Kiba Turning Your Orbit Around Inuzuka

Memo: The up to date version of TAGSB! is on my other computer. I know I'm driving several people mad with my slow updating abilities, but I'm really sorry. Honest. This was written awhile ago, as are most of the things I'm posting right now. Don't worry, I will get chapter seven out. But for now, enjoy Kiba fluff. Because it makes me very happy. Oh yeah, this a song-fic to the song 'Jesus Etc.' by Wilco

Don't cry, you can rely on me honey.

It was a cold, rainy sort of day, the type of day that made you long for warm beds and steaming mugs of hot chocolate. It was on this day that most of Kohona was safe and warm in their houses, with not a care towards their shops and their daily routines as the rain thundered down in large, slanted sheets. They wrapped themselves up in snug blankets and laughed with their families in warm heated houses, watching the rain as it fell.

I wasn't a part of that, however. On this cold, dismal day, I found myself on a park bench, staring up at the rain as it splattered down on my face. My jet-black hair was falling out of its bun, the same bun that taken me fifteen minutes to get just right this morning, and had decided to plaster itself to my already soaked face. Shaking my head violently from side to side, I crinkled my nose and sneezed. This day was not going as I had hoped.

Today was supposed to be a good luck day, a day in my life where something finally went right. It was supposed to be the day when Hyuuga-sama finally noticed me. After that, he would realize that he had loved me all along, and I, Noriko, would become his girlfriend.

It had been a twisted dream from the start, I thought dully as my big raven colored eyes stared at the ground. Tears ran down the sides of my face, ruining the only makeup I'd put on in years. Go figure that one day I make myself look like a goddess the heavens decide to pour down enough water to fill a small lake. Taking a furious swipe at my ruined face, I sniffed loudly.

"Of course he wouldn't want me. It's not like I'm anything special." I muttered, readjusting myself on the bench so I could hug my knees. "I'm just a normal, everyday girl, not even a kuniochi, and Tenten, well, she's the Weapon Mistress of Kohona. She's beautiful and intelligent, and she could fend for herself. Not me, I can't even get one guy to notice me." the self-pity consumed me as I stared down at the ground, on which a beautiful hair ornament lay.

Once it had been my mothers, but that was a long time ago. I could still remember the day she gave it to me. It had been my sixth birthday, and she had told me that, when I was old enough, it would bring me good luck and even better men. My mother had laughed then, and I could still remember the sound, as clear and merry as a chiming bell.

It had all been nothing but a lie. The ornament brought nothing but despair and pain. The last time I had worn it was the night of that horrible fire that claimed my house and my parents along with it. Today I wear it and Kohona receives the most rainfall it has had in years as my one true love breaks my heart in two.

Not as if I had ever gotten to the part in which I told Hyuuga-sama that he was my one true love and we were destined to be together thus sowing the seeds of a wonderful relationship. Oh no, I never even made it half way, that's how pathetic Watanbe Noriko is at telling people her feelings. Upon showing up to where Team Gai practiced soaking wet with mascara running down my face, I had proceeded to stutter quite wonderfully as I forgot the whole speech I had practiced the night before. Hyuuga-sama had stared, quite unabashed, at me as I struggled to find the words to say.

"Tenten," he had asked, in the voice I so adored. "Who is this?"

As Tenten looked me over I remember blushing and stammering some more. I had never liked it when people stared at me.

"Her name is Watanbe Noriko, Neji-san." She said as I inwardly growled with envy. How I longed to call him Neji-san. "Her parents used to run a weaponry shop; I think her uncle owns it now. I've only shopped there on occasion; they're a bit too cheap."

It was at this point that I had lost nerve and run as fast I could away from that place. They had not followed me and I was almost certain Gai-sensei had muttered something about wasted youth. The rain had increased since I'd left the training grounds, and it was highly probable that I was catching a good case of the flu. Serves me right, I thought, still thoroughly dismal. Actually believing some one as wonderful as Hyuuga-sama could love a nobody like me.

A loud obnoxious voice that I knew quite well broke through my mournful reverie of self-pity. It was Inuzuka Kiba there was no denying it. The boy had been my best friend since I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are of his house and some of his earliest memories were of mine. Kiba was like the brother I would never have, albeit a reasonably good-looking brother with dog-like senses. For a while, I had had a schoolgirl crush on the wild boy but that had all disappeared once I saw Hyuuga-sama. If Hyuuga-sama was my knight in shining armor, Kiba would have been his page.

