What Happens Next?
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Well that was unexpected. We have two votes for jealous Hinata and two for jealous Sasuke. So maybe I'll be able to work them both in there somewhere. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 10
"Ino, perhaps we should try again later. I think they might appreciate some privacy." Sai says cheerfully.
"Y-eah. Sorry guys! Really happy for you two. Please don't let us interrupt!" The blonde says as she and her lover try to sneak off.
Sasuke blinks. He looks up at the sky. Someone up there clearly hated his guts. Someone up there despised him with a white hot passion. There could be no other explanation for Sai and Ino's lousy timing! If he was going to be accused of seducing someone, he'd like to actually be guilty for once!
"It's not like that! We just s-lipped!" Hinata protests and Sasuke notices her face was now redder than a tomato.
Really, it was quite amazing. Before meeting Hinata, the Uchiha wasn't aware that the human skin could turn so many shades of red. He should probably start cataloging them. She had to be breaking some kind of world record.
"Uh huh. Right. You just slipped." Ino says with a wink.
"If we were actually doing anything, do you think the towels would still be on?!" Sasuke demands and twitches.
"Well maybe if had arrived five minutes later, they would be off." Sai reasons and Sasuke gets up, he could feel himself charging up a Chidori instinctively.
"Um Sai, let's let them have some privacy." Ino says as she races off with her boyfriend, eager to avoid getting electrocuted.
"Sasuke?" Hinata asks uncertainly.
"If anyone asks, we can tell them the truth. I'm not sure they'd believe us though. You alright?" He asks as he helps Hinata up.
Hinata nods. She wasn't hurt. She was just really embarrassed. First, Neji had caught them in a compromising position while they were training. Now, Sai and Ino probably thought they were lovers.
"What are we going to do, if they don't believe us?" She whispers anxiously.
"We'll deal with it then. For now, we really have to warn Tsunade about Orochimaru." He says, grabbing Hinata and teleporting them to her office.
Tsunade blinks. It wasn't every day you saw a soaking wet Uchiha and Hyuga flame into your office, cover in nothing but towels. What the Hell was going on here? She thought she'd seen everything, but this one really took the cake.
"Lady Tsunade, we think we know who is behind the Truth Jutsu. It had to be Orochimaru." Sasuke says.
"We were attacked by snakes and Orochimaru has a Snake Summoning Contract, like Sasuke." Hinata adds softly.
Tsunade nods. It was logical. She was still trying to process why they were both drenched to the bone and covered in nothing but towels.
"I have considered that possibility. I have teams out looking for him. What happened to you two?" She asks.
Sasuke sighs. He smacks his forehead with his hand. They really should have gotten dressed before coming to the Hokage's office. But Sai and Ino had distracted them. Damn it. This looked bad.
"W-e were at the hot springs, when I saw Sasuke's curse mark. That's when I realized it might have been Orochimaru who was behin-d the attacks." Hinata stammers out shyly.
"And is his curse mark all that you saw or did you get a look at his sword as well?" She asks with a chuckle.
"Why would Sasuke bring his sword to the hot springs?" Hinata asks innocently and Sasuke shakes his head.
She really was adorable. How was it possible to be that innocent and still be a ninja? Sasuke would never understand how Hinata was so damn pure.
"She meant the OTHER kind of sword." Sasuke says with a sigh and Hinata blushes as red as a strawberry.
Ah ha, another shade. He was really going to have to write these down. Yep, she definitely was breaking some kind of record with her blushes.
"I guess that answers that question. That's a definite no then. Thank you for briefing me. But I think we got this covered. I've already dispatched the teams. You two might want to get dressed. I heard there was a gathering between the Clans? I doubt you want to complicate things." She offers.
Hinata blinks. How did Tsunade know about the Clan gatherings? On second thought, she probably didn't want to know.
"Hinata, I wouldn't be a very good Hokage, if I didn't notice when hundreds of villagers were meeting in the Forest of Death." Tsunade says with a wink.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade. Um do you have any clothes we could borrow? Sai and Ino might still be back at the hot springs and that would be rather awkward." She mumbles.
Tsunade raises an eyebrow. For a moment, the busty blonde wondered what the artist and flower lover had to do with any of this. She shakes her head. Perhaps some questions were better left unanswered.
"Alright. One moment." She says, heading off, and returns a few minutes later with a male kimono for Sasuke and a regular one for Hinata.
"You can change in the bathroom. One at a time, obviously. We really don't need a scandal right now. The village is only one or two steps away from a Civil War. If it wasn't for the Uchiha Clan, we already would be in one. Orochimaru knew what he was doing when he cast this jutsu." She growls.
Hinata blushes and heads into the bathroom. She comes out a few minutes later, clad in a light pink kimono. Sasuke tilts his head to the side. He normally didn't care for pink. But there was something alluring about it on Hinata. Then again, he supposed she'd look good in a potato sack.
