There it was, the pain of being hit that he had become too accustomed to; the blood seeped down his leg and the warmth on his cold skin made him shiver. Injuries were something Shin Obi knew all too much about; and years of being sliced open had told him this was nothing to cause worry - plus, he'd be completely healed after a good nights rest. He smiled beneath the white porcelain mask that was shaped like a fox; bright blue eyes slicing the arm off his attacker before the pink headed mouse mask bandaged it quickly.

"Did you have to take his entire arm off!" She berated him loudly, "Now we have to carry him all the way back to the village!"

"Dobe." Came the cold voice at his elbow, dark black eyes peeking out from the eagle shaped mask.

"At least I didn't kill him." He shot back, blue eyes glaring at the eagle mask who shrugged.

"You two stop it! I can't carry this guy by myself you know!" On cue the two men lifted the enemy shin obi and quickly made a line back to the village where he was placed in a hospital bed. The kunoichi quickly disappeared only to reappear in medic clothes, and the exchange went largely unnoticed except by the two ANBU who watched her tend to their enemy with intent green eyes searching for the other wounds they had inflicted.

"I don't get it. We heal him just so we can hurt him again."

"Dobe, he attacked us first. Now we're just making sure your stupid arm slicing action doesn't keep us from getting information."

The two ANBU disappeared after receiving a cold glance from the green eyed pink headed medic that pointed at the door then spoke sternly, "Both of you, out."

Spiked blond hair swayed softly as the man leaned back on the fence, "Sakura's really gotten demanding since you started dating her." The man frowned and glanced at his companion who shrugged the comment off then pointed with his finger at the reclined figure.

"At least I have a girl, unlike someone else."

"It's not like I haven't had girls ask me out!" He jumped up, meeting the black eyes of his teammate.

Sasuke smirked, that he couldn't deny; the blond had certainly grown in popularity since he had become chunin. He had unwillingly participated in the surge of popularity when for three years he was blinded by vengeance only to be brought back by the unconditional love of his friends. Though he'd never show nor admit it, secretly the Uchiha looked up to Naruto and silently thanked him every night for going against his wants and fighting to prove their friendship. "Then why haven't you accepted any?"

Naruto huffed and sat crossed legged on the ground like he did when they were children and listening to one of Iruka's long winded teachings. "Because,"

The black headed man raised a brow at his companion, "Because why? Afraid you'll foul things up."

"No!" He hissed then flopped onto his back, arms hooked behind his head, blue eyes staring into the drifting clouds, "Because she's not there."

"She who?" He leaned on the railing, black eyes peered at Naruto. "If you're talking about Sakura…."

"Of course I'm not." He rolled the bright blue eyes and the voice was a little insulted. "I had a thing for her once but it was very clear that she only had eyes for you." He hissed through his teeth, "Still don't see what she likes in you."

"Obviously everything that's not in you." He smirked as the man shot him a glare from childhood but didn't respond with a verbal onslaught as usual. "So who is she?"

Naruto closed his eyes and let out a low sigh, "The girl that's always liked me - before all this." He waved a hand in the air then turned the palm toward his face to stare at it more intently, "Before all the popularity, before everyone else believed in me."

There was a silence that passed between the two men and Sasuke itched the ANBU tattoo on his arm absently. Though the blond had sought friendship and recognition and finally found it; there was still a void in his life - one he was finding harder than the other to fill.

"Shouldn't you have found her before you became popular, Dobe." He growled, then regretted the words when a small frown graced the normally bright face of his friend. "Have you talked to Tsunade-sama yet; she's waiting for your mission report."

"My mission report!" Naruto jumped up, "I completely forgot!"

"She'll be pissed."

"No kidding." With that, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke leaving Sasuke smirking up at the mocking clouds.

"Oh-ba-san! Here's my mi--"

The loud blond came to a skidding halt when the female appeared in front of him, one of her famous frightening looks directed at the man with the rolled paper in his hand. "You're late." She hissed. Then spun on her heels and clacked her way into the Hokage's office, "If I had known Kakashi would rub off on you this much I would have tried to keep you two apart more."

From the office, a familiar figure was leaned on the far wall, a wave of his hand signaled that he was about to get the same preaching, "Yo."

Naruto smiled boyishly, "Kakashi-sensei!"

Tsunade started as soon as the doors closed, "Naruto, if you want to become Hokage you have to be more responsible!"

The silver headed jounin scratched his head, "I don't want to be Hokage, may I be excused?"

"No! You taught him this!" A finger waggled at the jounin.

"I was already this way." Naruto huffed, "I didn't copy him."

A lazy eye arched, "Was that supposed to be a joke? It was boring."

"You two are impossible!" There was a pounding on the desk and both men turned to an angry Tsunade who sighed lowly, "Now that I have your attention," She flopped exhausted into the chair as Sakura handed her a small bottle.

"Hokage-sama, you shouldn't exhaust yourself like that." She whispered, worried green eyes looking over the blond woman who sipped the bottle slowly.

"I'm fine." She sighed again, eyes looking weakly at the two shin obi who now stood at attention, "As I was saying, Naruto - you're going to be Hokage aren't you?" The man nodded and she continued, "There are certain area's you have to refine. First, your manners are lacking greatly." She half smiled at the pink headed Kunoichi, "And as much as I want to say Sakura could be of some help - she is still lacking in that area as well."

"Tsunade-sama I only raise my voice to certain people."

The Hokage laughed lightly, "The medics tell me a different story." She patted the girls hand lightly, "But, that's really not what I'm talking about. I would put Iruka-sensei on this but he really isn't the right one for this either. This particular mission needs someone to teach Naruto high society," She smiled again, "And who better than the most distinguished clan in Konoha."

The silver headed jounin chuckled lightly beneath his mask, "The Hyuga clan."

"The what!? I'm not being taught manners by Neji! He's too arrogant to have manners!!!" Naruto practically jumped at the Hokage.

"Baka, not Neji - Hinata!" Sakura shook her head and rubbed her temple, "Baka."

"Hinata? Why her, she can't even talk to me without stuttering - she doesn't seem to have good manners." A swift hit to the back of his head made him yelp and grab the growing bump, "Saaakuraaa! That hurts!"

"She has more manners than most here." Kakashi yawned, "And definitely more than you. Look at her clan, Iruka-sensei taught you enough about Konoha's past in school for you to know that." He leaned toward the man, "Or did you sleep through that too?"

"I actually think I did." The blond scratched his bump lightly, "It's kind of a blur when it comes to teaching." He laughed lightly along with a chuckling sensei.

Tsunade exchanged a glance with Sakura, "And this is the one that's supposed to become Hokage after me?" Sakura nodded and she dropped her head, "We're doomed, aren't we?"

"I'm afraid so, Hokage-sama."

I had to do a Naruto/Hinata thingy. I've wanted to for some time because I simply adore Hinata. I hope I kept them all in character. ; There will be some indefinate chapters - not sure where it's going really.