While Hidden in the Trees

Bear with me, people, this is my first fanfic. I've had this idea running through my head, and decided to give it a go just because it's been bothering me. Hyuuga is 16, Uchiha is 13. So anyway...

Naruto: Dattebayo! The author does not own Naruto, Kishmoto does! Dattebayo, dattebayo, dattebayo!

While hidden in the trees, Uchiha Itachi watched the fight ensue. To a stranger the battle looked decisive. The male ninja towered over the petite raven haired girl. She had taken a beating, but had given one in return. Any other time, Itachi knew her activated white eyes would have picked up his presence. But she was so focused on her opponent that if she was aware of him she gave no indication. They fought on the river, their chakra balancing them perfectly on top of the calm water.

Itachi had specially chosen Hyuuga Rin, as he often did on his missions, because her eyes were as invaluable as his own. She was always useful. And he knew, from having fought her for the privilege of the Captain rank that she truly was a genius, as others had said. Originally when they had gone on the mission it was two ANBU platoons. He knew it was not going to be an easy mission, thus the need for eight ninjas. He was right. Of the eight ninjas only two were left, the others slaughtered. And Rin was looking no better.

Rin’s opponent suddenly grabbed the girl by her neck, and with a powerful force thrust her bodily down into the water. “Die, bitch.” He grunted, kneeling halfway. From where Itachi stood he could see Rin’s fingers scraping at the man’s arm. And then, just as suddenly, they disappeared within the water.

Itachi narrowed his eyes as he activated his Sharingan. He saw the Jutsu, but could not copy it. “It’s over.” He whispered to himself. As soon as he said that the girl’s right arm flew out of the water, two fingers pointed straight. Since she was still under water Itachi could not hear her calling out the name of the Jutsu that he had seen her perform many times before. It was a killing Jutsu that the girl used to hit the Chakra center and literally blow it out of the victim. Sure enough the girl’s two finger met with her opponent’s stomach. Itachi could see the charka blow out of his back, and scatter into the air and the water, the way blood would, but it disappeared as he deactivated his Sharingan.

The man let out a low grunt, before slowly falling back, collapsing into the water. Rin’s arm fell into the water also, sinking to the bottom with her victim. With a sudden burst of speed Itachi moved from the trees and dived into the water. He grabbed the girl as she was sinking to the bottom, and just as quickly he burst out of the water, and back into the forest.

He laid her down on the grass, hardly glancing at her, and turned around, stared back towards the water, where just a second ago two Shinobis had battled. Orochamaru, I know you are still close by. From behind he heard coughing. Itachi turned around, surprised that the girl was even conscious.

Rin was sitting up, her head down. Her long black hair was soaked and hanging loose off her shoulders and down to the middle of her back. She coughed harder, this time expelling water.

“Itachi kun, it is you.” the girl stated in a weak voice.

“You almost let him kill you, Rin chan.” Itachi said. He turned around so that he faced the Kunoichi and walked up to her. “Careless of you.”

Rin raised her head, and Itachi raised his eyebrows in quiet surprise. She had lost her head band. On her forehead was the mark of the Hyuuga Branch Family. He had seen it on many Branch members, had even seen her little brother with the mark, but he never saw her with it.

“Yes, very careless of me.” The girl smiled softly, her white eyes shimmering.

Itachi did not hear her. He stared at the mark on her forehead. It disconcerted him. From the time they had fought each other for rank he had a quiet interest in her. She was known as a genius, her Taijitsu skills may even have surpassed his own. She also had a bitterness in her that drew Itachi. She was small, quiet, but strong beyond words. It was the reason he had chosen her to partner with him in missions. It was the reason he secretly watched her as she helped her little brother train.

Kakashi Hatake had once chosen her for a mission, much to Itachi’s chagrin. Though he stood silent, and did not voice his irritation Kakashi picked up on it. “What’s with you anyway?” Kakashi had asked. “You act like you own her.”

And he had felt he owned her. Over the year since their fight, she had become close to Itachi without even realizing it. But he didn’t own her. The curse on her forehead said it all. She was owned by her family. The Main Branch owned her.

“Itachi kun?” Rin stared quizzically. “Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong? Where are the others?”

Itachi leaned down, and grabbing the girl by her elbows dragged her to her feet, holding her against him. He leaned his head in towards her face. Rin’s eyes were wide in shock and apprehension.

He glared at her, disgust and anger written on his face. “You are mine.” He growled.

Rin squirmed uncomfortably. “Let me go, Itachi---“ He kissed her roughly, bringing her even closer against him. He didn’t care that she struggled for a bit before submitting to his wants. He didn’t care that as soon as he released her she passed out from her lack of chakra. And the least of his cares was of the snake he knew that was watching them, hidden within the trees.