Chapter Text
Captain Eris stood before his King, Lord Madara Uchiha, Advisor Itachi Uchiha, the generals, ex-general Kakashi and even Lady Tsunade's apprentice Shizune. He knew the reason he was summoned for this particular meeting and though it pained him to recall the recent events, he owed it to his Queen to make sure she got justice.
"Eris, explain everything that happened" Sasuke ordered.
Swallowing his nervousness, Eris recalled everything from the moment he was called into the medical room.
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Eris as well as 3 of his other men stood dutifully with sharp alertness outside of the medical ward. Sasuke's orders were at the forefront of his mind so he focused on making sure the Queen's exams went accordingly. He was clueless as to why General Haruno had summoned him. As Captain of the palace guards he was directly under the direct orders of Sasuke as well as Naruto however Sakura was a trusted woman as well as general herself so he couldn't very well refuse her.
Roughly a minute after Sasuke had left, Sakura open the doors and ordered him and his men inside. Why? He assumed (as Sasuke had) that he was there for security measures if anything. Nevertheless, he didn't question her as he and his men entered inside. The Queen seemed slightly unsettled and even confused at their presence. He could understand her puzzlement.
"All of you stand in a row" Sakura calmly instructed.
Once again they didn't question her as they followed her instructions exactly.
"Lady Hyuuga", Eris' brow twitched at the General's words, "stand infront of the captain".
Hinata seemed unsure as she complied, keeping her gaze lowered as she stood before him. When she looked up, he attempted to calm her nerves by offering a small smile which she gratefully returned, her shoulders slumping in relief as the tension left her body.
"Does that bother you Lady Hyuuga?" Sakura asked with an air of professionalism.
"Not at all Lady Haruno" Hinata smiled, feeling much better after Eris' nonverbal reassurance. Eris noted Sakura jotting notes on her clipboard. What did any of this mean?
"Okay, now then, stand infront of the next man please"
Feeling much better, Hinata agreed with no anxiety whatsoever. As Hinata stood infront of the next guard, Eris watched Sakura, carefully analyse the two. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the guard blush, unable maintain direct eyecontact as well as the tension being regained in Hinata's shoulders.
Why was one of his men behaving in such an unsightly manner?
"What about this time?" Sakura inquired.
Hinata bit her lip in hesitance as she began picking at her thumb.
"I felt abit anxious" she quietly admitted, ashamed of her nerves.
The process continued until the last 2 men were accounted for. The entire time, Sakura was jotting down notes. But what were those notes?
Sakura the put her clipboard down and walked towards one of the beds as she directed Hinata to sit down. Eris had assumed his duty was done and was directing his men out, preparing to reprimand them for their shameful behaviour when Sakura's voice rung out.
"Not yet Captain, I'll still need your help"
He frowned in confusion but Sakura continued before he could voice his questions.
"Lady Hyuuga" she began, "do you feel safe here?".
Hinata considered what Sakura could possibly mean. Was she asking if Hinata was worried about her physical safety in the palace? If that's the case the answer was pretty easy.
"Yes Lady Haruno"
Sakura jotted down her response before continuing, "are you okay with answering some tough questions?".
Once again Hinata answered with a 'yes' but the very moment she did she felt a shiver traverse her body, as if that very moment set a horrible sequence of events in stone.
"Now then" Sakura warmly regarded, "I will just inject you with this relaxation serum Lady Hyuuga. We want to calm you as much as possible so you can't cause yourself or anyone else harm".
Hinata clearly struggled to understand why asking simple questions would result in someone getting possibly hurt but she complied if only to finish the exam as soon as possible.
It was then that Sakura injected Hinata in the neck with a purple liquid. Hinata immediately relaxed which brought a huge relief to Eris. Maybe everything would be fine.
"Okay now Lady Hyuuga does me holding your wrist bother you?", Sakura asked, holding the Queen's wrist in a manner that seemed less than friendly.
Now much calmer Hinata easily answered, "I don't like it but it doesn't bother me too much. I know no harm is meant".
