Oh dear Kami I forgot Shino… this is just not like me… Shino ROCKS. How could I forget him!? This grievous oversight will be reconciled posthaste.Please note that, a lot of this chapter is Shino-centric.
And I'd like to apologize for a few things that got CUT OUT of the chapter for some reason. (The 'thing on both Naruto and Hinata's minds' for instance) I did NOT leave that blank, dammit!
One updated thing, though… BUGSPEEEAAAAAAK!!!!!!! Yes. Bugspeak. An underline notes when someone is speaking a non-human language, like bug, dog, fox, cat… whatever. But since this is probably going to be use most often with the Aburame bugs, it remains 'bugspeak'…
Shino smirked as he stalked down the hallways of his home.
'Shino, you are late'. His bugs informed him, relaying the message from his father.
The boy didn't bother answering. To be honest, he found it bothersome that his clan almost never tried to speak face-to-face. Multitasking was just too 'efficient'… "I'm sorry father, I hadn't expected to trip over that daisy when I stopped to smell it."
Shibi sighed. "Why must you be so difficult?"
Shino's eyebrow rose just above his shades for a moment as he spoke; "What gave you the idea I wanted to be easy?"
His father could do nothing but sigh once more. The only Aburame in a century to use innuendo in casual conversation, and it had to be his son. Well, at least he acts like most Aburame in public… 'most of the time…' he mentally groaned. "I assume there is a reason that you requested a meeting?"
"Yes, father. As a matter of fact, my close friend Kiba recently found an acceptable mate…" This caused Shibi to raise an eyebrow of his own. How could this warrant a meeting? "This girl has subsequently been imprisoned under the inaccurate premise of being a Kirigakure missing-nin."
The elder Aburame, having recently received a base report on the situation, was somewhat curious… or as curious as one could get most Aburame. "And how is this information false?"
"Haku-san is the apprentice of Momochi Zabuza… but on her own account, was never a certified kunoichi. When Momochi-san defected, she followed. Nothing more."
"She seeks asylum in Konohagakure… were you in my position, how would you expedite the situation?"
"Haku-san has, as a person, done no personal wrong against Konoha. After suggesting a requisite trial period in which she would be under constant supervision, it would be prudent that she take a specialized Genin exam prior to her immediate induction into the upcoming Chuunin exams." His father's eyebrows furled. "I believe her to be Chuunin, if not Tokubetsu Jounin level in skill."
"You are sure?" A hint of curiosity permeated his voice so lightly it would be undetectable even to the most highly trained civilians.
"Yes, father. I witnessed her combat and nearly incapacitate my teammate Naruto, whom you know can easily match a Chuunin for power, or a Jounin for tactical theorem." Shibi nodded in agreement. "As such, I would like to request that you advocate Haku's situation."
Shibi nodded. "And what will you do now?"
"I will go and visit the Inuzuka… I wish to know how Kiba is faring." He said with a smirk as he stalked away.
---
There it was… his home away from home… the Inuzuka compound.
Shino honestly spent just as much time here as he did at home… He didn't even need to knock anymore, he'd just walk right in the door and no one would think it out of the ordinary. "Hey Kiba…" Shino muttered, walking up behind his friend only to see the boy twitching in his seat. "Oi… what's wrong?" He asked, waving his hand in front of Kiba's face.
"We gave him 'The Talk' earlier…" Hana said, walking into the room. "He's just been sitting there. No idea what's wrong with him."
Kiba's head slowly turned to his sister. "You tried to strip, that's what!" He said with a shudder.
Shino's eye gained a slight twitch to it as well, and he leaned over his friend ominously. "What did we talk about before?"
Kiba blanched back away from his friend. "They AMBUSHED me! How was I supposed to know!?"
Shino just sighed as Hana started laughing. "So, Hana-chan! How abou-…"
She ruffled his hair before he could finish. "This is the one hundred and seventy-second time I've turned you down, brat. Try again when your eyes are higher than my boobs." She chuckled, walking out the door.
"Why do you keep trying, man?" Kiba asked.
"You know I like older women…" Shino retorted.
"That part I get, the 'my sister' thing? Not so much…"
Shino chuckled; a sight only seen by a select few, including the Inuzuka. "Hey, you know I'm already practically a part of the family… what's wrong with making it official?"
"It's creepy as hell, that's what…" Kiba sighed.
"Well, either way man, your sister is hot." Shino said, with a glazed look in his eyes. Not that Kiba could see it, but he could tell it was there.
"Oi! Enough of that!" Kiba roared, leaping off his seat. "I'm headin' to my room. I'll see you later."
