Forced Paths

Patch

___

She expected the dinner to pass in silence. And it began that way. They sat around the table, tasted a few bits from the food she had prepared and as she reached for the water Sasuke spoke.
"Have you always decided to leave?" He addressed Itachi. "I expect only honesty." He continued before the man across him answered. "I lied to father for you. I believe I deserve it, at least."
"It was not Kakashi's fault. If that's what you are asking. I already told you that." Itachi answered calmly.
A slight twitch on Sasuke's lips showed that his displeasure had not vanished, but he still proceeded.
"For how long?" He asked.
"You have to understand that it wasn't a solid thought. I always felt trapped Sasuke and not only because of my preferences. But I tried. It became evident that nothing was going to change for the better when father first proposed the arrange marriage. I realised that I needed to leave then. Meeting Kakashi just showed me the place I wanted to run to."
Sasuke took a bite. It seemed as if he was done talking. She saw with a side glimpse of her eyes that Itachi had left to stare at him.
"When did you first realised it?" Sasuke said. "About your preferences?" He raised his gaze from his plate.
"When Izumi kissed me." He answered. "We were very young, around seven or eight. And I wondered if Shisui will kiss me next."
Sasuke frowned.
"If this is too much for you, I will stop."
"I am the one asking the questions." Sasuke answered annoyed. "If it was too much, I would have stopped myself."
He coughed.
"So what? Did you like your best friend?" His previous demeanour faded slowly, the composed and cold tone which the words were spoken, only to be replaced with his usual self.
"No,no. He was just the closest to me."
"I see." He said and it was clear that the answer had hurt him.
"Is something troubling you?" Itachi saw it too.
Sasuke's lips formed a sad smile.
"I just thought how back then I always believed that we were the closest."
"Sasuke.."
"Don't worry. I know that we weren't."
"A friend is different from a brother." Itachi spoke nevertheless.
"For me, you were both." Sasuke answered and got up.
Itachi parted his lips.
"I need some water." Sasuke said, leaving his words unspoken.
She believed that Itachi would try to get his brother to hear him. She was sure that he would as soon as he came back from the kitchen that he had retreated into.
But a knock was heard and they froze.
Again, and Sasuke came into sight with a troubled look on his face.
"Don't sit down." He said. "We don't know who that is."
Itachi got up and she grabbed his plate to hide the evidence of another person's presence. Itachi took his glass and followed her in the kitchen.
The person outside knocked again.
"Stay there." She heard Sasuke saying, before the creak of the front opening caught her breath.
"What are you doing here?"
Her husband's voice echoed in the house. Whoever it was, he was safe here, the traitor of the Uchiha clan, Itachi. They were out of sight and Sasuke wouldn't let anyone move enough to see him.
She heard steps, but far enough. It was okay. Sasuke would turn away whoever that was.
"I said what are you doing here?"
He spoke again and something in his voice terrified her. It was a feeling that she could not shake.
"Can I come in? Or should I not?"
She recognized the voice.
"I told you not to come here. I warned you."
"That was what you said, yet you kissed me."
"Leave now."
He sounded angry. He was, wasn't he?
She turned her gaze at Itachi. He had heard too. The surspise on his features was evident.
"Where have you been?"
The woman seemed irritated. Demanding.
"Are you tired of me? Have you forgotten all our nights together?"
"Shut up."
Itachi's eyes widened. Hinata bit her lips.
"Why? Is she here? Should we go somewhere else?"
She heard a noise, then the woman spoke again.
"You are hurting me Sasuke."
Yet her voice sounded more playful than it should.
"I will go, I'm leaving. When will you come? I am sure she doesn't know how to satisfy you."
"Lower your voice."
It didn't matter. In the stillness of the room she was in, everything were heard.
The door opened.
"Kiss me, then I will go."
She barely heard her. She was outside as it seemed.
Then the door closed again.
She should move. She should speak. She should pretend.
"She left." Sasuke said from the other room.
So Hinata moved.
"We are alone." He said a moment before she came to sight.
And Hinata spoke.
"Why was she here?"
But she forgot to pretend.
He didn't expect her question, it was obvious.
"Itachi is here. Did you forget about that?"
"I didn't invite her." He said and looked behind her as if to remind her of the very fact she had just stated.
"You sure didn't make it clear that she isn't welcome here."
"I told her again and again." He said, embarrassed and angry both.
But the repeat which was implied wasn't something Hinata appreciated.
"How is this my fault?" He asked.
"I am not the one sleeping with her."
She pressed her lips, yet the words kept pressing behind them.
"Itachi is here." He said irritated.
"I know. So if you really want to meet with her, go. I am sure you will catch up to her if you leave now."
She made a gesture with her hand.
"And if you do, tell her not to approach me again."
"When did she approach you?"
"This morning." She straightened her feet. "Tell her that I am not like the women of this clan, that my hands are rough because of how I fight."
"I warned her not to contact you. I will tell her..."
"Before or after she'll kiss you?"
"Hinata." He raised his voice and then a cough was heard from behind.
How utterly ridiculous she felt. How low and silly.
She turned to Itachi, careful not to look him in the eyes and she bowed.
"I'm sorry for the disturbance." She said and walked out of the room.

