Theres not much to say about this chapter...except that Gaara likes coffee and Baki has an extreme sense of dramatic timing. Rather short. I like the word rather. Thanks again for the reviews! I hope you like this one...and don't worry! No Lee's will be harmed in the next chapter...badly. ;;
Discalimer: Naruto owns not by me.
Chapter 4: Out in the Open! – Hinata
Hinata stood uncertainly in the sandy kitchen. Her eyes flicked nervously from shelf to shelf as that scary voice in her head demanded coffee.
Damnit girl, why are you even here? You're so godamn worthless! Shukaku whined in a high pitched voice. It was giving Hinata a headache…a major headache, and she couldn't think and where was the coffee? Why did she even need coffee? Even as a main branch member, she had always been fine without it.
She emitted a little groan, holding her head.
"I'm so confused…" Hinata moaned.
"You're not the only one." She turned to see Kankuro and Temari standing in the doorway, looking at her amused."Who are you anyway?"
Hinata gasped, and looked from brother to sister.
"Don't be so tense." Temari laughed. It was good to laugh with Gaara in the room, without being tense herself. Though the siblings had been growing closer…the little family was still not functioning properly.
Hinata started at the familiar words. How often had Kiba and Shino (well, mostly Kiba…) said those words to her? Immediately she forced herself to relax, which was more difficult than it sounded. Her body was used to this…but apparently Gaara was a very unrelaxed person. It was several more moments before the lines on her face smoothed.
"I, um...um...I'm…" She started, stumbling over the words.
"You're who?" Kankuro asked, impatient. Temari flashed him a glare, but he ignored it.
"Hinata Hyuuga." She whispered, receiving blank stares from them both. Then, a light flashed in Temari's eyes.
"You're the one who fought with that Neji boy in the Chunin Exams?" She asked, staring at her little 'brother' intently.
Hinata dropped her gaze under Temari's stare.
"Oh!" Kankuro exclaimed, "You lost badly! That Neji really-" He was cut off by Temari's hand, who had noticed the sand starting to swirl under their feet.
"Don't get her mad!" Temari growled in his ear, "She is still in Gaara's body!"
Hinata's face had become shadowed as she avoided their eyes more and more. She was so embarrassed…even the shinobi of the sand had seen her pathetic fight! She felt tears welling in her eyes.
DID YOU FORGET ABOUT THE COFFEE?! Shukaku roared in her head. Startled, she dropped to the floor with a squeal (Imagine a deep scream in Gaara's voice. Now imagine it higher and squeakier like the hamster song.)
Holding her head, Hinata's breathing became labored. What was this pressure in her head, fighting to get in? It hurt, it hurt so much…
Sand flew up from all the directions and dozens of sand hands shot inside every cabinet, shelf, and drawer in the kitchen, basically tearing the place apart. Finally, one came out with a bag of coffee beans, and thrust it into the coffee pot on the counter.
Temari and Kankuro stood frozen, eyes following the sand. They were as shocked as Hinata was – usually Gaara immediately complied with Shukaku's request for coffee. They had never seen him go so crazy searching for the drink.
Finally a little ding came from the coffee machine, and before Hinata knew what was happening, Gaara's body had flung itself at the machine and she was chugging down the dark liquid. Kankuro burst out laughing as he saw the desperate look on Gaara's face. He had never realized how vital coffee was for his brother in staying awake.
As the last drop was drained, Shukaku fell silent and Hinata sighed in relief. Then she heard Kankuro laughing and saw Temari staring and her face turned bright pink. That had been so un-lady like. She was ashamed.
"I…I'm sorry for the...k...kitchen…" Hinata whispered, too embarrassed to wipe the coffee stain from her upper lip.
"Don't worry about it." Temari said with a smile. "The important thing is getting you back to your body." Actually, nice, polite Gaara was rather freaking her out…
Suddenly, a whistle came from outside the house.
"Shit!" Temari said, smacking Kankuro.
"What was that for?" He yelled, glaring at his sister.
"Why didn't you tell us we had a mission today?!" She shouted back.
"Shut up!" Suddenly both were throwing fists at each other, only to find a miny wall of sand blocking their punches.
"P…please don't fight…" Hinata whispered, twiddling her thumbs.
The siblings stared at her, astonished. It was so weird hearing that from Gaara, after everything he'd done, the way he was… it was hard for them to keep remembering that this wasn't actually Gaara.
A knock came from the front door.
"Temari, Kankuro?" Came Baki's voice, "Where are you? We're going to be late for our mission!" He knocked again. Everyone in the kitchen was frozen solid, their heads turned toward the front door. Panic was clear on every face.
"What are we going to do?" Kankuro whispered, glancing at Gaara, who stared back at him fearfully.
"Is something up with Gaara?" Baki called.
Hinata's expression changed from scared to confused as she heard the slight disgust in the way Baki said 'Gaara.'
"I'm coming in!"