Hey, hey!

Not much to talk about. I just hope you enjoy the chapter!

"So, do you feel like you're gonna go crazy or anything?"

"What kind of question is what? How can you feel like you're going to unleash the nine tails when you never have done it before?"

"Maybe if you run a few laps around the arena you'll find the answer to your questions of your life-long problem!"

"Guy…please shut up."

Naruto held up his jacket and shirt as he exposed his stomach to the other sensei's. Asuma, Kurenai, Guy and Kakashi all gathered around and blocked anyone from seeing what they were looking at.

Naruto stood beside Sasuke and looked utterly annoyed at being broadcasted like this. He shot Sasuke an equally annoyed look, but the young Uchiha was busy looking at Naruto's seal as well. He was just as curious to make sure Naruto was okay. "Did he weaken the seal?"

Kakashi looked up at Sasuke before looking back at the seal. He just shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know." Sasuke's face grew red in frustration. What the hell is that supposed to mean?! He looked at the other jonin instructors and they looked equally as lost. Shrugging their shoulders as well.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched. You had to be kidding him. All these jonin were as incompetent as their sensei?! "What do you mean? Is he going to be okay or not? Can he go on to the third stage without any proctor here thinking he's cheating or using the nine tails chakra?"

Kurenai blinked at Sasuke and his concern over Naruto. All she's ever heard from her students was how the Uchiha was a one man's army. He didn't seem like a team player at all, so to hear him say this was interesting. Maybe Kakashi really was working and doing something good for his students.

Kakashi waved Sasuke off. "I'm sure he'll be fine to continue to compete. You just keep yourself in check Naruto. Your mentor will be here soon. He's more experienced with seals and can help you with this more than I can."

Naruto roughly pulled down his clothes as he glared at Kakashi. What was the point in doing that if no one knew the answer. He rolled his eyes as he used his thumb to point at Sasuke. "So what about teme?"

Sasuke side eyed Naruto. Clearly Naruto was upset with him. Naruto has been pushing jabs at him since they started their mini argument in Hinata's treatment room. What was he still upset with him about?

He chose not to address it right here or now and maneuvered his own clothing so he could show the jonin in front of him the marking. "Oh. I know exactly who can better help with this." Kurenai looked around until she spotted someone. "Hey Anko! Do you mind coming over here?!" Once again Naruto and Sasuke had an annoyed look on their face because the amount of stealth and discretion from these grown adults was non-existent.

"Why are you yelling? I have better things to do than help you guys examine this kid." Anko mushed Asuma and looked over to Sasuke. Her eyes widened as she look at the marking to Sasuke. "Who did this to you?"

Sasuke looked over at Anko and frowned. Was she going to do what the others did and have no clue what was going on. "Some man named Orochimaru. He was in the forest and attacked us. He bit me. Stabbed Hinata and attacked Naruto. He was wearing a disguise at first. Some other person's skin it looked like, but it burned off with my Chidori and Hinata's rotation."

Sasuke stopped talking as the memories of that monster popped back in his head. How he saw Naruto crash into the earth. How he saw Hinata pinned into a tree by a giant snake. The pained look on both of their faces and how he just froze from it all.

Anko poked at the marking and looked at Sasuke confused. "That doesn't hurt? Impossible." Sasuke looked at her and shook his head. "Hinata closed my chakra points around it. I don't feel this part of my body, but it should be wearing off soon. When I did feel it, I felt pain."

Anko grunted at how Sasuke was sugar coating the situation. "You felt it? I'm sure you felt a whole lot of fucking pain. Probably made you feel like you were going to pass out and vomit at the same time. However, you still being able to suppress this seal's temptations is remarkable, that Hyuga can't close that off. Orochimaru probably really likes that about you."

Anki backed up and looked Sasuke down. "This is something to tackle after the third stage. Kakashi can handle it, but you cannot get rid of the Cursed Seal of Heaven. That's what it's called, and no one can help you if you give into the seal. The power that it gives you. The more you fall into the power it gives you, the more Orochimaru has control over you. Which he'll use that control to try and steal your body from you. That's his main goal. This seal connects you two and right now he has you right in his hands. Why? I don't know yet. You must have a traitorous black soul to begin with."

