Sweet Dispositions

-Chapter 26-
Truth

July 22nd. 11:50 p.m.

"It might be... Miyana," Sasuke suggested.

Hinata sprang out of bed. "No."

"Hear me out. Maybe Miyana got kidnapped because she stole sharingan eyes or has them. There's chakra in her eyes. She speaks out on Uchiha problems. She's always using those eye drops."

"There is always chakra in everyone's ocular cavities. I'm not an Uchiha and I still defend our clan. The eye drops work with any dojutsu. It seems to work with Taiyo and Benjiro. You're reaching."

"Maybe even Mitsuyo," Sasuke shrugged.

"What? No. Mitsuyo isn't an Uchiha. She loves us too much to lie about something like that!"

Sasuke scowled, gears whirling in his mind. "If it's not them, then who?"

Hinata approached him carefully, laying a tentative hand on his dressed one. "I know you want to meet... more of your family but we can't jump to insane conclusions."

"It's not insane... It could be crazy enough to be true," Sasuke said.

"I'll ask Mitsuyo then we'll seek and see the truth."

"How do you know she won't lie to you? She had many opportunities to tell you but she didn't," Sasuke said, keening when he moved to the bed.

Pain.

He flipped the blanket off of him. "I'll ask myself," he grunted.

Hinata shook her head. "You are staying in bed, mister. Doctor's orders."

Sasuke groaned, still hurt, swathed in bandages. "She won't lie under ningendo."

Hinata accessed a tenketsu and flowed some chakra through his system. He felt relieved, she heard it when he sighed.

"Don't talk of her like a criminal. I trust her...She wouldn't lie," Hinata promised.

"Hn," Sasuke had a foreign look in his eye again. "Let's speak to the prisoner now."

Hinata nodded, bit her thumb and summoned Hoshino.

Hoshino wasn't very big. She was the size of a one-story house and as wide as a pillow and the floor moaned under her weight. Her shadow-colored scales looked dark gray in the harshness of the hospital lights.

Her green tongue flicked side to side as her purple eyes did. "Hinata-hime, Sasuke-sama, how may I ssserve you?" Hoshino asked, bowing to them.

"Summon the schmuck Hinata sealed away," Sasuke ordered.

Hoshino nodded. "As you wisssh."

Hoshino vomited the man and disappeared, leaving a trembling man behind.

Hinata and Sasuke stared at the partially digested man.

He was covered in slime-soaked bandages, thoroughly traumatized. Hinata practically sealed away his chakra and severed his tendons. Hinata felt bad but such guilt dissolved when the man smirked at Sasuke's injuries.

"You should have died," the man chortled. "We destroyed you and the inhabitants. Ants beneath his holy feet."

Hinata sighed.

The prisoner stared at Hinata with a voracious, leeching gaze. "You're a lot hotter than Kabuto described," The prisoner gesticulated to Hinata with his chin. "Akuma-oo-sama talks about you lots. You're the younger silver-haired woman, a Natsukawa."

Hinata wordlessly pointed to herself. Her?

The prisoner nodded. "Our king needs a queen, a gold diadem on your head. His Majesty chose you because you have all the qualifications that he needs for world domination."

"Why would she qualify?" Sasuke snapped.

"Until he trains her, she is untouched gold. Soft. We all need his grooming. Once the all-knowing lord defeats your puny countries, he'll build a new paradise filled with harmony. His ascendancy is approaching. Brace yourself. The master will succeed where the Madara has failed."

"He worked with Madara?"

The prisoner nodded, proud. "Yes. Even Madara feared our momentous, prevalent Akuma-oo-sama, saying though their blood runs from the same well, their ideas are oil and water. Akuma-oo-sama has the same goal as Madara; world peace. He wants to free us from the shackles of government, of famine, of poverty and release the gates of heaven to the rich, poor and suffering."

"He uses you to do the dirty work then he will discard of you."

"I'm fine serving Akuma-oo-sama in ways he sees fit. He gives power, freedom to us, his pawns. He shattered himself into us but needs every piece to be alive. Us, the scattered, come together and find an asylum in his cogent reign."

"Why does he need one of my kids?" Hinata asked.

"My queen, a king needs a prince. An heir to the throne. Do you not know how powerful they are? As vessels?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth. "Akuma-oo-sama plans to harness that raw skill and exploit it!"

"Yes. I wonder why he wants with you useless idiot. Your clan deserved to be killed. Uchiha Sasuke, your face, and cruel eyes hadn't changed. You're a rogue-nin who sided with Orochimaru. Many of our pawns are dead because of your sensei. Don't pass on your curse of an eye, you're supposed to be dead. Your loyalty to Orochimaru is what'll be punished!"

"Just tell us what you know about Akuma-oo-sama and you'll be home free," Sasuke said slowly.

The man spat out a tooth. "I'm not gonna be charitable to a sleazy criminal! You'd have to die before I'd give anything! Akuma-oo-sama will dance on your good for nothing grave."

Instead of getting angry, Sasuke sat up and he walked towards the prisoner. His sharingan swirled scarlet and his rinnegan pulsed.

Oh no.

"Ningendo," Sasuke said, tracing his hand over the man's head, seeing all of the pawn's memories. He hummed slightly as he roamed through the man's thoughts.

Hinata shifted nervously. Is he... "Anata- you don't have to-"

Sasuke ignored her and ripped the pawn's soul from his body.

