Disclaimer: No tengo Naruto.
AUTHOR'S NOTE!
Ahh! I'm sooooo damn sorry! I haven't updated this story for hella days! I've been writing this for deep. It's so difficult to find time for writing . . . D:
But over all the times that I have been grounded these past weekends, which has been a considerable amount, I managed to write a couple pages each time! Lucky you guys! :D
I apologize if this isn't up to par with my previous chapters, I haven't been using my brain all that much lately. So, the quality of it is lacking, but I made up for it with quantity! Or at least, I tried. :'(
xXx .Chapter 9. xXx
When she woke up, the Hyuuga realized that she must have fallen asleep at some point during the sixth chapter of her novel. Glancing sleepily at the clock on the bedside table, Hinata saw that morning had already come. She'd slept all night and it felt good. Smiling contently to herself she got ready for another day of school.
Heading out the door, the indigo-haired girl snatched the cellphone that was now hers and stuffed it into the pocket of her faded jean skirt. She was wearing two spaghetti strap shirts, the first white and the second was baby blue. Each hugged her figure tightly and had a dip that revealed a little of her chest. Today she wore white flats that each sported mini bows on the sides. Her hair was left down, an indigo piece tucked away by a blue bow.
The instant her foot touched her front porch, there was an odd ringing. She pulled out her phone and the screen was lit up with the name Itachi.
Hurriedly pressing the tiny phone icon on the bottom of the cellular device, she held it to her ear and said,
"H-hello?"
"Cross the street and get into the back of the van."
Then the line went dead. Hinata would have been totally freaked out if it hadn't been Itachi's voice on the line. Her alabaster gaze drifted to a shiny black van sitting idly across the street. The Hyuuga approached the van with caution. Once she reached the other side of the street, the back doors flew open with a 'bang' and an arm reached out and pulled the indigo-haired girl inside.
On the other side of the street, Neji was staring with wide eyes as he witnessed his cousin get dragged into the back of a shady looking van. Still, shocked Neji watched as the vehicle sped away from the curb and screech hurriedly around the corner. That was not a great way to start the day. Almost eight in the morning and his cousin is already kidnapped.
Shit, his uncle was going to be pissed.
Unaware of the amount of trouble she was about to get into, Hinata was relaxing into the van. Itachi was in the driver's seat with Konan seated beside him. Standing next to her was Kisame: he'd been the one to pull her inside.
"Morning, Hinata-chan," the blue boy wished her, grinning. Each of his sharp white teeth gleamed in the small amount of light. Before the sight had intimidated the Hyuuga, now it was comforting.
Smiling happily, the indigo-haired girl greeted everyone in the van with a bright, "M-morning, every-o-one."
"Good morning," replied Itachi, his charcoal-colored eyes turning to glance back at the two of them from the rearview mirror before redirecting his attention on the road.
"How are you this morning?" asked Konan softly, turning completely around in her seat so that her back was to the windshield. She had refused to buckle her seat belt, detesting the way it held her constricted. She was free spirited after all.
"G-good," Hinata answered, "a-and you, Konan-s-san?"
Now leaning against the dashboard, there was a bit of a smile playing on the blue-haired girl's lips as she replied, "Fabulous."
"You should sit down," advised the Uchiha flatly, watching them from the rearview mirror. But, before the Hyuuga could do so, the van went over a bump. The entire vehicle lurched for a moment and the indigo-haired girl was knocked off her feet. Luckily Kisame had seen this coming and with one outstretched arm he caught her before she fell flat on her butt.
Kisame laughed and jokingly said, "Jeez, Hinata-chan, be careful."
Hinata squeaked in response, too embarrassed to verbalize her discomfort. The palm of Kisame's hand was pressed firmly to the roof, keeping the pair of them upright. Hinata was grateful that there was hardly any lighting in the back of the van, because she was red as a tomato. The car slowed for a moment, Itachi was granting the Hyuuga time to seat herself. Kisame reluctantly removed his arm from around the indigo-haired girl.
"Th-th-thank y-you," she said to both Kisame and Itachi. She and her blue friend seated themselves on the carpet in the back. Hinata was slightly intrigued by the red patterns decorating the black floor, they appeared to be clouds.
"We're going to the base for a minute," announced the raven-haired driver, turning the car down an unfamiliar street. They were going the opposite direction from the school, not that this seemed to worry anyone.
Folding her bare legs beneath her, Hinata turned to Kisame and engaged in happy chatter. The ride to the base was not very long, Itachi drove quite fast, though not as fast as Madara. Maybe all Uchiha's had a penchant for speeding…
Beside the driver, Konan fiddled with her cellphone. She hardly looked up from the illuminated screen. It seemed that she was in the middle of a text conversation with someone.
There was a pleasant atmosphere in the van, but it ended when the car came to a final stop.
"Hinata-chan, if you would, please come inside with me," requested Konan, opening the passenger door.
"S-sure," the girl in question complied. Getting to her feet, Hinata fled out the back of the van.
The Akatsuki base was much less intimidating than last time. There were lights on and it actually looked like someone's home, but without the furniture. The air was warmer and cheerier by far. Konan silently led the indigo-haired girl upstairs. There was a subtle anticipation to her step, wishing to reach the top floor faster. When, the two arrived on the second floor, Konan directed the Hyuuga to a door. She hurriedly pulled it open.
When the blue-haired girl revealed the inside of the room, Hinata was taken aback. Displayed in the middle of the room, on a mannequin, there was an outfit. Not just any outfit, it was an outfit fit for a whore. The top was bikini style: two white, round cups with vibrant violet lace. The bottom was the teeniest mini skirt: a three inch band of white gave way to two inches of pleated violet fabric. Beside the mannequin, there was a pair of five inch white heels innocently sitting along with bunny ears and a fluffy white tail.
"You'll be wearing this today," clarified Konan, and she was smirking. Smirking! "Pein picked it out for you. It's one of your tasks for the initiation."
Alabaster eyes went wide, glossed lips parted and came together repeatedly—much like a fishes mouth would, but Hinata could only stare mutely at the mannequin.
Seeing this opportunity, Konan delightfully shut the door and proceeded to rip the Hyuuga's clothes off.
When they returned outside, the van was still sitting idly in the driveway. The indigo-haired freshman couldn't believe that she was wearing the bunny costume.
Oh, yes, she was wearing it. The bitty little skirt, the covers-only-the-essentials top, the heels that brought the girl to Itachi's height, the bunny ears that gave it that bit of innocence, and the little tail that the Hyuuga was fiddling with. It felt odd to have a ball of fluff attached to her bottom; it would surely annoy her all day.
But the real issue was that she felt naked. The indigo-haired girl's head was swimming with worry. How would other people react to this costume? In seconds she received her answer.
