It's moving day

Chapter 64: Man in the mirror, make another home here

"How does it feel? Not too tight?" Ino gave the cuff around Minoru's ankle a sharp tug.

"Fine," Minoru said. He was seated on his hospital bed, legs hanging loosely off the side.

Hinata observed from the doorway, eyes tracing the seal on the ankle cuff. A condition of being released to the custody of Konohagakure was ensuring that Minoru actually stayed within the village borders. The fūinjutsu on the leather cuff made for an elegant solution.

"Remember, the moment you step out of Konoha, this will send an alert to the Ninmu Uketsuke and the first available ninja will be on your tail," Ino remarked as she stood back up.

Minoru rolled his eyes discreetly, having heard this multiple times by now.

"And, fresh from the Hokage Tower," Ino announced, fishing out a card from her kunai pouch with dramatic flair. "Your new ID!" She held it out at eye level to Minoru who didn't immediately react.

Hinata subconsciously took a step forward, head tilted to sneak a peek. The movement drew Minoru's gaze to her and then looking back at the ID, he seemed to properly take it in for the first time. Making a strange croaking sound in his throat, Minoru snatched the card out of Ino's hand and held it tightly to his chest.

Unphased, Ino propped her now empty hand on her hip. "Everyone's photo looks bad on those things." She was trying to sound consoling, but something about it didn't quite ring true. "Well, mine's pretty great, but everyone else."

Thin brows drawing together, Hinata gave a passing thought to her own ID. It was in her room, in a drawer where she kept her civilian apparel. A ninja's hitai-ate served as identification enough and when needing to enter restricted areas, presenting a scroll bearing the Hokage's stamp or that of her clan head would be more prudent. The photo on her civilian ID card must have been taken prior to her academy graduation. She doubted it was flattering.

But looking at Minoru, it was unlikely that his aristocratic features could be made to look bad. "I'm sure it looks nice," Hinata said sincerely.

Minoru simply pursed his lips and slipped the card into his pocket. Pushing himself off the hospital bed, he asked, "Are we leaving?"

"Ready whenever you are," Ino said.

Hesitating, Minoru slowly swiveled around, brown eyes scanning the room. The hospital had been his home for four months now, towards the end Sakura and Ino inventing any reason to keep him longer to avoid sending him to a holding cell while they waited for the Daimyo to respond to Naruto's appeals. Minoru had spent many days unconscious or too weak to be cognizant, but he'd been awake and aware for enough of that time for it to have made an impression.

Hospitals were not cozy as a rule. As much as the staff worked to make sure their patients could recover in comfort, the need for sterilization and cleanliness did not lend itself to a welcoming environment. Minoru's room was particularly impersonal, with no cards or flowers or personal belongings. Even the clothes he was dressed in now, a simple pair of grey slacks and a black t-shirt, had been procured from Shikamaru's closet, the outfit that Minoru had arrived in having been beyond saving.

However, that didn't mean Minoru might not have formed some type of attachment to it.

Hinata and Ino waited patiently as Minoru said a silent goodbye to the room, lingering on the window that looked out upon the hospital gardens.

Finally, he turned to face them again. "I'm ready."

They'd chosen to leave early in the morning, hoping to avoid large crowds, and for the most part they succeeded. The few people in the streets were early risers getting ready for a busy day. That didn't entirely stop them from turning their heads to stare as they walked by, but it was certainly better than it would have been at midday. And it was nothing compared to the kinds of stares Sasuke had attracted when he'd first come back to Konoha.

As they walked, Ino acted as a tour guide, keeping a constant stream of chatter. Meanwhile, Hinata had attentive eyes on Minoru. It was his first time truly out among people since arriving at Konoha and from what she'd gathered, he'd been rather isolated in the Fujiwara household before that.

Minoru was fairly good at masking his emotions, but Hinata could see his hands trembling. She adjusted her pace to walk a little closer to him, sending him a reassuring smile. He didn't return it, but he did grow less tense.

As Ino had been speaking, Minoru had been listening passively, but he perked up at the mention of the library.

