Sasuke looked up at Tsunade as she questioned him on everything possible. Next, she was going to be asking him what he had eaten while he was away and if his favorite color had changed. She of course was shocked when he told her that he had killed Orochimaru. Sasuke thought he would have been offended if she hadn't been shocked. Tsunade glared down at Sasuke before pulling Kakashi out into the hall. They talked for a long moment before re entering the room.
"Sasuke Uchiha your fate has been decided and it would appear that you are to be…" In the middle of her sentence, Hinata burst into the room. Tsunade was actually expecting Naruto when she turned around to see who it was. She was shocked to see the Hyuuga Heiress standing there looking a little out of breath but other than that fine. Behind her Naruto and Sakura were yelling for her and running to come get her.
"Hokage-sama forgive me!" Hinata said falling to her knees before her. "But I have come to plead for Sasuke's life. He has done nothing to deserve death in fact if you think about it he has done nothing to Kohona except leave. He didn't betray any of our secrets and he has eliminated some of our biggest threats." Hinata said. Sasuke glared at her. He didn't need the girl here pleading his case for him. Though it is nice to have someone care about you again isn't it. A nasty little voice inside Sasuke's head said. Tsunade looked at Hinata for a long moment. Had she waited just a few moments she would have found out that they weren't going to kill him or even imprison him at that.
"If you would be so kind and let me finish my sentence." Tsunade said looking at Hinata sternly who blushed heavily and nodded feeling even more stupid now for interrupting the meeting. 'And this is where they sentence you to die. You will all of these men and disappear for a very long time maybe even go to China or America yeah America is father away.' Sasuke thought. "You Sasuke Uchiha will be put under current and hard observation for 1 month's time. You won't be aloud to transfer back into the Kohona ninja ranks for a minimum of 2 months and won't receive a rank higher than jounin for a maximum of 1 year. You are free to leave Kohona whenever you feel like it at the risk of anbu putting you in the bingo book permanently.
Tsunade shocked everyone in the room with these words except Kakashi though the only ones to show surprise were Hinata Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke's own eyes had only widened a fraction of an inch before he was stonic again as always. "Do you understand?" Tsunade asked him. There was a very long uncomfortable pause then before he answered.
"Hai, Hokage-sama I understand." Hinata let go of the breath she didn't know she had been holding as well as Sakura and Naruto behind her. The question now was would he stay? Tsunade nodded and his chakra bonds dispersed as did the Anbu hands on him. Sasuke slowly stood up looking her evenly in the eyes before she turned around leaving. "Am I Free to go now?" He asked her lazily. She just waved him off muttering something about needing a drink. Shizune close behind her whispered that with Sasuke Uchiha freely back in society she shouldn't drink for many people would be coming to talk to her now most of them with complaints. Annoyed Sasuke walked away ignoring Sakura's almost tearful eyes and Naruto's heated stare.
"Hyuuga, where are my things I know you brought them." Sasuke suddenly said turning slightly to look back at Hinata who blinked. He was talking to her? How odd she figured he would be mad at her.
"They are here in my bag." Hinata said sliding her bag off her shoulders. She had gotten it back from Naruto not to long ago. Pulling them out of her bag, she walked over to Sasuke to hand them to him. Without a single thank you for anything, he took his things and walked away leaving them standing there. Naruto was the first to bounce back quickly leaving saying something about ramen. Sakura soon followed claiming that she had some work that needed to be done. Hinata had nothing to do and didn't act like she did have something to do.
"If you are wondering if he has always been like this then your answer is a definite yes." Kakashi said from beside Hinata. She hadn't realized that he was there but he had answered her silent question at the least. "You should go home heiress surely your cousin is at least worried about you." Kakashi said in a lazy voice as she slouched against the wall. Hinata could detect some concern in it though. Hinata nodded bidding him a good bye before she left. As she walked, Hinata didn't notice a pair of dark eyes following her. Those dark eyes that held no anger that he had promised himself the girl would feel that he would he would inflict on her. She wasn't the same person as before when she was 12 she was different now but not completely. He needed to learn about this person. His little amount of knowledge on her didn't satisfy his curiously.
