hi! English isn't my first language. thought in italic , dialogue in " ", POV alterning and Naruto's still not mine.
Chapter 28
If you told Neji a few years ago that he'll find himself working with the deserter who betrayed Konoha at an early age and went on to join the ranks of a scaly psychopath, he'd ask you what type of recreational mushroom you were on.
Because the idea sounded ridiculous. And yet here he was, in the office of the ex-avenger himself to discuss the safety of the most important person in his life. The fact that he even trusted the last Uchiha was mind boggling. But he somehow did.
It was ironic that the traits that should make him wary of him were the very same that made him trust him with his cousin's wellbeing.
Because Sasuke Uchiha was ruthless and wasn't above bending his morals or the law and didn't care one bit about the consequences of his actions. As long as it pertained to something important to him.
He proved it when he almost destroyed the village. Naruto let it slip once when he was dragged to a 'boys night' that Sasuke wanted to kill all the Kage and permanently seal the tailed beasts. Destroying anyone who stood in the face of his plan of eradicating the Shinobi world as they know it and starting over. A clean slate after the bloodbath.
That side of him was what made everyone still fear him even after his redemption. The lengths he was willing to go to, to achieve his vision were terrifying. He was terrifying (Not that Neji feared him or anything).
And that was without considering the things he had been planning to do to those who were responsible for his brother's demise. If it weren't for Naruto stopping him, Konoha's council would be buried six feet under by now.
Neji was sure that the last Uchiha will regret staying his hand, now that they were plotting against Hinata.
They say that no other clan treasures love more than the Uchiha. And that was the main reason the Hyuuga genius was here at this very moment ready to work hand in hand with him. Because he knew that whatever was going on between his cousin and the ex-avenger was not a simple infatuation on his Commander's side. Neji had no doubt that he'll do anything to protect her including obliterating any threat to her safety and maybe even happiness.
And that for once suited his needs well.
"So?" Sasuke cocked an eyebrow. He didn't explain further. They both knew why they were here.
"First of all. ROOT might be active again, since I don't think you provided them with Anbu security detail." Neji started his unofficial report.
"Anyone from our ranks?" Sasuke massaged his temples.
"You think there might be double agents?" Neji ignored the What-do-you-think? look on the Commander's face "The masks are impervious to the Byakugan but I didn't recognize any familiar chakra pathways."
"You can tell who someone is by how their chakra pathways looks?" Dark eyebrows rose "Impressive."
It was. His Byakugan has always been more detail oriented, he could see Tenketsus since the age of twelve. It was very helpful in combat.
"Is that a skill that can be taught to another Hyuuga?" The Uchiha inquired.
He wished it was the case. Hanabi was the closest to his mastery, she could see the Tenkutsu as well but wasn't focused enough to memorize how they connected. So can Hinata to a lesser degree but her Byakugan was more focused outward than inward. In their own way both his cousins were impressive.
"It's hard for someone who spent years enlarging their range." He answered "But that means they're more aware of their surroundings than others."
"Shame." Sasuke's voice took a more serious timber "Tell me what you know about the council."
"They didn't discuss Hinata-sama as far as I could see." He obliged "There was no suspicious activity, except the fact that they're surrounded by lackeys which means they are on high alert."
"And that itself is suspicious." The Uchiha laced his fingers in front of his face, hiding the grim line of his mouth "I need to tell Naruto but he has to be careful as to not tip our hand too early."
"You're not thinking of letting them harm Hinata-sama to have a more iron clad case against them, are you?" The Hyuuga found his glare reassuring for once. It was an unnecessary question but it made him feel better to know the Uchiha wouldn't let his grudge against the council cloud his judgement.
"Anything else?" His voice was flat.
"There was a clandestine meeting between the council and my grandfather" He noted the sharpening of the Uchiha's eyes "I had to retreat before I was caught by his Byakugan."
"You think this is in relation to his attempt of marrying Hinata off to the Kazekage." Sasuke's voice had an edge to it.
So Hinata-sama told him already.
Neji was glad he wasn't the one breaking the news. He doubted the Uchiha would have remained calm. Or maybe he would have. It was really hard to tell with him, few things were capable of lighting his fuse.
The one thing that was confusing about the last Uchiha was that most of his actions were essentially rooted to his emotions, but they didn't appear so as he still responded to (and with) cold hard logic. That was probably the reason his grandfather was still drawing breath. Hinata must've appealed to his calculating side.
She was a lot like him that way, except she cared about the effect her actions and decisions would have on those around her and she played the long game. In a way she was more calculating than people give her credit for.
Although Neji doubted it was only her calculating side that appealed to him. He decided not to dwell too much on the characteristics the Uchiha found appealing in his cousin.
"It's too convenient." The brown-haired shinobi crossed his arms over his chest "Just a few weeks after you leave, they have a meeting and a few days later he pulls that stunt."
"Hn." The Commander tapped his fingers over the desk "And Hinata challenging him to a duel will put her on the council's radar, if she wasn't already."
"If you didn't keep it from her, she would've rethought her course of action." Hinata's thought process didn't account for that piece of information.
"You couldn't talk her out of it?" The Uchiha cocked an eyebrow.
"She's stubborn." Neji sighed. "Once she sets her mind on something, she's going to do it."
"I know." Sasuke's lips stretched in a small fond smirk.
"You could tell her not to do it." The Hyuuga probed "She technically needs your consent as her mentor."
"I don't tell her to do anything." He snorted "She makes her own decisions."
Well, that's good to know.
Hinata never had much freedom despite being the Heiress to their clan. You'd think the closest thing to a princess in Konoha would be able to do what she likes. Except she was as shackled as he was. She may not bear the seal but her position was as suffocating.
A gilded cage was still a cage.
And maybe the fact that the Uchiha had freed her in a way, had made him (begrudgingly) thankful.
"So it's happening?" The brown-haired Anbu inquired.
"As soon as she's ready." The Commander reclined in his chair "I'll set a meeting with Hiashi."
He'd have to tell Hinata to attend too, so Sasuke didn't end up slaughtering their grandfather who was bound to intrude on the meeting. And knowing him, say something provoking.
"I'll take care of her training." Neji stated "She'll be fighting a Hyuuga. We'll have to adapt her new skills to her opponent."
