It was her current predicament that had caused the consistent pacing about her apartment, a mug of hot chocolate in her trembling hands. Thoughts flashed through her mind one by one as she hurriedly tried to find some answer to her problem, but discovered none in her state of distress.
Lately, the fights she held with her father had been increasing, and though they were usually one-sided and quiet on her part, she couldn't help but feel the rise of anger and irritation she had always managed to push away from her heart. The last thing she wanted was to be tainted by such an evil thing such as hatred, but she seemed to have lost the control on her emotions after the last argument.
Not a single tear had been shed in front of Hiashi's cruel gaze, and she prided in that, but ever since the minute she'd locked her front door, she hadn't been able to stop crying. It was hopeless, the wish that she'd somehow work her way out of this situation once again, use her intelligent mind to squeeze her way out of her father's attention for just a little while longer.
At the moment, however, she had way too much on her hands to be able to think straight, let alone devise a plan good enough to trick her father. What with school, her job, and the bills, she would be extremely busy until winter break at least. So how was she supposed to comply to her father's wishes if she hardly had enough free time to think?
Hinata plopped down onto the couch again, impatient with the slow unraveling of her mind. She worked five nights a week, and she'd been working overtime every day for at least three extra hours. If she didn't, she wouldn't be able to pay her rent, plus the bills, not to mention the necessities found in groceries and school finances. Her college funds weren't even the worst of it, as the long nights she studied in order to keep her 4.0 GPA was making her unbearably stiff and tired during class and work.
So how was she supposed to find a trustworthy, honest man by December, let alone someone who'd be willing to marry her? It was absolutely ridiculous, and though her father had asked it of her, she was beginning to believe she'd have to decline his request. Of course, that would result in her being disowned and shunned from her family, and as the heiress, she knew that wasn't the best way to go, especially since Hanabi would be next in line.
Groaning at the horrible misfortune that had settled into her life, she shook sleep off her once again and leaned over the books spread out across the table. If not on one thing, then she should at least try to focus on the next important aspect of her life: studying. Her grades were just as important as her relationship status at this point, what with her being a college senior.
Sighing, Hinata directed her attention to the black and white text before her, memorizing and taking notes, reviewing the things she had learned in class and answering each of the review questions at the end of the chapter and in captions at the bottom of the pages. By eleven, she was exhausted and felt like she could probably recite everything she had just read. Deciding that she wouldn't try that until she was fully functional, she yawned deeply and moved to stand, gathering her books and neatly placing them in their corresponding spots on the shelf at the back of her small living room.
Rinsing out her empty mug, she got ready for the inviting blanket of sleep that was already reaching out to her, enveloping her warmly. Allowing her lips to curl in a tiny smile, she slipped into her pajamas and brushed her teeth. When she climbed into bed, Hinata felt as if her body was ready to drop dead at any second, and so she switched off the light and allowed darkness to welcome her into its arms.
Nothing.
It suffocated her like the absence of air, choking her with the pitch black everything that took her in. Surrounding her, grasping a hold of her like every horror she had ever known, loneliness and grief, it filled her to the brim. Gasping, she clutched at her chest, clawing at the clothing there, the white cloth that hung limply to her petite frame.
Oxygen came to her in a spontaneous burst, feeding her lungs with air so cold, her body shivered violently, eyes squeezing shut against the gusts of wind. But it wasn't wind, the air motionless and atmosphere calm and still, so silent she could hear it. She could hear how much of nothing there was here, in this place she had never seen, something she had not once before imagined or dreamed of before.
Is that what this was: a dream? Hinata stood straighter, adapting to the climate of this world of darkness and emptiness. She turned her head every which way, finding nothing to see but a black abyss, deeper than anything she had imagined.
It seemed as if it were hours before anything appeared before her, and when it did, her breath caught in the most unusual way. A light, glowing faintly so far away, came into her line of sight, and it seemed to waver for a moment, pure whiteness shedding the darkness from its presence. Hinata stepped toward it, something creeping inside her very soul, wrapping its claws around it gently and tugging, bringing her forward. It was calling her, beckoning her to its side, whatever that beautiful, entrancing light was.
