Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and its characters. M rated scenes and proofreading credits goes to Shirahane Aikawa, thanks a lot to her help and kindly read her stories here in this site as well.
Chapter XLIII
Naruto can feel the tension in the air between Sasuke and Shin after reuniting to go on a joint mission together a week before. Both men are not letting their guard down in the presence of the other and Naruto knows that if he isn't present in between these two men they could be fighting to death against each other again.
Deciding to ease some tension in their little group, Naruto suddenly asked a question that earned him a sharp glare from Shin. "Your sister Rin how old is she?"
"15"
Sasuke gathers his sword that is lying on the ground beside him and tied it securely in his obi hidden by his poncho and leaves the two men to their conversation.
"Hey teme where are you going?" Naruto called from behind.
Sasuke simply ignores Naruto's question and continue walking away. He still doesn't trust Shin completely despite expressing his desire to help them rescue Hinata and showing them that he can be trusted again when they encountered Toneri's men by helping defeat them. Which is why he wanted to stay away from him as much as possible before his rage again take over and make him kill the bastard. The only reason he is gambling to trust Shin again is due to the fact that he's the only one who can lead them to Toneri's place.
"Sasuke that bastard he still doesn't trust you…" Naruto said to Shin who's sitting down by the tree.
"I know."
"Don't worry once we rescue Hinata and your sister he will-"
"I don't really care if he trusts me or not I just want my sister out of that prison once I got her to safety we're going." Shin said sharply.
"I don't believe you." Naruto said after a few seconds of silence as the light of the campfire reflects on his blue eyes.
"What?" Shin asked not really understanding what the orange Hokage was saying.
Dragging his feet to the snow covered road listening to the sounds his feet are making in contact with the snow to calm his mind, he sensed a familiar chakra that can only belong to one person, the person he's been longing to see and hold in his arms again for more than a month now…his wife Hinata.
"Whatever…" Shin said looking away a slight tint of blush grace his cheeks. "The hell's this guy saying to a guy?" he thought as he couldn't help but to blush.
"I like you Shin…" Naruto said making Shin look at him (his eyes blinking in rapid speed while looking up at the blond man.
"HUH?" Shin could only utter.
Realizing his mistake Naruto desperately try to rephrase his words, "I-I mean well we're friends and I don't care if you were with that Toneri I mean you're here now… you're fighting alongside us…"
Shin knotted his forehead, "I told you I'm-…"
"Yeah I know you said that you're only doing this for your sister but…I know deep within your heart you're grown to like us…to like Hinata and treat us as your friends…after all friends do help each other in times of need. Shin believe it or not we're here as your friends and you feel it too..."
Both boys look at each other, Shin was looking like considering every word he's saying Naruto is hoping that he could get inside his head (hoping to get Shin to open up to him)
"So? What do you think…"
"I still think you're annoying…"
Naruto twitched, "WHAT?!"
Shin look away from the blonde's view but this time he has a smile on his face.
"Where do you think Sasuke went?" Naruto asked looking at the burning firewood in front of him.
Shin grunted and crossed his arms in front of him thinking how Rin is doing now at the castle. He's worrying that Toneri has finally discovered his betrayal and put his anger and frustration towards his younger sister.
Naruto sighs thinking.
"Why am I stuck up with two cold guys?"
Shin stood up feeling the strange but familiar chakra close by and smiled.
"Hey you're smiling!" Naruto noticed it making him redder.
"Shut up I'm not." Shin reverting back from his cold demeanour to hide his embarrassment.
"YOU TOTALLY DID!"
"I told you to shut up." Shin said as he threw some snow to Naruto's face (in annoyance and for getting caught smiling. "Idiot…"
"Ouch that hurts ya know!"
Sasuke slowly went to where he can sense the chakra is coming from in full alert his sharingan tomoe swirling rapidly to sense for any traps or if he is in some kind of genjutsu tricking his mind but felt nothing of the sort. Reaching the place where he can sense the chakra coming from with his hand at the hilt of his katana ready to attack any surprise attackers if this is some sort of trap and stalked slowly down the bank of the frozen river.
Closing in he felt his heart beating rapidly against his chest, excitement and anticipation rising as he steps closer. As he neared towards her he saw her back facing him and noticed that her hair had grown longer from the last time he saw her, she's wearing a black overcoat over her visible dark navy blue leggings and black ninja sandals.
Hinata can feel him stepping closer towards her despite his subtle approach. Turning around to see him again after a long time, she smiled blushing faintly taking in his new look before her.
"Sasuke-kun." She called to him, her voice a mix of sadness and joy, sadness that this could be the last time they will meet again and happiness in seeing her husband she'd been longing to see since her abduction.
He wanted to call her name and tell her how much he'd been longing for her, how empty he was since she'd been gone but with overflowing emotions coursing through him the words are stuck in his throat. Seeing her again after a month is surreal for him like he's in a dream he would never want to wake from again.
