Warning: romance. This chapter is mostly focused on my romance part of the fic (I bet some people must be like, "finally" or something). So if you were someone who wanted some action (no, not in that way), then this is not the chapter for you. Edited by Tamani 30/5/2015
Birds of a Feather
Watching Hinata sleep so intently was one of the main reasons why Itachi could call himself a pedophile. What was he doing with his life? Preying on helpless (okay, she wasn't helpless at all) fifteen year old girls while they lay unconscious in the bed next to his. His mother would've been so proud if she knew. Just so proud.
After the Akatsuki had been dismissed Itachi had carried Hinata away from the cave and to a nearby town, where he had searched for a hotel. Hinata was asleep the moment her head hit the pillow, which left Itachi in the position he was now: staring at her sleeping form.
But before he knew it, his eyes were closing, the image of her sleeping face the last thing in his mind before his subconscious took him to a realm far, far away.
When he woke up, Hinata was already awake. Of course, it took him a couple of seconds to completely register this - he just wanted to dive back under the covers, and forget about the world around him. It was early anyway, they had nothing else to do, and-
"Are you finally awake?" The feminine voice that spoke completely woke him up from his moment of procrastination, and as he rose from his bed he felt slightly ashamed. He normally didn't let himself sleep in; he was more disciplined than that. Even when he was younger, he had to wake up at six o'clock every morning to train.
"Yes," Itachi answered, eyeing with disdain the amused expression on Hinata's face. What was so entertaining about a man wanting to sleep? Sleep was a very important neurological function for the body and sleep deprivation was a form of torture, so excuse him for not being able to understand why Hinata was looking at him like that-
"Itachi, I can assure you that I know you well enough by now to understand that you're having one of your inward debates. Please enlighten me, so that I can speak for myself." Instead of answering her groundless accusations, Itachi turned his head away from her view. Hinata rolled her eyes. Honestly, he was supposed to be the mature one. "Anyway, while you were asleep, I went out to get some breakfast. It's on the table, if you're hungry."
He guessed he was a bit hungry, so he grudgingly got up in an effort to give into another one of his important primal body functions. He was still slightly disorientated about the layout of the hotel, so it took him a couple of minutes to figure out exactly which table Hinata was referring to. As the place itself had no kitchen (what was with the lack of kitchens these days?) or dining area, she had placed the food on the coffee table in the right corner of the room.
Opening the sack, he found a plateful of rice, and a plateful of… dango. She had remembered to get him dango. Itachi knew that shouldn't have made him as happy as it did.
He ate in silence while Hinata went to lay on her bed. Of course, he had purchased a room with two single beds for the night - anything other than that would be awkward and an exploitation in her trust in him. But it wasn't like it really mattered - not in the grand scheme of things.
The silence felt a bit awkward, especially after he returned to his bed after feasting on his dango. And honestly, there were so many things he wanted to ask her about… "I was wondering how the fight with your sister went?" God that was such a terrible conversation starter. He cursed his social inadequacy that luckily, not many people were aware of.
"It could have been worse," Hinata admitted, and he could tell that she had definitely regained her composure compared to the day before. But still, her voice had an underlying hint of sorrow, and Itachi wished he had the ability to make it better but he didn't. In the end, he never really managed to be of use to anyone, really - just another person who tried to be a martyr, but never really was. But it was all said and done now, and there was nothing that he could really do about it - so he closed his eyes and hoped that when he opened them, he'd stop being so goddamn pitiful.
Because honestly, he was making things worse than they had to be.
"Itachi," Hinata's tone was no longer somber, but dark. "Do you ever regret killing them?"
Regret? "Sometimes. A part of me tries to remind myself that it was a necessary sacrifice, but then I wonder… Did it really have to be that way? There must have been some way to prevent it. And when I think that, I feel stupid and useless, and…" Itachi laughed; in a way that he couldn't even remember doing before. "Can you imagine that? The great Uchiha genius, failing at something as simple as saving his clan. Or maybe I don't even deserve to be called an Uchiha since I betrayed them in the first place." He trailed off, wondering how she even managed to get him to talk about it in the first place.
"You know, I've never heard you talk so much about yourself before," smiling, she walked over to his bed and took his hand. "And you say saving your clan is a simple matter. I beg to differ."
"Well, you've heard my say on the matter. What about you? Do you regret killing them?" Suddenly, there was a transformation on Hinata's face. She let go of his hand. It returned to her lap, where it formed a clenched fist.
"There is a one very big fundamental difference between me and you, Itachi." Starting to feel slight concern, he regretted asking the question. He hadn't meant to upset her. But it seemed like this was a very delicate topic… for some reason. Could this be why she ignored him during those days after she found the scroll? He hadn't seen her react to anything so strongly before… "I hated my clan, while you loved it. It took a great deal of effort and winding up to get you to kill your father and your clan, while it took me… essentially a day."
