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. Technically, it takes place in the Naruto world, but without regard to Shippuuden. The Konoha 11 are now 16ish, but I wouldn't call this AU, so I'll call it OS (for Outside of Shippuuden).

Thank you for all of the lovely reviews!

OOOOO

Chapter 15

OOOOO

"I'm sorry you had to wait!" Hinata rushed in bearing a large tray crammed with food.

Tachoro's mouth dropped open, but he shut it quickly to avoid drooling on the floor. He sat up properly and looked up at her with eyes shining with gratitude.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan. This looks so good. I'm surprised you could find this much. I'd have thought the food would all be gone."

"It was," Shibiki corrected as he studied the dishes. "We didn't have any of this stuff for dinner. Well, we did have the fruit tart. Hinata, you really are some sort of cooking genius."

"Arigatoo," Hinata blushed shyly and poked her fingers together. She wasn't used to compliments, and she seemed to get them all the time from Shino's family.

Tachoro took in the full sushi platter, the cold soba, and the numerous side dishes. There was even a little pot of tea. Hinata deftly picked up the pot and poured an elegant stream into the waiting cup. Okay. Maybe I should rethink the whole "not stealing my cousin's girl" plan, he chuckled wryly to himself.

"Eat," she encouraged gently.

"You made all of this?"

"Hai," she nodded. "Go ahead."

"You made all of this in," he broke off to look at his watch, "twenty minutes?"

She nodded. He broke his chopsticks and took a piece of sushi. It was perfect.

"How did you make sushi rice at this time of the day?" Karime wondered.

Hinata gave a little chuckle and a shrug. "Sorry. It's a secret." She smiled wider as Tachoro tucked into his late supper with Shibiki occasionally snatching a piece of sushi.

With a little yawn, Hinata settled back onto the couch and quietly leaned her temple against Shino's shoulder. The simple, trusting gesture of affection was not lost on his parents, who took note but said nothing.

OOOOO

Mika sighed quietly and glanced at her sister whistling beside her. She had tried to reason with her and make her stay at the motel, but Rika refused to be left out.

"Rika, I really think I should go alone," Mika tried once more.

Rika froze and turned angrily. "What? You don't need me? Are you too good for me now? Huh? Think you're better than me like all those jerks?"

Mika sighed. "It's not that, Rika. You know I need you. It's just that the younger one isn't interested and the older one could be. If we're both there, it'll distract Shibiki."

"What?" Rika jeered. "Do you want him for yourself? Think he's cuuute?"

Mika massaged the blossoming pain in her temple. Some days she just wished her sister would tone down that attitude. "He's not bad looking, but that's not it. You overdid it yesterday. We didn't exactly receive a warm welcome, you know."

"Yeah, but that's why I made these," Rika stated, holding up a large bundle. "We infiltrate, learn what we need to know, and take out a few before the main force shows up."

"No! We cannot do that. If even a few of their shinobi get poisoned, they're going to be on high alert!

"They're non-lethal cookies," Rika explained patiently. "Just to make them feel sluggish over the next few days. It'll be perfect." She sped up eagerly.

Mika, still full of misgivings, quickly followed her sister.

OOOOO

Meanwhile, back in Konoha, Neji held his own carefully wrapped bundle. The normally stoic and reserved young man felt his heartrate speed up. What if she didn't like them? What if she didn't like that he'd made them? Perhaps he should have bought them instead. If you gave someone a homemade gift, did that tell the person they weren't worth the cost of buying it, or that they were worth the time and effort of making it?

He walked to the training ground with a growing frown. Three kunai sped past his face and thunked into a target inches from his nose.

"Hi, Neji," Tenten greeted as she spiraled face down from her mid-air spin. She flipped right side up just before landing lightly on the ground.

Neji nodded.

"Something wrong?" Tenten wondered with a raised brow. "Did you manage to make Hinata mad? Why are you carrying that bento like it's going to explode at any minute?"

Neji took a deep breath and attempted the elaborate speech he'd prepared the night before. He would tell her how she was the only one he could ever look at, the only one who understood him and accepted him as he was. When he saw her, he felt a lightness and a…rightness…in his world. All manner of eloquent thoughts swirled through his head, but only a strangled noise escaped his throat.

Now Tenten looked really worried. "Neji…? Do you have a stomachache?"

Neji clamped his mouth shut and tried again.

