- Pluck -
Part I
Chapter 4: Pride and Glory
The Guard, that day, was blessed with the presence of the Sun King. Not in the best of moods, mind you, but the Sun King, nonetheless. And Karin, despite herself, could not help the beads of sweat forming at the base of her neck. She liked to blame it on the heat — wherever His Grace roamed, sunlight and warmth was sure to follow — but, in the back of her mind, she knew she was nervous. Damn nervous.
Kings did not often come to visit the Guard — let alone her office. And she couldn't even pretend that this was out of congratulatory requirements. He was here because Sasuke screwed up — big time. And she . . . was in charge of him. Missions, days off, in-office days; she scheduled it all for him, and if he messed something up or didn't show up to something, it would be on her to fix it.
Yesterday, he nearly killed Hinata Hyuuga.
The girl the Sun King specifically requested to be protected.
And now he was here, strutting down the carpeted hallway, cape swaying behind him as he approached her. She stood, back straight, in front of her office's door. Hands behind her back so that her fingers could trace the wood of the door, she held her breath and prayed. Please, when this is all done with, let me still have my office. He can reprimand me and punish me all he likes, but don't let him kick me to the streets. Please!
Waves of heat washed over her, and when she looked up, blue eyes were just a bit away from her. Glittering. Oh, Gods, I'm screwed.
"Glad to see you're holding up well, Karin." He smiled at her, and her heart dropped. The man always smiled. She's heard stories where he sent men to their graves with a grin upon his face. Was that going to be her? Was the last thing she would ever see in this life going to be that damn smile? "I'm sure you've prepared him for me."
Trying to match his smile to hide the quiver in her lips, she bowed lower than she intended to before slipping to the side, hands moving to connect at her lap. "Of course, My Grace." Hopefully, he didn't hear the terror that vibrated in her throat. Peeking up at him beneath her lashes, she added, "I'll see to it that no one disturbs the two of you."
His smile widened, a flash of teeth winking at her between his lips. "I'll trust you will follow through exceptionally."
The door, itself, seemed too scared to make a noise, for it opened silently as he pushed down the bronze handle. He stepped in, cape fwapping behind him, and Karin snapped her head up to get the (probably) last glance of her gorgeous, amazing, brilliant, perfect office before the door shut in her face. The second the door clicked shut, footfalls raced from behind her.
"I am so glad I am not him right now," Suigetsu whispered, toothy grin not matching his words one bit as he leaned against the door, right ear pressed against the wood.
Behind her, a heavy sigh fell along her shoulders. "They've known each other all their lives," Juugo mentioned, tone small and quiet. Barely enough to encourage anyone. "He won't be too harsh. Right?"
It seemed both he and her shared the same fear — Sasuke being terminated from the team. Wiping a hand along the back of her neck, collecting any sweat she could find before cleaning it off with a handkerchief found in the breast pocket of her blazer, Karin leveled her breathing and tried to find her normal, nonchalant attitude. Sharpening her gaze, she bent towards Suigetsu, and hissed, "Move away from there. You can't eavesdrop on the Sun —"
"Shh, shh!" Suigetsu waved a hand at her face, causing her to blink and lose her glare. "It's getting good in there."
She locked eyes with Juugo, pondered, then joined Suigetsu against the door.
Screw it. I'm probably already losing my job. It can't get any worse!
...
Naruto was never a fan of this side of the role he played. The strict, dominating role that had to be obeyed. But he knew when it was required of him, and sadly, this was one of those times. Since he was young, he's been raised to act his role as Sun King perfectly and efficiently, and this meant bringing an iron fist to everything he fought to achieve. And right now, that was Hinata Hyuuga's safety.
Sasuke Uchiha had always done a splendid job in getting mixed up in the crosshairs and messing up the whole operation entirely. When they were young, it had been purposefully, if just to subtly kick him in the stomach every time he screwed up. With maturity, he'd grown out of his foolish ways — they both did. And it had been smooth sailing for a while.
But then it all changed. He stopped going to the therapy sessions the Guard made for him, and that angry son of a bitch Naruto had grown up with was back. Sitting right before him, actually. On the desk, with one leg perched on top while the other hung to the ground. Sasuke hated the sort who did that; who sat where they pleased, damn anyone who said otherwise.
Fucking hypocrite.
And now Naruto had to deal with him. And not in the fun way, where they'd go to one of the dojos in his palace and deck it out. Maturity also helped him find out that violence wasn't always the way to get to someone — though, dammit, it sure worked wonders with this bastard who had the nerve to look at him like he's done nothing wrong in his life. Worst thing about that — he probably believed it, too.
Cooling his face — which took miracles to do, usually — Naruto planted himself in front of Sasuke and inclined his head, motioning for him to stand, as well. Which he did — thank the sun and stars for that much! "So how should we go about this?" Naruto asked, brows raising with expectation. "Do you want me to prattle on about what you did and why it was wrong, or should we just get straight to the meat of it?" And of course, Sasuke stayed silent and kept his gaze hard and unwavering. Jackass. "Or we could stand here all day. Take your pick."
He didn't show it, but Naruto knew Sasuke was seething right about now.
"I know you came here with a script already planned out in your head," Sasuke muttered. "You've never been good at this, have you?"
Naruto had to shove his fists behind his cape — not so much to hide his anger, as his face was turning a grand red as they spoke — but rather to remind himself that giving the guy a black eye wouldn't be helping anyone. Well, maybe it would help himself, but that was besides the point. Shoulders falling, he turned away to round one of the chairs stationed in front of the desk.
"Fine." Another breath was left to burn in his lungs and incinerate any anger or irritation left behind, and when Naruto turned fully to Sasuke once more, he was the perfect image of a Sun King. Refined. Commanding. "Did I not make myself clear when I said I didn't want a hair on her damaged?"
Sasuke didn't back away. He flourished in this sort of situation, really. Absolutely loved it. Naruto had always been secretly jealous of this side of him.
"You said nothing about clothes, I might add."
But more than that, he hated him for it.
"You tried to kill her." Swiping his hand along the back of the chair as he walked away, Naruto kept his gaze on Sasuke.
"Incorrect." He sounded bored. Naruto tried to tell himself it was just a facade. Pretending. Inside, Sasuke was probably sweating buckets. "That was never my intention."
"Then explain why you lunged at her. Twice. With your sword." He's heard the accounts made by witnesses. Tsunade's had been long and full of foul language, but it got the point across. Jiraiya's was detailed. To the second. He had even brought a piece of Hinata's singed shawl as proof that Sasuke had actually drawn his sword on her. Right. Not my intention, my ass! "While you're at it, also mention the fact that you trashed the place and held a sword at your partner's neck. In front of Hinata."
