...

The absence of windows concealed the arrival of morning. Her white irises slowly blinked themselves awake, fighting back their subtle dismissal to confront the new day, begging for their closure to escape into dreams again. The bed comforter surrounded her in a cocoon of safety, blocking the outside world from her private paradise, permitting only her delicate head to emerge, like a precious violet in a secluded garden.

As consciousness gently unfurled its tendrils, Hinata gently sat up, the comforter slipping off her as she noticed she was alone in bed. Conflicting emotions clashed within her: she was glad to wake up alone as to not face any more embarrassment for sharing a bed with Sasuke, and yet on the other hand, she was alone in this unfamiliar place filled with vile brutes away from the only person who sought to help her. Her small hands grabbed hold of the fallen comforter, drawing it towards her as she laid back down, recreating her private refuge.

...

"That's it for today," Orochimaru remarked as he looked down at Sasuke, who was gasping for air under the weight of his foot after he had just pummeled his chest to the floor, concluding their match.

I almost had him... Sasuke braced himself up as he caught sight of his master merrily walking away. For the past few months, Sasuke would have the upper hand during their sparring matches, validating all his effort and commitment, only for Orochimaru to snatch victory away at the last second. Fists pounded the floor - frustration fueling his fury as he fought back feelings of failure.

Stumbling back to his feet, he began to head over to his bed chambers, eager to wash away his disappointment, when he came to a halt. The dam that was holding back his dejection leaked, filling him with uncomfortable dread. Like any other day, all his thoughts were on his training - the movements of his body while blocking and attacking, the anticipation of his opponents next move, how to get the upper hand, ready for victory. He was so consumed that he only now remembered who was waiting for him back at his room, Hinata. Running a hand through his hair, tugging it in frustration, Sasuke let out a deep sigh. He had yet to think of a solution to get himself out of Orochimaru's twisted scheme, and thus he was not ready to face Hinata just yet. So, instead, he made his way to Orochimaru's vast library. There, he could focus on finding a fix to all this in total silence without anyone disturbing him.

The library was massive. There were numerous shelves that filled the space with all the knowledge Orochimaru had collected over the years. Scattered against the walls were private reading nooks, and Sasuke settled himself down in a secluded one towards the back.

As he began to brainstorm through ideas, images of Hinata from his past resurfaced. She was a quiet girl, timid was her nature, shy was her personality. Her behavior in class differed from their more obnoxious classmates. She was nervous in class; her eyes constantly glued to the floor; her face burning red at any sign of attention; she could barely allow a word to escape from her inaudible mouth. She fumbled during their shinobi training; her hands always trembling when it was her turn to demonstrate her skills. Most of all, she always kept to herself.

In a way, she stood out distinctly from the other schoolgirls in their class. Though she furiously blushed whenever they were paired in class, it was not due her being infatuated with him; she behaved that way with anyone who interacted with her. She was also not among the girls who flocked around him, shrieking with fanaticism, pestering him in a way only schoolgirls could. Instead, she remained distant from all the commotion, almost unbothered, lost in her own world.

Her personality did not do her any favors to avoid being bullied. Despite her being the elite Hyuuga clan's heiress, despite her donning her birthright eyes that made her naturally superior, she was a target for childish ridicule. She never defended herself when the children would mock her white eyes, averting her gaze as they laughed, never saying a word as she fought back tears. Sasuke wondered if she was able to transition her eyes like the Uchiha if she would have been spared some of the torment, but then they also picked on the way her clan traditionally dressed and styled her, especially her hair. She had short hair, mocked for being boyish, and strands of hair that framed both sides of her face that were constantly pulled during their taunts. And bangs that easily hid her teary eyes when they fixated on the floor.

There were times that someone would come to her aid: Naruto Uzumaki. Whenever she was harassed around Naruto, he would always be quick to jump to her defense. Often, Naruto would find himself on the receiving end of the mockery and violence, outnumbered by the offenders, and beaten up as he tried to fight off the bullies. During those times, though she displayed the same blushing display, but her eyes would sparkle ever so slightly at the boy defending her honor, only for her to quickly succumb to her timid nature. The class clown with no future would jump to Hinata's rescue, whereas Sasuke Uchiha, the prodigy who was present for many of these events, would not get involved.

Although Sasuke was popular, he, like Hinata, kept to himself. After the Uchiha massacre, his heart, passion, and desire were consumed with vengeance. Long were the days where he could be carefree, where he cared for others, where he could find reasons to laugh, where he had love to share. He had no interest in making new bonds when the memories of those prior filled him with pain. So, he kept everyone at arms length and minded his own business. That's just how he was, until he graduated from the academy.

