Nezumi

CHAPTER 5: Settling In

Sasuke’s dark eyes snapped open at the sound of hesitant footsteps approaching his door. He shifted his head towards the window and took note of the sun just starting to rise on the horizon. His jaws clenched, this was the first time in years he had slept straight through the night without worrying about being ambushed and the like.

What could she want?

Regardless, even if he was free to seek reprieve from his corrupted life, Sasuke still slept with one eye open. There was no changing the ways he had been conditioned to live. Like any stubborn man, Sasuke refused to grant concessions when he deemed them unnecessary. Unsurprisingly, he regarded Hinata with cold indignation. She deserved no special allowances or recognition. Worse yet, Sasuke easily discounted her worth.

In retrospect, how could he not? Hinata was heiress to the renowned Hyuuga clan and had willingly relinquished her rights to the title. Prestige and status had been thrown away effortlessly, without difficulty, and over something as petty as a desire to tend to the needs of others. Clearly Hinata was not one to serve herself. Anyone could decipher her true nature. There was no veiled façade or resistant shell to hide her within. Sasuke had the former Hyuuga heiress pinned down, or so he believed. All she was could be readily determined independent of his insightful eyes. In the end Hinata was no one to be proud of. She was no one to be admired or revered. The indigo-haired medic was just that, a medic with no remarkable capabilities. In war she would be ushered off to the hidden caverns of refuge with the women and children of the village. The woman was a mere citizen among ninja, quiet and scared of the world, too weak to fulfill the lineage she was bestowed upon birth. No concessions would be made on his behalf.

Her knocks came as tentative as her footsteps. “Uchiha-san?” the woman’s soft voice seeped through the cracks of the door. “I h-have a morning shift at the hospital. Y-you’re… uh, required to come with me.”

The door cracked opened without restraint and Hinata found herself face to face with an irritated Uchiha. His eyes were narrowed on her and the muscles of his jaws were visibly tensed. He didn’t speak but brushed past her and into the bathroom down the hall. It was to be expected, she figured. Besides, Hinata didn’t expect much more than that in greeting from Uchiha Sasuke. To her he was still Leaf’s traitor, and he would remain that way until something salient enough persuaded her opinions to change. He didn’t deserve to be granted any more than the most rudimentary level of respect from her. If she had had a say in the matter, Sasuke would not be free to walk the familiar paths of the village and do as he pleased. But this was what Naruto wished for and, as silly as it sounded, she would complete any request of the future Rokudaime.

Hinata let out a sigh and walked back to the dining table where breakfast was waiting for the pair. She started without him, figuring he wouldn’t care either way. The sable-haired man didn’t appear to be all that fond of her to begin with. He was difficult to be around, and not at all like the amused and arrogant jerk she had battled as Nezumi. Not that she preferred that Sasuke over this one. They were the same, and she reiterated it to herself. The thought was tossed away as Sasuke appeared from the hall, dressed and ready for his first day of probation. The chair across from her was claimed and the dish picked up.

“Uh… I’ll b-be finished around noon,” she stated to the Uchiha, who seemed blatantly uninterested, “we can s-see Hokage-sama and start your missions, if you want.”

“Hn,” he answered minimally.

Through the curt exchange, their eyes never met and the air was heavy with burden. In his eyes, she was the burden he had to tolerate on his way to regaining his status as an Uchiha within Konoha. He would have to bear with her frustratingly demure nature before he could claim Nezumi as his. In her eyes, he was the burden she had to look after and protect despite his past indiscretions. Her life would be restricted and bound to his as long as it was commanded.

Hinata mentally writhed. This is going to be a long day… maybe I could convince Shikamaru…

The numerous stares from the various pairs of eyes were starting to get to him. He didn’t need to inspect to know that even the eyes from all the way down the hall were still pinned straight on his back. Everyone from patients to hospital staff seemed to know who he was, and they made no attempt to hide their outright curiosity. In return he glared menacingly, obsidian orbs darting to meet every gaze as he followed behind Hinata, his hands shoved in his pockets and the charcoal grey chakra restraints closed around his strong wrists.

He had been making rounds with her all morning, essentially playing the role of her personal assistant… and he hated it. Between fetching items and pampering patients, she had also expected him to clean the rooms and make the beds. It was lowly and he loathed her for it all.

