hi! English isn't my first language. thought in italic , dialogue in " ", POV alterning and Naruto's still not mine
Chapter 23
The atmosphere in the Hyuuga compound was in one word: weird
Hinata was awakened by her maids, who were very enthusiastic this morning with a flurry of activity unlike any she had ever seen. They refused to allow her to make her own bed. They picked out her outfit for the day. They forced her to sit at her vanity to brush her hair and style it.
One of them even proceeded to give her a head massage, while another filed her nails and lathered her hands with lavender scented lotion.
It was overwhelming.
Things only got worse when she made her way to the kitchen. The cooks kicked her out.
They actually kicked her out.
And proceeded to make all her favorite dishes, it was enough to feed an entire army.
It was ridiculous.
A branch member followed her everywhere she went in case she needed anything. The constant hovering was stifling. She knew it was their way of showing gratitude and respect but it was too much.
The last straw was when they told her not to worry about taking care of her mother's garden.
Hinata didn't have the heart to order them away. Instead, she fled the compound completely. She could only hope things will go back to normal once the novelty wore off.
The Hyuuga took refuge in the Yamanaka flower shop. Little did she know she was about to face an even bigger predicament.
Hinata found her friend finishing up with a customer.
"Hinata-chan!" Ino was ecstatic to see her."Missed me already?"
"Yes" The blue haired kunoichi smiled. "But to be honest I'm hiding from my clan."
"Are they being pricks again?" The Yamanaka crossed her arms.
"No, the opposite actually." She proceeded to tell her all that happened.
"So, let me get this straight." the blonde cocked an eyebrow "you're complaining about being treated like a princess?"
"You're supposed to be on my side." She frowned. "You know I don't like it"
"I'm just teasing." Ino laughed.
Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the chiming door.
"Damn Onee-chan you sure run fast" Hanabi stood panting.
"I'm sorry Hanabi I didn't notice"
"No matter, you already saved me the trip of dragging you here anyways" Her sister grinned.
"Why would you want to drag me here?" Dark eyebrows scrunched in confusion.
"Well" Ino took off her apron "we need to prepare for tonight's party."
"What party?" The bluenette asked apprehensively.
"You didn't really believe we weren't going to throw you a party to celebrate your win?" Hanabi scoffed.
"Everything has already been taken care off" the blonde bounced to her "We booked the club and invited the people."
"How many people?" The eldest Hyuuga asked knowing that these two conspiring together never ended well.
"Nothing over the top" The Yamanaka reassured "Just the rookie 9 and a few others"
"There's really no convincing you of canceling is there?" Hinata sighed knowing it was already a lost cause.
"Not a chance in hell." Her sister answered.
"And of course you know what this means, right?" Sapphire eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Oh No" she paled.
"Ohhhh yes!" Hanabi grinned."Shopping trip!" Both her friend and sister exclaimed simultaneously.
Hinata groaned out loud. It wasn't that she didn't like shopping for clothes.
She like many other kunoichi didn't feel the need to sacrifice her femininity in order to be taken seriously as a ninja.
On the contrary most of them learned to weaponize their physical appearance. Whether it was by seducing an enemy and making them jump camp or lulling them into a false sense of security by appearing non-threatening. Being a kunoichi was an art form.
There was even a special branch in the Anbu dedicated to that art. Normally no one knew of its existence but having been recommended for that type of training once made Hinata aware of it. She of course had fainted upon receiving that particular summon from Lady Tsunade, the Hokage at the time. All she was able to do was stutter an apology for her refusal before getting the hell out of there.
What the hell were they thinking? She couldn't even think about kissing someone without blushing ten shades of red. Tsunade had looked her with a calculating gleam in the eye and just said "Exactly."
"Do you think we'll have time to check out the new Ninja attire clothing shop after all the rest before going to the bathing houses?" Ino tapped a manicured finger on her lips.
"All the rest?!" Hinata squeaked remembering why she wasn't fond of these little trips with Ino. She tended to go a little overboard.
There are fifty shops of clothing in Konoha! And that's without counting the ones for formal attire and ninja gear.
"I'm not sure" Hanabi frowned "but the bathing houses take precedence."
"We have our own Onsen in the compound." The eldest tried to minimize the damage.
"I thought you wanted some peace" a brown eyebrow was cocked "If your maids find out you're going out tonight, they will make a whole production of getting you ready."
Hinata had palled at the thought of being poked and probed by persistent branch women.
"Ok. Let's go" The Hyuuga gulped.
"This will be so much fun!" Ino squealed in delight.
Sasuke had his whole day planned out.
He was going to wake up at a reasonable hour (meaning past ten) . He was going to go to the training grounds and partake into destroying half of it.
Then he was going to report to Naruto's office to deposit a request for a promotion of two of his Anbu to be Hokage guards. They've earned it after keeping a cool head in the face of his little slip of a temper in the hospital the other day.
Sasuke was of course self-aware enough to know that it was by no means an easy feat to stand strong in the face of him. He really had been on the verge of destroying that Hyuuga in a very horrific manner making what he did to Danzo seem like a walk in the park. If it weren't for Hinata who snapped him out of it he would've gone through with it.
She was another one that surprised him that day. Not being afraid but embracing him instead. Understanding where he came from, although he suspected she didn't completely grasp why seeing her being threatened that way had set him off.
But she still didn't judge him for it. He could see in her eyes that she didn't think any less of him. That she'll still looked at him the same way.
She must've known that he was capable of ending her.
And although he tried to forget it, when he was in that particular mindset, he was acutely aware of how fragile she was. Of how easy it would've been to snap her pretty little neck if he wanted to. How utterly breakable she really was, especially with her depleted chakra and injuries.
Maybe that was what set him off the most. She had been vulnerable. And they chose that moment of vulnerability to attack.
But in reality, he was the biggest threat to her in that room, that day. Physically speaking, especially since he wasn't in the right state of mind.
And yet she trusted him with her life implicitly even after she saw the dangerous being he really was. Hell, she had slept wrapped in his arms with not even a hint of uneasiness.
And so, it came to no surprise that when she drifted off to dreamland, he stayed and spent hours just watching her sleep peacefully relishing in that faith she had in him until sleep claimed him as well.
The awakening the day after was sudden but no less pleasant. He remembers thinking he could get used to waking up like this; with Hinata wrapped around him, her hair trying to suffocate him to death. Unfortunately, he had a Hokage to answer to and explanations to give.
He would've stayed an extra five minutes if he knew that wench Tsunade was going to ban him from the hospital.
He hadn't been able to see her since then.
And that brings us to the rest of his plan for today. After he saw Naruto, he was planning on getting some lunch then attempting to kidnap a certain Hyuuga princess that he may or may not have missed.
But of course, the biggest thorn in his side had other ideas.
