Naruto didn't get the reaction he'd expected. He was ready for shouting, hitting, any kind of hostility. What he wasn't ready for was the silence. Kiba took in everything he said and didn't even bat an eye. He just stared. And stared. Naruto blinked. Kiba sighed, turned, walked to the door. Naruto blinked again, "What the..?" Kiba glanced back once, and then slammed the door so hard it nearly tore of it's hinges. Naruto jumped backwards a few feet and stared, "What in the...?" he mumbled, confused.

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Tenten and Lee had no explanation. They already knew he was leaving, and had reacted in their usual way. Tenten glared at him and Lee just shook his head. Thing is, he hadn't told them how long he was going to be gone. "Seriously, you guy's have no clue where he is?"

Tenten sighed, "If we didn't know 5 minutes ago, how could we know now?"

Naruto sighed, defeated. "This is so not how I wanted this to happen..."

"What did you expect? He always takes it hard when you leave. Why his behavior would be any different this time, I do not know. Although I am puzzled by his reaction. It sound's more like he was stunned than angry."

A thought struck him, "Naruto, exactly how long are you going to be gone?"

Naruto flinched," 2andahalfyears..."

Lee blinked, "Come again?"

Naruto sighed, "2 and a half years..." Tenten and Lee blinked, jaws on the floor.

Lee was the first to recover, "That may explain it." He nodded to himself, "Yes, I do believe that is the explanation." He nodded to himself again before smacking Naruto, the first display of violence toward the blonde he'd ever made. Naruto wasn't even stunned. He knew he deserved it. Tenten didn't even bother to respond, which was just as bad. With not even a gesture, they left.

Naruto didn't blame them. He knew they'd all be pissed, but this was more than he'd imagined. "Well...Looks like I might not have a reason to come back now..."

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He told Jiraiya to go ahead a day early, that he'd meet him in the town they'd trained in before. He needed some more time to get "things" straightened out. Jiraiya just nodded, having heard all about the falling out he'd had with his friends. Naruto sent a message to them all, saying to meet him at the gate at midnight. He didn't think any of them would show up, but he had to try. He waited, and waited, and waited some more. Midnight came and went. Never one to get discouraged, he waited untill almost 3AM before finally giving up. He didn't want to leave while it was still dark, so he went to a place where he could kill time in peace, far from everyone else. He sat on top of the Hokage monument, much as he had on many a night before, watching the village sleep. He felt safe up there, far away form the villager's and from the hate and malice that was still aimed at him sometimes. He'd sat there for maybe three hours before he heard anything. He had always been glad the monument faced to the east, as it gave him a spectacular view of the sunrise. Now he cursed it, the half-light that preceded dawn made it hard for his eye's to focus and blurred everything. He heard another twig snap and though, "Either this guy is incredibly clumsy and stupid, or he's not trying to hide." He stood his ground, long past the point where he's run and hide. "Crap!" he swore mentally when he'd realized the intruder was behind him. He turned around quickly and shouted, "I know you are there! Show yourself!" He waited. What he saw surprised him. Well, better to say who he saw surprised him. "Kiba?"

Kiba stood there, glaring at him. "Yeah. It's me."

Naruto blinked, not sure if he should believe his eyes, "What are you doing here?"

Kiba rolled his eyes, "You wanted to see me didn't you?"

Naruto blinked again, "Yeah, but you didn't show up before. I didn't think anyone was going to come after I had waited for four hours."

Kiba smiled bitterly, "I almost didn't come. But I know you well enough to know that you won't leave at night, so I knew you were still in town. When I didn't see you at the gate, I went looking. Took me forever to remember this is were you go too."

Naruto dared a small smile, "I'm glad you came Kiba."

Kiba snorted, "I'm still angry with you."

"I don't care anymore if you're angry or not. I just had to say goodbye," he said, quietly. "I don't even know if I want to come back here if all I have to look forward to is my best friend hating me." He sat down, legs shaking.

Kiba sighed, "I don't hate you. Like I said: I'm just angry. I can't speak for Lee and Tenten, but my guess is they are too."

"Don't I know it. You know what happened when I told them, right?"

Kiba smirked, "Yeah. Tenten told me. Honestly, I can't see Lee hitting anyone out of anger, but given everything that's happened lately..." Naruto nodded.

Kiba sat down next to him, "I'm sorry for how I acted Naruto."

