Kankuro arrived at the Aburame family compound, but stopped at the front entrance. Where next? This was quite a large compound with several family houses and attendant buildings. He looked around, unsure.

With a skitter, the bugs ignored the fact that he'd stopped moving, and swarmed around him and then off to the left. Kankuro scowled, show off. He followed the trail of kikai bugs, sighing, not sure that this was a good idea.

The Sand shinobi followed the bugs away from the main buildings. The kikai bugs skittered their way toward a large storage building that looked like it might be used for training. Kankuro sighed, and stepped inside, then stopped to let his eyes adjust to the change in lighting.

"So. You've stopped hiding." Shino's voice mocked him from over in the corner.

Kankuro frowned as he saw that the Leaf shinobi looked furious, despite the slow march of his voice. "I was not hiding and to say otherwise is an insult. I didn't know you wished to meet, and I was were I was supposed to be."

Shino eyed the Sand puppeteer with malice, "Why aren't you armed?"

Kankuro grinned, letting his arms dangle freely. "I'm always armed."

"Tsk. I meant your puppets. I sent my destruction bugs to hound you for over half a day and you don't even bother to bring your best weapons? Are you that eager to get beaten?"

Kankuro shook his head sadly. "Let it go. It was nothing and you shouldn't dwell on …"

"NOTHING?!" Shino yelled, stalking forward.

The kikai bugs started chittering loudly, making Kankuro nervous. The black crowed of bugs surrounded him. He was mentally running through his options as he answered, looking for the source of Shino's anger. A defeat between shinobi didn't usually cause this much heat.

"How DARE you say it was nothing!" Shino's face was still hidden behind his glasses, but his mouth was drawn tight and fury nearly poured from him.

"Look, I was only doing a favor for someone." Kankuro told him, damn Kiba and his crazy ideas anyway. "And you have no reason to be so upset."

Actually. Kankuro was really just talking to distract Shino. A man in that kind of fury rarely listened to reason. That was why he was so shocked when Shino actually stopped.

"Perhaps it is not my place to be upset. I have no claims. But you took advantage of the situation, and that is not to be tolerated." Shino growled low.

Kankuro tensed his muscles, ready for the attack when it came. But made a final effort to calm the other man. "Look, it was your teammate's decision to come to me. Not the other way around."

And that said, it was like throwing alcohol on a fire. Shino exploded with rage and flew at Kankuro. The Sand puppeteer leapt back in a feint, and kicked off one of the beams to fly right back at the bug-ninja's head in a move swift enough to blur his actions. At the same time, he drew a kunai and fended off Shino's answering projectile weapons.

Both men landed a few feet from each other. The first time they'd fought together, they'd both been genin. Now both had risen in ability levels. Kankuro wondered if Shino realized that not only had he passed the chuunin exams, but was now in fact a jounin? Yes, he'd left his puppets behind, in order to look more reasonable. But the fact was, at his current levels, he was still a major threat even without Karasu and the others.

This storage unit had long ago been renovated into a training area. Weapons were stored all along the walls and in special holders. Perfect, Kankuro grinned.

With dark intent, the black swarm of bugs came toward him, and Kankuro dodged around the building looking for all the world like he was on the defensive. All the time he was using his chakra strings to connect with some of the weapons lining the area.

He pulled on several of those chakra strands and weapons flew at Shino from every direction, making the Aburame heir do a little of his own leaping about. The weapons changed directions to follow his every move, obviously being manipulated.

Kankuro held back on one strand though, until the bugs were closer. Then as they approached his latest stance, he used that strand to pull a lit lantern over to him. He spilled the oil in a circle around himself and then threw the lit wick down on top.

The kikai bugs stopped at the heat and destruction of the fire circle. The bugs couldn't pass the flames, and didn't want to fly over the fire either, as the heat was too much for them.

Shino stopped and stared at him a moment, before smiling.

"I wouldn't have liked it if this had been too easy." The Aburame heir told him.

"Likewise." Was Kankuro's response.

"STOPPPPPPP!"

Both men froze and stared at the doorway.

Hinata stood framed in the rectangle of light, her purple-hair aflame from the afternoon sun. The light threw her features into darkness, and outlined her curvy form beautifully. She stepped inside and they both watched as her pale eyes stared at them both, aghast with horror at what she was seeing.

