Heyo, peoples!
because so many of my darling reviewers have voiced complaints concerning my use of italics i have been kind enough to remove them. Soooo, from now on there will be no italics except for flashbacks, memories, and thoughts. Okies?
have a lovely day! Enjoy!
-Inky
"Nani? Is there some sort of problem?"
"Not exactly."
"So then, to what do I owe the honor of having Uchiha Sasuke visit me out of his own volition?"
She was mocking, sounding cocky, but there was obvious worry underlining her subtle tones. It was amusing to know that he could make the Hokage nervous just by coming into her presence. She probably thought he was going to inform her of how he was going to leave again.
But no… that wasn't the case.
"I've a Hyuuga in my house right now. She's been disowned, apparently by her clan." He muttered, stuffing his hands into his pockets a bit deeper and looking bored out the window to the sparkling stars. It was late, Hinata was hopefully sleeping again. The circles under her eyes were getting darker by the minute.
"A Hyuuga- you mean Hinata?" Tsunade stood, knocking her chair back.
Sasuke shrugged indifferently. "Hai."
"Hiashi's disowned her? Why?"
"He seems to think I've tainted the heiress." Sasuke muttered, not the least bit ashamed. Somehow it was easier to say when Hinata wasn't standing by to feel the utter shock of the words again.
Tsunade's face betrayed instantly the confusion. "You? How would you-"
"I'm training her." He cut in smoothly, examining his nails. "For her 18th birthday."
Slowly the hokage's eyes widened into realization, remembering the stuttering little heiress and how she had explained that she needed every day to train and couldn't help out at the clinic as a result.
"I see… Why wasn't I informed of this?" she sighed, picking up the upturned chair and setting it back on it's feet with a bang that shook the floor.
Sasuke just swayed slightly by the vibration and shrugged. "I saw no reason why we should make it obvious to everyone."
"Why are you helping her?" Tsunade enquired slowly, sounding tired already. She sat back down, a hand up to her chin as she studied the supposedly aloof Uchiha in front of her.
"No reason." Sasuke replied primly, looking her dead in the face. Slowly the Hokage's pink lips pulled into a smirk.
"Oh indeed?"
Sasuke didn't reply but waited patiently for her to continue mocking. He could recognize disbelief when he saw it.
"There must be something you want." She eyed him thoughtfully, leaning back, arms crossed. "…did you actually taint her?"
The sentence was said so calmly and without expression that he couldn't actually grasp it's meaning for a moment.
Slowly he opened his mouth to reply, his brow furrowing with irritation. "No."
"Well at least we know it's not that then." She smiled. "She doesn't seem like your type."
Biting the inside of his cheek he continued to stare, waiting less patiently than before for her to continue.
"You must want something." She sighed, leaning her chin on her hands, looking right at the young man's dark eyes. "But until I find out I suppose it only makes sense that I allow her to train her. I would help her myself and get her out of your reach but being Hokage puts some strain on what I can and cannot do. Kurenai is useless when it comes to Hinata, she doesn't understand the problem. But I would assume that someone as clever as the Uchiha could figure it out." She cocked her blonde head.
"Continue to train her, I assume Hiashi hasn't revoked her right to challenge Hanabi for the title of heiress, despite her being disowned."
Sasuke nodded slowly, frowning at her with distaste. This hokage had earned quite a bit less of his respect than the previous one.
"Ah, well then continue. I'm sure you can pull something out of thin air with that Chidori-capable mind of yours." She smirked mockingly again.
"Where exactly are you going to put her?" he sighed. "She's staying at my house right now."
"Well, you've got room, do you not?" Tsunade smiled politely, pulling a scroll closer to her and picking up her pen. "You've got plenty of room, with that big mansion off the Uchiha Estate. I'm sure there's a lonely little guest room there somewhere that she could occupy."
Restraining himself from the urge to twitch he bit his lip. "The reason Hiashi assumes I've done her harm is because she stayed in my house one night. Don't you think it will make matters worse if-"
"They can hardly get any worse." Tsunade snapped, letting out a weary sigh and putting her quill down. "What's done is done, whether Hiashi believes what has been said of his daughter or not doesn't matter anymore. What matters is whether or not she is capable of defeating her younger sister in a year, and I'm sure the best way to go about it is if she trains day in and day out." She gave him a long look. "And you will train her as such."
"Hn." He grunted, glaring back.
"I'll pay for her expenses if that's what you're worried about." She sighed, scribbling her signature on a scroll she had obviously not read. "Whatever it is she needs I'll buy it, just send the bill at the end of each month-"
"That, was never the issue." He growled, raising his chin slightly, his temper obviously getting the best of him. No one insulted an Uchiha in that manner.
