Hyuuga Hinata was a lucky girl. It was a known fact. She was the heiress to the vast Hyuuga fortune, lived with her best friends, had one of the best jobs in the world, and happened to be quite good at it as well. Hyuuga Hinata should have been content with her life. But the truth of the matter was that she wasn't.
Hinata wasn't a selfish person, she didn't ask for much. She may be a world-renown architect and one of the most accomplished designers of her time, but she was still girl. She was twenty-two and had never even kissed a man before. Meanwhile, all her friends were happily either in a relationship like Sakura, engaged, like Ino, or even married, like Tenten. On those nights when Hinata had nothing to do but curl up on her bed with a carton of Breyers and watch The Notebook for the hundredth time in her young life, she longed for nothing more than a body (preferably male) to lounge on while she did so.
"Hinata, stop moping around and come help me with the dishes," Ino prodded, snapping her sudsy fingers in front of Hinata's milk-white eyes.
Sakura snorted from her position on the couch, painting her toenails ivy-green. "Ino-pig, last time you asked Hinata to help you with the dishes, she ended up doing the dishes herself while you called Shikamaru." Hinata giggled as Ino sputtered.
"Yes, but she was so happy with the clean dishes after!" Ino insisted. Sakura snorted again. "Fine, Forehead. You have any genius ideas to cheer her up then?' Sakura opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off by the sound of the door slamming open.
"Hey guys, we're going to the new club!" Tenten exclaimed, a duffel bag swung over one shoulder as she waved around a flier in her hand.
"Clubbing, Ino." Sakura said, as though that was her idea in the first place. "We're going to cheer up Hinata…by taking her clubbing."
"Hinata, close your eyes. No, not all the way. Halfway. No, no, yes! Just like that. Don't move. Don't blink. Don't…breathe." Hinata resisted the urge to roll her eyes as Ino worked on her face with all the concern of someone disabling a time bomb.
"Ino…I really don't think all this is very necessary…"
"Oh, hush Hinata. You're going to look so gorgeous!" Tenten exclaimed, in the middle of putting her luxuriously dark, wavy hair up into some elaborate updo.
Hinata pouted. "But it's so much effort…Ino there's not much you can work with anyway, go work on Sakura." Ino smacked her shoulder. "Ow."
"Smack her again, Ino." Sakura emerged from the deep closet, holding a giant wad of dark, glossy silk in one hand, and a rich blue velvet wad in the other. "How can you say that, Hinata? You're beautiful without all Ino's make-up, and you're going to be stunning with it. The guys won't be able to keep their paws off you." Sakura winked at Hinata as Hinata blushed.
"Hey Ino-pig, how do you feel about this?" Sakura draped a blue velvet corset-top on the bed. "And black skinny pants, the ones with the sexy cut-outs up the sides, and those amazing stiletto boots?"
"Awww Sakura that's the shirt I wanted to wear," pouted Ino.
Sakura giggled. "I picked that out for you, you idiot. You like it? And Tenten, here's that shirt you wanted to borrow. Isn't it GORGEOUS? And it's super long, so you can nix the pants. Neji will be drooling." Tenten squealed and clutched at the darkly beaded silk top.
"It's absolutely perfect, Sakura. And I have the most gorgeous high-tops to go with it; I know I packed them…" Tenten rifled around in her duffel bag as Ino stepped back to scrutinize Hinata's face.
"Yes, you're gorgeous, no need to thank me." Ino flipped her corn silk-blonde hair over her shoulder and turned back to slip the corset-top over her black strapless bra.
Hinata opened her eyes and was about to turn to look at herself in the mirror, but Tenten stopped her. "Ah, ah, ah…time for your hair, Hinata-chan."
Hinata sighed. It was going to be a long afternoon.
One hour and a bottle of glitter hairspray later, Sakura handed her a gorgeous white satin dress and a pair of black kitten-heels, shoved her into the closet to change, and then they deemed her good enough to look into the mirror.
When Hinata saw herself, she almost looked around to see whose reflection was in the mirror. The girl looking back at her was small and curvy, with dark, smoky eyes and the most perfect glossy curls. She was confident and sexy and totally not Hinata.
She loved it.
But ten minutes later, when they were ushered to front of the line by the bouncer (who winked at her! He winked!), she was feeling a little apprehensive. The dress that had felt so luxurious before felt too short, too low-necked and tiny. And her face…she was sure all her make-up was melting off. She felt terrible.
"Hey Sakura? I don't think this was such a good idea," she whispered to her friend, who had winked back at the admittedly good-looking bouncer.
"Why Hinata? You look hot." Sakura smoothed down her pin-straight pink hair and straightened her tiny shorts before entering the loud, smoky club.
Hinata blinked. The place was a hazy, rainbow-lighted dream of grinding bodies and brightly-colored drinks.
