The aftermath of the party

Chapter 40: It's like you told me, go forward slowly (it's not a race to the end)

Upon entering the Hokage's office, despite him being tucked away in the back, the first person Hinata's eyes landed on was Sasuke. Feeling heat crawl up her neck, Hinata immediately averted her gaze only for it to be filled with the sight of Naruto, left sleeve rolled up to his shoulder, amputated arm proudly on display.

Hinata paused. She hadn't seen him without his prosthetic except for the direct aftermath of his battle with Sasuke.

Bright blue eyes met hers and Hinata lost the battle against her blush. Hand shooting up to her bandaged neck, she retreated to where her teammates were standing. All of the Konoha Twelve, including Sai, were accounted for. It was the morning after the disastrous succession party and it was evident that none of them were well rested, least of all Kakashi.

Hinata had spent the night tossing and turning for various reasons. Two of them were in the room with her. Even thinking about how she had kissed two people in one day, just hours apart, was enough to make her lightheaded.

So she tried very hard not to think about it.

Fortunately, Hinata was good at compartmentalizing and there were more serious matters at hand.

Kakashi began speaking and Hinata happily gave him her full attention, mind clear for the first time in the past twenty four hours. After a succinct recap of the situation so far, Kakashi started on the new information.

"Neji, Tenten and Sai searched three known hideouts where former ROOT members had been spotted recently, but found nothing last night. And obviously you're all aware of the incident yesterday where nae-ROOT infiltrated disguised as servers," Kakashi said. "Sakura, did the tests come back?"

The pink haired kunoichi looked the most exhausted out of all of them. "We had the entire staff running tests on the food and drink. So far it looks like everything was dosed," she said, though she didn't look particularly panicked. "The thing is, the toxin they created seems to have no effect on the majority of ninja or civilians. Normal cells reject it. But they showed a strong ability to bind to and infect Hashirama cells."

"It was targeted," Shikamaru noted.

Sakura hiked up her shoulders in a light shrug. "Honestly, it doesn't look like they did much to modify the white zetsu cells to create this toxin. There was nothing sophisticated about it. It could have been dumb luck. We don't know much about how the white zetsu cells integrate into a body." She glanced over at Ino.

Sighing, the blonde kunoichi said, "I've only had a few sessions with Fujiwara and that specific memory is behind a lot of mental defenses. Not the kind you can learn. Unconscious ones your brain makes to protect you."

"Well, obviously Naruto is fine," Sakura said, cocking her head towards him. "We took the prosthetic off and it doesn't look like it managed to reach the rest of his chakra network. I'm not sure what would have happened if it had. If Naruto's normal cells would have rejected it or if it would have spread since it had already latched onto his arm…" She shook her head, a frown tugging at her lips. "But Yamato-tenchou is in a bad state."

Shikamaru inclined his head. "I managed to get a hold of him with my Kageshibari no Jutsu," he said. "But even before that it looked like he was fighting to stay in control."

"Were there any white zetsu in the crowd? The, I guess, normal ones?" Tenten asked. "Not bound to a ninja."

Naruto spoke up. "I didn't sense any. When they're attached to someone, they feel...different. It's hard to tell them apart from normal ninja." His right limb moved in what could have been a shrug, but Hinata recognized the attempt to scratch the back of his head with a now missing arm.

Kakashi sighed wearily. "I'm not going to lie. Things aren't looking good for us. Naruto and Yamato were injured. The villagers are terrified and the ninja are getting paranoid. We still don't know enough about nae-ROOT to plan a counterattack. And last night while they infiltrated the festivities, they also stole the Fūin no Sho," he said. "The only good news I have is that none of my ANBU patrols have found evidence of a white zetsu farm like the one on the Mogami land, so we're not expecting another white zetsu army. But their plans are unclear."

"What if that is their plan? Sowing unrest in the population, having ninja doubt each other, undermining the Hokage's successor," Shikamaru suggested. "Setting the stage for a coup."

