Authors Note:

Hello you lovely folks! So here i am with yet another story, this one is going to a long one, just like my others. I don't know for shit, how to write short stories, i'm yearning for someone to come along and direct me on that regard xD Anyways, It's a slow-burn and just a heads up; it will be a dark and gritty tale in some regard, I won't tone the drama down for this one. Any story with Sasori as one of the main caracters, sure as hell won't be a soft one. Critics are welcomed and any suggestions and advice will be greatly needed, as always. So without further ado, happy reading!

Devil's Breath

Chapter 1

It had been summer and she specifically remembered how the grass felt beneath her feet. It was a special kind of feeling that washed over her. The feeling of freshness and life. As a way to anchor herself to that moment, she made sure to savour the feeling. Hinata stood there in the summer air, digging her toes into the green grass. Dirt gathered itself up under her nails and the soothing dampness cooled off her bare feet. It had rained during the night and the proof was in the pudding. Aside from the wet ground, she could feel it in the air, smell it and taste it on her tongue. She'd heard it too, it kept her up half the night, smattering and pattering against her window. Hinata had been aching to go outside and dance around in the garden.

The garden had been her only choice for such a long time, she didn't know anything else. She wasn't allowed to go anywhere else, at least not alone. Due to this rule, she'd never been outside of Konoha's walls, not even once and walking around in the village was just as rare. However, this rule had been stretched since she'd met Kamichika Haruko. The girl was six, a year older than herself. She had long hair, the colour of mandarins, a wild look in her green eyes, freckles on her sunburned nose and a missing tooth. She was everything Hinata wasn't and maybe that's why they were best friends. Or maybe it was because they both didn't have any other friends to hang out with. They had each other and that's what mattered.

Haruko had just enrolled in the ninja academy a few months back, something she liked to boast about. Still, Hinata loved listening to her tales about the different jutsu's they were learning about. It just made her all the more exited for when she herself was supposed to be enrolling, which is next year. Haruko always dragged Hinata along for whatever adventure that crossed her mind. Playing tag around the Hyuga compound, hide and seek in the village or maybe just relaxing in the sun, looking at the clouds.

This time was different however. Hinata was originally going to spend the afternoon with her mother, arranging flowers in the garden and drinking tea. Only, it never really came to that, her mother had been very tired and had to go to bed early. Hinata was young but she wasn't an idiot. Her mother had been sick since her little sister came into the world and sometimes that sickness acted up and made her weak. She remembers her mother's pallid features. Her face, contorting into a pained expression and her whole body shook as she coughed. Pale and frail, she would assure Hinata that everything was fine but she couldn't play with her this time.

"Next time," she would tell her with a sunlit smile and weary eyes.

After that, Haruko had appeared out of nothing it seemed, knocking on her window. The six-year old promised her a great adventure to lighten her mood and now, Hinata was beginning to question whether or not it had been a good idea in the first place. At first, it was fun and thrilling to sneak past the guards while they were on their break. It had been exciting to finally see -at least- a small portion of the fire country. Haruko said they were going to look for fairies and if they were lucky, maybe even catch some. Her mother and he maid Reiko-san usually told her tales of the flying little people before she went to bed. The thought of actually seeing them in real life made her jumpy with enthusiasm. However, Hinata had hesitated at the gates though, remembering her father's scornful and stern gaze.

Nevertheless, she determinedly pushed her worries away and ran like a small, black and white animal towards Haruko. Holding hands, they sprinted through the high grass, trying to desperately muffle their childish giggles. The forest mapped out before them, dense and enigmatic. The deeper they went, the more greener it seemed to get. The trees went on forever and she couldn't see the sky anymore. Thick branches reached out, entwined and twisted. A protective blanket of leaves covered the skies and different shades of green were lit up by the creeping sunbeams. Now she understood where their village got their name from. The nature seemed almost magical and she would be surprised if they didn't find any fairies here.

They spent -god knows how long- running around, rolling down small hills, picking flowers and climbing trees. All the while, determinedly keeping an eye out for the small flying creatures. Soon, mud covered their hands and knees, leaves and small twigs stuck out of their hair and Hinata had finally calmed down. She sat in serenity on a moss-covered rock, making a flower crown. Her toes dig neatly into that special, special grass as water dripped down from the leaves above, making a peaceful drip drop noise as it hit her forehead. Haruko (who had been utterly crestfallen when they hadn't come across at least one fairy) had wandered off, trying to see if maybe some where hiding away in the rabbit holes they'd come across earlier.

Hinata whose feet were hurting, was completely fine where she was and decided to simply wait for her friend to come back. That was a mistake. She had been sitting there for some time now and Haruko seemed to have completely disappeared. Hinata had been so deep into her thoughts that she hadn't realised how much time had passed. When she did however, she could practically feel her father's enraged eyes on the back off her neck, burning her, scolding her. Why wasn't Haruko-chan back yet? Had something happened? She swallowed thickly and something frosty coiled itself in her stomach. It creeped up to her dry throat and everything suddenly felt so wrong. She's probably only taking her time, getting distracted by all sorts of things... surely...

