To flamers: I don't care. This is my story right? Too bad you people do not understand the meaning of the rule: DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T LIKE. Besides, you are not the only people in Ff. LOL.
On a different note, thank you for those readers who take time to review! I am so grateful and happy.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto
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Chapter Twenty-Nine
Hinata exhaled hard and closed her eyes when she reached the Hyuga compound, stopping just outside the gates to catch her breath. She had been running at full speed just to reach the place because Ino told her that Gaara—though she has no time to ask where Ino got the information—was going back to Suna.
When she entered the house, a scowling Temari greeted her, arms crossed and eyes hard. Hanabi was standing next to the fan lady but she has more of a reserved expression. "So you decided to show up at last!" Temari said with obvious disdain. "Gee Hinata… even with the excuse of forgotten memories I still can't believe that you would do that to Gaara. He doesn't mean you harm you know."
Hinata flinched. "W-Where is he?"
"Oh… so you are asking now?"
Hanabi frowned and stepped forward. She may be young and not as strong as the blonde but she doesn't like anyone—save alone her—say things to Hinata in that tone. "Hey fan woman, pipe down a bit and ask her for her reason. Hinata-nee is not evil as you made it sound."
Temari raised an eyebrow at the little shrimp that was starring daggers at her. "Small person, don't interrupt the conversation of adults."
Hanabi matched Temari's scowl with a scowl. She was after all the heiress of the Hyuga and she was taught never to back down. "Then act like one. You know very well that Hinata-nee doesn't act without reason."
Hinata pulled her little sister by the arm and yanked her gently away from her sister in law. Temari was already seething and Hanabi's words were just going to add fuel into fire. "Hanabi-chan… that's enough." She faces the older woman then. "I'm sorry Temari-chan. I was…uhm… doing something for medical purposes. I assure you, I did not mean to disappear for the whole day."
Temari sighed. "Gaara just left Hinata, and you did not even show your face to see him go."
"I'm sorry." Hinata bit her lip. "I was just informed about it minutes ago."
"It's him you should be sorry about not me."
Hanabi gritted her teeth. The sand bitch was acting like a…well, a bitch. "That tone… I hate that tone."
Temari smirked but not before throwing the little Hyuga shrimp an evil smile. Weirdly, she liked the young Hyuga. Hanabi sure got a strong backbone and that sassiness was a change from the Hyuga clan's overly polite manner. "You know… I think I am going to like you Hanabi-hime."
Hinata looked at her black leather sandals, trying to think of what to do. "How long was he…?"
"An hour… I think."
"An hour…" Hinata repeated softly. If it was just an hour she knew that she could reach him as long as he wasn't using his sand cloud. "Temari…c-can we go and follow after him? I think we could be able to catch up if we move fast and—"
"Wait." Temari raised a hand up. Hinata was acting strange right now. After days of acting like a frightened kitten she was now going to follow Gaara? "You want to follow your husband?"
"Yes."
"May I know why?" Temari can't help but be suspicious.
Hinata looked up. "Because… I have to."
"Have to what?"
Hinata took a deep breath. "I came from Ino-chan's house and I… I was able to recall my memories. I don't know if I was able to remember everything but I think I remembered enough. Please Temari-chan…. I have to go see him."
"Oh." Hanabi said knowingly. "So you stayed with Ino-nee the whole day?"
"Yes."
Hanabi wheeled and raised both eyebrows at Temari. "I told you my sister has reasons."
"Y-you mean…"
Hinata nodded. "Yes Temari-chan. I remember… a lot."
The news made Temari speechless for a while but after letting her mind cope, she was able to smile and give Hinata a pat on the head. If what Hinata said was true—and she suspect that it was true for the bluenette was not a liar—then it was for the better.
Gaara was an emotional wreck and he really needed to see the woman he came to care so much.
"Hinata… I don't think we can catch up to Gaara." Temari said honestly. In his state, Gaara won't dawdle around Leaf territory for it was a reminder that his wife was still too out of reach. He was the kind of person that would love to bury himself with work to forget his personal problems. That habit Gaara had gotten from their late father.
Temari remembered how their old man would stay for days inside his office because he was too tired and too weary to deal with emotions.
"But…" Hinata clenched her hands into fists. She was glad that she remembered a lot of things but she can't also help but feel bad. Remembering the lost memories doesn't mean that she was able to forget the latest happenings of her life.
She had placed Gaara under a lot of pain and disregard.
"Why don't we go to your father and tell him about this news instead? And then we could pack up and go back to Suna. I remember seeing a nin who uses ink jutsu to create giant birds and stuff. We could ask his help so that we could reach Suna quickly." Temari suggested.
