A/N: So...this a repost of my first story written in this language since this ain't my mother one. hope you enjoy.
A/N 2: There will only be two genderbending cases: Neji and Tenten, since the gennin squads are integrated by two men and a woman.
A/N 3: Chapters 1-4 are set before the gennin days, 5-10 enclose the gennin days, 11-14 the war and the rest are post shippuden but pre Boruto.
Summary: Sasuke struggles with loss and the betrayal of his brother following a path of darkness. Neji is drowning on bitterness and hate towards the Main Family. Could they find a light at the end of the tunnel. Just when the pain of having lost his family had become way too much, his eyes met a couple of cold white ones. Canon compliant on almost everything until Shippuden. Sasu/Fem!Neji. [Reupload] . A little something where lil Sasuke and lil Neji met...only mixed up with a bit of genderbending. ? Follows manga story line.
Disclaimer: As much as I'd like to own Naruto I don't, but I'm grateful since only Kishimoto-sensei could've created Naruto as amazing as it is. (except for Neji's death)
Ch.1: The Blind Reaper
Such a warm and beautiful day in Konoha was.
"Did you hear what happened to the Uchihas?"
"Oh, what a tragedy! Only Captain Fugaku's youngest son survived."
"Itachi sure looked like a fine boy. Who would've thought he'd be capable of performing such a carnage–"
"Shhhh. There's the boy."
After two weeks in the hospital, 9-year-old Sasuke was released, and it seemed that Konoha didn't have another conversation topic.
It was almost sunset, and he'd decided to take a stroll. Get as far as possible from his house, the memories. Get away from the empty streets which just a week before had been painted red with Uchiha blood. His brother's room. Everything. Yet it was turning out worse. Every single one of the glances spared at his little frame were pitiful ones, and oh how he loathed it.
Sasuke had tried forcing his mind to think of any other thing. He tried to imagine it was a bad dream –a nightmare- of sorts or something. That he had been two weeks in the hospital because of a broken bone incident or something like that while training with his father or maybe his brother, and that once he got home his aunt would give him the special treats she had prepared him or even that his mom would scold him for nagging his brother into playing with him.
Sasuke began walking towards Konoha's outskirts trying –unsuccessfully- to convince himself that everything was a lie –when by the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of the stupid blond boy in his class. Upon further reflection, he realized the boy was always alone.
The boy who always challenged him and was portrayed as the clown of the class was alone –as always- picking on grass blades. He looked so lonely, and Sasuke suddenly had the foreign urge to approach the boy and… hug him? –like he wanted someone to hug him- and tell him he could make it, but suddenly the boy looked up at him.
He stared into those blue eyes, and they stared back. The boy's stare did not denote mock or silliness as in school. They denoted sadness, and for a moment he felt as if he was watching his own eyes through a mirror. His own eyes since the incident.
Naruto looked as if he wanted to say something, but the words seemed as if they were lingering on the tip of his tongue. The Uchiha boy walked away before the Uzumaki could say whatever he had wanted to say. Sasuke had decided he did not want to hear more empty apologies.
Deep inside he regretted not staying. He had a feeling that Naruto was not going to pity him. He knew it could have maybe been better if he had just stayed there a little longer. A vague feeling –albeit very vague- that Naruto could somehow help him lurched itself in his mind… but his pride was bigger, and he did not return.
Sasuke strolled further away, not really knowing where he was headed. The shadows had eventually grown until the whole forest was covered by the immense dark mantle. The night had fallen and the only thing he could hear were the noises nocturnal animals produced and the wind's howling, but he wasn't scared. He barely could be scared after what Itachi had done.
Sasuke was lost and his feet hurt for walking too much, but he couldn't care less. In his mind, that was what he wanted. Get lost and never return to that compound, or the village, or any place where his brother had ever laid a foot on.
A cold breeze hit his lithe body, and he shivered. Sasuke scolded himself for not bringing a coat. His mother would always remind him to bring a coat.
His mother. At this time, he would be having dinner with his family…which now was gone. A hot meal. A warm hug or even the curt nods his father gave him. The smiles or the occasional head pokes Itachi gave him –which were a farce. He missed it all and without it, Sasuke was slowly falling into a deep abyss.
His eyes began to water, and his knees buckled, wobbly legs forcing him to fall on them. He truly was pathetic. He had not been able to do anything to prevent it. Sasuke just wanted to see his mom again, and his dad, his aunt, his uncle and, it suddenly dawned on him–he couldn't unless he was with them.
The long grass blades prickled his bare arms and legs. He could feel the humid dirt under his nails, and the hot salty tears mingled with his own nose fluids drowning his face and falling onto that wet dirt which was slowly transforming into a minuscule mud puddle. Maybe, if he stayed there, he could die and –maybe– he could perhaps feel his mother's embrace again.
The little Uchiha laid on the ground and stayed still as if waiting for a hooded figure with a long scythe appear before him and say 'Here you are, Uchiha Sasuke. I'm here to take you with your mom and your dad who miss you. On the other side.'
But it never came. That could be his rebellious act against Itachi. He wanted him alive, so Sasuke would die, and he would get his little vendetta –even at his own life's cost- on Itachi.
He heard footsteps and closed his eyes believing it was the hooded figure…only it wasn't.
"What are you doing?" a feminine voice asked instead of the raspy and crooned voice he was expecting.
'The reaper was a girl?'
Sasuke slowly opened his eyes and white eyes stared at him.
'The reaper is a blind girl!'
"Have you come for me?" he asked.
"Who do you think I am?" the girl questioned slightly annoyed. Was this kid expecting someone or what?
