Six gongs from the grandfather clock interrupted Hinata's thorough reading in front of her. Her lavender eyes warily looked over towards the time and she felt a yawn fight its way past her lips. She leaned back in her chair and then stretched her arms. It was her first day back at work since her Father's passing. That was two weeks ago.
Hinata always enjoyed a routine. It gave her a sense of normalcy from the usual chaos in her life. She felt as if she was back on track after a few aimless days at the Hyuuga mansion going through Hiashi's things. There were a few keep sakes, such as his Konoha headband, that were stored away for preservation. The only thing that Hinata set aside was an old photograph. It was taken on the day that she was born; she was just a small baby in the arms of her mother and Hiashi had his hand resting on her mother's shoulder.
There weren't many photos of her mother around. She mainly relied on her own memory although it was blurry when she tried to think back. Hinata took the picture back with her to her own apartment and it sat underneath her pillow. She gazed at it every night especially at the beauty of her mother. There were similarities of Hanabi with their father, but Hinata never saw where she fit in. Now she knew that she had taken after her.
Hanabi begged Hinata to move back into the Hyuuga mansion. It struck her by surprise of her sister's sudden interest in having her around.
"Hinata… you should really stay." She said while watching her pack her things. Hinata glanced over at Hanabi and smiled gently.
"Neji-niisan will still be here. Don't worry." Her voice was quiet as she had paused folding a shirt. "Even though Father is gone, things will fall into place."
Hanabi was silent sitting on Hinata's old bed and then glanced down at her hands in her lap. Although it was never spoken, Hanabi was still very young. She had jumped into the leadership and adulthood fast and now with Hiashi gone, there were insecurities that she could more easily express.
"You would have been a much better leader." Hanabi whispered. Hinata zipped up her pack and looked over at her sister. Although the girls were never close, they still had a strong bond and Hinata felt a sense of protection over her.
"D-Don't say that." She said and sat down next to her on the bed. "Y'know… I was sad when Father told me you were to take over the Hyuuga clan. But I knew that deep down that you would be a wonderful leader."
Hanabi didn't say anything as she fidgeted with the ring around her finger. Hinata's small smile slowly faded. Her sister had everything she wanted—the respect, the clan and the marriage. Hanabi didn't seem to want any of it.
"Hinata, Father fought for you." She said sheepishly. Hinata stared at Hanabi with somewhat disbelief. It seemed highly unlikely but Hanabi rarely lied.
"Oh. He did?" She tried to sound as nonchalant of it as possible.
"Yeah. The Hyuuga Council had a vote and they overturned his right to name you the rightful leader. I'm so sorry." Hanabi said with a small voice. Hinata looked away as the information sunk in. For a long time, she held a slight bitter feeling towards her Father, but knowing it wasn't his decision made the guilt settle in her stomach. She slipped an arm around her sister's shoulders and smiled.
"W-Well, I'm glad that they chose you. You've done so many amazing things. I knew that it was the perfect opportunity for you. There is no need to be sorry."
"But—"
"I've come to realize that it was for the best. There are bigger and better things out there." Hinata paused and squeezed Hanabi's shoulder playfully. "Besides, I don't think I could have gotten married yet!"
Hanabi felt her cheeks get pink but she had giggled a little. It was a rare and strange scene that unfolded between them as they seemed to revert back into small children—before there was competition, before the Academy and before either had to worry about who would take over the Clan.
Sitting at her desk, Hinata glanced back down at her reading. On her own downtime at the library, she had taken it upon herself to read up on the reincarnation scroll that Kabuto was searching for. There wasn't as much information on it as she thought, but what was provided seemed helpful. The scroll was very old and had been stolen from Konoha's records long ago. It was presumed that Orochimaru had stolen it.
The scroll was infused with a special type of chakra only visible when using the Sharingan or Byakugan. Whether it had been misplaced during the scuffle of Orochimaru's death or even taken, she wasn't sure. Kabuto had the Byakugan now and was either searching for the scroll or had already used it to reincarnate Orochimaru. The only thing that bothered her in her findings was even if he was brought back to life, it would bring back something much different… almost zombie-like.
Hinata rolled up the scroll and decided to call it a day. She stood up from her desk and tidied up a bit before heading towards the stair case. As Hinata ascended the stone steps, she could hear voices at the top. It wasn't like her to eaves drop, but the conversation seemed a bit personal. Hinata would feel awkward interrupting by opening the door to the top of the stairs. She silently summoned forth her Byakugan and was surprised to see Sasuke and Sakura's forms standing right outside the door.
Hinata felt her stomach churn in a feeling of slight envy. She wasn't sure what caused a sudden pang of jealousy; Sasuke wasn't her significant other. He was allowed to do as he pleased. Hinata let her Byakugan retreat and she lowered herself onto a step as Sakura's voice began to get louder. It was hard not to listen in.
"But Sasuke-kun…! Please…"
"That's enough."
"I've loved you since day one. I was always there for you. I even offered to help you in your quest for revenge! Why can't you just understand that?"