Later that evening, Hinata fixed her things and other stuffs that she will bring back to her 'home' village. A few hours ago, she was able see Kiba and Shino and said her goodbye in advance. Unlike the first time that she left Konoha for Suna, she was not feeling down or afraid.
She was feeling eager.
Maybe it was because unlike the first time, she was not unsure of what might become of her life in the Sand. Even Shino and Kiba were not hesitant to give her their approval upon returning to Suna, they were actually happy with it.
They both promised to dropped by and visit her once every few months. It was also the same with Naruto and Sakura. The two team seven members assured her that they will visit if they have the time while Ino said that she will try to send her letters every week.
"Are you sure you can carry all that luggage?"
Hinata smiled and turned her head. "I asked Sai-kun. He told me that he'll help me and Temari-chan on our way…" Sasuke was already sitting on her bed, arms above his head and back leaning on a pillow. He was still in his Anbu uniform but his mask was hanging at the side of his waist. "I'm glad you could still slip inside the compound unnoticed Sasuke-kun."
" Your Hyuga guards are no match for me."
"At least I w-won't have to look for you before I go… back."
Sasuke's eyes—if it was even possible—turned darker. "Look for me? What in the world would make you do that Hinata?" He was being sarcastic but he can't help it.
Hinata let go of a few clothes that she was about to place inside her large pack. "I have to thank you for—"
"Don't thank me. I did it unwillingly."
Hinata lowered her gaze. As usual, Sasuke's eyes were piercing. "Unwillingly?"
"I am not a saint Hinata."
"But you did it still."
"Yes I did. Pitiful isn't it?"
Hinata sighed. Sasuke was always the proud one. "Just please let me thank you Sasuke…" She saw him smirk so she walked towards him and sat on the bed. Spending time with him before she got married, she was smart enough to know that Sasuke tends to listen when she was being persistent. "Thank you Sasuke. Thank you very much."
"Hn."
"You don't know how it m-means to me that I remembered. Everything was so hard when—"
"Don't thank me. I said I don't mean it."
The Uchiha was trying to look tough and Hinata knew it. "Maybe… but it won't stop me from thanking you."
"Hardheaded." Sasuke scoffed.
"Why is it so—"
"Will you just shut the fuck up Hinata?" Sasuke cuts her off with a glare, making her unconsciously lean away from him. "Just shut the fuck up." To her surprise, he grabbed her neck and pulled her to him.
He kissed her on the lips.
Hinata's startled squeak was muffed under Sasuke's warm mouth. He held her firmly so that she won't be able to get away from him instantly. It was the first time that he kissed Hinata and he knew that it was going to be the last time.
But it was better than nothing.
Hinata pushed Sasuke away and surprisingly, he let her. Eyes wide, she looked at the Uchiha who stood up from the bed and pocketed his hands. "Sasuke!" It was more of a hiss. If she said his name louder, it might alert the others of his intrusion. "W-what are you doing?"
Sasuke tilted his head back. "I always wanted to do that."
"What—"
"Come on. You know why I did that."
"But—"
Sasuke smirked. "Do not worry. I won't bother you again Hinata. This will be the last time."
Hinata tried her best to control her sharp breathes. She still could feel Sasuke's cool breath against her lips and it was making her knees shake. "W-what are you saying?"
"I'm saying… this is goodbye."
Even in her flustered state, Hinata managed to look stunned. Sasuke maybe annoying sometimes but she doesn't want him to say goodbye. He was already a part of her. He was her… close friend. "G-goodbye? What do you mean?"
Sasuke smiled. And it was the first genuine smile that Hinata saw him do for a long time. "What? Don't say you're going to miss me?" He raised an eyebrow.
The Uchiha was trying to be funny.
"Sasuke—"
"Don't give me that look."
"But—"
"Gaara will take care of you Hinata...you'll be fine." Sasuke told her before jumping out of the window, leaving her not just bewildered but worried. He knew that what he did was messed up, kissing a married woman on the lips.
But whatever, he already did it and there were no regrets.
Hinata covered her face and then shook her head to clear her senses. Sasuke loves to play tricks and maybe—she was hoping—he was playing one on her.
But tricks or not, he still did kiss her…
And then said his goodbye.
"Sasuke-kun…" Hinata murmured and slumped on the bed. "Y-you always love to mess with my emotions don't you?"
That morning, when two Suna kunoichi made their way out of the village gates, one masked Anbu with raven black hair was watching them from afar. He was sitting on top of the Hokage tower, an arm resting above his knee while his back was resting on wood.
Behind the mask, the Anbu smiled.
"He will offer you much more… I can offer you nothing but my bloody past."
-o-o-o-
Gaara removed his arm from his eyes only to be blinded by the harsh light of the desert sun. He came home late last night and now he overslept. The journey from the leaf to the Sand usually takes three days and a half but he managed to do it in just two days.
