A Will of Namazu
Author's Note 1: Lack of SasuHina interaction, Sakura's death, Naruto, yeah, yeah, I know! But remember my words on my profile about this story: my plot may be tricky sometimes and it's done on purpose. Haha, you'll get your surprises and answers. Also, chapters like the previous one could happen – memories are precious, the bad ones like the good ones. Naruto has been full of surprises with all those crazy jutsus so… be prepared and brace yourselves!
Author's Note 2: HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Chapter Seven: May Death Laugh At Them
As days went by Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke stuck and traveled together, avoiding big villages where there was a high possibility they would be recognized (The recent status of Hinata would certainly give them hell, being added into the Konohagakure Bingo Book wouldn't play in their favor.) and hiding their features when encountering other travelers became a habit. But seeing someone carrying a giant bow in her back would rise suspicion, which would end up in fighting and unnecessary killing. Extra careful as they both were, the two nukenins went for extreme lenghts to hide.
While she may have been a missing-nin for months now, she wasn't as experienced as her 'partner'; Uchiha Sasuke had been a missing-nin for years after his departure from the village – years of experience and running was something Hinata needed to get away from Konohagakure and its ANBU. They also would have to stay alert and away from her former teammates: if Sasuke's informations were correct, Tsunade resigned days ago and a new Hokage has been appointed (Naruto being still young and incapable of understanding someone's wishes – especially his so-called 'best friend's' – he couldn't have been chosen.). If there was someone capable and strong enough to protect this village, it would be Hatake Kakashi. Since he had already been chosen to replace Tsunade after Pein's invasion but had been beaten to it by the traitor Shimura Danzou, it would have just been a matter of time before he would be reappointed to take the Senju's place. Having Kakashi as the leader of Konoha would make things more difficult should he send ANBU, because his intelligence was something to fear – something Hinata now respected begrudgingly.
And there were more things to worry about: Uchiha Sasuke was still a complex mystery to her, a mystery she sometimes ought to dissect and uncover just to see why her 'partner' would be so willing to follow her rules. He had this authority that made people follow him without protesting and Uchiha Sasuke could be very convincing without trying; to say Hinata had been rather stunned about not having to face any disagreement from her companion was a big understatement because she had expected him to cause problems with decisions and organisation. If his short answers and glares were enough to make himself clear, it was sometimes irritating not to hear a clear opinion about the choices they needed to make – Hinata wasn't alone in this exile and Sasuke was the one who sought her out so he should be making suggestions, no matter the situation they were both in. The Uchiha was completely closed off from her and though they were traveling together, it was starting to aggravate Hinata's mood. Little by little.
They had moved towards Rice Country, leaving the harsh weather and the snow behind to be welcomed by a luxurious, green environment where nature seemed to reign over. Hinata's Byakugan had spotted a small village hidden in a large valley, closed off from further civilisation and connections to other villages – especially ninja villages. One would be relieved to be off the grid for a moment but two nukenins and wanted criminals knew better; they will never be off the grid as long as they hid in the Shinobi World and they had never been far over. There must be something foreign and undiscovered in those unvisited lands they had heard of from stories – something that was mysterious and appealing enough to inspire them to go over the Shinobi World.
Hinata had worked on her partner's seal ever since they were on the run: intricate as it seemed to be, she hadn't been disappointed when she had discovered that if someone tried to sneak past the seal it would immediately be activated because of lack of concentration and imprudence. There were high risks of imminent death if Hinata's theories to break through the seal happened to fail and the Hyuuga valued life more than anything to die by his hands – should she fail to help Sasuke.
"How similar is this (This term has been removed for your sanity.) seal to the Cage Bird Seal of the Branch House?" Sasuke had asked Hinata, standing still as she had demanded him to.
"Quite similar," the kunoichi had responded, while she was tracing the ugly thing with slender, feminine fingers. "The Cage Bird Seal allows to inflict intense and piercing pain through a lower Branch member's head, although it doesn't kill him. He would be rendered numb and unable to do anything at all. This one you have...it would eventually kill you."
