Disclaimer! I don't own Naruto or anything to do with it. Der.
Inuzuka Kiba watched the wall intently. There was nothing better to watch in this state of mind. The wall centered his intents, keeping his mind from wandering too far and keeping his body cemented in the fetal position on his bed for hours.
"Kiba nii-chan, wake up! Mom's going to throw a fit if she finds out you're still in bed so late in the afternoon!" Hana waited for a response, but recieved none. "Kiba, if you don't acknowledge me I'm going to break your door down!" She sighed heavily. "I need to know if you're even alright."
"I'm fine." His voice startled him. It was rhaspy and unnaturally loud. He certainly didn't sound alright.
"Then why haven't you left your room today?"
"I'm not feeling well. I've been very tired all day, and I've been sleeping. I didn't realize it was late." The words were painful to get out, but he had to manage lest he wanted his siter to pry. She could never understand.
After a while, Kiba could hear footsteps leading away. He sighed, relieved.
Meanwhile in Suna, Hoshimaru Sen could hardly breathe. She bowed awkwardly and avoided his eyes. The world was starting to spin because, she now realized, she had stopped breathing. When she tried to do so, it was as if she were gasping. Surely, Kankurou could tell how terrified she was. "I have to go," she squeeked, and took off running.
Temari snorted. "What an odd girl. I don't recognize her either... how strange. I wonder what she's doing."
Kankurou nodded. "She seems suspicious. It's clear that she was trying to hide something."
"You think so? Well, keep an eye out for her. Ask about her too. Find out if she's even from Suna."
"And what will you be doing?"
"I have to be around to do missions, not snooping around for some stupid little girl."
"But you just said-"
"Who's older? I get to tell you what to do, got that?"
Kankurou looked down and nodded his head slightly. Damn, domineering Temari. She'd been distracted lately, ever since they'd left Konoha in fact. The journey had been an uncomfortably silent one, with his sister smiling to herself surprisingly often. When they'd reached Suna, Temari had had a sad look in her eyes, and since then had been acting as if part of her, maybe even the greater half, were swept up in whimsies inside her own head. Kankurou knew better than to ask her about it, so instead he bidded Temari adiu and they went their separate ways. Besides, he'd been rather distracted as well. He didn't want anyone to ask about his odd demeanor, so perhaps it was better to leave his older sibling alone.
By nightfall, Kankurou had learned Sen's name, along with information about her family, habits, and personality. She was indeed a member of Suna, but she stayed at home most of the time to take care of her sick mother, while her older brother worked an assortment of jobs to support the family. Their father had been a ninja, but was killed on a mission many years ago.
So, of course, Kankurou shrugged off his paranoia. When he reported his findings back to Temari, she showed no interest, even though she'd been the one to make him study the girl. With a heavy feeling, Kankurou went to bed, but he tossed and turned until the sun rose, so he left to go get some ramen and take a walk. He just had to clear his head.
There was only one customer at the ramen bar when he arrived. The figure wore a hood, concealing their identity. Kankurou sat and ordered, then laid his head down. He was exhausted.
"Are you alright?"
The voice was little more than a squeek, almost like Hyuuga Hinata's. Kankurou raised his head up and realized the hooded person was that girl... What was her name? He decided to ask.
"Ho-hoshimaru Sen."
"Ah, yes, that's it."
"You know me?" she asked, looking startled and blushing.
Kankurou nodded.
After an awkward silence, Sen inquired, "H-how is the Kazekage, your brother?"
"Um... fine..."
"I have to go!" Sen inhaled the last of her ramen and was gone, leaving Kankurou to wonder.
The next week was almost predictable after a while. Sen and Kankurou would meet in unlikely places, Sen would ask about something personal, and when Kankurou was even slightly hesitant, she would take off.
Kankurou concluded she must be up to something, and decided to spy on her even more so then he had already.
"Please let me do this, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade glared at Kiba. "You're getting pushy."
"This is all that I ask for. I don't care how its done, but I need to do this."
The Fifth sighed and sat back. "You've been in here for half an hour, and you won't so much as give me a reason."
"I told you before Hokage-sama I can't give you the reason as it would kill my reputation, but I promise its nothing bad."
Tsunade sighed. "Kiba Inuzuka..."
"Yes?"
"I hereby asign you the mission of going to Suna to speak with the Kazekage to find out if any new information on Orochimaru has been dug up. Since I don't think you'll be finding too much trouble for yourself, you have permission to go only with Akamaru. Be hasty."
Kiba's face lit up. He bowed. "Thank you Hokage-sama," he gushed before rushing out of the room.
"Why'd you let him go?" Shizune asked.
Tsunade shrugged. "He was getting on my nerves."
Shizune blanched.
It'd been astoundingly difficult for Kiba to leave Akamaru in Konoha, but even Akamaru didn't know why he was going to Suna.
The trip seemed to take years, even though Kiba never travelled faster.
Trying to keep from seeming totally crazy, he got a room in the inn as soon as he got to Suna, rather than immediately launching his frenzied search for Kankurou. He even went to the ramen bar, but the scent of the Sandnin was everywhere. He was losing his mind and he knew it, so, finally, he started his search.
