Title: Anonymous Response
Style: Oneshot
Characters: Ino & Kiba
Ino heaved a sigh as she sat by her window, scowling at the full moon. She had been out in the afternoon and happened to run into Sakura and Sasuke. The couple asked her to join them for lunch; Ino was reluctant at first, but Sakura would not hear of it and insisted she join them. Ino had sat in front of the couple in the little restaurant plastering a fake smile on her face. Sakura and Sasuke had been together for a year and a half, and their relationship had been going strong. Sasuke's stoic-typed behaviour had lessened considerably. He still appeared calm and collected; Sakura being the energetic one of the two. Somehow they worked, and Ino was mentally grimacing at their displays. Small kisses, feeding each other, and that little smile that crept onto Sasuke's face every once in a while.
She had come back home frustrated. All her friends had boyfriends now. She'd been dating but no one had the flare or spark she was interested in. At twenty-two years old, she was getting bored. She wanted company.
Ino bit her lip as she turned away from the moon and groped for the wireless phone in the dark. Her fingers connected with the cool plastic, and immediately she pulled it and dialed her best friend's number, Shikamaru. He would always listen to her complaints and let her vent. If he found it troublesome, he never told her. He accepted it and offered advice.
She held the phone to her ear and waited for the other side to answer.
"Hello?"
"Hey Shi-" Ino started but suddenly realised that wasn't Shikamaru's voice.
"Ino? Hey, what's up?" the voice sounded slightly confused.
Should she ask who was on the phone? No, no... that'd be rude. "Hey, you! How's it going?"
"Uh... good, and yourself?"
"Great, great!"
"It's kinda late... is everything okay?"
"Yeah, it's fine, really. I just thought I haven't seen or spoken to you in a while, wanted to see how you were doing." Ino risked it, what if she saw him these passed few days?
"Well... it's alright. Haven't been doing anything interesting. Haven't gotten any missions for the passed month. So it's kinda boring."
"Hm, I see. It's no fun in interrogation either. Now that's boring."
"I can imagine... You're hardly sent out on missions anymore."
"Yeah... most of my missions are like being in interrogation anyway. I miss the action."
The voice humphed his approval.
"So tell me, how's the girls going with you? Eh?" Ino tried another approach, maybe she'd figure out his identity by his girlfriend.
"Nah, no girls at the moment... no body interesting. Yourself?"
Damn. "Oh, y'know. Meaningless dates, nothing serious, no one interesting either."
She heard shuffling on his side, and what she assumed was a setting down of a plate, followed by water. Ino tried to think of another question that'd make him spill something about him! Oh! Names!
"How're your teammates?"
"They're doing alright. You know how everything is now, people caught up in their lives."
"Yeah..." her response was low.
"Uh... are you sure you're fine?" he asked with genuine concern.
"Yea- no- I'm okay," she slapped her forehead with her palm for the mix-up in her speech.
"Aw, c'mon. Tell us the news."
"It's fine, really." Ino waved a dismissive hand, and immediately dropped it as no one was there to view the gesture.
"C'mon, Ino! It's almost eleven, something's gotta be wrong for you to want to call at such time. I'm still trying to figure out why you called me, but whatever, it's cool. Now spill."
It sounded so tempting. Should she? Ino bit her lip before shrugging.
"Well... I don't know- I mean- it's just seeing all my friends being caught up in their private lives, as you just said. It's making me feel out of place."
"I know what you mean. I had to endure being the tag-along at a double-date. Watching couples sucking face when you're single is no fun."
She chuckled, "yeah, I was out with Sakura and Sasuke earlier. I guess it made me realise how bored I am."
A not too innocent chortle escaped the voice's lips. "So what kind of fun you into?
Ino didn't miss the intentional perverted side of the question. "Oh shut-"
"Hey! Hey, Akamaru get away from there!"
"Kiba!" Ino blurted out, but then just as suddenly bit her tongue.
"Yeah, what?"
Yes! "Oh, nothing, nothing. Hi."
There was a slight pause before Kiba spoke again, "did you just realise you were talking to me?"
"What? No!"
"Come to think of it... you started to say Shikamaru before you stopped-"
"I... Okay, okay, fine. I just dialed the wrong number."
"Don't you know, Shikamaru's number and mine have a one-number difference?"
Ino held the phone in front of her and read the number she dialed carefully. Right there, in the middle, she accidentally pressed a nine instead of a six.
"So it is," she said after bringing the phone back to her ear.
Kiba laughed, "well, I'm glad you made that mistake."
"Why?" Ino smiled.
"I wouldn't have gotten the chance to ask you- do you wanna go out some time? Seeing as we're both single and all."
Ino held the phone with both hands and sat up straighter, quickly thinking through the offer. What? It could be interesting. "Erm... sure. I'd really like that."
Ino could hear the smile in his voice, "great, wanna do something tomorrow? Or is that too soon?"
"No, no... Tomorrow's perfect. Pick me up at seven?"
"Sweet. Ok, I'll see you then..."
"Wait! You don't know where I live."
He chuckled, "I'll track you down. 'Night babe."
"O-oh, bye."
A smile broke out on her face. She decided that she didn't regret it. She knew Kiba for a long time. They may not have been the best of friends, but he sure was classified as interesting. Who knows? Maybe their date would go great. You wouldn't know what to expect from an Inuzuka anyway.
Author's Note: I've actually had this written over a month ago. I'm not too happy with it, but considering it was finished, and I don't know what else to add to it, I thought "what the hell" and just decided to post it :P Despite the fact I don't think it's great, I hope you guys enjoy it! Thanks for reading! :)