Stuttering

(Short story, maybe be less than 3 or 4 chapters?)

Hina X Sasu

Hinata's POV all the way…

Stuttering has always been one of my incurable habits, it all started when my early childhood training began with my father. He always made me feel intimidated and worthless. Every time he would ask me a yes or no question, I would just nod timidly and stay silent, upon knowing this was the best answer…for him at least, even if I would talk about my opinion, I know he would never hear "a mere extension of him" out.

I've already learned not to get to his bad side. The only two things that could make that man go berserk are when his decisions are questioned and when his expectations are broken.

I have failed miserably on the second part, when my little sister, Hanabi, badly beat me during a fight that would determine who would be the official heir. The fight's original purpose was to rid of the doubts that some clan members had about my abilities and potential. My father expected me to win, for we have been training for more than 8 years while Hanabi started training just 4 years ago with a mere hired trainer from the clan.

Because of my failure had father humiliated me in front of the whole clan, while landing a few blows at me that just added to my already "serious" injuries.

That's when my stuttering worsened, I would just usually stutter around father, but now I stutter with everyone I come in contact with. I suppose he is to blame, but I just can't help but feel guilty of myself for not mustering enough courage within me to stand for my own rights and beliefs nor to freely express my thoughts and feelings to others.

I quietly walked around town looking for a certain blonde haired boy, today is the day I will finally tell him about the hidden feelings of mine towards him. I have tried telling him on a few occasions, but stuttering kept ruining the moment.

Although I have no clue of whatever the out come is whether his outlook of me will differ or maybe he might start to ignore me, I'm willing to take that risk today, no harm in trying right?

I felt my body tense as a flicker of yellow and orange caught my eye. There he sat quietly while munching on soft ramen noodles as he giddily drank its luke warm soup directly from the huge red ceramic bowl from time to time.

I cautiously approached him, inspecting his surrounding so as to not disturb anyone that might want to have a conversation with him.

Seeing no one was around I quietly made my way towards him, careful not to startle him or he might choke.

I shyly gave his back a light pat for my presence to be known. He turned towards me with his usual warm and cheerful grin on his face. I gave a faint smile in return, I was about to speak when I noticed a pinky sized noodle managed to make its way towards the side of his cheeks, slightly reaching his thin fox like whiskers.

I grabbed one of the napkins, provided by the stand's counter and slowly snatched the misplaced noodle off his face. I blushed upon the sudden contact. "Umm…N-Narut-to y-you have s-something on y-your face." I said as I completely wiped the stain off.

"Thanks Hinata-chan!" He said coyly as he scratched the backside of his head portraying embarrassment. .

"N-Naruto I-I h-have something t-to t-tell y-you." I uncontrollably stutter as I nervously play with my index fingers. "What is it Hinata-chan?" he said as he slightly tilt his head towards the side showing curiosity.

"I-I've always w-want-ted to tell y-you this ever s-since we w-were still r-receiving t-training b-back at the n-ninja academy." I nervously said while glancing up towards him from time to time.

"I-I just w-wanted to l-let you know that I…L-l-li-ike y-you." I stuttered yet again, I surprised myself at how much I stuttered at a single word that was humanly impossible to understand.

"Huh? Hinata could you repeat the last phrase?" Naruto said as he scooted closer to me, which made my face burn into a deep shade of red.

"I-I l-l-li-ike you." I repeated while gulping due to frustration, I was starting to look like an idiot in front of him. "Get a hold of yourself Hinata, you can do this!" I screamed desperately in my mind.

"I what you?" Naruto questioned again with a hint of impatience that seems to be well hidden within his voice. I tried to straighten up and get a firm hold of myself, when I was about to speak again, Naruto suddenly cut me off "Sorry Hinata-chan, Sakura asked me to help her train at noon today. I have to go. See ya tomorrow!" Naruto said while paying for his meal and then quickly scooted towards the training grounds.

Stuttering left me with a broken heart

I sighed in failure as I sat and ordered some tea from the person in charge of the shop. I cringed when I heard a very familiar voice speak. "That was so pathetic. I actually pity you." Sasuke said as he took a sit and ordered.

"I-I don't need your pity." I said calmly, while hiding my moistened eyes from him, using my bangs. "If only there was a way I could stop stuttering." I thought while gently tilting my tea cup from side to side.

"Maybe I could help." Sasuke said in a bored tone. "W-what do you mean? I d-don't need any assistance as of now." I lied while fidgeting with my fingers yet again. "Oh quit lying Hyuuga, I saw the whole thing." He spat while sending me a glare that seemed to paralyze me for a split second. Silence was my response.

