This was wrong. They should stop. He should go home to his soon to be wife and she should get back to her party and her "tensed out of his socks" cousin.

Those were the thoughts that never crossed their minds.

All rationality was pushed out of the window, and neither found themselves breaking the kiss.

Hinata's hands moved to Itachi's chest, not pushing him away but instead grasping tightly on his shirt as if to hold him in place.

It was not like he had any intentions of pulling away.

It started off desperate and awkward. Both were tense and unsure of the moment. Then he began to deepen the kiss, his desire clouding his mind taking control of his actions. Hinata didn't complain, but it wasn't like she could respond as he did.

A warm tongue slid over her lower lip, startling her.

Out of impulse she let out a gasp, only giving the Uchiha a chance to explore her mouth. She had no idea how much longer she could live through this.

Her heart was pounding against her chest, her breathing was ragged and her face was beet red.

Itachi seemed too lost in her lips to even worry about his surroundings.
His tongue explored her mouth eagerly, coaxing her to play along with his movements, but she couldn't. She was practically frozen.

After what seemed like forever, the Uchiha pulled away only to gaze down at the heiress below him. Her hands were still on his chest, where he liked them to be. Though he wouldn't mind they travelled further.

Hinata closed her eyes as he brushed his knuckles against her cheek.

"Beautiful."

Her eyes snapped back open, wanting to find his.

He was gazing at her in admiration; she was the perfect picture;
his perfect picture.

His heavy gaze made her blush beyond humanly possible. She couldn't decide whether to treasure the sight of him, or to look away to prevent from spontaneously combusting.

"You were always beautiful... Hinata."

"I-Itachi-kun..." She looked away shyly.

He growled hearing his name leave her lips.
She sounded hot and raspy; it was like electricity to him, sending sharp bolts to every part of his body.

He began to wonder why he wanted to run away from this woman.
The woman who's smile could light up his entire day, the woman who made him feel things he never thought existed.

The woman who lit up intense flames of desire within him, engulfing him completely.

He didn't want to run.
He couldn't take it any longer.

Hastily he captured her lips for another passionate kiss.
Hinata whimpered as she felt him pull away faster this time, but didn't force on another kiss.

Itachi began to plant kisses on her cheek, down to her chin, then to her neck, his tongue flicking out from time to time tasting her. She didn't mind. She didn't mind at all, not like she thought she would. The wonderful noises she made and her hands that were now tangled in his long dark hair, her nails scrapping lightly against his scalp; everything she did just encouraged him to advance in his explorations, and he did.

Hinata was happily drowning in the pleasure he gave her, seemingly uncaring about anything else, indulging in the moment...

That is until she felt his hand slide up her leg, lifting her kimono.
That's when reality finally dawned on her.
Panic began to rise quickly, and it became increasingly difficult to breath.

Things just got worse as his right hand slipped into the neckline of her kimono, sliding down to her shoulders, dragging the fabric along.

Another gasp escaped her lips and Itachi smiled against her skin feeling proud of what his actions were doing to her.

"I-I-Itachi-kun!" She squeaked.

This was not happening, this shouldn't be happening.
She never thought that anyone would touch her this way before, especially not Itachi.

Her hands tugged desperately on his hair, wanting him to stop right away.
Instead of doing so he groaned and bit on her shoulder, dragging out a whimper from her quivering lips.

"S-Stop – "She gulped.

"Relax, Hinata." His tongue lapped over the bruised skin, making her grimace as she bit back a moan.

"Please – Itachi – "

"It's okay," His fingers stroked the bare skin of her thigh, wanting her to loosen up though it had the total opposite effect.

"Itachi-" Her hands moved back to his chest, pushing him desperately.

"Don't be afraid."

She didn't know what he was up to, or why he was up to it, but she knew it had to stop.

"P-Please I – "She struggled with her legs, trying to get his hand off her thigh.

"No one will see us..."

"Itachi-kun!" With one hard push she forced all her weight on him, pushing him back, almost stumbling on top of him but she quickly gathered herself, struggling to get away from him.

Itachi stared irately for awhile, the annoyance flashing obviously in his dark eyes.

"Please... d-don't humiliate me like this."

Her solemn voice and words seemed to finally get his brain back in to function.
His eyes widened, seeing her pull her kimono over her legs and desperately try to cover her bare shoulders.

