What I Tell You In The Dark

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Will find its way to you

The words I speak

You hearken to

To Sweetly touch

The deep down dark

Inside of you

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The Academy which she attended had always been known and recognized as an old distinguished school of study- dedicated to providing both formal education and training for the heirs of the most esteemed of lineages. It preserved with rigid discipline that which had been passed down through centuries of family history, the well kept secrets of ancient lineages.

The Academy called to mind once more the long forgotten lore of a time long past. Here- in these halls where past, present and future intersected- the newest generation learned of the horrors that had plagued those that had come before- so that they would not repeat past errors. So that they would not make the same mistakes. She hears her Lord Father's words again, as she always has- that same tight, curt tone of bitter contempt. 'So that we will not fall prey to the same weaknesses, so that we will not succumb to that far reaching darkness that lingers at the edge of the world between our realm and- them.' Here, in these sobering halls, was the very truth of her existence, her purpose, her reason for being laid bare- all that she lamented- and all that she had neither the heart nor will to deny. The art of demon hunting.

"-It was a long forgotten art, pulled up from the dark undercurrents of human history- but one borne of necessity." He recited dutifully, his voice ringing out clearly within the marble walls of the open classroom. "As demons emerged from the shadows to once again plague humanity, they were forced to resurrect the forgotten arts in order to combat them and stop their onslaught." Across the room he yawns loudly, rupturing the somber silence. The instructor eyes him with a quirk of his brow- but makes no mention to check the youth for the same habit he had of kicking his feet up onto the smooth surface of the mahogany desk before him. Moments before he had made no attempts to hide his loud mouthed snoring, much to the chagrin of everyone seated around him as he had blinked himself awake with bleary eyes. But as always- they ignored him- and let him do as he pleased.

She alone it seemed, watched him carefully- but she always hurried to refocus her attention to the task at hand, back to the notes she has been painstakingly taking before his eyes could find hers. She could not afford…to let her attention wander to him anymore than it already had. Instructional time was reserved for this and this alone- and she hurries to add to the delicate scrawl of her notepad as her classmate continued to recite that which she has always been trained to know, to never forget.

"It is becoming increasingly common for these dark, vengeful spirits to clothe themselves in the flesh of men- assimilating into human society. Their goals- their desires- are far removed from our own. Demons do not have ambition or imagination- they are incapable of having either hopes or dreams- demons only hate, only hunger, and only desire. And their realm, on a plane far removed from our own- is one of chaos, of madness, of agony and torment. "

The instructor nods quietly, motioning for him to pause in his reading with the motion of his hand. "Very Good. And if you will, would you also re-read the previous paragraph from the section you drafted on how demons draw sustenance? It seems some of your fellow classmates were somewhat…preoccupied." He added with a pointed stare at the only one within not actively engaged with the lesson. The boy only nodded, his eyes smoothly returning to his report.

"They appease themselves by sating their hunger on mortal vices. The nature of the demon's sin marks the extent to which they will probe the darkest undercurrent of the psyche in order to keep themselves sustained. We know that there are demons of lust, demons of wrath, of desire, of despair- but beyond those much is still unknown. They take as they see fit- they bless or curse as it pleases them. In exchange for that which is precious- they grant wishes, taint desires- in the hopes that in this way they may come to understand human nature, often far removed from their own."

He finished, seating himself with a dark toss of his head. Beside her, an emerald eyed beauty sighed deeply, murmuring low, secret words of admiration under her breath. "Well done Sasuke." The instructor remarks, his eyes the picture of boredom as he checks off a mark in the tome before him. "Another…great report. That said-" He raises his head, eyeing the large, iron and somber clock overhead, ticking away the final few precious moments of instructional time. "-Looks like we're out of time," He remarked somberly as the bell finally rung, marking the time for them to be released. As his group of students rose to their feet, he made a few half hearted attempts at reminding them of their next assignment, but their attention had already waned.

