Okay, so this is definitely the longest chapter I've written so far. To be honest I am happy with it cause it sets up for the juicy events in the next chapter but at the same time it feels just like fluff. Hopefully you all can let me know. :) Enjoy.
Kiba had just gotten done with his training. He and Akumaru had been out on the training ground since lunch time and it had been well past dinner by the time they got done. Kakashi had come along in the process and had offered to help him train with his ninja hounds. Kiba couldn't refuse. Ever since this morning he had been extremely frustrated. He could feel and smell the sexual tension between himself and Yuka and the more it affected his focus, the more he'd train. It was hard enough focusing when he kept getting faint wisps of her scent drifting in and out all day. For once he cursed his heightened sense of smell.
When they had finally finished they made their way to the market, Akamaru following close behind. Ever since that morning his pup had been doing well and though it pained him to leave his pups and mate, he did so without complaining, training with Kiba just as hard as Kiba had been trying. He couldn't help but wag his tail as he approached the ramen shop. Kiba hadn't frequented it before, always going there when Naruto or Kakashi invited him. Tonight though, he wanted something filling and good and since he didn't feel like sitting down in a regular restaurant, he went to Ichiraku.
When he sat down the older man greeted him with a kind smile, his daughter bringing Kiba a beer and some sweet rolls; his frequent appetizer. While he munched on his pastries and drank his beer he let his mind wander briefly. He had a mission in a couple days and though he was requested by the Hokage to go along as a tracker, he still suspected something was different about this mission. The full details about it hadn't been revealed but from what Shikamaru had spoken about he would be team leader, strategically placing each of his teammates like he always did. Usually when Shikamaru set up a mission it was destined to succeed.
What bugged Kiba about this mission was that Konohamaru and Shikamaru were keeping most of the details under wraps. It was supposed to be an intelligence mission, gathering from behind enemy lines. The problem was that Kiba didn't know where to look yet and didn't know what he was looking for. As the only tracker on their team it would make sense that they filled him in but so far there hasn't been a single word. To make matters worse while he was gone he was sure Yuka would be fully healed and ready to undergo examinations from Ibiki, Inoichi, and Anbu.
He didn't have a good feeling about that. He didn't picture Yuka sitting through such examinations with a cool head. When he finished his beer he looked up to notice that the young girl was placing his ramen in front of him. It looked delicious and had thick cuts of meats and egg in it. Kiba thanked her graciously, setting down his Ryo before inhaling the ramen. If Naruto were right next to him he'd have a run for his money. Kiba hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning and the hot ramen and thick cuts of meat had teased his stomach a little too much. As he ate his dinner he couldn't help but notice Akumaru was sitting at attention by his legs, looking outside the shop from under the normal hangings. Kiba wasn't sure what he was looking at but after finishing his bowl of ramen he took a deep breath and instantly knew. He could smell Yuka and she was very close by.
He wasn't sure what to do now. To be honest he just wanted to sit there and bury his face in ramen for the rest of the night but that was made impossible by Akumaru's intentionally loud bark. Kiba glared at him before he heard three familiar voices.
"Awe, look! It's Akumaru," Ino's voice said, coming up to pet the dog on the head. She spotted Kiba and with a coy smile she turned to talk to her companions. "TenTen, Yuka! Come on, let's have some ramen. We can sit here and wait for Hinata-chan. She said she'd meet us right across the street so why not Ichiraku instead?"
"Sounds good," TenTen said, coming into view. She spotted Kiba and nodded, a smile on her face. "C'mon Yuka-chan! It's been a while since I've had Ichiraku. It's the best ramen under the sun really…"
Just then Yuka came into sight, her face downcast and her eyes hesitant. "Sounds good," she said, looking down at Akamaru. Placing a hand on his head she pet him gently, smiling at his reaction as he let his tongue fall out of his mouth happily. She pet him more vigorously, his reaction comical as she started to giggle at him. Ino just grinned and sat down on the left of Kiba, looking over at him curiously.
"So, Kiba-kun, are you ready for the mission?" She asked, nudging him slightly. He just shrugged, waving for the girl to bring him another beer and some ramen.
"Ah, more Kiba-san? Okay, same one right?" she asked. When he nodded she smiled, handing him a beer and looked at the three ladies. "What can I get you three?"
"Just get us four green tea cocktails and four bowls of the miso-pork please, Ayame. We are expecting Hinata-chan," TenTen replied, sitting on the other side of Kiba. Yuka was thankful for this and sat on the other side of TenTen, her eyes glued to the bar in front of her. Ino was talking to Kiba now, watching him closely. Yuka didn't really pay that much attention to it but their conversation was crucial to what she had been thinking about all day.
"Oh, come on Kiba! Don't be such a downer dog," she whined, taking a sip of the drink Ayame just brought her. "Cheer up. We have a mission in a couple days and from what I've heard from Choji it's going to be an interesting one. We're going to get the chance to gather some intel on an old slippery friend."