"What will you do about your own honor?" Tsunade smirked, ignoring his earlier comment. "Hiashi obviously thinks that Hinata tainted you as much as you her."
Flinching at the sudden change of roles in that sentence he shrugged. "I was heading towards the Hyuuga Estate after this."
"Ah." Tsunade nodded, scribbling another signature on another scroll, playing idly with her blonde locks. "To defend your pride."
Sasuke didn't reply. It had little to do with his own pride. Most of the village assumed he had had more than his fair share of lovers. The truth of his virginity didn't seem to be what they wanted to hear. Because of his odious fan club his innocence has been damaged beyond repair long before he ever realized it's worth.
No, he wasn't going to the Hyuuga Estate to defend his own honor, so much as to clear things up. Forcefully, if the case may be.
"Well, I don't mind. I can certainly understand, I'd be mighty pissed off myself if someone came to a wrong conclusion and took it out on someone else." Tsunade continued, shrugging of his lack of response.
"Just don't kill anyone, and don't get yourself killed…Actually, stay away from shedding blood, please." She glanced up at him then, frowning the way a mother would a rotten son. "I need those ninja."
"Hn." Sasuke grunted irritably, bowing his lack of respect before turning to leave, not waiting the half a second longer for her to say he was dismissed. He didn't give a damn if she wanted him to leave yet or not. He had better things to do… like beat Neji's face in.
"Agh, Hinata-chan." Ino sighed softly, giving the small girl sitting beside her a pat on the head. "It's all right, you don't need to apologize like that." She smiled brightly.
"We were all just worried about you is all… I had to pretty much drag Shino and Kiba back to their respective caves when Sakura came back to tell us where you were." She laughed, remembering their shocked faces and then their refusal to leave her at Sasuke's house.
"You've got a lot of places to go… but damn, I'd stay here if I were you." Ino continued, looking around slowly at Sasuke's living room.
Hinata shifted uncomfortably beside her, holding a small cup of green tea in her hands. "Eh… I-I don't think that's s-such a good idea. S-sasuke-san is a v-very private p-person, you know."
"So? He doesn't sound like he minds you around. For one thing your cooking is priceless and that boy hasn't eaten a home cooked meal since his mother died." Ino continued, sprawled out on the leather couch, looking very comfortable indeed.
"Ano… hai, I suppose." Hinata blinked, recalling Sasuke's 'two' thank yous before he left to talk to Tsunade.
He had asked if she wanted to come, but from his tone of voice she could tell he didn't actually want her to come along so she had thankfully been able to stay.
"Sakura… looked upset, when she came to find us, ya know?' Ino muttered, watching Hinata's shoulders shrink slightly and her face turn down. "Did something happen?"
"…n-no… not really… Sasuke-kun…he was a little upset w-when she a-asked if i-it was true-"
"She asked that?" Ino snapped, sitting up sharply. Hinata flinched. "W-well… I- she didn't actually know."
"But! Christ… I can't believe she actually asked that." The blonde ranted irritably, rubbing her face tiredly with one hand. "What kind of an idiot-"
"Ne… Ino-chan, Sakura-chan is in love with Sasuke-kun and my being here is probably making her nervous, I-I should l-leave, no?"
"What?" Ino snapped again, turning to look at the Hyuuga in shock. "No! Sakura needs to get over it. Sasuke is most obviously not interested, I mean, good grief…" she shook her head sadly. "It's been years. I got over it, she can do it too."
"But… Ino-chan." Hinata whimpered, shifting the cup in her hands gently. "W-what i-if Sakura-chan is r-really in love with S-sauke-kun a-a-nd they're meant t-to be together and I-" she began, thinking of herself and Naruto.
"No way." Ino grumbled, setting her cup down with a bang. "If they don't love you back, clinging to that is going to hurt you more than moving on and finding someone else who might love you as much as you loved the last person- God, Hinata, I'd have thought you'd be with me on this one."
Hinata stared at her, wide eyed. If they don't love you…Naruto-kun…
"H-hai." She murmured, lowering her eyes to her tea again, staring wide eyed at her own reflection. "I-I guess you're r-right…"
"Of course I am!" Ino grumbled, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Anyway." She smiled at her friend, giving her another pat on the head. "You're better off here. Shino is sweet, but his house is full of bugs, and Kiba is sweet too, but he smells of dogs, and I'd love to have you at my house, but I live with my folks, and Sakura… is out of the question, she's sore right now." She sighed. "And don't even think of Naruto, you'd faint too often."
"Eh!?" Hinata meeped, turning bright red. "I-I would n-never-"
"Heh." Ino smirked. "See? You're fainting already."
"Ino-chan!" Hinata whimpered, hiding her red face. Surely, staying at Sasuke-kun's house seemed like the better choice. If he was okay with it… of course.
