Ewwww! this is going to be good! At least I think so! Enjoy!
Chouza, Inoichi and Shikaku are sitting on stools at the local bar, where they sit everyday after dark, to keep from going home for a little while. At least that's Shikaku's and Inoichi's excuse. Chouza's just there to supervise.
"Another one. Bartender." Shikaku says, trying to get drunk before going home to his wife.
"Dad, Mom wants you to come home, now. She's getting pretty loud again." Shikamaru says as he, Ino, and Chouji enter the bar.
"Not yet. I'm not drunk enough yet." He says as the bartender hands him another bottle and he pours another glassful.
"Well, I'm not going back with out you and get yelled at. Let me know when you're drunk enough." Shikamaru says. He is about to find a seat when Hinata walks in and sits down beside Shikaku.
"Hinata?" Ino asks surprised to see her in a place like this.
"Hey Ino." She says sounding a little depressed.
"What will you have, Miss?" the bartender asks. She looks at Shikaku and says:
"Whatever he's having." nodding her head towards him.
"One sake, coming up." He says as he bends behind the bar, brings out a bottle and a glass. He pours the sake in the glass and is about to walk away with it as she says:
"Leave the bottle." He nods his head as he puts it beside the glass and walks off. She picks the glass up as Ino says:
"Um, Hinata. Maybe you shouldn't."
"Yeah. What about Hiashi?" Chouji says. She puts the glass up to her mouth as she says:
"Screw him." And she turns it up and shoots it down. (Author's note: Think of someone taking shots!) She then picks up the bottle pours another glassful and shoots it down. They all stare at her in disbelief as Shikaku smiles and shouts:
"WOHOO! ANOTHER DRINKING BUDDY!"
"Those last few glassfuls have gotten to him." Shikamaru says shaking his head at his dad.
"Do you know what he told me this evening?" Hinata says, the sake getting to her. They shake their head as she says:
"Well, I'll tell ya. I came home and tried to sneak by him in the study. But my bitch of a sister told him I was home, so I had to talk with him. And do you know what he told me?" she asks again, taking this time to pour another glassful of sake and shoots it down. They are all shocked that she cussed as they shake their head and she wipes her mouth of with her sleeve.
"He told me that some clan head's son from the Land of Mist has asked for my hand in marriage in hand. My hand! And that HE had accepted. Well, I got mad and told him that it was my decision, not his, mine. And that I was not getting married. He said that I was the next clan head that I had duties to do whether I liked them or not. I told him I was his daughter and I should come before the stinking clan. But he said the clan was more important than one person." She says slurring her words. She then takes another drink and continues.
"I mean I am his daughter, I should come before the clan, right? But no! The clan is more important. Keeping peace between the two clans is more important than his own daughter." She takes another drink and keeps talking.
"I hate him." She says as she goes to pour another glass, but finds her bottle empty.
"Hey, Bartender. Another bottle." She shouts. A few seconds later the bartender puts another bottle in front of her as she pours it in her glass and drinks it.
"No you don't. That's just the sake talking. He's your father." Ino says.
"No, no, no. He's just some bastard who had sex with my mom. HE is not my father." Hinata says wagging her finger in the air. A guy sitting at the end of the bar spews his drink and starts coughing as he hears this. He then stands up, pays his tab and leaves.
"I hate him, I hate the Main Branch of the Hyuuga clan, I hate being in the Main Branch of the Hyuuga clan, and I hate living in that house!" she says pouring more sake and shooting it down.
"Then why don't you tell your father to kiss your ass, and move out?" They hear someone ask at the other end of the bar. They all look and see Kitsune sitting there. Actually he was leaned up against the wall, facing them, with both legs lying across the stools, his left leg lying straight and his right leg bent upwards with his right arm lying on his knee, holding an empty glass.:
"I can't do that." Hinata says, looking down at the bar.
"Why not?" he asks sitting the empty glass down. She looks up at him as she says:
"Because, Mr. hired assassin, if I do that then I won't become clan leader. And if I don't become clan leader, then I can't figure out how to put the seal on the Branch family. And if I can't figure out how to put it on, then I can't figure out how to take it off." Slurring her words worse as the sake catches up to her. She then looks back at her glass, pours more sake in it and shoots it down. Kitsune gets up, walks over to her and sits beside her saying:
"So, you're pretty much going through hell, in order to help the Branch family. Right?"
