Chapter Five, Serendipity,
His hand was a smooth, strange and comforting weight against her skin; agile fingers overlapping around her delicate wrist. She almost gasped out loud when he took another step towards her, circling her.
She didn't know what to do, so she continued. Her voice thick and heady. "This is the memorial monument erected for those who died in the Second Shinobi World War and over there is-"
"I don't care," he admitted honestly. His voice, sanguine and velveteen was oddly musical despite the biting undertone. He still held her wrist captive in his grip but appeared wholly unaffected by their proximity. Hinata, however, was not.
She peered at him, taking in his appearance properly for the first time since he had arrived in Suna. She didn't know him - not really. They hadn't conversed much prior to his departure to Orochimaru, and after the war they were paired up on a few missions. Something about complementing abilities, Kakashi had reasoned. She knew a few trivial things about him: he was strong, irritable and that Gaara didn't like him.
Gaara, she smiled at the thought of the crimson haired Kage, had appointed her to entertain Sasuke during his diplomatic stay in Suna. Why exactly? Only because she was from Konoha and that Gaara trusted her more than anyone else.
She blinked, feeling an unfamiliar heat rise to her cheeks and stain it a muted red. There was something about how the Uchiha's eyes sucked all light inwards; it made her nervous.
"There's sand in my shoe and I do not want to spend another hour trudging across this barren cityscape." He told her, as though they were not strangers. As though they were familiar with each other. As though he often told her things, both trivial and cardinal.
He's still holding my wrist, she thought feeling her legs liquify under the intensity of his gaze. "I don't think Gaara would be impressed if I disobeyed his orders and took you to a bar or restaurant, Uchiha-san…"
"Humour me,"
And so she did.
The masked shinobi positioned himself atop a lofty branch fixed to the tallest tree in the forest. The vantage point gave him an unparalleled scope of the surrounding area. Pools of shadows lapped at the tree trunks, obscuring the entire forest floor under an ebony mist. It almost looked like there were two starless skies, both facing each other and filled with pummels of ominous clouds.
The dark figure's crouching stance was relaxed and unperturbed. He looked like he was waiting for a friend, and not an enemy. His grip on the hilt of the katana was loose and unassuming. His target was not due to arrive in this section of the forest for another hour, so he took the liberty to let his mind wander.
His thoughts led him down a dark winding path, not unlike the forest trail below. This was his third S ranked mission in immediate succession. A village record, Kakashi noted. The moment he returned home from his mission he requested another one and set out an hour later. Only returning home to shower and attempt to scrub the dried blood off his skin and from his hair.
Kakashi ruminated that Sasuke was simply bored, or maybe feeling a little bloodthirsty. But the truth was neither. Sasuke's reasoning for taking on so many missions were purely for the vast monetary benefit he received. S ranked missions paid the best and Sasuke figured he had a few expenses to cover in the upcoming future.
Babies are expensive, Sakura had warned him, her doe-like eyes narrowed into slits of cold emerald.
He wasn't exactly sure how such tiny creatures managed to be so expensive. From his limited knowledge of babies all they did was sleep, eat and crap. His nose scrunched at the mere thought of the latter. He was a hygienic person, perhaps Hinata could deal with those unfavourable aspects of parenthood.
A gentle breeze scoured through the forest. The branches waving, almost like a goodbye, as the wind carried their leaves northward.
Sasuke's breath hitched as he felt the pressure a blade against his throat. Reflectively they dug the blade in further, creating a straight crimson indenture that began to ooze softly.
"Are you afraid to die, Uchiha?" a quiet voice mused from behind him.
The Anbu operative paused. Feeling a trickle of hot blood slide down his cold throat. His words were emotionless and impassive. "No," he answered. "But I am eager to avoid it while I have a few things to look forward to."
The assailant's eyes widened as he watched the Uchiha in front of him disappear into a wisp of curling smoke.
Shadow clone, they hissed inwardly.
Hinata stared at them. As though they were the most interesting thing in the world. And, for a moment - they were.
