Pomegranate
Notes: This is a gift fic for SunnyLore...and... it's SasuHina. I promised myself never, EVER, to return to SasuHina, yet Sunny brought me back to this division of the fandom- kicking and screaming I must add, but I digress.
So, to SunnyLore, thank you for putting up with my quirky, risqué, and just plain WTF humor, ADHD, over use of '…' '!' and CAPS LOCKing ranting tangents. Here's a little SasuHina one shot for you.
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to M. Kishimoto, I'm just borrowing the characters...
–
It was early, one spring morning, when the world shook. Cracks, fissures, and chasms formed under her feet, threatening to swallow Hinata whole. Yet, she walked over the crumbling earth, oblivious to the irrevocable changes about to take place.
Her arms full of freshly picked flowers, back from her well-tended garden; Hinata walked out of the warmth and sunshine and stumbled into a cold and winter-like atmosphere.
A meeting of minds, deciding her future. A place she didn't belong, nor where her opinion was welcomed. Looking into the pale eyes of the Hyuuga elders, Hinata saw their resolve of steel. This would happen. It would take place. There was nothing, she could do to stop it. Her gaze next turned to Hiashi. For once, in her entire lifetime, Hinata watched her Father bow his head, unable to look her in the eye.
Kneeling in the center of the room, was a man in chains. His already unruly black hair, had become lank and overly long. He looked like some wild yet elegant beast, bound and tamed only by chains restraining him.
"It's the only way. We will restore the Uchiha's honor. In turn, the Fifth Hokage and her successor, will be indebted to us. Uchiha Sasuke will be protected and watched over by our clan. Therefore, the other shinobi nations will be forced to compromise with the Hokage. He will be spared from death."
It was to make amends for the elders previous and grave mistake, of attempting to hand over the Kyuubi to Madara, for protection of the Hyuuga clan. Struck mute, Hinata wondered where her new-found courage had scampered off to.
She had protested, loudly and boldly for a change; of handing the nine-tailed vessel over to Madara. Her voice was finally heeded, first by Tsunade, then by the shamed Hyuuga council. This counted the second time, Hinata risked her life for a boy who never noticed.
Maybe, in a twisted way, this was Hinata's 'reward' for her loyalty to Naruto, to the Hokage, to Konohagakure. When he was younger, when they were all naive, stupid, and dreaming of grown-up things like becoming shinobi, falling in love, living on to have families in times of peace; Uchiha Sasuke had been quite a catch.
Not now.
His frame was gaunt, much too thin to be healthy. Sickly pale skin, stretched impossibly tight, there had to be little to no muscle left on his body. Dark gray eyes of a man defeated, yet something was clawing it's way up. An emotion was creeping up in his gaze, something Hinata was afraid to put a name to. And all that wild raven hair...
Where was her voice? It was so strong and bold when Naruto was in danger, however, Hinata couldn't bring herself to speak up for her own fate.
"Tsunade-sama still need to sign the papers." Father stated.
Hinata prayed the Fifth Hokage would be her salvation.
–
Instead, Hinata found someone else to condemn her. Another betrayer, in the form of someone she admired and loved from afar.
"Maybe you...should."
Pale opal eyes blinked.
Where was Naruto-kun?
Even one of his shadow clones, wouldn't have given such rotten advice.
"W-what about...fighting, changing the ways of my clan?" Hinata asked, again her voice meek, while a strange feeling was boiling up inside of her. Betrayal.
The blond flinched, gaze averted from her own, while Naruto rubbed his head.
"It's just...Hinata-chan, he'll be put to death if someone doesn't defend him."
Marriage, to save a man's life. It was unheard of. Insanity wrapped in a flimsy cloak of reason. Everyone saw through the sheer fabric and knew it for what it was. Yet, everyone was trying to trick her. To tell Hinata, it made sense.
Her life, for his. Her freedom, for Sasuke's
She wasn't all that good of a shinobi anyway, maybe she'd make a better wife; one of the Hyuuga servants remarked flippantly.
