I Am Who I Am

by Darkflameangel

She is contradiction. She is what you see and what you don’t. She is a tool, but she is her own. She weakness, she is strength. She is soft, but she is strong. She is only what she is.

Title: I am who I am.

Fandom: Naruto

Rating: PG

Word Count: 673

Pairing: none.

Disclaimer: I claim no rights to the characters of Naruto, nor am I writing this for profit.

Summary: She is contradiction. She is what you see and what you don't. She is a tool, but she is her own. She weakness, she is strength. She is soft, but she is strong. She is only what she is.

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I am soft.

But I am not weak.

You look at me and see helplessness. You are wrong. I have labored, and I have toiled to get to where I am.

You see pale skin and eyes, a trembling demeanor. You hear a wavering voice and presume a lack of confidence. It is true, in the past that I was feeble in my confidence and my skills. That I was lacking.

Watch me. See Me.

From a prestigious family. A bloodline to be feared. But, you fools don't look at me. You look at him, and see what I lack. You look at her, and see where I fail.

You never look where I succeed, where I have triumphed. And this is why you are fools. I'll never say this to your face of course, but I will make you see me, see what and who I really am.

I am hard work.

I am not strong physically like Sakura is, but I will be.

Nor am I beautiful like Ino, but I will feel that I am.

I do not have the conviction of my own prowess that Temari does, but conviction and skill will come.

I do not have a skill that is wholly unique to me such as Tenten, but I will work to make my place.

But no longer. Once I doubted that, once I lay broken on the ground; completely willing to accept my failure and punishment.

I will stand up for myself.

I will be heard.

I will be seen.

I will be proud.

I was born to be the heir of the clan. It is not necessarily the mantle I wish to assume, but it is there, and it is mine. I will work hard to be worthy of the position, and I will work to change what should never have occurred with in these lofty walls.

I am strong.

Under this face, this skin, is me, not this shell that the world has seen. The outside is soft, the flesh easily torn.

But my blood is as red as yours. My heart beats just as yours does. My muscles bunch to block the downward blow of a kunai just as yours do. My hands move in offensive seals just as yours do.

We are not all that different. But we are still not the same are we?

You look at me as a weakness.

I am no weakness.

I am no liability.

I will hold my own.

I will make my mark.

I will serve my village.

This is what it comes down to, isn't it? We are made to be killers.

A killer behind a pretty face. Seduction with a smile.

You know that isn't what I want to be, don't you? You are right. I don't want to have to hold this kunai to your throat.

But I will.

I will severe the blood vessels that give you life.

I will have your blood on my hands, your death on my conscience.

You didn't expect it did you, this darkness flickering into your vision, this blood soaking your shirt.

You should have though.

You saw me as soft, but my resolve is hard.

You saw me as weak, but I am strong.

You saw me as lacking, but I am skilled.

You saw me as humble, but I am proud.

You saw me as lazy, but I have worked hard.

You saw me as a failure, but I have succeeded.

You are gone now. The breath has left your body, and now you understand what I am.

I am a tool…

But I am my own.

I look soft…

But I am not weak.

I may stutter…

But I will not falter.

I look humble…

But I am proud.

I look like a failure…

But I am a success.

I look like a girl…

But I am a woman.

I look like just any other shinobi.

But I am Kunoichi.

I have the eyes of a Hyuuga.

But most importantly, I am me.

I am Hinata.