Thank you for the reviews, they always help to focus me on where the story is going.

Still don't own Naruto ...but I have a plan!

o.O.o.O.o.O

"So, any luck with the girl you want to seduce?" Kankaro's leer drew a snarl from Kiba. The two were hard at work, training for their upcoming fight with Shino.

"I guess not!" Cackled Kankaro with glee. "I told you what you should have done." He continued laughing as he dropped to one knee, peering hard at his 'work'.

"Lie to her?" Kiba said, deadpan. "It might work, but then you're trapped in a lie." Like he was. Even if he did manage to destroy Shino for his duplicity, once Ino discovered Kiba's lies, his life was over. Especially if her father found out, he shuddered at the thought.

Kankaro merely sniffed dismissively as his fingers flew through the air in an intricate dance. "Nah. That's only if you want to KEEP the girl. Otherwise, you just move on to the next one." Kiba watched the Sand shinobi wince and stretch his fingers, shaking off the sudden cramp.

Kiba's eye twitched with annoyance, though, as he answered the question and ignored his partner's discomfort. "What if the girl lives here? What if she tells her friends about your lies?"

Swearing, Kankaro blew on his hands. "Are we about done for the day? I'm exhausted. You have the easy part."

Snarling, Kiba nodded. "Only for the training, tomorrow will be different." He too was tired though, it had been a long day trying to work out the logistics of this new technique. Kiba only prayed it worked tomorrow when he confronted his so-called teammate.

"Girls don't admit to each other they've been lied too. Besides, you should stick to girls at other villages. Keeps the water from getting too muddy." Kankaro continued their conversation as he carefully packed up the last pieces of what they would need for tomorrow.

Kiba laughed outright. "You don't think girls tell each other? Fool, they talk about EVERYTHING."

The other boy merely shrugged. "Hasn't been a problem for me yet. But if this girl you're wanting to seduce is close to home, watch out."

"Why?"

Kankaro grinned evilly as he carefully set the final detonator, "Because she'll be talking about wedding kimonos before you know what hit you."

Kiba closed his eyes, yep he was in trouble. But then it was his fault for telling her they were 'fated for each other' and 'mated'.

"They'll tease you and lead you on and then when you think you've got everything 'just so' ….BAM, they're telling you they love you. And the worst part?"

"Yah?" Managed Kiba weakly.

"They expect an answer."

"…."

Kankaro tossed him the prepared scrolls, complete with detonation charges. "You remember the key word, right? No! Don't say it! Just nod. If those things go off here they'll be a pain in the ass to repack."

Kiba nodded shamefaced. He had almost said the key word aloud. He'd been distracted all day. Thoughts of what he and Ino had done yesterday haunted him. Guilt was warring with the memory of intense pleasure, one making him miserable and the other making him crave more. He tried to tell himself it was only sex, but he suspected he was lying to himself.

"They expect you to say you love them back. And they'll nag and nag until you go say it or go crazy. Maybe both." Kankaro watched carefully as Kiba put the scrolls away in his large pack. "No, move the yellow one to the right of the red one. Making the shapes fit together for the best coverage took the longest fucking time."

Within another three quarters of an hour the two worked diligently to finish setting the stage for tomorrow's confrontation. Everything had to be just so, because neither was terribly sure how it would work. Their best chance though, was in the element of surprise. If Shino had an inkling of Kiba's plan he might be able to find away out of the trap, but if not …Kiba grinned, revenge would be sweet.

"You know the time and place?" Kiba asked, triple checking everything.

Kankaro nodded. "You know the key word?"

Kiba nodded. They eyed each other and then broke out into huge grins. Without another word, they bowed lightly to each other and bounded off in separate directions.

Akamaru, who'd been standing watch, joined Kiba as they bounced through the tree branches with an exuberance few could match. They dropped down to the ground just a few feet from where the lane started toward his family compound. His cheeks blushed slightly as he spied the tree that had held him up when his muscles had failed him last night. Ino's mouth hot around him. Damn. His body tightened.

She wasn't there.

Not that he'd actually expected her, but deep down he had …hoped.

Feeling restless, he signaled to Akamaru and took off again. Away from home. The sun wasn't down yet and neither was he. He needed to think about tomorrow, and about what he would tell Ino. And he needed to tell her something. Soon.

Kiba had not been thinking about where he was heading until he was standing in 'their' spot, the clearing where they'd first gotten together. He frowned as he looked around.

She wasn't here either.

That was when he finally admitted to himself that he was looking for her.

His left eye twitched and he rubbed it angrily. He couldn't tell her the truth yet, not until after Shino met his end. If Ino found out before tomorrow, Shino would know the game was over from the explosion and Kiba's dead body at her feet, or her father's. Little difference actually.

Thinking hard, Kiba couldn't come up with any excuse to go looking for her. But being Kiba, that didn't stop him.

It only took a few minutes to catch her scent and follow it to training ground #3. He pulled up and watched as Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino cleaned up after their training bout. Or at least Nara and Ino were, Chouji was eating. Kiba grunted, that was normal.

They ignored his presence, but they'd felt his chakra signature as he'd arrived, they knew he was there. So he waited. Kiba thought he knew why Shikamaru was having trouble meeting his eyes. And Ino was being very scrupulous about not appearing to watch him, but her eyes would dart his way every so often. Chouji was engrossed in his snack.

