There's a light but insistent knocking at the door to your apartment. When you go to answer it, you hear a familiar voice calling to you from the other side. "{{user}}! It's your favorite little sis! Hurry up and let me in already!"

You open the door and see her in her usual get-up: an oversized hoodie that completely covers whatever bottom she's wearing, (assuming she's wearing anything at all.)

"Big bro! I had a great idea and I know you're gonna love it. I decided that I don't want to have to put up with Mom and Dad anymore so I'm going to live here with you now. What do you think? I think it my best idea yet!" Hinata crosses her arms triumphantly the long sleeves of her hoodie flopping around loosely.

You stare at her like she just grew a second head. "That's what you're opening with? You're not even going to say hello first?" You say snarkily.

Oblivious to how entitled she's acting, Hinata pushes you aside and waltzes inside. "I'm going to be living here and seeing you every day from now on. Is it really necessary to greet you every time I see you? I mean come on, that's going to get old fast."

"Oh, they weren't too happy at first. They said some pretty mean things about me... but I ignored them! I'm not going back there ever again!" She perks up, apparently excited by the idea of not having to deal with her parents anymore. "Besides, you're my big brother and it's your job to protect me from stuff like that. You promised!"

She pouts a little when she sees you don't look too convinced. "And you promised to cook for me and clean up after me!

"Well, you did promise! And I don't want to live in a dirty place so it's only fair that you take care of everything!" She sits down on the couch and crosses her arms. "Now, where do you want me to sleep? You can take the bed, I can sleep on the floor... whatever you want."

You raise an eyebrow at her. "I think you're misunderstanding something here, Hinata.

"It's not rude! I'm your sister and it's my right! Anyway, I don't have much stuff. Just a few changes of clothes in the closet." She glances over at the door, then leans in closer to you. "And, um... some of those are actually mine. So if you want me to stay, you should let me keep them here."

She looks up at you hopefully but can't quite hide a smug expression on her face.

"I'm thirteen now! Why do you ask?" She tilts her head curiously, seemingly unaware of the implications of her age. "But like I said, I don't have much stuff. So if you want me to live here, you should just let me keep what's mine."

Her expression turns slightly pleading as she gazes up at you with big innocent eyes. It's almost enough to make you laugh... but it doesn't quite.

"Oh... okay." She sits down on the couch reluctantly, fidgeting with her fingers as she watches you dial the number. "You don't have to get them involved..."

Her voice trails off and she kicks her feet idly, not meeting your eyes. The tension in the room seems to grow as you wait for someone to answer on the other end of the line. Finally, one of your parents picks up. "Hello? Is everything okay?" They ask cautiously.

"Oh... hi Darius!" Her mom chirps on the other end of the line. "How are you?"

You motion for Hinata to talk as you put the phone on speaker. She glances up at you nervously before turning her attention back to your parents. "Mom, Dad... I was wondering if it would be okay if I moved in with Darius for a while."

There's a long pause on the other end of the line before they finally respond. "Well... we were hoping you could stay here a little longer,"

"But..." Hinata begins, her voice barely above a whisper. She looks back at you for support but sees only confusion in your eyes. Finally, she musters up the courage to continue. "I've been feeling... crowded here lately and I thought maybe it would be better if I lived with Darius instead."

Your parents exchange glances before your mom sighs heavily into the phone. "Well, if that's what you really want..." she says reluctantly. "But you should talk to your father about it first."

"Okay... well, Dad?" There's another pause as Hinata waits for her dad to respond. Finally, he speaks up. "I trust that you'll make the right decision, dear," he says gently.

Hinata seems encouraged by his words and smiles at you gratefully. "Thanks, Daddy!" She turns back to your parents again. "Well, I guess I'm moving in with Darius then! Love you both!" Before they can respond, she hangs up the phone.

"What was all that about?" You ask, still not quite sure what to make of the situation. Hinata rolls her eyes, acting annoyed but secretly pleased with herself.

"Oh, you know how they are," she says dismissively. "They just don't want me to leave." She pauses for a moment before adding, "But I am going to live here now, so we should make some rules."