"I'll handle the other aspects." He nodded to himself.
The Hyuuga raised his eyebrows in question but didn't inquire further. Whatever the Uchiha had in mind was bound to be beneficial.
"What about my off the records mission." It'll be challenging to divide his time between his official Anbu duties and Hinata's training as it is. Trailing Hamura and Koharu on top of that would be difficult.
"Leave it to me. I have something in mind."
Neji nodded. Now there remained only one topic to discuss. Probably the most challenging.
"If the worst were to happen. And Hinata-sama did lose." He felt his mouth go dry at the thought of the consequences of such an outcome "What is our course of action?"
Because there was no doubt in his mind that Sasuke would not allow for his cousin to be sealed.
"If Hinata were to lose, I'm getting her out of Konoha." Obsidian eyes hardened "Permanently."
"You'll both be branded rogue." The Hyuuga wasn't surprised by that. However, Sasuke's next words managed to do just that.
"It is better than what I had in mind originally" The Uchiha's voice remained level "Making sure all those who are able to administer the seal are dealt with. Permanently."
Silver eyes widened. Because the Uchiha was discussing the extermination of the Hyuuga council in such a blasé manner, as if he was discussing what he was having for lunch later that day.
"Hinata won't go along with leaving the village." Neji gulped knowing that the only thing standing between Sasuke's wrath and the elders was his cousin "She'll accept the consequences no matter how horrible they are."
"This, she doesn't get a say in." The Commander answered.
"She'll resent you. She might even hate you." Neji watched a flicker of something in his obsidian eyes before he schooled his expression into something more neutral.
"Let her. As long as she's alive to hate me."
"I'll stall while you escape." The Hyuuga stated. The fact that he would help wasn't even a question "But they'll send Anbus to hunt you down. Konoha's council will make sure of it."
"They won't catch us." The Hyuuga genius knew that the Uchiha's self-assurance wasn't unwarranted. Konoha couldn't apprehend the ex-avenger when he was rogue and with Hinata's help, an elite tracker it'll be even harder. "However, it won't come to that. She'll win."
Neji nodded in agreement. He'll make sure of it.
Sasuke knew this was going to be a shitty day.
He'd known it since last night when he was plagued with nightmares. His mind has decided it would be fun to paint horrifying images of Hinata dying while he watched paralyzed and helpless. He hardly got any sleep.
He was then woken up by the dulcet tone of Suigetsu who demanded his attention like a five-year-old throwing a tantrum. Forty-eight hours was apparently all he was getting without a headache. Maybe Hinata will take pity on him and give him that special Hyuuga treatment again.
He was going to see her later that day to start her training and that was what probably cemented his belief in today's shittiness. Because he was going to have to make her relive her worst memories in order to gauge out her level of fear and psychological trauma to help her counter it.
He didn't want to do it, but it was the most efficient way to help design a costume made mental shield against her fears. He won't force her to do it if she didn't want to, he'll find a way to create a secure mindscape but it won't be as effective. And they couldn't afford to make any mistakes, not with her life being on the line.
Sasuke rubbed his eyes after putting the pen down. He had been writing his report on his last mission to give to Naruto along with the draft for the mission they'll be giving to Sai.
As they both discussed, the former ROOT agent was to go undercover to find out what was really going on with the dodgy underground community and the secret organization that set their sight on him.
It wouldn't have worried him in any other circumstance. There was no shortage of people who hated his guts and spit at the Uchiha name.
What raised alarms was the people pulling the strings. And if the pile of ash that used to be Daisuke was to be believed they came from two major shinobi villages. The information was confirmed when the sleezy man disintegrated into said pile of ash in front of his eyes. Because that was high level Fuinjutsu, and there were only a few masters left. Which meant someone with access commissioned them or they were a Fuinjutsu master themselves.
Now that's an interesting idea.
He could deploy someone else to track down all the known Fuinjutsu masters and investigate them. The problem however lay in the feasibility of such plan, since they were scattered across the Five Nations and some even lived in small secluded villages.
He'll first need the accurate information for their locations. Easy enough to do when you knew an apprentice who was interested in uncovering the legacy of her fallen village. Her name had helped her secure an apprenticeship with a renown Fuinjutsu master in the Land of Rivers (if Suigetsu's tales where to be believed). Being a descendant of a prominent clan in Uzushiogakure, Karin Uzumaki was the perfect candidate for such a task.
With the precise intel, he'll save resource and deploy less agents. That way the Shinobis (who he'll be screening to make sure they were loyal to the Hokage not the council. Another can of worms he'll have to deal with) won't be sent on a wild goose chase if they knew where to look.
Sasuke picked up his pen again and started drafting a letter to his former teammate ( and *cough* stalker). He'll have to run his plan past Naruto. He was sure it'll get approved because this organization with ties to major villages spelled trouble. It either meant that a village was indirectly declaring war on him and that might compromise the peace treaties. Or there where defector who were not interested in maintaining the peace in the first place and that itself was a political minefield Naruto will have to navigate.
And if their attempt to exterminate him where successful (unlikely) there was no guaranties they won't set their sight on Konoha next. He assumed it was just a revenge plot against him but he couldn't be one hundred percent sure unless he apprehended the ones pulling the strings.
The Anbu Commander rubbed his eyes once more as he made count of all the things he has to deal with.
Undercover agent: Done.
The lead on Daisuke's explosive seal: Done.
Hyuuga elder inevitable demise: In progress.
Konoha's council reconnaissance mission: Not done.
ROOT reactivation: Not done.
That made two more problems to deal with. Unfortunately, they were probably the second most urgent, right after Hinata's duel of Honor as one pertained to her safety and the other national security and both were interconnected. The Uchiha debated holding off on telling Naruto about it, since it'll be easier to work on it independently.
He already had an idea for the reconnaissance mission. After all team Taka didn't come here on a holiday, and deploying someone with ties to Konoha risked alerting the council. He couldn't entrust this to just anyone.
Neji Hyuuga was loyal to Hinata so he had no problem trusting him implicitly with her safety. Taka was loyal to him so he had no problem trusting them with his affairs. (Hinata's safety: not yet) Naruto's position however was too close to his enemies.
No. I trust Naruto.
