Not exactly sure which of the two paths I'm going to choose for this story. But I do know Hinata is definitely going to be much darker later on in this. And it's an AU. So...you've been warned I guess. ShikamaruxHinata and SasukexHinata are the two main pairs.

Session 0

The first time she had seen him had been at her fathers ball.

Solemn. Dark. And surprisingly handsome even from a distance.

Shikamaru Nara was a sight to behold as the Hyuga clansmen beckoned him and his lady into the large ballroom.

The blades of the Nara Clan were sheathed in his kimono, but still menacing as he walked into the manor with his escort in tow. Hinata gazed at him from her balcony, pale eyes watching quietly as his calloused hands ran through lanky black hair. He didn't feel her eyes on him, or if so he didn't pay her any heed, as his black eyes only belonged to one person. Which, of course, was the bold woman beside him. The man turned to glare at his escort, a tall blonde woman with a devilish smile, as she leaned in to whisper something in his ear.

Hinata leaned over the balcony, taking care not to reveal herself through the drapes, eyes never leaving the couple as they began to navigate through the large crowd of clansmen that dances or idly chattered near the tables full of food. No doubt the couple were headed towards her cousin Neji- who had taken her fathers place as the 'host' of the ball since Hiashi rarely if ever showed his face so early in the evening.

She knew her father would arrive shortly, as midnight was only moments away. And the ball had not just been for show, Hiashi rarely allowed so many guests into his home unless there was an important event he wanted to announce. And Hinata knew from the whispers that had been traveling through the servants that something indeed was to happen that night. And since her father had summoned her to attend, the 'event' most likely had to do with her.

Hinata herself didn't like attending these gatherings. She was not good with people. And she knew all too well the rumors that went around about her. The secret daughter of Hiashi, the 'hidden heiress'- that's what they all thought of her as. Even though her existence was no secret. Such a secluded and invisible girl she was despite her rank that even Hinabi, Hinata's younger sister, was a more prominent figure in politics and business than she.

It wouldn't have surprised anyone if Hinata had stayed in her room and avoided the entire ball altogether. But a few days before her father had made it clear that since her eighteenth birthday was only weeks away, she would have to be accustomed to representing the Hyuga's without hiding behind the manor walls. He demanded Hinata attend the gathering, saying he had something 'big' planned for her. And if she refused to obey, then the consequences would be heavy.

What else could she do but listen?

So now here she was. Uncomfortably tugging at her skin tight silken gown, hair spilling over her cold and bare shoulders in curls held up by silver combs that she would never have worn otherwise. Her feet were aching, throat and lips were dry from denying the few drinks some of the servants had offered her. And now her hands were digging into the rails of the balcony she stood on above the entire party, eyes now frozen on the Nara prince who had just arrived.

She knew of Shikamaru, though she had never talked to him face to face. The one time she had been in his presence close enough to touch had been several years ago. When she had been a child, and the Nara clan had been coming to meet her father and the nobles over the Hyuga household. Shikamaru had been left in the garden with a servant at the same time Hinata had been checking on the lilies she had been trying to grow for months.

When they ran across each other, Hinata had been both surprised to see an outsider and embarrassed since she hadn't know what to say to the black eyed boy who seemed content to ignore her. Even then he had always worn the same bored expression, never giving her or anyone else the time of day. And to this day it seemed he hadn't changed beyond the giving other people his time bit.

Even though she was above him by several yards and hidden behind the pale drapes that hovered over the balcony, Hinata could see that the Nara's expression was both bored and somewhat irritated. Whether it be by his escort or some unknown annoyance that plagued his mind, Hinata didn't know. But what she did know was that she had never seen someone that enraptured her attention such as now. Neji was handsome, and she had met many potential suitors due to her fathers wiles in trying to convince her to marry. So she had seen many attractive men before, it was nothing new to her.

But this was something else entirely.

'Why did father summon all of these elders for a ball.' Hinata wondered, her pale hand lifting to brush a black lock away- still watching as the infamous prince went to stand at the far corner of the large room, his face expressionless as the blonde woman left his side and went to speak with Neji, who had begun approaching them the second he noticed they had arrived. 'And why did he summon the Nara prince instead of his father if this ball is for politics. If this ball is for that purpose at all. What is he up to...'

"I see you still haven't decided to mingle among the guests. How disappointing, daughter." A deep voice called from behind Hinata, causing the young woman to stiffen in surprise.

The heiress tilted her head to glance behind her, pale eyes bewildered as she met the identical gaze of Hiashi.

If it was possible, Hinata felt even more uncomfortable than before. She immediately stepped away from the railings of the balcony to bow, eyes downcast when she saw Hiashi's displeased expression. The Hyuga head radiated power as always, and the white kimono he wore seemed to make his pale skin stand out even more as he walked farther into the balcony.

"You told me to attend." Hinata said quietly, lifting her head slightly as Hiashi moved to stand beside her, his hand brushing aside the balcony drapes to look down below. "But you never said I had to show my face."

If it had been any other time Hinata knew that her father would see her excuse as disrespectful. But the man simply chuckled to himself, the sound not as cold as the heiress would have expected. Considering...

