[OP: "Passerine"--The Oh Hellos]

Hanabi outpaced Bakugo and said, "Come on."

She had her Byakugan activated, so he knew she was tracking someone, and he wasn't surprised when she rounded some corner to find the Eichi kid still slinking his way along. Apparently he  hadn't caught up with his friends yet, or they had gone a different way than he thought.

He jumped when he saw them coming.

"Hey," Hanabi called, running up to him. "I'm sorry about that guy back there. He's a loudmouth, all right? But he's not all bad."

"I heard that, you little brat," Bakugo said.

"Bite me, Explosion Boy." Hanabi turned to glare at him.

Bakugo found her nerve kind of impressive, in a way. He just huffed instead of blowing up.

"See?" Hanabi turned to Eichi, who stared at her like she'd lost her mind.

Then, slowly, he smiled as if he found it funny.

"Well, I shouldn't have asked," he admitted wryly. "Everyone knows not to ask people questions too much."

"I guess it's going to come out either way," Hanabi sighed. "But you guys didn't seem so bad. Our team is just trying to make peace... I kind of thought you might get the wrong idea from how we reacted."

By we she meant Naruto and Bakugo.

"You seem...well, like a nice enough person," Eichi allowed, "but...well, that doesn't make it smart. And another thing is, bringing so many famous shinobi here is kind of...a little chancy in the eyes of some people." He lowered his voice, as if afraid someone would hear him. "I would think you'd want to keep a low profile."

"We're supposed to." Hanabi rolled her eyes. "But some people just don't get it... About the Uchiha guy--"

"Shhh!" Eichi held up his hands.

Hanabi looked around.

"No one's here..." she said. "Trust me, I would know."

"Well, you can't be too careful," Eichi said. "If the whole village knew about that guy, they'd be upset...I think."

He frowned. "And this village isn't as safe as you might expect."

"People have been trying to kidnap my family since I was a toddler," Hanabi said bluntly. "I know that nowhere is safe, all right? I'm not stupid. But we're doing a good thing here, and you have to be brave and try to do the right thing. Or nothing changes. And I think even your dopey friends should understand that."

"Dopey?" Eichi said. "I think they're just worried. A lot of them lost their fathers because of the war--I did too, actually. The person behind it being close to their families isn't something to brush off."

"I see." Hanabi couldn't argue that was a good point. "But, honestly, he hasn't done anything bad. Can't people change?"

"I don't know," Eichi said. "I hope so, for your guys' sake as much as ours. I think someone like that probably doesn't deserve such loyal friends."

"I'm not his friend," Hanabi said in as salty a voice as she could. "I think he's a prick, but he's...an obedient prick, so far. And the lady in charge of us can make him toe the line. She's got him handled, trust me. Everyone knows it. And the Kazekage is crazy powerful too. We'll be fine. Starting trouble about it is just as stupid as us having him here, isn't it?"

"I guess you've got a point," Eichi said. "Asking for it is never a good idea... Anyway, I gotta get home... You guys hang around this area a lot?"

"Just today," Hanabi replied.

"Uh...you might want to hang out closer to your lodgings."

"Why?" Hanabi said.

"My mom says this part of town can be dangerous," Eichi said in a low voice again. "It's more run down... I mean, if you've got a big group like before it's one thing, but just one or two of you shouldn't be going around this area alone."

"But you are," Hanabi said.

"Well, I'm used to it," Eichi dismissed it. "Just go home."

"Okay..." Hanabi said. "Well, uh...it was nice meeting you."

Her mother had taught her to be polite after all.

"Huh? Oh, yeah...right." Eichi didn't seem to know the social etiquette. "You too, I guess..."

He glanced at Bakugo nervously. Bakugo didn't look as if he wanted good manners right now.

"Well, good luck," Eichi said hastily, walking away.

Hanabi found his behavior a little puzzling.

"Did that seem...weird to you?" she asked Bakugo.

"If you mean the kid seemed a little jumpy, then yeah. I heard what he said. Let's get out of here. If we start a fight with some thugs, the village will find some way to blame us for it, no doubt. We're supposed to keep out of trouble like that while we're here."

"Yeah...he was nice though."

"Don't get a crush."

"I wasn't!" Hanabi pointed at him. "I just mean that they're not all as bad as you think. Calling everyone brats and punks isn't going to make them like you."

"I've never tried to make people like me."

"I can see that." Sassily.

Bakugo shot her a dirty look. "Hey, Mini-Hinata, just because Dabi finds that sh-- cute doesn't mean I do. Knock it the frick off."