Reassuring herself didn't exactly work and soon unshed tears stung her clear eyes. Her father told her once that she shouldn't be crying so much so she bit her lip and held them back. Her fingers clamped down on the crown of petals in her hand and she rose to her feet. She figured that if she just walked in the direction Haruko left in, she'd come across her in no time.

"Haruko-chan!" She called out to the empty forest, noticing with alarm that the sun was beginning to set.

And so, Hinata trudged on, shouting the redhead's name over and over again, high-pitched and desperate sounding. Although her voice was heavy with sobs, she didn't let one tear fall, at least not yet. Leaves and twigs rustled and snapped under her sandals and she pressed her flower crown close to her chest, as if to protect it from something. Her eyes narrowed in concentration as she tried to remember where exactly the rabbit holes had been.

Hinata walked and walked, in circles it seemed because she could've sworn that she'd seen that tree before, that rock and those bushes. Everything looked the same to her and she didn't know how much longer she could keep the tears at bay. They threatened to spill over, flooding her face and washing her away. Her eyes blinked away the blurriness in order to scan her surroundings. A flash of auburn hair, a loud voice full of mirth, anything really.

"Haruko-chan, where are you!?" she kept calling out, her girly voice shrieking through the woods.

She didn't know how long she had been walking like this, shouting her name again and again like a broken record. Her feet ached and her voice was hoarse from all the screaming. Panting heavily, she sank down under a tree, huddling up against the harsh bark for some kind of comfort. Staring expressionless at the flower crown in her hands, she numbly put it on her head. It was a tad too big and sank down to her eyebrows but it still fit. With trembling fingers, she slid off the little backpack, she'd brought with her. Inside were a bottle of water and two apples, just in case she got hungry.

Haruko had insisted on taking something with them since fairy hunting could be exhausting. Hinata didn't know how her companion suddenly became an expert at the subject of fairies but she didn't question her. It seemed so fun at the time, like a picnic. Now however, she just stared blankly at the red apples, not feeling hungry at all. She did pick up the water bottle though, since she had a sore throat. Taking only a few sips, she closed the lid again, not wanting to drink it all. Instead of putting it back in her bag though, she merely held it in her hands, clutching it tightly.

Hinata looked then down on her clothes and she felt even more miserable. Her sundress had dirt all over it and was completely ruined. Her mother would be so disappointed in her... if she ever get to see her again. The horrid thought that she may never see her family again, set something loose in her. She looked up just in time to see everything melt into each other, becoming blurred like messy watercolours. It began with small gasps and sniffles. Then it turned into sobs that shook her entire body, it morphed into wails and soon her whole face was drenched with salt, her nose red and cheeks flushed.

She couldn't remember the last time she cried this much... She didn't care what her father said. Hinata wept and wept until there were no tears left... which took awhile. She curled into a small ball, her knees firmly pressed up to her chest, head buried in her arms as they wrapped around her legs. The water bottle might as well crack under the pressure of her clammy fingers. She stayed like that for god knows how long but eventually a sound woke her up from her tormented and trance-like state.

It was the noise his feet made as he walked towards her. Crunching and snapping, the sound of life. Hinata slowly snapped out of her self-pity, she carefully looked up, her eyes bloodshot and cheeks tear stained. She was afraid that it would be a dangerous animal, coming to eat her alive. Like the wolf from little red riding hood. It might as well have been. It was a young adult... maybe...? He looked young but something about his eyes and told her otherwise. His eyes reminded her of some of the elderly clan members, they seemed deep and knowing.

They held a stunning almond colour, a light brown hue that reminded her of chocolate milk. He had slightly disheveled hair, reaching down to his neck and brushing his ears. It was pure red and not orange like Haruko's. It looked like someone had melted rubies in his locks, staining them in a clear blood-red colour. It stood out against his tanned, bronze skin. All in all, he was very pretty aside from the mud he was caked in... well it wasn't that bad but it sure looked like he'd been in a vicious fight recently. Well she herself wasn't exactly clean either... Hinata bit her lip, worried that he may actually be someone dangerous. Like the wolf.

"H-hello..." she hesitantly said, amazed that she didn't stutter as much as she usually does.

He just stared at her, his eyes calculated and brows furrowed. He was obviously a shinobi, given the scrolls hanging by his hips and the kunai's in his belt. He even had a long, sheeted sword, hanging still by his side. Even though she hadn't attended the academy yet, she knew about the basics since pretty much her whole clan consisted of them. The man before her wore a light brown flak jacket, only a little similar to the ones in Konoha. He had bandaged arms with fingerless black gloves and dark pants with black sandals. He didn't seem to be from the leaf village, not even close.

"A-are you...alright...?" her meek voice rang out like a whisper, barely there at all.

It was still hoarse from all her crying. He stayed silent and she was starting to become very nervous. Why wasn't he saying anything? Could he maybe be mute? Her wide seashell eyes locked with his brown ones, still full of tears. Suddenly, the wilderness rustled beneath his sandals as he moved. He took several large strides towards her, never looking away from her eyes. Hinata felt frozen and deep feeling of unease settled itself in the pit of her stomach, coiling around like a snake. Everything just felt so disturbing, the man actually didn't look quite... right.

