Hi there readers! Long time, ne? I'm sorry about that but I did post my new fic last week instead of this one if that means anything. Hmm, my internet is not at its best right now for some reason but I can only hope that when it's time for me to update, I'll be able to. I'm sorry about updating a day late but I got home late last night and then I had an interview to go to this morning. That said, let's begin and hope I get over this massive block *sigh*
Excuse any errors and R&R!!!
Chapter 37: Birthday Girl
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Hinata woke up to being nearly suffocated.
"C-can't breathe!" she stuttered. "Hanabi! You're really heavy!"
"Happy birthday, Aneko!"
Hinata smiled as she pushed off her younger sister. She sat up just as Neji sat down at the edge of the bed, her father was standing.
Looking towards her window, she saw the sky was now fading to the grey light before dawn.
She rubbed her eyes. "Arigatou," she said. "Aren't you all up a little early?"
"We wanted to surprise you," said Neji.
"You certainly did, waking up this early," Hinata told them.
"We all got you presents," said Hiashi.
Hanabi was first, giving her fifty dollars. Neji told her he'd carry her to get her license and pay the fee for her. Hiashi gave her a key.
Hinata had a good idea of what the key was for but she asked what it was anyway.
"Why don't you get ready and come see me outside," her father said with a smile and ushered both Neji and Hanabi outside, the latter grinning from ear to ear.
Hinata bit her wrists quickly, got up and had a bath before getting ready. When she was done, she grabbed the keys from the top of the drawer as she left. She skipped through her bedroom, hopped down the stairs and skipped to the front door, hardly able to contain her happiness.
When she opened the door, Hinata thought her heart had stopped. Her face split into a grin to rival Naruto's as she stared at the car her father was standing next to with Neji and Hanabi.
"What are you waiting for?" Hiashi asked her and Hinata came forward in a daze as she took in her gift.
Hinata gripped the keys in her hands tightly, feeling the blunt metal dig into her palms as she came closer.
"This is the Corvette z06," Hiashi announced. "A bit too much for you, I think, but I figured I can't have my daughter driving around with that boy while she doesn't have a car of her own so I got you something better. Happy birthday."
Hinata nodded wordlessly as Hiashi opened the door for her and she got in the beautiful Ivory colored car behind the wheel.
She knew half the reason why her father had gotten her the car was for his own pride, to prove that he could provide a better, more expensive car than the vampires had for Sasuke. Nevertheless, she was glad he got it.
"How did you manage to get it so soon?" Hinata asked him.
"I made a couple calls to make sure you got it today," said Hiashi. "It cost quite a lot on its own but then I had to pay extra to get it here last night even though it was Boxing Day."
He shut the door and turned to Neji. "Go with her. She's going to test it out and I don't want her driving alone."
Hinata beamed as Neji walked around the front and got in the passenger seat, and then shut the door.
Fingers trembling and fumbling, Hinata pushed the key in the ignition and turned. The engine turned over and roared to life, the rumbling going straight through her as she put one hand on the wheel, one on the gear stick.
"You can't drive shaking like that," said Neji quietly so Hiashi couldn't hear him with a smirk. "Calm down."
Hinata took a deep breath, blowing through her nose. "Hai, let's go for a drive," she said.
There was a tap on the glass, her father's voice muffled. "Hold it."
Hinata looked at her father through the glass and rolled it down to hear what he wanted.
"I don't want you drawing attention to yourself," he said.
"The car does that on its own," said Hanabi.
"Well, yes," Hiashi agreed. "What I mean is that you have to remember you don't have your license yet and I'm only letting you drive it today because it's your birthday present. Don't go doing anything silly, alright?"
"Hai," said Hinata.
He looked at Neji now. "I'm sure you can be a better instructor than that boyfriend of hers, right?"
"Of course," said Neji.
"Good, see you both in a while then," the man said, giving them both a wide smile that threw his face in handsome relief. It was good to see him smile like that after so many years.
Hinata smiled back and waved before revving the car and then shifted in reverse. The car shot backwards and Hinata slammed on the breaks.
"I hadn't expected it to react to such a light touch," said Hinata with a nervous chuckle.
She looked at her father and sister and gave them the thumbs up before shifting the gear into drive. With a beep of the horn and a wave through the window from Neji, they were on the road.
"Oh Kami!" Hinata said excitedly as she gripped the wheel. "I can't believe this!"
