AN - Hi :) :) Thank you to everyone that reviewed last chapter! You're all amazing 3 I've been sciencing so hard this week so thank god it's the weekend :P
Trigger Warning: Child abuse (verbal and physical)
[I haven't used trigger warnings before but since I want to use more difficult topics in this story I feel that I should to an extent. Please let me know if you think a chapter should have a specific warning or if I'm not using them correctly.]
Reminder:
Precipice ~ Hinata: 13, Kakashi: 23
Eclectic Love ~ Hinata: 18, Kakashi: 28
Precipice — Chapter Fourteen
Kakashi leaned beside the door that led to Hinata's room. The hospital floor had cleared by order of the Hokage, only personnel hurried about. No trace remained of that masked intruder; every inch of the village had been checked, any potential witnesses questioned. If Hinata was correct, and the man used a space-time ninjutsu like his old sensei, then he could have entered the village without tripping the barrier. There was no saying how many times he had done so before.
To his surprise the Hokage hadn't pushed Hinata in her vague replies, stating after that he trusted her judgement and would give her time to process. He trusted her too, but…
The look in her eyes when he entered, that man hanging over her, it was as if her entire world had come crashing down. Hinata was strong willed and very stubborn in spite of her age. For her to be so affected by someone's words, it didn't sit well.
"Kakashi-sensei!"
Pulled from his mussing, Kakashi rolled his head to watch his students sprint towards him.
"How's Hinata-chan doing?" Sakura asked, out of breath.
Kakashi inspected each of his students, seeing their obvious curiosity riddled with concern. "Why don't you go ask her?"
Naruto and Sakura perked, even Sasuke stood a little straighter.
Naruto elbowed his teammates out of his way as he burst through the door. "Hinata-chan! How are you feeling?!" He rushed to the bed and slid to a stop. "Hehe, sorry," he mumbled when he noticed Hinata's cold stare. "How are you feeling?" He asked, no longer shaking the room with his trumpeting voice.
Kakashi scratched the back of his head, rethinking his offer. He decided to wait in the doorway, throwing the occasional glance at a nosy nurse or doctor trying to peer in.
Hinata pulled her eyes away from Naruto's eccentric blue. "Good, thank you."
"Who was that guy?!" Naruto's excitement jumped back up. "Did you-"
"Naruto," Kakashi warned.
"Huh?" Naruto twisted his head around to see his sensei.
Kakashi sighed. "No questions like that."
Naruto's head fell to the side, his mouth parting in a look of confusion.
Sakura leaned closer to whisper in Naruto's ear, "It must be a village secret or something."
Naruto's eyes widened. "That's so cool! Wow, Hinata-chan. You must be so awesome!"
Hinata remained unchanging, staring down at her lap.
Naruto hummed in thought as he looked around the room for inspiration, his lips pressed tightly together. His head shot straight, "How were you injured? Is there gonna be a scar like Kakashi-sensei? That would be so cool."
Hinata peeked up at Naruto, catching his wide, hopeful eyes that beamed with unrestrained fascination. She exhaled a silent sigh. "A kunai. It went through me, my ribs. Punctured my lung."
Sakura's face scrunched in disgust. Her hands went to cover the area on herself, clenching the fabric of her shirt.
"Wow," Naruto awed. "We just got back from a mission too!" He jumped straight into his own tale, not to be outdone. "It was so awesome. We got to see Kakashi-sensei use his Shara-something. But before then he got caught in this giant water bubble. He told us to run and take old man Tazuna. You should have seen it! Me and Teme distracted this super strong guy named Zabuza and Kakashi-sensei finished him off."
Hinata's eyes had widened almost imperceptibly, the heartbeat monitor hopping in its pace. She quickly pieced together the severity of their situation. 'He could have died,' her mind whispered.
'I will bring this world to where it should be… Away from pointless death.'
"Nar-" Kakashi began only to be interrupted with Naruto's booming voice.
"AND! There was this girl that looked like a guy—wait. No. It was a guy that looked like a girl and he did this thing with ice and he shot needles! I got really scared at one point because Teme's heart stopped, ya know. BUT it was only a trick and the guy didn't mean to hurt Teme!" Naruto sucked in his lost breath.
'Do not allow your teammates sacrifices—and all those before them—to be in vain.'
"Naruto," Kakashi's voice held an unusual bite.
"Huh?" Naruto gave the same dopey look from before.
Kakashi massaged the bridge of his nose, regretting his decision to let his students—mainly one of his students—in to see Hinata. He glanced at Hinata and noticed her vacant eyes. The beeping in the room managed to stay steady, but it had picked up its pace by a fraction.
"Let's give Hinata some time to rest," Kakashi said while stepping to the side and motioning his team to exit.
Naruto pouted, but one look from his sensei sent him out the door.