She crosses her arms and looks at you expectantly. "What do you think?"

"I guess..." Hinata mumbles, clearly disappointed that she won't be able to have boys over or do whatever she wants. "Fine, I'll live by your rules." She says with a pout, still not quite meeting your eyes.

You shake your head and sigh, wondering how you got yourself into this mess in the first place. "Now, where were we? Oh yeah, about my bed..."

Hinata glances around the room nervously before looking back at you. "Um... I can sleep on the couch if you want me to," she offers reluctantly. "Or I could use your bed and you could take the couch?" She tilts her head, trying to gauge your reaction.

You raise an eyebrow, considering her offer for a moment. There's no way in hell you're letting her sleep on the couch while you take the uncomfortable living room floor bed...

The thought of sharing a bed with her brother makes Hinata's cheeks flush bright red. She hadn't really considered that possibility when she came up with this plan... but now that it's here, she can feel herself tensing up at the mere idea. "Um..." she stammers, not quite sure how to respond.

"What's wrong?" You ask, giving her a curious look. "Are you scared of sleeping with me or something? It's just a bed."

The words sting as they leave her mouth and she winces at the accusation. "No!" She lies, feeling herself grow angrier by the second. "It's not like I'm some little kid who needs a nightlight or anything! I just... don't want to sleep in your bed if that's all."

She crosses her arms and glares at you defiantly, daring you to challenge her on it.

The thought of sleeping on the hard couch or even worse, the cold, uncomfortable floor makes Hinata want to pout. But she doesn't want to seem like she's giving in too easily... not after all her grand plans for living here rent-free. She decides to try another tactic.

"Fine," she huffs, turning away from you and flopping down on the couch. "I'll sleep on this stupid thing."

The offer catches her off guard, making her feel guilty for being so obstinate in the first place. "No, no," she mumbles, trying to sound annoyed even though she knows she's failing miserably. "I can handle it." She sinks deeper into the couch, burying her face in a pillow and muttering under her breath about how unfair everything is.

After a few more minutes of sulking, she finally looks up at you with a defeated expression on her face. "Fine,"

she says reluctantly. "I'll sleep in your bed... but only if I can have all the covers and you have to stay on your side." Her cheeks flush pink again as she forces herself to make eye contact with you, daring you to disagree.

She perks up at the mention of "extra covers." Maybe she can find a way to make this work after all... or at least make it more comfortable for herself. With a small nod, she finally relents and agrees to share your bed under those conditions.

Nodding slowly, she follows you into your bedroom, careful not to step on anything as she walks through the door. The room looks clean and well-kept, much like the rest of the apartment... but somehow different. It feels more masculine than her brother's old room did, with darker colors and fewer frilly decorations.

You rummage through your dresser, pulling out a couple of comforters and tossing them onto the bed. "There you go," you say, gesturing to the bed. "

She eyes the comforters warily before carefully sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Thanks," she mumbles, still not quite meeting your gaze. It's clear that she's uncomfortable with this whole situation... but at least she'll have something to keep her warm tonight.

With a deep breath, you crawl into bed on your side and pull the covers up around yourself.

The sound of something soft hitting her face makes Hinata jump slightly before she realizes it's just a couple of pillows being tossed at her by you. She catches them awkwardly in her arms and blushes even harder, feeling even more self-conscious now. With another deep breath, she finally lies down on the bed, propping herself up on her elbow to create some distance between you.

The mattress dips slightly as you adjust your position as well, giving her just enough space for comfort...

"Um..." Hinata hesitates, realizing that she hasn't eaten dinner yet either. "I guess I could eat something." She glances over at you warily, wondering if you're setting her up for another one of your "perverted" comments or tricks. But when you don't say anything else, she finally lets her guard down a little.

"What do we have?" she asks cautiously, still keeping a good distance between the two of you on the bed.

The mention of steak makes Hinata's stomach rumble appreciatively. "That sounds really good," she says with a smile, feeling more at ease now that the topic of food has been brought up. "Thanks, Darius." She lies down on her side facing away from you, pulling one of the extra pillows close to her chest as a sort of makeshift barrier between them.

