Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Pairings: Gaara/Hinata, slight Naruto/Sakura

Warnings: Slight Language

No Laws To Love: Part IV: As Long As It Doesn't Get Worse Than This

Part of her wanted Neji-niisan to find her and drive her home. The frozen part of her, that is. The more sensible half urged her to continue with the fast pace behind the red head. If Neji-niisan found her like this—walking home late without a ride or a cell phone with a strange boy…she didn't even want to think of the consequences from her overprotective cousin.

Not noticing the figure in front of her had stopped at the cross section, Hinata ran face first right into the back of the boy, ramming her frozen nose into his neck.

"AI!" She stumbled back slightly, rubbing her nose, which turned a pink tint.

"Watch the road," He turned and snapped at her, annoyance written all over his face.

Hinata sniffed. He didn't need to be that mean. If he didn't want to walk her home, he didn't have to. She probably could've gotten home somehow by herself, or have waited for Uzumaki-san and Inuzuka-san. They seemed fairly nicer.

Turning back around, not facing her, "What's your house address?"

"3-378…"

"This way," He took off again at a faster pace as she huffed behind.

"L-Look Sabaku-san…I-If you don't w-want to w-walk m-me home, all y-you have to d-do is g-go now," Truthfully, she didn't exactly want to be left alone. This was her neighborhood, but everything looked bigger in the dark.

Something flashed in front of her face and she glanced up at the black jacket held out.

"H-Huh?"

All he was wearing now was his school uniform jacket and T-shirt in the freezing January weather.

"You're cold, your teeth is chattering when you talk. It's annoying. Put this on."

"B-But…" What about him? "I-I can't ta—"

"Just do it, dammit," He thrust the jacket at her and stuck his frozen hands into his pocket. Of course he was cold, but he wasn't going to admit that. He was, after all Furyuu High School's martial arts team captain. The top fighting team of its division. Walking her home was nothing compared to what he'd been through before. It can't be that hard, right?

"A-Aren't you c-cold…?"

"Take it or leave it."

Her eyebrow started to twitch. Is he always this disagreeable? He was like…like…Neji-niisan! Heaven forbid those two should ever meet or the apocalypse will doom the world.

Hinata sighed as she pulled on the jacket. It was actually very warm and light. She giggled slightly; it smelled nice too.

Two headlights could be seen in the distant…and somehow…they looked familiar. The purplish tint of the lights…

Oh no!

She can't be seen with Sabaku-san…if her parents found out she was walking at night with…

"S-Sabaku-san!" She ran up to catch up with him hurriedly, "H-Hurry!"

With amazing strength for such a pint-sized girl, she grabbed the torso of the red-haired boy and pulled him into a nearby bush in front of a looming house.

Just in time as a black car whizzed by.

Whew…

That was Neji-niisan's car. He must be out searching for her since she hadn't contacted him. But that also means she was near home.

"What…the hell was that?" A face above her glared.

He picked himself off her and dusted his school uniform as Hinata, blushing, struggled to get up.

He frowned at her, but turned to face the path again.

"A-Ah…"

His brows knitted together. The little brat was making his job harder, "What now?"

She smiled at him as she pointed at the sky; "It's snowing!"

A cold tinge touched the tip of his nose and he groaned inwardly. He had to ask if it couldn't get worse.

As if it was intuition, not a creature was on the streets. Either that or it was too cold to be out at night. But whatever the case, everything stayed away from the rampaging car.

Hyuuga Neji, one of the most well respected and sought after…that is, besides from the Uchida brothers…was doing 40 mph in residential areas…pushing 45 mph that is.

Like a police car in a chase…or a worried boy looking for his lost cousin, he skidded at the tight corner and sped on at super speed—or so it was for a residential area. And if you could not see from now, Neji probably was one of those who do 90 on the freeway.

"T-Thank-you for w-walking me home…" Hinata turned to bow at the gates at the front of her house—er mansion.

"Hn," He turned around and started walking back.

She entered the warm house and started to take off her shoes…

Sabaku-san's jacket!

Quickly stripping it off, she rushed back outside, "S-Sabaku-san! Your ja—"

"Sabaku-san…?" She couldn't even see his silhouette down the street.

Oh well…I'll return it to him later…

Right now, she went back inside and picked up the phone, she had to call Neji-niisan.

Neji gripped the steering wheel, where the hell was Hinata!

He looked back up and saw a figure jump a fence and cross the road. Neji stepped on the brake quickly and stopped a few feet away from the person. It was some boy dressed in a common public school's uniform. It was dark and quiet outside and the kid didn't even have a jacket on.

Stupid boy

Neji glared at the boy…who had light hair color in the yellowish street lamps…orange was it?

The boy stared back through the windshield with a mask of contempt and raised one hand…and finger before rushing off.

Neji's eyes narrowed…

The punk flipped me off!

Next time he sees that kid, it's roadkill. Maybe he'll chase after that kid and scare him for awhile. He flickered his headlights in the kids' direction.

I'll show that little pain in the ass a lesson…

Yeah, that'll be fun.

But very fortunate for the rude kid that ran off, Neji's cell phone rang and he reached over to pick it up, stopping his car in the middle of the road. It was a residential area at 10 PM in January after all. Besides, it was snowing slightly too…it was crazy to be outside.

"Hello?"

"N-Neji-niisan!" A voice on the other end gasp.

"Hinata? Where are you?" Was she in trouble! Was something…!

"I-I'm already at home…"

Huh?

"How'd you get home?"

