Whew! Finally, I've finished this. It's hard getting yourself to write sometimes, especially when you're coming home tired every night. Thank god for three day weekends, or this might have never been finished.

First off, I want to make a few apologies. I apologize that there is so much KibaNaru in this chapter, since really that's my more natural element, and this is my first real attempt at a side pairing. Don't worry, though, the focus is still ShikaCho, it just won't be all the time. I also apologize on how long this chapter is. Not that I mind having long chapters, mind you, but the length is going to be pretty inconsistent. In my defense, lots of novels have chapters of varying length, sometimes going from 25 pages to 7 to 15.

I also want to give thanks to Martial artist-Mariko for her idea, as it's what I ended up using (see last chapter for more details). You really helped me out, so thanks.

Being Honest is Troublesome

THWACK!

"OW! Sakura, will you knock it off already?" Naruto complained as he rubbed the bump that was quickly forming on his head. Kiba was also holding his head in pain, growling at the kunoichi that had just punched them both.

"Humph," was her only response, followed by "Serves you both right."

Naruto just groaned and continued to rub the back of his head. As he did, he took the time to look around, and noticed that he was getting several stares from the villagers, most of them unfriendly. Looks like most of them already know. News and gossip traveled fast in a village, and Konohagakure was no different. Naruto was seriously beginning to regret leaving his apartment this morning.

After Shikamaru and his two head groupies had literally barged in (and right when things were heating up, a small, more perverse part of his brain reminded him), chaos had erupted in the small space. The reason that Naruto had bought that decrepit flat was because no one actually wanted to be near the building, making it the perfect place to meet with his lover in secret. However, this was a double-edged sword; if anything actually happened there, a curious crowd would form almost instantly. Right after Lee had called up in response to the screaming, Naruto realized that they had to move, and fast. So, he quickly got dressed (somewhat difficult, considering he and Kiba hadn't been exactly tidy as they tore each other's clothes off earlier) and, after registering that Kiba had done the same, whisked the brunette off to his small, one bedroom apartment.

They had tried to pick up where they had left off before they were interrupted, but any romantic mood had already been long gone. In its place was an unsettling fear. Shikamaru would remain quiet about what he'd seen as long as no one asked him, but Temari actually disliked keeping secrets if she didn't have to, and there was no chance that Ino would keep her mouth shut. By the next morning, everyone in the village would know. And that scared them shitless.

So, what should have been an afternoon of passion and lust together somehow became a night of cuddling for reassurance and comfort. Naruto hadn't even been sure if he was up to facing the world when he had woken up in the morning. Sakura, however, had come by and practically dragged the two outside. After all, she had said, they had to face the village sooner or later, so it might as well be sooner.

Naruto and Kiba hadn't come out just so that Sakura could pound them every five minutes, though, and after the most recent set of lumps, Naruto was starting to growl with Kiba.

Sakura ignored the growls coming from her canine-like friends. "Just tell me this, Naruto," she began, her voice suddenly sounding a bit sad. "Why didn't you tell me? I mean, I can understand that you wanted to keep this a secret, but from me, too? I mean, you're one of best friends, Naruto. So why?"

Naruto looked a bit guilty. "It's not that I didn't want to tell you, Sakura. It's just that…that there was someone that I…that we couldn't let find out about this."

"And you thought that I'd tell? I'm not Ino, Naruto. You know that you can confide in me. I can keep a secret."

"Not from this person…"

Sakura blinked. Who could Naruto be talking about? She looked to Kiba for a hint, but he was now avoiding her gaze, hanging his head in shame. Sakura was surprised. Who could inspire this much fear and shame in these two, and why wouldn't she be able to keep it a secret from them? Was it someone from torture and interrogation? But they didn't know anyone there. And while Ino could possess someone, there were no mind reading ninja in the village, so who—

Kiba suddenly stiffened and took a few sniffs of the air. "Naruto." His speech was quick and sounded a little scared. The other two looked in the direction the dog ninja was facing, and saw a young woman walking up the street towards them, people falling silent as she passed. Although she was beautiful, the aura that she was currently giving off would have frightened even the perverted Jiraiya away. Every step she took was forceful and with purpose. The girl's long, black hair blew back a bit in the breeze, but no one could see her usually shy, kind pale eyes. The girl stopped when she reached the two nervous and one surprised shinobi, her eyes still hidden, and the usually busy street was now completely silent.

Sakura had to admit that Naruto was probably right. In all likeliness, she wouldn't have been able to keep this a secret from Hinata.

