hi! English isn't my first language. thought in italic , dialogue in " ", POV alterning and Naruto's still not mine.*
Chapter 27
It had taken three weeks to wrap up his mission; between his first stop in the village of the Sound, the investigation, the tracking of all possible leads, the information gathering, the battle and capture, the second stop in Otto and the track back to Konoha. His calculations were accurate.
Well, almost accurate. It had taken him three weeks and two days exactly, because his idiot of a teammate had picked a fight in a village they stopped at. Suigetsu was worse than a crow and its need to collect shiny objects. Because the swordsman had an obsession with collecting, you guessed it; swords.
It wasn't enough that he grave robbed Kisame Hoshigaki. (If you could call the puddle of blood and water he left behind once he committed Seppuku via shark summons a grave). Because of course the Kiri-nin wouldn't be satisfied with Zabuza's executioner's blade alone, he just had to have a sword that was an entity on its own by infiltrating his home village and stealing the blasted thing in the aftermath of the war while everybody else was still reeling from the experience.
On their way back to Konoha, they decided to restock their provisions in a quaint little village before taking the road again. Jugo had stayed far away to guard the prisoners while the other two ventured into civilization to get some food.
Sasuke had turned his back for five minutes. That was all it took for his psychotic teammate to engage in a sword fight in the middle of the street. The sight of one of the blades of the seven swordsmen of the Mist was motivation enough for the violet-eyed shinobi.
The Uchiha wondered how the other shinobi came in the possession of another one of those swords. He guessed Suigetsu wasn't the only one who liked graverobbing. The Hidden village of the Mist really needs to get its shit together, if their relic swords are being stolen left and right.
And Suigetsu being Suigetsu just had to add it to his collection because two swords weren't enough.
"It was a stupid thing to do." The Uchiha sighed.
"It was the Shibuki sword." Suigetsu grinned as he limped forward "My brother used to wield it."
Sasuke looked at him with a deadpan expression. He did not believe for one second that it had any sentimental value.
"It's the blastsword." The Kiri-nin sent a grin to the nurse in the front desk who scurried away at the sight of his sharp teeth. "It was worth it."
The dark-haired shinobi sighed again. He hated hospitals. Yet here they were because Suigetsu had gotten cocky and had himself blasted. Normally he was impervious to a blade but the blastsword, aptly named contained explosive tags within a substantial scroll. And when the other shinobi stuck it in Suigetsu's side that immediately liquified to protect him, he activated the tags. If the Kiri nin hadn't dissolved into a puddle in time, his limbs would've ended scattered across the charming little village. However, he wasn't fast enough as to not sustain some damage. That hadn't stopped him from walking away with another addition to his collection.
So here they were, in Sasuke's least favorite place in Konoha.
He had naturally stopped by Naruto's office to deliver his mission report and the four little gifts that were carted down to T and I for interrogation. He'd taken his sweet time too; explaining in details the existence of the underground organization, the possible involvement of prominent figures from major villages and Daisuke's delightful parting gift.
All done while Suigetsu was moaning in pain. An excellent punishment for his recklessness.
The Anbu Commander then made him wait outside for an additional half hour, while he debated their course of action with the blond Hokage. In the end they decided to have an Anbu operative infiltrate the underground community to pose as an Uchiha hater in the hopes of unmasking the identities of the higher ups. The logical choice being Sai, especially since the whole thing had Danzo's (May he rot in hell) fingerprints all over it. And who better to investigate then a former ROOT agent.
Sasuke sighed for the third time as he heard the giggling from female nurses and medics alike. They were debating if it'll be worth it to go near Suigetsu's sharp teeth if that got them a glimpse of the Anbu Commander. He had to decline another medic asking if he needed an examination, he had a couple scratches from the blast but they'll heal naturally. Fed up with all the noise he closed the curtain that separated them from the rest of the emergency room.
"Aww. Why'd you do that?" Suigetsu pouted.
He glared at him. How long does it take to get a professional who wasn't rattled by the Kiri-nin's appearance? He guessed he looked normal for the most part except he enjoyed grinning like a lunatic and most found that unnerving.
The curtain opened and closed abruptly and the Uchiha felt his temper rising. Between the fatigue, the sleep deprivation, Suigetsu and the incessant giggling. He was ready to rip off the head of the next person who walked in.
His words died on his lips immediately when he was faced with big lavender eyes. His own eyes drank her in like a man who hadn't seen the sun for far too long. Her cheeks were rosy, whether from the summer heat or her run here, he didn't care to know as long as they had that beautiful glow. Though a part of him would love to be the cause.
Has it been only three weeks, two days and twelve hours? It felt like an eternity since he laid eyes on her expressive face. And what he could read on it made his lips want to stretch wide in a stupid grin.
Her expression was a mix of elation at his sight, relief at his presence and concern for him. They fleeted across her face so rapidly and if he hasn't spent hours memorizing every little detail, he wouldn't have been able to discern all of them. At last, her countenance settled on concern as her mouth opened.
"Sasuke." The sound of his name compelled him forward, but she was already in front of him.
"Are you okay?" Her eyes darted over him "What happened? Where are you injured?"
He felt that stupid grin trying to break free again when her hands reached for him but stopped a hair away reconsidering her actions. He wouldn't have minded.
It'll come with time.
"Is something wrong with your chakra pathways?" She didn't wait for his answer but activated her Byakugan immediately to take a closer look "Everything seems fine."
"You don't even have to do anything and they come running to you." Suigetsu's voice had him reach behind him to close the second curtain, effectively separating the injured shinobi from them. He ignored the affronted "Rude."
"You have a few cuts." She gasped "Did you get poisoned?! Is that why…"
The rest of her sentence was halted by his finger on her lips. As fun as it was to watch her fret over him, he didn't want her to faint from lack of oxygen.
"I'm unharmed." Sasuke watched as her lips parted in protest but his slow smirk stopped whatever she was going to say "Were you that worried about me?"
Her faced flushed as she became aware how out of proportion her concern was.
"It's just you're not supposed to be here…" His hand fell to his side "Tsunade-sama said that you were not to enter the hospital under any circumstances other than a threat of imminent death, which is ridiculous and against a medic's oath to provide medical care without bias…"
"So, you were worried about me." He stepped closer to her and her blush intensified.
