Trauma bonding creates instant connections, not always healthy though. I have been there.

Why Hinata? She is a criminally over and underused character. Always in the same way. I wanted to change that and she is a great character to use. I Think she is a great person to bond with and help Mika, she is also in need of help as a person I think her potential was never addressed in canon...

Also, I needed to add length to my story so I needed to use another character.

Plus Hinata is interesting.

Hinata was amazed as she fought Mika, after just a single fight the boy was almost never touched by her Gentle Fist strikes. He seemingly figured out her style entirely, only her superior speed and reflexes gave her an edge. When he allowed himself to move evasively, with his medical training, he was nearly as good as she was in taijutsu. His defense at least was that good, his offense was far less good but still very advanced for their age.

She could scarcely admit it, but she was enjoying herself as they fought, the first time she had ever enjoyed cobmat. There was no risk, like there was when she fought Hanabi, or when she sparred with Neji and his hateful self. She was free to try new things, to experiment, to go as hard or soft as she liked. Mika did not look at her with judgment or hate or cruelty or indifference.

"Great, that hurt." He said with pride. "Clever strike, very sneaky." And so on, each word placed with affection and kindness in such a way that it left her feeling warm and appreciated. She did not doubt herself for the first time. Sure Kurenai and her team were kind, but Mika was known to be judgmental and he was treating her like she was worthy and that made it hold more weight.

They sparred for over two hours, and Hinata barely felt the time pass, she was having so much fun!

Once they finished, Mika pulled her into a hug. "Thank you, Hime."

She flushed and hugged him back. "Thank you for... being kind and helping me. Not many people ever have."

He looked at her, not with pity, but sadness and anger, for her and not toward her. That only made her feel even better. "Let's go to the vets, they close in like two hours." And with that, they hurried away, rushing with Ninja speed. "So, Hinata, tell me about yourself. I sadly know little about you."

"Well,..." She started. "I have a little sister named Hanabi... I love her, she is so talented and strong, they are making her the real heiress over me."

Mika frowned. "Why you are insanely talented... wait, it's because of the Curse mark, isn't it?" She frowned. "I know about it as a medic, I was warned, all medics are, to not touch it when we are performing medical care less we set it off. They didn't say what it did, but I know that only branch members get it."

She nodded and admitted something she had never owned up to. "I... the seal is an evil thing, it enslaves the Branch Family. If I beat Hanabi, she will be branded. I cannot allow that... I... I would rather be a branch member than let her be one. I never go all out, she is still insanely talented though."

"I do not like the sound of that curse mark, we will talk about that... but first more about you, like what do you like to eat, what is your favorite color... anything. I love dumplings, I am considering going vegetarian, I am not interested in romance in any way, I want to be sterilized, I love purple and grey... stuff like that."

Hinata soaked in the words, warmed by his openness. "I love anything sweet, mostly cinnamon rolls. I love purple too. I want to be a mother, but I do not want them around my clan..." She squeaked out that last part, so warmed by Mika's unexpected kindness that she spewed out more than she intended.

Mika just nodded. "I am not shocked, if I had to deal with that Curse mark I would not want to deal with them either... what does it do?"

:::

Mika wanted to vomit as Hinata explained the Curse Mark, it was slavery pure and simple. Having a past of abuse and a natural hatred of any form of said abuse, Mika felt the urge to massacre the entire Hyuuga main branch out of spite, no matter how outmatched he was. In fact, he felt so hateful and disgusted, that he made an oath so strong it would change the very path of his future. " Hinata... I swear to you, as a medic and eventual sealer, I will get rid of that Curse Mark. It is my new goal now, I will dedicate myself to it entirely. I know you cannot do it, they would never let you, but I... I can." And he meant it, without reserve.

She looked at him, with warmth and love and light. "I... I know you are really smart, but... if you can do that, you would revolutionize my clan..." She frowned, then turned into pure determination. "I will do anything to help you, now and forever. No one has ever treated me with so much kindness, not without being forced to or being put into a situation in which they sort of have to... thank you for this."

It was hard to not smile at Hinata. "Any time, Hime..." They reached the Vet's about then, landing in front of it. It was just parallel to the Inuzuka compound, open to the public but still funded by that clan. Together they both walked into the walls where they saw a beautiful tall girl with red marks on her face. "Hello?"

The woman smiled at them. "Hello, may I help you?"

"Yes, this beautiful girl here is Hinata Hyuuga and she would like to start training to become a vet. She is on the team of one Kiba Inuzuka and wants to use her skills to become a medic and a Vet."

The woman smiled. "Kiba's my brother, that little runt is always talking about his team. I would be happy to have you, Hinata, but we need to assess you for the right skills. Come back with me. It shouldn't take too long."

