UPDATE ‼️

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Long after the group had managed to calm Hinata down they quickly decided to call the police but some of them mentioned that it was probably too soon until Gaara explained that he had been gone since yesterday which surprised them.

Neji mentioned that it would be too much attention drawn to them over the matter so he opted to go look for him first and then while they were out there they'd physically go to the station if they couldn't find him rather than have the police come to the house.

Hinata couldn't bare to go, she could hardly even look up from Naruko's shoulder as she silently laid in her and TenTen's embrace.

Naruto on the other hand might've been calm on the outside but petrified on the inside. He was immediately filled with guilt that it was his fault that Kiba ran away, if that's what even happened to him and if it was anything worse he didn't think he'd be able to forgive himself.

Neji was ready to leave and search for Kiba to which Sai suggested they all go to cover more ground. He told them that all of them couldn't leave incase he came back that way they could contact them and tell them that they found him.

So they all made up their minds and Neji left with Shino, TenTen, Sakura and Kankuro. While Temari went with Kauri, Choji, Shikamaru and Sai, leaving back Hinata, Naruko, Ino, Gaara, Naruto, Menma, Rock Lee who still wasn't back yet and Sasuke who was just not present during the commotion.

They had expected Naruto to come and were surprised when he didn't but they didn't say anything due to the presence of Naruko and Menma who they all kind of noticed seemed to be out of it.

The cars left and the others stayed in the house quietly while the feelings were high.

Well, almost quietly.

"Your best friend is missing and you didn't even volunteer to go search for him..." Menma mumbled as Naruto stood by the window nearest to the door.

"Menma, stop it." Naruko warned. "That's enough."

Menma looked at the tears that threatened to fall from his sister's eyes and sucked his teeth in irritation, he was pissed and didn't know how to process his feelings. He usually would just smoke, but right now he wasn't in the mood for that.

Menma left while kicking the feathers that were scattered in front of him.

"What's that all about?" Ino asked.

"It's nothing, we just all had a disagreement." Naruko replied.

"All?" She asked to which Naruko only nodded while Ino looked over to Naruto who hadn't even responded to either of them.

She could see the tears that threatened to fall from Naruko's eyes and figured she was trying to hold it together but it was too hard on her.

"Why don't you go rest a bit? You seem tired." Ino suggested. "I'll stay down here with Hinata."

"Are you sure?" Naruko asked even though she herself wasn't sure.

"Uh, yeah." She replied as Naruko wiped her eyes. "I'll watch her and Gaara can help you-"

"No, I can rest on my own." Naruko replied abruptly, not really feeling like she wanted to be around Gaara at the moment.

Gaara and Ino were taken back at her response as she walked past him and he tried to reach out but she drew herself out of his reach. Yet still, Naruto hasn't even turned his head to peak over his shoulder, completely disregarding his siblings.

Now they knew something was wrong and Gaara knew exactly what it was thanks to Shikamaru informing him before he left and told him he needed to go talk to him.

Some time had passed and they sat in silence as they waited for a call from the others. Hinata at least had calmed down but she was still very visibly out of it even as she stared at Naruto's back who had been standing by the door the entire time.

"I'll be in my room." Naruto announced as he moved to go up the stairs as well.

"Alright, take it easy, Naruto." Ino wished as she pouted seeing them all like that and Hinata's eyes followed him up the stairs with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Mhm..." Naruto hummed in response.

"So something definitely happened with them. You think Naruto told them?" Ino asked as soon as he was out of hearing range.

"Doubt it." Gaara replied even though he knew what was going on. "What Menma said earlier sounded more like bitterness. Plus Shikamaru was there with them."

"Eh? What happened?" Ino asked in shock. "Since when is Shikamaru into all this drama?"

"He's not into it." He advised her. "I just told him it would be good if we kept an eye on him cause Sasuke has him in his radar."

"Ugh, again?" Ino sighed. "First he sleeps with Sakura in what feels like eons and now he's gone right back to being his usual unfaithful self? That asshole."

