A New Beginning

Today, like any other day, Naruto woke up to the sound of little birds outside, near his window. Sure thing, he hates to wake up but couldn't deny that he has to get up one day. However, today, he would have to leave Kohona since he had a big rescue mission. Since the day Sasuke left, Naruto felt lonely and had to change his mind. This is why he took more missions then he would normally do. Even though these missions aren't always with his team, Naruto could always have fun with the other genin.

There was however a point in which his mood would take a hit. Today's mission was with none the other then team , which mean teamwork with Kiba and his mutt, Hinata and her problem to talk and the creepy bug user… which he doesn't recall his name. It's not that he doesn't like them, it's just that he found them strange. From all the other teams, this one was far beyond the other too weird. This team was compose of an aggressive stupid and odorant mutt, a strong willed but stammering and kind of clumsy Hyuga and finally an apathetic and dark (kinda like Sasuke) guy which Naruto didn't know much about, not even his name. Well at least they were all good friends.

As Naruto started to dress, he heard someone knocking on the door.

"I'm coming!" eagerly answered the blond. However, the person at the door didn't seem to have listened nor have patience so it keeps knocking on the door. "Stop knocking or you'll break the door. Just enter already!" By the time he had finish his sentence, Naruto heard the door open. Just by the smell of the wet dog revealed Kiba' presence and Naruto could only smirked when he remember all the time he told Kiba he had a Dog Breath. He sure did but Naruto always exaggerate. It sure was a warm smell that Naruto did appreciate but he would never tell Kiba or else he couldn't use it as an insult.

"Are you coming baka? You're worst then Hinata when she is dressing up." Kiba couldn't help but smile since he knew that Naruto had only got up from bed a few minutes before he arrived. Kiba took a tour of Naruto's house while the other was dressing up. The apartment was little, and there was almost no furniture but it was cozy and I guess once you start living by your own, you love your home.

As soon as Naruto got out of his room, he slowly made his way to the door while Kiba went out first. Naruto didn't know why but the leader of the mission always had to come to Naruto's house before the mission. He guessed it was because they fear he might pass the appointment. When Kiba and Naruto made it to the village's gates, Shino and Hinata were already there. They greeted each other in their usual form, which mean a long time for Hinata to finish a sentence and only a nod from Shino, he now remember his name. Naruto wasn't stupid, he knew something was off when he was near Hinata, but he didn't know why she almost always passes out when he talks to her. Kiba just smirked when he saw Hinata's reaction to Naruto greeting and they started there long way for their mission.

"Eummm… By the way, who shall we rescue?" asked Naruto. He had just stormed off Tsunade's office yesterday when she said he had a mission, not even asking for the detail. Team 8 wasn't surprised when Naruto only said before fleeing that he needed to be ready for their mission.

"It's a…a gu… guy nam… named Ibisha" said the stammering Hinata. Kiba continued his sentence since he knew it would take too much time for her to finish her sentence. "He is a paysan that got kidnapped by the Sound Village. It is a ranked C mission so don't fear anything."

"Meh! Me fear something ? I'm the future Hokage how may I fear anything?" answered a little pissed Naruto. Kiba could only chuckled when the blond talk about his dream of being Hokage. He knew he might be able to achieve it, but not without obstacle. Having heard Kiba laugh, he answered: "Well it will be a good opportunity to demonstrate you and your mutt how I will be Hokage. Since I came back from Ero-Sannin, I developed a lot of jutsu."

"Don't believe you are the only one that developed new technics, we all did, even that I'm pretty sure I could beat you without Akamaru now."Kiba had to answer; he couldn't let the blonde get all credits for the two and a half year past away from the village as if he was the only one that trained meanwhile his absence.

Both of them were mad now at each other and Naruto finally snapped. "Come on then you mutt, show it to me so I can laugh." Having heard Naruto, Hinata went between the two of them. It was always the same thing between these two but this time, Kiba push her and jumped on Naruto. Shino help her to get her back on her feet and when she recovered, she tried again to interpose between the man she loved and her best friend but Shino's hand stopped her.