She’d greet a patient with a bright and happy smile, and he would stand there and scowl. Hinata had to resist her compulsion to grimace in disappointment. Sasuke had done everything she had asked of him, but he had done so with an expression and attitude that showed the disrespect he held towards her. She didn’t let it bother her. After all, she didn’t like him either and had only agreed to the position as Uchiha Sasuke’s guardian because this man was important to Naruto.

“Hyuuga-san,” a nurse called to Hinata as she and Sasuke were exiting a room, “a special request for your services in room 4.” Hinata nodded and received the patient file. She led Sasuke to a room not too far from the doctors’ station at the center of the hospital, a sweet smile dressing her delicate features.

“Kotetsu,” she greeted cheerily as the door was slid open, “what did you do this time?”

“Broken arm,” he answered, “hoping you could work your magic.”

“Anything for you.” She smiled big and vibrantly before taking her seat on a stool in front of him.

Sasuke’s scowl grew more prominent when he realized she hadn’t stuttered one word around this man. What was it about this man that did not garner a stutter? Her stutters and stammers were unbearably irritating. It served to further cement the image Sasuke had painted of her, proving he wasn’t wrong for thinking her weak and cowardly. But this incidence was inconsistent with his earlier observations. The former Hyuuga heiress had only not stuttered around him once, and that was because she was defending her life’s decisions and it was nothing like this casual speech.

Kotetsu’s eyes caught Sasuke’s glower and he smirked as Hinata’s hand glowed green and levitated over his broken arm.

“Uchiha-san, could y-you grab a r-roll of gauze from the cupboard over there.” She motioned with a nod as her hands were busy. And there she was stuttering again.

“Hn.” Sasuke conceded and went about completing his task, though keeping an eye on this Kotetsu guy.

“So, how is Izumo?” Hinata asked.

“Izumo’s good,” he answered, returning her smile. “How are you doing? I heard about the Uchiha from Naruto earlier today,” Kotetsu asked openly, not caring that the subject of his question stood no further than a few feet away.

Sasuke shot the dark-haired man and sideways glare.

“I’m fine,” she replied, “you don’t need to worry.”

“If you say so…” He quieted his voice to a whisper before continuing, “if you need anything, I’m always here for you, you know that.”

“Arigatou, but I assure you, I am fine,” she replied with her signature, gentle smile as the green glow dissipated. “I can take care of myself.” She meant that and Kotetsu knew how true the words rang.

Coming back to stand beside her, Sasuke held the gauze out and she received it before beginning to wrap Kotetsu’s arm with the white material.

“Don’t do anything too strenuous for the next two days,” she instructed professionally, “come back after that for clearance to return to active duty.”

“Yea, I know the drill,” he droned and stood up as she did, “thanks again Hinata, you always pull through for me.” He looked up to find Sasuke leaning against the wall, dark eyes narrowed and watching intently, Kotetsu smirked. “I’ll see you around, okay?” He pulled her into a snug hug and planted his lips on one of her flushed cheeks.

All the while, he kept his eyes on Hinata but mentally attended to the Uchiha. In his arms Hinata seemed fine. Her heart beat was a little hasty, but what could one expect when your ex-boyfriend abruptly yanks you into a hug? It wasn’t his main concern, though. He had other things on his mind, just like a few others had expressed after word of the Uchiha’s return and Hinata’s new duties were made known. Kiba, for one, was adamantly against it, but reluctantly admitted that there was no one better for the job anyway. Not even the Inuzuka himself could fend off Sasuke and the Mangekyou Sharingan if he wanted… but Hinata, she was a different story.

“Mmhm.” Hinata nodded as Kotetsu released her. His good hand ruffled her long strands of hair before he settled into his steps and made his exit. She sighed and turned around to clean up the extra gauze and found Sasuke glaring relentlessly. If he kept that up, she’d really learn to hate those eyes, even tempted to pick up everything and leave. But she didn’t. “Th-that was the last p-patient, we can go see the Hokage now.”

“Hn.” He stalked past her and out the door. All that mattered was not her job, but his duty to complete his missions. Once that was accomplished he would be free of this restraining probation. Only then would he be able to pursue Nezumi. Soon after they reached the doctor’s station so Hinata could sign out for the day.

“Hinata!” two female voices chimed in unison.

The woman in question whipped around after having had removed her doctors coat. The greeted her with quick hugs. Ino lingered for a bit as she fixed Hinata mussed up hair.

“Neji told me about Sasuke,” Sakura started, her emerald eyes searching for her long lost teammate, “is he here?”

