Their final year at the academy was a turning point. Naruto's classmates had finally grown out of their childish torture of him, and had even come so far as to say that they enjoyed his company...for the most part anyway. They had never stopped to realize just how hyper and loud Naruto was before. But it wasn't all bad. Life was never dull with Uzumaki Naruto around. Lee, Kiba, and Naruto were still best friends, and the original little group had increased by one. Sometime during a previous year, Tenten had started hanging out with them. At first it was just because of a project that she had gotten paired with Lee for, but soon enough she was sitting with them at lunch, hanging around with them in the halls. After awhile they stopped noticing that she was there; in fact, they really couldn't imagine her not being there anymore.
"So anyway, I was telling Hinata about how Ino's got a crush on Neji and she said..." was all Naruto heard before tuning her back out. Lee was hanging on every word Tenten said, like she was telling him the secret of the universe. "Ahhhh young love..." He thought as Kiba sat down at their table. "Took you long enough," he griped as he grabbed his soda from Kiba.
"What? Line's were long today. Not my fault it's mystery meatloaf again."
Naruto took a sip and leaned in to whisper, "Lee's not even trying to hie that he's completely love with Tenten. She's been blathering about Ino and Neji for the last 10 minutes or so and he hasn't heard a word of it."
Kiba grinned, "Wonder if she's realized that."
Naruto rolled his eyes, "Doubt it. She's too busy talking to notice. Doesn't matter much anyway. She likes him as much as he likes her."
Kiba smiled, "Yeah, but I wonder how Neji's taking that. Everyone knows Neji's got a crush on Lee."
Naruto grinned and shook his head, "People and their crushes..."
"How about you Naruto? If you're so interested in other people's crushes how about you tell us who you like?" grinned Tenten. Kiba and Naruto hadn't even registered that she had stopped talking and was listening on them.
Naruto blushed, "Um well... that is... I really don't have one right now..."
She grinned, "Who is it?"
Naruto blushed harder, " I really don't...No lie...No crushes here..."
"Uh-huh..." she muttered, unconvinced. "How about you Kiba? Anyone stole our little doggy's heart yet?"
Kiba glared, he hated being called "doggy". "Well, if you must know, I don't have one either."
Tenten giggled, "You both are in such denial." She stood to throw away her trash, "You should just confess your love for each other and get it over with." She said that last bit so softly that no one but the boy's could have possibly heard her.
Kiba and Naruto both blushed scarlet and glared at her all the way to the trash cans.
Lee smiled at them, "Is she correct? Are you both in denial?"
Kiba picked up his tray and hit Lee over the head with hit, "Baka. I am not in denial over anything." Lee just continued smiling.
Tenten returned, "So anyway..." She continued to babel about Ino for a few minutes when Neji walked over. She stopped dead in her tracts. "Hello Neji."
Neji nodded, "Hello Tenten." He turned to Lee, "Lee, I was wondering if I could speak to you. Alone." Lee stood up and followed Neji. Tenten, Kiba, and Naruto stared at each other.
"What the...?"
"Looks like Neji's making his move..." said Naruto as he watched them, gaging the reactions on Lee's face. He grinned as Lee blushed, "Oh yeah...So making his move."
Lee and Neji separated, with Neji looking uncharacteristically sad. Lee walked back, "That answered a few questions. Neji does have a crush on me."
"So he did ask you out?"
Lee nodded, still blushing slightly.
"What you tell him?"
"The truth. I told him that my heart belongs to another." He glanced at Tenten, who promptly blushed.
"Ahhhhh, young love..." sighed Naruto once again.
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"We doing movie night at your house tonight Lee?" asked Kiba as they walked out of Iruka's class.
Lee nodded, "Yep. I have the movies ready and everything."
"Sweet. What're we watching tonight?" yawned Naruto.
"I was thinking that you should pick the movies for once."
Tenten blinked, "Wait, didn't you just say you had picked the movies?"
"Was I unclear? I am sorry. What I meant to say was that I have a selection of movies ready to pick from. I have grown tired of choosing the movie every time and would like to see something else."
"Ahhhh," nodded Tenten. "Works for me."
Kiba nodded, "Yeah, I can live with that." They exited the building.
"I'll have to meet you guys there. My mom wants me to go shopping with her."
"For what?" quired Naruto.
"I haven't got a clue," smirked Tenten as she waved and left.
"Sound's like lot's of fun..." commented Kiba sarcastically. "Sooooooo glad my mom never wants me to go shopping with her..."
Lee grinned, "Yes well, having several younger sister's helps in that department."
Naruto sighed, "Quit complainin'. At least ya'll have parents to take you shopping."
Lee and Kiba flinched and mentally kicked themselves. "Sorry about that Naruto."
Naruto shrugged, "Don't worry about it ya lug-heads. I'm used to it by now." He smiled, "Anyway, where are we having dinner tonight? It's your turn to buy Kiba..."