So he had guessed correctly. Those bastards. "I don't know who created this kind of seal, it wasn't recorded," she had continued. "To be brief, this seal was created to put the victim into such a tortuous, painful state that you would be helplessly unable to move. Of course, it would only work on someone who possesses a doujutsu," Hinata had pointed out as she held Sasuke's incredulous stare. She frowned. "Didn't Tsunade tell you those details about it?"
"I guess the bitch didn't think it was essential for me to know," he all but had growled venomously, fingers curling into tight fists. Fuck. Fuck that Senju. "What does it do?"
Her pale orbs had seemed to shine ferociously as she pondered about telling him the effects or not. "You should know this, Uchiha: if Senju Tsunade wasn't the one to choose that seal then there is a high possibility that someone in the Konoha Council did, she wouldn't go to such lenghts unless she is forced to. This seal functions into two steps. Step one: should you activate your Mangekyou Sharingan, the pain would be so intense and unbearable that it would render you blind, just like an abusive use of our doujutsu. If it's permanent or not, that I don't know. Step two: if you try to activate your Mangekyou Sharingan once again –"
" – I'll die."
The words, spat with his tone dripping with venom, would have caused all his fan-girls to shiver in fear. Hinata had just nodded, a grim look taking over her features. His eyes, though still black as the night, seemed to ablaze. Sasuke wasn't one to make promises to someone but to Tsunade, he silently promised to force the Elders of Konohagakure to bathe in their own blood for branding him with such seal.
And he'll be dancing on their corpses.
"ACHOO!"
The red-haired Mizukage, Mei Terumi, glanced at her fellow comrade in amusement.
"Looks like someone is talking about you," she teased in a sing-song voice. An insane thought crept its way towards her brain and a sly smirk appeared on her painted lips.
"Is there someone I perhaps need to meet?"
Someone? There hadn't been someone ever since Dan left this earth. Maybe there had been Jirayia for a time – and Tsunade wouldn't admit it to Mei. The feelings were genuine and, while she had pondered whether she should confess to him or not, Jiraiya had probably lost his life by the time she had reached a decision. While Naruto had been broken by his death, nobody had sought Tsunade to comfort her after losing a precious friend – and possible, not so real 'lover'.
Should you consider moving on and trying to live once again after having lived so much tragedy and loses, maybe there will be something resembling hope once again.
"You might be inebriated enough to even think about something like that," Tsunade muttered, disgruntled. "Give me saké!"
Or not. The blonde certainly didn't have time for this shit, things needed to get prepared.
Nightmares weren't Uchiha Sasuke's friends on night basis. They never have been and even though he wished them to go away so he could catch some sleep, the effects were starting to unnerve him; whenever he thouht he could close his eyes just not to dream again and trust his mind not to play tricks with him he would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, panting and eyes wide with an unknown feeling he hasn't felt in years.
Fear.
Was he afraid of nightmares? His own nightmares? Sasuke wasn't stupid, they were growing bolder as the months passed and each night resembled another; what he could do to chase them away was something beyond him and if he were to know how to do such thing, he would have done it long ago – back when he was still a captive in his treacherous native village. Konohagakure no Sato itself was the epitome of his suffering, Sasuke could remember how alone he had been when he had to bury his whole clan by himself because other civilians and clans had judged it shouldn't be good to meddle with the Uchiha after what they had almost done (this coup d'état had sealed their doom, and he could understand their betrayal, but getting Itachi to slaughter them...). The sole Uchiha couldn't remember his parents very well, let alone their faces – his mother's, always fair and so beautiful, was now a mask with no face. This. He was afraid of this. Being unable to remember his own family in his nightmares.
It both chilled and pained him to realize that he couldn't remember them; cousins, nephews, aunts, uncles – he had forgotten them all thanks to Itachi! Was this the prize of being an avenger? It shouldn't be that way.
It wouldn't have been that way if...
Dark eyes blinked, then shifted towards the left where they met white, pearly ones staring. She had been there – Kami knows how long – and he hadn't sensed it? He really needed to secure himself better, especially when Hyuuga Hinata was fearfully close to reach his level. His 'ally' was crouching next to him, wearing a long towel to cover herself after the shower. Damp, long dark locks fell around her and framed her delicate face, hiding her figure Sasuke knew was delicious. He frowned. If Hinata was in the shower, then that meant...
