Hey everyone, I'm back finally! XD Sorry 'bout the long wait...I had to skip over both Karin and Neji because I just didn't have time. But in any case, Happy Birthday to Inuzuka Kiba today! Hooray! Surprisingly, that's about all I have to say here.

Summary: Takes place during the time where Naruto is off training with Jiraiya. With Naruto out of the picture for an indefinite amount of time, Kiba figures he might actually have a chance with Hinata. And so he tries...and tries...and tries...I'm not entirely sure if Hinata would add any honorifics to Akamaru's name, but I'm gonna go ahead and say she does, just for the hell of it. XP

Chapter 11

Kiba

Kiba was walking around Konoha, Akamaru at his side. He sighed. "What should we do today, Akamaru? Naruto's gone, Kurenai-sensei is on some mission so our team can't go do anything, and pretty much everyone else is training on their own."

Akamaru barked up at his master, and Kiba frowned. "Well, yeah, I suppose we could train too...but it's no fun without someone to fight against." Akamaru barked again. "True," Kiba agreed, "we can use those practice dummies, but they don't fight back! Our offense is fine, it's our defense we need to work on." They turned a corner and came face to face with Hinata, who offered a small smile.

"Oh, Kiba-kun, Akamaru-kun," she said. "I thought I heard you two."

Kiba grinned. "Hey, Hinata," he said. "I thought you were training with Neji."

"I was," she replied, twirling a piece of her hair in her fingers and looking down, "but he got frustrated with me and so told me to go away..."

Kiba's grin turned into a frown. "That wasn't nice of him. Want us to go teach him some manners for you?" He punched his other hand, in case his meaning wasn't clear, and Akamaru growled to accentuate his master's words. Hinata's eyes widened and she shook her head quickly.

"No, no, you don't have to do that," she insisted. "It was my fault, I was being a burden to him."

"Are you sure?" Kiba offered again. "We wouldn't mind at all. In fact, we've been wanting to nail that bastard for a while now, haven't we, Akamaru?" Akamaru barked in agreement, nodding.

"Please don't," Hinata said timidly. "It's not worth it."

Kiba sighed. "Okay, if you insist." Hinata nodded, seemingly satisfied that Kiba wouldn't do anything. "So since you're not training," Kiba continued, "d'you want to hang out for a bit?"

Hinata smiled and nodded again. "Sure," she replied, "I'd love to." She and Kiba walked side by side, with Akamaru on Kiba's other side. They talked about everything and anything that came to their minds, just walking casually through the village. Around lunch time, Hinata's stomach growled. She blushed, and Kiba smiled at her.

"Hungry?" he asked, and she nodded, her blush deepening. "Well, where do you want to go?"

"I don't know," she said. "Do you have a favourite place?"

"Not really," Kiba replied honestly. "I like the barbeque place, but I'll go anywhere you want."

"Barbeque sounds nice," Hinata said, and Kiba raised an eyebrow.

"Really? You don't strike me as a barbeque kind of girl. Are you sure you wouldn't rather somewhere else?"

"It's fine," Hinata said with a nod and a smile.

"Alright, if you're sure." They walked to the barbeque place and sat down, continuing their conversation. They ate until they were both full, and then Kiba pulled his wallet out. "I'll pay for yours too," he said. Hinata looked at him in surprise.

"Oh, no, you really don't have to," she insisted. "I can pay for myself." She took out her own wallet and started to pull money out, before Kiba gently covered both her hands with one of his own.

"Hey, don't worry about it," he said softly. "I've got it."

Hinata looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Okay," she said. Kiba smiled triumphantly and paid for both of them before taking her out of the restaurant and continuing their walk. After a few hours, they ended up just outside Hinata's house, and stopped.

"I should probably go back inside," she said.

"Oh, okay then," Kiba said, not hiding his disappointment. He watched her go, and Akamaru whined. "Hey!" he called, and Hinata turned. "We should...we should do this again sometime."

Hinata smiled and nodded. "Yeah, definitely."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Over the next few years, Kiba and Hinata had many more of these daytime meetings, and grew closer as a result, closer than they'd begun to grow since being placed on Team 8 together. Kiba was starting to work up the courage to finally ask her out properly.

"Okay, Akamaru, I can do this," he said, and his now giant white dog barked in agreement. "I don't know...should I go over it once more?" Akamaru whined, shaking his head. "Yeah, you're right, I've already practiced hundreds of times. All that's left is to just go over to her, and ask her..." He took a deep breath and walked off in search of Hinata. He figured she'd be somewhere nearby, as Kurenai-sensei wanted them all to meet up for a mission they were supposed to go on together. However, he realized as he neared the meeting place that his plan was in vain.

Naruto was back.

End

Yes, I know, that was terribly short. I'm sorry! Please don't shoot me! I forgot until a couple hours ago that today is Kiba's birthday and that I had yet to write something for him. XD Oh well, what can I say? I wrote something! I wish it were longer, but I've got no more time. Sorry all! Please review, next chapter should be in three days if I remember.