Author's Notes: So yes, I switched from present to past tense. I am going back to previous chapters to edit this, because despite this little venture into present tense, I ultimately prefer writing in the past tense.

The Contract

Chapter 4

His hair was really red.

"Hinata?"

"Hn?"

"More miso?"

Hinata nodded and pretended she hadn't been caught staring again. Temari said nothing, discreet except for the arched brow. Luckily, Kankuro was too busy shoveling food into his mouth to notice. As for the Kazekage, who sat arms crossed, green eyes boring into the smooth wooden kitchen table-who knew what was going on in his mind.

Unlike the Hokage tower, the Kazekage tower was both office and home. Although technically reserved for the Kazekage, no one seemed to blink at Temari and Kankuro cheerfully taking advantage of the spacious living quarters-a rarity here in Sunagukare, where making a sand-storm worthy building was a fortune and a half-and transversing into the probably classified rooms where mission records and the like were stored. Hinata herself was permitted fairly free rein, and although no one had explicitly forbidden her from any of the rooms or floors, she was careful to stay close to her own personal quarters and no further.

Although she had grown used to seeing Temari's blond hair strewn across their shared bathroom, and even the image of Kankuro without his usual make, even after two weeks, it still made Hinata twitch to see the Kazekage first thing at breakfast. It almost didn't feel right to see him in such a, ah, domestic setting. But nonetheless, here he was.

"Gaara, more?" Temari called over her shoudler.

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"No."

This, Hinata was begining to realize, was a daily ritual. The Kazekage did not eat much, which was not unusual in itself. Shinobi, unfortunately, so used to going without "real food" for long periods of time, had a habit of binging when hungry and then drinking and eating like a camel when not. The Kazekage was not the worst case Hinata had ever seen, compared to other patients Hinata had seen during that short time she had worked in the hospital. If anything, he seemed rather healthy, but Temari always persisted.

And like always, the Kazekage took it as his silent cue to leave. He sat up, nodded once at his siblings, spared a look at Hinata that made her naturally look away, and then vanished.

"So what are you planning to do today?" Temari asked casually as she slid noisily, a bit ungracefully across from Hinata.

"... Training. Administration work."

Kankuro snorted through his food. "Never thought I'll see a Hyuuga be a simple pen-pusher."

"Kankuro don't talk with your mouth open," Temari snapped. "Sorry about that Hinata."

"It's fine," Hinata mumbled.

"Anyway-do you mind doing a favor for me?"

Even shinobi had to go grocery shopping sometimes.

Pale eyes and face carefully hidden behind a thick veil, Hinata swung through the afternoon hustle and bustle with unnoticeable shinobi grace and wariness. The shopkeepers were warm enough, properly respectful of her shinobi grace although wary of her veil which was heavy even by Sunagakure standards, and Hinata had just purchased the last item on Temari's list when a sharp voice called her name.

"Hyuuga-san."

Hinata froze. Behind her veil, her eyes uneasily shifted before settling into marble calm. She took one quick, not-calming breath, and then turned smoothly on her heel, sending sand shifting over her sandals.

It was an Elder-Elder Shizue Suoh. Short, old, with hidden and not so hidden scars scrawled over her hands and face. Her gray white hair was pulled sharply away from her wrinkled, sun-speckled forehead, allowing her shrewd eyes to glitter unopposed.

"Suoh-sama." Hinata bowed.

Elder Suoh flapped her hand. "If it wasn't for that hair of yours, I almost couldn't recognize you with that thick veil on."

Hinata unconsciously raised a hand to her hair, which she had "Ah."

"You have beautiful hair. I am really quite jealous."

"Thank you," Hinata said carefully.

"But then again, when I was your age, if I had the time, I suppose I could have had such hair," Elder Suoh said off-handedly.

Hinata stiffened. "Perhaps."

"But never mind that. There's a young man who I thought you might like to meet." Elder Suoh didn't bother waiting for Hinata to reply. "Kizue Haruki. 25 years old, Jounin-I'm sure you will get along."

Hinata could only stay silent as Elder Suoh rattled off the meeting time and date.

Time was running out.

"You're really quiet tonight," Kankuro noted.

"Because unlike you, Hinata has manners," Temari scolded.

"Huh?"

"Stop talking with your mouth open!"

The Kazekage, who was unusually present for dinner, blowed discreetly on his soup and then glanced at Hinata. Hinata ate mechanically, her chopsticks moving between her dry mouth and food in rhythmic, robotic beats. She didn't even bother to pretend to be tasting her food.

"Kankurou," the Kazekage said, his deep voice cutting through the din.

"Huh?"

"Shut up."

Temari wisely decided not to gloat too loudly.

Hinata lurched out of her bed and barely made it to the toilet in time.

The cold linoleum floor was hard against her knees as she keeled over the toilet bowl edge, vomiting up dinner. Her shirt was completely wet from sweat, and it clung stubbornly to her back like embryonic fluid.

There was no such thing as vomiting in silence, and Hinata could only close her eyes in resignation as she heard Temari rustle and then finally pad into their shared bathroom. The light flicked on, exposing Hinata's dark circles and swallow skin starkly.

Temari's fingers were comfortably warm as she gathered Hinata's sticky hair and pulled it away as Hinata dry heaved. She kept up a low and nonsensical murmur, first to cover Hinata's sick noises and then to cover the dribbling silence.

"I'll go get you some water," Temari said when it was all over.

"Thank you," Hinata croaked.

Temari reached out, hesitated, and then touched Hinata's arm. It was a short brush, nothing more, but somewhere deep within her, Hinata managed to drudge out a smile.

"I'll be right back,"

As the bathroom grew cold and quiet the way rooms do when there's only one person left, Hinata dragged herself over to the sink. She rinsed her mouth out roughly, dragged her damp hands across the small mirror, and then stared into her white frightened reflection.

Temari came back just in time to see the kunai flash.

Pardon for the short chapter. BTW, anyone know from which anime Shizue Suoh is from? ;)