Thanks for the reviews guys…If I could all give you hugs! Those encouragements! It makes me want to write and write and write… (Even though I still have errors when it comes to past tense, present tense, blah, blah, blah). The Uchiha's bride is my first ever fan fiction story and I am so happy with the way the readers like it…lol…I'm gonna cry.
Okay…enough with the drama…since this chapter is drama filled already.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
-o-o-o-
Chapter Nine: Deceived (Part two)
(f) "I don't know what's the matter with Sasuke...he sure is acting strange. Can you talk to him? Because if not…I'm going to give him a piece of my mind Naruto." Sakura scanned the files that were on her desk. Looking back at Naruto, she caught him playing with Shizune's pig. The small animal was placed under her care temporarily as the medic nin was on a mission that requires no animals. The pink haired kunoichi scowled, picking up a small pencil holder, she targeted Naruto's head then threw it.
Without looking, Naruto caught it with his hand—that one that was not patting the pig.
"You are not listening damnit!" The Haruno yelled, annoyed that her boyfriend was not paying any attention. It seems like the pig was more interesting on what she was saying.
Letting the pig go to hide under the desk, Naruto grinned. "I am listening Sakura-chan…It's just that Lady Tsunade's pet pig is so cute…I could just imagine the taste of pork on ramen."
Under the desk, the pig squeaked in protest.
"Don't let Tsunade-sama hear you say that. She's going to kill you. Jeez…Naruto." Sakura rolled her eyes. Leave it to her boyfriend to cuddle the creature while thinking how tasty it would be as a side dish on his favorite ramen. "Could you talk to him?"
"The pig? I thought Tonton was a girl."
"I'm talking about Sasuke baka."
Naruto comically slap his forehead. "Oh…yeah…right."
Picking up a pen, Sakura began to scribble some notes. "He is acting weird…I saw him yesterday, and he did not even gave me a passing nod."
The Uzumaki shrugged. "That's Sasuke being Sasuke…As if you don't know him."
"No…not this time. It's different…weirdly different."
"Why?"
"Hinata-chan's with me." (f)
-o-
Hinata woke up earlier than her usual waking up routine here in Suna. The Hyuuga was already on her Shinobi clothes and was walking on the sand made corridor all by herself. Passing Suna nins would give her a passing nod or a smile when she walked by them, though a little curious why they were seeing her earlier than usual.
She knew Temari and Kankuro could not practice with her this early since the two siblings were doing patrol duty. They already informed her about it the other day, and there was no need for the heiress to wake up so early since to train them in barrier strengthening was the only thing that was needed to be done.
But for today…she has other plans.
As she passed by an open window, she poked her head and noticed that the sky was tinted with red and orange while some of the clouds are still dark.
It was a beautiful picture of dawn.
Breathing the still cold air, and enjoying it while it was still cool and sand-free, Hinata continued her stride until she reached a big door that was guarded by two Suna Shinobi guards. Nodding at them in greeting, Hinata asked politely. "Is the Kazekage inside his office?" She gestured at the large door. From what she heard, it seems like the Kazekage was a very early riser.
One of the guards nodded. "Hai Hyuuga-san. Gaara-sama just arrived a while ago."
"I wanted to see him…if that is not of great disturbance." Hinata requested politely. "He is not talking to anyone right now is he?"
"It's just him." One of the guards asked her to wait for a few seconds and enters the kage's office. Seconds later, he emerged and informed Hinata that she could come in. "Gaara-sama says you can come in."
Giving a soft smile for gratitude, Hinata stepped inside the office when they opened the door for her.
Inside, she saw the young kazekage standing by the small window, looking outside with his usually expressionless face.
She bowed. "Ohayo Gaara-san."
"Hn." Gaara slowly removed his gaze from the view outside. Looking at the girl, he gestured for her to sit. "Ohayo…Hyuuga-san."
Hinata did not accept the offer, but shyly pulled something out of her vest pocket. "I came here to return something to you."