"Yeah," Chouji piped up. "The whole village just saw Naruto attack his lov—" An elbow to his gut courtesy of Ino stopped Chouji mid-sentence. "…friend."

An awkwardness swept around the room. Before she directed her gaze to her feet, Hinata saw Naruto glaring down at his own.

Sai turned to Shikamaru, oblivious to the change in mood. "A coup…that isn't ROOT's M.O. ROOT has always operated in the shadows."

"Didn't Danzo get himself appointed Hokage?" Kiba muttered to Hinata and Shino, though his voice carried through the quiet of the room.

Sai said nothing to this.

There was an uneasy silence for a moment before Neji broke it. "Hokage-sama, were you able to study the seal we discovered on the wall of the hideout?"

Kakashi straightened. "Yes. It's a concealment seal. If there's a hidden entrance leading to another location, that may be the reason we weren't able to find anything in the hideouts." His eyes met Hinata's, a question behind the grey depths.

Hinata nodded subtly. As a ninja, she had to trust her comrades with her life on every mission. What Kakashi was asking went beyond that. The last time he'd brought up her knowledge of juinjutsu, it had just been Team Seven and Shikamaru, all confidantes of the Hokage. This was a much larger group. But everyone in this room was her friend and Hinata was willing to entrust them with this.

Kakashi nodded back. "Hinata, I was hoping you could take a look to decipher the release method."

Expecting the shift in attention didn't prevent Hinata's insides from squirming a little at the feeling of all eyes on her. She stepped forward to Kakashi's desk where he rolled out a scroll with a design inked on it in Neji's calligraphy.

The discussion about nae-ROOT continued around her, but Hinata tuned it out while she scrutinized the seal and mentally flipped through her collection of notes. She wished she could see the real thing. "Nii-san, what material was the seal made with?" Though her voice was soft, the conversation lulled.

Neji made a face of distaste. "Blood."

Hinata pursed her lips, unsurprised. "Hokage-sama, I think I know the release method, but we will need blood to activate it. Specifically the blood of someone permitted to access the concealed entrance."

Kakashi's eyes crinkled, the most lighthearted expression he'd shown today. "Lucky that we have not one, but two nae-ROOT down in T and I." Face growing serious again, he added, "Speaking of, Ino, I think it's time for brute force."

Ino paled. Sai pressed even closer to her side.

"Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura started, trailing off unsurely.

"We aren't getting anywhere because we haven't been willing to press our advantage," Kakashi said. "We can't afford to keep holding back for morals. Not now."

"That's bullshit." For once, Naruto wasn't yelling, but his voice was commanding regardless. "It's easy to talk about right and wrong and morals when we're at peace. But when we're in trouble…that's exactly when those things matter the most. We made promises about how we'd do things differently. Going back on my word the moment things get difficult…" Naruto huffed out a breath. "That's not my ninja way."

Hinata hadn't realized how tense the room had been until everyone relaxed just a little at Naruto's words.

Kakashi sagged a bit, scrubbing his hand across his forehead. "You're right," he conceded. "Stick to the standard techniques." He looked around the room. "Once we get the release method and the blood, we'll need to be careful when we act. We'll only have one chance before we lose the element of surprise. If we don't shut nae-ROOT down completely, they can relocate, recruit more members and start all over again. For now, I'll be increasing patrols and ANBU presence to give the villagers a sense of security. Sasuke, Sai, continue with surveillance. Naruto and the rest, try to temper any reactions among your peers, don't let people get too worked up." Kakashi paused in thought and then added, "Let's also tighten up security around Fujiwara; I'll only be able to keep one ANBU nearby. Sakura is at the hospital anyway and Ino has counseling sessions. With one more person to round things out, you can take shifts."

Hinata glanced up from where she was writing down the release method for the nae-ROOT's concealment seal and saw Kakashi's eyes turn to Sasuke. Without further thought, she spoke up. "I'll do it, Hokage-sama."

Once again all eyes were on her, but Hinata held Kakashi's surprised gaze determinedly.