The entrance looked like a mouth. The more he stared at it the more it looked like fangs rimmed the gate and the darkness that consumed the inside of the passage was the throat.
He didn't feel like walking into an open mouth, despite his usually fearless nature.
He'd been standing there for what seemed to be an hour but had actually been about five minutes, trying to figure out what kind of reception he would receive from the Hyuuga clan, and worse what he would do depending on each possibility.
Most of them resulted in some sort of bloody end, and the others were just odd, such as them being calm. That was unlikely.
Giving a tired sigh he shrugged, rotating his shoulders irritably. He had no choice, he had told Tsunade he would talk to Hiashi about the situation, and… he really wanted to.
It was the walking into an open mouth part that was getting the best of him.
Sighing at his childish nature he moved in, shoving the gates open with a slam before shoving his hands into his pockets again, watching the lights begin to turn on inside the house and shadows pass through the windows as he approached.
Well, at least they knew they had a guest.
He waited patiently without knocking at the doorstep, listening to the quick sound of steps against wood flooring.
There was silence for a moment and then the door flung open. As expected Neji Hyuuga looked back at him, pale eyes glittering with fury.
"You." He stated thinly. Sasuke pushed a lock of dark hair out of his way lazily. "I need to speak to Hiashi."
"How dare you show your face here after what you've done to Hinata-hime." Neji hissed, taking a step into his personal space. The comment was hardly a question, it was a very threatening statement.
Sasuke refused to move back, looking at the Hyuuga protector with hard onyx eyes. "Get out of my way, Hyuuga. I need to speak to your master."
"I didn't think that someone that thought of himself as the Uchiha Avenger would be such a bastard as to go and hurt someone as innocent as Hinata-" he began.
Sasuke's hands were up, shoving him forcefully against the doorframe. "Shut up." He stated calmly. "I need to speak to her father. Now."
"Let go of my nephew, Uchiha, and we'll considering that audience you so humbly requested." A deeper voice interrupted before either teens could say anything else.
Sasuke's eyes shifted to the hall inside the house where the tall and proud Hiashi stood, his face serious as ever.
Oh hell…
"So… is Hinata-chan okay then?" Naruto enquired, glancing sideways at Sakura, who had her head on her arms, looking sleepily at the opposite wall.
"Eh, I'm sure she's fine." She mumbled, closing her eyes after a moment.
The blonde frowned slightly, swirling a cup of sake in his hand. It was his first for the night, and probably his last. The hangover from earlier that morning wasn't exactly going to fade any faster if he didn't lay off.
"Are you okay?" he asked calmly, making it sound like a passing comment.
Sakura stiffened beside him. "Of course."
"You didn't look okay before."
"He threw me out." Sakura mumbled, looking at the counter dazedly. "Grabbed my arm and threw me out… Said it too. 'Get out, right now.' He said… and I just kept asking if it was true." She sighed, lowering her eyes to the floor. "Baka."
Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his neck slightly. "That… certainly sounds like Sasuke."
"I shouldn't have asked. Hinata's face totally drained of color." She mumbled. "I'm such an idiot."
"Nah." Naruto shook his head, cocking his head at her. "You were worried…"
"Shuddup, Naruto. You know I made a mistake this time."
"That's what it was." Naruto admitted, tipping the cup of sake into his mouth. "A mistake." He flinched, downing the burning liquid with difficulty.
Sakura grunted softly in reply and eyed the bottle beside him. "Gimme some of that." She sighed, grabbing his cup.
Naruto started, blinking. "What? You don't drink-"
"Shuddup, Naruto." Sakura retorted, holding the cup expectantly. "Just pour."
"…Oh hell." Naruto sighed, pouring the sake anyway. "I'm gonna have to carry you home, aren't I?"
"Heh!" Sakura smirked, eyeing the liquid in her cup thoughtfully. "Don't act like you're not gonna enjoy it, dobe."
Naruto allowed himself a smirk as he turned away. "Fine then."
With a satisfied nod Sakura tipped her head back and downed the whole thing. Yes… she'd probably need some help home.
"What exactly gave you the impression that you could come to the Hyuuga Estate and be welcome, Uchiha?" Hiashi enquired, sitting down at his desk calmly.
Sasuke looked back at him silently, ignoring the chair nearby. He had not been asked to take a seat anyway.
"I never assumed I would be welcome."
"So you came unwanted."
"I didn't exactly want to come either." He retorted, making Hiashi's eyes finally lift to his face with half interest. "Hm. Indeed."
"I never touched your daughter."
Hiashi sighed, waving his hand lightly. "That doesn't matter."
Sasuke frowned, feeling his temper rising. "What?"
"I knew it was unlikely. You wouldn't be interested in someone as weak as my daughter."