"Norik—o!" I could hear him calling from my wet park bench, and knew that his head would be tilted back to welcome the rain and his rough hands would be cupped around his mouth. "Come on Noriko, I'm freezing out here!" Kiba complained as Akamaru barked his agreement. It was then that the little dog must have scented me, for he let out a series of frenzied barks.

Not two minutes later did Akamaru come barreling out of the rain to throw himself upon me, licking my face with a new-found passion. Usually I would laugh at the little puppy's antics and pet him happily; today I simply did not have the heart. Instead, I merely patted his back unenthusiastically as I watched Kiba's drenched outline draw nearer through the pouring rain.

"Gods above Noriko." He gasped once he had finally stopped in front of me. "We've been looking for hours! How long have you been out here for?"

I shrugged meekly, still staring at the ground by his feet. There was no way I was letting Kiba see my face right now. He would know exactly what was wrong with me. After that, he was perfectly liable to track Hyuuga-sama down and beat him up or something else horribly violent. I wasn't quite sure which idea appalled me more, the idea of Kiba tracking Hyuuga-sama down, or what Hyuuga-sama would do to Kiba if they fought.

"Noriko." He demanded, impatient.

Biting my lip, I squirmed a little. "Two hours," I said weakly. "Give or take."

"Two hours!" My best friends voice was strangled as he grabbed my chin and forced it upwards as to get a good look at my face. As I had predicted, he knew exactly what had happened without having to ask. What I had not expected was the intensity of the rage that I saw there, or how his eyes momentarily hardened and a low guttural growl forced its way out from in between his gritted teeth.

I blinked, terrified, as he muttered one word.

"Hyuuga."

Frantically, I shook my head back and forth, eyes wide. The two appalling scenarios were playing themselves in my overactive imagination and they were more than enough to force me to lie to my best friend. "No Kiba," I pleaded, trying to keep my voice even. "It wasn't that! I, I," I fumbled through my brain for a worthwhile excuse. "I tripped!" This was plausible enough; I was clumsy as all get out. "That's it; I tripped and thought I hurt my ankle so I sat down. I didn't want to move in case I actually did."

I don't know why Kiba bought my obvious and horrendous lie. Perhaps he had seen some of the desperation I had been trying so hard to hide. Or, perhaps, he was willing himself to believe the same thing I was; that what happened between Hyuuga-sama and I in the training fields was just a horrible dream. Either way he huffed out one short angry breath before draping me over his back like a package.

"Well, either way we better get you back home. Mom's gonna kill me when she's the state of you though. Out in the rain for two hours…" Kiba trailed off as he began to run and I was grateful for it. This was one of the reasons I adored Kiba, he knew when to let things go. Mollified, I laid my ruined cheek upon his strong shoulder and watched Kohona flash by.

You can come by anytime you want, I'll be around

We reached Kiba's house not long after. I was shivering violently by now and when I put a hand to my sopping head, realized that I had left Mother's hair ornament out in the park. My hand remained frozen in the air, my mouth slightly ajar in shock as Kiba gently put me down and cried out to his family.

"KANA! MOM!" he hollered, stripping off his wet coat and t-shirt, not even caring that I was right behind him, "WE'RE BACK!"

Kana came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands off on a towel. She seemed to under a large blanket of flour that covered every part of her body and there was smoke billowing out of the kitchen door behind her. Suspicious by default, Kiba sniffed the air cautiously.

"You've been cooking again." He stated as he crossed his arms over his bare chest. Behind him, Akamaru shook himself off and gave a little whimper. Kana's cooking wasn't really the best.

"So what if I have?" Kiba's older sister replied vaguely as she threw the towel over her shoulder. Kana's eyes rested on my still form and she let out a small huff. "If this is how my little brother treats his friends, then it's no wonder his teammates never come over!" she proclaimed as she strode over to where I was still standing, dumb with shock.

I let out a small squeak as Kana took me firmly by the arm and began marching me up the stairs towards her room. "I am going to make sure your friend here doesn't die of hypothermia otouto-san! Just make yourself comfortable and wait."

