A/N: Naruto SD: Rock Lee's Springtime of Youth is canon in this fic as I may have mentioned before.

Chapter 21

Hinata

The Hokage had indeed been smart not to replace her with Kiba, as he would be just as riled up as the pair in front of her competing to be the first one to reach the end of the forest. At the moment, as they leapt from branch to branch, they were also discussing the vehement sexual tension between Kiba and Sakura and how hard Ino and Hinata had tried not to have Kakashi place them on the same team. She understood how Tenten must feel all the time now and she was not ready to take the role of the straight man. She realized in anguish that that's what her real role had been when she had been assigned here in this squad.

"I mean, Sakura-chan has rejected me hundreds of times, you don't see me turning into an emotional sap," Naruto huffed up. "There are other fish in the sea I happen to have found easily enough!"

Rock Lee agreed. "Correct! Sakura-chan has also rejected me perhaps two hundred times, and I am still as pumped up as usual! My lady Tenten turned out to be more than sufficient to satisfy both my emotional needs and even physical desires."

Hinata wondered who would be the one to tell them both that getting rejected so many times and that also by the same girl was not something to boast about so loudly. Judging by their conversation, their jealousy of having one of their group members actually be successful in securing Sakura was also palpable, and they laughed at his misery. Boys were mean, Hinata decided.

"I think it's because Dogboy's been hanging out a lot with Hinata-chan and Screw after he was rejected," Naruto pondered, "When he should just be getting drunk and getting some. After we get back, let's take him away to the hot springs and reunite him with his old perverted self. It's embarrassing to see him like this!"

Lee nodded in agreement once more. "While I lose all sense of self when I drink, I must agree it is also necessary to explore the physical department to move on swiftly. A lot of loose women present themselves after they've had a few drinks in them, even the closeted ones. Dogboy was always an open pervert like us! Remember the lines he used to get women to make out with him and how many times he was beaten up just like us? Such good times we've enjoyed together. I am afraid hanging out with Hinata-chan and Neji is rubbing him off the wrong way. Now Screw, that chap might be turning him into a closet pervert like himself which can explain his dry spell."

"Which is absolutely no fun at all!" Naruto protested. "What good are the hot springs then? Let's take the Screw too and get him loose. We can hold him down and force some shots in him like last time. Man that was fun, even though I could do without his crossdressing. What a fucking trap, and I'm the one with practice in that area. He needs a reminder of the glory days. And if he insists on his no-fun ass, we do need him as the designated driver to carry us back to our rooms at least while we all fall down drunk over ourselves."

Hinata coughed, accidentally drawing attention to herself. She wanted to ask what that was supposed to mean. They thought they were far enough ahead that she couldn't hear them, but their conversation carried downwind easily enough. She figured by Screw they meant Neji, and she didn't appreciate either Neji's nor Kiba's nickname. Before she could protest, the target shifted to Hinata almost immediately as they looked back at her and remembered that she was also a part of their trio.

"Hinata would have no problem in the physical department with the closet pervert, né, Lee?" Naruto chuckled.

Lee guffawed back. "I must say. If Naruto and I had not seen it with our own eyes, I would not be admitting that Hinata-chan is lucky, very lucky indeed, as the sword wielded by my friend Neji the Screw stands high and mighty even while it rests in its scabbard. In that department also he remains a genius, as we've determined. Skilled in kenjutsu and perverted-jutsu."

The two started laughing maniacally as Hinata's face burnt beet red and she sucked in a sharp breath, but she figured anything she'd say would probably be used against her as well. Previously, she would not have been able to understand a word they said, and it made her wonder how many references she had missed on past missions by being too innocent and uninformed.

The problem was, she was not getting a chance to enjoy a sword-fight with Neji, she wanted to scream at them. Nor was she able to get the screw to twist her around like she so desperately wanted. Maybe a loose screw was what she needed after all.

Thankfully, their mission would be short, as Lee and Naruto both appeared to be too pumped up, jumping branch after branch like grasshoppers on a sugar rush. Hinata struggled to keep after them, again, wondering how to remind them that she was supposed to be taking point, being the sensor of the group.

As she nimbly plunged past a branch, she realized that perhaps her silence really was a problem and stood in her way of proper communication. People mistook it for her being unopinionated. Neji had not gotten a clear signal that she wanted to have a proper goodbye before they left. She had yet to open the letter she had received at the village entrance by Kotetsu and Izumo when they had signed off. She wondered what could he have to possibly say which he hadn't when they said their goodbyes.

"What do you think about Dogboy and Sakura-chan's future together, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked, including her in the conversation. "Is there any? I don't think he had marked her yet, had he?"

Sakura had once asked her why she never got together with Kiba. After all, he was a lot like Naruto and she had a far easier reach, being on the same team and all. They were both bragging, wild fools who never understood boundaries and always acted on hot-headed whims. Sakura and Kiba had newly begun dating publicly back then and catching them making out completely oblivious to the public on quaint, outdoor cafés as well as walking hand in hand in the village had been fast becoming a common sight. So Hinata hadn't deemed it necessary to state the fact that she had had a small crush on him in the past but had spent all her time chasing after Naruto to ever explore that option. As time progressed her feelings evolved into simple, easy camaraderie. She revealed to her she had always felt like she was constantly running after and trying to catch up to Kiba and Shino so she never exactly had time to explore those options, and Sakura had nodded vigorously, completely understanding.