"But what does that have to do with Menma and Naruko then?" She asked.

"Based on what Shikamaru said, Naruto is going through it right now." Gaara explained. "So he's behaving irrational and just lashing out, even the things he says don't even sound like their his words."

"Poor guy, it's his first love. I can't imagine how things will turn out if Sakura ever finds out about them, she'll be just as heartbroken." Ino continued, feeling sympathetic for both of them, until she realized something.

"Wait a minute, but Naruto and Kiba are a thing now so how can he..." She gasped. "You don't think that Kiba knows about it, do you?"

"He does after he spoke about what happened between him and Tamaki, it seemed like the two had a fight.."

"And then he just wondered off..." Ino trailed, now feeling even more sympathy for Kiba. "Naruto, that asshat. Is he insane? How can he go back to a guy like that who has done him so dirty and is STILL in a relationship with Sakura?"

"The hold that guy has on the both of them is sickening! I can't believe I once liked him, when I'm done I'm gonna give Naruto the lecture of a life time just like I gave Sakura." She complained.

"That won't fix anything. He'll just get upset." Gaara informed her.

"So? I can get upset too! Do you know how long I've listened to Sakura cry over that man, I have years worth of upset to give him."

"That's not what I mean, Ino. Just leave it to me, I'll talk to him."

"You? Don't you have Naruko to go check on?"

"Uh, well she doesn't even want me to touch her." Gaara sighed as he had a feeling things were just going to get worse after all this. "I doubt she's in the talking mood with me right now."

"I can talk-" Ino tried but interrupted by Hinata.

"I'll talk to her." Hinata offered as she raised her head from Ino's lap.

"Hinata?" Ino questioned as she looked at her puffy eyes and red face.

"If I stay here any longer I'll just sulk my way into depression. I have to be strong until they find him because I know he's alright out there, but I just hate that he's going through it alone." She informed them and then they shared a glance with each other.

"..."

"..."

"Kiba is a strong and loving guy who loves his friends and values them as much as his family. But there just comes a time when he wants to be alone because he doesn't want them to see him at his weakest, he always wants them to be happy." Hinata advised them. "So, I'll talk to Naruko and you can talk to Menma."

"Oh Kaguya, that's gonna be a drag Hinata." Gaara cringed as he could already feel the migraine.

"Ha, he's not so bad. He just puts up an emotional wall he's a real marshmallow most of the time." She assured him though him and Ino shared another knowing look as Menma was indeed a force to be recon with.

"Yeah, one that's been roasting over a fire for seventeen years." Ino added.

"He's not seventeen until October." Hinata defended.

"Still doesn't make it any better."

The girls laughed at his comment and that at least helped lifted their spirits. Ino decided to call and stay on the phone with the others through Sakura and Sai while Hinata and Gaara did what they needed to do to try and help the siblings through their problems.

It was getting later by the minute but the others were still on the lookout for him. Ino informed them that Hinata said he was fine but just to keep looking just to be sure and to also call him on all their devices to see if he answers.

///

Naruko laid in bed while staring at the ceiling in a similar fashion to Naruto. She couldn't stand crying anymore as she was beginning to blame herself for their argument and reason as to why Naruto didn't feel like he could talk to anybody.

She just wanted to help him with whatever it was he was going through and to know what was happening with him.

A knocked at the door pulled her from her thoughts for a moment.

"Not right now, Gaara!" She replied as she sulked, not even having the courage to face her boyfriend.

"Is it okay if I come in then?" Hinata asked causing her to sit up straight at the sound of her soft voice behind the door.

"Hinata?" Naruko questioned as the door opened to reveal that it was indeed her.

"Yeah." She smiled as she entered the room. "I didn't wanna just barge in unexpectedly."

"You might as well have." Naruko sighed as she narrowed her eyes back up to the ceiling and allowed herself to fall back on the bed with a thump. "I don't deserve any privacy for sticking my nose in other peoples business."

"Why would you say such a thing?" Hinata asked as she approached her and sat next to her on the bed.

