Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. So if you recognize anyone or anything from the anime, I'm just borrowing.
Takes place sometime before Shippuuden
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Chapter 5
OOOOO
Hinata stretched her slender limbs, enjoying the feel of the crisp morning air on her skin. Her jacket was folded neatly on a log to one side of the training ground. She began her rhythmic kata exercises. By mid-morning she'd worked up a good sweat. Perhaps it would be a good time for a swim, she thought to herself.
"Hinata!" called a familiar voice.
Hinata turned her head in the direction of the summons.
"Hinata! Oi! Are you around?"
"Shikamaru-kun," Hinata called back.
Shikamaru and his signature spiky ponytail popped into view.
"Is something the matter, Shikamaru-kun?"
"Hokage-sama wants to see you. It's about a mission."
"Oh! Should I clean up or go straight there?" Hinata murmured, more to herself than to her fellow chuunin.
"Just head straight there. You know how Tsunade-sama doesn't like to be kept waiting. And she doesn't care if you're sweaty. It just shows you've been training."
"Hai," Hinata grinned sweetly. "Thanks, Shikamaru-kun." With that, Hinata flew through the clearing picking up her things and disappeared through the trees.
OOOOO
Hinata knocked quietly on the Hokage's door and waited for the gruff "Come in" before entering.
"You summoned me, Tsunade-sama?"
"Oh, Hinata. Yes. Shibi informed me of the emergency surgery you performed on his son. I'm very proud of you."
Very proud of you. Hinata's heart leaped at those words and her cheeks flushed happily.
"Thank you for saying that, Tsunade-sama." Hinata bowed.
Tsunade waved away the Hyuuga-bred formalities.
"I'm concerned about the use of the Supaichuu. From what Shibi says, it can't have been an accidental infection. The bugs are just too rare and not even native to the area. As you probably already know, the Aburame clan has a family vacation/reunion of sorts every year. This year they'll be heading to a place in the mountains that they've rented for a week. I'm sending you with them. Your job is to be on hand in case another Supaichuu incident occurs and to generally watch out for the safety of the Aburame Clan. They've got a lot of small children with them this year.
Shibi and I have discussed the arrangement already. He actually suggested you for the job. He has a lot of faith in you, it seems. He doesn't want to worry his family with the idea that they need bodyguards, however, so the story is that you are just attending the reunion as a friend of Shino. Understood?"
"Hai."
"Very well. I'm not too worried because it seems unlikely that there will be another attack, but with the Supaichuu possibility, it's better to be safe than sorry. Try to have some fun while you're there, okay?"
"Hai. Thank you for entrusting this assignment to me, Tsunade-sama."
"Ii-yo (It's fine), Hinata." Tsunade waved aside Hinata's humility. "You're a good shinobi. Remember to practice your healing jutsus whenever you can."
Hinata exited the building through the window, and Tsunade watched thoughtfully as her shy medic-nin pupil as she leaped from building to building.
OOOOO
"Come on, Hinata-neesan, please! I want to go on vacation with you!" Hanabi unleashed the full power of her sad puppy face.
Hinata shook her head with a gentle chuckle. "I'm sorry, Hanabi, but it would be rude of me to invite my own guests to someone else's family reunion. It's also a mission," she reminded her stubborn little sister.
"I can help! I'm a genin now!"
"Hanabi-sama, leave Hinata-sama alone," Neji's voice called from the hallway. "She needs to finish packing for her mission." The long-haired jonin calmly stepped into the room.
"If you leave, I'll be stuck here all by myself for a whole week," wailed Hanabi.
"Perhaps you can get in some good training," Hinata suggested. "And you won't be alone. Neji-niisan will be here because he doesn't have any missions."
"He's boring."
"Hanabi!" Hinata scolded absent-mindedly as she double-checked her clothes and considered throwing in a casual outfit. "He's not boring. He just takes his training and missions seriously."
"He is also right here," Neji answered sardonically.