She could see Neji checking out the beige interior of the car, flicking switches and pushing buttons from the corner of her eye. "This is really nice," he said. "Oji-san really made sure to top Sasuke, didn't he?"
Hinata laughed. "I have a feeling there's going to be more of that in the future."
Neji looked at his surroundings. "So where are you taking us?" he asked. "Although I think I know."
Hinata paused a little. "I'm stopping by Sasuke's," she said.
"See?" I knew it."
Shrugging, Hinata drifted into the next lane. "You heard Otou-san. This is the only time I'll be driving until I get my license. I'll have to take official driving lessons and stuff before I get it and that can take up to two months."
Neji nodded. "That's true. Slow down a little, you're going a little fast."
Hinata eased her foot up. "Gomen."
"Don't worry," said Neji. "In a couple months you'll be able to go as fast as you want."
She couldn't wait. When she got her license, Hinata planned to call up Sasuke and speed down a deserted highway at three in the morning like in the movies. Most likely, with the way Sasuke was, she could bet he would have a whole lot planned for them to do at three in the morning. She laughed at the thought, her cheeks tinted.
"What are you laughing about now?" asked Neji.
Hinata glanced at him. "Trust me, you don't want to know."
"Iie," said Neji. "I don't think I want to know now either because somehow, I think it has something to do with Sasuke."
---
Hinata drove down Sasuke's street and pulled up in front of the house, seeing Naruto wash his car.
At the loud rumble, Naruto looked up and his jaw dropped comically at the sight of the car and then his eyes all but popped out his head at who was driving and who was in the passenger seat, but Hinata figured it was more at the former.
"Oh Kami!! Sasuke!"
Hinata came to a full halt as Naruto ran to the house, dropping the bucket of water he had while washing his car. Hinata and Neji laughed as he hobbled as fast as he could with his pants threatening to drop off his butt in his haste to get through the door.
She had not even had the chance to open the door when Naruto came back through the door half dragging, half carrying Sasuke while pointing in her direction.
"Do you see that?!" he asked his best friend as they both stood outside the open door that Sai, Karin, and Kin were now filling to look out from curiosity; Itachi was probably not at home.
They all stared blankly while Naruto pushed and pulled Sasuke almost into insanity until the brunet shoved him away. "What is wrong with you?!" he yelled back at Naruto. "It's just Hina…ta."
The realization dawned on Sasuke's face as plain as day and his eyes widened as well, much to Hinata and Neji's amusement. Hinata's name was echoed by the other three before Sasuke started to come her way.
Naruto beat him there, running around the car once before stopping by her window.
"Hinata! Where did you get this car?! You're not even allowed to drive legally yet!"
Naruto was promptly pushed aside by Sasuke with a slight grin. "What he said," Sasuke told her, nodding his head in the blond's direction who was being pried off Sasuke's back by Karin.
Hinata giggled. "My father got it for me for my birthday," said Hinata. "I'm only allowed to drive it today for a little while until I get my license."
"That's cool," said Sasuke. "How long are you supposed to be out?"
"Just a little while," said Hinata. "He doesn't want me getting in trouble."
"So he gave his seventeen year old daughter who doesn't have a license a sports car and told her to drive around for a couple hours?" asked Sasuke.
Hinata laughed, more at the fact that it sounded strange to be seventeen. Now she would have to get used to it before having to get used to then being eighteen this time next year. "Well it is my birthday and he's trying to be nice."
"I think he knew you'd come over here to show Sasuke," said Neji, who had been quiet until then.
"Hai," Hinata agreed, turning to Neji and back to Sasuke. "It seemed that way."
"Hn!"
Sasuke was bounced aside when Naruto broke free.
"Can we go for a ride with you?" he asked. Karin and the others looked at her expectantly.
Hinata shook her head. "I wish I could but a bunch of teenagers in a sports car will definitely draw attention," she said.
"Idiot, after being pulled over by the police so many times when I allowed you to drive yesterday, you'd think you would have known that," said Sasuke as he once again shoved Naruto out of the way.
"So are you going to come over later?" Sasuke asked her.
"I plan to," said Hinata. "I don't know if my father will buy me saying I'm going over to Ino's since he knows about you now though."
"Neji will cover for you," said Sasuke. "Won't you?"
Hinata turned to Neji and saw he was about to say no. She quickly gave him a pleading look. "Please, Neji."
