NaruHina: Postscripts

Forty-nine

If you haven't done this drabble, here is my request: how about blank period before The Last Naruto trying to impress and act cool around Hinata without really understanding why he does that (it makes him warm and fuzzy in a way nobody can whenever Hinata compliments him)

Plus

Can I request a drabble about an AU where Naruto gets traded off to Team 8?

"You're dumping me?" Naruto asked with tears in his eyes.

Captain Yamato glared at him. "It's not being dumped, it's being reassigned on a mission. It's part of your job."

Still, Naruto sighed mournfully and looked at his teammates. Correction, his former teammates. Sai and Sakura were just as unsympathetic as they gazed back at him.

His new team stood to the side, Kiba looking just as gloomy. "I don't want to leave my team, either," he was mumbling.

But then Naruto's eyes lit on Hinata, who was patting Kiba's arm consolingly.

"It's okay, Kiba. It's not permanent. But we'll miss you," he heard her say.

And his first thought was, It would be nice to have a teammate treat me like that.

His sorrow abruptly left him. Instead, he was filled with anticipation to be working with Hinata...and Shino?

Shino suddenly looked up and met his eyes.

Yes, Shino. Who was just as quiet as Hinata. Then he wondered how it would all work, but he was more excited by that thought instead of feeling anxious.

"Okay, got it, Captain! I'm off, then!" Naruto said with a jaunty little wave at his former teammates and joined the waiting members of Team Eight.

"Hinata!"

Sai and Sakura looked at each other and smiled. Kiba walked over to them and when he saw their smiles, he looked back at Naruto, Hinata, and Shino. His smile was just as knowing as those of Team Seven's members. "Yeah, hopefully, Naruto figures something out."

Hinata turned to him with a smile on her face. Her softly whispered, "Naruto" made him grin at her.

Shino nodded at him. "Okay, Naruto, we're off to rendezvous with Kurenai-sensei, but she told us we have a stop to do first before meeting up with her."

The stop ended up at a run-down hut where they suspected some thieves were hiding out. Kurenai had given them the location earlier while she'd gone to check out another lead she'd gotten from another contact.

Naruto sidled up to Hinata and completely ignored Shino while they headed out.

"Hey, Hinata!" he said as she glanced at him.

"Hi, Naruto," she responded and smiled softly.

It made him feel a nervous flutter somewhere in his left chest. And for some reason, Naruto wanted to share with her his latest adventure with his team.

"So, you know me, Sakura, and Sai were on a mission a couple days ago. Did you hear what happened? That I was able to reach the bridge before it completely buckled?"

She nodded. "Yeah, it was all over town. It's a good thing you and Kurama have that lightning-quick reflexes to get there so fast."

He liked the way she fluttered her eyelashes while looking attentive to what he was saying.

But there was no more chance to talk to her because they'd reached their destination. They were a few yards away from the rundown house and watched intently trying to see if there was anybody inside.

"We need to do this subtly and precisely," Shino was saying. "I'll take point and Hinata will—"

Hinata started nodding, which caused Naruto to frown. He didn't like the idea of Shino suddenly taking the lead on this mission.

"Nah! There's no need. I got this! Shino!" Naruto shouted as he molded chakra to create his rasengan.

He glanced sideways and saw that Hinata was looking at him, her gaze admiring.

"Oh, wow, Naruto!" she said. "You're not using shadow clones anymore to create rasengans. You can do it easily now because your chakra control's gotten so much better."

At her words, a warm feeling flooded him, which made Naruto mold more chakra than necessary, causing him to increase the size of his rasengan.

"Naruto, that's way too obv—"

But too late, Naruto ignored Shino's warning and aimed his rasengan towards the hut, causing it to explode, sending debris flying in all directions.

Hinata gasped and ran a few paces ahead of them, her byakugan activated, checking for survivors.

Feeling guilty, Naruto started to follow her, but was stopped by Shino.

"Naruto, do you really think playing with giant balls of manipulated chakra is going to impress Hinata?"

"Haaaah?! Giant balls?!" Naruto yelled, completely offended. "At least get my weapon name right! Rasengan, Shino! Rasengan."

"Doesn't matter. Why? Because she—"

But Naruto cut him off. "Look, Shino. What can I do to get her to touch me like she did earlier with Kiba?"

Shino gazed at him mutely, which had Naruto glancing behind to see that Hinata was coming back to them.

"Do you really want to know, Naruto? I might have a way."

"Yes, hurry up, here she comes!"

"But Naruto, are you really sure? It requires me to—"

"Shino, just freaking do it!"

"Okay, Naruto. I tried to warn you."

"Come on, before she gets here!"

The buzzing came first, and it hardly registered in his mind until he felt the little prick on his arm that suddenly had a small part of his skin tingling. Finally, Naruto looked down on his arm to see that Shino had gotten a bee to sting him.

He suddenly paled. "Shino? I don't think this is what I had in mind..."

But the idea of being stung by an insect made him feel faint, and Shino watched unsympathetically as Naruto dropped to the ground onto his knees, still staring at his arm.

"Naruto!" Hinata came just in time to hold him up before he hit the ground.

His face was sickly when Naruto looked at her. He pointed a trembling hand to the stinger still stuck on his skin. In a shaky voice, he said, "Bee, Hinata."

"Ah!" she cried as she grabbed his arm and gently pinched it off. "Naruto, what happened?" she asked, but she threw Shino a suspicious glance.

He shrugged.

Naruto looked at the dainty hand on his arm and smiled, suddenly feeling better and even grateful to Shino.

He shook his head. "Just an accident with an insect."

She frowned at him and then at Shino again, but Naruto placed a hand on hers, and she blushed.

He didn't know why, but he liked that particular shade of her skin.

"Thanks, Hinata."

She smiled back at him and helped him up. "You're welcome, Naruto."

Hinata then turned to Shino. "No people inside. I don't think this is the hideout."

Shino nodded and they all started walking towards the rendezvous point with Kurenai.

Shino fell back, made sure Hinata couldn't hear, and softly whispered in Naruto's ears: "I have more bees waiting for you."