Against herself- her eyes follow the bright gold of his hair as he rose, half heartedly scratching the back of the mane he had tousled in slumber. The instructor approached him- but she cannot discern the words that leave his lips- the bright haired boy only quirks his face sardonically in reply, his blue eyes twinkling. They stare past the instructor, who she sure is giving him a scolding- coolly sliding away to rest on her own as if he has felt the weight of her gaze. As if- he has always known of it, always known when to catch the forlorn desires transmitting themselves through her pale eyes. And boldly, brashly- he sticks out his tongue childishly.

She turns her head abruptly, feeling her face flame. She does not want to see it- struggles as always to find the courage to meet the question that is always present in his gaze- because she never has an answer.

"Sasuke-!" Her partner yelled across the resulting clamor, but the dark haired youth had already coolly navigated the throng of maidens throwing themselves across his path to exit the classroom. "Dammit." She cursed under her breath, and despite herself she hurried to smother the small smile of mirth threatening to make itself known, doing the best she could to ignore the swift pounding of her own heart. But she dares not- cannot- look again. She finds a welcome and easy distraction in the girl, and hurries to placate the dubious frown beginning to mar her companion's delicate features.

"I-It's quite alright Sakura…maybe next t-time?" She added hopefully, wondering if she is imagining the weight of his gaze again, warm and fleeting. She shivers at the thought of it. But as always- she pushes the traitorous tenor of her thoughts away into the depths of her being. The young girl scoffed, tossing her short pink strands back off of her smooth forehead with barely restrained frustration.

"Ugh! It's no use…I don't know what I was expecting honestly…he's an Uchiha…his clan are infamous hunters…what could he possibly want from some scrawny no name from the Haruno clan…" She griped, slouching forward in her desk with an overly dramatic motion, as at her side another girl quickly made herself known. The long blond lengths of her hair were pulled back into a long, luxurious ponytail, a forelock draped over her ice blue eyes. There is already a smug, arrogant smile etched onto the lines of her face.

"Well what a pleasant surprise! I had been thinking that it's about time you realized it yourself! A man of Sasuk'e caliber would be far better suited for a beauty like myself…not to mention the Yamanaka clan is one of far greater repute after all." She added with a haughty bite of laughter, coaxing Sakura into a battle they had fought countless times before.

"As if he would settle for such an uncultured harlot!" She tossed the words back hotly, causing the girl's eyes to narrow in response, becoming sharp as drawn blades. "You've got some nerve to even let those words leave your lips when the size of your forehead hardly matches the size of your intellect!" She stated vehemently in reply, causing Sakura to stand in one fluid, violent motion, her chair clattering to the floor. She can fell the air between them growing tight, tense- and before she can placate them, another girl rushed to their side, quickly pushing the girls apart with strong brown hands.

"Come on now none of that- save that for another time would you? Ino! Sakura!" She barked at them sharply, culling their wrath with a harsh note of command. "What would your families think if they knew you both were behaving in such a manner! Asuna-sensei can only give the two of you punishment so many times!" The dark haired girl added with a long suffering sigh, as the two girls turned their noses up in the air at one another. Although their tempers had been banked with the threat of punishment, they both knew it wouldn't be long before their passions were stirred yet again.

"You're right Ten-Ten…it's beneath my lineage to argue with this cow. I would much rather go inform Sasuke-kun of how much I loved his report. " Ino stated venomously, stalking off to the accompanying roar of Sakura hounding after her. "Oh no you don't you bitch-!"

They continued to catcall and curse one another down the gilded aisle to the exit, leaving the two girls standing there looking after them with fond exasperation. As always- she is left half reeling, half stunned in their wake. Despite the weight of their lineage, the burden of generations of expectations- they had always done as they pleased. The two young heiresses were like wild stallions, beautiful and free. While she-...she does not want to think of it again, to traverse once more the same dark corridor of her thoughts that she had walked countless times before.

