AN: I like this chapter better. Enjoy.

Tenketsu: Day 2

Kiba had always had a respectful admiration for Naruto's ability to throw back a drink.

On the other hand, he'd rather die than admit that she had twice his tolerance. He put it down to the beast in her stomach (he probably had to have some too!), but sometimes, he really didn't know. She was strong, and she probably had twice his muscle. And hey, if alcohol tolerance had anything to do with chakra, she could bulldoze him in that respect.

Naruto never made fun of him for it. She probably knew it was a freakish ability, and they still had drinking contests. Kiba had quickly realised that no one ever won drinking contests, anyway. Everyone finished the drinks; the only winner was the lone sober spectator, and that only became obvious the next morning.

"Have you heard?"

Naruto didn't turn her head, but flicked her gaze to the side whilst tipping a cup of sake into her mouth. Kiba took it as an acknowledgement, and continued.

"Since the alliance and all that, they've started importing a beverage from up north of Kumo called vodka. It's literally pure alcohol, and water." Kiba looked excitedly at Naruto. She snorted, wiping her mouth and slamming the cup onto the counter.

"Sounds delicious," she said dryly, tracing the rim of the cup with her finger.

"Hey, that's the best bit!" Kiba said, grinning. "Tastes like nothing, so you can mix it with anything. Might even be enough to get you drunk."

She laughed, but inwardly snorted. She wasn't a skeptic, but it was unlikely any drink was going to be getting her drunk any time soon.

"Oi!" Kiba motioned for the bartender, and he drew up to their end of the counter. The Inuzuka grinned widely. "Got any of that new stuff from Kumo?"

The man placed an elbow on the counter, and laughed. "Yeah. You'll be having it mixed, won't ya? Stuff's twice the strength of sake. You gonna be giving that to girlie over here?"

Naruto stopped herself from laughing in his face, and Kiba looked the same. The boy laughed awkwardly. "She can take it. Let's have it unmixed, old man!"

The bartender's face turned sour, pouring the liquid from a glass bottle whilst grumbling about being called 'an old man! Hmph. Kids these days-'

Two tall glasses, unlike the little cups for sake, slid across the counter, filled to the brim with something that could pass for water if it were not for the unforgivably burning stench that was wafting over from the liquid. It smelled like nail varnish, to Naruto, and with the Inuzuka's traditionally apt sense of smell, she could only imagine how bad it smelled to him.

True to her thoughts, she turned to the Kiba only to find him crinkling his nose. "No time to think," he decided. "3 seconds, we down it! You ready, Uzumaki?"

Naruto smirked, and Kiba returned it, clasping his glass.

"3, 2, 1-"

They both drank it in 2 seconds flat.

"I so finished before you!" Kiba declared, pointing a finger at Naruto that almost poked her eye out.

"Goddamn it, Kiba! Will you fucking be more goddamn carefu-"

"Hasn't hit me yet. Another round, boss!"

Naruto had a very bad feeling. If she'd had a glass that tall of sake, even she might have felt the effects slightly. And this was twice the percentage.

"Kiba, come on-"

He ordered two more rounds, and then, Kiba reached that stage of very, very drunk where he was quiet and pensive. Naruto had seen it many times – and now, she was beginning to feel quite drunk herself; nowhere near the extent that he was, but she was hazy, strange, more truthful than she should have been.

"Naruto?"

She nodded. "Kiba?"

"I'm... you know, honestly... I don't think Sasuke's dead either." His words were slurring, but Naruto understood them well enough.

Naruto's eyebrows rose, and then she smiled. It was a small smile, but more genuine than any smile she'd given anyone in months. "I'm glad."

"I just... ya know... everyone's given up on him. He just... went missing... but I don't think he's the sort to just die like that..." Kiba stretched, and yawned, smiling at Naruto. "I'm... hah. Fuckin' Uchiha Sasuke would have a majestic death, and every girl ever would turn up at his funeral..."

"Man, if it makes you feel any better, I wouldn't turn up."

Kiba laughed. "Thanks, Naruto."

'That's the worst lie I've ever heard from you. You'd be the one dropping flowers on the coffin.'

"Hey, Kiba?"

The Inuzuka turned his head, eyelids lazily half-lidded. "What?"

"Am I stupid, for thinking Sasuke's alive?"

