As always Naruto belongs to Kishimoto. Please review.
Just a side note for anyone who wants to know the full history behind Shibi and Tsume, go check out my Aburame story "How to Marry the Girl of Your Dreams". Considering the idea for team dinner was originally going to be a sequel to that story, I simply couldn't resist bringing in that back story. You don't need to read it, but some of their comments will probably be funnier if you do.
Naomi rearranged the place setting for the fifth time since the servants started preparing it that morning. Hizashi teased her she was too much of a perfectionist sometimes, but Naomi preferred to think of herself as merely detail-oriented. And right now the details just weren't working.
"Hinata, do the dogs eat at the table or on the ground?" she asked, still unsure if they needed another table set up or not.
Hinata kicked at the grass as she waited on the bench set up next to the make-shift picnic tables, having long since given up on trying to help satisfy her aunt's neurosis. "I don't know really. When we eat Akamaru is usually in Kiba's jacket. When he's not he gets his own plate, though."
"I knew I should've gone with picnic sheets on the ground," Naomi huffed, completely disgruntled with her preparations.
Unlike Neji's team dinner, Naomi had taken a suggestion made by Inuzuka Hana, Kiba's older sister and the one who helped arrange the Inuzuka family timetable for Naomi, to have an outdoor meal considering the number of animals that would be joining them. The dogs were, after all, part of their family and all three coming had one. Now Naomi wished she'd asked Hana more about the dogs before today. She wasn't even sure if they'd be eating with them or not. Hinata had said Akamaru was especially sentient for a dog, which made sense from the few times she'd work with ninja animals.
At least the menu shouldn't hurt the dogs if they did eat. She'd planned on bringing out the food when it was ready, but when Hizashi heard 'outdoor' he said (demanded) that it had to be yakiniku. It would be like fair food, he told her. Naomi almost laid out his festival yukata for him today as a joke. She had to admit though, now that the charcoal was heated up, the smell in the yard did remind her of a fair.
"Hinata, go get Neji and your uncle," Naomi ordered. "Your teammates should be here anytime now."
"No need, Naomi, we're here," Hizashi called from the side porch. Neji hurried ahead of him to drop off a huge serving plate of skewered meat ready for the grill before going to talk with Hinata.
It still amazed Naomi how much Neji was starting to look like his father at his age and how very old that realization made her feel. It was hard to believe he and Hinata were both genin already. A part of her would never forget those two little children curled up against each other as they slept. A part of her wanted it back.
A soft caress across her hand pulled Naomi out of her reverie and back to the knowing smile on her husband's lips. He leaned in and gently pressed his cheek to hers, lingering there longer than normal. "We could always have more," he whispered with a suggestive chuckle.
"Remind me that when you're the one carrying it," she whispered back, adding a quick kiss on the cheek for good measure.
It wasn't that Naomi had never considered the idea. A few years before some maternal urgings that came with age had her dreaming of another child. A new baby to fill the empty halls left silent by the two children growing up without her. But the more she thought about it, about what it would mean for her and Hizashi to have another child while living in the main house, the more it frightened her. There were already too many rumors and whispers about Neji being preferable to Hinata as heir, but those were kept in check because Neji was sealed already. If they were to have another child, Naomi feared Hyobe wouldn't seal it right away. She feared he'd wait to see if it showed more potential than Hinata and if it did . . .
For better or for worse, being heir was a part of Hinata's identity. She didn't always like it, but she worked every day to try and live up to it. If there was another option that surpassed her and Hyobe took the right of heir from Hinata, Naomi couldn't even fathom the damage it would do to her. Hinata's self-esteem could be fragile sometimes, but to be was replaced by her own cousin after all she went through– Naomi couldn't do it to her. Besides, even if that scenario never happened, Naomi didn't want the first child Hinata sealed to be theirs. Naomi wasn't sure anyone in the family would be able to handle that.
