All right, well, I just wanted to get the birthday over and done with so that we could move on with the plot, so it's a shorter chapter than usual. I put some stuff in there with the plot that 'is' important, and I pointed out the obvious relationships that are gonna be important.
I haven't actually decided what's going to happen… lol, did I ever mention how I'm writing without a plot?
Lol, surprise!
Read. Review.
-ink
Hinata had been secretive all day long, it was more unnerving than not being able to see an assassin.
He could hardly stand it, but somehow he managed to keep himself quiet, watching her vanishing from the house once in a while for moments of about fifteen minutes.
It wasn't surprising that she was being so secretive. It had begun early in the morning when she had stated quiet calmly that she didn't feel like going out to the fields in the outskirts of town.
He had flinched, but remained calm as well and said that was fine.
While mentally disagreeing.
NO. No, it's NOT fine…fangirls are going to try to put you in a coma again- they're possibly worse than Itachi himself for god's sake-
Still, he didn't say anything, he just watched her vanish and come back, making him nervous each time she took longer to return. She always did return though, as if nothing were the matter, and soon enough he began to get a frightening feeling. Perhaps she had found out about his birthday… and perhaps she was planning something…
The nerves that accompanied that thought surprised him, forcing the aloof Uchiha to examine his emotions. Uchiha Sasuke was not 'nervous' he was rarely even jittery.
It occurred to him then, while sitting in the living room pretending to read, that maybe he was… looking forward to whatever it was that she had secretively been planning.
Maybe, just maybe… he wanted to actually celebrate his birthday.
It was 2 pm when Hinata smiled sweetly at him from the doorway, leaning against the doorframe, blushing the way she always did when she was consciously thinking about him.
Curiously he looked up from this purposefully ignored book, blinking at her.
"Ne, Sasuke." She began hesitantly, rubbing one arm slightly. "Do you… do you want to go for a-a walk?"
The Uchiha felt blood rushing to his face at the possibility that whatever she was planning might come along during the walk.
Shrugging calmly he pushed himself up. "You're bored?"
Hinata blinked and blushing even harder nodded. "I need fresh air." She lied, hooking her arm behind her back.
"All right." He shrugged, allowing her to take his hand, they started out the door, slipping into the bright evening sun and blinking in the bright light. It was dark inside the house, despite the many walls lined with windows.
Hinata chattered on about the weather, stuttering more than she had in months.
Sasuke just watched her out of the corner of his eye. He didn't know what was coming.
Not at all…
Sakura licked her lips nervously, shifting against the tree trunk behind her, binoculars pressed firmly to her face.
"Okay, Ino. I've got visual. The target is moving out of the compound heading west towards the training area."
The head piece hidden under her pink hair let out a small version of Ino's loud mouth voice. "Gotcha! Am I clear to enter the site?"
"…just about…" Sakura replied, watching Sasuke and Hinata vanish from sight. "We're clear! Get your team in there. I'm meeting Naruto in rendezvous point A, I'll be on site in about fifteen minutes, clear?"
"Crystal!" Ino replied, rushing forward at the confirmation from Sakura. Shikamaru, Chouji, Shino, Kiba and Akaramaru followed, slipping out of the bushes near Sasuke's front door, heading purposefully forward and into the house.
There was something nerve wrecking about breaking into Sasuke's house. Images of flying daggers, explosions and general chaotic death plagued the minds of all the team.
But for some reason the fear was deflated as soon as Ino crouched down and lifted up the mat at the front door to reveal a key which she used to get inside, giving them a weak grin. "Hinata told me about it." She explained, opening the door to the rather impressive foyer.
Slowly the team stepped in, equipped with bags of groceries, junk food, pop and drinks a little stronger than pop… Piles of cd cases and in Shino's careful arms… a cake.
"Right. Let's go!" Ino grinned impishly, cracking her fingers. "We've got a lot of work to do!"
"You've got to be kidding me." Naruto whined, staring at the Hyuuga gates with distrust. "You've got to be. I mean…dattebayo." He sighed, giving Sakura a look over his shoulder. Sakura, who was on his back, just looked down at him in a slightly adorable puzzled manner.
"Nani? Neji-san isn't so bad… Or so Hinata says." She replied, wrinkling her nose to show that she might just disagree with that.
