A/N: TRIGGER WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MENTIONS OF SELF HARM!

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!

This is where we see Itachi and Hinata really connect. It's kind of dark but tbh it'll get darker from here on out.

When Angels Fall

Chapter Twelve

Push & Pull

"Hinata-sama isn't feeling well today." The older branch house Hyuga gave him a downcast smile, expecting that to be the end of their conversation, as it had been for the previous three days.

However, Itachi was not leaving it at that. The frustration of the past few days mounted at this point.

"Will you take me to her? I'd like to speak with her," he asked politely, although he couldn't quite get rid of the hard edge his voice took.

The woman gave him a nervous glance before sighing and stepping out of the door way to close the door behind her. Curiously, he watched as she left the main house and lead him down the side. A simple stone path towards the looming tree-line on the outskirts of the Hyuga compound and down a small hill. It was probably about thirty feet behind the main house, almost hidden behind the shadows of the trees, a small house identical to the others in the Hyuga compound. This one was alone, the stone of the building lined with flowers and vines. The windows were covered by thick curtains, no light coming out or going in.

Once they reached the door, the woman knocked before turning the handle. It was locked.

Defeat in her eyes, she looked up to the ANBU captain. "She's been like this ever since returning from the mission."

Itachi knew she was probably sulking but he didn't think it was this bad. In his mind, she was acting like a child. Locking herself away and shutting everyone out as to not deal with the problem at hand. Without anything left to say, Itachi nodded to her and the woman took that as her sign to leave.

He tested the handle for a second. Still locked. Reaching in his kunai pouch, he pulled one and carefully placed it in the key hole. Hm, it was too thick. Unfortunately, he didn't carry any senbon when not necessary.

The rattling must've caught Hinata's attention because a muffled voice was suddenly softly speaking, "Ume-san, please leave me. I'll eat, so don't worry-"

For some reason, the lingering irritation tingled in the back of his mind when she said that. Was she not eating? Now he was getting angry. What kind of ninja was she, that she holed herself here and made everyone worry about her? Made him worry about her wellbeing? Ignoring that troubling thought, Itachi went back to the task at hand. Chanelling a small amount of chakra into the door knob, it give way with a sharp crack. It didn't stand much chance when he nudged it open.

The inside wasn't much to look at. The walls were a soft color, some pictures hanging of Team Eight and Hinata's family, immediate and extended. In front of him was a low table, with an aging tea pot and matching cup. The cold tatami mat floors had a few sitting pillows on them, although only one was near the table. To his left, was the modest kitchen, only the necessities in there, shrouded in darkness.

A cold gust of wind came from the open window above the sink, the only view was the imposing forest on the opposite side. Those long locks of dark, dark plum fluttered on the edge of his vision. Hinata was standing just to the side of the sink, facing away from him.

Coming to the doorway, Itachi took in her appearance. Her petite form was engulfed in a large dark sweater, almost totally swallowing her. If it wasn't for her sharp intake of breath, he wouldn't have noticed her equally dark shorts. That sweater must've been her father's or another male family member seeing as it did not fit her properly. Uh oh, why was he hyper focused on her state of dress at this moment?

Finally, as if acknowledging him, Hinata spun on her heel, pearl eyes wide when she realized he was not, in fact, Ume-san. "I-Itachi-san?"

With her face in full view, his quick eyes managed to catch how red hers were, tears at the corners while her cheeks were flushed. Quickly, she ducked her head and wiped at her eyes. He didn't have the heart to point out that wasn't a good thing to do, especially for doujutsu users such as themselves.

"W-What are you doing here?" Her eyes met his again, only to drop back to the ground. He felt her nervousness slide off of her in waves. Her fingers gripped the end of her sweater, teeth biting on her bottom lip.

This was a different Hinata than the one from before the mission.

He took a step forward but paused when she immediately backed up, the counter top stopping her.

The air around them felt heavier. Cold.

"Why are you here?" She asked again, voice sounding slightly panicked.

Fear. Of him? His chest suddenly felt numb.

He didn't like how this was turning out. All the same, he made sure his voice was gentle, "I'm here to talk."

Her head shook back and forth forcefully, "No, I don't want to talk. Please, just leave."

Itachi felt his jaw clench. No, now was not the time to start an argument with her. Internally, he berated himself for not intervening days ago. If he knew how much she was breaking, he would've stepped in sooner.

Seeing her eyes try to conceal the acute panic and hesitance forced him to take a different approach. Giving her space, he noted that her fingers relaxed, although her shoulders were tensed. Defensive.

Feet taking him to the low table, he picked a cushion and sat at the table. Low to the ground, unimposing and non-threatening. He understood being much taller than Hinata might only agitate her fragile state.

She didn't take the bait too easily, moving hesitantly to the spot in the doorway of the kitchen where he once was. "Please, Itachi-san, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here..."

"Why not?" His voice was neutral, steady.

Hinata took a step forward, but chose to keep her eyes on the thin fingers poking out from the long sleeves of the sweater. "What if I..." Long hair fluttered around her like a dark halo when she shook her head again. "You should go before anything...happens."

