A/N: Something I came up with when I couldn't sleep. Any feedback is, as always, very welcome.

***

"Kami?"

The chestnut-haired girl lifted her gaze from one of the Inuzuka dogs on her lap and looked at the boy, who towered above her sitting form. He sported a frown and a rather uneasy poise.

"What is it, Kiba?" Kami asked, returning her eyes to the dog as it squirmed to get her attention and some more scratching.

"I was wondering would you be my girlfriend" Kiba said, and when Kami's head shot up with a stunned expression he continued: "Not for real, though. See, I'm trying to figure out what Hinata thinks of me." The red marks on his cheeks almost disappeared as he blushed.

"Kiba, you're seventeen!" Kami scolded. "Just go ask he! Hanging with me won't make her like you!"

"I can't just walk up to her and ask!" Kiba said, exasperated. "That would be way embarrassing! Please, Kami!"

The girl sighed. Boys.

"Alright, then," she gave in. Kiba's face lit up immediately and he crouched down to hug her.

"Thanks, Kami! Come to the training grounds around noon, we'll tell Shino and Hinata and then go get something to eat!"

*

Shino and Hinata's expressions had radiated pure surprise, when Kiba had greeted Kami with a huge smile, a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Both seemed pleased to see their team mate happy, which to Kami simply meant that Hinata wasn't interested in Kiba that way.

A month later the whole Konoha seemed to know they were an item. Kiba played his part dutifully. He took her out on dates, strolled the streets hand in hand with her and shared long goodbyes with her before going on missions.

After four more months of fake-dating Kami was really getting used to hanging out with Kiba. She stopped scoffing behind other people's backs at Kiba's show. She thought his antics were simply adorable. And, when Kiba kissed her in front of everyone at the ramen stand five and a half months after the beginning of their make-believe relationship, she thought that maybe he really meant it.

But a month later it all came crushing down. Ino had thrown a party just for the heck of it, and everyone was invited. First half of the night Kami spent on the couch next to Kiba, his arm around her shoulders. Finally thirst drove her to kitchen, and when she returned Kiba was nowhere to be seen. She frowned, but shrugged it off and went to chat with Tenten and Sakura. Half an hour later she was forced to look for a toilet. She climbed up the stairs and randomly picked a door to see whether it concealed the room she needed.

This was where she froze in her tracks. Kiba was kissing Hinata, who didn't seem to have anything against it. A lump in Kami's throat hitched her breathing and her eyes were suddenly burning with salty water. After snapping out of the shock she closed the door quietly and made her way down stairs. She was halfway out the front door, when her intended departure was noticed.

"Kami? Are you going already?" Naruto asked. She turned to look at him. His eyes widened with shock at the sight of her tear striped cheeks.

"Wait a minute, I'll come with you!" he quickly said.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, as they walked the relatively empty streets.

"Kiba got his Hinata," she muttered. Saying it out loud made her heart sting. Naruto looked dumbfounded, then frowned.

"What do you mean? Is he cheating on you?"

Kami let out a little sad laugh.

"No. This whole thing was started because he wanted to know how Hinata felt about him. I saw them kissing, so I guess they got together."

"How could that idiot get Hinata?" Naruto grumbled. Kami looked at him, a brow raised.

"You like her?"

Naruto blushed crimson.

"No! I mean, yes- But, no-"

"It's alright. She likes you too. At least did," Kami told him smiling.

"But that doesn't change the situation," Naruto then said. "And it doesn't explain why you're crying."

"I fell for him." It felt good to let it out, she noticed. Naruto said nothing, only nodded.

*

Two weeks later Kiba and Hinata were seen together wherever they went. Everyone seemed to have forgotten of the Inuzuka's relationship with Kami, and people only cooed at the cuteness of a confident-shy –combination.

Naruto and Kami were also sighted often, eating ramen or just sitting on a bench, talking in hushed voices. Only few people noticed the strange behaviour of the two: Naruto was slightly depressed and quiet, and Kami wasn't seen anymore with any of the Inuzuka dogs she was so fond of. And whenever Hinata and Kiba approached, the other two would change direction.

*

"That's it!" Naruto decided loudly one day. He and Kami were seated on a bench, from where they saw Kiba with Hinata in his arms some ways off. Before Kami had the chance to do anything, the knucklehead was up and going towards the lovebirds. She sighed and took after them.

"Hinata, I love you!" she heard Naruto declare in a shout. She cursed under her breath and picked up her pace. She saw Hinata's surprised expression and Kiba's astonishment. Looking guilty, Hinata turned to look from the blonde to the brunette.

"I-I'm sorry, Ki-Kiba-kun," she stuttered. "B-but I-I think it's the right thing to-to do i-if we break u-up."

Kiba was shocked and paralyzed. With an apologizing look Hinata turned back to Naruto, who was grinning like an idiot.

"I-I lo-love you too, Na-Naruto-kun," she said, smiling at him and blushing.

As the new happy couple took of, both looking as happy as ever, Kami, who had stopped some feet away from the scene, looked at Kiba. He seemed to be swallowing back tears, his hands clenched into fists. Then he suddenly turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly, staring to the ground.

"For what? Telling Naruto to take Hinata from me?" he growled, his voice bitter and hurt.

"I did nothing of the sort," Kami said. "But I guess you believe what you want. See you around, Kiba."

She turned to leave, when he yelled after her.

"Wait!"

She stopped and waited, as he made his way to her. He rounded her to face her.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, hands in his pockets now. "I know you wouldn't do something like that. And I also knew that Hinata has always had it for Naruto. It's just… Losing two great girls in such a short time really does something to you."

Kami's head snapped up.

"Two? Who else did you date?" she asked, confused. Kiba chuckled suddenly.

"Silly. You, of course. When you and Naruto started hanging out I felt like strangling him. But I reckoned I got what I asked for."

"What?"

Kami was genuinely confused now. Kiba chuckled again.

"It's called karma, you know. I was a jerk, using you like that. I think I fell in love with you when we were faking it. But I guess you don't know what you've got until you lose it. So, what I'm saying is would you give me a chance? For real, this time."

"Oh my God," Kami breathed out and jumped forward to hug the grinning boy. He laughed his barking laugh and swirled her around in the air before setting her down. Both their faces were lit up with a smile.

"You know, mom has been asking about you," Kiba told her, smirking. "She wondered why you haven't been over."

"Well, let's not disappoint her, shall we?" Kami grinned. "Besides, I've missed Akamaru and the other cuties."

"Including me, right?"

"Naturally."

***

A/N: Umm… If the first paragraph didn't blend in with the rest too well, please tell me. It's really hard to tell from here. It was written a couple of weeks before rest of the fic. I'd also like to apologize for another thing – I have no idea if Kiba's behaviour would make any sense to a guy. I'm not a guy, so you just have to bear with me. X)