A/N: It's been a while. This chapter was beta'ed by Yudoku-Kabe-no-Hana & (total sweethearts). Please thank them. I don't know what I'd do without them.

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Dear Stranger, Make Me Remember.

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Chapter 7:

Unexpected

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Hyuuga Hinata was brave.

Or, at the very least, she wished to believe so whenever her world came crashing down and her heart drowned in ocean depths of despair.

Sometimes it really suffocated her, this silence she built around herself without meaning to.

It stuck to her like a hot, sticky substance. It was a silence that said nothing but was, despite common logic, too loud for her ears to handle.

It spoke without a sound, voicing questions she'd rather not answer.

Who are you? It questioned.

What are you doing? It inquired.

What is your purpose? It demanded.

It was depressing to open her mouth and answer with a muted breath: I don't know.

You don't even know who you are, the silence scoffed.

You know not what you are doing, it criticized.

No purpose? Useless, it mocked.

The silence that had become her main feature before the eyes of many seemed to enjoy tormenting her. These series of events would often lead Hinata to stare at the mirror stationed on top of her vanity table for hours, trying to study the reflection that stared back, searching for a sliver of who she once was.

But the mirror, Hinata learned, was cruel and always presented the same undesirable results:

A lost set of pale, heavy-lidded eyes. Eyes that were too wide to be taken seriously, too vulnerable-looking to claim respect from her peers.

Dark blue hair a shade shy of black. Long. Thick. Needle-straight.

It flowed like the vein of a dark river down her back, past her hips, supplying her with a curtain with which to hide.

A white, milky face sharpened with the loss of lingering baby-fat. Although defined, it was soft and kind, her expression gentle.

This was Hyuuga Hinata.

And yet, simultaneously...

The young woman in the glass was a mere stranger dressed in a kimono and blessed with a pretty face.

The 'Hinata' she'd seen in the stack of pictures Hana-chan and TenTen-chan gave her also failed to provide the expected help. The 'Hinata' in those pictures was foreign, even if everyone else recognized the petite brunette that was to be her.

"This is you," TenTen always announced with detectable pride.

"Oh!" Kiba often exclaimed, the memories of a time now past refreshing his mind. "Look here, look! There you are!"

"This," Shino murmured with subtle fondness, guiding her fingertips to the destined spot, "is Hinata."

They all said it with so much conviction it was hard not to believe, even if she herself just couldn't feel, see, or remember what they did.

TenTen, Kiba, and Shino...they were well informed about everything there was to know about Hyuuga Hinata; the same way Kurenai, Hiashi, Hanabi, Ko, and the rest of the universe seemed to be.

The only one who remained oblivious to her own existence was she.

Her lack of knowledge was the only thing that matched the degree of fear and trepidation the silence ensued. That realization hit with so much force tears of frustration, confusion, and pain spilled down her cheeks.

As if pantomiming her mood, the skies of Konoha turned gray and tormenting, large clouds heavy with unshed rain.

Although depressing in its nature and accompanied by the dark season, the rain gave her the comfort no one in the House of the Hyuuga could.

The wintry showers of December also gifted her with the excuse of staying inside, where the arms of darkness and shadows embraced her in their own way, burying her under the pieces of her shattered mind.

Hinata welcomed those unholy things for once, despite her fear for them. They kept her from venturing into the outside world where nothing differentiated up from down.

The outside was confusing. So confusing.

Glancing away from the mirror, she walked to her bed, got under the covers, and closed her eyes.

XXX

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Hiashi, once he determined the reason of her distress, took it upon himself to assure her she was courageous and that, for the time being, it was enough.

"Be patient," he advised with kind white eyes. He sat on her room's carpet, a low table with documents in front of him, a cup of tea in his tanned hands.

Those rare days in which Hinata looked at little else but her reflection in wary contemplation, Hiashi made sure to sit with her, not wanting to leave her alone. A week ago, she had refused to set foot outside the house. TenTen and what was left of the Konoha 11 were worried.

The ruins of her memory were a constant remainder, and it didn't surprise him to see her somber.

Hinata glance at him slowly from her place at the white vanity table.