Tenten squealed somewhere to her right. "It's just like the flier said! Come on, Neji, Shika, and Naruto are by the bar." Hinata felt someone take her arm and lead her through the bodies and haze to the bar, where she caught sight of her cousin and his friends standing around and drinking from husky brown bottles of Bud's Light and Mike's Hard Lemonade.
She hugged Neji tightly and grinned. She hadn't seen her cousin all week, as she'd just gotten back from a mission. Neji gave her his signature half-smirk before frowning reprovingly down at her. "What are you wearing, Hinata?"
"Why Neji? I think she looks beautiful." Tenten kissed her husband on the nose before glaring at him expectantly. Neji gulped and looked at Tenten's bare legs a second longer than necessary.
"Of course, Tenten. Beautiful…" Hinata giggled and bit down the surge of longing that rose inside her. Tenten grinned at her husband, satisfied, before calling the bartender and ordering two mimosas and a Coors.
Hinata stared hesitantly at the brightly-colored drink in front of her before looking around to check if anyone was around to help her build the courage to down the drink. Tenten and Neji were currently dancing, Shikamaru and Ino were arguing in the corner, and Sakura was berating Naruto for something or another.
Hinata sighed. Although her friends only wanted to keep her happy, there were times when she resented them for being in such perfect relationships. There was only so much she could stand, being around three perpetually-happy couples. She grabbed the mimosa around the handle and downed it, gulping thirstily as she turned away from her friends. It was…good. Delicious, the best drink she'd ever had.
"U-ummm Mr. Bartender? Y-yes, hi I'd l-like more of these, if you could. And…um….keep them c-coming." She smiled tentatively at the bartender, who was looking at her with a puzzled smile on his face.
He was cute, she noted mentally, catching sight of the odd looking slash-tattoos that adorned his cheeks and his walnut spikes. She blushed as he slid the drink over to her and began to wipe his hands with an old dishrag.
"Name's Kiba." He flashed an adorable grin. "You like mimosas, do you?" Hinata blushed again and nodded. "Alright, then I'm sure you'll like this." Kiba turned around, shaking different colored things around and popping open bottles before facing her again and giving her a bright-green cup with a pineapple bobbing in it. "It's the club's signature drink, the Kunoichi," he said, nodding to the sign blaring the club's name 'Kunoichi's Paradise'.
"A-alright…if you s-say so." Hinata tentatively sipped at it, her previous recklessness gone with new, alien eyes on her.
"Aww that's not how you drink! You gotta swing it, just down the whole thing." Hinata raised her eyebrows skeptically, but Kiba just nodded encouragingly. Hinata giggled before raising the drink to her lips. She glanced at Kiba once more, caught his expectant look, and gulped it down.
Hinata gasped. It burned, smoking her throat deliciously. She could taste apple...cream….coconut, pineapple? She didn't know what, but it was damn good. Hinata moaned in delight, missing the way it affected Kiba as he stared at her heaving chest a little longer than necessary.
"That was gooood Kiba," she drawled, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Kiba just looked at her, eyes glazed over. Hinata giggled at his stunned expression and snapped her fingers in front of his eyes bravely. "Make me more, Kiba pleeeease?" Hinata pouted her glossy lips adorably as Kiba had a mini-aneurysm.
"Yeah…okay…what? Oh, sure, sure just gimme a sec…wait, what's your name?" He turned back to catch another glimpse of the tiny but unmistakably hot woman, but the seat she had previously occupied was empty. Kiba frowned, combing the club with his eyes until he saw her.
Figures, he thought. The one remotely attractive woman who'd seemed to hold some ounce of attraction to him was in the middle of the dance floor and the center of attraction, surrounded by at least five men who were staring at her innocently seductive movements in awe. He shrugged, grabbing her now empty glasses. He hoped the girl had a high alcohol tolerance, because if not, she was in for one hell of a night.
Hinata was dancing. She was a seductress in a dark and hazy world, her dark hair flying every which way. She could feel the men's gazes on her, flying over her bare skin, her white dress, her snowy eyes.
And she loved it. She twisted a little more enthusiastically as she looked over her shoulder, catching the eyes of one man who wasn't in her huddle. He was tall, tall and lean, with the most gorgeous black eyes she'd ever seen and the handsomest face, framed by messy long dark spikes. She smiled at him, a small, innocent smile, and mentally screamed for him to come closer, to dance with her. She wanted to feel her body against his. She wanted him.
Uchiha Sasuke prided himself on having an iron will. He could resist anything and everything. But he had no doubts that the woman dancing in the middle of the club was severely trying his patience.
