#lavendereyedassassin

[lavendereyedassassin]

@pianocoat Happy Birthday our dear server Hokagesama. 💜🎂🎁

[lavendereyedassassin]

Cursed Kisses- Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you Sommernacht for being my beta this chapter! You’re such a rockstar.

Check out her fic “The Cracks In My Mind” on FanFiction.net. 😊 Extreme fluffiness ahead. Enjoy!

 Chapter 3: The Journey

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Metanoia (Greek): “A journey that changes the heart, the mind, the self, or the way of life.”

SH Month Day 15 Prompt

~~~

One small step. Then two.

A lingering look from dark eyes. A hand held out in offering.

Hinata took the hand tentatively. When the portal appeared at Sasuke’s back, her face lit up like fireworks on a new year.

Sasuke felt his heart tug at her wondrous gaze that was filled with the promise of hope and adventure. Her pure enthusiasm and unrestrained optimism were contagious, and he could not stop the grin from spreading across his noble countenance.

“Ready?” he asked.

She stared with large eyes at the circular opening that rippled at the edges with a bright, crystalline luminosity. Fascination painted clearly on her face, she pondered, “Will it hurt?”

To her surprise and embarrassment, he winked and pulled her close with his arm wrapped low around her waist. Lowering his head to her ear, he whispered, “Don’t worry. I’ll be gentle.”

Her sharp gasp forced a breathy chuckle out of him, and without warning they were sucked into the interdimensional gateway. Other than the brief change in pressure and a small tickle in her tummy that felt like falling, the jump was seamless.

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The lush and green Land of Ire was damp with low-settling fog that made the air feel heavy. At this early hour, the warmth was not yet strong enough to pierce through the morning clouds.

As soon as their nimble feet touched the ground, Sasuke relaxed his grip on Hinata’s waist, allowing her to move around freely. The wind kicked up. The invigorating earthly scents around them filled their nostrils, fresh and cool. Murky waves beat against the rocky cliffside at one end of the open field of never-ending clovers.

Long locks twisted and twirled with the breeze like fingers combing through her hair. Hinata giggled at the mess her hair had become and pulled it into a high bun. Sasuke watched silently. Admiring her long graceful neck, and the tiny hairs that escaped their hold. The sight was breathtaking. Looking away with pink-tinged ears, he acknowledged the scenery was also nice.

Detecting a change in movement, he folded his arms and lifted his eyes back to Hinata. She was climbing one of the sparse growing ash trees nearby with chakra laden feet. Locating a sturdy branch, she leaned against the trunk and sat in a meditative pose.

“Would you like my help?” Sasuke asked, squinting to see her through the leaves. He realized this objective was literally like looking for a needle in a haystack. With the fog, he may as well be wearing a blindfold.

“No,” she assured, and added in hindsight, “Thank you.”

“Hn.” He hummed his understanding, and resolved to stand guard. This foreign land could have anything from yokai to giant monsters. Whatever it was, he was prepared to face it head on- and protect Hinata.

Bulging veins crept out from the sides of Hinata’s closed eyes and down to her jawline. Her search began in earnest.

Approximately ten minutes into his vigilant watch, standing with his back pressed against the base of Hinata’s tree, he felt a light tap against his shoe. He looked down and saw nothing out of the ordinary- a few pebbles, dirt and clovers. Ever cautious, he peered through the haze of their immediate vicinity where only the vast openness greeted him.

Shrugging it off as the wind, he allowed his lids to shut when he felt another tap. Directing his attention to his boots, his photographic memory effortlessly picked up on something novel- a pebble that wasn’t there before.

Coming to an upright and defensive position, he was now on full alert.

“Is everything alright, Sasuke?” Hinata’s light voice floated to his awareness.

“Did you notice anything?” he quickly asked.

“Hmmm. My focus was on the ground, but there are indigenous species of wildlife in the area, naturally,” she commented.

He glared in her direction wearing an obvious smile of false gratitude. “Naturally.”

