Hi! Here we are, the eighth chapter. I hope you like it.

Beta'd by Reckoning in Death

Excuse any errors and R&R!!

Chapter 8: Moving in

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She was afraid to move.

Hinata watched the crew gather around the damage she had done and she had taken the most overwhelming urge to just jump overboard and end her embarrassment.

Had she sunk the boat? If she had, there would be no need to jump.

But Sasuke's silence was terrifying.

In fact, everyone seemed to be suddenly struck mute. They all gathered like mourners at a funeral, curious and grim. Sasuke had disappeared into the mob of his crew, and yet to come up, but Hinata could tell by their silence that she had done something really terrible.

Her heart beat frantically and even though it was not her way to flee from trouble, she had the urge to do so… that is, if there was anywhere to run to. There was nowhere to go, nothing to do but face him.

Deciding she could not avoid it, Hinata, picked her up and brushed off before going to see the damage she had caused. Instinctively, she hid behind Naruto, peeking between him and another lazy ANBU named Shikamaru.

"Someone get down here, now," Sasuke barked at them. He gestured with his hand and several ANBU obeyed at once, seeing his menacing glare. He got down on his hands and knees and looked through the cannonball-sized hole. It was a moment before he spoke.

"Well fuck me," he swore to himself. Hinata winced but waited to hear what was wrong. "Do you see it?" she heard him ask and figured that the others had reached the site.

Hinata could not hear their muffles responses, but she heard the chatter of voices below deck. Naruto suddenly seemed to notice her standing beside him and put an arm around her shoulder, as though to comfort her, but he did not say anything. The seriousness of the situation pressed on Hinata. If the ball had indeed gone through the bottom of the boat, would there be anything they could do to stop the boat from sinking?

Her heart raced erratically in her chest as she strained her ears to hear what was going on.

"Are you sure?" Sasuke shouted through the gaping hole and there was more chatter below. "What stopped it?"

Many sighs of relief bloomed around Hinata and she thought that it might mean a good thing as she bit her lip anxiously.

"You've got to see this!" she heard someone below shout up at them.

"I'm coming down there now," Sasuke bellowed back and jumped to his feet. As though he had sensed her presence, his gaze found her at once, sending her heart beating faster.

Sasuke came toward her, pointing rudely and Hinata froze on the spot. "You," he said, grabbing her arm. "Come with me."

"Hey, Sasuke-teme, it wasn't her fault," Naruto said in her defense. No one else dared to speak up to him and silence followed them.

Hinata's heart pounded with fear as he dragged her behind him. He came to the ladder and released her, practically jumping down, not bothering with the rungs and then motioned for her to come down after him. Hinata did not dare resist.

He pulled her through the mess hall and then down another ladder, and up into the captain's dining room. Hinata had yet to see any sign of the cannon's damage… and then she did.

Several other ninja that made up the crew were gathered around her cabin, looking inside. They parted for Sasuke and he released her long enough to go inside and inspect the damage firsthand.

"It's a good thing she packed like a woman, ne?" she heard one of the men say.

"There goes her summer wardrobe," snickered another.

Hinata inwardly groaned and stepped forward to see for herself. There, indeed, went her summer wardrobe. The cannon had come through the roof of her cabin and had landed on her travelling bags, of all places. She had dragged them out to find something suitable to wear and then packed them back with the kimonos on top so they would not have had much wrinkles. She had left them there, intending to set the bags aside properly later when she went to bed.

She had brought three, the smallest carrying her toiletries and perfume but it was tossed aside now because it was completely destroyed, the modest smell wafting through the cabin. The second was her kimonos and other clothing- or at least had been- and the third had her art pad and other things but the clothes had cushioned them and so there was no damage.

Cringed at the thought of what she was going to do in terms of what she would wear and how her father would react to her destroying all of those expensive kimonos.

As Hinata watched, they dragged away the bag to carry away. It was amazing the ball had stopped short of destroying the little cot that was her bed, except that it was dented and the frame was cracked from the impact but otherwise it was intact.