"The obaa-san at the library is really funny! She's been doing these reading circles for children since I was a kid — I remember she always fully committed on the characters' voices," Ino said.

"Oh! Do you mean Noriko-san?" Hinata asked. "She also volunteers at the community center. She has a big personality, I can imagine her being good at that, but…" Tapping her bottom lip with her fingers, Hinata wondered aloud, "Is it really that fun to listen to someone read kunai basics?"

Ino laughed. "The reading circles are for kids under five, Hinata," she clarified.

"Um…?"

Twisting around to shoot Hinata an incredulous look, Ino said, "Please tell me you weren't reading about kunai when you were little. Or at least that you were reading books about other things."

Hinata considered the poetry and philosophy texts she'd needed to dissect as part of her heiress training. Not that she'd been quite at that level of complexity at five, but she'd been started on relevant folk tales and fables in addition to training-based scrolls. It wasn't all kunai.

When Hinata nodded in agreement, Ino didn't appear appeased. Before the other kunoichi could delve further into Hinata's childhood reading habits, Hinata turned to Minoru and said, "Maybe in the next few days we can take some walks around the village to make sure you know where all the boundaries are? And we can stop by the library or anywhere else you'd like."

Minoru blinked. Then he nodded.

They continued walking and Ino quickly moved onto pointing out other locations she found noteworthy. Although Minoru's stamina had been steadily improving with his and Hinata's strolls through the hospital gardens, Hinata and Ino set a more leisurely pace to accommodate him and so the usual twenty minute walk from Konoha Hospital to the Uchiha district took over thirty.

When they did arrive, Minoru faltered for a moment, staring up at the gated entrance.

Hinata remembered the Fujiwara manor. The bloody handprint on the gate. Sasuke's reaction to what they had found inside.

She wondered what Minoru was seeing in his mind's eye. Was he thinking of his own home?

The moment passed. Minoru angled his head back to send a questioning look to Hinata. When she nodded encouragingly, he stepped forward and opened the gate.

Following Minoru into the Uchiha district, Hinata saw it with fresh eyes. On her first visit, months ago, she had been unsettled by how abandoned it had looked. The state it was in now was still disorderly, but in a wildly different manner. Whereas before the Uchiha district had been untidy due to a lack of upkeep, now it was teeming with signs of life: fresh coats of paint scattered among old, peeling walls, piles of uniformly sized planks of wood, the sectioned off garden.

But was Minoru capable of appreciating those differences, having not witnessed its former state? To him it may look like marching into a disorganized mess.

Hinata worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

Would Minoru be happy living here?

Shaking her head, Hinata took the lead, gesturing to the right. The walls were cream coloured, the dark wooden paneling and window shutters re-polished, and the door slightly ajar. Naruto's voice could be heard coming from inside.

Upon entering, Minoru couldn't hide his shock. His brown eyes were filled with wonder as he looked around and Hinata's heart settled.

Sasuke, Kiba and the rest had worked hard to restore the interior as well as the exterior. Similarly, it had been a group effort to decorate it. The house had already been furnished, but everything had been coated in layers of dust, requiring quite a bit of scrubbing. Sakura had brought clean linen and a first aid kit. Ino had rounded up hand-me-downs from most of the boys, save for Lee (by unanimous agreement), Sai (by Sakura and Hinata's vetoing of his crop tops) and Sasuke (most of his belongings having been donated after he defected, sparing only the items personalized with his clan symbol). From Naruto, Ino had, by her own choice, only accepted clothes of any colour other than orange. Finally, the fridge and cupboards were filled with fresh produce, preserved food and fully prepared meals courtesy of Hinata.

As Minoru was surveying the living room, Naruto staggered in from the kitchen, nearly dropping the cake he was carrying.

"Surprise!" Naruto yelled. "Happy housewarming!"

"I thought we agreed we weren't going to do that?" Sakura said, stealing the cake with a distrustful glance at the blond shinobi. "Good morning, Minoru!" she said cheerfully, "It's nice to see you out of the hospital." She looped around the living room to set the cake on the low table in the center.

