I know its been awhile since I posted a chapter, but you know life and how it gets in the way. That being said I have not abandoned this story and am determined to finish it. I still have a lot more planned. This chapter slightly advances the plot but is mostly filler with some Kiba fluff, a little Kakashi angst, and some Kuma/Obito brother sister moments. We also get to see a little more of Kumaraki's personality outside of how she acts around Shika or the girls. I hope you enjoy!

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I woke up the next morning to sounds of Obito and Kakashi bickering. I groaned as I checked the time on my phone. 9:47 a.m. 'Not as good as I usually do on a Sunday.' Normally on a weekend morning I rolled out of bed and started my day around 10:30, but thanks to those two I guess I was starting my Sunday early. I pulled my phone off the nightstand and opened it.

Obito:

Kakashi and I are on out way. Did you co0k

diner?

:

Cn you opn the fron do0r? I cn't find my key

:

KUMA! oPn the duckin door!:

:

:

Ino:

How did the interview go? More importantly

what are you wearing on your date today?

:

:

Pineapple Head:

I got the new Shinobi Striker yesterday if

you wanna come over and check it out.

:

:

Kiba:

Morning gorgeous! I thought we'd get together

around noon if that's ok with you.

I snickered at Obito's drunk texts and rolled my eyes at Ino. She had a one-track mind and wasted no time. I texted her back and told her that I would send her a picture when I got ready. I told Shikamaru that I had plans today but maybe one day this week after school I would come over. I paused in thought before texting Kiba. Noon would give me plenty of time to get ready, it's not like I was going to get super dressed up. I wasn't expecting him to show up in a suit and tie.

Me:

Noon sounds good. Where do you

want to meet up?

:

Kiba:

You want to meet up at my house

first? I'll text you the address.

I quirked my eyebrow. Normally I wouldn't meet up with a guy at his house on a 'first date', but Kiba was in my friend circle. I had been over at his house before for parties, so I was familiar with the neighborhood and the inside of the house itself, and I had my own reasons for wanting to go to his house again. My phone dinged again with Kiba's text containing his address even though I didn't need it. I replied and told him that I would see him there at noon.

I pulled my hair into a big sloppy bun on top of my head and slipped my phone into the pocket of my shorts. I grabbed my vape and took a big puff before heading out to the living room to see what the two idiots were yelling about.

I walked into the living room to find the pair on the couch playing what I assumed to be the new Shinobi Striker that apparently was now inevitable I'd end up eventually playing. Obito was struggling against Kakashi who was playing as Raijin, the guy he always used.

"Dude you're fuckin cheating!" Obito mashed a button furiously.

"Don't be a little bitch. Stop playing as new characters, pick Jiro and let's play for real," Kakashi hit him with a 4-hit combo draining his health.

"What's the point of getting the new game with new characters if you're just gonna pick the same old guys?" my brother huffed.

"They have new special mov-,"

"You two are arguing this loud about a video game?!" I interrupted Kakashi.

"Oh, did we wake you Sleeping Beauty?" My brother threw down his controller, beaten, and glared at me, apparently still mad he had to find his own way inside last night.

"Yeah, Big Mouth. It's not my fault your drunk ass lost your door key. You should learn to hold your liquor better," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"We drank beer," he said in a mocking tone.

I rolled my eyes as I sat down in the recliner, "Smart ass."

"Better than being a dumbass," Obito, forever having to have the last word, spit out.

I groaned and grabbed the pillow from the chair. I raised it above my head preparing to hurl it at my brother's head. A warm hand that sent a spark of electricity through me closed around my wrist, stopping me from exacting my revenge on my brother's smart mouth.

"Here. Kick his ass. It's funnier this way," Kakashi handed me the controller he had been playing with.

My eyes lingered on his hand still holding my wrist as I took the device with my other hand. His hand followed my gaze and when our eyes met again his hand traded my wrist for the pillow. I let him take it out of my hand, still slightly mesmerized that I could still feel the warmth of his grip.

"Pick your character already," Obito stared at the screen impatiently.

I scoffed and moved my cursor over to one of my favorite characters.

"You're on that same old character bullshit too!" my brother complained.

"Yeah, I like Hanzo. He's the sexiest character. That ninja mask just does something for me ya know," I wiggled my eyebrows.

