Triple Dog Dare (KankuroxKiba)

Chapter Five

a/n: this chapter was so much fun to write lol. so cute! hope you enjoy.

Chapter Five

"You guys want a snack or anything?" Kiba's mom calls from the kitchen. I nearly jump out of my skin. I didn't even know she was home and I've been focused on the video game so much. "I'm cutting up some apples for the dogs."

"Sure! Thanks," Kiba replies, not taking his eyes off the screen. "You like apples, Kankuro? Or do you want something else?"

"Apples are good, thank you." I love that Kiba's mom just makes him a snack when she's feeding the dogs. That means she thinks about him even when he's not right in front of her. I mean, that's probably what parenting is but I guess I don't experience that kind of care that often.

Kiba and I get killed and we decide to take a break from the game. I really like the new update though. It's more challenging but that's the fun in it. I'm really glad Kiba invited me over today.

"Here you go boys," Kiba's mom says as she walks into the living room. She sets down a plate of apple slices with a spoonful of peanut butter on the side. It makes me feel like I'm in kindergarten.

The plate of apple slices takes me back about eleven years to this day care I went to. They used to give us this snack and the adults used soft tones like Kiba's mom just did. I can nearly smell the plastic toys and colorful markers. Back when I was dumb enough to not realize my life was shit.

The memory only lasts a second, but it feels like I was just in my head for a whole day. I snap back to reality when I hear Kiba's mom ask us if we want any pretzels.

"Sure," Kiba says and his mom turns to leave.

"Thank you," I say slowly, still coming back to reality.

She brings us a bowl of pretzels and I'm honestly scared I'm going to cry. My throat gets tight but no tears come, thank goodness.

It's been a while since I've been treated like this, I guess. Even the teachers at school can be mean. I guess I'm not used to adults being so nice and caring.

"Thank you so much, Mrs. Inuzuka."

"You're welcome, and my name is Tsume."

"Right, sorry," I say, not sure if I can call her by her first name. It doesn't feel polite.

"You guys have been playing games for a while, don't you have a project to work on?" She eyes Kiba.

Kiba starts talking with an apple slice in his mouth, "We finished it. Turned it in." He swallowed. "I just wanted Kankuro over to play some games."

"Oh, well that's nice," she smiles at us. I smile back.

I love this place. I'm happy here. The Inuzuka house is nice, although it smells like dogs, there's video games, snacks, a nice mother, and a guy my age I can laugh with and talk to. I could live here.

I take an apple slice and scoop some peanut butter on it then eat it. Kiba's mom leaves the room and I hear her go out the back door.

"Ya know," Kiba says, leaning back on his hands, "I was thinking about what you said before, about her just being motherly. You've kinda got a point. She doesn't really treat me like a baby, she just calls me 'sweetie' and stuff like that 'cause she loves me."

Kiba surprises me. He may be smarter and less ignorant than I thought. He actually listened to what I said and reflected on it.

"Yeah, that's good man," I say. "I'm pretty sure it's a part of being a teenager. Ya know, getting annoyed with your parents for no reason and stuff like that." Or at least I've heard and seen in movies. I have plenty of reasons to be annoyed with my dad.

"Yeah, well now I feel bad. 'Cause she is my mom, ya know?"

"Yeah. She's pretty cool too. I mean, she brings us snacks." We laugh.

"She seems to like you, but maybe it's just 'cause some of my other friends are kind of intense." Kiba shrugs.

"Like Naruto?" I ask. I don't know Naruto, but in our time hanging out, Kiba has mentioned that his friend Naruto is really hyper and says everything that comes to his head.

Kiba laughs. "Yeah, like Naruto."

We eat the snacks and play Minecraft for a bit to cool down from being killed over and over again by zombies with guns.

Eventually we get back to the zombie game.

Then I lose track of time and realize how late it's getting.

"I should probably head home before it gets dark," I say, setting my controller down.

"Okay," Kiba says, turning the screen off.

We stand up and he walks me to the door and waves me goodbye when I get on my bike.

I get home around seven. Kiba and I spent almost four hours together! That's definitely something that friends do.

I have a friend!

This is exciting.

...

In chemistry the next day, Kiba talks to me before the bell rings. We just talk about our day and boring stuff like that, but still, usually he talks to his other friends in the class.

The day after that we get our project grades back. We got an A! It's technically an A- but, whatever. We fist bump.

That night, my dad comes home drunk (no surprise there) and he yells at Gaara for no reason, but he doesn't hit him. He then leaves the house and doesn't come back. Temari and I wipe Gaara's tears until they stop flowing. Then the three of us make bowls of ice cream and watch a kids movie before going to bed. We try to take care of each other, but sometimes there's really nothing to be done. The best we can do is try to make each other feel better.

The weekend comes around and Dad still hasn't come home. So, I hang out with Kiba on Saturday. I convince him to dig his old bike out so we can go on a ride together. Don't get me wrong, I love playing video games, but I can't do it every time. We play for a few rounds until I get antsy.

Kiba says he has a bike but hasn't ridden it in "forever" as he put it. I'm sure it hasn't been that long.

We pump up the tires and I check the chains and brakes, then we head out. I'm taking him just around on the sidewalk, although I'd love to go on some hiking trails. We bike to the closest gas station and get slushies.

Now, we're sitting on the curb, sucking slushie juice from the straws, giving ourselves brain freeze. I get grape, he gets cherry. My tongue is purple and his is red.

We talk about school. Teachers we like or don't like, the latest drama that we aren't involved in but we each hear snippets of (him more than me), which lunch ladies we think spit in the food, stuff like that. This is the realest conversation I've had with anyone other than my siblings in years. It doesn't feel forced or fake. It's not really small talk anymore.

It's exactly what I wanted. A real connection with someone. A friend.

That is until...

I'm just kidding! It's all great. We bike home and later Kiba sends me a Snapchat picture of the white bristles on his toothbrush turned slightly pink because of the slushie. It was a great way to spend a Saturday.