"Kill him..." she faltered off, watching the empty shell of a man fall.

Sasuke panted, crumbling and Hinata ran to assist him. She helped him stay up.

"You didn't have to kill him, Sasuke," Hinata said quietly.

"I didn't have to. I wanted to."

Hinata frowned.

He pushed away, notably angry as he leaned over the body.

Sasuke pulled the man's sleeves up, performed three hand signs and thrust onto the man's forearm.

A seal was revealed. Out came a key, bulky and bronze.

"This keychain opens something. A door that I saw glimpses of had secrets that this key reveals," Sasuke told her. "Where's the door, you ask? Even the idiot couldn't give me that much."

"What did you see?"

Sasuke sighed. "Che. Not much. Akuma-oo-sama is intelligent in the sense that most of this guy's guarded secrets were idiotic and shallow. At the moment, we're left at square one. Maybe even negative three."

"What was his name?"

"He had a number. 4280. He lived at base seven, which is the largest one. There are about eight bases in total. That means that there are at least forty thousand of them lurking in eight hideouts. We have three months until they want Benjiro or Taiyo. So until October 22nd. Until the hellions' attack again. Also, Akuma-oo-sama wants to marry you."

¤¤¤

The following hour, Hinata caught the kids with Mitsuyo scowling as C (a slim man with shaggy blonde hair, a pointed chin and dark eyes) was helping Benjiro.

Hinata entered the compact hospital room and sighed in contentment as her children were fine. They laughed, raving about how they loved her. Amarante and Hiromitsu both hugged her calves as she hugged Taiyo.

Benjiro leaped from the bed despite the objections from C.

"Where's Tousan?" Benjiro asked, hugging her middle.

All eyes flicked toward her, awaiting something. She parted his hair, easing them. "Don't worry. Honey, he's getting better. He has some injuries but he'll be coming home soon."

"I wanna go home," Taiyo said.

Hinata smiled wistfully. "We will. Soon," she said, whispering kisses. She studied Mitsuyo. "Their bedtimes..."

"They wouldn't sleep unless they knew you and Sasuke were alright," Mitsuyo supplied.

So... sweet. "Did they behave?"

"They acted like darlings," Mitsuyo nodded, flicking away gray hair. "My house is a wreck. The hellions stole all of my pictures and Uchiha artifacts,"

"I've pick bones with Mitsu," Benjiro said, whining into Hinata's scrub shirt.

"You have a bone to pick with me?" Mitsuyo parroted, offended.

"Mitsu and the mean man annoyed me," Benjiro huffed, pointing between Mitsuyo and C.

Amarante raised her arms to be held. Hinata picked her up, frowning. Mean man? Hinata eyed C.

Mitsuyo scowled back at Benjiro with a brow raised. "You look more like him every day. It's uncanny. Are you a reincarnation?"

Hinata raised an eyebrow. Who was she talking about?

"Who does he look like?" C asked conversationally, putting away an ear otoscope.

Mitsuyo clicked her tongue at C. "It is none of your business. If I wanted a real doctor to heal my grandkid, I would have called someone other than you, bozu."

"Why are you here?" Hinata asked C, rocking Amarante.

C scowled at her. "The Raikage instructed for me to check for any injuries in the Uchiha/Natsukawa kids. Why? It beats me. I follow orders. Not question them."

He stuffed a test tube into his pocket. He left the room without another word.

After twenty minutes or so of frolicking with the kids, Hinata pulled Mitsuyo over and asked, "Not assuming or anything but Sasuke has this totally crazy idea of you being from his clan. I don't believe it. Sasuke is just covering all his bases, but he wanted me to ask. Are you an Uchiha?"

Mitsuyo shook his head. There was something that flickered in her eyes. "No. Why would he think that?" Mitsuyo asked harshly.

Hinata shrugged. "I don't know, he's crazy."

Mitsuyo nodded, a fire in her eyes.

¤¤¤

July 23rd. Noon.

C and Hinata looked at each other, in the hallway where he stopped her.

The hallway was far from deserted; people hastened by, on missions. All workers took time to pay their respects as she's reasonably well known in the hospital. People take her seriously. She was the boss.

"They respect you now, Natsukawa-san," C noted to Hinata.

"When have they not?"

Hinata was quite offended.

He squared his shoulders, clearing his throat as if preparing for a speech. He was serious, focused on his job as the Raikage's bodyguard and as a medical-nin.

True to his persona, he got straight to the point. "You might be a danger to Kumogakure. With Sasuke's usual troglodyte behavior and unforeseen paroxysms, it's safe to say that this is an unanticipated problem."

C looked crossed but focused, like Sasuke does when he's upset.

He's so rude. Even after three years, he doesn't speak to her civilly because of Sasuke. C walked out the room the first time he heard she was Sasuke's girlfriend, protesting the whole relationship.

"Sasuke isn't a troglodyte. Before I answer your questions, try answering mine; why were you with my son? Ikeda-sama hasn't given you permission."

He expected her to be a shaking tree in the wind but she wasn't.

"I am also a doctor, for your information," C stated, an aplomb look on his face.

"I know. The Raikage talks about you fondly. You make him proud. He places a lot of trust in you."

"He does?" C asked happily.

"Yes... However, that doesn't translate to me automatically following our Raikage's instincts. Why were you doing a checkup? Why did you have that test tube?"

