Again, characters are OOC, blah, blah, blah, and property of Masashi Kishimoto, blah. No flames, etc., etc.
Thank you to all the kind people who reviewed! I'm so happy. And one more thing- Hanabi doesn't exist. My story, not yours, so nyeh! Yeah, real mature, I know. Sorry! It just makes things less complicated for me. I just can't see where she'd fit in.
Previously, on "Onegai, Senpai"...
'Is that everybody? Who else is left?' she wondered, as she made her way deeper into the forest, unaware that somewhere nearby, someone was having inappropriate thoughts about the young heiress.
Chapter 2: His problem
Elsewhere...
A tall, ebon-haired shinobi of Fire Country groaned as he missed three out of ten possible practice targets. He admonished himself for his lack of concentration as he went to retrieve his kunai and shuriken. In the last four missions he had been on, he had been too easily distracted by thoughts of one particularly curvaceous, soft-spoken, creamy-eyed Jounin, and if it weren't for Naruto saving his life each and every one of those times, he would've been a dead man twenty-nine times over. He grit his teeth in frustration.
'Why does it have to be the dobe each time? Why?' Sasuke complained to himself sullenly. The worst part of having Naruto coming to his rescue was the hero worship the blond got when they got back to the village. At 18-years of age, the Kyuubi vessel was still the effervescent loudmouth, but now, even he had a large fan base. One that was much larger than the one he had.
As the years passed, Naruto had shed the baby fat from his face and had finally grown into the looks that were passed down to him by his father, Yondy. As in the Yondaime. And because being a stud was in the Fourth's genes, Naruto had become a stud as well.
Not that Sasuke thought that Naruto was good-looking... far from it. Sasuke didn't swing that way, contrary to popular belief.
This is not a yaoi story.
A few months prior, the older villagers had started thinking to themselves, 'Wow. That troublemaker fox-demon looks an awful lot like the Fourth...' It wasn't until several weeks ago that it had finally been revealed by a piss-drunk Godaime that Naruto was indeed the child of the former Hokage and that he should be revered as their hero from that day forth lest they sought punishment by her terribly strong hands.
After that particular incident, no one dared to be rude to Naruto. As a matter of fact, the entire population of Konoha that hated him prior to that day did a complete 180-degree turn that had startled the whiskered teen at first, but then he merely shrugged his shoulders and welcomed the wonderful attention he was receiving. Besides, who could say no to free food, discounts on merchandise, and pregnant women promising to name their unborn children after him, not to mention the hordes of single ladies who liked to throw themselves at his feet?
As the two were dining on ramen at the Ichiraku, Naruto, noticing his admirers (both male and female) watching his every movement, clapped his rival playfully on the back one day and said, "Ne-ne? Looks like I have a bigger fan club than you do, Sasuke-teme! I'm more of a celebrity than you ever were!"
That was true, but Sasuke couldn't care less. The one thing that plagued him however was how Naruto had gained the one thing that Sasuke could never have-
Hyuuga Hinata's love, devotion, admiration, her undivided attention...
…The list could go on for days. The mere thought of the feelings she had for the idiot caused Sasuke to clumsily drop his weapons onto the floor once again in a noisy clatter.
What boiled his potatoes most about the whole matter was that every time Naruto bragged to the masses of people who worshipped the Hokage-wannabe about how he had saved his life, Hinata would stare at Naruto like he was her sun, her moon, her stars- her entire universe! Despite the fact that Naruto was as dense as the ocean floor when it came to Hinata's affections, she was happy for his existence. It was the only time he would ever admit to being jealous of Naruto.
'If only she'd look at me that way,' he thought to himself forlornly, resuming his earlier training. 'She doesn't even know I'm alive. I'm practically invisible to her.'
That wasn't entirely true. The two were fairly well acquainted for goodness sakes, having been classmates at the Academy, and participating in joint training sessions, but he had no chance to be acquainted in the romantic sense that he had been hoping (and praying) for.