The Hokage had to be informed that ROOT was operating again. And Naruto was the one to bring the threat to Hinata from the council, to his attention anyways. He couldn't leave him in the dark. He'll just have to make sure the information didn't leak.
Sasuke was stretched too thin, he couldn't do it all by himself. And who better to help him than the man who never gave up on him.
The Uchiha's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Come in."
"Is this really necessary?" Huffed the blind folded Kunoichi as she stumbled right into the low table in his office.
"The Commander's orders." Replied the man guiding her as he smirked at his intentional 'mistake'.
"Shikamaru." She growled "I know you did that on purpose."
"You mean the same way you told Temari about my habit of mumbling her name in my sleep?" The lazy Shinobi untied the blindfold revealing sapphire eyes that turned to glare at him immediately.
"You told Gaara-kun I cry while watching romantic comedies!" Ino jabbed her finger in his chest.
"So? It's the truth." Shikamaru smirked infuriating the blonde-haired woman further.
"So is the fact that you do mumble your girlfriend's name while you sleep." She scoffed.
"It is not the same thing." Sasuke watched as a blush adorned the Advisor's cheeks.
"It is exactly the same thing." The Yamanaka jabbed her finger harder into his green jacket.
"Are you saying that you're involved with the Kazekage?" The Uchiha's eyebrows rose as he watched a matching blush appear on Ino's face.
"T-That is not…" She gritted her teeth "You know what, that's none of your business."
"It is my business as your teammate and the only remaining male figure in your life.…"
"Excuse you!" Ino cut him off in indignation "That's a disturbingly paternalistic and weird concept. I cannot wait for Temari-san to knock you on your misogynistic ass!"
Sasuke cleared his throat to get the attention of the two bickering members of the former team ten. Ino crossed her arms turning her back to her teammate and faced him, making a point of ignoring Shikamaru who only rolled his eyes.
"She's all yours." The Nara spun around pretending not to hear Ino's mumble of how she wasn't his property to give away.
"Yamanaka." The Uchiha spoke once the Hokage's advisor left. "Do you have a report for me?"
"You know Sasuke-kun you could've just visited me at T and I instead of having me dragged here blindfolded." Ino redirected her glare to him. It looked like she was still itching for a fight "Especially since I know you allow Hinata-chan to come and go as she pleases to a highly guarded secret facility all because you're hoping she'll go out with you."
"It's my prerogative as Anbu Commander…" He started with his rehearsed answer in case someone called him out on his bias. So, he disclosed a few state secrets to the woman he was interested in, so what? Who was brave enough to confront him about it anyways?
Apparently Ino Yamanaka was brave enough.
"Yeah, I heard that before." She cut him off, one blonde eyebrow rose mockingly "Exercising your prerogative by sending an Anbu operative to deliver flowers to the girl you're in love with is not a good excuse."
Sasuke's face warmed immediately.
"I am not in love with…" He was ready to tell her off but Ino interrupted him again.
"Oh dear lord. You're in denial too?" Sapphire eyes rolled, but he could see the sly look she gave him once they found his still warm face "You're even worse than Hinata-chan. You two like each other, just pluck the courage to ask her out on a date already."
The Uchiha found himself wondering if he should feel offended that she thought him incapable of asking Hinata out, something he already did (although indirectly) along with snogging the daylight out of her (not that Ino needed to know that). Or if he should feel smug that he had it confirmed by his princess's best friend that she liked him, which he had an inkling about since she allowed him to snog the daylight out of her as mentioned previously.
In the end he settled on schooling his features back to neutrality as he addressed her with a level voice to let her know he was done entertaining her nonsense.
"Your report on the interrogation conducted on the newest four prisoners." It seemed to work. The Yamanaka straightened, all form of teasing living her countenance at his tone.
"The mind probe didn't reveal anything of substance when it came to the identities of those in charge apart from the man named Daisuke. However, I have more information about the identities of some followers and their position in the hierarchy of the organization." Ino answered professionally "I was able to uncover two additional hideouts for future meetings. One is at the border separating the Land of Hot Water and the Land of fire and the other the border of the Land of lightning."
That's way too close to home.
The Land of Fire was a vast territory, however any suspicious ninja activity fell under Konoha's jurisdiction. And why would a hideout be close to their border if they didn't have people from their nation involved as well?
Sasuke was debating about deploying another Anbu agent other than Sai to get them investigating both locations at the same time, when Ino's voice interrupted his thoughts again.
"I additionally did a mind walk to see if you missed anything in the capture mission." A dark eyebrow was cocked at that. Technically she didn't have clearance to do that but he didn't mind the initiative. "One of the members is still alive. A woman. She escaped right before the orange-haired shinobi picked the prisoners up."
There was only one woman present at that meeting he infiltrated. The one that suggested they find better bait to lure him out. The one he knocked out but didn't kill. He had been so distracted by Daisuke's death via explosive seal, he didn't notice there was a fifth survivor missing.
Sasuke sighed. He hated loose ends.
"Thank you, Yamanaka." He said in a tone that indicated dismissal.
"No problem." Ino answered as she sat on the couch, dismissing his dismissal entirely. "While on the subject of solving your problems. You should get Hinata hydrangeas again, she liked them last time."
His eye twitched. What is it with everyone giving him unsolicited advice about his dating life? He didn't think he appeared to be that hopeless.
"The hidden meaning was just perfect by the way." The Yamanaka continued as if he wasn't glaring daggers at her; A futile attempt to mask how flustered this line of questioning was making him.
So not only was Ino present when the bouquet of flowers was delivered at the hospital but she also knew their meaning. And knowing her she must've told Hinata. Not that he was ashamed or anything, it was a deliberate gesture. But he wanted her to figure it out herself and he most certainly didn't want some nosy blonde poking at his affairs.
"Hinata-chan kept looking at them every few seconds." She said "I could tell they were her favorite out of all the ones she received."
Speaking with Ino Yamanaka was a double-edged sword. She was always fishing for information but she also let it slip a few times. And knowing that his gestures were appreciated by Hinata made him almost forgive the blonde. Almost.
"I think she might also develop a new liking for bathrooms." Ino looked at him slyly.