____

Sasuke had stood speechless. The last time Sakura had come here, his wife had run into her room, staying in the dark, almost like an afraid little child. He didn't expect, it didn't even cross his mind that she would react the way that she did. Perhaps it was the pressure looming around them.
He was so surprised, that the rage from the visit of the woman had long been forgotten.
He looked at Itachi, walking into the room, sitting on one of the chairs, his stare never leaving his. What would he think of him. He almost smiled with that thought. How many years had passed since he cared about that.
"So.." His brother spoke. "That was something."
"It's not how it seems." Sasuke responded even if he knew that Itachi could not understand.
"No? Isn't this woman your lover?"
"Shut up. Hinata and I.." He looked at the corridor.
"She.. Hinata..."
"She is your wife. And this is your home. You should respect at least that much."
"Do you think I don't know?"
"Do you?"
"Of course I do. What kind of person do you think I am?"
Itachi crossed his arms.
"Why are you meeting with that person brother?"
He was glad with the words he chose.
"Hinata and I have an agreement."
"Oh, I see. So Hinata-san also has.."
"No. Don't even imply it."
"Why? What kind of one-sided aggrement do you have? Or is it because she is a woman?"
"Hinata hasn't been raised in this clan. So she doesn't share the same view of women as we do."
"But you had been living here all your life. So.."
"What do you want me to tell you Itachi?"
"The truth."
"The truth? The truth is that I have been sleeping with anyone that made me forget about how alone I was, about how incompetent I am in the face of the great Itachi Uchiha. About how I would never be you. How awfully aware I am of that because of how everyone around look at me. About how small I am that even you left me."
"Sasuke.."
"Save it."
After a moment Itachi spoke again.
"Hinata-san isn't at fault."
"But she doesn't want me." He said. "Fuck." He cursed with his inability to hold back.
"Oh." He held his face with his palm. "Are you sure about that?"
Sasuke frowned.
It reminded him of the nights at their room, where Sasuke used to listen to everything that his big brother was offering.
"You can't let fear dictate your decisions. You are better than that. Don't make the same mistakes as me."
"Is the perfect Itachi capable of mistakes?" Sasuke mocked him to shake away this feeling.
"Yes. I never confided to you. Perhaps things would be different now. But that is my role as your brother. To protect you."
"Don't expect from me to.."
"I don't expect anything Sasuke. But I will never stop worrying about you."
Sasuke sat down. He never had a friend other than Itachi. Even if his brother had kept his secrets to himself, Sasuke was always honest with him.
"I am not interested in her anymore. That woman I mean. I was never...It was.."
"A patch."
He didn't answer.
"Sasuke, how do you truly feel about your wife?"