A/N: Thank you to everyone that read and reviewed. I appreciate it. I've been having this damn mental blocks (and I hate it -.-.) I really don't know how I updated last time and how I'm updating today… I can only thank for the motivation, I guess. Umm… It's just continuing from the last chapter, just a few hours later. Any questions, comments, or dislikes… don't hesitate to tell me.
Disclaimer: I don't own what Masashi Kishimoto owns, that includes Naruto and a nice pen. Hahaha. :I I wish I had a nice pen…
Naruto: Teenage Suicide
Chapter Seven: Burn and Break
It was still dark, the rain now calmly falling… thunder occasionally roaring, but none of that phased her.
Hinata stood, soaked to the bone, at the edge of the forest…staring. Staring at the house in front of her small body. Dreading…Fearing her return…to that place she called… home.
It looked so calm from the outside. It seemed so nice…almost perfect, but it was all a lie. It was her hell and she dropped her head as tears escaped her. Fear told her to run… to get away from that place…but she only stood still, crying as silently as she could. Knowing what would happen once she went through the door.
The rain began to stop…emitting only silence, such a dreary silence. She disappeared, heading quickly towards her doom.
Neji had watched her… studying her every move. How she stood, shook and cried. She was scared… petrified to return…and he could not blame her. As much as he wanted to, he could not blame her at all. His hand silently touched his neck as he deactivated his byakugun. Hiashi was to blame…Hiashi was the cause of it all.
Neji let out a sigh, listening to the rain stop…hearing but only small quick steps. His fist tightened, what was wrong with him? Why was he so concerned? She didn't matter to him…no, she didn't. So why couldn't he go to sleep? Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? He just wanted revenge, that's what he wanted…revenge…
He heard the door close and Neji let out another breath. He needed rest… and he stood up, momentarily getting caught in the silence… Just silence… She was so quiet…
In just a second, he felt his blood rush to the floor. His eyes widen in horror.
Hinata fell back, watching the flames grow. They were beautiful… just like he had showed her. Growing, consuming whatever they touched. Warming the room all to fast, but she didn't notice the heat… She was all to mesmerized by the dancing of the flames. Orange eating, reddish growing…vanishing all that was.
Then there was the smoke, rapidly building up. Dancing impart with the flames, polluting the air…as if relieving it off it's job. Her head felt light and pictures fell… What had she done? Her heartbeat pumped faster.
"No!" She tried to stand up… "Mom," The pictures turned to ash… "No," Tears fell, the heat trying hard to evaporate them in sight, "Wait, No.. Stop!" She screamed at the flames as she tried to extinguish them. What had she done?
She had betrayed them… She had betrayed her family and she felt ashamed. The guilt was growing…
The door fell and she wanted to hide…he would hate her for this… he would hate her.
"Hinata!" She jumped through the fire…through the bathroom door. She needed to hide, she had betrayed everyone and the shame was to much.
"Hinata!" She bent down in the tub, crying. What had she done? Please, don't let him find her!
"Hinata?" her eyes were empty and it scared him. He momentarily shook her, but time didn't allow more, the flames were growing. He looked down at her before quickly scooping Hinata up and jumping out for safety.
It took minutes to stop the fire from spreading, an hour in total to stop the fire…then the talking began.
"What happen?"
"The flames were started with a jutsu,"
"A beginner's jutsu, but a fire jutsu nonetheless,"
"Then it must have been an outsider,"
"Itachi,"
"He would of used a stronger jutsu,"
"Why did it start in Lady Hinata's room?"
"Maybe trying to get rid of our heir?"
"He must have been skillful to evade the guards,"
"It must have been him, that's their signature jutsu,"
"How about the younger one?"
"I don't think he's capable of such a jutsu,"
Hanabi left the council's babbling and walked towards Neji and Hinata. Hinata sat on the floor, eyes wide open in despair but no words. Neji bent down in front of her looking for any signs of a respond. No recognition and it burned his pride.
"What happen?" Hanabi asked looking rather unpleased.
"I don't know," Neji responded glancing at Hanabi then looking back at Hinata.
"You saved her??" It was more of a why question…and Neji sighed. He wondered who had filled Hanabi's head to hate Hinata.
