Shadows and Fangs

Chapter 8

A Happy New Year to everyone. May it be (even) better than the last!

The news had obviously spread to the entire village by the next day as he'd surmised, and when Shikamaru walked into the Hokage's building, even though he really didn't care much for the opinion of strangers, even he couldn't remain completely impervious to the amount of whispering and pointing going on. He managed to keep the annoyance from radiating off of him solely by thinking back on that morning, when Kiba had shown him that good things come to those who spend the night. (Very good things.) And true to his promise, the Inuzuka had had to kick him out of bed – again, very good things had just taken place there, Shikamaru really didn't feel the need to justify himself for not wanting to leave.

"I hear that talk went well," Omoi offered with a discreet grin as he fell in steps with him.

"Can't complain," the Nara replied evenly with a grin of his own.

"That was brave, what you did," the Kumo shinobi then commented earnestly. "Not everyone would've had the guts to go through with it."

Shikamaru nodded absently as he pondered it. Was it really bravery? He'd likened it more to desperation himself. "Thanks," he eventually replied.

"I mean, what if he'd said you were too late and actually turned you down? Then everyone would still know, but you wouldn't have the comfort of being together, so that would've made you feel a lot worse! Maybe even to the point that you wouldn't have dared to show your face in public anymore – and then what? Exile maybe? Well, I suppose a shinobi of your caliber could find work in other villages easily, but news travel fast after all, and there's always a risk that the situation would just repeat itself," Omoi continued, getting carried away again.

"Err…well…he didn't turn me down, so I guess things turned out fine…" Shikamaru noted evenly, eager to stop this gloomy possible foreshadowing of his future in an alternate reality.

Omoi nodded back and moved his toothpick around between his lips as they kept walking in silence. "Does Kiba know your friends thought it was me?" he then wondered, curious despite himself.

Shikamaru was about to reply when he heard his name being called loudly and he winced as he turned to Naruto. "Damn it Naruto, stop screaming into people's ears like that!" he admonished him for the principle.

"But is it true, what they're saying?" Naruto wondered as his arms flailed, narrowly missing Omoi's head. "About you and…and Kiba?" he clarified, as though there was more than one thing being said about him that morning – or at least Shikamaru hoped there was only one rumor currently flying about on him.

"Yeah, it's true," the Nara confirmed easily, wincing as another round of particularly high decibels assaulted his ears. "I'm going to become deaf, at this rate! So troublesome…" he muttered before steeling himself and asking him, "Does that bother you?" He'd managed to sound suitably neutral, but inwardly he felt really tense.

"What? Of course not!" Naruto quickly replied with a frown – and rapidly moving hands once more nearly cuffing Omoi. As his friend sighed in relief, he looked to the side self-consciously and scratched his cheek. "I mean…I do think it's weird – as in, really weird – the two of you liking guys – and each other on top of that," he admitted quietly.

"I guess that's how it's going to look to a lot of people," Shikamaru commented with a sigh. Still, that was an honest reaction, and he appreciated it.

"You'll just have to prove everyone wrong!" Naruto quickly said loudly, not wanting him to think he didn't support them. "As long as you're happy together that's what's important, right?" he declared confidently as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Shikamaru was momentarily stumped and felt himself smile. "Right," he agreed. Naruto was an expert in proving people wrong after all; he could trust that he knew what he was talking about.

"What about Temari though? I thought for sure you'd get together with her!" the blond shinobi then wondered with a frown.

"You know what Kiba looks like, right?" the shadow-nin asked him with a raised eyebrow, stifling a chuckle.

Naruto's frown deepened in confusion as he uncrossed his arms and rested his good hand on his hip. "Um, yeah, of course!"

"Then I think you can safely deduce that Temari's not my type," Shikamaru concluded flatly.

Omoi chuckled in amusement at this and Naruto shot him a dirty look.

This might be fun after all.

Or so he thought, until Kakashi himself just grinned slyly as he waved at him cheerfully. "Youngsters keep the village so lively!" he commented happily.

"Careful, Lord Hokage," Shikamaru warned between clenched teeth, harboring a perfectly faked smile, "that could be called harassment."

If Gai were there, he'd have definitely attributed this to the Springtime of Youth.

It figured that Lee took it upon himself to fill that role when he walked into him later.

Shikamaru just resisted the urge to sigh and longed for the day to be over soon so the novelty would wear off. He just hoped Kiba was having an easier time.