He wondered whether he should ask further or leave the topic be. It turned out that he didn't have to, as she continued talking without prompting.
"While you were seen as a genius, Itachi, I was the weak link. They hated me for it. I, in turn, hated them…" she laughed. It sounded hysterical, and Itachi hated how this conversation was making her feel. "No, that's wrong. Why am I lying? The truth was, I hated myself. You can do quite the terrible feats when you hate yourself."
"Hinata, if this makes you feel uncomfortable, you don't have to share it with me-"
"No, I will. I think… I think I really do need to finally get this off my chest. I've been keeping it a secret for three years too many. And who to tell, other than my 'evil' Akatsuki partner who did the same?" At least she was using a bit of irony now, Itachi noted. "Now, where was I? Oh, I remember."
"The day I found out the Hyuuga were planning to overthrow Konoha, I decided to kill them without a doubt it my mind." She paused, sighing. "I justified my decision by thinking it was for my friends. That it was for my village. That is was… it was something good."
Itachi's eyes widened in surprise, and his hands reached out to grab her shoulders and shake her. What was she talking about? How could she be thinking this? "It was good!You saved a village, Hinata! You saved your-"
"Good for whom, Itachi?" She removed his hands from her shoulders. "The corrupt tyrants who sit on their arses all day and drink wine? Yeah, it must have been very good for them. And besides…" her voice trailed off and she took a deep breath, trying to regain her calm. There was little to no point arguing about past events, especially with Itachi. "Would you hate me if I said that my clan might have caused the attempted rebellion of your clan?"
He blinked, more than a bit surprised at her implication. "I have a slight idea of what you're trying to insinuate. I must admit, I feel a smidgen disappointed in your lack of trust. After everything we've been through - really, Hinata? Really?" If she had thought he could hate her, she would've been sorely disappointed. But in the first place, had he ever hated anyone? Not that he could remember… One had to feel strongly about someone in order to hate. More often than not, Itachi felt indifference. Not that he would tell her that.
The woman in question scowled in return. "Stop making me feel so silly about my fears. And besides, aren't you a bit curious?"
The Uchiha rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine. What is it you wanted to tell me?"
"If you have no desire to know, I won't make you hear it." Itachi wondered how she managed to pout with a stony face. Even he had yet to achieve that ability. But rather than reply, he chose to stay silent, knowing that- "If you wanted to know that badly, you should've said so!" Women were so predictable.
"Well," she hesitated for just a moment. "It turns out that the Hyuuga didn't have the best history with Konoha…" Itachi tilted his head, his curiosity slightly piqued now. What did she mean? Well, whatever it was, she was probably making it sound more mysterious on purpose. "This wasn't the first coup they planned. Their last one failed, too."
"Are you trying to insinuate that their last planned coup failed similarly to this one, and due to it, there have been rifts within the Hyuuga and possibly Konoha that caused this one?" Itachi tried to refrain from smirking, and as always, succeeded in keeping his face as stony as hers. "And I also gather that you are also trying to suggest that the Uchiha coup somehow resulted from this?"
"…" Hinata flat out scowled, and Itachi considered this an achievement. "Your skills of deduction are impeccable."
"You will learn, Hinata, that there are many clichés in this universe. If you only follow the guidelines-"
"You mean the guidelines written down in those stupid detective books that you love to read?" His eyebrows rose in surprise, which confirmed her accusation. But - how did she know about them? They were supposed to be a secret! And not only that, but she had the nerve to insult them to his face! He knew that she was quite peeved about the way he had spoiled her 'grand telling' but that gave her no right to act like he had stolen her sweets!
"But you are… correct. The Uchiha followed the Hyuuga's example when it came to the rebellion. And much like the Hyuuga's first rebellion, the Uchiha's rebellion also failed." She sounded somber, and Itachi instantly became serious. "It must be because our clans are related… that they keep on falling in exactly the same way."
"What clans?" He questioned, and his voice was a bit louder than a whisper. "There are no clans anymore, Hinata. They'll start anew. Be rebuilt. And hopefully, they'll be better this time."
"I know that I certainly won't help in the rebuilding of the Hyuuga clan," he watched her grimace. "But rather than that, you say it as if… as if you don't plan on helping recreate the Uchiha clan, either."
Him? Restart the clan? What a laughable assumption. And besides that, there would be, "No time."
"No time? No time for what?" He hadn't meant to say that aloud. Curse it; whenever he was in Hinata's presence, he always seemed to spew things he hadn't meant to say. How did she manage to make him do that? He'd have to ask, preferably sometime soon.
"There's no time for me to 'restart' my clan, Hinata. Sasuke will come for my head long before that." And he estimated that to be in a week or two, actually. Maybe a month, if Sasuke was particularly slow. But somehow, Itachi doubted it.