It was indeed fortunate that she had packed heavier than she should have. After all, it had ripped through the sails and crashed through the deck and then two travelling bags, stopping because of her clothes. He eyes were drawn to the picture of Kiba that she had placed face up on the bed earlier. Less than a foot or so to the right and his face would have been shattered by the cannonball, but it had been spared… what a pity.

"Isn't that lucky?" Hinata managed to say. Now what was she going to wear?

Sasuke glared at her, his onyx eyes smoldering. "Well at least for the first time I can say I'm damned grateful that you didn't pack light."

Hinata did not know whether to be relieved or offended by his remark. Since she couldn't defend herself in the start of mind that she was in, she let it drop, afraid to anger him.

"If Kami's out there, we've seen proof today," said Sasuke with a smirk and for a moment Hinata thought he meant because the ship was spared and they were not going to sink and have the flesh picked off their bones by the little fishies.

"Of all the places that thing could have landed, this is the one place where justice was served."

Hinata opened her mouth in self defense, but nothing came out. She closed it again.

It was true- even though he did not have to be so happy about her loss. She peered up at the hole in her ceiling to find half a dozen pairs of eyes staring down at them and then turned to face Sasuke again, wincing at his furious stare. She straightened her shoulders.

"You really don't have to be so glad about it," she told him. She had tried so hard to make up for when they first met. She sighed, as all of her efforts for the morning had gone down the drain.

It seemed that she and Sasuke were destined to remain at odds.

x

Uchiha Sasuke was an insensitive brute!

That's the conclusion that Hinata came up with as she lay in her bed, staring at the stars through the hole in her roof. She wondered how a man could grow to be so hard, but she did not want to find out the answer because she did not want to feel sorry for him if it was really bad. He had had a hard life because of his upbringing; it was not Hinata's or anyone else's fault. And neither was the afternoon's incident her fault.

So he did not have to come storming into their midst, shouting at them, being especially rude to her. He had frightened her and she tripped so she had every right to be just as angry as he was. She could have been hurt, but he did not even stop to think about that.

The look in his eyes had been terrifying- almost as scary as her father's had been to her as a child.

Her mother had been soft-spoken to the extreme, bowing to her father's every wish. Just as she had been when she was younger. No one ever went against Hyuuga Hiashi's orders. Only Hinata's grandmother- his mother, and even then it was with soft tones.

In truth, Hinata did not believe her mother had any will of her own until she saw her work in her own environment and it was then that it left no doubt in Hinata's mind about her mother who cared for her garden and took care of her alone when her father was dealing with clan business.

He was almost like her father. He did not exert his dominance over anyone… his being demanded it from everyone. The only person who was not affected was probably Naruto. It was obvious the two of them were best friends, but Naruto had barely stood up to him for her. Aside from that, everyone had thrown her to the lions.

A veil had been cast over the moods for the remainder of the day, while the damages were assessed and repaired- partly. Their daily chores had been done in contemplative silence and Hinata was sure that they were all having life-altering revelations at the thought that she could have killed them all earlier.

Sasuke had not even bothered to fix her roof and Hinata was sure he wanted her to suffer for what she had nearly done. He did not have to carry it so far though, what had she done to deserve the treatment he was dealing her?

Hinata frowned as she considered her own question. What did she do besides yell at him on the dock for his lack of dress, accuse him of trying to steal her purse, bribe him, break his stove, burn his breakfast along with parch the crew's throats and get caught nearly sinking his ship.

She sighed. Surely her demerits were adding up.

Hinata heard voices above and tried ti ignore them, wholly grateful they had chosen to do the same. Out of consideration, they seemed to be avoiding the gaping hole in the deck which was more than she could say for Sasuke.

Her attention caught by their conversation, Hinata strained to hear him. His voice was unmistakable. He was talking to Naruto she guessed- mostly because Naruto seemed to be the only one willing to speak to him and question His Holiness. She doubted Sasuke believed he had ever done anything wrong in his entire life. He was untouchable, beautiful… perfect.

Hinata gritted her teeth as she listened to them.

"Maybe we should throw a left over tent or hammock over it," Naruto suggested and Hinata knew they were discussing the masterpiece in her ceiling that was the hole.

"Hell no," Sasuke answered. "Let her sleep with it tonight."

