A/n updated. 15/12/2011


He quickly moved around to the side of the hot spring and pulled off his shirt and pants and slid into the water.

The water was warm against his skin. He saw Akamaru settle on top of his clothes, half protecting them, half using them as a pillow. Kiba moved into the middle of the spring and floated up onto his back. He breathed deeply sniffing the air, the scent of the spring had blocked his sense of smell, but this didn't bother him, for the first time today he had time to think and relax. He had moved from his 'freedom' house, where he could walk around naked to this place where his best friend couldn't even have dinner with him!

Kiba moaned out loud thinking how awkward dinner would be that night.

"Excuse me." A voice said making Kiba jump and splutter around in the water. When he had regained his composure he saw Neji sitting in the edge of the hot spring, watching him curiously. The boy was beautiful, far more than Hinata or Hanabi. His long black hair was undone and was hanging around his shoulders, fanning into the water. His eyes, Kiba thought were endless, the same colour as the steam around them.

"Oh hey Neji, I didn't think anyone was here." Kiba said going bright red.

"I can see that." Neji said blankly as if his mind was off elsewhere. Kiba notched his head to the side wondering what could make him look so sad, as Neji looked over, with his eyebrows raised.

"Yes? Do you mind?"

"I um." Kiba said averting his gaze from the beautiful male, realising Neji had been watching him float in the water naked. "So-sorry." He mumbled making his way back to the edge of the water as fast as he could. He got out and pulled on his briefs and pants quickly without looking like he was embarrassed. A part of him wanted to stay and swim around in the hot spring, and a small part of him was enjoying that Neji was seeing him naked. He threw his shirt over his shoulder and walked around to the side of the hot spring Neji was on. Visibility around this side was worse, maybe because the wind was blowing the steam and trapping it between the hot spring and the sauna, none the less Kiba stepped on something soft and jumped off it quickly fearing it to be an animal. His heart jumped as he realised it was Neji's clothes and he too had been naked in the hot spring.

Akamaru snapped him out of his thoughts with a bite soft bite to the hand. He smiled down at his buddy and made for the edge of the water where Neji was still sitting.

"Hey, I'll um see you at dinner huh?" Kiba said awkwardly.

"Yes, I will see you then." Neji said coldly.

"Okay then." Kiba said slightly confused. He walked away feeling he was missing something.

Kiba spent the rest of the afternoon throwing his Kunai at the target boards to the back of the property, there was something in the way Neji had looked at him, so sad, in pain. It hurt Kiba to see anyone that way, but there was something so serene about the Hyuuga, a pain not even he could emphasis with. He took out his anger on the targets until the wind picked up and the storm was well and truly overhead. He and Akamaru raced back towards the Hyuuga's estate and up the steps to the hall way. It was starting to get dark which meant dinner should be on soon, 'good,' he thought walking to his room, he was starving. He took of his sweat and rain soaked shirt and threw it on the bed and walked in to the bathroom as a knock came from his door.

"Mr Inuzuka," came a voice through the door, Kiba stopped a chuckled to himself, 'Mr Inuzuka, who calls me that!' "Dinner is about to start."

"Fuck!" Kiba said out loud, racing from the bathroom. He ripped open his bags and found some black jeans and a button up red top. He was annoyed that Hinata hadn't come and found him like she promised. 'How long did the family meeting go on for?' he wondered to himself. "I will be right back with some dinner Akamaru." Kiba said to his friend who was pouting into his wet training clothes mournfully.

Kiba followed the Hyuuga servant to the dining hall, with a ball weighing him down in the pit of his stomach. 'Reasons why this sucks,' Kiba thought to himself, 'one, having to deal with the Hyuuga family shit every night at dinner. Two, Akamaru isn't there to make me feel more at home, so I have to deal with them by myself. Three,' Kiba gulped, number three was the worst, 'Neji saw me naked today.'

He didn't know why that was affecting him so much, but put it down to being embarrassed.

Finally they reached the dining hall, to Kiba's dismay the rest of the house was seated waiting for him.

"Sorry, I'm late." Kiba mumbled sitting at the space at the end of the table, across from Neji.

"Welcome Kiba Inuzuka." Hiashi Hyuuga said smiling at the head of the table, "I hope your day was pleasant."

"Yes, it was." Kiba said awkwardly wondering when the small talk would finish and dinner would be placed in front of him.

Kiba looked up at Neji hoping the white eye would offer him some comfort, but the boys eyes were firmly placed on the table.

Presently food was placed in front of Kiba, the servant seemed to do a song and dance with his presentation of the plate, and Kiba found himself getting impatient from hunger. When eventually the man did lift off the cover, Kiba was disappointed to see a small delicate piece of art work in the centre. He could pick all of it up in one spoonful. Speaking of spoons which one was he supposed to use…

Kiba looked around, knives, spoons and forks were set out next to him in rows, he lingered his hand over one deciding whether to use it or not. He felt his heart start to pump uneasily, he was unsure on what he was doing, and he was sure there were eyes on him, as he had that uneasy feeling on the back of his neck. He could almost hear Hanabi's giggles from the other end of the table, she was mocking him, and he just knew it. From under the table he felt something kick him, he tensed in his seat and looked up slowly so not attracting attention. Neji was looking at him blankly, and then with a purposeful air he reached and grabbed the outer most fork and started to eat the small morsel on his plate with it. Kiba took an uneasy breath out and mimicked the white eyes movements. The meal tasted like rotting meat, all rolled into a tight square. Kiba grimaced as he swallowed, he had no problem with rotting meat, but in Kiba's expert opinion they had ruined a good steak.

"Not a fan of the pâté?" Hinata's grandfather asked with a smirk.

Kiba knew he was being watched, he kept his eyes on the table, hoping an articulate comeback would grace him.

"I thought you dogs would have no problem with it." The old man continued making Hanabi giggle.

Kiba wouldn't let some old coot offend his clan, he took a large breathe in and put on his best smile.

"Not at all, I think it's ...flavoursome, but we dogs have a more refined taste in our meats. To ...decorate a meat with such fuss ruins its natural flavour. A piece of steak or a leg of glazed ham wins over pâté any day." Kiba said smirking back at the old man. He saw Hinata smiling at him from the corner of his eyes.

He though heard the old man mumble indeed, a remark only the people around him heard, but Kiba with his dog-like hearing heard it and laughed into his plate, earning him another kick from Neji.

Kiba faintly heard light conversations continuing up the table as he looked at Neji, the white eye looked faintly amused at Kiba, but it was masked by his usual static expression. For a moment Kiba wished he was closer to Neji, somewhere deep down they could be friend's even best mates.