Kiba couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at her, wrinkling his nose. "Slippery friend? You don't mean-?"
"Yup!" Ino said, taking another sip of her drink as Ayame brought Kiba his second bowl of ramen. He handed her the money and just shrugged, picking up a thick cut of meat before devouring it. "Hokage-sama has been hearing reports of strange stirrings in the Hidden Sound that he's up to his old tricks. It still astounds me that he's still slithering around, especially after the war. We'd thought for sure he was dead. Guess that slippery snake is up to no good again."
"You know, it wouldn't surprise me to find that he's taken another form," TenTen chimed in, turning around on her stool to lean against the bar. "Isn't that what he wanted anyway?"
"Yeah, basically… but we shouldn't be talking about it anyway," Ino said with a thoughtful look on her face. "Yuka-chan doesn't even know what we're talking about and I feel bad leaving her out of the conversation."
At this Yuka looked up, a slight grin on her face. "I don't mind," she said, taking a sip of her drink and looking up at TenTen. "I think I know what you're talking about anyway. You forgot Hinata-chan told me the whole story."
"Man, Hinata-chan must have covered a lot with you," Ino said, turning to notice that Kiba was just eating his Ramen, a sullen look on his face. He was like this more and more she noticed. Before and during the war he was somewhat carefree, loud, and a complete animal. Now though he lacked the animalistic ferocity that made him who he used to be. What had happened to her friend Ino couldn't understand but she knew, almost better than anyone, what it was like after the war, what the hollow existence felt like without her best friend and that teammate of hers.
"Yeah, she did I guess," Yuka said, noticing Hinata approaching them from down the road. She grinned at them happily and looked over her shoulder watching as the dark haired girl came strolling up. "She told me everything and I have to say that I'm still in shock. Hinata-chan!" She called out, gaining Hinata's attention. She smiled and waved at her before making her way over to them. She sat on the other side of Yuka and smiled down at her friends. She was somewhat surprised to see Kiba there.
"Hello everyone," she said with that soft voice of hers. "Kiba-kun, what are you doing here? Are you coming out with us tonight too?"
"No!" Ino said, glaring over at Hinata. "It's supposed to be a girl's night. We were supposed to hit up a club and then maybe a bar. It was tough convincing Yuka-chan but I did and now we have to go."
"Oh, I didn't know that. Why did Yuka-chan not want to go?" Hinata asked, turning her attention to Yuka.
"She's never drank before," TenTen said, smirking at Yuka. "And we can't very well let her live like that, can we?"
"Ino, did you convince her to come just so you could get her drunk?" Hinata asked, looking over at Ino with a shocked expression.
"No Hinata-chan, that's not why I wanted to go," Yuka said, shaking her head and smiling at the girl. "Ino-chan was nice enough to invite me to dinner. The least I could do is go out and have some fun with you girls."
"You'll have lots of fun!" Ino said, turning to look at Ayame as she brought them their ramen. The girls ate happily, chatting about the latest makeup Ino had developed, a new weapons technique TenTen had mastered, and finally Hinata's plans for little Jiraiya's schooling.
"I don't know what to do really," Hinata said, finishing her drink. She looked over to see Kiba was listening to her, his eyes watching her lazily. Hinata was just surprised he stayed there the whole time while they were chatting. Normally he'd dismiss himself from such "girl talk" as he'd call it.
"Well, what's the problem?" TenTen asked, looking Hinata over. At that moment Akamaru came over to sit next to her knee, a playful smile on the seemingly emotionless dog's face. Hinata pet him gently before looking back at TenTen. "Well, the problem is that Jiraiya will be entering the academy next year. Father wants him to undergo training to release his Byakugan soon but I honestly don't think he's going to have Byakugan."
"Can't hurt to try, right?" Ino asked, finishing her last piece of pork. "I mean, sure your dad is a little intense with his training but if Jiraiya is going to be able to protect himself from his enemies he's going to need a firm teacher."
"Yeah, that's true," Kiba finally said, making them all look at him. "If he's anything like his dad was during training, he'll need someone to lead him on the right path."
At this Hinata just smiled, her eyes looking far off as if looking into the past itself; she blushed when she noticed their eyes on her now. "Sorry, it's just I'm not sure I want him to become a ninja. Father said that as the child of the eldest Hyuuga he would be the rightful heir when the time came. I know we are a ninja clan but it scares me that he could be put in danger just for his name."
"That kid was born to be a shinobi," TenTen commented, looking down at her empty bowl of ramen. "Let's face it. He's almost exactly like Naruto. He has a bit more manners than Naruto-kun did but he has that same determination, that same drive. I think it would be best to just let him become a shinobi."
"I agree," Ino said, shaking her head. "He'll be as hyperactive as his dad but he'll have family, instructors who love and cherish him. He will be stronger than Naruto-kun because of that. Not that we didn't love Naruto," Ino added, raising her hands. "It's just this kid won't be alone."