The Uzumaki invited himself for lunch and hijacked the rest of his afternoon. Sasuke would've normally blown him off. But the idiot needed to vent his fears and anxieties about his impending fatherhood. And well, his friend had stood by him through highs and lows so he thought he could tolerate a Naruto induced headache for one afternoon.
He thought wrong.
"I'm serious Teme. What if I crush the baby while I'm sleeping?" Naruto was on the verge of ripping his hair out "You know how I roll around in my sleep."
"I know." A vein throbbed on the Uchiha's temple. They've been discussing ridiculous worst-case scenarios for hours. "Just don't sleep in the same bed."
"What is wrong with you?" The blond gasped "Don't you know that sharing the bed with the parent helps in building a strong emotional bond and impacts brain development. You should know this Teme!"
"No, I shouldn't. You're the one who impregnated Sakura not me." Sasuke sighed.
"Thank the gods. You're obviously not ready for fatherhood." Naruto scowled. "I pity your future hypothetical children."
"My future hypothetical children will be fine." The Uchiha scowled back "They won't be having a moron for a father."
"You are even worse at giving advice than Kakashi-sensei." The Hokage muttered.
"This is why you're a moron" Sasuke scoffed "You went to the man who reads porn in the presence of twelve-year olds for parenting advice."
"First of all, it's soft erotica with a plot not porn." Naruto grimaced "You should see the disturbing research Jiraya-sensei collected over the years."
"Your father figures are perverts." A deadpan look was fixed on the ex-avenger's face "Maybe you should try asking a real parent instead. Like Hinata's sensei."
"Yeah. Good idea." The blond scratched his spiky hair "Speaking of the most likely candidate to be the mother of your future hypothetical children."
Sasuke glared at him.
"There's something Shikamaru had mentioned that might become 'troublesome' concerning Hinata-chan." The serious look that overtook the Uzumaki's face made Sasuke pay attention.
"What?" They continued walking down Konoha's streets.
"The Anbu operative you had guarding Hinata-chan reported to me last night " He raised an eyebrow at that. The Hokage of course had the authority to command the Anbu directly if he so desired but Naruto usually let him manage them as he sees fit "I wanted to make sure Hinata's return to the compound went without a hitch."
"And?" The Uchiha knew that Naruto had been angry with the Hyuuga elder for attacking Hinata, so it was understandable that he'd keep a watch on her too.
"And Shikamaru said that what happened was something to be cautious about." Naruto's serious countenance didn't leave him "The branch members pledging their allegiance to Hinata might be a cause of future concern especially with the council."
"Why do you care what the Hyuuga elders think?" The Uchiha's sharp gaze didn't leave his friend's face.
"I'm not talking about the Hyuuga council. I'm talking about the village's council." Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the mention of those two "Hinata's grown politicly powerful with all the branch Hyuugas and you backing her."
"What did Shikamaru say exactly?" Dark eyes became calculating. He knew that the Nara was unparalleled in strategy. He must've studied all possible ramification of the situation, he knew of his loyalty to the village but also his bond with Hinata. They after all shared godparenthood rights over their Seinseis' child.
"What if Hinata wanted to reclaim her title as heiress to her clan?"
"I'd say it's her right. She is the rightful heir, by birth and by blood the leadership is hers." The Uchiha shrugged.
"Yes, but she gave up her position for her sister willingly." Naruto looked in deep thought. "And although she never told me implicitly the reason why, I suspect it had something to do with the sudden stop of influx of noble suitors coming to the Hyuuga clan."
"That doesn't make sense." Sasuke frowned "Her clan was still trying to marry her off even after she gave up the title."
"Exactly what if the suitors were for Hanabi and not Hinata?" Naruto speculated "What if by making her sister the future leader she saved her from an arranged marriage? The Hyuuga elders would get the heir they always wanted and keep Hinata in check, after all she had never made it a secret that she was going to work against the division in her family."
"What's the point of all this?" The frown didn't leave his features.
"The point is you came along." The blond answered "You took away the elder's power over Hinata when you made her part of your clan and the branch members will follow her to the end of the earth. That's too much unchecked power."
"Are you suggesting that Hinata will try to overthrow the leadership of her clan?" Sasuke asked sharply.
"I'm suggesting that she could if she wanted to" Naruto's azure gaze didn't waver "She's powerful enough to challenge her father for the seat and she has the necessary means to organize an internal coup and that could cause concern with the council. They might start perceiving her as a threat to the village's stability."
"What do you think?" The Uchiha felt his anger mounting.
"I know Hinata-chan. She would never try and cause unnecessary trouble." Naruto's eyes softened "I believe judging by the relationship of the two sisters that they've already found a way to make Hinata's vision of a united clan work without her being at the head even before you stepped in the picture. But you know how the council is, they fear what they don't have control over."
"I know that the only power left unchecked in this village is theirs." The Uchiha growled, intimately familiar with their machination. The last time they dealt with a perceived threat to the village's stability had ended with his entire clan massacred. "I suggest you find a way to check that power."
"Sasuke I'm on your side." The Hokage placed his hand on his shoulder "I protect my friends."
"I know Naruto." A fleeting smirk appeared on the Uchiha's lips before his cold disposition took over again "But you need to either nip this suspicion in the bud or make sure you have total control over them."
"I just wanted you both to be prepared just in case." Naruto held his gaze "But no I will not allow for it to escalate."
"I'll do you the same courtesy then, so you'll be prepared too" Sasuke's voice had an edge to it "I am loyal to the village out of respect to my brother's memory. But I am not Itachi. I will always choose someone who matters to me over the village." His voice lowered a few octaves as he stopped walking. "and if they touch a single hair on her head, not even you can stop me from burning it all to the ground. Just remember that."
"Geez Teme. No need to be so dramatic" Naruto tried to break the tension "I think the council remembers quite well not to mess with your apprentice after you terrorized an esteemed elder of the Hyuuga clan."
The Uchiha was still tense though.
"This is all just a theory constructed by Shikamaru anyway." The Hokage stopped walking too and faced his friend. "It's his job to be one step ahead of any potential threat to the village."
"That is what you consider a threat to the village?" Naruto's gaze followed his to the window of the shop they just happen to stop in front of.
Inside they could see Hinata leaving a fitting room laughing at something her sister said. She took a twirl in the yellow dress she had on before making a face and going back to change.
How could anyone see anything other than this happy girl who was trying on a ridiculous number of dresses (judging by the pile near the fitting room) to please her little sister whom she loved to bits. How can anyone accuse someone capable of producing such a beautiful sound with treachery. They'd have to be blind not to see the pure soul in that shop.
"Someone who matter to you huh?" Naruto teased.
"Oh, go back to dwelling on your shortcomings" He rolled his eyes.