It wasn't as if they were lacking anything, though. Neji and Hinata, grown or not, were still their children and that was more than enough for Naomi. The fact that Hinata finally seemed to be coming into herself without needing Neji was an added blessing. She didn't think simply making her genin would fix the problems building between those two, but it seemed to serve as a catalyst. All the anger and loneliness Hinata had suppressed since Neji turned genin had been let go. Every once in a while Naomi still saw the old Hinata looking out on Neji to be taken care of, but he no longer took the bait and soon enough the dependence would leave her eyes. No matter what Hyobe thought, Naomi finally understood what Hizashi saw before. Hinata needed to leave the clan for a while, and Naomi had no doubts it would make her a better leader one day.
"Akamaru, wait up!" screamed a voice in the distance, drawing everyone's attention to the small white dog bounding straight for Hinata.
Not far behind was the yelling boy. Naomi wasn't quite sure what it was about him, but something looked unkempt. It wasn't necessarily his clothes, his blue shirt and black pants were both clean and unwrinkled and his expression was pleasant enough. It was in his eyes, thin slits of black, and his hair, brushed but wild, that gave him an almost feral aura – as much animal as boy.
Just beyond him one of the twins (Naomi gave up on telling them apart) was escorting two women, one no more than eighteen, Hana, and one close to their age, Tsume. Both had the same red markings of the Inuzuka clan on their cheeks like the boy, but while Tsume also possessed that feral atmosphere around her, Hana appeared composed and proper in comparison. Following alongside the women were not two, but four dogs. That made five in total. Naomi had prepared for three. She knew she should have put out another table.
"I told you we didn't need an escort to find our way," Tsume called loud enough for everyone to hear even from a distance. "If Kiba couldn't find his own teammate he doesn't deserve to be an Inuzuka."
"Clan protocol," Hizashi answered to save the twin with them the need to reply. Not many people could do it, but Tsume actually appeared to intimidate the boy escorting her.
"Seems stupid, we're in the village after all," Tsume replied. A sliver of insult was in her voice.
"Mom, that's why we're here, remember," Hana said diplomatically, "so there won't be a need for this again."
"And what's so high and mighty about the Hyuugas that they don't trust their own village?" Tsume ruffed.
"It's not that we don't trust the village, but there've been incidents in the compound and it's caused us to be cautious, especially since Hinata's the heir to the clan," Hizashi explained, though Naomi caught the glimpse of irritation hidden beneath that pleasant expression.
Tsume clapped Hana on the shoulder and bellowed a laugh strong enough to shake leaves from the trees. "Maybe we should lend them some of our pups so the Hyuugas can stop being so 'cautious'. A couple runts should do the job."
Hana sighed and offered Naomi and Hizashi an apologetic grin. "Mom, can't you be nice today, for Kiba."
Naomi wasn't sure if it was a snort, a growl, or a scoff, but some kind of rumbling, phlegmy sound escaped Tsume's throat. "Nice? Did I not agree to be in the presence of that stalker and not kill him?"
"Wait, kill who?" Naomi quickly joined her husband and the two women, no longer satisfied to let family squabbling to continue unquestioned.
Hana answered her mother without noticing (or at least acknowledging) Naomi's interruption. "You refused to not maim him when I asked you."
"Eh, maiming can be healed," Tsume dismissed.
"Excuse me," Naomi jumped in loud enough neither could ignore, "but who're you talking about?"
Tsume growled. "That buggy bastard."
"Mom and Shibi-san don't get along," Hana explained, "at all."
"All right then, why don't we meet the kids while we wait?" Hizashi said, diverting the conversation before Tsume could think up any more malicious ideas. Judging by the fanged smirk twisting Tsume's lips, rending flesh from bone was getting close to the top of her list. Naomi was beginning to think she'd rather have Gai back than deal with whatever history was between Tsume and Shibi.
"Perhaps we should introduce ourselves properly," Hana said in a peace offering as they joined Neji, Hinata, and Kiba over by the tables. "I'm Hana, and these three grey ones are the Haimaru Brothers, they're my partners." The three matching dogs all barked in agreement. Hana looked at her mother and for a moment her eyes turned as feral as her family's.
