Realization

Shikamaru stood outside of the Inuzuka household, debating on whether or not to knock. In the end he gained up the courage and knocked on the door. Hana opened the door and greeted him. "Hello Shikamaru, are you here to see Kiba?"

Shikamaru nodded. "I heard bout what happened and wanted to see if he was ok."

"Well, he's in the front room along with Akamaru, so your welcome to go see him," Hana said stepping aside and letting him in. "I have to leave so have fun."

Shikamaru walked into the living room to find Kiba lying on the couch with a snoozing Akamaru on his chest. Kiba looked up at Shikamaru, when he entered the room. He picked up Akamaru as he sat up on the couch. He set the puppy in his lap as he addressed the other ninja. "What are you doing here, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru sat down on the couch next to Kiba and scratched Akamaru behind the ears. "I just returned from a mission and the Lady told me about what happened when I was gone. I went to the hospital but they said that you already went home. So are you and Akamaru ok?"

Kiba nodded. "Yeah, in the end Akamaru managed to fight the beast within and saved both of us."

Shikamaru smiled. "You both always pull through and are ok in the end."

Kiba looked up at Shikamaru. "Well, what do you expect? I'm not that easily put down."

"Yes, but you also don't know when to quit," Shikamaru said softly. "It seems like your always getting hurt. You should be more careful or you might wind up dead. I don't think any of us would like that."

Kiba chuckled. "So, the supposed 'Carefree and Unstressed' ninja does worry about people."

Shikamaru blushed and looked down. "I only care about my friends."

Kiba lifted Shikamaru face gently. "You don't have to hide how you feel Shika, I already know." Kiba leaned in and gently kissed Shikamaru. Shikamaru felt his heart begin to race. Kiba pulled back and smiled softly. "I feel the same."

Shikamaru sat there dazed for a moment before he realized what happened. He got up suddenly. "I-I have to go." And with that Shikamaru ran out of the house, almost running

Tsume over in the process.

Shikamaru ran all the way back home, jumping across the building tops until he reached the window of his room. He threw it open and jumped in. He slid down the wall and sat there for a moment. He reached up and touched his lips, which still tingled from the kiss. He shut his eyes and leaned his head against the wall. "He wasn't supposed to find out. I didn't want him to. I can't date him no matter how much I like him. My clan would never approve of it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At the Inuzuka household, Kiba was under an intense glare from his mother. "Ok pup, what happened to make your friend run out like that?"

Kiba kept his head bowed. "Nothing mom. I don't want to talk about it."

Tsume sat down on the couch next to her son. "Kiba…"

Kiba put his face in his hands. "I kissed him, and by doing so probably lost on of my best friends."

Tsume laid a hand on her son's shoulder. "The Nara men just like the Inuzuka men are attractive…."

Kiba looked up at his mother. "Yeah, like everyone says, but this is NOT helping me. I doubt that he will want to see me again."

Tsume removed the stray stands of hair from her sons face. "Did I ever tell you about the man I was seeing before your father?"

Kiba shook his head. "No, you never told us anything before our father."

Tsume looked down for a moment before looking back at her son. "Kiba, the man I dated before your father was Shikaku."

Kiba's eyes widened. "You dated Shikamaru's father!!"

Tsume nodded. "Yes, along time ago, but we had to break up because his father didn't approve, none of the clan approved of us. It's been like that for years. An Inuzuka and a Nara have never dated and stayed together. In fact, we were the first of our clans to date. But, they said the Inuzuka's were too wild and crazy and Shikaku deserved better. But we told ourselves if our children ever became attracted to each other, then we'd let them be, we weren't going to stop them."

Kiba stared at his mom. "Why didn't you tell me any of that?"

"We decided to never tell you kids, but after what happened, you deserve to know," Tsume answered. "Shikaku and I have known for a while that you two like each other, but we kept quiet."

Kiba bowed his head. "He won't talk to me after this though. I know he won't. He'll avoid me and probably never come near me again."

"Then it's up to you to confront him, give him some time, then go talk to him, ok?"

Kiba nodded. "Yeah, thanks mom."

"Your welcome." Tsume said before getting up. "I have to leave again but I'll be back in a bit ok?"

Kiba nodded. "Have fun."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shikaku heard a knock on the front door and called out to his wife to get it, since he was trying to get his son out of his room. Yoshino called out to him. "Shikaku, it's for you."

Shikaku walked downstairs to see Tsume in the front room waiting for him. "Hello, Tsume. Did you need something?"

Tsume nodded. "I need to tell you something which involves our sons."

Shikaku looked at the women for a minute before turning to his wife. "Yoshino, do you mind giving us some time alone, please."

The women looked at her husband. "Well if it's about Shikamaru shouldn't I…"

"Yoshino, please do as I say." Shikaku said. Yoshino left and Shikaku sat down on the couch motioning Tsume to do the same. "First of Shikamaru locked himself in his room and won't come out, does this have anything to do with Kiba?"