"I took initiative and investigated as a precaution. I take any job that I do seriously. Your bodyguard, Ikeda, allowed me to perform medical tests on Uchiha Benjiro. His injury consisted of blood discharge from his ear. I suspect occurred during an explosion."

Her summon Hoshika told her that her kids were fine... Definitions of being 'fine,' varies from person to snake... Huh, who knew?

C noticed her expression, frowning. "During the attack? Has no one informed you?"

Hinata nodded but that was a lie. She just focused on the safety of her child instead. "Is he okay?"

"Yes. I healed him in seconds. There are no problems."

Hinata sighed in comfort, spotting the skeptical look in his eye. "If that is all, what seems to be the issue?" Hinata asked.

C's shining Kumogakure forehead protector got darker. "The blood from his ear cavity doesn't match your blood or Uchiha Sasuke's blood. It leads me to the question; who is your son? Why can't I find any records of him from before he was three years old? Is there something you're not telling the Raikage? I figured that your son was adopted, but from where and from whom? Did his mother not want him?"

"I am his mother and I want him very much," Hinata said flippantly.

C raised an eyebrow, still confused.

"Not his biological one... There are no records because he wasn't treated like a person before he was found by me. Benjiro might've had a name that's forgotten..." Hinata shuddered.

"Forgotten how?"

"The caretakers of my son didn't bother remembering his name. His biological mother must've given one to him they forgot it. He was adopted by me, accepted by Sasuke. It wasn't ratified by the Raikage until four months ago. December 2nd, three years ago is when I found him, the day of the first mudslide. We don't have information about his birthdate. His biological father wasn't present. His biological mother died from cancer years ago,"

"That boy's father is probably the one who orchestrated the attacks," C concluded. He turned around. "This needs to be told to the Raikage. Excuse me."

"Wait," Hinata called out, voice echoing.

He faced her.

"Benjiro's father is Uchiha Sasuke. He is the only father Benjiro's ever had," Hinata argued.

C shook his head. "That cannot be true because-"

"It is true. I love that boy as if I birthed him myself. I am not any less of his mother because I adopted him nor is Sasuke any less Benjiro's father because he adopted him. We are his parents. Nobody else fed him, clothed him, taught him and love him like we do. He's our child. So don't you ever tell me that Uchiha Sasuke is not his father!"

"Yes. Biologically, you are not his mother. Your relation to him can be dangerous to Kumogakure. I have a duty to not only the Raikage but to the safety of his inhabitants. For security purposes and to avoid death, you must think of handing the child to the enemy," C said.

She slapped him across the face.

C lifted his dark eyes, expression unreadable while her hand trembled.

"It has to be an option you are open to," he said, once again, like it was right as rain or obvious as the blue sky. It wasn't.

Hinata shook her head. "Have you no heart? Have you any soul or common sense?! You asked me to abandon my child. Suggesting that I give away my baby, my son, for the betterment of society? I will not give Benjiro away."

"You saw them. They'll drown this society until the flood is too much to handle... to find that boy. It's the only logical response."

"Let every village, city, and country drown. I will keep my son," Hinata huffed.

"I'm thinking of the forest. Not only the trees," C gritted his teeth.

"My son isn't a tree; he's human. There are no broken adoptions. No broken homes or broken hearts because of this village. We will not give him up."

C and Hinata were locked in a staring contest until C conceded. "Fine. The identities of his biological parents are to blame for why Benjiro has been sought after. What we can do to prevent any more casualties will be done."

"I'll be doing that on my own. I appreciated you healing my son but get the hell away from me," Hinata said, stepping away.

"No, you will not," C called out from behind her. "I'm not reporting this information to the Raikage or any others that might threaten to take your son."

Hinata stared at him again. "They're not the only one with threats. Why are you helping me?"

C laughed dryly. "You want to protect your son. I want Kumo to be safe from these hellions. It is only my duty."

"You look awfully confident," Hinata said, not liking the look in his eyes. "Careful."

"Not confident. Just self-assured," he said.

"You're serious. Your plan is to rid the world of these... hellions?"

C nodded stiffly. "It's what the any good shinobi would want to do," He then looked less assured. "I need some of his old clothing. His DNA tests didn't come back yet. I want to be sure we cover all of our bases."

"You're not going to find anything," Hinata managed.

C brushed off her hostility. "On the first day that you met Benjiro, what did he wear?"

"Nothing."

"It's like pulling teeth. Co-operate with me," he ordered, getting irritated. "Don't be difficult like Sasuke is,"

"I'm not being difficult. Benjiro was stark naked without clothing, swaddled in a blanket. When Someina and I found the blanket, we did a bonfire in the backyard and burnt it. The other awful thing that happened was the strangers who found me in the woods after the first rock/mudslide asked if I was Kaiya..."

C perked up. "Kaiya?" C asked.

She nodded. "Kaiya..."

"What are the names of the people who gave you Benjiro?"

"Tadashi and... Yogi... Yolk... what is it, Yoko! No. Yoki. They asked if I've received money,"

"Kaiya... Kaiya is not in any of our databases. But I will... get back to you on that," he said lowly, stalking away.

¤¤¤

July 28th.

Someina stared at her hand quiveringly.

Sasuke thought Someina was Hinata. Someina checked up on him due to Hinata being banned from seeing Sasuke. The doctors operated with chances of Sasuke dying, and they didn't want her to see that.