"I don't ever want him to be," Hinata chimed, looking determined. It was the first time that Yuka had actually seen ferocity in her eyes.
"He won't Hinata-chan," Kiba said, looking over at her. "That kid's going to have so many friends he's not going to know what to do about it."
"And he'll be a ladies' man, Hina-chan," Ino giggled, winking at her. "That cute mop of blonde hair will just draw the ladies in; not to mention he's a Hyuuga."
"Ino-chan!" Hinata said, grinning from ear to ear.
"Enough talk guys," TenTen sighed, looking over at them. "We still have to get out of our ninja garb before we hit the club and knowing Ino over here it will take a good hour."
"Hey, I can't help it if I like to look good," Ino defended. "Besides, Yuka looks to be the same size as me around the hips and waist so I know I have some clothes for her at home but there is no way she'll be able to fit comfortably into one of my tops." With that Ino walked over behind Yuka, placing her hands around her waist and moving up to her bust. She almost gasped out when Ino lifted and then let go of her boobs."Yeah, definitely don't have a top to fit those. Hinata-chan… could you find her something in your clothes?"
"Yeah, of course," Hinata said, watching the young woman with a kind face. "I have some tops she'll probably fit into in my bag. You said to bring over some clothes so I grabbed some of my favorites."
"What's this I hear about a club night?" said a familiar voice and Kiba groaned, turning around. "We could hear you ladies from across the road." Shikamaru popped his head into the shop, his eyes roaming over Ino and her position behind Yuka which made Yuka blush furiously. Shikamaru just laughed and turned to see, to his surprise, Kiba. "You ladies need some company? Neji, Lee, and I were just about to go to the bar anyway."
"Really? Neji never drinks," TenTen commented, thinking a moment and then let a huge smile spread over her face. "That'd be so fun! I never even imagined Neji-kun at a club," TenTen laughed, nodding her approval.
"What? Oh come on, really? What about girl's night?" Ino whined, looking at TenTen.
"Oh come on, it's not like it'd ruin the night," TenTen assured, smiling down at Yuka. "You don't mind if the guys go along, do you Yuka-chan?"
Yuka just shook her head, looking over at Shikamaru. He grinned a bit and then stepped out of the shop, turning around to call Neji and Lee over.
"Ah! Yuka-chan," Lee said, approaching them with a smile. "Hinata-chan, TenTen-chan, and Ino-chan too! This is going to be a fun and youthful experience indeed."
"Cool it Lee," Neji said, coming into view. He looked them all over, that still expressionless face greeting them. "Did you say we were going clubbing?" Neji asked, looking over at TenTen. She blushed slightly before nodding, putting her money on the counter.
"That's right! But you boy's will have to give us an hour. We need to get changed and Yuka-chan needs to pick out an outfit," TenTen assured, standing up. "C'mon girls, meet you boyd at Nin in an hour." Hinata patted Akumaru's head before standing up and following after TenTen.
"Come on Yuka-chan," Ino said, motioning her to follow. "We'll go back to my place. It's the closest. We have some work to do considering we have to find you a sexy little number to wear for the club. You can't go in your ninja gear."
Yuka just nodded, standing up to follow. Before she did she bid the boys goodbye before she followed, disappearing down the street with the loud girls.
Shikamaru sighed, looking down at Kiba who was still sitting at the bar, his eyes on his empty beer. Neji moved to sit down next to him, ordering some tea.
"I am quite surprised by the girls," Lee said, sitting down to allow Shikamaru to sit next to Kiba. "They haven't been out clubbing in a very long time."
"It's probably because of Yuka-san," Neji commented, looking down at the hot cup of tea Ayame set down before him.
"Yeah, if I know Ino-chan she's probably planning something for Yuka-chan," Shikamaru commented, a yawn coming over his lips. "This is troublesome; I didn't think they'd actually allow us to go with them."
"You're the one who insisted we go see what they were doing," Neji said, taking a drink of his tea. "I think it's a great idea, personally."
At this all three of their heads swung around to look at Neji. He pretended not to notice as he sipped his tea. "Neji-san," Lee said, his eyes wider than they already were. "You've never even enjoyed alcohol, let alone music. Why would you want to go to the club?"
"That's easy," Neji said, looking over at them. "TenTen is going and as her official," he paused, the word obviously hard for him to say as he drug it out. "Boyfriend I have the right to go. Believe me, I don't particularly enjoy alcohol, dancing, or music but if TenTen does then I'd be happy to comply."
"Ah!" Lee said, slamming his fist into his palm, a look of discovery gracing his lips. "You and TenTen finally ended up together. Good! That's the power of youth. Our sensei would be most excited to-."
"Lee, if you so much as mutter one word to Guy-sensei I'll make sure you're never able to do those ridiculous morning work-outs with him again," Neji warned, his eyes narrowing. At this Shikamaru couldn't help but laugh.
