As soon as Sasuke saw a finger pointed at him, he released the genjutsu. Hinata started to slowly open her eyes adjusting to the light, only to notice the entire courtyard was staring at her and Sasuke. Her face turned red and she straightened her body next to him, letting go of his arm. "Sit still, it's fine." He spoke to her, preventing her from moving away and presenting the distance that really exists between them to everyone.
Choza was approaching them.
"Did I do something?" she asked slightly scared.
"No. The gong was hit."
As soon as he was close enough for them to hear, Choza asked in a pretty loud voice: "Did you eat, or drink anything else on your table?"
"I drank water." Sasuke responded.
The man was now right in front of them. "And that's all?"
"Yes. What is going on?"
"The pot of cherry tomato juice you sent back was poisoned. It is possible that anything else on your table might be as well, so please don't touch anything." He now ran back going towards the entrance in which several on-duty shinobi started to appear. Hiashi looked pissed off and has disappeared going inside the temple, followed by a man dressed in a suit, wearing headphones. Similar to many who surrounded the area, most likely from the city.
The elders looked unfazed. All of them. They even continued to eat their food happily discussing the situation as if it was a memory, and not a current event. Shocked Hinata looked at the table. Treats, meat, rice… To think she contemplated eating some first, since she couldn't fall asleep. Chatter among the guests was growing louder and louder
Suddenly Hiashi returned with the man back into the room and sat at his table next to his wife. The man wearing a suit stepped in the middle of the podium, activated the device on his ear, what now everyone realized was a microphone and spoke: "Everyone, due to a problem with the food, we'll be cancelling lunch. Otora catering will do their best to make up it up to you by the end of the reception. Now we're asking all guests to leave the courtyard for us to organise the party area and the amusement stands. We hope you'll have a pleasant day."
Sasuke looked at Hinata. "Did you get any sleep?"
"No." She shook her head. "All I saw was dark, but I couldn't really sleep…I don't know why."
"I isolated you. It was a genjutsu."
"Oh." she looked down sad. Half of the guests have already left the courtyard.
"Do you think you can walk normally?"
"I can walk, but…"
"What if I carried you?"
She blushed slightly alarmed. "No, you can't do that. Before you walk me home it is considered extremely inappropriate."
"Fine. We'll step down from here and you fall pretending you broke your ankle. Until I get you another battlefield injection, claim you can't stand on your foot properly."
"I can't do that. Father trains with me."
"You never tripped before?"
"Actually… I did, but..."
"That settles it."
"I don't think..."
"Leave it to me."
She looked at him confused. He got up, offered her his hand. She stepped forward, and on his cue, slipped past the first stair and dropped to the ground, not at all appearing as if having lost balance. Some of the guests turned to look at her. Hinata's family were all staring now. Sasuke touched her ankle and released electricity through it, causing excruciating pain. "Ah!" She responded with a sour expression on her face. People started gathering around them. Hiashi appeared next to her and looked down at the spot on her ankle from which Sasuke has just removed his hand. His expression darkened and he looked at her with a sort of a disappointment in his eyes. A look Sasuke recognized. A look he remembered from long ago…
Hinata turned away embarrassed, unable to handle eye contact. Hiashi took her in his arms and carried her back inside the temple, seating her on the left stairs next to the altar. She was finally secluded, hidden in the curves of the small spiralling stairs. Sasuke appeared in front of Shikamaru. "I need a battlefield injection." He told him.
"Now?!"
"Just find one." He insisted and went back into the crowd moving towards the courtyard.
-…3 minutes later…-
"Mrs Hyuuga, can you leave us?" The woman who was sitting next to her daughter looked at Sasuke and answered. "Of course." Immediately getting up, offering him her spot on the narrow stair next to Hinata. He sat down and looked at her confused as to why she's not leaving.
She smiled brightly at him. "I see you wore my present."
Sasuke looked down at his Haori. "Yes. Thank you for that."
"I'll leave you two alone." She added in glee and disappeared as if having forgotten Hinata was (supposedly) injured just now. When she left, Sasuke moved his haori uncovering a small paper bag with colourful, sweet rice balls. "Eat." He handed her the food.
"Thank you." She took them and stared at them in hesitation. "I've been nothing but a burden to you. I'm sorry." She said with a painful strain in her voice.
"So eat, don't apologize." He repeated.
