"I have had enough of this stupid feud!" Tsunade bellowed, both fists planted on her desks.
"I wouldn't call it a *feud*," Inuzuka Keiji objected under his breath.
Tsunade lowered her head and glared at the man. He fell silent, eyes averted.
Aburame Shibi decided the better part of valor was to keep quiet, and did so. It was a feud; or was nearly a feud. It was getting ridiculous, he had to admit. *He* certainly didn't like hearing that one of his clan had gone and gotten themselves into *another* fight with one of the Inuzuka. Stupid petty tricks, dangerous stunts, drunken bickering--it was all beneath the Aburame.
He was certain the Inuzuka started it.
"You two," Tsunade said, pointing at each of them in turn, "are going to meld your damn clans."
Shibi stiffened. He looked in horror at Keiji. The man was staring back, just as appalled.
"We have clan secrets--" the Inuzuka started.
"--Bloodline limits--" Shibi said, trying to get his words over the other man's without yelling.
"Find a way!" Tsunade bellowed. "I don't care if you do it by fostering each other's children, you're *going* to meld your clans and *stop* this idiotic fighting! As if we don't have enough problems!" She sat heavily in her chair, face a picture of frustration, and waved them away.
Shibi hesitated, not wanting that to be the end of things. He couldn't imagine one of his clan marrying or living with the Inuzuka--it was impossible. No one would stand for it.
But Tsunade looked entirely too angry to argue with. He stormed out of the room.
**
Inuzuka Tsume had been one of Keiji's closest advisors ever since she'd turned the job over to him some years ago. It was because of that that she heard about the impending disaster.
Send an Inuzuka child to foster, indeed. There were other ways to meld a clan.
She told Keiji she'd take care of it, and went to search out Aburame Shibi.
**
Rumor flew through the clans, and then the village, faster than a plague of locusts. By the time Kiba got back from his mission and headed toward the Tower--required to go to the dignitary function, though he really, *really* didn't want to--he'd already heard about it.
He found Hinata first, standing with Tenten and Hanabi, a gold and fizzy drink in one hand.
"D'jyou hear?" he asked her, leaning close.
She jumped and looked around, her face lighting with a smile. "Kiba! You're back! I wondered if you'd make it."
Kiba snorted and snatched a glass of water off a nearby table. "Should have lingered coming home, and I would have missed this damn thing." The dignitary functions were the villages attempt to keep the peace; one a year in each village, and the other villages were required to send people. The host made sure as many of their ninja as possible were present; if the Chuunin trials were to show how good each village was, then these were smaller, non-violent versions. They were annoying.
Kiba tried not to think about it, and leaned in again. "But d'jyou hear?"
"Hear what?" Hinata asked, stepping away from the two other girls. They were talking about something, gesturing to Lee--Kiba didn't want to know.
"Some poor Aburame kid's gonna foster with my clan."
"Or the other way around," Hinata said with a little smile.
Kiba waved that away. "Maybe they'll learn to loosen up . . ."
"I heard they're going to marry an Inuzuka and Aburame," Hinata said hesitantly.
Kiba scoffed. "No way. Could you imagine trying to mix the bug bloodline limit with my clan's traits? It'd be a disaster. Any kids from that union would be *screwed.*"
Hinata nodded slowly.
Kiba was already looking around, craning his head to see over the crowd. "Shino here?" He knew the answer; Shino had to be there. He'd given up his place as heir, but was still grooming his cousin to take his spot. Shino even went to things he didn't *have* to go to, to help his cousin out.
"Over there," Hinata said, gesturing with a tilt of her chin.
Kiba looked, and saw a familiar black bush of hair. He grinned. Setting the glass down on a different table, he tossed Hinata a smile and began to force his way through the crowd. A shift in Shino's stance, a redistribution of weight, told Kiba he'd been noticed. He slid up behind his boyfriend, resting his chin on the other man's shoulder. "Hey, handsome."
Shino's cousin, Yukio, blushed bright red. Shino kept talking.
"That's the Sand representative--the Kazekage doesn't come to these things if he can at all avoid them--"
"That's a good thing," Kiba interrupted, still leaning on Shino. Shino stopped and tipped his head slightly; Kiba could just make out the shadow of eyelashes between the edge of glasses and face.
"I thought you liked Gaara."
