Chapter: Abandonment.
A/N: So the most awaited story gets updated. Don't worry guys; next chapter might be from Sasuke's POV. You guys really like his dark side but he is the not the only one wicked. Find out more characters who might be as twisted as him.
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2 years ago.
It has already been a week since she promised Naruto to help him with his request but things weren't going according to her plan. She had spent all her day in her family library scourging through every possible scroll on the Hyuga cursed seal.
They mentioned the same thing again and again that the bearer and the marker of the seal have to be Hyugas. She had hoped to find something elaborating over it but till now her luck wasn't on her side. She had read all her findings at least six times in the hopes that she might have missed something out.
Hinata was disappointed when she couldn't find a trace of any mentioning of why their cursed seal can only be performed on a Hyuga. She was tired and hadn't slept for three days as time was running short and she needed to give Naruto a positive confirmation as soon as possible.
The task was already very complicated. First of all, she determined that she had to design the seal in a way that only she could activate and no one else, not even the Hyugas. She could easily achieve this because the fuinjutsu is just like a programme where the output can change when we tweak some codes but she couldn't change the basic and the basic of this jutsu required a Hyuga.
Sasuke though was an Uchiha, far from the Hyuga tree. Legends say that the Uchihas are the descendants of the Hyugas but their genes have mutated a lot and no semblance of familial connection could be established. Sasuke would certainly die during the process if she doesn't find a solution. Her head was buried deep down in a scroll and her fingers were tugging at the roots of her hair in frustration. She was startled when a young maid suddenly appeared behind her and tried to grab her attention. She must have been too immersed in her work to have noticed her.
"Hinata-sama … Hiashi-sama has approved your request for visitation" The maid bowed down in respect.
Hinata's eyes became large in shock. She had sought out a meeting with her father but hadn't expected him to call her this fast. She concluded he must not have much work for the day.
"Oh" She could only utter before dismissing the girl and went to Hiashi's office.
She never liked to step foot in his office because it always had that stifling environment where she felt like suffocating. Maybe it was the heavy aura of her father that made it hard to be in the same room as him. Not to mention her entire childhood was spent getting reprimanded in that room, sometimes on her weak jutsus, sometimes on the success rate of her missions and sometimes on her inability to be a worthy heir.
She swallowed a lump before she put her fingers on the knob of the door and entered. She perfected her stance and greeted her father in reverence. Her eyes met with the same stoic emotionless eyes of her father and she took a seat in front of him as per usual.
A tea was already sitting on the table for her. It was earl grey- his favourite. She didn't like it very much but still accepted the offer so as not to be rude. The cup was scalding as she could see the smoke rising and distorting the air around it. The smell was wafting towards her nostrils and she took it in to calm her nerves. Maybe it was good to discuss things over tea because it does help to keep you busy and composed. So she brought it near her lips and blew on it to cool down the hot beverage.
"So what brings you here" Hiashi spoke first, eyeing his daughter trying to decipher her sudden desire to meet him.
Hinata decided that she wanted to be direct with him because he had always liked things to be addressed in short.
"Father, I want to talk about the Hyuga cursed seal" She paused and waited to see his expression but as always he didn't show any inkling of emotion on his face as if it was carved out of marble. Even a statue might look more human-like than the leader of the Hyuga clan.
He sighed and took a sip out of his tea and said, "I already told you Hinata, I wouldn't let them put the seal on you. You have nothing to worry"
Hinata tilted her head to the side as it slowly dawned upon her that Hiashi was getting a wrong idea for this meeting. She was not worried about herself.
After it was decided that Hanabi would succeed Hiashi as the next leader of the clan and Hinata would be replaced as an heir, Hiashi made sure to announce that Hinata would never be marked with the Hyuga seal. Instead she would be married off to a suitor worthy of marrying a lady of the main branch. The declaration was met with an uproar by the elders as they wanted to keep her within the family but her father had warned that if anyone dared touch his eldest, they would have to pay. It was the first time a leader went against the customs of the Hyugas and it has caused an air of distrust among the clan. Her father stood firm in his decision and just said that he already had someone who wanted to marry Hinata. Someone, who is a very powerful man- someone Hyugas wouldn't want to cross. He never told her who this man was but informed her that he could protect her against the whole world if need be.
