Disclaimer: I wish I did, but I don't. All of it is Kishimoto's.
Eye for an Eye
"Why are you pretending to sleep? They don't care about us, you know." The voice, low and dangerous, spoke into her ear. Frightened, Hinata turns away, curling her small body into an even tighter ball.
"Are you scared of me, Hyuuga?" The voice was even closer now, leaning over her and Hinata buried her head in her stomach. From within, a small voice replied, "Leave me alone, Uchiha, I want to sleep."
"Hmf. No one wants to sleep at four in the afternoon. I'm going to train. You coming?" The Uchiha stood up; there was the shuffle and Hinata felt a sharp toe pressing against her side. She realised it was not a question and sat up. Why, she thought miserably, of everyone in class, must he always pick on her.
She followed him silently out of the hall. There were no Chunnin teachers around, not even in the corridors; she stole a glance at the Uchiha and saw a wide smirk across his face. How did he know these things; that no one was around; that no one cared. She hurried after him, though careful to keep a step behind.
"We'll train here," he said, picking the largest court and taking his place near a stone statue of a Hokage and gesturing that she should stand opposite. Timidly, she took her place but, before she could even assume the appropriate stance, he activated his Sheringan.
"Jyuken!" He cried, lunging at her with a blow she just managed to parry.
"Jyuken!" she cried in response, using her fists to block his rapid, precise, attacks. Hinata knew - because this always happened - that she would lose.
Within two seconds, her wrists lay limp in one of his hands while his other caressed the nape of her neck. Frightened, she whimpered and fixed him with wet, pleading eyes, "Don't...kill me, Sasuke-kun."
Sasuke merely smirked, though his eyes, clear now, were kinder.
"Why would I want to kill you, Hinata-chan?" With that he released her. A sharp pain coursed through her arm and she knew she wouldn't be able to stand for awhile. It meant she'd have to sit there, beneath Sasuke's inexplicable gaze, asking the same question she always asked: "Why do you want to train with me, Sasuke-kun? I'm weaker than so many of the others..."
And he would say, with that small smile, "I don't think you're weak, Hinata-chan. But only I can make you strong."
It was only years later that she realised he'd been trying to activate her Byakugan all along.
---
The night Itachi massacred the Uchihas, Sasuke came looking for her. She had a light on in her bedroom, which he snuffed out with a jutsu from the street below. In the complete darkness of the house, she heard the soft pitter-patter of feet climbing up the steps and, eventually, two soft knocks on her door.
"Hinata-chan, its me."
Hinata blinked twice in the darkness. It was useless to pretend. He knew she was inside.
"You may come in...Sasuke-kun."
The boy stepped into her room, quietly surveying it before fixing a pair of haunted eyes on her. He sat at the edge of her futon, and asked, with a voice completely devoid of emotion, "What would you do, Hinata-chan, if everything you knew, everything you love, was taken away from you?" And then, softly, "Sheringan!"
Sasuke drew Hinata into himself, showed her, through the veins of chakra that united his eyes with hers, the scenes he had just fled from:
His parents lying dead over each other, still as two fish. The torn tapestries and blood-stained wooden floors. Sharp splinters of metal lodged in hands, breasts, books, mouths. And, at the very end of the terrifying menagerie, the image of his brother, standing triumphant, above the fruits of his labour.
Hinata parted her lips in a scream but Sasuke placed a hand over her mouth. Without thinking twice, she leant forward and held him in a tight, desperate embrace, her tears creating a damp spot on front of his robes. He did not return the embrace but simply sat there, hypnotized by the intensity of her pity, far too sad to cry.
---
"Hinata, Uchiha Fugaku tells me you regularly train with his son." It did not sound like a reproach nor a praise so Hinata said nothing. She continued wrapping bandages around her hands; today was close-combat practice.
Hiashi continued, "I think it is a good idea. The Uchiha boy's skills are superior to yours and pitting your Byakugan against his Sheringan will be good training."
Hinata kept quiet. She looked at her toes.
"Fugaku says his son would like to train with you every Friday after school...and I have given my consent." Hiashi gave his daughter a grave look, "You will train with him, won't you?" It was an order not a question.
"Yes, father."
"Though why he wants to train with you... of all shinobi, completely escapes me." Hiashi stood up and activated his Byakugan.
"Maybe...maybe he thinks I'm a worthy opponent," Hinata ventured, getting to her feet.
There was no reply.
---
The first time he kissed her, it was in broad daylight and they were in a forest clearing, surrounded by the secrets of trees and the hushed chirps of birds. Hinata was twelve then. It was a Friday.
"Hinata, you're late." Sasuke stood, with his arms folded, giving her an uncompromising stare, "Explain."