Naruto stood in front of Sasuke and frowned as he looked at Anko. "That's enough." Anko looked down at Naruto and smirked. She'd easily crush him like a bug. "You're on his side right now, but you wait until he turns on you and your comrade. Orochimaru liked this Uchiha for a reason. They're all the same aren't they."

Kakashi placed his hand on Anko's shoulder. This is the exact reason he didn't ask for her assistance. She was much too broken to dive into these conversations. "Thank you Anko. If I need any other help, I'll be sure to reach out…to someone else." Anko shrugged Kakashi's grip off and rolled her eyes as she left the small huddle.

Sasuke covered his shoulder back up and looked at Kakashi. "How long do you think Hinata's technique will work on this? Will it last until the third stage of the exams are over?"

Kakashi nodded his head and shrugged it at the same time. Leaving Sasuke feeling annoyed again. "Eh. Well go check with Hinata or Neji to make sure it's fine. If not, just like Hinata, you'll have to tough through it." He smiled at Sasuke, but received a blunt look back.

Naruto turned around and walked from the group. He dug his hands in his pocket and walked back over to the room Hinata was resting. Sasuke watched Naruto wander away and silently followed him. Kakashi watched the two walk off and turned back around to the rest of the jonin instructors. Asuma looked at Kakashi with an arched brow. "Only you would have the luck of having a team like this Hatake."

Kakashi gave a nervous laugh as he proceeded to isolate himself from everyone with his favorite book. He much preferred his team this way anyways.

Naruto paced around the building. He would walk by Hinata's room periodically, but he could never stay settled near her door. He just ended up walking around. Just thinking.

He really just wanted to make sure that Gaara guy wasn't lurking around. Naruto was becoming just as paranoid as Hinata.

Why the hell would that man Orochimaru just give up his name like that? Why did he attack them out of all people? At first he thought Orochimaru was after him because of the nine tails. Naruto felt guilty, that he was bringing unwanted attention to their team. Instead this awful man was after Sasuke this whole time.

Naruto couldn't save Sasuke. He couldn't save Hinata. He couldn't save himself from that monster and it made him angry. VERY angry.

Sasuke watched as Naruto started to drift over to the shadows and clutched the left side of his chest. "What's wrong?"

Naruto didn't answer him and started to take deep breaths. He was 14 years old and was going through things that he felt like normal teenagers shouldn't go through. Granted they were ninja's. They knew what they were getting themselves into. They chose to enter a cold, very harsh career field.

Did it have to be this hard though? Did it have to be this unforgiving and uncaring.

Sasuke watched as Naruto wandered into a dark, empty corner. Naruto walked like he was on auto pilot. Like he couldn't hear or see anything that was said to him.

Naruto finally leaned his back against the wall and squeezed his eyes shut. Fuck was it hard to concentrate. It was hard to breathe. It was hard to listen. His ears were ringing and at the same time it sounded like he was under water.

"What a fool you are."

Naruto's eyes snapped open and even though Sasuke was the one standing in front of him, Naruto didn't even see him. "Who said that?"

Sasuke looked around and was happy no one was around. The only person he wished was around was Kakashi and Hinata at this moment, but there was no luck of that. "No one said anything Naruto."

"Kill the Uchiha boy. He's tainted. I want him dead. You need him dead."

Naruto shook his head and slid to the ground. "No he's not bad. He's Sasuke." Naruto covered his ears in an attempt to get the voice to silence, but it seemed to just isolate him with the dark voice even more.

Sasuke kneeled down to the ground and attempted to place his hand on Naruto's shoulder, but Naruto shrunk away from it. This caused Sasuke to move away a little to examine what was happening. This had to be from that man Orochimaru.

"You're weak. A weak human that cannot see your true enemies. He will steal everything you've ever wanted. LOOK AT HIM!"

