Lol…I actually did not mean to create chemistry between Shika and Hina…but it's great how you guys noticed it. The comments made me want to read a very good ShikaHina fanfic all of a sudden. I love it! Maybe I will make shikahina fanfic in the future…after my ItaHina
-Paragraphs in italics are flashbacks.
-I now have a deviantart account please go check it out guys. I mostly draw Hinata because I love her! I just started on this digital drawing stuff and I kind of like it. (Just search: crazygurlterra12)
-smile!
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
-o-o-o-
Chapter Twenty-six: Three Separate Missions (Last part)
"Sasuke…"
Sasuke stared at her face, which was scratched and dirty. Hinata's eyes were starting to get a raw look into them by too much exertion of her dojutsu, just a few minutes more and he knew it was going to bleed.
The girl was looking at him funny, eyes wide and mouth gaping like time has stopped for her. The heiress did not even make an effort to move from his arms.
She was still stunned to see him.
Good thing he was on time. When he heard the far off explosion, something tugged at him to go check it out. It was a gut feeling, but he was thankful that he did followed it, for when he saw her thin frame bounding through the trees, his breath stayed in his throat and relief of seeing her alive flooded through him. Earlier, when he saw her katana and jacket, he got to admit that he almost lost it. His cursed mark was starting to tingle, and he cannot even control his own sharingan.
When he saw her stagger on the branch she was landed on, he knew something was wrong and did not hesitate to catch her in mid-air.
"Sasuke…" she muttered again, somehow entranced. He studied her appearance and a growl escaped his lips. Hinata's shirt was tattered like it was purposely done; her arms were decorated with scratches and bruises, her hair a tangled mess with leaves and twigs sticking out, even her once pink lips was pale and rough. "Why are you…?"
"I told you I will protect you."
"But you were supposed to-"Hinata stopped what she was about to say. She looked around, listening. "They are here…we need to go, we are outnumbered."
Distant shouts and yells interrupted their little reunion. Sasuke gently put the heiress down on the forest ground and flexed his neck. "These people did this to you?" He asked as he straightened himself up. The sounds of running feet and broken twigs were starting to close in on them.
"Sasuke…we need to leave." Hinata was a little frantic now. She knew how strong and cunning these masked men are.
"Hn."
Hinata propped her hands on the ground and was about to stand when the Uchiha pushed her down. "Stay there. It'll be over in an instant." Contracting his fingers as his eyes turned red, he muttered "Chidori."
Then the bloodbath started.
It was the first time in her life, that Hinata really feared Sasuke Uchiha by just watching the guy engaged in a one sided massacre.
The way he kills with relish, the way his red eyes glow triumphantly when the bones of his opponents snap, the way he move with grace yet with deadly precision …
Watching him fight the mask men was like a window, letting the heiress take a glimpse of what he was when he was still deranged, revenge-driven, and hungry for blood. The way he moves with every strike and his deadly synchronized movements never fails to take her breath away. It might sound weird and insane, but she was actually feeling sorry for the men Sasuke was fighting.
The man was born to kill.
-o-
"So this is what's left of them?" Temari counted the masked men who are bound and kneeling in front of the whole Yamato and Spy unit. A total of thirteen left. "How many are dead?" They have followed the trail that leads to the cave and engaged the rogues in a fight. Sasuke Uchiha has started it anyway; they really have no choice since he just disappeared like a bubble after that explosion, leaving the whole squadron to follow behind.
"forty seven." Kankuro answered. He was the one who scanned the area after the unexpected clash that they have. "A few died in the cave…and some by the hands of our comrades." The puppet user frowned and he can't help but looked at the Uchiha who was standing next to Hinata, his deranged aura earlier vanished, only to be replaced with his usual proud demeanor. "But a total of fifteen dead masked men have been found not far from here, scorched black and heavily lacerated."
All eyes stole a glance at Sasuke, knowing that he was the only Shinobi with them with the ability to burn anyone into a crisp. Some of them are actually expecting something bloody from the Uchiha, since he was emitting intense killer intent earlier. Somehow, they knew he was going to let it out.
Suigetsu shook his head and muttered to himself. "That's why I never try to get into his bad side."