The last thing I heard before Kana's bedroom door slammed shut was Kiba's aggravated complaints about the quality of his friendship. Once the door had closed, I glanced around my surroundings. It was one of the first times I had ever been in the older girl's room, and I could now see it posters of the skeletal structure of different animals plastered the walls and pictures of various flowers. The veterinarian had scrolls that must have contained healing jutsus littered her desk.

"Alright Noriko-chan," she said kindly, clapping her hands together in a business-like manner. "First things first, I've been running some old clothes through the dryer until you got here so you could have something warm to wear. If you could please put those on instead, I'll be able to dry the clothes you're wearing right now too before you left. Just tell me if you need any help, that blouse looks like it would be pain to get off."

She turned away politely at this, letting me undress in privacy. Before I knew it, I was wearing a very warm pair of sweats, a plain tee shirt and a cozy wool sweater. They were all too big for me, and I had to roll both the sweats and the sweater several times before I could move unhindered. Other than that, there was nothing wrong them and I soon found that their warmth was making me rather sleepy.

"The clothes are Kiba's," Kana's voice seemed so far away…"I figured they'd be baggy on any one and much more comfortable than my own."

I nodded my bleary response, suddenly finding it very difficult to keep my eyes opened properly. Stifling a yawn, I blinked at Kana, who was watching me with something very akin to amusement in her eyes.

"Come 'ere Noriko-chan, let me help you fix that lovely mess that is your hair."

As I sat in front of Kana's small vanity, I let my thoughts get away from me. That had been my only chance at Hyuuga-sama's love; at the future I had built up in my mind. It was a sad fact, but I knew it was true. Coming back again would seem desperate, pathetic even. Although I knew myself to be both, I would not ruin myself any further in my idol's eyes. The only problem I had to face now was where that left me. What was left of carefully planned future? As far as I could tell, the only factor that hadn't changed in the slightest was Kiba. I knew my uncle would be disappointed when I told him what had happened today, and that my cousins and aunt would laugh. As for Kiba, I knew he would accept whatever happened, and he had. What troubled me was the image of his furious face; I couldn't seem to get the look of angry betrayal out of my head. Where did this put us? I shuddered a little, rarely had I thought of Kiba and I as an 'us' sort of item.

"Noriko-chan, Noriko-chan, I'm talking to ya, dear." Not of the first time today, an Inuzuka's voice broke through my troubled thoughts.

"What? Oh, gomen Kana-chan. I was thinking too hard." I blushed slightly, fidgeting in my seat.

"Don't worry about. I was just asking you why you showed up drenched on Kiba's shoulders."

I bit my lip and cast my eyes downward before muttering, "I tried to tell Hyuuga-sama how I felt today."

Kana made a sympathetic noise in the back of her throat, rubbing my head affectionately. She had been the only one outside my family that I told about my true feelings for the Hyuuga Prodigy. Not like she had whole-heartedly approved, because for some insane reason, Kana seemed to like the idea of her little brother and I as a couple.

"Didn't work out too well?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

I merely shook my head. "I don't want to talk about it Kana-chan, it was rather embarrassing. I don't think I can ever show my face around him again!"

"Well dear, you've got us. You certainly have Kiba. Honestly Noriko-chan, I think you've had that boy from hello." Kana gave a hearty laugh here, and let her hands drop down from my hair. It was dry again, I hadn't noticed that she'd even taken her blow-dryer out, and pulled back in a simple, well-placed ponytail at the base of my neck. I put my hand up to my still warm hair, marveling at what the vet could do with hair as unpredictable as mine. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed her drop something small into her pocket. I decided it must have been some hair product or another, and listened to Kana-chan as she finished.

"Now you go down there and impress the hell out of my brother. There's nothing like a rebound boy to get you back on your feet. I'm going to tell mother and the pack not to let you leave until the pair of you are together Noriko-chan, so don't even think of trying to evade me!"

With that, Kana-chan pushed me out of the door and towards the stairs before I could even tell her that she had to get over this insane obsession with me and her brother and that besides, I if I didn't know what a rebound boy was, how was I supposed to have one?