Hiashi held her gaze calmly. "Why don't you come here and have tea with me, daughter?" he suggested.

The young woman paused for a moment, but ultimately made her way to sit in front of him, folding the skirt of her violet kimono in an unconscious but graceful motion.

"I know what's running through your mind, Hinata." His sigh resonated in the room. "However, don't let your fear rule your days, understand? Eventually, you will come to relive the memories that are hidden, and your fear will cease, as well as your insecurity."

Hinata's head bowed as an older and tougher palm settled on top of it in comfort.

"Just be brave. Be brave for yourself, be brave for the things that will surely come in the future, and be brave for the things that have already come to pass."

Her light eyes flashed with salty water. Papa.

His kindness made her heart shake. Pale fingers with long nails curled into a fists, and she nodded.

Hiashi sat back, about to pour tea into an empty cup. He was sure Hinata's hands were cold. Jasmine tea could take care of warming them up.

Then Kiba chose that exact moment to appear out of the blue -or, to be precise, from the open window facing the gardens. He briskly but politely stated his business, and tossed Hinata's surprised form onto his very broad shoulders before Hiashi could formulate a word.

"I'll be taking her now, old man!" he called back, saluting a somewhat perturbed Hyuuga as he left. Both integrates of Team 8 were gone by the time Ko and Hyuuga-Stoic-Hiashi himself thought of chasing after him, Byakugan activated and all.

Sadly for Kiba, Hyuugas were very good at tracking.

To say that Papa Hyuuga was unhappy at having a wild Inuzuka rob his daughter from under his nose for whatever reason had been an understatement.

To say that Silly Kiba-kun learned to ask permission first and not beg for forgiveness later when concerning the Hyuuga House had been a scary experience.

"That's why I think you're fearless, 'Nata," he said after the dramatic ordeal was over. He licked his recently bought strawberry Popsicle in training grounds Eight, the rest of his team beside him. All he'd wanted to do was hang with his friends, which was the sole reason why he'd tried to recruit – not kidnap –her in the first place.

Hinata sat between him and Shino, Akamaru's head on her lap. Her hands busied with his white pelt as Shino patiently fed her chocolate and vanilla ice cream, despite the already chilly afternoon.

"You live in that haunted compound and I just don't know how you manage with all of your daddy's look alikes," Kiba continued, his speech awkward as he spoke around the stick in his mouth. In his opinion, one Hiashi was more than sufficient. He didn't need Ko and Natsu, both of which were caretakers of the Hyuuga daughters, to lecture his ear off.

His sense of hearing was sensitive enough as it was, dammit.

Hinata sent him a puzzled look and Shino volunteered to explain as Kiba began to devour a second treat with gusto.

"What Kiba means," he started and made a motion for her to open her mouth for a spoonful of vanilla, "is that you're very brave to live the way you do. Why? Because he's a cowardly canine– no offense, Akamaru – compared to your naïve propensity of always venturing and living with threatening-looking beings, that being your own aristocratic family."

Kiba almost choked with both indignation and laughter.

Hinata blinked but smiled brightly, her own way of showing she understood.

Though she didn't. Not completely.

Kiba smirked and rested his thick arms on her small shoulders. "You're brave, yes you are," he cooed, rubbing a fist on her head, causing her to yelp.

Seeing her like that, he'd chance having Papa Hiashi chase after his butt if it meant he could have Hinata for the day.

Meanwhile, recognizing a chance when he saw it (and taking it), Akamaru took advantage and swallowed his master's third popsicle, sending Kiba into a fuss. Hinata left them to their argument and silently demanded for more dessert.

Shino dutifully complied, and another blissful afternoon in company of Team 8 swiftly transpired. It came to an end when the sun disappeared behind the hills on the far west.

. .*. ..

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After the conclusion of that day, Hinata's uneasiness settled down in a cloud of vapor, light yet undeniably present.

With her mind finally allowed to wander and shift freely through other topics of emphasis, the face of a certain Stranger began to oddly flash through her eyes and lingered there for hours in the night.