"Ow!" Kiba yelped as his wounds were being treated by a Kumo ninja. "It stings." He growled involuntarily as he felt the warm chakra patching up torn skin, his pointed canines showing out. Besides Kiba was Naruto, curiously staring at the Inouzuka's "manly wounds". The jinchuriiki unconsciously poke one funny looking wound only to receive a shove in the gut. "Stop it Naruto!"
Nara Shikamaru chose one masked man and removed his face covering, kneeling in front of the rogue so that they were eye to eye, he smiled lazily. Behind him stood Temari, crossing her arms and looking down at the man dangerously.
"So you are a Shinobi." The man spat. Without his mask, he looks normal and not so evil looking anymore. "Do you think our other brothers would let you get away with this?"
Temari scowled. "And do you think that would scare us?"
"I am not talking to you fan lady. I am talking to the man beside you and his white-eyed wife." Looking at the Nara, the rogue chuckled. He also took a glance at Hinata who was sitting quietly, her wounds being treated by one of the nins. He gestured at her with his head. "You and your wife are lucky to get away Shinobi. A few more days and I could have taken that girl on my bed." The words were supposed to taunt and enraged the "Husband".
"Wife?" Sasuke snapped and his narrowed eyes landed at the Nara.
"Husband?" Temari frowned.
"Ei?" Naruto looked puzzled and his eyes went looking back and forth from Hinata to Shikamaru, a few seconds later his face registered into a sly one. As a foxy grin appeared on his whiskered face, he winked at the Nara. "Oh, I see what you did there."
"Wife? Who? Hinata and Shikamaru?" Kiba too was puzzled; his eyes wide and his face looked stunned, the painful sting of healing chakra forgotten. "Is something going on that I don't know?"
"That girl with the white eyes and this lazy looking one." The rogue continued, his eyes bloodshot and narrowed. "They told us that they are husband and wife…My remaining brothers would surely avenge us…and I swear that your children and their children after them will-"
"Hn." Sasuke silenced the man with a punch on the face, making him swallow his unspoken words just as he was about to say them. "Your words are useless." His voice was stone cold. "They are not husband and wife. No use threatening future children that won't exist." Looking back at Hinata, he gave her a look that says she's going to have some explaining to do. Hinata's eyes widened, fear visible on her face.
She knows Sasuke enough to fear what was coming next.
Temari glared at Shikamaru, her hands slowly creeping to touch the handle of her giant fan. "Wife…" It was a murmur, only directed to the Nara genius. "Wife..?"
"You tricky bastards!" The rogue gritted his teeth, blood spurting from his busted lip. "You are all going to pay for this-umph!"
Another blur of Sasuke's fist and the rogue was not able to speak his threats and curses anymore. Instead, his head lolled to the side and his eyes were closed. Tongue dangling on a busted lip.
He was knocked out.
Yamato, who was observing the scene with interest, chose the moment to speak up. His intention was to purely clear the light misunderstanding. "Well…it was all an act. Shikamaru calling Hinata-chan honey, holding her close when we pretended to sleep, and pretending to be a doting husband…all were just an act." He smiled at Sasuke and Temari. "No need to be…" He slowly trailed off as he saw their grim faces and realized that he should have shut his loud mouth. "Uhm…I think I just used the wrong words…should I try again?"
"No!" Shikamaru and Hinata answered in unison. The heiress was becoming paler than she usually was, while the Nara genius started to take small steps away from Temari.
"Honey…" Sasuke let the word play on his mouth and everybody who heard it can't help but wonder how such a sweet word turned deadly when he was the one who said it. It was like that the word became death itself. Guess I am going to kill myself a Nara.
Shikamaru and Hinata just look like they are facing a double death sentence.
Everyone outside the conversation just observed silently, curios at the scene unfolding before them. The nins from Kiri did not bother to hide their amusement, for they were nudging each other and whispering. So who's partner exchange with whom?
"A-ano…" Hinata shook both of her hands. Sasuke's glare was too intense; she could felt herself shake and cold sweat started to form on her brow. "We can explain."
"Over-jealous boyfriend." Naruto mumbled as he shook his head at Kiba. "Sasuke's the worst."