"Fuckin gross, shut up!" he said selecting the fighting arena.

"Awww you don't want to hear about your sister's kinks?" I stuck my tongue out.

"Kuma I'm gonna kick your ass for real," he said starting the fight and getting the first hit in.

In the end I won the first round, and he won the second. In the tie breaker round I was one hit away from beating him but he hit me with a cheap shot, a special move I couldn't block, and killed me first. He cheered and set his controller down to shoot finger guns at me.

"You'll get him next time," Kakashi chuckled. He stood up from his spot on the couch and swung the pillow he was still holding, hitting Obito's head as he passed by. My brother picked it back up and threw it back towards Kakashi but he was just closing the balcony door, cigarette in his mouth, and my brother's shot missed.

The three of us alternated and played a few more rounds. I looked at my phone as I blew out a cloud of mango flavored smoke. I needed to start getting ready. I stood up and told Obito I was going to get dressed when he had asked where I was going.

I shut the door behind me and walked over to my dresser. I pondered what to wear as I looked at the options in the drawer that contained various kinds of bottoms. 'Definitely not a skirt.' Kiba was an athletic guy that enjoyed physical activities and there was a decent chance he'd have me hiking in the park or smacking a ball in a batting cage, so I wanted to be prepared.

I dug through my drawers and pulled out a pair of blue jean overall shorts. I pulled the straps down over my white crop top, the metal clasp cold on my belly. My feet slipped into my old comfortable white tennis shoes while my hands threw my stuff in a little sage green backpack with a sunflower print. I looked in the mirror and pulled my hair into two messy space buns. My bangs and little hairs in front of my ears fell out annoyingly like they always did. I put on a little white glittery eyeshadow and made my eyeliner a little more dramatic than what I normally did.

I looked at my phone. It was about time for me to head out. I snapped a quick picture in the mirror and sent it to Ino. She gave me her approval commending me for showing quote "just the right amount of skin" and "looking cute without trying too hard". With her unnecessary approval (I was wearing this whether she liked it or not), I shut my bedroom door behind me. It seemed that Ino's stupid little plan would come to fruition because as I walked down the hallway, I heard the two of them back at it, and from the sound of it Obito was losing again.

I took a breath, lifted my head up, and tried to stroll to the door as nonchalantly as I could. If I could catch them in the middle of a match, I might be able to slip out unseen. I had about six more steps to freedom when I heard my brother grunt in defeat.

"Where are you going dressed like that?" he screeched, taking out his frustration on me.

"Oh what, am I going to bring shame to our family if my belly button is showing? Out," I replied simply.

"Out where?" he turned his whole body to look at me.

"I'm not exactly sure yet," I shrugged my shoulders.

"Who are you hanging out with?" this drew the attention of Kakashi, who was now looking in my direction awaiting the answer along with my brother.

"A friend," I turned to walk out the door.

"What's his name Kumaraki?" I turned to look back at my brother sitting on the couch looking at me expectantly

'Great. Now I can't avoid it.' He had asked me directly. I didn't like bold-faced lying. My M.O. was more weaving my way around the truth, only answering exactly what was asked.

I sighed, crossing my arms, "Kiba. We go to school together."

I could see that the tension in my brother's body eased up slightly. The fact that I was seeing a guy my own age for a change must've been comforting. I also noticed that while my brother's face showed relief, my brother's friend's face displayed a look of agitation. I took note knowing I would have to report to Ino at a later date. It was very curious. I gave Obito a look that said 'You happy? Can I go now?'

"Be back at a decent hour," he picked his controller back up.

"I'll see what I can do. No promises," I said smiling and turning the doorknob, feeling Kakashi's eyes still on me.

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The walk to Kiba's house wasn't that bad. He lived a couple of streets down from Shikamaru, so it wasn't surprising that he lived in one of the nicer houses in town, corresponding with the rest of the neighborhood. It had two stories, and a wrap-around porch that extended past a fence and into the large, enclosed back yard. There were no cars out front, his parents were probably out on a shopping trip, and I knew his sister had moved out to her own apartment a few years ago, so it appeared he was home alone.

