"Here we are!"

Hinata, Neji, and Hanibi decended the bus steps and into the crisp cold air of December. The trio where on a christmas holiday together in Canada, leaving the bustle of Japan to relax in a more secluded area.


Hinata breathed in the fresh air while adjusting her scarf and ear muffs, and smiled brightly at her cousin and little sister.


"It's beautiful."


Pale opal eyes scanned the horizon, a crystal blue lake lay peacefully warming under the unfaltering sun-rays. A border of pine-trees stood proudly over their lake, whispering in the gentle breeze. Snow-peeked mountains produced from the oposite end of said lake, and Hinata sighed thoughtfully.


"Hey, Hinata, come take your luggage will you? Unless you want to leave it here. Im not sure the bus-driver will fit in your clothes though."


The stout, round bus-driver glared at Hanabi, and his moustache bristled indignantly. She stuck her tounge out when he turned round, and passed Hinata her suitcase.


"Hanibi, try to be a little nicer to the locals, will you? We're trying to get away from trouble for a little while, not cause it."


"Ano, Neji-san you're such a bore."


Neji grunted, and took a stand next to Hinata, also looking at the scenery.


Peace and tranquility. Perfect.


"Temari, watch where you're going will you?! Fuck sake woman."


"Kankuro, your such a misery guts, lighten up will you? Hey Gaara, have you seen the keys to out cabin? I swear I put them in here somewhere..."


"You lost the keys?!"


Neji frowned and rubbed his temples with his thumbs, wishing he hadn't .. thought.. so soon. He let out an irritated grunt, and pulled his jacket closer round him.


"I have the keys, Temari, Kankuro. Calm down. You're scaring the other guests."


Hinata turned to see a boy, around her age, standing in the bus doorway, his gloved hands holding onto the rail as he made his way towards his holiday occupants. His ruby hair was rustled in the wind, and he shook it out of his eyes with an air of grace. Opal eyes met green, and Hinata looked down at her feet, heat rushing to her face as she played with the strings of her jumper.


"I'm sorry. They won't disturb you again. Temari, Kankuro, come. Our cabin is this way."


"Ano, coming Gaara..."


Gaara...


Hinata gazed after the retreating form curiously. He looked younger than the other two, yet they obeyed him without retort or protest. She tilted her head slightly, her hair falling infront her her face, and she tucked it neatly behind her ear before pulling her suitcase along after them.


"Come on, our cabin is this way too."


Neji stole one last look at the lake, before persuing Hinata and Hanibi to the Aurora Resort where they where staying for the next week and a half.

Hinata dropped her bags onto her bed, and it springed up in responce. She turned her head to see Hanabi and Neji fighting to get the top bunk, pushing each other off the ladder and trying to swing their bags onto the top. Hinata rolled her opal eyes while a laugh escaped her throat. "Neji, act your age, not your shoe size!" Neji's pale complexion was dusted red as he gave in and placed his bags on the bottom bunk. Hanabi stuck her tounge out mischeiviously, and clambered up the ladder with the amount of noise equal to that of a herd of elephants.


Hinata decended the two steps that led from the small platform where their beds where, and walked around the small living area. She wriggled her bare feet against the carpet, feeling it run through her toes and she walked over to the sofa, testing out the plump, cream leather cushions. Hinata's father, Hiashi, had rented what seemed like a luxury suite. Petite, but very luxurious.


Standing up, Hinata walked over to the door and picked her coat up. "Neji.. I'm.. Uh.. Going to go and um, look around."

"Ok. Don't be too long.."


Hinata nodded, and made her way into the cold, pulling her jacket on as she did. Placing her orange earmuffs on her head, (she had got them for christmas from guess who!) she began walking towards a hill she had spotted on their way to the resort.


People passed by, and the heiress felt a pair of eyes watching her. Taking a mirror from her skii-coat pocket, she adjusted it enough to see behind her. Nothing. Shrugging it off as her subconsious being paranoid at being out by herself on her own, she carried on. Yet the feeling never left her. She was reminded of the eyes of Gaara, whom had arrived on the same coach as her. Those emotionless, dark rimmed green eyes...


She sat on the hill which she had arrived at, much sooner than she had anticipated, and rested her chin on her knees in deep thought. why am I so caught up in this guy? I've never even spoken to him... And I probably never will. So why am I.. "I don't know how you do it, sitting in the cold as if it wheren't so bitter." Hinata's head snapped back, her hair in her face as she stared with shocked eyes into the emeralds of Gaara's.


"Gaara..." His name escaped her lips before she could stop herself, and she looked away as she felt her face heat up. 'why is this happening? Luckily the cold wind cooled her boiling blood, and her pale complexion was already tinted red from the blistering cold. The red head sat beside her, his legs crossed and his back bent over, staring into his lap.


"So you know my name, however I don't know yours...?"

"Hinata. Hyuuga Hinata. N-nice to m-meet you."

Gaara raised a brow at the stuttering girl, gazing at her from where he sat as if he'd never seen another human being in all his life. Hinata fidgeted uneasily under his intense gaze, and so decided to speak up. "S-so, I t-take it you d-don't l-like the c-cold then G-gaara-kun?"


"Hn. You don't sound like you like it so much yourself, the way you're stuttering like that."


'he thinks it's the cold...'


"Ano.. actually, I like the cold." Her stutter left as she spoke with more confidence, not looking at Gaara, but the sky, the soon-to-be-setting sun shining brightly in her opal eyes. "The cold seems to cover up my frequent blushes and my stutter. I don't know why I stutter. I guess i'm just not much of a..." Her eye's met Gaara's and she swallowed hard "p-people p-person.."


"Hn. Who needs people?"

(to be continued!)