Sweet Dispositions

-Chapter 56-
Sweetness

She heard the bombardment of attacks and self-preservation while she laid there. The grass was so soft. If her arms were free, she would have scrunched up the dirt, smelled it, and felt the pebbles sting her palm with their toothy edges.

Hinata stared at the blades of grass, mesmerized. "Wow..."

Hinata took another shallow breath, realizing something terrible. The snakes wouldn't stop squeezing her entire body. She- she can't breathe.

She panicked. There were people looking down at her, doing nothing. They were frozen, unwilling to aid her. She was sure she was blue. This felt like being force-fed those healing, medicinal leaves from weeks ago.

It tasted disgusting. Black tainted the edges of her singular vision. She's being held down again but by a different snake. It brought back all that dismissed pain. Flashes of memories started getting to her.

This is your home.

It's all your fault. All those lives. All those people you didn't save. They died because you don't believe in a better world controlled by the DCA.

Despair. Death. Chaos. I don't think I will ask again. Will you serve me?

The Blood Trials that you asked for are what we have to sign up for.

Are you Remy and Winter or are you mine?

Survive. Survive. Survive.

This is your home.

You made what was borrowed your own. Our child, Kazuo-tan.

Isn't he amazing?

At the funeral. I saw you smiling. It was a good day, bad day, the worst day of your life and you smiled. I saw it and I thought, I had to make you love me.

I won't hurt you. I won't hurt you.

This is your home.

Don't make me be death, a demon or evil to you. You won't endure that.

Paradise, of course.

Don't worry, my lady. I shall take c-care of you.

This will kill all of the germs. The bugs in your stomach, too.

This is your home.

Ryouta Chai Uchiha.

This is your home!

Hinata awoke with a gasp, her mind spinning with this supercut of that hell and how it haunted her.

It smelled like burning fire and smoke.

Hinata blinked and coughed a lot. She didn't kill Akuma. She didn't kill him because of Kabuto. Why's it so hard to breathe? She's gasping for breath through the guilt. All of her frustration settled in her skull, giving her a bad headache.

But she's looking at the sky, hearing some bird's chirp, feeling feel of the wind, the smile of the sun. There were several flimsy snake corpses around her, sliced open in two. She couldn't focus on that. She looked away to that sky.

How could the sky be... so blue? It looked like a mild, mossy blue, with black holes. The sky never had... smooth white skin, huge, expressive eyes with stress lines creasing its soft presence. The sky never yelled, either.

The sky's rattling voice snarled to the awed group of pawns. "Why weren't you helping? She could have died!" the sky yelled.

Then the sky leaned over and flashes of another burnt copper red filled her sight. Gaara. His trench coat, his slightly dusty clothes and tattoo were there. Why was Gaara here? He killed those snakes when no one else would.

"Ji-Hinata, why are you here? How did you get caught in these summons? What happened to your eye?" Gaara demanded.

Hinata sighed, sitting up and staring at the group of horrified people glaring at her. They watched her suffocate and didn't do anything. Just moving made her body protest.

Some cowered at the sight of her. "We're sorry Lady Akuma!" someone murmured.

Gaara had a barrier of sand around her. Gaara's question soon lost priority to answer. All she could think about is Konoha and Iwakgakure being assaulted by bouts of fires and attacks.

The sun was taken from her. Her kids too. Her kids... were without a mother for the past six weeks. Are they okay now?

"Are my kids okay?" Hinata croaked out. The sand was protective and soft around her. Its humming was neutral and whole.

Gaara nodded. It was a sure nod with confidence.

"Thank you..." Hinata croaked out.

That's all she needed to know. She's satisfied with that news. She's wasting a lot of breath and energy. She could fall into her exhaustion and chakra loss. She fell back. Gaara, ever the fast man, caught her.

The sand particles that floated around reacted to the worry of their master. They made a temporary crutch for Hinata's limp limbs. "Stay awake! You must not close your eyes," Gaara commanded.

Her eyes were going to roll into the back of her head. He didn't let her sleep. Her shoulder was practically in his mouth when he gathered her closer. He jostled her to look at him.

Hinata blinked, drawling, "Why, Kazekage-sama? Tommy has surely done his job and I'm so tired..."

"You shall sleep. After. Don't fret. Just tell me some things... How'd you know that Tommy would fight me? What else did you put into escaping?" Gaara asked insistently.

Hinata opened her mouth to explain. To talk about how she got weapons. How she's stronger because she stood up to Akuma. How she'd manipulate Tommy. How she trained girls to be safe. How she memorized the landscape. How she smelled those damn flowers. But she just froze.

Gaara stared at Hinata, pressed for answers. His literal curiosity made her have goosebumps.

"Why aren't you in your home?" Gaara asked concernedly.

Those words bounced around and set off some hidden neuroticism.

"That wasn't my home at all! Why would, why would you say that- that hell was my home?! I hate that... I hate Akuma- that wasn't my home!" she was hysterical, clawing at him. "Understand that I almost had him! I was this close to making him repent. He doesn't know how much pain he caused. How he killed everyone's dreams?! That wasn't my home. If he knew, he wouldn't be able to live with himself. He came out, unrepentant, vicious and victorious."

"Okay! Okay, I understand." Gaara whispered.

"No, you don't! You're looking at me like I am crazy. I'm not! That hell, that place, that could never be my house! I never want a house like that!"

"Ji-Hinata-"

"I hate what we've done! I hate that I couldn't-... I couldn't save anyone! I've seen so much death and that... That wasn't my home. Why did everyone keep on saying that?!"

Gaara grabbed her shoulder. "Snap out of that! You were kidnapped for two months. You don't ever have to spend another moment being in captivity. Nothing will hurt you."

"But the house..."

"You could be my house, and I could be yours," he said firmly. It was like a growl that left his mouth as a promise.

She looked at him for a moment and for the first time in a long while, felt his words to be true. Like he wasn't just saying it to make her less panicky or to appease her.

You could be my house and I could be yours echoed. His grace just echoed within her...

That snapped her out of the daze she had and she wilted. "I don't want to be there, in a place like that ever."

"It won't happen again, Ji-Hinata. We found the criminals. We found you." Gaara said mildly.

"You found me, desert king Kazekage-sama."

"You led me to you, right? Those hints were direct. Tommy was a great help too."

"I liked Tommy," Hinata admitted with a small voice. "He didn't deserve this."

"Do you equate how much you like your freedom to a man who carried the will of Akuma and anticipated Akuma's reign of terror?" Gaara scoffed.

Gaara genuinely thought all the pawns were swines. That didn't surprise Hinata. It didn't make her feel any better either. She was too tired to judge that.

Hinata's mouth tasted like an ashtray. "I don't know. I just liked him."

Hinata realized that the scarf around her waist was loose. It almost left her. She looked to the Kazekage and reached for his forehead. He watched her like the moon, his gaze constant and sure. He didn't move away.