Then it came closer, moving forward timelessly, brightening the area around her. As it came into a better view, Hinata realized that the light made up a figure, and though she couldn't see her own body, there was definitely something within that graceful, flickering white light.
A man.
She couldn't see his face, the light too blinding for her to get a close look at the invisible features he portrayed. However, it was the power he radiated, an unbelievable strength that consumed the air she breathed in, frightening her and intriguing her at the same time. Inhaling sharply, she attempted to stare into the light, but couldn't and focused on a place beyond it, trying desperately to make out what he looked like.
Blinking, she watched as he moved, a limb rising from his side, extending towards her slowly. He was only a few feet away, and he was reaching for her, calling her to him. Hinata stepped forward, fighting the instinct that told her to run away, to abandon this unexplainable desire to come to him, to obey his every wish and command.
A cock of his head, the blink of eyes she couldn't exactly see, and she watched in wonder at his curiousity. Or was it something else? Either way, she leaned forward, stumbling towards the light, the figure cloaked within the white, reaching out to him with her hand. She felt the slight brush of their fingertips and gasped at the sensation that made her body shiver, made her yearn for more of the amazing feeling. She turned her gaze upon the light in wide-eyed wonder, and stretched her fingers toward him until they touched his gently once again.
A smile. And then he was gone.
Hinata stepped into the air-conditioned store, hurriedly walking behind the counter and to the register where her co-worker was already standing.
"Hey, Hinata," Kurenai murmured, nodding to her over her shoulder as she rang up the customer in line. A couple cases of a beer, some cigarettes, and she was falling into the same familiar routine Hinata had become accustomed to. "Hurry up and get your register ready. I told Kakashi I wouldn't be late today."
"I thought he was the one who was always late," Hinata giggled, bending to pull out the money from earlier that morning out. Kurenai smirked at her as she handed the change to her customer and waved him off with a polite smile.
"He is," she said, but shook her head as she removed the bottom part of the register out of the rest of the machine and moved away to set it on the small table behind them. Hinata slid the money-filled tray into the register and clicked a few buttons as Kurenai chuckled, "But if I'm early, then I have something to get onto him about, don't I?"
"Do guys like it when their girlfriends do that?" Hinata asked curiously, receiving a scolding look from her friend.
"I already told you that Kakashi isn't my boyfriend," Kurenai reminded her, settling comfortably onto a stool and moving to count the money she had collected during her shift. "Plus, I'm sure he doesn't mind. When it comes to things as casual as outings and such, Kakashi is as playful, laid-back and outgoing as can be."
"But he can always come through when it's time to buckle down and get serious," Hinata finished, smiling back at her. Kurenai returned the gesture and nodded at her.
"Yep," she said, looking at the back wall that held all the many varieties of cigarettes as if thinking of the one she admired, which Hinata was sure she was doing. "It's one of the many attractive qualities Kakashi has."
"And you're not dating?" Hinata questioned with a raised eyebrow, but Kurenai only shrugged, smiling secretively as she turned back to her job.
"Not officially, no," she answered. "Kakashi isn't one to deal with relationships, but I think I can break him. I think he's actually starting to like me."
"Well, you've been going out for a long time," she said as a customer set his things on the counter. Quickly, she skillfully pushed in the keys on the old-fashioned register, and faced the man with a smile. "That'd be 10.71. Plus, you're very likeable, Kurenai. Thank you, sir, have a nice day."
"I know," Kurenai murmured. "But even if Kakashi is reasonable, he likes to avoid it if at all possible, and I'm still not sure what he thinks of Asuma."
"Asuma is so sweet, though," Hinata said, sending her a reassuring smile. "Why wouldn't he like him?"
"A lot of guys just don't like women who've already been married and have kids, I guess," Kurenai said, shaking her head with a small sigh. "Though I having faith in Kakashi. He seems like the kind of person who would at least give the relationship a little thought."
"From what you've told me," Hinata said, turning to face Kurenai and lean back on the counter, "I'd have to agree."
"Yeah," Kurenai said, a faraway smile on her face that made Hinata tilt her head curiously. "They were best friends. Now I know why."
