Deidara flipped through the sketchbook he snatched from her bag. "These are pretty good, uh." Hinata put her hands on her lap to keep herself from snagging it back and closing it. "You do a lot of this one, girl." Deidara flipped between three pages of the same face. "She looks like you."
She should have ripped them out. "Those are my sister, Hanabi-san."
"Sister?" Sasori leaned over the sketchbook, taking an interest. "You have the same eyes."
Deidara slid it over so Sasori could see. "Does go her too, hm?"
"No, she doesn't go to school here." Hinata pierced her lips together, hoping they didn't ask any more questions.
Itachi kicked him. Kisame snapped his head up from the sketchbook. "What?" Itachi flicked his head toward Hinata. Her eyes were down on her lap, no longer paying attention to the assault on her sketchbook. She slid her thumbnail across the back of her hand over and over, her lip quivering like she might burst into tears at any moment. He looked back at Itachi. What was he supposed to do about it? Itachi made the same face again.
Kisame crossed his arms, laying his head in them to look under her bangs. "What's for lunch?"
Hinata blinked at him, snapping out of her miserable trance. The tears that threatened to fall retreated as she licked her lips, switching thought processes. "Uh… Rice balls with bean paste filling and shrimp stir-fry. Oh. Do you like peaches?"
Kisame shrugged. "I don't dislike them."
"I made peaches in cream with coconut milk last night." Hinata pointed at her bag. "We can try it after lunch."
Deidara pouted his lip. "Oh, so you'll have lunch with him but not me."
"I prefer to eat her." Hinata countered.
"So not fair, yeah." Deidara handed her back her sketchbook. "At least I got your number first, hmm?" Deidara winked at her and then burst out laughing as Hinata made a face.
"Leave the mouse be." Kisame rolled his eyes. "You'd have to get through the other Hyuga anyway."
"The stuck-up one, yeah?" Deidara pointed his thumb toward the door.
Hinata looked offended. "Neji-san isn't stuck up."
"Have you met him?" Deidara raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe it's just resting bitch face," Sasori added.
"Like you, yeah?" Deidara laughed at the glare he got.
Hinata made a face in the container of peaches. "The cream ran. I think should have separated the liquid of the coconut milk to get something closer to cream."
"I don't mind." Kisame peered into the container.
"Would you like some, too, Uchiha-san?" Hinata offered, sliding the container to the mid of the table.
"I don't see why not." Itachi wiped his chopsticks, taking a piece. Kisame followed suit.
It looked like peaches floating in milk. The cream didn't stick at all. "It's too thin."
"I wouldn't know. I haven't had one that didn't make me sick before, so I say it's an improvement," Kisame chewed, receiving a scolding pout at his manners.
"I think it's fine. It's hard to make this type of thing without real cream," Itachi told her after he swallowed.
Hinata took a peach with her chopsticks and made a face. It was too sweet. She needed to account for the sweetness of coconut milk in the future.
"I'm not really a fan of clay," Hinata held up her hands. "I get it under my nails, and they're short, so it's hard to get out." Hinata didn't even like it when she got lead stains on her hands while sketching. Putting her whole hand into something messy sounded like a nightmare.
Deidara pouted. "I'll text you a pic when I'm done then, yeah?"
"Is Sasori-san done with his painting?" Sasori was spending every break he could, trying to finish it.
Deidara shook his head. "It's pissing him off."
Kisame walked in, ending the conversation as her attention was drawn to the massive cut in his lip and swelling around his eye. Itachi followed close behind. He didn't look happy with him.
"Are you okay!?" Hinata squeaked, hesitating to reach out to him as he laid his head down on the desk.
"Did you lose a fight, uh?" Deidara laughed. Hinata didn't think this was funny.
"No, it was just a lucky shot," Kisame licked the dried blood. "Hope there isn't anything salty for lunch."
How could he be so light-hearted about this? In the three weeks she had been in this class, not one person took the bruises and bandages that showed up each day seriously. She was growing more worried by the day.
"Mouse?" The small nickname Kisame gave her felt bitter right now.
Hinata's lips fell into a disappointed line as she examined and averted her eyes from his newest injury. Itachi gave him a raised eyebrow and a flat look that said, 'I told you so.' Great, both of them were pacifists.