Crouching down in front of her, he reached out and swiftly plucked the water bottle from her grasp. She got a whiff of his scent and it reminded her worn out candles, something smoking, giving away a leathery smell. Like earth, ink and old parchment... and like wood. It was a strange smell that seemed to belong more in a library than on a person. She stared at him with a peculiar look as he opened the lid and proceeded to wet his face with the cold water before taking a big gulp of it. His actions had startled her and she tried to hide it but failed miserably.

Now that he was closer, she could make out a ring of a reddish maroon colour, circling around his black irises, like a snake biting its tail. It mixed his eyes into a very unique colour, one she hadn't seen before. They seemed to whisper of unspeakable things, like a very old and secretive book. He had to be older, maybe not an elder but still quite old. Maybe like her parents or older cousins? Hinata had always been a keen observer, even at such a young age. It's what happens when you grow up with a clan of mistrusting people with all their ulterior motives and higher expectations. This did not make her wise though, or even particularly smart.

"What's your name, girl?" his voice was smooth and soft like silk. It rang like a bell in her ears and she felt compelled to answer it.

"Hinata," she carefully said, the words coming out surprisingly fluid.

"Hinata..." he slowly repeated, like he was tasting the word as it's syllables rolled of his tongue.

His lips curled into a small smirk. "You're a Hyuga right?"

It was a rhetorical question since he didn't wait for her answer, nonetheless she was a bit surprised.

"Your eyes are a dead give away." He made a small gesture towards her large pupil-less orbs and Hinata suddenly felt stupid for not thinking about that earlier.

He closed the lid and handed the bottle back to her, now half empty. "Thanks for the water, it was greatly needed."

She nearly reminded him that she hadn't exactly offered it to him in the first place but quickly changed her mind, not wishing to displease him.

"Y-you're welcome," she gently murmured out, putting the bottle back in her bag."Um... may I know your n-name?" she continued, shyly looking up at him.

She could see a faint reflection of herself in those maroon eyes and it was hard to look away. Their beauty transfixed her, one could say. He was quiet for a while as if pondering on something and then he finally said: "Sasori."

She nodded at that, not pushing him for more information. Remembering her mother's lesson in politeness, she kindly smiled at him.

"Ah... it's nice to meet you, S-sasori-san."

She suddenly felt self conscious, what if he had seen her crying? Biting her bottom lip, she pushed away the ominous thought and instead reached out her small hand as a greeting. His gaze sunk down from her eyes, following the movement of either her compulsive lip biting or her outstretched hand, she wasn't so sure. He slipped off his glove and just took a hold of her fingers, shaking them lightly. Hinata expected him to let go of her hand then but was soon proven wrong. He raised her slim hand to his lips, giving her a small kiss on her pale knuckles. It went by quickly but by the time he'd let go of her hand, she was already blushing. Her cheeks turned into a rose-red colour and she actually felt giddy as he put the glove back on. No one had ever done that before and it made her feel special, like someone actually cared about her besides for her own sick mother. Something fluttered around in her stomach like butterflies.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lady Hinata," he said smoothly, eyes twinkling at her almost mischievously.

"Ah...erm j-just call me Hinata..." she stammered out in a childish voice, her face red like his hair.

"It is only right to call a pretty girl from a noble clan, a lady." He raised an eyebrow as if it was glaringly obvious. "But I guess I could merely call you 'Hinata' if you will it," he added as an afterthought, abiding politely to her wishes.

He was too polite but that's not something she would pick up on. She wouldn't pick up on his pandering either, after all she was only five. His face changed drastically to something more serious then, but it never lost its soft touch.

"May ask you why you were crying, Hinata?" he asked her in a soft, coaxing tone.

Her face grimaced in a distressed expression. Shame hung heavy on her shoulders and she looked down at her feet. Just thinking about the situation she was in made her want to weep once more.

"Ah... I-I'm lost, I think... I can't find my way back to the v-village."

He lower lip wobbled dangerously and her small teeth clamped down on the pink flesh.

"What were you doing out here in the first place?" he prodded with false patience that the little girl failed to detect.

"I was... with a friend. We were out exploring, looking for fairies..." Her eyes widened suddenly, as she realised something. "H-her name is Haruko, she has red hair like mandarins and g-green eyes. She is very loud as well... have... have y-you seen her?" her words came out in a rush and her eyes shone with hope for her missing friend.

"No, I'm afraid I have not, Hinata." He sighed. "But I am going to take you back to your village seeing as I'm heading towards Konoha as well. I'm more than positive that your friend will be there waiting for you." He assured her, watching as her face fell slightly only to loosen up a little at his confident words.

He rose to his feet then, towering over her shrunken form. He held out a hand for her to take and she joyfully took it. He was the forbidden fruit, the maw of the wolf and she, the little lamb had just skipped right into it. All of her worries, were blown away by now and she looked up at him with something close to admiration in her white eyes. He took her hand in his larger one, rough gloves engulfing her baby skin. Hinata felt strangely safe. The forgotten bag, were left behind as they disappeared into the trees. Though, not quite in the direction of the village... then again, she didn't notice that.