The love kicks-up in this chapter. Nothing citrus, I assure you but that is coming eventually. The question is, how? R&R to help me decide. ;)
There was a silence, somewhat awkward before Kiba answered. "I need your help with some medication. One of the pups is sick and we need something that will help her eat and gain strength."
Shikamaru nodded, his mother sighing. "Alright then, mom, can you go get what Kiba needs?" She just glared at him for a second and then disappeared back into the house. Akumaru came bounding into the garden now, his tail wagging. He spotted Yuka and walked up to her, sniffing curiously. She couldn't help but grin.
"Hello Akumaru," she said, petting his head and under his chin. He just barked, his tail wagging even faster.
"Ah, I almost forgot about you, Yuka-chan," Shikamaru said, looking down at her. "While mom does that what say we go grab some scrolls and books. I think I know what can help you with your seals."
"Alright Shika-kun," she replied, standing up slowly, dusting herself off and straightening her outfit. She glanced over at Kiba to see he was just standing there, looking as if he wasn't interested her presence. It was like he was ignoring her. She smiled at him and he just nodded at her, an odd grin coming across his face.
Once they disappeared back into the house Kiba couldn't help but let out a strangled growl. Akumaru came up to him now, looking at him curiously. Kiba sighed, shaking his head. "It's nothing, really…"Just then Yoshino came back, a jar in hand.
"Here you are. Put a good pinch of these in her water or in her food. If she consumes it somehow it will do its job. Tell Hana that it increases appetite and alleviates pain. If the pup doesn't look better in three or four days, come find me and I'll see what else I can find."
"Thank you Yoshino-san," Kiba said, nodding for Akumaru to follow him.
"Inuzuka-san," she called, halting him from turning and leaving. "Who is that girl? I haven't seen her before but somehow she's quite familiar. She reminds me of an old friend from childhood."
Kiba tilted his head slightly, scratching behind his ear. "From your childhood? I don't know who that'd be… but she is a lot like Naruto-kun. She's somehow related down the line. She just didn't know it until recently."
Yoshino's face lit up and she nodded, looking over the garden. "Ah, so that's what it is… she's almost a spitting image of Kushina…"
"Kushina?" Kiba asked, wondering who the older woman was droning about.
She just sighed, rolling her eyes. Man, she sure is bitchier than Ma. "Kushina is the name of Naruto-sama's mother. She had bright red hair and wears almost the exact same expressions as Yuka-san. It's almost uncanny."
Kiba couldn't help but roll his eyes; for whatever reason he was on a short leash with people who compared her to Naruto in anyway. The wounds still weren't healed and already they were ready to replace him. The older woman just shrugged, moving out of his way so he could leave. "Have a good day Inuzuka-san. Tell your mother I send her my regards… actually," she paused, smirking. "Tell the old bat that she's still losing at mahjong and that if she doesn't pay up, I'll pay her a visit." Then, with a nod she disappeared into the house, leaving Kiba shocked for a moment.
"Mahjong? Ma?" At this he couldn't help but laugh out loud. After a minute he wiped his eyes and sighed, looking around. He wasn't particularly happy to see Yuka here of all places. He still was suspicious of Shikamaru's motives. Before he could turn to leave he heard her voice coming from within, getting louder as she approached.
"But Shika-kun, what if I was to use it and instead of enhancing the chakra bonds it enlarges them. I have to keep it as accurate as possible…"
"Well, there is only one way to find out. If that doesn't work we can try something else, believe me we have the resources," Shikamaru responding, coming out onto the wooden deck where Kiba stood. Yuka followed closely behind, a set of scrolls and some supplies in her hand.
"Ah, Kiba-kun," Shikamaru said looking over at him. "Did you get what you needed?"
Kiba just nodded, smiling slightly. "Yup, everything is good to go. I'm about to go back to the pups to see if we can't do something."
Shikamaru nodded his understanding and looked over at Yuka. "Try out those herbs and let me know. Take the scrolls too. Come find me when you're done. It's a pain but I have a meeting with Hokage-sama this morning. He needs me on some sort of matter."
