Title: IzuHina -- I'll teach you how
Author: kezia12345
Rating: PG ( K+ )
Challenge: To a Different Beat
Pairing: IzumoHinata

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"Hey! Pass it over here!"

"I got it! I got it!"

"Haha, nice catch!" The children grinned wildly as they played happily in the school yard. It was one of those days when it felt like everyone had a friend in the world. Except for one…

"That was out Shika, and you know it!" Izumo yelled out to the spiky haired kid, now resigned sprawled out on the ground. ("Troublesome,") The teacher aid ran over to collect the ball from where it'd rolled to a stop about 10 metres away. Looking up, he saw a certain lonely Hyuuga sitting solemnly on the building stairs. He turned and chucked the ball over to his friend. "Yo Kotetsu, be in charge for a little while, eh!"

"Whatever," he called back passively. Izumo turned back to the building and walked over to the lonely girl.

"Hey Hinata, what's the matter?" he asked, making the 6 year old jump.

"O-oh, Kotetsu-san! I-it's nothing really." She replied, slightly embarrassed.

"Come on, it's gotta be something, other wise you'd be over there laughing with the other kids instead of sitting all alone over here." The Hyuuga averted her eyes from his.

"I-it's just that I' m-meant to go to a f-fancy ball tomorrow with my cl-clan, but, I-I don' know how'ta slo' dance." She mumbled out the last bit. The teen looked mildly surprised for a moment, but then he started laughing. Hinata froze up and blushed, thinking she was being made a fool.

"Is that all that's bothering you Hinata? Because if you want, I can teach you how to dance." Her eyes widened at him.

"R-really? You would?" she asked excitedly.

"Sure, how about you meet me this afternoon at the third training ground, and I'll teach you some basic steps. Is around 4 alright for you?" The heiress nodded vigorously.

"Th-thank you Izumo-kun!" she exclaimed standing up. He chuckled and ruffled her hair.

"No problem Hina-chan." Just as he finished that sentence, the bell rung in the next class. "Come one, you should get back to class, I gotta go pack away the sports stuff." The girl smiled and nodded before skipping off to her next class.

"See you this afternoon Izumo-san!" she happily called back over her shoulder.

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Hinata wandered into the lonely training ground, glancing around for any sign of her mentor.

"Izumo-kun?"

"Oh Hinata chan!" Said Hyuuga whirled around to face the young man who had just entered the clearing holding a few CD and a battery operated music player. "I see you just beat me. You never were one to make people wait were you?" He joked, smiling. He set the player down on a nearby stump and flicked a disk in. "Why don't we get started then? I'll teach you a basic waltz first shall I, Lady Hinata?" he said, bowing and holding out his hand in an upper-classy way. The shy girl giggle at the gesture before taking it and letting him guide her in a slow waltz. Through the afternoon he showed her a few different ball dances, all very simple, but the Hyuuga still proceeded to make them all look utterly adorable.

"I think you've got them all, Hinata-chan." The girl smiled at the small praise. "But may I show you one more tonight?" he asked, offering her his hand again. "But this dance you can only dance with me." This time, the sixteen year old picked her up lightly and placed her feet on his. Hinata laughed as they did a slightly more complicated dance, where he would twirl her around at various parts and raise her in the air at others, but always went back to her dancing on his feet.

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"Hinata-san! We're going to be late!"

"Coming Neji-nii-san!" Hinata Hyuuga, aged 16, called and she skittered down the stairs to the front door. Neji smiled at her outfit, a beautiful baby blue dress with small heeled strappy sandals and dangly sapphire earrings.

"You look beautiful tonight, Miss Hyuuga," he said poshly, bowing in a gentlemanly fashion. Hinata giggled.

"And you look dashing as well good sir," she replied, curtsying and imitating his upper class accent.

"Yes, but even the fact that I'm in tuxedo does not deteriorate the fact that I am your cousin and any boys who dare ogle you will be getting a fist in the face." He bluntly reminded he, back in his regular voice. The heiress rolled her eye's at him but said nothing (because Kiba was sure to be first on that list as his first greeting that evening would most likely be a "You look hot!" even though there would be no lust behind it.) "We should probably leave now, Hinata-san." Neji held the door open for his younger cousin and they both stepped out into the cool night air.

The walk to the village's 100th anniversary ball was filled with idle chatter between the two Hyuuga, as well as a few small greetings with friends and acquaintances, including Kiba (no surprise in his first greeting) and Naruto (with Sakura Hinata solemnly noted) who was smart enough to keep his mouth shut when it came to mentioning Hinata's appearance, with a little 'friendly' encouragement from Sakura of course.

The ball itself was all over enjoyable, it was casual enough for no one to feel embarrassed by Kiba's brash jokes and hollering but formal enough to feel like it was worth dressing up. Hinata shared dances with many people including Neji-nii, Kiba-kun, Shino-san and even one with Chouji, who Hinata learnt had gotten over his 'two left feet' problem he had at their Academy Social. However sooner or later, Hinata found herself on the roof of the complex, leaning on the wall and enjoying the stars.

"Hi," Hinata turned around to see a friendly face smiling back at her, though defiantly older than the last time they had got together properly (not to mention him being extremely well cleaned up!)

"I-Izumo-kun!" Hinata got up and greeted her old friend and mentor.

"Hey Hinata, wow, you've really grown since the last time we really talked." Izumo smiled at the younger girl. "Time flies doesn't it?" he laughed.

"Yeah, we haven't really t-talked much since after y-you and Kotetsu-kun stopped teaching at the Academy." Hinata turned her head back to the sky as she reminisced of the days when they were younger; Izumo looked up to the sky too.

"Beauiful night isn't it?"

Y-yeah, it is." Hinata agreed softly as the last notes of the bouncy tune blared through to the roof, all staying silent for a few seconds before a slower, more familiar tune came on.

"Hey, remember this song Hinata?" Izumo asked, closing his eyes.

"Yeah, it was the last one you showed me, our dance." She said, closing her eyes also. They stood there and hummed along for a few peaceful moments.

"Hinata-chan," the heiress opened her eyes to see a grinning Izumo bowing down and offering his hand. "Would you care to dance?" She smiled at the gesture.

"But of course," she took his hand and they started waltzing to the steady tune, radiating in the moon's light. "It's so peaceful, just like that afternoon." She contemplated softly, leaning her head on his shoulder. He smiled down at her.

"Yeah, only now you don't have to stand on my feet." They both laughed quietly, hers tinkiling like a bell and his deep and masculine.

"No, because you've taught me well." Hinata smiled as she whispered to him.