Tenten2020 Week.

The Boneyard
Cut from Babyproof. Kiba x Tenten

Five months before the end of Babyproof. A conversation between mothers.

"Damnit, Yoshino," Tsume groused, "At this rate, that boy will never give me any grandkids."

"Things are not going well in Sora-ku?" Yoshino asked, eyebrows raised.

"It's already over," Tsume grumbled. "Not that I was real sure about someone with cats to begin with," she shuddered. "It's not natural."

"What does Hana have to say?"

"Oh, you know Hana," Tsume waved her hand dismissively. "She's the peace keeper. We wondered if Hinata would outgrow her crush on Naruto; she and Kiba always got on well."

"Kiba wouldn't have lasted a day with Hiashi," Yoshino rolled her eyes.

"Well, it turns out it wasn't just a crush, either," Tsume muttered not unkindly. "So who the hell is left?"

"What about that one girl," Kuromaru piped up.

Tsume looked down at him, "Huh? What girl?"

"The one." Kuromaru said.

"The one with the things?"

"No – the other one."

"Oh, her," Tsume rubbed her chin. "That might have potential," she allowed.

Yoshino just waited, her eye brows raised as she gazed over the rim of her mug.

"Potential?" she finally asked.

"Well," Tsume rubbed the back of her neck. "There was one girl that Kiba used to … react to."

"React?"

"He smelled different," Kuromaru explained. "You humans aren't any different than other animals; you give off pheromones when you like or don't like someone. It was slight, but it was there."

"What does Akamaru say?" Tsume asked.

Kuromaru seemed to consider this "They ran into each other a while back. He is normally a pain in the ass around her, but moreso than usual. Akamaru thinks that maybe he reacts still. Could be a possibility."

"You want to let me in on the secret?" Yoshino asked wryly.

"The girl from Gai's team," Tsume said. "The one with the weapons."

"Tenten?'

"That's the one," Tsume said slowly. "So, the pup still reacts to her, does he?"

"Seems like it," Kuromaru shrugged.

Yoshino sat back, her mind clicking along. "She's up for a temporary transfer," Yoshino said tapping a nail on her mug. "Shikamaru said they want to have a few other shinobi spend time in Suna, and she is on the list. She has been before," Yoshino explained. "She worked with their sealing corps and has done some investigating into their weaponry and puppets. In fact, she is opening up another shop there. Come to think of it," she tipped her head to the side, "she might be just the person to help Temari and the others."

"Hard to do from Suna," Tsume grunted, "And also, no help in my little problem."

"Then we will just have to think of a reason to extend her stay in Konoha," Yoshino grinned. "And I think I have just the way to do it."