Before you strike me with your chainsaws, hear me out. I am so eternally absolutely sorry I have not put up a chapter in...omg, it's been over a month!! But my school has becoming absolutely busy and I've had field competitions practically every saturday this month, football games every friday, practice every Thursday, and it goes on and on and on...I have had NO time to update whatsoever. I would like to at the library but I can't save files there and therefore I can't upload files onto fanfiction. I don't even have time right now because I need to be studying for my exams this week but I had to put my foot down. But guess what?! FALL BREAK IS THIS FRIDAY!!! -celebrates- It WOULD be Thursday, but I have to be at the field to practice. -rolls eyes-
Anyways, I'm really sorry in advance because our chapters are about to get very stretched and filler-y because both of us have had an absolute lack of time to work on our story. Where we would do probably 30-40 responses a day, we now do maybe 3 or 4 a week. It's terrible. But we'll keep working if you'll keep reading! Thanks to our devoted readers!
Chapter Fourteen - I Spy an Angry Guy
"Sakura-san!! Are you home?" Hinata called as she gently knocked on the door. She was trying to act as normal as possible, and was quite proud at how her mask of nonchalance was coming. It was almost as if nothing had happened. Only her closest friends would be able to see the hurt hidden in her eyes. "Hokage-sama needs us!"
Lee went to his Dojo and grabbed his bag. "I feel bad leaving this place so soon. I hope no one comes to challenge it when I'm not here," he said as he put the backpack on and walked out the door. He closed the shutter doors and locked them. "Well I guess we will be meeting at the town entrance, I really should have asked," he said to himself and headed to the main gate.
Sakura was in her room when her mom knocked on her door "Sakura, someone is at the door for you, something about a mission go answer it please," her mother said and walked away from her door. Sakura did not answer her mom she just stood up and exited her room and made her way to the front door. When she arrived at it she opened it and saw Hinata standing there, much to her surprise. "Oh hello Hinata, the two of us have a mission together?" she asked and thought how weird it was going to be if it was just the two of them.
Kiba finished packing and waited for Neji, wondering if Lee was wanting to meet anywhere besides his home. Neji waved as he approached. "Is Lee here yet?" the Hyuuga asked, not seeing him anywhere.
Kiba shook his head. "No, I'm guessing he was wanting to meet somewhere else..."
Neji sighed. "Let's just head to the front gate...if he's not there, he'll find us eventually..."
"Um, yes...Hokage-sama wishes to speak with us...she's got a mission for me, you, and Naruto, so we had better hurry. Lee-san told me about it..." Hinata smiled, somewhat sadly, but didn't let it show on her face. She wasn't sure if Sakura had a conscience, but if she did, she didn't want Sakura to feel bad.
'This is perfect, I'll just be all over Naruto, then when Hinata realizes how happy we both are, I can put her out of my mind for sure,' Sakura thought deviously, but did not show it she just smiled and said, "Okay then let's head to the Hokage's offce, oh do we need to pick up Naruto or is he already there?"
Naruto was the first to arrive at the Hokage's office. He knocked on the door and did not bother to wait for an answer. "Tsunade-sama Lee said I had some kind of mission, but would not tell me anything about it or who it was wi-" Naruto said but was interrupted by a very angry Tsunade.
"Don't you know that you are supposed to WAIT for me to tell you to enter, you need to learn some respect before I send you back to the academy!" she shouted at a now very scared Naruto. "Now Lee did not tell you about the mission because he does not know what it is," she said much more calmly, "and I do not know why he did not tell you your teammates," she lied. Tsunade knew all about the problem between the three and was using the mission as an excuse to get the three of them to work everything out. "Your teammates will be here shortly so stand there quietly and don't say a word," she said firmly before Naruto could object.
Hinata shook her head. "I don't think so...Lee-san has already talked to Naruto, I believe..." She thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Well, I suppose we should get going."
Kiba and Neji walked along until they reached the main gate, spotting Lee there. Neji sighed in relief. "That's good...I was afraid we were going to have to look for an hour..."
"Okay then, lets get going," Sakura said and walked out of her house and made her way to the Hokage's office, knowing Hinata would follow.
Lee waved to Neji and Kiba. "Hey guys, sorry I did not know where we were meeting but I'm glad you found me. Okay, shall we head out?" he asked his approaching friends.
Hinata followed obediently, staying a little distance behind Sakura as she walked, somewhat dreading arrival. As she saw the familiar building come into her sight she hurried to catch up with Sakura, not wanting to look lazy or objective to the mission or, more to the point, scared of working with Sakura and Naruto.