"So, you have problems with stuttering." He said in between small sips from his tea. I merely nodded while avoiding eye contact with the prodigy. "I might have a solution, but if you're not willing to cooperate, then it might not work." He said while eyeing me with one eye.

My ears perked up, I was anxious to know what "solution" he had in mind, I did have second thoughts at first, but I'm desperate!

He took note of my sudden change of mood and excitement, which made him smirk and me irritated. "I figure you're not used to being around Naruto, so maybe if you're with him often, you might start to feel comfortable around that dobe and just might be able to gain enough confidence to directly confess to him." Sasuke exclaimed in a "Know-it-all-tune" while staring at his steaming tea with the dullest of expression.

"How do you suppose I do that? He's always busy training with…" I halted and lowered my head due to depression. "You'll tag along with me and watch us train together, as my "girl friend" he said in his usual bored tune as if it wasn't a big deal.

"W-what! I can't, how can I expect Naruto to f-fall in love, with an "already taken" girl. Why not just friends!" I said between gasps of surprise and shock. "Calm down Hyuuga, how could he even notice us when he's too busy gawking at Sakura, besides It's just suppose to be a good excuse so Kakashi will permit you to stay while we train." He said as he spat the pink haired kunoichi's name out in disgust.

I suppose he was right, and then a simple question popped into my head. "What about Sakura, she might get jealous of us and pull Naruto further away from me upon knowing my feeling towards Naruto ever since we were studying?" I asked while trying to make a steady gaze at the Uchicha.

He frowned while getting lost in his own trail of thoughts. I merely stared at him, patiently waiting for an answer. "I'll take care of her, all you have to do is do what you think needs to be done in order for things between you and him to work out." He said with an unreadable expression, that I'm not quite familiar with.

"So are you in?"

"Alright, I'll go along with your plan."

"Good meet me here tomorrow morning, 7:00 sharp."

"I have one last question."

"Hn?"

"Why?"

"I have my reasons."

"……."

That was our last conversation before we left towards our separate ways.

Sasuke's POV…

I have always secretly admired Hinata, ever since the first day we became classmates. Most people never seem to notice her, its as if they deliberately slip there attention away from her, believing that there would be nothing interesting that would ever concern her. They were dead wrong.

Every recess, I take time observing my white eyed princess from afar. Her strange habits seemed to interest me more than anything.

Like how she would stutter when she felt uneasy and nervous, how she would sometimes tuck her midnight blue hair behind her ear, obviously showing frustration and how she would place her index finger in front of her bottom lip for comfort at the time when she was too nervous to answer Iruka-sensei's question. I tried to help her, but that annoying Kiba beat me to it.

Her peculiar ways of showing different emotions makes up for her shyness and lack of speech.

She wasn't like any girls in my class; all the girls except her had adorned their hair with many glittering and fancy accessories, especially Sakura and Ino who'd usually fight over "who has the prettiest hair style". They'd usually bug me to be the judge, but I knew that one of my trade marked death glares could instantly drive them away. They're just blocking my perfect view of my mysterious little Hyuuga.

As much as I try to ignore it, I just can't help but feel guilty whenever I see her bothered or depressed, just like this morning when her little attempt of proclamation failed.

(sigh) Sakura's going to be another wooden thorn annoyingly wedged deep within my spine, but if it is for "her", I'm sure it'll be worth the effort anyways.

You're probably wondering why I'm helping my "special person" hook up with somebody else right? Let alone with that dobe.

Since I haven't fulfilled my ultimate goal of killing my older brother Itachi…yet, I figure it would be of best safety that Hinata and I wouldn't be in any sort of special relationship, for I fear that someday that purple pedicured, black cloaked, Sad excuse for a Sharigan user, good for nothing murderer from the Akatsuki group a.k.a. Itachi might someday hold her against me.

What if Sakura was held captive? Well I guess its okay, I mean even though Kakashi and Tsunade will eventually force me to help save that annoying teammate of mine. At least I could have a peace of mind the night before the rescue mission knowing Hinata is safely tucked in her bed inside the Hyuuga compound, which happens to be found near Tsunade's office and within Konoha's 40 meter high thick wooden walls, safely guarded by the village's team of Anbus.

"I hope tomorrow will go by smoothly for everyone." I thought out loud before drifting into a place I seldom visit…"Happy Dream Land".

(REVIEW ONLY IF YOU THINK I DESERVE IT!)