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Killing Me Softly

Chapter Seven

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The Loophole

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Sasuke

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xxviii. The Miracle

"Friend. Lover. Target. Hunter. Victor. Fiancee. Enemy. Mutt. I'll add it to the list of things I use to try to figure you out."

-Peeta Mellark

"Miracles are for those who believe in God. For those who believe in a saviour. But the fact that you are here, alive and well and survived two Hunger Games, is miracle enough. You are our saviour Hinata. Our messiah. Even though sometimes I wonder who you have become to be now."

-Uchiha Sasuke

When Momochi Zabuza of the sixty-second Hunger Games approaches him later that day with a grin that is perceptible despite the mask on his face, Sasuke is not alarmed. Not at all for Hinata's mentor is not someone you can easily catch off-guard, in appearance that is. There has been a lot of freak surprises in the young Uchiha's life and when your own tribute teams up with a cross-dressing boy that is the Capitol's standard for divine beauty, one is bound to be immune to any more shockers for the day.

And Sasuke expected it anyhow. Haku is the only one left for Kiri and Hinata is the only one for Konoha for Naruto seems to be as good as dead now that he lays wounded somewhere in the secluded caves around the arena and with the waning interest on the "lover boy" not getting any better. And for the both of them to survive, Haku and Hinata has to stay together in the meantime. Neither is specially skilled. Haku can throw knives. Hinata did kill twice already. But what good does that do to the remaining killing machines from Suna who in vengeance, hunts for them specifically and the surprisingly dangerous ones from Yumegakure whose modus operandi proves to be quite lethal?

On screen, Hinata makes a fire. None of the smoke escapes the stone roof above. Haku stands apart, staring and his arms crossed. His calm voice talks about the fact that the Gamemakers may soon flush them out of the cave and have them confront the guys from Suna again.

"It wouldn't be the first time." He says cynically, his bitter and sharp humour back from the unforgettable masquerade as the ugly... unlikeable, "lesbian knife-chucker" (as Naruto charmingly put it). The light glints from the only knife left of his once vast arsenal, reflecting Haku's own misgivings about their survival. "And you know what they say, there is no such thing as a second chance."

Hinata does not speak but bites her lip. Her eyes seem resigned, much as when she proclaimed that she is not afraid to die. Then why did you run? Sasuke wants to ask her. Why did you kill? Interesting is an understatement for the things you do when you are threatened. Hinata is nothing special after all. She is like any other human being scrambling around the thread of their own pathetic existence. The primal instinct is to live. The survival of the fittest. She is... just like him. A person in love.

The Capitol loves that. The Capitol loves her. Hinata who bravely stepped in to save her sister. Hinata who admitted to the public that she is in love with a man who is taken. Hinata who defied expectations and killed two people already. Hinata who Haku may be really interested in.

The betting ranks shows in a five-second frame. Hinata is right on second place, the same position for Neji in the previous games. And he was killed so easily.

As the coverage moves on to the drama within the Suna tributes—them parting with the promise to kill each other because camaraderie is such a joke in the Games and no, we are not friends-, Zabuza speaks to him for the first time and tells him what he already knows.

There is a loophole in the arena.

Haku in all his elaborate deception managed to get in after all. Nobody has ever fooled the Capitol ever since Gaara of the Sand made use of the arena's nature to evade even the Gamemaker's most intricate traps. And that is not even quite close to the gravity of what Hinata's ally has done. He has hoodwinked the whole world since the beginning. What other things does he have on his sleeves?

Is the revelation even accidental?

"And I assume you allowed that." Sasuke remarks, eyebrows raised but his gaze not moving away from the screens. Deidara's lively commentary about the Suna tributes separation goes unheard though as he mulls over the absurdity of the whole thing aloud. "It's something that you would do. You are the type who always wanted to make a statement. Like when you said that your Games would be different because the tributes would not kill each other." This time, Sasuke stares at the man's dark, unflinching eyes. "But instead you alone killed them all."

The legendary sixty-second Hunger Games. The demon of the Mist triumphed as he killed virtually everyone in the arena. He was unstoppable. Not even the Gamemakers could do anything.