"You've been in this position for four hours straight," her soft voice said. "You never moved once. Are you alright?"
Sasuke stared at her, silent. He had been traveling with her for days, constantly avoiding shinobis and killing if necessary, and there wasn't once when he had felt drifting away like this. He had literally...spaced out. For hours. And Hinata had been patient enough to wait for him to going back to normal, did that mean that she valued him as an 'ally'? Allies should stick together and rely on each other, that also meant that they had to take care of each other no matter what. But they both knew better.
They didn't care for each other. Why should he tell her about something so personal? Sasuke stood on his feet, aching to leave her sight. "I'm fine," he said blandly. "Just thinking."
"Do nightmares still plague your nights?"
The question, asked so calmly and casually, threw him off and he froze in sudden, shocked. Hinata, not minding his current state, stood as well and peered at him through unreadable white eyes. She looked like she was waiting for an answer or a reaction – any reaction of him telling her she was right about her hypothesis; that nightmares kept Uchiha Sasuke up during the night and his sleeping habits had become too unbearable for him. But he remained silent as a tomb, inwardly struggling to keep his composure straight and neutral.
Why do they still haunt me?
He had fulfilled his ultimate goal – getting revenge on Itachi and avenge his fallen clan, only to be awfully overwhelmed by a the most shocking revelation about the Uchiha massacre – and the thing he had intended to fulfill was to die. His family was gone, every good memory of them had turned to ashes and his own Will of Fire was nothing but thrash, transformed into something monstruous and borderline insane by the idea of getting revenge and constructing what Sasuke thought as ideal to his liking. The only thing he could have been rewarded after a life full of manipulations and lies and hatred was to die to find peace in the after-life. And maybe he could have found his family, redeemed and waiting for him.
Why can't they leave me alone?
It was a wonder why he still hadn't gone fully insane. This kind of nightmare he kept having at night would have driven someone normal crazy – maybe crazier than he actually was. Seeing familiar dead bodies without those familiar faces he used to know all his childhood would have made anyone screaming in horror, and sleeping would have become the worst fear ever. Sasuke's nightmares seemed permanent, as if they were his punishment for having been too weak – weaker than his brother – to protect his parents from death. He couldn't have prevented that, his innocence was still clinging to him like a second skin and, to think of it, he had been searching for his brother when death knocked on his door.
Just leave me alone! Leave me alone, leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave me alone! Leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alooooooooone! Leave. Me. The hell. Alone!
When he regained full consciousness his fingers were curled around Hinata's frail and gracious neck, as if he wanted to strangle her. She was backed up against a wall, completely still. His breathing was shallow and coming in heavy pants, which was weird to him (since when Uchiha Sasuke had panic attacks? This was new.) and the simple thought of being panic-stricken was ridiculous. His Sharingan had activated on its own and was staring at his ally's Byakugan, where different emotions were flashing – one of them being the confusion. Confusion at his reaction to a question asked some minutes earlier.
Hinata, though she had been surprised by this, didn't try to move under his hold and merely watched him with wide eyes full of questionment. If she moved one inch, there was a high chance Sasuke will react violently given his mental state – she was no better and she knew it well, the morbid massacre she had left behind in Snow Country pretty much told of her own mental state.
"Uchiha... please calm down," Hinata said softly.
"What do you know of these nightmares, Hyuuga?" he wheezed, his voice suddenly hoarse. "Huh? What do you know of them? They are the kind of dreams you want to forget everytime you close your eyes to sleep because they just keep haunting you and gnawing your sanity, they are the kind of dreams that makes you want to (This term has been removed for your sanity.) commit suicide just to escape a reality you don't want to face and live in anymore. Am I this desperate to commit suicide just to escape my (This term has been removed for your sanity.) past, Hyuuga?"
She frowned even more. "You're having a panic attack, Uchiha. Calm down or –"
"– or what?" he sneered, leaning in close to her.