"Yep!" she says.
"What does the Branch family think of this?" he asks not drunk. She looks at him as she says:
"They don't know what my home life is like." She goes to pick up the bottle as Kitsune grabs her wrist and says:
"I think you've had enough." She looks at him as she asks:
"Are you cutting me off?"
"Yes. You'll be lucky to make it home conscious." He says, pulling her to her feet. She moans a little as he points her towards the door and she start walking with great difficulty as he pays her tab. He laughs a little as he watches her try to walk. He just walks behind her, turns her around, grabs her around her waist and puts her over his left shoulder.
"Hey, What am I? Cargo?" she asks in a whiny, drunk voice.
"You're precious cargo." He says as he walks out of the bar and towards the Hyuuga compound. She starts getting unreasonable as she figures out where they are going.
"Hey, hey." She says poking him in his back.
"What?" he asks.
"Don't take me home!" she says.
"Well, where am I supposed to take you?" he asks.
"I don't care! Anywhere but that hell hole." She says.
"I haven't got anywhere else to take you." he says. She starts fidgeting as she says:
"Fine, put me down." She says.
"And what are you going to do?" he asks.
"I'm…going to sleep in that tree." She says pointing.
"No way." He says.
"I'm not going home! You can take me there, but I'll just leave and go back to the bar!" she says.
"Sigh…Fine." He says as he turns around and walks in the direction he just came from.
"Where are we going?" she asks.
"What do you care? It's not home." He says. She sighs as she finally quiets down. 'I can't believe I'm doing this. But her dad is pretty pissed. I could sneak her in her room, but she's going to have one hell of a headache tomorrow and I doubt she'll want to deal with him. She's been quite for awhile. I wonder if she actually did pass out?' he thinks as he asks:
"Hey, are you with me back there?"
"Yeah!" she says.
"Thanks. For not taking me home." She adds a few seconds later.
"Yeah, yeah." He says as they come to a building. He walks up the stairs, stops at a door as he unlocks it, and walks in. Once he closes the door he walks to the bedroom. He leans over the bed, catches Hinata as she falls and places her gently on the bed. As he leans up, she grabs his shoulder and says:
"Where are you going?"
"The couch." He says.
"Aren't you going to sleep in the bed?" she asks.
"No, you are." He says.
"Oh. I can share." She says as she looks around her then looks back at him.
"That's all right. You sleep in the bed, and I'll sleep on the couch." He says.
"Don't you want to sleep with me?" she asks. He stands there silent for a minute, not sure how to answer that.
"It wouldn't be right to take advantage of you, in your condition." He says after a minute.
"But, I want you to take advantage of me." she says.
"No you don't. It's the sake talking." He says.
"So." She says. Kitsune just laughs as she says:
"You have a very sexy laugh." 'Stay strong! She'll pass out! Eventually.' he thinks.
"Don't you find me attractive?" she asks after he doesn't respond.
"Very." he admits.
"But?" she asks.
"But, I won't take advantage of you while your intoxicated. Try to seduce me when you're sober, and you might get somewhere." He admits.
"You're a real gentleman." She says as her head falls to the side and her hand falls from his shoulder. 'Finally.' he thinks as he turns around and walks out into the living room. He then lies down on the couch and falls asleep.
"Wakeup, Hyuuga-sama!" Kitsune says as he gently shakes the sleeping woman in his bed that had somehow gotten under the covers. She moans a little as she opens her eyes and sees him sitting beside her.
"Could you not call me that?" she asks.
"What would you like me to call you?" he asks.
"Hinata is fine." She says.
"All right, Hinata-chan. I'm going out for a while. There is Aspirin beside the bed, if you need it. And the bathroom is right over there, if you want to take a bath." He says pointing to the door on his left. She shakes her head as pain hits it and she says:
"I think I'll take that Aspirin now." He laughs a little as he opens the bottle and hands her two pills and a glass of water. She takes the pills and rubs her head. Kitsune laughs as she remembers something and blushes a little. (Author's note: When it says he laughs, it means like a chuckle. Like two or three ha has lasting about a second long. Unless I say laughs his head off.)
