For the Good of the Village: Final
Ch 21 Old Acquaintences
"She has her father's eyes. Good." Orochimaru cooed as he tilted his head this way and that, his long hair swaying with his serpentine movements when he inspected Kensura in the bassinette. Dirty blonde hair curled in wispy tendrils around Kensura's moonlight pale skin. Teal gray eyes peeked under baby long lashes from Hinata to Orochimaru. Unhappy yet stern defiance returned Orochimaru's disassembling gaze. Hinata rubbed little circles over her niece's little hands and little fingers. She knelt down and hummed something soft and soothing into the baby's ear, trying to calm her.
When in his presence, nothing seemed to stifle Kensura's whimpering.
"You're very brave, little one. That's good, you'll need it." Orochimaru manipulated a tiny lancet needle with a blood absorbing strip. Reaching out to take the infants arm, Hinata stopped him with a touch.
"I'll do it."
He twisted his neck to look at her, a mirthless twist of his lips revealed his displeasure.
"She trusts me," Hinata argued quietly, slipping the little needle and strip from his fingers to rest next to a sterile swab and gauze. Resting the baby on her back, Hinata nuzzled her face close to her niece's and whispered, "This will sting, but you are Hyuuga. We are strong."
Click, the lancet pricked and retracted the minute needle, causing a shiver to cross Kensura's little body.
Dragging the strip over the spot of blood, Hinata held it there, cooing soft words of bravery and comfort at Kensura being a mighty warrior at heart. Kensura's little fist found her mouth, gumming it while only her wet gray and teal eyes watched her with Hyuuga precision. Placing a tiny band aid over the prick wound, she swaddled Kensura in a blanket and pressed her close to her chest. Cheek to her little head, Hinata hummed something soft and feminine, walking across her bedroom till she was on the other side.
"You've done that before," Orochimaru accused, his knowing eyes narrowed like yellow blades.
"The Hokage tried to keep me productive when she was trying to heal me," Hinata embraced Kensura closer, protectively and possessively. "I didn't think I could ever have a child when I was little, now I do. And no one is going to do anything to Kensura without my say so."
Kensura's little face twisted, an angry mewl and huff erupted out of her toothless mouth. Hinata's hand shimmered with blue green chakra that she placed over Kensura's foot, easing the baby into a snuffling slumber.
"The time you've spent with Tsunade must have been well spent." Orochimaru lips curled, his serpentine eyes gauging the Hyuuga's skill. "What else did she teach you?"
"You got what you came for." Hinata placed the blood tinted strip on the dresser close to Orochimaru and rocked Kensura in her arms, smiling and humming. "Please let me know if this has the answer to heal me. I'm excited to be a mother."
Orochimaru pinched the slip between his fingers, looking at her and then at it.
Sasuke barged into Hinata's room without knocking, followed by four Cadet Branch servants holding various colors of cloth bolts and patterns.
"You can go," Sasuke demanded behind Orochimaru's shoulder, glaring at him with the Sharingan active. Behind him two women, no, one woman and a very feminine looking man waited patiently yet protectively. One had a single drape long pony tail down her back with an almost equally long blonde bang covering one eye while the other was equally beautiful with flowing dark hair and soft features.
"Thank you for coming, Ino and you, Haku." Hinata nodded to each, twisting at her shoulder to show off her niece. "Isn't she beautiful?"
Slipping past Sasuke and Orochimaru, Ino squealed with girlish delight, begging to hold her while Haku peeked patiently over Ino's shoulder, smiling warmly at the little girl's curious stare.
"The flowers are in my shop. Our workers can start the day after tomorrow." Ino chimed, playing with Kensura's light blonde hair. "We should be ready by tomorrow."
"I have all the fabrics precut," Haku pulled out measuring tape and some needles in a cushion. "All that is left is for us to see how they fit. Now, we just need a full day of sizing and sewing."
Haku gestured for the Cadet Branch to put the pieces of clothing on the cabinet. Woodenly and almost automaton-like, four cadet members with dark purple caged bird seals glowed, all facing each one of the girls.
"I think us ladies will need to have some privacy," Ino peeked over her shoulder, exposing a little bit of shoulder to the Hyuuga servants. "Us girls must maintain our innocence from such strapping young men. It wouldn't do to have our bride-to-be seen in the nude before her husband does, right?"
Sasuke was a little more forceful by standing in front of them "Leave."
The four servants turned to Orochimaru for direction. "My, my, such delicate sensibilities you all have. I'm sure you can understand the precaution needed after such acts caused by our little Hinata-chan."
Sasuke stood between Orochimaru and the women, staring unflinching and unmoving.
"Yes, I believe we should." Orochimaru bowed, stealing glances at everyone in the room with Hinata. "I have a lot of work to do." He motioned for the servants to exit.
"Oh, boys, no peeking." Ino chimed, putting her fingers to her mouth tittering girlishly.
Closing the door behind him, Orochimaru demanded they maintain their post. "Let no one in or out. Be alert. I feel we have more work to do and less time to do it. Now, I need to go see our little Hanabi-chan."
XXXX
"Another?" Sakura tilted the carafe towards Naruto's cup but he placed his hand over the top, looking away. Naruto and Shikamaru made their way back to Shiho's place where everything was an eclectic mess or obsessive compulsive disorder dream. When asked what she was trying to accomplish Shiho would answer with a proud toss of her sandy locks that this was 'our' mess. It didn't take much figuring out whose side was which. Shiho, overall, seemed very organized while Shikamaru's side seemed very...lazy. Shiho was quick to defend Shikamaru's mess with a proud 'Genius thrives in chaos!' Shiho huffed in indignation and was about to give Sakura a piece of her mind, but the pinkette just stiff armed the crypto scientist on the forehead and let her rant for a bit.
Naruto stared at his empty glass, unmoving and uncaring. She didn't know if it was a good thing or bad thing that he was blurry eyed, drunk and angry. He had calmed down enough, under much prodding and complaining from Shikamaru, to mumble out a few words here and there. Despite his anger, he just looked defeated. Shiho, Shikamaru's nerdy beloved, was in a nervous wreck around the battered and bloodied Shikamaru.
Crash!
That was the third attempt at the blonde scientist trying to cook food, plate food, pour drinks, or do any kind of culinary supper or snack that didn't end with broken dish wear or pottery shrapnel. A plume of smoke started to fill the kitchen with Shiho peeking her head out after a very bright flash of fire. A noticeable waft of burnt meat along with human hair seeped into the living room. "Do you mind if we go out?"
This was going to be a long night.