Your Guardian Angel

Chapter 21: Change

"We are not trapped or locked up in these bones. No, no. We are free to change. And love changes us. And if we can love one another, we can break open the sky."―Walter Mosley

Kabuto's tests started small – a medical exam comparing her inactive chakra system to her active one, measurements of how far she could see, what kind of vision the Byakugan allowed her, things of that nature. As the days progressed, however, the tasks became more strenuous. Kabuto asked Hinata to push her sight further and further beyond her normal limits. See farther away, magnify even more. The stress on her system left Hinata drained, but she refused to back down like before.

"The Byakugan, along with the Sharingan and Rinnegan, is one of the three legendary dōjutsu's of this world, as I'm sure you already know," Kabuto began one day as Hinata followed him down through hallways she'd never navigated before. "One of its most defining features is the ability to see your opponents tenketsu." Hinata thought of the small points of blue light she'd always known were there but had struggled to see. Since the awakening of her new sight, however, those points were all as clear as day to her. Still, it didn't make sense that Kabuto would be talking about that now.

As they continued down several flights of steps, Hinata began to sense other presences not too far off. There were always minor disturbances around the compound, most of which the girl chose to ignore. She admittedly didn't want to spend too much time scouring Orochimaru's lair, afraid of what she might find if she looked too closely. When Kabuto finally stopped she felt someone else in the very near vicinity. "The Hyuuga have spent lifetimes developing and perfecting the Gentle Fist specifically to take advantage of this particular ability, and I'd like to see what you're capable of."

Hinata heard the screech of metal as a door swung open and the shuffle of feet from the other side of the bars. "What are you asking me to do, exactly?" she wondered, nerves building as the worst possibility began to dawn on her.

"Hit them. All of them. As quickly as possible."

Hinata suddenly felt sick to her stomach. "But that could –"

"He's disposable, Honami-chan. Just do it."

Kabuto's disregard for human life churned her stomach even harder. She activated her Byakugan and took a look at the man in front of her, wondering what he did to deserve this fate. He looked like he hadn't eaten in days and the fear on his face was almost pleading. "Kabuto-san, I'm not going to –"

"May I remind you, Honami-san," the man said, putting extra emphasis on her false name, "you are in the weaker position here. Honestly, we've been more than generous with you thus far. If we really want to study the Byakugan, we have other ways of going about it that don't involve you. So, you're either willing to do as I say, or we can dispose of you as well."

Hinata wanted to argue. She wanted to save this stranger, but she saw no way out. The underlying threat in Kabuto's assertion caused fear to bubble in her heart. It wasn't just her false identity hanging in the balance this time; now it was her life. She'd seen the damage Orochimaru could wreak and her throat caught as she envisioned Hanabi or any of her other family members, for that matter, stuck in this hellhole not as students but as test subjects. With a deep breath and a heavy heart she struck quick and true. Within sixty seconds the man dropped to the ground and Hinata dropped her Byakugan. She turned to the gray-haired man beside her, the one still standing, and without letting too much emotion into her voice she asked, "Satisfied?"

"Very," Kabuto responded. Without waiting to hear any more Hinata stalked off, feeling along the wall as her guide. She tried to close her ears off to the man's breathing as she walked away, unable to avoid hearing the ragged intake of air. She thought of all the organs shutting down in his body and her heart weighed heavy in her chest, her mouth tasted metallic. A memory surfaced and she saw her cousin's face as he lifted her sleeve to reveal red dots all along her arm, tasted blood as she remembered how close he came to taking it one step too far. The man wasn't even able to defend himself…

Hinata finally made her way back to her room and laid down on her bed, curling her knees to her chest and trying to choke back the anxiety and guilt that was welling up inside of her. Death was part of being a ninja, but she had never killed a man before, and certainly never imagined her first time would be someone who didn't even have the opportunity to fight back.