Someina dutifully fed him ice cubes in the antiseptic-smelling room with the TV changed to a channel she didn't recognize. Sasuke was still soggy from the surgery, murmuring Hinata's name under his breath.

He reached out. He's so sure Hinata would grab his hand, calm him in his time of need.

His hand was warm.

Sasuke's so damn familiar yet mysterious. What in him made him say such sweet words? Someina should've said she wasn't Hinata or left but... she couldn't.

She's had ample time to notice his smile, his subtle sense of humor. Hinata told her Sasuke smells like rain and lightning- coppery goodness. Someina'd imagine him, randomly, smelling particularly earthy if they were out planting the field all day, smelling like leather if he was washing the saddles, or like wood if he just came in from a fire.

Suddenly, she heard Hinata's voice cut through her thoughts. "Someina- e have a surgery together. Are you scrubbing in? A CABG, the coronary artery bypass surgery, you in?"

Someina nodded, still wanting to saw off her hand. Hinata flexed a brow, gnawing on her lip. Waiting.

"How fond are you of Sasuke?" Someina asked suddenly. "He's your boyfriend, right?"

"That's too shallow a word. He's my soulmate. Everything before him was fixation... was stolen and lost time that I could have spent with him. After all, our meeting probably ripped a tear through the fabric of space and time. We have a million great days at least," Hinata smiled.

Someina feels like she's been impaled.

Hinata asked, "Someina... are you alright?"

"I'm fine... get off my back."

"If you're not... it's alright," Hinata insisted. "If you're lying..."

"That's what you do!"

"And not forgiving is what you do," Hinata said before Someina could answer.

Hinata squared her shoulders and walked off. Someina sighed.

¤¤¤

One year ago.

Reading together was more of the things the kids did with Hinata.

They cuddled on the couch while watching way too many old documentaries. She'd teach Benjiro and Taiyo words in Japanese. Hinata would mess up on purpose so the kids would teach her again. They liked nature walking, traveling to restaurants and tea shops.

They always went shopping, coming back with a knickknack that was completely abstract in their house. Oh, they admired when she'd hum a classical piece of music, and they'd have to guess the composer.

Benjiro was presently six years old and decided to spend time with Sasuke. Sasuke taught him some simple gō. Benjiro still had syrup on his mouth from their daily blue pancake breakfast.

Benjiro was ready to learn patterns, techniques, and strategies to help him win gō games. The black and white gō stones or gō-ishi were not as abundant. The board looked quite bare without the scattered the bi-convex pieces.

Benjiro eyed the wooden board. "Why'd Ka-chan throw the game board the other day? It was funny."

"She lost," Sasuke sighed. "We lost twenty gō-ishi pieces in that outburst."

"Ka-chan said you cheated," Benjiro drawled. "C'mon, Tousan, tell me if you did, I won' tell Ka-chan!"

"She always says that before she loses," Sasuke admitted, chuckling softly.

Benjiro laughed, accepting of his mother's habits.

Sasuke reached over, ruffling his hair. "I appreciate you sharing my interests. Chess is very delicate, very difficult but you're a smart son."

Benjiro beamed at the compliment and then his eyes glossed over. He glanced at his folded knees and avoided Sasuke's gaze like he was blameworthy.

"Tousan? I realize. 'Bout you and Ka-chan. I'm adopted. Ka-chan told me, a while back. Said it was okay. That she loves me."

"We make sure of that," Sasuke nodded.

Benjiro suddenly looked up, awkward and shy. "Do you love me?"

Sasuke's mouth went dry and Sasuke paused while moving his black gō stone.

"Yes," Sasuke said after a while of silence. "Tremendously."

"I know that," Benjiro grinned.

"You do now?"

"It's not so hard tuh say, Tousan. Ka-chan said she's still waiting for you to say it to her. Yeah. You don't say it but I know she loves ya, Tousan."

"How?"

"She tries your coffee to know if it's too hot or if it tastes weird. I know you love her too."

Sasuke choked on air. "How?"

"Just cause you look at Ka-chan like cinnamon buns and tea. I'm adopted, though. Does that mean I didn't come out of Ka-chan's tummy?"

"Yes. How do you feel about that?" Sasuke asked, pursing his lips.

Benjiro shrugged. "Like I'm a million ryo," Benjiro said, moving his white gō-ishi.

"You are a million ryo. Treasure is probably in that smile of yours," Sasuke said.

Benjiro's eyes widened and his eyebrows curved. He dug a finger into his mouth and panicked, tried to get the 'treasure' out.

Sasuke, wanting to make a lesson out of this, continued. "You are adopted, Benjiro. Doesn't mean that I don't love you any less. You're okay with being adopted?"

Sasuke paused when he saw his kid hold back the tears.

Benjiro ran into his arms, weeping. "Benjiro... What's wrong?"

Benjiro leaned back while crying in an overwhelmed and bombastic way. In pain. He opened his mouth to explain, took one look at Sasuke, and came undone once again.

When Sasuke soothed the boy enough to make full sentences, Benjiro was still disconcerted and slobbering.

"Ka-chan already explained but... D-do my other family not... want me? An' what 'bout other kids who don't get Ka-chan's and Tousan'? An' what about... kids who don't get Ama's and Hiro's kisses, mango sisters and brothers and chess with their Tousan's and nice houses and everything like a good Ka-chan? What if you and Ka-chan leave me?"