But that is not what she is here for.
Well the error was on her part for being vague. She needed to be more précis on why she was there to have an audience with him all of a sudden.
"No – I mean to ask you what happens when we put the Hyuga cursed seal on someone who isn't a Hyuga?" She enquired.
Hiashi's eyes narrowed at her and the wrinkles on his forehead became visible. He was getting old and this is the first instance after a long time, Hinata had noticed her father this closely.
"What do you mean?"
Hinata didn't answer immediately. She noticed that she had already drunk half of her tea. To dissipate the heavy situation she tried to focus on gathering her thoughts. She swirled around the cup and saw how the leaves settled at the bottom forming zigzag lines and patterns. She remembered how one of the maids who had tended to her when she was young, told her that this can tell one's future and Hinata presumed that it might be an old belief. Nonetheless, she enjoyed observing different patterns formed by the leaves and found them interesting. It was soothing in some sense.
She took a deep breath and proceeded to explain.
"I mean exactly what I asked"
She knew Hiashi wasn't asking her to repeat but to check if she was sure she wanted to know.
For some minutes, neither spoke. Hinata doubted if she would ever find out like this. Would she have to refuse her aid to Naruto?
No, she can't do that. She can't go back on her words.
She shook her head and looked up. Hiashi seemed fixated on a bird outside their garden feeding on some fruits. His office had a view to die for but she knows Hiashi was least interested in such things.
At last, Hiashi broke the silence.
"The seal doesn't require a Hyuga but Hyuga blood" He took a breather to see if Hinata realised the implication and she did. She gasped at the hint that was laid so blatantly naked in front of her eyes.
"You mean-"
Hiashi nodded but continued, "but there is a huge risk".
Risk?
"What risk?" She asked.
"Ever wondered why an outsider has never been sealed with our jutsu. First of all, the one who performs the jutsu has to have Hyuga blood. Our blood is the sealing element here" he explained carefully so she wouldn't misunderstand it. "Our ancestors had designed it in a way that only those with Hyuga blood in them could use it"
She had always wondered about this. "And what if it's not our blood?"
The answer came as quick as a flash. "The seal wouldn't work and the person who is to be sealed will die. As a I told the jutsu requires the blood sacrifice and it has to be ours"
She knew that much because many have tried to use their family cursed seal and have been unsuccessful. She just wanted to figure out how this works.
"And what if a Hyuga tries to seal someone who is an outsider?"
There- she threw out the big bait and just hoped Hiashi would catch it.
She saw her father hesitating as he pressed his lips together and had that suspicious look on his face. The answer might not be discouraging but she was willing to take a leap of faith.
"If you do that then when the seal is completely activated, you will die along with the one marked with the seal"
The cup in her hand almost fell from her grasp but she somehow managed to keep a hold on it. Those were expensive stuffs gifted to her father from distant lands. She didn't want to ruin it but her mood was already spoiled. That is a huge risk indeed.
He continued to add, "It really renders the purpose of the jutsu useless. If both the parties involved aren't Hyugas then the cursed seal backfires. I have no idea why this happens as we have no research done on it so things are unclear"
So this is the reason why there isn't a single case where her family had tried to put a seal outside their clan and not even a written evidence in their family library. Of course they did not want to give some fool any idea.
She had mused over it hard at times- that their seal could have been used as a weapon but she didn't understand their reason to refuse to use it. It is clear as a day now.
It is because their own jutsu could kill them. It's almost like digging your own grave.
The revelation was appalling and she wondered how many in her family knew about this piece of information. After this, she might need to think over her decision even more carefully.
"Father. Thank you" She excused herself and was scared if Hiashi would ask her why she had wanted to know this. He was a clever man, he might have already figured out so when he didn't question her motive, she was relieved.
She almost bolted out the door but when she reached the threshold, Hiashi stopped her and stood up as well.
He strode towards her and she bit her lips in exasperation.
"Hinata, my child …" he started as he lifted her chin so she would look at him. His voice made her tremble like a leaf in a windy night and his face was still as scary when she was a little girl. "I won't stop you but remember I have a duty towards the clan and they come before you"
His touch on her face disappeared and he stepped back. Hinata's nerves were on the edge and she felt as if Hiashi had almost chocked her. She feared she might collapse right there so she took off towards her room.