Hyuuga were best known for keeping their cool and remaining aloof in any situation. Such was the case with Hinata – this Hinata was watching him with a bland look on her face, no longer scowling. She didn't look like she was debating whether she should just deck or stun him, she just watched him with these unnerving blank eyes that didn't betray any single emotion (because from what he could remember of his genin days in Konohagakure, Hyuuga Hinata could barely speak without stuttering. What kind of shinobi stuttered?). The fact that she was still in a damn towel wouldn't have helped, had Sasuke been really aware of what he was doing.
For moments no one moved, just stared coldly at each other. Sasuke's breathing was still a bit shallow but actually was starting to slow down a little. Words weren't needed at the moment, the actions and reactions could speak for them.
'What are you going to do?' his Sharingan eyes were saying.
She blinked. 'Nothing,' her Byakugan replied, still cool. 'I'm only interested in what you're going to decide: strangle me to death or calm down and cool off. This is your choice, after all.'
She irritated him without even meaning it. His fingers dug a little more in her skin and he glared at her. 'You're not even fighting back. Why? Am I this precious to you?'
Hinata sighed and winced slightly. "What's your point?" she asked him loudly. "You came to me with a purpose, I intend to solve this problem with this seal. I'll do it only if you agree to... open a little more. You're dark and so secretive, you don't want to talk about these nightmares and yet you still want me to help you." She craned her neck to ease the tension that was becoming irritating. "Do you wish me to help you, Uchiha?"
"Hn," he responded, which was an affirmative in his own way.
"Then all you have to do is talk. Talk to me and we might –"
Hinata had never been so proud and grateful of these draining past months of training in the wild, because she would have never been able to dodge Uchiha Sasuke's Chidori – given his speed, she would have been impaled and instantly killed by it. The chirping of his attack was close to her ears but thankfully out of her way as her right palm had rested on his forearm and her fingers had grabbed it firmly to hold it in place. Her white eyes snapped at him, furious. Sasuke was no better, since his fist had built a hole in the wall behind Hinata.
He is fast. But so am I now. She knew this companionship with Uchiha Sasuke wouldn't be peaceful at all – especially when said Uchiha had mental conditions just as bad as hers – and that there would be tensions between them, if not attempts of murders. The two of them might actually kill each other before ANBU of any Shinobi Village caught up to them. They had agreed on many things; relying on each other only, not building any bonds with strangers, not wasting too much time in one place – nothing like this.
He clenched his jaws as his Sharingan tried to burn another hole in her head. "The last idiot who tried to make me talk about myself is buried in Konoha, with (This term has been removed for your sanity.) flowers around her grave to prove that people had cared about her and a hole in her chest that even her precious sensei couldn't heal. I could say she is far more enjoyable where she is now. Do you wish to try me a little like her, Hyuuga?"
"Don't compare me to Haruno Sakura, I'm nothing like her," Hinata wisely got round the question and scowled at him instead. "You don't want to share your nightmares? Fine. I'll leave you be but you'll have to be in a healthy condition to have the seal removed and, of course, run away should we come across shinobis. We need our full energy to run and kill, right? Because now..."
She leaned in, staring into his red eyes.
"...being unable to sleep makes you more unstable than I can ever be. Not. Good."
She was gone before he knew it, walking into her bedroom and closing the door quietly. His Chidori died out, the sound fading away, and his arm fell on his sides. The Sharingan also deactivated on its own while Sasuke was still staring at nothing, thinking.