"I do. And I'll be the first to say he's practically sane these days," Kiba said easily. He grinned at Yukio. "But he still scares the piss out of me."
He felt the little movement Shino gave under his coat; a slight chuckle. "Mission go all right? You hurt?" Shino asked quietly, still turned.
Kiba shook his head, murmuring, "Fine."
Shino glanced around, then asked, "Akamaru?"
"Home sleeping," Kiba said. "He doesn't like these, either."
Shino's eyebrow quirked; a smile. Kiba grinned. Slit-pupil eyes flickered to Yukio, and Kiba said cheerfully, "Hey--mind if I steal him for a minute?"
The new heir shook his head quickly, stepping away. Kiba grabbed Shino's wrist under layers of cloth and tugged, pulling him into a corner of the room. There, in the slight privacy it afforded, he examined what he could see of his boyfriend. "How you holding up?" he asked, trying not to be too concerned.
Shino's chin tipped; he'd looked away. "All right."
Kiba hesitated, not knowing how much to push, wishing he could just read the other man's mind.
A little over a year and a half earlier, Shino's father had delivered an ultimatum; drop Kiba, or step aside as heir to the Aburame clan. Shino hadn't stopped seeing Kiba. Two months earlier, the preparations had begun to turn everything over to his cousin, but it had only become official the week before.
Kiba had been out on a mission when it had happened. He regretted not being able to be there for Shino, since he was the reason it was going on. A small part of him had feared that Shino wouldn’t go through with it after all; that he wouldn't give up everything he'd been raised for, all the responsibility and honor that went with being the heir to the clan.
He shouldn't have worried. Still, it had to be hard. The Inuzuka didn't inherit clan leadership, but Kiba knew how important things like that were to others. And he wasn't blind; he saw the looks Shino got from his own people. Looks that said clearly, 'traitor' and 'coward' and 'betrayer.'
"Are you sure you're all right?" Kiba pressed, trying to see beyond the black glasses to the equally black eyes.
Shino's fingers closed on his, squeezing slightly. "I'm fine." He dropped his hand away, turning so he could see the rest of the room as well. "I'm moving out of the clan housing in a few weeks. Shikamaru said he'd help me find a place that fit in my budget."
"What is your budget?" Kiba asked uncertainly.
Shino's jacket moved, and an eyebrow twitched; a shrug and a smile. "The accountants said they'd get back to me."
"So . . . Yukio's getting your place?" Kiba asked slowly.
Shino nodded, a single downward motion of his head.
Kiba chewed on a knuckle, fighting the urge to suggest Shino just move in with him.
The Inuzuka didn't have plumbing. Apparently, that was an issue.
The room started to fall quiet, and Kiba glanced toward the stage. Tsunade was standing behind the podium, and as she opened her mouth to talk Kiba slid toward a nearby banquet table to get food. He loaded up a plate and brought it back, holding it beside Shino in a silent offer.
Shino picked up the fork and ate salmon, tugging his collar down to do so.
There were more scars, Kiba thought. Tiny little things no bigger than his nail, speckling pale skin. He resisted the urge to kiss them, and wondered how long Tsunade was going to talk. If he could get Shino into the bathroom . . .
"--ulations to the Inuzuka and Aburame clans on bringing their people together."
Kiba stopped chewing his handful of blueberries so he could listen, prepared to snicker at the unlucky bastard who was about to get sent to live with him. He was going to *torture* the kid.
Make him eat with his hands.
And bathe naked.
It was going to be *great.*
"--recent betrothal of Aburame Shin--"
Kiba froze. Shino's father had been angry about Shino refusing to stop seeing Kiba, but surely not that angry. He couldn't be that angry. He couldn’t marry Shino off after he'd said he *wouldn't.* "That can't be right," Kiba said, whipping around to stare in horror at Shino.
"--zuka Kiba!"
Into the moment of silence that followed, Kiba's squawk could be heard throughout the room.
"Wait--what? *WHO*?"
**
They'd been separated shortly after Kiba started yelling. Tsume grabbed him by the ear and hauled him off, and Shino's father had appeared at his elbow, leading him down a hall into an empty room.
"You could have said something," Shino said, listening absently to the humming of his kikaichuu and staring sightlessly at the tabletop. He had to be in shock. Except he felt vaguely annoyed that he hadn't at least been warned, and . . . well, rather pleased.