"Thank you for everything..." She poked his forehead then the tattoo he had.

He flinched, looking so confused but he didn't ask any questions.

"That body is one percent of your existence. The rest must be kindness."

Hinata unhooked the scarf from her waist. It was soft, charred at parts and some strings were frayed. It was a symbolic piece, though. He had to keep it safe. She didn't trust she would make it very far. Her eyes were already closing and her grip wasn't tight. She didn't want Sasuke to have it yet. Maybe when they meet up again or something.

"Keep this scarf safe..." Hinata smiled, feeling empty and mean. "I want to give it to someone precious."

The turquoise of his sandy eyes became hard gravel but that passed. "Alright. It is a deal. I shall await when you collect your debt."

He carried her to her feet, madness and sheer determination keeping her awake. Hinata buckled and he made a soft, floating cloud of sand to catch her. She sent a gracious smile in his direction.

"Ji-Hinata, I must get back to the entrance of the DCA base. My troops stand there patiently for me." Gaara said.

Hinata laughed. He was still calling her Ji-Hinata. He looked at her, confused. "What is so funny?"

"You can call me Hinata..." Hinata whispered shyly. "It's Hinata."

He stood taller. "I am proud to make your acquaintance, Hinata-san."

Hinata nodded pleasantly. "Take me to the base. I must verify something..."

Gaara looked to all the pawns observing their private conversation. "You all must follow me. I have questions in dire need of answering. You all have dojutsu and I have never seen a Hyuuga with red hair and freckles. We must investigate the science of your origins."

Hinata could attest to that.

"Will you punish us?" A buff man with sharp features, cut auburn hair and black eyes demanded. He used his intimidating stature and long arms to shield the rest of the pawns. He seemed fiercely protective of them.

Gaara sighed. "No, but you will answer my questions. Your leader-"

"Akuma isn't my leader, you aren't the boss of me, either. Just let us go on our own. You will pick and prod at us like all those leaders in Base 3."

"We won't do anything. Sakura or C-san, my fellow doctors, will observe you for critical injuries," Hinata said.

"Shut up Lady Akuma! You mean nothing to us, the second generation of dojutsu. You are just cruel and weak like Akuma-oo-sama."

Hinata shook her head. Why couldn't they just stop?! The enraged man went up to Gaara and pushed the Kazekage's shoulder.

"I don't have to listen to any of you. I'm done listening to you in this deserted land!" The young man's eyes shone with the sharingan. "Most of us are Uchiha now. We can beat you and your sand-"

"You will return to Sunagakure, the greatest land. My land."

"Fuck you and your sand. I don't want to listen to you, fake Kazekage!"

Gaara's sand wrapped around the man's left ankle. Gaara tipped the man upside down and lifted him. Their faces were aligned but the pawn was dangling.

"As long as you are in on my sand, standing under my desert sun, that is where I am the Kazekage. That is where I rule. You almost allowed Hyuuga Hinata to die from asphyxiation and you have residual antagonism against the government." Gaara sighed. "You will cause problems for Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata. What is your name?"

"Souta Rakujochigusa."

"Rakujochigusa?" Gaara repeated. What a contrived, complicated first name.

Sensing their discomfort and the difficulty of his name, Rakujochigusa sighed. "People call me Josh." Josh sneered, red dusting his cheeks.

"Hm." was Gaara's response.

"It takes more than having special eyes to become an Uchiha, Rakujochigusa-san," Hinata whispered.

"I don't care, Lady Akuma. You should have suffocated. Maybe then all my friends wouldn't be dead-" Josh cried out as Gaara dropped the lad.

Hinata looked down at the man from her sand cloud. "You are all afraid of me, huh?" Hinata concluded, watching how he flinched away from her helping hand.

"The devil always has a mistress who laughs along at his jokes, right? You were the bride of Akuma-oo-sama. You ordered the Blood Trials. You created a hell." Josh said, dusting himself off.

Another woman with choppy blonde hair and brown eyes helped up. She gave Hinata a jaded look before scolding Josh and dragging him away.

"I never did... Why can't you understand?"

"What do you want me to understand, Lady Akuma?"

"The truth," Hinata didn't answer any of his accusing looks.

Hinata thought back to her time parading as Akuma's lover. She was harsh and used her rank effortlessly.

She sighed. "You have ground, though. I won't try to change the foundation of your opinion," Hinata shrugged.

Altogether, the Kazekage, Hyuuga and the ten pawns trudged back to the opening of the DCA base led by Gaara. They arrived and Hinata was awed. The exit was a mouth in the ground that was about ten metres wide and four metres tall. Someone blasted the base opening wide.

Through the shinobi personnel, the moaning pawns and the unrooted trees laying dead, no one really paid attention to Gaara when he arrived. The nine pawns and Josh were ushered somewhere.

Hinata saw a wisp of black hair and a harsh voice that has insulted her and helped her on many occasions. Mitsuyo's pink yukata fluttered in the hot breeze while she held a sword.

Hinata hopped off the sand cloud and her feet pressed into the dirt. She took off running, ignoring how her lung felt deflated and everything hurt. It was Mitsuyo!

Tears cracked in her eyes.

Gaara stared at Hinata's back, calling to her. "Hinata-san! You have to stay. We must question you. You also need medical attention!"

Hinata waved his voice away and got close. She could make pieces of Mitsuyo's conversation.

Mitsuyo stared at the woman she impaled, blood spilling out of the gash. "Shigeko! You don't get to go free. You killed someone very dear to me! This is for Ikeda Someina!" Mitsuyo twisted the sword in Shigeko's back.

Shigeko yelled in anger. "I refuse to bow to the ex-lover of Orochimaru. He left you for someone better. Me."

"Huh?! He left you too and now your freedom led you to kill thousands and enslave my darling Hinata."

In between Mitsuki and Mitsuyo, there stood Shigeko. Her body was drenched in blood and she held two fingers to her son's temple. Shigeko shielded Mitsuki from Mitsuyo's wrath.

"Live... Mitsuki. You must live..." Shigeko whispered, caressing Mitsuki's face. He seemed so confused while she coughed up blood. "I'm sorry I wasn't a better mother. I was trying to get you back to Orochimaru."

Mitsuki wasn't crying. He never could. Hinata secretly believed he didn't know how to show weakness.

"What nonsense do you spout? Of course, I will live. I was trained to be excellent. What about you? Are you trying to survive? Move away from that sword!" Mitsuki yelled.

Shigeko played with his blue hair. "You've always had a mean, silver tongue... I cannot move away, I've done some bad things. All your life. I've been away from you for months... Two years actually and left you with Kabuto or Akuma..."

"I didn't mind. Just- just fight back! Please!" he beseeched his mother.

Shigeko had a black-lipstick smile. "Never think about me, alright? Live on, without me. Have love, without mine. Practice to become better and... and forget about me," Shigeko laughed.

