What if it was not the selfless saint, but the fiery warrior who was tasked with protecting Konoha?
Age range: Sasuke: 12, Hinata: 12, Itachi: 7, Hanabi: 7
"Oniisan," a small voice piped up, small fingers curling around his sleeve and giving it a tug. Sasuke smiled softly, an expression saved only for his little brother Itachi. The boy was a gentle soul, quick to learn but slow to take action. He didn't like violence, he liked to observe and analyse. He was insightful, for a three year old.
"Itachi," Sasuke stated and placed a hand atop his brother's small head, Itachi pouted and Sasuke smirked at him. "I can't play ninja today; I have to go to the academy."
"I want to go with Oniisan," Itachi said softly, smiling up at his beloved big brother. Sasuke chuckled and shook his head, amused by his gentle brother's disappointment.
"Maybe next year, when your legs aren't so small."
Itachi nodded and his eyes gleamed with determination. He would study hard and read all of his big brother's books, so next year he could go with him to the Academy. Next year, they could go back to being together all the time.
-x-
"Wow, Oniisan," Itachi clapped as Sasuke demonstrated his shuriken training. Sasuke grinned with pride at his little brother's praise, glad that he had performed flawlessly.
"You try Itachi, come on!" Sasuke encouraged and the small boy stood and took the shuriken from him. Itachi methodologically worked everything out in his head and once he thought he had figured it out, he nodded to himself and performed what Sasuke had done moments before flawlessly. Sasuke gasped at his brother's success, feeling a small twinge of jealousy at how successful his technique was the first time he tried.
"Did I do it right?" Itachi asked sheepishly and Sasuke smiled, noting Itachi was still the same quiet boy seeking his big brother's affection and approval.
"You did great," Sasuke promised and Itachi blushed and smiled with pride.
-x-
Mikoto clucked her tongue as she read through the scroll, her frown deepening with each line she read. Fugaku had read it first, of course and had immediately accepted before consulting her. Itachi was seven years old! Sure, it had been cute to send him to the Academy two years early so he could be closer to Sasuke. There was no denying her youngest was a genius prodigy, the boy having been more dedicated to Sasuke's books than he was himself. But to ask him to graduate after a year?!
"Hiashi's youngest is considered skilled and she is the same age but our Itachi is far stronger than her already," Fugaku had said simply, as though that finalised the matter. She didn't care what the Hyuuga were up to, Itachi was her little boy!
"I want to, Okaasan," Itachi stated. "I want to be like Sasuke."
Sasuke had been bitter when he heard about Itachi graduating alongside him. He hadn't known it was possible to skip years and now felt stupid in comparison to his baby brother. The boy sighed and crossed his arms, ignoring the jealousy that burned in his chest. Itachi had worked a lot harder so he could be like his big brother and Sasuke had neglected his studies to spend time with him. He shouldn't be angry at Itachi.
-X-
Having his baby brother in his class was strange. People sniggered at him, at the little boy so much younger than them in their midst. The girls cooed at him and pinched his cheeks and Itachi hated it. However, with his patience and composure he was unfailingly polite in telling them to leave him alone.
Iruka had wisely decided not to baby the younger Uchiha, having taught him in his beginners' class a few weeks ago. Itachi had climbed a class every couple of weeks, performing a substitution jutsu where his peers were still figuring out how to correctly hold a kunai.
Itachi politely greeted Hinata as he sat next to her at the back where he drew the least attention. She was shy and quiet and he sometimes saw her at clan gatherings. Sasuke was a bit mean to her, but Itachi appreciated her tranquillity. She never looked down on him because of his age and was always kind and courteous. She also had a younger sister, Hanabi he believed, and similar to in the Uchiha, the younger children were surpassing the elder children. Itachi didn't fully understand why this upset Sasuke, he simply wanted to be close to his Oniisan. Sasuke became irritable when Itachi was praised endlessly, whereas Hinata seemed to wilt as though her self-worth were being crushed.
Itachi secretly hoped that they could be friends and help each other through things. He didn't like Hanabi though as she was arrogant and bratty.
-X-
"Does it ever annoy you?" Sasuke began, taking a seat on the bench beside her and snatching a tomato out of her bento.
"H-hey! Does what annoy me?" Hinata gasped at the thievery. Sasuke didn't tend to seek her out for conversation although had started taking an interest in her when Itachi claimed that she was nice and took to sitting with her.
"You know, our younger siblings skipping grades when we didn't get to," Sasuke elaborated, eyeing another tomato hidden away. With a sigh she relented her lunch and read underneath what he was trying to say.
"Hanabi-chan and Itachi-kun are very skilled for their age," she began, Sasuke interrupting with a scoff. "But without us taking the lead, would they be able to follow so quickly?"
