日向導 - A Hyūga's Guide

Chapter Fourteen: Sightings

As he waited for Hinata to come back, he ate his food quietly. The fight was still on his mind, the exchange of blows was nothing but a ghost touch now yet he could not help but press his hands in the places she had managed to hit. Much like her touch a few days ago, her hand was extremely warm, which left his skin scorching hot as if he was marked by an iron rod. Sasuke could tell she really wasn't planning on hurting him; there was such power in her hands that he could sense, but it would disappear when she was about to hit him.

He wondered if she was holding back, but planned to not ask her about it in fear that he would once again insult her.

Their fight seemed to have been the solution to the growing tension between them. A silent decree was exchanged, whether they were aware of it or not. She had defended her honour, her pride, and that of those she cares about, and he will concede to all it is that she said. A new found respect for each other, and a slow understanding was made out of their altercation. If that means that a new bond will be formed, so be it.

He could not deny that he felt such a strong emotion during every hit and parry; one he had not felt for a long time. Pure joy and adrenaline that he had only experienced in the comfort of his brother's presence when they were to spar. The quietness that surrounded them was much like the one he shared with Hinata.

That scared him.

Who was she to bring up so many emotions in him whenever she was around? A reminder as strong as his brother was nothing but a rose standing along the flowerbed of daisies; it stuck out painfully. No one had ever gotten him to that point in such a short time, not even the constant reminder from his father that Itachi was gone.

She didn't know who Itachi was yet her resolve was much like his own. She had managed to embody both his mother's anger and his brother's precision [although not as well as Itachi, but still, it was admirable nonetheless] that it genuinely made him shut his mouth.

Besides that; the short glimpse he got of her made him crave to see more. Her eyes, he was so close to seeing her eyes, but nothingness had returned and he was cursed with the shadows of his mind once more. Within those shadows, there was a soft blue glow, blending so well with the blacks of his mind. The colour of her hair.

Her skin was flushed pink, and sticky with sweat. Her kimono was a dark purple with white embroidery. He did not see her hands, but he was sure that they were well taken care of; her nails trimmed and her palms free of calluses. If only he had seen her face — the only feature that caught his attention was the soft pink of her lips.

It was enough to have her taint every bit of his mind, everything served as a reminder that he had seen her, even if it was just a little bit.

Then there was the feeling of her fingers against his scalp as warmth enveloped him in his state of absolute pain. It had soothed him so quickly, he didn't want her to stop even as the pain came to an end.

Touching his eyes, Sasuke set his chopsticks down and pushed the tray to the side once he was finished with his meal. He had briefly remembered a situation much like this one where the warm hands of a stranger had touched him the exact same places before his pain was nullified and slumber found him.

Was that stranger his current caretaker?

There was no mistaking it even as he tried to refute those silly thoughts. Then he realized something extremely comical, and kicked himself for not noticing it sooner. She had known who he was from the very first day; and perhaps Naruto had known who she was as well.

Was it fate; the plan of the gods to have them meet formally?

Even from day one, she had disregarded his title as the Crown Prince and spoke to him without a care. What's worse , he couldn't even find it in himself to be mad that she had lied or pretended to be someone else.