Hanabi snapped at the woman in defense of her sister, but it was too late. The words stuck and stung. Like the thorny patch of weeds in her unattended garden, Hinata's hope was first choked into submission by everyone's opinion, then slowly, agonizingly, wilted away by Naruto's encouragement.
"You'll be good for him. And...maybe...he'll like you the way I can't."
Like?
No, Hinata didn't think Sasuke was capable of liking anyone.
So much smoldering hatred, in those eyes of his...
–
A December wedding.
The Elders pushed for July, yet Hiashi resisted. December. Hinata would be eighteen, the marriage could legally be consummated then.
When really, he was stalling for time. Hinata never knew, her Father was working behind the scenes to revoke the marriage contract. Neji knew of it, yet was forced not to tell. So, left in the dark, Hinata was left to assume everyone had thrown her to the Uchiha- he was rumored to be a dangerous as a pack of wolves.
White flowers in her hair, covered by a headpiece, while the body was wrapped in ivory silk. She stepped out into snow. The garden was frozen, though bits of greenery futilely clung to life while icicles hung off the leaves.
As the sun rose, ice melted a little and drops of liquid fell, watering dead and dying plants. In a few years, the garden would give up at last. Forced down by weeds and overpopulated by dull grass blades.
Hinata said her vows, then drank the sake and tried not to flinch as it lead a burning trail down her throat. Eyes remained dry, she had cried too much this previous year. Hinata didn't so much look at her husband, save for long glance after rising up from kneeling during the ceremony.
She noticed his hair had been cut. Aside from that, little had changed...
–
Floor boards creaked in protest to her entrance. A chill in the air, while her nose was assaulted with the musk of empty rooms. Dust bunnies scattered, at the heavy 'thud-thud' of bags being placed down.
This place, this haunted house; would be her home. Their home, Hinata corrected, after Sasuke rudely brushed past her.
He was just as dark and silent as Hinata remembered from the Academy. However, there was something deeper to him too. This wasn't the little lost boy, poor last little Uchiha. There were many sharp edges to him. Hinata wasn't sure where or when it would be safe to approach him...
Surprisingly, he spoke first. Hinata had to stop, unsure if it was his voice, or that of a lingering spirit; so she listened carefully.
"Tomorrow morning..."
His pause lingered in the air, hanging like the dust and cobwebs accumulated on the rafters.
"Y-yes?" Hinata finally inquired.
"I'll...talk with the Hokage...about putting you back on the active duty list. I don't...need you here, under foot all the time."
His voice sounded strained from lack of use. Or rather, rusty was a better term to use, Hinata decided.
"Ah..." she uttered softly. It seemed...kind of him, to even consider approaching the Fifth Hokage on such a matter, on her behalf.
Yet, Hinata found herself uncharacteristically suspicious of his intentions. What did Sasuke plan on doing, all alone in this large and empty house; when she was away on missions or training with her teammates?
Questions of Sasuke's motives were pushed aside as the night dragged on. Hinata offered to cook dinner, yet Sasuke declined the offer- citing he was full from the wedding party. Hinata worried nevertheless, he hadn't eaten a thing at the reception.
Winter meant the sun sank quicker. The electricity still wasn't restored to the Uchiha Main House, so the sole occupants turned in unusually early.
She lied awake in their marriage bed, alone.
Staring at the ceiling, Hinata pondered while holding her robe tightly closed: was she insulted Sasuke smirked at her attempt to seduce him to bed? Or relieved that she wouldn't have to go through the motions of loveless, even lust-less, sex?
In the end, relief won over insult.
–
"So what's it like? Married life?" Ino asked, taking a stab at conversation while ringing up Hinata's purchase: a parcel of garden seeds.
Hinata moved to say something, yet stopped herself. Resolving instead to stare at Ino's hands, slender fingers absent of rings of any sort.
