Chapter Thirty-Five
Uncomfortable Reunion
April 26, 2010
"You sure you're okay being out right now? You went through a lot this morning."
Hinata looked up at the carbon copy of her lover. There was concern on his face, disquiet in his blue eyes. She nodded, then cuddled deeper into the nook his body created, enfolding her hand with the one dangling from her right shoulder. She was just fine at the moment. Having him close to her, walking beneath the heavy strength of his arm, she felt as safe as she always did with him.
"I'm alright. The fresh air makes me feel a bit better and...I've got to face the outside world some time."
Not only was it a hurdle she needed to overcome, the business around her was a distraction her mind sorely needed. She needed to be out in the light, among the cheerful noisiness of the village. This morning had been...
Goosebumps pebbled her flesh.
She didn't really want to think about it right now.
If she thought about it too long, she would get scared again.
And she didn't want to be. For as long as she could, she wanted to run from that feeling. She knew, once she started training, she was going to be more than scared. This chakra inside her, this energy that slithered and twined beneath her skin would make sure of that. Beneath that, guilt...depression still lingered. Neither had left her. The terror had merely eclipsed the two. They'd return, she knew. When it was quiet and she couldn't beat back the memories of what she had done. Walking among happy people in a lively village seemed to be the best way to skirt all that baggage.
Her eyes softened on the clone at her side.
More so than that, she didn't want to worry him.
He was spending time with Sasuke, something he hadn't done in years. He had talked openly and fondly about the man that left him an amputee, worried over what life he was currently living and had hoped one day he'd see him again. Now that it was happening, she didn't want to ruin that for him. She didn't want him to think about anything other than catching up with his former teammate.
And thus, their trip outdoors.
They walked slowly, leisurely, talking sparsely. She knew she was being quieter than normal but she couldn't help it. She wasn't okay, and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't pretend to be. It wouldn't work on the man beside her anyway.
He stopped a moment, halting her in the process. She tilted her head up to him. He was turned slightly, peering at something behind them.
"Naruto-kun?"
He beamed down at her.
"Stay right here, I'll be right back. And don't turn around."
Dark brows furrowing in confusion, she could only wonder what he was up to as he extracted himself from her. This wasn't the first time he'd done something like this. Her husband to be was and always had been a spontaneous, unpredictable person, and she loved that part of him. He always made their life exciting and lively. He did things that others wouldn't, did things others couldn't and had ideas that would never cross anyone else's mind. He wasn't stupid, or an idiot, he was unique, her Naruto.
A few minutes passed and though she knew she wouldn't, the temptation to turn and look was strong.
"Excuse me...Hinata-sama."
Her gaze snapped to the person in front of her. Dark chocolate eyes, thick dark hair, the man was as tall as her fiancé. He looked anxious, and swallowed twice. There was determination on his face, and apprehension in his eyes.
She didn't know this man.
"Yes?"
The man coughed, a nervous tremor clinging to it.
"I..." he glanced at his feet, shuffled a little, then met her gaze again, "for a long time now, I've...admired you from a distance. The whole villages knows that you're...in a relationship with Uzumaki-sama and I know, I can never compete with someone like that but..."
Oh...
It was this sort of situation again.
Though this one was a little different. She was opening her mouth to give the man her cookie cutter thanks, to let him down gently when he grabbed her hand. Surprised, she met his desperate eyes.
"You are the most beautiful, most graceful woman in the world and I want-"
He stopped abruptly, then dropped her as though burned. His earnest orbs widened, swelling with panic as they focused over her shoulder. Something hard, warm and familiar loomed behind her, pressing against her back. She craned her neck, taking in the sapphire glare of her Jinchuuriki lover. His usually cheerfully neutral face was clouded over with something dark and virile. He wrapped an arm about her waist, the space between their bodies now nonexistent, pinkening her her cheeks in the process. It wasn't hard for anyone to read his face, to understand his body language.
He was annoyed.
He was displeased.