"Fine," Tsume huffed, "I'm Tsume (as if you didn't know), and this here's Kuromaru." She rubbed the black and white dog's surviving ear above the eye patch it wore. "Kuromaru, be nice and say hello."
Kuromaru dipped his muzzle to the ground. "Hello."
Tsume and Kuromaru burst out laughing at the shocked expressions on the Hyuugas' faces. "That never get's old," the dog rumbled to his mistress.
"Kuromaru is one of the few dogs in the family that can speak," Hana explained, once again playing the diplomat for her mother.
Naomi had decided; she really would have preferred any part of Gai to Tsume in general. If her son resembled her as much in personality as he did in appearance, even Hinata's patience might end up being tested.
"Anyway," Hana continued, since her mother was still too busy laughing to finish the introductions, "this is my little brother Kiba and his partner, Akamaru."
Akamaru padded across the table, carefully avoiding any place settings already out, and yipped happily. The size difference between the dogs was striking. Akamaru must have only been a puppy still to be so small. Hana's dogs looked about average for large dogs, but Tsume's Kuromaru was practically a small pony.
"Is Akamaru going to get as big as yours," Naomi asked.
"There's no real way of telling how big one of our dogs will get until they're grown. We've had bigger than Kuromaru before," Tsume answered. It was the first thing she'd said that wasn't somehow insulting to someone. They'd made progress.
"Well," Naomi said, "I'm Naomi. This is Hizashi; our son, Neji; and our niece, Hinata, who is of course the one in your son's team."
Tsume pushed past Hana and leaned in to take a good, long examination of Hinata. Her brow twitched as Hinata stepped back under her scrutiny and closed in again, sniffing Hinata this time.
"She's too timid," Tsume summed up, finally stepping back again. "I can practically smell the submission in her."
"I think that's enough," Hizashi demanded.
Naomi never considered the Hyuugas as uppity as some in the village thought. They were an old clan and relied more on tradition than most families, but there was something to be said about not insulting your hosts!
"Oh, get off your high horse," Tsume snapped. "I'm trying to teach your girl here how to handle Kiba. He's a hot-headed idiot and if someone doesn't knock some sense into him once in a while he's gonna get himself killed. And I sure as hell ain't gonna leave it to an Aburame. Now watch." She yanked Kiba over to her and landed a solid punch on the top of his head. "That's how you handle Kiba."
"Mom!" Kiba barked, embarrassment clear on his young face as he cradled his head.
"Oh, if you can't take that flimsy punch you should quit being a genin now," she scolded and turned back to Hinata. "Now, let's see how hard you can hit."
A howl broke through all the mixed tensions in the yard before anyone (including Hizashi and Naomi) physically intervened in the uncouth and unexpected turn their meeting had gone. Kuromaru bore his teeth into a terrifying, snarling smile. "He's here."
Everyone turned to see the Aburame family being calmly escorted towards them. The man and boy both wore outfits easily recognizable as Aburame, while the woman was wearing a simple summer dress. Tsume moved forward slowly as if not wanting to spook her prey, with Kuromaru at her side. A deep rumble echoed in her throat and her smirk grew as snarling as her dog's. Across the yard the man of the family slowed, his hands down but tense. Too much of his face was covered for Naomi to get a read of his intentions. He tilted his head as he squared off against Tsume.
"Hello Stalker-kun," Tsume growled with delight. "Caught anyone lately?"
"Inuzuka," the Aburame replied in a deep, even voice. "How's your brother?"
This was not how Naomi envisioned dinner going. She'd made plans. Worked very hard to ensure everything was as perfect as possible. A crazy woman with a rampaging dog and a swarm of bugs flying out to destroy them was not in her plans. It was nowhere in her plans! Was this really how they acted in front of their children?