Her smile was so gentle and innocent yet Eris couldn't suppress the foreboding shiver clawing up his spine. Why did he get the feeling that things were going to get drastically worse? No! He had to have faith in the General, in the woman who His Majesty trusted since they were young. ...That's what he told himself at least.
"I'm glad Lady Hyuuga. Now, please bear in mind that Sasuke was desperate for this test to be done so I'm only complying with his wishes"
Hinata seemed far more unsettled by this point and Eris absolutely couldn't blame her for that but he had to trust that the head medic knew what she was doing. He of course didn't miss the casual way Sakura referred to the King but being below her, he knew he had no right to even question, let alone reprimand her for that.
"Lady Hyuuga, I have a question for you" she began.
"Yes Lady Haruno?" Hinata meekly answered.
"From what we have gathered you sexual abuse started from age 3. Can you recall the first time it happened?" She asked in a matter of fact manner, as if her question was as simple as asking for the weather. Everyone in the room froze at such revelation.
"What?! No such thing happened" Hinata argued adamantly.
"You were Lady Hyuuga, we have evidence to suggest elders of your family began assaulting you from a young age" she reasoned as she looked through the report attached to her clipboard.
At the mention of the 'elders' Hinata slackened, her expression becoming painfully vacant.
"Focus!!" Sakura bellowed, her voice forcing Hinata back into reality. She could no longer use her protective mechanism of numbing herself with Sakura's ear crushing shout.
"Give me their names" she instructed but Hinata merely trembled, unable to say a word as she began to hyperventilate.
"General Haruno, enough!" Eris yelled, "this is going too far!"
Sakura glared at him as her magic went out of control. He felt as if his entire body was being weighed down by an insane gravitational force. It was heavy, controlled and yet felt menacingly wild.
"You dare question me? I'm following His Majesty's orders"
Eris remained stationary, unsure what to do as Sakura's magic held him down. No wonder she was a general. But surely this isn't what His Majesty wanted. He had ordered him to make sure Her Majesty didn't experience an ounce of distress!
"You black out whenever a lustful man forcibly touches you. Do you deny that?"
"I... please stop", Hinata whimpered.
"How many elders were involved in the abuse?", Sakura wasn't.
"Stop..."
"Do you get phantom itches from where you were touched?"
"No! Please stop!" Hinata shakily begged.
That's it, if the King punished him for disobeying the general then so be it. He couldn't allow this to continue. Whilst Sakura was distracted, asking more questions to the trembling Queen, Eris followed Shino's instructions and sent the hidden bug to the King. Once he confirmed that it left under the room's door, Eris tried to force himself to move. But he couldn't! He clenched his fist tightly as he watched the Queen become a trembling ragdoll. What was he supposed to do?!
Hinata's eyes became glossy but she didn't allow a single tear to fall however when she glanced up as if remebering that the 3 guards were still there, her eyes widened wildly as she thrashed about. They tried to approach the Queen to help her but that only seemed to heightened her fear as her magic unleashed in scolding waves, to the point the 3 guards could no longer grip their consciousness as they collapsed to the ground.
Why couldn't he move?!
"Wait, Your Majesty!!! Please stop!!!" Sakura yelled, seeming distressed for the first time since this 'exam'.
Dammit, he needed to move!!!
Sakura managed to forcibly hold Hinata in place, even as her magic continued to flood the room– Eris himself was struggling to remain conscious, this was completely unlike Sakura's magic. As she was held in place, her head turn to the side, her face becaming completely vacant yet again.
Sakura tried to gently lay her down but it was then that something seemed to snap in Hinata as she began to thrash about once again. Her hands stretching out as if fighting an invisible enemy.
"No! I dont want this! LET ME GO!" She screamed.
Her thrashing became erractic, to the point she fell off the bed, landing on the ground with a hard thud. Sakura was immediately at her side, holding her arms that were about to seemingly claw at her skin. Despite being injected with a calming serum, Hinata fought back with tremdous, adrenaline induced strength. So much so that Sakura's grip became clumsy, resulting in Hinata's shirt being ripped in the process.
"SASUKE!!!!" She cried out, frenzied as tears she tried to hold back, mercilessly rushed down her face.