“Hai.” Hinata turned around and found Sasuke leaning against a wall, looking completely uninterested in a reunion with old friends. “Right there.”

“Sasuke…” Sakura walked around Hinata to lay eyes on the sable-haired man she hadn’t seen in more than five years.

Sasuke wasn’t at all surprised to be caught in an engulfing hug by the pink-haired medic nin. Oddly, he didn’t push away, even relishing in the warmth of her slender arms around his neck. He wouldn’t admit it, but he had missed Naruto and Sakura… to some degree, nor would he show it either as his arms hung limply at his sides while Sakura hugged him uncompromisingly. He also felt the few stray tears against his shoulder. Sakura was always the type to care easily, wearing her heart on her sleeve for the world to witness. It was no surprise that she would cry for his return. Inwardly, Sasuke made a mental note to consider Sakura if he was unsuccessful at persuading Nezumi to come to his side. If what Hinata said was correct, then Sakura had advanced to jounin and that was minimally enough.

Sakura pulled away and laughed lightly. “Gomen Sasuke-kun, I know you don’t like to be touched.” She paused briefly to wipe away her tears before speaking again, “it’s just really good to see you.”

“It’s fine,” he replied monotonously. Even though he made every effort to remain stoic and unaffected, he didn’t mind that she was happy to see him. It was nice to know someone cared. He even felt the tiniest ounce of guilt creep out from the deep crevasses of his conscious. But the remorse was easily forgotten moments later.

Hinata and Ino walked up behind Sakura and placed reassuring hands on her shoulders. Sasuke looked between the women and Ino’s platinum hair triggered a memory of the platinum blonde’s incessant idolizing. He scowled.

Ino pulled on a nervous smile. “Ah, don’t worry, Uchiha. I’m not going to grope you.” She held up her left hand and spread the fingers, revealing a silver band on her wedding finger. “My husband wouldn’t be too pleased if I did… though I wonder about Sakura…” she mused, turning to the pink-haired medic suspiciously.

Sakura rolled her glistening eyes, laughing lightly at the insinuation. “I’m engaged. Sasuke is an old friend and Neji knows that, that’s exactly why he was comfortable enough to tell me about Sasuke’s return.”

“Right,” Ino responded sarcastically.

“Engaged?” Sasuke looked to his old teammate with inquisitive eyes. So much for her as a potential wife...

“Hai, Neji and I have been together for nearly three years,” she informed as a smile played onto her soft features, “he proposed last month.” Everything had been so magical and she still glowed with satisfaction. Sakura had reeled him in finally and she was thankful.

“Did he propose or did you have to twist his arm?” Ino joked and then felt a tug on her pony tail.

Sakura mumbled a retort as Ino turned to see Hinata playing with her long blonde hair.

“You’ve never braided it like this before,” Hinata commented.

Ino leaned in and cupped a hand over the Hyuuga’s ear. “I had a mission last night. I put too much dye on one strand of hair and the black didn’t wash out…”

Hinata’s mouth formed an ‘O’ and she nodded in understanding. There Naruto goes again, assigning missions when we have to work the next day, she thought displeasingly. But she had to give him some credit. It was difficult assigning missions when they couldn’t ask for days off on account of being Akai. Their identities were too classified, though they were never assigned on regular missions after going off on Akai missions, because Tsunade knew their identities.

“Anyway Sakura, we should get started!” Ino exclaimed, “our shift started ten minutes ago.”

“Right,” Sakura replied and gave Sasuke a brief farewell hug before leaving with Ino, “welcome home, Sasuke. Feel free to ask me if you need anything.”

“Hn.” He gave her a curt nod as the two medic nins walked away.

Hinata couldn’t resist the weak smile. From what she had learned over the previous few days, Sasuke was actually being quite nice. She wondered if this was really how he was or if this was uncharacteristic.

“Uchiha-san, we can g-go see Hokage-sama now.”

She was acknowledged with a nod before he walked towards the hospital’s double doors.

Hinata smiled over at Tenten as the two young women occupied seats at the back of the mission’s assignment room. The long table was pushed up against the large windows and featured Tsunade and a few other ninja responsible for assigning missions. In the center of the room stood a young genin team. A few feet to their sides stood Sasuke.

“No way, Hokage-sama!” the louder one of the three cell genin team protested, “you promised that if we completed 20 D-ranked missions then you would give us a C-ranked one! We only need to do one more! I mean, you can’t just give it to some new guy!”