Hinata didn't know how long she remained like that, pondering how anyone could dispose of human life with such frivolity, before there was a knock on her door. She didn't get up right away, hoping he would get the hint and leave. She could feel his presence around the compound – he got up every day before the sun and disappeared outside for about an hour each morning, spending almost all of his time training – but he hadn't come knocking since that first day she told him no. Hinata hadn't even passed him in a hallway and found herself wondering on occasion if her attitude caused him to intentionally avoid her. Unfortunately, it seemed Sasuke's own resolve had set in and the boy was in a persistent mood. At least he wasn't barging through her door whenever he felt like it anymore. After the third knock she finally rose from her bed and pulled the door open.

"Come with me." Sasuke's voice was a demand.

Hinata thought to tell him no again. She'd spent all week letting Kabuto run tests on her. When she wasn't with the gray-haired ninja she was training and meditating on her own, running through forms and practicing chakra control. She thought of the man she'd dropped to the ground what felt like just minutes before and her gut clenched in anger and guilt. The intensity of her emotions overwhelmed her and in that moment Hinata decided a good spar might take her mind off of everything, at least for the duration of the fight.

"Okay," she said with a nod, stepping past him and out into the hallway. Her body brushed against his side as she moved through the doorway and she pushed down the feeling of reassurance that washed over her at their proximity.

Even though the boy had come in demanding, her lack of resistance threw him off guard. She felt Sasuke hesitate before leading her to the training room. Hinata fought hard, allowing the anger to well up in her and using it as fuel to lash out at her opponent. In the end he still pinned her, but she did manage to land a few blows in the meantime.

When they were finished, Hinata rose to her feet, breathing hard from the spar. She didn't feel any more comfortable with the act she'd performed earlier that day, but some of her energy was spent. It felt good to release the tension into something productive.

When the two were finished, Hinata brushed the dust off her clothing and felt Sasuke step a little closer to her. Even though being near to him was comfortable, she took a step away, reminding herself she couldn't allow familiarity with the boy. "Good fight," she awarded with a small bow. Hinata left the room before Sasuke could say anything else. She had too many other things on her mind to wonder about a boy and her academy records.

For Sasuke, the week following his return to Kusagakure left him wanting as he received nothing but a cold shoulder from his companion. Hinata's personality seemed cooler than ever after their initial spar. She'd even found the nerve to deny him point-blank when he sought her out to spar again. He spent the week ruminating on the girl's chilly attitude. If she was going to be like that, fine. Sasuke tried to convince himself he didn't care what she did. If she didn't want to train with him, whatever. Her loss. That just meant he could dedicate more time to furthering his own training.

After several days of returning to solitary, however, Sasuke found himself admittedly missing Hinata's presence. Karin had acted as filler, proving to be a more than adequate sparring partner, but she didn't have a hold on him the way Hinata did. Sasuke scoffed to confess how drawn he was to the Hyuuga girl, but he had to admit it to himself nonetheless. He wanted her, and Sasuke wasn't in the habit of denying himself the things he wanted. The mere thought of her had consumed him during his month away and he wasn't about to forfeit because she turned him away once. He stormed to her room, convincing himself all the while he was only going to make her spar with him because he refused to be disrespected.

Sasuke was pleasantly surprised when his companion agreed to fight. He found that during that particular spar her energy felt different than normal, as if her mind was somewhere else. She fought hard, trying but failing to remain focused on the task at hand as if she was too distracted to do so. The spar ended with his blade at her throat. He wanted to talk to her about training, but she praised him cordially and left the room before he could get a word out.

Initially, Sasuke limited how frequently he sought out Hinata's companionship, finding her more agreeable if he didn't ask to spar every day. To his concern, the Hyuuga girl became more and more strained as the days wore on, dark circles forming around her lavender eyes. The only positive side was that the wearier Hinata became, the more it seemed she found solace in Sasuke's presence. After several weeks he found that Hinata actually began seeking him out instead of the other way around. Though the boy took no pleasure in seeing her so worn down, he felt as if he'd won a small victory every time she sought him out or lingered with him a little too long.