Just as they were about to collide and –as Hana put it– thoroughly maim each other, ruining the entire attempt at dinner before their jounin instructor even arrived, the Aburame mother casually stepped between them. The swarm stopped instantaneously, rolling and tumbling into itself to avoid touching the woman. On the other side Tsume and Kuromaru skidded to a halt, their eyes fixated on the woman. No one moved.
"Kuromaru!" the woman squealed, "how's my favorite puppy dog?" She descended on the enormous dog, scratching his neck until he rolled over to give her access to his chest. All the while his tail wagged and wagged at the attention.
"Aoi!" Tsume yelled. "How many times do I have to tell you not to turn my ninja dog into a whimpering puppy?"
"Don't complain to me. It's the only way I can keep you and Shibi from trying to kill each other," the woman said. She flashed a serious look back to her husband and the swarm obediently returned beneath his jacket.
Naomi silently prayed this woman was as sane as she seemed. It might be the only way to salvage the dinner.
"Holy shit!" Kiba exclaimed, running up to stand with his sister. "How'd she do that to Kuromaru? No one can do that to Kuromaru!"
"Aoi-san can," Hana replied with a smile.
"Aburame Aoi," the woman called to them all from her spot on the ground, "I'd come greet you properly but if I don't finish with Kuromaru he'll get grumpy and might try attacking my husband again." The cheerfulness of her voice completely contradicted her words, yet for the first time since Tsume came, Naomi got the impression the wild woman was under control.
The remaining Aburames joined them near the tables as Aoi continued a serious petting regimen with Kuromaru, all the while Tsume continued to yell at her partner at how un-ninja-dog-like behavior he was showing. On the other hand, the man who'd just been about to engage in serious battle with their other guest appeared as calm as if the encounter had never occurred.
"Aburame Shibi," he said, and then with a nod to the boy beside him, "My son, Shino."
The same way mother and son resembled each other in the Inuzuka family, father and son were practically spitting images. The only difference was where Tsume and Kiba professed wild energy, Shibi and Shino were calm reserve. Fire and ice and Hinata in the middle. Naomi was starting to feel far sorrier for her niece than she did for Neji having to deal with Gai. Hizashi and Hana offered another round of introductions on their end as Tsume, Kuromaru, and Aoi finally returned to the group.
"I still want to know how Shino's mom could do that to Kuromaru," Kiba insisted.
"Tsume and I were on the same genin team," Aoi chirped. "I've trained Kuromaru to be a good boy for me since he was smaller than your pup there. It came in handy when I started dating Shibi."
Suddenly Naomi felt more secure about having Tsume and Shibi near each other at all. Obviously this woman had long since learned how to handle them both. Naomi smiled and relaxed a little (a very little). "It's rare to have two girls on a team together," she commented.
"We weren't the only team that way," Aoi replied. "We were in one of the few years that had too many girls."
"Tsume was man enough for them all," Shibi muttered.
Tsume grabbed his jacket collar and stared into the blank black glasses covering his eyes. "Wanna say that again, Stalker?"
"Tsume, Shibi, we're not here to hash out old arguments," Aoi scolded, shoving them both apart again. "We're here for our children and the focus will be for them, not either of your bruised egos, is that clear?"
Tsume and Shibi shirked away from each other, but they were quiet about it.
Aoi just shook her head. "Personally I thought it was hilarious when I found out Shino was teamed up with Kiba-kun, but I suppose you have to know them both as well as I do to get the joke."
"I don't know, after watching that display I'm not sure whether to laugh or break open the sake," said a pleasant voice outside the group.
They turned to see a smiling woman standing there, bottle of sake in her hand. She had a mild, yet commanding presence about her. A gentle taskmaster. Her eyes were an odd shade of crimson which no doubt inspired the color choices on her outfit. She sauntered over to them and handed the bottle to Hizashi.
"I'm Yuuhi Kurenai. I'll be taking care of your kids. Now, aren't we supposed to eat?"
"Now that sounds like a plan," Tsume bellowed, snatching the sake bottle from Hizashi's hands and hopping up to sit on Naomi's neatly-made up table. "At least you live up to the Hyuuga name and bought some quality meat. I can smell it from here. Get on and start cooking already."