"We are a family. You did nothing wrong to create the situation of coming in our direction," he said, coaxing Benjiro to look at him. "Your adoption doesn't stop us from loving you from your head to your toes."

Benjiro managed to smile, which was a beautiful sight to see. "You love me, even after they gave me away? Thought it was my fault. I'm a bad kid an' that's why they didn't wan' me."

Sasuke shook his head softly. "You are not a bad kid. You're a good brother and son. You're doing it all right," Sasuke said, looking at Benjiro's coal eyes.

Benjiro instinctively leaned in and pressed his forehead to Sasuke's, just breathing until he's calmed. He's seen Hinata and Sasuke do it innumerable times.

"You'll keep me? Forever and ever and ever?" Benjiro asked, sniffing and his tone was nasal. He pulled back.

"You're our son, Uchiha Aoi Benjiro. Understand?" Sasuke nodded, tickling Benjiro's side.

"Hn..."

Benjiro still looked dismayed. Sasuke felt pain at that. "Can I have a smile? Ka-chan's taken you to the dentist too many times for you not to show off."

Benjiro shook his head. "Too sad."

Sasuke poked his side. "C'mon kid. We won't leave the library 'til I get a smile. Besides, if we don't leave- how will we go surfing?"

Benjiro gave a gasp. "We're gonna go surfing?"

Sasuke nodded and tickled Benjiro. Benjiro finally gave a smile.

"Compared to having you, money and acceptance can't even compete. Don't blame yourself for adult's dumb mistakes," Sasuke said.

He chuckled sheepishly. "Adults are dumb. 'Cept for you, Ka-chan and Mitsuyo. Sometimes Meina," he giggled.

Sasuke smirked at the kid's confession. "They all are. We don't love you less than Amarante and Hiromitsu. We love you all the same. How much is that?" Sasuke asked.

"From the moon and back," Benjiro said.

Sasuke moved over on the cushion he rested on. Benjiro melted onto his side and rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder. "Just between you and me, you get to see the ocean the most and get the most scrapbooks, eh," he said. "Ka-chan goes crazy around pictures, doesn't she?"

"Crazy," Benjiro nodded. "Can we go surfing at Jungo's grove, with the dolphins?" Benjiro asked.

"Do you want to see it? The waves and dolphins?" Sasuke asked.

"Yeah. At sunset 'cause, the fish look like stars in the sky," Benjiro whispered, amazed. Moments later, he looked annoyed again like a hole was being drilled into his skull.

"Having two sets of parents isn't bad, Benjiro."

"It's not?" Benjiro asked, utterly flabbergasted.

"It's not. They're not bad people. If the time comes and you meet them, feel as you want. Be gentle with yourself and them... They made choices and we have to respect that," Sasuke said. "Promise me you'll reflect and understand?"

Benjiro groaned. "Fine," he said, obviously seeing it as a grievance. "Do I have to talk to 'em? They weren't there to tuck me in!"

"Perhaps. It all depends on you, Ben," Sasuke replied, thoughtful, questioning just how many hard feelings Benjiro had for his biological family.

"I heard that... my bird mother... died from sickness. She went to... heaven. Why did she have to leave me?"

Sasuke got quiet as well and slung an arm around Benjiro. "Sometimes... cancer sneaks up on you and... makes us sick. Sick enough that we go to heaven. Remember that bird we found in the backyard? When Ka-chan did all that she could to help and save that birdie?"

"Mhm,"

"Yes... that's what they probably did for your birth mother. Cancer... bad things can happen to anyone, Ben. No one can stop it because it's apart of life. Your birth mother may have... left to rest in peace but she never wanted to leave you, I'm sure of that."

"Will you leave me?" he asked, eyes full of doubts and questions.

"Not even if the sky fell. Other kids get nice families... they really do. Or they grow up, find people... on the fringes who turn out to be better than your childhood dreams. Everything you've prayed for."

"Did you pray for Ka-chan? For me?"

"Yes," Sasuke nodded, "for the renewal of a full clan. A family,"

"You happy?" Benjiro asked, an innocent question from an innocent kid.

Sasuke thought for a moment he nodded. "I've... found peace. Redemption. You... Konoha peace."

"You feel better?"

"Yes," Sasuke said and poked Benjiro's forehead.

Benjiro reacted in the strangest way and clapped his forehead, laughing. "Why'd you do that?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"You're gonna leave me hanging? Touuuuusaaan!"

Sasuke just shrugged again.

Benjiro eyed him. "Tremendously, Tousan? You love me tremendously?"

"Tremendously, Ben. Don't ever forget it."

Despite them saying that they won't give him away, into the system, Benjiro tested them.

For weeks.

Benjiro pulled stunts, he ran away and caused the worst trouble.

Sasuke called Benjiro a double Naruto which made Hinata ignore him for days.

The years of trust but ceased to exist until he sat Benjiro down and told the Aoi that they wouldn't give him away.

Sasuke promised. When Benjiro accepted that, he really let Sasuke and Hinata in.

¤¤¤

July 27th. 5:57 p.m.

He looked back at Hinata who was... moderately concerned. She usually had an easiness in her voice, like honey pooling in a jar. Her voice was in his head, she counseled him, understood him. Makes his life brighter here and then.

Hinata's bitting her lip again so he swiped a finger across her bottom lip and said, "I told you to stop doing that."

