Chapter 1

Kankuro and Kiba

Kankuro glared at the wall across from him, downing the beer in his hand before slamming it on the bar counter in front of him. Giving dirty looks to anyone who dared meet his eyes he looked around, looking and finding what he was looking for.

There on the dance floor danced Kiba Inuzuka, who just happened to meet Kankuro's glare, brushing his dark locks from the deep brown pools that were his eyes. Smirking Kiba ran his hand through his hair again, then turned away, continuing to dance with the people around him.

Kankuro growled lowly, turning back around to face the bartender. "Another." The bartender, who at this point knew not to push Kankuro, raced off and brought him back another Coors. 'What an irritatingly stupid puppy.' He thought, glaring malevolently into his drink.

"You really should get over it. Does his opinion mean anything any ways?" Gaara had a point, but he didn't know the half of it. So, I ignored him.

I was sore at Kiba because of the other night.

* * *

"Hey, my name's Kankuro." I smiled at the shorter brunette boy.

"Hello." He smiled at me. "I'm Kiba."

"How about I buy you a drink?" I winked at him. "Or a couple."

"Sure." We walked over to the bar. I ordered a Coors, and he ordered a Miller Light. "Thanks!" Kiba sent me a heart melting smile.

"No problem." I said, leaning closer. "Your hot, I'm cold. You know what we can make? Steam." I winked again. Kiba grinned, standing up.

"You know what?" He asked.

"What?" I stood up, standing close to him. Kiba, still smiling, moved closer to me, beer in hand. Suddenly he smirked, lifting his drink above my head and emptying the contents of it on my head. Stunned, I stared at him in shock.

"So not interested, loser." Smirking again, Kiba sauntered off into the crowd, the people around me laughing.

* * *

"Stop moping. It's pathetic." I turned and gave my younger brother a hard look. Gaara just stared impassively at me, eyes unemotional and tone uncaring.

"Easy for you to say." I growled, staring over to where Kiba was dance with his group of friends. "You're not the one who got humiliated in front of the whole bar and got rejected."

"I understand how you feel." A smooth voice from behind us came. We turned to face a tall boy with long chocolate silk hair and pale lavender eyes. He was looking at Gaara, who had turned back around to stare into his drink.

"Good to know." I gave a small smile, holding my hand out to shake.

"My name's Neji Hyuga." The boy said in a polite voice.

"I'm Kankuro. Sabaku No Kankuro." I replied as he shook my hand. "Who was the girl who kicked your ass around?"

"Guy. Actually, you know him. A red head, sea foam green eyes, on the short side." His gaze returned to Gaara's stiff form. I followed his gaze and lifted an eyebrow. That's why he was on Kiba's side.

"I see. That brunette over there, with the fangs on his cheeks. His name is Kiba." I said.

"I'm sorry."

"Same to you." I sighed. "Why don't you take a seat with us." Gaara twitched slightly, his hand clenching around his bottle. Neji noticed this, and decided to sit next to me.

"Can I have a Margarita?" He asked the bartender. Soon he had his drink and was taking a sip of the cool, refreshing liquid. "What are you going to do about that Kiba guy?"

"I really don't know. What are you going to do?" I countered with a question of my own.

"Nothing. I've been chasing the same person for three years now, from my senior year to now." Neji's voice had suddenly taken on the coolness of an ice cube. "I'm finished."

If I didn't know my brother better I would have said he had no reaction. But, since I've known him since he was in diapers I could detect the look of shock and pain in his eyes, the slight flinch of his hand.

"I see. You sure?" I asked, watching my brother out of the corner of my eye.

"Yes." He responded quickly and calmly, taking a sip of his Margarita.

"Well, do whatever you have to." I smiled at him, and he chuckled. "Some people are just too difficult when it comes down to it." We both laughed it off.

I took a sip of my beer, then turned on my stool to observe the people around me. My eyes found Kiba, and he sure looked pissed. He was glaring at Neji and I, his arms crossed, his posture stiff. I raised an eyebrow at him when I caught his eye. The red fangs on his cheeks began to blend in with his skin as he looked away.

