notes: i began my naruto phase pretty late in my life, and i binge read the series, so here's a fic for my favorite team.
notes2: team 8 friendship is full of cunning love, i know it is.

It didn't really start off as a silent match of wits, but it does anyways, it was supposed to be a simple thing, but honestly, there's always something when it comes to games.

Kiba refuses to let Shino win this round, as he pulled out the card that he was going to play later—directly on top of the stack with a look of triumph.

"Draw two," He says simply.

Shino grimaced. "Really, Kiba?"

Kiba acted like he didn't hear anything, picking his ear and blowing on his pinky. "What, I don't remember what I did exactly—except you screwing me over earlier with that damn wild," he accused, sifting through his cards.

Shino sighed: "I didn't do it on purpose, it was the only card I could play without having to draw from the stack—" Shino pauses suddenly before realizing, this is exactly what Kiba wanted him to think. It was all a part of the scheme, he knew that Shino was too gracious during silly games like this; he knew the very minute Hinata suggested it.

Hinata, he suddenly remembers the conversation they had earlier and locks eyes with her. She flashes him a small grin as Kiba is still grumbling at nothing. Shino finishes his thoughts, so Kiba led him to put down all his simple cards and now Shino fell right into his trap, how did he not realize it sooner, how did he become so naïve playing this card game for only 30 minutes?

This game was meant for tearing others apart and now Shino is one of those people in the statistics in this very moment.

He's the one that's been torn apart. He's been betrayed by his own teammate, his friend.

Kiba's grin is almost dark, and there's a mischievous gleam in his eye as he realizes that Shino's assessing the situation.

Heh, that'll teach him for underestimating me.

Hinata looks between the two boys who are in an intense eye stare and realizes it's her turn, as she looks at her cards, there's a millisecond of horror that flashes across her face before it quickly disappears as she conceals it behind her poker face.

Finally, Hinata takes a deep breath finally playing the next card and Kiba follows her hand as she sets it down and his eyes widen looking back and forth between the card and Hinata. Kiba pales suddenly feeling cold "Hinata—you."

His eye twitches and Shino notices that Hinata laid out the worst wild card there is, a draw four and a color change.

Shino's lips upturn a bit, praising her internally, that was a genius move he has to admit. It continues this way for a good while, the three of them going back and forth, with deceitful schemes to get the other to draw more than what they need.

Sooner or later, Kiba's growling, Hinata's face calm as she continues along with the situation that only grows more intense, Shino notices the glint in her eyes; it'll be like this for a few more minutes before finally:

"I quit! I've had it with you two always ganging up on me with these damn games!"

Shino exhales and Hinata finally breaks out into her smile. "I knew he wouldn't last long," Shino adds and Hinata laughs lightly. "You're too hard on him, Shino, you irritated him since the beginning with those color swaps."

Shino crosses his arms and shakes his head: "Absolutely not, Hinata, you're the most devious out of us three even if you don't look it, it was your idea." He denounces, and Hinata grins looking to where Kiba stands there, hunched and jaw dropped in disbelief.

"This was all joke?! To see if I would quit!?"

"Yes, and it worked."

"Shut up, Shino!"

"Now, Kiba—" Hinata adds gently before he cuts her off.

"And, you—little miss sunshine, princess" he spits out, "It was all you, I can't believe this, you two love doing this to me, don't you?"

Hinata pats his shoulder gently, her smile soft and sweet, eyes like crescents. "We just know what pushes your buttons, Kiba, it's always entertaining to watch you explode."

Kiba makes a face, a faint flush on his cheeks. "Don't say stuff like that, it sounds like an innuendo."

Shino rolls his eyes at that. "How long are you going to sulk? I'm rather hungry since we've been playing well into the afternoon, it's almost dark out."

Hinata gasps. "So late already, we should probably get going."

Kiba folds into himself, sitting still, legs tucked in and his chin on his knees. "No way, you two might end up making me eat tofu instead of meat or somethin'. I don't trust you."

Shino's eyebrows twitch, whenever the taller young man is famished, there's always an irritation that wells up inside him. "Kiba," he informs moderately despite his impatience. "If you don't get up this instant, I will and just so you know, I have smothered you in my bugs before, so—" At that moment, Kiba gets up so quickly he surprises Akamaru in mid-yawn who watches him sprint out the door before he could even hear the rest of what Shino was going to say.

Shino, nodding appreciatively turns to Hinata. "Hm, you think we overdid it?"

Hinata smiles fondly as she watches Kiba, who didn't get very far, out the window tripping over his own feet and falling on his face, as Akamaru runs out and goes to his aid nuzzling him as the dog places his huge paws on Kiba's back who is still lying flat on the ground.

"No, not at all."

—

fin

thanks you for reading!