Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it's characters, or any aspect of it. It all belongs to Masashi Kishimoto
The Beauty of Power
Chapter 9
Sasuke did not grab Hinata's hand when she reached for his, instead he grabbed her wrist, and pulled her to her feet.
"Thank you, Sasuke-san." Hinata smiled at him, warmly. "B-but, how did yo-" The Uchiha heir cut her off.
"How dare you allow yourself to be pushed to the ground?" Sasuke hissed. "What kind of Hyuuga are you?" The Hyuuga heiress looked at him, stunned, but the Uchiha heir continued on.
"You should make these leeches know who is in power." The Uchiha heir averted his gaze from the Hyuuga heiress to a man who was holding a bag of rice, and he trembled at the sight of Sasuke. He gazed upon the Uchiha heir, dismayed, Sasuke walked up to the man, and the man's face lost color.
"You there, tell me how did you get all the way over there?" The voice of the Uchiha heir was dark, and cold.
"I-I-" The man began to stammer, Sasuke gave him a displeased look, and he flickered his katana towards his throat. Instantly, the man dropped to his knees, and he held up his hands in a pleading manner. "P-please, d-don't k-kill me."
"You didn't answer my question." Sasuke exasperated. "Now stop evading it."
"I-I w-was the f-first one i-in front of the c-crowd and... and…" His voice trailed off.
"And you would have to push past her to get over here." Sasuke beckoned to Hinata, a terrified look was on her face, and she stared between the two men. "Am I correct?"
"Y-yes, you are." The man said, reluctantly. "b-but, I am so sorry."
"Hmph." The Uchiha heir grunted. "Apologies are empty." At that moment, Sasuke's leg was grabbed by Akamaru, and Kiba, Ino, and Shikamaru appeared next to him with their kunais pointed at his throat. Sakura appeared in front of the man with her arms outstretched on both sides, defending the civilian.
"Sasuke, stop!" Sakura shouted. The Uchiha's red eyes bore into her green ones, and he smirked at her.
"Or what?" Sasuke taunted.
"Or we will have to attack you and once again you will become our enemy." The pink haired kunoichi threatened. There was an unnerving silence exchanged between everyone, and Hinata rested her hand on the hilt of his katana.
"Hinata, stay back!" Kiba warned.
"Sasuke-san, p-please put your k-katana down." Hinata asked, gently. Sasuke's eyes narrowed at her, and he looked at her hand.
Who did she think she was? He could easily strike her down where she stood.
"Please." Hinata repeated.
"Hmph." The Uchiha heir withdrew his katana, there was a sigh of relief from the shinobi, but he caught sight of the baffled look on their faces.
He had listened to someone for once in his life. Normally, when people spoke to Sasuke, it was all just mindless chit-chat that he let float on by without giving it a second thought. However, when Hinata spoke to him, he found himself quite the opposite with her. He was attentive to everything that she said
She was definitely ruining him.
"You are a fool." Sasuke grimaced. He turned on his heels, walking towards the crowd, and the civilians parted away from him. The Uchiha heir leaned up against a building, and his face had an unfathomable expression on it.
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Hinata tried to ignore the stares that she was getting from her teammates, and she bit her lip. She walked over to the trembling young man, holding out her hand, and he watched her.
"I am so sorry to have him f-frighten you." Hinata apologized. "Please help yourself to the f-food we have brought." The young man nodded at her, taking her hand and he got up.
"Thank you, everyone from saving me from that demon."
"It is no problem, now, let's continue giving out the food." Ino proposed.
"Right." Sakura agreed.
"Okay!" Kiba shouted. "We want all the men in one line, women in another, and children in another line." The presence of the Uchiha heir was a perfect way to make the crowd submit, the mass began to disperse themselves into the three lines, and Hinata started to hand out the food.
"So, Hinata." Kiba began. "How did you do it?"
"Do what?" Hinata asked, curiously. She knew what the question was regarding to, and Hinata really didn't know how to answer it.
Why did Sasuke listen to her? Why did he help her when she was pushed to the ground?
The Hyuuga heiress knew that if it were not for them protecting the villager, he would have struck him down.
