Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Chapter 6

"What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?" Neji inquired, his cool tone barely disguising the edge in his voice. He had once more been sent to the far edges of Konoha's suburbs to use his Byakugan to look for "precious items". The fact that most of these items consisted of lost teddy bears and family jewels for the Village's highest echelon of civilians, who could easily afford replacements, instead of the center of the Leaf where the more crucial search and rescue efforts were taking place was not lost on the Hyuga. He had a hunch his Uncle was pawning him out to politically savvy contacts under the advertisement of his Byakugan being the best in the family. The Branch family specifically, of course.

"Just read the list," the genin sighed, tossing him a small scroll before turning to complete his own tasks. That was the other part that had Neji fighting down righteous indignation, he far outranked the other shinobi in this area. Pursing his lips in a tight frown, Neji flipped open the scroll and briefly glanced at the items, a soft snort escaping as his eyes skimmed over the ridiculously long and superfluous list of requests. Definitely paying customers.

With a small sigh of resignation he turned to complete his task, because as much as he hated the fact that it seemed he was intentionally being kept away from the center of the action, Neji was nothing if extremely obedient. Even though he highly suspected that there was an underlying reason he was being placed on the far edges of Konoha, a reason that was more than likely related to his missing cousin, there was little he could do to rebel without paying dearly for the consequences.

Case and point: how his cousin became missing.

Neji crossed his arms as he channeled chakra into his dōjutsu, easily dividing his attention amongst the vast variety of objects in his vicinity down to the most minute detail. There was no challenge at all to finding the innate objects requested, basic search and rescue was an elementary task that even the youngest Hyuga performed. Thus his mind was able to freely wander over the events of the last few days, unhindered by any of the current work.

While Hiashi had not outright said it, Neji knew the man was watching him like a hawk. As the closest friend of both Hinata and Naruto within The Clan, and the one that had allowed the jinchuriki access to the Hyuga Princess that fateful night, he was the center of much suspicion. Neji did not doubt that Hiashi was sending him to the opposite side of the village to keep him from interfering in any way with the search for the missing pair. Or maybe, to make it easier to watch me in case they do make some kind of contact?

The idea had merit, and had Neji shifting his feet constantly in order to keep his head on a swivel and guard his blind spot. Watching for spies as well as any of the ridiculous items he had been told to locate. But just like all the days before, no one approached him aside from other shinobi also at work. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. It was the same routine hour after hour.

Seek. Find. Retrieve. Seek. Find. Retrieve. Seek—

Suddenly a hand clapped him on the back, making his jaw clench at the disruption to his focus.

"Oi! I think I got something over here, kinda looks like a fancy, busted carriage. But the wood and wheels are still salvageable, I think. Can you come check it out?"

The voice was unmistakable, but whipping around it was not the blue eyes and broad grin that he expected to see looking back at him, but just another random shinobi covered in dust and grime like himself. Neji quickly assessed the man's chakra network, but the normally bright tenketsu that were unique to Naruto alone were not visible, and annoyed at his own disappointment more than anything, the Hyuga turned back to his work.

"I was assigned this section, when I have found what I am looking for I will come help you. Although it sounds like you already saw what you need to know," Neji murmured, forcing his voice to be as neutral as possible.

The middle aged man hummed thoughtfully behind him. "Perhaps, but are you finding what you're really looking for?"

The cryptic question made Neji pause, slowly looking over his shoulder. The man was smirking in a way that was eerily similar to an unpredictable acquaintance of his, and as he studied the unfamiliar face the warm brown eyes briefly flashed to blue.

"Actually, I think I do have time to help you with that carriage," Neji stated loudly enough that the foreman of the site only glanced lazily in their direction before dropping his gaze back to the small stack of scrolls piled up on the makeshift table nearby.

Within seconds, Neji was following the new shinobi around the corner and into an alley which was mostly blocked by debris. As they walked with forced slowness, his Byakugan was once again scrutinizing the chakra of the broad shouldered man before him, as well as ensuring that no one was paying any attention as they slipped away. The henge was impeccable, even the chakra network was unrecognizable. Who would have thought that loudmouth was so good at hiding? But before chasing that train of thought, Neji had other questions that needed answering first.

