The wind howled as Hinata felt herself being lifted from the ground, her breath shallow, her pulse erratic. The world blurred around her until—suddenly—her feet touched solid stone. She stumbled slightly, whipping around as her captor finally released her.
Hinata gasped.
Itachi Uchiha.
The moonlight bathed his form, making his familiar features all the more striking—sharp onyx eyes, long raven hair that gracefully moved in the wind, the eternal calm that always seemed to surround him.
Her shock lasted mere seconds before sheran to him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.
"Itachi-Kun!" she breathed, her voice a mixture of relief and exasperation.
He let out a soft sigh but returned the hug, his hand briefly resting against her back before she pulled away—only tosmack him lightly on the chest.
"You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she scolded.
A rare chuckle left his lips. "I was testing your reflexes."
Hinata frowned, her pulse still erratic from the chase, from the fear. "Testing my reflexes?"
Itachi's amusement faded, replaced by the familiar intensity of his sharp gaze. "Word travels fast, Hinata," he said, crossing his arms. "You were kidnapped recently, and yet… your awareness is lacking. Had I been someone else, you wouldn't be standing here right now."
Hinata lowered her eyes, guilt prickling at her chest. "I know…"
"Then fix it."
His words were firm but not unkind.
She sighed, nodding. "You're right. I… I should have acted sooner. I let my guard down."
A breeze rustled between them, and Hinatafinallytook in her surroundings—theUchiha compound. The once-deserted district was slowly coming back to life, but it still held an eerie silence.
"Itachi, why did you bring me here?" she asked.
He studied her for a moment before turning toward a nearby building. "Come inside. We need to talk."
Hinata hesitated. "I can't stay long—Naruto will worry if I'm late."
At that,Itachi's expression shifted—something unreadable flickered in his gaze. A look of knowing, perhaps, or maybe even disapproval.
"Right," he said smoothly, but there was something odd in his tone.
Before she could dwell on it, he leapt down from the rooftop, landing gracefully. Hinata followed, falling into step beside him as they made their way toward his quarters.
Whatever this was about… she had a feeling it was important.
…
The training grounds were empty save forNeji and Naruto, the cool night air doing little to settle the tension crackling between them. TheHyūga prodigy stood rigid, fists clenched, his breath uneven as he tried to hold back his frustration.
"What the hell did you do, Naruto?" Neji demanded, his voice sharp, almost frantic.
Naruto leaned lazily against a wooden post, arms crossed over his expression was unreadable."I have no idea what you're talking about."
Neji's jaw tightened. "Don't play dumb with your meeting with Hiashi, everything changed. The clan council gathered in secret, and suddenly, I'm being told I'm going to be the new Hyūga head?" His voicerose with disbelief. "A branch member becoming head—it's never happened in history. What. Did. You. Do?"
Naruto remained still, watching Neji with that same frustratingly calm look.
"You should be happy," Naruto finally said, tilting his head slightly. "Isn't this what you wanted?"
"Not like this!" Neji snapped, stepping forward. His white eyes burned with unease. "I've spent my entire life under the seal, believing that fate had already decided my worth. And now, after centuries of tradition, the clan is suddenly breaking its own laws?That isn't something that happens overnight."
He exhaled sharply. "What did you do to them, Naruto?What kind of fear did you plant in them?"
Naruto's calm cracked slightly as his expressiondarkened.
"You're acting like I put a kunai to their throats," Naruto muttered, his voice low.
Neji didn't respond, but the look in his eyes said enough.
Naruto straightened from his position, stepping toward Neji with deliberate slowness. When he spoke, his voice held an eerie conviction.
"Do you want to know what Hinata told me once?" Naruto asked, watching Neji carefully. "She told me that you and her used to talk about a future… one where the Hyūga could be different."
Neji's eyes widened slightly,his breath hitching.
"She told me that the two of you dreamed of a clan where the main and branch families wouldn't be divided," Naruto continued,his tone carrying the weight of something absolute."Where the seal didn't dictate a person's worth. Where children weren't born into cages."
