Music played. A slow waltz filling the marble tiled ballroom. Hinata stood with her best friend TenTen, enjoying the ball held by the Uchihas. It was an honour to be invited to an Uchiha party and even being among the most notable families in Konoha, Hinata wasn't expected to receive an invitation. So the maids had been put to work on both her and TenTen and here they were. TenTen wore her chocolate brown hair down, it curling into artistic spirals. The white side sleeved dress that she wore was made of what TenTen had referred to as fishnet though it was lace. The body of the dress hugged her midsection but spread out with a long train at the end.
Hinata's dress had a corset middle, laced together with silk ribbons. It was a baby blue, designed to bring out the subtle indigo in her eyes. The skirt was shorter than most but Hinata knew how clumsy she was and specifically asked for it to be like that, much to the disgust of her father.
"Hinata, stop daydreaming and start dancing." TenTen told her.
TenTen was currently with Hinata's older cousin, Neji. He wore a simple three pieced suit but had a white mask that covered half his face. Neji's eyes bore a startling intensity that Hinata's would never have.
Hinata shook her head sadly.
"I just haven't found the right partner yet." She said sadly, looking down at the gown that had been prepared specifically for this night and how it would go to waste.
Hinata looked up, about to urge her friend to leave her behind when her eye's connected with a startling pair of onyx ones.
The owner was a tall man with unusually pale skin. He had a thin yet somewhat handsome face with midnight black hair. The suit he wore was the exact same colour, apart from the red bowtie which seemed to have been dipped in blood.
TenTen caught her friend staring at the enigmatic figure across the dance floor and her eyes sparkled with a plan.
"That's the Uchiha's youngest son, Sasuke." TenTen whispered in Hinata's ear, causing her to jump.
"He's probably got more than his fair share of admirers." Hinata replied, dismissing the underlying message that TenTen was sending.
"Come on Hinata, everyone would love to dance with you." TenTen pleaded, a tone of desperation in her voice.
"Not everyone darling."
TenTen's eyes narrowed at the sound of the voice. She turned around and glared at the speaker. The snarky voice belonged to a pink haired lady. She had stunning jade green eyes that seemed to degrade everyone around her. She wore a low cut velvet dress that was died a deep red but the collar was made up of frilled white lace. Beside her stood a butler in a matching suit, who seemed to be silently apologising for his mistress's words.
Sakura laughed when she saw Hinata's eyes drift back to Sasuke.
"Why would he ever be interested in a plain little girl like you?"
Hinata dropped her gaze as soon as those words were spoken and stared at the floor. Sakura wasn't the nicest person on earth but Hinata felt that when she spoke those words, they were the truth.
"And you think he would be interested in you?" TenTen snapped back, surprisingly viciously.
Sakura stared at the brunette incredulously. "Who wouldn't?"
"Sasuke of course!"
Sakura glared at TenTen before turning her attack on the timid Hyuuga.
"Well if he isn't interested in my, then he won't even look at her."
"As if!" TenTen retorted. "She's going to ask him to dance now!"
Hinata's head snapped up at those words and Neji's eyes widened. Even Sakura looked momentarily stunned, her mouth gaping open like a fish. But after a while, Sakura started laughing.
"Her!" She managed to get out between the laughs. "She's basically a mouse! She wouldn't even dare."
Hinata felt something boil up in her stomach. It was hot and she didn't know why she was feeling this way. But years of Sakura tormenting her had pushed her too far.
"I'll do it!"
The words had come out of her mouth before she had even realised and the audience before her was left speechless.
Sakura smiled coyly and leaned forward to whisper in Hinata's ear.
"You know what they say about the Uchiha's second son. That he's possessed. Sasuke hears things and most of the time, he listens to the voice. You'll be dancing with the devil."
With every word, Hinata felt a shiver run down her spine as out of the corner of her eye, she saw those piercing black eyes stare back at her. Daring her to come closer, almost tempting her to lash out at the pink haired girl.
"I-I know what I'm doing." Hinata managed to get out.
"Fine." Sakura urged. "Go on, or is our little damsel too scared?"
Without another word, Hinata made her way across the dance floor. Time seemed to slow down as she wound through the dancers but his eyes never left her. But when she arrived, time seemed to have gone by too fast and she felt her throat clam up.
Sasuke smiled knowingly as if he knew that this was what was going to happen all along. Hinata knew she couldn't do it and she felt her face burn with embarrassment upon the teasing she would receive when she got back.
"Would you like to dance?"
Hinata was snapped out of her reverie by a charming voice. She looked around to see who it belonged to but no one but Sasuke was looking at her.
Quickly nodding, Hinata felt herself be swept into his arms. Sasuke signalled to the band which struck a new tune.
The crowd of dancers struggled to the new song but soon everyone was back in time with the song. Sasuke led her to the middle of the floor and he held her in an all too familiar position.
"Danse Macabre, do you know it?" He asked all too politely.
Hinata only managed a quick nod before all her attention was focused on not stepping on people's feet. The haunting tune soon took her mind off things. Her feet moved in time with the notes and soon she was only focused on Sasuke. They moved smoothly across the floor, pausing only when the song demanded a spin.
Hinata couldn't take her eyes off him. She had never danced before and now that she knew the feeling, she wasn't sure she wanted to stop.
