Author Notes: Welcome back. Please think about reviewing. Enjoy the story.
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Kiba: He woke up at 7:15 that morning feeling worried. Kiba felt guilty about walking away from Naruto yesterday evening, but Akamaru had convinced him to face the blond. "I just hope Mom and Hana don't decide to follow me," Kiba spoke. He put on a fresh pair of boxers. His habit of four days without changing every week left a pungent smell that got on the nerves of the other dogs excluding Akamaru. When Kiba removed his old shorts though, he smelled something new on them. The Inuzuka sniffed more closely but couldn't figure it out.
"You're definitely going into heat," Tsume said from his doorway.
"Mom!" Kiba yelled as he covered himself back up. "Some privacy please." He was blushing and raving mad. His mom smirked at him.
"Well, you look bigger than your father did."
"MOM! GROSS!" Kiba yelled at her as she closed the door. "I swear she gets on my nerves." Kiba put the old boxers into his basket before getting a clean pair from his dresser. He also put on a new t-shirt that was slightly tight on him, but it was the right length. When he finished with a new pair of brown pants, Kiba went downstairs to the smell of fresh eggs and sausage. "Mmm, smells great Hana-Neesan."
"Thanks Kiba-Kun," she replied. "Now, before you get buried and distracted by the food, what's the rule?" Kiba groaned. "Come on Niichan."
"Stay away from Naruto unless I'm with at least one other person and make sure to get the scent of that other person by any means necessary for proof or Mom will skin me," Kiba recited. Hana smiled and placed a plate in front of him. "Thanks sis." He ate his two sausage links and a few bites of egg quietly before leaving to find Naruto. He only hoped that his mom and his sister wouldn't follow him.
They're following, Akamaru told him. Kiba frowned out of misery. This won't be easy, but don't give up. Go to your team first; that might shake them off if they think you'll obey. Kiba was thankful that he had Akamaru's senses and mind on his side. He really was his closest friend.
"Don't let Kiba hear us," Tsume told her three dogs and Hana. They tailed Kiba as silently as mice, but Akamaru had better ears than they gave him credit for. He wouldn't lose track of them if it meant getting Naruto and Kiba safely together for but a short moment.
Naruto woke up feeling slightly nauseous from being sweaty and hot. "Ugh, I need a cold shower."
"Good call," Kyuubi told him from within his mind. "Your scent is already pretty strong, but the extra Testosterone would be overpowering. Scrub the pits and the pubic area well, and you might want to consider just leaving some soap there too. I have no idea how much you will be affected, but humans and demons probably react differently to smells. What might be intoxicating to a male demon might be putrid for a male human."
Naruto did as the Nine-Tailed Fox commanded and even put on deodorant, something he never found a use for in the past. "Okay, squeaky clean," he said. "I just hope he doesn't outright hate me." Kyuubi told him not to worry yet for the billionth time as the blond locked the door to his house and set out, but he had left a window open, and a sneaky Hana slipped through it.
"Oh yeah," she said as she held her nose. "He's definitely in heat, and he's maturing faster than Kiba. Hmm, messy, but organized, but the kid eats nothing but ramen. How can he even be alive?" she asked in disbelief. "Hmm," she mused as she entered his bathroom. The scent wasn't overpowering in here. "He took a shower and cleaned up. At least he doesn't live like a Neanderthal." She stepped on Naruto's deodorant stick by accident and picked it up. "He's trying to smell nice and not immediately make Kiba run," she commented. "Mom won't like this, but can he really just be after Kiba's body if he's going to all this trouble?" Hana put the deodorant in a cabinet and set back out to tail Naruto secretly. This job wasn't going to be hard at all, that much she knew.
"Now where would he be?" Naruto mused into the air. Hana caught it and frowned. Unfortunately, Naruto was looking for her little brother, but she couldn't interfere unless Naruto tried something or Kiba broke the rule, and Tsume had set up guidelines for "breaking it up." "I'm sure Hinata would know," the blond said before taking for the rooftops. He was faster than Hana had first guessed, but she could hear him and follow his scent trail if she lost sight. The Inuzuka followed Naruto perfectly to the Hyuuga estate. Naruto greeted Neji there and asked where he could find Hinata.
