For The Good Of The Village

Ch 14 I Am Uchiha Sasuke!

It wasn't uncommon for Hinata to find herself in some kind of dilemma that required her to maintain a steadfast silence. In most cases, usually at home or during a mission, she found herself being a natural spectator. With Kiba and Shino, they were more than used to working great together, a well oiled machine that needed little encouragement from Kurenai to even really use Hinata in their day to day performances.

Sadly, this also left out any real use for the heiress in times of distress.

Now, however, she could see the team that held her beloved crush, Naruto, and the last Uchiha heir losing their team integrity. There was nothing she could do but watch.

Unless she decided to buck up and do something about it.

Exhaling...Inhaling...Exhaling...Inhaling...

Breathe, Hinata, she told herself, trying to find that strength that made her a Hyuuga, her mother and father's daughter. This isn't for you but for them. They need help.

Sadly, she didn't really know what kind to give or if she had it within herself to find the answers.

Where did she begin?

Braving that first step, she decided to go someplace where she would feel more comfortable and accepted. He was there, charging a tree at full speed, then placing his first step and then another onto its perpendicular plane to try and climb with only his feet...

...CRASH!

Again, just like the other few times, he was unsuccessful.

Grumbling and rubbing the back of his bruised head, Naruto glared at the tree like some defiant opponent that had to be conquered.

How does she begin to tell him she wants to mend whatever connection he had with Sasuke? How does she even begin to tell him that she was worried that the next battle they were going to get into could be their last? How does she even express that she was so scared that Zabuza and his minion were going to take her and Sasuke? They were going to do things to them...keep her locked away...then...

There would be men.

...then...

They would take her against her will.

...then...

She would be powerless, unable to stop them...they would...would...

...would...

"Hinata."

It surprised her that he had even noticed her. How long had she spaced out with him waiting for her to say something?

His voice broke through her hyperventilating pants, bringing focus back to her eyes when she saw him staring at her with a masculine domination that felt fear for whoever would deny him.

"I won't ever let anyone hurt you while you're on my team. I swear it."

He made her feel safe. It was so un-Hyuuga like to be so easy to read that Naruto was able to see her distress without even saying a word.

Her father would be disappointed.

"How could you tell, Naruto-kun?"

"Your eyes," He brushed the dirt off his hands, looking at her with a strange intensity. "You looked like you just saw your own ghost."

Swallowing whatever remnants of doubt she had, the nod of acceptance to his claim came easy enough.

It made him smile.

Seeing him ready to charge up the tree again, she spoke as loudly as she could without seeming unladylike.

"Ano..."

He stopped, waiting to hear what she had to say.

"What are you doing, Naruto-kun?"

He grinned.

He always grinned, at her, at Kakashi sensei, at anyone who would talk to him.

She liked his smile. It was always honest and heartfelt. What he was able to express on the outside, she wished she could express in her own soul.

"Training," he flicked his thumb at the tree. "Since Sasuke-teme and I aren't working well, sensei suggest we take some aggression out on old crusty here."

Without warning, she giggled into her fist.

It was cute, making Naruto smile warmly at the simple sound.

"But, as you can see, I'm not doing so good."

She cocked her head, her long locks of indigo hair at her temples shifting to the side, trying to encourage him to tell her more.

"I'm supposed to focus my chakra at my feet and measure the amount needed to stay on the tree without using too much to launch myself off or push my foot into the bark, but that's just not going so well. I know I'm making progress, but it's just," He growled at the tree, "I can't think! I'm just so," He went to swing a full blown hay maker at the tree, but stopped himself. Knuckling the thick bark, he sighed in frustration, "I'm just so angry."

"Naruto-kun," Hinata fidgeted, desperately wanting to find some words of wisdom or lecture about the need for a calm mind and body, but she was unable to do more than reach for him and grip his sleeve, hoping that little bit of contact was enough to express what she couldn't.

"I don't know what to say."

He patted her hand, giving her another bright smile, more to let her know he would be okay and ease her troubles.

Naruto always put other's worries before his own.

That's why she admired him so, so much.

"That's fine, Hinata-chan. Thank you for listening."

"Mph," She nodded, glad that he seemed to, at a minimum, feel a little more at ease.

He was about to move away from her, when an idea popped into her head.

"Naruto-kun."

"Eh, Hinata?"

"Use your hands."

He blinked at her, confused by what she meant.

Waving her free hand in front of her to try and clear up what she was trying to explain, she stuttered, "T-t-to climb the tree! Put chakra in your hands and in your feet! It's how we train in our clan."

