Hello :D Thanks for the interest in Never Say Never. A few things before you begin:

1. This fic will involve a slow evolving relationship between Sasuke and Hinata.

2. There is swearing D: I'm sorry.

3. If you read my previous SasuHina fic, I updated almost every other day. That might not happen this time around. I would safely say once a week.

4. I'm still not very far in Shippuden u_u I'm sorry. So don't worry about shit that might not go with what's currently in the manga/anime. Just ENJOY~

At such a young age, Hyuuga Hinata found it very difficult to break out of her shell, much to her father's disappointment. Her shyness seemed to be holding her back from blossoming like all of the other children around her. Hinata's favorite place to be was in the safe realm behind Hyuuga Hiashi's leg, as if his robes were able to hide her from all the evil and scary things in the world. At only three years old, Hinata didn't speak. She answered questions with a shake of her head or a nod and there always seemed to be blush of embarrassment on her round cheeks.

Upon her first moments with her cousin Neji, she made sure to hide behind her father's leg, grasping tightly to his clothes. Meeting new people was hard on such a fragile mind and everyone always mistook her quietness for stupidity. Hinata was anything but that; even as a child she was very observant. Her wide pale eyes would watch children playing with marbles in the streets and sometimes she wished they would come over and ask her to play along. They never did.

Everyone called her the 'heir' to the Hyuuga clan and she wasn't sure what that meant. There were many aunts and uncles and servants there to cater to her every need, but Hinata often found that she preferred to do things on her own. The world was a big place full of wonder and excitement… but it was also full of danger and the constant fear of the unknown. She tried to be brave, but in such a small body she couldn't help but hide.

Many blamed her mother's death for the reason that Hinata was so shy and timid. Some also claimed that was the cause for her quietness. She is too young for it to affect her like that! Hinata heard that often, but she never understood. There were so many important people that she saw throughout the Hyuuga mansion and she tried smiling to them. They would only return her gaze with stoic and sometimes cold expressions. Even her cousin Neji would scold her for being too quiet and reserved. Hinata wondered if maybe staying quiet and to herself that it would make those sad feelings vanish.

On one particular day, Hinata followed closely behind her father's footsteps through the bustling streets of Konoha. It wasn't very often that they were outside of their Hyuuga district, so it was quite the treat for Hinata. The morning sun was bright and her eyes watched as an old man at a shop was showing sweets to a few young girls. Hinata nibbled on her bottom lip and tugged on her father's robes for attention. Either he didn't notice or he was ignoring her, because Hiashi's prideful stride didn't stop. Hinata scrambled to catch up to her safety area just at his heels, her small fingers curling around the fabric of his robes. There was the common folk who hustled off to work or were out running errands. There were also men and women who walked around sporting large green vests and a shiny metal headband. They always looked scary, but Hinata found herself more and more curious about it as they walked. She looked up to hear her father's quiet voice as he did finally stop.

"Uchiha Fugaku." Hiashi said curtly, and Hinata looked at the three people in front of them. A tall man with graying hair had also stopped to acknowledge them. His face was almost as stern has her own father's and it caused her to bring his robes up over her face to her eyes.

"Hyuuga Hiashi." The man responded with the same amount of bitterness and crossed his arms. Hinata noticed two boys next to him, one older and one about her age. She watched as the youngest son was taking interest in her, clearly excited to see another child in his own age range. He bounded over to her excitedly, his dark blue hair bouncing around with it. His long hair in the front seemed to frame his face perfectly and she couldn't help but stare frighteningly as he grinned at her.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke!" The boy exclaimed as he waited for a response from her. Hinata's face got even more pink than usual and her small eyebrows furrowed upwards. She didn't like meeting new people, especially loud ones. Hinata could only squeak in fear as she hid completely behind her father's leg. Sasuke's face fell in disappointment.

"Hey… wait! I just wanted to play." Sasuke said with a slight pout forming on his lips. Hiashi eyed the boy sternly as if he were a parasite.

"Hinata doesn't speak." He said and Sasuke looked up at him questioningly, his dark eyes shining in the sun.

"Oh. Why not?" Fugaku coughed and reached out to pull Sasuke by the cuff of the shirt.

"Sasuke…" He said with a hint of caution on his voice. His older brother flicked him on the top of his skull and Sasuke's hands immediately shot up to his head with a slight wince.

