Masked Affections ~ Chapter 5: Stupid Cat

AN: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters, only my OC’s…wait I don’t have any OC’s, they’re all my co-authors *sigh*. Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

Masked Affections
A Naruto FanFiction
Chapter 5: Stupid Cat

“Well…I…kinda…uh…” Shikamaru stutters.

“Oh forget it; I’m not going to make you tell me.” Temari puts her fan back on her back in defeat.

Shikamaru takes a large breath, “Ilikeyou.” He spews all at once.

“What?” She whips around.

“I…like…you…” He immediately protects his head.

“ME?” She says, taken aback, and Shikamaru nods.

“But you’ve never even acted like it, have you? I mean I pay attention and everything…but I thought I was troublesome…” Temari says, befuddled.

“You are troublesome but that’s what I like about you, well…part of it. I like you for too many reasons to count…” He cowers back behind his own hands.

“…” Temari is silent then takes his hands off his head, “I’m not going to hit you for liking me…I just didn’t expect you to…ever…like…me.”

“To my dismay, I can’t really explain…I just do.”

“We’re from two different villages…how will this ever work…” She thinks aloud, more to herself.

“We will find a way. We may have to talk to your brother or Lady Tsunade first.” He moves and takes Temari’s hands in his own, “I’ll think of something.”

Her eyes brighten, “You really mean it, don’t you?”

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it.” He smiles gently at her.

“Should’ve said something earlier pineapple head.” She says, and then smashes her lips onto his, and they continue kissing for a while.

                                                                  Meanwhile in Konoha

Lady Tsunade calls in Naruto, Hinata, Sakura and Kakashi in, “I need you four to do a special mission for me, a favor for someone.” She grins.

“A special mission yes!” Naruto cheers.

“Yes Lady Tsunade.” Sakura responds. Outside it starts to rain, and as soon as the four the mission, it begins to pour.

Naruto, hair nearly flat by the rain, scoffs, “Why do we have to go after that stupid cat again*? I want a real mission not some…” He is stopped by a hit over his head by Sakura.

“I’m sure Lady Tsunade has her reasons.” She argues.

“You remind me of Grandma too much…” He mutters while rubbing his head and Sakura glares at him.

“It’ll be okay N…N…Naruto-kun.” Hinata blushes.

Naruto sighs, “Thanks Hinata.”

“Y…you’re welcome.”

“Ugh…Kakashi-sensei we won’t be able to find that stupid cat in this rain and it’s getting late out.” Naruto complains.

“We might need to set up camp outside of Konoha; it may come to all the warmth.” Kakashi states wisely, looking around in the rain.

“Yes! I can finally get out of the rain.” Naruto exclaims, and Sakura hits him again.

“Be quiet or you’ll scare it away.”

“Don’t act so brashly Naruto.” Kakashi settles in a close huddle of trees where the rain wasn’t so hard and pulled out two tents, beginning to set it one up.

“Um…Kakashi-sensei…there are only two tents. I may not be good at math, but I don’t think there are enough tents for each of us…” Naruto says, confused.

“No there’s not, we’ll have to share.” Kakashi states plainly.

“I’m not sharing with Sakura…she…” Naruto starts before getting hit into a nearby tree.

“It’s either me or Hinata then.” Kakashi says.

Naruto gets up and Sakura speaks up, “I think Hinata should choose who she wants to stay with Kakashi-sensei.”

“That sounds fair, so who is it Hinata?” Kakashi’s eyes crinkle in a smile.

“Uh…I know Naruto-kun doesn’t want to stay with Sakura-chan, so I guess I can stay with him instead. If any rogue ninjas come, at least we’ll look strong with two men in each tent, and Kakashi-sensei and I can watch for anything with our Kekkei-Genkai.” Hinata explains, “Is that okay…Naruto-kun?”

“That’s fine. It’s better than staying with Sakura.” Naruto replies, this time staying out of her rage, though she still glares. Kakashi’s eye crinkle again, and he finishes setting up the tents.

“Finally.” Naruto says as he climbs into one and Sakura rolls her eyes at him; Hinata follows him soon after, blushing mildly as usual.

“Ladies first.” Kakashi motions and Sakura goes into the other tent, Kakashi following.

As Naruto settles down, he strips off his wet shirt without thought and unrolls his sleeping bag. Hinata blushes, staring for a moment before turning to put her own pack down and set up her sleeping bag.

“So what’s for dinner?” Sakura asks and Kakashi pulls out some food.

“Rice balls; there’s more food, for morning though, just in case. I didn’t pack much as I didn’t think it would rain.”