"Only because Hinata asked," said Neji shortly.
Hinata grinned and leaned across to kiss him on the cheek, not missing the unmistakable growl like sound coming from Sasuke. "Arigatou!"
Seeing the narrowing of Neji's eyes, Hinata turned to see Sasuke eyes were tinted red. "What the matter?" she asked him, even though she already knew.
"Nothing," said Sasuke; his eyes returned to their normal shade. "I'll see you again soon then?"
"Hai."
"Good. Remember I have something for you," said Sasuke.
Hinata nodded and started the car. "I'll see you later," she said. "Bye!" she said as she waved to the others.
"Bye! Happy birthday!" they all replied.
Hinata turned around in the driveway before driving off with another wave.
She couldn't wait to get back to Sasuke and see what he'd gotten for her. She fingered her cross unconsciously.
"Hey both hands on the wheel," Neji reprimanded.
"Hai, hai," Hinata said a little exasperatedly. "I don't need you to tell me every time, you know."
---
Hinata drove around for about a half hour more before heading back home. Her father and Hanabi were sitting out front waiting for them to return and Hinata and Neji smiled to see them talking and laughing.
"Hanabi seems to have gotten over whatever it was that was bothering her since Oji-san came back," said Neji as Hinata parked in the driveway.
"I noticed it as well," said Hinata. "She still goes to the bathroom regularly though."
"Let's hope she doesn't go back to before your father came."
Hinata and Neji got out and went in the direction of her father and Hanabi.
"How was it?" asked Hiashi.
"It was great," said Hinata. "Thank you so much."
Hiashi held out his hand for the keys and Hinata reluctantly gave them to him.
"Although you can drive pretty well, I'm going to hold onto these until you get you license and send the car away to be taken care of until you can drive it legally," he told her. "I don't want to tempt you by keeping it here."
They spent quite some time outside just enjoying the beautiful day and then went inside for lunch.
Of course, Hinata watched as they ate as she bit her tongue but she had not had foreign blood since the day before and she was getting steadily thirstier. She found herself constantly following the movement of Neji's hands, particularly his wrists. If he didn't hurry up and eat, she was sure she would grab his hand and take his wrist in front everyone.
Thinking fast, she came up with an idea. "Neji," she said suddenly. "I completely forgot to tell you but I can't figure out something on the computer."
"The laptop I gave you?" asked Hiashi.
"Hai," Hinata quickly said, not thinking.
"Go bring it down then so he can take a look," said Hanabi.
"Iie, if something's wrong with it so soon I should take it back and have it replaced," said Hiashi.
"It's charging?" Hinata more asked than said. "It's nothing bad, just a new program I'm not sure about."
Neji stood up after catching her quick desperate glance his way. "Come on," he said. "I was finished eating anyway."
"May we be excused?" asked Hinata as she stood as well.
"Go ahead."
Hinata and Neji walked away calmly and ascended the stairs to go to her room.
"What's the matter?" asked Neji. "Are you thirsty?"
"Hai," said Hinata, it was almost a whine.
"I could tell," said Neji. "I caught you looking at my hands the whole time."
"Do you think Otou-san saw?" asked Hinata.
"Probably, he's very observant and must have noticed the scars and bruises by now but even if he did, he let us leave."
Neji opened the door and allowed Hinata to go in first before going in himself.
"You could have bitten Sasuke earlier, you know," said Neji. "And you will no doubt when you go over there."
Hinata flopped on the bed. "Are you saying you don't want me to bite you?" asked Hinata.
"I just saw the way Sasuke looked when you kissed me earlier," said Neji.
"I did too," said Hinata. "But he knows we're kinda close and he's trying to accept it." She patted the area next to her. "Come, I'm starving."
Neji came over and sat down, holding out his wrist for Hinata and as she raised his hand to her mouth, baring her teeth, Hinata found she could go no further.
"What are you waiting for?" asked Neji.
"I can't," said Hinata and she really couldn't. As much as she wanted to bite Neji, she couldn't move to close to distance and take his wrist. She let it go.
"It seems that look Sasuke gave me did mean something," said Neji. "Did you see when his eyes turned red?"
Hinata nodded as she remembered how Sasuke's eyes had changed when she kissed Neji on his cheek. "Do you think he is the reason I can't bite you?" asked Hinata.
"It looks that way," said Neji. "Here, try again."