"Where is Hinata-sama?" he demanded as soon as they reached the blind spot behind the destroyed carriage which blocked the alley. Neji's Byakugan had confirmed that the coast was clear, and the volume of his voice was louder than he expected it to be in the confined space. Naruto held up his hands, not dropping his henge as he backed up a step until he nearly bumped into the wall.

"She's at, umm—" Naruto's voice faded, his eyes darting back to the small entrance and he shifted his feet. When he spoke again his voice was quieter, and his eyes studied Neji with a cautiousness that was unexpected. "Let's just say she's safe. She's where no one can get to her. I'm sorry, it's not that I don't trust you, but if Hiashi ever found out we met, I'd rather you not give us up through some kind of force."

Neji blinked, his dōjutsu fading as his shoulders dropped a bit in surprise. It had not dawned on him that he shouldn't know, all he could focus on was the need to know she was taken care of, and it had overridden his usual caution. The fact that the reputably reckless Naruto had come to this conclusion first made the jounin think twice about pulling rank in order to demand answers.

Seeing him relax, if even just a fraction, Naruto exhaled harshly in relief and lowered his hands. "I didn't leave her alone either, she's being well taken care of. In fact that's part of the reason why I'm back, I want to take some supplies to her and was hoping you could help?" Without waiting for an answer Naruto continued on, rambling off a list of things that sounded like a safe-house checklist that Neji struggled to memorize through the shock that swam in his brain.

This was not the rash, loud, emotional idiot he had watched grow up. This Naruto was calm. Calculated. Passion still burned in his eyes, which had flickered back and forth from a dull brown to a bright blue with his excitement even though the rest of him remained as unrecognizable as before. A fear that had been subtly eating away at Neji's brain over the last few days was squashed as he realized that his cousin truly was in good hands.

"Thank you," Neji abruptly interjected, making Naruto pause midsentence, a startled expression spreading over his unremarkable face.

"For saving her," he clarified with a quick twitch of the lips that might be interpreted as a grateful smile. "Hiashi-sama does not see Hinata-sama's strength, but it does not mean that she is weak. It took me a while to understand that her kind of strength is different, and just as valid as mine. More than anything, I am glad that she is still free."

Naruto's eyes softened, one side of his mouth ticking up in a shy grin. "I wish I could do more, that I could find a way to change the Hyuga entirely. But for now this is what I can do. And I promise, for as long as I live, no one will ever cage her."

Neji's face hardened, his mouth pressing into a tense line. "That will not be easy. The Hyuga will not allow her to simply be forgotten. Hiashi-sama has gone to Danzo to request his assistance. He has all but accused you both of mutiny, and by now the rest of the Hyuga council is aware as well, I am sure." Lifting his eyes he drilled Naruto with a steely look from under furrowed brows.

"The information has not yet been leaked to the rest of the shinobi or the village at large, but at the moment you are wanted for kidnapping at the least, desertion at worst."

Spinning around and swearing under his breath Naruto raked a hand through his limp brown hair, pacing anxiously as Neji watched with a deepening frown. It was a fine line the jinchuriki was walking, between loyalty to his friends and patriotism to his village. How could he decide which to choose? Who would out rank the other?

"What about Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto's head whipped around as the question popped out. "One of the toads told me he was in the running for a possible stand-in Hokage until Tsunade-baachan woke up?" Neji crossed his arms, eyes closing in contemplation.

"Honestly, I think it is a long shot. The Hyuga are backing Danzo, and right now we are the clan with the most resources, the one the Advisors want on their side the most."

Pity stirred in Neji's chest as Naruto pressed his fist to his mouth and chewed on his knuckle, staring blankly at the ground as his foot tapped rapidly in the dirt. The whole situation felt so ridiculously out of proportion for just shy Hinata and silly Naruto. But the reality was they were the heiress of the Hyuga and the jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox. Priceless pieces in a larger military game built upon the backs of countless pawns like Neji himself.