"Hope you feel better soon, Hinata-chan," Sakura whispered before shuffling out.
Sasuke didn't say anything as he exited the still room.
Watching his students bickering as they made it further down the hall, Kakashi thought over what to say.
"I'm glad you're okay."
Hinata's whispered words silenced his thoughts.
Without his consent his cheeks dusted pink. He smiled awkwardly, scratching the side of his jaw. "Naruto made it sound worse than it was," he fibbed through a forced chuckle. "Worry about getting yourself better."
Hinata knew he was trying to make her feel better, so she stayed quiet. A moment later she heard the door click shut, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
"You idiot, Naruto!"
Sasuke cringed at Sakura's scolding screech. His ears rung and he almost pitted his idiot teammate. Almost. He agreed with Sakura for once. It was obvious Hinata would be upset over hearing how close they came to death.
He turned his head to watch as Sakura marched away from them down a connecting hall.
"Aww, man," Naruto whined. "What did I do?"
Sasuke sighed. Noticing his sensei slugging towards them, he narrowed his eyes as he noticed a bit of pink on his cheeks. Pressing his lips together, he looked away.
"I have to go check in with the Hokage," Kakashi informed, ignoring his missing student.
Sasuke gave a nod.
"Take tomorrow off." Seeing Naruto about to complain, Kakashi added, "This isn't an option. I'll have work to do. You guys can train together if you want."
Naruto shrunk, but gave in with a forced nod.
"Don't get into trouble," Kakashi reminded before teleporting away.
Naruto blew a raspberry. He shifted on his feet, his body twisting in every which way as he tried to remember what they were talking about. He rubbed the back of his head, scratching an itch. "What did I do this time?"
Sasuke glanced at Naruto. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. "Hinata was healing. You upset her when you said we almost died."
Naruto's mouth went slack, his brows drawing together as he tried to put everything together. It took a few moments before his eyes widened in realization. He smacked his forehead, "I'm such an idiot."
Sasuke huffed at the understatement. He peeked an eye open as he heard Naruto walking away. "What are you doing?"
"I'm gonna go to that gift shop on the first floor. I'll get Hinata-chan something to say I'm sorry. Girls like that stuff."
Both of Sasuke's eyes opened. He pushed off the wall to follow. "You should go talk to Sakura."
"Huh? Why?" Naruto continued to his destination. "She'll just hit me or something," he mumbled the end.
"I don't want to have to deal with it once we start training again," Sasuke grumbled. "Do you want to see Sakura with a grudge?"
Naruto's face paled. "You're right." His stomach flopped imagining the bruises. "I gotta go," he hurried his words and darted out of sight. "Sakura-chan! Wait!"
"Dobe," Sasuke muttered. He shook his head with a smirk.
Hinata stared out the window. With the sun beginning its early decent the moon already decorated the sky against the backdrop of orange, red, and blue. Clouds began to sneak in from the west, crawling over the horizon.
It was silent. Hinata knew that would not last long. That feeling along her back, the chill down her spine, warned her of looming danger. Perhaps she was being paranoid. It would be understandable. She hoped she was being paranoid.
She waited. Focusing on her chakra. Using it to wake her muscles by any amount.
The handle twisted.
The door pushed open.
She didn't deign the visitor a glance, recognizing his chakra when he reached her floor.
"Have you finally decided to stop this imprudence?"
Hinata kept her eyes forward. She felt his blank disposition morph into a scowl through the pressure of his glare alone.
His steps were light as they padded across the ground to stop in front of Hinata's bed.
Forcing himself in her line of vision, Hinata met Hiraku's bland eyes.
"I expect a response when I ask a question."
Hinata waited. Emotionally exhausted from her day, she wasn't in the mood to deal with the Hyūga. He no longer elicited fear. She stood tall against Danzo; taking every challenge he threw at her. She fought against that masked stranger. This excuse of a man was nothing.
"I had assumed it was rhetorical," Hinata deadpanned.
Hiraku narrowed his eyes.
"It is more common sense than imprudence when in reference to the Hyūga," Hinata countered calmly.
Hiraku kept his gaze on Hinata as he waltzed closer to stand at her bedside. "Common sense?"
Hinata refused to explain herself as she waited for him to continue.
His lips pressed together and Hinata refrained from scoffing a laugh.
The amused feeling vanished, however, as she watched his expression darken in a familiar manner.
He leaned forward, his hands clasped behind his back. "I will enjoy breaking you of this stubbornness. Subservient as a woman should."
"Try," Hinata responded glaring at the Hyūga. "I will never fear someone of your calibre again. Compared to the men I have encountered, you are nothing."
Smack!
Hinata's ears rung as her head flung to the side, a red handprint staining her pale skin. Her cheek stung, the entire right side of her face prickled from the back of his hand. She clicked her jaw against the pain.
