one_long_mission

"You should... hide me. Run faster." Her voice was still groggy as she felt herself being lifted on his back, hating every moment of this vulnerability. If he put her down, he could run faster, farther. Nevermind that she knew if anyone came across her, any Shourisha, her fate was as good as sealed.

And she didn't bother to answer his statement. It was fact, after all. She had saved his life, and saw no need to comment further on it.

He could hide her... run faster without the added weight and the complications, but...

"I won't look back upon my actions and feel shame. It would be a crime to abandon you into enemy territory." they knew there were many units as well. "I will not dishonor my clan in such a way." Not my clan.... or my heart.

It was also his fault that this beast came. He knew he had been its target.

"Sasuke..."

She was starting to nod off again, the trembling of her muscles unceasing.

"...Thank you," she murmured, pillowing her head against his shoulder and letting herself surrender to the deeper blackness encroaching on her vision.

That he would do such a thing... she knew she had made the right decision.

The first thing he did when getting back to the village -after taking care of three Shourisha he saw hanging too close to his liking- he immediately dropped her off at a doctor's and quickly listed the possible triggers to her condition, leaving to report to the village's leader.

He left a few things out, but did list the whole possible threats, and requested if any possible to be part of the defense force.
After being given his leave, he was back at Neji's side, worry plain in his eyes as he rushed back to where he had left her at the doctor's office.

By the time he came back, Neji was propped up against pillows; awake, but with a strip of clean bandage wrapped around her eyes. At the sound of someone entering, she turned her head, listening to the doctor repeat what he had told her previously. That she had badly strained her Chakra network, and especially the sensitive vessels around her eyes. She would recover, but it would take more time than they had before the inevitable battle.

He added that if Sasuke wanted to guide her back to her home, that would be appreciated, as he needed to ensure his clinic had space when the fighting started, though Neji made a face at the mention of her home.

With his explanations, the doctor retired to attend to other tasks, leaving Neji there with Sasuke.

Sasuke thanked the doctor and slowly made his way to the bed, making sure she was aware he was there before sitting on it.

Her home. He had to take her to her clan's barracks?There was no way he would. She would be seen as a disgrace because they would get it all wrong, because most likely they wouldn't bother believing him. He saw her expression, she did not want to go there.

"If you want, I can take you to my home." he offered in a soft voice.

She turned her head toward him head tilted as she listened to his movements across the floor, surmising from the way the bed sank slightly that he'd taken a seat.

"...That is not necessary," she murmured, though without her eyesight, her expression was more open than usual. She did not want to return to her uncle's, be sneered at for being foolish enough to strain her eyes.

"I didn't ask if it was necessary. I asked if you wanted me to take you to my home until your vision was back to normal." he reiterated calmly.

She didn't answer immediately, swallowing hard as her jaw clenched.

It's so quiet as to almost be inaudible as she answered, "That... would be appreciated."

He reached out to take her hand as so to guide her. "If you're ready then..." he paused and murmured.
"There's no shame in accepting help from those with your best interests in mind, you know..."

She tilted her head as he took her hand and slid carefully off the bed, finding the floor first with one foot, then the other. Though she stood up straight and beside him, there was no escaping the fact that she could not see...

But she trusted Sasuke not to lead her astray, in spite of her vulnerability. She lightly squeezed his hand and fell in beside him, face straight ahead so her ear was closer to him instead of facing him. "I could say the same about you, Sasuke."

When had she switched to only using his first name? She couldn't quite recall.

He couldn't recall when either, but he knew it was sometimes within the temple business perhaps, or at the very least when she shouted his name as the antlion emerged.

"...hm. Touché." he had to admit her point.
And so he walked slowly to his home, sending a clone to get some groceries. There seemed to be a permanent smell of incense within the place. "Do you want to eat anything? Or you'd rather sit outside for now?"

"I am not hungry," she admitted, following him, though she had to bite back a sneeze at the smell of incense. It was difficult to enter a new place like this and not be able to actually see where she was. She had, of course, memorized their path from the doctor's so she had an idea where they were within the village.

"Though I should eat something to attempt to regain my energy. You should as well. Is the village making preparations?"

"I'll make some rice balls. Simple and filling." he led her to sit at the low table while he took care of the food. "I think they're trying to gather and count their available defense and offense. They've made it clear even if i insisted that I'd be a last resort if they needed more fighters." of course he was still running on that food pill from their encounter. He was not certain how much longer his body could hold for certain without starting to demand sleep. This was a downside of those awakening pills.

"You strained yourself too much." She gratefully took a seat, still facing straight ahead so one ear at least was more in line to hear him. "Though in fairness, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones."

"I will fight for this village until my last breath. This is a fact many people seem to ignore." he snorted, starting up the rice. "...but our role in this battle may already be done, as much as I'd like to have another part." he knew he wasn't the only shinobi worth his salt that could defend the village.

"Indeed." It stung her pride to think that after all their efforts, she would be close enough to hear the battle, and yet not be able to render any assistance. She wasn't foolish enough to think that a shinobi who relied on her eyesight as her best skill would be anything but a hindrance on the battlefield.

A pause then as she listened to the sound of his preparing a meal. "...Why did you offer to take me here, Sasuke?"

"I only needed to see your expression and think two seconds. No doubt losing that eyesight fora few days'd make you a pitiful loser in the eyes of some." that might sting but it was the truth. Some would think so. "I'm not that trusting of any of that family... and just to be sure -someone- is helping you out, I offered."

She stiffened at the idea that she was that easy to read, tilting her head to listen more carefully to the intonation of his voice.

"You would do right not to trust the Hyuuga," she confirmed, fingers of both hands digging into her pants leg over her thigh. "I am their extra. The one who was forced upon them." There was no masking the bitterness, but she just took a breath, shook her head, and forced herself to dismiss it.

"They will speak amongst themselves if they know I am here."

"If they know." of course, he could hide nothing from their eyes, but... "If they underestimate the Uchiha, they'll get burned." his voice was full of disgust. The Hyuuga and Uchiha never were friends.
...before these two, that is. "Let them speak among themselves, as long as I don't hear their slandering." he owed her a life debt, after all.

"I see." She nodded once and exhaled, lapsing into silence. Now more than ever, she wished she could see his face. Her specialty was reading expressions and body language to tie into the voice and other mannerisms, not to do without her sight.

"In that case, we shall see what develops."

As the rice cooked, he headed over, taking care to make noise at every step until he sat and placed a glass of water against her fingertips. "...if you're thirsty.."

The door opened, and as more noises occurred he revealed he had sent a clone shop for various things since he was not about to leave her side.

"Ah..." She nodded her thanks and lifted the glass to her lips, smelling to find that it was water before taking a sip.

The water reminded her that it had been three, perhaps four days since she had bathed. Swallowing hard, she reflexively stared elsewhere and asked, "May I use your shower...? I do not mind rewearing my clothing."

That promptly reminded Sasuke he was in a similar situation, perhaps even more unfavorable since he also ran a full day with her on his back. Not that shinobi were not used to bear the smell of sweat, they would rather not if they did not have to.

"I will lead you there. If you want, it may be a bit roomy but I have some bathrobes you can borrow."

"That... would be appreciated, thank you." She took another long drink from the provided glass before standing, hating that she had to wait for him to take her hand and lead her there. "I promise not to take very long."

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