Kiba shrugged and Neji nodded. "With any luck we'll make good time...Master Hiashi is not very pleased with me being gone all night and then leaving for who knows how long..." Neji chuckled a little bit; he couldn't help but be somewhat pleased with himself, which made him ponder. Hmmm...maybe it's a rebellious stage that I've heard so much about? Neji shrugged, thinking to himself.
Kiba looked at Neji oddly, who seemed to be thinking something. "Aaaannnyyywwayyy," which got Neji's attention, "shall we go or daydream all day long?"
Neji glared at him but hefted his pack further onto his shoulder. "Do we have a choice?"
Kiba rolled his eyes. "Alright, let's go..."
"The trip should take about one day, we should not encounter any problems on the way, so shall we begin?" Lee said to his two teammates, motioning to the gate.
When the two arrived at the building Sakura walked in first and headed to the office not looking to see if Hinata was still following her through the building. When Sakura arrived at the door she knocked on the Hokage's door and waited for the Hokage to answer so as not to seem rude.
"Lead the way," Kiba began walking casually, Neji following suit.
Hinata walked slower than Sakura and paid respects to the previous Hokages whenever she would pass one of their pictures along the wall, hoping for a decent outcome of the mission. When she realized that she was straggling she hurried to catch up and stood next to Sakura at the Hokage's office.
"Okay then," Lee said and walked out of the gate and down the road, with Neji and Kiba. "As they were walking Lee was wondering if he should bring up Hinata and Naruto, but was not sure if he wanted to make the mission become so uncomfortable yet. He decided he would wait for a more opportune moment and continued walking normally.
"Come in, see Naruto that is what you are supposed to do," Tsunade said through the door first to the girls then in an annoyed tone to Naruto.
"Well I did not think it mattered because you told me to come here," Naruto said in his defense.
"That doesn't matter it's still rude," she barked back at Naruto.
After a while of walking and uncomfortable silence, Kiba finally sighed loudly. "Soooo, I spy with my eye something that's blue...can you guess it?" He grinned awkwardly. Neji just stared at him.
"Lee-san told us you had a mission for us, Hokage-sama?" Hinata reminded her as much as asked her.
"Well it must be the sky," Lee said in a serious voice thinking Kiba was serious, but continued to look around for another blue object.
"Yes there is a mission for the three of you, I need you to travel to the Hidden Mist village. There is a package there that you must bring back here, this is only a C-Rank mission so nothing to be too worried about but I chose the three of you because in the case of a fight I think you three could do well together, and I have replaced Sasuke with Hinata because of her Byakugan so she could see possible incoming ambushes," she said in the normal voice she used when giving mission statements. "Understood?" she asked the three.
"Yes, Hokage," Naruto said very drone-like and unenthusiastically. He was hoping it would have been just Hinata and him so he could talk to her alone, he most certainly could not do it with Sakura there.
Kiba looked to Neji oddly as the Hyuuga just smacked his forehead and sighed. "Yes Lee...the sky...good job..."
Kiba grinned brightly, happy to have at least found something to pass time with. "Your turn, Lee!" Neji just smacked his forehead again.
Hinata gave a small bow and repeated Naruto, "Yes, Hokage-sama," then straightened up, somewhat proud that she had been selected for her family's unique ability. At least she wouldn't feel like an awkward tag-along on this mission. And she could have a reason to happily avoid the other two.
"Haha I knew it, Okay let's see here hmmm..." Lee said then looked around for something difficult for them to spot. "I spy with my eye something gray," he said referring to Neji's eyes but did not look at Neji to give it away.
"Well then what are you three waiting for get moving!" Tsunade said impatiently to the three, but it was mostly directed to Naruto, who then immediately ran out the door and down the corridor.
"Wait up Naruto-kun," Sakura said and walked out of the room and followed Naruto but at a much slower pace, not waiting for Hinata or even acknowledging the fact that she was still there.
"Hmmmm," Kiba pondered as Neji rolled his eyes. "Oh! I got it!! It's Akamaru, right?!"
Neji stared at Kiba incredulously as he felt his eye twitch. Kiba just had a split-grin on his face, waiting to see if he was right. "Akamaru is a CREAM color you dolt!!! Not gray!! For the love of all that's pure!!" He jabbed at his eyes with his finger. Obviously, he wasn't in a very good mood.