Hinata finally saw how red Shigeko's sharingan was. She closed her eyes and concentrated. A penetrating wave of chakra was felt. Shigeko did something to Mitsuki's brain... through a genjutsu.

Shigeko tumbled forward. Mitsuki watched the woman fall. His muscle memory remembered to want to reach out, to catch his mother and kill Mitsuyo, the one who hurt his mother. But his real thoughts shouted against that.

Hinata held her breath.

Mitsuki sidestepped his mother as if she meant nothing to him. He stood there, blinking at the breathing corpse like he was supposed to remember something. He was so conflicted.

He flinched and reached down.

Hinata thought Mitsuki would reach down to his mother. He instead reached out to his socks and shinobi sandals, clicking his tongue about something.

Mitsuki stalked away from his mother and sighed beside Kabuto, annoyed. "She got blood all over my shoes. Kabuto, must we stay here? It's too dirty." Mitsuki asked.

Kabuto shook his head, indifferently. "This was her plan from the start. That's why she wanted the sharingan. Miyana's sharingan altered memories in a way that never bruised or hurt the mind. It's extraordinary. The effects are permanent. Miyana wasn't strong enough to use it but Shigeko is." he then winced. "Was."

Gaara was beside Hinata when she covered her gasp. They all gathered around Shigeko. She wasn't dead yet.

That's who she wanted the clean slate with... Her son.

Kabuto looked over at Mitsuyo, bright and red. "Hey, Mitsuyo. Wanna reconnect now?" Kabuto said cheerfully, unaffected by the sight in front of him. "It's the right time."

Mitsuyo ignored Kabuto and stared at the little boy. "Who is that woman to you?" Mitsuyo demanded. She waved her sword around and pointed to Shigeko.

"Her?" Mitsuki asked loudly. "Nobody. Did you almost kill her? I forget what happened."

Mitsuyo stared at him. "Yes," she responded quickly, if not too harsh and loud to appear confident.

"Alright. Who cares?" Mitsuki tugged on Kabuto's sleeve. "Where are we, uncle Kabuto?"

Kabuto pulled Mitsuki to his chest and pursed his lips. "Nowhere good..."

Mitsuki... forgot who his mother was with that genjutsu Shigeko put on her son. He didn't care that his mother was on the mulch, trying to die. Shigeko erased herself from his life.

Hinata's gaze shifted to the woman gasping on the ground. Hinata ran to Shigeko and fell to her knees.

Hinata asked, "What... have you done?"

"I've already told you, my blood Hinata," Kabuto rolled his eyes.

Hinata silenced him with a withering glare. "I'll deal with you later," Hinata growled then focused on Shigeko. "Please tell me."

Shigeko's stare was shifty and she let out painful gulps. "All of Mitsuki's memories of me have switched with good ones or they've disappeared. Mostly disappeared. Once I die, treat him with care. Please, don't. Don't bring him to Orochimaru. Keep... him with Kabuto or take care of him yourself. I believe that would make him survive and have a better life."

"That's why you made him forget? That's. That's just wrong!" Hinata yelled.

"I didn't make him forget you. Lord knows you were a better mother to him than me. I made him forget this place. The horrors. The death. Me. Orochimaru. It is for the best... It is for the best. He will be a kid and he will live life happily."

"But it's-"

"I must do it. It was the most selfless thing I've done. Now he gets to live happily and Mitsuyo got her revenge for that green-haired girl and I don't... I don't have to suffer or curse my living. I was born to be at war but he wasn't born for that... Even if you tell him that Mitsuyo killed me... he won't remember it nor will he know what my name is..." Shigeko let out one easy breath, "I'm sorry... for being myself... One more thing, there's a village of... Uchi..."

Hinata waited for the last words to continue but they never came. She officially stopped moving. Stopped breathing. It was oddly quiet. Hinata could never... do that. She wouldn't ever want to be excluded from her children's lives like that.

Hinata crawled away, not wanting to be near to the body.

Someone grabbed her shoulders and held her so tightly, her organs were squeezed. Hinata whipped around.

Mitsuyo opened her arms and they hugged. Hinata couldn't feel anger towards Shigeko for erasing Mitsuki's memory or Mitsuyo for killing Shigeko. Either way, Hinata couldn't help but fall apart in Mitsuyo's arms.

Mitsuyo smelled nice. Comforting. All the things Reize couldn't be. Reize would never sweep away her troubles with one flap of her kimono shirt.

Mitsuyo pulled away then held the back of Hinata's neck. "You are my Hinata. There are so many byakugan and sharingan but only one you. Thank Kami."

"You're crying!" Hinata exclaimed, laughing.

"You are too! I didn't know you were alive!"

"I'm here. I'm with you!" Hinata whimpered, smiling and wiping away tears of happiness and joy. "I want almond milk! A drink!" Hinata admitted. "Your cooking. Just... I want-"

Hinata struggled with words so Mitsuyo nodded. "Anything..."

Hinata cried tears. Her face was too wet.

"Hinata..." Mitsuyo caressed her face. "I'm so sorry for everything that happened! It... It wasn't meant to be like this."

Hinata's smile faded a bit.

Mitsuyo doesn't know that Akuma was her child. Hinata looked at Kabuto, debating whether or not to tell Mitsuyo. She couldn't keep this from her but telling her would make her feel the weight of her wayward son's choices-

"How did you escape?" Mitsuyo asked, grabbing Hinata's hands.

"With lots of pain. Someina's... still in the flames but getting her- out was a priority and... gave me direction..." Hinata gulped, pausing so she could breathe. "I.. I saw Miyana. And uh, she helped me too. Kabuto helped me. Kazekage-sama carried me," the lump in her throat got bigger. "I... They helped me very much."

Hinata pictured Akuma's severed hand, the fatal line down Reize's back, Jimpachi's death and the small hole in Shigeko. Tommy was dead too. Everyone else was... in the flames. Someina was still in the flames.

Hinata couldn't say it. She didn't want to. "Someina... Someina she-"

Mitsuyo held Hinata's cheek. "You mustn't give in to the grief. I... I got revenge. Now we must forgive the murder, the torture. And ourselves, especially."

Hinata hated how bright and conflicting this situation was. It was so hard not to become emotional. Mitsuyo smiled pleasantly, got up and walked over to Kabuto. She punched him so hard that he went flying.

"You didn't save her properly! She's broken because of you and whatever you did!" Mitsuyo bellowed.

Just looking at Kabuto's body get flung around, bouncing twice before crashing into a tree gave Hinata sweet satisfaction.

She suddenly remembered how angry she was at him. He burned the base down without her consent. He withheld the key. He wouldn't let her kill Akuma.

But Mitsuyo went in for the killing strike.

"Mitsuyo!" Hinata called out, her eyes drooping. "Don't kill him. He has something to answer to!"

