Love Thy Neighbour

Once upon a time there was a person. Some considered him dark, others considered him light. It all depended on the lighting.

  The Konoha hospital was filled with the bitter aroma of drugs, mixed with the sharp spirit of sterility. The village was greeting the morning, the floors had just been treated with chlorinated water. Not so long ago, the hospital environment seemed alien and too unusual to Hinata. But now it has become her second home. After the war there was a catastrophic shortage of workers: there were so many shinobi with injuries of varying severity that a separate outbuilding had to be vacated for the hospital. Doctors weren’t relaxing for a second, performing surgeries, changing bandages, installing droppers, catheters, and monitoring the condition of patients. Seeing this endless workload, Hinata, with her characteristic compassion, couldn’t stand aside. She wasn't proficient in medical ninjutsu properly; only a few times she’d used the Mystical Palm technique to treat minor wounds. But she knew that any help would be welcome at the hospital right now. She didn’t hesitate to accept such simple work as washing test tubes, carrying plates of food to the wards, and sorting documents. She wasn’t the only one among such volunteers: there were many caring people in Konoha, and all that remained was to rejoice at the unity of the villagers at a difficult moment. Hinata's lips curled into a dreamy smile, and she tightened her grip on the tray, nearly slipping on the first step of the stairs leading to the second floor. The glass of milk staggered, but steadfastly withstood this momentary hesitation, and the bowl full of hot ramen din’t budge at all. "Nearly ruined Naruto-kun's breakfast!" Hinata mentally scolded herself for being inattentive. She couldn’t help the fact that just one thought of a good-natured blond tomboy filled her heart with warmth and turned her into a blushing clot of distraction and embarrassment. Only recently this feature began to annoy Hinata. After all, she’s no longer a child, she finally came to the realization she had matured, gained her mind and became stronger. But the manners remained the same, childlike. And Naruto’s no longer that hooligan boy who always ran into problems. After the war Uzumaki became a real hero. Everywhere he was accompanied by well-deserved admiring glances, respectful bows and friendly smiles. But Hinata's relationship with Naruto still hasn't moved off the ground. It was necessary to do something: change herself or change conditions? She didn't know how to do it yet. At first she felt too weak and grieving. The war squeezed all the juice out of her, Neji's death hung on her soul like a painful burden of guilt. And moving away from the Infinite Tsukuyomi proved to be an even more painful ordeal. Reality seemed to laugh at her fleeting false happiness, pressed mercilessly with its darkness and dragged her into the abyss of gloom. Hinata understood she wasn’t the only one who faced this problem: now it was hard for everyone. The spontaneous desire to complain to someone caused shame. Self-pity has always caused shame and internal rejection. Hinata has been learning to deal with this obsessive feeling, which turned not the worst kunoichi into a victim of her tears, drooping from them, like withered grass under the onslaught of rain. Only work in the hospital helped her slowly emerge to the surface from the muddy waters of her mind, where useless introspection and conflicting emotions were fighting for power. Before reaching a couple of steps to Naruto's room, Hinata realized he was no longer sleeping. Noisy bickering could be heard from behind the door. The ringing voice of the excited Uzumaki was easily recognizable. "Sakura-chan, why do you have to change that bandage so often! Anyway, the new hand is about to be ready, and I have to run to Tsunade-baa-chan and find out..." "Shut up, you fool, before I crack you hard!” it was already a well-known iron tone of disgruntled Sakura. “You won’t run anywhere in this condition, do you want to get septicemia?” Despite the heated argument, during which the members of team number seven hardly heard anything, Hinata didn’t abandon the rules of decency, hammered into her head, and knocked politely before entering. "Oh, Hinata!" Naruto, breaking into a cheerful smile (Hinata wasn’t sure if he was so pleased with her appearance or the ramen on the tray), jumped up and was immediately seated in place by Sakura's firm hand. She’d just begun wrapping a new bandage around the stump of his right arm. Hinata trembled internally every time looking at the stump that didn’t reach the elbow. Imagining what Uzumaki went through in his last battle with Sasuke and