It had been four years since Kurenai had become a widow, when her husband, Asuma Sarutobi, had died in a car crash. At the funeral, Kurenai had met Kakashi, who had told her he was one of Asuma's childhood friends. Recognizing the name from when Asuma would talk about him, Kurenai had then befriended Kakashi. From friends, they stepped forward into the precarious "dating" range, and had been wary of where to go from there. Well, Kurenai was always wary, because of her five-year-old son, Asuma, and looming sense of caution. Kakashi seemed more like the type of person who just went with the flow and allowed things to just come to him, and Kurenai seemed to be one of those better "things."
They stayed in silence for a little longer, and the fact that it was a relatively slow day became apparent in Hinata's mind when only seven customers came in over a course of ten minutes. In that time, Hinata thought of her own love live, and wondered how exactly she'd be able to get "back in action" as her friends would say in a matter of weeks. Her father was always demanding, and though it was practically impossible for her to obtain a fiancé in just a few days, Hinata knew she'd have to try.
Despite the fact that had been haunting her forever: she'd never had a boyfriend. Ever.
Throughout middle and high school, dating had escaped Hinata and led her to believe that finding anyone interested in her was a lost cause. The only person she'd ever had a crush on was now her best friend, and the thought of dating him now struck her as odd. Hinata sighed and put her chin in her palm, bracing her elbow on the counter and leaning over it. She had always been too quiet, too shy, too reserved, too much of a pushover and kiss-up to attract any guys at her school, and while that was rather pathetic in her eyes, she realized that she really didn't mind at the moment. Why would she? The boys at her school had been a majority of jerks, and dating any of them would have led to problems concerning her health and dignity, neither of which were things she was willing to sacrifice for a guy.
Still, a little experience would have probably come in handy at this point, and that's exactly why she opted to ask Kurenai for advice. Naturally, it was awkward for Hinata to talk about her family and the old customs they followed, but Kurenai had been a good friend even before Hinata had worked at the gas station. Sucking in a deep breath, Hinata turned to Kurenai and paused, not sure exactly how to bring up the topic. The subject of "Kakashi" was dead by now, so bringing it up again would probably seem childish and lame, but she gave it a shot anyway.
"So, how did you and Kakashi actually start going out?" she asked curiously, trying to sound nonchalant and innocent. Kurenai glanced up with a raised eyebrow, and then shrugged as she turned back to her work.
"Well, I guess after a long period of comforting and crying," Kurenai said, pausing as if thinking whether to tell who exactly had played which part. She seemed to think better of it, for she shook her head with a tiny smile and went on, "We just sort of developed feelings for each other that were too awkward to ignore. It just felt right after a while, and I didn't really feel like I was betraying Asuma by dating him anymore."
"Oh," Hinata breathed, looking up at the ceiling as she tried to decypher some kind of meaning in what Kurenai had just told her.
Okay, so maybe asking a widow advice about dating wasn't the best thing in the world, especially since Kurenai was about fifteen years older than she was. Sighing, she crossed her arms stubbornly and forced her mind to spin around the disliked topic until she finally came up with something. When Kurenai and Kakashi had met, they had been able to share one major thing in common that was taking up a majority of their lives: Asuma. So, maybe if she went somewhere interesting or tried to start conversations with random strangers as she had seen Naruto do thousands of times…
No, that wouldn't work. Her childhood stuttering was gone, but when it came to people she didn't know, she was a nervous wreck, an accident waiting to happen. Whether it came to saying the wrong thing, completely blanking on something as simple as her own name, or tripping over thin air, Hinata always found a way to make the first impression the worst. Scrunching her lips together, Hinata tried thinking of anything else, but decided that she was attempting to do the impossible.
"Yo."
Hinata jumped, startled out of her daydreaming and spun around to face the customer, an apology waiting on her lips. When she found herself stunned, staring into sparkling azure eyes, the words dyed in her throat and she blinked. After scolding herself mentally for not recognizing the distinct voice of her best friend, she crossed her arms and quirked and eyebrow playfully.
"Naruto, you know I'm working," she told him, but he just shrugged like it didn't matter, which it probably didn't, and fiddled with the lighters on display.
