Chapter Three:
She could see it now. It was right there. They were so close, Hinata was sure she could already hear her father scolding her. It had taken them less time than either had expected, which wasn't necessarily a good thing, and now their estate was within seeing distance.
The only accomplishment seemed to be that Hinata wasn't tired in the least, even though they'd slightly rushed to get there. Which meant that in some way, shape, or form she'd gotten stronger. After all, she still remembered the first time she'd had to walk from her house to the Uchiha estate…
It seemed like they'd been walking for hours. 6 year old Hinata glanced hesitantly over her shoulder to see how much progress they'd made. Not much. She could still see their house, though it was farther than when she'd last looked. Her mouth was dry already, but her father had told her that the water was there only in case the baby, Hanabi, got thirsty. But Hanabi was beside her, walking along with her. Hinata didn't want to get outdone by a two-year-old. Still…maybe father would give in just this once.
"F-Father…?"
"Yes, Hinata?"
"I…um, I'm th-thirsty…"
Her father looked down at her with that familiar disappointed look. "No, Hinata. Do you see your younger sister asking for water?"
Hinata blushed and turned away sadly. "N-No…"
"And she's still two. Learn to be like your sister, Hinata. You're supposed to be older."
Tears stung her eyes. "Y-Yes father."
"Hey Hinata-chan, I could carry you!"
Hinata glanced up at her cousin surprised. "N-No…"
"Uh-huh, I could! Watch!"
7-year-old Neji then proceeded to carry Hinata. He struggled very little as he held her in his small, and yet already becoming strong, arms. Hinata had been blushing from the moment he swept her up to the moment her father reprimanded Neji.
"She needs to rely on herself," he'd said. "And she'll learn to only the hard way."
Neji put her down and gave her an apologetic look before she smiled at him in gratitude. He then grinned and ran ahead with the rest of the cadet branch. Hinata went back to walking tiredly, dying of thirst, and glancing over her shoulder constantly to check her progress. Once, when she'd looked over her shoulder, she'd seen her father carrying Hanabi while she drank water.
Hinata shook her head, wondering why she'd remembered that from so long ago. Now they were actually on Hyuga grounds, and the estate was getting bigger as they got closer.
"I can't go with you, Hinata."
Hinata glanced panic-seized at her cousin before realizing he was right. "O-Oh, yeah…"
"I'm cadet branch," he explained, without needing to. She already knew. "I have to go now; I don't want to risk getting any closer."
Hinata nodded. "I…understand."
He paused. "But…Hinata, if you wanted me to…"
She shook her head. "No thank you…I…I have to do this myself. B-Besides…I wouldn't want to get you into trouble…"
He smiled fondly before nodding and heading his own way. Hinata had half been hoping he would say something like 'no, I don't care, I'll go with you anyway' but at the same time she'd meant what she'd said. After all, her cousin was always looking out for her, even if he sometimes had unorthodox ways of doing it.
She took a deep breath before bravely taking the necessary steps toward the mansion, which felt a lot like walking to the gallows.
When she was in front of the intimidating doors, she didn't bother knocking. She just didn't want to bother anyone, you know? Okay, that was a lie. In actuality, she didn't want anyone to know she was there. At least not yet.
But her attempt at secrecy, as seemingly were her attempts at anything else, was in vain. When the door was open, her father was standing in front of it, arms crossed and staring her down with a stern expression. She sank under his gaze and avoided his eyes.
"H-Hello father…"
"Why did you come back?"
She blinked at that. "H-Huh?"
"You run away so often, and each time I wonder why you come back."
She saddened at his words. "W-Well, I…"
"I don't know how you turned out this way. Whatever it is, thank God it didn't get to your sister."
She flinched as if he'd hit her. Tears welled in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry…"
"For what? Leaving or coming back?"
She drew her head away from him, hoping this would end soon. She didn't answer. Honestly, she wasn't sure which one she was sorrier for.
"Well? Answer me, Hinata! Why are you so hateful and jealous of your sister?!"
