Disclaimed.
o0o
Weeks later, after sparring all day with the Inuzuka's, Sukoshi fell into a pile of cousins and siblings that were hers but not. Hana sighed into her shoulder and said, "As much as we love Naruto, he never would've fit in the pack. Dogs don't do well around foxes."
"They don't do well around cat's either."
"Yes, but you're also half wolf." Sukoshi didn't reply, listened instead to everyone's breathing slow into steady, sleep laced rhythms. Everyone but Kiba.
Sukoshi waited, and waited, and then he said, "What did I do wrong?"
She let him stew in uncertainty for a bit. "You insulted his intelligence, undermined his love, tried to make him do something he didn't want to do, and made him keep secrets from Sasuke."
"Gee, I think that's the most you've said all day." Kiba's tone was full of guilty sarcasm.
"Would you like me to say more?"
Kiba huffed and slapped her thigh, then shifted to look up at her from her stomach. His eyes sparkled in the almost-gone light, the happiness gone and replaced with exhaustion and sadness. Sukoshi smiled at him with quiet understanding, pulling a hand from under his second cousin's leg to scratch the crown of Kiba's head and ruffle his hair.
"Don't tear yourself up over this," she said, averting her attention to the rising moon. "He still wants to be your friend, but he needs some trust back. Apologize to him, show him you don't plan on making a move, and be there for him when Sasuke breaks his heart, but don't try anything. Let him make the first move, but don't let him do anything before he gets his feet back under him. Don't let him break your heart because he needs a replacement for the person who broke his."
"Then you think Sasuke's bad for him too!"
"No, I never said that." Sukoshi clamped a hand over Kiba's mouth to keep him from protesting again, ignoring the feel of a wet tongue sliding over her fingers. "I think Sasuke's the best thing that's ever happened to him, and vice versa. But he's also the worst. Sasuke is like a nation that wants to be overcome but does everything in its power to make sure it isn't."
Kiba mumbled something like 'the fuck? that makes no sense.' but Sukoshi continued.
"Naruto doesn't know if he should pay attention to the begging or fighting, all he knows is that they love each other, and he's not just going to let Sasuke throw him away."
Kiba frowned and clamped a fang into Sukoshi's palm, and she let her hand draw a trail of blood down Kiba's cheek in retaliation.
"If Sasuke hurts him, I can't guarantee I won't bloody him."
"If Sasuke hurts him, it means he's too powerful for you to touch in battle."