"They're all probably at the training grounds near the lake," the white-eyed boy told him. Neji had a respect for Naruto, but he was still very plain when it came to greetings. The blond thanked him and ran off, and Hana followed closely. Neji had noticed her presence, but Naruto had not. "I wonder what's going on," Neji mused.
"Hey Hinata, Shino," Kiba called as he came to the clearing. Akamaru had said that his sister had left, but Kiba knew the area and guessed that she went to keep an eye on Naruto. "Time for Taijutsu training." Hinata nodded and told him to come at her with everything he had. Kiba got passed her defense after a solid minute of sparring, but Hinata had become tough and stayed on her feet. "You're getting pretty good," Kiba complimented her. Hinata smiled before charging herself.
Shino worked on various formations of attack with his bugs as Kiba and Akamaru worked on the Fang over Fang technique. Hinata worked on expanding her range with the Byakugan, and she smiled when she caught sight of Naruto coming towards them from a ways away. All the while, Kiba and Akamaru paid close attention to Tsume and the other dogs.
Damn, they won't leave, Akamaru told him. We might have to wait until tomorrow.
"I don't have until tomorrow when you think about it," Kiba said quietly enough to avoid his mother picking it up. "Why can't she just trust me?"
I can think of a hundred reasons why she doesn't trust you, Akamaru told him. I think it is more that she doesn't trust Naruto, and that is a communal distrust. You can't just wish that away.
"Hey Hinata. Hey Shino," Naruto called when he came to the edge of the clearing. Tsume heard him, and she scowled.
"I knew it wouldn't be easy," she said out loud. Kiba turned toward her location, but he purposely blew it off even though he had heard her completely. "Hana, please tell me you could keep track of him," the woman said much more quietly.
"Hello Naruto-Kun," Hinata said shyly. "What are you doing here?" She was smiling, but Naruto wore a look of concern. Shino turned his attention to the blond as well. His bugs were acting strangely, and Naruto's chakra aura was different.
"Is Kiba around?" Naruto asked. Tsume nearly blew a fuse, and Hana just sighed as their suspicions were confirmed. "I kind of need to talk to him about something that happened yesterday…in private if you wouldn't mind." Tsume knew this wouldn't end well, but she put her faith in Kiba and watched as he and Akamaru came out from the trees. Hinata noticed the presence of Kiba's family members, and they seemed to be watching Naruto intently.
"Hey Naruto," Kiba said quietly but with a smile. Naruto's heart lightened a bit at this. "You wanted to talk?" he asked. Naruto nodded. "I'll just be a minute you guys," he told his teammates. Tsume was in a rage that Kiba was such a dunce, but her son looked up directly at her hiding place with an emotionless expression.
"I swear you'll take a beating for this later," his mother fumed. She held her dogs back though. If Naruto didn't do anything out of line, she didn't need to interfere right then. Kiba literally walked right under his mom. "At least you're smart enough to just show it to me."
"So spill it Naruto," Kiba told him. Naruto didn't smell very musky today, and he had his shirt and jacket on, but he was starting to sweat. The blond took a deep breath before attempting this. His eyes also hinted fear. Kiba was in love with those blue eyes, but he was more concerned with Naruto himself at the moment.
"Do you hate me Kiba?" Naruto asked. Tsume was in shock, and Kiba was stunned. There was a long pause, and Naruto looked toward a butterfly sitting on a tree waiting to hear the terrible answer.
"Why would you think that?" Kiba asked. Naruto turned with renewed hope in his eyes, but he didn't get ahead of himself. "If you mean because of you kissing me, of course not. I mean, it was pretty awkward, but that's no reason to abandon a friend." Tsume knew why her son was speaking this way. He meant for her to hear it, and it made her kind of mad. This was the closest thing to outright defiance in her book. Hana silently came up next to her, and Tsume acknowledged her presence.