"I heard the nurses talking…and I learned you were here." She fidgeted under his gaze "So I thought… something must've happened. You've been gone for so long and…"
"So, what you're saying is that you missed me." His smirk stretched wider at her squeak when he took an additional step until they were toe to toe.
"I…It…I…The mission was long and…"
He hummed while leaning down, the closer he got the more nervous she became, the more she babbled. When their noses were almost touching, her face lit up.
"You're quite adorable when you're flustered." This time that grin did manage to break free when she squeaked again.
"I a-am n-not flustered."
"No?" His eyes flickered down to her lips then back again to her eyes "Should I try harder?"
"Eep." Hinata hid her face behind her hands.
Sasuke chuckled, bringing his hand up to pat her head. Teasing her had become his favorite sport.
"Will you let me heal you?" He could hear the pout in her muffled voice.
"You just want to see me shirtless." He smirked.
"Sasuke!" It was the closest she came to whining.
"Ok." He ran his hand in her hair and she relaxed at his touch. "You can come over. I don't feel like giving a show here."
"Hello?!" The curtain was pushed aside "Real patient in here! Ready to give the show."
"Oh!" Hinata took a startled step back out of his reach and he felt like punching his teammate. "I…I'm sorry. Just allow me to change back and I'll see you shortly."
It was then that he noticed she wasn't in her hospital issued scrubs. She was wearing a long cream-colored skirt that accentuated her hips with a flowing baby blue top.
Simple. Charming. Disarming in her delicacy.
Although he was sure she'd look refined even in a potato sack. In his surprisingly unbiased opinion.
"You finished your shift." Sasuke stated, that was obvious from her attire.
"It's no problem." Hinata smiled but that didn't stop him from seeing the fatigue that she tried to hide. "I can take a look."
"You look tired."
Suigetsu snickered from behind him.
"Even I know you should never tell a woman she looks tired" He was probably waiting for her to blow up, the poor idiot was so used to Karin's mercurial moods.
"It's fine." Hinata wasn't offended at his remark. "I'll be back."
"Someone else can do it." Sasuke crossed his arms.
"I'm sure the other medics are busy." She frowned "Otherwise someone would've been here by now."
The Uchiha wanted to roll his eyes. They were busy alright. Busy undressing him with their eyes instead of tending to the injured shinobi. Though Suigetsu's shark like teeth were also a contributing factor. Having had enough he pulled the curtain separating them from the rest of the room swarming with medics.
"Hey! You." He barked at an unsuspecting male medic, who froze at his glare "Get in here and patch this idiot up."
"Sasuke!" Now, she looked offended. "That was rude. Never mind him Jicho-san, I'll take care of it."
She whirled around, probably to go change and come back but he didn't allow her to take one step further.
"Hinata." His voice dropped into that authoritative tone that he noticed never failed to make her comply, something he'll be exploring later on. "Go home."
They engaged in a staring match, but he knew the moment he'd invade her personal space he will emerge as the winner. He didn't however, because he also knew that if he did, he might lose his silent struggle of not squishing both her cheeks with one hand and kissing that pout away.
So, he went with his third option. Sasuke redirected his glare toward the medic standing awkwardly behind Hinata. That was all it took to get him to scurry towards Suigetsu who huffed at not getting an attractive woman to tend to him.
The Hyuuga sighed, her shoulders dropping. When she looked back at him, he wiped that look of triumph off his face.
"Okay." She looked at him with concern still "But promise you'll go directly to your apartment to rest after you're done."
"I promise."
She finally relented, turning around after saying goodbye. Sasuke watched her walk away, enjoying the unintentional sway of her hips as she glided. His eyes caught movement from under her shirt. A tiny white head poked out.
I was wondering where Mamoru was.
"Well, she certainly looks good walking away from you." Suigetsu's voice interrupted his train of thought. "I remember her from the war. She looks like a tasty little thing."
"Say another word and I'll tear out your liver." He didn't even bother taking his eyes off of her retreating form, knowing that Suigetsu was probably the only one that understood he never levelled a threat without meaning it.
The look on the Kiri-nin's face was mix between a grimace and a grin. He always made the same expression after being threatened. He was used to it by now, toeing the line but never testing his patience. Not after that one incident that left him traumatized and that's saying something coming from someone who survived Orochimaru's experiments. The medic however was not used to this type of graphic imagery, which was why he shuddered. Suigetsu's grin only made things worst.
Hinata put the thin sliced beef in the pan, letting it simmer on low heat in the sauce she prepared with tofu, green onions and various kinds of mushrooms, all fresh ingredients she bought from the market before breaking in Sasuke's apartment.
Breaking in was a bit exaggerated considering she had an open invitation since they started training together. Plus, Sasuke had left the door unlocked, so technically it wasn't breaking and entering.
Although only an insane person would break into Sasuke Uchiha's apartment.
It's nothing he hasn't done before.
The Hyuuga tasted the miso soup that also simmered to perfection. There was no other activity more relaxing than cooking, except maybe baking. The soothing motion of cutting vegetables, the sprinkling of the spices until the right smell wafted in the kitchen. Even cleaning the dishes never failed to relax her. But what really filled her with a sense of satisfaction was sharing the meal she prepared with the people she cared about. It felt nice to do something for someone else.
She was cutting the tomatoes into even slices when Mamoru spoke.
"It was an honor to guard you Hinata-Hime. Goodbye." He puffed away before she could question his abrupt statement. That was when she felt his presence behind her.
"When I said come over, I meant after you went home to rest."
When she turned around, she was met with the sight of Sasuke leaning against the door, arms crossed over his chest. His Anbu attire didn't have a speck of dirt on it but there were a few blood stains, some extended to his bare arms. Bare muscled arms she was ashamed to admit left her a bit transfixed.
Hinata raised her eyes to his face and found that familiar smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
He caught her staring.
She turned back around to hide her burning cheeks.
"I'm almost done." The kunoichi spoke immediately, knowing he'll probably tease her about it "By the time you finish your shower, the food will be ready."
"You're stubborn, you know that?" She could hear the amusement in his voice.
Her hand held the knife again as she hummed in agreement. He sighed walking away and she felt a smile curve her lips.
