Some much needed SasuHina quality time.
Chapter 53:Your constellation on my skin (lost in the quiet of your ultraviolet)
Upon returning home, Hinata only had a few minutes to store Hanabi's present safely in her room before she was called to attend the first meeting about her proposed seal.
Behind the closed door of Hiashi's office, Hinata sat seiza at the low table with Neji and Hanabi on either side of her and her father and grandfather across from them. Having practiced over and over in the confines of her mind, Hinata made it through the explanation of her design without stumbling over her words, but it was a near thing.
The silence afterwards was unbearable, drawing out beyond what could be measured by seconds and minutes, such units being useless in conveying its perception through Hinata's anxiety.
Finally Hyuuga Hiroto spoke. "From what I can see, this proposal of yours was created with an adult chakra network in mind. How do you expect it to adapt to a chakra network that is still growing?" Correctly reading the expression on Hinata's face, Hiroto proceeded to rattle off texts that she should study, going as far as to list which brain structures to read up on.
Bowing low enough that her bangs brushed the table top, Hinata promised to have an improved proposal by their next meeting. Hiroto simply hummed, his demeanor giving nothing away.
When they exited the office, Hinata finally felt as if she could breathe again. She aimed a smile at Hanabi, intending to ask her to have dinner together, only to have her younger sister march off in a huff.
A sad sigh left Hinata's lips.
"She will come around," Neji said, squeezing her shoulder briefly. "You are welcome to join my team at Yakiniku-Q."
Hinata shook her head. "It's alright, nii-san. Please enjoy your time with your team. I'm a little tired."
Waving Neji off, Hinata made her way to her room. Closing the door behind her, she pressed her back against it with a weary exhale. Her mind felt like it was spinning in several different directions, still caught on her interaction with Naruto earlier that day while thinking about Mayumi's funeral, worrying about Hanabi's cold attitude and already attempting to dissect the feedback from her grandfather.
Hinata passed by her bed with a long glance at the silken sheets. The idea of skipping dinner and crawling under the covers of her bed held some appeal. Instead, she went to the wooden rack on her desk, bypassing the other vials to pull out the peppermint one. As she applied the oil into her temples, the strong scent of peppermint transported her back to the night when she'd done much the same to Sasuke before he'd slumped onto her bed.
Eyeing her bed again, Hinata thought it looked less tempting than it had a minute ago.
Sasuke was putting away the last of his groceries when his ears picked up a timid knock on the front door. He shut the cupboard door on a fresh tin of wagashi before crossing the limited space between his kitchen and the entryway to open the door.
He took a moment to appreciate the sight of Hinata, never mind that he had seen her some hours ago. She'd shed the black dress for tan slacks and a thin blue knitted sweater.
Seeming to get nervous under his scrutiny, Hinata fidgeted in place before lifting up her hand, a plastic bag dangling from her wrist. "I brought ingredients for oden," she offered.
Sasuke looked at the bag, then at Hinata, then over his shoulder at the empty grocery bag on his kitchen counter and then back to Hinata. He quirked a brow.
Cheeks pinking, Hinata smiled sheepishly. "Um…"
Sasuke took the bag from her, simultaneously pulling her into the apartment by the hand and nudging the door closed.
Walking back to the kitchen, he could hear Hinata locking the door and exchanging her shoes for slippers. By the time she joined him, he'd already laid out the ingredients she'd brought out onto the counter. Wordlessly, he began washing the rice while Hinata sliced the beef into thin strips.
It was a simple meal and didn't take long to prepare. Sasuke stole glances at Hinata as they cooked side by side, noticing as the tense expression she had been wearing faded into a peaceful one. The scent of peppermint accompanied the usual lavender and chamomile and Sasuke recalled Hinata using it on him before.
He wasn't sure if the relief he'd felt back then was strictly due to the herb or the feeling of Hinata's gentle hands on his skin, but he hoped it was helping her now.
They ate in a companiable silence and, like a well-oiled machine, split the tasks of washing the dishes and making tea. It was only after he'd made sure Hinata got through both his and her portions of the wagashi that Sasuke spoke.
"You don't need an excuse to come here," he said bluntly.
When Hinata's head swung toward him, Sasuke had to look away from her wide eyes.
"Whether it's to eat together or have tea or work on separate things in the same room. Even if you're sleeping in a different room…I like having you here." His ears felt hot.
Gaze averted, Sasuke found himself studying his living room, lingering on the photo of himself, Hinata and Itachi placed on the shelf. Youthful innocence captured in a single frame. Next to it, the photo of genin Team Seven stood facing up. Less young and less innocent, but worlds away from how they'd end up in a few years.
Sasuke wondered what they would look like now if they took another photo. How would the expression of eighteen year old Sasuke compare to five and twelve-year-old Sasuke?
"I had a long day. Then I had this thought..." Hinata paused and then continued softly, "I wish I could see Sasuke-kun. The next thing I knew…" She trailed off sounding so flustered that Sasuke had to see her face.
