*may contain feels*

The more time passes the heavier her breathing got, almost like the air was thinning and the oxygen was being sucked out of the room.

She had been waiting since morning, standing still, constantly expecting that the next second the heavy wooden door would open with its typical loud squeak.

Hinata's shoulders were tense and each few seconds she'd flinch because her mind was playing games on her, making her hear the loud noise despite the silence. It was all due to anxiety and expectation. They had not received anyone from the outside for as long as she recalls. Throughout her childhood it has been her alone with her father and cousin between the silent walls. It was them and the spirit that guided them and kept them safe, as her father said.

The phantom noise tricked her again just now. A small flinch, her heart pounding, followed by a small sigh of relief. But before her shoulders could fully go down, the loud noise and the blinding light of the sun filled the hall.

Hinata had to swallow down a shriek of surprise. Despite all the expectation she was still caught off guard by the disturbance of the calm.

Four people walked into the hall, two of them familiar to her, two of them unknown in theory. She has heard her father and Neji whispering about the strangers for the past few days. Yet whenever she asked about it her questions were not answered.

One of the unknown people was a young man, taller than her father with dark long hair tied, tired eyes and a deep sadness in his eyes that she could feel from far away. Behind him was a boy, a boy her age it seemed, or maybe Neji’s age. His jaw tense and eyes angry.

As the four got closer to her she stayed a bit straighter. Both her father and Neji offered her a nod, her cousin went further and smiled politely too.

Once they passed her by, she too started to walk behind them. Her movement away from the wall earned her the attention of the two strangers, the boy flinched, he had not seen her perhaps. Or maybe he thought her another statue.

Hinata was glad to finally move, to finally walk up the stairs to the hated rooms of the church. The chill had settled into her bones it felt like.

Neither her father, nor Neji told her to stay by the door and wait. But it was just proper to wait for guests, that’s what the storis in her books always said. Hinata did not know when they’d arrive so she stayed there and waited on her own accord. She even dressed in her most beautiful clothes, the ones for celebrations for the occasion.

Once they reached the sitting room upstairs, her father and the two strangers sat at the table. Neji came to her, a hand on her shoulder for a moment before pulling out tea cups. The two of them worked in tandem and prepared warm tea for all of them. She had baked simple cookies yesterday, before serving them she put the cookies on a tray a few moments over the fire to heat up again.

While they were working, her father and the young man were talking in hushed voiced.

She set the cup by the young man and he gave her a smile she could not decipher, he seemed moments away from crying…She sat  down by her father. She raised the thin vail off her face so she could drink and eat as well.

“I truly…cannot thank you enough” the young man’s voice was much lower than she had expected. Her father replied with pleasantries saying there was no need for thanks.

With a deep sigh the man sat up, his hands slightly shook as he set them on the boy’s head, he kneeled down by him.

“Be good” he said, but the boy did not reply, nor did he look at him. Her father and the man left. Neither of them had drank any tea…

She was unsure what happened, what was going on, but the atmosphere was far too sad and tense for her to ask. Whatever it was, it was momentous, she could tell from the sad smile of the young man, and the shaking shoulders of the boy.

The fire was starting to die out, usually it is Neji that keeps it alive but he was gone today for a while. Seeing the flames falter her cousin sat up and left, perhaps to get more wood.

She was now alone with the boy, the stranger.

“I am Hinata”

Her voice came out softer than she meant, almost a whisper. The boy did not reply, perhaps he didn’t hear her.

“You should eat a cookie. They’re warm”

She took no offense from his silence; her father too is not much of a talker so she is used to it.

When the door opened again, it was just her father that returned.

“Hinata” he called her. “Please show Sasuke to one of the empty rooms. He will be living here from now on”

A new person living with them? That was…unheard of. But her heart swelled at the thought of it. His name was Sasuke, a beautiful name she has not heard before.

“Of course, father!”

The boy followed her to the room. It was clean and the bed made, they always kept it tidy in case someone came to the church and if the weather would make it difficult to return. Nevertheless, it was colder than the other rooms.

“I will ask Neji to start a fire here as well, it will get better soon”

That night the boy did not talk to her, he did not join them for dinner. He hid away in his room. Perhaps he was tired from the long journey.

Hinata was in her own chamber, combing her hair before sleep when Neji knocked on her door, peeking inside. He rarely visited her room like that, so seeing him was a wonderful change. She was…quite lonely.

“Would you mind if I slept here tonight?”

His question took her by surprise, they used to sleep in the same bed as kids, but since turning 10 a few years ago Neji stopped.

“I would love it”

The two of them were under the sheets, Neji’s eyes closed, laying on his back. She was on her side, looking at him in the dark. He seemed…different tonight.

“The boy…Sasuke, he came here with his older brother”

It made sense. They looked very similar, but the young man was too young to have a child.