The young man before him could hardly think, let alone put together to coherent words… at least two that didn't start with an F and Y.
"What then, is your reason for disowning your heir?" He snapped finally, clenching his fists in vague confusion.
"It's a safety net. Though you have no real reason to know any of this, since I've insulted your own honor with the rumor spread I'll let you know." Hiashi replied calmly, twining his fingers in front of him.
"When Hinata fails miserably to beat Hanabi a year from now she will already be disowned for another matter and the stain on the family name will be minimal. If she wins, she will have reclaimed all the lost honor.. and gained quite a bit more. The best chances for her family are this way."
Sasuke swallowed, trying not to think about Hinata throwing up and then feverish in his house for a whole day as a result of this 'safety net'.
"Your daughter's honor is currently stained by your words." He replied slowly, biting each word. "What if she does fail. You will leave her alone?"
"Of course. She has no business being a Hyuuga if she doesn't have the strength to defeat her younger and weaker sister."
"You are not Itachi…"
Instantly his jaw clenched in an effort to bite back furious words. "I see."
"Is the situation clear, then?" Hiashi enquired lazily, eyeing the Uchiha with half interest.
"Hn." Sasuke replied, frowning at the ground.
"You do know I am training her."
"She mentioned it."
"I suggest you leave most of her things in her room." He muttered, turning around to leave. "She'll be back by the end of her 18th birthday."
Without letting Hiashi say another word he stepped out, closing the door as quietly as he could, it took a lot of effort but he managed to.
Neji stood in the hall, staring at the doorway past Sasuke's shoulder. "He…. A safety n-net…"
"Hn." Sasuke grunted, furious. "Stay out of my way." He growled, shoving past him and down the hall to let himself out of the dark house.
Yes, his house felt empty and cold.
But theirs felt hot with self hatred.
"I-Ino I d-don't want to be rude…" Hinata began, glancing nervously at the clock. "Demo… Sasuke-kun i-is going to be back soon and I-"
"Oh my god, you're right!" Ino gasped, shoving herself to her feet. It's already eleven..?"
"Hai." Hinata murmured, taking their cups to the kitchen. "He should be b-back already-"
The door closing sounded, the force was enough to make one of the dark frames on the wall fall and shatter on the floor. Startled Ino and Hinata stared at it, neither of the girls moving in their surprise.
Sasuke stepped inside, tossing his jacket on the couch as he passed by, glancing at Ino for a moment before heading up the stairs.
"S-sasuke-kun…" Hinata began, beet red and startled. "W-what-"
"You'll be staying here." He called from the top of the stairs. "Your things will be here in the morning."
"N-n-nani?" Hinata stuttered, almost dropping the tea cups in her surprise.
Ino stared back at the stairs in equal confusion, gathering her things nervously. "Eh! I'd better go… he kinda didn't seem very happy to-"
"Hinata, what the hell is Ino doing here?"
"Ah!" Hinata jumped, leading Ino to the door quickly. "N-nothing! S-she just- for a second- I mean…. Gomen!"
"bye!" Ino whispered, vanishing into the night as she slipped out the door. Hinata closed it rapidly and turned around to find Sasuke standing there, arms crossed looking puzzled.
Startled Hinata fell against the door, blinking at him. "Eh! Gomen! I-I w-would have asked, but, but she c-came when you were-"
"It's okay."
"I- Oh…" she blinked, loosening slightly against the door instead of being so stiff. "H-hai…arigato."
"We'll clean one of the guest rooms tomorrow morning before your things get here." He replied, ignoring her thanks as he turned to head back into the living room.
"You'll stay in my room for now."
"Eh?" Hinata meeped, walking behind him rapidly, hands up to her lips nervously. "D-demo-"
"It's late, go to bed."
"Ah!" she gasped, blinking at the blankets he had with him. Lazily he dropped onto one of the couches, grabbing a book from the table beside it.
"B-but, Sasuke-kun."
"I need to sleep, Hinata."
The girl breathed in sharply, nodding, so red she couldn't even feel her face. "Hai! Gomen! Goodnight!" she squeaked, hurrying to the stairs.
Two steps up, she stopped, blinking up at the darkness. "Ano…. Arigato…"
"Hn." Sasuke replied quickly, not wanting her to wait patiently for his unlikely reply.
The girl vanished up the stairs in a few seconds, finally allowing him to practically melt onto the couch warily, rotating his tense shoulders.
The hell, Hinata Hyuuga is a bundle of trouble in a nice package.
He blinked, not realizing he had indeed thought that. It wasn't the bundle of trouble that would have worried him if he had been awake enough to realize it.
No, it was the other part that should have rung bells.
Good thing it didn't.
Read. Review!
-Inky!