Teamed up

Kiba couldn't believe it. He was stuck with the two weirdoes from his class; yes, out of all the other six he had to be stuck with the two he never talked to; Shino Aburame and Hinata Hyuuga.

Fantastic!

He wanted to scream out in frustration. Was Iruka playing a joke on him? Oh, he wished. Iruka had a taste for being humorless. The fact that he knew this was not a joke made him even angrier, why was this happening to him? Why them!?

He got the bug freak and the stalker. Why couldn't he get Sasuke? He might be cocky but he's strong! Or Neji—okay maybe not. Or Lee—Nevermind. Okay; Shikamaru, at least he talked when awake! What about the girls? Why not Ino or Sakura or Tenten? They were all so pretty-annoying: yes, but not freaky. For crying out loud, even Naruto was tolerable. But not those two. Never. Anything and anyone was better than those two.

To begin with, not only did he hate the Hyuuga with passion, especially Neji, for their arrogance. He hated Hinata and how she stared at Naruto like he was some sort of God. Tch, in Kiba's eyes that boy didn't have a future besides being perhaps a janitor. Then, there was bug-boy, or as others called him; Shino. He found the Aburame unbelievably repulsive and absolutely useless. The only purposes he found in their fleas, or whatever they were, was being a constant buzzing annoyance.

He considered stomping his way into the Hokage's office and demand a change, but he knew he would just come off looking like a weak, whimpy, spoiled little brat. He takes fist-fulls of his hair and tried to cheer himself up with one of his mom's sayings; 'If something bothers you, then go on and hit something.' It was a quote Iruka didn't really appreciate, and made him understand why Kiba's father was scared away.

Kiba on the other hand loved it and normally did so to the thing, or person, closest to him, except Akamaru, but right now, there was no one and Shino and Hinata were too far away.

"I hate my life so much." He groaned and slams his head on the table, causing Akamaru to yelp in concern for his master's sanity.

Hinata on the other side of the room pouted; she didn't get to be in 'Naruto-kun's' team. Instead she had been placed with two boys she hardly ever spoke to-not like she did with anyone, anyways. She looks over at the two boys; Shino Aburame and Kiba Inuzuka.

For Shino she had to peek back and forth because she didn't know if he was looking back through those thick glasses of his, however her interest was peeked by the Inuzuka who was obviously whinning, and as upsetting as this act should have made her she could only find it innocently amusing and giggle.

When the canine boy snaps his head over at her angrily she lets out a squeak and focuses her gaze on her fingers. She found them both of them are so scary….Kiba because he might shred her to pieces and Shino because she never knew what was on his mind, he was so mysterious. Which should usually drive a girl mad, but not Hinata, she respected the Aburame out of fear, while she feared the Inuzuka for their wrath.

Also, the fact of having he company of only men made her itchy, what would father say? He had expected her to end up in Sasuke's team as both had the top scores at the different ends; Hinata of discipline and intelligence, as Sasuke was for ability, strength and taijutsu. How would he react when he learned that the heiress ended up with the Hyuuga's enemy clans?

Even if their clans do hate each other, Hinata couldn't really care, she just wants to avoid fighting and get along with everyone. Is that so hard?

She looks over to Naruto who was fighting with Sasuke, again, then to Sakura, who was brutally yanking Ino's hair while the other kicked her shins. Hinata puffs her cheeks in dissapointment. 'Sakura-chan is so lucky...'

Shino examines his new teamates, and can't stop to cock his head; they are so weird. He always had liked Hinata, yet hated her constant stuttering, but always wondered why she struggled so much to speak, it wasn't so hard was it? Just give an opinión and be done with it. Kiba, on the other hand, didn't know how to keep his mouth shut to the point he was downright rude.

He didn't mind them, it wasn't like he had any preferences anyways. He knew the choice was left for the Hokage to decide and knew that the choice was made by comparing and contrasting the points of each student. Yet, he was indeed surprised to have ended up with his clan's past enemies, he knew he was placed together to balance Kiba's horrible markings while Kiba filled up the points Hinata and he missed, and Hinata balanced further with her knowledge of plants and medicine.

But he couldn't help to spot the differences in personality. They were far too different...contrasting would be a better word.

Shino knew there was nothing he could do, he just hoped the Hokage did not make a mistake by placing them together; Who knows how this would end up like.


Kurenai was rather interested in how her new students would work with one another; A Hyuuga, an Aburame and an Inuzuka, now there was an interesting match-up.

The Aburame and Inuzuka had been sworn enemies for some time, while the Hyuuga wasn't doing any marvelous job at making friends either, earning them the antagonism from the previously mentioned clans.

However...this group...immediately caught her attention.

