A/N: Well, I couldn't last more than a week to update. This is how much your authoress loves you guys. xD
Wow, so much more of a reaction that I anticipated! I didn't expect alerts or favorites at ALL! Or even reviews! O_O You people are awesome and deserve hugs! (although I'm pretty sure if I tried to hug you you'd all think I was weird and stop reviewing)
Err...as a forewarning, this chapter is very controversial. I'm hesitant to publish it. But I want to anyway. I may revise it, so who knows.
Yeeeah...I'm done. O_O
Hinata was idly hanging around the park, smiling slightly at the small children who jumped across the playground equipment. Suddenly, her ringtone filtered through the air.
She slipped it open and spoke into it softly. "Hello?"
"Hinata? It's me, Sakura."
"Oh, hi. What's up?" she fished through her bag, searching for chapstick.
"Ino finally got her allowance! Big-time cash, I'm talking here." She squealed. "We're gonna head to New York; wanna come with?"
Hinata choked. "N-New York? But it's not vacation, and school, and the plane ride, and-" she stammered.
Sakura's trilling laugh could be heard on the other end. "Just kidding. We were just gonna head downtown; whaddya say?"
Hinata paused, and reached for a pen as she scribbled, testing, on her palm. "When?"
It was as if she could hear Sakura smiling on the other end.
Her feet hurt. Her head hurt. Her stomach hurt. She was thirsty. She was sweaty.
And people called shopping enjoyable.
Ino and Sakura giggled upfront, arms full with multi-colored shopping bags. Sunglasses propped over their eyes and hair perfectly windswept, they calmly sipped on their iced cappuccinos, and clocked down the sidewalk in their teetering high heels.
Hinata followed behind quietly, one small shopping bag at her side. She had ended up buying a pair of shoes she didn't even like, and only at her friends' insistence. Tenten had skipped out, to Hinata's disappointment. At least Tenten wasn't sickeningly girly, so at least she could talk to someone.
She found herself falling further and further behind, eyes glued to her feet as she was pushed around by the rambunctious people rushing down the sidewalk.
She fingered her pocket, where a rectangular lump lay. She could call for the car, and go home.
But maybe…she should try and enjoy herself. She hardly went out. And if her friends were happy, then she should be too, right?
"…Sakura?" she mumbled quietly, meaning to ask her friend a question. "Sakura?"
No answer. She looked up, and felt her blood turn to ice.
"They're…gone." Hinata breathed fearfully. She was alone, in downtown metropolis, completely alone. Her sense of direction was terrible; no way she could find them.
She looked up and down the sidewalk. Just the endless city crowd.
Her hand flew to her side, to her cell phone. She slipped out the phone, frantically dialing home, until-
...Why? She wasn't a little girl anymore. She shouldn't have to call home just because she lost sight of her friends for a few moments. Steeling herself, she pocketed her phone again and took a deep breath.
She flew down the sidewalk, unconsciously pushing people out of the way as she looked behind corners and peer through glass doors, looking for any pink or blonde.
Ten minutes of wildly running around, and she was no different, aside from being out of breath.
Dragging her legs to a park bench, she brushed away some aggressive pigeons and kicked off her now ratty flip flops, sighing as she bent her head back in relaxation. Checking her phone, she threw it casually into the shopping bag, and finally decided on emptying her pockets, all into her shopping bag.
She was just about to doze off, before a grimy hand brushed her wrist.
Her eyes snapped open, as she rubbed the sleep out of her drowsy orbs. Looking both ways, she didn't seem to notice anything, until she realized her bag was gone.
Her bag, containing 300 dollar shoes that she had just bought. 300 dollars, which her cousin handed to her earlier that morning in complete confidence. A cell phone, her wallet. Everything.
…Craaaaaap.
She frantically slipped on her sandals and randomly chose a direction to run in, silently knowing she'd probably never see those shoes, or their thief, again.