Everything was quiet. The boys were afraid to actually say anything. Sakura didn't want to get involved in something that was clearly none of her business. All of the onlookers seemed to feel a mix of awe and terror, like they were watching a bomb tick down its last few seconds. No one could tell what Hinata was thinking. All that they knew was that she was mad.

After a few tense seconds of complete silence, Kiba finally tried to break it. "Hinat—"

SLAP!

Kiba never saw the hand coming, and yelped in surprise when it struck his cheek. Between the anger the girl held behind it and the guilt Kiba was carrying, that slap hurt a hell of a lot more than any of Sakura's punches that morning. Everyone else, Naruto and Sakura included, let out a collective gasp at the girl's out of character behavior.

Kiba really had no idea what he was going to say. He knew that he deserved the slap, and probably more, after what he'd done, but damn, that hurt! Anger began to build up in his throat, even though he knew that there was really no basis for it. It didn't last long, though. The rage left and was replaced by ten times the guilt he had been feeling before. Now that he could see Hinata's face, he watched as tears were barely holding themselves back.

"Hinata, I—"

"Shut up!" the Hyuga heiress screamed, "I don't want to hear it! You knew that I liked him! You knew! And yet you…you…you went behind my back and screwed him! You're supposed to be my best friend, Kiba! Best friends don't stab each other in the back! How could you take him from me, Kiba? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"

Hinata exploded into sobs as the tears ran freely down her face. Kiba looked at the ground, guilt etched across his face. After listening to Hinata's sobs for a few seconds, he finally looked up again. All that he could give her, however, was a weak apology. "Hinata…I'm sorry…"

Anger returned to the Hyuga's face with a vengeance. "You're sorry? You're SORRY?!" She raised her hand to give another slap. Kiba closed his eyes and waited for the blow to come. As much as it would hurt, he was well aware how much he deserved it.

Before Hinata's arm could begin its swing, however, her wrist was grabbed from behind. Hinata looked over her shoulder to see a sober Naruto holding her tightly, so that she couldn't move her hand. Her own eyes widened in shock, as if the final nail of her coffin had been put in place.

"Hinata," Naruto began, his voice as solemn and serious as his expression, "I'm sorry that we hurt you. And I realize that we both probably deserve all the anger and punishment that you're giving us. However, I cannot just stand aside and watch someone that I care deeply for get hurt, so please calm down."

Hinata's eyes began to well up again. "Naruto…you…how could…why?…" Before she could collect her thoughts enough to form a sentence, though, she began to cry again, and ran as fast as she could down the street. She had had to steel herself in order to confront her crush and her "best friend," but now she suddenly wanted to be anywhere but here.

Kiba began to start after her, but Akamaru suddenly jumped down in front of him, blocking his path. Naruto didn't understand dogspeak, but even he could tell from the mirthless expression on the large dog's face that he didn't have good news.

Kiba confirmed this a second later, his expression even more downcast as he turned to face his companions. "Looks like I've gotta go. My family wants me back home, so…" he trailed off, the dread obvious in his voice.

Naruto mimicked his lover's tone. "So I guess I'll see you later, then?" He put more stress on the last word. The question wasn't rhetorical.

"…yeah."

Well, that sounded definite. Both of them knew that the Inuzuka clan wasn't calling Kiba back just because he hadn't come home last night, and whenever a clan member did something to betray their trust, the clan tended to become rather hostile, to put it mildly. Naruto stared at the ground, his own eyes beginning to water. He wondered how the hell this could have happened. He had gone from being the happiest he'd ever been, to possibly losing it all.

Suddenly, the blonde felt his head forced up and gasped as a familiar pair of lips crashed into his own. He was surprised, but he returned it. He could practically taste the need on Kiba's lips. Not a need of lust, but of comfort, of reassurance. A need to know that everything would be all right. A need that they both shared.

Akamaru interrupted them with a low bark, and took his leave, a reluctant Kiba following behind him. Sakura, who had reserved herself to watching everything from the sidelines, finally approached her friend. "Naruto, are you…"

She didn't finish, because it was clear that he wasn't all right. He was visibly shaking now, and looked about ready to burst. Sakura quickly pulled him into an embrace, and patted his head. "It's alright," she coaxed, "let it out." She continued to hold him as Naruto began to dry into her shoulder, and glared at the remaining spectators, silently warning them to get lost.

For the first time in a while, everything felt right in the world.

Chouji felt a little greedy, since this current contentment was coming at Naruto and Kiba's expense. Still, it was pointless to deny how he felt right now. He just hoped that he could help his friends out later.