-o-o-o-
"It should be me with Sasuke's group…not Suigetsu!" Karin gritted her teeth. Sure she wanted to look for Jugo, but it would also be another thing if she was with Sasuke. "That sharp-teeth idiot!"
"Oh jeez." Tenten rolled her eyes at Karin's remark. The girl has been muttering to herself about the Uchiha since the start of their mission. At first, she was annoyed, but as the day passes and another one replaces it, the weapon's mistress have sort of gotten used to it.
She was not sure if Sakura was feeling the same though.
The Haruno was clenching her gloved fist and her mouth was pinched into a thin line. A vein was visible on her forehead, which if Tenten could point out, only appears when the pink haired medic was on her limit.
Sai, who was assigned with them, just looks interested on observing every sudden change of Karin's emotion. It was like the display of too many feelings at the same time was really new to him. He has emotions now, but seeing a person shows too much of it at once…was making him curious.
"Hey." Tenten ran beside Sakura, matching her stride with her own. With a laugh, she plastered a funny face. "You don't want to punch her do you?"
"Well that's an interesting idea." The Haruno managed a smile, her green eyes twinkling as she lowered her voice. "I wonder what she'll look like after that."
Both kunoichi snickered.
"I heard that." Karin growled, her eyes glinting behind her clear spectacles.
Tenten dropped a step and was now matching the Uzumaki girl's pace. "You really like Sasuke that much don't you?" Her eyes glinted with the spirit of "girl gossip." She got to admit, the girl was a loudmouth and a little weird, but she was around a lot of weird people like Lee and Guy-sensei to really make a big deal out of it.
"Is that obvious?" Karin asked, biting her lip in a guilty kind of way.
Sakura can't help but roll her eyes. "Really?"
-o-
Both Mission teams decided to stay the night together before separating ways in the morning. It was getting dark, and they are a lot safer when they are together. It would also help Kiba to regain his strength before traveling back to the leaf. The remaining group of masked men has been bound and put inside a trance with the help of Sasuke's illusion giving sharingan. They were then temporary locked inside their own hideout.
Yamato's four man team cannot handle to bring back thirteen prisoners at once, especially if they have an additional member who was injured. The plan was to return to Konoha first then let a group of nins come back to take them for interrogation.
Captain Yamato has shows off his wonderful jutsu once again. He made a large house with separate rooms for each and every Shinobi. Giving them privacy and a good night's rest.
"I left Kiba-kun with a nice Shinobi from kumo. She was a great medic." Hinata said as she flopped herself down next to Shino on the hard wooden floor. Their packs have been burned along with the first house that Yamato created, so no make shift beds for them tonight. "Here Shino-kun." She tossed him a small pouch.
"Food tablets."
"Hai. Naruto-kun gave me some."
Hinata watched silently as the Aburame plopped two tablets on his mouth. His face still decorated with bluish bruises. Now that she thinks about it, Shino did not ask anyone to heal his injuries. The orange light from the candle next to them cast flickering shadows inside the room, making his face looked more bruised.
Rubbing her hands together as the chakra was starting to build into them; she raised them up for him to see. "I will try healing your injuries…"
Shino did not answer, but let the heiress have her way. She let her hands hover on his cheeks, making a warm sensation as the chakra was patching his skin and healing sore muscles. Moments later, she trailed down on his chest, feeling one dislocated bone.
Clicking her tongue, she glared at him. "Can you please tell me next time about your injuries?" She sounded like his mother. "Bruises can be disregarded, but a broken bone is another thing."
"Hn."
"Shino-kun, are you listening to me?"
The Aburame looked amused behind the glasses. "Are you scolding me?" Unknown to the Hyuuga, he was smiling behind his collar, liking the way she acts like a mother reprimanding a naughty child.
Hinata looked flustered. "N-no…I am just…oh alright…I am scolding you." A smile suddenly found its way on her lips, suddenly realizing that Shino was messing with her. "Now raise your shirt so that I could see your back."
After staying inside Shino's room for almost an hour, the heiress walked back to the room that she has chosen earlier. Counting the identical doors, she chose one and pushed it open.
