Forced Paths

Truce

They hadn't spoken since that night. He had barely seen her for the past two weeks. Even if the time he spent at the house was little, she was always there on the couch reading her book when he returned. At first he thought, she was ashamed about how rudely she behaved that night. But one morning his mother visited him so he could give her a gift. It was a luxurious kimono, she could wear at the wedding next week she explained. When he asked why she doesn't give it herself, Mikoto just smiled. A husband must spoil his wife.
He sighed but as he returned, Sasuke thought it had already been enough days of her drowning in guilt. He left the dress packed in a present box along with a note at the table as he often left her the books she requested. The next night she was hidden in her room like she did for the last weeks. The box on the table caught his attention. It seemed it hadn't been opened. When he move closer to it he saw the note he had left beside it. Maybe she had been sick and stayed in bed all day. He should wait her in the morning to ask what medication he should bring. As his eyes wonder upon the note, he realised it wasn't his writing that filled the white paper. He took it in his hands only to read a reply. I have enough dresses.
He crumbled the paper inside his fist. His blood boiled thinking how she rejected the gift that his mother had carefully picked. His steps were followed by a crippling sound on the wood as he reached her door and knocked. He didn't care if she was sleeping. He knocked harder with his fist barging on the door. She opened as he was already ready to go in, not caring for the privacy he should show.
She stand in front of the door, wearing a pale purple nightgown but her eyes didn't seem drowsy. She was still awake.
"Is something wrong?" She asked genuinely in response of his loud behaviour.
"What is this?" He showed the bundle in his hand.
"A paper I presume."
It was late when he understood she wasn't feeling ashamed, but angry. In what dare was she the one feeling angry.
"You will wear the dress I brought you."
He commanded. He was done playing with this woman. She had caused enough trouble.
"Is that all? Now leave my room."
He scoffed.
"Nothing here is yours."
She bypassed him and walked inside the house. He stand there until he heard the familiar sound of the front door opening and close.
When he enter the large space, she was gone.
She probably sat outside to show him her distaste.
The bath he took calmed his nerves. When he was clean enough to leave he observed that his wife was still gone. He opened the door and she wasn't there. He grabbed the handle so hard, he could break it. He thought of leaving as he originally planned but then if anything happened, the whole clan would know he could not even discipline his wife. His father would know what a failure he was.
He sat on the couch she usually occupied and waited. By now he would have been in the house with the cinnamon smell from the candles lighted to calm the atmosphere. She would be half dressed waiting. When he would arrive, her green eyes would sparkle.
I've been waiting. She would say with her low voice and turn to face the man. She would undress him with the light hands that held no marks as his face would not change. When they became one and her voice raised, he felt wanted. It was that single part of the day when he met one of his lovers that he didn't feel like his brother's shadow.
They didn't demand much, they knew they didn't held the status to do so. They were special because he had laid his eyes on them. If it weren't for him, they were nobody.
One, the girl he was meeting today, wanted him from the moment her parents brought her into this land. They were part of a small clan, not worth to even mention and after the long conflicts, they decided it was better to relocate on the grounds of his clan as they had heard others did so.
It was one of his brother's idea. He was still too young but father had seen in the boy great potential. He had proposed to let individuals stay in the outskirts of their grounds. They would be protected and feel the gratitude to give back. His father raised with pride. He had a son that looked into the future. Tsunade's reign would be over in one way or another and they should be prepared for the day this would come. That night, Itachi told his almost sleeping self, that he lied to father. His goal was to stop the conflicts and the interactions with others would be the start. Sasuke didn't understand that day until years later that his brother was a traitor to his blood.
His thought quickly swifted back at her. The woman with the pink hair. She was always cute and blushing on the sight of him. But Sasuke found her irritating. It was his boyish mind that could not understand why it was important for a woman to take care of herself. It was until he grew and her hands were rough from the work that he decided, he didn't like the feel on his skin. He forbid her to work on rough jobs, that destroyed her feminine and she quickly agreed to it. She was always eager to please him. He help her to move on the medical field and she adjusted to the job. She liked it when she looked nice, when the men laid their eyes on her. She was skinny, her bubblegum hair made her stand out, her outfit that showed more of her flawless skin. She was as different from an Uchiha as she could be. He liked that.
He liked how she was jealous when other women looked at him. He liked how she made him feel wanted.
And instead of been there, leaving the stress of the day behind, he was here waiting for a person that meant nothing to him. Only his family could make him wait. It was only his parent's right to defy him.
He wrapped his hands in his chest and stared at the door. He wasn't a patient man.
After two hours, he saw the doorknob turn and her entering at last. A surprise painted at her features as she realised he was still there.
"Where were you?"
He was angry. If she was a man, she would feel his wrath.
"Outside." She answered and began to walk inside.
"Wearing this? What if someone saw you?"
He got up. He didn't want to associate himself more with her but she made it impossible.
"Tell them I'm crazy."
He grabbed her arm.
"Do you plan to humiliate me more?"
"Am I the one doing that?"
She looked at his hand on her.
"Are you going to sent another letter to my father or sending your own to reform my behaviour?"
He looked at her puzzled.
"That night I felt awful. I made your mother cry in my ignorance. I was angry at you for not telling me that your brother is dead. I'm okay for us not to speak but things like that, I should know." She stopped to look at him. "But then I thought, I should apologise too. If I lost Hanabi... I don't know if I could speak of it."
Her eyes lost in the sight of her sister.
"I was going to wait for you to return. But you were faster. Your father came to scold me on my behaviour."
Sasuke's eyes widen on her words.
"It's fine. I'm used to it." She quickly added. "He told me how I was failing the family and the clan, how bad I looked beside all of you and if I ever mention your brother again, discipline would come. I apologised for the last part. Then last week a letter came from my father. He said my husband is disappointed in how I turn out to be and if I don't behave accordingly, there is another one waiting back home to replace me." She looked at him seriously. "This would never happen. So to answer your previous question more properly, I was out thinking." She removed his hand off her.
"So if you want me to wear the dress, I will wear it. If you command me to stay at this house and never leave again, I will do it. If my voice is never to be heard, I will stay mute. Just please... Don't contact father again."
"My mother bought it." He said as he turned.
"Oh."
"If you don't want it, leave it. I don't care."
He felt like a child, whose parents needed to fix the mess he had created. His brother would never be in that position. He always knew what to say.
"No, it's fine." She lowered her voice. "I'm sorry for my behaviour."
"I don't let others clean after me." He said with his back turned. "I would never contact your father. You are my problem."
She scoffed.
"As you are mine."
When he returned she had raised her hand.
"Truce?"
He took it reluctantly as he observed the roughness that was out of place on such small hands.
They walked into the corridor as it was already too late. It was the first time they would go to sleep at the same time.
She stopped before entering her room.
"I'm sorry I ruined your night."
"Hn."