Categories > Anime/Manga > Naruto > Helping Out
Author's Note: Set about a year after the first chapter.
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Helping Out
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Neji ran away.
Of course, Hinata still saw him, as well as occasionally Hanabi or Naruto. But he would only 'appear' to Lee and Hinata on a regular basis.
"Has Naruto told you that he likes you yet?" It was on one of his visits to Hinata that he said that. She was so shocked that she nearly tripped over a tree root.
"Wh-why would h-he-he say th-that?" She stuttered, trying to calm herself down again.
"It's been over a year since he asked me if 'I would kill him if he went out with you'." Neji stated simply, watching his cousin.
"D-did he r-really s-s-say that...?" Hinata asked blushing lightly.
"Why would I lie about this? I know how much you care about him and I wouldn't hurt you."
Hinata was at a loss for what to say, but she felt her blush increase.
To make matters worse for poor Hinata, Naruto decided to show up at that time. Accompanying him was Sakura and Sasuke, being dragged almost forcibly by the pink-haired ninja.
"Hey, Hinata, is anything wrong? You look like you're about to faint..." Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Uchiha." Neji nodded towards Sasuke, politely nodding towards Sakura afterwards.
"Hinata, are you alright? You don't look very good..." Sakura asked, trotting over to her. "Do you feel alright?" Hinata managed to nod, surprised at all the attention she was suddenly getting.
"Have an interesting conversation?" Sasuke asked flatly, looking at Neji.
"You could say that."
"Hey, Hinata..." Naruto waved his hand in front of her face. Sakura glared at him with a growl.
"Naruto, back off! She needs some air."
"I-I'm fine, thank y-you, Sakura..." Hinata said, smiling weakly. "I just got a bit dizzy there for a moment..."
"Why are you here?" Neji asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, yeah...We're here to give you a message from Tsunade." Naruto perked up, grinning.
"You act like you forgot. We left her office ten minutes ago." Sakura rolled her eyes, sighing.
"What was the message?" asked Hinata.
"We're needed on a mission. We also have to get any other chunin we can find that aren't out on missions." Sasuke replied. "That includes Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba and Lee."
"So why am I included? I disappeared from society." Neji said.
"Tsunade has known exactly where you are the whole time." Sasuke nodded. "But don't blame Lee or Hinata. They didn't tell her. She just...knows."
"What's the mission?" Neji asked, ignoring the last part.
"We need to stop a rogue ninja from sound. They think he might have been in league with Orochimaru, so we're to capture him alive for informational purposes. He's extremely dangerous, though. Or at least, that was Tsunade's explanation for why she needed all of us." Sakura shrugged.
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"I'm getting tired. Shouldn't we stop soon?" Sakura asked, glancing towards the setting sun. They had managed to gather up Ino, Shikamaru and Lee, but Kiba was apparently out on a mission. So that put their number at eight. They were traveling almost in a line, Hinata leading and Neji in back, each using their Byakugan.
"Let's wait until it's fully night." Shikamaru muttered, stretching. "You can handle another hour."
"The sun is going to set in a half hour, idiot!" Ino snapped. "We're stopping after that. You boys may act all macho and strong, but we need some rest!"
"For once, Ino-pig, you're completely right." Sakura mumbled.
"Hey, Hinata, see anything?" Naruto called, jogging up to her.
"No..." she replied softly. She still hadn't gotten what Neji said to her out of her mind. It wasn't like Neji to lie, but it wasn't like Naruto to keep secrets. Especially for so long. She didn't know what to make of it.
"Hey, Sakura, if you're tired, I could give you a piggy-back ride." Lee offered, grinning.
"Not on your life."
"We should start finding a spot to camp out at for the night." Sasuke announced.
"Last time I checked, I was the leader of this mission. I say when we stop." Shikamaru snorted. Behind him, Ino collapsed. Shikamaru suddenly went rigid for a split second, then grinned. "Alright, we're stopping. Set up camp in this clearing."
Sakura laughed, helping Ino up as she returned to her own body.
"You troublesome woman! Don't do that!" Shikamaru shouted heatedly.
"Well, someone had to take charge." The blonde replied airily, yawning. "And since you made the order, we get to stop."