"Apologies, Sasuke-kun. I...I...was with my classmates," she said, thinking quickly and keeping her eyes away from the penetrating Sheringan. "We were...discussing jutsus."
"Don't lie to me Hinata, you were with Kiba. Alone." He deactivated his Sheringan and leant against a nearby tree. "I hate that boy," he said, emphatically.
Hinata gulped and felt a knot tighten in her throat, "Kiba-kun is...nice to me. He... wanted to walk me to the forest."
"I hope you said no."
"Of course!" Hinata's upper lip trembled and she found herself still unable to lift her head, "Sasuke-kun, please...don't be angry."
Sasuke waved a hand dismissively and a small, dangerous smile stretched over his face. "Take off your clothes," he said softly, "I won't do anything...yet. Just take off your clothes.
"Wha...what?"
"You heard me."
There was a rustle of leaves to the left, followed by a muffled bark. Within seconds, a tall boy leapt out from the bushes, two red, painted triangles framing a pair of wild, angry eyes, a small dog at his heels.
"Son of a bitch!"
"I think," Sasuke raised in a brow in scorn, "That would be you."
"You pervert! I won't let you..."
" Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" Sasuke cried, emitting a large ball of fire from his mouth. He released two kunai within the flames, pinning both Kiba and Akamaru onto a nearby tree. Hinata screamed but did not dare move to help them.
"Sasuke, stop, stop!"
"They won't feel a thing... they're already unconscious." He stepped out of the thick smoke and stood above Hinata, "People are so easy to read." He gave her a meaningful look, "Now, take off your clothes. Do it and I'll let you take those two baka down."
"No!"
"Alright then, I'll kill them. After all, it was you who lied to me." He turned to leave, but felt a hand tugging on the cuff of his pants. Smirking, he looked down at the tearing girl. "I didn't lie, Sasuke-kun." Hinata pleaded, "They followed me... I didn't ask them to...please release them."
He sat down beside her and smeared her tears across a cheek in a thick, wet line. "Don't cry, Hinata." Then, in a lower voice, "Take off your clothes for me, here, and I'll let both of them go."
She swallowed hard and nodded. Picking herself up, she quickly unzipped her jacket. She tossed it to a side and lifted her thin blue-cotton shirt over her head. She was too young to have breasts so there were no undergarments. She turned to Sasuke, who hadn't taken his eyes off her for a moment.
"Go on."
There was a painful groan from the trees and a soft, "You piece of Uchiha shit."
Hinata timidly rolled the edges of her trousers down and slipped her panties off. They were polka dotted, with the dots shaped like small strawberries. She sat there, stark naked, a crimson storm raging across her wet, hot cheeks.
"You're beautiful."
Sasuke didn't wait. In the space of three seconds, he grabbed Hinata's chin with a thumb and forefinger and tilted it slightly. "Get up," he ordered, pulling the girl to her feet.
Without waiting for a reply, he pressed his lips against hers and slid a leg between her bare thighs. He wrapped a free hand around her waist and pulled her closer. It didn't last long; he released her a moment later, letting her limp, shocked form collapse gently onto the ground.
Bending over, he retrieved her clothes and pressed them into her hands. "Change, and you can release those idiots. We're done training...for today." With that, he turned and vanished into the woods.
---
"Hinata-chan?" Hinata stopped and turned slightly. The voice was feminine, almost as timid as hers.
"Yes, Sakura-chan?"
"Can...can I ask you something?" It was late in the evening and the sky was a purplish bruise, aching with water.
"Sure."
"How...howdoyougetSasuketonoticeyou?" The question came out in an incoherent string, but Hinata heard, clearly, the word 'Sasuke'. She turned away and resumed her stride out of the classroom, at a somewhat brisker pace. A few seconds later, she felt a hand grab her wrist and the same, pleading voice, "Please, please tell me your secret."
It was a Friday. She didn't want to be late again.
"I'm...not the best person to ask," she said, vaguely.
"Of course you are! You train with him personally don't you. That means... he must like your company." Sakura's whine had an unmistakable envious tinge.
"It's...an arrangement between our fathers. That's it," she replied. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, but I really have to go now..."
"Hinata-chan. Can't you... won't you... let me switch places with you for the training session? Just once... I've learnt the replacement jutsu..."
Hinata let her eyes fall to the floor. "He'll know," she said softly, and quickly walked away. Also, I don't think you'd really want to train with him. It was getting cold; she hoped the session would be short.
---
Hinata faithfully trained with Sasuke right up to the week he defected. They were put in different Genin teams but the boy continued to insist he wished to train with her - even after Kiba's vocal protests ('She's in my team, now, you bastard, she'll train with me - OUCH!') and her father's growing reluctance ('I don't like that family,' he said, one afternoon, 'The boy could end up like his brother.') Sometimes, she would catch herself thinking strange things: he isn't half-bad; he never hurts me; he always says that I'm improving, that I can be stronger.
