I guess I lied about the break... Though things have been a bit slow... I hope you all enjoy this new part, where it starts to get a bit more interesting.

Kyoko stood in her room, looking around for anything else she might need. She had a large tote sitting on her bed, which included a blanket, a scroll of senbon and some hairpins. Sunglasses, chapstick and her wallet sat next to it, and she held a pair of black flipflops in her hand. Shrugging, she tossed everything into the bag then turned to her door, finding a large teenage boy walking in, buttoning his pants.

"Hey, thanks, Kyoko, for doing my laundry. I would've had to go home to grab more clothes, and I think I'd rather stay here." His words had begun as a simple thanks, but he had moved closer and pulled Kyoko in by the waist as he spoke, punctuating them with a quick, but zealous kiss.

Kyoko simply rolled her eyes, pushing him away and walking out the door. She deposited her bag on the couch once she reached it and headed back to the kitchen. "How's it going?" She asked, stepping up behind Gaara and peeking over his shoulder.

"I don't think we will be going hungry anytime soon." He said, as he smeared peanut butter over a piece of bread.

Kyoko rested her chin on his shoulder, having to stand on her toes to be tall enough to reach. "Uhuh… Well, with you and Shikamaru, but especially Kankuro and Kiba, I don't think they will last very long." She smiled and stuck her finger under the line of honey Gaara was drizzling across another piece of bread. Kyoko sucked on her finger as she grabbed enough chopsticks for each of them and entered the livingroom to deposit them in the basket they had found conveniently placed in the pantry.

"Aren't you supposed to be getting drinks or something?" Kyoko asked Kankuro, who was, once again, sprawled across a couch. He had reverted a bit to his usual fashion and changed into black pants and a black tee after his shower. Objectively, he looked pretty handsome, and had left the purple paint behind, except for a single stripe down his nose, which had the effect of showing his warrior side without going overboard or scaring anyone who knew his reputation.

"Eh, I'm gonna have to stop on the way there."

"Lazy bum."

"Hey." Kankuro said, too dramatically to actually be offended. He stood and pointed a finger at Kyoko. "What did you just call me?"

"I called you a lazy bum." Kyoko placed a hand on her hip and watched him with level eyes, though she couldn't stop the edge of her mouth from twitching into a smile.

"I am not!" Kankuro half-whined half-shouted comically. He flung his arms down to his sides in a temper tantrum. "You're a jerk!"

"And what are you gonna do about it?" Kyoko smiled as she teased her friend. Gaara had drifted to the doorway, honey in hand, to watch the developing spectacle.

Kankuro ran at Kyoko, his shoulders hunched in an attack to tackle her onto the couch behind her, but at the last moment, she stepped out of the way. He flopped onto the couch by himself and yelled as he turned around to face her again. "I'm gonna get you."

"I don't think so." Kyoko said, watching him, even though she knew what came next.

Kankuro stood and raised his hand, flinging strings of his chakra at her. Kyoko attempted to dodge, but was caught by a single strand that hadn't come from the same direction as the others. She struggled as Kankuro approached and smiled evilly at her. "What now?" He asked, holding out a hand like a threat.

Kyoko was in the throes of a fake-play panic. "Come on, Kankuro! Leave me alone!"

He continued reaching towards her, but froze a few inches from her side as he heard a deep growl from behind him. They both turned to look at the noise to find Kiba halfway between the hallway and them, his nose scrunched and teeth bared. "Leave her alone." He took a couple more steps forward to where Kyoko and Kankuro stood completely frozen in shock. "I said leave her alone." He glared daggers at Kankuro, who was beginning to get a bit irritated. His strings had long since dissipated, and Kyoko, regaining her brain function, looked between the two. Kiba was obviously pissed and ready for a tussle, and she saw the beginning of a fight forming in Kankuro's eyes, so she stepped between them.

"Kiba, look, I'm fine. See?" She held up her hands and gestured to her body, but Kiba's eyes were locked with Kankuro's. "Kiba. Hey!" She punched him in the chest, and he turned to look at her, his hackles seeming to settle. "He was only going to tickle me. Kankuro would never hurt me." She turned to look at Kankuro and he stared back at Kiba, his face unreadable.

