Forced Paths

The Gift

His father proud look for the provide of an information not even their intelligence team was able to offer made his gut turned. It wasn't his victory, not in the slightest. He behaved irresponsible in the entire trip, not able to be useful in the minimum. No, it wasn't his victory but it was hers. He still didn't know how was she able to not only talk but make Tsunade share this with her. He felt guilty for the praise he was getting, his father even excused his defeat against Hyuga Neji. But this was not the right way. He wanted to prove his worth by his own. When they were little, his brother always letting him steal some of his light. In the hunt he made extra effort to take as many preys as he could to let his little brother have some. In games he let him win. Sasuke sometimes though that he even became distant to let him have more love from their parents. He knew how these all ended. He needed to prove himself by his own means. But she unnecessarily complicated things. Now he could not say anything. His father would be more disappointed than before. Still the lie felt wrong. He even made a comment about her meddling that night, telling Sasuke to show her, her place. She on the other hand, didn't seem to wait a thank you for her actions. She quickly retreated to be as before, paying little to no attention to his affairs, reading her books, being invisible. He thought of a comment she made on their journey. He couldn't believe she never traveled. Maybe that was the reason of why she was boring. She stayed in one place all her life.
Sasuke was not a man that wanted to own a favour. And despite what she said, he knew he did. Maybe he should take her for a ride outside the village. And his debt would be scratched.
He let the trainees to leave early that day. He walked to his house and opened the door, only to find it empty. He always thought she was spending all her time in here but the truth is he never asked her how her days were passing. If she was walking on the streets, or she was sleeping all day, he didn't know. As he looked around for a note explaining her absence, he heard a noise coming from inside. Then again. He moved towards of what he thought was the centre of it. He stopped when he was her bed crambled in the small corridor. He took some steps as silently as he could until he was at the doorframe of the guests' bedroom. It was still early in the day and the sun was shining towards the windows unfolding the scene before his eyes. She had her hair in a ponytail that was ready to fall, wearing a grey haori reaching her knees, leaving her skin under it exposed. Her hands held a slim wooden stick as she was turning around making battle moves. Her eyes were closed and she seemed lost, away from her surroundings.
"What are you doing?"
The sudden voice, shut her eyes open making her lose her balance and fall on the wooden floor. All her previous grace gone in an instant.
"Why are you here this early?" She said in a panicked voice.
"I came to see my wife." He smirked. "Who has an unusual hobby to spend her time, if I may add."
She regained her composure slowly. Her hands supported her body as she stood up.
"How I spent my time is none of your business."
She was reaching for her wooden stick that had fell of her hands. But Sasuke was quicker. He jumped above the bed that was blocking the entrance and took it. She looked surpised on his sudden move. She extended her hand, a gesture to give it to her but Sasuke remained still.
"Give it to me." She pleaded.
He took a better look of the object on his hand. It seemed as the wooden had been carved to give a different appearance.
"Is this supposed to be a sword?" He talked without moving his eyes from the object.
"It's mine. Give it back." She said, more urgent now.
"I don't think I can." Sasuke said in a fake sad voice. "You see my wife, as she should have learned by now, is not allowed to fight." He stared at her coldly. She looked shocked for a moment. She may had believed in a different outcome.
"I'm not hurting anyone." She said in a low voice looking at her bare feet. "I'm doing for months now and you didn't know." She rose her gaze and looked at him with confidence. "So what is the problem?"
She took a step forward.
"The problem is your lack in following rules." He hid the stick on his back.
"Why do you care? I don't interfere in your affairs so leave me alone."
She raised her voice causing Sasuke to frown. He took the stick out of his back and press it against his leg. The wood shuttered in half after the sudden force.
She bit her lip to hold back the anguish.
"Don't cry over a toy not suited even for children to play." He spoke with seriousness.
"I made that." She said in defeat.
"It's obvious."
She opened her lips to curse, as it seemed from her eyes full on fury but she stopped.
"Get dressed. We are leaving in an hour."
He walked to the door and stopped before he exited. "And clean this mess."

____

He was sure she would lush out. That she would claim that he owned her, that letting her have this was the minimum he could do after she saved his face in front of his father. He looked at his side, as she was standing silent on her horse. Her eyes were fixed on the path ahead of them. She never spoke when he returned to take her, not even to question their destination. They were traveling in low speed as she didn't know how to ride on an open space. She was taught the basics as it seemed but he saw her uneasyness as he began to fasten their pace. She never outer a word even then. Her eyes turned on him for a brief moment after he slowed down, only to turn on the road again. He stopped when they reached a space on the outskirts of the village. In a few feet ahead, the land was no longer an Uchiha territory. The place was rocky with little green emerging from the ground. Their land was warm all year, except for few months in winter when cold came. It rained frequently but the rocky terrain never let big trees to grow.
The land forms its people. It was one of his father's sayings. That's why all Uchihas are born with a burning passion and an iron will. One of the times he said it in a meeting, his commanders cheered with joy. He saw his brother frowned slightly and when he asked if the saying was wrong he nodded in denial. The interpretation was he said. That's why they are all hot blooded idiots. He had never heard his brother cursed and he thought it was funny. He laughed and Itachi patted his head, marking his ignorance.
He saw her stepping off her horse. Some strands of hair had stuck on her face. She was not used to this weather. He knew in her land it snowed all winter. He had seen the big trees forming a natural fortress around, blocking the picking eyes of the outsiders. He had heard the stories of how the Hyugas were cold as ice, no emotion reading on their face and when he finally saw the leader he thought his father was right. The land forms its people. Hiashi Hyuga was like the pines on his land. Grand, cold, unmoving. He expected his daughter to be the same. It would make things easier for them both.
She tighten the rope that was holding her horse. He saw her caress the brown hair of the animal and her lips opened and closed again, whispering something he didn't hear.
He stare remained on her when she returned his gaze. He was waiting for a word, for anger to finally emerge but nothing came. She took a seat on a large rock and waited.
"Do you know why I brought you here?"
She just nodded slightly.
"Do you think of a reason?"
She usually lost her calm when he mocked her but not today.
He searched the bag that was still attached on his horse. He took out what he was searching and tossed it on her feet.
"I don't own anything to anyone."
She look at the wrapped object on her feet and reluctantly unfolded it.
"Consider it a dept dealt." Sasuke said to clear any misunderstanding.
Her eyes widen as the fabric was on the ground. The shining of the metal matched the one on the purple orbs. Her gaze was glued to the katana on her hands.
"You don't get to keep it."
The woman shot her head high with disappointment.
"Not unless you prove to me you are worth of a blade this fine."
She was on her feet in an instant. The wind blowed her hair. The blade on her hand was fitting in the picture perfectly, matching the determine look on her face.
"Thank you."
She said before she took a step forward to attack.