"So, what have been up to?" he asked, giving her a sideways glance. Hinata stared at him for a moment, the expecting look on his face, the nervous twitch of his fingers. Sighing, she looked away for a moment.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"Why do you just assume that I want something?" Naruto snapped, though she could see the amusement clearly in his eyes, hear the sarcasm strong in his voice. "You know, I thought I'd be nice, drop by and say hey to my good friend, but no. Fine, I won't bother you anymore."
With that, Naruto pretended to flip his hair over his shoulder - his short, spiky hair - and proceeded to stomp out of the store in a purely undignified and immature manner. Hinata blinked, then looked over her shoulder at Kurenai, who was staring after Naruto with what seemed to be a mixture of confusion and humor in her expression. Giggling, Hinata turned back to the door and waited patiently. Two seconds later, Naruto came back in, head bowed and looking both humble and ashamed of himself.
"Is there something you'd like to say?" Hinata asked, staring down at Naruto from her higher position behind the counter. She heard him mumble something, and then said, "I can't hear you, Naruto."
"I need you to do a favor for me," he sighed, and then grinned at her, not able to keep up the act any longer.
"What kind of favor?" Hinata asked, raising an eyebrow again.
"Well, I kind of need some extra notes for third period," he said, flicking a lighter over and then setting it back up. "I had some and everything, but I lost them."
"Of course you did," Hinata laughed, but smiled sadly and motioned for him to move away from the counter so the customer who had just approached could get to her. After ringing him up, she said, "Look, can't you ask Sakura or Sai for some notes? I've been really busy, and I'm not sure if I could copy the ones I already made."
"I already tried Sakura," Naruto said with a sigh and a shake of his head. "She was on a date with Sai and threatened to kick my ass again if I didn't leave."
"Sakura and Sai are going out?" Hinata questioned, tilting her head at Naruto disbelievingly.
"Yeah, I know," he said in disgust, and Hinata remembered that Naruto probably still had his childhood crush on Sakura when he added, "I nearly puked on the spot. I mean, why would she go out with that filthy, insulting little bastard, eh?"
"You know how Sakura is," Hinata said, giving him another sympathetic smile. "She's always liked the 'bad boy' type, right?"
"Yeah, I guess," Naruto grumbled, wrinkling his nose and causing the identical whisker-like birthmarks on both cheeks to seem even more animalistic. He looked like an angry fox, thinking of a tricky plan so he could get his way. Then he shrugged and sighed, looking up at her. "Well, that's cool, if you can't. I guess I could start 'em from scratch and everything, but like you, I've got tons of work. Plus, I have all my other classes. Sakura could probably do it in no time if she had a heart."
"You know Sakura loves you," Hinata said, giggling at the expression on Naruto's face. "It's only natural to put yourself before others at times."
"I suppose," he murmured, and then paused, giving her a funny look. "Then how come you never do it?"
"Well, um," Hinata stuttered, and then let out a huff of air. It had been something her friends had teased her about for years, how she wanted to make sure the world itself was happy instead of her own heart. Finally, she managed to squeak, "I did just now didn't I?"
"Huh," Naruto muttered, as if looking back on the moment. "You did, didn't you?"
Hinata gave him a tiny smile, and turned to the man who had just stepped up the counter. She glanced at each of the items, typing in the prices she had memorized just like everything in her textbooks, how she could control the bills. When the customer left, she took one look at Naruto, and couldn't help but comply with his wish. How long would it really take to make a second copy of notes?
"Fine," she sighed, and when Naruto looked at her, blinking repeatedly, she smiled and shrugged. "I guess I could get you some more notes, but you can't lose them, okay?"
"Thanks, Hinata," he said with a grin, and then backed away, toward the door. "I'm gonna go. I told Kiba and Shikamaru I'd catch up with them."
"Have fun," she told him sincerely. It was hard to watch her first and only love go, but she knew that the feelings inside her heart were merely doses of admiration mistaken for something else.
"Why doesn't he just make his own notes?" Kurenai asked, and Hinata giggled, shaking her head as if the question were silly.
"Because he's Naruto," Hinata said, glancing over her shoulder at Kurenai, who returned the look. "I'm pretty sure he got the first set of notes from Shikamaru. Naruto doesn't know how to take notes."
"So his friends help him?" Kurenai guessed.