Eris finally felt a twitch in his muscles, as blood dripped to the ground from his nails digging into his palms. The pain distracted him enough from Sakura's overbearing magic to allow him to approach Sakura in an attempt to separate her from the distressed Queen who clearly didn't want to be touched.
Seeinh Eris approach Sakura's countenance distorted to an almkst worried determination. Using a magic laced punch, Sakura made Eris crash into the wall with great force, though she seemed remorseful of her action. He quickly rose up, gripping his broken ribs as he coughed up blood.
He ignored everything... he had to help the Queen!
Before he could move, Sasuke finally arrived and Eris knew there would be hell to pay.
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Everyone in Sasuke's office remained quiet, even after Eris finished his report but he wasn't done. Getting on his knees, he pressed his forehead to the ground.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for my failure. I should have sent Shino's bug to you sooner but I faltered. I'll accept any punishment you give me" he earnestly pleaded.
He knew Sasuke was furious for his magic suffocated the entire room as he recounted the events and he suspected he was only alive to finish speaking because Sasuke held his magic back.
"Enough Eris, I can't blame you for hesitating due to your trust in Sakura. I'm also guilty of that. You did what was expected so I'm grateful", he responded lowly.
Eris didn't raise his head for he couldn't bare the shame of looking his King in the eye. He failed the Queen, the Queen who was always so kind and gentle. The Queen who always listened to him ramble about his baby sister with enthusiasm.
He failed her.
"Eris raise your head. Now" Sasuke ordered and Eris had no choice but to comply.
"You are not to blame so don't make me repeat myself"
Eris nodded tearfully as he was dismissed.
The room remained painfully silent before Madara stood up, only to be held in place by Kakashi.
"Uncle, I won't allow you to kill her" Sasuke darkly warned.
"And you will stop me nephew?" Madara provoked.
"If I have to I will. The only one who can decide her punishment is Hinata" Sasuke coldly argued.
Madara huffed in frustration as he sat back down, "She is too forgiving. She may not want Haruno to be punished at all".
Sasuke knew there was truth to his Uncle's words. After all, didn't she forgive him for his earlier transgressions, his cruelty towards her? Sasuke knew he didn't deserve her but she was his salvation so anyone who tried to dim her light, would be subjected to his demonic wrath.
He was cruel and selfish, but for her, he would allow his unholy wickedness to be her sword of justice.
"I won't let her choose merciful forgiveness. I'll beg her to decide a punishment if I have to" Sasuke murmured, looking at the table to avoid seeing the shock on anyone's faces. Maybe they thought he was showing weakness. Maybe they believed him to be a fool. It didn't matter because he meant every word he uttered to a degree he didn't think any of them truly comprehended.
At the very least his words mollified his uncle who nodded in satisfaction.
"Your Majesty" Shizune spoke up, "the notes Sakura wrote match Eris' story and it notes that Her Majesty was injected with a tranquiliser that specialises in suppressing magic. I will need to see Her Majesty and make sure it's all flushed out of her system".
Sasuke nodded and rose from his seat and took the clipboard from Shizune. Each word disgusted him.
Patient seems to detect lust and experiences anxiety, characterised by a rapid heart rate and uneven breathing.
Patient remains in denial at initial questioning of abuse, proceeded by a mental and physical numbing- heart rate lowers.
At encouragement of awareness, patient mumbles incoherently.
Sasuke smacked the report onto the table, unwilling to continue reading any further. Turning to a silently fuming Neji, Sasuke noted his clenched fists, his knuckles turning white and he knew that his friend was blaming himself. Blaming himself that his cousin, his little sister, was suffering because of the family he managed to escape from.
"Uncle, Neji. Torture a confession from the other guards if you have to. Sakura will be dealt with tomorrow" he instructed, knowing full well Madara and Neji needed some way to release their frustrations.
"Thank you Sasuke" Neji responded as he and Madara left for the dungeons.
Sasuke sent Shizune to check on Hinata before discussing the final points the meeting.
"Who will take over Sakura's position?" Shikamaru questioned with an uncharacteristically cold seriousness. It seemed even the legendary sloth General could burn with rage at the Queen's mistreatment.
