Standard disclaimers apply.

AN: Sorry for the long wait, I haven't been very inspired lately, this one's short only because I'm in the middle of a scene and I have no idea how to continue without it being corny as hell. Enjoy please.

"Talking" Thinking

Chapter 3

A dusty ray of light shown through the only window in the dank cellar. It cast an eerie glow throughout most of the room, bending shadows oddly, and making the canned fruit look like eyeballs or other pieces of flesh. One place, however, was not touched by the light; back in a dark corner was a metal box, with bars over a small, rectangular cut out on the back most wall.

Kiba's eyes slowly opened and looked around. He groaned as his head throbbed heavily, it felt like he'd been hit by a mac-truck. He tried to shift to let blood flow back to his feet. His shoulder protested as did his head.

I've been a bad son. That's why Otou-san does this, because I'm horrible. Kiba licked his lips and winced at the bitter tang of the blood. I don't deserve Otou-san. His face scrunched up as he tried to hold back tears. I won't cry, I'm not a baby. He sniffled and tried to move again, his knees were beginning to hurt and his back was cramped up from sitting in the prone position.

The door swung open at the top of the stairs, when Kiba tried to look his head throbbed harder. He whimpered and clutched his head with one hand.

"Boy, I'm letting you out." Hataku unlocked the door of the box and opened it slowly. Kiba tried hard not to whimper when he crawled out.

"Hai, Otou-san." Kiba shuffled to his feet awkwardly, still hurting from the lack of blood.

"Fine, let's go upstairs and you can take a shower. I have to go to work. Do your normal chores, I'll be home at six. The neighbors are coming over for dinner." Kiba froze on his painful treck back up the stairs. Shino's coming over? "Come on boy, I don't have all day."

Kiba moved slowly up the stairs and out of the cellar. He headed for his room to grab fresh clothes then shuffled to the bathroom. Before he turned on the shower he heard the front door slam. Have a good day at work. He stepped into the stream of hot water and winced when it hit the back of his head.

If Shino's coming over... Maybe he'll bring Akamaru. He smiled lightly, washing away some of the dried blood off the back of his neck, and underneath his collar.

Kiba fingered the lump where his head met the counter as he washed his hair. When he pressed too hard on it, a jolt of pain shot through his head. That'll probably be there for a few days. He quickly rinsed his hair and jumped out of the shower.

He slid his clothes on quickly and set about his morning chores. He hummed to himself lightly, a tune he faintly remembered his sister singing for him so long ago. He hummed straight through lunch (left over spaghetti again), and as he set about mowing the lawn. He glanced next door to see Shino doing the same thing with Akamaru. The other boy glanced over, noticing Kiba's stare. Kiba blushed and started up the mower.

Kiba tried to stay away from the fence where Shino took to standing when he had finished his lawn, but realized that the grass there seemed taller, mocking him. He grudgingly mowed over it.

"Kiba." Shino stood still, waiting for the boy to turn around, when he had finished.

"H-hey, Sh-shino." Kiba turned around and waved nervously. "S-so, your... um... coming for d-dinner?"

Shino nodded, looking Kiba up and down behind his sun glasses. He's got a few new bruises... There's a big one on his jaw... "What happened to you?" He gestured to the large blue bruise just below Kiba's ear.

"Huh?" Kiba touched his face and flinched. His eyes grew wide before he smiled nervously, trying to cover it up. "I-it's n-nothing... Just fell down m-my stairs."

Not buying the lie, Shino leaned forward to examine; Kiba took an unconscious step back. "You sure? I looks like someone hit you."

"N-No!" Kiba put a hand over the bruise. "I-I Fell!"

"It's alright calm down and let me look at it."

"NO!" Kiba slapped away Shino's hand has he tried to reach for the other boy. He turned around quickly and ran into the house, slamming the door.

He just wants to get me to go back. Kiba huffed angrily. He doesn't know. He has family, he's never been alone. He even has a DOG! Kiba bared his teeth at the empty hallway, sitting with his back to the door he'd thrown shut. He wouldn't understand anyway.

Standing, Kiba headed to his bed room and plopped down on his bed. He instantly relaxed, he hadn't realized how tired he was physically and mentally. Spending the night in 'the crate' tended to do that to him. He soon found himself fast asleep.

