Our Dependence

Chapter Eleven: Friction

Infiltration was one of the many skills taught to the students at the academy. Being quiet, calculative, and quick were the musts that determined the success rate of our missions. Had it not been for those lessons, I would have found myself dead at the hands of our enemies long before.

Whether or not this is the same for my old classmates depended on how they applied those skills. I never wanted to be a ninja, but I am. It is not something that brings me joy in the same way that my timid self made my father frown.

Part of me remembers the rigorous training, although unwillingly.

It should not come to a surprise when I fall back on said training whenever I feel unsafe and unsure. There are things we learn from our experience as ninjas, and that is to not trust any and every person we meet. It makes our friendships fickle, our relationships tense; because we should not trust our friends who can turn into enemies in an instant.

I am rather naive to believe that that is not the case for all the people I meet, however, time and time again I get proven wrong. My friends would rather believe anyone else but me.

Intentional or not, the thought behind this hurts.

I am not someone who will harm them unless they make their move first. Yet, no one believes that when they've made up their mind.

To them, I am their enemy.

Chapter Eleven: Friction

"Again!" Sasuke shouted as he dodged a Gentle Fist charged punch directed at his face. He pivoted to his right, getting ready to throw a kick at her but he was pushed back with an Air Palm. Landing gently a few feet away, he took out his katana and ran at her again.

Hinata wiped her sweat, pulling a kunai out of her pouch as she parried his attacks. Twisting and turning, nothing was heard between the two as they sparred. The sounds of metal hitting metal stood out amongst the sounds of the forest. It wasn't until he held his sword under her chin did she finally give up and sit down while catching her breath.

Handing her a bottle of water, Sasuke sat down beside her and waited for her to relax. "You're getting much better."

"I have to, or you'd accidentally kill me." She put the bottle down and leaned back against the grass.

It was extremely early in the morning, and they were in the middle of nowhere, so to pass time, they fought. It had been a while since they've done so, but she never once slacked off during her own training.

"We have to keep moving." He didn't mind that she stayed laying there even as he stood up.

They had long since left Kiri, and were on their way to Takigakure, another place Hinata has never really been.

"Five more minutes?" She motioned him closer, pulling on the hem of his pants so he could sit back down. "I'm still tired."

"You need breakfast." He sat down anyway.

"I'm not hungry." She shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment.

"You haven't eaten since the day before." He opted to lay down beside her since she made no effort to actually get up.

Hinata frowned and looked at him. "I'll eat soon." She mumbled, flinging her arm over his chest and prompting herself up on her elbow. "We...need to take a bath."