Team dinners are still a thing, and after completing our second C-rank we feel the need for at least a little celebration. Nikkei's turn has come around again, and I am already faltering as the evening progresses, skulking in the deep indigo shadows stretched across the face of the compound by the warm orange light of the sun as it finishes setting. The Inuzuka are the least formal clan in Konoha, and every time our team comes by it seems to dissolve into a party of one kind or another as relations who just happened to be nearby slowly accrete onto the proceedings like the drifts of shed fur which accumulate in the corners of the houses.

One of Nikkei's cousins is hitting on Kakashi, while he tries valiantly to ignore the other man's advances. They seem to feel it only makes sense that the DogSummoner should be part of the Dog Clan, but Kakashi is transparently disinterested. This is the third Inuzuka to try and chat him up, and I think it is starting to be viewed as a challenge as I can see a few more shoving each other for pride of place and giving the Jounin speculative looks.

Nikkei is currently giving a younger sibling a fierce noogie, the upstart challenging her position as Beta in her little family unit getting a vigorous smack down. Her older brother is napping in a heap with his dog on the porch nearby, presenting a front of indifference while his slitted eyes observe the exchange with a calculating glint. It brings a twitch of smile to my face, a large enough motion that I notice the facade has drooped a little and I pull up my cheeks in my signature, highly realistic, grin.

Smile, gotta smile, no one likes an antisocial weirdo.

"You smell funny!"

I blink at the little Inuzuka glaring at me from more than a foot down. He looks somewhat familiar, though that could be just the clan markings, bright red triangles on his chubby little cheeks. I smile a little weaker, slightly less sure of myself in the face of his scrutiny.

"I'm… sorry? I'm Hiroki, Nikkei's teammate."

The chibi grunts, lips pulling back slightly from his teeth. On an older Inuzuka that might be a concern, I've gotten that look from Nikkei before and it generally heralds no worse than a particularly intense spar, but on a kid that can't be more than 6 it is just a little disconcerting.

"I know who you are! Why're you smiling?"

Ahh, too many teeth. I modulate the expression, corners up but pearly whites safely concealed to stop presenting as a threat. It doesn't work.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!"

"Sorry. I… people like smiles? Usually? Uh..."

I back away half a step, but the pup pushes forward aggressively in response. Oh dear.

"Hey!"

Ahh, rescue. Thank goodness for the Inuzuka pack mentality.

Wait… is that… Hana? Bugger.

"Kiba! Who's this? He bothering you?"

Inuzuka Hana is around the same age as my teammates, which means she's at least five years older than me. And, if I am remembering correctly, Itachi's teammate. Maybe?

My eyes dart back to Kiba, flickering on for a moment on instinct as I inspect the future clan head. Or was that Hana? Or did Kiba challenge...?

"Oy! Eyes off my little bro!"

I blink and perception fades.

"Apologies Hana-sama. I'm a little… twitchy sometimes. I didn't mean to offend you or Kiba-sama."

Her eyes narrow at the honorific, and I can't help the tiny flinch as I realise the slip, but her lip remains uncurled for the moment as she eyes me up and down.

"You're Nikkei's teammate, yeah? What's wrong with you? You sick or something?"

My shoulders hunch in slightly as I try to keep smiling, thoughts rushing to try and come up with a plausible sounding explanation. I'm not sure what the problem is; Nikkei never mentioned anything about a weird smell. Then again, she doesn't have the sort of crazy good nose that I would expect from the main line of the family. What's a better explanation than 'I am going to be murdered in a few years'?

"Hey Hana!"

The Inuzuka's attention is dragged away as Wasabi bustles up, a companionable arm thrown around my shoulders as he leans over me.

"I haven't seen you in years! How're the triplets?"

I relax minutely as my teammate expertly diverts attention away from my discomfort and onto every Inuzuka's favorite subject, affording me the opportunity to settle back into the more polite blankness I feel safe in. Eventually Nikkei comes over as well, giving Wasabi a quick look over my head before loudly announcing that dinner is ready.

"You okay?"

I suppress the twitch and merely smile cordially at Wasabi, who winces slightly at the expression. They're getting to know me well enough to see through the mask; I'll have to work harder. No one likes a party pooper, everything is fine.

"Of course! I guess I need to change my shampoo or something huh?"

My smile slips a little bit into something more open, and my gaze slides away uncomfortably at the implied admission of weakness.

"Thanks for the save."

Wasabi gives me a pat on the back and a grin in return, pushing me towards the house from whence admittedly delicious smells are leaking.

"What are friends for?"

...friends?

. . .

A/N: Yeah, the SI doesn't get magic perfect memory. Some stuff is big and easy to remember, but seriously, it's been nearly 9 years by this point, how much of canon can he be expected to recall accurately? Also, if you haven't picked up on it yet, AK means 'After Kyuubi' in the dating system. Some people use 'After Founding' but then the dates would all be af. :/