The Uchiha quickly heads into the bathroom. Not long after, he comes out wearing the fiery red male kimono. Tsunade nods approvingly.
"Well it's late. You both might want to return to your families, before they notice you are missing. I can't deal with a bunch of anxious Uchihas and Hyugas right now." She says with a heavy sigh and the pair head off.
"Hinata, I am really sorry about all of THAT." Sasuke mutters once they were out of earshot of the Hokage.
"It's alright. It's not your fault. But I imagine the entire village is going to be gossiping about us, by nightfall." She says with a quiet sigh.
"We'll find a way to deal with it. I'd walk you home but…" He trails off.
Hinata nods. She understood what he meant. She smiles as if to say it was okay. The bluenette gives him a brief kiss against the cheek and then darts off.
Sasuke blinks. Had that really just happened? He touches his cheek. There was a tingling sensation there, where her lips had touched him. Yes, that really had just happened.
He supposed he should count his blessings that she wasn't a lipstick type of girl. Sasuke knew how hard it was to get lipstick off of you, from Shisui. He smirks as he remembers how he found that out.
"Cousin Shisui, why is your face all red?" An eight year old Sasuke innocently asked.
"Oh that's just from lipstick. Don't worry. It'll come off." He said as he tried to scrub it from his face.
Sauske saw Itachi watching Shisui and shaking his head. He knew that his cousin was being silly. His big brother only shook his head like that when someone was being silly!
"That's what you get for going out with a woman who paints her face like a harlot. Honestly, I didn't know women were still wearing that shade of red. You are never getting that off before your parents notice." Itachi warned him.
"Oh screw you. I will get it off. It just takes a little elbow grease is all." He muttered.
Sasuke watched as Shisui's parents came through the front door and noticed their son scrubbing his face vigorously. Feeling rather alarmed they rushed over to him.
"Are you alright?" His mother asked.
"Boy, is that lipstick on your cheek?! What sort of girl have you been running around with?" Shisui's father demanded.
Itachi shook his head and led Sasuke off. Sasuke giggled as Shisui got an eyeful from his parents. It didn't matter how powerful of a ninja you were, your parents would always be able to embarrass you.
"Let that be a valuable lesson to you, Sasuke. If you don't want people to know you have been claimed, never court a woman who wears heavy lipstick. It can be difficult to wash off." He warned him with a chuckle.
Sasuke quickly heads home. He sighs in relief when he enters the house and only sees Mikoto in the living room. She was knitting something.
Mikoto Uchiha was a classical Uchiha Matriarch. Equal parts domestic and fearsome warrior, when she wanted to be. Though people tended to underestimate her in battle, because most of the time she was a rather content housewife with a sweet smile.
"I'm home, mother. What's that you are making there?" Sasuke asks.
"Oh I'm just working on making a baby blanket for Itachi and Izumi's child. Since we don't' know if it's a boy or a girl yet, I figure just making it our Clan's colors will work." She says with a smile.
Sasuke nods. He couldn't really argue with that logic. He sits down on the couch, content to just relax after an exhausting day.
"Sasuke, why are you touching your cheek so much?" Mikoto inquires and blinks when she saw Sasuke's face turn a light shade of pink.
Was Sasuke blushing? Hmm that wasn't like him. That could only mean one thing. A girl was somehow involved.
"Hinata kissed my cheek." He answers automatically and curses that damn Truth Jutsu once again.
"Oh well she does seem like a nice girl. Though I would worry. Our Clans haven't had the warmest of relations." His mother comments.
Sasuke sighs. Yes, he understood exactly what his mother was talking about. But things were getting better and it wasn't like he was trying to court Hinata. It was just…things kept happening.
He wanted to be a good Uchiha. Sasuke didn't want to risk potentially sabotaging the negotiations. He'd be doing exactly that if he tried to court Hinata. Gods and Goddesses forbid that it didn't work out. That would be nothing short of a complete disaster!
"Yeah I know. I'm not planning on anything. But we were at the hot springs…" Sasuke begins.
"Sasuke, if you aren't planning on doing anything the phrase, "We were at the hot springs," kinda contradicts that." She chides him gently.
"It wasn't like that. I was there and she showed up later. We didn't plan on going there together. It was just a coincidence. Anyway, we were talking. She asked me about my curse mark. That's when she realized Orochimaru must be behind this damn Truth Jutsu. We were going to tell Lady Tsunade. But we slipped and that's when Sai and Ino showed up. They assumed things…so by nightfall, there are probably going to be all sorts of rumors floating around and I don't know what to do about it!" He says in a rush.
Mikoto shakes her head. She sets down her knitting and takes her youngest son into her arms. The poor boy seemed to have his first crush and he couldn't enjoy it because of Clan relations. It wasn't fair. He was likely worried sick.