Despite Sasuke's threat that he would personally take Kabuto out should the medical ninja ever lay a hand on Hinata again, once he learned of her renewed vision the gray-haired man had the opportunity to carry out all the tests he'd wanted to conduct in the first place. The more time they spent together, the more Sasuke noticed the girl's level of aggression increased on the days her time with Kabuto went longer than anticipated. He ventured to breach the subject one day when the removal of her jacket allowed him to notice small marks all along her inner forearm.

Hinata's arm came flying towards his face from the right, ready to bat at the side of his neck. Instead of letting it land or swatting it away, Sasuke caught her wrist in midair. The girl attempted to strike at his wrist to gain an opening and leap away, but he twisted her so that her back lay flush against his chest, completely containing her and holding her arm out to get a better view of the marks. Up close it appeared that four coin-sized patches of skin had been removed, the circular wounds still raw but just starting to scar over. He guessed there were about four or five days old. Something feral welled up in the pit of his stomach. "What did he do?" The boy's voice came out gruffer than he anticipated.

His captive froze, knowing resistance was futile. Sasuke had effectively won the spar, but he was less concerned with wins and losses at that particular moment. He felt Hinata shrug. No, she would not get off that easy. "What did he do?" he asked again, trying to contain the anger in his voice. It must've worked because he felt Hinata physically relax against him.

"Sampling."

"Sampling?"

"Yes, sampling. Yesterday was a sampling day." Sasuke looked at the marks again. Yesterday? Considering how deep the cuts were the patches were much too far along in the healing process to have been done yesterday… Suspicion crept into his voice as he posed his next question.

"Sampling for what?"

"I… I don't know." His grip on her relaxed but he still didn't let her go entirely. The girl was strong and usually good at masking her emotions, but Sasuke didn't miss the undertone of fear that wavered in her admission. He had an idea of what it was like to forfeit your body to be used as an experiment, willingly or unwillingly. Before he could sympathize, Hinata took advantage of his loose grip and twisted away from him, the chill returned her voice. "I'm not exactly privy to all of Kabuto's medical exploits."

Sasuke looked at the girl in front of him and wondered what other kinds of sick tests she'd been put through. Knowing Kabuto it was nothing good. He pushed away the killing intent that was rising within him and grunted in acknowledgement. Without any further question he declared, "Go again," and the two went back to sparring.

After that initial inquiry their dynamic shifted just the slightest bit. Though the pair was never chatty, some days Hinata would return to Sasuke and share what had happened during her time with the gray-haired ninja. Other days she remained quiet and took it all out on him during their match. New marks frequently appeared on her body before the old ones even had time to fully heal. There was even a period of about three days in which Hinata had to wear bandages over her eyes and was unable to activate her Byakugan. When the wrappings were finally removed there were green and yellow bruises all across her brow and surrounding her eyes. He seethed to wonder what Kabuto was doing to her, but refused to make her speak of such things.

Just knowing Kabuto was doing anything to Hinata caused his temper to climb. On the days when the medic nin's exploits perturbed him the most, it was the Hyuuga girl who calmed him down. In his silent seething her fingers would reach out and brush against him, just the slightest bit.

The interactions were hesitant at first. He remembered the first time it happened they were in the kitchen area. He found her sitting at the table, absently pushing rice around in her bowl but not actually eating anything. "What did he do?" The question had become commonplace between them.

"Genjutsu detection and breakage," she responded. The hollow sound in her voice caused Sasuke to seethe. Hinata stood up and made to leave the room. As she passed him in the doorway, her body rotated so as not to bump into him but her hand rested on his arm for the slightest moment. Her touch was so light and so short-lived Sasuke wondered if he'd imagined it.

Soon, however, these interactions became second nature: a whisper of fingertips on his elbow, across his shoulder blade, sometimes his hand if he was particularly irate. Her touch never lingered for more than a moment (Sasuke wasn't even sure she knew she was doing it) but it calmed him to know… To know what, exactly, the boy was unsure. But she calmed him nonetheless. Those subtle wisps of contact were the most intimate Sasuke and Hinata got, and the boy resigned himself to be satisfied with that, at least for the time being.