And he was jealous.
It wasn't the first time she'd found herself within this territorial embrace, and wouldn't be the last. Naruto wasn't the least bit concerned she would stray. In her world, the only man that existed was him. The idea of loving someone else was laughable, to both of them. The thought of her sharing herself with someone other than the whiskered face blonde wrapped around her was, quite frankly, nauseating. However, he explained, that didn't mean he couldn't still be jealous. It didn't mean he would watch scenes like the current one and just leave it at that. That's not who he was and that's not how he would ever respond. He didn't like watching other men ogling her or pestering with declarations of love, let alone touching her and never would. He couldn't stand the thought of it before they'd gotten together, and seeing Toneri do it had seared the distaste for it in his mind.
She didn't mind it.
In fact, it always made her heart flutter when it happened. Though she'd die before she admitted it...his jealousy, his often times quiet, but unabashed possessiveness alway gave her heart a thrill. In all the years she'd loved him, never had she dreamed he'd ever display such primal feelings towards her. He never went overboard, or got violent with anyone, but he let it be known what he felt in many ways to whatever party he felt was overstepping their boundaries.
"You want what?" he questioned the man.
Though soft, his tone held a bite she recognized.
"U-Uzumaki-sama!" the man sputtered.
"You said you wanted something, what was it you wanted?" he questioned again, the timbre of his voice deepening, "I'm sure I could help you find what you're looking for."
"Ahh- no, uh, t-that's alright, Uzumaki-sama," the man bumbled, "I uh, I think I can find it myself. E-excuse me."
Hinata watched the man go, feeling a tiny bit bad for the frightened and embarrassed guy. Bright pink entered her peripheral then stopped before her wide, pleasantly surprised eyes.
"I step a way for one second and they're all over you," he grumbled in her ear, "not that I can blame them."
Pleasure filled her heart. The pretty petals looked delicate and the subtle aroma that wafted from the bundled flowers was heavenly.
"It's been a while since I bought you flowers," her lover murmured, "there was a vendor a little ways back."
She smiled, taking the bouquet from his hand. She hadn't noticed anyone selling flowers. Her mind had been on autopilot for most of their walk.
"They're lovely, thank you Naruto-kun."
He wrapped his other arm around her waist and gave a gentle squeeze before lowering his chin to her shoulder. She peeked at his face and giggled at the pout she found there.
He was still annoyed.
She turned and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you for coming to my rescue."
"Annoying flies, always tryna steal my Princess away," he complained without heat.
She could only laugh at the depiction of her being carted off by flies.
"Naruto! Hinata!"
They both looked up.
Tenten and Lee were moving towards them, waving. Hinata felt a small curl of apprehension. Tension shot through her petite form. She wasn't sure who knew...what she'd done, who knew that there was something going on inside of her. Worry about what her friends would think of her had taken a backseat to the guilt, terror and depression but now, in the light of day, with said friends headed her way, she was scared.
Did any of their friends know?
And even if they didn't...could they look into her eyes and glean the information.
Was there something different about her?
Would they be able to see the monster inside of her. The one that had hurt so many people. The one she felt whispering eve now. She didn't want anybody to know what she had done. She didn't want anyone to see the blood on her hands. Sucking in a breath, Hinata willed her mind to calm. Anxiety beat at her temples, leaving her skin clammy. She felt on the cusp of a panic attack.
She didn't want that either.
Another squeeze, this one reassuring, from the clone at her back, cut through the fog and went to war with the rising distress in the pit of her stomach.
"Relax," he soothed.
He rubbed gentle circles with his thumb over the back of the hand gripping his hoodie sleeve at her waist as the duo reached them.
"Good afternoon, Naruto-kun, Hinata-san." Lee greeted.
"Not a surprise to find you two being all lovey dovey in the middle of the street," Tenten huffed teasingly.
Naruto chuckled.
"It's kinda our thing, 'ttebayo," he grinned, "what are you guys up. No mission?"
