Hinata pushed Itachi back into the ballroom. Another crisis was averted. Itachi crossed the room and joined his father and brother. The director looked across the room at her. She gave him a signal that told him everything was okay, and he nodded and looked back at the group.
Now she needed a drink.
Hinata looked over at the concessions table and wondered if there was something like a light, sweet wine she could drink when she felt a far less desperate and less gentle yank on her upper arm. Hinata stumbled as she was dragged back into the servant's hallway, feeling nails dig into her arm. Hinata caught her footing and looked up at Mikoto as she grabbed her other arm, keeping her from escaping.
"What exactly do you think you're doing?" Mikoto's nails dug into Hinata's skin.
"I don't know what you are talking about!" Hinata squeaked as she was given a firm shake.
"I saw that! You, sneaking off with my boys. Do they know you're shelping off with both of them?" Mikoto spat out. She smelled like she had been drinking.
"It's not what you think!" Hinata tried to fight away, but nothing short of shoving the older woman was going to get her to let go, and Hinata didn't want to resort to that. "I just split my drink of Itachi-sama."
Mikoto was having none of it. "I saw you! Sneaking off down the hall past the bathrooms, my son comes back disheveled. Have you no shame! You and your whore mother think the same, take the heart of men and crush them when you find something else!"
"Ma'am, really, please, Itachi-sama wouldn't." Hinata pressed.
"Fugaku can't protect you forever." Mikoto pushed her grip on Hinata's arms together, making Hinata straighten to keep her nails from digging in deeper. "I want you gone. Do you understand me!"
Hinata breathed out, unsure what to answer, but before she could, Mikoto retracted her nails, straightening into her normal nose-high stance. Hinata's hands went right to the painful spot on her skin.
"You have a sister in school," Mikoto said in a dark tone. "I hope she's doing well."
Mikoto straightened herself and disappeared down the hall. Hinata's breathing got quicker as she pressed her back against the wall. That was a threat.
Sasuke glanced around as he drank his water. After what he almost did, he decided he was better off not drinking alcohol. Hinata hadn't returned since she ran off with Itachi earlier. He kept expecting her to pop up with a drink and an excuse, but it had been nearly half an hour, and it wasn't like her to disappear.
"Did Hinata say something when she was with you?" Sasuke finally asked Itachi.
Itachi glanced around and shook his head. "No, I made a few jokes. She was mad at me. Maybe she's avoiding me."
"What did you say to her?" Sasuke asked with a scrunch of his face.
"I just teased her, normal stuff. She was fine when we came back in. I think I saw her heading for the food." Itachi pointed. "You know when she gets a few drinks, she wants cake."
Maybe she would have gone off to guilty eat a treat, but she would usually have at least told him if she was going to be gone for more than a few minutes.
Hinata shifted her arm in the mirror as she dabbed the marks with cold water. This dress couldn't have sleeves, could it? How was she going to hide these for long enough to get out? Hinata crossed a hand over her arm and placed her hand over the forming bruise. Maybe if she made it look like she was cold, she could hide it? That might be her only option. She tucked the tulle draped around her shoulders and gathered it more where the marks were, the one side was hidden better, but she would have to cover the other side. Maybe Sasuke would be grumpy and tired, and she could convince him it was time to go home.
Hinata left the bathroom with her tulle mess of dress trailing behind her. She covered her arms and lightly rubbed them like she was cold once she got out into the main room. She glanced around and looked at the table with food again. Maybe she should go around there, pick something up, give it to the director, and tell her she's not feeling well.
She didn't like lying to the director, but she didn't want to ruin another event, she certainly didn't want him starting a public fight with his ex-wife over this, and she knew if he was mad enough, he would.
Hinata rubbed her arm faster, nervously. How did she get out of this?
Hinata jumped as she felt something being placed over her shoulders. The fabric was tugged to fit on her shoulder. She looked up, expecting Sasuke or Itachi, but instead stared back into the eyes of Gaara. "You look cold."
Hinata let out a breath, pulling the suit jacket closer, over her arms. "Thank you."
"Are you okay?" Gaara asked her sincerely. His eyes swam with concern, like he could see right past her facade.
Hinata stared back at him. The weight of the night crashed around her. Her breathing increased, and she felt tears in her eyes. "No…" She squeaked.
Gaara's face twisted, and his hands came to either side of her arms. Hinata flinched away to keep him from touching her already sore arms. His hands retracted an inch.
Hinata felt bad. Gaara was probably confused, and he shouldn't even be being so nice to her since she rejected his offer, and… and… Hinata's eyes welled up, and they threatened to spill over.
"I'm sorry?" Gaara said low, unsure what he did to start her crying.
Hinata shook her head, and now she felt awful. "I'm sorry. I think I had too much to drink." Hinata lied and sniffed as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Do you need a ride home?" Gaara asked her.
Hinata really did just want to go home. She nodded.
Gaara waved his hand toward the door, setting a gentle ghost of his hand at the center of her back to guide her through the crowd. Hinata managed to down the stairs with his hand for support. They had just got to his car with the door open when she felt again yanked back. Hinata yelped as she was yanked by the same place on her arm she was nursing.
Sasuke glared at Gaara and Gaara staring back.
"Where do you think you're taking her?" Sasuke snapped.
"Home, she's drunk," Gaara explained.
"Sasuke-sama…" Hinata pushed his hand off her arm.
"You." Sasuke snapped. "You were just going to let a strange man take you home?"
"Sasuke-sama!" Hinata snapped back. "Gaara was being nice. I was cold… and he noticed I wasn't feeling well."
Sasuke ripped Gaara's jacket off her shoulder, balled it up, and threw it at him. "I'll take her home. She's my date."
Hinata quickly put her hands over the marks and shrank back.
"You should have noticed she wasn't feeling well then." Gaara countered.
"Drive safe." Sasuke spat out. Sasuke pulled an arm around her back and more aggressively directed her toward his car, opening the back door for her.
Hinata hesitated, looking back at Gaara for a moment, and when she looked back at Sasuke, she almost flinched. He looked so angry. She got in. He jerked off his own suit jacket and threw it at her before slamming the door.