By the time she was putting the finishing touches on the appetizing bowl of Sukiyaki, Sasuke strolled inside the kitchen with fresh clothes and a towel resting around his neck. Hinata frowned at his dripping hair.
"You'll get sick." She took a step towards him, reaching for the towel and draped it on top of his head.
Her own action didn't even register, not until she was assaulted by the smell of fresh soap and that unique masculine sent she learned to associate with Sasuke. Her eyes met his amused ones and she felt her face warming. Still now that she did, she was committed to the action. He didn't object while she dried his hair, on the contrary he accommodated her by leaning down so she didn't have to stand on her toes to breach that height difference. Although she suspected from the gleam in his eyes that he did it so their faces were closer.
The more her cheeks warmed, the more his smirk widened. Just as he opened his mouth, probably to utter something that'll fluster her more, she spoke.
"Let's eat!" The Hyuuga whipped around before her face matches the delicious tomato salad she prepared. She managed to get her blush under control despite his chuckles that persisted while they sat at the table.
"Itadakimasu!" They exclaimed at the same time, picking up their chop sticks and choosing a plate.
Hinata brought a piece of meat to her mouth, while Sasuke went straight for the seasoned tomato slices. She hid her smile behind her utensils when he hummed in appreciation.
He always has the same reaction when tasting anything tomato based. She got that reaction when she first made tomato filled Onigiri. She got the reaction again when she made the tomato soup. And again, when she made pasta. It was a surreal experience to watch one of the most feared shinobi in many nations enjoy something as mundane as his favorite food. What was more surreal was her witnessing it, because she did notice that he didn't allow any reaction to seep through when he was in other people's company. He was so guarded, even with something as insignificant as enjoying one's food. She liked the fact that he let his guard down in her presence.
"What?" His voice brought her out of her musings.
"N-nothing." She blushed when he raised a questioning eyebrow. Hinata turned her head towards her plate again in an attempt to hide her face.
This is getting ridiculous.
She can't keep blushing every time he looked in her direction. It's just that their last encounter before he went away for his mission keeps replaying in her mind constantly.
"It's good." That made her blush even more for some absurd reason.
Get it together!
"How was your mission?" She cleared her throat.
"Are you fishing for S-ranked information Hyuuga?" His voice was filled with humor "That can be considered treason you know."
"It is treason only if you tell me Commander." The Hyuuga countered. When she looked at him, he had a half-amused smile playing on his lips.
"Tiring." He answered. A one-word response that summarized everything. Hinata couldn't help but notice his slumped shoulders and the dark circles under his eyes.
She was glad she followed her instincts and prepared something for him, because knowing Sasuke he probably wouldn't have bothered with feeding himself.
They finished eating in comfortable silence. Once all the food was consumed, the table cleared and dishes washed (something Sasuke fought her over). They retreated to the living room.
"Let me take a look at your injuries." Hinata ordered. It was why she was here after all. She ignored that tiny voice that called her out on her excuse to spend time with him.
"No need." He cocked an eyebrow at her no-nonsense tone "The male medic healed me after he was done with Suigetsu."
Her lips moved to form a pout and she knew immediately from the gleam that entered his gaze that it was the wrong thing to do.
"I knew you just wanted to see me shirtless." That wicked smirk reappeared when her cheeks glowed despite the glare she kept fixed on her face.
Or tried to.
She crossed her arms stubbornly and waited him out. It was a technique that worked on most shinobi who were too stubborn to tell their medics about what was ailing them. A false sense of pride. She thought it was idiotic, even though she was guilty of doing it too.
After what seemed like a while. Sasuke sighed.
"If you must know, I have a headache." She could tell from the constant furrow in his eyebrows, the way his eyes turned away from any source of light that it was more than just a headache.
He was a Dojutsu user who was on active duty, not just any duty but a high ranked Anbu mission which probably meant he had to rely on his eyes constantly for days on no ends, meaning she knew from experience that the "headache" felt like an awake lobotomy.
"I can help with that." Hinata rearranged herself on the couch so that she'll be facing him with her feet tucked under her legs. Her fingers glowed with blue chakra, so different from the green of the mystical palm.
"What's that?" Sasuke appraised her hands curiously.
"It's a secret Hyuuga technique to help with the strain on our Byakugan." She answered "I'll just apply the chakra to your temple; it'll help improve the chakra and blood flow to your eyes taking away the headache and rejuvenating them."
"If it's a secret Hyuuga technique why are you sharing it with me?" Sasuke sat closer intrigued by the concept. She had heard about the ails of the Sharingan and how its prolonged use could lead to permanent blindness along with other more horrifying symptoms that promised a slow agonizing death. She understood the intrigue.
"So are a lot of the fire techniques you taught me, Uchiha secrets." The Hyuuga countered.
"You are part of the Uchiha." His dark gaze had an intensity that threw her off balance. It had sounded it like a promise more than a statement. Because he had taught her his signature Fireball jutsu long before she even became his apprentice, before the tournament and before the need for the contract even arose. So, what did that say of the last Uchiha who took pride in his clan's traditions and guarded them as an heir should do? He'd shared them with her, another heir to another clan without blinking as if she was always meant to join his.
Hinata didn't know what to say from there. Luckily the dark-haired shinobi took pity on her and allowed her to treat him. Except he didn't sit across from her like she assumed he would, he laid his head in her lap instead. Her face ignited at the way his eyes roamed her face while she sat there like an idiot who couldn't string a coherent sentence together. She assumed her brain took a long time to reboot, since Sasuke reached up to take hold of both her wrists and bring her hands to his temple all with that small smile that always managed to make her already unsteady heart skip an additional beat.
Hinata cleared her throat and focused on the task at hand. The glow casted by her chakra only seemed to highlight his unwavering gaze when it reflected into those dark pools of starless night. She tried to ignore the blood rushing to her face. That became harder to do when his hand reached up again to tuck a strand of hair that has been bothering her behind her ear. His fingers left a trail of fire on her already burning cheek.
She was both thankful and disappointed when his eyes disappeared behind his eyelids as he relaxed into her touch. It was working. The frown he had been sporting since she saw him at the hospital started to erase, his shoulder loosened and a sigh escaped his lips.
He must've really been in pain.