He was going to marry Kiba, as weird as that was. And even though two men hadn't ever married in the history of Konoha--that he knew of--it was still honorable, because they were going to make the clans stop fighting. In theory.
"I'm sorry, Shino," his father said quietly. "I wanted to tell you, but . . . well, we couldn't have children come of the union, and fostering was impossible--the Inuzuka have to be around their clan to learn to control their dogs." His voice grew distasteful. "And we didn't want fleas in our holdings."
Shino resisted the urge to look annoyed.
"It was Tsume's idea . . . since you two are fond of each other anyway . . ."
Shino kept staring at the table. Living with Kiba. Blessed by both clans. No more nasty looks, no more worrying that something would break them up.
"If you don't want to, we can find a different way," his father was saying.
"What?" Shino said, head snapping upward. His kikaichuu got suddenly louder, and he took a moment to quiet them. "No. It's fine." He pushed out of his chair, mind suddenly flying with things. Where would they live? With both their incomes, they could afford something nice. Maybe a cook. Shino thought of Kiba's cleaning habits. And a maid. "I should go find Kiba," he said to his father, and left the room before the man could suggest any other bad things like having them *not* marry.
It didn't take long to find the Inuzuka, despite the closed door.
"I thought," Tsume's voice came through the wood, "you'd be happy."
"You thought wrong!" Kiba shouted.
Shino froze.
"Fuck, Ma! I don't want to get married! What if we don't even *like* each other in six months, huh?"
"You've been dating for *two years*, Kiba!"
"And crush lasts for a year and a half! And--you didn't even *ask*!"
"You've been on a mission!"
"Maybe Shino doesn't want--"
"Let his father deal with that."
"Well maybe *I* don't want to marry *Shino*!"
Shino fell back a step. Then another.
Tsume's voice was quiet. "I thought you'd be happy. At least you two *like* each other."
"I'm not happy!" Kiba bellowed. "Call it off!"
"No."
"Ma!"
"Shino."
He jumped and spun, saw his father standing in a cloud of kikaichuu. He took a deep breath and called them back.
Kiba was still yelling.
"Shino, you don't have to do this."
"Fuck you!" Kiba shouted. A slap resounded. Everything went quiet.
A slight movement of his father's head told Shino that the man glanced toward the room. His father stepped closer, a hand on Shino's back, propelling him away. "He's just upset. Just surprised," he said softly.
Shino nodded numbly.
"Give him some time."
Shino nodded again. They passed the door to the hall, where ninja and dignitaries mingled.
His father paused at the room Shino had been taken to initially. "If you want to call it off . . ."
Shino stared at the table. Kiba didn't want this. Violently, he didn't want this.
His father spoke quietly. "He'll break your heart."
Shino nodded numbly. "I know." He took a deep breath, trying to gather his wits. "I need some air," he said at last, and ducked away from his father's hand, hurrying out of the building and into the forest.
**
Kiba stared at his reflection in the still water, peering at the bruise on his cheek. Felled by a slap.
With a sigh, he dipped a rag into the pool and laid it over his face. The throbbing subsided.
Married. Inuzuka didn't get married. They got together for a few years, had a kid or two, broke apart to find someone else. Often a pair would stay together for longer, but they didn't *marry.*
He only knew two married couples in the whole tribe. He did remember the occasions as being a lot of fun. Too much booze even for him, though he'd been only nine and fourteen when the marriages had happened.
*He* had never planned on getting married. And arranged marriages weren't based on whether or not you loved the person; just on politics and whether you got along, if your parents had your interests at heart.
What if they fell out of love? He knew people in arranged marriages often took other lovers. He didn't think he could deal with that.
Kiba felt slightly ill.
It had been a full day since everything had happened. He hadn't seen Shino. Shino was probably avoiding him, horrified. Shino probably didn't want to get married, either.
He had to talk to Shino. There had to be a way out of this.
**
Shino had called Shikamaru and told him he didn't want to find an apartment just yet. He didn't want to leave his house, truth be told.
The village was buzzing with the news. He wanted this. Wanted it so badly he could taste it. Wanted to know Kiba was his, and would be his forever.
He kept hearing Kiba's furious shout. "Well maybe *I* don't want to marry *Shino*!"
It got worse every time.