Then she would think of that day in the forest and hate him with renewed strength. How dared he do that to Kiba! Strange, though, she thought, that I'm actually not that disturbed by the kiss itself.
She had winced when he had got hurt, at various times, throughout the Chunnin exam; had rooted for him against Gaara (although, of course, she was unconscious at the time) and had even begun to think of him as something of a brother. An anti-Neji. Stunned, she realised that she trusted him - he wasn't kind, but he was always honest.
Which was why she believed him when he said, during their last training session, "I'm leaving Konoha for good."
They were in a stone courtyard, along the stretch of road midway between the Uchiha and Hyuuga mansions. Sasuke was dressed a black, open-collar shirt and khaki trousers. He had a backpack. It was a Friday.
"Why...Sasuke-kun?"
"Can you keep a secret?"
Hinata nodded, "Of course...Sasuke-kun."
"I hate you." He said.
Hinata was stunned. Her bottom lip trembled and she felt she might cry, "But...but..."
Sasuke waved his hand, "Not you, Hinata but what you have become - a shinobi of this damned village."
"That's... not true..."
"What that you're a Konoha shinobi?" he asked, sarcastically.
"No...no, Konoha... is not a terrible village..."
Sasuke sniffed and turned away, "I knew you would say that. It doesn't matter. I'm leaving."
"Wait, Sasuke-kun." Without thinking - or fully understanding what she was doing - Hinata quickly untied the Konoha headband around her neck and dropped it onto the floor. He looked from the discarded headband to her bare neck.
There was a long silence. "I kissed you once," he said, carefully. "I suppose you think it was because I liked you." He gave her an inexplicable stare. Hinata's eyes widened and she could feel her cheeks turning a deep red.
"Didn't...didn't you?"
"No, Hinata." Sasuke said, taking a step towards her. He lifted his thumb and forefinger to cradle her chin. A passing breeze caught the Konoha headband and carried it onto the road, "Someone like me... is not capable of liking, or loving anyone."
"Then...why..."
"I kissed you... because I thought you were just like me." He snatched a sidelong glance at the headband, "But you aren't. You're different. You're not...hungry." He released her chin and picked up his backpack with a sigh. "Go pick up your headband. You'll need it."
He slipped the bag pack onto his shoulders and walked away from Hinata, raising a left hand.
Goodbye, he mouthed, to the wind.
---
The knock came sharp and in two-parts. Hinata wondered who could possibly have come to see her so early in the morning. Stifling a yawn, she slipped on a jacket and smoothed her hair, hoping she looked presentable enough - just in case it was some jounin or...Naruto.
She peered down from her open window and saw a short, vested boy with a bushy ponytail tapping a foot impatiently at the door. Shikamaru? He dashed quickly to the door.
"Shikamaru-kun?"
"Hai, Hinata-chan, I hope I haven't disturbed you."
"No...is there a problem?"
Shikamaru sighed. He rolled his eyes wearily, "Yes, unfortunately. Such a bother." He explained the nature of his mission with as few words as possible.
"I don't see... how I can be of use to you," she replied, not meeting his eyes.
"I'll be direct." Shikamaru replied, "You train with him. You probably know his favourite attacks, the tricks he uses, things like that. You know him. I don't think anyone else in this village can say that."
Hinata shook her head. "I'm sorry, Shikamaru-kun. It's...not that simple." She looked up, eyes flashing. "I don't wish to come with you," she said, with a brusqueness that surprised the both of them.
Shikamaru shrugged, "Of course... it's your decision. I'm not about to force you to do anything you don't want to." A frown wrinkled his forehead, stretching from temple to temple, "Is Neji in, then?"
"No," Hinata replied. "He's training...somewhere."
"I see. Well, thank you, anyway." Shikamaru stepped away. As much as he wanted to enquire further, he had the uncomfortable feeling it would be extremely complicated. Troublesome.
"Shikamaru..." Hinata called out, tentatively, "Don't go. There's nothing any of you can do to bring him back."
The boy didn't turn around, "I know. But a mission's a mission."
"I'm the only one who can." Hinata said, suddenly. Shikamaru turned around and fixed her with an uncharacteristically intense stare, "I had such a notion myself, actually. Which was why I came to see you first, before anyone else. Would you care to tell me then, why you wont come?"
Hinata suddenly felt scared, like she was about to betray a very secret part of herself.
"I don't want Sasuke to come back." It was the truth and the moment she said it, she felt a large weight lift off her chest. Shikamaru blinked twice and nodded, "I think I understand."
She watched him leave with no regret, a small, bitter smile on her lips.
End