Naruto looked up from his ball position on the floor to Sasuke. Naruto's eyes were unfocused and Sasuke could see them migrate from blue to a raging red. Naruto looked…hurt. Like Sasuke did something horrible to him. Like Sasuke betrayed him.

"Naruto." Sasuke tried again to put his hands on Naruto's shoulder, but this time Naruto aggressively swatted his hands away.

"Don't touch me!"

Sasuke ignored the threat and gripped both sides of Naruto's head and pushed him into the wall. "Don't. Do. That. Naruto."

"KILL. HIM."

"STUPID HUMAN. KILL HIM…BEFORE HE KILLS YOU."

Naruto shook his head and squeezed his eyes closed. "Just…go away Sasuke. Give me a minute. I don't want to hurt you!" Naruto's hands went up to Sasuke's wrist and gripped them. It was enough pressure for Sasuke to feel that Naruto would break his wrists if he didn't let go.

Sasuke was going to challenge that. "Don't listen to that stupid fox. Your seal must be weakened and now the nine tails has more access to your mind and body." Naruto opened his eyes and looked at Sasuke. His head was thumping. His chest was burning and his stomach felt like it was going to explode. He's never heard the nine tails before.

Maybe he has, those dark thoughts and feelings that would engulf him at his darkest hours. They were never this clear though. The amount of sheer strength it had over his will right now was maddening.

The demons voice just wouldn't fade away. "I could kill you Sasuke. Right now. I think I want to. It's your fault I'm like this. It's your fault Hinata's hurt. It's your fault that fucking psycho came after us. He can tell that you want power. That you'd do anything to get to Itachi. He knows you're going to betray us soon. He-"

"Shut up! Don't say that!" Sasuke shook Naruto.

He knew this wasn't really Naruto talking. He was giving into the nine tails and its power. It still hurt to hear though. He didn't know if the nine tails was actually making Naruto admit what he was really feeling or if the demon was feeding these dark thoughts into Naruto. "Don't you think I know it's all my fault?!"

Sasuke leaned in and placed his head on Naruto's shoulder. Submitting to him. Showing Naruto his vulnerability. If Naruto wanted to attack him, he could. Sasuke at this point would let him.

What was life for Sasuke if he couldn't have Hinata and Naruto by his side. When he achieved his goal and kill Itachi. What would be the point in living if he didn't have Hinata and Naruto. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have froze out there. It'll never happen again. Why…why do you keep casting me out? Why won't you just…"

Accept me and Hinata the same. Care for us the same. Sasuke just wanted Naruto to realize how much he was trying for them.

Naruto promised Hinata and Sasuke he would never lash out on them like he did when he found out about the nine tails. He promised never to hurt Sasuke and Hinata like that. He meant it. He'd fight this urge because he wasn't ever going to put his hands on Sasuke with malice again.

Naruto growled in frustration. Trying to regain focus and push down all the burning pain he was feeling from the nine tails. He felt Sasuke hook his arms under his and took note at how open Sasuke was being. Sasuke was willing for others to see him in such a weak state right now. He was willing for Naruto to see him openly admit his faults and feel shame for it. He was willing to do all of this if it meant Naruto would snap out of it.

Naruto wrapped his arms around Sasuke.

"Let him go." Naruto ignored the voice. Shaking his head. Ignoring it. "I'm not going to listen to this thing. I'm not gonna let you go Sasuke."

"You're weak. When your guard is down. I will do what you're to pathetic to do. I will be free." Again Naruto shook his head. "I'd die before I let this monster hurt you Sasuke."

Naruto heard Sasuke take in a shaky breath. He could tell Sasuke was trying not to have a nervous breakdown right now. A lot has happened and Sasuke was just trying to survive all of this.

"After the Chunin exams, I have to go Sasuke. I…can't stay here. I can't control myself. I can't be around you and Hinata and not be able to control myself. I can't keep giving you two empty promises."

The demonic voice faded away and Naruto was starting to regulate himself again. Sasuke didn't say anything to what Naruto said. Not that he agreed to it or disagreed. Usually when Sasuke was silent he disagreed. He was just binding his time to voice how he thought the idea wasn't good anymore.