"What?" he asks.
"Don't think I'm a stalker or anything, but I had dream last night that I tried to seduce you." she says.
"Uh, heh, Hinata-chan. That wasn't a dream." He says as she goes completely red and says:
"Oh. Sorry."
"Don't worry about it. I blame it on the sake." He says standing up.
"Thanks." She says as she uncovers and swings her legs over the side of the bed.
"Are you going to be all right, while I'm out?" he asks.
"Yeah." She says as she stands up and the pain gets worse.
"You sure?" he asks as she grabs her head.
"I think so. It's just a headache." She says as she walks towards the bathroom.
"All right." He says as he walks towards the bedroom door. 'If it wasn't a dream then I wonder if what he said is true?' she thinks as she says:
"Kitsune-kun?" just as he reaches the door.
"Hm?" he says as he turns around.
"Thank you. For everything." She says chickening out. 'I can do this! I'm not a weak, bashful little girl anymore.' She thinks as he says:
"No problem." As he turns back around and walks out the door. She gets up enough courage as she says:
"Kitsune-kun?" he comes back in as he says:
"Yeah?" normally people would be mad about someone calling their name twice in one minute, but he wasn't even aggravated. The truth is he thinks it's cute when she blushes and has to take two tries to ask a question.
"Do you want to take a bath with me?" she asks. Kitsune stands there in shock as his eyes get big. He then comes to a realization as he narrows his eyes and asks:
"You're testing me, aren't you?"
"What do you mean?" she asks innocently, as much as possible anyways.
"Last night I told you to try seducing me when you're sober. Now you're seeing if it's true, right?" he asks. She hangs her head a little as she says:
"Partly, yes."
"Partly? What's the other part?" he asks curious.
"I wanted to prove to myself that I could ask something like that. That I'm not a weak little girl anymore." She says.
"And what would you have done if I had said yes?" he asks. She looks up at him as she says:
"I don't know."
"Well, next time you ask something like that, please think it all the way through." He says. She nods her head as he walks out of the room and she goes into the bathroom and takes a bath. After her bath she walks back into the bedroom and notices the time. 'I was supposed to meet Kurenai-sensei and the others for training a while ago!' she thinks as she quickly pulls on her shoes and heads to the training ground. When she gets there she finds it empty.
"Where is everyone?" she asks aloud.
"Out looking for you." she hears Kitsune say behind her as she turns around and he says:
"Hinata-chan, you're going to catch a cold." Referring to her soaked hair.
"Sorry. I was in a hurry and didn't get to dry it." She says.
"Come on." He says as he grabs her elbow and gently pulls her.
"Where are we going?" she asks.
"Back to the apartment to dry your hair." He says. She figures there's no use in arguing and follows him back to the apartment. She dries her hair as Kitsune says:
"Nice. Now for some breakfast." She wants to protest but she likes hanging around Kitsune. And besides she was pretty hungry so she nods her head as he opens the door and says:
"Ladies first." She smiles as she says:
"Thank you." 'He reminds me of someone. But I'm not sure who. But I like hanging around with him.' She thinks as they walk towards the nearest restaurant. They walk in and sit a table as he asks:
"So, what do you want?" she smiles as she thinks and says:
"The Miso Ramen."
"All right. One order of Miso Ramen." He says as the waiter walks up, nods his head and walks off.
"You're not going to get anything?" she asks.
"I ate before you woke up." He says.
"Oh. Okay." She says, a little disappointed that she wasn't going to be able the see what was under the mask. He laughs a little at the disappointment in her face. 'After all these years, I still feel the same way about Hinata. This is definitely going to complicate things.' He thinks as the waiter brings her food and she begins eating. Kitsune watches her as he hears something outside. He then sees out of the corner of his eye Ino pop her head in look around, see Hinata and him, gasp then leave. He just smiles as he leans back against the seat, props his arm on top of it and thinks: 'This is going to be interesting.'
