Warning- hints of abuse and depression along with a bit of self harm mentions

-------------------------------------------

The group slowly woke up the next day to continue their mission to get the scroll from the Land of Birds. Layla was the first one up as she gripped her head, she gently shook it as she stretched the legs a bit. She looked at the fire and died it down not knowing that Sasuke watched her put of the fire. A sigh came from the Uchiha as he sat up, "Morning." He yawned out. Layla just nodded at him. A few minutes later, Neji woke up and cracked his neck, "Alright you two let's pack up and get on the mission." He said to them. Sasuke and Layla nodded before they started packing up. Neji kept an eye on the female teammate ever since last night where he and Sasuke looked at her right eye. After the two was finished packing, the group goes back to on their mission objective. 

Neji kept watching Layla, he couldn't shake the words from his head that his uncle said about her, he wanted the truth. "Layla, may I ask you a question? About your clan?" He asked. Layla looked up from the book she was reading and looked at him, "Why?" She asked him back. Neji sighed, "My uncle says that your clan threatened mine to the point of nearly burning down the compound. Is it true or is my uncle being too rude?" He explained. Layla pinched her nose, "My clan targeted everyone since they were sadists, they loved to see others in pain or in fear. But the Hyugas wouldn't give in. My clan hated the fact that they couldn't make the Hyugas submit so they went to the extreme. They hurt a few of them since they knew about the Byakugan and how it worked since the Byakugan can see chakra flow and points so the user can aim for them to break down their enemies. My clan hated the Hyugas with every bone in their bodies and wanted them to give in so they started making threats. I was born when I heard what was going on but never helped them since I was..." Sasuke looked at her, "Since you were what?" 

"Since I was chained in the basement." Layla finally said. The boys stared at her, "Chained? What do you mean 'chained'? Why would your own clan chain you?" Sasuke asked, "I...I was a disgrace and mistake. When they found out I was a girl, they disowned me. They had a son, my twin brother but he didn't have no ability or curse to go off of. I did, when my clan found out that I possess more than them, they chained me before they.....started beating me." Layla lifted up her sleeves, "The scars on my skin from the beatings when I was a child." She stopped walking and unzipped her jacket. The jacket fell off her shoulders and more whip like marks were on her back since she was wearing a sports bra. The boys stated out of shock, Neji slowly walked up to her and traced a scar, making Layla hissed like a snake it didn't hurt she just hates being touched. "I carry the sins of my clan since they know I have the pentagram on my left shoulder. That's why the village gives me dirty looks." Sasuke looked at her scars more, "Is that why you avoid everyone?" Layla hummed a bit, "Yes." She puts on her jacket and zips it up. "My clan has done nothing but cause chaos and destruction to the village while causing threats to them. They brought nothing but misery to everyone, especially me. Abused, hatred, abandoned, neglected and ignored."

Neji looked down, 'It's true...her clan did terrorized my clan but what about Sasuke's?' "What about Sasuke's clan?" Neji asked. "My clan laughed at the massacre like it was a joke. Like the sadists they were, they laughed. They wanted to congratulate the one who killed them off for getting rid of them." Layla answered. Sasuke's hands turned into fists, "Your clan...are nothing but monsters that feed off of pain and despair of others. But you're not like that...right?" Layla looked ahead, "A bit, but I try not to laugh. Believe me, what makes my clan worse is violent tendencies to harm others on purpose. For me I go in the woods and harm myself by repeatedly punching trees. The pain, it feels great. Just feeling the blood off my knuckles and watch it slowly drip to the forest floor, it's amazing. Sometimes I do it on purpose just to feel something, to know if my life is worth living. I've been depressed for years, even during the beatings. It's nothing but pain and suffering." 

Sasuke looked at her facial expression, it was dead emotion. 'She has no emotion and her words are empty but they having meaning in them. Her eye holds nothing but depression, pain, hatred, and rage.' He thought. Layla cracked a small but disturbing smile, "I should have thanked the Third Hokage for letting me stay in the village before he passed." Neji got confused at her smile, "Why are you smiling?" He asked, "The Third forgave me for my sin that I did." Sasuke asked, "What sin?"

"I slaughtered my clan before I came back to the village a few months ago." Layla said. The boys stared in horror, "Why?" Sasuke breathes out. "The Third targeted my clan to have them to be killed by the ANBU but my clan found out and left the village when I was young. Years after my clan left, my rage and hatred got the best of me I killed them all as I watch the compound burn to the ground. I returned to the village and told the Third what I did and it was on of his order. So he pardoned me and I can live among the villagers. But I knew he had ANBU watching my moves if I caused any disturbance like my clan did, I would go to prison but I did nothing to the villagers. I have no regrets, all my clan did was hurt people and I got rid of them so others feel safe."

The boys stared at her more, not only she was abused but she killed her clan and has no regrets from it. Sasuke grabbed her shoulder, "You're suffering. The expressionless face, the scars on the skin, the abusive clan, the sins you carry from the clan, the hatred from the village. It has put you in such a depressed state I'm surprised you're still living." Sasuke pointed out. "That's enough Sasuke. Don't listen to him. You may be depressed from what happened but move on." "Move on? How do I do that? The village reminds me of the monster clan I was born into. Besides...no one would care to help me." Layla said to him. "I would care to help you regardless what my uncle says about it. I want to help you in more ways than one by starting with this." Neji grabbed her chin and kissed her softly. Layla gasped during the kiss as Sasuke stared at the two kissing as he looked away from them with a soft huff along with a frown. 

Layla didn't know how to react, 'Do I punch him? Kiss back? What do I do?' She thought. Neji pulled away from the kiss before looking at  her, "Let me help you. I don't care what others think of you, show them you aren't the monster that the village thinks you are." He says to her. Layla stared at him as he pulled away and started walking like nothing ever happened. She raked her fingers on her lips as she felt someone tap her shoulder. Layla looked at the one who tapped her shoulder and felt a pair of lips on hers. Sasuke did a brief kiss before pulling away and walking off with his hands in his pocket. 

Layla followed the boys from behind them as she had nothing else to say. She looked at her arm, where the scars are faint, 'The scars on my skin.' She thought as she kept walking.

------------------------------------------------------

The End :D