A reckless group of children, no older than six, charged through the crowded main street of Konoha. Hinata stared after them, everything else blurring into the hazy background.
She paused, her mind suddenly consumed by the tantalising image of a little boy who bore a striking resemblance to Sasuke. Except his eyes were white and his features subtly softer. She felt her heart quiver as she enveloped the transmundane vision of the little boy with his black hair and startlingly beautiful and fragile voice. And somewhere, slightly out of focus a version of Sasuke appeared behind the little boy. His face absent of his usual unimpressed deposition. If anything Sasuke was smiling. Smiling at their son. Smiling at her.
It was in that moment a dark figure stepped into her line of vision, blocking her view of the children. Breaking her stream of thought.
"Hinata," a slow, easy and familiar voice crooned.
Displeasure painted a gnawing scowl across Hinata's lips as she took in the languid posture of the shinobi before her. Shikamaru was dressed for a mission and there was something wholly trenchant and knowing looming in his easy stare.
"I suppose a congratulations is in order?" he commented. His tone even and casual. But there was a biting insinuation hidden.
It took all of Hinata's strength not to allow the acute panic coursing through her to surface on her face. She stared right into his eyes, not flinching, looking every inch of the imperial and emotionless Hyuuga she wasn't.
"About your promotion to clan head," he alluded. "Kakashi informed me as he took your name off the mission roster."
The tempest germinating within Hinata's eyes softened, giving way to the calmness of relief. However her lips remained in a hard and unyielding line. While she had always been fond of Shikamaru and admired his genius; his presence had become a nuisance. He was nosy tormentor who noticed too much for her liking.
"It's a pity," he continued, raising a hand to rub the back of his head. "I'll miss working on missions with you."
Hinata's brow furrowed and scrunched together as she considered the shinobi in front of her. With everything going on, Hinata had almost forgotten how many missions Shikamaru had accompanied her on. The two worked quite well together and Hinata always trusted his plans and judgement, while he never underestimated her.
Her eyes widened as she recalled how much time they spent together during her stay in Suna. Shikamaru was always in Suna. Whether it was on a mission or simple diplomatic duties, Shikamaru put his name forward for anything that involved a visitation to the sun drenched city in the desert.
The two had become quite friendly during her time at Suna. He was always in the private quarters of the Kazekage tower. And so was she. Hinata remembered once, over breakfast, she leaned over to Gaara, grabbing his forearm and asked why Shikamaru visited so often. Gaara had muttered something about Temari before he busied himself with the ties of Hinata's nightgown.
Hinata raised a hand to soothe her forehead, in an effort to literally diminish the resurgence of memories of Suna and its crimson haired kage. She felt a blush stain her cheeks as she squirmed away from the once familiar scene of sitting down to breakfast with Gaara.
She blinked, and peered at the dark-haired man in front of him. Images of her and Gaara dining with him and Temari swirled around her head. And how Temari and Shikamaru would disappear off together when the sky darkened and the stars shimmered.
Shikamaru seemed to sense there was something investigative burning within the white fire of her eyes. So he took the opportunity to shift the focus from himself. "So have you picked your suitor yet?"
A slow sad smile spread across the clan leader's delicate features. Her voice chary but mellow. "That decision is up to the clan. I don't have a say in it."
Shikamaru tilted his head in an empathetic mannerism, he so often gave her on Anbu missions when she was wounded. "Hinata, you must stop viewing yourself as the girl you were when you were sixteen." He shifted his weight and his face slipped into the shade. "Your progression is noted by the entire village. Your clan values your opinion more than you think."
Hinata blanched. Surprised but comforted by his strange words of encouragement. She fiddled with her long sleeves, unsure how to respond.
"And I'm sure you have a suitor in mind," Shikamaru added flippantly.
But despite his insouciant demeanour there was a degree of intensity burning within his eyes that struck Hinata. The genius bore an illusive quality to him that she could never quite figure out or pin down. She seemed to be a transparent canvas to him, though. Even in Suna he made a passing comment about her and Konoha's Anbu captain, long before she even registered her interest in Sasuke herself.