Neji swallowed hard, his fingers twitching at his sides.
Naruto exhaled, stepping back. "That future you two talked about? It's here now. I don't care how it happened. I don't care what it took." His blue eyes locked onto Neji's. "All I care about is that you honor it. Honor those dreams that you and Hinata had and don't let it slip away."
Neji stood frozen, the full weight of Naruto's words pressing down on him.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity,he bowed his head.
"…I will," Neji said quietly,his voice filled with resignation—and resolve.
…
The soft flicker of candlelight danced across the polished wood floors of the Uchiha household. The warm scent of tea filled the quiet space as Itachi poured Hinata a cup, his movements as precise as ever.
"When did you return from your mission?" Hinata asked, blowing softly over the steaming liquid before taking a sip.
"Today," Itachi replied, settling across from her. His dark eyes, always sharp,held a rare softness.
Hinata smiled. "I'm glad. I was starting to think you'd abandoned the village."
Itachi let out a quiet chuckle. "Not this time.I won't be leaving on any long missions for a while.I'll be around."
Her smile widened. "That makes me happy. I've missed you."
Itachipaused briefly, then nodded. "I missed you too."
Hinata took another sip of her tea, relaxing into her seat, whenItachi suddenly smirked.
"Though, honestly, sometimes I wonder how you're still alive as a shinobi."
Hinata nearly choked,coughing as she glared at him. "Excuse me?"
Itachi's smirkwidened ever so slightly. "You're too fragile."
Hinata scoffed. "I am not!"
"You are," Itachi countered smoothly, sipping his tea. "For someone who has been through so much, you remain too trusting, too naïve."
Hinata narrowed her eyes. "I am strong."
Itachi hummed in agreement. "That, you are." He set his cup down. "But strength alone isn't must be cautious."
Hinata crossed her arms but didn't argue.
Itachi's gaze drifted to her left hand. His expression shifted, the teasing fading into something more serious.
"I heard you're married."
Hinata instinctively touched her ring and nodded. "Yes."
Itachi studied her for a moment before speaking again. "I assume there will be a ceremony."
"There will be," she confirmed. "And you have to be there."
He nodded, no hesitation. "Of course."
Silence settled between them for a , Itachi spoke again, his tone lower, heavier.
"…It seems Sasuke has taken an interest in you."
Hinata blinked, caught off guard. "Sasuke?"
Itachi nodded. "I've been observing. And from the information I've gathered, it's clear he has concerns about your well-being."
Hinata's mind flashed throughall the moments Sasuke had warned her, been protective, gave her advice even though he had put her under a genjutsu.
She sighed, shoulders slumping slightly."I… suppose you're right."
Itachi leaned back, regarding her carefully. "That troubles me."
Hinata looked up at him."Why?"
His expression darkened slightly. "Because you are dear to me. And Sasuke is not the only one who sees something is wrong."
Hinata's fingers tightened around her teacup.
Itachi tilted his head slightly. "Would you like to tell me the truth?"
Hinata'sbreath weight of everything pressed against her—Naruto's darkness, Sasuke's warnings, the terrifying shift in Konoha's future.
She knew she could trust Itachi. She knew he would listen. But could she bring herself to say it? The room suddenly felt suffocating, the walls seemed closer.
Her heart pounded.
Should she vent to Itachi? Should she tell him everything? The candlelight flickered as Hinata grappled with the war inside her mind.
.
.
.
A/N: I'm not sure if you guys remember but when Sasuke and Hinata went on a mission she had mention to Sasuke that she and Itachi were friends. If you do remember you may or may not have seen this one coming. I actually love what im gonna do with their relationship, it's gonna be very wholesome and he is gonna inspire courage in Hinata.
To also address some concerns, I know sometimes Naruto goes off his rockers but please bare in mind the warnings in the story description, they still stand.
You guys dont have to worry though as you will be getting fluff and less chaos and murder for now but PLEASE DO NOT GET COMFORTABLE lol.
Happy Reading
-AmberLynn