Kiba grumbled as he sifted through the water, bubbles obstructing his view each time he breathed. Amid the debris, something caught his eye. Swimming towards it, he retrieved a paper that read 'Experiment 476 Aka Hinata.' The paper began to disintegrate in his hands. "Fuck," he muttered, realizing the delicate nature of the evidence. How would he bring this up without compromising the information?
Kiba groaned at his own oversight, they had cameras for occasions like this. Carefully, he set the paper down before extracting his camera to capture images of the crucial details. As he moved the paper again, it disintegrated completely, scattering in the water. Undeterred, Kiba photographed the remaining pages.
Lifting the last page, he noticed something shiny on the ground wedged between a desk and the wall. Determined, he struggled to move the desk, only to be impeded by other submerged obstacles. His fingers brushed against the object, and he realized it was a key. Kiba reached for it, air bubbles once again clouding his view. Just as his fingertips touched the key, a sudden burst of light blinded him.
"Found it?" Shino's voice cut through the water.
Kiba took a breath, bubbles floating to the surface, and glared at Shino. "I think. But I can't reach it," he replied. Shino smirked, relishing in teasing Kiba.
"Yeah, you have the arms of a baby. Let me try," Shino suggested, and Kiba, annoyed, flipped him off as they switched positions. "Got it!" Shino declared, widening his smirk. "Thanks for letting the man do this job."
Kiba groaned before leading the way back to the generator. "Fucking asshole," he muttered under his breath, but a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
Shino navigated through the water towards the enclosed box, deftly inserting the key into the lock. With a smooth turn, he opened the door, eyeing the controls before decisively flicking the main power off. In the room, the tube's light flickered before completely extinguishing.
"I hope that worked," Kiba's voice echoed through the mouthpiece as Shino swam back towards the stairs. "I'm sure it did," Shino reassured, following him. As they ascended the stairs, their heads emerged from the water.
"Let's get this over and done with!" Kiba declared, striding out of the water. "I can't wait to go home and shower!"
Kiba approached the chief, camera gripped tightly in hand, his expression grim and determined. With a weighty sense of urgency, he presented an image to the chief, who, with a raised eyebrow, urged Kiba to elaborate. Taking a deep breath, Kiba ventured into the unnerving revelations.
"Chief, these documents unearth Kabuto's unsettling obsession with Hinata. We initially suspected he'd been stalking her for months, but it's revealed here that it spans years. This goes beyond mere experimentation. It states..." Kiba gestured to the screen, "he's been stalking Hinata since she was 15, a year before Orochimaru entered the picture. My belief is that he fabricated a story to lure Orochimaru into wanting her as well."
As the chief absorbed the shocking revelation, he questioned, "Ten years of stalking her. But why use her for experimentation if he desired her for himself?"
Kiba frowned, pressing the camera button to reveal the next photo. "That's where Orochimaru comes in. Kabuto writes that Orochimaru bought into his false report and expressed interest in experimenting on her. Kabuto appeared thrilled, evident in the change in his handwriting."
The chief read a sticky note in the photo, which read, 'She's mine and will always be mine. I shall always have a piece of her in me.' "You don't think he was consuming the flesh they cut off her, do you?" he asked, looking up at the duo. Shino and Kiba exchanged glances.
"We believe he was, sir," Shino confirmed.
"This guy was messed up, sir. He impregnated her only to remove her uterus and gaslight her into thinking it was her imagination. That's why she was shocked, discovering her uterus missing. The baby in the tube and the fake report were part of this twisted scenario."
"Did you dispose of it as I requested?" The chief inquired.
Kiba nodded. "Yes, sir. We've taken care of it."
"I appreciate this information, gentlemen. We must keep this confidential. Ms. Hyuga has endured enough. Let's allow her the chance to live a normal life without unnecessary complications."" the chief asserted, his tone resolute.
As Kiba and Shino left the office, the weight of the secrets they bore settled on their shoulders. Despite the closure brought by Orochimaru and Kabuto's demise, the scars of their heinous actions lingered. In the shadows, the remnants of a twisted conspiracy dissolved, leaving behind a fragile peace for Hinata.
Outside, under the dim office lights, Kiba muttered, "Glad those motherfuckers are dead. No one deserves to go through what Hinata endured."
Hinata's eyes gently fluttered open, and she found herself staring at the sterile expanse of a white ceiling. The familiarity of the surroundings brought forth a surge of disbelief. Was she back at the hospital so soon after her release? It seemed like a cruel twist of fate. As her vision cleared, a figure came into focus, their face gradually taking form.