Though, what did he expect? She wasn't the type to think it was tough and cool.
Kisame covered his head in his arms. Today was going to be no help to his headache, was it?
Itachi stepped in as people cleared out as classes ended. "I have to watch Sasuke for his martial arts club. He wants to show me how he has improved."
Hinata looked interested. "Has he been doing well?"
"Yes, would you like to come?" Itachi offered.
"I don't want to impose. I'm sure he would prefer I wouldn't. I know he's not fond of girls." Hinata waved her hands, declining.
Kisame snorted. "Well, that would explain how he and Naruto are never seen without each other."
"That's not what I meant." Hinata pouted.
"I'm sure he wouldn't mind you, of all people, Hinata. He hasn't even seen you since we were kids." Itachi offered.
Kisame was actually interested in how Itachi's little brat brother would react to her. Sasuke's only reaction to most people was disinterested hostility. What did history add to that? "Just don't offer to bear his children."
Hinata ignored the comment. "I guess, but I have no idea where the gym is. We've only done PE outside."
"Kisame could take you. I have to meet him in the locker room, and I'm sure you don't want to wait outside that door." Kisame glared at Itachi's seemingly innocent smile. This was a setup.
"That would work." And Hinata walked right into it.
Itachi raised his eyebrows at him, asking him if he was going to back down. "Yeah, I'll take her," Kisame wished he was scheduled to work earlier tonight, then he would have an excuse not to go.
Hinata walked slowly, incredibly slowly. Every other step was joined by the click of her umbrella. She did have a habit of stumbling on air, and her bag was always too big for her. Maybe the umbrella just kept her from falling forward.
Kisame plucked the bag from her shoulder. Hinata whipped around in surprise. "It's heavy, right?"
Hinata bowed her head in a thank you as she started down the stairs, taking each stair one at a time. At least she wasn't offended.
Hinata felt an odd familiarity, hearing the instructions barked by the instructor. She had the odd ghost feeling that she was going to be scolded for being out of uniform.
Itachi offered his arm to help her up the bleacher stairs as Kisame stepped up. Thankfully, Kisame didn't seem to notice her struggle enough to offer. She thanked Itachi, wrapping her hand around her forearm, taking the quiet courtesy. Itachi let her pick a seat. She picked one at the top of the bleachers against the wall. Kisame set her bag down at her feet.
"Neji-san's out there too." Neji's hair was pulled back in a messy bun. He looked adorable. Why hadn't she thought he would be here? She used to do this with him. This must be why he couldn't take her home today.
"I used to be too, but my eyesight is going," Itachi crossed his arms, resting back against the wall. "Hand-eye coordination is becoming harder even with contacts, and Kendo is enough for me."
"You have contacts?" Hinata never noticed. Though, she wouldn't really know why she would have.
Neji spotted her taking a double take as she waved, then getting kicked in the stomach while was distracted. Hinata hissed, balling her hand up. That looked like it hurt. Lee stopped his assault when Neji missed the easy block. Neji pointed up at Hinata. Lee's eyes lit up as he saw her.
Oh no. Lee jumped up the bleachers, skipping the stairs on his way. "Hinata-chan! I missed you! You haven't come to lunch or practices! It's so great to see your beautiful, youthful face!" Lee picked her up in a hug before setting her down on the wrong leg.
Hinata squeaked as she wobbled and fell. Massive hands engulfed her waist, keeping her upright and guiding her down, then releasing her as soon as she was safely down.
"Oh!" Lee covered his mouth. "I'm sorry I forgot!"
"It's fine, Lee-san. Kisame-san caught me." Hinata let out a shaky breath. "Neji-san looks like he wants your attention." Actually, he was glaring daggers at Kisame for daring to touch her, but Lee didn't need to know that.
"I'll come to see you at the home sometime!" Lee pranced back down the bleachers to be yelled at.
"You okay? That didn't hurt, did it?" Kisame rubbed his palms on his pants.
"No, he didn't hurt me. He's just a little hyper." Hinata waved her hand, defensively.
"I meant me." Kisame balled up his hands in his lap.
"Oh! No, thank you for catching me." Hinata smiled reassuringly. "I'm sorry for being so clumsy."
Kisame turned his head away, and a smile spread across Itachi's face.