A Marriage of Convenience

Chapter 9

If you're the one who'll share my pain

Then every pain is pleasant

-Hamdard (translates to Sympathizer)
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"Naruto, have you seen-?" Sakura started when she realized Naruto wasn't in the room. She scowled.

"Where did he go?"

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Meanwhile, Sasuke stood next to Naruto in the forest, both of them panting from their spar. "Good-fight." Naruto huffed in between breaths. Sasuke nodded before he sat down heavily. Naruto followed suit.

They were silent for a while as they caught their breath. Naruto looked at Sasuke. "Eh, how are things with...Hinata-Chan?"

Sasuke did not want to answer that. "Good."

"She was injured on the mission. Badly. Shouldn't you go home to her early for some days?" Naruto inquired.

"She's fine." Sasuke told him."I don't need to do that."

"Why?"

"Because she'd tell me if she needed me to do that." he stated simply.

Naruto sighed. "I swear bastard, all these times you called me a baka while you're so naive." He shook his head exasperatedly, similar to how Sakura did. "Of course she won't say. Girls don't do that. They just expect you to."

"How would I know if she never even asked?" Sasuke said, his eyebrow twitching. Naruto shrugged.

"I dunno man. That's just how girls are. Plus, Hinata's delicate. Like a snow flower. You need to treat her good."

Sasuke realized once again aboout how little he knew his wife. And how despite all of his coldness towards her, she'd reassured him that day.

That night, where she'd sat with him, assuring him with mentally and physically, the thought of it always confused him. And irritated him.

Why would she do that? What did she have to gain from that? She had no reason to do that, yet she did. He'd ripped everything from her...and she still did not hate him for it.

"And she's so kind. She loves everyone. Even those who don't deserve it." Naruto continued. His words struck a chord within Sasuke.

He had never shared anything but his misery with her.

Because Misery loves a Companion.

And yet, she'd re-assured him. Helped him. She had his back. Why?

Maybe-we can do that together. 

Her words from that night rang in his head.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked, when he was quiet for too long. Sasuke sighed before turning to him.

"She believes I deserve redemption." He didn't know why he told Naruto that. But he needed to tell someone.

"Hinata?"

Sasuke nodded. Naruto smiled wistfully. "Of course she does. And of course you do."

Sasuke scoffed at that. "Teme, what you did...you were crazy back then. Besides, you came back didn't you?" 

"Only because you brought me back." Sasuke said in a bitter tone. Naruto shook his head.

"Teme, Konoha's your home. It always has been and it always will be your home. You belong here. And if you're worried as to why Hinata thinks that...she's so kind. She always sees the best in people. She's one of my inspirations. She's always believed in me...even when no one else did. She loves so-purely. It makes you love you too. Because how could something she loves be unworthy of love?"

Sasuke watched Naruto with amazement. He'd never heard him speak of someone-even Sakura- that way.

"She's good for you bastard. You're a lucky man." Naruto concluded.

And Sasuke decided going home at the end of the day might not be too bad.

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Hinata was finished cooking dinner for herself and for Sasuke in case a miracle happened and he came home.

Ever since the night she'd told him she believed him...he'd been even more distant. Sometimes she wondered if that had been in fact the wrong thing to say.

Maybe he was so used to being alone that her belief in him only made him wary and paranoid of her. Other times she felt tired, not knowing what he wanted from her.

She was setting the table when she heard someone enter the kitchen. She turned immediately, her hands in front of her in an offensive stance.

Her hands lowered when she realized it wa Sasuke. "Sasuke-kun."

"I-" he cleared his throat before he looked at her, slowly. His gaze was penetrating, confused and wary. Tentative. "I'm home."

Hinata looked stunned for a second. Filthy, tired and exhausted as he was-he was home. Home. 

Her lips curved into a very small-barely there-smile.

"Welcome home."

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Author notes: There, another chapter done. Thank you to everyone who takes the time time to read and comment. I hope everyone likes this chapter and this is NOT a filler.

Sasuke is a wreck, his slight rehabilitation is gonna take a while. A Looooong while. So if you guys can't take the slow af burn...

Anyways lemme know how you liked it. Till later.