As much as he tried, though, their lack of familiarity couldn't quite satiate him. Sasuke decided it was time to take a step in pursuit of what he wanted.

Though the pair sparred regularly, Hinata wasn't undergoing any formal training. Between her time with Kabuto and her fights with Sasuke, much of her energy was being used up and left little room of learning new techniques. Even so, the Uchiha noticed that her parrying skills were improving with every spar, her strikes coming quicker and aiming truer.

Following one particularly intense spar, Sasuke decided to breach the topic of training. "You have a good foundation, your form is definitely studied. But you might benefit from a less formal education than the one offered at the Hyuuga manor." Sasuke's tone was collected despite the undertone of jest in his words. Still, he watched Hinata's eyebrows raise slightly as she considered his words.

Hinata stepped closer to him and reached a hand out. It hovered in hesitation for just a second before coming to rest on his upper arm for the briefest of moments. "Thank you, Sasuke-san. I agree."

The next morning Sasuke pushed into Hinata's room without knocking. "Get up."

The girl groggily rolled her shoulders and ran her hands through her mess of navy hair. "Time already?" she asked, throwing her legs over the side of her bed and trying (failing) to suppress a yawn.

"We're going on a supply run. There's a town about a half-a days walk from here, less if we move quickly." The idea of spending time in any kind of civilization peaked Hinata's interest. "Put this on." The girl threw her hands up as something flew towards her face, catching it just in time. She felt along the seams, trying to figure out exactly what it was but the shape felt odd.

"What is this?"

"It's a cloak."

"What do I need a cloak for?"

"We can't risk anyone recognizing you. We're far enough away from Konoha that the chance of anyone identifying you specifically is highly unlikely, but you're eyes aren't exactly inconspicuous. Just put the hood up and keep your head down. No one will look twice." Hinata knew Sasuke's words weren't meant to hurt but she paused, trying to let them wash over her. In the ninja world, blending in was a good thing. But even among ninjas there were those who stood out above the rest. Hinata had never been that person, and Sasuke's words reminded her how easily overlooked she still was, even after all this time.

Quickly deciding she was being ridiculous, especially because being overlooked was a positive thing in this case, Hinata stood from her bed and fumbled for the sleeve. Sasuke's hands were suddenly on hers, there and gone like a breath. He took the cloak back from her and repositioned it in her hands so she could easily throw it on, his quiet consideration warming her cheeks the slightest bit against her better judgment.

As they left her room Sasuke's hand fell lightly on her lower back, gently guiding her forward as he often had before his trip to the Southern hideout. Hinata had tried to avoid being too familiar with the Uchiha since his return, but the pressure of his palm was reassuring after the last several weeks. She hadn't been asked to kill anyone else, but Kabuto had informed her the man's body was put to good use and that the damage she was able to inflict was fascinating, as if that might make her feel the man's life wasn't taken in vain. Since then they'd moved on to isolating chakra release from different tenketsu points and detecting and breaking genjutsu. Both studies involved quite a bit of physical and emotional pain, the genjutsus bringing up more woe than she cared to dwell on. More recently he'd began running DNA tests. At one point Kabuto had even put her under, performing an in-patient procedure that left her unable to activate her Byakugan for three days. Hinata shivered to think what her genetics might be used for and what poor bystanders may suffer at the expense of discovering its applications.

"It's just you and me, today. Orochimaru and Kabuto will not be joining us on this particular outing." Sasuke's voice broke Hinata from her thoughts. She was grateful for the interruption. Sensing her surroundings she realized they were nearing the surface. The girl's body ached for fresh air.

Before she knew it Sasuke's hand slipped from her back and she listened to the sound of shifting rocks as the wall to the hideout fell away. A dry breeze washed over her, still cool from the night seeing as the sun had yet to rise. She stepped forward and felt the ground shift beneath her feet as concrete turned to the crunch of dry underbrush and dirt. Hinata closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She'd been living underground for so long the feeling of being trapped had faded. It wasn't until she stepped outside that she understood how confined she felt in the lair.