'Yes. Yes. Please let him go.' "No... like I just said, I agree," Kiba whined. But he knew what Naruto meant; whereas he just had an instinct that some guy with a constantly badass, dramatic life wouldn't burn out like a light bulb, Naruto well and truly believed that her best friend was alive, somewhere.

Because the reality was, people did burn out just like light bulbs, in events both quick and pathetic in comparison to their exciting, drawn-out lives.

"You know what I mean, Kiba." Her eyes were glazed over, like her mind was elsewhere. Kiba hated that more than anything; that lost look that she got when she was thinking about him. He hated him, because if Sasuke was alive, then what did that even mean?

It just meant that Sasuke had abandoned Konoha, had abandoned the world, without a word to Naruto, or anyone at all. But that was how it was; Kiba knew that if the Uchiha had found anyone worthwhile in Konoha, it was Naruto.

He'd known. Sasuke had never cared about anyone, never acknowledged anyone – that was what it was. He'd never bothered to get annoyed at anyone, but bit by bit, Sasuke began to spare some time to get angry at Naruto. They'd become fierce rivals, and there had come a time when Kiba had seen it in Sasuke's eyes. Once. Just once.

Kiba had suspected something of the like since they were younger, but amidst the alliance, Sasuke and Naruto had fought fantastically side by side, as though they had been born to fight beside one another their whole lives. And whilst Naruto was preoccupied, Sasuke had looked at her. A split second, a wistfulness in the eyes, in the heart-

And the Inuzuka had seen it. Sasuke, as dead as he was inside or out, had loved Naruto.

In his heart of hearts, Kiba knew the Uchiha was dead. He would have come home – reluctantly, pulled by the arm, hardly welcomed but still a true hero. He would have come home to Naruto, be it unwillingly or not. If Uchiha Sasuke would have done anything, the last thing he would have done would be fading into obscurity.

"You are." The words hurt Kiba's lips as he said them, like a boiling poison that burned away his flesh.

She leaned forward, placing her head face down in her folded arms. "I can't explain it to you, Kiba. He's just... not dead." Her voice was muffled beneath her flesh.

Kiba nodded, even though she couldn't see it. "You're better at that kinda thing than me."

Naruto turned her head to the side, taking a deep breath. She was facing Kiba, and her wistful expression made his heart ache. Her voice was a whisper. "Why'd you think he didn't come home?"

'Because he's dead.' "Dunno. Probably doing a... brooding tour?"

"The hell's a brooding tour?"

"Well, like, he always used to... sit in the academy, lookin' miserable... everyday, and-"

"I know what brooding is!" She slapped him on the back of his head. "What's a brooding tour?"

"Dunno... it's uh, when a ninja goes and... broods in the five shinobi nations. Or somethin'."

Naruto laughed, and the noise made Kiba relax.

"You're such a fuckin' idiot, Kiba."

"Hey, I resent that!"

The subject took a lighter turn, and Naruto's heart felt lighter too. She called for another glass, and Kiba had demanded one too, but she'd smacked the back of his hand like a mother.

"You're already struggling to form sentences. Next thing you know, you'll be shitting and throwing up like a baby."

Kiba had grumbled angrily. "You're like a sponge. An alcohol sponge."

The glass finally came, and although the bartender had sent her a few suspicious looks ('Where the hell is that alcohol even going?'), she grabbed the glass and downed it in 2 seconds, as she had with all of her drinks.

And then her hand had a spasm – contracting so hard, and then relaxing just as suddenly, and the glass clattered with a smash to the floor.

Kiba was suddenly aware, sitting up and looking at Naruto and her hand which was still convulsing erratically, and he reached over and grabbed her, because she really did look like she was going to fall off that stool and into that glass and straight past it, falling into the earth until Kiba couldn't see her in that endless pit.

The bartender rushed over, expression angry. "Goddamn drunks, smashing everything to bits-"

"I'm not drunk!" Naruto bit back furiously, before correcting herself. "At least- not enough to smash that – argh! Fuck you! I'm fucking- fuck this-"

In a split second, she was rushing out of the bar, everyone turning to look at the shadow of colour that she left behind. With an intelligible apology to the bartender, Kiba launched himself off his stool, losing his balance for a split second and hearing the crunch of glass beneath his feet. He ran.