Right now, she wondered how Kiba would've acted in place of her if he had been with the boys, and determined that he'd have most probably acted almost exactly the same way. She sighed. Boys will be boys. But Kiba had changed drastically after his break from Sakura. He was indeed an emotional sap nowadays, as Naruto had called him.

"No, he hadn't. There's this new girl he's met," she said. "I think he's trying to move on. He does find her attractive, but he said he doesn't like the smell of her cat."

She didn't understand why the boys actually stopped suddenly, doubled up in laughter. What was it that she had said?

"Oh, Dogboy loves him some pussycat smells," Naruto breathed out, having physical difficulty talking. "Like Lee and I are witness, he has gone sniffing after many and has run his tongue out drooling and licking after them too."

"Stop! Please!" Lee hollered, holding his sides. Hinata just continued looking at them confusedly. Who was going to tell her what that was supposed to mean? She couldn't ask Sakura again. Whatever Kiba's past antiques may have been, he had been crazy after Sakura so she couldn't involve her. He was going out on his first date with the new girl while they were on this mission, and he had told Hinata that he was unsure about things as even though the girl was 'smokin' hot', he didn't like the smell of her cat. But according to the laughing duo, he actually loved the smell of cats? It was so confusing. She'd have to put a pin on that and ask him how his date went after they returned from their mission.

When they reached Shukuba Town and the boys had finally slowed down walking amongst the villagers, Hinata jogged up to Naruto and initiated conversation, if nothing else but to redeem Kiba or to find out if Naruto knew why Sakura was disengaging. This was a feat she would not have been able to do a month ago.

"Naruto-kun!" she called out. A few passers-by turned around and started talking with each other in excitement, pointing at him.

Naruto had his arms behind his head as he turned around to face Hinata, who seemed to be realizing she had called attention on themselves. Naruto was a very recognizable figure now.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked.

"So does this mean… You have moved on from Sakura-chan?" she asked breathlessly.

Naruto snorted. "Ages ago! Getting continuously beat up helps speed up the process ya know, despite making you stubborn as well."

Hinata twiddled her thumbs as she tried to speak next, as it meant bringing up her own rejection.

"But… you told me you liked someone else. I figured it was Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan also told Kiba-kun she was catching feelings for someone else, so I figured..."

Naruto smiled widely, shaking his head. "Well, I do like someone else. But it's not Sakura-chan. As for Sakura-chan, no, she has not spoken to me about this matter. Why? Did she say she wants to do something with me?" Naruto demanded to know eagerly.

He laughed at Hinata's dumbstruck expression and hi-fived Lee. "I guess I only can savor the limited kisses I received from her when I was half-dead."

"At least she kissed you," Lee said forlornly.

Shaking her head and realizing she had stopped walking, she again caught up to Naruto, determined to get an answer.

"So is it because of Sasuke-san that she's acting this way again? She is not over him?" she pulled his sleeve, demanding to know. It was indeed surprising how she could now easily make physical contact with him without half-fainting.

Naruto's eyebrows inched closer. "What? Oh no, Sakura gives the Bakayaro shit. She barely talks to me when he's around."

"Well, you are with the Asshole an awful lot," Lee commented. "I see things palpitating there if you know what I mean."

"Of course! I love being with the Bakayaro," Naruto scoffed. "But no, sorry Hinata-chan. I think Sakura just made someone up perhaps to take a break from Dogboy, or else I don't know. To be honest, I'm surprised Dogboy managed to string Sakura-chan along this far on his own himself. She must be waking up from whatever drug-induced sleep he fooled her in."

The boys got into hysterics again laughing at Kiba's plight, and Hinata struggled to find anything funny in their conversation. Had they not seen how happy they had been together?

"Should we invite the Asshole to the hot springs too?" Lee asked.

Naruto smirked. "Sure, and as no ladies would be allowed on this trip, I get to have his juicy ass all to myself."

Hinata looked at him strangely. Why would Naruto want to have Sasuke's - at least that's whom she knew they meant - juicy ass when he was with Karin? Or did he mean he wanted to fight with him? It didn't add up. Earlier, when Hinata had seen them walk up to the Hokage's office the previous morning, she had felt quite strange. She couldn't quite put a finger on it, but she didn't appreciate the public display as Sasuke had put his arm around Karin at one point.

"Naruto, who is it that you said you liked?" she asked, wanting to finally get to the bottom of this. How could you be with two people at the same time without offending the other, she wondered.

Naruto smiled. "Well, isn't it obvious? It's-"

"Naruto!" they were interrupted by a female yell of excitement.

On instinct, Naruto cringed, his shoulders visibly hunching as he tried to dodge behind Hinata to absolutely no avail. The storm of females who had recognised him circled around him like dogs wrestling over territory.

