Hinata franticly walked into her house. She had been trying to act as if nothing was wrong but as soon as Neji saw her he knew that something was up. Hinata never fidgeted without a reason. Silently he followed her all the way to her room where she slammed the door. She hadn't even noticed that he had been following her. There was most definitely something wrong with his cousin. Bringing up a fist he prepared himself to knock on her door before the doorbell rang. He waited a little bit to see if someone else would get it. When the doorbell rang, again he knew that he had to. Agitated he walked to the front door and threw it open.
"What?" He asked rudely before noticing that it was Ten-Ten standing there alone and looking a little less confident than she usually did. "Oh Ten-Ten-chan. Were you wanting to speak with Hinata-sama?" Neji asked more politely this time. Ten-Ten gave him a small smile shaking her head.
"I actually wanted to talk to you. Would you walk with me Neji?" She asked. Ten-Ten was very nervous. She had been giving herself a pep talk all day to prepare herself for this moment. She was going to ask Neji to The Moon Festival. Neji was surprised that Ten-Ten was asking him that but he agreed.
"That is fine just let me put on my shoes and we will go." He told her. Ten-Ten nodded now to nervous to speak. She was mentally going over what she wanted to say to him. Ten-Ten waited patiently as Neji slipped on his shoes.
"I was thinking we could walk down to the river and back." Ten-Ten said to him quickly as he stepped out the door closing it behind him. Neji looked at her curiously for a moment before nodding.
"Yes that is fine." Neji agreed inclining his head slightly at his long time friend. Ten-Ten smiled bright hearing this and began to walk towards the river. At first, she talked about normal things for them like training, then about their past and how long they had known each other. She was ever so slowly making her way towards her preferred topic. As they walked, Neji couldn't help but notice how Ten-Ten looked really pretty in the sunlight. He hadn't noticed before it just wasn't like him but now being alone with her for a non-job related reason he did notice.
"Ne Neji-kun what do you think about that?" Ten-Ten asked him. Neji blinked feeling stupid. He had been staring at her for so long that he had stopped listening to what she was actually saying. A little embarrassed Neji said.
"I actually wasn't listening Ten-Ten-chan. I apologize could you repeat that?" Ten-Ten giggled softly at him glad that she hadn't asked him to go to the festival with her in that moment.
"I was wondering if you thought about Gai-sensei and Lee-kun getting purple spandex instead of green." Ten-Ten said again. She couldn't help the giggle that followed when she saw Neji visibly shiver in repulse.
"Never. Ever. Suggest that they switch their jumpsuits over to purple. It would be too horrendous to handle." Neji told her very seriously making Ten-Ten giggle more.
"I wasn't going to Neji-kun. I just wanted to plant the image in your head." Ten-Ten told him as Neji gave another little shudder. He could only imagine what they would do if they thought that purple was a more aerodynamic color or something along those lines. There would be purple everywhere! Purple that would outline certain…man…parts. Neji looked up at the water before looking over at Ten-Ten.
"Well…here we are at the river." He said beginning to wonder why they had come here in the first place. Oh yeah Ten-Ten-Chan wanted to talk to me about something. I wonder what. Neji thought to himself meanwhile Ten-Ten was growing more nervous by the second.
"Yes we are…and well Neji-kun there was something that I wanted to ask you." Ten-Ten said taking a deep breath as Neji waited. "Will you go to the festival with me?"
"Father you wanted to see me?" Hinata asked meeting him in his office like he had asked her to. Hiashi looked up at her and nodded motioning for her to sit. Hinata didn't like the huge crease in his brow or the firms look on his face. It was never a good sign.
"The elders apparently are happy to know that you are looking for a husband.
Hinata stared at her father for the longest moment. When she said nothing Hiashi spoke again. "I realize that all of this has been thrust upon you so abruptly and I apologize for that. As the head of the clan, I have to go by what the elders say but as your father. Hinata I'm saying that never did I want to do this to you. Making you do something that you don't want to that will affect your entire life its well it's just not what I wanted to do." He told her in a soft voice. Hinata felt her heart swell a little at her father's words and she gave him a sweet smile.
