𝒮𝑒𝒸𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓈 ♡𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝐻𝒾𝒹𝒹𝑒𝓃 𝐿𝑒𝒶𝒻 💋 [ℕ𝕒𝕣𝕦ℍ𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕊𝕒𝕤𝕦]

Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

May 19, 2011

Sakura rolled over, glancing at the empty space next to her. The slight indention was cool to the touch. A potent combination of relief, disappointment and shame cloud over her sleepy emerald eyes. with a resigned sight, she sat up, brushing mussed pink hair from cheeks as she sought out the wall clock hanging above the dresser across from the bed. She had a few minutes before she was due at the hospital, but certainly not enough to allow her to lounge in bed any longer.

Climbing naked from the bed, she reached down for her clothes, tugging them on before working on taming her hair.

Taking a quick look at herself in the mirror atop the dresser, she sucked in a stabling breath, composing herself for the walk home. It was early enough that she didn't think she'd run into anyone she knew but if she did, she didn't want to appear as anything other than normal.

She left the bedroom, moved through the living room and out the front door.

The morning sky was dark as she made her way home.

The streets of Konoha were empty.

The barren roads reflecting the emotions churning in her heart. She wrapped her arms around her waist, her eyes watering as she walked. She blinked away the moisture, beating back her inner turmoil.

She made it home, unsurprised her husband wasn't home.

Sasuke most likely wouldn't be back until evening, if at all. It was familiar routine of avoidance they played. Pretending to miss encountering each other until the awkwardness and frustration died down.

She was just as willing to play that game as he was. Skirting around their marital issues until they made another attempt to interact even with the elephant in the room.

Stripping, she moved to the bathroom, turned on the shower and stepped inside. The water felt cleansing and soothing. She leaned her head against the wet tile of the shower, hot water pelting her head and shoulders, and sliding over her skin; the water nowhere near able to permeate the places inside of her that truly needed to be cleaned.

xxxxxx

The silence was deafening.

Hinata stirred her tea nervously, glancing beneath her dark lashes at the man quietly sipping his own across from her. The two were seated at Naruto's modest kitchen table, waiting for the jonin to return from his early morning errand. This was one of the few times she'd spent more than five minutes in the Uchiha's presence without her outgoing boyfriend there to break the ice and stimulate conversation. She was always nervous beneath his dark gaze, and was even more so in light of their collision in the forest.

Her cheeks burned as she recalled the circumstances of their last meeting.

The books she was sure he'd seen.

He probably thought her the worst kind of pervert.

Despite the fact that he hadn't mentioned it, didn't behave as though the encounter had happened at all, did little to dimmed her mortification.

Naruto hadn't confronted her about it, so she could assume Sasuke hadn't told her boyfriend about the incident. She just hoped he hadn't told Sakura either. The last Uchiha wasn't one for gossip, however, so maybe she was safe and the two of them could take the incident to their respective graves.

She wracked her brain for something to say. Some conversation starter that was safe and comfortable for them both.

"This place looks a lot cleaner than the last time I came." he commented.