When she smiles
Chapter 20
Unrivaled
"Now that were going to the same school don't ask me how to get to places, don't look at me, don't talk to me, don't sit with me at lunch-
"But Neji, I don't-
"Don't but Neji me either, everyone knows you were friends with that weird bug kid, and dog boy, just try not to stand out Hinata, people actually respect me and if you do anything to jeopardize that I swear you'll regret it, I'm the president of the student council and I can do whatever I want and if you bring me down in any way I'll make your high school life hell, understood?"
"Y-yes Neji-nii…"
"And don't call me that, the fact that were cousins and share the same last name is bad enough." The male Hyuga said storming ahead as not to be seen with his younger cousin.
'When did Neji-nii get so mean?'
"Eh don't worry about him Hinata, Neji's always got some kind of stick in his ass." Kiba said walking up from behind Hinata.
"Thanks Kiba, for always being there for me."
"You know I will Hinata-Chan."
o0o0o0o0o0
Hinata had asked Tenten to come along dress shopping, for many reasons, the main ones being that Tenten was a great friend, and because Hinata assumed that out of all the girls to bring to the mall Tenten would be the easiest to keep up with. She was wrong. Tenten's boundless energy was officially unrivaled. After bouncing from store to store, the girls decided to look for their dresses, Tenten spent most of her time helping Hinata find the perfect dress instead of looking for one for herself. Every store the pair went into, Hinata was trapped in the dressing room with at least thirteen different dresses that she had to come out wearing to show Tenten. The bun haired girl didn't like any of them, and Hinata felt the same.
"Don't worry Hinata-Chan. We'll find you the perfect dress soon enough, I mean, we're in the largest mall in the five surrounding counties, It has to be here." Hinata nodded as she walked by yet another store, all the dresses were just too much, too many jewels, too frilly, too long, too short, Glitter overload and the like. A lot of the dresses were the same too, why was it so hard to find a dress that would fit her? And not just her size, there were many in her size, but personality wise. They both wanted to find a dress that screamed Hinata. Hours passed and eventually Hinata sighed as they sat in the food court.
"Tenten, we're running out of stores, what are we gonna do? Even you found your perfect dress!" The bluenette said as her head connected with the table in frustration. Indeed Tenten HAD found the perfect dress, it was knee length black and hot pink with a mandarin collar with pink embroidered lotuses and a dragon that swirled up the side.
"We'll find it soon Hinata, I promise! My women's intuition hasn't failed me yet!" Hinata simply raised an eyebrow at the girl's comment, only recently had Tenten begun believing in 'women's intuition'. "Come on, we have five stores left! There's gotta be something perfect for you in there!" The brunette said dragging Hinata from the table. The next three stores were much of the same, and as they walked through the mall Hinata stopped as her eyes caught a glimpse of shimmering lavender in a store window.
"Tenten, can we look in here?" Hinata asked, not even waiting for an answer as she walked into the store. Tenten looked up at the sign, and in fancy script it read Legendary Beauties. The brunette stared curiously before walking in after Hinata. The store had never been there before, so it had to be new, especially since they were the only customers inside.
"Tenten I'm trying this on!" Hinata said excitedly hurrying into the changing room before Tenten could even catch a glimpse of the dress. However the squeal of delight that sounded from inside the changing room made Tenten smile, if Hinata was this happy, then the dress had to be absolutely gorgeous.
"What do you think?" The brunette looked up and grinned.
"Hinata-Chan, you look amazing! That dress is perfect!"
"I know I love it!" Hinata said jumping up and down happily. The dress was a purple halter top that went to just below her knees, and was covered with black mesh-like lace that was adorned with small crystalline beads. The bottom was embroidered with shining black thread into intricate designs.
"Gaara's gonna love it Hinata-Chan!" hearing this, the bluenette blushed a bit.
"You think so?"
"Of course! Just as you are you look amazing, but think of it, with the right shoes, some makeup and with your hair done you'll look like a princess! So is this the dress?" Hinata smiled as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
"Absolutely."
O0o0oo0o0o0o0o0
Hinata and Tenten had returned from the mall holding their precious prizes protectively in their arms, they had holed up in Hinata's room for over an hour before a knock came to her door and it opened.
"Hey Ten."
"Sup Gaara?" Hinata walked over and hugged the red head.
"So, I thought we could go out and do something fun. If you accept then we have to run to the mall first because I'm planning on torturing myself for about ten minutes." Hinata looked confused.
"What are you going to do Gaara?"
"Well, now that I don't have to worry about that thing called dad, I can do a few things I've wanted to do." He said simply leaning against the door with a smirk. The girls shared a glance before looking back to the red head. Tenten inched forward from her seat eagerly.
"What'cha gonna do? Get a tattoo? Multiple piercings?" Tenten said jokingly.
"I was actually I'm still debating about the tattoo, but yeah, I'm getting piercings." Silence. "I'm not kidding."
