The sound of cartilage breaking stunned them all, but none more so than Kiba. He fell back as his chair tipped over dangerously from the impact of Ino's punch. Blackness swirled around him a moment as he struck his head hard on the flagstones of the hearth. Through the ringing in his ears and the blood in his eyes, Kiba couldn't tell what was going on for a moment.

Blinking hard, he moaned as he felt someone licking his face. Kiba managed to turn his head toward a whining Akamaru who was yipping and barking as he tried to comfort his master. "So now you come to my aid?" His words were slightly slurred. Akamura whined an apology, whiffling into Kiba's ear warmly.

Pain exploded once more as he felt hands on his face. He couldn't smell anything through the scent of his own blood, so he wasn't sure who it was. This someone was trying to be gentle, but still his head was aching and his nose felt on fire. He thought at first it was his sister, Hana. Kiba knew his mother well and gentle was not her forte. And Ino, well, Ino had been the one to hit him in the first place.

Then he felt little butterfly kisses all over his forehead and cheeks and despite the pain, his body started to stir. He hoped to all heaven it wasn't Hana.

"You jerk, you absolute asshole, I hate you, I hate you, how could you? Dumb shit." The words didn't go with the actions. Ino's voice soothed him along with her sweet kisses, but her words left him utterly confused.

"Leave him alone." His mother's voice came from across the room. "You had a right to hit him for a stunt like that, and I have to say it was a damn fine hit. Didn't know you had it in you, little girl. But you have to let men heal slowly and painfully or they'll never remember the lessons you meant to teach them." Tsume sounded disgusted.

"Nice work." Hana said, and his sister was much closer. Probably right over him. Kiba blinked hard, trying to reach up to clear some of the blood from his eyes. Someone held him down. Then someone grabbed his nose and suddenly Kiba was fighting not to lose his stomach over the pain.

"Stay still, idiot!" Ino's voice rose as she set his nose with her hands and as he felt something move sickeningly in his nose, Kiba reared up. He managed somehow to find a bucket before losing what little was in his stomach.

"Tsk." Tsume muttered. "With even a healer-in-training it shouldn't have hurt that much."

Hana sat back, watching stunned. "It would since she just set his nose without taking away any of the pain."

Shock crossed Tsume's face and then a slow smile grew. "Good going. You'll make an excellent daughter-by-marriage."

"Not yet." Kuromaru intoned lightly.

"Really?" Hana's face fell. "Kiba confessed he wanted to marry her and confessed to all his lies." Then she looked stunned, "it was all the lies, right Kiba?"

Kiba nodded, unable to speak yet. Then he moaned and grabbed his head, the nod hadn't been a good idea either.

Kuromaru sat back and scratched his one remaining ear. "Yah. The boy's scent has resolved, although he's in a lot of pain right now."

"Good." Ino said, her voice shaky.

"But the girl's scent is still funny."

All eyes turned to Ino, who's jaw dropped as she stepped back shaking her head. "But I haven't lied. I haven't!"

"Your scent says you're hiding something." Kuromaru told the visibly shaken kunoichi.

"What is it?" Ino asked.

Tsume arched a look at her, "You're supposed to tell us that, not the other way around."

"Ino has never lied." Kiba finally spoke from the corner of the room, sitting back against the wall letting it support him. Damn his face hurt.

Ino nodded gratefully toward him, wincing slightly as his facial swelling was slowly and ominously darkening. The bruising promised to be spectacular. Then she frowned at him, remembering her earlier anger. "You made me look like a fool!"

"She's changing the subject." Hana told her mother.

"Wouldn't you?" Tsume shrugged in reponse.

"I didn't mean to do that to you." Kiba said, exhausted. It had been a long day, and it was barely half over.

"What did you mean to do then? Wait, never mind. I know what you meant to do! Pervert!" Ino shouted, her fists clenching tightly.

Kiba eyed her warily. "I wasn't the pervert, that I recall." Then he sunk down lower against the wall. That was the wrong thing to say. Now she'd only exploded into anger.

Ino exploded alright, exploded into sobs.

Kiba climbed to his feet and started toward the crying kunoichi. She backed away from him, looking like she might try and flee.

"He told you that you and he were 'fated' for each other and that you were his mate." Tsume said in a falsly cheerful voice. "My son, the ass, then used that to take advantage of you, is that right?"

"No." Kiba denied, trying to keep his aching head still. "I needed to seduce her into kissing me in public so her parents and the Akamichi's would see and realize that she and Chouji weren't in love."