"I appreciate that Dad. I really do." Hinata told him. It was the first time that she had called him anything besides the formal term in years. Hiashi couldn't help but smile back at her as he nodded.
"Right. Well I'm glad we had this little chat." Hiashi said standing up signally that Hinata could go whenever she felt like it now. Hinata smiled back at him again.
"So am I. So am I." She told him before exiting the room. As Hinata headed to her room, the doorbell rang. Sighing a little, she went to open it. There before her was Ino with a big smile on her face and an even bigger bag in her hands. The sudden impact of it all frightened Hinata and she didn't understand why.
"Hello Hinata-chan! I just stopped by to see what you were doing." Ino said stepping over the threshold into Hinata's house.
"Uh I'm not doing anything but Ino-chan…what is the bag for?" Hinata asked unsurely as she closed the door behind Ino who was heading towards Hinata's room and pulling her with her.
"Oh, don't worry about that Hinata. You have more important things to worry about." Ino said pulling Hinata into her room. In a matter of three seconds, Ino had started Hinata a bath and was stripping the girl of her clothes.
"Ino-chan what are you doing!" Hinata screeched unaware of what kind of plan the other girl had in her mind for her.
"Trust me Hinata-chan you will thank me for this." Ino said putting her bag on Hinata's bed and pushing Hinata towards the bathroom. "Get in the bath Hinata-chan." Ino said pointing to the warm back, she had drawn. Hinata had wrapped a towel around herself after being stripped of her clothes. Stepping into the bath Hinata noticed that Ino was stripping down as well. She also wrapped a towel around herself and got into the tub. It was big enough to fit five people easily so the two of them didn't touch each other but it was a little odd.
"Ano Ino-chan why are we doing this again?" Hinata asked. She had never gotten an answer from Ino with all the 'excitement' going on.
"We are doing this because many suitors will be at the festival tonight. Everything about you should attract them. So for an hour we will soak. Then we will wash our hair and bodies. After that we will shave, dry, lotion, get a manicure, and a pedicure in the house of course. When all of that is finished well we'll go from there." Hinata gave a little sigh relaxing into the water. Ino was the best in all these things. Hinata was putting her trust into Ino's hands.
"Oi Oi why all the banging so early in the morning?" Sasuke asked though it was close to ten. Rolling out of his bed he headed for the front door lazily. The knocking persisted.
"What do you want?" Sasuke yelled throwing his front door open. He was shocked to see Sakura standing there. She hadn't even said a word! Hadn't yelled for him in her annoying voice. Hadn't given away a hint that it was her at her door.
"Sasuke-kun good morning. I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the …." Sasuke cut her off guessing as to what she was about to ask him.
"No." Was his simple answer. Sakura's face visibly fell with disappointment and shock. His own face was blank void of any emotion and she knew he was serious. He was always serious.
"Are you not going at all?" Sakura asked on a last shred of hope. If he wouldn't go with her then maybe he would go at all and then she would have rejection that hurt so much.
"No, I'm going." Sakura's eyes began to shimmer at these words in un fallen tears that she pushed back mentally.
"So then you have a…" Sakura trailed off softly.
"A date yes. I'm going to the festival with Hinata." Sasuke told her. Sakura's head began to swim then the word Hinata echoing through her head like a symphony of rain drops pitter pattering on a tin roof. That girl! She ruined everything for Sakura! First she took Sasuke's friendship and attention now he was taking her to the festival. What was happening?
"Oh I didn't think that…well sorry to bother you." Sakura said slowly backing away from him. She was hurt Sasuke realized this. Sasuke said nothing instead just slowly shut his door. He didn't need to be bothered by Sakura and her girl problems. She had looked ready to start the water works. Tears were not something he was good with handling. Walking upstairs to change Sasuke groaned hearing another knock on his front door. He knew that it wasn't Sakura. His best bet was on Naruto though he was hoping for Hinata and food. He really wasn't in the mood to deal with Naruto. Sasuke sighed as he opened his front door there before him was indeed Naruto looking all too happy for Sasuke's liking.
"What do you want Naruto? I would like to sleep a little more today before the festival." Sasuke told him clearly agitated. Naruto only smiled wider.