Minoru shifted in place as four sets of expectant eyes landed on him. "…thanks."

Several seconds ticked by. Then Naruto clapped his hands together. "Cake!" he announced, the single word successfully expressing his intentions. "Wait! Where's Sasuke?"

As if summoned, Sasuke silently slipped into the room behind Naruto, a stack of plates in hand with a knife delicately balanced on top. His eyes reflexively found Hinata's and she smiled.

In short order the cake was served, Naruto making a big fuss over reserving the biggest slice for Minoru. As they ate, Naruto continued to shower Minoru with attention, poking at him both figuratively and literally trying to get him to laugh. He didn't quite manage it, but did elicit a faint smile that Minoru swiftly suppressed.

It reminded Hinata a little of how he used to be with Sasuke back in the academy, though back then his goal had been to annoy the dark-haired shinobi. Catching Sakura watching Naruto's antics with fond exasperation and likely thinking the same thing, Hinata exchanged a smile with the other girl.

They were all seated on the floor around the table, Hinata and Sasuke next to each other, both observing quietly as Sakura and Ino took charge of the conversation, asking Minoru questions that he responded to with nods and the occasional mumbled word.

Eventually the cake was eaten and Ino, Sakura and Naruto left one by one. Giving Hinata a nod, Sasuke retreated to the kitchen with the used plates. Her eyes trailed him up until he disappeared past the doorway and when she glanced back she found Minoru already looking at her. She offered him a kind smile, sighing softly when his gaze flickered away to focus on the stairs leading to the second storey.

"There are three bedrooms," Hinata said. "You can pick whichever one you want, of course."

A slight frown creased Minoru's forehead. "Does that mean other people will be moving in here?"

"No, at least not right now. Maybe eventually when the other houses are ready," Hinata said. She tucked her hair behind her ear and peered out the window to the empty street. "We thought it might be easier for you to adjust without having to worry about living with a stranger. There will already be quite a few people around helping to restore the rest of the district."

Minoru nodded in understanding, but then cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "If it's just for me…then why a place with three rooms?"

"Um. This area wasn't really built for single households…" Still seated seiza, Hinata's fingers played with the fabric of her skirt. "That is…this district was where Sasuke-kun's clan lived all together. Even when they grew up, the Uchiha stayed here with their families. Out of all the houses, none of them were single rooms…"

Minoru's eyes widened. "This entire place, all for one clan?" he asked. Compared to the Fujiwara manor and even compared to the larger parcel of Mogami-owned land, the amount of housing in the Uchiha district spoke to a clan far more numerous than any Minoru would have had exposure to. "And they're all…?"

Hinata nodded sadly, lavender eyes dropping to the table. The sound of running water and clinking dishes could be heard from the kitchen, likely masking their conversation from the ears of the last Uchiha.

"And he's really fine with me being here?" Minoru asked, disbelievingly.

Though her lips curved upwards, Hinata's smile held onto a tinge of melancholy. "It was Sasuke-kun's idea. I think…it wasn't an easy decision. But Sasuke-kun has told me before that he's not the type to do something he doesn't want to." Her expression was a mixture of pride and grief. Sasuke was so strong. Hinata only wished he didn't have to be.

This time when Minoru said it, Hinata was certain of the words. "I really can't win against that guy."

Hinata tilted her head in confusion. "Um. I know Sasuke-kun was upset before, but he isn't holding anything against you. So there's no need to worry…?" she trailed off uncertainly as Minoru dropped his face into his hands.

"Never mind," he said, speech muffled.

A little bewildered, Hinata let it go without argument. Instead, she stood up, brushing the wrinkles out of her skirt. "Would you like to go upstairs? We can take a look at the bedrooms."

Dragging his hands down until his brown eyes peaked out over the tips of his fingers, Minoru regarded her almost shyly. Then he nodded, pulling his hands fully away and rising to his feet.