And he proved then that anybody who had guts can control the once impervious Games.

"It was originally Haku's idea." He answers, eyes diverting now as a rerun of when Haku almost kisses Hinata shows again. It is so far the most voted scene of the Games: two souls touched by each other's stories. Hinata with her beloved sister. Haku with his murdered parents. Their faces close together, their heat signatures a single blob of image. But Hinata's reluctance wins over, because everyone could guess that she remembers about Naruto and how she is supposed to be madly in love with him.

Sasuke hates that particular scene.

"Haku is my sort-of protégé." Zabuza resumes, unaware of the Sasuke gritting his teeth. He smiles as the short romantic moment between the two most popular people in the world concluded. "We met three years ago. The boy was starved, beaten by Peacekeepers for unauthorized fishing. I was a lonely man who walked around the District at night to ward of the screams of my victims. To make the long story short, he knows that I am the richest man in the District and I wouldn't have known he was a boy. Not anyone else anyway. And so he tried to offer himself to me, if you know what I mean."

There is a mischievous, knowing glint in the Demon's eyes. Sasuke definitely knows what he means.

"But I have my own hand, ay? And it is never my style to violate children that way. I murdered twenty-three of them in seven days and I certainly don't want to add a living but broken one to my ever growing conscience. I decided to take him in then. He became my servant boy."

"Ah. That makes so much fucking sense." Sasuke deadpanned.

The Kirigakure mentor chuckles. "Oh well three years with me and Haku got the mischief mentality as how you yourself put it. He wants to prove something to everyone and so his first reaping comes and he realized that even the Capitol's most sophisticated identifier thinks he is a she. You know, like his basic genetic makeup is that of a female but the rest of him is male. I am sure that the old hag Tsunade would be able to tell you more about it."

Sasuke shrugs.

"So Haku started to think of a plan."

The show once again moves on Hinata and Haku. Neither could sleep. Hinata voices her concern about Naruto. Haku tells her that once that they have a plan about moving around the arena with less danger to themselves, they would go on and rescue him.

His eyes are determined, results-driven and something that he knows Hinata feels herself. Something that makes you want to believe in the most elusive of miracles. Hinata has been the burning tree in the parade, like the legend of a man named Moses. The messenger that someday, somehow, the slaves would be free from their unjust king. Naruto is the ally who helps her cross the desert in her quest, the one who listened to her message.

And Haku seems to be the magical, miraculous rod which turns to a snake, summons frogs and makes the largest river in the world bleed red.

"He wants to prove that there are loopholes in the arena."

And Sasuke starts to believe that there is.

xxvix . The Gift

"All those months of taking it for granted that Peeta thought I was wonderful are over. Finally he can see me for what I am. Violent. Distrustful. Manipulative. Deadly. And I hate him for it."

-Katniss Everdeen

"Wow... I didn't think you'd be this popular."

-Uzumaki Naruto

The third night in the cave, somebody sends Hinata—and only Hinata this time- a gift. The third one in two days, the shortest interval since Uchiha Sasuke killed his adversaries half-naked and with such a handsome smile on his flawless face. Haku himself has no shortage of popularity, although this seems to be limited somehow by the Gamemakers devising a way to make his own parachutes harder to reach. The boy from Kiri seems to have made as much enemies as he has made loyal, paying fans. That is indeed, Sasuke surmises as the parachute for Hinata makes its slow descent, the glaring hole in his so-called ace.

The small, circular case contained grenades. Explosive ones that works like a heat-seeking missile. Inescapable. Deadly. The most foolproof weapon. Only few of them. But more than enough to make the two of them—no Hinata— realize that she can win this.

The most expensive gift in the Games so far.

Beside him, Otsutsuki Toneri basks on the shocked look on both Hinata and Haku's face, his self-satisfied smile a fixture on his handsome, almost-normal face. White hair frames his aristocratic features, famously transplanted blue eyes rapt in attention to the two figures in the screen. They are Hyuuga Neji's once white eyes, Sasuke muses with his brows furrowed in sudden wrath. Even the corpses of the tributes warrant no escape from the Capitol's perversion. And now, he has his sights set on Hinata.