"Who are you Hyuuga Hinata to show such compassion for others?" Sasuke asked into the air before heading out to the Uchiha complex. He was the last Uchiha and owned them all. Though he didn't exactly want them he took them out of a matter of pride's sake. Opening the door to his house he grimaced at the dust. First he would clean then re-stock everything. The cleaning would take awhile and would let him stay away from the crowd while he was at it. Sakura still liked him that was obvious so he didn't doubt that he wouldn't have fan girls still. "Stupid girls." Sasuke muttered which led him to think of a certain white eyed girl that he also called stupid. She didn't like him that way though it was quite a relief. He didn't need girls except for the occasional one to warm his bed when he wanted which was a rare occasion and not many girls saw it.
Entering the Hyuuga compound Hinata was pelted by a hug from her younger sister Hanabi who look like she was close to tears.
"Hanabi-chan are you alright? Are you hurt?" Hinata asked worriedly as she wrapped her arms around the girl in return who was now sobbing softly into Hinata's chest.
"Nee-chan! I thought you were gone forever and now your back and oh nee-chan I am so happy to see you. Father was planning your funeral as if you were dead nee-chan." Hanabi cried. Her words turned Hinata cold inside. Her father was that ready to get rid of her and have her out of his life? Hinata knew her father was never one to show open compassion or love at that but she never thought him to be out right cruel like this.
"Shh Hanabi-chan I am fine ne? And I'm not going anywhere I promise." Hinata said trying to comfort her little sister so she wouldn't cry anymore. Hinata hated to see people cry it was heart breaking. Hanabi nodded pulling away from her older sister with reluctance. At 14 Hanabi was already a chuunin like her 19 year old sister. It didn't bother Hinata like it might other people in fact she was proud to know her little sister was skilled but she was hoping to change the ranks soon. After all the jounin test was soon and Hanabi couldn't take it because she had barely become a chuunin though Hanabi wouldn't have taken it anyway. She didn't want to be a jounin at the moment. She just wanted to be a teenager and have some fun before her life was sucked away by the Hyuuga clan like her sisters was sure to be.
"I'm going inside to take a hot bath before dinner. I'll see you then Hanabi-chan. Hinata told the girl before she headed into their house. Neji was inside waiting for her. He gave her a small smile before heading off in his own direction. He was glad she was back as well even though it had been him that had gone and found her. Hinata didn't see her father any where. Though it hurt her slightly that he didn't want to see her after she had been gone so long. She shrugged it off telling herself that she would rather have a bath before seeing her father in the first place. Little did she knew that her father was actually in his office trying to figure a way to keep his little girl out of the fate the elders had now pushed upon her. After her being 'kidnapped' or 'lost' they realized that they needed another heir before Hiashi died and were now demanding, after finding out that Hinata was perfectly safe, that she find a husband before she turned 20 which was only 4 short weeks away and she needed to produce another heir before she was 25. If she did not choose a suitable husband before her 20th birthday then the elders would choose one of Hinata's suitors or worse the best possible Hyuuga around her age to give a strong bloodline which was Neji. He didn't want to do that to his daughter or his nephew and tonight at dinner he had to tell them. He just hoped that she wouldn't hate him for this. Neji had hated him before he figured he could get through that but if his daughter hated him….He couldn't.
Hinata sunk into the warm water of her bath and sighed softly to herself. It felt so good to be able to take a bath again. She hadn't been able to because she was almost constantly watching Sasuke and making sure he lived. Hinata's mind wondered as to why she had tried so hard to save Sasuke. He really wasn't anything special to her. He was Naruto and Sakura's friend. Maybe that was why she did it. For the two of them, to make them happy and to see them smile like they used to when Sasuke was around all the time. True they weren't just depressed blobs all the time but sometimes they both just had this kind of look on their faces and everyone knew that they were thinking of their old team mate. The traitor as some called him.