"I…I know you have plans with Sakura and Ino tomorrow, so I wanted to give you these today. I…you…are a really great teammate," he finished lamely.

Tenten's mouth dropped open in surprise. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. Swift as lightning, she brought her hands together to form a seal and shouted, "Release!"

A single drop of sweat rolled down Neji's forehead. Tenten shook her head. So it wasn't an impersonator.

"Uh…thanks, Neji."

He nodded and handed her the package. She sat down and tugged at the knotted cloth, first revealing the warm scent and then the sweet sight of her favorite food, chocolate chip cookies.

"Happy birthday, Tenten," Neji said quietly.

Tenten grinned at him. He remembered! She picked up a cookie and took a bite.

"Mmm," she moaned. "These are so good! I think these are even better than Sakura's mom's cookies."

Neji licked his suddenly dry lips and silently thanked Hanabi for her help.

"OH! Tenten, my lovely blossom! I see you have snacks. OH! Chocolate chip cookies! I bet I can eat all of those cookies in one gulp!"

"Guy-sensei! I bet I can eat all of those cookies in half a gulp!"

"Lee, don't be stupid. How can you measure half a gulp? I will show you the path of you-GAH!"

Two twitching green figures untangled themselves from the base of a tree as Neji straightened from his Juuken stance.

"I made those for Tenten for her birthday," he glared down at his teammate and sensei. "You are not stealing them from her for some stupid race."

"Neji, you must learn to embrace your youth!" Guy lectured as he wobbled back and forth.

Neji glared at them coldly and then used his ultimate weapon. "It is very unyouthful to steal someone's birthday cookies."

Guy and Lee gasped in horror.

"N-N-Neji. How right you are…. Neji! I am so moved that you are finally beginning to understand and embrace your youth! Yosh! Tenten, I will make you 1000 cookies to prove my youthfulness!"

"And I will make you 2000 cookies!" Lee cried.

The two raced off into the distance.

Neji sighed in relief. He looked up to share a smile with his teammate, as they usually did after managing to distract their insane instructor and equally insane teammate, but when he met her eyes, he found them swimming with tears. Tenten bit her lower lip to keep the tears from flowing over, and Neji felt his heart clench painfully. What did I do wrong? He panicked. Tenten doesn't cry. Ever. Oh no. This is really bad.

"Y-you…you made me cookies for my birthday?" Tenten carefully set down the parcel, making sure to seal the container to protect it from ants.

Neji nodded weakly.

"That's the sweetest, most thoughtful thing anyone's ever done for me!" She leaped up and threw her arms around him.

Still confused, Neji shyly wrapped his arms around her and smiled into her soft brown bangs.

OOOOO

Hanabi grinned and carefully snuck away from her hiding place. She'd been worried for a while there, but Neji seemed to be doing fine now. Normally, she would stay and gather blackmail material, but not today. Neji deserved a few moments of peace and happiness.

OOOOO

"Hi," Mika smiled quietly as Shibiki opened the door.

"Oh, uh, hi," he said uncomfortably, as Rika pushed passed him into the compound. This was just not okay.

Mika cringed inwardly and offered a silent apology with her eyes, but Shibiki was already hurrying after her sister.

"Damnit! Where is he?" Rika grumbled. She irritably tossed the package of cookies on the kitchen counter.

"Rika!" Mika hissed quietly. "You're being incredibly rude!"

"I'm not leaving till I find him," Rika muttered to herself, completely ignoring the boy's brother and her own older sister. She set off quickly in a random direction.

Mika's face flushed, and she offered a sudden, deep bow to Shibiki. "I'm so, so sorry, Shibiki-san."

"I'm sorry," Shibiki said apologetically. "I shouldn't have…Shino's not interested."

"I thought as much," she admitted from her continued bow. "I'll just find Rika to take her home."

"I think that would be for the best. Why don't I help you find her?"

"Arigatoo." Mika straightened from her bow and the two walked off in uncomfortable silence.

OOOOO

"Genbo! Look!"

"What?"

"There's a food present!"

"Huh? What?"

Panto excitedly unwrapped the cloth package. His eyes widened at the sight of dozens of exotic cookies.

"Think it's okay if we eat them?"

"Yeah, sure. We're the only ones here, so it was probably left for us," Panto reasoned.

OOOOO

Hinata slammed to a halt as someone nearly bowled her over.

"Hey, you, where's Shino?" a haughty voice demanded.

Hinata stepped back and recognized the girl from yesterday, the one that had draped herself all over her important teammate.

