Naruto belongs to Kishimoto
Hinata never thought her self as a quick learner, her father had always shown his anger and distaste for that very fact. But here she was, serving drinks like a pro to a packed bar. She held a smile on her face, and for once it wasn't psychotic.
She was smiling because she was enjoying her self. The new challenge of making the drinks, getting the orders right, and avoiding the wandering hands of drunk males was proving to be fun.
She was getting a lot of attention from the male population, they figured, that they had more chance with a pretty half blind girl. The other girls were actually being nice to her, Hinata highly doubted she would of gotten the same reaction, had she not had the scars and bandages.
She knew she was being pitied, but Hinata didn't care it was nice not being hated or suspected of something. She then spotted Sasuke at the bar on the stool he had sat on when he first came in. She had wondered about his reaction, about all the attention she was getting. And honestly she didn't know how he would react.
She thought maybe he would be possessive like Kiba, If he so much as saw a male sniff in Hinata's direction he would blow. ' Infact me taking this job would be his worst nightmare.' She shrugged 'What he doesn't know, won't kill him.' On second thought, what he doesn't know, could be the very cause of his death, he was a shanobi after all. And information was the key to life and death in the shanobi world.
There was a break in the orders, so she went to stand by Sasuke. He seemed just as relaxed as her. He was talking to a man in the stool next to him. " Can I get you anything" Hinata said as she approached.
He smiled up at her, which was a rare treat. They didn't grace his stotic face to often, and when they did it was normally after sex, or in a teasing sarcastic way. But this was a unguarded happy smile which elicited the same response from her.
He wrapped one arm around her waist, he's not the possessive type but he's not shy on showing claim, Hinata thought. She didn't mind and draped her own arm on his shoulder. He was by far the best looking guy in the place, and the only one she's interested in.
" Amako, this is Gaku" Sasuke introduced her to the man he had just been talking to. He was in his mid thirties, tall from what she could tell, and had longish light brown hair, that reached the top of his shoulder. He seem to be in good shape. Not overly muscular but no weed either. It looked like he hadn't shaven for a day or two, but he had a pleasant and friendly face.
"Nice to meet you Gaku san" Hinata inclined her head politely.
"This your girl Shin, my she is quite the looker, ya' a lucky guy." He tactfully didn't comment about her eye or the bandages. " No need to be so polite honey, just call me Gaku."
"Gaku, works at the local scrap yard, he's said he'll put in a word for me to get a job there." Sasuke said.
"Really, that's great." Hinata said sounding genuinely pleased. Working at the scrap yard was honest work. She was worried he might have to hire his skills out, or carry on stealing if the money situation got too tight.
"Yeah, not guaranteein anything though. Its not much mind, but it the best pay you'll gunna get round these parts. Business aint' doin' too great, the only ones that seem to be doin any good is the bars. And their only hirin women." He didn't sound like he was exaggerating; he was only repeating common knowledge. The fact they were currently residing in a warehouse was enough proof.
Gouku leaned back and regarded Sasuke for a minute, he continued " ya' seem like an honest sort of guy, and we can use some extra muscle dismantlin."
Sasuke's hold tighten around Hinata's waist and he drew her closer to him. " Thanks Gaku, I wouldn't mind a physical job."
"Good lad! Let me get ya' drink" Gaku said robustly slapping him on the back at the same time. It drew a small smile on Hinata's lips, at the slight shocked reaction on Sasuke's face, at the sudden contact. " Two beers hun'"
"Right away" Hinata said and went to fetch the drinks, and got right back to work.
It was half four in the morning when Hinata finished work. It had been snowing. That was one of the reasons they decided to head north. The bad weather, the snow or rain. Would wash away any trace of sent they may of left behind, making it harder to trail them.
Knowing all that, Hinata at this moment still couldn't see why she was freezing her tail feather off, out in the cold. The ill fitted poor mans cocktail dress, provided no protection what so ever from the elements.
She trudged along slow, and steadily, so not to slip and fall, like many of the drunks in front of her were. Sasuke had disappeared half an hour before closing, she had no idea where he was.
A man from her right whistled "Come here babe, I'll keep ya' warm." She was actually tempted, he had awarm looking coat. ' I can kill him and take his coat.' After a second of actually seriously considering that she pulled her self together. 'No bad Hinata, can't go killing at random. People will figure out, your a ninja.' Said the ruthless yet logical side of her conscious.
"Here ya' go honey, ya must be freezing" A large male coat rapped around her.