"And Naruto?" Sasuke asked with his infamous dry tone. "What about him? Does he know about this?"
"…Well. We've had our issues… I just can't let you go." Her voice grew quieter which made Hinata strain to hear, but she could feel her cheeks burn with a sudden rise of anger. Sakura was with an amazing man; Naruto had been her first love and Hinata was forced to let go of that. Although even when she had found out about Naruto and Sakura, she wasn't as heartbroken of it as she thought. Hinata had been preoccupied with her own personal issues to really address it.
"I'm not interested in love." Those words came from Sasuke's mouth and it seemed to slap Hinata in the face. It must have done the same to Sakura as well because there was a long pause. She wasn't sure why that phrase bothered her. Hinata wasn't in love with the man, but she really wasn't even sure what love was. Maybe she never loved Naruto to begin with.
"…I see." Sakura's voice was low. Hinata didn't want to be there any longer. She wanted to go home, hold onto the picture of her parents, and fall into a deep sleep. Standing up, Hinata pushed open the door to see them both. Her cheeks were still warm with slight anger and even embarrassment. Sasuke glanced over at her with those dark eyes; they seemed to be reading her expression and calculating her mood.
"Oh. Hello Hinata," said Sakura with a somber tone. Hinata wasn't sure what to say. She wanted to scream at her for taking Naruto from her and then not being satisfied with that. It was a very confusing moment, but instead she forced a very small smile.
"H-Hello…" She murmured and bowed slightly before beginning to walk from both of them. Sasuke's face remained blank although he could tell she was flustered. Sakura ran a hand through her hair and turned from the Uchiha.
"She sure has been through a lot." Sasuke didn't reply to her statement. Instead he uncrossed his arms and pushed on forward leaving her to stand there.
They hadn't spoken much since Hiashi's funeral mainly because Sasuke had been on a low-rank mission. He didn't worry so much of Hinata's safety since the threat to the Byakugan was gone, but he did think of her more often than not... usually before he would slowly drift to sleep. Sasuke also thought of their embrace and how oddly thrilling it was. It wasn't the same feeling he got when he would take a nameless girl home, it felt more satisfying.
His eyes watched her while she hurriedly walked down the hallway. Sasuke wasn't far behind her, but his slow and steady steps were no match for her quick ones. Like a snake he picked up some speed to approach her as if she was his prey. As Hinata opened the door to exit the Hokage building, Sasuke slammed it closed with his hand resting just above her on the door. She looked up at him suddenly and was silent as he towered over her.
Sasuke observed her once again; her cheeks were still pink and her brows were furrowed almost in anger. He was close enough to her to breathe in her sweet vanilla scent. He couldn't help but picture her as a little girl again. That memory had been running rampant in his mind ever since he remembered it.
"Have you eaten?" He asked stepping back slightly. Hinata's hand began to fidget with her long braid.
"N-Not yet."
"I have some things to tell you." Sasuke said simply. Hinata felt her cheeks grow even warmer and her heart skipped a beat. She nodded and turned to try to open the door again. The setting sun spilled in as they exited down the stone steps.
They walked in complete silence. Hinata followed him through the streets of Konoha in a daze of curiosity. He led them both with such care free steps whilst she felt her steps were forced and choppy. Sasuke was always a confident person, most of the times it was overbearing, but up until recently it was no longer filled with arrogance. He seemed to be content with where his life was and the outcomes of his actions.
Much to her surprise, the place of choice wasn't a bar. It was a small family owned restaurant that was known for being quiet and quick. Hinata glanced up to the Uchiha who had his usual blank expression. She was getting better at understanding him, but more often than not he was a mystery.
"Welcome!" An older woman who was wiping down a table called out to them as they entered. They were both polite with their greetings and as she glanced around, she noted that there were only a few older gentlemen playing a game of Shogi in the restaurant.
They sat down at a table near the back and away from any potential eaves droppers. Before Hinata had a chance to question this entire situation, the old woman was there to greet them once again.
"Ahh, welcome, welcome. It's so nice to see young people in here." The lady was short and probably only came up to Hinata's shoulder, but she stood tall. Her white hair was wrapped tightly into a traditional burn upon her head and her wrists were adorned with gaudy bracelets.
"A bottle of sake, please." Sasuke said as he folded his arms to rest on the table top. Hinata shot him a look of shock, but upon thinking it further, it didn't seem so surprising.
"And you, my dear? Oh… you are a Hyuuga." The old woman said as a frown settled into her wrinkled face. "I heard what happened to Hiashi-san. Tsk… such a terrible story. My condolences."
Hinata smiled politely and nodded. The entire village seemed to be offering their apologies and such to her even the people she had never met before. It was touching but at the same time just another reminder of her fallen father.
"Just some tea, please." Hinata said. The old woman nodded and stepped away from their table. Sasuke watched Hinata for a quick second. He had a suspicion she was in the stair well and overheard the conversation he had with Sakura.