It was his scarf.
Gaara's face did not show anything to tell the heiress if he was offended or glad. She bowed low again, knowing that it was considered as a bad manner when you return someone's gift. She really doesn't want to be on the Kage's bad side but she has no choice, she knew that if she won't return the scarf, guilt would eat her from the inside.
And her inside was already dying as it was.
"I gave that to you." He said, his voice never betraying a single emotion.
"I know…but...I could not accept such a priceless gift. I just found out last night that this belongs to your mother…things as precious as this should not be given away." Hinata hoped that her explanation was enough.
The heavily lidded kage took a few steps towards her, his eyes on the scarf then drifted to Hinata's blue hair. He took the scarf from her outreach hand and looked at it fondly. Hinata then straightened herself and waited for Gaara's reply.
"I did not give this to you because I don't consider this object a precious thing." He told her.
"But—"
"I want you to keep it." Putting the scarf back into her hand, Gaara's usually cold eyes turned soft for a second, making the heiress wonder if she was just imagining it. It was rare to see Gaara in such a way."It's because you reminded me of her."
She blinked. "Her?"
"My mother." The kage's hand reached to touch a lock of her hair. "Your hair…is the same color as her eyes."
-o-o-o-
(f) Sakura cannot believe what she was looking at.
A vial that looks identical with the others she has found on Jugo's pack, and it was half empty.
The Haruno was doing her personal investigation at the Uchiha house today. She knew it was none of her business but she just could not take her head off when she saw Hinata last night fleeing from the district, face tear strained and paper pale.
Her intention was to have a word with Sasuke, since he has been acting weird the past week. Ask him what his bloody problem was or give him a piece of her mind that she was not happy with the way he was treating Hinata.
Unfortunately, No one was home.
Well, that's what Sakura thought, until she accidentally bumped on Uzumaki Karin when she turned around to leave. It seems like Karin has the habit of hiding her chakra signature if no one is around.
That's' when she dropped something…and it rolled to Sakura's feet. Picking it up, the Haruno nin stared at it in stunned surprise, Her fingers on the tag that says: brainwashing. Well, looks like Karin lied to her that day when she took the vials to study them.
So the Uzumaki redhead picked one vial for herself that day huh…
Karin grabbed the vial away from Sakura's grasp, panic visible on her eyes. "That's mine." (f)
-o-
"Oh….that is a hard one." Kakashi Hatake dropped the small pocket-sized book that he was reading on his lap. "Hinata-chan's mission is an A-class…and Suna has not asked for any more Shinobi except for one…"
Naruto crossed his arms. "Come on sensei…you're the Hokage, sure you can do something…"
Beside the Jinchuriiki was Sasuke, looking grim and his aura was so dark that Kakashi was feeling more like being interrogated than being asked for his cooperation. He was happily reading his Icha-Icha paradise volume twenty-three when his two ex-students barged into his office, demanding that he gave them permission to go to Suna. Kakashi knew the matter about Karin Uzumaki's brainwashing spree and Sasuke's relationship with the heiress that he was actually expecting some kind of request like this would happen.
He was actually just dragging it out for fun…Sasuke-kun was so cute when he was pissed. Though he did not expect for Naruto to go with Sasuke on this trip…
"Don't you think Gaara-san would be a little surprise if I suddenly send two of my deadliest Shinobi to Suna?" He asked them again. "Especially when the mission only asks for one?"
"Then send him a messenger hawk or something." The Uzumaki said impatiently. "You know Gaara trusts me…he would never ever doubt me you know…"
"Perhaps…"
Sasuke knew it was time to say what was inside his mind. "With permission or not, Kakashi-sensei, you know that I would go nonetheless…and no Shinobi could stop me once I set foot outside the village." The words are cold and thick with threat. "But I prefer to have your consent if I could have it."