"Thank you" she said snuggling to the warm coat, simply relieved. She didn't even bother looking up, to see who it was.
"Where ya livin, I'll walk ya home." It was then she recognized the voice. She looked up, It was Gaku, Sasuke's new friend.
"Ah its alright, I live nearby" She said, reluctantly pealing the coat off herself.
He shot his hand out and stopped her "No sweetie I think ya' ought to hold on to that, your turning blue."
Hinata didn't protest anymore, she was too cold and tired to care. They walked down the two streets to the warehouse. Gaku had looked at his surrounding skeptically "I didn't know there was flats in this part of town."
"There isn't" Hinata said as she pulled back the side door, to the warehouse. They both stood in the doorway gawking into what looked like the most uninhabitable place ever.
"Dam" she herd Gaku mutter under his breath.
The warehouse was dark, the two small windows towards the back provided very little light during the day, and now it provided none at all.
" I would offer you something, but as you can see we are lacking" she paused thinking how to best phrase the situation.
"Everything" Gaku finished her sentence.
"Yeah" She agreed, that was a good way to put it.
"Dam girl ya can't be seriously thinking of staying here"
Hinata shrugged " It's not so bad, it has a roof" she said jokingly.
Just then they heard a rustling sound coming from behind them. They turned to see sasuke with arms full of groceries. " I brought food, I figured you must be hungry."
He was right, but the cold had made her temporally forget her hunger. "food" she sighed out happily and moved to take a bag off him.
Gaku also helped bringing in all the stuff. Surprised by the sheer amount he had acquired with in half an hour and what more at four in the morning. But Hinata didn't seem bothered by this at all and Sasuke acted like every one did there house hold shopping in this fashion. He even managed to get a coal heater from somewhere.
They where all now sitting round the little coal heater, providing both warmth and the only bit of light. Hinata who was still wearing Gaku's coat, had curled up on the floor and fallen a sleep. Sasuke offered Gaku his, and said he was welcome to stay the night.
Just then Hinata started violently shaking in her sleep. "NOOO!, NOOO!" she shrieked out in a broken voice. Then a gargling half screaming sound tore out of her throat. Sasuke immediately pulled her to him, and stroked her hair and whispered soothingly into her ear "I am here."
Gaku was so shocked, it took him a minute to recover. "She's had a tough life huh?" Sasuke didn't respond, Gaku continued "So who exactly are ya' guys on the run from?"
Sasuke immediately became alert, his eyes locked on to Gaku, he creeped his hand back to retrieve the weapon he had concealed on him at all times. Hinata grabbed his wrist halting his movements. She sat up and leaned heavily against Sasuke and holding his other arms in place in front of her. Hindering any attack her would make.
Their movements were so slight; Gaku didn't even realize he was in danger. " I was servant for a rich clan, they abused me so I ran away. That's when I met Shin, we're just trying to make a new start. We don't mean you any harm and we won't course you any trouble." Hinata tried to explain her cover story before the situation could explode, and turn into something worse.
"Sweetie, I didn't think ya' would course me any trouble" Gaku said gently. "I just wanna know who to look out for, so I can warn ya' guys."
She felt Sasuke relax against her back, she released his hand. He wrapped both of them around her. Hinata smiled sweetly " you don't have to worry about that, I don't think they're even after us. I mean I was just one servant girl, I can't be too great of a loss."
That was a blatant lie there were three ninja nations after them, the leaf, mist, and rain. That was only the ones that she knew of, God knows who else is after Sasuke.
" I don't understand why any one wouldn't cherish you." Gaku said sincerity clear in his eyes. Hinata smiled, glad that she had stopped Sasuke from killing him.
"Well it should be round about dawn now." Gaku said as he stood up. "I'll be on my way, just show up at the scrap yard when ever." By this point he was half way out the door. "Oh" he added popping his head back in " Amako keep the coat it looks better on ya'." And with that he left.
Hinata tilted her head back so it rested on Sasuke shoulder "I am sorry" she said.
"For what?"
"I shouldn't have brought him here."
"No you did the right thing, I am the one who might of done something rash, if you hadn't stopped me."
"So many people are after us, I am surprised you don't snap all the time from the pressure." Hinata adjusted her self so she was now straddling his lap. "I don't think anyone is really on our side, the whole word might as well be after us." Hinata said thinking out loud.
"Then we'll just out run the whole world." Sasuke said calmly as he unwound the bandage around her eye.
