Update at last

Update at last! I've been procrastinating a lot but I finally got around to updating Umbrella. Anyway, here it is, read it thoroughly and voice out any violent reactions (?!). It's been too long since my last update and I am so busy with schoolwork, and other fanfictions and a writer's block (I had to revise the ending since I found it crappy). I promise never to let my procrastination get in the way again, EVER!!

This chapter has lots of swearing by…guess who. Anyway, I'm liking the plot, I hope you enjoy the plot so far too.

Chapter Nine

All brave men love; for he only is brave who has affections to fight for, whether in the daily battle of life, or in physical contests.

Or…

Love and war are the same thing, and stratagems and policy are as allowable in the one as in the other.

As what those saying by Hawthorne and Cervantes indicated about love. It is not a dictation, but it is not truths either. These are just what it means, or just how it is; nothing more.

But, of course, Sasuke didn't know these people but the intent words of knowledge (or folly) was a virtue in him that was resolved the moment that he realized that he indeed loved someone. Hyuuga Hinata, how he loves her so. And how he will fight for her love.

As he thought about it, he could say that their love story was sad or exciting or grand in some way. Any hardcore and die hard romantic at heart would be swooning and vying for such a love story as theirs. Sasuke knew nothing of love and romance and destiny or the sheer folly of it all, but he knew that their story was neither the object nor figment of such ridiculous dreams. His fight is no chivalrous and romanticized exaggeration of what he was feeling right now.

The truth was that it was all so much more painful and hopeless when you experience it for yourself. Inevitable, fierce, hard to fight against, never a winning situation.

This is what he, Uchiha Sasuke, feels of his love for Hyuuga Hinata and the colossal fight he will face in order to have and keep her by her side. Because she belongs with him, nad no one else. No one can get in their way and part them. Not as long as he still has the will and strength to fight.

But just like any other thing that goes in his life, everything is much more difficult in real life.

He hadn't seen her for days, weeks, over a month even. And he'd be lying through his teeth if he said that he wasn't missing her so terribly that he had to control himself from barging inside the Hyuuga compound to rescue her. And he'd hack and bash mindlessly and heedlessly at anyone that ever crosses him, too, if he was stupid enough to be like that. But then again he wasn't, but he'll go as far if it was for Hinata.

So for the whole time he had been busily occupying himself as best as he can. However, God did not bless him with the concentration to focus on anything else aside from his constant pining for her. His condition would seem horrifying if his 12-year old self could see him now. A man, supposed to be powerful, ruthless and fearless, was so wrapped up in a girl.

But this was for love. Although at an early age he'd condemned the word and assumed that in his shoes, he cannot afford to love. Now, he was not so sure anymore. The number of people out there who could not love and would kill to have, he was fortunate enough to have her. So why shouldn't he fight for what he feels right? Though he had wronged so many people in the past, he knew that if he lost her, all will be lost. He'd be betraying her trust and love, he simply can't have that.

As he skulked around the streets of Konoha, his mind drifted to her again. Shaking his head in clear frustration, he looked at the bleak and dull mass of people ahead of him. The days and nights that he spent pining over her absence and remembering all the moments he had with her so that it won't fade from his mind.

As he looked all around him, he realized just how much her influence left a drastic impact in his life. Before he met her, he saw the world in a bleak shade of black and white. Nothing interesting and left to liven his enthusiasm in the world. What was left for him anyway? Revenge? Hatred can only take him as far as hell, but love, it surpasses all the reality there is in the world and does not heed or sneer upon his faults.

But when he met her, his view of the world was filled with hope and opened his eyes to the things he had been missing. That was because he saw her, met her loved her.

Yet, now she was gone, he struggled to see the things he saw when she was with him. He feared that everything that connected her with his life will be gone. He cried out, cursed the fates at the unfair treatment to him. Why did she have to be taken away? Dragged back to her world where she wasn't even happy, doomed to spend her days washing away in depression and loneliness for the things that were meant to be. A world that looked down upon him and cast him away because of the past Hinata overlooked for the sake of her love for him.

While he thought about it and wallowed in his depressed "lurgy", he saw something he did not expect to see but nonetheless was welcome to his tired eyes and hollow soul.

There she was, walking through the crowded streets. He frowned, she was surrounded by a gaggle of prim and prude elder Hyuuga women and a few Hyuuga guards trailing behind. But he still sought her presence, could only see her image among the insignificant figures surrounding her. She looked lovelier than what he remembered during the duration that they've been apart. But she looked lonely, empty and indifferent of life. Like a prisoner.