As expected, Hinata was blushing a rosy hue. No matter how often it happened, there was something charming about it. As charming as the way she was playing with her sleeves. She clearly had more to say and Sasuke was in no rush.
"When I was in that place with Genji-san," Hinata started and Sasuke stiffened at the reminder. "A lot happened and I had a lot of thoughts…" She bit her lip nervously.
As he waited, Sasuke's eyes roved over her face, catching on the faint indigo colouring peeking out beneath her bangs on the skin beside her eyes. If Sasuke hadn't known better, they could easily have been mistaken for bluish veins like the ones that could be seen in the hollows of her eyes when she hadn't slept well.
The makeup was wearing off, uncovering Hinata's new indigo seal. Indigo like her chakra when she used enough of it that it became visible, like it had when she'd burnt him at the dojo and again in Orochimaru's abandoned underground lab. The indigo glow that had encased her as he'd tried desperately to wake her from her trance. The indigo that had not been able to dilute the unearthly blue colour of her eyes.
"Hinata —"
"Sasuke-kun —"
They spoke over each other, both immediately stopping.
Sasuke frowned slightly. "Go ahead."
Hinata hesitated. Her blush should have faded by now, but it still stood out starkly on her cheeks. She shyly tucked her hair behind her ear. "You can go first," she said, gaze dropping to the table.
Sasuke pursed his lips together, annoyed at himself for interrupting her and causing her to lose steam. Still, this was the first moment of true privacy they'd had since defeating nae-ROOT and he couldn't wait any longer.
"When I found you in that room, something had changed," he said.
Hinata's thin brows drew together. "Changed?" Her eyes widened in realization. "I had a vision of Hamura-sama. He helped me harness the full extent of my chakra."
Sasuke shook his head decisively. "That's not what I meant. Not your chakra or your seal. It was your eyes."
"My eyes?" Hinata's lips curled downwards with confusion.
"I think you unlocked a new evolution of the byakugan."
Hinata balked. "The byakugan isn't like the sharingan. It doesn't have an evolved form," she denied before stopping short. "Toneri-san said with Hamura-sama's chakra the byakugan could transform into…"
"The tenseigen," Sasuke finished, meeting her gaze.
Hands flying up to hover near her eyes, a helpless expression crossed Hinata's face. "I…what do I do? If the elders find out —"
Reaching across the table, Sasuke caught one of Hinata's hands in his, momentarily halting her fretting. "They won't find out. Not until you want them to."
Hinata returned Sasuke's grip tightly. "You saw what happened with my chakra…what if I can't use my byakugan anymore? How can I train a dōjutsu most people think is a myth?"
"I can still choose between using my sharingan or my mangekyo sharingan. Your eyes evolved naturally. You're already better off than me with my rinnegan," Sasuke said calmly. He stroked his thumb along Hinata's wrist. "There's bound to be information about the tenseigen somewhere. And if we really need to, it seems like you can reach Hamura for help." He frowned a little at the last bit. It had taken dire circumstances to call Hamura and Sasuke would prefer not to repeat that. "You can try it now."
"Eh?"
"Your byakugan," Sasuke clarified. "If you're worried about it."
Head bobbing in an unsure nod, Hinata closed her eyes. Sasuke watched, fascinated, as the veins along her eyes bulged. Blinking her pale eyes open, Hinata looked to him for confirmation and he inclined his head. There was no hint of blue in her byakugan.
Hinata deactivated her dōjutsu with a soft breath. "Thank goodness," she said, shoulders slumping.
Still stroking Hinata's hand, Sasuke said, "You should get some rest."
"Mm." Despite the sound of agreement, there was a reluctant look on Hinata's face which was similar to the last time she'd been here.
"…You could stay here," Sasuke offered.
Hinata blinked up at him as if in question. Sasuke shrugged, purposefully casual.
With his back to her, Hinata found her eyes skating across the wide expanse of Sasuke's shoulders and down the one arm digging through his drawer. Dark, long-sleeved shirts were a staple of Sasuke's wardrobe, but the one he was wearing today was thinner, better suited for the spring weather. His shifting muscles were perceptible under the material and the sleeve on his right arm was rolled up, exposing a strong forearm.
Hinata spun away to face the other side of Sasuke's bedroom. Feeling a little awkward, she distracted herself by taking in the, admittedly lacking, décor. The only other time she'd been in here, she hadn't paid it much attention, but the bedroom was as Spartan as the rest of Sasuke's apartment.
A splash of colour caught her eyes.
"Oh." The quiet gasp of awe escaped Hinata's lips without her noticing, too busy approaching the nightstand.
It was a fan of the uchiwa variety rather than sensu. Beneath the black coat of paint, Hinata recognized the base to be made of bamboo, a plant not native to Konoha and therefore more costly to obtain. The round of the fan was constructed of silk instead of the more common washi, in an unmistakable shade of red worn by no other clan in the village with a gold leaf pattern of chrysanthemum blossoms running across and in between the thin ridges.