He reached the chair behind the desk and sat down, legs crossed and fingers folded at his chin. Sasuke faced the leftmost wall, not bothering to look him in the eye.
"I was reminding him the severity of his job."
"And if I recall correctly, you were the one who suggested this guy to me," Naruto said, voice dipping. "A guy who apparently needs to trash an entire public area and fight for his life to do his job correctly."
"I know what I did." He had the tone of a man about to snap, and Naruto knew he was treading shallow waters. "You don't often second guess my judgment."
The fact that he had the gall to say that out loud —
"Let me be clear, then, Sasuke." Slamming his hands on the mahogany desk, Naruto stood and towered. Though nothing escaped him, Sasuke did move to face him, and his chin was bowed slightly. "You had come to my office that day knowing damn well the importance of her safety. You knew the days Karin spent researching her whereabouts because of my orders. You knew the hassle I went through to have you serve as her bodyguard until I could properly find a replacement. You knew it all, and with that knowledge, you suggested to me a Guard who blatantly ignored his duty and had Hinata begging on her knees to be saved."
"I'm aware."
"I know you're damn aware, Sasuke!" He leaned over the desk, which creaked under his weight. "The problem is you're standing before me right now with not a single, fucking idea as to why there's a problem there. I hope I really don't have to spell it out to you, because that would make both of us shitty at knowing the people around us."
A pause. Sizzling and thick. Almost choking.
Sasuke watched him for a while, then, finally, dropped his gaze.
"Get to it, already."
Ever the impatient one. Not that Naruto was complaining. He had just spent the past five minutes venting, and they both knew that was getting them nowhere. "I just need to know one thing," he said. Pulling away from the desk, he straightened his shoulders and unclamped his fists, then looked Sasuke square in the eye. "Scaring her, almost hurting her, handing her off to him; do you regret any of it? Any at all?"
Because he knew Sasuke. When he messed up, he owned up to it. Took whatever consequences there were. That much, at least, was respectable on his part. And if Naruto could just know he felt at least a little bad about all that had transpired due to his negligence, maybe — maybe — he would be willing to work something out.
But that closed-off look in his eye sent Naruto back into reality. This wasn't the old Sasuke. Not anymore. This was the Guard, Sasuke. The Thor.
"I do not."
And Gods, he's heard, have trouble in taking accountability.
But despite the absolute despair cracking his heart in half, Naruto grinned, rounded the desk, and placed a hefty hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Great," he said, not meaning it at all. "Then I'll take great pleasure in making you regret everything."
And with a tilt to his chin, he spun on his heels and let his wings shoot out and encase the entire room in a white, blinding glow. The walls shuddered with every step he took, and when he stepped out into the hallway, he was vaguely aware of how cold it was outside of that small room.
"Always a pleasure, Karin." His gaze turned to a corner behind her left shoulder. "Likewise, Juugo." Almost sheepishly, the man peeked out, a nervous turn to his smile as he bowed. Naruto tilted his head to look around him. "And Suigetsu. Don't think I've forgotten about you. Heh. If I weren't in such a good mood, I'd burn you into the ground."
Flashing a smile back at Sasuke, who hadn't moved a muscle in the now shadowy office, Naruto sprung into the air and shot off to Sun 1, where he would spend his morning bent over paperwork, pondering and planning.
She hadn't been to the surface in two days.
And she was scared it was happening again. The sinking. Five months ago, when she had fled from Moon 2, that's when it started. When she had gotten to Ocean 11, she had immediately sunk to the bottom, and were it not for Suigetsu, she probably would have drowned — because no matter how she struggled, how she twisted and turned in those freezing, rough waters, she just couldn't swim. All she did was sink, and for two weeks, she couldn't get back to the surface. It was impossible. And in the corner of her home, alone and terrified, she conjured up the image of her cousin. Had she not, she would have gone insane. She was sure of it.
When the two weeks passed and Hinata could manage to the surface, she had told herself to never sink again, to never stay that long on the ocean's floor unless it was absolutely necessary.
Was it necessary now? Probably not.
And that's why she was scared.
She had to get back to the surface. If she didn't, that whole process could happen again, and she knew she couldn't handle it. Not mentally. Not alone. Neji was just her imagination. She needed real people — it was as important as breathing. Like Tsunade and Kakashi and Jiraiya and Naruto —
Oh, Naruto.
Her mind clutched at his memory, at his warmth and his laughter. She hadn't heard that wonderful noise in a while. Would she ever?
Don't think that way, Hinata. Of course you will.
But not now. She couldn't leave her house now. Couldn't go to the surface.
Because if she did, Sasuke and Suigetsu would be there and —
"You're thinking about it again." Phantom fingers brushed through her hair, not moving it at all, but reminding her that it was covering her face, and she quickly pushed it behind her ears. Neji pulled his arm away. "Remembering it won't help you," he told her in that same, airy voice that only made her hunger to go to the surface grow. "You have better things to remember than them."
He was right — she was right. Wasting her time on those frightening memories was doing her no good. She had better things to do . . . .
Well, not really.
The house was clean. The dishes were washed.
Every door and window was locked, and Hinata knew there wasn't a book in her home that would distract her enough. There was nothing to do, actually. Nothing but a heavy reminder as to why she had taken the job of Moon Witch in the first place. It gave her something to do and helped her be around people. It helped. They helped.
But she hadn't been there in two days, and she was too scared to go back.
There was a hole in the wall made by the blade of a lightning katana. Thinking of it, imagining its position in her mind's eye, she was sure that if she sat down in her normal chair at her normal table in her normal corner, it would be right behind her skull. Exactly. And even not looking at it would make her feel like she was about to die.
"How can I get things back to how they were before?" She hadn't really meant to ask Neji. She just wanted to talk out loud. Her vocal cords were sore, and she had almost forgotten what her own voice sounded like.
But he still answered. "You can't." He settled himself on the cushion across from her. She was beginning to understand her imagination — it was like he was more believable if he acted real. If he sat on cushions like he could feel it, or if he propped his elbow on the low table like it would do anything to support his nonexistent weight. Hinata wanted so desperately for him to be real, yet at the same time, she wanted him far away from that dinky house at the bottom of the ocean. "Things are too far away to go back to normal. You'd do well in adjusting to this new reality, Lady Hinata."
The real Neji always called her that.
She hated it when he did. It made him seem far away. Closed off. And that's why her imagination spoke that way. It made it more real.
That, and if he called her something else, she surely would cry.
