A Realization. A Conundrum.

A/N: This chapter is a little different from the first two. I figured I would cover how both Shino and Kiba come to the base realization that they like each other, not fully realizing that they love each other since they are still young, but they do know that they do…you'll find out. :3 Happy Reading!

Shino was…perturbed. If that was a good word for it, maybe confused would be better. He couldn't figure out his feelings towards Kiba and at the young age of 10 it confused the boy greatly. The Inuzuka boy had been clouding his thoughts for several weeks now and when he brought it up to his father, he only chuckled and left the boy to think on it by himself. Shino wasn't paranoid, but he thought that his father knew something he didn't, and it irked him.

He decided that maybe a walk around the village would help with his thinking, fresh air and external stimuli. As he walked he noticed the Naruto boy running around with some chuunin chasing after him, what was strange that the chuunin looked to be covered in feathers. He figured it was a prank and went on with his day, still muddled about Kiba. He came upon a park, seeing smaller children running around and some elderly playing shogi, along with the Nara boy with Choji watching clouds again. He thought about it for a time and found that he would like to watch clouds with Kiba, so were they friends like Shikamaru and Choji? No, it felt like more than that.

He went farther into the park and found a couple sitting on a bench, the girl laying face up on the man's legs sleeping softly, the boy sleeping as well with his chin on his chest, wondering to himself he found that he wouldn't mind doing that with Kiba either, he felt comfortable enough with him and if Kiba was calm enough they could sit and think in peace, it sounded nice. But still he thought that it was more. He glanced back at the couple and caught them sharing a quick kiss, blushing softly he hurried forward towards a training ground, trying to put the thought out of his mind, that he wouldn't mind kissing Kiba either.

He sat down and thought hard for a time before coming to accept that he would like to kiss Kiba, but how could he? He didn't know how Kiba would react, didn't know when or if they would be alone, this required more planning…

That is until a certain dog like boy came crashing through the tree line, into the center of the training ground rolling around with a large white dog. This may not be so hard after all.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(1 hour earlier with Kiba)

Kiba was running, not from anything or to anywhere but just running for fun. He loved the wind on his face and the feeling of his dog running next to him, but inside he was a little befuddled. For several days he had been thinking of a certain stoic friend of his, not about anything in particular but more of just thinking about how he felt towards the taller boy. He like hanging out with him, he liked training with him, heck he could even enjoy studying with the bug-boy.

This wasn't a bad thing by any means, but the thing that confused him was that he could not do that with anyone else, Hinata was fine but he still couldn't conenctrate and if Naruto sat still for a moment than Kiba would bounce off the walls and with anyone else he just wouldn't do anything. Shino on the other hand somehow kept him calm, explained everything, and made it stick. He would help with his Taijutsu and give him books on Genjutsu, it made Kiba happy that his friend thought about him when he wasn't around, but it also made butterflies in his stomach.

Kiba didn't like the butterflies, it made him think that he was nervous and that made him think of himself as a coward, which forced him to do stupid things to prove that he wasn't. He asked his sister and mother about it and all they did was howl with laughter and pet his head and say 'Aw~ he's growing up~', confusing as everything else he left the house to try and train, maybe he could think of a solution to this out in the training grounds.

Jumping and running around a few minutes later with Akamaru, it made him feel relaxed, he got to thinking about Shino as he practiced some jumping kunai throws. He enjoyed the smell of the older boy, he smelled like nature and water, probably from his insect collecting habits and his cleanliness obsession. He enjoyed it when he hugged the taller boy, he felt safe.

Wait, what? Why did he feel safe? He didn't need to be scared of him, and why did Shino bring out his submissive side? He wasn't submissive, he was always proactive and dominant in his partnerships. Though Shino made him just…calm down. He seemed to make the hole world fade away, and no one judged him based on his intellect, no one called him mangy, Shino was quiet but he was also confident.

He sat there as he looked at the targets, noticing that the targets he was hitting when not thinking about Shino had a few misses and not a lot of bulls-eyes, but the targets he hit when Shino came into his mind, had all connected hits and a lot of bulls-eyes. He sat and scratched his head, he had to acknowledge that Shino was helping him, and that he thought of him as more than a friend. How much more was still in question though, the fact that he liked hugging the other boy was a big sign that it was more and when he slept over at Shino's or camped out with him, he sometimes wanted to sleep closer to him, and his mom said that when you like someone you want to kiss them.

Did he want to kiss Shino? He wouldn't mind it, but the blush on his face let him know that he actually wanted to kiss Shino quite a bit. Kiba stood up and started jumping from branch to branch with Akamaru hot on his tail, he decided then and there that the next time he saw the sunglasses wearing boy, he would run up and kiss him, no dancing around it and he would not be submissive dang it! He was strong, he was an Inuzuka, he should be able to handle another kiss. As he steeled his resolve he lost his footing and came crashing into an open training ground, rolling a couple of times and creating a cloud of dust, he tried to orient himself as he noticed the object of his thoughts sitting just to his left.

For some reason the resolve he had just built up decided now would be a good time to go have lunch because Kiba couldn't quite look at his friend without having a little blush on his cheeks.

Damn it.

(Multi POV)

Shino sat there as he watched the boy who had occupied his thoughts, some kind of luck had to be on his side, but now that he had Kiba here how should he go about it? The kiss still seemed unattainable. He slowly stood up and walked over to Kiba and offered him a hand up hoping the other boy would take it.

Kiba sat on his knees panting a little, looking up he noticed that Shino's hand was outstretched to him, he reached up and grabbed hold, sending a spark through both of their bodies causing Kiba to jerk his hand away a little quickly.

Shino took noticed and wondered what was wrong with him.

"Kiba, are you alright?" He asked calmly.

"Y-Yeah just a little jumpy after the fall." He cursed himself for stuttering but straightened himself up and dusted himself off.

"How did you fall? You're usually very good on your feet." Shino inquired.

"Too busy thinking, shows what I get for using this." Kiba joked while bonking the side of his head.

Shino grabbed the hand to stop him. "You should always use your head Kiba-kun, you're smart and don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Shino said sternly.

Kiba blushed a little at the –kun, and thought it was either now or never and scratched behind his ears before turning to face Shino but Shino was already there, pressing his lips to Kiba's. It wasn't anything more than just a collision of lips for a few seconds but it still made the butterflies come back tenfold. Releasing each other, they each took a step back and didn't say a word until Kiba got the courage.

"Why did you kiss me Shino-kun?" Kiba asked quietly.

"…It was an…experiment…" Shino trailed off not sure how Kiba would take it.

Kiba let out a sigh before putting on a grin. "Oh~ okay, it didn't mean anything."

"Well I…" Shino tried to correct him but Kiba was already walking away.

"For a second there I thought you were going crazy Shino~" Kiba wouldn't let out that he wanted Shino to kiss him again, not if it was just an experiment.

Shino stood motionlessly, ignoring the little pain in his chest at Kibas reaction. Maybe it was for the best to never bring it up again, the same thoughts passing through Kibas head as they headed in different direction, waving weakly.

"See ya tomorrow Shino." Kiba called out.

"Don't be late for school again Kiba." Shino replied softly, knowing Kiba would hear.