He was mentally disturbed, he knew that. So was the Hyuuga but there was something true in her words; whereas she seemed to keep control of the hungry, insane beast that had risen from nothing inside her at times, Sasuke wouldn't hesitate to try to get rid of the nuisance even if it meant to let loose the monster inside. Mentally disturbed shinobis were as unpredictable as the weather and Uchiha Sasuke might be the first shinobi in that category – Hyuuga Hinata coming right next behind him, given her mental state. His sleeping habits having become irregular and annoying were bad to his health and Hinata had noticed how tired he was, had tried to help him so he could sleep properly and be in full energy when the time to run and kill will come. They'd be at great and bad disadvantage if he were to be in a miserable shape before an unexpected ambush or battle – given his renewed reputation and status, the Uchiha's enemies might hunt him down to get revenge on him . And without his Sharingan at its full strenght because this damn seal blocked him from using the Mangekyou Sharingan and even his awakened Rinnegan (At this, Sasuke couldn't help but scream lewd and horrible obscenities aimed at the Elders of Konohagakure, wishing he could thrash and rip them apart.), he wouldn't be able to fight properly like he wished. His katana could still be of use to him but he really was at disadvantage if his doujutsu was sealed. Plus, there was the fact that he couldn't sleep at all because the nightmares weren't far and kept haunting his mind, filling it with images of that dreadful night and blood. The blood of the Uchiha everywhere in the compound, blood, blood...
Death laughing at him before taking his beloved mother away.
Sasuke bristled with rage as his fist connected with the wall and fractured it.
"Damn it," he muttered. "Damn it. Damn it. Damn. It."
Damn that Hyuuga for being right about him for once, he would be useless if he stayed in this state – something that he couldn't afford to let happen. Scowling harshly he stormed off, looking as angry as a mad dog. He needed to cool off a bit, or else he would start tearing the entire place apart just to calm his nerves.
When he decided to come back minutes later she was in the kitchen, cooking something. He didn't know what but the smell was delicious to his nose – something like onigiri and meat. Hinata had her back towards him and was focused on her task, but Sasuke was sure she sensed him entering their lair (this training she had been bent on had really changed her to one terrifying kunoichi who wouldn't hesitate to kill now. Satisfying for Sasuke.). His dark eyes stared at her, thinking.
Could he really talk to her about this? About his nightmares? While he may not have known her and pretty much shunned the annoying kunoichi in love with the dead last, their first real conversation had been very interesting and full of surprises for the Uchiha; his ally was unexpectedly observant and the way she interpreted his thoughts was outstanding – almost terrifying, because it was now obvious to him that she would uncover his mysteries sooner or later without having him to talk. Sasuke could remain silent all he wanted, Hinata would more than likely understand on her own and...the truth coming out from someone else's mouth is never good to hear, there was a high chance that the target will react rather violently. Such was the case with Uchiha Sasuke: the Hyuuga was naturally good at handling his frequent mood swings, for she had her moments too when she had the fits and would constantly be on edge – thus making the Uchiha quite edgy too – and she would more than likely understand what he couldn't say. It was rather hard to interpret his emotions and thoughts but somehow, somehow, Hyuuga Hinata didn't fail to understand him. She never failed to know how to counter and handle the situation.
White eyes shifted towards him in wonder as she moved to set the table for dinner. She's waiting, he realized as he walked to sit down. Hinata was waiting, patient and not wanting to rush him into confiding. It was good.
"I... don't remember their faces," he began at last, eyes downcast on his meal served in front of him.
He felt her eyes on him but she didn't talk, as if to silently encourage him to continue. Sasuke didn't dare – or rather refused to meet her gaze because he wouldn't like what he would see. Pity? No, he had enough of it.
"It's terrifying. I can no longer remember what my parents look like, as if they were erased from my memory. I guess the trauma for having been very young to discover such gruesome horror is still lingering and haunting me, never leaving me in peace. It's still that terrifying that I'm even afraid to close my eyes and sleep – can you imagine that, me, afraid of sleeping?" Sasuke almost laughed at the irony of that while digging in his food. "This is the dumbest yet most frightening thing I've ever realized about myself."
His ally remained silent as she imitated him but her gaze was penetrating, never holding any judgement. Sasuke found himself grateful towards her for that – only her. If it had been someone like Sakura...
"Their faces are blank and even though they don't have eyes, I feel like they're watching me. Watching and accusing me for not having been strong like Itachi and protecting them from him. But hell, I wouldn't have matched him!" he growled this part while grabbing one onigiri. He never noticed that his hand had started to tremble. "The great and mighty Uchiha Itachi was the kind of genius you wouldn't be able to compete with even if you were gifted, because he was that gifted. He. Was. That. Gifted!" Sasuke was practically snarling now, his anger and frustration spilling. "My mother, always fair and kind in heart, is now reduced to a faceless, nightmarish corpse that constantly haunts and drives me insane because I was her favorite – and her favorite son couldn't even save her!" He almost shouted that sentence, face contorted in cold fury.