"I want to go back to my corner," she told him. "I want to help people like I did. I want to drink their coffee and hear the talk of the room." Her gaze drifted to the front door, which stood still and sturdy against the current. "I want to pretend I have a chance to get back to Moon again."
Neji's frown caught her attention before his curled fists did. "That's not pretending. You will come back." His hand reached out, but his eyes widened, as if realizing he couldn't touch her. Another realistic move. Why was she torturing herself like this? "But if you hide here forever, you might as well be pretending."
And, again, he was right. Gods, he was right. But in the same sense that he was always right, she was always a coward. Scared of everything, even things that might not exist. But Sasuke and Suigetsu existed. Their swords definitely existed. That damn hole in the wall existed, as did the blue bruise on her wrist. She knew they'd be there if she went back — hell, they were probably out there right now, swimming circles around her house, waiting for her to take one peek outside. And even if Hinata was a coward, she wasn't stupid. Nothing would change. Her outburst did nothing but show them their tactics were working, and if she went back, they'd start all over again.
She wanted to go back home. So badly.
But if she had to deal with the poking and prodding, the glaring and sneering, the violence, the lack of concern for her, she knew she wouldn't make it. Not to home, not anywhere.
Two days had passed, and she hadn't dared go back.
"N-Neji . . ."
Because —
"I-I can't do this without you."
His gaze softened as her vision blurred, and her body began to tremble.
Because . . . he had given me his dagger and his word to stay safe, but he didn't give me an ounce of courage.
And the weight of her fear, her cowardice, her anxiety, was heavy. Gloomy.
Sinking.
...
Two hours later, she heard what was akin to the boogeyman's voice.
"Hey, neighbor."
Oh, shit, it's Suigetsu.
Instantly, she was at the door, back pressed against it, knowing well it would do her no good if he tried to get in, but feeling like she had to do something. Under her left arm, she saw the handle wiggle, and she held her breath and hoped he didn't hear her pounding heart. There was a hiss on the other side, then silence. Neji was by the window, peeking through the curtains, eyes narrow and cautious.
Just leave, she begged silently, staring at the ceiling. Please leave, please leave, please leave —
"I know you're in there."
Shit. Of course he did. Why wouldn't he? There was nowhere else for her to go. Pressing her back further against the door, she began to plan out possible escape routes. I could go out the bedroom window, or maybe make a run for it from the door . . . .
"You do know no matter where you hide in there, I'll be able to get in and find you, right?" His voice was a bit away, close to the window Neji was watching. "I'm not tellin' ya this to scare ya, but to let you know that because I haven't already done it, you can at least hear me out."
Not a single muscle in her body relaxed, but Hinata knew she was trapped. She'd have to listen to him, no matter if she wanted to or not.
"Look . . ." An awkward, still pause. Neji's eyes were practically slits as he leaned further towards the pane. "I ain't great with these things, alright? I know I'm going to screw things up, so I'll just get right to the meat of things." Another pause, this one stretching out longer than the first one. Hinata was nervous he was just trying to distract her as he found a way to get in, but then, "The Sun King is here right now."
What?
"Well, not here here, but on the surface. Y'know . . . waiting." A muffled sound came from the other side of the window. Hinata held her breath again. "For you. Obviously."
For a millisecond, she let her pulse flutter along her cheeks. But then the situation settled on her chest, and her brows furrowed. "I'm sorry, Suigetsu." Her finding her voice made Neji's head snap her way, gaze wide. "I don't like being lied to. Please leave."
She was being too polite. But Suigetsu hated niceties, so hopefully it would scare him away. And she waited a few seconds, which stretched on to a minute, then another one. Neji looked out the window again, and then nodded her over. She swam slowly, worried he would shoot out from the shadows if she made a sound, and took a look outside. Nothing. Just a house, dark and empty. A familiar sight that brought a familiar feeling. He was gone.
She hadn't . . . expected him to give up so easily. Not that Hinata was complaining, of course; but Suigetsu was as stubborn as Sasuke was, and she had barely said three sentences for him to go running.
This isn't right.
She backed away, planning to go back to the door, but a shift in the water made the hair on the back of her neck stand, and she whirled around. Under the door slipped in a bluish liquid that materialized before her eyes. First came the amethyst eyes that danced in the dark waters, then the choppy, silver hair. Suigetsu was there. There. And when he was done materializing, he shot her his signature grin while holding up something to her. A feather. Made of light.
"I'm sure this is enough proof, eh?"
...
She didn't have a shawl to hide herself, nor did she care. Naruto was there. On the surface. Waiting for her.
She didn't care about the shark man swimming behind her, didn't care about how her features were in plain sight for anyone to see; all she cared about was him, and the surface, and —
"Hinata!"
Her name. It was the first thing he yelled when she had broken the surface. Her lungs jumped into overdrive, and she gasped and hiccuped as fresh, clean air filled her entire being. Her body was frozen. Not in the sense of freezing, though the violent wind along the surface made her skin rise in dots; but more so in the sense that his gaze alone, barely seen under his normal hood, made it impossible for her to move. She was stuck. Naruto Uzumaki had trapped her, and he wasn't even trying.
Get a hold of yourself.
"I'm —"
And then the most wonderful thing in days — weeks — months — happened. He came to her. Him. The Sun King stepped across the surface, grabbed her shaking, dotted arms, and pulled her into the sun. Arms wrapped around her back, hanging near her waist, enveloping her in a remarkable heat that she never knew existed before. Ribbons of steam curled along her skin as the water on her evaporated, leaving her dry and melting.
His chin dropped to her right shoulder, and in the fabric of her blouse, he breathed, "I'm glad you're okay."
And Hinata didn't know him much as a person, as a friend that he's told her they are. But she knew him as a customer. As someone with stickers. She knew the works of his mind, his tone. She knew he was lying. They both knew she was far from okay. But, somehow, just hearing him say she was made her feel like it. And maybe it was because he was a person, and this was human contact, and this was exactly what she had been starving for — or . . . maybe it was because he was Naruto, and she had missed him and wanted him to come save her so badly —
Either way, Hinata buried her nose along the collar of his cloak, sunk her fingers into his hair, and cried. Cried about her loneliness, her fear; cried about the hardships of the universe; cried about the frustration of it all. She cried to her Sun King until all the water in her system was gone, and with the weak flex of her gills, she fell into his form and fainted.
...
"Moon."
That whisper, along with the distant noise in the background, was enough to tell her she was in the bar. The first thing she did was smile into the darkness of the world and let the relief of being back wash over her body. But then air tickled at her eyelashes, and she remembered her face was bare, and that was enough to snap her back to reality.