Sasuke did not allow her moment to last for very long. "We need to get a move on if we're going to return tonight." Hinata nodded, activating her Byakugan as Sasuke took off towards the eastern horizon. She sprinted after him, running just a few paces behind. As the wind rushed by her and her hair flew over her shoulders, Hinata pushed forward even faster, coming up alongside her companion. Out of the side of her vision she watched as the slightest hint of a smirk pulled at the corner of Sasuke's mouth and the boy sped off. Happy to be outside for the first time in months, Hinata laughed despite herself, a quick and sweet sound that was lost on the wind. The two raced on, determination on both their faces as the sun rose in the distance, showering them both in golden light. When they finally came to a halt, Sasuke was decidedly farther ahead and paused, waiting for Hinata to catch up.

"You could be faster," he critiqued as Hinata came to a stop next to him. "We're close to the village now. Deactivate your Byakugan and put your hood up. We'll walk from here." Hinata did as she was told and felt Sasuke's hand return to its place on her lower back, leading her forward.

The two continued on in comfortable silence. The ground shifted under Hinata's feet, turning from dry brush to gravel, and in the distance she could hear the quiet bustle of a village just waking up for the day. Quiet though it may be, by the time they had finally reached the village the noise was nearly overwhelming. A group of children ran by her, their laughter loud and ringing in her ears. Usually the noise would've brought a smile to her face, but the girl winced at the volume. It was as if someone turned a speaker up too loudly as the world moved around her.

She could feel people passing by and the earth vibrated under her feet. There was a bustle in the air and she heard people talking excitedly. They were preparing for something, but there were so many voices it was difficult to decipher any specifics. Hinata raised a hand to her face and pinched the bridge of her nose. As excited as she was to be out of the lair, the Hyuuga girl knew already she was in for a long day.

Hinata's discomfort did not go unnoticed by Sasuke. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as they proceeded through the town. Her eyebrows knit together as if she were trying to block something out. He'd been in this village before and the people paid him little mind, but he still hesitated to speak aloud. He didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention and he never could be too careful. The boy had seen what shinobi could do – you never knew who might be listening.

He glanced over at Hinata and took in her features, remembering how soft her skin felt beneath his calloused hands. His fingers twitched, resting gently on her lower back. Layers of clothing separated them, but the gesture was more than she'd allowed since his return to Kusagakure. He still wasn't sure what had happened during that month that caused the girl to close herself off so abruptly. But, Sasuke thought, if he was going to win her over and keep her with him he would have to work on her terms to some extent. The idea of compromising and conceding came begrudgingly to Sasuke, but he resigned himself to the fact. The small touch she allowed him would have to be enough… for now.

When Hinata reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose he began to wonder what was wrong. "Hn," Sasuke hummed, acknowledging her behavior as he continued to guide her down the street.

"The noise," she responded quietly. Sasuke nodded and pressed his palm into her back a tad harder then returned to rest, hoping she understood the gesture as his acknowledgement of her discomfort. He knew about her increased senses of perception. The busy village was significantly more stimulating than the quiet nature of the lair, and since she hadn't been exposed to much noise since coming to be with them the sounds of civilization must have been overwhelming. Even so, he wasn't sure what he could do about it. A cart full of fresh fruit rolled by and Hinata jumped, stepping in closer to Sasuke. The boy slipped his arm around her waist just a little further, smirking to himself when the girl didn't pull away.

Sasuke and Hinata turned a corner and he led her into a small grocery store. "Hold this," he instructed, placing a tote in her hands. He led her through the market, filling the bag with lots of goods that would keep and store for long periods of time. Hinata held the bag dutifully, her face relaxing. It was much quieter in the store and while he knew that she could still hear the noise outside, at least the market gave her a small reprieve.

The Uchiha boy pulled several boxes of broth down off a shelf and turned to his companion to place them in the bag with the rest of their goods. He rounded the corner out of the aisle to return where he'd left her but paused, taken back by her position.

Hinata held the tote with one hand, but the other she ran lightly across a row of apples, picking one up and staring at it intently. He wondered what it must be like to hold something and know what it looks like but not really be able to see it. Again he reminded himself that he might one day know that sensation.

