CHAPTER EIGHT

Heaven and Earth

The arrangement Sasuke proposed sounded too good.

Hinata was certain there was more to his offer than simply borrowing each other's hereditary traits. She couldn't imagine that Sasuke would go through all this trouble just so he could test out the byakugan.

The man in question stood tall in the clearing, carefully inspecting her with an unreadable gaze. Bathed in silver moonlight and surrounded by glittering snow, the rutilant glow of his eyes appeared that much more fantastical. Part of her wondered at how much of her terror was real and how much was caused by the genjutsu.

"What else?" she asked, a line etched between her brows. Her question was multifaceted. He could choose to answer the question in several different ways. She doubted he would be honest and tell her the downsides… and she was right.

He provided the clinical response regarding the seal's capabilities. The rich timbre of his voice made her heart flutter in her chest. "You can have everything. My chakra, speed, jutsus… if you can learn it, you can use it. I will teach you anything you want."

"And how does this benefit you?" This time she was more direct in her approach to attain the answer she was truly interested in.

One side of his mouth quirked as he cheekily returned, "That's my business."

She flinched at his response, recognizing her own words instantly. Her hands clasped in front of her, and she subconsciously pouted.

Chuckling at her response, he gave in a little. "Is it the effects of the seal you're concerned about? I'll tell you. I wouldn't want you to think I'm trying to manipulate you or anything."

Hinata perked up. She didn't trust him, but she was still eager to hear what he had to say.

"But first…" Sasuke lifted his hand and extended it towards some unseen object. The genjutsu fell away like drops of paint splattering across a canvas. Reality came shimmering in with an abrupt brilliance of colors. A stark change from the icy blues of the wintery night.

Staring in awe, she mentally noted that she would need to get better at deciphering between a genjutsu and the 'real' world. Sasuke did say he was willing to teach her anything. The prospect planted a seed of hope to sprout in her gut.

They were no longer outside. The room appeared to be a study in the manor. There were two gold embellished, Victorian love seats on either side of a matching coffee table. Sasuke stood in front of one, while Hinata stood by the other.

Sasuke's open palm was directed towards the love seat closest to her. "Make yourself comfortable."

While she was annoyed about his constant use of genjutsu on her, she accepted his offer without protest, and sat facing him. "Is this real?"

"On my honor," he replied with a smirk.

His remark gave her little comfort. Brushing off his flighty assurance, she took a moment to absorb the details of the room.

Immediately to one side of the couches was a large oak desk in front of a window. At the opposite end was a set of double doors that, she assumed, led out to the hallway. Against the far wall, behind Sasuke, was a wood burning fireplace. A fire was already crackling and producing a constant heat that warmed the room. Looking over her shoulder, she managed to make out some filing cabinets and shelves against a portion of the wall behind her chair.

Sasuke sat with his legs apart, leaning forward with his hands folded and elbows resting on his knees. After a short period of silence, while she studied the layout of the space, Sasuke picked up where they left off. "As with most things, there is a trade-off for sharing power. Not everyone is compatible. If that happens the seal may not work.

"Also, I've mentioned that the bond connects two people spiritually and physically. The more of my powers you use, the more bonded we become. The more you take from me, the more you may lose of yourself."

She sat up straighter. "What does that mean?"

"When you take in pieces of me, you get more than just my raw power. You become connected to my soul. My desires, my motivations, my nature. Those aspects will also be exposed to you. If your own convictions are not strong enough, you may find yourself wanting the same things and sharing the same beliefs as me."

He let the words hang in the air.

The weight of them was like a physical pressure slowly crushing her lungs. She slumped in her chair with her eyes drifting down to stare vacantly at the floor.

"Will I just become an extension of you? A mindless puppet?"

"No," he immediately answered. "Even if we shared powers for the rest of our lives, you will never lose yourself. You will always have a choice. You will always be you, but eventually we will share each other's joy; Feel each other's pain; Celebrate the same victories. We will understand each other in ways that no one else ever could. A bond in spirit and body. Heaven and Earth. Yin and Yang."

Hinata's eyebrows pressed together in consternation. The implications of what he was telling her sent alarm bells ringing in her brain.

Sasuke ended his discourse by stating, "We will be partners. And for this to work, you must stay by my side."

His murky gaze was penetrating, making it difficult for her to process everything.

Picking up on her hesitance, he began to rise from his seated position on the chair. "I'll give you some time to think."

"I'll do it," she quickly stated, diving headfirst off the cliff before she could talk herself out of it. If Shino or Kiba were here, they would riot. Naruto would probably fight Sasuke over this proposal. Her heart hammered in her chest and part of her was raging 'never!' But really, in her position, what was there to think about?