The night of Konoha wasn't Kiba's favourite time at all, but when he left the bar, the glow almost left him transfixed. The reddish orange glow of lamps, and the mouldy white glow of the few 24h convenience shops was strange, odd, and in the shadows that weren't stained by the strange mix, you could detect the faint kiss of starlight and the cold white of the moonlight.

He shook his head, and ran after Naruto. Her path was annoyingly strange, and he could sense that she just wanted him to go away; even when she became far ahead, his sense of smell aided his search. Naruto was winding her path through awkward side streets, and although Kiba thought she'd be bound to end up in a dead-end sometime, amazingly, she didn't. He supposed she'd have experience with hiding in the alleys of Konoha – even if they were different now – from all the pranks she used to pull.

Kiba heard her crash to the ground, the sound of her body hitting the ground soft compared to the bin she hit on the way down, the metal clanging so loud it echoed through the alley and made his ears ring.

As the Inuzuka reached her, he realised she was crying, and felt awful for having followed her. He knew she hated being seen like this, because he hated being seen like this. And they were both way, way too similar.

Kiba ignored her tears. He did not feel sorry for her, but he offered his hand, instead. Naruto shook her head, eyes glistening with tears.

"Kiba." She was whispering, and for some stupid reason, he whispered too.

"What?"

She snorted at him, the noise hoarse and sad. Naruto bit her lip. "I... can you carry me home?"

For a moment, Kiba felt a pang of something that wasn't his emotion to feel. In an alleyway that smelt like piss with an injured and crying Naruto, her face was so striking and beautiful in that moonlight and he felt like such an ass for noticing, but sometimes he couldn't help but wonder-

"Okay."

-what it would have been like if she'd loved him, instead.

"I'm sorry. I should be the one taking you home."

Kiba shook his head, and though his expression was knotted with worry, he knew she'd hate it if he dared worry about her or coddle her like a kid, so even in his drunken state, he said nothing at all-

"Kiba."

"What?" They were whispering again.

From her position lying down on her bed, she pulled Kiba into a hug, one hand slightly more limp. "I'll tell you next time we go out. Okay?"

"Promise?" Kiba didn't know why his tone sounded so pathetic, and needy, because he goddamn was not-

Naruto laughed, and she pulled back from the hug long enough to give him a smile. Her eyes were shining. "I promise. Now stop being such a wimp and get home before you pass out." She pushed at his shoulders jokingly, but one hand was so much weaker than the other and Kiba worried again.

His forehead felt warm with her kiss, and Kiba was overcome with the scent of forest and lillies as her neck hovered in front of his face.

Naruto gave him a final, weak smile. "Night, Kiba."

Kiba choked back words as he smiled, tight-lipped, and left.

She woke up slowly, and was promptly crushed by a tide of nausea.

Naruto swung her legs out of bed and limped to the bathroom, her right foot failing her as she did. She dragged it along the floor, clasping onto various items of furniture as a hold, then the doorway, and then the porcelain of the toilet bowl-

She threw up violently, the pressure of having something pulled up her airway pulling on skull.

After Naruto had emptied out her stomach, she rolled over onto the floor, the cold tiles caressing her skin like a cold lover. It was so hot – she peeled off her clothing and lay on her back, sweat forming on her forehead. The floor was as cold and comforting as a shallow pond.

"Naruto?"

Kiba's voice was loud, and she groaned.

For a moment, Naruto writhed on the floor, before holding onto the door handle awkwardly to pull herself up – the wood creaked, and for a second Naruto thought she might pull the metal right out of the door.

She pulled herself up, and her foot felt – well, bearable. It would do to stand on, but it certainly wasn't pulling it's own weight, motion wise. Naruto frowned, but then opened the door.

"My mother made you some –"

Kiba stopped, blushing furiously, and Naruto blinked.

"What?"

He spluttered. "Get some clothes on, Naruto!"

She huffed, yawning and stretching, and waved a hand at Kiba, as though to brush off his words. "Yeah, whatever, Kiba. I'm still wearing my bra and stuff... don't guys get naked in front of each other, like, all the time?"

"It's different!"

Naruto looked bored, blinking at Kiba. "What did you even come around for?"

"My mother, uh, she- she made you some hangover cure. It's really good, cleared mine up a lot..."