Mitsuyo slid her hands back into her kimono after spitting, "You will pay for all that you've done, idiot."

Kabuto groaned in response. Mitsuyo returned to Hinata, who stood. "What?" Mitsuyo whispered to Mitsuki.

Mitsuki didn't cower, instead, he practically had heart eyes while regarding his newfound heroine.

"You're strong." Mitsuki laughed, leaning into her. "Be my new sensei!"

Mitsuyo stared at the little boy who mirrored her unimpressed expression. "No, you little twerp," she pushed his forehead away.

He fell to the ground, glaring at the taller woman. "I'm not giving up on that."

Mitsuyo put her hands on her hips. "Leave me alone, runt! I am not a sensei, I am a child caretaker. You aren't meant to be around me."

Mitsuki tilted his head. "I got nowhere else to be. Uncle Kabuto doesn't either."

"Stay with Kabuto, child and you will find your way."

"But Kabuto spoke of Uchiha Mitsuyo. He is in love with you."

"Still?" Mitsuyo's eyes widened in surprise. Mitsuki nodded. She closed them. "He always chose the worst women to follow..." Mitsuyo sighed and she looked at the Kazekage.

Gaara stood there, displeased and observant.

Suddenly, the sand particles around Hinata stiffened. She hadn't noticed them. Many particles gathered into a wall in front of her. Hinata couldn't see what Mitsuyo was doing.

Gaara just didn't realize he was boxing her in with his sand, he just wanted to protect her unconsciously.

When she squinted, she saw a grainy copy of what scene unfolded in front of her. Mitsuyo was bowing to Gaara, who circled his sand around Mitsuyo. She didn't fight.

"Thank you for protecting Hinata in times of peril, I am in your debt." Mitsuyo whispered.

Gaara didn't seem to like her pledge of allegiance. "I refuse to accept your aid," Gaara said raspily. "The child is an orphan. He is smitten with you for some odd reason. You killed that woman, why?"

"Because she killed Hinata's best friend, apprentice and her kid's nanny. She also... She also hunted down many Uchiha with my sister Uchiha Kaiya under Orochimaru," Mitsuyo said. "She killed many of my own kind of sharingan-bearers. She aided in the kidnapping of Hinata and experimented on Hinata. I believe that I had every right to kill that woman. She would have caused worldly damage had I have left her as she was. She led the Hellion Fire Attack in order to kidnap Uchiha Aoi Benjiro and had unearned, unauthorized sharingan eyes Akuma removed from my sister! She. She didn't deserve to live. If she deserved to live then justice has no meaning."

The echoes of her words rattled in Hinata.

"Who are you to Hinata?" Gaara asked, his sand easing up a little bit.

"I think it isn't what I am to her. She is everything to me." Mitsuyo laughed. "If I must kill to keep her safe then my sword will always be drawn and coloured red. That is what I am to her. She is my child, that is what she is to me."

Gaara allowed the sand barrier to dissipate.

Just seconds later, Hinata was tugged into Mitsuyo. The hoary woman touched Hinata's forehead. "Go to sleep, my little one. You've gone through much. Your wounds haven't healed. You will be safe... We'll catch that drink, yeah?"

Hinata nodded. "I'm sorry-"

"You have all my love and all my leniency. Sleep now."

¤¤¤

Hinata's mind swayed like an ocean. Hinata woke up, her eyes irritated. "Reize, why are you watching me sleep again?" she groaned.

Something hollowed her out. Hinata killed Reize. She won't ever be creepy again. It filled her with empty relief.

The blurriness of the room was beige, and it smelled clean. Like antiseptic, plastic and crinkly paper. It was extraordinarily hot. When she looked out of the windows, she conspicuously saw dunes of sand and golden-kissed skies.

Hinata breathed out all the stress, all the horror and all the pain she felt. It was so beautiful. The sight brought tears to her eye. Wow. It was a gorgeous twilight. It barely took a breath to realize that she wasn't ever going to keep away from a single evening sunset.

Annoyance weaselled into her psyche after two more minutes. "Why are you watching me sleep, it's creepy..." Hinata said to the other person in the room.

Sakura stared at her, eyes wide. "You... are awake and able to form sentences."

"Sakura," Hinata closed her eye. "Please go away. I don't want to speak to you."

Sakura's rage appeared when she threw the clipboard onto the ground. "I fixed you for two days straight! I thought you'd died."

"I didn't and why do you care? Why won't you leave?" Hinata gnarred. "You don't want to talk... You're probably glad I wasn't around you since I'm a princess with an easy life and no problems."

Sakura gasped, her green eyes darting all around Hinata's face. "Don't say that! I wanted you to be in Konoha. Be grateful that I volunteered to stay in Suna to be your singular caretaker."

"I don't want to be. You don't owe me anything. You were right to pity me and I don't like that."

"Right about what?" Sakura asked, clenching her fists.

"About Sasuke..." Hinata gulped.

She thought of Sakura's words and sighed. "The ring that isn't on your hand," Sakura paused before sighing. "Why do you think Sasuke hasn't proposed? Why he probably hasn't said the big three words? He'll never admit it, even if you are his number one priority. It's- it's that he won't stay 'cause that's what he does."

"Oh... Hinata," Sakura covered her mouth, eyes wide with guilt. She remembers her words too.

"I don't want you to apologize. You said what you said and you meant it."

"But I..."

"You meant it and that's okay..." Hinata shrugged. "You were right. He. He doesn't love me or you and that-"

Hinata stopped because the words carved into her like a knife dragging down her leg. Hinata remembered being so confident that he would marry her but where did that confidence come from? Did he not see the love she had? Would he marry anyone?

Hinata can't cry about it now for the millionth time.

"We don't have to talk about it. You can fulfill your role as your doctor... I won't fight you or be... prickly. Alright?" Hinata looked away.

"We can't discuss this. You are still my patient. You mustn't move. You have an infected ear, deep bruises, a fractured collarbone, three broken ribs, a punctured lung that seemed to have healed."

Hinata could pinpoint all of her pain now. She had a correct diagnosis. Now that those doubts were quelled, Hinata had other questions.

"What about the escapees of the DCA base?" Hinata asked after a while.

"Excluding you, Kabuto and Mitsuki, thirty-three got out. Fourteen were recognized as loyal to Akuma-oo-sama by Kabuto and they were executed for their sins. Three died due to smoke inhalation and other wounds. Sixteen remains. Half of them have dojutsu. Three with byakugan and five with sharingan. They are currently under observation." Sakura hummed sadly. "Kabuto is being questioned, as an ememy. Sasuke too."

Why was Sasuke being regarded as an enemy? Kabuto could choke but... the rest are all dead.

Hinata's heart dropped. There were thousands... now there are sixteen of those thousands. She couldn't kill Akuma and she couldn't save anyone. She balled up her fist. Damn it.