Silence for a moment.

She heard the shuffling of feet and Hinata wondered if he'd intended for her to hear this particular conversation. She didn't doubt it; Sasuke did not strike her as the sort of man to leave anything up to chance.

"Sasuke," Naruto protested. "It feels like if it's going to rain tonight."

"Dou demo ii desu (1)," said Sasuke, without pause and Hinata bristled.

She had done everything to get on the boat. Paid him ten hundred thousand yen, practically begged and was now living like a rat just to stay on the floating nest. Why should she be forced to sleep under the stars? It was not like she hadn't suffered already. She had no clothes to wear.

"If she wants a tent or hammock over, she can do it her damned self," Sasuke continued, his tone firm. "She had two arms and legs, Naruto, and this isn't a cruise for her pleasure. I told her that from the beginning; we aren't here to serve her."

"I wouldn't mind," Naruto countered.

"I do."

Hinata listened carefully, frowning.

"Kami, you've forgotten what we're dealing with here," said Sasuke seriously.

Naruto's reply was most reluctant. "Iie."

"Good, because they're both in this together and the last thing I want to do is make her job easier."

Hinata's brows knit. Their conversation was no longer making sense. What were they dealing with? Who was in together on what job? Was he talking about her?

Her mind raced, searching for possibilities but none seemed to come to mind. In that moment, thunder rumbled overhead, distant but the sound of it was loud rolling over the ship with warning.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, and it sounded like a plea on her behalf. Hinata felt like going up there just to hug him for his concern.

Sasuke, on the other hand, was unmoved. "If she doesn't want the rain, then she'll think of a way to do it for herself."

Hinata heard their footsteps disappear, leaving her to grit her teeth in helpless frustration over his lack of hospitality. Only Hinata was not helpless at all; nothing like the little twelve year old or fifteen year old anymore. He was toying with the wrong woman. She was not going to take an insult from Uchiha Sasuke any more than she intended to from Inuzuka Kiba. They could both go to the devil.

Another rumble of thunder rolled overhead and Hinata sat up in her cot and looked around the tiny cabin. She was cramped and uncomfortable in a room where she could barely stretch. Not that she had to worry about that any longer…

He wanted her to figure out, did he?

Well she was going to do just that. Only if he meant to make her suffer, then two could play that game. If he wanted a battle between them, then a battle he was going to get. And her volley earlier would be nothing compared to what she had in store for him. She had not been around her father all this time and learned nothing.

This was all-out war.

Sasuke tried to make sense of his anger.

He knew that afternoon's incident wasn't entirely her fault. It had been his own- and Naruto's for showing off. They had bought the powder out of curiosity- mostly Naruto- as a toy of sorts for them to experiment with.

It annoyed him that Naruto spent the day showing off to his woman- not that any of that made any sense at all.

Hinata wasn't his woman.

Naruto's defense of her only made it worse. He had never defended anyone against him before, even when he was outright cruel and unreasonable. Sasuke had once damned the entire council because they wanted a longer report on a C rank mission and Naruto had backed him all the way, even though he was adding fuel to the flame and helping to cut off their noses.

The fact was that Naruto had every right to spend the day with Hinata. She was not his.

But he still did not like it.

Her door was open, he noticed, when he passed on the way to his own cabin but she was not inside. Where the hell was she then? She wasn't above deck, he was certain. It was a big enough ship that he would have missed her. Anyway, she would have to had picked her way through the mess hall where at least half of the ANBU was sleeping in their hammocks and he doubted that she would be so brave to do so. If the snores didn't keep her away, their half dressed state certainly would.

It didn't take him long to figure out where she was. He heard a commotion in his room and his temper rose. What the hell was she doing? Snooping again? This time he was going to catch her red-handed.

He threw open the door, expecting to find her going through his papers but froze in shock at what she was doing instead.

She was dividing the room with sheets, setting up house in half. She'd already found and strung a hammock on the second set of hooks and stood there looking like the icy-eyed temptress she was in her white nightgown. The hem of the gown was torn and stained but the material lifted and fluttered behind her when she turned to face him.