An hour of wandering around streets, that seemed to darken all too quickly. By the time the streetlights flickered on, Hinata was shivering as the insects buzzed around her head.
Never before had she, the sheltered princess, felt so afraid or completely helpless. She couldn't summon the courage to ask for help from all the gritty passerby on these streets.
Where had she even ended up? Ino and Sakura had taken her to a part of town where the streets seemed to sparkle, where people smiled, and where everything was clean. She was now left wandering around a place that smelled terribly of alcohol and vomit, where banging and yelling was commonplace.
She squeezed her eyes shut. No, today, she was not a princess. Today, she was just a normal girl who could take care of herself. She ought to go to a police station, anything.
If she could just find it.
Suddenly, she found herself in a dead end. The night sky was devoid of stars, only the haze of the dirty city visible above her head. Currently, Hinata was covered in sweat and dirt, and found her feet aching beyond belief.
She stared at the brick wall, finally grunting and stomping her foot in frustration. She should go around and check another cul-de-sac, until something caught her eye.
A street alley.
She peered down it warily. It wasn't terribly long. Filthy, and extremely dark, but she could see the lights on the other side. Taking it would save her a good 15 minutes. But was the risk worth it?
Whether it was fatigue or straight out mania, she walked down it.
She tiptoed down the area, stepping over ripped garbage bags and nearly screaming as an ash-black cat hissed at her from its nest in the filth.
She breathed through her teeth as she leaned against the wall, only to jump at the green mold now scraped over her pale fingers. She frantically wiped it off against her shirt, breathing solemnly.
"It's okay, it's okay." She calmed herself. "An alleyway, that's it."
Suddenly, there was a crash behind her. She shrieked, her voice echoing across the streets, jumping around a full 180 degrees.
There was nothing, save for a dented soda can rolling around the wet ground.
Clutching a fist to her rapidly beating heart, she started down the alley again, but faster, tripping over her flip flops as her toes brushed against the moldy garbage.
Now, there was a second crash, but Hinata did not turn around, instead speeding up once again.
Footsteps.
Coming closer. Drunk, and uneven, but footsteps even so.
A tear squeezed out of the corner of her eye. No, not now. This wasn't supposed to happen, this was just a bad dream. Just a bad dream.
Wait!
Were those…two sets of footsteps?
Walking turned to jogging. Jogging turned to running. And before she knew it, Hinata was in a flat out sprint, running for her life.
She panted heavily, not daring to look behind her. Crooked as the footsteps were, they were coming steadily after her, and were now faster. Much faster than she could go.
She emerged onto the empty cul-de-sac, but did not stop her frantic run. She kept her pace across the cracked asphalt, tripping on a crack.
"Oof!" she spat the gravel out of her mouth, hearing the footsteps running closer. "Ah!" she kicked off her now broken shoes, deciding barefoot was the way to go for now.
A streetlamp above her exploded.
Her mouth dropped open to let out an ear-splitting scream as she gave up, the pain in her chest overwhelming her as she fell into a squat, covering her head with shaking fingers. She dejectedly felt the despair well up in her chest, as the eerie followers approached closer, now slowing.
She felt the heavy panting of two men above her, and saw their feet come into her view.
"Thin as a bone, she is. Wonder how she ran that fast." One voice growled out. A slimy hand shot out, cold and slithery as a fish, as it wrapped around her upper arm.
Hinata tried to pull away, feeling bile fill her mouth as she bit her tongue. No, no, no.
She looked away, grunting as she struggled. The hand tightened, nails digging into her pure flesh as her chin was grasped by his other hand, gently, as if caressing her. She curled her upper lip in disgust as she surveyed the man in front of her.
He had blue skin. Beady eyes that didn't seem to blink and slashes across his face that resembled gills. Spiky blue hair and a smile so pointy Hinata resisted the urge to vomit. The man…was a fish. A fish.