"I believe that it does, I came home and was almost ran over as Shikamaru left the house in a hurry. I asked Kiba what happened only to find out that Kiba kissed him."

Shikaku looked down. "Looks like history might repeat. Shikamaru knows that it's frowned upon for a Nara and an Inuzuka to date, but I never told him our story."

"I just told Kiba today. I figured that he needed to know," Tsume said. "And I also told him to give Shikamaru some time before confronting him on what happened. I think that you should tell Shikamaru about how we used to date and why we broke up."

Shikaku looked up at the women. "I don't know that might be a problem considering I haven't even told my wife."

Tsume nodded. "Then what should we do. We don't wan them to turn out like us."

Shikaku got up. "I'll go tell him, you go deal with Kiba and bring him here for dinner. We have some work to do"

Tsume nodded and got up as well. "I will."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Tsume arrived back home and found Kiba curled up on the couch with Akamaru. She sighed and walked over to him and shook his shoulder. "Get up pup, we've been invited to dinner."

Kiba sat up. "By who?"

"I saw Shikaku on the street and he wanted us to go over to his house for dinner."

"Are you two scheming?" Kiba asked.

Tsume shook her head. "No, now go get dressed and let's go."

Kiba grumbled as he walked up to his room and threw on his regular clothes. He walked back downstairs as he zipped up his coat. "I hate this, I don't want to go over there today. I don't want to see him today."

Tsume smiled. "Deal with it pup."

Kiba looked down. "Well, then let's go."

They headed off to the Nara household. Tsume knocked on the front door, which was opened by Yoshino. She invited them in and led them to the front room where Shikaku and Shikamaru were already seated. Tsume took a seat in one of the armchairs, which left the only open seat next to Shikamaru on the couch. Kiba hesitated a moment before sitting down next to his friend.

"Dinner will be ready in a few moments," Yoshino said as she walked off into the kitchen.

The two grownups began to talk. Kiba glanced at Shikamaru who had his head down and was refusing to talk. Kiba shook his head and looked out the window. After a few minutes Yoshino called them all into the dining room for dinner. The grownups sat down leaving the teens to sit next to each other once again.

Shikamaru refused to look at Kiba all through dinner as well and wouldn't talk at all. Kiba felt his heart sink and knew that he made a huge mistake by kissing him. Unable to eat anymore he pushed his plate away, just as Shikamaru finished.

Shikaku looked over at the teens. "Shikamaru, why don't you take Kiba out into the garden while we all talk?"

Shikamaru kept his gaze down. "Whatever."

Shikamaru stood up and Kiba followed him. As they walked outside Shikamaru walked off to a swing in the garden. He sat down and kept his gaze on the ground. Kiba walked up to him. "I'm not sorry for what happened, I wanted it just as much as you did."

Shikamaru still wouldn't look up. "Don't talk to me."

"Shika…"

"Shut up."

Kiba watched Shikamaru for a minute before he leaned against the tree next to the swing. "Shikamaru, what are you afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of anything, I just don't want to have to break anything off due to the clan."

Kiba looked at him. "They can't stop us, our parents wouldn't let it happen."

"How do you know? Your mother may accept it but my parents wouldn't."

Kiba sighed and sat down next to the other. "Because they wouldn't."

Kiba laid his hand on Shikamaru's shoulder, but the lazy one brushed it off. "Don't touch me."

Kiba looked away and blinked away a single tear. He sat there a moment before getting up. "I give up. If you don't want to see me again, then fine. I'm leaving."

Kiba began to walk towards the front gate. Shikamaru looked up. "Kiba, were are you going?"

"Away from you, it's hurts too much to be near you right now." And with that Kiba left, slamming the gate behind him.

Shikamaru looked down and let the tears he had been holding back go. "Kiba, wait!"

Kiba paused and looked back. Shikamaru looked up to reveal the tears that were falling. Kiba heart sunk even further. Did he make him cry? Kiba walked back through the gates. "What?"

"I'm sorry, it's just I've never went against my clan, and I don't want to if it's for nothing either," Shikamaru explained.

Kiba sat back down next to the other and pulled him into a hug. "Then what is it you want?"

"I want to know if this would last and that's I'm not going against the clan for nothing," Shikamaru stated.

"I can't promise anything, but I do know that I…I'm in love with you and I want to be yours. I don't want to pass this up."

Kiba leaned down and gently kissed the other. Shikamaru surprised both of them by kissing Kiba back. Shikamaru whispered softly to Kiba. "I don't want to pass this up either, I love you too, Kiba."

I know the story kinda sucks but the idea popped into my head one day and wouldn't leave me alone until i typed it up.

anyways reviews are nice and flames only make me laugh

laterz