Over on his side, Kiba's trials and tribulations began right on his clan grounds, where every person he walked by (and their dog) grinned slyly and chuckled openly – either because they'd heard the rumors or could visibly smell the truth, but he didn't really care, it was only mildly annoying either way. He was too happy to let it bother him. He grinned at the congratulations, rolled his eyes at the jokes, and growled at the more pointy jibes out of habit, but he knew his clan wasn't going to care much what he did and who he did it with – it was no one's business what two consenting adults did behind closed doors after all, that was the Inuzuka mindset and he wasn't the only one to have been raised in it. It was in their nature to be loyal no matter what, and that was why he'd never tortured himself upon realizing his interest didn't lie in the female population – although he knew he would never escape obnoxious teasing, but that was a small price to pay, all things considered.

Shino was waiting for him when he reached the gates to the compound, and he grinned easily at the sight of his best friend. "Hey, Shino!" he greeted as Akamaru barked next to him, wagging his tail.

"Kiba, Akamaru," Shino replied evenly. "So, was it a genuine reconciliation?" he questioned with a frown.

"Oh yes, one-hundred percent genuine!" Kiba assured him happily. "Both times!" he then added boastfully because he was an Inuzuka and they were insufferable like that.

Shino didn't even sigh – he was used to his friend's antics by then, after all. "Good," he replied simply. "The information has quickly spread through the village," he then notified him as they started walking towards their teammate's house.

"I figured," Kiba reacted with a shrug, noticing some conversations seemed to slow and halt in favor of staring at him as he walked by.

"Has your mother returned from her mission yet?" his friend wondered.

"Nope. And she's gonna be so peeved she missed that! I can already hear her!" Kiba said with a wide grin. "'Seriously, Kiba, I leave for a few days, and you manage to find a way to get the whole village talking about you without giving me a chance to further embarrass you! Shame on you, ingrate son!'" he mocked as he imitated Tsume, sharing a good laugh with Akamaru.

Shino just hummed as he had to admit he'd pretty much nailed it. "At least Hana will have a normal reaction," he surmised.

"Oh, sure!" the tracker said sarcastically. "Something right along the lines of, 'my, you've set your sights real high to go for such a smart one, little brother!'"

Shino yet again hummed as Kiba was pretty gifted when it came to imitating people. (And he knew for a fact that he did a pretty convincing imitation of him as well.) "Naturally, I intend to have a talk with Shikamaru myself," the Aburame forewarned seriously. "It's because in the event that it turns out he's not able to handle the pressure and will have therefore given you false hope, I do not think it acceptable that he should not suffer the consequences," he stated matter-of-factly. Akamaru barked in approbation and he nodded at him. "Indeed, Akamaru," he agreed, although he just got the gist of it.

Kiba's grin widened even more as he slung an arm over his shoulder and laughed. "That's why you're my best human friend, Shino!"

"You are my best human friend as well, Kiba," Shino dutifully – but earnestly – replied.

Akamaru just barked happily as he trotted by them.

When they reached the Hyuuga domain, Shino resisted the urge to fidget – he always had the impression that someone was using their byakugan on him there, which really wasn't unlikely, no matter how many times Kurenai told him he was just being paranoid.

Kiba's nose twitched and he rolled his eyes. "Hello, Hanabi, is your sister ready?" he called loudly.

The Hyuuga heiress poked her head above the wall innocently and grinned at them cat-like. "She'll be there in a minute!" she replied before smiling smugly as she leaned forward on her elbows and rested her chin in her palms. "Soo, Kiba…there's a certain rumor floating around about you…" she started infuriatingly – and damn it, unlike all the other Hyuuga they knew, she really had the mindset of a complete teenager – somehow, she used to be more serious as a child!

"Yes, Shikamaru and I are together," he stated matter-of-factly before she could ask.

Hanabi grinned widely and then pouted. "Bah, big sister, you need to hurry! You know you're behind when even Kiba finds himself a man before you do!"

"Hanabi!" Hinata chided with a frown – and a bright blush. She then sighed as her sister only laughed and hurriedly ran away before she could properly scold her. "I'm sorry about that, Kiba. Good morning to you three!" she greeted as she walked to them.

"Good morning Hinata," Shino replied, voice warmer than usual – to those who knew him well at least, most of whom were currently present.