"You were missing for almost two months. You passed out for three days, no one thought you would wake up. They wanted to slip you into a medical coma since your chakra isn't working properly, either." Sakura said, crossing her arms. "I wouldn't let them. Those idiots could have messed up on your surgeries and left you aching."

Sakura seemed really protective of Hinata, which is weird. She used to be somewhat like an older sister, guiding and ordering Hinata around when they were younger. Ino was also bossy but she wasn't kind like Sakura. Between the three of them, Sakura was the one who had the sternest voice and the best directions to offer. She was their leader...

And Hinata understood why everyone listened to her. Hinata was still aching, she wanted to say but she didn't because it could be worse.

"We wanted you back perfect after two months of being missing," Sakura continued.

Two months. Gaara said it but she didn't believe it.

"What day is it?" Hinata asked.

"November 29th."

She was kidnapped on October 4th and now it's November 29th...

Hinata shook her head. She was only conscious for six weeks! What happened for that odd two weeks? What had he done? What were the DCA officials doing? Hinata shuddered. And Kabuto didn't let her kill Akuma! That scum!

Sakura shrugged. "Sasuke almost killed those with the sharingan due to their unnatural ways of getting their dojutsu. He walked into spiderwebs, and of course, Naruto saved him again. Thank kami."

"Do you still love Sasuke?" Hinata asked.

"Sasuke and I are finished. I am a married woman. That is all I want to say." Sakura said to the floor.

That didn't answer the question! "Sakura-"

"I don't want to talk about it. Let me just be your doctor. Anything else takes too much energy. I'll give you more pain meds." Sakura stopped at the door after doing what she said she would.

Hinata swallowed thickly. There wasn't any motion, just the sound of two friends not having reason to pick up the pieces of their broken friendship. Hinata slumped in her blanket.

"I'm happy you're alive," Sakura said nasally, shoulders squared. "I liked healing you. No one else tried hard. I... am happy you are alive."

"Thanks," Hinata said but Sakura was already gone.

Hinata couldn't help anything. Everything dragged her down. Then she heard arguing. Very familiar arguing where her kids outsmarted each other, lied recklessly and teased until tears stained their skin. She's... with them.

"Benjiro, Amarante, Taiyo, Hiromitsu," Hinata whispered.

Hinata couldn't move but they moved to her, all of them sobbing when they piled atop of her. Hinata engulfed all of them in her touch. Hinata laughed and the happy sound came from deep within her soul.

Her babies! Her babies! Her. They were all hers.

The atmosphere seemed lighter, somehow. Everything felt good and relief ease into their joints. She felt their warmth. She ran her fingers through their hair. It wasn't a dream. Dreams aren't of much use to her when she's awake. She wasn't a bad mother.

She's... she's a mother again. Not Hinata, suffering because she offered her body. She wasn't a doctor unable to save other patients. She wasn't a friend of the dead Someina. She was a mom. A ka-san, holding her babies.

They all battled for her affection. She drank it all up, though it burned like good tea. She won't ever leave these children, these parts of her soul ever again.

"Mama! You're back!" Amarante cried against her left side.

"I'm back for you," Hinata laughed.

"You look sick." Benjiro shook his head, ignoring the tears that seeped out of his eyes. "I wanna give you medicine. What happened to your eye?"

"I'm healing, isn't that what is important?" Hinata answered, throat closing up. They're here and they're here...

Hiromitsu just cried lightly into her shoulder. Taiyo was the only baby of hers that wasn't on the bed, leaping for joy. He was on the sidelines of the room, glaring at her with balled up fists.

"You left! You promised you'd never- you adults, you all just leave!" Taiyo yelled at Hinata.

All of the snotty, red-faced kids glared at the eldest of them all. "Leave Ka-san alone! She's here." Amarante yelled.

"She abandoned us for two months, and we couldn't see Sasuke either!" Taiyo retorted.

Why wasn't Sasuke with them?! What was that all about?

"She didn't abandon us! We were in Suna to keep safe! Don't say dumb things, Taiyo!" Benjiro growled.

Tears streamed down Taiyo's face. His body trembled with every second breath. "It isn't dumb! Every adult is dumb and they ALL lie. Nata, you're a big liar and I hate you!"

That rocked into Hinata's core. He's never said that. Or anything close to that. It was the equivalent of touching a hot pan, over and over again.

"You don't mean that," Benjiro whispered lowly.

"I do!" Taiyo yelled. "Stay outta this, Bennie-boy! This is between Nata and me!"

Benjiro's chakra surged and focused into his palms as bursts of electricity. Taiyo responded with his own threatening beam of flames. They never used chakra and now they're gruffer, more aggressive and angry. Hinata hated this.

"Don't fight. Please," Hinata squeezed Benjiro's thigh. She looked at Taiyo. "Taiyo... I am sorry I wasn't here. I'll never hurt you again. Any of you. I was-"

"Where were you?! You. Weren't. Here."

Hinata's tears burned her eyes. "I know. I tried to come back to you. And I will say sorry for every single day, Taiyo-love!"

"Don't call me that!" Taiyo cried, overwhelmed and sad. Taiyo stomped his foot. "They weren't gonna be here for your birthday, Ben! Why are you okay with this?"

Benjiro pushed away from the bed, his fists out and ready. "That is OUR Ka-san! You can't say things like that!"

"She isn't my REAL Ka-san! Neither yours either!"

Benjiro swung his electric fist at the white-haired child in the cheek. Hinata hadn't been able to move. A sparking Chidori lit up his fist. Taiyo's fiery hand came up on the offensive.

The room was hot, heat careening in. Her heart stopped. What has she... done?

"Boys! Don't fight!" Hinata scolded them. "Get away from each other-"

Then, a presence snuck into the room. It still took her breath away just how fast Sasuke really was.

"Real men don't fight the ones they love," Sasuke caught Benjiro's fist and tossed him away while snuffing out the inferno of Taiyo. "Especially in front of those who give everything just to return."

Taiyo tried to get out of Sasuke's other grip but it didn't work.

"That is your real mother. No matter the distance. No matter the day. No matter how mean you've been, no matter how hard you try to say goodbye." he crouched down and smoothed out Taiyo's tears. "Yeah, she left but aren't you glad she returned? That she's safe? That she's everything you dreamed of? Do you really hate her? Or do you hate she was missing from you?"

Taiyo nodded. "I- I just can't..." he took some breaths to compose himself. "I hate that you both left us!"

"It was a war. When in war, the future generation goes to a haven when the adults fight."

"Why would you ever go back to war?" Taiyo demanded. "People die! All the time!"

"I would go back for you. To save the future you're in with your siblings."

"I hate wars."

"No one likes them. I hate wars too. It takes away so much..." Sasuke said, chuckling a bit. "We all hate wars but we're much too good at them."

Oh, so that's why Taiyo was so angry. Sasuke wasn't there to take care of them, Hinata was gone. Taiyo just wanted direction and he wanted to stop being angry.