It was enough to make him want to stab his own foot with a kunai. Women were a pain. They were never happy with what was right in front of them and often looked to others for their own selfish reasons. Hinata was different, however, and he noted that from the beginning. She had blindly embraced her own womanly figure without spending too much time on applying silly things like make up.
Sasuke wasn't sure if she was angry for other reasons, or was still having trouble with her Father's death. Needless to say he wasn't one to pry into anyone's feelings. He remembered when countless doctors and counselors attempted the same thing following the Uchiha massacre.
"The scroll has been located." Sasuke suddenly said. Hinata looked up to meet his gaze.
"Where is it?"
"It's all based on speculation, but it's said to be close to the Land of Sand. My guess is he was looking that way earlier but lucked out. He needed help finding it."
"So he hasn't gotten it yet?" Hinata asked thoughtfully. Their conversation was put on hold as the old woman had returned with a tray of drinks. She smiled a bit before brushing a loose strand of white hair from her eyes.
"Courtesy of my husband and I… we knew Hiashi as a young boy. It is the least we can do." The old woman said and bowed slightly. "Enjoy."
Hinata watched the old woman walk away and a soft grin appeared. Sasuke was already pouring himself a drink into his saucer cup and then holding it to his nose to inhale the strong scent. He took a sip before completely downing the alcohol.
"Tsunade is still ironing out details but expect to be summoned soon." Sasuke said after he swallowed. "We have to reach the scroll before he does."
Hinata watched the tea escape from the kettle into the cup as she tilted it forward. Neither said anything for several moments as they sipped on their respective drinks. Her thoughts were running amok in her mind… if they found Kabuto and were able to save him, would she be able to forgive him? In essence, it was the spell controlling him.
"D-Do you know much about the scroll?" Hinata asked as the steam from her tea disappeared into thin air. Sasuke nodded.
"The being they reincarnate is not who they were before their death, which makes me wonder what Kabuto would be after by bringing Orochimaru back to life. He already has many of his powers."
Hinata frowned and ran a few fingers absent-mindedly through her bangs. Kabuto was just a henchman; a right hand man. The spell was turning him into the villain or was it something more? It was exhausting to try to put herself in Kabuto's shoes and think like he did. There were so many things that they didn't know about the man which was also very terrifying to think of.
"Sasuke-kun…" She spoke up. He didn't respond as he poured liquid into his cup but silence usually meant it was okay to continue. "I never met Orochimaru… Was he like everyone said?"
She remembered Naruto and Sakura speaking of his snake-like mannerisms and a voice that would even make Shino's skin crawl. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders and sipped his sake.
"He had every right to be a part of the Legendary Sannin. His jutsus and abilities far exceeded the capacity of his body." Sasuke leaned back and closed his eyes as he recalled memories of his travels with the slithery man. It wasn't his proudest moments but it ended up working in his favor for the most part.
"Did he scare you?" It seemed like a silly question after it escaped her mouth but it was something she wondered about even when he first left Konoha.
"No." He said. "He had several opportunities to kill me, but I knew he needed me."
Hinata also thought back to her time at that age. She had been working hard to become strong—they all were. Everyone wanted to one-up each other and when Naruto returned to Konoha it seemed bittersweet. She remembered fainting in his presence and it was somewhat of an embarrassing memory.
Hinata and Sasuke both lived completely opposite lives until now. Sasuke was off seeking revenge and training with the almighty and feared Orochimaru while she went on a few low-rank missions every week. Her life was laughable compared to his and yet he was so strong.
Sasuke watched her like a hawk. He had always been observant of her but it seemed especially fitting to scan her for something. He wasn't sure if he was just searching for an answer or just curious to know her feelings. At least with Sakura, anyone could tell if she was angry or upset because she would certainly show it. Hinata was more reserved although it wasn't difficult to see she was in deep thought.
"It's strange," she began to speak while her fingertip gently outlined the lip of her cup. "For so long I resented my family. I felt like they abandoned me when my Father told me my sister would become the leader of the clan."
Sasuke was silent as he sipped but he was listening. Normally, small talk would annoy him but it seemed to peak his interest the closer he had gotten to her.
"It wasn't until my Father died and I realized that I would have made an awful leader." Hinata paused but continued on to clarify. "N-Not because I think I am weak, but because I feel drawn to something… something much larger."
"Things have happened for a reason. Sometimes you find out that reason and sometimes you don't." Sasuke said dryly between sips. "And sometimes it's better that you don't find out."
Hinata frowned seeing the reflection of her pale eyes in her tea cup. Life was full of mystery and hardships could be blessings in disguise. Maybe even with her father's death there was some good out of it. All her misfortune might lead to something worthwhile…
She looked back up over to Sasuke and the saucer cup in his hand. Hinata suddenly felt curious of sake. It had always been offered to her to which she would always decline because she felt that it wasn't something she should do. Sasuke's brows rose slightly as the woman across the table from him stared at the bottle of sake. He downed what was in his cup and then filled it back up before sliding it over towards her.
