Chinatsu slept in the next day. She woke when the sun completely filled the room. She yawned and got up to get dressed. While she was getting something to eat, Sakura came in.

"Hey Sakura. Don't you have work today?"

"I do. Tsunade-sama sent me to get you."

"Really? Do you think I'm going to get to be a ninja? I want to be a jounin like Kiba. Are you a jounin?"

Sakura laughed. "Yeah I am. Most of the people you know are."

"Well I guess I'll have to talk to Kiba later," mused Chinatsu.

Sakura almost jumped for joy.

She finally got it!

"I am just completely stumped about who likes me. Kiba can help for sure," continued Chinatsu before heading for the door. Sakura sweatdropped.

So much for that.

"Coming Sakura?"

"Yeah I'm coming."

Sakura led Chinatsu to the Hokage's door. She poked her head in.

"Tsunade-sama, Chinatsu is here."

"Good. Send her in."

Chinatsu entered the office. Tsunade sat behind her desk.

"Kiba says that you want to be a ninja."

"Hai. I asked Kiba to spar with me to try to help me get back in shape. However I didn't ask him to talk to you about it. He did that himself. He's a great friend," replied Chinatsu smiling.

Tsunade raised an eyebrow.

She has absolutely no clue he's head over heels for her.

"After talking to Kiba and Kankuro about your spar, I am very impressed at the level you seem to be at, not to mention your fighting style. It is extremely unique. How did you discover it?"

"Well as I said before, I always enjoyed playing with the wolves. I came to understand them a little. Soon after that when I was practicing focusing my chakra I started hearing whispers. After that I spent all my free time meditating, trying to talk to the whispers. Eventually they grew louder. In a way each voice told me how I could ask for their help. Some trusted me right away, others I needed to prove myself to them. However I wasn't allowed to use my new power in spars because of how ridiculous I look sometimes when I'm communicating with the voices to fight. I don't use hand signs."

Tsunade nodded. "After hearing Kiba's and Kankuro's accounts, it is very clear you are at jounin level. However as much as I would like to award you the rank of jounin I can't."

Chinatsu's face fell."Did I do something wrong Hokage-sama?"

"No it's nothing you did," growled Tsunade. "The council, paranoid old fools, think you might be a spy for Akatsuki or Orochimaru, even though he is dead, stupid fools."

"I don't even know who those people are!" cried Chinatsu.

"I know that and I believe you. I fought with them about this but they won't budge. They won't allow you to be placed as a jounin right away. You will have to earn it. I did get them to agree to one thing though," said Tsunade as she stood and removed a headband from her desk.

"I got them to agree to make you a chuunin by arguing that your skills would be wasted as a genin. Once you have proved your loyalty to the council you will become a jounin."

"Thank you Hokage-sama!"

Tsunade smiled. "You are very welcome Chinatsu. I will try to convince the council to promote you as soon as possible. That is all. Oh, have someone tell you about the Akatsuki. You will need to know about them."

Chinatsu nodded, bowed, and left the office. As she left Tsunade smiled again.

She's going to be one hell of a ninja.

Chinatsu left the office trying to figure out where to wear her new headband. Eventually she tied it around her waist as a belt. She left the Hokage building and set off to find Kiba. Ten minutes later she hadn't seen a trace of him and she was getting frustrated. She stomped her foot.

"Why is it so hard to find someone?"

"Find who?"

She whirled to find Kiba standing behind her.

"You," she muttered. "How long have you been there?"

"I spotted you and walked over in time to hear you little tantrum."

"It was not a tantrum!"

"Hey! You have a headband," exclaimed Kiba. "What rank did Hokage-sama make you?"

"Well she said I should be a jounin but the council thinks I might be a spy for Akatsuki or Orochimaru. So I'm just a chuunin."

"A spy?" asked Kiba confused.

"Which I am not!" snorted Chinatsu indignantly. "I don't even know who those people are."

"Really?"

"Nope no idea. Will you tell me?"

"Well Orochimaru is dead so I have no idea why you'd be a spy for him."

"That's what Tsunade said, and I'm not a spy for either of them!"

"Ok I get it Natsu. Geez."

She chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Anyway Akatsuki is this evil group out to collect all the jinchuuriki and take over the world. You actually know two jinchuuriki."

"Really? Who?"

"Well Gaara was one. Akatsuki captured him and extracted his demon, killing him but one of the Suna council gave her life so he could live again."

"Wow. So who's the second?"

"Naruto."

"Naruto?!"

"You bet. He's been treated like shit by most of the villagers because they thought he was a demon."

"But he's not! I barely know him and I know that!" exclaimed Chinatsu.