"Well Sasuke I am here on request by the woman who holds my balls in her hand. I am to take you out. Get you proper clothes and make sure you pick up Hinata on time." Naruto told him making Sasuke groan loudly. How could Ino be a pain in his ass when she wasn't even around to actually be the pain?
"Alright but first we need to eat. I am starving." Sasuke said heading up to his room to change. Naruto just nodded moving to make himself comfortable on Sasuke's sofa while he waited. Naruto had no objections to going to eat first. Personally he was a little hungry as well. Then again when was he not hungry?
Three hours later Hinata and Ino sat in Hinata's room both girls getting a pedicure at the time. They had already gotten their manicures. Hinata's nails were now a shimmering pearl pink. Ino's on the other hand were a bright orange. Her and Naruto were going to dress to match Ino had told Hinata.
"Ino-chan when we are finished with this what is it we are going to do?" Hinata asked her. Ino grinned widely at her.
"Well after this I was thinking I would begin to do your hair and makeup." Ino told her when Ten-Ten burst into the room tears swimming in her eyes. Without a second thought she launched into her story while a maid hurried to get her a chair and tub for her pedicure.
Flashback
Neji was taken by surprise with her question he honestly hadn't expected this. Though it could have been because sometimes he was to dense to notice things like feelings. He may have been a genius but when it came to noticing girls and their 'feelings' he was a little out of the loop. Ten-Ten bit down on her lip anxiously when he said nothing.
"You want me to go to the festival with you? Like a date?" Neji asked her in a surprised voice. Ten-Ten nodded a little unsure now.
"It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to be. We could go just as friends." Ten-Ten offered rejection wasn't something she wanted at the moment. Her brown eyes were wide as she looked at him waiting. She reaaaally didn't want to get rejected.
"No….that's fine. We'll go to the festival together. It's a date." Neji said giving Ten-Ten a small smile. Ten-Ten felt like her heart was about to burst she was so happy. She was going to the festival with Neji she just wanted to hug him. "What time do you want me to pick you up?" Neji asked her politely. Ten-Ten blinked. She hadn't thought about that.
"Um well I suppose 6 so that we can eat before we go to the festival." Ten-Ten said thinking about it. Neji nodded.
End Flashback
"And then," Ten-Ten told them. "He held my hand as he walked me here!" Ino the loyal best friend who was ever girly squealed with delight for her friend while Hinata just smiled softly.
"That is great! Your going to dinner also? That is so cute. I wish Naruto would still do stuff like that with me." Ino said a dreamy look in her eyes. The two girls were hugging each other looking very girly to Hinata who let out a soft giggle. The two of them snapped out of their girly trance to look at her.
"Speaking of which Hinata-chan have you spoke with Sasuke-san today? I saw him and Naruto eating Ramen on the way back." Ten-Ten said as she sat down beside them for a manicure. Ino smirked a little as Hinata blushed looking down.
"No she hasn't. My plan is to keep her here until Sasuke has to come pick her up which Naruto will be bringing in him by promptly at 7:30." Ino said a little too smugly. Hinata looked up at her through a slight glare. What had Ino done now? Ten-Ten on the other hand smiled brightly at her.
"It will be a star striking moment. He'll see how beautiful she is and salivate." Ten-Ten said making Ino nod and grin. She got it.
"What do you expect? For him to fall in love with me the moment he see's me?" Hinata asked blushing a little. The two girls smirked not saying a thing. Though secretly they were agreeing.
"Well Hinata as it is Sasuke is a wise choice for a husband but if we can find someone less violent we will take him." Ino said very nonchalantly. Hinata huffed a little crossing her arms.
"Oi Hinata-chan did you know that Sasuke received a questionnaire. Ino-chan told me Naruto saw it. He filled the whole thing out." Ten-Ten said. Hinata's opaque eyes widened in shock. Slowly she turned to look at Ino who was inspecting her nails quite vigorously.
"Ino-chan, you gave Sasuke-san a questionnaire? Why? Do you hate me?" Ino looked appalled at Hinata's suggestion.
"No! No! I only did it because he was 1 of 9 people who fit into the criteria!" Ino defended herself. Not wanting to fight Hinata just sighed.
"Alright Ino-chan. If you think it was the right thing to do then okay." Hinata said. Ino smiled glad that Hinata wasn't going to get mad. It would have given her a bad aura for the night.