His dark eyes followed her attentively, entranced by her image. As they passed each other in the packed street, both unconsciously turned their head, eyes locking onto each other. Their eyes met in an instant, lasting for an eternity as time seemed to slow to a crawl and everything around them, the universe around them, vanished; leaving the two of them alone in an almost reunited moment.

He saw her opalescent eyes widen and fill with an emotion he was sure was love and longing. He was not an expert with such things but a mutual feeling was an open book to him. Easier than any jutsu he had ever learned, stronger than all the power he had obtained.

Her pale cheeks colored prettily as a barely audible quirk to her red lips formed a discernible smile. For a moment her eyes lit up and sparkled happily, discarding the dull and hopeless look her eyes held earlier. Her whole face seemed to bloom back into the face of the girl he fell in love with and for a moment she left her inhibitions and fears of her hopeless fate behind. And for the first time in a long while, he was glad.

And just as quick as it came, it was gone when she was brought back to earth by a nosy and prudish Hyuuga woman to enquire about something pointless. As she walked out of sight he struggled to keep her in his line of sight. But the constant shuffling and shoving in the streets made him immediately lose her.

He stopped in the middle of the street, frozen as he stared after her in the direction she went off to. And in a spur of a moment he made a brave, if not foolhardy, decision.

The moon shone weakly through the thick clouds, providing the perfect cover for a figure moving stealthily across the labyrinthine Hyuuga grounds. Uchiha Sasuke's rushed decision to infiltrate the Hyuuga grounds was commencing. The goal: to see Hyuuga Hinata.

The numerous guards scattered all across the huge compound were unaware of the intruder. They were the best guards that money can acquire, even trained strictly just to meet Hyuuga standards. But this was an Uchiha they're dealing with. A challenge would be awaiting.

Sasuke crossed three guard hotspots effortlessly and was nearing the west wing of the mansion where Hinata's room would be located. At this rate he'd be with her soon, maybe talk to her, maybe…just maybe…

And so he set off again, eager to see his love again.

Hinata gently closed the book she had been reading and looked up at the cloudy sky. She felt so lonely. She met the man she was supposedly betrothed to. He was a wealthy nobleman, from a political clan. Surely he'd offer a stable and promising future and treat her like what a true lady of the clan should be since he was, in all honesty, a kind gentleman. But then perhaps it's just affectation, or a rehearsed sham. And he was handsome too, well-mannered and civil. But then for all she knew it was just a front, a mask to a vile personality. Or she may be just thinking that…

Or… she just wants something to wake her up from this horrible dream and open her eyes to the reality she wanted. To be with him

Her eyes fell down to her lap and an overwhelming sense of depression settled in her chest. She's missing him again, and she felt herself laugh bitterly. "How stupid can I get? I told him to stay away from me, I broke our bond. Now I'm regretting it, how dumb! Well, I won't have to worry about it. It is goodbye after all." And she gave a depressed sigh and raised her feet from the cold floor and hugged it gently to her chest.

Suddenly, an urgent rap to her widow brought her back to earth and she found herself eyeing the window fearfully, yet curiosity filled her senses. She contemplated whether she should answer it or disregard it and get out of her as quickly as her ninja feet can get her. But her mind told her to reconsider and let go of her inhibitions. And just like that she went over and made to open the window. That is, until she heard a loud hiss come from the outside and an achingly familiar voice whispering a rude profanity echo from outside followed by, "Ow! That smarts! What's this glass made of anyway??"

And then Hinata's heart gave a thunderous leap at hearing his voice after so long. She reached over the window ledge with shaking fingers, then slid it up, just in time to see a large, pale hand fisted to knock on the window one more time in front of her. Its owner stopped and lowered it, just to see the person who opened the window clearly. At that, pitch black eyes widened in recognition as lavender-tinted opalescent eyes stared back at him in equal surprise. The stare-off lasted for a mere second until, to her utter surprise, it was he who launched himself at her in a fierce embrace that stole her breath away and tears to prick gently at her eyes and cloud her vision. As he enclosed her in his strong and warm arms, she fell back from his weight and landed on the floor. She felt the sting of the wooden floor beneath her back but she didn't care for at that moment she returned the embrace just as fiercely and buried her face into his broad chest and shielded herself from the world that forced her into this lonely prison that life could bestow upon her. As his grip on her tightened, she let go of her pent up tears and just cried, cried until she could tear no more.