His words and demeanor brushed over her like a weightless feather. Her focus already on her task while he started his.

Stepping further into the curtain of moisture, sharingan blazing and analyzing every shift and shadow, he felt another tap. This time against his shin. After a few more steps, he saw it.

Perched on a cliffside rock, a tiny creature, no larger than his fist, blinked its large round eyes at him curiously. It was greenish, stout and humanoid in shape, with delicate fur covering its small body.

Sasuke reluctantly admitted to himself that the infantile creature was kind of cute.

With a small squeak, the green tiny attacker launched itself towards the shiny hilt of his sword, but Sasuke was neither tolerant nor eager to forfeit his blade. With lightning quick speed, he snatched the assailant by its little legs, allowing it to dangle upside down from his hold. Giving it a little shake, Sasuke eyed his captive closely and inquired, “What do you think you’re doing, little hobbit?”

The affectionately dubbed ‘hobbit’ began writhing and squealing its pitiful wails at the relatively rough treatment.

With a huff, Sasuke attempted to pacify the creature with a soothing tone, “Calm down. I’ll put you back on your rock. Just behave your-”

SCRREEEEEEEEEECCHH!!!

A loud, echoing wail boomed from over the canyon steps away. The ground shook with a deep rumbling like the land itself split apart. Sasuke knew better. This wasn’t an earthquake. Either some large beast had awoken from its den or it was a stampede.

Quickly placing ‘little hobbit’ back on its rock, he drew his sword towards the water, waiting for the threat to appear.

“Hinata?” he feigned calm as he called out her name, his worry evident.

“I’m fine. I need more time,” she casually responded.

Before he could ask what she saw, the shrieking was upon him. It was not a beast. It was several tens of tiny beasts, crawling over the cliff’s edge and racing towards Sasuke. Adult versions of ‘little hobbit.’

Little hobbit was screeching and jumping up and down excitedly on his perch like a monkey.

“Hinata, we have to go!” Sasuke yelled, darting out of reach of the first dozen hurling their bodies at him- claws and fangs bared.

“A little more time!”

Sasuke swatted away one that leapt at his face, catching it squarely in the chest. The event spurred the herd into a wild frenzy.

“Don’t hurt them,” Hinata instructed with a chirp from her hidden location.

Resisting the urge to scowl, he put away his sword, and grumbled under his breath, “Easy for you to say.”

Hinata couldn’t help the small giggle that escaped from her when she witnessed Sasuke go down in a heap after the tiny tyrants surrounded and dragged him down. She read about the flora and fauna of each region of their tour. The leprechauns of the Land of Ire were mischievous and fiercely protective, but relatively harmless. They had no poisons or natural defenses other than their sheer numbers. They weren’t particularly strong and their nails and teeth were not even sharp. He was basically engaging with a group of grumpy toddlers.

She continued her search, watching Sasuke teleport, flicker and arm himself with various pieces of his Susanoo from the corner of her almost three-hundred-sixty-degree vision. Sometimes she would see him scoop up a small flock in his arm to (gently) restrain them, or pick one up by its hind quarters and (gently) fling it a short distance away, only to have them get back up and attempt to climb on him again. It was not lost on her that he never strayed more than a two-second sprint away from her at his top speed.

“Where are you…” she muttered to herself, seeking their objective. Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted what she hoped to find. Excitedly, she narrowed her gaze and counted internally.

One, two, three, four! Four! A four-leaf clover!

Overcome with jubilation, she stood from her spot on the branch and yelled with an exuberance neither were expecting, “Sasuke, I found it!”

“I’m heading over to you!” The Uchiha teleported to the base of the tree just as Hinata began to climb down.

ROOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!

Sasuke turned his head towards the beastly bellow, the ground quivering as if it was afraid.

Startled by the booming rumble from both the beast and the tree, Hinata lost concentration of her chakra and her footing slipped. “SASUKE!”

Swiveling his head back to his partner, he broke her fall in a lip-locked bundle on a bed of clovers.