"Man, Neji Hyuuga, ladies man," Shikamaru commented, looking back over at Lee. "I'd be careful Lee. Neji doesn't seem to be in one of his more playful moods."
At this Neji scoffed, rolling his eyes. Shikamaru grinned at him and then finally turned his full attention to Kiba, who hadn't said anything since they got there.
"Kiba-kun," Shikamaru said, leaning back against the bar and glancing over at his friend. Akamaru was sitting by his knee, his head on his thigh. Kiba listlessly rubbed the dog's head, shrugging in recognition. Shikamaru just eyed him before continuing. "Are you going to the club as well?"
Kiba shrugged, not really sure. There was so much going on in his mind right now that he couldn't really respond. Shikamaru just nodded, looking over at Lee. "Lee, please tell me you're not going in your jumpsuit."
At this Lee shrugged, looking down at the green monstrosity. "Why not? Sure, it's my training suit but so what? I'm not really going to impress, you know?"
Kiba drowned out their conversation now, his mind preoccupied with other thoughts. He didn't expect to see Yuka like that. She was hanging out with the girls which made him somewhat happy but at the same time he felt a great pain in his chest. Like Lee said, the girls hadn't been clubbing in a while. Actually, they hadn't been clubbing at all since they took Hinata out after Jiraiya was born almost four years ago. This made Kiba wonder about what Ino really had planned for Yuka.
Also it made his chest burn when he imagined a drunken Yuka hanging over some random shinobi at the club. Hell, that was enough to make his blood boil. The thought of the girl he liked rubbing up against some guy on the dance floor or flirting with him was more than he could stand. Kiba couldn't help but feel contempt for his friends. Neji may have had a reason for going but Shikamaru and Lee didn't. He wasn't sure why they were going but the thought of one of them even thinking about touching Yuka made him want to claw their heads off.
Suddenly he remembered what Ino had said earlier and raised his head from his arms which were resting on the bar to look at Shikamaru. "Hey, Shikamaru," he said, making his friend turn toward him. He eyed him curiously before grinning.
"So, you're going right?" he asked, motioning for Lee to stop staring at Kiba. Lee did that, it was his thing when he tried to get people to do something. He'd stare at them almost to the point of becoming a stalker. It was uncomfortable.
"Eh, yeah I guess but I have a question," Kiba said, shrugging his shoulders. "Why didn't you fill me in on the mission we're going on? You didn't tell me that Orochimaru was involved."
At this Shikamaru groaned, covering his face. "I'm going to have to stop telling Choji everything," he murmured. He then looked at Kiba seriously, his eyes portraying the delicacy of his words. "Kiba, this mission is to be top secret. I shouldn't have leaked the info to Choji but that is my fault. I need you, Ino, and Choji at your peak to be able to pull this off. No distractions."
"I'm not a gennin," Kiba growled, rolling his eyes. "I was just wondering why the hell the only tracker nin wasn't included on the details."
"I meant to brief you all before we left so it couldn't get around," Shikamaru admitted. "But apparently Ino knows which means the girls probably know, right?"
"Right, at least I assume so. She was talking about it right here in front of them," Kiba replied, looking back at his beer. He was surprised to see it was full again.
"On the house," Ayame said, a smile on her face as she walked away.
"Thanks," Kiba muttered, taking a large drink. He then looked back at Shikamaru; he was deep in thought. "So, does that mean we're going to the Hidden Sound to hunt him down or just to do some reconnaissance?"
"We're going to gather intel and find the root of these rumors. As far as I can tell it's nothing but whispers but Hokage-sama wants to be extra careful, especially dealing with Orochimaru," Shikamaru said, his eyes focused on something that wasn't there. "We don't need a repeat of the chunnin exams. Not now."
At this they all sat quiet a minute remembering that fateful test that brought them all to what they were today. It was nostalgic, the air about them turning faintly misty. Just then Shikamaru shook his head, his eyes back to his thoughts. Neji sipped his tea and Rock Lee, his usual self, started to tear up, a joyful smile coming to his face. It seemed like he never frowned. To Kiba it was remarkable.
Just then they were interrupted by another familiar voice. "Hello comrades," Shino said, walking up to stand behind Kiba and Akamaru. Kiba turned to look at his teammate, a slight smile on his face.
"Hey Shino-kun," Lee greeted. Neji nodded to him and Shikamaru looked up at him with a thoughtful look.
"Hello Shino-kun," Shikamaru said. "What are you doing out and about tonight?"
"I thought I would go see what my friends were up to," Shino said, his tone hopeful. "Anything going on tonight?"
Ever since the war ended Shino tried to be a little more social, lessening his duties with his father to become closer to his friends. Over the past few years he had become less stand-offish and more welcoming, sometimes flashing a smile. It was rare still but it did happen at times. Kiba knew his teammate best, their teamwork and constant missions making them closer friends. Shino had admitted to him, after the war and things had started settling down, that he wanted to be more like Naruto-kun. He wanted to live up to the standard Naruto held us all to and at the time Kiba didn't understand. Now, looking at his friend he realized that Shino must have really been serious, putting as much effort as possible into his endeavor.
