A.N.: Hello! This story is a total experiment that has been lingering in my head for months. Nowhere near the level of insanity of Barebones, this story's measly T rating might fool you. While there is a lot of fluff 'n all, there's a couple things for you down here.
Initial AU premises: Neji a few years older. For reasons to be explained, the Hyūga are wiped out, not the Uchiha. Due to ripple effect, Hinata never meets Naruto on the way to the Academy, so she is mostly oblivious to his existence.
Warnings: child abuse/bullying, yuri, somewhat graphic violence, mild sexual themes.
Length: four arcs, twelve chapters, somewhere in the 50K-100K words range.
Discaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me. The world will never know the horror...
I hope to explain the abuse/yuri with storytelling, but rest assured, I'll try my best to justify it in a sensible manner. I don't do bashing, folks, and I think that Hinata/Sakura are potrayed as mostly heterosexual, so they'll need development to get there. Besides, I'm going to try to represent characters as the people they are - so no holding back punches when it comes to their flaws and mistakes.
Any and all opinions are welcome, and I appreciate detail!
Enjoy!
.| ARC I | Haru | CHAPTER 1 | Kodoku |.
It takes everything she has in her to contain a scream. Hinata curls into herself, hands instinctively flying to her head to protect her body, using her legs to shield her torso. The motion makes her whimper, as the stabbing pain from the broken rib sends her reeling into a bloody coughing fit.
They will go away, she just has to stay very still. There is an edge here: if she stifles her cries too much, they will try harder, thinking she's trying to play tough (Hinata never does that, because she knows she's worth nothing). She just has to give them what they want, but not too much - she has noticed that they seem to become desensitized, and then they do even more damage.
The middleground is what she is aiming for. It's not great, it's not a victory, but it will get her out of here.
"Freak! They should pluck your eyes out!"
Hinata shuts her eyelids fearfully, because who knows if they would dare? Would anyone stop them, if they tried? Granted, the other kids never beat her up in presence of a teacher… but not a single sensei ever stopped the other things they did, unless it was utterly blatant. And with shinobi in training, the majority of her peers already know how to be sneaky.
She never, ever fights back. She doesn't deserve the chance.
Calling out for help is useless; even if someone cared about her, even if someone (for reasons beyond her) looked past all her failures and flaws, they probably wouldn't dare to help her. They have good reason, after all.
Hinata is seven, and there are three things she knows about herself: she is always alone, because she doesn't deserve love; she is worthless, because she can't do anything right.
She is a monster, because she failed her family and got them all killed.
Sakura Haruno is a pretty little thing. Her worst nightmare is embarrassing herself in front of other people, especially Sasuke (or his scary older brother… who might also be kind of appealing). Her list of worries throughout the day include: getting her hair tousled up by taijutsu spars, getting her clothes dirty in the survival drills and being victim of one of Naruto's pranks.
If he thinks he can break her in and make her his girlfriend like that, he's sorely mistaken. He seems to be under the impression that, if it works to attract the attention of his instructors and Konoha's general populace, it also works on girls. The knucklehead will just have to learn-
Argh! There she goes again, thinking about him. She isn't going to give in, no, sir. She swears on her shinobi pride (haha, what a joke) to resist these underhanded techniques, as if they were part of another interrogation test, and then focuses again on her exam.
It's really easy, she thinks. Just calculating kunai trajectory. Iruka-sensei said that, for those who want extra points, there is also a problem that includes ninja wire to the equations. She is altogether too eager to solve it. Nervously, she looks around - Sasuke seems to be taking his time with the test. He is fast, but not as fast as she is.
Naturally, this makes her feel bad, so she always tries to slow down. If only he knew how much she cares! She will show him, one day...
She sighs dreamily, and then nearly bites her tongue when a ball of paper bonks her head from behind. It's not out of surprise, but seething rage, that she clenches her teeth and closes her eyes. Okay, maybe she also flinched a little, it did startle her.
"Naruto…!" she hisses in a low voice. She doesn't want her teacher to hear her… She hates breaking the rules and calling attention on herself like that.
The same can't be said for the ultimate idiot that sits behind her, much to her chagrin.
"That's me!" he bellows, and she is sure that someone that loud should be gagged. It has to be against regulations to be so noisy as a ninja. It's amazing that he manages to get away with all his pranks. Sakura can feel the eyes of her classmates settling dangerously close to her, and hurries in trying to look engrossed with her writing.
Her hands are slightly twitchy, though, and in her head echo chants of Please don't let Sasuke-kun notice me, not like this, not like this…!
"Naruto! Be quiet!"
Sakura mentally thanks Iruka-sensei, and tries to wash off the violent thoughts that plague her mind. She doesn't like fighting people. No, really, she doesn't - Naruto is a sole exception for her. It makes her uncomfortable to think about it too much ( you're a ninja, you're gonna have to kill people), so she just shoves it aside and powers through, knowing that as long as Sasuke-kun is on her side, everything will be alright.
She believes it wholeheartedly.
Naruto shuts up after that, and she goes back to focusing on her exam, a blush on her cheeks and daydreams in her heart. Altogether too soon, she finishes both the standard questions and the extra one. Sakura bites her lips, craning her head to take a peek at Sasuke. She hopes that her eyes are hidden by her pink bangs.
He's still only halfway through. Dammit.