Since they began exchanging- or he began stealing- kisses, this was the first time he felt shy. His modesty was evident in his bright eyes and the rosy hue of his cheeks that matched hers. With her in this position- resting atop, gazing at him with her all-seeing eyes like she could even see past everything the world labeled him- his chest was constricted by a downy fullness he’d never experienced.

ROOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!

Simultaneously, their heads snapped in the direction of the invisible threat.

“Time to go,” he quickly stated while they fumbled around each other to get to a standing position.

The leprechauns were running around in a frenzy. Some attempting to hide up trees, within tall blades of foliage, and some scurrying back down the cliffside. Little hobbit had been scooped up by his parents and found safety in an underground tunnel.

Suddenly a dark shadow blocked the weak sunlight, cloaking them in darkness. The vast darkness was a mammoth winged-serpent, with a head of a snake and body of a dragon.

“W-water dragon,” Hinata stammered, with wide-eyes trained on the ancient leviathan that hovered over them like a predator ready to pounce on its prey.

“Run,” Sasuke whispered.

Hinata took off in the direction of the totem and Sasuke swiftly followed at her heels after sending a couple of clones in the opposite directly and throwing a smoke bomb for cover.

“Where is it, Hinata?” Sasuke rattled out.

She pointed ahead of them with a finger, and panted, “Ahead by about 350 meters.”

The water dragon had quickly changed course and was upon them again. It opened its terrifying jaws at their backs and snapped at empty air.

Not a moment too soon, Sasuke had teleported them both to the place Hinata identified.

Eyes activated, she walked a few feet out, bent at the waist and plucked the tiny green clover.

The irate serpent had not given up chase and was fast approaching.

Hinata was sealing the item in a scroll while Sasuke opened a portal to their next destination. Tugging her with a large coarse hand, he embraced the petite female and jumped in. The dragon wailed and flew off to its watery den.

.

.

.

Portal hopping through dimensions like seasoned globe trotters, they traveled to destinations far and wide. Gathering and checking off items on her list. A horseshoe, a figure of an elephant with its trunk lifted, a talisman shaped like a hand with an open eye on the palm, a small satchel filled with herbs, a bundle of bamboo stalk.

Each destination a different tribulation.

In the Land of Wind, locating a true religious charm was fruitless. Until they found one hanging around the neck of a man walking into a brothel. Steeling her nerves, Hinata prepared to play the role of a consort to covertly “borrow” the dove carved trinket.

Sasuke, however, refused to allow her to demean herself for anyone- except him. So, he took her place.

In full makeup, courtesy of Hinata, and wearing a long-ruffled gown, he approached the hairy gentleman and batted his generously long lashes that made Hinata envious.

When the pervert tried to get handsy with Sasuke’s cotton chest, Sasuke’s knee-jerk reaction was to deck him. It was lights out for the unsuspecting man. Hinata gave Sasuke a reproachful look while helping herself to his precious token.

With a pat on the head, Hinata dropped a small fortune on the sleeping man’s lap and they took off.

In the land of Porcelain, they snuck into a monastery to steal a golden toad statue from a holy well. They were spotted in the middle of their retrieval. Surrounded by monks, they jumped into the well, snatching the frog on their descent. Their feet neither touched water, rock or soil.

They stood on plumes of white clouds, completely unharmed, before a woman in an extravagant white gown. She tilted her head with curious observation, making the dangling pins in her high bun sway and sparkle, and decided to examine the ideal male specimen before her.

Sasuke’s singularly focused mind noticed the sashay of her hips and the intrigue in her eyes, and immediately pulled Hinata into his arms and dipped her low in a romantic flourish, stealing another kiss.

Hinata appeared flustered by the unexpected and public display of affection.

The lady in white laughed heartily and waved her hands. In the next moment, they found themselves in a remote garden outside of the monastery, golden toad secured.

Each adventure, each folly, each caress and light touch, bringing them closer to their goals- both known and unknown.  

