All Naruto characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Viz Media. I'm just futzing with the world and characters for a bit.
I want to sincerely thank those people who have reviewed, put this on their alerts or on their favorites. Any show of support is extremely wonderful to see. Enjoy!
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Title: Playing For Ghosts
Summary: Drabble series (11-20 of 60). All my drabble prompts were taken from Tumblr.
Rating: K+/PG
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11:Sweat
Drops of salty liquid slip into Hinata's eyes. She blinks as they sting. Her target jumps on the opportunity.
Hinata activates her Byakugan just in time to see Itachi bearing down on her from above.
She tucks into a roll, just missing a kunai. Itachi throws the rest of the knives in his hand as she attempts to get to her feet.
Hinata knocks them away with her own kunai and darts to the side. If Itachi keeps her on the defensive, she will lose. She channels chakra to her hands and changes direction. Springing forward, Hinata makes her stand.
12:Renewal
"I haven't seen you in a while," Hinata offers politely.
Itachi raises a brow. Instead of awkwardly skirting the controversy or clumsily blundering into the mess, she makes it sound like he was simply studying abroad. Not running from the havoc he caused.
He raised his expensive coffee to his lips, studying her face.
"It has been some time." He offered.
Hinata brightened at getting a response. Her fingers tightened around her own cup. "The Village has grown a bit since you left. If you would like, I can give you a tour."
Simply, she lets him know she still considers him a friend.
13:Temptation
"You'll regret it later," Itachi warns. His lips are pinned into a frown.
Hinata whines wordlessly and her eyes are pleading.
He scoffs and looks away. Not because she would make him give in, but because… It did not matter. He simply could not face her soft-hued gaze or pouting lips.
"You do not have to ask me for permission."
Hinata's face lights up as she leans over the table, longingly stretches out a hand and…
Itachi's breath catches.
…She snatches the last cinnamon roll.
Later, the sugar makes her feel sluggish in training and she wishes she had shared.
14:Abandonment
Hinata's presence in not uncommon in the Uchiha compound. Despite their age and rank differences, Itachi and Hinata have formed a strange bond. Apart, they are isolated. Silent watchers on the fringes. Together, they are an inseparable duo.
However, while Hinata's presence is not surprising, her rumpled state is. She shows up pale and her bottom lip has been chewed to tatters.
Mikoto steps back and lets the girl enter the house.
Itachi finds Hinata waiting for him in his room.
"Hinata?"
"They don't want me anymore," she whispers to the floor. "Nobody does."
He catches her hand. "Not true."
15:Glass
He brings her a little glass figurine. It is the most exquisite thing she has ever seen. A sunflower that glistens in the light, she handles it with careful fingers.
Her reaction pleases him. It is hard to find someone who appreciates the care put into art.
Even at her young age, she knows it is delicate. Her father tries to tear it away from her but she dances away from him and hides it.
Years pass. Blood stains her fingers as she spares a moment to regard her sunflower. Her friend is long gone, but the glass is intact.
16:Laughter
Hinata does not laugh. She giggles, her fingertips covering her mouth. As if someone seeing her joy would be offended by it.
Itachi does not laugh. He only allows himself hints of a grin and chuckles.
They do not laugh around each other either. But sometimes when it is Itachi, Sasuke and Hinata, they forget their manners.
Maybe she forgets to hide her lips. Maybe Itachi lets his mirth crease the corners of his eyes.
Sasuke likes Hinata if only for that reason. They can all be honest with each other. Sometimes, he will laugh for the both of them.
17:Morning
Morning dawns cold. The sun does not do anything but highlight the dew covering Hinata's arms.
She cannot move, not even to turn to her teammate crouched next to her. They are being hunted by a nin far stronger than the pair combined.
A whisper reaches her ears. Blood rushes through her veins, igniting it and momentarily heating her body. Their hunter is close.
The whisper passes and Hinata becomes chilled again. In a moment of weakness, she leans towards her partner. He shifts so his arm presses against hers.
They warm each other until it is time to flee.
18:Poison
Hinata is skilled with poisons. She learned her trade from her mother, who learned from hers and so on. It is a tradition, one that Hanabi never cared to learn. But Hinata did and with her gardening skills, engineered some of the most potent strains Konoha has ever seen.
Her work in Itachi's tea is sloppy. He notices it immediately.
He tips the cup over, betrayed.
"Why?"
Hinata's pale eyes are steady even if her balled hands are shaking.
"If I did not kill you, other Konoha shinobi would."
On cue, nin storm the room. But no one is there.
19:Silence
They meet in a subdued glade.
Hinata settles down in the grass and a beat later, Itachi fades into view. She picks an orange out of her basket and without a sound; Itachi takes it and begins peeling it for her.
She smiles and blushes her thanks. They eat their lunch. No words pass between them. When they are done, she gives him a questioning look. He nods.
Hinata moves to pack their peels and empty bento boxes back in the basket. Itachi closes the mug he brought. She stands, waves and leaves in one direction. He leaves in another.
20:Mourning
No one wants to attend this funeral. Fugaku is considered a traitor. His death happened in the failed coup. But his son is a war hero. A faithful double agent.
Everyone is in attendance for Itachi's sake. The mourners stand as far from the tombstone and the decimated Uchiha clan as is polite. Except for one young woman. She boldly slips in next to Itachi.
Everyone stares, even Sasuke and Mikoto. Hinata pays them no mind.
She extends her pinkie expectantly and the crowd is genuinely surprised when Itachi laces his own through hers.
They keep their little fingers linked.
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If there is something you would like to see, or something you want expanded, please let me know!
Title credit goes to Jan Haak and his original composition "Those Who Play for Ghosts." (You can find it on Youtube if it is available in your country.)