"U-Uh…I-I was…uh…t-tutoring and…and then S-Sakura-chan came…?…And w-we went to e-eat and s-she d-decided to…and m-my cell o-off a-and it didn't w-work…I don't k-know why…a-and I thought y-you'll c-call me b-but…"

"Hinata…how'd you get home?" He repeated. Her story didn't make sense with all the stuttering.

"S-Sakura-chan just d-drove me home…" She sounded unsure herself.

"Oh, okay," He turned the car around, "I'll come home now."

"O-Okay, thanks N-Neji-niisan."

He grunted in response as he turned off the cell.

Hinata sighed in relief on the other end. She had just enough time to change and hide Gaara's jacket before Neji-niisan came stomping home.

He looked at her and frowned before he shook his head, "You said your cell didn't work? Let me see, I'll fix it."

Uh…

Her cell was at the school…

"I-It's okay…I got it to w-work just now…"

Neji gazed her, of course he didn't really believe her, Hinata was one of the most technology incapable person he knew. He also knew she wouldn't tell him the truth anyway, so he sighed and walked to the living room.

"Tenten wants you to meet her and Sakura at the front entrance of the mall tomorrow at 9 am," He waved one hand over his shoulder.

Hinata let out a large breath, "Okay," Lucky her, Neji-niisan didn't want to pursue the topic any further and she proceeded up the stairs to her room again.

Once inside, she locked the door and entered her spacious closet, pulling out a black jacket.

Maybe she'll wash it before she returns it to him. She held it up to her face again…it smells so nice…she wanted to keep it though…

Inspecting the jacket…she found out that the zipper was broken off…

Must've tried too hard while zipping it up…

And one of the sleeves was worn up and ripped slightly.

Guys. They need to take care of their belongings better. The jacket looked fairly new too…

She found a hook and hung it back up.

Gaara stared back at the large gate in front of him. Why the hell was he doing this? For all he cared, she could've been stranded at the ramen place…or froze to death walking home…or she could come to the school by herself and find her cell.

He had gone out of his way enough to take her to dinner, walk her home, give her his jacket—which to be reminded that she kept it too—almost got run over by some crazy-ass driver, and now scavenging for her cell phone. Maybe he should make a long distance call to his sister in Europe just as a payback.

Holding up the small flip phone with a lavender bunny key-chain, he sighed and pocketed it.

Hinata pulled on her boots and shuffled out the door, waving goodbye to her not-so-morning-type cousin who sat in front of the TV again, eating a bowl of cereal at the slowest pace known. He grunted a goodbye to her as she closed the door and got on her bike.

Sakura-chan agreed to drive her there, so all Hinata needed to do was get over to Sakura-chan's house. There was no need for a chauffeur, actually, Hinata liked being out in the thin layer of snow last night had sprinkled on.

Neji leaned back on the soft sofa and sighed, peace at last. Hinata was off somewhere he could trust, Hanabi was off with another boy-toy of hers, their parents had flown off to Europe for business again, and the house was his.

Maybe he'll get another few hours of sleep before having to pick up Lee from the airport.

So, as left to that, our little Neji drifted off to noiseless world, for about two hours before the doorbell rang at an increasingly loud pitch, followed by aggravated sharp raps.

"Negh…?" Neji blinked groggily as he fumbled off the couch, running into the coffee table first. Damn…just his luck, he didn't bother putting his contacts on in the morning, so everything was a large blob of color to him.

The insistent knocking continued as Neji peered through the hole to see who it was. Squinting, he made out an outline of a thin but muscular boy with offending bright red hair and a large frown on his face. Kid must have the wrong house.

Nevertheless, Neji opened the door and gazed at the boy dressed in a loose black windbreaker and black slacks staring back at him with a bored expression.

"Sorry, you must have the wrong h—"

"Is Hyuuga Hinata here?" The boy cut him off.

Gaara frowned at the face in front of him. That guy has issues. He hadn't even said anything yet, and already trying to shoo him away.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

"I want to talk to Hinata," He smirked, "Who are you?"

Neji huffed. Who does this kid think he is? And how does he know Hinata? "I'm her older cousin, who are you?"

"I'm…" Gaara stared, "None of your business. I want to talk to Hinata."

Neji frowned, "State your name first."

"Why should I?" Gaara was actually enjoying the slowly raising temper of the older boy in front of him, "I don't want to know your name."

"Look you," Neji lunged forward and grabbed the collar of the jacket, "Quit being disrespectful to your elders."

Gaara swatted his arm away and backed up, sticking his hands in his pockets, "And I'm your junior? I want to speak with Hinata."

Neji narrowed his eyes, "She's not here."

The other boy turned around, "Why didn't you say so earlier…" He started to walk away, though still in hearing distance, "Jackass."

Neji could feel a vein pop. He wanted to rush out there and beat the crap out of the little punk. Kind of like the feeling he felt last night when he wanted to run some kid over for flipping him off.

He got the same type of irritation looking at the red-haired boy.

Why that disrespectful little insect…Such a pain in the ass

Gaara rounded around the corner as he pulled out a small object.

Her phone

He was meaning to give it back to her…but her prick of a cousin pissed him off. He could've given it to that him…on the other hand, another visit tomorrow could be amusing…

Gaara muttered as he made his way to the arcade where the others were waiting for him.

"What crawled up his ass and died…"

End Part IV: As Long As It Doesn't Get Worse Than This

Well, how'd you like this? Haha, I think the thing I spent the most time on is usually the titles…

anyways, it has been brought to my attention (i just realized it) what's the C2 community button thingy? i'm confused...haha

Review please!

Ame no Megami