Tensing, her spine popped as she sat forward, gasping. The world was blurry, but dusted in that familiar, orange glow. She blinked and bowed her gaze, raising a hand to cover her eyes as the other covered the bottom half of her face, and she turned in what she was sitting in — a chair — to look for something, anything, to hide her face.
"Woah, hey!" Her soaring heart was brought back to the ground when firm hands planted on her shoulders. Blue eyes sunk to her level, and she breathed a sigh of relief. "It's just me. You're okay."
It was hard to keep their eye-contact. Memories of her crying and fainting spell shot through her skull, bouncing against her brain. Her face was hot, and not simply because he was the epitome of a ball of heat. Shifting, Hinata turned to face the floor, still searching. "Can I please —"
"Oh, right!" His hands moved over her shoulders, to her back. It was like magma was poured onto her body. She had to grab the seat of her chair to make sure she didn't melt away. There was a light tug, and something was pulled over her head, basking her face in a shadow. "I brought you a cloak. Jiraiya told me your other one was ruined, and I know how you are with bein' recognized. Heck, I live it. I can't go anywhere with my face out in the open — fans will recognize me, or the occasional assassin . . . . So I have loads of these. You can keep it! I'd rather you have it."
Her fingers tucked into the soft fabric. Her lips turned into an amused smile. All her clothes had to be made of laminated rubber to withstand the water. This, obviously, was not. But that didn't matter. Not to her.
It was kind enough he gave her one in the first place.
"Thank you." Her voice was hoarse, and she cringed.
Naruto laughed. "No problem! I'm glad you like it."
Finally feeling her body relax, Hinata settled into her chair and regarded her surroundings. The bar was not in the same, disastrous state as it had been when she left two days ago. And while it certainly was not back to normal, either, Hinata could tell it was well on its way to be. About half of the normal amount of chairs and tables made up the sitting area, and new, velvet stools lined up along the bar. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw that the holes in the wall made by Sasuke's katana were fixed, as if having never been there in the first place. And when she looked back at the front, she could see Suigetsu . . .
With a mop?
Following her gaze, Naruto laughed, and said, "Right! That's part of his punishment. Has to help out here until the bar is back to normal." His hand patted a nearby chair. "He paid for most of the new furniture, and Granny is makin' him fix anything he can — tables and chairs and such. They've been workin' him hard." His left hand rose to rub at his chin. "Weird thing is, he hasn't complained once. With how he is and . . . what he did, I thought, y'know, I'd have to deal with some backtalk."
Hinata couldn't help the small smile that brushed her lips.
"That's . . . good."
"Yeah, well, that's not even half of it." His blue eyes dimmed when he turned back to her. She sat straight, watching him. "That's why I came to meet you. They — Sasuke and Suigetsu . . . I know everything. And if they think they're going to get out of this without facin' the consequences, they're wrong." His hand moved against the top of the table, inching towards her. "So tomorrow, I staged a meeting with them and a few others, and I want you to come so they can properly apologize to you."
Apologize . . .
"You should go," Neji interjected. "This could help."
She knew. The pain and fear they had put her through deserved more than just an apology, but . . . based on what Suigetsu had been going through for the last two days, Naruto seemed to realize that whole—heartedly. And Hinata — she wasn't the kind to hold grudges. If they apologized and truly meant it, she would forgive them. Hopefully, with time, the irritation and anxiety would pass, and she wouldn't have to fear coming to the surface anymore. Things could go back to how they were.
"I'll come," she said.
He smiled. "It won't be easy. They're both stubborn bastards, I'm sure you know." His eyes drifted, stuck on something she wasn't aware of. "And it will be hard in other ways, too. But . . . ." He cleared his throat, regaining his normal, charming grin. "I won't let them continue to treat you like they did. I'll make them regret it. Both of them."
And she heard the hidden emphasis behind his tone.
Because this wasn't mainly for Suigetsu, who was already deep in his consequences.
This was about Sasuke.
And with a knotted stomach, she nodded.
"You can do this."
"I-I know."
"Whatever happens, don't back down. Keep your chin up. Look them in the eye. Show them you won't be fooled by them."
"I won't."
"Naruto will be there, but they will be apologizing to you. Make sure they do."
"O . . . Okay."
Neji turned, hair falling behind his shoulders as he gave her a stern look. "I'm being serious, Lady Hinata. Don't be sympathetic to them. They owe you an apology, not the other way around."
She nodded and tried to smile, hoping it would be enough to convince herself she was prepared for this. But her heart was stuck in her stomach, beating weakly and nervously. Every word he spoke was right, she knew. There was nothing for her to feel shame about, nothing for her to be scared of. But . . . she was. It was just her nature to be empathetic, even to people like Sasuke and Suigetsu. She knew of their pride, their egos. They weren't her own, but when they were in the same room together, sometimes, it felt like they were one and the same.
Second-hand embarrassment, her father had told her once.
She got embarrassed for other people. Even people who didn't deserve to make her feel that way. And that was what she was truly scared of. If she went into that room and saw them begging in the same way Suigetsu had made her beg, she would be close to tears. For them. For herself. And she didn't want that to ruin anything, to give them a free way out, because . . .
Because she knew what she deserved. Knew that an apology from them was the least they could do. And for her own sake, she wanted to hear it, to be reminded that they were human, not these monsters that she was scared of. She was tired of being scared.
And thus, as she waited in the hallway for her escort to show, she bowed her chin between her collarbones, pressed her thumbs together, and whispered, "You can do this. You can do this. Y-You can —"
"Talking to yourself again, I see."
She knew that voice, but it wasn't the first thing that sent her senses into overdrive. Rather, it was the static in the air that made her skin vibrate, and her fight or flight instincts cut in before she could properly understand the situation. Gasping, she pulled the dagger out of the pocket of her cloak, clutched it into her fist, and, spinning around, plunged it in the direction of the voice behind her. The blade met the wall and sunk a few inches into the wood, creating a thin hole that cracked the red paint. Her eyes stayed on her white knuckles out of habit. She didn't have the stomach to look her victim in the eyes as she attacked them, and she was so used to looking away from the blood and gore that she simply stared, for a while, at nothing.
But then a cold, white hand touched her fingers, and she nearly jumped two feet into the air.
"You're holding it wrong." Centimeters away from the dagger was Sasuke Uchiha's face. He didn't even blink as he shifted closer to grab her hand. She flinched and tried to pull away, but his grasp was strong, and he moved her thumb to curl it around the handle. "Don't have your thumb point towards the blade. Holding it like this gives you more control."