Being teamed up with Naruto and Sakura Haruno tested his resolve. He found himself bonding, laughing, risking his life for his team. He no longer kept to himself. He got involved. His thoughts of revenge almost faded from his mind as he grew content with his new life, his new friends, his new resolve. Sasuke almost completely gave up the idea of revenge, until one day Itachi reappeared in his life and threatened his friends. It was then that Sasuke was reminded of his inadequacy. Itachi was able to easily thwart his attacks; it foolish to think he was at the same level as brother. He simply was no match.

Thoughts of revenge reignited. Him opening himself up had made him weak and pitiful. Eventually, he sought after Orochimaru who was responsible for assassinated the Third Hokage, for almost destroying the village. He promised him ultimate strength and power - everything he needed to kill Itachi- for a price. And, so, he removed himself from his new life. For years, he trained under Orochimaru's guidance. He learned new taijutsu, genjutsu, ninjutsu , and summoning techniques. He was also given a curse mark that gave him an enormous boost in power. He was free from the burden of involving himself in other's affairs but his own.

Until she came.

The girl he refuse to involve himself with showed up in his life again. Similar to before, Hinata was tormented, but this time Naruto was not around to come to her aid. Sasuke had spoke of fate to Orochimaru about his fictional childhood crush, but perhaps it was fate that compelled him to help her this time, to redeem himself of his failure when he had the chance all those years ago. Only this time the stakes were higher. This wasn't some immature kids tugging on the weird girl's hair; this was assault by men with authority. And yet, everything he sacrificed for, worked hard so, would be jeopardized. He left the village to avoid further involvement, but look how easily he was pulled in...

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. There are tons of things I dislike but I don't really like anything. And… I don't want to use the word "dream" but… I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan and… To kill a certain man."

The resurrection of my clan...

Hours had passed, and Sasuke was no closer to a solution than when he started. Burying his face in his hands, he let out a exasperated sigh. It was getting late, so he decided to finally head back to his room, remembering to find some better fitting clothes for Hinata on the way.

When Sasuke arrived and stepped into the sitting room, he noted that everything was eerily quiet and still. Nothing stirred, nothing rustled. Worry grew as he flickered into the bedroom, kicking himself mentally for being away for so long despite being aware of Orochimaru's desires for Hinata. With the door nearly thrown off its hinges, Sasuke couldn't help but shout, "Hinata?!"

He heard a noise coming from the bed, and when Sasuke turned he saw a bunch of blankets piled on "Hinata's" side of the bed. He had to resist the urge to yank the the blankets off the bed to confirm she was under there, so he stood frozen in place, watching patiently as the blankets shifted until Hinata's bedhead popped up, like an ungraceful flower sprouting. Relief overwhelmed him, and soon laughter - albeit a little more than he should have as he released all the pent up stress he felt since her arrival.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?" Hinata chirped as she stared at the laughing Uchiha, perplexed. Unable form any words, he laughed. He laughed until he heard a grumble coming from the bed, grounding him back to reality.

"Did you not eat?" He said after he composed himself. He noticed Hinata's blushing cheeks as she lowered her head to avoid his gaze.

"I... I didn't know I was allowed to leave here. Besides... I'd rather not run into Orochimaru or Kabuto."

"Sorry..." The guilt this woman made him feel returned. He should have been more considerate of her feelings; he should have realized that she would feel unsafe roaming around this place. Sasuke then turned to retrieve food, for Hinata, "Oh, here are some clothes. They should fit you better... Anyways, I'll be back with something to eat."

...

She was beginning to forget what sunrise looked like, to have the early morning light sneak through her window to sweetly kiss her face, filling her with a relaxing warmth. Instead, Hinata got out of bed, allowing the flickering glow of the lanterns to dance on her skin. She then made her way to the bathroom to cleanse herself more of the awful memories that still plagued her. Every spot of her skin that was violated was furiously scrubbed until her once flawless porcelain was streaked with red brushstrokes. Once she was cleaned to her satisfaction, Hinata dressed herself in the new clothes Sasuke brought her the other day, a black fitted long sleeve shirt and a pair of black drawstring pants similar to what she wore previously. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she appreciated how her clothes concealed she skin.

Feeling more bold, she decided to venture out of the bedroom to explore the sitting area, if anything to pass the time and distract her mind somewhat. Her eyes glanced at the dark blue seating cushions where Sasuke spent the remaining of yesterday on until she fell asleep. Over by the credenza, which now housed the food supplies he brought back, laid the books that had not been moved in a while. The topics ranged from ninjutsu techniques to herbal medicine. Her eyes continued scanning until she came across several loose documents and photographs; one of the photographs grabbed her attention: a family portrait.