Did it really bother him that she was being treated that way?
She knew that the inhabitants didn't mean to act so aggressively, who knows how long it had been since they had caught sight of any kind of food. On the other hand, Hinata recognized that didn't matter the reason to the Uchiha heir, and the only way that he saw it was that she was being pushed around.
So if it did bother him, had she pierced that cold exterior of his? The truth was that she had.
There were several instances where this truth had revealed itself. Reflecting back on the festival, Sasuke had dragged her to the front of the spectators so that she could get a better view of the shamisen players. She had learned what his favorite food was, and she had fell asleep on him. If this was not enough evidence of it, then Hinata didn't know what would be.
"Do what?"
"Get the Uchiha to lower his katana." Kiba stated. "I heard that was something that even Naruto couldn't even do."
"I don't know, but I-I was just didn't want anyone to get hurt."
"Yeah, especially in front of all these people, it is something that children should not see." Kiba sighed. "Thank you, we all owe you one."
"Oh no, d-don't think that." The Hyuuga heiress shook her head, and she chuckled at him, softly. "You are my f-friends, we are supposed to help each other."
"Tell me." Kiba began as his face turned serious. "Do you consider Sasuke to be your friend?"
"what?" Hinata asked, shocked.
"Was that why you stepped in to stop all of us?" Kiba pressed on further. Hinata nodded at him, hanging out bag of vegetables to a little girl, and Kiba sighed. "I know you do."
"You do?"
"I know you." Kiba grinned at her.
"Are you okay, Hinata?" Ino asked, curiously. "I saw that you got pushed down."
"I am fine." The Hyuuga heiress lied. The truth was that she had a sharp pain in her shoulder from where she hit the ground, and Hinata figured that a bruise would probably be there. Nonetheless, Hinata admitted that she was elated when Sasuke stepped in to help her. She felt as if she was drowning in the mass of villagers.
"The crowd got out of control quick." Ino exhaled. "We were not anticipating that."
"Let's make sure that doesn't happen again, it was quite a nuisance." Shikamaru informed. "And you do realize that when we held the kunai to Sasuke's throat, it wouldn't have changed the outcome of anything."
"I had Akamaru holding him down." Kiba objected. Akamaru barked in agreement, and Shikamaru looked at him, flatly.
"Be as that may be, his strength alone outnumbers us." Shikamaru stated, coolly. "Have you not heard of some of the people he took down before the Fourth Shinobi War?"
Hinata knew that there was some validity in Shikamaru's statement which is why she intercepted between their quarrel. However, the Hyuuga heiress wasn't quite sure if he would have cut her friends down. Not if she would have asked him not to. No, Hinata was not afraid of the man that the hoi polloi called a demon, a traitor, or a murderer. Maybe at first she may had been, but the recent interactions with him had allowed that fear to melt away.
Of course, this would be silly to some. They would say that she would need to keep her guard up, that he was a master of manipulation, a sociopath, but she couldn't bring herself to think of him in that way.
"Yeah, we have." After the food was rationed out, Gakukoru walked up to them, and he smiled.
"Thank you for all of your help."
"No problem." Hinata returned the same kind expression. "It is what w-we are supposed to d-do."
"Well, it is getting late for you shinobi to head back." Gakukoru observed. "Why don't you all stay at my home?"
"Hee?" Sakura asked, surprised. "Really?"
"Of course, you all have given us food, it is the least that we could do." Gakukoru offered. "There is enough room at my estate."
"Thank you for your hospitality." Ino smiled at him.
"It is no problem." The village head started to walk down the street, and Hinata looked over at Sasuke.
Where would he sleep tonight? Would it be out in the open?
"I_I will catch up with you guys." The Hyuuga heiress strolled over to the Uchiha heir, and she saw him pursue his lips.
"what do you want, Hyuuga?' The Uchiha heir growled.
"Do you have s-somewhere to sleep tonight, Sasuke-san?"
"That is none of your concern." Hinata observed at him, quietly as she searched his face for an answer, and the Uchiha heir scowled. "They have a hotel here."
"Okay as long as it is somewhere warm."
