Hinata and Sasuke arrived in front of the doors of the lair, the Uchiha went inside first. The Hyuga was about to step in but an envelope gingerly fell from above.
Curious, she knelt down, picking it up. She was about to rip it open until arms wrapped around her body.
"Hinata!" The familiar voice of the redhead rang in her ears. "I missed you!"
"Karin." She breathed out, squeezing the woman in front of her, a smile on her lips.
"Let's go inside, I have something for you." Karin pulled her hands, leading her inside, making their way to the kitchen. She pushed the Hyuga to sit under the low table.
Hinata stared at her, confused. Karin grinned at her, revealing a plate full of cinnamon rolls.
The Hyuga closed her eyes, sighing in delight, her voice shaky, her tears threatening to fall. "Arigatou, Karin."
"Hey, don't cry on me! Eat up, Hina." The Uzumaki winked, placing the plate in front of the blunette. Karin left Hinata, coming back with tea in her hands.
The night fell and the girls caught up with their lives, the Uzumaki cracking jokes here and there.
Hinata came back to her room, leaving the envelope on the side of her bed, she dropped herself on the bed. A smile crept on her lips, it was comforting to see Karin once again.
The Hyuga woke in the middle of the night, feeling startled by her dreams. She forgot what it was, but it disturbed her. She stood up, walking out of her room, a shadow of a man surprised her.
He turned around, his eyes meeting hers. "Why are you up."
"I-I woke up from a dream." She explained, poking her fingers. "What about you?"
"Come with me." He opened the doors, walking outside his lair and onto the open night. Hinata followed him, embracing herself. The cold traveling down her body, it was only the start of summer.
Sasuke hiked a hill, sitting on top of it, waiting for Hinata.
She eventually caught up, sitting half a meter away from him, blowing air onto her palms, heating them.
"What did you dream about?" The man's voice holding a sense of sincerity. The woman shrugged, trying to recall her dreams.
"I'm not sure, but I was scared."
The Uchiha nodded, sighing.
"Why were you up, Sasuke?" She questioned, her sight resting on the man's form. Silence fell between them.
"I don't usually sleep, Hinata, I have only had my peace of mind these past few weeks." He answered, staring at the moon.
The Hyuga nodded, understanding. "The m-moon, if I'm not wrong, I think it has gotten bigger."
Sasuke stayed silent.
The cold breeze embracing them, she shivered, but her eyes stayed on the Uchiha, his eyes focused on something, as if he were thinking of something.
"Sasuke, what's on your mind?" The Hyuga asked, trying to get him to talk.
"Hinata," He mumbled, blinking his eyes closed, his head still raised. "If you had done something to protect your little sister, almost risking your life for her. If she hated you all her years, would you still forgive her? Even if she acknowledged what you have done at the very last minute?"
She gasped quietly, her heart hurting for the man.
The Hyuga moved closer to him, covering his hand with hers.
"What a silly question, Sasuke." His eyes shot open, ready to tell her off. She then caressed his hands. "Of course. We will understand and protect our younger siblings, we'll be willing risk our lives for them, just so their futures can be beautiful. We were meant to surpassed, so we can guide them. That's what big brothers and big sisters do."
It was the first time.
The first time he let someone see his tears.
Hinata pulled him into a hug, his tears staining her shoulders, her hands soothing his back. "Sasuke, your big brother loves you, don't ever doubt that."
He continued letting his tears fall, the woman pressing her lips on his forehead.
It has been a while since the Uchiha had been held like this.
The Hyuga came back from a bath, wrapped in her dropped her towel, staring at her naked reflection.
She turned around briefly, looking over her shoulder.
Something felt different.
Her back, untainted and clear.
Clear from loyalty.
Her eyes started tearing up, she knew the jutsu of the former Hokage didn't work.
"H-How-"
Recalling everything, every point in the past months where someone touched her back.
Only the Uchiha and...
The old woman from the woods.
A gasp came out of her lips, a hand on her mouth, a tear crawled down her cheeks, a smile on her lips.
She was free from the seal.
She slipped her clothes on, taking Sasuke's shirt from the table, the swift motion accidentally hit the envelope, causing it to fall.
She had forgotten about it. She knelt, picking it up, ripping the top off, she read.
A horrified expression on her face.
The shirt met the floor.