With a curious look, Kakashi nodded. "I always appreciate initiative. You three can sort out the watch schedule on your own."

Suddenly Shikamaru's slumped posture straightened up. "Sakura, how long will it take to make another Hashirama arm?"

Sakura cocked her head to the side. "Three, maybe four weeks."

"Let's cut that in half," Shikamaru said, making Sakura frown in confusion.

Kakashi made a sound of understanding. "Sakura, we need to schedule Naruto's new prosthetic attachment for two weeks from now, on record."

"Although nae-ROOT had other aims we did not anticipate, they targeted Naruto at his succession party as predicted. If we make it known that Naruto will be undergoing a complicated procedure, we can incite them to make a move at a time and place of our choosing," Shino surmised with the same intonation he used while lecturing at the academy.

The confusion on Sakura's face cleared and she nodded. "I'll book something in the hospital's system. Naruto, feel free to be your loudmouthed self and blabber about it around the village."

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto said, not looking particularly offended.

With that, Kakashi dismissed them, though not before reminding Naruto and Shikamaru to return in thirty minutes to discuss strategies.

They spilled into the hall outside the Hokage's office. As much as everyone wanted to loiter, rattled by the previous evening's events and seeking refuge in each other, duty called and one by one they began to make their way out.

After briefly talking with Sakura and Ino to arrange their shifts for watching Fujiwara, Hinata began following her team out when she head Naruto call her name.

"Hinata-chan! Can we talk?"

Unthinkingly, Hinata's eyes darted to where Sasuke was standing. The skin around his eyes was tight, but when he saw her looking he cocked his head in a silent question. Hinata gave him what she hoped was a reassuring nod.

Turning to Naruto, Hinata agreed to his request with a soft hum.

Naruto glanced around them. "There should be an empty meeting room somewhere."

Hinata gripped the edges of her sleeves tightly. She felt the heat of Sasuke's eyes as well as Kiba and Shino shifting closer to her and, sensing Kiba was about to say something blunt, Hinata hurried to speak. "S-Sure. But we're meeting Kurenai-sensei for lunch soon, so…"

"Got it. I won't keep you. Don't want to make Mirai-chan wait," Naruto said easily.

Hinata let out a quiet breath and followed the blond further down the hall and then into a small meeting room. The moment she stepped inside she was second guessing the intelligence of the decision to be alone with Naruto. She felt wary in a way she never had around him.

Anxious about what he might do, about what she might let him do.

Naruto gazed at her with those bright blue eyes and Hinata immediately felt safe. That was the most dangerous thing of all.

There were so many years of feelings wrapped up in him. Even knowing better, it was difficult for Hinata not to let that warm sense of nostalgia wash over her and dictate her emotions.

"I'm really sorry, Hinata-chan. I would never hurt you," Naruto blurted out.

Not expecting this particular topic, Hinata's eyes widened. Then, taking in the forlorn expression on Naruto's face, she shook her head. "You don't have to apologize for that," she said.

"Of course I do! It was my hand! I felt —" Naruto cut himself off with a grimace. "I should have been able to fight it." His voice was heavy with anguish and it tugged at Hinata's heart. He looked paler than usual and tired. Hinata wondered how much of that was due to her attack on his rogue arm and she almost reached out to touch him before catching herself.

"You are strong, Naruto-kun. But you don't have to be invincible. No one is expecting you to be."

"But I do! I have to protect everyone!" Naruto insisted vehemently. "I can't lose anymore precious people. So many people have already given up their lives. They'll never be able to live out their dreams. So the fact that I'm lucky enough to get to live mine…I can't take that lightly. I'm carrying their dreams with me, so I need to give it my all."

"Naruto-kun…"

Naruto's expression softened. "I really miss hearing you say my name like that."

Hinata blushed, but didn't let that derail her. "You…you always take on the weight of the world. Every person you meet, you meet them with an open heart. You feel their struggles like they're your own. It's…amazing. But it also seems…exhausting. I wish you wouldn't push yourself so hard. You always tell us to rely on you, but I think you forget that you can rely on us too."