She is torn - on the one hand, she wants to get as far away from Naruto as humanly possible, and since she is a responsible girl, her teachers usually let her go to the schoolyard to read after the exams. She always has too much spare time. On the other hand, she doesn't want to finish way before Sasuke-kun does. It would be unladylike of her to do that…
With nothing else to do, she looks around the room to see what her classmates are doing. Shikamaru is napping, of course. Ino is sitting next to him, and she seems to be stuck on the eighth question. She was never good with geometry, really. Sakura feels her pride swell and rise - this is the one thing in which she can beat Ino!
Her eyes sweep through her peers carefully - none of them are even close to finishing. She notices an empty seat, and her mind digs up the name attached to it.
Hinata.
The only things Sakura knows about her are that she is easy to startle, really quiet and even more shy than that. She always wears baggy clothes that hide the majority of her body, which is rather intriguing. Is she pretty? Maybe she's trying to hide herself because she is shy…
Distantly, Sakura notes that she used to be like that before she met Ino. Out of habit, one of her hands strays to her hair, caressing the red ribbon that holds it in place. It always soothes her, the soft texture of the cloth running easily under her fingers.
Maybe she should talk to Hinata? Or get Ino to do it, as she is still much more confident than Sakura herself is… A little voice in her head whispers, venomously, that maybe she shouldn't help Hinata. What if Sasuke starts to pay attention to her because she's prettier? That wouldn't do.
She raps her pen against the table absentmindedly, feeling slightly anxious. She hasn't made any moves on Sasuke yet… It's still too embarrassing to think of it, but she swears that she will. One day. It really wouldn't do to bring in more competition before she even starts.
Behind her, she hears the tell-tale sound of paper being crumpled up. Oh, no, not again, Naruto! Hastily, she steals a glance towards Sasuke - he's almost done by now. Good enough!
Sakura jumps to her feet, pushing her chair noisily and then wincing in eternal mortification. The entire class is looking at her now, but at least Naruto stopped. Sadly, that happens to be the very last of her concerns right now.
"I-um… I'm done," she blurts out, lowering her head in shame. She avoids closing her eyes as if expecting a blow - she can almost hear the laughter. However, the class remains silent. It's almost worse, because she doesn't want to look and find them staring at her. She especially avoids Sasuke-kun and Ino.
Iruka raises an eyebrow, puzzled, thoughts knitting behind his wide gaze. Sakura gulps, feeling scrutinized. Her muscles tense unconsciously, and her first instinct is to bolt out of sight. She must pass the silent test, because Iruka merely shrugs and nods. Relieved, she picks up her papers and walks over to her teacher.
He seems to be working on grading some papers from last week, and she tries to sneak a peek to her own grades, but no luck. Iruka has perfectly concealed the results of his evaluations, like the good shinobi he is. Sometimes, she forgets that her teacher is still a ninja.
Sakura feels the pressure of the class start to dissipate as they return their attention to their own exams, and she sighs in relief. The imagined voices full of accusation and mockery quieten down, though her fingers are still painfully clamped on the papers. It takes conscious effort to let go, and she can feel Iruka's eyes on her.
"Are you alright, Sakura?" he whispers, confidentially. She is glad that he has a sense of privacy, much unlike Naru- no, she won't think of him! Iruka's eyes seem to be focused on the grimace drawn on her face, and maybe even the sweat in her palms.
Sakura freezes for a moment, considering saying something against it to avoid making a scene, but finally she drops her head, shoulders sagging.
"I'm a little bit nervous," she admits, grudgingly. "Naruto is a pest," the girl adds, scrunching up her eyebrows in distaste. It's not a full explanation, but he takes it as one.
Iruka smiles with fondness, but he doesn't deny her claim. In fact, Sakura is almost sure that he just resisted the urge to nod.
"You can go outside and read," he indulges her, before she can ask. Sakura blushes a little bit, and her teacher merely smiles. Unless a certain Uzumaki is being loud and annoying, Iruka is by far the nicest teacher she has.
"Actually…" Sakura fiddles with the hem of her dress, stealing a nervous glance towards Hinata's seat. She feels tiny pinprick of worry and guilt for her earlier thoughts. Hinata never misses class… what if she's sick? Besides, she feels too antsy - on edge, even. She would much rather walk around than stay still. "Should I go looking for Hinata? So she won't miss the assignments for today."
Iruka's eyebrows raise in surprise, and for a few agonizing moments Sakura feels the pressure of his gaze on her. She really, really wants to go away from everyone right now. Normally, if a student gets sick, the teachers are the ones to check up on them. However, she knows that he hasn't left the classroom since the morning - today was heavy on history and chakra theory, and they haven't had a break yet.
"That's an odd request," he muses, rubbing his fingers against his chin, considering the idea. "Well, you're a responsible student, so I know I can entrust you with this task," Iruka determines, nodding slightly. His lips are pulled by a half-smile, one that almost feels prideful. "Do you know where she lives?"
Sakura's brows furrow in concentration; personally, she doesn't. She has never really talked to Hinata. However, she knows that her surname is Hyūga - so maybe she lives at the old compound? Her mind instantly brings up the maps of Konoha that she memorized. Most students would just learn the evacuation routes, tunnels and bunkers, but she went the extra mile to impress her teachers. She knows where it is.