Before, when they all first found out about the nine tails. Sasuke semi supported it. Then Naruto started to change. Become darker. Submitted more to the tailed demon. It wasn't too obvious to be concerned about, but Hinata and Sasuke saw bits and pieces of Naruto becoming more frustrated and vicious. Not towards them, but their surroundings.

Sasuke was scared now. He could admit it. Not of Naruto, but if Naruto left. Sasuke didn't think Naruto would want to come back. It was too much bad blood with Naruto and Konoha for Naruto to want to return.

Sasuke also knew if Naruto left. At some point, Hinata would follow after him.

Sasuke slowly pulled away from Naruto and sat on the ground beside him. The two leaned their backs against the wall and just stared off into space. Finally Sasuke broke his silence. "I was serious. I really am sorry."

Naruto nodded his head as he continued to look off into nothing. "There is no reason to apologize. This guy planned what he was going to do to you. There was nothing me and Hinata could have done. If we tried any harder he would have just killed us. What he did to Hinata was unforgivable though."

Just hearing Hinata scream in pain. Whimper in agony. Her sewing herself up. So desperate she drunk rubbing fucking alcohol. She cried out for Neji to help the pain go away and neither Naruto or Sasuke could do anything to help her. That snake bastard took more of her light away. "Those black veins Sasuke. What if her family sees it? Her dad?"

Naruto's face scrunched up and he was losing his cool again. "I'm not going to rest until that snake bastard is dead. I don't care what I have to do. I'm going to kill him." He turned and looked at Sasuke with a determined look on his face. Sasuke looked back at him and could see the face of Naruto's true self. His mask was permanently broken.

Orochimaru took away Naruto's true innocence. All in a matter of seconds. "I want to be there when you do it Naruto. I want him dead too."

He took both of their innocence. He took team seven innocence.

Naruto nodded his head. "You better not give into that seal Sasuke. I'm serious. You have to be there for Hinata." Sasuke eyes widened as he listened to Naruto. "You're not going to come back. You're going to leave and not come back."

This was one of Sasuke's nightmares coming true.

Naruto squared his jaw and looked off to the side. "Teme…Sasuke lets be real. I don't have anything going for me. I can't have Hinata. I'm the jailer of the nine tails. My parents and their legacy are gone. No one cares about it, because if they did I wouldn't have been thrown in the orphanage. I don't have the name like you. Sasuke 'The Last Uchiha'. Me trying to have you two would just put Hinata through the ringer. I can't even control myself now. What if I lash out on Hinata? What if she starts to get scared around me? I couldn't take that. I need to go."

He was a nobody. A nuisance. A thug to the people of Konoha. They put this monster in him and shunned him for what they created. "I need to go because I don't think I can forgive what this place has done to me."

"Your first encounter with the nine tails and you're already ready to quit huh?"

Naruto and Sasuke looked up and saw a man with snow white long hair. An older man with red markings on his face and a muscular stature. He carried a giant bag on his back and matched the description that Kakashi gave Naruto a while ago to a perfect tee. "You're that Lord Jiraiya guy? My God Father?"

Naruto immediately frowned as the man didn't answer him and just stared Naruto down. He felt like this guy was judging him. "Screw you old man!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto like he lost his mind. Naruto said Sasuke was a hot head and that was so far from the truth.

Jiraiya looked at Naruto and smirked. Screw him? This kid had a lot of balls. Reminded him of Kushina. "A lot of talk coming from someone that needs me."

Naruto didn't miss a beat. "I needed you for over 14 years and I managed just fine without you." Jiraiya tilted his head as he looked at Naruto. His arms crossed and he gave Naruto a look showing he wasn't buying the tough guy act. "Yeah. Well now you can't think for yourself anymore because your seal has been altered. It'll only get worse. You know it. For the both of you."

Jiraiya looked at Sasuke and hinted that he was talking about him as well. Naruto looked at Sasuke and finally smiled. "Sasuke could come?!" Jiraiya gave Naruto a look like that was a dumb question. "You both have to come. You're both screwed up on major levels thanks to my old teammate. I'm always stuck fixing his shit."