Naruto considered her words, then, giving the tree a look as if it could confirm her claim, he asked, "But, Kakashi-sensei told me it would be harder to just use our feet, so we would eventually gain more experience by running up at the same time as we try and balance our chakra output-"

"B-but you're not at his level!" She blurted, but caught herself as soon as she said it. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean-"

As much as her words affected him, she saw the honesty hit him hard in his heart.

What had she done?

"You're right, Hinata, I'm not." Naruto sighed, looked at her and the hand that still touched his sleeve. "But...I'm not going to quit. You're not telling me to do that, right?"

Not trusting her own voice, she just shook her head.

"Does your clan really use their hands and their feet at the same time?"

She nodded, again deciding to keep her big mouth shut.

"Do I run?" He asked, looking at her for guidance.

"No," She braved a single syllable word.

"Walk?"

She nodded.

It sounded simple enough. Hinata could see the doubt crossing his face. The gears turned as he started with one hand and then the next, trying to pool chakra into his palms and place them over the tough bark.

"Measure the feel of it, Naruto-kun. Try to pull your hands away physically, but try and pull the tree to you through your chakra."

"Wah!" It was as if the magnetic pull of the tree had been charged, nearly smashing Naruto's palm an inch through the bark.

"Naruto-kun!"

Shoving both feet against the tree, he seemed ready to rip his own arm off just to get it off when Hinata's Byakugan flared. Taking a few point blank jabs at his arms, he fell off holding his wrist and elbow.

Releasing her Doujutsu, Hinata was already massaging his wrists gently, "Are you okay?"

"heh...too much?" He giggled in self depreciation.

Shaking her head, this was just another day of his antics that he carelessly brushed away.

"You have to be careful. You could have broken your wrist, your arm, even dislocate your shoulder-"

"I'm tough, Hinata-chan. See?" He flexed his hand, trying to hide the wince it was causing him.

She didn't believe him for a second.

"Too much chakra?"

She nodded, letting him explain the obvious.

He tried to push chakra through his hands, but wasn't able to. Looking at his appendage as if it was purposely trying to deny him what he wanted, Hinata 'eek'd', and quickly went to jabbing small points in different locations than what she had previously.

"Sorry, I closed your tenketsu's because you didn't seem to know how to relax your chakra output."

Another smile, this time it was filled with awe, "You're really cool, you know that?"

Unable to take his compliment seriously, she blushed, turning away from him shyly. "I just wanted to help."

Patting her shoulder, he offered her his warmest voice next to her ear. "And that's what makes you cool to me, Hinata-chan."

If she was brave enough, she would try and say something just as sweet. Instead, she just shrugged, unable to full absorb such heartfelt words.

"Show me how you do it in your clan? You know, the tree climbing thingie?"

"Oh, okay," She beamed, positioning herself next to him. Raising her hand as high as she could, she placed it just about a foot away from him. "Put it as high as you can, then try to apply chakra to the tree. When you feel you are comfortably attached, try to lift your legs out from under you. If you can hold yourself up with your hands, try placing your feet on at the same time. After that, try taking turns from your hands then your feet. Once you get this down, trying climbing with your hands and your feet. When you feel comfortable with that, try just your feet."

Naruto did as she instructed, putting one hand as high as he could, fuse his chakra to the tree and tried to lift his feet off the ground.

He fell.

Grumbling, he tried again, this time getting one foot off and then the other...he held it for a few seconds before falling again.

"Take your time, Naruto-kun," She encouraged happily. "You have to feel the tree under your hands, so that you can become a part of it as you are a part of everything you come in contact with. With your chakra, you can either empathize with it or you can destroy it. You have the power to do both. Just follow your heart and your mind."

Seeing her hang there with just one hand on the tree with her legs lifted, he giggled.

"What?"

"You look like a kid hanging from the monkey bars at the playground."

The mental image was a little undignified, so she covered her face with her other hand. "I do not!"

"I like the monkey bars!" he jumped onto the tree, catching the bark with his palm and held himself there. "See?"

Swinging close to her, he couldn't help but see how adorably expressive her eyes were. While he wanted the world to know what was on his mind or what he was thinking, she seemed like she wanted to cloak her feelings and hide them from everyone.

But why?

"You said you are from a Clan, right?" He placed his hand next to his other, unconsciously balancing the output to both and keeping a steady flow.