I took a deep breath before knocking on the door. 'He's just a high school boy Kuma. Nothing to get too worried over.' I heard eager sounding footsteps come down a flight of stairs. A few clicks of locks and latches and the door swung open revealing my company for the day.

"Hey! You look great! Come o-," he greeted me with one of his trademark smiles.

I brushed past him and entered the house. I walked behind one of the couches and then peaked my head down the hallway before crossing the living room.

"Uh Raki what are you looking for?" Kiba scratched his head in bewilderment.

I reached the large sliding glass doors that led to the back yard. As I gazed out, I saw what I had been searching for. I grinned, "There he is!"

When I flung open the panel of glass his head perked up and our eyes met, "AKAMARU!"

I got a running start and ran towards the center of the yard where Akamaru was now charging equally fast to meet me. I ignored Kiba's protests of worry telling me the dog liked to jump when he got excited, as if I didn't already know. Akamaru and I collided in a pile of fur and denim in the middle of the lush grassy lawn.

"Akamaru! Be easy with her!" Kiba yelled in an authoritative voice that I admittedly found pretty sexy.

I laughed as Akamaru licked the entire right side of my neck from his spot on my legs, "If this is the way I go, this is the way I go."

He grinned, swatting Akamaru away and extending his hand to pull me up from the ground. I brushed my clothes off while he scolded Akamaru who had now stood up beside me. Akamaru was a freakishly large white dog with shaggy hair, some mix of exotic breeds. His head went to my elbows when he sat on his haunches, putting him taller than me when he fully stood up on two legs.

"Aww Kiba don't yell at him! We were just playing, weren't we boy?" I squatted to hug Akamaru's large neck and looked up at Kiba with my own puppy dog eyes. Akamaru licked the side of my face in response.

Kiba blushed and laughed, "Don't get me wrong, I love how comfortable you are with him, but I don't want him to trample you before I've had a chance to take you out."

"Fair enough," I laughed. "Speaking of, where is out?"

"I thought we could go get something to eat and then maybe go to that new carnival that opened down on the boardwalk," he smiled, clearly pleased with the effort that he had put into planning our afternoon.

"That sounds great what were you thinking for food?" I asked as we headed towards his sliding glass door.

As I put one foot through the threshold, I heard whimpering from behind me. I turned around to Akamaru staring me down with the saddest look I think the animal had ever mustered. He laid down in a huff and cried again. I didn't have it in my heart to leave him by himself. I wasn't fond of most people, but I turned into mush for animals.

I looked from the yard back inside to Kiba who was gazing between me and Akamaru with an exasperated look on his face, "What if we change the plans a little?"

"Come on you beggar!" he grabbed the leash as Akamaru sprinted happily into the house.

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Akamaru, big as he was, pranced down the sidewalk, knowing the entrance to the dog park was nearby. When the gate was in sight, he jerked me forward and didn't stop until he was sniffing the metal links of the chain fence.

With a few steps Kiba was right behind us, "What did I tell you boy?"

Akamaru flattened his ears in response and calmly let me unlatch the gate. He was on his best behavior while I unhooked his lead. I opened the secondary gate, effectively unleashing him on the rest of the dog park and its visitors.

We walked to an open area that was vacant of other people and dogs. Kiba sat his backpack on the ground and pulled out a large blanket that he spread out. I sat my own backpack down as well and waited for Kiba to pull out the frisbee that he had packed. As soon as Akamaru saw the yellow plastic emerging, he began to dance in place, his four monstrous paws trampling the grass where they landed.

Kiba pulled it out and flung it an impressive distance, and Akamaru took off like a jet after it. Eventually, he brought the drool covered frisbee back to us so he could chase it again. Kiba and I took turns throwing it, his traveling much further than mine. At one point, he had thrown it so far Akamaru disappeared through a tree line to retrieve it. After waiting for a few minutes with no sight of the familiar mop of white fur Kiba shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the blanket.

"Should we go get him?" I asked hesitantly sitting down beside him.

"Nah, he'll find his way back. Probably found a squirrel to chase or something. You wanna eat?" he asked pulling out the gas station lunch boxes we had stopped to get on the way to the dog park.

"Sure, better now while he's gone. He knows he could beg half my lunch away," I smiled, taking the one I had picked out for myself. I popped the plastic lid off mine and broke my chopsticks apart.