And like when he arranged to get Neji's eyes be restored and be put on his once empty eye sockets, he is willing to pay for it.

"My great grandmother was a Hyuuga." He did mention to Sasuke when he approach him during one of the routine sponsor parties conducted for the remaining tributes. Kurenai didn't have much luck on finding someone who would willingly fund Naruto's medication—even the cheapest of ointment could have helped. But Sasuke found himself flocked with those who wanted Hinata to survive. She is an instant celebrity and Otsutsuki Toneri so far, is the most commanding and the most lavish of her fans.

But such comes with a price.

"I am certain my great grandmother would want me to marry someone from her clan." He ploughed on after they shook hands. Toneri did open the conversation with his interest to send Hinata a weapon and while Sasuke was not too enthusiastic with the exchange that would be happening inevitably, he knew he had no choice.

His Katana from his Games came with a life of slavery.

And he had no say to that matter either. Until now.

"I want Hinata to be my wife as soon as she gets out of that place."

Sasuke barely managed to restrain himself from killing the man in the flashy kimono right there and then.

"So now is the time that you would dispose of me I guess?" Haku's voice comes up from the speakers, interrupting Sasuke's murderous plans. The boy has already inched away an oppressive, careful distance from Hinata, his eyes warily regarding the set of bombs on her hands. They were shaped oddly, little clay birds that do not seem anymore than an artistic, polymer sculpture. But anyone who watched the previous Hunger Games knows better. It was the Gamemaker's last attempt to kill Gaara.

It came close.

Hinata's genuinely horrified reaction delights Toneri on the other hand. He claps his hands, licks his lips and murmurs about how beautiful his future wife really is. The plan is to have Hinata know that she has an edge. Prompt her to kill Haku. Help her to kill the remaining ones all throughout. Toneri obviously does not appreciate rivals.

Sasuke flinches at the thought.

He is no different.

And as ridiculous as it sounds, the fight for her heart happens right before his eyes. And poor, poor Hinata does not even have any idea.

"I have no use to you now." Haku elaborates awkwardly and Sasuke realizes that the statement was merely a lighthearted, self deprecating joke between two... close friends. Something that the inherently absentminded Hinata failed to catch on. Some things do not change, the Uchiha thinks with relief. She is still a sucker for such remarks. "And you have such fancy weapons now I believe you can kill me better than those other two."

"You judge me for that?"

He could tell that Hinata's heated retort surprised the boy. His eyes widen at the response, his stance now uneasy as he is finally rendered unsure of Hinata's change of demeanour. In her hands are the bunch of white explosives, designed as a ring for better provision and each one in every finger. She starts it off by wearing one on her right hand-ring finger.

"No." Haku says and his uncomfortable smile tells the world that he is trying not to sound patronizing. "You did what you did. I mean, what you have to."

Hinata sighs heavily, shrugs and to his utter surprise, extends her palms open with the other five grenades towards the boy, coaxing him to get it with a nod. She is older than him by three years and now, it finally starts to show. It reminds him of the somewhat vague sisterly relationship between Hanabi and Hinata, stern and authoritative only at most pressing of times. Otherwise, doting and light that you could not tell who should be the elder one. "I know what I did." She says and as Haku accepts her more explicit offer for an alliance, she continues with finality. "It's a shame that we have to do it again but we have to. We have to save Naruto-kun."

So Haku takes her hand.

The name of the tribute from Konoha becomes a household topic. The "Soft Killer" comes out of the cave with her rod of miracles, now armed and dangerous. Hinata stares up at the slowly brightening skies and Sasuke hears her apologize.

This is for Naruto-kun. He did not hear her say that but the determination as she starts the hunt for anyone who might come against them says as much.

xxx The Funeral

"Just this time, Twelve. For Rue."

-Thresh, The Hunger Games Movie

"Haku-kun taught me something. That one has to have a reason to live and likewise, one has a reason to die for your stay in the world to be worth the struggle. I think I have a reason to live now, Sasuke-kun. I was ready to die for Hanabi but now I believe it is more important to live for her."