"It's not that I don't think you're strong! I know you are. I know I can rely on you guys, but…"

"But you want to protect everyone," Hinata said with him, lips quirked into a half smile. "I know." Again, she felt acutely aware of the distance between them as people, as ninja. Naruto so far out of reach, unknowingly by his own doing.

Hinata used to want to bridge that gap more than anything.

She still did, in a way. But something about it felt different.

"I remember when you walked into the academy with your hitai-ate for the first time. You were so happy and proud," Hinata recalled. Her hand fell to the pouch around her thigh where her hitai-ate sat. "I felt that way too. We all did. And every time I put it on, I still have that same feeling. You're not the only one who made a promise to protect Konoha and our comrades."

Naruto grinned and it was like the dark veil that had been hanging around him all morning had lifted. "You're right," he said, adjusting the hitai-ate around his forehead. "But I'm still sorry." At Hinata's protesting look, he quickly added, "Because I made a promise to protect you, not as a ninja, but as a man."

Hinata's eyes widened. "Um."

Naruto took a step forward and she instinctively backed away.

"Hinata-chan, about last night…"

Her palms were sweating.

"I didn't get a chance to say everything I wanted. I know I messed up before, but —"

"Naruto-kun, it really doesn't —"

The door slammed open.

"Oi, Naruto stop hogging Hinata-chan when we have plans!" Kiba exclaimed. Shino stood just behind him, shaking his head at the other boy's impatience.

"Hey! We're in the middle of something, so —"

"Funny, you're the one making us late for lunch."

Akamaru headbutted her side and Hinata exhaled softly. Shino caught her eyes and she suspected her teammates had sensed her distress from outside the room.

While Naruto and Kiba continued to snipe back and forth at each other, Hinata murmured a quiet "goodbye", skirting around them to join Shino at the door.

It took Naruto a few seconds to notice and then he called out, "But Hinata-chan —"

Kiba grinned victoriously. "Ha! Don't be such a baby! Not like you can't meet up some other time, we live in the same damn village." He stuck out his tongue before running after Hinata and Shino.

When she stepped into the hallway, Hinata almost ran face first into Sasuke.

There was an upset frown on his face, but it smoothed away as he looked at her. The proximity brought a blush to Hinata's face, but she didn't move away. Something inside her waited for the other shoe to drop, but Sasuke said nothing of his confession from the other day, only running his hand through her hair. It suddenly felt easier to breathe.

Sasuke exchanged a short nod with Shino before Kiba reached them and propelled both Hinata and Shino forward with his hands on their backs.

"Let's go, let's go!"

Right before they turned the corner, Hinata looked back and saw both Sasuke and Naruto standing in the hallway, facing each other.

Waiting while Naruto and Hinata talked alone was maddening, erasing whatever ease Sasuke had felt when he'd walked Hinata home last night. Sasuke's vivid recollection of the previous night played in his mind and the possibility of it repeating now behind the closed door made him want to run his chidori through the wood.

Kiba was watching him with surprisingly analytical eyes while Shino stood calmly facing forward. They were both quiet, which Sasuke would have appreciated more if the entirety of his mind wasn't focused on what was happening in the room in front of him.

Both Hinata and Naruto's chakra were steady behind the door, but something made Kiba, Akamaru and Shino perk up, the latter less blatantly.

Watching Kiba barrel into the room to grant Hinata a quick exit definitely raised Sasuke's opinion of his former classmate.

Then Hinata was in his space, the scent of lavender and chamomile filling his head and leaving little room for any negativity. It was a brief moment, but enough to bring back the lightness Sasuke had felt yesterday.

He said nothing as her teammates pulled her away and instead turned his attention to Naruto. The blond was staring after Hinata. When those blue eyes met his, they hardened. Sasuke was reminded of the way Naruto used to look at him at the academy.

It stirred an itch to fight. Certainly that would be the easiest route to take. It was the only way they really knew how to communicate.