"I'm such an idiot," Naruto spoke. Kiba was thrown for a loop by this statement. "I was kind of worried that you would either start hating me like most of the adults or that you would go blabbing that I had kissed you outright." Kiba felt sorrow for Naruto, but he couldn't show that here. That would be dangerous.
"To be honest Kiba, I think I'm in love with you," Naruto said before shutting his eyes. Kyuubi stated his approval though. Tsume was in shock. Hana was weighing it in her mind, and Kiba was elated by the boy's words. He was careful not to change his expression, but he didn't know what to say right here. Naruto opened his eyes, and Kiba found a way. He mouthed "it's okay." Naruto stood expressionless for a second before turning away and walking out into the clearing. Kiba looked up to his sister before following Naruto.
"What do you make of this Mom?" Hana asked.
"He's a sneaky little demon," the woman replied. "I can smell it, but it's faint. I assume you went into his apartment as planned?" Hana nodded before explaining.
"He's going into heat if he's not already there, but get this," she stated. "Naruto showered and scrubbed pretty well this morning, and he even put on deodorant. I think he's trying to smell decently enough to talk to Kiba with a sense of security."
"Keep an eye on Naruto," the woman replied. "He's pulling out a bunch of stops, and I don't like it. I have a mission though, so I can't watch for the rest of the day or tomorrow. I'm trusting you to keep your brick-headed brother safe. I'll spare him the whip tonight, but only because he played it out right in front of us on purpose."
"Can it really be him just trying to get Kiba's body?" Hana asked. "I've had trashier dates that were after my affection, but he's at least acting with curt and even outright told Kiba he was in love with him. That's a bit much for just wanting sex."
"Or it could be him being careful and crafty. He was masking his scent with extra leftover soap. Just keep watch on them until I get back," her mother ordered. Hana sighed, but it was best not to disobey her mother.
Naruto and Sakura never trained, so he trained with Kiba instead. Tsume watched carefully for any devious moves, but it was always true Taijutsu. Naruto never so much as tried to touch Kiba inappropriately. It was confounding.
"You beat me back during the Chuunin Exams, but it won't be that easy this time," Kiba told him. Naruto watched as he and Akamaru turned into man-beast clones, and he prepared for the familiar onslaught. "Kiba Style: Hurricane Fang Over Fang."
"Don't make it obvious, but lose to him," Kyuubi spoke from within Naruto's mind. "Put up a good fight, but lose." Naruto would have asked him why if not for the spinning pair heading right for him. Naruto jumped to dodge, but Kiba and Akamaru had learned how to turn on a dime.
"Whoa, gaaah!" Naruto yelled before he disappeared in a puff of smoke and allowed a log to take his place. Kiba stopped and sniffed the air and quickly found his prey to be hiding in a tree. He and Akamaru increased their spin speed and drilled through, barely missing Naruto. Said blond grabbed Akamaru by the foot and slammed him into the ground, knocking Kiba's dog out.
"KID!" Kyuubi yelled at him. It isn't like I meant to borrow your chakra, Naruto replied. Tsume had sensed the quick change in chakra, and Kiba and Hana had too. Naruto looked stunned as he stood next to an unconscious ninja dog.
"Is he alright?" Naruto asked before Kiba pinned him. A kunai appeared next to Naruto's neck, and he froze. Tsume was displeased by that chakra that she sensed, and she wasn't very convinced that Kiba had truly beaten Naruto so easily. Kyuubi ordered Naruto to resist. "Hey, Kiba get off," he complained as he squirmed. Kiba lost his footing, and the kunai sliced into Naruto's neck. It drew blood, and both boys froze. It hadn't cut Naruto's wind pipe, but his neck was definitely bleeding. Kiba drew the tip of it out as a tear came to Naruto's eye. The cut wasn't deep at all thankfully, but it still scared the crap out of both Naruto and Kiba. Hana and Tsume picked up the scent of blood, and they took on looks of concern as Naruto turned over.
The blond put his hand over the cut and stood up. He punched Kiba hard in the face and stormed off. "That will do for today Naruto," Kyuubi told him. "I'd say I meant for that to happen if it were true, but this might help your case actually."