"I'm sorry. I must be pretty boring, huh?" Hinata asks after seeing him lean back and prop up.
"Not at all. I find you very…interesting." He says making her smile.
"Who wouldn't after the night I had." She says blushing, thinking about her trying to seduce him. He smiles as he exhales. All of a sudden he gets serious, crosses his arms, leans them on the table and says:
"Hinata-chan, you know you have to go back." She swallows as the smile on her face goes away and she nods her head.
"Even if it's just to get your things." He says. He hears footsteps approach as Neji, along with Tenten, Lee, and Ino show up. They peek into the restaurant as they watch and listen to their conversation. Hinata looks down at the table as she says:
"I told you, I can't do that. I have to become the clan leader. I have to figure out how to take the seal off of the Branch family." Ino gasps as Kitsune sticks out his hand, reaches across the table then places his hand under her chin. He then lifts up her face until she is looking at him as he takes his thumb and starts caressing her left cheek saying:
"Nobody should have to go through so much hell. Nobody. Especially not a beautiful woman like you." She looks up at him, fighting off another first in three years, the urge to faint, as she asks:
"What about you're reputation?" teasingly, before she could stop herself.
"Hah, that's blown out of the water!" he says as he sits back against the seat, no longer touching her face. She then does something else she hasn't done in three years, she laughs. Not just a giggle, she laughs her head off as Kitsune laughs a little and says:
"You're ramen is getting cold." She calms down as she continues eating.
"Kitsune-kun?" she asks after swallowing.
"Hmm?" he responds.
"I know I have to go back, and I will. But I was wondering…if maybe I can I stay with you again, tonight?"
"Hmm. You're not going to show up drunk again are you?" he asks teasingly. She laughs again as she says:
"No."
"Then I guess it will be all right. As long as you promise you'll go back." He says more seriously.
"Will you go with me?" she asks.
"I don't know, Hinata-chan. That's kind of a personal thing. Maybe I shouldn't-"
"Please." She says, pleading.
"I'll think about it. Now, eat your ramen and then we'll go find your friends." He says. As she agrees and goes back to eating. 'I haven't heard Hinata laugh like that in three years. Even though this guy is a hired assassin, he seems to be making her happy. So, I'll allow it. For now.' Neji thinks as he says:
"We'll go wait for her." As the others nod their head. They then leave and walk back towards the training ground.
"I'm done." She says after a few minutes, smiling.
"All right." He says as he stands up, leaves money on the table, and extends his arm towards her saying:
"Now then, let's go find your friends." She smiles as she nods her head and puts her arm through his. He helps her up and as they get to the exit he again stands back saying:
"Ladies first." Unfortunately that meant her arm was no longer through his.
"You really are a gentleman." She says.
"Yeah, well. When you see the worst side of people, it kind of makes you want to be the good side. If it's too much, you can tell me and I'll quit." He says.
"I like it actually." She says as they get outside and she asks:
"Where should we start looking?"
"How about we go back to the training ground and start from there." He suggests. She nods her head as they walk off towards the training ground. When they get there they see all of Rookie Nine and Team Gai standing in the field in a big wad.
"Great. I'm going to get grilled the moment I set foot in that field." Hinata says from a tree with Kitsune standing beside her. He laughs as he reaches over, takes her hand, and interlaces his fingers between hers. She looks at him again fighting the urge to faint as he says:
"I'm right here with you. If it helps any."
"It helps." She says her voice weak. 'So she still gets weak to my touch.' He thinks as he laughs and he pulls her forward saying:
"You have to face them sometime. Might as well, get it over with." She sighs as she follows him into the field. Everyone immediately stops talking and turns to see Hinata and Kitsune come walking up. Ino then notices that they are holding hands as she thinks: 'Dang! He's only been here a day and they're that close. Well, at least she's happy.'
