Sasuke trained by himself as usual, early in the morning to get away from Sakura and Naruto. His old teammates that had the tendency to train at their old grounds as well. After he was brought back to the village things had not gone back to the way they were when he was younger; everyone had changed. Even a little, the village hadn't seen him as the last Uchiha anymore he was a traitor though the title never stung him. Naruto was still loud but wore more black than orange and sometimes gazed off too much and a dark look would come on his face; dark words murmured under his breathe then he would go back to normal. Even he seemed matured yet broken.
Sakura was well, different to some extent. Made a medical nin, the last thing he'd expect from someone so harsh and brash with people. (Well just Naruto). Her hair was kept short, she seemed to have grown out with her obsession with him which was welcoming but she still gave him long looks and smiled a little too much at him. They had all changed whether it was for the better or the worst, he could not tell.
Truthfully he wasn't sure if he wanted to tell.
With a final punch of the wooden post he undid the bandages his hands and discarded them before making his way to his apartment, the changes of his comrades for once in a few hours plaguing his mind.
::))((::
She woke up with her eyes sore and her throat dry. Probably from crying all night, licking her lips she passes a hand over her face. On wobbly feet she stood on the cold tatami floor, the glorious kimono she had wore yesterday was on the floor along with her under-dress. Leaving her with nothing but her underwear, she hadn't to time to put on her night-dress last night, all she could do was sob and strip. No matter how squealed strength she still continued to be a weak little doll. Hinata was disgusted and disappointed with herself, all these years fighting against the Hyuga stereotype of being the doll and here she was, crying her senses away.
Neji had thought her better than that.
Wiping her tears she trudged her way to her private bathroom, it was average she suppose at least for Hyuga standards. All the basics; a tub, sink and toilet. In the same bland colors the clan seemed to love, some flowers had been given to her by a branch member in a vase by the sink. The dying lilacs wilted over the hand soap. Dropping withered petals on it.
Hinata turned the faucet on and let the water run for a few seconds before placing her hands underneath it. The sound of the water drowned her thoughts temporarily. Lavender eyes fluttered up at her reflection, she saw black lines down her red cheeks from all the crying she had done.
Shaky hands cupped the water before splashing it on her face, the icy liquid brought her awake. There was no time to cry.
Hyuga do not cry.
Wiping her face clean of grime and make-up, she wondered how she become like this it had been years since she cried but then again it had been years since she felt like the way Sasuke had made her feel. She wasn't sure if she ever felt this way.
The tears, hurting Neji hadn't compared to the way Sasuke made her felt and hoe badly she wanted to explore it.
She turned on the faucet of the bathtub and let it fill up whilst she sat on the edge. Hunched over and not noticing, even through the opened door of the bathroom that someone had entered the room.
::))((::
It was almost lunch when he had arrived at the steps of the Hyuga Main House. Dressed in his regular clothes, a dark blue short with a pair of black pants. He decided not to wear too much of his shinobi gear, except for his kunai strapped at his left thigh. Sasuke ran his fingers through his dark hair and narrowed his eyes at the guards. They were like blank soulless zombies, how on earth was Hinata related to them? He shook his head and walked through the door, expecting to see Hinata waiting for him like council said she would. Imagine his surprise when he saw a mini version of Neji but with distinct feminine features and minus the caged bird seal. She looked at him with the curious eyes of a kitten but he knew she was not nearly as harmless. The girl was his to-be sister-in-law, Hanabi.
Sasuke gave her a blank low and a nod of acknowledgement. The responded with a quick jerk of he head, she seemed cold and hardened. Like a true nin. He wondered if his Hinata would have been like that had she been allowed to be a shinobi if she would have been like that. The idea was impossible to fathom, he simply could not entertain it.
He cleared his throat and asked. "Where's Hinata-hime?"
She smiled but it held no warmth. It was as if she had grown weary of the name, it wouldn't be too long he wanted to say, soon he would have her sister far away from their clan.
"She's getting ready."
He nodded, accepting the answer and soon a thick tense silence fell over them. Then he heard a bell-like charming laughter, then she entered. His prize had arrived, when she entered he saw not her but the person who was next to her making her laugh. He recognized him, a well-known nin who was on the same team as Hanabi, the young ninja who skipped two years into their class.
Kiba Inuzuka.
Sasuke sneered but let it slip when Hinata looked at him.
She wore a knee-length kimono style sundress, that was light blue with a dark blue flower on the edge of it which looked as if it were inching its way up to her thigh. The material was thin and looked expensive. Sasuke would have rolled his eyes if it had not been Hinata wearing it, even with simple dresses the Hyuga wanted to show off their wealth.
