7 heaven
"One bride delivery, hold the bubble wrap," mumbles Hanabi as they watch her sister help Aiko into her palanquin.
"Hanabi!" chastises Hinata.
"I can hear you. Don't they teach you ninja how to talk quietly?"
Hanabi ignores the slight tremble she detects in Aiko's voice. At least she's not crying.
-vovovovov-
"I hear the girl who was helping Keiko-obasama tried to kill you."
"For a woman like Keiko-obasama, having a broken hip was devastating. And as I understand it, the Branch House does require a lot of looking after." Hinata doesn't look away from the water she is boiling.
"Only 'cause there's so many of them." Hanabi shrugs. "You'd think with all the relatives we have stuffed in there, we wouldn't need outside help."
"Please remember that they only live in the outer wings when they aren't tending to those of the inner court. Namely you."
"I don't need taking care of," snaps her sister. "And I wasn't the one sneaking around for cookies in the soke kitchens in the middle of the night and getting found by assassins."
"One assassin," corrects Hinata, taking the teapot of steeping leaves off the brazier. "And I was making a lunch for Neji-niisan. It was his birthday. You should be more aware of your family."
Hanabi sticks out her tongue and holds the tray of teacups steady while her sister pours. "Tsch, he can't remember my name, I don't need to remember his birthday."
"That was years ago! You were too small to be left unattended, and he avoided the main house like a pit of snakes. You didn't even meet him formally until after he started going to the Academy!"
"Don't care. He called me hanami. The hell made him think I was named for flower viewing?"
"I'm sure the mi he was thinking of was 'beautiful'," offers Hinata weakly.
Hanabi gives her best skeptical expression. "You think he knew that much kanji then? Don't—"
"Are you two done with the tea yet?"
"Ah! I'm sorry, Uchiha-dono." Hinata rises fluidly and offers him a cup from Hanabi's tray. Hanabi calls him impolite things under her breath and goes to give Aiko her mildly laced tea. She only wanted enough to make her sleep heavier tonight. Hinata didn't ask why Hanabi knows Aiko is a girl who can't sleep when she is nervous.
-vovovovov-
"Hanabi-chan," whispers Aiko as she sips her tea, "do you believe in heaven?"
Hanabi doesn't answer, because she can't lie and she can't say she doesn't know. But Aiko has no real interest in a response. "Do you think humans can be judged properly and then shipped off to get their 'just desserts'? This… I, am honoring the Hyuuga, doing this, right? Am I going to be rewarded for my cowardice?"
"You think some old guy with a giant book is going to be there when you die, to give you the wrong directions to heaven?"
Aiko finally laughs. It's always been too high and coquettish, and Hanabi never really liked it, but it's good to hear right now. Aiko rubs the powder off her face. It was only put on today because custom said she should leave the house looking like the treasured daughter she wasn't actually. In four nights, she will enter Suna looking like the precious bride that she really is. But that's four days away, and she doesn't want to sleep with paint on her face.
"You got a long time before you die anyway," declares Hanabi. "Just 'cause I'm genin doesn't mean you're going to get knocked off with me here."
"Remember the first time you hid from Sachiko-obasama?" Aiko asks, with a smile.
"Yeah, you let me spend the night inside your futon closet."
"I was about ready to smother you with the blankets by the time morning came," she says seriously, but the smile from before keeps her noh face from being sad.
"I guess as your employees… we can't stop you if you do end up killing her." Sasuke tries not to look too eager at the thought.
Hinata stares at Aiko's cup, which has hardly been touched. Aiko notices, and straightens, coming to a decision.
"Thank you for the tea. Can I have a fresh cup? Without… anything unnecessary, please."
Hinata smiles with approval and takes the proffered cup deferentially. Hanabi and Sasuke watch her prepare a fresh pot of tea.
"I find it rather miserable how well the Hyuuga heiress is taking to servitude," says Hanabi at last.
Sasuke drinks his tea silently.