She was definitely referring to the time he followed Hinata to the bathroom in her celebratory party. He had kissed her there. And the Yamanaka knew and had the gall to tease him about it. He could only imagine Hinata being subjugated to Yamanaka interrogation techniques to get that information out of her. That only irritated him more. (He ignored the fact that they were best friend. And that his princess probably needed someone to freak out to).
Enough.
The red of his Sharingan matched the red on his face as Ino lost consciousness. Sasuke's eyebrows twitched in annoyance. He already had to deal with Kakashi and Naruto being immature and snickering like a bunch of teenagers whenever Hinata's name was brought up. He will not have another blonde on his case.
Sasuke made sure his face was clear of any blush before calling for Shikamaru to remove the knocked out Kunoichi.
The Nara strolled in and stopped abruptly at the sight of his teammate's unconscious form on his couch.
"You put her under Genjutsu?" Shikamaru asked, hoisting the blonde up in his arms.
"She pissed me off." He answered flatly.
"Fair enough." The Nara shrugged as he headed to the door.
Sasuke rubbed his eyes for the…actually he had no idea how many times he did that. As if he didn't have enough shit to deal with today.
Ino Yamanaka teasing him. What has the world come to?
The Kunoichi grunted as she was pushed back once again. Her opponent didn't give her time to recuperate, he was on her in a blink of an eye. Hinata struck out her chakra laced palm to counter the one headed towards her. The powerful clash had her hair whipping behind her, she was sure it looked a right mess. Not that she had time to contemplate such things, what with the way Neji's fingers swiftly closed another Tenketsu in her arm.
Hinata jumped back, putting some distance between them. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. Her eyes found Neji's form, taking notice of his own uneven breathing. That filled her with a sense of satisfaction. Seven months ago, she wouldn't have stood a chance against the Hyuuga genius fighting at full capacity. Now however she was fast enough to counter his attacks readily.
"You've gotten better." Neji's voice was filled with approval "But you don't need to rely solely on the gentle fist."
He was right. She made no promises of fighting with Hyuuga techniques exclusively when the time came for her duel against her grandfather. On the contrary, she was representing the Uchiha clan, that gave her leave to use her lightning and fire jutsu. It just that fighting against a Hyuuga had her falling back on her pre-Sasuke skills without realizing it.
She couldn't help but notice how she started to characterize the event of her life as a pre and post Sasuke period. In a way he did leave an imprint on her. Not just the new techniques he taught her, but the freedom he offered her. Without it she wouldn't have been able to challenge her grandfather. She wouldn't have been able to fight for her freedom to choose her future. She wouldn't have been able to be one step closer to banishing the seal and freeing the branch members.
She didn't think that the Uchiha was aware of the impact he had on her. The Hyuuga didn't know how she'll be able to show her appreciation properly. Hinata's cheek flushed as her brain conjured a few interesting ideas.
She shook herself out of her thoughts when she saw Neji taking his stance again. He launched himself at her, but this time she was ready.
What followed was an elegant dance. The blue chakra leaving their hands created a beautiful display of light, that normally wouldn't be visible to those without a Byakugan. However, they both decided to go all out.
It didn't take long for Neji to put her on the defensive. Her gentle fist allowed her to stop his attacks, but she wasn't able to counter back. Her cousin's Hyuuga technique has always been superior to hers.
She didn't understand why the elders were surprised by it, as if the fact he was a branch member erased his genetic makeup. They were both descendent from the first Hyuuga family, it just so happens her father was born a few seconds before his twin. A cruel joke of fate.
But both cousins have stopped believing in fate a long time ago. That was why Neji was better, because he trained to prove he was as much of an excellent shinobi as any other main house member. He had as much of a claim to the Hyuuga legacy as her, maybe even more. He was the perfect Hyuuga compared to her; the heiress that had to work harder to master what came easily to him and her younger sister. She didn't understand why no matter how hard she worked, she could never catch up to those too. It was only recently that she acknowledged the possible reason behind it.
The Hyuuga techniques weren't suited for her, the same way lightning and fire Ninjutsu wasn't suited for her cousin. She wasn't incompetent, she was just different.
"You are unlike any Hyuuga in your clan."
And that was perhaps a gift.
Hinata watched as her cousin's fingers got close to her and this time instead of countering with her own chakra laced hand, she allowed lightning to coil freely instead.
The effect was instantaneous.
Neji's hand spasmed. The chakra flow was cut off momentarily, his attack derailed completely.
If she had been looking through her cousin's surprised eyes, she would've noticed the grin that broke out on her face. A grin that wouldn't have been misplaced on the last Uchiha's features. It was that expression; a mix of excitement, self-assurance and a spark of mad genius that had Neji faltering for a few seconds because it was like he was staring at his Commander's face when he was enjoying a fight against someone challenging. And in those few seconds of stupor, the kunoichi doubled down.
Lightning crackled; her fingers moved swiftly as if she was using her gentle fist. Except instead of chakra, electricity latched to her opponent's limbs, hitting true.
Her Byakugan observed the result of her new trick. The bolts weren't able to close his Tenketsu the way her chakra would've but they disrupted them, messing with his own flow, neutralizing his attack for a few seconds.
If she had used the classical Hyuuga approach, their chakra would've collided, repelling each other. In fact, Neji tried to do just that. He was faster but she had better mobility. She didn't need for her strike to be precise, just in range for her bolts to latch.
Whenever her cousin faltered, she reverted back to the gentle fist, closing another Tenketsu.
It didn't take long for the Hyuuga genius to figure it out. Close range combat was dangerous at the moment since he didn't have a counter strategy yet. He needed to put some distance between them. His palm surged out. Her Byakugan watched as his chakra transformed into air, ready to launch her violently away.
In retrospect she really shouldn't have done what she did next. Her own hand surged out but instead of the Vaccum Palm what came out was blue flames. His chakra fed into hers creating a bigger wall of fire. She didn't have time to analyze that interesting reaction as the unexpected blast sent her soaring in the air like a rag doll. Unlike her cousin who started rotating immediately she didn't have a firmer stance.
Hinata shielded her face from the heat of her own attack and braced for impact.
The impact never came.