"Right," Hinata said, and then turned to face her. "It's…well, we sort of have a little group. Each of us has a specific thing we excel at, so we team up together and help whoever needs a little help. Since we all have weaknesses, too, we end up balancing each other out in skills and talents. I mean, Naruto is actually very bright, but he has a short attention span and it takes him a little longer to understand things then others. But he's always determined to do everything right, so as long as we give him easy-to-read notes, he's able to figure it out in his own way by the time we have to take the test. Homework's a little different, but it's basically the same."
"I think you'd like to meet Kakashi," Kurenai said absentmindedly after a short pause. "Or, at least, Kakashi would like to meet all of you."
"Really?" Hinata asked, and when Kurenai nodded, she asked why.
"Kakashi thinks that one of the essentials in life is friendship," Kurenai explained, and when Hinata smiled, she did too. "I know. It's one of the truly admirable things about him. He's so…corny."
At this, both girls had to laugh, and when they stopped, Kurenai shook her head and let out a long sigh.
"Corny, but amazing," she added, and Hinata nodded. That sounded a little like Naruto. "Teamwork is something you and your friends seem to know a lot about, and I think he'd like you all for that."
"Oh, well that's good," Hinata said, and turned back to her customers.
She couldn't help but envy Kurenai just a little, at how carefree and beautiful she was. Though she took her responsibilities very seriously, Kurenai was always able to be herself no matter what, and she was the very person Hinata wanted to be like someday. Everything she did, Hinata awed at, and it made it even worse when Kurenai had been able to find two amazing men that were both attracted to her.
Love.
Hinata wondered if she'd get the chance to truly find it.
Locking up was probably one of the worst parts of her job. She could handle being alone in a completely locked store while she cleaned up and closed down, but once outside, Hinata was jumpier than ever. There were too many bars open this late at night, and it only took one bored drunk man to stumble over to the local gas station looking for a little more beer or a girl for the night.
Hinata always made sure she hurried when it came to locking up, but tonight she failed to do so quickly enough. She was fumbling with the key, trying to shove it into the hole when the sound of glass breaking came from across the street. Whirling around, she stared wide-eyed at the three men who had gathered there, giving her hungry looks that made her want to puke, a broken beer bottle on the ground at their feet.
Taking in a deep breath, she summoned the courage to take her eyes off of them and turn back around. Her attempts to lock the door were even more futile now, though, since her hands wouldn't stop trembling long enough to get the key through. She could hear them behind her, murmuring sluggishly to each other, and she tried not to imagine what they were saying as she focused her attention on steadying her hands.
What was scaring her was the fact that she couldn't see them, her back turned to the street where they stood. She wouldn't know if any of them made a move until she heard them, and she doubted she'd be able to hear them from a distance. Even if she did, what would she do to protect herself against men so large, or at least had appeared that large in the veil of darkness?
This darkness was different than the dream she had had last night, and she paused at the odd reminder. Her dream had been more of a memory; she could remember everything crystal-clear as if it had been running through her head all day, and in actuality, it had. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about it, and somehow, she felt safer when she thought about the glowing man. He would light up the night and scare off the drunken men, and protect her until she got home.
Then reality set in and Hinata was reminded that it had only been a dream.
Still, she couldn't help but close her eyes and summon ever picture of the mysterious man in her mind, ask him to keep her safe. It was like a prayer to God, and she felt as if she were actually talking to someone, requesting help personally.
Hinata opened her eyes and watched as the key slid into the lock.
Grinning at how steady her hands now were, she twisted the key, jerked the handle of the doors, and took the key out, making sure it was locked. Hinata then spun the combination on the panel beside the door, removed the plaster front, replaced the key, and then put the front back, spinning the lock once.
When she turned around, one of the men had gotten closer, but it seemed as if he were hesitating, not sure whether to come closer. She still wasn't able to get a good look at him, but he was under the lights of the gas station's roof by now, standing by one of the gas pumps. Sucking in air quickly, she tried to summon the confidence again, but felt it twist away from her grasp.
A scraggly beard, hungry beady eyes, and bulging muscles that made his arm twice as big as her waist stared back at her from across the lot.