I hummed in delight as I chewed the whole piece of sushi that I had just crammed into my mouth. I heard a little chuckle as I threw another piece in.

I turned to look to see Kiba smirking at me, chopsticks hovering over his own lunch box, "What?"

"Nothing," he picked up a piece of tempura shrimp, "it's just…you're pretty cute when you eat."

A laugh rang out of my now empty mouth, "Thank you. Normally people don't complement me when I'm stuffing my face. I swear, one time the girls and I, we went to this all you can eat buffet…Sakura told me I made her lose her appetite."

It's true. I loved food. Sometimes I think I like it even more than Cho-, strike that, nobody loves food as much as Choji, but you get the point. Various members of my family had often joked as I grew up, asking me where I would put it all, or if I had been born with an extra stomach. It seemed to fascinate them, the amount I would eat, despite my physique remaining fit. It must have been the result of a high metabolism because there was absolutely no way I did enough physical exercise for my body to look the way it did. The growth spurt, the summer before our last year of junior high school probably helped as well.

Despite the jokes, it was something that I've never hid about myself. I knew what most men expected when they took a girl "like me" out for dinner. Many anticipated me ordering some sort of salad, and many were surprised when I went for a substantial meal of beef or chicken. Some were even more shocked when I managed to clean the plate. I suppose it was a turn off for some men, but then again, were they really men to begin with?

I had promised myself a long time ago that I would not dumb myself down or be anyone other than me for any man. I would not be meek, but loud and big. I would fill a room unapologetically, never to shrink away and hide in a corner. And I had always maintained that if someone, man or woman, couldn't handle that, then they were not meant to be in my life in the first place.

Kiba laughed and stared at me with a flirty smile, "Well I like a girl with a big appetite."

"Mine is bigger than most," my face matched his.

We chit-chatted and flirted back and forth while we finished our meals. After grabbing up the trash and finding a nearby garbage can Kiba came back to stretch out beside me on the blanket. I had been staring at the clouds, as I so often did, picking out shapes.

"Find anything good up there?" his elbow nudged mine.

"Oh, lots of things," I smiled as I turned to look at him.

"I like what I found down here," he turned on his side, his eyes giving me a once over before coming back to linger on my face.

He began to shift closer to me. Just as he began to invade my personal bubble, a blur of yellow eclipsed my vision and crashed painfully onto his face.

"What the HELL?!" he growled as he jumped up, looking around wildly.

"Your big brute almost took off my poor Fluffy's head!" an annoyingly familiar voice called out.

Akamaru sprang out from the bushes about fifteen feet from where our blanket was spread out. As I sat up, the bushes rustled again and out stepped a person that I was never excited about seeing. Mitsuri Irogawa. She was holding a leash in one hand and cupped close to her chest in the other, was a small white Shih Tzu with a little pink bow keeping the fur out of her face.

"Yeah, maybe he thought she was a snack," I stood up and brushed myself off.

"Shut your mouth Uchiha! You probably got him to do it on purpose!" she huffed, the dog barking as if agreeing.

"Yeah right Irogawa, like I knew you and your stupid dog were here," I crossed my arms while rolling my eyes.

"Like I believe anything that comes out of your mouth," she glared.

"Ladies! Ladies!" Kiba waved his hands around in a gesture of peace, reminding us both that he was still there, "Everybody seems fine right? No need to get upset with each other."

Mitsuri smiled and looked from Akamaru to Kiba, "So are you entering the Top Canine competition this year Inuzuka? I'll be competing myself."

I snorted in laughter, "Oh you gonna try to go for best in show? I'd start eating eggshells now honey, your coat's got some split ends."

"Kiss my ass! You're just jealous! Even if you had a dog, you'd never find one that could beat my Fluffy," said furball let out a growl before ending in a high-pitched yip.

"Get real, Akamaru and I could destroy you and that little puff ball! Right boy?" I looked over to the large dog who was now folded in half licking his crotch. Kiba and Mitsuri followed suit before sighing and screeching with laughter respectively. When Akamaru realized we were looking at him he jumped to attention and let out a loud deep bark.

"Yeah yeah, I'll believe it when I see it. Come on Fluffy. We've got training to do," she headed back into the bushes while I silently willed her to trip on a branch and face plant.