Sasuke looked at Naruto and then at Jiraiya. "I can't leave." The sobering moment of their third teammate came back to Naruto and he frowned. Someone had to protect Hinata. From her family. From herself.

Besides the protection. Sasuke loved Hinata. He wasn't willing to be away from her for a long period of time. Sasuke was very…possessive. He grew jealous very easily. Hinata knew that.

Naruto blinked at Sasuke and his eye twitched. He could see the underlining meaning why Sasuke was so quick to decline. Sasuke…was slightly insane on the love scale. If Sasuke felt like he was losing Naruto or Hinata, he broke down. His cold mask instantly broke and he was willing to show them his true nature to get them to stay.

It was toxic considering Sasuke spent most of his time pushing them away. At the same time. It was a bit enduring.

Jiraiya gave the two an amused smile, "Interesting. You're third teammate was all on board for you two leaving. Hinata is her name right? She said she's happy for you two and thinks it's a great idea."

Sasuke scowled at Jiraiya. First of all. He woke Hinata up to talk to her about this insane topic. That immediately made Sasuke upset. Second, of course Hinata was going to say that. She didn't want to be a burden.

Sasuke slowly started to stand up and looked at Naruto to follow, which he did. "If you don't mind. I'd like to talk to our teammate." Jiraiya shrugged his shoulders. "Shoot yourself. Just a reminder to you two. This isn't a request. Not a choice. You'll be packed and ready to leave with me after the Chunin exams."

The amount of intimidation and sheer strength that Jiraiya had, matched and almost overpowered the amount from that Orochimaru man. He hid it so well with his slacked appearance. Naruto gave a sharp nod, slightly frozen at Jiraiya's intimidation. Sasuke avoided looking at him as he navigated towards Hinata's recovery room.

Jiraiya watched their retreating form and grinned. This was going to be fun.

When Naruto and Sasuke made it back to Hinata's recovery room, Sasuke knocked on the door and waited for Neji to open it. True to his word Neji never left Hinata's side and he looked at the two with an annoyed expression. "It hasn't even been a whole 24 hours and you two come back."

Naruto gave Neji a dull look and rolled his eyes, "Yeah. Well you let some giant, white haired stranger come in and talk to Hinata." Neji matched Naruto's stare and stepped aside for Naruto and Sasuke to walk in. "That 'stranger' is the honorable Lord Jiraiya. Learn your history."

Neji shut the door and turned around to look at Naruto and Sasuke. His arms crossed over his chest. The corners of his lips twitching. Yearning to grin. "Plus from what I gather, your soon to be new sensei."

Hinata was awake as she looked at Neji. She was sitting up and seemed to have gained some of her color back. Neji's eyes left Naruto and settled on Hinata. "I guess Lord Hiashi was right. At the end of the day, all you do have is us. Whether you like it or not Hinata. I'll be waiting outside if you need me." Neji left out the room before Naruto or Sasuke could rebuttal to anything he said.

Naruto growled at Neji. That guy was the definition of bi-polar. One minute he was super nice and gentle to Hinata, the next minute he was tearing her down again. "Don't listen to him Hinata."

Sasuke looked at Naruto before he looked at Hinata. She was staring at Naruto with a soft smile before she turned and looked at Sasuke. She bit her bottom lip as she looked at him and Sasuke saw her hands twitch because she wanted to reach out to him. "It's okay." Sasuke shook his head at her words. This was not okay. This wasn't fair at all.

Hinata looked down in her lap as she searched for the right words. "I-I think you and Naruto will do g-great. I-I w-worry about you two. I want you two to conquer what is hurting you." She nodded her head like she was trying to understand what she was saying herself. Hinata looked up at Sasuke and smiled again. "I'll be okay."

After all. She had her family.

"I'm not going." Sasuke said the words in a final tone. He wasn't going to argue about this. This wasn't up for debate. Hinata continued to smile and shake her head. "It's…not your choice anymore. After the forest of death, we all lost the ability to make our own choice on some things."