"Well, I'll see you around Hinata. I have to be in Suna by tomorrow evening." Shikamaru shrugged. He noticed the curiosity peeking at him behind Hinata's heavy eyelashes. "Diplomatic duties. Kakashi doesn't want to go so I volunteered."
Suspicion creeped along the back of Hinata's neck, causing goosebumps to blossom across her skin. "Isn't it Ino's birthday tomorrow?"
The brown-haired man in front of her remained stoic and indifferent. His easy smile and drowsy gaze still approachable and warm. However, Hinata did not possess normal eyes. Her featureless, all-seeing eyes noted the tenseness of his jawline and how his breathing pattern stumbled. "Unfortunately I must miss it. I promised to bring her back a nice present from Suna." Shikamaru unclenched his left hand and raised it in a polite but finite gesture of farewell.
Hinata nodded, the strands of indigo hair framing her face fluttering in the light breeze as she watched him leave in a hurried gait. She stared after him, until he had long since disappeared from view.
Hinata tilted her head and frowned as unfriendly images of the vague yet hauntingly intricate relationship Shikamaru and Temari shared consumed her mind. Hinata, despite her new impassive demeanour and cold eyes, was still the hopeless and starry-eyed romantic she was since childhood. She couldn't help the niggling feeling of sorrow for the abandoned Ino.
Smoothing out the skirt of her formal clan robes Hinata started in the direction of her favourite flower shop.
The canvas of darkened colors stretched over his head, gloriously resplendent in the dipping sun. His back was turned to her, and she stood there, watching him. Admiring how his hair blended seamlessly into the golden swirls nearest the dying sun.
She had been looking for him for awhile. And now that she had stumbled across him, she found herself wholly uncertain of what to do or say. She opted to wait. Wait for him to right the situation, like he always did.
Naruto was forever saving her.
"Sakura-chan?"" His tone was warm and tentative. Her name dripping in honey and sweetness as his low voice lovingly crooned it.
"I was looking for you," was all she muttered as she moved towards him. Dropping to a sitting position too, her legs dangling over the edges. She pressed herself against him, welcoming his familiar smell and how his arm snuck around her shoulders by means purely of habit.
They remained like that for awhile, in blissful yet uneasy silence. Her head nestled into his neck while he stared over the village. He often came here to think. The Hokage Monument. The imposing rock structure that gazed out protectively over Konoha.
"What's wrong?" Sakura mumbled, several silly strands of pink hair falling in front of her eyes.
Naruto resisted the urge to tuck her hair behind her ears to reveal her exquisite face and tempting collarbones. Sakura was enough of a distraction, even draped in an oversized shirt and hidden behind messy hair. He chose to shrug and remain looking out over the entire village with a weary and tired expression. The last hues of daylight warmed his face and bleached the colour from his hair, making it look almost like white spiky flames.
Sakura elbowed his rib, with a little more force than intended. He grunted at the impact of the blow but a brilliant grin split across his face. "Just getting a little impatient. Kaka-sensei has been Hokage for a while now."
"So when your face is carved up here, is it going to be the new place to watch the sunset?"
"Well it won't be the first time you've sat on my f-"
"Naruto!" Sakura hissed, launching her gloved fist in the direction of his face. He caught her wrists with ease and used them to reel her closer. She struggled against his ministrations, her face darker than her hair and her rose petal lips pulled back revealing small dangerous teeth. She looked murderous. Naruto thought she looked adorable.
They remained in that death-stare, his hands forming manacles around her wrists as her fury burned. She was about to swot him, when all playfulness drained from his eyes. He grinned angrily at her, concern etched across his face in hard lines. "I guess we're going to become Sasuke's babysitters soon, ne?"
Her heavy lashes fluttered curiously for a moment, as she took in Naruto's despondent expression and how her own heart stilled at that thought. Sakura had always envisioned her and Naruto's future interwoven with Sasuke's. However this whole situation did not fit into Team 7's perfect ending.