"You are quite like your mother then." Hiashi murmured, his voice soft enough that Hinata had to stand upright to hear him. "Never wishing to be among others or to leave the comfort of your abyss. But unlike your mother, you are alive and well and will soon have the responsibility of this entire clan on your shoulders. You can't hide here for the entire night."

"Yes father." Hinata sighed.

"Good child. Now, tell me." Hiashi began, his white eyes turning to gaze down at his daughter. "What was so interesting to capture your attention like a moth to the flame? You have been staring quite sharply at something for the past few minutes. I would like to know what it is."

If Hinata had been able to move more freely in her gown, she would have reeled back in surprise. Alas, she could only stare wide eyed at her father as he assessed her from his place on the balcony. Hinata felt a bead of sweat trail down her temple.

"W-what do you mean father? I was just watching the party. Nothing in particular caught m-my attention." The heiress stammered, her gloved hands fidgeting as she struggled to keep her fathers gaze.

It was almost impossible, as her quiet eyes were no match for the burning white of her fathers. She could only look at her feet when Hiashi stared at her with unrelenting intensity, the knowing expression he wore making it all too clear that he knew Hinata was lying.

"Come now, dishonesty doesn't suit you." Hiashi scowled, the displeasure in his eyes unmistakable. "You know all too well what you were staring at. And you know that I'm not going allow you to so blatantly lie to my face. You haven't stuttered in years- so I know you were indeed staring at something or someone."

"Father..." Hinata protested, her voice weak.

"Tell me." Hiashi ordered, his burning eyes leaving no room for games.

"I was just...I..." Hinata stammered, her eyes wide and pale as she fidgeted with her hands once more. "The Nara boy..."

"Yes? What about him?" Her father snapped, a flicker of concealed amusement flashing in his stony gaze. Hinata didn't see the soft emotion however, and continued to wither under Hiashi's scrutiny. She wished she could have been anywhere else, but she was stuck here.

And she wondered why she couldn't have been more alert of her surroundings. Why hadn't she felt her fathers presence? Why had she let herself be so obvious?

"I...I-I just thought...well, it was nothing really..." Hinata whispered, voice growing softer each second.

"Hinata, if you are going to be stubborn." Hiashi began coolly, his hand shooting out to grasp his daughters arm. "Then I have no choice. Come."

"E-Eh!?" Hinata paled as her father began to pull her out of the balcony, knowing all to well what he intended to do. "Father, what are you...please! Stop!"

"I will not stop Hinata. I summoned you to this ball because you are my heir. And my heir will not hide behind a viel for the rest of her life. Your attention was on the Nara prince? Then I will make sure you two are acquainted."

"But father-!"

"Silence." Hiashi's voice echoed throughout the room, chilling his daughter to the bone. It was vicious and left no room for protest.

And so Hinata bit her tongue, eyes shimmering with doubt as her father led her down to the ballroom floor. The servants bowed as the two Hyuga's exited the balcony and began to descend down the steps beside it, the soft music playing down below becoming louder with every step they took.

She knew the eyes of several clan heads were on her, gazes curious as Hiashi entered and led her through the room with an iron hold. What a sight they must have made, the towering stony faced Hiashi contrasting so vividly with his doe eyed and shivering daughter. Hinata felt completely vulnerable under the rapidly growing attention as many voices were silenced in favor of staring.

But nothing compared to how she felt when Neji and the Nara princes as well as his escort came into view, both lifting their gazes when they felt Hiashi approach them. Hinata glanced up quickly to see Neji look down on her, his eyebrows raised, only to quickly look at her feet again. She felt Hiashi let go of her arm, but she still didn't say a word as her father bowed to the group, each of them returning the gesture immediately.

"I apologize for intruding." Hiashi said, his eyes showing not a hint of remorse as he gazed at Neji and then to Shikamaru. "But I felt it was only proper that my daughter and I personally welcome you. Prince Nara, Lady Temari." Hiashi nodded to the prince and his escort.

"It is a pleasure," The blonde woman greeted, the confident grin on her face gone and replaced with a solemn expression as she gazed at the Hyuga head. The Nara prince said nothing from where his stood, his bored expression never changing. No one seemed taken aback by the blatant disrespect the prince displayed however, Hiashi seeming the least bothered of anyone as he turned to Shikamaru.

"This is my daughter Hinata." Hiashi went on, beckoning for the heiress to stand beside him. "I will need to borrow my nephew for a bit. So Hinata will be your hostess for the night. She will be a very generous to her guests, won't you my daughter?"

"Yes father." Hinata replied quietly, biting her cheek as Hiashi gestured for his nephew to follow. Neji glanced at Hinata, his expression searching her face in earnest. But when Hiashi called out to him, her cousin sighed and turned away- leaving the group of three to stand alone.

Hinata felt the eyes of the blonde woman that Hiashi had referred to as Lady Temari fall on her the second Neji was a distance away. The prince didn't even glance at her however, instead watching quietly as her father and cousin grew farther from them. Hinata sighed when the two Hyuga's vanished into the crowd and meekly lifted her head to the Temari girl, trying her hardest not to sweat as the escort allowed a slow grin to form on her face.

This was going to be a long night.