Shino was irritated by many, many things. For example:

Having to repeat himself.

People forgetting his name.

People who talk too loudly.

People questioning his decisions/authority.

This list, as anyone who knew the bug nin would know, was about as long as the trip from konoha to suna.

But there was one item that stood at the top of that list, an undisputed champion of Shino's buttons.

Kiba Inuzuka.

The fact that he always wore that smug smirk on his face was enough to drive Shino into a murderous rage. Then there was always the insistence that Kiba was team leader, Kiba was top dog, Kiba was the best, blah blah blah.

Kiba could take his pack mentality and shove it up his ass, as far as Shino was concerned. And if anyone was the better shinobi, it was Shino, hands down. Shino was a tactician. He always had a plan, and he could blend in to his surroundings.

Kiba, on the other hand, well...He wasn't the sharpest shuriken in the pouch, that was for sure. And when it came to planning, Kiba...Kiba didn't plan. And he was loud, and brash and rude and chewed with his mouth open and the guy was blue green colorblind for kami's sake and-.

Well, you had to put a foot on the brakes eventually. Especially when the Most Annoying Person in the Whole Goddamned World was around every. Single. DAY.

Then again, being a twelve year old, Shino didn't know everything either. One had to be aware of one's faults (unless you were a dog-toting moron). He also didn't have friends. He would watch Kiba go out with Naruto and Shikamaru and Choji...Kiba would even bring Hinata with sometimes. Maybe that's why he was so cheerful all the time...

Shino shook his head. The guy had just lost a match against Naruto, for kami's sake. Because of a FART. He sighed.

"Kurenai-sensei?"

Kurenai looked down, a bit surprised Shino was talking probably. "What's up, Shino?"

"Would you keep an eye on the matches for me and watch how the competitors do? Why, you ask? The reason is because I would like to go see Kiba in the hospital."

Kurenai smiled a bit, then nodded. "Alright, Shino."

Shino nodded and left, regretting his decision almost immediately. Visiting Kiba would take at least an hour, for politeness' sake. One hour of listening to Kiba brag and drone on about girls. It was during these conversations Shino was glad that he wore sunglasses; it allowed him to look like he was paying attention when he wasn't.

Kiba was in small room, and seemed to be trying to get up.

"You have been injured." Shino told him.

"I'm fine. Hinata hasn't had her match yet, we gotta go cheer her on. Well, I do anyways." He snorted, then grunted in pain at feeling one of his injuries.

Shino's brows furrowed. "Sit." He held out his hand.

Kiba snorted. "What, you gonna unleash your little bugs on me?"

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

Kiba lay back down on the bed. He remembered once when they had to infiltrate a mob hideout. While everyone else was making plans, Shino had somehow slipped away without anyone realizing he had left.

There had been a sudden onset of screaming and buzzing coming from the hideout.

When questioned, Shino explained that he'd simply planted a few of his kikaichu, let them multiply, then feed. The whole place was full of a bunch of passed out and dead criminals when Shino finally called his insects back, a huge horde somehow managing to fit into that creepy, creepy little twelve year old.

Kiba had learned an important lesson that day. Never fuck with Shino Aburame.

Shino went and sat in the chair next to Kiba's hospital bed. He ran through all the customary responses and conversation topics he had stashed in his mind, and none of them really applied to Kiba Inuzuka.

"How did you lose to a fart?" He finally asked. When in doubt, start an argument with Kiba. That usually put him in a good mood once Shino got tired of Kiba's shouting.

Kiba growled. "I didn't lose to a fart! That was a stupid thing that happened if Naruto hadn't done it I woulda won, BUG NERD."

Shino adjusted his glasses. "Sounds to me like you lost because of a fart, MUTT."

Kiba bared his teeth. "Ugh, you...I..."

" Kiba, you are clawing up your mattress. "

"Son of a slutty bitch in heat!!"

Shino raised a brow. Kiba's course language certainly didn't lack any imagination, he had to admit.

Shino stood. "I'll go get the nurse. Maybe she can bring you a wheelchair to take to watch Hinata's match."

"I'm not gonna use a wheelchair."

Shino shot him a look. "Did I ask you?"

Kiba huffed and flopped back onto hid shredded bed.