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.

.

Finally, they were on the last leg of their journey. Giving in to exhaustion, they settled at an inn in the Village of Roma. Placing the clerk at the front desk in a genjutsu, Sasuke was able to learn the basics of the local language and customs within minutes, which came in handy when they wanted to eat.

At the adjacent café, Hinata ordered something called bruschetta and pasta for them to share. Hinata said that dignitaries from this land had once visited the Hyuga and shared these dishes. Sasuke stared warily at them for a moment, never having been introduced to such delicacies, but in the end, he would never turn down a good meal.

Taking his first bite of the crispy slice of bread with a medley of toppings, he realized the seasoned vegetables were primarily tomatoes! He finished the rest of his serving in one bite and went for another. And another.

Their hands brushed against each other over the dish, and he realized there was one piece left.

Hinata smiled knowingly and said, “You can have it, Sasuke.”

Still chewing on his previous helping, he swallowed and asked, “Have you had any yet?”

She giggled lightly, her eyes full of mirth, and responded, “No, but you seem to really like it. It’s yours.”

Sasuke picked up the last one, and placed it to her lips. With a slow grin, he offered, “Have a bite. I insist.”

Resisting the urge to tap her fingers against each other as she thought, she realized that to onlookers, and even to herself, this felt very intimate. Meeting his stare, she laughed loudly when she realized he was pouting and giving her the cutest pair of puppy-dog eyes she’d ever seen. She surmised that he probably did not comprehend his actions, or the effect they were having on her. “Okay, one bite.”

Parting her lips, she took a demure bite from the delight in his fingers with as much poise as she was capable.

Satisfied with her obedience, he put the rest of the bruschetta in his mouth.

Her cheeks burned crimson with the indirect kiss, bringing a smile to his lips. Unable to help himself he said, “Hn. It’s tasty.”

She wanted to faint.

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.

.

The next morning, they set off for Lake Trevoli for the last item. The lake was more of a large natural spring in the mountain. It was a journey and a trial to get there, making it rarely frequented by people unless they wanted to make a wish.

According to the lore of the people, you could make a wish by tossing a coin into the spring. The more expensive and rare the coin, the higher the likelihood of your request coming true. However, regardless of the value, it was heaven’s ultimately benevolence that would decide which wishes would be granted.

Although Sasuke had the rinnegan, it was difficult to use his teleportation powers in areas in which he was not familiar. He could bring them to a general location based on estimates, but he’d never been to the lake so he would be guessing. Further, there was the possibility that he’d accidentally transport them into the mountain face or a tree. It was not a chance worth taking.

Unlike their previous barren destination, the foliage here was thick and leafy. The sun beat down on the tree tops, the wind barely stirred a leaf, trapping heat and leaving the forest sweltering and humid.  

By the time the two weary travellers made it to their destination in the late afternoon- a tenth of the time it would take a person without special powers- they were ready to dive into the waters. Both thirsty and sweaty, all decorum was quickly tossed aside- along with the outer layers of their clothes.

Sasuke wore only his briefs, the rest of his garments lying in a heap. He dove in without hesitation.

Hinata, using more patience and care, prudently removed her top, folded it and placed it in her pouch. Her shorts were next, followed by her shinobi boots and her leggings. The boots were left near the lake’s edge. Shyly, she tied her multi-purpose obi containing her belongings to a hanging branch, and then dipped her foot into the cooling waters. Attempting a slow descent into the spring, wearing only her chest bindings and underwear, she was foiled by a tsunami of water that soaked her from head to foot.

Gasping at the shock, her skin prickled with goosebumps.

Sasuke pointed at the miserable look on her face. He laughed so hard that his eyes were forced shut and he keeled over. Before he knew it, Hinata launched a frontal assault. Together they crashed against the sunlit surface, falling into the blue depth. Their arms clung to each other as they swirled around the pristine waters harmoniously, like yin and yang.