Iruka seems to be awaiting her answer, almost as if this was a class question, and Sakura musters enough courage to say it: "The Hyūga compound." Her teacher's smile grows even more.
"Very well, Sakura. I'll be expecting you to be back here by the end of the hour."
She nods a tad too fast, and then pretty much bolts out of the classroom. No one bats an eye, as they are used to this. There is trepidation in her chest, but she pushes past her nervousness and shakily closes the door behind her. The hallways are empty at this hour - she can only hear the distant sound of training drills in the schoolyard.
Her hands go to her chest, meeting and squeezing each other tightly. Sakura remembers what Ino told her about demeanor and posture, and hastily removes them from there. One of her fingers still caresses the bow on her head out of habit, but it's a fleeting action. Her chest still feels tight and her breathing is quick, shallow, as she takes the steps towards the exit.
It's really bright outside, the midday sun glinting on the buildings of Konoha. Far away, the trees of the surrounding forest and the groves scattered through the village sway in the gentle breeze. Summer is barely edging around the corner, but the air is warm and clean. Sakura takes a deep breath, letting the sunlight wash over her skin, her body still feels slightly clammy with sweat.
Sakura takes a deep breath, unclenching her hands and letting them fall by her sides. The walk to the compound is at least twenty minutes, as long as she doesn't get lost. Well, if she really needs to, she can just ask one of the policemen for directions. She hopes it won't come to that, though; most people from the Uchiha clan are stern-faced and cold, and nearly ninety percent of the Military Police are from that clan.
Talking to them never fails to make her uneasy, it always feels like she is being judged and looked down on.
Sasuke said he wants to be one of them, just like his older brother, instead of joining the normal shinobi ranks. Sakura has studied the topic, obviously, because she wants to go wherever he goes. Apprenticeship normally starts at fourteen, at the very least, and aspirants are only eligible if they have at least twenty missions under their belt… as chūnin.
It's gruelling work, and only the very best are even considered for it. Even though the Police is based in Konoha and rarely deals with tasks outside the village, they are in charge of keeping shinobi in check. Their own peers. Protecting the civilians and coordinating their defenses in case of a security breach, keeping tabs on their fellow ninja to ensure there won't be traitors, patrolling… those tasks might not seem as deadly as high-ranked missions, but there is pressure for those positions.
It's not just their lives on the line - the core stability of the village depends on peace being maintained. It's much more complicated than going on a mission while carrying sensitive information.
She isn't entirely sure that she can make the cut. Her theoretical abilities (analysation, problem-solving and memorisation) are very good, but her physical grades are… less than desirable. It makes her fidget sometimes, but she'll figure something out.
After all, she is eight. Most of her days are spent worrying about trivial things, and her only plan for the future is to stay close to Sasuke-kun.
Soon, the leisurely walk starts to relax her and draw her thoughts away from such grim places; at this hour, Konoha is mostly deserted. Most villagers are working. Only old people and housewives wander the streets, mostly shopping and chatting amicably with each other.
Some shinobi on leave jump across the roofs, but they're so fast that she barely notices them.
Konoha is a colorful, chaotic village. The streets tend to make no sense at all, twisting and mixing like worms in a fisherman's bucket. Thankfully, she knows them decently well, and so her walk only lasts fifteen minutes, after which she finds herself at the entrance of the Hyūga compound. Her celebration for having good orientation skills doesn't last.
The heavy doors loom ominously over her, and she feels unsure about how to proceed. Is she supposed to knock? She lingers under the marquee for a few moments, and then raises a hesitant hand towards the stylish, dragon-shaped knocker.
There is no answer, as there are no guards, but she finds out that the door is actually open. Right, that makes sense. Hinata wouldn't be able to receive guests properly, otherwise. She pushes it open, feeling vaguely embarrassed, and then steps onto the main pathway of the compound. Sakura holds back a surprised gasp.
Despite the outward appearance of the compound, the interior shows clear signs of abandonment. The grass and trees haven't been tended to in years, leaving them wilder than they should look like. The main building awaits her in eerie silence, and Sakura gulps as discreetly as she can.
It's not like there is anyone who can see her, except maybe Hinata, or so she tells herself.
She looks back, nervously, almost hoping to see Iruka come and tell her that she doesn't really have to walk into the empty compound. That she can go back to class now. Of course, it doesn't happen, so she apprehensively continues her path towards the main entrance.
The sound of the knocker almost startles her. It feels alien in a place so still, and Sakura feels like she doesn't belong here at all. Her instinct tells her to bolt outside through the gates and say that she didn't find Hinata, but her slight curiosity makes her push forward.
There is an awkwardly long silence, full of expectation and tension, but there are no sounds coming from the gloomy manor. She starts considering a second try after a few minutes, because maybe Hinata didn't hear it, but then she catches it.
A slight creak on the floorboards inside.
She winces, ready to spring into a run for her life, though her mind forgets to adopt the Academy stance for it. Her heart almost stops when she hears a meek voice on the other side of the solid wood door.
"Y-yes?"
Why isn't she opening the door? is her first, slightly frustrated thought. Sakura is nervous again, and any little thing could set her off. Mentally slapping herself for her derailed thoughts, she straightens up and summons the best voice she can manage for this.
"Hinata-san, I'm Sakura Haruno. Iruka-sensei sent me to give you the assignments for today," she recites, proud of having rehearsed it well enough. Even if she is rather jittery, Sakura managed to say it just fine.
