Dreamcatcher
By Airyo
The Last Supper - 7
"Uchiha-san, please use the Mangekyou on me," was the first thing Hinata said to him the next time they met.
He paused, analyzing the different reasons for this sudden request. When she'd requested the Sharingan, it was out of consideration for his lack of things to test. But this time, he had plenty, and while they managed to keep her nightmares to a minimum through some trial and error, the Mangekyou was an immediate guarantee for a...bad reaction.
Was it something from the dinner? Was she so offended by his family that she was willing to brave the Mangekyou in order hurry the process along and avoid any future dinners?
Even as he thought it, Itachi concluded that he was being ludicrous. But, the possibility still bothered him. She had switched back to more formal tone, after all.
Itachi shook his head of such silliness and picked the most likely scenario.
"Did you have an unusual nightmare?"
She only shook her head, revealing none of the adorable ticks she usually displayed like blushing and fiddling with her fingers. The almost mechanical gesture made her seem like a broken doll. It discomfited Itachi to see her acting as if she'd just woken from one of her nightmares, even though her clear gaze indicated otherwise.
"Then can you tell me why you wish it so?" he asked. She peeked at him between the curtain of her bangs, and then slowly shook her head.
"N-no particular reason," she lied. Hurt, Itachi didn't press further. The last time he had tried to manipulate her, she'd reacted poorly. Whenever he seemed to step too close, figure too much, or simply become too familiar, she went on the defensive, as if...
It made a horrible kind of sense.
"What are you protecting, Hinata? Give me an idea, so I will take care to avoid the subject."
Hinata opened her mouth, and Itachi expected her to say that she was protecting her clan, herself, her precious people.
"I don't know..."
She seemed surprised by what she said.
"You don't know?" he echoed. "How can you not know?"
"I'm afraid to," she affirmed.
The worst part of it all, was that he knew she was telling the truth.
AN: What? Sudden plot development? Mindblowing, I know.