SPOILERS: Through Naruto chapter 515 (beyond the current/fourth year of Naruto Shippūden).

NOTES: This is set just prior to the start of the war, as the troops are gathering. This little idea kept distracting me from a longer fic I'm working on, so I decided to get it out of my head and onto ffnet. I seem to have a thing for Team 8, so I hope other Team 8 fans will enjoy it.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto.

CHARMS

I sensed them a moment before they landed among the Hyūga tents. There were few jōnin who could come close to sneaking up on me; it was irksome that these two chūnin could. It was also slightly irritating that Lady Hinata seemed to have been aware of their approach before I had, for as I turned to face them, I saw she was already smiling with her hands clasped in front of her chest, a gesture of pleased anticipation.

Lady Hinata gave a happy little gasp. "Shino! Kiba! I knew you'd find me eventually."

There were tens of thousands of ninja from all five nations gathered in the wide plain. While the Hyūga tents made up a fairly large compound, it was easily lost in the sea of marshaling forces.

The Inuzuka dismounted from his canine companion with a self-satisfied smirk. "Well, there's no mistaking your sweet scent." As though emphasizing his master's statement, the big dog walked up to sniff Lady Hinata then bump her hand with his nose. She apparently didn't mind the comment or the dog, as she continued smiling and patted the animal's head.

I had already had issues with the odors that resulted from so many people in one place. Grudgingly I had to admit that it was a remarkable feat to have found us by smell, even if Lady Hinata seemed to have expected it.

"We did not see you among the Special Operations Division troops." It seemed to be the Aburame's way to get to the point of a matter without polite pleasantries. Were I not repulsed by the concept of someone sharing their body with bugs, I would better appreciate the chūnin's straight-forwardness. Other Hyūgas have worked with Aburames, so I have to assume I'll eventually grow out of the childhood shock I experienced after using my clan's special vision to see the horrifying reality of the Aburames' power. After years of working with him, there was little chance Lady Hinata had not seen the same thing at some point; it amazed me that it didn't seem to bother her in the least.

Lady Hinata's smile faltered slightly, and I was compelled to stand beside her in silent support. The great dog turned its head toward me and huffed. While there was no outward sign of threat, I sensed the beast was not happy that I was so close.

Apparently Lady Hinata sensed it, too. "This is Neji, Akamaru. My cousin. Do you remember?"

The dog grumbled, and his master laughed without humor. "Yeah, that's the one."

Refusing to be nettled by the Inuzuka or his animal, I addressed the Aburame. "We have both been assigned to the Second Division."

"Told ya."

The Aburame stiffly faced his childhood teammate. "If you recall, I did not argue the point. Why? Because it is logical to place those with the ability to use Gentle Fist among the close-combat personnel."

I had always been impressed with the Aburame's intellect and rationality. To my knowledge, the only reason he was not yet a jōnin was a lack of experience and opportunity. The Inuzuka had completed more missions, though with a lower success rate.

"Whatever." The tattooed shinobi shrugged then turned back to Lady Hinata. "We just came to check which division you're in and wish you luck."

"We have also brought you good-luck charms." The Aburame slipped a hand into one of the pockets in his voluminous overcoat to emerge with a simple chain and a curious, spherical, spiraling pendant that he held out to Lady Hinata.

"Not that you're going to need them." The Inuzuka waved the possibility away as he popped open one of his vest pockets and handed her a dog-shaped woven figure about half the size of her palm. "We just wanted you to have them so you know we'll be thinking about you."

"I want you to have it so I can locate you at any time," corrected the Aburame.

The Inuzuka and his dog both turned to the lanky shinobi and growled at him.

Although there was no indication he was bothered by the chorused threat, the Aburame added, "However, it is unfortunate we will not be able to work as a team."

"Shino, Kiba, thank you so much." Lady Hinata seemed truly touched by the charms. Without hesitation she clasped the chain around her neck, and it was only then I noticed the pendant was hollow with something moving inside. I had to repress a shudder and marvel that Lady Hinata's tolerance allowed her to willingly, gladly wear a bug around her neck.