Time to see what would happen if I ignored him, I turned back to Neji. "Hey, Kiba's pissed that I'm 'flirting' with you" I made air quotes. "Just go with it, okay? Let's see what happens."

Neji grinned, and nodded. "Sounds fun. I love to piss people off." I laughed at that.

"I bet your good at it too!" We laughed again, looking happy and flirty, but really just having fun taking the piss out of Kiba. I turned and saw Kiba glaring daggers over here again. "Well, we sure are doing a good job." I said. "He's even more mad."

"Good." Neji smirked. "He deserves it. But he's not the only one. There are many people out there who do." He scanned the room, eyes lingering on Gaara for a while longer then everyone else. Gaara hadn't looked up from his drink since Neji had declared he wouldn't chase Gaara anymore.

"Some people just don't know when something good happens to them." I said softly, looking down then into Neji's eyes. Neji nodded, reaching over and squeezing my shoulder affectionately.

"Excuse me, can I have a word with you?" I looked up and found myself staring into Kiba's eyes. "Alone?" I looked at Neji.

"I'm sorry Neji-kun. I'll be back in a moment." I stood and followed Kiba, exchanging smirks with Neji on the way. I followed Kiba through a door way and up a set of stairs before we reached a little sitting area. There were couches and pillows, blankets strewn everywhere.

"This is where people who get too drunk stay." Kiba explained, his voice harsh.

"You had something you wanted to talk me about?" I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall. "Can we make this fast?"

Kiba glared up at me. "You're a jerk, you know that?" I raised an eyebrow, looking down at the shorter boy. Kiba's arms were rim-rod straight at his sides, his hands in clenched fists, his face covered in a beautiful rosy blush.

"Why is that?"

"You sure move on fast, don't you?" Kiba snapped, jabbing my chest with his finger. I rubbed the spot, wincing at the slight pain that was now there.

"Ouch!" I complained. "What was that for?"

"You're a jerk! You act like you liked me, but today your flirting with some long haired whore!"

"Neji is not a whore." I glared at him. "Why do you even care? I thought you didn't have any feelings for me."

"Why would you think that?!" He threw his hands up in the air, then turned and went to sit on a couch.

"Well, maybe a Miller Light poured on my head was the reason." I went and sat next to him, leaning back into the couch cushions. "The fact you said it so wasn't going to happen." I put emphasis on the word so. "And the fact you made me a laughing stock last night."

"Okay, okay. I get it." Kiba rubbed his eyes. "I get that I was being a jerk, okay? I'm sorry."

"I forgive you." I smiled and punched him lightly in the shoulder. HE smiled back at me, but his frown returned as I stood up.

"Where are you going?" He asked, standing also.

"Back downstairs to the bar. See ya!" I turned and began to walk away.

""Wait, Kankuro!" I looked over my shoulder at him. "That's it? That's all I get?"

"What did you expect?" I asked, turning fully to face him, that's when I noticed he was shaking and trying not to cry.

"Nothing. Just go." He turned around, facing away from me. He shoulders quivered more, and I knew he was crying. Slowly I walked over to him, wrapping my arms around him from behind. He jolted in shock.

"No, I won't leave until you tell me what you want." I said calmly. He shook his head, but I was one obstinate guy. "Tell me Kiba."

"I don't want you to flirt with that Neji guy! I want you to flirt with me! I want you to go after me!" He whipped around in my arms and hugged me around the waist tight. "Don't go back down to him!"

I chuckled, using a hand to lift his chin. "Neji and I aren't here together, or dating or flirting. He likes my younger brother. We did that just to make you jealous." I laughed at the look of rage on his face. "What did you expect, I was pissed when you rudely turned me down the other night, and I really didn't think it would even bother you."

"You asshole!" He hiccupped. I wiped the last of his trailing tears away.

"If I'm such an asshole, why are you still hugging me? Why are you still crying?"

He was silent a while, just holding onto me before he answered. "I want to get to know you. I want to be with you when we know each other enough." He looked up into my eyes, his eyes pleading.

"I want that too." I smiled. "I just wanted to be with you." I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. He smiled into the kiss, then kissed me back, wrapping his arms around my neck.