Title: Cross-Over
Rating: PG
Characters: Shino and a bunch of distractions.
Word Count: 1095
Summary: Shino's got his day all planned in advance.
Author's Notes: I'd wanted to write this one for quite a while.

Aburame Shino had been waiting almost two years for this day, and nothing was going to ruin it. He woke up early, five o'clock, and made a breakfast of bacon and eggs, just to put himself in the right mood. He spent over two hours showering and getting his look just right. At nine-thirty sharp, he left his apartment and made his way down toward the center of Konoha. He would be there when the doors opened. He would be first.

Shino had never done anything quite like this before, and he felt cold terror creeping into his bones at who might see him. He was so used to his usual high-necked gray coat that he felt positively naked with his face uncovered. The longsleeved black garment that took his coat's place just couldn't provide him with the anonymity he desired. He tried to look casual as he surveyed the street, watching out for familiar faces.

"Yo! Bug dude! What'cha doin?"

Suppressing the urge to jump, Shino looked up to see Uzumaki Naruto, clad all in his usual orange, standing horizontally halfway up the face of a three-story building. Naruto leapt down and landed in a squat in front of Shino, blocking the way forward.

"That's a funky outfit. Something special goin' on today? You have a DATE or somethin'?" Naruto pried.

"No," Shino said flatly.

Naruto leaned forward, his face just inches from Shino's, and tapped at his forehead with one finger. "Hey, Bug Dude, what's up with this... You got some sorta funny li..." Naruto frowned, and his finger began rubbing back and forth, trying to dig into Shino's skull. As if Shino wasn't already self-conscious enough. "You should probably get rid of-"

Bugs swarmed up and engulfed Naruto's hand. "I suppose so," he replied impatiently.

Naruto danced backwards, waving his arm and trying to get the bugs to leave him alone. "Hey! Bug Dude! What the heck was that for?" Shino didn't hear. He was already ten meters down the street from the commotion. No one was going to ruin today for him. He continued unmolested, and a swell of joy filled him with each step toward his goal.

Just before the building that was his target, Shino pulled up short. Oh no. Kiba. Standing right out in front, too.

Shino's teammate was still facing the other way, thankfully. Shino edged toward an alley and slipped down it, hoping he could find a way in through the back. Then, a high yapping sound caught his attention, and he looked down to see Akamaru standing at his shin, barking up at him. Shino narrowed his eyes and considered enveloping the dog in a ball of bugs, at least for as long as it would take him to accomplish his mission.

"Oi! Shino? Is that you?" Kiba's voice came from the mouth of the alley. Shino cursed himself for not acting sooner. He turned to face his teammate - no way to avoid it now - and tugged at his clothes nervously as Kiba approached.

"What are you wearing, man?" There was a hint of laughter in Kiba's voice. "I've never seen you in anything other than those grey coats Kurenai-sensei gave us. Not since we got out of the academy, anyway. You thinkin' of changing up your wardrobe?"

"No," Shino responded coolly.

"Your glasses too," Kiba continued. "Never seen you wear regular glasses. Always those sunglasses... and these things look kinda beat up, y'know." He sounded like he was just musing to himself now, and Shino let him continue, hoping Kiba would move on soon. He did, thankfully. "Anyway, Hinata and I were gonna go do some training after lunch. You wanna come? It'd be a big help."

"I suppose so." Shino knew he sounded unhappy, but he couldn't help it. He'd had very different plans in mind for today, but he couldn't ignore his duties to his team. As much as he wanted to, today of all days. Well, the morning still wasn't a total loss. He could still get what he came for, and neither Naruto nor Kiba seemed to have recognized what he-

"Ohhh, I get it now!" Kiba clapped his hands together and grinned. "I never would have guessed you were into that kind of thing, Shino. Well, don't let me stop you!" Kiba began pushing Shino out of the alley and back toward the front of the building. "Don't worry about the training today. We'll get along fine without you. Bet you've been looking forward to this for a while!"

Embarrassment mixed with happiness in Shino, though none of it reached his face. So Kiba HAD figured it out. Shino knew he'd tell Hinata, and Kurenai-sensei, but hopefully not anyone else. Hopefully not Tenten, anyway; if she found out, he didn't know what he'd do. He'd still get to do what he'd wanted with the rest of today, though. Things weren't going exactly as Shino had planned, but it looked like they could still be salvaged, if he was lucky.

Kiba pushed him all the way to the door, even though Shino was walking perfectly well on his own, and gave him a last pat on the back before walking off down the street. Shino, for his part, adjusted his striped red-and-yellow tie as if squaring himself for battle.

His heart fell the moment he entered the building. It had, indeed, just opened. There were displays set out on tables all around the room; displays that hadn't been there before. But in front of those displays... nothing. Nothing at all. How could there be nothing? The whole room should have been filled nearly to the ceiling!

"Oh... I'm sorry, Shino. It was a big event, so we opened the store at midnight." Tenten's voice was comforting, coming up behind him, but the very fact that it was HER voice made him want to jump. When had SHE started working here? Why did SHE have to be here of all people? "We sold out in the first hour... Didn't anyone tell you about it?"

"No," he answered hollowly. He clung to some small hope that perhaps she wouldn't recognize the clothing, perhaps he could escape with at least that much of his dignity.

"Well, I guess you could go ask Gai-sensei. He bought twelve copies himself. I don't know what he's planning to -do- with all of them..." Tenten's face took on a worried look.

"I suppose so."

"Oh, Shino; nice costume by the way. You really do look just like Harry Potter."

Aburame Shino cried tears of shame.

Actually, I do own Naruto. But don't tell anyone, okay?