Midnight

Chapter Eleven

Their lead was a failure. They found nothing valuable after meeting the man. It was clear he blamed himself for everything. That was the reason he couldn't help them more. He had no clue if someone was targeting the dead man, or what did he do we the day he took his own life. The whole trip was a waste of time. He was the one suggested it, so the weight was on his shoulders, she just followed. If they had investigated the trail of the people that attacked them maybe they would had found something more valuable than a love story. He cursed under his breath before he felt a hand grabbing him an pulling him back on the road. His face was close to hers, looking down on the pearl eyes angrily. She bowed down her a little as a sign of sorry, before she pointed at where he was standing. His mind was occupied with thoughts and he missed the little trail they were walking. Upon turning he saw the pink flowers he had crushed with his feet.
"It's a pity." Her voice sounded sad. Her arms let go of his and began to walk again.
Sasuke couldn't understand why someone could be so sad for some dead flowers. Then again she was sad all the time. At least now he wouldn't have to worry about her performance. It was clear she wouldn't try anything stupid like before. He sighed. She was a troublesome partner.

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They returned to Konoha late at night. The journey was long and their report wasn't finished yet. He proposed he would write it and she would read it and sign like last time. They both were exhausted and retreated to their respective houses. They would meet in the morning to finish their business and go see Kakashi. It didn't occur to him that he had to go pick her up. If it did he would demand she would come to his house. Standing in front of the Hyuga compound, with all his marvel and glory he felt suffocated. He had to enter this house full of strict and judgemental eyes to see her. The guards had already spotted him and exchanged nervous looks. He moved to them trying to keep his emotionless face. He asked for her. They nodded before one left to call her. After a long five minutes he was back and the door opened for him to enter. It seemed the whole place was designed to match the white of their eyes. It was an attempt to symbolise their purity but it felt more like the world had lost its colour. They guided him to a room that was probably meant for the guests to wait. They offered him a seat but he didn't take it. He hated the way they were looking at him. A mix of disgust and worry. The Uchihas was never friends with anyone, especially the Hyugas and his past actions didn't change that for the better. He heard her steps on the floor approaching, even with the noise of the busy morning. Everything in this place were meant to held no secrets. How has she managed to hold hers. It was remarkable at least. Maybe that's how she trained to cry in silence. He stared at the door before she entered.
"Good morning Uchiha-san." She was holding a trace with what appeared to be coffee and cookies. She placed it on the table and titled her head a little. She wanted him to seat. Her well mannered upbringing didn't allowed her to seat before he does. The awakerdness compelled his knees to bent. She seemed happy with herself when she sat across him.
"I believe you like coffee better than tea." She showed with her hand the steaming mug. He just stared at her not making any movement.
"If you prefer something else..."
"Coffee is fine." He took the mug to shut her up.
He viewed her above the glass he was sipping, reading the report. Her eyes frowned as they were moving further down the paper. After she finished she said nothing. She got up and moved to the door and closed it. Her back was on the wood and her voice was low as she spoke.
"We can't report that."
He looked at her puzzled. He had wrote everything that have happened, sparring no details. He even had woken up early to write it, too early for his taste. He thought he had covered everything.
"You think you would do it better?" A little mockery marked his words.
"No,no of course not." She moved back to her previous sit.
"We can't say anything about the relationship they had." She explained.
He raised an eyebrow.
"So you want to tell lies. You are too used to them but I'm not."
He took the sheet at his hands.
"That is the truth. Sign or not. Makes no difference to me."
He moved his hands at the arms of the chair preparing to stand up when she came over at him. She placed her hands above his and lean closer.
"Please Uchiha-san. I promised him." Her face full of worry.
"No."
She put more strength at her hold.
"It's something private that has nothing to do with the mission. Please."
"Why do you care?" He said indifferent.
"His life is already hard enough. We don't have to make it harder."
He looked at the face close to his own. Her eyes were pleading more than her words. They were lavender not white as he had always thought. She took his silence as a sign of consent and relaxed her grip. He quickly catched her wrists.
"No." An evilish expression formed at his face. She was naive to believe he would lie.
"I thought you might say that." Her cold response felt like a hand turning his insides.
"So I already gave our report. I believe it has been sent to the other Kages by now."
At first he was taken aback. This woman has foreshadowed his behaviour and had taken measures against it. Then he was furious. She played him. She let him come here, offered him tea, playing the role of the good hostesses while she had done whatever she wanted behind his back.
"I'm sorry." She let go her resistance against him. He got up still holding her.
"For what are you sorry this time?"
"For lying and making you angry. But..but...if I..."
"No stutters in front of me. It doesn't work."
She breathed. He wasn't sure if he was the reason or she would have stopped regardless of what he said.
"I think he might had taken his own life if the memory of his lover would drag to dirt because of him. I recognised that look in his eyes. He is on edge, I didn't want to push him off."
She turn her gaze on him. She wasn't offended or angry, even the cold stare she had shared from time to time was gone. As the morning sun lighted her face he believed he saw her for the first time for what she truly was. Broken.
"I recognise the look too."
It took her a moment to understand. Her eyes softened even if his expression stayed the same. She formed a smile that would melt anyone who wouldn't be careful.
"We are not the same you and I, Uchiha-san."
Hours passed in one blink of his eyes. A sound was heard that felt familiar in the distance. Then a voice unheard by his ears.
"Onee-chan." The door opened reviling a the Hyuga heiress.
"Am I interrupting?" Her voice held a playful tone.
He saw the elder Hyuga tensed upon hearing the other girl's voice. He thought it was his hands on her wrists or the close proximity that would be interpreted to something that was not. He took a step back before he glanced at the youngster.
Hinata turned around to face her sister.
"Hanabi you should have knocked. What Uchiha-san will say about our manners?"
Her voice, her posture for before gone.
"I did knock. You were preoccupied as it seems." A smirk appeared that fit her face perfectly.
"We were." Hinata answered with seriousness that fitted the elder sister role. "We were discussing our mission. What is it Hana?"
Hanabi dismissed the formal tone and answered cheerfully.
"Father said it would be better if I trained with you sometimes. He says one would be stronger when faced different opponents. You don't have a mission today, so after you're finished here meet me outside."
He was a step behind her. He watched as her shoulders tensed again. She regained her composer so quickly that one might missed it.
"I can't today. I'm sorry Hana, another time."
Sasuke stopped breathing. This felt too familiar. He almost expected her to place two fingers on her sister's forehead. He took three quick breathes. She looked over her shoulder at him but he had the same stoic face as usual.
"Why? Next thing I know, you will be on a mission again. I miss you."
Is that how he sounded when he pressed Itachi to spare some of his time. The girl wasn't a kid anymore yet she didn't flutter to speak her feelings even before a stranger. He looked at the back in his front. He couldn't see her face but he felt she wanted to run but her concern for her sister stopped her. How many times Itachi felt like this? Did Shisui knew and gave him an opening for escape? And when he died did his brother felt truly alone?
"She has business with me."
He didn't wait for either to speak. His long steps drove him to the exit. Only then he stopped as he heard her walking in a hurry to catch up to him.
They walked aimlessly towards the village. The sun had risen in the middle of the sky as if wanting to inform the world of its presence. When the first shops appeared, he finally spoke.
"You should spent time with your sister." There was a minor scold in his words but his gaze was kept straight ahead not changing in the slightest. Her voice didn't leave her throat. They kept walking in the unknown direction that their feet had decided. He felt the sun heating his body with drops of sweat forming at his head. Spring had come at last. He should have wear lighter clothes. He cast a side look at her. She kept wearing these hideous jackets, too big for her size. She felt his stare and turned her head.
"Would you like something to drink Uchiha-san? It will be my treat. As a thank you." She said the last part in a lower voice.
He really wanted to go back at the quietness his house offered. But he grabbed the chance to scold her more about her trick with the report.
We are not the same.
The absolute way she said it irritated him. More because he thought that statement should be followed by a contempt but he couldn't trace any.

