Obsession

Apparently, the Hyuga girls were all super obsessive.

Hinata's obsession was a little creepy, a little cute. Her stalker-ish tendencies were mostly innocent. She didn't plan to dog Naruto in advance, though she never let any opportunities slip past.

Hanabi was a little different.

Her obsession was simple, her motivations raw, and her plans elaborate.

Whenever Kiba visited the Hyuga mansion to pick up Hinata, Hanabi would be there, staring up at him with those insatiable eyes, waiting. She would have finished her chores and duties in the early morning and gotten ready in time to meet him. He had no idea how she did it.

Just to make it more of a challenge for her, Kiba asked Hinata to keep their training times a secret from Hanabi.

"Okay," Hinata said disinterestedly. Apparently, she already knew that it wasn't going to deter Hanabi from appearing just as Kiba entered the compound, because there she was, slightly out of breath.

Kiba made it a little more interesting by switching times on Hinata, who would just shrug and get out of the way as Hanabi flipped herself over her sister's shoulders.

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," she said, beaming, as she held her hands out. "Puppy please."

Kiba, a little disgruntled but mostly impressed, moved out of the way as Akamaru, who was getting big now, ran forward and bowled Hanabi over.

"How does she do it?" he muttered to Hinata as they watched the two children frolic, giggling and barking.

"I have no idea," Hinata admitted. "Maybe Neji helps somehow."

"How? He's been so busy lately," Kiba pointed out.

"I wouldn't underestimate his devotion to Hanabi. She has him around her little finger," Hinata replied, shrugging.

"Just like Akamaru," Kiba sighed.

Hanabi and Akamaru were now doing acrobatics, and they took turns doing one handed (or one pawed) planks on one another's backs while the other ran forward on all fours.

"You're all gathered," Shino said as he approached them, his eyes set on the dog-girl duo as Hanabi slowly unfolded her knees and stood up, Akamaru balanced atop her head.

"They could start a circus," he noted mildly, as Akamaru did a flip off of Hanabi's head into her awaiting arms.

"Yeah, alongside your dancing fleas," Kiba snapped.

"There's no need to be hurtful," Shino said reproachfully.

Kurenai approached them, huffing and puffing, and Hanabi returned Akamaru reluctantly, bowed to Kurenai, and retreated sadly. Akamaru whined but stayed beside Kiba.

"Say, Shino," Kiba said casually as they headed off. "How long have you known Hanabi?"

"As long as you have, Kiba," Shino replied in that characteristically stoic voice. "A couple years now."

"And yet I have never seen her say hello to you once," Kiba noted. "Why is that?"

"Perhaps she is offput by insects," Shino guessed.

"She's the only one in that family who can deal with roaches. You've seen how Hinata and Neji get," Kiba pointed out.

He still remembered the first time Neji had seen a roach up close, the way Lee had shaken his head at Kiba's grin when Neji had finally come to, and how Neji had turned a vicious red that promised a violent end to a short life if Kiba or Shino ever mentioned anything to anyone.

"…What has Hinata told you?"

"Hinata?" Kiba shouted. "What – it was you! What does she know? Is she in on this with you?!"

"No, but I didn't think you'd figure it out on your own," Shino admitted sullenly.

"What's that supposed to mean?!" Kiba snapped. "Shino – hey, Shino, don't ignore me! Get back here!"

"Poor Kiba-kun," Hinata giggled as she picked up Akamaru with difficulty, watching Kiba chase Shino. "Puppy, you're getting big. Soon, you'll be carrying Kiba around."

Akamaru barked softly as Hinata set him back down, and trotted off before her, tail wagging.

I had way too much fun writing this chapter x)

Thank you for reading, like always!

Hope you're all doing well