SULFUR

Hinata knew that her teammates were looking for her by now. Her mind was going in circles, trying to find the right explanation to cover up the fact that she fell out of the pack intentionally. She had to come up with a reasonable explanation as to why she's been weird for almost a year. However, she had a chance to deal with it later, because she needed to focus on her special Uchiha in front of her, as she sat on a chair with her arms tied behind it. She also noticed that her ankles were tied against two front wooden legs of the chair.

Another thing she noticed; Sasuke didn't use ropes. He used cable ties, and they were tightly secured around the skin. It would definitely leave a mark. But she didn't mind it… this was the best place she could be. As long as her pendant glows, she knows she's safe.

There he was, sitting on his bed, watching her. He was topless at this point, wearing only his pants. She had forgotten how toned his body had become, a difference of night and day compared to academy years. This alone was enough to pique the desires in her, which very quickly, were mixed with guilt.

What would they say about her?

You're having sex… with a traitor?

She noticed a smirk forming on the Uchiha's face.

"You got a lot of nerve in you to bring your team to very close proximity around here. This was my team's hideout and I wasn't supposed to be here for another month. But because those Konoha shit-heads are heading to our next destination, we're forced to take the longer route. They're coming here to look for you."

Hinata chose to remain silent.

"And now I have to put myself in a risky situation being here with you. Which… I don't mind. I like the thrill."

Sasuke stood from his chair with a kunai in his hand. In the dark room, she could see his frame, his face, but most clearly, his activated sharingan. He pointed the edge of the blade to her jawline. It poked her skin enough to cut her and once a small amount of blood trickled out of her, a few drops landed on her chest. Her vest had been torn apart and she was left with her black turtleneck.

"I see your chakra waves, they're depleted. Activating your Byakugan would be a threat to you right now."

"...This is why I hate you," she finally said.

Another smirk from the Uchiha.

Sasuke pointed the blade to her neck, pushed the chair backwards to have her gaze straight toward him. "... Lies."

Hinata wanted to kick him, punch him, but she can't find her whole being to obey her thoughts. All she could subject to was the need for her chakra, and it's been quite annoying how her feelings automatically followed.

"How would you even distinguish lies from truth, Sasuke? When you've immersed yourself with so much evil…"

"Do you really think you're eligible to lecture me right now?"

"Yes. Because apparently I'm the only one in the whole world who's created to make you stronger. And I can't help but comply."

"Tch." He released his grip from the chair and he pulled his blade away from her skin. Sasuke then reached for the notebook behind his little demon, opening up a few pages to read out to Hinata.

"This is my brother's journal," Sasuke said, "He was locked with someone, too."

Hinata's eyes widened, not expecting how she'd come to know a person who was locked. Sasuke then gave a brief explanation on what happened between Itachi and her Locked mate. Hinata could see the emptiness in Sasuke's eyes as he told the story, and the pain he must have endured.

"The Fate they both had to serve was to save Konoha from a coup and that alone gave me years of bitterness. When I murdered my own brother, I learned of the whole truth. The world is more fucked up than whatever one-sided story we know."

Hinata dropped her gaze to the ground, feeling remorse for the things that had happened to him, and how her life isn't any nicer, but at least she didn't have to face a massacre.

Is this all there is? Despair?

She's seen another side of him, a human version of Sasuke, who had a small glimmer of hope. That side of him was why she fell in love with him, even when he was religiously trying to destroy Konoha.

"How will the Fates try to e-end both of us?" Hinata asked.

"Dunno. Maybe you die, maybe I die. Maybe I lose an arm, or something."

Sasuke flipped to more pages.

"Ridiculous how you find out more things about a person when they leave this world. This specific page was fully written on how Naruto's parents were locked."

After more pages flipped over, Sasuke continued, "And this one… a detailed explanation of Konan's experience." Hinata saw how his expression remained empty, but his eyes filled with pain the more he learned about his brother. Whom he murdered.

"Sasuke—,"

His gaze moved to sternly steady itself on her lavender eye. If looks could kill, she'd be dead. But she felt no fear.

"Who was she locked with?" she asked, embracing his vulnerability.

"Yahiko."

Sasuke didn't need to explain who that man was to her. Hinata remembered facing death head-on fighting Pain to buy time for a man who never gave his response to her confession. But knowing that Pain was a body controlled by Nagato… and that Konan's locked partner died a tragic death…

"So, not many make it out alive when locked, it seems." Hinata said.

"I've heard accounts of those who do, because the Fates need them alive, or together until death do they part to serve the great purpose."

Sasuke stood in front of her, eyes fixed only on her light orbs.

"And you led your team close enough for them to capture me, is that right?"

Hinata did recall that when the unison is processing at a fast rate, they'll begin to understand each other's thoughts, intentions, without having to exchange words. Lying to the Uchiha is completely useless.

"Y-Yes…" Hinata answered, as if she was admitting defeat.

"You thought that maybe, if they capture me, I can turn from my wicked ways?"

The heiress nodded.

"Princess, you know full well that it's not going to work."

"B-But… Sasuke what if you just turn yourself in and come back? Just… come back. Maybe things will be easier. Maybe you'll get to understand Konoha—,"

"That's not enough to replace all those years wasted alone and bitter."

"—But if you would just listen to them—listen to what they have to say! Do you really think the same people in office have the same ideologies?! Surely they don't! And we all want you back—,"

The same blade began its pressure on her skin again, this time on her chest.

"You want me back."

Sasuke moved the blade enough to tear the fabric on her, revealing her chest covered by a black laced bra.

"You, Hyūga Hinata, heir to a clan who fucks you up. You want me."