how the bloody battle of two sworn comrades could end. And Naruto seemed to have forgotten to think about it, even managing to make fun of his loss. "Sit still," Sakura clicked at Naruto, and turned a friendly look at the girl who had come. "Hello, Hinata. It's a good thing you brought breakfast, otherwise this idiot even forgot about the food. He needed to run to Tsunade-sama so urgently!" "Well, no, now I'm not going anywhere until all the ramen is here," Naruto patted his empty stomach with a smirk, "So you can be calm, Sakura-chan. But I'll still go and find out about the hand after breakfast!" "Did Tsunade-sama already finish growing a hand from Hashirama's cells for you, Naruto-kun?" Hinata even lost her usual shyness when talking to Uzumaki, she was overjoyed at the good news. "Thanks, Hinata," Naruto accepted the tray from her hands, immediately grasping the fragrant dish with appetite, and began to explain with his mouth full. "You understood right, mine will be ready any day. But baa-chan didn't say anything about Sasuke... It's strange, well, something’s definitely wrong here! Did they decide to leave him without…" "Naruto, calm down, Tsunade-sama promised to grow two arms, so there will be exactly that many. No one will leave Sasuke-kun one-armed, what are you talking about? He's a shinobi, after all, and a war hero just like you!" Sakura was patient in her explanations, but Hinata noticed her constant trembling at the mention of Uchiha. Haruno still knew how to restrain herself, years of training on chakra control were not in vain. But she also had a characteristic excitement for a loved one. Even if she was the second strongest medical-nin in the world, one of the most significant military figures, and the owner of Byakugou Seal. "I think everything will be fine, Naruto-kun, and Sasuke will definitely get a new hand," Hinata tried to join in the reassurance. She mentally chided herself for looking away again as Naruto looked at her. No, stop being so shy! All these subtle gestures slipped past the Uzumaki’s attention, and Hinata sometimes caught herself on the fact… this pissed her off? She wished he finally noticed and asked directly. For something to change. Once, Hinata had already taken her first and such a difficult step for a shy girl, confessing her love to Naruto during Pain's attack on Konoha. She had to thank the wild adrenaline rush.At that time, her whole being was ruled by fear for other people's lives, combined with a surge of previously unknown courage and recklessness. Against the backdrop of such an emotional shake-up, her feelings for Naruto, who was hanging by a thread from death, escalated to the limit. Hinata really felt like a different person. If she had had time to think, she would have marveled at her own bravery. She wanted to become the same again, as then, at a decisive moment for the battle and the sensitive girlish heart… but not at that price. Later, she and Naruto never spoke about what happened. Hinata expected him to come over to explain himself. After all, she had already taken her step, now it was his turn. The fear of rejection loomed incessantly in her restless mind. But it turned out to be worse to receive indifference. Hinata knew Naruto wasn't quick-witted, especially when it came to delicate matters. But that didn't make him insensitive. Intentionally ignoring her confession? No, Uzumaki wouldn't do that. Maybe he just didn't understand, being passionate about protecting the village and confronting the enemy? However, Hyuuga chose the wrong time. Maybe he forgot, because then so many things piled up… Or maybe he completely misinterpreted her words, mistaking them for an expression of friendly feelings? Because I love you, Naruto-kun. It seems to sound pretty obvious. And not in a friendly way at all. Hinata felt unpleasantly embarrassed, remembering sincerely spoken words to which she never received an answer. Maybe it was better for her to remain completely silent if she turned out to be not worthy of even the slightest reaction? Even if she became braver and stronger, Hinata Hyuga still couldn't get noticed. A slimy lump of resentment slowly unfolded in her soul. She didn’t want to remain a pale shadow always loomed behind Naruto and never seen. She didn't want to shamefacedly avert her eyes, feeling the heat of color appearing on her cheeks. She didn't want to be that quiet little girl, folding her fingers in embarrassment and afraid to look up. Hinata admired Naruto and devotedly loved him from an early age. But only now she realized what darkens her feelings for him. Realizing that love, which used to always give strength and make her go forward and improve, following the example of Naruto, now made her weak.