"It's my job," Neji replied.
"Neji take her to the guest room and stay with her," an elder announced coming from the bunch of babbling councilman.
"Hai," and he lifted her on his arms again. Hanabi could only stare at her older sister…
He laid her on the bed carefully…staring at her hair. It was burnt up to her shoulders, half of it gone with the fire…and all he could do was but wonder. He looked down at her arms, they were red and scraped up, with burnt fingers.
"Stupid," he sighed walking towards the bathroom and getting some cream to bandage her wounds. He hated her, he hated her…so why did he save her?
He bandaged her arms first then down to her feet, carefully folding her pants up. He then cleaned her face, putting small band aids on the small cuts and scrapes… and through all of it, she sat still…like a forgotten doll.
It pissed him off to see her like this… to see her so lifeless...so broken.
"Damn it Hinata!" He slammed her against the headboard of the bed, "What happened?" and his heartbeat increased with her respond. Her eyes were filled with sadness and they momentarily stared into his soul, but her gaze lowered to his neck.
"Nii-san," she whispered her hand slowly touching his neck. He froze, the bandages from her fingers rough on his neck. It was so alienating to him…but it was her touch nonetheless,
"I'm sorry," she said tears escaping her, her hand on his chest.
It angered him…seeing her care for him. Why did she still care? It was not fair… why did she make it so hard? He slapped her hand away, anger evident on his face.
"Don't be," he hated her…he hated her…
He became a blur, walking towards the bathroom once again…She didn't mean to hurt anyone… She didn't want anyone to suffer…and her tears could not ease the pain.
He came back with scissors on his hand,
"Turn around," he commanded and she did as she was told, still crying. He pulled on her hair, watching her shoulders silently shake…but no sound of pain.
Fate was messing with him. Born into the branch house, forever to be caged…forever to serve Hinata… and there was nothing he could do. Fate was mocking him…but he would not let fate have it's way…he would follow his path without rebellion.
He clipped close to her neck…he saved her… Fate put her in his head… and she would not die. He could not blame her…but still, he was angry at her as he cut her hair.
The door opened and a council member stuck his head in,
"Okay, everything has been check…she'll spend the night here," and Neji left.
Hinata sat on her bed, dried tears now on her face. She looked at the mirror not to far away, the same hairstyle her mother had given her when she was four… the same hairstyle she had when she met Neji… the same hairstyle from the past.
Sasuke walked back to the apartment. Excitement was getting the best of him and he smiled as he walked through the door. She would be with him…once she was orphaned, she would be with him forever. He was sure she would do it…burn the house down… and he liked to think it would be just for him.
He entered his bathroom, undressing…her face was stuck in his head. Her soft delicate touch lingering on his face.
He fell on his bed, head still wet, now from the shower instead of the rain. Right about now the Hyuga should be burning in their sleep…she would be crying while the Anbu showed up. His smile widen…just thinking about her made his fingertips burn with excitement. He breathed in and out to calm his flaming nerves. He needed to sleep… he needed to act normal, so as not to rise the suspicions of the Hokage.
Hinata laid wide awake…the guilt still present in her heart. How could she have done that to her family… even if they hated her, she could not bring herself to do the same. She would never try to hurt them again. Her heartache was worst than before.
"I'm sorry mother…I'm sorry father," she buried her face on the pillow. 'I'm sorry Naruto,' and she bit her lip to avoid crying…
Naruto yawned…he would have to return to school today. It made him anxious just thinking about it. His gaze landed on the calendar hanging on his wall. It didn't matter though, their one month break and chance to graduate was two weeks away, and maybe he could take the test and leave the Academy behind. Maybe he could finally become a ninja and be recognized…accepted. He drew a circle on the last day before break…smiling. He would prove Sasuke wrong. He would get the village to accept him… he would be loved.
Kurenai arrived early, curious about some rumors she heard from some patrol ninjas. She stood by the gate guard of the Hyuga clan.
"What happened last night," she asked looking at the burnt side of the house. The guard stared at her for a moment and decided it was okay to tell her.
"A fire was started in Lady Hinata's room,"
"What? Is she okay?"
