The Fox Sage

Ch. 16 : Jealousy

After Naruto vanished off to train with sage jutsu Tsunade left back to her office leaving Shikamaru and Ray. "So, you want to get something to eat?" he shifted his weight facing Ray. "Oh, sure" Ray began to walk off in attempt to hide her cheeks growing pink, "Ramen? Or Barbeque?" she asked as he began to follow her, "Ramen, I get enough barbeque eating with Choji" he shoved his hands in his pockets catching up to walk by her side. "Sounds good to me" she placed her hands in her pockets as well. Once they reached the ramen place they found Kiba and Shino there, "hey I didn't know you two ate here" Ray sat next to Kiba since it was one of two seats left, while Shikamaru sat on the other side of her, the place wasn't very large, but their ramen was amazing. "Of course, they have the best ramen around" Kiba grinned from ear to ear, "so what have you been up to haven't seen you in a while" he hung his arm around her shoulders. "umm" She looked at both her shoulders, when she looked at the one closest to Shikamaru she noticed he looked a little irritated, 'what's bothering him, he wanted ramen right?' Ray turned her attention back to Kiba, "I guess nothing much" she rubbed the back of her head forcing his arm free of her shoulder. She then ordered her ramen along with Shikamaru. "What about you two?" she leaned forward to put Shino in her light of sight, "oh just some dangerous missions and stuff" Kiba smiled narcissistically. "That's not true" Shino said softly, "whatever, our last mission was a wild one" Kiba laced his fingers supporting his head, they then began to argue back and forth so Ray turned her attention back to Shikamaru. "What's wrong?" she leaned forward as a bowl of ramen was placed in front of him, "nothing" he stated quickly, Ray tilted her head with frustration. "Then why are you being so short with me" she leaned back while a bowl was placed in front of her, "I'm not" he continued his quick, short responses. The four of them continued their conversation, rather three, Ray tried to include Shikamaru but he wouldn't say much. After they finished eating they stood in front of the ramen shop, "So how about we go do something?" Kiba hung his arm around Ray's shoulder again, "I guess" Ray looked back to Kiba uncomfortably. Shikamaru suddenly began walking away, "Wait" she went to catch up with him but she was stopped by Kiba grasping her wrist, "Kiba I have to go" she whipped around apologetically. "Stay, he can walk you back" Shikamaru held his hand up dismissing her absence. She looked to Shikamaru sadly as he walked away. "Kiba we should let her go" Shino spoke softly as he always did, "nah, it'll be ok, it's not like she's sleeping with him" Kiba pulled her closer, Ray's face went bright red. She attempted to back away from his hold but he didn't let her, he was stronger than he looked. "Kiba you can't force her to stay" Shino's soft voice was the same but somehow more intimidating, "fine" he let go of her. She began to run off in the direction Shikamaru went, 'where is he? I should have caught up with him by now' she looked around, it was dark now. 'Tsunade won't like that I'm alone, I should have at least had Shino walk with me, he's nice' she thought to herself lacing her fingers behind her head. 'I'll just go back to his place that's ultimately where I need to be anyways' she began to head the direction of his house when she heard a voice. "So why did you want to walk around alone rather than hang out with me?" Kiba stepped from the shadows, "Kiba you know that's not it" she placed on hand on her hip. "Then why are you alone?" he walked closer to her, "look I need to get back" she stepped back, realizing how close she had been walking to the buildings "Kiba I need to get back Yoshino is going to be worried when Shikamaru returns and I'm not with him" she spoke sternly, "he will just tell her were hanging out" he placed his hand on the wall next to her head, "there's nothing to worry about" he then placed his other hand on her hip. 'What the hell,' she began to ball up her fist to retaliate but hesitated, 'if I hurt him especially without my assigned escort around Tsunade will probably get mad' she released the tension in her fist. "Kiba, I don't have time for this" she began to walk out of his shadow towering over her, "come on, why don't we go train, or bathe at the hot spring" he smirked forcing her to keep her position pinned between him and the wall. "The hot spring is closed and I don't want to train" she crossed her arms looking away. "Well the river isn't closed" he leaned in closer closing what distance was between them. He was so close she felt his breath on her neck, she closed her eyes tightly, 'I can't let this brat risk my chances of staying here in Konoha' she placed a hand on his chest in attempt to push him away. However, he took this as an invite so he pushed back. He placed his lips on her neck, "Kiba stop" she snapped, sternly, "I see, that's how it is" he smirked as his hand began to slide up her side, "if you don't want it then you would just deny me, I've heard how strong you are" she winced, at a loss of what to do closing her eyes tightly. Suddenly he stopped, "I really think you should leave her alone" Ray's eyes shot open when she heard Shikamaru's voice. Kiba's hand remained on the wall but he removed his other hand from her side shooing Shikamaru away, "this has nothing to do with you Shikamaru." Ray took advantage of him removing his hand to slink out from under Kiba. Kiba looked back once he realized she had removed herself, "What's the matter I thought we were having fun?" he held his hands out in confusion. "Can't you see she was uncomfortable" Shikamaru stated lazily, while Ray positioned herself behind him, putting him in-between her and Kiba. "You don't know how she was feeling, it's called foreplay" he placed his hands on his hips growing irritated. Ray opened her mouth to begin protesting when Shikamaru snapped angrily "you don't know anything" she felt Shikamaru's anger. 'Why is he getting so irritated, Kiba may have been in the wrong but he's too stupid to notice it' she had her eyes trained on Shikamaru, concerned. "Like you know anything!" Kiba held his fist up, "Stop!" Ray yelled, Kiba looked past Shikamaru to Ray while Shikamaru turned his head to face her but kept himself faced to Kiba. "That's enough" she then began to walk off, "This is such a drag" Shikamaru complained following after her. "Wait so you want to do this again sometime?" Kiba yelled to Ray, "No!" she yelled back. "Maybe it wasn't foreplay" he scratched his head, "aww man, now I feel bad" he placed his hands behind his head as he walked in the opposite direction.