Hinata licked her fangs at she looked at the veins running through Neji's hand when her mark appeared but once again, she was about to bite him but hesitated.
Sighing, Hinata took out her phone to call Sasuke, the mark fading.
Sasuke was lying in bed trying to ignore Naruto's loud voice.
From morning Naruto had abandoned Karin to annoy him for a little while about his time away from home with Hinata. He had been in his room when he had come home but was probably too busy with his girlfriend to bombard him then, choosing now to do it.
"Please tell me what happened," begged Naruto as he inched closer. "I tell you what I do all the time."
Sasuke sat up.
"It's not like I ask you what you do with Karin," said Sasuke. "Trust me, I don't want to know, but with your loud voice and crazy habits I hear what you two do long before you force it through my ears afterwards."
It was true. Naruto had a habit of telling him in disturbingly vivid detail, all of what he and Karin got up to. He sometimes found it hard to look at the girl without all the atrocious images surfacing. If Karin knew what Naruto told him on a daily basis, she would probably die from shame.
"Plus I don't like discussing my girlfriend," Sasuke added.
"So what? She was my girlfriend too, you know," said Naruto.
Sasuke wrinkled his nose. "Ugh! Don't remind me."
Naruto jumped up and tackled him. "You bastard!" he shouted. "Just tell me what happened. At least where you went."
Sasuke sighed in defeat. "Fine, get off me. I'm thirsty and I really don't feel like drinking your blood."
"Why not!" yelled Naruto. "I should think I taste good, Karin says she can't get enough-"
"We went to a cabin!" Sasuke said quickly, trying to shut up Naruto.
The blond remained seated on his stomach as he stared down at Sasuke with a wicked grin. "Ahhh, I see," he said knowingly. "Did you get some?"
Sasuke bucked Naruto right off him, not wanting to have that conversation. "It's none of your business," he answered.
"So you did!" Naruto said loudly and then squealed, pulling Sasuke from the ground, he pulled him onto the bed to sit with him, staring at him with glee. "My little Sasuke's growing up and I must say it's about time!"
Sasuke ignored him.
"Wasn't it the best thing you ever felt in your whole life?!" Naruto asked him excitedly. "Unless you somehow screwed it up. But knowing you, you probably had it all down, ne, Mr. Hot Stuff?"
Sasuke fought down the blush he knew was teetering nearby. "Whatever, believe what you want but I'm not telling you."
Naruto rolled his eyes before holding out his hand to Sasuke, who looked at him blankly.
"You're thirsty, aren't you?" the blond asked.
Sasuke shrugged. Even though Hinata was going to be over later, he couldn't wait that long and she was probably feasting on Neji anyway.
With that thought in mind, Sasuke took Naruto's hand and watched as his best friend squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for him to drink. Just as his teeth were about to pierce the skin, his phone rang.
"This better be good," Sasuke said more to himself than Naruto. "I'm really thirsty."
Not even looking to see who the call was from, he flipped it to answer. "Nani?"
"Sasuke?"
It was Hinata.
His mood immediately lightened up. "Hey, what's up?"
Naruto chose that moment to fan his wrist in front Sasuke's face, making him feel slightly dizzy. "Will you stop that!"
"What's going on?" asked Hinata.
"Naruto's trying to feed me while I'm on the phone," said Sasuke.
"That's not fair," Hinata said. "Because I've been trying to bite Neji but I can't and I'm thirsty."
Sasuke was about to smack Naruto on the head but stopped midway as his interest was caught. "What do you mean you can't bite him?"
"Just that. I tried to take his wrist just now but I can't bring myself to," Hinata told him. "We think you have something to do with that."
"How could I have something to do… ahh."
Sasuke went silent as he recalled the possessive feeling he had when Hinata was too close to Neji earlier. He could remember blanking out all thoughts for a minute before returning to normal at the thought that she was his anyway.
"Sasuke?"
"Hai," he answered. "Listen, I think you're right that I might have had something to do with it. When you were close to Neji in the car, it felt strange."
"So it is you," said Hinata. "Do you know how thirsty I am? I haven't had foreign blood since yesterday."
"You could always just come over now," Sasuke suggested.
"I guess so," Hinata replied. "But what about when you're not there? You can take blood from Naruto."
Well, Hinata did have a point. It was not fair that he have Naruto when he was thirsty when he seemed to unconsciously forbid Hinata to take Neji's blood.
"So are you coming over?" he asked her.
