"Shinoooooo!"

The cloak clad chuunin sighed, he couldn't go one minute without hearing a complaint from his teammate Kiba Inuzuka. Shino sighed, his brow knit together as he turned to face his teammate.

"What is it Kiba?" He asked through grit teeth. It was bad enough that he was on a mission, but it was worse that he to bring Kiba along with him. He sighed again, why did Hinata suggest that both of them go into the forest to help Kiba clear up his strange behavior? Kiba was just even whinier that he had to leave Akamaru behind while they took a walk.

Kiba only whined more, scowling as he pestered the Aburame. "Geeez you act like I annoy you or something Shino." His arms crossed over his chest as he sulked. What was that mutt's problem? Kiba had been acting even more whiny than usual, if that was even possible.

Shino's eyes narrowed under the goggles, "…You always annoy me, dog breath." He proceeded to walk away from the Inuzuka.

"Hey! Why don't you say that to my face!" Kiba challenged, stepping forward.

Shino stopped in his tracks; twisting his body round and held a bouncing flea on his index finger.

"Come closer and I will." 'What's with him?...He's been acting like this for over three months…he hasn't been like this since when were first put on squads.' The Aburame was perplexed by his teammate's strange behavior pattern. One moment Kiba would seem fine around everyone then when he would get near Kiba, the Inuzuka would change. When he was around Shino, the mutt would glare at him and pout, a lot. Not to mention he'd find Hinata and ignore the Aburame.

Shino watched as Kiba growled and came after him. "Weirdo!" The Aburame did not flinch, already used to hearing such a word about himself.

He stood there calmly as he sent a swarm of fleas onto Kiba. "Fool…"

Kiba's eyes widened as he was consumed by a veil of biting fleas. "Shino! No fair! Ah!" The chuunin fell onto his back and scratched roughly at his leather clad skin. Shino just stood there, sighing in frustration at Kiba's stupidity.

Still scratching Kiba glared at him, "W-why did you send fleas at me!?" His anger was replaced with desperation and hurt.

"Because…you annoy me." He stated calmly, turning away and rolling his hidden eyes.

Kiba winced as his teammate turned away from him, "C'mon Shino, get em off me, nnngh."

The other shinobi stopped dead in his tracks. He sighed and called forth his insects to return back to him. "…Fiiiine." He was quite annoyed with his teammate, but as he looked at the helpless Inuzuka he couldn't help but feel his heart weigh heavy with regret.

Kiba lay there limp in the dirt as the fleas retreated from his scratched body. With a sigh he sat

up; looking over at Shino with gratitude and slight anger mixed with a bit of sadness. 'Sadness huh? Why would Kiba show that?'

His eyes were still focused on Kiba as he struggled to stand up. What came next out of the Inuzuka's mouth surprised him.

"Shino….t-thanks." He found that Kiba's eyes were locked onto the ground. 'Strange, even for Kiba…he always makes eye contact with me…'

"Whatever…" he turned away from the Inuzuka again. "freak." The chuunin started his walk up again.

Hearing the sound of Shino's footsteps fading away, the Inuzuka jogged to catch up to him. "H-hey w-wait up Shino!" The Aburame felt his arm being grabbed by Kiba. Shino turned his head to face Kiba. The Aburame noticed that Kiba's cheeks were a little pink. 'Pink cheeks as well?...Is he…infatuated with me? Well it would explain everything.'

Shino sighed as he tugged Kiba a little closer to him, blood burning underneath his cheeks. The Inuzuka did not fight him, but stuttered quite a bit.

"S-Shino? What are you doing?" Kiba's face only darkened to a scarlet red as he felt the Aburame's form through his cloak.

"Shut up Kiba…" Shino tightened his grip on the Inuzuka and pulled him into an awkward hug.

Kiba's heart rate increased, as well as his breathing while he uttered the word, "Ok…" He relished in the contact Shino allowed him, and then inhaled the scent of the Aburame. 'Smells like insects and foliage.' A genuine smile carved itself on Kiba's lips as he inhaled more of Shino's soothing scent.

Under the black mask a slight smile formed on the Aburame's face. Shino was very impressed that Kiba had even bothered to listen to him. Such a gesture made his stomach flood with warmth.

He hugged Kiba tighter, bringing his masked lips atop the Inuzuka's head as he whispered, "Good dog…"

Normally the Inuzuka's anger would have flared, but being in this position with Shino only relaxed him; he didn't even mind that Shino had just degraded him. The truth is that he actually kind of liked Shino praising him like a pet; it gave Kiba a sense that he had pleased the Aburame, which was very hard to do. He sighed contently and wrapped his arms around Shino's cloak clad torso.