She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "I almost lost you. Again. Sometimes... I can't breathe until you come back from those dangerous missions."

"I come back, see you some, see the kids some and I leave for the better of Konoha."

She lowered his hand, running smooth thumbs over the plains of his knuckles. He became sensitive when she outlined his small scars.

"You return... all broken and bruised... Sasuke, now the hellions planned a perfect attack on us. Who knew they'd catch us when we're most vulnerable?"

"The Uchiha are never vulnerable."

"Ano, we were this time, Sasuke. We could have died. Karin recognizes the poison you were hurt by as 'Blood pressure'. A special woman she was best friends within Orochimaru's lab made it. I can't be a queen in such an organization. I have never heard of the word Akuma-oo-sama. Never. Why would he know me?"

Sasuke didn't know. He got the vibes that Akuma-oo-sama loved Hinata. He hated other men who loved her.

"Akuma-oo-sama is... unexpectedly powerful," Sasuke admitted lowly.

Hinata nodded, sighing then she chuckled. "This... this whole situation reminds me of the way it was with my father. Him commanding me to do something... I strike out and allow myself to be pushed around."

"You're not going to let them, right?"

"I don't think I should punish the Hyuuga even after watching my memories with them. I can't help but forgive them."

Sasuke perked up. "You've been thinking about them a lot, no?"

"Yes. After Someina charred me for lying, I thought of how my clan would feel betrayed. I should send letters and apologize. Tell them I'm alright, that our house smells like waffles and tea, we live somewhere woodsy, with three kids. And that birthday and holiday decorations are still up since I won't let you take them down," she flicked her eyes to him. "Mitsuyo told me she sent letters, updating the situation with the Hokage. Kakashi understands? Right?"

"Perfectly well. Mitsuyo sent letters to Konoha, explaining your whereabouts?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes... she did it months ago. We haven't gotten a response. Hanabi probably cried and Hiashi probably sent a million Hyuuga to look for me. I told the Raikage to not allow any Hyuuga through the barriers... Hanabi-love is, uh, mad at me. I imagine. I haven't actually gotten to message them back but I can imagine it."

Mitsuyo never sent any letters. She lied to Hinata on that part.

"You should write a letter, call sometime," Sasuke said. "For real."

"I shouldn't. That defeats the whole purpose of staying away. Besides, they are a thing of long, long time ago."

"It makes you nostalgic. You have something to miss, you have someone to lose. Don't lose them. Especially now, with Akuma-oo-sama coming around."

"You talk about him like you know who... what he is," she said, getting tense. "But anata, you talk about everything like you know what it is."

"I'm not that much of a smart ass."

She tried to hide it but she began laughing so hard, her ribs got tough. "You really are," she guffawed.

He scowled then his gaze softened, holding her fingers tightly. "You're laughing even when the hurt is sitting right there on the surface. That's what... you should be doing, not dealing with the stress. With the kids... Return to Konoha because it's safer."

Pause.

She unwittingly broke three of his fingers.

"What?!"

He gritted his teeth and exhaled loudly. She noticed the anguish-filled expression and looked at his twisted fingertips. She shrieked and apologized. She healed him while pursing her lips. She was still mad but she never meant to hurt him...

"Life is too short. Why would I be in Konoha alone when I could be spending time with you?" Hinata said quietly.

"It's safer and you have a whole village to support you. To keep you safe."

"But they're not you," she whispered, "and don't allude to the fact that I can't protect our kids because I can."

"I'm not alluding to anything. I think you should return to Konoha," Sasuke nodded. "Don't make this harder... Please."

She stepped away, crossing her arms. "I'm not leaving. This is my home. Not Konoha. I do want to go back? I have friends here, I fell for you here, we have kids together and became... us. We don't run for the hills at the first sign of trouble. We are not cowards; we are shinobi with a fundamental duty of protecting Kumo!"

"Hinata-"

"No. We stay, even when we're scared and you're turning away. It's still the worst. It feels like that. It's giving me a death full headache and-"

Sasuke sighed. She's making this difficult. He looked at her, cool and collected. "The worst doesn't mean the end. You all should go before the hard feelings of grief come along..."

"Nobody is going to die or leave. I'm not going just go because you said so. This worst doesn't mean our end."

"Hinata," he called out, reaching for her.

"No," she said, batting his hand away. "I'm going to work. The kids'll see you in a short while,"

¤¤¤

July 31st. Afternoon.

Later on that week, Sasuke was to return. It was good to be back, see the kids too.

He found her, at the mirror in the hallway, looking at her gray hair, frowning slightly.

It's been tense. She's been reflective and distant.

He knows her. He also knows that she's been missing her family like crazy.

She always liked looking at the best in people and never the worst in people.

She was the first and perhaps the only person who saw Sasuke as more than a traumatized self-outcasted alcoholic, a bloodthirsty mass murderer and thought, hey, he's worth saving.

He's a shell of a broken man driven by the loss of purpose.

On one of the last nights of their wintry escapades, he asked her what his purpose should be, now that he's given up on revenge. She said that their children should be his new purpose.

Saving the kids overshadowed everything else. They needed to leave.

Now the DCA's got the drop on them and they're demanding their kid back. She's barely slept, her eye bags are darkened and pronounced against her now snow skin. She's always lost in her mind, trying to make it right.

He came up behind her, sliding his arms around her waist. It was muscle memory for her to melt into him.