“It’s okay Kakashi-sensei, it’s not like you can predict the weather.” Sakura says, picking up a rice ball.

“That’d be handy though.” Kakashi says, mysteriously having already eaten his food.

“It would be a hard thing to use I’m sure.” Sakura sighs, slowly eating her food.

“Most likely.” Kakashi crinkles his eyes and takes off his Jounin jacket, as it’s soaked from all the rain.

Sakura looks for a moment, then turns away, “So…”

“I have our rice balls set out N…N…Naruto-kun.” Hinata stutters.

“Thanks Hinata.” He says through a mouthful of food, and as soon as he finishes eating, he falls asleep.

Hinata just takes off her jacket and snuggles into her sleeping bag, “Goodnight Naruto-kun.”

“If you need to change, simply say so, I will look away.” Kakashi offers Sakura, who has started shivering.

“Okay…if you look, I will hit you.” Sakura warns and changes into a spare set of her clothes.

“I wouldn’t have dreamed of looking.” Kakashi chuckles, “Do you mind if I take my shirt off, or would that bother you? I don’t traditionally sleep with a shirt on…”

Sakura ignoring his first comment, “Whatever makes you comfortable.” As he takes it off, she is careful not to look at his many muscles, each rippling with the movements he makes. Sakura can’t seem to help herself, and peeks, immediately turning away, “So now what?”

“Goodnight?” Kakashi is already in his sleeping bag, it up to his nose, the mask on the ground beside him, his eyes crinkling in another smile.

Sakura sighs again, “Goodnight.” She settles down, but only gets a sleepless night with him in the tent with her, and of course, he’s asleep as soon as she’s spoken ‘goodnight’.

As morning comes, the rains stopped, and Kakashi’s up making breakfast of eggs and mildly burnt toast.

Sakura gets up and wonders out, “Good morning.”

Naruto emerges right after, still without a shirt, “That was a good sleep.” He stretches, not noticing Sakura’s glares and Hinata blushing.

“Why don’t you put your shirt on?” Sakura snaps and Naruto looks confused, looks down, blushes and wonders back into his tent. Kakashi chuckles, and Hinata blushes a bit more; he soon serves out food, an egg and a piece of toast each.

Naruto reemerges from his tent, and eats, “I’m sure we will find that cat today!” He says stuffing his mouth all the while.

Sakura hits him, “Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Ow…man you’re crankier today than yesterday.” He leans over and whispers to Kakashi, “I think she’s PMS-ing.”

Sakura hears it, and hits him again, “I am not PMS-ing.

“I wouldn’t challenge her Naruto, those matters are touchy ones.” Kakashi warns, finishing his food.

“I’m sure Naruto-kun didn’t mean it…d…did you Naruto-kun?” Hinata defends him.
“No, of course not.” Naruto answers and Sakura sighs.

“Once we’re all done eating, let’s go find the cat okay?” Kakashi scratches the back of his head nervously.

“Fine.” Sakura says, and Hinata finishes her food and packs up her stuff and the tent, handing it to Kakashi, who puts it in his pack with the other tent.

“Now we can be off to find that stupid cat.” Naruto stands.

“The cat is most likely holed up somewhere warm and dry.” Sakura offers.

“Then let’s head his way, there are a few small caves and holes in this direction.” Kakashi points in a southward direction, and they head that way.

Within a few minutes, they reach the area, “We need to see if it’s here…Hinata, could you survey the area for us?” Kakashi asks.

“Hai! Byakugan!” Hinata looks around, “I sense it…but I sense something else.” She reports.

“What is it?” Kakashi questions.

“Other chakra signatures…not any I recognize.” Hinata answers.

“Rogue ninja.” Kakashi narrows his visible eye.

*The beginning of Episode 6 in Naruto, they are chasing a cat, this is a reference to the same dumb cat.

AN: I know, not a lot of action, but hey this is romance too. At least Shikamaru finally spit it out. Sorry for the long delay as well on this chapter, I took a bit of a break. Maybe you’ll get a surprise later if I feel up to it, okay faithful readers? Also, during July 1-6 I may not post anything, I’m going on vacation! I’ll try and type though, so I might post when I get back. I don’t know if I’ll have internet where I’m going yet, so keep those fingers crossed!

AN: Will we defeat these rogue ninja? Will we need backup? Is Tsunade trying to match-make, because we don’t need this many people on an easy mission? Will either pair ever admit their feelings as Shikamaru did? Or will Hinata just faint like usual? What will happen next? Stay tuned for the next installment of Masked Affections!