Now that she thought about it, Hinata had seen little of Stranger-san, or, as Kiba was so inclined to call him, 'that Uchiha bastard'.

After searching for him in the streets and encountering no trace of his roaming around, Hinata's mind centered on the Uchiha compound where he'd taken her the other day. If he was nowhere to be found, then this was her lone alternative in encountering him.

She wondered how he was doing. Was he alright? Was Sharp-Teeth-sensei practicing with his sword? Was Fire keeping her hair pretty? What about Big Man? Was he doing alright with his perched birds and squirrels?

She hoped they were okay and that their lack of presence didn't have anything to do with Stranger-san's latest apparition and humiliation.

She wasn't sure why, exactly, but she found those individuals' company fascinating, if refreshing.

Maybe because they barely knew her.

By the way they had acted in their first meeting, it had been obvious they had never interacted with that Hinata.

The sheer fact made her heart soar.

Sometimes, having everyone surrounding her knowing every single detail about her likes and dislikes was overbearing. It was as if they knew her better than she knew herself.

Under her circumstances, she wasn't surprised.

But Stranger-san and Co. weren't like that, and that made her chest feel lighter and her lips curl into a large smile.

It made her happy that they didn't know her and thus, could get along with no background history following them everywhere.

Besides missing their amusing antics, Hinata's 'birthday' was coming up next week...and there was going to be a celebration of sorts.

Although new to it and a bit clueless, she did know people were going to be invited to the Hyuuga house and partake in merrymaking...so, why not...you know, Stranger-san as well?

Hence, her brain was put into action and a diminutive amount of bravery was a must to have when envisioning a plan she herself wasn't too confident in accomplishing.

But since three of the men in her life didn't tell lies and had confidence in her, Hinata liked to assume that she'd eventually get through her plan without much difficulty if she did her best.

She trusted Papa's, Shino-kun's, and Kiba-kun's judgment too much, and if they said she was brave, then she had to be.

Besides, she wanted to believe that she was courageous and that their trust in her wasn't misplaced.

...and that belief and desire to prove, as it was custom, was what had brought her to this crucial point in her life in which uncertainty ruled.

Hinata squared her tiny shoulders, flickered her high ponytail of indigo blue behind her, and nodded to herself in accretion and silent encouragement.

She flexed her slender fingers beneath her gloves, fists forming. She could do this.

She was strong, wasn't she? And daring. Don't forget that part, she nodded, lips pursed.

"Ne, Hinata-san...?"

Yes, she was brave and there was nothing that could stop her from doing what she'd so stubbornly set off to do that very morning.

She'd faced training with Master Funny-Brows – er, Gai-sensei, – therefore, it was only logical to think she could effectuate something as simple as to 'talk' to Uchiha Sasuke, codename: Stranger-san, and apologize (in her own way, of course) for certain pride-wounding events.

Speaking of which, just by remembering, Hinata grimaced.

Pressing a mysterious piece of paper close to her chest, she continued to slowly make her way towards the Uchiha District with the assistance of Shino-kun, hoping Stranger-san wasn't too upset about what had transpired in Team Gai's training grounds a week ago, to receive her.

Surely he didn't blame her, did he? The possibility made her gut clench uncomfortably.

"Are you listening, Hinata-san? Oi, Hinata-san?"

Hinata genuinely liked having him around. He seemed nice, even if his face did fold into weird expressions that belonged to someone who had accidentally consumed something very sour from time to time.

But that wasn't too important.

What mattered was whether or not Stranger-san was going to accept her letter of sincere apology...and maybe attend the celebration planned with everyone else?

She bit her lip in slight frustration at the prospect of his rejection. If he didn't accept, then what? Had she learned how to write only to have her hard work thrown onto her face?

That just wouldn't do.

And anyway...she didn't plant that big tree in front of Stranger-san for him to run into, so it wasn't directly her fault.

But she did feel accountable nonetheless.

Her shoulders sagged in defeat and a sigh escaped her pouting lips in a puff of white air.

The waving hand in front of her face attached to one of the dark-haired men accompanying her in her vital quest made her blink and exit her daze.

