Chapter 18: Almost (Second Arc) -
The air was thick, the earth was scorched, and the scent of sweat settled in the dust around them. Sasuke had struck the ground, and the craters formed—the ground spoke of their latest spar. Naruto's Rasengan uprooted the wide patch of grass, and the trees shook and split.
Naruto stretched, wincing at the bruises forming along his ribs. "Damn, teme. Still going for the kill, huh?"
Sasuke exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders. "You still dodge like an idiot. Maybe you wouldn't get hit so much if you learned how to move properly."
Naruto snorted, flopping onto the ground. "Yeah, yeah. I was holding back, y'know."
Sasuke merely glanced at him before retrieving his cloak. "Hn." As if. Loser and a liar. Sasuke gruntled as he remembered the Cherry Blossom Festival from the last week and how Naruto had managed to piss off every nerve of his.
His predatory hits were a payback.
Naruto had recoiled from his burst of attacks, questioning the sudden flare of anger coiled around his fists. It was unnerving how oblivious Naruto could become in the face of his own mistakes.
"You talked to Hiashi Hyuga?" Naruto's question pierced through his thoughts.
Sasuke sharply turned towards him and stilled for a moment before fastening his cloak around his neck. "Why?"
Naruto lifted himself off the ground, his frame propped up by his elbows. He explained, his eyes tired. "He dropped by the office yesterday, initiated a conversation about buying the land of Hinata's Orphanage and the surrounding area…for transitioning some of his branch families outside the compound."
Sasuke's brows furrowed, "What?"
Naruto's voice became low as he explained, "Hiashi Hyuga has been meaning to shift some of his branch families outside his compound. He simply believes that he should own the land where the Hyuga families reside…and also Hinata has been meaning to expand the Orphanage space—"
Sasuke retorted. "She is allowed to do whatever she wants."
Naruto nodded, rationalizing, "Because you have given only an Uzumaki the right—"
Sasuke huffed. He shook his head. "Even if she is not an Uzumaki by name, Hinata is allowed to own the land of the Orphanage." He tucked his hand in his pocket. "I can sign a gift deed for her. I won't sell it to her for an amount—"
"Hold on, Mr Rich Guy." Naruto hopped off the ground, patting the dust off his trousers and shirt. Sasuke waited for his best friend to continue. Naruto looked up, his eyes questioning, "Hinata's not the issue. Hiashi is playing by her name simply to get what he wants."
"You didn't say no to him?" Sasuke leapt forward, his gaze darkening.
Naruto squeezed his shoulder and rolled his eyes at him. "I told him that it's not my land to sell. The district belongs to you solely."
Sasuke scoffed. His mind raced as he asked, "Since when has he cared about the branch members having independence?"
Naruto rubbed his neck. "I mean, Hinata's been pushing for changes. Maybe she got through to him." He then grabbed the Hokage cloak off the rock and draped it around himself. "Or he simply loves the commercialization of your district and the prospect of business—"
"I don't trust his intentions." Sasuke mused, "He doesn't seem like the person to indulge in business decisions of this nature." Uchiha district belonged to him. When Naruto had spoken of the idea of rebuilding and repurposing the land, Sasuke was indifferent; but now a decade and more later, his land carried not just the blood of his clan but the essence of his name, his pride and his identity.
A Hyuga staking a claim on Uchiha land sounded suspicious.
Unless the Hyuga was Hinata.
Naruto studied him, then sighed. "Yeah, figured you wouldn't trust him." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees as she sat on the stone, hunched. "But look, if it's only about the orphanage expansion, you know Hinata's got a lot of kids there. She is involved in it from start to finish, she uses her own money—"
"Naruto, do you not listen?" Sasuke snapped. "I am willing to give her that land and the outstretched area as a gift. What makes you think that I'd be opposed to that?"
"Oh," Naruto sighed, looking away for a moment, then he snapped his gaze towards Sasuke again. "You trust her that much?" When he probed, a flicker of something unreadable passed by his expression.
Sasuke breathed. The heaviness settled within him. Trust.
He rarely trusted anyone.
But she could hold him by the throat, lunging a dagger inside him, twisting it until he bled, and he still wouldn't question her.
Was that trust or blindness? He wondered.
He confessed, "Yes."
Naruto and Sasuke shared a long, deep and unflinching look. Sasuke had watched the gleam of his best friend's cerulean gaze dull and dim under his looming and shadowy stare.
Naruto shivered, visibly. A shudder had rattled him.
He rose from the stone and gruffly added, "You rich clan guys and your land disputes." he craned his neck side to side, and the popping of muscle echoed in the air. The sun blazing down on them forced them to end their spar early as they moved towards the training ground's exit with heavy yet measured steps. "He showed a willingness to discuss the possibilities with you over a dinner on Friday. I already was about to spend time with Hinata-chan…so I can manage."
Sasuke nodded along the way, his feet thumping on the gravel pathway. "I'll ask Sakura if she is—"
Naruto crossed his arms behind his head, craning his neck upwards as he stared at the clouds while filling him with the information about Sasuke's wife that Sasuke himself did not bother to keep, "She is taking an off that day. Shizune-san came back from her leaves so…"
Sasuke swallowed the bitter and acrid taste on his tongue. Naruto buzzed about nonsensical events as they walked towards their respective homes. Their paths diverged in the middle as Sasuke moved towards Sakura's residence and Naruto surprisingly lumbered towards Uzumaki House.
After Naruto chose to switch his path, Sasuke strolled alone towards his house. His mind reeled, unable to find the relevance of Hiashi's sudden interest in his land, in Hinata's Orphanage and in Sasuke's life.
Hinata had not spoken to him for a week.
Ever since the Cherry Blossom Festival had ended, with her passing out on the balcony and Sasuke's kindness in dropping her inside her room, on her bed, offering her the warmth that she was too asleep to know and feel.
Sasuke had the unease biting him.
He had released his rage during the spar, landing several hits on Naruto, imagining himself spitting realities of his dreadful dumb actions, and that seemed to provide him with a moment of reprieve.
But now that his mind was alone and his fingertips were aching with the lightening still surging to burn anything or anyone, he began to accept the reality where his muscles ached and chest tightened and the absence of her familiarity clawed at the back of his skull.
One week, Hyuga. One week.
Desperate.
He began to feel the desperation slamming onto him.
Fuck.
.
.
.
Pause.
That's what Sasuke's life began to feel like.
As if he was on pause.
His mind couldn't comprehend the cause behind the twisting in his stomach, the unease in his bones and the frustration bubbling in his mind. The stillness in the night nipped at him as he continued to walk—walking where? He wasn't aware—Sasuke had grabbed his cloak, messily tugged it around himself and burst out of his home as the walls seemed to close in on him, deepening the irritating tug at his chest.
Her. Her.
She hadn't been visiting her orphanage for a few days and hadn't come down to even greet him when he picked up Sarada from her study session with Boruto. He felt empty.
He hadn't been eating well.
She hadn't invited him…for days now.
He believed that things were calm between them. The cherry blossom festival did not end sourly for them.
But her absence had prickled his senses, he soundlessly grumbled, his mind reeling and embracing the possibilities of her lividity at him.
His feet dragged him to a place he was avoiding. Craning his neck, he looked up, expecting to see her peering down at him from her balcony. But the curtains were drawn, and the two-pane door was shut.
He couldn't sense the raging warmth lingering inside the house, he couldn't see the rattling and rampant chakra signature—Naruto was not home.
His mind pulled him back, and he attempted to convince his body to disappear into the dark shadows of the night. But his heart thumped in his chest, and his ribcage felt the sting and hit of his heart. He felt the worry settle between his brows. Bracing and gritting his teeth, he leapt towards the balcony.
He landed quietly, his cold hand gripped the rail to balance himself. He exhaled a sigh; something deep within him chided him for his antics.