"Did you make this, Kiba?" Lady Hinata examined the dark figure carefully, running a finger across the top of it in a diminutive imitation of patting a dog's head.

"Yeah, I did it with hair from all five of us." Drawing close to Lady Hinata, the Inuzuka grinned as he pointed out the details. "Your and Master Kurenai's hair make the warp while mine and Shino's make the weft. And for the eyes I used Akamaru's." Lady Hinata seemed perfectly comfortable with his proximity and the over-personal idea that he had collected her hair. While I was familiar with the tradition of using hair in charms, I had always found the idea repugnant—this one doubly so because it involved the heir of the Hyūgas. It was beyond improper that this fang-toothed cur thought he was entitled to access to Lady Hinata's person in the form of her hair just because he'd been her genin teammate.

Apparently sensing my upset, the Inuzuka's slit-like eyes turned to me, and he smiled, though it seemed more like a baring of teeth. "We have something for you, too, Neji."

"If you would be so kind as to give us a moment with him." The Aburame's use of polite social language set my nerves on edge nearly as much as the Inuzuka's feral grin.

Lady Hinata didn't seem to notice. "Of course."

I soon found the Inuzuka's arm familiarly around my shoulders as he waved with his free hand. "Be back in a minute, Hinata." While his tone was completely civil, the tension of his arm made it clear he would move me by force if needed. Having no interest in making a scene, I allowed him to guide me to the only remotely private space in the compound.

With the Inuzuka being shorter, I had to haunch slightly. As we came to a halt, the Aburame moved in front of me. I have always been fairly tall for my age and will likely reach the height of my uncle and late father, but the Aburame towered over me, the giant of our generation. While he had the surprising ability to fade into his surroundings without trying, when he chose to be frightening, the sense of threat around him was palpable. Just then, he was exuding menace in full force—at me. Combined with my lingering childhood unease regarding Aburames, it took effort not to shiver, though I could not repress the cold sweat that began to trickle down my spine.

The Inuzuka sniffed me. "Tone it down, Shino, or he'll piss his pants." His dog sat on the other side of me and sniffed then snorted.

It was impossible not to be irritated, but I tried not to show it. Drawing a deep breath, I released it slowly. "What is it you want?"

"Here's the thing." The Inuzuka patted my shoulder. "We know you're not as much of a dick as you were during our first chūnin exams, but it's difficult to forget what you did to Hinata back then."

"Your position in the Hyūga clan makes it your responsibility to protect Hinata." The Aburame had, indeed, reduced his disturbing aura; his tone seemed as bland as ever. "Our intention is to impress upon you how seriously we take your responsibility."

"See, we heard about what Hinata did for Naruto during the fight with Pein." Leaning closer, the Inuzuka's breath warmed my cheek as his voice dropped in volume and pitch, all but growling in my ear. "Hinata's a sweet girl. She tends to think of others before herself. That nearly got her killed."

"We are accustomed to working with Hinata." The Aburame seemed professorial and detached compared to the Inuzuka's intimacy, and he spoke as though lecturing me. "This gives us an advantage when it comes to anticipating and accommodating her reactions in battle. But we will not be with her during this conflict, and this concerns us. Why?"

"Because she'll probably overdo it again because this whole war is about Naruto." This time the Inuzuka actually did growl. "I remember holding her just like this." He tightened his grip, accusation thick in his voice. "Her narrow shoulders were shaking as she coughed up blood, but she couldn't bear not seeing the match between you and Naruto. That was a month after you put her in the hospital. It's been barely as long since the fight with Pein. The action'll probably be just as tough as it was against those freaks, and we won't be there to watch her back this time, either." Leaning back, the Inuzuka gave my shoulder a little shake. "We're counting on you to make sure there're no repeats of that fight."