The indigo locks that he had dreamed of running his fingers through were down her shoulders, covering her chest all the way to her stomach. He noticed they hadn't caked on as much make-up to hide her natural beauty today, if it was possible she looked even more majestic.
Pride swelled up in him knowing that she was all his and not the dog who was holding her arm.
"Hinata-chan." He greeted with a small bow and smile, the one he reserved only for her.
She smiled at him genuinely as well. A gesture he noticed had even become pained for her to carry out. "Sasuke-kun."
He tried not to grin at the honorific, instead he smiled for a few seconds longer and accepted her arm from the mutt. "Let's go, shall we?"
Hinata blushed prettily, and nodded. Even he could tell she was excited to go outside in the many years she was held in the compound. Trained to be the perfect bride, groomed for him.
"Hai," was her soft reply. They gave their good-byes to the Inuzuka and her sister, leaving the compound with the steely gaze of the guards boring into their backs. Sasuke could care less because today was his own with the most beautiful girl in the village on his arm.
::))((::
Neji laid on his stomach, eyes closed as he listened to the rhythmic breathing of his comrade. She stirred in the sheets and snuggled close to him, today was their day off, they had promised to stay close to each other on this day. Well, she had promised and he listened to her.
It was something he was good at as of late, listening and not responding.
What he had planned for almost three years was on the brink of disappearing. Hinata had succumbed to the charms of the last Uchiha. He catered for that of course, his cousin may have been strong but she wasn't that strong to resist her fiancé. Neji catered for all possible obstacles.
It was for the best of Hinata, for the promise he had made to her when they were younger. When she realized just what she was to the clan.
A bargaining piece.
/::/
On Sundays no one went to the clan training grounds, they all preferred to go to the dojo or the temple and not work. All but him that is, he would rather come out late where no one could see or do him harm. He was one of the youngest members a prodigal child but that didn't stop some members from resenting him.
In fact it fueled it so to stay away from harming them or conflict he would go to the training grounds on Sunday.
Fifteen years old he stood almost as tall as a man, with his long brown hair tied back and lean muscular shape shown in the training clothes he wore. The black ankle length slacks were loose enough to practice and the sleeve-less shirt allowed for better movement when he practiced.
This day, however the grounds weren't as quiet and empty as usual. Today someone was there, he heard the soft sobbing and whimpers, felt the familiar chakra and decided it wasn't a threat. Not even to a fly.
A younger girl sat on the grass with her face in her hands, petite body rocking with sobs and the pretty yukata she wore soiled by the dirt. Neji sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets before walking up to her.
"Hinata-chan?" He called quietly not to alert her yet she jolted up with wide eyes and a trembling bottom lip. Today she probably had training with Yuki, their grandmother who trained Hinata with the proper ways of a lady.
She greeted him with a shaky voice with a small smile.
Neji squatted beside her on the ground, forgetting the training for the day. "What happened?"
Hinata shook her head and opened her mouth only to close it back. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and let her dampen his shirt with tears.
"I'm n-nothing but an object to them aren't I?" She asked but he kept his mouth shut.
It was the truth.
"They will trade me to the highest bidder or whoever will bring the most money into the family, whoever has the most prestige and to hell with whatever I want! To whoever I love!"
It was the first time he ever heard her curse, or even hear her this angry before. This anger was just, she had just found out the truth about her existence and it hurt him to hear it. His dear cousin didn't deserve that, she was too kind and too sweet to go through something like that but it was her existence, her curse for being born a woman, a beautiful woman at that and now it would damn her to a loveless marriage when her betrothed came of age.
He felt her head raise from his chest, she placed her small hands there, looking up at him angry eyes and a trembling jaw.
"Let's run, nii-san. Away from this place, when you're stronger and I'm a woman, before I wed. We'll go far away and change our names, we'll fall in love with who we want and live happily. We may not be rich but we'll have each other and hope. We'll be more there than here, promise me Neji, promise me we'll run."
Neji stared at her to see of she was crazy but she wasn't she was serious and perfectly sane. He cracked a small smile and brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. Fingers brushing against her soft skin, he leaned forward and kissed her like had done many times before and pulled away.
"Hai, Hinata-chan, we will."
/::/
"Neji?" A groggy voice called and he turned around with an easy smile.
The owner of the voice returned it and sat up on the bed, the sheet that covered her feel off revealing love marks all over her abdomen though she didn't mind but instead arched her back and yawned. It was a sight he had come to admire immensely as of late.
"Good Morning, love."
He leaned forward and kissed her, hands ghosting over the marks and curves of her body.
One more thing he hadn't catered for was falling in love, but he would figure that out too, when he got out of bed, much later.