"This is the last of it," he said, approaching Hinata and dropping the boxes of broth into the bag. The girl looked up at him and nodded, then directed her gaze back down at the apple. She reached out and fumbled to find a place to balance the fruit, finally setting it back down in the pile. "This way." Sasuke pushed the girl forward with one hand and snatched the apple from the top of the pile with the other.

Once they were done checking out at the market, Sasuke led them to a small apothecary. "I need you to wait out here. It'll just take a minute." Hinata nodded in understanding and leaned against the wall outside the small building.

The boy entered the apothecary and quickly retrieved and paid for all the odd ingredients Kabuto had requested. Why the gray-haired ninja couldn't get them himself, Sasuke was unsure. He wasn't Kabuto's errand boy by any means, but as much as he'd argued Orochimaru insisted that he should be the one to get everything since it was his turn to go on the supply run and he would be in town anyway. Sasuke grumbled, cursing them both under his breath as he left the store and the door bell tinkled overhead.

"—with me… won't leave you alone like –"

Without even fully assessing the situation, one word issued from Sasuke mouth. "Leave." The Uchiha approached Hinata and the man standing over her, hand against the wall next to her head and unsettling close to her face. When he spoke, the man stood up straighter and sized Sasuke up. He must've decided it wasn't worth a fight that day because he shrugged and turned away, hands in his pockets.

"A girl like that really shouldn't be left alone. Next time someone might snatch her up," he said as he walked away, turning a corner and disappearing from view.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. If that man only knew what kind of power lay behind her delicate features, he wouldn't be so quick to imply Hinata couldn't protect herself. The thought of someone as common as whoever the hell that was even thinking about laying a finger on the Hyuuga girl dropped a rock in Sasuke's stomach. "We have one more stop to make," he said, reaching around behind her and pulling her a little bit closer to his body, too preoccupied by the feeling in his stomach to realize just how close he'd pulled her or relish in the fact that she didn't pull away.

He led them to a small gear shop on the edge of town and ushered Hinata inside. The store was nothing special, just essentials: kunai, scrolls, shuriken. But they weren't there to stock up on weaponry. Sasuke took Hinata to the very back corner where several racks were lined with different articles of clothing. "Pick something out," he ordered.

He watched Hinata hesitantly reach her hand out and grasp the fabric of the closest shirt. "Clothing?" she asked, clearly baffled by their detour.

"You're flexible and you're fast, but I told you, you could be faster," the boy said, crossing his arms over his chest and keeping his voice low and direct. "Part of that is your clothing – it's weighing you down. You need something more light weight and breathable. You'll never live up to your potential if you're weighed down and restricted all the time because your clothes are so obtrusive and baggy. Also, with so much extra fabric it gives your opponents something to grab ahold of, a situation you want to avoid since your style relies on close-range fighting. You should be able to move freely at a moment's notice."

"But I like my clothes. I move fine –"

"Besides," Sasuke cut her off, acting as if he hadn't even heard her speak. "your outfit isn't just holding you back physically, but mentally. It's just another reminder of who you were. I thought you wanted to change that."

Sasuke watched Hinata's features harden and knew he'd hit a sensitive spot. Good. She needs pushed. The girl tilted her head until the hood completely covered her face and within moments she was scanning through the racks of clothing. She pulled out three pieces and went to try them on.

After several moments her arm reach out from behind the curtain, holding the articles. "These. Bring them back." Sasuke smirked. Mentioning Konoha and whoever she used to be might have been a low blow, but if she was going to train with him and become stronger, the only way was to let go of the ties she knew from back then.

Sasuke paid for the clothing, paying little attention to what he actually held. He returned to the dressing area and reached a hand through the curtain, handing everything back to Hinata. He waited while she changed, looking through the window at the front of the store. Judging by the sun they should get going soon.