Hinata continued her treatment while admiring his face. She's never taken the time to study his features as thoroughly as they deserved. Maybe because his eyes always stole the show, since sometimes that veil of indifference lifted to let emotions reflect in them; some left her breathless in their vehemence, others she was still trying to identify. Now however with those captivating orbs eclipsed, the rest of his face was there for her perusal without the need to be embarrassed about her ogling. (Although she was sure he could feel her gaze studying him)
His face was sculpted to perfection. High aristocratic cheekbones, a sharp jaw that beaconed her hands to run them over it, a proud nose that didn't overwhelm his face, over full lips that were a bit chapped at the edges from years of fire jutsu use.
To put it simply, he was beautiful. She understood why he garnered so much attention from the female populace since he was twelve. As he grew, his looks became even more compelling.
Hinata halted her wandering thoughts as she ran her fingers over his forehead to spread the soothing chakra evenly. It didn't take long for his breathing to deepen and his own chakra flow to slow down. The Hyuuga heiress kept her treatment going as the Uchiha fell into a deep slumber under her calming touch. Even when she was done, she didn't dare move for fear of waking him.
He must've been exhausted.
As Sasuke rested, her thoughts went back to the challenge she issued to her grandfather. He had accepted the terms of her duel, all that was left was a meeting between the clan heads to pick a date. Meaning she had to talk to Sasuke about it.
Anxiety gnawed at her when she thought about the upcoming fight. There was a lot at stake; potentially her life. But for the first time in her life, she wanted to fight back. She has always been on the defensive, trying to outsmart the elders and avoid theirs schemes. Sometimes she succeeded, other times she swallowed their judgment like a bitter pill.
Never again.
She wasn't just fighting for her right to choose her own path, her freedom. She was fighting for the branch member's potential freedom too. If her grandfather stepped down from his position, she'll be paving the way for Hanabi to abolish the seal. With the fall of two more elders and the rise of the youngest more liberal ones, the scales will tip in their favor. There was also the possibility that her father will stand with them. His relationship with Neji made him realize how unfair that tradition was. In a perfect world Neji would be the future head of the clan, but that green seal on his forehead will never allow him to ascend to leadership. Her cousin had accepted that. That didn't mean he couldn't be Hanabi's advisor since the moment she relinquishes her title, he becomes her sister's guardian. Not that'll stop him from having her back too.
Her thinking was suddenly halted by an alarming spike of chakra.
The source of it was laying his head on her lap. Her first instinct was to activate her Byakugan because a subconscious spike in a shinobi of the Uchiha's caliber spelled trouble. A warning for a hidden enemy. But the Hyuuga's eyes didn't detect any danger in their vicinity. They did however witness the agitation in Sasuke's chakra. When it gathered in his eye area, she knew he had activated his Sharingan while asleep. The way his whole body tensed along with the intelligible whimpers that left his lips, let her know he was having a brutal nightmare.
Hinata could only imagine what his brain was showing him. So, she did what she usually does when her little sister was having a particularly bad dream; She ran her fingers through his silky hair.
"It's okay. You're okay." Her voice was soft as to not startle him, knowing that it was possible that he'll have a violent reaction if he was wrenched out of the dream suddenly.
One hand kept sweeping the hair away from his sweaty forehead, while the other fleeted over his face with feather like strokes. She was surprised that he didn't snap her wrists in two in retaliation. His slumbered mind must've recognized her chakra signature.
It took a while but he started to settle down.
His arms wrapped around her waist in a steel hold, startling her in turn.
"Don't go." Sasuke mumbled quietly but she heard him nonetheless. He buried his face in her stomach "Please don't leave me."
Her heart ached for the man that was suffering till this day and it ached more for the little boy that was left to fend for himself after his entire family was slaughtered. The village had done nothing to support that traumatized child, she understood why there was a time when the Uchiha longed to burn it to the ground. She was glad he didn't though.
"I'm here." She bent closer to him, whispering her promise close to his exposed neck "I'm not going anywhere."
It seemed to do the trick. Sasuke relaxed his hold on her without letting go, but she didn't move.
Hinata kept running her fingers through his dark hair until her own tiredness overpowered her and she too joined him in the dream realm.
Sasuke Uchiha was very fond of windows. Mostly because they provided an easy exit when in a pesky situation. A situation that usually used to involve evading his teammates when he was a Genin. They also provided equal opportunity to sneak in. Something he liked doing when the window in question happens to be in the Hyuuga compound. This time however he opted for the front door.
A part of him was amused at the situation and impressed at his restraint. He didn't even rip a hole in space to see his Hyuuga princess. Since the occasion called for doing things properly.
When he woke up yesterday from his restful slumber to find his limbs tangled with Hinata on his couch, his first reaction was confusion. Not at her presence but at the fact that he had slept peacefully.
In that half asleep state, he recalled her soothing chakra putting him in a dreamless slumber. He recalled after that it took a turn for the worst, as he had anticipated it would the first few days of his mission.
He found himself once again trapped in his younger self's body, walking the bloody streets knowing what awaited him when he'll arrive home, but powerless to stop himself from looking. Like always he found himself staring at the gleaming sword of his brother as it cut down his parents. A scream stuck in his throat as he watched the scene replay over and over again. He could feel his chakra trashing in his too small body trying to break free as he ran amidst the corpses that littered the Uchiha district. He could feel his Sharingan activating trying to break free from what he assumed was Itachi's Genjutsu, that he was trapped in.
He could also feel a ghost of a touch on his temples. So soft, so similar to the way his mother used to push his bangs back from his eyes when he was a kid. He remembers holding onto the warm entity he felt at the edges of his mind. He remembers pleading with it not to leave him alone in this darkness.
And then his senses were flooded with the soothing smell of lavender and another light sweet scent he couldn't identify.
'I'm not going anywhere'
Sasuke held on to the promise until the red moon, his brother's bloody sword, his parent's corpses disappeared leaving room for blissful empty space. A void that didn't scare him as long as he could feel the heat under his palms and the calming smell of lavender still surrounding him.
When his mind cleared a bit more, he identified that heat and calming smell as Hinata. He also identified the squishy softness under his cheek as her chest that he was using as a pillow.