Hinata's immediate response was to shake her head and continue to indulge in her tea although it was strangely tempting. She hesitated but the constant feeling of his eyes upon her was beginning to get nerve wracking. The clear liquid gleamed in the dim lights above and it looked awfully harmless. Hinata gently grabbed the cup and stared at it. Sasuke watched half amused and half impatient for her to just drink it.
As if giving into the pressure, she held it up to her lips. The smell was slightly sweet but also strong. If only Kiba was there to cheer her on. Hinata took a sip and her face twisted into surprise and disgust. Sasuke couldn't help but smirk at her reaction. Even though sake was sweet it was also filled with the slight bitterness of the alcohol. It must have caught her off guard. Hinata felt her cheeks get pink with embarrassment. Instead of sipping again, she made a bold move to down the rest of the liquid.
It burned her throat and she coughed slightly before setting the cup down. Although it was a little bitter, it was also…satisfyingly sweet and refreshing. The tension in between her shoulder blades eased ever so gently and the urge to drink more suddenly came over her. Much to Sasuke's surprise, she reached out and poured herself another cup.
"Easy," He mumbled as she set back the bottle. Hinata didn't seem too bothered by his response. Now that she was expecting the strong taste, it wasn't so bad the second time around. In fact, it was smoother going down and it warmed her stomach. Her body felt lighter and lighter with each sip. It was an instant miracle for the stress that had been building up in her body.
Sasuke began to pace himself knowing that this situation might get out of hand. Her body wasn't used to processing large amounts of alcohol…or alcohol period. Her cheeks were rosy but he couldn't tell if it was normal or if it was the sake.
There wasn't much spoken after a while. Both took advantage of the nice quietness that surrounded them. Sasuke's lazy eyes glanced over towards the window at the front of the restaurant. The sun had finally gone down and the street lights were kicking on. He remembered that was the sign to get home after many summer evenings out with his friends. Friends. Sasuke had friends as a young boy. He had always been so eager to meet people especially ones outside of the Uchiha clan, but even his own father seemed to frown upon that notion.
"Sasuke-kun," She said gently which caused his thoughts to return to the present. Her eyes were staring into his so intently that it caught him off guard at how suddenly relaxed she was in front of him. Usually Hinata had every defense up to keep herself from being vulnerable.
"You don't need to protect me."
He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest. She was obviously slightly intoxicated and beginning to bring up things that didn't need to be brought up. It wasn't his intention for her to like the alcohol… he had just been curious of the outcome.
"A Jounin such as yourself doesn't need to be protected by a Chuunin." Sasuke said blankly although there was a slight hint of sarcasm to that statement. Hinata frowned not seeing the humor in it.
"But you're stronger than I am. If anything… you deserve to be the Jounin."
"Tsunade wouldn't have promoted you unless she thought you were qualified. I am Chuunin because of you. She trusts you, not me." Sasuke paused as her face fell at the potentially lethal words. "I came here seeking the glory of ranking up. In the end, it doesn't matter."
Sasuke thought that if he became something great 'officially' it might help to ease the loneliness, but he still felt the same once he had ranked to a Chuunin. Nothing had changed. The empty loft, the solitary nights, the silent meals… a rank could not replace a family. Even the lone Uchiha needed someone there whether it meant training for hours on end with Naruto or having a relatively silent evening out with Hinata.
She looked glumly down at her cup looking for something to say without sounding silly, although everything seemed a little more silly than usual. No wonder Kiba enjoyed drinking sake so much. It allowed one to relax.
"I-I know our clans never got along, but I never understood my Father's reasoning." Hinata murmured thinking back to her childhood.
"What's done is done." Sasuke said simply not wanting this conversation to get more emotional than it needed to be. Hinata wasn't in the right state-of-mind and he hated the topic anyway. She leaned forward with her elbows on the tabletop and intertwined her fingers to let her chin rest on something. Her eyes slowly closed. My head is spinning. Everything feels…funny.
Sasuke sighed gently and took back the cup that was in front of her. She hadn't drank that much but he could tell she didn't need anymore. He reached into his pocket and threw some money on the table as a tip and then stood up.
"Let's go."
Hinata was slow to react to his words, but she opened her eyes tiredly. She lifted herself to her feet and everything was incredibly off balance. Stumbling forward a bit, Sasuke grabbed her arm firmly to help keep her feet planted on the ground. Hinata rubbed her forehead and tried to stand still but the room was dancing around her.
"I-I'm sorry… I don't know what's wrong." She mumbled trying to get ahold of herself.
"You're just drunk. C'mon." He said with an irritated tone as he released her arm and began to walk forward. Hinata did her best to walk on her own although it was a challenge. Her entire body was hot even when the blast of the cool fall air hit her face. It felt amazing, but her cheeks were on fire.
The streets were empty as it was late in the evening and on a week day. Many homes and shops were still in repair so it was very quiet. Sasuke remembered seeing much of the damage from above as he had come in on the hawk. It had been the last thing on his mind at that time now that he thought about it.