Sasuke frowned at this. "You're talking nonsense. If I do not want to do something. I will not do it. I'm staying here."

Hinata made a small 'o' shape with her mouth. "I see. I am a burden for you then. Naruto-kun thinks this too? That I need someone to watch over me?" She looked over at Naruto with pain filled eyes and Naruto furrowed his brows in confusion. "What? No. That's not what Sasuke's getting at either Hinata."

Hinata started to pick and pull at her fingers. She looked down at them again as she distracted herself. "Then go. Please. I do not need p-p-protection."

Naruto walked over to Hinata's cot and sat on it. Pushing over Hinata legs and facing her. He was shaking his head. Both in confusion and frustration. "Why do you keep doing this? This back and forward stupid crap Hinata. One minute you trust us. We're in. You admit that there is something there with me and with Sasuke. We do stuff…"

Naruto balled his fists and grunted. He was so upset at how everything was going. "We do stuff that we can't say is from pure friendship. Comrades don't do what we do. We're only getting older and things will only get more intense from what we're doing. How we're feeling. I know I can't have you Hinata. There is a shimmer of hope that Sasuke can. I want you to be happy."

Hinata looked at Naruto with a smile still on her face. She reached over to hold Naruto's angry fists and closed her eyes to hold in the tears. "I…can't be happy. That is not in my destiny anymore Naruto-kun. I can't have either of you."

Naruto looked at the black veins extending to Hinata hands as she spoke. He looked up at her and saw the veins had started to grow to her face. Where her temples were. Her Byakugan. "Hinata."

She continued to smile as tears fell down her face. "I am a tainted Hyuga, Naruto-kun. I don't have a choice anymore of what I want. My blood is not pure anymore. That's what they'll say when my family sees me because I can't hide this. I cannot control this. My fate is sealed. I will be branded. I know I can't have you. There is a shimmer of hope that Sasuke-kun can. I want you both to be happy."

Hinata covered her face in shame as she cried. Her veins now completely blackened by whatever that monster did to her. "P-P-Please. J-Just go. Be happy."

Naruto shook his head as he looked at Hinata. His eyes drifted over to Sasuke and saw his Sharingan was active. Sasuke eyes wouldn't leave Hinata. His fists balled with rage and his body was shaking.

Sasuke looked as if he wanted to burn the world down at this moment. This wasn't the Sasuke that Naruto was sitting on the floor with earlier. This was that vengeance Sasuke.

The conversation with Kakashi a month ago when they were watching Hinata train with her father appeared in both Naruto and Sasuke's head. They knew what Hinata was saying now was true and not paranoia. Her fate was sealed at this moment. Her family was going to completely turn on her. Destroy her.

Hinata would relapse if she was sealed. She'd die before they even came back to the village.

Naruto held Hinata. He squeezed her tight and let her cry on his shoulder. "I-I am f-fine! It's going to be okay!" Hinata said this to him, but Naruto felt like she was trying to convince herself.

Naruto ran his hands through her hair and pulled her close to him. "You're right. Everything is going to be okay Hinata. You can cry now, but this will be the last time you cry today over this. Do you understand?"

Hinata nodded her head as she silently cried to herself. She didn't even notice the two dark aura's surrounding Naruto and Sasuke. How this moment shifted the two boys way of thinking. How now there was no allegiance to anyone except the three of them.

Sasuke didn't care about Konoha. He didn't care about his brother. He cared about Hinata.

Naruto didn't care about the nine tails. He barely cared about Konoha. He just cared about Hinata.

They had to get stronger for her. To protect her from these monsters.

Naruto looked off into space as he held Hinata. His eyes growing darker and darker. To the point that his eyes were black and his pupils were red.

He would be Konoha's leader. For Hinata, because what he was willing to do for her needed that type of power. Naruto looked behind him and saw Sasuke. His curse mark consuming his facial features. Sasuke would be right by Naruto's side. In the shadows, doing what Naruto couldn't do because this Sasuke…this Sasuke had no boundaries or morals anymore.

