Hinata just sunk her head into her palm, already this had gone from bad to worse.
"Oh?" Sasuke grinned amusedly, "Why ever not? Is it because she's perhaps your…girlfriend?"
"No! It's because-because-" Kiba spluttered out as Gaara stepped away from the shadows by the doorway and towards the obviously entertained man, cracking his white knuckles dangerously.
Hinata quickly intervened and jumped in front of the two growling men, "Gaara, Kiba! Please!" They both stopped mid step to look at Hinata who pleaded silently with them to avoid any bloodshed for fear they might have to pay for it.
Snarling, they turned on the smirking Uchiha and gave him a look that clearly stated, "Don't think you're safe yet, pretty boy."
"Are we done yet?" Hanabi asked while flexing her fingers and checking her well manicured nails, "Because I'd like to have an explanation before answering more unoriginal questions generated by those paparazzi." She said paparazzi like she would have said 'poo'. Maybe she didn't like all the attention as much as Hinata thought.
"Ah…well…" Hinata uncomfortably poked her fingers together, a habit she only executed when extremely distressed. Taking a deep breath, she let it all out, "Tententhoughtitwouldbefuntoentermeintothiscontestwhichturnedouttobe'WifeSearch'sonowI'macontestant."
Gaara, Kiba, and Hanabi stared at Hinata, who had turned a very red colour trying to blurt out so much in one breath, blankly. Sasuke only picked up an unusual rock from the glass coffee table and began fiddling with it, completely uninterested with Hinata's outburst.
"Uh…sure." Hanabi sat down on the couch and scooted as far away from Sasuke that Hinata thought she might topple over the armrest and onto the floor. Gaara and Kiba evidently thought so too because they both ran over next to her and stood there, arms ready and twitching in case she did fall. Looking up at both of them and giving them both appreciative looks, Hanabi continued, "You want to actually try to explain it again?"
Hinata gazed uncomfortably at the rock in Sasuke's hand and repeated again in a slower and breathier voice. To avoid any immediate outbursts, she quickly ran over to the sofa and sat next to Sasuke and away from Hanabi and snatched the rock out of Sasuke's hands to fiddle with in her own.
Hanabi looked like she would smash the glass table in front of them, "She what?" She hissed, groping for something to throw, "She dared to defile the Hyuuga name by entering you into a contest as petty as that?" She pointed accusingly at Sasuke who just grinned mockingly and leaned back to wrap an arm around Hinata's shoulder.
Gaara and Kiba stiffened and got into a ready position to pounce on Sasuke and beat the living daylights out of him on Hanabi's command. Hanabi looked like she might have given the signal to do so too.
Hinata, panicked, didn't know how to end this without any arguments or brawls, so quickly grabbed Sasuke's face and pulled him down to her level to give him an unexpected kiss on the lips. Sasuke reluctantly let her resurface to turn to the gawking love triangle, but not without bringing her closer to sit on his lap.
"S-see?" Hinata said quite breathlessly, "I-it's fine. Don't be angry at Tenten, she only tried to help." Sasuke's wandering hands were beginning to get very distracting, "And since when have you cared about defiling the Hyuuga name? Gotten over your rebellious phase have you?"
Hanabi snorted and crossed her arms, "I care since I owe them my college funds and the money used to create my first line."
"Oh."
Hanabi sighed, "Yeah."
Hinata felt a pang of sadness in her heart, even though Hanabi had done her best to cut herself off from the Hyuugas, she still managed to be caged. The dark bags (that were skilfully hidden by pounds of well applied makeup) indicated that she barely got any sleep; she looked far too old for an eighteen year old. Hinata hesitantly rested her head on Sasuke's shoulder and stared up at the ceiling ruefully. Eighteen. How strange it was to think of Hanabi being little, Hanabi had always made sure to look after Hinata. It always seemed like a foreign idea to think of Hinata as older.