Sasuke completely forgot about the conversation and the blond who was standing beside him when she walked out again. He felt the air leaving his lungs suddenly at the sight of Hinata hesitantly approaching the mirror to look at her reflection.
She was exquisite.
The dress was off shoulder making her collarbones stand out while also offering a playful view of her cleavage without being too much. The way it cinched around the waist before flowing down to stop a bit above her knees accentuated her figure and showed off long shapely legs.
The color itself; blood red made her skin glow even in the dim lighting of the shop. It contrasted beautifully against her dark locks.
As Hinata swept her hands over the fabric trying to reach the zipper on her back, Sasuke wished he was the one doing it instead.
He could see it playing out in his mind perfectly.
He'd walk over and stand just behind her. He could picture her surprised but happy expression in the reflection of the mirror they're both standing in front of. He'd say something witty such as how she was totally helpless without him.
He'd brush her long hair to one side of her neck while keeping his gaze on hers on the looking glass. He'd then proceed to slowly zip her up all the while tracing the path with his fingers, his eyes mourning every inch of soft skin he could no longer see.
Once done, he'd smooth the fabric one last time before placing an open-mouthed kiss on her exposed shoulder. Knowing himself he wouldn't stop there. He'd probably lavish the side of her neck with attention too, relishing the way her complexion flushed under his lips. The whole process would then become moot as he unzips her again.
Sasuke was wrenched out of his pleasant daydream by the sound of the bells chiming with the shop's door opening. When he looked back at the window, Hinata was nowhere to be seen. Probably back to the fitting room.
"Hello Uchiha-san" A mischievous look on a young face greeted him.
"Little Hyuuga." His voice was neutral as always.
"Hanabi-chan! How are you?"
The Hyuuga ignored him prompting Naruto to grumble about immaturity as if he wasn't inflicted with the same thing.
"Something caught your eye in there?" A fake innocent expression was plastered on her face.
Damn.
The little shit caught him staring.
"I don't think they cater to my taste." A dark eyebrow cocked.
"I'm sure there's something that'll suit your implacable taste Uchiha-san." She answered cheekily.
"Careful little Hyuuga" He smirked "I enjoy you, but careful."
"Anyway, we're throwing a party for Hinata tonight at the Rusty Kunai to celebrate her victory" She rocked on her feet. "You should come."
"I suppose I'm not invited." The blonde sighed.
"Actually, my sister insisted on extending an invitation." It was her turn to sigh "You can even bring your baby mama."
"Sweet" The Hokage grinned.
"So how about it Uchiha-san?" Those pale eyes looked his way again.
"I'll take it under consideration." He answered with a neutral voice.
"Great" Hanabi grinned knowing he was coming "I'll see you there."
"Little Hyuuga" Sasuke's voice stopped her before she rejoined the others in the shop "The red one."
"As I said" Her grin widened "Impeccable taste."
Hinata admired herself in the mirror. She was quite satisfied with the result of her efforts. After soaking in the public Onsen( an experience she will not be repeating anytime soon, do to all the women that came to congratulate her on her win while she was naked .) she convinced her maids that there was no need to attend to her as she was already ready for bed.
That was before Hanabi sneaked in to inform her to start getting ready. She applied a light amount of makeup that highlighted her feature and made her eyes pop, a cherry flavored gloss was applied to her lips. She wore her indigo hair loose with curled tips at the end.
The Hyuuga was glad she went with her sister's suggestion of getting the red dress. It really was beautiful. The look was completed with black high heels.
Hinata smiled at herself as she indulged in a small feminine twirl. Maybe this outing wasn't a bad idea after all. She did earn the praise even if she didn't know how to accept it.
Something is missing.
As the kunoichi went to her dresser to choose a neckless to finish the whole look, a ripple appeared on top of it and a small box became visible to her eyes.
What the hell?
There used to be a Genjutsu placed on it.
For her, a Hyuuga who trained under a Genjutsu mistress to not noticing it the moment she stepped inside her room was alarming. It must be one hell of a Genjutsu. Still on high alert she activated her Byakugan to pear inside just in case it was a trap.
It wasn't. That only confirmed her theory.
Hinata opened the lid and admired the flower nestled inside. It was a beautiful red Camellia, freshly cut. The way it was clipped suggested it was meant to be worn in her hair.
Was this another apology for not visiting her?
Because this could only be from Sasuke judging by the high level Genjutsu in addition to his history of sneaking inside her room.
A pink hue appeared on her cheeks as she weaved it in her silky locks. If his clan hadn't perished while he was so young robbing him from intricate etiquette lessons, she would've thought he was courting her.
The Hyuuga shook herself out of her absurd thoughts as she exited her chambers. Meeting Hanabi who complemented her on her pretty hair accessory in the hall, they both left the compound and made their way towards the party.
"This is what you consider not over the top?" Hinata frowned as she took in the packed bar.
She could see faces that she knew. Genma Shimura was sitting in a corner with Kakashi-sensei, they seemed to be in some type of debate with Gai-sensei. She recognized a few faces she saw at the Anbu facility and others she saw at the hospital. But there was also a lot of faces she didn't recognize, foreign shinobi from the looks of it, a few had participated at the tournament while others were probably just guests. All of it was overwhelming.
"Pish posh, you don't have to talk to everyone." Hanabi rolled her eyes.
"Hinata-chan!" Ino's voice got her attention as she waved them over to the table where her friends were sitting.
The Hyuuga sisters approached them and were immediately greeted with smiles.
"There she is" Kiba appeared out of nowhere placing his arm over her shoulder "The woman of the hour. How does it feel to be Konoha's newest legend?"
"I think you're exaggerating a bit Kiba-kun" Hinata giggled her cheeks flushing.
"Nonsense" He scoffed. "You made history."
"I agree Hinata-san! What a youthful display that was!" Lee cut off the Hyuuga before she could protest "I wish I wasn't away on a mission or I would've participated too."
The Hyuuga's sweat dropped at the sight of the tears streaming down his face.
"I shall bring us both a drink to celebrate all this youthfulness." Lee exclaimed.
"NO!" The whole table screamed knowing that a drunk Lee would get them kicked out in a span of five minutes.
"I'll get her a drink." Kiba strutted away while the sisters joined them at the table.
The atmosphere was light, filled with laughter and fun and at the center of it her sister beamed happily.
Hanabi basked in it all. It was such a contrast to see Hinata outside the compound surrounded by her friends, completely at ease. She was still bashful but her shy smiles stretched wider, her lively eyes shined brighter. It was no wonder more than a few guys were eying her with interest.
But none seemed to have the courage to withstand Neji's chilling glares. Hanabi scoffed as her cousin growled at another men who started to ask Hinata to dance before he was cut off.
This is ridiculous. Uchiha-san isn't even here yet and Nii-san's already playing the part of a guard dog.
