A/N- Wow…over 150 reviews…you guys rock! Thanks to MyNameIsKelsie13, Iloveinuyasha44, Link Fangirl01, Kyuubi92, Julliette Fox, Kawaii chibi Sasuke luver, Animegurl9164, ohmgeeits cindee, Getemono, Joyness, tiffanylicis, Kyiri Makrono, windsoftiti, seguha, The Assasain of the Night, rebel-girl, Karen Trujillo, Scienceboy, daisuke-fan, I-have-issues-deal-with-it, kyleai, MaoAyanamipl, C.A.M.E.O.1 and Only, Duckichan87, Loku, Uchiha Amiee, Puppy444219, liandrin, Seyann, Hybrid thing, sakuE-chan, SaNdEr-ThE-rUbBeR-bAnDeR, anbd Dog of the Dead for reviewing. Wow. This story has 158 reviews...YATTA!

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Disclaimer-Paprika no own

Chapter 8

Kiba's clawed hand twitched as he watched puppy Akamaru chase a cat up a tree and stand at the bottom, yipping in his little voice.

Okay. He wanted to go chase cats with Akamaru…what was the problem with that? Well…other than the fact that his parents had always drawn the line at him doing that…

The cat made a flying leap out of the tree, obviously aimed at Kiba in hopes of refuge from the pursuing dog but Kiba caught the creature and dropped her like a hot potato. "Sorry puss. I'm on the side of the canines." Akamaru immediately set out after the cat, quickly vanishing around the corner.

"Hey Akamaru come back!" When he didn't reappear Kiba dropped to his hands and knees and leapt around the corner to find puppy Akamaru cornered by the cat and his friend.

'Don't chase cats don't chase cats don't chase cats,' he chanted in his head.

The only problem was…he really really really wanted to chase the cat. So he did. The Inuzuka leapt, still on all fours, to Akamaru's side. He growled at the cats and began to chase them with Akamaru at his side.

He did this for about an hour. By the time the cats finally managed to give hem the slip, his hands were rather raw and some of his nails were chipped. But he had had more fun than he had in ages…

Finally, he took Akamaru into his arms and set back onto his path towards Sakura's house…until Akamaru grew much heavier in his arms. He looked down and saw…. Akamaru as he had been before the potion.

Suddenly, Kiba's keen ears picked up a popping sound.

He put down Akamaru quickly as smoke appeared around him…

And Inuzuka Kiba was back.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

"Uzumaki? Hinata-Sama? What are you guys doing in here…" asked Neji carefully. "And why are half the lights in the stores off?" TenTen enquired.

"Well, we came in to the store about three hours ago to get out of the heat," said Naruto, finger on his chin, indicating he was thinking. "And then, we were playing in the toy section and we lost track of time."

"W-w-what about you Neji?" asked Hinata quietly. "We…ahh…." Neji didn't want to be the one to admit what had happened so he gave TenTen a jab and she spoke up. "We were playing hide and seek in the store," supplied TenTen. "I fell asleep in a rack of coats…and I guess that Neji found me and curled up with me…"

"Well, I think that we're stuck in here," said Naruto. "Astute observation Naruto," Neji said dryly. He turned to the others in the store and said "Look, just because we're looked in the store together doesn't mean we have to stick together."

"We could go girl with girl and guy with guy," offered TenTen. At this, both Hyuuga's gave her a look. Neji's read something like 'pleasepleaseplease don't put me with him' while Hinata's read 'please please please let me stay with Naruto', which surprised TenTen.

"Or we could go girl/guy…"

"That sounds like a good idea," said Neji firmly. Naruto, meanwhile, was looking back and forth between the three people, rather confused. "So Hinata and I are still together?" he asked. Hinata turned red at his phrasing and even redder when Naruto grabbed her hand and took off.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

When Hinata and Naruto finally came to a stop they were back in the ramen section. "N-N-Naruto, why did we come back h-here?" she asked. "Because I'm hungry Hinata," he said matter-of-factly. "Aren't you?"

"W-well…kind of…but h-how are we g-g-going to make it?" "I've done this before when…" Naruto went quiet and, for one time, serious.

"W-w-when Naruto?" asked Hinata softly, not sure she wanted to hear the answer. "When I was younger. I would make instant ramen, when I didn't have a kettle, by putting steaming hot water in the thing…it was close enough to boiling water."

"O-o-h." said Hinata quietly. "It actually tastes really good!" said Naruto as he picked out a couple flavors of instant Ramen.

As the two of them slurped down their ramen (well, Naruto slurped, Hinata daintily chewed) they talked.

"So Hinata, have you been thinking about what you were missing as a child?" asked Naruto softly. "N-N-Naruto…" Hinata took a deep breath and poked her index fingers together. "N-Naruto, I lied to you earlier…I'm sorry." Naruto stopped slurping his ramen and looked at her. "About what Hinata?"

"A-a-about what I was missing…" the Hyuuga heiress trailed off and gently set her styrofoam bowl on the bathroom counter-where they had filled the bowls with the hot water. Naruto too, surprisingly, put down his bowl and looked concertedly at Hinata.

"Y-y-you know how when N-N-Neji and I were children we-we were closer th-than we are now…" Naruto nodded and allowed the girl with the gray eyes to continue. "We-well…we would p-play together and…" as Hinata reminisced her eyes grew bright with tears and her stutter went away. "Neji and I would play together all the time. But then…Neji received the cursed seal…and that incident with my father and uncle Hizashi-yo-you know about it don't you?" her stutter returned momentarily as she came back to earth.

"I do," answered Naruto. "We-well…" Hinata started to cry, leaning into Naruto unconsciously as he wrapped his arms around her. "A-after that, that's when he started to hate me…and he never played with me again… and I think…I think I'm missing a proper relationship with my cousin…"

She cried into his shirtfront as Naruto rubbed her back comfortingly. As he held her, Naruto noticed just how nicely-even as children-Hinata fit into his arms. However, before he could get used to it, Hinata caught herself and, turning bright red, sat up and pulled out of his grasp.

"S-sorry Naruto," she said quietly, her eyes on the ground. "I shouldn't h-h-have bothered you with that." She leapt out off of the counter and hurried out the door, away from Naruto.

OoOoOoOoOoOo

Meanwhile, as this was going on, Neji and TenTen were in the toys, messing around. "So TenTen," started Neji, rather quietly. "We've figured out what I'm missing, now we need to figure out what you're missing."

TenTen's unbound brown hair curtained her face. "There was something…. everyone had that I don't…and it's always bugged me, even though I never really said anything. What I'm missing is…"

"Hey Neji, I need to talk to you." Naruto stood at the end of the aisle looking at the two sitting on the floor. The Hyuuga with the bandaged forehead looked at the blonde and said "I'm a little busy Uzumaki, what is it?" "It's about Hinata."

Neji was torn. He wanted to stay and talk to TenTen but his loyalty as a Hyuuga called him to ask Naruto what was wrong. "Go Neji," said TenTen softly. "I'll tell you when I get back."

"Make it quick Uzumaki."

"It's you. What Hinata's missing…it's you and the fact that your relationship deteriorated the way it did."

"What do you want me to do about it…" "Go and freaking tell her that you respect her! Or else I'll do it, I'll turn into you and do it." Naruto's fierce blue eyes bored into the Hyuuga's milky lavender ones.

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Hinata sat in the middle of a clothes rack. "Hinata-Sama?" she clearly recognized the voice of her cousin. She looked out and saw him standing there. "Would you like to play?"

A/N-But that leaves to question…who is it? Only I know the truth….Review!