I do not own Naruto or anything related. Those rights belong to Kishimoto.
I do not own Star Trek or anything related. Those rights belong to Gene Roddenberry.

Title: Truth
Couple: Shino/Kiba
Summary: Ffft. Damn my Trekkie mind.
Author Note: Edited
Word Count: 1,676

- - -

To let you know just how much you mean to me
- Demolition Lovers by My Chemical Romance

- - -

Kiba had been sulking in his room for a couple of weeks now, only leaving for classes, football practice and to run down to do some laundry.

He just had the sudden aversion to leaving his room for recreational purposes. Especially since that meant he had to go to, shudder, Shino's room.

At one point, he even, very seriously, considered quitting football. It's not like it was really going to take him anywhere in life anyways.

No, no. He just needed some time to himself. Some time to gather his thoughts and study his ass off to keep his grades up while he was skipping out on his tutoring sessions.

That didn't stop people from asking questions though. Everyone wanted to know why Kiba, the resident party animal, no longer wanted to go out and par-take in some underage, decidedly illegal, liquor shots. Or why he didn't hit the clubs anymore. Or why he hadn't called in days.

The only one who knew, even remotely, what was going on was Hinata. And she was very supportive of him no longer taking part of such destructive pastimes. But she was also worried that there was something he wasn't telling her.

The worry then spawned and caused her to ambush him in his dorm one late evening.

"Tell me what is going on with you." She was speaking with her motherly-tone. One Kiba heard very often.

He waved a hand dismissively, the other busy scratching behind Akamaru's ears. "'m fine. 'm fine." Folding the arm back under his head, Kiba closed his eyes. "Just haven't felt like going out. I told you that already."

Hinata didn't look convinced and crossed her arms, pouting slightly. "Kiba-kun." She started, taking another route. "You know I care about you. And you know that I just want to help." Leaning over the boy, she touched his face lightly, making him look her in the face. "But I can't help if you won't tell me what's wrong."

Kiba frowned.

He didn't know what to say to that. Hell, he didn't know what to say too much anything these days.

"It's nothing, really." Smiling in a reassuring fashion, Kiba took his hand from Akamaru and reached up to clasp hers. "'m just fine."

"Kiba."

He bit his lip. Damn, she'd seen through it. "You know. I'm a bad influence on you."

This time, Hinata smiled slightly. "You are."

"But," He countered, letting her go. "I guess it's not necessarily a bad thing. Now you'll fight to get your way."

She nodded. "Don't try to change the focus of this conversation."

Kiba whistled. "Damn. You're good." He sat up suddenly, and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. He looked at the floor. "It's just . . ." He hesitated.

Hinata sat down next to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Shino told me about his parents." He said after a moment. "And it's weird now."

"His parents?" Hinata asked, honestly puzzled. "What about them?"

Kiba turned towards her. "Ya know. That's they're . . . Um, not with us anymore."

She blinked. "He said they had pass on?"

Kiba nodded.

Hinata was silent for a few seconds before letting out a small giggle. She quickly covered her mouth.

Kiba was baffled by Hinata's reaction to the news. "Girly, that's not something to laugh at. He lost his parents."

With an expression of regret, Hinata shook her head. "I know. Death is no laughing matter. But," She worried her lip, looking torn. "His parents aren't dead. They're in Honolulu on vacation.

In Honolulu.

On Vacation.

Kiba took in this new information and let it stew.

Slowly, he removed Hinata's hand and stood.

"That rat bastard."

- - -

Despite Hinata's attempt to talk him out of it, Kiba stormed up to Shino's door and didn't so much knock, than beat on it. "Open up you fuck!" He yelled, pissed beyond belief. "I saw through your lie!"

A neighbor of Shino's poked their head out their door. "Shut the fuck up, jackass. It's one in the morning. Some of us care about our education."

Kiba ignored the remark and continued to bash on the door. "Open up!"

The door swung open and Kiba's fist landed solidly on Shino's bare chest.

"What is so important that you had to wake me up by assaulting my door and annoying everyone around?"

The neighbor had already retreated when Kiba glanced over. "Pft, they'll get over it." He looked back at Shino, baring his teeth. "You on the other hand," he growled. "You are a lying little bitch."

And hand closed on his upper arm, and Kiba was dragged into room.