She knew her sister wasn't much for club dancing but still she'd like it better if Hinata actually had the opportunity to say no herself.
And so, like any good sistershe did the most logical thing to do in such a situation; Get help from a friend. Unfortunately, her usual partner in crime was occupied herself, since the Kazekage showed up to congratulate her sister and thank her for saving his student. Ino had dragged Shikamaru to the Suna table a few minutes after that, saying it was rude to leave important guests unattended.
Her sister had given her friend a teasing smile, earning herself a pointed glare.
Interesting.
She'll investigate that later. For now, she has to save her sister from the biggest cockblocker to ever walk Konoha.
"Tenten-chan" Hanabi leaned closer to the weapon mistress "You know how you always say that Neji-Nii-san has a stick up his ass?"
"Yes" a mocha-colored eyebrow rose up.
"Would you like to help me take it out and beat him with it?" Silver eyes gleamed with a promise of chaos.
"I'm listening."
"Tell me. How much alcohol does Lee-san need to ingest before falling off the deep end completely?" Her grin was downright diabolical.
Hinata was enjoying herself immensely. Everyone was having fun. Kiba and Choji were debating the merits of barbeque sauce. Shino was engaged in a deep conversation with Sai of all people.
Ino and Shikamaru seemed to be enjoying themselves with the Suna royals a few tables over. And her sister was whispering something to Tenten who smiled back then stood up. The Hyuuga heiress frowned, Hanabi had her scheming face on.
"What is it Hinata-sama?" Neji asked.
"Nothing Nii-san" Hinata smiled "I'm glad we could all meet tonight."
"I am too" Neji smirked "It's a miracle my esteemed Commander didn't have me on guarding duty tonight. Again."
"He probably just reached his quota of power abuse for the week." She mumbled remembering the Anbu Sasuke put at her beck and call during her stay at the hospital. She was going to give him a piece of her mind about that whole debacle later.
"What was that?" Her cousin asked.
"Nothing." She smiled again "I'm happy he didn't."
"Speaking of the Uchiha" Silver-eyes narrowed "Where is he lurking?"
"Sasuke doesn't lurk." Hinata frowned at her cousin's deadpan expression.
"Does he or does he not appear out of nowhere in the most opportune moments?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"Maybe he just has good timing."
"Or he lurks around waiting to make an entrance." Neji answered.
She giggled at the imagery of Sasuke making a dramatic entrance. Her giggles died at the sound of broken chairs and shouting.
"LEAF HURRICANE!"
"What the hell?!" Her cousin stood up at the shout of his teammate. Both their eyes widened at the sight of a red cheeked Lee swaying on his feet, his hand raised in a challenge. Except he was challenging a broken chair.
"Oh crap." Neji activated his Byakugan "Someone gave Lee alcohol."
The kunoichi could only watch as her cousin jumped towards the commotion trying to subdue his friend who dodged his attack with impressive agility. She heard about the Drunk Fist but she's never seen it up close before, she was suddenly relieved that Lee didn't participate in the tournament.
"Maybe we should help." Hinata winced at the fist her cousin took.
"Nah! Nii-san's got this" Hanabi answered sipping her drink.
"Yeah, Hinata-chan. This happens sometimes." Tenten who just rejoined the table said "It's Neji's turn to be on Lee patrol. He'll handle it."
"Oh. OK." Hinata sipped the last of her drink.
"Onee-chan" Her sister's eyes seemed to sparkle at something behind her "You should go get a refill."
"I'm good Hanabi."
"Eggh you barely drank anything." The younger Hyuuga stood and stumped over to yank her up "Go live a little and order your own drink like a grown up."
"I got it." Kiba stopped talking to Choji "I'll get you one"
"No, you won't because you're dancing with me" Hanabi huffed "I want to dance but I don't want some creep grinding on me."
"That's a disturbing imagery you're not even a legal adult yet." The Inuzuka answered.
"Kiba-kun. Please go dance with my sister." Hinata smiled "I can go order a drink myself."
"Yeah. Kiba-kun" Her sister fluttered her eyelashes "Dance with me."
The blue-haired kunoichi shook her head at her little sister's antics. She ignored the exaggerated sigh from Kiba as she walked to the bar. Thankfully it wasn't busy as most people were watching Neji and about four others trying to subdue the drunk Lee. If her memory serves; two of them were actual Anbu, one was a Jonin and the other was Gai-sensei.
Lee-san is really a force to be reckoned with.
She was pulled out of her musings by the sound of a glass of liquor being pushed toward her.
"Emm I didn't order this" Hinata looked nervously at the barman who shrugged.
"I did." The muscular man standing near her answered "Your pink drink is just kid juice."
"Aoi-san right?" She smiled politely "That's generous but I already have my own."
"So you do remember me." He grinned taking hold of her girly cocktail and draining it in one go "There. Now you don't have a drink."
She frowned at the gesture. She did remember him, the Iwa shinobi she faced at the preliminaries. She also remembered how arrogant he was.
"I did promise to buy you one." Aoi pushed the glass closer to her.
"If I lost" Her frown only deepened as he moved closer "I didn't, you did."
"Oh come on Hyuuga-san." He kept grinning unaware of how uncomfortable he was making her "One drink. Plus, your boyfriend just ditched you for some other chick anyway."
Hinata followed his line of sight toward her teammate and sister dancing. He seemed to think she and Kiba were together for some reason. She turned around to explain and politely decline again and was startled by how close he was.
"You obviously need a man to treat you right." He lowered his voice and Hinata took a step back overwhelmed by his proximity. Her back collided with something hard as a hand was placed on her waist to steady her.
"And you obviously aren't that man" A familiar voice answered "She's way out of your league."
Hinata tilted her head up, her eyes landing on Sasuke's emotionless face. A shiver racked her body. His dark eyes flickered momentarily to hers and she could've sworn his lips twitched as if to form a smirk.
She drew his eyes the second he stepped inside the room. He didn't even need to look for her, it was like some invisible force made him find her immediately.
And what a sight she was. Leaning against the dark wood of the bar counter, unconsciously rubbing one foot against the back of her calf. How she even maintained her balance with those shoes she was wearing, he didn't know.
Not that he was complaining about the heels. He was a fan of the way they elongated her silhouette artfully. He was a big fan of the dress as well. The red Camellia flower he left for her was the cherry on top.
She looked good enough to eat.
And he wasn't the only one who noticed apparently. Judging by the bulky shinobi who engaged her in conversation. Not that he could blame him for trying but Hinata wasn't exactly receptive to his advances.
Sasuke smirked when she reminded him of his loss against her. His smirk started to fade when it became obvious she was getting uncomfortable, as he wasn't taking 'No' for an answer.
Just when the meat head invaded her personal space, the Uchiha moved catching her as she jolted back.
"And you obviously aren't that man" He said with a condescending voice "She's way out of your league."