She nodded, mimicking his actions and putting both in place. Twisting, she touched her toes to the trunk and applied chakra. As if reading her mind, he did the same thing.

"Do you have a really big family?"

Blushing, she nodded again, slowly taking one hand off while applying enough chakra to keep herself rooted two feet at a time. Naruto followed suit, but blanched a few times, almost falling but kept himself glued through several trial and error attempts. One foot and then another, he was able to copy her.

"Yes," She fidgeted uncomfortably. "We have about two hundred and twelve members in my family."

"Whoa!" Naruto gawked at her, looking at her as if she was a part of some weird tradition, "That is a LOT of brother's and sisters!"

"Cousins! I have a lot of cousins!" She squawked, almost ready to hide her face at the implication her mother and father would have so many-

"Got'cha," He snickered.

She rolled her eyes at her naivete. Pushing herself off the tree, she stood parallel to the ground, hoping he would follow suit.

With one hand off and then another, Naruto reached out to grab her sleeve when he felt he was about to fall flat without her help.

"Just breathe, Naruto-kun." She chided, seeing he was on the brink of panicking. "If you fall, you will fall. If you stay, you will stay. Just stay as calm as you can and think of other things."

"Like being here with you, holding me up?"

I'm holding...Naruto-kun...

THUMP!

"Hinata-chan!"

That...hurt, She thought to herself, rubbing her face with her hands.

Naruto, realized her pride was more damaged than any physical injury.

He smiled teasingly at her. "Oh, Hinata-chan."

Dreading his reply, she turned to face him.

"What were you thinking about that made you lose your calm?"

Widening her eyes with a slight blush, she attempted to think of something to offer as a proper rebuttal. She couldn't tell him about what she was really thinking, so she decided to change the subject onto something that was bothering her.

"Why did you save that boy who was attacking us, Naruto-kun?"

She sounded worried, completely engrossed with what his answer would be that he got off the tree and sat down at its base. Patting the ground beside him, she accepted his invitation to join him. Sitting on her shins with her back straight and head held high, she waited for Naruto to answer her question.

It took him a while to formulate what to say, so, instead of watching him bunch up his nose as he tried to organize his thoughts, Hinata watched the endless expanse of sea in front of her.

It was almost like they were staring out into the world, watching the tides ebb and flow.

What she wouldn't do to enjoy moments like this with him forever and day...

"He didn't want to kill us, Hinata-chan."

"Eh?" Naruto had her attention now. "What do you mean?"

Digging his finger into the earth, he spoke again, calmly, earnestly, "He didn't want to kill us. When you and Sasuke were defeated, he waited for me to collect myself. He could have easily offed me right then and there, but he waited till I was ready. I felt like he was just being told to do something, but, if given a choice, he would rather not have. I felt...well...like he needed a friend instead of an enemy. He seemed lonely. I couldn't let him think that no one cared about him. Is that wrong?"

"Naruto-kun, he was going to kill you." Hinata reminded him, her hand reaching out to, again, grip at his sleeve.

"Yeah, he was," Naruto stared at her hand on his sleeve. It brought him a sense of tenderness he has rarely ever felt.

"In my clan, I know it would have been seen as a sign of weakness to let someone who has readily announced they were sent to end your life and let them live." With the mention of her own family, she thought about Sasuke's only family at this point in time. "I think Sasuke was brought up the same way."

Naruto and Hinata stared at the other, reading each other's own internal struggle. Finally, it was Naruto that broke their prolonged silence.

"Would you have killed him, Hinata-chan?"

"I-I don't think I could have even if I wanted to, Naruto-kun, but, no, I wouldn't have." She answered miserably, chewing her lip at the reminder of her own failure.

This, however, made him smile.

"See?" He winked at her, giving her a playful thumbs up. "You and I are alike."

The blush that tinted her cheeks was quite striking. "I g-guess so."

"Hey, Hinata-chan,"

"Hmm?"

"Can you show me how to walk on water like you did earlier?"

Feeling the warmth of his request stir inside her chest, she gave a simple nod. "Of course I can, Naruto-kun."

xxx

Kakashi had called everyone to eat and let them know they were going to receive Team Guy in about a day or so. Surveying the stiff turn of heads purposely staring away from each other, Naruto and Sasuke were reflecting there wasn't much repair done.

Deciding it was time for Naruto to cover the bridge builders, Sasuke went to train on his own. Kakashi had left him with a few instructions on how to tree walk along with some suggestions on how to try and fix things with his hyper team mate.