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Three more days passed after she had met with her father and Naruto sent her messages daily via his toads. He wanted to know if she had found anything.
She knew he was a persistent guy but she had been avoiding his messengers purposely and was almost certain that if she didn't give him a visit soon then he would turn up at her house.
She decided she had to talk to him and explain the situation and see if he wanted to proceed with their plan. She was afraid he might stop but frankly she didn't want to. It was her last chance. She reflected upon how obsessive she sounds with her ambition that in order to prove her worth she is willing to hide the truth from even Naruto. Even after such determination, there was a doubt in her mind because it was now a matter of her life and death as well. She needed to take a decision but she felt like she needed more time. Maybe it was time to see Naruto.
She dressed herself quickly with a clear destination in mind- The Hokage tower. She walked leisurely as if unsure of what the future holds for her. She was very uncertain about everything now. She really wanted to help Naruto but could she put her own life on the line for the Uchiha?
He was a stranger to her and they had never even talked. It would be huge sacrifice to take for someone you don't even know. She chewed over the past few days in a loop that she became oblivious to how the crowd near her parted to let her keep her pace.
"Oof… Ooff" She heard and felt a nose rub against her leg. She would have shrieked in fear if she wasn't already used to the sensation. She instinctively knew who it was.
"Akamaru" She bent down to pet the dog's head and her teammates were next to arrive.
"Hey Hinata" Kiba welcomed and Shino nodded. She noticed that they were standing near the Ichiraku ramen. They must have come to eat there and it would be wise to join them. Naruto could wait for some time.
She smiled at them and when Kiba dragged her inside the stall without saying a word, she almost forgot about her worries. They were her solace. No matter how difficult things had been in her life, she always found herself smiling over how silly her friends were. However, sometimes a feeling of jealousy would take over her just like it happened right then.
"Hinata, did you know that Shino had become the captain of his Anbu team?" Kiba innocently interrogated before settling in, unaware of her brewing insecurity. She just kept quiet and shook her head to say no.
"C-congratulations" She said turning towards her bug friendly teammate.
"It happened today and I haven't told anyone yet" Shino answered adjusting his glasses that he still wore. Nobody knows the colour of his eyes or how they look. Imagination is what that is left for people to piece together his appearance.
"By the way you should also congratulate Kiba as he had officially taken over the reins of his clan" Shino informed her. At that Kiba sheepishly rubbed his head in embarrassment.
Hinata congratulated him as well. She was happy for both of her friends but her joy was somewhat overshadowed by her own feeling of dejection.
"Thanks, Hinata-chan" Kiba laughed. They were served their order soon after and they made small conversations. Well mostly it was Kiba who talked. Hinata and Shino were eating their food in silence.
"Everything is going well for everyone" Kiba commented speaking about their friends and their life.
Suddenly overwhelmed by the emotions Hinata couldn't contain it and blurted out, "I can't say the same for me".
Silence befell over the group after her sudden outburst.
"Hinata you will achieve your dream one day. We believe in you" Kiba assured her and Shino was in agreement.
And what is that dream? She had no idea. Shino and Kiba were doing great in their field but Hinata felt like a complete failure. Even in their missions they were always on the forefront protecting her and guiding her. She realised she was becoming selfish day by day because she couldn't appreciate such good friends but instead felt threatened by their success.
"But I haven't proved my worth" She said frustrated with herself.
"You don't need to prove anything to us Hinata" Shino answered trying to ease her self-doubt.
Hinata already knew she didn't need to prove anything to her friends but it was also true that her friends were excelling and she was still behind them. She failed as an heiress, she had been nothing special in her academy, and she was the weakest among her team mates and Konoha eleven. Even in her own clan, she was certainly eclipsed by Neji and Hanabi.
"Yes you are right" She lied through her teeth but she didn't want to bother her friends with her problem. They resumed enjoying their meal and when it was finally time to part ways, Kiba gently ruffled her hair and promised her that they would always be there for her.
She blushed and bade them goodbye.
Once again her friends had helped her in need.
