— Pluck —

Part I

Chapter 2: A Difference in Patience

Hovering in the 5 am atmosphere was a sort of softness that Sasuke Uchiha absolutely hated. Maybe it was the flickering dimness of the marigold lights hanging over the bar, or it could be the hum of the distant slumbers of people who waited in their dreams for the sun to rise; whatever it was, he didn't like it. In his line of work, this sort of quiet tranquility only came in rare occurrences, all of which were dangerous and on that thin string between life and death.

And it wasn't so much that Sasuke wasn't used to being on that string, but rather he simply did not feel like balancing on it. Not today.

Definitely not today.

"I don't see the purpose of coming so early." On the other side of the bar, right hip leaning at a hard angle against the mahogany shelf in the back, was a man named Kakashi Hatake. Somehow, Sasuke knew the fool. Life was like that — it dragged you in directions you really did not want to go in, and with it came all kinds of people. Annoying people, usually. The kind who read erotica while on the clock. It was a wonder the man could keep a stable job with his nose always stuck between the pages of his little books. And when he looked over the spine to give him that sort of twinkling, mischievous look — well, Sasuke always felt his right hand flex and pull towards the katana at his hip. "All you do is sit and grumble. If anyone were here, they'd surely leave at the mere sight of you."

Sasuke couldn't find it in himself to care, really. Grunting, he gestured his right shoulder to the kettle in the back, and Kakashi slid his gaze to the side, sighed, and snapped his book shut before tucking it into the back pocket of his pants. Finally having that annoying weight off his shoulders, Sasuke could once again focus on the documents laying on the bartop before him. Between the fancy statements and unnecessarily long drags of text were details of Guard business. Not his business, of course, but it was often shoved to him when he had free time. Which was rare. Extremely rare. Thus here he was, looming over the fine print at five in the morning, mere hours before he was back on the daunting duty of — of —

"You look pale." Usually, when a voice cut his attention in half, Sasuke would have the mind to nail them with a glare — or, to the very least, a grimace. But he knew this person — heard him approach before he could even speak, really. And, sure, there was still some leftover irritation looming on his left brow, but poison didn't pour in his gaze as he rose his chin and regarded Juugo, another Guard member who he's worked with a handful of times. Usually, the Guard didn't go for his type — the overly obvious, somewhat soft type. He didn't hide it well — his worry for others. Especially not for his teammates, which was most likely why he was there, peering at the stack of papers just inches away from Sasuke's propped elbow. Smiling, pulling out the stool next to him, Juugo mused, "They don't let you sleep much, do they?"

Sasuke snorted, clicked his pen, and turned back to his reading. "That's not the problem."

The clicking of a dial signaled that the oven range in the back was turned on, and when Sasuke glanced up by instinct, he was met with Kakashi's smirk. "Not at all," he said, once again slipping the book out and flipping to where he had left off. "Actually, I'd gamble that our Thor warrior is up to his neck with his current mission."

Sasuke's narrowed his eyes, knowing his warning would not be considered, but still feeling the need to let the old man know he was treading on thin ice. To his right, Juugo blinked and rubbed at the back of his head, orange hair shifting with his fingers.

"That hard, huh?"

"No." And that was the problem. He'd been guarding the Moon Witch for two days now, and aside from the feeble attempts by those men, nothing had happened. No attempted kidnapping. No scuffle. No stalker. Nothing. And it was so fucking mundane that Sasuke wanted to stab himself at points, if just to get away from that damn corner where he had to listen to the pathetic problems of strangers for hours straight.

Juugo's smile turned into a sheepish grin. "Whoever it is, they must be important. The Sun King asked for you specifically, didn't he?" At that, Sasuke's head snapped his way, and Juugo gave a weak laugh. "Karin told me."

Of course she did.

They weren't supposed to share classified information with members outside of their partners — of which Sasuke had zero, because it sure as hell didn't take a damn army to listen to drawn our conversations about love and feelings all day. And though Sasuke always complied with that rule, some members didn't see it much as a rule, but more so as a suggestion. The most notable being Karin, a member of the Data team at the Guard. She was in charge of a good quarter of the missions coming in and out, as well as had a library full of records on members and criminals. She knew more about him than most people, and she took that power and flaunted in with vigor, to the point of spilling "juicy bits" about his current missions.

"She'll be here in two hours," Sasuke murmured, index finger curling along the corner of one of the documents, "if you're so curious." He eyed Juugo in the corner of his eye, watching him, testing him to see if he would take the bait.

But the man simply shook his head, smiling softly. "Don't worry about me, Sasuke. I know to keep my mouth shut."

That was all he needed to hear, and Sasuke nodded and refocused on the documents. He began to pick out pieces of information about Forest 6, a district known for its high crime rates. It was home to the Inuzuka, a gang of wolf people who liked to cause trouble. The Guard kept a close eye on them, but if what he was reading was true, something was stirring within that clan. Something mischievous.

"Karin is gettin' real irritated with the amount of reports coming in from Forest 6 alone," Juugo said, glancing at Kakashi curiously, only to relax significantly when realizing the man was too far into his book to hear much. "They want to send you in after this mission of yours — whenever it finishes."

A high whistle sounded through the bar, and Kakashi closed his book to pull the kettle off the heated range. Sasuke pulled away from the papers and moved them to the side, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Today," he gritted out, tone falling a bit at the end. "If it were my way, I won't have to step foot into this place for another month."

Kakashi clicked his tongue as he poured two mugs of black tea. "I'm hurt." He slid one to Juugo, who thanked him, before placing the other next to Sasuke, who watched the steam waft over the lips of the mug for a moment. "And here I was thinkin' you were comin' so early to see me."

Juugo chuckled as he blew at the beverage, then downed it in one gulp. "It's always a pleasure, Kakashi." He stood from his stool and gave Sasuke's shoulder a firm squeeze. "Are you done with those? They sent me to bring them back." Lifting the mug to his mouth, Sasuke grunted, and Juugo leaned over and scooped up the documents. "They're thinkin' about sendin' me in. I can't say much, but — well — Karin needs me to come in later to see if I'll . . . fair well. It's gotten harder for me since he went on that long mission. I'm sure you know why."

