קгєץ 🕷 [ⲛⲁⲅⳙⲏⳕⲛⲁ]

Like A Puppet On A String

None of this was new.

She knew what to do.

Keep herself friendly and professional.

"Iced tea," he grunted, eyes, blessedly, on the menu, "sweet."

She nodded, scribbling it down on her little notepad.

Slipping deeper into her role of hostess, she informed him that, "today's special is shoyu ramen."

"Give me that then, large, and a side of gyoza."

"...and a side of gyoza," she muttered as she wrote out his order.

Once finished, she held out a hand for his menu, meeting his eyes once more.

It wasn't any easier than earlier but she bore it without flinch.

"I'll have it out for you as soon as I can," she told him, then retreated.

She was well aware that she was running away with her tail between her legs, but could anyone truly blame her?

Letting out a breath as soon as she reached the kitchen, Hinata took another moment to collect herself.

Naruto Uzumaki was a very...intense man, and even more startling, a man she found more attractive than she'd ever found any man before, an attraction he clearly felt as well.

She didn't know what to do with that information though.

Hinata didn't date.

Not that she didn't want to.

She was allowed to now, no one could stop her, but she wasn't sure it was a good idea to get involved with anyone right now, or at least until she was sure she wouldn't endanger the person she was with.

Her friendship with Ino and the Teuchi crew was dangerous enough.

Taking another breath, she cleared her mind.

Honestly, she was getting a little ahead of herself and getting worked up over nothing.

They'd spoken twice.

Not exactly a cause to think about this right now.

"Pretty sure that shade of red on your face can't be found on the RGB color scale."

She jumped as Kiba joined her outside the kitchen door.

"I see Mr. Moneybag's got you all flustered," the brown haired male joked.

"He's doesn't-"

"He's into you, big time, ya know," Kiba teased, "didn't take you for a chick that liked the big, muscly, scary looking tattoo guy, though. You're just chalk full of surprises, huh, Hinata?"

"I don't think he's scary."

He gave her look as they wandered into the kitchen together.

"W-well, um, his stature can be a bit...intimidating at times," she conceded, "but he truly is really nice, and-"

"I'll bet he's nice," Kiba teased, wiggling his brows, "and you didn't deny you were into big, muscly, scary looking tattoo guy."

Flushing harder, Hinata sputtered, "I'm not-"

"What are we talking about?" Ayame questioned, stirring a massive steel pot.

"Hinata's new boyfriend," Kiba answered.

"He's not-" Hinata started on a squeal.

"Oh, Mr. Moneybags?" Ayame said, dark eyes sly and teasing.