"Of course I will protect Lady Hinata to the fullest extent of my ability." It was outright offensive that they would assume I might do otherwise, regardless of how shamefully I treated her during our first chūnin exams.

The Aburame leaned forward, the proximity making the shape of his eyes vaguely visible beneath his dark goggles. "That is insufficient, Neji Hyūga."

"What Shino means to say is this." The Inuzuka squeezed my shoulder while his dog opened its eyes to glare at me. "Whatever happens to Hinata had better happen to you first because, jōnin or not, there's no way we won't find you if it doesn't."

With a nod, the Aburame straightened. "It is not only against others you must protect Hinata but also against herself."

"No more of this self-sacrificing bullshit. Got it?"

It was difficult to decide how to respond to their open threat. While a part of me was outraged that they dared to question my diligence, it took courage to challenge someone of my skills. I couldn't help but admire them for their loyalty. If Lady Hinata was capable of engendering fidelity from an unruly Inuzuka and a reserved Aburame, perhaps she would make a good leader of our clan, no matter how differently she might rule it than her father.

I settled on honesty. "Recall that it was my team that found Lady Hinata on the field after her battle with Pein. Were it not for Sakura's medical skills, she might have bled out in front of me. I have no intention of enduring such a sight again and will be fighting beside her, as is my duty and my honor."

"Well." The Inuzuka dusted off my shoulder and released me with a genuine smile. "Now that we're all on the same page, let's have some tea."

The change of tone and intent was so abrupt it nearly made my head spin. They herded me back to Lady Hinata who had a hint of concern in her eyes, though whether for me or for them I could not ascertain.

The Inuzuka gravitated to Lady Hinata's side much as his dog had earlier. "Hey, Hinata, is there anyplace around here where we could get some tea?"

Taking up a position on her other side, the Aburame reached into the satchel buckled to his back and pulled out a small package. "Master Kurenai wanted us to share these dango and know that she is thinking of us and awaiting our safe return."

Delight lit Lady Hinata's eyes as she accepted the package from the Aburame. "There's always tea by the central fire."

As she led them away, the Inuzuka looked back and waved for me to follow. "Master Kurenai gave us plenty. You can have some, too." His dog barked in agreement, causing heads to turn. Not wanting to seem inhospitable to Lady Hinata's guests, I joined them.

Together they sat around the fire, sharing tea, dango and genin memories. I had had few opportunities to observe Lady Hinata with her old team, but I couldn't help noticing that she was more comfortable with them than she was with her own clan. How was it possible, despite their protectiveness toward her, that these two had helped nurture her confidence when her own family seemed to only be able to tear it down?

A gleam of light from Lady Hinata's pendant reminded me of my initial, visceral reaction to the terrifying truth of the Aburames' existence. Not only did Lady Hinata seem completely at ease with someone who hid such a disturbing secret, but the Inuzuka did, too. Unlike my own reluctant tolerance of the over-eager outbursts of my old teammate, Lee, the Aburame and Lady Hinata honestly seemed to accept the brash Inuzuka and his boisterous behavior, despite their own reticent demeanors. Perhaps their knack for getting along was due to the influence of Master Kurenai, but perhaps it was a hidden strength of Lady Hinata, something her old teammates effortlessly acknowledged but I could only guess at.

Having grown up with Byakugan, the ultimate perceptive ability that is my clan's Bloodline Limit, it is more than difficult to acknowledge others are able to see things I can not. But watching the easy camaraderie between the unlikely trio, I couldn't help but consider there might be vital aspects of being a ninja and a human that were beyond my grasp.

Lady Hinata met my contemplative gaze and offered me the remaining stick of dango. I was torn between the polite response of not taking the last of this special treat and the need to accept what she offered. She smiled as I took it then carefully folded up the wrappings and set them aside.

The Aburame put down his mug and stood. "Thank you for the tea."

Although his dog whined in protest, the Inuzuka pitched his empty dango sticks into the fire and also stood. "Yeah, we've gotta get back." The telltale scent of burning sugar wafted through the air, bittersweet.