Sasuke thanked Kakashi for the instructions on how to improve but said nothing when it involved Naruto.

Hinata was helping Tsunami with the dishes, when she felt it was part of her duty to check on Sasuke. While her heart and mind wanted to go spend whatever time she had with Naruto or even focus on training, she couldn't help but think that if she could somehow find a way to mend whatever bonds her Naruto-kun and Sasuke had, it would be a marked achievement and something she could leave as a farewell gift for him.

Excusing herself from Tsunami's kitchen, she trailed off to find Sasuke.

It wasn't hard to do, considering he was at the same spot her and Naruto were training not so long ago. Dashing at the tree in front of him, he made remarkable progress, getting half way up the tree before slashing at it, showing where his last attempt ended.

As much as she hated to say it, Sasuke had done a significant amount better than Naruto had when he first started.

However...

Looking at his second and third attempt, Sasuke may have initially surpassed him on his first tries, but Naruto gradually surpass him, though it did have to include his technique was quite different than Sasuke's. While he may not be running up the tree or using just his feet, Naruto was getting farther up than Sasuke was.

She enjoyed a selfless glow in knowing that Naruto to have surpassed the year's prodigy in an area that would have normally been Sasuke's strong suit.

"I'm not going on a date with you." Sasuke grumbled when he landed near the base of the tree, not even face her.

Hinata wanted to tell him that she had no interest in him in any way, but, alas, she decided to not say anything. It would have been rude to put if she was to say how ridiculous the idea was to her.

"I am not seeking one, Sasuke-kun."

She tried to approach him, letting him know that she would like to talk to him, but he rebuffed her with a snort.

"Then why are you here?"

Opening her hands to her side, she made a helpless gesture. "I just thought you could use some company."

"Why?" He gripped his kunai in his hands, looking at his last attempt as if it had some how mocked him. "Can you help me find a way to make it easier to kill my brother?"

Hinata knew Sasuke wanted to murder someone, but it was never really clear to her whom. Now, after his own admission, she decided to keep it to herself that she could never, in a million years, consent to the idea that she would hurt her own family member.

Neji, her nii-san, quickly came to the front of her mind. While she would not wish him injured in any way, she was positive that if he had the opportunity and the chance, he would end her life without batting a Byakugan eye.

"No," She admitted.

"Then you are useless to me," He dismissed her, refocusing his attention to the tree, trying gauge how he should improve from his last attempt.

Seeing Naruto's team mate become further and further apathetic towards her and everyone else, she had to ask the one of the many things that was bothering you, "Were you really going to kill Naruto, Sasuke-kun?"

Now she had his attention. "Do you believe it is the life of a shinobi to kill and to die?"

Hinata thought it was rather unthoughtful to answer a question with a question, but she decided to reflect how a Hyuuga would be in the face of another elite clan like the Uchiha. "According to our clan, we are the best in all we do. In that, we are to be the best in any mission that is required of us from our Village and our Clan. Nothing is more important than the reputation of my family, Sasuke-kun."

"Are you claiming that you are superior to me, Hyuuga?" Sasuke growled, squaring his shoulders at her.

Hinata hunched away from him, finding a tree to hide behind.

"N-no! I was j-just saying th-that our clan would agree with you! A-as a sh-shinobi, we have to k-kill or b-be killed! So if we h-have to kill, then be th-the best! I-if we h-have to d-d-die, then do it with honor!"

"Hmph," Sasuke turned away from her, appeased that she was not trying to challenge his clan with her own. "Good."

Hinata found no camaraderie bonds being made with him like she had with Naruto, Kiba or Shino. If anything, she felt Sasuke had a need to dominate her, put her in her proper place.

Just like everyone else in her Clan. He would have made a great Hyuuga.

"I want to make one thing clear, Hyuuga Hinata," Sasuke hissed at her, flicking a kunai at the tree she was hiding behind, deliberately coming within an inch of her hand.

She yelped fearfully, hiding her self further in her jacket, tucking herself, and her hands, behind the tree.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke. THE Uchiha Sasuke. I am the last of my clan, the heir to the most elite clan that has ever existed. Neither you, nor Naruto, nor anyone else will ever be my equal. Right now, as we speak, I'm letting you all be on the same team as I am until a better one comes along or Kakashi-sensei can see my true worth and pushes the Hokage for me to become a Chuunin. From there, I will enter ANBU to become a real killer, not just someone who paints fences or chases cats!"

He rounded the tree, screaming at her, "Above all, I will seek out a suitable kunoichi to be the mother of my child when I am ready and not before!"