"Okay Shika-kun; it shouldn't take me too long," Yuka responded, smiling slightly. She then looked over at Kiba. "If you want, I could help you out. I can try my healing technique."
Kiba couldn't help but grin at her proposal. She wanted to go to his house. He felt the beast in his chest rise in triumph as he smirked over at Shikamaru before nodding. "Yeah, Yuka-chan, you can come over. It can't hurt."
She nodded, folding her supplies and scrolls into her ninja pack before looking back over at Shikamaru. "Thanks again, Shika-kun. I'll see you tomorrow night. Ichiraku, right?"
Shikamaru just nodded, glancing over at Kiba with an all knowing grin. "Yeah, Ichiraku at seven."
Yuka smiled and then turned to Kiba. He had a weird look on his face but she dismissed it when he looked down at her with sad eyes. At first she wanted to ask him why he looked so sad but then he smiled, his eyes turning hard again.
"Let's go, Yuka-chan. Ma will be waiting for me," he said, nodding for her to follow him. She waved at Shikamaru before following Kiba swiftly from the Nara compound to his own. Akumaru was close on their heels, barking occasionally in excitement. Yuka just grinned at this, following them until they reached the expansive compound. She followed him in and around the side of the main house; dog's popping out of almost everywhere. There were wolf like dogs, huskies, labs, and even a few big mastiffs, their eyes watching them the whole time.
What fascinated Yuka was that they were very different colors; shades of gray, brown, black, and even red tinted their fur. They were all so adorable and Yuka couldn't help but stare and fawn over the smaller ones, curiously following her as she kept pace with Kiba. Kiba noticed this and grinned, a wicked smirk on his face. Nara can't even compete with cute puppies. Look at her, she's fawning.
When they reached the barn where the pups were, Yuka almost squealed at how cute they were. Some were gray and brown and others were pure white. She immediately dropped to her knees, allowing the curious puppies to sniff and wiggle their bodies all over her lap and legs. Kiba couldn't help but stare for a moment at how soft and gentle she was with them. She was cooing at them, petting their heads and snuggling them to her face. She sniffed them slowly, looking at each and every one of their faces. She was smitten.
Kiba in the meantime started grinding up the herbs in a basin around the corner, reducing it to a powder. Just then Hana came in, looking over the smiling girl on the floor; she quirked an eyebrow at Kiba before nodding her approval, a knowing smirk coming across her face. Kiba just growled, looking back at the fine powder.
"Hello," Hana said, coming to stand next to Yuka.
Yuka looked up surprised and smiled kindly. "Hello," she said, looking back at the pups. "They are adorable. Tell me though, where is the sick one?"
Hana just looked at her oddly before nodding over her shoulder. "She's over there near the heat lamps. She keeps shivering because of the cold. We're not sure why…"
Yuka moved the puppies from her lap and stood up, walking over to where Hana had motioned to. She looked down to see a small puppy, no bigger than her palm, shivering and squirming in a basket of soft furs. Yuka moved to the side, placing her uninjured hand over the puppy's body, slowly roaming over it. She then did some quick hand signs before funneling some of her chakra to her hand, glowing green against the puppy's pure white fur.
Hana watched the girl uneasily, watching as she concentrated on the little body before her, her expression changing with every movement. Her nose was scrunched in concentration and then her eyes widened before moving down the puppy's body again. Her eyes then softened and closed briefly before there was another soft glow of green light. Akumaru was pacing beside her hip, looking up at her nervously, his tongue hanging out. She opened her eyes with a slight smile, touching the puppy's ears and pink nose.
"She'll be okay for now," Yuka said, looking back at Hana. "She had some internal damage, I'm assuming during development. I funneled my chakra into her to see what it could be and it looks like she had some cellular damage. Did you detect that on your exam?"
Hana nodded, looking over at the breathing pup. "Yes, we noticed it was something to do with her digestive tract but I couldn't pinpoint it."
"Yes, her intestines had some damage but also her kidneys," Yuka said, walking over to pet Akumaru on the head. "I fixed that no problem but the main issue is getting her to eat and absorb nutrition. She hasn't been and that's why she's so small. Those herbs that Kiba-kun brought back should do the trick."