There was another silence between the two and she had a hard time keeping up with the Uchiha. She felt her foot get caught on a rock and Hinata couldn't react fast enough. The ground was a lot harder than it looked but it also did wonders for her high body temperature. She laid there for a few seconds enjoying the cold pavement before her mind caught up to what had happened. Unlike Rock Lee, the alcohol hindered her more than anything.
Sasuke glanced over his shoulder to see her lying there. He stopped and sighed heavily. Sasuke really had no room to complain since he often had trouble holding his liquor too. I don't have time for this… He walked back over to her, bent down, and scooped up the Hyuuga into his arms. She suddenly sensed something warm up against her face and warily looked up. Hinata wanted to struggle but she felt like she didn't have control over her own body any longer.
The woman in his arms was light as a feather and he could feel the warmth from her cheeks against his chest. It was a rare thing for him to extend his help like this. Had it have been anyone else, they would have been shit out of luck because to Sasuke it was a dog eat dog world. However he was getting used to having comrades to work with which in turn made it more difficult to continue with his loner thoughts.
"Where is your apartment?" Sasuke asked as he walked. There was no response and as he looked down at her, she was asleep. He stopped walking with a frown and was unsure what to do. There was no way that he could show up at the Hyuuga mansion with a drunk Hinata in his arms. He didn't feel like dealing with an over-protective Neji. Sasuke thought of other options like dropping her off with Sakura for the night but then that would create drama and rumors which he didn't have time for.
His loft wasn't far from them and had narrowly missed the explosions from the invasion. The market street was a complete disaster although the work had already begun for repairs. His mind began to wander as he walked. Itachi was probably rolling in his grave at what Sasuke had become. The Hyuuga was a weakness for him but he managed to make it work. His conscious was guilty with the dying wish of her father and the potential disaster his clan could have caused. It literally could have been a war within the village.
Sasuke was able to maneuver his way up the steps to the door and somehow jiggle the handle to enter. He winced inwardly at his lack of up keep to his loft but he rarely spent any time home except to eat and sleep. Sasuke gently adjusted her in his arms and she stirred sleepily. He looked down within the darkness of the night and the moonlight that shone through his windows lit up her face. It was almost angelic.
Sasuke didn't have much furniture mainly because he didn't need much. The idea of her sleeping on the floor was out so he figured his bed would be the best bet. There had never been a girl in his bed before at least not at this particular loft. He recalled back to when he stayed in a hotel for a few months following Itachi's death. It wasn't the greatest time of his life as it was lived in a drunken and grief stricken state.
He approached his messy and unmade bed and gently set her sleeping body down. Her eyes fluttered half-way open at the sudden softness underneath her. She stared up at Sasuke in the darkness; her cheeks were flushed, her lips were a soft pink and her eyes almost looked lustful from his angle.
"I'm sleeping in the other room." He said sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. Hinata didn't say anything. She didn't move. She just continued to stare at him which was making him think of…other very inappropriate things. Sasuke inhaled slowly and turned to leave. She sat up and grabbed his hand. He looked back at her.
"I…" Her voice was small. "I don't want to be alone." The words weren't very clear as she usually was and he could tell it wasn't innocent little Hinata talking. Sasuke knew that it was a bad idea because in the end it would seem as if he was taking advantage of the former Hyuuga princess. He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"You need to sleep."
"I-I know." There was a silence that filled the room. Sasuke ran his hand through his hair and decided he would just wait for her to fall asleep before heading out to the living room. Hinata crawled up over to him; she pulled his arm into a hug before letting her head rest on his shoulder. Sasuke felt himself tense up at the touch.
They sat for a few moments and Hinata's head was still throbbing with the alcohol. It all felt very surreal for her…almost dream-like. She could smell his scent and it felt incredibly comfortable. She had always thought what it would be like to like this with a man and of course those thoughts were usually with Uzumaki Naruto. Hinata felt overwhelmed as things flowed through her mind.
She moved her head and let her chin rest on his shoulder. He slowly glanced down at her. Her eyes were glazed over staring into his and she was just inches from his face. Even though he had been in this situation countless times with other women, Sasuke had never noticed his heart beating so fast before.
His other hand reached up to brush against her flushed cheek. Sasuke's expression was completely blank even though inside it felt like it was his first time with a girl. He could easily kiss her but it just felt…wrong. It didn't feel justified. It didn't feel like it was the right time. He let his hand drop and then he stood up without a word. Hinata frowned as he left the room. I'm not interested in love. His voice from earlier rang out in her mind and she rubbed her hot forehead before falling back into the comfort of his bed. Hinata curled up with his pillow and by the time Sasuke returned with a glass of water she had fallen asleep.
Multiple loud knocks awoke Sasuke with a start. He sat straight up with a wince and for a moment was confused. … I'm on the floor. He rubbed the back of his stiff neck and remembered why he had fallen asleep on the ground. A frown settled into his features; his bed was neatly made and Hyuuga Hinata was nowhere to be found.
Sasuke rubbed his face with his hands and thought back to last night. Hinata had alcohol and even with the small amount she had it affected her. There was nowhere to take her so naturally his place was the only thing he could think of. Looking back it probably wasn't the best idea considering the circumstances. A slight shudder was sent throughout his body just thinking about it.