Ropes of grey twisted in the air, then disappeared. Sasuke watched for a while, vaguely listening to Juugo. It was a bit bothersome — everything about this situation was. Juugo, unless under very certain circumstances, wasn't fit well for the Guard. He talked naturally, warmly. He expressed himself freely — not in an obnoxious sense, like some people Sasuke knew — but the whole point of being in the Guard was to do your job, and do it well. And while he went off to investigate the happenings of Forest 6, Sasuke was stuck here. With her.

"Do you know when he comes back?" Juugo asked.

"No." The edge of the mug cooled slightly. "But I'd rather him be here rather than me." He brought the mug to his lips, and upon taking his first swig, physically cringe at the overwhelming sweetness that filled his mouth. Spitting, he slammed the mug down, glaring. "Kakashi."

"Hmm?" He flipped the page of his book, not bothering to look up and acknowledge the daggers being drilled into his skull. "I'm just making sure you don't fall asleep while on the job."

"I'm sure he hates me."

The sun was a good amount up into the sky, with shades of pink from the dawn still clinging to the horizon. It was calm, cloudless — the ocean did not move much, and nor did Neji Hyuuga as his imagined gaze watched his cousin closely as she wrang saltwater from her hair. Five months ago, it used to take up to an hour for her hair to dry, and she spent most mornings huddled along the surface of Ocean 11, ready to dive in and restart her whole process if the portal ever opened. But with time, the magic that gave her gills and kept her skin from pruning eventually reached her hair, and within a few minutes, it would be as if she had never been underwater in the first place. The sun also helped, and she smiled slightly at the warmth that came to her bare face before covering it in her shawl.

Again, Neji watched. "How so?"

Wrapping the thick material around her skull, making sure it would stay in place, she laughed. It wasn't so much bitter as it was forced, for she thought it was quite obvious. Somehow, revealing a piece of his face to her made things even worse, for now she was aware of his constant glares and stares that simply sunk into her skin. He was a quiet man, but the atmosphere surrounding him was absolutely chilling, and Hinata never imagined something more icy than the bottom of the ocean. Sasuke Uchiha hated being there, with her, and he made no move to hide it.

So it was obvious, and Hinata did not know what to do about it.

"He has to stay," she mused, flexing her fingers, preparing them for work. "He was ordered to watch me. Stuck there — for hours . . . . And there's nothing I can do to help him."

"I'm aware," Neji said, moving closer to her. The water did not shift under him, but she was used to it by now. "But it seems like he despises the boredom more than anything."

She was just trying to comfort herself, Hinata knew. Suddenly aware of the pain along her arm, she pulled it up, pulled back the sleeve, and revealed a nasty, purple bruise along her wrist. It was big — like Sasuke's hands — and once again, Hinata laughed. Neji's left hand hovered along the bruise, not touching it, as if in fear of hurting her; but she knew he couldn't — figments can't hurt people. They were like ghosts.

Not that her cousin was a ghost. He'd have to be dead — and, surely — well, she hadn't seen him in months — not a letter, a short visit, a whisper — but that was because he knew she was hiding, knew she had to stay away from them, and not because he was —

"No matter if he hates you or not, you will still go, won't you?" Hinata jumped slightly and grasped the hem of her sleeve. Her cousin's eyes were nearly as bright as the sun in the sky, and they looked so real for a moment. Slowly, she looked to the gate, and nodded. Without a shift in his gaze, Neji said, "It's safe there, so go."

Safe. She took a fleeting glance at her bruised wrist before hiding it beneath her sleeve. Right. But she knew her conscience was right, so with a raise in her chin, she marched across the ocean surface and started up the portal. The color spilled in and formed, and when she stepped in, she left behind an empty world with a bright sky and shimmering water.

...

The hair on her arms immediately rose the moment she stepped foot into that room. Out of fear, perhaps, but Hinata supposed it was more likely due to the intense amount of electricity in the air. She didn't have to look to know he was there, in that corner. Somehow, the air was always like this when he was around. But today was different. Even her eyelashes seemed to bristle at the waves literally pouring from his form, and as she slowly made her way to her table, Hinata could not help but wonder if this was Sasuke's version of a bad mood.

"Good mo — " She stopped herself, words tipping on the edge of her tongue. His revealed eye did not acknowledge her at all as it glared down into the rich color of the table's wood. It was as if he were etching something into it, spelling out curses of sorts, and the buzzing in the air increased. Settling into the chair opposite of him, Hinata wriggled in the tense silence for a while, wondering to herself how she was going to go about this. He didn't seem to be in the mood for pleasantries, but nor was it in her nature to simply let this pass. "Can I order you anything, Sasuke Uchiha? Coffee, perhaps?" She recalled the previous morning, his flippant reaction to her own mug of spiced caffeine, and recoiled into the shell of her jacket. "Maybe tea?"

And it was as if he grabbed lightning from the clouds and slipped it into his gaze, for when his head shot up her way, she felt every nerve in her body burn. "Let me make myself clear, Moon Witch." He stood, hovering over her, taking up most of her vision. It was like he was trying to dominate the conversation, to frighten her with his size and tallness — but he didn't have to go so far. Even with him just sitting, she was small and meek compared to him. "Once today is over, I'm going to do my job. My real job. And if I have to see you or that bastard ever again, one of us is going to die." His fingers curled against the table's surface as he leaned forward, dipping down to her level to engulf her in his static. "And Gods don't die often, now do they?"