Ten-Ten draws her attention, sighing loudly in pure frustration- "Honestly…something about that Uchica boy drives women half mad… at this point I'm fairly inclined to believe the boy's a demon himself and he is hexing them all." She added wearily, much to her friend's amusement.

"Y-You shouldn't speak of him like that…the Uchiha's are a w-well respected family." She murmured as she accompanied the girl down the stairway to the door, although the dark haired girl merely shrugged in reply. Against herself- her eyes scans the remainder of the throng of students carefully- but nowhere among them is the gold of kings. He comes and goes as he always has- like a wild gust of wind. While she- "That is true…but honestly if they both weren't such numb skulls they would realize that according to their own definition...you are far more suited for him than they."

She thought quickly, suddenly of dark blue eyes- but she shook the thought away with a frightening grimace. "D-Don't s-say such t-things…" She murmured, her eyes roving carefully throughout he crowded hall. The very thought of it- unsettled her. Why? The word seemed to hang heavily in her shadow, the same beast of burden. She can imagine the ghost of his smile. 'That's the wrong question.' His eyes would say to her, warm and callous in their assessment of her. But always, always, on the edge of them was the truth. That was-

"-But it's true isn't it?" She continued despite the concerning look in her eyes. "Your family is as prestigious and well known as his own. Granted...Sakura and Ino are both talented- but what you may lack in raw talent you make up for in dedication and blood. You are more careful, more precise, more cautious, more understanding- and that I can respect more than the arrogant boasting of a few silly girls. And- if the wild rumor proves true- your unusually affinity for discerning realms more than gives you your weight in gold." She continued, unperturbed by the grimace marring her companion's pale, delicate features. "And after all- between you and I- you are a far greater beauty." She finished with daring smile, much to her continued embarrassment.

"Y-Y-You shouldn't j-jest-" She stammered our lamely, wholly unused to such unfiltered praise, and finding that she does not know how to answer the assured confidence in her eyes. "You are more suited for a man of his caliber. More so than others-" She added thoughtfully. "-like that Uzumaki boy." She continued, those dark eyes carefully trained on her own, coolly assessing her. Against herself- against the harsh training that has been imposed on her, to never show such weakness openly- her face flames. "H-How d-did you-"

"-How could I not, when he made such a scene in the study? All of the upperclassmen have been gossiping about it. The boy has nerve- to try and embarrass you of all people, when he has no family or lineage of his own! He only attends on the merit of sponsorship, and he's lucky he was even granted that much!" She grounds out with dangerous, barely bridled fury, her eyes biting with scorn. Against herself again- she fights the words lingering there- trembling on the edge of her lips. The truth. The truth is-

"-And yet he continues to parade around at his own leisure, thinking he can do whatever he pleases! He barely attends, does what he wants when he desires to do so, bides his time away laughing and behaving like an imbecile- I cannot understand why anyone would act as he does, especially when he has been granted such mercy! All of the foul rumors that abound around him, and he continues to act like a buffon- he deserves all of the torment Neji can give him." She added hotly in anger.

-but there is that smile again. That wild, unfounded smile. That same callous illusion of strength. The boisterous bark of his laughter. And the question always lingering there between them, the reminder of the answer she cannot find and will not give. She closes her lips- and says nothing. She throws herself willfully into sobering silence as they approach their lockers, opening her own in preparation to exchange texts for her next class. TenTen's face is still tight with fury- but there is nothing more to say.