"Really? What do you want pierced?" Hinata asked fingering her pierced ears. She had thought about getting second holes done for a while now…or maybe getting the cartilage pierced… Tenten grinned devilishly and leaned over whispering into Hinata's ear. Gaara watched as Hinata's face progressively began to burn a brighter and brighter red.
"TENTEN!" she shrieked. Pushing the brunette away making the girl laugh.
"Oh come on Hinata you know you'd like that! Don't even lie!" Gaara raised a brow.
"She'd like what?" he asked curiously.
"NOTHING!" Hinata said hurriedly fighting down her blush.
"Ok then…So you wanna come?" he asked.
"Hinata will go, I have to go harass Neji. Believe me, it's long overdue." Tenten said standing. With a wave to Gaara and a wink to Hinata she left.
"So, what was it you'd like Hinata?"
"I'm not saying a thing and you can't get it out of me." Hinata said with a smile as she hurried out the door past him. "Are we going or what?" With that said Gaara followed after the bluenette. "How are we getting to the mall? Walking?"
"Nah, we're taking my bike."
"I thought it was broken?" Gaara smiled.
"It's all fixed now, that's how I got here." He said walking up to the motorcycle and handing her the helmet on the seat while he grabbed his own. Hinata climbed on after Gaara and held on for dear life as they exited the driveway and sped off down the street.
O0o0o0
It's not that Gaara was a bad driver…he was far from it actually, Hinata was just a nervous passenger in any vehicle really. That didn't stop her from enjoying herself as he whipped around corners and eventually pulled into the parking lot. Climbing off Hinata couldn't keep the smile from her face, she had more fun than she thought she would.
"Alright! Onwards!" Gaara said smirking slightly as Hinata looped her arm with his.
"To adventure!" She said happily pointing towards the mall as they walked.
"To riches and gold!"
"What else will we find Captain?" Hinata said in awe as Gaara spoke in a hushed voice.
"Treasures beyond your wildest dreams, your cup will never run empty, and the food almost always tastes good as long as you have money of course…." The pair laughed as they walked into the huge building.
It didn't take them long to find the piercing shop. Gaara picked the black stud and decided to pierce the same ear twice. Hinata watched and flinched at the sound of the piercing gun. Gaara didn't even blink, instead he raised a brow at Hinata.
"What's up?"
"Doesn't that hurt?"
"Nah, it's like a pinch, then it's done…why do you want another piercing?" he asked. Gaara had expected Hinata to at least think about it for a moment, but instead she immediately answered.
"I do actually. Right here." Hinata said pointing to the top part of her right ear. Hearing this Gaara grinned.
"Well get it done. I'll get mine done too, then we can match."
"You think I should?" Hinata asked softly.
"If you want to then why not? Make yourself happy Hinata." The bluenette nodded.
"Ok, I'll do it." Hinata sat in Gaara's seat after picking the same stud, only this one was purple, and the red head stood next to her, once the piercing gun sounded, Gaara pinched Hinata's arm.
"Ow! What was that for?" She asked rubbing her arm half-heartedly glaring at him.
"You didn't feel the earring go through did you?" Hinata opened her mouth to speak but couldn't come up with an argument, instead she settled for sticking her tongue out at him only to be temporary blinded with a flash. Blinking the lights away Hinata looked to find Gaara holding a red digital camera.
"When did you get that?"
"It's Temari's." Gaara said simply once again swapping places with Hinata so he was back in the seat to get the same piercing as the bluenette. When the gun sounded for the fourth time Hinata pinched Gaara's arm and smirked mischievously.
"You didn't feel the earring right?" hearing this Gaara couldn't help but laugh. After paying they left the mall.
"You know, I think in commemoration of these awesome piercings we should take a picture. There's tons of us as kids, there should be more of us now." Hinata smiled.
"I agree, let me see the camera." After several failed photos from the both of them, the pair asked a passerby to take their picture. They both smiled at the camera, but when it flashed the man taking the picture began laughing as he handed the camera back to the pair. Gaara had held his hand up with the "rock on" sign and had stuck his tongue out, and Hinata had given Gaara bunny ears and stuck her tongue out as well. After thanking the man the two made their way back to Gaara's motorcycle.
O0o0o0o0
When finally the bike ride came to an end, they ended up at the beach and began walking along the shore, shoes in their hands. Hinata picked up small shells every now and then, but mostly they just enjoyed the other's company.
"You know what?" Hinata asked breaking the silence. "We should come down here more often, I love the beach, it should just be a day of us and our friends, what do you think?" she asked looking over to the pondering red head.
"I think that would be nice, me, you, Naruto, Tenten, Neji, Kiba, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, and maybe Sakura if she's not being a brat…" Hinata laughed hearing that.
"Don't forget Lee."
"I'm still mad at him for stealing you, so no, he can't come on our magical beach trip." Gaara said crossing his arms pouting playfully.