"We actually just got back from one this morning. We're on our way to the training grounds," Tenten explained, "by the way, when's the engagement party you two? Things are on a down swing so the chances of us all being in the village at the same time are pretty high."
"That's right!" Lee enthused, "we must celebrate this long overdue, passionate union between you two."
"Ahhhh, well, we haven't had time to talk about it yet-"
"Oh come on!" the weapons experted exhaled, "how hard is it to pick a place and round everybody up? We do it all the time. Its bad enough you didn't tell the whole group you were planning on popping the question but now you're dragging your feet about the party? Kiba forgave you once, you won't get lucky a second time, ya know. He's been itching for a reason to get sloppy drunk and you're holding up his good time."
Naruto laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, I got it, I got it. Maybe some time this week. There's actually...uh, something I gotta tell you guys."
He straightened, the gleam in his blue orbs shifting from mirth to grave.
"Can't be good if its got you looking like that," Tenten murmured, her own posture straightening, "what's up Naruto? Something happen?"
"Yeah, Sasuke's back."
Both pairs of eyes widened. Lee's fishbowls with shock then contemplative, Tenten's chocolate brown with first incredulity, then...hostility.
He sighed internally.
"He came back this morning. My original self is with him at the moment,"
"Let me guess, you want us to play nice with him."
"Yeah, actually," he told her, "look, Tenten, I know you're not a fan of Sasuke-"
"That's putting it mildly-"
"But he's my friend and he's been through a lot in his life," he said, "he's made some really bad decisions, and hurt a lot of people-"
"You and Sakura for starters."
"I know," he admitted, "we all know that, but he did it for a reason."
"I know the reason."
"Then try and understand. At least give him a chance. Leave the past in the past."
"Kinda hard to do that when you're still paying for the past in the present," she said, staring pointedly at his bandaged arm.
He sighed.
Hinata rubbed her own fingers against his arm, giving silent support. She knew this wasn't going to be easy. And Kiba...she didn't even wanna think about that brewing storm. As much as they fought, she knew Kiba really cared about Naruto, all of them really. And being the passionate guy he was, he wouldn't take to kindly to Sasuke being anywhere near any of his friends. Her fiancé was really going to have his work cut out for him trying to get the hound nin to at least be civil.
"Tenten-"
"I get it. We're not gonna be buddies, and I'm not gonna pretend I want to have anything to do with him."
"I wasn't asking you to, but I'm also not gonna cut him out of my life. You guys are my friends. He's my friend too. I want everyone to be at our engagement party, him included. I know it's not ideal and it probably won't be all that comfortable at first but even if you can't be friendly with him, then at least be understanding when he's there. Not for him, but for me. I'm sorry to ask this of you guys, but-"
"It's fine, Naruto," Tenten sighed, "after Pain and the war, you kinda have a right to ask anything of anybody."
The blonde frowned.
"It's not like that. I wouldn't hold that over anybody's head. I wasn't the only one that fought."
"But you were the one that mattered, both times. You turned the tide by yourself. And I know you didn't mean it like that, you're not the type to use that as leverage to get what you want, I'm just saying, you've done a lot for everyone, him included. I might not like it, but this pales in comparison to what the village asked of you."
She crossed her arms. Her words were at odds the sour look on her face.
"I support you, Naruto-kun," bushy brows offered, "I don't know much about him, and what I've seen and heard haven't been good and of course there's your arm...but, I trust you, Naruto-kun. If you say he's worth giving a chance then I cannot in good faith write him off until I've given him one."
"Thanks Lee."
"Tolerance is all you'll get out of me. Sorry, Naruto."
"That's fine. I get it. I just...want everyone close to me to be around for things like this. Its important to me, dattebayo."
"Then I guess that's good enough for me," she shrugged, though her face again, said otherwise, "you tell everybody else or do you want us to make the rounds?"
He shook his head.
"I'll get to everybody," he told her, "I don't know how long Sasuke's gonna be here so we'll get together for the party pretty soon. Probably in a couple of days."