Instead, her Byakugan spotted a congregation of dark purple chakra right behind her. The sensation of being sucked into a void overwhelmed her, making her deactivate her Dojutsu. The Hyuuga heiress squeezed her eyes shut as she felt herself being spat out almost immediately after. The air was knocked out of her lungs abruptly as firm arms intercepted her fall.
Lavender tinted eyes caught the remnant of the portal closing. She redirected her gaze to her savior.
"Sasuke." His name came out a breathless exclamation of surprise.
"Well hello there princess." He smirked when she gaped once her brain caught up to what happened. The Uchiha had opened a portal behind her, redirecting her trajectory towards him.
Talk about perfect timing.
"Are you alright?" She felt herself being jolted as he adjusted his hold. The movement caught her off guard making her hands circle his neck in an attempt to steady herself. All that it accomplished was bringing her face closer to his when he turned his head to look at her.
"I'm okay!" She squeaked, her complexion gaining that red hue that never failed to amuse him.
"Are you sure? You seem kind of flustered." She spotted said amusement glinting in his onyx eyes. "Must be the heat from that last attack."
"I-It is." The Hyuuga tried to calm her racing heart. A physiological phenomenon she'll also be blaming on the training session instead of the wicked smirk that played on his lips.
"Are you one hundred percent sure that it's what's getting you hot and bothered?" His voice dropped a few octaves, sending a shiver down her spine. Yet another phenomenon she'll be attributing to the nonexistent wind in the middle of this summer heat.
"Uchiha! Release her this instant." Neji all but stomped to them.
"I don't know Hyuuga. She doesn't seem to mind." Sasuke's eyes didn't leave her face. His voice lowered to a whisper "Do you princess?"
Hinata's face continued to glow red as Sasuke made a pretense of leaning in.
"Enough!" Neji's voice jolted her out of her stupefied state.
The kunoichi gaped at her cousin. His previously white attire had turned grey, soot adorned his red face and his usually immaculate brown hair was in disarray, so much so that he looked like he had a dramatic hair blow out.
"Well, you certainly look hot and bothered too." She guffawed at Sasuke's exclamation.
"Screw you Uchiha." Her cousin's scowl looked even more ridiculous when a breeze blew in, ruffling his poofed out fluffy hair.
"I'm afraid you're not my type Hyuuga." The Uchiha's level tone had her laughing out right. Her laughter trailed off when he turned his glimmering eyes to her. "Well, not the Hyuuga that's my type anyway."
Hinata's face reddened again as she choked on air. Between that last exhausting surge of chakra, the ridiculousness of the situation and Sasuke's…flirting? She found herself coughing from lack of air.
"Look what you've done." Neji held her arm as she got down from Sasuke's hold. One look at her cousin and she was wheezing again. He scowled at her and she couldn't breathe anymore.
Her face must've turned blue because Sasuke started rubbing her back soothingly.
"Hinata. Breathe." His serious tone didn't hide the way his lips twitched in amusement.
The Hyuuga heiress took big lungful of air trying to calm herself.
"Sorry Nii-san." Hinata looked at her cousin's worried feature after she glanced around the clearing where she spotted the damage her fire had done "I didn't expect for the jutsu to react that way."
"Nothing wrong with your fire jutsu." Neji dusted his attire. It was a useless endeavor. "But maybe don't use it against the Vaccum Palm. You might burn down the estate."
"It was certainly impressive." Her face colored at the note of praise in Sasuke's tone, or maybe it was the way his thumb was still discreetly rubbing her spine that had her cheeks flushing pink again. "If you redirect it right it could make for a good distraction."
"I don't think it's a good idea to I use fire jutsu in the duel." Lavender tinted eyes took in the scorching marks in the terrain.
"You are not holding back." Sasuke's reprimanding tone made her wince.
"Uchiha's right." Neji crossed his arms "We'll work on it. I'm sure we can adapt it for close range combat."
"That is insane." She might end up setting the whole place aflame "Look at the state of you."
Neji scowled when the Uchiha snorted.
"I look better than you." That made her grimace. Her cousin looked a disaster, she could only imagine what she looked like. She felt her cheeks warming when she realized that Sasuke is witnessing her messy state.
"Impossible." The dark-haired shinobi's hand reached to wipe what was probably soot from her cheek. Now her face warmed for another reason.
"Why are you even here?" The Hyuuga genius glared at him.
"I'm borrowing your cousin." Sasuke didn't bother looking at him "We have training of a different variety."
Realization dawned on her. Sasuke was talking about the mental training he promised her. She couldn't say she was looking forward to it.
"We're not done here." Silver eyes narrowed.
"Yes, you are." Dark eyes regarded her cousin flatly "I need her to have a bit of energy left for what I have in mind."
The Hyuuga heiress observed the staring match between the two males. Was this what Kiba referred to as: A kunai measuring contest?
"Fine. Where are we going?" The Hyuuga man crossed his arms over his chest.
"You are not going anywhere." Sasuke smirked "You have to meet another Shinobi to debrief him about your mission. He's probably on his way there already."
Neji gritted his teeth. The Kunoichi didn't get what all the fuss was about. Her cousin was being more stubborn than usual. Was it because Sasuke was not holding back on teasing her anymore? She surmised from the glare directed to the hand that was resting on the small of her back that, that might be the case.
"I'll meet you later Sasuke." Hinata interrupted whatever was going on with these two "I need to shower."
"You can shower at my place." The Uchiha answered. That apparently was the wrong thing to say.
"Like hell she will!" Neji bellowed "If you think for one second you get to put your hands…"
"First of all, I do not put my hand anywhere where it's not wanted." The fingers that strummed her spine like a corded instrument burned like a hot poker. An emphasis about how very much his touch was wanted. "And get your mind out of the gutter Hyuuga."
Hinata didn't think she ever saw her cousin that red. It was impressive.
"I'll just meet you later." She grabbed the Uchiha's attention.
"As you wish." Sasuke ignored the still seething Hyuuga man.
His Rinnegan glowed and she felt that rift of sucked in air opening behind her. Hinata smiled as she faced the portal she knew would lead to her chambers in the compound.
"Thank you, Sasuke."
"My pleasure princess." His gaze held hers captive until Neji cleared his throat loudly.
It seemed like Neji was picking up on Sasuke's intentions towards hers. Intentions Sasuke had no qualm about broadcasting for the world to see. (For those who could understand his subtle gestures anyway.)