"Just shut up you damned fox," Naruto said through gritted teeth and the slit in his neck healed up. "Now Kiba will probably be mad at me for injuring Akamaru and giving him a nosebleed."
"I smelled worry in the air when he accidentally cut you, so don't fret," the fox replied. "If you're after love, it will take time. If you just wanted a bed partner, I'd already have gotten him for you. Just let things roll for now."
"If you're wrong about this I swear," Naruto spoke. Hana had heard him talking to apparently himself, and she was intrigued. Naruto finally lowered his hand, and she could see no visible signs of the wound anymore except for the blood. The blond sat down against a tree and started crying. "Why am I even trying?" he asked into the air. Hana knew she hadn't been sensed, but it seemed like he was begging for an answer from someone. "Even if I can get through to Kiba, it's not like I could ever really say he knows me. I mean, what human would accept a filthy demon container like me?"
"Oh my god," Hana whispered to herself. "If only Mom was here listening to this." Naruto cried into his forearm as he tried to find a scrap of comfort in his surroundings. His anger started taking hold of him, and he smashed his now clawed fist into the tree, leaving a crater. "Holy shit," Hana exclaimed to herself. The dog with her started whimpering, but she quieted him. Naruto picked his head up. He still had his blue eyes, but a thin veil of red chakra was swirling around him.
"How could I ever ask Kiba to love this?" Naruto asked into the air as he closed his eyes and stopped Kyuubi's chakra. His whisker marks returned to their normal width, and he miserably walked home.
"It's not like he's the demon himself," Hana said to herself. "He's just like any other average teenager. The only difference is that he is a ton more powerful and has a demon sealed inside him. Oh Mom," she sighed. "It's not like I can openly disobey her, but I don't think she's being smart about this. What a mess."
Naruto heated up a cup of instant ramen and ate it swiftly before opening his bedroom window and taking off his top. "This is exactly like our heats," Hana noted as she spotted the sweat and soapy bubbles on Naruto.
"Damn that was hard," Kiba commented as he rose and felt the bruise on his cheek. "I can't believe I stabbed him, even if it was accidental." His mother was listening closely. Her son was certainly good friends with Naruto, but she didn't see "I love him" yet. "You alright Akamaru?" he asked his dog who walked over to him.
He didn't break anything, but Naruto owes me, Akamaru yip-barked at him. Tsume stifled a laugh at hearing this. You should probably go talk to him. I know your mom is really strict, but sometimes the reward of disobeying outweighs the punishment. Traitor, Tsume thought to herself. Hana followed him from what I can tell, but this just isn't a subject that really concerns anyone else. Go get him Kiba, Akamaru ended as he jumped into Kiba's jacket.
"You aren't breaking my rule twice," Kiba's mother called from her roost. "I can forgive the first one because you put it right in front of my eyes, but you aren't going to see Naruto again unless someone else is there."
"Why are you treating me like a child when I just beat the snot out of him?" Kiba asked quietly.
"You didn't win, and you know from that chakra we felt that he could have crushed you," Tsume replied. "You watched his match with Neji, so you know what I'm talking about."
"And you do realize that he practically apologized and put all his concern on Akamaru until I pinned him right?" Kiba asked. "Face it Mom, whatever you know or think you know about him doesn't matter. You heard what he said, and he said he loved me."
"He said he thinks he's in love with you," his mom corrected him. "I'm protecting you from him, and you'll just have to put up with it." Kiba frowned at first, but he smirked as white smoke surrounded him and Akamaru was the only one left. "You will regret crossing me." The white dog stood adamant as Kurumaru picked him up by the scruff of his neck in his teeth. Tsume sniffed the air. "He was gone from before that conversation even started," she commented. "He's almost too good at this."
Kiba knocked madly on Naruto's door, and Hana looked at him in surprise from her perch. "Naruto, I want to talk," he called. He gave a harden bang, and the door just opened on its own. "Did I just break in?" he asked. The doorframe wasn't damaged, and the door wasn't locked, so he might get away with it, but he needed to talk to Naruto. "I'm sorry about that Akamaru," he spoke quietly remembering his dog being at the mercy of his mom.