As she sobbed and cried, Sasuke closed her entirely into his warmth and kissed her gently upon her brow and wiped at her tears. Such tenderness was unlike him. But for her, he'll gladly show it to the world. "Shh…" He crooned into her delicate ears as he hugged her body tightly against his until no more room was left and they were as close to each other as they have longed for.

She shifted underneath him and looked up at him suddenly with soulful eyes that were brimming with emotion. He looked back, with his own eyes that were clouded by stormy emotions. In the barest whisper, she murmured his name. "Sasuke…" And just like that, he captured her lips into a searing kiss that overwhelmed the both of them. The pent up wanting and longing that built up for such a long time overflowed through the intimate gesture and they just didn't have the heart to part. After all, parting after just realizing of their love for each other was the worst thing to do. And so they kissed, cherishing and savoring the moment while it lasted.

After a while, he tore his hot mouth away from her own and they took the time to regain their breath. As their eyes sought each other, she brought her hands up and pulled him closer again in a bold move as she kissed him again fiercely. He moaned into her soft mouth and ran his hands over her curvy body and fisted them into her silky hair. Her breaths were labored as she moved her lips against his sensuously and caressed his face lovingly.

When they finally stopped, they looked at each other's eyes deeply. Sasuke exhaled softly and then heard Hinata giggle from underneath him. He looked down at her and after looking at her eyes shining with laughter, he felt himself smiling in relief at seeing her smile and be happy for once after so long and pining for her. He held her closer as he smiled against her soft skin. "Hinata, it's good to see you smile…"

He pressed his nose further into her fragrance. "There is no way in hell that you'll ever know how I felt waiting for you like this. Even if you told me to stay away, I could never and I'm as sure as hell that I won't. Being away from you made much more damage than I would have thought. Don't ever do that again…" It wasn't the most heartfelt and romantic thing he could muster and you probably wouldn't get anything else aside from that even if you tried but he tried his best and the woman before him did not love him for the words of sweet poetry he could spout or the beguiling persuasions he could murmur to her day in and day out. No, she loved him for what he was and what he felt for her, regardless of his past or lack of romance.

He would have thought that she'd react in a relieved and loving expression, give a joyful shout at his determination or even his lame words. However, he did not expect her to freeze all too suddenly, to quiver fearfully in his arms, and then bury herself into his chest. He made to move and see what was wrong with her but then stopped when he felt dampness on his shirt and heard her whimpering cries of sorrow. His eyes widened with alarm and confusion. She's crying?? W-Why…?

"What's the matter? Why are you crying again?" he asked bewilderedly. He saw tears continuously streaming down her soft face and he looked on in stupefied silence when he her mutter faintly, in a broken hollow voice. "Don't… don't say such things. You make things harder. For me…for your sake…I-I…" And she sat up, distancing herself from him. But before she got any distance between them, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her back again against him and hissed angrily. "Don't say things about hurt like I don't know what it feels. I know what it feels, to let go of someone even if it hurts like hell. Don't lecture me on that, I hate it. But the thing that I hate the most is that you're beating yourself up because you're hurting me. That's just bullshit, I would never get hurt, you know that. But the blow you dealt me was just too much. I can face hell and can go mano-a-mano with death itself, but when you left me I was at a loss of what should I do. You left a wound that hurts a million times over than any mortal wound I could ever have and made it where it hurts the most, my damn heart. So don't do it ever again, don't push me away just for my sake."

Hinata let out a slow and shaky exhale and tightened her hold on him. "I'm so sorry, it's just that. This has been too much on me; I'm not strong enough to cope with this-this pain…I'm not like you, strong and has an iron will and drive. I'm still weak-"

Sasuke, however cut her off and he held her closer. "Shut up, don't degrade yourself. You are strong, don't forget that. Go through with this, I know you can…"

Hinata looked up morosely and a few tears leaked out of her wide eyes. "But if I did…what about you…? I don't want to leave you behind, I don't want another man to take your place!" Sasuke froze from her statement, letting the gravity of her words sink in. What would he do if she really do if she really went out of his life? It would bring forth a multitude of problems and despairs if she chose to take the path her family chose for her. If she disobeyed them she'd be in danger; while if she ignored her feelings, she'll end up being miserable all her life. And besides, he can't bear the thought of her with another man.