"For now, Shizune will cover until Tsunade returns. Tsunade can select a new head medic once she's back"
They all nodded but Sasuke focused on Naruto. Naruto was his oldest friend so he knew his quietness meant he was taking this all hard.
"Naruto, for your sake, speak to Sakura. Get whatever closure you need now because I can't promise you will have a chance later" he said, almost softly. Sakura had been with them for the majority of their lives so he felt Naruto deserved this act of grace.
"Thanks, I'll go now" Naruto shakily exhaled.
Now only Sasuke, Itachi, Kakashi and Shikamaru remained.
"I'm going to see Hinata now" Sasuke casually announced and didn't even question the trio following him. He didn't care as long as he got to see her. He hoped she would be smiling.
After Sasuke had left her to her own devices, Hinata decided a walk outside would help cool down her cheeks. Perhaps Garuda could stretch his wings too! As she walked aimlessly outside, craning her head to watch Garuda soar around her she heard a familiar bark nearby.
Akamaru ran towards her in excitement. Giggling she kneeled down and welcomed him with open arms.
"It's good to see you Akamaru!"
Shino and Kiba followed behind him.
"Hey Your Majesty!" Kiba warmly greeted.
"Hello!" She replied before turning to Shino, "it's nice to see you too Shino". It was difficult to tell what his expression was beneath his shades but his small smile indicated he was happy to see her too.
"What're you doing out here Your Majesty? Out for a walk?" Kiba inquired.
Scratching behind Akamaru's ear she nodded with smile.
"Akamaru really does like you alot" Kiba chuckled.
That reminded her, Kiba had once said Akamaru was only this excitable around Sasuke despite the fact he seemed to have no interest in the canine. When she asked Kiba why Akamaru was so taken with the King, the answer made alot of sense.
"Cuz he's a fire mage. Akamaru likes the warmth his magic exudes, though it sometimes scares him too"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Hinata could see the confusion marring Kiba's face as he considered how similar Akamaru reacts to Hinata herself. She picked at the skin of her thumbs subtly as she waited for the inevitable.
"Hinata, would you like to see a new species of butterfly I encountered recently?" Shino interrupted. Hinata released a silent sigh of relief at Shino's sharpness. Neji always bragged about Shino's skills so she assumed he already knew about her magical 'affliction'.
Taking his lifeline with an iron grip she responded with an ecstatic, "yes please!".
Shino nodded and removed his jacket, laying it on the grass for her to sit on. She of course was touched but didn't want to steal his kindness for herself so she spread out the fabric wide enough so both men could sit with her without worrying about the mud.
Needless to say they were hesitant.
"Uh Your Majesty, we shouldn't sit so close. We really dont mind sitting on the grass" Kiba sheepishly argued, rubbing the back of his head.
"But I'm inviting you to. Besides we're friends aren't we... Kiba?" She pouted, slight annoyance becoming evident on her face, no matter how cute it was.
"Very well. As you wish Hinata" Shino agreed, siting beside her as he made sure not to sit too close. Kiba stared wide eyed at his friend before sighing and following suit. Akamaru barked happily as he rested his head on Hinata's lap.
She was so surprised when she first saw Akamaru. It was her first time ever seeing a dog in real life and she had no idea they were this huge, though Neji later informed her that Inuzuka dogs were much larger than regular ones.
Forming various handsigns, Shino's magic called forth 3 butterflies that landed on his raised forearm. They reminded her of the black swallow tails he had shown her before but these ones had a blood red colouring to them.
"These are crimson swallowtails. Usually harmless and friendly however when threatened, emit an odourless toxin in the air that can cause cardiac arrest and even death" Shino informed with an usual deadpan excitement that Hinata found rather endearing.
"Shino! Why would you show her something so dangerous and creepy?" Kiba asked with exasperation at the sight of the deadly butterflies.
"That's alright!" Hinata assured, "they are very beautiful and I doubt Shino would show me if these ones in particular if they could hurt me. Am I right Shino?"