-Hyuuga Hinata

The grenades ran out but it did not succeed on killing anyone.

It is the poisonous dart of the clever and self-sufficient girl from Yumegakure that does the job.

The cannon for Haku booms.

And Hinata in her blind rage and own instinct for self-preservation, kills the girl with her bare hands.

Sasuke cannot believe what is happening.

But it happened. Right before the world's focused eyes. Hinata and Haku destroying the Corcunopia, thinking that this was where the remaining Careers kept their supplies. Five grenades wasted for food and weapons that are safely on the backs of the Suna tributes who have long since vacated the area to hunt on the other side of the arena. Disappointment. The tribute from the Sand who uses arrows then attacked them. Danger. Through three grenades for evasion, they narrowly escape. However injured, the girl from Suna lives on. The last ones were for the Yumegakure girl that found them in their weakest but it was no good.

The dart whizzed over Hinata's head and went straight to Haku's neck. The effect was instantaneous. Haku collapsed and fell into a heavily-breathing heap behind her trembling, threatened frame.

The grenades did manage to slow the girl down as she tried to pounce on Hinata and the brief wrestling match won on the latter's favour. Hinata held both of the girl's arms as she straddled her forcefully. Her hand enclosed on the girl's neck and as she persisted, the light soon vanished on the girl's eyes. The Girl from Dream stiffened and in one final struggle to keep the life that was doomed the moment she was born, she was history.

The cannon booms.

The third blood perishes.

Hinata is now officially, in Hunger Games standard, a victor material. Minimum of three, Zabuza was always heard of saying in their circles. The others nod in collective agreement. Because it is true. Because minimum of three and nobody dares to dispute your victory.

Sasuke has killed eleven in his Games.

But he never expected Hinata would kill enough to make her a... victor. For what is a Hunger Games victor but a glorified war hero? An honoured murderer? A person so desperate he even resorted to kill a child.

But they are children too. They have been at least. And Hinata, he could tell has already abandoned such fantasies.

Crawling to Haku's side is a rigorous effort and the boy was barely coherent when he says his final words.

"I finally found a reason to die."

The rest are made in whispers, soft enough for it to evade even the Capitol's most sophisticated ears. They Gamemakers would try later anyway, in an attempt to hear what the boy who lied about his gender would find worth telling to the girl he chose to protect even in death. Hinata sobs helplessly by his side, repeating his name.

Haku's smile is broken, resigned, forgiving.

And in a brittle voice as he leans closer, he requests for Hinata to kiss him. "I need to know." Is all he offers. And it is enough for Hinata.

Two pairs of lips meet in a desperate dance to evade death. Hinata's eyes leak the tears of a woman scared of letting go. Her hold is desperate, unrelenting. Haku grins throughout all of this. The kiss lasts for no more than a brief moment. Hinata embracing the frail figure whose hands tremulously holds into her hair.

He says something into her ear. Hinata's eyes are wide, tearful and he could tell from her vigorously shaking head that she is about to say no.

I know now.

Fourteen days, seventeen hours, fifty-five minutes and eight seconds. The weather is mild. The skies are bright. The birds are singing. But Haku is gone.

And so the world witnesses a funeral of flowers and a heartfelt elegy to a bestfriend that anyone could ever make in the face of peril.

The birds join as Hinata starts to sing.

xxxi. The Rule Change

"Fire is catching. And if we burn, you burn with us."

-Katniss Everdeen

"I've always known you can kick ass. Keep doing that and you would be able to do it in a bigger scale. Zabuza-sama would help you."

-Haku's dying words

Haku's death did several things to the ratings. In one day as the clip was shown for the first time through the edited, featured episode with the scripted commentary, the views went over the roof. The world was astounded, blown over. Mothers cried their hearts out for the beautiful boy whose face twisted into the cold edifice of death the instant the deathly poison took effect. The strongest of men froze, disbelieving. Romantics nodded because they were supposed to foresee this. And the scene of Hinata kissing Haku repeated for the rest of the day.