Sasuke paused, giving it a thought. The books lying around for Itachi to read were his, Itachi learned weaponry and shuriken by watching and training with him. He had assisted Itachi as a teacher, mentor, a good older brother.
Hinata blushed a little, knowing Hanabi already exceeded her skills with no help from her. It just seemed in Sasuke's situation, to be the relevant thing to say.
"Huh," Sasuke sighed, handing her back the bento. "You know I think I see what Otouto means about you."
"Ehh?!" Hinata squeaked, flushing red.
The girl had a good head on her shoulders to see what people missed. If only she wasn't so flustered her intelligence would be far more obvious. Feeling lighter and that his vision had been cleared, Sasuke stood and headed off without a word, gifting her with only a careless wave of his hand. Perhaps he would continue these odd chats in the moments he needed some clarity.
-X-
(Three years later: Sasuke & Hinata aged 15, Itachi aged 10)
"You what?" Sasuke hissed under his breath, meeting his father's stern glare with a heated one of his own.
"Perhaps we should have spoken to Itachi about this instead. You are the heir Sasuke so were gifted this knowledge. We will take back our territory and status by whatever means necessary."
"But a Coup?! Itachi loves this village, it would kill him to betray it!" Sasuke argued.
"Silence!" Fugaku insisted, sharingan flashing. Sasuke's flared in response, but the boy bit his tongue. "Decide where your loyalties lie Sasuke."
-X-
"Say Hinata, what would you do if you had to choose between your clan and the village?" Sasuke asked quietly. He hadn't sought out his loud-mouth team mates or sensei but the mousy underachiever. Over the years she'd progressed well but struggled to leave the blanket of protection her team-mates turned bodyguards coddled her with and don't even get Sasuke started on her stupid ANBU cousin. Despite this, her mind was always compassionate and wise so long as he didn't embarrass her.
The Hyuuga paused, weighing his words carefully. Sasuke sometimes said things offhandedly or hypothetically but this felt like it had some weight to it.
"Is my clan not a part of my village?" she asked.
"As separate entities, you can only choose one. If your clan wanted to take over Konoha or something."
"Well, the selfish part of me would want to protect my own," she began and Sasuke nodded in agreement. "They are of my blood, they share my eyes, despite our differences they are precious to me."
"Yeah," Sasuke agreed softly, still feeling torn.
"But," she continued. "If the Hyuuga were to turn against Konoha, I would not support them. Just because I love them, does not mean that their lives are worth more than anyone elses. Everyone in Konoha has a life, a family, dreams. They may not be tied to me by blood but they live and breathe in the place I call home. Assuming they were innocent, how could I sacrifice them?"
Sasuke simply took the moment to stare at her, reflecting that she really was not given enough credit considering how deeply she thought.
"Spare the greatest number of innocent, kill the cruel, strive for peace," Hinata concluded her reflections. She glanced at him and blushed, noting his stare. "O-oh, sorry! I was going off a bit there wasn't I hahaha… W-wha- Sasuke?!"
He suddenly lunged for her pulling her into a tight embrace.
How could he kill her? Kill Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei?
But in the same breath, how could he raise his sword to Itachi?
No, because Itachi was innocent. Spare those against the Coup. Do not taint a clan on the decisions of few.
"Hinata, thank you," Sasuke breathed, his exhale shaky. Her answer has been logical, honest but wise. Could he be so selfless? He knew Itachi could, no that Itachi would. If he said the word, he had allies. He just had to get to Itachi before his clan elders brainwashed him.
Sensing his distress, she pressed her hands into his back, flushing brightly. The Hyuuga weren't ones for hugging so this really was quite embarrassing.
"I don't understand Sasuke-san but I'm here if you need me?"
-X-
"Sasuke spoke to you about it?" Itachi asked carefully, looking at Hinata from the corner of his eye. His brother was self-centred and arrogant; to think he was reaching out was shocking.
"Well, a bit," Hinata admitted. Itachi had been like a little brother to her for years and she deeply cared about him. To think of him in such a situation really tore at her. "I'm here for you too if you ever want me to be, Itachi-san."
"-san?" he queried, as he did every time she called him so. "Hinata-chan, you are older than I."
"Yes but you are my superior in rank," Hinata reminded gently. "To call you senpai is strange too, hm?"
Itachi blushed lightly, averting his eyes.
"I don't consider you my inferior at all, Hinata-chan. I never have."
She smiled warmly and placed a hand on his to express the depth of her gratitude.
"Thank you, Itachi-kun."
-X-
"We have to attack, tonight," Sasuke explained and Hinata paled. He had all but dragged her kicking and screaming up to Jounin (she adamantly refused ANBU) as fast as possible and trusted her with this sensitive area more than others. Itachi stood beside her, almost at her height, but looked pale and small in his ANBU gear.
