A Dash of Chili Powder

34

Amaya nodded to Rage and began to follow him in the direction he dipped his head. Stepping lightly, readjusting her bags, her ears twitched. 

"Rage," she muttered, looking up at him. "I need you to take my groceries." 

It was, indeed, dark now. Stars littered the clear night sky and there were hardly any lights on. After all, everyone must be closing their shops since it's too dark out. 

The two MATES looked at each other with more confusion then back at Kugomi, simultaneously saying, "Yes!"

"The two have been together since Yuki arrived," a calm Kakashi informed, a small smile in his voice. 

"Yup! Damn near insuperable!" Yuki chirped, resting her head on Kiba's shoulder.

"Yeah!" The Inuzuka grinned from ear to ear and held Yuki as tightly as he could without hurting her at all. She was still injured, y'know. So, of course, he had to try and be gentle. As she was with him.

"Why do you ask?"

Gracie

"Rage."

The black haired teen stopped and looked down at Amaya, incredulous. It was the first time she'd ever said his name. He didn't know why but that struck him as something important.

Amaya looked up through her lashes, her signature frown in place. "I need you to take my groceries," she murmured.

He complied immediately, shifting all of his' to one hand and taking the ones she held in her small, cold hands. Cold hands. Compared to his large, warm and calloused ones, these were the opposite. He wondered on that. Did that make them different? Or was it the cold that was getting to her small form?

Once again Rage found himself itching to pick the lock on Amaya's true meaning. And once again, he just bowed to her and continued walking. Just one more block and they could get into a nice warm apartment.

Vell gaped at the couple. "You've gotta be kidding." Not a question.

"Wow! I didn't know humans did that, too," Kugomi marveled, as if Yuki and Kiba were a rare species she'd only dreamed about. "The only mates I've ever seen are with wolves, an' Ma an' Pa acted a lot like you guys."

"Ugh. It's late. I'm going home," Vell muttered, brushing past Kakashi to leave. The jonin watched him go but said nothing.

"Vell-kun's a big downer," Kugomi muttered to Yuki while eying the doorway, "but he grows on ya. He's actually a real' good guy if ya get past his pissy-fits. -.-'' "

[Of course, Kugomi stops insulting Vell as soon as he leaves. She's the opposite of a gossiper. XDDD]