Her cheeks, wet with tears. Tears that spilled because of his actions.
Tears that were caused by him.

He saw the look in her eyes; hurt, wary and sadness.
It broke him.

Yet looking at her like that, he couldn't force himself to say anything. His tongue was tied, he was speechless, his gaze disbelieving.

Hinata flinched as he got up, and backed away warily.

She watched helplessly as he made a disappearing act, without looking back.
She waited till he was truly gone before breaking down completely, burying her face in her palms.

"Oh god –" Her voice came out shakily and broken.

"W-What have I done?"

Itachi ran; he hurried as fast as he could. He needed to be as far away from her as possible; far away from the possibility of doing anything unlike himself.

I am sorry Hinata.

He recalled her watery eyes, the look of hurt and sorrow on her face. His eyes shut tight at the memory, as though it burned him.
At the time all he remembered were the stories of her family, the stories of her fellow classmates. The stories of her rejection, humiliation, pain.

He had never thought though, that one day he'd be in one of those stories.
He was the person, who was never supposed to hurt her.

"Uchiha?"
Neji's eyebrows knotted as he spotted a very irritated, tattered Uchiha Sasuke.

"Hyuuga." Sasuke grunted.

"Don't ask what happened, long story."

"Where's Hinata-sama?" Neji ignored his previous words.

Sasuke raised a brow, adjusting his collar.

"I should be asking you that."

"Wait, if you... then who was the Uchiha outside who wanted to talk to her?"

"What are you talking about, Hyuuga?"

Hinata's still shivering hands slowly slid her room door close, not wanting to attract any attention.
She dragged herself to her dressing table only to see her pitiful reflection as her tears continued to flow down her cheeks.

She looked like a mess, her hair was undone and messy, her eyes were now swollen like her lips and her kimono was crumpled.

Her fingers traced her lower lip and she shivered slightly at the memory.
Slowly her arms wrapped around her body defensively although she knew he was no longer here.

She winced slightly as she squeezed her shoulders, a sting bolted from her left shoulder.
Slowly she pushed down the kimono to examine her bruised shoulder.

Itachi had left his mark on her, reminding her of their time together.
Their mistake.

"Help me forget you."

A soft sob escaped her lips as his words rang clear in her mind.
Tonight made absolutely no sense at all.
It wasn't like Itachi to just appear out of nowhere, it definitely wasn't like him to just push her down on her back and try to ravish her then and there.

He was drunk, she could tell from his dazed expression and the stench of sake escaping from his parted lips. On another note though, it wasn't like Itachi at all to just get drunk. She had never pegged Itachi as the drinking type.

Something was wrong, she knew it.
He was not acting like himself, and he wasn't making sense. Worst of all though, he blamed her for whatever turmoil he was facing. Itachi definitely wasn't one to blame others for anything.

Yet she couldn't miss the emotions showing through his eyes tonight; like she had never seen him before, for once Hinata felt like she could actually read the man.

His face remained impassive, his tone inexpressive, but his eyes shone emotions that struck her like lightning.

"If life was fair, I wouldn't be in love with someone I can never be with."

He wanted to forget her. He wanted to erase her from his life?
At the same time, he wanted her?

It was all twisted and complicated and wrong!

It was wrong how he made her happiness disappear by muttering out a few sentences.
It was wrong how he thought he could make things in his life better just by blaming his wrongs on her.
It was wrong how he took advantage of her... and how she enjoyed it.

It was wrong how she still held feelings for him all these years.
And it was very, very wrong to believe that he might feel the same way.

He was getting married.

But he came to see you. He came to kiss you.

He came to forget her.

Then why would he do the things he did?

He was hazy.

Why come to you and not to anyone else?

Why you?

She was about to scream in frustration when the door slammed open.
Quickly and quite clumsily her hand moved to her shoulder to pull the kimono over her shoulder, hiding the bruise.

"Hinata-sama?!"

Hinata's head immediately bowed hearing her cousin's voice. Feeling shameful and humiliated for some reason.

"N-Nii-san." She managed to squeak out.

"Hinata."

Her back immediately shot up as the frighteningly familiar voice came to earshot. Her head snapped to the direction of the voice.

Silence filled the room as ivory met obsidian.

Hinata's shoulders slumped in relief.

