"We girls always have to have a drink in our hands, you know, just to hold something," Ino declares, some redness in her cheeks and something bright but dim in her eyes, "And then, then we can't ever set it down 'cause who knows what people are gonna do."
"Yeah, but you can trust the bartenders, usually," Tenten responds, "They watch out for the girls."
"Not always! I've heard of some of the ones down at Sheep's giving girls over-saturated drinks."
"Really?"
"Yeah. It's all part of the men's scheme, you know, to get us drunk and fuck us. I'm not saying all bartenders are in on it but I'll trust a woman pouring my drinks before a man."
"Yeah. No, I understand that."
"Of course. So, Hinata… What're you drinking, what is that?"
"Um, lime soda."
"Any gin?"
"A little."
"A little, can I try it?"
"Sure," she says, handing her glass over. Ino takes a small sip and then hands it back.
"There's like, nothing in there."
"Well," Hinata says, looking off across the bar. There are people everywhere, lingering near the bar-top, leaned against walls and tables, crowded around the jukebox and the pool-tables. She can see, past the heads of everyone, Naruto and Kiba shooting pool. He's bent over, a look of concentration on his face, aiming the cue while Kiba stands off to the side, laughing and holding both their drinks, taking a sip from one and then the other.
"Well, It's whatever," Tenten says, smiling at her, "Probably a smart move, not to get too drunk."
"She won't get any drunk, like that," Ino points out.
"You were just now complaining about bartenders over-saturating girls' drinks!"
"Yeah! But, still. Where's Sai at, anyway?"
"I think he's in the bathroom."
"Hmm," she says, grinning coyly, "Here, Hinata, you can have my drink. It's like the opposite of yours. It has ginger in it, and some lemon-lime stuff, sour, they call it, and a bunch of whiskey. Take it, drink it, or don't, whatever. I'll be back later."
Then, she stands up off the bar-stool and adjusts her bangs and undoes her ponytail before striding off, slipping through the people milling about and disappearing into the boy's bathroom.
"Is she-" Hinata starts, holding both drinks.
"Yep," Tenten responds, sipping her own.
Then, they are quiet together and listening the sounds of the bar. All the shouting and chattering, the music playing over the speakers, the odd clack of pool balls. The place is full of noise, of people ordering drinks and people gossiping and flirting and talking about their lives. The music plays across all it it, filling in the empty spaces. It's dance music, quick and rhythmic beats, some singer shouting out with the velvet of her throat.
"Do you like this song?" Tenten asks, setting her drink on the bar-top.
"What?"
"Sit where Ino sat."
Hinata nods and slides the drinks over and sits in the still warm stool. Immediately, some guy snatches her old seat and orders a drink. She keeps her back to him but feels him watching.
"Do you like this song?" Tenten asks again, eyeing the guy over Hinata's shoulder.
"I guess so. It seems fun."
"It's catchy."
"Yeah."
"Good dance music. Do you ever dance? I don't think I've ever seen you dance."
Hinata shakes her head and Tenten clucks her tongue and then laughs.
"I bet Naruto dances, though."
"Well, sometimes."
"He's pretty exuberant. I bet he'd be great at a weeding reception."
Hinata laughs and Tenten watches the guy behind her.
"Hey, what's your name?" he asks, tapping Hinata's shoulder.
"Never Yours," Tenten responds.
"I didn't ask you."
"I know. C'mon, girl, let's go join the others."
"Okay," she responds, taking Ino's drink as she stands up and tries not to look at the guy who hit on her.
"Hey, buddy," Tenten says to him, pointing at Hinata's drink she left on the counter, "You can have that one there. Maybe you'll get an indirect kiss."
He just laughs and they both leave, weaving their way through the people. As they make their way around the dance floor, another guy tries to grab at her shoulder but TenTen pushes him away and they keep going, towards the relative calm of the pool tables.
All the tables are taken and there are crowds of people around most of them. But the one Naruto and Kiba play at is out of the way, near a corner, without any people lingering and waiting around for it to open up.
"Kiba, Naruto!" TenTen calls as they get there.
"Yo!" Kiba shouts, raising both drinks.
"Hey," Naruto says, looking up from measuring the play he's about to make, "Hey, Hinata."
"Hi."
"Who's winning?" Tenten asks.
"Me!" Kiba shouts, some glint in his eyes.
"Shut up," Naruto says, leaning back over to shoot. They all watch as the cue clacks agains the white ball and then the white balls bounds away, narrowly missing the shot and rolls to a stop near a corner-pocket.
"Shit," Naruto says.
"Nice shot, man."
"Yeah."
"My turn," Kiba says, handing the drinks to Naruto and taking the cue.
"Why do we have to hold these? Let's just set them on the edge of the table."
"Whatever, dude."
"Did you drink from mine?"
"Yep."
"You bastard."
Laughing, Kiba sets up his shot and Naruto sets the drink down on the edge of the pool table and then picks up his own and takes a sip and looks across the table at Hinata. She smiles and he smiles back.
"Kiba, you're gonna miss," Tenten says, "Aim for the two-ball, instead."
"I'm stripes."
"I know."
"Listen, Tenten, I am the best player in the Konoha Eleven, no doubt."
"I heard Sai is really good."
"Well, he's not one of the Eleven, anyway."
"Neji would beat you."
"Well," Kiba says and takes the shot. The ball drops in the hole with a thunk. He looks up and smirks.
"Ug, my turn," she says, taking the cue.
"What? You're not in this game. Take the next one."
"I'll take Naruto's set. I'll come from behind and win."
"What? No way, I want to beat him. Naruto-" and when he looks over he sees he's gone, "Where?"
"Well, Hinata's gone, too. You lost twice, now, Kiba."
"Shut up."
She laughs and takes aim.