She was angel, Sasuke was sure of it. She was the most breathtaking woman he'd ever seen. Her black hair curled down her back, dark in contrast to her ivory skin and that stunningly innocent little white dress. And her eyes, oh those eyes. They were light and clear, the color of purity and youth and everything Sasuke shouldn't touch. Sasuke took a swig of Coors, relishing in the way it burned as it made its way down his throat. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and he'd already promised himself he wouldn't touch her. He could already tell this was her first time in a club, maybe even her first time getting drunk. She hadn't seen him yet, but he'd been watching her out of the corner of his eyes from the first time she'd tossed that beautiful head of dark locks in beat to the thrumming song.
Sasuke gulped as she made a particularly seductive swing of her hips. This time, his oblivious friend noticed. Lee bounded over to him, turning his attention away from the graceful woman, much to his annoyance. "What is it, Lee?" he muttered.
Lee was smiling one of his blindingly bright smiles. "Has my friend finally found someone he would like to enjoy the rest of his spring of youthfulness with?" Lee gasped in delight, catching sight of the dancing woman. "She is BURSTING WITH YOUTH my friend! A wonderful choice, GO FOR IT SASUKE WHAT DO YOU WAIT FOR?" Lee shoved him forward, causing Sasuke to stumble, scowling.
"Lee, shut up. I don't feel like dancing." He glared at the floor defiantly. He didn't. He didn't want to dance with the woman…to feel her body twisting in movement beside his own, to move her sync with his own self, the run his hands through the delectable dark of her hair….
No. He couldn't really. He could already tell she was too pure for the kind of thoughts he was entertaining. The woman suddenly turned her head in one elegant movement, finally catching his eyes. He stilled. He was in a whirlwind of feeling. How white eyes could convey any sort of emotion he would never know, but she did, this angel. He straightened from his lounge against the bar, set his beer on the countertop and began to make his way through the bodies. He could hear Lee's exclamations of delight from behind him, but he rolled his eyes and shoved forward until he was right before the girl.
She was dancing, but when she saw him in front of her, she slowed her movements and blushed, suddenly self-conscious even through the haze of her alcohol-ridden mind. Sasuke gave her his signature half-smirk, but it was instantly wiped off his face in favor of an expression of shock with the woman spun around and pressed her back against his chest, swinging her hips in beat to the music. Sasuke smiled. She was one unpredictable woman. Sasuke let his hands rest on her hips, the heat of her body tingling in his palms, and just let himself…be.
Hinata giggled as she stumbled out onto the orange-lit streets, her glossy black shoes in one hand, the other arm slung over Sasuke's shoulders. "Sasukeeee," She giggled again, stumbling. "Sasuke I'm so haaappyyyy!" Sasuke grunted as he shifted the weight of her body over.
"Could you be happy a little quieter?" Hinata burst out laughing at his low, smooth mutter.
"Sasuke nooo everyone has to know how happy I am! That way they can be happy too, you see?"
She ignored his snort and turned the man staring at her with a goofy, lecherous smile on his face. "Hey there missyyy," she slurred happily, waving at him. "I'm so happy!" The man's grin widened.
"Hey you, dark-haired guy over there. I can take her off your hands for a little bit," he sniggered, waving a bunch of dollar bills in Sasuke's face as he watched Hinata bending over to coo at a grasshopper on the street. Sasuke bit down the wave of furious anger and shoved the man away roughly before dragging Hinata faster to his car.
"Come on woman we need to go," he snarled, but Hinata was rebelliously tugging at his hand to let her slow down and count the stars. Sasuke mentally smacked his head. Something was seriously wrong with this picture. He hoped to god that the woman was conscious enough to tell him where she lived, or he would happily shoot her.
Suddenly, from behind him, he heard a muted thud, and Hinata's hand held fast. He looked behind him, rolling his eyes heavenwards. What now?
Hinata was sitting on the sidewalk cross-legged, allowing the short hem of her dress to rise even higher, but she obviously had no idea of this, as her innocent, trusting eyes showed. Sasuke stiffened and quickly looked at a space behind Hinata's head. "Sasukeeee, I'm tired. Carry me?" She held her arms out, giving him a dreamy, slurred smile. Sasuke stared at her, this otherworldly, annoyingly adorable woman sitting on the floor like it was commonplace. Sasuke sighed and scooped her up hoping to god that no one he knew would catch him like this. Hinata, on the other hand, giggled again, happy as can be, and snuggled closer to him, causing a breath to catch in his throat. She smelled like baby powder and lavender and smoke, and her bare thighs felt deliciously smooth against the rough pads of his fingers. An unfamiliar feeling quelled in his stomach, but it quickly disappeared when Sasuke dumped her gracelessly in the backseat of his sedan.
He climbed into the driver's seat and ran his hand through his hair. Crazy angels, dancing like hellcats before leaving him to drive their sorry selves back to where they came from. Damn it all.
He sighed in resignation before starting the car. "Where to?" he muttered, but instead of Hinata's giggly voice, all that met his question was soft, tiny snores. He banged his head against the steering wheel. Just perfect.