Well folks, this is it. The final Chapter. Thank you so much for coming along with me on this emotional roller coaster of a story. I had so much fun writing it. For now, this is the end of this story, but fear not! There may be a sequel in the workings. Anyways, without further ado, please enjoy Metamorphosis.

Friday night. Normally, I would have gone to the soccer game tonight, but considering the recent events, I didn't think Kiba would want to see me, and I was still a little damaged from our talk on Wednesday. All I wanted to do was get my mind off Kiba. I got my phone out and texted Iruka.

Hey, what are you up to tonight?

"Naruto! Hey Naruto, wait up!" Idate was calling after me. "Are you coming to the game tonight?"

I shook my head.

"Nah, I don't think I have an reason to go anymore."

"Yeah, I was gonna ask you, did something happen with you and Kiba? He seems really down lately."

I almost felt bad for him.

"There's nothing between us anymore, and both of us need to accept that."

"Hmm. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like neither of you are happy with this arrangement. I can't understand why you two would have called it off, he seemed genuinely more happy up until this week."

"It's not that simple, Idate. Sometimes even if two people like each other there are other forces at work that keep them from being together."

"Well Naruto, I can't force you to do anything you don't want to, but I think you should try talking to him again. If he plays the way he has in practice at tonight's game, we're gonna lose for sure."

"If that's how he feels, then why hasn't he tried to talk to me at all?"

"Jeez, you're just as stubborn as he is. Just please come to the game tonight, okay?"

"No promises." I walked away before he could say more. Rude, I know, but I didn't really want to let the conversation go any farther, otherwise I might have broke down right there.

My phone buzzed. Iruka responded.

Hanging out with an old friend tonight. You're welcome to join if you want.

When I got to Iruka's apartment, He was with an older man with white hair sitting on the couch.

"Naruto, this is Jiraiya."

"I remember Naruto!"

"Oh shit, I forgot you two already met!" I was very confused. "You remember Jay from the club?"

"Ooooh yeah! You look different without all the makeup."

He smiled. "Yes, it's quite a lot of work to put all that together. I appreciate nights like tonight when I have off and I can just catch up with friends. How have you been, Naruto? Iruka was just telling me about how you had a fantastic time at my club. Always a pleasure to see young love budding in the air. Are you and that boy still together?"

Dammit. This is the opposite of what I wanted. My smile faded.

"I see. That's a shame. He seemed to really like you." He took a sip of his drink.

"Why does everyone say that? The only time he ever showed real emotion to me was when he was drunk."

Jiraiya looked me dead in the eyes. "Honey, we show who we really are when we are drunk. It lowers our inhibitions. That boy loves you, I could tell. I've been in this business long enough to see it in someone's eyes and know when it's genuine." I blushed.

"And what about you? You don't seem completely over him either."

"We're not meant to be together." I dropped my head, expecting that to be the end of it.

He set his drink down. "Well that's a load of crap, and I don't think you believe it either." He stood up and lifted my head up to see my face. I couldn't hide my tears. "Look at me. If you still love this boy, then what are you doing here talking to us about it for? Go Get the beautiful boy!"

I smiled. "I guess I could still make it to his soccer game."

"You go to that soccer game and tell that boy you love him. And if that boy hurts you, he'll have Uncle Jiraiya to deal with." He hugged me, and I hugged him back. I looked at Iruka.

"Go Get him, Naruto." He winked at me.

By the time I made it back to the game it was almost over. The visiting team was ahead, 5 to 3. I made my way to the front along the fence line in the student section. Kiba looked like his mind wasn't even in the game. He was moving, yes, but not with his normal enthusiasm. He ran the ball down the field, but lost it to the opposing team. He was usually untouchable.

"Come on, Kiba.." He got the ball back, ran it down the field, SHOT.

He missed?

"WHAT WAS THAT? YOU CALL THAT A KICK? GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, but I don't think he heard me. Idate jogged over to him and whispered something in his ear. His whole body straightened out, and his head turned around in my direction. I gave him two thumbs up. I could see a smile creep its way out of the corner of his mouth. The opposing team kicked the ball back in, and Kiba was off like a bullet. He beat the other team to the ball and quickly scored. The crowd erupted in cheers. I even shouted in excitement. The ball was reset, visiting team's kickoff. Pass left, Recovered by Idate, crossed to Kiba, pass right to Kankuro, fakeout, back to Kiba, KICK,

GOAL!

"YEAH!" Everyone was going crazy. The game was tied up now, just one more point and we could actually win! Only a minute left. The ball was reset, opposing team kicks past the home team rushing our goal. They kicked, Zaku caught the ball, thank god. He threw the ball over his head downfield to Kiba. He bounced the ball off his chest, leaped up and did a bicycle kick. The entire stadium watched in suspense as the ball traveled through the air towards the goal. The goalie dove for the ball as it passed out of reach of his fingers and the ball made contact with the goal.

The stadium exploded! The time ran out on the clock. We Won! The whole team rushed Kiba. I saw him whisper something in Kankuro's ear, to which he fainted. Kiba then ran over to the student section. Ino tried to hug him, but he ran right to me, grabbed my shirt and kissed me over the fence. The students behind me whistled and wooed. I don't think I have ever blushed so hard in my life. Ino was infuriated and stormed off. Checkmate.

"Thanks for coming." He said after breaking away from the kiss. "I love you. No more Hiding, okay?"

"I love you too, Kiba. I'm so proud of you."

"Yeah, that really was an awesome last shot." he boasted.

"Oh shut up you." He jumped over the fence and took my hand. "So what's next?" I asked.

"Well, I'm starving, and there's this pizza joint I've been dying to try with my boyfriend."

"B-Boyfriend?" I gushed.

"That is, if he'll have me." He winked. It was all I could do to just nod my head. He leaned in and kissed me again and then we started to leave the stadium, hand in hand.

"So, what did you say to Kankuro to make him pass out like that?"

He laughed. "I told him, 'Congrats on being a father.'"

We both laughed at that. When we got out to the parking lot and it was a little quieter, I had to ask him.

"What made you change your mind? You know.. About us."

He smiled before he answered. "Something you said stuck with me. I didn't want to be under Ino's thumb forever. I was scared she would tell everyone, and that fear gave her power over me. The last few days have been pretty shitty, and I thought that I had pushed you too far away. I. I thought I lost you. When Idate told me you were here, something sparked inside of me. Suddenly, I wasn't afraid anymore. So I decided to take away the only card Ino had, and come out on my own terms. And I tell you what, it feels damn good."

With that we left our old history behind us, and starting tonight, we were something completely new. Together.