"I'm sorry. Uhm..!" She looked down blushing. He just sat there in silence waiting for her to eat already. But he wasn't mad at her, or even annoyed with her. All that was stuck in his head was the look of disappointment on Hiashi's face and her reaction. Her pleading not to perform that trick in front of her father. Could it have been that the thing he was feeling was…guilt?
Now that annoyed him.
-…5 dumplings later…-
"Sasuke, I've completely forgotten! Do you.. Did you want some?"
"If I wanted some, I would have brought more."
"Oh…Right." She responded nervously, putting the last chunk in her mouth.
He looked at her. What now? Is she feeling guilty for asking me a question? "I don't like sweets." He added. Just stop with that expression already.
"Really?" she looked up slightly surprised.
"Yes really." he repeated glad that sour mood was replaced by curiosity.
She turned her gaze back to the front. "Sakura!"
Sakura who has just climbed up towards them smiled at Hinata, moving her eyes towards Sasuke only when she was close enough that she couldn't postpone it any longer. "You asked for a battlefield injection?" she asked serious.
"She needs one. She didn't sleep for 3 days."
Sakura turned to Hinata surprised, obviously having had no idea how sleep deprived Hinata truly was. "Sasuke, leave us alone." She expected him to return her gaze, but he disappeared out of his seat before she could catch another glimpse of his eyes.
"This one goes in your thigh. It's not standard exactly, but it's the best we could find right now."
Hinata nodded and took the injection placing it under her clothing and pressing it in. "Ok, now stay still for a bit." Sakura's hand glew with green chakra over the spot on her leg, where Hinata was injected, and the lingering pain disappeared.
"It should kick in, in about 60 seconds." She smiled and got up leaving Hinata alone.
"Sasuke."
He turned around. "You're done?"
"Are you ok?"
"Did you give her the shot?"
"I heard you almost drank..."
"Did you?"
"Yes, I did. Are, you.. Are you ok?"
"Don't concern yourself with me. You're on the mission with her."
"I'm here for you too." She corrected him, her eyebrows furrowing. He remained serious and continued ignoring her remark: "Where is Naruto?"
"He's still in his office. Kiba is going to get him."
"I want you to find Shino Aburame and tell him to inspect the vehicles and all the cargo."
"But Shino is a guest. He would be insulting the Hyuuga family!" Sakura protested.
"This is a mission, not a wedding." He appeared slightly aggravated by this.
She was looked him wide eyed. Hearing him say that meant something. It gave her relief she didn't know it would. "I'll ask him." Before she left…" Sasuke."
"Yes?"
"If you feel sick, or odd in any way... Tell me right away." her face softened.
"I will." he nodded slightly smiling.
She blushed, smiled back and disappeared in the crowd.
Having no way of knowing who to trust at this point, Naruto and Shikamaru have developed elaborate trust circles. Each circle contained people Naruto could trust more than the previous, and the smallest one were also people that he could employ in espionage, or battle on his side, as first on the list of candidates. Perpetual standby. In that inner circle were no other than Naruto's former academy classmates: Shikamaru, Kiba, Sasuke, Shino, Choji and Lee. If one of them was called upon by Naruto, or Sasuke and Shikamaru by proxy, they could safely assume it's a top secret mission. So far, the system hasn't failed and Shikamaru had no intention of changing it until they could bring balance back into Konoha rule.
-…the shrine courtyard; 20 minutes later…-
Sasuke and Hinata were walking through the courtyard being greeted and followed by everyone in there. Sasuke now missed that little display they were once sitting on. At least there, no one could talk to them. They were forced to give everyone a chance to approach them and congratulate, and/or kiss Hiashi's butt, depending on their preferences.
It was well known throughout the village that Hiashi was next in line to become the next councilman, once his father passed away. On top of that, it was obvious he was currently the richest person in Konoha, given the alliances he formed in and out of the village. That is the reason Shikamaru had no issue with Sasuke getting a kick out of pissing Hiashi off. Shikamaru was watching Hiashi like a hawk. He needed him on their side and he needed to know he can trust him one day. So if Hiashi was under the impression that they are not trying to get close to him through Sasuke, he would be more likely to drop his guard around him and the rest of Naruto's henchmen, allowing Shikamaru to stick his nose where it didn't belong.
"Haniko, my beautiful dove." her grandmother was squeezing her hands.
