Disclaimer: if I owned the series I wouldn't be here now, so I don't own! Nor do I own lullaby for a stormy night!
Chapter Five
Never too late part II
Hinata slowed her pace the uchiha was walking unaffected, but she could here his disturbed breathing. The forest was far to quiet if she could, she instinctively activated the byakugan scanning the area.
The uchiha noticed and his body coiled tense to strike the confirmed area, as if working together. She shook her head at the thought 'he's just trying to protect himself Hinata, don't think anything more or less.' Her thoughts echoed.
When she walked to the nearest chakra source she stilled, there...was nothing there. Only a small abandoned village the houses were collapsing in on themselves as well, it must have been abandoned a long time ago.
"It is nothing. Lets go." The uchiha said walking into the village that led to an open road, so strange to find a village this far out in the middle of no where. Then again it WAS abandoned so this must have been a failed settlement.
Hinata sighed and picked up her pace keeping in time with the uchiha's footsteps, her father's words echoed in her thoughts as always.
"You must never let anyone get ahead of you Hinata, always try to stay on the same level or you will be thought weaker then you already are."
Weak always weak and pathetic, Hinata recalled a few days ago when the uchiha himself had said that.
"I am akatsuki. Enemy of the village, it is your duty to kill me. You are scared of me, how pathetic."
Was she really no stronger then before? Hinata shook her head she was! She was jounin status and was handling an s-rank mission! They wouldn't give such a high ranking mission to someone thought to be weak, would they?
'Besides if, if I get stronger maybe n-naruto-kun will finally acknowledge me.' Hinata thought blushing at the thoughts of the golden haired boy with sparkling sapphire eyes.
'No' she thought 'those eyes are so blue they could put oceans to shame!'
Not only that… but even after being picked on and told he was the dead last he stood up, he fought back! He HAD gotten stronger he had taken neji down in the chunin exams after he had hurt her, when everyone thought he would fail.
He always rose up to fight back, no matter how many times he was told he was useless and a dead last. That's why she liked him so much, he had his dream and he was to be DAMNED if he couldn't reach it. Hinata truly believed he could too; he had such determination and was continuously getting stronger.
"Why don't you say anything back?"
"Your doing great Hinata!"
"Who are you to tell her what she can or can't be! Come go tell this guy to jump in a lake Hinata!"
That's right even during the chunin exams he inspired her to keep fighting even when everyone thought she was out, down for the count.
"Hyuuga, focus." The uchiha's voice cut through her memories startling her.
"Its dark we're making camp." Was all he said, Hinata looked up to see that the sky WAS indeed dark out.
"O-of course l-lets set c-camp" she said using her byakugan to find a suitable spot, once found Hinata took out the futons attached to her bag.
"It's going to rain." He stated looking at the sky, how does he know? Hinata jumped as a low groan of thunder roared in the distance.
"I-I don't h-have a tent uchiha-san." She managed to get out. He sighed and threw a black bag at her which she barely caught in her hands, she looked at it quizzically.
"Set up the tent, we'll share until the storm passes." She nodded although on the inside she was already close to a dead faint, she hadn't had to share a tent with a guy before!
Shino and kiba were always in separate tents! If they HAD to share a tent kurenai-sensei always made sure to be the one near her instead of them, this was so not going to end well.
When she was done with the tent he went in carrying his futon under his arm, she held her own in her arms and watched the clouds roll in, lightning crackling in brief flashes or connecting in tendrils lighting up the sky.
"Beautiful" she whispered it was true to, something so deadly making its way across the sky the only way it knew how. Thunder cracked over head and rain started pouring down in sheets, she yelped and dashed into the tent.
Her foot caught on something and she tripped her arms flailing wildly as she tried to steady herself, to little to late.
Her face smacked against the ground and her hands flew to her face to access the damage, she found none and was going to get up when…
"I'd appreciate it if you were to get off of me." Hinata froze and timidly looked up meeting dark onyx eyes, her face burned in humiliation as she dived to the other side of the tent.
"Hn." Was all he said as she unrolled her futon only then realizing she needed to get dress…
"U-uchiha-san…I c-could y-you p-p-please t-turn a-a-a-away?" she stuttered blushing intensely, he stared at her for a full minute before turning away with the infamous "Hn."
She pulled out her night gown and quickly dressed herself praying that even though he was a nuke-nin that he would give her the privacy she deserves.
"I-I'm d-done uchiha-san." Hinata whispered only to see he himself was already dressed.
"Do not give respect to your enemies, do not expect them to give you that. Given the chance I could easily strike you down." He said dully almost lecturing.
Hinata nodded noticing his hair was out of its usual low ponytail, letting his coal black hair hang softly against his shoulders and Hinata couldn't help but remember that neji had long hair too.
Was it that men with long hair despised her in the beginning? Hinata almost laughed at the absurdity of the thought, besides neji was much more open then this man.
She smiled softly once her head hit the edge of the futon briefly wondering if neji had gotten along with ten-ten any more then he had before she had left.
She shook her head at the thought neji was too much of a kill-joy to do any 'flirting' with her. Even if it was obvious that she liked him and him to her.
The thunder was still going in a low ongoing growl, like that soft whir that you could listen to and relax. The rain pattering on the tent was also a nice touch as well, now that it wasn't as heavy Hinata could find a small pattern.
She sat up and stretched her arms out as far as she could without disturbing the uchiha, it would take forever to fall asleep if she kept listening to things like this.
Hinata sighed remembering the lullaby her mother sang to her before she passed away. She closed her eyes singing the song in a soft whisper hoping she wasn't heard.
"Little child, be not afraid The rain pounds harsh against the glass Like an unwanted stranger There is no danger I am here tonight
Little child Be not afraid Though thunder explodes And lightning flash Illuminates your tearstained face I am here tonight
And someday you'll know that nature is so this same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and land And forests and sand Makes the beautiful world that you see in the morning
Little child Be not afraid The storm clouds mask your beloved moon And its candlelight beams Still keep pleasant dreams I am here tonight
Little child Be not afraid The wind makes creatures of our trees And the branches to hands They're not real, understand And I am here tonight And someday you'll know That nature is so This same rain that draws you near me Falls on rivers and land And forest and sand Makes the beautiful world that you see In the morning
For you know, once even I Was a little child And I was afraid But a gentle someone always came To dry all my tears Trade sweet sleep for fears And to give a kiss goodnight
Well, now I am grown and these days have shown Rain's a part of how life goes But its dark and it's late so I'll hold you and wait 'til your frightened eyes do close
And I hope that you'll know That nature is so This same rain that draws you near me Falls on rivers and land And forests and sand Makes the beautiful world that you see In the morning
Everything's fine in the morning The rain will be gone in the morning But I'll still be here in the morning"
It was strange she thought, how her mother wasn't even a ninja yet her father married her, willingly to not an arranged marriage either. So why, why did her father expect so much from her?
She closed her eyes and drifted off into sleep hoping she could finish this mission successfully.