" Out run the world" she said in a heavy whisper, her gaze drowsy as she took in his sent, she swayed light-headed as if it intoxicated her. Her lips traced down his neck, whilst her hands ran up along his stomach and chest, under his shirt. "Sounds fun."
She pressed her forehead to his and looked into his eyes, her face solemn. Trying to discern the emotion in his eyes. She couldn't, read or understand him like she could with every one else. And it scared her "You could be my greatest enemy, but I stay by your side, I will be hunted down, because of you, but with you I am at ease. Perhaps I am still suicidal."
" Perhaps…..I am too." He uttered closing his eyes.
She felt dizzy and every thing was blurring by her so fast, she flung her arms up and spun around even faster laughing as she did so. " Enough, enough. I need to sit for a moment." She let out breathlessly
She had been dancing with a customer, Kaouri encouraged interacting with the customers she believed it was good for business.
She had been dancing with a young man about the same age as her self. He had a head full of short spiky bone white hair, but the most unusual thing was he had the same pale gray colored eyes as her. His hair and eyes striking against his golden caramel colored skin.
He didn't hold him self with as much confidence and pride as Sasuke did. But he did radiate this enthusiastic energy only the young could. " You have the same color eyes as me." The young man said with a beaming smile.
" I was just thinking that" Hinata confessed, It was the first time she seen the coloring out side of the Huyga Clan. It was odd clearly being able to see the pupils of his eyes.
"People call me Yori, you?" He didn't have the same accent as every one else in this town, he was quite clearly a foreigner like her self. He was from further south of Khonoha, judging my the tone of his skin perhaps near the waterfall village. 'I'll have to keep an eye on him.' She warned her self internally.
"Amako" she replied smiling back just as radiantly, she couldn't help it his good mood was contagious. She always had been attracted to bright people, Naruto, Kiba. Sasuke was just an exception to the rule.
She found him more appealing because she hadn't met anyone that looked like him before. "You're a great dancer" Yori complemented.
"Hardly, I haven't danced much before and I think it showed."
" Your, right it did." He teased
"Oi" She mocked punched him lightly on the arm. " I should be getting back to work, you need anything."
"Yeah a…" Yori began. But her attention snapped on to the familiar cool arms wrapping around her from behind. She eased back into them.
"Your back. Did you get the job?"
"No, I applied for a couple of different places, they'll get back to me by tomorrow." Sasuke informed her. His lips were pressing against her temple and he was slowly turning her around in his hold.
"This is Yori, Yori this is Shin." Hinata introduced them both trying her best to change the subject. Or things would get heated fast. And this was not the time or place.
Sasuke looked up at the man for the first time, he hadn't even notice he was there. Yori gave him a curt "Hi." Sasuke didn't even respond. ' Great they already hate each other.' "Well got to get back to work, don't want Kaori mad at me." Hinata said out loud and pulled her self free of Sasuke.
Even as she walked away he wrapped his arm around her. She sat him down on a stool and made a move to go behind the bar counter. But Sasuke held on to her wrist and pulled her down on to his lap.
His clinginess was confusing her, but the look on his face but her on immediate alert. To anyone else he held the same stoic face, but Hinata could see the slight creases at the corner of his eyes. He was agitated, and something that could agitate Sasuke must be serious.
She reflexively initiated her Byakugan and scanned the area; Saskue covered her eyes with his hands and shook his head. "Their not here." He said calmly.
She loosened the grip on his shoulders; she didn't realize she had been holding on to him. The feeling of dread that formed a lump in her throat hadn't eased. "What's wrong" she tried to keep calm but the undertone of tension was clear in her voice.
"Nothing." He relaxed and kissed her gently " you can read be better, than you give your self credit for." His voice smooth and even.
Listening to him speak eased the apprehension a little.
That night he wasn't by her side, so she didn't sleep. She didn't dare close her eyes, not when he wasn't there to bind the hideous terrors of her defiled mind, with his cool touch.
'I need an icepack' she thought, as she lay awake staring at the rusted iron beams of the tall ceiling of the warehouse. A few of the large metal bolts that locked every thing together, were so eroded they weren't even recognizable anymore, but held more resemblance to coppery decayed barnacles on a metallic whale. She let out a sharp poignant chuckle 'This place is probably going to fall down on me, as I watch.'
In the dark the whole structure of the warehouse loomed over her. Creating the ghostly illusion of being inside the carcass of a decaying beast, and that's how she felt. As if she had been left to rot along with it.