Who Waits For Love

Chapter 21: Childhood Friends

The flickering light from the candles around her made shadows dance across the walls and the ceiling. Hinata's hands were folded neatly on her stomach, and if anyone were to pass by, they would think of her as a corpse. Her eyes remained trained on the patterns that the lights made, the humming of the room's heater making the songs for the shadows to dance to. She turned her head to the side to see him asleep on the couch.

His body was covered by a blanket, and nothing made it past the thick fabric besides his outstretched arm and the black tussle of hair that moved slightly every time he shifted.

Sasuke had arrived a few hours ago wearing his work clothes. He claimed to not be tired, but she could tell by the way his eyes would remain closed for a few seconds longer every time he blinked that he was exhausted. Life had resumed for him — much like it resumed for everyone beside herself. He still made it his duty to visit her all the time though, even if that meant sleeping at the hospital at two in the morning until he had to leave for work again.

She smiled softly and turned her head again to watch those shadows above her flicker playfully. Her mind created images of her; her younger self running around, following Sasuke cluelessly because she couldn't be alone for more than a second before bursting into tears.

'You're such a big baby.' He would roll his eyes and grumble, yet he would reach for her hand and pull her close as they navigated the world together. Never once has he ever let her go, not until she was confident enough to untwine their hands and walk away.

That was such a mistake.

Whenever she thought herself to be prepared for what lay ahead, she would be forced to acknowledge that she was indeed a 'big baby'. Hinata wasn't made for this world. She gets hurt easily, she stutters whenever she feels overwhelmed, she cries at the slight change in someone's voice, and she just always finds herself in trouble.

He would come to her rescue every single time; dusting her hands and knees carefully before patting her on the back and telling her to keep going. He never left her, but she always left him every time she thought she was ready.

Digging her fingernails into her arm, she glanced at him again. "Sasuke?" She whispered.

He did not move.

She flung the sheets keeping her trapped in bed to the side, her feet dangling from the tall bed as she moved. "Sasuke?" She called out again.

He stirred in his sleep, but he still did not open his eyes nor did he make any noise to indicate that he heard her.

Her feet touched the cold tiles and she hissed at the unfamiliar ground. Using the side handles on her bed, she stood up on shaking legs and took one step forward. "Sasuke, can you hold me?" She stuttered. "I want...I want you to hold me, like when we were kids and there was a thunderstorm."

Thanking the heavens that the couch was not far from her bed, and mentally sending her regards to her physiotherapist, she made it just in time for her legs to give out. That seemed to have startled him as he shot up with his eyes narrowed, ready to find any sort of threat, and then his eyes settled on her disheveled form that sat at the edge of the couch.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed." He relaxed. "Did you have to use the bathroom?"

Hinata shook her head, "can I lay with you?"

Sasuke looked down at the place he was currently occupying. It wasn't big enough for more than one person, but then again, Hinata was small enough to fit in the remaining space. "Are you sure?"

He did not want her to have a harsh reaction to touching him again. She had had a hard time dealing with it, and if it wasn't for Sakura — who had reached out in the first place — he wouldn't know that something as simple as touching Hinata's hand would cause her to spiral.