```

"I wanna go check on Sasuke-kun, but I don't have a minute of free time. Now I need to run with a hospital report to Tsunade-sama, then I have a planned surgery." Sakura finished bandaging what was left of Naruto's hand and sighed, not hiding her annoyance. "Sakura-chan, you should think about resting, it's a pity you don't even have time to sit down," Naruto sincerely sympathized. "I'll check on Sasuke myself. I suppose he’s already climbing the wall from loneliness, poor fellow. And why not put us in the general ward? I wouldn't let him get bored. We haven't talked much yet…" Uzumaki, as usual, chattered non-stop, not missing a single thought. Hinata couldn't help but smile sadly. She understood what was going on, and Naruto should have, too. He just reacted to everything with the usual stubborn denial of the inevitable.

After the war, Sasuke Uchiha's status bordered on uncertainty. The Council of the Five Great Shinobi Countries hasn’t yet made a final decision on his amnesty. Formally, Sasuke remained S-rank criminal, which means he lost all rights to freedom of movement and was subjected to complete isolation. His chamber was guarded by the Anbu day and night, visitors weren’t allowed there without urgent need, and a limited number of shinobi knew about the Uchiha's presence in the Konoha hospital, among which was Hinata. She hasn't seen Sasuke since the end of the war, when everyone recovered from the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Then she thought only of Naruto, who terrified her with his tormented appearance. Even after Sakura's emergency treatment, the purple bruises, the brown blood soaked his clothes, and, of course, the stump with a bone fragment in the middle of torn soft tissues, didn’t disappear. Hinata felt sick at the sight. It wasn’t disgust, but a kind of sticky feeling of horror, spreading through the body and acrid bitterness reverberating in a parched throat. Just coming to her senses, she still held on as she walked towards Naruto, who was barely on his feet and struggled to contain the trembling in his buckling knees. But then, when survivors were looking for surviving relatives and friends in the midst of growing turmoil on the battlefield… At the sight of corpses scattered everywhere and a specific sweetish-nasty smell of rotten blood and decay products that soaked the air… Hinata managed to run behind some fallen stone, and her stomach immediately twisted into a spasm. Her insides seemed to turn inside out as she vomited; she wiped the tears from her eyes, feeling her throat tickle and her chest sting. Later, when the Five Great Countries Alliance calculated the casualties, a general funeral was held. Everyone, whether shinobi or civilians, paid tribute to the fallen in the war for peace. Sasuke didn't attend the funeral; maybe he wanted to, but the councillors wouldn't let him. Hinata didn’t think about Uchiha, at that time she didn’t care about anything except saying goodbye to her nii-san, who gave his life for her and Naruto. The support of her relatives was valuable: the heavy but protective hand of her father on her shoulder, the cool hand of Hanabi, tightly squeezing her own hand, wet from deep anxiety. A moment of silence in honor of the dead wasn’t easy. Hinata was feeling: another moment — and her legs wouldn’t hold her, she’d kneel and fall face down on the ground damp from the rain. The unfriendly cold soil would cover her with the smell of rotting autumn leaves, which have outlived their usefulness and turned from natural beauty filled with the juices of life into another particle of decay. As a reminder that everything comes to an end. Like a war, so is a life cut short at the wrong time. After the official part of the farewell to the fallen war heroes, Neji was buried in the family cemetery of the Hyuga clan. Hinata met Ino's knowing, sympathetic gaze when went to the Yamanaka shop to pick up flowers for her cousin's grave. Ino herself hadn’t yet recovered from the loss of her father, but found the strength to cheer Hinata up, hugging her tightly and assuring she was always ready to help in any way possible. They had never been close friends, and for the first time Hinata felt a wave of gratitude towards this cheerful and sensitive girl.   “Times are hard right now. Sometimes even getting out of bed is difficult. You get up because you have to. And it's like you don't want to live. You just exist and that’s it,” Ino muttered thoughtfully, carefully trimming the cypress branches. “But we have no right to relax. We'll go through everything. Gotta stick together.” “We have to,” Hinata agreed, swallowing the lump in her throat. On the same day, she went to the hospital and signed up for the ranks of volunteers.