Kiba relaxed. "Okay. I guess I overreacted a bit. I'm sorry." His face was apologetic and he looked at Kankuro, who silently nodded his head before turning and beginning to walk towards the kitchen where Gaara still stood. Temari and Shikamaru had reappeared and stood watching, Temari's eyebrows raised at Kyoko.

Kyoko twitched her head a bit in the direction of the kitchen and Temari got the hint, pulling her brothers and boyfriend into the kitchen and leaving Kiba and Kyoko alone.

"What is your problem?" Kyoko rounded on Kiba.

"What? I was just trying to watch out for you!"

"There's nothing to watch out for! In case you didn't know, I'm a ninja. A pretty damn good one if I do say so myself." She didn't know what to think about what had just happened, and hid her confusion under anger.

"Well, I heard someone scream and I knew it was you, so I just…" Kiba trailed off, trying to avoid Kyoko's eyes and scratching the back of his head.

"Yea, we mess around. I grew up with these guys, so he is like a brother. Kankuro was gonna tickle me, just like he always does. Trust me. Kankuro would never hurt me, and if he did, I would kill the imposter in less than a second."

Kiba looked up, intrigued by the conviction and confidence in her voice. "You guys are really that close, huh?"

Kyoko moved to the couch, adding the oddments to the basket. "Well, they are my family. My real one didn't do too great a job with that, and neither did theirs, so we kinda banded together."

Her back was to Kiba, but he heard the sincerity in her voice. "I'm sorry I shouted at Kankuro." Kyoko turned, raising her eyebrows at him. "And growled at him…" Kiba looked ashamed of himself and was staring at the ground, a hand resting on the back of his head.

"It's okay. Just don't make the same mistake twice." Kyoko walked back up to Kiba and smiled slightly at him.

"So, do I get a kiss for apologizing?" Kiba asked, his melancholy demeanor almost evaporating.

"I dunno. You did something pretty bad." Kyoko half-teased.

In one swift movement, Kyoko was in Kiba's arms and had her lips pressed to his.

"You know, I don't know why you keep asking. It's not like you wouldn't do it if I said no." She said when he released her. Bemused, she looked up at the wolfish boy.

"So… pretty much, I don't have to ask anymore?" Kiba mused, looking up then down at Kyoko, his arm still wrapped tight around her ribs. He swooped in for another kiss after this conclusion, and pulled back, grinning widely.

Kyoko only rolled her eyes, then, spotting Temari peeking around the edge of the doorway, rolled her eyes again with a sigh, and pushed Kiba away firmly. "Here. You carry the basket." She shoved it into his arms and walked towards her friends.

"So! How did the sandwich finishing come?" She asked, swooping around the corner and surprising Temari and Kankuro. Shikamaru even looked a little guilty, though Gaara stood as composed as ever, placing each sandwich caringly into a plastic bag.

"Um... Oh, almost done!" Temari said, looking around for something to pretend she had been working on.

"Yea, yea." Kyoko said, picking up the wrapped sandwiches and stacking them in the empty space of the basket Kiba carried. There seemed to be no problem between Kankuro and Kiba as the latter stood in the kitchen, waiting for the contents to fill his container. Boys. Kyoko thought, shaking her head slightly.

They had decided to picnic on the edge of a training ground that wasn't used much, and were about half-way there when Kankuro swore loudly.

"What?" Temari and Kyoko asked, looking around quickly. Gaara's eyes scanned his surroundings silently for any threat.

"I forgot the fucking drinks. Dammit." Kyoko saw a hint of theatrics in his actions, but knew they did actually need some sort of hydration, and looked around.

"Well, I think we would have to go back. We walked past everything." Temari said.

"I know." Kankuro sighed. "Kyoko, wanna come with me to help choose and carry?"

"Can you-?" Kyoko was cut off by Kankuro.

"I'm sure Temari can direct them to set up the picnic properly."

"I'll come with you!" Kiba chipped in, smiling widely as Akamaru yipped.

Temari grabbed his elbow and said "Come on doggy boy. They always do this." She pulled him down the street distracting him with the yummy food she had made.