Lavender tinted eyes locked with his, reflecting surprise at his arrival. Sasuke had to suppress his smirk when he felt her slightly quiver under his hand. He had this fool to deal with first before giving her his undivided attention.
"I'll take that as a challenge." Aoi puffed his chest up to try and appear more intimidated.
"A challenge implies you have a chance." The Uchiha snorted "You don't. I suggest you don't annoy her further."
"I believe that it's the lady's choice." The Iwa shinobi decided to ignore him as he turned his eyes to Hinata who curled even further into him.
"She's made her choice." Sasuke placed his palm against her small back in comfort. "You're just too dense to see it."
"Does that mean I have to challenge you instead?" Aoi asked before looking back at her "What do you say Hyuuga-san? I beat your guard dog here and you have a drink with me."
"You must have a death wish." He smirked. The man was brave, he'll give him that. Stupid but brave. "Fine. Since you only seem to respond to challenges, I'll make you a wager."
Sasuke squeezed her back when he felt her tense against him. He reached for the glass of liquor that was deposited in front of the Hyuuga and held it close to his mouth.
"If you can drink this" The Uchiha blew in the glass and a flame ignited the top of the liquid. "then you are good enough for Konoha's Blue Flame."
He placed the burning drink back on the counter and slid it towards the gaping man. He watched as the Iwa shinobi reached for it and retracted his hand quickly when he felt the heat. It was not a trick.
"That's impossible!" He cocked an eyebrow at his outburst "Choose another challenge."
"You lost the first wager at the preliminaries, as I recall she left you twitching on the ground once already. And now you lost this one too" The dark-haired shinobi smirked at his clenched jaw. "Next time don't bite off more than you can chew."
But the idiot didn't seem to be backing down. The Uchiha sighed.
Some people are just too dense.
"I suggest you stop harassing my apprentice and leave." He saw him tense at the word apprentice. Ah so he had no idea who I am. Sasuke flashed his Sharingan for good measure. "Or the next thing I set on fire will be you."
The Uchiha smirked satisfyingly as Aoi finally tucked tail and ran after mumbling an apology for bothering them.
They stood silently for a few moments before he circled her slowly and stopped in front of her.
"Don't you think you set the bar a bit too high with that challenge." Hinata smiled slightly.
Gods he missed that face.
"The bar should always be high." Sasuke leaned against the counter, his hand playing with the glass "Not everyone is worthy of a warrior princess."
"At this rate no one will ever be." She pouted at the nickname.
The Uchiha cocked an eyebrow as he grasped the still burning drink and brought it to his mouth downing it like it was fresh water. He smirked at her gaping look.
"Maybe you're just looking in the wrong place." His smirk widened at her flushed cheeks.
"W-what was that?"
"It's called devil's breath." He placed the glass down and gestured for the bartender to make her another cocktail since the idiot drank hers "It's a drinking game my cousin Shisui invented, the first to get burned loses. I was too young to play at the time but I still liked to watch. I'll teach it to you."
"You're going to teach me how to drink fire?" Her eyes sparkled.
"There are a lot of things I can teach you princess." Sasuke smirked when she tried to hide her face by making herself busy and sipping her drink.
So, she's catching on to his unvoiced statements.
Interesting.
"Earlier you said something." She cleared her throat, changing the subject. He decided to allow it. "What did you mean by Konoha's Blue Flame?"
"You don't know." Dark eyebrows rose in surprise. She had no idea "That's what they call you now. Hinata Hyuuga The Blue Flame."
He watched as a series of emotions flicker on her face as she registered the implication of possessing such a nickname.
She wasn't simply the Hyuuga heiress, something she was born into. She wasn't just the Uchiha apprentice something he offered her. She was The Blue Flame, a name she had earned by hard work, tears and sweat. A recognition of her power, something that was hers and hers alone.
She was named after her signature jutsu. The same way his sensei was called Kakashi the Copy Ninja, the same way his cousin was called Shisui of the body flicker. And although he learned from his Anbu how her kin started to refer to her as the Byakugan Princess, a testament of her heart of gold and noble character. The Blue Flame was a testament of how far she has come as a kunoichi.
The strength and resilience of a true warrior.
"I guess you've been cooped up in your hospital room for far too long." Sasuke raised his glass to her "To you little flame, may you always burn bright."
Hinata's cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink at his praise. He so loved eliciting these types of reactions from her.
"How's the shoulder?" The Uchiha took hold of her arm turning it to assess mobility.
"F-full recovery, but Tsunade-sama said I should take it easy before she clears me for training." She answered her blush not leaving her cheeks as she watched his hands roam her forearm.
He liked that reaction too.
"And your chakra pathways?" His eyes flickered to hers. She cocked an eyebrow and he felt a discharge of electricity make his hand spasm.
"Ouch." He wrapped his fingers around her wrist gently instead of retracting his hand "That was uncalled for."
"What was uncalled for was sending that Anbu and referring to me as a pouting petulant princess." Her eyes narrowed as a smirk found its way to his lips.
"But you are a petulant princess" His smirk stretched wider at the face she was making "Who is pouting so prettily as we speak."
"I am not a petulant princess." A pink blush graced her cheeks as she tried to hide her pout behind a scowl.
"No, you're much more than that." He watched as the pink intensified under the heated gaze he didn't bother hiding.
A surprised gasp escaped her mouth when he pulled her gently by the wrist without jolting her recovering shoulder. His other hand reached up to the flower in her hair, stroking the red petals delicately.
"Courage. Perseverance." He tucked a strand of silky hair behind her ear "And beauty."
Sasuke smiled when he felt her pulse jump under his thumb that was still pressed to her wrist.
"It certainly fits you." His smile widened a bit when her cheeks matched the red camellia once he started to study her features more intently.
"I..I..Y-you know flower symbolism?" She stuttered. He really liked when he was the cause of that stutter.
"That surprises you?" His fingers trailed down her jaw slowly before leaving her face "There are still a few things you don't know about me Hyuuga. Stick around and you might find out."
He could tell he was affecting her, that she wasn't immune to him. That the way she became flustered was different from the way her friends made her so. He could read on her face that he didn't make her uncomfortable the way that Iwa shinobi did previously, he just made her slightly nervous. A good type of nervous he hoped.
And as he stood there admiring her face, he wondered if this was the moment. The moment he was supposed to lean down and brush his lips against hers. He certainly wanted to, and he had already decided to stop resisting the pull. There was nothing holding him back.
Except the moment was shattered when the bartender dropped a glass breaking it and along with it the spell that rooted them both to the spot.
Sasuke sighed in frustration at his own hesitation.
"I'll be back." He decided not to subject them both to the awkwardness of a missed opportunity, and he was in need of some fresh air anyway.