"Alright, I'll have to go to Tsunade-sama with a report. Naruto, don't leave the ward without permission! Hinata, nice to see you." "See you later, Sakura-chan!" With Sakura leaving, an oppressive silence hung in the room. Hinata shifted awkwardly from one foot to the other, realizing she was alone with Naruto. He didn’t even look at her, thinking about something and scratching his disheveled hair, which has already noticeably grown and sticking out in all directions. This carelessness, coupled with barely noticeable freckles scattered over his nose and a fox whiskers on his cheeks, gave him a touching look. Naruto could be compared to the sun, which sometimes blinded with irresistibly bright light, but always warmed with its heat. But the sun was high in the sky, and it wasn’t possible to reach it by hand. Likewise, Hinata couldn't really reach Naruto. She always followed him, looking into the distanting back. In all senses. Naruto didn’t notice her feelings, and she didn’t have the opportunity to touch him. He was so warm, friendly, attracting with his inner light, but at the same time far from her. Hinata suppressed a sigh. "Naruto-kun, I have to go. There is still a lot of work in the hospital. Get well soon." She took the tray of empty dishes and ended the farewell with a reserved nod. As she left the room, she heard a brief “bye, Hinata”. So simple and neutral. Without any “Hinata-chan”. Without any expectation of the next meeting.  

***

 

The first significant official event since the general funeral was approaching. People were allowed to observe mourning for a while and quietly engage in post-war reconstruction. But the time has come for the ceremony. The heroes of the Fourth Shinobi World War should have been awarded. It was decided that each daimyō would host a separate reception for the ninja of his country. Medals of honor will be awarded to people who have distinguished themselves by feats. Hinata wasn’t excited about the upcoming celebration. The sediment from the consequences of the war settled on the soul. And the wound inflicted by the death of her brother was in no hurry to heal. Only pride in Neji gave her moral stability: they decided to honor him posthumously with a high class award. Thus, the feudal lords appreciated his self-sacrifice, with which Neji saved Naruto's life, although Hinata was shielded with his body. Hinata was the reason why Neji was now buried underground in the Hyuga Manor Cemetery instead of celebrating the end of the war with everybody. She was involuntarily tormented by thoughts that everything hadn’t turned out all right. After all, Neji was stronger and more talented than her. He was definitely more worthy. And how did fate treat him? Born in a side branch, the cousin never tasted complete freedom. He lost the hated cursed seal only with death. And she, from birth surrounded by blessings and opportunities, never used all the potential bestowed upon her. Is weak Hinata worthy to have such an unsurpassed genius and steadfast, selfless person as Neji give his life for her?  Hinata really wanted to turn back time to destroy the last stones in the wall of the former estrangement between them. She wanted to frankly tell her brother how ardently and heartily, in a sisterly way, she loves him. She wanted to thank him for helping her become a kunoichi. For the example of a real warrior, who didn’t let her relax at the moments when she wanted to give up everything, looking at how far the more capable younger sister had gone ahead. Neji didn't give up. He was deprioritized the day the seal of obedience was branded on his forehead. But despite everyone who put him in a lower rank, he became a genius. A clan genius from a side branch. Here is such a twist of fate. Now Hinata could only barely audible whisper into the void what she hadn’t once told him. And her words were carried away by a gust of wind, carefully stored, but didn’t find the addressee.