With a slight quirk in his lips, Shino nodded, "Of course Hinata. As an insect tamer I can assure you that my friends won't hurt you". Once again Kiba rolled his eyes at how Shino referred to bugs as his 'friends', neglecting to draw the similarities he shared to him when in regarded to canines of any kind.
Gesturing for Hinata's hand, Shino placed his friends on her arm and was satisfied at how happy she seemed to be. Hinata was one of the very first people to try to get to know him and his insects without judgement, even when certain bugs initially scared her. He supposed her willingness to learn and accept others was something Sasuke appreciated in her and Shino could absolutely see why.
Hinata stared in awe at her new crimson friends when a small shriek drew her attention to Garuda, who perched himself comfortably on her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek with his beak. Was he jealous? Somehow he reminded her abit of Sasuke in that moment. Maybe it was horrible of her to think that way but she really did love how Sasuke would sulk whenever she wasn't giving him direct attention. It made her feel that she was worth being wanted. Then again, she tried her best not to think too deeply about Sasuke's treatment towards her...
As if summoned by her thoughts, she sensed Sasuke nearby and felt her heart flutter like the wings of the crimson swallowtails who flew away in the wind. As soon as Sasuke's silhouette became visible, Garuda vanished in a puff of smoke.
She quickly stood up as Kiba and Shino followed suit, who bowed their heads before the King. Hinata ran towards him to close the distance, slightly extending her arms before catching herself. There were people around and whilst she believed Sasukes words, she wasn't sure if he was comfortable with her acting so freely infront of others. So she lowered her arms, gently clasing her hands before her as she smiled sheepishly.
"Hello Sasuke" she greeted and was unsettled when he stopped approaching her entirely. Did she do something wrong?
Sasuke noticed her reaction the moment he saw her. He didn't want to admit it but it was hard to deny how happy her joy at seeing him made him. It almost looked like she missed him. He hoped so because he missed her too, regardless of the fact that he was with her not too long ago. But then she stopped what appeared to be an approaching hug as she noticed everyone present. He could practically see the negative gears spinning in her head and decided to put a stop to them.
Coming to a halt, he slowly raised his arms in invitation as he tilted his head expectantly. She clearly had gotten the hint as she rushed to close the distance and wrapped her arms around his torso. Engulfing her in his arms he prayed that his fluttering heart beats weren't noticeable–even if her face was directly resting on his chest.
He could already feel Kakashi and Itachi itching to tease him but he knew they wouldn't. Not infront of her. And that was all that mattered, if they teased him later... well he would cross that bridge once he got to it.
Hinata allowed Sasuke's warmth and heartbeat to ground her for a moment before detaching herself (much to Sasuke's dismay) and smiled much more easily at him.
"Welcome back Sasuke! Did the meeting go okay?"
A simple 'hn' was all Sasuke responded with so she assumed he wasnt to keen on talking about it. That was fine since his warm, dark eyes on her now made her feel too relaxed to feel worried.
"Did Shizune come see you?" He inquired.
"Yes, she said everything is fine now but my magic may be abit hard to summon for the next few hours" she answered truthfully. Shizune had checked up in her just before she left for her walk and now that she knew what the drug she was injected with was, Hinata couldn't pretend she felt anything other than fury towards Sakura. It was a wretched feeling, but an honest one.
"Good. What were you doing?"
She beamed, telling him all about the crimson swallowtails Shino introduced her too. As she was recounting the events Sasuke's fingers twitched at how she referred to Kiba and Shino so casually. Why the hell couldnt he just relax?! Why did it bother him so much? Oh right, because now he had more people to compete with... just great!
"Shino and Kiba huh?" He asked with a raised brow, attempting to seemed playful but falling flat. At the very least he could see her flustered blush once again.
"Oh, yes, well they're my friends now so I thought- well it's just- I mean... is that okay?"
Her rambling was so cute Sasuke forgot about his earlier annoyance. He truly was being ridiculous. Hinata deserved as many friends as she wants and he had no right or desire to take away such freedom from her. He used to wonder why her interacting with literally anyone made him jealous and now he knew why. He wanted to be the number one person in her heart, the one she loved most in the world, the one she gave her kindness to. But he didn't deserve such an honour and as prideful as he was, he would accept defeat as long as she stayed by his side. Forever. Preferably.
