A Marriage of Convenience

Chapter 12

We'll play hide and seek

To turn this round

-Give me love (Ed Sheeran)

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They both sat on the couch in the living room, looking at the strange film playing on the small Tv. Sasuke had come back from training surprisingly early, and Hinata had offered him tea after he'd showered.

He'd shrugged and dropped next to her on the couch, taking the small tea cup from her delicate hands. And now, he was forcing himself to watch the movie with her.

"You...really don't like the movie, do you?" she asked suddenly, breaking him out of his thoughts which involved his next mission, next week.

"No." He answered honestly and Hinata frowned at that. But it looked endearing on her, he thought. A faint smile made its way on his face.

"We can watch something else." She suggested and he shook his head. Hinata sighed. Then, he felt a twinge.

He didn't have to be such a teme, as Naruto put it, to her. He sighed too. "We could talk." He said, surprising himself with the suggestion along with her. He never liked talking. Ever.

"Oh. Okay." Hinata's face lit up with a smile after the surprise vanished, and Sasuke groaned internally. He couldn't take that back now.

"So, when's your next mission?" she asked him, turning to face him, putting her now empty cup on the table beside them.

"Next week." He curtly replied.

Hinata nodded. He got the feeling she was finally coming to terms with the fact that he was a bad conversationalist. She lowered her head and her hair fell over her face.

And then before he could stop himself, Sasuke found himself reaching for a strand between his fingers as if in a haze. Hinata froze too.

"You know, my mother had hair like yours."

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT? he thought internally, cringing. Comparing his wife to his murdered mother wasn't exactly what he was going for.

"I remember." Hinata said softly and Sasuke looked at her, startled. He dropped her hair like it had burnt him. The question was clear in his eyes.

"You don't remember. We used to have play dates together." Hinata said with a mischievous smile on her face. Sasuke felt himself intrigued. To be honest, he'd never bothered to think about any of his earlier memories from before the massacre.

"Really?"

His wife nodded. "Your mother was friends with mine. At least when the clans were at friendlier terms with each other."

"The play dates stopped because your mother died." Sasuke felt himself remembering. Hinata froze again, a glimmer of sorrow covering her features.

"Yes." She told him.

What a wonder, he thought, how people long dead can still hurt us like this. He tilted her face up with a soft touch to her chin.

"I remember now. You played house with me. Even though you were too shy to talk to me properly and I hated the game." He smiled. Who knew they'd play house for real once they grew up.

He knew saying a sorry on her long dead mother's death would be no use. But focusing on better memories would be. And it was instantly better since her eyes lit up again.

"You were a terrible husband." Hinata reminisced. "You always wanted to go on missions and left me to cook meals and wait for you."

His brain registered the irony of the statement and then, for the first time in years, Sasuke felt himself laughing loudly. Hinata seemed to catch up to his train of thoughts and began laughing too.

And after decades, the haunted Uchiha Compounds rang with unrestrained laughter.

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Author notes: So, did you miss me? XD 

I realize putting the previous chapter like that was dangerous because I was basically giving you guys a short, angst filled chapter which was not filler by the way. Anyways, thank you for putting up with that because now the slightly better times are here. So, enjoy the...err Fluff as our story progresses.

Do let me know what you think, for comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated. <3