This is clearly not a win-win situation.

Hinata clutched at his shirt and then sighed, her eyes dropping sorrowfully. She gently raised her dainty hand up and brushed her soft fingertips over his jaw and cheeks. His attention snapped down to her and noticed immediately the hooded and cloudy feel to her eyes. Like the ominous clouds before a storm. He gulped, he hoped that it wasn't so.

She looked up to him and tried to smile bravely, then she tilted her chin up and captured his lips in a soft and sensual kiss that made Sasuke's mind swirl and his thoughts lead to one word: goodbye. His heart thumped and he thought with all his might. Please don't let it be goodbye all over again! Please!

"Hinata…you-"

She pressed her finger on his lips gently and looked at him meaningfully, though sadness was evident in them. "Sasuke…" She murmured softly and looked him in the eye with intensity. Then she smiled crookedly, trying hard not to cry. "The way you look right now gives me the idea that you nothing about how to solve our predicament, isn't that right Sasuke?" Sasuke looked at her blankly, like all the sanity in the world had gone out the window because she was joking at a time like this. At this she giggled harder and she doubled over in laughter, albeit the bitterness in her heart.

He snapped out of it and glared at her slightly and asked, rather irked at her nerve to laugh at him like that. "What's so funny, eh Hinata?" He eyed her skeptically and let out a growl when she laughed even harder. He was about to reprimand her again until she crushed her lips to his in one swift movement and proceeded to show him her love for him. And that was all it takes for his anger to abate and his breath to leave him in an instant as the feel of her lips and the steady rhythm of both their heartbeats filled him. He immediately started to respond with more than his usual intensity. Yeah, her love is really worth fighting for, he thought hazily as he pressed her further against him and deepened the kiss, sighing into her mouth.

Staring at a blank wall was not something anyone would enjoy, nor eyeing tons of documents and paperwork while annoyingly tapping away with a pen with an equally annoying spastic behavior. This was not a good thing for Hyuuga Hiashi, who was a disciplinarian and strict dictator over his domain and did not favor the chaos that ruled any other fool out there. Neither did he enjoy the unlikely behavior that was currently taking over him. I have a bad feeling about this…

He suddenly stood up and walked over to his office door. Sliding the door slightly and stepping out, he threw an order to the Hyuuga branch house standing guard by his door. "I'll be taking a short walk for a while. Make sure no one goes in and nothing is out of order, you understand?" The Hyuuga responded with a nod. "Yes, Hiashi-sama."

Hinata's situation is unsettling. Hiashi thought critically as he thought of the past month and what his eldest daughter put them all through with all the drama she made about her marrying a nobleman from another country. It had driven all of them up the wall for the past month. He huffed angrily. What was my daughter crying about?! She's of legal marrying age and her union to such an esteemed and clearly worthy and accomplished man from a prestigious clan would be an object of honor and envy by others? What does she want? Love? Such a foolish child! Heaven and earth, at times like this no one can afford to love , at least not to a Hyuuga heiress!

As he passed by rows and rows of doors and tread on endless corridors of tatami, he can't help but think of how Hinata had cried and struggled against her fate. She didn't dare show it to them, the other Hyuugas, but it was evident, speculated outside her walls of secrecy. Yes, she has rebelled at first and was punished greatly for her impudence (proven by the lashing bruises on her porcelain skin, hidden by the layers of her fine silk kimonos) but she stopped, to everyone's shock and wonder. It was a terrible ordeal, the whole thing was. everybody knew that Hinata fought a battle against her fate, and deep in their hearts they wished that she will emerge victorious, having set herself free from a sad future. But, she never did and everyone's disappointment and disdain left her crumpled and heaped, exposed to the world's derision and the humiliation of harboring such shameful caprice. And that led to her further shattering, for she was such a frail and fragile thing and any further damage may break her completely.