Sasuke felt his face warming as he adjusted his position without waking his bed mate. It was hard to do with the way her legs were wrapped around his and the way his own arms were trapped under her. How did they even manage to do that? He was sure he was to blame. Still, he managed to rearrange them so that half of her body was atop of his with her face buried in the crook of his neck.A tight fit, it was after all a very small couch.
He did not mind that at all.
The decent thing to do would've been to wake her but he was a selfish bastard and she looked so peaceful.
When she did wake up with that embarrassed squeak, she didn't address what happened. He was thankful she didn't ask about his nightmare like most would have.
Hinata had been in the midst of leaving his apartment when he stopped her to tell her he'll be picking her up tomorrow for a late lunch. Naturally she asked if they were training after, so she'd know what to wear. His response of "Wear a dress." left her with rosy cheeks.
He was pulled out of his memory by the sound of the sliding door.
"Using the front gates? How unusual of you Commander Uchiha." Hinata's voice had that teasing quality to it that never failed to bring a small smile to his face.
"I am full of surprises princess." He answered as his eyes swept over her frame.
So, she did listen after all.
She was wearing one of those summer dresses with the thin straps over her shoulders, that left her arms bare allowing him to notice a beauty mark at the junction of her shoulder and clavicle. He'd love nothing more than to kiss it. There was another one hidden in the hollow of her throat. And another a bit lower. His eyes followed the faint trail of dark points littered against her alabaster skin until he couldn't see any more due to the lilac fabric draped elegantly over round flesh, he had the fortune to have felt against his face yesterday. Round, soft flesh he'd love to feel with his hand too. Squeeze. Try to make it fit in his mouth…
"Dresses really suit you." He brought his hand to his face pretending to cough so he could hide the result of his wandering thoughts. The same result that was reflected on Hinata's own cheeks. A pink blush that suited her far more than him.
"Thank you." The small smile that accompanied her blush well, left him staring like an idiot.
The guards at the gates thought so too, since one of them coughed loudly to break the spell he was put under.
"Let's go." The Uchiha cleared his throat that felt way too dry. He'll be blaming that on the summer heat.
They walked Konoha's streets at a leisured pace, shoulder to shoulder. Their fingers brushed occasionally and Sasuke felt electricity running up his arm every time they did. If he didn't know any better, he'd think she was using lightning release to tease him. Blaming the reaction on static electricity produced by the constant contact and separation, he laced their fingers together in an attempt to stop it. That was the flimsy excuse he'll use if she questioned him about it.
He could feel her eyes on him but she didn't object. When he looked back once she averted her gaze, he felt a smile tugging at his lips at the way she tried to hide her rosy cheeks behind her loose hair.
They kept on walking with jointed hands until they reached their destination.
Hinata didn't question him when they stepped over the barrier that protected the Uchiha district. She didn't object when he tugged her to the edge of the forest following the path that led to the lake. She did however stop all together when they reached the dock.
He watched her face carefully as she took in the blanket spread on the deck and the picnic basket on top of it. He had an inkling she was catching on to what he was trying to do. He tugged on her hand again and sat down. She was still looking at him with that look of surprise when he started emptying the basket.
"A picnic?" She found her voice alas.
"With food, wine." He deposited said item between them.
"And strawberry ice cream?" Her cheeks matched the aforementioned desert.
"Yes." He could tell from the look on her face that she recalled the time when he mentioned doing something similar to this, in this exact same spot. Her lips parted once she realized that he hadn't been joking at the time. He had meant it. He had described their first date then and he intended to do just that now.
He may not have asked her out verbally but the pleased flush on her cheeks when she reached for the wine bottle told him she accepted his silent request nonetheless.
"It's a good spot for it. Quiet and… has a nice view." She kept her eyes on the glass she was filling as she quoted him. He felt a grin trying to break free. Once she found the courage to look at him again, he did allow a small smile to slip and was rewarded with a mirrored expression that lit up her whole face.
"Did Mamoru give you any trouble?" He asked, handing her the pot of ice-cream he picked up from that bakery.
It better be good after the way that old lady keeps teasing me.
She had cocked an eyebrow at his order asking if she'll start receiving more ice-cream orders from the Hyuuga compound.
Meddling old granny.
"No. I enjoyed his company." Her voice had a fond quality to it. "He was an absolute angel."
He doubted that. Mamoru was the most perceptive and most attuned to his surrounding amidst all his snake summons. He was the best at detecting danger and the first to react swiftly. He was also the most venomous. He simply didn't fit the Angel label.
"Although he did overreact and try to bite Kiba when we were training together." She giggled "It's cute how protective he is."
He doubted that she'll still find it cute if she knew a drop of his venom was capable of bringing down someone of jugo's size. Sasuke made a note of giving her a vile of anti-venom next time he'll leave the snake with her again. Just in case Inuzuka does something stupid and gets himself bitten.
"I'm glad to hear that." He brought his glass to his lips to hide his smile "I'm sure he was entertaining."
"He was!" Her eyes sparkled in joy and he felt his smile widening "He is such a jokester. He disappears sometimes, usually when I'm having tea with Nii-san."
He wasn't surprised. He had after all given him clearance to do that as he deemed Hinata perfectly safe in the company of her cousin.
"Did you find out where he disappears to?" He asked.
"Hanabi found out." She tried to stifle a giggle but couldn't "I shouldn't be laughing really. Two elders in my clan are scared of snakes. And Mamoru has made it a habit of terrorizing them in council meetings."
He hid his own smirk behind his glass again. He had given him clearance to do that too. As well as gather any worthwhile information he might stumble upon. He knew if caught that they'll demand retribution, possibly his head.
He didn't give a shit. Not when his princess was surrounded by those who wish to harm her one way or another.
I need to check in with Mamoru later.
"What else?" He urged her to continue.
And she did. She told him about the snake's antics. The different reactions from her friends and family. The encounters they had in the hospital (He felt particularly satisfied with the story of Mamoru hissing whenever Tsunade walked by). She kept on regaling him with tales of the past three weeks as he rested his chin on his hand and admired her as she talked.
