Caged (Sasuke x Hinata's twin)

Part 14

"Do not let Sakura have Sasuke," Sasuke teased a blushing Hikari, who rolled her eyes. 

They had spent most of their afternoon in the ramen shop. The group only realized how late it had gotten once the cool evening air started drifting through the curtains of the establishment. They had been enjoying joking around and catching up on all the time that Hikari missed with them.  Naruto and Hinata had to leave for the Hyuga compound on official business, and Ino and Sai were headed to Sai's apartment, leaving the raven-head couple to themselves. Not that either of them minded. 

They were strolling throughout Konoha. Hikari has a better chance to take in her surroundings, not having to focus on all the excitement the day before. She noticed how the buildings had changed and how the roads were more inhabited. She could now see over fences that she once struggled to look over. These were all minor and expected changes, the population of Konoha was supposed to grow. Something that however remained the same was the eyes, the eyes that constantly followed her. She had always been watched, before as the esteemed Hyuga clan heiress and now as the dishonored Hyuga Clan outcast. Always watching her as if she was a source of entertainment. She was no fool, the male gazes had turned lustful, however, Sasuke seemed to have a firm handle on that. 

"You were fighting for your very existence and your very last thought is that Sakura should not have me?" Sasuke said more than asked,

"Honestly, I had no idea how long I would be gone and that was something that worried me. Your parents would have never approved, she would not have known how to carry the Uchiha name, who would take an Uchiha with pink hair seriously...." Sasuke looked over to Hikari, and watched as her cheeks started to turn red as she continued on rambling very uncharacteristically, 

"...and not to mention she does not even know anything about you and thus making her claim to love you completely and utterly flawed, where as I-I...I" Hikari's ramble came to a slow stop with her stuttering and blushing with what she was about to say, Sasuke turned to her, as she stopped walking as well, she had not noticed that they entered the street of Sasuke's apartment a while back, so there were not many onlookers for this very intimate conversation. His gaze softened at seeing her flustered and struggling, he didn't need to hear her say it to know what she wanted to say.  She looked so vulnerable, with her cheeks pink, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears and her hands holding each other so hard that her knuckles were even whiter than what they usually were. In that moment he was reminded of the little girl who wanted nothing more than to just be able to play and get away from her lessons, the same girl that used to silently struggle under the crippling pressure that her title held, the girl that showed him was true companionship was long before he could appreciate it. He walked to her and wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, when he pulled away, her pearlescent eyes connected to his making her face even redder than it was before, he smiled at her, a smile that he only ever allowed her to see. 

"I know Hikari, me too" he said, he felt that she was shaking a little despite the relief that was very apparent in her eyes, 

"You already know that though," he said and put his forehead to hers, trying to fight back the redness that was making its way onto his face by the action by closing his eyes, 

"It's been years though Sasuke, you could hav-"

"Have felt empty longingness for someone I did not remember" he interrupted her, 

"B-But-"

"Have felt lonely no matter where I was and whoever I was with,"

"Surely you had to have-"

"Have compared and held every other female that approached to some high standard which happens to be the ghost of you that I was allowed to subconsciously keep in my heart," he finished and opened his eyes to see her staring at him, 

"I meant what I said in that dream," said softly, 

Her eyes widened,

" All these years have done nothing to my feelings towards you Hikari, and I know it feels a lot more recent to you," he said, his arms holding her a little tighter, still aggravated by the fact that she was taken away from him, 

"Try the day before yesterday," she said, he looked shocked at that, 

"So I mean at least I didn't actually feel the time go by," She said,

"Do not try to downplay the fact that they took you away from me for years," he glared slightly, 

"You realize that it was not a personal attack on you right? " she sweatdropped, 

"Anything anyone does to harm you is a personal attack on me and now the Uchiha clan," he said, she just nodded and blushed a little, 

"Also do not downplay your own feelings if that all happened so recently for you," Sasuke said, bringing his one hand up to caress her cheek, 

" I did not want to assume that everything was still the same," She said, 

" That's interesting considering we shared a bed last night, where was this consideration yesterday?" Sasuke asked smirking, 

" Surely your presumed wife and children could have spared me one night," She shrugged causing Sasuke to laugh, 

" The great Hikari, sharing a bed with a married man, how scandalous," Sasuke commented causing Hikari to laugh as well. They were never able to maintain serious conversations for long. 

Once their laughter died down a little, Hikari leaned into Sasuke's caress on her face, causing him to blush and avert his gaze, 

"So... given that, we feel the same about each other...What does that make us?" Hikari asked, 

"Oh that's quite simple actually, you are mine and I am yours," Sasuke said as it was the most obvious thing ever, 

"Sasuke that's very vague, that could mean at least three separate relationship titles," she said, Sasuke pulled away from her and smirked, 

"I don't know Hikari, you tell me, after all, you are the one who was concerned about Uchiha children having pink hair," he winked, as she started blushing, 

"Sas-" she was cut off by feeling two fingers poking her forehead, she looked up at him and he smiled gently at her, she immediately recognized the familiar gesture that Itachi had done to her once before and she knew that it was something that Sasuke held dear.  Although there was not any clear indication as to what they currently were, he made it abundantly clear what their future was and for now, that was more than enough for her. She knew that Sasuke understood what he was implying as he drew his hand back and looked into her eyes. 

She smiled up at him and grabbed his hand pulling him towards the apartment, she had had enough excitement for the day, and she could feel that her body was still weakened, her back and legs were starting to ache from all the movement.