"You're telling me." Naruto grunted, rolling his eyes. "She's too sweet to know."
"That's what I said, but Ino elbowed me." Sakura grumbled, slipping off his back slowly and grabbing on to his arm to regain her balance.
"…why do we have to have him around anyway? I thought he and Hinata weren't talking since… the disownment thing." Naruto sighed.
"So did I." Sakura shrugged, but Tenten got wind of the party from Ino, cuz Ino is incapable of keeping her great big mouth shut."
"No surprise there."
"Mm." she sighed, and glanced up at him. "And he is her cousin."
"Poor girl." Naruto grinned. "Let's go."
Silently they entered the compound, pushing open the gates, feeling more jittery than when they went on a mission.
"You know something; I think this may be a bad idea." Sakura admitted hesitantly, biting her lip as they walked up the stairs towards the doorway. It was a modest enough doorway… if you were a rich family that ruled half the village.
Pillars on either side, and a long line of steps lead up to a marble entrance that framed the black as night door and crystal windows along each side.
They didn't even get to think about knocking before the door was flung open by a small peevish looking man in clean clothing that took none of his age off of him. He had small slanted eyes and a mass of gray hair, but he seemed clean enough, though a little startling as he blinked at them through layers and layers of wrinkles.
"What can I do for you in behalf of the Hyuuga Household, my lady, kind sir?"
Naruto and Sakura stared at him, both startled quite a bit by the sudden welcome, though it felt vaguely stand offish.
"…uh. Oh." Naruto began cleverly, grinning sheepishly and reaching up to rub the back of his head. "We…. Ano-"
"We need to talk to Neji-san if that's at all possible." Sakura interrupted, giving Naruto a look that clearly stated he was being a little dumb.
The old man in front of them moved his mouth in an odd manner that made her think he probably had few teeth.
"I will… see if he is home." He smiled at them, his eyes closing almost fully.
The two shinobi just blinked back, a little startled, unaware of being just a tad rude in their staring. Without another word the older man closed the door and stepped back into the house, leaving them alone outside.
For a moment the two stared blankly at the closed door then turned to look back at each other confusedly.
"What the hell was that?"
"I haven't a clue."
A few seconds later the door flung open again and a breathless Tenten stepped out, shoving her hair back under her hair band, looking sheepish and a little out of place. "Uh- Sakura, Naruto, hi!" she gasped, taking a deep breath, shoving loose strands of hair out of the way. "How're you?"
The two shinobi stared at her a moment again, the series of odd welcomes becoming steadily unnerving. "Ne, Tenten-chan, are you all right?' Sakura began, putting a hand on her shoulder lightly.
"Fine, fine." Tenten smiled, breathing in deeply to try to steady her harsh panting. "Anyway, ano… what're you two doing here?'
"Inviting you Lee and Neji to Sasuke's birthday party." Sakura stated in a flat tone that stated quite clearly just how dangerous that probably was.
Tenten froze while wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, staring at her. "Oh… I see."
"Yeah." Naruto stated dryly, rolling his eyes to the heavens.
"Ne… I don't know if-" Tenten began.
The door was flung open again and suddenly Lee was outside, looking just as out of breath as Tenten.
"Sakura-san! Naruto-kun! I am very pleased to see you here on this fine summer's day!" he cried, wheezing slightly.
Naruto and Sakura stared back, feeling a little stupid.
"…uh… are we interrupting anything…?" Sakura began hesitantly, making a point not to twitch.
Lee and Tenten blinked at her confusedly, each steadying their own rapid breathing. "Nani? No, nothing at all." Tenten shook her head, flashing her a quick smile.
"What was I saying again?"
"Tenten-chan! Neji-kun has asked that you come back inside to speak with him for a moment if your loveliness would allow it!" lee cut in again, making Tenten turn to look at him questionably, and perhaps a little annoyed.
"I'm sure he put it less… flowery."
"Sakura-san! What brings you to the fine house of Hyuuga?" Lee cried again, ignoring Tenten's irritated look and focusing quickly on the pink haired kunoichi.
Grumbling Tenten stepped back into the house, shutting the door with a snap, turning to head back up the stairs to Neji's room.
On the way up she glanced sideways at the courtyard where Hanabi stood, facing some big nosed tight faced tutor from the rain country that her father had ordered to come and train her.