When someone rapped at his door, he jumped. For a moment he was happy, and in the next instant he was depressed beyond belief.
That was Kiba's knock.
He didn't want to see Kiba.
Maybe if he pretended he was gone--
"Yo! Shino!" A staccato rapping following, sailing demandingly through the house.
Shino put on his best inscrutable face and dragged himself toward the door. Heart in his feet, he opened it.
Kiba pushed in, blazing through the house toward the family room. "Your parents here?"
"No," Shino said simply. He closed the door behind Akamaru and turned, watching the other man. Kiba dropped onto the couch, looking determinedly relaxed and glaring out a window. Akamaru settled at his feet, looking just as determined, if a little worried.
Shino followed more sedately into the room, hovering near the doorway. Maybe he should have gone with Shikamaru after all.
"We don't have to do this, you know," Kiba said, still glaring out the window. "It's fucking *barbaric*, making people marry when they don't want to."
Shino calmed his kikaichuu automatically and remained silent. Kiba had never said he wanted things to last. He'd never pretended he was anything but what he was.
"You could talk to your dad," Kiba said. "He wouldn't make you, if you didn't want to."
"No," Shino said sharply.
Kiba's gaze swept around, pinning him. Slit pupil eyes watched him intently. Shino felt like a bug, pinned with a needle through the chest. "He said he couldn't change it." The lie was remarkably easy. He hated himself for it.
Kiba glared out the window again. "Fuck." He chewed on a knuckle, then spat, "I fucking hate our parents right now, you know? Thinking they can just do anything they damn well please, and tough shit to anyone who disagrees."
"Yeah," Shino said without enthusiasm.
Kiba didn't notice. "Who do they think they are, pushing us into this? I don't want to get married!" His eyes snapped around again. Shino nearly flinched. "Do you?"
"Of course not," he said, and Kiba looked away again.
He watched the man nearly vibrate in his chair, knowing he wouldn't be there long. Too much energy. Too much anger.
He should tell Kiba they could call it off. That his father had offered to fix it.
His mouth refused to open.
"I’m gonna go--" Kiba stood, scowled around, and stormed for the door. "I'm just gonna go. I need some air or--or something." The front door slammed behind him.
Shino sank slowly into a chair. He should have told Kiba. If you loved someone, weren't you supposed to be selfless?
Kiba obviously didn't want this. Shino put his head in his hands and closed his eyes. The kikaichuu hummed around him.
**
"It's just not right, making two people marry when they aren't in love," Kiba said, sprawled out in Hinata's room on her futon.
Hinata sat at the top of the bed, legs stretched out, Kiba's head on her thigh. One of his arms was wrapped around her knee like it was his own personal teddy bear. She glanced at the door, half expecting Neji to come in at any moment, and wondering if he'd be offended at the man making himself at home on their bed.
She hoped not. Kiba was obviously upset--he looked like he'd thrown himself through training for the last several hours, and still wasn't tired enough to calm down. Hinata was glad she hadn't seen him earlier; his frustration and upset were morose now, but she would have bet money they had been nearly a rage before.
She stroked her fingers through shaggy brown hair, unable to see his face. Akamaru lay panting on the floor, watching Kiba with soulful eyes.
"You've never seemed to think arranged marriages were bad before," Hinata said quietly.
"Well--I didn't. But they are."
Hinata smiled wryly. She brushed Kiba's hair away from his temple, ignoring the sweat that had dried there. After a moment she pulled out a tissue and the glass of water she kept by her bed, dunked the tissue, and started washing him. His eyes closed, and he relaxed slightly. "Do you hate the thought of being with Shino so much?" Hinata asked.
He stiffened and rolled over to look up at her, dark eyes wide. "What? No!" he nearly yelped. "It's just--I--"
Hinata waited, watching him sort through words and emotions. He closed his eyes tight and rolled away again. "Hinata-chan," he murmured softly, "I've loved him since I was fifteen. Fifteen! And he--he didn't even *look* at me until a year ago!"
"Almost two, Kiba," Hinata pointed out.
Kiba rolled again, staring up at her. "What if it *is* just a crush? Or what if he decides women are better after all?" He rolled away, and spoke miserably. "I don't think I could stand that."
Hinata ran her tissue down his ear, under the shaggy line of his hair. "Have you talked to Shino?"