She kept still, still battling with her instincts, wondering whether to jump away or take another swing. Thankfully, she didn't have to make that decision as Sasuke slinked away, giving her enough room to breathe without sending electricity into her lungs. Gulping, she pulled the dagger out and placed it back in her inner pocket, though keeping her hand nearby. Just in case.
"Thank you," she said, then instantly bit her tongue. Dammit.
Sasuke's eye bore into her, and then he turned away.
"Let's get this over with."
Hinata turned to Neji, who looked at the hole in the wall one, last, time before motioning for her to follow.
...
Stories of the Guard was all she heard. Some of the people who sought her out were either ex-Guard or thinking about becoming ex-Guard, and sometimes they would enlighten her on small details about it. It was big, they had informed her. Big and full of halls. "Confusing as hell," one of them had told her with a smirk. "Never go there. You'll get lost before you even step in."
Those words had stuck with her for months, despite her never having the pleasure or the interest in visiting the Guard. And they were currently stuck to the roof of her mouth as she followed Sasuke swiftly down corridors and hallways, around corners and through rooms, every stride he took gaining more and more confidence. She barely got a good look at anything before they entered a new room, and she was more worried about not keeping up with him than getting lost.
Sasuke seemed to be confident in knowing his way around.
He had to be, with how quickly he was walking. Practically leaving her in the dust, mind you.
Or maybe that was a trick he was trying to make her believe. Maybe this speed was more out of agitation that confidence. Because Naruto had told him he would make him pay, and what better way to start it all off than by having him escort her. She wasn't lost to the irony of it all. She just wasn't the kind to rub it in Sasuke's face.
Should she?
No, probably not. Not only was it extremely rude, but she was sure he'd just lead her into circles after that point and bring her to the point of exhaustion before anything could truly be put to rest between them. So Hinata kept her mouth shut despite the looks her figment cousin constantly shot at her, and when Sasuke picked up the pace, she followed without complaint.
...
She knew they had arrived before he had even stopped walking. The door they were approaching . . . there was something about it that just screamed trouble. It was a large door, towering a good foot over Sasuke's head. Metal decorated its bottom half, and its knob was gold and polished. There was writing over it that Hinata couldn't get a good look at, for Sasuke pulled open the door the second they stepped in front of it. No hesitation. Not even a bit.
Like he was prepared for what was to come.
Well, he was the only one, for when she walked inside, no one had the face of someone who knew what to expect. Not even Naruto, who had a rather small grin for someone who had sounded so sure just the day prior. The room was massive and decorated with marble walls and a sleek, black carpet. Trophies hung off the walls and sat on tables, glowing in the light of the chandelier that hung in the middle of the room. The middle was empty, save from the group of people huddled in a semicircle, most of which broke the shape and slinked towards the walls as Sasuke stepped towards them. Hinata recognized the red-headed woman — Karin — among them. A tall, burly man stood next to her, back flat against the wall. He was staring at her. There was something in his eye that made Hinata's pulse jump, and she quickly turned away from him. Naruto stood in the middle, and Sasuke stood across from him, Suigetsu to his right, who waved at her as she closed the door behind him.
Kakashi was also there, though she couldn't imagine why, and in the far left corner of the room was a man Hinata did not recognize. He had a quill in his hand and a scroll on his lap, and he scribbled something down if someone so much as coughed against the tension in the air.
"Moon," Naruto said, rotating his shoulder. "Join me, won't you?"
Panic was already setting in, but she squared her shoulders and walked over to him, making sure to keep her movements graceful and purposeful. It felt like thousands of eyes were on her, but when she looked up, barely half of the people in the room faced her. She traced their faces with her gaze, then shifted to Naruto, whispering, "What is all this about?"
His grin wavered, and that automatically signaled something was wrong.
"We're waiting for one more person."
His jaw twitched, then clenched. Whoever this was, he was powerful enough to make the Sun King nervous. Folding her hands together, Hinata only nodded, trying to find any remaining courage in her to prepare for whoever this mysterious guest was. The room was shifting. Karin moved from one leg to the other, and Kakashi flipped through the pages of his book. The quill in the back paused as the man adjusted his glasses.
It was almost suffocating. Almost. But it was definitely sweltering, and even Neji seemed bemused by it all.
But then —
Footsteps. Approaching from outside.
Mighty. Calculated. Not a nanosecond out of sync.
The room went from shifting to still, and when that large door opened once again, it was as if no one dared to even blink.
In came a man Hinata knew well, heard stories of from across the universes. They called him Orochimaru, the Snake, and he slithered into the room with a gleam in his eye that made every organ in Hinata coil and shiver. Not a word escaped his smirking mouth as he slipped past them all and settled against the back wall, arms folded as the light from the trophies graced his thin, snide features.
Naruto turned to face him, but Hinata kept her gaze on Suigetsu, who dropped his grin for a straight purse as his wide eyes stared holes into the carpet.
"Good to see you," Naruto said lightly, tone coming off half-believable, leading Hinata to assume not all of his statement was a lie. "I wish we could have met under different circumstances."
The chuckle that coiled around her neck was a mere whisper, but it still echoed throughout the room. "I can't say I agree." Everything about this was wrong, and Hinata began to understand Naruto's hesitation. He was regretting this. Regretting going so far as to invite the Head of the Guard to the public humiliation of Sasuke and Suigetsu. She looked to that covered face, trying to find anything at all that would reveal Sasuke's discomfort. Nothing. And, somehow, seeing that helped. "I enjoy these more than you think I do, My Grace. Helps me pluck the inconsistencies out of my perfect operation."
Naruto didn't even try to fake a smile this time. "Of . . . course."
A hum, and then Orochimaru said, "Then I'll let you decide their fate for me, My Grace."
And that's when all but one pair of eyes fell on her, for they all knew Naruto wouldn't be in charge of their fate at all.
It was on her, now.
"Hinata, breathe," Neji reminded her, and she forced the air out of her lungs with a shudder to her shoulders.
There was no way she was getting through this.
Making them own up to their mistakes was one thing, but making them lose their jobs — Hinata never wanted that. It never crossed her mind. But if she went too hard, would that invite Orochimaru to cut them off from the Guard completely?
I-I can't —
A warm hand grasped hers, and she clung to it and its heat like it was the only thing keeping her planted to the floor. Naruto cleared his throat, settled his face into that expression she recognized from yesterday, and begun.
"Suigetsu Hozuki of Ocean 11, Guard, is here to atone for his crimes against his duty and the word of the Sun King."
...