She can only hang her head, anxiously lowering her eyes to the notepad clutched in her hands, the lines of the page filled with the notes she had so carefully taken during the last lecture. She skims them for a moment, with disjointed focus- [It is not uncommon for demons to grant bargains with mortals-][-in old times, many of the noble lineages that spearheaded the art of demon hunting were first introduced to the malicious intents of demons when their own bargains with them went awry-] [-history tells us of families who have long been plagued by such spiteful rumors. In exchange for power, prestige- many nobles promised much to demons. Often a demon's motives are unclear, unfounded- at times they would offer wealth and power for the most minuscule of things but in exchange- always, always- that which they desire- is that which is most precious-] [-it is customary for such demons, when denied that which they have been promised- to devour mortals on the eve of their births, at what is known as the 'ripening'-][-the realm in which demons inhabit is one of pure, unfiltered chaos, of agony, of torment, anarchy-][-demons have no ambition or imagination, they can neither hope nor dream, they can only desire-][-they may hide in the flesh of men, but their shadows betray them-] -She closes it soundlessly, motioning to place the large tome within.

It is then when she first sees it. It is an envelope- pitch black, embalmed and sealed with an odd red insignia. Startled she withdraws- her eyes curiously surveying the crowded hall- but all of the rapt, upturned faces are oblivious to her anxious gaze. Sensing her tense, Ten Ten withdraws from her own locker, eyeing her curiously. "What's wrong?" She only shakes her head weakly in reply, slowly withdrawing her hand, and the odd black envelope therein. Ten-Ten merely cocks an eyebrow curiously in reply, before revealing that there is a similar letter in her own upturned palm. "You too huh? And here I thought your cold hearted bastard of a cousin had finally decided to confess his love to me." She added with a lowly murmured scoff, half truth and half jest, the motion breaking the tense mood that had suddenly sprung between them. She eyes Ten Ten sharply for a moment at her words- but she presses her lips together tightly, and wills away the thought. She can only note with sadness the look of pained agony glimmering in the depths of her gaze, the tremble of her lips. Again- there is nothing to say.

She turns away from that thought to the letter before her- if the girl had received one herself then…perhaps it was no cause for concern? And yet- somehow- she is unsettled- "Well come on then,"- the girl began, already breaking the red seal of her own. "Let's see what this is about."

She nodded quietly in reply, before peeling apart the seal of her own letter, surprised at the equally pitch black card she finds within. As the envelope it is without words- blank. Ten Ten frowned, her brow crinkled with confusion- she was sure her look mirrored her own. Confused, they eye one another curiously at this, as Ten Ten immediately began to speculate aloud. "Odd…if this is some kind of prank it's pretty pointless…how on earth are we supposed to read it then?"

It is only a moment later that the thought strikes her- the card itself is made of odd stock- it feels- rough almost, like sand paper...and immediately she acts, quickly making the hand signs that would allow her to break a clause of nature. Gently, easily- she murmurs the words beneath her breath that allow her to do what cannot be done. The letter catches alight in her hands, burning bright with a small burst of flame, and before they could grow too consuming she grabs the letter by its corner, deftly flicking out the flames. But it has been enough- now they can finally view the words scorched into the surface of the letter. Ten-Ten murmurs words of awe filled appreciation beneath her breath as she leans forward, and as one they scan the newly revealed words with rapt attention.

[[You are cordially invited to a series of nightly balls, to be held for a week's time. The balls will continue, one for each evening- until the final masquerade. From dawn till eve of week's end- I bid you come. Come in your finest attire. To be permitted entry, conceal your pride. Virtue shall wear a veil, and vice shall wear a mask. I look forward to our meeting. Lord Kurama]]

They continue to survey the words for an extended moment, eyebrows raised curiously. "Lord Kurama…?" Ten-Ten began after a moment's pause, her brow crinkled with confusion. "Now that I think of it I do recall the name...if memory serves... is he not the new young lord that has recently purchased the old Izanami estate?...how odd...perhaps this is his way of getting himself acclimated to high society? A rather odd greeting to be sure but- he must know that the reckless young heiresses who attend the Academy are always looking for ways to appeal to their prospective husbands." She finished with a half hearted scoff, rolling her eyes. But she- is still surveying the letter, mulling again with renewed vigor the name before her. Her mind it seemed, was far, far away. The name…rang familiar, rang true….weighted it seemed in the depths of her being in a way she could not shake nor understand. And yet…she shakes away the odd disjointed thought, returning to the moment at hand.