Then, despite the chilly air of November, she was filled with warmth, a sudden heat that made her shiver regardless. When she looked back up at the man, his eyes squinted at her, or possibly something behind her, and then widened in both recognition and fear. Stumbling backwards, he ran to his friends, mumbled things incoherently under his breath, voice rising at random points, breaking and cracking as he tried to get away from her.
Stunned, she took a step forward, and then hesitated, making up her mind before glancing over her shoulder. She blinked when she saw the air shift, a combination of light and dark convulsing in the air, and when the cold came to her again, Hinata figured that whatever had scared the man…she had just seen it leave.
Eyes widening, she flew across the parking lot to her tiny car, quickly unlocked the door and slung herself into it, putting her messenger's bag on the passenger's seat. She was out of the parking lot before she knew it, driving home faster than she probably should.
Sighing, she forced her mind to calm down and slowed the car to the appropriate speed limit, despite the anxiety clawing at her senses. What had appeared behind her, and frightened the man so horribly he hadn't been able to speak? And why had it disappeared before she had seen it, not attack her when her back was turned?
The man.
Hinata gasped, and felt her heart skip a beat at the thought of someone from her dream escaping the boundaries of her mind. It scared her, but then she remembered: she had asked him to protect her, hadn't she? Was that what he had been doing, coming forth to keep her safe just as she asked, and then leaving when she…no!
That was crazy, and Hinata scolded herself for thinking such a ridiculous thing could be even remotely true. Still, the pieces fit and though logic was telling her that whatever had frightened the man was something she should be scared of too; her instincts were saying to give it a try.
Give what a try? Hinata sighed, and tried to think straight, even though everything in her head was contradicting itself all at once. Shaking her head, she then decided it'd be better to just forget the incident entirely and just move on. What was the chance she'd need to be saved like that again?
Forcing herself to laugh as if it were nothing, Hinata then frowned, tilting her head as a thought came to her. If it happened again…then she'd have to accept it…because that would mean it was real.
Study sessions were probably one of Hinata's favorite things about attending a university with all her friends. A lot of them she had known since childhood, but a couple new people had joined their group during freshman year. Now, their study group was huge, and always required lots of focus, attention, and laughing in order to get by with a good grade.
Being surrounded by so many people would have scared her in the past, but after three and a half years, she looked forward to these days more than anything. The laughing coming from the living room was enough to make her smile, and she figured Naruto and Kiba were probably joking around about something stupid. Sakura was busying herself as fast as she was in the kitchen, and in a few minutes, the two girls had made up enough snacks to last them the entire night.
Five minutes later, Hinata and her classmates were littered across the floor, on chairs and couches, and perched on armrests and the backs of furniture. Kiba had taken a liking to sprawling his body across the table's surface, and Ino had settled into Shikamaru's lap comfortably. Sakura curled up beside Sai, resting against the couch with Shino, Suigetsu and Karin behind them on the couch. Choji and Jugo sat on the other side of the table, while Hinata sat at Gaara's feet, who was sitting formally in a large armchair. Naruto lazily lay on his stomach over the back of the couch, limbs hanging down limply on either side.
It was just as it had always been, and Hinata had to smile at the family she had adopted.
They studied and joked, studied a little bit more, ate some, and studied still. College was extremely important to all of them, and though their reasons differenced, that small thing they all had in common had brought them together and helped them bond. Whether they had met in the past as children or had ended up getting paired with each other on a school project even though they had hated each other at the time, they all had a story to share.
Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino had known each other for years due to their parent's working together. Choji had run into Jugo at what happened to be both of their favorite restaurant and had ended up spending the rest of the night, and their money, becoming friends. Karin and Suigetsu had already been dating when they had met Jugo. Once that happened, Jugo introduced him to his "chubby-buddy" Choji and they had been added to the group.
Sai met Naruto by chance in gym, ended up getting into a huge fight that resulted in both of them getting detention for a month. Over that time, they had bonded in the strangest way, which was awfully close to Ino and Sakura's rivalry. The two girls had become best friends when Ino helped Sakura stand up for herself since people picked on her constantly. After that, Sakura had developed the confidence to declare a rivalry with Ino over boys, grades, the usual pre-teen complications and dramas, but they were now best friends again, though they still bickered like crazy.