"My dear, why were you running away?" he crooned, sweeping his pointy finger across her cheek. Hinata stiffened, jerking her head away from him. "Ooh, feisty." He purred at her. "I like 'em feisty."
"Kisame, control yourself, please." A slithery voice hissed. "You're drunk."
"Shut up, Orochimaru!" Kisame snapped. "You just want her for yourself."
Someone grasped Hinata by the hair from behind and turned her to face him. She came face to face with a snake. "You know me too well." He sneered.
Animals. Literally, animals.
Hinata sucked in a breath, ready to scream for help, before Kisame's hand clamped over her mouth. "Oh no, I'm afraid you're not calling for anyone today, sweetheart."
Hinata pushed away, feeling her breathing increase pace as the desolation of her situation settled in. They were going to…they were going to…
Kisame's hand slid from her arm around her waist, pulling her close to him as he slammed her against a wall. The force of it all caused Hinata's head to smash against the brick, and she felt her vision go dizzy.
"So pretty…" he murmured, sliding his hand up her side, dangerously close to-
Hinata's eyes shot open in shock as tears spilled out freely. Stop touching me! She wanted to scream. Not there! Not there!
He smirked as he squeezed her breast. "You're different than the other ones. A lot younger, I can tell."
Orochimaru, out of the corner of her eye, started to leave. "I see you have this under control." He droned, bored.
Hinata refused to give in to her utter hopelessness. Going for her last tactic, she swiped her leg between his legs and kicked his knees out from underneath him, pushing away from him and running faster than she ever had away from him.
"Where do you think you're going?" he roared after her, grabbing her from behind and tripping her. He jammed her face into the dirt, smothering her face. "You need to be punished, you." He mumbled to himself, as his other hand started to prick underneath her shirt.
Hinata let her eyes flutter shut. There was nothing she could do.
Suddenly, Kisame's weight was lifted off of her. However, her exhaustion was far too much to bear for her to lift her head to see what godly force had helped her.
Turning her head ever so slightly, she peered through a crack in her eyes, grime over her usually pristine lashes.
There was…a man, she recognized, pinning Kisame against the wall. Kisame's face was bloody, as a tan fist was raised threateningly above his eye. The figure muttered something Hinata couldn't hear, to which Kisame smirked and said something else. The fist flew towards his face, landing a clean hit right over Kisame's eye, and struck a second time, this time to his temple, knocking him out cleanly.
Hinata coughed and tried to raise herself to all fours, before feeling herself collapse a second time into the dirt. The figure released Kisame's now limp body and stalked over to Hinata, seemingly pausing over her, before leaning down and picking her up easily.
Hinata's breathing picked up again. Wait, could this be Orochimaru?
"No!" she used her remaining strength to scream, slapping the person across the cheek. "Leave me alone!" she squeezed her eyes shut.
The person hesitated, before warm fingers came up and unlatched her fingers from their fist and rested on her shoulders, shaking her slightly.
"Hinata, it's me."
She gasped, and opened her eyes. K-Kiba?
He looked grim and tired, with a bruise on his cheek from where Kisame must have hit him. His leather jacket was covered in soot, she also noticed.
Tears overflowed again. But not of despair. Of joy.
"Oh god!" She leaned forward and embraced Kiba, sobbing into his shoulder as she held him tight. He seemed surprised and did not return the hug, but seemed to understand nonetheless. "Thank god, thank god. Thank you so much."
"Alright, alright." He grunted, stretching his back as he stood. "Can you walk?" he asked her.
She sniffled and wiped at her eyes, before nodding.
Kiba pocketed his hands and jerked his head towards a direction, indicating she follow him.
Obviously, her pace was too slow for him, and he rolled his eyes, grabbing her by the wrist and dragging her after him. She was still in a daze, still shaken but evermore grateful Kiba found her.
Questions plagued her mind. Why was he here? How had he found her?
But these questions, for the time being, were to remain unanswered. She was far too tired to care.