On the eve of the solemn reception, another thunder struck in the deceptively clear sky over Konoha. Naruto was ready to rant and rave, having learned Sasuke would remain in the village under supervision of the Anbu. "How is it possible?" furious Naruto even flushed with annoyance. "Not fair, dattebayo! Sasuke and I both fought Kaguya, then we both lost our arms. If he wasn't there, those damned lords wouldn't be standing on their feet now!" Tsunade's clenched fist slammed into the table with such force that it clanged plaintively, risking falling apart. Hinata, who was standing at the door of the Hokage's office, even shuddered. Uzumaki interrupted his impassioned speech, staring dumbfounded at the woman, who exuded frightening seriousness and steadfastness with one look. "Naruto, I know exactly what you're talking about. And I understand your anger too. But you must also understand that Sasuke Uchiha is now in a very precarious position. The decision on amnesty hasn’t yet been made, and for the good of your friend, you cannot provoke the daimyō by violating their orders. Yes, let it be unfair. But in life you have to make difficult decisions. Especially as Hokage in the future. Do you know what I mean?" Frowning, Uzumaki nodded dejectedly, but the shadow of disappointment on his face could not be confused with humility. It was noticeable that everything inside the jinchuriki boiled with righteous indignation. Hinata sympathized with him; she knew Sasuke very little, but the Uzumaki's devotion to him made her feel something akin to reverence for such a strong bond of friendship. "Now let’s get down to business. Hinata, you may have already guessed why I called you," Tsunade wearily rubbed her temples, and Hyuga once again noticed how exhausted Hokage-sama looked. With the end of the war, twice as many tasks fell on her. "Given your background, you clearly have some knowledge of the rules of etiquette when dealing with dignitaries. After all, the Hyuga clan is the best at negotiating, isn't it?" Hinata nodded. Among the inhabitants of Konoha, the members of the Hyuga clan really stood out for their emphasized conservativeness, following some remnants of old traditions. Hiashi left the village more than once, going on business meetings with other clans with whom they maintained mutually beneficial cooperation. He also had to deal with people close to the feudal lord, as far as Hinata knew. All representatives of the main branch of the clan were taught the rules of good manners and the basics of business etiquette by default. "Your task will be to teach some… unmannerly shinobi at least the fundamental skills of how to behave in a palace at a feudal lord’s reception. Long conversations aren’t required from them, so the most basic will suffice. Especially when it comes to Naruto." Tsunade said his name with a force that would make the Hyuga shake if she were Naruto. He, on the contrary, looked at the woman with sparks of defiance dancing in narrowed eyes. "I understand, Hokage-sama." A meek bow — and then returning to her duties. 

Hinata liked to feel useful. And even fatigue at the end of the day didn’t overshadow this state. Working for the benefit of the village slowly healed spiritual wounds and threw unnecessary thoughts out of her head. At some point, Hyuga noted with a pang of joy she began to behave much more freely in the presence of Naruto. She didn’t huddle in the corners like a gray mouse frightened by hungry cats, but calmly approached him at close range, spoke first and even forced herself not to blush when their eyes met. Stop slouching. Keep your back straight. Come on, chin up. Why are you hunched over like an old woman? These mental conversations with herself sometimes annoyed Hinata. But she got used to the fact she had such a peculiar adaptation to growing up. You won't change easily. You need to work on yourself. Pull yourself up when necessary. Apparently, the stress of the war also affected her behavior in a beneficial way, helping to gain spiritual maturity, the lack of which Hinata always felt. It suddenly became easy for her to speak without hesitation, the tone of her voice became even and not childishly fading away on exhalation. It became easier for her to straighten her shoulders, without fear that because of this, her chest protrudes noticeably forward. Hinata often recalled her frank conversation with Ino while visiting the bathhouse.   “It's just breasts, Hinata. All girls have them. What is there to be ashamed of?” “But Ino, it's indecent... when it sticks out like that and everyone sees it.” Yamanaka burst out laughing, pinning her long blond hair into a bun over the back of her head. “It’s indecent to stare at someone else’s boobs. And the fact they stick out is more than natural. On the contrary, you should be proud of your body,” Ino laughed good-naturedly, looking at the blushing Hinata, who involuntarily pressed her hands on what nature had so generously endowed her. “Seriously, Hinata. You are a beautiful young girl. What's the point in trying to suppress your attractiveness? Who is better off for this? You have to love yourself. And enjoy your appearance, and not hide from everyone. When you grow old, you’ll regret that you didn’t appreciate these happy times…” “You’re probably right,” Hinata had to agree, pondering over her friend’s weighty arguments. “You bet! Who else will give you such a useful lecture? After all, kunoichi shouldn’t only understand techniques and weapons. So learn from me while I'm alive.” Ino's high spirits completely relaxed Hinata, relieving her of the shackles of tightness, and both girls, as if by agreement, laughed heartily.