"Well, I guess we're all going out with the girls to club Nin," Shikamaru said, a grin on his lips. He knew how much Shino hated to be excluded. "Kiba-kun just agreed so, what about it Shino? You going to make your first appearance on the club scene with us?"
Shino stood there for a moment, his eyes hidden behind his dark glasses. It seemed as if he was pondering something but then again, no one could ever tell. He then turned his head to look at Shikamaru. "Yes, I will go with you all. What girls though?"
This was an odd question to Kiba and he looked up at his friend with quiet contemplation. "TenTen, Ino, Hinata, and Yuka," Lee said, counting on his fingers. "Oh! And Neji-kun here has made it clear to us all that TenTen is his girlfriend."
"Lee, your mouth is almost as big as Ino's," Neji said, glaring at his friend.
"But Neji-kun, Shino-kun is our friend. We all have to know these things! That's what friends are for," Lee said, clenching a fist and getting a little misty eyed. He was always so dramatic. "Our youthful friendships will be with us until the end! We must make it count!"
At this Kiba rolled his eyes, laying his head back down into his arms, yawning slightly. He felt Akamaru nudge his leg with his nose. He wanted to go home now. Kiba just patted him on his head, scratching behind his ears before he took off toward the compound.
"I agree with you Lee," Shino said, his voice all too serious. "We are all friends."
"Fine, but don't be breathing a word of it to strangers," Neji said, finishing his tea. He then turned in his stool, setting his money down. "Now, since this is casual attire I am going to go change. I'll meet you all there." With that he took off down the road at an almost unnatural pace.
"Man, who knew that guy could get embarrassed," Shikamaru commented, looking back over at Shino. "Why so curious about the ladies, Shino-kun?" He asked, a soft smirk gracing his lips.
"Because you were not specific," he retorted instantly. "You said the girls; you didn't say who the girls were. You can't expect me to follow your logic without that critical information."
"Alright, alright…" Shikamaru said, raising his hands in defense. "Well, that's who is going. Looks like a big crowd. If Choji wasn't busy training with his dad tonight I'd go find him…"
"I just saw him," Shino said, sitting down in Neji's vacant stool. "He and his father were just heading into the barbeque place."
"Ah," Shikamaru grinned, knowing full well that they would run out of meat before the Akimichi men were done. "Then I'll head over there and let him know. I'm sure he'd go…" Shikamaru stood up, stretching his arms before putting his hands in his pockets. Once he left, Lee turned his attention to Shino and Kiba. He was used to Shino being quiet but Kiba was a different story.
"Shino-kun, Kiba-kun," Lee said, his eyes scanning them. "Tell me, how much do you know about Yuka-san?"
At this Kiba looked over at him, his eyes narrowed slightly. He then shrugged, looking down at his beer. Before he could say anything Shino had spoke up.
"Her name is Yuka, she's from The Hidden Rain Village and is rumored to be a distant relative of Uzumaki Naruto. She is five foot six, one hundred and twenty five pounds, and has what one would describe as ruby hair," Shino paused, looking back at Lee. "As for her jutsu she uses seals to channel her chakra and produce explosive taijutsu attacks that allow her chakra to vaporize in its concentrated state. This enters the body when in contact to slowly wear away at the bodies weak points; previous injuries and the like. We do not yet know how she focuses this chakra to the weak points. However, the seals on her hands provide two different types of uses. One for healing and a technique she refers to as mind reading, and the other expelling chakra and an explosive burst of chakra that, when it comes in contact with someone, destroys part of their cellular structure resulting in fatalities."
There was silence for a second and Kiba couldn't help but look over at his friend curiously. Then he smelt it and his eyes turned a bit darker. He looked away quickly, his head in his arms again. That scent around Shino wasn't his normal scent. Sure the bugs made it fluctuate but this scent was different and it immediately set Kiba on edge. It was all obvious now when Kiba thought about it. Shino asked who was going to the club with them, specifically which girls were and he got defensive when Shikamaru asked him why. Also, the information he gathered on Yuka was a bit too obvious. Kiba wouldn't have thought it sounded weird if he hadn't said she had ruby red hair. This is where he slipped up; he'd never heard him use such descriptive words. Shino liked Yuka.
"That is amazing Shino-kun," Lee said, breaking the silence around them. "I just met Yuka-chan this morning with Guy-sensei. She worked out with us at the training grounds."
At this Kiba looked over at Lee dumbfounded. He couldn't figure out why Yuka would want to work out with Lee and his exuberant teacher. Lee just smiled, nodding at Kiba's skeptical look. Just then Shino laughed. It wasn't an extreme laugh and it surely wasn't loud but Kiba heard it over his friends muffling clothing just as clear as day. Shino had laughed.