"I apologize," Fugaku said. "I was unaware the heir to the Hyuuga clan was so weak." His voice was dry and it caused a surge of tension between them. Hiashi was a proud man, but he never let his anger get the best of him. The Hyuuga clan was a practical and traditional clan that still relied on heavy prayer, old techniques, and what might some consider out dated ways of life. The Uchiha clan was quite different; with a powerful police force and newer techniques, they brought a lot of innovative ideas to the table for Konoha.

"There is no greater danger than underestimating your enemy," Hiashi simply said, his pale eyes staring straight into the darkness of the Uchiha's. Fugaku smirked and seemed amused by this. It was no secret that the two clans rarely got along. In fact the Uchiha clan didn't seem to get along with anyone although they were very well-respected ninja. Both leaders casted arrogance where ever they went so naturally it caused friction within the village from time to time. While the two men went back and forth, Sasuke couldn't help but glance over to where the girl was hiding. He was curious of her, especially not being able to understand her muteness. Her pupil-less eyes also fascinated him.

"We're leaving; Itachi…Sasuke… let's go." Fugaku said, his glare fixating on his two sons. They both nodded and began to follow their father as he pressed on. Sasuke's eyes didn't leave the little girl as he looked back over his shoulders. Her wide eyes watched him go as well. He smiled at her and waved, which only made her cower once again.

Hinata didn't see the boy again until a few days after that. The only other place that she felt at ease was in the Hyuuga gardens, which was about an acre of land dedicated to medical herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables. She enjoyed the different smells and the many colors within the garden. It was the only time that no one was watching after her since it was on private land. However, her cousin Neji warned her not to get too close to the edge of the garden which met up with a small forest. Even though there was a black gate surrounding the garden, Neji still worried. Hinata never did go too far until one day she heard her name being called.

"It's Hinata, right!?" The voice was familiar and it startled her. She squeaked and scrambled to hide behind a large sun flower. Of course she didn't say anything. Her knees began to wobble in fear as she thought back to what he cousin had told her, but in curiosity her eyes peaked out from behind the yellow petals. She could see a grinning face standing up on a tree branch within the forest. It was the Uchiha boy! Her cheeks get even pinker when she managed a slow nod. Sasuke jumped from the tree and stopped right at gate.

"Come here!" He said as he held out his hand through the gate. Hinata immediately shook her head still clutching onto the sunflower for dear life. Sasuke frowned but he was patient. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I just wanna talk." Hinata stared at his hand, the cautious voice of her older cousin long gone from her young mind. Deciding that he wasn't as scary as he was before, Hinata willed her feet forward and she shakily reached out to hold his hand. His smile got even bigger as he squeezed her hand.

"See? Do you remember my name?" Sasuke asked and she nodded, almost embarrassed that she was holding his hand. He thought that she was a princess, with the bright kimono she wore and how soft her hand was. She needs someone to protect her! He let go of her hand and he sat down just outside the gate. Hinata watched him closely, observing the way the breeze blew his hair into his eyes and how he didn't seem to care. She had never met someone so carefree and excited. Hinata kneeled down and stared at her hands. Sasuke was very intrigued by the way she carried herself. It was so different than where he was from—there everyone had such confidence.

"Do you want to be my friend?" He asked her and for a moment she was silent. A friend… Father has friends. Everyone tells me Mother had friends. Hinata didn't have anyone except for her cousins. She slowly nodded and managed to smile weakly. Sasuke grinned.

"My father says that you're weak." He said, although the tone of his voice was anything but condescending. Hinata's gaze fell once more at the reminder. Sasuke's smile remained however. "But I think you're just fine." There was something building in her stomach that was strange. It felt like butterflies, but not the kind she was used to. These butterflies were good.

For a while, Hinata listened to his stories about his older brother and how he was in the Academy to become a ninja. He also talked about his Mother, and his Father and Hinata had never listened to someone so much before. No one had really ever paid much attention to her otherwise since she never spoke. A connection had been made, and suddenly Hinata didn't feel so afraid anymore. He looked at her and leaned forward a bit.

"Your eyes are so…light." Sasuke blurted. Hinata's hand shot up to her mouth and her gaze fell to the dirt. "But I like it." He made sure to add, noting how self-conscious she was. Hinata's cheeks tingled and she couldn't help but smile with a nod.

"Hinata-sama!" A voice called out from a distance and she looked over her shoulder. Sasuke's eyes also looked up and he got to his feet.