"As if you don't know." Naruko replied as she glanced at the ravenette. "Apparently you all know about it, except me and Menma."

"..." Hinata remained quiet, not knowing what to say but also feeling guilty about it.

"Must be for a good reason I suppose." Naruko mumbled as she turned her back to her and continued to sulk in her own puddle of disappointment.

Hinata felt bad seeing her like this.

She knew Naruko just wanted to make sure her brothers were okay, she understood her as she would've taken a similar approach if it was for Neji, Kiba or Shino. Also, Naruko was the eldest so she naturally felt responsible for her brother, especially due to her motherly nature as well that they both shared.

Despite this though, at times they're constantly reminded that they're just teenagers like the others.

Hinata moved forward and placed a hand on Naruko's back while rubbing circles to help reassure her that it was going to be okay and also to apologize because no matter how bad she felt, she couldn't tell her what Naruko had been so desperate to know.

"You're not nosy, Naruko, you're their big sister." Hinata assured her. "You naturally have a curiosity in what you're brothers are going through and nobody can take that away from you as their sisters."

"You'd think so..." Naruko trailed, feeling a bit better from Hinata's kind words but still not facing her. "You should've seen the way they reacted to each other. It was like they were about to tear each other apart verbally, I've never seen them care so little about each other, or me."

"That'll happen when emotions are high, Naruko." Hinata assured her. "It isn't anything that they have against you or each other for that matter. They just have a lot of emotions inside that they're struggling to understand and have no idea how to express in a positive way."

"..." Naruko remained silent, contemplating her words.

"Believe it or not, there really isn't nothing we can do about it." Hinata pointed out as she thought about Kiba. "Some things and some people have so much going on in their heads, that nobody can really help them if they don't help themselves first."

"I suppose..."

"Menma is a hothead, so it's no surprise that he'd react that way and go for low blows if he wants too, but is ultimately a sweet guy." Hinata informed her with a small smile, remembering the times Menma would nag about Naruko. "He does go back and forth with you a lot but that's just because he likes getting under his favorite sister's skin, ha."

"He's said that?" Naruko asked as she started warming up to Hinata's actions more and rolled over on her back to look at her in curiosity.

"Of course. He adores you and respects you for being a 'know it all'." She replied as they both shared a brief laugh together.

"That idiot." Naruko smiled, before it soon faded as another thought came to her mind, the thought that started all of this. "What about Naruto?"

"..."

"What does Naruto say?"

"I honestly wish I could tell you." Hinata replied, but she didn't have much she could say about Naruto apart from what Menma or Kiba told her about him.

It's funny how she had a crush on him all that time and yet she knew so little about him, only knowing more about him from his brother and boyfriend, well if he's still his boyfriend by the end of this.

"..." Naruko remained quiet as she started to worry about Naruto even more.

"But trust me when I say this, he loves both you and Menma." Hinata assured her. "So much so that he can't even bare to tell you what troubles him so that you might worry."

"That was always his way of doing things, hurting on the inside and smiling on the outside." Naruko stated as it was basically the Uzumaki's way of resilience, to smile no matter what you were going through. "Is it that bad though?"

"To him, yes." Hinata replied in all honesty.

"So what can I do?"

"Continue being his sister and Menma can continue being his brother." Hinata replied. "Be that reassurance and security that he needs, that way when the time is right he'll have nothing to worry about."

"..."

"You don't have to know someone's problem to be able to help them, you just have to be there for them sometimes."

Naruko thought on Hinata's words and realized that she was right. If she wanted to help Naruto then confronting him about the problem wasn't the way to go and she knows that now. So all that's left is for her to reunite them again and start all of this over from the top.

"Thanks Hinata." She smiled as she sat up and hugged her. "I really needed that talk."

"Ha, you're welcome. Us group moms have to stick together, anyway." Hinata joked causing the two to laugh in each other's embrace.

"Tell me about it." Naruko smiled as they broke the hug and she looked at her with a soft expression. "I hope they find Kiba, I really should be the one comforting you right now about all that's coming, especially after you cried like that."