She examined her students from afar, trying to identify each member of their clan by their physical stereotypes; from the wild appearance of the smaller brunette boy and the red triangle markings on his cheeks she could immediately tell he was an Inuzuka. She then moved to look at the Aburame, he looked as stoic, composed, quiet and as covered up as the rest of his clan. Then the last, but not least was the little girl kicking the rocks by her side, fingers poking each other and eyes on the floor, peeking every once in a while at her quiet teammates-so Hiruzen was right; there was a thing such as a shy Hyuuga.

She finally shows up, making the girl and the Inuzuka jump in shock before they finally eased up and greeted their new sensei.

"I'm Kurenai Yuhi, I'll be your teacher for the years to come." She introduces and takes a seat before her students. "Now, I like to know about my students, so tell me your names, what you like, what you wish and what you hate. So go on." She encourages with a little smile.

The three kids look at her then to each other. Kiba wanted to go first, but was stopped by Shino's glare. Obviously, Shino pointed for Hinata to start speaking, and the girl curled up into her ball of shyness and began stuttering, making the Inuzuka growl in annoyance and interrupt.

"Hi! I'm Kiba Inuzuka and this is Akamaru." There was a slight woof from the Little White dog habitating on his head. "I'm thirteen years old. I like beef and take walks with Akamaru, and I wish to become Hokage!" He says triumphantly, making Kurenai chuckle at his enthusiasm. He sits back down, arms crossed, eyes narrowed to slits and a low growl emitting from the back of his throat. "What I dislike is strange people with no sense of humor and stalkers." They all understood his innuendo.

"My speculations are correct; you are indeed rude." Adds Shino calmly.

"Beat it, bug boy."

"Thank you, Kiba. Now, why don't you speak, Hinata?"

"W-well…I-I-I-" Hinata had always hated being the center of attention and the ferocious glare from the Inuzuka wasn't helping her confidence, at all.

"Yeah, yeah, we get, you are Hinata Hyuuga and Naruto's stalker, we get it!" Snaps Kiba. "Neeext!"

Hinata blushes in embarrasment and shrinks to the point she wishes the world would open up and swallow her whole.

"Kiba, we listened to you when you spoke, now be respectful of others." Scolds Kurenai and encourages Hinata to go on. However, after Kiba's lovely comment the little Hyuuga heiress was reluctant to speak. So they moved on to Shino.

"Hello, I'm Shino Aburame, heir to the Aburame clan. I'm fourteen years old and only child. I like salads and wish to be a good leader for my clan. I dislike intolerant, rude people like Mr. Inuzuka, and get easily frustrated with people who allow themselves to be stepped on like Miss. Hyuuga."

Kurenai felt her right eye twitch, and here she thought Shino would be shier than Hinata and more educated than Kiba. How could she forget the Aburame's characteristic bluntness and straightforwardness?

"What was that, bug-boy?!" Snaps the other. "Want to fight? I'm right here! Come on!"

"You are not worth fighting."

"You're afraid, aren't ya, huh?"

"Don't tempt me to unleash my bugs on you, they have a tendency to tease canines like yourself."

"Oooh, look at me shake." Teases Kiba and Shino creaked his head over to look at him and Hinata could only shake at the threatening expression as a layer of bugs began to swarm out from his sleeves.

"Hey, calm down!" Interrupts Kurenai but it was far too late. Kiba had thrown himself over to Shino in a rather acrobatic expertly manner that managed to avoid Hinata's stiff form.

"Enough!" Demands Kurenai, making Kiba stop man-handling Shino and return to his place not before he shot Hinata a venenous glare.

"What are you looking at, pale-eyes?"

"N-nothing."

"I thought so." Scoffs Kiba, then he realizes that Akamaru had started playing with Hinata's leg, purring ever so comfortably at her touch, and his eyes glazed over her fingers as she faintly brushed his white fur tenderly. "Akamaru! Bad boy, get over here!" The dog whimpered but did the bidding of his master.

"Kiba, apologize."

"No way!"

"That was rude." Scolds the elder, making Kiba scowl and cross his arms stubbornly.

"He deserved it and so did she."

"No they didn't. Kiba, just apologize."

"NO! I'm out of here, you all suck!" Shouts the canine before he stands up and leaves, not before he sticks out his tongue over to Shino, who paid him no interest. Meanwhile, Hinata looked absolutely stupefied and hurt at his new comrade's words and it took little for her face to turn gloomy.

Kurenai groans and massages her temples, this was going to be tougher than she thought. "Kami, grant me patience..." She looks over at Kiba who was glaring daggers over to Hinata who had made the mistake, in her curiosity, to look at him before he gives a low mewl of pain and begins to furiously scratch his scalp. Kurenai looks over to Shino and could have sworn the corner of his lips tilted upwards, hardly noticeable but spotted by Kurenai. She sighs. "Oh, for crying out loud. Grant me patience...a lot of it!"