She inclined her head slightly to the side in a 'huh?' motion that alerted Lee he had the attention he'd been trying to get for a while now.

"You look very thoughtful, Hinata-san. Is there something bothering you?" he asked, eying her enquiringly with big dark eyes.

She wrinkled her tiny nose and huffed lightly, dejected.

This response made Lee nod in deep understatement. "Oooh. I see."

And he did. He had spent so much time around her that her mute replies had become a common occurrence in Lee's daily life. And, to the surprise of many, Lee had grown more accustomed to Hinata's forms of expression than Kurenai and Hiashi themselves.

It was quite the accomplishment, an accomplishment Gai-sensei took great delight in and tended to boast about to anyone who was willing – or not so willing – to listen.

"You're worried about what Sasuke-san will tell you, aren't you?"

Another pout and the furrowing of brows was his response.

Lee rubbed his chin with his thumb in contemplation and crossed his muscular but lean arms over his chest to bring heat to his body.

December and winter had finally made their presence known. The atmosphere wasn't too cold, but neither was it warm nor mild anymore. Autumn had come and gone, and winter's time to exert its rule upon Konoha had arrived.

"Don't worry, Hinata-san." The green-dressed young shinobi gave her a good-naturally wink. "I'm sure Sasuke-san will be very youthful about this."

As Hinata turned to look at him with relief brimming in her lavender eyes, Shino, – on the opposite side of Lee where Hinata couldn't see him – shot him a reproachful frown, silently chiding him for getting her hopes up.

Understanding the meaning behind the cryptic glasses, Lee quickly attempted to retract his words. "And if he isn't, uh, well," he laughed nervously. "I'm sure he'll..."

He trailed off uncertainly.

Hinata looked on expectantly.

"Um," he tried again, wavering under her innocent gaze. "Well, I bet Sasuke-san will...I bet he's..."

"Tyrannical," a jaded voice suddenly said behind them.

Lee made at face. "Not... the word I'm looking for," he mumbled, tapping his jaw with gauzed fingers.

"Inconsiderate. Impatient."

He shook his head, inky dark bangs brushing his forehead. "No, that's not it..."

"Rude. Harsh. Unkind. Bitter. Sadistic. Cruel."

A pause.

"A complete ungrateful bastard. Take your pick."

Lee looked more and more appalled with each suggestion. "That's far too brutal and un-youthful to describe someone. Surely Sasuke-san isn't like that!"

Had Lee not been busy feeling scandalized, he'd have taken noticed of the droll stare directed at him. "If you want to keep believing that, hey, whatever. Ignorance is bliss, eh? But take it from someone who has actually lived with him." Suigetsu shook his head, imagining Sasuke acting like an incorrigible human being.

Inside the Uchiha residence, a quiet sneeze resounded.

Sasuke blinked and frowned lightly before shrugging away the distant feeling that someone was talking about him.

"Hn," he murmured monotonously and went back to reading the scroll at hand.

A little more than a mile away, Suigetsu proceeded with his informative Sasuke-related report. "The guy's a complete block of ice, not to add a jerk. Just the other day, he set Juugo on the hunt for Karin, that blond guy with whiskers, and me. I'm telling ya; the guy has no mercy, jeez."

"But – " Lee was about to protest and, most likely, conjure something positive to say about the absent Uchiha to protect his name's sake, only for the taijutsu-specialist to finally realize there was something very off.

He swirled around to catch sign of the intruder Hinata and Shino had been observing for a while. Lee had to suppress the urge to gasp at the presence of a young man in his early twenties following casually with his arms behind his head.

The gigantic sword strapped to his back did little to subdue Lee's alarm.

"Why would you want to visit him, anyway?" continued Suigetsu as he reached for the faithful container of water at his hip. "I wouldn't be doing that if I were you; he's been in a bad mood ever since the last time he went to town." He shrugged carelessly and gulped his drink down. "Whatever pissed him off must've seriously hit a nerve; the guy hasn't left his house since then and refuses to acknowledge anyone's existence." He tsked his tongue against his sharp teeth in aggravation. "Childish and rude. There's no other way to put it."

"Is that so?" Shino mused, glancing at Hinata from his peripheral.

