Author's Notes: Hey! Look what I finally wrote- another one of those thirty one-shots I'm supposed to be doing... (whistles) yeah, I swear, I'm working on them! (Not). I already know what I'm going to write for all of them (kinda...) but it's the actual writing that's the troublesome part. I wish I could just think of a plot and... poof! There it is. Right from my mind to the paper without having to bother with words.

Things always sound better in my mind than they do on paper, anyways. But maybe that's just 'cuz my mind is stupid and paper isn't.

It's not that great, but as requested by Susame, written from Shino's POV... though it feels like it should've been in third. That might just be because I'm not too good at getting into Shino's persona. Too bubbly today for that... oh well. It was a valiant (albeit failing) effort.

Theme 9: Impulse

- Impulsive -

It never occurred to Kiba to think before he acted. Usually, things would work out, and if they didn't, he dealt with the consequences as they came. He always acted on impulse. I never knew if that was what I hated most about him, or if that was what I liked most: his lack of inhibitions.

Thus, I don't believe he ever noticed when he stood closer to me than Hinata in the early days of our lives as gennin. He just did it automatically, perhaps finding comfort in the fact that I was the other male and we shared some sort of bond due to the fact (he always did complain loudly about having a female sensei, but soon learned to keep his mouth shut, and even to respect Kurenai, after she knocked some sense into him).

I never said anything about the close proximity we shared, so he remained oblivious. Every now and then our shoulders would brush, but still I said nothing. My father had already warned me that the Inuzuka were very affectionate people. To Kiba the contact most likely meant nothing, so I, too, disregarded it.

Therefore, when he clasped my shoulder as he told me a joke one afternoon, he didn't even notice he had done it. In all likelihood, he would not have removed his hand if I had not shrugged away, though I said nothing, so he did it again the next day, whence I rolled my shoulder away again. Eventually I learned to ignore it.

Kiba didn't really think about it when he grabbed my hand one day after practice and drug me to his house to have dinner. It just... happened, and as usual I didn't say anything, so he didn't think about it the next time, or the time after that, either. I learned to accept it.

He didn't consider the consequences when he pounced on my back one morning when I finally agreed to join him and Akamaru on their morning walk. He nearly knocked my glasses off in the process, and I scolded him for that, but ultimately there was a repeat performance the next week, minus the knocking of glasses and the scolding of Kiba. It became a regular occurrence.

When he stood up on his tiptoes and kissed me one day without warning, though, I had a great many things to say. Among them, why? What was that for? What are you thinking? Have you lost your mind?

Most of all, please tell me that wasn't just an impulse.

He averted his eyes, playing with the cuff of the sleeve of his new leather jacket. "Sorry," he mumbled, "I just thought you liked me, too. Shoulda thought 'fore I did that... stupid impulses."

I watched his back as he turned and walked away, head hung.

"Kiba," I said before I had really thought about what I was doing, "There... was no need to apologize."

He didn't say anything, didn't turn to face me, merely raised a hand in recognition. I sighed heavily. Acting without thinking- acting on impulse- was such a dangerous thing. Maybe Kiba enjoyed life on the edge, but I didn't think I could handle it.

But when it happened again and I impulsively kissed him back, I knew it was too late. Whether I could handle it or not, I was in for good. I said nothing about our second kiss, and Kiba took that as permission to continue stealing kisses from me whenever he felt like it (he actually tried to kiss me in front of Hinata-sama once, which resulted in disaster).

And it was on impulse- the lack of considering consequences- that I told him quietly: "I love you."

He grinned, "Gods, you don't know how long I've been waiting for you to say that." And kissed me.

Which leaves me to wonder just how much of what he had done to get closer to me, to get into my personal space, had been impulse and how much had been planned, and that maybe, just maybe, I'm the only one here who has been acting on impulse.

Thankyou to everyone who reviewed! I love you!

Publix baked cookies ('cuz I don't want to kill you with my awful baking skills) and Official Imitation Shino Glasses for everyone (actually, I'd rather have Shibi's glasses... but oh well).

Oh my god... I wrote something fluffy! It's not sad or dark//does a dance//