"Kagemane-no-jutsu!" Next thing everyone knew, Shikamaru was back in control and Ino was screaming at him while her arms flapped around wildly.
"SHIKAMARU, YOU JERK!"
"You guys should cut it out. How are we supposed to be on the lookout for other ninjas if you two are fighting constantly?" Sasuke asked boredly.
"Neji and Hinata can watch out for us all, right?" Lee grinned.
"Sasuke's right, though..." Hinata said quietly.
"Okay, you've both had your fun." Sakura announced, dragging Ino away from Shikamaru (his technique had run out of time). After enough flailing and kicking, the two girls were having a go at each other as well.
"I'll help you, Sakura!" Lee called, trying to pull Ino away. Shikamaru tried his shadow technique again, and unfortunately escalated the fight by accidentally trapping Lee.
"Go caterpillar-brows! Beat that fool!" Naruto cheered. "Once he lets you go...!" Hinata sighed, wondering how long the fight would go on before someone else was either dragged in or Sasuke or Neji broke it up.
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"Would you quit your stupid giggling already? We're trying to sleep!"
"Shut up, Shikamaru!"
"You shut up, Ino-pig!"
"Oh, you wanna go again, billboard brow?"
"You can't talk to Sakura like that!"
"Lee, GET BACK DOWN! You can't go into the girls' tent!"
"Why not?"
"Because I'll kill the first guy who comes in here!"
"You are all idiots."
"Hey, I'm staying silent."
"For once."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Hinata lay awake on her sleeping bag, listening to the shouts and screams. It was entertaining at first, but now it was just giving her a headache.
"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura yelled.
"You're giving me a headache, forehead girl! Keep your screeching down to a dull roar!"
"Like you're one to talk!"
"Shut up, Shikamaru!"
"I'm going for a walk." Hinata said quietly, pulling her coat over her pajamas.
"Don't go alone. I don't think we're in leaf territory anymore." Sakura warned, in the middle of her cat fight with Ino.
"Hey, one of you macho boys! Protect Hinata, 'cause she's going out for a walk!" Ino shouted. Hinata sighed, climbing out of their tent.
"I'll go, because I really don't feel like listening to Naruto or Shikamaru whine. Or the girls." Sasuke growled, standing up from his spot by the fire. "Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have lost their voices when we get back."
Hinata smiled at the comment, nodding her thanks for the 'protection'. In reality, she had already activated her Byakugan.
"Hmph. You're some of the best company I've been with for awhile." Sasuke muttered as they picked their way through the forest.
"But...I didn't say anything for conversation..." Hinata said, puzzled.
"Exactly."
Hinata smiled, chuckling softly.
"Hinata...you're a friend of Sakura's, right?"
"I guess so. I'm not as close to her as Ino, though..."
"Yeah, well..." Sasuke looked away, but he obviously didn't know that she was using her Byakugan. "Do you know..."
"Know what?" Hinata prompted, smiling. He was just like Naruto; awkward with conversation unless it was shouting or about fighting techniques.
"If she...well, still likes me...?" He muttered, blushing lightly. Hinata giggled, then clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle it, not wanting to offend him.
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because...she hasn't been as...clingy as usual."
"She's crazy about you. I think she will be forever..." She smiled reassuringly, giggling again mentally. Boys were so funny sometimes. "You've been on her team for years. I don't think that getting closer to you would push her away."
She was guessing that he didn't think she'd hear the sigh of relief that followed, so she pretended she didn't hear it.
"You know, you're the only girl that doesn't giggle or blush when I'm around." Sasuke tactfully changed the subject.
"It's not because I don't like you...I mean, you're okay, but..."
"But you like Naruto."
Hinata blushed, staring down at her feet.
"He likes you, too. After he got over that obsession with Sakura..." Sasuke stopped, pretended to be surprised, then said, "Oh, did I let that slip? Oh no."
Hinata giggled, but kept her eyes on her feet.
"You two are complete opposites. He's loud, you're quiet, he's an idiot and you're at least more intelligent than a tree stump..."
"I think you and Sakura would be perfect together, too..." Hinata said quietly. "Only you two can actually get together."
The raven-haired boy blinked in surprise, but didn't have time to ask anything more as they arrived back at camp.