The blonde snorted at him, poking him in the forehead with a grin. "Not completely, eh? You did drink a lot last night!"

"Hey, I didn't have a clue about how strong that new stuff was!"

"Then why'd you drink it, stupid?"

"That's-! Just 'cause you're a tank!"

Naruto snickered, and motioned Kiba in. "Come on. Is that stuff like, tea leaves and shit?"

"Yeah. Tea leaves and shit."

"You know what I meant!"

Kiba sighed, nodding and passing her the small bag. Naruto whistled as she went, even with that heavy limp in her step, and she filled a teapot and set it on the stove, grabbing a mug. Kiba sat down at her table, desperately trying not to look at her long legs that lead up to-

"What you up to today, then?" Naruto asked, the question half-hearted as scoured the cupboards.

"Nothing. Don't think, anyway. I have a mission soon, but everyone's out of town. Negotiations, reconstruction's not done either..."

The girl was quiet, the only noise in the kitchen the birds outside the window and the clanking of cupboards and porcelain as Naruto made tea.

That was what annoyed Kiba about Naruto. She was so blatantly boyish and unfeminine, but her body wasn't. And those two things didn't work together, especially not now. Kiba was trying his very best not to look, but all she was wearing was her blue underwear, and-

"Kiba?"

He snapped out of his reverie. "Uh- yeah?"

She was stirring the tea, adding milk and an unhealthy amount of sugar. She hadn't turned to face him, instead staring out of the window with a far away look in her eyes.

"If you could die-"

"-oi! Naruto, that's-"

"If you could die," she began again, "by terminal illness, or by... just dying out on a mission, or y'know, just... randomly, which would you rather?"

The Inuzuka hated thinking about that.

"Naruto, you know I-"

"I'm asking you," she whispered.

The words died on his lips. He frowned. "...a mix, probably. 'Cause, you die out on a mission, your family doesn't know you love 'em... that kinda stuff. But terminal illness... you get a chance to say goodbye, but everyone watches you suffer for... hey, how long are we talking?"

Naruto bit her lip. "About a year."

"So, they watch you die for a year. You get sicker, and sicker... I guess... maybe it'd be the spontaneous death. So no one remembers me all weak and dying and stuff."

"Gotta be a man, even in death, Kiba?"

"Hey-!"

"Kiba- you know how I said I'd tell you when we next went out...?"

He nodded – this whole thing was, no, he shouldn't assume, but he could only hope-

Naruto sat down next to him, on an uncomfortable wooden chair, sipping the tea. It smelled strong, and her eyes were watering from the vapour.

Her voice had lowered to a whisper. "I'm not... Kiba, my tenketsu are shutting down. I don't know why, or how – but everyday, one tenketsu shuts off."

Kiba had spent years with Hinata at his side. There were 361 tenketsu in the body. If they shut once a day, that would take... almost a year.

And he knew what happened when the tenketsu above the heart shut off.

"So yesterday-"

"One in my hand, and then one in my foot. It's why I tripped over." She looked at the table, raking a hand through her hair with a forced smile. "2 down, 359 to go."

"You- don't say it like that!"

Kiba knew he didn't have the right to be angry-

"Kiba, come on- I just-"

"No! No- so you knew yesterday? The hell- why didn't you tell me?!"

Naruto's expression was desperate and tearful, but Kiba refused to look at her.

"Kiba, I couldn't – I just wanted to be with you! You're my best friend, and I-"

"Am I really your best friend if you don't tell me shit like that!? It's fucking important, and I-"

"Kiba, please!"

Kiba's posture, voice, everything – it became frighteningly cold, and he stood up, the chair pushing back and toppling over. "Don't talk to me again, Uzumaki."

And he left.

In her haste, Naruto had tried to run after him, tried to grab him, but her foot had trembled and she collapsed, falling and crashing into the table, her mug of tea falling smashing scalding her.

Naruto knew Kiba had heard. She heard him walking away.

She let the hot liquid burn her skin. Naruto rolled over, eyes stinging with tears and the smell of the tea, shards of porcelain digging into her back.

After cleaning her cuts and showering, Naruto swept up the porcelain, wiped up the liquid, repositioned the table and chairs, and tried to pretend nothing had happened. The smell of strong herbs lingered when she passed the table.