The Date

Neji Hyuga had considered himself prepared for a great deal of things he anticipated to happen to him in his lifetime. Whether it would be love rejections or failed business endevours, he was certain that he would never be caught off guard, that is until Friday night at the dinner table, when Hinata announced that she had a date the next evening, and apparently not with Naruto Uzumaki.

"What do you mean you're date isn't with Naruto?"

"As in my date isn't with Naruto." She replied slowly, confused with her cousins confusion.

"Well then who are you going out with?"

"A very nice guy I met at that modern art exhibition I went to last week - the one which explored electricity as an art medium."

"What's his name?" Hiashi asked casually, inwardly jumping for joy that Hinata wasn't dating Minato's son.

"Laxus Dreyar."

Hiashi choked on his food, "As in Laxus Dreyar, Makarov Dreyar's grandson?"

The memories of his previous encounters with Makarov still sent shivers down his spine.

Be careful for what you wish for, I guess.

"Nice catch, sis. I heard he has the body of a sex God."

"Hanabi!"

"What?! I'm just saying-"

"We know what you're saying. I'm telling you not to say it young lady." Hiashi reprimanded her.

Neji was frozen in shock. Sure, Naruto had told them, "Guys she's not in love with me, she loves me as an inspiration and a friend. We've talked about this." Even so everyone believed she did in fact love in the romantic sense.

To Neji's surprised, it seems that Naruto wasn't as oblivious as people believed him to be.

"So where is he taking you?" Hanabi asked, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Hinata rolled her eyes in amusement, "We're going to another art exhibition, this time about the power of faith, and then going to dinner at that new Italian restaurant on Maple street."

"Ooh, very fancy. I heard they make a mean lasagne."

"I'll be sure to try it out."

The two sisters chatted excitedly while Neji listened intently to get more information on this guy (so he doesn't do a background check of the wrong person, of course), all blissfully unaware of the dark aura surrounding Hiashi as he began to ponder what his life would like with the Dreyars as his in-laws.

"I don't think you're taking this seriously." Neji - to put it lightly - was freaking out, "Our sister is out with some guy we've never met and all you're doing is..is...actually what are you doing?"

"I'm looking for my binoculars."

"Why?"

"Neji," she said exasperatedly,"In what universe is Hinata going on a date without us spying on her?"

"Oh," Neji said, with a sigh of relief, "I'll go get my night-vision-goggles."

"Do you see them yet?"

"No."

"Do you see them now?"

"No."

"What about now?"

"For God's sakes Freed, stop freeking out." Evergreen snapped at him, tearing her eyes awayfrom her binoculars, "They're probably still at the exhibition."

"Or doing it."

"Bickslow!"

"What? I'm just saying, from the pictures I've seen of her online, I would tap that."

"No! Laxus has more honor than that!"

"Face it guys," said Natsu, finally recovered in the backseat after the long drive, "Laxus is a hot-blooded male. Considering Laxus' reputation of turning down women, he must really like this girl to actually be the one who asked her."

"Natsu has a good point," Lucy, who was at the steering wheel because after all this was her car, had chimed in, "So when's my turn on the binoculars?"

"In a minute." Evergreen scanned the restaurant window intensely when the heard a knock on the opposite window.

"Shit we've been discovered!"

They all turned to see a young friendly-looking brunette girl signalling them to roll down the window. Hesitantly, Lucy did so.

"Hi! Sorry to disturb you, but I'm guessing you're hear to spy on Hinata and Laxus' date?"

"Who wants to know?" Lucy asked suspiciously.

"I'm Hinata's sister Hanabi. I'm doing the same thing."

"Hanabi step away from the car!" They heard someone shout from further away.

Hanabi rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"That's our cousin Neji. He's like an overprotective big brother, but harmless really."

"What do you want?" Evergreen got down to business.

"You have a good view, we have a specialised night-time spy equipment."

"Deal." She countered without hesitation, opening the door for her.

"Wait! How are we all going to fit?"

"We'll find a way." Freed said optimistically, excited for the aid of Hanabi's gadgets.

Hanabi settled herself in, sandwiched herself between Bickslow and Freed, and keeping her black duffle bag close.

"Hey." Hanabi said flirtatiously, winking at Bickslow who looked her over suggestively in return.

"Hanabi! What have I told you about talking to strangers?"

"For God's sakes - NEJI JUST HURRY UP AND GET IN THE DAMN CAR!"

Neji, knowing only too well that dangerous tone of voice, jumped in the car.

"Well, I think introductions are in order."

"Evergreen."

"Bickslow."

"Freed."

"Lucy."

"Natsu. So what cool gadgets have you got?"

"They're here!" Lucy announced, not looking away through the binoculars "They're right by the window. Aww, she looks so cute!"

"She's blushing isn't she?"

"Oh, yeah. Big time!"

"If he lays a hand on her, I swear I-"

"Shut up, Neji!"

"How dare you question Laxus' intentions. He's a gentlemen!"

"And from what I'm seeing a killer body too- oh, he's leaning in! He's leaning in!'

"Give me that! It's my turn!" Freed snatched the binoculars from her.