"I-I…"

Rika snorted and pushed past her, but soon realized there was no one else in sight.

"Well?" she sneered impatiently.

This was that girl. Did Shino…have a special relationship with this girl? He'd never mentioned this person to her, but she'd seen them together the day before. In fact, this girl had seemed quite intimate with him. Hinata gulped. Seeing them together had hurt her. She knew it shouldn't. She should be happy for her teammate, but…lately Shino had seemed…more open to her. Warmer. She had hoped—she admitted it. Maybe…she had even wished…just a little…that he would look at her.

"Useless," Rika snorted.

Hinata jumped at the cruelty in her voice. How could Shino be happy with such a person? Maybe she was mistaken. Maybe there was nothing between them.

"I'm here to see Shino. Where is he?"

Hinata's jaw actually dropped open. To call him by his first name…perhaps they were…close after all.

Shibiki and Mika hurried around the corner.

"There you are," Rika glanced over at Shibiki. "Your servant girl is pretty stupid. If you've got useless people working for you, you really should fire them."

Shibiki's eyes narrowed coldly behind his sunglasses. "This is Hinata-chan," he announced in a strong voice that carried all the way down the long corridor. "She is not a servant. She is an important guest of our family and Shino's very good friend."

Rika gave Hinata a once over, snorted derisively, and muttered just loud enough for Hinata to hear, "Good friend, huh? Then that's even more unimpressive. You don't even have the title of 'servant' to explain your hideous clothing." Good friend, huh? No way is this pathetic girl a threat.

Hinata brought her shaking finger to her lip in a familiar gesture. All of her old doubts came flooding back to her. She wasn't pretty. She wasn't confident. How could she hope for Shino, or anyone, to ever look at her?

"You're a nothing. You can't do anything. You can't even answer a simple question," Rika whispered so quietly that only Hinata could hear.

I'm nothing, Hinata repeated silently to herself. I can't do anything…

Suddenly, unbidden, a voice yelled out in her head: You can! Don't label people just like that, you idiot! Beat her up, Hinata!

N-N-Naruto-kun?

"Shino is going to be mine, so don't even think of getting in the way," Rika threatened quietly.

Hinata! Why don't you say something back?! It's making the people watching get angry!

"Wh-What?"

But Mika, ashen-faced and wide-eyed, had already caught up to her younger sister and dragged her down the hallway. Shibiki followed them warily.

Just now, Hinata thought. Naruto-kun's voice…he wouldn't want me to give up. He would tell me to fight for my precious person with all of my heart. I will! I'm not going to run away! I'm not going to take back my words. That's my way of the ninja! Naruto-kun…Naruto-kun…Arigatoo.

Her face snapped up, and she marched off to find that girl and give her a piece of her mind.

OOOOO

Shinomaru wandered into the kitchen wondering where cousin Shino was. He looked up impassively at the sight of his uncles, Genbo and Panto, shoveling handfuls of cookies into their faces.

"Eh, Shinmaroo," Panto slurred around a particularly large mouthful.

"Good morning," Shinomaru nodded.

"Here, you can have one," Genbo offered graciously.

Shinomaru hesitated but took the proffered cookie. It would be rude not to take it, but he didn't actually want to eat it; however, his uncles were smiling at him kindly, so he thanked them politely and took it away with him.

Shinomaru stood in the hallway for a moment and stared at the cookie. It looked strange. He held it in front of his nose and sniffed it. It smelled funny, and was that…a piece of grass? He should really eat it because his uncle gave it to him, but he really didn't want to put it in his mouth. As he stood there contemplating his dilemma, the two uncles trudged out of the kitchen with goofy smiles on their faces. They yawned sleepily and stumbled down the hallway. Shinomaru made his decision. They'd never know. He walked back into the kitchen and lifted his arm to drop the offensive cookie into the trash.

A strangled cry startled him, and the cookie fell into the trashcan.

"Y-Y-YOU! What did you do?!"

Shinomaru's little mouth fell open in shock. Was that angry person in the doorway yelling at him?

Mika froze in the corridor. Oh, no. Rika, please don't do anything stupid…

Rika's eyes raked over the countertop. Not a single cookie was left, only the rumpled handkerchief and a few crumbs. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Why you little brat!" she screamed, rushing forward just as her fist drew back.

The loud smack reverberated off of every wall.

Author's Note: Chapter 16 has been posted simultaneously!