The wild change in perspective left even Neji reeling if he dwelt on it too long. The ninja world was evolving faster than he could keep up with at times. Hinata-sama's fall from grace had sent nothing short of shock waves through the Hyuga Council. For Naruto it must be absolutely dizzying, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to go from pariah to hero to felon in a matter of days. Just watching him gnaw on his lip as he paced made Neji's shoulders droop under the weight of an unexpectedly powerful empathy.

"I will get you the items," he blurted out before his reservations could take over. His brain recoiled at the illogical gut reaction, but he fisted his hands at his sides and stood taller.

Naruto's head snapped up, his gaze refocusing on Neji's face like he had forgotten he was still there. "You will?"

Neji nodded solemnly, resolve condensing in his heart at this chance to snub fate by casting his lot in with the unpredictable Shinobi. "Lend me one of your summons and I can give it a sealing scroll to take back with you to Mt. Myoboku," he assured the slightly stunned man, a small smirk twisting the corners of his mouth at the widening of Naruto's eyes.

"It wasn't that hard to deduce where you both are hiding. There are not many places that no one else can reach but you." The pout that crossed the unfamiliar face warmed Neji's heart, at least some of the old Naruto still resided in this unexpectedly mature anathema that stood before him.

A hope unlike Neji had ever dared to acknowledge was gradually softening the hardened edges of his heart. Perhaps this was the beginning of the change that blond brat had always screamed about? Perhaps this was his chance to repay his debt to Naruto for shattering his cold shell back at the chunin exams? To show Hinata-sama a small portion of the kindness she had never wavered in bestowing upon him.

"If you send me messengers I will update them with anything I discover," Neji promised. "In the meantime," bending deeply at the waist, his hair swung over his shoulder as he bowed. "Please continue to keep Hinata-sama in your care. I leave her to you, Naruto."

Naruto went completely still, frozen with his mouth hanging open and staring with eyes nearly bugging from his head at the weighty act of gratefulness from the normally aloof Hyuga. As Neji raised his head Naruto's mouth clamped shut, a hand rubbing the back of his neck as a slight blush heated his face.

"H-Hai, Neji. I won't let you down."

A voice called from the other side of the rubble pile, summoning the workers to the midday meal that was served at each recovery site. Both shinobi turned towards the sound, understanding that their time was up.

"Take care, Naruto," Neji said, pulsing chakra into his eyes and making sure that no one would see him exiting the area when he crawled out. As he looked through the walls of the building on the left, something caught his eye. With a surgically precise palm strike he smashed the pile of debris away, revealing a practically pristine, large cooking pot.

Glancing over his shoulder, he nodded at Naruto, who was grinning at the revealed treasure. "I will have any other items I can find ready by the end of the afternoon."

"Hai! Arigato Neji!" Within a few seconds the completely bland looking man had disappeared, meandering away from the alley with a bored look on his face and leaving behind a small toad the perfect size to fit in Neji's ninja pouch.

Slurping up the last of his soup, Kiba tipped his head back as far as he could, smacking the bottom of the bowl to make sure every last drop fell into his greedy mouth. Next to him Shino's glasses flashed, but he did not comment on his teammate's manners, just continued to politely scoop another spoonful into his own mouth. Licking his lips in satisfaction Kiba ignored the silent judgment emanating from beside him on the makeshift bench made of salvaged crates.

"Maybe there's enough for seconds," Kiba wondered aloud, glancing over to the now much shorter line of people who were waiting for their midday meal before heading back to work.

The pair of shinobi were in the heart of the village where the worst damage had been sustained. Hardly one brick remained standing upon another at this location, the only things that were worth salvaging were whatever remnants of the Akatsuki's destroyed warriors that could be found. Shinobi were collecting even the smallest bits of the puppets' machinery, any evidence left of the monstrous summons, and they were still searching for any scraps of the kunoichi's paper or Pein's black rods. At this point it seemed those particular items might have been made of nothing but pure chakra and therefore had completely disappeared.