"Ha, I figured as much it would be." She replied as the feeling came back to her. She wished she could talk about it with Naruko, but doing that would just be giving too many details and make her worry even more for her brother.

It was just one of those moments like she said, they just had to be there for each other. Which Naruko did by hugging her once more for comfort as her eyes began to water and as the reality of it all started flooding her thoughts.

At the same time, down the hall in another room Menma had his head through the window while looking at night sky and tapping the windowsill repeatedly.

He was still upset and wanted a smoke, but he just couldn't bring himself to it. The mere fact Naruto would've ever mentioned him sharing anything with Sasuke was all that replayed in his head and it made him want to go and confront him again every time.

Suddenly, there was a series of knocks at the door to the room. Yet, he didn't even turn around to acknowledge it or the person that had entered to confirm if he was actually in the room

"This isn't an attempt I'm walking in on, is it?" Gaara asked in a jokingly manner, to ease the tension that was as thick as a brick wall.

"Get out." Menma ordered plainly.

"Can't exactly do that, hm." Gaara replied while pursing his lips and entering the room regardless.

"I know Naruko put you up to this and I don't-" Menma tried but Gaara stopped him from continuing.

"I wasn't sent by Naruko." He stated.

"Well then tell Hinata-" Menma tried again.

"Isn't her either." Gaara corrected before he could even finish.

"..." Menma pulled his head back inside the room and glanced at Gaara over his shoulder with a irritated yet, curious expression.

"I just came to check on my future brother in law." Gaara smiled, still trying to make the ravenette laugh.

"Keep that phrase for you, Naruto and Shikamaru and your legion of geeks the brotherhood edition." Menma spat with disinterest, but Gaara still kept a positive approach.

"Ha, you know about that?" He asked with a small chuckle.

"Naruto isn't exactly, quiet." Menma smirked slightly before wiping it off his face and fully facing him. "I'm a bad guy aren't I?"

"Why would you ask that?" Gaara asked.

"The way that I came off on Naruko and Naruto." Menma expressed. "I hurt their feelings and allowed my temper to get the best of me. I didn't want it to go that way or that far, but the way he behaved just pissed me off and then it was like Naruko wanted to take his side when clearly he was acting strangely and in the wrong."

"Well, in that case it was only inevitable, you're only human after all." Gaara replied as he sat on one of the beds and looked over at him. "Could you have seen it happening any other way?"

"..." Menma didn't reply as he really couldn't have.

"Look Menma." Gaara sighed. "Naruko wasn't picking a side, she was just flustered and overwhelmed by the argument. In a situation like that she wouldn't have been able to calm Naruto as he's been on edge himself lately, so that's why she may have said something to you instead, but the damage had already been done."

"..." Menma continued to stay quiet as he listened to Gaara's words.

"She likes to be able to help others, so seeing all of that blow up in her face, she's gonna be upset. She likes to know what's happening, to be on track of things and not be lagging on anyone or anything, she even noticed Naruto was acting strange long ago but still kept a low profile about it, until it began getting out of hand." Gaara continued as Menma leaned against the window and folded his arms.

"Right now, she's even upset with me and TenTen for a fact because we couldn't tell her what was up with Naruto. But as one of Naruto's best friends, I can't expose his business against what he wants, same with TenTen and same with the others." Gaara stated so that Menma would know this conversation isn't going to lead to him confessing Naruto's secret.

Which Menma was slightly irritated about.

"When you put it like that I can understand her. She does love micromanaging and having things in order and knowing all is well." Menma replied.

"Exactly, it's just her vibe."

"Well, what about Naruto?" Menma asked.

"What about him?"

"How can I be there for someone who's almost as hostile as I am like that when their under pressure?" Menma asked as he slowly started to approach the redhead. "Knowing that it's eating away at him on the inside and causing him to isolate himself like this and as his brother all I do is just sit, watch and wait..."

"..." Gaara froze as he genuinely didn't have the answer for that.

"What?" Menma asked.

"Well, when you put it like that so suddenly I'm kind of taken back."