Konan opened the door to the back of the van, greeted by Kisame's jaw dropping open and his eyes bursting forth. He couldn't believe how freaking hot Hinata looked. Her level of sexiness was off the charts in his books.
"Damn," the shark like boy muttered absently, his mouth agape.
Hinata was only further embarrassed by his comment and silently thanked Itachi, who had already turned around. What she didn't know was that the reason Itachi had turned away was because the Uchiha had a nosebleed. He was cupping his hand over the face to stop the flow, but his eyes were locked onto her creamy figure in the mirror above his head.
Konan snickered, glancing around at the two, shamelessly pointing out, "You haven't seen anything yet~"
For, of course, Konan—in order to change Hinata's outfit—had seen EVERYTHING.
The indigo-haired girl squeaked uncomfortably, turning to Konan in surprise. She hadn't expected her to make such a remark! Hinata clutched her bare stomach, turning away from everyone.
"P-p-please, s-stop s-st-staring at m-me," she stuttered cutely. That only made the situation worse. Hinata had the absolute cutest voice. Everything she said sounded sexy and seductive without her trying. A trail of saliva slid down the blue boy's chin, still staring.
"Kisame, you're drooling," commented Konan, raising an eyebrow.
Hurriedly wiping away the evidence, he claimed, "No, I'm not."
Snorting, Konan ushered Hinata into the van, snapping at Kisame that he was not to touch the Hyuuga, before going around to the passenger side of the vehicle. Once the doors shut, Itachi rolled out of the driveway.
The trip to school was odd. It consisted of Kisame blankly staring at the Hyuuga and that was about it. The indigo-haired girl squirmed under his intense gaze, unable to lower the heat that had arisen in her face. She was blushing madly, using her arms to cover as much of her torso as possible.
"We're here," announced Itachi, turning into the student parking lot. He'd managed to calm down considerably, what with Konan glaring daggers at him. The blue-haired girl had expected the Uchiha, of all people, to have some modesty.
In Hinata's mind, there was nothing more embarrassing than the car ride she'd just experienced, but when they pulled up at the school, she stood corrected. It finally dawned on the indigo-haired girl that other people would be seeing her. The entire school would be her audience! Oh god, death sounded good right then. She wouldn't have to go through this day.
Already seeing the horror in the Hyuuga's colorless eyes, Itachi calmly said, "It'll be okay, Hinata-san."
The Uchiha turned the vehicle into the student parking lot. Sliding the van into his personal space, he cut the ignition. When he and Konan stepped onto the pavement, they turned to see that the back doors had yet to open. The two peered inside to see that Hinata was still inside, clutching onto the back of the driver seat like it was her life line.
"What do you think you're doing?" questioned Itachi, slightly amused.
Kisame sighed and explained, "She won't let go of it."
"I-I-I c-can't g-go to sc-school w-wearing th-this!" the indigo-haired girl protested. Her big porcelain eyes pleaded with Itachi to let her remain in the car. The guilt that Itachi felt was almost enough for him to allow her to have her way, but Konan had different views.
The blue-haired girl hopped into the back, removing something from a cardboard box. Then in one swift motion, Konan put a collar around the Hyuuga's neck and said, "You're our pet bunny for the day." With that, Konan moved for the back door, giving the leash a tug. The bunny yelped, grudgingly releasing the seat.
Stumbling out of the car, Hinata tried to balance in her heels. She'd never liked high heels, they hurt her feet, but she could see the Akatsuki leader wasn't thinking about her. At least, not her well being, because at that moment the aloof orange-haired teen's thoughts were solely on the Hyuuga. Not that she had anyway of knowing that.
"Hinata-chan, if you be a good girl I might give you a treat," informed Konan brightly, smiling pleasantly. She was enjoying this. The older girl was slightly sadistic in this way. Plus, it was like having a puppy, only human shaped. Pein was going to have to buy her a new dog when this was all over.
As, Konan dragged Hinata along, the indigo-haired girl tried every feeble excuse she could think of. They were all disregarded with a kind scolding and soon she gave up. Instead, the whimpering bunny desperately turned to Itachi for help. She received none. He gave her a sympathetic look that said there was nothing he could do in the situation. Kisame was a last resort and she gained nothing from that venture either. Kisame was very pro initiation after this stunt.
As, they neared the front of the school, Hinata felt the knot in her stomach twist considerably, there was no escape.
The four of them stepped onto the campus, jaws dropped open, eyes popped out of their skulls, and wolf whistles were sounded. There was even some cheering from a select few. Every male had stopped dead in their tracks to gawk at the girl wearing bunny ears.
"I-It's t-too s-short," mumbled the indigo-haired girl, uselessly tugging at her skirt, embarrassed by their intent stares. Her face was cheery red and she could not meet their gazes.
This is so embarrassing! They're just staring at me!
Bravely, the Hyuuga chanced a glimpse of the crowd. It was as if they were on pause, everyone had dropped what they were doing to stare at her. Didn't they have anything better to do!
Not that anyone could blame them; they were just boys after all, teenage ones. To make it worse, they were the kind with raging hormones and dirty minds. If Hinata only knew what was going on in their heads . . .
"K-Konan-san," whimpered Hinata feebly, frowning sadly. To the blue-haired girl it looked like Hinata was pouting cutely and it only encouraged Konan to pull the leash more.
Seeing this, Itachi snatched the leash from Konan. "Give her a break, Konan."
The blue-haired girl rolled her eyes, pouting for real. Itachi coldly ignored her and turned to Hinata, smiling sadly. Feeling a deep appreciation for the Uchiha, she reached out for him. Catching hold of his sleeve, the Hyuuga melted into his side. She felt reasonably safer behind him, giving her some cover from unwanted onlookers. Blushing into his sleeve, Hinata let out a sigh of relief.
"Where's your first class?" mumbled Konan, looking annoyed. She had her arms crossed across her chest impatiently.
"A-art," answered the Hyuuga, unable to look at Konan. She felt like it was her fault that the blue-haired girl was very pissed off.
Kisame and Konan parted ways there, letting Itachi walk Hinata to her art class. The indigo-haired girl had her head hanging low, staring at the ground as she walked. Her Uchiha escort could see that it was to avoid the many staring students. Every hall they passed through went silent before erupting into murmurs or guys pleading for her phone number. Hinata didn't enjoy this kind of attention; she would rather go by unnoticed. Because there was also the girl population and they looked angry. Very angry.
"You don't have it that bad," Itachi informed the Hyuuga, in hopes of comforting her. They had just entered the quad, drawing nearer to the Art building. "When, Deidara was initiated Pein had him wear a dress and Konan did his makeup. Konan truly enjoys initiations, because she never had the displeasure of enduring one."
Hinata couldn't believe it. Deidara was forced into a dress? That was by far much worse than her own situation, at least she wasn't cross-dressing. And why hadn't Konan been initiated? Because she was Pein's best friend? The indigo-haired girl was a little too scared to ask.