Hana just nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Thank you so much, I'm Hana by the way." She extended her hand to Yuka. Yuka smiled and grabbed it, shaking it slowly.
"I'm Yuka," she replied, looking up at the slightly taller dog-kunoichi. "I'm glad I could help. I was worried. Akumaru seemed worried to."
Akumaru just barked, the puppies wiggling to his side, playfully crawling over his paws and tail. Hana smiled and then looked over at Kiba. "Hey! Let me measure those out. I don't want you to overdose her." She walked over to him, nudging him to go over and keep Yuka company. This was not what he wanted and just glared at her, a smirk playing across her lips.
Kiba went to stand over by the female puppy, his eyes alight as she started to move about a little more, her eyes opening and her breathing less ragged. "That was amazing, Yuka-chan. How did you detect what was wrong?"
She just grinned, shaking her head. "If I told you that it'd give away my jutsu. I can't do that yet," she teased, moving to pet the puppies playing around Akumaru's paws. She knelt down, cuddling them and smiling. She then noticed Kiba was looking at her and she blushed slightly, focusing her attention on Akumaru.
"Well, that should do it," Hana said, coming back over to them. "I'll give this to her and we'll see where it goes. Thanks again for your help, Yuka-san."
Yuka nodded, smiling up at her. "Anytime," she responded, standing again. She looked over at Kiba, a curious grin on her face. "You think you could help me with my seals? I think your steady hands could help with the herbs I need to use. I can never get them completely ground the right way."
Kiba just nodded, his chest filled with proud thoughts. She needed his help and he'd do anything to help her out. After nodding in agreement she smiled, pulling out a scroll. Now, I think I may want to do this outside. Your nose will be most helpful as well to test out this seal." She turned around now, walking toward the barn door. Kiba followed closely, pretending to ignore Hana's mischievous smirk.
"After moving to a flat area away from the barn Yuka sat, pulling out a blank scroll and her ink and brush. She looked up at Kiba with a grin as she pulled out a pastel and mortar. He sat down across from her now, grabbing it from her and setting it in his lap. She handed him a small packet of herbs and he poured them into the bowl, grinding quickly. It took him a few minutes to get the fine powder that was needed.
"Thank you Kiba-kun," she said, opening her ink and grabbing her kunai. She scrapped up a small amount of the powder onto the kunai and dumped it into the open ink. She capped it again and shook vigorously before setting it down and opening it again.
"What are you going to do, Yuka-chan?" Kiba asked, looking her over. She just grinned, dipping the brush in the ink.
"I'm going to create a seal with my own chakra infused so I can develop something that you inspired," she responded, moving the brush over the scroll now. Kiba watched for a moment, her precise strokes and designs looking more like a work of art than a seal. She then looked up at him, a lopsided smirk coming to her face. "Don't you want to know what it will do?"
He nodded at this, watching her closely. At that moment her eyes almost drew him into her, his already overexposed nose picking up on her scent again. It was so intoxicating to him. He wondered how long he could stand it.
"Well, you said you found me using your sense of smell," she paused, analyzing the seal. "So, I decided to develop this seal that can neutralize the air around the seal, effectively masking any scent."
Kiba raised an eyebrow, looking down at it. He then smirked, his eyes meeting hers. "Trying to shake me off, huh?" he asked, his hand brushing over the seal.
She couldn't help but blush, shaking her head. "No, that's not it! It's just… I'm sure there are other tracker nin that use their sense of smell. If I can develop this it can neutralize an enemy's sense of smell, you know?" she said, all too quickly, her eyes growing wide.
He couldn't help but chuckle at her, the rumble like soft thunder, shaking Yuka's restraint. He was so sexy, so unaware of how he affects her. Just then she realized she was staring at his face and blushed even brighter, looking down at her seal now. She took a few deep breaths before clearing her throat, placing her hand on the scroll.
"Uhm, go stand over there, Kiba-kun," she pointed toward a tree about twenty yards away. "I'll let you know when. I want you to tell me if you can smell me out after the seal's barrier goes up."