But orders were orders, and these were the things that The Council had demanded be collected at any cost, no matter how small they were. All the best trackers had been brought here. The Inuzuka with their noses and ninken. The Aburame with their beetles that could crawl into any space. Even the Hyuga who could see through the piles of rubble. Although for some reason Neji was assigned another area and Hinata was nowhere to be found outside of the Hyuga's compound, despite the strength of their Byakugan being practically unparalleled.

Shino frowned at this thought, blowing on his soup when the steam fogged his glasses. He and Kiba had tried to see Hinata several times, only to be turned away and told she was not ready for visitors. It was a blatant lie, Hinata had never ignored her teammates. Besides, they had both seen her briefly after Naruto's return, upright and weak, but smiling all the same. The Hyuga in general were all acting strangely in his opinion, but with everything operating under strained circumstances, it was difficult to pinpoint a cause. The whole situation had Shino on edge, and he could tell Kiba felt the same. Were it not for the constant work orders that kept them occupied from dawn to dusk, the Inuzuka's anxious restlessness would have been much more obvious to the others.

By Kiba's feet Akamaru devoured his own meal, fully engrossed in gnawing on the bone that Kiba had brought when suddenly the ninken raised his head and growled. Shino froze mid bite, knowing enough after being on a team with an Inuzuka for years that such a noise meant something was off. Kiba's sharp eyes were darting around, his hand slowly setting the empty bowl on the ground as his ears twitched. His eyes landed on one of the genin serving the soup, a plain looking kid with flat brown hair and listless dark eyes.

Shino followed his gaze, chewing slowly on a chunk of vegetable in an effort to appear casual. The mousy looking server was nothing special, his beetles had not reacted at all when he had accepted the bowl of soup directly from that boy's hands. What was it about him that had Akamaru sniffing and growling lowly?

As if sensing their scrutiny, the kid lifted his head and looked straight in their direction. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, but he dutifully ducked his head once more and continued his job. As the last Shinobi in line was served their bowl of soup, the genin grabbed the large empty pot and turned to carry it away, disappearing into the huddle of other volunteers who were also starting to clean up. Akamaru huffed sharply, and in a whisper so quiet Shino barely heard him Kiba answered, "Show us, Akamaru."

Calmly returning their bowls to the mess tent, the teammates walked away with forced slowness as they followed the ninken's prowling tracks through the sorted piles of rubble, pretending to be headed for the next search quadrant. The hair on Akamaru's neck stood up and Kiba's nose was twitching as they meandered away from the area of the crater and through a labyrinth of back alleys.

Shino carefully pushed his shades up his nose, the nervous habit concealing his own narrowed eyes. Around every corner they increased their speed but never caught a glimpse of the one they were following. Their prey's faint footprints in the dust were all that could be seen, not even a chakra trail could be sensed. When they reached the treeline at the edge of the village forest Akamaru broke out into a full gallop, Kiba tearing off after him. Shino could barely keep up with the wild sprint as they crashed through the forest at breakneck speed.

Deeper and deeper into the woods they chased a mere shadow as it flickered from tree to tree. Dancing in and out of the afternoon shade like the beams of sunlight that dappled across the foliage. His hive was buzzing in reaction to his anxiety, telling him someone had suddenly appeared, someone familiar but different.

Alarm was building in Shino's chest, but the further they went the more Akamaru was barking and a mischievous grin was spreading across Kiba's face, so he kept running and leaping after them, ignoring the burning in his legs as they climbed higher in elevation. His swiftest beetles were just ahead, but all they relayed were two words over and over.

Fox! Frog! Fox! Frog!

Just when he thought his lungs might explode they all burst out into a brightly lit clearing atop the steepest hill Shino could remember being within the village walls. The chill of suspicion that had surrounded him burned away under the blazing daylight. Kiba was laughing in-between gasps, out of breath but not fazed in the least as he slapped the equally panting and smiling genin from the soup kitchen on the back.

Leaning forward to brace himself on a knee, Shino licked his wind dried lips and pushed his glasses up his sweating face, catching his breath while trying to grasp the situation. There is only one person who has ever beaten Kiba in a race up this hill…

"Damn it! I guess Akamaru and I have some work to do! The last time we raced like that you lost by a mile!" Kiba barked, his wheezing not hindering the volume of his teasing at all.