'I have…never heard of that name before…and yet...somehow...' "I...am not familiar with him." She answered truthfully, although against herself she finds that something within her seems to rattle, to tremble.

"Well he must be a Lord of some rank I would imagine, if he's going around inviting people of note. But to host a party every evening? Sounds rather absurd wouldn't you say...?…Although I'm sure he will have many takers, especially considering how tense everyone has been lately." She mused aloud, her attention waning now that it had been sated, as she haphazardly shoved the note back into her locker. "What with all of the rumors." "...Rumors?" She added curiously, her eyes still scanning the dark letter in her hands. There was a address- obscure in its direction- but nothing else save for the delicate sloping lines of the man's signature.

"I've heard my father and other elders speaking of it or I would have dismissed it as more filthy gossip. But even my father tends to believe- the rumors that a Arch demon may be passing through." She continued, only pausing to note the odd quick of her companion's eyebrow at this. Immediately she understood her confusion, motioning for her to come closer.

"Ah- I am in the more advanced class since I am a year above you-"- she opened her notebook, flipping to a page- "I'm sure it's nothing but a few superstitious old men speaking but- supposedly it has been quite some time since a demon was sensed in Konoha -here-" she stated finally, turning to the page and holding it closer for her inspection. Carefully her pale eyes skimmed the disjointed, shaky lines of her handwriting-, so different from the delicate, pained writing of her own

[-Archdemons- some say their lives are infinite- some say they have lived millennium, lived a thousand lives -according to legend they are powerful creatures known in ages past for their tailed shadows -they are a rare subtype of demon that exist- most of the information surrounding their existence is speculation -throughout the course of history, they are not mentioned often, only in fearful passing - legends says that unlike more common demons they can fully submerge themselves into mortal society-legend says they are atypical of other common behaviors unique to demons- their mannerisms, desires, are unknown-]-but Ten Ten closed her notebook abruptly before she could finish reading, startling her out of her thoughts.

"But enough about that...if memory serves…isn't there another important event occurring in a week…?" She mused aloud, her gaze coy. For a moment she stares at the girl with marked confusion before the the thought struck her as well. She could only sigh- deeply, almost regretfully- but again, she says nothing. Ten Ten scoffed at this, clearly disgruntled at her lack of response. "Now that's not something you don't see everyday…surely you haven't forgotten the day of your own birth?" She stated saucily, her hands defiantly perched on her hips.

"Ano…yes...that is my…birthday." 'The last' she thought secretly, in the heart of herself, with the same sinking, sick anticipation, the same weary longing as always. How far away it seemed- and yet again- how close it loomed. The biting jaws of fate- ready to devour her at last.

"You don't sound very thrilled eh? Odd- isn't a girl's eighteenth birthday supposed to be a cause for celebration? Especially in such a prestigious family like your own?" She added curiously, her dark eyes searching the confines of her pale, haggard face. She nods quietly- not trusting herself to find any words of worth from her traitorous tongue. Abruptly, she feels like crying again- but she thinks of the sound of his laughter as he had wiped away her tears with his hands. They had not…been so rough then, had not been so weathered and worn. Then- they had seemed so small- and yet- how much stronger they had felt than her own.

"But enough talk about your fancy birthday ball…The better question is…will you be attending these? Isn't it a striking thought? A party every eve? And considering this will be the last week before your big day- why not make the most of it?" She asked mischievously, her eyes twinkling- but she is already banishing the thought, shoving the letter back quickly into the confines of her satchel, where she could more easily dispose of it. "My Father will never…allow it." She finished quietly, with the same quiet resignation as always. The reminder of the man is more than enough- Ten Ten's eyes are sharp with protest- but she too finds that there is nothing to say. She knew the man- and the pride that had always guided his every action and breath. "Oh Hinata..." She began, but those are the only words she can find as her friend turns and bids her farewell, the long dark length of her mane rippling quietly behind her.