"Hinata, grandmother." She corrected her.
"What?"
"I'm glad you're finally awake." Hinata smiled awkwardly.
"Oh, I wouldn't miss my granddaughter's wedding!" She grinned licking her wrinkled lower lip and pulled Hinata slightly sideways, lowered her voice a bit, still clearly heard heard by everyone around. "Hanabi, I know I'm a bit late, but… Where do I begin. I'm so old. It's been a while. He, he. Do you..? Do you know where condoms come from?"
Sasuke's eyes widened. Hinata has turned completely red. "Grandmother…Y—You don't need to..!" She exclaimed panicking.
"And that's enough." Sasuke pulled Hinata's hands out of the old woman's and led her away, pushing her with his palm on her upper back.
"Hanade!" Her grandmother called out.
She turned her head smiling to the old lady and raised her hand in greeting, cheering her up, just a moment before the woman seemed to have yet again, forgotten where she is.
Once they were outside the party area Sasuke stopped exhaling, finally giving up and getting openly angry, staring at the crowd behind Hinata. "What is wrong with your family?"
"Uhm Sasuke, all families... That's how families are. They worry about you and they can be a little, weird I guess..." She responded with a meek smile, slowly returning to her normal skin colour. Her sympathy for him was written on her entire face. It killed his built up anger, since it surprised him to think she had a reason to pity him after what just happened.
Suddenly Naruto ran out of the crowd releasing his kyuubi mode when he spotted Sasuke and Hinata, previously having activated it to find them.
"Yo Sasuke! Thank goodness! Kiba told me you were poisoned!"
"I did NOT say that!" Kiba who has caught up behind him protested.
"Fuck you Kiba!"
"I did not say poisoned! I said almost!"
"You said poisoned! You told me he was dead!"
"I did not say that!"
"You did!"
"You're acting like a hysterical mother!"
"Shut up!"
"You shut up!"
"I'm the hokage! YOU shut up!"
"And I'm off duty, so YOU shut up!"
"Well, I can call you in on duty any time I want!"
"Oh yeah!?"
"Yeah!"
They paused staring angry at each other for a while.
"But you're not gonna, are you?"
"I'd rather kill myself than abuse the hokage title."
They both shrugged nodding, agreeing to end the shouting contest.
"But don't ever lie to me like that again." Naruto added in a scolding tone of voice.
"I did NOT…Aaaargh!" Kiba yelled angry and stomped back into the crowd.
"Good riddance." Naruto said grumpily before he turned back to Sasuke and Hinata. Besides noticing Hinata profusely blushing in his presence, like she always does, she was staring at the ground and actually smiling. As if she didn't read the atmosphere.
He smiled back nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Did I miss anything?"
Sasuke looked to the side slightly blushing himself. "Nothing."
"Are you really ok?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure? Kiba said..."
"Just drop it." Sasuke interrupted refusing to look back. Now Hinata giggled a bit and looked at Naruto, her smile growing wider.
"What?! What did I miss?!"
-...Nimbura shrine courtyard; 9:55 pm…-
The guests have dispersed and the sun has set. The only ones left were Naruto and the people he trusted, which included Sasuke who was was purposely left behind by the Hyuuga. He was supposed to stay away from the Hyuuga residence until 10 pm. At one last table were still a few people drinking. The crew from the city packing up the stands.
"And everything was clear?"
"Yes." The ANBU nodded.
"Alright. Have them followed for up to 6 days." Naruto confirmed.
"Sir." The ANBU disappeared.
Shino appeared next to Naruto, Sasuke and Shikamaru. "I found the container. An orange juice bottle. It was smuggled in here."
"Tomato juice is my favourite drink."
"And they knew that?"
"How would I know?" Sasuke looked at Naruto annoyed.
"This is good." Shikamaru finally spoke. "They were obviously targeting Sasuke. You don't confront kage level shinobi head on. You poison them."
"How is that good?" Naruto asked confused.
"They resorted to poison. They feel threatened. We don't know who our enemies are, but their influence in Konoha is threatened by this marriage. That's why we can know something, maybe even more important than their identity… They don't have as much power as we feared. If we get Sasuke in, we'll hold 40% of the council, so they must not even have that much."
"I'm preparing alliances outside the village. Whoever they are, I'll crush them from every direction once they show themselves." Naruto replied frevorously.