Actually, scratch that. He had discovered years ago that they had been betrothed at one point, but his dreams of marrying the girl of his dreams had been dashed the moment Hiashi nullified the contract for something he had done. Sasuke, in his youth, had had performed an act so terrible and so heinous in the eyes of Hiashi and the rest of the Hyuugas that he ignited a wave of controversy that further sullied the already tarnished Uchiha name within the confines of the Hyuuga compound.
Itachi's horrific crimes against the Uchiha Clan had turned Sasuke into a cold and aloof boy, his heart seeking revenge on the monster he used to call Aniki. He was distant towards his peers and could care less about the pitied whispers he would hear when he walked into town to run errands or go to school. But when it came to Hinata, that exterior crumbled and all that was left was a boy who longed to be with the one girl who could ebb his fears away.
Six years ago…
When he was younger, and during the time he struggled with the lingering memories of Itachi's recent betrayal, he used to roam the dark streets of Konoha in a catatonic state looking for his brother, seeking revenge against the one who had managed to take so much away from him so effortlessly.
It was during one of these searches that he, by sheer coincidence, came upon the Hyuuga Manor, lulled out of his trance by the sounds of a 7-year old Hyuuga Hinata humming a melody his mother had once sang to him as a child. From that moment on, for the next several years, he would innocently sit outside of her bathhouse, undetected, to listen to his angel sing before heading back to his cold and empty home. Her 20-minute bath time was something that Sasuke looked forward to every day, and the soothing sounds of her voice brought a moment's peace to his troubled mind.
When Sasuke started PUBERTY, however, he had begun to have dirty fantasies of the young Hyuuga heiress just days before Iruka-sensei was going to go over the topic of sex-ed.
It was after one of these nocturnal visions that he realized he couldn't help but be interested about what Hinata might look like during her bath time. One night, he gave into his urges and took a peek. The first time he saw ALL of Hinata in her naked glory was a night he would never forget. Especially since it would be the last time he'd ever get to step foot near her for a LONG time.
He could remember that day as if it were yesterday. Hinata was bathed in ethereal moonlight, and as the steam rose from the water, it created a misty effect that took his breath away. She truly was a goddess, and he, a mere mortal, was unworthy of witnessing such beauty. He had to pinch himself and rub his eyes several times to make sure that he was actually seeing this rare sight and not conjuring it up in his fanatical mind. And as if on cue, the dream-like imagery was made complete as the song that he loved to utter hear sprang forth from her lips like an enchanting siren's spell. He didn't know how something as innocent as a lullaby could turn into such an erotic aria.
Hinata, completely unaware of the Avenger's presence, continued to perform her late evening cleansing rituals and had given Sasuke quite an eyeful (and bloody nose full) when she rose out of the water to retrieve a neglected bottle of rosemary mint-scented shampoo to lather her hair with. Sasuke was rewarded with a full frontal view as rivulets of warm water cascaded their way down her young developing body sensuously. The young Uchiha was in hentai heaven! Drawings were NOTHING compared to the real thing! So those were what Hinata was hiding underneath that jacket of hers!
Unfortunately, at that very same time, a Hyuuga guardsman had caught the Uchiha spying on Hinata, quickly seized him noiselessly and took him before the Council, unceremoniously dumping him into the center of the large gathering hall where Hiashi had an emergency meeting to discuss plans with the Elders on what they were going to do for Hinata's 12th birthday party which was over six months away.
"Uchiha Sasuke? What are you doing on Hyuuga property at this hour, uninvited?" boomed the voice of one of the Elders.
He couldn't find the words to speak due to the fact that he had been paralyzed with terror. Sasuke began to crack his knuckles, a nervous habit he had formed in recent years. He had every right to be frightened when he caught Hiashi's razor sharp eyes narrowing in distaste. The notorious Hyuuga-Uchiha feud, (or Uchiha-Hyuuga feud, as Sasuke and Itachi would have called it) had ended with the aftermath of Itachi's decimation of their Clan. With no one left to argue with other than a mere child, what was the point of continuing it anyway?