Kiba was the craziest of them all, and had met Naruto on the day they had individually decided to pull a prank on their high school teacher. They ended up pulling the prank together, and Kiba had later met Shino when the shady boy got him out of detention. Naruto got paired with Gaara, the local "emo-kid" during a huge project, and throughout the time they had to spend together, they pulled off an amazingly close friendship and an A-.
Hinata had always been the quiet, shy one and had come up with the idea of a study group while talking to Sakura one day in the library. Though she had known most of these people for years, Naruto was the only one she had ever been friends with, and he had welcomed her friendship with open arms.
After their studying was done, it was time to just talk and have fun, a sort of celebration idea Ino had come up with when she got an A on a test thanks to the studying they did. Having some fun after working so hard allowed them to focus and relax, so Kiba happily started their "fun" by flicking the rest of his cookie at Naruto's head. The half-asleep blonde jumped, kicking Suigetsu in the back of his head and then disappearing over the side of the couch, a loud thud echoing about the room.
"I'm okay!"
Ino burst out laughing, thinking the entire thing was funny, and jumped up from Shikamaru's lap to rush to the stereo in the corner of the room. Today, they were at Naruto's, who was able to stay in a real house throughout the school year since his dad was the headmaster of the university they attended: Konohagakure University. Placing in some c.d. and turning it on, she hurried back and joined into the conversation Sakura had already started about this one rumor, which eventually turned into an argument, and then into a joke.
Hinata let herself fall into the normal pace of things, relaxing against the chair behind her, eyes closed and a smile on her lips. She loved it when things were as simple and perfect as this, not a trouble or problem in the world she had to deal with.
"So, Hinata, what's new with you?"
Hinata let her near-white eyes snap open and she stared directly at Kiba, who gave her a lop-sided grin. He was now on his back, head hanging upside down over the table's edge. She wondered how long it'd be until all the blood rushed to his head, but glanced about the room, finding that everyone had their eyes on her expectantly.
"Oh, um, nothing really," she murmured, voice coming out a lot weaker than she had previously hoped. She then decided if she would tell anyone, it'd be her friends, and maybe they could help her find a solution. "I'm having a little trouble a home is all…"
"What kind of trouble?" Sakura asked, the concerned tone of her voice familiar, as the pink-haired girl had always been kind and worrisome. "Hinata, is everything all right?"
"I suppose," she said quietly, almost to herself. She noticed that a few of her classmates wordlessly leaned closer, and she flushed with embarrassment, raising her voice as she continued, "It's just that…my father was thinking about what's going to happen when I graduate."
"That's not for another few months," Naruto noted, tilting his head in confusion.
"Yes, but it's certainly closer than it was four years ago," Gaara added, and Hinata glanced over her shoulder and up into curious pale blue eyes.
"Well, if that's what's up," Ino pressed, smirking and raising an eyebrow as she asked, "What is it that's going to happen? Or do you not know yet?"
"Um…I-I…" Hinata paused, blushing brightly and turning her head downward, wishing to disappear into thin air.
"You okay?" Choji wondered out loud, a chip following his words quickly. Hinata smiled reassuringly and nodded, before taking in a deep breath to fuel her voice.
"Yes, of course," she murmured, and then set her gaze straight ahead, not looking at anyone or anything in particular as she spoke. "My father wants me to get married."
Silence filled the room so suddenly, Hinata felt as if she would suffocate of the unbearable thing. It seemed as if everyone's eyes had suddenly grown huge, and they were all on her, which made her turn red again. Then she sighed and shook her head pitifully, summoning the courage to continue talking, to explain.
"You all know I'm the heiress," she said with an aggravated huff – being heiress was probably the most annoying things that had ever happened to her. "Well, according to family tradition, I'm supposed to start learning how to take over the family business. Unfortunately, the only way I can be my clan's leader is if I'm married and I'm legally an adult. Technically, I was supposed to start my heiress lessons when I turned eighteen, but since my father agreed that I should go to college first, I was able to postpone it for a little while longer. Now, my time is up, and my dad still hasn't changed his mind."
"Are you serious?" Naruto asked, chin resting on the back of the couch, his arms hanging limply over it. He looked a little dumb at the moment, but Hinata could only nod again.