Hinata followed along with the obvious path Suigetsu was taking.
"I did my job, didn't I?"
His voice was clear, but his gaze was foggy. Shifting. He was putting up a fight, but not for his sake. Ever since she had returned to the surface, she hadn't seen him do anything for his own sake. No, this was for the sake of the man behind her, watching, listening, smirking with delight at the obvious struggle in the room. Suigetsu knew well that he had done his job barely, and with little effort. She could tell.
So when his gaze sharpened with resolve, she blinked and let him play his game, if only for the sake of his job.
"I know the beggin' thing was off, but that was one time. I was just having fun. She wasn't in any real danger."
A fresh layer of stickers sprouted along his neck. Hinata was not lost to the twinge of regret in his eyes that he tried to hide. Naruto shifted beside her, looking ready to say something, but she gripped his fingers, signaling for him to continue listening. Suigetsu's gaze fell to their interlocked hands, then flew to her face, realization lighting up in his irises.
"But other than that, I followed my duty. I was at her side, watching out for any dangers." He didn't look away. Not even a second. "I protected her —"
"Suigetsu," she said. His mouth snapped shut, and his gaze flickered over her shoulder.
There must have been something that was reassuring, for he relaxed and spiraled out of his defensive phase. Sighing, shoulder drooping to the floor, he bowed his chin and clicked his tongue against the back of his teeth. Around them, people looked away, giving the man privacy as he struggled to find the pieces of his broken pride.
"I know," he muttered. "I was a fuckin' screw-up. The only thing I did well was get on your nerves." A hand rose to mess with the back of his hair. "And destroy a whole bar, but that's besides the point. I'm already bein' punished for that. Payin' for the new furniture coming in, or rebuildin' anything I can't afford. Cleaning the whole place 'til it fucking sparkles. Can't even afford my own place right now, so I've been sleeping in Karin's office when she leaves for the night —"
"You're WHAT!?"
That managed to bring a bit of light to the atmosphere, and Suigetsu managed a smile. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that when I mess up, I'm willin' to work to fix it." His gaze found hers again, and that signature grin greeted her. "I messed up. Tell me what I gotta do to make up for it."
She'd never seen him so . . . open. Genuine. It was enough to melt her walls, even if she was being too soft on him. Always the charmer, I suppose.
"Protect me," she told him. "Be my bodyguard, and do it well. When you want to come to my home, just knock on the door. If you want to go somewhere, just ask first. Don't mess with my work and —" She smiled, eyes crinkling, "please, try to keep your feet off the table."
Smirking, he put his hands to his hips. "Well, since you asked so nicely . . . ."
Hinata looked at Naruto, who looked at Orochimaru behind her. His unsure smile morphed into something larger and brighter, and he nodded. "If you're alright with it, then so am I."
She wasn't sure who he was saying that to — not that it really mattered. The look of relief that made Suigetsu's entire form sag was enough for her. And even Neji's stubborn glare shooting daggers at him as he mentioned his severe lack of apologizing did nothing to dent Hinata's resolve. She knew. It was clear on his face, in the way he spoke. Suigetsu was very open when he chose to be, when he wasn't playing the role of an arrogant sociopath. He felt bad. He regretted what he did. And if she could go by his word, he wouldn't do it again. She didn't need an outward apology from him because she could just tell by his expression alone that he was sorry.
But . . .
Suigetsu moved to join the rest along the wall, and her gaze moved to Sasuke.
He's a different story.
And that tension in her chest returned with twice the power. Because she knew, no matter what, that he wouldn't show an inch of regret. How could he . . . if he didn't feel it in the first place?
All eyes fell on him, and unlike Suigetsu, who made a show to hide his nervousness, Sasuke only stared. Glared, really. Past her, past Naruto. At the man with the glasses, hunched over the scroll, writing down everything and anything that transpired in that room.
Oh dear.
And Naruto must have been on the exact same line of thinking, for his fingers hooked around her hand and nearly squeezed the life out of it.
...
"Sasuke Uchiha of Cloud 8, Guard, is here to atone for his crimes against his duty and the word of the Sun King."
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he watched the man before him.
"So talk."
And for a while, Sasuke did the complete opposite. His mouth remained shut as his gaze stayed on the man in the back, who took a pause in his writing to wait. Hinata took a peek over her shoulder at him, wondering what about him was so . . . detestable. Naruto was aware of it, too, for he shifted and broke contact with her to step in Sasuke's line of sight. Their eyes locked, and something heavy was shared between them.
Then, miraculously, Sasuke spoke.
"If it weren't for me, she'd be dead." It started the same way Suigetsu had started: denying his faults and playing on the defensive. But while Suigetsu did so to save his job, Hinata couldn't be too sure if Sasuke was doing it for the same reason, or because he truly believed he did nothing wrong. "Or kidnapped and hidden somewhere in Forest 3. Brainwashed, probably. None of this would be happening."
Probably . . . the latter.
"Actually," he mused, eyeing her, "you should be thanking me."
Her shoulders fell. He's right. He saved my life.
"Don't start with that, Lady Hinata," Neji hissed, hovering at her side, acting as a clear reminder as to why she was here. "Remember what I said. Don't back down from him."
He was right, but her mouth was dry and her gills ached. She could barely focus —
"Bullshit." But, thankfully, Naruto spoke for her. He crossed his arms over his chest and leered Sasuke down, saying, "You were also the one who trashed the bar, who tried to kill her. She doesn't have to thank you for anything."
Not even a beat passed. "I never tried to kill her."
"Also bullshit," Naruto bit out.
Sasuke blinked slowly, then blew a deep exhale. "I see your memory is failing on you, My Grace. Allow me to remind you." His cloak snapped back, and within seconds, he unsheathed his katana and pointed it at her. Straight at her. Every nerve in her body ticked as flashbacks of being pinned against the wall with lightning buzzing in her ear replayed in her head. Naruto tensed, and Neji stood close. "My goal was to affirm that the Guard I suggested was doing his job. How would he react if a direct attack came her way? Was he prepared to sacrifice himself for her?" Moving, he then pointed the sword at Suigetsu, though kept his gaze forward. "My movements were precise. Dangerous, if I didn't know what I was doing. I aimed close, but never with the intentions of direct contact."
The white lightning hissed as he sheathed it. The room went back to its dim glow, now with an edge of static in the air.
"In other words, if I wanted her dead, she would be dead."
That was . . . also true.
Am I being petty? she wondered, hugging her arms to her torso. Is all this just trivial?
"Not at all." Her cousin turned to meet her bowed gaze. "Chin up, Hinata. You deserve an apology. Don't let him convince you otherwise."