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Just like every other Wednesday before, they met up at Lee's house at sundown. Granted, they usually were already hanging out before hand, being as they rarely spent much time apart anymore. Lee's mother was waiting for them at the door, just as every other time they could remember. And just as in the thousand times before, Lee's sister's dog-piled (no pun intended) on Kiba. And just as before Lee and Naruto laughed hysterically untill the girls got up and tackled Naruto. Kiba and Lee laughed and left him there untill he cried uncle and the girls jumped off. And during this time his little brother's would try not to openly gawk at Tenten, being quiet taken by the beautiful young weapon's mistress. While Kiba, Naruto, and Tenten got ready he would pull them aside and warn them not to try any "funny business" before informing them of just what he would do to them if they didn't heed his warnings. Which left them trembling everytime. Lee would glare untill they ran upstairs and would hop onto the couch in his semi-usual spot. Semi-usual because he only started sitting there after Tenten began to join them for the get-together's. Which suited Naruto and Kiba just fine. They had more room on the other couch now. Not to mention it meant Lee could spend hours sitting next to Tenten without people staring at them funny. That, and it gave him an excuse to jump onto her lap when they watched scary movies. Of course, she knew what he was doing, but she never stopped him. Honestly, why the haven't officially started dating was beyond everyone. Naruto and Kiba thought they were being stupid; it was obvious they liked each other. Why not just say it already and move on? Kiba had half a mind to just lock them in a closet or something untill they got it over with. Granted, Kiba was dense when it came to such matters. He didn't yet understand the whole complex realm that was dating. Whether it was because he is a male, or his complete lack of experience is anyone's guess. It wasn't that he didn't want to date, he just hasn't found anyone he's been all that interested in.
"What are we watching?" "Pick something." "Choices?" Lee showed them the selection for the evening. "That one," said Kiba as he pointed. Lee nodded and put on the DVD.
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It was midnight when they finished for the night. Always three movies, always near midnight when they finally depart. Lee yawned sleepily, "I like this. We should pick the movies like this more often."
Kiba's eye's blinked open. He was falling asleep on the couch, "Yeah...it works pretty well." He stood up and streched, "Time to be heading on home." Naruto snored peacefully on the couch. "Looks like he's out cold..." sighed Kiba as he poked Naruto. He reached down and gently picked him up, "I'll take him home."
Lee nodded, "Alright. Try not to drop him this time."
Tenten laughed, "This time?" Kiba smiled, "Yeah... Naruto fell asleep one time a couple of years ago and I decided to carry him home. About half way there I tripped and dropped him in a puddle of mud. Needless to say he wasn't happy."
Tenten giggled and the thought of Naruto covered in mud, "That had to be a funny sight."
"Yeah, untill Naruto nearly killed me. Then it wasn't so funny. That's how we found out that he's easy to startle when he's sleeping."
Tenten giggled harder, "Still think it's funny."
Kiba shook his head, "Anyway, I'll see you both tomorrow."
Lee nodded and opened the door for him, "Goodnight Kiba."
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And so thing's went on as usual for the next few months. Tenten and Lee finally started dating officially right near the end of the year, much to the relief of Naruto and Kiba, who no longer had to listen to a love-struck Lee bemoan not being able to be around his love all day everyday. Which was the biggest load either of them had ever heard, considering the amount of time the four of them spent together. Kiba and Naruto were still single, still not looking, and happy to keep it that way.
Thing's changed the day of graduation.
Well, more accurately they changed the day after graduation. They were told to all meet back up in Iruka's classroom. They weren't told why, but seeing as most of them had older siblings and parents that were ninja it wasn't hard to find out what was going to happen. They were hoping to all be on a team together, but seeing as how teams are made of three novices and once teacher, they knew it was impossible. At least one of them was going to be the odd man out, which royally sucked, but they weren't prepared for what the final teams would be. Tenten and Lee got lucky, they were both on the same team. Not so much for Naruto and Kiba, who got split up and put on different ones. Kiba was the luckier one though. He was friends with Hinata and Shino already. Naruto got the short end of the stick, sorta. Sakura outright hated him, and the feeling was mutual. He didn't mind being with Sasuke, as long as the raven-haired protoge wasn't acting all uber superior. It wasn't long before Naruto was begging for a team transfer. He hoped that he could convince Hinata or Shino to trade places with him, but that was a lost cause. Hinata had a not so secret crush on Kiba, and Shino wouldn't even respond to his insentient begging. He knew he had no chance of getting Neji to transfer teams, not so long as Lee was his teammate. He didn't care that Lee and Tenten were dating, he was still determined to win the boy over in his own subtle way. Poor Naruto, he'd spent just about everyday of the last 6 years constantly with his best friends, and now he was forced to go about his day without them. He wasn't taking the separation very well either. If it wasn't for Guy and Kakashi's constant rivalry, and the time it meant spending with Lee's team while they had their little contests, he probably would have gone insane. Kiba wasn't taking it too well either. He didn't have the convenience of a Sensei who's eternal rival was Kakashi or Guy, so he rarely, if ever, got to interact with them during the day, unless it was on a mission. The whole team situation didn't stop them from spending their off hours together. If anything it made them spend more time together, if that was even possible. They literally spend every night out together, doing whatever. It didn't even matter what, they just needed to spend the time together.