"He is boring. He won't tell me who he has a crush on, even though I know he's been writing long-winded poetry to this girl because I can hear him muttering rhymes through the shouji (rice paper walls and doors)."
"Really?" Hinata asked, her full attention finally captured. She cocked her head and looked up at her red-faced cousin. Hinata's face split into a wide grin.
Neji coughed uncomfortably and looked away.
"The seals on his room are too tough. I haven't been able to break through them yet, but I suppose if you really won't let me go with you, I'll just have to break into his room to amuse myself," Hanabi murmured thoughtfully.
"I've changed my mind, Hinata-sama. You may take the brat with you," Neji offered magnanimously.
"Oi! Who are you calling a brat?"
"You."
"Hmph. Fine then. I'm not going to tell you what I found out about her."
"Who?" Neji asked suspiciously.
"The girl you looooove."
"Hanabi, you just admitted you didn't know the name of the girl Neji-niisan likes," Hinata pointed out. Over the years she, Neji, and Hanabi had developed a comfortable relationship between the three of them. At times it felt like they really were three siblings from a normal family, complete with the occasional bickering. Well, Hinata never bickered, but Neji and Hanabi made up for it.
"Nope. I just said he wouldn't tell me. That doesn't mean I don't know."
"Actually, it does," Neji corrected coolly.
"And," Hinata added in a mischievous whisper, "the name of the girl in no way starts with the letter–"
Neji's hand was instantly over her mouth. He wasn't sure if Hinata knew, but he wasn't taking any chances. His much quieter cousin was very perceptive when it came to interpersonal matters. He wouldn't put it past her to have figured out his secret.
"Nee-san, you know!" Hanabi crowed triumphantly. "Tell me, tell me, tell me!"
"See, you don't know," Neji smirked down at Hanabi.
"Neesan is going to tell my anyway, so it doesn't matter," Hanabi returned flippantly.
"No, she isn't." Neji sent his best quelling look at the girl whose mouth he was covering completely. The Hyuugas were known for their intimidating demeanor, and he turned the full Hyuuga glare on her. With that face and that expression, Neji looked just like her father.
Hinata grinned beneath his fingers before Neji suddenly removed his hand with a yelp.
"Did you just lick my hand?!"
"Alright, Neji-niisan, I won't tell," Hinata began, the perfect image of contrition. "And Hanabi will promise not to interfere with your love life in any way for the next ten days."
"Awww," Hanabi pouted.
Neji's smirk grew tenfold.
"But you have to confess to the girl by the time I get back, otherwise I'm going to ask her out on a date for you and Hanabi will get to pick out your outfit."
Neji blanched.
"Sasuga Hinata-neesan! (As to be expected of my big sister, Hinata!)" Hanabi crowed.
"Now, I really must be going."
"Hinata-sama, c-can we talk about this?" Neji began.
Hinata kissed the blushing Neji on the cheek and Hanabi on the forehead before sweeping gracefully out of the room. Hanabi's evil cackle and Neji's pained groan followed her down the hallway, and Hinata grinned. At least they would have fun while she was gone.
(A/N: Kaotic 312 – You've inspired me to make Neji a closet poet ;P )
(Author's Note: As for the Hinata/Hanabi/Neji scene, I don't know where that came from. It just appeared, so I invited it in for tea. If anyone thought it was OOC, sorry. Author reserves the right to make silly things happen for her own amusement. ; ) )
As for Hinata being out of character, well, I figure she's a few years older. If you look at how much she grows in just a six month segment, it seems like she would grow a lot during the time skip. I'm only as far as Shippuuden in the anime (and she hasn't appeared in anything I've seen), so if you know updated info on Hinata that I don't, that's why. Also, I just want her to be braver.
As for the tenketsu, I have a reason why I think Hinata and Shino can discuss them specifically, though it won't appear for a few more chapters, I think.
Thank you to all of my marvelous reviewers! Happy reviews make me want to post, and I really appreciate the people who take the time to give others encouragement.