But he needed to see her.
He needed to ask if she was cross. If she hated him. If she was tired of him…too.
His hand lifted, and he was about to rap on the panes. But instead, his curiosity and restlessness feasted on his sanity, and he pushed the panes. The gap widened, and the inside of her room came into vision.
She was curled up on her bed, sheets tangled and pooled at her legs, damp hair sticking to her forehead and whistling breath exhaled from her nose. Under the soft moonlight falling over her from the crack of the window, her crimson cheeks brightened.
He could feel the faint strings of her chakra in the air, wrapping around her and swiftly dancing in the air, even approaching him. He let them welcome him as he stepped inside her room, his steps almost searing him.
Don't.
His sanity arrived to pick up his battered mind.
Maybe I should leave.
She was safe, Sasuke. She doesn't need you. His sanity called out for him…desperately.
His steps paused at a distance from her bed.
But then the fabric of her bedsheet rustled when she shivered, and her fingers, delicate and pale fingers, clung to her neck. Her forehead had a sheen of sweat marring her face. She murmured incoherently under her breath.
Without thinking, he continued to walk inside her room. The thick, sickening air stifled him, and the faint scent of fever whispered in the air, snaking around him. His brows furrowed.
Fucking idiot should have told me! He mused.
He approached the side of her bed, his eyes peering into the details of her—her trembling and chapped lips, her occasional jitters coursing through her limbs and her flushed face.
He ducked, untangled the blanket from her legs, and pulled it over her body. When the warmth dragged over her, she stirred. The tension from her shoulders dissipated. She released a sigh, and her body sank deeper into the bed, snuggling into the softness.
Her cheeks puffed as her lips curled into a pout, her frown deepening and warmth sweeping over her expression. He almost snickered at the childlike innocence drawn over her.
His thoughts began to wake up, and he began to poke at the sides of his head, and the shooting pain heated the back of his head. Her incoherent murmurs and his loud thoughts collided. For some unknown yet untamed reasons, he intended to drown in those mumblings, eager to learn the meaning behind them.
His eyes wavered toward the side of her bed. A thermometer, a syrup bottle, and a discarded strip of tablets were there, as if thrown on the table with frustration.
So he fucked it up.
And sat on the edge of her bed.
His eyes could see the goosebumps on her bare shoulders, the disruption of chakra congesting her chest, and the cold sweat trickling down her face.
His hand followed the straying thoughts and pressed against her forehead. The heat sizzled the inside of his hand and she hissed, sucking in a sharp breath.
Fuck, you're burning, Hyuga. He thought, and the wheels turned in his head. his memory, his Sharingan memory, began to turn the pages of the medical notes and treatment he copied off Sakura's reports and her consultation.
But his breath hitched.
When he felt her softness on his coarse hand on her forehead.
And all the blood drained from within him when her grip tightened around his wrist, pulling his hand away from his forehead. Her thin, soft fingers slipped down from his wrist, threading with his war-marred fingers, and her hand squeezed his.
He felt the dryness coating his tongue—the words dying in his mouth.
"Uchiha-san…" she mumbled, bringing his hand closer to her, pulling their weaved hands under her cheek and grazing her nose on the back of his hand.
"Fuck, Hyuga," he cursed.
His pulse slammed against his ribs. He felt as if a storm was beginning to roil within him.
Her feverish haze rendered him out of breath. His throat felt tight as if a barbed wire was coiled around his neck. A desperate urge bloomed inside him, and the knot pressing on his chest unfurled, leading to an unusual fluttering rattling the core of his existence.
Sasuke Uchiha, you are losing yourself.
The unwavering side of him reminded him that the cold reality was like a whip on his bare back. It immediately made him sit up, his spine straight and his shoulders weighed with tenseness and responsibility.
He averted his gaze from her parted lips, and with the utmost tenderness he ever thought he possessed, he pulled his hand away from hers. She stilled and then stirred, turning her head to the other side. Her muffled, feverish moans echoed in the silence. He clenched his fist as if to keep the chills and burn on his skin entangled and preserved. He could feel the droplets of her sweat on the back of his hand, with the faint scent of lavender clinging to his skin.
He shook his head.
The daze under which he was being pulled…called him out like a siren.
He could fall under the rhythm.
He could …but he restrained.
He huffed.
He rose from her bed. The absence of his weight on her bed led to a creaking sound mingling with her breathing.
That's when it hit him.
You sat on her bed.
You fucking idiot.
With no further ramblings, he turned around, the deafening silence fell over him, and the darkness of the night called out for him as if to swallow him whole, hiding the sins clinging to his cloak.
He let the stuttering of his heart become a static sound in the back of his head, letting the dilemmas fester there, fought over by the logic of his brain and the insanity of his heart.
.
.
.
The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast golden hues across the room. Crisp and chill night breeze sleeping through the open window. Sasuke sat on the bed, still and almost on the verge of exploding.
Sakura was beside him, her legs tangled in the sheets, but a medical scroll unfurled in her lap. She eyed the contents carefully and hunched forward to inspect every little detail mapped and recorded. He didn't know that the ancient medicine scrolls he brought from Suna for her stole her sleep.
Sasuke watched her, his gaze steady on her as he took in all of her. Her pale face and pink hair pulled back into a bun and straying strands frame her face. Her eyes, green and bright, big and purposeful, roamed over the inked parchment.
His mind reflected the scene he had encountered a few hours ago. Hinata's shivering frame under the blankets, her swearing fever jolting her and making her miserable. He asked, "The times when I wasn't here…what happened when you were sick."
Sakura turned to look at him, wide-eyed. Her fingers stilled against the parchment
He hesitated, then asked, "How did it feel? Were you alone?" He feared the answer. He could feel the strings of guilt already snaking around him, choking him.
Sakura exhaled slowly, her eyes remaining on the scroll, though she was no longer reading. "I missed you. But I wasn't alone. Ino and Kakashi-sensei were there. Naruto used to visit. Sai and Lee used to drop by." She sighed. "Why do you ask?"
Sasuke rubbed his face. He asked, "How do you love a man like me? A man who couldn't be there for you when you were sick?"
Sakura leaned to the side to drop the scroll on the nightstand. She then moved closer to Sasuke, her fingers reaching out to draw circles on his chest. She looked up at him through her eyelashes, her hand slipped down to thread with his, "I love you…without conditions."
Sasuke's fingers twitched slightly, barely noticeable, but she felt the way he recoiled. It drained the softness from her face.
He stated, "My presence isn't a condition you should compromise on."
Sakura pulled back, the distance stretched between them. "What do you want me to say?" Sasuke knew that she contemplated preferring an empty bed rather than his questioning and unloving presence.
Sasuke urged, shaking his head. "I'm baffled. You claim to love a man who gave you nothing—"
Sakura snapped, her voice rising higher, "I don't claim to love you, I love you. Always did. Ever since I was eight years old. I always wanted to take care of you—"
Sasuke's rationality drowned. He shot back, "So you just wanted to own a sad little boy and be the hero—"
Sakura's eyes teared up as she sobbed, "Sasuke…you need to stop demeaning my love for you."
Sasuke barged in with more realities, hoping to find a thread of sanity to hang on to, to mend his marriage with, but nothing came through. He simply let the dread seep through him, "All my life I have demeaned you. I even tried to kill you. I was uncaring, cruel and absent…but you still say you have the heart to love me. I want to know why."
Sakura shoved her face into her hands and groaned, her voice muffled as she wailed, "Love has no reason."
Sasuke slammed his head back to the headboard as he grumbled, "It has to have at least one reason."
Sakura dragged the sheets over her, slipping under the covers and turning her back to him as she mumbled her truth with a finality, "I love you because you are all I know when I think of life, peace and happiness."