When the bubbles cleared, Hinata was stunned into stillness by the soft gaze mere inches from her face. He stared at her like the most fascinating and beautiful thing in existence. Right now, they were the only things in their watery existence. Her heart leapt up to her throat at the thought. Her eyes roamed greedily to capture this moment for days she would need it. The perfect symmetry of his features, the sharp contrast between his smooth, pale skin and his penetratingly dark eyes and hair.

In the dark water, with the sun filtering through the dappled surface, his eyes reflected back the glow of the heavens in his stare. All her life she had been chasing the sun. She never would have guessed that the light she was after, had always been in him.

An invisible force drew them nearer, inches turning into centimeters, centimeters turning into nothing. Their bodies pressed against each other. He held her with the tenderness of worship, but with the ferocity of passion.

Abruptly, Hinata felt a sharp tug at her ankle. Shock overcame them both, as Sasuke was roughly pulled from her grasp. They were being yanked in opposite directions by something infernal.

Sasuke was incredibly annoyed at whatever foolish creatures thought it a good idea to interrupt this perfect moment. Glimmering rainbow arms and scaly hands groped his chest. He blocked the attempted fondling of his manhood and dodged the kisses to his face and mouth. Such impudence.

Anger suffused throughout his chest and he directed it at the two figures pulling on him. With rotating red pinwheels in his eyes, he ensnared the two mermaids in mental traps of his making, and swam off to save Hinata.

He paused and raised his brows at the glorious sight.

Hinata had just finished performing a thirty-two-palm strike using water needles. She turned in time to see Sasuke’s face go from pleasant shock to awe and admiration, painting a pretty blush over the bridge of her nose and cheeks.

It was a good thing they were trained to have a large lung capacity, effective oxygen use, and chakra. However, even shinobi need regular oxygen.

Taking her hand in his, they broke through the surface with their internal force with a dramatic upheaval of water. The crystal drops fell around them like liquid sunshine, glimmering and throwing sparkles all around. With power concentrated on the bottoms of their feet, they stood on the lake facing each other. Hinata opened her free palm and showed him an antique gold coin.

She smiled at him. She had recovered what she needed.

He smiled back at her triumph. Before anything else could go wrong, he lowered his head for a deep, requited kiss.

***

To be continued...

[lavendereyedassassin]

Cursed Kisses - Chapter 2

SasuHina Month Day 8 prompt “Geborgenheit.” It is unbeta’d and rated T, please enjoy...

Cursed Kisses By: Lavender Eyed Assassin (Rated T)  

Chapter 2: The Agreement

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Geborgenheit (German): The sensation of complete safety

SH Month Day 8 Prompt

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The fog of sleep fell away slowly, taking the soft feel of rosy warm lips with them. Sasuke’s chest rose and fell with leisurely breaths, appreciating the comfort of his bed; basking in well-rested bliss he hadn’t experienced since the Uchiha were more than a clan of one. His heavy lids opened unwillingly to the white dimpled ceiling above his head, and he remembered he was home. The one place he could be alone, without worry or fear. It was safe. It was comfortable. It was small and almost bare but it was his.

He indulged in the feeling of the crisp morning air filling his lungs. Memories from the day before came flooding into his consciousness. Ririka’s words still fresh in his mind and the odd string of events that followed. He rationalized the curse wasn’t real and the two disgusting oral interactions were all coincidence.

Then there was Hinata…

Pushing the sobering thought aside, he came back to the present. If he had it his way, he would lie in bed all day and avoid everyone. Unfortunately, a sharp, repeated clacking at his window forced him out of the lure of his warm sheets.

Sliding the glass on its frame, an eagle flew to his arm, digging its claws painfully into his skin. Sasuke retrieved the message, tucked away on its leg and sent it on its way. It read:

 Sasuke,

I feel terrible about what happened yesterday. Ririka was way out of line. After you left, Shion and I got into it. Anyway, we broke up and they decided to go back to the temple. I wanted to look for you, but I was really bummed about Shion leaving. I hope you’re feeling better and that you can forgive me for my dumb idea. I really did want to help. Anyway. Come find me when you can. You know where.