Sasuke stopped walking and took in the sight of his wife in front of him memorizing it with his sharingan. Hinata's glowing face with a faint blush that grazes her cheeks, the light lavender kimono style blouse that fits her body perfectly, navy blue sash wrapped around her neck and the purple obi around her waist that covers her still not showing belly.
"Hinata..."
"Sasu ke-kun!" Both of them misses and longed each other dearly it's been so long since they last saw each other Sasuke wanted to touch her face to hug her to kiss her. He did not hesitate to run to her but…something is blocking their way…
"I-I can't cross…" Hinata said realizing the problem Sasuke activated his sharingan once more there he saw the problem a massive chakra wall like ice standing on their way.
"DAMN IT!" Sasuke cursed in frustration punching the indestructible wall keeping them apart. "Hinata is here Hinata is just here! GOD DAMN IT!"
"Sasuke-kun…its fine…at least we are able to see each other." Hinata said with a warm smile in her face she was really glad to see Sasuke after such a long time and even if this is just a momentary meeting where they can't touch she's satisfied. She knows that Sasuke, Naruto and their friends will be able to find a way to save her.
"I miss you Hinata." Sasuke said his voice hoarse from stopping himself from crying.
"And I you…" Hinata said putting her hand in between the barrier while Sasuke did the same thing. They look at each other for a while they didn't have to say anything as they know what each other was thinking without putting those thoughts into words.
"Sasuke-kun…" both of them lean in to each other kissing one another from in between the invisible barrier that separates them.
"I love you…"
"We should take the mountain pathway it is the shortest but dangerous path." Shin said pointing at the direction of the steep mountains beyond the territory of the Snow country.
Naruto cracked his fingers and wrapped the scarf his late mother knitted for him around his neck securely, "Yosh! Let's go rescue Hinata-chan and Rin."
Sasuke walked ahead of them determined to rescue Hinata as soon as possible and inflict pain and slow death to Otsutsuki Toneri.
Hidden Leaf Village Conference Room
The five kage's of the great shinobi villages are having a video conference to discuss about Toneri's men constant attacks that are simultaneously occurring in all the villages, Hidden Leaf's Rehabilitation and Naruto and Sasuke's missing nin status and constant whereabouts.
"They are causing a mess in almost all villages, they even dare attack my own village!" The mizukage Mei Terumi said in anger, she's angry to the fact that this is like the war starting again.
"That is why we are all on alert in case Toneri have another trick under his sleeve, ready to take on us unexpectedly. How is your village coping up with the recent destruction it received?" The tsuchikage Onoki said running his hand through his beard.
Kakashi's calm voice echoed throughout the empty conference room, "We are adjusting to the destruction as we speak, it something our people have grown accustomed to."
"Hmmm, some of my men reported that Naruto and Uchiha are last spotted in the outskirts of snow country joined by another raven haired man." The deep proud voice of raikage A said.
Gaara listened intently on this information, since the news of, Hinata's abduction and Naruto and Sasuke leaving the village to save Hinata reached him, he wanted nothing but to join the two men in their personal mission. But with the threat at hand and his responsibility as a kage leaving his responsibilities behind to help his friends is not an option.
"Kazekage, why aren't you saying anything?" Onoki asked nearing his face to the camera in his own conference room.
"My village is my concern although I am worrying for my friends as well." He said in his usual cold demeanor. Gaara may not admit it but he actually despises meetings like this for there are a lot of things to be done rather than sitting in his conference room exchanging opinion with the other kages.
Kakashi removes his fists under his chin, "I believe we have discussed everything in this meeting. I'll be contacting you again in case my ninja gathers more information. Kakashi out."
The rest of the kages followed.
The strong cold blistering winds and zero visibility while climbing the first mountain with only Naruto's kyuubi chakra mode the only source of light and warmth is troubling the three shinobis travelling. Despite Kurama's strong and warm chakra the strong blizzard the mountain is experiencing makes it hard for Naruto to share Kurama's chakra with Sasuke and Shin leaving the two to rely only on their experience in navigating such storm.
Naruto stopped in his tracks when he felt the ground shaking beneath him. "Can you feel it? The ground is shaking!"
"Damn it dobe, you didn't have to scream it out loud." Sasuke snarled and felt the ground shook more violent than before.
"We should return back or we'll be caught in an avalanche." Shin said calmly but he's really worrying that an avalanche is already on their way, not that the can see it in this weather despite having the most powerful dojutsus.
"Not bad, what do you say Sasuke?"
Before Sasuke can give his answer, a rumbling falling sound that is fast approaching them vibrated through their ears making them run fast down to the base of the mountain. As they were running for their lives, the sound becomes louder signaling it nearing them.
"This is hopeless we should just brace ourselves with the upcoming avalanche." Shin suggested to both Sasuke and Naruto.
Without much of a choice left they just braced themselves with the onslaught of snow approaching them, completely covering their whole body with snow.
Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites and to those reading SH. Sasuhina Month coming up and advance Happy Sasuhina Month to all, I am planning to write and post a one-shot Sasuhina story depending on my mood because my life more specifically my love life is in a whirlwind right now confusing and frustrating me to no end so we'll see where my mood goes and if I could come up with a story.