Shino just chuckled for a while, before heading out the door Hana took. She was sitting out in the Inuzuka gardens, which were much nicer than most would suspect, given their reputation, playing with some of the new pups. "Hey Shino…" She mumbled, causing him to raise an eyebrow. "I'm a Chuunin for good reason, y'know."
"Right…" He said, walking over beside her. "There was something I wanted to ask you…"
"Not until you're older…" She chimed.
"Not that." He muttered coldly, shocking her somewhat. After shooing the pups away, she stood, dusting herself off, and motioned for him to continue. "Do you really not know why everyone hates Naruto, or were you just lying to Kiba?" The look of shock on her face was immediately apparent, to which he answered by pushing his shades further up his nose. "I know. Kiba knows. Naruto told us himself. Now, the question remains; do you know?"
Hana sighed. "Of course I know… How could I not? That whole damn day was burned into my memory."
"Do you hate Naruto for it?" He asked, his voice frigid before he smirked. "We're never going to work out if you do…"
She chuckled at this; here he was, acting like he was the one playing hard to get… "No, I don't… He's really brave for putting up with everyone's shit. Me and mom don't see him like that, even though I'm sure some Inuzuka do…"
"Then they are not worthy of the name…" Shino mumbled almost inaudibly. "Anyway, I'm going to go find Naruto… He's probably hip-deep in some sort of trouble…" He added before walking away, waving behind him.
---
True to his words, Shino found Naruto two hours later, running with Hinata in tow from a hell-bent Hikari flinging around a makeshift flail skillfully crafted from a belt and a thick book on puberty. Shino did NOT want to know how that happened.
((And for the record, the author doesn't want to know either. shudders))
---
Another hour later, and Naruto had finally lost the crazy woman that would one day wind up his mother-in-law... Hinata's Byakugan was more helpful than he could've hoped, unfortunately, Hikari had those same eyes… so it wasn't easy losing her.
"What… the hell… is it… with your mom… and MOOD SWINGS!?" Naruto panted.
"Probably just menopause…" Shino muttered from behind the pair, causing both of them to jump.
"And what the hell is that?" Naruto asked.
"Something all women go through later on in their lives…" At his, both boys gave Hinata a look.
"What?" She asked.
Thirty years later, she'd finally understood that damn look. She'd just reached the end of her own 'cycles' and she'd kill Naruto for thinking she'd ever go ballistic!
(-cough-) Anyway, back in the present, Naruto and Shino both shook their heads as the sometimes-stoic boy spoke. "Have you two figured out your plans regarding your relationship, yet? I can suggest a few nice places for a first date, if you'd like…"
The couple blushed at the idea, shaking their heads in unison. "No…" Naruto muttered. "Too busy running from 'mom'… And on that note, please hide us!" He added, dropping to his knees, and holding his hands together as if in prayer.
Shino sighed. "The Aburame district should be sufficient cover for you. I'll arrange a guest room for the two of you…" He said, letting one of his Kikaichou fly off towards his home.
"Don't you mean two rooms?" Naruto asked.
"Whatever gave you that idea?" Shino answered with a broad grin, causing the couple to flush red.
---
Neither Hinata nor Naruto were ready to go through with actually sleeping together. But neither were they complaining about sharing a bed, either. Shino had put them up in one room of their guest house, which was currently (and almost always) unoccupied. If they decided to do something, no one would hear them. And that was exactly why Shino stuck them there. The boy himself was still there with them, helping them get situated with their temporary accommodations, when he started grinning again. A smiling Aburame always meant one thing: trouble.
"You know, if you two want, you could always go for a walk. The Aburame district, although small, has some of the most beautiful parks in Konoha." 'Small' was an understatement. The Aburame clan consisted of about two dozen people, most of them either elderly or relatively young. They just got their own 'district' because most people didn't want to live anywhere near them. Admittedly, they numbered a good five dozen before the Kyuubi attack, but that wasn't very relevant at the moment…
"Yes, that sounds nice…" Hinata said with a slight bow, leading a somewhat confused Naruto out of the room.
Shino couldn't help but smirk again.
---
Naruto and Hinata's impromptu 'date' was going off without a hitch. They were holding hands while they walked through the forests and groves during the waning hours of the day. The two talked, they laughed, and all the while, each held the other's hand.
"So, Hinata, do you think your dad would be okay with… y'know… us?" Naruto asked.
"I think so, I mean… he hasn't shown a problem with you in years…" The blonde visible gulped at the news. He used to have problems with him?
"Well, it doesn't matter what he thinks, right?" Naruto wasn't one to be kept down. Not at all… Not even by a scary guy like Hiashi…
Hinata blushed. Was Naruto asking her to run away with him!? She personally didn't have a problem with it, but weren't they a little too… young to elope? "O-of course, Naruto-kun…" She mumbled, snuggling into his arm.