"P-poor Deidara-kun," she mumbled, feeling ashamed of herself. If Deidara could wear a dress, then she could most certainly wear a bunny costume. She was acting so pathetic this was probably nothing in comparison. The Hyuuga's insecurities were getting the best of her.
Itachi brought Hinata to her first period class and wished her a good day before he went on his way. Mortified, from being left on her own, the Hyuuga fled into the classroom. The bell went off a second later and she hurriedly took her seat from the first day.
Kurenai-sensei was out for the moment, but had left the door open for her students. There were instructions scrawled on the front board. So, the indigo-haired girl got straight to work, drawing her 2-D objects on a piece of white paper.
When the door opened again, and the room was filled with voices, the Hyuuga shrunk into her seat. Hoping to be overlooked, but failed miserably.
"Whoa," came a boy's voice.
Then in a swarm, three boys flocked to Hinata's table. They began pestering her with questions, all of them speaking at once. It was so overwhelming, the Hyuuga couldn't even reply.
"Uh, um, eh…"
"Hey, fuck off!"
The antagonizing boys slowly back away, grumbling their complaints.
Thankful, Hinata turned to gaze upon her savior. She found Hidan and Sasori were there, looking pissed. Hidan hissed as one of the boys passed by him, causing them weakly to jump.
Sasori glared at every one of them. There was one thing an Akasuna would never be and that was forgiving. Grudges were life long.
"Hinata-kun, are you all right? What did they say to you?" the redhead asked her, clearly irritated by the other boys. He could see that they'd done something to her.
"Th-they w-were j-just o-over-w-whelming m-me," the Hyuuga tried to explain. It really wasn't their fault that she was so painfully shy. She gave them a reassuring smile.
"Holy fuck," breathed Hidan, noticing for the first time that Hinata was hardly clothed and wearing bunny ears. He wasn't the most observant at eight in the morning. "What the fuck are wearing!"
The indigo-haired girl's cheeks burned as she recalled what she was dressed in.
Embarrassed all over again, she explained, "I-it's f-f-for the-the in-ni-nitiation."
Sasori raised his eyebrows in subtle surprise, almost with amusement, remarking, "Well, Pein is making this year interesting."
"That bastard," muttered Hidan, who was completely turned on. His cheeks were colored red as the heat rose to his face. He was a guy for God's sake! And Hinata looked so damn sexy.
"All right everyone, take your seats!" commanded Kurenai, entering the classroom. The dark-haired woman glided to the front of the class and drew everyone's attention to the board.
Hidan looked agitated by her presence, muttering, "Just fucking great." He took his seat nonetheless, Sasori following his lead.
The comprehension that Deidara was missing hit Hinata in an instant. "Wh-where's Deidara-k-kun?"
Sasori rolled his eyes, answering, "Home. That idiot."
"Y-yesterday," she began, her worry arising again. "M-Madara-san s-said that D-Deidara-kun was in t-trouble?"
"What the fuck are you doing hanging around Madara!" demanded Hidan angrily, disregarding her question. The very mention of the man's name pissed him off. "That bastard is no good!"
Sasori looked equally concerned on this matter.
"Eh? R-really?" she questioned, frowning. Why was everyone so against Madara? "H-he seemed v-very n-nice to me."
The corners of Sasori's mouth turned downwards and Hidan went off, cursing Madara to hell. He began scolding Hinata for speaking to such a low down dog. They both knew that if Madara was cozying up to Hinata that could only mean one thing. The man was planning something and it would probably end badly for the unsuspecting girl.
This lecture lasted throughout half the period until the Hyuuga promised to be careful around Madara. The three settled down and continued on with there art projects of the day. Near the end of class Hinata picked up the topic of Deidara again. The blonde's absence was weighing heavily on her mind.
"Aw, forget about that dumbass," advised Hidan, scowling. "Dei ain't here cos' Pein said so. Leave it at that." There was a swift change in Hidan's tone when he mentioned Pein's name, he went from annoyed to submissive.
"Oh, okay," the white-eyed freshman quietly agreed. "G-gomen."
The bell rang and the group scuffled out of the art building. More of the same gawking and hollering resumed.
"Fuckers," muttered Hidan, hearing the murmurs all around.
The two boys acted as Hinata's guards, taking both sides of her. She was thankful for the gesture; the other students were frightening her slightly. She began to wonder if life would have been better going unnoticed by others. When she was a wallflower, this kind of attention was never directed at the Hyuuga.
Sasori had somewhere to go at break, so Hidan brought Hinata straight to their third period class. Getting her away from the populace seemed like a good idea. The two saw that Sarutobi-sensei was in the class, seated at his desk. When he glanced up from his paperwork, the man's eyes went large as saucers.
"Y-you—Hyuuga-san! Wh-what do you think you're wearing!" exclaimed the flustered teacher. He obviously found her attractive and that didn't sit well with Hidan.
Terrified, Hinata began her broken record antics, desperately choking out, "I-I-I—"
"Leave her alone, you perverted old bastard!" commanded the silver-haired boy, his eyes narrowing on their sensei.
"Do I need to send you both to the office?" challenged Sarutobi, glowering at his defiant student. This was Hidan's second year in his classroom, and it wasn't a pleasure. The math teacher knew that Hidan was one for cheating, ditching, lashing out at authority, and an overall bad student. He knew nothing of Hinata Hyuuga, aside from the fact she was barely clothed and wearing a provocative ensemble. Sarutobi didn't trust her one bit. "Hyuuga-san, you are violating the school dress code. I'm going to ask you to change, or get out of my classroom."
Hidan smirked, asking, "Are you sexually harassing Hinata-chan?" He raised an eyebrow expectantly at his teacher. Sarutobi looked taken aback, and more flustered. The math teacher knew that Hidan was one for cheap tricks. "She could sue you for that, you know?"
"Hidan-san, is that a threat?" bit out Sarutobi, glaring. He was one of the few teachers who would go head on against the Akatsuki. Most sensei's simply overlooked their ill-mannered behavior, finding it too troublesome, but Sarutobi could not stand it.
Hidan chuckled lightly, replying, "I wouldn't do that sensei. I'm just looking out for Hinata-chan's well being."
"There are rules at this school," reminded Sarutobi, getting to his feet. "Dress code, in particular. Hyuuga-san is breeching those rules of conduct. I will not allow her in my classroom dressed in that manner!"
Hidan's face went blank for a moment, before a devious grin spread over his features. "Okay, then we'll be seeing you, Sensei."
Hidan moved towards Hinata, lifted her into his arms, and carried her out of the class bridal style. He ignored Sarutobi's yelling after them, and headed straight for the exit. After carrying her to the school gate, the silver-haired boy set the Hyuuga down.
The bell had rung and the students were heading to class, but Hidan decided that if Sarutobi didn't want Hinata in his class, he didn't have to be there either. That called for a field trip to be in order, one that took them away from grouchy old pervs.