Akamaru barked happily and Kiba waved a hand about. "Don't worry about it, I know she's just teasing – and I've got tough skin!" he assured her with a wink.

Hinata smiled back and then looked to the side briefly before looking back at him. "Well, I'm happy for you – and Shikamaru," she offered earnestly though still blushing. "Hopefully you'll feel better now?" she asked with a warm smile.

"Already do!" the Inuzuka replied boastfully. "Let's get going – and let me warn you, I've been stared at a lot already this morning!"

"I'll stare back at them – because I've been told that it makes people uncomfortable," Shino commented pragmatically.

"Gee, I wonder why…" Kiba replied with a fond snort.

Hinata only smiled as she looked at them, one hand absently rubbing Akamaru's head as they walked. Kiba sure looked happy, she mused enviously. Hopefully one day, she'd get enough courage to get that same happiness too!

But…in all honesty, she'd be fine without Kakashi looking at her as he had Kiba before declaring it was 'nice to be young'. He wasn't even that old.

In the end, once people got over their initial curiosity, and realized that nothing special was going to happen if they stared at him long enough, they just moved back on with their lives and their work. Izumo had even taken a moment to tell him he and Kotetsu sympathized, and wished them luck; it made him feel supported, in a way – or at the very least, less alone. The hours passed by quickly, and before Shikamaru knew it, it was time for lunch, for which he was supposed to meet up with Chouji – who'd volunteered to show Karui around Konoha, much to his amusement. Omoi had told them he wouldn't stay much longer, and was taking this time to finalize the last few administrative details on her behalf – because Karui of the Hidden Cloud did not take well to paperwork. Still, he wasn't about to miss lunch, so they walked out together to meet their friends at the barbeque place – as they'd discovered early on that it was a pretty big favorite in Kumo as well.

Karui and Chouji had already gotten started by the time they arrived – of course, because those two were gluttons incapable of waiting five minutes – and she raised an eyebrow at the Nara. "Hey, Shikamaru! I guess I ought to thank you for providing the first truly entertaining scene I've witnessed in Konoha!" she said with a sly grin.

"Let me guess – you heard a rumor," the shadow-nin deadpanned as he slid into the booth opposite his best friend – smiling self-consciously at Chouji's wide grin.

"Better – I was there!" Karui declared with a chuckle before narrowing her eyes and pointing her chopsticks at him. "That took balls, what you did. You're visibly into some weird sexual shit for a guy and I think that's gross, but it can't be said you're a coward!" she praised straightforwardly, true to herself not mincing her words. Still, while she couldn't exactly be called supportive, she wasn't antagonistic either, and that was the important part.

Omoi sighed tiredly, visibly looking like he was glad to be rid of her for some time, while Shikamaru resisted the urge to react too much so as not to give her more reasons to be so crude. "Thanks," he replied summarily instead as he tried not to be disturbed by the way Chouji looked at her with an expression bordering adoration – now he was scared.

Thankfully, she'd said her piece so lunch continued in a much more civilized fashion. Once done, the two Kumo shinobi took off, or more accurately, Omoi dragged Karui by her vest as some of the paperwork, she had to fill and sign herself, "Or you're coming back with me and I'm telling the Raikage why, exactly."

Left outside the restaurant, Shikamaru looked up briefly at the clouds and then back at his friend. "Karui, huh?" he teased him easily.

Chouji raised an eyebrow at this. "Kiba, huh?"

"Touché," the Nara noted as he grinned in amusement. "He gets why you thought it was Omoi," he then informed him off-handedly as he walked off, nonchalantly shoving his hands in his pockets.

"You told him?" Chouji almost exclaimed in surprise. "He's never going to let me live it down!" he lamented as he quickly made to follow him. Looking at him out of the corner of his eyes, he felt himself smile as he saw his contented expression. "So…Kiba…" he repeated.

"Kiba," Shikamaru confirmed tranquilly.

"Have you…felt that way about him for a long time?" the Akimichi wondered, although he doubted it, he was practically certain he'd have noticed it, if that had been the case. Then again, Kiba had been gone for some time so he hadn't really had any opportunity to watch them…

"He's a hard person to dislike, and I could never deny that he's attractive," the shadow-nin started with a shrug. "But he…let's just say he got through my walls in Suna thanks to his stubbornness," he finally replied with a fond smirk.