Hana looked surprised, "Was that to get her betrothal broken? By why?"

Kiba slowly spilled the story of Chouji and Ino's betrothal and the plan to seduce Ino into looking like she was in love with someone else.

"Why you?" Tsume asked, genuinely confused by the teenage thought processes.

"Shino said that ..."

"SHINO said???" Ino interrupted harshly. "I thought Sakura said you were trying to seduce me in order to 'save me'?"

Kiba shrugged. "It was Shino's plan, but we worked on it together."

Ino turned to pace a bit, thinking heavily. "I'm going to kill you both. Idiots. Playing with a girl like that!"

"I know, I'm a rat. But you don't have to worry about Shino. I already gave him a face to match the one you gave me. Plus some more broken bones." Kiba told her, hoping the information would take some of her pain away.

Tsume just shook her head. "You gave SHINO a broken nose?"

Kiba nodded.

"Really?" Hana looked like she didn't believe him.

"Another lie!" Ino sputtered. Looking like she was about to fly into a rage.

Kuromaru shook his head. "He smells like he's telling the truth, but that hardly seems likely."

Kiba looked hurt as he looked around the room. No one here thought he could come up with a way to beat Shino.

Akamaru gave a series of barks and yelps, and Kuromaru started to look a bit impressed. Even Tsume and Hana started to smile.

"That's my boy."

Kiba grumbled, "Sure believe my dog before you believe me!"

Tsume told him coldly, "Yah. It's not like you've lied to anyone recently."

Kiba managed a small blush at that.

"So he's telling the truth?" Ino asked, a bit unsure. Still looking angry though, Kiba thought.

"According to Akamaru, he and Temari's brother came up with a plan. Akamaru didn't get to see the fight, but says the plan was pretty good. And judging by Shino's blood scenting him, there definately was a fight."

Ino grumbled, "Fine. But I told you the betrothal was off before we ..." She stopped and eyed his family. "Before. Just before." She stared at Kiba so he'd know what she meant.

"Oh for crying out loud. You had sex. I don't have to like it. But it is a natural part of life. And it's good that I'm his mother and not yours, or this conversation would be going differently right now." Tsume yelled.

Kiba couldn't look at his mother anymore. His face was burning as he turned to stare at the wall. Hana was choking a bit from her side of the room and Kuromaru was openly laughing.

"No! It ...it wasn't like ..." Ino tried, she really tried, but the lie wouldn't come.

"Shino had told me a lie that you're betrothal was about to become formalized within the week, and if you were to be 'saved' I needed to hurry up. I listened to some baaaad advice and lied to you. I'm sorry."

Now they all looked at him as if he were lying again.

"Shino doesn't lie like that, if you're going to come up with an excuse you'll have to do better." Ino said with outraged dignity. "I may have been gullible once, but I'm not a fool."

Feeling like a jerk, Kiba reluctantly explained Shino's convoluted reasoning. No one spoke for a moment, then Hana laughed. "It seems even the most taciturn can fall to youth's first crush."

Tsume just shook her head. "Poor Shibi, I wonder if he knows what he's in for. No, don't worry Kiba, I won't tell Shino's father. I have to live through you two, he can have his own little drama with his son and ...wait, you never said who it is he has a crush on that currently has a crush on someone else."

The other three in the room thought they knew, so they told her, all at the same time.

"Hinata."

"Sakura."

"Ten-Ten."

Blinking, Tsume looked at them each in turn. "Okay, I understand Kiba saying Hinata, they're on the same team and even I have noticed she blushes easily around a certain loud blonde. But Sakura?"

"She has a crush on Sasuke, just like I did. He could be describing her too." Ino explained. "But Ten-Ten doesn't make any sense, she doesn't have an obsession with anyone."

"Seen her around Neji recently?" Hana asked, surprised that neither Kiba nor Ino had picked up on that. "I've been out to the Hyuuga compound several times recently, an outbreak among the family pets, she's always there training with him and Lee. But it isn't Lee she follows with her eyes when she thinks no one is looking."

Tsume laughed. "Poor Shibi. I might need to send him some medicine for his coming troubles."

Hana snorted, "Sake isn't medicine."

"It can be, it can be." Tsume grinned, then turned to look at her wayward son. "So, we need to get back to the problems at hand. Kiba wanted to save Ino, but didn't find out she didn't need saving until too late. Is that right?"

"But I told him I was free of the engagement before we ...uhm... yeah." Ino started out angry, but couldn't finish the sentence.