After the ceremonial presentation of the military insignia, which passed without incident, Hinata floated out of the palace as if in a fog, holding Neji's posthumous award. A gilded medal engraved with initials and words of honor. The father, as the head of the clan, who received the award on behalf of the deceased, politely allowed Hinata to hold the now family heirloom in her hands. An important reward that Neji himself will never pick up. The respect, the gratitude for his sacrifice. But he won't feel it. He won’t know. For the daimyō, the award ceremony is only a necessary formality, an excuse for yet another celebration where there is no place for mourning. Not them suffered personal losses. Not them saw the horror of war, wondering if the new day would be the last. However, Neji deserved the memory of himself. He deserved to have his act publicly declared significant. But why then is there such bitterness in her soul? And why does the medal lying on an open palm evokes strange feelings? Hinata bit her lip and smeared a drop (that had fallen from her eyelashes so inopportunely onto the relief surface) with a hardened fingertip. The medal shone with a golden sheen in the sunlight. Such a valuable thing. And so useless.  

***

  Upon arrival back in Konoha, bad news awaited everyone. Sasuke Uchiha was transferred from the hospital to prison. The councillors had been pushing for this since his return, but Tsunade was adamant. However, even she was powerless before the decree of the feudal lord himself with the official seal. These oldies, apparently, completely got him with their petitions. Hinata saw how all the bright colors flew off Naruto's face, giving him an unusual frown; how Sakura couldn’t hold back her tears, turning away from everyone and convulsively pressing hand to face. What did Hinata feel? Definitely not pity. There are people to whom the very concept of pity is just inapplicable. Getting to know Sasuke a little better, Hinata classified him as one of those. Pity for him would be an indignity, an indication of his own weakness. But speaking of regret ... it was present. It would be too naive to regret the unjust world order. It was regrettable that some people, on whom much depended, lacked understanding in hardened hearts. Hinata knew many crimes hung on Sasuke's shoulders, but wasn't everything he did to win the war enough to atone? Or at least to concessions? Hinata, though not in detail, knew the bulk of his story. An avenger who survived the massacre of the clan, lost everyone in one evening, including his parents, and is doomed to live devoured by hatred. Hinata, who once lost her mother and then her cousin, still couldn’t partially imagine the nightmare that fell on the boy, who was no more than eight years old. She escaped the fate of fangirls, not even claiming the race which was led by the brisk Ino and Sakura. Only Naruto's amazing attitude at the level of blood ties prompted her to involuntarily feel the fate of Sasuke Uchiha. Now he is in prison, and it’s not known what will happen next. Naruto didn’t stop caring for his friend for a minute and persuaded Tsunade to work faster on a new hand for him. A couple of times he even got cuffs from the wild Hokage-sama. But Naruto didn't care about the bumps on his forehead. That restless Uzumaki! Hopes for the best still remained. Tsunade, Kakashi Hatake, and other jonin unanimously decided to uphold Sasuke's honor and obtain a final amnesty for him. Naruto, having passed the stage of anger, now cheered everyone up and charged everyone with his incorrigible optimism. He even managed to bring a smile to the saddened Sakura's face.  Hinata, as always forgotten by him, was left alone with her thoughts. All these days flowed in anticipation of the verdict for Sasuke, she didn't stop thinking about the fate of a broken, but survived man.  Only once she got a chance to talk to him.