Sasuke sat up wiping his tears and stared at her.
She didn't look like a reaper. She had long dark brown hair and even her skin, which was pale, was not a dead pale. She also was sporting some bandages around her forehead, a white tank top and a beige jacket wrapped around her waist. Black shorts and ninja sandals completed the attire. So… she was a ninja? The girl, on closer inspection, also looked about his age.
"Well…the reaper, but I suppose you're not…are you?" he answered. Sasuke inwardly cringed hoping she wasn't one of his fangirls but so far, she hadn't given any signs of knowing him.
The annoyance abandoned her features and instead there was a confused expression that quickly morphed into a concerned one.
"What's your name?" she asked. Phew! She wasn't a fangirl. But anyways, who was this girl to believe she could just ask his name?
"It's common courtesy to give your own name before you ask someone else's." he answered, managing even in his state a slightly petulant tone, aiming a glare at the girl.
She narrowed her pupilless eyes at him and then he knew she wasn't blind. It was a Hyuga before him.
"Hyuga Neji." The girl stated courtly, still staring intently at him.
Sasuke hesitated a little before speaking.
"Uchiha Sasuke."
Neji's eyes widened in recognition and Sasuke inwardly prepared himself for the pity words.
"And why are you waiting for the reaper, Uchiha Sasuke?"
"Look, I don't need your pity-" he began annoyed but stopped mid-sentence. "Wait, what?" he asked in disbelief.
"They're annoying, right?" Neji chuckled darkly, her white eyes gazing into the distance. Sasuke supposed she was referring to the pity words and only nodded.
"Well, will you answer me?" the girl pressed.
Sasuke wanted to snap at the Hyuga, saying that he wouldn't be telling her anything, but his mouth spoke first.
"So it can take me with my family."
Neji stared at him blankly.
"It won't come, you know?" She said sitting a few feet by his side, twirling a kunai between her fingers absentmindedly.
Sasuke's anger won this time, and he snapped.
"And how would you know." He knew that but who was she to say if the reaper was or wasn't coming.
"Because I also waited for it." She answered, embedding the kunai in the dirt.
A sudden silence reigned over the little clearing where they were. Neji was looking at the floor, twirling between her fingers a grass blade, her chin resting on her knees.
Surprise swiftly overtook his previous annoyance and suddenly asked himself what Neji was doing in the forest at night.
"Do you also miss someone?" Sasuke questioned while rubbing his legs and arms. It was chilly.
The Hyuga noticed that, and since she just had finished training, the chilly air felt like nothing to her. Neji removed the jacket from where it had been tied at her waist and placed it on the boy's shoulders.
"My dad. The only person I had." The Hyuga answered, the wind waving her long coffee hair behind her back.
She looked about Sasuke's age, so she must've lost her dad long before he had…lost his, since she looked so calm.
Sasuke attempted to give her back the jacket, but she only waved him away.
"Keep it. I have lots back in my room."
Sasuke stared at the beige jacket –which fitted him perfectly- and put it on. It was very light and comfy, so the cold was instantly gone, and he cuddled it softly. Then, a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
"Aren't you cold?" he asked. She was leaning on a nearby tree, so he approached her and sat next to the girl.
"No, I've been training." Was her simple reply as she stared at the sky –at the sparkling stars. Sasuke followed her gaze and noticed in awe that the stars truly looked beautiful from that point. He and his mom used to go visit the lake where he trained with his dad, sit at the pier's edge and watch the stars for what seemed like hours.
Memories of his family flooded him and the constant pain in his chest intensified. He felt as if some foreign being was oppressing his chest painfully, feeling as if it would burst at any second. Suddenly his eyes began itching and his vision became blurry before soft sobs escaped through the little Uchiha's lips, his body starting to shake when suddenly he felt a small hand on his shoulder.
White wide eyes stared at him and instead of comforting him, her gaze hardened and asked.
"Who is responsible for this?"
"I-Itachi." Sasuke mumbled hugging his knees.
"Well, tonight you'll cry, but it will be the last time. Have you heard me?" she commanded and grabbed his shoulders making them connect their gazes. Sasuke only continued sobbing.
"You will live and train and…do what you must. Make them pay. Take revenge." Her white eyes darkened.
"B-but Itachi was also m-my fa-family." Sasuke wept, his eyes red from crying and his voice choking up in sobs.
"My family was the one who took my father away, but I'm going to avenge him and… I won't cry again." She stated, almost as if reaffirming that promise to herself. Connecting her eyes with his as if trying to get her message across to him telepathically. A tinge of grief and bitterness was visible deep in her hard eyes.
Sasuke nodded and she did what she had never done in an awfully long time. She hugged the boy and held him all the time he cried.
Sasuke clung to the Hyuga girl which was giving him what he had been craving for. A hug. Not comforting or pity words. He only wanted someone to say to him that he could do it and a hug.
They stayed like that for hours till they both fell asleep.
The next morning when they both woke up, they were laying on the floor, their limbs tangled being the only heat source on the cold night.
The pair stood up and stretched. Their necks and backs were stiff, but Sasuke felt a small tinge of relief after that night.
"Neji." Sasuke called.
The girl turned around, her hair standing out in funny directions which made Sasuke chuckle and Neji aware of her appearance.
"What, Sasuke?" she answered trying to placate her rebellious –once obedient- hair with her hands.
"Could you…help me?" he asked. Silence, at that moment, was the only thing that could be heard. They both knew what was what Sasuke required help with.
"Meet me next Monday here after school." She stated and turned around, leaving.
Sasuke only stared at her fading figure and unconsciously, held the beige jacket tighter around his frame.