"As if Dog Breath! That's still my name carved on that tree! Or did you forget how to read!?" The genin pointed proudly over his head to the deeply slashed kanji in the bark that read Naruto, smiling in a way that was unmistakable no matter what color his hair and eyes had become, or how different his chakra felt. Shino's nostrils flared as he inhaled and exhaled, waiting for the two wild shinobi to stop their friendly bickering while his heart rate slowed back to normal. Akamaru was spinning around them in a circle, adding his own two cents in loud barks while smacking the genin's legs with his tail.

But Shino wanted more than just a friendly competition to break up the monotonous chore of searching for needles in a haystack. He wanted answers. Why was Naruto disguised? Where had he been?

Straightening up, he stepped closer and cleared his throat, making the others suddenly turn to him and struggle to put sober expressions on their faces. Lifting his hands from his sides to let the small swarm of beetles swirling in the air return to his sleeves, Shino mentally processed their information while appraising his former classmate.

Naruto did not balk at the intense scrutiny, but neither did he let his henge slip. There was an edge to the unfamiliar gaze that caught Shino off guard. Even the gleam of friendliness in his brown eyes could not hide the sharp wariness emanating from him. It veiled his whole expression with a hardness that dampened his normally expressive features. Something has happened then, as I suspected. The old Naruto would never miss an opportunity for a celebration, nor would he hide simply to skip out on chores, no matter how menial they would seem.

"I assume you have important news about Hinata," Shino said tersely, getting straight to the point as he strode directly toward the short shinobi. "Why? Because we have not seen her or you since after the Invasion, and the Hyuga have come to my father and Kiba's mother asking about both of your whereabouts."

Leaning in close enough so that he hoped the now sweating genin could practically feel his piercing glare through his shades, Shino lowered his voice threateningly. "Because if anyone deserves to know what happened, it would be her teammates. Right?"

Naruto swallowed hard, taking a half step back only to bump into Akamaru, who was baring his teeth in a way that left one wondering if he was smiling or growling. He laughed nervously as the ninken started to sniff him up and down.

"Good point, Shino," Kiba smirked, grabbing Naruto's shoulder with more force than was absolutely necessary, his nails digging in just enough to make a point without being flat out painful. Akamaru lifted his head from his assessment and snarled with a sharp nod to his partner, and Kiba's eyes widened. Leaning in he smelled Naruto's brown hair, his whole face twisting as Naruto pulled away spluttering about creepy friends with no personal boundaries.

"Spill it," Kiba demanded, cutting off Naruto's complaints. "And if you so much as breathe the words 'I don't know', I'll bite you myself." Turning to Shino he added with narrowed eyes. "Her scent is all over him. He definitely knows something."

Naruto sighed, grumbling something about nobody ever giving him the benefit of the doubt, and waved his hands in the air defensively. "I'll tell you everything I can. I led you guys all the way out here just so we could talk, but you have to promise not to breathe a word of what I say, understand?"

The teammates shared a look, an entire conversation occurring in the long pause. Shino nodded slightly, and Kiba crossed his arms, shifting his slitted eyes to Naruto's tense face. "We promise. Now, what happened?"

The story was short but neither simple nor sweet. Kiba and Akamaru paced restlessly as they listened and Shino shoved his hands into his pockets. Throughout his retelling Naruto's eyes hardened, his jaw clenching whenever he paused to find the right words. As he described Hiashi's attack his hands fisted at this side. Several times he started to say something, then hesitated before carefully continuing, as though measuring each word before saying it aloud. Hearing Naruto explain the events that had taken place over the last few days left Shino's head spinning almost as much as when he had seen the devastation of his village in broad daylight. The implications of this new reality were…massive.

"So you are being framed?" Kiba gawked incredulously. "Because you helped Hinata escape her asshole dad the Hyuga are calling you a criminal, and The Council is just going along with that bullshit?" Naruto clicked his teeth as he nodded tersely.

"What does Hinata have to say?" Shino asked. She had always been quiet like himself, but speaking fewer words did not mean one had less opinions. "Does she want to remain hidden wherever it is that you have taken her, or come back and face her family?"