The girl of team turned around, hands square on her hips. “Tenten-sensei, can’t you do something about this?”

“Sorry Haru, it’s up to Tsunade-sama.” Tenten held her hands up in a defeated manner. Hinata stifled a giggle at their persistence. It felt like ages ago that they had been the ones standing there, awaiting their mission assignments while Kiba begged for something better than some pansy D-ranked mission.

They had been there for nearly half an hour already, arguing over the last of the day’s D-ranked missions. Sasuke and Hinata had actually arrived before Tenten’s genin team, but just as Sasuke was about to receive it, the team came in and had since been resiliently fighting for their mission.

“I was here first, it’s my mission,” Sasuke stated while glaring at the genin team. It appeared they didn’t know who he was as they glared back. If only his wrists weren’t bound by the chakra restraints, then without even doing anything, they feel the expanse of his true power. Yes, his true power was something these brats could not even imagine. He was wasted on these silly missions.

Tsunade grinned and looked to Hinata and Tenten. “What do you two think?” she asked.

“Oh… uh, it d-doesn’t matter to me,” Hinata replied, ignoring Sasuke’s hard glare secretly telling her and willing her to say he deserved it.

“Me neither.” The brunette jounin sensei shrugged and grinned at her team’s displeasure. The genins’ mouths dropping in horrified disbelief. Why would their jounin-sensei not support them on this matter.

“Alright then, let’s make this interesting.” Tsunade grinned devilishly, her eyes alight with amusement. “This mission is one I’m sure you’re all familiar with. Shijimi-sama’s cat has gotten loose again. It’s a feisty one, still causing problems for us, but I can’t complain when it’s the main source of D-ranked miss-”

“Just get on with it,” Sasuke cut her off.

“Right, so here’s the deal,” she crooned, her chocolate brown eyes looked amongst them, “whoever gets the cat, Tora, back first will receive credit for the mission.”

“Deal!” the genin team shouted triumphantly, like they had already won.

“What do you think?” Tenten tilted her head over to Hinata.

The Hyuuga pursed her lips. “It’s unfair, don’t you think?”

Sasuke smirked at hearing Hinata. Of course it would be unfair. He was Uchiha Sasuke after all and they were mere genin, still fresh and naïve. But the mission specifics were out and there was no taking it back now even if the kids whimpered and whined.

“Yea,” Tenten assented and looked upon her team thoughtfully, “maybe I should ask them to go easy on Sasuke.”

Hinata shrugged, not noticing Sasuke’s attention as she continued to speak, “I don’t think Uchiha-san would like that very much. I th-think he would rather lose fairly.”

His smirk morphed into an unpleased grimace. “Let’s go,” Sasuke seethed and grabbed Hinata roughly, pulling her out of the room with him. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought some ill-founded rumour had spread about his skills or apparent lack thereof according to everyone. First they assign Hinata of all people to be his guardian and then they conceive that the genin would have an advantage over him. Incompetent morons, they are.

It didn’t take the group long to trek out to the patch of grounds that Tora seemed so fond of. It was just how he remembered it, save for the additional shrubbery grown in over time. Actually, the shrubbery in some spots seemed far too rampant to even resemble the place Team 7 had once completed this mission.

“Um, g-good luck, Uchiha-san,” Hinata said hesitantly and he appeared to have ignored her. She sighed and took a spot on the grass beside Tenten as the ninja dispersed.

“So how is it living with the last Uchiha?” Tenten asked with genuine curiosity and concern.

Hinata thought pensively before speaking, pursing her pink lips, “it’s difficult. He’s difficult to interact with.”

“Figures… and it’s for a year, right?”

“Unfortunately,” Hinata confirmed before nodding.

“Well, you’re tough! You’ll pull through and have him whipped by the end of it all!”

Hinata laughed lightly and thanked her with an appreciative smile. Have Uchiha Sasuke whipped by the end of it all? Like she could pull that off… Maybe if it were any other man and if she tried really, really hard, but Sasuke seemed far from someone Hyuuga Hinata could leash. Nezumi seemed perfectly capable, but she was an entirely different person as far as Hinata was concerned.

“Ah, fuck!” Sasuke cursed loudly from deep within the forest, causing Hinata to grimace. She expected this, but still, it bothered her as his guardian to hear his pain.

“He’s got a potty mouth, too.” The weapons mistress smirked as she mentally wondered how poor Hinata was getting along with someone so drastically different from her.