Before I knew it, I was on the first of floor of the Inuzuka house, standing in their living room. From here I could see a still sodden Kiba stretched out on the longest couch, and towel thrown hastily around his neck. I didn't know why, but suddenly I was nervous. What was wrong with me? I'd seen Kiba like this several times, as it was usually his chore to give the pack their baths, what made this time any different?

"Ah!" He said, grinning widely as he caught sight of me. "There you are Noriko! I'd thought Onee-chan had taken you captive or something, I was just about to send Aka up to check on ya. Come on silly, sit down!"

You were right about the stars; each one is a setting sun

Hesitantly, I made my way towards the couch. Automatically, Kiba sat up to give me some space. Not looking at him, I sat down. I could feel Kiba's eyes on me, they were boring holes into the side of my head. An awkward silence fell over us, neither willing to start the conversation.

Kiba continued to stare at me as he crossed his legs casually. This was enough to catch my attention, and I noticed that occasionally he would tilt his head to one side and sniff the air. It was as if he was trying to scent something that he couldn't place, or had never encountered before.

"What is that smell?" he demanded at last, crinkling his nose up in distaste.

Surprised, I sniffed the air as well. I hadn't noticed anything weird when I'd entered. Perhaps one of the pack had gotten in to something? It took me amount to realize what the real problem was as I blushed softly and lifted my hand to smell the back of my wrist.

"It's perfume." I said, explaining rather quilitly to my curious friend. "I put on some of my cousin's this morning before I went to fi- I mean, before I went on my walk." I blushed even more at my blunder and sidetracked him, hoping to aviod any more questions. "Do you not like it?"

Kiba shook his head a little, and to my surprise, blushed softly as well. "No, it's not that. I've smelt your cousin's perfume before. She comes to pick you up all the time. This is…different?"

"Different?" I piqued, my own curiosity arising. "How?"

My friend puckered his brow slightly, and moved a bit closer on the couch. He sniffed the air again and paused, trying to find the words to explain. "I'm not sure. It's just…different. It smells…well, it smells a little you, actually." He confessed.

I rolled my eyes. "Well imagine that." I said sarcastically. "Because I think I would smell like Sakura."

Kiba gave out a bark-like laugh and the awkward veil between us lifted. He fought back a smile as he replied. "Oh please don't, I'm not sure I could take that."

I giggled, and put on my best Sakura impression. "Sasuke-kun! Oh Sasuke-kun, look at me! My hair's so pink and vivid Sasuke-kun! Doesn't it just make you want to hurl?"

Kiba roared with laughter, clutching his sides. The sight of him laughing always made me laugh as well, and before long, we were laughing ourselves silly on Kiba's living room couch. Akamaru ran in circles around the couch itself yapping up a storm and adding to the fray.

The laughter eventually died down and we both lay still, gasping for breath, a comfortable silence filling the air. My head was on Kiba's gently heaving chest and as he sat up, I feel over.

He chuckled gently and helped me up. Halfway through letting go off my hand, he paused and stared at me strangely again. At first, I thought the smell was back. "You're wearing my clothes!" He said indignation in his voice.

"Hai." I said a little confused. "Kana-chan ran them through the dryer for me, so I would have something that wasn't completely drenched to wear. Sometimes people like to have things like dry clothes Kiba." I finished in a mockingly serious tone.

A corner of his mouth twitched upwards in a half-smile. "Well, they look good on you. I think you should wear my clothes more often."

"I think that you should stop being such a boy, Kiba." I teased, giving him a playful push and shaking my head.

Kiba chuckled, his brown eyes sparkling. As he leaned forward to push me back, my friend paused again, a strange expression on his face once more.

"What is it Kiba?" I asked, scooting forward so I was next to him on the couch.

"That smell!" Kiba's voice was strangled, almost frustrated. "It's so-I can't-" He broke off, shaking his head furiously.

I stared at him, curious and frightened. What was wrong with him? My friend had never acted this way before, not even when Akamaru had gotten a horrible case of fleas and they had to be separated for a whole week.

The next thing I knew, Kiba's lips were on lips on mine, and his arms wrapped around my body.

I froze.

He was kissing me. Of all the people in the world, Kiba was kissing me. I must be dreaming this couldn't be real. Surely this wasn't happening. This wasn't the Kiba I was used to, this wasn't the Kiba I had grown up with; who would shove mud down my shirt, or push me too high on the playground swings. This wasn't my Kiba, who had the tendency to care a little too much, and who pretended to believe the lies I had feed him about Hyuuga-sama so I wouldn't have to worry about the pair of them fighting. No, this was someone different.