Overprotective Neji Vs Shameless Sasuke.
And she was bound to be stuck in the middle of what'll definitely be not a kunai, but a sword measuring contest judging by the testosterone fest happening around her.
Oh boy.
Hinata walked through the portal with her face aflame once again, especially after she heard her cousin's growl.
"Uchiha. Stop undressing my cousin with your eyes."
"That's rich coming from someone who possess the Byakugan."
Suigetsu Hozuki was known as many things.
A ruthless killer if you were to ask those who have been on the wrong end of his blade. One of Kiri's demons is what the villagers of his home will describe. The second in command in team Taka if you asked his giant friend jugo (Although they both knew that there was no such thing considering who was in charge). An idiot with a death wish if you asked Karin.
All of them were accurate.
Although he did not agree with the last. He was in no way an idiot and he certainly didn't have any kind of death wish. He just liked living his life on that dangerous line armed with an unholy combination of manic energy and a singular distaste for order and authority.
The fact that he was capable of thought could be proven. After all he picked up on Sasuke's interest in that cute little medic when they were at the hospital.
The usually unreadable Uchiha had interacted with her with such openness, it had bugled his mind.
Suigetsu was pretty sure he witnessed him flirting for the very first time in his life. Sasuke Ice block Uchiha had demonstrated a level of attraction towards that woman to the point it had him reevaluate his teammate's sexuality. Something he had been wondering about for a long time.
Asexual had been his best guess. After all any straight man would've caved at least once to Karin's unsubtle constant advances and any gay man would've obviously tried to put the moves on him.
The point was seeing that Suigetsu was no idiot, he could tell immediately that the Uchiha wanted to ravish that little medic then and there.
However, he started to wonder if he did have a death wish since he decided he was going to be toeing that dangerous line of Sasuke's homicidal tendencies the second he laid his eyes on the very same cute little medic that knocked on the Uchiha's door.
"Hi there." Suigetsu grinned down at her, leaning on the door frame.
"Hello." The blue haired woman held the box in her hand a little bit tighter. He could tell from the smell wafting out, that it held food.
Excellent. He was starving.
"Is…Sasuke here?" Big pale eyes blinked up at him.
Ok he'll give him that. She was cute.
"Yea he's here." The Kiri nin opened the door wider but didn't move.
A blush appeared on her cheeks as she squeezed herself in, her eyes cast on the ground.
So that's Sasuke's type huh? Blushing virgin.
This is going to be so much fun.
Suigetsu strutted after her to the kitchen. She placed the bento box on the counter and proceeded to take out plates with a familiarity that told him she spent enough time here to know where everything was.
"I'm sorry I didn't make enough food." She spoke with a soft voice.
So, a docile blushing virgin.
"I'm sure Sasuke wouldn't mind sharing." His gaze swept slowly over her frame and she blushed harder.
She was wearing a simple T-shirt that stretched over, what he had to admit where very impressive tits. The skirt hugged her hips nicely as well and he could tell that her ass probably looked fantastic in it.
The choice of attire wasn't meant to be enticing and yet it had him do a double take.
A docile blushing virgin with a body made of sin. Sassy you sly dog!
"Where's Sasuke?" She asked unnerved by his presence.
"In the shower." He reached for the Teriyaki. It was good. "I am much better company than his royal prickness."
She didn't say anything in return.
"So what's your name?" He leaned against the counter while he chewed slowly, savoring the culinary delight made by the woman. A far cry from the charred remains Karin makes.
Another point for the cute little medic.
"Oh! How rude of me." Her eyes widened "I'm Hinata."
"So, like Sunshine? I'm Suigetsu."
"I know. I heard great things about you." She smiled prettily. Yep, Sunshine seems fitting.
"Really? That's weird." He grinned. " 'Cause I'm a dick."
His grin stretched wider when she blushed again at his choice of language.
"Hey! You're one of those Hyuugas aren't you?" He leaned closer to observe those uncanny pupils less eyes and she made a small adorable sound. "The ones that can see through things."
"Y-yes."
And a stutter too?
He wouldn't have pegged the Uchiha for someone who liked the cutesy princess routine. But to each their own he guessed. And with a body like that, he couldn't fault him.
"Is it true you can see through clothes?" He grinned at her squeak "Did you ever use it to peep at people?"
"N-no." She became even more flustered if possible.
"Go ahead take a peek. I'm sure Sasuke would be glad to give a show" He crowded her and she took a step back "I wouldn't mind giving you a show either."
"Suigetsu." A warning voice cut through "Leave her alone."
The Kiri nin grinned.
Here comes the adrenaline rush.
"I'm just getting to know Sunshine here." He threw his hand over her shoulder when she took a step in Sasuke's direction "She's just precious."
"Hands off." Obsidian eyes glared at him.
Let's see he how long it takes to turn those eyes red.
"Really it's about time someone helped loosen you up Sassy." He tightened his hold on Hinata, looking down at the red-faced woman "Thank you for your service. A less sexually frustrated Uchiha means a safer place for everyone else."
"Suigetsu." The room's temperature dropped a few degrees.
"Although if you ever get tired of the prince of darkness over there." He fake leered at her "I can take you for a ride. Show you a good time."
The hissing sound was all the warning he got before a shallow cut appeared on his neck. If Sasuke had added a little more force to the kunai he threw, he could've split open his carotid.
"Hands. Off." Ruby eyes flashed in warning.
Suigetsu surmised he might've pushed a bit harder than what guarantied he walked out with all his limbs intact. He obeyed to preserve said limbs. The second he let go, the Hyuuga stumbled toward the Uchiha like a frightened little bunny. It was adorable really.
"Jeez Sassy. No need to maim me." Suigetsu grinned while wiping the small trail of blood "I didn't take you for the jealous type."
"You have somewhere else to be." Sasuke's Sharingan disappeared when Sunshine's hand brushed his. Interesting."Your contact is waiting for you."
"I should've known." Violet eyes gleamed. Okay so maybe he did have a death wish. "All the cleaning and grooming. You could've just told me to fuck off since you're planning to get laid. No need to make up some super-secret mission."
"Suigetsu." Sasuke glared at him again. "Fuck right off."