He was quiet for a long moment. "No," he murmured. "I've told him I love him, Hinata." His voice dropped further. "He hasn't said it back."
Hinata winced. She dipped her tissue into the water again, giving herself time to think, and started wiping away salt from Kiba's neck. "Are you sure he knows?" she asked finally.
"I *told* him--"
"Kiba," Hinata said, gently chiding, "do you remember what you said about Naruto last time you were out?"
Kiba was quiet. "He's funny?"
She smiled slightly. "And why was he funny?"
"'Cause he was smashed. He's always funny when he's smashed. Oh, and he told that waiter exactly what we all thought of him--that was hilarious--"
"And what did you say?" Hinata pressed.
Kiba fell silent. "Um. He was really cool?"
Hinata bent, trying to catch Kiba's eye. "You said you loved him."
Kiba rolled to look at her. "Well, not like *that*!" he squawked.
"I know," Hinata said quickly. "But my point is that you use that word very freely. Shino might not realize you're serious."
The indignation melted out of his body. Frowning, he turned to rest his head on her knee again. "Oh."
She gave him a few moments. Akamaru sighed and laid his muzzle on his paws.
"What if he doesn't want to get married? Or if he really isn't in love back? Or we fall *out* of love?" Kiba asked on a near-whimper.
Hinata smiled softly at the back of his head. "Welcome to the world of marrying for love."
Kiba heaved a mammoth sigh. For a long moment the only sound was that of Akamaru breathing and the whisper of tissue over skin. Kiba's grip shifted on Hinata's leg. He rubbed his cheek against her pants.
"Do you want to marry him?" Hinata asked quietly.
"I hadn't thought about it," Kiba dodged.
Hinata tugged his ear. "Do you want to, now that you've thought about it?"
"Yeah," Kiba whispered. "But--men don't get married!"
She shrugged. "You're setting a trend."
Kiba was silent, and the inward struggle was obvious. Finally, he blurted, "Hinata, if it's an arranged marriage, I'll never know if he married me because he wanted to or if he married me because he had to! He does what his parents say half the time even when he doesn't want to!"
"Kiba-kun," Hinata laughed, "he gave up his place as clan heir for you! I think he's marrying you for himself!"
Kiba snuffled. He rubbed his face on her knee again. She stared at him in shock. "Are you *crying*?"
"No!" Kiba nearly yelled. "My face just hurts where Ma slapped me!"
Hinata leaned back. "Oh," she said, smiling. "Kiba, go talk to Shino."
"'m scared," he mumbled.
She sighed and ran her fingers through his hair, cleaner now. "I know. Go talk to him."
Kiba nodded against her knee. "In a little bit. I'm just gonna hide here for a while more."
**
Shino hovered in his father's office doorway, watching the man watch him. "You said," he spoke slowly, "you could call it off."
His father nodded wordlessly, setting aside the papers and ink he'd been working with. "If you really want me to. We'll find another way."
Shino kept his emotions leashed. He didn't dare let anything get too close to the surface; he could feel the kikaichuu boiling under his skin. "Call it off."
His father stood and came around the desk, stopping just in front of him. Shino couldn't bring himself to meet the other man's gaze, even behind the dark glasses.
"You really love him?"
Shino didn't say anything. Didn't have to.
"The Inuzuka don't do fidelity well," his father said. "Maybe this is for the best."
Shino nodded wordlessly. How tempting, to just let Kiba think they had to go through with it. But down that road he knew the other man would just start to resent the shackles. Better to let him go now. Kiba would bounce back. Kiba would be fine.
He had to stop thinking about it, to keep from dissolving into misery right then and there.
"I'll talk to Tsume and Keiji about another solution," his father said. "It'll be fine."
Shino nodded again. "I'm going to head out," he said softly. "Find some bugs."
His father nodded and stepped away, and Shino left the room.
**
"Yo, Shino!" Kiba called, rapping impatiently on the door. Nerves were bubbling through his stomach unpleasantly, making the rest of him shake.
Talk to Shino. Sure. Easy. They talked all the time.
He didn't want to get married if Shino didn't want to get married. Shino didn't want to get married, he was sure of it.
Akamaru whined. He put a hand on the massive head absently, still lost in his own thoughts.
