Family

Title: Bromance

Characters/Pairing: Kiba/Shino, cameo/reference to individual kunoichi

Rating: T

Summary: Only Kiba would have the gall to question Shino's sexuality to his face and live to tell the tale…and more.

A/N: First short on Kiba/Shino friendship. Don't expect Kiba/Shino yaoi in this; I'm not really the biggest fan of it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. As always.

"So, Shino…" Instinctively, Shino mentally prepared himself for whatever was to come next. Somehow, in some absurd way, Kiba had proposed a "team bonding exercise" to the rest of Team 8 wherein they would all spend at least one day out of their busy schedules to do some one-on-one team bonding with another member of the team. They had to constantly alternate between the three members that didn't include themselves, excluding Kurenai because, though she claimed that her bonding time with them was during training, they knew she spent most of her free time with Asuma. This had been going on for about three months now, and, Shino would admit, it was fairly effective, he dreaded every day he had to bond with Kiba and his dog. It wasn't that he didn't like Kiba—after all, he was a teammate and, above that, his only other best friend besides Hinata and his bugs—it was just that Kiba would always begin their little outing with some ridiculous question pertaining to the bug-nin's wellbeing or person that only Kiba would ever ask, and then the conversation would get awkward with silence until the day was out. On good days, however, the acknowledged question would create a discussion that would fill in the gaps of silence, making their time spent something of a learning experience for both parties.

Shino had a foreboding feeling that this was not one of those good days.

"Yes, Kiba?" Shino asked monotonously as he sighed, the only sign of his slight annoyance. The silly grin on Kiba's face wasn't doing anything to help the situation. Secretively, Kiba wound his arm around Shino's shoulders, despite their height differences, and leant towards Shino's face, making the other boy uncomfortable. This definitely didn't look like it was going to end well for the Aburame boy.

"So, Shino," Kiba repeated in an almost whisper-like voice, "how's your nonexistent love life goin'?" Oh, it was this discussion again. Kiba grinned from ear to ear as he looked up expectantly at Shino, whose face remained stony and wall-like. Shino shuddered to think that this had been something Kiba continued to reference ever since he had started the topic a few weeks prior. He would have opted not to answer at all, wait until the Inuzuka became bored of the subject and chose another one instead of continuously prodding it into Shino's side, but after attempting that several times, he knew it wouldn't work. Kiba would persist throughout their entire teammate bonding time, and if he didn't get an answer, he would try again the next time they met. Although everyone in Team 8, as well as their fellow peers, knew that Shino had inhuman patience and probably spoke less than anyone else they knew, even he couldn't wait out on Kiba forever. Well, he could, actually; he had somehow convinced himself, though, that it was like wasting precious time they could be using to improve their teamwork by getting to know each other.

"There is nothing going on." Kiba pouted at that, disbelieving even though this was the exact same answer Shino gave him every single time he asked.

"Aw, you don't have to lie to me, Shino! I'm your best friend, right?" Shino opted not to answer that question. "C'mon, you gotta like someone! Or maybe, someone likes you?" Kiba waggled his eyebrows suggestively, only furthering Shino's discomfort. Said bug user raised his eyebrows at that suggestion.

"What are you implying?"

"I dunno, I mean, don't take this the wrong way, man, but you aren't half bad. You're like the tall, mysterious type with the really deep voice that lots of girls find sexy. Maybe if you shed some layers sometime, show a bit of skin, you'll actually attract some attention," Kiba listed, checking them off on his fingers. Shino's eyebrow risked being lost under his forehead protector as he began to question Kiba's motives silently. "I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting a girl if you just get real close to their ear and whisper something to them. You should try it on someone!" The Aburame didn't like the way Kiba's face seemed to light up at his own idea. Kiba also forgot, Shino noted, about the fact that most people didn't approach him because his body was infested with millions upon millions of lethal insects.

Their scenic walk led them through a more crowded area in Konoha, near the bustling marketplace. Kiba vigilantly searched the streets for an unsuspecting victim for his soon-to-be-patented "Shino Seduction Technique." Shino could only roll his eyes, which were hidden beneath his tinted goggles. As if to increase his sense of impending doom, Kiba made a small, victorious yelp before applying a kung fu grip on Shino's jacket sleeve, dragging him towards one of the most crowded places in the village. The excited dog-nin landed them in a random bush near the main road, right outside of the Ichiraku Ramen stand.

"Check it out, Shino! It's Ino!" Kiba whispered over to his less-than-happy companion. Shino was much more interested in the ladybug that was currently residing in the grass they were ducking in. Occasionally, Shino would glance at his best friend when he began talking, but otherwise, he paid little attention. "I bet'cha if you woo her, you'll be the talk of the village for at least a week!" At this, Shino snapped his head towards the Inuzuka in a hardened glare.