And she was right, Hinata came out twenty minutes later, with a piece of paper and a mile wide grin. Not an ounce of meekness in her expression. "She said my control was fantastic, even for a Hyuuga and I have a good understanding of Anatomy, for humans and a great understanding of botany. She accepted me!" Hinata threw her arms around Mika, who hugged her right back.

"I am happy for you."

"I am training in healing Monday and Friday, and combat and tracking Wednesday. I asked her to make it then so I can spar with you and still work with my team. Also, She said you were right, my father has no say if I work as a vet, he can't even force a branch member out of the profession!"

That made Mika smile. "I love being right! I know you will be learning to heal animals, but I can show you to heal people too. I cannot wait to have a partner in this, in my journey as a medic. You will be fantastic Hinata, I just know it. I am glad that I saw you today."

"Same..."

And Mika realized that for the first time in the entire time he had known the girl, since they were eight, she was looking at him with nothing but happiness and not a single trace of meekness and doubt and self-loathing...

It was amazing what a few acts of kindness would do...

Mika had never been more glad to help another soul.

"I need to go now, I have a curfew." Hinata said. " But we can spar tomorrow. Thank you again, Mika... you... you have done more for me, in just a few hours, than anyone but Kurenai. Thank you for becoming my friend."

Mika nodded, then he leaned into Hinata and whispered something that would change the girl forever. "You are allowed to matter, Hinata, to have dreams and aspirations all your own. You are allowed to have your dream, it is in your hands... let yourself matter, and do not let anyone steal your dream. Be selfish for once, you are allowed to do that.., you are allowed to think of yourself, to matter..."

She pulled away and Mika swore he saw the change in her eyes and hopefully her heart.

"""

" A vet? Why?" Hiashi asked Hinata, coldness in his tone. They were in his office in the Hyuuga compound, he had been working on paper work before his eldest daughter entered the room.

Hinata, had it been just a few hours ago, would have cringed and cowered and cried... but now, something in her felt rebellious. A flame had been lit by Mika, a spark born from her love of Naruto and Kurenai's kindness. Mika was different than them, he didn't just inspire her, he tore her from her comfort zone and forced her into action. With a few small acts he had torn out the thorn of crippling shyness and self loathing and given her a real sense of hope. She had her dreams in her hands, and for once... for once she would not allow her family to tear away all she had.

For once, she would put herself first because she actually had a reason to fight for herself.

Standing as tall as she could, she imitated Mika's endless confidence. Without stuttering, she spoke to her father. "My Gentle Fist is good, but not at mastery. I need a skill set to better use the skills taught to me by my clan. We excel at Chakra control, I more so than most. Medical ninjutsu is a great path for me, and I am on a team with an Inuzuka, making being a veterinarian a better option to be useful." She gulped and focused on that spark, that roaring fire in her belly. One born of finally having her own dreams coming true and the kindness of a new friend. "I am smart, Father, my grades were always good. I am well educated, that helped me pass the Veterinarian knowledge assessment when most would have failed.

Being a vet will give me evasion training, medical jutsu training, better chakra control, and lessons in advanced forms of tracking, first aid, and taijutsu. There is nothing but positive here."

Her father looked at her with shock. "You are not stuttering."

She wanted to cringe, the words hit home far too hard, but she did not. "I... am trying, have been trying, to overcome my stuttering. It is not easy... the Vet training requires me to be strong for my patients, which is another reason I wanted to be a medic. I knew it would help me gain the confidence to do better. I am trying, Father."

Hiashi just nodded. "Very well, I will not stand in your way. If you were still the Heiress, it would have impeded your training but it will not longer be the case. You are permitted to continue as you have chosen to. You are dismissed."

She did not sigh or glare as she wanted, a fact that shocked her, she just left the room with a slight bow and hurried to her bedroom. The moment she entered her room,s she grabbed her pillow and squealed slightly into it. "I did it... I stood up to him, even a little... I... Thank you, Mika... and thank you Hana... and thank you me... " She said as she finished. " I can do this... I have my dream in my hands, and I will not let my father take it from me... I... am allowed to matter..." She breathed in through her nose. " I am allowed to matter. Being a vet, any form of medical ninja, is my dream. It will not hurt anyone for me to be one, so I am allowed do this. I... I will fight for me..."

Sitting back on her bed, she pulled out the scrolls Hana had given her and got to reading, finally ready to make her dreams come true. Finally ready to fight for more than just others, for everyone other than herself.

Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.

This was so much fun to write, I love Trauma bonding, Hinata was in such need of a friend and someone to tell her to be selfish that she bonded really fast to Mika.

Love, your Ninja Overlord,

Mika.