Shaking his head, the copy ninja let out a low chuckle. "So determined…I never thought our little Hinata-chan would have that impact on you." Rising up, Kakashi picked his beloved book and dropped it on the table unceremoniously. "The question is Sasuke…If I would be the one to stop you from leaving…what can you do?"
Silence filled the large office, and Naruto's jaw dropped at his sensei's uncalled statement. Sasuke, on the other hand, did not flinch. "Then I guess only one of us would live to tell the tale Kakashi-sensei."
Another low chuckle escaped from the Hokage's lips, this time, his uncovered eye wrinkled at the sides. "Ah…you're so cute." Reaching out to ruffle their hair with each hand, blonde and midnight black, Kakashi Hatake pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to the Uchiha. "How time flies…now it's a girl's affection that you are fighting for."
Naruto took a deep breath; Leave it to his former sensei to give them a shocker. Giving the older nin a thumbs up, the Uzumaki grinned. "I got to admit, you sound so cool sensei…just don't do that again. You're giving me a heart attack."
An hour later, Naruto and Sasuke parted ways, the Uzumaki with the intention to whip up his needed pack for the three-day travel while Sasuke was planning to settle something before leaving Konoha.
And that is to talk to Karin.
When Sasuke reached the building of the Interrogation force, one Anbu guard blocked his way. "What's your business?" It asked him, hands already holding a kunai while the other was holding him by the shoulder. Apparently, Sasuke was still a dangerous person for all Shinobi—and almost everyone has to be on their guard when he walks into places like the interrogation department.
"I wanted to see the Uzumaki prisoner." He told the Anbu, voice calm in an effort to assure the guard that he did not came there to cause havoc.
"Who gave you orders?"
"I did." A new female voice chimed in. When all heads looked at the direction of the speaker, Sasuke frowned while the rest of the Anbu guards lowered their weapons.
"Captain Yamanaka."
Ino smiled at the Anbu guards. "It's alright…Sasuke-kun is with me." Gesturing for him to follow, Ino walked inside the building first, then lead Sasuke into a dark narrow corridor. "So you wanted to see her?" Ino asked, her long blonde hair trailing behind her. "Hmm…don't worry, I kept my promise. No one will harm her on my watch…even though I would like to do it myself since she tricked us all…and gave the worst blow to Hina-chan."
"Arigatou Ino."
The beautiful Yamanaka stopped, then she looked back at the Uchiha, eyes twinkling and lips formed into a big smile. "Wow…that's the nicest thing you ever said to me since we were kids. Seems like Hinata-chan's politeness has rubbed on you eh?"
"Hn."
"Here we are." Ino stopped in front of a large metal door with a large Anbu insignia on the middle. Performing a few hand signs, she pressed her hands on the metal. There was a clicking sound, and the door swung open. "Please make it quick…Sasuke."
Sasuke stepped into the dark room. One small candle served as the only source of light, was placed on top of a small wooden desk on the farthest corner. Looking around, He saw Karin sitting on the floor, her head hidden between her knees, red hair unkempt and dull. Behind him, Ino closed the metal door and waited outside.
Karin raised her head when she heard him come in.
"Karin…"
"Sasuke…" She looked down, unable to meet him with her eyes. She was not wearing any spectacles, for it broke into two when Hinata punched her in the face. Pressing her hands together, she could feel herself shook with fear and sadness. "Have you come here to kill me?" Well, it's not as if he hasn't tried doing it before…
Sasuke kneeled beside her. "Believe me, It passed on my mind a lot these days…but no."
Karin raised her head up.
"I came to bring you this." He pulled something out of his pocket and gave it to her. She accepted with shaking fingers, her eyes squinting because half of what she was seeing was a blur.
It was her glasses.
"Y-you fixed it?"
"No. Suigetsu did."
Placing the glasses back to its usual place, Karin gathered the courage to look at the man she dearly loved. She knew that it was her fault—messing his new life and all—but she was hoping that he would find a place in his heart to forgive her…even thought what she has done was unforgivable. "You're intention was not just to bring me my glasses back…right Sasuke-kun?"