On one hand, she would have Sasuke's assistance and the power to bring her sister and friends back. On the other hand, if luck were on her side, he would set her free.

Where would that leave her?

Surely on a straight and narrow path to a death certificate she signed in her own blood. If she were on her way to hell, she might as well have the devil for a companion.

Her life in exchange for everyone else's.

For Hinata, this wasn't really a question.

Feeling the weight of his assessing stare, she reaffirmed, "I'll accept the seal. Just… help me get everyone back."

After another moment of heavy inspection, Sasuke turned away. His cloak flapped and swayed with each step he took in departure. "I'll have Koji escort you back to your room. Since I can't trust you to not foolishly attempt escape just yet, I can't allow you the freedom to roam alone."

Then he was gone, leaving Hinata to dwell on her decision and the possible repercussions.

Not a minute passed when Koji appeared in the doorway, arms crossed and an overly dramatic accusing stare. "Hinata, I thought we bonded back there! I can't believe you tricked me!"

She winced at his use of the term "bonded" and also her deception. "I'm sorry, Koji-san. The Kanedama have my sister and friends and I wanted to leave to find them."

Koji's perpetually sunny disposition was suddenly shadowed by a distant and haunted look. He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again with a quick shake of his head. Snapping his attention back to her, he was back to his usual self. "Sasuke will help you. I am certain of it."

Hinata was taken aback by the sincerity in his tone. It felt like an epiphany as she realized, she believed him. Something stirred in her subconscious when it came to the mysterious last Uchiha. She just wasn't sure what that was. "I hope so."

"I will help too." He smiled.

"Thank you, Koji-san."

Once in the hallway, walking in stride, Koji cut a side glance her way. Clasping his hands behind his back, he casually mentioned, "So, I saw you never ate your dinner."

Her head bowed slightly in shame.

Pouring salt on the wound, he began his remorseful commentary, "It's gone bad by now. It was sushi. The really expensive kind."

"I'm allergic to shellfish if that makes a difference." She scrunched her face, hoping her excuse would buy her some leniency.

He gave none. "There was no shellfish. Yellowtail sashimi, bluefin tuna, albacore… oh not to mention the street yaki-tori I specially picked up for you."

She groaned in response, her head falling back. "I know, I'm awful."

"Yes, you are," he agreed with a nod. "Are you hungry?"

He paused at the bottom of the stairwell.

She stopped with him. "I'm starving!"

"Thought so. Follow me! You're in luck. I'm the best instant noodle chef in all the lands!"

A small giggle escaped her. It felt good to laugh. There wasn't much to be happy about lately. "You might have to battle someone I know for that title."

Koji was more observant than she would've originally given him credit for. Based on his attire and movements, he did not appear to have a shinobi background. "Oh yeah? Someone special?"

"Always," she responded wistfully. Her heart clenched at the thought of Naruto. He would always be special to her. It would just be in a way now that is different from what she used to hope for.

Koji loudly whispered, "Does Sasuke know about him?"

He flipped a switch to the kitchen lights as they entered. Fluorescent bulbs blinked hummed intermittently before stabilizing.

"Sasuke definitely knows about him." Nonchalantly, Hinata walked over to the sink to clean the remaining knife she'd stolen earlier. She didn't need Sasuke finding it on her later and raising unnecessary suspicion.

Koji disregarded her actions and went to the pantry to grab a package of instant noodles. "I'm sure I can take on the challenge of keeping my crown. Just you wait and see!"

He winked and Hinata smiled wide without response.

"Would you mind grabbing a teakettle from the cabinet to your right and boiling some water?"

"Am I the one cooking, or are you?" she playfully teased, but retrieved the pot anyway.

"I don't consider 'boiling water' cooking." He was deadpan in his response. He started rifling through a seasoning rack and mumbled, "Where is the salt?"

While she busied herself with filling the pot with water, Koji was searching a cupboard above the spice rack. Triumphant, he announced, "Found some!"

She watched him waltz through the kitchen seeking out ingredients. He even went as far as to chop up fresh vegetables for her. Once the high-pitched whine of the kettle sounded, he shooed her away from his workspace. A few dashes of salt, a light pour of soy sauce, a soft-boiled egg, a handful of bean sprouts, some enoki mushrooms, and slices of green onion over a bowl of dried noodles. Only then did he pour the sauce packet and hot water onto the medley.

Handing her the covered bowl with a pair of chopsticks and a spoon, he cautioned, "It's very hot. Let it sit for 5 minutes before you dig in."

Accepting the meal with a grateful dip in her head, her eyes wandered around the space that was set up more like a professional chef's kitchen than one you'd find in a home. "Thanks Koji, but um, where should I eat?"

He walked around to the other side of the metal island. The scraping cacophony of rubber against tile filled the silence. He grinned. "Just so happens, we have stools."

