Close, but apart. It was how they sat no matter where they were. Sasuke's wife was a cuddler. Hinata liked to snuggle right up to him. That didn't change because she didn't remember him, but she certainly wasn't going to take that step, and he was going to give her some time to just get used to him. She hadn't curled up to him at night again but chose to sleep very close.
Hinata would curl into the arm of the couch and talk to him, and he would sit close as he could without touching her and would make no comment if she ended up leaning a knee on him or brushing him with her shoulder. He kept her within arm's reach when he sat her in the kitchen so she could cook.
A comfortable distance for both of them.
Sasuke was always nearby. It wasn't uncomfortable. Hinata felt herself reaching for him before she asked a question or for help. She always stopped her hand short. It was odd to feel so familiar so quickly. It wasn't that she remembered his presence, but his familiarity with her was comforting, and he felt like he knew everything about her, so she didn't have to be so held back. What held her back from fully relaxing was that she didn't know him.
All though he might just be staying near because he knew she liked that, the Sasuke she knew as a child hated to be touched, especially by women. So what was his comfort zone? What if she crossed it and he pushed her away? She didn't want him to feel like he needed to.
Maybe she should hear more of their story.
Sasuke heard Naruto's whining as he walked down the hall, and it made him want to turn around. What made him stop was the soft response. "I don't think he will ever like it here if you keep fighting him."
"Ow!" Naruto squeaked. "He belongs here with us."
"Naruto-kun, he's miserable and has made it clear he wants you to leave him alone to sort it out himself. If he wants to be friends again, he will come to you." Hinata told him and was answered with another yelp. "Why didn't you get Sakura-chan. I'm not a trained healer."
"She refused to heal anything I get from Sasuke now," Naruto grumbled. "I know you won't do that."
There was a dead silence. Sasuke couldn't even hear her coat ruffle for a moment. "Naruto-kun, just please leave him be. I know your heart is in the right place, but he doesn't want it."
"You're turning your back on him too?" Naruto asked, clearly offended.
The silence again. "I think you missed the point." Hinata hid the hurt from her voice, but it was clear what was going on, and the idiot didn't even know he was pushing her buttons.
Sasuke depended on her, but he didn't realize he was assuming a lot. He believed she would never oppose his opinion. She would always be there, telling him he was right. If he knew she had liked him, he was either an ass or just naive. Sasuke was leaning toward ass, but it was probably just naive. He didn't know he was assuming and using her kindness. He didn't know. Thinking she would never leave his side would hurt her. Typical of him. Then again, he was assuming all of this himself, but he was smarter than the idiot.
Another loud yelp broke the silence and his thoughts. "Please try to give him at the very least some time. You're only pushing him further away, and you are only hurting your relationship."
Being slipped down the hall as he heard Naruto thank her and runoff.
Sasuke fought himself. Go in, ask for help. His nose was broken, but he wasn't going to the main hospital. He wasn't going to Sakura. He hoped he could find a healer at this little wing of the clinic that would fix it and let him leave.