Tenten glanced at her, then back at Naruto.
"Sakura know?"
The clone scratched his head.
"Maybe, I'm not sure yet. My original left me here with Hinata, we had a couple things to do in town,"
"Well she's probably gonna need some girl time tomorrow," she returned her attention back to the quiet Hyuuga wrapped in his arms, "right, Hinata?"
She nodded. That was a definite. Sakura hadn't spoken about her one sided love in quite a while but they knew, she still struggled with it. Still hurt over it. Having him back, after all this time, she knew was going to be hard for the medical kunoichi. She'd need time and support to process everything she had to be feeling after their unexpected reunion.
"Yes."
"Tomorrow then."
Turning to her spandex wearing partner, Tenten sighed.
"Let's get to the training grounds Lee," Tenten urged, "gotta sudden urge to let off some steam. Later Naruto, Hinata."
Lee waved and the two were gone.
"That went as well as expected,"
She shot a glance at the clone behind her. He looked glum.
"It'll be okay, Naruto-kun. They just need time...they really do care about you."
"I know," he murmured, "and I appreciate it, but...I just wish they'd give him a chance, 'ttebayo."
"It'll happen, I'm sure of it."
He was a quiet a moment before he spoke again.
"I hope so," he unwrapped his arms and moved to stand in front of her.
His eyes were sharp and attentive.
Contemplative.
"You gonna be okay to go out tomorrow. Its gonna be girl time, and unless I use my sexy jutsu, they're not gonna let in."
The panic from earlier returned in a surge that left her lightheaded. She didn't mind going out to support her friend. Sakura meant a lot to her, all their friends did...but, while she was among them, she was going to have to pretend to be normal...and she didn't feel normal anymore.
xxxxxx
He could see the storm brewing, the trepidation slowly suffusing her face. He reached out, stroking a stray lock at her temple.
"Aside from Shikamaru, they don't know," he told her quietly, "and even if they did, I'll tell you what a beautiful girl told me, back when I was struggling."
She gazed up at him, already skirting an emotional tide. They both knew what girl he was talking about.
"You have people that know your heart, know who you really are, people that would never look at you and call you a monster, even if you lost control."
Pearlescent orbs widened and he knew, she remembered the words she had said to him back when the village was being reconstructed and the two had traveled to gather food rations. He remembered what she had said to him that day, word for word. He'd etched into his heart that very day, replaying it over and over whenever midnight worries kept him awake. They'd gotten him through some tough days and even tougher nights.
"You're not perfect and no one that cares about you expects you to be," he told repeated, sliding gentle fingers along her cheek, "You don't have to be something you're not just to please the villagers, and you don't have to beat yourself up for not meeting someone else's expectations. At the end of the day, you have to live with you, no one else. You have to look at yourself in the mirror and love or hate what you see there. The friends you made, you made them just being you and you'll keep those friends, just being you. Even if you lost control, even if the villagers no longer looked at you as the Hyuuga Princess, you have people behind you that would never abandon you, people that believe in you, people that will always be there to pick you up when you fall."
She was crying before she even realized and he thumbed the droplets away.
His gaze was tender.
"Wanna go back home?"
She nodded, too emotional to speak.
xxxxxx
"Sasuke-kun..."
He turned from the blonde glaring at him to the woman he both dread and desired to see.
She looked...different. Taller, curvier, maturity clinging to her much like it had with Naruto and Ino. There was a distinctive femininity to her lithe body that he couldn't remember being there in their early youth, emphasized by the formfitting red and white qipao dress and the thick black cinch at her waist. She held an aura that was subtly sultry and brimming with the confident self awareness of a woman that knew her mind.
Her emerald eyes seemed shadowed, vaguely resembling the darkness he saw in his own eyes. That hollowness was surrounded by a sea of shock.
"You're back..."
He merely nodded.