Her mouth was totally dry and still. That tone and the power in his form was intimidating, but she was more daunted by the sudden shift about him. The room was practically in the midst of a thunderstorm, and then, with the click of his tongue, it was gone. Completely. No static, no ferocious heat. And that spark in his eye, so powerful that Hinata was sure she'd be seeing it in her nightmares, flickered away instantaneously, as if it were not there at all. The ink in his eye was shallow and lifeless. Sasuke pulled away and rounded the table, settling against the angle of the corner, practically melting into the shadows.

The bar was back to its normal, calm atmosphere.

But the hair on Hinata's arms still stood, and when she quietly excused herself to go to the bar and ask for a mug of coffee — twice the sugar, twice the cream — the swell of purple on her right wrist pulsed with unconditioned fright.

"Maybe I was wrong," her cousin's whispered hummed, washing over her shoulders and along her shaking arms. He sat himself on the bar's top, arms crossed and head tipped back as he exhaled inaudibly. And unlike the severity of the situation Hinata has suddenly found herself in, he smirked lightly, lips twisted with amusement. "Maybe he does hate you."

...

"What did you say to him?"

"Nothing at all. Why would I ever say anything to him?"

"Stop with the bullshit, Kakashi, and tell me right now." Tsunade slammed her glass of ale on the bar, nearly shattering it under the pressure from her arm alone, and despite the loudness of it all, not many people in the bar reacted. Perhaps it was too early in the morning, or perhaps they were frequent customers who were simply used to the havoc the woman could create at any moment. It had gotten to the point that the moment Tsunade walked in to show up for her shift, some people had already begun plugging their ears with napkins and such. Even Hinata flinched upon those brown eyes flaring with displeasure when the noticeably angry Uchiha in the back corner came into her sights. "We got a damn Guard lookin' like he'll bite off the head of anyone who so much as looks at him funny, and he only gets that way when you mess with him."

So Tsunade also knew about Sasuke. It shouldn't be a surprise. With her work, she met all kinds of people. But still — in all the five months Hinata had been here, she's never seen Tsunade and Sasuke together, so it was a wonder how she seemed to . . . know him so well.

And despite the obvious irritation just rolling off of the blonde before him, Kakashi did not once take a glance away from his book. "I suppose he's just having a bad day, then." He glanced over the pages to lock gazes with Hinata, and his eyes crinkled. The man, like most people, had stickers. His covered the majority of his lower face, and despite always offering to help, Hinata's services were always kindly declined by him. But he had expressive eyes, she quickly had realized; usually when he was scheming. "What? Did he say something to you, Moon?"

Especially when he was scheming.

"Don't play innocent," Tsunade hissed, turning away to pull on her black apron. Her fingers worked quickly, and she tied the strings behind her back and gave the knot a sharp pull before moving to count their stock. "She already has a lot to deal with, so don't go around pissin' off Guards for the sake of your damn entertainment — cuz she's the one who has'ta deal with their sorry asses."

Kakashi licked his thumb and turned his page, eyes widening slightly, perhaps due to having come to a particularly juicy part in the . . . plot.

"I'd never dream of it, Tsunade."

Huffing, Tsunade marched behind him, grabbed the strings of his apron, which were barely held together in a loose knot, and yanked them harshly, contorting them around his waist and springing a sharp gasp from him. "I know what you dream of, Hatake. Now get out. I'm on shift."

Hinata watched him rub the back of his neck and he slipped his book away and did as he was told. Her coffee was nearly gone, it's warmth long gone as she swished it along the white glass of the mug. Her pulse had yet to calm from the small situation before, and she wondered if it were due to the caffeine or Sasuke's level of intimidation.

Probably both.

Apron gone and book in his slack's pocket, Kakashi eyed her as he unrolled the sleeves of his dress shirt. "He won't kill you." Somehow, the severe lack of assurance in his drawled tone did not help her at all, and he must have recognized that, for he moved over and patted her head. "Not when he's on duty, at least."

That . . . just made things worse, but Hinata tried to smile, nonetheless.

"I know. Thank you, Kakashi."

Again, his eyes crinkled. "Just don't . . . ."

He trailed off upon his focus drifting over her shoulder. Following his gaze, Hinata turned and noticed a rather shaken woman by the entrance. She had dark eyes that flew this way and that, and her arms were hunched around her neck, looking like a cat about to pounce. Upon those startled eyes falling on Hinata, the woman gaped and skittered her way. Unconsciously, Hinata's hand slipped to her hidden dagger, but all caution flew through the window when tears began to trickle from the woman's eyes.

"Y-You wouldn't happen to be the Moon Witch, would you?"

Blinking, Hinata dropped her guard and relaxed her face. Next to her, Kakashi hummed before passing them both and moving to the exit. His eyes looked Sasuke's way, and there was something there, something noticeable, but Hinata was too caught up in things to delve further into it.

"I am," she whispered. "Can I help you?"

At that, the woman let loose of her sobs, and she fell into Hinata and curled her hands into the material of her coat. "Help me. Please."

Her cries caught the attention of the people around, and Hinata tucked her close, got a rather good look at the piles of black stickers on the woman's ears, and moved her to the back of the bar. "Sit here," Hinata said, pulling out a chair for the woman, who clung to her for a second longer before sagging into the wooden seat. Hinata quickly took her spot across from her and read everything that was presented to her.

She was a young woman, perhaps around her age, with long, oakish hair. Whiskers decorated her cheeks, and if the masses of stickers were not present, Hinata was sure there would have been two, furry ears. But what caught her attention the most were the knuckles of the woman. White — for the most part. But they were also red with dried blood, and Hinata saw that the end of her sleeves were torn terribly.

"May I ask for your name?"

"Ta — " She swallowed hard, eyes grounded onto the table, chin never lifting once to meet her gaze, "Tamaki."

She had pale skin that sunk under her cheekbones, and there were bags beneath her bloodshot eyes. Smiling kindly, relaxing her shoulders as to not seem imposing, Hinata folded her hands on top of the table. "Call me Moon. How did you hear of me?"

"Um." Tamaki rubbed her forearm. "Everyone knows you."

"How can I help you?"