Chouji nodded as it made sense – that Kiba was the one who initiated it. He then scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he wondered about something else. "So…was he…I mean…have you ever been with someone else before him?" he finally asked curiously.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at him, clearly entertained, and shrugged. "Nah. It's troublesome enough already with just him," he drawled.

Chouji laughed as that reply was really so much like his best friend. "Still…Omoi, I could wrap my head around somewhat easily, but Kiba…" he thought out loud, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Are Kiba and I harder to get used to than Ino and Sai?" the Nara wondered good-naturedly.

Chouji's pained frown informed him that he still believed he'd learned way more than he was comfortable knowing about Ino and Sai's couple's (ahem) inner workings. "No. And I'm happy for you – really. Kiba may be overly boisterous at times but he's a good person and loyal to a fault; that puts a best friend's mind at ease!" he replied with a warm smile. Sai – while a good person and loyal – did not put a best friend's mind at ease.

Shikamaru smiled back at him before looking up once more and sighing. "Yeah, I'm hoping to get my mother to see that too someday," he admitted.

"She wants to kill him, doesn't she?" Chouji asked rhetorically.

"We're at a sort of standstill," Shikamaru tempered with a huff. "The kind where she refuses to step foot out of the house until it's cooled over…"

"Ouch," his friend noted with a wince, reaching over to pat his shoulder sympathetically.

"Yeah…just in case, if you ever see her heading for Kiba and I'm not around, please step in?" the shadow-nin asked him mostly serious.

"Of course!" the Akimichi vowed. Yoshino Nara scared him as well, but for his best friend, he'd brave that fear!

"Thanks…"

"So…um…well, since we're on the subject of…I mean…Karui's something, isn't she?" Chouji then started with a blush, trying to brighten up the conversation.

Shikamaru turned to him and raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh, is she?" he asked innocently.

"Yes, well…she's…obviously not your type but…she's…something!" Chouji continued eloquently with a dreamy expression.

Shikamaru grinned to himself at that. Karui took some serious getting used to, and she could cause a pretty strong headache, but yeah, she was something alright. "Don't say that to Ino yet, or she'll tell Sai to give you advice," he recommended half-jokingly.

Chouji paled and almost stopped in his steps, horrified at the thought. (Mostly because he had to admit that Sai's tactics had worked, damn it, and it confounded him.) On the outside however, he just nodded back. "But…do you think I'd actually have a chance with her?" he then wondered meekly.

The Nara craned his head back to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "Just talk to her, Chouji," he said teasingly.

"Aw come on, Shikamaru!" the other man protested – although he had to admit Shikamaru was well within his rights to get back at them for their meddling.

Shikamaru chuckled and stopped in his steps to look at him. "I was actually being serious. Karui is a no-nonsense, zero tolerance for indecision kind of person. If you're interested in being with her, don't beat around the bush – tell her so," he replied seriously, smiling encouragingly.

Chouji had to admit he was right, but it sounded much easier said than done – suddenly, he really appreciated his best friend's former plight. "Yeah but…d'you think she'd like me when I'm…" he trailed off, gesturing to himself vaguely.

"What? Kind, honest, and brutal on the battlefield to boot?" Shikamaru filled in with a raised eyebrow. "Besides, you're about the only person I've met to consider her a woman, I'm sure that'll be an extra point in your favor!" he added with a lazy grin.

"You're actually not bad at this," Chouji accused as he slowly realized the truth, smiling widely at his friend's embarrassed expression. "I think you and Kiba will be just fine!" he told him earnestly.

Shikamaru smiled back slightly – he sure hoped so. Otherwise it would be really troublesome.

All his life, Kiba had known without a doubt that he'd always have his family's support no matter what – and by family, he meant his mother, his sister, and the dogs; well, he figured Aoba could also be included now. They'd always been there for him with a reassuring pat, a comforting grin, always ready to cheer him up, rile him up, strengthen him, and, of course, make fun of him.

"A lazy genius, that's who you fell for?" Hana teased him as he'd brought Akamaru to the clinic for a routine check-up. "Hear that, you three?" she asked her dogs.

The Haimaru brothers had in fact heard, and barked playfully, only being marginally more discreet in their mocking when Kiba glared at them.

"I'm allowed to have standards," Kiba argued as he resisted the urge to pout. Only Akamaru was loyally remaining impassive and refused to join in on the tormenting. Kiba made mental not to give him an extra well-deserved treat later.