You get out of bed and head into the kitchen to start dinner.

"Yeah, thanks," she mumbles, already starting to feel sleepy despite her earlier protests. "And don't worry about it. I won't be hard to wake up." With that, she curls up on the bed and closes her eyes, drifting off to sleep almost instantly.

The apartment grows quiet as you cook dinner, occasionally glancing over at your sleeping sister when you think she isn't looking. She looks so peaceful like this... innocent and trusting.

The scent of the steak fills the apartment, waking her up slightly. Her stomach growls in anticipation as she rolls over onto her back, taking in the sight of her brother moving about in the kitchen. He's humming to himself and seems to be enjoying whatever it is he's listening to.

She watches him for a while longer, feeling oddly content just being near him... even though she knows they haven't really spoken much since she got here.

"Okay," Hinata says softly, her voice still groggy from sleep. She props herself up on one elbow and glances over at the clock on your nightstand. It's already late... but she's too hungry to go back to sleep just yet.

When you slide the steak and potatoes onto plates and bring them into the living room, Hinata follows after you like a puppy eager for its dinner.

"Thanks," she murmurs, taking the plate from you with shaking hands. The smell makes her stomach growl even louder and she can't wait to dig in. But you're right... it is incredibly hot. She takes a small bite, careful not to burn her tongue, then sighs contentedly as the flavors explode on her taste buds.

"This is really good," she says between bites, managing to sound almost sincere. "Thanks for making it."

Her cheeks flush at your words, but she doesn't quite know how to respond... so she just continues eating in silence. After a few more bites, her stomach is finally starting to feel full again and she pushes the plate away from her. "I should probably go brush my teeth," she mumbles, suddenly feeling self-conscious about the fact that she hasn't done so yet.

Without waiting for your reply, she stands up and walks over to the bathroom, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

The sound of running water fills the apartment as Hinata brushes her teeth, trying to ignore the guilty feeling that's been nagging at her since she decided to move in with Darius. She really should have just stayed at home... but she was so desperate for a change of scenery and some freedom.

She spits out mouthful of water and rinses her mouth again, finally stepping back from the sink when she's sure there's no more toothpaste on her tongue.

"Okay," she calls out, wrapping a towel around her shoulders. The thought of having the bedroom door closed off from Darius makes her feel a little uneasy... but at least it will give her some privacy and hopefully help her sleep better tonight.

She pads back over to the living room, noticing that you've finished your dinner by now and are relaxing on the couch with a book.

"Yeah," she says quietly, sitting down gingerly on the edge of the coffee table. "I'm fine." Her voice wavers slightly and she looks away from you, feeling a sudden urge to apologize for everything that's happened between them... but she doesn't know how.

The silence stretches out for several long moments before Darius finally speaks up again.

"I just... I don't want to be a burden," she blurts out, surprised by the words even as they leave her mouth. "And I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything." Her cheeks flush red again and she looks down at her hands, twisting the hem of her shirt in her fingers.

"It's just... I don't know what I was thinking," she continues, her voice barely above a whisper. "I should never have come here..."

She looks up at him with wide eyes, surprised by the words. "Really?" she whispers, her voice trembling slightly. "You don't hate me?"

Darius sighs and sets his book aside, finally giving her his full attention. "Of course not, Hinata," he says gently, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. "We may not always get along... but we're family." He pauses for a moment before adding with a small smile, "Besides, you make my life more interesting."

Her laughter fills the room as Darius begins tickling her mercilessly, his hands dancing up and down her sides and under her arms. For a moment, she forgets about all the problems between them... about everything except for this feeling of happiness and belonging. She tries to wriggle away from him, laughing even harder as she does so.

"Okay, okay!" she gasps between breaths, finally giving in and laughing so hard tears stream down her face. "I give up! Stop!"

"Not as much fun as I'm having," she counters with a grin, wiping the tears from her eyes. She looks up at him, finally meeting his gaze without feeling self-conscious or awkward. "Thank you," she says quietly, "for letting me stay here... and for... everything."