Sasuke raised a valid concern, "Do I even make you happy?" His question was left unanswered. Her shrieking sobs echoed in the night and grounded him. He wondered if she also carried a void in her chest, if she felt a hollowness in her limbs or if she felt shudders coursing through her veins in terror, in pain and in frustration.
Perhaps she did.
Perhaps she didn't.
Sakura at least had felt warm—at least she smiled even without him.
His thoughts turned back to the image of Hinata under her sheets, sweating with fever burning up her senses and her hand reaching out to nothingness as they clutched the sheets, her voice calling out for someone to feel warm with…her croaky voice calling out for him to hold on to…her loneliness tore him apart.
He wondered if he was the cause of the same ache within Sakura that had left her distraught and lonely in anguish.
His gaze darted to Sakura lying on her side. Her stiff back, her shaking shoulders, her sniffles, her trembling legs —they spoke volumes about how he was no better than Naruto.
.
.
.
Hiashi's invitation for Friday's dinner grated on his nerves. He remained impatient for almost a week after his spar with Naruto.
Hyuga stayed away from Uchiha, and Uchiha stayed away from Hyuga—the recent burst of interest from Hiashi's side was unnerving, bearing an ominous shade in its appearance.
Sarada beamed as she skipped ahead, squeaking in excitement about watching the gardens her aunt Hinata had talked about. Sakura, dressed in a knee-length dress, shifted beside him as they strode with deliberate steps towards the Hyuga compound.
His wife smoothed the creases around her middle and asked, squeezing his arm affectionately, "Do I look good, Sasuke-kun?"
Sasuke responded, "Yes." His glare was boring down on the paved pathway from the entrance gate leading to the main gate. The white-eyed people had their eyes glued to them, especially on him. As he walked ahead, he found people peeking at them from behind the trees, children were climbing up to the tall trees to asses the Uchiha entering into their grounds for the first time and elders, women and men both seemed to squint their eyes at him, watching him with stern scrutiny.
Women around his age, or even younger, had their cheeks flushed as they tucked their hair strands behind their ears and lowered their gaze sheepishly when caught staring by his own all-seeing eyes.
A thought flitted in his mind; his first meeting with Hinata alone was on Uchiha grounds. Her eyes were soft and never overly assessing even then, even when she would not have called him her friend. Her clan possessed eyes which were striping him off, layer by layer, with doubts, with fear and even with awe.
Sasuke exhaled harshly through his nose with annoyance. He felt the jitters running along his skin. Baffled by their eyes skimming over him as if he were a commodity, he let the curses fall down his throat, sputtering out a string of audible puffs of breathing.
He felt the hand curled around his arm tightened and looked over Sakura at his and grumbled, "They are annoying—"
Naruto's voice pierced through the stillness that had shrouded him, for once he was glad that his best friend was as loud as he was. "Teme!"
Hiashi stood in the middle with both of his daughters at his sides, Naruto beside Hinata and Boruto trailed ahead of Hanabi with Himawari.
His eyes inadvertently landed on her. The weary, feverish remnants still clung to her pallor. Dressed in his colours—black and blue—from head to toe, she stood out amongst her clan, who had their billowing pristine white cloaks, symbolising their status and standing in the society. His gaze almost slid off her, but then her pale eyes caught him, and the crimson warmth touched her cheeks, propelling her to take a step back, hiding behind the strong shoulders of her father.
Sasuke was not aware that he had stopped walking ahead and was frozen on the spot.
"Sasuke-kun…come…" His wife glanced back as she was a few steps ahead of him.
Sasuke sucked in a sharp breath, tearing his eyes away from the only pair of pale eyes that made him want to stare at them without any vexation.
Her chakra rolled off her in calm waves, he sighed in relief. The night a week ago, she had suffered with the chakra pouring out of her like dwindling life force and emptying her.
As they stepped in the entrance, he faced the stern look from Hiashi. "Welcome to the Hyuga compound, Uchiha-sama." The respect landed on him like a whip, he said with strain in his voice as if he had to claw the words out of his throat.
Sasuke stilled for a moment, juggling between ignoring his pleasantries and questioning him about the sudden interest in his family's grounds or being the normal person and sounding grateful, even if he wasn't.
The thought of grabbing him by those crisp collars and inquiring about his audacity to own a part of Uchiha got flung away when he looked over his shoulder and saw the pale-lilac eyes flashing up at him with eagerness in her look paired with a crimson-shaded glee on her cheeks and her hands fiddling and wringing each other as if waiting for him.
"Hm. Thanks for the invite."
He brushed past Hiashi, feeling no need to exchange any words with Hanabi. He regarded the younger heiress with a curt nod, and her mouth twisted into a snarling smirk at his crass attitude.
He found himself facing her.
He cocked his head, "Where have you been, Hyuga?"
"Good evening, Uchiha-san," she greeted, a slight bow of her head almost made him grab her by the chin and lift her face to meet his gaze. But the insistent eyes of her father burning at the back of his head made him curl his hand at his side. She spoke up after a beat of suffocating silence, "I have been sick—"
He huffed. "I know."
Her tired eyes, devoid of the usual glow, widened in surprise. She fumbled, "How—"
He scoffed, "You could have simply told me yourself, you know."
She bit her lip, her eyes landing on his chest as she sank deep in her thoughts, avoiding his eyes. Then she lifted her face and, carrying a worry etched in the corners of her lips, she stammered, "Uh…I…am…s-sorry?"
Sasuke almost chuckled.
She looked flustered and shaken. Her eyes darted over his shoulder. He pressed his feet on the ground and gritted his teeth at the doubt flickering in her eyes as she watched her father clear his throat, urging her to follow his lead.
"Hinata!" Sakura moved past him, leaning forward to wrap her arms around Hinata. "Naruto told me that you were sick. Are you better now? Why didn't you come to me?" Sakura assessed her with her keen eyes.
Hinata managed a weak smile as she moved to be beside her father. "I'm fine. It was just a fever I caught from Himawari," she lightly laughed dismissively.
"Uchiha-sama, I believe we have some matters to discuss," Hiashi added. "We can have our conversation," he announced, leading them inside and sliding the paper door wide open for them to step into the sacred space of Hyugas.
The calmness of the evening settled over them as Sasuke sank onto the sofa beside Sakura, who sat with her spine straight. Naruto sat across them. Beside him, Hinata kept her head ducked and fingers intertwined at her lap.
Hiashi sat in the high chair, his tea simmering on the low table, and the fog swirled up in the air, blurring his vision.
The way the thrumming air whipped at the locks framing her hair, hiding the blush creeping on her cheek—the room stirred with life. He finally exhaled a breath that he didn't know he held.
Naruto began, schooling his expression and hardening his tone, "Hiashi-sama is interested in the potential of the Uchiha district—"
"I do not agree, Hiashi." Sasuke wasted no time. Hiashi's eyes flickered towards him with a jerk in his head, but Sasuke's focus remained fixated on the meek Hyuga stilling and snapping her head up towards him with a silent glare. Tenseness drenched her with sweat glazing the curve of her neck. His eyes travelled up back to the lilac-tinted moons taking a peek at him. he muttered, "I appreciate your effort towards your branch member. But I wouldn't allow any acre of Uchiha district to be owned by a Hyuga."
Hiashi commanded his attention, "You haven't heard our proposition—"
Shocks zapped to everyone's veins as his words tumbled, "Your wealthy contracts will not waver my mind." He leaned back, crossing his leg, "Hyugas are allowed to rent out the apartments, set up their businesses in the district and live their life according to their needs—"
Hiashi's face flickered with something unreadable…as if he awaited a reaction out of him…as if he tested him, "My daughter's orphanage—"
Sasuke defended, "Hinata is a different matter. She is allowed to own my district. Her plans to buy the land outstretching from the Orphanage and expand will not face any disapproval from my side."