“His family…they…were chosen for the sacrifice”

Hinata’s heart stopped. It reminded her of their own family. She was too young to remember it, but she had heard stories. Once a blue moon a family’s downfall is written in the stars by the prophecy of flame. A custom so barbaric, yet so normalized and revered. The bystanders would congratulate the victims, saying they are the chosen ones. At least that’s what her father said. Whenever he spoke of the custom his voice was much harsher and his face crumbled in grief and disgust.

A thousand of years ago the learned one from their church received a prophecy in his dream, that once every 11 years a bloodline from the family needs to die to save the city. At the time war, famine and illness plagued the lands, as such a family was chosen to die.

Barely a year after the war ended, their village was spared the plague and they survived. That alone was proof enough for the village to continue the custom. As time passed, the village grew in size, families were no longer 4-5 members, there were entire bloodlines. It was a tragedy…The chosen victims would be locked in their own home and set ablaze.

“His brother wrote to us, and asked to protect and shelter his young brother”

Of course, her father agreed…he knew what they were going through.

“Why didn’t he stay also?” They could have kept both. It was apparent how sad the older brother was to die, and how devastated the boy was to be the sole survivor.

“The 5 Rulers know him by name, he is an important figure. They would notice his body was missing. The young boy was not yet introduced to the world”

Neji’s eyes opened and he turned to her, taking her into a hug. He had forgotten to be thankful for the family he has, despite what was taken from them. They were three, a family still. The boy...he was alone.

Memories of his father’s eyes sending him away with his uncle rushed though his mind upon seeing the two brothers’ goodbye. He understood the boy’s anger, he had it too. He blamed the world, he blamed his uncle for letting his own twin brother die in his place with the family.

Hinata could not stop thinking about the boy, alone in the room. She would speak to him tomorrow. She would stay with him, try to support him though unimaginable feelings of grief. Hopefully, in time he could see this building as his sanctuary.

He did not come for breakfast, nor lunch. Neji and her father said to give him time and space. But surely by now he was starving, the fire was dimming, and his heart was breaking. How could she stay idly by?

After a few internal fights, Hinata took a small tray with some vegetable soup, a bowl of rice, and a few thin slices of grilled meat and walked towards the boy’s room. After the first few knocks no reply came.

She stood by the door waiting for many minutes, so much so she was worried the soup was cold by now. Another set of knocks. Nothing.

If this was Neji she may have tried to open the door and peek inside, but Sasuke was hurting and they did not know one another. She could not force an interaction.

“Sasuke? I brought you some food. Please only open to take it, I will leave after”

With each second of silence her resolve was faltering, should she leave? With a small sigh Hinata took a small step back and wanted to turn away, but she heard movement in the room. Steps growing closer to the door. And it finally opened. Only a sliver.

The room was dark and she could tell the fire went out, the boy’s eyes were red, he had been crying.

Last night before falling asleep she had so many ideas what she could say, how to offer a bit of courage to him. But face-to-face with him no words seemed right. Sasuke opened the door a bit more and took the tray. A simple thank you followed.

“Wait”

Her hand shoot forward as he was trying to close the door, it hit her slightly but not enough to stop her.

“I’ll start the fire”

After a moment of hesitation Sasuke walked into the room, leaving the door open and giving her the silent permission to enter.

His room was quite cold, the fire must have died a while back. As Sasuke went to the small desk to eat, Hinata kneeled by the fire place. The bedrooms all had tools and wood for the fire to be maintained throughout the night. She knew how to feed it, but did not know how to start it.

Putting a couple pieces of wood on the ash, followed by a bit of hay she looked now at the rocks she saw Neji use each time. He would hit them together and flames would ignite without hesitation. The rocks felt rough in her hands and despite hitting them a few times nothing happened.

The fifth time she tried, her finger was placed wrong and it was caught between the rocks, the pain was unexpected and she let out a shrike, the rocks falling from her hands, one on her lap dirtying her dress, the other on the floor with a thud.

Her finger was hurting, red and bleeding, further messing her dress. With tears in her eyes she stood up, the rock from her lap falling on the ground.

In the madness she did not hear Sasuke coming closer so she was surprised to see him right besides her. Eyes on her finger and the stains on her dress.

“I will ask Neji…”

Embarrassed and in pain she fled.

Neji showed both her and Sasuke, separately, how to start the fire after the incident. Hinata continued to take his food to the room. Each time she wanted to talk with him and be of some sort of help. But once there she could not say anything so they would stay in silence until Sasuke finished to eat and she would then leave with the empty tray in hand.

10 days went by, and they slowly found their routine around the church. Sasuke was integrated in the chores little by little. Enough to give him some purpose, but not too much, allowing him time to adjust.

He was sure his father had banned magic for a reason, but he wasn't making the decisions right now. Sasuke didn't have a choice but to solve a magic problem with a magic solution. But was he ready for the consequences? Magic always had its price.

Full Story on AO3

🌸 SasuHina Month 2026 - Day 01 🌸