They went to a restaurant Ino had referred once when complaining about Choji always taking them for barbeque. It was safier to avoid their usual meeting places.
The smell of the food must had hit his nose as she observed his expression to mimic him. She had done this countless times and now was more of a habit. She looked at the menu, pretending to search what to order. It held no meaning but it was something that needed to be done. He chose something light as it seems the heat had taken a toll on him. The silence was awkward but she was thankful him being her company instead of Hanabi. Their plates arrived and she took a bite, watching him. After the third she decided he was satisfied with his food.
"It is really tasty. How is yours Uchiha-san?"
He blinked his eyes once to show his content.
After she had finished half of her plate she decided it was a good place to stop. She moved her glass on her lips when she saw him looking behind her. She turned to see a nerving waitress looking at them unsure as how to speak. Hinata smiled at her. Sasuke's stare wasn't easy to meet.
"Hello. I came to apologise and inform you your dinner is on the house."
Hinata titled her head at the side but Sasuke was the one that spoke.
"Why?"
"There's been an accident in the kitchen and the lady's rice is..." The girl stopped and looked at the half eaten plate in front of Hinata." Pretty salty." She concluded in surprise.
"Don't worry. I like it that way."
"But..."
"She said she's fine." Sasuke cut her. " We are done anyway."
The waitress took their plates reluctantly and moved to the back propably where the kitchen was.
She left a nervous giggle and looked everywhere but him. She believed that every time their eyes met, he opened one of her secrets.
"Bathroom."
He said and left before she could even answer.

He stopped the girl holding their plates just before she entered the kitchen. He had to know. She looked startled but bent under Sasuke's aura. He took a bite and spit it back at once. The girl moved her hands as saying right. Even in his travels he hadn't taste something so awful. And she ate so much of it. But Hyuga was one polite little person. It was in her nature as it seems to not cause commotion of any kind.
He returned to the table so they could leave. Afternoon had came and he propose they could train. He could take his earlier venture on her during training. They usually met at night but it would be a waste of time since they were together already. They moved naturally to more distant grounds which were their most preferable. He halted on his movement and grabbed her, hiding both behind a tree. She tried to speak but he stopped her. She followed his gaze to understand what cause his sudden behaviour. There a few feet away she saw what he was already looking. A hand was holding a pink head as a blonde man was kissing a woman.