"I bet he gets tired of being called that gets tired of being hated. I wonder if he is secretly sad that most people hate him." Hinata pondered to herself. He was handsome though and girls would be falling at his feet again in no time. Hinata snickered to herself that was something she always enjoyed seeing. The infamous Uchiha Sasuke running from a pack of wild female fans. It was always amusing to her. Though now he could glare and they'd probably stop dead in their tracks filled with fright. He was scary when he glared she'd give him that. It was like all the hate and coldness was in his eyes and you were the sole reason for it. Though, it didn't faze Hinata anymore really. She had seen that very same glare for seven days straight after awhile it wasn't so scary anymore. In fact sometimes it was similar to a puppy trying to bark like a dog though Hinata wasn't going to tell Sasuke this. Not anytime soon that his. Maybe if he pissed her off enough. 'I wonder if Sasuke can cook.' Hinata thought suddenly. 'He has been on his own so often he might be able to unless he always bought it. But does he have any money to buy food now? I wonder….'
Sasuke sat in his now clean floor listening to his stomach growl. He wasn't ready to leave the confides of his home just yet not even for food. The cleaning hadn't taken as long as he thought because apparently he whipped through it in less that two hours and now he was hungry, hungry and bored. His stomach growled again. Scratch that he was very hungry and bored. Standing up he put on his shoes sighed he was to hungry to just sit there and starve himself. Opening his door he stopped. The Hyuuga was there fist raised getting ready to knock and in her hand looked to be a bento box which smelled delicious.
"Sasuke-san I didn't know if you had any money and I figured you were hungry so I made you this." Hinata said handing him the bento. She looked better now having took a bath. Which it appeared that she had just done before her hair was wet handing down around her face and it wasn't raining yet, though the dark clouds threatened the rain so Sasuke new it had been a bath. Opening the lid of the bento he peaked in. The first thing he saw was dango balls that didn't look sweet thankfully, rice balls and some curry with what looked like tomato. His mouth watered slightly.
"Arigato, I was hungry." Sasuke said in a passive voice. Hinata smiled a little at him glad that he didn't out right reject the food like she feared he might. Turning she walked off towards the Hyuuga manor. She needed to make it home to dinner herself. Sasuke closed his door and went into the kitchen. It was hard to not just open the bento box and begin eating on the way there. The food smelled delicious and Sasuke had an eerie feeling that the Hyuuga girl was more than likely good at cooking. She seemed like the motherly type who could cook sew clean and stuff like that. The kind that the kids would run to in tears when they were hurt and she'd make it better by smiling at them. Like his mother had been… Sitting down he opened the bento fully. There was also two small egg rolls tucked away by the curry. It all looked home made and good. Picking up some chop sticks she had also added in the package he began to eat slowly. His eyes widened a fraction.
He hadn't prepared for the flavor that rushed into his mouth. He had been right about her being a good cook. Sasuke ate everything in the bento after that first bite in under 6 minutes. He could have told Hinata he had more than enough money to buy his own food and he didn't need her charity but he knew that would have crushed her and now he was very glad that he hadn't. He would have missed out on some good food. If he saw her again he would mentally tell her how good the food had been for Sasuke Uchiha didn't give out compliments ever. Not unless they really deserved it which hinata probably did but he would never admit that not even to himself. His nasty little voice in his head however did admit it over and over again for him to hear.
Hinata sat at the dinner table very uncomfortable at the way everyone was silently picking at their food including Hanabi. Usually she was quite the little chatter box and stuffing her face in between stories she told. It would be about now that her father would sigh and tell Hanabi to be quite but she never listened and her father never repeated himself just sighed to himself looking up as if the heavens had cursed him with a chatty daughter. None of that happened tonight though. They were all quiet. Neji was silently glaring at the table. Hiashi had informed him earlier then Hanabi later so it wouldn't be three shocked people staring at him it would just be hinata his sweet understanding compassion filled daughter Hinata. He just prayed that she would show some of her compassion and understanding when he told her.