The girl shrank in size at Suigetsu's news.

The Aburame pressed his lips in a subtle line of displeasure. Stopping, he brought the young Hyuuga to a halt. "Maybe he's right, Hinata. We should visit another day."

Hinata's frame slouched ever so ungracefully in defeat.

She recognized that Shino-kun had a valid point. Besides, this entire plan had been rocky to start with, and now that she was aware of Sasuke's recent development since the incident at Team Gai's training grounds, the idea of him receiving her was unimaginable.

As soon as it had come, her bravery deserted her.

Catching on to the exchange, Suigetsu placed his full attention on the indigo-haired woman. "What? Did you have any serious business to deal with him, Girly?"

Hinata made a feeble so-so gesture with her hand.

"Oh?" Suigetsu's grin was positively evil. "Is that so?"

Hinata nodded, not understanding what part of her answer he didn't understand.

It was Suigetsu's turn to tap his chin in genuine thoughtfulness, the gears in his head turning as he schemed. "How about this, Girly..."

And so, back at the Uchiha Compound, Sasuke unexpectedly felt a chill run down his spine.

He idly wondered if he was getting sick with some kind of inconvenient cold. He grunted, dismissing the ridiculous idea. As if.

Outside, the skies broke apart with rain.

.. .*. ..

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Concurring with his previous belief, he was definitely not getting sick.

However, he was starting to wish otherwise, perhaps then he'd have the validity of contaminating germs as his excuse to make himself scarce.

That would've been better than this strange reality.

There existed times in which Sasuke wished to doubt his sanity and exceptional eye-sight. Or, at the very least, be able to turn tail and slam his house's door (thus, successfully shutting reality out) without causing the object of his current frustration to look at him with those cursed innocent eyes of hers.

Now was one of those times...and he was on the edge of diving in for the latter of his options, fingers inching for the doorknob, when Hyuuga Hinata suddenly looked up from the object of her current infatuation, and beamed in his direction.

Twitch.

No way.

Double twitch.

The hand hovering over the door's manacle twitched one last time before reluctantly giving in and curling into a limp fist by his side.

This had to be a joke.

He sighed inwardly, eying the offered item in the Hyuuga's little hands with a bit of dismay before glancing up at her face that was too bright for his taste, the puddle of water taking form at her bare feet blatantly ignored.

He stood with his back to the entrance of his residence, body rigid, features strained as he tried to keep his emotions from showing, sentiments, may it be added, that were shared by no one in his presence as of yet.

The three males beside the Hyuuga, however, did carry something in common, and it wasn't the mud-stained and water-drenched attires on their person.

No, it was, more precisely, the hints of challenge.

Aburame Shino's dark glasses gave off an evil glint in the afternoon's light, as if daring the stoic Uchiha to throw his petite and disheveled teammate & Co. out of the Uchiha District, the being she held in her cupped palms begone.

Sasuke could feel the muted threat hidden beneath the piles of wet clothes the bug-controlling shinobi wore.

It was very subtle, but it was there, as if trying to warn him a bit beforehand. As if telling him to choose his future actions wisely.

Maybe Sasuke would've taken him and the rest of the ninja present a bit seriously had they not looked as someone who had just swam through a swamp and bathed in mud.

By the way everyone but him was fairing, Sasuke was beginning to think that was exactly what they had transpired.

For whatever unfathomable reason.

Lee's challenge, for its part, was not one of desiring conflict like the Aburame's, but of embracing nature, and that particular factor was what made it, in Sasuke's mind, ridiculously dreadful.

It would be a cold day in hell before Uchiha "IceCube" Sasuke 'embraced the flames of youth' that the green ninja and his crazy sensei continued to energetically proclaim even to this date.

It wasn't those two individuals, however, who made Sasuke debate over the idea of kicking them all off Uchiha territory like he had originally plotted in his mind.

Had it been only Lee and Shino, Sasuke would've sent them on their merry way home through the aid of very diabolical means.

As for the Hyuuga...well, he was certain Juugo would welcome the assignment of walking her to the Hyuuga residence if Sasuke ordered him to and if her escorts founded themselves let's say, indisposed (or killed) by very questionable and mysterious methods of torture.