Hinata blinked. Once. Twice. She stared at him for a bit, before saying slowly, "That doesn't mean you are going to die, does it? It just means that you will fight your brother. Right?" Itachi tilted his head in curiosity. Surely she must be joking, right?
"No, Hinata. Sasuke's coming for my head. He's coming to bring my deeds to justice. And then I will rejoin the family I have killed." He saw Hinata's expression morph into anger, before it became expressionless. Blank. His brows furrowed in confusion - he hadn't seen her face that emotionless in a long time.
"Exactly what do you mean?" Normally, she immediately understood what he was trying to say. Was she having an off day or something? Maybe she was tired. In any case, it seemed like he had to spell it out for her.
"I'm going to die, Hinata." Itachi paused, wondering why he sounded so emotionless as he said it. He should be happy. Finally, he would be able repent for his sins. His mother, his father - maybe he'd be able to see them again. Yes, he should be happy - but why did he feel so empty? "I'm going to die, and Sasuke will live happily ever after." Not only that: Sasuke would finally be able to achieve the Mangekyo Sharingan. Through it, Itachi could finally bestow the last of the Uchiha's inheritance to him.
"So you're planning on leaving me to be the only sinner, huh? Since we have the same crimes. But actually, if you look at it, mine are worse than yours!" There was an edge of hysteria to Hinata's words, and it started to worry him. "But you know what, fine. Maybe I'll just let Hanabi kill me. It's not like it matters anyway - actually - you're right. It's the perfect way for someone like me to die." What was she rambling on about? No - this had nothing to do with her! Why was she going on about dying?
"Are you threatening me?" His question didn't sound like a question. It was a statement.
"Who said anything about threats? I have simply decided to follow your wise life choices. Itachi, please don't hold double standards." Suddenly, her face was dangerously close to his, her smirk mocking. "Whatever you can do, so can I. And besides, you'll be too dead to have a say on when and how I go."
His shoulders sagged, tiredness weighing them down. What did she want from him?
"Are you trying to inform me that if I live after the battle with Sasuke, you won't give up on living, either?" He wanted to rub his temple. She was changing the plans he had made five years ago in a matter of five minutes. Why was he giving into her? If she wanted to die, why couldn't he let her? This was so frustrating.
She nodded, further sealing his fate. A fate different to the one he always imagined on having.
"Are you that vehement to have me live?" Once more, she nodded in response. It made Itachi curious. Just how far would she go? How far could she go?
"Fine," he paused. "If so, will you take responsibility for making me live?"
"What responsibility-" he crashed his lips to hers before she could finish her sentence. They were soft, he noticed. And warm. He'd never done this before, so he didn't have anything or anyone to compare to - but he was sure he didn't need any comparisons. No one would ever be able to compare to Hinata.
His mind went blank, and he tilted her head to make the position more comfortable. When did his hands manage to travel to her hair? It was scary; the way that he was slowly but surely losing control of his own limbs. And it was that fear that made him pull away, even though she had started to kiss back. As a shinobi, he couldn't ever not be in control of the situation. It was that loss of control that normally led to death.
Staring at her face, her swollen lips and the surprise in her eyes, he realised exactly what he had done.
It was a lapse of sanity. It must've been. What had he been thinking, kissing a fifteen year old girl? If she didn't think he was a pedophile before, she certainly would now.
He'd never felt so embarrassed before. He'd never had to deal with rejection before (back in the village, he had had to work hard to escape the "love" - more like wrath - of his fangirls), either - the rejection that he was sure was coming.
He was still staring at her, but her face was expressionless (again). He waited for her to say something; anything. But she remained silent and expressionless, and Itachi just wished that she would put him out of his misery already.
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. He had to remember how to breath properly, to get back the air he had lost. Inhale. Exhale. Inha- he was cut off from his therapeutic breathing by the feeling of warm lips. Itachi knew they were lips, and he also knew whose lips they were. He'd be able to recognise those lips anywhere (and no, it had nothing to do with the fact that the last time he'd felt them was barely a minute ago).
This time, the kiss was a bit quicker, a bit rougher - Hinata was a rough kisser, he noticed. Should he be disappointed? He'd always imagined that his first kiss - the fist time a girl kissed him (of all people) - would be sweet and gentle but this was the exact opposite. At least her hair was as soft as he imagined it to be - when had his hands journeyed to her hair again?
Finally, he felt himself being pushed down on the bed. Their lips separated, but Hinata was still there; on top of him. Her white eyes looked at him meaningfully, and she opened her now swollen mouth to say, "Yes. I will take responsibility."
He blushed, not red, but a pasty pink. He couldn't believe he said that! God, Hinata was never going to let him live it down-
"… Does this m-mean we're sharing a bed from now on?"
Yeah! Finally! Their first kiss in what, 30 chapters? Omg, this is so overdue. But do you know I planned this from before chapter 1? I know, right.
So, did I do okay? Was the romance up to par? Sorry if it wasn't. Reviews would be greatly appreciated, thanks!