Hiashi let out an airy huff, "Your partiality towards Hyuga is demeaning—"
Naruto chimed in, his hand sliding over Hinata's interlocked fingers and tracing the lines of her bareness, "Hinata is an Uzumaki and Teme…I mean, Sasuke has allowed only an Uzumaki to own any part of his district."
Sasuke shot back, "She is a Hyuga by blood; she will always remain a Hyuga. Her efforts towards the Orphanage have made me trust her completely." He saw the ghost of a smile curling on her lips.
Hiashi breathed, looking unaffected as he flatly said, "I'm appalled by your conduct here, Uchiha-sama."
"I am not here to impress anyone. Only here to question your sudden interest in my district." Curiosity sank its claw into his core. "Your daughter has been running the orphanage for the past six years. So, your keen interests towards Uchiha grounds and the well-being of branch members are nothing but…a game to me."
"Your refusal to cooperate—"
Sasuke leaned forward, his elbow perched on his thigh as he clenched his hands into fists. "Hiashi, with due respect," he scoffed. "I am not going to trust you. Your sudden interest is highly suspicious to me."
The councilmen standing behind Hiashi still on the spot, their faces cracked with restrained fury. Hiashi clenched his fist resting on the armrest of the sofa. His mouth parted after a long and deep sigh, but his daughter commanded attention.
Hinata raised her chin, her words came out of her mouth with a sharper edge that he wasn't accustomed to. He often called her Hime to get on her nerves, but there, sitting with a rigid posture mimicking her father's stance, her eyes directed at him, regarding him with barely any softness yet too much candour, she appeared like the Hieress of Hyuga Clan.
"My father is aware of the vast land in need of construction around the Uchiha monument, and our branch members are given the liberty to reside outside the company if they will; hence, the alignment of both the opportunity and the need has driven us to offer this proposition. Your suspicion is valid, but they should not hold for much longer as we are assuring you—"
He had listened enough. His Hyuga barely spoke to him with that tone, with that sternness; his mind reeled and drained. He interrupted her, "You can own that land…or any acre of my district. You are allowed. If your father is willing to send his people to live in a place owned by his daughter instead of him, then I shall take back my suspicions."
Hiashi's eyebrows raised, and the question lingered on his mouth before he let it flow. Sasuke could see the distaste marring his solemn mask. "Why does my daughter's ownership bear no suspicions for you?"
Sasuke felt gutted. Something horrible webbed on his chest. Something acidic. He defended, unknowing of the answer he should have carried, "She is my—"
Hiashi sharpened his words and threw them at him like daggers as if he aimed to bruise him. His surveying eyes began to feel like hard stones hurtled at him. "Who is she to you, Uchiha-san? Wife of the Hokage? Is that why you stretch your unusual kindness towards her?"
The air shifted.
The ground trembled beneath his feet.
Sakura swallowed and scooted closer to Sasuke. Her warmth offered him something that he couldn't quite hold on to.
Naruto's furrowed burrows deepened. His face twisted into a sneer as if he was pissed at the tension charging around them. Hinata's slumped shoulders and pleading eyes were darting between her father and him.
Sasuke squared his shoulders. "She is my friend. Someone I trust. You…I don't trust. This should answer why my kindness is reserved for her but not for you or your councilmen."
Hiashi was a man of utmost rigidity. Even if Sasuke's eyes could map out the tension filling his every chakra point, the man of absolute composure did not waver. "I was not aware of the depth of your relationship with my daughter—"
Sasuke sensed the underlying doubts. He yanked him towards the back with the way his voice raised, "Because relationships are usually between two people, your meddling is not something I appreciate—"
"I am not meddling, with due respect," Hiashi shot back. "I'm merely asking—"
He gritted his teeth. He spat, "Do not question me about her."
Hiashi sternly reminded him as if he cared, "She is my daughter."
His skull felt as if he were being assaulted by the thousand needles on the back of his head. He almost faltered, almost let his mind slip, "She is my—"
"Uchiha-san," her voice, barely there, pulled him back. He moved his gaze towards her with an abrupt jerk of his neck. She shook her head imperceptibly.
The tension creaked, croaked and then eased into nothingness. His chakra that had been snapping, bursting and thrusting inside of him in apprehension began to simmer down.
Her voice, soft and low yet pounding and drumming, offered him something that he latched onto like a man lapping at a stream in the desert.
The shrill creak of the doors of the hall sliding open diverted their attention. Hanabi stood with a set jaw and a deep glare. "Dinner is ready," she announced.
Sasuke rose from the sofa, impatience in his limbs clawing at him.
Sakura's frail grasp on the back of his cloak forced him to not bolt out before anyone else.
The room began to empty.
Counting every exhale and inhale, Sasuke, along with Hinata, made his way out of the living hall. Sakura leapt ahead and smacked Naruto's shoulder, berating him for keeping quiet. Hiashi had turned to throw a sour look at Sakura and Naruto before he retreated.
Sasuke walked out, side by side with Hinata.
His frame almost knocked her over as he brushed past her. A yelp escaped her parted lips.
He tilted his head to the side. His chest roared to hold her by the arm, pulling her close and inspecting the tense lines crinkling at the corner of her eyes and beneath her lips. But he simply blurted because Hanabi stomped her way towards them, "Your father is a jerk."
Hanabi's hand reached out to grab Hinata's arm, dragging her away. Hinata managed to croak out while Hanabi yanked her off balance, and they both stumbled with each other as they exited, "Be respectful…for my sake."
"For my sake."
Fine. For her sake.
.
.
.
"Food as usual is really good, Hinata." Sakura's voice cut through the silence on the dinner table. "Teach me some. Sasuke-kun has complimented your cooking various times."
"You cook well, too," Naruto and Sarada chimed in together. Sakura sank in her seat as the rush of heat swept across her cheeks.
Hinata lowered her gaze. "Thank you. Akari-san has helped me out today."
Sasuke silently chewed on his food. The taste—familiar taste—melted in his mouth. He relished. Almost over a week since he had had her cooking. With a scrunch of his brow, he let the tangy taste of tomatoes surge and burst within him.
"Uncle Sasuke," Himawari chirped, her mouth full. "What is your favourite item here? A trick question."
He mused, looking over the set table, thriving with colours. "This…" he pointed to the Tomato curry. The first time he had eaten with Hinata, she cooked it back then as well. The nostalgic memory hovered over him as he reminisced about the twinkling laughter from that night. "I passed? This is what your mother made."
"Yes," she raised her spoon in the air, "We always go to tomato shopping for this…My grandfather doesn't like tomatoes, but Mommy insisted on making this." Himawari bounced on her chair with fluttering giggles.
The words, spoken with a childlike awe, had weight.
Hiashi's spoon stopped scraping the plate. He raised his gaze and scrutinized his daughter with keen eyes. Sasuke stirred on his seat; the chakra almost crackled on his fingertips, burning with intensity to simply thrust it into Hiashi's dull and barren eyes.
"Be respectful…for my sake." Sasuke breathed in heavily, shoving down the surge of rage.
Something warm brushed against his arm, and he recoiled as if burned.
He looked at his side and saw Sakura jolting him awake from his strumming and roiling emotions.
Himwari turned to her grandfather, tapping the back of his clenched hand with her spoon and expressed with glee glinting in her bright eyes. "Do you know …Uncle Sasuke's favourite food is tomato. His mommy used to make him food with tomatoes after training when he was a little baby."
Hiashi's jaw twitched before he managed to let out a grumbled noise under his breath. Sasuke felt the aggravating annoyance tightening his chest at the severity of Hiashi's unease with him as if Sasuke were an insect for Hiashi.
"Sasuke!" Boruto slammed his fists on the table, rattling the cutlery. His eyes brightened as he regarded him with an unbidden burst of joy. "What is your favourite flower? Hima got you flowers, but she is too shy to give them to you—"
"Ni-san!" Himawari yelled out, her cheeks flushing, mirroring the sheen of blush her mother often carried.