Nervously, Hinata twisted her band of gold, which suddenly felt like a shackle.
"It's...different." At least she hadn't lied. Or worse, told the truth of what it was like to live with Sasuke.
Cold, lonely, and quiet.
It was almost like she was living underground. Or in a tomb.
Maybe both, since spirits of the past seemed to crop up on a regular basis. Restless souls, who hovered around their heir, their avenger, following him in and out of the home.
Hinata managed to avoid catching Ino's mixed expression of disappointment and bemusement.
Instead, the Uchiha Matriarch paid for her garden-to-be and left the shop quickly.
–
Hinata nursed the plants from seeds, to buds, then sprouts...only to wake up one morning to find all her hard work demolished. Plants were up rooted, ruthlessly pulled up and discarded in a pile. For all the chaos, overturned earth, and ripped plants; it was still too orderly to be done by an animal.
Yet, Hinata couldn't bring herself to lob an accusation at Sasuke. Instead, she cooked him breakfast, which he refused to eat; and left to train with Kiba and Shino.
All her hard work to make the home look decent, Sasuke not only scoffed at, but sabotaged.
–
It wasn't until later, Hinata realized Sasuke didn't destroy her garden out of spite. He just didn't want her to plant things THERE. He trained in that exact spot. He wasn't about to move, but Sasuke also hated stepping and crushing her plants.
When Hinata realized this, after the fourth destruction of her dedication of sweat, back-breaking, and hours; she wondered why Sasuke didn't come out and tell her to plant somewhere else.
Then, she made yet another discovery, or rather rekindled an old and tired thought. Sasuke, just didn't like unnecessary talk.
–
Although Hinata herself wasn't very talkative, she still required conversation outside of encouraging budding flowers to grow.
"S-Sasuke..."
The first time of saying his name aloud, since their marriage and arrival home, his head turned instantly. A snap of motion, so quick Hinata worried he was preparing for an attack.
"I...um...never mind...it's nothing."
His gray eyes lingered, as though not believing her. Sasuke waited in the doorway, as though interested just enough to allow Hinata to continue speaking.
"It...just...c-can I invite someone over...for...d-dinner tonight?"
It was her way of saying: you don't eat enough and we have too much food because of it.
"Hn," was his reply, before opening the door and going outside to train.
Hinata assumed that meant 'yes'.
–
Maybe, she could have been a bit more particular about who to invite over.
The withering look Sasuke first gave Naruto, then shot her, made Hinata shiver.
"I...I...um..." she stammered, trying to find some reasonable excuse for inviting Sasuke's former team over. She liked Naruto-kun well enough, even given the awful advice he was known to spout. Sakura-chan and herself got along well too. The only on-a-lark invite was Kakashi-san.
Hinata was relieved to see them all arrive. Though the white-haired Jounin was, expectantly, a couple hours late, he made better time than Sasuke- who lived there and therefore had no excuse.
However, relief was replaced with dread as Sasuke stood in the doorway. His gaze narrowed at the light, the warmth of their awkward yet thriving conversations, and the plentiful food set out before them.
If Hinata didn't know any better, Sasuke looked...almost insulted that they were eating and having a fairly good time.
"S-Sasuke...no...don't go. P-please wait!"
He didn't wait, instead Hinata flinched to hear his footsteps stomp up the staircase. Just like a pissed-off teenager, not a grown man, Hinata thought sourly. Reluctantly, Hinata returned to her guests. Everyone was too polite to look her in the eye.
Hinata was grateful, since there were specks of dusts in her eyes. Aggravating, previously unknown allergies, and making her eyes water.
Once composed, Hinata sat down at the table with a weak smile.
"C-could you pass the salt, Sakura-chan?"
As she ate, without a sense of taste, Hinata. Was it too much to ask of Sasuke, for him to come downstairs and celebrate his birthday, with herself and everyone else?