Smiling a little more, the Aburame planted a silent kiss atop Kiba's head. As he did so, he could feel Kiba's grip tighten. He chuckled softly and released the Inuzuka. "Come on Kiba…let's return to the village…Hinata is already worried about us." With that Shino began to walk towards the village gates, but was stopped by clawed hand.

"Hold on Shino…" Kiba said abruptly. He walked closer to Shino until he was in front of the other chuunin. Shino was puzzled, but observed Kiba closely. The Inuzuka seemed to be flustered and fidgety as he tried to look Shino in the eyes without looking elsewhere. Finally Kiba managed to lock his eyes with Shino's goggle covered ones.

Kiba sighed, and took a few steps closer to Shino until he was making skin tingling contact again. The Aburame watched calmly as Kiba dug his claws into his cloak tightly.

"…Kiba…" The Inuzuka's face was flushed scarlet red as Shino whispered his name. Once Kiba looked away, Shino smirked a bit then sighed. He knew what Kiba was trying to do, and it made the Aburame blush a bit. 'I guess I have to initiate it.' Shino's arms once again circled the smaller chuunin's body; dragging the Inuzuka out his daze. He then leaned in closer to the other's face to where their noses touched. Quickly, Shino pulled down his mask and pressed his lips onto Kiba's stunned ones.

Kiba was in shock as Shino kissed him. When he felt Shino start to pull away, he finally pressed his own lips against the Aburame. The little kiss ended quickly, with Shino putting his mask back into place. He watched the expression on Kiba's face with a small smile.

"There…now come on Kiba." He began to walk once again towards the gates of Konoha. In an instant that clawed hand was once again on Shino's, but it had no intention of halting the Aburame this time. Instead Kiba was at his side grinning widely, those sharp fangs of his showing themselves to everyone and anyone.

"Hey Shino?" Kiba asked, full of his cocky attitude once again.

Shino sighed, ready for his whining to continue, "What is it kiba?.."

Kiba smirked then licked the spot where Shino's lips were on his mask. "Love you Shino." He said, his cheeks once again dusting pink.

Shino stopped and stood there motionless for a few seconds, the blood rising to his cheeks again. Kiba looked at him worriedly and motioned to apologize, but Shino cut him off, "L-love you too…Kiba…" The large smile returned to the Inuzuka's lips leaping into the air and shouting, "Yahooo!" Shino sighed, shaking his head. Sure, he loved the energetic moron, but Kiba was still obnoxiously loud.

"I'll race ya Shino!" The Inuzuka then took off at top speed to the gates.

"Can't wait to see Akamaru again huh?" The Aburame then started up his walk again, a small smile gracing his hidden lips as he watched a grown Akamaru pounce on his owner; licking Kiba with excitement. As he entered the gates he noticed Hinata smiling at the dog duo. He quietly walked over to his teammates, standing by Hinata as Kiba was being licked to death by Akamaru still. Hinata looked over at Shino and smiled, "Oh, h-hello Shino…h-how was the m-mission?" She giggled as Shino's face flamed up.

He cleared his throat and nodded, "I-it went well…I managed to complete it…before we got to the gates…"

Hinata smiled, "Oh, I'm g-glad. S-so you found out what w-was wrong w-with Kiba after all?"

Shino nodded calmly, "You could say that…we needed to clear things up." His eyes were glued to the ground as he spoke.

Hinata's smile grew as she darted her look between the rejuvenated Inuzuka and the flustered Aburame. She was glad, her plan had worked to get them to confess, and neither of them knew about it.

Shino eyed Hinata though, "Thanks…for suggesting that we head into the forest to try and fix Kiba, but Hinata…I wonder…why didn't you and Akamaru come with us? We're supposed to solve these kinds of things as a team." His hands were in his pockets as usual while he questioned his female teammate.

The Hyuuga smiled innocently, "I-I just thought t-that it would be better for you two to do it t-together, b-because he was always acting strange around y-you, but not anyone else."

The Aburame simply stared at her. 'So she knew all along what was wrong with Kiba…and she sent us out hoping to clear everything up.' Shino nodded then walked over to Kiba, petting Akamaru. Hinata observed them and smiled when Kiba's eyes lit up upon seeing the Aburame.

Owari