"Kiba? Kiba."

Groaning, Kiba turned over and cracked open an eye. Who's that?

"Kiba, get up."

He recognized the tone of voice as one his sister used to use when she was frustrated. He rubbed his eyes and looked up to see he wasn't in his current room, but one he used to sleep in back at the orphanage. "Hana?"

"Hey, bro." She grinned, showing her slightly elongated canines. "Long time no see."

Tears almost instantly erupted in his eyes. He lunged forward and hugged his sister tightly. "I've missed you so much." He said quietly, rubbing his face on her shoulder.

"Aw, come on, don't be so mushy." She laughed heartily, letting her brother hug her anyway. "I need to tell you something."

Kiba hummed in response, keeping his face buried in her shoulder. Hana shifted, placing her hands on Kiba's shoulders and forcing him to look at her. She smiled sadly and pushed his bangs up with the back of one hand, moving her hand slowly to rest on his head, letting his bangs fall back across his forehead.

"Kiba," She looked worriedly at him. "You----get-----" Parts of her sentence were drown out by an insistant buzzing noise.

"What?"

"Some--------bad--------No-----"

"Hana, I can't hear you." Hana slowly started dissipating in front of him, her lips kept moving but he couldn't hear anything. "Hana? Hana, wait. Hana?

"HANA!"

Kiba awoke with a start, his night alarm going off. He looked frantically around, noting that he was back in his bed room. He looked at his night stand to see his picture facing him from his night stand. He sat for a moment on his bed, just staring at his picture of Hana. It was just a dream. He thought forlornly. But it felt so real. I miss you so much Hana.

Kiba stood up streaching. He headed for the kitchen and started making dinner. He started out thinking he should make a box dinner but decided he wanted to be creative for the neighbors. He cut up some carrots and broccoli and started by steaming them, opening a can of corn and de-thawing some chicken.

He set some noodles to boil along with the vegetables. Kiba heated up a skillet and cut the pieces of de-thawed chicken into the pan, adding the corn and other vegetables. They started to sizzle when he added in the noodles.

Slowly, he poured on some cheese to finish off the dish. He let that simmer and sizzle as he prepared some rice and pudding for desert. While he set on a kettle for tea, the front door slammed.

"BOY!"

Kiba winced slightly before smiling and walking out to the front door. "Hai, Otou-san?"

"Is dinner ready?" Hataku eyed him critically.

"Almost," Kiba itched nervously at his right arm. Hataku continued to glare down at him. Letting out a snort, the man grabbed Kiba by his collar and dragged him to his room

"Get on some nice clothes." Hataku said gruffly, slamming the door in his wake and muttering under his breath.

"Hai." Kiba raised an eyebrow, looking down at his clothes. He sighed dejectedly seeing the state of his shirt: holes here and there, threads sticking out, and a large bleach stain on the back. Do I even own a nice shirt? He thought. Most of his clothing had some kind of stain on them, and definitely a rip or two.

Oh, the button-up. A deep red dress shirt that hung in the back of his closet. It was a gift from some relative of Hataku's. Kiba didn't really remember. He'd never had reason to wear it before. Well, I don't have much else to wear... Kiba slid the long-sleeved shirt over his head and looked at himself in the mirror. I guess that 's better.

He walked out to the kitchen to find his father fretting over some coffee that needed to be made. Once Hataku noticed his son's presence he glared and strode over to the boy, yanking at his collar so they were only inches apart.

"Listen to me, boy." Hataku growled. "Tonight will be perfect. If the Aburame's so much as look disappointed, you'll be sorry." Hataku pushed Kiba's neck, forcing the boy to cough and take a step back. "You'll entertain Shibi's son until they're ready to leave. Don't you dare let him see what a shit head of a son you are." He glared again as a warning and continued to watch the coffee pot brew.

Kiba had never seen his father so nervous. He didn't quite have the chance to ponder, hearing a knock on the front door. He quickly ran for the door, nearly tripping over the carpet in the hallway. The knock sounded again ("GET THE DOOR, BOY!") just as he reached the door. He paused, smiled, and opened it, greating Shibi and Shino.


TBC...

Notes: I made that dinner once before in my life and it was really really good. I suggest you try it. I know, it ends weirdly, but I needed to get something up.