Nothing Is Easy In Konohagakure

In the end, it was true that they, though had technically became a couple before Kiba and Shino, they were progressing slower. As Naruto reluctantly admitted to Kiba and Shino, he had only kissed her—and never with tongue. Kiba and Shino froze, glanced at each other (though you couldn't tell Shino did), and laughed.

Naruto growled lowly, a warning for them to shut up—though it wasn't very convincing, since even as he did it, there was a blush playing on his face.

"I think… Hmm… Naruto might be the submissive type… And Hinata definitely is," Kiba thought out loud, his finger wrapping around his chin as if deep in thought.

"Yes… submissive and somewhat submissive doesn't work out well… Naruto, you're going to have to force yourself to be more dominative…" Shino pointed out.

"Oh, we could…!" Kiba began, but Shino immediately threw out what he knew would his suggestion.

"No. Don't even think it. We'll just make it worse," Shino interrupted, automatically stopping his idea of helping the two get closer.

"But, why…?" Kiba began.

"Because," Shino replied.

Naruto coughed, silently thinking about how uncomfortable the lover's quarrel was. He turned around, leaving the two to argue over Shino's logic. He paused, a curious thought suddenly striking him.

"Have you seen what Shino looks like underneath the glasses and the jacket yet?" he asked, paused, and then walked away, feeling both the shocked look from Kiba, and the dark, very dark glare from Shino, even through the glasses.

----

"Naruto-kun, why did you ask that?" Hinata asked, her tone obviously filled with anxiety. Unbeknownst to Shino, Kiba, Naruto, Sakura, Akamaru, or even Kurenai, Hinata had noticed certain… things between the two of them maybe a year or so before anything actually happened between them. She noticed, for instance, Kiba suddenly going from saying he was 'straight' to saying he was 'bisexual'. She also noticed Kiba's love of calling Shino girly. She also noticed Shino never actually caring that he was called girly, but when she joked about it, he seemed somewhat… hurt, she supposed. Hinata, never, of course, mentioned any of this to the boys, for she had decided that it was best not to and make them uncomfortable, but she was glad they finally were in a serious relationship.

And she wanted it to stay that way. She wanted them married, and some how acquiring kids (she assumed adoption, but she had strange fantasies of kidnapping…), and her growing up as a sort of aunt to their children.

And Naruto had probably, in his comment—which she was sure she knew the answer to, anyways—made them really uncomfortable.

"I didn't mean to do anything!" Naruto explained, waving his hands frantically. "I… It just came out!" he explained, still not fully comprehending what exactly he had done wrong.

Hinata sighed in frustration and exasperation. What was she to do with Naruto? Hinata smiled slightly at that thought, and said, "I guess it's okay… It's probably not healthy to be in a relationship where you don't know what your boyfriend's face looks like," Hinata replied, reluctantly agreeing.

Naruto let out a breath of relief. He had been worried that Hinata was seriously mad at him, but that, apparently, was not the case. Perhaps she was just anxious.

"So, what did they say was our problem?" Hinata asked finally, still interested in Shino's take of their 'relationship problems'.

"He says that we're both too submissive and not dominative enough," Naruto stated. He was able to keep a straight face, without looking away or freaking out. Well, he blushed a little bit, but Hinata's blush so outshined it that it wasn't funny.

"Oh," she said simply, staring down at the ground.

They would have continued the talk—really, they would have—but another ANBU member suddenly landed beside them, a monkey mask adorning his face. "Uzumaki. You and Hyuuga will be taking your test now," he said.

"… Together?" Naruto asked, slightly confused. Sure, if people who were being tested happened to be at the same place at the same time, they'd take the tests together, but now, it was as if they were being forced to take the test together.

"Hai. You'll see once you arrive. Gomen, Hyuuga-chan, but you'll have to stay behind," the ANBU explained, addressing Hinata. Hinata nodded silently and watched as Naruto followed the ANBU away, Naruto just barely glancing back at Hinata.

'More dominative, ne?' Hinata thought to herself, while staring at her hands reflectively.

----

Naruto stared at the scene, bemused. Neji was standing, Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi crawling over him. Lined up across from them, Hanabi, and two other new Chuunin were standing.

What was funny is that Konohamaru and his team were not making it easy for Neji. He was trying to get them in control without having to resort to violence.

"Naruto-nii!" Konohamaru called out as Naruto entered the scene. "This creepy guy is trying to boss me!" he elaborated, pointing an accusing finger at Neji, who was currently trying to pry the three young Chuunin off of his body.

"Creepy? I think he's cute!" Moegi cried out, her perch currently behind Neji's back, her arms encircling Neji's neck.

Hanabi growled. "You're not worthy of touching a Hyuuga, even if it's a Branch member…"

"Hanabi, why in the world do you…" began one of the boys on her team, by the name of Keiji Tokushima. He automatically stopped, however, when he noticed the glare he was receiving from the, although much shorter, scarier girl.

The other boy on Hanabi's team just glared at her, from behind the other boy. "Don't pick on Keiji, Hanabi-chan," he said, his voice taunting and singsong, obviously not intimidated—at all­—by the Hyuuga heiress. He was Takeo Fukuoka, a defender of the weak and defenseless, as he had come to be known as. Naruto had heard of him—and he liked him already.

"Ch, why, or else your boyfriend will cry?" Hanabi asked cruelly, glaring at him. Takeo and Keiji seemed to freeze, as if they were in shock.