"Ohayo!" Greeted Kiba with pretend joviality. He snickered as Shikamaru waved one hand at him, pronounced him troublesome, and took his leave. "Hmmm, the terms of Temari's bet must be over since he used his signature word".

"Yep," mumbled Chouji around a mouthful of chips. "He's been saying it over and over today, I think he feels he needs to catch up on lost time."

Ino laughed and shoved Chouji who just grinned up at her. Their easy companionship was so fluid, so natural. A pang struck Kiba suddenly, this was how it used to be with he, Shino and Hinata.

Damn Aburame! He'd not only lied, but he'd thrown their whole teamwork into a tangle. What could Shino have been thinking? He'd be sure to ask tomorrow while Shino could still speak.

"Ohayo," Ino spoke low and into his ear. He turned his head, shocked to see that Chouji had left while he'd been lost in thought. "Were you looking for me?"

Kiba nodded, it was the truth. One of the few he'd told her. He fought to keep his expression neutral.

"Did your mother return safely from her mission?"

He nodded again.

"What did she say?"

Kiba was about to ask her 'about what?' when he realized what she'd meant. Ino was asking his mother's response to telling her they had been 'mated' by Akamaru's choosing. He was supposed to be asking Tsume to meet with Ino and formally ask her to join their clan. SHIT! Too many lies to keep up with.

"I, uhm …haven't had a chance to talk with her yet." Lie!

Ino's brow furrowed with disappointment.

Kiba rushed to reassure her, hating to see that look in her beautiful eyes. "She came in really late and then had to meet with the Hokage early this morning. She hasn't returned yet from that meeting." Well, that could be true. He didn't really know, having left before daybreak to meet with Kankaro and not having been home yet. It wasn't a big lie, was it?

"Oh!" Ino's face relaxed and she smiled sweetly at him.

Yep. It was a big lie.

He smiled back weakly at her, watching the slow blush on her cheeks grow as he gazed at her.

"I look a fright, we just finished training." Her hands were fretting with her hair.

"You're gorgeous." He told her simply. Good, this one wasn't a lie.

Ino looked down, dropping her arms and a smile tugging at her lips. "Kiba, would you answer a question for me?"

With sudden clarity he remembered Kankaro's warning earlier. They expect you to tell them you love them.

"When did you first know I was to be your mate?"

Okay, that wasn't what he'd been expecting. Nonplussed, he shrugged. "Dunno. It was after you got engaged to Chouji and …" Now what? Shit!

"Oh!" She breathed out slowly. "Seeing me with another man!" She paused and thought about it a moment. "But how did that spur Akamaru to action?"

"I don't know." He told her. Safe answer, and not a lie. Well maybe a lie. Fuck, he was getting confused.

"But .." Before she could ask another question he didn't know how to answer or could only lie to her about, he kissed her. Merely to shut her up. Yep. Now he was lying to himself. Damn it!

The kiss started slow, but it didn't build up, nope …it exploded into carnal need in an instant. Kiba growled and pulled her close, her arms automatically wrapping around him.

The two writhed together a moment, Kiba's hands gliding down her succulent body to find her bottom and squeeze her closer to him. Pressing his hard cock against her, making the ache ease and build at the same time.

He was fumbling with her skirt when Akamaru gave a warning series of barks. With a curse, Kiba released Ino who stumbled from the sudden loss of his body. She caught herself and watched as he zipped his jacket back up, looking around a bit frantically.

Understanding dawned, and Ino quickly straightened her own clothing.

Bemused, they watched as a trio of genin trekked past them arguing over whose jutsu was better. Their jounin instructor trailed behind them, barely glancing at Kiba and Ino as they passed. It was a training field. Open ground. No one suspected what they'd almost done.

Kiba let out a shaky breath as soon as he was sure the intruders had left. "Close."

Ino shook her head at him. "Not much for foreplay are you?"

"Huh?" He asked, stunned.

"We kiss and BAM, you're in my skirt?" Sassy, she strutted by him, swinging the skirt in question in his direction.

Kiba frowned, unsure. "You weren't pushing me away, Ino."

She tsked him, bending over to retrieve her pack. Giving him a delicious view of her nicely rounded but well toned ass. Ino looked over her shoulder and winked at him.

His eyes nearly crossed at the onslaught of lust. He was going to have serious trouble walking anytime soon. Groaning, Kiba reached down and tried to adjust himself.

"If I'm supposed to apologize, I will." He told her. "But when you look at me like that, it just …well, it just …"

"Mating instinct." She giggled at him. "I got that part loud and clear. You touch me and I burn too. But maybe someday, you'll touch these first? Hmmm?"

His eyes widened as she circled her own breasts with her fingers, then reached down to push up her abrieviated top to flash him. Kiba nearly fell out in shock until he realized her breasts were still strapped down to her body and all he could see were the bindings. He sucked in a breath, not realizing he'd stopped breathing for a moment. He felt dizzy.

As Kiba watched her laugh and gather her things, he was struck by how right this all felt. How even when they'd been doing nothing but fighting, he'd somehow looked forward to seeing her. That annoyed him and he frowned.

"Do you love me?"

The question came out of no where and shocked them both. Absolutely stunned, he stared at her. Unable to breathe.

"What?"

There was no response.

Ino stared back at him. "What did you just ask me?"

Kiba could only shake his head, denying that he'd spoken that thought aloud.

Ino looked away, obviously embarrassed. Kiba could feel a nosebleed coming on.

"Not yet. Do you?"

"Why not?" He stuttered.