"Lee-kun," he said, shaking his head. "I'm not sure if Guy-sensei is the right trainer for Yuka-san."
This sent Lee into a ten minute rant about how great his sensei was which turned into an all out tear fest. It was annoying and Kiba wanted to escape them now. He had agreed to go to the club and with this new information he was sure he wouldn't miss out. If Shino and Shikamaru were going to be there then so was he. However, he didn't feel comfortable going in his leather jacket and ninja gear.
"Hey, guys… I'm going to go get changed before we meet the girls," he said, looking over at Lee and Shino. They were hopeless when it came to casual clothing, almost always wearing their shinobi gear. He sighed, clapping them both on the shoulders at the same time. "I suggest you do the same." Then he grinned, taking off toward the compound. He was going to get be a step ahead of both Shino and Shikamaru. He'd meet the girls at Ino's place after he got dressed.
This plan didn't work out so well. First Kiba got a ten minute inquisition from his mother as to where he was going in such a hurry and why he wasn't bringing Yuka over for dinner. She ranted and barked about the poor girl not having family or a proper meal and that's when Kiba let out a loud groan, glaring at her.
"Ma, she's fine. She's with the girls! We are all going out tonight so you don't have to worry about it. Just shut up will ya?" He barked, slamming his door in her face. He quickly showered, shaved, got dressed, and was ready to go within twenty minutes. His hair was still somewhat wet and he grumbled, ruffling it with his hand to dry it faster. It just made it that much more awkward, sticking up in the most random places. He didn't care. There was no way that he'd look worse than Lee in that green jumper or Shino in that trench coat.
He decided to wear a pair of straight leg jeans, not caring what shoes or belt went with it. He didn't care really. He just slapped on a black belt and a pair of black and comfortable high tops, the jeans bunched up around the top line. His shirt wasn't anything special. In fact, it was a simple sleeveless shirt that fit around his neck comfortably, allowing him to feel the cool air on his already naturally warm skin. He left the house after checking on Akamaru and his pups. He was surprised to see the runt feeding like the others. She used to be too weak to do so and would get buried by small puppy bodies. Now she was hungrily eating, Akamaru not far from them.
When he finally reached Ino's it was a half hour later and he wasn't the only one waiting. Outside her house sitting on the bench across from her door was Choji, Shikamaru, and Lee. Lee greeted him first, a grin on his face. He wasn't very good at choosing outfits and this was obvious by the now black jumpsuit he had on. Kiba just grinned, greeting him. Choji stood up now, stretching. Kiba could smell the nervousness on him and watched him as he played with his outfit. It was simple almost too much so but it gave him a more casual look.
He was wearing a simple white shirt with a brown zip up over it, his jeans loose and his feet covered by nothing but his sandals. Shikamaru had changed his outfit too and much to Kiba's annoyance he was rather flashy. Shikamaru never had a problem with girls falling all over him but tonight it looked like he went the extra mile to assure that they did. His hair was the same as usual spiked into its normal pineapple but he had gotten rid of his flak jacket to replace it by a simple white button up, black jeans, and a pair of loafers. He wore something around his neck that Kiba had never recognized before. It was a simple silver chain but attached to it was a zippo lighter.
"Are you sure we should go to a club? How about a bar or something?" Choji asked, looking over at Shikamaru. Shikamaru just sighed, putting a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Choji, it's a club. It's almost exactly like a bar except there are more chicks and louder music," Shikamaru assured, looking back at Kiba. Kiba just stood there staring for a bit before looking away, shrugging.
Just then Lee stood up and pointed down the road. They all turned their heads to see Neji strolling up to them. What he was wearing surprised them all. He had his hair in its normal pony tail but he was wearing a khaki jacket, a white shirt, and a pair of skinny jeans. He had them tucked into a pair of converse shoes. He just nodded at them, going to stand next to Lee as they waited.
"Neji-kun," Lee said, unable to stop staring. "You never wear casual clothes! This is a youthful change of pace for sure!"
"Lee, please. It's one of the outfits TenTen picked out for occasions just like this. It's not my choice," he assured, watching the door thoughtfully.
"She's gotten to you, huh?" Shikamaru asked, a smirk on his face. "Well, at least we can see the human side of the Hyuuga pessimist, right?"
At this Choji couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. Kiba couldn't understand what his deal was but he shrugged it off when he heard the voice of TenTen filling the street around them
"C'mon, let's go Ino! We're leaving without you!" she called back into the house, turning to see the guys. She grinned at them, surprised to see Choji there. "Hey guys!"She greeted, going to stand next to Neji. Her outfit was tasteful, something simple yet cute. She let her usual buns down into loose tails, falling down her back over the white crop top she was wearing. She was also wearing a set of skinny jeans and a pair of almost impossibly high heels. It made her almost as tall as Neji. She grinned up at him, eyeing his outfit casually, a smug smirk on her face at her choice.