There was still silence as an answer from Hyuuga Hinata. Hear me out, Hyuuga!
His dark eyes were furious as he raised them to meet Hinata's shocked gaze. He smirked deviously – yet there was this hint of rare sadness in it no one would have guessed. "I was just a child back then – just a child, damn it! Can't they leave me alone? They're dead, I'm aware. They won't come back, I know that for a fact."
His long rant left him breathless, still bristling with anger. Hyuuga Hinata bit her lip as she stared at him in worry, just as speechless as he was out of breath.
There was so much pain he always hid behind a mask of indifference, now Hinata had a glimpse of it; Sasuke's nightmares didn't only prevented him from sleeping at night but also made his life a living hell. They drove him to a point where he would eventually lose it all and give it to a level of insanity she might not match, which could become incredibly painful and too horrorific to handle. She didn't know how she could interpret those hellish nightmares; were they some kind of reminder of what he had lost for the price of protecting a village that would have murdered him sooner or later? Or maybe a sort of punishment cast to remind him that he didn't have anything left to lose except his sanity? Whatever the hell the answer was, it was maddening for him.
In those black eyes of his, Hinata could see now.
Uchiha Sasuke was – albeit reluctantly – asking for help. She couldn't refuse him, since she also needed him.
Nodding, the Hyuuga slowly extended her hand towards him, watching his reaction carefully.
I'll help you.
Blue eyes narrowed for a moment, before closing. Wherever they could be, he would find them. Naruto was aware of the enormous lead Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata had on him, but being stubborn and persistent were two of his qualities that he liked to brag about. That used to irk Sakura more than thrice a day and she would scold him for at least thirty minutes until they shared a good laugh. The blond smiled sadly, nostalgic. Good times, Sakura-chan, he thought bitterly.
Care to explain your point of view, kid? Why are you so persistent in chasing and bringing the traitor back?
Kurama's voice almost startled him as he focused. It had been a while since the two had talked. 'You wouldn't understand even if I explained that to you. My bond with Sasuke is –'
The gigantic demon fox snorted.
You're right, I don't understand. But even I would make more sense than you could ever do; didn't he kill your teammate and – by the way, excuse my harsh words in advance – lover in cold blood? Didn't he leave her to drown in her own blood to vanish in the air? Betrayal seems to be common and I certainly don't take it lightly. Naruto, whatever bond you claim to have with the Uchiha is long severed and destroyed, never to be repaired. Do you got that?
Harsh words, indeed. They stung and hurt him hard, and it was the truth. His bond with Sasuke looked far beyond repair and Hinata... Naruto was really worried for her. For her well-being, her mind, her safety... everything. The blond gritted his teeth and tightened his fists. 'Kurama...!'
Naruto, you need to stop focusing on bringing back a bloodthirsty Uchiha who wants nothing to do with Konohagakure no Sato anymore – and if he were to come back, believe me, it will be to slaughter the Elders responsible for orchestring the Uchiha massacre and make them bathe in their own blood. Shimura Danzou being already dead, there are only two remaining. You might still view the Uchiha as your best friend but face it: there's nothing left for him in the village that betrayed and had his entire family murdered, he won't forgive Konoha, let alone live in the village – that would be too much for him, knowing that the Elders are somewhere in the same place as he is. He would be tempted to kill them, to give his family and brother the revenge, merit and honor they deserved.
'He won't! Sasuke would never do such thing... he would never...'
Again, Kurama snorted and approached his giant, furry orange head towards his host. His red eyes narrowed dangerously at Naruto.
Are you sure about that, kid? Your idiotic pink-haired teammate, wherever she is now, wouldn't agree with you. Since she was killed by the man she pretended to 'love' – although I'm almost sure she doesn't know the meaning of love – she must have changed her opinion about him, don't you think?
'Don't you dare talking about Sakura-chan like that, you –'
But you know I've got a point, right?
