A/N: Guys sitting around talking...always dangerous.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anyone/thing in this story.

Chapter: 1

Kankuro was glad he was friends with Inuzuka Kiba. Shikamaru was a nice guy, and it was great that he was letting Kankuro stay at his place during the instructor exchange, but Kankuro liked to have a good time. Since the "sake disaster" when he'd first come to town, Shikamaru had sworn off going out to bars with Kankuro. Of course, that made Temari happy, but Kankuro had been bored until he met up with his old buddy, Kiba. The two shared a firm belief in a good time, and if one needed a little "hair of the dog" the next day, well, so be it. They could often be found giving Lady Tsunade a run for her money whenever she ventured out of her office and into a "real" bar.

Shikamaru was getting used to finding Kiba and Akamaru passed out in his living room at least once a week. After the first time, he didn't even bother to raise an eyebrow. Kankuro found a drinking buddy, and it didn't have to be him. So he'd just step carefully over the giant dog, walk into the kitchen and start making breakfast. The smells would eventually rouse the other three and then the small apartment would be filled with laughter as the two friends recounted the night's adventures for their host.

"She wanted me BAD!" Kiba boasted on one such morning.

"I don't think so Dog-Boy," Kankuro smirked showing a small bruise on his neck. "She was all about the Puppet Master!"

"Yare yare, no matter. Girls like that are just for fun. I've got a girl I'm seriously interested in." Kiba replied taking a nip from a small flask before putting it back in his jacket.

Shikamaru smiled.

"And her name would be Hinata right?"

"Hinata!" Kiba's eyes widened, "You can't seriously think I have feelings for Hinata? That'd be like dating my sister. Iya, that's too weird," Kiba shook his head. "Besides, she's not my type. I like girls with lighter colored hair."

"You mean like my sister?" Kankuro grinned, "watch out Shikamaru. Kiba here might give you a run for your money, you know Temari's wanted a dog since she was a little girl..."

Shikamaru closed his eyes and shook his head. Dog or not, that would never happen. Temari would eat Kiba for breakfast with wasabi on the side.

"Iya, Temari-san's not my type."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kankuro pretended to be fierce.

"I don't mess with my friend's girls. That's not me." Kiba nodded to Shikamaru who muttered, "as if..." before opening his eyes again.

"Ino has light hair, it's Ino isn't it?" Shikamaru put in turning the conversation away from his girlfriend. "You'd better start bathing Akamaru twice a week if you're even thinking about asking Ino out."

Akamaru whimpered and looked at Kiba. He got bathed plenty enough as it was, no one had ever complained before. Kiba patted Akamaru on the head and smiled. Comforted, the dog went back to his breakfast.

"Iya, there's no way I'd date Ino. Hell, I'd have to bathe twice a day to please her."

"Well, you're running out of women, unless you're thinking about Anko or Shizune, but they've got dark hair..." Shikamaru choked on his food, "NOT the Hokage! Are you baka? She'd stomp you into oblivion!"

Kiba spit his coffee across the table.

"Kami, that's bakana!" Kiba replied getting a towel to wipe the table. "No matter what she looks like, the Hokage's older than my mom!" He shuddered.

Kankuro chewed his tamogoyaki thoughtfully before pointing his chopsticks at Kiba.

"Are you thinking about anyone in Suna, you know, besides Temari? Depending on who it is, I could talk to her for you. Afterall, being the Kazekage's brother does have it's advantages."

Kiba shook his head, dishing out more rice for Akamaru.

"It's okay, she's a local. I've had my eye on her since the Academy." He sighed, "but it's never gonna happen. She barely knows I'm alive, and she's in love with someone else."

Shikamaru mentally went through every girl they'd gone to academy with who had light colored hair. He shook his head, this was indeed troublesome.

"Kiba, what in the world would make you fall for Sakura?" He asked.

"Sakura?" Kankuro choked.

Kiba put his head in his hands and groaned. Akamaru looked up from his plate. He'd seen that look before, they must be talking about the girl.

"Hai, hai, she's been in love with Uchiha since we were all in diapers." He looked up, "Not to mention she's got Naruto and Lee constantly sniffing around her skirt."

"Not that either of those boneheads has a chance," Kankuro stated.

Kiba shrugged and moved his food around on his plate.

"It's like I said, she barely knows I exist anyways. But she's really smart, and since she's been studying under Lady Tsunade she's become a lot more focused as a ninja. She's pretty and she's powerful. Who wouldn't want that in a girl?"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Kankuro nodded. "She saved my life and helped rescue my brother. I could never repay her for that. Of course, if I set her up with her future husband, that might be considered repayment."

"NANI?"

Kankuro drummed his fingers on the table thinking.

"How often do you actually speak to her?"

"Not often," Kiba shrugged. "Maybe once a week if she's not on a mission and we run into eachother, but then it's just a 'hi'."

The Puppet Master sat bolt upright and snapped his fingers.

"That's it! If she's not on a mission, where is she?"

Kiba didn't understand where this was going.

"Probably at the hospital."

Shikamaru raised his eyebrows. Unfortunately, from the gleam in Kankuro's eyes, he knew exactly where this was going.