"Oh…" Hinata's whisper is barely audible, but finally, she opens the heavy door. It doesn't make a creak, much unlike what Sakura had expected. Behind it stands the small girl that she has come to look for. "P-please… come in," she mutters, stumbling over her own steps in her hasty efforts to get out of the way. She nearly falls to the ground, barely catching herself on the handle of the door, and Sakura raises her eyebrows minutely.
For a Hyūga, Hinata sure is clumsy.
She takes a moment to examine her classmate - Hinata's face is slightly red, her body language almost defensive as she seemingly tries to hide behind the door. Her eyes are cast downward, her gaze firmly glued somewhere near Sakura's feet. It's hard to tell what her body looks like, because she always hides it under a bulky coat (ugly, in her opinion).
Upon noticing that she is being watched, Hinata's eyes dart upwards immediately and she jumps back a little. Scaredy cat. Sakura blushes, noticing that she has been caught staring, and then tries to clear her throat, curling a fist in front of her lips to seem less rude.
"Are you sick, Hinata? You don't usually miss class," she states, trying not to fumble with the words. This whole thing feels like a social faux pas, and she is glad that Ino isn't here to tell her that with her slightly derisive tone. At least, by saying this she can explain why she was looking so intently.
Hinata bites her lower lip and moves her gaze to Sakura's shoulders, which at least is some progress.
"I- I... A little," she admits, and Sakura notes that her voice sounds oddly hoarse. The gears turn in her head, forming a perfectly reasonable theory for this.
"Wow, even with that coat you caught a cold?" Sakura blurts out, and then she nearly smacks her own forehead. That came out a lot worse than it sounded in her mind.
Hinata nods with a jerky motion and tears her eyes away, and then she finally seems to remember that the door should be closed, so they can step inside. Sakura barely hears her calling to follow deeper into the ominous hallway. It's a tad too dark for her own comfort, but Hinata doesn't seem to mind, so she isn't going to say anything about it.
A house so big shouldn't be this quiet and empty, Sakura muses. It's creepy, and the thought that Hinata lives here all by herself… It just doesn't sit right with her.
Hinata leads her to one of the visitor's rooms, and then mumbles out and apology and something about drinks. Ten minutes later, she is back, carrying a tray with two steaming cups of tea. Her steps seem a little bit too unsteady, as if she was out of balance. It's probably the sickness.
"I… hope you l-like it," she stutters. Sakura nods politely, grabbing her mug and holding her palms against it. It's comforting in a place like this.
"You missed a surprise exam, by the way," she offers, setting her eyes on Hinata's. That seems to make the girl uncomfortable, but nothing can be done about that. "Kunai trajectories. And an extra exercise adding ninja wires."
Sakura has no idea about Hinata's capabilities. Her grades are unremarkable, though they are usually in the range from decent to good. She studies the girl's expression, but Hinata seems to be a little zoned out, barely nodding in response. This silence is heavy and unnatural, so Sakura decides to push on. Whether it is to get out of here as soon as possible, or make conversation with the meek girl, she doesn't know.
"Today we had a lesson about the founders of the village," she proclaims, her voice switching to lecture mode. Sakura is very proud of her ability to say difficult words without stuttering. With her memorisation skills, Sakura is capable of rearranging the information in her mind and relaying it to Hinata rather easily.
A strange atmosphere starts to bloom around them: Hinata's eyes are set on Sakura, though never anywhere near her eyes, and there is a twinkle of interest in there that makes the impromptu teacher proud. Absorbed by the tale that Sakura tells, the minutes fly by and their previous tension slowly dissipates in the air. She finishes her story with about half of her tea remaining, and then moves on to chakra theory.
It's even more interesting than history lessons, and by the time Sakura is done, Hinata's expression seems completely enraptured by her words.
"You're… g-good at teaching, Sakura-san," she whispers, breaking the spell that has befallen them. Sakura positively beams at her, and that only makes Hinata blush, though her skittish attitude is less heavy than it was when she arrived.
"Well, you're good at listening!" Sakura replies, remembering Ino's lessons on complimenting people. Hinata blushes even more, fiddling with her fingers and lowering her face in a vain attempt to disappear. "Iruka-sensei said that our homework is to 'figure out the names of the clan leaders that were in charge when the village was created'," she adds, without missing a beat. Her face scrunches up in concentration. "I have no idea. I never noticed that he hadn't told us a single name."
Hinata mumbles something in a low voice, and Sakura has to lean forward to hear the words, but her eyes widen in surprise when she understands what her classmate is saying.
"-dara Uchiha, Shinto Aburame, Tora Akimichi... Kitane Hyūga. Mito Uzumaki, Hana Shimura…" Sakura blinks once, twice, and then tilts her head to the side, eyes owlishly open in a mix of surprise and interest. Hinata drones through the names as if she had learned them by heart, and by the time the string of words is over, she is only a little bit winded. "I… learned them f-from my f-family…" she mumbles, seemingly embarrassed.
She even looked a little zoned out during that…
"That's amazing!" Sakura squeals, clapping her hands together so suddenly that Hinata jumps in her seat, frightened. "But I think Iruka-sensei wanted us to figure out a way to get the names on our own…"
Oh, well, what's done is done.