"Your hurt aren't you?"
"what?" Hinata asked, baffled.
"Your façade doesn't work on me." Sasuke informed. "And judging by that reaction you gave me, it would appear that I was correct, so where is it." The Hyuuga heiress held up her hands, and she kept her usual gentle visage.
"I-I have to go, Sasuke-san." Hinata urged. "don't worry a-about it."
"Who said that I was worried about you?" The Uchiha heir hissed, icily. Hinata nodded at him, and she turned around to catch up with the others.
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Was he worried about her? Hell, no.
The only reason why he was concerned about her being hurt would be to make sure that it wouldn't mess up her ability to fight against him. Furthermore, it annoyed him how she so gracious giving out the food to those who would have trampled over her to get it.
What was wrong with her?
The sun was beginning to set, the sky turned a vibrant array of different colors, and Sasuke rolled his eyes. He made his way to a hotel, the hotel was small, and a man looked at him, shocked when he entered.
"I would like a room for tonight."
"This is not a place for demons." The man said, boldly.
"I would assume that you saw me threaten your neighbor right?" Sasuke asked, curtly. The man gasped to himself, and he pulled put a pair of keys from underneath the counter.
"Here, please take these, it will be free of charge for your room tonight." He explained. "This room is keys to room 45."
"I see you still have your wits about you." The Uchiha heir sneered as he grabbed the keys. "And do you all offer room service."
"Yes, we do." The man murmured in compliance. "Your dinner will be up soon."
"Hmph, good." Sasuke made his way towards the room, it had been the smallest one that he had been in, and there wasn't much to it. However, the Uchiha heir didn't really mind, and he sat down on the bed. Sasuke started to hear voices outside of his door, and he started to recognize one of the voices belonged to sakura. The Uchiha heir opened up the door, seeing sakura come down the hallway, and he leaned against the frame.
"You and I need to talk." Sasuke didn't answer her, a clear expression of apathy on his face, and Sakura crossed her arms.
"Why are you here?" Sakura asked, curiously
"I can go wherever I please, I am free from confines."
"Yes, that is true, but why are you specifically here, how did you know we were going to be here?"
"I didn't it was mere coincidence." Sakura nodded as if she was taking a mental note, and the Uchiha heir crossed his arms. "But, that isn't the real reason why you are here is it?"
"Ho-" Sasuke cut her off.
"You are so easy to read." The Uchiha heir groaned in annoyance. "Get on with the real question as to why you are here."
"Why did you step in and help out Hinata?"
"Help?"' The Uchiha heir scoffed. "Do you honestly think that I helped her out of some form of benevolence?"
"That is what it looked like." Sakura smiled at him, the Uchiha heir didn't like the gleam in her eyes, and his eyes narrowed.
"It wasn't, I can assure you." Sasuke hissed through gritted teeth.
"Then why?"
"Pity."
"Pity?" Sakura looked at him, perplexed. "You helped her out of pity?"
"Yes, all of my actions that you may have misconstrued as a form of aid was out of pity." The Uchiha heir explained. "This includes me lowering my katana." Sakura's cheeks grew hot in embarrassment, and Sasuke smirked at her. "You have come to the realization haven't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about." The pink haired kunoichi balled up her fist, and she scowled at him.
"Come on, Sakura, you have come to the realization that what you thought may have been a slight change in me was nothing more than a misguided hope." The Uchiha heir interpreted. "You of all people should know that I do everything for my own gain, so you coming here was a waste of time." Sasuke went to slam the door shut, but not before he caught sight of Sakura.
"You should see yourself out, you know the way." The Uchiha heir slammed the door, it was none of her business as to why he did anything for the Hyuuga heiress. He lied to the Haruno, he couldn't let her know that there were completely opposite reasons behind his actions. No, he had an image to uphold, and Sasuke was not going to taint it.