As Ray and Shikamaru walked to his house there was total silence. Ray was a little shaken up from the experience, she understood Kiba was just an idiot but it still sucked. Finally, Ray spoke softly, "Thank you" Shikamaru said nothing for a moment, "why didn't you just take care of that yourself?" he snapped "troublesome woman" he then spoke softly almost too quiet for Ray to hear him. Ray looked to him shocked and a little angry, "if it was such a problem then why'd you help at all?" she snapped back. He sighed, "look I just don't understand why you did nothing? It almost looked like you were enjoying it" Ray glared at him, "how long were you there?" she growled. He seemed to be unaffected by her anger, "it doesn't matter" he scoffed turning away from her. "I guess not, just means you could care less about my wellbeing" she said still irritated, "I suppose you have no reason to care though" she spoke softly. He sighed once more then grabbed her shoulders softly, forcing her to face him, "if you can't see I care you're an idiot" Ray was startled by his intensity, twice in one day he let go of his lazy attitude, and that he called her an idiot. "If you care so much why did you let it go on that long" she swatted his hands away. He stepped back his lazy attitude returned to his demeanor, "I knew you could take care of him on your own, when I realized you weren't is when I stepped in" he explained, 'really I almost left her there when I saw her put her hand on his chest, why was I so angry when I saw that' he thought to himself. "If you're so smart why didn't you realize if I hurt him I would lose Tsunade's trust" she put her hands on her hips leaning forward, he chuckled, "because I know her better than you." Ray crossed her arms irritated closing her eyes as she looked away, "you should have thought that I'm still at the mercy of her." Shikamaru laughed softly at her childish demeanor, "I'm sorry" he placed his hand on her cheek. Her cheeks developed a shade of red at his touch, 'what is happening?' she thought to herself as she brought her eyes to face him 'what am I doing?' his eyes widened before he retreated quickly. They stood there in silence for a moment, Rays cheeks regaining their normal completion, "It's ok" Ray finally stuttered quietly, "this has been such a drag, let's go back" he began to walk again.

Ray followed not far behind him, 'Wait' she looked at him walking in front of her as he brought his hand up to his chin, 'I thought he was being a dick but' she tilted her head looking him up and down in his ninja uniform, 'was he jealous.' She felt her face get hot, 'no way, why would he be jealous' she shook her head regaining her composure.

'Whydid I get so angry' Shikamaru brought his hand to his chin, 'sense of justicemaybe? But wouldn't I have been angry with the entire situation, it was onlywhen she placed her hand on his chest' he shook his head. 'Whatever, this womanis so troublesome' he felt a smile come across his face.