"I think that's all, actually. But if you want, I can give you my notes on today's stuff," Sakura offers, because fair is fair. "They're still back in class, but maybe I can meet with you later, by the Academy gates? Iruka-sensei said I should go back before the hour is over."
Hinata seems stunned at the proposal, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. She seems to be unsure about how to respond, and Sakura is again reminded of herself, when she was at her most shy. In her case, Ino could blabber on and on for hours, and she would merely soak up the words with interest that never once waned; in Hinata's, it really looks like she wants to say something, but all that comes out is a strangled whisper that sounds vaguely like "t-thank you."
"Oh, no…" Sakura's body tenses at Hinata's gasp. "It's… I think it's been an hour." Her eyes trail over to Sakura's, and there is something akin to expectant nervousness, nearing fear. It looks almost like Sakura's expression in the rare occasion in which she forgets an assignment. Those moments while waiting for Iruka-sensei to call out her name are the worst.
She mutters an eight-year-old's version of a curse, hastily jumping up to her feet and bowing down fast enough to feel dizzy.
"Thanks for the tea! We can meet at the school gates. Is six a good hour?" Hinata nods, squirming in her seat and getting up as well, albeit a lot slower. "Great! I'll see you later, Hinata-san!"
Sakura barely remembers to put her sandals on before bolting out of the main door, and she doesn't even spare a glance back at the other girl, her mind flooded with worry about Iruka-sensei's lecture if she's late.
She misses the slight slump in Hinata's posture, just a moment before the dark-haired girl resolves to close the door and head back inside with limping steps.
Sakura makes it back to class a few minutes late. Iruka-sensei notices her ragged breath and tousled appearance, but he doesn't scold her for overextending. A quick gesture communicates that she accomplished her mission, and without further ado she sits in her seat once more.
The hours pass languidly after her return. Lunch break comes and goes, and Sakura makes a point to take particularly clear notes for Hinata. There is excitement bubbling under every inch of her skin, because even with Ino's help, she has never been good at making friends.
She supposes that purposely meeting up with Hinata, out of school hours, has to count for something in that regard. Ino notices her bubbly demeanor, snarking that maybe she is so giddy because she finally accepted Naruto's requests for a date. Sakura sticks out her tongue at her, but at least they can always agree that that's never gonna happen.
Ino still asks who she is meeting with, though, and Sakura is more than happy to tell her of her recent exploits.
"Did she ask you on a date?" the Yamanaka laughs, watching Sakura's expression go from self-assured to utterly mortified.
"INO! "
Her blonde friend is giggling with every bit of feminine grace that she possesses, and it makes Sakura pout profoundly. How can she be so pretty and ladylike, and still blurt out crazy stuff like that?
Don't come back!
Hinata remembers her first day at the Academy. She had been alone, barely six years old and yet aware enough to understand that she wasn't welcome. She had been hoping… that maybe, by joining the ninja school (as it had been stipulated she would do, before she was even born), she could fill the empty and silent space that always surrounded her.
She had enough education in her clan's manners to keep quiet most of the time. She wouldn't speak unless spoken to, or out of necessity. It had shifted from shyness and obedience to a sense of worthlessness. She liked to listen to people, but she was too unsure of her own actions to approach anyone.
And yet, they had found her.
It had been insults from a group of bullies, nothing more. She had been late, as well, oversleeping due to insomnia (and this, in turn, was caused by her own nervousness the night prior). She didn't know it at the time, but the boys she found on the way to the school had been leaving - her future classmates had already left, the introductory class finished.
There was no one to save her, but after leaving her crying and curled up by the roadside, they gave up. It just wasn't as fun if they couldn't see her face.
It started with her eyes, and then progressed to tugging and pushing. Pranks. Her things disappearing during lunch break, or pieces of paper and gum stuck to her hair and clothes while she wasn't paying attention. They were subtler than she was, because they were older. No one noticed that something was amiss.
There was no one to see that she was becoming skittish and insecure like she hadn't been before, retracting into her little shell with vehemence unseen until then. She didn't know who was doing it, and soon she started to feel like every classmate was looking at her funny when she walked past.
She thought she could hear them laughing at her, when she wasn't part of the conversation. She figured they hated her for what she had done and what she was - the last remaining freak of a dead clan. A monster by virtue of being nothing good, even if she didn't feel evil.
The bullies were stronger as well, as she found out very soon. Some of the younger kids mocked her for her appearance and strange eyes; but it was the older ones that crossed the rest of the lines. Those, she couldn't beat by pretending to ignore them. She really didn't know how to stop them.
You little weakling! It's your fault!
Hinata is pretty sure that they didn't realise how much they were escalating things. She wanted to understand them, she wanted them to stop, but she could achieve neither. Her behavior became jittery and alert, but that didn't do anything.
If she hid where no one saw her, they would find her. If she tried to camouflage herself amongst other children, she wouldn't be able to see them coming. She really didn't want to activate her Byakugan, as that would only draw more attention to herself.
Instead, she started to learn who they were. Names, faces, figure, typical clothes and demeanor. She learned what each of them usually did to her (even the pranks - they would gloat about it when they caught her alone, even if she didn't see the execution itself).
The girl called Hanako liked to scratch her arms and legs, and she was more daring than anyone else. The two blue-haired twins, male, were the ones that liked to yank her hair and slip water through the collar of her shirt in the middle of winter.