"Hey! Waitaminute!" Kiba protested, struggling against the hold. "Lemme go!"

The door was shut and Kiba was backed up against it. He looked up at the taller brunet. "What the fuck was that all about?"

Shino's glasses were in place, giving Kiba no hint as to what he was thinking, but by the way the teen's hands were squeezing his upper arms, Kiba could guess that they were feeling about the same.

Infuriated.

But Shino had no right to be mad! He was the one who had lied.

"Are you really so self-centered that you believe you can barge up to someone at this time of the day and scream accusations?" Shino's voice was low, and he leaned down closer, his head tilted to the side so their noses didn't hit. "Because I always did believe you thought a little too highly of yourself. But this is a new low."

"'Self-centered'?" Kiba repeated. "'Low'?" He bared his teeth and started fighting to get away again. "Fuck you man! At least I didn't tell you my parents were dead just to get some fucking pity!"

Shino pulled back slightly. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Kiba strained forward, trying to do as the other had and get in his face. "You told me that your parents were dead and left you money!" He let out a small bark of a laugh. "But, too bad for you, Hinata knew the truth and told me!"

The hold loosened just slightly, enough to no longer hurt, but not enough for Kiba to free himself.

"I never told you my parents were dead. I just said they were gone."

Kiba would swear on his grandmother's grave that he saw the Aburame smirk at this moment.

"I can't believe you took such a statement so out of proportion and thought that my parents were deceased."

Shino took a step back, still holding Kiba against the door. "You really are not that bright are you?" He let out a sigh that sounded almost like a laugh. "No wonder you need tutoring."

Kiba snapped his arms out with enough force to make Shino take another step back and release him. His mind raced, trying to think back to what Shino had said exactly when he thought he had said his parent's were dead.

He couldn't remember and gave up. "Still!" He searched for something to say that would put him on top again. "You shouldn't speak so cryptically! Anyone is bound to make that assumption!"

Shino snorted, and turned away. "Whatever. I'm going back to bed."

Kiba lunged forward without thinking and grabbed Shino's wrist. "I'm not done with you!"

When Shino turned, Kiba could see his eyebrows raised above his glasses. "What?"

"I- . . . Um . . ." Kiba looked around at a loss. Shit, what should he do now? Why had he stopped Shino?

Shino sighed. "Look. You already think I'm a freak so I doesn't matter what I say anymore. So, I'm going to be up front with you."

Kiba let go of Shino just for a hand to close around his wrist.

Even with the glasses on, Kiba knew Shino was looking him straight in the eye.

Oh, shit. What now?

Shino didn't speak right away, instead he seemed to stop and consider his words.

"I'm like Mister Spock and his forbidden love for Captain Kirk."

Kiba gave him a weird and confused look. Who the fuck is Spock? Or Kirk for that matter?

"Meaning I'm homosexual."

The world stopped turning.

"As in I like to bone other guys."

The world jump-started back up.

"So unless you're planning on making an offer, get out, and don't bother me late at night anymore."

Kiba was let go, but he didn't move. No matter how much his mind screamed at his legs to run, he couldn't. For the first time in his life, Kiba was frozen still.

Later he would look at his experience as eye opening.

In more way than one.

The information just given to him emptied his mind of everything but his assumptions from previous occasions and the shock that it was true.

It's not like Shino was the only gay guy he'd ever been acquainted with.

Just look at Sasuke and Naruto. They have been known to skip classes just to meet in some abandoned schoolroom.

Or that Kankuro guy. He's always on the prowl for freshmen.

Or Sakura for that matter, she and Ino seemed to have a thing going.

But this time it seemed different, more unreal. Maybe it was because Kiba had thought about it before, even tried to get a rise out to the teen once before by kissing him.

Though, at the moment it was probably more due to the fact that he was standing in the middle of a small living room with the other half-naked in front of him. And that he had just been pinned by said half-naked boy during which they were pressed together in what now was considered a dangerous fashion.

"I'm serious. Get out." Shino spoke, breaking Kiba from his shock-induced trance.

Kiba's body jerked violently enough for him to stumble and almost fall.

Shino reached out a hand to help steady him, but Kiba recoiled, and hit the door once again.

Oh, shit.

He spun, pulled open the door and ran.

- - -

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