Kisame rubbed his face as he listened to Hinata's plan. "You can't be serious."
"I told you the only way you will escape Hiashi Hyuga is if he can't find you." Itachi chimed in.
"Mouse, you are seventeen. That's kidnapping." Kisame reasoned. He felt like he was the only that was thinking this through.
"Not if you're married." Itachi countered.
"You're not helping." Kisame countered.
"My uncle agreed with me." Hinata held out the card. "I want to be with you. This is the only way I am going to be able to do that."
Kisame closed her hand over the card. "I know the cops scared you, but it was just a mistake." And a much worse reason for the cops to come after him.
"Hiashi could be planning worse. He will keep hurting her until she caves." Itachi reminded him coldly. "With Hinata graduated, Hiashi has the summer to twist her arm until university starts. He will break it if it means he gets what he wants." Did he have to be graphic about it?
Kisame groaned. They were right, but this felt like he was doing something he shouldn't, even if they had permission, even if she wanted to go, even if he wanted to protect her. "I can't give you the life you want, mouse."
"You are the life I want." Hinata bit down her lip.
Kisame balled his hands into fits. How was he meant to say no to her when she said something like that with that face?
Itachi grinned, knowing who won. "I can have you a place and a ride by tonight."
Hinata hugged her uncle tightly. "Have you got everything?" Hinata nodded. "I am not telling Neji until he gets back," Hizashi told her. Hinata was sure that was the best idea, but she was also a little heartbroken that she wasn't going to be able to say goodbye to him.
Hinata pulled back to bow her head. "Thank you for everything."
"I didn't do anything special. I just did what your father should have." Hizashi frowned. "Though I think accepting help from a Uchiha is pushing my limits."
Hinata smiled, feeling tears in her eyes as Kisame put his hand on her shoulder. "Ready, mouse?" Hinata nodded, turning to latch onto his arm. "I'll take care of her."
"I know you will." Hizashi agreed with a smile.
Hinata flopped down on the only thing in the apartment they had put out so far, Kisame's futon with their matching plushies sitting on top arranged to have their noses together. She pulled her shark to her chest and watched Samehada sniff every corner of the walls. Itachi had them moved within a few hours. It felt like he was planning it the whole time. He even had new phones waiting for them.
Maybe now Kisame could appreciate having a wealthy friend.
Kisame fussed around in the bathroom longer. He was worried about checking things like the hot water tank, but Hinata was sure that even though the place was small and needed cleaning. Itachi wouldn't have found them a ratty place to live. Hinata heard the water running and the footsteps as Kisame came out, hopefully satisfied.
Kisame laid down beside her, still in the clothes they wore to graduation, minus their robes. It was a wild day, and her brain was trying to tell her it was two. "Are you sure about this, mouse?"
Hinata turned to curl into him. "It's a little late to be asking me that."
"It's not." Kisame curled his arm around her back and lowered his head to show her he was serious. "I don't want you to do this just to protect me."
"I did it because I want to be free to choose." Hinata moved closer, lifting her head to be able to keep looking at him. "And I chose you."
Kisame face scrunched up. "You need to stop being cute when I am trying to be logical."
Hinata giggled. "Is that all I have to do to get you to agree with me?"
"Don't abuse it." Kisame turned to wrap fully around her. Hinata adjusted into his shoulder and sighed. "I guess we just have to lie low for a year."
"Then what?" Hinata smiled into his shoulder, knowing what he was actually thinking.
Kisame coughed. "Then we can think of something else."
Hinata giggled into his shoulder.
Samehada's scratching caused them both to pause. Hinata pushed away far enough to wiggle out and get his bowl out. "Did Kisame-san not get your food out?"
"Don't blame me. I got the litter box out, at least." Kisame grumbled as he sat up.
Hinata knelt beside the bowl as she set it down to watch Samehada eat. "Good boy."
Samehada ignored her, and Hinata smiled at him, better than hissing.
Kisame woke up with his usual mass of fur just short of his head, but a not usual mass of heat curled up behind him. He peeked over his shoulder to see Hinata curled up into a ball with her blanket in a cocoon around her head and her face pressed into his back. He was sure her shark plush was somewhere in that mass of blankets because she went to sleep squeezing the life out of it.
He didn't remember turning over, but he did remember Hinata being further on the other side of the bed. They both somehow ended up on his side. He would have to remember to be careful to roll over on her.
Kisame yawned and tried to sit up, only to notice Hinata had a full fist of his shirt.
God damn it, she was cute.
Kisame pried her fist off, and Hinata only moved to wrap around herself and tuck her head down into her blanket as he ducked into the bathroom. The door felt shorter than his old apartment. He felt like he could blame Itachi for that.
Kisame learned the hard way that Hinata needed a bathtub last night. He didn't know why he didn't think about her standing in the shower being a problem… well, he was actively not trying to think about her in the shower, that's why. He never liked bathtubs. He couldn't fit them, and for some reason, showers with bathtubs always had the shower head lower than if it was just a standing shower, but Hinata being able to take a bath at all was better than him having to fit comfortably.
Kisame returned to the bed and shifted in behind her, where there was more room than he was in front of her. Maybe Hinata made him a big bed, knowing she would curl up in the middle. Kisame pulled his pillow and blanket over and laid his head back down.
He could sleep in. He didn't have work or school. That reminded him that he should have probably quit. He would have to find a new job, something that wouldn't make her worry about him, but he could look for that in the morning.
Hinata rubbed her face and looked at the state of the kitchen. They needed groceries. They needed to find the grocery store. They needed pots.
Maybe she should just order breakfast today. Was there anything nearby Kisame could eat?
Hinata knelt back on the bed, reached over top of Kisame for her new phone, and saw a message from Itachi. 'Look downstairs.' Downstairs? The apartment was on the second floor. She didn't look at what was down there last night, but it looked like a business. Was it open?
Hinata ran her hand back through her hair and looked at Kisame, still sleeping with his arm loose where she was lying. She wasn't sure how she woke up with him on the other side of her.
She looked back down at the message. Maybe she could peak before he woke up.
Kisame came down the stairs after an excited Hinata who shook him awake, and he was just now realizing that these stairs were not really the best option for her, but it wasn't slowing her down right now.
She stopped at the door under the stairs, held out their keys, and pushed the door open. "You have to see this."
Kisame ducked his head into the back door of an empty kitchen. "What?"
"It's our shop." Hinata squeaked with her lip pouted out. "I didn't even know Itachi-san knew about that."
Kisame knew… he told Itachi why he was working so hard. He wanted her to be able to have it if she wanted to. Itachi went over him. Rude.
Hinata tugged on him. "I can teach you to cook."
"I think you are going to need the help." Kisame rubbed the back of his head. "Can we eat first?"
Hinata giggled, padding to him and lifting her tiptoes to kiss him. "After we call to thank Itachi-san."