"Thanks, Sasuke, for protecting poor little Hinata!" Sakura called, peeking out of their tent. Hinata giggled again and pulled off her coat as she entered the tent again.
"What did you two talk about?" The boys' tent heard Sakura very clearly.
"Hey, what did you two talk about?" Lee asked. "If the girls are gossiping about it, we have a right to know, too."
"She's not a talkative person." Sasuke muttered, stretching. "We didn't talk."
"Then we'll just see the girls' side of that." Shikamaru turned to Neji. "Use your Byakugan to see what they're talking about."
"The Byakugan sees, not hears." Neji sighed, rolling his ashen eyes. "Besides, what if they're changing or something. I am not going to spy on them."
"So what are they saying?" Sasuke smiled slightly.
"Well aren't you the smart one?"
"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, clueless as ever.
"He has had it activated ever since I left with Hinata." Sasuke stated.
"So you did know. I wondered why you only started talking once you were on the very edge of my vision." Neji shrugged.
"It's still on. So what are they saying?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, what are those troublesome girls talking about?" Shikamaru added.
Neji looked at Sasuke, wanting to see his reaction, and replied, "You." Like he predicted, Sasuke's eyes widened and he blushed lightly.
"Hinata wouldn't say anything, though." Naruto pointed out.
"She is a very quiet girl, and I've never known her to gossip." Lee added, nodding.
"Ino and Sakura are trying to get her to talk, anyway." Neji said flatly. "My cousin won't tell them."
"INO, YOU PIG! THE BOYS WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT IT!" Sakura screeched, and suddenly Shikamaru was yelling, too.
"STUPID FOREHEAD GIRL! THAT HURT! Oh, wait, wrong body..."
"And adults say boys are immature." Neji muttered, listening to the catfight in the other tent. "It's pretty safe to say by now that any enemies in the vicinity know exactly where we are."
"But you'd see them coming with your Byakugan, right?" Naruto asked.
"Of course he would." Lee replied for him.
"Or Hinata would. She just activated hers as well." Neji said.
"This is going to be a long night." Hinata mouthed, knowing he'd read her lips and know. He nodded, knowing that she'd get the reply.
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Helping Out
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Neji ran away.
Of course, Hinata still saw him, as well as occasionally Hanabi or Naruto. But he would only 'appear' to Lee and Hinata on a regular basis.
"Has Naruto told you that he likes you yet?" It was on one of his visits to Hinata that he said that. She was so shocked that she nearly tripped over a tree root.
"Wh-why would h-he-he say th-that?" She stuttered, trying to calm herself down again.
"It's been over a year since he asked me if 'I would kill him if he went out with you'." Neji stated simply, watching his cousin.
"D-did he r-really s-s-say that...?" Hinata asked blushing lightly.
"Why would I lie about this? I know how much you care about him and I wouldn't hurt you."
Hinata was at a loss for what to say, but she felt her blush increase.
To make matters worse for poor Hinata, Naruto decided to show up at that time. Accompanying him was Sakura and Sasuke, being dragged almost forcibly by the pink-haired ninja.
"Hey, Hinata, is anything wrong? You look like you're about to faint..." Naruto asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Uchiha." Neji nodded towards Sasuke, politely nodding towards Sakura afterwards.
"Hinata, are you alright? You don't look very good..." Sakura asked, trotting over to her. "Do you feel alright?" Hinata managed to nod, surprised at all the attention she was suddenly getting.
"Have an interesting conversation?" Sasuke asked flatly, looking at Neji.
"You could say that."
"Hey, Hinata..." Naruto waved his hand in front of her face. Sakura glared at him with a growl.
"Naruto, back off! She needs some air."
"I-I'm fine, thank y-you, Sakura..." Hinata said, smiling weakly. "I just got a bit dizzy there for a moment..."
"Why are you here?" Neji asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, yeah...We're here to give you a message from Tsunade." Naruto perked up, grinning.
"You act like you forgot. We left her office ten minutes ago." Sakura rolled her eyes, sighing.
"What was the message?" asked Hinata.
"We're needed on a mission. We also have to get any other chunin we can find that aren't out on missions." Sasuke replied. "That includes Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba and Lee."
"So why am I included? I disappeared from society." Neji said.