The orange-haired man had the tendency of walking around town as it was, so Sasuke could get rid of two birds with one stone if he did stumbled upon the extinction of her killed – er, unavailable, – friends and send her away.

The face she was giving him and the fact that it was cold and she was dripping wet made him stop for a moment to reconsider that clever and brilliant strategy, however.

Well, at least a very, very, very small part of him – he could admittedly say – was being considerate about the indigo-haired woman's well-being.

But if Sasuke was going to be truthful, the reason why he hadn't kicked them out was mainly because of Suigetsu.

The bastard.

It was as if he'd heard Sasuke's vicious train of thought, for the ex-Kiri agent's lips widened into a pointy smile, mischievousness and blueprints on how to make the life of his former leader difficult reflecting in violet-colored eyes.

It honestly wouldn't have surprised him if Suigetsu had played some cards of his own accord and conjured the inconvenient spectacle Sasuke had before him.

Yes. Sasuke wouldn't have put it pass him.

Suigetsu was exceptionally cunning when he wanted to be, Sasuke would give him that.

And now that the white-haired kenjutsu specialist was looking at him with an expression that read 'what are you going to do now, eh, Sasuke?', the Uchiha nonchalantly responded with a swift but poisonous glare that spelled very dire consequences to come.

Suigetsu was trying to make Sasuke react in some exasperated way and toy with him. The white-haired murderer was playing a game, a very dangerous game, but one he seemed to enjoy nonetheless.

Too bad the same couldn't be said for Sasuke.

Finally, after long moments of silence in which Hinata wasn't particularly interested in him, but rather, on the creature crawling up her shoulder with tiny claws that made her squeal in mute delight, Sasuke spoke.

"What...is the meaning of this?"

Since Hinata could only spare him a look before giggling when the green amphibian moved up her neck, Shino stepped up to explain, but was instantly beat to the punch by Lee.

The exuberant ninja contrasted Sasuke's mood flawlessly as he smiled, his unnaturally white teeth catching some kind of non-present light, almost blinding the Uchiha with said act.

"Sasuke-san," he began politely, although obviously eager. "Good afternoon! How are you? We've been well and we hope the same for you, too! Shino-kun and I are have come to escort Hinata-san and aid her in her mission of utmost importance! Please, do pay attention to what she has to say – I mean, well, she has a message she wishes to give and we –"

That was the moment Sasuke tuned him out.

Instead, his eyes caught the way the Hyuuga squirmed under the steps of the small, insignificant turtle she had gotten from whatever forsaken place in this world.

A turtle.

A freaking turtle.

Just where the hell did this girl managed to get something as random as that green animal from?

Where? And in this season?

A freaking turtle.

Effing fantastic.

Sasuke was having a hard time believing what was happening. Had he not been witnessing the odd ordeal himself, he would have never pictured it as vividly as the real deal.

Seeing that he was looking at her, Hinata batted her lashes in curiosity and stared back for a second before waving shyly, her lips forming the word, 'Hello!'

She smiled.

He frowned (albeit in puzzlement).

Why was she so happy about seeing him? What was her business with him? Had she come to revive his suppressed memories of Team Gai's training grounds and stupid trees?

He sure as hell hoped not.

As if going along with his thoughts, Hinata's mouth formed an 'o' and a light-bulb went off above her head.

Placing the still moving turtle in one hand, she reached into the right pocket of her coat and extracted a formal white envelope

A white, very formal, very expensive-looking and, most importantly, very wet, envelope.

Lee and Shino suddenly stiffened at the sight.

Suigetsu 'huh?'-ed and watched the presented, thin object in puzzlement.

Hinata's smile was eradicated...and ironically enough, a snort of laughter almost escaped Sasuke at seeing her shocked expression.

Obviously, despite the rain she and her guardian dogs had gone through earlier, the fact that paper wasn't waterproof had never bothered to cross her mind.

Her surprise gave way to offense and she eyed the soaked envelope accusingly as if to say, 'I trusted you!'