"It's fine. You should have friends. As long as they understand when to treat you as the Queen and when to treat you as a friend" he stated, directing his warning to the two men behind her, who nodded in agreement. Hinata was satisfied with such a condition.
Regarding her once again, Sasuke spoke, crossing his arms sternly, "Hinata. What do you want for dinner? I can tell Hiro to make it"
A simple question that he asked with much more seriousness than necessary. It was so very cute!
She pondered deeply. She never at much at the Hyuuga estate and it was usually just basic meals like rice and miso soup with the occasional bit of variety every now and then so she wasnt sure. As long as it wasnt shellfish, she wasn't to fussed.
Everyone around the pair grinned as they observed the Queen thinking hard of a response to a simple question, whilst Sasuke with his arms firmly crossed, mirrored her, tilting his head to the side as he watched her with fondess. Did he even realise what he was doing? Probably not since his arrogant pride wouldn't willingly give them ammunition to torment him with. Who knew the stoic, grumpy Sasuke could act in a way that was so sweet?
A spark of a brilliant idea, brightened Hinata's face, "I want to eat something with tomatoes!"
Sasuke froze, wide-eyed, his face becoming so innocent he seemed to have reverted back to his earlier years.
"Tomatoes, Hinata?" Itachi asked with a knowing tone.
"Yes!" She responded, turning to Sasuke, "you said they were your favourite so I want to try something that has your favourite food in it".
The only indication that Sasuke hadn't turned into a statue was his owlish blink before his ears turned bright red.
He swallowed the lump that had blocked his throat from making any sounds and coughed awkwardly into his palm.
"Fine" he grumbled half-heartedly.
It was then that Kakashi decided to speak up. That couldn't be good.
"My dear student. I believe you could use all the knowledge my prized possession could offer" he smugly offered, dangling his book before Sasuke's face who grimaced as a flush overtook his cheeks.
"No way in hell!" Sasuke yelled, grabbing the book and burning it to ash.
However, it was all in vain as Kakashi dug a new copy from inside his jacket.
"Your loss. Luckily I keep spare copies on me at all times" he teased.
Hinata wasn't sure why everyone was chuckling. Perhaps she was missing something. Either way, she could see how agitated Sasuke was getting. As much as she enjoyed joking with him, she didn't want him to ever feel discomfort so his current, tense disposition, bothered her alot.
Taking his hand in hers, she finally got his attention.
"Sasuke, I want to go for a walk. Will you join me?"
Sasuke appeared tongue tied but managed to nod in agreement which had Hinata smiling in relief. She bid the group farewell and gently tugged Sasuke away. She felt guilty leaving everyone behind but Sasuke seemed to be getting upset and she absolutely didn't want that.
Another selfish part of herself just yearned to be with him alone, keep his attention for herself and watch him be as comfortable and playful as she knew he could be. He always seemed to hold himself back infront of others.
Sasuke looked down at her hand that was holding his as they walked away. She must've seen his unease. It was embarrassing and yet all he could feel was grateful and fuzzy. She knew him well and saved him from an annoying situation.
It seemed she was always saving him.
"Thanks" he muttered and her replying smile had him softening in return. The two continued on their leisurely stroll, hands intertwined, with no intention of letting the other go.
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By the time dinner had come around, Ino had finished her studying for the day. She sat at the table with Hinata and the Uchihas with a determined glint in her eyes, indicative of a potential breakthrough.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Sasuke asked, feigning disinterest.
"I think so Your Majesty. But the technique I discovered needs time until perfection. If I focus all my time on that for now, then I suspect after a week I can begin"
Sasuke considered her words, analysed her expression, tried to find any indication that she wasn't as confident as she seemed. But she was and that relieved him to no end, even if he didn't show it.
Hinata grew curious and bold, "Ino, if its okay, can you tell me what it is that you found?"
Ino smiled fondly, though sadness itched to drag her lips to a frown, "I found a technique that can lock up your memories and help you bit by bit build a tolerance to traumatic memories essentially", she paused taking in a deep breath, "it will be difficult but I know you can do it".