"How long do you intend to stay inside bug boy's room?" A voice greeted her the moment she stepped in. Sasuke was leaning near the window, his arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
So she has a visitor…
Weirdly enough, Hinata felt like a teenager being caught sneaking out past her curfew. It reminded her of the face her Neji-Niisan always makes when Hanabi sneaks out of the Hyuuga compound. "Ano…" She mumbled, "I have to heal Shinoi-kun's injuries…"
"You are not a medic."
"But I learned the basics Sakura-chan taught me…and some of Ino's techniques too." She reasoned and her were eyes downcast to avoid his obsidian eyes. Earlier, the only thing that Sasuke has done was to glare at her. Apparently, the "honey" thing with Shikamaru was not forgiven yet. "Ano…are you sleeping here?" she mentally recalled the doors she has counted. "Is this your room? Maybe I got the wrong door…"
"No, it's your room."
"Oh…"
Slowly, Hinata's heart began to pound. What would the others think if they knew that Sasuke was inside her room right now? Shino and Kiba are just a few doors away, and she guessed that they won't approve of such thing. Sure, Sasuke has developed the habit of sneaking whenever room she was, but Shino and Kiba don't know that.
As if reading what was inside her mind, Sasuke let out a snort. "What? It's not like am not going to rape you." He studied her face and his lips turned upwards like he was amused. "Though that idea sounds really tempting." A devious smirked found its way in his lips at the thought. "Besides, you still have a lot of explaining to do. Now close the door."
"Explaining? A-about what?"
"Let's start with the honey thing."
-o-o-o-
(The Way back to Konoha)
Tenzou Yamato squinted as the sun's rays hit him in the eyes. It's almost noon and he was feeling hungry, his now five-man team haven't made even one stop on the way, relying on energy tablets and food pills that were given to them by the "spy mission nins."
Kiba was keeping up, though the captain suspected that he was still not on the best shape since some of his wounds are deep enough not to be healed by chakra. He has asked the Inouzuka plenty of times if he wanted a bit of rest, just to let him catch his breath and tend to whatever pain there was on his body, but Kiba always refused.
Inouzukas and their bloody prides…
"Why don't we stop for a little while? My foot hurts." Hinata suggested as she stole a glance at Kiba. Yamato suspected that it was mostly for the sake of her teammate. He never heard the girl complain about foot pains before, if anything else, Hinata was one of those people he knows that never complains.
"I second the motion." He agreed. "Let's stop under that tree." Yamato pointed on a clearing below where it was shadowy and surrounded by large trees. It was an ideal place for resting and the giant trunks could hide them from plain sight."
"Alright." Kiba was the last to agree. He somehow sensed that the unit stopped because of him and not for Hinata's foot.
Checking the clearing with her byakugan, Hinata chose to dropped on the ground and rest her aching limbs. Leaning on the tree trunk, she pulled a small pouch of food tablets. She plopped one on her mouth, mentally promising to herself that she was going to eat a lot of real food the moment she got home. "Here…" She tossed it to Shikamaru. "Please pass it all around Shikamaru-kun." She told him politely, weirdly, she avoided looking into his eyes.
Kiba grinned mischievously. "What happened to the Honey thing?"
"Shut it Kiba." Shino warned.
Shikamaru scratched his head and a lazy smile appeared on his face. "It's just an act…would you stop teasing Hinata-chan. "The Nara shook his head, recalling the way Sasuke looked at him the whole night. Hell, it looks like he just made an enemy with one of the most deadly Shinobi in Konoha.
And that wasn't good…not to mention that the Suna princess was angry at him too, Temari promised that a confrontation would come the moment she returns.
"Troublesome". The Nara muttered, wondering how everyone can't understand that it was for the sake of the mission. Didn't he explain it already?
Hinata sigh as the "honey" thing was brought up again. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, it made her mind ran back to what happened last night…
Hinata could feel herself sweating cold as Sasuke bombarded her with questions one after another. It was like being interrogated by Ino's interrogation squad, though she got to say that Sasuke was worse. His glare alone could make her blurt out the truth.
Some of Sasuke's questions were absurd and she tried telling him so, but the hardheaded Uchiha was determined to get even the tiniest detail out of her.