Boruto urged, clicking his tongue, "Sasuke, come on—"
Hinata leaned to the side and pinched her son's earlobe, "Where are your manners? Call him sensei or uncle!" Boruto winced as he stuck his tongue out, wriggling to get himself out of her grasp.
Sasuke scraped the last bit of his rice and shoved it in his mouth; chewing, he said, "It's okay, Hyuga. I always called Kakashi by his name." Sasuke glanced back towards the crippling patience in Hiashi, pushing to explode at the disrespectful way Sasuke was speaking in.
Naruto jumped into the conversation, and the lightness fell over the room. "Despite everything…Teme was his favourite." Sasuke noticed the slumping of Hiashi's shoulders when, instead of Sasuke's grating voice, he heard his son-in-law's ear-splitting words.
Sasuke wanted to roar in laughter at the irony of Hiashi.
"So, will I be your favourite student too?" Boruto beamed, his palms flat on the table as he leaned forward. Hinata's hold on his collar yanked him back to the seat.
Sasuke shrugged, "You are my only student; I don't have much choice."
Boruto sank back on his chair, lowering his head with a light chuckle as Sarada and Himawari pointed at him and snickered, "Baka Boruto," his daughter hissed with mischief.
"Aunt Hana, I got Uncle Sasuke his flowers from your garden…" Himawari licked the back of her spoon and confessed to her aunt sitting beside her. Hanabi patted her head.
Sasuke's plate was empty. His appetite spoke of his stature as a shinobi. He breathed in with slow gasps, his eyes roaming over the table, musing if he should have leaned in to take one more offering or just sat back—his thoughts fell to a halt when Hinata leaned in, dropped another spoonful of rice in his bowl and plated the grilled fish on the side. Her eyes flickered up to his, her lips stretched into a slight, almost smile as she withdrew her hand back.
He caught the way warm lights overhead reflected in her lilac-tinted eyes, the way her crimson cheeks looked warmer and the way her silky hair fluttered with a prominent tint of blue purple, carrying a faint scent of subtly sweet flowers—his words couldn't be held back, "Lavenders. They're my favourite."
"Really?" Himawari chimed.
His eyes remained stuck on the woman sitting across him, stirring in surprise. A touch of warmth against her senses jolted her, and she shoved deeper into the chair. Her lips parted, her chest heaving —small gasps escaped her mouth. Everything about her existence felt out of place as if she did not belong to breathe the same air as his…as if she belonged in a land far away where he was simply a distant memory.
For she looked pure.
Even his shadow could taint her, if he were to be near her.
"Why, Sasuke-kun? I never knew!" He felt Sakura leaning onto his arm with a giggle and a gasp.
He stated, his eyes locked onto the pale smooth hills of her cheeks carrying the dusted warmth, colouring her scarlet, and his hovering gaze…trailed over her like a bloodied hand on white sheets, "Lavenders look simple. Beautiful. And pure."
Hinata … made Sasuke Uchiha insane enough to dwell on thoughts which never mattered to him before.
Sasuke teetered on the spot. Hinata looked like she was on the brink of collapse under the heated pressure of his unnerving stare at her.
Hiashi …the damn Hiashi spoke again, pulling the thread that had almost paused Hinata's heart and Sasuke's mind. "My grandchildren seem close to you, Uchiha-sama."
"Papa is very kind to children." Sarada, his daughter, was a genius in the making. She sensed the taunt and the biting edge in Hiashi's statement and raised her chin as she answered.
Hiashi looked over at Sarada, and Sasuke had to bite back the smirk seeing the Hyuga patriarch taken back by the determined look draped over another Uchiha with firmness that rivalled his stoicism.
"Of course," he mumbled, sliding the tray of fried dumplings towards his daughter.
The low chatter of Hanabi with Naruto filled the room, and occasional inputs from Hiashi kept the momentum taut. Sakura picked up the conversation about the recipes with Hinata while the kids argued and cackled with and at each other.
Sasuke had a jarring ache throbbing in his bones as his minutes continued to pass, in silence, in confusion. The life he existed in began to settle on him as usual, tucked-away worries mangled the peace resting in his mind and he had to claw at his thigh to push back the resurgence of his troubling and stifling thoughts that often howled amidst the walls of his mind when people around him lived and he simply existed, lost in need to belong somewhere.
His feet tapped the floor unconsciously, an act he often indulged in when his mind cornered him amidst the dark tempest threatening to swallow him.
He felt the softness grazing his ankle under the table.
And an almost yelp he caught in the blur of noise.
He looked up and saw Hinata mouthing sorry for hitting his leg.
And his chest felt contracted. He huffed.
She drew her bottom lip under her teeth, eyes droopy, heavy with regret.
He cocked an eyebrow at her. If she was a deck of cards, she would have been scattered, toppled down; because that's how she looked…a mess, a refined mess.
And then the heaviness teeming behind his eyes eased.
She retreated her feet, almost bumping his again, and she looked up again, her eyes widened and embarrassment coursed through her limbs as she stilled, frozen.
He felt as if he had been stabbed. In a good way. If that made sense. Hinata Hyuga was in a state of frenzy while looking like a block of ice; it was an entertainment that made him want to live his life instead of existing.
A slow but deliberate smirk crept up her lips. His head, which was throbbing with the assault of his silent thoughts slithering like snakes, was now feeling as if he had crickets buzzing in and jumbling his thoughts.
His smirk turned into a full smile, seeing how her worry and embarrassment deflated from her and her cheeks puffed with a small frown resting between her brows—she jerked her head to another side, pretending to listen to the randomness of Naruto's story.
The air swirled with the taste of sugary delights as the servers came inside the hall, carrying trays of glistening sweets. One of the servers leaned down beside him to serve the dessert to his plate—Hinata raised her voice, proving his observation right that she only pretended to rip her focus away from him, "Uchiha-san doesn't take sweets, Akari-san."
The server immediately withdrew her hand, almost brushing against his. He ducked his chin and regarded her with a quiet respect that the Hyuga-hime had requested from him for her sake.
"Quite surprising to see Sasuke Uchiha being so particular about his meals," Hanabi quipped, raising his eyebrows and flashing an unreadable look at him.
"Sasuke-kun is particular about everything," Sakura said, nudging him with a playful smile.
"Hiashi …" Sasuke turned to the Hyuga patriarch. he could feel the cold gaze of Hinata on him as if attempting to hold him back from causing anything bitter. "Hinata told me about the pact between our clans."
Naruto chimed in. "What pact?"
Sasuke swatted his hand dismissively. "Dobe, stay away. Not your business."
Hiashi levelled Sasuke with a stern look. "Why do you bring that up?" A look of curiosity passed over his features.
"I would like the contract." His jaw tightened as he raised a demand.
Hiashi kept his spoon at the side of his plate, asking, "Why?"
"Simply curiosity," he sighed. "Also, it should be with the initiating party, and I'm the instated head of my clan." Sasuke saw Hiashi soaked in frustration. As much as it was amusing to irk him, Sasuke firmly believed in collecting any document of his clan from Hiashi.
The gentle thrum of Hinata's chakra flared at the silence that pursued him after his clear demand. He could see the way Sakura tightened the edge of the table as if strangling the life out of the wood.
His slanted view showed the puzzled look blanketing Naruto. He mentally huffed.
Hiashi nodded. "Fine. You'll get as you depart." His accepting answer shattered the silence, and the breath that Hinata had been holding was released. Sakura dug into her dessert, and Naruto babbled about not knowing things even as the Hokage.
He muttered, "You're rather compliant."
"It holds no worth today." his words were sharp and clipped. His look strayed towards his firstborn. Sasuke nodded, letting his heart skip and fall at the measured words. No worth. That contract was a relic of the Uchiha's past. And now…it was reduced to nothing worthy.