They both offered Lady Hinata a hand and helped lift her as she stood up. She held their hands just a bit longer than was necessary, as she looked from one to the other, and I felt like I was intruding on something private, though they stood openly in the middle of our compound.

"Oh!" With an awkward smile, Lady Hinata dug into a vest pocket to pull out two small containers of our clan's special healing ointment. "I almost forgot." She offered one to each. "They're not charms, but I wanted to give you both something, too."

"Thanks, Hinata." The Inuzuka slipped the ointment into his vest. "Sis'll be happy to have some handy."

Lady Hinata smiled. "Please tell Hana I wish her well."

Pocketing his container, the Aburame bowed slightly. "It is a most generous gift. Thank you."

"Let your family know they are in my thoughts and I'm wishing for Muta's safe return."

"We wish the same for Tokuma."

It is in the nature of ninja to be secretive, yet they knew so much about each other. True, they all were our generation's representatives of notable clans, but in comparison, I knew little about the lives of my old teammates outside of their training and mission experiences. I couldn't help wondering what I might have been missing.

They said their farewells, and Lady Hinata watched them leave with her hands clasped in front of her chest and a slight frown creasing her brow, a sign of anxiety. She caught me observing her and smiled self consciously as she slipped the chain and pendant beneath her vest. "I worry about them without me."

Given that they had come specifically because they worried about her, I found the idea ironic and couldn't help asking, "Why is that, Lady Hinata?"

Lowering her hands, she held them over her stomach, a glint of resolve in her eyes as she gazed the way they had gone. "They have such amazing sensory abilities, but I'm the only one who can see what's behind us."

"You're the one who watches their backs."

Lady Hinata turned to me with a nod and a smile. "Wasn't that the way it was with you and Lee and Tenten?"

"It is often the role I play in any mission, regardless of who my teammates are."

She seemed surprised by my response. "So you're not at all sad you're not in the same division with them?"

I considered it unprofessional to be too attached to particular individuals; the difficulties caused by the bonds between Master Gai and Lee and those between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha only underscored the concept. "While the scale is much greater, this is a mission like any other. I trust our placements are tactically sound and respect both of my old teammates enough to believe they will do their best."

"So you're not worried about them at all?"

Lady Hinata seemed so intent on the issue I couldn't help but reconsider. I had heard Master Gai was seriously injured due to fighting a member of the Akatsuki. Upon second thought, it occurred to me how that might negatively affect Lee.

Apparently taking my hesitation as assent, Lady Hinata dug into her vest and pulled out another pair of ointment containers. Then she pressed them into my hands, covering them with her own. "Tenten is in First Division. Lee's in Third. You should see them before the war starts."

Her desire for me to go seemed to unearth a hidden cache of sentiment within my psyche. Some part of me did want to see them and wish them well. The thought of one of them dying without my having said farewell disturbed me. Nodding, I accepted the containers. "Thank you, Lady Hinata."

Removing her cool fingers from mine, she smiled. "Go now, while there's still time."

"Yes, Lady Hinata."

As I sprinted thought the ocean of humanity, I realized I had followed Lady Hinata's instruction for the first time. Whether it was a natural reaction to her father's absence, leaving her effectively the highest ranked member of our clan, or a response to that indefinable something her genin teammates took for granted, I couldn't be sure. All I knew was that my heart felt the tiniest bit lighter despite the darkness of the gathering storm.

DETAILS

Yeah, I know Neji knows Kiba's and Shino's names, but I thought it would be more fun if he snootily thinks of them as "the Inuzuka" and "the Aburame."

The heights of the characters (that Shino's the tallest of the 12) and mission stats (that Kiba's had more than Shino) come from Narutopedia.

I know we haven't seen the back of Shino's wartime overcoat yet, so it may have no pack like his chūnin overcoat. Then again, it might. I just didn't feel like using the word vest over and over again. Besides, where would you hide dango in those vests without squishing it?