Hizashi stepped up and brushed his hand against Naomi's for the briefest second to calm her. Naomi wasn't asking for everyone to sit straight-backed in silence, but was a little decorum too much to ask for? Tsume stole a couple cups from the table and started pouring out the sake to Aoi and Kurenai. When one dangled in front of Naomi with Tsume's smirk broad, full, and taunting all the preparations she'd put in place for today, Naomi grabbed the little cup and downed it in one shot. She was going to need it to get through this dinner.
"Now that's a woman who knows how to drink," the Inuzuka woman laughed.
Naomi turned to see Neji and Hinata staring at her in muted shock and quickly straightened up. "You'll understand when you're older," she said.
Neji's eyes flickered to Tsume who was already on her third glass. "I'm pretty sure I understand now. I just didn't think you'd do it."
Naomi turned away and took her flustered face over to the hot coals to hide the color in her cheeks. The Inuzuka was a bad influence.
Hizashi smirked as he set out the first batch of skewers onto the grill. "You got called out by your son."
"Shut up," she muttered, too embarrassed to look at him.
For all the insanity that had happened so far, they'd at least gotten to a point where no one was killing each other and most were looking like they were having half a good time. She wasn't exactly sure what Shibi or Shino were thinking behind the glasses and the jackets, so Naomi couldn't tell if they were enjoying themselves or not. On the kids end, Neji was sizing up Hinata's two teammates like the over-protective brother he was, and Naomi caught Hana doing the same here and there. Aoi continually fussed over how big Hana had gotten and how handsome Kiba was (which Naomi would've agreed with if only his hair could've been tamed). Tsume on the other hand bemoaned the fact Shino didn't take nearly enough after Aoi and (the drunker she got) repeatedly begged Aoi not to let him become a stalker like his father.
Hizashi pulled the first batch of yakiniku from the grill and started passing it around. It wasn't exactly the table dinner Naomi has wanted –half the people weren't even sitting– but the food was good and the conversation, if nothing else, was entertaining.
"Okay, I know I shouldn't ask, but I can't help it anymore. Why do you call him a stalker?" Kurenai asked Tsume.
Naomi'd been wondering that herself, but couldn't bring herself to ask. It seemed Kurenai had decided that between this group nothing was too offensive. She just might have been right, too.
"Because that's what the buggy bastard is," Tsume answered, pouring the last of the sake into her glass. "He stalked Aoi for almost a year before she caved and went out with him. And I'd bet anything he told those bees to attack her just so he could play hero."
"Aburame don't control bees," Shino defended his father.
"And you're merely jealous Aoi didn't marry your brother," Shibi added.
"Better a dog in the house than a bug on the ground," Tsume spat.
Aoi's laughter kept the fight from escalating once again. She looked at Hinata with a pitiful expression. "I sure hope Kiba-kun and Shino don't turn out like these two, or the only thing Hinata-chan's going to learn is how to keep people from killing each other."
"Not a bad skill for her to have in this clan," Hizashi snickered to Naomi too low for anyone else to hear, and it earned him a swat on the hip.
"They're not quite like Tsume and Shibi," Kurenai said with a chuckle, "but I've got a feeling she's still going to be quite the mediator on this team."
"It's still interesting they put these families together," Shibi commented seriously. He was the only one who was still entirely sober and sober looking (even Hizashi and Naomi had loosened up a little).
Kurenai took the bait for the group and leaned against the table next to where Tsume sat. "And what do you mean by that?"
"We all have sensory abilities to some extent," Shibi answered. "You normally don't need more than one sensory type on a team. So either their team was based solely on grades, or Hokage-sama intended to build a perfect tracking team."
Tsume appeared to sober up as she thought. "Considering what happened on the hunt for Uchiha Itachi, it wouldn't surprise me if he wanted a perfect tracking team."
"A Hyuuga's eyes, an Inuzuka's nose, and an Aburame's range," Hizashi mused aloud. "It definitely feels like they were meant to look for something."
