The Tales we Tell { Sasuke X OC }

Freedom

Things had been awkward in the beginning, for neither of them knew emotion aside vague face-valued fleeting spurts. Their conversations were clumsy, for words couldn't cast light upon the lost to guide them through the unknown. He felt guilt, she felt... nothing. Not a thing. Once burdened by the weight placed upon her shoulders, and now she misses the extra company.

"Does it hurt?" She'd ask while placing the bandage along the bleeding socket, and it's been a while now since he turned away.

"A little" he lies for the pain that sneers through him is not that of physical measure.

"Always pushing..." he doesn't deny not knowing the double meaning behind her words, and it's obvious in the way he glances away because sometimes staring directly is a harsh reminder of past mistakes.

"Tch" but pushing someone away was easier than allowing them in to find the darkness that resides, hidden and lurking in masks.

She doesn't retract, in fact she grew used to his ways and knew the words of his soul without uttering a sound. Instead she dabs the rest of the scarlet from his eye and face, and on days when he gets lucky, she'd polish the affection with a heart wrenching smile.

Then there were days when it rained and poured, where thunder pounded and lightning scattered. They didn't argue, instead they often went their separate ways for a week or so, but it wouldn't be long until he'd go searching for her. Of course, she was never difficult to find, and most times she's searching for him all the same. Though he isn't sure just yet, which felt warmest. 

Then, there were days where it sprinkled.

"Did you ever think about going back?" He doesn't know why that question came to mind, but he does know that unlike him, she was not a rogue shinobi of the hidden leaf.

"That wouldn't make much sense for me" she spoke with a soft tilt of her head as though truly pondering the words she was currently speaking. 

"Oh?" He's afraid to pry because he's afraid of opening up, but he's always curious and fascinated, always wondering.

"Everything I have, is already with me" suddenly heat soared through his entire body, his heart hammered harsh against his chest. Breathing, became nearly impossible, and he could feel the heat flush against his face. He doesn't understand why he feels this way, doesn't understand what it is he is feeling, or even if he likes it, or despises it.

"Can I ask..." he wants to know a lot of things, but never knows how to word them correctly, or if he wants the answers.

"Mm?" She looks at him expectantly and because she looks at him, he struggles even more.

"Do you still love Itachi?" Not entirely what he meant to ask, but that's what came out, and he regrets the moment the light retracts from her eyes, the way she looks away so quickly from him and instead stares into the skies as though searching for the ghost of a man who owned her heart.

"I don't think I ever properly loved him" an answer he didn't expect, and it leaves him even more confused. "I mean..." now she was struggling, her teeth gazing against her bottom lip in panic. A moment passes, a deep breath is drawn. "I really admired Itachi, however... I don't think I ever knew him at all."

That had been a feeling he could understand extremely well, and a question he asked himself more often than not. What were lies, what were truths, and just who was Itachi Uchiha of the hidden leaf? 

"To be honest" she interrupts the silent war waging battle within his head "I don't think I know what love is either."

While he thought about it, Daiya had always stuck to herself and with the organization. She trained with himself on rare days, but Sasuke himself had been the only one outside of the organization that she was ever seen with. Life, must have been lonely for her. 

"I don't think I know what it is either" he admits, leaning over just slightly so that his head could rest upon her shoulder "however... if I had to guess..."

It would be you.