-Several hours later-
The Uchiha heir was given the dinner, it was a bowl of jasmine rice, and a cup of water. He figured that it was probably not the new food that was just given out to them, but instead a part of leftovers. Sasuke didn't care, it served the purpose of fulfilling his hunger, and he took a few bites of it. Once he was finished, the Uchiha heir gathered his stuff, and he sauntered out of his room. Sasuke was not going to stay in the hotel if he was going to receive any more unexpected visits. The Uchiha heir walked through the streets, and he made his presence, inconspicuous. Tonight, he would be sleeping outside.
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The Hyuuga heiress sat in the room, Ino stretched out her limbs, and she collapsed on the bed like mat.
"It feels so nice to have a hot bath." Ino sighed. "And that was quite gracious for the head of the village to give us a place to stay." Ino had on a white kimono, and Sakura came out of the bathroom. She rubbed a towel through her hair, she had on a dark blue kimono, and Ino raised an eyebrow at her.
"You didn't take up the hot water for Hinata-chan did you?"
"No." Sakura said, quickly. "Hinata-san, the bathroom is ready for you."
"O-Oh, thank you, I will take a b-bath later."
"Okay, it is open for you whenever you decide to."
"Thank you, s-so much."
"Did you enjoy dinner, Hinata-chan?" Ino asked, inquisitively.
"Oh yes, it was very good." Hinata admitted. "The steamed dumplings were my favorite."
"I think they were everyone's favorite." Sakura chuckled. "But don't you find this place a little odd?"
"W-why do you say that, Sakura-san?" Hinata inquired.
"This estate is in the finest condition while the other buildings are so mundane." Sakura observed. "The village head shouldn't have a better home than the rest of the villagers, it should be the other way around."
"True, his food seemed exotic as well." Ino frowned to herself. "We will have to do more scouting in the morning."
"Agreed." Hinata assured.
"Well, I'm going to turn in." Ino yawned. "We have a full day ahead of us."
"I am too, don't stay up too late, Hinata-chan."
"I won't." Hinata watched Ino, and Sakura turn over into their mats, and she waited till she heard them drift off to sleep. The Hyuuga heiress got up, heading towards the bathroom, and she pulled down the sleeve of her jacket. A huge flower shaped bruise was bloomed on her shoulder, Hinata winced, slightly, and she sighed. The Hyuuga heiress expected the house to be quiet, but she heard light footsteps throughout the house. Hinata frowned to herself, she slid open her door, and she noticed a small light coming outside. The Hyuuga heiress made her way, quietly, through the estate, and she strolled out of the estate. However, the light had disappeared out of her sight, Hinata began to look around outside, but she caught sight of Sasuke.
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Sasuke saw the Hyuuga heiress, she seemed to be looking for something, and he approached her.
"What are you doing?" The Uchiha heir exasperated.
"I-I saw an light and was c-checking to see what it was."
"I see." Sasuke grabbed her shoulder, squeezing it, and Hinata let out a small yelp. "That is what I thought." He saw her hand go to her shoulder, reflexively, and she trembled.
"How did you know it was on my shoulder?"
"I knew by the way that you were positioned on the ground, it was the only plausible place that something like that would be."
"Oh."
"Does it hurt that much?" He saw her look at him, confused by the question, but the Uchiha heir didn't offer any kind of explanation for his question.
"Sasuke-san."
"Answer the question, Hyuuga." The Uchiha heir urged.
"A little." Hinata confessed.
"See, this is why you should have let me cut down that man." Sasuke reached up a hand, hesitantly, and a baffled expression spread across her face. His fingertips touched her silk hair, and Sasuke brushed a strand of it behind her ear.
What was he doing?
A rouge color spread across her face, the Uchiha heir's fingertips moved to her cheek, and they lingered there.
"I-Isn't this bothering you?" Hinata asked, breathlessly.
"No, but it should be." After a few moments, the sound of men chattering interrupted their moment, and Hinata pulled away from him.
"Did you hear that?"
"I did." The Uchiha heir confirmed.
"It sounds like Gakukoru, I am going to check it out." She began to walk away from Sasuke, but the Uchiha heir grabbed her wrist. Hinata turned around, and Sasuke stared at her, coolly.
"I am coming with you."
Please review the story, I would greatly appreciate it, and I hope you all enjoyed it as there will be more to come- FireGladiator.