"Do not go parading yourself to every man that spares you a glance," Hiraku glared down at Hinata. "Salvage some of your worth. I will not have a whore as a wife."
Hinata rolled her head to meet his vile eyes, the shock of his slap waking the muscles slightly. Her cheek already felt puffy, the side of her lip jutting. She spoke clearly despite the rhythmic pulsing in her head. "You are poor in your skills of manipulation," her tone remained bland. "I have never had more incentive to become a whore." She spat the foul word, not wanting it to linger on her tongue any longer than it must.
Hiraku's icy facade cracked, his chakra flowing erratically. His face contorted in anger, an ugly vein pulsing in his forehead through his thin skin.
Hinata eyed the twenty year old man with distaste. She didn't know her father promised her to him at adulthood and she chided herself for not realizing it sooner. It was moot, all of the men would be the same. She knew what needed to be done if she wished to be separated fully from the Hyūga; the Hokage had helped her when sending her to retrieve that scroll, even though he should not have.
Hiraku exhaled a shaky breath to rein in his emotions. "Enjoy this act for as long as you can," he said stiffly.
Turning, his long brittle hair flipping behind him, he finally left the room to Hinata's relief.
"Are you going to come in?" Hinata asked after Hiraku's grating presence dissipated against her senses.
The sliding window swished open and Sasuke jumped into the room. He closed it behind him, his eyes remaining on Hinata's swollen cheek. "The hall was closed off," Sasuke explained.
Hinata nodded.
Both stared, each lost in their own thoughts.
Sasuke acted first. He moved towards her, his crisp shorts ruffling with each step. In front of her, he paused, hesitant, before looking away with tinge of colour to his cheeks as he placed something on her lap. He immediately turned and walked away.
Hinata stared at the palm-sized plush rabbit on her lap. With brown and white fur it stared up at her with glossy brown eyes. Its floppy ears hung, their centres a baby pink. A black collar wrapped around its neck, 'Get well soon' swirling in cursive on the attached tag. Hinata's mouth parted and then shut. Her attention shifted to Sasuke as she heard a tap run. The pounding of water quieted as something was placed underneath its stream before it shut off completely.
Sasuke returned to her side, a wrung out washcloth in hand. Determined, he ignored her inquisitive stare.
Hinata flinched as she felt the cold towel press to her cheek. It pulled away before coming back, this time the touch feather-light. Hinata's brows scrunched in confusion. "Are you feeling okay?"
Sasuke actually chuckled. "I should be asking you that."
Hinata's brows furrowed together.
Sasuke straightened, his hand falling to his side. He stared at a spot above Hinata. "Do you want ice?"
"I'm alright."
"Hn," Sasuke huffed sitting down in a chair he pulled over.
Deciding not to fixate on Sasuke's rare act of kindness, Hinata met eyes with the bunny. 'It's really cute,' Hinata admitted, trying to keep a neutral expression. Her lips pressed together. She wanted to touch it. She wanted to know if the faux fur was as soft as it looked. She went to do just that only to give a disgruntled sigh when her arm still refused to move.
The simple reminder brought her back to the reality of her situation.
"You're arranged to marry that Hyūga?"
Hinata's eyes flickered at the prospect. "I will never," she all but growled.
Sasuke smirked.
"What's so funny, Uchiha-san?" Hinata bit out, her blood boiling in remembrance of that brazen excuse of a shinobi.
Sasuke didn't back down. "You get angry easily when you're tired." Seeing Hinata about to retort, he added, "It's good to know." His smirk persisted.
Hinata's jaw snapped shut as she glared at Sasuke.
"Get some sleep," Sasuke ordered, leaning into his seat with crossed arms.
Hinata continued to stare with fiery eyes, a contrast to their usual cool.
"If I'm here that Hyūga shouldn't come back."
Hinata kept her demeanour, but thought through his words. Hiraku wouldn't make a scene in front of another; the Hyūga had an image to maintain. She drew her eyes up and down, inspecting the Uchiha for any deceit, for any ulterior motives.
Seeing Hinata's unease Sasuke wanted to sigh. Why couldn't she just trust him? He closed his eyes, remembering a moment with his mother. A promise he'd made. "He hurt you when you couldn't defend yourself. He see's you as his and still lifted a hand to you. An Uchiha doesn't hit a defenceless woman. An Uchiha doesn't hit his woman."
Hinata wanted to retort, but something in his tone, something in the those deep black eyes told her not to. Something told her those words were tied to something greater and she knew better than to awaken someone's old demons. So, instead Hinata pressed her lips together and brought her attention to the space in front of her.
"Besides," Sasuke continued deviously, "you have to get better so we can have a rematch."
AN - Thank you for reading :) Let me know what you thought in a review (I live off of attention lol) Oh and I made a poll on my profile to find out your favourite Hinata ship. Curious to see where you guys stand ;)