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Naruto was anxious and was now running out of patience. Truth be told he was worried to death. Hinata had sworn that she would find something, anything to save Sasuke but she still hadn't come up with anything. Moreover, she had been ignoring his toads. He had expected to receive her reply within days but she had not written to him even once.
"Shikamaru, are you sure Hinata hasn't sent any message" Naruto asked his advisor almost biting his nails.
The Nara in reply rolled his eyes and sighed, tired of his shenanigans. "Calm your horses. How many times do I tell you the same thing?"
"But …. but this isn't like Hinata" Naruto muttered under his breath.
Contrary to the belief, Naruto wasn't oblivious of Hinata's feelings towards him. At first he had doubted if she really loved him as how could a Hyuga heiress fall for someone who was nothing but a mere commoner. She was a princess after all.
So he thought she was just weird and socially awkward. He figured out she was shy with the way she blushed scarlet and fainted at any given chance but eventually he noticed that her actions were different around him. With others she was albeit more normal, confident but as soon as she saw him, she would lose her composure and stutter like crazy. Maybe it was a crush or admiration and nothing more but as years passed and she was still the same with him, he finally understood that she might be in love with him. She had basically confirmed it when she confessed her love for him during Pein's attack.
He slowly started to notice her after that. He didn't let her find out but he had caught her every time she would steal a glance at him. He pretended not to pay attention but found her always present beside him and it was not just her behaviour but her looks as well. She had indeed grown to be beautiful. She was more feminine than any girl he had ever met. She was kind, soft and well-endowed in the curves which he liked in his woman. Puberty definitely did her a favour but more than these attributes Naruto was interested in her unwavering loyalty towards him. She was always ready to sacrifice her life for him and she did her job not once but twice. He never had anyone do this for him besides Sasuke who had placed himself in front Haku's attack to save the blonde in their first mission. He won't lie but he felt the same kind of possessiveness he felt for Sasuke towards Hinata. He did not want her to let go of her love for him just like he could never bear the thought of Sasuke abandoning their friendship. It might sound insane but he liked it that way. It could be abandonment issue but after losing his close people all his life, he had become more aggressive in his persuits.
Her love for him had made him feel important and special because he had been craving for it since his childhood. He never understood how he missed out when it was right under his palm but he would be a fool if he let it go. He would do anything to keep her and Sasuke with him. They couldn't leave him ever. No he wouldn't allow it.
His inner conflict was broken by a knock on the door and Naruto felt annoyed with whoever it was.
"Okay let me send them away" Shikamaru understood Naruto way better than any of his comrades and he was thankful for that. However, he was left confused when the dubbed genius opened the door wide and let the person in.
"Who is it- Hinata?" He rose abruptly from his seat that the chair almost fell to the ground. She finally came to him and he couldn't help but let his smile show. He knew she wouldn't betray him. He believed she would come to him no matter what. He was happy that she didn't let him down.
He was afraid of the consequences if she did.
"Hinata-chan, I have been waiting for you" He walked up to her and took her in his embrace. Something compelled him to do so as if he really needed a proof that she was physically here and not some figment of his imagination. When he felt her soft body against his, he was satiated and assuaged.
"I was so worried" he whispered in her ear and she visibly tensed. He could literally feel her heart thundering against his. Afraid he might break her, he let the girl have some air because she was gasping like a fish out of water.
Shikamaru coughed loudly most likely to distract himself from the scene unfolding in front of him.
He ignored the Nara and smirked at the effect he had over her as he discerned her vulnerable state. He felt powerful in a way he never felt before and decided he liked to have such control.
"Are you alright?" He asked soothing her back.
Her eyes were doe like- so innocent that she looked like a small child.
"I- I am fine" Her breaths were unsteady and she teetered in his arms.
"Please come and take a seat" he took her towards his desk and forced her to sit down, tensed that she might faint. He wanted her to rest but she seemed in a hurry.
"N-Naruto" She spoke softly, her voice like an angel. He listened carefully as her determined gaze met his because he couldn't help but feel excited about his plan.
"I am ready to help you"
He didn't care if this was wrong and twisted. He really didn't care if you call it manipulation because what really matters to him is that he doesn't lose them.
"I know, Hinata. I know"
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Naruto has become too twisted and Hinata has started her journey on deception. It all started in the past.
See you until next time. Enjoy the story till then.