Because of what happened yesterday, the town was abuzz with gossip and murmurs. Somehow, in an entire village of ninja, two of them, neither of which was particularly known for their ability to keep secrets, had managed to have an affair under everyone's noses. How could they not have known? Now, everyone was recounting the hints and clues that they suddenly realized they had noticed. Like how one shopkeeper had seen Kiba buying an abnormally large amount of ramen last week (along with the rest of the abnormally large amount of food he usually bought for his family, Chouji thought), or how Naruto hadn't been trying to peek at the adult magazines anymore (probably more to do with his time and mild disgust with Jiraiya), or how he didn't called Kiba "dog breath" anymore (that was flat out bull; Naruto had called him that and worse just four days ago).

Of course, girls were always the biggest gossipers, especially when it came to other people's love lives, so all of the girls that would usually be chasing Shikamaru down right now were taking a break to talk and gather information today. Once Shikamaru realized this, he had immediately called on Chouji to spend the day with him. After all, this was an extremely rare opportunity, and he was going to milk it for all it was worth.

So now, they were on their favorite hillside, looking up at the clouds that looked better than they had ever had before. Chouji was munching on a bag of potato chips, which he happily found had more chips in them than usual. Shikamaru was lying on his back, openly smiling as he watched the clouds he had been deprived of for so long float across a beautiful blue sky.

For now, Chouji felt as if everything was right in the world. This was how it was supposed to be. Then Shikamaru began one of his other favorite activities: complaining.

"I can't believe those two," he groaned. "Why is it that they can't get that I'm not interested? It's gotten to the point that I'm even seeing them in my sleep."

Chouji didn't have to be a genius to know he was talking about Ino and Temari. "That's probably part of their plan, Shikamaru," he chuckled out. "Now they've gotten you thinking about them all the time."

Shikamaru groaned again. "How troublesome," he mumbled as he began to fumble around his pockets. He suddenly felt the need for a cigarette.

Chouji decided to ask something he had been wondering about for a while now. "Are you really not attracted to them? At all? I mean, it's not like they're hideous monsters or anything."

The shadow ninja just scoffed. "Please. Any possible attractiveness those two have goes out the window as soon as they open their big mouths."

Chouji stayed silent and reached in his bag for another chip as he recognized the wave of relief that passed over him. Even though he felt guilty for it, and knew nothing would ever happen between them, he allowed himself to entertain the slight hope that maybe, just maybe his best friend could be something more, even if it was a false hope.

"Besides," said best friend continued as he went on searching his clothing. Where the hell were those cigarettes? "I'm having a hard enough time getting Kiba and Naruto in a bed together out of my head. I really don't want to think about their 'appeal' too."

Chouji's hand froze.

"Aw, come on, Shikamaru. It couldn't have been that bad, right?" Chouji's voice was strained, and he forced himself to continue eating. Shikamaru, still being caught up in finding his cigarettes, didn't notice the change in his friend's demeanor.

"Yeah, Chouji, it was that bad. Seriously, I hope you never see anything like it." Shikamaru didn't like where the conversation was going. The last thing he wanted was to talk about that. After all, he had known both Naruto and Kiba since he was little. The thought of the people he grew up with, people who he had seen ask where babies came from and thought kissing was gross suddenly becoming sexual beings freaked him out. Now he really needed a smoke. Where were they?

"Damn fags," he finally voiced his frustration in his troublesome body search.

Chouji's lips froze just as he was about to bite down on a chip.

Shikamaru let out a grunt of triumph as he finally found the box of cigarettes and reached for his lighter when he noticed Chouji stand up and begin to walk down the hill. The mass ninja's body was rigid. "Chouji, what's wrong?" Shikamaru called after him, wondering why his friend was suddenly leaving. They were going to spend the day together, weren't they?

Chouji stopped moving, but he didn't turn around. "N-Nothing…" he responded, his voice shaky. "I-I just remembered, there's something I have to do today. Sorry, Shikamaru, but I've got to go now. See ya." With that, Chouji took off.

Shikamaru watched him suddenly leave. What the hell was going on? Chouji never forgot his appointments. Then he looked where his friend had just been sitting, and saw that he had left his chips behind. The bag wasn't even half empty! Shikamaru looked back in the direction that he had left.

…Chouji?

A/N: You know, I actually enjoyed writing this chapter. Writing an angry Hinata is actually kind of fun, no matter how twisted that sounds. Anyways, review and let me know how I'm doing. I'm still kind of concerned about the amount of screen time the KibaNaru is getting, and they're still getting it in the next chapter, but after that I promise they're turning it down a little.

In the meantime though, since it worked before, I'm going to try this again. I need something that could be said to purposefully make someone feel uncomfortable at dinner. Once again, I can't be any less vague without giving away future events, but this time, orientation/gender/race doesn't matter. So please give me a hand with this. Thanks in advance.