Disclaimer: Naruto characters belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Anomaly

PRESSING FLOWERS

Chapter VII

Hinata focused on the pieces of shogi in front of her. Her knees folded beneath her as she pushed herself to think of her next move. Her eyes moved up and landed on the man playing against her. Madara did not give her any reaction.

She wanted to be nervous about her mission. If Madara wasn't reacting to her, that was a bad sign. But the fact the she was once again summoned only meant he was still interested. He never touched her this time, there was no blatant staring at her breasts that are bound and wrapped now, there were no flirty or sexual remarks. He simply ordered her to sit down, sip some tea and play shogi with him.

She wasn't stupid, she knew that he was pissed at something and she wondered if it was because of her pushing him away yesterday.

But today, she woke up with a flower on her bedside table.

He might've left it there while she was sleeping and Hinata's first thought was how skillful he really was. And how dangerous it is to be his enemy. To be able to sneak up on her, a tracker. She did not sense him at all and she wanted to slap herself for letting her guard down like that.

First the dress and the new room, which she declined, now a flower. If she would be honest with herself, showering her with expensive fabrics or spacious rooms won't and will never win her, but flowers. A simple flower could make her heart flutter like an idiot.

Hinata sighed as he made a move that secured her defeat in the game.

"I win."

She bit her lip. She wasn't master in Shogi like Shikamaru but she wasn't that bad either. But what can she do? Her head was a mess, how can you focus on a game if you're sitting across the person who killed half the population and constantly violated your personal space? She straigtened her back and folded her hands. The sun was setting real soon, she has spent almost the whole day with him, just playing.

"You are right Hinata." Hinata couldn't hide the gasp as Madara suddenly spoke.

... She stayed silent and only maintained eye contact as she had no clear idea of what he was talking about. What was she right about?

He stood and walked towards the window. The golden hour made it seem like he wasn't pale. "You are not like the others."

Her heart threatened to stop at the topic he suddenly was talking about. Her actions yesterday could be backfiring now. He could be thinking of getting rid of her soon. Was the whole afternoon a goodbye?

He walked towards her still sitting at the tatami floor and held out his hand.

"..that is why I've decided to wed you."

Her ears were ringing at the words he said. The edges of her vision blurred and she felt a blackout coming in. No i can't faint now. He'll think i am weak. If she takes his hand now, it only meant she accepts his proposal. With a confused mind and a body struggling to comprehend what was happening, she took his hand and enabled him to pull her up.

Marriage. She looked at him, her mouth open and catching breath. Her hands shook as she looked down at his hand holding her still. Marriage meant he will never touch another woman again, it will only be her. She will have his trust, she will gain power, an access to the world he built, a gate pass in his mind.

An intimate space so close to him with his guard down that she could kill him. If she's smart and strong enough. It was all about the timing.

"Do you have anything to say?" He asked.

She wanted to say so many things. She wanted to scream at his face. Scream like she has never done before. But she couldn't. This wasn't just about her. This is her mission. Entrusted to her. Air, she needed air.

With no intention to reject him, she could only ask for space. The room was suffocating her. "Can we go outside?"

He'll wed me. The words spun around her head. Just when she thought her mission took a step back, her target surprises her with a move that pulls her closer to her goal. Hinata felt eyes on her as they walked with her hand hooked in Madara's arm. Maybe they wondered, where did the feisty Hyuuga go? A flower she thought, it only took a flower to seal her fate.

"I've won the war years ago.." She felt him tap her hand as they stopped across the training grounds. He was so gentle as the familiar sound of hard work and training entered her ears.

Hinata felt a sense of nostalgia as the familiar place unraveled itself to her. Her chest constricting at the memories that flooded her. Akamaru running, Kiba shouting, Shino enjoying a cool breeze, her own body fainting due to exhaustion, laughter, tears.. It all came back to her and a sob almost escaped her lips as the sudden urge to cry filled her. She wanted to cry for her teammates, her classmates, their senseis, she wanted to cry for her lost innocence.

Madara kept talking, and as much as she wanted to listen to his words. She simply cannot hide her inner struggle, she wanted to vomit. "I think it is only fair that i take a wife and ensure that my bloodline will continue in the next generations. Someone will one day inherit all these. My children."

Children. They we're once children too. And now the prospect of bearing this mass murderer his children filled her with dread. She's basically his fiance now. She cannot disrespect him like before. One mistake and he'll get rid of her and find someone else. That can't happen. This is a chance she cannot miss, no matter how miserable she gets.

"I cannot trust Sasuke with that duty, he is simply not the type to woo women in his bed. I understand why he is wary of people touching him." Madara spoke in mild sadness as they both watch Sasuke tackle down his sparring partner. He never acknowledged her presence.

"Now, as my future wife i think it only fits that you're family get a certain position right?" Madara then turned to her and smiled.

No.

No.

Hinata saw the mischief in his eyes. He knows something. No please. Not them. Father. Hanabi.

"I found them last night." As his words left his mouth. Hinata felt a cold rush through her. Her family is here. He found them. Madara found the hideout.

She panicked inside but could only grip the arm she's holding as she felt herself slipping away. Ironic how she always faints in the training grounds.

Madara easily let her leaned on his chest as she became weak. "I know you haven't seen them in a while. You must so happy." He chuckled as she finally succumbed to her fainting spell.

It wasn't him that gave her the blue hydrangea. A man like him will never give her genuine affection or romantic gestures. She felt everyone looking at her as her knees buckled and she saw him even with her vision already blurring with tears.

Sasuke.

It was him.

Hinata closed her eyes

The flowers came from him.