"Step off, mister, I know you can't lay a finger on me without breaking the rules," Hanabi said. "And even if you're not scared of what a pint-sized ninja like me can do to you, I bet your sensei will have plenty of ideas for how to make you sorry for it if you cross the line."

"You little narc!" Bakugo said.

"What?"

"A snitch."

"I'll snitch on you if you're going to be a jerk," Hanabi said. "I have no shame about that."

"That's just like the youngest child to say," Bakugo said.

"What, you're an only child--are you just not used to it?" she shot back.

"Who the h--- taught you to be such a d--- smarta--?" Bakugo replied, almost with respect.

"Oh, well, this is just the kind of thing I think all the time but can't say at home," Hanabi explained. "I thought it would be nice to not have to be polite all the time...and no one's going to tell my mother here, so..."

"You're precocious," Bakugo said.

"So're you," she replied. "And you always want to have the last word."

"Do not."

"Prove it."

She smirked.

Bakugo, of course, had to shut up after that.

* * *

"I'm sure Naruto is not mad at you," Momo tried to sooth Hinata, after making her some tea.

Hinata had told her what happened, leaving out a few details, but enough so Momo understood the gravitas of the situation.

"I have never spoken to him like that," Hinata said. "And I think it bothered him. I feel awful for that."

"I'm sure what you said was what you believed was the truth. You wouldn't be mean to him, " Momo said.

"No...no, I wouldn't be...but the truth can hurt, and maybe I am wrong. I don't know Sasuke that well," Hinata sighed.

"But I think that you were right," Momo said. "I think that's just exactly how Sasuke feels...and I can understand it a little. He's certainly not a pleasant person, but then, to be pulled at like that when you have deep problems with the Village and what it did...I mean, especially if someone killed your entire family in one night, that isn't something you can just forget about. It's so...wrong."

"Sometimes I've thought," Hinata said in a low voice, "what if it was us? What if we were the clan that no one liked? It's not that far-fetched... It's happened to many other clans. Even Naruto's, though I didn't know that till recently."

"Neither did I, and it's awful," Momo said. "To think he had that in common with Sasuke...but he doesn't seem to care about it the same way."

"Naruto never met his clan. I've grown up with mine, and we don't always see eye to eye, but they are my family, and many of them are good people. To punish them all for what some of them have done...I couldn't do it, but our enemies might."

"I'm sorry that you have to live with that kind of fear..." Momo said quietly. "My parents have worried about me being kidnapped... I think they liked the hero thing partly because they hoped that I'd be able to fight and be surrounded by strong heroes, but that hasn't turned out to be as good a protection as we hoped. They thought if I was a pro hero instead of just their daughter, people would see me as my own person, not collateral. And I decided that I would be my own person and not rely on my parents' success only in life...but I see that it's not that simple. Still, no one could care enough to annihilate my whole family over it. They might want to use us, but we're not seen as some kind of gang threat to the city we live in. I thought I had problems until I came here..."

Hinata didn't laugh. She didn't really know if it was a joke or not.

"I suppose I just could imagine what I would feel like," she said. "Sasuke is a traitor, and I know that, but I've never had any hate for him. I only feel pity."

"I don't hate him either," Momo said. "At times he does annoy me and anger me, but he must be a broken person. How could he not be? I...don't know why other people don't see it that way."

Hinata knew she meant Shoto.

Momo sighed. "Truthfully, I've also had some words with my boyfriend over this... We just can't seem to see eye to eye about it, even though we basically agree about Sasuke's character, but we can't agree about how to treat him. Or how sincere he is now."

"I don't know if he really wants to change," Hinata said. "I just know he can't be forced to change."

"I agree...but he can't be bullied into changing either," Momo pointed out.

"I do know Shoto-senpai isn't a bully," Hinata said. "I'm sure he's trying to protect you all... If he pushed Sasuke away from you, he might think that you'll be safer."

"Is that it?" Momo sat back, thoughtfully. "I didn't think of it that way. But I think it's more personal too. I don't know if I should talk about it though. He would hate me talking about him like this. I just don't know what to do. I hate to bother Shine with it. She's already got a lot to deal with with them fighting each other and so many other people. And she's doing a great job. I'm amazed at her not snapping with all the pressure. I can't ask her to give me so much time."

"I'm sure she would listen to you," Hinata said.

"She would, but I feel like I should be able to work this out myself," Momo said. "Everyone else leans on her so often, and I'm a senior student. I should know how to solve things myself."

Hinata understood that feeling.

