Probably not going to be too many more chapters to this story. Perhaps about five or six? Maybe less. Unless I get an idea for another arc. But even so, it probably won't be long. I kind of want to wrap this story up now, cuz I'm leaving it too long in between updates and am getting swamped with homework now.

Weeell, enjoy this chapter, mon amis!

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Hotaru awoke the next morning to a pleasant nuzzling in the crook of her neck, slowly opening her eyes and giving a contented sigh. She leaned back to gaze at her still-slumbering beau, and ran her thumb along his cheek with a smile as he chewed on his lip, fangs protruding.

The redhead smiled to herself as he pouted and cuddled closer, mumbling possessively. The Inuzuka certainly was adorable when he slept- when he wasn't keeping her awake by talking gibberish.

Kiba gave a rather large yawn as he woke, feeling someone playing with his hair. When he opened his eyes to see Hotaru laying there with him, he gave the largest grin he thought anyone had ever given, holding her tighter.

"Morning.." Hotaru murmured, placing a cool hand on Kiba's marginally flushed cheek. He shuffled upwards to lay directly facing the girl, a daft smile still on his face.

"Morning." he replied, and the pair just laid there, happy to be in each other's presence, until Hotaru sat up, pulling the covers with her to cover her front.

"We should get up soon." she said quietly, and Kiba stretched, not noticing the way his girlfriend turned her head away from him and his bare torso. "Go put your clothes on."

"Leaving in the same clothes I wore here?" he asked in mock horror, "Whatever will the neighbours think?!"

Hotaru snickered and hit him in the stomach, the muscles contracting as he laughed. Still holding the duvet to cover her chest, she leaned over to peck his lips, then squealed as she felt his hot hand squeeze her bare bum.

"Don't do that!" she protested, smacking him, scowling and blushing as he laughed at her girly squeaking.

"I don't get why you're being all self-conscious about, I've seen your body now so there's no problem, right?" he said, standing and getting dressed, unbothered by his nudity. The redhead huffed.

"Well, excuse me for not wanting to flash my boobs to everyone!" she retorted, quickly reaching and pulling on a t-shirt and shorts, then standing.

"But I'm the only one in here," he grinned cheekily, "And I don't mind."

"Pervert." she accused, and the male just shrugged.

She moved around the bed, a thoughtful look on her face. She picked up his headband from the side table, before standing on her tiptoes to tie it around his head, elbows resting on his shoulders. Kiba stared at her in surprise as her gentle hands fidgeted with the two loose ends, tying them into a knot. His cheeks started to heat up in shock and embarassment at the affection she so rarely showed.

Once the knot was tied, she let go, instead crossing her arms around his neck. It took Kiba a while to respond as her moppish head of hair dropped to rest on his shoulder, but pulled himself together enough to wrap his arms around her waist.

He soon regained his composure, ergo, he recovered his usual cockiness. "Looking for round two?"

Hotaru pushed him away, an irk mark on her forehead, "Trust you to ruin the moment. Baka Inuzuka." with that, she finished dressing and left on her small mission to a village just outside the Leaf.

The moment he was sure that she was gone, he gave a large grin, high tailing it out of the house to round up the cavalry.

- - -

"Ugh..." Hotaru grunted, wiping a coal smeared hand across her forehead, but only succeeding in spreading the black dust even further. She coughed, sending a small cloud of it outwards.

Of course her mission had to be a messy one. She had arrived at Odoki Village at around Ten, and found the missing child of the village leader within the hour using the Hikarigan. That part was easy. However, it wasn't so easy to get to the boy, because, in a bout of sudden insatiable curiosity, and got stuck in the village's coal mine. And then, when shouting for help, he had caused the entrance to the mine to cave in, which meant that Hotaru had to hike up to the top of a hug hill to find the other entrance and then dig the boy out. She picked a twig from her hair miserably. All she wanted was to go home and have a nice hot bath.

It just frustrated her that the idiots from that village could have saved her a lot of trouble by increasing security and not letting the boy into the mine in the first place. He was six. It wouldn't be difficult to stop him.

Sighing yet again, she shuffled back to her house, thanking the Gods that it was close to the gate. She absently wondered if Kiba would be back later.

As she entered the house, she stopped at the sound of a voice.

"Yeah, all right." Kiba was still here? Who was he talking to? He laughed, and she frowned. He was on the phone? "Okay, I'll be over in a little while. Hotaru should be back soon though, and I still haven't thought of an excuse."

Hotaru's eyes widened, and she shut the door gently before creeping to hide in the unused cupboard under the stairs. It was kind of musty in there, but the anxious kunoichi wasn't paying attention to that.

"Yeah, but she's bound to get suspicious. She can always tell when I'm hiding something." Kiba's voice sighed, and Hotaru scowled.

'So don't hide things then.' she thought.

"Alright. See you later, Emiko."

There was a short bleep as he hung up, and he grunted.

"Hotaru?" no doubt he could smell her, so she quickly stepped out of the cupboard and opened and closed the front door loudly. Kiba walked through, and grinned, seeming happy about something as he pulled her into a hug. She frowned against his chest, wondering why she couldn't ask him who this 'Emiko' was. She pushed him away.

"What's wrong, Hotaru?" Kiba asked gently, noticing her frown.

"Tough mission." she muttered, and he gave her a sympathetic look.

"Well, I've just got to pop out for a little bit," Hotaru's expression soured considerably, "But then I'll come back and look after you all evening, okay?"

"'kay." she muttered, then stomped upstairs to wash away the coal dust.

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ooh, so what is Kiba up to? D'you think he's cheating on her? O.o

Comment and vote, peoples!