ᗰOᑎᔕTEᖇ [🧡 ᑎᗩᖇᑌᕼIᑎᗩ 💜] [Ɱҽէąʍօɾքհօʂìʂ] Bσσƙ Oɳҽ

Sunagakure

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Sunagakure

April 13, 2010

"You sure have a serious face for someone that clearly had a really good morning."

Confused, Naruto stopped an arms length away from man and dog. Even without senjutsu, Naruto knew Kiba's most frequented spot. Nine times out of ten, both could be found out here in the forest surrounding the village.

"Huh?"

With an exasperated sigh, Kiba pointed to his own neck. It took a moment to click before Naruto gave a short chuckle, absently tracing the red mark right below the curve of his jaw.

A low whistle left his feral friend's lips.

"She sure did a number on you."

Naruto grinned, the comment momentarily parting the dark cloud the mission had placed over his mood.

"She was happy, 'ttebayo. I proposed this morning," he admitted, tapping a reddened cheek suffused with happiness,"We're getting married, dattebayo."

"Married?!" Kiba exclaimed.

Akamaru barked a few times.

"Right?!" Inuzuka agreed.

"Uhhh, right what? You know I can't understand Akamaru like you can, Kiba-."

A claw tipped finger clipped his words short.

"When the hell did you even buy a ring?" the feral shinobi questioned.

"Ahhh...hmmmm," he hummed, trying to remember the date, chin clasped between thumb and forefinger.

He snapped his fingers as his hazy memory cleared.

"Almost two years ago, around Hinata's birthday."

"T-Two years ago?!" came the outraged response, "And you didn't tell us about it?"

"Uhhh, I didn't? I could've sworn I did," he said, uncertainty and nervousness coating his voice, "o-oh yeah, now I remember, it was Ino, Sakura and Tenten."

"You tell the women, but not the guys?"

"What's the big deal Kiba," Naruto blustered guilty, "you guys probably woulda made fun of me for it anyway."

"Of course we would've!" Kiba confirmed without an ounce of shame, "and once we finished, we'd have gone for a celebration drink!"

Crossing his arms, looking fairly put out, the dog loving nin muttered, "Maybe would've chipped in and paid for a drink or two for ya."

'Chip...chip in?'

That stingy mutt could outright buy him a drink.

Naruto's deadpan expression was response enough to that comment, but still, he couldn't help a follow up. It deserved one, he thought.

"Jee, you're so generous Kiba." he proclaimed, voice dripping sarcasm.

"Hmph, I already know that without you telling me," the hound using shinobi quipped, "When we hit the bar to celebrate, once you've let everyone know, you can pay for your own damn drink."

Naruto sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it, dattebayo."

He really did feel a bit bad though. He'd told the female counterpart of their group because they'd asked and he'd had the ring with him. After that, with his own team to look after, worrying about the village, the peace treaty, the shinobi world and how to even approach his lover with the intent of marriage had kept him occupied that it had sort of slipped his mind...for almost two years...