuke finds it impossible to sleep, so deep into the night, he works on the wall in the back. Somewhere along the way, Shisui returns to finish the rest of its chicken, his blue eyes watching Sasuke through the dark.
The white band on his right ring finger stays flawless. It glows in the moonlight, and it is a constant reminder that he cannot forget.
Chapter 3 - End