"Then you see my issue here." He explained. "Keeping this from Mom and Dad if they don't know is a piece of cake, but how is going to affect us as siblings is my major concern."

"Clearly we can't handle ourselves and if it's such a major deal and Naruto is going to restore to acting like an ass over it and pissing us off if we try to pry, then that can't make me feel any less worried about him, even if I do have to knock his teeth out." Menma declared as he was showing Gaara a side of his concerns for his brother that Gaara could understand, especially when it came to Kankuro.

"Hm, when you found out Kankuro was into guys, how did you feel?" Gaara asked out of the blue, confusing Menma for a moment.

"Huh? Why ask me that so suddenly?" Menma questioned but answered regardless. "I didn't feel any type of way, besides betrayed that he didn't tell me first. But I kind of knew he might've been into guys cause before I got with Hinata and him and I were really high for the first time at my place we-"

"..."

"..."

"You what?"

"Nothing! You didn't hear a thing and you better not hear a thing if Naruko asks, got that?"

"Ha, brother's promise."

"Tsk, don't start with that crap." Menma smiled slightly before fanning him off and looking to the side.

"Well, if you were still supportive of him then and now without fully understanding the picture of the situation, then that's what you need to be for Naruto right now." Gaara explained. "Believe it or not, it took a lot of courage for Kankuro to admit his feelings for guys and he went through a lot personal stuff that neither Temari and I knew about until he told us, and to this day he still has our support."

"..." Menma didn't reply as he was suddenly deep in thought of something and seemed to be trying to figure it out.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I just thought of something a second there but it's nothing." Menma replied as he felt like he had connected a few pieces together, it was just a hunch though, but he was still sure about it.

"Oh, okay." Gaara replied as he wondered if he had figured it out through that story.

The two stood there in an awkward silence for a moment as Menma stood to his feet as Menma sat on the bed next to Gaara. He was a bit emotional still but not in a negative way as before and though he didn't like showing it, he was appreciative of Gaara trying to help him understand and also doing it in a way that didn't upset him.

Menma outstretched his arms and wrapped them around the stunned redhead who's eyes widened in surprise and confusion.

"Don't tell anyone about this either or I'll snap your neck." He warned before releasing him. "Also, thank you for looking out for my brother."

"Our brother" Gaara smiled. "And it's the least I could do for you supporting my brother in return, especially with that confession about the weed and you two potentially doing something-"

"Oi! These walls are thin, ya know!" Menma whined as he covered Gaara's mouth and the latter began chucking to himself.

"Ha, you're the one making confessions." Gaara laughed as he tried to break free of Menma's struggle to try and keep his mouth shut.

Meanwhile downstairs Ino waited for more information from the others as she was scrolling through her phone with Sakura and Sai on the line and the others chattering in the background.

She wasn't aware of the arrival of Rock Lee who knew nothing about what was taking place and as such walked passed her like normal and went upstairs to take a shower after his run.

Shortly after Sasuke entered the living room and then also made his way up the stairs, but he definitely knew that the others were gone as Sakura had texted him everything beforehand.

Naruto was fast asleep under his blankets when Rock Lee arrived but the raventte didn't see him and just assumed that Shino was with Kankuro. Lee looked over at Kiba's bed and immediately felt a wave of guilt wash over him seeing that it was empty and untouched as the day he had left it, he couldn't really bare to think about how things had come to this point all because he wanted Sakura to be happy.

"Dear Kaguya, I hope this all works out for them." He said with hope in his tone. He's been saying it for weeks now before collecting his things and heading to the bathroom for his nightly shower.

"Lee? Is Naruto there?" Sasuke asked as he was approaching the room.

"No, he's not."

"I see." He replied as he smiled to himself and looked back at Lee. "Seems like everyone is out then. We can hangout some more then."

"Yeah, after I shower."

"Hm, no problem. I think I'll take one too and we can meet up when we're done."

"..."

"Maybe watch a movie, or something else."

"Alright..." Lee replied before Sasuke smiled and walked away to his room.

"See you then, Lee."

•••