She looked so betrayed it was difficult for Sasuke to contain his misplaced amusement.

Almost immediately, though, her feeling of betrayal moved towards dismay and her gaze traveled to Sasuke's, then back to the envelope, then back to Sasuke once more.

Her unhappiness was picked up by everyone present, but it was Suigetsu who stirred the conversation before the rest could (Lee was too shocked himself to do anything and Shino too inverted in thinking how to respond with appropriate words in this situation).

"Aw, Girly, don't look like that," he said, wincing a little at the sight she created.

For once in his lifetime, Sasuke had to agree with Suigetsu – mentally.

The girl did look kind of pathetic standing there, soaked and with a puddle of water at her feet. Her expression did nothing to brighten her appearance or the gloomy cloud brewing over her head.

"Oh, Hinata-san," Lee said quietly in sympathy. She had come all of this way to hand Sasuke-san her letter and now that youthful plan was foiled.

Suigetsu blew a breath noisily and crossed his hands over his chest. "Sucks to be her."

Finally, Sasuke spoke. "You never told me what they're doing here. Nor why you're caked in mud," he added with slight contempt.

Suigetu turned to him, big violet eyes irritatingly unafraid. "I ran into these guys on my way here, as a matter of fact. Apparently, Girly came all the way into your haunted terrain 'cause you weren't in town. So she came to see you and give you some kind of message while she was at it." His eyes flickered to the ruined envelope. "Guess that ain't happening though. Oh, and the weirdos there are bodyguards, I guess."

Shino shot him a filthy look as Hinata sighed in disappointment yet again. How could she been as careless as to let this happen?

Without thinking about it, she smacked her forehead with the back of her hand, successfully crushing what remained of the letter in the process.

Realizing what she had done, she stared in horror.

"And is there a particular reason why you're trailing mud into my residence?" The threat in Sasuke's words was there, but was discretely ignored.

"Well," Suigetsu smirked. "We were trying to catch the little guy over here." Insert turtle here. "Capturing it took a while. You'd be surprised at how unnaturally fast that green thing was!" He laughed. "People say a turtle is slow, but that has to be a lie. It was hell trying to attain it. But Girly was really smart about the whole thing, and she managed to take a hold of it when we men couldn't. Pretty impressive, if I say so myself." I mean, this was him he was talking about too. Him, unable to catch a turtle? The hell.

"That's because she was a tracker kunoichi," Shino elaborated helpfully.

Suigetsu's disbelief was tangible. "What?! Are you for real? That tiny thing was a tracker?"

"I am 'for real'. Besides, Hinata is not a 'thing' or 'tiny'. She possesses an average height."

Suigetsu centered on the unsuspecting brunette. "She looks very tiny to me," he murmured, using Lee and Shino, two of the tallest members of the Konoha 12, as reference.

"Isn't there any other way to rely this message?" Sasuke asked dryly, centering on the topic before it was laid more astray.

His question was to Shino, but his attention was on the Hyuuga, who was slowly but surely smacking herself experimentally and repeatedly out of irritation.

Pleased with whatever masochist result she was gaining from hurting herself, she continued.

Smack.

"I'm afraid not. Hinata refused to show us what her letter said," the Aburame replied stoically.

Sasuke lifted a brow. "Does she even know how to write?"

"She didn't remember how, but she learned in a week," Lee informed proudly.

Smack.

Shino's glasses reflected some unknown light as he set his sight on Sasuke. "Don't underestimate her. She was very adamant to relearn and remember, and I believe the cause for such rush was you." His distaste for the fact was plain in his body language. "Therefore I ask you to at least be considerate of her efforts."

He might have said something else after that, but Sasuke was no longer listening.

His focus was on that midget sporting a red print on her forehead.

Smack.

Hinata didn't see the hand coming until masculine fingers coiled around her wrist, stopping her from landing another (however soft) hit.

Startled, she followed the limb and found herself face to face with a slightly irked Sasuke.

"Hinata, was it?"

She nodded, eyeing the frown between his eyebrows thoughtfully. A part of her itched to smudge his scowl from his features, thinking that it was twenty years too early for him to be in danger of wrinkles. (She had obviously been hanging out with Ino too much.)

