After

Thirty

She woke up before him. She gave him a kiss that he missed as he was still asleep. She got up quietly not to disturb him, enough to give her a moment to appreciate the sight. It seemed serene, the way his features relaxed under the closed eyes, how he rested on the side, with his arm almost touching her pillow.
She smiled. He was truly handsome, she understood now how every young heart was crushed in front of his face. He was, even if that was not why she fell for him. Yet she didn't want to stop staring at him. Much like she didn't stop the night before.
Perhaps, it would sound superficial if she expressed it out loud, but she was glad he matched her so well. It was truly liberating not to be handled like a delicate flower. For her, the act itself, the way she felt in those moments, exposed another side of who they were, it conveyed feelings otherwise lost.
She breathed the air of her room, of her scent and his mixed and tangled and decided that if she didn't turn around now, she would stay here until he woke and even after that.
She walked to her bathroom and she touched the door to close it. The motion reminded her of another time, where she stood in the same spot and he was outside just a few feet away. She had called his name, yet when he answered, even before that, she wasn't sure what exactly she wanted to tell him. Maybe nothing really. Perhaps just calling him and him answering was just enough at the time.
When she finished and exited, she felt refreshed, yet the bath she had taken was not the only reason.
She entered her bedroom once more and saw him awake. His eyes widened slightly when his stare met her. She hadn't thought of bringing any clothes, she never did, she always changed in her room when she was alone.
She wasn't alone now, but she didn't feel any shame. She didn't have to. He had already seen everything. But he seemed surprised. She pressed her lips in a smile.
"Good morning." She said lightly, opening her wardrobe to find her clothes for the day.
"Are you trying to tempt me?" He asked behind her back.
She let a laugh and put her clothes on.
"I didn't have such intentions." She answered and turned to face him.
"Because it's pointless." He continued his sentence. "You could wore layers of clothing and you would still tempt me."
She laughed again, but despite his joking tone, he was serious about what he said.
"Is that right?" She told him as she sat at the edge of the bed. "I shouldn't be bothered then. Wear any clothes, I mean."
He narrowed his eyes and she touched his hair.
"How are you?" He asked absurdly.
"Can't you tell?" She smiled.
He stayed silent.
"Happy." She told him and he closed his eyes. From shyness, she thought, even if the word itself didn't suit him.
"And you?" She asked delighted to see him struggle.
He opened his eyes lazy, fully understanding the colour of her tone.
"You are a cruel woman. Do you know that?" He said and tossed the sheets to the side.
He sat on the bed, staring at her for a moment, until he leaned and kissed her.
"Me too." He whispered. "I'm happy."
"I need to leave." He said getting up.
"Why?" It seemed wrong for him leaving this space.
"I should take a bath." He was amused with her question and tone that it was asked.
"You can do it here." No, it was right him being here.
"I have a bathroom too." She was probably overstepping, almost sounded needy.
"And what clothes should I wear?" He asked. "Inuzuka's maybe?"
"Do you perhaps dislike Kiba-kun?" She titled her head.
He gave her a glance.
"I don't appreciate the casualty." He said and nothing more.
He insisted on leaving and she stopped trying to figure a way for him to stay.
She walked him to the door, standing in the door frame. He stood outside taking a step, but then he turned again, giving her a goodbye kiss.
"I will come back in a while."
She almost urged him to hurry, but controled herself before the word slipped through her mouth.
She was behaving foolishly, she knew. Yet she couldn't help but smile.

_____

The last two weeks had passed in a breath. She was trying to be the most reasonable of the two, the most composed. Despite everything the work needed to proceed, to be done eventually. Still she was falling short. Her resoluteness shrunk, until it dissapeared completely when he was there. The program she had made for them to follow was discarded and a page or two was the best they could write down.
At least this morning Hanabi was to come and she had made progress on her own, until her sister arrived. She had told him the day before that they would meet in the evening, to warn him without really telling him, just to avoid an encounter.
Hanabi was sitting on the chair, eating the breakfast that she had made, chatting lightly about nothing really. Her sister's voice filled the place with a pleasant note, marking the end of the work she was doing.
"How is it going?" Hanabi asked when she raised her gaze to her.
"It's going well. We are nearly finished." She responded, hiding the fact that if they focused it could be done in less time.
"So you are working well with your partner." Her sister said. "I'm sorry, is he your partner?"
Hinata stared at her.
"I mean, since it's not your mission anymore." She added.
"Oh, yes." She said. "There is no matter of hierarchy."
"I see."
She played with her cup for a second. Hinata sensed that the girl wanted to say something more, but hesitated.
"Is something wrong?" She asked at last.
"You know..." Hanabi took a breath and with that her light tone emerged. "There is word on the streets...About you and the Uchiha."
She paled. It wasn't that she was trying to keep it a secret, but she was not exactly announcing it.
"I don't understand." She answered.
"Really?" Hanabi pressured her.
She couldn't quite grasp how this was out already. The only people that knew was Naruto and Ino and she was sure that neither of the would say something about it.
"What exactly did you hear?" Hinata said. "I am sure there has been..."
"A misunderstanding?" Hanabi narrowed her eyes.
She weighed it. She didn't want to lie in the end.
"It's..."
Her sister finished her tea in one sip.
"I saw you." She said and let her cup on the table.
Her eyes widened.
"I was wondering when would you tell me. But my patience run out."
She crossed her arms.
"I am telling you in case you were going to deny it."
"I wasn't." Hinata said.
"It seemed like you would." Her sister responded.
"No, it's just...I didn't expect it."
The girl across was irritated.
"When?" She asked completely dismissing the glances.
"I was coming to your house the other day, without a care in the world, and then I saw him. You and him. You were kissing."
She was starting to lose her cold demeanor, becoming a child again.
"So?" She said impatiently and Hinata almost laughed.
"It's true." She said.
"That's it?" Hanabi raised her voice.
"What else do you want to know?" She smiled.
"I don't know...Like how..Or when? Or why him of all people..?" She breathed. "Does anyone else know?"
"Ino." She responded and Hanabi pouted like someone had stolen the place that belonged to her.
"And Naruto." She added and the whiter eyes darkened.
"Is..?" Hanabi began but couldn't form her question.
"Does..?" She tried again. Her features were painted with shame.
"It has nothing to do with him." She responded to the unspoken question.
"Okay." Her sister's gaze was on her lap.
"Still..." She said and looked at her in the eyes. "I'm worried."
"You don't need to be." She said with certainty.
"But I am." Hanabi stood her ground. "It's...He is..We all know how he can be. And...Him being his friend doesn't actually help."
"Hana.."
"Invite him to the house." She said before Hinata could finish her sentence.
"That's.." She began again.
"Please. It would help me ease my worries."
"I am not a child Hana." She said.
"You will do it for me. Please." She pleaded. "Of course you will ask him first. We aren't going to drag him to the house against his will."
Hinata sighed.
"That...I don't think it would be a problem." She said leaving Hanabi puzzled.