SasuHina: Beyond The Camera

Chapter 57

-Hinata's POV-

After a visit to the hospital to ensure Sakura arrived in one piece and an intense conversation about putting herself in dangerous situations alone, Sasuke and I went home first to clean up her room. What she just went through was traumatic, and the last thing she needs is to come home and see the mess of evidence of her attack.

While I gathered the shredded papers and photos, Sasuke silently scrubbed the carpet where Gaara had beaten Sasori bloody with some heavy-duty cleaner to get the deep red stains out.

"I can't believe you punched him."

Usually, he'd probably be amused or even astounded by something like that, but any positive emotions there might've been were dulled down in his monotone voice. I didn't say anything back because there was nothing to say. If he hadn't stopped me, I would've hit him again, maybe a third time just for good measure.

Sakura...was so scared that her entire body was shaking. There were bruises in the process of showing up around her neck and wrists by the time we left the hospital, too, not to mention he bit her, busted her lip, and tried to bash her head in. How anyone in the world could do such a thing to someone unprovoked; that's something I'll never be able to comprehend.

It doesn't matter if, in some alternate universe, Sakura started the fight. Sasori's so much bigger and stronger than her that there are a million ways other than violently beating her up to immobilize her. Never in my life have I wanted to commit murder before and never did I think I ever would, but life is full of bitter surprises.

My vision came into focus when I recognized Sakura's hair color on one of the pieces of shredded photos, and my blood ran cold. These aren't... Frantically, I flipped many of them over and tried to put them together like a puzzle. After a couple minutes, a strangled sob left my lips, and I covered my mouth as I stared down at the bruises and cuts Sakura must've been hiding from Ino and me that day we took her to the hospital.

Sasuke leaned over so he could look at me from around the corner of the bed, and I quickly moved the photo pieces around so he wouldn't see and shook my head, taking a calming breath and wiping at my tears. Sakura wouldn't want this type of thing to be seen by him. I might not tell her I saw it because it might freak her out.

"What is it?"

I glanced at him before shaking my head again, "N-Nothing, it's okay. Sorry." I'm so angry. I'm so pissed that I'm unsure what to do about it because I've never been brought to this level of ire.

The Uchiha man wordlessly returned to his job, and I shakily ran a hand through my hair, pushing it out of my face as I tried to lower my blood pressure. I can't let myself get worked up because Sakura needs us to act normal. Not sure if she needs these photos, I put all the shreds in a big sandwich bag and put it in her underwear drawer before joining Sasuke in scrubbing blood out of the carpet.

We finished where Sasori was and moved to where Sakura had been, her shoulder having bled. He began working immediately, but I just stared at the small red dots with wide eyes, wild heat rising in my chest, and making my teeth grit.

"Breathe, or you'll pass out." Sasuke's deep voice shook me from my angry stupor, and I looked over to see he wasn't even glancing my way as he continued to work with his jaw set in a firm line.

Sighing, I joined him, "How do you do it?"

He understood what I meant without elaborating, "I've had a lot of practice. You'll figure it out eventually."

Hot tears ran down my nose to drip onto the floor, and my voice wavered, "I-I don't want to get used to it."

He looked up, and this time I didn't meet his eye. I sensed him move to try and comfort me, "Don't. Sakura's what matters right now. Come on, let's finish up before they get back." After pausing momentarily, he listened to what I said and returned to work.