He moved the blade to tear the rest of her black shirt, now revealing her torso. Hinata felt her eyes welling up with tears, because she couldn't find resolve between the excitement he was giving her versus the denial that's deeply ingrained within him.

"Not Konoha."

By now, she was completely shirtless.

"Not Naruto."

Next was her pants.

"Not Sakura."

Then her shoes were tossed aside.

"Not Kakashi."

Lastly, her gloves.

"Just, you."

There she was, left with her matching undergarments, and a pendant glowing red that resembled his sharingan.

"I hate you, you make me sick. But I can't deny the fact that whenever I'm with you, Konoha disappears from my head. It makes me mad. It drives me insane. But this whole Locked Soul thing is controlling me more than I'm controlling it,"

"Because you love me," Hinata interrupted him. "You've let yourself loose for too long, something you vowed to never do."

His hand landed on her neck, limiting the airflow through her upper respiratory area. "You're scared that we'd end up in a tragedy."

That was it for Hinata. She began to drop the tears pooling under her eyes, her hands wrapped around his wrist because she needed more air. He was right. She had been too afraid to go through a tragic disaster like the rest. Looking at their circumstances, they're pretty much heading there.

"I can feel the Great Purpose approaching the more I'm with you." Hinata couldn't hold back her agony any longer. She began to weep, which somehow made Sasuke soften. He released his grip around her neck, now trying to wipe the tears off her cheeks.

"I don't plan on living very long. You'll probably be restored of your old feelings for Naruto."

"B-But Sasuke, I love you."

The Uchiha had been in instances where he'd always known what to say. But for this specific moment, he wondered what Itachi would have said to his lover. What would my brother say… Another depth of understanding crept into the Uchiha, maybe… a form of new humanity.

He used his Kunai to untie her wrists and ankles, then he threw the weapon to his side, "Man, I hate this. I started by stalking you for a year, wondering why I felt so drawn to you… not knowing it'll come to this. Now, here we are."

Hinata still had more tears flowing out of her. She wished she had known him all the while he stalked her. Maybe she had more time with him. Maybe it was enough to convince him, to remind him of his humanity. At that exact moment, she felt so miserable because she was too scared to lose him and all memories of Uchiha Sasuke, who has found his way to be the love of her life.

"In two hours, they'll find me. Please… consider."

Sasuke placed his hand on her face and kissed her, and she happily reciprocated. The more they kissed, the more heated their desires became, and the demand for a second chakra unison was driving the passion down into a darker path.

It would be an accurate description to say that they made love for a good 45 minutes. The second round happened shortly after that, too. But they weren't trying to exert their kinks, or torturing each other any longer. Not Sasuke with sadistic moves and Hinata with her masochistic persuasions. Just two humans who wished the Fates had a better plan for them.

They made love as if it was their last.

And just like that, they've completed their chakra unison.

Knowing he'd destroy her current clothes, he had prepared an extra outfit for the heiress. "I will wait here until they come. They're close." He said, breaking the silence.

"And will you surrender?"

"We'll see."

Hinata knew he would say that and something inside her prayed that he'd surrender and go back home to Konoha. For her.

Once they reached the porch, she could hear her teammates closing in. Sasuke looked unbothered, and unusually calm. He was beyond predictability, and somehow, she was prepared for what he was going to do.

Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her into a hug, his one arm around the heiress, and gave her forehead a gentle kiss. Hinata waited for him to say something, but what else should be said? Their hearts were hurting too much already, wishing for the impossible.

"For what it's worth, you've reminded me what's left in me that's human. Thank you."

Hinata's eyes widened, knowing what that meant. He's made up his mind to decline.

Just when she had the realization, they were encircled by their old friends. She noticed that everyone was there, including Naruto and Sakura. Sasuke didn't let go of her, even though his Sharingan was activated and his guard was up.

"Sasuke, what did you do to her?" Naruto asked.

Sakura had an expression that was beyond confusion, especially when she noticed the pendant's color resembling Sasuke's sharingan eyes. "H-Hinata-chan, are you okay?" Sakura asked.

Hinata had her arms around Sasuke, hidden underneath his cloak. She wasn't ready to leave him. She didn't want to.

"What the hell did you do to her?!" Naruto demanded an answer, angry because of many scenarios going on in his head.

"H-He didn't hurt me. I came here… voluntarily." Hinata answered.

"We both wanted to see each other." Sasuke added.

This caused more stir of confusion among the group.

"How, why, since when?" Naruto asked.

"Since last year." Sasuke answered.

Kakashi took several steps forward, approaching the two. "It seems Hinata led us here. Does this mean you're coming back with us, Sasuke?"

Sasuke took a few seconds to process. And before he responded to Kakashi, he looked at Hinata, gave her a smile before letting her go. He saw the pain in her eyes, and he could read her acceptance. She was ready to go through the tragedy. He could feel her arms detaching from his body, and for the last display of affection ever to be bestowed upon her, he caressed her face one last time before surrendering her to Kakashi.

There was a great silence at that moment. Who would have thought Sasuke would care for a woman… for Hinata?

Sasuke turned his gaze towards his former teacher and responded, "Never."

Kakashi nodded, "Very well. Then unfortunately, we will meet again in a very tragic setting." Hinata glanced back at Sasuke, knowing full well what that entailed.

"What, wait a minute, we're just gonna let him go?!" Naruto protested.

"I don't see the need to fight him if he doesn't want to comply." Kakashi responded. "Sakura, Ino, can you be sure to take care of Hinata?"

"Yes sir," They both responded.

"And for the rest, let's move out." Kakashi led the team away from Sasuke without even looking back. But Hinata managed to turn, to at least have a last glance of her beloved.

But he disappeared as if he was consumed by sulfur and fire.