"So? So? Who did you end up with who, huh, little bro?" Asks Hana with unbelievable enthusiasm, pouncing him upon a foot inside his home. "Was it that hottie Sasuke? Or that girl- you know-the one you like, what's her name...Sakura?"

Kiba pushes her off with a grimace. As much as he loved his sister Hana, not even her marvelous sense of humor would pull him out of his pit of misery. ."One; Sasuke's not hot. Two; I don't like Sakura or her big pink headed forehead!"

"That's the first step."

"Oh, I'd like to see you practice that method on Sasuke, pedo. That would totally work, ask Sakura."

"Oh, stop it, you flatter me." Hana giggles and slightly ruffles his brother's hair as they walked into the kitchen where Hana helped her mother place the food in the table. Kiba pulled the chair, dragging it across the floor and making as much noise as he could before he lets himself fall on the chair tiredly.

"What the heck's the matter with you?"Asks his mother, eyebrow slightly raised. Answer expected.

"Nothing." Bluffs the other.

"Did you hear mom? Kiba finally got appointed to his genin team." Kiba narrows his eyes to slits. He wanted to do all but talk about the matter. His mother sits on the end of the table, takes the chicken leg and gives it a savage bite, interest in her eyes.

"So?"

Kiba rolls his eyes, but then again he couldn't avoid the matter forever. "Hinata Hyuuga and Shino Aburame."

His mother gaped at him with wide eyes, while his sister's face turned into one of concern and stretches her hand across the table to hold his. Eyes much like his own caught his and penetrated him with a deep gaze. "Kiba..." She mutters. "I'm sorry..." Then, she lets out a little snort and breaks out in fits of laughter, soon joined by the choking howled laughter of his mother. Kiba's frown only deepened.

"Gee, thanks. You're so supportive." He was trying to hold back what little patience he already had. Unfortunately, he snapped. "It's not funny!"

"You're right, its not funny... It's hilarious!" His mother leans on Hana's shoulders, both looking at each other before laughing again, tears of amusement prickling their eyes. Kiba lets a slight growl escape his throat. "It's just that I was talking about it with Hana a few day back, and she remarked how hilariously ironic it would be for you to end with those two. Out of all the rest."

Kiba buried his head into his palms. Wonderful.


On the outskirts of Konoha, Hinata finally arrived the Hyuuga complex, still deep in thought of how she should break the news to her father; He had expected her to end up with Sasuke and Shikamaru at best, or with Neji and Lee at the worst case scenario, but having the Aburame and Inuzuka would be a real shocker, no, beyond failure.

Uncertain of what to say, Hinata decided it was best she avoided her father until she finally managed to get a coherent answer. Normally at this time of the day he would be training with Hanabi, so she had a head start of an hour tops to think and make the news be a little more tolerable. Her father despised the Inuzuka and Aburame so much she couldn't understand how there could be enough space for so much hate in just one person. Then again, it seemed the Hyuuga were leeched of emotions to only be ruled by coldness, wrath and discipline.

"If I weren't the wiser, I would say something's bothering you, Hinata-sama." Hinata freezes by the way her name is called. The way the boy had said it made it sound like it was worthless, trash. She swallows hard and forces her body to turn and face her cousin; Neji, but never did her eyes meet his, because she could already feel the loathing in them.

"G-g-g-good a-afternoon, N-Neji-niisan. How d-did y-your day go b-by?" She manages to whisper, just audible enough for his ears to catch.

"Answer the question."He snaps, and Hinata begins to play with her fingers again.

"N-n-nothing, niisan."

"Liar." He disappears behind a sliding door, leaving Hinata shivering at the cold shoulder treatment, and with little hesitation runs to her room but she stops in fear when a cold, emotionless voice reaches her.

"Hinata, I believed to have told you to come to me as soon as you arrive."

"I-I...Yes, father. I'm s-s-sorry."

So much for going unnoticed. She walks her way to her father, head hanging in defeat.


Shibi takes a sip of his tea, enjoying the tranquil musicality the bugs in the Aburame garden were making, however, he could not ignore the fact that something had been bothering his son since his arrival from the Academy, so he calculated something about his new team must have unpleased him.

"Were your teammates that bad?"

Shino glares for a long moment before he succumbs to his father's superior unsettling one and answers. "Hinata Hyuuga and Kiba Inuzuka."

"Hm." Disapproval obvious, yet something else lied there. "This could prove interesting."

"Interesting indeed..." And annoying.


-TBC

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