Her hair appeared lighter in color in the sun, hues of blue and indigo fought for dominance instead of the usual midnight blue. Colors danced in her eyes when the rays of light hit them just right, giving them the properties of a prism. The thick sooty eyelashes fluttering over them helped create the illusion. Her button nose crinkled adorably every time before she smiled. Her pink cheeks always elicited the same response of wanting to squeeze them together. But it was her equally pink lips, full and pouty and perfect that had him lose his train of thought as they moved. For a while (longer than he cared to admit) his ears stopped listening all together, especially when the spoon full of ice-cream was inserted inside that mouth he longed to explore again.
He recalled the feel and taste of them from the last time he kissed her. They were sweet then and they were sweet now when he leaned in and swallowed the rest of her words while his hand held on to her wrist before she could bring that spoon up again.
Sasuke licked his lips when he pulled back, tasting the strawberry ice-cream he bought for her. He figured he wouldn't mind the sweetness of it, if he sampled it directly from Hinata's mouth.
"W-what was that for?" The pink on the apples of her cheeks darkened a shade and he couldn't resist brushing his knuckles against one of them.
"I just wanted to kiss you." He smirked at her widening eyes "Am I not allowed?"
"I-I…No..I m-mean yes..I." She fumbled for an appropriate response and he tried not to smirk wider.
"My apologies." He pulled back a bit more to give her room to breathe. "I'll ask permission next time."
"It's okay." She squeaked "You don't have to apologize. You j-just surprised me that's all. I mean I wasn't expecting it, so I was s-startled. But you did already say you w-wanted to before, so I'm not that surprised…"
He kept on nodding his head as she babbled more. Hinata usually didn't talk much but he apparently had the opposite effect on her whenever she felt shy around him. He liked it. But she tended to run out of air fast so he had to intervene.
"Hinata." He halted her tirade with his amused tone "Can I kiss you now?"
She avoided his gaze when she nodded and his smirk morphed into a smile. Sasuke threaded his fingers into her hair, bringing her face to his. His other hand found her waist to slide her closer. He brushed his lips against hers softly, enjoying the velvety feel of them. Hinata responded in kind and he smiled into the kiss. Her hands rested on his chest and he felt emboldened to pull her even closer.
Her tresses kept slipping through the fingers he moved from the top of her head to the tips. Her hair was a weakness of his: dark, silky and long enough he could wrap it around his fist twice.
The thought filtered in his mind so quickly, it gave him pause. Pulling the hair of the girl you liked was a preschooler's move. But this was a different context entirely.
He wondered at her reaction if he did tug on her hair exposing her creamy neck so he could suck on that beauty mark he glimpsed earlier. What will she do if he bit down? What sounds would she make? Would she call out his name breathlessly? Or would she moan it? He'll explore that idea later as they were out in the open at the moment and it might be a bit soon for where his mind was wandering.
Sasuke pulled away once he realized that his hand was wandering too. It had somehow found itself pushing her dress up to rest on her thigh. He wasn't the only one with wondering limbs since said thighs were draped over his with their owner straddling him.
That made it harder to get his mind out of the gutter, especially when his eyes fixated on her bruised lips and hazy eyes.
The Uchiha sighed as he rested his forehead on her shoulder while waiting for the fog to clear from her mind. Why was he torturing himself and being a gentleman again? Right. The ghost of his mother lecturing him about how to treat a woman right when he was a kid. He thought it too early to be taught that but she was adamant on it since Uchiha men garnered attention at a young age. What did that have to do with him anyway? It wasn't like any of them was worth the trouble at the time.
But now there is someone worth it.
After a while, Hinata came back to her sense. After a long while. That left him feeling smug at having robbed her of her wits. His hand splayed on her back anticipating her jerky movement when she squeaked. Sasuke kissed the side of her neck softly in comfort. It didn't really help. She Epped adorably and he did it again.
Alright. So, his mind wasn't completely out of the gutter. You can't really blame the man; he was the furthest from being a saint.
Sasuke sighed as he removed the temptation. Literally.
He grabbed her waist, lifting her off his lap before his naughty hand wondered up more to assuage his curiosity about the material of her underwear. Was she more into silk or lace? Or did she prefer cotton? He didn't particularly have a preference although that image of a blue lace lingerie set, he saw in her room once upon a time did filter through his mind.
Ok. Enough. Focus.
"I brought you something." He spoke when he was sure his voice wouldn't come out in a husky tone. She blinked when he reached into the portal he opened to pull back a box. He won't admit he practiced that move. It was a good accuracy exercise, so he'll get better at making the portals and it had absolutely nothing to do with the look of awe on Hinata's face. Nothing whatsoever.
"You realize you don't need to keep spending money on gifts." She murmured as she took the box with both hands. He remembered then what she said about her status of heiress being intimidating and how some thought her to be a spoiled princess.
Princess, yes. Spoiled, never.
Luckily, he wasn't one of those. Plus, he was kind of a prince himself. A prince of ashes but still a prince.
"You do realize I'm filthy rich right?" He cooked an eyebrow teasingly "I inherited the totality of the Uchiha fortune when I turned eighteen. I'm richer than you princess."
"Impossible." Her eyes filled with a mischievous glint he loved seeing "Maybe once you cash in the interest of the businesses the Uchiha are partners in, you'll get close to the sum of inheritance of my aunt's husband's cousin three time removed. A far cry from my inheritance."
"What businesses?" He asked in confusion. He never really cared for material things but he was curious about this.
"The Uchiha are an ancient clan like the Hyuuga and were our biggest competitors on the market." She blinked in confusion herself "I remember because it was part of my lessons. And I remember there was this bid where my clan tried to take custody of your shares until you reached maturity. Being partners in some of them, we were honor bound to do so and protect your interests."
"What happened then?" He asked. This lack of knowledge was the price he paid for being obsessed with revenge. But who could fault him.
"The third Hokage forbade it and had the village take custody." Realization dawned on him. "Tell me you checked in on the sum of your funds?"
"No." His answer had her look at him in dismay. He would've found it funny if he didn't realize that the same council who was responsible for his clan's death was apparently also ripping him off. "I'm not good at this."
"I am." She answered "I can help you if you want."
"Won't you open your gift." He deflected because he was starting to feel anger at the blatant disrespect Konoha's council was engaging in. Because their greed knew no bound.
Hinata sighed and brought the box to her lap. A delighted gasp escaped her lips at the fabric she pulled.