He finds her later as he always does, whistling a jaunty tune overhead. She is walking through the courtyard of the academy, beneath the shady bows of a large gnarled tree when he calls to her. "Oy! Hina-chan!" He states loudly, boisterously- and she stares, startled from the dark of her thoughts, upwards into the heavy canopy to find him. His golden head and blue eyes are starling against the twilight sky and the dark boughs beneath him, casting his form into equal part dim light and dark shadow. "Are you going?" He asks easily, with his too wide smile that robs her of breath.

"W-W-What…?" She begins, but his smile is knowing as he turns away from her, rolling onto his back on the wide tree branch, hands behind his head and foot aimlessly kicking the wind. "Eh? All of the girls have been talking about all of those fancy schmancy parties that are happening, its got everyone all excited- blegh!" He added, making an over exaggerated sound of revulsion, childlike in its fervor. "Sounds pretty boring if you ask me!" He continued ranting, his foot still swinging aimlessly. "Buuuut…I might change my mind if you're going Hina-chan!" He added, turning back on his stomach to once more give her full attention, with a wry accompanying smile. She stammers, flounders- struggling to find words as she always did when those blue eyes were on hers.

"A-Ano…m-m-my f-father…" She begins hesitantly, and in reply his bright eyed grin immediately turned into a good natured scowl. He scoffed beneath his breath as soon as the words had scarcely finished leaving her lips.

"Figures. That wily old bastard. Of course he wouldn't let you go that decrepit old geezer…shitty old man!" He cursed, his voice still as disgruntled as a boys. But abruptly his tone shifted from one of good natured jesting to thoughtful consideration."Hmm...I guess there is a pretty big day coming up for you after all eh?" He turned again, surveying her once more with those laughing blue eyes- eyes that always seemed to know more than she has said and always seemed to search deeper, into the very pits of her being. "Can't have you running out and about every evening when he's still trying to marry you off to that stiff ass Neji right?"

Abruptly her head rings, as the entirety of the world seemed to spin out of focus with startling brilliance. She catches herself a moment before she staggers on her feet, the sweet darkness coaxing her to succumb. She- almost fainted where she stood. She feels as if the blood has drained from her body, pooling into her feet, as if it has all left her, along with breath, with thought, in one foul swoop. She can feel it, beginning to make itself known on her features before she can stop it- a look of absolute horror, of bleak despair. She feels as if in this moment, time has shuddered to a stop.

"W-W-What..." She stammers out with difficulty, quietly. If she could have seen her face, she would have wondered at the painful, agonizing expression etched into the lines of it. "W-What d-did y-you j-just say?"

"You should do the things you want to do." He continued, silencing her with one smooth, effortless toss of his head. "Haven't you learned that yet?" His grin was wide, wider than before. She is staring but all she can see is that same blond haired boy, his smile gentle in its agony- "If you keep this up-" Again-

"N-Naruto." She says clearly, for the first time in a long time, in a voice filled with something far beyond wonder, far beyond understanding. She remembers acutely, painfully, the warmth of the hand that had gripped hers as they had tumbled as children through the underbrush of the forest. And again- the careless, callous strength she has felt, bounding in his shadow. She didn't want to remember- could not remember- always- her memories came in disjointed bursts, in fragmented pieces. The warmth of his hand. The echo of his laughter. The pure sweetness of his lips when they had found hers. His promise- the one he had sealed with a kiss. She tries to forget, has always tried to forget it- but deeper, further, darker, the truth- "Who are you?" It is one of the rare, fleeting times when she finds her voice, when she has addressed him directly, without either a stammer or stutter.

She can feel it. Abruptly the air has shifts again- becoming something strange, unsettling, dangerous. She can feel the hairs rising along the back of her neck, feel the goosebumps breaking out along her skin. She does not- cannot allow her eyes to leave his face- blue eyes are as they had always been- but for a moment, the briefest of moments- she imagines they burn with the same colors as the twilight sky behind him. She cannot breath, she cannot think- trapped again in this moment, in the dark of the truth that still lies between them- known- but always left unsaid.

