Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto.

My Life as a Teenage Shinobi

"Shino, where's Kiba? And Hinata?" Kurenai asked the usually silent boy. She had just gotten to their training spot in that clearing in the forest and Shino was the only one there. Which was unusual, because being the responsible students they are, Team 8 is always early for training. So early, in fact, that they get there at 8 am when Kurenai tells them 9. What they do there for an hour is all up to your imagination.

But…

"They're not here yet," Shino answered. The bugs that resided within him laughed at him, saying that his last statement was SO obvious.

'Shut up,' he told them. Oh, but they just kept on laughing and crawling. They made a crack about the goatee that he was also growing.

'Well it's not like YOU guys grow any facial hair. It is a sign of maturity and adulthood,' he argued. But his bugs kept talking back. It seemed that they knew every one of Shino's little quirks. As they should, because they…live in him.

Kurenai, meanwhile, was still talking with him. She scratched her head. "…I wonder where they could be?"

She looked at her student and noticed he wasn't listening.

"Shino?...Shino?"

As we all know where Kiba is, we'll just see what Hinata is up to, shall we?

"Hinata-neesan, what are you still doing in bed? Daddy's going to be really angry if he finds out you're not at training yet," Hanabi said, poking the slight bulge under the covers.

"Quiet, Hanabi-chan, please don't tell daddy. I j-just…I don't feel like…training today…" Hinata squeaked. No, it wasn't the same squeak as Sasuke's.

"Ah, but you're the next heir to the clan right? So shouldn't you be training everyday and try to be stronger than even your younger sister?" Hanabi challenged. She knew her sister was a let down to the whole family and she wasn't going to hide it. What a brat.

"…"

"Fine, fine," Hanabi said after a while.

"Be that way. But don't come crying to me when daddy makes me heir of the Hyuuga clan and not YOU." And she happily pranced off somewhere else. Good riddance.

Hinata sighed.

'No, it's not like that at all. I want to get stronger. I want to…but…I…I…I've embarrassed myself in front of Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, and Kurenai-sensei. I don't…want that to happen again. And…what if I run across…across…Naruto-kun?' she sighed again, but this time a sigh that would have made the Sasuke fan club proud.

'Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun…'

And she dropped off to sleep, with "Naruto-kun" still in her mind.

"Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun…" Hinata mumbled.

"Hm? What is it, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata suddenly opened her eyes and sat up.

"Huh…what…?" she asked, confused. She was sitting on the bridge where Team 7 usually met. Naruto was sitting next to her, and it seemed like he had been watching her for quite some time. Naruto smiled at her with his goofy grin and Hinata…well, blushed.

"Hey, Hinata-chan."

Hinata blushed even harder after hearing him give her name the affectionate suffix we all know and love.

"Y-y…yes, N-Naruto…k-kun…" Hinata stammered, looking at the bridge floor in front of her.

Naruto put his hands behind his head, still grinning at Hinata. "When did you get boobs?"

Hinata practically fainted. She was sure her face was turning purple at the moment. My, how embarrassing for her.

"Wh…what? Uh...um…" She found it hard to say even one word.

"Well see, I look at you all the time and I noticed the last time I saw you that they were there," Naruto said…looking at her.

"Wha…what…y-you…l-look…at me…N-Naruto-kun…I look…I mean…um…at y-you…t…too…" Hinata said, shyly. And still purple in the face.

"Really? Wow that's so cool! We look at each other all the time and we don't even notice! Isn't that a coincidence or something?" Naruto said in an excited voice. Excited and still, unfortunately for Hinata, oblivious.

"O-oh…y-yes…coin…coincidence…" Hinata started twiddling her fingers.

Naruto suddenly grabbed her hand. Hinata was forced to look into his eyes. Not that she wouldn't have, anyway.

"Hinata-chan," Naruto said quietly. Hinata gazed dreamily into his eyes.

"Y-yes…Naruto-kun…?" she whispered as he leaned in closer.

She could have sworn she was shaking all over.

"I…

I…

I WANT YOU TO GET UP RIGHT NOW!" he yelled in her face.

"What? Naruto…kun?" she asked, almost getting a heart attack from the sudden change in volume.

"GET UP! NOW!"

Hinata was shaking all over. 'What? Why is it so dark? Where is Naruto-kun?' she thought.

'No…it can't be…a…dream?'

She opened her eyes. And saw her father shaking her shoulders.

"Hinata, now, may I ask you WHY you aren't at TRAINING?" Hiashi asked her in quiet fury.

"I…I…um…I s-slept…in?" Hinata tried.

Her father shook his head.

"I don't know how you'll be able to watch over our clan like this, Hinata. Honestly, I am very disappointed in you…" Hiashi started lecturing her, occasionally adding in a "Hanabi" this, and "Hanabi" that.

Amidst all of this, Hinata was thinking to herself. 'Why…did it have to be a dream? Why…couldn't I have at least gotten to the good part?'

Kiba, meanwhile, was off in dreamland himself, dreaming of a certain no pupiled person. And no, it's not Neji.

AN: Another short Team 8 chapter. Probably the shortest chapter in the entire fic. (sigh) I can never get a long chapter for these guys! But the two Team 8 chapters turned out to be my favorites in the whole story so far.

OKAY so it didn't have much to do with puberty at all. Maybe a little with Hinata's dream, but I COULD have added a WHOLE lot more to it. Well if her father hadn't butted in at the exact wrong time, it would have been naughty Hinata, let me just say…it's always the quiet ones, really! I already mentioned Kiba sleeping in in chapter 5, I believe. And I couldn't resist with Shino and his bugs again.

Next chapter would be Kakashi's side story about his remedies. Yes I thought of combining the chapters at one point. But I didn't know how I would tie it all in with each other. So Kakashi gets his OWN chapter. Because Kakashi is cool like that.

Anyway, we're almost nearing the end of this fic…Hm, I would say maybe 4 or 5 more chapters at least.

Thank you all with your cooperation on the voting. Team 8 seems to be loved by many =) But Kakashi is still so very cool. Heh.

Thanks also for reading. I would still appreciate reviews!

Kawaii Yoshi