"Hinata, my daughter there…is something we need to talk about." Hiashi said. Hinata gulped praying he wasn't about to strip her of her heiress title. She didn't exactly want it but what a shame that would be! Slowly Hiashi began to explain her what the elders had said. Hinata sat there listening intently the entire time. Tears brimmed in her opal eyes but they never fell. She was keeping them back not wanting to cry in front of them she would be strong and except it. It was her destiny as the heiress of the Hyuuga clan. Both Hiashi and Neji were worried that she wasn't saying anything. Was she going to suddenly do something like attack him? He didn't know.
"So that's that then father?" Hinata asked her head down as he finished talking. They were all watching Hinata carefully now trying to predict what she would do. None of them were ready for what she would do.
"Yes, daughter that is it the elders have ruled it against my wishes and I can't stop it." Hiashi said wishing that he could. Hinata sighed and nodded as she stood up.
"Well then it would seem that I have 29 days to find a suitable husband. I shall search hard father and not let you down." Hinata said her eyes closed as she force a smile on her face. Turning she walked away leaving them all in a state of shock. Had she really just done that calmly? No reaction at all but to please her father?
"Do you think that she will be alright?" Hanabi asked the two of them. Neither Hiashi or Neji said anything for neither of them had a clue. Once in her room Hinata threw herself down on her bed letting her sobs wrack her body. She didn't want to get married! Even if she did find someone who would take her they most likely wouldn't be wed out of love. IT would most likely be a marriage of convenience. Hinata heard a knock on her door and Neji's voice calling her. Hinata sat up quickly. She didn't want to see him or talk to him. She didn't want to see anyone. Throwing her window open, she hopped out ignoring the rain, as she ran blindly not knowing where she was going. Neji opened her door hearing movement and sighed walking over to her window to close it. He could easily catch up with her but for now he would give her the space that she clearly wanted to have.
Sasuke was out training in the rain. Orochimaru had taught him that if he could train in all types of weather he could fight anywhere and in all types of where. With a bang of lightning, he hit a tree near by making it fall to the ground with a crash. A couple of yards away he heard someone. In the blink of an eye, he was gone up in a tree watching the person. He was mildly surprised to see Hinata there and she appeared to be crying a lot. Sasuke silently debated on getting out of the tree and walking over to her or not. Growling to himself he slowly slid out of the tree and walked over to the sobbing Hyuuga girl. For some reason he felt like he was going to regret this action.
"Hyuuga-san what are you doing out here?" Sasuke asked coldly making the Hinata whip around in gentle fist style ready to fight. Seeing it was Sasuke she put her hands down.
"Oh, its just you Sasuke-san." She said wiping her tears away so Sasuke wouldn't see them. Though he already had. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he looked at her. He couldn't comfort people worth shit but he would make her forget temporarily what she was sad about.
"You put your hands down as if I am not the enemy." Sasuke said circling the girl slowly pulling out his long sword. Hinata narrowed her eyes at him moving back into the gentle fist style.
"Are you the enemy Uchiha-san?" Hinata asked almost tauntingly as she moved with his circle. She didn't know what he was playing at but if he really intended to kill her she wouldn't go down without a fight. Sasuke smirked at her stopping.
"Yes Hyuuga I am the enemy." He called disappearing. His smirk only widened at her surprise before she whispered Byakugan.
"Some enemy to run away from the fight Uchiha-san. I believe that is called being a coward." Hinata called looking around as she tried to find him. She spotted him easily but acted like she couldn't trying to fool him. Sasuke glared at the girl. How dare she call him a coward! She couldn't even find him her Byakugan was so weak! "Oh don't be a chicken Sasuke-kun don't run from me like you do your fan girls Sasuke-kun." Hinata said goading him. She didn't know if it would work. Sasuke glared at the girl grinding his jaw. Usually taunting wouldn't get to him but she was so much weaker than him! How dare she. Without a second though Sasuke launched at her tossing four shuriken out. Hinata smiled seeing him from behind her. Turning around she dodged each shuriken her hands charged with chakra ready to strike him. Sasuke was taken a back when she turned around. She had successfully fooled him. She wouldn't get the better of him though.
