Midnight

Chapter Thirty-Four

If anyone could stay outside her bedroom that morning he could hear her windows opening and closing. Her feet on the floor, bare and loud, her bed cracking from her body, who seemed undecided in whether it wanted to stay laid all day or never rest again. He could hear her breathing loudly and then sometimes a squizz. Then a whispering to someone who never gave an answer but her voice condinued to be heard like an answer came from somewhere afar.
If anyone would watch his bedroom that morning, he would find him messing his hair every two seconds and then open his mouth like he growled. He would see him entering the bathroom and then exiting with his face wet and flustered. He would watch as he took his clothes out of his closet and stayed oddly still for half an hour. He would lose him from his sight for a split second and then returned with Naruto who would look at him puzzled. His face would turn angry, he would open his mouth and Naruto would point something and then he would make him dissapear again.
He would mess his hair again and then he would smile.

____

Sasuke had made a statement. Loud and clear and unmoving. He had said that in the heat of the moment, in response to her words. He had said it because she was ready to leave and he wanted her to stay.
He took a breath. They hadn't spoken much. Because he had imagined her lips on his for far too long and there would be time for words later. But the time passed in the blink of the eye and it was time for them to depart. He asked when he would see her, desperate as if she walked away and the next day came, everything would disperse. She had said tomorrow and he responded that it was a date.
He let the air escape his lungs. He didn't mean it that way, it simply was his relief that she wanted him, that she had thought of the same things as he did, that she was anxious in the same way that he was. That he would see her when the sun rose again.
He stood in the white door of the compound not uttering a word. The guards watched him suspiciously at first but as time came, their gaze turned to curiosity. But Sasuke didn't look at them. He had shut out their presence and the world outside. He had prepared for a date, even if he didn't know what preparation should be done exactly, and wondered if she had done the same. If she had taken him seriously, even if he kept telling himself that he didn't mean it like that, or if she would laugh with his silliness like the time she had wore that blouse that he liked so much.
He spoke and the men seemed dissapointed in the end. Like a show that didn't happen.
He felt his palms wet, and the collar of his blouse thickened around his neck. He imagined she didn't expect him and it would take her a while to come. If she was home. He pictured the humiliation if she wasn't.
It took mere seconds for the door to open. Because Hinata was ready for the an hour and she waited on the last step that separated the garden from the main house. She had raised her sleeves and straighten them down more times than she could count. She had missed Hanabi's look because her eyes were fixed on the door. It's a date, he had said and she had prepared accordingly.
She looked at him and smiled as she took the last step outside. She had painted her eyes just enough to make the colour more vibrant. Her hair were half up. She wore a dress made of black wool that reaches her knees and his heart stopped beating. Because she looked magnificent. They stayed outside her front door for a moment, absorbing each other images until the present of the guards became clear again and they rushed to their departure without saying a word.
They didn't speak and she found it silly because they had spent the last months, almost ayear on each others company.
"Where will we go?" She asked and Sasuke looked at her lost.
"Where.."
"We don't..."
They spoke together and stopped together.
"You first." She said and smiled.
Yet it didn't reassure him. It made him panic more because now Hinata knew how it made him feel.
"Let's... Wherever you want.." He said.
"I haven't thought about it." She put her finger on her mouth. "Let's go for a drink..A coffee would be nice."
"Coffee then." He answered.
They walked again and she raised her hand as if to catch it and he unconsciously moved it.
They were closer to the centre now and he felt awkward enough without the stares.
He saw her bit her lips and she stopped it when she realised that he was watching her.
"Hinata." He said and he stopped.
She standed in front of him, waiting.
"I am not very good at this stuff." He confessed.
"I know." She said and took a quick look around her. Then when she was sure that noone was watching she gave him a kiss on the cheek.
She let a quick laugh upon seeing his expression, a bundle of panic and excitement.
He walked more confident now, catching her up as she had gone further ahead. He took her hand and she looked at him surspised.
"Sasuke." She said.
"I am not good in general." He said and then he leaned closer to her ear. "But I love you."
Hinata took a quick breath. It felt like she had choked on something. Sasuke laughed. Because the sight of her nervousness was delightful. Because he was happy.
She hit him lightly to the side, but she never left his hand out of hers.
They sat across each other in the coffee shop. They were reluctant still, queit people that had missed many moments in life, and now they tried to figure out how everything worked.
She ordered a cake along with her drink. Sasuke watched her as she took every bite, and thought that he was contempt, that this was what bliss meant.
Hinata looked up at him at her fourth bite. She liked when she raised her gaze and he was already looking.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing." He answered.
Hinata raised her fork and he grew a frown.
"Just one. So you can say that you definitely not like it."
He barely touched the tip of the fork. And he morphed. But then her fingers touched his lips as if to wipe the disgust.
They missed the bell on the door that announced a new customer. They missed the person staring at the scene. Because when they were together the world went silent.
"What are you doing?"
The world was not so gentle. It had never been. Not with them.
They turned at the voice and saw Sakura standing a few feet away. Ino was there, silent but if Sasuke could tell not as shocked.
Hinata bit her lips.
Sasuke just stared. He had wished to keep it a secret for a while, to keep his future just for him. But then again, he wanted the world to know. That Hinata Hyuga was not available. That she had chosen him, she, that was perfect in every way, had chosen him and he would never let her regret her choice.
"What are you doing?" Sakura asked again, the silence grew her anger.
"It's obviously a date. Let's get going." Ino was the one that answered. "We will only be in the way." She looked at her freshly painted nails but Sasuke found it less disturbing than usual.
Hinata had gone blank. She was happy. She could use the word to identify herself after many years. And she knew that eventually, everyone would know. She hoped that they would. Because Sasuke was not a secret she wanted to keep hidden. She didn't want to make him think that he was. She was her thoughts and her dreams, he was perfect.
But she knew what would happen. And she knew that Sakura would hate her.
"A date?" She said puzzled. "How?" Was the only thing she could say.
"Oh come on forehead. You saw how desperate he was to find her when she was taken back then. Did you not catch on? He wasn't very subtle."
Ino with her irritating voice and her irritating behaviour had left them speechless.
Hinata hadn't known. She hadn't known until last night.
"What? Do you think I am stupid?" She looked at them, completely ignoring Sakura.
"No, just.." Hinata spoke for the first time.
"So it's true?" The pinkette spoke again but it was the last time. The hands of Yamanaka wrapped around hers as she dragged her out.
Sasuke looked at them leaving irritated. That was how it was going to be? His gaze turned on her. Her face had dropped, her previous mood was completely gone, and he recognised the mood she was currently having. Guilt.
"Come on. We are leaving." He said as he took her hands.
"I know where I want to go." He said and they walked again in silence.
Hinata hadn't understand until they were at the gate. She looked at Sasuke but his stare was fixed in his front.
He walked between graves and she thought they were having the most depressing first date. Then she thought that maybe he wanted to talk to his family. To ask for their approval. Because things were already too complicated and there would be more awkward from now on.
But the root he took, felt familiar.
Until he stopped in front of a grave that had a name that Hinata held dear.
"Oi." He said to the place where Neji Hyuga was buried. "I believe you know who I am. I don't quite remember you, because I didn't care for you really. But I have heard enough to understand that you would hate me now. And I personally don't care. But I would do anything to make you accept me because she is everything for me. And I don't care who or what anyone has to say, but you know her. She cares too much and thinks too much and that would make it more difficult for me. So I will try to get you on my side. To have an ally to fight her stubborness."