Tsume rolled her eyes, glad for once that she had no more children to go through this with.

Kiba just sighed pitifully. "I had lied to you just before that and then you were on top of me when you told me THAT part. I asked to slow down, as I recall but you were so fffu... damn hot. Uhm. yeah. Can we get rid of my mother for this conversation?"

"No." Tsume laughed and smiled meanly. "I'm going nowhere."

"I'm leaving though." Hana said trying to choke back a smile. "I really don't need to hear all this, I'll get it all later."

No one bid Hana goodbye except for the nin-dogs. One down, one to go. Kiba tried one last time to get his mother to let he and Ino work this out on their own. His appeals fell on deaf ears.

"Not a chance young man." His mother told him, not unkindly. "Without an engagement in place, you two can not be left alone. You've both proven unable to keep your hands to yourselves. Not that I mind in principal, but ...wait, yes I do. And before you can ask why, it's because I said so."

Ino and Kiba didn't say a word. Tsume looked back and forth between the blushing couple who weren't speaking to each other or to her.

She sighed deeply, pulling up a chair. "Fine. I'll talk. Sooo ...you jumped Kiba?"

"No!"

"Smells like a lie." Kuromaru snorted. Akamaru yipping and nodding his head.

Ino sputtered to a stop. "It's not true. I told Kiba to slow down. I even told him I wasn't in love with him yet."

Tsume stopped cold, her smile fading away. "You told him, or he asked you?"

"Does it matter?" Ino asked baldly, her eyes burning with unfocused emotions.

Tsume nodded and waited out the young kunoichi.

"The next day, the very next day he asked me if I loved him." Ino reluctantly admitted. "I told him not yet."

Tsume looked at Kuromaru, but the nin-dog just shook his head. "That wasn't the lie."

Ino nodded, only to be brought up short as the canine continued speaking, "but it is a lie."

Stunned, Ino had to find a chair. "I'm not lying! It's too soon to be in love, I explained it all to Kiba."

Kiba agreed with her, but hope was dawning in his eyes.

Tsume merely nodded, "Good to know."

Ino looked completely defeated. "I'm in love with Kiba? Is that even possible?"

"Hey. I'm right here you know." Kiba muttered. "And I haven't said I loved you either."

"Yes, but you did say you wanted to marry me." Ino lifted her chin in an effort to look down on him. But the misery in her eyes kept her from looking too haughty.

Kiba nodded. "At first, I just wanted to make the lie real so you'd never find out about it all. Then I didn't want to lose you and then I realized I really wanted to be with you, always." He paused and stared straight into Ino's eyes. "I can't image life without you. Not just the most recent parts, but a lifetime of memories together. I can't lose you. I love you, Ino. And it is a nightmare to have to tell you this in front of my mother."

Tsume fought hard not to melt. Ino, though, succumbed without a word. Tears fell down her face as she watched Kiba tell her what was in his heart.

The head of the Inuzuka clan looked to her companion, who just shook his head. "The scent is getting better, it even blends now, but it's not as strong as it could be. Something is still blocking things."

"Ino's not lying to any of us, so maybe she's lying to herself?" Tsume wondered aloud.

Startled, both Kiba and Ino looked over at her. Ino started to deny the very idea. "That doesn't make sense. I was innocently going about my daily life when Kiba blindsided me with his lies. I never thought about him like that before then."

"Lie." This time it was Kiba who spoke, not Kuromaru. "You told me later that you'd thought me hot and had trouble keeping your hands to yourself when you'd seen me drying off by the creekbed. That was long before I lied to you."

Ino shook her head, looking down and flushing beet red. "I thought there was something wrong with me."

"It's a normal reaction for a young woman to have, Ino." Tsume told her gruffley.

Ino bit her lip. "I thought I had been in love with Sasuke for years, but had never felt like that before. I thought, maybe, that listening in on other people's minds during the mind possession jutsu had warped me somehow. I thought that I was awful. Like I said, I'd thought myself in love before without any of these feelings. I didn't think I was in love with Kiba and to feel that way made me feel ...bad, somehow."

"Heaven save me from untutored youth." Tsume muttered. "So, when Kiba lied to you about it being 'fated', you thought the 'heat' you felt was a natural reaction to being chosen as his mate. Is that it? Is that finally it???? You weren't only angry about the inital lie, but it tore that pretty little illusion from under your delicate feet. Idiots, the both of you."