"Hey guys," Hinata said, coming outside as well. She was wearing a simple black dress that come down to her knees and a pair of flats. She had also pulled her hair back into a loose tie, allowing some locks to fall to the side of her face. "Hey Choji-kun! Are you coming too?" She asked, looking over at the nervous shinobi. He just nodded, staring down at the ground. "Come on now Choji, cheer up. It's just a club after all."
"Ugh, come on Yuka-chan! It's not that revealing," Ino's voice came from the doorway. She was leaning against the frame, her arms crossed in front of her. Her outfit was a strapless dress that hugged her curves and ended half way down her thigh, the color the same color as her eyes. She was also wearing a pair of tall black heels. "I want to dance, come on…" she pleaded into the house, tapping her foot.
Just then Yuka came outside, standing away from the door so Ino could shut and lock it. Kiba's breath hitched in his throat when he realized what she was wearing. It was a white dress, a single strap coming up over her shoulder. The dress was somewhat tight, the length just above her knees. She was wearing a pair of white heals and her hair was down, framing her face pleasantly.
"Shino-kun is coming too," Lee said, providing them all with a thumbs-up. "He said he'd meet us there."
"Really? Shino at a club?" TenTen asked, her eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"He agreed to go," Neji assured, shrugging. He then moved closer to TenTen, placing an arm around her side. This was greeted by Ino squealing in excitement and Hinata giggling in approval. The guys just eyed them with a grin, knowing full well that if they even said anything Neji would come unglued on them.
"Alright, we're ready to go then!" Ino said excitedly, looping her arm with Yuka's. She blushed slightly and nodded, keeping pace with the kunoichi as best she could in heals. She'd never really worn them before and it threw her off balance a lot.
As they made their way toward the club Kiba couldn't help but stare after them. Hinata was chatting with Choji about being more confident, something he never thought she of all people would be chastising the nin for. Ino was excitedly chatting with Yuka about all the possible drink flavors and Neji and TenTen were whispering to each other. Kiba couldn't make out what they were saying but he doubted he wanted to.
His eyes drifted over his group of friends, chatting and smiling easily and wondered why he, of all people, felt so sullen. He couldn't bring his thoughts from the woman linked to Ino's arm and the harder he tried to think of other things, the more vivid her face would be behind his eyes. It aggravated him every time he realized he was thinking about her. He had kissed her, so openly revealed his feelings to her, and then avoided her. This wasn't going the way he wanted at all.
She had said she just wanted to be friends and that she wanted to make friends before anything happened. This wasn't a total shut out but at the same time, Kiba couldn't help but feel defeated. More to the point he was pissed off at himself for just laying it out on the line like that. Sure, he'd had girls in the past, casual dates and a few sexual encounters but there was no need for him to lay out his feelings for them. They sometimes threw themselves at him or asked him out without even mentioning feelings or friendship. This was the best part about being single. There were no attachments or worries. This was different.
They weren't in a relationship, she wasn't sucking him off in the movie theater, and he wasn't taking her home to his den for anything sexual. This usually meant that she wasn't technically supposed to be on his radar. There she was though, a massive blip on the screen that left him feeling uneasy and defenseless. He needed to get a grip on this situation, to get a grip on what was left of reality.
While in his thoughts he didn't even notice that they were approaching the club, the music starting to bump over the chatter and talking of passersby. They stood there for a few minutes, waiting for their turn to get in. When they all finally got checked for I.D., stamped, and paid they all made their way to a booth just across from the bar. Neji and TenTen slid in to sit next to one another, everyone else following suit. The booth was large, the main reason they choose it; Neji and TenTen were at the center with Ino sliding in next to TenTen, Yuka close behind. Hinata sat next to her and Choji sat on the end looking about at all the dancing people and flashy lights. Kiba decided he didn't want to feel caged so he sat on the end next to Shikamaru. Lee was sitting next to Neji, looking about with not so subtle excitement.
"So, what drinks do we want first?" Ino asked, looking around at all of them. "I'm ordering for Yuka so everyone else just let me know so I can order at the bar-." Just then a waitress came over, a pen and notepad in hand. Apparently she believed they were VIP guests which wasn't such a big mistake considering they had taken up the largest VIP booth in the club.
"I'll take a jack and coke," Shikamaru said, looking over at the waitress.
"I'll take two kamikaze's, two shots of Jagermeister, and two Mai Tai's," Ino chimed, smiling at Yuka. Yuka just grinned, biting her bottom lip.
"Rum and sprite and a pint," Choji said, looking across the dance floor.
"A white Russian and a kamikaze," Hinata added.
"Two long islands," TenTen said, much to Neji's surprise. "Oh just drink it. It's only one," she cooed at him, a smirk on her face.
"A pint of beer!" Lee added, a goofy grin on his face. The waitress just grinned, looking at Kiba. He was the last to order.
"Two shots of vodka, a shot of apple-jack, and a pint of whatever is on tap," Kiba said, not bothering to look at the waitress. She nodded, assuring them she'd be back momentarily before leaving to fetch their drinks.
