3

"Hinata-sensei? Hinaaaata-sensei?" a small child was pulling on her arm on a lazy afternoon. Their team had failed to resolve the problem with Sasuke or Itachi, and returning back to the village, the Fifth was giving them an ever so small reprieve before their next mission. One day of free time, and Hinata was spending it at the school, helping Hiruka-sensei with a class. Though it was over now and she was leaving with the children at the end of their school day.

Hinata looked down at the small arm tugging on her sleeve, "Oh, Tebi-chan, what is it?"

Tebi pulled away a bit and smiled shyly up at the young Chunin, "I was wondering if you'd show me your Byakugan? I've never seen it before!" she squealed like a fan before an idol.

Hinata smiled warmly and looked down, "Of course, but pay attention! This only happens once!" The little girl nodded her acknowledgment, and Hinata stood up tall, focusing on her technique, "Byakugan!" and suddenly everything became visible to her, her veins popping out around her eyes, and scouting everything at once. Tebi was looking up at her with awe, and Hinata was just inspecting some random things. A few birds were passing by overhead to the west, and there were people everywhere doing various activities. She looked out to the end of the street, and just took in note of where she was walking to. It was mostly empty, one or two students who were ahead of her and Tebi, but there was a cloaked figure nearby wandering around. Hinata thought it was familiar, and focused on it. She noticed that the body had an arm, and left side that seemed different from the rest. She felt her heart race in anticipation, and let out a small gasp, but upon further inspection, recognized the arm as a prosthesis, not a different body.

Tebi looked up with a confused expression on her tiny face, "Hinata-sensei?"

Hinata shook her head, deactivating her Byakugan and looking down at the girl, giving a reassuring smile, "Oh, don't worry, you don't have to call me that outside school, Tebi-chan. And I'm fine, don't worry."

Tebi nodded and they continued on their journey together down the street, chatting and joking some before going their seperate ways after a few blocks.

Later that night, Hinata went to bed early. They'd all be waking up extra early to head out after Jiraiya-sama. He went off scouting while they were still tracking Sasuke and hadn't returned. Fearing the worst, the Fifth Hogake had arranged their two platoon team to go after him and back Jiraiya-sama up. However, despite her best efforts to get rest, she simply couldn't sleep. She had been thinking about Kabuto the past few days. Now her fantasies came ever more and ever stronger, since that night where...she had to sometimes pinch herself to remember it wasn't a dream...where she had her first kiss. She turned onto her left shoulder, staring blankly at the wall. Children always called my eyes soulless...is that what Kabuto saw in them the other night? She shook her head and turned her body around, so her feet and head switched places on the bed. Why didn't I hug him? Why was I so afraid? Ugh, why can't I be more assertive?! I wanted to hold him, but I couldn't. She flopped onto her back restless, now looking up at the ceiling, looking for any interesting patterns she hadn't found in all the other nights she spent here, but of course finding nothing she hadn't traced with her vision a thousand times before. Her eyes relaxed a bit, and she plopped her hands into her lap. When will I see Kabuto-san again? She sighed again, trying to untense all the muscles in her back. I wish he were here right now... Hinata turned to her side again, rolling her blanket up like a rug, wrapping her legs around it and embracing it with her arms, Kabuto-san...wouldn't you enjoy being here? Can you please spend the night with me? And can I call you Kabuto? Hinata closed her eyes and smiled to herself, playing out in her imagination everything that she wanted to happen. It's okay? Really? I'm glad...Kabuto... Hinata's smile broadened as she nuzzled into the blanket with her face, rubbing her hips against it, and tightening her arms around the rapidly compressing dummy-Kabuto. You can spend the night in my arms, Kabuto...and tomorrow...you can have me in yours...

THUMP THUMP THUMP! Hinata snapped to attention out of her fantasy by a loud pounding at her door. She hurried over to the door to open it, before she started blushing too much. She slowly opened it and was surprised to find her cousin, Neji there. He smiled and bowed to her slightly, "May I come in, Hinata?"