"Kiba, I am not interested. I will not be doing any 'wooing' to someone I am not attracted to and respect as a fellow shinobi." Kiba blanched at his friend's hardass attitude.

"Dude, what the hell kinda attitude is that? C'mon, it'll be fun! And besides, it's not like you'll be doing it seriously. She'll understand after we tell her."

"Serious or not, I am not participating." Kiba gaped slightly, though he wasn't as surprised as he was the first time.

"Man, what is wrong with you? You won't even hit on a girl for fun!" Kiba all but yelled at Shino. Some passersby noticed the commotion Kiba suddenly caused and turned their attention towards the now unhidden ninjas. Even the patrons at the ramen stand, which now included not only Ino, but also her girlfriends Sakura, Temari, Tenten, and Hinata were staring in their direction.

"Kiba-kun…?" Hinata asked quietly, more to herself than anyone else. Sakura turned questioningly to the shy girl.

"Hinata-chan, aren't those your teammates over there…in the bushes?" Hinata could only nod numbly at the question, wondering what they were doing, in the bushes, during their teammate bonding time. She hadn't mentioned the teammate bonding thing to her friends yet, which was a relief, seeing as though they'd probably jump to some strange conclusion.

"…" was Shino's cryptic answer, knowing full-well that they had already caught a large amount of attention. He attempted at not making the situation worse. Unfortunately, silence was not the correct answer in this situation. Kiba pointed an accusing finger at the Aburame, his face suddenly distorted in some form of disgust.

"Holy shit! Shino, are you gay?" A number of ears perked up at that, some of them in disbelief, and others were fully expecting it. Shino made no move, other than to raise his eyebrow at the notion, to show that this had affected him in any way.

"No." Kiba, unaware at the attention being given to their interesting conversation, only laughed before cautiously patting his friend on the shoulder.

"Shino, man, it's cool if you are. I won't hold it against you or anything. I mean, as long as you don't hit on me or anything, I think I can live with you being about as straight as a rainbow."

"Kiba, I am not gay."

"You don't have to stay in the closet with me! I'm your best friend! You just tell me if someone picks on ya about it and I'll punch their face in, 'kay?" Shino visually twitched at Kiba's inattentiveness. His bugs began to buzz in irritation at the wild boy, and Shino wanted nothing more than to leave the vicinity lest rumors start spreading. He honestly didn't mind it if someone talked bad about him—he could ignore it as if it didn't exist at all—it was just the hassle of having to deal with it later.

"Kiba…" Kiba stopped in his uproarious laughter for a moment to look at his now twitching friend.

"Yeah, buddy?" Shino took a large step forward so that he was about five inches away from the dog boy's face, said boy leaning back to avoid being too close.

"I am not gay," Shino stated firmly in the most menacing voice he could muster, which sent the worst chills up the Inuzuka's spine. "Am I clear?" Kiba nodded unconsciously, backing away from the evil looking expression hidden by layers of clothing and accessories. "Good. You will not speak of this matter again." They stayed in relative quiet afterwards, both just absently staring the other down as the crowds waited in anticipation to see if anything else was to transpire.

"Prove it." Both boys snapped to attention at Kiba's voice, unbelievably bold after what had just conspired. Shino's eyebrow, once again, rose at the prospect of proving his perfectly heterosexual nature to his canine friend. Unwilling to continue this positively stupid disagreement with the other boy, he inhaled and exhaled deeply before striding with confidence out of the bushes they were no longer quite hidden in. Kiba followed him about as far as the main road before stopping to observe from a somewhat respectable distance. With long strides, Shino marched up to the Ichiraku stand where the girls were sitting in apprehension at what was going to unfold. He pulled down his hood, readjusted his goggles, and unhooked the first few hooks on his first layer jacket. Not thinking, he wrapped his long arms around the waist of the first person he could reach, moved his lips so close to their ears they could feel his hot breath, and whispered something inaudible into it.

Needless to say, by the time Shino had fixed his entire outfit and was casually making his way back to Kiba with hands in pockets, Sakura's face was a red to rival her outfit and her mouth could no longer form coherent phrases or words. Kiba stared at the bug-nin, shocked at his sudden actions and the fact that he could look so nonchalant after all of it. Shino dragged the shell-shocked boy away from the scene as the girls began to quickly chatter away. The rest of their walk proved to be silent, mostly because Kiba was unable to speak for a few moments as he processed exactly what had happened. As the day came to a close and the sun began to drift well below the horizon line, Kiba turned to his teammate and looked him adamantly in the eye with a look that Shino found he couldn't describe.

"So…you're not gay?"

"NO."