His parents were most likely rolling in their graves and slapping their foreheads in disappointment- their youngest was going to restart it once more.
Hiashi was respected in Konoha for several reasons- one, he was the leader of one of the oldest, wealthiest, talented, and most prestigious families in Fire Country, and two, he was a greatly feared man. No one had ever dared to question his judgment, and though Uchiha Fugaku liked to openly challenge Hiashi during the time he was alive, there was no doubt that he did it out of sheer spite and jealousy. Fugaku had only wanted his family to have what the Hyuugas had. The Hyuugas, with their Byakugan, were like some sort of upper-crust superpower; only the Hokage bested their influence in Konoha.
The Sharingan-wielder took a quick look at his surroundings- the lighting in the room they were sitting in had been dimmed, casting eerie shadows on the faces of the older men. Their presence was ominous and it made his blood run cold. So young Sasuke, with mere days before he was to turn 12, sat terrified before Hiashi and the rest of the Clan Elders to await Hiashi's reaction.
It had been the longest 13 seconds of his life. Sasuke knew he was in a shitload of trouble.
The guard made his way towards Hiashi, bowed, and quickly whispered into the Clan Head's ear. Hyuuga Hiashi, when he had heard just what the young Uchiha had been up to, picked up his teacup and threw it angrily at the wall, the sheer force of the throw decimating the heirloom ceramic piece into oblivion. 'How DARE that brat!' he seethed. The punk kid wouldn't get away with what he did, especially not when his little angel Hinata's wholesomeness was involved. And Neji wasn't a genius for nothing- he stood near the doorway menacingly, and having read the look in his uncle's eyes, he reached into his weapons pouch and began to twirl a kunai between his fingers, ready to skewer the Uchiha jackass the moment Hiashi gave the command.
The tension in the air was suffocating, the silence too stifling. Sasuke didn't know what was worse: THIS, or maybe ending up being placed on a team with Naruto and that annoying girl, Sakura.
Finally, Hiashi spoke with the tenacity of a thousand burning suns and the iciness of an Arctic tundra.
Okay, this was MUCH worse.
"So, Uchiha... it has come to my attention that you have been spying on my daughter. Is this correct?"
Multiple gasps and shouts could be heard, along with shouts of "INFIDEL!", "PERVERT!", "INSOLENT CUR!" and "RABBLEROUSER!". One of the servants dropped a tray full of sweet cakes on the floor before fainting. The room was filled with different whispers, but they all centered on a single thought process.
How could anyone do such a terrible thing to their precious Hinata-sama? This boy needed to have his eyes gouged out!
Sasuke gulped audibly. SHIT, SHIT, SHIT, SHIT! He rebuked himself for being so careless. If it weren't for his stupid curiosity, he wouldn't be in this mess in the first place!
And at a most inopportune time, Sasuke unconsciously brought the image of a naked Hinata into his mind and began to drool.
Hiashi took note of the young boy's eye movements and could sense the rapidly increasing pace of his heartbeat. His fingers itched to wrap around the little monster's neck the moment when a spot of Uchiha saliva hit the dust-free surface of the polished wooden floor. 'Masaka,' worried the crazed father of one. 'He's having hentai thoughts about Hina-hime! Is Hiashi gonna have to choke a bitch?'
"YOU! BRAT! STOP HAVING INDECENT THOUGHTS OF MY DAUGHTER RIGHT THIS INSTANT!" Hiashi sputtered.
Sasuke jolted and quickly wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
"Are you in love with my cousin, Uchiha?" sneered Neji. He would gut him if he did, and gut him even if he didn't.
More collective gasps could be heard throughout the room. Hiashi gauged Sasuke's reactions. Yup, the kid was in love with his daughter. Not that he could hold that against him, after all, his daughter was the apple of his eye...
But the gaki needed to be taught a lesson.
Hiashi turned around to rummage through a safe box of sealed documents and after he had found what he was looking for, he called Sasuke over to his table. Sasuke didn't move a muscle.