"I don't mean to make this about me," Momo said. "I'm sorry... We can go back to talking about your problem."

"I'm okay with knowing that I'm not the only one," Hinata said. "I've never fought with Naruto, ever. I didn't mean to fight with him, but he seemed angry."

"Maybe you were just...right?" Momo suggested. "He can't really not see it. He'd have to be completely oblivious. Sasuke has told him to his face."

"Has he? Naruto hasn't really spoken of it."

"I think he chose not to think of it, but Sasuke has been quite direct." Momo nodded for emphasis. "The thing is that their conflict touches all of us. That's why I can't just forget about it, and neither can Shoto...and neither can you, I'm surmising."

"No." Hinata hugged her sides. "Because it does affect all of us. Sasuke has threatened us all, but he is still part of our village. If he can change, we all should want that. But if he won't, I can't want Naruto to be hurt again by him. So what can I want? But, I have no say in this. Naruto is...well, he's not attached to me in any way that matters. I'm not on his team. So I had no right to go off about it the way I did."

"But you care about Naruto, don't you?" Momo said.

Hinata turned red. "I...well...yes..." In a small voice.

"I'm sorry...I didn't mean to embarrass you, but your...feelings aren't exactly a secret," Momo said.

"I suppose they aren't." Hinata put her face in her knees. "Everyone knows."

Except for Naruto, Momo added mentally.

"But of course you're worried about him," Momo said. "And...if anyone in my class was in danger, I would worry about them and want to help them, even if we weren't that close, so I think, as his peer, you do have some right to be concerned. Perhaps if you just told him that was why."

"I couldn't," Hinata said.

"But he might like to know someone was worried about him," Momo said.

"I literally couldn't do it. You've seen me... I would fall apart if I even tried to express that...and how could I explain?"

"I don't think you need to explain all of your feelings, just that you're worried about him. That's simple," Momo said. "And besides...I mean, have you thought about just telling him again? This time when he won't lose his memory of it."

"I just don't have the courage," Hinata sighed. "It was so humiliating that he forgot about it last time, and I got beaten so badly, I just don't have the resolve now. I looked foolish."

"No, no, it was beautiful," Momo insisted. "Even if you lost, no one else stepped in. You were so brave, and you weren't foolish enough to hold back just because you thought he could handle it alone like the others did. That's foolishness. People need each other's help. How could he be anything but grateful for that?"

Well, she did know some guys who would be mad about it, but Naruto wasn't one of them.

Hinata shook her head. "I still don't think I could."

[But who would vote for a confession in this story, rather than waiting 2-3 years for it for absolutely no reason other than the author was too lazy to write it? He didn't even write the movie from what I understand.]

"Maybe I could talk to him," Momo offered, after a pause. "Not about that--" As Hinata looked terrified. "--I just meant, about your fight. I could explain it...if you think you couldn't do it. I could play peacemaker."

"That seems weak..." Hinata said.

"I'm sure it's fine to use a mediator," Momo said. "Shine does it all the time, to smooth things over. Then people talk to each other after that. I could just...sort of pave the way? Would that help?"

"It might... But I couldn't ask you do that."

 "I'm sure he wouldn't be mad, but he might be afraid to talk about it too."

"But I'm not helping you with your problem. I don't want to just ask you to do this for me."

"I...well...I don't think Todoroki would feel the same way about it..." Momo conceded. "He and Naruto are such different people. I...I'll have to work it out with him myself. But maybe you did help. I needed to think about why he feels so strongly about it. I didn't think of his driving Sasuke away as his way of protecting us."

"It's how a lot of shinobi protect each other," Hinata said. "But somehow Shoto-senpai does seem a little more like us in how he handles threats than he does like your senseis."

Momo did not think that was a compliment to Shoto. Blending into the ninja's way of doing things was not something they aspired to do...but she could see the resemblance.

* * *

That night there were more problems in the nightmare territory.

Gaara had a bad dream about people running away from him and calling him a monster.

He so rarely had these dreams anymore, since he'd started using Shine's method to deal with them, that he was surprised.

It didn't bother him that much, but Kankuro, who woke up when he did, asked him what was up and he explained.

"Do you think this is an omen?" Kankuro asked.

"I don't believe that omens are real," Gaara said. "At least not like that... Perhaps I was merely concerned about tomorrow's meeting and it left my mind open to fears."

"I hope that's all it is," Kankuro said. "But the last time Temari had an omen, you died."

Silence.

"Well, I know what to do..." Gaara said slowly.