"She's awake!" exclaimed a familiar voice. "Hanabi, you're too close; give her some space," scolded their father. Another figure replaced Hanabi, and Hinata couldn't help but smile sadly. "S-Sasuke," she whispered.
"Hey," he replied, assisting her in sitting up. Hinata looked around, realizing that she wasn't at the hospital, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. "Sorry," Sasuke said, caressing her hand with his thumb. "I should have known it might overstimulate you."
She shook her head. "I loved it," she whispered, memories flooding back. "I just remembered something from..." The room fell into a thoughtful silence. "I ruined the party, huh?" she said, attempting to lighten the mood.
"You could never ruin anything," Sasuke reassured her, gently cupping her cheek. Hinata locked eyes with him, their moment interrupted by Hinata's father clearing his throat. "We sent everyone home, so it's just us," Hiashi said, opening the door. "Why don't you come look at it now?"
Hinata rose from the comfort of her office couch and trailed behind her father as they made their way out the door once more. She approached the cake once again, his voice echoing in her mind, "You belong to me." Determined, she countered the haunting words, muttering softly, "I don't."
Without hesitation, she plunged her hand into the cake, taking a bold bite. The room fell into a stunned silence, Sasuke, Hanabi, and Hiashi exchanging surprised glances as Hinata looked at them, taking another decisive bite from the piece.
"What?" she inquired, meeting their astonished gazes head-on. Hanabi swiftly joined her, seizing a piece of cake in her hand. "Save some for us!" she exclaimed, mirroring Hinata's boldness by taking a bite.
Hinata's action broke the tension, infusing the room with a sense of playful defiance. Sasuke's lips quirked into a small smile at Hinata's unexpected move, finding a hint of admiration for her spontaneous rebellion against the weight of the moment. As Hanabi joined in, the atmosphere lightened, allowing laughter and camaraderie to replace the earlier heaviness.
Sasuke flicked on the lights as Hinata shut the front door, her gaze sweeping across her apartment with an expectation of seeing dust and disarray, only to find it spotless. "We had people come clean," Sasuke explained casually, strolling towards her bedroom and placing a small bag inside. "Would you like me to stay?" he asked, a quiet understanding in his eyes, aware that being alone might not be what she needed.
"If I said no, would you be surprised?" Hinata questioned, her gaze drifting to the floor.
"I wouldn't," Sasuke responded matter-of-factly, his movements unhurried. He reached for her keys, hanging them on the key holder by the door, a silent assurance that he was there for her, regardless of the choice she made.
Hinata clutched onto the fabric of his jacket sleeve. "I want you to stay," she asserted.
Sasuke met her gaze, a silent understanding passing between them. "Then I'll stay."
Hinata released Sasuke's sleeve, a silent gratitude evident in her eyes. Sasuke stood by, observing her with a calm reassurance.
"Do you need anything?" he asked softly, his tone carrying a warmth that matched the subtle comfort of the room.
Hinata shook her head, a small, grateful smile playing on her lips. "Just having you here is enough," she admitted, her voice filled with sincerity.
Sasuke made his way to the couch, taking a seat with a measured grace. Hinata hesitated for a moment, her internal struggle visible, before she gradually settled beside him. She inched closer, her head leaning on his shoulder, seeking the comfort that his presence offered.
Sasuke, ever attuned to her emotions, sensed the delicate balance and gently asked, "Can I touch you?" His voice held a gentle reassurance, allowing Hinata the space to set her boundaries.
She pondered for a moment, contemplating the vulnerability that came with physical contact. Slowly, she nodded, a silent permission granted.
As Sasuke wrapped his arm around Hinata's shoulder, drawing her closer, a quiet tension enveloped them. She gazed up at him, a mix of admiration and uncertainty clouding her expression, still adjusting to the intimacy of touch after a long time.
"C-can I-" Hinata faltered, the words catching in her throat. Sasuke tilted his head in confusion, his brow furrowing slightly. "K-Kiss me," she finally managed to say, her voice trembling with a mixture of nerves and longing.
Sasuke's eyes widened in astonishment, his usual calm demeanor momentarily disrupted. However, a softening warmth spread across his features as he regarded her with tenderness. "Hinata..." His voice was a mere murmur, the air thick with uncertainty.
With a hesitant resolve, Hinata leaned up, attempting to meet his lips, only to find him pulling back slightly. "Are you sure you're ready for that?" Sasuke's voice held a cautious tone, his concern evident in his gaze as he sought assurance from her.
In response, Hinata nodded, her eyes pleading. "Please," she whispered, her longing mingled with a quiet determination. Sasuke held her gaze, searching for any sign of hesitation or discomfort in her eyes. Finding none, he slowly leaned down, closing the distance between them, his lips lightly brushing against hers.