"That reminds me Naruto, where is Lee?" Shikamaru asked.
"I sent him North."
"Naruto, that's what falcons are for."
"The samurai demand a human messenger at every turn. Don't ask me, it's some honour code thing for them."
"Fine, I'll take Choji in Lee's stead tomorrow. Choji will be sent back ahead of us if we're caught."
"No, I sent Choza to the capitol. He's with those clowns that work under Daimyo. Send Choji to his father and have him form a rescue squad for you if it comes to that. Their new chuunin will deliver Choji's information to me."
Sasuke intervened. "Don't break up one mission to create a faster back up for another idiot."
"You're way too impractical Naruto." Shikamaru agreed.
"You think I'd leave my friends behind? I'd go down there myself if I had to!" Naruto protested angered by the two of them.
"Ok, I get it. I wasn't asking for a speech, I just want to go home and sleep dude." Shikamaru calmed him, now stretching his back satisfied he's done with work.
"Alright." Naruto relaxed. "See you tomorrow."
"Right, see ya." He started walking away. "And good luck in your marriage Sasuke." This one didn't reply.
"Hey Uchiha!" Both Naruto and him turned around. It was a member of the Hyuuga clan. A young man neither of them knew. He continued. "Get down here."
Soon the two of them were standing in front of the Hyuuga front door. "Why is the hokage here?"
"I was, well…I thought I'd.." Naruto began unsure.
"Private family matter. Not even the hokage can stay."
"Ok, ok, I'll..!" Suddenly Hinata came out assisted by her mother and another female family member, who was dressed in medical scrubs. Her father and several cousins walked out behind them. Hinata was dressed in a regular light purple kimono and was barely walking. There were white bandages around her head and under her bangs. "What the faa.?!" Slipped out of Naruto's mouth.
Hinata's cousin ignored him. "Hokage, sir, you have to leave."
"Why is she sick?!" Naruto looked outraged.
"Not everyone handles the sealing the same way. Some people handle it well, some have trouble for a few days."
The sealing completely slipped Naruto's mind and on top of this, he had no idea what state her body was in with all the battlefield drugs and sleep deprivation, when she was undergoing the sealing process. At this point their effect had to have disappeared. His gut clenched. He looked at Sasuke, whose expression was unaffected. Blank, void of all emotion. To Naruto, there was something almost cruel about it. Not usually, but now… Why would Sasuke have to be himself now? This was because Naruto knew what Hinata needed. Someone to smile at her, to tell her she can do it, to make her keep going.
He knew he himself could do it. Offer that support. Be there. He, unlike Sasuke wasn't a brick wall! He thought feeling frustrated. He wanted to stay just long enough for her to see him. But her gaze was lowered, focused on walking. She was speaking in a low tone of voice. Speaking to her mother about something he couldn't discern from that distance.
"Hokage Uzumaki, Hyuuga clan has complete autonomy in these matters, you could cause trouble." The young man warned in an urgent tone of voice.
While Hinata was speaking, a small smile cracked across her lips. Naruto took a step back when he spotted it, but he still wasn't leaving.
"Go to Sakura." Sasuke suddenly said to him, not turning around, his eyes fixed on Hinata. Of course, what Naruto did outside of work was never any of Sasuke's concern. There was a clear understanding between the two of them of what he meant by this: Send Sakura to my house and have her wait for us.
"Alright." Naruto responded as he took his second step back and disappeared.
-…somewhere on the way…-
Uchiha district was once outside of Konoha borders. But after the village was rebuilt and re-inhabited, the borders have moved, population increased and the district found itself somewhere to the side, not even on the edge of the village. By foot, at the civilian pace they were going, it was a 40 minute walk.
At this point, the girl was clinging to Sasuke. They were instructed to hold a handkerchief that connected them, as tradition required, but as soon as they started moving, she began to wobble and Sasuke grabbed her, putting his arm around her waist on one side, holding her other side by the upper arm near the shoulder. Everyone attributed her behaviour to the reaction to being sealed. No one protested, even if they were made uncomfortable by this violation.
10 minutes in and her "walking" has now become redundant as she relied on Sasuke more and more. It irritated him that he had to play this game of pretend walking with her. He was basically carrying her in an upright position like a rag doll. At this point young shinobi just picked her up without stopping and continued, ignoring the glares he could almost feel at the back of his head. She was asleep as soon as her head touched his chest.