Those eyes stayed bowed, even as she pulled up her sleeves, revealing nasty, oozing wounds and tan scars along the lengths of her arms. It wasn't so much that Hinata was unused to seeing such wounds; many people who came to her had some sort, whether it be physically or mentally. But there was something about them that simply made her stomach churn — a sort of jagged skillfulness to them. Whoever had done that . . . knew what they were doing.

From behind her, Sasuke pushed off the wall, and she heard the slice of his katana leaving his scabbard. Tamaki's head shot up, and she stared at him, gaped at him, trembled at the mere sight of him; and, sure, Hinata was intimidated by that Thor warrior that had hovered in the shadows around her for the last few days. But Tamaki looked horrified, and her pale face went white and ill.

"D-D-Don't!" she yelled, nearly falling out of her chair, if just to keep a distance between her and Sasuke. "Don't touch me. Don't come near me!"

Hinata stood and whirled around, taken aback for a moment at the sight of that blade of raw electricity buzzing at his hip. "W-Wait," she told him, hands raised up as she positioned herself between him and Tamaki. "Give her space, Sasuke Uchiha. I need to help her."

He did not speak. Gaze smoldering, he stared at the bent over form of the woman, seeming to focus on something Hinata could not understand. But then his one eye blinked, and he sheathed his katana and settled back, crossing his arms with arched, broad shoulder. Why is he acting like this? Hinata watched him for a moment more, then tilted her chin towards Tamaki. Does he think she's dangerous?

And once again, caution filled her lungs as she slowly turned back.

"Tamaki," she whispered, sliding into her seat, "who did that to you?"

But those eyes refused to look at her. Instead, they darted at every movement the Uchiha behind her made. "M-Moon, please," she said, eyes shining desperately in the orange lighting, "I-I don't want him here."

Why?

Was she secretive? Or was she truly afraid of the reputation Sasuke had.

Or . . . was she dangerous and trying to get her alone?

"Tamaki. Let me help you."

Finally, she looked at Hinata, and her chin bowed once more. Some color came to her face, but there was a terrible tremble to her entire form as she mumbled, "My boyfriend."

Boyfriend.

Hinata turned to Sasuke.

No wonder she's terrified.

"Could you please give us some privacy?"

Not a molecule of him moved. He had himself planted like a statue. She should have expected much — if she had learned anything about Sasuke Uchiha, it was that he was a stubborn, impatient, easily-bored man; and, perhaps, he didn't trust her, either. Not so much in the way that he thought she'd stab him in the back if he turned away — He . . . didn't, right? — but perhaps in the way where he didn't trust her to keep herself alive and safe if he left. But she had been by herself for five months now, and she wasn't about to let her record end now.

Offering a smile that was slightly tight at the corners, she said, with a force behind her tone, "I'll be fine. I promise."

His face and posture did not change, but he eventually stepped out from the shadows and left that corner. She followed him with her eyes to the bar, met Tsunade's equally confused expression, and then turned back to Tamaki, who had visibly relaxed once he was further away.

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to smile. "He just scared me."

Hinata waved her hand. "Please don't worry. I'm sure the privacy will help you relax some." And though Tamaki still seemed to glance over and shudder at the faraway form of the Guard member, her smile, though small and unsure, stayed, and Hinata knew she could take it to the next step. Sweeping an arm over the table, her fingertips hovered over the scars, both fresh and old, on those arms. Tamaki did not flinch — instead, she seemed fine in letting them be inspected. "Tell me exactly why you came to me for help."

"I've heard stories of you," she said, long, brown hair slipping over her shoulder, hiding some of her ears. "Stories of great kindness and empathy. I-I . . . don't have anyone else to go to." Those eyes sparkled with tears, then blinked rapidly. "I can't go back. To him. I need to get away, but . . . ."

As previously mentioned, it was not a difficult task for Hinata to put herself in the shoes of others; but this — it wasn't so much that she was relating to Tamaki, but more so that she was listening to an old version of herself. The Hinata five months ago, scared and begging strangers for help. The circumstances were different, but the likeness was uncanny. Pulling her hand away to curl it along her lap, Hinata sat back and thought.

When she had needed help, someone had given it.

Now . . . .

"I can't provide permanent help." Clearly, having Tamaki stay with her would just put her in more danger — not to mention the loads of secrets she'd have to feverishly keep from her. "But I can give you a temporary place to stay while helping you find somewhere far away." Tamaki's gaze was wide and surprised, and Hinata smiled. "Where . . . do you live?"

"I-In Forest 6." Flinching, Tamaki lowered her gaze and grazed her teeth over her bottom lip. "W-With him."

"Then I'll help you get out of Forest. We can look at Sand, or even Ocean, if need be."

The stickers on her ears wiggled and loosened, and Tamaki sniffed and blinked her tears away once more, whispering, "Thank you."

Hinata placed her hands on the table, fingers flexing slightly. "Can I touch your face, Tamaki?"

She nodded, and Hinata leaned forward, swept back thick, brown hair, and began to remove the stickers from her left ear. The ones on the right were still stuck and firm, but she managed to clear up the entire left one, revealing light tan fur. Pulling away, she told Tamaki she was finished, and she finally smiled brightly.

"Can I . . . request one, last thing from you, Moon?"

Hinata's shoulders straightened. "Of course."

"I need to . . . get a few things from my home." That once bright smile sunk into a pursed line. "Important things. Things that he might break or — or throw away if he sees I don't come home tonight. B-But if he's there, he m-might hurt me again and — " Her voice cracked, and Tamaki had to clear her throat to maintain a clear tone. "Do you think . . . you can come with me?"

That . . . was tricky.

Hinata knew she shouldn't go anywhere past the Hall and Ocean 11; and even if she wanted to, Sasuke was still a few feet away, ready to stop her from making any stupid moves. But there was clear desperation in Tamaki's tone that threw Hinata in a whirlwind of guilt.

"I'm . . . I'm sorry, but I can't . . . ."