"Why didn't you save her? Keep her safe? You failed as an Uchiha. You are the strongest man in the world, right? Why didn't you help her?" Taiyo asked harshly.

Taiyo...

Sasuke sighed, looking straight at Hinata. "I don't know why I didn't. We can both start now, right? We can learn to be better. Even when you can't give them everything they want."

Taiyo just sighed and crawled onto the bed, hesitant before he collapsed into her arms. They were all so golden-sun-kissed and oh god, she's never felt so angry and soothed at the same time.

"I missed you, love," Hinata whispered, kissing all of their forehead.

He just cried even harder and they all cried together. They fell asleep with her hands in their hair and her love in their mind.

¤¤¤

It was night now. The sky became dark and the stars winked at her, almost teasingly. A chill settled in the city as the scorching sun rested beyond the hill.

Sasuke stared at her a lot. Point blank staring. For the longest time, she tried to ignore it.

For hours, he just concentrated on her.

He was keeping her safe, in a way. He scared away doctors that came in.

After a while of boiling in anger and resentment, she realized she had loosened her shoulders, her eyes drifted closed and she had relaxed. The pain was no longer at the forefront of her senses.

She focused on healing herself, slowly. She felt like she deserved a little discomfort, so some pain was left.

"We need to talk," Sasuke whispered to the floor.

Hinata ignored him and stroked Amarante, who clutched her waist. "You do?"

Sasuke nodded stiffly. "You can't yell-"

"Don't tell me what to do." Hinata snapped.

"Then find it in yourself to control your volume."

"The kids better not wake up, Uchiha," Hinata whispered lowly. A threat coloured her voice.

"That depends on how the talk goes, Hyuuga," he responded just as coldly. "You can't ignore me forever."

We'll see about that, Hinata thought.

After a careful fifteen minutes detangling herself from her kids, Hinata managed to step out of the bed. Stretching her stomach made it feel like it was getting torn in two.

Her feet hitting the ground did nothing for her stomach sickness. She was a bit unbalanced. She hadn't walked in four days and all that tingly numbness came back with a vengeance.

She was falling and that didn't help the head rush.

Sasuke and his particular smell that she would nuzzle against surrounded her. He caught her arm and stood her upright.

She hadn't forgotten the lines of his chin, the solid feel of his chest and his affinity for wearing the colour black.

She blushed angrily and yanked her arm away. Why? Why must he be so kind? He even gave her chakra and healed her with that brief touch.

Echoes of their last words were fresh. The wounds were still fresh and she... changed. She slept with Akuma. She slept with that demon. That fact bit into her.

He guided her to the hall.

Here they were, staring at each other. It was dark too. She quivered but it wasn't because of the cold... It was mostly what Sasuke was doing to her.

No one was around.

The rooms were empty and not one nurse was in sight. Beeps and other soft mechanical humming filled her ears. It was almost as if the world slowed just to give Sasuke silence. Silence and space to talk to Hinata.

Hinata leaned against the wall, droopy and all stiff. Being around him was painful. She wanted to invite him into her mind to let him witness all the pain, how he filled her sleep and all the messes he'd left.

He looked down at her, his shoulders tight and tense. He was in front of her while she used the wall for support.

"What do you want to say to me?" Hinata looked at him, finally.

It was a mistake. She thought she could be strong and not swoon but her knees got a little weak.

That handsome, handsome man's eyes always caught her. He said nothing as he stared. His eyes on her healed her wounds... He stared as if he were recalling what once was or that he was verifying that she was really alive.

She tipped her chin upwards. He looked so worn. So less like the Sasuke who would use hand soap as his conditioner, shampoo and body wash because what was the difference? He got clean anyway.

Sasuke's hair looked as soft as spiderwebs. It was longer, he hadn't cut it. Not much has changed in all honesty. He was still tall, nonchalant and difficult. He treated her with the gentleness only lovers had. He stared, paid careful attention and didn't ask questions.

He was still Sasuke. He shifted emotions violently, becoming a moody firecracker who used sarcasm and foul language. Then all that anger could withdraw like shimmering mist and leave behind her boyfriend. Sometimes, around him, it felt nice. Like a place where nothing good or bad could happen. He just nullified her life. And that precious Sasuke was breaking down in that nullifying emotion.

"You... You're alive," Sasuke said like a prayer, relief flowing through his tone like rain seeping in the ground after a long hard, drought.

Despite having rain to cry, Hinata didn't. Her tongue tasted like iron. She bit her tongue, she realized. It wasn't painful and there was no blood, it was just a bad habit.

Her heart secretly lept for joy. He still cared about her. That reassured her but she scolded herself all the same. What did it matter that Sasuke cared?

"Why does it matter to you?" Hinata asked with volume and conviction, pointing at his wide chest. "What does me not being in your life, wanting to get married and being a happy cheerleader woman matter? I don't matter to you!"

He slammed his fist against the wall beside her ear. "Don't be dumb, Hyuuga. I need you." emotions broke his voice. "You don't understand what you do for me."

"It seems like I have done nothing everlasting." Hinata blinked twice. Her mind unconsciously fought against the urge to look away. He hurt her but he was still Sasuke... Her heart will follow him to whatever.

His black eyes roamed her face. "I thought I lost you but you came back to me. I want to thank the war that brought you here." he rasped into her ear.

His voice sounded like smoke and gin, warm baths and tender kisses. He had the grit of a man who cared. And suddenly it all hurt. Now her eyes burned and she was trembling with the effort to not cry.

"It matters the world to me. I'd never meant to leave you alone. I'd promised I'd join, I wouldn't go rogue. That... That I can't live without you. That... That, I couldn't protect you." he hissed.

He was more so angry at himself than at her.

"You don't get to say that," Hinata said loudly but she didn't hear any false alarms going off. "You lie! I don't think you're allowed to. I went through many sleepless lonely nights to think that you'd. You'd want me back."

Sasuke just swallowed.

Her accusing finger jabs turned into small open-palmed pushes. "You... You didn't try, you bastard! I was waiting, and waiting and waiting until I- until I- gave everything up and I saved myself. Sometimes they made me feel like a rat because they didn't look at me like I'm human. I didn't... I didn't have you to remind me not to worry, that I haven't slept, that I haven't smiled in 45 days because there are decay and gloom all around me. I didn't have you..." Hinata swallowed thickly.

She was angry. She was mad. She was nothing. She said every word as if they were poison she had to spit out.

With every word, she became much angrier and her palm pushes became slaps on his chest. "Why did you wait? I hadn't. I hadn't asked for that..."

Sasuke caught her flailing wrists, scoffing as if he offended her. "What a dumb question."

"It's not dumb to me," Hinata shook in his grasp, wrenching and turning. "My right eye is damaged, I am all broken and- and I left the kids for two months. Two months. I left Konoha, Someina's dead, Shigeko's dead and- I don't know why you did it."