Both refused the input of their teams but Kakashi-sensei was on standby, ready for a signal jutsu.
In a small moment of weakness, Itachi reached for Hinata's hand behind her back, where Sasuke couldn't see. As the head of the clan, Sasuke and Itachi's parents also had to be killed along with the elders. They had been gathering intel on who did and did not support the coup and only a handful of Uchiha could be spared.
Hinata took her hands and placed them gently either side of Itachi's face, cupping the baby fat that he was still losing.
"Itachi," she whispered, for the first time without a honorific. "This is devastating for you both, if I could take these feelings away I would." His eyes were getting glassy. "I know you feel bound by honour but if you don't want to, neither of us will blame you."
"I have to!" he gasped and her heart broke. "Sasuke-niisan is being brave, I can too."
She kissed his forehead and a tear escaped.
"Sasuke hurts just as much but is worried for you too. If at any point you have to leave, we understand. I'm right beside you."
And in that moment, Itachi understood why, instead of the louder, stronger team-mates, he had chosen their soft-hearted friend who would mourn every single death as if it were her own family members. Hinata's eyes were already shining as she put on the borrowed mask and locked her heart away. She took a hand of each brother and squeezed gently, Sasuke immediately crushing her fingers in a trembling fist and Itachi squeezing as though afraid to let go.
-X-
"We have to hit Root soon," Sasuke said as he drank tea in his Aunt's kitchen. Black rings lined his and Itachi's eyes and their faces were drawn and stressed. The kindly Aunt patted his shoulder as she passed and he sighed. Itachi leaned against Hinata's shoulder, suddenly becoming clingier after the homicide mission. Hinata had the painful feeling she was a substitute for his recently deceased mother and allowed him any small comfort he sought.
She was very emotionally pained, nightmares plagued her and guilt ate her constantly. Whatever these Uchiha boys wanted of her that she could give, she would. They were as dear as her own teammates.
"Don't coddle him," Sasuke grumbled as she played with Itachi's hair languidly.
"I have another shoulder if you need it," she said tiredly and he huffed. "But I agree about Root, the Hyuuga could incredibly easily fall to the same fate. If two main families go down there will be civil war between all the clans and Konoha will break down. Should we consult Shikamaru-san?"
"Maybe," Sasuke sighed. "He's the best brains. We could include all of our year's teams in theory but the bigger the numbers the more chance of a plan falling through."
"The more support though as well," Hinata compromised. "You boys are strong but you aren't invincible. Danzou will be expecting you to seek revenge."
"Hn," Sasuke scoffed with a shrug. "Serves him right."
"Not at the cost of one of you grievously injured," she reasoned. "He doesn't know about me, I could go. He might want to manipulate me to get to my father."
"They'd never fall for that," Sasuke scoffed with a roll of his eyes and she looked depressed. "Your ANBU mask would be a rabbit or a mouse because you're timid and look weak, he'd never accept you. Send Neji."
"No," she stated firmly and Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Niisan has suffered enough for my sake."
"Hinata, you didn't put that seal on him," Sasuke stated, not for the first time. "If he wants to protect you, let him."
Itachi cringed when Sasuke brought out the 'p' word. Hinata would get offended, defensive and upset.
"If you had the option to protect Itachi-kun, you would! Neji-niisan and Hanabi-chan are not part of this."
"Technically neither are you!" Sasuke snapped and as soon as he said the words he wished he could swallow them back. Hinata had gone ashen, the white of her eyes bloodshot from withholding tears.
"Hinata," Itachi tried gently but she stood quickly and walked robotically out of the house, shutting the door quietly behind her. Itachi looked at Sasuke reproachfully. "Niisan, Hinata has done more for us than anyone."
"I know," Sasuke spat, irritated. None of them were sleeping, they'd had severe trauma, they had a horrific enemy to face. He lashed out at her more than a few times because he knew she would take it, tomorrow she would come again and support them like always. It made him sick that he vented at her.
"She cried the whole time, she still cries at night," Itachi murmured, haunted. "Niisan, why are you pushing away Hinata when she destroyed a part of herself for us?"
Sasuke folded his arms atop the table and rested his head on them wearily. Itachi watched his brother sadly, wishing that his heart had enough room to allow him to lean on his shoulder like Hinata did.
-X-
Oniisan/Niisan - Brother
Seal - the Hyuuga seal their branch family (those who are not the first-born of the main branch) with a mark that allows them to inflict pain at will.
A/N: This was only planned as a short little two-shot of an idea but I am opened to exploring it in more depth if you are interested. I'd love to know your thoughts so please review or PM me as you see fit.