"What's with this all of a sudden, Hina-chan? You haven't stuttered with me… crap, when was the last time you did that?" Naruto asked, and she just snuggled closer and blushed in response. "Ehh, anyway, I love you, Hinata."
She stopped walking. What did he just say? It took him a second to notice he didn't have her snuggling into him anymore, and the two were only connected by their laced fingers now. Seeing her wide eyes and paling features, he easily figured out what was the matter. Giving her hand a comforting squeeze while cupping her face in the other, he repeated himself. "I love you, Hinata." He gave her a curious glance before looking around with his eyes. "So… uh… what happens n-'HWUMPH'"
Before he knew what hit him, she'd tackled him to the ground with her lips locked over his. Once his mind registered what'd taken place, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and returned the kiss.
---
Shino, watching from a nearby tree, pumped his arm in a universal sign for 'victory'. Kiba owed him 20 Ryo. (Or a date with Hana, whichever he could finagle first)
And thus was the young Aburame standing on the wall outside Kiba's window, tapping on the glass. Once the window was open, Shino smirked at the boy and said; "I got them to kiss."
"No fucking way… how?" was Kiba's response.
"Stroll through the park. They confessed their love for each other, and may very well be doing… naughty things… in their room at our guest house as we speak."
Kiba's mouth was agape in shock. Naughty things!? HINATA!? That just wouldn't compute. "We're going to go see them. Now." He barked.
"I thought you'd say that…" Shino smirked. "This way…"
---
Naruto and Hinata were in the middle of cuddling on the bed- their bed, when Kiba kicked the door open. "Okay, what the hell is going on in here!?" He roared.
Naruto glared at them from the other side of Hinata. "None of your business…"
While Shino went to work fixing the door, Kiba started shouting again. "Ohhh no… She's your girlfriend now, which automatically makes one of us your best friend! So spill!" He said, motioning towards Shino, who gave a half-assed wave.
"I ain't gotta' say shit." Naruto retorted angrily.
"I ain't lettin' you off that easy! Now spill!"
"BY KAMI, we were just CUDDLING Kiba! Now get the hell out so we can SLEEP!" Hinata screeched, causing the Inuzuka boy to cringe.
"Oi… I fixed the door, we can go now." Shino added.
Kiba immediately turned, pointing a finger accusingly at the offending hinge. "You won this round, door! C'mon Shino, we'll be back!"
And thus the pair stormed out of the room, Kiba slamming the door behind them. "Well, that was weird…" Naruto muttered, wrapping his arms around the girl again. "So, where were we?"
---
The next morning, Shino was immediately called to the Hokage's office for a mission. He arrived first, save for the two Jounin already standing on either side of the Hokage's desk. "Kurenai-sensei, Asuma-sensei…" The somewhat stoic Aburame muttered, nodding to each of them in turn. "Hokage-sama…"
"Good morning." Sarutobi greeted him warmly, briefly looking up from his paperwork to do so.
Soon Sakura, Sasuke, Ino, Kiba (with Akamaru), Chouji and finally, Shikamaru arrived, in that order. Another half an hour, and Kakashi poofed into the room. There was much mirth after the Hokage mentioned giving the silver-haired Jounin the wrong meeting time, and then all were forced to wait on the remaining pair…
Who came storming through the door almost an hour later. "We're sorry! We didn't get the damn memo until after we woke up!" Naruto yelled, looking quite a bit more unkempt than usual. His hair was messy, yes, but it always was. As were his clothes always wrinkly, but then again, as was the norm.
Hinata, on the other hand… was a complete mess. "K-Ku-Kurenai-sensei! H-Hokage-s-sama! I'm so s-sorry for my abs… la… for my tardiness!" She said with a bow. Kurenai's eyebrow noticeably raised at this. Sure, she'd stuttered in the past… but mixed up words? That was new… and she looked like she'd just gotten in a particularly bad fight too… or something. Her hair was messy, and sticking up at odd angles in places, her clothes were wrinkly and disheveled, and worst of all… she smelled… like Naruto of all things… NOTICEABLY so.
To make things even more uncomfortable, it was the Hokage who spoke first. "Naruto… have you been… fornicating with your fellow Genin? The Hyuuga Heiress no less?"
Naruto and Hinata both paled instantly. "NO!!!" they screeched in unison, both blushing furiously.
Just then, a small insect fluttered into the room lazily, landing on Shino's finger and attracting the attention of everyone in the room. After mumbling to it inaudibly for a moment, the small creature crawled into his sleeve, and was gone. "They speak the truth… they have done nothing particularly intimate in the last nine hours…" Shino said, ominously leaving the statement open for interpretation.