Kiba ended up leading her to a beaten up truck, heaving the creaking black door open and nodding for her to get in.
She cocked her head in confusion. He sighed, exasperated, and helped push her in, slamming the door after her, to which she flinched.
He entered through the other side, face serious as he cursed at the rusty engine, before backing out quickly and starting off at a breakneck speed down the empty highway.
Hinata wrapped her arms around her knees, as she hadn't bothered to put on her seatbelt, as it seemed Kiba didn't care either. She could still feel Kisame's hands on her…
Kiba seemed to notice her shock. "Don't think about it."
"W-what?"
"I said, don't think about it." Kiba said, louder this time. "Kisame won't be causing trouble for you anymore, trust me." His jawline stiffened in anger. "Try to forget about it, okay?"
Hinata nodded slowly, attempting to push him out of her mind. Even so…the hands…and the…touching…
But she could only be grateful it had been stopped in time.
And at least she still had her virginity.
After what seemed an eternity, Hinata realized Kiba was not taking her home. In fact, he didn't even know where she lived.
The urge to speak finally emerged. "Uh…K-Kiba-kun?"
"Just Kiba." He said coldly.
Hinata inwardly flinched as she looked sadly away. "Kiba…then. Um…where are y-you t-t-taking me?"
Kiba scoffed at her, looking at her with annoyance. "Could you not stammer? It's unbearable."
He still couldn't stand her. Not after what happened with Sakura. He hated her kind, but felt himself sort of guilty for snapping at her.
Hinata stared at him, wide eyed, before looking to her lap and mumbling an apology.
Kiba took a deep breath. "I'm taking you to my house."
Her head shot up. His house? But-But, her home, and he was going to-and-
"But why!" she interjected loudly, her sudden outburst causing her to blush. Kiba also stared at her. "Why not my home?"
Kiba surveyed her up and down, and her blush deepened, before she realized he wasn't doing as she thought he was. "Do you really want your family to see you like that?"
She looked down. Her shirt was torn and covered in grime; so much so the print on it was completely covered. Her pants were soaked in garbage water, and her shoes gone. Her hair was a mess, and- well, she looked terrible.
She stared at him meekly. "No."
Kiba sighed, releasing one of his tense hands from the wheel and allowing the other to drive casually. "My mom and sister are home, so don't worry."
Hinata inwardly slapped herself for her foolishness. Of course she was safe with him; what was she thinking?
He was Kiba, and today, he was her friend, and savior.
The rest of the ride passed in silence. Finally, Kiba pulled up to a small house, the yellow painting on its exterior extremely faded. The garden was somewhat untrimmed, with missing patches of grass and many holes. The flowerbeds were unkempt, and another similarly beaten up truck lay in the driveway. Mismatched garden gnomes and a pink flamingo were randomly stuck into the dirt.
Barking could be heard from the house, as cozy lights emanated from the simple windows. Hinata found herself staring. It looked the complete opposite of her home.
And yet, through the chipped paint, strange garden décor and disastrous lawn she...found a certain allure to it.
It was the difference of the home that made her want to…want to…what?
"We're here." Kiba said flatly, yanking his keys out of the car and jumping out.
Hinata watched him walk across the lawn calmly before copying his example, fumbling with the door latch and stumbling out of the car.
She walked over the faded cement, still wiping at her eyes, which couldn't seem to stop tearing up.
She was greeted with the scent of food. Following her nose, she tripped across the holes on the lawn, which Kiba expertly leaped over, until she got to the door.
Kiba was facing the door seriously, deep in thought, until, in a swerve of movement, he had her pinned against the wall adjacent the door, with each of his hands on either side of her head.
Hinata silently gasped, as she caught his steely gaze.
"I want you to stay quiet, okay? My mom's a really…" his face twisted confusion. "…temperamental, woman, I guess. You'll sleep with my sis, k? She'll take care of you till tomorrow."