Kankurou had spent a full day trailing Sen. She'd done nothing suspicious as of yet, but the sun was setting, so anything she needed to do under the cover of nightfall would now be an option. Regretfully, he still hadn't been sleeping well, and his tracking skills were lacking. Over and over, he'd thought Sen knew he was around, but he couldn't trust his own judgement currently.
Kiba watched the sky as it faded to black. Kankurou's scent was strong everywhere. He'd been busy today, criss-crossing his own path repeatedly. It wasn't exactly helpful that the wind in Suna seemed to be strong at all times. It was next to impossible to find him. Maybe it would be better to just give up... Abruptly, Kiba's nose perked up. He followed the scent, expecting it to fade, but it just got stronger. Within moments, there he was, feet behind Kankurou. He stopped, awed, his stomach convulsing. There was a girl a ways away, and Kankurou seemed to be watching her. Kiba ducked into the shadows to avoid being seen by the girl or by Kankurou for that matter, since he didn't know what he'd do if he were caught just standing there like a loon.
Kankurou turned around. Hadn't he heard something? Damn sleep deprivation, maybe not.
When he turned back, Sen was right in front of him. Stunned, he failed to react accordingly as she shoved him down and climbed on top of him. With sudden courage, she kissed him.
Kiba ran all the way back to his room at the inn. It had been obvious when he had taken off. Not that Kankurou cared. It seemed he had a girlfriend. He would just sleep it off, then to do his mission early tomorrow and head back to Konoha. Sleep wouldn't come though. His body should've been exhausted from the lack of food and sleep he'd had recently, along with the trip. In fact, today had been the first time he'd consumed anything in two days now.
So, of course, he went back to staring at the wall. Eventually he blew out the single candle he had burning and laid there in the darkness, his eyes stuck on the cold beam of moonlight leaking into the room. His thoughts crushed down on him. Kankurou had a girlfriend. Did it even matter? Kiba hadn't really come up with a plan, he'd just needed to at least see Kankurou. One billion fantasies had gone through his head involving this meeting. None of them had ended as badly as this.
Kiba almost jumped out of his skin when he heard the knock. It was the first sound he'd heard after laying in the dark for three hours. Kankurou had scaled the wall it appeared, and was now tapping on the glass. Probably to lecture him.
He opened the window and Kankurou welcomed himself inside.
"How'd you know where I was?"
"My brother is the Kazekage. You can't get away with anything here and have me not able to find out about it."
"Why are you here?" Kiba sat down on his bed and glared at the floor.
"I wanted to explain what happened earlier. Why were you following me, anyway?"
"I just wanted to say hello..." He choked a little on his lie.
Kankurou sat down uncomfortably close to him. "About earlier... That girl is really weird, I was tailing her to make sure she wasn't up to anything, and I haven't really been sleeping, so I had my guard down. When she kissed me... I didn't want her to."
Kiba was silent.
"I guess she has this huge crush on me, but I'm afraid my heart lies somewhere... else..."
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Because I know you didn't come all the way here just to tell me hello." Forcefully, he grabbed Kiba's chin and angled his face up, then pressed his lips to the young dog-boy's. Kiba scrambled back. He was too tired for this, the exhaustion had made him totally loose it.
Kankurou stayed put, watching him.
"What the hell was that?"
"Inuzuka, you and I both know that you came here because you you needed to see me, you needed to get your fix. You've got rings under your eyes, you've lost weight, you look like shit, just like me. I need my fix too, so here, get yours and I'll get mine."
Kiba gaped. He must be sleeping. Or maybe just delirious.
With a sigh, Kankurou moved across the bed over to the Leafnin. "I'm sorry if I hurt you earlier. I swear, I only want you." He spoke in a strangely gentle tone.
Kiba shook his head violently. "You're fucking with me," he barked.
"Yeah, of course I am, I just love pretending to have gay urges towards foreigners.
The younger boy couldn't help but smile. Kankurou seemed so loosened up...
"I smell sake..."
"How else was I supposed to get the guts to come here and tell you that I have feelings for you? Anyway I figured everything had gotten messed up by what you saw earlier. I needed to drown my pain." He looked down. "I'm sorry."
Kiba couldn't help but feel bad. He inched over to Kankurou and took his hand. "I haven't been sleeping or eating. I haven't been going out with my friends and I've been avoiding training. You won't get the fuck out of my head. I don't know what to do."
"Do what you want."
"I did. I came here. I just don't know what comes next."
Kankurou leaned over and kissed him. Kiba melted into the kiss and slowly wrapped his arms around the older boy. This was so wrong, boys don't kiss boys, and if they do they don't like it, but this felt so right. He smiled as Kankurou's warmth delicately wrapped around him.
An hour later, Kiba awoke to soft snoring and a small pool of Kankurou's drool on his bare chest. Logically, he should've flipped out, but instead he ran his fingers through the Sandnin's soft hair, grinned a doggish grin, and fell back asleep.