And to top things off, Hiashi was ashamed of what his eldest daughter has become. So weak, so worthless, so…broken… His eyes softened a bit as he remembered the rivers of tears Hinata shed when she was presented with the inescapable proposition of being married off to another man since they had clearly known that she was in love with another. Uchiha Sasuke, in fact, the traitor and murderer. Hiashi's eyes hardened at the thought of his name, which was mud on any Hyuuga's lips. He was the reason Hinata defies them, steps out of borders and challenges those who have the power to cage her and snap her fragile wings and prevent her from ever taking flight again. He couldn't believe it, but she did show strength in standing up for her love, for that son-of-a-bitch nonetheless. Hiashi clenched his fist angrily, his face stiff with anger. I had to hurt my daughter because of that no good piece of shit! I had to see Hinata in tears and in pain because he had to present his love to her. I had to stain my hands with Hinata's blood because I had to deprive her of her happiness!

His hands shook and he hung his head as a sharp intake of breath echoed through the empty halls. A few drops of moisture fell and kissed the hardwood floor. What has he done…

Footsteps echoed nearer toward the hunched figure standing in the middle of the hallway. "Hiashi-sama?" It was an elder and a few guards. Hiashi faced them, a haunting and frighteningly empty look on his face. For a moment, the newcomers felt a frightful feeling dump in their gut. What was the Hyuuga Lord thinking this very moment?

"What is your purpose with me? I asked for time away from my duties, didn't the guard tell you?" He gazed at them impatiently and they buckled over and nearly skipped heartbeats at such a hateful look that Hiashi-sama was directing at them. They gulped and the elder was the only one who had enough courage to face Hiashi. "Hiashi-sama, the young nobleman, Touma Kyouhei, who is engaged to Hinata-sama, sent a message that he'll be traveling all the way from the Snow Country to meet us and Hinata-sama the day after tomorrow. We came to tell you, and to inform Hinata-sama of this important event. After all, this is her future husband she'll be meeting."

"I know that." Hiashi said curtly, sharply as he eyed them coldly. "Send a messenger to the staff to prepare for his arrival. I'll personally see to it that Hinata knows of Touma-san's arrival and ensure her…enthusiasm to meet the suitable spouse." Then he dismissed those who have to plan the meeting and went to Hinata's quarters with the elder and two Hyuuga main house members.

However, when they got to her door and slid it open, it was an understatement to say that they were shock with what greeted their eyes. Hinata was trapped in a heated embrace and locked in a fierce kiss with none other than Uchiha Sasuke. All rational and understanding thought fled Hiashi's mind and he was filled with unparalleled and ill-concealed anger as he himself yanked Sasuke from his daughter and held him up the wall with obvious threat in his hard, opalescent eyes.

"Filth, how dare you touch a Hyuuga?! Hinata?! Of all the Hyuugas and you had to touch her and ruin her life and her future?!" He growled and for a moment he seemed to want, with all his power, to blow a hole right through Sasuke's body with the feared Hyuuga techniques. Oh how he wanted this screwed up piece of crap shit asshole to suffer.

"Sasuke!" Hinata tried to run over to her lover but she was quickly held back by another Hyuuga and was barred from moving any further by the Hyuuga elder, determined to keep her out of the conflict. But Hinata struggled, activating her byakugan, she pressed her palms on the unaware victim's abdomen, disrupting the chakra channels and causing the chakra system to go haywire, sending the man keeling over with pain and swears. But before Hinata moved, the Hyuuga elder pressed his two fingers upon a vital and nearly fatal point on her neck and caused her to freeze, her expression horrified before she collapsed in a weak heap, her breathing stopping and her body systems to shut down agonizingly.

At this Sasuke bolted from Hiashi's grasp but he kept his grip firm and all Sasuke could do was shout her name. "Hinata!!" It was a horrifying thing to behold, seeing her go weak and seemingly dying slowly. He can't lose her!!

Hiashi, too, was frozen and he yelled in outrage. "What have you done to my daughter??" She was slowly slipping off into consciousness and she was shutting down, giving up. "Get her out of here now!!"

The elder carried Hinata out quickly, fearing for the girl's life. When they were out, Hiashi glared at Sasuke hatefully. "Get out of here! Stay away from her! This is all your fault."

Sasuke was emotionless, but he sported a cold frigidity to him as he stared right back at Hiashi. "I won't. And it's not my fault." And then with a puff of smoke, he was gone.

Hiashi nearly broke down when the gravity of the situation hit him in full force. What has he done?

Okay, it's long. I enjoyed making Hiashi swear, kept reading American Gods for the really good ones. Anyway, notice the guy Hinata is supposed to marry? He's from Midnight Secretary, I borrowed him since I fell in love with his suave character. If you wanna know what he looks like, read Midnight Secretary and see for yourself.

Ingat!!