Naruto looked down and he chewed on the inside of his cheek before he answered. "For now, she said she would wait for me to return with supplies. After her wound is healed and I can give her an accurate report on what is happening here she can make her final choice. To s-stay with me or…return."

The way Naruto's voice dropped, the way his hand unconsciously brushed over his heart like it ached a bit, the way his eyes clouded as he stumbled over the last part of his statement, made Kiba and Shino both tilt their heads in curiosity. It took a few seconds for Naruto to shake off the sudden aura of gloom before he inhaled deeply and refocused on them, his cheeks blushing as he smiled shakily and raised his fist in determination.

"But no matter what, I'll make sure she's safe. I promise!"

When neither member of Team 8 responded to his declaration, Naruto's grin faded into a puzzled pout. Glancing back and forth between their stern glares he raised an eyebrow. "What? Don't you believe me?" He pressed his raised fist into his chest, stepping forward as his voice rose with urgency when he saw that they were just staring at him in deep contemplation.

"I'm not lying! Hinata is one of my most precious people! I would rather die than let—"

Kiba's finger jabbed sharply into Naruto's chest, making him yelp and rub at the spot in offense.

"If you break her heart we'll kill you," Kiba threatened, all levity gone from his expression as he glared unblinking into Naruto's reddening face. The unfamiliar brown eyes widened as he took in Kiba's scowl, and he started to open his mouth only for Shino to cut him off.

"Why? Because she has loved you for longer than you probably deserve. And if you betray that, no one will find your body."

The redness had spread all the way up to the tips of Naruto's ears, and his mouth clamped shut so hard his teeth clacked. His gaze drifted downward, and one could almost hear the gears spinning in his head as he processed all the parts of what they were insinuating. Slowly, the stiffness wilted from his posture, and he exhaled slowly as the shock faded from his features.

"I see. That long, huh?" Looking back and forth between Kiba's smirk and Shino's flared nostrils, he chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile.

"I would expect nothing less from her teammates. I'll hold both of you to it, okay?" A sharp woof made Naruto jump and look down. "Yeah, you too Akamaru."

Raising his arm Naruto thrust his fist out again, the most genuine grin they had seen yet lighting up his unwhiskered face. Kiba erupted into laughter as he punched it hard with his own knuckles, and Shino firmly tapped it as well. Even Akamaru jumped up, knocking his head into Naruto's hand.

They talked quickly for a few more minutes, but Naruto was anxious to collect the last of his items and hurry back to Hinata before she started to worry. He handed them a sealing scroll, hoping that they would be able to add a few things to it for him to take. "You guys know her better than anyone, if there's anything you can think to add, I'm sure she'll appreciate it!"

With a wave Naruto sprinted back down the hill, leaving a frog behind as a messenger for the scroll. Shino watched him leap away, standing in silence well after he had disappeared. Did he find it surprising that Naruto was risking his reputation for the sake of his friends? No, in all honesty he did not. But did he believe they could hide forever? That depends…

Shino sighed into the collar of his hoodie, hiding a frown. Beside him the toad croaked obliviously and the bug user shifted away uneasily from his natural enemy. Finally Kiba grunted loudly in exasperation, interrupting the strained staring between amphibian and Aburame, and started to trudge down the opposite side of the steep hill.

"Where are you going?" Shino asked. "The village is the other way."

"And the secret garden that Hinata hides from the Hyuga is this way," Kiba called over his shoulder without turning around. "If she's gonna be trapped with that idiot for who knows how long, she better at least have her medicinal herbs and whatever else she's got growing down there. She's bound to have a headache sooner or later."

The toad hopped up on Akamaru's back with what sounded like a ribbet of agreement in Shino's opinion, and he hummed sympathetically as he followed them through the trees.

A/N: Naruto still has one more person he's searching for before heading back, but it ain't gonna go as planned...

I didn't use Naruto's POV this time, like I mentioned before I'm trying to practice my writing and I wanted to attempt some different characters. Hope it felt right?

Thank you so much for reading!!!