There was a beat between them and for once, he wasn't sure what was on her mind. Love, hope and desperation for acceptance that was often...pitiful...he didn't see those things that had once been the standard back when they were kids. If she felt any of those things, he couldn't glean them from her expression, nor her wide gaze. There was merely...surprise. Like coming across an old friend from school days, not that of the girl that had once chased him, screaming for his attention.
Even Naruto seemed confused with the prolonged silence between them.
"Uhhhh, like I said, Sakura-chan, Sasuke helped me out with something this morning, we walked around a bit then came here to see you,"
The surprise her green orb held melded away and impassivity took its place.
"What brought you back to the village...Sasuke-kun?" she asked, polite curiosity in her voice.
He hesitated a moment. While she asked calmly and seemingly with disinterest, he knew the query was important. That she was asking more than one question right now. Had he come to see Naruto, had he come to see her or had the reason nothing to do with either one of them? He may have done terrible things in his life, but he wasn't a liar. And thus, he told her the truth. Or rather the truth his heart could acknowledge.
"I found a scroll of importance and returned to deliver it to the Hokage."
Behind the pinkette, Naruto silently slapped his forehead, gave him a glare and mouthed a word the annoyed Uzumaki usually had thrown at himself by others, the Uchiha included.
Idiot!
Her face hadn't changed, but something in her energy had. He could feel it...a distancing.
Expectant disappointment.
"I see," she murmured, "then I won't hold you, I need to return to work anyway. Welcome back...Sasuke-kun."
She turned and started back to the building, Ino falling in step with her.
"Ah, we already finished with Kakashi-sensei," Naruto rushed to clarify, "you're not holding us up, Sakura-chan,"
She stopped.
"Even so, my shift isn't over yet. Things are busy today. I've got to get back, otherwise this place will devolve into chaos."
"Right...well, why don't we all hang out when you get done," he suggested, "we can go out for a drink or have dinner at my place, 'ttebayo."
"I won't be done until really late tonight, so you guys go on without me."
"Oh...okay. Maybe tomorrow we can meet up?"
She looked over at the whisker faced jonin for a moment, then turned back.
"Yeah, maybe. I'll let you know."
Sasuke watched her turn and walk back through the hospital doors, Ino following.
Without a doubt, this was not the same girl that had chased him for so long.
This woman...
This woman was one he didn't know.
xxxxxx
"You okay?"
Sakura didn't even glance up from her cup. They were sitting in the break room in the East wing. Contrary to what she'd said, the hospital was nowhere near busy.
"No." She answered honestly.
How could she be. Sasuke had returned. He'd stood there in all his mysterious glory after years apart and the young girl that lingered inside of her had held her breath. Bathing in the familiarity and uniqueness that was Sasuke Uchiha. He was more handsome than he had been last she'd seen him and not nearly as cold as his terror reining days. But that darkness that had fueled his desertion still churned with his gaze.
He was different and yet the same.
Seeing him now...
After years of silence, after spilling her heart out on page after page of the letters that had never been read, of crying out the lonely days and even lonelier nights with his name on her lips, her heart could do naught but ache at the sight of him.
Her heart just...hurt.
In so many ways.
It hurt with love.
It suffered with sadness.
It squeezed with longing.
And it bled with bitter disappointment.
She knew, when she asked the question, what his response would be. Or rather what it wouldn't be. He hadn't come back specifically for her. Not even remotely close. She was a side quest, an after thought and it fucking hurt.
"I'm sorry," the Yamanaka murmured, reaching out to cover her hand, "I shouldn't be the one saying it, but even if he never does, I'm truly sorry, Sakura. This is...a really shitty situation."
That didn't even come close to encompassing the situation. It was more than shitty. It was a nightmare she couldn't seem to stop re-living.
"But maybe this time, with him here, you can finally put this behind you," Ino said, "even if you can't move on right away, at least, when you're ready, you won't have any loose ends untied."
Was that what this was?
Loose ends?
They certainly didn't feel loose. They were tight enough to suffocate.