She tensed then Sasuke said, "It was wrong for me to tell you to leave... Kumo. It wouldn't hurt to visit, right? Ask for help. Ask how they're doing," he said, breaking the ice.

She huffed, dour. She was an iceberg until she bespoke. "Yeah... it wouldn't... Everything is good in this blue... We've got a lot of problems. Akuma-oo-sama wants our kids. You almost died the other day and neighborhood rats just egged our house again."

"We just cleaned off the yolk from the windows yesterday night. Again?" Sasuke asked, shifting.

"Again... They all talk behind your back, I heard them. Some of my interns spoke about you. Is it true Karui broke your leg?"

He nodded. He doesn't blame them. People are judged by the company they keep.

"They're just jerks," she said unconcernedly. "We're going to have to just wait it out. You know? We're prisoners in Kumo, aren't we?"

"We are, essentially, yes. It's going to be alright," he said. "Prisoners get their last meal."

"I'm not going back. Not without you."

Sasuke hesitated, which was rare. "You also have problems with your family you don't care to admit. People you have to miss and friends you have to talk to."

"We're perfectly fine," Hinata said.

"Don't play the denial game. You avoid your father like the plague. You and your sister haven't had a real conversation. Your clan can still heal from that and build another bridge."

"We all have familial problems. I take all the blame for this Konoha drift. I'm sure you still have some things to work over."

"Yes. They're all dead, Hinata. Never got a chance to talk. You have it."

She tensed up again.

Hinata shrugged out of his touch and clicked her tongue. "We're all just broken birds. They're a storm of problems... byakugans and just unhappiness."

"That doesn't mean you can't just run away."

She narrowed her eyes. "Like you did?"

Sasuke felt the air leave his body. "It was wrong. I lost a lot of people. We shouldn't just run away all the time. This distance breaks hearts and leaves us to bleed out."

She looked at him. "It's not... missing them as much as... guilt."

He locked onto a familiar pain in her eyes and he ached for her.

"My heart doesn't breaķ around you. As long as you're with me, we can live in a shoe. I don't care. I just want to spend time with you, alone, do not punish me for that..."

Punishment...eh. She was practically in the corner of the room, near a breakdown because of him. His fingers pulsed and he decided to drop it.

"You do love shoes," Sasuke added, dropping the argument. He will bring it up later.

"Kumo does have spectacular style and fashion. Even better than Konoha," she said. "Someina and I are supposed to... visit our favorite boutique. I liked dressing up but going nowhere in particular."

Sasuke got quiet. "I saw her bags packed."

"Me too..." she looked away.

"She'll forgive you. She's being unreasonable..."

"Maybe she isn't," Hinata looked regretful.

"You guys fight. You get over it," he assured her.

She then approached him steadily, reached up and kissed his cheek, mumbling to herself. "I'll check on the kids," she said.

Seeing her beautiful thing makes him smile faintly because the room still smells of her perfume. He watched her go. Sasuke was bitten by a sharp-teethed realization. She tends to make others confront their pain but avoids her own.

¤¤¤

That night.

It's raining outside like it does all night. She watched the damp, vaping dark forest surrounding them through the window.

She then caught him staring while moving the furniture. The kids were asleep, he never sleeps and she doesn't go to bed without him.

They were cleaning up. Toys, food, and crumbs were everywhere. There was glitter on the floor and pages from her medical books.

She avoided his gaze, even though staring was apart of their nightly routine. Her hair was still messy, snarls of it falling across her face.

She's been spending so much time inside that her skin looks like moonlight on a dark summer night. Paper skin. She wore a long black floral dress that swayed every time she moved. Her red bra strap showed while her wet hair dripped.

She was unhappy but gave him small smiles here and there that overrides his body with peace.

The lamps were on since the thunderstorm walked into the room and the lights flickered off. Hinata lit tree candles that smelled like vanilla. It made for an ambient and spatial feeling. Another place. It's elemental, hazy and has a certain noir-edge.

It was dark and stuffy but he moved the furniture so they can dance. He sat down on the couch, evading her passive aggressiveness. He sank and she rolled her eyes at him.

Sasuke got up, put on the radio.

A one track song. The low song was a Kumo original. There was a happy melody to it but felt upset for no reason. It had no words, just the strum of a melancholic koto.

She turned around, startled. Then just huffed and ignored it.

He turned the radio louder and she marched to him and turned it off. Secure in his affection, he reached out to her, intertwining their fingers.

He lifted his arm and twirled her, taking her other hand.

She was a limp towel and he moved around the living room, awkward. She followed, expecting him to lead.

He paused, scowling. Che, this is harder while sober. Everything is harder while sober.

She nudged him.

He didn't expect to get this far. She's been eluding him for the better part of a week, closing herself off in the way she likes.

He shuffled again. Then he realized, he didn't know how to dance. He shifted, feeling insecure for the first time. What does he do with his hands, and how does he move with the music?

She laughed at his expression and it was a real one.

She grabbed his hands and the bandaged hand came undone, just a bit of it. She moved to unwrap it but he didn't let her.

She sighed and took off her dress, let her hair down and took the colored contact lenses off.

Naked.

Almost. She wasn't naked, she had a loose undergarment dress. She looked monochrome in the pale moonlight; white skin, white hair, white smile, white eyes.