"O-Oh." Standing, smiling awkwardly with a bit of a frown between her brows, Tamaki nodded and rubbed her forearm again. "I get it. I don't want to go, either." She looked over her shoulder, towards the exit of the bar, and then turned back. "Can you . . . take me to the Earth gate, then?"

Knowing that was the least she could do, Hinata nodded and stood, rounding the table to join Tamaki at her side. They both made their way to the exit, and when she looked back, she saw Sasuke's one, glaring eye.

"What the hell are you doing?" it practically growled, and electricity shot down her spine.

"I'll be fine," she mouthed as he began to move away from the bar. "Stay there."

He stilled, looking odd in the middle of the room, like a dark mass surrounded by a light, gentle atmosphere. She did not like leaving him there, treating him like heavy luggage that she did not want to bother with; and, sure, he was intimidating, but she knew he was trying to get through this boring job of his. Telling herself to come back quickly and maybe apologize — though she doubted it would do anything for him — Hinata picked up her pace, and both she and Tamaki quickly made their way to the Earth gate.

A hand, cold but still, grabbed hers, and Hinata looked down at it as Tamaki turned the dial. "You'll be alright," she said, putting as much reassurance in her squeeze back. The portal began to stitch together, greens and turquoise flashing before them. "Just be quick, and you'll be fine. I'll be waiting here."

That hand slipped up and grasped her elbow, and when Hinata looked up, Tamaki's smile was tight.

"Thank you, Hinata."

...

With that name, she knew she should have ran immediately. She should have put some distance, to the very least, between them. But she was still, and all she could do was look up at the number above the large gate and realize, with a stone in her stomach, that this wasn't going to Forest 6 at all.

Forest . . . 3?

The grip around her elbow tightened, and Hinata's fight or flight senses finally roared through her body. Jerking away, Hinata tried to pull back and escape Tamaki's grasp. But she was too late, too weak. Tamaki had already yanked her forward, into the portal, and color spun around them as the air grew hot and humid. Away with the quiet murmur of the bar, now replaced with birds and flapping leaves and —

Well, Hinata couldn't be too sure — her heart was beating wildly in her chest — but she was sure there was also screaming. Terrible screaming. Bloodcurdling screaming.

Tamaki's grip slackened, but there was a final, sharp pull, and Hinata was sent into the lush grass below. The dirt was moist and cold. The heels of her palms flew out to catch herself, and in doing so, caught the edge of sharp rocks. It stung. Everything did. But there was no knife in her back or hand pulling at her hair, so Hinata knew she had time. Time to run, to get back to the bar, to Tsunade, to Sasuke —

Thump!

Breathing haggardly, she got to her knees, head shooting up at the sound that thundered right before her. And for a while, all she could hear was singing birds and her own, screaming heart —

But then came the hiss of electricity as a blade of lightning flashed before her eyes.

Sasuke Uchiha stood before her, hovering, looming, towering.

And at his feet, smelling of burned flesh as a gushing hole in her chest gaped and trembled, was Tamaki. Scarred. Fallen. Dead.

Every joint in Hinata's body locked, and she was stuck on her hands and knees. To anyone else, it would look as if she were begging for her life — and maybe she was. Was she? She couldn't remember. Her head was still in that portal, in that whirling color. All she knew was this was Forest 3 and it was hot and Sasuke was by the bar, glaring, wondering why she was so, so stupid. She would have to apologize. She'd have to tell him that Neji was usually the one to keep her out of trouble. But he wasn't around. Not even her figment, and —

"Sasuke! Why are you — oh."

The man from Sun 1. He was here. In Forest 3. And from her spot on the grassy ground, she could see under his hood — see the wide, blue eyes that stared at her like she had grown horns.

She's . . . seen those eyes before.

Hasn't she?

It was hard to reconnect with everything happening before her. All she knew was that a sharp pain ran up her arm as someone grabbed her swollen wrist. She was yanked to her feet so quickly that she almost toppled over again, and once again, blues and greens swirled and whirled and twirled around her, making her sick and nauseous.

And that smell . . . that smoky, disgusting smell . . .

The bar roared with life, and Hinata finally began to piece things together. Sasuke had taken her back. Tsunade stared at them, eyes narrow and lips frowning as she rounded the bar. Jiraiya, who must have just shown up for his shift, began to escort people out of the bar. There was a lot of noise. Hinata wasn't sure why until a noticeable shift came from Sasuke, and she looked over to find him dropping Tamaki's corpse on a table.

He . . . brought her. Here. With them.

Why?

He didn't let go of her until they were at her normal corner, in which he practically threw her, as well, to the chair. Shaking, wobbling, but glad to be off her weak knees, Hinata sat down and tried to catch her breath. She watched Sasuke turn back to the corpse, ripping away its thin jacket, smearing blood along his gloves. He pulled something out from beneath the mess of ripped cloth and threw it on the table in front of Hinata. It clanked and shuddered, and when she looked down, she found the edge of a dagger pointing at her.

Her dagger.

"If I had known you wanted to get killed so badly," Sasuke muttered, pinning her down, "then I wouldn't have followed you."

The bar was empty. Tsunade and Jiraiya had done well in escorting everyone out and closing it down. The windows were blinded and thick, and metal bars were pulled down the doorways to keep anyone from entering. But before it was completely locked off, someone slipped in. Someone familiar.

"What the hell happened in Forest 3?"

The lights blinked and buzzed above as the cloaked figure of the Sun 1 man marched over. His eyes were hidden once more, but Hinata still had the look of them tattooed along the side of her brain. His chin turned first to her, then to Tamaki's body that lay unceremoniously on the table, then to Sasuke. His stickered lips twisted. "Who is she?"

Sasuke was in the midst of removing his bloody gloves, and not once did his head turn or tilt or raise to regard the powerful voice before him. "Not sure," he said, casually. That scared Hinata beyond belief. There was a dead body right there. Even if he were a Guard, how could he be so . . . apathetic? "A spy, I'm assuming. Or — " That one, black eye slid her way, "a stalker."