"It's my cousin he's leaning into. Hanabi, give me some binoculars."

"Guys just chill like me and Bickslow here." Natsu said, slumped lazily together with Bickslow in the corner of the car, "Let the kids be!"

"Yeah, man!"

"I've got a better idea." Hanabi started to set up a large black contraption that consisted of a pair of binoculars resting on a camera stand, wired to a screen and pointed directly across the street.

"What the hell is that?!"

"Let's just say I know a guy who's in security detail."

A zoomed-in image of the date appeared on the screen.

"I think I enjoyed the last piece the most - the one entitled Hope."

"The light in the darkened room of monsters?"

"Yeah, that one. I thought it was simple but also had a very strong message."

"I couldn't agree more, though I would have to say my favourite was the painting of the child in a lightening storm."

"Mmmh, that was a beautiful piece," she took another sip of her wine, "Do you visit art exhibitions often?"

"Not as often as I'd like. The family business takes up a lot of time."

Hinata nodded, "I understand. My cousin's currently being trained as the new company president and I can see how draining it can be for him. Still, it must be rewarding."

"It is, and my friends help, which I'm grateful for." He took another sip of wine,"So you mentioned earlier you were applying for Universities? What kind of course are you hoping to study?"

"International business with Mandarin. I've always enjoyed languages and different cultures, and of course growing up with the family business going on around me I think it's something that I'd like to pursue."

"From the look on your face I can tell you're excited about. It's very rare people find something they're truly passionate about."

Laxus leaned in suddenly causing Hinata to blush red as a tomato, "Just to let you know, I think my friends might be spying on a our date. I'm sorry about this."

He tilted his head discretely to his right out the window. Hinata was horrified to peak and see her cousin arguing with a guy with long green hair, "Oh, my God! I-I'm so sorry, my c-cousin's there too. Though I am surprised my sister isn't there with- oh no wait there she is, and she's got her spy ware," she sighed, "Of course."

"Spyware?"

"Y-yeah," she said sheepishly, "She's rather...eccentric, but she's harmless really."

Well she wasn't really but Hinata didn't want to scare her date off with her dodgy sister.

"It's okay. My friends are like that too. They once bugged my room because they though I had a secret girlfriend, which I didn't."

"I know what you mean, my sister thought it'd be a good idea to hack my computer."

"My friends paid someone to paint a portrait of me for my birthday."

"My sister painted a portrait of me holding a baby for Valentines day, entitled 'Make me an auntie'."

"Okay that is bad." He laughed a deep smooth laugh, one Hinata found very charming.

"I'm glad you said yes when I asked you out." He told her honestly.

"I'm glad you asked."

"Listen, I'd like to continue our date, but not infront of prying eyes." He suggested, "Want to get out of here?"

"I like that idea." She smiled sweetly at him and he couldn't help but feel butterflies in his stomach.

"So then I told him 'Elfman, enough is enough, we need to tell your sisters about us.'"

"I really don't know what he was worried about," Lucy chuckled, "they already knew!"

"Exactly!"

"Men can be such idiots." Hanabi commented light-heartedly.

"Everyone!" Freed shouted, him and Neji having been in a private conversation until then, "who looks looks more manly? Neji or I?"

I rest my case.

"Well, you both look like you've come straight out of a shampoo commercial," Hanabi said matter-of-factly, "So I'm going to say neither."

They all laughed when-

"Oh my God, they're gone!"

"What?!"

"Where did they go?"

While they were all shouting at the screen hysterically, Hanabi made her way out of the car.

"The hunt begins!"

"Hanabi, where are you going?" Lucy shouted after her.

"To follow them of course!" They heard her shout in the distance.

"You heard her guys, come on!" Natsu followed the petite girl's lead.

Bickslow hurried after them, shouting, "Woo, adventure time!"

"Are you sure this is where that old man told you they went?"

"For the hundredth time yes," Evergreen whispered frustratedly, "Look - there's a clearing ahead."

Once they approached the clearing, they spotted them immediately, underneath the moonlight, arms wrapped around each other and in a tight lip-lock.

"Yeah, go get some Laxus." Bickslow whispered, cheering him on as they all hid behind the bushes.

"Woah, Laxus' got some good moves!"

"Hey, that's my cousin you're talking about!"

"Shut up, Neji! Let Hinata be happy."

"How do we know Hinata's happy? We don't even know what she's thinking right now."

"Well, her hand just went under his shirt so I'm guessing it's something along the lines of, 'Imma get me some tonight', if you know what I mean."

The others chuckled quietly, trying not be noticed by the couple in the clearing.

"And from the disturbed look on your face, cousin dear, I'm guessing you do."

"They actually make a cute couple." They all looked at Freed surprised.

"Of course they do!" Evergreen insisted.

"Freed, are you feeling alright, man?"

"Wow, Freed's actually accepted her!" Natsu rejoiced.

"No! I just said aesthetically...they look good together."

"They really do." Lucy gushed over them, "Imagine the babies!"

"Dibs on godmother of their first born!" Hanabi whispered quickly.

"Damn it! No fair." Evergreen whined.

"Don't worry," Hanabi reassured her, "Twins are common in our family."