Ino nodded reluctantly. "I thought it wasn't my fault I felt like touching him all the time, doing things to him." Tsume groaned and Ino blushed harder. "When he told us all the truth, it blindsided me. It makes me feel like a fool. And a whore."

"NO! You are not anything like that!" Kiba roared, then grabbed his head as the ache intensified. Ino glanced at him and winced. She looked hesitant as she finally stood and crossed toward him, drawing his face into her hands as she used her medical jutsus to finally ease his pain.

Kiba thought she looked so miserable as she worked, that he wanted to hold her, so he did. He held out his arms for her, and she slipped inside his embrace without a second thought.

"Is that it? Is that finally it?" Groaned Tsume, who thought she might be catching Kiba's headache. "You lied to yourself to explain your actions away, to not take responsibility for your own feelings."

"Now, it's a good blend. Strong too." Kuromaru said happily. Akamaru barked and shared his feelings on the subject as well.

"Good. It's done." Tsume stood, more exhausted from the roiling emotions of the two young people than from a weeks worth of missions into enemy territory. "Now you two get cleaned up as best you can, we've got to leave shortly."

"Leave?" Ino wiped away her tears, snuggled into Kiba's arms. Kiba looked reluctant to move, lest it disturb the current moment.

"You have the permission of the head of your clan to court Yamanaka Ino. Now you have to get her father's permission."

Kiba felt another wave of nausea tighten his stomach, he fought to breath normally as he stared at his mother. "What?"

"You both look a fright, but it can't be helped. Ino, the door on the left is Hana's room, go freshen up. Kiba?" She sighed and looked at him, "Not much we can do about the bruises, and they're only going to get worse. You said Shino looked the same? Hah. Hinata's going to look funny teamed with a pair of raccoons. Matching set of idiots if you ask me."

Kiba stayed silent, wisely NOT pointing out that he hadn't asked her. He and Ino disappeared to get cleaned up.

Tsume was left with a pensive Kuromaru. The canine looked at her, but she refused to look at him.

"We have to talk about it sooner or later." The nin-dog finally told her. "Your youngest has been lucky. Hana is hurting."

Tsume gruffly waved off the remarks. "So, we'll keep looking. She has a strong mate out there somewhere. We'll find him."

Kuromaru looked sad as he nudged her with his nose. "I've already told you where to look. I've already told you of one very strong possibility."

Tsume just shook her head. Determination evidident in every line of her body as she stood and looked down at her longtime friend and companion. "I will never allow such a match. He will not set foot in this house. We will find someone else."

With that, she left the room. Kuromaru looked over at Akamaru. Both nin-dogs sighed and laid down. The ways of humans sometimes eluded even them.

o.O.o.O.o.O

It was some time later that the three headed out. Ino looked much better having washed her face and soaked her eyes with cold compresses while Tsume tended to her son. Kiba's head reeled with advice and expletives as his mother coached him on how to approach Inoichi. He doubted it would work though. The man already thought Kiba to be a pervert and would most likely kill him on the spot.

"Are you sure we can't just elope?" He whined as they approached the edge of the Inuzuka lands.

"Yes!" Both women told him firmly.

All three stopped as they turned to the end of the land which marked the start of the way toward the village. Ino's hand found Kiba's as she smiled and nodded toward 'their' tree. He grinned back, it was one of his fondest memories. His body reacted as he remembered the heated pleasure she'd visited upon him in this very spot. With sudden clarity he realized that if Inoichi didn't, by some miracle, kill him - then he would be feeling that pleasure again, and again for the rest of his natural life. He shuddered with pleasure at the thought. Marriage. It was growing on him.

A whistle greeted them as they turned the corner, finding a small crowd awaiting them. Shino was looking rather worse for wear, but then, Kiba mused, so did he. Both boys came to a halt in front of each other, studying the facial bruises.

"She crack your ribs too?" Shino asked, hiding his relief to see Kiba and Ino look so at ease with each other despite the obvious signs of a fight.

"Nah." Kiba grinned. "I got off lighter than you did."

"Fitting." Shino allowed. Kiba nodded and smiled, it was good to back on an even keel with his teammate. It hadn't been pleasant, but he felt the air had been cleared.

"So, you came to save me?" Kiba asked, grinning as he looked around at the others. Hana was there talking with Sakura and Hinata along with Shikamaru.

"Nah, we're just here to help Ino hide the body." Shikamaru told him. "It would be troublesome to have to get a new team member if she went to prison for murder."