"H-Hidan-kun," squeaked the indigo-haired girl, she wasn't keen on ditching more school. How would her grades fair if she never went to class? "M-maybe w-we could've t-talk to Sarutobi-s-sensei. I m-mean, i-instead of—"
"We're gonna go to Dei's," announced Hidan, cutting across the Hyuuga's words. The silver-haired junior was laidback as he crossed the street, getting further away from the high school. Hinata absently followed, entranced by the thought of seeing Deidara. Actually seeing the blonde would help calm her fears of his endangerment, Hidan could tell. Hinata worried too much.
The Hyuuga struggled to keep up with her silver-haired friend's long strides. At the same time, she was battling against the cold. It was still chilly that morning; a gusty breeze was plowing through Konoha that day. To make matters worse she had nothing to block the wind from attacking her bare skin.
Freezing, Hinata chased after Hidan. Her manicured fingers retracted into a fist, the ice of the air biting at the tips. Drawing a sharp breath, her arms crossed and she rubbed over the tiny goose bumps forming on her creamy skin. Quickly, she tugged on the ends of her hair, fixing the bunny ears that were stationed on her head, and then went back to hugging herself for warmth. Unwillingly the Hyuuga's teeth began chattering.
"Here," presented Hidan, extending his hand to her. In his grasp was the black jacket he had been wearing until just then.
"I-I couldn't, H-Hidan-kun!" refused Hinata, cowering away from the clothing in his hand. "Y-you would be c-cold! I-It's n-not—"
"Just take it, damn it!" ordered the silver-haired boy, thrusting the jacket at her.
The bunny squeaked, relieving the article from Hidan's grip. She slipped it on to find that it was warm; she felt at least fifty percent warmer already. Guilt washed through her when the Hyuuga's colorless gaze landed on Hidan's upper half. Without his jacket, the junior was sporting a loose, thin white wife beater.
"A-aren't you c-cold?" mumbled Hinata, frowning. She didn't like this set up, it wasn't fair that he had to freeze in her stead.
But, Hidan shook his head. He proclaimed, "This is fucking nothing. It's not even chilly!" A strong gust of air contradicted every word he'd just spoken, making the silver-haired boy shiver unintentionally.
"You're l-lying!" protested the Hyuuga, proceeding to remove the jacket at once.
"No!" growled the junior, readjusting the jacket on Hinata.
"You c-could get s-sick!" objected the indigo-haired female.
"It doesn't matter if I'm cold, or get sick!" contradicted Hidan, his lips pressed into a firm line. He was getting frustrated with Hinata and trying miserably not to show it. "Look, if you catch a cold I'd feel shittier than if I did. So, wear the fucking jacket!" The Hyuuga flinched when Hidan yelled at her. Seeing the damage, Hidan quickly added, "Please?"
Nodding slowly, Hinata gave in to his demands. She didn't want to provoke him anymore with the jacket. It was a stupid thing to fight over anyway. Hidan groaned seeing her down expression. Why couldn't he ever do anything right?
The remnants of their spat hung in the air as they carried on with their journey. Awkwardly drifting in silence, both attempted to path the growing rift.
"Look I'm s—"
"I-I didn't m-mean— Oops. Um, you c-can go f-first."
"Oh, uh, never mind. You can—"
"N-no, please, g-go ahead."
"It's fine if you go first."
"B-but I—"
"Fucking say it already!" shouted the silver-haired man.
"I'm sorry!" she shrieked, frightened. "I'm s-so stupid. I sh-shouldn't have b-been s-so rude, re-refusing your j-jacket. I-I'm a t-terrible person! K-Konan-san s-said that y-you can punish m-me how you s-see fit!" The Hyuuga bowed her head to her upperclassman, leaving the man speechless.
"Punish? What the fuck is that crazy bitch telling you?" Hidan angrily demanded, glowering. "Pein and his fucked up initiation rituals . . ." His silver head swayed back and forth. He took a deep breath, cooling his hot head. "Hime, you don't have anything to apologize for. I—I don't know how to . . . deal with a situation. Kakuzu's always on me about this shit, that fucker." He scowled, before continuing. "So, if I ever yell at you again, uh . . . you can hit me. Yeah, that should work. If I'm ever a bastard to you go ahead and beat the shit out of me. I probably deserved it anyhow. Okay?"
The indigo-haired girl giggled, imagining a day when she could really 'beat the shit' out of Hidan, or anyone else for that matter. Would a day like that even arise?
"H-Hidan-kun," she started, her mind settled. "I p-promise to ki-kick your b-butt if you ever b-be mean to m-me again! Ano, that is, i-if y-you'll let m-me wear your jacket w-when it's cold?"
Hidan chuckled, reaching out to ruffle Hinata's indigo bangs. "Sure, Hime, it's a deal."
The gentle gesture made the Hyuuga smile, her cheeks heating up to a rosy pink. From yelling at her to comforting her, Hidan really was lost with this kind of thing. But he'd be damned if he didn't try, at least for Hinata.
The two ventured onward, going this way and that, weaving through the neighborhoods. It wasn't more than ten minutes before Hidan veered off onto someone's walkway. The pale-eyed girl glanced up at the house before them. It wasn't as decrepit as the base, but it was still ghetto looking. The pale yellow paint was chipping away; the white trim was turning a dingy gray-brown. The front window was broken and a piece of blue duct tape was visible from the sidewalk. The exterior showed a few of its interior flaws as well, such as the gaping hole on the house's second story.
As she wondered how it got there, the front door opened and Hidan was conversing with someone. Hinata first instinct was to think that it was Deidara, but instead there was a tired looking woman. The Hyuuga hurried to Hidan's side, feeling out of place on the sidewalk. From closer up, the indigo-haired girl could see that the woman resembled Deidara vaguely and she was extremely gorgeous. The woman was young, tall, thin, curvy, with sunny yellow-colored hair to her hips. Hinata wondered if she was Deidara's older sister, she couldn't be more than 35.
"Oh, Dei-chan is in his room," said the woman, her vibrant blue eyes shifting inquisitively to Hinata. "And you are?"
"I-I'm H-Hinata Hyuuga," she told the woman. "D-Deidara-kun's f-friend."
The blonde gave them a curt nod and allowed the pair entrance. She motioned for them to go up the stairs, and they did. On the tenth step, Deidara's mother called, "And, Hidan-kun?"
The silver-haired boy stopped in his tracks, turning to the blonde woman down the steps. "What?"
She smiled wryly, saying, "If you would, please tell my good-for-nothing son to get his ass out of bed sometime today."
Then the petite lady marched out of sight, down one of the picture lined hallways. The Hyuuga was shocked that Deidara's mother was so young and voluptuous while Hidan scoffed, shaking his head slightly. In his opinion, Deidara's mother wasn't a total bitch, but she couldn't give a damn about her kid. To Iwa-san Deidara was just another disappointment, like his father.