"Neji-kun, I'm really sorry. It's just-"
"No, Hinata, I'm sorry. I had no idea you were going through all that for the Branch family. But, if you don't want to become clan leader, then leave. Don't worry about getting the seal off." Neji says, cutting her off. She has a look of surprise on her face as she says:
"But, I can't just-"
"You can't just put yourself into a predicament that you're going to regret for us. If you become clan leader, then you're stuck as that until you die. I now know how much you resent the Main Branch of the clan. You tried, which is more than anyone else ever has and that's enough for us. We don't want you to be miserable because of us." Neji says cutting her off, yet again. She sighs as she nods her head and says:
"Okay, Neji-kun." He nods his head as he says:
"Good. Now then. Are you out of your mind?" he gets serious as he says the last part. She gets the surprised look back on her face as she asks:
"What do you mean?"
"You spent the night in his apartment last night. You don't even know him. And you're going to sleep there again tonight?!"
"Well, yes." She says, as she looks down at the ground.
"Again. Are you out of your mind?! I mean he's a hired assassin for Pete's sake!" Neji says louder. All of a sudden Hinata looks straight at Neji as she says:
"That doesn't mean anything! And besides, I trust him!" raising her voice a little.
"You don't know him!" Neji says.
"He hasn't done anything but be kind to me." she says.
"Yet! But you're going back to his apartment" Neji says. Kitsune just stands there, knowing better than to get in the middle of this. But he is still holding her hand and that gives her a little courage.
"NEJI! If he was going to do anything, he would have done it last night, while I was passed out. But he didn't! And no offense but my personal life is none of your business!" she says, as she screams his name, then calms back down.
"You are my cousin, therefore it is my business." He says.
"No it's not! I understand that you are just trying to look after my well being, but I'm not a little girl anymore! I'm eighteen years old!" she says. She then turns to Kiba and asks:
"Are we still having training?" Kiba is a little surprised as he says:
"No, we have the day off." Hinata nods her head as she turns back towards Neji and says:
"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to enjoy my day off." As she then walks off with Kitsune following her. They walk to the edge of the field and jump into the trees, letting go of each others hands. They jump through the trees in silence for a few minutes.
"Where are we going, Hinata-chan?" Kitsune asks.
"I don't know." She says as she stops and he lands beside her on a tree limb. She turns towards him as he then takes his right hand and starts running his fingertips down her bare arm as he asks:
"Are you okay?"
"Uh-huh." She says not trusting her own voice. 'Why do I feel such a strong attraction to him?' she thinks as her knees go weak and she leans up against the trunk for support. He then grabs her hand again as he says:
"Come on."
"Where are we going?" she asks, her voice still a little weak.
"You'll see." He says as he pulls her behind him. After a few minutes they come to the field Crane followed Kitsune to. They jump down in the middle of the field as he pulls her to the tree in the middle of the field. As they walk up to it, he turns around, sits down, leaning up against the tree, and pulls her down with him. She smiles as she sits down on her knees beside him as he pulls her closer to him. She then lays down on him with her head on his chest as he rests his chin on it. He then starts playing with her hair as she asks:
"Do you think I was too hard on him?"
"No. He has to understand that you have to make your own decisions. By the way, how is your head?" he says.
"Much better." She says as she absentmindedly starts running her fingertips across his chest, over his muscles. 'OH MY GOD!' is all she can think as he says:
"Having fun?" teasingly remembering how Ino looked at him earlier. She blushes a little, as she says:
"Sorry. But I like your muscles." as she stops. He laughs a little as he says:
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to stop. I was just teasing." She smiles as she starts where she left off. 'I should stop this while I still can! But…I don't want to. I'm in this way too deep!' he thinks as she says:
"So, can I ask you a question?"
"I guess." He says.
"Why do you wear that hood and mask?" she asks. He exhales as he thinks for a minute.
"My appearance would scare some people." He says. 'It's not a total lie.' he thinks as she says:
"Like this doesn't." she says, teasingly. He laughs a little as he says:
"I would rather them see this than what's under the hood and behind the mask."
"Okay." she says, not wanting to ruin the mood. All of a sudden he sighs as she asks:
"Something wrong?"
"We have company." He says as she gets a confused look on her face. Just then Shizune comes up and says:
"Lady Hokage wants to talk to both of you." This time Hinata sighs as she sits up and then stands up, with Kitsune right beside her. They follow Shizune back to the Hokage Tower.
Next chapter-Kitsune's first orders! Please review! Thank you!