The knocks were much louder now and he could recognize the voice from outside. Sasuke groaned upon standing up and he took his time heading to the front door to his loft.
"What, Naruto?" Sasuke hissed as he ripped the door open and the light from the day blinded him. Naruto grinned and crossed his arms.
"Well, good morning sunshine!" Naruto said through a laugh. Sasuke stared at him not finding anything amusing about this situation. They were the true version of ying and yang although it seemed to be working for them.
"What do you want?"
"Oh. Can I use your bathroom first? I reeeeally gotta pee." Naruto said with a childish whine. Sasuke rolled his eyes and turned to walk away although he left the door open for his buddy to enter. Naruto wasted little time as he scurried in and he found his way towards the bathroom.
Sasuke walked to his kitchen sink and turned the nozzles until cold water poured into his cupped hands. It felt like heaven against his face and while the water streamed down his cheeks he thought of Hinata. When did she get up? He was slightly miffed she didn't wake him up to tell him she was leaving, but it bothered him more that he was bothered by it.
The sound of a flushing toilet shook him from his thoughts as Naruto waltzed back into the kitchen. He yawned obnoxiously and then sat down at the table.
"Old Lady wants us." Naruto said with a more serious tone while he crossed his arms. Those bright blue eyes looked at Sasuke who was still facing the kitchen sink. Sasuke wiped the water from his face with his sleeve and he closed his eyes.
"Kabuto?"
"Yeah, he was spotted heading southwest by a few select sources. We'll know more the sooner we get to the Hokage Building."
Sasuke turned and leaned up against the counter. Naruto was already settling into becoming Hokage and Sasuke could tell that he still had the same passion as he did as when they first became Team Seven. He smirked and crossed his arms as he reminisced.
"Funny how a scaredy cat like you came all this way without getting yourself killed." Sasuke's sarcastic tone caused Naruto to give him a 'look'.
"Yeah well it's funny a cold asshole like you came all this way and somehow you still got yourself a girl." He grinned and laughed to himself. Sasuke's smirk disappeared and an eyebrow arched up. He wouldn't even give Naruto the gratification of his comment as he pushed himself off the counter and disappeared into his room.
"I was only giving you crap!" Naruto's voice was muffled as Sasuke got dressed for the day. He reached down to grab his sword and then tied it around his waist firmly.
"Let's go." Sasuke said as he walked from his room and past Naruto at the table.
"Nyeh? Sweet!" Naruto scrambled to his feet and was right behind Sasuke as they exited his loft. They had to walk through the on-going construction in the market place, but it was moving along nicely from what they could see. Spirits were high again in the village; even small children were helping with bringing tools back and forth. It was slightly refreshing to see positivity.
Sasuke tried to keep his thoughts on the upcoming mission, but he kept thinking back to the events of the previous night. He even wondered if Hinata was being sincere with her actions or if it was just the alcohol and raging hormones. An irritated feeling swept over him as he realized he shouldn't even care. If anything they were just friends.
"I'm ready for all this crud to be over with… I figured with snake-man Orochimaru being dead it would all fizzle out." Naruto muttered and shrugged his shoulders. Sasuke thought for a moment before responding.
"Orochimaru was smart; even though he was the root of the poison, he made sure that it travelled. In order to get rid of it all together, we have to treat each affected area."
By the time they had reached the Hokage Building, the sun was higher in the sky which meant it was mid-morning. With the changing seasons, the weather was cooler and crisp with frosty mornings and warm afternoons. Konoha was always pretty consistent with the sunshine which helped keep away cooler temperatures. Sasuke had been to plenty of places where it was bitterly cold every day but on the other hand, the Land of Sand was hot and dry every day.
The Hokage Building was bustling with people walking throughout the halls as usual. It got quieter throughout the afternoon. Sasuke subconsciously scanned the people walking for a blue-haired woman but she wasn't there. They eventually filed in with the flow of people towards Tsunade's office. Naruto didn't even bother to knock half the time anymore so they simply barged in.
"Ch… Naruto, what did I tell you about knocking the other day?" Tsunade's voice was already tainted with grumpiness. Naruto shrugged his shoulders and shot her an apologetic grin.
"Yeah yeah… I just forget sometimes."
Sasuke followed Naruto in and was surprised to see others already standing inside the office. His stomach did a strange flop upon seeing Hinata, who was with the rest of her team. Her gaze caught his and she looked away quickly. His eyebrows furrowed out of confusion, but he didn't let it show as he stood next to Naruto.
Shizune held Tonton in her arms next to Tsunade's desk and she smiled looking over the several ninja in the room. Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, Hyuuga Hinata, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and… She frowned and then leaned over to Tsunade.
"We're just missing Hatake Kakashi." She whispered. Tsunade sighed gently and nodded.
"Yes, I'm sure he'll be showing up at any moment now."
Naruto scowled to himself and then crossed his arms.