Wounding…the reality was bruising.
.
.
.
The continuing talks of the peace of Konoha, the advancement of the medical facilities and the strengthening of political relationships under the reign of Naruto were numbing him, leaving him restless, itching to just get swallowed by the ground.
He was jolted awake, Sakura lightly rubbed his arm to pull him out of his trance.
Hiashi commented as he sat across him on the sofa, "I believe your mind remains unchanged about the matters of Uchiha grounds under my ownership."
The night began to roar.
The cool wind rustled through the curtains, fluttering over the bare skin of his neck.
"No," Sasuke commanded. "But thank you for your invite." Hinata was stirring her tea when she had to abruptly look up at the unusual respectful flare of his voice.
Hiashi sipped on his tea, glanced up from the rim and assessed him. "My pleasure to finally host the Uchiha Family."
Sasuke looked at the side; the view from a window opened up to the blossoms. He said, "As per my knowledge, it was a regularity…"
Hiashi weighed his words. Sasuke could see the contemplation taking root in his mind. "Your mother was betrothed to me once…a long time ago. The connection couldn't be severed even after the paths had diverged, and we both had children of our own—"
Sasuke choked on his spit. "What?" Sakura stilled beside him.
Hinata immediately lowered her head, letting the dark layers curtain her face. Naruto almost whistled, a smirk cracking up on his face as his blue eyes met the dark of Sasuke.
Hiashi quipped, "Oh, you were not aware? I was under the impression that Hinata must have told you about that betrothal as well." He glanced towards Hinata, leaving Sasuke almost out of breath with aching teeth as he gritted. "Haven't you, daughter?"
"No, Father. It was…something from the past—"
Hiashi released a sharp breath. Hinata quivered beneath the mounting pressure of her father's stern and unfazed look. "So was the contract with your and Itachi-sama's betrothal. You did not hesitate to reflect on that past—"
Sasuke had no intention of listening to Hiashi's displeasure at Hinata. He blurted, "Why didn't it happen?" He truly did not intend to know, but his mind grasped at the curiosity with desperation.
Hiashi began, "Itachi—"
Sasuke shook his head. "Yours and …moth—" Sasuke had to gulp, "Mikoto, I mean."
Hiashi leaned back, a low chuckle, guttural, escaped his mouth as he revealed, "Your father was a rather volcanic reason for the nullification of the contract. The third had to intervene and propose the idea of our Heirs, the pure-blooded Uchiha and Hyuga firstborn to be together for the peace of Konoha."
"Hinata was to marry Itachi?" Naruto bellowed. Hinata pressed her palm on his thigh, and Sasuke averted his gaze abruptly, not quick enough to ignore the way Naruto's large hand shot to grab hers with a possessive hunger flickering in his look.
Hiashi nodded. "She was."
A pressing silence dawned. Sasuke had to steady the beast housed within him at the revelations from the past.
Hanabi picked on the fabric of the armrest of the sofa and darted her eyes around with a grin, her twinkle faded the moment her eyes landed on him. She glanced away.
He had to strip the victory off Hiashi's face. He did not like the smothering nervousness on Hinata's face. He was for sure not fond of the way Naruto was glaring at him as if Sasuke was at fault for anything.
Sasuke cleared his throat. He began, "Anyways, it was an acceptable dinner. I must commend your hospitality. However, the way I was received at the entrance was…questionable."
Hiashi looked around, his disapproval storming in his eyes as he regarded Hinata and Hanabi. He schooled his tone to be cautious. "How so? Did my clan make any grave mistake in addressing you?"
Sasuke threw Hiashi to the back foot. "Mistake? Nah." Sasuke flexed his hand, his eyes boring into the veins popping up at the back of his hand. "But I do not appreciate the constant looks. Were they laughing at me or for me? I couldn't decipher. There was a crowd…hidden behind the trees, perched on the trees, behind the bushes, peeking through…I'm a mere human. Did they consider me beneath themselves or…"
"Uchiha-sama, you do not want to know why they look at you!" Hanabi chimed in with a peal of laughter bubbling in her tone.
Sasuke squinted.
Hinata abruptly rose from the sofa. "Let me pack the sweets for Sarada," she blurted, dashing towards the exit, almost stumbling. Hanabi snickered at her sister's haste, and Hinata sharply turned to Hanabi—her face was red with rage. No, her face reddened with embarrassment as Hanabi craned her neck, almost cackling.
Hinata bolted out.
Sasuke scrubbed his throbbing eye with his palm. He then lifted himself off the sofa. "I need to go to the restroom," he spoke, looking over to Sakura. "We'll leave. " Sakura nodded, leaning to the side to grab her purse.
Hanabi trailed behind him, catching up to him and tapping at his back. He groaned. She mumbled, "Kitchen is on the right side, dumbass." When Sasuke turned to throw a glare at her, she skipped back to the living room.
Well, he turned to the right.
.
.
The kitchen was stretched out before him as he moved towards it. The clatter of utensils, the wafting smell of spices, and the simmering smoke of aromatic tea—were not the only things he noticed when he approached the doorway with muted chakra.
He heard Hinata's voice, muffled by the squeaks of the birds and the tap running into the sink.
"You have disgraced my father. Uchiha-san noticed the commotion at the entrance." Annoyance laced her tone. Sasuke narrowed his gaze even though he looked at the wall across him, thoughts swirled like a brewing tempest within him. "I can not believe you all are my friends." Sasuke could imagine the ashen look on her face.
"Apologies, Hinata-sama. I understand you had to bear the embarrassment," someone spoke up, her voice low and meek, resembling Hinata when she cowered. "People were excited to see the Uchiha Head—"
"You all made him uncomfortable. He thought he was being disrespected…as if we looked down upon him. I do not tolerate my friends feeling displeasure, even if it is because of your childish—"
"Hinata-sama, you know we meant no disrespect to him. It was out of awe; of course, we did not look down on him."
Another person drawled, "Yes! I agree with Kira. He should be flattered—"
Hinata huffed. Sasuke leaned back at the wall, stifling a chuckle as he listened to her. "Leave the man alone. I can't believe I'm saying this, but it is better if Uchiha-san feels that you are all gathered around the entrance to watch him warily and mockingly."
One of the voices sounded excited, "He is so tall, Hinata-sama."
The other shot back, "And Pale."
The drawling voice added as if to mock, "And fit for his age." He flexed his hand into a clenched fist. His nerves were uneasy.
When he was a genin, the undivided attention of girls had bothered him. He couldn't even mope around under the trees, behind the stones, at the edge of the streams or beside anyone aside from the graveyard, which was his state, because the gawking and gaping girls used to flutter around him, offering him flowers or food or gifts containing unnecessary objects.
His vengeance was a necessity.
Not the women. Not the intimacy.
Even two decades later, at the weary age of thirty-three, Sasuke approached life with the same distancing mindset.
The attention of people who he didn't want to associate with still did not add to any thrill in his dull and concrete life. The awe or the fear, the wariness or the reluctance—whatever people carried in their gazes for him was always prodding and pulling. Irked by the unusual attention the women from the Hyuga household bestowed upon him, he exhaled through his nose as if hissing.
Hinata's voice mirrored the agitation bubbling in Sasuke. "How about you speak of all this in front of father…or worse, Uchiha-san himself. I'm sure none will be able to look into his eyes." Sasuke relaxed against the wall as he heard the firmness in Hinata's tone.
Another excited shriek came in. "Do not mind me being curious, Hinata-sama, but have you seen his Sharingan? We have read about it but never came close enough to any Uchiha—"
An elderly voice chimed in, "For years, there was only the last one; be respectful." Sasuke let his wondering thoughts stray further and further, away from the detail they had just talked about.