"Wait, is that why we keep getting stuck with the stupid 'find my lost pet' assignments?" Kiba complained.
"Well, you have to admit you three find them very fast," Kurenai joked.
"It's not funny. I want a mission with some action!" Kiba griped and Akamaru yipped in agreement.
"It'd be nice to test our skills," Shino concurred.
Hinata twirled an empty skewer between her fingers in the same fidgety way Naomi recognized whenever Hinata wasn't sure she should speak up. "We sort of are, if we're supposed to be a tracking team, I mean."
Kiba hopped up on the table like his mother and sat with Akamaru on the bench between his legs. "Yeah, but I want something with real danger. Me and Akamaru are itching for a real fight, not just training."
Tsume knocked Kiba on the head and then added one more for Akamaru who yipped. "Like you're ready for a real battle with the way you've been in training. The enemy will chew you up and spit you out unless you start getting serious."
"They would not and I am too ready! Just you see!" Kiba shouted back.
Naomi watched Hinata through their family tiff, nervous how she would take a mother demeaning her child in public like that. Hinata didn't shrink back like she'd expected, but instead a strange hint of envy was in her niece's eyes. Naomi looked back at Tsume and realized why. Tsume's censure was harsh, but it was from genuine worry for her son. Tsume wanted him able to handle himself. It wasn't the same degrading criticism Hyobe forced on her simply because she wasn't as skilled as he wanted her to be. An hour before she wouldn't have thought it possible, but Naomi was actually beginning to understand Tsume's personality. (She didn't necessarily like it yet, but she was understanding it.)
"Don't worry," Kurenai said as she finished off the last skewer on her plate, "even if you three do end up being a tracking team, not all tracking missions will be as safe as finding lost animals. You may have to track down items in enemy territory, missing ninja, enemy locations. I'm sure you'll have plenty of dangers to face in the years to come."
"I certainly hope his mother has more confidence in him before it comes to that," said a voice that froze Naomi's blood.
Beside her she saw Hizashi's hands fist momentarily before forcing to relax again, and across the table Neji moved closer to a now rigid Hinata. The jovial atmosphere that had permeated the dinner since people stopped trying to kill each other stilled as their guests noticed the change in the Hyuugas' demeanor. Naomi and Hizashi turned in unison to meet the voice with a solid front. Hyobe strode across the yard, disapproval oozing out of him like a miasma.
"What brings you out here, Father?" Hizashi asked more calmly than Naomi would have.
"I'm not allowed to see who you've entrusted my granddaughter to?" he replied. From his lips 'granddaughter' had a less familial sound than 'idiot' did coming from Tsume to Kiba.
Hizashi graciously motioned to the group behind him and smiled. "Here they are. But I know this isn't the type of gathering you'd enjoy, so it's all right if you'd like to leave now that you've met them."
It wasn't an order, Hizashi's power over Hyobe was limited to the fact he allowed Hinata to become genin, but it was more than a suggestion. Naomi prayed that for once Hyobe would be sensible to his granddaughter and simply leave her be. This meeting wasn't meant to become a clan issue. Like Aoi said, it was for the children. All three, not just Hinata. Naomi didn't even know if Hinata had felt comfortable enough around the two boys to begin to explain the crap that went on in the clan. This wasn't the time to bring it up, not in front of her team.
"You'll forgive me if I worry," Hyobe replied, picking up a skewer from the grill and spinning it slowing to cool the sizzling meat.
"About Hinata or her forehead?" Hizashi whispered.
Hyobe took a carefully measured bite and chewed with excruciating leisure to force Hizashi to wait for his answer. "In this case those are one in the same."
"So you're the king of this Hyuuga hill," Tsume drawled snidely, a skewer sticking out the corner of her fangy smirk.
Hyobe chuckled a patronizing laugh that made Naomi's skin crawl. "Of course not, Hizashi's head of the clan until Hinata comes of age. It's his responsibility to keep the clan safe. To fix any mistakes once he sees they're unfit to protect us."