Naruto

=^.^=

 He folded the note and put it in his pocket. He wasn’t really upset with Naruto. As much as he would like to stay fortified within these four walls, he knew he would have to talk to Naruto eventually. Plus, the grumbling in his stomach was an unpleasant reminder that he was alive, and human. Just having returned from his travels, he had no groceries and needed to head into the village for basic necessities. So, he got up and got ready for the day.

Stepping foot outside of his sanctum, his senses flew into high alert as he realized he was being spied on, poorly, by several morons. He quickly ran through his mental checklist of everyone who might target him within Konoha.

Keeping his cool, he decided to pretend to be ignorant of their presence. Allow them to reveal themselves and their intentions in their own time. He locked the door and proceeded to the center of the village.

His mind continued to work. It could be the Konoha council. They’ve always had a touch and go relationship. They knew he was dangerous but they also knew it was better to be the hand that feeds him, for fear of being bitten. Maybe he still would bite them someday. That thought brought a smirk to his mouth.

Now at the edge of town, he knew they were about to act based on the excited and coordinated movements of his trackers. His adrenaline spiked and he allowed his chakra to spread throughout his body. He would beat them to the punch.

In a shunshin, he dropped into an alley where he determined the majority was hiding. His eyes bled red; his blade secured in hand.

Then the screaming started.

Sasuke was level-headed. Cool and collected. Fearless.

Except in the face of his fan club.

To many a rogue ninja, Sasuke’s sudden appearance would have them pissing themselves in terror. Not these teeny boppers. They were worse than the monsters in the dark.

The Uchiha’s usually stoic demeanor instantly warped into horror as a half-dozen fangirls, and one fan guy, grasped at his clothes with shrieking delight. Gripping and reaching for any part of him they could manage to get their filthy paws on.

With a quick twist of his torso, he was on his feet and fleeing from the hoard. They were faster than he remembered, but no one was as quick as him.

Running up the building sides and across rooftops, he was yet again surprised when he discovered that some of his followers were trained Konoha genin. Maybe even chunin.

Feeling overly confident, he almost ran straight into his fan guy who used a henge in a sneak attack. He noted the crazed admirer was dedicated- similarly dressed in Sasuke’s well-known, although snug fitting, mission gear and wearing a raven-colored wig that was styled in a way that reminded him of a duck’s rear end. He glowered, feeling offended.

Smoothly pivoting his hips and sliding away, he slipped out of reach of the pudgy doppelganger and immediately came face-to-face with a prepubescent female. She tittered cheerily at her ability to approach her idol and dove in, literally, for a kiss.

Sasuke squeaked his terror and teleported away, feeling a soft brush of lips against his jaw before he was on another building.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! The curse is real!

He was rubbing the wet spot in full freak out mode now. Ririka’s screeching laughter came back to taunt him from the depths of his mind. That witch was going to regret messing with the last Uchiha. He didn’t call himself an avenger for nothing. In order to get his revenge though, he needed to take care of the delinquents. With a shake of his head, he was resolute on being calm and thinking through this logically.

The Uchiha enthusiasts tried various cheap tricks to capture him. Bunshin, fuinjutsu, genjutsu, some even attempting to stall him by maiming.

He had to give his fan club credit. He wasn’t expecting them to be as creative, synchronized, or skilled as they were. It seems they had improved from his academy days.

Ever aware of his surroundings, something across the street below caught his eye.

It was Hinata.

She was sitting alone outside a café, with a porcelain mug and cinnamon bun in front of her. She appeared tranquil, wearing a sunhat and navy-blue dress while reading a book.

He was elated. Fate could be merciful- It gifted him with another opening. It worked last time. He had to know if it would work again.

Hopping down by her side, he was momentarily stunned when she thrust a gentle fist at him. He countered her attack with a turn of her arm behind her back and in the same fluid motion, he tugged her hard against his body. He smirked at her wide-eyed astonishment when he leaned his head towards her face, and gently brushed his lips against hers before sucking in her bottom lip.

