This chapter is short, sorry =.=

Naruto held his arm tightly around Hinata, making sure to make a show of it.

He just couldn't stand the thought of Kiba being around her for so long, even getting to sleep in the same tent as her.

It didn't take a genius to see how Kiba felt, and he actually felt a little guilty about it. Kiba noticed her first, but honestly, Hinata loved him. That wasn't his fault. He loved Hinata, he just never realized it. Always running after Sakura, and for what? That affection was fruitless, and he hated wasting all his time with her.

Hinata knew him better than anyone, she knew how hard he worked, how strong he could be.

Most importantly, she knew about his demon when he was still young, and was never once disgusted by it.

Hinata was his soul mate, and if he had to hurt Kiba to keep him in check, he would.

As they sat in their usual seats, Naruto dug his face in Hinata's hair, kissing her lightly on the neck.

Hinata's entire face turned bright red, and she giggled nervously.

"None of that in here." The shop owner pointed his steel tongs at the young couple. "Take it outside."

"Aw! Teuchi." Naruto pouted, but moved away from Hianta.

"That's better. I don't want you to make my other customers lose their lunch." The man laughed deeply.

Naruto made a face, but didn't say anything.

"So, how was your mission?" He turned to Hinata.

"O-oh. Great." Hinata smiled, and looked down at the bowel of ramen Ayame put in front of her.

"That's great!" Naruto's mouth drooled a bit as he broke apart his wooden chopsticks.

"Yes. It is." She said absent-mindedly. "But I'm worried about Shino-kun." She whispered.

"Shino? He looked fine to me." Naruto said with his mouth full, turning towards her.

She giggled a bit; seeing his cheeks so stuffed he looked like a chipmunk. "He's been a bit…distant towards Kiba-kun and I recently."

"Isn't he always like that?" Naruto asked, placing his chopsticks down and his now empty bowl aside.

Hinata broke apart her chopsticks, and swished the noodles around a bit, not really making an effort to eat them. "I guess you're right…But…this seems…different, in a way."

"Hinata you're not making any sense." Naruto said bluntly.

"I guess I'm not…"

"Are you going to eat that?" Naruto pointed at her bowl, and she handed it to him. "I guess I'm not that hungry today Naruto."

"Want to go for a walk around the village?" Naruto asked, and to much of Hinata's surprise, he didn't eat her food, just set it aside and got up, paying for their meal.

He held his hand out to her, sensing her distress about her friend. Of course, he didn't really know what to do to make her feel better; he just wanted to be there for her.

"Alright, let's go." Hinata smiled weakly as she took his rough hand, holding onto it as they left.

Kiba wondered around the village a bit, not wanting to go home, but not wanting to go anywhere else. Without much thought, he ended up at their old training ground.

Though the posts had recently been replaced, they were still dented from the children at the academy, his nose wrinkled a bit, smelling their blood and sweat behind each punch they took, soaking their scent into the wood.

"Any ideas, Akamaru?" Kiba laid down against the cold green grass, looking up at the clouds.

The dog whined a bit, lying down next to him with his head on his paws.

"Yeah, me neither." Kiba sighed.

His world was never a difficult one; he never worried about anything more than a battle, or the occasional flea on Akamaru. But there he was, his life seeming so much more complicated suddenly, as if Naruto had beaten him at his battle, and Shino becoming his flea.

He laughed dryly. It was a bit ironic, that Shino was his flea, being a bug shinobi, and he the dog.

He furrowed his brows together, thinking.

He knew as one of Shino's only friends, it was his responsibility to figure out what the hell was up with him, but he just couldn't bring himself to care. Sure, it bothered him the Shino was being so damn distant, but he had his own problems.

When was it, that Shino started acting like this…?

Kiba put his hands behind his hand and intertwined his fingers.

About a month or so ago…But I'm not sure…

Kiba's eyes widened and he sat up suddenly, causing Akamaru to flinch.

"That son of a bitch likes her too, doesn't he?!" Kiba yelled out.

Akamaru whined, covering his sensitive ears from Kiba's loud cry.

"Fucking bastard" Kiba kicked the floor, completely pissed. The last thing he needed was someone else wanting her, and what's worse, his best friend, one of his only friends.

He growled deep in his throat.

I have to know…I just have to.

He ran towards Shino's home at full speed.

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