"Just tell Hiashi the truth. He will know you aren't lying because of the Jutsu. There's nothing to worry about." She tries to soothe him.
"Yeah. Maybe you're right. I mean he has to believe me, now." Sasuke mutters and his mother nods.
"I'd probably head off now. I could go with you, if you like." The Uchiha Matriarch offers.
Sasuke shakes his head. Having his mother go with him, wouldn't look good. He loved her deeply, but it'd give the impression he couldn't fight his own battles.
"No. It's alright. I'll go. I kinda have to do this for myself. Thanks, mother." He says, kisses her forehead, and darts off.
"They grow up so fast, these days." The Uchiha woman muses with a slight giggle.
Meanwhile in the Sound Village, Orochimaru was waiting for the latest reports. He figured by now the Truth Jutsu was causing all sorts of havoc. He wasn't disappointed.
"The Uchihas are barely able to keep the village from erupting into a civil war. It's complete chaos." His sport reports.
"Excellent. Soon enough, they'll be exhausted. That's when we'll strike. That way I have hundreds of vessels to choose from." He says with a smirk.
"What about the Hyugas? Their Byakugan could be as useful as the Sharingan." Kabuto suggests.
Orochimaru nods as he considers this. The silver haired medic raised a fair point there. They'd be harder to catch than the exhausted Uchihas at this point though.
"If you see the opportunity, grab them. If not, the Uchiha Clan is large enough that they could last me for hundreds of years. I will achieve immortality!" He says.
Kabuto nods. Orochimaru was a genius. If anyone could overcome the limits of morality, it was the legendary Sannin. It had been nothing short of masterful to use the Truth Jutsu. It was all going according to plan.
"If I was well enough, I would travel there myself. I need you to be my eyes and ears." Orochimaru says.
"Very well." Kabuto says and he performs a transformation jutsu.
His eyes became forest green and his hair now reached to the middle of his back. Instead of being silver, it was currently a dark brown color. He had broadened his build somewhat and was wearing a Leaf Jonin uniform.
He heads off towards the Leaf. When he got there, he felt someone run into his chest. The woman started apologizing profusely.
"It's alright. The fault is my own. I should have watched where I was going. Are you alright, Miss?" He inquires.
"Oh yes, I'm fine." Hinata says and looks up at him, clearly embarrassed. Her eyes. She was definitely a Hyuga. What a stroke of good luck. It was early, but if he could win her trust, he would be able to get a Hyuga for Lord Orochimaru's collection!
"That's good. It wouldn't do at all for a woman as lovely as yourself to get hurt." He says with a kind smile.
Meanwhile Sasuke darts to the Hyuga Estate. He stands outside the massive home anxiously. Finally, Neji notices him.
"What are you doing here?" Neji asks suspiciously.
"I need to talk to Lord Hiashi to clear up any potential misunderstandings." He says.
"Fine, I'll get him. But don't try anything stupid. You are outnumbered here, Uchiha." He warns him and heads off, coming back with Hiashi.
"Sasuke, what brings you here and at this hour?" The Hyuga Patriarch inquires in a genuinely baffled fashion.
"It's a long story. But it's not one I want to tell you about in front of Neji. It's a little…embarrassing." He mutters.
Hiashi raises an eyebrow. The son of the Uchiha Patriarch wanted to speak with him about an embarrassing matter? Truly, strange things had been happening lately. He quickly dismisses Neji. The middle aged man couldn't help but be curious about what Sasuke was going to say.
"I wanted you to hear this from me. I didn't want any misunderstandings to occur, especially not when our Clans are making such good strides towards repairing our relations." Sasuke begins and before he knew it, he had told Hiashi about the hot spring incident in its entirety.
"Well I certainly appreciate your bravery in coming here and explaining a situation that could have easily spiraled out of control. I suppose one of the benefits of this damn jutsu is that it can clear up confusion. Very well. I shall do my best to dispel these rumors and calm my Clan." He says simply and Sasuke sighs in relief.
"Thank you." Sasuke replies.
"Of course. You should probably be getting back to the Uchiha District. The hour is growing late and you wouldn't want your family to worry about you." The elder man counsels him.
"Yeah. Good night, Lord Hiashi." Sasuke says with a formal bow and quickly heads off.
A few minutes later, Sasuke says Hinata had bumped into a man. He watched as she apologized profusely in typical Hinata fashion. His eyes narrow when he saw the calculating look he gave her. Sasuke didn't care for that look at all. It was far too predatory.
"Perhaps you'd be kind enough to keep me company, while I get a drink?" He asked.
"Oh sure. It's the least I can do considering what happened. I really am sorry about that." She mumbles.
"It's forgotten. A few bruises are a small price to pay for a new…friendship." He says and his eyes glance over Hinata's body far too long for Sasuke's liking.