"Tsunade has known exactly where you are the whole time." Sasuke nodded. "But don't blame Lee or Hinata. They didn't tell her. She just...knows."
"What's the mission?" Neji asked, ignoring the last part.
"We need to stop a rogue ninja from sound. They think he might have been in league with Orochimaru, so we're to capture him alive for informational purposes. He's extremely dangerous, though. Or at least, that was Tsunade's explanation for why she needed all of us." Sakura shrugged.
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"I'm getting tired. Shouldn't we stop soon?" Sakura asked, glancing towards the setting sun. They had managed to gather up Ino, Shikamaru and Lee, but Kiba was apparently out on a mission. So that put their number at eight. They were traveling almost in a line, Hinata leading and Neji in back, each using their Byakugan.
"Let's wait until it's fully night." Shikamaru muttered, stretching. "You can handle another hour."
"The sun is going to set in a half hour, idiot!" Ino snapped. "We're stopping after that. You boys may act all macho and strong, but we need some rest!"
"For once, Ino-pig, you're completely right." Sakura mumbled.
"Hey, Hinata, see anything?" Naruto called, jogging up to her.
"No..." she replied softly. She still hadn't gotten what Neji said to her out of her mind. It wasn't like Neji to lie, but it wasn't like Naruto to keep secrets. Especially for so long. She didn't know what to make of it.
"Hey, Sakura, if you're tired, I could give you a piggy-back ride." Lee offered, grinning.
"Not on your life."
"We should start finding a spot to camp out at for the night." Sasuke announced.
"Last time I checked, I was the leader of this mission. I say when we stop." Shikamaru snorted. Behind him, Ino collapsed. Shikamaru suddenly went rigid for a split second, then grinned. "Alright, we're stopping. Set up camp in this clearing."
Sakura laughed, helping Ino up as she returned to her own body.
"You troublesome woman! Don't do that!" Shikamaru shouted heatedly.
"Well, someone had to take charge." The blonde replied airily, yawning. "And since you made the order, we get to stop."
"Kagemane-no-jutsu!" Next thing everyone knew, Shikamaru was back in control and Ino was screaming at him while her arms flapped around wildly.
"SHIKAMARU, YOU JERK!"
"You guys should cut it out. How are we supposed to be on the lookout for other ninjas if you two are fighting constantly?" Sasuke asked boredly.
"Neji and Hinata can watch out for us all, right?" Lee grinned.
"Sasuke's right, though..." Hinata said quietly.
"Okay, you've both had your fun." Sakura announced, dragging Ino away from Shikamaru (his technique had run out of time). After enough flailing and kicking, the two girls were having a go at each other as well.
"I'll help you, Sakura!" Lee called, trying to pull Ino away. Shikamaru tried his shadow technique again, and unfortunately escalated the fight by accidentally trapping Lee.
"Go caterpillar-brows! Beat that fool!" Naruto cheered. "Once he lets you go...!" Hinata sighed, wondering how long the fight would go on before someone else was either dragged in or Sasuke or Neji broke it up.
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"Would you quit your stupid giggling already? We're trying to sleep!"
"Shut up, Shikamaru!"
"You shut up, Ino-pig!"
"Oh, you wanna go again, billboard brow?"
"You can't talk to Sakura like that!"
"Lee, GET BACK DOWN! You can't go into the girls' tent!"
"Why not?"
"Because I'll kill the first guy who comes in here!"
"You are all idiots."
"Hey, I'm staying silent."
"For once."
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
Hinata lay awake on her sleeping bag, listening to the shouts and screams. It was entertaining at first, but now it was just giving her a headache.
"Shut up, Naruto!" Sakura yelled.
"You're giving me a headache, forehead girl! Keep your screeching down to a dull roar!"
"Like you're one to talk!"
"Shut up, Shikamaru!"
"I'm going for a walk." Hinata said quietly, pulling her coat over her pajamas.
"Don't go alone. I don't think we're in leaf territory anymore." Sakura warned, in the middle of her cat fight with Ino.
"Hey, one of you macho boys! Protect Hinata, 'cause she's going out for a walk!" Ino shouted. Hinata sighed, climbing out of their tent.
"I'll go, because I really don't feel like listening to Naruto or Shikamaru whine. Or the girls." Sasuke growled, standing up from his spot by the fire. "Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll have lost their voices when we get back."