"Oh! Oda-kun and Miki-chan have been asking about you," Hinata said, waiting for Minoru to climb up the stairs first. "Once you're settled in, maybe they could come visit? Or I can let them know to meet you somewhere else? Only if you want to! It's fine if you don't!"

Looking back at her from the top of the stairs, Minoru towered over Hinata, but the lost expression on his face made him seem young and small. "They've been asking about me?"

Hinata bobbed her head. "Mm. I saw them the other day in the village. They really wanted to know how you were. They said they stopped by the hospital, but the nurses told them they couldn't see you. Since your approved visitor list was restricted."

"…oh." Minoru's hair had grown to reach his chin, curling gently around his face. As his cheeks grew flush, they contrasted sharply with the dark green of his hair. "If they came here…that would be okay with me."

Hinata hummed happily. "I'll make sure to let them know."

When Sasuke opened the door to the Hokage's office, he was surprised to find Kakashi at his desk doing paperwork.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" Kakashi asked, pen still moving though he was no longer looking at the scroll. Sasuke wondered if any of it would be legible.

"The Ōtsutsuki…do you know how to contact him?" Sasuke asked, cutting straight to the point.

At this, Kakashi's eyebrows shot up. He pushed his chair away from the desk, sitting back to better look Sasuke in the eyes. "What a curious question. Ōtsutsuki Toneri?" Kakashi asked, clearly hinting for an elaboration that Sasuke didn't plan on providing. Scratching his mask-covered chin, Kakashi said, "Well, when he first confronted Hyuuga Hiashi, he hardly left a calling card as you know. And the team found the pathway he used to get to Konoha through regular surveillance. We haven't come across anything like it since. Truthfully, we haven't been looking. There's enough keeping us occupied and Hinata said she believed him when Toneri claimed he was no longer a threat."

"Tch. So you're saying you can't help," Sasuke concluded.

Kakashi leaned forward, resting his elbows against the desk. "I do have a hunch."

Sasuke waited. When Kakashi didn't divulge he scowled. "Which is?"

"Whatever power Ōtsutsuki used to connect our planets, I have my doubts as to whether it can be completely undone."

"They said the path disintegrated," Sasuke pointed out.

Kakashi shrugged. "It's like digging a tunnel through a mountain. Even if you refill it, there's no returning the mountain to its previous state. The remnants of that tunnel will always be there."

Sasuke eyes narrowed in thought. Then he nodded. As he started to leave, Kakashi called him back.

"Wait, Sasuke, since you're here, I did have something I wanted to talk to you about. The Akatsuki."

Sasuke froze. Then he whirled around, crossing the room in a few long strides. "Tell me."

"Easy there. It's nothing too serious," Kakashi said, raising his hands in a placating fashion. "It's not surprising that the Akatsuki had hideouts we weren't aware of, but with what happened to that genin team, it's clear we can't afford to leave them alone. We need to locate them all and disarm them. Like what you were doing with Orochimaru's labs."

The name of his former mentor brought a sour taste to the back of Sasuke's mouth. He couldn't stop his lips from curling into a grimace. As part of his atonement journey, Sasuke had shut down all known lairs Orochimaru had established within Hi no Kuni's borders. It had been unpleasant work, the things he found yet another reminder of how twisted the sannin was.

"With Orochimaru, he's of our village. We hold a responsibility for his actions. And his hyper fixation on Konoha means that he rarely ventured into other countries," Kakashi said grimly. "But the Akatsuki members belonged to all nations and seemed to cross all borders. At the next Kage meeting, I'm planning to propose a joint taskforce to do the same kind of work you were doing. And I'd like you to be on it."

Sasuke's eyes widened. "What?"

"You have the expertise. And, I suspect, a special interest in this," Kakashi said knowingly. "Think about it and let me know."

Then, while Sasuke was still wrapping his head around this bombshell, Kakashi added with a closed-eyed smile, "And tell Hinata-chan if she has any other questions about the Ōtsutsuki, I don't know too much, but I'm always happy to help."

Hmm, what will Sasuke say to Kakashi's proposition?

Thanks as always to everyone who reads and takes the time to leave me a comment

MVH