"Leave it to Kakashi-sensei to keep us waiting." He mumbled. Sasuke smirked on the inside. It seemed to be just like old times with his former team at his side. All the years he was off on his own, avoiding and fighting back against Konoha, he forgot how much he missed it. He was avoiding the one thing that would help to heal the wounds from his brother.
"Aha. Here we are." Those lazy words echoed through the office as Kakashi let himself in with his masked face hiding a grin. Tsunade leaned her cheek up against the palm her hand and she sighed.
"Alright, since you're all here, let's begin." Her features returned to her poker face and she sat up straight. "As you all know, last week Kabuto and the ninja from the Sound infiltrated the village. At approximately 2:31am, the first explosion sounded off at the northern part of Konoha destroying several housing units under construction."
Hinata pursed her lips as she listened to Tsunade. It played out in her mind as she went on describing the events that took place. She wouldn't allow emotion to overcome her, especially not in front of everyone.
"The second explosion came six minutes later at 2:37am. This was done on the other side of Konoha to distract. At this particular time, the Hyuuga district was attacked. Kabuto was able to get away with the Byakugan from Hyuuga Hiashi resulting in his death." She said her voice slightly quiet towards the end.
Hinata remained blank although she could feel the eyes of everyone in the room upon her sniffing out her reaction. She shifted her weight uncomfortably, her eyes pleading with Tsunade to continue.
"The scroll has been located thanks to close work the Hyuugas and the Land of Sand and currently the Kazekage, Gaara, has it under close watch. Your mission is to retrieve and make sure it gets back here to Konoha safely—we can't afford for Kabuto to get ahold of it."
Sasuke crossed his arms after hearing the name Gaara. He couldn't recall the last time he had seen his former opponent. It must have been back during the Chuunin Exams where things got incredibly out of hand. Sasuke did hear when the Akatsuki drained Shukaku and he was revived. It was silly to say, but Orochimaru was a gossiper and much of the events throughout the land ended up coming back to him. He always wanted to be aware, ahead, and enlightened.
"Kakashi," said Tsunade. He adjusted his forehead band and nodded in her direction. "You of course are in charge."
"Is it true Kabuto is already headed that way?" Kakashi asked with his hands resting in his pockets. Tsunade nodded and closed her eyes.
"Yes. The sooner you get to Sunagakure, the better. And with this team… I have no doubts. Once you arrive, please send out a bird so I know you got there."
Everyone nodded with understanding of the mission. Tsunade was quiet as she stared at them. Tonton squirmed in Shizune's arms at the strange amount of tension in the room.
"I expect you all to return."
Her request was odd; that was usually the idea of any mission, but she was stressing it hard. There had been several deaths in the past few weeks and Tsunade didn't deal with that very well. She never did which made it difficult for her to be a ninja—hence her reasoning for going on hiatus before becoming Hokage.
"No worries, Old Lady!" Naruto said brightly and happy to be the first to cut through the uncomfortable tension. "Kabuto doesn't stand a chance."
Tsunade couldn't help but hide a smile. A generation of ninja was standing before her and soon that generation would shift upwards. Naruto would be taking over within a few months. She would still be highly involved until he got settled.
"You've got an hour. You all know what you need to do to be prepared." She nodded her dismissal and everyone turned to disperse.
Hinata made sure to be the first out the door. She felt incredibly embarrassed waking up in Sasuke's bed that morning. There were blurry memories that she attempted to piece together when she opened her eyes but her cheeks burned just thinking about it. Hinata remembered being close to Sasuke... very closeand very unlike her.
Alcohol was a double edge sword; it made one feel on top of the world without worry of crashing to the ground below... but everyone knows what must go up must always come down. Her head had a slight throb in it and this was her lesson learned.
Hinata followed the familiar hallway down to escape to the library. The cool air from below ground soothed her warm face and she finally began to feel comfortable. She was worried she did something even more stupid last night. Sasuke was true to his word; he slept on the floor but she didn't remember falling asleep. She didn't remember how she got to his bed.
She fell like a sack of potatoes into her chair at the desk and let her hands rest on her cheeks. Hinata heaved a sigh and then glanced to the scroll sitting before her. She remembered Sasuke was looking for a specific document on the Uchiha history and it was missing from the shelf. Hinata found it while she was cleaning out a bin of miscellaneous scrolls the other day. She meant to get it to him earlier.
The door at the top of the stairs swung open and she looked up. Please don't be him... The feet bounding down the steps told her otherwise and Naruto appeared with a large grin.
"Hinataaaaaa." His triumphant voice called out to her which prompted her to blush. She smiled softly at him and was surprised to see him down here.
"Hello N-Naruto-kun." She said as she cursed herself in her mind. That stutter would most likely always be present when she was around him. Even though her feelings for him seemed to have disappeared, he was just a charming person all around.
He approached her desk with a large grin and he scratched the back of his head. But the closer he got the more somber his expression got. It caught her off guard and she felt her smile fade.
"Heya. I was just thinking about ya." He said which caused the blush to deepen. "Are you sure you want to go on this mission?"