Hiashi snapped.
"I SAID COME HERE, BOY- NOW DON'T MESS WITH ME, YOU'RE IN A HELLUVA LOT OF TROUBLE ALREADY."
Sasuke couldn't have gotten there any faster.
The older man waved a piece of parchment paper in front of his face. "Uchiha Sasuke, do you know what this is?" There was no answer. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION. YES OR NO, DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?" What was wrong with this kid? Was he dumb? Didn't his parents teach him anything before their untimely passing?
"N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-no, Hi-Hi-Hi-Hiashi-s-s-s-s-sama... I-I-I-I-I-"
Hiashi quickly interrupted him. Damn. Fugaku and Mikoto really messed up with their second one... "It's a contract. One that binds you and my daughter in holy matrimony the moment she turns 12. It's been signed by your father and myself, and-"
"I can marry Hinata-chan?" Sasuke asked hurriedly. Where could he find a pen? He wanted to sign the document right now!
"No."
The Uchiha was at a loss for words, save for one. "Huh?"
Hiashi smirked. Neji grinned evilly as well. The Elders chuckled nefariously behind well-manicured hands. Sasuke was scared. Things weren't looking too good for him.
"I... said... NO." Hiashi whispered as he took the paper from Sasuke's hands and proceeded to rip it into itty-bitty scraps. With each tear of the paper, Sasuke felt a year being shaved from his life.
Hiashi's word was law. He learned that the hard way that day. That night, his nightmares of Itachi killing his family were replaced by Hiashi destroying the only thing that prevented him from LEGALLY seeing Hinata naked on a regular basis.
Life was unfair.
From that point on, unbeknownst to Hinata, Sasuke was handed a restraining order forbidding him to come within 100 feet of the Hyuuga compound and to avoid the heiress at all times during school hours.
At first he thought he could easily remedy his problems by watching other women bathe or hearing them sing, but none of the women had that special something that Hinata had. He was at a loss.
His birthday had come and Hinata had left a present on his desk that he had been hoping to unwrap in the privacy of his own home, but a Hyuuga spy had later intercepted him and demanded that he give him the package that he later handed back regretfully (only after the guard warned that Hiashi would be angered further). He would never get to see what was wrapped so delicately in the shiny gold-leaf paper and once had recurring thoughts where he'd unwrap a larger version of Hinata's box and find his own severed head inside, courtesy of Hiashi and Neji Hyuuga.
He was even more depressed when Hinata was noticeably absent during the sex-ed lessons, and finally, when she came in through the doors after missing three weeks of school, that bastard Naruto had to kiss him right in front of her! Seeing the shocked and hurt look on her face led him to believe one thing: she probably hated his guts!
It was a very frustrating time for the lone Uchiha Avenger, especially after learning that he wouldn't be put in a same Genin team as her. Misfortune struck him once again when he discovered that he was to be put on the team with the two people he liked least in his class- Narutard and Suckura. The Hyuugas had definitely pulled some strings over their partner assignments, and it had been Neji who had made the recommendations that Sasuke be stuck with the most annoying classmates in the Academy.
Some higher powers were definitely against him, and their name was Hyuuga.
As Sasuke continued to practice, he regretted ever coming across Hiashi in the first place. Because of him, Hinata would be off-limits forever.
Forever would come a lot sooner than he had expected...
And that marks the end of Chapter Two... not as much fun as the prior chapter, but this is a work in progress. The following chapter will finally give Sasuke some incentive to smile, I guarantee it!
And I apologize for Hiashi's uhh... dialogue. It was inspired by Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Wayne Brady (from the "Chappelle's Show" skit) and Foghorn Leghorn- Three angry African-American men and a rooster. Yup, utterly random.
Again, please show your support by clicking on the little button below that says, 'Go' and leave me a comment! It would make me verrrrry happy! Don't be lazy! It'll take 20 seconds of your time to say something nice. Do it! C'mon, I dare ya!