The Inuzuka boy climbed the stairs to where he knew Naruto's room was. He heard soft crying from the room and quietly opened the door. "Naruto?" he asked calmly.
"Why are you here?" Naruto asked without even turning toward Kiba. "I wouldn't blame you if you beat me like the other villagers." Kiba and Hana were both stunned. Naruto had always been a little beat up whenever he was seen in public, but he had always claimed it to be a result of his intense training. "I'm sorry that I hurt Akamaru, and I'm sorry I punched you in the face."
"I don't even care," Kiba told him. "Akamaru is perfectly fine, and all I have is a bruise." Naruto turned to see the blue mark on Kiba's left cheek. "Is your neck alright? Getting a knife wound is a bit more serious than a punch or getting slammed into the ground, depending on how hard the slam is."
"I've always healed quickly," Naruto told him. The slice was completely missing, and Naruto's sweat was washing the blood away slowly but surely. "Don't ask me why, but I can help that bruise too. Do you want to sit down?" Naruto asked as he sat up and flipped his legs over the side of the bed. Kiba sat next to him, and Naruto put his hand on his face. Kiba felt chakra rush into him as the swelling went down, but Naruto looked like he was ashamed of this almost. Then Kiba noticed something, and Hana took a snapshot of it from the tree.
"What is that Naruto?" Kiba asked as he gestured toward the black markings on his stomach. "Those weren't there yesterday." Naruto teared up before saying anything.
"Hey Kiba," his mom called from out on the street. "I have a pile of laundry with your name written all over it that needs washing." She was using her nice voice for now, and Kiba hated having to leave. "You have ten seconds before I yank you out of there."
"Look, I have to go Naruto, but I have to say this," Kiba began. "I love you too." Kiba flew out the window, leaving a stunned Naruto alone in his room. Hana hadn't heard Kiba, but she could see the look on Naruto's face. Happiness took its place along with surprise. Naruto just sat there as Hana left to join up with Tsume and Kiba.
"You would have been safe ten minutes ago," Kiba's mother said quietly as she looked up at Naruto's house. "Twenty lashes, no complaining. You're damn lucky your sister was there watching. I'm not gonna let you alone with him. But I must ask Kiba, why are you defying me?"
"You'll say I'm an ignoramus, but I think you're wrong," her son replied. "You can make it thirty lashes if you like. Oh, and you just interrupted what I think would have been Naruto confessing something."
"I'm afraid he's right on that point mom," Hana said as she lifted an image of Naruto's seal to the woman's eyes. Tsume took the picture in her hand and examined it.
"Good shot; I'll have Tsunade look at this, but Kiba is still getting his twenty lashes," Tsume told them as she walked them back to the Inuzuka estate. "Why don't you realize that this is foolish boy?" she asked again.
"I'm following my heart, and it leads right to Naruto," Kiba answered. "I already told him I loved him back, so you can't really do much about it now unless you want to just tail me for the rest of eternity." He took off his jacket and shirt and went on his knees as Tsume grabbed the leather whip she used to train the dogs. "Do your worst," he said in complete defiance to his mother.
Tsume yelled and brought the thin wire across her son's back with a crack. Kiba arched upward, but he wouldn't let a single moan or cry escape him. After nine more, tears filled his eyes, and red lines coated his back. Hana almost couldn't bear watching this as she held Akamaru in her arms. The white dog cringed at every snap of the line, but Kiba remained steadfast. Tsume was furious with Kiba's outright defiance, and she made the last five hurt even more by putting spin on them, but Kiba took them in stride.
"Why do you think you love him Kiba?" his mother asked as she panted. She put everything into whipping him and got nothing in return.