After doing the things he knew, he went back to sleep and didn't have any more dreams.

But elsewhere, Naruto had nightmares about Sasuke leaving again and some of the things he'd feared when it had happened. It wasn't hard to guess this had been brought on by his conversation with Hinata...and perhaps some underlying fears he still had.

Sai had a dream about his panic attacks making him freeze up...and he did not usually dream at all; results of the emotional suppression training was that most people with it did not dream anything.

But he woke up and heard Sasuke (his unwilling roommate again) also apparently having some kind of nightmare.

Sai had heard him having them before in Mist Village, and probably their other roommates had noticed it also, but no one had talked about it.

Sai didn't intend to do anything about it either.

Sasuke's nightmare was very much the same as before, though he hadn't had one for several days.

But this time he remembered that it was a nightmare, in a way, but couldn't escape it, just like the Sharingan-induced ones.

He kept trying to wake up and couldn't...and the noise and the red color just got more intense.

But at some point in the dream he somehow remembered that Shine had been able to break it before, and, having the impression that she was not that far away, he tried to get her attention.

Sai heard him saying "Likstar-san" finally and realized what was happening--sort of.

And he had no idea, but he got up and went down the hall to Shine's room, as they were in the same building. [Which was mentioned earlier in this story, if you remember, so this is not a continuity error.]

Shine was sound asleep, but Karin was awake because she felt something was off and that woke her up.

"What is it?" Shine rubbed her eyes as Karin flipped on the light.

Then Sai rapped on the door lightly. "Shine-sensei?"

"Oh, it's Sai," Shine said. 

"What does he want at this hour?" Karin griped.

"Must be important, whatever it is." Shine opened the door.

Sai was not the type to care that she was in her pajamas (which was just a t-shirt with pajama pants anyway), so he didn't bat an eyelash. "I think you need to come check on Sasuke," he said.

"Sasuke?" she said. "Why? Is he sick?"

"I don't think so, but he was calling you," Sai said. "I think he's having some kind of nightmare."

"And he's calling her?" Karin said weirdly. "Why would he do that?"

"Perhaps it's some subconscious plea for help," Shine mused.."Since I did help him before...it makes sense. I'd better go. This could get ugly if he doesn't come out of it smoothly... You might want to stand back though."

"Of course," Sai said.

Shine walked away.

"You really woke us up for this?" Karin said to Sai. "I thought you didn't like Sasuke."

"I don't, but I couldn't very well sleep if he's having some kind of problem like that," Sai said. "Anyway, it seems significant to me. But tonight has been unpleasant for me also..."

"Hmm...I was kind of restless too," Karin said. "Maybe because the Kazekage is planning to tell the Tsuchikage about your new faith tomorrow, and who knows how that will go over?"

"It shouldn't be a problem. It wasn't before," Sai said.

"The Mizukage is a very special woman," Karin said. "Some would call her naive."

"I think she's kind," Sai said. "Kindness is a valuable trait in people. It's rare."

Karin wondered if he was insulting her there or he was just making an observation.

[You never know with Sai.]

"Maybe you should go back Likstar up," she said flatly.

"I guess I should..." Sai went after her.

Karin rolled her eyes and sank back onto her bunk, yawning.

* * *

Shine woke Sasuke up. It was not nearly as difficult as last time. She just had to shake him.

He did almost hit her in the face before he realized he was awake, but she ducked just in time.

Sasuke looked around at the moonlit room and then got angry at her. "What are you doing in here?"

"Sai got me," Shine said, staunchly. "And you're welcome."

"Sai?" Sasuke frowned. "Why would he...?"

"Because he's more compassionate than you are." Shine was a little snippy after being woken up and getting this reception. "But don't worry about it. He won't care to mention it later. You're quite safe with him."

"Why would he have got you if you didn't tell him something before?" Sasuke's eyes darkened. "You said you wouldn't."

"First, I'm surprised you believed me," Shine said wryly. "Second, I didn't tell him a thing. You did."

"What?"

"Figure it out, Sasuke. Or ask him. I'm not going over it." Shine rubbed her forehead. "Want to tell me what this was about?"

"No," Sasuke said stiffly.

"Fine," Shine said. "I'll go then."

Her having an attitude about it was almost funny, considering how she usually never acted like anything bothered her.

Sasuke spoke before she could exit the room. "Wait."

Shine paused. "Why?"

"I thought you were supposed to stop this from happening." Sasuke sat up more and put his feet on the floor. "It didn't work."