Did Shikamaru really called her honey?
Did she answer back?
Did Shino try anything funny with her?
Why did she refuse to use the curse mark on him even though she was in trouble?
"Sasuke…for the tenth time, Shikamaru-kun was doing it for the mission." She explained, straining the words a little longer than it should be said, though she figured that Sasuke would not listen anyway. The Uchiha could be a very hard headed person if he wants to.
"Hn."
Squatting on the wooden floor, Hinata clenched her hands together in an effort to fight the urge to fidget. Despite of all the questions he bombarded her with; she was still very aware of his masculine presence. It somehow makes her uneasy because from her past experiences with him, every time they are alone together, something that lacks personal boundaries tends to happen.
As though he has run out of questions, Sasuke diverted his glare from the heiress to the window, letting his face be bathed in the cold night air. Outside, he saw the two Kiri nins perched on a tree, acting as watchers for the night.
The room was then wrapped in silence.
Hinata stole a glimpse at the young man and she bit her lip, realizing that she never thanked him for saving her from her fall earlier. She was a little occupied hovering over Kiba –the result of intense relief that he was finally safe- that it escaped her mind… besides, he was doing his best on glaring at her and Shikamaru that she was actually trying to get out of his way in order to escape his wrath about the fake marriage thing.
"Sasuke." She started, breaking the silence between them. "I-"
His head slowly turned towards her, eyebrows raised.
"I…" Hinata tried her best to meet his gaze. In the Hyuuga clan, it was etiquette to always look someone in the eyes once you are talking to them. "I want to thank you for earlier…Arigatou for saving my life."
Sasuke bit the inside of his cheek, then a very faint trace of smile hovered on his lips. "Your turning beet red." He pointed out, which made Hinata's hands shot to her cheeks to cover them. "And to think that is dark in here."
Letting out a sigh, he shook his head and flopped beside her on the floor. "Stop being so cute…"
"I am not trying to be…cute."
Leaning his back on the wall, he tilted his head to the side in order to see her. "I know."He looked at her for a few seconds, as if contemplating about something that was very amusing, then with a smirk on his face, Sasuke' s long arm suddenly reached out for her. His hand found the front of her shirt and he pulled her to him, their faces suddenly just an inch apart. "And that's what makes it more adorable."
"Hina-chan." Shino returned the pouch with the food tablets on her lap.
Returning to the present, Hinata blinked and suddenly realized that her face was hot. The odd looks her male team members gives her was enough to assure her that she was blushing past the normal red shade. Clearing her throat, she tried to act like it was nothing. "Uhm…captain Yamato, how far do you think is Konoha from here?"
The captain lolled his head to the side as he thought about Hinata's question. Mentally, Yamato was calculating. "Hmm…from the pace we have…it's a good two days."
-o-o-o-
He studied her face, wondering how many times he has tasted her lips yet always longed for more. The Hyuuga princess was staring at him, eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. He could feel the heat emitting from her face and he pressed their foreheads together, loving the feeling of warmth from her.
Back in Konoha, Hinata has wrapped her arms around him and buried her face on his chest like she was used to it. He longed for the same gesture from her ever since…and it drives him crazy just to think about it.
"Sasuke…"
"You're ruining the moment. Just shut up."
"But I think it shou-"
"Shut up." He told her again, this time pressing his lips on hers to prove his point. Holding the back of her head firmly, his free hand dropped from her shirt to wrap around her thin waist.
The girl has turned into a trance-like person in the secure hold of his arms. Hinata's eyes were suddenly unfocused; it made him wonder if he has accidentally activated his Tsukuyumi on her. She was also gasping for air like her breathing was the hardest thing to do at the moment and he can feel her hands falling nimbly on her sides like she has no strength to move it.
He did not know how intense the effect was to her…
As he let his hands roam on her back and his lips making trails down the hollow of her graceful neck, one thing was suddenly clear in his mind.
"You know what?" He murmured, burying his face on her neck and liking the feeling of the racing pulse in it. "When I return to Konoha after the mission…" He let his words trail. "I am going to make you my wife."
-o-
Here ends the chap. Update would be on Friday…so please review
Take care guys!
-crazygurl12