Don't let Life turn you into a hard, tough person. Real courage is staying kind even when Life isn't.

-Vintage Vivids


Hinata's breath got caught in her throat, as she just stared--her heart pounding, eyes wide--not quite believing what she was seeing.

What is he doing here? Did he follow me? What does he want? Is he-

Another cough snapped her out of her thoughts.

At the exact moment, a thin stream of blood made its way down Itachi's chin, as she spotted the blood on his hands.

Panic filled her.

Without a second thought, she crouched before him and raised a trembling hand to his face. Slowly, she placed her hand against his sweaty jaw, turning his face to meet hers. She saw his whole body contort in pain from the movement, as he clenched his eyes shut, taking deep, shaky breaths.

Her heart twisted violently, seeing him in so much pain.

Carefully, she moved a few strands away from his eyes. Her own grew teary when he opened his slowly, looking at her without recognition.

"What-" She began, but her voice came out squeaky and small.

She cleared her throat.

"What-" She began again, voice a little louder but still quivering, "What is it? What's wrong? Tell me what hurts."

He didn't reply. Instead, he leaned forward, hand immediately going to his mouth as he was hit by another coughing fit. Blood leaked from between his fingers, his other hand clutching at the front of his shirt.

He swayed slightly, before tipping to his side, collapsing right against her shoulder.

Hinata caught him, horrified, as he groaned in pain.

What in the..?

Slowly, detaching him from herself, she gently placed his head back against the tree trunk. Then, quickly, she activated her Byakugan.

He wasn't injured. Not physically, at least. But, as she focused on his lungs, she made out something black accumulated there. It seemed to be the cause of his current condition.

What is that? A Jutsu?... No, there is no foreign Chakra in his body. An illness, then?

Collecting some healing chakra in her hands, she gently pressed her palm against his chest.

For a long moment, nothing happened. She almost cried in relief when his shoulders began to relax. His face eased of the tension it held, and his breathing grew regular, deeper.

After about ten minutes of healing, the black mass had barely reduced by size. However, Itachi seemed too be sleeping painlessly, content.

Taking out a cloth, she poured some water from her bottle on it. Then, she began cleaning his hands.

She slid a finger across his palm, feeling its roughness beneath her fingers. She interlocked their hands, watching his long, elegant fingers complete the gap between hers.

Moving onto his face, she swiped the cloth against his chin. Pausing, she placed a thumb at the corner of his mouth. These were the lips she had almost kissed.

Cupping his face, her eyes moved up to his, gently wiping away the blood that trailed down. He had such long eyelashes, and such beautifully shaped eyes.

She resisted the urge to place a kiss against each of them, and not for the first time, she was struck at how handsome he was.

After she was done, she sat back, fidgeting her fingers, as she waited for him to wake up. About a moment later, she noticed movement beneath his eyes.

He was awake.

Itachi grunted slightly, eyes slowly opening as he rapidly blinked. As his vision cleared, he sat up, looking at his surroundings.

He froze as his eyes fell on her, widening slightly. He furrowed his eyebrows, blinking slowly, trying to connect all the dots.

"You healed me." He summarised flatly, voice rough from sleep.

She only nodded, gaze fixated on her lap.

"Are you okay?" She asked quietly, at last.

Itachi suddenly thought back to the time in the forest, when she had followed him. She had asked the same thing back then.

"Are you...okay?"

In response, Itachi smiled faintly just like he had before, realizing that she had once again been worried. About him, of all people.

"Worrying about an enemy?" He asked, placing a hand against the tree trunk, as he slowly helped himself up, intending to go to the nearby stream he'd caught sight of when he had arrived.

She didn't reply, only clenched her fists in her lap.

Only because the enemy is you.

Itachi grunted again, as he tried to take the first step. Still weak from his condition, he staggered slightly. However, before he could fall, he felt a pair of soft, pale hands come to his aid.

Hinata held him as he steadied, before placing his arm around her neck, and hers around his torso.

In other circumstances, he would have been insulted. His own conscious would have sneered at him, scorning him for how weak he had become. Surprisingly however, for once, his conscience remained silent, as if realizing that nothing could dissuade him from indulging her.

Deep down, however, he knew that it was because he didn't mind her help at all. He had been alone for so long, it felt refreshing to know that he would be able to relay on someone, even if for only sometime.

He felt something bubble up in is chest, as warmth spread to his body. It took a moment for him to realize that it was happiness.