And as much as it was painful to Naruto to admit it, Kurama was right. Being bent on hunting Sasuke down to bring him back in Konohagakure was just plain illogical. The blond shouldn't have Kurama say it, he should have understood that all by himself; it didn't take a genius like Shikamaru to finally give up on someone who didn't share your point of view – Sasuke had made himself clear about that. After they returned he had made his point about the village: he won't come back. After he killed Sakura he had once again expressed his true intentions: he won't become a Konoha shinobi once again and certainly won't accept this peace.
Naruto had only one thing to do about Uchiha Sasuke: accept this.
For those who knew things about the Godaime Kazekage, Sabaku Gaara was a young man who was still learning how to deal with emotions and being human. He was still struggling and cautious about anything – especially friendship – but he was doing better within the years, mainly because of Uzumaki Naruto and his siblings. It had been a very long journey: from the bloodthirsty monster he had been as a child to being the most powerful and important man of his village, respected and loved by the villagers, it was quite the challenge. He simply needed to meet someone who shared the same pain he had experienced to finally adopt another point of view of life.
Uzumaki Naruto truly was something to behold. But when it came to Uchiha Sasuke, it was another matter.
Gaara had seen his friend after Haruno Sakura's burial, torn and... destroyed. He could see the betrayal in his blue eyes, full of unanswered questions and so dull at the same time. The young Kazekage had never seen someone close to him in such a state and, as much as he could carefully hide it, it filled him with hatred towards the Uchiha. Treachery was one thing, but taking the life of someone close to express a point? Heartless and hateful.
Gaara had never liked Sasuke. He would gladly 'take care' of him just to make him pay in the most painful way for nearly destroying his first friend. And may death laugh at him for thinking he wouldn't go unpunished – no one goes unpunished for his crimes. Revenge was also one thing, but you have to set limits to know where you shouldn't cross the line and reach the point of non-return. Uchiha Sasuke had done this and never once looked back. He had no regrets.
Gaara's green eyes shifted towards the window of his office and looked into the sky. Night was falling, another day was fulfilled. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. Sleep was much needed and just because he was the Kazekage didn't mean he couldn't relax a little and procrastinate. He could already imagine Temari having a fit.
I pray you won't fall into the blackness because of him, Naruto.
But there was someone else that bothered him – Hyuuga Hinata. The gentle kunoichi had turned from being herself to another gruesome mystery; Gaara had met her once again when she came to Sunagakure to deliver scrolls with her team and while she had been a bit wary of him, she had turned to be of fresh company. She was exquisite and – he would only admit it to himself only – he found her gorgeous. Her recent status had alarmed and shocked him, what could she have done to be added into the Bingo Book? Did it have to do anything with the bloody carnage in Snow Country? If it did, then...where was the mistake?
Gaara didn't understand. And as much as he wanted to, he couldn't. He had been astounded to hear about Tsunade's resignation – which he found rather suspicious and impossible to believe, because the woman was one of the most stubborn and insufferable kunoichi to have ever ruled as a Kage (Mei Terumi was...another matter and sight, but he wouldn't think of it. Not now.). She wouldn't have resigned without a fight to keep her title, so something must have forced Tsunade to put Hyuuga Hinata into the Bingo Book – otherwise, the mere thought of adding her was ridiculous and illogical. The Hyuuga clan must have raged upon hearing it. Soon, there would be another raging storm because there were other mysteries that had yet to be solved – such was the case of Hyuuga Hinata, the Godaime Hokage and the Uchiha. Blood will certainly be spilled, masterminds unmasked and prosecuted.
Gaara had a very bad feeling about all this. This isn't good.
Many hours later, Hanabi found herself watching the dark sky in her bed. As a child, Hinata would look at the stars and the moon with her before their brotherhood became a little strained – mostly because of their father's harsh training to determine who will become the heiress. But now that her beloved elder sister was gone and lost into the wild, Hanabi was very reluctant to watch the stars alone at night. So that's how it is, she thought with a sad frown, to be rather lonely.
It was sad.
I pray for you to be well, sister.
And for those bastards who wanted her dead? May death laugh at them.