"You're right…because I am asking you to leave Konoha."
-o-
Hinata woke up with a jolt.
Breathing heavily, the heiress looked around her and realized that she was still inside her room in Suna. For a moment, Hinata thought that she was back in Konoha with Sasuke, and everything was back to the way it was when her ex-lover was not acting like an infatuated little kid to his bespectacled redhead.
A dream.
Shaking her head, Hinata pressed her temple with her forefinger to help stop the throbbing pain there. It looks like she was the one who was having nightmares now. Smiling sarcastically at herself, she reached above her head to pull the curtains away from the small opening that serves as her window and looked outside.
The moon was up and bright.
Wondering if Temari was outside at this time since it was still her patrol duty, Hinata wrapped the white scarf around her neck and put on a thick Suna standard jacket just to help her with the cold. She was going to check if the fan lady was on her usual spot on the terrace, since it looks like she stays there a lot.
She can't sleep anyway, not when her mind would only recall all the painful things that Sasuke has done to her. If she can't find Temari there, Hinata was planning on sitting the whole night out. She would stay on the terrace until morning arrives, even if it leaves her tired and sleepy. That way, she would be very exhausted until bedtime…
Exhaustion would help her sleep for the next night.
When Hinata reached the terrace, one look around the place made her back away.
It was Kankuro, and he was with a girl—a kunoichi by the looks of it.
And they were kissing.
Blushing, Hinata slowly retreated, thanking Kami that she has kept her chakra signature intact. It would have been very, very, embarrassing if they caught her staring when they were doing something so…so intimate. Good thing she was silent with her steps, and that she did not just barged in.
She would have been very, very—
"Oh!" Hinata gasped, realizing that she has bumped into something…or someone. It looks like she was not the only one who keeps her chakra signature hidden around here. Looking behind, her eyes widened in stunned surprise when she saw who it was.
Gaara.
"Kazekage…Gomenasai. " She apologized. She was so flustered that she was not able to detect his presence. Gaara's kage hat fell on the sandy floor and they both bend at the same time to pick it up. Hinata though, backed away after realizing how near her proud nose was on touching the Kazekage's face.
She swore she smelled his faint scent, and it was very…masculine.
"It's past midnight…aren't you suppose to be resting?" He asked after picking up his hat, his eyes landing on the white scarf around her neck. Unconsciously, Gaara noted how good she looked with it, especially when she was wearing the standard clothing of Suna.
The Hyuuga was all red in the face, and Gaara silently wondered if the girl was having a fever. He could feel the heat coming from her cheeks.
"Ano…I can't sleep so I wanted to take a stroll…how about you—oh." Hinata was about to asked the kage the same question when he suddenly placed one of his hand on her forehead, the other on her cheek.
"You have a fever?" He asked, trying to feel how warm she was. "You should see the medics again.'
Hinata shook her head.
"Then why are you so hot? And red?"
Remembering the scene on the terrace, Hinata managed a smile—even though she was still very much aware of the young kage's hand on her face. "No…Uhm…I'm fine. I just wanted to...take a walk."
"At past midnight?"
Hinata shrugged. "I'm already up…and I can't sleep. Might as well stroll around the village while the sand won't hurt my eyes…"
Dropping his hand on his sides, Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow. "You mind if I go with you?"
-o-
Karin was stunned, and then slow smile appeared on her face. "Believe me…I wanted to leave…But I am a prisoner now."
Sasuke pulled out a parchment from his pocket. "I have the Hokage's order with me. It would give you leave along with Suigetsu and Jugo…you can continue on your way like before."
"They are going to let me out that easy?"
"I asked them to."
Karin blinked. "W-why?"
"You save me a lot in the past." Putting the small folded paper on her hands, Sasuke raised Karin's chin and forced her to meet his gaze. "So now we're even."
-o-o-o-
Here ends the chapter.
Please guys…fuel me up! (I don't know…I think I'm having a writer's block…)
-crazygurl12
