"I'm so bored.."

Kiba fell onto his back, gazing at the sky, his huge dog laying beside him. He let out a sigh, and nudged Akamaru.

"That colour in the sky... it reminds me of something. I can't think what it is."

The sun was just setting, and the sky was dyed in vibrant orange and red. Kiba crossed his arms behind his head, and Akamaru rested his head in on his front paws, releasing a low whine.

"No way, Akamaru. I don't miss her one bit."

There was a short bark, and a few yips. The dog stared at his master intensely.

"What do you mean, I 'keep thinking about her'?!"

More barking.

"So what if that red is the exact same shade as her hair?! That doesn't mean anything!"

The dog lolled his head, and barked softly.

"So what if she is beautiful?! That doesn't- wait, no, I mean- argh!"

Kiba finally gave up, lifting his head and hitting it into the ground. Akamaru gave a series of short barks, and Kiba growled. His dog was laughing at him!

"Kiba!" the teen sat up, propping himself on his elbows at the call. He saw a blonde head, and rose an eyebrow.

"What's up, Naruto?" he asked tiredly. Naruto looked excited, and Kiba was slightly amazed. The blonde had only recently got back from his two year travels with Jiraiya, and was seventeen now, but still managed to look as childish as ever.

"She's back! She's with some guy, but Hotaru-chan's back!"

Kiba fought the urge to jump up and run to the gates, and instead rolled his eyes and sat up fully, folding his arms. "What makes you think I care?"

Naruto wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "'Cause I know your little secret, Kiba~"

Kiba growled. "There is no secret!! I'm sick of telling you people this!!"

Naruto waved his hand dismissively. "Sure, sure. But seriously, you better hurry up, else she'll be gone before we get there."

Kiba leapt to his feet, and set off quickly, then cursed. He had looked waayy to eager. He peered back, to see Naruto grinning smugly, and fought the urge to punch the smirk off of the jinchuriki's face. Damn baka...

* * *

Hotaru scanned the crowd, grinning. Everyone was here! Well, pretty much. The only thing was, they kept trying to hug her.. ugh.

"You guys! I'm happy to see you too, but jeez! Personal space!" she yelled, backing away and giving her brother a pleading look. Sasori just smirked back at her, letting her suffer. What a jerk.

She was in the middle of cursing him to the pits of hell when a big white blob glomped her, knocking her to the floor. She felt something wet and slobbery sliding over her cheeks, and heavy paws on her shoulders, and laughed.

"Ew, Akamaru stop that!" she protested, trying to get the dog off. She was amazed at how big he'd gotten, but it was definitely still him. "Okay okay, I missed you too, boy! But I'm not food!"

She finally succeeded in removing the huge dog from her person, and stood up. Once she'd rid herself of dog saliva, her eyes immediately locked with those of the dog's master, and she folded her arms, wearing a smirk at his shocked expression.

"S'up?" she asked, challenging him, knowing full well that he was eyeing her up. Seems Inuzuka had finally confirmed his sexuality. "Finally decided you like women then?"

Kiba jumped as if he had been stung, then blushed hard and glared at the girl. She might have gotten taller (coughandprettiercough), but she was still that same irritating Hotaru.

"I always have! There's just nothing to see with you!" Kiba yelled.

"Oh really?" Hotaru smirked, inspecting her nails, "I assume you're looking at my clothes, then~?"

Kiba growled, blushing. Damn. She had totally seen him ogling her.

"Okay, okay, I admit it, you've gotten... okay-looking... but still! I could do miles better than you!" Kiba clenched his fists, challenging, but unlike before, Hotaru stayed irritatingly calm.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, dog boy..." Hotaru said, then waved to everyone with a perky smile, and went over to Sasori.

"Imouto.. I'm impressed." he said, and Hotaru gave a dazzling smile.

"Konan gave me a few useful tips.. I just remembered them. And I suppose Hidan was helpful." Hotaru grinned, then gestured for him to follow as they walked to her old flat.

Kiba growled low as she turned and walked away. She was just so... ugh!!

Kiba's eyes wondered, then realised where he was looking, and quickly moved away. He was totally just looking at her ass! Damnit!!

He scowled as Naruto came over and nudged him. "Hey Kiba... Hotaru got hot, didn't she..?"

Kiba spared a glance at the blonde, and, seeing the sly grin, growled.

"Shut up!! I don't like her, alright?!" he yelled, and Naruto blinked innocently.