Bathed in the light from the lantern, she looked like a goddess, ethereal in her beauty and fierce, seductive like the breeze on a hot night.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Sasuke had never seen such icy determination in a woman's eyes. Beautiful eyes, despite their fury.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

He stood in the doorway with his hands on the knob, jaw slack at the way she was talking back to him. He never knew someone could go through such a change. "Besides making a mess in my room?"

"I'm not making a mess in your room," she said. "I'm making myself comfortable."

"I see that," said Sasuke, raising a brow. "What I would like to know is why? Who the hell gave you permission to set up camp in here?"

She let her sheet fall from her grip and advanced on him, poking him in the chest. "I did."

Sasuke could only blink down at her. She must have lost her mind. Her eyes sparkled and shimmered in the light as she looked at him full on.

"I paid to travel with you, I didn't beg as you seem to think. I will not be cramped into a room with no roof and suffer because you feel I should."

Her finger rested between his ribs, jabbing him lightly and her determination was more than evident in her stance. He almost admired what she was doing… except that it was bound to make his life miserable.

"How about I just give you your money back and send you home on a raft?" he offered without any real intent.

For just an instant, she was taken aback by his suggestion, and seemed to be taking him seriously. Sasuke nearly smiled at the look of shock on her face but she only narrowed her eyes.

"Put me out on a raft and I'll…I will…" She frowned, not knowing how she could possibly threaten him.

"What will you do?" asked Sasuke. "Tell your daddy?"

"Iie!" she exclaimed. "I would make sure you suffered for it."

Kami she was so cute.

"Suffer, will I?"

Her cheeks were flushed with color and her eyes sparked like shards of glass. They were no longer as soft as they had been at the academy, but cold and piercing when she was angry. Her hair was as dark as midnight, blue hues streaking the inky tresses that made Sasuke want to pull it back from her face… to touch her.

He wanted to taste her right now, silence her with a brutal kiss that was only shared between passionate lovers and his body tightened at the realization that she was alone with him in his cabin. It was all fair game since she had come to him.

Sasuke came in the door, forcing her backward as he advanced on her. She backed away as he kicked the door behind him but yet she stood her ground, glaring at him as fiercely as a tailed animal that refused to back down or be broken.

He wanted to tame her again. The very thought aroused him. Would she wrap her legs around his waist and cling to him, urging him to go deeper with soft little cries? Or would she make love to him with as much passion as she now fought with, digging her nails in his back and gripping his behind to pull him in.

"Can't have me suffering now, can we?" he told her. "Stay then." His voice not strained by anger, but by desire.

She didn't seem to know the difference and smiled in victory and Sasuke nearly smiled again but resisted. He'd let her think she had won.

He took her by the shoulders to move her gently aside and his body took an instant shock at the touch, stunning him. She felt it as well; he could see it in her now wide eyes and hear it in the gasp of surprise.

Hinata's breath left her in a rush.

For a moment, she stood motionless, staring into his eyes that saw far too deep into her soul. Her heartbeat quickened and she swallowed thickly; his touch had left her dazed. He felt it too and Hinata could see it, surprised that she felt so affected by a simple touch.

Without saying anything, he set her aside and walked around her but she didn't even move then, just standing there staring at the door. She had expected a battle from him and had been prepared to counter it. Now that she had her way- even worse the door was closed- and she was alone with him, there seemed to be a different battle going on inside.

He sat down at his desk and Hinata went back to hanging up the sheets. She ignored him the best she could to bring herself some privacy. She had put up the blankets over ropes she tied to each wall, forming a curtain that could be pushed across during the day and at night, they could close them. Hinata took the side of the room with the sink and no door, just incase the boat was to fall apart and they were all going to die and they needed Sasuke to stand there and shout at everyone.

"I hope you don't snore," she told him.

"I hope you don't either," he replied, not looking up from his work.

"Of course I don't!" she gasped.

Sasuke still did not look up. "That's what they all say."

Hinata did not even bother to rack her brain for a comeback, but simply closed the curtain. What was he talking about anyway? What did he mean 'That's what they all say?' Did he mean all women- all his women?