Several Anbu squad members stepped aside to let Hinata in. She silently slipped past the guards, frozen like marble statues. The numb expression on their lifeless masks seemed to be the epitome of composure and detachment. As if not people, but carefully tuned instruments, meekly following orders and not knowing even an echo of doubt. "Good evening, Sasuke-san. I was asked to bring you dinner," Hinata suppressed her slight excitement with impeccable politeness. For the first time, her foot stepped into a ward where even a speck of dust wouldn’t be allowed to fly unnoticed. And for the first time, she was with Sasuke, a man she almost didn't know, in a closed space where there was no one but them. The guy sitting on the bed raised his head, which was dejectedly lowered down. He has been leaning on his knee with right hand, and the part remained of his left one was bandaged in the same way as Naruto's. Dark hair fell in messy strands over his face, adding to his appearance of mysterious melancholy. Hinata didn’t expect to see a deity who wielded crushing power and kept some of those in power at bay. Doesn't she know how exhausting war is?  It's hard when they try to corner you and suppress you. Even if the victory in the war was built by your efforts. A devastated man, tired of fighting with a crappy fate, looked at Hinata. Not an avenger, not a criminal, not a monster. The understanding he is the same person as everyone else pierced her sharply and swiftly. Sasuke was silent, but an unknown force prompted Hinata to keep the conversation going. "There’s miso soup and rice bread. I would have brought something sweet for dessert, but alas, there was no time to go for it. Hope you still like it." Hinata felt uncomfortable, wanting to express at least some support, but not knowing how Sasuke, for whom she is a stranger, would take her words. However, she hated to demonstrate cold silence. She couldn't contain her empathy as she thought about how lonely Sasuke felt locked inside four walls. He suffered and was injured no less than Naruto. But Naruto was surrounded by friends and cheering people, ready to toast the hero and stand under the hospital windows just to meet a new idol. Sasuke was cut off from the whole world. He was allowed to turn only to his own thoughts. If Hinata couldn't even stay at home for a day, because the oppressive thoughts were driving her crazy, then what was it like for him? The former nukenin carried a burden on his heart, the weight of which she wasn’t given to comprehend. "I don’t like sweets, by the way," the low, velvety Sasuke’s voice was almost tangible; so new was the impression of hearing this unfamiliar person. “Thanks for the food.” Sasuke slowly began to eat, fully focused on his actions, and seemed to immediately forget about the existence of Hinata. She became uncomfortable again. Maybe it's time to leave, giving him the opportunity to have a quiet dinner alone. The tray can be picked up later.  But what if Sasuke is already fed up with quietness? Maybe he's used to being treated with indifference? He was needed in the war, but became nothing after. And this is not the first life so broken and indifferently thrown away by someone's domineering hand. No! Sasuke isn’t hopeless. He still has a chance for rehabilitation, but does he believe in it himself? "I’m not sure you know, but Tsunade-sama is hard at work on the new hands from Hashirama's cells. For Naruto-kun... and for you." Sasuke looked up from his dinner, raising his head, perhaps more abruptly than he intended. Hinata's eyes widened in wonder as the Rinnegan flickered under his hair for a moment. The most powerful and dangerous dojutsu ever. How is it possible to believe that its owner is meekly locked up, guarded by a bunch of Anbu? "For what?" The slight surprise in his tone sounded ridiculously genuine. "But… you mean..? You need a hand to replace... the one you lost." "I didn't ask for it." The phrase might sound arrogant, but Sasuke's voice was completely even, without a hint of any emotion. Hinata fluttered her eyelashes in surprise. "Whatever happened, happened. So, I’ll live as I am. My right hand is in place, the loss isn’t so significant." "But Tsunade-sama is trying so hard. Naruto keeps urging her on, worried about you." Their conversation gradually flowed into a natural channel. Hinata didn't even notice how they went from a couple of cut off sentences to a full-fledged discussion. "Naruto…" The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched and Hinata managed to catch a semblance of a smirk. Quite insignificant, tiny and fast, but containing ... a hint of warmth? "Naruto won't calm down. It's in his spirit. You can tell him not to worry about me. I can do just fine without one arm." "I still don’t understand, do you really not care or are you deliberately refusing what they offer?" Sasuke seemed to appreciate her insight. Something revived in the murky depths of his apathetic gaze. "I don't think you'll understand." "But I can try." She grew bolder and was no longer going to let go of the thread of the conversation. "Do you know what acceptance is? Something that I’vebeen missing all my life. I had enough time to rethink a lot of what happened. And I decided to accept." "Accept the fate of living without an arm?" "Yes. I’ll just take it as a well-deserved