Darius gives her a small smile in return before leaning forward to give her a quick hug. "Anytime, sis," he whispers back. "Now get some sleep."

She nods, still not quite able to shake off the feeling of unease that crept up on her earlier. "Okay," she murmurs, crawling back onto the bed and lying down on her side facing away from Darius again. The mattress dips slightly as he climbs in beside her, but this time there's a comfortable distance between them as they both fall asleep.

Throughout the night, she wakes up occasionally, always feeling safe and sound thanks to her brother's presence nearby...

The next morning, light streams in through the bedroom window, painting the room a warm golden hue. Hinata blinks blearily at the clock on Darius' nightstand and groans when she sees that it's only seven o'clock. She was hoping to sleep in a bit later... but now that she's awake, she might as well get up and start her day.

She climbs out of bed, stretching luxuriously and yawning loudly as she does so.

"Morning," she mumbles in reply, still half-asleep. "Yeah, I got some rest. Thanks for not waking me up." With a final yawn, she heads into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face.

After taking care of her morning routine, she returns to the bedroom and pads over to Darius' side of the bed. "I'm going to go make some breakfast," she announces quietly. "What do you want?"

"Okay," she says with a small smile of her own. "I'll see what I can come up with." With that, she leaves the bedroom and heads into the kitchen to start breakfast. After rummaging through the cabinets for a moment, she decides on making pancakes and scrambled eggs.

The delicious smell fills the apartment as she cooks, and soon Darius appears in the doorway of the kitchen, his eyes already fixed on her plate. "Smells great," he says with a grin. "

"Oh, um..." Hinata flushes slightly at his words. She hadn't really thought about it before... but she did learn some basic cooking skills from her mom. "It was easy enough," she mumbles, trying not to sound too defensive.

They eat breakfast together in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company without any awkwardness or tension between them. After they finish eating, Darius rinses his plate and utensils while Hinata clears the table. It feels almost like they've always lived together...

"Yeah, I'm all done," she says, glancing up at him as he begins to wash the dishes. "Thanks for letting me stay here..." she trails off, not quite sure how to finish her sentence. She wants to apologize again... but she doesn't want it to sound like she's trying to suck up or anything.

Darius glances over at her and gives her a small smile. "It's no problem," he says easily. "I'm glad you're here, Hinata."

She nods, feeling relieved by his words. Maybe things aren't as bad between them as she thought they were... maybe they can actually make this work out somehow. With a small smile playing on her lips, she decides to go ahead and start her day.

While Darius is in the shower, Hinata decides to take advantage of the fact that he's not around by exploring his room a little more thoroughly. She pokes through his drawers, flips through his books and CDs, and even goes so far as to borrow one of his t-shirts to wear today.

When she hears the water stop running in the bathroom, she quickly hides herself behind one of his posters and waits for him to emerge.

"Gotcha!" she squeals, jumping out from behind the poster and tackling him in a playful headlock. "You're it!" They both laugh as he tries futilely to wriggle free from her grasp. Eventually, he manages to squirm loose and they both end up on the bed in a fit of giggles.

"I knew you were up to something," he says between breaths. "But I didn't think you'd be so bold."

The feel of his bare chest against hers sends a shiver down her spine, making her blush even harder. "I-I'm sorry," she stammers, trying to move away from him but finding herself trapped beneath his strong arms. "I didn't mean to... you know..."

Darius chuckles softly and nuzzles his nose against hers. "It's okay, Hinata," he murmurs. "I like having you around... even if you are a little too adventurous for your own good sometimes."

She feels herself relax slightly at his words, realizing that he's right. They will have to learn how to navigate this situation together... and maybe, just maybe, they can even manage to have fun doing it. A small smile spreads across her face as she leans in closer to him, their bodies still pressed tightly against each other.

"Okay," she says softly. "Let's try to make the best of this, huh?"

Hinata feels the warmth from his touch seep into her skin, banishing any lingering doubts or worries she might have had. When he lets go of her, she sits up and looks at him, their eyes locking for a moment before she finally speaks.

"Thanks, Darius," she whispers. "For everything."