Stalker . . .

The air went frigid at that single word, and the only one seemingly unaffected by it would be the one who spoke it. Hinata felt her skin rise, and the Sun 1 man grimaced before turning to her.

"Are you alright, Hinata?"

"What do you take me for?" Sasuke cut in, tone low and sneering. "Some half-wit? I did my job. She's breathing. She's conscious — and even if she weren't, you can't blame me for this mess." His left shoulder rolled to Tamaki. "You know how to pick them, Naruto."

Her brain jolted and stung. Why was that so familiar? She knew it from somewhere.

How —

"Take this body to the Guard." Sasuke's tone was intimidating, but this one — it was terrorizing. Frightfully so. Because Hinata expected such a voice from Sasuke. That's all she's ever known of him in their short time of knowing each other, really. But this wasn't Sasuke. This was . . .

He was . . .

Who is he?

Suddenly, Hinata became aware of how in the dark she actually was. About him. For five months, he's been coming to her. Talking with her, venting to her, sharing his thoughts and stories with her. She never learned his name, but she never thought that was all she needed to know someone.

But she was wrong.

Because in all this time, she could have never imagined that tan, boyish man could ever speak like that. Sternly. Coldly. Harshly.

"Report what happened. Let them figure out who she is," he continued, words straight and unwavering. "And on your way there, remind yourself how to address me."

Sasuke didn't even blink. "Ah." And were his face bare to her, Hinata was sure she'd be witnessing a sly, sarcastic smirk curl upon his mouth. "But it's my duty to protect her, My Grace."

"Are you going against my orders? Again?"

The air was like that of Forest 3. Hot. Tense. Sasuke regarded the empty room for a moment, left finger tapping idly on the tsuka of his katana. Then, with a shake to his shoulders, he huffed. His black cloak moved and shifted, then it pulled away from his back as huge, white wings sprung from his back. They were taut and mighty. Capable. Hinata used to see wings all the time — they shouldn't be so stunning. But . . . they were, and the last gallon of air left her lungs in a rush, leaving her shaking and drowning in her own shock.

Sasuke Uchiha of Cloud 8.

Of course he would have wings.

She was being stupid again.

"Watch her while I'm gone," he muttered, grabbing Tamaki's corpse and throwing it over his shoulder. Like it were a bag. "She has an irritating tendency to attract trouble."

And with that, he shot in the air, flew through the doorway that Tsunade had opened up for him, over the crowd of people who had stuck around to get a curious peek inside, and into the Hall.

...

"Hey. Are you alright?"

It was still replaying in her head. The bleeding wound. The paleness of Tamaki's dead face. And she couldn't help looking at that picture that was burned into her mind: Sasuke, stood, with a corpse casually over his shoulder. Casually.

A corpse.

"He . . . he doesn't care . . . ."

Somehow, that was all she needed to say for him to understand what she meant. Sighing, a tan hand sneaking under his hood to rub at his neck, he said, "She tried to kill you." Hinata flinched — How does he know that? Did he watch it all happen? — and he cursed under his breath. "Sorry. I didn't mean — " He stopped himself again and walked over to her table, hovering about the chair near her. "Hinata?"

He kept saying it. That name. Her name. How did he know it?

The corners of her vision blurred, but she could make out him waving someone over. Soon, a glass of water was placed in front of her, and as she downed it, she felt Tsunade rub her shoulder, asking if she needed more. Hinata nodded and thanked her, trying to smile to show the water was already helping. Mind clear, she thought back to the conversation a few moments ago, mind still rolling a piece of information within her head.

"Y-You're — " She cleared her throat, blushing. "You're Naruto Uzumaki."

She'd pieced it together when Sasuke had been speaking.

"My Grace," he had said. And that's when she could bring meaning to the familiarity that name gave her.

He was that Naruto — the Sun King. The Apollo. It made sense, now that she was thinking back on this. Sun 1 was the most prestigious district in Sun, and no wonder he was able to take dibs on the powerful Thor warrior without much difficulty.

The chair before her screeched as it was pulled back, and Naruto, with an awkward smile, sat.

"Don't you . . . already know that?" he asked.

She wasn't totally sure what he meant by that.

"I-I know of you — but . . . of course, well, I'm sure my father must have told me much about you . . . ." Surely, he had. The Hyuuga were a noble family in Moon 2, and nobles were often close to their kings and the kings of other districts and realms. She must have been taught the power the Sun King had, the respect he deserved for being in such a mighty and important role . . . and . . .

Oh my goodness.

And just days ago, she had been talking to him casually, touching his face and spying on him and —

"I-I am so sorry, My Grace!" Hinata yelped, head automatically bowing.

She expected to get what Sasuke had gotten — "Remind yourself how to address me." — but instead —

"Please don't start with that again, Hinata." Slowly, she lifted her head to witness him rub at his eyes. "It took me, like, two years to stop you the first time!" She didn't have time to dwell on what he had just said, for he distracted her with a bright, lopsided grin. "Just Naruto, Hinata. We're friends, aren't we?"

He said that jokingly, she was sure. But . . .

"We are?"

But that wasn't possible. They've never met before — couldn't have, really. Because he was Sun, and Sun can't fly in Moon or vice versa. Her father had told her so (He had, right?) and her father was not the sort to lie about small things.

"Huh?" Naruto's grin simmered. "Yeah. Of course. Because . . ." He sat forward in his chair, eying the glass between Hinata's hands. "You really don't know what I'm talking about."

Her tongue went dry, and her gaze bowed. "I apologize, My Grace."

"Naruto. Just Naruto." He rubbed his jaw, fingers doing nothing to remove the stickers that hung on. "Did this happen when you left Moon?"

He . . .

"You know about that?"