Hinata simply nodded, but felt herself blushing as she walked over and sat on her bed. Neji took a seat on the floor, staring at his cousin. Hinata simply wrapped herself up in her blanket, waiting for him to make the first move.

Neji looked around the room, "I'm sorry, were you trying to fall asleep?"

Hinata hesistated, but quickly blurted out, "Um, yeah, I was, but it's okay, I wasn't having much luck."

Neji looked at Hinata and gave her a warm look, "Kiba said you've been acting strangely, so I came to see for myself if you've changed beyond recognition."

Hinata's mouth dropped a little, and if she thought she was red before, she really felt embarrassed now. She hugged the blanket up to her chin in an effort to partially mask her face, "Oh, um, I don't, think so...no. Why did he think that?"

Neji shrugged, "He said you seemed much...how did he put it? More openly happy," Neji gave her a sly grin, "Were you glad to see Naruto-kun again?"

For the first time in the past three days Hinata felt shocked at herself. She had actually forgotten about Naruto for the most part, ever since that night. She did her best to nod, but her neck tilted making the gesture seem awkward, "Uh, yes, I was really glad to see him." she mumbled quickly.

Neji smiled and walked over to her, and gave her a small hug, something she had told him she didn't mind. Her father would be outraged at such a contact between the Main and Side houses, but Hinata was different from her father in that respect. It was mostly what let Neji get over his childhood hatred of the Main house, that and a little metaphorical kick in the rear from Naruto. Though, ever proper, Neji broke the hug relatively quickly and gave her a small bow before leaving. As he opened the door, he turned his head back to his cousin, "You know...if you still feel so strongly about it...you should tell him." Neji smiled and shrugged, "You deserve to be happy is all, Hinata," and he walked out the door and off to his own business.

Hinata hugged her blanket for comfort, happy... Hinata had long known that Naruto liked Sakura more than he liked her. Hell, everyone knew that. It was all she could do to keep from screaming when she thought about it. Sakura was loud, assertive, always in charge. Naruto was very much the same way. Though, he had always been alone when they were children, even more so than Hinata. She had always felt the need to protect Naruto. To alleviate his suffering. She tilted her head then, thinking about that point, Though, between Sakura, and Jiraiya-sama, and Kikashi-san...does he even need me anymore? Hinata felt tears well up in her eyes as she suddenly felt very useless. Her evening started out with pleasant thoughts, but now all she could think of was how Naruto would never acknowledge her, real or imagined. Her head burrowed forward into the blanket, causing her long, dark hair to fall around her face. She couldn't keep herself from crying at the thought. She remembered several times when Sakura had looked at Naruto with such admiration, the same kind she herself felt. Did Sakura like Naruto back? If it were true then it was all over. In years past, Hinata had taken comfort in the fact that Sakura was infatuated with Sasuke, as were most of the girls her age. It was this comfort that let Hinata accept Naruto's feelings for Sakura. She wasn't actually a threat to herself and Naruto getting together. But...with Sasuke-kun gone... Hinata shook her head "no". Things were so different now. How would that inevitable be avoided now? Neji knew about her feelings for Naruto, as did Kiba and Shino. In fact almost everyone the topic came up with seemed to know, so she was being obvious about it, right? She just couldn't seem to get him to take that next step, or to gauge him properly so she herself could act with more certainty. Wasn't it obvious? What more did she have to do? Maybe Naruto just didn't want to hurt her feelings...maybe he never would be interested.

Is it...is it because I'm weak? Kurenai-sensei...Naruto...Neji...someone... Hinata gritted her teeth as she tried to stop herself from openly weeping, her chest now heaving from the exertion, Anyone, tell me! She curled up into a ball and rocked herself, crying herself to sleep that night, and she would for several nights following.

Each and every night she did, Hinata would blame Kabuto. Life had been easier when she didn't have to examine her heart.