Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

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TO CARE

"Onee-san..."

She sits on the edge of the bed. The plate on her hands was full with happy faced biscuits and she looks at them feeling helpless. When a guard of the Hyuuga gates told that her sister had finally, finally arrived from her mission last night, she couldn't contain the small smile that graced her features or the shine in her eyes. She missed her sister dearly while she was away on the long mission and in between her own chunning ones she would arrive at home with the hopeful felling of seeing her again, just to figure out she was still away. No letters or messages having arrived to hint that she was alright. Worries ate her away inside at night.

She hated to be left behind to the cold hallways of the Hyuuga. The tension in the house often being suffocating to her. At those times she would sneak away to train or figure out what Konohamaru was up these days. The annoying grandson of the 3rd Hokage had a way of making her forget her cold childhood home... she did not know why or how he did that, bit she was grateful nonetheless.

She hated the person she was when she was with her family. The perfect heir, she had been called. She was cold and ruthless. Growing up she was the next genius after Neji, stronger than her sister, the rightful heir. Having been considered a risk to pass her weakness to her younger sister, they had forced Hinata to isolate herself from her and in that she lost the only thing left of her mother. For a long while all she felt was emptyness and arrogance. But her sister never gave up on her and she would try to sneak in birthday presents, dangos at random days and sometimes she would wake up from a dream in the morning feeling warm, the sheets she always pushed aside in her sleep put daintly over her shoulders again, and a jasmine smell on the air. For a long time she made herself believe it was her mother who came from heaven to look after her, but in the years to pass as she grew closer with her sister despise the elders wish, she had to accept that the jasmine smell came from her.

So to see her like this, breathing painfully heavy, her wrist looking a bit swollen and small cuts could be seen all over her body...it made her heart ache. It was the path they chosen, to be ninja, but she knew her sister worked extra hard to keep her safe. To improve and keep having positive mission results meant that the elders were forced to recognize her as a candidate to be the clan leader, and in doing so both of them escaped another year of being branded. The reality of their house was a twisted and sad one for brothers and sisters.

Putting the biscuits aside on the bedside table, Hanabi puts a gentle hand over her sister head. She was not known for being gentle, but for her one-sama she could do many things.

Felling the pressure over her head and sensing the familiar chakra, Hinata opens her eyes with a small smile on her face. Greeting her sister with a late"Ohayou, nee-chan"

"Okaeri" answered Hanabi, removing her hand from her sisters head. "You should head to the hospital soon, nee-chan. I'm sure Sakura-san can fix those ribs fast for you. You shouldn't suffer more than necessary" she lightly scolded her sister.

"Aaa" Hinata agreed easily and stearing the conversation away from her she asked, "How's everything around here? I hope otou-sama is not giving you grief over your camaraderie with Kono-kun" Hinata giggles softly at the pout her sister mouth created.

"Nah, otou-sama has been too busy with clan affairs to notice were I go train or who I train with."

" Is something wrong, imouto?" Hinata frowns.

"Nee-san..." Hanabi frowns, her sister would know about it sooner or later, it would do her not good to hide it from her. "Hinari-san, daughter of the elder Homuto-sama... she has been b-branded" At her startled sister look, she quickly explained. "She was caught having an romantic relationship with a boy from a lesser clan, they aparently planned to marry in secrecy. They say she broke the Hyuuga's honor and in turn they could not trust her as a daughter of the main family anymore. Homuto-sama was the one to brand her himself."

Hinata covered her face with her hair to spare her sister of her surprise and the anger that that took her features. Getting a hold of herself she asked "And where is she? I hope you took care of her"

Hanabi makes an embaressed face and stare at her folded hands in her lap "She is distraught, but I placed her in the care of cousin Hajime and his family. They will make sure she does nothing... impulsive"

Hinata nodds and gets up with a little difficulty "You did what you could without getting in the elders way" She pats her sisters hand. "Do not get in their bad sides yet, imouto, when the time comes you will know when to rise above them"

Hinata rises looking away from her sisters confused face. It was not in her plans to include her youger sister in her thoughts of betrayal, because that is what they were to the main family, but the hurt her to see her so crestfallen. She knew she was thinking if it would be her next, cast aside to be a caged bird. To give hope was dangerous thing and still it was all that she had herself.

For now, she tought about the hidden scroll in her bathroom. It's content covered in some kind of jutsu, masking and mixing the words. But one thing made her steal it from all the others she delivered to the Hokage. The word Hyuuga seal, abeit out of order, caught her interest. Maybe, just maybe there was something there said about the Caged bird seal that could help her in her quest to free the Hyuuga.

"Nee, imouto... What do you say we visit Sakura-san at the hospital and go grab some sweet dango on the way back?" Her sister answering smile was all she needed to divert her thoughts to happier ones.

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Ahh I love the evolution of the relationship Hanabi and Hinata have. I couldn't help myself and had to write about them.

Hope you guys are enjoying :)