"Some. Your family mentioned it to me, once." What? "Said you had a stalker that would go at any length to steal you away, so they made you leave. I was gonna help — y'know, provide some Guards, or something — but when I came back, you had already left, and . . . your family was gone."

It was hard to believe what she was hearing. Like this was a dream she'd wake up from. Not in the bed of her home in Moon — that was too far away to be a part of the dream. But Hinata was wondering if, in a few moments, she'd open her eyes to the cold, salty waters of Ocean 11 and realize there had never been a Naruto Uzumaki or Sasuke Uchiha in her life.

"Have you seen them at all, Hinata? Your parents? Neji?"

But she knew that was impossible — and, maybe, wishful thinking. Because when she dreamed, she didn't have Neji's figmented form by her right shoulder, peering down at the Sun King with staunch eyes. She couldn't dream and pretend at the same time.

"N-No." Her head began to hurt, and Neji's ghostly fingers trailed her forehead. "I don't . . ."

"Hey," Naruto piped up, gesturing at her glass, reminding her that she still had some water left. "Don't strain yourself, okay? They're probably hiding, too." He smiled genuinely, and she marveled at his strength to do something so difficult in such a tense atmosphere. "Can't say that sounds much like your father, but nor does sendin' you off, so . . ." And, once again, that smile morphed into a grin. "I'm just happy you're okay. I've always known it was you, but didn't mention anything cuz — cuz I figured you knew it was me, too."

Tipping her head downwards, she could get a glance at his shifting eyes as more of the weeds sprouted on his face. Hating the sight of them, of knowing how much stress she alone had put him through, Hinata popped her fingers and leaned forward, slightly over the table.

"My Grac — er, N . . . Naruto." That alone got a few of them loose as he stared at her, and she tried to match his grin. "Let me help you with that."

He looked puzzled for a moment, then realized what she meant and leaned in to give her access. Her thumb brushed the left edge of his jaw.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I put you through."

"It wasn't any trouble, Hinata."

That managed to clear up most of his chin. He waited for her to move on before speaking, if only to not give her more trouble as she plucked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were safe — so that when you can go back home, your cousin won't wring my neck."

Her cousin huffed, and she was sure they both heard the worry in his tone, hidden behind his pseudo-humor.

"I'm in Ocean 11," she began, hoping that by sharing as much as she could with him, his mind would be eased some. Her finger brushed away a few stickers, telling her she was doing well in her task. "It's dark and cold, but I'm safe. I miss my family, but I'm not totally alone. I have Tsunade and Jiraiya and Kakashi. I have you." Over his shoulder, she saw the bars pull up, and in came a dark face with white wings tucking under a black cloak. Something about him was more — well, relaxed wasn't the right word. Composed, maybe, and Hinata smiled. "And I suppose I have Sasuke Uchiha, as well."

She pulled her hands away as he approached, right eye giving her nothing on his current mood.

"Not for long," he said. Naruto turned and stood, and Sasuke folded his arms. "It'll take them a while to figure everything out, but I'll tell you what I know." He rolled up his sleeve and ran his index and middle finger along the bare skin in patterns Hinata remembered. They mimicked the scars Tamaki had. "She had cuts on her arms. Shallow. Precise. No sign of struggle. Either the person who did it to her had her restrained and knew exactly what he was doing . . . or she did it herself."

Naruto dropped his head in thought, but Hinata still saw his eyes narrow.

"You think she cut herself on purpose?"

Sasuke cocked his head Hinata's direction. "I think she knew who she was dealing with and made her story as believable as possible to get the Moon Witch's sympathy."

Naruto's chest expanded as he took a deep breath in through his nose.

"Then is she the stalker?"

"Can't be," Sasuke mused. "No holes in her back. She doesn't have wings." They both looked at her, and Hinata felt smaller than she usually did. Then, Sasuke turned away, towards the exit. "You still have a stalker on your hands, and you're gonna need a new bodyguard."

Right. After all that's happened today, Hinata had nearly forgotten that today was Sasuke's last day protecting her. She wasn't sure if she should feel relieved, or scared. But one glance at Naruto told her he was displeased, and at the end of his ropes.

"You have until midnight," he finally said, tone a bit lighter than the one he previously used, but still gravelly and serious. "Bring me the papers on the body when they're done. I'll expect them by morning tomorrow. After that . . ." Naruto trailed off, humming, and then shook his head and shot her a smile. "I mean, there's lots of you guys — I can still get a Guard to watch you, even if it ain't the best one."

He elbowed Sasuke, who stayed still.

"Oi!" Across the room, Tsunade called to them, a glass of red wine to her lips as she peeked out from under the blind of a window. "I have a business to run, so if you three are done chit-chattin' it up, I'd like to make some money today."

At that, Naruto left and bounced over to her, fixing his cloak to hide his face more. "Sorry about that, Granny! Just doing Sun King work — you know how it is."

"Call me that one more time, boy. I dare ya!"

Hinata watched them for a while, smiling. She wondered if everyone at the bar knew about him — about them. Maybe there were signs she just hadn't noticed, but now she knew, so it was fine.

Right?

She blinked when a black cloak whisked past her, and when she turned, she found Sasuke right where she expected him to be. Against the wall, in the corner; arms folded and eyes staring off at nothing. The past few days have been tense with him, and Hinata still felt uncomfortable with just them around. But she knew his type, and despite his coldness, he had saved her life.

So, with a shy turn to her lips, she sat herself in her chair, placed her hands on her lips, and called Jiraiya over to order two mugs of coffee.

One with loads of cream, and the other plain and black.

...

He didn't drink it. She hadn't expected him to.

But an hour later, when the bar was back in business and the coffee was cold, she had returned from giving Tsunade the two cups to a few silver coins on the table. Sasuke said nothing, and nor did she as she slipped them into her purse with a secret smile.

...

"Sasuke Uchiha."

For the first time, she saw his eye twinge at the name, and she rolled back and tried again.

"Sasuke."

Silence, again, but there was no flinching or twinging, so she supposed he preferred she call him that from now on.

