A/N: not too much fluff. just some plot development. apparently that's important? who would've thought.

When Angels Fall

Chapter Fifteen

Clarity

Itachi was proud that he'd gotten Hinata out of the little house she resided in. It did take an hour of gentle coaxing and a promise of cinnamon rolls but a win is a win. He would take this victory however it was presented to him.

She was not back to her usual smiley self but didn't duck her head timidly. It was a positive sign and he was trying his hardest to keep it that way.

The Hokage had given her some time off to rest after the last mission but the Inuzuka and Aburame were called in for a scouting mission yesterday so she wouldn't be able to train with them until they got back in a weeks time. By the way her eyes glazed over with thoughts she didn't voice, he doubted she wanted to spar with anyone at the moment anyway.

She'd guided them to her favorite bakery, near the center of town that was ran by an older couple. The graying pair lit up at the sight of the Hyuga heiress.

"Hinata, my girl!" The small old woman dusted her hands on her worn apron, toothy smile directed to the dark haired heirs. "I was just telling Hiro that I miss seeing your face around here!"

Hinata smiled back and Itachi took a second to commit it to memory. This was a real smile, not the fake ones she gave her family and friends when she reassured them she was coping just fine.

He wondered if she'd ever smile at him like that before cursing the thought.

This morning's conversations around the breakfast table was still ringing in his ear. 'She's single, but that doesn't mean she's available.'

With all the fucked up things going on in Hinata's life at the moment, the absolute last thing she needed was a man trying to make advancements with her. The poor woman was just kidnapped and tortured a few months ago. Not to mention the literal demon spirit that was sealed into her, which by the way, he had yet to tell her his findings.

He'd hoped to tell her yesterday but she was so happy to be able to watch the movie with him, that he couldn't find it in himself to ruin her good mood any further.

However, this was an important matter and really shouldn't be put off. Which is why, when the old lady handed her a box of fresh cinnamon rolls, he suggested they eat them in Team Eight's usual training grounds. Ever the smart cookie, Hinata noticed his serious tone and agreed before the two of them said their goodbyes.

If anything were to go...wrong or he accidentally did something to trigger the demon spirit, at least they would be away from the population and he could subdue her with minimal damage being done.

Itachi had the decency to let her indulge in a gooey cinnamon roll (he had one too, but finished before she was even half-way done). Sitting under the tree they had sat under the first time they spoke, he felt a wave of deja vu.

Back then, Hinata had been too nervous to even look him in the eye. She'd nervously recanted what she remembered from being attacked but they didn't get much progress since her team came barreling in. Today, they didn't have any obligations or any distractions.

His chest lifted and fell gently with a sigh. Moon-like eyes turned to him, tracing the lines of his face so intently that he almost flinched under her scrutiny. He wondered if the Byakugan could see souls. If they did, what did she see when she looked at him?

"Itachi-san? What's wrong?"

He wasn't sure there was a good way to approach the topic so he kept true to his nature. Blunt, to the point and as factual as possible. With a fist to his lips, he cleared his throat, "I wanted to tell you what I saw on the mission. What I saw in you with my Sharingan."

Like he had predicted, her body tensed up like a spring waiting to pop. Her position shifted. From leaning back with both hands behind her to hold her weight, Hinata brought her knees under her, hands forming fists on her knees with her head bowed. He sat a little bit straighter against the tree while waiting for her to gather herself.

It didn't take long. Hinata was used to steeling her nerves for uncomfortable situations by now. "What did you see? Was it...Is it a type of mind-control jutsu?"

Onyx eyes shifted to the grass tickling the sides of his black sandals. A mind controlling jutsu would be hard to pull off for someone lower than kage level. Other than that, her Byakugan could spot any genjutsu from miles away before he could. Literally. There'd be no way someone could do that to a Hyuga, especially one with the range Hinata had.

However, if it were any of the above, removing it would've been a walk in the park. That would've made everything a lot easier.

Unfortunately for them, that was not the case.

When Itachi didn't speak for a few minutes, Hinata lifted her head to him but was surprised when he was already staring at her. He exhaled softly, "A forbidden jutsu would've been ideal, seeing as it's easy to remove, should you know how. What's in you isn't a forbidden technique. There's a seal on you, though I'm not well versed in seals so I'm not sure what type it is."

Those wide eyes blinked at him in confusion, prodding him to go on. He wasn't sure how much she wanted to know at the moment, but since she hadn't started panicking, he figured he'd tell her everything else.

Of course, he noticed when her fingers tightened around the fabric of her shorts, but he continued on, "I can equate it to Naruto's seal of the Nine Tails. It's chakra is distinct but it is not noticeable when...you are in control of yourself."

She reeled back a fraction. "So, I've got a tailed beast in me?"

Itachi hummed but shook his head, "No. Naruto's seal is permeant, which is why we can see the black markings on his stomach. There is no visable seal on you. If I had to take a guess, it is a temporary seal or the one who placed it was incompetent. I am leaning towards the former."

With a few deep breaths, Hinata stayed composed. This was a lot of new information, and as overwhelming it felt, this is the first time someone had any answers for her. Not for the first time, she was thankful that Itachi had been assigned as her body guard. His eyes picked up so many details that a regular shinobi just couldn't replicate. Her father must've figured his Sharingan could see what their Byakugan couldn't.

Itachi was the best choice for them to find some answers.

Hinata nodded to him, "Why do you think it's a temporary seal? I haven't heard of those since the academy."

His eyes softened at her but he let his hair obstruct the view of his face just before she noticed. "They don't really aid a ninja who is trying to seal away something so they're rarely used. So rarely, in fact, that no one bothers with them. A temporary seal is not stable either and isn't meant for long-term. It's not as strong and therefore, has the potential to be broken by any little trigger. While Naruto's seal is permeant, he has more control over the tailed beasts. You, on the other hand, have little to no hold on it since the seal is probably already weak as it is."

Okay. Well, if it was weak, it should be easy to break the seal and remove it from her, right?

He seemed to understand which direction her thoughts had taken her and Itachi gave her a serious look. "I'm not an expert in seals, but I know someone who is."

Hinata didn't need to be told twice. Jumping up from her grassy seat, she held the box of cinnamon rolls in one hand, the other on her hip. "Okay, where to then?"

The lopsided smile he threw to her vanished before she could fully appreciate how handsome he was with it.

As they walked back into the dirty road to town, Hinata felt her heart jolt when she glanced at her bodyguard. The wind blew just enough to be pleasant, pushing back Itachi's loose bangs so she could get a good view of his side profile. She just noticed how long his eye lashes were. His nose was straight, jaw sharp and lips lifted up to a smirk when he caught her wide eyes lingering on him. It was no wonder the women in the village would give him shy or seductive smiles as they passed by. It was such a sudden realization that she almost tripped over her own feet.

'He's gorgeous,' she thought with overwhelming clarity.

Caring, intelligent, protective and handsome. A recipe for disaster for Hinata's heart.