"DAMMIT SHINO!" Naruto boomed. "You bugged our room!?"
"Literally…" Shino answered with a smirk and a nod.
"'Our' room?" Kakashi and Kurenai asked simultaneously, giving their equally dark tones an ominous echo.
The young couple inched back slowly, as if preparing to flee, when Shino stepped between them and their respective sensei. "Please hold for a moment, it is my fault that their accommodations were as inappropriate as they were… I apologize wholeheartedly." He said, bowing slightly. "They were fleeing from Hyuuga Hikari, in response to what I assume was… a misunderstanding brought about by their current relations. I, in turn, offered the Aburame guest house to them for the duration of their tryst."
The entire room was silent. Naruto and Hinata were openly gaping, as were the older shinobi, including the Hokage. Chouji had dropped his chips, Shikamaru's eyes were wide, Ino and Sakura were giggling silently, yet conspiratorially, Kiba's eye was twitching again and Akamaru seemed to be smiling, while Sasuke simply scowled as he usually did, putting a tadbit more effort into the glare he always had pointed at the blonde.
Then, a snort was heard. Then a chuckle, and then full-blown laughter and a loud 'thump' as Shino hit the floor in a hysterical fit. "Ya-you should've seen l-looks on all your f-faces!" He spat between breaths. The entire room, aside from Shino, was silent once more, their focus shifting from rebooting their brains to… well… the same thing, for a different reason. The Aburame boy… was LAUGHING. After a good fifteen minutes, Shino had managed to compose himself once more. "I apologize… for my previous… attempt at humor. Apparently, my skills are still lacking." He bowed again. "In truth, they were fleeing from Hyuuga Hikari-san, and I offered them refuge, however I did so in order to win a bet with Kiba, regarding who could get the young couple to kiss first. I won spectacularly and repetitively." They all could've sworn they heard crickets chirping… although that might've just been Shino's Kikai. "That too, was an attempt at humor, although I did in fact win the bet… which reminds me, Kiba, you still owe me twenty Ryo, or a date with your sister."
As all others were still in a state of shock, only Kiba could respond. "HEY! You know I was joking about BOTH of those!"
"I however, was not, and I intend to inform Hana-chan of our arrangement after the culmination of our current assignment, should you fail to procure the promised funds." Shino responded, forming that unholy smirk of his again.
Akamaru whined as Kiba glared at the Aburame boy. "You are an evil bastard, you know that?"
"Neither of those words properly describes me, Kiba… I am simply a boy with a goal." Shino shrugged.
"Yeah, my sister!" Kiba barked.
Shino smiled maliciously. "Precisely…"
It was at this point that the Hokage chose to intervene by clearing his throat. "Now stop this bickering… I have a mission for the lot of you, but I have a few questions first." He gave pause for any objections, to which he found none. "Naruto, how much of what Shino has said about your relationship with Hinata was accurate?"
"Erm…" Naruto blushed and sputtered for a moment, until Hinata grabbed his hand and subsequently, his attention. She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring nod, as she was shaking horribly in fear. "Oji-san… All of it, I think… I am currently dating Hinata, and no… intimacy beyond… erm… well, we haven't been very intimate yet." He said, looking to Hinata pleadingly.
"H-Hokage-sama… N-Naruto-kun and I have j-just d-decided to start d-dating." She said. "W-we haven't fr-fraternized in t-the least, and d-do not planto for q-quite some t-time…"
Sarutobi nodded in understanding. "I apologize for putting you both in such an uncomfortable situation, bu-…"
Before the aged Hokage could continue, Hinata spoke out again. "A-I know, Hokage-sama!" She shouted, surprising all present as she stepped forward slightly. "I kn-know about N-Naruto-k-kun's… burden." Everyone who had an inkling of what she spoke of stiffened at the mention of it, but none spoke out. "A-and… I l-l-lo… I still l-love him, Hokage-sama…"
The old man could've laughed right then. It showed openly on his features for even the youths to see. Naruto found someone that loved him for him. It was good to know that some things worked out for the best… "Well then, young ones, I believe we should get started on your mission briefing. Naruto, Hinata, I will leave this matter for now, but you will need to speak to Hikari-san and Hiashi-san upon your return." Leaving no opening for the still-ignorant members of the group to ask questions, the old man then pulled out a rather small scroll with a bold 'B' emblazoned on it.
"A B-Rank? You're getting senile old man…" The younger Sarutobi muttered, much to his father's dismay.
