Without Warning (Naruto Fanfiction)

Chapter 28: Complicated, Conflicted

WITHOUT WARNING

CHAPTER 28

COMPLICATED, CONFLICTED

Hinata felt the ground shake and turned to look behind her, though she was not looking for anything in particular. She only knew that sensation of the ground shuddering under her feet threw her mind in a single direction.

"Naruto-kun," her soft voice muttered worriedly, and Sasuke had been the only one to hear it. And no matter how soft her voice had been, he heard her loud and clear. It drove a pang in his chest, which he refused to acknowledge. He instead focused on how worried she seemed to be with her body's general stance, and the slight quiver of her hands as she clasped them together to her chest.

Sasuke knew Naruto was capable of making a large-scale attack enough to cause such a tremor, but he decided not to say anything to confirm Hinata's intuition.

"Come on. We shouldn't waste time." He gruffly instructed, though he maintained a rather kind tone when speaking to Hinata. Without waiting for her response, he continued walking ahead with Karin still on his back. But his senses were still concentrated on Hinata, slowing his steps to wait for her.

After a short moment, perhaps realizing Sasuke had paused to wait for her, Hinata turned and followed after him. She had a quiet and somber attitude as she walked some steps behind the Uchiha's tall frame, both were deep in thought while Karin was still unconscious.

Sasuke had his eyebrows furrowed together. He was in a state of confusion, finding no reason as to his internal refusal to tell Hinata that it was highly probable that Naruto was the source of the tremor. She didn't exactly ask him directly if he knew Naruto was back there fighting, so why was he going through a turbulent internal debate whether or not to confirm her suspicion?

He couldn't understand why it mattered so much to him to keep her from finding out that Naruto was actually neck-deep in his fear for her safety, and that he was just as worried as Sasuke was when they found out the girls were gone. He couldn't bear the thought of seeing that bridge between Naruto and Hinata solidifying, and he hated it even more that he had these thoughts. His best friend was going through hell with his feelings, but goddamn so was he!

What the fuck is wrong with me?!

Suddenly they heard a loud shout that was so similar to a feral snarl. It faintly sounded like it had shouted Hinata's name in a growl. Sasuke froze, having become all too familiar with the raging Nine Tail's voice from his fights together with Naruto melding Susanoo and Kurama.

He lost control? But they're already tied together as friends, so how could it happen?

"Was that--"

"We have to go." Sasuke grasped onto Hinata's wrist, stopping her from taking a step back the way they had come. And she found his touch suddenly icy that it burned. Yet she was forced to follow alongside him with the strength of his grip.

Sasuke saw the flash of confusion in her eyes when she looked from his hand to his face. He carefully released her wrist, and stopped walking in the process; he was apologizing with his facial expression.

"Naruto will be fine." Sasuke said curtly. To Sasuke, he simply wanted to be sure Hinata was in a secure and safe place before he planned to go back and find Naruto. He also wanted to make sure his most trusted friend was okay. At the same time, he didn't want her to be the one present with Naruto.

I need to get my shit together as soon as I can. Sasuke's feelings only caused him to be thrown into disarray. But at least he knew to prioritize the girls' safety.