Chapter 2 - Towels

"I'm fine, will you just stop looking at me like that!" hissed Sayomi, bandaging the burn on Gaara's forearm, Sayomi was slightly shocked that his sand hadn't jumped to block the fire, but he didn't seem to care, or notice for that matter, all he would do was throw concerned glances at her.

"You might feel fine, but you told me you have earth chakra and even then you don't know any fire based jutsu,"

"It's fine okay!" she snapped, standing bolt upright and slamming her hands down on the table "I'm fine, there's nothing wrong, it's all fine!" now she was shaking, trying to hold back the burning sensation swelling inside her chest, gripping edge of the table harder out of anger

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!" she snapped

"So you're burning the table on purpose then are you?" he asked calmly

Sayomi looked down at her hands, black scorch marks were creeping outwards from her hands, she snapped her hands back and stepped away from the table, staring at her hands, almost terrified of herself.

Kiba stared up into the dull ceiling of the underground dome protecting the village. Akamaru whined. "I know buddy..." he muttered. He didn't know why he even bothered to come to training anymore, apart to torture himself with the sight of Sayomi Sakamoto, although she'd only beat him into seven shades of shit every sparring session, and all because he'd just about lost the will to live, thats just what made him so masochistic he guessed. Suddenly Akamaru jumped up barking and wagging his tail excitedly. Kiba raised his head, surely enough Shino was walking towards them. Lately Akamaru seemed very taken with Shino, though Kiba had no clue why.

The nin-dog bounded up to Shino, and Shino ruffled his fur. After acknowledging his friend with a nod Kiba flopped back down on the (surprisingly still alive despite the lack of sunlight) grass. Shino sat down silently next to him. Kiba supposed he owed allot to Shino, who had put up with his infatuation (as he had put it) with Sayomi for god knows how long.

"You're late" Kiba pointed out casually

"And I suppose you've been here for hours have you?" he asked, a hint of sarcasm in his voice

Kiba made a dismissive noise, he'd only arrived a few minuets ago himself, expecting to be late, only to find he was the first person here. "you're not usually late, is what I mean"

"I have my reasons"

"Which are...?"

"None of your business"

They stayed in silence until Hinata and Sakura arrived. They ran over, completely breathless.

"Sorry I'm late!" she said "I..." she looked round "Um, where's Sayomi?"

"Like I care" said Kiba spitefully

"Gaara's not here yet either" Sakura pointed out "And Kakashi's always late"

"Sayomi's not usually late though." said Hinata worriedly

"It's not my fault I'm late, I had to find someone to give lazy here the kick up the arse he needs" said Sayomi, appearing out of nowhere

"Oh really?" asked Kiba "Who'd you ask then?"

"You're gonna love this..." muttered Sayomi, just as a man wearing green latex burst into the clearing

"Captain Sakamoto, sorry I'm late, but I wanted to finish my customary ten laps round the village before training. I hope I haven't missed the fun!" Gai said, in his usual 'Gai' manner.

"Not at all! Kiba's looking forward to training with you!" she responded with a fake brightness in her voice

Kiba paled visibly "You're kidding right?" he asked

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" she said, giving him her 'do-or-die' look, before turning back to Gai "You're not as late as Kakashi, you haven't seen him have you?"

"Kakashi will be training with us?" he mused, scratching his chin in thought "I'm afraid I haven't seen him, no"

"He's coming..." muttered Gaara in his gravestone monotone voice Kakashi appeared in poof of smoke an apologetic look on his face "Sorry I'm late, I..."

"Cut the crap Hatake, I'm not in he mood for your shit today"

"Are you ever?" muttered Kakashi in an undertone

Gaara threw a sideways glance at Sayomi, she seemed to be fine now, although he could still see the occasional tremble in he hands. Kiba seemed to be in his own personal hell, training under Gai, weather Sayomi noticed or not, he couldn't tell. It was clear to everyone, including the lady herself, that Kiba was completely infatuated with Sayomi, and he was beginning to hate himself for it. Gaara wondered why he didn't just request to be assigned to a different squad.

