"Well, this is certainly different."

"Yeah. Big change from back home."

"Gotta love the ocean breeze. I love the warmth. Such a nice change from the cold and rain."

Streak of white blazes past.

Kiba smiles. Akamaru had been miserable lately; couped up inside all the time with no room to run around.

Naruto, ever the spaz, grabbed Kiba's wrist. "Let's go swimming!"

Kiba laughed and allowed himself to be dragged into the surf.

It was lateafternoon before Kiba managed to drag himself up out of the water. Naruto had been teaching him how to body surf. Kiba had loved it so much, once he got the hang of it anyway, that he hadn't realized just how draining it could be. He leaned down and picked up a fluffy towel. "Damn Naruto," he said as he dried his hair, "How can you still have any energy left?"

Naruto was drying off a few feet away. "Come on Kiba! You can't tell me you're already tired!"

Kiba plopped down onto one of the beach chairs, reached for a bottle of water, and drank deeply. He looked up at Naruto and burped. "You should know by now that I don't have as much energy as you do."

Naruto sat down on the other chair. Akamaru ran up, shook off a mound of sand that had accumulated in his fur, and sat down at Naruto's feet. Naruto looked down and smiled, "I thought you didn't like me Akamaru."

Akamaru tilted his head and barked, "I never hated you. I just didn't like you very much after that stunt you pulled at the Chunnin Exams."

Kiba laughed and Naruto sighed. "I really wish i had a clue what he just said." Kiba laughed harder and Akamaru smiled. "One day you might..." they agreed.

"Yeah right. Like I'd ever be able to learn that mess of barks and grunts and junk you call a language."

"It's not that hard. You just have to work at it. Once you get the basics down the rest is easy."

"Whatever." Naruto sighed. "Anyway..."

Moment of silence.

A warm breeze.

Gulls dove into the waves, hunting fish.

"Ahhhhhh," Naruto sighed contently. "Much better than home..."

Kiba nodded. "Much better than home..."

"I'm hungry," said Naruto as they finished up a game of volleyball. "You guys hungry yet?"

Kiba and Akamaru nodded.

"'kay. Help me with the wood." Naruto pointed to a pile of drift wood logs that had accumulated a few hundred feet from where the boys were camping out. They gathered a few armfulls of wood anf then went back to get 1 of the very large logs. Naruto piled the wood into a fire pit they had dug earlier in the day. "Now," he said as he looked around for the box of matches they had brought along, "Where did i leave those matches..." They searched for a few minutes but couldn't find them. "Oh well," said Naruto as he returned to the side of the fire pit. "Guess I'll have to lite it without matches." Series of handsigns. "Kanton!" Naruto spat flames onto the drift wood, which caught fire very quickly. "Thank you fire juitsu!"

"So..." said Kiba after Naruto's little pyro display had ended, "What's for dinner?"

"No clue. Let's see..." He reached for the cooler full of food. "Hmmm...steak, chicken...umm...corn...and...looks like potatoes. Sweet."

"Very." Agreed Kiba.

Naruto waited until there was a good bed of coals forming before he tossed the grill plate onto the fire. He waited about 5 more mintues for the grill to heat up and then tossed a few steaks and some chicken on. Soon enough the evening air was filled with the smell of grilling meats.

"Oh man that smells good!"

"Yeah. Good think Choji isn't here. He'd be going insane right now." Naruto flipped the steaks. "Look at those perfect grill marks!" Naruto took alot of pride in his ability to grill. It was one of his specialties and everyone knew it.

Kiba just drooled in response.

Naruto moved the steaks toward the outside edge of the grill to finish cooking. He grabbed two foil wrapped ears of corn and potatoes and placed them around the center of the grill. He put one more steak in the center, intenting to only sear the outside and warm it through. That one was for Akamaru. He waited a about 2 minutes and flipped the center steak. 2 more minutes and he took it off, put it on a plate and placed it on the table Kiba had just set up. Akamaru jumped up and with a bark of thanks dug into his dinner. Naruto turned the veggies and the chicken. 5 minutes later he took everything off anf put it on one giant platter. He took it to the table and set it down. Kiba grabbed the drinks and sat down, handing a soda over to Naruto. With a word of thanks he grabbed his food and dug in. Naruto smiled and and grabbed his food. They ate in silence, enjoying each other company without having to say a word.

Some time later.

"Hey Naruto," said Kiba as he leaned back and sighed contently.

"Yes," belched Naruto.

"You have got to teach me how to grill like that..."

Naruto nodded. "This summer, 'kay?"

"'kay." He sighed again. "Best day ever?"

"Best day ever..."

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