Just like last time, the beating in his chest accelerated to a point he didn’t think was possible while standing still. Inhaling her scent reminded him of fresh flowers carried on a cool breeze. Not wanting to deny any of his senses, he allowed the tip of his tongue to graze the inside of her upper lip suggestively.  Her flesh was soft and pleasant. She tasted like icing and coffee, and although it was sweet in every way, he didn’t mind it for once. His nose nuzzled against hers as he gently bit her lower lip, breathing in her soft air.

Although he was completely enamored with her entire being, he could still pick up on the activity around him. All around him, he could hear the depressed moans of his pursuers as they witnessed the scene. Unanimously, they decided to give up their chase. Scattering to the winds, bemoaning their loss.

It wasn’t until the last of them had left that he released his grip on the flustered maiden.

Her eyes fluttered against her pink cheeks. Her breathing was quick and shallow. When her knees buckled, he caught her and firmly said, “Oh no, you don’t.”

“Uh… Huh?” Came her confused response.

“Stay with me, Hyuga,” he instructed without force, in an attempt to coax her to stay awake.

Her lids began to droop as her anxiety spiked. She pried them back open forcefully, only to find them starting to close again.

“Hinata. Look at me.” He spoke with a soothing tenderness neither knew was capable of him.

Obeying his command, she lifted her stare and was instantly captured by a pair of glimmering rubies.

Instantly, she felt more awake.

Allowing her focus to wander to her surroundings, she noticed that everything was still. The couple talking at the table next to them was quiet. The waiter serving coffee to the elderly woman was immobile, the liquid half poured floated in the air, frozen.

Her eyes snapped back to the Uchiha, who she noticed was holding her rigidly against his body. Her blush returned ten-fold as she was very aware of his hard chest pressed securely to her soft one. Their breaths mingled and she could see the tiny golden flecks in his eyes that made them look like they were glowing.

“U-Uchiha-san. Would you let me go… please?” She timidly requested.

“Of course,” he coolly responded and did her bidding.

She let out a breath in relief as she backed away for some much-needed personal space. Looking down at her toes to avoid his intense stare, she asked the question she already knew the answer to. “Did you… Did you put me under genjutsu?”

“I did.”

His easy response had her searching his face for answers. “Why?”

“You were going to faint. I am helping both of us avoid that problem.”

Hinata chewed her lower lip thinking of what to say next. It was unnecessary, however, as Sasuke spoke up first.

“I’d like you to come with me,” he stated without context, preamble, or restraint. A simple fact.

“W-what?” She was stumped. “Where?”

“Everywhere. I’ll pay you,” he offered.

In sharp contrast to her blush earlier, she now paled a ghostly white. Completely appalled at his suggestion, she reminded him, “I’m not a companion, Uchiha-san. I’m a kunoichi of Konoha. A Hyuga of the main house.”

“I’m not asking for you to do anything we haven’t already done, Hyuga,” he smirked. “It’s just until I can find the witch. Why else would I request your company, if not for her curse? I need your help to keep the curse at bay. Name your price. I’m willing to pay it.”

She lowered her lids in contemplation. Not for a second was she unaffected by the hot-blooded man standing inches away. His presence was impossible to ignore, by anyone really.

It was laughable, the more she thought about it. Her love life was non-existent considering the fact that the only man she ever had the courage to admire that way, took her confession and treated it like nothing. She had sacrificed herself for him. For the village.

So did Neji.

Yet she wasn’t worth a response. Less important than a fly buzzing in his ear. She was less than dirt. Was she not good enough for anyone?

Now here she was, with the last Uchiha- the most desired bachelor in all of Konoha, heck maybe in all of the nations, by everyone except her. Many would say she had the privilege to have lost her first, and second, kiss to the impressive young man.