"OOOH!!! Neji's eyes!!...I woulda never guessed that..." Kiba thought as Neji smacked his forehead. "Good one Lee! ...assuming that Neji's right, of course...that means it's your turn, Neji!!" But Neji didn't hear. Neji was too busy beating his head against a tree. Kiba just laughed to himself. He was proud of his abilities to push buttons!!! "Is that the right answer, Lee?" Kiba asked innocently.
Hinata blinked as she watched herself be left behind again and looked at Tsunade for a moment, bowed again, and then ran to catch up to them.
"That's right Neji, good one I didn't know if you would get it because you can't see your eyes," Lee said. "Okay go ahead Neji it's your turn," he said happily as he got a good look at his surroundings.
Naruto was the first outside slightly out of breath from running through the corridors, after only a few moments Sakura came out of the building and kissed Naruto. She planned on kissing him until Hinata came out and interrupted her, Naruto had other plans however. After the shock he pulled away from her rather fast. "We really shouldn't be kissing like that in public, and I'm actually not sure if I'm ready for this,"
"We went over this already Naruto-kun, you ARE ready for this and you know you want everyone to see we're together," Sakura said moving in for another kiss.
Naruto stopped her and just shook his head lightly and Sakura reluctantly listened. Naruto was hoping that during this mission maybe things would work themselves out and everything would be better, or maybe they would get a whole lot worse.
"Hmm! Okay!" Neji said brightly with exaggerated cheeriness. "I spy with my eye two somethings that are getting ready to be black, blue, and red if they don't shut up!!!" He dropped the cheeriness at the last part and glared death glares at both of them.
"...someone got up on the wrong side of the floor this morning..." Kiba said monotonously as Neji grunted and turned his face away from them, putting on a defiant countenance. Kiba thought for a minute and then brightened up. "I know what's bothering you! You're worried about Hinata, aren't you?"
"I am not!"
"Are so!"
"Am not!"
"Are s-OOF!" Kiba keeled over as Neji kicked him, eye twitching...again.
"I am not worrying!" He said, his eyes and tone betraying him.
"...are so..." Kiba muttered on the ground, then suffering the wrath of Neji Hyuuga in a series of hits, kicks, and screams from the crazed Hyuuga. "HEEELLLPPP MEEE!!!" Kiba screamed as he tried to scramble away, Akamaru barking happily, figuring it was all a game. "UNCLE!!! I GIVE!!! CUT IT OUT!!!"
Hinata caught up to the other two as Naruto pulled away from Sakura's kiss, and felt a small pang in her heart, thinking that they had been both agreeably kissing. She didn't want it to show on her face, though, so she approached them casually, careful not to let any emotion other than her usual trace her face. "Well, are we ready to depart?"
Rock Lee walked ovet to the two and grabbed each one by their shirts and held them apart by arms length. "Okay you two calm down, let's just get back to the mission and forget about Hinata and Naruto and Sakura, let's let the three of them work things out and not kill each other over it," he said seriously and looked to Neji towards the end. While he was calm on the inside he was relieved he did not bring up the situation like he had wanted to.
"Well I know I am, are you ready Naruto-kun?" Sakura said and grabbed ahold of his hand and intertwined their fingers.
"Yeah I'm ready," Naruto said and rolled his eyes slightly when Sakura took his hand. "Well since we are all ready let's go. The trip should not take any longer than a day, and we can eat and rest when we get to the village, so we should not need our backpacks," he said and waited to make sure Hinata was ready.
"I'm not worried!!" Neji practically yelled then turned away quickly and scowled. "I'm just...nevermind!"
Kiba dusted himself off and winced as he lightly touched a scratch on his arm. "Sorry, Neji, for picking on you like that..."
Hinata started walking ahead of the two, eyes closed, ignoring their clasped hands as if it wasn't even going on. "Yes, I want to get this done and over with. I have other things that require my attention," she said, perhaps a little coldly.
Lee just walked forward in the direction of the town and did not pay the other two any mind, he figured he would let them solve their own problems for the time being.
"I understand, let's hurry up then," said Naruto in a slightly depressed tone and continued to walk with Sakura and follow Hinata. 'She really hates me now doesn't she, I feel like I'm in one of those tragedies where bad things keep happening until the day I die,' he thought to himself and hung his head.
Neji walked to catch up to Lee, while Kiba followed after a little behind, deep in thought.
N A R U H I N A
I'm so sorry guys - I have no time right now to acknowledge my reviewers right now. I'll try to in the next chapter and will put those up there. Again, I'm really sorry!!