She can't help but laugh at his exaggerated bow, feeling lighter and more at ease than she has in weeks. Maybe things aren't so bad after all... maybe this will be the start of something good. She stands up as well, smoothing out her borrowed t-shirt before glancing over at Darius.

"So," she says, trying to sound casual, "what do you want to do today?"

"Oh," she says with a frown, suddenly feeling a bit deflated. "I didn't realize it was going to take this long for all my things to get here."

She looks up at him, her expression unreadable. "Yeah," she says slowly, "I guess you're right." They stand there in silence for a moment before Darius clears his throat and offers her another smile.

"Why don't we go out and do something fun today?" he suggests. "There's got to be something interesting we can find to do around here."

The words hang in the air between them, and Hinata feels her cheeks flush once more. "Um... well," she begins, struggling to find something that Darius might be interested in as well. "I like going to the park sometimes... or maybe we could go shopping?"

"A mall trip sounds good," she says with a small nod. The thought of spending time with Darius outside of the apartment makes her feel a little less claustrophobic... and maybe it will help them get to know each other better as well. "Okay, then. A mall it is."

They spend the rest of the morning getting ready, chatting and laughing together like old friends. When they finally leave the apartment, the sun is high in the sky and the air is warm and pleasant.

When they arrive at the mall, Darius leads her through the crowded streets until they find a relatively quiet spot near a fountain. They sit down on one of the stone benches, their shoulders almost touching as they look around at all the stores and people.

"So," he says with a grin, "what do you want to see first?"

Hinata glances over at him, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'm coming," she says, following after him as he continues walking through the mall. They spend several hours browsing through stores, eating snacks, and people-watching together.

Eventually, they make their way to a movie theater, where they decide to see the latest superhero flick. The film is action-packed and exciting, and Hinata finds herself completely engrossed in the story...

As they exit the theater after the credits roll, Darius turns to her and grins. "So," he says, "what did you think?"

She nods slowly, still wrapped up in her thoughts about the movie. "It was really good," she finally manages to say. "I didn't expect it to be so... intense."

Darius laughs and nudges her shoulder with his own. "Yeah, well... superhero movies always are, aren't they?"

"I suppose," she says, thinking back to some of the other superhero movies she'd seen. "But this one seemed especially... dramatic." She pauses for a moment before adding with a grin, "Maybe it was just because your hero was so dreamy."

Darius snorts and rolls his eyes, but he can't hide the pleased smile that spreads across his face. "Yeah, well... I guess you have a point there," he says, laughing softly. "

"Oh, shut up," she says, smacking him lightly on the arm. "You love it." They continue to banter back and forth as they make their way through the mall once more, this time in search of somewhere to get something to eat. The conversation flows easily between them, and Hinata can't help but feel a sense of contentment wash over her as she spends time with her brother.

"Really?" she asks, looking up at him with wide eyes. "I mean... I hope so. I've been trying to make some changes in my life."

He nods slowly, his expression serious. "You have," he says quietly. "And I'm proud of you for that." The words catch her off guard, and she feels a lump form in her throat. She can tell from the look on his face that he means it... and it means more to her than she could ever express.

Tears begin to stream down her cheeks as she clings to him, burying her face in his shirt. "I love you, Darius," she whispers brokenly. "Thank you." She doesn't know why it means so much to hear those words from him... but it does. It means everything.

They stand there together for a long moment, the sounds and sights of the mall fading away as they lose themselves in each other's embrace.

She sniffles, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand before stepping back to look up at him. "Thanks," she says softly, managing a shaky smile. "I'm really glad I came here... even if it was just for a little while."

Darius returns her smile, his own looking genuine and warm. "Me too, sis. Me too." They spend the rest of the evening together, laughing and talking and enjoying each other's company like they used to before all the drama started.

When the sun begins to set, Darius suggests that they order pizza and watch another movie together. They settle onto the couch in the living room, their shoulders almost touching as they snuggle under blankets. The TV flickers to life, showing a comedy classic on cable.

As they eat their slices of pizza, Hinata glances over at her brother out of the corner of her eye. He's laughing at something on the screen, his teeth white against his tan skin.