"You just wait!" I called into the trees after she had disappeared.

"Well, that…took an unexpected turn," Kiba said ruffling his hair.

I looked down sheepishly. Not only had he not even said if he was entering or not, how the hell did I just take over Akamaru like he was my dog, "I'm sorry Kiba. Irogawa literally brings out the worst side of me. I'm a little embarrassed."

"It's okay Raki, I get really competitive myself, so I understand," he paused before looking back over at Akamaru, "I'm sure you and Akamaru are gonna take first place."

I jerked my head up, "Oh Kiba! You really mean it?"

He grinned, "I mean, with my help of course, yeah."

"Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" I hugged him, swinging him slightly side to side.

"Don't mention it," he blushed after I pulled away.

"You hear that boy! You and I are gonna chew 'em up and spit 'em out! High five," I lifted up my hand and held it in front of Akamaru. He promptly raised a large paw into the air to slap mine, "Yeah!"

Kiba's laughter fell out of his mouth as we walked back over to our spot to begin packing up. I began folding the blanket while Kiba gathered up the frisbee and water bowl.

"So, in all my…excitement earlier, I forgot to ask, when is this Top Canine competition anyways?" I pulled my backpack on.

"Two weeks from today," he pondered in thought for a moment.

"Two weeks?! That's not much time. Akamaru already knows how to do most of the tricks right?" I panicked slightly, sensing that I might have bitten off more than I could chew.

"Don't worry Raki, I'll be right there to help you…plus, yeah Akamaru already knows how to do everything he'll need. We can meet up next weekend and practice," he leashed up Akamaru now that we had walked back to the gate.

"Sure. I've got a few free hours Saturday morning and then we can practice for some of Sunday too," I said now walking back onto the sidewalk. "Now let's get this guy back to his toys."

We walked side by side down the street back towards the direction of Kiba's house.

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The sun was already setting when I came in the front door. Obito and Kakashi seemingly hadn't moved from their spots on the couch. Annoyingly they were still battling it out on Shinobi Striker. Hanging up my rattling keys drew my brother's attention.

"Hmm…7:30 that's actually a decent hour. I'm impressed," he checked his watch.

I scoffed, "I'm impressed you don't have bed sores on your ass."

"I'm sitting on a couch though," he gave a smart-ass smirk, pointing out the obvious.

I rolled my eyes and began to walk away, "So what did you guys end up doing?"

"I entered a dog competition," I shrugged.

That caused both Kakashi and my brother to sit up in attention, "A…wha-…but we don't even have a dog. You didn't enter yourself, right? I mean you are pretty ugly, but I don't think you got enough hair to fool them."

Kakashi smacked Obito in the back of the head, assumingly for comparing me to a dog, "Keep it up Ito and I'll enter you as my mutt. Kiba has a dog and he's going to let me enter him in the competition so I can wipe that stupid smirk off Irogawa's face. I'm meeting back up with him Saturday morning so we can practice."

"Irogawa…isn't she that girl who dumped paint in your hair your first year of high school?"

"Yeah."

"And the one who replaced your fish eggs with spider eggs in biology last summer?"

"The very same."

"The one that tried to get you expelled for cheating two months ago?"

"That's the one!" my eyebrow began to twitch.

"Honestly Kuma, you should learn to let things go," he smirked.

"Ughhhhh! I'm going to change into pajamas," my hands balled up into fists.

I walked into my room and set my backpack down in my chair. My stripped off clothes laid in a pile on my floor. I pulled on one of Obito's black t-shirts and slipped on a pair of red basketball shorts. I took out my phone and plugged in two Saturday morning practice sessions, a Sunday afternoon training, and the competition itself. I sighed heavily. Between my first job and this new…adventure, my weekends were regrettably filling up fast.

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Well that was it for this chapter. I couldn't resist the call out to Kakashi's mask. As this is an AU fic he obviously doesn't wear one in this story but I love a chance to reference the original Naruto universe. Kumaraki went a little Peggy Hill on Irogawa. Will her and Kiba get closer while training Akamaru for the competition? What will Shikamaru say when he finds out? The next chapter will cover our girl's first day at work, she'll meet some new people and have to make an interesting decision. And of course she'll have to fill her girlfriends in on what's been going on. Stay tuned!