"I tried to talk to him about it a few days ago. But all I got was evasive one worded answers. And Kakashi told me today he's been busying himself with missions and avoiding everyone… I'm worried for Hinata. What will her clan do when they find out? What will the entire village think? What are they going to tell people? Will they get married?" Sakura found herself unable to stop any of the thoughts circling in her head from escaping out her mouth. "A new Uchiha? They'll become an instant target because of their Sharingan…"
Naruto dropped her wrists and rubbed his jaw in a slow considering movement. His brows furrowed. "Don't worry Sakura-chan. Sasuke won't let any harm come to Hinata or the baby."
"But how can you say that Naruto? How do we know he won't just leave the village-"
"Sasuke's many things, Sakura, but you cannot deny his loyalty to his clan. And this baby will be a Uchiha." Naruto smiled softly. "Sasuke won't feel so alone anymore."
Sakura closed her mouth and nodded. Relief ebbing across the stormy jade waters of her eyes as Naruto pulled her closer. His hands running up and down her sides in a soothing motion. "I don't really know what's going on between him and Hinata. But they've always had a weird synergy. Remember how strange he acted whenever she got hurt on missions?" Naruto asked, looking down to face her. She nodded against his shoulder. "Remember, how weird and jealous Gaara acted whenever Team 7 visited him and Hinata in Suna? It's like something was going on even then."
Naruto returned his gaze to the sunset ahead. Streaks of burnt oranges and luminant pinks dappled the skyline as the great fiery sphere sank into the horizon. While Naruto was a little worried about Sasuke, he had faith in his friend to do the right thing. Sasuke was a genius. An unparalleled prodigy. He didn't make mistakes. He planned and orchestrated every situation to the finest detail. Even though it appeared to be a whim.
However, what worried the blonde the most was his girlfriend's horror at the thought of having a baby. Her wanderlust eyes and career-driven mentality cringed away from the idea of marriage and babies. But Naruto couldn't shake the desire or the images of a little boy with blonde spikes and emerald eyes from his mind.
He stared after her, in a way completely new and foreign to him. He beheld the view, his eyes tinged with memories and veiled by dreams.
She was different. From everyone and everything else he had ever encountered. He wasn't sure whether that equated her as better, per say. But it was hard not to notice how the sun played across her eyes and how the breeze filtered through her hair.
Hinata knelt before the gravestone, clutching a bouquet of white tulips and rosemary in her tiny hand for a seminal moment before she placed them down, with a degree of carefulness he wasn't familiar with.
His eyes flickered across the name carved into the marble but he made a choice not to comment nor think about it. "Hinata,"
She didn't flinch at the mention of her name, which told him she had been aware of his presence for quite some time. Hinata spun on her heel and fixed him a strangely emotionless expression.
"I thought I would find you here," he mentioned as he took in her formal clan robes. "I suppose a congratulations is in order."
She couldn't fight the embarrassed blush that flooded across her cheeks. "It's not that big of a deal," she murmured, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "The official ceremony is on Friday. We're hosting it in the compound and Otou-san has hired caters and interior decorators..." She trailed off. "I would like if you came."
"I have a mission,"
Her entire body stilled and her eyes snapped up to look at him.
He was slightly startled by the acute look of surprise at his repudiation. He tilted his head to consider her. He wasn't sure why exactly she thought he would go anyway. But there it was: hurt, flickering across her face in a fissure fracture. Confusion flooded his system as he tried to understand the women in front of him.
He wasn't good with 'comforting' people. He wasn't good with people, period.
But there was something about the vulnerability that oozed from her that made him scramble for something to ease the rejection. "But I'll see what I can do," he continued. "I'll try finish early."
She pursed her lips but said nothing and took to toeing the ground with her shoe. He couldn't tell whether he had made the situation better or worse. Her featureless eyes gave away nothing for the first time, and it frustrated him.
"It's getting late, I can walk you home if you like?"
Hinata blinked. Suspicion and distrust peppering her voice. "Why?"