"Face him," the Yamanaka encouraged, "tell him how you feel, what you want and see what he plans to do about it. Don't let it slide this time. Find out, once and for all if this is happening between you two. Stop chasing and put your foot down. Show him the woman you've become while he was away and stick to who you resolved to be. After that thing with Naruto, you said things had became clearer. That you realized you were breaking your own heart by not facing reality."
She had.
That night she and Naruto had ended that...whatever the hell it was, and watching him get up and move the moment he realized his feeling were that of love, it brought her own situation into stark relief.
Sasuke moved when he wanted something.
He pursued it as doggedly as Naruto did. He'd left the village he grew up in to chase his ambitions. If he could do that, then why couldn't he turn that single minded purpose to her. Why was it always her running after him? Why was it her that always watched him walk away?
She loved him, she wouldn't lie to herself about that, but she also couldn't deny reality.
She had loved and chased him since girlhood. Since the academy days, Sasuke had known of her feelings towards him. As a child, a child that gone through the horrific trauma he had suffered, the fact that her affection hadn't stirred him was understandable. They were young. Men and women were different, even as children.
After he left, that love had carried over and she'd spent every waking day thinking of him and taken every single chance to search for him. Meeting him face to face in Orochimaru's hideout, it was like he didn't know them. The look in his eyes had been so vacant, it had broken her heart, and when raised his hand against them, that break had widened and still...her heart had sang his name.
And then...when she had resolved to kill him, at the very last moment, she hadn't been able to...but he...
She swallowed, willing the tears to stay behind her burning eyes.
The man she loved hadn't hesitated. If it had not been for Naruto, she knew without a doubt, he would have killed her...even then, she'd felt only an overwhelming sadness, crying and cursing the demons that had twisted him into someone that could do something so vile. She had forgiven and made peace with that long before he reached the battlefield. Long before he stood along side them to defeat Kaguya.
And when the fight between him and Naruto concluded.
As she worked to stop the bleeding, her heart had sang a different melody.
'Finally.'
Finally he was home, finally he had returned, finally they could sit and laugh as team 7 once more. Finally she could convince him to give her a chance.
But...it wasn't meant to be.
The moment he was released from prison, he was gone again. No goodbye, no see you later, nothing. Just gone from her life yet again, leaving her bereft, heartbroken...and angry. For a long time, it found home in her chest, stewing and burning, rearing its ugly head as she watched Naruto fall head over heels in love with Hinata. It festered as she watched friend after friend find their match and begin building a life together while she sat alone in her little house, nursing a love for a man that couldn't even be bothered to read her letters, let alone write her one.
It made her question everything.
What was she holding out for? Why was she putting forth so much effort when she received little or nothing in return?
This wasn't a Naruto and Hinata situation.
Sasuke wasn't ignorant to her feelings, he simply...didn't acknowledge them and she would even go so far to say he didn't want them. She couldn't will her heart not to love him...but what the hell was she holding on to hope for?
Why chase a man that didn't want to be caught?
"Talk to him, before he leaves again."
She nodded.
"I already planned on talking to him. Who knows how long he's staying this time, so I'll pull him aside and talk to him tomorrow," she announced, "and when we do, that'll be it. I'll spell it out for him one last time, and whatever the outcome, this is it. I'm leaving this...dysfunctional cycle. Its not healthy for me."
Ino nodded in agreement.
She knew her friend whole heartedly agreed. She also knew the blonde kunoichi wanted her to wash her hands of the Uchiha romantically. Sakura couldn't blame her. The way she had cried to Ino over the silences from him after she checked the mail post only to be told no one had picked up her letter. The way she vented about his indifference towards her as young genin. The way she agonized over his abrupt departure. Ino had no reason to want this man in her best friend's life. The sweet memories she had of him protecting her, defending her, and sometimes showing a hint of caring had not been enough to sway the psych shinobi in her staunch opinion that she rid her heart of the former rogue.
She sighed.