-but abruptly he laughs the same as he always has, turning his bright blue eyes back to the twilight sky. "Why that's a silly question. I'm your friend. Always have been, always will be. No matter what." He added finally, dispelling the odd anxiety that had begun to take root in her mind, motioning for her to continue on her way with a jerk of his head. How easily he alone can do so- to rouse her, to frighten- and comfort all in a single breath. He says the words so easily, with such familiarity that she already has almost forgotten the odd moment that had just unfolded between them. She pushes it away again, into the depths of her being. Again- there are words trembling there on her lips- but she keeps them to herself. She does not speak. She takes a hesitant step backwards-

"And one more thing-" She turns. He tosses it down to her gently, and against herself she reaches out her hands, catches the worn book before it could hit the ground. And again- she blushes so deeply her face becomes an acute, painful shade of red. She opens her mouth- closes it- it is the wretched novel from before, returned once more to her shaky hands.

"You left it in the study. Figured I would return it to you…you were reading it so intently after all. You should finish what you started you know." He added noncommittally, his words starling in their implications. Aghast, she could barely voice any of her protests- his mood had shifted again, like a wild wind changing direction as he cast his eyes towards the sinking sun.

"Look at that! You better hurry up now before that old fart Neji comes along looking for you." He added placatingly, shooing her with a wave of his hand. "Later Hina-chan." He calls out, his warm voice comforting and familiar. And despite herself there is something that tells her to stay in the shadow of that gnarled tree long after the sun has finished setting. But she merely stumbles out a half hearted 'good bye' shoving the offensive novel deep into the confines of her satchel. She doesn't mean to run from him with such passion- and yet she does- she wants to keep running she thinks, until she flew.


He seals it with a kiss. Sinfully decadent- he press his lips to it fervently- as if they had been her own. He places it where he knows it will find its way, once more- to her hands. Again- the game begins again. 'Fight it as much as you like. Deny it as much as you wish. Inevitably-' but there was nothing that needed to be said. He smiled darkly to himself as he placed it within the worn confines of the novel. He had seen it in her eyes- had seen it rising to the surface. He had watched her after all- the way the heat had bloomed beneath her cheeks, the sly, furtive glances she always hastily cast. They way she had hesitated- her entire body trembling with barely contained shame. She had always been ridiculously easy to read. And how more so- when her eyes had been so tormented, so pained? But he understands it, even when she did not- realized it long before the thought had ever once crossed the expanse of her mind. But that was fine. That…suited him just fine. 'Ill drag it out of you- that which you try so hard to conceal, the truth you try so hard to deny- kicking and screaming- I'll drag it from the darkness into the light-'


She lowers herself into the soothing liquid warmth of the bath, wincing as the heated water lapped gently at the fresh bruises already beginning to make themselves known against the delicate translucent skin of her body. Now more than ever- she sinks deeper into the warmth, allowing the heat to soothe away the aches and pains she has sustained from this afternoon's training. Today- her Lord Father's training had been…more difficult than usual. His blows had been filled with more force, more anger than they had in sessions past- and again there was Neji's cold, calculated fury filling the room, hinting with ferocious intent of that which had gone unsaid. But she understood the marked intent behind his blows as he had evaded her own, as he had sent her reeling once more to her knees.

'He knows.' She thought quietly, with muted resignation to herself, her fingertips delicately parting the scented water. 'He knows that I- was seen with Naruto-kun…' She thinks again of him, lingering with her in the study, a moment too long. He had always…been stubborn. He had always done as he pleased. No matter how much she had begged him to leave her, to abandon her- no matter how much she had cautioned him, had warned him- her family had ruined many before him, had broken many strong willed men just like him. But no matter how she had begged, had pleaded- no matter how much Neji had threatened him with force- again, without fail-

It was his smile across the crowded hallway. It was the echo of his laughter. It was the warmth of his presence, ghosting through her shadow. She…had tried to forget. She…had tried to forget him. It was more than they knew, could ever possibly imagine. The truth- And yet- no matter how she had prayed- no matter how she had wished- she could not- forget the warmth of his hand.