At that, they all fell into laughter as they headed into town. Only Ino and the three Inuzukas peered at Shino to see if he paid more attention to Hinata or Sakura. But the Aburame heir was hard to read, as usual and they learned nothing new.

o.O.o.O.o.O

One by one Ino and Kiba's friends peeled away from the group until it was just the four of them again. Six, Kiba amended, as he watched Akamaru and Kuromaru share canine secrets with each other as they lead the way to Ino's family shop. Tsume walked between Kiba and Ino as they made their way through the village.

It was near the end of the business day and Kiba was finding it rather hard to believe that so much had happened already today. He was exhausted. Kiba just hoped he lived to see tomorrow. Part of him hoped that Inoichi had been called out of town on a last minute mission, but his heart sank as he saw the man and his wife locking up the flower shop for the day. There was an older woman with them that Kiba did not recognize. Tsume stepped up her pace. Suddenly nervous, Kiba slowed and reached for Ino's hand. She gave him a reassuring squeeze. Then she gave a squeal as she saw who was with her parents.

"Grandmother Kimura!" Ino called out, delighted to see her mother's mother.

All three of Ino's relatives turned to look, smiling, in her direction.

Ino's grandmother smiled, studying Kiba with great intensity. Ino's mother looked a bit puzzled as she eyed the young couple. But it was Inoichi's reaction that Kiba feared.

The man laughed. "I guess you didn't make up with your 'friend', young Inuzuka. And it looks like she can throw a punch too. Feisty is good though, just look at my little g...". And that was when he noticed his daughter's hand snugged together with Kiba's. He'd forgotten he was holding her hand.

The world fell out beneath him as Inoichi's fingers flew to form hand seals. It was pain that stopped him before he could finish saying "Mind Destruction Jutsu."

Two pairs of canine teeth were biting into the flesh of one arm and one leg as Akamaru and Kuromaru acted instinctively to protect Kiba. And Ino's mother had slapped her hand over Inoichi's mouth. But it was Grandmother Kimura's hand yanking on Inoichi's long pony tail that brought his head back sharply.

"Don't be a fool, Inoichi." Grandmother Kimura told him. "Give the boy a chance."

Inoichi grumbled as he shook off the hands holding him, but not the nin-dogs, they had to be called off by Tsume and Kiba. "You don't know what he's been doing! Meeting a girl in secret and now dating Ino as if nothing was going on with this other girl. I won't stand for it!"

"There is no other girl." Ino rushed up, putting her hand on her father's arm. "It's just me, Father."

Inoichi's legs trembled under him and he had to catch himself on the side of the building. "Ino?"

"I love him." She said simply.

Inoichi shook his head, looking over at Kiba. "Did you break his nose?"

"Yes." Tsume said proudly. "It was a good hit."

"But you love him????" Inoichi wailed as Ino's mother finally caught on to what was going on, and her smile started to grow.

Ino nodded, "I hit him, but I healed him afterwards." She didn't mention the fight or that she'd set his nose without taking away the pain.

Kiba nodded. Then stepped forward as his mother poked him with a sharp elbow to the ribs. "I'm here to ask formal permission to court your daughter, Yamanaka Ino." His legs felt weak, but at least he'd survived the first few minutes.

"I remember when you came courting, Inoichi." Chided Ino's grandmother. "I had to hold back my husband from trying to strangle you."

Inoichi just shook his head in denial, "but this is different!"

"How?" Asked three generations of women, all staring at him with hands on their hips. Kiba almost felt sorry for the man. Almost.

"Ino is too young!" Inoichi tried, desperate.

"I was the same age when we became engaged." Warned Ino's mother. "And I don't remember you being too keen to meet my father at first either."

"Is the boy of good family?" Grandmother Kimura asked, walking over to inspect Kiba. "Apart from the bruising he looks nicely put together. What women of my generation called a good catch."

Kiba stood still, not sure what to do next. Tsume's advice hadn't covered this!

"He's of the Inuzuka's." Ino's mother said, her eyes sparkling with glee. "A fine family with a good lineage. Strong. And even better, I believe the line is matriarchal?"

Tsume nodded, knowing where this was heading and was already ready to approve the request.

"So, any male children have a strong chance of inheriting Ino's traits rather than the Inuzukas."

"What?" Inoichi stopped glaring murderous thoughts at Kiba long enough to look at his wife.

Tsume stepped in, "It's possible. It doesn't always work out that way in marriages with male Inuzukas though. But it's possible that any male offspring they have may actually inherit her family's talents, rather than ours. The girls are always Inuzukas though."