Hinata smiled at the comment, nodding her thanks for the 'protection'. In reality, she had already activated her Byakugan.
"Hmph. You're some of the best company I've been with for awhile." Sasuke muttered as they picked their way through the forest.
"But...I didn't say anything for conversation..." Hinata said, puzzled.
"Exactly."
Hinata smiled, chuckling softly.
"Hinata...you're a friend of Sakura's, right?"
"I guess so. I'm not as close to her as Ino, though..."
"Yeah, well..." Sasuke looked away, but he obviously didn't know that she was using her Byakugan. "Do you know..."
"Know what?" Hinata prompted, smiling. He was just like Naruto; awkward with conversation unless it was shouting or about fighting techniques.
"If she...well, still likes me...?" He muttered, blushing lightly. Hinata giggled, then clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle it, not wanting to offend him.
"Why would you ask that?"
"Because...she hasn't been as...clingy as usual."
"She's crazy about you. I think she will be forever..." She smiled reassuringly, giggling again mentally. Boys were so funny sometimes. "You've been on her team for years. I don't think that getting closer to you would push her away."
She was guessing that he didn't think she'd hear the sigh of relief that followed, so she pretended she didn't hear it.
"You know, you're the only girl that doesn't giggle or blush when I'm around." Sasuke tactfully changed the subject.
"It's not because I don't like you...I mean, you're okay, but..."
"But you like Naruto."
Hinata blushed, staring down at her feet.
"He likes you, too. After he got over that obsession with Sakura..." Sasuke stopped, pretended to be surprised, then said, "Oh, did I let that slip? Oh no."
Hinata giggled, but kept her eyes on her feet.
"You two are complete opposites. He's loud, you're quiet, he's an idiot and you're at least more intelligent than a tree stump..."
"I think you and Sakura would be perfect together, too..." Hinata said quietly. "Only you two can actually get together."
The raven-haired boy blinked in surprise, but didn't have time to ask anything more as they arrived back at camp.
"Thanks, Sasuke, for protecting poor little Hinata!" Sakura called, peeking out of their tent. Hinata giggled again and pulled off her coat as she entered the tent again.
"What did you two talk about?" The boys' tent heard Sakura very clearly.
"Hey, what did you two talk about?" Lee asked. "If the girls are gossiping about it, we have a right to know, too."
"She's not a talkative person." Sasuke muttered, stretching. "We didn't talk."
"Then we'll just see the girls' side of that." Shikamaru turned to Neji. "Use your Byakugan to see what they're talking about."
"The Byakugan sees, not hears." Neji sighed, rolling his ashen eyes. "Besides, what if they're changing or something. I am not going to spy on them."
"So what are they saying?" Sasuke smiled slightly.
"Well aren't you the smart one?"
"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, clueless as ever.
"He has had it activated ever since I left with Hinata." Sasuke stated.
"So you did know. I wondered why you only started talking once you were on the very edge of my vision." Neji shrugged.
"It's still on. So what are they saying?" Sasuke asked.
"Yeah, what are those troublesome girls talking about?" Shikamaru added.
Neji looked at Sasuke, wanting to see his reaction, and replied, "You." Like he predicted, Sasuke's eyes widened and he blushed lightly.
"Hinata wouldn't say anything, though." Naruto pointed out.
"She is a very quiet girl, and I've never known her to gossip." Lee added, nodding.
"Ino and Sakura are trying to get her to talk, anyway." Neji said flatly. "My cousin won't tell them."
"INO, YOU PIG! THE BOYS WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT IT!" Sakura screeched, and suddenly Shikamaru was yelling, too.
"STUPID FOREHEAD GIRL! THAT HURT! Oh, wait, wrong body..."
"And adults say boys are immature." Neji muttered, listening to the catfight in the other tent. "It's pretty safe to say by now that any enemies in the vicinity know exactly where we are."
"But you'd see them coming with your Byakugan, right?" Naruto asked.
"Of course he would." Lee replied for him.
"Or Hinata would. She just activated hers as well." Neji said.
"This is going to be a long night." Hinata mouthed, knowing he'd read her lips and know. He nodded, knowing that she'd get the reply.
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