He was happy, to be with her. It suddenly occured to him that he wouldn't mind being in her arms forever.

He glanced at the woman who was, with her mere presence, invoking these dormant emotions within him.

Instead of voicing his thoughts, he simply coughed slightly, to hide the stupid smile that was growing.

"You truly are kind to a fault."

Making way to the stream, Hinata felt her panic dispel as she took a deep breath.

"What are you doing here?"

He didn't hesitate for even a second before replying.

"Kisame and I were returning to the Lair. But, I got sick and decided to rest. He went on without me."

Then, he looked at her, a thought striking him.

"And you?"

"A mission." She didn't hesitate to tell him either.

It dawned upon Hinata that she trusted this man. This man who was hunted throughout the Five Shinobi Nations, who struck fear and hatred with the mere mention of his name.

For the past week, she had been trying to gather the courage to tell the Hokage about him. But, she soon realized that she didn't have the heart to.

The thoughts of the Uchiha easily overshadowed the lingering feeling of fear she felt. Fear of what the village would to do to her if it found out about them.

He was her secret.

Slowly, but surely, the stream came into view. Reaching it, they both kneeled next to it.

Immersing his hands in to cool water, Itachi sighed. Slowly, he turned to his companion, watching as she ran a hand through her short hair, letting the breeze kiss her face.

He wished he could do the same.

Beautiful.

Sensing his gaze, she turned to him, face flushing slightly.

"W-What?"

He simply shook his head, turning back to the stream. Cupping some water in his hand, he splashed it on his face, before running his hands through his hair.

Now, it was Hinata's turn to stare.

She simply watched as the water droplets, almost teasingly, made their way down his forehead, trailing down the column of his throat.

She had the sudden urge to wipe them away. With her lips.

When he turned towards her with a raised eyebrow, her face burned, as she quickly turned away.

The temperature around her seemed to drop.

There was a moment of silence as both were lost in their thoughts.

Then, Itachi broke it.

"Are you afraid of me?" He asked suddenly.

Hinata's eyes widened, caught off guard as she took in his question. Turning towards him, she saw him staring at the water.

"Huh?"

Slowly, he turned toward her.

"I asked if you were afraid of me."

She furrowed her eyebrows, biting her lips in thought.

Am I?

However, he didn't wait for her reply.

"You should be." He said, "I could kill you in a heartbeat."

She looked up at him, watching as he distantly stared at the water again. She had the sudden urge to get closer.

"You could." She agreed, "But, you won't."

She gave into the urge as she leaned closer.

"Do you know why?" She whispered into the air, as if revealing something that should not be revealed.

His head whipped towards her, lips parted as his eyes darkened at her breathless tone.

Itachi suddenly noticed that she had the voice of a storyteller. The kind of voice that made others pay attention to what she was saying.

Her voice pulled him in, weaving an invisible barrier around the two of them, making him feel lightheaded.

"Why?" He asked, distractedly.

All at once, he coul feel her scent as it washed over him, feel the warmth of her hand as it trailed up his arm, and rested in the crook of her neck. She leaned even closer, her other hand going to slide up his chest, feeling the muscles tense beneath her touch.

Her nose brushed against his throat, hit breath against his even hot skin, as he gasped, craning his neck to give her better access.

His hand went to her waist, pulling closer, the other going to fist against the ground, to maintain his composure.

"Because..." Her voice was a whisper as her lips brushed against the shell of his ear. He clenched his eyes shut, his grip on her waist bruising, his breathing ragged.

"Because..." He exhaled out, immediately clamping his mouth shut to swallow the groan the was making its way past his throat.

"Because you owe me...for not killing you right now."

Only then, did he register the cool press of street against his throat.

For a moment, they held each other's gaze, the air around them charged with electricity and awareness.

Then, suddenly, her hands went to his collar pulling him close just as his went from her waist to her thighs as he pulled her in his lap.

He buried his face in the sweet hollow of her neck, one hand going around her waist to keep her in place, the other going to trace her curves in an endless caress.

Hinata sighed shaking, craning her neck for his convenience, her hands fisted into his hair.

She hadn't even realized that she had missed him until now.

Her pulse quickened as she felt his hand move up, sliding across her stomach to rest against her ribs. She clutched him tighter, his nose now making way to her sinfully soft collarbone. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from making any inappropriate sound.

"I-Itachi." She gasped out.