Next to her, Naruto frowned.
"Then you share the same faults of Suigetsu." Hinata snapped her head up, and even Sasuke seemed puzzled. "Apathy. A complete lack of judgment. And worst of all, your oversized ego kept you from considering her in all of this." He stepped forward, uncrossing his arms. "Tell me, then; if this was all to get Suigetsu back on track, why didn't you tell Hinata about any of this."
Something about Sasuke's covered face changed, and, somehow, Hinata knew his mood was sinking, boiling. "It's obvious. For it to work, her reaction had to be genuine."
Genuine . . . .
"Then I rest my case," Naruto muttered. "Suigetsu took his punishment — now it's your turn." His jaw dipped to the ground. "On your knees. That's an order."
The stillness in the air was terrible. Hinata felt like she would suffocate if it didn't change soon. Sasuke remained standing, looking almost like a boulder that refused to move. But she caught a look of his fingers curling, and Hinata knew he was struggling with something. Pride, most likely. It seemed that most of the Guard had problems with it. Hence why, when he finally, slowly, knelt down before them, everyone in the room looked away. Including Naruto, who stepped back to her level with a tight scowl as he glared at his boots.
And though no one was looking at her, she knew the pressure was on her.
"Apologize," Naruto murmured, almost inaudibly, as if not wanting anyone but her and him to hear. The silence that followed was long and heavy. Aggravating. It ticked on and on and on, for hours, maybe. The tension wasn't leaving. Everyone, however, wanted to leave. "For the love of — just apologize, Sasuke."
It was apparent.
Karin was flustered, playing with the ends of her hair. The man next to her couldn't keep still as he rubbed the back of his neck. Suigetsu's foot kept tapping, which, aside from the heavy breathing, was the only noise in the room, and Kakashi had stopped reading ages ago, now just staring at one page with blank eyes. Hinata didn't dare to look at the people behind her.
She was scared. But more so than that . . .
"Stand, please, Sasuke."
Multiple heads snapped her way. Neji gave her a baffled look, which she met with a smile, while Naruto simply looked confused.
Sasuke stood, and she could feel his gaze tracing her face, trying to discover what she was thinking.
Folding her hands together, fingers interlocked, Hinata kept her smile as she regarded him. "I know this is hard," she said, glancing at the tight, black stickers covering his face. "My cousin is like you. Actually, you remind me a lot of him. He is a great man; strong and courageous and brilliant. I have always looked up to him. I've always . . . want to be him." Her hand inched into her cloak and pulled out her dagger. "He gave this to me, telling me to see it more as a reminder than a weapon. A-A, um, reminder that he and I are not that much different. That I can be strong and courageous and brilliant, too, if I tried."
Her thumb trailed the blade, then the simple design on the handle. Her smile turned sad, but when she looked up and found that one, dark eye on her, she perfected it again.
"But the one thing I never wanted was his pride." She stepped forward, mimicking Naruto's earlier action to the centimeter. "It's an important thing, isn't it? I often think I don't have enough of it. A-And if I were in your shoes, with your pride, I-I think . . . I would break. Your dignity's on the line." Her free hand spread across the room. "Everyone here . . . they must look up to you, or . . . you look up to them. You're in a tough situation. It must be hard."
She knew it was. The static, the tension, the stillness. It was enough to break a man, yet here Sasuke was. Standing. Unbroken. On the outside, at least. But as she had said, he was like Neji, and she knew her cousin well. Were Neji here, he'd be biting his tongue hard enough until it bled, if just to keep his mouth shut. Rage would be boiling in him with every crack that came to his pride, and while he was cool and collected on the outside, he hurt, deeply, inside. Sasuke probably felt the same. Hinata knew that.
But . . .
"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I can't seem to care."
Hinata has had to swallow her pride, and if she could do it, so could he.
With a trembling hand, she pointed her dagger at him, not so much in a threat, but rather to remind him that the roles had been switched, once. But now he was on the other end of the blade, and with a smile, she said, "Apologize."
His eye was wide. She'd never seen such a palpable expression on him.
Everyone was watching, no longer trying to give some privacy to the Thor warrior. They were too shocked, really, to care. Even Kakashi had slipped his book away to give them his undivided attention.
"Holy shit," Naruto had whispered from behind, but Hinata was too distracted to give it much attention.
For with a tilt to his head, Sasuke sighed, and said, "I'm sorry."
Her eyes stung instantly — why did hearing that word affect her so much? — and her lips trembled. "A-And . . . ?"
"It won't happen again," he continued. "You have my word."
Dropping her arm, returning her dagger to her cloak, Hinata turned to Naruto, who was still gaping. "Is it . . . done?"
He didn't answer — didn't have the time to, really. Long, thin fingers grasped her shoulder, and when she looked, she stared at a twisted grin. "More than done, little Moon Witch," Orochimaru hummed, eyes twinkling with sick delight. "It seems you've ended my Sasuke's entire chapter."
...
When she got home, she fell on her bed, exhausted both mentally and physically.
"I never want to do that again."
And Neji, sat at the end of her bed, had a hidden smile in his eyes.
"And I'm sure there are a few people who would passionately disagree with you."
The bar was nearly finished, Hinata had noticed from her normal corner. A few tables and chairs were missing, but aside from that, it was practically the same as it was before. Only cleaner . . . and more new. Suigetsu had really put in the hours, it seemed.
Over the lip of her water glass, Hinata saw people slowly fill in. Despite it being morning, a rather large crowd had shown up. The bar had been closed for nearly three days, so Hinata supposed she could understand. Still, it was odd to see Tsunade and Jiraiya busy so early.
It was nice, however.
It was good to be back.
A shift from behind, and something whispered against her neck. Jumping, Hinata spun around, and on instinct, attacked with her dagger. The all-too-familiar sound of metal hitting wood rung through the air, and over her shoulder, she heard Suigetsu whine.
"Seriously, you two? It took me hours to fix the holes from before!"
And as per usual, her gaze was on her blade, which had a small line of red upon it. Startled, she looked up just in time to see a few stickers fall from the left cheek of Sasuke Uchiha, who, despite the bleeding cut on his face, looked absolutely normal.
"Your aim is better."
Hinata stepped back immediately, flustered. "I-I'm so sorry —"
"It's fine."
He plucked her dagger out of the wall and handed it to her. She took it, tucked it away, but didn't turn away. Is it really fine? Her eyes stared at the cut. It wasn't deep, but it was still bleeding.
"Here," she turned to her table, searching, "let me help —"
"It's fine, Moon Witch."
