Pivotal (Sasuke and Hinata)

Friend

After running away from Pain, the 5 of them rest temporarily at an abandoned house not far from a small village. They thought it was safe as the Akatsuki member usually don't come closer to a village. 

"Sasuke, I want you to explain to us why did you fight Pain alone?," asked Karin after she heals Suigetsu and Juugo.

"The Akatsuki only after for me, not you guys," said Sasuke. Hinata, who recently finished healing Sasuke, looked at the faces of Karin, Suigetsu and Juugo.

"So you think that you have to fight them alone?," asked Juugo with frustrated face.

Sasuke didn't say anything, only sigh came out from him.

"Wait, so all this time Juugo, Karin and me are only your burden? Is that what are you trying to say?," said Suigetsu, annoyed with Sasuke's attitude.

"You guys have nothing to do with the Akatsuki," said Sasuke, inverted his eyes from the others.

"SASUKE, YOU IDIOT!!!," screamed Karin to Sasuke as she tried to hold her tears. "Did you know that I almost died when trying to save you from the Akatsuki?! Did you know how Suigetsu tried to protect you while saving himself? Did you know that all this time, Juugo was the one who got hurt the most? The three of us do everything to save you from the Akatsuki and this is how to treat us?!," Karin was so angry as she wiped away her tears.

No one dares to speak up after Karin said that. Hinata was dumbfounded as she knew nothing about this. Then Suigetsu broke the silence.

"Sasuke... I thought we were a team. But now I know that the TAKA was only a name. Now I realized that you never treat us as a... teammate."

"No," suddenly Juugo spoke up. "Not teammate, but a friend. Sasuke, I don't know how you thinks of us, but for me, I think of you as my friend. A friend that came to save me when I was locked up in a prison. What you did back then (fighting Pain alone) really scared me a lot. I don't want to lose a friend, Sasuke."

"Juugo is right. I also think of you as a friend. But that disappoints me the most. You never thought of us as a friend. Fighting alone and didn't say anything about that girl (Hinata), do you even trust us, Sasuke?," said Suigetsu.

Karin looked at Hinata and said "I thought that you would tell us about Hinata, that's why I didn't tell the others. I knew that night when Hinata appeared in your room with Neko-chi. I sensed a different chakra from your room. That matter is very important but you... you keep it for yourself. Sasuke, if I didn't know about that, maybe you'll never summon her in the first place."

Sasuke sighed and said "I don't want her to get involve in this. I knew from the beginning that summoning her will only lead to other problems."

"S-Sasuke," finally Hinata spoke up. "I was waiting for you to summon me. All this time, I keep waiting.  I accepted what had happened before and now, it is my responsibility to heal you. So, please... summon me. Anytime, anywhere, I don't mind."

 Sasuke looked at Hinata. He does not understand why Hinata simply agreed to that. Sasuke never knew the meaning behind the symbols on Hinata's right hand.