"Gaara! That's not nice." She said laughing pushing his arm.
"You look surprised, I'm never nice!" Hearing this Hinata rolled her eyes.
"You're always nice Gaara, you just pretend to be mean when you're really just a marshmallow." Hinata smiled more when Gaara pouted once again.
"I'm not a marshmallow…" he mumbled under his breath.
"Fine, you aren't a marshmallow, but do you get what I mean Gaara? You've been through so much hell yet you still have faith and hold on to your humanity, you're tough but you aren't hard. You accept the world and the blows it deals out, but it never breaks you."
"Hinata the world's broken me more times than I can count, I broke when I lost you, I broke every time my father would beat me, I broke every time my sister cried over me, I broke every time you got hurt, every single time I couldn't protect you it broke me. You are always the key to my undoing, do you know that? I can live through whatever life dishes out at me because I have you…If I ever lost you…I don't think I could bounce back again, not if I could never see you again." Hinata looped her arm around Gaara's, the beach suddenly seemed chillier than before.
"I promise I'll never leave you, no matter where I'll go I'll always come back to you. Should the event come where I don't come back to you. I want you to move on." Gaara looked over to Hinata in shock as she said those words.
"Gaara I'm serious, if anything ever happened and I didn't make it and you did I would want you to live on, I'd want you to find somebody you could love and make happy. If we stay together until old age and die from natural causes then that would be great, but if something happens and we don't even have a family, I'd want you to go out and get married and have a family that you could hold and protect…a family that you could give your love to, just like how you do for me. I'd want you to go out and find a nice girl and shower her with love like how you do to me…You make me feel like the luckiest girl in the world sometimes you know."
"Hinata stop talking like that. You aren't going to die any time soon…or ever, nope not at all, I won't let you." He said stopping to look the bluenette in the eye.
"Everybody dies eventually Gaara." Hinata said softly thinking of her mother who had left them far too soon.
"Well I won't let you die! If you die I'd have no reason to even live. I could never be with anyone else, never…because I love you and I always will…So stop talking like that!" Hinata simply smiled and gave the red head a kiss as she continued walking down the beach, finally stopping and sitting down in the sand. Gaara sat down next to her and watched as she buried her feet in the sand.
"Did I upset you Gaara?Hinata smiled"
"No, I'm fine…it's just I don't like the thought of us ever being apart again. I don't like saying it, but the thought of losing you scares me. We've been through so much together, and I've almost lost you so many times…each time it scared me even more. You were stabbed, that bastard Sasuke hurt you like he did, you almost gave up your life, you had a miscarriage and it could have killed you."
"Gaara all that proves is that I'm durable, I'm tough, and as long as you're by my side I'll always mend because you're there to help me, just like how I'll always be here to help you. I love you too, and I'll love you forever and a day." Gaara couldn't help but smile softly.
"Hinata, it's starting to get dark, do you think we should head back?"
"Yeah, we probably should." Hinata said standing and brushing the sand off her pants. The ocean breeze blew her hair gently, and the bluenette closed her eyes savoring the breeze scented with the salty ocean air. Hinata felt Gaara's warmth embrace her and a kiss was placed against her cheek, then moments later she was startled when he licked her and ran away laughing.
"Ewww, Gaara that's gross!" she squealed immediately chasing after him. Gaara who hadn't expected Hinata to be able to run so quickly in the sand was surprised when she jumped on him making them both tumble down a small dune laughing the whole way. Gaara lay on top of Hinata watching as her face was flushed pink from laughing; her long indigo hair was fanned out underneath her reminding him of a dark blue halo. Never had she been more beautiful to him than in this moment.
Hinata reached up and brushed a stray strand from the red head's eyes, pausing when she felt the kanji scar on his forehead. Gaara closed his eyes at the touch, feeling as she traced along the curving lines with her delicate fingers. His whole life revolved around that word love. It was something he had never received enough of, something denied to him, something stolen from him, but it was also something he received from Hinata freely, something she willingly gave to him of her own volition. He had been so lost in his thoughts that when he felt her lips press against the scar his eyes blinked open in shock.
Hinata pulled away slowly, and with a soft smile gracing her features, her eyes glowing with warmth. Gaara looked at Hinata for a moment before catching her lips with his. Nothing compared to the kiss they were sharing, and none of their previous ones could measure up, there was something different about this one, it was the intimacy and the closeness they felt with each other. It was pure magical bliss.
"I really do love you, ya know."
"I know…forever and a day right?" Gaara asked with a grin.
"Right." Hinata was helped up by Gaara as they made their way back to the motorcycle holding hands, they had each other, they had their love, they had their family and friends, they had been through hell and back and somehow made it through stronger than before…but being strong doesn't mean one can't break.
Well here's another chapter...I uploaded it a while ago and totally forgot to post it...oops oh well thanks for the reviews and thanks for reading! 3 much love to you all!