"I have to find a boyfriend by holiday break," Hinata said, and then shrugged without any hope. "He has to propose by New Year's."
"You have to find a fiancé in what's hardly a month?" Sakura nearly shrieked, thin eyebrow arching high. Ino was giving her a similar look – both girls were quite enthusiastic when it came to the ideas of love and romance, so Hinata supposed she had been expecting it.
"Yes," Hinata sighed. "If I don't, my father will disown me."
"He's going to disown you?" Shikamaru asked, and when her head bobbed down once he scoffed, "Troublesome."
"What are you going to do?" Kiba asked, staring at her in what appeared to be sympathy – with him you could never be sure.
"I have no choice," Hinata said, laughing bitterly and shaking her head as if what she were saying was funny – it definitely wasn't. "If I don't get married –"
"Then you'll be banished from your family," Suigetsu finished, nodding as he sighed and placed his head in his hands. "We got that part."
"Hush, Suigetsu," Karin scolded, smacking him harshly in the arm. He grunted, startled at the sudden gesture and placing his hand on what would probably be a bruise later. Glaring at his girlfriend, he muttered something incoherent.
"Both of you cut it out," Jugo commanded, and when he received glowering stares from both his friends, he narrowed his eyes at them both. "We need to think of a way to help Hinata, not come up with more ways for you two to bitch at each other."
"Right," Sakura snapped, cutting Karin off with her voice and the sharp look sent her way. "Jugo is absolutely right."
"Guys, you don't have to stress yourself too badly," Hinata insisted, shaking her head furiously. "It's not that important."
"Of course it is," Sakura disagreed, shaking her head furiously – pink locks flailed about her head. "Don't start that again, Hinata!"
"Really," Kiba snorted, grinning at her. "You're a part of this family, too."
"It's important and you know it," Choji declared with a crunch of his chips.
"We'll help," Shikamaru assured her, smiling.
"At least you don't have to worry about this lazy Mexican stressing himself," Ino scoffed, leaning back into her boyfriend's chest and giving him a perky smile despite his scowl. "He wouldn't bother if it were too troublesome."
"Cut it out," he growled, frowning at her. His hands attacked her stomach and she burst into a spontaneous fit of giggles and spasms. He grinned at her and ceased the consistent movement of his hands, planting a kiss just below her hairline. She returned the smile, leaning up to kiss under his chin.
"Get a room," Naruto snapped, glaring at them both.
"It's fine, Naruto," Hinata giggled, and Ino stuck her tongue out at Naruto.
"At least you didn't walk in on them making out," Suigetsu muttered, grimacing at the memory. "Ugh."
"You probably got a boner," Karin commented, crossing her arms and sinking in her seat. "Stupid perverted faggot."
"What the hell?" Suigetsu snapped, eyes narrowing threateningly at the black-haired girl beside him.
"Both of ya shut up," Jugo commanded, and two pairs of angry eyes settled on him. He held up his hands in defense, muttering, "Sorry, sorry. Chill."
Hinata giggled as the random conversation traveled, moving farther and farther away from her own problems. It was bad enough that the issue itself had occurred, but she didn't want everyone worrying over her. Winter break was coming up in just a couple weeks, and after that were the exams that everyone needed to focus on – she couldn't have people failing their classes and refusing to have fun when they were given the chance because she couldn't find a boyfriend! Well…
Fiancé.
I know. Most of you must be thinking, "What the hell is she doing, starting another chapter story when she already has, like, three more going that aren't even close to finishing?" Well, actually, "The Choices We Make" is almost done, and I already told you that "Amongst Hell Are Angels" is going to take a pretty long time. As for "Move" I'm thinking about rewriting it. It's kind of amateurish and silly, so I think I'll make it a little more realistic and believeable - or I'll write a second version, haha.
Anyway, I've been a little obsessed with the Incubus lately, and I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm sorry, but some demon - preferrably extremely sexy demon - comes and sedcues you in your sleep? Dude. Come on, that's hot. So, I'll be doing this, and I'm working on a chapter ItachiXSasuke fic and a OCXSasuke fic - yes, both are Yaoi. I'm currently getting into that and experimenting. Give me a break. Anyway, keep reading! And review. They make me smile. And update.