People like them just followed their leaders, however - and those, those were the worst. Hinata was always stunned at the amount of hatred that a select few of her elders held for her. They were the ones that started to beat her up, and the others merely followed.
They were the ones that had no compunctions about how far they pushed her… nor did they seem to want to stop. They couldn't be much older than twelve, but something in their eyes lit up like fire anytime she (by accident or choice) looked into them.
We're going to be graduating tomorrow, so you better not come show your ugly face!
Hinata hadn't had the time, or courage, to stop Sakura and change the place where they should meet up. She never liked to argue, and she would have hated herself if she had ruined the good mood between them.
Those who tormented her had passed their graduation exam - it must have been sometime in the last week. Truthfully, she did notice the absence of the ringleaders, but she paid no attention to it (at least, until they gave out her warning). The others were still trying to make her life miserable, and she had to focus on the problems at hand.
She really, really didn't want to go to school again after that particularly thorough beating. Hinata knows a little bit about basic healing arts - just enough to tend to her bruises and cuts. Yesterday, however, another line was crossed. Perhaps it was because they wouldn't have easy access to her so easily, once they graduated. Maybe she did something truly terrible that upset them. Some part of her wonders if this is how they wanted to celebrate graduation.
There is an ugly bruise on the right side of her torso now, and she hasn't been able to breathe properly since they kicked her there. It hurts more than any other injury she has ever sustained, and her coughing is making her spit blood. Even if she had wanted to go to school, she doesn't think she would have been able to.
Not when she is this weak. She needs to figure out a way to cure this, but no matter what she does, it won't go away. She could barely sleep last night, and walking is particularly difficult after a kick delivered straight to her right knee, either in an attempt to cripple her or to get her leg-shield down. They ended up prying her open like a clam, spreading her limbs with enough force to make her cry out, and taking turns in the beating.
If she had gone to school like this, who knows what could have happened.
It really is no surprise that luck isn't on her side, and she walks straight into a newly-appointed batch of genin, despite her best efforts to avoid the main paths. They must have taken a different route to go to a restaurant and celebrate their promotion.
Their eyes light up in recognition, and Hinata takes a step back, but doesn't flee. She knows she can't outrun them.
Hinata doesn't show up on time, and Sakura tries to stifle down her anger and anxiety by telling herself that Hinata is sick, after all. Maybe she should have met up with her in the compound, but… well, she didn't really want to go there again. It's far away, and very creepy. She justifies her choice by saying that Iruka would also like to see his student.
It's half past six, and Sakura can't help but wonder if Hinata ditched her. Or maybe her illness got worse, and since she is alone, there is no way she can tell her about it.
Finally, she decides to head to the compound, just to see...
It's pure chance that she chooses this path in particular. She is a little bit hungry, and maybe she could buy something nice to eat and bring something for Hinata. This street is a little shady, but it's a shortcut to the district with all the food and candy shops. It cuts through a small grove, and it's while she muses about what to buy, that she hears it.
"Why did you come back?!"
She thinks it's directed at her, just for a split second, and freezes up. But there are other voices, and none of them are directed at her. It's the thud that makes her alert, ready for a fight - she knows this sound.
What's going on?
The noise comes from a few meters ahead, just around the corner. That path leads to a dead end, and immediately, Sakura feels her mind start to race with worry. She knows this tone of voice. She knows these words.
Someone is getting…
Years later, she will look back on this moment and realise that, the instant the thought crosses her mind, something in her changes drastically. There is anger - legitimate anger, blinding every thought of self-preservation, every ounce of hesitation. She has been there , but none of her bullies ever took it to the physical stage.
These are older students, and she can't hear a peep from whoever they are attacking. It isn't a friendly fight (it doesn't qualify as one). She knows that bullies gang up on people, because that's what they did to her. At least, until Ino showed up. Someone is getting really hurt and she doesn't even give a thought to asking for help - it has to stop now.
Perhaps she is becoming agitated, reflecting their own emotions, but she rushes towards the source of the sound with a shout and a scolding ready behind her lips.
The scene that meets her eyes isn't a pretty one. Hinata is curled up on the ground, deathly silent, her back against the brick wall. Her legs and arms are trying to shield her head, face and torso, but Hinata can barely keep them up anymore. There is an odd, veiny set of bulges around her eyes, and that's all she can see of her expression.
A pale lavender eye peeks between her mangled fingers, settling on Sakura as if Hinata had known that she was coming. There is an instant of pure, unadulterated fear, and then confusion. Hinata didn't expect her here, and she clearly doesn't know what to make of it.
Or maybe she thinks this happening is because of me.
Sakura doesn't know, she doesn't care. This isn't right and it has to stop. Had it been something milder, maybe her nervousness would have prevented her from acting. But this… Hinata looks terrible, and barely conscious. None of the six older children (all genin, judging by their headbands) notice her presence, but that changes as soon as she speaks.
"What the... heck are you guys doing?!" she exclaims, her expression horrified and body trembling, both out of indignation and fear. The oldest of the group, a girl that has to be about fourteen years old, turns to her immediately.
In an instant, every gaze is settled on hers. Sakura notes, out of the corner of her eyes, that Hinata takes this moment to inch away from everyone present. Sakura tries to look at all of them at once, eyes flitting from one face to another. Sakura isn't confident in her chances, she isn't secure of herself, but she can't let this happen.