Kankuro and Kyoko meandered down the street towards the convenience store. After a few minutes they reached it and Kankuro held the door open for her. She headed for the back where they had chilled drinks. Soon, Kankuro joined her in her perusal of choices.

"So. Kiba." Kankuro said, his eyes specifically focused on the drinks.

"Why does everyone keep saying that to me?" Kyoko exclaimed, turning to face him.

"Well, he seems to be a pretty big topic around you lately."

"Why, because he made it obvious that he kissed me in the closet?" She was getting a bit irritated with all these questions.

"No. Because neither of you are hiding the fact that the kisses didn't stop outside the closet. At least, not very well."

"How do you know that?" She was staring at Kankuro.

"Because I have a brain and I tend to do my best to keep an eye on you." He opened the door and pulled out a pack of Fanta. "How about this? You guys like it right?"

"Gaara and I would rather have Melon. Are you saying you've been spying on us?" Kyoko faltered a second. "On me?" she corrected quickly.

"No. I'm saying that I know you, and I'm pretty sure I have an idea as to Kiba's thoughts. I've also noticed how he keeps following you anytime you are alone and then you end up walking out with him following you again." Kankuro was very calm as he spoke and handed Kyoko the soda, which was odd as he was usually one of the more emotional of the group. "Oh, and a couple times your hair was messed up. And he would be fixing his clothes."

Kyoko was flabbergasted. Was it really that obvious? And often? She thought back. There had been quite a few times… and Kankuro was right… that was usually how it went.

"Maybe you should talk to him. Figure out exactly what he is wanting and what you're willing to give." Kankuro's words pulled Kyoko out of her thoughts and she looked up. He stood with a box of sweet green tea over his shoulder and the orange Fanta from earlier in his hand. "I mostly just wanted to talk to you a bit so that I could make sure you were okay and nothing crazy was happening." He paused, looking at Kyoko expectantly, and she shook her head quickly, signaling him to not worry. "And to let you know that he wouldn't be the worst choice you could make… I think he would take good care of you."

Kyoko's mouth nearly dropped. This was Kankuro. Standing here in front of her with his purple paint and messy brown hair was the boy who had picked on her from the time he met his sister's friend, but beat up the boys they had trained with when they said mean things to her. This was the same boy who had been her first kiss and told her that even though they didn't work out, nobody would ever be good enough for her, but it was okay to look because he would make sure that the scumbags didn't hurt her. And he was giving her the OK for a boy. A ninja.

She was baffled, but her brain soon reeled around to him giving her the OK almost like she had asked. "Hey! Who said I wanted to date or do anything with Kiba?" She asked, following the black back towards the cash register.

"Well, obviously you wanna do something with him. I know you, and if you don't like him as much as you try to make me think, he would be gone and he wouldn't have come back. You would have made sure of that." Kankuro still didn't look at her as he dropped his load on the counter and waited for the man to ring it up.

Kyoko dropped her soda as well and stood half-pouting, half-glaring up at Kankuro as she waited. He noticed and looked down at her. He sighed, turning to face her. "Listen, Kyoko. I could be a lot meaner about this, but Kiba is a good guy. And you are a smart girl. I figured this was probably gonna happen eventually, even with your toys back in Suna, but I'd rather you choose Kiba. He will watch out for you, and then all I have to worry about is Temari with that horny, lazy ass and Kara." Kankuro still hadn't quite gotten over the time they had walked in on Temari making out with Shikamaru, and he was always worried about his girlfriend. He handed the man the money and hoisted the large box easily back on his shoulder, turning towards the door. Kyoko grabbed the bag with the soda and followed him. "Besides, I like to think that if anyone ever hurt you and you couldn't deal by yourself for whatever reason, you would know where to go." He smiled down at her affectionately, and Kyoko smiled, looking ahead.

"Don't worry. Temari knows which ice cream flavors are my favorite."

Kankuro shook his head, but didn't say anything. He knew exactly what would happen if Kyoko ever got hurt. Emotionally, that is.

Now, Go and review :)

And keep an eye out for a collection of one-shots and a re-writing of Heaven in the Clouds!