The girl had been so submerged in her training that she had seen neither Neji nor anyone else for more than a few seconds while passing them in the hallway…
Tenten could hardly remember her face…
Sighing at the sad thought she walked right up the stairs, almost running right into Neji who was waiting at the top with his arms crossed and an impatient look on his face.
"Ack." Tenten stated sharply, taking a step back in surprise. "You should watch where you're going." Neji stated coldly. The girl gave him a glare. "Aren't you the one with all seeing eyes?"
The aloof Hyuuga felt his lips twitch in a controlled smirk. "Why are they here?"
"It's not very fair that you're sending Lee and I running down there like your messenger boys."
"I'm well aware you're not a boy."
The sentence came out of nowhere, both the shinobi froze, staring at one another in slight surprise.
"Uh… well that's good." Tenten managed, trying to annoy herself out of the awkwardness. Quickly she stuck her tongue out at him in a very childish but obviously annoyed fashion, destroying all sense of weirdness in a moment.
"What do they want, Tenten?" he asked again, scrambling mentally to pick himself up. Whatever demonic force had taken control of him and used his lips to say something as idiotic as I'm well aware you're not a boy needed to get out before he picked himself up. Or there would be hell to pay, all over again.
"They're inviting us all to Sasuke's birthday party."
Neji scoffed, it was nearly an unconscious natural reaction. Tenten's eye roll was equally natural. "Will you just give the guy a chance, for god's sake?"
"I don't recall ever saying I believed in God."
"Damnit, for my sake then?" Tenten grumbled, almost wanting to stomp her foot in frustration. Instead she crossed her arms, giving him a look that was so close to a pout that his cheeks flushed.
"Why? He's just a bother."
"And in love with your cousin."
"You don't know that."
"It's hard not to."
"I don't know that."
"You're dense- oh god, I didn't mean that!" she added, throwing her hands over her mouth in surprise. "It just felt like I was arguing with Lee."
Somehow the last sentence made him smirk widely, unintended again.
"You want to go to the party?"
"…I haven't seen Hinata since she left the hospital." Tenten admitted, looking at him seriously, hands still up to her mouth from shame at what she had said.
"Hn." He sighed, looking curiously at the ground, assessing the situation for the best possible result.
"Neither have you. Didn't I say you should talk to her?" Tenten enquired as gently as she could, though she was still a bit irritated by the topic.
Neji looked up, a small twitch between his brows stating his dislike of the topic as well. "Somehow talking to her at Sasuke's birthday party doesn't seem like the best idea."
"Oh and you have a better one."
Sudden steps made them turn around to look at Lee, breathing in and out rapidly again from having run up the steps in his hurry to reach them. "Sakura-san is getting impatient!" he cried. "She may use her powerful beautiful fists to scare you out of the house!"
"Did she actually say that?" Tenten blinked, impressed. Lee shook his head. "No!"
"Why does he 'always' yell?" Neji enquired, rubbing his forehead tiredly. Tenten sighed, rolling her eyes again.
"Are we going, or not?"
"Why do we all have to go? You and Lee go." Neji grumbled, crossing his arms. The girl opened her mouth to snap but then stopped, unsure of what to say.
Neji stared at her, waiting patiently for her brain to process the information and maybe say something that would force him to go.
"…but I want you to come…"
Silence followed as Tenten looked back at him, forcing herself despite it all, clenching her hands to keep from looking down as the Hyuuga's intense stare bore into her own.
"Oh." He said.
Lee's large eyes shifted back and forth between the two, his mouth a large O of surprise.
"…I…." he began, "… will go tell Sakura-san that we'll all be going!" he turned around, running down the stairs quickly.
Neji started, turning away from Tenten to look after Lee, who, being the fastest shinobi in the village had already vanished outside. "But I didn't say I was going to go!" he gasped.
Tenten gave him a look, smirking, a little pleased with herself, though she was blushing against her will.
"Looks like you are going though."
Silently grumbling and sulking the Hyuuga shook his head in defeat and headed back into his room.
It took Tenten fifteen minutes and a few throwing knives to get him out… but a clever girl is hard to defy.
"You DON'T put ribbons up like THAT!" Ino shouted, thumping Chouji (though lightly) on the head.
