Title: Cherish
Author: Gaahina
Rating: PG (K+)
Challenge: Blushing Bride
Pairing: ItaHina

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The sky was crying.

Hinata stared at the sky. The water dripping and sliding down her cheeks. Hinata smiled as she spread out her arms. The embrace she wished of real arms, the embrace of his arms, never came.

It was the day the whole Uchiha clan was massacred, by the evil man named Itachi Uchiha.

He was never evil to her though.

He was actually very nice to her back then... So she never blamed him. She loved him.

Her smile lessened with each second as she stared at the wall that divided Konoha and the country. The wall that seperated both her and Itachi.

Her eyes lowered to the ground, as did her arms.

Why wouldn't Konoha give him another chance...?

Why can't he ever come back....For her...?

She tilted her head to the right. Her eyes traced up a trunk of a tree.

"Does he still remember me...?"

Lavender orbs noticed the swing tied from one of the branches of the Sakura tree. She smiled as she walked towards it and sat. It was wet, then again, it was raining.

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"Itachi?", Hinata looked at the older male as he swung himself slowly on the swing. The youngest ANBU smiled at the girl and got up. The petals of the Sakura tree making such a dramatic affect and his hair flowed along with it.

The 7-year-old had the urge to giggle.

"Hey Hinata..."

The dark-haired boy patted the seat. "Here... Wanna swing abit? We can pass the time.."

'Boy, Itachi seems more social today.'

"O-Ok...!", Hinata grinned and sat on the seat. Her bobcut swished as she was pushed on the swing. Itachi smiled slightly as he kept pushing.

"Wanna go higher...?"

"Y-Yes please!"

The girl giggled as he kept pushing her higher and higher.

Finally, as minutes passed by, Itachi just sat next to the swinging girl as she swung herself slowly.

"Itachi...?"

"Hn..?"

"When you grow older... What kind of girl.. D-Do you.. You know.. Want to marry...?"

Itachi smiled as he looked at her. He took some of her locks of hair that framed her face, and let it slide away from his cold fingers.

"A girl who's beautiful and kind most likely.. One who can defend herself and is strong willed.. They can be amazing at heart and at strength.."

Hinata smiled. "Then..if I become what you want in a girl... Can I... Ano... Marry..You?"

Dumbfounded, Itachi stared at the girl. Hinata looked away blushing and poking her fingers together.

"I-I mean.. It's just that.. Um...I-I..."

"Of course I will marry you..."

"W-What...?"

"I'm going to marry you...If you prove yourself to me in the future that you are the one I want to be with.."

Hinata blinked before smiling softly at him. Her lavender eyes staring deep into his deep dark coal-black ones. Both of them getting lost in eachother's eyes.

"I will..."

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"But how can I when your not here!?", the young girl screamed with all her might. Hinata's voice rang into the sky's clouds. Her eyes started to water as the rain lessened and her own eyes started to blur.

The girl started to cry. "I just..I just..I don't care if I can't show you I'm strong... I'm weak like Father says.. But.. I just..I just want to be with you.. Why can't you just..."

Hinata choked back a sob as she put her feet up on the swing as well. She wrapped her arms around the chains that held the swing and held them against her knees. She locked her hands together and buried her face into her legs.

"Why can't you just be here with me...?"

"You promised we'd be married.. You promised me we'd be together..."

"But our love would be forbidden..", a deep voice rang into her ears. Hinata lifted her head.

Then, she felt the swing slowly moving. She squeaked out of pure shock before getting out of her fetile position and holding the chains that held the swing. A chuckle rang out. It was his voice. His chuckle. Was this real...?

Hands started to push her back. "Ita..."

"...Don't speak... If you say my name.. The ANBU might arrive.."

"...You came...?"

"...", silence followed. She was still being pushed slowly.

"Why...?"

He didn't answer. Only kept pushing. Suddenly, she felt arms wrap around her body. The swing stopped.

"We can't marry eachother Hyuuga... But I have to tell you something important.."

"L-Like what...?", Hinata's eyes downcasted on her feet. She felt a really deep blush coming.

"I love you..."

The girl couldn't take it as she squirmed to turn around. She hugged the man back taking a good look at his face.

"You haven't changed..", she muttered.

"Actually I have.. I've changed into a S-class criminal..."

"....Why can't you stay with me..?"

"Because it's forbidden.. You might get killed if anyone knows about us.."

Just because they hugged, Hinata felt so cold. So cold...

"I want to be with you..."

"You are with me.. We just can't be together.."

"That's not fair..."

Itachi took the kunoichi's chin and made her look deep into his red eyes. Hinata felt scared and at the same time enchanted. His eyes changed though. Instead of that soft look he usually had, it was so mean and emotionless looking.

"I got to go...", Hinata's eyes widened at that statement. She got up, but his hand till cupped her chin.

"No..."

"Goodbye.."

Hinata felt the lips of the criminal touch her own. Her tears came once again as he dissapeared and she hugged nothing but the bare air.

"No...! NO NO NO NO!"

-----

"Promise we'll get married one day?"

"I promise..."

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"Ita... I-Ita... ITACHIII!!!!!"

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"I want to cherish this moment right now Hinata.."

"Why? I-It's not like it'll be the last time we'd see eachother."

"You never know..."

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"I don't understand.. Why.. W-Why can't you just stay with me...!?"

Everything was silent and the only thing that answered was the thunder as it clapped and roared.

"Until nexttime...Hinata...", the ghostly voice of Itachi was carried out by the rain but never delivered to the right person.