The idea prickled her. Why should she care if he had women? She didn't, she told herself. She scarcely knew him anyway and was not even keen on getting to know him either. She opened the curtains again to find him still working.

"I have never snored a day in my life," said Hinata, but Sasuke just ignored her.

"Hn, I'm sure you don't," he said after a while and Hinata could tell he was mocking her. "Time will tell won't it?"

She didn't snore, Hinata was sure of it. And even if she did. She now hoped it would keep him up all night long or deafen him in his sleep. In fact, she might put all her efforts into it just to spite him.

"What are you doing?" she asked to change the subject. When he did not answer, she left the sheet for his desk, making a pretense of dusting off the picture with Kiba that she had placed there. It was her reminder and she was proud of herself for being so strong.

In fact, Hinata couldn't remember a time when she felt more alive and content, stronger and please with herself. Almost lovingly, she dusted the picture with her sleeve and blew on it before setting it down.

Sasuke seemed to notice it for the first time and glared at it, then to glare at her. "What is that?"

Hinata did not understand the question. "You've seen this before," she said. "You know what it is."

"Hai," he argued. "I know what it is, but what I would like to know is why it's on my desk?"

"Maybe you should have asked that first," said Hinata. She really could not understand how he was able to bring out the worst in her. "I have to put it somewhere."

"Try the garbage," he said in a cold voice, making Hinata tilt her head at him in curiosity.

He was staring at the picture as though it was the most disgusting thing he'd ever seen and judging by the look on his face, Hinata could only guess that he didn't like Kiba at all and concluded that maybe it was not her he objected wholly.

But when she thought about it, Kiba had never mentioned anything about Sasuke that she could remember. She'd heard him mention Uchiha maybe once but that was it. Kiba had never done anything to Sasuke that she knew of, but then again, if Kiba had done something to cause Sasuke to react like that it was not likely that he would come out and say it. But why would he recommend to Shino that he travel with Sasuke then if he had no connection to him in some way?

It was most interesting.

Hinata studied him as he ignored her once more, returning to reading. She set down the picture and walked around the curtain to go to his side and looked over his shoulder.

Kiba rarely told her about his missions, only talking to Neji, Shino and her father because she was no longer a ninja so did not need to be told, so he said. Her father thought otherwise and kept training her, keeping at the level that was suited for being heiress. She practically begged Kiba to tell her about his missions, wanting to keep a part of herself in that world.

She envied Sasuke and Kiba with all her heart and damned her title.

"Hyuuga-sama," said Sasuke, sensing her behind him.

His voice had no patience whatsoever and Hinata mimicked him and felt oddly pleased at her brattiness that he donned her to have. Never as a child had she ever spoken out of turn, afraid of what the punishment would be. Even if she was too old now to allow it, she liked it; it was satisfying.

He nearly caught her though. Sasuke turned his papers over and looked up at her and she smiled pleasantly.

"Can I do something for you?" he asked. "Because you're shit out of luck."

Hinata's nostrils flared at his words but maintained the pleasant smile as she shook her head. Sasuke turned away from her again to read and Hinata frowned, pouting at his back even though she had no idea why. Why should it matter that all hope of friendship had been blown to the wind? It didn't matter…

Yet she felt a sinking feeling in her stomach.

"I was just curious," Hinata told him softly, almost reverting back to her shy self and wondered why she felt so put-out. She came a little closer, trying to see what kept him so busy.

Sasuke sighed, a sound she had heard before from her father when her mother was trying to talk to him or when he thought she was prying.

"Do you mind?" he asked her and put the papers down on his desk. He even made a point of turning them down again as though he did not trust her and didn't want him nosing into his business.

But why didn't he trust her? Hinata was not about to be shoved to the side so easily. If he didn't trust her, he could say it. She wanted to hear it from his own two lips and she wanted to know why he didn't trust her and she wanted to know now.

And there they were, staring at each other in a silent argument and Hinata stood her ground.

That's it, I've finished another chapter. I hope you liked it.

(1)

I don't care

I think I may be coming down with a cold again, damn, my throat is scratchy.

Anyway, if you have not read Hinata the Vamp or Hina hime please do.

Until next update…

Ja ne!

Please review, I love it when you do!