Hidan pounded on the door at the top of the stairs, the words "FUCK OFF" were printed clearly on the wooden barrier.
"Dei, get your fuckin' ass out of bed!" shouted Hidan over the sound of his fist beating the door. "I know you can here me, you fucker! So, open the goddamn d—"
The door flew open, revealing a very angry blonde in teal pajama pants. Deidara's rage was quickly lost when he heard the familiar squeal of a certain Hyuuga. Hinata's milky-white orbs were locked onto Deidara's bare chest. The blonde was half naked, he hadn't been expecting visitors. Seeing the indigo-haired girl in no more clothes then himself, Deidara froze.
"Goddamn, put some fucking clothes on!" demanded Hidan, freeing them of an awkward silence. He roughly shoved the blonde back, forcing Deidara from his stupor. The boy grabbed the nearest shirt and pulled it over his blonde head.
Face boiling with embarrassment, Hinata entered the room on Hidan's command. The Hyuuga pulled Hidan's jacket tighter around her figure as she edged towards the wall. Her head was still buzzing with the image of Deidara's six-pack. Tan, muscular, and defined the blonde had stood before her. The image would forever burn in her retinas.
"I'm guessing that the outfit is for the initiation, but what're you doing here, yeah?" questioned the Iwa, side glancing at Hidan.
Who indifferently replied, "Yeah, Sarutobi-sensei was being a dick. So, we bounced." The silver-haired boy turned to Hinata and added for her sake, "Plus, the hime was worried about you." He smirked at the dazed look on the Hyuuga's face.
Deidara looked confused, asking, "Worried?"
"W-well, Madara-s-san said that you were in t-tr-trouble," explained the indigo-haired girl. "And th-then you weren't at sc-school . . ."
"Oh that, yeah," mumbled the blonde, scratching the back of his head. He thought about something before asking, "You know that ramen shop, um, Ichiraku? The one that's ran by the old geezer and his daughter?"
Hinata nodded, having gone to that ramen shop many times before. It was one of her favorite places in her middle school years. There was always a cheery boy that went there every night . . .
"W-what a-b-bout it?" questioned the Hyuuga, her face twisting. Hidan shook his head, knowing the outcome of the blonde's tale. It was a shock to hear the first time around, but now it was just stupid.
Deidara's face lit up with a childlike enthusiasm as he proudly proclaimed, "I blew it up, yeah!"
There was a moment where Hinata's jaw dropped open, her words caught in her throat, and she envisioned the tiny ramen stand erupting in an explosion of smoke, fire, and noodles.
"D-Deidara-kun, th-that's bad!" she finally exclaimed, still generally stunned.
The blonde didn't seem to care about how 'bad' his actions were. Instead Deidara erupted into a fit of laughter, finding the whole thing very comical. The Iwa had hated the old man that worked at Ichiraku's, so he saw fit to blow up the stand. It was perfectly logical from his standpoint. No more ramen shop, no more grouchy old man to tell him that it was against the law to smoke a cigarette when you're under eighteen.
"Dei, you're such a dumbass," grumbled Hidan, plopping down on the bomber's unmade bed. "The cops know you did it—you're the only dumb fuck who actually would. If Pein hadn't bailed your ass out of trouble, you'd be sitting in jail right now."
"Eh, whatever, yeah," dismissed the chuckling blonde. "What'd Ol' Sarutobi say anyway?"
Hidan grunted, telling Deidara of the incident. From there he continued into other topics and Hinata settled onto Deidara's bed during the strings of stories occasionally giving her input. It wasn't until a knock on the door came, that they realized they were supposed to be somewhere else.
Kakuzu and Sasori were at Deidara's bedroom door, looking bored and annoyed. The redhead's school bag was hanging off his shoulder, reminding the group that school was still in session. Kakuzu had left his own bag in the trunk of his truck.
"Why aren't you two in third period?" the Akasuna questioned the ditchers.
Hidan shrugged this time, too lazy to give a recital. "Didn't feel like it."
"W-what period i-is it?" curiously asked Hinata, shifting on the comfy mattress. She really didn't want to go back at this point; the Iwa house was very warm.
"We left ten minutes into fifth," answered Kakuzu, peering around. Then the dark-skinned boy moved to take a seat in the desk's unoccupied swivel chair. Sasori sat on the carpet, legs folded Indian-style.
Sasori pulled out his cell phone, announcing, "If you want to get back before lunch, you should probably get going soon." He raised an eyebrow at the indigo-haired girl in the room, gauging her reaction.
The redhead was thoroughly impressed to see Hinata didn't even bat an eye. The Hyuuga was already relatively comfortable with skipping out on school. The first day she had made such a fuss about breaking the rules. She was slowing drifting over to the Akatsuki's way of thinking.
"Fuck school," voiced Hidan, scowling. He leaned back against the white wall of Deidara's bedroom, placing his hands behind his silver head. "Who actually learns shit in those gay-ass classes anyway?"
It was a rhetorical question, but Hinata found herself answering it all the same. "If y-you paid atten-t-tion in class, you could l-learn lots of things."
Hidan lifted his shoulders in a half effort to show his indifference.
"Pein wants Hinata-kun back by lunch," said Sasori, his gaze fixated on the indigo-haired girl. She shifted uncomfortably at the leader's mention.
"Why?" demanded Deidara, his brow furrowing. He didn't want the quiet girl to go back to school; it was somewhere the blonde couldn't follow.
Kakuzu flatly answered, "Cos' Pein said. That's why."
There it was again. Pein flaunting his power to get what he wanted. The orange-haired leader was never questioned when it came to orders. Hinata wondered if she too would one day utter the words, 'Because Pein said' or something along those lines.
"Come on, fuck Pein!" exclaimed Hidan, attempting to sway the others to revolt. The silver-haired junior was one of the only members that would openly defy their leader. No one joined Hidan in the 'fuck Pein' campaign and after a moment the boy grumbled, "Fine, we'll go back."
The Hyuuga frowned. She wanted to stay, stay far away from Pein.
"Actually, Pein has an assignment for you, Hidan," notified Kakuzu, passing the silver-haired boy a piece of folded paper.
Curiously, Hidan took the note, reading it silently. He muttered the word, "Fucker," and slipped the note into the butt pocket of his jeans. With that the junior stood, running a hand through his slicked back silver locks. His irritation rolled off him in waves and Deidara had to ask,
"What is it, yeah?"
"I gotta' go," replied Hidan hastily. He was already halfway out the door when he called, "I'll see you guys around. Later, Hime!"
There was an awkward silence left in Hidan's wake and Hinata accidentally broke it with a sneeze. It was a soft sound, hardly audible, but it made Deidara exclaim,
"That was so cute, yeah!"