"How the heck do you do it then?" The boy grumped, tangled up in the mess of blue and white ribbon in his arms and all over his shoulders. "It's hard!"
"Man, you've got issues." Kiba grinned wolfishly, shoving the couch in the living room to a corner so there was more space in the middle of the room.
"I've got issues? You've got to worry about whether or not Sasuke Uchiha likes having dogs in his house!" Chouji snapped back, making Akamaru growl deep in his throat, the sound rippling through the house and making the hair on the back of Ino's neck rise on end.
"Aww…" she began hesitantly, sounding a little fake. "But he's such a cute puppy!" she walked over to the large dog and went to pat him, nervously laying one hand on his nose before withdrawing quickly.
"Somehow I don't think that's exactly going to affect Sasuke's opinion." Shikamaru grunted, shaking his head, standing with his back to the team, eyeing the supplies of non-innocent drinks that had gathered in a corner of the living room with piles of ice.
"Oomph!" they heard from the kitchen, and then… CRASH!
Shattering glass from the kitchen is never a good noise.
The team looked at each other nervously, frozen in place, waiting for Shino's voice to finally say something. After a long half minute there was a sigh.
"…I think there might be a problem with the cake…"
"Tch." Shikamaru.
"What?" Kiba.
"Can we still eat it?" Chouji.
"Oh CRAP!" Ino.
YES! Akamaru… thinking.
The giant dog rushed into the kitchen, making Shino stumble out, looking a little frazzled with icing all over his coat.
"Well.. it's mostly gone now, Akamaru has his share that's for sure."
"DAMN!" Ino shouted, rushing to the kitchen again. "Damn, damn damn!!"
"I thought Hinata was going to cook anyway." Shikamaru pointed out, shrugging, figuring the quiet Hyuuga could pull off something amazing without a worry. Most people had tasted Hinata's cooking at one point or another and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that she was one of the best cooks out there.
"That's not fair! I said I would make sure there was a cake!" Ino shouted from the kitchen.
"Argh! Akamaru, back off!"
There was a low growl.
"Ah!!! Kiba!"
Sighing the wolf boy sat down right where he was, rolling his eyes. "Akamaru."
There was a soft whine and the dog trotted out of the kitchen, licking his chops clean of icing.
"Oh well, we'll eat something else." Chouji shrugged. "I saw the fridge, it's stuffed."
"Is that the first thing you check when you enter a house?" Ino grumbled, stumbling out of the kitchen, wiping her shoes clean of icing on a towel.
"Yep."
Ding Dong.
The collective silence came back again to haunt them as they stared towards the foyer and the closed door, uncertain.
"…if they're ringing the doorbell… we can assume that it's not them… ne?" Kiba began, glancing at Shikamaru, the strategist.
The young man shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "…dunno."
A hard knock on the door that made the hinges whine in surprise made everyone jump.
"Ino you blonde! Open the damned door!" came Sakura's muffled voice.
"Figures." Ino grumbled, rushing forward in relief to open the door, flicking the locks out of place quickly to let Sakura and Naruto in.
"Hey, I thought you were dragging the Hyuuga ice-cube here." Ino complained as they stepped in alone, Sakura grabbing the chair right beside the door and sitting quickly. "They're on their way. Neji's throwing a fit, won't come out of his room or something."
"…wow." Ino blinked. "Kinda childish."
"And you thought I was immature." Naruto grunted, heading towards the kitchen to get Sakura something to drink, the walk had strained her leg a bit.
"How're the preparations going?" the med nin enquired, glancing around past the foyer walls to the living room and the disaster tangle of ribbon.
"Could be going better if I had a capable team, ya know?" Ino grunted, crossing her arms and glaring at them.
Kiba grinned back peevishly. "We're guys. What the hell would we know about decorating?"
"What the hell happened to the cake!?" Naruto shouted suddenly. Sakura flinched. "Something happened to the cake?"
Ino sighed. "I'm so glad there's another girl here. Maybe we can actually get something done."
Grinning Sakura rolled up her sleeves, licking her lips as she pushed herself to her feet awkwardly because of the cast.
"All right, Ino. Let's whip these boys into shape." She turned to look at the group of lingering men, watching them flinch slightly at the evil glint in her eye.
Ino followed her example without missing a beat.