Like a dam breaking under the pressure, the realization finally dawned on him. She was afraid of hurting someone, of hurting him. The previously icy grip on his chest was replaced by a different, warmer sensation.

Without realizing it, Itachi looked at her with soft eyes. "What if I told you I want to stay? Will you still make me leave?"

Her whole body froze, pearly eyes finally locking onto his own. He saw hope spark in them before it simmered out, replaced with doubt. "No one can make Uchiha Itachi do anything he doesn't want to do."

If he wasn't as serious as he was right now, he would've smirked. She knew him well after these few months of guarding her. And she was correct. He was as stubborn as a mule when he'd set his mind on something. That something happened to be getting Hinata to open up to him.

Speaking of which, Hinata calmed enough to cautiously sit across from him on the table, feet neatly tucked under herself. Even in her poor mental state, the rigid Hyuga training was too ingrained in her mind for her to forget it.

"You're locking yourself away because you believe yourself a danger to others?"

The visible wince on her face almost made him feel guilty. Leave it to Itachi to never beat around the bush. He was probably the only person who would say such blunt things in a matter of fact way. In a way that she couldn't deny any allegations either.

"Is that so wrong?" She threw back, voice shaking. "I don't want to hurt you or anyone else. It's...better this way. For everyone."

"Who are you to make that decision for me?"

The room had gotten darker as the rolling gray clouds were now covering all of Konoha's bright blue skies, fat droplets lazily hitting the windows. Her lips parted to say something, anything, but she couldn't think of any words at the moment.

A pale hand reached out, palm facing the celling like an invitation. "I will make my own choices, Hinata. And one of those choices is to make sure you are okay."

That was the first time he'd said her first name, without any honorific title. For some reason, it pleased her to know he saw her as more than a mission. Possibly a friend. With her hand in his, Hinata realized how much larger his was in comparison. He was her opposite; warm, comforting, soothing. It was such a simple gesture yet it sent a spark down her spine to the tip of her toes. With a twist of her wrist, she boldly linked their fingers together, just to see his reaction.

It was a quick lift of the corner of his lips before he gently adjusted to a more comfortable position, fingers still embracing. Unfortunately, the movement caused her sleeve to shift higher on her arm.

Hinata wasn't sure why she thought she could pull her hand away quick enough for him not to notice. Wishful thinking perhaps. Nothing, absolutely nothing, got past the eagle eyes of Uchiha Itachi. Franticly pulling down the sleeve, her other hand gripped the end to cover her exposed skin. To hide.

It was too late.

A dark look fell over his face when he reached back and took her arm, pulling up the cloth. His teeth grit against each other when he saw the fresh cuts, short and shallow. They couldn't be more than a day or two old as the skin was already healing on it's own. "Hinata, explain this."

Hinata snatched her limb back before jumping up and backing into the kitchen again. The image of her retreating reminded him of a cornered, wounded animal trying to get away from a predator. "Just leave! I-I don't want to do this right now. Not with you." The last part was whispered into the noise of the pounding rain but he heard it as clear as the day was long. "Stop looking at me like that. I don't want your pity."

At this, he stood. Confusion and frustration written over his face, "I'm not looking at you any differently. I would just like to understand."

Her fist smashed against the counter top. Spices that were out jumped slightly with the motion. "You look at me with-with a look- and...I can't talk about how fucked up my head is when your eyes stare at me like you care."

His fists were now balled together. No other woman had taken him so out of character as to get this upset by a simple conversation. Hyuga Hinata was surely special indeed. "Hinata, I do care. Why would you think I don't?"

"I see how they look at me. My family, the other shinobi, my own team..." When her eyes looked back at him, glittering with tears and a haunted look in them, he could swear the world stopped around them. Like two identical lavender moons dipping into the ocean, so vulnerable and open.

"Everyone says they care. They want me to return to how I was before I was kidnapped, to get over it. They'll never understand...what something like that does to a person. You were never supposed to see me this low. Not you. Anyone but you."

He was getting pretty pissed off with her line of speech now. Why was she so insistent on pushing him away? Without thinking, he had taken a few steps towards her, yet this time she didn't back away. Not that she could anyway, the kitchen had no escape route.

Her trembling hands shot out to stop his advancement, fingers curling on the fabric of his shirt when he closed the distance between them. Itachi didn't wait for her to look at him as he gently held onto her wrists. "I do care. I will not let you hurt yourself any longer. If you feel like this-"

"No one really cares. Stop doing this to my heart." With a weak tug, Hinata tried to free her wrists, only for him to tighten his grip. She looked up to his face in surprise, only to see the most intense look he'd ever given her. Those endless dark eyes stared into her soul, leaving her feeling extremely exposed.

He yanked her closer to him, their bodies colliding yet he didn't falter at all. Itachi leaned his head down, his forehead protector pressed against her skin. The cold metal on her sweating bangs almost distracted her enough to not notice how his breath fanned over her lips.

"Don't push me away. You don't have to go through this alone. I'm here."

Finally, she couldn't hold her tears any longer.