"Sasuke – " She gasped, getting on her feet rather ungracefully only to run and capture the Uchiha in her arms.

"Hinata?" Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed, eyeing the heiress in his arms.
His arms patted gently on her back as he felt her jerk.

"H-Hinata-sama what are you doing?!" Neji fumed.

Sasuke leaned lower, closer to the girl's ear ignoring her cousin with the flaring nostrils.

"Hinata,"

Hinata jerked slightly at the sound of his voice.

"What's wrong?"

"Uchiha Sasuke what doing you think you're doing – "

"Neji-Nii-san..."

Neji's features softened almost immediately upon hearing his cousin's voice.

"Please... could you give us a moment?" Hinata's head was on Sasuke's chest, facing away from her cousin.

"What?" Neji squinted, praying that he heard wrong.

"You heard her Hyuuga," Sasuke entered, feeling more concern for Hinata than competitive fury for the Hyuuga prodigy.

"Hinata-sama, there is no way I am leaving you with this – this – this man!"

"What? All of a sudden you don't trust her?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"It's you I don't trust not her!"

"Nii-san, please!" Hinata's hands gripped Sasuke's shirt as tightly as she could, still refusing to look at her cousin.

Neji knew that voice. He knew that there was no fighting with her once that tone came out, no matter how much he wanted to pry her from the stoic Uchiha he knew she would get her way in the end.

Neji paused, bewildered by the whole situation then sighed in surrender.
Before leaving though he gave the Uchiha one last menacing glare.

"I'll be outside."

Even at the sound of the door closing shut, Hinata didn't let go of him as he thought she would. She clung on to him like a koala, and he didn't really mind.
But her nails were digging in to currently tender flesh, which was quite uncomfortable.

Slowly, he pulled her away only for her to bow her head and hold out her arms wanting to plunge into his warmth once again.

At that he smirked slightly.

"What happened to make you delirious enough to willingly touch me?" He raised a brow, eyes gleaming with amusement.

Her hands clutched her kimono as she shook her head her hair swaying with her movement.

"N-Nothing." She swallowed.

Sasuke eyed the girl with growing curiosity.
Was she... crying?

"Hinata." His tone, demanding as it normally would be.

"Look at me."

When she shook her head yet again, he sighed.
She did not have the strength to refuse when he tilted her chin to face him.
She only continued to bite on her lip to hold back the sobs and avert her eyes.

"Hinata." His voice slightly lower, causing her to flinch.

Her eyes met his but widened as she took in the sight of him.

"S-Sasuke!"

There was a gash on his cheek and a cut near his lip, scrapes on his neck, the red patches on his shirt camouflaged with its dark colour.
Her sorrow was replaced by immediate concern and guilt for not noticing his wounds earlier.

"Y-You're injured!" She nearly exclaimed.

"I am not. Tell me what happened." He said aloofly.

"Y-You're so r-reckless!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. This woman...

He watched her scurry around the room like a little hamster looking for something to mend his wounds with.

"Just a few scrapes. I'll live."

"Wh-What if it scars?"

Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't mind. Although I know you'd be devastated."

"Sasuke! Don't joke around – "

"Hinata." He addressed her firmly once again.

"Stop running around in circles like an idiot and come here and tell me what happened."

Hinata's shoulders slumped.

"I... I don't want to talk about it."

"I know. That's why I want you to tell me."

Hinata gave him a confused look.

"I know, I am inscrutable. Whatever. Tell me."

Hinata nearly groaned, instead she just buried her face in her palms again.

"I heard from Neji that an Uchiha came by to see you."

Hinata felt like her breathing completely stopped. She prayed that the earth would just open up and swallow her. Because she really couldn't take this.

"Does that have anything to do with why you are crying?"

Hinata straightened her back, her hands were clasped in front of her. Her eyes were everywhere except on him.
That confirmed it.

"Who was it?"

"I am feeling... a little tired. Maybe we should talk about this later."

"Hinata, I am not going to forget so you might as well tell me now."

Hinata furrowed her eyebrows.

"I'll tell you another time."

"Tell me now."

"M-Must I share everything with you?"
She was immediately hit with a pang of guilt. She shouldn't act this way with Sasuke.

"You must if it is related to my clan's people."

Hinata gulped.

"And knowing the only Uchihas' you have relations with, I think it is in my right to know what happened involving that person, Hinata."