The Hokage, after giving his son a slight glare, smirked. "I believe the other two teams here have proven that a pair of Genin squads can take care of an A-Rank mission, so I believe a B-Rank should be no trouble for three…"
Asuma's eyes widened, and he turned to Kurenai. "That was you?" He asked incredulously. "I mean, I'd heard about it, but I thought it was just a rumor…"
"Oh no, it was very true." The Hokage stated, taking a puff from his pipe as he did so. "And another note, the matter with Haku and Zabuza should be resolved by the time you get back… which is another reason you're going."
"WHAT!?" Kiba roared. "We're being thrown out of the village so we won't screw with the trial? Is that it!?" Akamaru barked along with his partner for emphasis. Even he'd grown attached to the girl in his time spent keeping her company in her cell.
"In a manner of speaking, yes." Sarutobi replied. "But, don't think we're doing this just to get you out of the village. You are going on a very important mission requested by the Fire Daimyo himself." And that shut everyone up. Once the silence was firmly established, he continued. "The Daimyo is holding a gala ball in honor of his daughter coming of marriageable age. Your three teams will be the security detail for this ball."
"Three Genin teams to guard the Daimyo's progeny? …That seems a little lax to me…" Kakashi mumbled, his trademark porn closed in his hands as he spoke.
"Yes, but this also includes three Jounin, as well as three battalions of the Daimyo's own samurai." The elder Sarutobi interjected.
"Well that makes more sense…" Asuma added, scratching his beard in contemplation.
"We will also be issuing faux Chuunin vests to teams seven and eight for the duration of the mission." Several gasps were heard as the Hokage spoke, only to be silenced as he held up his hand. "It is against protocol, yes, but we are dealing with a high-end client and a high-rank mission. Some rules may be… bent in these situations."
"What about US!?" Ino screeched, causing every man in the room to cringe, even if it was unnoticeably in most cases.
"Team ten will be undercover for the duration of the mission." Sarutobi said, silencing the room once more. "Most would assume three Jounin and six Chuunin to be enough, but Ino will be posing as the target's handmaiden, Chouji will not be 'undercover' in the literal sense, but will instead be the 'token Akimichi' at the formal gathering."
"Ohh… my dad talks about that sometimes…" Chouji said, raising his hand intellectually. "Some of the more snooty nobles won't eat anything without knowing the life-story of their food, right?" At the elder's nod, Chouji continued. "So then I'm to assume my clan in handling the catering, and thus, that there will be more shinobi there?"
"Yes. Chouza along with two other Akimichi Chuunin have been charged with serving the meals. Although it may be a somewhat lackluster operation, it makes people feel better knowing that several more ninja are nearby, even if it is not their mission to guard them." The old man took several more puffs from his pipe before continuing. "And so, young Shikamaru has been selected to pose as one of the young woman's suitors, and Asuma will be guarding the premises on shifts with the other Jounin."
"Wait… I'm going to be a what?" Shikamaru asked, his eyebrow raised as the only sign of his utter shock and confusion.
"A suitor. As this ball is announcing the Daimyo's daughter into marriageable age, there will undoubtedly be many such men of many ages attempting to court her. You will be posing as one of these men."
Shikamaru only had one thing to say to that. "Mendokuse…"
I'll be the first to admit I've been connecting a little too well with my 'inner Shikamaru' lately. I've been too damn lazy, and… well, overall that's been adversely effecting my… erm… everything.
Anyway, I should be getting back into the swing of things eventually, so don't let this little lull in chapter production get you down, ne?
I DID in fact hit my '4K minimum' with the word count! Heheh… Anyway, I'll be working on a few specific fics; TBH (this'n) ORE, HI, and trying (and probably failing) to finish the last chapter of SoAS. I know… you want chapters… tough luck. I'm sick, I have schoolwork, I need to find an ACTUAL job… lots of things to keep me from writing. Complaining ain't gonna make me write faster.
There will be a vote as to what happens to Sasuke. Fight will be almost exactly the same either way. (Either he gets a Rasengan to the left side of his chest and dies, or the right side, and he ALMOST dies)
This vote is not run by NUMBER of votes. I just thought I should point that out. What wins this is the BEST reason for him to live or die. (Shit like 'Kill him, he's a douche' will not count) I'm looking for real, intellectual reasons. Personally, I'm hoping Sasuke lives. I've been meaning to try my hand at 'good Sasuke' but haven't gotten the chance. Nonetheless, I leave it up to you. PM me with WHY Sasuke should live or die, and I'll see about it when I get around to the big fight.
A hundred reviews yelling at me to kill Sasuke won't change my decision in the least, so please, don't. (Same goes for him living. Just no)