"Apologies for the slip of the tongue, Misturi-san." Her voice sounded almost scared. "But Hinata-sama, is his Sharingan beautiful or fearsome?"
Sasuke felt the rush of blood reaching his cheeks and his ears and sliding down his nape. He rubbed the back of his neck to erase the hot itch on his skin as he waited to hear Hinata's voice.
Hinata breathed. After a quick exhale, she added, "It's beautiful. But it's powerful. And the kind of power he owns is bound to cause fear." Sasuke immediately wanted to step to the side and dash inside the kitchen to see the expression cracking from beneath her mask.
The girl's voice sounded hushed as if stuck in her throat, "Are you scared of him?"
"Uchiha-san never harmed me," she almost purred. "I trust him."
"I served him food today! I stood beside him, and there was chakra emanating from him, fiery and electric. I accidentally touched his hand and had to jump back…"
Hinata began to sound rushed, "It's just the nature of his chakra, I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you—"
Sasuke wanted to walk back to the gate, but the turn the conversation was taking knocked him off his balance, "Oh, you misunderstood me, Hinata-sama. I meant that he was…nice."
Hinata's voice turned sharp, with an edge that even he felt grating in his ears, "Why are you blushing?"
"He smelled good. Like …I don't know …like …something earthy."
Hinata chided, "Stop talking about him like this."
The weary voice began, with a lilt of nostalgia and wistfulness, "Hinata-sama, it reminds me of those peaceful days of the Third when the Uchiha's would come and the girls would gush about the Patriarch of that time…"
Sasuke felt the bitter tang lacing his tongue at the mention of his father.
"Mitsuri-san, you too!" Hinata gasped. Sasuke laughed mentally, imagining the red on the peaks of her cheeks and the wide-gazed look.
The elderly woman chuckled. "Hinata-sama, those were the good days. Clans were clans, not enemies. It felt good today to see the youngest Uchiha grow up to be a man worthy of fitting into his father's shoes and carrying the role with grace." Sasuke backed off the wall, rigidness flowed in his veins as he let the words soak into him. His father's shoes.
The shift in the air felt prickly. Never once in his life did he think that he'd be known as the shadow of his father. The woman who spoke of the past seemed to carry the vivid image of who he resembled. "He looks beautiful like his mother. But he carries his power and influence like his father. The older brother, despite looking much like his father, bore no resemblance other than the lines on his face. But now that I see the youngest, I can assure you that he carries the memory of his father in his stride. The intimidating eyes, the sharp voice—"
Hinata's meek voice pierced through the misty memories, "Uchiha-san is very kind, not intimidating at all."
"I'm sure he must be if he has befriended our Hinata-sama." Sasuke could feel the smile in her croaky voice.
A young voice, shrill and bothering, came up, "Is it true that Uchiha men tend to be—"
Sasuke had had enough.
He turned on his heels.
And let the chakra flare, announcing his presence as he entered the kitchen, lingering at the doorway with narrowed eyes sweeping over the vast expanse of the space.
The stoves burned bright on the counter perched at the centre. To the left sat a round table where two ladies were busy picking the mint leaves and peeling the peas. To the right stood Hinata, her back to him. She was regarding an elderly lady cleaning the meat and two young women stacking the plates on the counter after drying them with a cloth.
"What do Uchiha men tend to do?" He leaned against the doorframe and asked. He felt the suffocating strings of his chakra lapping on every one of them. Hinata stood straighter, avoiding facing him.
Their voices dipped, sinking into a still silence. He could hear the low bursts of gasps from Hinata. The ladies, all clad in white and beige, staggered on their spots and scurried towards the doorway—their heads lowered, their smiles and blush hidden, and their muffled apologies muttered—as they shuffled out of the kitchen.
The seconds ticked away.
With each second progressing and creeping away, he pushed his feet forward, following the path that led to her. She stood with her palm latching onto the counter, squeezing the cold marble as she steadied her frame.
He cleared his throat.
She stiffened. Her slender fingers at the counter trembled.
"Hyuga women can give tough competition to Ino." He leaned down to whisper into her hair and added a chuckle to get on her nerves. "But I like to bask in their praises." His voice turned deeper, low and gravelly, his breath tickling the shell of his ear.
She abruptly turned around, shoving her hand at his arm. He stumbled back, holding back his laugh at the annoyance draped over him.
She whined, "Uchiha-san, don't be—"
"One of your relatives here was saying that I should be flattered," he tapped his chin and mused, squinting his gaze on her. "Maybe she is right. I should be. But are you jealous that they're gushing about the other Uchiha, not the one who was betrothed to you?"
"I didn't tell you that so you could tease me endlessly. I'm sure if Itachi-sama were here, he'd get praise too," she looked abashed. Her cheeks turned pink, as he expected, and her lips curled into a downward frown. "But I apologize—"
Sasuke swatted his hand in the air dismissively and regarded her, "It's fine. Admiration does not hurt me, annoys me…yes. But it's not as bothersome as you make it out to be."
Hinata looked winded. Her eyes moved around him, avoiding landing on his. She released a breath and gave a long look at the floorboards. Then she peered up at him, her smile stretching wider than usual. She blurted as if relieved, "Uh…oh. Sure."
A slight frown sat on his forehead, and he urged, "It's something else, isn't it?"
"Not at all!" Her voice pitched higher. "Aren't you shocked about knowing about your mother and my father?"
His scowl tightened his face. "Don't shift the matter." He tugged her arm, and she looked up, controlling the waver in her expression as if her life depended on it. "Hyuga…" he warned.
"It's nothing—"
He shot back, his fingers clenching around the smoothness of her arm, "I believe you know me enough to not play this game with me, Hime."
She huffed. "Our Byakugan can see through clothes!" She squirmed out of his grasp with a yelp and lowered her gaze. "So they probably were …being…like…"
Her words trailed. The fog seemed to occupy her vision as she stepped back, shuffled her steps and almost crashed and tumbled, but she caught the edge of the counter to steady herself.
Sasuke kept his eyes on her, watching her crumbling before himself.
What she said…led to dread creeping up on his skin. Despite being covered by dark layers over layers, he felt bare. He could feel the coldness of their prying eyes on the flesh underneath his clothes.
He shivered.
He wobbled on the spot.
He glowered at her.
But not out of anger.
He simply felt cramped in a space as wide as the hallway.
"Is that what Hyuga women do to their guests?" he choked out. "Some of those were teenage girls, some were married women holding their kids…some were…men…Hinata!" He groaned as the realization seemed to fester within him with each passing second. "You people are perverts."
"No!" She stepped forward, vehemently shaking her head. "This commotion doesn't happen often, only with those who…are considered handsome enough. They probably didn't do anything, I was just assuming and warning the girls—"
His eyes widened, and he hissed, "Oh Kami, one of the elders was talking about my father…fuck, I didn't want to know that."
Her face twisted into a startled mess. "I'm sure his virtue was respected."
He gasped, "This is insane."
Hinata gulped. "It's natural intrigue for your kind—"
He tsked, scraping the counter at his side absentmindedly, "Hinata, Uchihas are…were humans too."
"I mean, during the reign of Lord Second and Lord Third, noblemen's daughters were often caught ensnared by the Uchiha men …to not sully the name of the women from noble clans, there was a widespread consensus that the Sharingan was the eye of lust—"
Sasuke choked, "It was that unbelievable for the world that a Uchiha man could love their clan's daughter truly—"
Hinata folded her hands across her chest and explained, "They just wanted to blame something, you must know how clans were always pushing for their heirs to intermarry…no one wanted to lose the benefit of a pure-blooded Hyuga, Uchiha, Yamanaka and the list goes on…" her words reduced the sting as she intended.
He swallowed the sourness. "I feel violated." The panic surged to her throat, he could feel the crippling of her chakra beneath her.
Her face dropped.