"He's been my best friend for years now, and I can't stop thinking about him and how he is treated by everyone else," Kiba answered. "It isn't just pity either; I know that." Kiba was hardly able to speak because of how sore the back of his chest was and how constricted his throat was from crying. "I love him." Tsume felt a twinge of fear run through her, and that was a rare feeling. She shrieked and brought the whip across Kiba's back one last time. It managed to draw blood, and Kiba's tears poured from him as other members of his family watched in amazement.
"You're a better man than your father was. I'll give you that," his mom told him. "But I still forbid you from being alone with Naruto Uzumaki. Now get up. I have a mission, and you…do whatever." Tsume stormed off and left the whip in the hands of Hana. Kiba carefully put on his rough shirt and jacket before standing back up.
"I never could have done that," Hana told Kiba as he put Akamaru into his jacket silently and began walking off. "Just be careful little brother." Kiba walked off not even paying attention to her words.
"Well, that worked out almost perfectly," Kyuubi told Naruto as he processed the information. "Now to just reel him in and claim him." The blond boy shot up at this.
"I am not going to just fuck him until he is sore damn you," Naruto replied. "He'd lose every ounce of trust in me if I did that."
"You're forgetting that I am a sex GOD," Kyuubi told him. "But timing is the key. We need him to be willing to the point where he is begging for relief, and I know plenty of ways to get him there. After that, I just have to tutor you in lovemaking."
"Thanks," Naruto replied. Naruto never thanked Kyuubi before, so this was something for the history books. Kyuubi literally wrote it down on a scroll in his cage. "Hey Sakura," Naruto called out his window. The pink-haired girl and their perverted sensei were walking up to his house when Naruto spotted them.
"Put on a shirt Naruto," Kakashi yelled back. "We're going out for dinner together, my treat up to seventy Ryou." Naruto blushed and quickly dressed himself before running out the door and following them to a restaurant. He didn't eat very much, and that stunned his comrades. Naruto couldn't stop listening to Kiba professing his love for him over and over again, so he barely touched his roast duck.
"Something wrong Naruto?" Sakura asked. Naruto was sweating again, and the smell was becoming noticeable. Kakashi and Sakura both knew that Naruto had Kyuubi sealed in him, so he only had to explain the situation.
"I'm fine except for the fact that Kyuubi's a demon and Demon Mating Season is starting," Naruto said bluntly. Kakashi's face paled, and he had on the look of complete awkwardness. Sakura was just flat shocked that he was this frank and straightforward. "In laymen's terms, I'm in heat in Kyuubi's place as his vessel."
"Wouldn't that mean you're craving sex and relief?" Kakashi asked quietly to be courteous. Naruto nodded subconsciously.
"I can wait it out, and I'm in control of my actions, but sort of yeah," the blond told them. He honestly didn't know if he would lose it and go five steps too far and scare Kiba off, but Kyuubi had promised him. "Look, I'm tired. I'm just gonna go home." Naruto put down three Ryou for his part of the tip and left the restaurant in the direction of his house. His thoughts drifted towards Kiba, so the watchful Hana went completely unnoticed.
"Come on Naruto; prove my mom wrong so that I can just go home," she said to herself. She watched in surprise as her little brother came down the sidewalk that Naruto was turning onto. Both boys stopped, and Kiba seemed alarmed and was searching for Hana and possibly his mother.
"H-hey Naruto," Kiba spoke. "I'm sorry about earlier." Naruto's head rose, and Kiba couldn't make distinctions between the emotions swirling around in Naruto's eyes.
"Pheromone time," Kyuubi told Naruto as he forced the boy's body to start releasing the chemicals.
"Are you okay Naruto?" Kiba asked.
"I don't know anymore," Naruto responded. "Kiba, I need to tell you something about the markings you saw before." Hana was shocked. Instead of protecting Kiba, she might have to protect Naruto from him. "Thirteen and a half years ago, the Kyuubi attacked the village, and I was born around that time," he began. Kiba was confused. He knew the lore, so why was Naruto talking to him about it. "You know that the Kyuubi is hated by the entire village, and you also know that he was sealed into a newborn child." Tears swelled in Naruto's eyes. Kiba's eyes widened as he realized what Naruto was saying, and he also finally caught a whiff of the pheromones Kyuubi had begun using. He was in terror by what Naruto had said, but he felt a calming feeling too. Naruto's eyes shut as the tears rolled down his cheeks and over the whisker marks. "Kiba, you also know the village hates me. I…I…I was that child." Hana was terrified by this display. Kiba was dumbstruck as a drunken man, Naruto was tearing his own heart out and offering it to him on a silver platter, and she caught a whiff of the scent Naruto was giving off.
