Work Text:
KINDNESS
Rain was pouring down outside as Hinata pushed open the door of the small restaurant for shelter. She was completely soaked; to her misfortune, the weather forecast was wrong and she was confident not to take her umbrella to work when she left in the morning. Who could have guessed, right?, she thought, bitterly realizing that there was water even inside her boots. She sighed as she brushed her wet hair out of her face and tried to enjoy the warm air coming from the heater next to the door.
"Do you want a towel?"
The deep male voice made her look up in the opposite direction. She gave a small smile when she recognized Itachi, it was so rare to see him around that she couldn't help but be surprised by his presence.
"It would be very welcome, to be honest," Hinata murmured, knowing it would be enough for him to hear her.
He nodded before disappearing through the door that led to the staff wing. Hinata moved lazily towards one of the tables, aware that puddles of water were starting to form around her from standing too long in the entrance. She left her bag on the chair next to her, feeling a little relieved that the material was waterproof and she didn't have to worry that at least her papers were intact. Seconds later, Itachi reappeared; he held a fluffy towel in one hand and a cup of steaming liquid in the other.
“Right. Here it is.” He held out the towel toward her and then set the cup in front of her. “And green tea, like old times.”
It was inevitable that the blood would rise to her cheeks and then spread to her ears and neck. It was strange knowing that he still remembered... After so long. They had been lovers in their teens, it seemed a long time ago now that they were adults and going on with their adult lives. The breakup had been something friendly, it hadn't been a lack of love, just… They needed to go their separate ways. Hinata liked to think that they were just at different times in life and there was nothing wrong with that.
But that didn't mean there was still no feeling there.
"Thank you," she said softly, avoiding his dark eyes. "I didn't know you'd be here, I always find Sasuke around at this time," she commented briefly.
“Today he couldn't work, he's sick, so as an exemplary owner, here I am.’ He used a playful tone, which drew a low chuckle from her. He sat in the chair next to her. “I haven't seen you in a long time, Hina. Are you running away from me?”
Sounds like it, she thought. From time to time the Hyuuga would go to the restaurant and spend long hours talking to Sasuke — if you could call their non-talking interaction a conversation —, he liked her and the feeling was reciprocal, after all, she had seen that boy to grow. If Itachi knew that her heart still beat for him, and that she constantly found herself looking for him every second she was there. The younger Uchiha was discreet in casually commenting that the older one wasn't there because Itachi was doing his own business.
“Work,” she finally answered after long seconds of silence. “And you're never around, so…” She shrugged as if apologizing.
She finished drying her hair and ran the towel lightly over her clothes. The warm air from the heater had already helped her stop shivering and also made her clothes feel less icy. She brought the cup to her lips and took a slow sip, enjoying the warm liquid running down her throat. The sensation was so familiar she wondered if she would ever lose pleasure in that simple act. Hinata could still feel Itachi's incisive eyes on her and she bit her lower lip, nibbling it lightly.
She had so much she wanted to say... But was it right? After so many years?
"There's something on your face," Itachi caught her attention after they'd stared at each other for too long.
“What is it?” Hinata asked as she ran her fingers over her face in a failed attempt to get who-knows-what out of her face.
“Here.” Then he approached her and caught her completely off guard as he pressed his lips to one of her cheeks. “Here too.” He kissed the other side and then cupped her chin gently, making her pearly eyes turn to his. Hinata gasped in surprise when he was close enough for her lips to touch. “And here.”
He sealed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss, but even so, she closed her eyes, enjoying the familiar feeling, the butterflies in her stomach, the tremors running through her body and her heart racing. When the Uchiha separated from her, she still took some time to open her eyes, while he offered her a sly smile.
“Oops, it was my mouth.”