The Importance of Asking

September 24, 2002

"All right, class, listen up!" Iruka looked around the room, pleased to see that he actually had his students' full attention for a change. "I haven't given you all a lot of work yet," there was a string of disbelieving scoffs, "because I wanted to let you get back into the swing of things at a reasonable pace. But we are now a month into the school year and I've decided it's time we start getting serious." He smiled knowingly at the groans and exclamations of protest.

"Today you're going to be choosing project partners. Choose someone you know you'll be able to work well with, because they will be your partners for the rest of the year. You have until the end of the period. Anyone without a partner by then will be assigned someone."

Naruto and Kiba sported matching eager gleams in their eyes and glanced at each other as discreetly as they could. Thankfully Shino caught the exchange and interfered before permanent damage was done. "No."

The two troublemakers turned their best puppy eyes on the stoic boy. "But Shinooo," Naruto whined. "Why noooot??" Shino's eye twitched ever so slightly at his friend's belligerent tone.

"Because I forbid it. Kiba." The one addressed wilted a bit under the martial arts team captain's commanding voice. "You will work with me. Understood?" Kiba's shoulders drooped in grudging submission, "Hai." Shino nodded once in silent approval.

Naruto merely huffed and crossed his arms over his chest in disgust. It didn't take long for him to brighten however. "Hey, hey! If Kiba gets Shino, then I got dibs on Shikamaru!" Said boy shook his head at his loud friends' antics, sighed exasperatedly, and reluctantly acquiesced to the gregarious blonde's demands. Naruto whooped in delight.

Sasuke and Gaara merely exchanged a glance and a curt nod to confirm their own partnership.

And then they all froze, the sudden realization that they had forgotten something important temporarily immobilizing them. They slowly turned as one to face Hinata's desk, none of them quite sure how to deal with their unforeseen odd-numbered dilemma,... only to find it empty.

Meanwhile, their timid female friend walked purposefully and not a little shakily towards the only other girl in her class, Tayuya. As Hinata approached her, she sat slouched in her seat, looking thoroughly disgusted with the whole situation. She turned her head to observe the girl stopped next to her desk. Cringing slightly under the other girl's direct gaze, Hinata twiddled her fingers nervously.

Maybe she shouldn't be doing this; Tayuya-san looked very annoyed... No, she would go through with this. Taking a deep breath, Hinata gathered every ounce of courage she could muster and stepped closer to her classmate.

Tayuya blinked at the determination that suddenly appeared in the timid girl's face and idly wondered if she should worry.

"A-ano, T-tayuya-san."

"Aa..."

"U-um, I-I was just won-wondering if you... th-that is... if y-you would... um..."

"Nani."

"Ano! Would Tayuya-san please be my partner!... o-onegai..."

Surprised by the abrupt and unexpected outburst, Tayuya could only stare at Hinata's newest impersonation of a tomato.

"... Aa."

Hinata's head shot up from her embarrassed study of her shoes to look at her in shocked delight. Her hands came up to clasp together in front of her and her eyes sparkled brightly.

"H-honto ni?!"

Tayuya had to lean away from the raw bubbly excitement suddenly invading her personal space.

"Aa." She wasn't really sure why she was agreeing to do this.

After a moment's consideration she decided to just blame it on the strange, vague thoughts that kept saying that maybe this whole school thing wouldn't be so bad and that, even if Hinata's stuttering grated her nerves, at least she wasn't a complete nitwit like most of their other classmates. Not to mention she also actually treated Tayuya like another human being, as opposed to some other people she could name who looked down at her as though she were an unsightly cockroach they'd like to smash beneath their shoe if only she would stand still long enough for them to do it.

Besides, since she'd been kicked out of her gang- Tayuya winced slightly at those still stinging wounds, physical and emotional- it really wasn't as though she had anything better to do.

Hinata was still beaming at her; she was surprised the smaller girl's face hadn't yet split itself in two. It kind of reminded her of that smile Hinata had flashed her when they first met- a week and a half ago, on that day- the day her gang left her...

Tayuya quickly redirected her thoughts away from that particular memory and the conflicting and confusing emotions it brought up. Her mind drifted aimlessly, for a moment completely forgetting the quiet presence still standing in front of her.

It didn't last long though. Her attention refocused on Hinata as she bowed to Tayuya politely, happy smile not showing signs of fading anytime soon, and made her way back to her seat and the distressed looking group of boys- she assumed they were Hinata's friends- surrounding it.

'Ah, well,' Tayuya thought, surveying her class with eyes that were slightly less hostile than they had been two days before when she first arrived. 'I don't really get it... but,' she glanced over at her new project partner staring confusedly at her nearly hyperventilating friends, 'I guess it's not so bad.'

All standard disclaimers apply.

Author's Note: YEA!! Three cheers for TayuHina friendship!

I hope I didn't break anyone's brain with this one. +grins evilly+

Comments, suggestions and criticisms are all warmly welcomed and greatly appreciated!