Hyuuga Hinata and Uchiha Sasuke; similarities and differences. NOT a pairing fic. 20 truths format.
Warnings for Uchiha massacre spoilers, set pre-timeskip.
Rating: K+
1. Hyuuga Hinata grew up in a house with no walls. A house with no doors, only windows. Where everything was in full view, and everyone knew everything about you, about your life.
A house made of glass.
2. Uchiha Sasuke grew up in a house made of steel, a house with no windows, where everything was hidden behind layers of deception.
3. She was always overshadowed by her younger sister. He was overshadowed by his older brother. Both reacted in different ways.
4. She withdrew; he tried to stand out.
5. All eyes were always on her. Those of the main house sizing her up, asking themselves if she was worthy of being the heir to the clan. Those of the branch house wondering if she would join their number and inscribed with the seal all of them bore.
6. No-one ever watched him. Instead they watched his brother, watched the genius. Watched, but didn't notice as he began to change. No-one watched him, until it was too late, and they weren't the ones he wanted acknowledgement from.
7. She is not a genius. She never had the chance to be.
8. He is not a genius, either, only the child of pain and shock and death.
9. She was surrounded by people; now she is left on her own. She sometimes thinks she prefers it like this.
10. He was left alone, but now he is surrounded by people. The cluster around him, hang on his words.
He sometimes wishes they would just leave him alone.
11. She never watched him; he doesn't know who she is.
12. They wouldn't be particularly better off if they did, either.
13. When people try to make them lose hope, he lets go; she holds on tighter.
It's one of their most fundamental differences.
14. When she is quiet it is because she doesn't want to be put down if she speaks her mind.
15. When he is quiet it is because he doesn't care enough to speak his mind.
16. She never wanted to be perfect, never wanted to be the greatest shinobi ever, only to be good enough to protect everyone.
17. He wanted to protect everyone, too, but that dream has been broken far too many times and now all he can do is be perfect and hope that 'perfect' is good enough to kill his brother.
18. They have both been beaten down many times, in many different ways, and it is here that their differences are most apparent.
19. When they are driven to their knees, she always gets up again.
20. It's a talent he will never master.