'And…he knows the truth now.' She thought to herself, quietly, bitterly. 'Perhaps…he has always known.' It was not quite so uncommon…for noble families to intermarry in order to keep their bloodlines pure. Maybe they all knew, had always known. She envied them- Sakura and Ino- for their straight forward affection, for the reckless abandon with which they threw themselves into their passions. And even Ten Ten- earnestly chased after Neji's shadow, even when she had always known perhaps, that hers was a love that would forever be unrequited. All of them had such free spirits- how openly they chased after the things they wanted, hungered for. And she-

'If you keep this up-' She finished it for him, that which had gone unsaid. '-you'll never be free.' She felt the tears again- the hot heavy knot of pain lodged firmly in her chest. It never seemed to leave her now- not when the impending time was drawing closer, and her own fate becoming more and more clear. 'I know.' She thought quietly, hating the hot, heavy tears that found their way to her cheeks, hating the hands that seemed incapable of doing nothing save hold themselves tight around her form. She felt as if she were slipping away, vanishing, becoming a frail slip of nothing. She wanted- to disappear. But again she could hear her father's voice, deep, commanding,

'This is your duty. This is your birthright.' She cannot shake the words, rooted so deeply in her psyche they never seemed to leave her. She felt in this moment, deeply and truly- as if she were the only soul in the world.


Beloved-

You've long since known what I have desired, what I have longed for in this wicked heart of mine- too many my desires are dark, deranged- far beyond understanding, beyond mortal comprehension. But that is what bids me act- and act I do. You won't understand it at first- why- why that which you try so hard to conceal, that which you push deeper and deeper into the core of your being- why I alone can coax it out of hiding, why I alone can call into being the truth you have buried deep in your soul. Beloved- I do this for you- delicately, gently I will take you- unripened bud- and I will coax you to bloom, to fruition. Perhaps you will find me cruel- perhaps you will find my touch- raw, unfounded, without rhyme or reason- beyond your ability to bare. But you will bare it, as you have bared all before- as you bare the weight of your misery, as you bare the weight of their expectations, as you hide the screams always howling away deep within yourself. You will want to bare it as you bare their torment- screaming in silence- but I will not allow it. Beloved- to be set free, to be unchained- you must let go. Perhaps you will find it frightful, being lost- perhaps you will find it terrifying, being bound- but in this-

You will find all that you have been seeking, all that you have wanted, have hungered for. Again I tell you- in this pain you will find release. In your shame you will find redemption. In the depths of this frightful passion, in the midst of this heavy, aching lust- you will finally be set free.

And you-

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-asked me who I was.

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Now there's a question that I've been waiting for! That's pretty funny you know? As if you didn't know me. As if you didn't know the answer to that already ha! But I know what you mean don't I? Don't we both know?

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But I guess it's time you have your answer.

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What do you think Hina chan?

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Isn't it time you found that out for yourself?

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The number scrawled there almost childishly- she can feel the weight of his hands as he had written it. She bit her lip- quietly closing the novel as she carefully gathered the small note that had marked the page from which she had read.


AN: And here's the next chapter. Writing this has been helpful, I had gotten to a bit of a roadblock with Hanahime and needed to try my hand at something else. This is a bit of an odd world I've put our cast into, so I was trying my best to give a bit more context. Our dear friends Naruto and Hinata seem to have a bit of a secret between them- if I haven't bored you yet, hopefully you'll stick around to find out what it is. I recently watched the Great gatsby again, so pardon me I've been in the mood to write about a fancy ball. But I digress, will see you all next time!