"You've got it."
Things were really gonna get on a roll.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun. I thought I saw boxes at the old house entrance." Hinata muttered, sitting quite comfortably on his lap, looking out at the sunset from their branch on the willow tree at the training site. The wind was soft enough to weave through both their hair and tickle their faces as it passed by, tossing handfuls of random petals around them as it flowed.
"Boxes?" Sasuke lied. "I don't think so." He shrugged, knowing full well that most fangirls had actually been too dull to realize he had moved in the last few weeks, something that he was thanking the heaven's for every single moment of the day.
So far there had been no stampedes and no boxes of chocolate thrown at him like last year.
Some of those girls had very good throwing arms. He had ended up with a concussion and a serious grudge several years in a row.
"Oh. Maybe it was the workers then." Hinata shrugged to herself, making a mental note of how his voice sounded when he was lying.
He wasn't very good at it to begin with, but now she knew better than to ignore that slight undertone of nervousness. She knew now.
Smirking because he couldn't see she leaned back, letting out a comfortable sigh, not wanting to move.
"…Hinata." Sasuke began, remembering suddenly a necklace that had been sitting on his dresser for months.
"…Tsunade gave me something of yours when you were in the hospital." He stated, suddenly wanting to know why she had had it. "I forgot about it until now."
Blinking rapidly Hinata leaned back to look at him, confused. "Something of mine?" she cocked her head, making the sun do amazing things with the shades of purple in her hair. "What was it?"
"A necklace." He frowned, reaching out to rub her own frown away, running his finger down her nose, making her smile at the touch. "It's just a small onyx stone wrapped up in a strip of leather."
Slowly Hinata's eyes lifted, widening in surprise.
"…Oh…" she gasped, lifting her hands up to her face. "The necklace!"
Her shock struck his curiosity, making him sit up. "What? What is it?"
"It's not mine- it's yours." She began, sitting up sharply to face him. "Itachi, the reason he came was to give it to you… It was your mothers." Her eyes searched his face, watching it begin to close, only his eyes said anything, his lips pressed tight into a thin line that stated clearly how he didn't know what to say.
"… I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I forgot about it. He said he was going to give it to you if you proved worthy…" she reached up to touch his face gently. "Is it really your mothers?"
Sasuke felt her touch but vaguely, his thoughts rushing to memories of playing with the necklace as it hung around his mother's neck, the smooth stone had felt odd in his small hands when she had held him. She always wore it… he remembered seeing it fly off her neck when she was sliced across by her own son.
"…hai. It's my mother's." he muttered, his voice flat, looking sideways at the sun. Hinata's eyes softened, her hands sliding up his neck to his face, turning him gently to look at her.
"…What is it?"
She searched his gaze worriedly, attempting to understand what was happening within those dark eyes, trying to break through the barrier that was so obviously built there.
"Nothing." He replied quietly, unsure of what to say. He felt strange, the melancholy of remembering his mother's death was sitting heavily on his shoulders, but Hinata's warm hands were distracting, pulling him from the thoughts like a magnet. It was an odd sensation, he couldn't understand it.
"You're lying." Hinata replied softly, kissing him gently, the innocence of it fading with the seconds that ticked by until they were clinging to one another, tasting the warmth of each other's lips, consumed by the sensations washing over them both.
Slowing her heart rate as forcefully as she could manage she began to slow, trailing her lips over his smoothly, making him shiver slightly at the touch.
"I'm sorry." He muttered suddenly, looking at her past his lashes. "I just… can't talk about it."
"I understand." She nodded, leaning her forehead against his, arms wrapped around his neck. "I'm here to listen when you feel you can."
"…arigato."
Smiling gently she pulled back a moment, studying his face before kissing him quickly again, dragging herself to her feet.
"Let's go back, it's getting late." She pointed out, glancing at the setting sun. Sasuke looked back at her lazily from where he sat, thoughts half lingering on the necklace and the fact that it was his mother's but for the most part he was concentrating on studying her.
"Ne, must we move?"
Hinata laughed softly, reaching down to take his hand, giving him a tug. "Come on."
"Ugh." He allowed himself, pushing himself slowly to his feet. "Fine."
