Hinata walked through the empty compound, walking towards the room Suigetsu had suggested she check in. She forced the unpleasant confrontation with Sakura out of her mind, concentrating on finding Sasuke. It didn't take long to find the room in question, the childhood room of her favorite Uchiha. Sasuke was standing very still in the middle of the empty room, his back turned to her.
"Sasuke-kun." Hinata's voice was soft and kind. He looked back over his shoulder at her. "May I come in?"
"Of course." He nodded.
"How are you feeling?" She asked, walking deeper into the room. She wrapped her arms around his midsection, resting her head between his shoulder blades. "It's been a few days."
"I am unbelievably angry." He admitted, his voice low. "I snapped at Karin this afternoon." Hinata nodded, her hair sticking to his shirt creating static.
"Suigetsu told me." She whispered. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"She keeps asking me why we're here. Why we risked going against the masked man?" Sasuke sighed, resting his hands over hers.
"That's not why you're angry." Hinata noted, letting go of him. She was right, he wasn't angry with Karin. He was angry with his current situation, and frustrated at the lack of opportunity for alone time with Hinata. Sasuke had grown accustomed to spending ample time with her over the last six months. It was more than a lack of facetime that had him on edge. Sasuke grabbed her hips, forcing her against the wall. "Ah." Hinata gasped, tensing as her body made contact with the hard surface. His action was forceful but not painful.
"I'm frustrated." He admitted. Her cheeks burned red as she clutched his biceps. "There is so much tension. The way they look at me…The people of this village are so righteous despite their obvious flaws."
"You left. You participated in criminal activities." She stated, taking in a deep breath. "If it makes you feel any better I am not the most respectable these days either."
"It doesn't." He frowned, watching the beautiful girl before him, disappointed that he continued to cause turmoil in her life. "Besides, it is more than that." His frown deepened. "I get so angry when Karin asks because I don't know. Why am I here?"
"I shouldn't have asked you to come back." Hinata acknowledged, dropping her gaze to the ground. "You regret returning." It wasn't a question but Sasuke felt he needed to answer.
"I don't know." He answered honestly. "I don't regret this." He gestured between them. "I feel something with you…something more than jealousy and hatred. But I'm not…myself."
"I should go." Hinata whispered. "You need some time to think about this." She pushed on his arms, trying to politely give herself room. Sasuke pushed back, pressing his body against hers.
"I don't need time to think about it." He assured her. "When you returned home, while my eyes healed, I suffered days of true darkness…alone." Sasuke's lips claimed hers with a passionate kiss.
"Sasuke-kun." Hinata whimpered, sliding her fingers into his hair. The kiss was brief, but heated. Her heart pounded against her rib cage as Sasuke pulled away, giving her room to flee. She held her fingertips to her swollen lips, working desperately to calm her rapid breathing. Her stomach twisted in knots as she watched him.
"I made this choice." He announced, turning his back to her. "I have to prepare for my meeting with the Hokage. Where can Suigetsu find Jugo?"
"He is helping with the reconstruction of the academy." Hinata answered, still working to collect her thoughts. "I think."
"He seems to be getting along well." Sasuke noted, still facing away from her.
"People like him. He is kind."
"It helps people don't know he transforms into a monster." The dark haired boy mused.
"May I come by later?" Hinata asked, her voice small as she prepared for rejection. Sasuke glanced back at her.
"Will they let you?"
…
Sakura fell back on Ino's bed with a groan. The two were working on the rocky friendship that had been shattered by a mutual affection for Sasuke. It only seemed right that the devastation of him choosing a different girl entirely would be the circumstance that mended the relationship for good.
"How was the meeting?" Ino asked, sitting carefully next to Sakura. "Were they acting like a couple?"
"I don't know." The pink haired girl admitted. "I was not permitted to stay, per Sasuke's request."
"Ouch." Ino muttered, picking at the purple material of her skirt.
"But I'm sure they weren't acting couple-like with Lady Tsunade. They're both from prominent clans, they know what it means to act properly and respectfully."
"Come to think of it, I've seen them in the same proximity several times…they don't touch, or even talk really. How can you be sure they are a couple?"
"You aren't looking hard enough." Sakura draped her arm over her eyes. "They share these long glances and stand uncomfortably close."
"So, we're practically touching." Ino pointed out, brushing her knee against Sakura's thigh for good measure. "We definitely aren't a couple."
"Obviously." Sakura giggled, pushing Ino's leg away. "I asked Hinata today." Her tone turned serious.
"And?" Ino asked.
"They've had sex, on multiple occasions." Sakura announced, keeping her eyes covered as tears began to pool behind her eyelids.
"She told you that?" Ino was surprised that Hinata could be so cruel. "That's kind of bitchy."
"No…I asked and she tried really hard not to answer." Sakura defended. "I already knew the answer. From the first moment I saw them together."
"At the gates?"
"No." Sakura shook her head. "I tried to kill Sasuke a few months ago. Hinata saved him and then she chose to stay."
"Maybe she just didn't want you to be a murderer." Ino suggested. "It could be that she was saving you from the trauma of killing your first love." Sakura shook her head.
"It was more than that." The pink-haired kunoichi insisted. "He walked away from a fight against Naruto…because she asked him to. Sasuke has never walked away from a chance to one up Naruto."
"Had never." Ino corrected.