"I'll get Neji to bring me over," she said. "I'll see you soon."
They both hung up.
"What was that about?" asked Naruto.
"None of your business," said Sasuke.
"Damn you!" yelled Naruto. "Just for that, I'm not giving you any blood!"
"Che, like I care," said Sasuke. "Hinata is coming over soon."
Naruto stuck out his bottom lip and walked to the door. "Well I'm going where I'm wanted and loved."
"Because it isn't in here," Sasuke called after Naruto who slammed the door.
He then got up and started cleaning up his bedroom since Hinata would be over soon and then he went on the computer to listen to some music until Hinata arrived.
---
Sasuke had been completely deaf to the world when he sensed Hinata outside his door and took off his headphones to hear her knocking.
"Come in," he said.
With a smile, Hinata came through the door.
Sasuke got up, looking her up and down as he walked closer to her. He did not think he would get used to seeing her wearing his cross. "What took you so long?" he asked her.
"My father took awhile to believe me and Neji when we told him I was going over to Ino's and only agreed to me leaving if he picks me up since Neji brought me here. Plus, we had a little party just between us with cake and everything even though I couldn't eat it," said Hinata. "Do you mind dropping me off at Ino later?"
"Hai, I don't have a problem with that."
"And about me not biting Neji-"
"I let that go," Sasuke said before Hinata finished.
He had tried with all his might and even though he could not let go of the fact that he didn't want Hinata biting some other man though it was her cousin, he accepted that he couldn't always be there to give blood when she needed it and vice versa. "I think you can bite him when you want now."
"Arigatou, you're the best," said Hinata. "What do you want to do?"
Sasuke closed the distance between them and hugged Hinata as tight as possible without crushing her. He inhaled her scent deeply. "Happy birthday," he breathed.
Hinata hugged him back just as tightly. "You told me that already," she said.
"I know," Sasuke said, letting her go. He backed her as he went to his drawer. He took out the small box he was looking for. He hid it behind his back as he went to the bed and sat down. "Come here," he said. "I have something for you."
Hinata inched closer and sat next to him. "What is it?" she asked him.
"I wanted to get you something that was uncommon," Sasuke answered, not telling yet. "Humans certainly won't have this and vampires don't do this very often either so I hope you like it."
He held out the box to Hinata, who took it with shaky hands. She uncovered it and grinned. "Wow! Sasuke you didn't have to do this!" she said excitedly. She took out the bracelet that matched the necklace with trembling fingers.
Sasuke took it from her and fastened it on her left wrist before bringing her hand to his lips to kiss it. Thirst ran through him as soon as he did and from her pulse quickening, Hinata had been affected as well by the close proximity.
Suddenly, there was a thump and a loud sound coming from another room.
Hinata's eyes widened.
"I hope that's not who I think it is," she whispered with a blush. That had unmistakably Naruto and Karin.
"It is," said Sasuke with a sigh. "I don't know why they can't behave like normal people. I'm surprised he isn't dead yet from the way he says she always has her teeth in him."
Hinata laughed. "Soon he won't have to worry since he's going to convert soon, right?" said Hinata.
"Hai, Itachi told me he'll start as soon as the New Year starts," said Sasuke. Whatever else he wanted to say completely flew from his mind as he heard more sounds, this time coming from Sai and Kin. "It's like a competition to see who can be the loudest in this house," he said, and then he smirked.
"Nani?" asked Hinata when she saw the look on his face and then her eyes widened. Apparently his thirst was apparent, because her eyes cleared, her pupils fading.
"I have an idea," he told her, taking her hands in his while easing back on the bed.
"W-what's that?" Hinata stuttered.
Sasuke grabbed Hinata's waist, hauling her over and flipped them. "Let's see how quiet we can be," he whispered.
Sensing she was every bit of thirsty and hungry as he was, Sasuke wasn't surprised when she nodded with a blush and vowed to make their time something the birthday girl would remember all year as the best thing that happened on her birthday, Corvette included.
Alright! I think that was a good place to stop hopefully, you think so too (even though I know from being an avid reader, it's never enough). Again, I'm sorry about the update being a little late, but I made the chapter longer to make up for it.
If you have not read Hina hime, A Happy Ending (now a completed fic), or Following the Sun (a new fic), please do. I'd really like to know what you think of the new fic.
Until next update…
Ja ne!
Please review, I love it when you do!