"She's fine,"
"Who did it?"
"We don't know yet…but the fire started with Goukakyuu,"
"The Uchiha are noted for that fire breathing jutsu,"
"We know, and we suspect Itachi tried to get rid of her,"
"But why?
"We still don't know,"
Kurenai staid quiet, watching Hinata come out of the house and running towards her. Her suspicions weren't at all on Itachi and much more on Sasuke though, but why did he want her dead? Was he really going psycho like Itachi?
"Sor-ry Ku-Kurenai-sensei, I wo-woke up a b-bit late," Hinata bowed.
"It's okay Hinata-chan. You look cute with your new haircut," she smiled at the petite girl, watching her turn bright red. But why Hinata?
"Th-Tha-ank you," Hinata looked down…her heart wanted to jump out of her chest. Why was Kurenai so nice to her? She didn't deserve it… she had tried to kill her own family…she had failed everyone… she didn't deserve happiness.
"What's wrong?" Kuranei asked as they walked out the door. Hinata's eyes suddenly looked sad.
"Ohm, uh…not-nothing…sorry," She bowed again.
"How about some ramen?"
"Hai, tha-nk you," and Hinata kept on following her sensei. She would not worry her sensei… she didn't want to worry the only person that was nice to her…
"Alright class, as we all know, summer break is coming up. The graduation exams will only be available to those on top of the class…also before break we will be having a survival week-end exam. This will help determine if you are ready for the graduation exam. Here are the forms that your parents or guardians must sign in order for you to go, other than that… let's start from where we left yesterday," Iruka announced… passing out the forms and raising his voice when chit-chat about summer break started.
Naruto looked down staring at the form on his hands… parents… His heart ached at the word. He then looked to his left, where Sasuke sat…staring at the paper as well. His heart raced… once again Sasuke was just like him, yet so different.
He watched Sasuke put the paper down and look back at Iruka… as if he didn't care at all… about anything. He looked back at the paper on his own hand and frowned… crumpling the paper up. He needed to take the damn test and he would be out. He would be free. Naruto laid his head on the desk watching the girl beside him scribble on her notebook. He would be accepted.
Hinata stood by the door…backed up against the wall. She stood alone, having told her sensei that it was fine for her to walk to class by herself. But now she stood, afraid to face the class… afraid to know Naruto's reaction to her haircut… afraid to see Sasuke and tell him that she had failed…always afraid. She slid down to the floor frowning.
"Did you get in trouble?" Hinata jumped at the sudden sound of a voice. She looked up, seeing a tall kid with dark glasses.
"n-no," Her voice was so small.
"Then why are you sitting out here?" he sounded so calm.
"I-I…" she couldn't finish…she didn't want to say it.
"You won't learn anything out here, come on," he said opening the door and entering. She stood up, staring at the floor. Her heart was so loud and she walked inside… sitting down and hoping that no one was staring at her.
Sasuke's eyes widen for a second…then he looked back at the sensei. He needed to act normal…he needed to pretend he didn't care. His chest tighten as her new image invaded his mind. She looked too cute for him not to stare at her… 'Focus, damn it…focus…' The minutes were killing him…taking hours for a second to pass. He needed a break…he needed a break.
"Iruka-sensei," He raised his hand and Iruka looked at him, "I need to use the restroom,"
"Alright," Iruka responded and Sasuke stood up turning her way.
A/N: Okay, I had to stop there…cause my brain hurts. I checked it once for any mistakes…so hopefully I got them all. I'll check it again when my brain is not killing me. Um… just want to address some things, yes Hinata learned the fire breathing jutsu… My theory (because I love her so,) is that she isn't weak at all. All she lacks is confidence… I think she has potential. Other reason why she learned it so fast is because it's my story xp hehehe. So yeah. Any questions or explanations…don't hesitate to ask.
Special Thank Yous:
DieEierVonSatanSatanBalls; I'm glad you think my story is good… I don't know why I don't have a lot of reviews, but thank you for reviewing.
and hinatalovesbadboys; I'm glad you like my story too. Thank you!
Other than that, thanks to everyone that reads too and much love… ELD