"This isn't the place, nor the time." Kankuro told the girl more harshly than he'd intended.

Shino snarled at the Sand's tone of voice. "Don't speak to her like that!"

And then, it all clicked into place for Kankuro. Shino wasn't holding some sort of grudge about a previous match. Instead, the bug-ninja had it bad for the Lady Hinata. Whoa. "Tch. Settle down. I didn't realize she was your girlfriend."

"What? She's not!" Shino rushed in to protect Hinata's reputation.

Hinata stopped at his words, crushed. "I…I…oh, Shino, but I thought …"

Torn, Shino looked between his target and his love and groaned. "Hinata-sama. Please wait for me outside." He hoped she understood what he was trying to say.

"Hinata-sama?????" The girl backed up one step, then two. She looked like she might flee at any second.

"STOP!" This time the voice was Kankuro's and Hinata flushed, but stopped where she was. "He's only pretending to be cool toward you, so I won't see how important you are to him. By the way, he's a real idiot it seems, you'd have been better off with me."

Shino flushed, but refused to take the bait. Instead staring at Hinata and realizing belatedly that he'd hurt her, and that had never been his intention. "Hinata-chan." He said much softer, "please wait for me outside and we will speak. This does not concern you."

Kankuro snorted. From where he stood, it was all about little Hinata. Shino was so eat up with the girl it was crazy. "I think I should leave you two alone now." He looked through the flames at the bug swarm, "er …well, almost alone that is."

"You hurt her!" Shino shouted at him and Kankuro rolled his eyes in disgust.

"That was ME on the ground, all bruised up, not her if you recall."

"You were bloodied too. I distinctly remember." Hinata rolled her shoulders back, her chin firming as she looked at him. "And …and …and I'm so sorry for that, Kankuro-kun."

Kankuro-kun???? Shino felt like throwing up. "You shouldn't be the one who's apologizing. It was all his fault …"

"I let him kiss me, Shino-kun." The voice was soft, the cheeks were red, but her stance told them that she was firm in what she was saying. "I knew what I was doing, I told you that last night."

Inside, Kankuro let some of his own upset seep away. He wouldn't have expected the girl to own up to the truth, but it seems that despite her mousy ways, Hinata was made of sterner stuff. "I moved too fast, and I frightened you. I too apologize." Then he frowned and looked toward Shino. "I don't apologize to you. Your relationship wasn't known to me and the lady wasn't too averse. Not at first anyway."

Shino tensed and started to step forward, his bugs skittering and menacing as they continually circled the flames, looking for a way inside.

But Hinata was suddenly in front of Shino, her back to the flame circle. Kankuro frowned, if she stepped back she'd get singed. Luckily there hadn't been much oil in the lantern and the fire was already getting lower.

Shino frowned at Hinata as she blocked his path. Then he blinked as she frowned back at him, staring furiously at him. "I told you. It was my fault and my honor to defend. And you said it yourself, I'm NOT your girlfriend and thus you have NO right to attack him on my behalf."

"Yeah!" Kankuro yelled, then winced as Hinata spun around to turn her dangerous glare on him.

"You stop adding fuel to his anger!"

"Yes ma'am." Kankuro told her sheepishly, with false humility oozing from every pore. She scoffed at him, not fooled for an instant.

"Go away." She told him.

Kankuro bowed, and leapt away from the flames. The bugs eyed him as he landing near the doorway, but made no move to intercept him. "Another time perhaps?" He asked Shino, who nodded once.

"No! No other time! This ends here!" Hinata put her hands on Shino's chest to hold him still. Shino looked at her in surprise.

"Ah Lady Hyuuga, but it was just getting FUN!" Kankuro cackled. "If we ignore the past and focus on just the fighting, well …I look forward to another meeting."

"I too." Shino told him, not sure he was ready to let go of all his anger. But he couldn't finish this with Hinata here.

With that, Kankuro bowed respectfully to both of them and walked out. Leaving Shino and Hinata alone together.