The boy turned his head when he heard the sliding of metal as Hinata pulled back the curtain. If change is what they were going for, the new outfit she'd chosen was a prime starting point. She wore black shorts and a long sleeved, lavender shirt with a mesh over top of it that left just the faintest hint of her midriff exposed. The wrap holding her utility pouch remained wrapped around her upper thigh, now bare after the exchange. Sasuke looked her up and down, surprised how much more confident she looked in the new outfit.

He must've stared too long though because Hinata tugged absently at the hem of her shorts and a slight pink flush crept into her cheeks. He knew she couldn't see him sizing her up, but clearly she wasn't used to being so exposed. "Better?" she asked. Sasuke could hear her trying to hide the hesitancy in her voice.

A smirk pulled at the corner of his lips. "Yes, I think this will suit you much better," he responded. "We shouldn't delay any further. Time to go." Hinata grabbed her cloak from the dressing room and threw it on over her new attire, pulling the hood up over her face. Sasuke picked up the grocery tote and handed her the small bag from the apothecary as they exited the store, noting that she left her old garb behind. He guided her out of town, staring straight into the sun as it fell into the lower part of the western sky.

The two made their way back to the hideout as quickly as they could considering their purchases. The sun had already set and the chill of night was settling in when they reached the rock formation. Sasuke performed the necessary seals to open the way into the lair. Hinata shivered in the night air, but he watched her closely, noting her hesitation before following him underground. The boy escorted her all the way to her room, taking back the apothecary bag once they reached her door.

Hinata slipped off her cloak and held it out for him to take. Sasuke refused to take it back. "It's yours. I have something else for you, too. Hold out your hand."

The girl complied but started, clearly confused at the instruction. "Sasuke-san, I don-"

The boy dropped a bright red apple into her open palm, effectively cutting off whatever she was about to say. He watched her fingers wrap around it, turning it in her hands. Her eyebrows raised as it dawned on her exactly what she was holding. "Good night." Sasuke turned and walked away without waiting to hear the girl's response. He smirked. He thought of how hard she'd been since his return. If she wanted to keep her distance, fine. He'd play by her rules. Hinata had obviously made some decisions for herself recently, but so had Sasuke. And nothing kept Uchiha Sasuke from getting what he wanted.

A/N: Another chapter down! As always, thank you to all of my readers, both new and old! I really appreciate the responses to my story and I read every comment, so thank you for those, too! Speaking of comments, there were a couple made about the past few chapters that I want to specifically address. So, here goes.

1) To answer TAYYABALARAIB's questions about why Orochimaru's lair was empty in Ch. 19, it was because he'd "disposed of" all of his inmates/subject before leaving for the month so he didn't have to worry about them while he was away. Basically the implication was that he just killed them. Because he's Orochimaru and he doesn't care.

2) I know that the story probably seems kind of slow still, but I hope the last few chapters have picked up a little bit without rushing the story at all. I'm trying to find that balance between creating more action/tension and still continuing to respect the development of both the characters and the plot. However, I can assure you that there is about to be some action coming up in the next few chapters, so I thank you in advance for sticking with me and I'm excited to see what you all think as the story continues.

3) Going off of that point, I was recently asked how long I plan for this story to be, and right now I have a rough idea, but I can't give you anything solid. I will say that by the end it will have at least doubled its current length. I have an end in mind, and a general progression, but my life has been super busy so my intense outlining has severely slowed down. I have through chapter 26 outlined thus far, and as I was outlining I kind of divided the story into 3 parts/arcs, I guess. Part 1 will be compete with chapter 25, so expect a longer gap between chapter 25 and 26 to allow for further outlining. Also, I plan on soon pulling this story back in to align with some canon events which is going to take a little bit more planning and some more finesse so that it all fits together. Basically, if you're currently reading this and plan to read through to the end, we are going to be on this journey together for quite a while longer, so strap in.

4) Finally, thank you to those who thought I wrote the fight scene well. Action (as you've probably deduced) is not exactly my strong suit, so it means a lot that you understood what I meant for the spar to look like.

Again, thank you all and feel free to continue to leave any questions, comments, criticisms, or concerns in my inbox or in the comments.

- Kinsey