Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Rating: T, for Kiba's potty mouth (Bad dog!) and some making out and innuendo.

A/N: Whoo! Procrastination-no-jutsu! I was working on an impossible paper and this little ficlet wanted out of my head. I couldn't say no. So, enjoy!

Playing Favorites

Ino was Kiba's favorite.

Of course she was: she beckoned him, danced away. Slipped through his guard, laughed at his lame jokes (when no one else was around but them), used her nails to scratch Akamaru's belly. Yelled and hollered back when he yelled and hollered at her, and she kept her eyes on him like he was going to run from her and she would have to chase and catch him.

Like if he did, she'd like it and keep him guarded more closely than before.

Sakura was pretty, yeah, but she rolled her eyes at him. Impatient. Irritated with him for just being who he was. She didn't like Akamaru. And he knew she thought he and his dog were some wild animals, even though Akamaru was perfectly tame, and they lived in a house.

He grinned when he pointed this out to Naruto, who said, "Well, she likes being in control. The only person who controls you is…you."

That was true. But he could think of a dozen ways Ino controlled him- -or maybe it was him letting her control him. Confusing.

Hinata…hn…way too innocent…and being with her was like being with his sister. With her, he couldn't imagine the kinds of situations he imagined Ino in. He couldn't get under Hinata's skin like he could Ino's. And he didn't think about getting in her pants like he did Ino's. Or…up her skirt.

Whatever.

Tenten-oh, hell no. Who knows what sort of maso…mascho…maschisistic? (Oh, masochistic, thanks, Ino) situations she got off on. And then he'd have to deal with freaking Rock Lee and (shiver) Neji. Hated Neji. Okay, not hate. Extremely disliked.

Nah. Hated, definitely.

There was one time when Shino mentioned that Kiba never paid his teammates any attention when she was around, like her presence tossed them in a closet somewhere. Out of sight, out of mind (like, yeah, that could happen with people, pfft). The complaint, coming from Shino, made Kiba laugh- -and think.

"Why can't I think of anyone but you when you're around?"

She laughed, throatily. "'Cause you love me."

"Hn." He loved her. Teasingly, he said, "I don't think so."

"I totally think so. And 'cause I make you hot'n'bothered." Ino's eyes went heavy-lidded, blue sparkling, and she shifted closer to him, so close he could feel the warmth of her body. "Very hot and bothered."

Her hand smoothed up his spine; her mouth rubbed his. Heat. Heart pounding. And explosive need.

Her tongue coaxed him into giving her what she wanted. But what she wanted was to give him what he wanted. His hands found her curves- -hips, ass, breasts. He could fall away like this forever and never regret it.

Argh, she was doing it again. Controlling him. Making him feel…like…this. Oh, God. There was no description powerful enough to label the surge in his chest.

She'd hooked him, pulled him into her own world, reminding him why she was his favorite.

She made him feel favored.

A/N: I have the feeling this turned out a little weird. But I think it's cute Kiba's half-conversing with Ino and half-in his head. I might tinker with this a little in the future. Lengthen the ending, maybe. Eh. Give me your thoughts, people.