She ducked her head. "I apologize, Uchiha-san."
The rage simmered down. He felt the knots of nerves unfurling, fueling him with ease. The numbness receded. He saw the guilt paling her face, Something pushed him to probe, "Why are you apologizing…unless you also—"
She slammed a hand over her chest. "Uchiha-san, I would never—"
He shrugged, "How can I be sure—"
She leaned forward, holding his arm at his sides. The phantom pain throbbed under her touch at his stump. He winced inwardly. She almost shook him, "Uchiha-san! You shouldn't make such implications if you know me—"
He stifled a chuckle. "Hime, I'm teasing you. Calm down!" Her concerned eyes turned paler than usual, matching the pallor of her face. A ghostly expression flipped over her face.
She frowned.
She huffed.
Sasuke felt her fingers digging into his arms, the pain she was exerting on him was laughable—oh, Oh Fuck! Her fingers began to ignite with her precise chakra, slithering down from her wrists to her palms, then to the lengths of her fingertips, and finally seeping out of her fingertips to pierce through his flesh. The ache…hurt. The pain fogged his mind.
His view almost blurred as he pleaded, "Okay, Hime. I'm sorry." He cradled his dignity as he did not stutter; otherwise the pain bursting in his arms pounded in his veins with fervour.
She withdrew her hands and gave a glance to her palms.
Show off. He wanted to tease.
But he held his words back.
She turned away from him, her back to him, and rushed toward the cabinets. With harsh pushes, she shoved the empty bottles into the cabinets above her.
"Hyuga…"
"Don't talk to me," she gritted her teeth and hissed.
"I have two questions," he stated. His steps thudded on the floor, echoing his presence as it trailed after her, following her.
She stiffened and lightly craned her neck to catch a glimpse of his approaching figure. "I won't answer."
"It's the least you could do after your clan violated my privacy," he said, mimicking Naruto's casual tone and taunting.
She clicked her tongue, her hand slammed shut the cabinet, and the force rattled the utensils placed inside. "What is it?"
He wanted to know, "Did your sister…?"
"She is a curious person by nature." Hinata pressed on the handle as she contemplated her next words. "She had a teenage crush on you once, after you were released from prison…so I can't be sure if she was sane enough to avoid gawking at you."
"Wow."
She questioned, "Academy days were better, I bet?" Her empty washed plates trembled again with the force of her hand slamming the cabinet shut.
He snorted, "Hm, not every fangirl had a Byakugan to violate me…"
He stood a step behind her, the scent of lavenders clung to her, and she thrived, blossomed under the freshness. While he…smelled like smoke, like moss, like sand after the rain.
The water-like freshness rolled off of her while his body burned with heat and flared up.
He could see the shake of her hand as he neared her back.
He leaned down to whisper to her, "How did I measure up to their expectations? I hope I'm evaluated on high grounds." He couldn't believe the words tumbling out of his mouth. The sanity bellowed from the back of his mind.
But the way she sharply turned to him and pushed his chest. Her jaw was clenched. Her eyes darkened, looking stormy and resembling the stare of her father.
It was worth it.
She slacked against the counter, the edge digging into her lower back as she leaned back, frustration pooling in her tensed frame. She grumbled, "Why are you so unbearable at times?"
He ducked and levelled her with his look. The annoyance seemed to fizzle out when his fingers flicked her forehead. "Okay! So, who else…other than me?"
Hinata covered her face with her palms and spoke in a muffled voice, "Kakashi sensei…unfortunately, that happened in front of me, too. I heard Naruto's father being a subject of awe in the past, too." She looked up, and her eyes looked weary. "What's so special about you, anyway?" Her taunt cut through the barriers between them.
Somehow, her words were branded on him. The question of his worth —Hinata in her right mind would have never asked. But since he had toyed with her patience, the Hinata under the mask of politeness and stoicism broke free and came alive, with sharpness aimed at him.
Sasuke burst into laughter. At the irony…at the warp of reality—Hinata Hyuga snapping at him, tired of his insufferable ways and simply disregarding him.
He laughed. He joyed. Because he felt the tension on his knuckles easing into a fluid relief. Because he felt the weight on his shoulder slipping down. Because of the way he breathed … it thrummed freely within him.
He laughed because Hinata Hyuga was becoming the bridge to his sanity, to his belongingness.
Her taunt…captured him.
He felt consumed.
As if he belonged.
As he was…almost happy.
She stilled. Her startled gasps fanned over his mouth. And that's how the ultimate reality seeped between them, shattering the dream-like state.
Then he stiffened. A short-lived peak of his glee vanished in the air like smoke.
The ringing voice of a deep cackle, a reverberating noise of joy erupting out of an Uchiha's chest—a stark surprise.
"What's happening here?" They both were pulled out of their trance as Naruto stepped inside the kitchen. The towering presence of Hiashi loomed behind him, and Hanabi and Sakura pressed against each other at the cramped doorway.
Sakura paced inside, saying, "I looked for you outside the restroom …waited at the door twice." Sometimes, Sasuke's reality had a humorous way of reminding him of his place.
Naruto's gaze flitted over Sasuke and Hinata with restrained curiosity. "You laughed like a real human, Teme."
Hinata squirmed away from their shared proximity. She walked past him, and her shoulder almost knocked against his as she moved towards them. Sasuke swivelled.
He watched the assessing eyes of everyone landing on him and then flipping towards her.
"I was getting some valuable information out of Hinata," he concluded and rushed towards the doorway. As he moved by her side, their arms brushed against each other. He caught the way her breath stilled and her glance momentarily strayed and ghosted over him.
He almost bolted.
"Aside from Hinata, no Hyuga will own my land," he ensured to let his words flow to Hiashi. "That remains final. Despite the dinner. Despite the goodwill."
Hiashi muttered, "As expected from you, Uchiha-sama." Hiashi came to squeeze the arm, his stump, as he toyed with him, throwing him a bone to latch on to as he said, "I visit your mother's grave sometimes." And that's when Sasuke truly realized the purpose of the visit. Hiashi Hyuga was testing his nerves, in a literal sense; he was analysing the sanity of his mind by getting into his nerves.
He expected him to explode.
And Sasuke could explode.
But "Be respectful…for my sake." Her plea wrapped around his being like a comforting shield.
Hiashi Hyuga failed when, instead of burning up and exploding, Sasuke laughed again.
Not twinkling. But warningly.
Not airy. But croaking.
Not for happiness. But for victory.
"Hyugas and their obsession with Uchihas. Do you wish to complete with Orochimaru?" Sasuke let the smirk bud in the corner of his lips, and he glanced towards the Hyuga Patriarch.
Hiashi nodded.
Hiashi almost won.
But Sasuke became another Uchiha who won against Hiashi Hyuga's unknown games—he truly was his father's shadow.
Sasuke almost lost.
But her eyes …pale eyes…fueled by emotions, turned into lilac moons…told him to stay sane for her sake.
Stunned, Sasuke bowed to her.
For her sake, he lived the day.
And he had tasted the laughter that belonged solely to him. For the first time…in a long time.
Or…for the first time. Ever.
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A/N: Favs and reviews are important ...keep them coming
Loving the support! I love y'all when you analyse the thoughts and actions of core 4 characters. Some of you truly understand the complexity and it fills me with pleasure!
I'm sure you've been noticing the quick updates! I think this is third in a week! It's because I'm writing this arc before moving towards updating FATED PROMISE, so giving WILTED PETALS lovers a good number of chapters before giving Fated Stans some love!
I would love if you guys check out Fated Promise or Twisted Paths or Make the angels cry as well. They're all SasuHina! And leave your reviews so I can know if you enjoyed or not!
Wilted is becoming bigger and better in terms of readership and support. It's close to 1k kudos on Ao3 and I'm stunned!
Thanks .
-Ella
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