The Hyuuga despised her sneeze. She was involuntarily blushing madly, hiding half her face behind her hands. Hinata was known for her sneeze, it made a "chu" sound and it reminded everyone of a little mouse. There was a time when Gaara called her "Sneeze" because he thought it was adorable, to that day he teased her about it.
"I h-hate m-my sneeze," mumbled the red-faced girl, unable to make eye contact with the others in the room. Before the atmosphere could turn sour, the silence was easily displaced.
"Hinata-san, do you want a ride back to school in a bit?" offered Kakuzu, saving her from dwelling in embarrassment.
The indigo-haired girl glanced at him, smiling appreciatively. "Th-that would be very n-nice. Arigato, Kakuzu-kun."
A few minutes before lunch, the two of them collected themselves and said their goodbyes. The Iwa made it a point that Hinata was welcome to come over to his house anytime. Then the indigo-haired girl gave a little wave before shutting Deidara's bedroom door behind them. Sasori opted to stay with Deidara, he didn't wish to return to school that day.
As the duo arrived back on school campus, they found that the bell had already rung. There were students still scurrying about, some settling on the front lawn to eat their food, others engaging in a game of hack. Hinata stuck close to Kakuzu, hoping to fly under the radar into the cafeteria. It was successful, until the Hyuuga tripped as they entered the café.
"Eyaahhh!" she squealed, frightened. The ground was getting rapidly nearer to her face and the Hyuuga instinctively snapped her eyes shut, arms flying out in hopes of catching herself, but it wasn't necessary.
Someone from the crowd had graciously reached out and caught the indigo-haired damsel. An arm was securely wrapped around Hinata's middle and she opened her pale eyes. The arm's owner was a tanned, spiky yellow blonde, with radiant blue eyes, and a dumbstruck expression.
Oh no!
"Hinata-chan?"
"N-N-N-N-N-N—"
"Hinata-san!"
In a daze, the Hyuuga was pulled from the blonde's arms and her face was buried into Kakuzu's chest. Hinata's shaky fingers latched onto his shirt, her lips were trembling. The sound of pounding reached the Hyuuga's ears and she knew her heart was going to explode if she let go.
"Ano, Hinata-san, what's wrong?" questioned Kakuzu, his voice lathered with discomfort. When Hinata refused to answer, he tried, "D-did you know that guy?"
The girl's indigo head bobbed in response.
The dark-skinned man gulped, a heat rising under his skin. He never had much experience with women. In fact he had never been so close to one in his life after birth. Hinata was innocently crossing a very bold line for Kakuzu.
Awkwardly, he patted the Hyuuga's back. It seemed like the appropriate response, a gesture of sorts to make her feel better. The reaction it evoked was not what he was expecting. Hinata threw her arms around Kakuzu's middle, saying,
"Arigato, Kakuzu-kun."
The Hyuuga pulled away, taking a step back. There was an appreciative smile stretched over her features. It was a smile that could soften the hardest of hearts, even a money-loving Akatsuki member's. Out of his element, Kakuzu gruffly said,
"Pein's probably waiting."
Nervously, the indigo-haired nodded, allowing the boy to lead her to the Akatsuki leader.
When they approached the table, Hinata felt the urge to turn tail and run. Pein was there, his eyes focused on the Hyuuga. A wicked smile was playing on the orange-haired man's lips as he took a sip from his water bottle.
As the pair came to a stop, Pein spoke first.
"Bunny-chan, come sit next to me," requested the leader of the group, waiting expectantly. He beckoned her towards him with his index finger, curling it slowly inwards. The Hyuuga nodded, reluctantly leaving Kakuzu's side to join Pein on the bench.
When Hinata came around the table and took her seat an arm wrapped around her middle. Said arm tugged the bunny into Pein's side. The man smirked down at her, enjoying the sight of the Hyuuga's violent blush.
"Good, Bunny-chan," he praised, teasing her. The orange-haired boy's arm was still firmly fastened around Hinata's waist, and he planned to keep it there. As his fingertips retracted, tracing over her creamy stomach, the Hyuuga felt her skin prickle.
In hopes of calming her anxiety and saving herself the embarrassment of fainting again, Hinata directed her snow white eyes to the other members seated around the table.
Directly on Pein's right was Konan. The blue-haired girl had her shoulders occupied by Pein's arm, which was draped lazily around her. The golden-eyed senior was munching a bag of Doritos, daintily reaching into the contents of the plastic wrapping to occasionally retrieve a chip. She seemed disinterested with both Pein and the chips, rarely glancing up from her own hands.
On Konan's other side was Kisame, who was talking animatedly across the table with Itachi. The Uchiha was either stoically absorbing the conversation, or completely blocking it out. His only reply was a grunt that sounded like 'Hn'. Hinata got the strangest feeling that Itachi appeared to be annoyed or depressed about something. The Uchiha was most definitely ignoring Konan as well and the indigo-haired girl wondered what was wrong. When Itachi's coal black sphere's drifted Hinata's direction, the Uchiha smiled at her.
After returning the smile, the Hyuuga moved on down the line of Akatsuki members. Tobi was in the middle of an elongated tale of what happened during his fifth period, relaying every detail to a very bored looking Zetsu. Kakuzu seemed to be half listening to the story that Tobi was reciting, having little to no interest in the young boy's words.
Hinata's shoulders stiffened as she felt a tug on her indigo hair. Pein's arm had moved from her waist to her head, playing with her soft locks. The Hyuuga practically jumped when she felt the leader of Akatsuki nip at her ear. Her hand flew to her lips, holding back whatever sound was itching to come out. She wasn't sure if was a gasp, yelp, or a scream, but she keep it down skillfully.
Entertained by the bunny's reaction, Pein inwardly chuckled. All he had done was bite the cartilage of the alabaster-eyed girl's ear and her composure was shattered. The Akatsuki leader was going to continue his assault when he caught Itachi glaring daggers at him. Grinning cruelly at the Uchiha, Pein pulled Konan's head against his chest and nuzzled his cheek in Hinata's vanilla scented hair.
Akatsuki's leader was well aware of Itachi's feelings and fully enjoyed flaunting what he had and the Uchiha didn't. It was pompous, childish, and something Pein did frequently.
Unable to witness the display before him any longer, Itachi abruptly rose to his feet. After a quick word to Kisame, the Uchiha stormed out of the cafeteria. In the raven-haired boy's absence, Kisame started up a conversation with Pein.
"So, what do we have planned for today?" asked the blue Akatsuki member.
The leader of their gang thought for a moment and replied, "Well, there isn't much going on at the moment. I have Hidan sorting out a few things, but aside from that I don't have any jobs to be done."
"Things have been pretty slow lately," commented Konan, looking up from her manicure for one of the first times since Hinata had arrived. The friction the blue-haired girl was previously causing in the atmosphere evaporated and she began chatting with Kisame for the last few minutes of lunch.