"I never said you did, Kiba.." Kiba went to yell at him, then stopped, and grimaced. Naruto was right.

Suddenly consumed with irritation, the dog boy growled, and chased a laughing Naruto down the street, yelling wordlessly.

* * *

A few days passed, and Kiba and Hotaru's arguments seemed to lessen, though they still argued more than the average people. Both shinobi had drawn more into themselves in the seperation, though they could still argue the toss about almost anything.

It was after a long, and particularly tiring argument about who was stronger that Hotaru now growled to herself about. She was home by this point, and Sasori was just watching her with an amused expression. He then fell to his knees, bringing Hotaru's ranting to a halt.

"Aw, my little sister's got her first love!" Sasori said, anime crying. Hotaru's eyebrow twitched.

"I DO NOT LIKE KIBA!! SHUT UP SASORI!!" she screeched, throwing the wooden spoon that she was holding for no apparent reason at her brothers head. Sasori fell to the ground, a bump on his head and his eyes in dizzy spirals. Hotaru just left him, stomping up the stairs to shower.

A little while later, the kunoichi came out of the bathroom, in her pj's, and went through to her room.

She glanced up, seeing the person sitting on her bed, and said, "Whatta ya want, mutt?" then continued to her bag. After a minute, she froze. She then turned around.

"What the hell are you doing in my room, Inuzuka?!" she roared, and Kiba smirked, leaning against the wall.

"I came to tell you we've got a mission tomorrow."

"Haven't you heard of using the door?! I could of been naked or something!" Hotaru yelled, and Kiba just smirked, seemingly unperturbed.

"I'll take my chances. And anyway, I prefer the window." Hotaru's face heated up, much to her inner dismay.

"Pervert!!" she yelled, throwing the object in her hands at him. Which just so happened to be a tampax box.

Kiba caught it, looked at it, then rose an eyebrow. "I think you want these."

Hotaru just grabbed the box from his hands, blushing harder, and glared at him.

'Well,' she thought, growing more uncomfortable as time went by, locked in a stare down with dog boy, 'I might as well be naked, with how bad this is going.'

"Well anyway, if that's all you came to tell me, then you can leave now." Hotaru said, regaining composure.

"Fine, but be at the gates for nine tomorrow. It's an escort." Kiba said, standing up. Hotaru immediately started shoving him towards the window. "Hey, wait a second-!"

"You came in through the window, so you can go out by it!" Hotaru hissed, pushing him harder out of the gap.

"But-"

"Or would you rather deal with my brother?" Hotaru asked, smiling evilly. Kiba gulped, remembering the profile he had read of Akasuna no Sasori...

"I think I'll take my chances with the window." he said quickly, leaping out. Hotaru smirked victoriously, and slammed her window shut, sending her enemy one last glare before shutting the curtains.

After a minute, a thought struck her.

Kiba.. he had grown taller than her! That bastard!

Heaving a sigh, she traipsed downstairs. It seemed everyone was taller than her now, Sasuke, Nii-san, Kiba, even Naruto... she felt like such a midget.

"What was going on up there?" Sasori asked, as Hotaru trailed into the living room, though his eyes were glued to the TV on 'The Muppets'. Hotaru rolled her eyes. Her brother had some weird fascination with that program.

"Oh, the mutt stopped by to tell me that I have a mission tomorrow." Hotaru replied, plopping down on the couch next to him.

"Really? It sounded indecent." Hotaru's eyes widened a bit, and then she scowled.

"So you thought it sounded dodgy, and you didn't know who it was... I could've been being raped, and you just sat here?!"

Sasori nodded, smirking. "Yup."

Hotaru glared at him. "Gee, thanks, brother. I feel so safe." she said sourly, folding her arms, and Sasori chuckled, ruffling her hair.

"I knew it was Kiba. You yelled out 'Inuzuka' and 'mutt' a couple of times." Sasori said.

"So? You could have at least came up and smacked him around a bit for potentially perving on your little sister!" Sasori just chuckled as Hotaru pouted, and lulled her to him. The kunoichi squirmed, and Sasori rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on, Imouto. You might be seventeen, but you're not too old for a cuddle with your Onii-san, are you?" Sasori pouted, and Hotaru sighed, but stopped trying to get out of his grasp. The older sibling smiled.

Finally, they could both relax. It had been a long and strenuous two and a half years for the both of them.

---

I'm not gonna write much here, I'm tired.. -.-

So yeah...MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY..

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