A slip of indignation narrowed Kurenai's crimson eyes. Naomi doubted any of their other guests understood, but Kurenai had worried about Hinata's position as heir and been told that Hizashi made the decision against the clan's wishes. She recognized Hyobe's insult for what it was.
"Again with the safety shit," Tsume said, spitting the skewer onto the table to Hyobe's revulsion. "For such a paranoid clan it's amazing none of you have gone the Uchiha path, or is that what you're really afraid of? Old clans aren't so steady these days."
Naomi would have been insulted, except she was enjoying watching Hyobe's distaste to Tsume far more. After the insult he made on their guests, it only seemed fair he receive the same.
Hyobe carefully placed his empty skewer onto a plate still set out on the table, not looking at anyone in particular but exuding the sense of all-sight those with byakugan active possessed. "Oh, I have no fear this clan would attack itself. We're well-protected in that regard."
Naomi instinctively touched her forehead to make sure the scarf she wore was still in place. Living in the main family and raising Hinata, she'd learned to brush off a lot of the pain regarding the seal, but Hyobe still had the power to incite shame for bearing it. She quickly lowered her hand to keep the children from seeing it, though she wasn't certain she succeeded.
Hyobe turned his back on the group and started back to the house. "I think you're right, Hizashi, this isn't my type of gathering."
The only thing stopping Hizashi from showing the fury trapped so tightly inside him his hands shook was the fact that their guests were still there watching. If that had happened in a more private location Naomi wasn't sure what her husband would have said to Hyobe, but it certainly wouldn't be good for anyone.
"Sheesh, and just when I was starting to think you Hyuugas weren't too bad," Tsume growled.
Hizashi took a deep breath and calmed his body. "Please forgive my father's rudeness. It wasn't appropriate."
"My son," Shibi began, and having spoken so little all afternoon the sound caught everyone's attention. "My son is well trained, and if Kiba has a fraction of his mother's skill I have no doubt this team can protect itself."
Aoi stared at her husband as if she'd never seen him before. "Shibi, did you just compliment Tsume?"
A skeptical brow rose over the Aburame's dark glasses. "I may loathe her, but I have the scars to prove she's a formidable opponent."
"Shibi . . ." Aoi leaned in until she was practically in her husband's lap and planted a kiss on him that had all the kids turning red. "Sometimes you remind me why I married you."
Tsume's face twisted up like she'd just swallowed rancid fish. "Ah, did you have to do that in front of me?"
Aoi just smirked.
"Yeah, well, me and Kuromaru have had our fair share of hospital visits thank to that buggy bastard. I'd trust him in a fight," Tsume reluctantly admitted, "just not with my daughter."
"Tsume!" Aoi snapped before the bugs crawling over Shibi's hand made it to the table.
Naomi felt mortified. That Hyobe had insulted them all to their faces was bad enough, but that all their guests understood exactly what Hyobe had insinuated was worse. Hyobe and the old main family were some of the reasons the Hyuugas had a reputation for thinking themselves better than everyone. And yet, Naomi was almost glad it happened. If the parents could be that loyal to their enemies, then imagine how loyal the children would be to their friends. They might be loud and slightly unusual, but loyalty and faith were what Hinata needed in a team and were far more important than anything Hyobe could teach her at home.
"Hey runt, come here," Tsume called, dragging Hinata close when she didn't move fast enough. "I might not have the Hyuuga's famous insight, but I can smell fear when it's in the air. If you really want to show that bastard up one day, let me give you some advice. The only way the runt of the litter survives is to learn to bite twice as hard as everyone else, otherwise you'll always be at the bottom of the pack. You understand me, girl?"
Naomi watched as Hinata slowly nodded, her eyes never wavering from Tsume. A smirk curled to reveal Tsume's canine fangs and an expression Naomi almost considered motherly softened her eyes.
"Good, you watch out for my Kiba, and I promise he'll teach you how to bite. That Aburame boy might even lend him a hand."