Two days without rest stops.
Willing his tired body to rise, he groaned when a sudden jolt of pain erupted from his head and joints—the usual areas that becomes painful when he sometimes overuse his chakra– and so he closed his eyes for a bit and after taking deep breathes, he finally walked to the bathroom.
He bathe quick and then changed into his Kazekage garb while trying to organize mentally the things that he was going to do for today and for the rest of the week—that if nothing unexpected occurs. Without Matsuri, he has to recheck his schedule and personally looked on to it.
"Anything worth knowing happened when I was gone?" Gaara asked when he met Kankuro by the kitchen. The puppet user took the liberty of cooking for both of them. Surprisingly, the outcome of the food was a little less terrible than Temari's home cooking.
Kankuro pushed a plate in front of Gaara and shrugged. "No… I guess not. You did not stay too away too long Gaara."
"I see."
"How is Hinata-chan?"
Gaara took a sip of his coffee.
Kankuro realized that it was nothing good.
"She is… coping up."
Kankuro nodded but said nothing. Gaara's eyes were hard and tense that he regretted bringing the topic up. He should have known better when Gaara came back alone and looking so…defeated.
"How is Matsuri doing?" Gaara asked, placing the cup gently on the table and interlacing his fingers together.
"She won't eat so we placed her under medic nins for a few days and put food in her system. Are you going to see her?"
"Not now."
"Good choice." Kankuro agreed. Matsuri was a good actress. One look at her and one would believe that she was really regretting her actions. Unfortunately for her, Kankuro was not that easily tricked. A woman who can put poison on somebody's medicine was surely part evil. "She is fine though so no need to worry yourself."
After eating breakfast, Gaara resumed his Kazekage duties without delay and with much more focus than needed. When late afternoon came however, he felt that his still tired body could not handle more strain so he decided to go back to his room and leave the reins to Kankuro again.
He really needs to rest.
The bed was nice and it somehow made him feel relax. Even for just a few seconds, he was thankful for the comfort it brought him. Grabbing a pillow, he placed it on his face and spread his arms wide.
He waited for the sleep to come.
::
Hinata smiled when Kankuro locked her in a tight hug. The puppet user was beaming the moment she entered the Kazekage's office with Temari. She was a little disappointed though, because she had been expecting to see her husband instead.
"I'm so glad to see you Hinata." Kankuro said when he let her go. "I take it that you're fine now?"
"I am."
"Where is Gaara?" Temari asked, putting her giant fan on the floor and then started dusting herself. The way back was easier because of the giant ink birds but it did not save them from dusts and heat. For now, she wanted nothing but a cool bath to erase the stickiness of her skin.
Kankuro sighed. "House. He doesn't look good."
Temari smirked. "I am not expecting him to be. By the way…where the hell is Matsuri being detained? I have been waiting to get my hands on that bitch for weeks."
"Temari, Gaara did not let her live for you to torture her." Kankuro reminded the impatient fan woman who was now glaring at him. He understood why Temari wanted to, but he also respects Gaara's decision. Both of his siblings were terrors but he would gladly face Temari anytime than Gaara. "She is still his student you know."
"Student my ass. What kind of student would betray a teacher?"
Hinata removed her traveling cloak. Grains of sand fell from its folds and she looked at Kankuro guiltily. "I'm sorry. I'll clean it up—"
"No. Temari will clean it up."
Temari bristled. "What—"
"I think you better go see Gaara for now Hinata-chan." Kankuro took the cloak from her hands. "I think he needs to see you more than anything right now."
Hinata smiled gratefully at her brother in law. Even Temari stopped scowling and started pushing her to the door. "T-Thank you. I'll see you both later?"
"Yes." Kankuru waved her off. "Now off go."
Her way to their house created mixed emotions and Hinata's heart started thumping against her chest like hammer. It was funny really, because she had been nothing but eager to see Gaara on her way to the Sand. And now that she was about to see him, she was starting to get nervous.
What will she say to him?
When she reached the house, she activated her bloodline limit and saw that he was peacefully sleeping inside their bedroom. It was then that she noticed that Gaara's body was highly depleted of chakra. It made her wonder of what he had been doing that it resulted to such.
Because Gaara was sleeping, Hinata did not bother to knock. She just pushed the door gently and made sure that her steps don't make any sounds. Gaara did not even flinch. He was lying so still on the bed and was oblivious to her presence. It was only proof that no matter how strong he was, his body would still betray him if he doesn't take good care of it.
Hinata sat by his side, smiling at the pillow that serves as his face covering.
"Your wife is back."
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Pleas review!
-crazychan12