"Sasuke!" Hiashi exclaimed after him.
"What?" He turned around displaying the sleeping girl in his arms.
Everyone stopped as slightly confused. Even Hiashi had nothing to add. Her female cousin, the medic, immediately approached, her hand glowing, examining her chest and her head. "She's fine. She fell asleep." The girl noted.
Sasuke added serious "This is a waste of time." and then turned around before he bounced off the ground and disappeared down the road, immediately followed by Hiashi who was walking in front of his other family members who followed suit. The only non-shionbi in the group, Hinata's mother was promptly picked up by her brother, Hinata's uncle who carried her forward.
Hiashi was definitely angry. The walk has its symbolism and he is a man to honour tradition. But Sasuke wasn't. Maybe he could have been forgiven for holding, even picking Hinata up. But he didn't even care enough to walk the distance with her in his arms. He ran.
They were in front of his house in 5 minutes. She was barefoot as her wooden slippers have fallen off. People behind him had picked them up. He put her down and she was literally sleeping while standing, leaning on him, because he had to unlock the door, after which he picked her up again and put her in the bedroom. Her cousins just casually followed him inside bringing in her things. He stopped them instructing them not to go past the entrance hallway. He came outside and bowed to everyone.
A few responded hesitantly. Another tradition seemed to have been ignored, but Sasuke didn't bother to inquire as to what kind anymore. He was sick of everything.
"Good night."
And the doors were shut.
Something inside Hiashi split open. He wanted to yell and cry. He felt cheated and as if having betrayed Hinata. Leaving her with that insolent..! What did I do?! He had no idea it would hurt like this when he finally had to let go. Spontaneously, as if forgetting rules of common courtesy for byakugan users in Konoha, Hiashi turned on his byakugan looking inside Sasuke's house.
-…inside the house…-
Hiashi immediately ran towards the house and barged in crushing the front door lock, quickly followed by unnerved family members. Inside were Sasuke and Sakura standing right there in the hallway and talking. He took one look at the girl in the red kimono he frequently saw with his daughter at the wedding.
"Explain." He almost yelled at the pink haired medic, in his head, worst of scenarios as to why she was there.
"Sir I was worried about.."
"I sent for her." Sasuke interrupted Sakura's well prepared speech.
"… You don't trust me to deal with the sealing practices of my own clan?!" He asked now openly and visibly angry.
"I don't care what you do in your own clan." Sasuke responded spitefully, well aware this was like salt on Hiashi's wounded pride. And indeed, the man was speechless.
"Thank you." a high pitched voice came from the back of the group. Hinata's mother stepped forward. Hiashi's jaw dropped a little. If there was something his wife almost never did, that's publically speak up contradicting him. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time she contradicted him at all.
"I am glad my daughter is with someone who is this kind to her after all that happened. I feel blessed." She smiled and bowed to Sasuke. The room was in dead silence. Sasuke didn't know how to react either. He was described as many things in his life, but kind was never one of them. The woman calmly continued. "Sakura, as I understand it, you are the best medic the entire Fire country has to offer."
Sakura blushed. "I wouldn't say that..."
"But I was told you are. Please, what do you think about my daughter's condition?"
"She reacted badly to the sealing, but she has a very strong chakra flow and immune system. When the body goes into overdrive in one department in order to protect itself, it shuts down another, or harms the rest of the system to compensate. Asleep like this, she should be fine, and will remain well if the seal doesn't cause any other reaction in the next couple of days. I gave her regenerative medication as a precaution."
The room was in silence again. No one turning to look at him, but everyone waiting for Hiashi to do something. Say something… Anything.
He finally looked at Sakura and Sasuke. "Thank you." he bowed. No one was sure to whom he was speaking, nor did he specify. After, he just walked out of the house, slowly followed by everyone else.
Last one to walk out, Sakura, looked back saying. "Good night." But she couldn't catch that last glimpse of Sasuke's eyes. He was just staring at travel bags on his hallway floor before he finally picked them up carrying them away. "Good night Sakura."
- Author's Note -
I would like to thank everyone who reviewed, favorited and followed my story.
Seeing you guys here really cheers me up and motivates me to keep writing. Even the fellows who crawl into a nest and lurk temporarily... xD
So thank you! ^^