Hana's grin widened – if possible – as she wiggled her eyebrows at him. "I'd ask if he could be bothered enough to get active, but I think the answer to that's easy to smell!"

Kiba scowled at her, inwardly wondering if being subjected to this was his punishment for being the younger of the two. He'd never teased her like that about Aoba – heck that was something he'd never even wanted to tease her about! "For the record, he's great in bed!" he declared anyway, figuring since he couldn't avoid it, he might as well fight back.

"Oh, I don't doubt it – it is always the ones you least expect after all!" Hana sing-sung, pulling back from Akamaru with a satisfied expression. "You're all set – the picture of health as usual, Akamaru!" she praised happily.

The dog barked and Kiba sighed in relief at that, grinning as his companion nuzzled his hand. "Good boy, Akamaru."

The older Inuzuka smiled at them and absently rubbed the heads of her own nin-dogs before setting her hands over her stomach. "Seriously though, I'm glad I won't need to worry about you anymore – for now," she added with a wink.

Kiba blushed self-consciously as he looked to the side, before his eyes were drawn back to her hands. "Well…I can't be a mopey uncle, can I?" he asked warmly.

"Nope!" Hana agreed enthusiastically before raising a hand to stroke her chin. "Hey, mom's coming back tomorrow, normally," she reminded him.

"Think she'll be pissed?" he wondered with a sigh.

"That she missed this? Oh, absolutely!" the medic-nin replied with a huff. "She'll think she's cursed, because when Aoba and I got together she was also away!" she then mused. "Maybe she'll end up being scared to leave the village again!"

Kiba rolled his eyes playfully at this, leaning back against Akamaru. "Right, I'll be sure to tell her it's got nothing to do with her!" he assured her.

"Good. Go on now, I've got another appointment and I'm sure you've got places to be and people to annoy!" his sister dismissed playfully as she reached to ruffle his hair.

Kiba half-heartedly swatted her hand away and then gave her a quick hug before making his way out of the clinic. He wasn't overly nervous about his mother finding out about him and Shikamaru. Well, he was in a sense, but only because he wasn't sure how much she'd tease him – them. Besides, the news of Hana's pregnancy had put her into such an unbelievable good mood he doubted anything could dampen it! He could understand it though – it did feel strange at times to think he'd be an uncle in a few months. He felt nervous just at the thought, yet at the same time, so happy for his sister – and for Aoba too, naturally, because he was a good man, and he very visibly made her happy.

Akamaru barked happily in warning and he grinned at him, looking up as indeed there was Shikamaru, walking with his teammates. "Hey guys!" he called cheerfully as Akamaru stopped by them and he jumped down from his back, grin softening at his lover's smile.

"Hey Kiba, what's up?" Chouji asked conversationally.

Akamaru barked his reply and Kiba dutifully translated. "Akamaru just had his check-up and he's in perfect health!"

The other three seemed amused and Shikamaru reached to pat his head. "Good news."

Ino nodded her agreement – but didn't step closer because he tended to get white fur all over her clothes – before smirking playfully. "Got any plans, Kiba? We were just going to have lunch – why don't you join us?" she offered innocuously.

Shikamaru frowned as he was half-worried she'd turn lunch into an interrogation, but the look on her face was genuine, so he only smiled slightly – besides, he was completely okay with Kiba joining them, naturally.

"Sure, why not? Thanks!" Kiba replied casually with a shrug as they resumed their walk. His grin then turned mischievous as something occurred to him. "I mean, as long as you weren't planning on setting Shikamaru up with Omoi again!" he added off-handedly.

Chouji and Ino's heads snapped to Shikamaru reproachfully, but in all honesty he couldn't find it in himself to feel bad for telling on them, this was payback. They did however share looks before bursting out laughing when Omoi turned out to be at the restaurant when they got there – with Karui. The timing couldn't have been more perfect if they'd planned it.

"Welcome to Konoha," Ino simply told Karui as she looked at them skeptically as though seriously reconsidering her stay among them.

"The paperwork's signed and processed, so suck it up," Omoi told her warningly as though reading her mind.

"Yeah, at least I'll be glad to be away from you for a while!" Karui snapped back as she stole some food from his plate in retribution.

Ever the pacifist, Omoi didn't retort anything, just looked at the other group in sympathy.

TBC

From here on out, I'll concentrate more on their lives generally speaking, and, of course, on how their relationship progresses! :)