"Sasuke, I'm still only human," Shine said. "Only God can do things like that...and it doesn't take only one try to stop something like this. It might not even have worked that well the first time, so you're lucky that it did. One has to be persistent. That shouldn't be a problem for you, right? But of course, if you won't learn how to help yourself, I might lose a lot of sleep over it."

Sasuke frowned. "What, so you'd just get up every single time?"

"If I have to," Shine sighed.

"Why?" Suspiciously.

"Why? It's my job," Shine said. "Do you have a problem with that? I think Sai would like to go back to bed."

"I would," Sai said from the hallway, not getting that this might be a bad time to interject.

Sasuke realized he was listening and scowled.

Shine debated just going back to her room, like she wanted to...but Sasuke did seem upset, even if he was trying to hide it.

Sighing, she gave up on her getting a decent night's sleep.

"All right," she said, her tone changing to one of resignation. "Get up."

"What?"

"Get up, you heard me. Get dressed. I don't want to look at you like that. Come on." She stared at the door.

"Why does he need to get dressed?" Sai asked.

"Because, Sai, and someone had better tell you this now, boys should not be around girls when they're in their nighttime attire unless they're married or they're related," Shine replied flatly. "I'm going to go now, actually, and get dressed. You can go back to bed. If he doesn't get up, feel free to shove him out the door."

She walked away.

"Are you going to get up?" Sai asked Sasuke.

"Do I have a choice?" Sasuke growled.

"It doesn't really sound like it." Sai didn't understand that it was rhetorical.

"Shut up," Sasuke snapped at him.

"You know, you're not a very grateful person," Sai observed, sitting down on his own bed.

"I said shut up."

* * *

"Where are you going?" Karin asked Shine.

"Just taking some time to settle this," Shine said. "Go back to sleep... I'll try to be quiet when I come back in."

"For me that won't work, but I'm not sitting up." Karin laid back down.

Shine put on clothes and grabbed shoes and a flashlight before going back out.

Thankfully, Sasuke was already waiting for her, though he wasn't happy about it.

"I really don't want to do whatever it is you're going to make me do," he said.

"Frankly, your wishes weren't a factor," Shine said. "Besides, when do you ever want to do anything?"

Silence.

"We're going for a walk, come on." Shine pointed at the exit to the outside.

"I don't want to do that."

"Would you rather stay here?" Shine asked.

"Yes."

"I'm glad to hear that you know what you want for once, but I don't have to oblige you. Come on." Shine motioned. "You know I can make you, so either walk or be dragged."

Sasuke chose walking, very sullenly.

"This is so humiliating," he complained as they went outside.

"I know it is," Shine said in a fake sweet tone like she was talking to a child. "I know it's so embarrassing for you to deal with me in the middle of the night. But I can't sleep in peace if you're suffering, so we're both stuck."

"Don't be ridiculous," Sasuke growled.

"See, you really make it so worthwhile to do these things," Shine said sarcastically. "Follow me."

"And if I don't? Are you just going to portal me all over the place? You'll get tired."

"Oh, I can think of a few places you won't like before then," Shine said with a devious grin.

Sasuke decided to just do as she said rather than find out if one of those places would be a cold body of water.

He felt pathetic giving into her so easily, but the problem with her powers was that she was pretty much impossible to fight if she really wanted to get her way, and she was immune to his attacks if he'd wanted to try to resist.

"What if I just left?" he said aloud.

"Cute, but that threat is overplayed," Shine said. "And didn't I say to stop making it?"

"I wasn't serious..."

"I know that," Shine said. "But keep it up, see what happens."

Sasuke walked in sullen silence for a while.

Shine walked through the streets.

They were mostly alone at night, save for other ninja who had night watch or people who lived on the town at all hours or who worked overnight shifts.

"Is there a point to this?" Sasuke finally asked after a few moments of silence.

"Is there a point to your attitude?" Shine replied.

"Stop it. You made me come out there. There should be a reason for it."

"Sorry," Shine said. "I get a little cranky when I'm woken up too early...but now that the cold air is getting my adrenaline up I feel a little better, but you are fun to mess with."

"Stop doing that."

"I can't. It's a habit by now," Shine teased him maddeningly.

Sasuke frowned at her. "I want to go back if you're going to be like this."

"You're like this all the time and I'm still here," Shine said. "Why don't you try talking to me in a non-spiteful voice before you get on my case about being annoying?"

Another sullen silence met that remark.

Finally, he said in a less sour voice--but a forced one-- "What do you want?"

"How sweet of you to ask." Shine was still sarcastic.