The world stayed riveted.

The funeral of flowers was the next subject of trend. Unprecedented and unheard of, Hinata putting Haku into rest in the most beautiful setting as possible touched the hearts of the mass. She painstakingly put a garden around his limp and cold body. His lips are blue, dry and twisted but the boy stays the most beautifully adorned corpse. "You don't belong here." She has said in silent deference of what she has done. "You don't belong here in this hell. Like the flowers beside you. Like all the remaining beauty in this world."

And then she sets it all on fire.

The pyre burns and Hinata's innocence burns with it.

The Capitol is in an uproar.

"They should do something." Is the universal opinion. For what is Hyuuga Hinata now but a woman rid of purpose? Everything is taken away from her so easily that rushing after Naruto is of no point. She sits in there in silence, as she watches the fire consume Haku's entirety. You don't belong here. No beautiful thing belongs here. And for a moment, Sasuke shares the ignorant fools' fears that Hinata might also be referring to herself.

That she might just be awaiting death to take her away.

But then Hinata is never much of a narcist.

She closes her eyes and leaves. And the Capitol lost something to look forward for.

Hinata stops looking for Naruto.

And she sits there for every tribute to find, waiting for her end.

The ratings begin to dwindle.

Zabuza is of course, not present during the Mentors Meeting. Only those who still have surviving tributes are there so he has no one to confide to about what he thinks of the current situation. Temari's stare is hostile from across the room. That has been going on for a while since Hinata rose into the betting ranks. Gaara's regard is calm and Kurenai's is that of silent contemplation.

Seven tributes remaining. Two from Suna. Two from Konoha. One from Yumegakure. Two from Land of Tea.

The air is therefore competitive.

"So two tributes can win now, eh?" Temari begins and her smile is a smirk that Sasuke wants desperately to obliterate. "As long as they are in the same district. Hah! Correct me if I am wrong but it sounds to me that they just want the Konoha tributes to be all lovey dovey once again now that the man in drag died."

The rest of the mentors—former victors—has their distrustful eyes on both Kurenai and Sasuke. They know what is going on. Some strings are getting pulled here and this is in order to pacify the angry viewers. Those of whom wants Hinata to keep moving as obviously was Haku's wish. As absurd as the thought is, these same selfish people who purges food when the rest of the world suffers, wants the promise to be honoured.

And the only way to do that is for Hinata to reunite with who she really loves originally.

Sasuke chooses not to respond, tired and done with this line of inquiry already.

"Sudden changes like that are bound to do something. Or has an ulterior motive in it." Gaara observes, his fingers laced together in thought. He voices what everyone in the room is thinking. "I would not be surprised if it gets 'revoked' in the end."

Collective concurrence is heard. The mentor—for he is the only one—from Yumegakure sighs.

And Gaara then glances at Sasuke. His emerald eyes are cold, prophetic. It is like it is warning him.

"You know what would happen in the end Sasuke." He pronounces. And for the first time in his life, Sasuke feels doubt course into his veins just as he is confident and assured that everything should be fine. "You started this. I know you were the one who suggested this whole thing to the Gamemaker's wife and I will assume that you know what will happen in the end."

The Uchiha musters his fiercest glare towards the stoic man but the victor from last year does not flinch. His stance is formidable, guiltless. And his next words are something that Sasuke would forever remember.

"There may be loopholes. But there is always a cost, something left behind when someone tries to squeeze through them. You better remember that Sasuke."

And so for the moment as they wait for the trumpets to play for the announcement, the meeting is adjourned.

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Next chapter will be Naruto's POV. Feel free and review. I might update soon if I have a less stressful life for this year. Happy 2015 everyone!

EDIT: Just removed Naruto's name to save myself some nonsense from some equally nonsensical NaruHina fans. I don't know why but we see their fics in the SasuHina and NaruSaku tag and yet I don't see them get hell for it. But that's a story for another time *yawns. As much as i would like to rant about the unfairness of it all, I just don;t think it's worth it anymore.