Late Night Visits | Shino X Kiba <Slow Updates>

Chapter Nine

Kiba had his arms flung casually behind his head in a relaxed posed, waiting for Shino to finish his 'lunch' with his relatives. Shino did promise him that they would go out together on a date that evening, but he had forgotten to mention what time. So there he was, waiting for his lover.

A lover.

Kiba blushed to himself a bit. Yeah... they were lovers now right?

Then he glanced up as he noticed some people come out of the tea house. He grinned wolfishly as he immediately recognized Shino's spikey dark brown hair and stern expression, which looked straight back at him without a single trace of surprise. Typical.

However, another person came out and joined beside Shino. A girl.

Kiba faltered slightly, his grin slipping a bit, but he kept it in place as he strode up to the two of them.

Nah, that's just his relative… he mentally reassured himself. This girl was probably a cousin of Shino's, right?

"Hey Shino...!" Kiba tried to keep his grin.

"Kiba," Shino acknowledged quietly, giving a slight nod of his head. "This is my relative, she is visiting for the next few days."

At the mention of relative, Kiba immediately perked up. He felt slightly more at ease to look at the girl.

"So... Aburame heh?"

The girl nodded, almost serenely. "Ayiko Aburame."

"I'm Kiba Inuzuka, I'm Shino's mate," He said back, wrapping an arm over Shino's shoulder playfully. He smirked as he noticed Shino twitch at the word 'mate'. He delicately unwrapped Kiba's arm and replaced his hands into his pockets.

Kiba shrugged mildly, turning back to the Aburame girl. "So... Ayiko... that means... Unity, doesn't it?"

Ayiko nodded slightly.

"Yah, I can tell you guys are related... I mean..." Kiba waved his hand in an offhand way. "Black glasses, black hair, the jacket..."

He had never seen an Aburame girl before. But then, the entire clan was secretive and well spread out across the region. This girl, like Shino, had the usual glasses. Her dark brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but her facial features were much softer, and her jacket collar slightly lower.

"And you must be one of the Inuzuka?" The girl asked politely.

"Yeah," Kiba grinned, scratching his head slightly. "You noticed huh."

The girl smiled back serenely. "Of course... the distintive smell and scratching habits give you away. I'm surprised you were put on a team with an Aburame."

"Why?" He frowned a bit, keeping his eyes on the girl.

"One would think that you two wouldn't get along."

There was a long pause before Kiba bared his fangs, smiling forcefully. Trying to ignore what the girl had just said, and wondering why she seemed to be challenging him, he turned towards Shino. Shino was silent. Not even a mere shrug.

Then Kiba remembered about the date they were supposed to be having.

"So when can we go...?" Kiba motioned, then glanced at Ayiko. "...we're going training right...?"

Shino turned on his heel. "I have to escort Ayiko around town."

"I'll come with you," Kiba jumped in, tugging at Shino's sleeve.

"No," Shino said, crushing out the confidence in Kiba. Kiba stared at him.

"We're sort of on a date..." Ayiko began to say.

Kiba froze. Wordlessly, he took a step back. Then another. He smiled, but the smile faltered. "Right then," He said, exhausting the breath he was holding. "I see." With that, he turned sharply on his heel and began to walk away, trying not to go too fast or too slow. In the end, he broke into a run until he turned the corner, breathing heavily.

And he could feel something cold run down his cheek.

"He's quite emotional," Ayiko commented. "I suppose that's because of his dog traits."

Shino shrugged, trying to rip the image of Kiba's hurt look on his face out of his mind. He had to keep focused. How does one flirt... Without hesitating, he shuffled his hand out of his pocket and took Ayiko's. A few of his kikai crawled over his hand and fingers onto hers.

He smiled, even though it was barely visible behind his high collar. She smiled back.

"Where should we go?"

"Come," Shino said quietly, his hand guiding her along next to him.

They walked down the streets together, with the occasional passing comment, until they arrived at Shino's destination. The flower shop, Yamanako.

"Oh," Ayiko smiled shyly, looking up at Shino.

"If I remember correctly, only the Ikebana blooms in Konoha," The door tinkled as they entered.

"It smells beautiful," Ayiko said, looking around at all the colours. She waited as Shino disappeared behind some flowers to pick out the right one, then returned. "I heard the Ikebana is good for the Kikai..."

Shino nodded, paying for it at the cashier. As he handed it to her, he allowed a few of his kikai to mingle on the petals of this delicate flower. She smiled again.

"God,"

Kiba almost felt like killing someone. He had never, ever felt so betrayed in his whole entire life, over such a stupid insignificant thing.

Insignificant? He's going out with a girl; a girl perfect for him!

He sighed, a low growl humming from the back of his throat as he wondered what to do. The sky was already turning darker.

I should be on my date with him now.

A few of the street lamps flickered on, casting his walking shadow around him.

But obviously... he's playing me like the fool I am...

He looked up, then began to jog slightly, before breaking into a sprint.

"Shino, thank you," Ayiko smiled sweetly, still holding the flower to herself.

"That is ok," Shino resisted shrugging. They were standing outside the Aburame complex, outside her door.

"So..."

"May I come in?" He suddenly asked.

A faint pink covered Ayiko's cheeks as she nodded, opening the door and letting him walk in. He took her hand and pulled her in quickly, shutting the door.

Kiba stared blankly.

He had seen it. He had seen his Shino walk straight through her door, pulling the girl in.

He could even imagine it now, them two caught up in a flurry of kisses, stumbling across the room and making their way towards the... No, Kiba shook his head. That was too unlike Shino.

Two guys liking each other is unlike everyone... idiot.

He scratched his cheek, suddenly feeling empty. He had no idea what to do.

Run up to the door, kick it down and rip Shino away? Hug him tightly and shower him with bites and licks so that he could mark him and let the world know that Shino was his and his alone? Just what was he supposed to do now, that Shino just walked off?

He could feel his hands clench up so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh painfully. The feeling was... this sensation...

Do nothing.

He turned, burying his hands into his pockets as he began to walk.

Some while later, a distant howl sounded.