Ino's mother was quicker to catch on than her husband, but then he was distracted by thoughts of his daughter being old enough to think about getting married, much less having children.

"I know you've never said anything, Inoichi. But I also know you've become resigned to the fact that we never had a son. No one to inherit your name, but more important, your jutsus. You've known that whenever Ino married, the children would belong to her new family and the Yamanaka mind control jutsus would be lost from the direct line. But in a marriage with Kiba, with an Inuzuka male, they won't require her abilities be sealed."

Tsume nodded. "We don't require a female's abilities be sealed away. All Inuzuka girl children carry our own special abilities. But, it's possible that if Ino has a boy then that boy could inherit your affinity for mind jutsus."

"I don't believe you." Inoichi told them all, thinking it too good to be true.

"Any other day and I would tell you that the Inuzuka's don't lie." Tsume threw a glare at Kiba who had the grace to look away. "But I will offer my personal assurances that this is true. It's not a guarantee. I can't say for sure what could happen. Kiba is male and he is certainly an Inuzuka. But we are matriarchal and it might, and I stress the might, be possible to continue your line through a grandson."

Inoichi just stared at Tsume as hoped dawned on him. Then he turned to look at his precious little girl. The teenager was both the bane of his existance and his greatest joy. He often complained about raising a daughter to his friends. But she was his, the thought of losing his daughter was threatening to tear his heart apart. He shook his head, unsure.

Grandmother Kimura struck him alongside the head. "Give up. Any fool can see they care for each other. Give them a chance to court and if you don't like it, it doesn't have to end in marriage. I have the same feeling about him that I did about you all those years ago."

"That's he dangerous and must be destroyed?" Inoichi chuckled, rubbing his head where she'd hit him.

"No, that's just what I told you at the time." The older woman grinned and winked at her daughter. "Then I helped my daughter sneak out of the house to meet you. Slipped her right by her father's nose."

Inoichi goggled a moment, never having known of his mother-by-marriage's involvement in his own courtship.

"Send the young couple off to the market, let them take a walk together. We adults will discuss terms over tea."

Inoichi gave in with bad grace, but did formally accept Kiba's request to court Ino. "You may walk in the market, you may NOT go anywhere else. You can hold hands. But Kiba, if your hands wander, even a little, I will kill you where you stand."

Kiba told Inoichi that he understood, and hardly believing his luck, he grabbed Ino's hand as she kissed her mother and grandmother goodbye. Both women were grinning ear to ear as they watched the two young lovers head off into the market area. It would be all over the village by tomorrow morning. A young couple in the market, holding hands as they wandered without a clear destination, it was a sign. It was a declaration. It meant that Inuzuka Kiba and Yamanaka Ino were officially courting. It meant marriage contracts were pending.

Inoichi watched the two head into the crowd. "I'm going after them. No, it's alright." He told all the women as they tried to argue with him. "You all go in and get some tea. I need to make sure Kiba's hands aren't heading where they shouldn't."

The women all shooed him away, shaking their heads over the stubborness of males. They all headed toward the Yamanaka house and started the tea as they chatted, getting to know each other and laughing over baby exploits of both Kiba and Ino. It wasn't too long before a dejected Inoichi came home, dragging his feet.

"What's wrong?" Ino's mother asked, not overly concerned.

Inoichi just mumbled and ignored the tea, heading for the sake. The women were silent as they watched him down one cup, then two.

"That bad?" Tsume asked, surprised.

Inoichi nodded as he sat down at the table, letting his head fall forward to touch the surface. The women all exchanged bemused glances.

"What happened to your plan to watch the young couple?" Ino's grandmother finally asked.

"You can watch them from now on. I don't want to see any more. I don't want to know any more."

Tsume scratched her head and exchanged a look with Hana, who took off to play chaperone at her mother's silent urging.

"I thought you could handle this." Ino's mother spoke hesitantly. "Didn't Kiba promise not to let his hands wander."

Tsume nodded, "I think I remember a direct threat on Kiba's life if his hands did happen to wander."

Inoichi groaned and sat up, looking abjectly miserable. "I did. He didn't. It wasn't his hands that were wandering!"

The women fought hard, but the smiles twitched their lips and their eyes began to sparkle and it wasn't long before they all disolved into peals of laughter.

FINI

o.O.o.O.o.O

That's it. For now. I have Hana's story lined up if anyone's interested.

Let me know what you think.