Shino growled. His plans were in ruins. Hinata was hurt and mad at him and Kankuro was still breathing. All in all, it had been a total disaster. Shino was so lost in his misery, that he didn't register that Hinata had stood up on her tiptoes and leaned into him. It wasn't until her lips met his that he realized what was happening.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Sakura was out picking up some supplies for her mother when she saw Ino leave the flower shop. With a pang she realized that it had been a long time since the two of them had talked. Sure they'd been training together at the hospital. But things were so busy there.

"Ossu!" Sakura called, waving. She saw Ino look around and grin before walking over towards her. "I was just about to go find some dinner. I suppose you're eating with Kiba tonight?"

Ino laughed and shook her head. "Nah. He and his mother are out 'training' with their nin-dogs. I'm not allowed seeing as how I don't have a nin-dog. Clan secrets stuff dealing with their jutsus. She said that seeing as how he's mature enough to marry, then he's ready for the 'next step' in Inuzuka training."

"What does that mean?" Sakura asked with curiosity as the two girls headed toward one of their favorite restaurants by unspoken consent.

Ino shrugged. "They won't say. Hana's had some sort of falling out with her mother and refused to go along." Ino then shuddered, "but she had some things at the clinic to take care of, so I'm alone for the evening."

The two girls sat down and then started catching up with each other's lives. Ino ordered a small salad with light dressing 'on the side'. Sakura grinned at her and teased her friend. "But I thought you said Kiba liked you the way you are and doesn't like you to diet."

Ino giggled as Sakura ordered some grilled fish and rice. "He does like me just fine. And I'd never thought I'd say this, but he thinks I need to put on more weight. I didn't believe him at first, but when he looks at me …." She sighed, and let her voice trail off. "Well. Let's just say his eyes light up."

Sakura liked the blush on her friend's face. It was good to see her so happy. It was better to see her happy with a guy that they weren't competing over. "So, if that's so, why the salad?"

Ino looked a bit sheepish as she admitted, "It's for the wedding kimono. Kiba can try and feed me in bed for the rest of our lives, but I'm fitting into that damned dress!"

Sakura laughed and the two girls started talking current fashions and hospital gossip before their food arrived.

Ino smiled at the girl serving their dinner, who smiled back sweetly. Sakura thanked the girl as she set her dish down as well, but the girl sniffed and gave her a cold glance before leaving.

"Er …what was that about?" Ino querried. "Do you know her?"

"Noooo, I don't think so." She shrugged and picked up her chopsticks. Then Ino watched as Sakura looked a bit oddly down at her plate, as if in disbelief. The pink-haired kunoichi stabbed the leather-hard fish with her chopsticks. "These fish are burned."

Ino looked over and frowned. The dish looked simply awful. "Send it back."

Sakura looked over to catch their servers attention, but found that all three serving girls were glaring at her. She blinked. What ever had she done to them?

o.O.o.O.o.O

Gaara heard the knock at the door, but ignored it. His guards answered and he went on about his paperwork. Paperwork dealing with the removal of three of his council elders. Traitors, every one of them. By undermining him, they were undermining his power at protecting his village. Fury washed over him again.

He could feel the tendrils of rage that Shukaku was throwing out at him. Trying to lure him into losing control. Ruthlessly, Gaara shut down those links within him. There would be no sleeping for him, not for a while. When Shukaku was denied an outlet, he got testy. Murder being his favorite outlet. And a testy sand demon was not to be offered any kind of opening. Like sleep.

"You look tired."

Gaara's head shot up as he stared at Inuzuka Hana. "How did you get past my guards?" He growled with a deep menace that sent most screaming for the hills.

Hana took a step back, then stilled. Her eyes narrowed on him. "I've heard you can get scary. But I didn't get past your guards, I'm here about Tsume."

Gaara bit his tongue and pushed his anger away with great effort. "This is not a good time. And what does your mother ….oh, you mean the cub."

Hana nodded. Well, he was certainly in a foul mood. She moved over to the tea service, and was pleased to find the tea still hot.

Gaara watched, trying not to feel like she'd invaded his territory. She was only fixing herself a cup of tea. Uninvited, though. Then he frowned as instead of drinking her tea, she brought the cup to him.

"I'm not a child." He told her, rage still bubbling just below the surface.

