Forgotten

Chapter 23: Falling Apart

"This is where you live? I always thought it was abandoned." I say as Sasuke and I walk to his house from the hospital. After Kiba left I returned with the doctor who omitted Sasuke out of the hospital. The doctor was concerned about Sasuke living alone and so I ensured the doctor I would stay with him until I was sure he would be okay again on his own. The doctor then agreed and here we were at his empty house, yet something felt so familiar about it.

"Yeah. Lived here most my life." He replied as he pushed past me in the doorway and trudged to his room.

I cringed getting the feeling I wasn't welcome in his home, but at the same time I felt like I wasn't suppose to leave. So I went to work on cleaning up the home: dusting, vacuuming, and cooking.

I was baking my fifth batch of cookies when Sasuke walked in.

"What is all of this?" he asked eyeing the pans and pans of cookies.

"Cookies!" I say trying to be cheerful about the defiant over baking I did. What could I say? That I was a stress baker? NO!

"I think you've made enough." He said grabbing the bowl of batter away from me.

"Hey! At least let me finish baking the last of the batter!" I yell grabbing the bowl back but he doesn't release. He pulls on it but this time I don't let go and am dragged by his strength straight into his chest.

I looked up to see his eyes go darker as sadness flooded through his facial features: clenched jaw and eyes closed.

"Sorry." I mumble as I let go of the bowl and start stepping back, but right as I spoke his eyes shot open and I was pinned to the counter behind me.

"Don't apologize. We've gone through—. Don't apologize so much; it makes you seem weak." He almost growled staring down at me with his black eyes.

Those eyes. They held a story that only a special few would know. I glanced at his facial features almost like I wanted to memorize them. What am I doing? I mentally slapped myself but nevertheless went back to memorizing every little angle, scar, bruise, or wrinkle.

I almost protested when he moved away. Don't move. I want to know you, memorize you, be apart of you. That's what I wanted to say but I held my tongue.

Sasuke put the bowl down and started scooping the rest of the batter on a cookie sheet in one big glob making it a giant cookie. I didn't say anything and just started taking the cooled cookies off the sheet and putting them in containers.

"I'll have to bring some to the team." I said to myself.

"What? Team?" Sauske asked

"Yeah. I teach a team."

Sasuke nodded and went back to spreading the dough around the pan so it was even.

Hours passed and no words were spoken. I doubled checked all of Sasuke's vitals and decided he would be fine alone. I said my goodbye and started heading towards the door when I felt arms around my waist and a head rest on my back.

"Don't go." The dark haired ninja mumbled into my jacket.

"What?"

"Please. I don't want to be alone. Just stay with me until I fall asleep." His grip around me tightened.

I turned in his embrace so I was facing him and lifted his head up so he was staring at me. Again. His eyes emitted off a sad glimmer. Something inside of him was breaking but I couldn't tell what. "Okay." I whispered.

I planned on leaving once he fell asleep but I ended up staying the whole night. Once he was asleep in his bed I went to the living room and curled up on the couch. The action seemed natural, a habit, like I used to do it all the time. I couldn't explain it.

I woke up to a soft voice calling my name. When I opened my eyes I stared into dark pools and became instantly lost in them. I smiled and started leaning up my body no longer in my control. My hand wrapped around his neck, using it I pulled myself up until my lips met the onyx eyed man's lips.

Sasuke didn't pull away. He kissed me back wrapping his arm around my back helping hold me up to him. It felt just as natural and right for him as it was for me.

Just as I was getting lost in our kiss I pulled away.

"Sorry." I said shaking my head. "I don't know why I did that."

Silence.

I looked up to fill the silence and ask Sasuke what he wanted for breakfast but I instantly regretted it. Sasuke was shaking. His face contorted into a grimace and his lips trembled. He looked like someone on the edge of the world trying to convince themselves everything was okay when it wasn't. He looked like he was barely holding the pieces of his heart together.

"I-I'm going to make you some eggs." I replied and got up walking past to the kitchen.

Once in the safety of the kitchen I had to take multiple deep, even breaths to keep myself from crying.

I made scrambled eggs and bacon with a side of toast trying to busy myself so that I would forget the image of Sasuke that had etched itself into my mind.

Sasuke came in moments later looking his usual stoic self. He sat down across the counter and just stared. He stared! I started shaking and fumbling more than usual as I felt his intense eyes boring holes through me. I looked at him only to see him smirking at me. This made me drop the cup I was holding.

"I'm so sorry!" I said as I bent down and started rapidly picking up the pieces. After I got all thelarge pieces in the trash and swept the little glass pieces away I finally served him his breakfast only to get a small sliver of glass in my foot.

"Dang it!" I screamed as I hopped over to the chair and lifted my foot up to look at it. I saw the piece of glass sticking out a gently pulled it out. Following the glass sliver was a pool of blood. I hissed when I felt a towel pressed onto the paper cut like wound.

I looked up to see Sasuke staring down at my slightly wounded food with clear concern etched into his usual beautiful features. Why does he seem so concerned?

When my foot finally stopped bleeding I sat down with Sasuke and ate breakfast. We made small talk which was more than we had ever been able to do. As we talked I started twisting the ring around my finger. Sasuke of course noticed.

"Do you know where you got that ring?" He asked motioning down to my hands.

"No. It's one of the memories that I can't remember."

"What do you think its from?"

"I'm guessing a husband. If only I could remember who that was." I laughed halfheartedly and Sasuke again noticed the small detail about me.

"Don't laugh unless what you are truly happy. You look the most beautiful when you let yourself go and you let out a good hearty laugh."

"Oh." I felt my face heat up from his comment.

"The man, you may not remember him but he remembers you and will do whatever he can to get to you. I'm sure of it."

"How do you know that?"

"I just have this feeling your worth it."

I sat there thinking everything through. How I felt even though I hardly knew him, the kiss, how naturally I wanted to stay by his side, his sad eyes when ever I rejected him, and because he used to live in Konoha yet I didn't remember him.

"Are you this man?" I asked staring deep in his eyes. I saw a slight surprise but it was such a small glimpse that I questioned whether I saw it or if it was my own imagination.

"I'm a man you just met." He answered giving me a forced smile.

For some reason his comment made my heart ache and made me feel as if my world was falling apart. Don't dwell on him. He is just one person. The voice in my mind whispered again and again. I tried to listen but the sound of my heart muscle being teared apart over shadowed its voice by roaring in my ears. I was being torn apart and I didn't know why. I was becoming broken. Or have I been broken this whole time and now I'm just falling apart?

I ran out of his house saying a quick goodbye and hid myself in the trees trying to control myself as it all came crashing down.

pkB