Meanwhile, Kiba had jumped on Naruto and they were kicking and biting each other. It wasn't taijutsu, only a fight between them. By the time they had finished, they were laughing next to each other. It had been a while since they had this kind of fight and it was kind of a release for both of them. They didn't saw that Shino and Hinata just continued their way and the boys just stayed next to each other. They sat down and they look at each other before smiling. 'True friendship that's what I missed from Sasuke. I might have to get along with Kiba. He seems like someone nice.' think Naruto.

After finishing there "afterglow", the two boys started running after Hinata and Shino to finally catch up with them. Hinata just smiled at them and could only think of how jealous she was since Kiba had such a good relationship with Naruto. Even though sometimes she ain't sure if this is truly friendship she hope it is since, one day, she want to marry to beautiful blonde and have Kiba has is best man. While she was daydreaming, she didn't saw the sunset, and she was wake up by Naruto.

"Heh! Hinata? Are you alright?" To say, Naruto was a few centimeters from her face when he asked her and she had passed out. The team decided it would be a good place for the night and Shino went placing trap all around their camp. As soon as she woke up, Hinata and Naruto started to make the tent and Kiba, the fire. When Shino came back and that everything was finish, they sit around the fire to talk about the mission.

"Do you think I may have time to gather some intel in the Sound Village?" asked Naruto shyly. He was thinking it would be a little detour since they would stall in search of some informations. Kiba was a little bit pissed to hear him talk about Sasuke.

"Do you mind to stop talking about Sasuke? You're always talking about how you should bring him back to the village and how we should do everything to find him. Naruto, I'll tell you something, HE DOESN'T WANT TO COME BACK!" screamed Kiba. He was pissed Naruto would ALWAYS talk about him. Sasuke didn't even search for Naruto's friendship. All Kiba wanted was to Naruto to start thinking of people of stayed near him, people like him.

"Kiba! That was rude." Hinata said madly. She sat down next to the blonde who was softly crying. Kiba, however, didn't change his pissed off face but interiorly he knew he had made a mistake to say it like this. There was better manner to say it but he didn't do it.

"I'll show you Kiba that one day, he will come back. He will, I'm sure… He will come back for me… He will come back." Each time Naruto said it, his voice lost its strength before the blonde finally got up and just when in his tent. Team 8 stayed in silence the rest of the diner, before Shino and Hinata went to sleep, Kiba having the first round to guard.

"Heh! This baka won't understand that Sasuke won't come back." Kiba said it out loud so Akamaru could hear it. The large dog whimpers before resting on its belly. Kiba felt tormented about Naruto. Why? He didn't want him to suffer that much. When his shift finished, and nothing happened, he went to wake up Naruto who had the second one. When he opened the door, he saw the blonde awake and silently crying. Kiba decided to sit down next to him, just to be present for Naruto if he needed anything.

"I'm so stupid, began Naruto, how could I possibly believe he would stay for me? I'm just a demon container, that's how everybody sees me. I guess they are right…"

"You know it's not true Naruto. You know you got good friends. Stop thinking of this prick head and just turn to us. Why do you mind so much about him?"

"It's just, well , he is kind of my brother… The real person to have a real relationship with. You see, when I had discovered my Shadow Clone jutsu, I believe that I wouldn't be lonely like I always were. I tried to be friend with my shadow clones but… it wasn't the same thing as a real friendship. When Sasuke finally became my rival, and my best friend, I was so happy. It was the best friendship ever and when he quited, I just felt as if it meant nothing. All these moments we passed together and he just walk off…"

Kiba was a bit sad for his friend. If he's knew he would have been Naruto's friend a while before. He realised that what he had said previously was just too mean and that Naruto didn't deserve it.

"Naruto… I mean it… I'm sorry" This was a big effort from Kiba, to actually say that he was wrong. Naruto gasped when he heard him since he never heard Kiba apologised to anybody. "You see, you mean a lot for me, you're a good friend to me and everyone. I… I mean everyone don't want to lose you. You are a nice person and if that idiot of Sasuke can't understand it, well too bad for him."

"Thanks Kiba…, he said calmly. You too are a great friend …" Kiba just went to sleep but this night he couldn't, there was Naruto on his mind.

Naruto slowly woke up from his little nap and made his way to the fire. His mind was again on Sasuke like every other night. He couldn't tell Kiba is secret, his secret relationship with Sasuke and how they were boyfriend.