An overwhelming sense of gratefulness flooded Hinata's heart. She had no idea that this was part of the reason why Ino was so determined to look through family records she had left untouched for years. It was then that Hinata decided that she would refuse to fail and let Ino's hard efforts go to waste. But...
"Sasuke, I'd like to ask for a favour" she timidly said, doing her best to maintain direct eye contact, no matter how much her shameful request was making her want to hide behind her fringe.
"What is it?" He asked with a calming, open voice.
She began picking on her thumbs as she took in a shaky breath, "will you please stay with me for the first few sessions?"
Sasuke's brows furrowed as a frown marred his face. Hinata picked at her thumbs even more anxiously. He didn't seem angry but he didn't seem happy with her question.
Noticing the stiffness in Hinata's shoulders, Sasuke controlled his face and merely put out his hand in an expectant, silent request. Hinata was quite confused but placed her hand in his as he brushed the back of her hand with his thumb in soothing circles.
"Don't pick at your skin" he gently murmured, "you weren't asking anything crazy. I'll stay for as many sessions as you want" he assured. How someone could sound so monotone yet so kind and warm was a mystery to Hinata, but not one she cared to unravel. His dichotomy was what made him so calming but most of all, so special.
Feeling much more relaxed, Hinata smiled in relief, "thank you. That made me happy".
Sasuke raised an amused brow. He didn't fail to notice Hinata's strange new habit of constantly telling him when he made her happy. He wasn't sure what brought up this development but he was grateful for it. Sasuke was always a man who believed actions spoke louder than words but he couldn't deny that verbal confirmation was indeed a healing balm to his guilt. He still didn't truly believe that he could make Hinata happy but every confirmation from her renewed his determination to try–and it appeared to be paying off.
"Good" he responded, blunt and to the point as his face softened to show his appreciation. With a final squeeze of her hand he let go and continued his meal.
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Nighttime had finally come. After dinner, Sasuke had gone to go though some paperwork with Itachi whilst Madara and Ino followed Hinata back to her chambers. As much as they argued for her to take a break this day, Hinata was evenmore stubborn than usual– which was saying alot. Firstly she revealed that part of the curse was removed, specifically regarding the Hyuuga ceremony of sea spirit taming; she suspected Hiashi freed her of that secret the moment he invited Sasuke and Madara to witness it.
Then, she instructed Madara to illustrate the layout of the Hyuuga estate based on what he remembered as she helped fill in the blanks. The aim was to get a clear illustration of the layout of the ground and underground floors of the estate.
When she was reaching her limits she decided to pause the map in favour of having Ino note down Hyuuga water spells as well as gentle fist techniques in a separate book for Neji. She had been meaning to find the time to begin gathering the knowledge Neji was entitled as a Hyuuga, whether he was a side or main branch member was irrelevant. This was critical if Hinata's plan for freeing the branch members wanted to come to fruition. After two hours and alot of lost blood, Hinata was forced by Madara to stop before she passed out. Hinata agreed, if only to rid the worry on Madara and Ino's faces.
As Madara prepared himself to leave a specific thought entered his mind.
"Hinata. Why do you insist on keeping this from Sasuke? You two have gotten much closer so you can trust him now, can't you?"
Ino looked at Hinata, unable to argue with Madara's logic. But Hinata remained steadfast.
"It was never about a lack of trust Uncle Madara" she responded blankly, "like I've said before, many of these truths are ugly, and without context Sasuke may draw the wrong conclusions and act rashly. Especially now that we've become friends. Sasuke is kind and brave so he needs the full picture to understand that the Hyuuga is loyal but also needs to change. Once trust is built, that's when these horrible truths and past wrongdoings can be left to fade into history".
Madara sighed, realising that Hinata made a valid point. As much as Sasuke had grown and matured, at the end of the day he was still an Uchiha. His firey temperament would make him act carelessly unless he had the full picture, no matter how much he pretended he was always in control. And if he knew some of the things Hinata went through... Madara didn't think his nephew would sit idly by. Sasuke would bring war to the Hyuuga's doorstep.