He watched her, circumspect. He hasn't let anyone see the skin under the bandage except for himself. He took away his hand and did it up again, without looking at her. He has things about him he cannot show or tell. Even to her. It isn't if he'll tell her, it's... when.

She didn't falter off, instead, she kissed his cheek and took his hand.

And they danced, fumbling at first, being klutzy.

Then he learned to move, not with the music but with her. He let himself be casual with her familiarity.

Everything is falling apart. There's that notion that they're each other's comfort.

The incense burns, amber fill the air and the smoke flirts with the flame.

Swaying in the wonder of him and her. The song soon ends.

The radio static kisses their ears like the air conditioning. Soft. They're still dancing in the dark, near midnight because the kids are asleep and they... still love wanted each other. 

They did that for a while before going to the bedroom. He laid down and she followed, laying with a leg draped over his and she curled her foot around his ankle. He says she smells like flowers and sunshine and almonds.

¤¤¤

August 1st. Near evening.

While in the backyard, they pulled down sheets and tiny shirts on the backyard clothesline.

It was going to rain, he smelled it.

He didn't particularly care.

Having this knowledge, Hinata pulled Sasuke from watching soccer on TV and forced him to take down the laundry with her.

It was quiet like it has been for the past few days.

"Do you want to be in Konoha?" she asked Sasuke, folding Benjiro's shirt.

He let out a rough, pained exhale. "It's just a graveyard to me. I can't intrude on anyone..."

She shook her head fiercely. "Anata, you're not a burden."

Perhaps not to her or the kids. The list is extremely short.

He shook his head, feeling featherbrained. "Tell that to them. When my family died, they treated me like a potential weapon instead of an Uchiha. After the massacre, I attempted... tried to laugh again. Just to remember the feeling. Just to know what it felt like again."

Hinata looked near tears and she gathered him into a hug. "You forgot how to laugh? Because of Konoha?" she said into his chest.

He carded his fingers through her hair. "I forgot to be... happy. I was a shinobi but I only fought myself. Then I turned to synthetic happiness. A surrogate family with jutsu and swords. I ran into sin, dangerous situations that were casually suicidal. Revenge. That was my purpose- to avenge my family. It still is. It's just not as violent."

"How will you avenge your family?"

Sasuke held her tighter, breathing hard. "One day... everyone I knew was dead. Blood was the new paint. Corpse was the new smell. Loneliness replaced my usual reality. It was probably when I realized nothing was permanent. I was left with no family. I was numb. The hate in my heart was an abyss, endless... endless. I roamed. I wasn't afraid of death. I've tried it a couple of times. Too many."

"I'm so sorry..."

"Don't apologize. After all, it was my brother who used the sword. Got the order," he said, breaking.

"Still. I'm sorry. In a heartbeat, I would have taken all your pain..."

That would be awesome but impossible.

"I figure... death is sad but life is sadder. The old days were enough. My mother's and father's presence used to suffocate me. Now it's all that I want. Forgot what it felt like to have a family."

"I knew you were lonely. I should have done something,"

Sasuke shook his head. "You were caught up on him, it's understandable. Sometimes, I think Naruto's an ideal. I'm realistic."

She hummed in agreement.

"I don't want to keep up with the anger. I'm done... fighting the wars," he said quietly.

I put the sword down. I was too close to the battle. I will not seek vengeance but... justice. No more glory. No more having a reputation as a killer, Sasuke told himself.

"I know you heard my history. You shouldn't like me," Sasuke chuckled.

"I lo-like you a lot, thank you very much," Hinata said, growing red.

After the war ends, I wonder what I was supposed to do in the dark, Sasuke thought. Find peace, like I told Benjiro? Retire in Konoha? Marry her-

Hinata then laughed. "I remember... it was so long ago. I noticed you didn't have lunches after the massacre. The next afternoon, I brought you food. Bento boxes. We did that, sat together on a bench while not talking. I was too afraid to speak. Then you told me it was good. I did that three times... then you tried to hug me, since someone said hugging is a huge thanks and I ran away, scared..."

"I tried to hit on you? Even then, I had it right," he grinned.

"I mean... I thought you did? We were like eight and I was monosyllabic. I think you... It's pretty to think you did..."

"You could have stayed," he murmured.

If he had this years ago, he probably would have proposed when he was twelve or something.

"You told me to go," Hinata protested.

"I'm a damned idiot. I should have seen you in the stars. I'd have followed you anywhere. Even when I'm screaming, it always has the undertone of don't go."

She doesn't understand how much she helped him recover. He didn't lose to this eternal night. He wasn't at a lamppost in the pouring rain. He was in the light. He knows his darkness will never go away. Falling... for her was a relatable crime of passion. They found their own momentum. He knows she wasn't apart of his past but she's apart of his future.

Benjiro asked him... if he got what he wanted, what he prayed for... he really did.

He hugged her. He knew it was a promise. He held her close like she's a glass doll about to break. Her hugs are a sort of delicacy and affection that reached directly into his black heart. He asked Kami to slow down the seconds. He did but time passed. Quiet hours turned into years.

They got through their dimensions and met. The maternal sadness faded to nothing. She knows, he was falling apart. Then he fell back together with her.

"I was left with no my family. Then I made my own with you," he said nonchalantly.

She smiled and it made him feel like he let the light in.

Finally.

Maybe life wasn't a black void of utter hell. It's with the anachronism from heaven- Uchiha Hinata.