Gaining Sight
Chapter One : The blind Hyuuga and the doting Uchiha
Itachi x Hinata
Setting: Ninja world. Non-Uchiha Massacre
Age: Naruto's Age Group - 18 ; Itachi is 25
Her peripheral view gave her the sight of her long tresses glistening under the midnight moon, her right hand held rather tightly against the forbidding razor sharp grass and the trees stretching throughout the forest. She felt a bead of sweat roll on her forehead and she was again reminded she is alive. Her white eyes are blur and her pink lips apart. Hinata lives but only under his wing.
x-x-x
Itachi was never branded kind - or anything near to that word. He was neutral. Ever knowing and barely even curious. His hair, reaching past his shoulders into a low clipped fashion swayed with the passing breeze. His breath fogged through the cold, palms warming his thighs inside his standard ANBU pants with his black raven mask hanging by his waist. Itachi cleared his throat.
Itachi is a patient man. At the age of 25, he knew it has become one of his strongest suit. He cleared his throat again, this time earning the attention of the veiled beauty.
Her hair is long under the cover of a royal green veil and a thick black coat. Her wayward bangs covers half of her face as she faces his way.
"I know you're there, Itachi-kun. I-I'm just wondering why...again. I pray you don't need a salve?" her head tilts as if mocking a deer in confusion. Her eyes are open and white - too white - and her cold lips parted with a small smile.
It might have fooled others but never him. Itachi is not dumb. She was not looking at him. In fact, she never looked at anybody.
For the third time since he came, he felt the need to coach his voice and clear his throat. His eyes fixed on her beauty.
"Say Hinata, come home with me?"
x-x-x
Home. Konoha?
Hinata blinked. Her pure white - too white - eyes wandered. She felt her heart beat quicken. This land, the Land of Tea, has always been her home. She was found and raised here, this is where she knew she could live without judgement or prejudice with her disposition...and he knew that of all people.
Her lips parted, undeniably shocked.
Dark dark hair that seems violet under the sun shone and the breeze carried her hair in ease.
What is she to say?
x-x-x
Itachi gazed his eyes on her surprised face, her lips parted drawing in breath as if in slow motion. She blinks twice. "Pardon?"
He felt like slapping his head. "I..I asked if you would like to come home with me. To Konoha" She blinks. Again.
"I-Itachi-kun, I.. I-"
"Hinata, your chld..our child needs a father. I am too far from you in Konoha. What I'm saying is.." his voice sounded strained. Itachi was a man of few words and he would rather just show her...only if he could
"..what I am saying is I would like to have a part in our child's life too"
The veiled beauty blushes, her cheeks very much in crimson much to her embarrassment.
Aa.
Her cheeks went darker. Of course.
Her white eyes wandered again and for a second he thought it stayed on his - only to reminded that she never looks at anything.
Hinata, the woman carrying his child in her womb for almost five months now, is blind.
There was no questioning it. Taka Umino, the chief of the Land of Tea and the father figure Hinata grew up to, knew that Itachi Uchiha if not the best ninja - is one of the most treasured in Konoha. But what he doesn't get is why this certain Uchiha is asking his daughter for marriage.
Not exactly a marriage. The Uchiha had the audacity to take his daughter from him - and after he got her pregnant that is! At his old age, he felt his blood boil and he knew it wasn't healthy...he let go a long sigh
He asked the help of Konoha to guard the village during the trading season, who knew it would turn out this way? And to his Hinata too.
White eyebrows furrowed and his old brown eyes glared at onyx eyes.
"What have you done, Uchiha" he sighed defeated.
"Umino-sama, I humbly ask for your bles-"
Old wrinkled hand stopped him midway. In truth, Itachi hated being cut off but he knew the father had the right to be rude.
"Oh Uchiha, what have you done." Umino repeated, his eyes now filled with worry. "You trampled on bloodlines"
It was Itachi's turn to blink. Bloodlines?
"And I am not talking about the sharingan either.."
Silence filled the room. If Itachi would strain his ears he would hear the eep-ing of the pot as the tea comes to boil and he would smell the freshly picked herbs Hinata was brewing.
"Hinata was found in a basket full of cloth during the trading season. Her name was embroidered on the white cloth she was wrapped in."
It didn't explain the bloodline, Itachi thought but he continued to listen.
"I believe she was sent here by her father through his twin after finding out that she is blind. Hinata was to be heir of the Hyuugas but there is no blind Byakugan holder...the elders wanted to seal her but Hiashi made sure that his plan would work. He sent her here to spare her life. And you are here after so long years to tell me you want her back to Konoha?"
The old man's voice was soft and worried and the angry lines on his face suddenly were gone.
"I had to dye her hair every other month black so no one would notice but she is strikingly everything her mother looked like. She visited her every year until she died.."
Itachi's mouth were slightly gaping. What has he done indeed.
"But I respect your wishes more than mine. Your child, fortunately or not, might have quite eyes if to inherit both bloodlines - which I believe he would...just assure me you will protect both of them, would you?"
"I am the chief and the village healer - more than anything, I know Hinata was not born blind...the chakra it holds it far too strong than I ever felt. Uchiha, I leave their fate in your hands."
What has be done, indeed.