Our Dependence

Chapter Nine: Perennial

Never once have I thought that I would be allowed to enjoy the wonders of life without being subjected to the turmoil handed to me by those who rather see my suffering than be happy. There are many who I believe refuse to watch others be content with themselves because they weren't allowed the same.

The chances of my father having to suffer the way I did when he was a child are high. This must be the same for his father, and grandfather etcetera.

Generational trauma if you will.

What I do not understand is why the people who realize that making someone suffer for their own shortcomings is wrong — do so anyway. I escaped my toxic household to get trapped in another, and the one behind this was someone who strived to be better.

How can you be better but you are [un] intentionally hurting someone else as long as you receive pleasure?

It was a surprise learning that the one who people scorned and refused to befriend was so capable of loving something other than himself. The lies and fears weaved from those around him, the prejudice against his clan, his past, it did not make him into a monster.

Not the monster everyone was convinced he had become.

I fell into another trap, but he managed to pull himself out of the pit called his mind. An outstretched hand neared my own dark hole, silently offering help, and I held it.

It was the best decision I believe I could have ever made.

Chapter Nine: Perennial

He laid back against the floors of the veranda, sweat built on his skin as he tiredly wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Sasuke peered at her sitting in the blazing sun, happily digging the dirt and humming as she placed a lime tree in the hole. She got up and moved to the other side, planting a peach tree.

They've been working on the garden for a full four weeks after they returned to their home. It was slowly filling up with fruit trees and herbs, vegetables and flowers lining the paths, it looked completely different from the months before.

"Come help me." Hinata pouted, nudging the sack of pebbles with her feet. "It's heavy."

"You can handle it." He closed his eyes.

Gardening wasn't exactly Sasuke's favourite thing to do. Sitting in the sun for hours, planting and moving dirt around, getting rid of weeds while making sure not to accidentally rip the roots off of her other plants — he didn't know how she could do it.

"I won't make dinner tonight then." She lifted up the bag with ease. Setting it down when she got to the makeshift pond that they had previously dug out, she poured the pebbles inside and spread it around.

"You barely make dinner." He finally sat up again. Taking a deep breath, Sasuke summoned clones and instructed them to line the pond with bigger rocks and throw in the pond plants they had bought.

"I was planning on doing so tonight, but I guess not." She stood to the side and watched him fill up the pond with more water.

"I've helped you for weeks." Sasuke observed the garden; it really was pretty — it had to be since he was exhausted.

"Helping me again doesn't hurt." She smiled and shifted her weight, "we're done and now we just have to watch everything grow."