Hanging around the same bar was odd after bouncing around for weeks, but the clientele knew to keep quiet about who and what they saw because they had as much reason to hope for that from everyone else. There could be a stabbing in the middle of the dance floor, and not a single person would have claimed they saw it.

Hinata couldn't say that she liked the idea that every single person in here could have done something she would normally hate, but they were keeping her and Hidan a secret if they recognized them, and she would have to level that with her ignoring her usual morals.

She kept her attention to herself if she could help it.

But there was one thing that the bar was universally not happy with: a number of girls claiming they were drugged there. Some were more upset that it brought police attention to the bar, and others were just annoyed it meant that fewer women showed up, but if that's what it took, at least they were upset about it for some reason.

"Your boyfriend's worst enemy is here again." The bartender pointed down the bar at the guy with the sweet pickup line.

Hinata cracked a smile at the bartender. Hidan made a show of hanging on her if a guy so much as looked at her for too long, and honestly, it was cute that he was so easily jealous, and he didn't care who knew. He wanted everyone to know that they were here together, and she couldn't say she didn't like the extra attention it got her from him.

Hinata's smile fell as she watched sweet-pickup-line guy tipping something into the drink beside him. Her lips came into a line, and she had a choice to make.

Hidan watched Hinata break the crowd quickly and grab his arm. "We need to go now."

Hidan got up to follow her toward the backdoor. He didn't ask why. The frantic look on her face meant it was urgent.

There was a heavy, unmistakable thunk across the bar, followed by a few people yelling and someone calling for an ambulance. Hidan tried to stop to look behind them, but Hinata pulled him through the door and down the street. She knew it was happening before it happened. "What did you just do?"

Hinata ducked her head as they walked. Hidan bent over to see her face. It twisted as she turned her head away.

"Did you get in trouble?" Hidan teased.

"Don't make fun of me." Hinata whimpered.

Hidan chuckled at her pout. "What the hell did you do?"

"I… may have put drain cleaner in a shot and gave it to a guy I saw spike a drink," Hinata whispered.

Hidan stopped looking back at the bar. "Fucking hell." Hinata grabbed his arm to keep him walking. "Would that kill him?" Was this little thing capable of actively trying to kill a man?

Hinata shook her head. "As much as I gave him, he should only have severe chemical burns if he gets to the hospital in a reasonable time."

Holy shit, she really thought about this. "Did anyone see you?"

"I don't think so." Hinata looked up at him like she was ready for him to be upset. Did she think he would be mad about this?

His little school teacher was growing into her crime era more than he realized. "You know that's kinda hot."

Hinata's face fell to scold him. "Don't encourage this behavior."

Hidan grinned. "Would me thinking it's hot encourage you?"

Hinata turned red as she realized what she had implied. "Only you would think so."

Hidan grinned, pulling his arm around her shoulder. "Admit though, it felt good, right? Making someone pay as violently for their crimes as you think they deserve?"

Hinata wasn't going to admit that out loud, but it was written on her face. Hidan kissed her temple with the biggest grin on his face. This was the best day ever. "This is not going to become a regular thing. I did it once."

"Sure." Hidan teased.

Hidan waved the sweet-smelling treat in Hinata's sour face before she reluctantly took it. "I feel like I am being rewarded when I shouldn't be."

"I don't know what you are talking about." Hidan grinned as she bit into the cinnamon-fried bread, something he knew that she wasn't going to refuse.

"I know we shouldn't go back to the bar for a few days, but I was thinking that we would lie low. Stay in the motel or something like that." Hinata looked back at the theme park. It was probably the worst place to be brought to by a serial killer. She was sure there was some slasher novel written with that plot.

If only these parents knew what was in line behind their kids.

Hidan flinched as a child running past screeched. His face twisted in annoyance. Hinata giggled, covering her mouth to hide her chewing. "You came to a theme park when you can't stand children?"

"They are loud and annoying," Hidan grumbled.

Hinata giggled. "You are loud and annoying."

"Fair." Hidan hung his head down on her shoulder to look out at the crowd. "I didn't come here for me."

Hinata laid her hand in his hair. "Just because I didn't go as a kid doesn't mean I need to do it now."

"Why not?" Hidan shrugged. "Call it an extra fuck you to your dad."

"Shh. Don't curse in front of the children." Hinata scolded.

"Not my damn kids," Hidan grumbled, eyeing the kids that ran around their parents in front of them. "How did you put up with kids that age for a living?"

Hinata tilted her head. She hadn't thought about her job much since she left. What did the school board tell the kids? Would they have told her that she went missing? How long would they have made excuses until she was missing so long that there wasn't hope that she was going to be found? Would they have tried to soften the blow? That never worked on kids. One of them would ask their parents, and those parents would probably try to explain how she went missing or was kidnapped, or one of them would see her face on the news while being watched by a grandparent, and they would come back to school the next day, then whole class would know.

Worse, they would know the parroted version from a child with an overactive imagination and bad memory. It would be interesting to hear the story that actually hit the playground.

To a kid that age, it wouldn't really register to them that she could be in some kind of danger or could have died even if they were told outright. They probably wouldn't even realize what happened to her until years later when some thought: 'Wait, was our teacher kidnapped by that guy that broke out of prison? Was that why she left in the middle of the year? I thought she just quit.'

By then, maybe there would be rumors that she had run away with the serial killer who murdered her father. Teenagers could turn everything into a romance. To be completely fair, that is what happened, but it wasn't something that she could have ever imagined happening. She couldn't even say it out loud because there was no way to make it sound good coming out of her mouth.

"I didn't mind the kids. They could get frustrating, but I think I always just kept in mind that they were never trying to upset me. They just have a lot of energy and emotions in their little bodies, and they don't always know how to express it in a way that is suitable yet." Hinata sighed. "I think that kids should be allowed to stay in that stage for a little while." She wished she had been allowed.

"You're depressing. If you miss being a gremlin. Be one now." That's what he got out of that? Hidan wrapped his arms around her ribs as she took her last bite. He was going to earn himself looks from the moms like this. They were going to expect to glare at a couple of teenagers, not adults. "Come on. I am making you ride something."

Hinata giggled. "Are you going to ride the merry-go-round with me?"

Hidan narrowed his eyes at her. "I am not sure which one that is."

Hinata wiggled out of his grip. "I won't make you ride a horse. Maybe the Ferris Wheel."

"I can ride a horse?" Hidan raised an eyebrow. Did he not know what a merry-go-round was, or was he messing with her?

Hinata nodded. "It's the plastic horses." She pointed in the direction she saw the ride.

Hidan shrugged. "Fuck it, let's ride a horse."

Hinata wondered if he was going to think that when he saw it, but he had surprised her before.

**Lavender Long Stories**

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