As he walked away to the exit, he could still feel her eyes following him. The Uchiha smiled slightly when he realized that she hadn't pulled back.
That was a good sign.
It had started as a nice night. Although he wasn't a fan of busy places, loud noised and even louder company. Neji still decided to show up in support of his little cousin.
He was so proud of her accomplishments. Watching her bloom from the timid Genin who could barely look him in the eye to this confident young kunoichi that earned everyone's respect had been satisfying.
She did the hard work herself but he also knew her team and him had helped and supported her, and he couldn't deny that the last Uchiha had been a contributing factor to her growth as well.
And for that he had ignored his harmless flirtations (more or less).
However, he couldn't ignore what greeted him once he came back inside after subduing his drunk teammate and leaving him with Gai-sensei so he could take him home.
Neji had been making his way towards the 'sensei's table' to inform them of Gai's departure, when he spotted them together.
The last Uchiha was leaning against the counter of the bar smirking at his flustered cousin, nothing unusual there nor was his annoyance at the sight. However, the Hyuuga's sharp Byakugan spotted the way his facial expression suddenly changed.
The way he became serious when he brushed her hair away from her face tenderly. The way his eyes roamed her face and stopped at her lips for more than was necessary. The way those same eyes darkened as he leaned slightly at the edge of her personal space.
Hell no.
Neji stumped in their direction but was held back when he felt a firm grip stopping him from taking another step. His silver eyes followed the arm up to a masked face.
"Don't." Kakashi said with a firm voice "Leave them be."
"With all due respect Kakashi-sensei" The Hyuuga wasn't intimidated "This doesn't concern you."
"It does concern me when you try to sabotage a chance for my student to find real happiness."
Neji scoffed. He didn't care about the Uchiha's so called happiness. What about Hinata's? She was finally happy, and this had the potential of ruining that if it ended badly.
He knew he might be acting over the top. But he couldn't get the image of Hinata's tears when she broke up with Naruto out of his mind. He couldn't forget the way she cried herself to sleep for countless night. There was no one he trusted more than the blond with his cousin and yet he hurt her badly. And although he respected the Uchiha he simply didn't know enough about his character and he couldn't ignore his past either.
"Neji-san" Kurenai who was standing near Kakashi addressed him with a gentle voice "I know you want to stop it, protect her from it, but you're young and you don't see what I see."
Neji stayed quiet and listened, there was perhaps no one who held affection for Hinata more than her sensei who became a parent to her when his uncle neglected her.
"It's not just that she makes him a better person." She smiled "And she does. We all noticed the change in him. How he became less rough around the edges, more approachable, even a bit kinder."
"She helps lift the darkness." The silver-haired Jonin locked his eye with his in a silent reminder of his own darkness and hatred that plagued the first years of his life. And how after Naruto knocked some sense into him, it was Hinata that became a light helping to guide him back to the right path.
"He changes her too." Kurenai had a faraway look as if she was thinking of her own lost love "Sasuke-san challenges her, surprises her. He pushes her to her limits and helps her break them. He makes her question her life, her beliefs."
It was true he had inspired her to stand up for herself in the face of the elder, in the face of her stern father.
"She never told me what happened with Naruto, but even if they had stayed together, she already outgrew him." A part of him knew that it was somehow true "I believe she and Sasuke-san can still grow together. But it is ultimately her choice, you should trust her to make it whether he'll be the best thing for her or the worst."
She was right. It was her choice and he had learned to trust her to a certain degree. Sometimes he couldn't help but see that cute three-year-old he promised to protect. And he wanted to protect her from everything; even heartache but he still couldn't in the end.
Neji's shoulder slumped in defeat and Kakashi let him go once he knew he will not be storming to them.
The Hyuuga sighed. He won't stop it from happening but once it did, he was still threatening the Uchiha. Strongest shinobi or not he'll find a way to hurt him if he ever harmed his baby cousin.
Some might think it was weird for a pregnant woman to show up in a bar since she unfortunately will be resigned to drinking water and juice. But Sakura had been subjected to a highped up Naruto who hasn't set foot outside his office in weeks. Although he always made time for her, the poor Hokage has been buried in paperwork.
Sakura wouldn't have minded going out and seeing their friends, except Naruto had spent the last few days singing Hinata's praise and it had become annoying. It was all "you should have seen her Sakura-chan, Hinata was amazing!" and "she's become so strong I'm thinking about asking her to go back to the field" and "Oh Teme would probably be ecstatic to see her everyday if I made her Anbu."
It was Hinata this, Hinata that. She knew she was just being paranoid. Naruto had chosen her instead but still being subjected to your boyfriend's admiration of his ex-girlfriend was enough to drive any woman crazy.
At least that what she told herself.
She knew she had been avoiding the other woman out of fear of being judged. But the pink-haired kunoichi had decided to put her big girls pants on, and face it head on.
And although Naruto's newfound admiration for Hinata was getting on her nerves. She decided to suck it up and stop being a coward.
It was just Hinata. Nice, forgiving Hinata.
Nice Hinata who Naruto wouldn't shut up about, Hinata who Sasuke had been orbiting around who Sasuke had shown a degree of concern she's never seen before not even towards his own teammate.
Sakura scowled at her own paranoid thoughts.
What was even so special about Hinata?
A wave of guilt hit her immediately after she thought that. She knew it was mostly her own insecurities rearing their heads was in love with her and she wasn't sure if Sasuke even understood the concept. Plus, Hinata probably still loved Naruto. So technically she has nothing to worry about.
Except the guilt that racked her every time she remembered the Hyuuga woman's feelings towards the blond.
What's done is done.
Maybe the guilt would ease once they talked face to face.
The medic took a deep breath in and plastered a smile on her face as Naruto guided her toward their friends. The Hokage grinned as a series of greetings were exchanged.
"What was all that commotion about?" Naruto asked. They had just come in when they saw the crowd obscuring the second exit of the bar.
"Someone supplied Lee with alcohol" Choji said munching on a bag of chips he slipped unnoticed.
"Oh crap." Blue eyes widened, as did her own emerald ones. A drunk Lee was a natural disaster racking havoc to the building that happened to host him.
"Don't worry." Tenten chimed in "Neji's taking care of it."
"Where's everyone else?" Sakura asked "I thought we were all supposed to meet here."
"Yeah even Teme's coming." Naruto scratched the back of his head.
"Well, the two of you are late." The brown-haired girl grinned "You already missed half the fun. Neji should be here somewhere getting punched."
The pink-haired kunoichi had a feeling that the other woman was enjoying her teammates misfortune way too much.
"Kiba is making a fool out of himself while dancing with Hanabi-san." Shino said glancing at the dancefloor where they could see that Kiba was indeed attempting to dance, emphasis on the attempt.