gift. You can think of it as a challenge or something. But for me, it's too easy to be a challenge." He explained his point of view casually, without scattering in unnecessary arguments. Hinata felt a hurricane of contradictions slowly unfold in her soul. Her heart suddenly became heavy, pulling down. It felt like unsolicited compassion. "So you’re punishing yourself like that…" she whispered in confusion, not yet understanding how to react. "I'm not asking for pity. If you decide to take pity on me, you know where the exit is." For some reason, Hinata wasn’t even embarrassed by the unexpected rudeness of Sasuke, who carefully chained himself into impenetrable ice. What else could he do? "Oh no, you have the right to make your own choice. I have no right to judge," she said artlessly. "I could have guessed before. Would a man with the Rinnegan sit locked up and submissively wait for his fate, as if at least someone from this village really had power over him?" Sasuke smirked, but not carelessly, as a mischievous Naruto or a resilient Ino might do. That smirk hurt. There was so much humility in it, saturated with endless bitterness, which can burn from inside worse than sake accidentally confused with water. "You've convinced yourself that you don't deserve forgiveness. Not from others. You cannot forgive yourself." "Are you planning on shaking the soul of the imprisoned missing-nin? Maybe it's a sophisticated experiment? Mind you, I didn’t remain silent only because you're the first person in the last two weeks who spoke to me”. Sasuke began to eat his soup, having lost visible interest in Hinata, but there was no real irritation in his words. "Is it so hard for you to believe I only spoke to you because I felt like it?" Sasuke shrugged dismissively. Does she bore him? "Talking aimlessly is a waste of time. Didn't you mention you don't have much time?" "If I annoy you, you could immediately ask me to leave." "But you don't annoy me. For now." Hinata allowed herself a slightly smile. Why did the leniently thrown phrase come out of Sasuke's lips so benevolently, as if she had just been initiated into a comrade? No, she really hadn't met people like Uchiha Sasuke yet. He was all covered with a prickly shell of apparent gloom and indifference to all living things. But Hyuga skillfully bypassed these spikes, and their conversation turned into a game where she challenged: I won’t allow myself to be pricked. Without knowing it herself, she smoothed out sharp corners with her calmness. "I'm probably going to start to annoy you now, but let’s get back to the topic of your arm. Sasuke rolled his eyes listlessly, but how eagerly Hinata caught this impulse of his emotional awakening after a long hibernation in killing loneliness! "I understand you feel it's right to consider yourself worthy of some kind of punishment for a difficult past. But if the arm is a trifle for you, what is the point of attaching such importance to it? Why complicate your life in trifles? You've already been punished enough, sitting there and waiting for an amnesty no one promised. Ahead is either prison or freedom. The freedom to invent your own punishment. Even go to a monastery if you want. Of course, acceptance is an important part of working on yourself. Well, accept that Tsunade-sama is already finishing growing your new arm. And knowing you so easily refuse the result of her labors, she will... be disappointed. Naruto-kun will be upset too. Sasuke-san, if you decide to embark on the path of redemption, then start small. Accept help from people who genuinely care about you. Have you often accepted such help?" Sasuke remained silent, looking into her eyes attentively. Hinata thought for the first time how easy it was to open up with such a seemingly difficult person. She was able to become herself, not a shy version of herself. Communicating with Naruto was different. Next to Sasuke, the blush wasn't treacherously creeping up to her cheeks, her palms wasn't sweating, and her gaze wasn't jumping along the walls, avoiding meeting with the cloudless sky in someone's eyes.  The gloomy eyes of her listener exuded a difference from everything she liked so much about Naruto. It was strange to realize she wasn’t afraid of either the endless blackness, which at any moment could be replaced by a bloody membrane of the Sharingan, or the hidden power of the deadly Rinnegan. Hinata didn't look away. Probably her confidence didn't escape Sasuke, forcing him to show at least a fraction of much-needed interest. "Would you grace me with an answer?" Hinata asked. "I'll think about the arm." You win, Hinata Hyuga. At least somewhere you finally showed perseverance. "I’m glad about that, Sasuke-san. Sorry but I have to go." Realizing it was unacceptable to linger here, Hinata picked up the tray with a sense of accomplishment. Nodding goodbye, she walked to the door. "Wait." And again, that tangible sensation of his voice. As if a flock of goosebumps slid down her back. Hinata slowly turned around. "I didn’t ask your name. You’re from the Hyuga clan. I think we were classmates at the Ninja Academy?" "My name is Hinata. And yes, I’m from the Hyuga clan."   This could be considered an official acquaintance with Sasuke Uchiha. Moreover, Hinata had a premonition that this wouldn’t be their last meeting. She hasn't figured out why yet.