Hinata nodded with a sigh before unrolling the medical scroll in her lap. Sasuke did have potty mouth.

Half an hour later, she was a quarter ways through the scroll and Tenten had fallen asleep. Her Byakugan had been activated at third minute intervals to check on Sasuke’s progress. This interval, she found him walking out of the forest and with no cat in hand… Had he lost against the genin team?

Sasuke gritted his teeth and wiped away the stream of blood he had gotten from running into a thick thorn. This was a lot harder than he had thought it would be. The chakra restraints were a substantial deterrent. He was deprived of chakra boosts, which in turn meant that he was moving at a non-ninja pace, like an average villager trying to catch a cat that had years of experience outmanoeuvring ninja.

He walked past the last few trees and found Hinata seated beside the snoring jounin-sensei. She blinked her round lavender eyes at him.

“Aren’t you going to help me?” he asked irately.

“H-help you?” Hinata’s lashes fluttered as her eyes continued to blink in bemusement.

“I can’t beat them with these chakra restraints on,” he snarled, holding his wrists up to emphasize.

“I c-can’t take them off for you,” she replied, lips straightening into a frown. No rules had actually denied her the authority of removing the restraints, though. Hinata simply saw no reason to oblige him.

“Then help me catch the damned cat,” he demanded, enraged by the mistreatment.

“I d-don’t want to catch a c-cat.” Her voice remained as soft as it always was which failed to behold how unmovable her will could be. And Sasuke’s meticulous senses neglected the subtle sternness.

“This will be one more mission you have to chaperone if I don’t complete it.”

Hinata’s face contorted as she weighed her options. “Hai… I’ll h-help you.”

Pleased that the mission would go smoother now, Sasuke turned around and began walking back into the forest. Hinata had made chuunin, so certainly she could catch that cursed cat. However, he stopped when Hinata didn’t follow him. “Aren’t you coming?”

Hinata smiled genuinely and pointed a slender finger to the streets of Konoha, her hand rising overtop the lazy jounin-sensei still succumbed to sleep’s pull. “Tora is extremely s-sensitive to catnip and there is a p-pet store close by.”

“Catnip?” Sasuke asked disbelievingly, “you tell me this now?”

“H-hai?” She fiddled with her fingers guiltily. “I th-thought maybe you c-could complete the mission without it.”

“I can’t use my chakra,” he seethed, dark eyes hardening on her.

“Hai, I know… gomen, Uchiha-san.” She bowed apologetically. Really, she hadn’t thought he could complete this mission at all. This was Tora, not some normal cat. But he didn’t need to know that remnant of her thoughts.

“Fine, whatever, let’s get this over with.” He stomped past her, hitting her shoulder unsympathetically against his. She bit her bottom lip and rubbed her shoulder while following behind him. Now he really didn’t like her, but it was not a shock to her.

Hinata followed him around as he retrieved the stem of catnip from the store and then walked back to the forest. She had watched curiously as he attached it to a long fallen branch and then proceeded to wave it around as he paced back into the forest. A few minutes later she heard the mewls of Tora ringing through the close proximity from her spot, that was then followed by audible footsteps and then cries of dissatisfaction from what she assumed were the genin. Hinata activated her bloodline to watch the genin glower at Sasuke while the cat scratched and clawed at him. The distinct cuts along his arms made her cringe, and then she figured out that he had probably discarded the catnip before the genin team caught him with it.

“Tenten-sensei!” one of the genin whined, causing the brunette to rise with a start, “why are you sleeping?!”

She waved her student off and yawned. “What are you talking about? I’m not sleeping…”

“Here, l-let me take Tora,” Hinata offered as she walked up to Sasuke and held her arms open. The genin team ignored the pair and, instead, tugged and shoved at their jounin-sensei.

“Hn.” He released the cat and it jumped into Hinata’s opened arms before snuggling up against her. Sasuke’s right eye nearly twitched, but he contained it. “The cat likes you?” he inquired incredulously.

“Hai.” Hinata replied happily and scratched the cat behind its ears. “Tora was a-always easy to catch when we were genin.”

“I didn’t even need the catnip?” he scoffed, “you could’ve caught the stupid cat?”

Genin ears perked up and they swivelled on their feet to land hard glares on him, glares that could match his own. “Catnip?! You cheated!”

“Shut up,” he declared to the young ninja.

“Pl-please be kinder to them,” the indigo-haired woman pleaded, looking sternly at him, “and no, I couldn’t have caught Tora for you… this is your mission.”