Hinata was relieved when the bell for seventh period sounded. She practically ran away from Pein with only a quick 'see you later'. The Hyuuga went straight to the gym, actually thankful to dress down. It meant 45 minutes she didn't have to wear the ridiculous outfit Pein got her.
In shorts and a T-shirt, the indigo-haired girl exited the locker room and wandered out into the gym. There were different groups of kids scattered about and Asuma-sensei was currently speaking with a student.
Glancing around nervously, the Hyuuga spotted an Inuzuka hanging off the rim of the basketball hoop. Recognizing someone, she made a beeline for him. As Kiba dangled in the air he caught a glimpse of indigo heading his way.
"Hinata-chan! Hey!" he called out, releasing his hold of the metal rim. Dropping to the ground he dashed towards the Hyuuga girl, beaming uncontrollably.
"H-hey," greeted Hinata shyly.
Then there was a whistle and Asuma shouted, "Everybody, circle up!"
The cliques broke rank and became a mass seated on the floor before the PE teacher. Kiba had secured the open space on the Hyuuga's left, while Sasuke swooped in and sat down at her right.
"Hinata-san?" whispered the raven-haired boy.
The girl in question still remembered very clearly the last time they had conversed, ending with her calling him a 'jerk' and storming out. She did not regret what she'd said, but at the same time she was sorry for her inappropriate reaction. A lady, especially a Hyuuga lady, should have more manners and class.
"What?" she whispered back, willing to hear what he had to say.
Coal black eyes roamed the floor around the manicured fingers of the Hyuuga at his side. The Uchiha was somewhat ashamed for upsetting Hinata the previous day, it wasn't what he'd intended to happen. He was only trying to warn her, for her own sake. Still, he could see where he had gone wrong.
"I'm, well, I-"
"Uchiha, Hyuuga, quiet down," commanded Asuma-sensei, trying to explain the day's lesson.
"Gomen," apologized the embarrassed girl, her cheeks warming with her name's mention. Every time she was addressed, eyes from her fellow classmates were drawn to her. It was humiliating. Her white orbs drifted to the court's golden-brown planks.
Not discouraged in the least, Sasuke tried again. "Hinata-san?"
Unsure whether to answer or not, fearing a scolding, the indigo-haired girl glanced over at the boy vying for her attention.
"Look, I'm-"
"Alright, Uchiha! You and the little lady can finish your conversation outside! You can return to class when you're finished!" shouted the gym teacher, fed up with side conversations in his class. Asuma
Even further disgraced Hinata rose to her feet and practically ran out of the gymnasium, Sasuke hurried after her feeling even more like a jerk for getting her in trouble. The girl's long dark hair trailed after her as the Hyuuga dashed around the corner, escaping from her trailer's line of sight.
"Hinata-san!" the Uchiha called after her, hoping that she'd stop. He ran around the bend and came to an abrupt stop. His ebony eyes landed on the girl he was chasing curled in a ball, on the cement, leaning against the gym wall.
The Hyuuga's face was hidden against her creamy-colored arms, holding her knees close to her center. Her figure was quaking slightly and Sasuke knew why. She was silently sobbing.
"I'm sorry," he finally managed to get out. Taking a step closer to the weeping girl he continued, "I'm sorry for making you cry, I'm sorry for being a jerk, I'm sorry for what happened the other day, I'm sorry for sticking my nose in your business, and I'm sorry that I got you in trouble. I'm sorry for everything, okay?"
Hinata listened to his list of apologies and felt stupid. She was getting worked up over nothing again. She was so weak.
"I-it's n-n-not your f-fault," she whispered almost inaudibly. Lifting her head up, revealing her face from beneath her rich purple hair, she wiped the tears from her pale features. Her translucent gaze rose to meet Sasuke's for a moment before shifting to her palms. "I d-do this to my-myself. I'm so weak and I always es-escalate situations. I'm just a-a big b-baby." Her two hands clenched into fists.
The Uchiha sighed. He was relived that she wasn't mad at him, but also unsure what to do in the current circumstance. The raven-haired boy thought for a second, trying to pull something useful from his brain to give him some guidance.
"Well, I know that you're not a baby," he stated firstly, taking a seat beside the Hyuuga girl on the ground. She glanced at him curiously, finding that his eyes were directed straight ahead, not even looking at her at all. That gave her some comfort.
"I've known you all my life, sort of. I never really got to know you, but I know that you're strong. If you were weak, then you wouldn't have stood up to me. And if you were a baby, then you wouldn't try to befriend the Akatsuki. You can't look at things like they're half-empty, or whatever."
There was a small giggle following Sasuke's pep talk that caused him to look at the indigo-haired girl next to him with puzzlement. She was smiling brightly at him.
"Arigato, Sasuke-san," she thanked him. He plunged into his speech without a clue, but it managed to make sense to Hinata and she was very grateful. He'd cheered her up considerably.
A faint glimmer of pink brushed over the raven-haired boy as he asked, "Ready to go back to class?"
The Hyuuga nodded, her gentle smile brightening the very air around her.
When they returned to class, Asuma had finished going over the day's schedule. First, they would be stretching out, then running a lap around the track, and finishing with a quick game of soccer on the field.
With another blow of Asuma's whistle, Hinata followed Kiba to an open space on the court. Sasuke was once again sitting out from the lesson and broke off from the rest of the group to sit in the bleachers. While the class was stretching the raven-haired boy gave the Hyuuga a wave when she glanced in his direction, evoking a deep blush to make itself at home on the shy girl's face. Kiba teased her about it as they pulled their arms across their chest to workout the muscle.
Next, they moved onto the running portion of the lesson. Hinata was never a strong runner, but she had perseverance. In the back of the pack, the indigo-haired girl tried her very best to finish her lap. Kiba, who was a gifted athlete, chose to jog slowly along side the Hyuuga. He encouraged her as they went, seeing that she clearly had no stamina. The only people behind them were Shikamaru Nara and Chouji Akimichi. The pair of friends were walking at a snails pace, completely indifferent to the invectives Asuma was shouting at them.
Once everyone reached the finish line four team captains were chosen to pick teams. One of the captains was Kiba and his first choice was Hinata, turning her already reddened face a shade of violet. Aside from the petite Hyuuga, Kiba picked a team he deemed worthy. They easily creamed the opposition without Hinata even moving from her spot at the field's edge. She had tried to play at first, but her fear got the best of her when someone attempted to take the ball from her.
The final whistle blew just as Kiba scored his eighth goal, bringing the final score to 17-10. The Inuzuka cheered, running straight to Hinata. Even though he almost single handedly won the game the only approval he was searching for was from the gentle Hyuuga.
"You were g-great, Kiba-kun!" appraised the indigo-haired girl. After sharing a PE class with the brunette boy for the passed several years she was already aware of his abilities. Still, she was genuinely impressed with his display.