He smiled at the attention and Hinata blushed as the tune began to pick up pace. He guided her effortlessly away from the crowd and back towards a balcony. The night air was cooler but Hinata didn't seem to notice the change. She was completely enamoured by the dark haired man.
As the song ended, Hinata looked around. Sasuke still hadn't let go of her hands yet.
"Um sir-"
"You really are the most beautiful thing I've encountered you know."
Hinata was caught off guard with compliment and felt the heat rush to her face. She didn't realise he was moving closer to her until she felt his chest against hers.
"You're so innocent, so unique, so…. pure."
He tilted her head up with his hand and leant in for a kiss. Hinata found herself all too soon in the tight embrace of the Uchiha, unable to get out.
She continued to struggle and when he finally let her go, she backed away to the balcony edge.
Sasuke looked surprised at this.
"Not many girls would pass up a chance like this."
Hinata blushed and looked away again.
"I'm not like other girls."
He smirked at the comment.
"I can see that."
A silence filled the air and Hinata had a thousand questions racing around in her mind but the one she asked was probably the worst.
"Are the rumours true?"
Sasuke paused for a moment.
"Do you believe in them?"
Hinata shook her head, unable to believe what was going on.
"I'm not sure of anything right now."
In the time it took her to answer, Sasuke had advanced. He was now uncomfortably close to her and Hinata tried to back away but she could feel the stone balustrade against her back.
Sasuke smiled at the awkwardness that she was feeling. If it were someone else, they would've thrown themselves on him by now. And by that single sign, he had known he had found her.
"You're not like the others, but you're more different than you think."
Hinata looked at him quizzically.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"Hinata Hyuuga. You don't know how long I've searched for you. How many lifetimes I've had to brave just to find you only to have you snatched away by fate."
"You're only sixteen, how could you have-"
Hinata looked up at Sasuke to ask for an explanation but felt her own voice die in her throat as she saw his eyes. They were deep red, three tomoe circling around the pupil.
"Does that answer your question?" He asked, smirking at how she was taking it in.
"But-But I've only lived for-"
"You've been reincarnated." He spoke simply as if it were an everyday matter.
Hinata struggled with words. She couldn't believe it. How many life times had she lived through? How many parents, friends had died while she had been offered this second chance at life.
"We've been in love before. So will you stay with-"
"Stop it!" Hinata yelled, her mind racing with everything she was taking in.
Sasuke looked at her questioningly, confusion written on his face.
"What's the matter?" He asked.
Hinata shook her head. She couldn't believe any of this.
"I don't know you."
"Yes you do-"Sasuke argued but Hinata interrupted.
"Not in this life okay! Maybe in others but I only remember this one and this night is the only night you've even spoken to me! Just slow down okay…. I'm just soo confused…"
Hinata's voice trailed off and Sasuke nodded.
"Okay, if that's what you want."
Hinata let out a sigh, worried that he would do something drastic. She looked up to thank him when she caught sight of something silver hurtling towards them.
"Sasuke! Look out!"
Sasuke felt himself pushed away from her when he saw a silver knife fly past him, missing him by inches. But while it missed him, the blade had sunk right into the chest of Hinata.
"No!"
Sasuke caught her as she fell, the red staining the baby blue of her dress. Sasuke turned towards the assailant, who stared back. Knowing his fate was sealed, he ran towards Sasuke, determined to end him.
"I'm taking you to hell with me!" He yelled, pulling out another knife.
As he got closer, Sasuke's eyes started glowing and the three black tomoe started spinning. Suddenly, black flames appeared from thin air, consuming the man who barely had the time to scream before he was erased from this world.
Sasuke then turned his attention back to Hinata. Her breathing had become shallow by now and a worryingly large amount of blood had fallen on to Sasuke's hands. Hinata smiled at the concerned look on Sasuke's face.
"What are you smiling for!" He yelled, tears running down his face as her hand moved to brush them away.
"I'm glad you care for me that much."
"Of course I-" Sasuke was cut off with a finger to his lips.
"In the next lifetime, let's be friends." She whispered, her voice growing fainter with each word. "So next time, we won't have to go through all this and we can dance more."
"Of course!" Sasuke said an odd desperation in his voice. "We can dance to anything you want."
Hinata smiled at those words, her snow eyes light up for the final time. Her eyes then closed and her sighed one last time. Sasuke grabbed her hand as it fell from his face. He held it for a moment as he felt all the warmth drain out of it and he set it beside her, determined to find her again.
"Hinata! Stop daydreaming and start dancing!"
Hinata snapped out of her daydream, looking at her blonde friend Ino who shook her head at her friend's absent mindedness.
"We came here to have fun remember! If you wanted to sit and think, I wouldn't have wasted the money on the dress."
Hinata smiled for a moment and thought about whether she should tell Ino her dream or not. But the blondie would've just shrugged it off and told her to keep her mind on earth.
Hinata looked around, taking in the club's techno décor with the disco ball and mulit coloured dancefloor. The people around her were nothing like the graceful dancers in her dream. The moved instinctively to the music, no thought for technic what so ever.
She sighed to herself. How she longed to find the right dance partner, but as her eyes trailed across the dance floor, she was held by an intense gaze that she knew no one other than her friend could have.
"Hey Sasuke, how about a dance?"