Hinata gulped, then nodded.
He flashed her a rare smile. "Good then."
He pushed open the door with ease. Light flooded onto Hinata's face, and only until she stepped inside did she realize how cold and hungry she felt. A flat couch lay in the middle of the room, a cute home-made quilt draped over its back. Mounds of dog food lay stacked behind it, while a large, black dog and smaller white one yipped at each other playfully behind the stacks. A small TV lay in front of the couch, and just beyond the living room was a dining room where mountains of food lay, the scent scrumptious to Hinata's nose.
Steam was rising out of the kitchen. A radio could be heard playing. Hinata's mouth was open in awe, until she turned to Kiba.
He seemed to be almost embarrassed. "It's not much…but it's home."
Hinata turned around, and looked at the modest living Kiba had.
She smiled a miniscule smile at him. "I love it." She said softly.
A smile tugged at his lips, until he wiped it away and shrugged.
Walking over to the staircase on the side, he tapped on the wall several times, hissing up the brightly lit stairs.
"Hana. Hana!"
A feminine face emerged, body following. A woman, older than Kiba, stood at the top, looking at him, irritated. Similar tattoos were on her face. Her long, chestnut hair was smoothed back into a sleek ponytail. Her eyes were large and brown, and her lips were a shocking shade of red.
"What, Kiba?" She snapped, until she saw Hinata standing behind him. Suddenly, her mouth twisted into a mischievous grin. "What have we here, Kiba?"
"Shut up!" he growled at her, pulling Hinata out from behind him. "I need you to take care of her for tonight, just tonight."
Hana crossed her arms, looking down at him smugly. "Mo-om!" she trilled.
Kiba cursed at her and his grip on Hinata's arm tightened as another woman seemed to appear out of nowhere at Kiba's side.
Wild, frenzied hair and dark eyes, with the same tattoos. Her mouth had slightly larger fangs than Kiba, and she stared at Hinata blankly.
"Kiba, who is this?"
Kiba swallowed. "A classmate. I helped her, from Kisame. Her family can't see her like this so I said she could stay here for tonight."
His mom's eyes hardened, glancing over at Hinata. They surveyed her destroyed clothes and slightly dazed face, until she smiled at her.
"Kisame's an ass." She said to Hinata sweetly. "You'll be fine here. We'll take care of you."
Hinata blinked. Didn't Kiba say she was 'temperamental'? She glanced over at him, to see him discreetly wiping sweat from his brow.
"Oh, excuse my manners, please, sit down and eat something!" She pushed Hinata into the dining room. "Help yourself to whatever!" she called after, until she pushed Kiba into the living room to whisper at him.
"What happened?" she asked.
Kiba looked at the ground, before meeting her eyes, a spark of anger in his own. "I think you know."
Tsume made a sound of disgust. "I trust you took care of him?" she said expectantly.
Kiba nodded.
"You didn't…you know…"
"No, I didn't kill him."
Tsume nodded in understanding. "Then go sit and talk with her." She jerked her head to the dining room. "We have company over."
Kiba rolled his eyes and went in, as Hana joined Tsume. The two women watched the teenagers eat quietly, stealing glances at each other.
Hana smiled. "They'd be good for each other, no? They look good together."
Tsume scoffed and lightly slapped her daughter's shoulder. "He's a kid, don't say such nonsense."
Hana laughed. "Sure, mom. Sure."
A/N: I feel...awful. Awfully nervous. I'm scared to see what you have to say, and I'll understand if you all hate it and abandon me. If you do feel the need to leave a scathing review, please be gentle. I am fragile ;;
Yay, there was mild, 2 second fluff. This chap was pree long, don't you think? (Your authoress is just trying to point out all the good things about this chapter so you'll be nice in your review)
I hate Kisame. I hate him with a passion. I would love it if Kishi would just get rid of the fish. =_=
Cookies to those who review...although I bet you all hate it. D:
-silver