There was something about the way she said his name. Heavy, breathless and entirely too needy for him to ignore. It made his think that everyone else had been saying it wrong his entire life.

He groaned against her chest.

Hinata's face flushed as his fingers ghosted up to the collar of her shirt. He unbuttoned the first button, fully revealing her collarbone and the beginnings of the valley of her breasts.

Then, he buried his nose against her chest, inhaling her deeply as his lips lightly nipped against the soft skin.

Her body reacted violently, as she pressed herself flush against him, somehow trying to relieve the ache that had built up in her core. Her nails dug into his back, as this time, she couldn't help the moan that escaped.

She heard a predatory growl, as she felt her axis change. Her met with the rough forest floor, as Itachi hovered over her, eyes alight with animalistic hunger.

Just the look in his eyes made her gut coil, as it twisted and turned almost painfully.

It suddenly occured to Hinata that attraction wasn't even a word for what either of them felt. Their feelings were far too intense to be considered anything less than lust.

It didn't even matter to her that they were out in the open, shrouded with nothing but trees.

And his eyes...oh god, his eyes, they promised such wild and unimaginable pleasure, that she didn't even care that she was about to let him have his way with her, about to let him have a part of her forever.

But, Itachi, always the gentleman, waited for her consent.

Hinata's lips parted, her mouth firming around the word 'Please'.

But, before she could finish, another voice broke through the silence of the night.

"Hinata?!"

Hinata snapped her head towards the voice, just as Itachi growled, immediately cloaking his presence.

A second later, Sakura made her presence known, as Itachi disappeared into the shadows.

Hinata immediately stood up, awkwardly brushing her clothes just as Sakura came into view.

"What are you doing here?" Her friend asked, looking around.

Hinata cleared her throat.

"I had to refill my water canteen." The ease with which she lied, shocked Hinata.

Sakura, however, nodded in response.

"The time for your each is almost over. You should go get some rest."

Hinata nodded quickly. As Sakura was turning, she blinked, as if realizing something.

"Oh, and your shirt is unbuttoned. The first one."

Hinata jumped, an embarrassed squeak escaping her lips, as she quickly buttoned it.

"I'll be there."

Sakura nodded and walked away. Hinata released a breath she didn't even know she was holding.

From the shadows, Itachi revealed himself. Hinata didn't dare turn around to face him.

"You asked me if I was afraid of you."

There was silence, as she gulped.

"I finally have an answer. I do fear you. But, not for the same reasons as other do."

With that, she sprinted off.

As her words registered, Itachi had to do everything to stop himself from dragging her back into the shadows and finish what she started.


Stumbling into her tent, Hinata collapsed to her wobbly knees, her hands going to cup her cheeks as they warmed, thinking of what had just transpired.

And what had been about to happen.

Placing a hand on her pounding heart, she shook her head, trying to push those half-lidded bedroom eyes out of her mind.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared for bed. She untied her head band from around her neck and stared at it.

She had taken an oath, to remain loyal to the village and protect it at all costs.

What she was doing...was it treason?

It wasn't like she was leaking intel or supporting the village in other form.

She loved her village and it was easily one of the most precious things to her. And Itachi...

What exactly was he to her?

She most certainly didn't love him. However, when she truly thought about it, setting the mutual attraction and overall horniness aside, she realized that she might just like him.

And why shouldn't she?

He was the main cause of her change. Something her team had been trying to accomplish in years, he had done in a single day. Other than that, he had also given her advice, small tips that enhanced her fighting a lot.

It suddenly occured to Hinata that she wanted to be with him. That she wanted this attraction between them to be more than just attraction.

But, once again she looked at her headband, thinking of Kurenai and Kiba and Shino. She imagined their faces twisting in disgust and horror, they they realized what a traitor she was.

The thought made her heart sink into her stomach, hand tightening around her headband, as she realized that she would have to make a choice.

Taking a deep breath, she made up her mind.

She would get over her feelings for Itachi. It would be hard, but betraying her village and loved ones would be harder. And the guilt would surely kill her.

She had to make a choice, and she chose her village.

Little did she know that she would one day dub this as one of the biggest mistakes of her life.


THERE YOU LOSERS GO!!

Lots of itahina in this chapter, along with Hinata's thoughts. Plus, what do you think of her decision?? And how long do you think she would be able to stay to her decision?? How will Itachi react when he figures out her choice??

Be sure to tell me what you think!!

Until then, ENJOY!!

-Your travelling author.