"Ino and Shikamaru are entertaining the Kazekage and his siblings." The Akamichi gestured to a table where both a blonde and dark ponytail could be spotted.
"And Uchiha-san is flirting with Hyuuga-san at the bar." Sai finished with that fake smile of his.
"What?!" Sakura wiped her head toward her teammate so fast she almost got whiplash.
"Seriously! Where?" Tenten said "Ohhh! So that's why Hanabi-chan wanted a distraction."
The pink-haired kunoichi frowned. What did Tenten mean by that? It almost sounded like the Hyuuga sisters were plotting.
"There." Sai helpfully pointed them out. Her frown only deepened when she spotted Sasuke standing near Hinata with an amused smirk.
"I read about the concept of flirting in a book on Human interactions." Her teammate's emotionless voice changed to one of interest as if he was witnessing a peculiar experiment "Uchiha-san, the male in this scenario is facing his desired mate with an open, relaxed posture while maximizing his space to assert dominance."
Sasuke was almost never relaxed but he was right now as he downed his drink while looking at the Hyuuga woman.
"They both lean in during conversation, showing attention and interest" Sai continued "The female; Hyuuga-san in this case is holding eye contact despite usually avoiding it with others. And that's without even factoring in the pupils"
"I'm sorry the pupils?" Tenten's voice was muddled over the blood rushing in her ears.
"I can't say for sure as Hyuuga-san possess the Byakugan and her eyes are pupils less when not activated, but that's not the case for Uchiha-san I've seen it happen in the Anbu facility. Every time she walks in a room, his pupils dilate indicating excitement and sexual arousal."
"Every time?" The weapon mistress own eyes widened "Seriously!"
"Geez Sai that's way more information that I need to know about Teme." Naruto laughed nervously.
"Sexual arousal or love. I've found conflicting reports." The black-haired shinobi held his chin in thought.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Sakura cut in harshly "Sai's probably reading way too much into it."
"I can lend you the book later Sakura." The pale man smiled "You can even see the chapter about the touching."
He didn't need to elaborate. Her emeralds eyes zoomed in on Sasuke's hand holding her wrist, on the way he leaned into her. She caught the way he brushed her hair back, and the way he smiled; an expression that she saw once in her life and it wasn't even directed to her.
All she could see was Sasuke and Hinata.
Sasuke and Hinata.
Sasuke and Hinata.
Sasuke and Hinata.
Sasuke and Hinata.
Sasuke and Hinata!
All of the guilt she felt previously was wiped away leaving room for confusion, denial and anger.
The part of her brain that was blazing a red alarm tried to remind her of a few promises she's made at the beginning of her pregnancy, the main one being to not be consumed by her own feelings and ignoring the rest. It tried again to remind her that she was supposed to be letting go of her Sasuke fixation. It tried to remind her that the whole point of her being here tonight was to smooth things over with Hinata.
However all rational thoughts had already left her and all she could see was SasukeandHinata!SasukeandHinata!SasukeandHinata!
It might have been the choc of seeing Sasuke look at the Hyuuga, the way she always wished he looked at her, the way she thought he was incapable off. It might've been the admiration and affection she heard in Naruto's voice when he kept praising the other kunoichi in the past few weeks. It might've even been the way her reactions were amplified lately due to hormones coursing through her body.
Or it might've been the way she misinterpreted Hanabi's statement when she rejoined the group.
"Hah. I knew it would work." The young Hyuuga said "So Uzumaki do you finally see what you lost."
Those were the excuses she'll tell herself later on to explain what she did next.
Hinata could only watch him disappear in the crowd as one thought circled her mind.
What was that?!
Her heart was beating out of her swarmed her stomach. Confusion clouded her thoughts.
This thing she had for him was getting out of hand. And she didn't know if she was ready for any of it. If there was even an it to begin with.
She had been so blind to Naruto's lack of interest, misinterpreting his platonic affection as romantic love. She didn't trust her judgment with her feelings anymore.
It seems like Naruto had left deeper scars than she thought.
Hinata was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a presence behind her. She turned around and came face to face with Sakura.
"Hello Sakura-san." The Hyuuga smiled slightly. She had decided it was time to talk and forgive the other kunoichi, there was no need for them to be at odds with each other. She was glad that the pinked sought her out. They must've been on the same wavelength.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Green eyes glared at her.
"Pardon?" Her smile faltered.
"I saw you." the other woman seethed "I know about your plot. I heard your sister talking about it."
"I- What are you talking about?" Hinata frowned.
"Don't play dumb with me Hinata" Sakura snarled "You're using him to make Naruto jealous. It's despicable, throwing yourself at Sasuke like that. He won't fall for it."
"W-what?" Choc was painted on the Hyuuga's face "I-I'm not, I would never."
"Please. You have this image of yourself as this sweet innocent girl, but I see you" Sakura scoffed "This act of yours doesn't fool me. I know you crave the attention."
Hurt flashed in her lavender tinted eyes. How could Sakura ever think that about her. She had thought they were friends. Even though they hadn't been on the best of terms lately she still thought they'd get past it.
"Why would you think that?" Her voice was small.
"Why else would you not correct the rumors about you and Sasuke?" The pink-haired kunoichi lowered her voice "People say that you're a homewrecker clinging to Sasuke to distract him from his child. You could've cleared everything up if you just said Naruto was the father."
"Why didn't you?" She clenched her fist "I thought I was giving you your privacy."
"Don't bullshit me."
"Sakura." Naruto who Hinata realized had gotten over his own chock tried to intervene. But Sakura wasn't done.
"You know I get it now. Why you'd go to such lengths" Sakura laughed dryly "Naruto was the only one to give you the time of day, the attention your family didn't give you. That's why you're doing it, because deep down you know no one would ever want the spoiled Hyuuga heiress whose own family doesn't even want her."
The words pierced her heart like the sharpest of knives. Anyone with eyes could see that she wasn't wanted by her clan. Her disowning at the age of twelve had been public, the way she was pawed off to her sensei like yesterday's leftover left no doubt how little they valued her existence. Even after she regained her title, being pressured to give it up a second time only cemented that belief. Not to mention the lack of support and faith from her own father.
Having her own insecurities thrown in her face made her eyes water.
Sakura was right who would want the unwanted.
"T-that was way harsh Sakura." Hinata's vision swam as she noticed the people watching their confrontation with interest. Her tongue became tied and she couldn't get out another word for fear of her voice breaking.
Everyone heard. Everyone saw the tears that she tried to blink away. She felt humiliated.
Hinata pushed her way through the crowd. She ignored the calls of her name. All that mattered was getting to the bathroom so that her breakdown would at least be private.
He had stepped out for less than a minute but when he came back that sparkle in her eyes, that lightness she exuded was replaced by hurt and disbelief.