It's not right, it's not right…
"What are you doing here, you little pipsqueak?" the older girl hisses, her bright grey eyes promising pain. Sakura nearly takes a step back, flinching, but she balls her hands by her sides and stands her ground. She really wishes she had the ribbon between her fingers now.
"What are you doing? Leave Hinata-san alone!" she responds, trying to give off her best fierce impression. If only Ino was here… she always knows how to handle people. From her, she learned to spot the leaders of these little groups - this girl is it. If Sakura confronts her and wins, the others will leave Hinata alone.
But she doesn't feel like she can, not one tiny bit. Age, height, strength and knowledge; she has none of those things on her side. These people all graduated, which means they have basic shinobi knowledge (even jutsu) beyond her own. Sakura still doesn't know how to use chakra.
It's just not right! bellows the voice in her mind, and she heeds it with almost animalistic vehemence.
"Kid, are you dumb?" snaps one of the two boys, tilting his head to the side like a curious cat. Like a predator evaluating its prey. His tone is full of mockery. "Do you wanna get beaten up too?"
Sakura freezes, the threat looming over her in a very real fashion. They are already beating up Hinata, what is stopping them from doing the same to her? Could she outrun them? The school gates seem to be too far away now.
Why is nobody stopping this?
There is no one to help, she realises. For some reason or another, there is no one. It's her or no one else, and Hinata… Sakura can't leave her alone. No matter what she has to do, or pretend to be.
"No! I want you to stop it! Don't you see you're hurting her?" she retorts, with a tone that sounds too pleading for her own taste. It's not convincing, not menacing - not even self-assured. It's the begging of a child.
And they notice. The second boy, the tallest of them all, takes a step forward. His eyes are open wide, too wide, akin to the pupils of a cat about to pounce, and that grin doesn't even look human. What's wrong with that guy? Sakura tenses up, ready for whatever he is about to throw at her, but leader-girl's arm shoots forward to stop him.
"This one is young. She doesn't know any better," she whispers, and he stops in his tracks. His breathing is ragged, even more so than Sakura's own shallow breaths. "I'm Maiko, little girl. Who are you?" the girl purrs, a fake smile on her face.
Sakura knows in this moment that she isn't someone that can be trusted. It's not a conscious thought - but someone capable of controlling that boy with mere words is dangerous.
"I'm Sakura Haruno," she replies, almost by instinct.
"And what business do you have with… Hinata-san?"
Sakura decides, in this very moment, that she really doesn't like this girl. It reminds her of Ami, who spread the word about her big forehead and constant crying, until no other girl wanted to play with her.
"She's my classmate," Sakura responds, truthfully.
"And because she's your classmate, you wanna protect her?" Maiko inquires, and Sakura nods. She doesn't know where this conversation is going, but for as long as it goes, Hinata will remain safe. Maybe, if she can distract them for long enough, someone will find them… It really is the only thing she can do. Her body relaxes minutely, sensing that for now, there won't be fighting. "Well, tell ya what, I had classmates I cared about, too, and they died because of her."
Hinata's body seems to spasm at this, and Sakura's gaze jumps to her immediately. The dark-haired girl pulls her hands away from her face, looking like she wants to say something, but the only thing that comes out is a wet cough.
"Don't you know, Sakura?" Maiko continues, taking a step towards Hinata. The others part to let her pass. She seems completely undisturbed by the blood and Hinata's visible pain, kneeling next to the fallen girl and yanking her hair, pulling her head up for all to see. "Look at her. Those eyes mark her as the culprit!"
Hinata's lips are pursed together, which must hurt with how swollen they are. She has a black eye and both of her cheeks are heavily bruised. It's hard to read her expression, but she is clearly hurt and scared. Sakura is too stunned to react.
"What- what do you mean?" she mutters. What could Hinata possibly have done, to make people hate her this much? She is always quiet, true, but whenever she talks she is extremely polite. She has never gotten detention or missed an assignment. Sakura knows that this girl is the epitome of good behavior.
"Konoha used to have four noble clans," Maiko explains, her fingers digging into Hinata's scalp painfully. The girl, however, doesn't move an inch. "Akimichi, Aburame, Uchiha and Hyūga. But one of them is gone now. Do you know why? Did you ever think about why an entire clan just vanished, two years ago?"
Sakura is about to respond, but Maiko doesn't leave her any room for an answer.
"You didn't, because you weren't at the Academy back then. You didn't know Neji Hyūga." Maiko's grip tightens as she spells out the name, and Hinata's lips part in a quiet gasp of pain. "I'll tell you. Neji Hyūga was a prodigy, but his clan put a seal on him. His clan enslaved him to this girl. And it's because of her that he went crazy. It was so bad that he snapped after his graduation."
I don't like where this is going…
"The same day the majority of our class passed, he killed every single one of them. And then he killed his clan, and vanished. The only reason we're alive is that we failed the exam!" Maiko snarls, pushing Hinata's head downward with enough force to make her forehead bounce on the pavement. "If he had considered us real shinobi, we would be dead!"
Her eyes aren't focused on Sakura anymore, instead seeing memories that don't belong to this time and place. The others are silent, their own eyes hazy and their body languages tense with remembrance.