This was a side of Kiba I had never seen before. He was scared, and hesitant. Even now, his lips were shaking on mine. I could almost feel his fear. What was he doing? Kiba's body seemed to say as his hold on me slackened. This was his friend, what was he doing?

Almost as suddenly as the kiss had started, it was over. Kiba broke away, practically throwing himself away from me as he averted his face from my own, terrified at what he had just done.

It hit me then, as I brought a hand up to my tingling lips. What if the page had been better than his knight all along? Not too long ago, I had been worrying about what would happen to my future now that Hyuuga-sama had rejected my heart so thoroughly. Now I saw that there had never been any reason to worry, because my heart had never truly been Hyuuga-sama's to begin with. Hyuuga-sama had not traded secrets with me under starry skies, nor had he dared me to eat worms then felt so bad about doing it that he too joined the feast. The boy who had, the boy who my heart must have belonged to from the start, was sitting on the opposite side of the Inuzuka's living room couch, terrified of being rejected.

"Kiba-" I started, scooting forward as I reached out one hand to touch his pale face.

"Sorry Noriko," Kiba said hastily, avoiding my touch. "Gods I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me! That smell was-and it-I don't-" he trailed off.

"Kiba." I said again, with less patience this time. This boy was insane. Couldn't he realize that there was nothing to apologize for?

"Seriously Noriko, I would have never kissed-well, yes, I probably would've, but that's not the point. The point is that I'm really, really, sorry and if you never want to see me again that's fine." He finished, his chest heaving slightly.

I rolled my eyes, laughing gently. "And why in gods name would I never want to see you again? It's not like you've killed anyone." I reasoned, folding my arms.

He looked up at me then, confusion plastered on his face. Poor Kiba had thought I would reject him, that much was evident. "You…wait what?" He asked, cocking his head.

I laughed again, and feeling truly happy for the first time all day, I kissed him.

It was nothing like the first kiss, which had been awkward and full of doubt mixed in with fear. This was sweet, and tender. By the time it was over, Kiba was grinning widely.

"Wow." He breathed, and I giggled slightly, resting my head on his shoulder. "Just…wow." Kiba ran one had through my hair, his breathing soft and normal once more.

"Oh!" He exclaimed suddenly, fishing around from something in his pants pocket. After a few minutes of searching, he brought forth my mother's hair ornament. "Akamaru found this in the park after we left. He went back to get it while you were still upstairs."

'Good luck and even better men…' My mother had once told me. I hugged Kiba tightly before pinning the ornament back into my hair and closing my eyes in contentment. Thank you Mom, I said silently, my face towards the heavens.

Kiba wrapped his arms around me again and spread himself out on the couch as he gave a happy sigh.

"Hey couch hog," I complained, poking his side. "Budge up. I need leg room too you know."

Kiba smirked. "I'd like to see you make me." He boasted, tightening his grip.

"Oh yeah? Well, you asked for it, Buster!" I said, tickling him mercilessly until he loosened his grip, then launching myself off the couch and running away.

It was just like old times again and Kiba and I roared with laughter as he got up and began chasing me around his house, a barking Akamaru at his heels. Just like old times, but this was so much better.

If either of us had been paying attention, we would have noticed Kana walking around with a very self-satisfied look on her face as she unlocked all the doors. Every now and then, she would stop, look at us chasing each other, smile and move on. Perhaps if we had been watching very carefully, we would have noticed her pull a small vial out of her pocket, and grin even wider before putting the small bottle labeled 'Essence of Attraction' back on the kitchen shelf with the rest of Mrs. Inuzuka's potions.

It was a cold, rainy sort of day, the type of day that made you long for warm beds and steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Yet I no longer paid much attention to the rain. For inside the Inuzuka house it was warm and inviting, and Kiba and Akamaru would be there waiting for me, welcoming and friendly as always. The rain fell down in heavy sheets, but it didn't matter. For inside that small house my page was waiting.

Tall buildings shake, voices escape singing sad, sad songs

Two, two chords strum down your cheeks,

Bitter melodies

Turning your orbit around