"I'm just telling you the overview. If you want to learn more, Naruto could tell you. Talk to him one day about it.""

Chinatsu nodded thinking.

"So have you talked to Kankuro?" asked Kiba.

"Oh yeah. I did but he has a girlfriend and I never had a crush on him in the first place. Ino had convinced me I did. Which reminds me, Kankuro said that someone likes me and I can't figure out who it is. Do you know?"

"Well… ummm… yeah," he muttered.

"You do! Who is it?"

"Well… that is… you see…" stammered Kiba blushing furiously.

Chinatsu looked at him before cocking her head. "Kiba? Are you… blushing?"

"Well… umm… you see…"

Suddenly it hit her.

Someone you're attracted to. He was cute in a wild sort of way.

Someone you look up to. I want to be a jounin like Kiba.

Someone you can talk to about anything. Hey Kiba can you help me with something?

Don't rule anyone out. Even if you think he's just a friend. You're a great friend Kiba.

"Kiba… it's you?" she asked stunned. "But you told me to tell Kankuro… I don't understand."

"I just wanted you to be happy," he sighed.

"I don't get it. How could you like me?"

"What are you talking about? Remember what I told you before you went to talk to Kankuro?"

She nodded. "But when? When did you start liking me?"

Kiba sighed. If he was going to tell her might as well tell her all of it. "Pretty soon after I met you. I thought you were really pretty and when you smiled it was just amazing. Then I found out what had happened to you and I just got really angry about what happened but you were never bitter about it. You just made the best of it and were happy most of the time. I think that's when it happened. You are just a really strong and caring person."

Chinatsu stared at him.

All this time… and he's felt like that? But do I like him back?

As she mulled over the last thought, Kiba mistook her silence.

"It's ok. You don't have to worry. I can just forget about it and you won't have to feel awkward about me and we can go back to being just friends…"

As he continued Chinatsu just looked at him. She had been attracted to him at first but they quickly became friends. She trusted him with her life. She thought of being just friends. She felt strangely hollow at the thought.

Is this what it feels like to like someone? Is this what Kiba has been feeling?

And when she looked in his eyes she knew that was exactly what he was feeling.

So if we go out…

She felt her heart leap. Her eyes widened.

I like him too!

Kiba was still talking about being sorry he brought it up. She smiled at him before walking over to him. She hugged him. He stopped babbling.

"What are you-"

"I think I know what I feel now. You should have told me earlier," she said looking up at him.

His eyes widened. Was it possible?

"I thought you liked Kankuro and… well…" He trailed off as they got closer. Their eyes slid shut and they hesitantly brought their lips together. They broke apart after a few seconds. Chinatsu smiled at him before burying her head in his chest. He laid his head on her head breathing the scent of her. She smelled earthy with a hint of flowers and herbs. It wasn't overtly feminine like a lot of other girls he knew but to Kiba it was perfect.

"You really like me?" he asked still not willing to believe what had happened.

She smiled. "If I wasn't sure before, that kiss told me the truth. I really like you Kiba. Like nothing I've ever felt before."

Kiba felt his heart swell in his chest and he lowered his head to gently kiss her again. They stayed together longer this time savoring the moment. When they separated Kiba placed his forehead against hers, smiling at her.

"Thank you," he whispered.

She shook her head. "I should be thanking you."

"Oh. I just remembered. I was looking for you," said Kiba. They fully separated from their embrace.

"What about?" she asked.

"Well two things actually. One, I know you're living in Sakura's apartment but my mom just came back from a mission and when I told her about you she offered you a place in our house. We have the room."

"Would that be… appropriate?" she asked uneasily.

Kiba blushed. "We wouldn't be staying in the same room. You would have your own and be sharing a bathroom with my sister."

"My own room?!" she asked excited. He laughed, the awkwardness forgotten.

"And just so you know I will never push you into anything you don't want," he continued. She smiled at him.

"I knew that. I just wasn't sure if your mom would still be ok with it. The situation is a little different now."

"My mom offered knowing I really liked you. I don't think it will matter too much."

"Great!! I get my own room!" she squealed. After dancing around for a little bit she turned back to Kiba.

"So what was the second thing?"

"Oh. My mom wants to ask you some questions. She thinks she knows the… wolf people."

Chinatsu paled slightly, her good mood forgotten. Kiba cursed to himself. He swore he would help her erase the fear from her life.

"You don't have to if you don't want to-"

"No Kiba. I need to find out who they are." She reached out and grabbed his hand before taking a deep breath. "Let's go."

AN: Yay!!! They got together!!! I really like how this chapter came out I hope you do to. Also a really talented artist has drawn Chinatsu for me. I'll post the link on my profile. :D

Enjoy!!!

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