Naruto continued to run his hands through her hair and comforted her. "Hinata. Please don't think anything about how you look. You look beautiful I hope you know this." Hinata laughed in his hold, he must have felt her insecurities radiating off her.

Naruto just smiled as he held her. "I love you Hinata."

Hinata looked up at Naruto. Her big, full gray empty eyes stared at him with nothing but happiness. She stared into Naruto's big blue beautiful eyes. She never even saw the change in Naruto and Sasuke. It was gone already and they both looked normal again.

Naruto looked at Hinata and then to Sasuke. "I do. I love you and I care for Sasuke. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I know people still see us as kids, and that we're just young and dumb-"

"That doesn't mean anything, and stop listening to people." Sasuke shot back at Naruto. Anger still clear on his face. It would be permanently there for a while. It probably won't go away until after the Chunin exams.

Naruto just smiled at Sasuke. They've been emotionally draining themselves more during the Chunin exams, than they ever did beforehand. Which was funny because they told themselves not to.

Naruto cupped Hinata's cheeks. Her perfect chubby cheeks. He watched her black veins recede and wondered if it was from all the TLC he was giving her. "I'm so screwed. I just never want to let you go Princess. So, what now?"

Hinata smiled at Naruto and looked over to Sasuke. The young Uchiha could tell Hinata wanted him to come to her and he did. He sat on the ground beside her cot silently and looked between her and Naruto. Sasuke reached over and took Hinata's free hand. He didn't say anything and nothing was needed to be said between the three of them about it.

Hinata bit her bottom lip. "Now we finish the exams?" Sasuke stared at her hands and watched her black veins vanish as he held it. "And afterwards?" He finally looked up at Hinata and she looked at his piercing red eyes.

Hinata was a little worried that his Sharingan was still activated. She didn't want Sasuke to be so angry. It wasn't good for him. She was serious when she said she worried for Naruto and Sasuke.

Sasuke could sense her worries and still managed to smirk at her. Even though it was for a second. "I do not want to leave you Hinata."

She smiled at this. "If you two come back. Then I won't be alone forever. I am much too…damaged to be married off. No man would want to look at me. Would want a family with me. I will be a server to the Hyuga clan until I die. So, if you come back. I will not be alone, that'll make me happy."

Sasuke took Hinata's hand and brought it to his lips. Naruto mirroring him and doing the same. Sasuke kissed her hand and watched how all her color started to return. "I don't like that idea. We will change that narrative after the exams. I promise you that."

He looked up at Hinata and his Sharingan made Hinata feel like Sasuke could see into her soul. On reflex her Byakugan activated and Sasuke smirked at her. This time the smirk stayed on his face. "That won't save you. I've figured your Byakugan out Princess."

Hinata's face lit up red and she made a squeak sound as she buried her face in Naruto's jacket. Naruto ran his fingers through Hinata's hair and smiled at her.

Well. He tried to be the nice guy. He really tried to do the noble thing and suffer while he saw Hinata with only Sasuke. Someone he also had feelings for. However, Hinata and Sasuke rejected the idea.

Now Naruto was never going to let them go.

End of chapter!

So, not a total anguish chapter. However, we can see a little where everyones mindset is going. Where their fixation is brewing.

The chapter with Hinata training with her family, basically was the foreshadow for this chapter. How she is now the tainted Hyuga. The one no man would ever want. So that makes one.

Naruto losing control to not only the nine tails, but his dark soul. That makes two tainted souls.

In this story. Sasuke by no means necessary wanted to be like his brother and deflect from Konoha. Now, after seeing the damage done to Hinata and how this clan from Konoha is going to treat her. He has no ambition to still being loyal to Konoha if the village shuns Hinata. Sasuke couldn't imagine Hinata being shunned how Naruto is. Sasuke is willing to tap let the curse mark consume him if it means protecting his loved one. Third tainted soul.

Now we're cooking! Yet there is more to still be unraveled. Like the explanation of the dark chakra in Hinata and more on the Hyuga clan.

See you next week!