He just nodded, standing up and moving over to the tree, leaning against the trunk. Yuka couldn't help but bite her lip as he looked at her. The way his dark eyes roamed her face made her feel nervous, almost like there were butterflies inside her stomach. She then took another deep breath, focusing her chakra into her arm again. There was a slight twinge of pain but she pushed it away, the seal glowing and then spreading before her.
She then watched as the seal pulsed, her arm starting to glow a bit before there was a sharp pain. She gasped, the pain shooting up her arm before a barrier came up around her. It was faint, more like a smoke screen. She looked over at Kiba to see he had taken a few steps toward her. She then waved at him with her other hand, motioning for him to see if he could smell her.
He sniffed the air gently before looking back at her. He couldn't smell her but he could smell that weird aura around the seal. He shook his head at her, giving her thumbs up before walking over to her. She smiled up at him, releasing the seal and sighing. "Looks like it works better, though I think that foggy exterior would be out of place in some places. Perhaps I could use a concealment seal within it," she pondered, standing up now.
She shouldn't have done that cause she suddenly felt faint, swaying a bit before falling to her side. At that moment Kiba's arms came around her, stopping her from her fall. She gasped, looking about and trying to focus her eyes on Kiba. Once she had him in clear site she nearly screamed at how close he was. He was only inches away, his eyes watching her with both worry and curiosity.
"Are you alright, Yuka-chan?" He asked, his hot breath hitting her face. It smelled of mint. She couldn't help but lick her lips now, the thought of his lips on hers even more inviting. She then bit her lip, nodding slowly.
"I'm fine Kiba-kun; just a little faint. Probably because of the seal," she admitted, her eyes trailing over his lips and then up to his eyes. She froze. They were deep, dark with something she didn't recognize. It made her feel both scared and anxious. "K-kiba…" she whispered, watching him closely. There was an animalistic way he looked at her now, as if taking her in for the first time. She felt like he was the predator and she the prey. After swallowing hard and gaining her strength she grinned at him, her hands going up to his shoulders, laying her palms flat against them. "What's a matter Kiba-kun?" she asked, a soft rumble escaping her lips as his hands tightened around her for a second.
"Oh, it's nothing Yuka-chan, it's just…" he grinned, his eyes glancing over her face. "You worried me for a second."
At this Yuka bit her lip and this sent Kiba over the edge. He gently moved his hand around her waist, his other hand coming up to touch her just below her ear where her jaw line trailed down to that luscious throat of hers. What Kiba would give to feel it pulsing beneath his lips. He could see her blush deepen slightly before her green eyes fixed on him.
"I'm sorry Kiba-kun," she said, a slight smirk coming over her lips. She had to turn this situation in her favor. There was no way she wanted to be the conquest. On the contrary, if anything she'd be the predator. "I didn't mean to scare you." At this her hand went up to his neck, trailing up it to his jaw, her fingers resting gently on the surface. It wasn't completely smooth, the hint of hair on his jaw making her realize just how much of a man he really was. She couldn't help but lick her lips again, this time almost gasping as his lips came crashing onto hers.
This kiss was hungry, desperate, almost overwhelming as he gently massaged her bottom lip with his tongue, hoping she'd reciprocate so he could taste the warmth of her mouth. Yuka's head was spinning and she barely noticed that Kiba's hand had gently trailed down her cheek and over her neck, pausing against her sensitive flesh.
She couldn't believe the sensation and opened her mouth to him, allowing their tongues to war for domination. She felt his hand move over her side now, trailing up over her hip and to her ribs, making her chuckle at the soft touch. Kiba just grinned against her lips, his own pulling away slightly. He took this opportunity to trail a kiss down her jaw before coming to suckle on the flesh of her neck. He was driving her insane with that tongue of his.
Kiba didn't care anymore what happened after this; as long as he could mark her with his mark, his heated lips doing their job, making her sigh and moan heartily. His soft suckling and caressing would only make the mark stand out more. At least that way every man would know that she was his and his alone. Kiba let one of his enlarged canines run down her neck, the soft skin turning slightly red from his bite. Suddenly Kiba felt her hands on his face, pulling him back to her lips, her tongue desperately searching for his. He complied, allowing her to suckle and bite his lower lip, sending chills down his spine.