"God don't tell me Naruto really is just trying to seduce Kiba," Hana spoke softly. "These are pheromones, and I need to take a sample." The woman unsealed a small glass jar from a scroll in her cloak and used her chakra to gather the airborne chemicals. She put on a tight seal before tucking the jar into a pocket in her cloak.
"Kiba, I can't ask you to love me," Naruto sobbed. "I should have probably told everyone, but I didn't want to be alone. All of the adults keep trying to kill me or beat me to keep me in line. I have control over my own actions, but no one believes me. Kiba, even if you hate me, please don't tell the others. I'm begging you Kiba. Even if you don't love me, please don't do that. I just…can't live alone." Naruto's knees were trembling, and the blond finally lost balance and fell forward, but Kiba had snapped from his shock and caught him. Hana was in tears at this, but she told herself to keep a level head and watch. She didn't want to believe or confirm her mother's suspicions, but these were pheromones, chemicals used to attract mates.
"Naruto," Kiba said quietly. "Naruto I don't hate you." The blond lifted his soft but spiky head up and looked into Kiba's eyes with his own full of tears and terror. "You don't have to worry Naruto," the Inuzuka told him as he rubbed the back of Naruto's head carefully like a loving mother would. "I've watched you Naruto, and there's no way you're possessed. No demon could be so sad and still fake happiness the whole time. Naruto, I love you." The boy's mouth opened partially, and Kiba locked their lips together, bringing Naruto to further tears. "So what if Kyuubi's inside you? You're still Naruto. You're still human on the inside and out."
Hana was ready to pounce when Kiba kissed Naruto. Her mother would murder both Kiba and Hana for this, but something stopped her, and that was Naruto's scent. The pheromones were there, but no human could fake the scent of sorrow and worry. Naruto's emotions were real alright, and no attempt to synthetically recreate the scents had ever worked on an Inuzuka's nose.
"Look, we'll talk more tomorrow Naruto, but I have to get home before my mother kills me," Kiba told him. He gave Naruto a farewell kiss after getting him back on his feet, and Kiba left smiling in the direction of Hana. The whole time, Hana watched Naruto for the slightest difference in behavior. His eyes were fixated on Kiba, and his expression of happiness and surprise didn't waver for a second.
"Well, you aren't out of the woods yet little brother," Hana said as she held up the jar again. "Let's just make sure you weren't overpowered by these babies." She took one last glance as Naruto smiled lightly and walked home. She could just barely hear him say "thank you Kiba." Hana brought the jar home and paid Kiba no mind when he walked in.
"I'm not an idiot," he said toward his sister who had a slide of the pheromones stained under a microscope. "How many lashes?" Kiba asked.
"I couldn't do that to you even if I wanted to," Hana told him. "You should know that Naruto was releasing pheromones during that episode though." Kiba's expression turned to one of curiosity. "They're the things females usually use to attract potential mates. You never listen to Mom's lectures, although I can't blame you. They're pretty awful." Kiba sat down next to her.
"Thanks sis," he said. "But what do these pheromones have to do with anything? Naruto did say he was in love with me, and he did just leak that reason that Mom was obsessing over."
"I have to make sure you were in a solid state of mind when he told you that though," Hana replied. "The effects can last for hours, but I need the specs first which can take some aha. Usually it takes longer to get a clear picture. I must be getting better at this. Hmm, the structure is a bit weird, and the chakra around it certainly isn't just Naruto's normal chakra. This is your punishment little bro," Hana began. "I am gonna run some tests, and you're the guinea pig. They're not painful, but they'll do."