"Can you come back tomorrow?" He asked quickly and Hinata nodded slowly. "Good! See you, Hinata-chan!" Her cheeks flushed again as he disappeared back into the forest. She scrambled to her feet and began to follow Neji's voice as he called for her. Bumping into each other, she fell back on her behind. Neji panicked to help her up, as he was only a few years older than him. However, he had many responsibilities being a part of the Branch House.

"There you are, Hinata-sama. It's time to come in now." Hinata took Neji's hand as he led her through the gardens, but her eyes kept looking back to the trees in the forest hoping to catch another glimpse of her new friend.

The next day, Hinata met with Sasuke again at the same time and same place as before. They sat on either side of the gate, and this time Sasuke brought with him a few shurikens and kunai; both were foreign to her. Sasuke was already so smart and advanced in everything he did. It made Hinata start to look up to him.

"See this? It's a kunai. And this… it's a throwing star, but ninja call it a shuriken. I see my Father and big brother using them during their training sessions." Sasuke said as he held a kunai in his small hand. Hinata brought curled fingers up to her lips and she opened her mouth to say something but only a squeak came out. Sasuke looked over at her thoughtfully.

"That's okay, Hinata-chan. I like telling you things. I know you can't talk so you can just listen!" Sasuke said with a childish grin. Hinata's cheeks grew pink and she nodded. It wasn't that Hinata couldn't speak; she was just always so shy and frightful that nothing ever came out. She was often compared to a mouse that was always trying to scurry into the nearest nook for safety. Even as a young girl, her self-esteem was low. Sasuke could see this and felt compelled to look after 'the princess'.

"Father hasn't taught me how to use them yet but… I've watched. I think it could be easy." Sasuke said as he stared at the kunai in his hand. As an Uchiha, he was expected to excel. Itachi was already doing so well at the Academy for such a young boy… Sasuke had big shoes to fill. Hinata observed him as he stared intently at the weapon in his hand. She chewed on her lower lip and mustered up some courage.

"S-S-Sasuke-kun." Her voice was as quiet as a whisper and he looked up to see her trying her hardest to speak up. He smiled, which made her look away embarrassed.

"You said my name!" Sasuke's grin never seemed to falter. "Do you want to hold this?" Sasuke asked holding up the weapon. Hinata wanted to say no, but there was something very enticing about being just like Sasuke—strong and confident. Hinata nodded and Sasuke made sure to hold out the handle to her. It was heavy in her small hand and her fingers could barely wrap around it. Her light lavender eyes looked at its every detail: the blade was very sharp as it gleamed in the sky, but it definitely had some use to it.

"It's sharp. Be careful." Sasuke warned and Hinata nodded. He watched her, noting that even though she was afraid, she was also very curious. Hinata was very sheltered and Hiashi had yet to begin her training. Three years old was still too young; next year her heavy training would begin and little did she know that her Byakugan would soon awaken as well. After she had thoroughly examined the kunai, Hinata reached out to hand it back. Sasuke took it and stood up.

"I've seen them throw it like this…" He said before attempting to throw it at the trunk of a tree. Without the strength or the knowledge on how to properly throw it, the kunai simply bounced off and landed on the ground. Sasuke scratched the back of his head almost embarrassed that she had seen that. "Guess I'm not good enough yet." Hinata watched him frown and it caused something to stir into her stomach.

"I-I think you're wonderful." Hinata murmured and Sasuke looked back over at her. His cheeks flushed as he bet down to pick up the kunai. He thought for a moment as the wind tossed his hair, and he decided something. Walking back over to the gate, he knelt down.

"Hinata-chan! You're a princess and I'm here to protect you!" He said with a shy grin and Hinata tilted her head in confusion. A princess? Me? Sasuke frowned at her lack of response. "I mean… if that's okay." Hinata smiled and nodded. The breeze swept down again and the fragrance from the flowers seemed to hover over them. Even though she was very quiet, Hinata was truly enjoying her time with the Uchiha boy. No one had ever treated her like a human being before. Since Hinata was the heir, she was always treated like a porcelain doll. Perhaps that was another reason of why she was always so timid. Sasuke pulled out a shuriken from his pack and tried to spin it on his finger. It was simply too big and heavy for his small fingers.

"This is also another ninja weapon. Hey, are you ever going to go to the Academy?" Sasuke asked suddenly as the shuriken fell to the ground from his grasp. Hinata looked down at her hands sitting in her lap and nodded. Hiashi had mentioned it a few times, but she was unaware that the Academy wasn't just to learn about basic skills—it was to become a full-fledged ninja.