"What's after this?" Ten-Ten asked as she got both her manicure and pedicure finished up quickly. Ino just grinned.
"Next we do Hinata's hair our own then we'll wrap her up and finally do her make up." Ino said.
"Say Naruto what are you going to wear to the festival?" Sasuke asked him as they looked through Kimono for men. Naruto looked up at him at the question.
"I didn't pick it out but it's a white tunic with an orange obi." Naruto said making Sasuke smirk. If he didn't pick it out that meant that Ino did. He was so whipped.
"Does Ino's match?" He asked Naruto flicking through Kimono's while Naruto laughed nodding.
"Yes it does but her kimono is pink." Naruto told him making Sasuke shudder. He didn't like pink.
"What do you think about this one?" Sasuke asked holding up one of the kimono's he had been looking through. "It matches my hair." He added. Naruto looked over the dark blue kimono and nodded slowly. The obi was an off white color and clashed nicely.
"I think you actually made a good choice with that one." Naruto said while Sasuke simply smirked at him.
"It is missing something though." Sasuke said and pulled out a cloth Uchiha fan making Naruto laugh again.
"Are you going to get them to sew it on for you or something?" Naruto asked him. Sasuke looked at him for a long moment before replying.
"Of course." He promptly started to head towards the girls working. It wasn't as if Sasuke could sew himself. With a quick word he handed her the fan cloth and the kimono. Naruto choked on another laugh. The girl was bowing saying yes over and over again before she scuttled off to sew it on for him. Smirking Sasuke came back where Naruto was shaking his head.
"Are you proud of yourself then? You get to come back in an hour to pick up the kimono."
"30 minutes actually. She told me that she would work faster just for me." Sasuke told him with another smirk. Naruto rolled his eyes and clapped Sasuke on the shoulder.
"Yes and I'm sure that your fan girl will do her best to sew your fan on straight and quickly." Naruto said. Sasuke paused for moment thinking about it. He looked to where the fan girl had ran off.
"If she doesn't go a good job then she is a poor fan girl and will know my wrath." Sasuke said shrugging her shoulders like he didn't care. He did in fact care. He wore the Uchiha fan with pride. Naruto only shook his head some more at his old friend.
"Don't go around terrorizing people Sasuke. It's not good for your health…or theirs." He replied. For the next half hour the two of them walked around waiting for the kimono to be finished. They talked a little about things they had been doing and the festival but other than that not a whole lot was said on Sasuke's part.
"Uchiha-san Uchiha-san we have your order ready for you." The soft voice of the clerk came to them. Sasuke made his way up to the front desk.
"That will be 25600 yen Uchiha-san." The girl told him nervously. She wasn't a fan of his but she was clearly afraid of him. She had heard what he said earlier about his wrath and had ordered the fan girl to stay in the back. Pulling out his wallet Sasuke paid silently inspecting his kimono. To his eye it looked good enough. 'Hinata could have sewn it on better.' Sasuke's evil nagging voice said in the back of his mind. Sasuke growled. Who cared! The Hyuuga girl was a nuisance! And he would have to walk around with her all night tonight! Annoying.
"Oi Sasuke we have awhile until we have to go pick up the girls." Naruto said as they walked out of the store. "Do you want to go spare?" He asked. Sasuke stopped walking and turned to look at him.
"Yes."
Sweating and panting the two boys fell to the ground. They had sparred for around 3 hours. No jutsu no weapons only hand to hand combat.
"Sasuke! I'm done. I need a shower as do you. I will come pick you up in about an hour." Naruto told him pulling himself up to his feet.
"Hai. Hai." Sasuke said waving him off as he got up. It was around 6:30. He had half an hour to shower then he had to get ready. Then he and Naruto would go to get the girls. Heading home he tossed his shirt over his shoulder. Opening his front door Sasuke drifted towards the bathroom. He needed a cold shower to sooth his burning muscles.
Ino took a small step back. Her hair and make up was already done. She was now working on perfectly Hinata. Ten-Ten had left with Neji around 40 minutes ago and she expected the girl back in 20 minutes. She had pulled Hinata's hair back into a bun with a beautiful butterfly clip holding it in place. In the front two strands of hair fell to frame her face with a slight curl.