They spent the next twenty minutes chatting about meaningless things while Hinata finished her meal. Her soup was surprisingly good. It was no Ichiraku but it would be a worthy contender against Naruto's special instant ramen.

She learned Koji was the youngest of his siblings. He was born out of an affair his rich father had with a servant. Although he lived under his father's roof, he was ostracized and grew up essentially alone.

Hinata understood being alone and looked down upon in a house full of people. It was how she spent her childhood as well. In that, they were similar. An ache gnawed in her gut as she thought about how lucky she was to have a good relationship with her sister.

Just hold on a little longer. I'm coming to get you all.

"Thank you for the meal. It was delicious," she complimented sincerely.

"Better than your friend's, right?" Koji wiggled his eyebrows.

She grinned and played along. "Oh, absolutely!" The comment won her an approving smile and a fist pump.

"Yeesssss! My track record remains unstained."

"Koji, I'm not feeling very well. I think I should head back to my room now."

"You want more water or some medicine?" he asked, his brow dipped with concern.

"I think I just need to lie down."

They both stood, cleaned up, and headed up the stairs. Koji, however, did not take her back to her room. He paused in front of another door and raised an open palm face-up. "Okay, hand it over."

It took her a moment for her brain to catch up, but then she remembered- she disabled her door lock using the manicure set he brought her. The manicure set was a standard graduation gift all female-nin received when they passed their kunoichi training. The instruments were a multi-functional toolkit that both served its intended purpose and espionage related needs.

"Right." She searched the pockets in her cloak until she found the tiny square clutch and promptly dropped it into his waiting hand.

"Now that I know you're smart, you won't get me so easily next time." He winked and opened the door to her new room for her. "Have a nice night, Hinata. Let Sasuke know I'm going out for the evening, would 'ya?"

Numbly, her feet carried her forward while her brain pondered on his last statement. She turned and paused. "Sasuke?" But it was too late, he'd already closed and locked the door.

Was he going to visit her again tonight? The fleeting thought escaped her attention as she took in her surroundings.

This room was larger than her last. The doors led directly into a sitting area with a cozy fireplace. Directly ahead was a panoramic view of the village and on either side were double doors leading to other rooms. She kicked off her boots and placed them to the side before walking in further. To her relief, the bedroom was located behind the first set of doors she tried on the left.

She suddenly felt lightheaded and warm, like she'd had a glass of wine that was starting to affect her. It was likely due to the amount of time she'd spent outside in the frozen woods, she reasoned.

Time that she had lost.

The warmth spread from her head down to her body and extended to her limbs. Removing her cloak and tossing it carelessly across a nearby chaise lounge chair in the dark, she then focused on her pants and socks and threw them in the same corner. There was a healthy fire on one end of the room, and she did not bother to look for the light.

Every second, she was more feverish than the last and rest seemed to be the best option. She sat on the tall king bed and reclined. However, rest would not come to her with her heart pounding like a racehorse. She was beginning to pant, and the strangest thing was happening to her skin. With every shift of her bare legs across the sheets, a tingle would run directly from the point of contact to her lower gut. A more amorous feeling was mounting that she was unable to comprehend.

She sat up quickly.

Koji wouldn't. Would he?

She watched him as he prepared and cooked her meal. There's no way he could have slipped her something without her knowledge. Hyuuga eyes were like a hawk's, and he did not seem to have any ulterior motives other than to feed her, so what was going on?

The sensations grew, along with her need to be touched. A heady image of Sasuke on top of her, kissing her, gripping her, had fire crawling in her blood. Recalling the genjutsu he'd trapped her in had her squirming on the smooth sheets.

There was no denying it, she must have been drugged.

With this knowledge, she scanned the room for where the bathroom was most likely located. She leapt off the bed and headed for that door with every intention of forcing the drug out of her system.

She tugged on the handles of the frosted glass French doors. So distracted, that she failed to notice the glow of light coming from the other side of the entryway.

For a moment she was blinded.

The bathroom was a bright contrast to the dimly lit bedroom. Thick swirls of warm steam wafted out, caressing and misting her body. Her eyes shut and she breathed in the fresh scent of sandalwood which made her heart slow to a heavy beat.

Her eyes re-opened slowly, soaking in the moment.

Thump thump.

Her pupils dilated as the vaporous curtain lifted.

Thump thump.

Her lips parted with desire. All cogent thought disappeared with the clouds of cooling mist.

Thump thump.

Skin glistening in the soft lighting, with drops of water running down the smooth planes of his hard body, stood Sasuke behind a glass walk-in shower- fully on display.

It was at that moment, when his depthless gaze locked onto her- confident, challenging, provoking- that her firmly held grip on self-control snapped.