"It's him! It's Naruto the Gallant!"

"Has he come to share his strong gallantry today?" a girl who was very obviously an escort murmured close to Hinata's ear.

Hinata didn't know how to react, unwittingly becoming a part of this spectacle and being offered up like human sacrifice by a boy she had crushed on since practically forever.

Of course, Naruto was famous, a war hero, and was cherished, recognized, and made a fuss over everywhere he went. Sometimes, he basked in the attention. Other times, it frustrated him when it got too much. Like now, the girls were licking their lips looking like Naruto was dripped in chocolate sauce.

"Ladies, ladies," Naruto tried to calm them down, grinning. "There's plenty of Naruto for everyone, dattebayo! But today I'm on business! My girlfriend's here too. See?" He raised Hinata's arm like a show animal.

This followed some more giggling and screaming as Naruto scratched the back of his head.

"We don't care!" a girl yelled and the others followed suit in agreement.

Lee smiled widely at Naruto, giving him a big thumbs up as he snickered. But thankfully, he stepped in and dispersed the crowd, saying they were in a hurry as they rushed past the cloud of arms and legs trying to reach any part of Naruto into a nearby inn.

The underground fighting ring they had to infiltrate occurred at night, and they had plenty of time till then. Lee checked them in a room where they could plan and rest before then.

She turned to Lee for one final attempt for answers as they walked up to their room.

"Lee-kun, what's a Closet Pervert?" she wanted to know.

Lee looked at Hinata and put a hand over his heart. "I apologize Hinata-chan, if you feel our language was crude. We should've behaved, knowing a lady is amidst us. Please ignore everything you may have heard. And don't worry about Scr- I mean Neji. Some things I feel he'd not want us to tell his Lady Love."

Hinata was beginning to understand why Sakura had always been hitting the two of them. She did not think badly of anyone, but these boys were just impossible. Naruto was still a bit shaken from the ambush but all goof nonetheless.

"Do you guys have proper names for anyone at all?" she asked exasperatedly, unfamiliar with a lot of terms and certainly not liking the fact how the boys treated her like some sort of innocent flower who wasn't understanding a word they were saying, which was actually true. "Why do you call him that?"

The boys looked at each other. "Oh, because he's a tight-assed control freak who's always wound up too tight," Lee said in all seriousness, and Naruto stifled another guffaw.

"He's such a buzzkill, trying to act all high and mighty, but we know how to loosen those screws in his ass just as well. One way to do so is replace his cigarettes with some magic white powder," Naruto added, and Hinata was scandalized.

"Another trick is to mix it in his drink and once he's out of it, place him in a dress," Lee added. "He gets hit on all the time."

Hinata massaged her temples. This was getting too much.

"Tell me what Closet Pervert means," she demanded, confidence still barely intact.

"Hinata-chan, it's just a chart devised by the leader of Open Perverts, the legendary Ero-sennin Jiraiya-sama himself," Naruto explained. "I have accompanied him on his research to the hot springs many times, as has Lee. They say no man is an island, but the truth is all men are actually perverts, categorized in different divisions. Closet Perverts, like your Neji, appear to be cool but hide their perversion, like the cowards they are. It does gain them popularity with the ladies, but we believe in embracing your perversion, dattebayo! Open Perverts like us remain true to our desires whatever the situation may be!"

Lee nodded. "Indeed! That's what separates us from the cowards. The Closeted Perverts are too cowardly to address what they're really feeling and if presented with the opportunity might just as well suffer heavy nosebleeds and faint. They need things to be spelled out for them before they would admit or act on them. It's usually liquor which you can say, loosens the screw in your case and gives them the courage to display their real self."

Hinata's mouth fell open in shock. This actually explained quite a lot about Neji. Was he really a Closet Pervert?

"Maybe the girls want to go research in the hot springs too," Hinata said, crossing her arms.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't mind at all. I'm game."

Rock Lee clapped his hands. "I love the idea! It sounds so exciting."

"A combined bath too perhaps?" Naruto continued. "Your research would be better at a closer proximity."

"We would be separate," Hinata said shortly.

The boys shrugged. Their evil smiles, however, spoke volumes which she didn't understand.

They entered their room and Naruto was delighted to find a television. Hinata went to the bathroom first, taking her letter with her.

"Hinata-chan?" Naruto knocked on the door. "You've been in there for more than an hour. Is everything alright?"

There was no response.

"We need to use the bathroom too!" Naruto whined.

Unbeknownst to him, Hinata had virtually fainted reading the contents of the letter Neji had written her and was lying unconscious on the floor. She got back to her senses when Naruto knocked. Sitting up, she re-read the letter and again, her face burnt, her nose started to bleed and she swooned, gasping loudly like she had heatstroke. The cold floor felt better for her burning skin. But what about the matter of her burning loins? It had gotten to the point that she no longer cared nor would she wait for him to make the first move now. She had grown frustrated and desperate, and if this letter was any indication, so had he.

Closet Pervert indeed.