"A warning Sunshine." The Kiri nin grinned one last time at the Hyuuga. "Sasuke likes to play rough."
His sharp teeth shinned as bright as the kunai that was imbedded in the door he closed just in time to avoid being stabbed.
Sasuke glared at the closed door. He shouldn't have been that pissed off by Suigetsu's antics, but Hinata had looked too uncomfortable and he wasn't in that great a mood anyways.
He turned to the Hyuuga to find her frowning, a remanent of a blush still adorning her cheeks.
"I didn't know you had the jurisdiction to give a foreigner a mission inside Konoha's walls."
Damn it. She picked up on that.
That was what he liked about her; so much more than a pretty face. However now, that was an inconvenience. He wasn't ready to reveal the possible threat against her from Konoha's council. She already had to deal with the duel of honor.
He decided to deflect instead of telling her that the Kiri-nin was meeting her cousin to take over his unauthorized mission.
"Don't mind him." His hand caressed her heating cheek "Next time I'll make sure we're alone before inviting you over."
It was a bit mean to use her shyness against her to distract hers but he had no choice.
His (mostly) innocent statement seemed to fluster her more than he expected.
"A-about what he said…" She poked her fingers together. A nervous habit he remembered her having when they were Genin. A habit he knew she stopped doing "I don't t-think I'm r-ready for….t-that." She rushed her next word "I mean I've done…. s-stuff before but I've never….And I know it's a n-natural t-things t-that people d-do-"
The Uchiha frowned not understanding her rambling.
"-And I know it's a part of relationships and you must have…e-expectations. And I-Ino once told me that the third date is usually the t-time to d-do i-it but…"
Dark eyebrows climbed high.
Oh.
Oh!
She was talking about sex. Suigetsu's talk about him getting laid must've gotten to her.
"I am c-curious about i-it b-but I d-don't t-think.."
Sasuke had been curious about it too. After the war before he came back to Konoha, he decided to know what all the fuss was about. He liked sex as much as the next guy but it didn't consume his thoughts all the time like some of his peers.
Although he will admit that his curiosity was doubled ten folds after he started to notice Hinata.
He often wondered about the curves hidden under her clothes, how they'll feel under his hands. Will she be responsive to his touch? Will he get her to make all sort of sounds? He wanted to know how far her blush went. He could see it extending past her neck as she kept on babbling. Will the alabaster smooth skin of her breast flush as well under his heated gaze? He wondered how she'll taste? Will he get her to beg for him if he flicked his tongue just right? He wondered how she'll feel wrapped around him.
And when his thoughts wondered a bit too far, it was hard to sleep at night. Other things got hard as well. Thankfully his Sharingan provided him with perfect images to help alleviate the tension. Although he doubted it will compare to the real thing.
He watched her work herself up into a frenzy trying to tell him she's never actually had sex.
Sasuke felt that irrational sense of male smugness at the thought of being her first (and hopefully her last). Not that he would have cared if he wasn't, after all she wasn't his and he did not believe in the purity nonsense. But the fact that no other man had the privilege of seeing her naked, sure helped save those unnamed unfortunate souls he would have had to beat to a pulp because he was an Uchiha and Uchihas were possessive by nature. As he said; irrational.
Which reminded him, he'll be sure to hit Naruto extra hard next time they spared since he had the benefit of 'doing stuff' with the goddess that was his princess and he still went and sought out another woman. Effectively breaking her heart and terminating their relationship.
The stupid idiot, borderline brain-dead moron.
He couldn't have been gladder for his friend's idiocy for once. He'll send a fruit basket to his hospital room after he was done rearranging his face.
"Hinata." He decided to cut her tirade "Breathe."
He gave her time to regulate her breathing before closing the distance between them.
"I don't have any type of expectations." He curved his finger under her chin to tilt her head up "There is no timeline, no rush."
She heaved a relieved breath and he wanted to hug her worries away.
Silly princess.
"You set the pace." His lips curved into a small smile at the embarrassed expression on her face. "For now, I just want to kiss you if I'm allowed."
"Y-You're allowed." That endearing pink hue graced her cheeks again, and he decided to stop denying himself. He leaned down and placed his mouth close to her right cheek without grazing it.
"Am I allowed to kiss you here?"
"Yes." Only after she gave her consent did he press his lips gently to her blooming cheek.
"What about here?" He moved to the left one and repeated the process when she said yes again. He could hear the smile in her voice.
"And here?" She hummed in agreement and he inhaled the unique lavender scent in her hair as he kissed her forehead.
"Here?" She giggled when he pecked her button nose.
"What about here?" He whispered the question close to her ear and she shivered.
"O-okay." He pressed his mouth to her neck an left a burning kiss.
"And here?" He did it again a bit lower when she nodded.
He kept on asking and every breathless 'yes' had him leaving an open-mouthed kiss on her soft skin. His hand snaked its way to her waist pulling her closer as he pressed his lips to the hollow of her throat. Then the exposed skin between her collarbone. Then further down until he felt the fabric of her t-shirt the clear boundary for now. So he went up again littering more kisses on her neck more slowly this time.
He kept on doing it until she melted in his hands like ice in a fresh lemonade cup and he wanted to lick her skin so badly he debated about asking but refrained. He hovered over her lips instead and she said yes before he even asked. He kissed her in a leisured manner, like he had all the time in the world to savor her and she tasted heavenly.
He pulled away regretfully as this was a demonstration of his restraint and her control over the situation.
"This is enough." His hand tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "And when you're ready, I can kiss you in other places too."
Her cheeks reddened beautifully and this time he couldn't resist the temptation of teasing her, now that she didn't appear worried.
"I'll be sure to ask if I can touch you in those places too." He whispered in her ear.
Sasuke chuckled when she squeaked adorably and hid her face in his chest. His arms circled her as he pressed one final kiss to the crown of her head.
Hinata pressed her face harder to his chest. She felt his chuckle revibrating when his arms enveloped her. The combination of his freshly showered scent and the feel of his lips pressing softly to the top of her head, had her heart fluttering like a humming bird trying to break free from her ribcage.