"Sometimes, when something is uncomfortable, it seems easier to ignore it. But the more you ignore it, the worse it gets until it's to the point that it seems…impossible to confront."

Sasuke sighed. "We need to talk."

The hard look in Naruto's eyes faltered as his face slackened in surprise. Collecting himself, Naruto nodded. "Not here."

In a silent agreement, they met at Training Ground Three not five minutes later, crossing Konoha at preternatural speed.

Sasuke didn't bother beating around the bush. "I like Hinata." When Naruto's jaw dropped, he added, "Don't act like you didn't know."

Naruto frowned. "Fuck off," he responded. "If you know I know then…why are you telling me this?"

Sasuke shot Naruto a look.

Naruto's frown grew deeper and then he shook his head, letting out a mirthless laugh. "Seriously? You really are such a bastard."

"It's not like I did it on purpose," Sasuke said defensively.

"Not like it was an accident either," Naruto muttered. "Spending so much time with her."

"If that's all it took then Sakura would have gotten what she wanted a long time ago. Besides, if you really thought that, then you should have spent more time on your relationship."

Naruto shoved Sasuke with enough force even one-armed to push Sasuke back. "Well, I didn't think I had to worry about my best friend being around the girl I love!"

When Naruto went to shove him again, Sasuke deflected his hand. "Don't be an idiot. I had nothing to do with that. That was all you. I'll own up to my part, but don't blame me for your negligence."

"Then what are you owning up to? I want to hear it."

Seeing his best friend's features pulled into a mixture of anger and sadness, Sasuke felt shame wash over him. "When I realized…I wasn't going to do anything about it. But that's not an option for me anymore. I'm giving it my all."

"Even if it means screwing me over? Guess I shouldn't be surprised," Naruto said. The bitterness in his voice made Sasuke wince. "And you know the worst part? A part of me…" Naruto stopped, raking his hand through his hair before continuing, "A part of me is relieved."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"After everything…I wasn't sure if you were capable of feeling like this. And that scared me," Naruto admitted.

"…I didn't think I was capable of it either," Sasuke confessed.

"It's typical. Instead of all the girls obsessed with you, you'd pick Hinata." Naruto snorted. "Always so damn selfish."

"Sasuke-kun isn't selfish…Maybe you've done some selfish things, but, I think, not more than anyone else."

Sasuke huffed. "Not more than anyone else," he said, more to himself. To Naruto, he said, "If that's what you want to call it. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to stay by her side."

"Hinata-chan loves me. Nothing you do will change that," Naruto said.

The almost smug undertone in Naruto's voice had Sasuke blurting out, "I kissed her. Twice. And she kissed me back."

Sasuke saw the punch coming, but let it connect. He deserved it.

"Bastard!"

"You need to practice with your left hand more," Sasuke remarked. His jaw stung, but his pride stopped him from reacting to the pain.

"Is this a joke to you?" Naruto spat, outraged.

Sasuke's expression grew serious. "Naruto, I wouldn't do this to you unless I was serious about it."

"Then act like it!" Naruto's blue eyes were blazing with emotion. "If you care about our friendship. If you care about Hinata. You better take this seriously. Because I'm not giving up. And the worst thing you could do is be half-hearted about it. That'll piss me off more than you going after Hinata in the first place."

Meeting Naruto's gaze with equal intensity, Sasuke gave him a resolute nod. He had no intention of being half-hearted.

Naruto nodded back. "Good." His shoulders slumped a little. "You're still a jerk."

Looking at his best friend, the person who have never given up on him, Sasuke felt shame prickle at him again. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

Blue eyes widened in surprise. Then the corner of Naruto's lips pulled into a half-smile, half-grimace. "You actually sound like you mean that. It's weird."

"Don't expect to hear it again."

"Yeah, I'm not holding my breath." Naruto glanced around the training ground. "Hey, since we're here…"

Sasuke allowed his muscles to relax. They were going to be okay.

Naruto had always been a much better friend than he deserved.

Sasuke and Naruto clear the air more or less.

Thanks so much everyone for all the lovely reviews ^^

MVH