Pivotal (Sasuke and Hinata)

Backstory 3

Hinata's visits to the Uchiha household became more frequent, driven by curiosity about the Uchiha family and a desire to learn more about her own mother's past. Her father rarely spoke about her mother, leaving a void in Hinata's heart.

The more she visited, the closer she grew to Sasuke's mother, who welcomed Hinata with open arms. The quiet, gentle woman showed her kindness and warmth, making Hinata comfortable being with her.

One afternoon, sitting by the window in the Uchiha residence, Hinata shyly approached Mikoto with a request. "Could you... teach me how to knit, please?"

A faint smile graced Sasuke's mother's lips, touched by the sincerity in Hinata's eyes. "Of course, dear. I'd be delighted to teach you."

Under Mikoto's guidance, Hinata found comfort in the art of knitting. As they spent hours together, needles clicking softly, conversations began to blossom. Hinata listened with rapt attention as Sasuke's mother shared anecdotes about her youth and memories of her past friendship with Hinata's mother.

In these moments, Hinata found a sense of belonging, a connection to her mother's history that had long eluded her. The bond between Hinata and Mikoto grew stronger with each passing day, knitting together while sharing each other memories.

Seeing them together warms Itachi's heart as he knows his mother always wanted a daughter to keep her company. As he was lovingly staring at them, his father approached him.

"What are you looking at? It seems like a heart would fly out of your eyes," said Fugaku, the father of Itachi and Sasuke.

"Oh, it's just mother and Hinata," answered Itachi.

Fugaku leaned closer and saw them laughing. He smiled and said, "I'm grateful to Hinata. I haven't seen your mother laugh like that for years already. I'm busy with work and don't have time for her. Since Hinata came to this house, everything looked so cheerful and exciting. It felt like I had a little daughter of my own."

Both of them agreed with that statement. Then Fugaku saw Sasuke trying to sneak out. 

"Sasuke!" Fugaku called out for him. "Where do you think you're going? You should never skip your training. Come on you're going to train with me today."

"Okay," said Sasuke reluctantly. 

Before Fugaku go, he tapped Itachi's shoulder. "Next time, why don't you ask Hinata to train together with you and Sasuke. I heard she always training with her father. 

He nodded. Itachi and Sasuke's training sessions were routine, learning kunai and jutsu that echoed within the Uchiha training grounds. Itachi's keen eye for technique and Sasuke's unwavering determination made them a great team.

One day, Itachi extended an invitation to Hinata. "Would you care to join us for training, Hinata?"

Hinata hesitated, feeling a blend of surprise and uncertainty. "I... I appreciate the offer, Itachi, but I usually train with my father. I'm afraid I might get tired of training if I do it with you both as well."

Itachi nodded understandingly, sensing her hesitation. "Of course, I understand. But the offer always stands if you change your mind."

Despite her initial refusal, Itachi's gentle persistence intrigued Hinata. She found herself drawn to his calm appearance, his wisdom beyond his years. He was mysterious, yet there was an air of reliability and safety around him that made her feel at ease.

As time passed, Hinata found herself occasionally observing their training sessions from the sidelines. She marveled at the synergy between the brothers, the unspoken understanding that seemed to flow effortlessly between them.

One day, during a break in their training, Itachi approaches Hinata, "What's wrong Hinata? I notice you have kept sighing since you came here."

Hinata shakes her head while faintly smiling. "I'm just thinking...am I deceiving my father?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Itachi as he sat beside Hinata.

"Actually...my father didn't know I come here every day after school. I told him that I stayed back at school for training. I felt guilty now," said Hinata.

"So that's why you look so gloomy. Well, you must have your reason for not telling him the truth."

"It's more of an excuse than a reason. Every time after finish school, I'll train with my father. But I always end up with bruises all over my body. I don't mean it in a bad way. I know that my father just wanted me to be strong," explained Hinata.

Itachi looked at Hinata. Her small figure carried a burden like that. In this world where kids like Hinata and Sasuke need to learn to fight and not play around, he feels guilty and frustrated. How he wished for this world to be peaceful enough so that kids around their age could laugh and have fun. 'Just stop training' is what Itachi wanted to say, but he know how impossible that is. It sounds so irresponsible and thoughtless. 

"Well, I think I know what to do," said Itachi.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Come with me, Hinata," said Itachi as he grabbed Hinata's wrist and headed to where Sasuke was practicing his Kunai skill.

Hinata didn't say a word and just followed him. As they came closer to Sasuke, he spoke out, "Are you done taking a break, Itachi-niichan? Why are you dragging Hinata here?"

Itachi stood in front of both of them and said, "Now, I will teach you guys how to get hit."

"What?! I don't want to get hit. It's better if you just teach us how to fight," said Sasuke.

Even Hinata is confused. 

"You need to understand. Not all your opponents are the same as you. Some of them will be stronger and more powerful than you expected. So it is important to know how to get hit without causing too much damage to your body," explained Itachi.

Both Sasuke and Hinata looked at each other and smiled as they understood it. They even rushed to Itachi to teach them quickly.