“Whatever,” he growled derisively before shoving his hands into his pockets and marching off towards the Hokage tower.

Hinata gave the genin team an apologetic smile and followed behind Sasuke, hurriedly picking up the scrolls she had been studying.

The kettle on the stove piped and Hinata scurried over to remove it and pour the contents into the teapot. She placed two cups onto the table and then paced down the hall towards Sasuke’s room. She knocked politely before speaking, “Uchiha-san, I n-need to change your chakra restraints.”

He didn’t answer so she knocked again. Again, there was no answer. She hastily activated her Byakugan and found him seated on the edge of his bed, attempting to bandage the various cuts courtesy of Tora… and doing a poor job of it all the while. Hinata knew she shouldn’t feel sympathy for him, but that was how she would describe that feeling within her. Or perhaps it was just that she pitied him.

Drawing in a deep breath, Hinata prepared herself before sliding the door open. Sasuke’s head snapped up and he glared daggers at her. Despite the stony glower, she still managed to trudge across the room. The spot beside him was stolen before she moved to remove the poorly wrapped bandages, grasping a hand around one of his forearms and pulling it onto her lap. He didn’t protest the bold move on her part. Instead he took the moment to examine her more closely, attempting to decipher what she had to offer, if anything at all.

Oblivious to his inquisitive gaze, Hinata ran her soft hands over his forearm. “Are th-these bruises from Neji?”

“Hn,” he replied and then followed it with a nearly indiscernible nod.

“Gomen, he can get c-carried away sometimes.” Hovering her hands over the wounded patch of muscle, Hinata carefully began to heal it and Sasuke felt his skin crawl. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t a feeling he was accustomed to. Sasuke never sought the work of medics unless he was in dire need of it. A few cuts and scrapes would find a way to heal on their own.

She concentrated solely on healing him while his obsidian eyes wandered the face that was so close to his. At first he had referred to her as ‘cute’ and nothing else, but upon further inspection, he found that she had a plain sort of beauty. Pale and pristine skin defined her round face. Long, dark lashes accentuated her soft lavender eyes. A warm peach colour enhanced her supple and kissable lips. Lost in his act of spying, he hadn’t even notice her replace his left arm in her lap with his right.

Sasuke clenched his jaw, pushing indecent thoughts of the weak woman aside. He couldn’t let his male nature get the better of him. There was too much at stake. Acting on impulse while the meek little Hyuuga sat beside him was detrimental. Nezumi was the woman he longed for and desired. Wasting time on something not worth his time meant increasing the distance between himself and Nezumi, even if Hinata was so close tempting his senses.

Sasuke turned his face away from her and focused on the plain walls, narrowing his mind on the problem at hand. That problem was the classified identity of Nezumi. Hormones and this woman would not pull him astray. She might be sweet and a good cook, qualities that would make her a good mother, but she wasn’t strong and was certainly not worthy of bearing Uchiha children.

“Done,” Hinata declared before she moved his arms out of her lap and got up, “I’ll be right back.”

“Hn.”

He irritably watched her exit the room and then come back with a cup of tea and a pair of new chakra restraints. “Th-these ones are weakening, I n-need to replace them,” she explained, handing him the cup and kneeling down in front of him. He sipped the hot liquid and then placed it on the end table. Hinata grabbed both his wrists and turned them over. Commencing a string of hand signs, she whispered a few words that Sasuke didn’t catch, and then tapped her index and middle fingers on the points of the restraints that sat atop his pulse points. The shackles unlatched and he felt a miniscule amount of chakra seep through his system, not enough to do anything though. Well actually, he figured he could get around the chuunin.

Hinata hurriedly removed the old restraints and then brought the new ones up and latched them around his wrists. “I’ll have to r-replace them every few days,” she informed as she started to clean up, “you d-don’t need the b-bandages, do you w-want to keep them?”

He shook his head and took another sip of his tea.

Nodding her understanding, she picked them up and walked to the door. “D-dinner will be ready soon… I don’t h-have work tomorrow so you c-can complete another mission if you want.”

He nodded and collapsed back onto the bed as she shut the door behind her.

A/N: Arg, I've been struggling with this story. This chapter is filler-ish, in that not a whole lot happens in terms of plot development. Next chapter should set things into motion and then the chapters after that should start my major plot plans. I apologize for the lateness of updates.

Thanks to everything that read and reviewed!! You all make me a happy author.