日向導 - A Hyūga's Guide

Chapter Twenty Two: Purpose

Hinata leaned against the railing of the library's balcony, watching the moon with great interest as she made a silent prayer. She had not forgotten about her task, her dream, at all. Even though she was busy in the Palace, her goal did not stray far from her. She still had to be careful, and look for the culprit of her clan's death.

So deep in thought about it, she never heard the door open or his footsteps until he was standing right beside her. Hinata glanced at him for just a moment before resuming her previous activities.

"It's late." He said, and it was hard to decipher if he was scolding her for staying out so late in the cold or making a statement.

She pulled her haori closer and focused on her visible breath. "I know. You should be asleep." Hinata let out an airy laugh.

"I can't." Sasuke crossed his arms, listening to the distant words exchanged between the patrolling guards below them.

"Do you need me to tuck you in?" She joked, closing her eyes as she basked in the warmth that he seemed to provide.

"Hn."

"Sasuke."

"I would not complain."

She laughed again. "I can't seem to understand you at all."

"I'm afraid the feeling is mutual."

She faced him, noticing that he had once again decided to wear his blindfold even though he knew that she was aware of his blindness. Reaching up for it, she was stopped when he held her wrist.

"I can't let you do that."

"Why?" She didn't pull herself away, she just let him hold her hand.

He too had no plans of letting her go. Sasuke brought her hand closer to his face, but not enough to touch him. If she did, he wouldn't be able to contain himself any longer. He had craved to hold her again, to touch her and breathe in her calming scent until it was printed onto his brain.

"I thought you were scared."

"Of you?"

"Of this."

She averted her eyes, finding the moon interesting once more as she tried getting her thoughts together. "I'm not scared."

"Are you uncertain?"

Hinata didn't answer him, instead, she opened and closed her hand. Bypassing his ridged hold, her fingers caressed the edges of the blindfold before she pulled it off. "Are you not unsure as well?"

His eyes fluttered open, his dark eyelashes were long and framed his eyes beautifully. He clenched his jaw, his eyes moving rapidly as if he was trying to see her but grew frustrated by his inability to do so. "I am never uncertain, Hinata."

"You made up your mind the moment you left me alone." She stepped closer to him, closing the gap just a little bit. "When did you decide that it was me that you wanted?"

Sasuke let her hand go and cupped her cheeks instead. The warmth of her skin was a stark difference from the cold breeze that made them both shake. "That's a secret." He whispered.

"Can I take a guess?" Her voice got caught in her throat for a moment, the stutter that she thought she had outgrown had made a return.

He nodded, feeling her hands cover his own.

"The bridge."

He smiled.

Hinata bit her lip, her eyes going from his lips back to his eyes. "Really?"

"You're the first person to understand."

"Should I feel honoured?"

She had finally accepted the words that he spoke previously.