The irritation in his voice was thick. Hinata knew to back off, and she did just that. Slowly settling in her chair, her gaze fell to his shoulders as she said, "I wasn't trying to attack you."
"I know," was his short, drawled reply as he pushed himself against the wall, falling into the familiar, crossed posture of his.
She nearly had the mind to ask him why he snuck up on her — or even better, why he was there in the first place. But the answer was rather obvious. This was another part of his punishment. Suigetsu was too busy working on the bar to watch her, so Naruto probably had Sasuke assigned to watch her until he was done. Hinata wasn't sure how to feel about it. It was nice to know she was safe . . .
But after what transpired yesterday, well, she wouldn't be shocked at all if he's had enough of her. Her words echoed in her head — "I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I can't seem to care." — and she flinched and drank her water to keep herself from biting her lips together. He must think she was horrible. He must hate her. He must hate being here —
"Stop having that look on your face."
So . . . to say it was weird to hear him talk to her was beyond an understatement.
"What? I —" Her lips furrowed as her fingers rubbed at her face, as if to feel the expression she supposedly had. "I don't . . . have a look."
A huff. "Good to see your blindness hasn't changed." Was he teasing her? She couldn't tell. Not only was his tone bland, but Hinata was sure she was just too used to Suigetsu's constant picking. Anything seemed like teasing, now. In the corner of her eye, she watched him lean a bit away from the wall. "There's nothing to be scared of. Suigetsu told me he hasn't seen anything all day to be worried about."
But the hidden message behind those words was apparent. Because they both knew no one would dare show their face up with two Guards around. He didn't have to tell her that. And when Hinata thought hard about it, she was sure he was trying, in his own, Sasuke way, to reassure her.
There's nothing to be scared of. Her eyes found his. Including him.
"Thank you, Sasuke." Her hands curled together to stop the tremble in her fingers. "And I'm sorry — about yesterday."
"Don't be," he said, looking away.
Her gaze, once again, found the cut on his cheek. Things began to piece together. He was swatting her apologies away like flies. At first, she thought it was because he was irritated. But nothing about his posture or tone told her he was angry in any sort, nor was he the kind to hide his irritation with things. And when she had cut him, the stickers fell and fizzed out on the floor. He had been relieved, somehow. Soothened.
Because . . .
Grabbing a napkin, Hinata moved to wipe his cheek, not surprised at all when a hand (gently?) grabbed her wrist to stop her.
"Sasuke," she said, "you're already being punished." His eye narrowed, but he didn't look away, so she continued. "You don't have to be physically punished, too." It was like she could hear his thoughts at that moment. I deserve it. It made her feel like he had done it all on purpose — the sneaking up on her, the lack of blocking her attack. For some reason, he must have felt like he had to bleed or bruise to truly be punished. But . . . that wasn't true at all. "You apologized, and you're here. That's enough for me."
He didn't speak. She dropped her hand to his sleeve, motioning for him to sit, and after an elongated second, he did so. Smiling, she dipped her napkin into her water and gently wiped at his bleeding cut. She only paused when his hand lifted, wondering if he was going to stop her again. But instead, his fingers hooked under her cuff and rolled her sleeve down, revealing the blue bruise beneath.
"The swelling's going down," he droned.
So . . . he had noticed.
Does he feel bad about it, too?
Heart growing heavy, she tried to give him a reassuring smile.
"It wasn't that bad to begin with." Hinata continued to clean his cut, and a small gasp escaped her when a few more stickers loosened. She brushed her thumb against them, swiping them off, revealing the edge of his cheekbone. And when she looked at him, he looked back. "I've dealt with worse."
Pulling away, his eye hooded as he watched the entrance. "Not anymore."
"P-Pardon?" What's . . . that supposed to mean?
But he said nothing more as he settled back into his chair. Somehow, the nostalgia of it all made her feel lighter, brighter. And she grinned when she saw more stickers begin to loosen.
"Bring me Sasuke Uchiha. Right now."
Turning away from her desk as the orb disappeared, Karin took in the largest breath she's ever taken . . . ever. Eying her reflection in the mirror, she fixed her hair, straightened her posture, and brought a narrow to her eyes that made her look unquestionably robust. After the inspection, she turned to Juugo, who was in the middle of his normal readings, and asked, "How do I look?"
His gaze slipped away from the ink words to find hers. "How do . . . you look?" he repeated curiously.
She gave a stout nod. "Compelling? Persuasive? Indifferent?"
"Um." The corners of his lips twitched. "You look like you, I suppose."
Karin frowned. Not exactly the look she was going for, but it was too late to fix that now. The door opened, and Sasuke stepped in, gaze finding her immediately.
Oh, if she could, she would melt.
But melting wasn't a part of the plan. Thus, with a huff, Karin walked over to him — marched over, she liked to think — and said, "I needed you yesterday."
His frown turned dour. "With?"
"Guard things. Important things." Her left hand tapped at her hip. "Where were you?"
She knew where. Everyone knew.
"Doing my job."
He had been at the bar, watching the Moon Witch. She knew, and there wasn't much of a problem there. But that wasn't the point.
"I needed you here, Sasuke." The point was that she had to pretend there was a problem. Because something had transpired two days ago, in the Trophy Room. Something groundbreaking. Something that hasn't happened in years. Something that Karin was sure had died with the old Sasuke. But then, out of thin air, it came back. Almost unexpectedly. Almost. "I had new documents on that woman. Tamaki. I needed you to look at them. It was important that you looked at them that instant. Revolutionary stuff, really. It could have helped you when you were acting bodyguard. But. You weren't. Here!"
Now Sasuke just looked confused. Even Juugo, out of her line of sight, made his bemusement clear.
"Uh, Karin . . ."
"What did you expect me to do?" Sasuke asked lowly. "Leave her unattended for hours?"
She had to fight the itch to smirk. "You're making my job harder, Sasuke. Just be here when you need to be, and I won't say a word."
His eyes were slitted, slanted. "I can't just —"
"I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I can't seem to care what you can or can't do."
And she waited and waited, knowing that with every passing second, that grin she just couldn't hold back was growing. And then —
There!
It happened. The same thing that happened when Hinata Hyuuga of Moon 2 said those exact words to him two days ago.
"Tch." Sasuke turned away, towards the door. "Stop messing around and do your job, Karin."
The damn slammed shut, and Karin fell into a spell of squeaks and giggles, hand to her mouth as she tried to muffle them. Juugo was standing, and he walked to her side, stumped.
"Was he . . . blushing?"
Karin squealed and fell back into another fit.
Chapter 4 - End