Just as he parred a blow from Shino, Gaara sensed someone else at the edge of the clearing, everyone else in the group seemed to as well. There was a woman at the edge of the clearing, with long dark hair, who could tell how long she'd been watching them.

"Kurenai-sensei!" called Hinata excitedly, waving her arm

Kakashi, Sayomi and Shino froze mid-fight to look over to whoever Hinata was waving at. Kiba also froze, but only gave Gai an opening to grab his arm, flip him and throw him down.

The dark-haired woman made her way over to them.

"Still pregnant." Kakashi stated, although it was obvious. She threw him a withering look.

She smiled "I thought I'd come and see how my old team are doing"

"They're doing great," Sayomi confirmed. Kurenai looked over to Kiba, who was now being forced to do hand-stand push-ups. "Well... most of them are..."

Kiba could of punched the wall. That was if his arms didn't hurt so much. He had no idea how long Gai had been training (or rather torturing) him, but it was long after the others left, only Shino had hung back. Almost instinctively the bug-nin had known that there was no way Kiba could go home and face his family that night either. Kiba remembered once that Shino had said 'If you need a place a stay, my couch is always open' Although Kiba found this weird at first, he supposed it was just Shino being the good friend he was, even if it was kinda hard to believe.

He lay back on Shino's couch, his legs of the arm, so Shino could sit down. Kiba folded his arms behind his head, closing his eyes, enjoying the comfortable silence, when Shino spoke.

"Kiba" he said, although there was something awkward about his tone. Kiba opened his eyes, looking up at his friend. "What am I to you?" he asked.

All he could do was stare, shocked. This was the kind of weird thing girls asked you, not the guys you hung out with.

"Well, you're my best friend if that's what you mean" he replied eventually

Kiba saw the muscle's working in Shino's jaw, as if he was frustrated "Is that it?"

Unable to figure out his friend, Kiba furrowed his brow in confusion "What are you getting at?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering" he suddenly got up and walked over to his room.

"Hey!" called Kiba, leaning over the back of the couch. Shino hesitated, the door half open. "Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Sure, whatever..." he muttered, before stepping into his room and closing the door pointedly.

Resisting the temptation to turn round and punch the wall, Shino flopped down on his bed, highly 'out-of-character' for him. He felt like such an idiot, of all the people... it just had to be Kiba didn't it?

It felt like he'd been lying there for hours when he came back to his senses, but Kiba was still in the shower, he could hear it running, so that couldn't be right. Just needing a reason to move, Shino convinced himself that he needed a glass of water and pushed himself up. Managing to compose himself before he left the room, he moved swiftly to the kitchen, grabbed a glass off the shelf, let the water run for a moment before filling the glass and downing it in one and clunking it black down on the counter.

Weakly, he pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, eyes shut tight. Manners would indicate that he offers Kiba his bed and then he would sleep on couch, but he knew for a fact he couldn't handle that, especially not when he next slept in that bed and was bombarded by the smell of him. He pushed his glasses back on, rinsed out the glass and stuck it upside-down on the draining board. Without even thinking or realising the shower had stopped running. Shino span round and left the kitchen.

The warning buzz of his kikaichu stopped him and he looked up. Just across the room Kiba was stood wearing nothing but a towel tied loosely round his hips. His wet hair stuck up at all odd angles, water droplets clung to his tanned skin, running temptingly in the dents between well toned muscles. Shino swallowed, feeling his cheeks flush.

"What?" asked Kiba

Shino snapped out of his daze realising he was staring, and darting into his room, slamming the door tightly behind him.

Kiba blinked dumbly, stunned. Had Shino just blushed? Shino, BLUSHING? He didn't think so, his eyes must be playing tricks on him. But why had he disappeared into his room so suddenly? It didn't make sense. Reflexively, instinctively, Kiba sniffed the air, catching the one scent he didn't expect to smell from Shino. Ever.

Arousal.

"Shit..." he muttered

He'd barely been able to lock the door his hands had been shaking so bad. Without warning, his knees buckled beneath him and he slumped against the wall. Roughly he pulled off his glasses and rest his face against his forearm. A knock on his door made him jump.