"Of course I'd wait. Even if we go through weary years of coldness, with your cold shoulder, I'd wait till you really came back to this. You aren't broken. You were kidnapped and tortured, alright? It's not that hard to get over."

Hinata let the words come together in her mind then glared at the nice expression of his. "You wouldn't know that... You didn't know what happened! It's not something you could just brush off and ignore!" she shoved him with her small body.

"I've lived through hell, alright? A different one. I just miss you. My fucking ocha, I miss you."

He let go of her wrists and she kept on pounding on his chest. There were the bindings of the past two months restraining her. Her mind wasn't right and the binding's pressure just got worse and worse.

"No!" she yelled. "I refuse! Don't miss me, you bastard!"

He leaned in close, so their noses almost touched. "It's still true. What else would I do, ocha? It doesn't feel right without you. My life stopped when I couldn't... have you next to me-"

"Sasuke, shut up!" She kicked his legs, anything to stop him from continuing.

"I wasn't strong enough to save you. I wish I could just paint over your wounds... and just erase those hellish months."

He still whispered tenderly, though she was putting all of her strength into every punch.

He slid his hand up the line of her cheek and brushed the hair out of her eyes. "I will steal away all that anger, sadness and pain and make it my own. I'll make sure I'm the strong, the weak and your army, Hyuuga Hinata. I'll be your safe place once again," he whispered then gathered her in his grasp.

He pressed her into his body, so fiercely and forcefully that she gasped. It was almost as if he encased her, weaving all the dark parts of black and grey through her psyche and physical body. She didn't know where he ended and where she began.

"Don't ever scare me like that, ever again. You hear me? Don't ever do that. I fucking tore apart countries just to see you and I slaved away just to find you," he whispered, crushing her tighter.

His arms, his warmth, his voice was all so nostalgic. Slowly, the bindings and all the painful things were replaced with his weight and harsh words.

"Sasuke-"

"I didn't think we'd part. I'm never going to let it happen again," he whispered.

"Please... Let go."

"No," he snarled.

Sasuke leaned back and she blinked at his face. Why did he always do this to her thoughts? Just looking at him brought her peace. Calm. Odd reassurance that something will work out.

Hinata remembered those nights. Watching the kids mess around in front of them, fighting a bit too much until Hinata stepped in and Sasuke's caramel laugh rang out. Reading all day beside him on the porch, he'd tug on her icicle hair when he thought she's being dumb in the lazy afternoons. Their bodies would slide over the other, make love in those passionate nights on golden silk and velveteen chiffon sheets. She wanted a best friend again. Her partner. Her lover.

In those days, she was so free, so uncaring of danger because she felt safe. She didn't want to be weak for anyone or anything and here she was. Hinata a bitter ache. The beast in her belly ate her or something.Something shifted inside of her.

"I don't know how to be back with you," Hinata whispered. He made it hard to talk.

Everything's changed. She changed.

"It's fine. You came back to me," Sasuke whispered.

That's not what she meant... but Sasuke was sweeping her into another tight hold and that derailed any resistance she could put up. They're like foes and friends but he's still tucking her sanity into his arms just to keep her together...

"I'm sorry," Sasuke whispered into her hair. "I didn't know that psychopath would win in that way. I didn't know you'd suffer as you did. Don't leave me like that, alright?"

"I never meant to, Sasuke," she gulped.

Her arms were like limp noodles. She couldn't apologize for getting kidnapped because that was out of her control.

"I tried to come back... I promise..."

"You did. You killed and you did, and that's wonderful." A mildly reflective look passed over his face. "Akuma's blood is shed. Right?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

"Akuma is still alive. I didn't kill him." Hinata admitted. Hinata didn't. She could have but... She didn't.

"That's fine..." Sasuke waved it off.

Hinata couldn't wave it off. Akuma tortured her and kidnapped her. She didn't want it to be fine that he was alive.

"I made Akuma lose a hand and his sharingan. He's blind." Hinata said angrily.

"That's really fine. You have more opportunities to become strong, to hone your skills and you set your sights on him. Death will follow your gaze. You have time to torture him all you like before he really dies. The earth will be swallowing his blood with abandon after you're done with him."

"That's quite dark but you read my mind." Hinata tilted her head.

Sasuke smiled. "Light follows dark and dark follows the light, eh?"

She couldn't bring herself to smile back. He noticed but it hasn't diminished his glee.

"Where're all those Uchiha and Byagkugan-users going to go?" Sasuke asked, tracing her tattoo in her lower back. "I don't want them."

"You must. Who else will teach them?" Hinata argued. "You are building that village, right? Let's put them there... I can't let more people die!"

Sasuke shrugged. "I want our Uchiha district to be free of experimented beings. Are they true Uchiha? No. They're just lab rats. Pawns without a king to order them around."

Hinata frowned, wanting to argue but he was already on the next thing.

"The snow came in and messed our progress for a little. It's sixty-five percent done. Mitsuyo made a dome made of fuinjutsu that could warm up and so the workers were safe, our small district was safe during the hell." Sasuke said roughly. "I wanna show you our haven."

"It would be safe. Someina gets a shrine, yeah?" Hinata asked.

"Scar gets her own damn sanctuary..." Sasuke promised.

Hinata smiled. They breathed for a little. Just standing there, with her Uchiha, her Sasuke made it a little better. Someina would... love the shrine.

"Do you think I know sacrifice?" Sasuke asked after the silence became too much.

"Yeah. You did leave the village and you settled down with me and the kids. You sacrificed." Hinata nodded.

"But do you think I sacrifice people?"

"Yeah. All shinobi do," Hinata said honestly.

"Do you think I would sacrifice myself for others?"

"Outside of the family?" Hinata pursed her lips. "No."

He sank a little. "Yeah. That's true." Sasuke swallowed. "Do you forgive me?"

Hinata slowly wrapped her arms around his strong muscles. It was safe. It was right. She longed to be comforted, soothed and now she got it from him. A guy who she despised. Not really. Maybe not even at all.

She suddenly realized that they may never get married but there was a future of her forgiving Sasuke and getting over the hell that was the DCA base. Maybe she'd even tell him about Akuma...

Has she ever heard wedding bells between her and Sasuke? Did she need to? She didn't know. Maybe she was just thinking too much.

They resembled cutlery again, standing there in the darkness while the moon judged their actions.

"That village of Uchiha is real. You weren't being delusional. We just have to find it." Hinata said, not answering his question.

Sasuke grinned a fox's smirk, a flame in his dark eyes. "You wanna join me in finding that village, ocha?"

"You never have to worry about that... Never." Hinata gave him a small look.

Who knows where this village of people like Sasuke would be? What adventures she'll go through and what people she would meet?

She doesn't know if she forgave him but they can get through that. Scars healed. Anger faded. People smiled. She survived Akuma and her childhood. She was here. She was alive. She's still able to find that Akuma and somehow get that Uchiha village.