After the initial shock of the intimate attack, she had been overwhelmed with heat and the pitiful rapid pace of her heart, before her ridiculous self-preservation alert sounded and she passed out. Instead of feeling honored by his choice, she felt like something priceless had been taken from her. In fact, she did want some form of payment.

The light in her eyes brightened as a nebulous idea began to take root in her scattered mind. The excitement was building in her chest and she stumbled out, “Anything? You’ll pay anything?”

“If it is within my power to give, and does not betray my morals, I will pay it.”

She scanned over his features. The charming mess of dark hair on his head, the set of his chiseled jaw, and most importantly, the truth resting behind his observant gaze. She bartered, “Then I want your help in return.”

He arched a brow at her declaration, but said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

Shifting to the table where her book was, she picked up the old but carefully tended to item, and pulled a folded, abused piece of parchment from within. Placing the book back down, she opened the note and displayed the contents. “I need your assistance to collect these items from these locations, and bring them to the Temple elder.”

“You can’t just collect them from Konoha?”

“No. It’s imperative that they come from these specific locations,” she insisted.

“What for?” He wondered aloud, quickly committing the seemingly random list to memory.

“It doesn’t matter. Do we have a deal?” She stared at him with wide hopeful eyes, each tense moment of silence feeling like an eternity.

“I believe our paths are aligned, Hyuga,” he ultimately agreed with a dip of his head. “Ririka will be at the temple as well, so we have the same destination. You have a deal.”

The blinding smile that spread across her face felt like a gut punch. It knocked the wind out of him and for a moment he felt dizzy. He released the genjutsu and life around them started up again.

“What now?” She asked giddily.

“First, we eat.”

.

.

.

Looking around her light-colored and minimalistic quarters in the Hyuga compound, her heart weighed heavy. Absorbing every little detail of the layout, the familiar scents, and her precious keepsakes.

Her memories.

The well-worn books on medicinal herbs and hanakotoba, from her long-departed mother, lying flat atop her bookshelf. On the wall where her headboard rested, she displayed her treasured weapons. From the first weapon her father gifted and trained her with, the bamboo shinai, to the deathly sharp, five-hundred-year-old tanto Ko brought back for her from the land of Iron. There were colorful ribbons on her vanity from her sister that could be converted to bindings, rope, or thread. A piece of Pain’s metal rod, that pierced her body when she saved Naruto and the village served as a reminder of both her triumph and losses, adorned the upper right corner of her desk.

In that same corner sat a headband. A symbol of the Leaf Village and source of pride and achievement for graduating academy students. Neji’s headband.

She delicately held her late cousin’s personal effect in her hands with deep interest as the minutes slowed to a crawl. He wanted her to live. To be happy. With Naruto, as she’d always desired. How would she honor his death now?

With bitter melancholy, she gently folded and tucked away the revered object into the pouch on her lower back. It was the last item she needed to pack. Before shutting the door to this place she called home and found respite, Hinata took one last meaningful glance. She did not know how long this journey would take or what fate had in store, but she knew she was headed towards something life-changing.

Approaching the gates of Konoha, the leave of absence approval from the Hokage securely in hand, that feeling of desolation continued swimming in her gut uncomfortably. Not just because she was leaving the home that she had, after many years of childhood trauma, finally found peace with, but because she had been planning this journey for far too long and could not afford any mistakes.

“Hyuga.”

Her thoughts were disturbed by the deep rumble and depthless gaze of this mysterious figure before her. It was at that moment, when black eyes met with white, that Hinata felt a calm warmth spreading from her chest to her limbs. She wondered for a moment if this was another genjutsu, and realized it was not.

As ominous and unfamiliar as Sasuke Uchiha may be, without knowing why, Hinata Hyuga felt safe with him. In fact, she no longer felt apprehensive at all.

This knowledge brought a genuine smile to her face and she greeted, “Call me Hinata.”

The edges of his lips curled up, taking her breath away. His eyes glinted in amusement. “Call me Sasuke.”

~~~ To Be Continued ~~~