The whole situation had her red faced and wishing she could die. Preferably surrounded by him, just like this. She could not believe they had this conversation. Suigetsu had gotten inside her head with his suggestive remarks and she just panicked. She must've looked like some immature naïve Genin, stuttering about how she was still a virgin.
Most Shinobi had already done it in their teenagers' year. It was natural considering their line of work. Only an act that was the embodiment of life could stave off the reality of their imminent death.
And yet she never felt the compulsion to find out what it felt like. Maybe because she was shy or maybe because she had this idealistic wish of waiting for someone she loved and who loved her back.
At the time she thought it'll be Naruto. And although they never went all the way (she could admit now that she never trusted him fully after the first time he slept with Sakura) he was her first in other things. Things that had been clumsy because neither had the courage to discuss them openly. Plus she doubted she wouldn't have fainted if they did.
But she didn't faint today!
Was it because it was Sasuke? The way he could always lay her worries to rest? The way he knew the signs of her being on the verge of hyperventilating, the way he could stop it completely with two words: 'Hinata. Breathe'
Or was it that tone of voice he used? Sometimes amused, other times exasperated but still fond. And almost always with a hint of authority that send shivers down her spine and blood rushing to her cheeks. She was pretty sure he could get her to do almost anything with that low timber.
It was unfair how he could be this attractive and possess a sinful voice on top of that.
And despite of all the ways that should've made talking about such things harder, he had put her at ease. Listened to her. Comforted her. Reassured her. Kissed her sweetly, making her heart flutter and then making it beat erratically when he kissed her hotly.
It had her clinging to him tighter. He didn't seem to mind.
"Hinata?" He said her name softly with a hint of a smile in his voice "Are you still breathing down there?"
"Y-yes." Her response was muffled. The Hyuuga decided that she's buried her head in the sand long enough so to speak, so she tilted her face up to find him already peering at her.
"As much as I'm enjoying having you pressed against me, we have some business to get down to." Her face colored once she saw that gleam of amusement in his onyx eyes.
"Right." She stepped out of the confines of his arms and she immediately missed his warmth "Sorry."
"Never be sorry." He poked her forehead playfully and she pouted.
She followed him to the living room and once they sat on the couch she felt a sense of Déjà vu. She had sat in this exact same spot doing something similar to what they were planning to do today. It felt like a lifetime ago when she was upset about Naruto and Sakura and she broke down in front of him. She remembered how he held her, in a way not that different from the way he was holding her a few moments ago. Did he have the same sentiment then too?
"Hinata." The sound of her name brought her back to the present. She looked at him and she could read the hesitation in his face. Sasuke had seemed reluctant to do whatever he was planning to do when they discussed it previously.
"Talk me through the process." The Hyuuga tried to give a reassuring smile.
"We'll start with the easy task." His eyes were guarded "A trip through your memories….I need to understand what we're working against."
"Oh."
He was asking to see the source of her fear and apprehension from her grandfather. All the memories she had locked away in the back of her mind. Every venomous word. Every humiliation. Every failure. Every punishment.
"It is not our enemies that defeat us, it is our fear." His voice was soft but his eyes gleamed with conviction "Do not be afraid of the monsters. Make them afraid of you."
She remembered the way her heart filled with dread when she was summoned in front of the elders like she was on trial. Their cold eyes making sweat gather at the nape of her neck. The way her heart pounded in her ears when they asked about her progress. The harsh reprimand in her father's voice making her flinch. And the way she felt like she couldn't breathe when she hears her grandfather talking.
It was all supposed to be for her benefit. To make her stronger and help her be a worthy heiress. But it had the opposite effect. All it succeeded in doing was making her shrink even more. Make her eyes flee their gaze. She could feel her anxiety clawing at her vocal cords that all that comes out of her mouth was that stutter.
'A sign of a feeble mind.' Her grandfather had said.
They turned her into a ghost.
Until team eight came along. Kurenai-sensei who was the first adult to provide comfort in many years since her mother's passing. Kiba who made a point of throwing his arms around her, because a brother's hands shouldn't only be laced with chakra when touching her. Shino who taught her that silence and quiet can be a strength. She remembers thinking that she could survive like this; a person with team 8 and a ghost at the Hyuuga compound.
That was until both words collided in the Chunin exam and she felt herself disappearing like a ghost again when Neji's Byakugan laid her insecurities bare for the whole audience.
"You can't fool my eyes." Neji's Byakugan had stripped her fear naked for everyone to see "You cannot change…"
"You can!" A shout from the upper level interrupted her cousin's tirade. "Beat him up Hinata!"
The faith in Naruto's voice had brought her out of her stupor that day and when she looked up to find blue eyes seeing her, she gathered the courage to finally look Neji in the eyes. And even though she was left bleeding on the floor, she vowed to stop being a coward.
"I don't want to be afraid anymore." Her voice came out steadier than she thought it would.
As she grew, she learned to face them: shoulders back, chin up and sometimes with a small smile that spelled trouble. She learned to regulate it but faltered when her grandfather got involved.
Sasuke was right. She couldn't afford to falter in the middle of the duel.
"Are you sure?" His voice brought her back to the present moment.
"I trust you." Hinata looked at him shoulders back, chin up and with that familiar smile that spelled trouble. "Help me win this fight."
The warmth of his hand on her cheek helped her center herself. The pride she saw reflected in his dark eyes didn't disappear when the Sharingan spun to life.
"There she is." Sasuke smiled at her when the three tomeo started spinning "My brave warrior princess."
Then everything went dark.
AN: I'm baaaaack! Did you guys miss me? I'm sorry I left you waiting for so long. I was busy editing and cross posting the story on AO3 and I can happily announce that we are finally caught up. So for those who enjoy the other platforme you can rest assured to find the story there too same title same user name. And I will keep posting simultaniously in here and there.
Are you pumped for the next part of the story? I'm pumped and already have a few ideas typed.
Tell me what you thought of this chapter. Did you like Sasuke and Neji working together but bickering when Sasuke gets flirty with Hinata? What did you think of Suigetsu playing with Uchiha fire while sexualizing Hinata? I had fun writing that :D. And the part our Uchiha turned Hinata into a puddle of melted goo with a few not-so-innocent kisses?
As always I read your reviews and loved them. So please keep reviwing.
-Your Back-from-the-dead writer
Lady Thunder Storm