"Hey…! He's not my… I don't…!" Keiji began, obviously unsure of what to say.

"What if he was?" Takeo asked, wrapping his arm around Keiji's shoulder. He leaned forward to Keiji, and Naruto could faintly hear him whispered, "Play along."

Keiji was able to blush, which made it seem so much more authentic. Hanabi's mouth dropped open as Keiji muttered, "I thought you weren't going to tell anyone…"

The ANBU members had, apparently, had enough comic relief to fill their day. The same member who brought Naruto to the clearing walked in between the two groups, clapping his hands loudly. "We need to start the test! Align yourselves perfectly, the competitors behind their Chuunin!"

They all did as they were bade, and listened as another ANBU member, wearing a white kitsune mask, began explaining the rules. "You shall be attempting to get the other team's flag. The competitors must control their teams and, without actually doing anything but ordering their team members. You start at the designated points, which we will take you to," he explained, a smirk hidden behind his mask as he watched Hanabi glare at the opposite team members, her own members, her captain, the opposing team's captain, the ANBU, and… well, practically the whole forest, all at once. If it could be done, Hanabi could do it.

The ANBU members led Naruto and Neji away, far into the confines of the forest. All the while, Hanabi and Takeo were having staring contests, while Keiji stood behind them nervously, as if he was trying to say that they should all get along.

"Ano… you two shouldn't be fighting…" Naruto pointed out, scratching his cheek absent-mindedly.

"None of your damn business," Hanabi bit back.

"Why are you so dead-set against Naruto? You've barely ever talked to him before, from what I've seen!" Takeo argued, waving his hands frantically, as if doing those motions would prove his point further.

"Yeah… You've never mentioned or been seen with him in all the time we've been team members…" Keiji pointed out shyly.

"We're not team members. We're Chuunin. Our bond has been broken already. Get that through your heads."

Naruto couldn't stand her tone with that last sentence. Glaring at him, glaring at Neji, glaring at everyone else—he could deal with. He was used to it. But when you considered the people who were supposed to be your friends trash in that manner, and when you were so cruel to those that were only trying to help you… Needless to say, Naruto was aggravated at Hanabi. Not to mention, she was a good part of the reason why Hinata had been hurt before.

"Hanabi. Believe it or not, your bond isn't broken—far from it. You should care for your teammates, as they do for you. Your comrades, one day, may be the only ones to keep you from dying. And Neji is your family—he's never wronged you. In fact, he has more reason to hate you than you have to hate him," Naruto basically growled. Well, perhaps it couldn't have been considered a growl. However, his voice was definitely somewhat hoarse and had a malicious tone to it, as if he were holding back from beating the girl to a pulp. As if to prove this point, his fists were clenched at his sides, balled up into bundles of anger that could only be released by punching, or, in this case, clenching.

Hanabi didn't really mean to retort, because even she knew that it was not a bright idea to anger Naruto. She had already subconsciously pushed him at the end of his resolve—but, even knowing this, Hanabi replied stiffly that it wasn't Naruto's business.

Mistake.

Naruto practically pounced upon the unsuspecting girl, her body pressed against the ground roughly. The ANBU member, though he really should have prevented it, stood there, and watched. It would be a good lesson for the uppity Hyuuga girl, he knew, and perhaps, just perhaps, for this one time, he should let Naruto do things his way. As long as the council didn't find out.

Naruto pulled out a kunai and held it at her throat. Keiji and Takeo were mortified, but they watched silently. "If I were a real enemy, and this happened, what do you think would happen now if you were alone? You'd die. But… but if I was a real enemy… and these two were here… your chances of survival have just increased hundred-fold. At this point, if they wanted, they could easily kill or counterattack me, and I would not be able to do something and leave unscathed. True, you, with your amazing Juken and overall Hyuugan skill, will probably end up protecting them more than they you, but believe me, life is real fucking lonely without comrades," Naruto hissed in her ear. Throughout his speech, Hanabi struggled against Naruto's hold, and Takeo and Keiji watched silently.

Naruto finally stood up, sheathing his kunai and continuing to walk. "Come on," he instructed.

Keiji and Takeo never thought that they would see the day that Hanabi followed anyone, other than her own father. She had hardly even listened to their Jonin teacher before when they went on missions, and preferred to do things her own way. Even if she had put the entire team into danger, she didn't really mind—she would just continue plowing on, attempting to do the mission without everyone else's help as much as she could.

When she stood up, and obediently followed Naruto, Takeo and Keiji had to shake off the feeling of shock before jogging to catch up with the trio that was in front of them.

----

"We have the upper hand," Naruto commented as they ran through the forest. To answer their questioning looks, Naruto elaborated, "Konohamaru and his team have been my disciples for a while now. I doubt they'd listen to anything that he says."

----

"Why should we listen to you?" Konohamaru asked defiantly. He almost expected a bribe, one which they'd pretend to take before only helping Naruto.

"Because… You look up to Naruto, correct?" Neji asked, an idea suddenly striking him.

"Hai…" Konohamaru replied, not enjoying his tone.

"Then this is your chance to show him that you can surpass him," Neji explained with a small smirk. When he saw the boy's face light up, he knew he had hit the jackpot.

A/N: Kind of a cliffhanger. Sorry, it's like, really late, and I have a headache. This one starts out with relationship stuff and then ends in ninja stuff. The next chapter will be vice-versa—the rest of this test, and then more relationship stuff. Review, pretty please!