"We still have to eat dinner." She pointed out, stepping right off the tree branch and landing at a crouch on the ground, ignoring the jolt of pain that rushed up her side as she landed. The wound had been getting better, but it still ached. Sakura's chakra work had helped heal it faster, though it would still be a few weeks before she could train very hard.
"Hn." He grumbled, smirking slightly before snatching her into a hug from behind, making her burst out laughing as he kissed his way up her neck.
"I wasn't exactly thinking about dinner."
Heart pounding suddenly Hinata leaned back against his shoulder, looking up at him thoughtfully. "I bet."
He smirked, giving her a kiss before letting her go. She had made the boundary line clear. There would be nothing past what they had done… and he would respect that.
Even though it was so disturbingly unbelievably hard to do…
"Let's go. We've been gone a long time as it is." Hinata pointed out, making him eye her uneasily.
Thoughts of nerve wrecking surprises lingered in his mind. She had not said anything to do with birthdays, or parties or the others, so he supposed there was nothing and he was just being paranoid.
Or hopeful.
Silently they started back home, walking in comfortable silence as the stars began to come out, tinged orange from the sun's fingers still staining the sky.
"Sasuke?" Hinata asked, as they stepped up to the front door and she waited for him to pull out the key.
"When is your birthday?"
The young man froze, having just turned the key, the lock echoing loudly. "N-nani?" he began, turning to look at her sharply, ignoring the fact that he had just stuttered.
Hinata grinned back at him, hands clasped behind her back, rocking back and forth on her heels. "Surprise." She whispered.
The door was suddenly flung open from the inside, snatching the key right out of his hand. A loud blaring sound of "SURPRISE!!!" ripped out of the entrance which was crowded with people and bright colors and ribbons and balloons, making freeze, staring back at them all.
Oh shit.
Though, he was still trying very hard not to smirk.
The music was playing in the background, something that no one actually recognized except for maybe Ino who was humming along as she served the casserole that Hinata had cooked earlier that day, junk food littered the entire table and drinks of both alcoholic and non alcoholic types were strewn all over the place.
There was loud conversation and arguments from people from time to time usually ending in some sort of drinking contest, which, to everyone's surprise even Hinata joined in, shocking everyone by being the second best drinker, next to Sasuke, who still hadn't begun to get tipsy.
Past midnight meant nothing at all to anyone seeing as they were all so happy and so absolutely high on each other's presence.
Neji, who had refused to drink had stayed in the corner, avoiding for the sake of everyone looking at either Hinata or Sasuke. Which suited both of the others fine. No one wanted to deal with problems when there was sake and who knows what else lingering on everyone's tongues.
"Oh my god!" Ino laughed, watching Hinata stared thoughtfully at one of the sake cups before downing the whole thing, wincing visibly, but still sitting up.
"She's insane!" Kiba shouted, dragging the bottle away, but laughing anyway, pink cheeked himself from drinking more than he should have.
"I'm o-o-kay." Hinata nodded slowly, moving to stand up and falling right back down, laughing a little at herself.
Sasuke put his hands on her shoulder from behind, shaking his head, though he was still smirking. "Tch." He sighed, taking her cup away.
"Is something burning?" Sakura started suddenly, sniffing the air. Everyone stopped for a moment to smell the air and then Hinata was shoving herself to her feet in a hurry, laughing again. "Oh no! The cake!"
The four girls rushed into the kitchen, leaving the guys to struggle with their laughter, though it didn't seem to matter because they were laughing so loudly from inside.
"That's the second cake in a night! We suck!" Ino shouted to the others, making Shino blush slightly at the memory of his 'accident'.
"Ne ne, I'm making pudding instead." Hinata stated, pulling the scorched cake out of the oven, giggling because it looked so sadly pathetic.
"No way we can burn that." Tenten nodded, then began shaking her head at the three slightly drunk girls.
"All aright… there's chocolate in here somewhere." Hinata began, turning to look at what looked like endless cupboards on the opposite wall of the oven.
Fits of giggles passed through the girls as she shook her head, putting a hand to her face slightly. "Maybe that sake wasn't a good idea…"
"Oh come on, it can't be that hard." Tenten sighed, moving forward to attack the cupboards.
"Right." Ino stated sarcastically, rolling her eyes. "We'll see."