"You are clever Hyuuga." Sasuke said his sharigan illuminating his eyes in the rain as he stopped in front of her. He knew that she wasn't the close range type of battle he could face easily. The Hyuuga style was a mystery to him because he couldn't copy it. Hinata grinned a little.
"I could say the same for you but you under estimated me which you should never do." She told him. Sasuke nodded before throwing his sword away.
"How about we spar regular then eh? No bloodline limits and no weapons." He suggested his onyx eyes returning as he looked at her. Hinata slowly considered it. It was worth it. She knew she wouldn't win but this was a great opportunity especially right before the jounin exams. She also realized what he was doing and was grateful for it. In his own way Sasuke Uchiha was being considerate and nice.
"Alright then." Hinata said deactivating her Byakugan and dispersing the chakra in her hands. "We shall fight." She added. Sasuke smirked.
"No blink." He muttered before he was at her striking out in vulnerable places. Having trained with Neji and Ten-Ten for so long Hinata was used to speed but Sasuke made her eyes work faster as she blocked him. She couldn't always though and a few blows landed. Hinata double over as one caught her in the stomach. She was expecting more but Sasuke pulled away.
"Why aren't you hitting me Hyuuga?" Sasuke asked her as if he were her sensei. Hinata coughed muttering something about him being to strong and fast. Bending down to her level Hinata looked up at Sasuke. "You are fast Hinata as well as strong but you could be better." Sasuke told her his eyes narrowed. Hinata pulled herself up slowly looking him straight in the eye.
"How?" She asked him clueless. "The jounin exams are coming up soon and I am not even strong enough to hit you once." She told him sitting back on the ground. Sasuke smirked a little and sat cross legged on the ground.
"My skills are above that of a jounin rank Hinata-san. You are a chuunin it's natural that you can't fight me evenly." He told her as he watched her. Hinata looked up at Sasuke an idea slowly spreading across her face in the form of a smile that Sasuke immediately distrusted.
"Are you sure of that Sasuke-san? Are you sure you're above a jounin in rank?" She asked him. It wasn't sarcastic or rude it was a simple question. Sasuke nodded in response. "Then. Train me." Hinata said determination spreading across her face. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
" I have no time to train you and what's more what would I get out of it? Satisfaction that I am doing some good? I doubt it." Sasuke said coldly. Hinata shook her head not the slightest bit hurt. She had expected out right rejection and her brain was working fast.
"If you train me the time will pass by more quickly. It will give you a reason to do something more than just sit around plus it will be like light training for you." Hinata tempted him. Sasuke regarded her carefully. She had a point it would make the time go by faster. Hinata frowned slightly as Sasuke showed no sigh of expecting. "I'll throw in meals. I'll cook for you." Hinata added. Sasuke's head snapped up as he looked at her.
"Done. I will train you. Meet me at my house at 6 we'll eat and then we will train." Sasuke said as he began to walk away. "Do not be late." He added. Hinata grinned widely. She would definitely make jounin now with Sasuke training her.
"Thank you Sasuke-san!" She called to him before heading off to the Hyuuga compound. Her thoughts far away from finding a husband. She didn't even notice the blue eyes that darkened as they watched. Sasuke was going to train her? He showed no interest in being around his true friends like him and Sakura but he would freely be around Hinata for what seemed to be most of the day. Why? Blue eyes started to turn red in agitation. He didn't understand any of it! Why was Sasuke being like this!?!?!?
I hope everyone likes it! I would appreciate reviews they make me want to jump up and post more chapters lol. Yes I am taking things slow between the two of them. They won't just BANG fall in love. I doubt it would happen like that for Sasuke and I'm trying not to be to OOC here. Review please ^^ ~ Cyanidation