She nodded. "I know. You're a leader with a bad headache and a worse temper. I'm assuming this has to do with those attacks? You don't need to tell me. I just came by to give a progress report on the mountain lion cub. Like you told me to do."

"Asked." He groused, sipping his tea. Funny how he'd not even been aware of his head hurting until she said something.

She looked at him quizzically.

"I asked for those updates, not 'told' you to do it."

She sniffed dismissively. "Very few can 'tell' me to do anything."

Gaara snorted, then actually rolled his shoulders as he let the anger seep away. "I used to say that too. Then I became Kazekage. Now EVERYONE is telling me what to do."

Hana walked behind him, and Gaara turned to look at her. Shinobi's didn't like people at their backs. She smiled and reached out to push his head back to facing the front. Then her hands settled on his shoulders, and then tightened.

Gaara's eyes shut of their own accord as she kneaded the tightness collected in his neck and shoulders. Inwardly, Shukaku stilled, as if shocked. In truth, Gaara was of the same mind as the sand demon residing within him. No one touched him. Not voluntarily. And certainly not to offer support or aid. But damn, that felt good.

Hana's hands were that of a kunoichi. Supple, graceful, and extremely strong. The knots in Gaara's neck eased as did the pain throbbing at his temples. All the while she kept up a dialogue about the progress of 'little Tsume'.

Gaara responded and the two fell into an easy conversation. They talked of the cub and then about the mountain terrains versus the sand terrains. Then Hana asked if any irate father's had come calling.

Gaara chuckled. "Not yet. But it's early, you never know."

Hana shook her head. "No. With this father, if he knew, he'd already be over here. Kankuro had better watch his back." Hinata's father was a stickler for the sociatal niceties. If he knew anything about last night, then he'd have already come by.

The Sand Kazekage sighed. "Yah. I like his back without holes in it." His voice was so forlorn, that Hana stopped and stepped around to look Gaara in the face.

"What did you mean by that? Is your brother in danger? Other than the distressed fathers?"

Gaara leaned back, closing his eyes. Strange how he felt so comfortable in her presence. "The attacks weren't against me. They were aimed at Baki and my brother."

Hana whistled low. "Then they were against you."

"Indirectly." He allowed.

"No. Those that die know no more fear, pain, and all that. It's those that live with the guilt and grief that suffer. The attacks were meant to be against you."

Gaara popped open one eye to stare at her. "Do you always cut to the heart of the matter?" He asked rhetorically.

Hana shrugged. "Do you know who was behind it?"

Gaara scowled. "Oh yes. I know."

"And they're still alive?"

"Only until after the trial." He told her, watching to see her reaction.

But Hana only nodded. "It's hard to be a good leader sometimes, you have to put up with those pesky 'laws' and whatnot."

Gaara wanted to laugh, but was too tired. Instead he told her, "Kankuro likes you."

She nodded. "Well, I like him too. Temari is cool as well. I wouldn't call either one of them sweet. But I never cared much for sweet things anyway."

"No. I mean he really likes you."

Hana laughed. "What, are we back in the Academy? Do you like me, check yes or no and send this back. Burn it if you get caught."

Gaara looked startled. "What the hell?"

"You never played that?" She teased him.

Gaara shook his head, still looking confused. "I never played."

Hana frowned, that couldn't be right could it? He hadn't meant that he'd never played as a child. But before she could ask, the door opened and Baki walked in.

Suddenly the tension in the room escalated one hundred times. This was why Hana had stopped by. All night she'd been wondering if she'd come to the right conclusion. Her chosen 'mate' couldn't be gay. He just couldn't.

o.O.o.O.o.O

Lee looked around carefully before stepping out into the street. It looked like she was gone. Finally. Aburame Koto was a beauty. But why had she gotten so angry when he told her that he couldn't escort her to next month's festival? He'd explained about his undying love for Sakura. But instead of being happy for him and his own personal lotus blossom, Koto had gotten angry.

Lee wondered if he'd ever understand women. He decided that Sakura would be the best person to ask about all these strange happenings. Besides, he was dying to see her again anyway. It had already been nearly 18 hours and 23 minutes since he'd seen her last. At the party. Looking soooo beautiful. Lee's heart melted at the memory.

o.O.o.O.o.O

How's that? Please let me know!