–
Hinata wasn't sure what happened to the wrapped box she left by Sasuke's door. All she knew, was that it was gone from the hallway, when she awoke the next morning. And, it wasn't in the garbage can; Hinata checked it before she started to make breakfast.
Confused and more than a little bit hurt, Hinata did notice Sasuke was eating a little bit more. It was a small comfort, yet it was enough.
–
"W-what?"
"You do want out of this...don't you?" Neji answered her, a question for a question.
"I...I...h-how?"
The pale-eyed man shrugged, "Does the 'how' really matter? Hiashi-sama...found a loophole, that's all you need to know."
It seemed unbelievable.
She could...go home? Divorce Sasuke...or rather annul the marriage? As if it never happened?
It was a warm afternoon, late July, when Neji approached her with this possibility.
In December, she'd be nineteen and a year-old in terms of marriage. Sasuke and her still slept in separate rooms. Hinata never even thought to approach him. Hinata didn't want to think of them having intercourse, not after that first disastrous night.
Could she really do this?
Abandon Sasuke and claim the last six months had been a dream?
Neji was offering her escape. As his words sunk in, Hinata found herself torn, which confused her even more.
While living with Sasuke and being his wife wasn't the hell on earth, Hinata assumed and had all but been promised; it wasn't paradise either.
Nothing she did seemed to please Sasuke or get him to open up at all. Her plan to give him a 'happy birthday', being the most recent failure.
He snubbed her attempt, the last Hinata resolved. She was tired of doing things for Sasuke, only to have the actions go unacknowledged, let alone unappreciated.
Maybe, it was time to 'throw in the towel' as Kiba once put it.
Still, Hinata was bothered by the process. Of suddenly dropping Sasuke, like he was rotten fruit growing an otherwise healthy vine.
"L-let me think about it...and...and talk to Sasuke."
Pale eyes blinked in response, "You're...considering of taking his feelings into account?"
Hinata slowly nodded. She was just as surprised as Neji. Sasuke never considered her feelings, why should she care about his?
Despite herself, Hinata was found wanting Sasuke's opinion of this decision.
–
It was sunset, there was a chill in the air. Autumn was coming soon. Her garden would start to wither on the vine. Yet, strangely enough, Sasuke noticed while Hinata's garden was dying off; the fruit trees left behind by his Mother, suddenly started to grow fruit.
After picking a bulbous and ruby ripe pomegranate off of a tree; Sasuke glanced down to see her approaching shadow.
His hand hung for a second, suspended in space, as her timid and quiet voice rose above the late-summer cricket calls.
"N-Neji-niisan came by t-this afternoon."
Sasuke didn't remark on his dislike of Neji. Instead, he pulled out a kunai and split open the pomegranate. Red juice squirted into his palm, while he nodded for Hinata to continue.
"I...h-he said...I could leave this place...leave you."
He finally glanced up, gray eyes blinking against a combination of sun and overly-long raven bangs- Sasuke noticed once again he was in need of another hair cut.
"Do you want to?"
Pink lips were briefly drawn behind white teeth.
"I...I don't know. D-do you...want me to g-go?"
Instead of an answer, Sasuke offered her fruit. At first, Hinata blinked. Confused, the young woman moved to ask many questions, Sasuke stopped all inquires short of being uttered.
"Eat something...you look too thin."
"I...I..." a giggle, followed by something that sounded like a sob. Such strangled and strange noises coming from her, Sasuke worried for a second Hinata was choking.
"You...I...I've wanted to s-say that to you...for quite awhile." Hinata blurted out
"You just did. Now...eat."
She finally took the pomegranate. Some of the seeds spilled over out of her hand, falling to the ground. Sasuke picked another fruit off the tree, cut it open, and started eating as well.
While they ate the tiny and tart seeds, one by one; talk of leaving and giving up vanished with the disappearing sun.
–
Notes: Very short, weird, and not-romantic I know, but I hope this pleased you nevertheless Sunny! Thanks for reading!