"Man, Kiba-kun, you're out to drink tonight, aren't you?" Ino asked, giggling slightly. "Whatever, someone has to keep up with me. Miss Hinata passes out after three or four and TenTen can't hold her liquor."
"I can so!" TenTen said, her face flushing red. She couldn't help but glance up at Neji who just grinned, his arm going around her hip again.
"Well, this time I have a drinking partner but she's a bit inexperienced," Ino said, grinning at Yuka. Suddenly all eyes were on her.
"That's right, you've never drank have you, Yuka-chan?"Hinata asked, watching her curiously.
"No, never," she assured, smiling slightly. "But it can't be that bad if we are all doing it."
"That's the spirit," Shikamaru said, nodding. "Do it because everyone else is. I like it though it's definitely not a new concept."
"Quit being a smart-ass," Ino chided, rolling her eyes. "Choji! Quit fidgeting, you're fine. Man up and just have some fun!"
Choji just looked at her for a second and then sighed, rolling his shoulders. "Fine but you all know how I am drunk. This is not the best place for that," he stated, looking about. "Definitely too crowded."
"Choji, c'mon… it happened once when you were really really drunk," Shikamaru assured, watching his friend. "You're not going to expand again, okay?"
"Easy for you to say," Choji mumbled, looking around again.
Just then the lady came back with their drinks, setting them down in sequence. After everyone was situated she left, telling them if they needed anything else to just let her know.
"Perfect, now let's drink," Ino said, holding up her kamikaze shot. Yuka did the same, looking at the light green liquid. "Okay, Yuka-chan, if you can't drink it all that's fine but just make sure you don't spit it out or else Shikamaru-kun will get a face full."
Yuka raised an eyebrow, sniffing the drink before shrugging and downing it. Ino's eyes got wide and then she started to giggle, Hinata following suit.
"What?" Yuka asked, looking at them. "Did I drink it wrong or something?"
"No," Ino said with a grin. "It's just that usually you wait for someone to toast something. That's okay though…" Ino drank her own kamikaze, setting the glass down. Her face puckered up a little and then she grinned. "Alright, well, now we can toast to something," she said, licking her lips and grabbing her shot of Jager. "This one tastes a bit different so if you don't like it just spit it back into the glass."
Yuka nodded, picking hers up and sniffing it. Her nose scrunched at the smell but she didn't care. She'd drink it. Everyone else picked up their drink now, bringing them to the center of the table.
"What are we toasting?" asked a familiar voice and they all looked up at the nin standing at their table. Ino nearly gasped in shock and Neji's mouth actually fell open. The looks around the table were priceless; some shocked and others just completely lost. Yuka was the only one who didn't stare.
"S-shino-kun," Hinata finally said, looking at her teammate. They were all amazed. He wasn't wearing his trench coat at all. Instead he was wearing a pair of loose fitting jeans along with a long sleeved navy blue shirt, the neck coming down into a V-shape over his sternum. His hair was also different; instead of being frizzed and jagged it was combed, sleek, and fell in parts over his forehead and ears. The only thing that hadn't changed was those same dark glasses.
"Hello all," he said with a slight smile. This threw everyone off and Ino couldn't help but stare wide-eyed at him.
"Shino! When did you get here and why are you dressed like that?"
Shino looked down at his outfit, around at everyone, and then back at his outfit. "I was to lead to believe this was a casual situation, correct?" Ino just nodded, TenTen grinning behind her fingers. "Then, here I am in casual attire."
"Well, who knew it…?" Shikamaru just commented, starting across the table at Yuka. She noticed and quirked an eyebrow, unsure what he meant by his comment. Suddenly the waitress came over, standing next to Shino.
"Hello, would you like anything?" she asked, looking him over with sultry eyes. Kiba did a double take. Girl's never acted like that around Shino.
"Yeah, just get me a water and some sake," he said, looking over at the girl. She nodded, disappearing for a few moments only to reappear with his drinks. She sat them down on the table in front of him, reassuring them that if they needed anything to just wave her over.
"Come, sit down Shino-kun," Lee said, moving to the gap between himself and Neji. Shikamaru followed suit but Kiba stood up, allowing Shino to slink past him. He didn't feel like giving up his seat to his teammate. When they were all seated around the table they raised their glasses again, this time Lee speaking up. "To friends!"
They all nodded before clinking classes with one another. Yuka followed suit, smiling at the others. When she finished her shot she sighed, licking her lips. It tasted of black licorice. This was going to be an interesting night, Yuka could already tell. If she was lucky one of them would slip up and reveal more information that she needed. Ino had already started talking about the mission she would be going on in a few days, giving Yuka enough motivation to pry further into their mission as they dressed at Ino's home earlier. If Orochimaru was involved she would make it her utmost priority to get the Hokage to let her in on it, even if she had to result to convincing him with her womanly charm.
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