He was in a state of disbelief himself. Hearing Sakura cut her down with words had stunted him for a few seconds. He hadn't heard the whole conversation but it didn't take a genius to understand the reason behind it.
Sasuke felt his anger mounting. He thought he'd made himself clear, Sakura had no claim on him but she still acted like she did. What was worse was that Naruto was also standing there, his expression mirroring his. Because their teammate was berating Hinata about both of them.
The Uchiha opened his mouth to maybe tell her to shut up, but he was too late.
"That's why you're doing it, because deep down you know no one would ever want to deal with the spoiled Hyuuga heiress whose own family doesn't even want her."
Hinata looked like she's just been slapped in the face. And as he watched her break, he knew the damage was already done.
Maybe Sakura didn't know how harmful her words were, but he did. He's seen it all once, the day she allowed him access to her mind when(ironically enough) she had been upset about Sakura and Naruto.
Her family was a sore subject. Even though she was an heiress to a prestigious clan, no one knew of the things she endured behind those high walls. And after he witnessed how her own grandfather treated her, he knew the scars ran deeper than what he already saw.
Sakura had unknowingly probed a still festering wound.
He watched helplessly as Hinata ran away.
"Your fervent sense of entitlement is astonishing." Sasuke's voice was cold " I knew you were unsecure but I never pegged you for the type of person to be this cruel."
"Sasuke-kun" Sakura's voice wavered "You don't understand..."
"No Sakura I understand perfectly" He cut her off "You are still that spoiled childish girl who thinks she has a claim over me because what? We were put on the same team at twelve?"
"That's not…" She tried to talk but he's heard enough from her for one night.
"This right here is why I keep my distance from you." The Uchiha's eyes were flat. "You didn't even consider Naruto's feelings in all this."
The pink-haired kunoichi turned alarmed and she too saw what Sasuke was seeing. Naruto had a hurt look on his face because he knew this confrontation was because of her jealousy over him more than it was about the Hokage himself.
"Grow up." And with that he turned his back on all of them. He heard the little Hyuuga's voice seething but paid it no mind.
"You know I am not above slapping a pregnant woman." Hanabi snarled "You have some nerve attacking my sister and projecting your own flaws on her when you were the one that was a homewrecker. Naruto might be the one who cheated but you, you're a woman Sakura and you did that to another woman and you're the one who should be humiliated, you are the one who should be ashamed."
"They were on a break."
"Stop saying that like it means something. At least own up to it." The Hyuuga's voice got quieter "If you ever upset my sister again, I'll ruin you. I don't care if you're the mother of the Hokage's child I will bury you."
Sasuke heard the gasps and chatting increase at the Hyuuga's declaration. She just outset them to the public. None of that mattered to him. All that mattered was Hinata.
He pushed the bathroom's door and found her hunched over the sink. His eyes connected with her own bloodshot ones in the mirror, and she avoided his gaze.
She had been crying.
"Are you okay?" He asked closing the door behind him.
"I'm fine." Her voice was chocked up.
"You're a terrible liar." A laugh escaped her at his statement before it turned into a small sob "How much did you hear?"
"Enough." The Uchiha stepped closer when she turned around.
"Do you believe what she said about me using you?" She kept her face lowered, her eyes on the ground.
"Silly Hyuuga" He placed his hand on top of her head, startling her "Do you even have to ask such a thing?"
Hinata looked up at him and he could see the tears still spilling from her beautiful orbs. He hated it when she cried.
"It kills me that she's right." Sasuke frowned at that "I know that most people think I'm just a spoiled heiress. And I know that a lot of them are intimidated by the title and the clan itself. The clan that didn't even want me"
His frown only deepened when she smiled self-deprecatingly.
"It's a lot of baggage. It's no wonder no one would want to deal with all that."
"Hinata, you can't possibly believe that." His eyes softened "You are very well liked. People respect you and are interested and some of them really like you."
She cannot be this blind.
He knew that her teammates and cousin had done a terrific job at keeping the guys away, but he didn't think it was to the degree she thought no one was interested.
A lot of people were interested, frankly it was annoying. But it looked like she needed to know that.
"For someone like you there will be people lining up."
"Do you want to give me some names?" Hinata released that choked up laugh that told him she didn't believe him one bit.
Sasuke didn't know what expression was painted on his face, but it must have changed as her laugh trailed off.
All he knew was that one moment he was contemplating what to say to get it into her head and the next he was cradling both her cheeks in his hands as his mind filled with only two words.
Fuck it.
He brought his face to hers and did what he had been craving for a long time. It was not the soft brushing of lips he envisioned a while ago. It was a claim, a declaration if he's ever made one. As his mouth pressed into hers ardently, he was assaulted by a jolting concoction of emotions; The racing of his heartbeat, the electricity up his spine, the fireworks exploding in his mind.
He moved his hand to her hair and pulled her closer in an attempt to hold on to the intoxicating feeling longer. Her small startled gasp was sweeter than the remanent of the drink he sampled on her parted lips.
She tasted like sunshine felt. The first ray teasing his eyelids after a long night, the warmth on his cheeks after a cold day, the promise of a new dawn, of hope and salvation.
Sasuke pulled away slowly and watched as her lips trailed after his unconsciously. He took in her beautifully flushed cheeks, her slightly messed up hair, her reddening mouth and dazed eyes. He felt like an artist in front of his creation, he had painted this beautiful tableau.
Hinata's eyes were starting to clear and he took that last opportunity to caress her cheek.
"You wanted names." He could tell his voice jolted her back to reality as her eyes widened "I think you'll know."
He didn't give her a chance to say anything as he turned around towards the door. He knew that both of them needed to process what he just did. And as he stepped out of the bar completely, one sentence reverberated inside his head.
She tasted like sunshine felt.
AN: You have been so patient with all the tension. It was about time for the kiss to happen. I hope it lived up to your expectations.
I was soooo tempted to have them kiss when Sasuke was flirting with her at the bar, but then I thought even Sasuke should have a few moments of hesitation and the kiss should be a bit unexpected for Hinata.
I have this thing about Sasuke gifting her clothes and other things. A detail i'll explain later on in the story. Also i love writing this type of sensual male gaze.
Please don't hate Sakura too much, I hope I didn't murder her character completely since I am planning a redemption arc, kinda.
Lots of POV in this chapters and of course I enjoyed writing Hanabi and Neji and had an absolute field day with Sai's clinical explanation.
Now about your reviews. They made me speechless. The story had taken a turn I hadn't been planning for but I just had to add to the plot and I really wanted to explore more than the romance of two main characters. The fraternal and sisterly love, the deep friendship, the misguided feelings, emotional scars left by family ect And I am soooooo happy that you picked up on it. It makes my heart swell to read your reviews and watch how you all interact with the story.
So please never stop. I'm really looking forward to read your thoughts.
-Your emotional writer
Lady Thunder Storm