Sasuke stopped short, fed up.

"Sorry...I couldn't resist." Shine choked on a laugh. "It was too easy. But I can try to be serious now. I was hoping that, now that we're not around the others, you would tell me why you think you keep having these nightmares."

Sasuke didn't want to answer that...and he didn't really know.

"I have no idea. Aren't you supposed to be the one who knows?"

"I think I do now, but I'm more interested in finding out what you know."

"Well, I don't know. They just happened," Sasuke said.

"You do. But you don't want to tell me because you think it's admitting weakness." Shine glanced at him. "But since I already know, what do you have to lose? Might as well regain some control by at least figuring it out."

Sasuke wondered she was right about that... Perhaps she thought he was stupid...but if he showed some understanding of it, she might at least think he was less of a helpless fool than before. She seemed to value understanding over brute force.

Not his strong point, but he only admitted that to himself.

"I think, like you said, the Sharingan is doing it," he said. "Maybe it's just what it's designed to do..." He paused. Designed...when had he started to think of it that way?

"So what is it showing you?" Shine asked. "You never said before."

Sasuke paused. He didn't want to think about it...

But...

He looked away. "I see... You wouldn't understand what it looks like. You've never been put in the Mangekyo before."

"I've seen what it looks like," Shine surprised him by saying. "Red, black, like a hellscape. It feels real, though it only takes minutes in our time. It's some kind of other dimension that you force someone's soul into and torture them. Truly a devilish ability."

Sasuke gaped at her.

"I...no one's said anything about it being a dimension...like that... Well, it's a nightmare scape," he said.

"It's a dimension. Dreams happen in another dimension anyway. Our soul and our minds touch spiritual reality in our dreams," Shine said. "Scientists actually can't fully explain why we dream. And you, sir, have an opening in your mind to the nightmare realm. Most of us get attacked from it, but we don't have a gateway to it. You do. That's why you can't exit it on your own."

This was the worst possible news for Sasuke.

"So that's it? This never stops..." he said.

"No...there is a way it could stop," Shine said. "But you won't like it... Are you seeing anything else or just that landscape? Because that just means that you're in that dimension, but anything more might mean something else."

"I've seen people in there..." Sasuke was interested enough now to tell her the details. "People I know. My brother, Orochimaru, Madara, maybe. And crows...and sometimes it seems more like a memory."

Then he wondered what he was doing. She didn't ask all that.

But Shine only nodded, like she was a doctor listening to a medical diagnosis.

"All that tracks. Itachi, because he forced you to enter it to begin with. Then the others are just tied to that aspect of your powers. Dark powers are no different than anything else--they attract more of their kind. I guessed it was something like that...but it's so blatant, not even trying to pretend to be something else."

She almost sounded like she felt sorry for him, but that was impossible. She never pitied him. (Sasuke never chose to remember the many times she'd said she did.)

"Well, it's nothing I'm not used to," he tried to dismiss it.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shine said somberly. "No one should have to be used to that. I've had terrible dreams that I remember to this day that I know were of the same ilk as that... They've mostly stopped now, but when I'm weak, now and then, I have another one. But they don't scare me so much now. Being capable of fighting back helps."

"I don't see why this is any concern of yours," Sasuke grumbled.

"Your wellbeing is my concern, if you're my student," Shine said.

"Right...part of your job," Sasuke said in the same tone.

"You know, saying that, you sound like you wish it was different," Shine caught him. "Why?"

"I don't. It's just stating a fact. At least, you use that as your excuse, but I still think you have other motives," Sasuke said.

"As usual, you are such a delight to try to help," Shine said saltily. "Do you know, you've never thanked me once for anything I've done for you?"

"Why would I thank you?" Sasuke said, way meaner than even he thought he would.

After all it was a reasonable request--even he knew that. He just never did it.

Shine stared at him like he was an idiot, which was worse than anger.

"Well, why would you?" She shrugged. "Why should I expect anything of you? I suppose that's a good point."

That hurt a lot more than anger would have too.

Sasuke clenched a fist.

"You really despise me."

Shine was silent for a moment.

"At times," she said finally, "I have. But not anymore."

"What?" Sasuke was surprised because he'd not done anything to change that on his end.

"Well, there's no reason to care now," Shine said. "While you were doing evil things and rejecting your friends' help, I despised you for doing such things. But if you're not doing them, then why should I feel that way now? That doesn't mean I admire you... It's more like...it's a zero sum game. Neutral. Just as you no longer hate me, because I'm not in your way anymore."

There was another pause.