Half an hour later Naruto and Sasuke glanced into the kitchen to see what was taking the bunch of giggling girls so long only to freeze at the sight of all four of them covered nearly head to toe in flour, splashes of chocolate and vanilla and sugar.
"No! Don't put the milk in yet!" Hinata shouted suddenly, startling the two male shinobi at the door with how forceful she was being. But, Ino being herself didn't pay attention and poured a whole whack of the milk into the bowl.
With a poof flour exploded all over the place again at the contact, making them cough and laugh and stumble all over.
"Maybe the kitchen wasn't a good idea…" Sasuke began slowly, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You're bloody telling me…" Naruto began, chuckling despite himself. "It's gonna take all of the guys to get them out of there, you know that, right?"
"Ugh." Sasuke replied, stepping in the kitchen to try and control the drunk girls while Naruto headed back into the living room to get the rest of the Rookie Nine.
"You've got to go and collect your respective female." Sasuke heard him shout, making him roll his eyes.
"What the hell?" Kiba gasped as he stepped into the kitchen, just in time to see Ino slip and fall on her behind in the middle of a pile of flour.
"Ow!" Ino replied, wiping her face only to leave another streak of chocolate across it.
"Tch." Shikamaru sighed, walking forward before any of the guys got to her first. "All right, it's been fun, but if we don't get them home their 'fathers' are going to come after all of us, and no offense, but, I'd rather not deal with 'that'." He pointed out, scooping up Ino like she weighed nothing at all.
Chouji flinched, rushing to open the door. "Right! Let's go!"
Naruto laughed, nodding. "No kidding." He muttered, pulling Sakura onto his back. She was still awake enough to know what was going on and muttered an apology about drinking too much and a very detailed threat about what would happen if he decided he could take advantage.
"Yeah, she's off to bed now." Naruto grumbled, rolling his eyes as he passed by Sasuke who had pulled Hinata out of the mess of people and had her sitting on his lap, curled up like a child and ready to sleep. "Mm… too much sake." She admitted, nuzzling into his clothes.
"Heh." He smirked, attempting not to smirk.
Shino and Kiba peeked at the girl thoughtfully. "She'll be fine, ne?" Kiba enquired, glancing up at Sasuke, who nodded. "Good, we'll see ya around. Happy birthday." He added, punching him lightly on the arm before leaving.
Sasuke blinked mildly after them, a little amused by the idea that the two of them accepted him with Hinata better than anyone else.
The problem, however was that the only group left was Lee, Tenten and Neji. And though no one had 'seen' Tenten drinking, she was obviously having some trouble pulling herself to her feet.
"I'm okay. Really, I'm okay." She slurred slightly, biting her lip as she held on to the counter beside her to drag herself to her feet.
Neji and Lee watched, Lee with his mouth wide open in an O of surprise and Neji quirking an eyebrow, attempting to ignore Sasuke holding his little cousin in his lap.
"Neji-kun… I don't think Tenten-chan is-" Lee began, but stopped as the cold Hyuuga gave a sigh and stepped forward, picking the girl up against her very inadequate protests.
"I said I was okay."
"Hn."
"You're not listening to me!"
"Right." He sighed, heaving her up a bit more to make sure she didn't slip, making her flinch and wrap her arms around his neck tighter. "Ne! Don't do that!"
Smirking full out that time he glanced over at Sasuke, gave him a silent nod and then started towards the door, leaving Lee to blink after them and turn to give Sasuke a long, flowery speech about how he was glad he was old enough to rule the Uchiha compound and that the party was amazing, a show of youthful joy and that he hoped they would be friends.
With a bow, he left.
Letting out a long sigh of relief he slipped off the counter, Hinata still in his arms, already drowsy with sleep.
"You, are going to have a bad hangover tomorrow." He told her gently, starting up the stairs to their rooms, wondering if he really should leave her alone. She hadn't thrown up at all, like Ino and Sakura who had had to rush to the bathroom twice during the long night.
But that didn't mean she wouldn't yet.
"I've never had a hangover." She admitted softly, letting out a sigh.
"Mm. Don't try to get up tomorrow then."
"Hai." Hinata smiled. "Okay."
Funny that in the morning trying to get up wasn't even an option.
Plot gets back on a roll in the next chapter!
It'll be shorter, but full out good stuff, ne?
Read. Review.
-ink