He sighed, exasperated at the effort it took to be nice to this insufferable women. She was so difficult. He didn't even think she noticed.
"Hinata," he warned. His patience wearing thin as he snarled her name. He turned on his heel, his imposing back facing her.
Her eyebrows scrunched together but she scurried after him, keen to avoid irritating him further.
They walked side by side and in silence. She was glad his gaze was fixed forward, she could feel her cheeks burning traitorously and her lips were curved upwards into a small smile that couldn't will away.
Sasuke pocketed his hands after an accidental brush of their hands. Hinata, despite her breath hitching at the brief but potent moment his fingers whispered across the back of her hand, couldn't help but hold back a giggle at Sasuke's expression.
His awkward, shuffling response and his refusal to meet her eyes. It was a timid and unsure side of Sasuke she had never encountered before.
She allowed her mind to wander as they walked slowly in the direction of the Hyuuga compound. The night air was sweet and heady, suffused with the scent of jasmine and the chance of a bout of warm rainfall. The sky was covered with great clumbersome purple and midnight blue clouds and Hinata couldn't help but ruminate about the tiny person thriving within her stomach.
She wondered how much of Sasuke they would inherit. Would they be every inch the Uchiha that Sasuke was, though they would never meet another Uchiha? Would they be a prodigy like Itachi and Neji or clumsy and determined like her? And, of course, would Sasuke be a good father?
"Hinata," Sasuke's sanguine voice drew her from her thoughts. "We're at the Hyuuga compound."
Large white eyes looked around and took in the unfamiliar picture of Sasuke standing in front of the backdrop of her home. He had always avoided her home like a nefarious plague. Almost rejecting its existence. She had always wondered was it because it reminded him so much of the clan he had so loved and lost?
She took a step back and fiddled with the hem of her sleeves. A question bubbled at her lips but Sasuke's own curiosity and desire for answers triumphed her own need.
"So who has your clan picked to be your suitor?"
Hinata blanched. Her teetering heart slamming against her bird-like rib cage at the muted insidiousness of her tone. How something wholly unfriendly glimmered within the dark confines of his eyes.
"T-that's none of your business!" Hinata cried, affronted.
He moved towards her. His shadow settling over her, casting her once alit face in cascading shadows and shades. He noted how her bottom lip trembled but her fists clenched. He took a step closer, until he could feel her hurried sharp gasps against his cold cheeks. "At one point, yes - it would not have been my business. But circumstances have changed and I think you'll find it is exactly my business, Hinata."
It was in that moment, with her heart crashing against her chest and her lips fumbling to answer him - to answer herself - when the front door of the Hyuuga compound opened. The silhouette of a tall figure stood there, against the golden glowing light from the inside.
"Hinata?" a male voice called, white eyes staring into the dark inky expanse of midnight.
The heiress in question turned on her heel and scurried in, not glancing back, not even once. She dove into the warmth of the house in a flurry of indigo hair and white silk.
Standing before her, stood one of her father's cousins. Hitoshi's dark hair was pulled back into a low pony that fell to the middle of his back. The seal seared into the man's forehead stared at Hinata, and she found herself unable to focus on anything else. The heiress became vaguely aware his lips were moving and his hand was outstretched.
"...and Uchiha Sasuke left this."
"Thank you." Hinata breathed, her chest tightening as she eyed the ivory envelope in Hiroshi's hand.
Hinata refused to meet the wary man's eyes as she took the letter, she nodded wordless and flitted down the hallways towards her room. Her shaky fingers closed the door, before she raised her two fingers to activate her bloodline limit.
No one was watching.
Exhaling sharply she opened the letter. Her eyes widening, she took in the delicately written words before her.
Recipe for protein drink for Uchiha women, aids with Sharingan forming for foetus.
Her full bottom lip fell open as she floundered desperately to slow her thundering heart beat tapping against her chest. The maddening pulse of blood in her ears ceased her ability to hear as she processed the forward yet strangely thoughtful gesture from Sasuke.