The older man in the photo, whom she presumed to be Sasuke's father, stood tall and proud with a stern, stoic face that closely resembled Sasuke's. Beside him was Sasuke's warm and inviting mother, who had gentle eyes and a graceful smile. The youngest in the photo was Sasuke himself, looking as he did when he was seven years old, but with the biggest grin on his face. His happiness radiated through the photo, bringing a smile to her own face until she remembered that the Uchiha massacre must have happened not long after this picture was taken. Her attention then shifted to the last person in the photo. Standing shorter than their father was an older boy with gentle, kind eyes, holding the little smiling Sasuke in his arms. This image contrasted sharply with the infamous persona Itachi Uchiha had come to possess. As she focused on Itachi's eyes, she recalled the last time she saw those eyes.

It was during the village's annual winter festival of lights. All the houses and shops adorned their roofs with beautiful lanterns. Some glowed brightly, like mini stars; others glowed in an array of colors creating a magical atmosphere. Escorted by her personal body guard, Ko, they merrily strolled down the snowy paths, taking in all the sights at her leisure with wonderment and awe.

Joyous laughter rang through the streets accompanying the cheerful music that the wind carried with shouts of excitement occasionally piercing the serene ambiance. She remembered seeing Naruto, young and boisterous, running away from the elders after causing some disturbance at one of the shops. When she was a child, she had feelings for Naruto. She admired his unwavering courage and resilience - traits she lacked at the time. He inspired her and gave her the strength to overcome the challenges and hardships she faced growing up, helping her become the woman she is today. Over the years, she learned to let go of her feelings after he confessed his own to Sakura, which she sadly accepted and moved on.

The festival was packed with many families. Parents were chasing after their little ones as they scampered around. Mothers cradled their newborns in their arms while fathers looked down proudly. Among the festival patrons were the young Uchiha brothers, Sasuke was cheerfully running circles around his patient older brother who watched over him with those gentle, kind eyes. This Sasuke was not the same Sasuke she went to school with; this Sasuke was smiling at his brother.

Cold air nipped at her nose, but she found herself loosening her scarf to better smell the sweet aromas that the wind carried of the festival's treats. No sooner after, a large gust of wind lifted Hinata's scarf into the air, carrying it into the crowded streets of the festival. Ko turned around to see the aftermath, grabbing hold of Hinata's hand as he led her over to a nearby bench before going to fetch her scarf. "Wait here, Lady Hinata."

While she waited for Ko to return, she continued to bask in the lights, kicking her feet in glee as they hung off the bench in anticipation to continue their stroll. There was so much excitement all around her. Impatience overpowered her as she leapt off the bench, but as soon as she took her first step, she found herself landing face first into the fresh soft snow, and right next to her was a clumsy Sasuke, rubbing his nose from their sudden collision.

"Lady Hinata, are you okay?" She found herself being gently lifted to her feet by Itachi, his hands steady yet gentle. Sasuke, quickly jumping to his feet, was as red as a tomato. He sheepishly started to hide behind his brother when Itachi swiftly pulled Sasuke into a brotherly embrace, rubbing his head in the process as he struggled to escape. "Please forgive me. My brother and I got a little carried away. Didn't we, Sasuke?"

Managing to hide the embarrassment that was flared on his face, Sasuke took a deep breath as looked up to meet Hinata's bashful gaze. "S-sorry, Hinata."

She gave the boys a shy smile, bowing her head as she acknowledged their apologies, causing the blush to reappear on the young Uchiha's cheeks. Itachi returned the smile, stifling a laugh at how his brother was behaving. Itachi's warm presence had made her feel at ease. Wanting to avoid any further embarrassment, Sasuke quickly grabbed Itachi's hand and dragged him away. Itachi, once again, flashed Hinata an apologetic smile, and they soon disappeared into the crowd.

Hinata's heart tightened. Sasuke was so happy that day, so full of light, a distant memory, far from the man he had now become. It was not long after that winter festival of lights that Itachi massacred his entire clan, leaving only Sasuke as the lone survivor, orphaned and alone with only his obsession with revenge to keep him company at night. She knew why Sasuke abandoned the village, further his goal for revenge, and she understood the conviction to not let anything or anyone stand in his way to achieve it, which included her at this time. To him, she was just a random classmate, insignificant to his world. Yet still, Sasuke found it within him to help her, breaking away from that straight path he was set on, and for that she greatly appreciated everything he's done for her.

As she carefully put the photo away, a somber smile graced her face. She then grabbed one of the books and went into the bedroom to read until it was time to go to bed, wondering if Sasuke would come back before or after she fell asleep.

Tomorrow's the third day...

...

Author's note: this chapter was longer than I thought it would be...

next chapter will be lemony o_O until then...