It would have gotten heavier if there hadn't been a most unwelcomed interruption. "A-hem!" a voice echoed, clearing their throat. Kiba growled, turning his head to see his mother standing there, a smirk on her face. "Having fun?" she asked, eyeing Yuka's flushed face and Kiba's hands on her body. They quickly separated now, Tsume shaking her head. "Well, at least it's under my own roof. Thank goodness for that!" She commented, turning to go into the barn.
Kiba was the one blushing now, his hand going behind his head to scratch at the base of his neck. "Uhm, that was…" he didn't know what to say, his eyes glancing over at Yuka to see a grin on her face, her blush still tinting her cheeks. He could hear some loud laughing from the barn now, Hana yelling out at them.
"How are those steady hands?" she asked, a hint of laughter in her voice. Kiba just scoffed, shaking his head.
"Your mom and sister are so weird. Is that how they all act?" Yuka asked, looking over at him now with a slight twinkle in her eyes. He couldn't help but smile back.
"Hopefully not," he responded. He then bit his lip, looking down at the ground. He wasn't sure what to do now. They'd nearly gone at each other right in his yard, his mom probably spying the whole time. He sighed, looking back at her. To his surprise she was smiling yet again. She then stepped closer to him, her hand brushing his arm.
"You're good at that, Kiba-kun," she said, licking her lips. "Almost as good as me."
He couldn't help but smirk triumphantly. She blushed brightly, his arm going out around her waist to pull her close again. This time he leaned down, pressing his forehead to hers. "You keep teasing me like that," he warned, his breath hitting her face gently. "I may have to show you just how good I really am."
Just then her blush deepened to unbelievable shades, her eyes nervously looking down at the ground. He just kissed her forehead softly, his hand gently squeezing her side. Then his lips downturned into a frown and he pulled away from her, looking her in the eyes. "Yuka-chan, why are you going with Shikamaru-san tomorrow night? Is it a…" he paused, looking down and then back at her. "Is it a date?"
Her eyes went wide and she watched him, his eyes searching hers earnestly. She shook her head, a soft smile on her lips. "Though Shika-kun is nice and attractive…" At this Kiba growled, wrinkling his nose. "I don't think were an ideal match. I am just going as friends. He wanted to talk to me more about my seal anyway."
Kiba nodded, another one of his smoldering looks coming over his face. "Does that mean Yuka-chan has an ideal match already?"
She blushed again, this time stepping back, allowing them some distance. "N-no, I don't think so… I don't really know." She looked up at him, her eyes unsure and worried. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Kiba-kun. I like you a lot but right now I want to try and make friends, to become a part of this village like you, like Tsume-san and Hokage-sama."
He just smiled, pulling her close again, kissing her lips gently. She was pleasantly surprised with this. This kiss was soft, almost too much so. "Okay, Yuka-chan. But I'll be here, waiting for you. I've already decided that we are good friends. If you don't feel the same about me then I won't push it."
At this she nodded, her hand roaming up over his bicep and to his chest. "It could happen, Kiba-kun. I've never…well, I've never really taken a guy seriously. Maybe someday I can."
He nodded, releasing her and moving away, a soft smile on his lips. "C'mon then Yuka-chan. Let's get you back to the hospital. It's almost ten and I'm pretty sure I can smell Shizune-sama's anger."
At this her eyes wide and she nodded, gathering her things into her pouch and dashing after him toward the hospital. It had been an eventful morning to say the least. She had kissed Kiba-kun again, this time feeling the lust within her come out. She didn't know she could want someone so much and the way he teased her, kissed and caressed her made her lip quiver. She was confused to say the least about both Kiba and his actions and her own. She was normally never like that; she never let anyone into her world before. Letting Kiba in just that small amount was enough to have her hair stand on end.
What should I do? Kiba-kun is so kind, gentle, yet rough and primal. It's almost too much. Is that what I want? Kiba-kun? What do I do? I'm losing sight of my goals faster than I thought.