"He let us go after killing everyone, right in front of us! And I asked him why… why would he do such a thing?!" her voice cracks, and she looks every bit like the fourteen year old that she is. Her hand shakes Hinata by the hair, and ow, that has to hurt a lot. Sakura doesn't dare to take a step forward, not against someone who is clearly breaking down and mentally unstable, but she really, really wants to. "Because of this… this freak! If she didn't exist , none of this would have happened!"
Maiko punches Hinata's jaw, and it's like a dam is broken. Every bit of composure that the older girl had is gone, and she is crying and screaming obscenities, pummeling the girl pinned beneath her. The others seem to snap out of it, inching towards Hinata as if to resume what had been going on before Sakura got here.
That mental image is what snaps Sakura out of her own trance.
IT'S NOT RIGHT!
"Stop it!" Sakura screams, lurching forward and between the others. They seem to be too surprised to stop her, and her body clumsily slams against Maiko's in an effort to end it. She pushes the older girl off, but Hinata is too close to the wall to make her roll away and separate the two. There is no escape.
Sakura settles for the next best thing, in a moment of utter panic and harrowing necessity, and pushes herself between the two bodies. Hinata's surprised eyes look up at her between her black bangs, disbelief painted on her bloody features.
Mentally apologising for what she is about to do, Sakura slips her hands under Hinata's shoulders and pushes her body flush against her coat. Hips over hips, she digs her knees behind Hinata's and entwines their legs, heels keeping them together. It's a half-assed immobilisation technique - one that would definitely get her low scores in the Academy, but it works.
She is now an improvised meatshield. She stopped it...
Hinata flinches in pain, and that's when Sakura notices that the girl is shivering, recoiling as if trying to move away from her. The Hyūga closes her eyes, every muscle in her body taut and ready. Expectant.
Does she think I'm going to hurt her too...?
Sharp pain erupts in the back of Sakura's head, cutting any rational thoughts away from her grasp and blurring her vision. Her forehead smacks against the ground next to Hinata's head. In the small space she has left to breathe, there is enough blood to make Sakura retch.
Any measure of safety or control that Sakura felt has flown out of the window by now. Maiko attempts to pry her away from Hinata, but Sakura's grasp on her only tightens further, her body pushing in the opposite direction in a desperate effort to remain in place.
She has to stay here or it will start again. It's the only thought in her mind. The only thing that she holds onto, beyond the pain and panicked fear. Sakura doesn't even remember why in the first place, but it's so, so very important.
Adrenaline gives her the edge she needs, and Maiko's weight disappears off her after a brief fight. Sakura is vaguely aware that she is crying and her muscles hurt from the strain, but there is only an instant of respite.
A hard kick meets her hips, and then another on her thigh, and she can't see them coming but she can feel every tiny bit of pain. Her ears are ringing and the floor is dancing in front of her eyes, her fingers twitching with every hit, yet they remain obstinately clung to Hinata's beige coat. She can't see the Hyūga's expression, but her breathing sounds quick and shallow.
Time loses its meaning and continuity, and later, Sakura won't be able to say how many seconds, or minutes, or hours passed. Only that one hit blurs into another, the syllables of each insult mixing until she can't understand the words anymore, and then it all stops as suddenly as it started.
There are distant sounds - rustled clothes, the sound of a collision against a metal dumpster, screams. She can't understand any of it. All that matters is that it stopped. Why is it so important? Hinata… she doesn't know Hinata at all. Is it because it reminds Sakura of herself? Because she knows it's not right?
Sakura didn't know she had this in her, but the feeling of overwhelming need to stop it was stronger than anything else in her mind.
Hesitantly, Sakura turns her face to the side. The alley is empty now… or, rather, everyone in it is unconscious. She can see the figures strewn on the ground, though their edges aren't altogether too clear for her. Little dots cover her vision, making the details fuzzy, and everything in her hurts.
A figure steps around the same corner she turned to get here, and in her position, this person seems impossibly tall. Threatening. Sakura's muscles tense a little more with each step the stranger takes towards them. She can't see their face, her head hurts too much to look up from where she is. The person speaks, and it takes her few seconds to understand the words. Their tone is much lower, softer than the bullies'.
"-gone now."
She turns her head away when the stranger kneels beside them. Sakura doesn't want to get her nose punched in, thank you very much. Under her, Hinata stirs slightly, but doesn't make an effort to move.
Sakura nearly jumps when a hand lands between her shoulderblades. The fingers are steady and gentle, tracing… circles? There is no pain. Even in her circumstances, it's almost relaxing. Where are Maiko and the others?
Gone now.
Who is this? Her dizzy brain catches the tail end of an apology. The stranger's hand moves from her back to her neck in an instant, and then the world goes black.
['FoI' are little tidbits about the worldbuilding/AU, characters and whatnot, pertaining to the story. They don't really spoil anything. They didn't fit in the story, but they're here for the curious folks (like me) who want to know a little more about what goes on behind the 'scenes'.]
Facts of Interest (FoI):
[1] Timeline: the story's start is set in April, when the schoolyear starts in Japan. A week or so after Sakura's eighth birthday (March 28). Why are there newly-graduated genin showing up? It takes a while for them to be examined, evaluated and instated in the system, which happens over spring break. [/1]
[2] Meaning of Kodoku: isolation, loneliness. [/2]