Hinata couldn't talk, couldn't move, couldn't do anything more than want to cry. With tears falling from the side of her face, all she could do was nod her head, understanding that Sasuke, above anything else, did not want her help...

...and, finally, when his last bark caused her to fall, with her hands in the air defensively, he threw himself at her, gripping the front of her jacket and bringing her face to face with him, yelling at her, "Do you understand me, Hyuuga!"

"Y-y-e-"

"I AM Uchiha Sasuke and I will tolerate you until you, Naruto, or anyone else gets in my way! Tell that baka the next time he gets in my way, I WILL KILL HIM! Got it!"

...or anyone else's.

Trying to keep the hiccups from leaving her mouth, she nodded, so eagerly that her bangs bounced with the movement.

Throwing her down, Sasuke exhaled slowly. Watching her, a Hyuuga, the heiress of the Main House, squirm away from him made him feel taller, stronger. He had this power over those weaker than him and could instill it more if he wanted to.

If he wanted to, he could end what little spirit she had.

He wouldn't, though, he needed her...for now. She made an adequate team mate and, had it not been for her, they would have had more trouble with their enemy if she wasn't with them.

For now, she had a purpose, but that was, by any means, no reason to let her believe she was his superior let alone his equal.

Anyone who was crying, like she was now, could hardly be a threat to him. If all Hyuuga were like her, he wondered how such a prestigious name like his family's could ever consider her's to be on par with his brother, his father, even those uncles and aunts who didn't make the cut.

"How can you just sit there and do nothing?" Sasuke spat, annoyed beyond words that this girl had done so well against the Jounin Zabuza, the Demon Brothers, and that one unknown, but, in front of him, she was a squalling mass. "Is this what you can reflect of your Clan? Are the Hyuuga so weak that you are what Konoha has to show for as an Elite?"

Her snuffles become quiet hiccups.

"Your clan must be ashamed of you."

Sasuke watched her get up, slowly backing away so that she could find another tree to hide behind.

"Th-they are...Sasuke-kun," Hinata stuttered through her broken voice, mumbling as cautiously as she could, hoping not to earn his ire again. "I w-won't deny...it. Y-yes...you're strong, Sasuke-kun, but I h-hope you realize that h-had it not been for Naruto-kun or myself...we would have lost."

Hissing out loud, Sasuke growled, "I made the mistake of worrying for you and Naruto. I won't let that happen again, Hyuuga."

Hinata flinched. Wiping her eyes, she understood there was no reason to try and talk to him anymore. "I'm sorry for being a burden to you, Sasuke-kun. I just wanted to see i-if I could be y-your friend. I th-think, even the strong need friends. However, I guess I don't really know anything at all. Neji nii-san looks at me...just as you do. Please, forgive me. I won't bother you again."

Walking backwards, she waited to see if she could trust Sasuke enough to turn her back on him.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke called out, making her worry that she was about to be on the receiving end of a kunai.

"H-hai, Sasuke-kun?"

"Is your Nii-san stronger than you?"

"He was last year's top prodigy of all Genin," She answered simply, stating nothing more than the facts of her cousin's title.

This brought a smile to Sasuke's lips.

"Good," he turned back to the tree he had been climbing. "If you want to serve any purpose to me, Hyuuga, then bring me your 'nii-san' so I can crush him."

Hinata shook her head, answering him in his smallest voice, "You can not beat him, Sasuke-kun. He is not just my superior as a Genin, but also as a Hyuuga. He is the epitome of what I should be."

Sasuke simply smiled. "It wouldn't be a real success if it was easy."

Hinata shook her head, wiping at her eyes again. "It would be in your best interest not to fight-"

"We're done talking, Hyuuga. Just go, already."

Exhaling a shuttering sigh, she nodded. "Kakashi-sensei requests that you come by to eat. Please, do so soon. It will get cold."

"Hn," Sasuke scoffed under his breath, but it was something Hinata did that made him revert his focus from the tree to her.

Instead of rushing back to Tazuna's house from the sandy path she had originally taken, the Hyuuga heiress took the most direct path...

...through the rolling waves that lead to the piers.

"Tch!" He growled, looking away from the very subtle reality.

The weak Hyuuga that he just cowed exceeded in the basics of his shinobi skills. While he was still trying to learn how to climb trees, she had proficiently been able to run across water with no difficulty.

Taking off at the tree in a run, he swore to himself that he would outperform her the next time they met.