Chapter 11

Hinata Hyuuga was not a happy camper at the moment. Granted, she was damn near in nirvana when her crush severed ties with Sakura; but now she was contending with an unpleasant mix of worry and fustration at learning that Hatsuyuki wasn't the only girl she'd have to contend with. She knew he was close with the Ichiraku girl, but figured it was more along the lines of a sibling attachment. Unfortunately that thought went out the window when she caught her blushing at him.

"You know, pent-up frustration isn't exactly healthy." Hinata nearly screamed when Yuki's voice suddenly piped up beside her. She glanced between the Hyuuga heiress and Naruto before asking, "You like him, don't you?"

"Well I..uh.." Was all Hinata could get out before the familar blush creeped up on her face

Yuki chuckled, "Ok, ok. I get the idea, but the real question is: do you like him for him?" She promptly crossed her arms and looked the girl dead in the eyes, "Because I'm willing to share, but I'll be damned if any shallow little fangirl thinks they can get their claws into my master."

"Of course I do!" She almost blurted out, incensed at the indirect accusation, "You have any idea how many times I'm tried to get close enough to tell him how I feel! Every time he gets within five feet of me, I get so flustered I can barely form a complete sentence! "

"Hm, well, she seems sincere; the lack of self-confidence looks to be the main problem though. Well, we'll have to rectify that, won't we?. Hinata, what would you say if I told you I could help you break this shy streak of yours?"

"You..you can?" The timid exterior quickly returned as Yuki draped an arm over her shoulder.

"Let's find a spot where we can talk privately."

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Later, as Naruto made his way back to the academy, his mind more preoccupied on the recent discovery, he failed to see two pairs of eyes follow him.

Both with a hungry gleam.

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"I hoped you learned something from this, young man." Iruka stated towards the now mostly-healed Kiba.

"Yeth, Thenthei." Came the reply, much to the amusement of several others and getting an odd look from the man, "They thaid it'd be a while before I can talk normally thince the juthu thut down thom nerveth and nothing'll tatht or thmell right till then"

"Right.." Iruka had to fight back his own cackles and turned to see Naruto come back with Hinata and Yuki on either side of him. However, he couldn't help but notice something was very off: Hinata was sporting a rather coy look, directed towards the blonde. Plus, for the first time since he could remember, she had relieved herself of her coat, revealing an impressive bust for her age.

Yuki had the same look, though her's seemed to say she was proud of herself for some reason. Of what he couldn't be too sure.

Naruto, however, appeared to have a rather glassy-eyed expression, as if he was under a genjutsu. At least, that seemed to be the case until Iruka saw the silly grin and faint trickle of blood from his nose.

"Um, Naruto? Are you all right?" He asked tenativly.

"Never better, Iruka-Sensei." He said in a somewhat dreamy tone, "Never better."

As the trio went by, Iruka spied an arm from each girl around his back, his own arms around both of their waists, "That's...Well I'll be damned! And both of them too from the look of it. Attaboy Naruto! About time that kid finally got some lovin', in sterio to boot." He cheered mentally while a chibi Iruka was yelling "Go Naruto! Go Naruto! Get busy! Get Busy!" in his head.

His chirpy disposition was sadly broken a few minutes later by an unpleasantly familiar voice calling out, "All right, Dead Last, I've let you have your fun long enough! Hand her over!"

Naruto growled, rightfully irked at his moment being ruined by the brooder and pissed at what he said, "Care to repeat that, Teme?"

"I said hand that girl over!" Sasuke demanded, pointed at Yuki, "She's strong enough to help me start rebuilding my clan." He reached over to pull her away from him only to have the blonde grab the offending limb.

Next thing Sasuke knew, he was sprawled on the ground with his own hand crammed in his mouth.

"Rule number one: Unless she makes it clear she wants you to, you never just up and grab at a girl." Nauto leaned over to look the brooder in the eye, "Rule number two: if I EVER hear or see you talk about a girl like she's a just a commodity, a fist in the mush will be he least of your worries." He looked up at the others around, "This goes for the rest of you as well."

"Naruto, you DO know what my mother is like, right?" Shikamaru replied, "I might as well go missing-nin if I pulled a stunt like that."

"Just making sure I get the point across." He gave the Uchiha a dirty look as the self-proclaimed avenger scrambled to his feet and extracted the offending item, trying to get the taste out, "Great, pretentious fudge-packer ruined the moment.."

"Well, you know we can fix that, Master." Yuki purred, putting her arms back where they were on him.

Hinata grinned and did the same thing, "I'll second that."

"Naruto? I believe I speak for everyone when I say: What the heck?" Shino piped up.

"Let's just say, Hinata managed to wake up her 'inner vixen'" The blonde replied as he walked back to the benches.

"Again I say, LUCKY BASTARD!" The bug user muttered to himself.

Iruka quickly cleared his throat to get everyone's attention, "Right, now that we're all back, let's finish the exam, shall we?"

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Whew! Thought I'd never get over my writer's block with this chapter. But at least now I can finally put an update.

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Sneak peek of a future chapter:

POW!

Hinata responded with a vigorous smack upside her cousin's head, "Get your head out of your ass, you narrow-minded douche! 'Hinata's fault. Hinata's fault.' That seems to be all you harp on! You don't think I miss Uncle Hizashi either!"

Neji's eyes widened. Hinata, his most timid relative, had just clocked him! "Hin.."

"No, you're gonna shut your hole, and you're gonna listen! I am sick and tired of all your bullshit! You think YOU could could handle a jounin when YOU were five! Well? Could you!"

"I..I don't know.." The older Hyuuga was too shocked to respond any other way.

"Oh really? Then what in the nine hells makes you think I could have! It's kinda hard to do much of anything when you're scared shitless!"

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