This whole thing was fucked up. If he'd just had more *time*--
Of course, if he'd had more time, maybe Shino would have broken it off entirely.
He hadn't ever expected to get married. He wasn't sure he liked the idea in general, and he knew he couldn't deal with it if Shino decided he wanted to leave. Or liked women. Or anything that didn't involve Kiba.
He shifted from foot to foot impatiently, then knocked again, "Shino!"
The door opened.
Kiba looked up into the face of Shino's father. Damn the Aburame for being so tall. Kiba smiled weakly. "You're back."
Shino's father didn't move. Or he might have, but between the glasses and the collar, it was hard to tell.
"Uh, I was just wondering if Shino was here?"
"Out."
He was pretty certain Shino's father was being even cooler than he normally was, which was saying something. Kiba's eyes narrowed. *He* was the one being forced into an arranged marriage; what right did Shino's *father* have to be annoyed with him?
The man must have read the thoughts right off Kiba's face. He stepped forward, pushing Kiba back, and closed the door.
"Leave my son alone," the man said, quietly and firmly. "You've done enough damage."
Kiba's eyes widened. "*I've*--I haven't done anything!"
The man raised a hand, finger in Kiba's nose. "Leave him be." He stepped back, inside the house. "The wedding's off. That's what you wanted, right?" Coldly, he closed the door in Kiba's face.
Kiba looked at it, thunderstruck.
Damage? What damage? He hadn't done anything! And now they *weren't* getting married? What the fuck? "Akamaru," Kiba muttered, and that was all he needed to say. Akamaru's nose hit the ground and he was off and running, Kiba following at a sprint.
**
"Shino!"
He froze, resisted the urge to curse, and turned to see Akamaru bounding up to him, tongue hanging out one side of his mouth. He barked--big and booming, nothing like the yaps he had made once upon a time--and skidded to a halt in front of Shino. His whole body wagged with enthusiasm.
"Hey, Akamaru," Shino said quietly, focusing on the dog rather than the man panting behind him. He rubbed Akamaru's favorite spots--just under the floppy ears--and watched as the beast practically melted.
"Shino--your dad--" Kiba panted. "--He said--no wedding--hurt you--?"
Shino kept studying Akamaru. "I can't understand a word you're saying," he said softly, calmly. "Catch your breath."
Kiba flopped to the forest floor, all arms and legs sprawled in shadow. He took one final deep breath, exhaled, and looked up. "Your dad said the wedding's off?"
Shino tried not to wince and ruffled his fingers through thick white fur. "I talked to him. That's what you wanted, right?"
From the corner of his eye, he caught Kiba's frown.
"I--yeah. I guess." But he didn't sound too happy.
Shino looked at him, exasperated.
"I mean--how else are they gonna meld the clans? Any kids they foster will just be miserable, and they can't risk a pregnancy--"
"Kiba!" Shino nearly snapped, frustration rising. He closed his eyes, trying to regain his calm. Damn it, he was *attempting* to do the right thing, and now Kiba wasn't happy with this?
"I--I just--" Kiba stopped. Akamaru dropped to the ground beside him, big head resting in the man's lap. Fingers tangled in white fur, and Kiba watched his dog intently. "I mean," he said quietly, "I wouldn't mind marrying you. If you *wanted* to."
Shino stared at him uncomprehendingly.
Kiba glanced up, then down again. "It's just, if you don't want to, then I don’t want to, either."
Shino kept staring.
Kiba frowned, huffing air out from between pursed lips. "I know people in arranged marriages find other lovers and stuff sometimes, and--well--I just couldn't do that. I mean, I couldn't deal with it if . . . if you did that."
Shino's eyebrows rose. "If you cheat on me," he said, voice intense, "I'll kill you."
Kiba looked up, eyes wide. Then the look of surprise dissolved, and he barked a laugh. "I won't cheat on you," he said, grinning. It faded after a moment, and he looked back down at Akamaru. "But--I don't want to do this if you're doing it because you *have* to."
Shino stared at Kiba in disbelief. "Kiba--"
Kiba spoke over him, working foxtails out of Akamaru's fur. "Hinata said maybe you think I don't love you 'cause, y'know, I say it about lots of things. But--but I really do." He smiled softly, still looking down. "For years. And if you don't love me back, well, that's okay. Really. But--I don't think I could be married to you and have you see other people. I don't want to marry you if you're just doing it because you're *supposed* to."