Naruto smiled, "Why? I deserve it, for everything that's happened. I'm the whole reason for all of it. It's my fault everyone got hurt so bad. My fault we keep fighting so much."

Kiba was staring at him, amazed, "Is that what you think? Really? Are you convinced everything is your fault?"

Naruto nodded, "It's true. If I had been faster, and a little stronger, I could have brought Sasuke back. If i wasn't leaving so often we wouldn't be fighting."

Kiba sighed, "I don't know whether or not to smack you, or just beat the living daylights outta you. Baka, none of this is your fault. Blaming yourself for everything just makes it worse." He paused, "I don't fight with you when you leave because I'm angry your leaving. I know you have too. I yell and scream and complain because I hate the thought of you not being around. I'm not angry at you when we fight... I'm angry at myself..."

Naruto's jaw dropped, "So then...you...you..."

Kiba smiled, "I'm sick of lying to you about it. Yes, I do like you Naruto. More than that. I think I'm in love you."

Naruto was silent, jaw still hanging open.

"You don't have to say anything..." he sighed as he stood up, "I just thought you should know before you left." He started to walk away.

Naruto stared, completely stunned, as Kiba walked a few feet way. He finally regained control of his body and screamed, "WAIT! Don't go!" He jumped up and ran to Kiba, tackling him to the ground. Kiba was surprised, to say the least. He hadn't expected Naruto to do that.

"Wha..." was all he got out before Naruto kissed him. Kiba had about a millisecond to think before his mind shut down. He didn't care that there was a million things wrong with this moment, least of all that he still thought Naruto was in love with Sasuke and not him, but none of it mattered for that one, all to brief moment that they kissed. He had what had to be the stupidest smiled ever plastered on his face when Naruto pulled away. "I'm sorry Kiba..." apologized Naruto.

"For what?" he asked, still in heaven.

"For not telling you before...I never loved Sasuke...I always loved you." And with that, Kiba's world was complete. For one, infinitively long, yet infinitively short moment, he was happy.

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The sun had fully risen before they descended from the top of the mountain. Naruto had left his pack at the gate, and Kiba accompanied him there. What they saw when they arrived was amazing to both of them. Kakashi, Iruka, Tenten, and Lee were waiting for them. "What in the world?" said Naruto. "What are all ya'll doing here?"

Tenten laughed, "You really didn't think we'd let you leave for so long without saying goodbye?"

Naruto blinked, completely confused, "But how did you know I would still be here?"

Kakashi answered, "Jiraiya told me you had asked for an extra day to stay here. I figured that meant you wanted to tell everyone goodbye one last time. And when you sent those messages to everyone, It kind of confirmed the idea."

Naruto tilted his head to one side, "How did you know I'd stay untill morning?"

"You never leave at night, we all know that."

He smiled, "I thought you guys were mad at me," he said to Tenten and Lee.

"How many times do we have to tell you..." sighed Tenten before Lee finished, "...That we cannot stay mad at you, no matter what it is you have done?"

Naruto smiled, "I never should have doubted you." He sighed, "I'd better go. I have to make it to the meeting spot before noon or that almighty pervert is going to leave me behind."

Kakashi smirked, "I doubt that. He's taken quiet a liking to you, but best to be safe." He reached over and ruffled Naruto hair affectionately. Naruto only smiled. Iruka hugged him tight, nearly crushing his ribs.

Tenten smiled and pulled a small package out of her pocket, "Just a little parting gift."

Naruto smiled and unwrapped it. It was engraved kunai, which was so totally Tenten's style that it made him giggle. There was a small note attached, "From all of us to you. Don't forget about us while you're gone." Naruto smiled, "Thank you so much. You guy's are the best!" He looked at the engraving on the actual blade. It was the symbol for unending friendship. Naruto saw that and started crying, "It's perfect!"

Tenten grinned, "I knew you'd like it. We all pitched in to get it." For the first time in many, many years, ever since that first time at Kiba's house, he felt truly happy to be alive. "I love you all so much. I wish I didn't have to go."

Lee was grinning ear to ear, "We understand Naruto. Now go, before you end up being late."

Naruto nodded and placed the kunai back in it's little box, which he pocketed. "I'll be back as soon as I can. This time I swear I'll write you guys more than once." He turned to Kiba, "Don't worry so much about me. I'll be fine." The other's grinned, they knew what was going on. Naruto smiled at them one last time. "Goodbye everyone!" He walked out through the gates and didn't look back. They watched him untill he dissapeared from sight.