Hana hooked him up to a heart-rate and breath-rate measuring device, and she put on a bright light to examine his pupils. She also had a pad of paper and a pencil. "I collected the pheromones in this jar, but I only get one shot at this, so tell me every detail you encounter. And…breathe it in deeply." Kiba did as his sister commanded. Seconds later, his heart-rate slowed down by eight beats per minute, and his entire body seemed relaxed. "Okay, slowed heart-rate," His sister said as she wrote it down. "Your breathing is also deeper and more relaxed. How do you feel?"
"I feel really relaxed, but I don't feel aroused or anything," her younger brother replied. "I'm just calm, and my thoughts easily focus, more easily I mean." Hana grinned. Her brother actually just called himself a slow thinker by accident. That seemed like it might actually be a legitimate condition though when Hana thought about it. She wrote it down. "Other than that, everything's the same," Kiba ended.
"It literally just seems to be a strong sedative pheromone," Hana told him as she reviewed her notes. "It only works on a male's body though, because I inhaled it and simply picked up the scent. I didn't feel these effects. All I can gather is that Naruto asked for assistance in breaking it to you, but you could still think straight. I just don't know why the Kyuubi's chakra would be a part of the formula."
"I might," Kiba said as his chakra started growing in strength. "I suddenly feel really energetic and…hyper?" Hana saw his heart-rate suddenly increase a bit from his norm, and she felt his chakra too.
"This is strange," Hana said flatly. "It's just a temporary boost to your chakra level and energy, but it's only an aftereffect. I think I get it. You won't like my theory, but I think the Kyuubi wanted you to feel ready for a night with Naruto." Kiba blushed. That would be where their relationship would eventually go if Kiba's mother could be convinced. "It isn't an attraction pheromone; rest assured. It would have either a load of Estrogen or Testosterone in it if it was meant for that purpose. All this was was Naruto wanting to break the news to you. I think Kyuubi just added the boost as a bonus. You can rest easy. He didn't try to seduce you."
"Thanks, and please don't tell Mom," Kiba begged.
"I won't, but do try to stick to her rule tomorrow," Hana replied. Kiba kissed her on the cheek as a sign of thanks before going upstairs and going to bed. "As long as tomorrow goes well, Mom ought to be convinced. How am I going to get more of those pheromones though? Grr, there goes my plan." Hana thought about it as she went to her own room and fell asleep.
"Thank you Kiba," Naruto spoke as he watched his love walk away. Naruto wiped away his tears as he walked toward his own house. "I can't believe he took that so well. Please tell me you didn't alter his mind Kyuubi," Naruto begged.
"Rest assured Naruto," he began. "You're little puppy knows every ounce of what you said and accepts you. Hell, he even said he loved you and kissed you. The only thing I did was clear his mind of everything else before you spilled your guts out. Well, that and I gave him an energy boost in case he decided he wanted you tonight, but that didn't happen. Ah, teen love. Things are moving smoothly, and you might have his ass tomorrow if you play your cards right."
"I'm gonna ask Kiba if he would even want to go that far before you try anything Kyuubi," he said aloud as he walked down the abandoned street.
"Whoa," the fox exclaimed. "What happened to letting me help you get a mate? I was the one who told you to tell him. Finding out dark secrets later is a real turn off, so the risk was necessary. Even if he had turned tail and run, I have more than just a few hundred tricks up my sleeve. I let you have the choice of mates, but please just let me handle reeling him in. You'll thank me later."
"I'll admit that I have no choice but to thank you for getting things this far, but if the actions don't come from my heart, will he really love me? Or will he just love the techniques you've gathered for God knows how long?" Naruto asked.
"He'll love you because he already does," Kyuubi replied. "I'll back off a bit, but you will probably want my help in getting him in bed. He's shy and a total Uke, and I know both types very well if you know what I mean. Just get some sleep. You'll need it if you want to survive tomorrow; that's when your heat really takes effect."
"That's right; I still have to explain that to him too," Naruto said out of worry. He took off his shirt and jacket before getting under his covers and falling asleep.