Shino blinked. Then again. He started to speak and had to stop, to clear his throat. He tried again and didn't know what to say. He felt a little shaky. And weak. It wasn't a feeling he was used to.
"But of course you don't want to," Kiba said quickly, as the silence stretched. "Who'd want to get married, right? You said you talked to your dad and he said it's off, so--" Kiba stood. Akamaru scrambled to his feet. "So, it's all right. If we can just keep going like before--" Kiba was brushing at his clothes with short, sharp movements. His hands were shaking.
He turned to go.
Shino finally found his voice. "Kiba, you *idiot*," he growled.
Kiba froze and looked back.
Shino took two steps forward, grabbing Kiba's elbow below the mesh shirt. "Kiba--I'm not good with emotions. You know that."
Kiba frowned and nodded, looking away.
"But--" the words were hard, somehow. He forced them through a tight chest. "I love you. And . . . um . . . I would love to know that . . . that you're stuck with me for the rest of your life."
Kiba glanced up at him. "Really?"
Shino nodded, relieved that the hard part was over.
"You're not just saying that?" Kiba asked doubtfully.
Shino shook his head.
Kiba started to smile. "Oh." It turned into a grin. "Wow." He scratched the back of his head, ruffling his hair everywhere. "That's . . . um . . . that's great." His grin looked like it might split his face. "You love me. So . . . we're getting married? If you want to," he added hurriedly.
Shino nodded quickly.
"Weird," Kiba said. The smile faded. He looked a little pale, Shino thought. "I'd never expected to get *married.*"
"Just like committing to someone," Shino said, knowing that the Inuzuka tribe did that more frequently.
"Yeah," Kiba said slowly. "Weird."
Shino rubbed the tips of his fingers together self-consciously. "If you don't want to--"
"I want to," Kiba said quickly. "I mean--yeah." He smiled. It wobbled. "You're sure you want to? I mean, you'd be stuck with me . . ."
Shino glanced around, checking to see if anyone was around. Not that it would have changed things, he liked to think, but . . . well, he already wasn't great at demonstrations. Witnesses made it worse.
He stepped forward, reaching up and wrapping his hands around Kiba's neck, tugging the slightly shorter man closer. "I love you. I would love to spend the rest of my life with you."
Kiba smiled. Then he grinned. "Oh. Wow."
Shino waited. Nothing happened. He leaned his forehead against Kiba's and murmured, "A similar declaration wouldn’t be amiss here."
Kiba laughed. "Oh, c'mon. I've loved you since we were teenagers!" He pushed forward the last inch, kissing Shino thoroughly. Just when it was starting to get interesting, and Shino was reminded that Kiba never wore underwear, Kiba pulled away. The Inuzuka was staring at nothing, looking perplexed. "Where will we live?"
It took Shino a moment to pull his mind back and realize what Kiba had said. "Oh. Um." He thought of the Inuzuka grounds, and the fact that the clan didn't usually move away, and nearly winced. "Well, Shikamaru was going to help me find an apartment . . ."
Kiba looked at him. "Yeah?" he said hopefully. "You think we could find one close to home?"
Shino nodded quickly, relieved that Kiba wasn't going to suggest they both move into the Inuzuka camp. "Of course. Right near the tribal grounds."
Kiba wrinkled his nose. "Not too close, or Ma'll never stop visiting."
Shino smiled.
Kiba looked faraway again. "You think we could have fans?" he asked wistfully.
Shino nodded, holding back his laugh. He stroked his thumb along Kiba's jaw, though it was obvious Kiba's mind was elsewhere now.
"And that water system you have in your clan house, to cool the air?"
"Probably not," Shino said slowly. "We'd have to tear up the walls . . ."
Kiba sighed. "Ah, well . . ."
"But we'll have heat," Shino said, remembering cold winter months when he'd nearly refused to go see Kiba at all, despite Kiba's lewd suggestions that he'd keep them warm.
Kiba snorted. "One night with Akamaru, and you won't want heat."
Shino stopped stroking. "No dogs on the bed," he said firmly.
"But he's always slept on the bed!" Kiba protested. Akamaru whuffed from below.
"No dogs on the bed," Shino repeated, slightly more insistent.
Kiba's eyes narrowed. "Fine. But no bugs flying around the kitchen."