She can do whatever she wanted and she'll stop being naive and anxious. Maybe good could come out of confidence that blooms from this.

She could beat Akuma without Sasuke. She almost did without his help. She didn't need a wedding to get love either. She didn't need wedding bells.

Did she?

Sasuke coughed out and there was blood colouring that wheeze. She used her one byakugan. The bruises she caused ceased.

"I hurt you," Hinata whispered. She pressed her glowing palms to his chest.

"I will never get tired of your pain." He shrugged and tried to hug her once again.

"Don't say things like that!" Hinata tried healing him. He brushed away her attempts at being a doctor and brushed it all away. "Sasuke..." she whined.

"It's nothing compared to not having you, ocha. Nothing," he whispered.

Hinata poked his side. "You were always a sweet talker."

Sasuke threw his head back laughing like a little kid and she healed him.

"Sweet talkers need blood to be sweet." Hinata reminded him.

"Blood, eh?" Sasuke said slowly. "I spilled a lot of blood. I'm not good at all."

"Oh, Sasuke-" And Hinata stopped.

Sasuke sounded lost and confused. She wanted to say it was alright but she couldn't. Something- a force stopped her. Hinata hesitated. She couldn't reassure him and say he was a star, that his face was a map of a lovely, to the lovely places she'll go. He didn't want a cheerleader.

Hinata froze, a draft blowing through her heart. That's what Akuma said to her. Her clone's body on the cold steel table flashed through her mind. There were holes and drained blood and broken bones.

She shuddered. "What do you mean?"

He hasn't told her something. Why he was an enemy? Sasuke didn't answer that, muttering lightly about something. He stood upright and his muscles tightened.

"You'll be my weapon to cut our enemies down, Hyuuga?" Sasuke demanded, looking deep into her eyes.

Hinata tilted her head. "You won't make enemies of them. Why would you need-"

"You know me and you balance me as my blade."

Hinata shifted. "I cut everything down too..."

"You have morality," Sasuke looked down. "I thought I changed but you know right from wrong. I don't. That doesn't stop me when I go too far."

What?

"Trouble follows me like a shadow and I sacrifice too easily. And my hand with a sword doesn't know paralysis, even if they are my enemy, my friend or innocent." Sasuke sighed, a dark look in his coal eyes. "I... I killed three hundred people the other month. My chakra doesn't exist to protect others. And I'm not certain that... you'll look me in the eye-"

Why did he kill those people? He must have had reasons... but what happened? He probably killed them in the war. All in war wasn't forgivable... Whatever he's been trifling about, Hinata probably did worse. She couldn't save those thousands.

Only sixteen remain. Less than point one of a percent. Even if three hundred were alive, she would rejoice. And here he was, beating himself up over this... His breaths were unsteady.

"I will forgive you for whatever you've done... That. Be certain of that, Uchiha." Hinata dismissed. "You've got pretty eyes that have the ability to save. It solves problems."

"Solves problems?" he repeated. A harsh laugh crawled out of his lungs.

"I am sure that you had to do it for a good reason..." Hinata whispered.

"What?" he asked loudly.

"If you tell me... If you don't, it doesn't matter. Maybe I won't agree with what you've done. Maybe I won't even believe in the action but I believe in forgiveness."

He looked down. "It was something... that had to happen. I couldn't let Akuma's control over life and death get more vast. The moves- the- the actions I did... weren't right."

"Shh. Shhh." she said. He's rambling. Which is so rare...

"But those deaths-"

Sasuke looked like he expected a lecture but she kissed his forehead instead.

"No need to worry about that. Enjoy the now, please..."

Hinata pressed their foreheads together, looking into his eyes with her one eye. His orbs were velvety with wetness and some other emotions. She whispered against his lips. It was almost a kiss. Four more centimeters more and- and it would be a kiss. She couldn't kiss him. Not yet. She could comfort him not as a lover but as something.

"A steady sword balances the soul, yeah?" Hinata sighed.

Sasuke nodded. "It does."

Hinata looked around. The air churned in the dryness of Sunagakure, she felt the humidity and talc on her tongue and pressed against Sasuke gave her anxiety. But she needed to hold him.

"Can I get close to you?" Hinata asked, her voice raspy and emotional.

"You never have to worry about that." Sasuke insisted, echoing her words.

It stung her eyes, how nice it was to hear that.

Hinata melted and felt strong and weak. An odd place to be in. It was silent, them dealing with the trauma and reverie.

"We're fine, right?" Sasuke asked, calming down.

Hinata wanted to cry, laugh and smile at that question. Especially cutting from Sasuke. Healing... Ah. That would be nice. Pulling the sun down the horizon of pain... The sunset of being fine... And feel the sunshine of her kids and family...

She's gone through broken friendships, crushed loves, lost ideals, and crazed men. She lost so much but then she found her kids, Kumogakure's affection and friendships that heal.

She found Sasuke and she blindly read that as true. And she trusted that with every part of her beating heart. Sasuke pulled back, slightly. She synched their breaths, heartbeats and sorrow so they could just breathe so they could be fine.

Hinata took a deep breath. She filled her lungs with sweetness and sighed a little. She knocked her head with Sasuke's, oddly peaceful.

Hinata nodded, with a soft smile in her words. "We will be."

¤¤¤

The End of Book 1

A/N- oh my god. Wow. It's really finished. Well, this book. There are a lot of unresolved problems, as you can tell. Akuma is on the loose, whatever happened to sweet Hanabi and Why was Sasuke so hell-bent on getting rid of the pawns??? But this is bound to be a trilogy because why not? I love my dear Sasuke and Hinata and I want them around for long.

Like 1 year and like 9 months have passed. Thanks for reading all of it, thanks. You were patient and those first chapters were atrocious! I want to thank all the favourites, reviews and the follows. On Wattpad and Archive of our own, thanks for the comments, kudos and votes.

You guys are gems. Some readers have really brought me inspiration and helped me. The plot wasn't well executed and I bit off more than I could chew but I hoped it wasn't too painful. I disappeared a lot but life got in the way but I like writing. It brings me peace. Annnnnd it contributes to the Sasuhina community.

This was super intense, somewhat angsty but there was fluff and a share of action.

Sorry, the ending was bittersweet.

The next book will be somewhat long, 200k words. I think I'll get beta readers? Shrug. If you wanna do that, PM me and we'll work something out. Shrug.

I have some parting questions:

What was your favourite chapter/scene/part?

Of course, what was your favourite Sasuhina moment?

What was your favourite quote?

What could I do to improve (I want you to be honest and merciless. I want this to be better for future readers)?

Who was your favourite character?

Who was your favourite OC, least favourite?

What would you like to see in the second book?

What three themes did you think were shown in the book?

Which character did you believe grew the most? The least?

And yeah. Thanks for reading.