"I thought since you ripped your previous ninja attire." He trailed off as she examined the clothing with a smile. It was an identical cut of the previous one he gave her for the tournament. With a few minor changes. The sleeveless kimono blouse was a pale lavender instead of dark blue, but the shorts and Obi were the same except that the Obi had a pattern similar to the ropes he used to use but it looked more like snake scales.
The heiress outright gasped when she turned it around to see the back.
"A blue Hyuuga flame?" She looked at him with surprise at the unique sigil that represented her.
"Well, you are unlike any Hyuuga in your clan." He shrugged secretly pleased at her reaction "And the flame has always been your birthright, no matter what anyone says."
"Thank you Sasuke." She looked down at the fabric "Although I am going to miss wearing the Uchiha fan."
"If you want to wear my clan's emblem that could be arranged." His mind conjured the image of her wearing a kimono with the Uchiha fan on its back.
An emblem on a ninja attire signifies that you fight for that clan. On the sleeves means you represent the clan. The emblem on formal attire meant you belonged to it in every sense of the word; either you were born to it or you married into it.
He didn't dislike the idea.
"Just in time for my duel too."
"Your what?" Sasuke asked as he was pulled from his musings.
"You know how you said I was a part of the Uchiha clan?" She bashfully looked at the ground "well I might've used your name for something."
He hummed prompting her to continue.
Oh, this should be good.
"I might have challenged my grandfather to a duel of Honor in the name of the Uchiha clan."
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"You did what?!" The Uchiha stood up abruptly. He may not have had a proper education as an heir to a clan but he knew what a duel of Honor entailed. It was a duel to the death and a serious act between clans. But Hinata was not reckless and she was a champion of diplomacy. Whatever made her do it must've put her in a corner. Sasuke took a deep breath in and calmly inquired "Why?"
"Don't freak out." She stood up too, raising her hands in surrender "but… my grandfather tried to… marry me off to Gaara by signing a marriage contract as my proxy."
"He's dead." Sasuke's voice was level and didn't reflect the blazing fury inside him but he could tell from the widening of her eyes that she knew. He turned around and started walking away with one goal in mind. He was going to deposit the Hyuuga elder's head on a spike for the rest of his clan to see.
"Sasuke!" Hinata completely disreguarded the gift and ran after him as he hastily walked into the forest. The was a shortcut that'll get him to the edge of Konoha but closer to the Hyuuga compound. "Sasuke! It's not happening. Gaara said no."
"Good. He gets to live then." The Uchiha answered. It would've been messy if he had to kill Suna's Kazekage too. Naruto might get peeved. No one would miss the old geezer however.
"Sasuke don't kill him!" She caught up to him and blocked his way by wrapping her arms around him "Please."
He stopped at her pleading tone and her equally pleading eyes as she hugged him tightly. As if he couldn't break from her hold if he wanted too.
"You have two minutes." He breathed in slowly to stop himself from doing just that. She only tightened her hold more.
"Well first you'll end up in a cell." He scoffed at that. As if a cell could hold him. "And he's not worth it."
"I warned him if he breathed the same air as you again, he was going to die." The Uchiha's voice was chilling but she didn't let go. "I too don't go back on my word."
"Technically he didn't do that." She countered "And I already issued the challenge so there's no need for that."
"What are the terms?" He felt her chakra envelop every single point connecting their bodies, essentially sticking her to him. And he knew that it was going to be bad.
"If I win, he steps down from his position as elder and the council loses their right to decide my fate." That seems reasonable enough. "If he does, I relinquish my family name and…get sealed."
His chakra exploded.
He knew exactly what that meant. She had said previously that there was a seventy percent chance she'll die if that happens. That she'll die.
"Sasuke, calm down." Hinata wasn't fazed by the volatile chakra spike that startled all the living creatures in the forest.
Calm down?!
How was he supposed to calm down when her life was on the line? When she put it on the line?!
The Uchiha tried to rain his chakra in, he was mostly successful. That didn't stop her from clinging to him tighter like a koala clinging to a tree. He would've found it humorous if the situation wasn't that dire.
"You are my ward." The dark-haired shinobi placed his hand on her back trying to center himself "I'll fight in your behalf."
"No."
"No?" He looked down at her and was met with a stubborn expression on her face, that he usually found endearing. Not this time. Not when it was him, she was being stubborn against.
"No." She narrowed her eyes "If you fight for me, grandfather gets to choose a branch member who'll end up suffering when they lose and that's if they do plead for mercy. They might choose to die by your hand instead of the pain of the seal."
"I don't care." Her eyes widened at the seriousness in his. Sasuke cupped her face with his hands trying to make her understand "Better them than you."
"I care." She put her smaller hand on top of his "This is my fight. I am fighting for myself but for them too. If I win, I am a step closer to changing my clan for the better. I can't tell you the details but this is important."
She didn't need to. He knew this was about the seal itself. He may not understand how one elder stepping down would help, but there must be other plans at work.
"Your clan had many leaders that chose to do nothing." He didn't understand why it had to be her. "You are already relinquishing your position. It is no longer your burden to bear."
"It isn't a burden. It's my birthright." Her eyes burned with defiance, with conviction, with all the things that made her clan's elders afraid. The belief in change. "I am choosing to step down because it is the best course of action to achieve what is best for my clan. I may not be the heir for a while longer but I will do this final act before I step down."
Maybe he couldn't understand it, because he lost his own clan so young. Maybe he just didn't know how to fight for the living instead of the dead.
He could tell by the stubborn tilt of her lip, the rigid set of her shoulder that her mind was set. That she wasn't backing down. He felt like he hit an impasse.
Not necessarily.
As her mentor he could refuse. Forbid her from doing it. Ignore her wishes completely, retract the challenge or better yet fight in her stead and win that way the elder steps down and she gets her wish of helping her clan.
But if he did that, he would be no better than her clan who ignored her wishes constantly. If he denied her the freedom to choose her own path how was he any better than her grandfather who tried to force her hand?
I'm not like them.
"I can do this." Her eyes shined with a plea for him to believe her. To believe in her. And all he could do was wrap his arms around her trying to convey that he did.
"I know you can. You are stronger than him." Sasuke murmured the declaration in her hair "But Hinata, you froze that day at the hospital."
He felt her stiffen in his hold.