Still, there was one thing he needed to make clear.
"You're right Hinata but I will say one thing... nothing will justify how you've been treated. I know Sasuke would feel the same way"
Smiling sadly Hinata whispered her rebuttal, "this is why he can't know yet".
Yes, Sasuke was too kind and honest, in his own way. At first her secrecy was simply a matter of not knowing how Sasuke would react and fear that his prejudice would make him act irrationally before seeing the whole picture. But now, it was different. She knew Sasuke cared for her, deeply, but that was a problem in its own way. He cared about her but still didn't trust and even resented the Hyuuga, meaning if he found out everything before she could edit her notes, he would assume the Hyuuga were the enemy he always believed they were. And so, Hinata needed to buy time to prove to him that thought the many secrets, the Hyuuga have done everything to serve the King and by extention, Elysia, even if it meant sacrificing her entire life for the cause. He would see, she believed, how little her suffering meant in the grand scheme of things and how much the Hyuuga have done to stay loyal. She now knew though that there were dirty secrets kept even from her (the murder of Ino's entire family), but she trusted Sasuke to deal with that after she had completed her mission.
'He can do it all, I know he can'
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When the time came, Hinata was truly glad to finally be able to sleep. Sasuke stopped by just before her and Ino got into bed to let her know that he would be moving to the guest room right next door so he could be immediately by her side if need be. She appreciated it, she truly did, but she hated burdenening him like this.
As she feel asleep, she remained in a peaceful abyss of unconsciousness. But then her mind woke up, drowning her in a series of images, the 'psychological evaluation', the elders, the hands, the taunts the gazes dripping with depraved lust. It was all too much! Why did she have to remember?! This was what her mind tried so hard to protect her from for all those years.
She gasped, sitting up from her bed as she tried to control her breathing.
"You're safe here Hinata" Ino assured, doing her best to remain calm after being abruptly woken up.
"Oh, of course. I suppose I just had a little nightmare. I'll be fine Ino" Hinata chuckled sheepishly. A noble attempt at playing calm indeed but Ino wouldn't let her play it off.
"Would you like me to call Sasuke here?" She offered to which Hinata absolutely refused. She wouldn't be a burden. Sasuke had always had trouble sleeping so she wouldn't be a contributing factor if she could help it. Besides, she was fine now. Or at least she would be in afew minutes, she hoped.
"Hinata look me in the eye and tell me you don't want him here. Say it to my face" Ino sternly ordered.
Hinata couldn't do it. The words wouldn't escape her tightly bound lips. She hated lying and Ino's demand made her words evaporate in her mouth. She did want Sasuke with her. So much. But...
"I'm getting him now" Ino informed as she got up, "he wants to help so let him", she finished with a kind smile.
As Ino left, Hinata clenched her fists. Why was she so weak?! Her father was proven right yet again; she was too emotional and helpless. Her knuckles turned icy white as she continued her mental condemnation, not even realising Sasuke had entered the room, until his weight dipped the mattress down.
Lifting her gaze to him, she couldn't deny how much just seeing his face eased her.
'I'm so selfish' she thought as she took one of his hands in both of hers, holding it to her chest as she rested her forehead on his shoulder. His scent, his soothing voice, his warmth, his safe hands, they were all a protective haven to her, shielding her from the miserable realities of her pathetic existence.
"It's okay, you're not a burden" Sasuke whispered. The moment he entered her chambers he could practically the self-deprecating thoughts swirling around her head and he wouldn't allow it. How wouldn't allow anyone to hurt her, not even herself.
How did he know just the words she wanted to hear but was too afraid to ask for?
"Thank you for coming Sasuke. You being here makes me happy"
Yes, no matter how much guilt stabbed her chest, Sasuke's presence truly did make her happy. Stroking her hair with his free hand he waited until she was calm.
"I'm much better now. Thank you" Hinata spoke, extracting herself as she blushed in embarrassment.
Poking her forehead he smiled, "sure" before making her promise to call on him again if she needs and going back to his 'room'.
He truly did save her.
'And not just tonight. He's always saved me'