A memory flashed before Hinata's eyes of a beautiful woman with kind eyes and a vivacious smile, her hair and eyes as black as ink, as black as the base of the fan held in her hand, red silk stark against her light skin and dark clothing. The procession of guests entering the Hyuuga tea house with their strange eyes and exiting with the same symbol emblazoned upon the backs of their kimonos.
Warmth along her back had Hinata straightening up, a strangled noise dying in her throat as that same forearm she'd been staring at stretched into her line of sight. Long, broad-knuckled fingers wrapped around the base of the fan making it look all the more delicate.
"I was reminded of this when we were talking that time," Sasuke said. He was standing so close that Hinata could feel his breath ruffling the hair on the top of her head.
It took a minute for Hinata to focus on the actual words he was saying to comprehend them. She made a sound of understanding that turned into one of confusion as Sasuke passed the fan to her. "Oh! Ah — I couldn't, it was —" Nevertheless, Hinata was forced to accept lest the precious keepsake fall to the floor. "…your mother's."
Sasuke huffed. "She let you hold it as a child. I don't think she'd mind."
Hinata traced the bamboo ribs supporting the silk fabric with a light touch, marveling at the intricacy of the gold leaf application. "It's beautiful."
"You should keep it."
Hinata whipped her head around to gape at Sasuke all the while careful not to drop the uchiwa. "Sasuke-kun, I —"
"There's no one else," Sasuke interrupted, a sense of heavy finality in his voice that made Hinata's jaw snap shut.
There was a scant few inches of space between them. Hinata had to crane her neck back to properly see Sasuke's face, her nose almost brushing against his chin in the process. Despite his solemn tone, there was a spark in his eyes when he looked at her that had Hinata's heart rate picking up.
"Then…I would be honoured," Hinata said finally.
The slightest twitch at the corner of his lips had Hinata's eyes darting there and once they did, she couldn't tear them away. A full blown smirk bloomed under her gaze and suddenly there were fingers running along her neck, leaving a trail of pure heat behind. Sasuke dipped his head down and Hinata's eyes began to flutter shut.
It seemed now that he'd more or less declared his intentions, Sasuke was taking more liberties with her. Hinata couldn't say she exactly minded.
"You'll hurt your neck like that."
As quickly as it had come, Sasuke's touch left her skin. He stepped away and gave her his back. "I left some clothes on the bed. I'll be in the living room."
It took a few seconds for the confusion to clear.
Then Hinata was setting the fan down and chasing after Sasuke before he could leave the room. As soon as her hand closed around the back of his shirt, Sasuke immediately stopped. The tug she gave was weak, but Sasuke turned willingly and Hinata didn't give herself even a second to overthink or Sasuke a second to react.
Her lips barely brushed the edge of his lips, glancing off the skin of his chin more than anything, but the boldness of the act was enough to set her cheeks ablaze.
But Hinata soldiered on. "Sasuke-kun should stay in here," she said, speaking to her feet before bracing herself and looking up. She was glad that she did.
Sasuke's eyes were just a little wider than usual, lips parted and cheeks almost unnoticeably darker. His rinnegan swirled.
Hinata caught her bottom lip between her teeth.
Sasuke looked…pretty.
It was Sasuke that broke eye contact, cheeks darkening further. "Okay," he agreed, voice husky.
Later, after they'd both washed up and changed and crawled into opposite sides of the bed, Hinata marveled at how different something could feel depending on the context.
She'd shared sleeping quarters and even sleeping bags with a number of people, strangers, friends, all comrades. It was a consequence of being a ninja. At a certain point, there was little use for propriety on the field. She'd even shared a tent with Sasuke before, camped out on the Mogami property, Hinata keeping vigil as he fought against his nightmares.
But that was a long time ago. Things were different now. Her feelings were different now.
Here, in Sasuke's home, out of mission gear and in soft clothes, surrounded by his scent, there was a unique intimacy that couldn't be replicated. Because even if all other factors remained the same, it was the boy lying beside her, bodies not touching but close enough to sense each other, that was stirring up all these emotions inside her.
It was because it was Sasuke.
It was because of how she felt about him.
Hinata had wanted to tell him that earlier, when they'd been speaking in the kitchen. But then Sasuke had brought up the tenseigen and the thought had left her mind.
Rolling to her side, Hinata faced Sasuke's sleeping form.
She really wanted to tell him.
"You don't have to answer now. I just wanted you to know."
She really wanted him to know…that she might have an answer for him.
But he looked so peaceful and, with how poorly he typically slept, he needed all the rest he could get.
It could wait a little longer.
Sasuke interrupted Hinata's confession T_T but she'll try again soon
Thanks as always to everyone who continues to read!
MVH