"When he raised his hand to you, you completely froze. Your chakra was depleted but you still could've stopped him." He had to say this. He had to make her understand that he didn't doubt her abilities but they could still fail her at the worst possible moment. "You did nothing, you just braced yourself waiting for the hit to land."
She stayed silent. He hugged her tighter.
"That does not make you weak. It is not easy to face your tormentor and not allow fear to claw at your insides."
"You did." It was then that he saw that fear reflected in her eyes. She was afraid, but she was determined to not let it stop her "Help me do the same."
"Hinata." Sasuke's voice softened "I had to walk a dark and lonely path to do that. By the time I faced Itachi I wasn't afraid, because I was uncapable of feeling anything other than hatred. I didn't remember what it felt like to feel joy, to be sad. I had no sympathy, no mercy. I didn't care for anything or anyone other than my goal. It only got worse when I discovered the truth, there was just nothing inside of me besides a thirst to make those who wronged me suffer. And I wouldn't wish that on anyone, much less you."
"And now?...Are you better now?" Her eyes misted and he was struck with the realization that she was crying for him.
"Some days are better than others." They had never discussed this before, maybe they should have before he started anything with her "And there are some triggers, I'm still learning to deal with."
He refrained from telling her that her being in danger appeared to be his biggest trigger so far. Maybe she wouldn't want to be with his traumatized ass.
"How do you deal with them?" She inquired.
"I compartmentalize." He answered wiping away a small tear that tried to escape from the corner of her eye.
And sometimes you calm me down.
"I can do that too." He suspected she had learned how to do that in order to survive in her clan but he also knew she can't be the best at it with the way she wore her heart up her sleeve.
"Fear is the hardest emotion to suppress." He felt calmer the longer he held her "It is a basic self-preservation instinct. It's even harder to do when one has been conditioned to feel it."
"But it is doable?" Hinata asked with hope shining in her eyes and he swallowed hard at the idea already forming in his mind.
"It is." Sasuke took a step back from her "but you'll have to trust me."
"I already do." He felt like curling into a ball at the earnestness in her voice. "So, what's the problem?"
"The problem is that you might never do again once I'm done." He took another step out of her reach already sick at the idea of that she'll start viewing him with mistrust.
"Tell me what you mean?" Hinata followed him, reaching for his hands as if sensing his discomfort.
"In order to fight that fear, you need to understand it." He allowed his fingers to thread through hers "And then you have to face it over and over until it doesn't faze you anymore."
"And how do you propose we do that?" She looked at him with those big eyes searching for an answer in his. Until it downed on her that she was staring into it directly "Oh. Genjutsu."
He didn't want to do this. But if she froze while she was fighting, it could mean her death. And he fucking knew that the Hyuuga elder was aware of the power he had over her, just as he knew he was counting on using it.
"Talk me through the process." Hinata squeezed his hands as her gentle orbs burned in resolve.
"I'll give you the tools to fight the fear first. Help you create a space in your mind where to stock that fear or a place where the emotion didn't reach you." She listened intently "Then I'll put you under a Genjutsu where you face your trigger and we'll see if you can overcome it. We repeat the process until you successfully do."
"Was it hard for you?" She asked with a small voice.
"The Sharingan makes it easier as it's also a mind oriented Dojutsu but I didn't know how to compartmentalize properly so I shoved every emotion down or fed it to my rage and hatred, numbing myself to the rest." He run his hand through his hair "Until eventually they all bubbled up and I snapped."
"You've been doing it for years." She stated already knowing the answer.
"Since the massacre." It wasn't exactly a healthy coping mechanism; he was supposed to unpack the emotions at a later date but he never did. Until he went completely off his rockers.
"I'm sorry, Sasuke." The sincerity he read on her face, the sadness for him made him reach for her again. He just couldn't bare to look at that emotion painted on her face even if it was on his behalf.
"It's not your fault." He caressed her face gently. "You couldn't have done anything."
"No, I couldn't." She looked down "Someone else could've, but they did nothing. They never do anything."
Sasuke didn't know if she was talking about the village in its entirety. The adults surrounding them at the time. Or those who were in power and could've intervened but didn't. He didn't know if she was even talking about him, herself or others who were neglected.
The was no shortage of children wronged in this village. His brother a child solder who was manipulated into killing his own family in the name of peace. Him who was left to fend for himself after having lost his entire clan by the one person he trusted the most. Her who was emotionally abused for years (and although she never did acknowledge it physically even if they put the label of training on it. Because her grandfather crossed the line between training and beating often). Naruto who was scorned, starved by the adults and ignored by the so called benevolent Hokage. Those who were snatched and were forced to erase their humanity to serve under Root.
This village keeps failing them. Sometimes he wondered why he didn't burn it to the ground. But then he remembers Naruto with his shiny smile that refused to be beaten down proving them wrong and being Hokage. Those like Sai who are trying to break from years of conditioning. Those like Hinata who stood up again and again and believed in doing better.
The dreamers.
Those with the real will of fire of the first Hokage. Not the twisted version that came after him.
He'll stand on the sidelines for those. Let them burn bright.
And if this beast of a village tries to kill their flame, he'll snuff it out before it could. Let them see how much they liked the nightmare over the dreamers.
"We'll do better." He found himself saying.
"Yes." She smiled at him and he started believing too. "We'll do better."
Maybe he could be a dreamer too after all.
AN: He's baaaaack! Sasuke really enjoys teasing our poor innocent Hinata. He also is getting hot and bothered and I am evil for making him go through it. What did you think of the first date? the sexual tension? His reaction to the duel? I have many idea simmering in my brain ready to be put on paper.
Also thank you for the review about Samehada not being Suigetsu's. I totally thought he got it after the war. But hey you inspired the beginning of the chapter that I must admit I was a bit struggling with. I am so happy you are all pumped up for Hinata kicking the Hyuuga elder's ass. It won't be easy. But have faith.
Please do leave the reviews. They inspire. They feed my soul. On a side note I enjoyed reading the spanish one, it helped me practice it since i lost touch with my spanish speaking friends.
Anyways any reviews in any language are welcome as long as I have the translator feature to help.
So review review review!
- Your writer who-brags-about-speaking-five languages.
Lady Thunder Storm