Grinning proudly at her response, the Inuzuka slung his arm around Hinata's shoulders and nonchalantly said, "It was nothing."
Blushing cutely, the Hyuuga giggled. It made Kiba's heart do a little dance in his chest, feeling the same sense of accomplishment he'd experienced before. The girl at his side was very slowly getting used to physical contact and with Kiba it seemed natural. The two of them walked like this up to the gym until they had to part into the separate locker rooms.
Forcing herself back into the costume was a challenge for Hinata. When she lifted up the tiny pieces of cloth that the indigo-haired girl had been wearing for the duration of the day, her nose wrinkled in disgust. Only the thought of Pein catching her without it, persuaded her into the beast.
Glancing at her reflection brought out the Hyuuga's signature blush. She looked so-so scandalous.
The sight of Hidan's jacket tucked away safely in her locker gave her a small bit of relief. Hinata slipped it on over her outfit, letting the overall size cover some of her milky skin. Once she was fully dressed, the Hyuuga snatched up her bag and made her way back into the gymnasium.
A certain Inuzuka was waiting for her at the door with his wolfy grin. He was greatly impressed with the sight of her slender legs walking in his direction. As she approached him, the brunette asked, "So, Hinata-chan, what're you doing today?"
"Well, f-first, I have to go pick up H-Hanabi-chan," stated the Hyuuga. "And then. . ." She tried to recall what else she had planned for the day. Well, she had wanted to return to Deidara's to visit him for a bit.
The indigo-haired girl's pale cheeks suddenly burned red-hot as she remembered seeing said blonde without a shirt on earlier that morning. She hadn't really had time to really appreciate the nice tone his body had. His muscles were very nicely shaped too…
D-d-don't be th-thinking of th-that n-n-now! She inwardly screamed, seeing the look of bewilderment on Kiba's features.
"I-I-I'm g-going to visit a f-friend of mine," the blushing girl finished off hurriedly. Her snowy white eyes trailed down to the floor.
In her head she was chanting, Calm down. Calm down. Calm down.
There was disappointment in Kiba's smile as he said, "Oh. Well, maybe-"
"Hey, Hyuuga, you're blocking the door!" complained Ino Yamanaka. The blonde was standing beside them, her hand on her hip, looking put-off. Sakura Haruno was on her left, appearing to be equally annoyed with her arms crossed over her flat chest.
"Sorry, Ice Princess," grumbled the Inuzuka, rolling his chocolate orbs at her. He took a side step out of her way, pretending to bow.
'Ice Princess' was a title Ino received from Kiba in middle school. The name was only fitting, concluded the brunette. The Yamanaka had always been loud and bossy growing up, but then she just got plain wicked.
Snidely, Ino returned the eye roll as she strode passed him. Sakura followed after her best friend, her emerald eyes narrowed fiercely on the meek girl at Kiba's side. In the pinkette's opinion, the Hyuuga girl didn't look like anything special. She was the same shy little girl from middle school, just in less clothing. Tearing her down should be easy, she determined, smirking openly.
The malicious glimmer in Sakura's eyes sent shivers down Hinata's spine. The pink-haired girl almost scared her as much as Pein did. Maybe they were related somehow?
"Jeez, I'm sick of those girls," sighed the Inuzuka exhaustedly. Then he turned his attention back to Hinata, finding that Sasuke had gravitated towards them.
"Um, Hinata-san," started the Uchiha, coming to a stop between the two, "Itachi-nii wanted to know if you would like a ride to pick up Hanabi-san?"
"Oh, that w-would be very kind! Arig-g-gato, Sasuke-san," gushed the blushing girl. She knew that Hanabi would be pleased to see Itachi as well. The middleschooler had always had a slight crush on their cousin. Whenever the Uchiha and Hyuuga held joint family functions, the littlest Hyuuga would seek out her favorite Uchiha. Hinata could never blame her, Itachi was the pride of the Uchiha after all.
Kiba's soft brown eyes scrutinized Sasuke, jealousy clouding his judgment. Sure the two of them were chummy towards each other, but they weren't exactly friends either. Though he couldn't see his feelings for what they were, the brunette had the notion that the Uchiha next to him might be his rival for the kindhearted Hyuuga.
Ebony orbs connected with an intense gaze from the Inuzuka. The Uchiha hadn't a clue what had him riled up, but it wasn't his problem to deal with either. Disregarding the strange look, Sasuke glanced at Hinata. The shy girl seemed to have cheered up considerably. It was a huge relief that she'd forgiven him.
"Itachi-nii said that he'll meet us at the front of the school," he continued, starting off in the direction of the double doors. The alabaster-eyed Hyuuga followed him out, saying her goodbye to Kiba as she went.
Once at the Konoha High School entrance, the two freshmen scanned the heads for their ride. A familiar car horn turned Sasuke's head and he found his brother's van in the front parking lot. They hurried off towards the vehicle, finding a small crowd gathered around it. Tobi, Kisame, and-to Hinata's discomfort-Konan were all conversing on the passenger side. Kisame was already situated in the seat beside his Uchiha friend. Tobi and Konan appeared to be bickering about something inaudible and Kisame was playing mediator.
"What's going on, Itachi-nii?" inquired the younger Uchiha, frowning, and showing his detestation for his brother's friends. The miniature group huddle disbanded and turned to look at the newest arrivals.
From the driver seat, the elder of the brothers replied, "It's nothing, Sasuke." He waved his hand flippantly, before addressing the others, "I'll call you later, Konan. Tobi, get in the back with Hinata-san and Sasuke."
"Tobi-chan will," agreed the boy happily. He took Hinata's hand, tugging her towards the rear end of the car, and proceeded to say, "Come on, Hina-chan, Sasuke-kun! Bye, bye, Konan-chan!"
The blue-haired senior made a sound like "humph," and sauntered off without a goodbye. Something had definitely aggravated her, but none of them really knew what it was. She'd strode up to them out of nowhere and coaxed Kisame into an argument. Then poor Tobi had innocently tried to calm her down, and the golden-eyed feminist had pounced on the unsuspecting child. If there was one thing Konan was known for it was her mood swings.
Once the three freshmen settled into their seats, Itachi backed out of his parking space. Avoiding the harmless bystanders, the van rolled safely into the street.
xXxXxXx
Ano, was that okay? I feel like this chapter was more of a struggle than it should've been . . .
I thank everyone who, read, alerted, favorited, reviewed, and messaged me. I went back and read all your lovely comments and it gave me the power to sit down and type all this up! You inspired me! (:
So, until next time. Leave a review and tell me your thoughts. If there's something you'd like me to add or a couple you like specifically, go ahead and ask for it. It truly helps me write and I may be able to accommodate you!
Peace&Love, RainingSprinklesDownMyThroat.