"Fine," Sasuke acknowledged her name. "Hinata, stop that; it's distracting."

Contrary to his expectations, the girl, Hinata, instead of nodding meekly as he had anticipated and doing as she'd been told, only blinked once at his order – and scowled.

Sasuke was so taken aback he blinked right back, dumbfounded.

Hinata apparently didn't like to be ordered around, much less in her state.

She was wet, she was cold, she was hungry, and her message had failed to be delivered after much struggle.

Sasuke's tone of voice wasn't exactly a ray of sunshine.

Not to be outdone by a pipsqueak such as herself, Sasuke narrowed piercing obsidian eyes in silent challenge. Hinata was dauntless as she corresponded, her neck stretched to the maximum as to not let his tall frame work against her. When this failed to impress the Uchiha, she raised on her tip-toes.

The audience watching the scene had to suppress gleeful laughter at the childishness (Suigetsu), the flames of youth at such a passionate display of rivalry lest he ruined it (Lee), and the protective urge to steal Hinata back through ninja insects (Shino).

White orbs that reminded him of December snow in the dim light clashed against his, defying him. Had he not been pissed off at Suigetsu, Sasuke might have found the situation somewhat comical.

Even her scowl seemed like a pronounced displeased pout, and with her slited eyes that clearly said, 'I'm not backing down from you,' the picture she gave him was laughable in its own right.

Without permission, the corner of his lips began to lift almost perceptively.

This strange girl.

"...so they can stay here until the rain lets up, right, Sasuke?" Suigetsu smiled brightly as he talked about something Sasuke had not been privy to.

Taking his inquiring silence as confirmation, Suigetsu ran past him and called, "Alright! Come in, Girly! Let's get you cleaned-up. Sasuke has lots of room in his house!"

With an eerily good accuracy of the concept of time, lightning struck the ground, a loud boom of thunder erupting shortly behind, echoing Sasuke's inner feelings regarding the kiri ninja's suggestion.

...the hell had he missed during his stare down with Hinata?

The Uchiha wasn't sure, but he knew very well he could have murdered Suigetsu violently right then and there for opening that impertinent mouth of his.

"That's a good idea –" Shino began, only to be cut off by Lee who obviously didn't know when to keep his comments and insane ideas to himself.

"Oh, thank you very much, Uchiha-san! We would be grateful for your hospitality."

.. .*. ..

And that was how Uchiha "IceCube" Sasuke found himself sitting in his kitchen with Hyuuga Hinata for the second, but not last, time in his life.

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A/N: Suigetsu is love. He about to get killed tho.

It's been a long while. I'M SO SORRY.

Thank you: Uzumaki-sama, aryaputra, Sani K. Halleng, , anne, Zeelee-Vallen, JokerAtWork, kandita, Guest, magi, TangoLimaCharlie, Melanieciel, In Memory Of Yesterday, VampyNgo, Lems, RiceballXLover, Sadie321, MsLCloud, DivineGlory, Hatepinkz, korudo, Akumakisses, flornoir, Break Blade, YukiTenVianey Team, DageRee, 392259, xXYour DoomXx, HiddenAsirations, umnia, Love-MM, Sabie0521, Lisa Jones, 1, farahb, wolf-enzeru, Yudoku-Kabe-no-Hana, iivogelchen, miema04, Kibachow, Shisenki, misao07, Robotchik1, PuppetPrince, Guest, Kia-B, and TheMaidlinEffect for the enthusiasm.

I'm glad you're enjoying the story. It was a pleasure to do that. However, I'm not getting paid to write this; I do it out of my own free will and time (something that no longer applies to me), so be considerate of me as you would be of yourselves if you were writing this. I'm a human being.

The next part (which was actually what I was looking forward) was going to be in this chapter, but the chapter got so long I had to split it up. Therefore, await an update next week. After said update, Nightmares and Shadows will make an apparition.

P.S: Soupy996 made fan art for Chapter 4 and it's ADORABLE. Have a look here: soupy996. tumblr image/ 116790889543

-4.27.15