"Wow Hinata-chan you look gorgeous." Ten-Ten told her softly as she stepped back into the room. She had rushed Neji. Hinata blushed at Ten-Ten's compliment while Ino grinned picking up some make up.
"She does and when I'm completely finished the Kami's themselves will fight over her for their bride." Ino said as she brushed a light amount of dark purple eye shadow over Hinata's eye lids making her eyes shine. On her lips she colored them a deep red before glossing them over. On her cheeks she lightly dusted them with pink. When she was done Ino stood up and smiled widely.
"Are you done now?" Hinata asked her. She hadn't gotten to see herself as of yet. Ino nodded.
"Yes I am finished so go ahead turn around and look." She said. Ten-Ten's eyes were wide as saucers watching her. Hinata turned around slowly to look in the mirror. What she saw shocked her. She didn't recognize herself.
"Is that really me?" Hinata asked softly. Ino laughed nodding.
"It sure is and let me tell you, you are now my masterpiece. Don't mess it up." Ino told her grinning. Hinata shooed her away.
"Don't say things like that Ino-chan. It is just for tonight. I will be taking all of this off by the end of the night." Hinata said standing up and slipping her shoes on.
"It better be after you have wooed a man into your sheets!" Ten-Ten said making Hinata gasp and Ino giggled, for she agreed.
"Ten-Ten-chan! How could you say something like that? I'm not going to do that until after I get married." Hinata said her cheeks red. She couldn't help but remember the scene with Sasuke the other day. She had almost gone that far.
"Calm down Hinata-chan you should have some fun at least before your tied down permanently." Ino said sticking up for Ten-Ten a bright twinkle in her eye. "I think an orgasm or two would do you some good." She added. Hinata looked at her in complete shock. Was she serious?
"Ino-chan!" Was all that Hinata could manage to say making both of the girls bust into giggles.
"It's okay If you want it too Hinata-chan. We don't blame you." Ten-Ten told her poking her in the side grinning. Hinata stumbled slightly her mouth a gape. Before she could say anything the doorbell rang.
"The girls are late." Sasuke said clicking his tongue in annoyance. Naruto gave him a dark look ringing the doorbell again. A few seconds later Ino answered the door smiling widely. Naruto couldn't help but stare in awe. She was his goddess in pink. Her hair was down with one piece pulled back with a clip. All of her make up was a soft pink that made her eyes shine brightly.
"You look great Ino-chan." Naruto said softly kissing her on the cheek. Sasuke had to admit she did look alright as long as her mouth was shut.
"Thank you Naruto. Hinata will be here in just a moment." Ino said winding her arm through Naruto's. 'Stupid girl. She's late holding me up che. I don't even have to be here really.' Sasuke thought as he stared off into space.
"Gomen. I didn't mean to hold you up." Hinata's soft voice came as if she had read his thoughts. Sasuke felt them eating at his brain. She was too damn nice! Under the setting sun Sasuke gazed at her and time seemed to stop. Hinata looked up into Sasuke's intense eyes and blushed. He seemed to be seeing all of her at the same time. Sasuke watched the red in Hinata's cheeks spread down her throat. He gulped and pulled his eyes away before the blush went further as would his eyes.
"Wow! Hinata-chan you look great! If I wasn't dating Ino I would be all over you like sugar coated candy!" Naruto kidded with her. Ino smacked him as Hinata blushed some more. Sasuke felt something in him stir. He wanted to do more than smack Naruto. He wanted to rip the other man's throat out.
"He is right Hinata. You do look very beautiful." Sasuke said surprising everyone but Ino. Sasuke didn't even know why he had said it. Ino on the other hand had seen the look he had given Hinata and Naruto. She knew what that look meant. Sasuke had taken the bait hook line and sinker. Hinata smiled softly at Sasuke taking the arm he offered to her.
"Thank you Sasuke-san." Hinata replied while Sasuke nodding mentally smacking himself.
Okay so this took forever I know but! It was because I moved recently so I was internet short for like ….a long time just got it back yesterday. So read and review tell your friends about my fan fiction. I promise to have a new chapter up by the end of the week!