She didn't want to talk about it anymore. She didn't want to think about it any more. Her mind was made up. She would confront him tomorrow and deal with the aftermath following the exchange. She shouldn't waste the mental and emotional stamina she was going to need for that. She turned her attention to a more important topic.
What had brought her friend here.
"What happened, Ino?"
"Nothing yet," the blonde negated, "I have another mental assessment tomorrow, but they're pretty sure I'm...stable enough to start digging around in those creatures heads. There aren't that many left in the labs now, and the ones they have left are dying too. I've got to go back in or we won't get any more information from them."
Her lips turned down, emerald orbs swirling with dismay. She understood the importance of Ino's assignment, how crucial it was now that the attacks had slowed and jubokko were becoming harder to find, but...
She looked at the woman across from her.
There were already shadows in her blue depths, and small bags under her eyes. Anxiety, though subtle, radiated from her body. She was still scared. Still grappling with the monsters in her head. The nightmare that kept her from sleeping.
She reached across the table and placed her hand over Ino's clammy one.
"I'll make time in my schedule to be with you every chance I can, just like I did before. You won't be alone, but if it gets to be too much, tell me right away. Don't wait until you running down the street in the middle of the night. Come to me long before that, alright? Don't destroy yourself over this."
"I won't...as long as you won't either," she countered, "don't destroy yourself over him. And the moment you talk to him, whatever the outcome, come to me."
They gazed at each, both knowing the words they spoke were a promise to each other.
xxxxxx
"Idiot! Why'd you have to go and make it seem like the only reason you came back was to drop off that scroll!" Naruto barked.
"That is why-"
"It's not the only reason! Okay, maybe that was the reason that originally brought you back but you would've left already if that's all it was. Whether you admit it or not, you came to see us too."
The frustrated blonde sighed, gazing pensively at the doors his friends had disappeared beyond. He'd never seen Sakura look like that. As unemotional as she tried to come off, he'd know her too long to believe any of it. She was happy to see Sasuke...but she was also hurting.
It pained him to see that.
He had expected anger, fists to fly. She never really hit Sasuke the way she did him, but this time, he thought for sure the one armed nin would get a good smack across the face.
Or even yelled at.
But no, just this strange calm that screamed distress more than it hid it. Something had changed in the years Sasuke had been gone. A change even he hadn't noticed. Too wrapped up in his new relationship, the devastation outside the walls of Konoha and everything else around him, he hadn't seen any shifting of her disposition other than a maturing all of them seemed to have gone through following the war. She was less prone to use her fists, though she still had a temper. Work at the hospital kept her busy, but she still smiled and laughed with their friends. She no longer seemed angry or bitter towards the relationships forming around her. To his mind, he had assumed she hadn't given up on being with their former teammate. That she had made peace with the wait, and was prepared to do so no matter how long it took, unread letters aside.
Clearly he had been wrong.
Dead wrong.
"Its scarier that she didn't hit you," he admitted, "or cry or yell at you. She didn't even seem like she cared that you came back."
He sighed.
"Toldja you shoulda read her letters and at least sent her one. I know now why you didn't but still...Sakura-chan is pretty upset with you about it."
He scratched his head.
At the very least those two needed time alone to talk.
He was no matchmaker...and he should probably leave this alone but... when had he left stuff that bothered him alone? Besides, had someone stepped in between him and Hinata, maybe things would've worked out the way they were now a hell of a lot sooner and definitely a lot smoother.
How he was going to help his friends, he didn't know, he'd think about it later, for now though...
"You don't have a place to stay yet do you?" he asked the Uchiha.
Most likely not. Sasuke had left long before Konoha had been destroyed and reconstructed. The district his clan had been forced into was long gone and rebuilt over and anything that had belong to him, money and assets had been seized immediately upon his rogue status. Even with the pardon, those things had not been returned, nor had Sasuke requested their return.
"No."
"You can stay at our house," Naruto offered, "we gotta spare room with its own bathroom and everything."
He looked his friend over.