Her eyes widened at his accusation. "No! I'm not! I don't…I mean I don't…hate her…"
"How stupid do I look?! You run away all the time, and God only knows what you do out there with that Uchiha boy!"
"Nothing! We are not involved that way!"
Her father actually looked surprised, because this was the record breaking first time she'd ever raised her voice to him without any sense of fear. But once the surprise passed, anger quickly rose to replace it.
"Don't you dare speak to me that way. Ever. Again."
She retained her sadness, but the tears were miraculously not there anymore. "I'm sorry, but I promise I don't do anything! Not anything like that!"
His look went from fatherly sternness to blind anger. He raised his fist, having every intention of bringing it across her face. Instead of flinching, Hinata got in her stance and blocked her face. But neither made contact with the other. A bulky figure stood in front of the two, blocking Hiashi's attempted punch. Both Hyuga's were surprised, as neither had sensed anything until the moment it was there.
"S-Sasuke-kun!" Hinata said excitedly.
Itachi looked over his shoulder at her. "What the hell would make you think it was him?"
Yeah, she needed to work on that.
By now Hiashi had straitened and was back to that stern gaze, only this time it was directed at Itachi.
"This doesn't concern you, boy. How did you get past the cadet branch?"
"I didn't have to. They recognize me."
Hiashi redirected his argument. "You have no business here. It's rude to enter a house unannounced, also."
"Training."
"What?"
"Training," Itachi repeated. "That's what we've been doing. I've been training her."
Hiashi looked skeptical. "…Training?"
"That's what I said. It'd be much easier to train her at my house. I asked that you relinquish her to the care of the Uchiha clan while I prepare her to become the next head of the Hyuga clan. When I deem her fit I shall send her back."
"It's out of your place to ask such a favor!"
He lifted a brow. "Out of my place? As an heir of the Uchiha clan?"
"No, as someone with personal relations to her."
"I've told you; our relationship goes as far as training."
Hiashi was still skeptical.
"Neji could come once a month to check her progress. Or you could come, if you so choose."
"I wouldn't waste my time. Take her, try to train her. But it's an impossible feat."
Hinata had a look of such blatant pain that even Hiashi flinched inwardly at his own words. Just barely. Itachi glared at the man who called himself a father.
"Nothing's impossible for me."
And those were his parting words as he turned and walked out, knowing Hinata would follow him. She didn't even spare her father a backward glance, knowing she would have cried if she had. She instead chose to tough it out, forgetting this home and all the painful memories it brought.
Only when they'd left Hyuga ground did Itachi speak. "Excellent job, Hinata."
She blinked. "H-Huh? What do you…?"
"When your father was about to attack you, instead of flinching like I'd assumed you would, you stood your ground and prepared to defend yourself. That's at least some progress."
She thought back on her actions. He was right! It had been an unconscious reaction, but she'd done it. She even remembered thinking of hitting him back. Slowly, a smile formed on her lips.
"But that doesn't change the fact that you abandoned your training this morning."
"But I...I didn't. Neji—"
"Don't start to make excuses, Hinata. You left."
The joy that had been there mere seconds ago dissipated.
He stopped walking to face her. "Still though. You've improved. So, good job."
Oh, it was back. Blushing, she smiled gleefully, causing his eyes to soften up just a little.
He turned around and continued walking to hide the emotion from her. "Don't get too proud. We still have a lot of work to do."
But it was too late. Her sense of joy had come and gone and then come back. It was there to stay.
At least till they had another training session.
Shimi-chan: You know what I've been thinking? HinataxGaara. What say you all? I think it'd be really good. I even have a good idea what it's going to be about. But fear not, I promise to finish this story first, and then another one I've already started working on, and then I guess I'll start that one. Then I'll probably take my other story off my list (The Hot Gimmick one) and post it again later when I've rewritten it. It sucks, far as writing goes. But, hey, I was a beginner then. Now I'm…well, not a beginner.