"Could you please take me to the Ocean gate?"

It was late — around eleven at night, she supposed — and she could tell they were both overwhelmed by the active crowd poured into the bar. Over heads and shoulders, Hinata caught glances of Tsunade and Kakashi working double-time, and she made sure to not give them any more work by sipping slowly on her water. Once she was done, she had slipped through the crowd to hand it to them, and once she was back, Sasuke was standing by the table, watching her.

At her request came no protests, so Hinata turned and led the way. It was easy for her to slip past people, but she silently wondered if Sasuke was able to keep up; however, upon a flittering glance over her shoulder, she saw that people simply moved away from him, and she supposed she should have just assumed that would have been the case for him.

The Hall was nearly empty, save a few people spotted here and there. Hinata took in the cool air, let it calm her lungs, and turned to Sasuke. He was already making his way to the Ocean gate, and it was her turn to follow him.

"Sasuke," she called. He didn't stop, but his shoulder lowered an inch, signaling he was listening. "Can I speak to you, quickly?"

He paused in front of the gate, looking towards the dial. She moved to it, but did not move it. Not yet.

Folding her hands, knowing this was the last time she'd probably ever see him, Hinata told herself to throw caution in the wind and simply speak her mind. It was hard to do, but she didn't like to live life with regret. She's heard enough stories from people seeking her out of regret and the wish to turn back time, and she's found herself trying to avoid those feelings as much as possible.

With a sigh, she looked at his mostly covered face, and said, "Thank you."

As expected, he didn't react, but she kept going.

"I didn't say it earlier because I was . . . in shock. But thank you. For saving my life, for protecting me." A tremble came to her hands as memories of early that day came back, and she squeezed her hands together. "And I'm sorry for not staying in the bar. For being a bother. I know this job wasn't . . . the most exciting, and I'm sure you were, u-um, bored more often than not." She smiled, but he didn't smile back. She didn't need to see his mouth to know that much. "Whatever you do after this, I . . . hope it's more thrilling than sitting in a bar for three days."

"Just fly back."

Her mouth hung slightly, as she wasn't expecting him to add to this one-sided conversation.

"Pardon?" she asked.

His eye narrowed slightly. "I know most of it. About what happened to you. If you want to go so badly, then go. I would have gone with you — and all of this wouldn't have happened. But you just stayed."

His voice came out sharp, cruel; but it didn't have its normal effect on her. Maybe she really had gotten used to him.

Her right hand reached out and turned the dial to Ocean 11. The portal hissed and morphed, and the familiar smell of saltwater returned. "I can't," she whispered, voice overwhelmed by the buzzing. "I don't have wings. Not anymore."

And . . . of course, she expected disbelief. Sky people don't just lose their wings. She even went as far as to guess he'd say one of two things:

"You're lying."

Or, "I didn't ask."

But, once again, it was made painfully obvious that Hinata knew nothing about Sasuke Uchiha, for the only thing that she saw spirling in that ink iris of his was . . . .

What was that?

His brow was relaxed, and his gaze was far-off. Foggy.

He was . . . remembering something.

And the stickers on his forehead shifted and loosened, but Hinata had to hold back the itch to reach out and pluck them.

"Right," he said, then hardened his gaze. "Go home."

Her hand slipped off the dial, and she nodded. Do I say goodbye? Good luck? It was nice meeting you? Would that be a lie? But before she knew it, she was on the surface of the ocean, and her back stung as she tilted her head back and basked in the moonlight.

Naruto Uzumaki loved the light.

Maybe . . . that was an obvious statement.

But there were lots of reasons as to why. The most notable being —

"Here."

That Sasuke Uchiha absolutely loathed it.

Turning away from the shining city that sat, like a painting, outside of the grand window of his office, Naruto turned just in time to see Sasuke throw a manila folder on his desk. The irritation pouring from his made Naruto grin, and he whisked over and tore the folder open.

"Right on time, as per usual."

Over the edge of the paper, he saw Sasuke frown. "Apparently, it wasn't hard to figure her out. She's been in our records for a while."

Skimming over a few paragraphs, Naruto's gaze landed on a picture of the woman. She was smiling in it — an odd sight to find on a Guard record. Reading a bit more, his smile shortened and shortened until it was gone completely.

"Forest 6," he said, looking up at Sasuke. "Then why was she draggin' Hinata to Forest 3?"

Sasuke stepped closer to flip to another page in the stack Naruto was holding. He pointed to a paragraph, and said, "Mind control."

At that, Naruto felt color vanish from his face. There weren't many mind controllers in Forest 3, but the few there were happened to be people he knew. People he was relatively close to.

"Are — "

"The guard doesn't know anything aside from that," Sasuke said, already knowing where his mind was going. "This is just suspicion."

Nodding, Naruto flipped through a few more pages. "Only two weeks of being under it, huh?"

"On and off."

So she really wasn't the stalker. Gritting his teeth, Naruto returned the records to the folder and threw it on his desk. "I'll go over it in detail when I have the time." Rolling his shoulder, rubbing at a spot in the back, he moved to his chair, and said, "You're free to go, Sasuke."

No footfalls or closing doors followed, and Naruto, now comfortably sat in his cushioned chair, looked up to find him still standing there. Huh? Usually, Sasuke was hightailing it out of Sun when given the permission to leave.

"Is there . . ." He grinned, "something else?"

Silence, for a while. Not the kind where the guy was trying to think of something to say. Naruto's known him long enough to know that Sasuke always has something to say. But if he wanted to actually say it or not, well . . .

"You said you were going to look for someone else," Sasuke finally mentioned, gaze on his face, but not totally meeting his eye. "I have a suggestion."

Now that was a surprise. Naruto almost had the mind to remind Sasuke of how much he hated his job protecting Hinata, but he knew that would make him shut up before even saying anything, so Naruto held his tongue and pulled out something to write on.

"I'm all ears."

Chapter 2 — End