"All right," Shino agreed readily.
"I mean that. You know that creepy little colony thing you got goin' on in your room? It has to stay out of my way. I don't want those in Akamaru's fur."
"It's a breeding program!" Shino said.
"No bugs in Akamaru's fur!"
"All right, all right," he grumbled, shaking his head in defeat.
Kiba looked at him, looking more than a bit shellshocked. "Married."
Shino smiled slightly. He couldn't begin to describe how excited he was--despite Kiba's obvious uncertainty.
"Weird," Kiba said again.
**
"Okay," Kiba announced firmly, sitting across the table from his mother and Shino's father. "We're gonna do it." He ignored his mother's, "Damn well better," and added, "But *not* right away."
His mother's eyebrows rose. All his determination fled, and he slunk down in his seat. Shino, sitting next to him, squeezed his fingers. He sat up a little again.
"We were thinking a longer engagement," Shino said quietly.
"Like a year," Kiba said loudly.
"How 'bout a month?" his mother shot back.
"Ma!" Kiba bellowed. Only Shino's hand on his wrist kept him from leaping out of his chair. "That's not long!"
"It's long enough! You've been dating for two years, already!" she shouted back. "Be glad I'm not dragging you to a temple myself!"
"I'm *not* getting married in a temple!" Kiba yelled, standing. He froze and looked at Shino. "Unless, uh, you wanted to get married in a temple?"
He couldn't define the change in expression, but knew Shino was laughing at him. "I don't care."
Kiba turned and shouted, "See? We're not getting married in a temple!" His mother had stood as well, fists braced on the tabletop.
"We can use the Aburame residences for the--the wedding," Shino's father said quietly. Kiba eyes narrowed at him. He'd had a problem all along with Shino dating Kiba, and while Shino *said* his father was getting better, Kiba didn't think he seemed terribly supportive. "There's no reason to make the entire village aware of this," Shibi added, and Kiba thought darkly that his point had been proven.
Beside him, Kiba felt Shino flinch. He squeezed the man's hand and kept staring at Shino's father like he'd lost his mind.
His mother spoke first. "You think you can fit the whole Inuzuka clan in there?"
"The whole clan?" Shino's father said, sounding strained. "I was thinking a few of the closer family members--"
"That's everybody!" Tsume said, still standing and now looking down at Shino's father. "This is big! This is a huge celebration!"
"Lots of booze," Kiba mouthed to Shino.
"Weddings are important, formal affairs--" Shibi started.
"Formal? Ha!" Tsume scoffed. "They should be times for fun!"
Shino's father stood, towering over Tsume. "I'll not let you make a mockery of my son's wedding!"
Tsume turned, hands on her hips, glaring up. "And I'm not about to let you try and force your stuffed shirt ways on Kiba!"
Shino glanced at Kiba. Kiba grinned. A tilt of Shino's head said all it needed to: let's get out of here.
They escaped amid quietly intense talking and blatantly aggressive shouting.
"Well," Kiba said, laughing, "this could be really interesting."
**
In the end, they agreed to wait three months--by then, the apartment that Shino and Kiba wanted would be vacant.
Shino was glad, if only because it gave Kiba a chance to work through the rest of his reservations.
"You know what's going to be weird?" Kiba asked quietly as they sat in a tree, waiting for the ninja they were ambushing to come through.
Shino looked at him, eyebrow raised.
"Going on missions, and then going home with you."
Shino smiled slightly. He was looking forward to that. "You know what won't be weird?" he asked softly.
Kiba just looked at him expectantly.
Shino slid forward along the branch, pulling down his collar and pushing up against the other man, melding their bodies together as closely as he could. He kept thinking about ninja blacks and nothing but skin . . . and wondered if Kiba tanned in the nude. Wondered if Kiba would keep doing so, even though they'd be living with civilized people.
He really hoped so.
He kissed the other man, hands wrapping around a strong neck, tongue sliding into a warm mouth. Kiba groaned, pushing closer, hooking one leg up along Shino's thigh--
Akamaru barked.
They broke apart, dropping to the ground in a flurry of shuriken and tiny wings. Missing ninja yelled and scattered, and Kiba and Shino went to work.
**************
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Chapter notes: Comes after Mark, Important People, Discomfort, and Noises.