He wasn't getting any happier, that's for sure.

"Tell me what my brother was doing here."

How did she always manage to herself into these kinds of situations?

"I- "

Don't stammer.

"He c-came here just to tell me about his and Amane's wedding. That's all."

"He came all the way here just to tell you that? Something that I could have told you anyways?" His tone made her all the more nervous.

"He was just passing through..."

Sasuke raised a brow, flashing a bitter smirk and shook his head, scoffing.

"Okay then tell me this; why did you cry?"

He began to walk closer to her, she in turn backed away like a cornered mouse.

"Sasuke I really think you should – "

"Why did you cry Hinata?"

She gasped as her back hit the wall, her hands moved to the wall as if it could provide her security. Sasuke barred her escape by leaning towards her and trapping her between both of his arms.

"Why would you cry because of his wedding?"

"I wasn't ... crying, I was – "

"Cut the bullshit."

His tone was low and dark, it scared her. She began to wring her hands nervously, unable to find the words to answer him.

"Answer me honestly Hinata."
He stared at her fiercely.

"Why did you cry?"

"I-I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"He made a mistake – I made a m-mistake – I" She spluttered nervously.
She inwardly cursed herself for not being able to control her mouth.

Sasuke's eyebrows dipped.

"Mistake?"

"Sasuke please..."

"What mistake Hinata?"

She immediately averted her eyes.

"What did he do to you?"

"N-Nothing!" She snapped.

"You're lying."

"Sasuke it's nothing, please I don't want to argue with you."

"Hinata you have to tell me what happened. What did Itachi do?"

She kept silent.

"Even if you don't tell me, I'll find out. He is my brother you know. Just tell me."

Hinata began to get worried. Her breathing heightened and her shivering came back.

"I-It wasn't his fault. H-He was drunk and – " She slapped her mouth close with her hand, cursing under her breath.

"Drunk?" Sasuke repeated disbelievingly.
Knowing what kind of drunk his brother was, he knew whatever happened couldn't have been good.
His blood began to boil as images started flickering in his mind.

"Just what the hell did he do to you?"

"Sasuke please, no more."

"Hinata you have to tell me."

"Sasuke – "

"Hinata!"

Sasuke had to use every ounce of self control he had to not activate his sharingan as the door slid open once again, slamming into the wood.
He backed away from Hinata, knowing that Neji would not make the situation easier if he found them like that.

He casually crossed his arms and stared lazily at Neji.

"What's with all the noise?"

Neither answered. Neji sighed.

"Okay Uchiha, get out of here. That's enough talking for one night."

Without retorting Sasuke walked towards the door and left, brushing Neji's shoulder lightly as he passed by.

Neji stood by the door and watched as Hinata lifelessly plopped on to the bed, not sparing him a glance even.

He was a fool. Remorse he did feel, but even now his mind was overpowered by images of the heiress.
Tonight he saw her in a way he never thought he could.
It was beautiful, yet it was the most horrifying experience he had been through.

If it hadn't been forced... maybe things would have been different.
Maybe he wouldn't keep beating himself up.
If she was willing, would he feel better about it?

He really was a fool. Considering such nonsense just proved that the sake was still in his system.

Hinata was the reason he even stooped down to sake, and she will be the reason he stops for good he reckoned.

... What would have happened if Hinata didn't have the strength to stop him?
Would he have forced himself on her?
Would he go down that low?
Could he bring himself to hurt her that way?

Telling someone you want to forget her then forcing a kiss on her...
What an idiot he must be, even drunk it was no excuse to hurt the poor girl.
What bitter irony it is; he was the one who saved her in the beginning, but now it seems like he is the one hurting her the most.

No matter how much hope he had after tonight of his feelings being requited, he knew he would never cause his parents, Amane or his brother such pain by just leaping into a love story with Hinata.

Every action he took had consequences it seems, consequence he didn't want to face for the good of everybody. No matter how enticing it was to just act as he pleased... he knew he couldn't.

He was sure, even Hinata was better off without him. Hinata... would probably never see him the way he sees her, or the way he wants to her to see him. Especially not after tonight.

He was brought out of his miserable thoughts by the sound of wood clashing fiercely against his cement wall.
He was taken back as his black orbs met wild red.

"Nii-san." Sasuke growled.

Shit...