"Maybe we'll be in the same class! I can't wait. My brother talks about it and how fun it is." He said and she smiled with a nod. "Then we don't have to talk through a gate." He sat down across from her; the only thing separating them was the metal bars. Sasuke held out his hand to her and she hesitantly took it.

"W-Will you protect me?" Hinata whispered. Sasuke nodded with a smile.

"Of course!"

"Hinata!" A sharp voice startled both of them as Hiashi approached them from behind. He had spotted them with his Byakugan when he went looking for his daughter. Sasuke tried to release her hand, but she held on tight in fear. Hiashi eyed the Uchiha boy.

"What are you doing here? This is private land." He growled as he yanked Hinata from the gate. She yelped and Sasuke stood angrily.

"Hey! We're friends!" Sasuke said, his heart crushing that he couldn't protect his princess. She looked at him with wide eyes before latching back to her safety net: her father's leg. Hiashi crossed his arms.

"You are not to speak to my daughter again. Hyuuga's and Uchiha's cannot be friends. If I see you near here again, I'll have to report you to your father." Sasuke's eyes fell as he stared at his feet. Hinata felt tears welling up in her eyes as she gripped Hiashi's robes. Sasuke-kun… He turned around and bolted from the gate, disappearing into the darkness in the forest. Hiashi looked down at her with an angry expression.

"Hinata, I don't ever want you to speak to the boy again. Do you understand me?" Hinata's tears had spilled over the edge at this point, creating small streams down her cheeks. She nodded slowly, not daring to look in her father's eyes. Hinata would never understand why her father forbade a friendship with Uchiha Sasuke. She didn't know anyone outside of the Hyuuga clan and Sasuke was a nice portal to a real friendship.

She wouldn't see Uchiha Sasuke until her first year at the Academy several years later. Both had grown quite considerably and Hinata even found her voice before enrolling. On the opening ceremony for new students, Hinata saw Sasuke in the crowd along with his father. She did her best not to stare, but she hadn't forgotten about the friendship that they had. Sasuke barely looked her way and was instead very fixated on a conversation with a sensei and his father. Did he forget? She could feel her knees getting wobbly as she watched him that day. It was a long time ago that they formed that small connection, so she didn't seem to be too surprised he had forgotten. Hinata had kept busy as well with intense training and even shifting affections towards a certain Konoha prankster.

Over their years in the Academy, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata rarely had the same classes together until they got older. Sasuke's ambitions seemed to grow higher as he sought out to be just like his brother. Hinata's attention went to trying to reach her father's expectations. Both had either forgotten or obeyed their parent's wishes to leave their friendship. Then it happened; the Uchiha Massacre that shook the very core of Konoha.

Hinata had never gotten physically ill over such a story, but she wept for Sasuke when it had happened. From then on, she could see a true change in the way he held himself. He had his boyish charm; instead he put his entire life into becoming something great. Hinata no longer knew who he was and he no longer seemed to remember the princess that he promised to protect.

Perhaps that was why Hyuuga Hinata never as much admiration towards the Uchiha boy like the rest of the girls did. A subconscious feeling deep down told her that he was not the same little boy anymore, nor did it ever really cross her mind. Seeing Naruto reminded her of a younger Sasuke, one who was always so carefree and excited. She knew that he was strong spirited and when he made promises, he kept them.

As Sasuke slowly began to unravel, getting the curse mark and ultimately leaving Konoha to pursue under Orochimaru's wing, Hinata had her own worries. The constant scrutiny of her cousin and Father always seemed to weigh on her fragile mind and the will to become stronger was top priority. Friendships are made; friendships are lost which could be true for anyone in Konoha. Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were just one example and even Hyuuga Hinata and Neji as well. Things change drastically in life as a ninja gets older and it slowly becomes an 'eat or be eaten' type scenario.

The fight to be the best and to show off one's skills was something of importance to the Rookie Nine as young ninja. As they got older and matured, the will to be comrades instead of enemies surfaced. Some even formed a team searching almost to death for a certain Uchiha. Life became more about "we" and less about "I". Konoha gained strong ninja as they protected their village but also each other. Maybe one day, Uchiha Sasuke and Hyuuga Hinata could once again become friends and find that connection that they lost so long ago. Hinata's mother used to say: anything is possible, Hinata. Never say never.