The tan poncho looked shabby, his pants well worn. He couldn't see his shirt, but was sure it hadn't fared well either.
"You're gonna need some clothes for the week. I'd lend you mine but," he grinned, "I'm the only one that looks good in orange. Don't worry though, Hinata showed me this really cool place where they do all the shopping for ya, dattebayo,"
An hour and a half later, Sasuke had enough clothes for two weeks. While he hadn't balked at coming to the clothing store, or protested the process, he did put his foot down in regards to the bill. As a man, Naruto understood pride and he'd not take that from him. Whatever way he needed to settle the tab, he wouldn't intervene or offer help.
Overall, it was a smooth transition.
The same lady that had outfitted him had done the same for the one armed Uchiha. She maintained professionalism and was very discerning, instantly distinguishing Sasuke's preferred style from what he currently wore and matching it to their vast array.
She kept it dark and simple.
At the conclusion, she gave them two options; carry all the bags home with them or have them delivered tomorrow afternoon. In the end, they carried out enough for tonight and tomorrow morning then had the rest set for delivery. They left with his friend outfitted in a long sleeve navy shirt, black pants and a midnight cloak. The duo headed back to his apartment, Naruto chatting away about his genin team the Uchiha would be meeting the next day.
When they reached his door, Naruto sniffed the aroma wafting from it as he inserted his key into the lock.
"Hinata's already making dinner," he enthused, "smells good. Wait until you try her cooking. It's amazing. You'll see why I don't eat ramen as much any more, dattebayo."
He opened the door, closed it and began taking his shoes off.
"I'm home," he called out, twisting his foot from the first sandal and hanging his key on the rack.
"Welcome home," his fiancée greeted as she rounded the corner with himself.
Shoes off, Naruto moved. Cupping the back of her head, he lowered his lips to hers for a short, and what he considered, chaste kiss.
She flushed, embarrassed by the display of affection in front of Sasuke. They may have been formally introduce, she may know him from their academy days, but she still didn't really know him outside the stories he'd told her. To her, he was still a stranger. It was the main reason he'd kept the kiss light, in deference to her. Not kissing her hadn't been an option. Garbed as she was in a willowy lavender dress, long dark hair gathered in that messy bun he loved and frilly pink apron tied around her waist, she was too cute not to lock lips with.
"Sasuke's here for dinner," he told her with a happy smile, "he's gonna be staying in the spare room for now."
His soon to be wife smiled, then peered around him at their guest.
"Please make yourself at home," she offered the man standing at the door, "and if there's anything you need, feel free to let us know."
Pride filled his chest. They hadn't discussed before hand the plan to invite Sasuke back to their place to stay, but he knew she truly didn't mind. She'd transition smoothly into the position of hostess without missing a beat. She was so sweet and graceful, his woman. She was already his wife as far as he was concerned.
"Thank you for the hospitality. Excuse the intrusion." Sasuke replied politely.
Naruto released the clone and took a moment to sort through its memories. He glanced up at her, snaring her gaze with his own, cobalt orbs assessing. She gave him a small smile of reassurance. She seemed okay. His clone had made sure to comfort her once they got home and from what he could see, it had been exactly what she needed. The two had been making dinner before he opened the door. Apparently she had already toyed with the idea that Sasuke would be here for dinner and had not only made enough to feed four grown men, she had gone all out and created a small feast.
It brought him no small measure of relief that, at least in his own home, Sasuke was welcome.
xxxxxx
And so the drama begins. This is gonna be my first time getting Sakura and Sasuke to mesh so its gonna be a challenge. Those two didn't really seem to click for me to be honest but hey, I'll make it work. Anyway, I just realized...Hinata hasn't been wearing a headband ANYWHERE in her new mission gear. I fuckin looked in the last episode of Shippuden, I looked in the Last and she legit is not wearing it. Am I trippin? Is there a reason for this that I missed???
I'm done.
Let me know what you guys think!
Laters
Sessakag~