He felt his eyes bleed red. Sasuke knew that he had no right to be jealous. They weren't even dating. But his emotions apparently didn't care about logic at the moment. He sneakily follows them into the bar.
"Order whatever you like, on me." He offers and Hinata smiles, ordering some light sake.
Sasuke shakes his head at her choice. It barely counted as alcohol. But he supposed he should count his blessings. Hinata had enough common sense not to get completely intoxicated in public. That was a good thing.
"Oh aren't you cute?!" Some woman at the bar says to Sasuke.
"Thanks. But I'm just drinking alone tonight." He replies, thinking that would be the end of that.
"Awe. That's no fun. A handsome thing like you, shouldn't be all alone." She pouted and placed her hand on his inner thigh.
That's when Hinata noticed. She blinks. At first, she thought Sasuke as on a date. But judging by how uncomfortable he looked, he wasn't. She couldn't believe that woman was throwing herself at him like that.
"Hinata, was it? Is something on your mind? You seem distracted." Kabuto muses.
"I'll be right back. I have to help my friend." She replies and heads over to Sasuke and the woman who was currently trying to seduce her Uchiha.
It should have disturbed her that she had mentally labeled Sasuke that. But at the time it didn't. Right now the only thing that mattered was getting that woman to lay off.
"Oh. Hello, Hinata." The woman says.
"Hello. Can you please get your hands off of him?" The bluenette asks.
Sasuke blinks. His "seductress" looked nearly as shocked as he did. Neither of them had expected Hinata to do something like this. To walk up to a stranger and tell them to quit hitting on someone, well it wasn't something a shy person would normally do.
"Why should I? He's not married and if he wasn't single, his lover would be with him now. If he has a lover, she's really stupid. Who leaves someone like him alone?" She reasons.
"Because it makes you look like a desperate slut to grab a man who isn't even interested in you and if you don't get your hands off him right now, I'm going to lock up all your chakra points. He's too nice to Chidori you, which is what he should have done when you tried to molest him in public!" Hinata says and covers her mouth in shock, as if she couldn't believe that she had actually just said that.
"Oh look. That's adorable. The kitten thinks she has claws because of the Truth Jutsu. Sweetie, your Clan isn't here to back you up now. I bet you don't even know how to throw a punch. Besides, even if you could… do you really think that your cutesy little princess routine would be enough to satisfy an Uchiha? You're boring. Your whole Clan is all prim and proper. It must be dreadfully boring to bed any of you. No wonder you tend to marry your cousins. No one else knows how to thaw that ice." She says.
Sasuke was about to tell the woman off. What right did she have to speak to Hinata like that? He opened his mouth to say something, but he was too late. Hinata had apparently been pushed too far. Even nice girls, had their limits. She punched the other woman HARD.
She went flying back about ten feet. Sasuke winced when he heard the loud thud, as her body made contact with the wall. He sighs and heads over.
"If you can walk. I suggest you get the Hell out of here before she finishes that beating that you so richly deserve." He says and the other woman scrambles, muttering something about crazy inbred Clans.
Sasuke twitches. He was tempted to go after her. That inbred crack was too far. It was normal for distant relatives to marry in bloodline Clans and everyone knew that.
"I really should have let you finish her." He mutters.
"Well I believe that his virtue is suitably intact. Shall we get back to our date? It's not very nice manners to steal someone date." He chides Sasuke lightly.
Sasuke in the coming days, would try to rationalize what he did next, in a thousand different ways. Maybe it was just because he was exhausted from extra shifts at the Police Force and watching Izumi. Maybe it was because his nerves were already shot from having to explain things to Hiashi. Maybe he was still pissed off at the slut. But something in him snapped. He punches the other man right in the eye.
"She's not your date. Stay the fuck away from her. I saw how you were looking at her earlier. The Hyuga Clan will tear you apart if you even think about it. So run off with your tail between your legs." He snarls.
Kabuto howls in pain. His eyes narrow. He knew he wouldn't get much further now. He makes a tactical retreat.
"Sasuke?" Hinata asks uncertainly.
"He had it coming. Didn't you notice the way he was looking at you earlier?" Sasuke asks.
Hinata shakes her head. She had been too embarrassed to notice anything else. She looks at the dent in the wall, still not believing what she had done.
"Don't worry about it. I can cover the damages." Sasuke assures her.
"I should. I'm the one that…damaged the wall." She mumbles and Sasuke shakes his head.
"Oh believe me. It was definitely worth it to see you kick her ass. Like, I said, don't worry about it." He assures her with a smile.
Despite his attempts at rationalizing though, he knew the truth. He had been jealous. He had been insanely jealous. That kind of jealousy wasn't normal for a simple crush and he knew it. Sasuke Uchiha was so screwed. This was now entering dangerous territory and there was seemingly nothing that he could do about it.