She sat up straighter in her chair and forced out another small smile.
"Yes... I feel like I would be of more use out in the field than I am here." Her fingers intertwined with each other as they sat on the desk. She could feel her toes bouncing below to try to keep herself from being looking nervous speaking with him.
"Well, just know that we are all here for you. Everyone has had their fair share of loss but... it's safe to say I know where you're coming from." He said and that familiar smile spread across his face. Hinata's gaze broke from his and she stared down at her hands.
"I know. My Father would want me to go. I feel as if he sometimes still looks over me." Her voice was quiet and she wasn't quite sure why she was being so open. Naruto crossed his arms and thought for a few seconds.
"Weird that you say that... even though I never knew my parents, I always feel as if they're there with me, too." He mumbled. Hinata looked up at him and chewed on her bottom lip. Naruto was always so strong and that was her first attraction to him... like a moth to a light. Although now it just seemed like he was a close comrade and someone she could confide in like Kiba and Shino.
Hinata smiled gently. She grew up relatively religious with the Hyuuga beliefs, but thought that if she lived her life loving and protecting those around her that it was a life well lived. Maybe the spirits of friends and family watched over them.
The door to the top of the stairs opened again and they both turned to see Uchiha Sasuke slowly descend down the steps. Hinata's heart skipped a beat inside her chest and her shoulders tensed up. His dark eyes looked over at them as he hit the last step and Naruto grinned again.
"Eh, Sasuke!" He waved. Sasuke seemed indifferent to the greeting; instead his gaze locked right onto the Hyuuga girl sitting at the desk which made her feel uneasy. He stopped just next to Naruto and then looked his way.
"...Ah. Gotcha. See you guys soon. I might eat my weight in ramen before we leave." With a thumbs up, Naruto turned and disappeared towards the stair case.
Sasuke let his arms cross on his chest as Hinata stared hard at her hands. It was the first time in a while that she felt uncomfortable around him. It was actually nostalgic to when they began working together a year prior.
"S-Sasuke-kun... I just wanted to a-apologize for last night. I didn't mean to-"
"How are you feeling?" His dry voice interrupted her and she glanced up at him.
"Er... I'm fine." Hinata wasn't sure what to say.
"No headache?"
"Um... well. Yes, a tad but that's my own fault." She murmured quietly. Sasuke's brows arched and a hint of a smirk was present on his lips.
"Did you get sick?"
"...N-No!" Her hand was brought to her chest as if she was appalled he would even ask. There was a pause of silence in their conversation and her gaze fell to the scroll.
"Oh. I know it was a long time ago, but... I remember you mentioning you were looking for this." Hinata held up the scroll and he looked at it before taking it. He unraveled it and began to read it. It only took him a moment before he let it roll back up.
"Ni Bijon?" Hinata inquired. Sasuke nodded and slipped the scroll into his pocket.
"Yes. It's another reason why Kabuto was after the Byakugan." He said. Hinata frowned.
"What does he want with that type of Kekkei Genkai...? I-It's not natural..." She said. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders.
"Neither is the Sharingan in Kakashi's head."
"That's different, though." Hinata countered. He lowered his head and thought for a few seconds.
"That means he just needs the Sharingan." She whispered. "Sasuke-kun… what if—"
"Are you really worried?"
A pause.
"No…" Hinata smiled slightly. "I-I guess not but… I wasn't worried with my father either."
Sasuke's soft smirk disappeared. Not even his Sharingan could have predicted that answer and it caused his stomach to feel nauseous. Usually he was slick with his rebuttals but it essentially left him speechless. Hinata's eyes dropped down to her hands and then she stood up. She walked past him a few feet before his voice stopped her.
"I wasn't the only one protecting you that day." Even though his tone was void of any emotion it was the content that struck her.
Hiashi allowed Kabuto to take his Byakugan without a fight because he knew that the sooner he got what he was looking for, the sooner the Sound would retreat. More lives would be spared. He put the trust of getting to the scroll first in Konoha. He put the trust into Hinata.
Her surroundings were blurry as tears welled up in her eyes for the first time in a very long time. She turned to look at Sasuke and he was staring right back at her. Sasuke took a few steps forward to her right as a single tear slipped down her cheek. Hinata began to realize she had no control over it any longer. Tears poured from her light eyes and she tried to reach up to cover her face.
Sasuke grabbed her wrists and stared at her with the softest eyes she had ever seen from him.
"No." He said firmly. "Let it out."
"I…" She was able to squeak out while squeezing her eyelids shut. The tears found their way out still in steady streams.
"If you don't do this, you will do more harm than good." He said. "Trust me."
Hinata opened her eyes to see him through the blurriness. Out of all the people she knew, Sasuke would have been the last one to allow her to show weakness. She was supposed to be the strong Jounin she was on paper who exceeded in hand-to-hand combat, chakra control, and quick reflexes. She was supposed to a Hyuuga who kept their composure and carried themselves with dignity. At that very moment, Hinata wasn't any of those things. With Sasuke, she was just… herself.